Chapter 24-2: Vicarious Liveability

“Okay, here it is.” Bosco tapped the map printout against a solid metal plate on the floor. “This leads to the sub level.”

Giving it the once over, Wings looked back at him. “You sure? I don't see any handles or anything. It's just a solid plate.”

Teeth gritted, Bosco turned in a circle. “Look for a button, or terminal, or something.”

I put my ear against the metal, and rapped on it with my hoof. “It sounds hollow, at least. Not too thick either.” Inspiration struck, and I fired up my horn. “Let me try this.”

Focusing on the centre of the panel, I poured on the cold. A dot of ice appeared, soon spreading outwards into a half-metre wide coating of thick ice. Setting my jaw, my will halted the crawling frost, and focused it inwards. The circle stayed the same size, but the metal beneath began to groan louder and louder.

One more push oughta do it. The edges of the circle shot up into spikes, biting down into the metal beneath. Cracking, it held out for a second, before the circle plummeted down into the darkness. Whoops.

“GRAB IT!”

Undertow's horn lit up, but a splash sounded from below before she could do anything.

Giving me one heck of a stink-eye, Bosco approached the hole in the floor. My horn was already drawing the ice off, leaving an opening big enough for all but Schwarzwald, with her bulky battle saddle, to fit through. Nothing but blackness could be seen beneath.

“Snow, 'tow, one of you get down there and see if you can open it from the other side.” The way we'd come held all of Bosco's attention.

“Why us? We don't know what's down there.” There could be Hissyflits! Or Molar Bears!

Without looking at us, Bosco raised the map in his hoof. “It's a hydroelectric generator, which means there's water. We just heard it. You both can use that, plus you've got built-in light sources coming out of your foreheads.”

“Tch, fine.” I turned to my sister. “Your choice, xilia.”

She was already halfway through the hole. “Too late, big sister. Be careful if you are coming through. These edges are sharp.”

With the others covering our backs, I stuck my head in the hole, and followed the aquamarine glow of Undertow's horn as it moved about. “Do you see anything?”

Her hooves clanked as she walked. “The walkway here is steady enough, and I think I see a wall box. Let me check...”

With a clunk, the floor hatch began sliding aside. “Oh, shit!” Yanking my head out of the hole I'd made, I just managed to avoid getting crushed.

Below the now open door, Undertow stood at the bottom of a stairwell. “I think that was it.”

That was almost it for me too, Undertow.

We all made out way down to where she was standing, and took in the situation. The walkway we stood on was affixed to the wall of what turned out to be a massive cavern, stretching out into the black. It was a good hundred metre drop to the bottom, where the shadows of heavy duty machinery lay half hidden in the gloom. Out of sight, the sounds of flowing water could be heard.

“Come on,” Bosco pushed to the front of the group. “we're heading down.”

He got a few steps before the slight shaking of the walkway stalled him. Looking back, I caught his nervous grin in Undertow's horn light. “Uhh... maybe we take this a little slower.”

It was a tedious few minutes of slow steps, and deliberate movements for five of us. Wings had skipped the entire effort, and lazed in the air beside the scaffold.

Setting hoof on the cavern floor below, I almost slipped. “It's damp. Watch your step, guys.”

“And smell that?” Wings landed solidly next to me, sniffing. “Mold. I don't think the Rangers come down here much.”

“The air is full of moisture,” Undertow supplied. “It might affect their armour.”

“If we are lucky, they will not disturb us until after our task is complete.” Cept was staring warily at the generator apparatus.

As was Schwarzwald, though hers was a more violent expression. “Should we do some damage while we are here, dahlings?”

Bosco stepped in front of her, face set. “Only after. We're still looking for the Silver Fog for now. Nothing else, got it?”

His stance did not have the desired effect. “Ooh, such a firm hoof, Boss Colt.” Schwarzwald's grin was anything but nervous.

“And what will he do with that firm hoof?” The voice, playful and light, had come from out of the darkness.

Tensed and on guard, the six of us looked around in the shade for the source. As we searched, the cavern itself began to grow brighter. Litchen on the walls gave off a pale glow, which brightened in real time. Soon, the entire cavern had become visible. Though not bright, it was enough to see most of the features of the grotto: The walkway behind us, the generator and pumps, the river and three boats moored on the near bank and, finally, the small tunnel across the water.

Leaning against the wall of the tunnel was a familiar figure, who casually waved as we gaped.

Cept found his voice first. Taking a few steps towards the water, he passed a hoof over his eyes before speaking tentatively. “Aqua Breeze?”

Her blue-and-white mane swayed as she snickered into her chest. “Hey there. Haven't seen you in a while... probably.”

That last word caught our attention. The five of us spread out around Cept, Wings and Schwarzwald to the left, Undertow and I to the right, and Bosco putting himself between Cept and the pegasus.

The colt raised a hoof to bar Cept's steps. “That's not Breeze.”

Still mildly stunned by the developments, Cept's weak attempts to push past Bosco were ineffectual. “What do you mean, Bosco? She is standing there.”

“It is not the first time that the Silver Fog has shown themselves as Breeze, dear Cept.” Schwarzwald wasn't angry with the apparition, despite being a victim of 'Aqua Tease' in the false forest. She was, however, staring with rapt attention.

As Cept's confusion grew, the faux-pegasus sighed, and heaved herself off the tunnel wall. “You bring us a new playmate, but don't indulge our games? You all aren't much fun anymore.” Flashing one more mocking grin, she turned and began walking further into the tunnel. “Are you coming or not?”

“Stay where you are, evil lie!” Golden eyes hard and wide, Cept knocked Bosco's warding hoof aside, and jumped in one of the boats. Pumping the oars hard, he powered across the water.

“Hey, Cept, wait up!” Wings took flight, gliding over to his craft. “Calm down and wait for the others!”

“She is not for them to play with. Breeze is her own and only her own!” His muscles were tight as he propelled the vessel towards the tunnel.

Half way across the river, something slammed into the boat from below, toppling Cept and Wings into each other. The griffon recovered first, grabbing the sides of the boat with her claws, and peering into the dark waters. “The fuck was that?”

Cept went for the paddles again. “More tricks?”

Before his hoof could reach the tool, a three-pronged tusk burst through the hull, snapping the craft in half. Wings and Cept were dumped into the drink.

“Wings! Cept!” Bosco, Schwarzwald and I raced for the other two boats, while Undertow donned her re-breather and jumped straight into the water.

Ahead, Wings and Cept resurfaced, gasping for air. Cept swished round in place, looking for the assailants. The griffon was not doing as well. Her wings were beating to keep her above water, but the feathers were sodden and heavy. She thrashed with her claws, retching out any water that went down the wrong pipe. “Help! I can't swim!”

“Hold on, I'm coming!” Schwarzwald and Bosco were working the oars, and I was at the prow. “We'll get you out.”

A dark mass shot around our boat, swinging in towards Wings. A huge burst of water sent her skywards, rammed by a colossal denizen of the deep. Pinned against its thick scales, Wings couldn't dislodge herself, and was dragged under.

Kicking off from the prow, I dove after her, calling out to the two left in the boat. “Get Cept!” The water swallowed any reply as I disappeared beneath its cold surface.

In the murk, I caught sight of Wings just as the beast plowed into her from the side, ragdolling her towards me, bubbles exploding from the force of the impact. Forming an ice stand beneath my back hooves, I braced myself and grabbed her. Slashing wildly with her talons, she barely missed my eyes before realising I wasn't her target. Expanding the ice under us, I let it buoy us towards the surface.

As we neared precious air, I felt Wings tugging at my shoulder. The creature was coming around for another charge, its trident tusks pointed straight at us.

Positioning my hooves in front of me, I lined them up. Have this, you jackhole. The improvised sights aimed true. A hammer-rod of frozen water shot out from my hooves. Gullet open, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth, the beast didn't even try to dodge. The two attacks met head on, and the river dweller went straight backwards.

The ice rod snapped one massive tooth clean off, and shattered the scales around its jaw as it forced the brute back into the river wall. Bloody chunks of pulp leaked out of the cracks in its armour. Broken, the convulsing thing sank out of sight.

On our now-floating ice island, Wings and I sucked in needed oxygen. When the grey cleared from my vision, I saw a second huge fish get rocketed out of the water by a swirling geyser, and splat into the wall by the tunnel. It hit the ground and weakly flopped for a few moments, before going still. A moment later, the ice tilted as Undertow popped up from underwater. “Are you two okay?”

Belching out another lungful of liquid, Wings managed a shaky nod. I leaned back against the cold raft, bonelessly. “The others?”

“Over here.” Schwarzwald beckoned with her hoof from the far shore, near the tunnel, as Bosco helped Cept purge any of the river still in his throat.

Not in much state to hurry, the three of us hoof- and claw-paddled our float over to their side.

~~~~~~

Clapping greeted us as we emerged from the tunnel. We found ourselves in another cavern, still voluminous but only half the size of the last one. Reclining on a rock at the far end was Aqua Tease. “That was dramatic.”

Wings was still knocking water out of her ears, and wringing her feathers. “Was it really necessary?”

“Mmmyes and no.” The false pegasus lazily waved a hoof back and forth. “The Poseidoceros'...”

Slapping the back of my hoof into the palm of the other, I glanced at Undertow. “Knew I'd seen those things somewhere before.”

Miffed at the interruption, I was treated to a pointed stare from the doppelganger. “Yes, well, as we were saying: They make useful watchbeasts, discouraging the Rangers from spending too much time on our side of the river.”

Breath still heavy from the battle, Cept glared unwaveringly. “You knew they would attack, but did not warn us?”

Switching from prone to lying with her head resting on her hooves, Aqua Tease waved his concerns away. “Don't be scared, playmate. We would have intervened if they proved too much for you all. We had faith, however.”

“I am not sc-”

Bosco stomped in between the two. “Can we PLEASE skip to the part where you give me back my Memory Orb?”

Pointing enthusiastically, the fake Breeze smiled at him. “Now that's a better question. But you're getting a little ahead of yourself, Bosco. First we need to determine just exactly who the Memory Orbs belong to.”

Confused glances were exchanged all around. The first objection came from Undertow. “You stole them from Bosco. We know exactly who they belong to.”

“Not so, waterwitch.” Spreading her wings, Aqua Tease rose from her rock. “Your Wasteland would say that they belong to us, because we were able to steal them away from you. You might say otherwise, that they must belong to you in order to be stolen in the first place.” Weighing up the options with her hooves, she mimed dropping both. “These are recent developments. We're more concerned with before that.”

“You shouldn't ignore the now to focus on what has passed, Silver Fog.” Schwarzwald revved her minigun. “What is to stop us from simply attacking and taking the Orb?”

“Courtesy, courtesan? We have not attacked you. Oh, and the fact that we have no pockets to hide the Orb.”

Bosco started. “You're telling me it's not even here?!”

“I am telling you that it is not...” Aqua Tease ran her hooves over her body. Every inch of her body. “...here.”

“Allow one of us to double-check,” Schwarzwald purred. “Cept perhaps? He is so fond of dear Breeze.”

Immediately, Cept rounded on her. “That thing is not Aqua Breeze.” His golden eyes were molten.

For several long seconds, Schwarzwald just smiled back. “No, it is not. But OUR dear Breeze is a lucky girl, dahling.”

“Oh, I just love how we keep getting off-fucking-topic!” Bosco's eye twitched rapidly. He reached for his knife. “Enough games, Silver Fog. Why did you bring me here, and where is my Orb?”

Aqua Tease unfurled a wing, and held it up so only her eye could be seen through the gaps between the feathers. “Are you feeling uncomfortable, Bosco? Is it similar to how you felt in Whinniepeg?

Scoffing, he began pacing back and forth. “Oh, yes, THIS is on topic.”

“Yes,” the doppelganger intoned. “It is. It feels similar, doesn't it? When you and the waterwitch were taken, you felt something. Something you couldn't understand.”

Blinking tersely, and shaking his head back and forth, Bosco kept pacing with his head down. “W-what of it?”

Undertow sidled up next to the colt, leaning into him. “Bosco...”

Changing wing-veils, the false-Breeze pressed on. “And when Lethbridle was under attack, you felt it all then too, didn't you? The fear.” Her one visible eye shifted yellow. “The anger.” Then red. “The worry.” Blue, before finally shifting to black. “And the hate. It only increased when the Windigo appeared.”

Retreating, Bosco gasped raggedly. “You... how do you know all this?”

Her feathers dropping away, a kind expression graced Aqua Tease's face. “You don't like it when your friends fight, and love it when they're pleased with you, and each other, right?”

I stepped up on the other side of the colt. “Who doesn't?” I challenged. Bosco, what's happening?

“E-everypony's unhappy when their friends fight.” Bosco's voice was a far cry from his usual youthful tone, and shook erratically.

Aqua Tease slowly shook her head. “But nopony is unhappy like you.”

A nauseous gag emerged from Bosco's mouth as he dropped his knife. Schwarzwald, Wings, and Cept jumped in front of him, ready to fight, while Undertow and I sat him down on the cave floor.

“Why won't you just give back the Orb and leave him alone?” Brow creased, Undertow's shrill shriek echoed off the walls.

“If he wishes to have it back, he may take it. It has served its purpose already.” The fake pegasus signalled to someone out of sight.

“And what is its purpose?” Cept's stance was rock solid, hooves poised to defend or strike.

Folding her wings in, the clone made no move to guard herself. “A trail. Signposts to lead him.”

Revolvers out and cocked, Wings was taking no chances. “Where are you trying to lead him?”

“And what makes you think we'll let you?” Leaving Undertow to watch over Bosco, I joined the line, legs squared and horn blazing.

Our adversary held a hoof over her heart. First she looked at Wings. “Be at ease, hero.” Then at me. “You too, villain. The trail was meant to lead him to us. To lead him...”

She looked past us, straight at the colt. “...home.”

Bosco's grey eyes grew wide. “Home? What do you mean? This isn't my home.”

“Six years you've held those Orbs, Bosco.” Her voice was morphing away from Breeze's brash pitch, into something fuller. The words rolled off tongue, filling the air around us. “Do you remember where you got them?”

When his only response was silence, she continued. “Before those six years, where did you live? Who took care of you when you were just a child? Why weren't they there, when you woke up in that strange place, at the start of those six years? Where was your home?”

“I...I...” His quaking was uncontrollable now. “I don't understand. How do you know this?”

She reached out to him, eliciting a harsh cry as he slid back. “We know this, Bosco, because we...”

Another Silver Fog creature congealed in the air to her right, shifting into a twin of Undertow. When it spoke, it shared Aqua Tease's voice. “...are here...”

Another apparated through the cavern wall on the other side of Breeze's clone. It imitated Wings. “...to welcome you...”

Two more appeared, coalescing into copies of Cassie and Naiara, flanking Aqua Tease. “...home.”

With a blinding flash, all five burst into green flame.

Eyes covered against the glare, I heard Undertow's desperate shout. “Bosco, don't move! We'll keep you safe!”

When the green flash faded, and no attack came, I blinked a few times to clear my eyes.

Standing in place of the false ponies were five entirely different beings.

Schwarzwald's minigun revved up again. At the exact same moment, Cept barked something in zebra, and Wings yelled out. “WHAT IS THIS?”

Of course! Of course that's what they are. That's what this has been about the entire time! Flashes of the memories in Bosco's Orbs played out behind my eyes. I had my suspicions, but seeing them up close...

“Stay away from Bosco, you monsters!” Water tendrils raced out of the tunnel, swirling around Undertow's horn before shooting out at the five non-ponies. The quintet took to the air, their uneven gossamer wings flittering, as the water splashed down where they'd been standing. The creatures' lips began drawing back, revealing pointed fangs, as they readied to dive.

Nononono! “CHANGELINGS!” My howl reverberated around the entire cavern, freezing everyone in their tracks.

At least five pairs of eyes turned to me. “You're Changelings! You're not Silver Fog, you're shapeshifters!”

Looking at each other, the chitinous quadrupeds slowly backed away, landing on the rock where we'd first seen Aqua Tease. The middle Changeling shifted back into Breeze's form. “Yes. We're Changelings. The Memory Orbs contain Changeling memories.”

“Changelings can create Memory Orbs like ponies can?” Schwarzwald was not revving her weapons anymore, instead she was intensely scrutinising the carapace-covered, insectile beings.

Aqua Tease affected a smirk. “Creating a way to put ourselves in other bodies? Somehow we managed.” Bowing, she put a perforated hoof around the shoulder of the closest Changeling. “We can teach your friend to do what we can do, in time.”

“Heh... hehe... hah!” Guttural laughter cut in from behind us. Turning, I saw a bloodshot-eyed Bosco stagger to his hooves.

“That's how you knew about Whinniepeg and Lethbridle! All that nonsense you tricked me with before!” He danced back and forth, manically shoving himself in front of each of us in turn. “They almost convinced me!”

“Bosco...” Undertow tried to grab a hold of him, but he'd already danced over to Cept.

“Glad you came along now, buddy? You couldn't get this sitting at Breeze's bedside.”

Head tilted slightly away from the profusely sweating colt, Cept raised an eyebrow. “Are you well, Bosco?”

“I'm just fine! Better than fine, in fact. I'm a pony, not a Changeling.” Wagging a hoof at the Changelings on the rock, he rolled his eyes. “You all must be pretty bummed, huh? Went to all this effort to find me, and it turns out they've got the wrong guy!”

I caught Wings' eye, and she mirrored my concern. “Um... maybe you wanna sit down for a sec, Bosco?”

“Yeah, don't wanna wear yourself out after all that's happened.”

Suddenly calm, Bosco winked at me. “Can't stop now, Snow. I still need my Orb back.” His head dipped, and he chuckled into his sternum. “Imagine, thinking I was a Changeling?”

“You ARE one of us, Bosco.” Aqua Tease and her companions weren't smiling now, instead looking on with furrowed brows. “You have to accept that.”

“I don't have to accept shit, especially not a lie.” He tapped his sides, and his forehead. “See? If I were a Changeling, I'd have those creepy wings, and a horn on my head. Besides that, if I was a Changeling, would I be able to—”

He disappeared in a burst of green flame, then reappeared as the scribe from the Neighlway offices.

Undertow's hooves flew up to her mouth, Wings' jaw was on the floor, Cept stopped blinking, Schwarzwald choked on her own spit, and I yelped inarticulately.

“What?” The nameless scribe was looking around, jovial. His voice was high, reedy. “Guys, you look like you've seen a... a...” Hoof slowly reaching for his throat, Bosco finally looked down.

Seeing the body of another pony underneath him, Bosco opened his mouth to speak. Nothing came out. He tried again, and managed a pitiful mewl.

Pupils shrinking, he looked at at us. “G-guys, what's happening?”

None of us had an answer, only staring back in shock.

Spittle flying, he tripped over himself spinning to face the Changelings. “What did you do to me?” He cried, as he fought to untangle another pony's limbs.

Aqua Tease hopped down from the rock. “We didn’t do anything, it’s just you-” One of the other Changelings cut her off with a grunting hiss, nodding his head at the tunnel. “We have to go. Bosco, we’ll see you again.”

Without another word, all five burst into plumes of Silver Fog, and dissipated into the walls and ceiling.

“HEY WAIT!” Undertow found her voice again as they retreated. “COME BACK AND FIX BOSCO!” Her water whips chased after them, but burst fruitlessly against the stone.

“Dahlings, they left in a hurry. Perhaps we should do the same?” Schwarzwald already was moving towards the exit.

I know what you're thinking. You want to talk to Watcher about this. Probably a good call. “She's right, guys. Let's get out of here for now, and figure out the rest later.”

“Agreed.” Cept reluctantly turned away from the walls.

“Yeah, okay.” Wings holstered her revolvers, then moved to help Undertow with Bosco. “Come on, kid. Let's get you out of here.”

Unresponsive, but back in his own body, he dumbly allowed the two to walk him towards the tunnel. Undertow held tight to steady his balance. The walk through the tunnel was completed in silence.

It was short lived, however. We were only a few steps into the main cavern before a robotic bellow sounded from above. “INTRUDERS SPOTTED. OPEN FIRE!”

Gunfire and explosives rained down on us from the walkway, where five figures stood. Four were in the heavy armour of the Steel Rangers, while the fifth was a teal unicorn in a labcoat.

A wall of water leapt from the river, just in time to turn aside the barrage. Muffled explosions ran through the liquid, but didn’t make it through.

Undeterred, the Rangers loosed another volley, sending their rockets in wide arcs to confuse and circumvent Undertow’s defenses.

“Back into the tunnel!” I ordered. We scrambled into cover just before the barrage hit. The shockwave sent us all rolling, as stone slivers nicked and scratched at us.

“Wait a minute, I know that voice. Hold fire!” This was a different Ranger than the first.

Probably the one without armour, since it doesn't sound like he's speaking around his own-

“Princess, is that you? Remember your old friend, Dr. Happy Pills?”

Son of a bitch. “Oh fantastic, I was hoping you'd died when my Raiders took you Rangers on, you old pervert.” All of the others, sans a still-stupefied Bosco, were staring incredulously at me. I waved an angry hoof. I know, I know. “Doc, can't say I'm happy to see you again. How's the wife?”

If he was angry about my waging war against him and his friends, it didn't come across in his jaunty voice. “Just fine. She was so disappointed she didn't get to meet-and-greet. Maybe we should take advantage of this second chance?”

“Wish that I could, Doc, but I'm actually just passing through.”

Tittering rang down from the walkway. “Hmm, yes, straight through our half-concussed scribe, in fact. Are you sure I can't coax you out of your little hole?”

So you can stick me back in that magic-less cell? “Gotta be honest, Doc. My first impression of you wasn't great, and I'm not looking for a second date.”

Mock indignation laced his words. “Oh that cuts me deep. It cuts me deep in my chest, Princess. Oh well, missed connections and all that.”

I was about to breathe a sigh of relief, when Happy Pills spoke up again. “Paladin, collapse that tunnel.”

“FUUUCK!” We tore out of the tunnel just before the rocket hit. Stone slammed straight onto where we'd hunkered down.

“What now?” Wings was taking potshots at the Rangers with her revolvers, but they didn't seem to notice. “We're trapped down here!”

“No!” Undertow was shoving Bosco towards the river. “Into the water!”

“Are you nuts? There's killer fish in there!”

“Just do it!” Undertow ordered back.

I felt a tingle at the base of my horn, and opened the link to Undertow. Glimpses of her planned spell filtered through, enough for me to get a vague sense of it. Works for me, little sister! “You heard her! Everybody in!”

Undertow went in first, hooves wrapped around Bosco's neck.

“Mua leija.” Cept's deadpan contribution reached my ears just before he and Schwarzwald flopped into the water.

I wasted no time, sprinting and cannoning into Wings, dragging us both into the drink.

Undertow's connection instantly strengthened when we in the water, with only our heads above board, and she pulled us all in towards her. Automatic fire rained down around us, but the river was flowing too fast. Once we were all together, another signal flowed down our link. It was the arcane equivalent of shouting “NOW!”.

Allowing her to guide me, I froze six-inch thick shell of water a metre around us, while at the same time she pushed all the water between it and us out, leaving cold air, and six sodden bodies.

I finished closing the shell up, then turned to Undertow. “Do you know where this thing goes?”

She shook her head. “I know it goes somewhere, from the speed it's flowing, and it has to be better than here.”

“A fair point.” Schwarzwald's husky tones came from somewhere in the pile.

I could only just make out some blurry shapes through the ice shell, before we disappeared under the water and stone.

~~~~~~

When the darkness of stone gave way to daylight, my heart rose. We're clear!

Then it rose a lot faster, as the river dropped away beneath our shell. We all reacted badly, but Wings was worst. Griffon instincts kicked in, and her wings unfolded to take flight. She slammed into the top of our shell.

Then slammed down on top of me, as we hit the bottom of the drop. All the air left my lungs, but her weight didn't. Black spots danced in my vision as the ice shell shattered around us.

Groans sounded all round, before a pair of wood-brown hooves hauled Wings off me. “Dahling, you cannot rest now.”

The griffon feebly pushed at Schwarzwald. “Gimme five minutes.”

“No.” Schwarzwald was uncharacteristically hurried. “You must go to the sky carriage. Bring it here before the Rangers find it.”

Groaning from both pain and frustration, Wings took off into the sky.

As I followed her flight, it dawned on me as to where we were. “La Buque? The river carried us that far?”

Cept was looking up at the criss-crossing stone paths. “So it seems.”

Undertow's voice drew my attention. “Bosco? We have to get moving. It's not safe here.”

The colt brushed off her tugging hoof. “Leave me alone, Undertow.”

“Bosco, I'm sorry, but-”

“SORRY?!” Gnashing his teeth, he shoved her hard in the shoulder. “What do you have to sorry about? You're not the one who—” Emerald fire flashed around him, and in his place stood another Undertow. “—does this!”

I checked that Undertow hadn't been hurt when he pushed her over, and then grimaced at him. “And we'll help you figure this out, but we can't do it here. Just stay calm and listen for a second. La Buque's not safe, and we have to get back to the others!”

Undertow burned away into Naiara. “Fuck the others, they can't help!”

I stomped a hoof at his antics. “You don't know that! Now stop yelling at the people trying to help you! If you fall apart, it'll delay us getting back. We won't figure this out here, and we still need to check on Breeze.”

Naiara became Breeze's sister, with tears running down her face. “You sound like Cassie! Well guess what, both of you, I don't know what the hell's happening to me, and I'm not gonna find out sitting around at Sprinkles Supplies!”

Spreading 'her' wings, Cassie lifted off. Unused to the sensation, Bosco's flight was anything but smooth, but she kept at it, rising higher and higher.

“No, Bosco, come back!” Undertow's plea went unanswered, and all we could was watch as he disappeared around a valley bend.

~~~~~~

Level Up!

Perks gained:
Frigid Fortifications - Snow’s ice magic reduces effectiveness of metal armour and barriers.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Author's Notes:

I’m sure plenty of you saw that coming, but at least I did the reveal well… right?

*Crickets*

*Sobs* I tried.

I have to give a Massive, BROBDINGNAGIAN thank you to Kyts, who not only helped me with pre-reading, editing and story ideas, but also made the latest cover art for Old Souls, which can be seen here. I seriously cannot show my gratitude for everything that Kyts and all of the others have provided for our work here. It’s humbling.

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), Shunketsunoponi and you, the readers. Please read and comment, and pass the word along if you like the story.

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