It didn’t take long for Scout, Clarity, and Jackpot to join us. The initial shock of seeing Arterial was quickly overshadowed by opposition when it was explained how we knew each other. “Sleet, can we talk?” Scout said. I had to hold in a frustrated sigh, I knew something like this was coming.

“One minute.” I told Arterial, getting up from the mat we had been sitting on when the others arrived.

The tawny griffon nodded and turned to talk with Jackpot. Scout, Clarity and I stepped outside so we couldn’t be heard. “Sleet, what the fuck are you doing?” Scout hissed before the tent flap had even closed.

“Making the best of a shitty situation.” I shot back. I was annoyed, really freaking annoyed, and wasn’t in the mood for anything Scout had to say. “I didn’t come here expecting my freaking jailer to show up, or that he would want to join this stupid little mission!”

“So you are just taking him on his word that he won’t take your head off?”

“You know what? Yeah! I am! Because what choice do I have?”

“We sneak away in Meltwater, leave him behind.”

“He already found me once, he can do it again!” I countered.

“So what do we do then? Wait until we’re out of the blizzard and have him kill us or capture you again?”

I kneaded my forehead with a hoof, trying to ease the throbbing just under my skull. “He won’t do that.”

“Why not? Because he’s been so trustworthy in the past?”

“Yes! He has been! He freed me, defying direct orders from his mother and flock leader!” I slammed my hoof down, gritting my teeth. “Damnit Scout, think about this! What does him lying accomplish? He is branded as a traitor by his own people! Even if he made up that story about his home being destroyed, what does bringing me back do for him? It won’t garner favor! It’ll just make his execution a little less painful!” I hung my head, exhausted. “Why can’t you just fucking trust me on this?”

“Sleet.” Clarity said gently. “Are you okay?”

I took a few deep breaths before lying. “Yes.”

“No you aren’t. You’re holding yourself strangely and had a limp when you walked.” Her horn lit up and she started undoing the buttons on my greatcoat. “Let me look.”

Sighing, I pulled off the coat and noticed just how beat up I looked. Practically my entire right side was a mess of bruises and my clear, mutant feathers were bent and twisted. “I…might have had a bad crash…”

“No kidding. What happened?” She asked as she fished out a healing potion and worked her magic on it.

“The reason why I believe Arterial’s story. A small squad of Enclave soldiers tailed him here and started shooting buffalo. I brought in the blizzard to get an advantage, but it threw the squad leader so off course he knocked me out of the sky.” I gratefully accepted the potion and drank, feeling a tingling sensation run under my skin as the magic set to work. “The whole squad is dead, and I don’t think they managed to send out a distress beacon before being wiped out. The military won’t know I’m here.”

“Well, that’s some good news, I suppose.” Clarity said. “So, you believe the griffon when he says he will work with us?”

“Given what I know of him and his race, yes.” I said, thankful that she had calmed the situation. “Griffons are pragmatic, they only want what’s best for them and their kind. Arterial wouldn’t even consider working with me if it wasn’t the best option he had.”

“Sounds right to me.” Clarity said, smiling as she stood. As she reentered the tent, Scout shook his head, muttering something about “magic eyes” and “stupid plans”.

I pulled my greatcoat back on stiffly, the healing bruises still restricted my movement. Scout was also making to head back inside, but I stopped him with a tap on the shoulder. “Scout, please, I’m asking you to just work with me on this. I know you don’t like it, and he doesn’t either. He’s just doing what he has to.” Glancing out the corner of my eye to check the flap was closed tight, I leaned in and whispered, “And if I’m wrong, you do what you have to.”

I expected that to make him feel even a little better. Instead, Scout sighed, looking more tired than I think I’ve ever seen him. “How do you do this, Sleet? Work with people you know you can’t trust?”

I thought about it for a second before saying. “Because the one thing I am good at is reading people. It’s a lot harder to trick someone who knows what to look for.” I gave a small, humorless laugh. “It helps that I’m hardly threatening enough to betray.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that.” Scout said.

I rolled my eyes, not him too! “C’mon Scout, you know me. I’m not worth killing randomly let alone betraying!”

“You keep saying that, but you’re a lot scarier than you think, Sleet.”

I gave Scout a look like he was crazy as he reentered the tent. “Me? Scary? How the Hell am I scary?” I muttered, following him.

It didn’t take long after for the buffalo to begin their exodus. They declined any offers of help with the preparations, meaning all we could do was sit back and watch. Still, it was fascinating to observe the tribe in action. They dismantled and packed away the camp so efficiently that by the time we got moving I had a hard time remembering where everything had been. It truly was as if they were nothing more than ghosts in the storm.

Once the camp was cleared, everyone gathered around Misting Ice and several other shaman who were joined in chanting. With a simultaneous cry, they threw their hooves to the skies and the bubble of calm was erected around the group. On an unspoken command, the buffalo entered into a column marching formation with Misting Ice in the front and began moving.

My companions and I hung near the back, preferring to follow rather than to stumble around near the front. As the column moved, shaman patrolled along the length to maintain the barrier and offer aid to anyone in need. The healthiest of the tribe carried the camp on their backs near the front while the very old and the very young traveled lightly in the back. Among the young ones was Misting Ice’s nephew.

“Did Uncle tell you about the voices?” Drifting Snows asked me as we walked.

“Yeah he explained it to me.” I said, still not really believing it. I was convinced they were performing some kind of ritual magic. The idea wasn’t outlandish, it was how the zebras had worked their witchcraft during the War. Enough people gathered performing the proper rituals could manipulate the ambient magic of the world as effectively as any unicorn.

“So? Could you hear the voices? You were acting like you could.”

I sighed, my breath puffing in the cold. “No, I didn’t hear your ‘voices’.”

The little buffalo looked at me quizzically. “Really? Cause the way it looked…”

“Look,” I said, cutting him off “all this…” I wrestled for a word other than ‘mumbo jumbo’. “spiritualism isn’t something I get. I didn’t hear the ‘voice of the spirits’, I just heard the wind.”

We walked in silence for a bit before he spoke up again. “They sound different you know. Different from the way the elders talk about them. When they talk about how the spirits sounded when they were little they said they were angry. They wouldn’t listen to anything anyone said.”

“Then how can the shaman do all this?” I asked, gesturing to the swirling winds above us.

“Because they started listening again.” He said simply. “Do you know why Uncle is the Chief?” I shook my head. “The elders say that when he was born, the blizzard stopped blowing for three days. It was a sign from the spirits that they were ready to listen again.” He shook his head sadly. “They say the blizzard would have ended a hundred years ago if it weren’t for the Ice Lord. I guess the little spirits didn’t want to be ordered around by him anymore.”

“So they trade a dictator for a nicer boss?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Well, they don’t have to listen to us. Their spirits, they listen because they want to, not because we make them.”

Somehow this reminded me of Coming Storm and how Clarity described him. Power without direction. Maybe this was just the buffalo’s way of interpreting their magic. They were attuned to the unfettered power of nature and they give it direction through their works. That made a lot more sense to me than spirits. “So your Uncle is in charge because he’s the chosen one?”

“Well, yeah.” Drifting Snows said easily. “But he knows he can’t just boss the tribe around. Otherwise they wouldn’t respect him and nothing would get done!”

I snorted in amusement. If only the rest of the world was like that. Then I would have half as many problems.

The rest of the trip was in comparative silence. Every now and again conversation would spike up, but never for long. I got the feeling that despite the familiarity they had with the process, the buffalo still knew the danger of the blizzard. Even with the protection of the wind, the omnipresence of the yeti was felt by everyone.

My legs were starting to grow weary when the call came down the line to halt. I sighed in relief, sitting down in spite of the cold snow. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to all this walking…”

“C’mon, Sleet.” Scout said, nudging me with a hoof. “We’re near Meltwater, let’s get our payment.”

I groaned, standing. “Ugh, I don’t want to deal with him again…” I grumbled at the thought of seeing Knick Knack. I had only been awake for a few hours and already my day was shit. The last thing I wanted was to negotiate with that stickler; especially considering we needed to weasel a fourth suit for Arterial out of him now.

True to Scout’s word, the geysers marking the border of the town were only a few minutes’ walk away. The time was further extended as we took precautions to hide mine and Clarity’s appearances. Misting Ice led us there personally, saying that he needed to speak with Clouds anyway. We thanked the buffalo Chief for all that he did and made our way to the general store.

We arrived at the general store and found it in much the same state it was in when we left. Stacked high boxes made moving difficult and more than once we had to hurriedly grab a pillar about to fall. “Hello?” I called out as we wormed our way through.

“Yes! Yes! Hello! Customers, wonderful!” Knick Knack’s voice came from further though the forest of junk. The sound of him shuffling excitedly towards us increased right up to him rounding the corner. “Welcome! I…” It took a second, but when he recognized me his face dropped. “Oh, you. You’re back.”

“Yes, we are. Do you have our payment?” I asked, not caring for niceties.

“You’re not dead, so that’s a point in your favor.” Knick Knack said, narrowing his eyes. “But how do I know you killed them?”

“We have this.” Scout said, stepping forward and pulling out the yeti fang. “Maybe you can hang it outside as a sign.”

Knick Knack’s eyes went wide at the sight of the massive tooth. “That is…well I…” He gingerly took the tooth in his own hooves and turned it every which way. “Incredible!” I smiled, though it quickly froze when he resumed his skeptical look. “But impressive as this is, it only means you killed one! I thought you said you were going to get them all.”

“I don’t believe I ever strictly said ‘all’.” I countered, my left eyelid twitching. “I said we’d solve the problem. And I think we did. We personally slew just about half the nest. Some,” I paused, looking for the right words “unexpected reinforcements took down another three. By my calculations that leaves only about seven. Hardly enough to cover the massive area they used to hunt.”

“But that is still seven too many!” Knick Knack protested, stomping a hoof. “I still can’t get out shipments!”

“Yes you can.” I insisted. “Clouds’ heat-masking tarp worked. Combine the heavily reduced population with a means of evading them and they may as well not exist!”

“No, nonono!” He said, shaking his head. “That’s not good enough!”

I wanted to scream! It was like I was talking to Threads again! I was about to lay into him why he was being ridiculous when Jackpot brushed past me. Knick Knack barely had time to recoil before the ghoul’s rotting hoof collided with his jaw.

The shopkeeper was thrown off his hooves and smacked into a pile of boxes that collapsed on top of him. Fortunately for him, the boxes were full of clothes and not heavy enough to flatten him. “They did their job.” He growled, his undead voice sounding like Sombra’s. “They did more than enough. We all did. Plenty of those damn beasts are dead and the caverns are flooded.” He leaned in until he was practically nose-to-nose with Knick Knack. “One of mine died in there, and I don’t give a rat’s ass what you think of us. She was a person as much as any other smoothskin. Don’t insult her and me by skimping on your deal, got it?”

Knick Knack said nothing, only nodded rapidly, eyes wide. Extracting himself from the collapsed boxes, he scampered towards the back of the store. “And we’ll need one more.” I called after him. He turned, I assumed to protest, but stayed silent when I motioned to Arterial. The intimidating griffon had stayed mostly in the shadows until I pointed him out. “For him.” Knick Knack nodded and rushed off.

Once we was out of earshot, I turned to Jackpot. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me, Gray.” He said sharply. “I never liked that slimy bastard. You just gave me a good excuse to do what I always wanted to.”

We stayed in uncomfortable silence for a few minutes. Eventually, the shopkeeper stumbled back into sight, clumsily handling four of the suits. “I don’t have one in griffon…”

“That’s fine, we’ll handle that.” I said as Scout took the suits and put them in his seemingly-bottomless duffel bag. “Good luck with your trade. I said as we all turned to leave. “And thanks for the business.”

We exited the general store without another word. The next big step in the mission was to go to the Crystal Empire. Now that we had the suits, we could safely explore and make preparations for the betrayal. We couldn’t very well spring an effective trap if we didn’t clear the stage of mutant horrors first. However, I wanted to stop by Clouds’ lab, both to get Arterial’s suit modified for his griffon shape, mine for wings, and to get more Tarps.

Before we got there though, there was one more stop to make.

“I think this is where I get off this little ride.” Jackpot said in his gravelly voice as we passed by the entrance to his section of the bunker.

“Do you want us to come with you?” I asked, hoping I might salvage some good will with the ghoul team.

“No.” He answered immediately. “I don’t know how they’ll react to the news, but I know it won’t be logical. It’s probably best that you aren’t there to take any undue flak.”

“Alright.” I said, reaching out a hoof to him. “Goodbye Jackpot. And for what it’s worth…” I sighed, and hung my head. “I truly am sorry.”

He looked at my offered hoof for a second before turning away. “Goodbye, Gray. Good luck with whatever you do.” With that he walked away.

“Damnit.” I muttered, rubbing my head again. I could have sworn I was developing an aneurism.

“C’mon Sleet.” Scout said, laying a hoof on my shoulder. “There’s no helping this.”

“I know, but it still pisses me off.” I muttered, not sounding half as irritated as I felt. I was just so damn tired. “I just feel responsible for this. We could have gone straight to the Empire, but I made us take a detour that got somepony killed…”

“It’s over now though.” He said, ever practical. “We got what we wanted out of the detour, let’s move forward. No sense dwelling on if it was the right decision or not.”

I nodded and we got moving. Clarity knew the way to the super secluded bunker, and so ended up taking point while I was too busy not taking Scout’s advice. “How do you do it, Scout?” I asked him when the other two pulled ahead. “Just…not care?”

He gave me a scrutinizing look and said. “It’s not that I don’t care, Sleet. I just know how to put things aside until I have time for them.” He looked up to the warm rain of Meltwater, droplets soaking him mane. “Thing is, in the Wasteland, there’s almost never time.”

“YOU’RE BACK!” Clouds yelled, tackling me with a hug.

I stumbled back a few steps, knocked off balance by the flying welcome. “Y-yes! We survived!” I assured her.

“I was so worried when you weren’t back for…like…DAYS!”

“It was a day, Sis!” Lights corrected her. The little headache had followed his sister to greet us.

“Even one day out hunting yeti is too much!” She said, finally letting me go. “So! How’d the Heat-Masking Thermo-Tarp work?”

“Oh, it worked perfectly!” I said. “There was only one problem though.”

“What’s that?” She asked.

“Size.” Scout, Clarity and I said simultaneously.

“Oh.” She laughed nervously. “Well, don’t worry. I’ve been hard at production and made a whole bunch of them in individual sizes!” She started leading us down the tunnel to the lab. “Do you still have my prototype?”

“See, that was the problem.” I said awkwardly, rubbing the back of my head with a hoof. “There was so much slack, a yeti stepped on it and tore it off us.” Having a broken rib didn’t help.

“Oh well.” Clouds said, pursing her lips in thought. “Kinda sucks I can’t get data off it, but it didn’t have recording devices on it anyway. Besides, prototypes are supposed to fail, that way you can fix them!”

We entered the main lab area and I couldn’t help but marvel again. So much tech in so small an area! It was beautiful! “I just hope you don’t lose too many of those suits.” She continued speaking. “Not just for your sake of remaining un-irradiated, but because I’d really like more than one sample!”

“Speaking of the suits.” I said, motioning to Scout to take two out. “Do you think you could modify two of them for us? One for these,” I extracted my wings “and one for him?”

Clouds looked confused for a second before she spotted Arterial and screamed. “Ah! When did you get here!?”

“I was here the whole time…” The griffon muttered.

“He was kind of an unexpected addition to the team.” I explained. “But he’s going to be joining us in that highly-irradiated zone we’re going to.”

“Alright, I’ll see what I can do. I’ve gotten really good at sewing recently!” She said, happily taking the suits in her magic. “Could you two come with me though? I’ll need measurements.” We agreed, following Clouds while Lights took over entertaining Scout and Clarity. I felt awful leaving them with him.

It didn’t take long to find Clouds’ sewing room, really just a supply closet of the bunker that had been stripped of its shelving and replaced with a table and ancient sewing machine and measuring tape. Stacked high in one corner were the silvery Tarps that would protect us from the yeti.

While Clouds did her work on Arterial, I took four tarps and set them aside for us to take. Clouds was attempting to make small talk with the griffon while she worked. “So, uh, what’s your name?”

“Arterial.” He responded flatly.

Clouds twitched. “O-oh. That’s interesting, how’d you get it? Your big heart?”

That was my joke. I thought, slightly annoyed as the griffon told the story. “My brother and I were pitted against each other at birth to decide our names. I slit his throat and got mine.”

Clouds froze, mouth moving silently for a second before shaking her head and working twice as fast. His measurements were done by the time I had set aside all the Tarps. “Alrighty! Got that taken care of! You’re free to go join the others now, I’ll let you know when it’s done!”

He clearly noticed her discomfort and found it funny. “Nah, I think I’ll stay. Don’t have much else to do after all.”

Her weird cardboard goggles slipped down her muzzle as her eyes widened. “N-no! That won’t be necessary! I mean, c’mon, it’s really boring! I mean, I still got to take Sleet’s measurements and then it’s just a whole lot of cutting and sewing and stuff. REAL boring! Maybe you could…hit the hay early?!”

“It’s the middle of the afternoon.”

“A nap then! Perfect timing! My little brother can show you the bunks…” She thought about that for a second. “Actually, I’m sure Scout knows. Go with him!”

The griffon snickered, grinning at me as he passed by. “Maybe this wasn’t such a bad idea, Sleet Gray. I forget how funny you ponies can be.”

I shook my head, feeling exactly the opposite. “Alright, let’s get this done.” I said spreading my wings through the slits in my greatcoat.

Clouds stared at me for a second, looking like she completely blanked. After a second, she shook her head. “Um, what? Oh right! Your turn…uh…” She looked around nervously.

I furrowed my brow at her (moreso than normal) curious twitching. “Are you okay, Clouds?”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah! I was just thinking…um…maybe I could get your full measurements, not just the wings?”

“Why?” I asked, tilting my head. “The wings are all I need changed on the suit.”

“Well yeah, and I mean the suits are one size fits all and everything but I thought maybe I could fit it better to you and use more material from that so I don’t have to cut up any normal suits I have cause I mean you want sleeves for the wings right, can’t just be having them waving in the radiation or anything that’d suck!” She finally stopped her run-on sentence when she ran out of air.

Despite being a bit freaked out by her sudden enthusiasm, I saw the logic in what she said. The last thing I wanted was to expose my mutant wings to even more corrupting influence. “Alright, I’ll do it.” I said calmingly, undoing the clasps and removing my greatcoat.

Hanging it up on a nearby shelf, I couldn’t repress a shudder. I got so used to wearing the thing that now I felt completely exposed, not to mention cold. The artic chill seeped down even into the super secluded bunker.

Levitating a measuring tape, Clouds trotted a quick circle around me, muttering under her breath. I found myself unintentionally standing a military attention, knees locked, back flat, neck perfectly straight, eyes forward, wings at my side, and uncomfortable as all Hell. I wonder if Storm Kicker would be happy that I remembered this, though he’d probably just find some flaw in my stance.

Clouds finally stopped her little patrol, which I was thankful for. I couldn’t see her eyes behind her googles, which was weirding me out slightly. “I’m curious.” I began as she finally started the measuring. “Why do you wear those goggles underground?”

“O-oh these?” She stammered. “There are lots of different screens and readout and lights all over the bunker. Some of them aren’t good for your eyes if you look directly at them. I have rooms with them labeled so Lights doesn’t wander in and get blinded, but I just got so used to wearing them I never took them off, you know?”

There was still something…off about how she was talking. I couldn’t put my wingtip on it though. Was it nervousness? That didn’t make any sense, why would she be nervous now? Afraid? Maybe Scout’s right and I’m just that scary!

My thoughts had made me miss a bit of her continued rambling. “…just found some good UV filters and slapped ‘em on! No big deal really, hardly a massive invention you know? No need to get all flustered over it and…” It was at that point in her work that she brushed by my wings with her tape.

“Gah!” I jolted, twitching away from her.

“Sorrysorrysorrysorrysorry!” She apologized rapidly. “I’m sorry did that hurt or something?”

“No, not at all.” I said, severely regretting the gut action. “I just didn’t expect that.” Despite my reassurances she looked like she was beating herself up over it inside. Sighing, I decided to address the yeti in the room. “Clouds, are you okay? You’re acting odd.”

“Yeah totally fine!” She said way too quickly. She could see from the look on my face that I wasn’t buying it. “Really! Totally!” Still nothing. “I…uh…” The manic energy finally seemed to be leaking out of her. She sat down and shook her head. “It’s…nothing worth talking about.”

I sighed and put a friendly hoof on her shoulder. “Clouds, you are one of the few ponies I have zero doubts about being my friend.” I said with utter sincerity. She was the only one that I didn’t have a reason to lie to or who I thought would betray me. “And, admittedly I don’t know a lot about friendship, but I know friends help one another with anything, no matter how much it’s ‘worth’.”

She sighed heavily and said. “I just…don’t know if I should tell you…is the thing.” There was a weird tone in her voice, like she wanted to anyway.

“Clouds,” I said, sitting across from her “I know things that will damn near literally tear the world in half if I tell the wrong people. I’m sure whatever you have to say can’t be that bad.”

She took a minute, sucking in deep breaths, probably steeling herself for the drop. I wasn’t certain what I was expecting, but what she said felt as surprising as a lightning bolt from a cloudless sky. “Sleet, do you have a special somepony?”

I blinked once, twice, three times, before finally shaking my head to clear the shock. “Wait, what? You mean like a coltfriend or something?”

“Yeah, ‘or something’.” She said.

“Well…no. Never have.” I said, still bewildered at the unexpected turn. “I haven’t exactly had the time…” The lump at the base of my skull burned. “Or the opportunity.”

“W-well,” she stammered “I was thinking…maybe you could possibly consider getting with…I don’t know someone like…me?” By the time she timidly tapered off, I could barely hear her.

I was struck completely dumb. What the Hell was happening? This wasn’t right! Ponies didn’t just approach me, (Me! Sleet Gray! Cold flank!) asking for a relationship! And of course the first one in my whole damn life to do so is another mare. I thought exasperatedly. “Clouds…I…” Oh fucking Hell, how do I put this? “Um…Clouds…I don’t…” At this moment I was eternally glad I couldn’t see her eyes behind the goggles. “I don’t…fly that way…”

Even without seeing her eyes, it was obvious how her face fell. “W-what?”

“I’m…I’m not into mares.” I said, feeling my gut twist horribly. Goddesses damnit, for once in my life I was being honest and it involved tearing out the heart of one of my friends! “I mean, the Enclave encouraged homosexuality as a means of population control, but where I grew up we were at war with the griffons so there was no need…” I was running at the mouth, just trying explain the situation.

“Oh…” Her entire body seemed to deflate to the point that I thought she was going to fade into nothingness. “I…understand. I mean, it was a long shot anyway, right?” The forced joviality stabbed me right through the heart. We sat in silence for a long minute before she spoke again. “Let’s just finish what we were doing and I’ll make those mods.”

I nodded mutely, standing up and spreading my wings. She took the measurements in half-alive motions. It was the most intensely uncomfortable stretch of minutes in my entire life. When she finished, I snatched up my coat and left without another word. We both knew that anything we could say would change nothing.

It was difficult to put on my coat and move at the same time, but I needed to get away from that room. The tension was enough to make my stomach violently rebel. I managed to get the coat on and buttoned it to the base of my chin. I felt my throat press against the collar with every breath, but I was too busy freaking out to care.

Once fully buttoned up and safe, I found a dark corner and sat in it. I had no idea where I was in the bunker, but it was away from everypony else and that was all I cared about. “Goddesses, what the fuck…” I muttered to the darkness. I banged the back of my head against the steel wall, feeling that damned chip embedded at the base of my skull. “This was supposed to make me prettier, but not to mares!”

I closed my eyes for a minute, only opening them to get up and find a bathroom. I managed to locate one with going through the main part of the bunker, which I was thankful for. The last thing I wanted was to talk about this with the others. Without bothering to fully close the door, I checked myself in the mirror and was shocked by the change.

My coat was fully grown back in, not a trace of the radiation damage to be seen on the smooth, icy blue fur. My mane was in similar good condition. Rather than the usual dull gray it actually looked…heathy. Like I’d been going to a Pre-War spa once a week, and… “Am I taller?” I muttered, standing up straight. If I was it was so miniscule it may as well have been wishful thinking.

Wishful thinking indeed. A little voice hissed in my head. The chip is doing nothing. You’re still Cold Flank.

I grit my teeth. I hated that little voice, I hated it because it was right. It was my Father’s voice, telling me how I had no potential to live up to. My Mother’s voice lying pathetically to make me “feel better”. My brothers’ voices, insulting my looks. My own voice, reaffirming all of them. I rested my head against the mirror, staring into my own eyes. Dark, bagged, tired.

Oh it’s not all bad. Maybe you should take Clouds up on her offer! After all, she’s only the one pony in the entire world to find you attractive.

No! I mentally yelled back. I’m not going to do that! It won’t work between us, and pretending will just hurt even more!

You care about who you hurt now? After Scout, Clarity, Jackpot…

I’ve always cared!

Then what changes here?

A relationship isn’t necessary! It doesn’t help me!

Then that’s all it takes. It has to help you get something. Then it doesn’t matter what comes of it. You’d play pretend to ease Clouds’ sweet little heart and tear it out the next minute if it got you an edge.

Shut up.

How long until it’s more than just some hurt feelings? When will you let somepony die because it “helped” you?

“Shut up.” I growled aloud. My reflection was shaking.

When will Clarity become an acceptable loss? When will Sister become a good bargaining chip?

“Shut up!” I looked into my own accusatory eyes.

When will you leave Scout bleeding out on the ground, just the way he found you?

CRACK! I didn’t feel myself move, but I did feel my hoof impact the mirror. I had punched right where my reflected face had been, sending out a spider web of cracks that distorted my appearance. I stood there for a second, breathing heavily before pushing away from the mirror and galloping full tilt out of the room.
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Foot note: EXP gained!

Author's Notes:

Woooo baby its up! Sorry for the delay everypony, but schoolwork piled on me out of nowhere. Fortunately I've gotten into the swing of things, so we should be set from this point forward. October 21st, next chapter ahoy!

Special thanks of course go out to Kkat for making the original Fallout: Equestria, my friend Mobius for proof-reading and providing general advice, and to Zebraswirls for the cover art! I've linked her Deviantart in the description, give it a look! Till next time, make sure to like if you did, dislike if you didn't, and leave a comment telling me why!