Shadow almost made it to Trottingham before it got to late. Instead, he decided to settle down for the night and get to town early the next day. It was an easy trot into the city in the morning.

On the workbench in his home was the repaired and enhanced necklace chain. There was no letter, just the chain. Shadow grabbed it and then put his battle saddle on the workbench. Behind his closed bedroom door he disrobed and put the chain back on instead of the string. It felt a little heavier than it had before.

Shadow folded the Black Widow costume up neatly and stashed it inside the floor where it would be safe. Hidden forever. It was time for it to be retired. At least for below. Above might need it.

Shadow needed to wear something, and he was sick of the combat armor. He had sweat for nights in it. He put on his Blue Beret uniform, including the Jacket and beret. The jacket might look like a little much for the weather, but it was comforting to his wings. That was the design, to keep his wings warm and ready in every weather.

He went about his shopping. The first place was to visit Red Tip. His magnum rounds were done. He had already paid. He didn’t stay to chat. Shadow just focused on the final pieces. He restocked on some medical supplies and went home.

Shadow ate quickly and began to strip his entire set up down and clean it. He made it shine nice and pretty. It was still in stellar condition. It’s lack of wear was a testament to the love he poured into it.

Shadow set it aside, made some tea, and oiled Kifo Herixleta. Tracking Dahlia would be his first concern. But it might take a while. He hadn’t made much of a profit on his trip, so his reserves were nearly spent.

Shadow needed to fix that. But he didn’t want to work for it. Not too hard anyway. He had the stored bricks from the Lux, but that wasn’t that much. Still, that specific vault in the Lux was farther away from the epicenter. It may have escaped the Steel Ranger eyes.

Shadow grinned. He would make one last heist. But not as Black Widow. It would be his own. The Zebra Cloak would do the job.

Shadow packed the few things he needed and left. It was just his sword, revolver, and saddlebags with some food and his personals. A really light trip. He could make it there by dawn and have time to see if it was even possible.

As Shadow poked his head into the Lux it became clear that the Steel Ranger scribes were focused on the main set of buildings and the destruction there. The bodies of the Lux leaders were still at their table. He wasn’t even sure if they had checked out the upper villas. It meant Shadow easily got to his lookout and bedded down safely. He snoozed through most of the day and then was ready to go.

It was thrilling to be doing a heist as himself. It would have real ramifications if he failed. The doors were still well oiled and he slipped inside. The vault door was locked, but he fixed that.

Everything was where he had left it. They hadn’t found the vault yet. Shadow grabbed the manifest and stashed it in his bags. He wouldn’t leave them a list to check if they ever did find it. Shadow loaded every cap brick he could and then more in his throw bag. He was out and gone before it hit midnight.

If he was banished below, Shadow would make an expert thief. He would consider it if things played out that way. But he was becoming more and more sure that he would be welcomed back.

Shadow couldn’t just walk into the bank with the bricks of caps. That would be too noticeable. He spent an hour unpacking half of them and dumping them into sacks. He hadn’t checked in with the bank, so they wouldn’t find it odd that he brought in several thousand caps a few days later.

Shadow napped a few hours until it was mid morning. He got back on the road and back to Trottingham. Strawberry was working, so he had the time to stash the other half of the bricks in his room and head to the bank.

It was Mtoaji, they didn’t question a large number of caps being deposited. They were used to him putting near ridiculous amounts into his account. They knew what he was doing. It made sense, enough.

When Shadow got back to his home he had to get serious. He had to plan. Finding Dahlia was the biggest problem. She would pay for killing Nor and hunting him. For all the days he worried, looking over his shoulder for her. And never being able to unfold his wings because of her. Right before she died, she would discover that it was him she had been hunting, that her suspicions were correct.

Shadow needed to leave this place ready for his absence. He pulled out all the Black Widow information and stashed it under the floorboards with the rest of the stuff and the rest of the cap bricks. It was stuffed, but hidden. Nothing in the condominium was tied to that identity.

With that Shadow headed to bed. It had been another push, and he wasn’t on edge anymore. Shadow heard Strawberry get up in the morning, but laid in bed for a while still.

Shadow packed everything he would need. Everything needed to go home once he succeeded. The china stayed, along with the anti-machine rifle, and the Blue Beret uniform. If things went right, he could go back for them.

Taking on Dahlia meant he would need armor piercing rounds. Every magazine was switched out for the penetrating power of of the armor piercing rounds. Every shotgun magazine had the magnum rounds.

Shadow picked up a piece of paper and wrote a note for Strawberry.

Strawberry

I am making a run for information. I think I know where I need to go. If I am not back in six months, I am either dead, or I made it back. Then you should take over the bed room. Make it yours. It will be yours anyway when the time runs out.

The journey to my home is very long, difficult, and comes with its own dangers. If I am successful, there is a good chance I won’t come back to Trottingham.

It has been a great pleasure to know you. To call you a friend. You have done more for me than you realize.

Mtoaji

Shadow was gone before Strawberry was awake. He was going to New Appleloosa. From there, maybe he could find Dahlia’s trail.

The caravan trail was familiar by now, and very easy traveling. Shadow made quick work of the distance. Twice he met Hive Caravans with Operators guarding them. He arrived and bought a bed for a week.

Asking for a Steel Ranger, especially one that hunted others, was dangerous. So Shadow went to the outdoor cafe and spent the rest of the day sitting and watching. Listening to the city. It had very interesting things to say.

Shadow spent the next day watching from the same seat. He only got up to use the restroom. They were well compensated for the use of their table.

A unicorn stallion sat down at the table with him. “For two days you have been here, watching. What are you watching for?”

“Someone,” Shadow replied.

“Does this some one have a name?”

“Yes,” Shadow nodded.

“How about a description then?”

“I watch for a mint green mare, with a blue mane.”

“I know a mare like that. She comes around every so often. Last I know she went south. Which most likely means she will come north to here. There are not many places she could come back through.”

Shadow wasn’t dumb. He pulled out 100 caps and passed them to the unicorn in silent thanks.

It did give Shadow time to plan. He had 8 Steel Rangers to kill. 8 ways to kill them. He would devise special ways to kill each and tell her how he was going to hunt them down. He would make her quake in fear by the end. When she was the last, she would shit herself, knowing she would soon die. That she could not stop her own death. That she had caused her own demise.

First, he would drill a bullet into the head of the first one, unseen. The second would be from his pistol, concealed. The third, would walk into his blade. The fourth, he would kill with his battle saddle, seen. The fifth would fall prey to his shotgun at close range. The sixth and seventh would be cut in half with Kifo Herixleta, at the same time. And Dahlia herself, he would slay her in her quarters in Fillydelphia. Up close and personal.

Shadow had his second business in Fillydelphia. The Disciples would die. He wouldn’t have long to do the deed. He would have to take them down in one good go. And with them, their sky guns had to be taken down. Shadow couldn’t leave a single one operational.

At some point, the Enclave would come. And they were looking heavily at Filly. Those guns had to fall in order for Filly to be taken. Shadow wanted to see Fillydelphia fall. Fall into hooves that would take good care of it.

Shadow continued to watch and wait. Eventually he noticed an interesting pair take a seat at the table behind him. A crimson Earth Pony with a black mane. One eye was blue, the other had a patch wrapped around it. He was joined by an older pale gray Earth Pony, also with a black mane. They ordered food and settled in for a long wait.

It wasn’t hard to overhear their chit chat without looking at them. I was hard to ignore the black Griffon than came walking down the street and took a seat at their table. Especially since she had an anti-machine rifle on her back. It was impossible to not overhear them, even though it was loud in the cafe.

“My name is Stern. You seek an ally? A powerful one?”

“I wish to unify pony kind. Rebuild what was lost into an even greater society. This wasteland can be restored. I need strong ponies, or Griffons, to help me do that.”

“Where? And what makes you think you are strong enough.”

“My name is Red Eye. When my own kind turned its back on this world, I righted that wrong and am here now to share it. Where is the best place to start?”

“There isn’t exactly an opening. Fillydelphia is a war zone between the Disciples and the Steel Rangers. And if the Steel Rangers can’t eliminate them, well even I couldn’t gather an army big enough for you enough to do that.

“Las Pegasus will kill you. Their air is foul and they are a ghoul army. Canterlot is mostly pink cloud. What is left, it isn’t worth trying to set down any roots. Manehatten, if its not ruins, its occupied. And well, again you would have to have a massive army to take any of that. Trottingham is a Steel Ranger stronghold as well. They are fiercely loyal to the settlements around them.

“The biggest set of raiders have been eliminated. One called Black Widow did that. The last big raider gang is in Fillydelphia. I don’t know if Black Widow can or will try to eliminate them. She hit the Pack. That was an interesting strike.”

“So, you mean what?”

“I mean, I can provide you the muscle, but building it, that isn’t something we can easily do. You are going to need a better plan than muscle. Muscle will stop the raiders and keep social order, that is all. These guys are not farmers or builders.”

Shadow pulled out a new piece of paper as they continued their discussion.

If you really wish to rebuild this forsaken land, I have a proposition for you. The Disciples are not going to last much longer. They have slaves. Slaves who will be soon free. They may wish to rebuild their lives alongside you. That is up to them.

In two weeks the Disciples will fall. On the 14^th morning from now, their gate will be unguarded and you may enter. It is a nasty area, decorated with blood and filth. It will require a lot of cleaning. But it may serve you well.

If you are really going to rebuild this world.

It was a lot of big talk. Stuff the Griffon didn’t quite believe. But Shadow knew that somepony would be coming after him. Somepony who could unite the wasteland and take it the final steps to being ready for unification as Equestria again. He was going to clean out the Disciples anyway. This gave the slaves the best option to stay free. Shadow was going to release them. They could work out how they rebuilt their lives with the crimson pony.

Shadow got up and walked across the street to Absolutely Everything. Inside he approached a Unicorn filly. She was ragged and starving.

“Hey,” Shadow said with a tap on her shoulder. “I was given this note to deliver to two ponies in the cafe across the street. But I’m too afraid of the Griffon. I have this thing about Griffons. So I’ll give you 50 caps to deliver it. Up front.”

She levitated the caps and the note from him.

“Its the pony with the crimson coat.”

She nodded and ran out. Shadow slipped up to the entrance to watch her. She delivered it to the right table and he slipped further into the shop. He got the zebra cloak on and was gone. He headed to his room for the rest of the evening.

Shadow had put himself onto a clock. Sitting around New Appleloosa wasn’t getting him anywhere. He would stick to it and have plenty of time to destroy the Disciples. Dahlia would go down after.

Shadow saw no sign of the others as he sat down to eat an early breakfast. When he finished and paid he glanced down the street one last time. He saw 8 familiar Steel Rangers coming into town from the south.

Shadow went into Absolutely Everything once again. He needed some supplies anyway. But he also needed to get them his hit list. Things would happen quickly. Very quickly. He found the same filly in there, trying to buy food.

“Here,” Shadow said, stepping over and paying.

“Thank you,” She said shakily. “Another message?”

“Yeah,” Shadow said, smiling at her. “But this one is a new pony. And here is 100 caps for doing it. This note is for the Steel Rangers.”

“I’ll give them it and run.” She took the note and caps and headed out.

Shadow quickly paid for his supplies. He slipped out and she was already heading down the street while Dahlia was opening the note. Shadow cloaked himself and watched from out of the way.

He had written the note to be straightforward.

Dahlia

I am your worst nightmare. As you have hunted me, so I will hunt you. I am the last survivor of the pegasus group you have hunted and killed. We came in peace, and you had other plans. You muted your ears and blinded your eyes. You have killed my friends, both with your own gun and because you have made it impossible for us to survive. Alone, you shall get your due.

8, I will take a dragoon and you will not see the bullet that will rip into his head. 7 shall be from my pistol. You will not know where it came from. 6 will be up close. They will walk into their death, making it shear them apart. 5 you will see me, but be unable to stop me from killing your Dragoon. 4 will fall prey to the claws of a shotgun’s balls. The 3 and 2 will die together.

You will find no rest until I send you to a worse place than this land. I will come for you when I want your head. You are powerless. My mercy is over. With your death, I will be able to go home. I will be free.

Dahlia was fuming and screaming. Her team spread out, trying to see who was watching. The entire area had frozen in their mid morning routines. An angry Dahlia was never a good thing.

“Helmets on,” Dahlia ordered. “We move out now!”

Shadow smiled under his cloak Her pain brought him pleasure. The Statuette reminded him to be pleasant. But they had caused him too much pain over the months.

Shadow maneuvered ahead of them out of New Appleloosa. He got outside of the city guard’s range and set up his position. Dahlia and her Dragoons were leaving in a good pattern. They were acting perfectly military. But they couldn’t avoid what they couldn’t see. And they couldn’t shoot back at him if they didn’t hear his shot.

Their predictable actions made the shot easy. Shadow dialed into the individual he numbered as 8. It was the least painted one. Shadow figured their orange and black painted accents were occurred over time, indicating the rookie from the senior knights.

The only way to tell a shot had been fired was the brass casing that dropped out from under his cloak into the dust. The Steel Ranger was hit in the back of the head. The body didn’t react, it just dropped. Slowly as the armor caught the weight of the body inside.

“What!” Dahlia called out.

“Simple Stone just dropped.”

“Dahlia, its a bullet. Small, back of the head.”

“What! How! Where!”

“Hit the deck!”

“I don’t see anypony.”

“Was it the New Appleloosa guards?”

“No, how? They don’t have the weapons to shoot this far. Especially small calibers. Can you confirm that?”

“I have blood, Dahlia. I pulled his helmet off. Its a small caliber, probably 5.56. Armor piercing. It stayed in the helmet. Massive damage. He’s gone. It was quick. A perfect shot.”

“If this is like the note, then we have a problem.”

“Alright,” Dahlia said getting her head back on straight. “We move. Straight to Filly. Fuck everything. Let’s just get to some allies and safety.”

They held onto the misguided idea of no soldier left behind. But it would only slow them down and make them easier to track. Shadow used the map to plan their most likely route and got ahead of them with a straight run, wide of their path. He waited for them to approach the trees. When they got inside, he would take down Number 7.

They were cautious as they entered the fringes of the trees. It gave them cover from longer ranges, but it meant they had to be more vigilant. Still, their flank could see any normal attackers trying to come across the open area.

Shadow found a tree on the edge to the clearing and climbed it. He would take 7 from the side. The target came into range. Shadow waited for a close shot. It mattered so that he didn’t miss. He was sure of his skills, but now wasn’t the time to test it. A mistake would give them hope.

The shot echoed off the trees as it kicked the Dragoon’s head to the side in a clean snap. The side kick blocked the downward trajectory of the shot. They didn’t rush over as he dropped. He laid there for a minute while they tried to find cover. They began to make the standard military call outs for identifying the threat. But they couldn’t see him and came up empty.

Shadow carefully moved over the branches of the tree and slid down the trunk before they began to move. By the time they checked 7, he was gone. Shadow could be out in the open without worrying about being seen.

6 was probably the most difficult, and he put that limitation on himself. He had to get Kifo Herixleta through the Steel Ranger armor as they walked into it. Close work, without being seen, heard, or sensed.

The best time for that was as the night took over. They would bed down, but that wasn’t necessarily bad. Taking out their guard would be easy. With several resting, it would be safer. In order to win, Shadow had to manage his safety margin. If he reduced the risk he took, he would succeed.

When they did bed down, the first shift was taken by Dahlia and her second. Shadow took the opportunity to sleep for a few hours. When he woke up and crawled over to their camp it was the start of third shift. His chosen 6 was still asleep, but 5 and 3 were on guard. 5 and 6 were not obviously different from each other, rank wise. It was an okay swap.

Shadow made it to their outside line. Against a tree, cloaked, he planned. They were moving in their vigil. It was enough movement for him to work with.

From his spot Shadow drew Kifo Herixleta. Shadow focused on the tip of the blade until the heat shifted there. For the moment, he slid the blade into the ground to conceal it. Shadow used the tree to hide and then kicked a stone over.

It caught the attention of both 5 and 3. 5 cautiously slipped over to get a look at the other side of the tree. It didn’t give him a chance to see the glowing blade as he stepped around. As he hit the point Shadow helped him by giving the blade the momentum it needed to cut through him. As it went in he added the heat to the rest of the blade.

Shadow pulled 5 in close as he transferred the blade from red hot to white ice. It was a quiet death. 5 may have had his helmet on, but it was easy to tell he wasn’t understanding what was happening. Shadow let go, killing the enchantment in the blade and pulled it out, slowly.

He took several steps back away from 5. He heard the other Steel Ranger call 5’s real name. He finally got to his fellow Steel Ranger as the body tipped to lean against the tree. The others jumped up as they heard his frantic calls.

“Move!” Dahlia ordered. “Move now! We can’t help them. We will outsmart him. No Pegasus Shithead will ever outsmart me and my Dragoons. Their head is in the clouds.”

“And probably he is,” 3 said. “Dahlia, that’s got to be how this keeps happening.”

“And still not seeing him?” Dahlia shot back. “Wings or not, we still can’t see him. He has to have a StealthBuck. Move! We need support.”

“The others?”

“Just grab their tags and lets go! Its all we have time for if we want to save our skins.”

Shadow watched them start off. He waited a bit to make sure he was tracking them at a safe distance. 6 would die with him known. He would have to let them confirm him, but be fast enough to not get hit.

His tracking didn’t take long until he found them harassing a pony. He took the advantage to get in position. What had them so focused when he was hunting them was of a big interest. They were on the run, not the hunt.

The five of them had corralled and encircled a brown stallion with an orangish yellow mane. He was unarmored, but some appeared to be at his feet. His brown eyes were flashing with fear.

“He’s got to be him!” 2 said.

“Too easy,” Dahlia shot back. “No way.”

“N...now ah ain’t-”

“I said shut up!” Dahlia ordered as she paced.

Shadow moved to the next tree over to see better. They had him circled up closely. The position gave him a new look at the stallion’s unarmored flank. It was bubbling red with open pockets of flesh. The telltale markers of a severe burn.

But the shape was of the burn was of a greater concern. The shape was a cloud, with a lightning bolt coming out of it. The stallion was forced back and he tripped on a root, causing him to rear back. For balance he opened his wings.

Shadow’s heart sank. Was this Pegasus really deserving of his brand? Cloudy Snow wasn’t. Was he? It was more than just a dark mark on his flank. It was a real, deep pain. One he would probably feel for the rest of his life, living on as a ghost in his head long after it had healed.

“Ah got branded cause ah spoke out! I broke muh orders when ah came below. And fer that, ah was kicked out of the Enclave.”

Shadow’s heart exploded with passion. He would not let them punish the Pegasus for having wings. He was innocent in this fight. It was between him and Dahlia. No one but the Inquisitors and Dahlia’s Dragoons were supposed to be involved.

“Dahlia!” Shadow yelled stepping out from the tree. “I’m over here!”

They froze as their attentions snapped to look at Shadow. He wasn’t concealed this time. His hat was low over his head and he had Mwokozi’s cloak wrapped around him like a robe. But he was identifiable.

“Whoever he is, he has no idea who I am. He is innocent!”

Dahlia telegraphed everything she was doing as she reared up to get her guns on Shadow. He stepped to the side and her shot missed. He returned fire, a single shot. It popped into 6’s chest. Shadow rolled to cover and he heard several shots ring out, but not at him. They had opened fire on the other Pegasus.

Dahlia charged towards Shadow’s location. He dashed out and led her on a simple chase deeper into the woods. She lost track of him quickly, thanks the cloak. Her Dragoons caught up to her and they ran off together. 6 was with them, but Shadow could see he was hurting. It was a perfect shot to the heart. The 5.56 round was stupid light, especially considering the small hole the armor piercing round made. Still, 6 would drop soon enough.

Eight Dragoons were down to four in a few hours.

Shadow got back and around to the Pegasus. He was slumped against the tree, unconscious. Shadow dropped down next to him and quickly got Med-X in him. He carefully massaged a health potion down his throat and then got to binding up the wounds. He pulled out his last stitch kit.

His head had a gash along its side where the armored hoof of a Dragoon had slammed into it. It was the reason he lost consciousness. But they had put lead in him as well. It wasn’t in any particular pattern as they rushed to get at Shadow.

The first bullet was impacted into the sternum. It was easy to pull out and stitch up. The second was a through and through at his shoulder. Again, easy to stitch up. Shadow had to watch his stitching so that he didn’t waste any of the thread. He would need it all. The third was in the foreleg. It was mushroomed out perfectly and resting against the cracked bone. The last was a nick in his neck. The bullet had grazed him. If it had been half an inch to the left he would have been dead.

After it was all patched up Shadow wrapped him with magical bandages. It took 3 packs to cover the wounds properly. That included his flanks. It was all simple things he had learned to do a long while ago. Shadow massaged another health potion down his throat.

The Pegasus was worn and scruffy. There was a chance he had taken radiation. He wasn’t going to try massaging RadAway down an unconscious pony.

Shadow had to complete his hit. He had promised Dahlia and he needed to keep that promise. He had to finish them off before she got to Fillydelphia. She had to arrive alone. If not, he was in trouble. Getting at more than her would be impossible.

Shadow had to believe he had done all he could do. Logically He had. Leaving the Pegasus was a risk. But he could leave him with the best he had.

The Pegasus’ gear was a little bit away. He had been corralled away from it. Shadow picked up the helmet that the Pegasus had. The helmet felt alien. Like he had never held it before. But he had worn the same at one time.

It had been on top of the rest of his armor. But he couldn’t wear it long, if at all, because of the burns. Shadow found the suit the Pegasus had been wearing under the armor. It was bloody and sticky on the flank. The inside was covered in his own puss and coat. He had been trying to dry it off and clean it before he wore it again.

It was all so familiar. It was all what he wanted. But it didn’t feel real. Maybe it was because it wasn’t his. But maybe it was because he no longer was an Enclave soldier.

The very idea of it brought tremendous fear. Shadow didn’t hear much of the conversation the Pegasus had with Dahlia, but it sounded like the Pegasus had been below, on a mission. Which meant missions were still happening. Recon was still running and Scouts were operating below. If they were operating, and he hadn’t heard about it, were they even searching for him? If they were not, was it because he was considered dead or worse, had he been banished? Banished without being able to make a defense for himself?

His vision faded as the implications choked out the light, bent on killing him while he sat there. Shadow touched his necklace. He felt it press against his coat and the darkness recede. He had no option but to push to go above. Home was still home. It was worth it.

He would leave the valuable stuff below, hidden in the mountains at Fort Griffon’s Gate. That way, he could recover them if he was banished. If not, he could slip down and recover them. His best chance was the Wonderbolts.

The Pegasus didn’t have much in his bags, just some scavenged wild food. He needed more if he was to survive. Shadow left him a box of the prewar apple shit. He put 500 caps inside as well and then moved the bags to his sleeping side. He added Med-X, a RadAway, and a health potion. With everything protected, inside the bags, he needed to move on. But a note was a good idea.

Pegasus,

Sorry you got caught up in this. This fight was between me and them. They had no reason to open fire on you. Other Steel Rangers are not so stupid, but caution is wise. Her actions have finally brought about a consequence she can not stop.

When you wake up, drink the health potion I put in your bag. I gave you one already, but you need it. The bigger bottle is RadAway. I don’t know how much radiation you have taken. Banish Pegasi often take massive amounts due to not knowing where to avoid. Take it if you need it. I would just to be safe. The syringe is Med-X, it helps ease pain. Use it if you need to, but you will get high, so be careful. You are wrapped with magical bandages to speed healing and I stitched you up well. Its all I could do physically. It would be hard to find better care out here unless you had a unicorn doctor.

I have to go finish my business with those Steel Rangers. They won’t be around to kill you. Dahlia hates wings. She kills Pegasi for being Pegasi. If your flanks are any indication, you were banished below. I don’t know how much you know. Below, the money is bottle caps, not bits. I put some in your bag to help you get started. Along with some food.

The crude map on the back will help point you towards the nearest town. Go there. They are friendly enough. It is safe. The other two marks are good ones for you two know. One is the shack of a Pegasus from the war or just after. Rainbow Dash is my belief. The second, many banished go to this rock and leave behind the last ties to their old life in the Enclave. Maybe it will be of some help to you. I hear it is a good way to get closure.

Good luck down here.

Shadow looked at the armor and clothes. Shadow had a feeling that he wasn’t going to be using them. He was going to have to go naked for a bit. He put his hat on top of the Pegasus’ head and edited the note.

P.S. Take my hat. It will give you some cover if you can’t wear your armor. I wouldn’t. But either way, I know Pegasus Soldiers don’t like to go naked. Its something the Enclave makes you believe in. At least you can have a hat to help keep the dust out of your face.

Shadow took the hard step away from him. He wanted to stay. To teach him for a few days and then move on. But he had a prey to kill and a home to get to.

The first step was the worst. He was soon moving fine, tracking what really mattered. Ten minutes later he found the body of 6. He approached cautiously. They didn’t set a trap. A poor choice. But it confirmed how deep the fear was that he has seeded inside of their mind.

Shadow put his endurance to the test. He quickly caught up to them. It was pathetic. They were tough fighters, or they wouldn’t have the reputation they had. But their endurance was lacking. Especially since they knew the land and were always on the move.

4 was shotgun. But he had time. Some anyway. They were clearly heading towards that Griffon junction. R-7 if he recalled correctly. They might stop there to get some support.

Shadow mixed tracking with staying ahead of them. He worked his way ahead, predicted where they would go, and watched the path they took. As the evening wore down, they didn’t come. He worked his way towards their last known point. They were near a stream, drinking and huffing. They were worn down.

Shadow took the moment to fill his canteens. They had the right idea. He was upstream from them. He contemplated trying to float a grenade down the stream, but grenades didn’t float. Getting one on a raft to carry it was not hard, but the stream wasn’t moving that quickly. He was better off striking while they were down, trying to rest.

It was easy to circle around. 3 was at the stream. Four was further than he wanted to deal with. 2 was obviously Dahlia’s second in command. 3 or 4, it didn’t matter. Just like 5 and 6. They were arbitrary numbers he assigned them to identify them.

So Shadow stepped out from cover on the other side of the stream. He bumped his battle saddle to his shotgun. That was enough for them to hear him and see him. 3 froze, head barely above the water that he was refilling his canteen in. Shadow fired three times before diving off to the side to avoid their gunfire. The magnum rounds had shredded the Steel Ranger armor like butter. The stream stopped them from pursuing him.

And then there was three.

Three very scared Steel Rangers. Shadow quickly turned around and tracked them. They were moving as fast as they could, making a beeline to Junction R-7. Shadow picked up his speed, following them. If they spread out they could put him a jam, but fear was reigning. Even if they did, his cloak was easy enough to put up and disappear.

Shadow was forced to put his cloak on as he got near the train tracks. He couldn’t risk being seen. The darkness only helped so much. He crossed quickly and arrived at the junction. Cloaked, he slipped past the defenses and got to the center. Dahlia, 3 and 2 were there, the Griffons formed a close semicircle around them.

“Talons,” Dahlia wheeze in the firelight. “I have a thousand caps to the Griffon that kills the Pegasus hunting us. Bring me the head and wings.”

“Thousand caps for a hit?” One of them asked, stepping forward. “Seems like you might be a little more generous for it.”

“Fine, fifteen hundred. Its a white pegasus. Weird robe, cowboy hat. Small. Don’t underestimate him.”

Shadow felt cocky. He wanted to make them all fear him. He was afraid of Griffons. More than he should be. Unicorns were worse. Striking now would make them all afraid, and conquer his fear.

Shadow wasn’t far from Dahlia and they all were focused on her. He drew Kifo Herixleta with his mouth and charged. At the last moment pulled the cloak off his head, transferred the blade to the band, and slid next to 3. He let loose a battle cry while holding the sword aloft with the band, flaming.

3’s head rolled and Shadow leaped over 3’s crumbling body, diving into a roll. 2 almost got his guns on Shadow, but he skipped to the side and used the maneuverability of the band to slice 2 all the way through. Chest to tail and through Steel Ranger armor. Kifo Herixleta wasn’t even phased.

Things felt slow as adrenaline kicked him into overdrive. Shadow caught Dahlia’s face and he smirked. They locked eyes for half a second, but the rest of the Griffons were bearing down on him.

Shadow vaulted forward as he used his left hoof to cover his head and activate the stealth cloak, while the other sheathed the blade under his cloak. The area he had just been was shredded with bullets, shotgun shot, and lasers. At least two had full blow magic weapons among the laser weapons.

But they couldn’t shoot what they couldn’t see. Taking to the air wasn’t wise, even in the night. The Griffons were already covering that and it was risky with the cloak. He hadn’t tested it flying. There was no guarantee that the enchantment would hold for a dead spit either. A good trot was the fastest he had done before.

Shadow danced around them. It was easier as they spread out in all directions. They were loud and trying to stay organized in the darkness, making it easier for him to avoid them. The night was always his friend. Even though he couldn’t see the stars, they were there for him.

Shadow got ahead of Dahlia’s projected path and bedded down, hidden by the cloak. He slept for an hour and got back on her trail. It was easy because four Griffons were with her. Two in the air and two walking with her. Whether she was paying them or they were trying to be as close to her as possible to get to his head, he couldn’t tell. But she was pathetically easy to track.

Shadow took the liberty to marathon it ahead of her to Fillydelphia and posted up in a two story house. It was near the path she would have to take to get to her contingent’s facility. He remembered the path Rebel Queen took him on.

Dahlia was dragging. Shadow power napped in 15 minute segments. It took her 3 hours to finally come into sight. Even then, Shadow had plenty of time.

The Griffons took off before having to deal with the rest of the Steel Rangers. They watched her stumble forward. Seeing her reminded Shadow of the endurance he possessed. Endurance he was using and often went unappreciated.

She staggered towards the concrete slab she called home. The recruiting center of the once great Equestrian Military. Shadow was using his cloak to get close. Getting inside would not be easy. It had to be cramped inside. There could be no mistakes. And his wings would make drafts, and drafts would not be inside a controlled system.

For now, Shadow watched Dahlia as she was stopped by a knight.

“Knight!” She huffed. “I, I, he killed them. My Dragoons are dead. We need to bring this base on full alert. He wants to kill me. He can! He said he would do it, and can. He can go invisible! He can be right next to you and you wouldn’t know it!”

“Calm down,” The Knight said.

“Don’t tell me to calm down!” Dahlia growled. “I just made the trek from New Appleloosa to here in three days! And on little sleep!”

A paladin stepped over and she tried to explain the situation again. But it just wasn’t coming out right. She stuttered and stumbled, expecting them to have information they didn’t have.

“Lets get you inside,” The Paladin said.

“I want to speak to the Elder!” Dahlia said digging her hooves in to resist being moved.

“He isn’t available today. He is negotiating some thing with Star Paladin Warding Blade from the Trottingham Contingent. But he will see you as soon as possible.”

“I don’t want to be left alone,” Dahlia said, starting to sob.

“Fine. But lets get you inside.”

Dahlia’s hoof didn’t catch her and she went down. They did a quick check, expecting it to be a wound after her rambling about being hunted. But it was just mental and physical exhaustion.

Shadow closely followed them into the building. It’s ground floor walls were painted with the glory of the Equestrian military. The main floor was being used as an outpost. Coffee and desks for planning the guards was set out. But it had too much activity to easily look at their charts and documents.

They carried Dahlia to the stairwell. The steel door was pulled open, split down the center. It was kept open. Something they would regret and soon change. Their entire idea of safety and regulations would be destroyed. And Shadow had to make sure it changed after he escaped the confines of the concrete.

The entire thing was steel. The stairs were very sharp and supported by bars that jutted out to support them. They supported a central walkway that acted as a floor, doubling their space. It was all steel with soft yellow lights illuminating the area. But they left plenty of dark places to hide along the walls.

Shadow had to flatten himself against the wall to avoid several Steel Rangers coming up the stairs. But the suspension of the stairs made it easy to go undetected. It was pathetic how easy it was for him to get in. If a door wasn’t open, it would be opened soon, allowing Shadow to slip through.

The sub structure was massive. He had lost the trail of Dahlia. On his quest, Shadow quickly found the hydroponics lab, armory, and a records room with a large number of terminals and giant mainframe. Multiple bedrooms were also found. Somewhere they had to have water reserves and recycling systems.

He finally found Dahlia in the infirmary. She was in the care of a scribe with a red cross on her robe’s sleeve. Shadow slipped in to watch. It was basic care, including a simple IV drip. Shadow just had to wait.

After a few hours she was moved to her room. That made things easier. As the scribes got her off the gurney, Shadow had the open door and sound cover to cover his entrance.

That left them alone. But Shadow couldn’t do anything until she was awake. He just had to wait, without falling asleep. Dahlia was checked on twice.

She awoke on her own. Before she could call out, Shadow stepped over to her and had the tip of Kifo Herixleta at her throat. It was placed to make it difficult to breath or talk.

“You,” Dahlia groaned. “How?”

“Way to easy,” Shadow replied quietly. “Way to easy.”

“So, Mtoaji, you have me. Are you going to kill me?”

“As promised,” Shadow replied coldly. “My real name is Command Sergeant Major of Reconnaissance Shadow Flare. Grand Pegasus Enclave. We came in peace, unsure of what was going on below. We tried, but you Steel Rangers opened fire on us during those talks, here in Fillydelphia. And then you went to hunt us.

“You have caused a deep division between the Steel Rangers and the Pegasus Race. And when the time comes for us to rejoin Equestria, you will be a problem. There will be a war.”

“So, why has it taken you all this time to kill me? And why just me?”

“Because,” Shadow growled. “I had better things to do most of that time. Also, I was kept below due to communication error. I am making a break for the top, after I kill you. I believe I will be accepted back, despite the equipment malfunction.

“As to you specifically, its because you killed Nor’easter, one of my best friends. You killed him as I carried my sister back to our base. We tried to pass without a problem. You opened fire. He died being our shield. I lost him hours after I lost my sister. Hours after I killed her. That’s right, we were ordered to kill a group of Pegasi we were told were hostile. They were not. I mourned two Pegasi close to me in a few days.”

“War is hell,” Dahlia spat. “Now you have done the same to me. Does it feel good? Or right?”

“Honestly, I am exhausted. You provided a good hunt. I had to push, but I didn’t collapse like you. I am strong, stronger than most Earth Ponies. I am perhaps the greatest soldier alive in this era. I won’t try to guess. My goal isn’t to be the best, its to ensure the Pegasus Race stays grand. They will have to learn a new idea of what it means to stay grand, but they will.”

“I hope you die and never see that happen!”

Shadow slipped the blade into her throat, ending the talk. Dahlia kept eye contact with him the entire he had her impaled. Pure defiance. It took her a few minutes to die. When Shadow did withdraw his blade, the corner of her mouth had blood dripping from it, where she had begun to gurgle it up.

Shadow didn’t feel anything positive. He was exhausted, and needed to move, but he felt a bit sad. He hated Dahlia, but it had been an interesting ride with her. Outwitting her multiple times had its fun moments.

Shadow put the cloak back on and cracked the door open. It was empty at the moment and Shadow slithered out. The door slid closed and Shadow began to move. The walls provided plenty of places for Shadow to enter into to avoid contact. There were several close calls and near misses, but he made it to the stairwell.

As Shadow began to head up the empty case, he heard the cries of Dahlia being found. Shadow was at the bottom of the long staircase. He was too tired to deal with any more sneaking. He dashed up the stairs, cloak on. A scribe began to come up behind him and stopped. He heard Shadow’s hooves echoing on the steel steps.

“YOU! STOP! SHOW YOURSELF AND STOP!”

Shadow ignored his yells, but it was heard above him. A knight stepped into the top of the staircase to try and clarify what was going on. He never got an answer as Shadow leapt up the last bit up the stairs and swept his hooves out from under him. He clamored over him and ran straight for the door.

Shadow slid under a knight who barged in from the outside door. The knight wasn’t aware of Shadow and he was still in the way. Shadow pushed off his hind legs up to the back of the knight and vaulted over him with a flip. It gave away his position as the cloak caught the air.

The confused knight was stuck in the doorway, unable to do more than make noise. Other Steel Rangers around were racking their weapons and trying to pin him down, but simple weave tactics mixed with the cloak made it difficult to see him. Little blips was all they saw. Shadow took fire a few times, but it was always behind him. Their turrets never even spun up or tracked him.

Shadow couldn’t stop though. He had to run until he wouldn’t be found. A three story building blown apart made that possible. He was able to slip into the attic and jam himself into the small area, out of sight.

It was rest well earned. Nor had been avenged and Shadow had gotten important information on the Steel Ranger base in Fillydelphia.

Next Chapter: Chapter 131 - Disciples Estimated time remaining: 40 Minutes