Chapter 18-2: Reverse Peristalsis

Waking was not a gentle affair.

My chest felt like it was on fire and deep underwater at the same time. My perforated hoof was not much better. I was caked in sweat and the blankets and straps holding me down felt like sandpaper against my body.

Everything was a white blur, except for a purple wisp roving back and forth. I could barely lift my head to follow it, and couldn’t lift my hoof at all to rub the sleep from my eyes. I had to resort to slowly blinking away the fog. After what felt like an age, my vision cleared enough to understand what the ‘wisp’ I had been chasing was.

Lexi’s horn made another pass over my savaged flesh, gradually binding it back together with her healing magic.

I’m… in Sprinkles Supplies? How did I get here? What hap… Wings! Where is she? We were talking and then… yeah I got shot! I hope she killed whatever bastard pulled off that fluke.

Seriously though, where is she?

Fighting through the pain, I managed to tilt my head towards Lexi as she worked. She was never a bad sight to see, at least to my eyes, even in situations like this.

The older unicorn glanced up at me for the briefest of moments before returning to her task. There was no hint of emotion in that millisecond stare, and she made no attempt at communication.

Still seeking answers, I opened my mouth to speak, but she reached a hoof up without looking, pushing my head back onto the pillow. Shaking her frizzy orange mane, she gave no further acknowledgement of my being conscious.

It soon grew dull, and still painful, watching her healing my prone form. I was still so tired, and felt my eyes getting heavy again. Even if I wanted to, I could hardly fight it, simply falling back into slumber.

~~~~~~

Some unknown time later, my eyes opened up again. Once again, after finding my focus, I was greeted with Lexi tending to my wounds. She was packing some tools into a carry case, and wore different clothes than before.

Is it even the same day as before? The question brought a flood of others, and they fought in my chest to be the first off my tongue. Blinking, I realised that the pain, while still present, was heavily dulled, and my breathing was much easier than it was, though again nowhere near normal.

“B-boss…” I croaked out.

I got a response this time. She immediately turned and raised me into a sitting position. “Easy does it, girl. How’re ya feelin’?”

Raising my aching hoof, I listlessly rubbed at my chest. “Still hurts a lot.”

Grunting, Lexi pushed my hoof away from the wound. “Well it’s gunna! Nopony takes a shot like that and goes dancin’ the next day. You’re real lucky to be here enjoyin’ my comp’ny, got it?”

“I… I got it. But why? I mean… I thought… you said-”

“I know what I said!” She interrupted brusquely. “An’ I ain’t fixing t’make this a regular thing, not s’long as yer still being Red Ice Raider.” A veritable gamut of emotions were running behind her orange eyes. “This is a one-time thing, an’ y’can thank yer griffon friend fer it!”

“Wings?” I started, but winced as I felt something twinge. Lexi noticed too, and firmly pushed me back down.

“Yeah, her. When she showed up wi’ you, I was all set t’turn her away. You shoulda known better than to come here ‘xpectin’ help after last time.” The faintest of smiles played across her lips. “Thing is, though, she didn’t know a damn thing about this place. Didn’t even know you’d been here before at all. I almost told her she was lyin’ to her face, but the more she talked, the more it showed she wasn’t foolin’. She really didn’t know. An’ even not knowin’ anything about what’s happened with you an’ me, she still begged me t’fix ya up.”

The breath had caught in my throat as I listened to her story, finally fighting its way out in a hoarse cough. “She did?”

Lexi returned to putting her tools away. “Damn right she did. Offered all the money she had t’get ya fixed up, an’ when I still said no she threatened t’put a bullet in me.”

“SHE WHA-argh!”

“Snowflake! Do I gotta strap you down?!” The harshness of her words was offset by the tenderness she displayed in soothing my pains.

When I was calm again, she continued. “Anywho, she’s been stayin’ in the guard barracks and mannin’ the walls while I’ve been workin’ on you. Didn’t want t’leave ya here by yer lonesome, not in the state you were in.”

Hmph, least she could do after what went down.

“I’ll let ‘er in t’see you when yer strength’s back. Firs’ thing’s first though...” She gave me one final check over, making sure I was sitting comfortably and was breathing without difficulty.

When she was finally satisfied, she slapped me across the face. Not full force, but hard enough to feel it. The shock hit me harder than the pain.

“Boss?!”

“WHAT’D I TELL YA, HUH?! WHAT DID I SAY’D HAPPEN WITH YOUR DUMB LITTLE IDEA! THE ONE THING I SAID T’YOU WAS NOT TO GET YERSELF KILLED, AND YOU SHOW UP AT MY DOOR LOOKIN’ LIKE THAT?! IF NOT FER THAT GRIFFON, YOU’D BE DYIN’ IN THE DIRT! AND WHERE THE HELL’S UNDERTOW?!?!”

I latched onto that last part. “She’s… not involved. Naiara got her out when we went to meet the Raiders at the summit. I haven’t seen her since I took over. I swear, Boss, she has nothing to do with it!” A bout of hacking racked my chest and I had to break off.

As I coughed and spluttered, Lexi stayed silent at first. “Yeh’d best not be lyin’ t’me, Snowflake. This ain’t somethin’ I’ll suffer jokes fer. You look me in th’eyes an’ you tell me she’s no Raider.”

Conviction overrode everything else as my head snapped up. My gaze didn’t falter as I spoke. “I swear to you, Boss, on my life I haven’t seen her in all my time as a Raider. Naiara got her away from the summit and there’s been no sign of her since.” I felt a lump growing in my chest. “I… I can’t… I don’t know where she is, but it isn’t where the Raiders are. Naiara wouldn’t let her go near them. I promise.”

Quiet for a long time, Lexi sat by the bed as she worked through her worry. When she finally spoke, her words were tinged with a sliver of relief. “An’ that’s why I’m gonna heal you up this time. Your Wings didn’t know us, but still did everythin’ she could t’get us to fix you up. An’ you? You still know enough t’not put Undertow through what yer doin’.” She slapped one hoof into the other for emphasis. “So here’s what’s gonna happen over the next li’l while: First, you tell Wings you owe ‘er one when you get a chance, y’hear?”

“Yes, boss.”

“Right. Next thing is you ain’ leavin’ this bed just yet. I ain’t done pluggin’ those holes you got shot in ya. ‘til I am, you stay put.”

“Yes, boss.”

“An’ last one: I ain’t kiddin’ about this being a one-off. I will not have you here again until you stop Red Ice-in’. Once yer healed, yer out again. I know what you’ve been doin’, been hearin’ it over the radio. We’ll talk more about that later. Understand?”

“...Yes, boss.”

Snapping her carry case shut with a loud click!, she nodded gruffly. “Good,” Her mask cracked for a moment as she ever-so-gently brushed some loose strands of mane away from my eyes. “Now get yer rest.”

There was nothing to do but obey, and close my eyes with a little smile. “Yes, boss.”

~~~~~~

“Hey, wake up!”

I jolted upright with a half-snort, immediately regretting it as my stiff muscles complained. “Who’s there?”

“It’s me, idiot.”

Ah. “I’d know that caring personality anywhere. I’m trying to sleep, Breeze, what do you want?”

Fluttering her blue-spectrum-tipped wings in annoyance, the techie pegasus settled into a chair and rested her hooves on the end of the bed. “Oh nothing much in particular, just wanted to check up on you and see the damage.”

“Well, sorry to disappoint you, but I’m still alive.” I gnashed out, struggling to keep a civil tone.

“Oh, I never doubted that you’d be alive.” She replied while idly inspecting her hoof.

“Oh? And why’s that? Am I too stubborn to die or something?”

No,” she deadpanned, still not looking up, “it’s just that if Cassie wanted you dead, she’d have put one through your eye.”

“...What.”

Jocularity rang through her words as she smirked. “Oh yeah, Cassie was the one who shot you.”

Slumping back against the pillow, I tried to process this.

“I… she… WHAT?!”

“She does good work, doesn’t she?”

“...I’m gonna kill her. I’m not even kidding, I’m gonna end her life.”

Pulling a face, Breeze shook her head. “Mmmyeahhhno. Now I know you probably can’t see it right now, but Cassie wasn’t trying to kill you. I mean, you’ve seen how good her eyes are, right? And you were standing in the open ranting and raving at Wings about Lethbridle.” At my shocked expression, she flicked her ears. “Great hearing, remember? Anyway, Cassie shot you where she knew you’d be okay. Sure it hurt, but last warnings generally do.”

“LAST WARNING?! What the hell, Breeze? Your sister shoots me in the chest and you say it was a warning?” She’s insane! Her and her sister. Completely nuts. Why the fuck did you let her in here, boss?

After a few moments of even staring, she shrugged. “I figured you’d react like this when you found, which is why I came along to provide a little context.” She rubbed her naked wrists. “Had to leave my gear with Wings, she wouldn’t let me get close otherwise, and I’m sure she’s just on the other side of that door with the boss lady. I was always gonna play nice anyway, but now you know I don’t have a choice either way.”

I’d fixated on one word among all others. “Context?”

The insane filly was rubbing the back of her neck apprehensively. “Yeah. Now this is gonna sound weird and kinda backwards, what with Cassie getting violent and me sitting here chatting with you, but here goes: Cassie’s afraid.”

“She fucking should be! I’ll kill her!”

“Not of you. For you. You and Undertow both.”

I’d had enough, slamming my hooves down against the sheets, ignoring the warning pangs from my semi-healed bullet holes. “Oh get the fuck out right now, Breeze. If you’re gonna sit there and try to blame us for what happened to your parents then you’d best flap away before I ram an icicle through your neck!”

“Parent.”

“Huh?”

“Parent. Singular. Our mother, Stargazer. She, well…” Drawing in a long breath through her nose, Breeze looked at nothing for long seconds. “I know you’re a Stable pony, so you’re pretty sheltered, but… have you ever heard the term ‘rape foal’?”

The silence was deafening.

Neither of us spoke. She obviously didn’t want to, and I simply couldn’t. There was no response to give. I opened my mouth to try, closed it again, opened it again, then closed it in defeat.

I… what can I say to that? Why is she even telling me this?

Breeze grimaced, turning her face away from me. “So you understand. The Raiders ripped our family apart before we were even born. The stallion who should have been our father could do nothing but watch as his wife gave birth to Raider-blood fillies. We can’t ever undo that.”

Breeze turned back to me, her long mane bang flipping forcefully. Her eyes’ focus rooted me to the spot. “Raiders destroy lives, Snowflake. They don’t care about anypony and they will hurt whoever they want. What Cassie is afraid of, is that you’ll not only suffer that fate, but inflict it too. To those around you, to some random kid out in the Wasteland… to Undertow.”

She stood up to leave. “Cassie and me, we can’t change our blood. You’ve got a chance. She shot you, that was her last warning. This is mine. Give up on the Raiders, they won’t be what you want ‘em to be. If you move even one inch in that direction again, there won’t be another miss.”

“If she’s so concerned about me then she can give back my Pipbuck and Memory Orb!”

Without another word, the doors closed behind her.

~~~~~~

“Easy does it, Snow.” Wings hovered beside me as I tentatively walked out of the Sprinkles Supplies main gate.

Lexi had healed the damage done by Cassie’s attack, but I was still weak from being off my hooves for days. In that time, Wings had stubbornly dodged all of my questions about the current state of affairs, including the twins’ actions.

It was, suffice it to say, aggravating. “I’m fine, Wings, just gotta work out the stiffness.”

Behind us, and flanked by fully armed caravan guards, came Fedexi Lexi. She’d been strictly professional after chewing me out in the medical bay, using her time with me strictly for healing.

She broke her silence as we crossed the threshold. “Hold on a sec there, Snowflake. We ain’t talked about your payment fer me fixin’ you up again.”

Internally groaning, I made every effort to keep my vexation from showing on my face. Can’t blame her, not really. Red Ice is not a name she wants to be associated with. “Alright, boss, what’s the damage?”

She stepped forward and poked me in the chest. “Now I heard enough when y’got yer little Pegasus visitor to know you got plenty to deal with over the next few days. Places t’go, ponies t’settle with, an’ so on. But I’m tellin’ you right now that you ain’t gonna be doin’ any of that straight away.”

“Wanna bet?” I scoffed, mind already full of the buffet of violence I was gonna feed to Cassie. I’ve got just the place for that fucking rifle, bitch.

“I AIN’T PLAYIN’ AROUND, SNOWFLAKE!” Punctuating her outburst by telekinetically wrenching my head around to face her, Lexi trembled in fury. “This is payment fer services rendered, girl. You’re workin’ fer me ‘til you complete the job I’m gonna give you.”

Blowing air through my teeth, I exchanged a glance with Wings, who didn’t seem inclined to join the conversation any time soon. “Oh come on, boss, can’t this wait?”

“No it can’t.” Lexi’s voice dropped to a low, serious tone. “You’re gonna fetch me somethin’.”

Aw, dammit. Sighing, I steeled myself for whatever minutiae I was going to be roped into this time. “And what am I fetching?”

“Undertow.”

I jerked like she’d slapped me again. “Undertow? But… I don’t know where she is!”

“I don’t care!” The raw emotion in her voice shut me up instantly. “You find her, Snowflake, I don’t care where you have to go, or how long it takes. She’s out there somewhere, an’ you damn well better-”

“Uh, I know where she is.”

“-go get her this instawhat did you say?” Both Lexi and I stared open-mouthed at Wings, who gave a nervous half-smile.

“Yeah, see the thing is… Naiara called while Snow was healing. She told me where Undertow is.”

Her blazing blue eyes found themselves inches away from mine, after I’d grabbed her and pulled her in close. “Where?! Is she okay? Is Naiara? Are they together? Tell me already!”

She tried in vain to worm out of my grip. “A-alright already! She’s at Sombra’s Shadow lake!”

Gasping, I let her go as the memories of the lake came flooding back. That was where Watcher and I… before Whinniepeg…

“She’s not that far from here!” I shared, and reveled in, the cheer in Lexi’s voice. “Y’heard her, Snow. Get goin’!”

“But what about Naiara?”

This time I was the one dragged eye-to-eye. “Naiara can take care of herself just fine, Snow. An’ she’s not the one who needs you right now, much as you might not think it.” Lexi’s orange eyes, hard as stone a moment ago, began to water as worry soaked her words. “You go to Sombra’s Shadow lake, Snow! You go an’ you find that sweet li’l girl an’ you bring the both of you back here safe an’ sound, do you hear me?”

“Y-yeah, boss, I hear you.”

“Good, ‘cause this is your last chance, awright? No more. You come anywhere near my caravans without Undertow, my guards’ll shoot you on sight. Try t’come back here without her and I’ll shoot you myself. You gotta do this, Snowflake, it’s your last chance. Show me an’ everypony else that you’re not just Red Ice.”

~~~~~~

The cold air of the shores of Sombra’s Shadow, it was no different. It didn’t bother me, only extreme cold did, thanks to my magic, but it was whipping up the mist from the ice, hiding most of the lake from my view.

Standing atop the hollow known as Crystal Point, I strained my eyes for any sign of the water-wielder.

Crystal Point itself hadn’t been occupied, and I had no idea what to look for in terms of signs of life. Junky old detective stories in the Stable always talked about checking the dust and looking for hoofprints, but the hollow was nothing but rock. I didn’t know what to do with rocks.

Is she even still here? Naiara called more than a day ago. What if she’s moved on? This was my only clue. “Come on, Undertow,” I whispered into the wind, “give me a sign.”

...Nothing. The Wasteland kept its secrets, as always. I wasn’t going to find Undertow by standing in one spot and wishing. I’d need to work harder.

thock

My ears twitched as the faint sound reached them. “Eh?”

Searching with only my eyes, I stood ramrod still, waiting for an encore. After a full minute of nothing but the wind, I exhaled. “Damn, could of sworn I-”

thock

“-YES! Where is it?” Encouraged, I took the slope in easy bounds, heading down onto the ice itself. I know I heard something, it has to be her!

The ice welcomed me like an old friend, with my slide-skate spell triggering subconsciously. Soon I was gliding in smooth, long strides, covering far more distance than I would at an unaided gallop.

Thock. It was louder now! I was heading in the right direction. Heart rate rising, foggy breaths blew past my cheeks as the ice reflected my growing smile.

Thock! “I’m coming, Undertow. Wait just where you are, I’ll find you.”

The mist parted.

THOCK!!

Skidding to a halt, I half-laughed as I fought for breath. She's okay!

There she was, my Undertow. Her back was to me, engrossed in her task. I giant plume of water gathered on the ice, floating up overhead. The mass reformed into a wedge, pointing downwards, before slamming into a small crater in the lake shell. The distinctive sound that had brought me to her sounded out as it struck. As the wedge rose again, small streams of water chased after it through minute cracks.

She wants the lake water. Why?

I sat and watched for a little while, just happy to have found her again.

Finally I couldn’t wait anymore. “Un… Undertow?”

She didn’t respond, just continued her task without pause. Her magical excavation was patient and deliberate, just like water.

Doubts crept into my mind at her continued dismissal of my presence. She had to know I was there, but made no move to acknowledge me. Taking tentative steps, I moved in close. “Here, Undertow, let me help you.”

Focusing, I let my magic sense extend out to the water wedge as it reformed above us. Locating it in my horn’s eye came much easier than it had on the way to La Buque, and, upon finding it, I slipped my glacial influence into the waves. A hoof-sized disc of ice formed on the wedge’s surface, blossoming outwards.

At least for a second. A brief, painfully intense sensation of walls slamming shut assaulted my magic sense, forcing me out of the mix. “Wh-wha?” Gasping for breath, I watched the ice melt back into water in less than a heartbeat.

What really stole the air from my lungs was the change in Undertow’s once-calm voice. “Do not interfere, Red Ice. This lake is mine. You are not welcome here.”

“Not welcome? Undertow, what’s wrong?” Moving toward her, my outstretched hoof only narrowly avoided danger as the water wedge slashed between us.

“Stay back. Do not touch me.”

She shouldn’t be like this. What happened? Ignoring the growing lump in my throat, I didn’t back away. “Undertow, please talk to me. Tell me what happened to you?”

“What happened?!” She laughed without mirth. The sound plunged daggers into my heart. “You happened!”

“M-me?”

“Have you so easily forgotten? I suppose it is to be expected, as you are Red Ice.”

“Undertow, please!” I pleaded again. “I haven’t done anything to you. Tell me what happened!”

The corners of her mouth dropped instantly, and the briefest baring of her fangs reached my eyes before the water slammed into me full force. The impact lifted me up and sent me twisting end-over-end, slamming down onto the hard ice a dozen metres away. Fire exploded along my back as the air was driven from my lungs.

“LIES! YOU ALWAYS LIE TO ME! You stole me from my lake, and you have been lying to me ever since!”

Rolling painfully onto my side, I turned horrified eyes to the other unicorn, now facing me. Even with her goggles covering her eyes, her glare was obvious.

It was a struggle to stand. “Undertow, I have never lied to you. I’ve been worried sick about you ever since I woke up at the Raider camp and you weren’t there!”

Horn blazing, her water geysered upwards in a rush. “BECAUSE YOU THREW ME ASIDE!” Her words were just shy of a shriek. The raw heartache they were laced with brought tears to my eyes.

“Threw you aside? What?”

“Now you mock me with feigned ignorance? After the attack, I woke up to you finally showing your true face!” Anger and pain were battling for dominance over her speech. “Your grand deception! You told me that I was nothing but another Raider to you! To be used up and thrown away. I never had your protection, and I never had your love!”

Tears were freely streaming down my cheeks now. I tried to break through my pathetic reflection in her dark goggles, to the pony underneath. “Undertow, I never said any of that, I wouldn’t! Please, you have to believe me!” Has she always felt like this? Was I just being selfish by bringing her along?

Settling into a ready stance, she sent the water swirling around her in an aqua haze. “I will never believe you again, trickster!”

“Please sto-” Was as far as I got before I had to dodge aside, a water whip cracking down on where I’d been standing. “Undertow, stop it! I’m not gonna fight you!”

“Then you will die for what you have done to me.”

My heart stopped in my chest. She… she hates me!

Her attack was relentless, water chasing me from every angle and all sides. I could do nothing but frantically backpedal. I can’t fight Undertow! Whatever she thinks, I can’t fight her again, not after everything we’ve been through!

As I dodged another strike, I fired off a freezing spell into the watery spear, freezing it solid. I did the same with the next strike too, before the third one slipped past my guard and rattled my teeth with a ferocious uppercut.

Spitting out blood, I jumped shakily back to my hooves. “Undertow, please stop this! I don’t want to fight you! I’ll never want to fight you! You have to talk to me, tell me how I can make it right. Please, you have to talk to me!”

Undertow stalked forward. “I do not have to do anything you say, Red Ice. You are not my mistress anymore, not since you sent me away.”

I wailed as she bit out the last few words. “Why do you keep saying that? I didn’t send y-”

Then I saw it. In the chaos and confusion, I’d missed the most vital detail. A fact that changed everything, for me and for her.

Purple smoke seeped out from under her goggles.

“It’s not real.” I whispered. Latvi’s spell… Sombra’s horn… what she saw was all thanks to that! None of it really happened!

Wait, but that means… The Stable… it was all lies, every moment. And everything I’ve done since!

...Latvi, you will burn for this.

Though thoroughly shaken by the revelation, I found the smallest glimmer of hope in it too. It’s fake, all of it, and I can show you! I’ll make you better, I promise!

Buoyed by the truth, I gave the brightest, most gentle smile I could. “I am so sorry, Undertow, about everything I've done to you, but I need you to stop for a little bit. I promise I won’t hurt you, but I need to tell you something.”

Even delivered in mocking disbelief, I found her laughter beautiful. “Stop me, Red Ice? You seem to believe I am the same as when we last met. Allow me to show you your error.”

Her aquamarine magic wrapped around the water I’d frozen, and I watched in amazement as it instantly reverted back to liquid. “Undertow, that’s wonderful! You…”

“I cannot control ice, but I can take my water back from you. You will not defeat me like you did at Soft Swell!”

Still smiling brightly, I radiated pride. “I wouldn’t even try.”

Her anger gave way to confusion, but was swiftly quashed. Teeth gritted, she renewed her attack.

This time, I fought back. For every water strike she sent at me, I matched it with a Cryo Serpent. Her water froze and melted and solidified and liquefied over and over again.

Not that I could ever hope to truly match her skill or power. For all my dodging and magic, I still took at least two hits for every five attempts. I kept at it though, never changing from my Cryo Serpent spell.

I couldn’t change from that spell, I needed her to see that.

Undertow saw, and she adjusted to it. Almost as soon as I fired off one Cryo Serpent spell, it shifted to water and reversed direction, wrapping around my throat and slamming me onto my back.

She was on me in an instant. “Hi,” she breathed out through her sniffling snout, wet but relaxed, “I’m Undertow, can we talk?”

She grinned savagely at her mockery of how our first fight ended, before her scowl returned in full. “What game are you playing, Red Ice? Your spell is worthless against me, and I know that you can do more. I taught you to do more. Why won’t you fight me with everything you have?”

My hoof caressed her cheek for just a moment before she slammed it back onto the lake ice. Even with the water garotte around my neck, I forced the words out through a rictus smile. “Because… this is… all I… could do… without you.”

Her eyebrows rose over the rim of her goggles. “W-what?”

Her grip on my neck and hoof slackened, and I took my chance. Putting everything into the motion, I wrapped my hooves around her in a fierce embrace, burying my face into her shoulder.

She reacted violently, shaking and jerking to free herself. “What are you doing, Lady Ice? Stop this right now! Let me go!” Her hooves found purchase against my chest and broke my hold. She shoved again and sent me sprawling.

“What is this, Red Ice?” Hopping back a few steps, she glared at me.

It was the most beautiful sight I’d ever seen.

I lifted the goggles caught on my hoof, watching her eyes widen in shock. “I’m not Red Ice, not to you. I’m not Lady Ice, or Lady Snow, or any kind of title. Let me show you why.”

Under the glacial light of my horn, a sheet of ice rose up between us, bisecting the view. I looked on joyously as two halves of two ponies looked back at me. One was Undertow, and the other was my reflection.

“Look,” I softly urged, “really look. You want to know why I won’t fight you? This is why I won’t fight.”

Watching comprehension dawn for her was wondrous. Her mouth hung open, gaze shifting back and forth between the ice mirror and myself. Under any other circumstances, I would have hated seeing her cry, but I found myself tearing up right with her as she cried.

“There’s no ice without water.”

The two halves of two ponies, both unicorns, with different colours and builds, stared back at each of us with two pairs of identical orange eyes.

The reflection dropped away as the mirror disappeared, revealing the same eye underneath. I held out the goggles to Undertow and her beautiful eyes.

“You’re my sister, you always have been, and I will never send you away.”

Rooted to the spot, Undertow could do nothing but sob. “Lady Snow, I am so sorry, I-”

Gathering her into a hug, I shook my head. “No, not ‘Lady Snow’, not anymore. Not ‘Lady Snow’, or ‘Lady Ice’, or ‘Red Ice’, or ‘mistress’ or anything else stupid like that. I’m just Snowflake, and you’re just Undertow. Sisters don’t use titles, and I am so sorry that I made you wait for that.”

“My… sister.” Her hooves came up and returned the embrace, her sobs merging into quiet, constant tears.

I’ll protect you, I promise. Nothing will ever hurt you like I have.

~~~~~~

We were in no hurry to do anything as we sat snuggled up in Crystal Point. After we’d both calmed down, we’d been not-at-all-trying and failing to keep smiles off our faces.

“Never had a little sister before.” I mused. “Hope I don’t mess it up.”

“You? Never. Your brothers are proof of that.”

“OUR brothers.”

My heart melted all over again as she giggled adorably.

Too bad the moment was ruined by some unwanted guests. “Finally found you, Red Ice.”

The gruff stallion’s voice made us both jump. Standing at the mouth of the hollow were two earth ponies and a unicorn, all with pistols at the ready.

I’d never seen any of them in my life. “Can… can I help you?”

The leader, an unremarkably brown earth stallion spoke up again. “So you are definitely Red Ice?”

Undertow had untangled herself from me and stood off to the side, watching the other two. I kept my eyes on the leader. “Yyyess, I’m Red Ice.”

He flashed a dirty grin. “Great. So how does this work? I mean, are there caps or…?”

“...What?”

His grin faded slightly. “The reward. What do we get?”

“Reward?”

The grin faded entirely, and the other two stallions were looking annoyed. “Alright what is this? We were told that when we found you, we’d get some kind of reward from Red Eye.”

“From Red Eye? I don’t-” I stopped mid-sentence as comprehension dawned. “Wait, this is still a thing? That was weeks ago, and it was a pile of crap back then!”

The click of a hammer being drawn back interrupted my complaining. “It’s starting to sound like there’s no reward, Red Ice. I can’t say we’d take that well.”

Dammit, Amber! Normally I’d have been a little anxious about having guns soon-to-be pointed at me, but one thing changed the situation entirely. My little sister looked calm as ever, and so I felt no fear.

“Sucks to be you fellas, but yeah, there’s no reward.”

The unicorn at the back leered at Undertow. “Oh, well, that doesn’t have to be true.”

SHHK! “Oh yeah it does. No don’t bother trying to use those guns, they’re frozen to your hooves and can’t be used. Now fellas, I’d have let you just walk out of here if your friend there hadn’t just oggled my sister, but now all bets are off.”

Ice began to spread across the cave floor at the same time as a wall of water blocked out the light from outside.

~~~~~~

I felt a lot of fear this time around. In fact I was shaking.

Undertow and I stood before the gates of Sprinkles Supplies, and before us stood a stone-faced Fedexi Lexi. Atop the walls of the compound stood grim sentries with ready weapons.

Fighting my tongue off the suddenly dry roof of my mouth, I barely managed to get the words out. “We’re… uh… we’re back.”

Lexi didn’t move, just continued to stare.

I tried again. “Boss,” and that’s as far as I got. All the emotions of the past week caught up to me; Latvi, Wings, Breeze, Lexi herself, Undertow, those three idiots, they all slammed me at once. I hadn’t realised, until that very moment, just how important it was to me to be welcome here again.

“c-can w-we c-c-come i-in?” I blubbered, eyes screwing shut to avoid her gaze.

Please say yes, please say yes, please say yes, ple-

“Aw, get over here!”

I didn’t need telling twice, damn near leaping into her open hooves. Undertow joined a millisecond later, and I hugged the both of them like there was no tomorrow. A whoop went up from the walls as the perimeter guards showed their support.

“And it’s done? This Red Ice and Raider business? No more messin’ around?”

I nodded into her mane. “Mhm.”

Lexi’s warm twang lifted the last of the weight from my heart. “That’s my girls.”

~~~~~~

“An’ yer sure this is what you want?”

“Yes.”

Half-opening my eyes, I looked around groggily. Shifting under the blanket, I took in Lexi’s apartment. I was on the couch, where I’d apparently fallen asleep.

The voices of Lexi and Undertow drifted in from the other room. “So yer okay with all she’s done?”

“...Not okay, exactly, but I will stay with her.”

“An’ if she goes all Red Ice again?”

Oh. Having those two, especially those two, discuss my failings wasn’t the best thing to wake up to.

“She won’t.”

“I reckon yer right. Still, if she does, it’s your job to bring her back, y’hear?”

“I know.”

Thanks, Undertow.

“An’ if you can’t stop ‘er by yerself, you come straight here to me, got it? We’ll get her right together.”

“Of course.”

You won’t need to.

“However, we won’t need to.”

“Prob’ly right, but why’re you so sure?”

I heard the smile in Undertow’s voice. “Because she is my sister.”

~~~~~~

Level Up!

Perks gained: Family’s For Life - Sisterhood suits Snow. Being around family grants a boost to stamina and charisma.

~~~~~~

Author's Notes:

I have been looking forward to writing that scene for so long! Welcome back, little sister.

If anybody was confused about the special connection that Snow and Undertow share, I'll direct you to the Old Souls page on the Fallout Equestria wiki, where you can see a picture of what Snow looks like.

As always, a big thank you to KKat, Y1, Auramane, Cascadejackal (he did the original cover art, which is still on the Fallout Equestria wiki), Void Heart (he did the new cover art), Shunketsunoponi and you, the readers. Please read and comment, and pass the word along if you like the story. Finally, because I find it a really funny coincidence to have another fic with a Stable 61 that’s set in Equestrian Canada, go read Fallout Equestria: Pure Hearts.

A special thanks goes out to Honey Mead for his assistance with this chapter. He really provided some solid insights. If you are unfortunate enough not to have read his story, Fallout Equestria: Rolling Bones then you should go do that straight away. It is well worth your time.

That’s all for now, folks. Please keep reading, commenting, and spreading the word on Old Souls. I really appreciate your feedback.