“They can’t find her horn?” My entire body, beak to tail, was tying itself in knots at the thought of Snow’s horn being just… gone.

Standing with me in the courtyard, Schwarzwald shook her head, serious for once. “No, dahling. She has had to be sedated, to ease her pain until then. What is not there cannot be fixed. Fedexi Lexi has every free guard looking, but it seems Peanut took it.”

“How? How did he get away?” Anger joined queasiness as I thought of the one who had done this. The bastard who maimed my friend.

“From what the guards say, he has a zebra stealth cloak.” Schwarzwald nodded her head towards the medical bay. “Naiara or Cept may be able to tell us more later. For now, they are in with Breeze.”

Thank heaven for small miracles. “Gotta thank her, don’t we. She was the one who raised the alarm, right? Her and those ears?”

Schwarzwald cracked a smile. “Indeed. Dear Breeze was nice enough not to let her personal feelings towards Snowflake get in the way.”

“Or she was just trying to get Peanut.” I groused, but almost immediately kicked myself mentally. Breeze didn’t deserve that, come on. “How’re her wings?”

“Weak for now, but healed.”

One healthy pony’s better than two patients. “I’ll go see her when there’s a quiet moment. I’ve missed her.”

Smiling getting wider, the mercenary mare licked her lips. “As have we all.”

“I know that look, Schwarz. You are not asking her if you can feel her scars, not for at least another week.”

The two of us chuckled together. “You are so cruel, Wings-dahling.”

“That’s exactly what I am. ‘sides, don’t you have your own injured girl to be watching over? How’s Amber?”

“Sleeping now.” Smile slipping, she kicked at the dust. “The tongue cannot be saved. Peanut saw to that with a potion. She will not speak again.”

Harsh. Shivering through my feathers at the thought, I clicked my tongue in my beak. “So what will she do now?”

Inhaling, eyes closed, Schwarzwald took a moment to respond. “I do not know. She prides herself on her skill with words, and now she has lost it while helping us.”

This entire thing is one fucked up nightmare! “She only lost the words, not the skills. Make sure you remind her of that when she wakes up.”

The smile I got from her was softer, warmer than the last one. “Your way with words is not so bad either, Blue Fire. Thank you.”

I matched it, before nodding at the doors to the offices. “Head back in there, make sure you’re around if she comes to. Can’t have her be the only one without a friend by their side, right?” Breeze’s got Cassie, the zebra, and Bosco. Snow’s got Lexi, Undertow, and her brothers. Hell, even Lithu’s got Esto. Medical Bay got crowded in a hurry.

Schwarzwald started towards the door, then stopped and looked over her shoulder. “Are you not coming, dahling? Snowflake will feel better if you are there, I am sure.”

I waved her on. “In a little bit. Let her sleep for now. I need a few minutes by myself to think things through. We got a lot of fire thrown at us all at once. Even with her hurt, we can’t just ignore it.”

“But our problems will still be there when she wakes up.” She reminded, before opening the door. “Do not focus on the wrong thing, and miss something important.”

When she was gone, I turned and sprinted around the back of the buildings. From our numerous visits to the site, I knew this was where the guards had set up their practice range. A battered old radio was set up on a fence post, offensively inoffensive music droning from its speakers.

I emptied every bullet I had, reloading over and over, into the targets at the end of the range. Peanut’s face was in my mind every time. I fired so many and so fast, my claws couldn’t hold my revolvers when they finally ran dry. Letting them slip from my talons, I bounded down the range and, with a hawkish shriek, gouged great gashes in the painted wood.

“Kill you! Kill you! Kill you!” The mantra kept my energy from flagging, maintaining my rhythm. Trick me away just so you can cripple her?! There’s not gonna be a corner of the Wasteland you can hide from me!

When even the mantra couldn’t keep the exhaustion away, my forehead dropped into the ravaged target with a dull thud. “And she says I don’t owe her.” I mocked bitterly, “Can’t claim that anymore.” I should have been here. I should have known something was up. Why would Cassie send all but Snow away? Why didn’t I just drop her off first with the sky carriage? Why the FUCK is Peanut not trapped in Lethbridle?

I still hadn’t been to see Snow since getting back. Undertow and her brothers got first priority, I couldn’t deny them that, even if I wanted to go in there. I want her to be okay, just…

Maybe it wasn’t nearly as bad as the black hole I was imagining in the middle of her forehead, but still had trouble willing myself to go find out. Taking a unicorn’s horn was… a violation. Like de-clawing a griffon.

Disgusted with all concerned, myself included, I meandered back to my fallen revolvers. As I dusted them off, the folksy music on the radio cut off with a sharp burst of static. What replaced it stunned me into stillness.

“Good day, Equestria. My name is Roc, and I am the Overseer of Stable 61.”

Oh… crap.

Unaware of my growing dread, Roc continued jauntily. “First, let me express my joy at finally being able to communicate with the wider world outside of our Stable walls. We have waited for this moment for a long time.”

Fumbling my six-shooters back into their holsters, my attention focused fully on the overly cheerful lunatic coming over the airwaves.

“Second, I apologise for interrupting your other broadcasts. We are still adjusting to how things work in… the Wasteland, and don’t quite have the schedules memorised yet. We are trying, however, especially with the aid of some new friends.”

“New friends?” I mouthed, not feeling any better about that than any other part of Roc’s broadcast.

“It warms my heart to find like-minded individuals to ourselves, even two hundred years removed from communication. It gives me hope for a brighter tomorrow. Still, I can’t take up all your time with my introduction and not get to the point, so allow me to do so. I must apologise for the actions of a small number of former Stable residents who may have been causing issues in the region. We will be working to correct this diplomatic oversight. I do hope you all can believe that Stable 61 does not condone the actions of this radical minority. I apologise again, but they are not representative of Stable 61.”

I held the radio close up to my face, which did nothing but increase the static. “Where are you going with this, ‘Overseer’?”

Roc’s apologetic tone returned to its original cheer. “While we are still in the learning and planning stages for now, with invaluable input from our new friends from the fine city of Neighlway,”

“What?” Neighlway? No, you can’t be doing this now, not them.

“I can happily report that, once we are ready, Stable 61 will be opening its doors to the Wasteland in its entirety. We still have much to learn, but I truly believe that my Stable and I are in the unique position of ALSO having much to teach, and much to offer. All will be welcome at Stable 61, no matter their concerns; business, pleasure, personal. Stable 61 hopes to greet you all as friends, as we have with the honourable Neighlway Rangers. I must express my gratitude towards Elder Iron Sights, on being such a fine friend in Stable 61’s first partnership. We are rejoining Equestria, my dear listeners, and we look forward to meeting you all. I, Roc, Overseer of this Stable, bid you good day.”

“That’s why Neighlway was so empty…” The grey skies seemed to grow darker by the second, as I stared up at them bonelessly. “Oh, Snow...”

Unfurling my wings, I rose into that grey sky.

I’m gonna do something about this.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

“Please be careful, Breeze.”

Cept’s fretting call from below warmed my cheeks. I absentmindedly waved a hoof in the general direction of ‘down’, even while pumping my wings higher. “I’ve been cooped up in that bed for days. I need to stretch my wings.”

“But—”

“I’ll be fine so long as you catch me, Cept. You won’t let me fall, will you?” A little mean, but he can’t treat me like I’m made of glass forever.

“Never!” He shouted instantly.

A few metres away, Naiara burst out laughing. “You’re both so lame.”

“I think it’s sweet.” Across from me, Cassie was on-hoof in case I struggled. “Ah, a little higher now, Bosco. Try to keep yourself steady.” Also, at the same time, she was tutoring our newest flier.

“I am trying!” The colt retorted testily, even as he continued to wobble in the air. We’d travelled a fair distance from Sprinkles Supplies for this training session, solely so that Bosco could shift back to his Changeling state.

The thrum of your wings is nice enough, Boss Colt, but I still can’t get used to you looking all buggy like that. My eyes were drawn mostly to the stubby little horn rising from his forehead. Besides transformation, I wonder what other types of magic you can do? Maybe even… ice spells? The thought made my side twinge.

“Breeze, watch out!”

“Wha-WHOA!” My left wing locked up, and I dropped like a stone. The wind rushed past my ears beyond my squeezed-shut eyes, but the harsh impact I expected never came. Instead, I found myself wrapped in strong hooves.

Cept’s golden eyes were there when I opened mine to look. His breathing came fast and shallow, but he still smiled down at me. “Never.” He repeated. Warming all over, I snuggled further into his embrace. Around us, the other three looked on in concern.

Even as Naiara began “d’aww”-ing, Cassie swooped down upon us. “Alright, that’s enough for you for today. You’re walking back.”

“Aw, c’mon,” I whined. “I’m fine, Cass, really.”

“I said no.” She emphasised, poking me in side. “Cept, make sure she doesn’t leave the ground.”

“As you say.”

I sat and sulked. “Traitors, all of you.”

“Don’t you start with me, Aqua Breeze,” Cassie puffed up her chest. “You are gonna take exactly as long as you have to to get better. Your injuries were serious. Lexi said that you might not fly again. You know how ponies feel about pegasi in the Wasteland. A pegasus who can’t fly would be in serious danger!”

Naiara coughed into her hoof pointedly. “Almost as much danger as a hornless unicorn with a kill order out on her?”

My sister rounded on her. “Don’t preach to me, Naiara. We’re all aware of the situation with Snow, and if you think you can guilt us—”

“I’m not.” Cutting through Cassie’s rant with a calm, unshakeable resolve, the zebra mare continued. “I’m telling you to be glad that Breeze came through okay. No guilt, just be happy about that. We all got very lucky.” She turned a bright smile on me. “‘sides, Breeze already repaid Snow for her mom’s healing, by telling her that Peanut was here.”

“He’s dangerous,” I deflected, not wanting to upset Cassie further, “anyone would have done it. Just looking out for the rest of us.”

“Sure,” Still unsteady, a slow-rotating Changeling hovered overhead, “and you didn’t enjoy the big hug that Undertow gave you when she heard you were the one who raised the alarm. Totally.”

Bosco and Cassie found themselves being pointedly not-looked-at. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Who are you, crazy-shelled-colt?”

Cept and Naiara started to chuckle, but Bosco didn’t. He drifted slowly down to the ground, then morphed back to his normal charcoal earth pony form. His eyes looked past us. “You know… this is the second time she’s lost her magic.”

The zebras’ laughter choked off, and we all started at his words. “Snow?”

He nodded. “Yeah. When she first left the Stable, she couldn’t use any spells. The Memory Orb had a crack in it, and did a number on her. It came back then, gradually, but… this time…”

“Mm.” Cassie murmured. “Without her horn, she most likely will not ever regain her magic.”

Sometimes, your insistence on propriety keeps me from figuring out if you’re happy or not, Cass. Still, that’s not the only problem...

“And she can’t shoot worth a damn.” Everybody frowned at my statement. “What? It’s true. Snow’s never been good with a gun, or any weapon. She lost the Power Hooves she had back when we first met her a while ago, and it’s been her horn ever since. With the kill order, she’s gonna need a new way to fight.”

“This is true. The Steel Rangers hold her Stable. If they can use that old world technology, they will be a very bad threat to all of the northern Wasteland.” Plottawa seemed to be where Cept was looking as he said this.

His words resonated with me for a different reason, though. Old world tech, huh? You might be onto something there, Cept.

Bosco cricked his neck. “It’s even worse than that. With Chrysalis down in the Stable, the Rangers could blunder around trying to figure out what she’s doing, and end up taking down the entire blizzard. If they do that, the Windigoes get in. If the Windigoes get in…”

“...we’re fucked.” Naiara finished matter-of-factly.

Nodding, Bosco wreathed himself in flames, becoming a Changeling again. He looked back at his wings. “So far, Snow’s the only one who’s been able to hurt one, and the other Changelings can’t fight ‘em all at once. Face it, we need Snow back, and we need to get the Rangers out of her Stable.”

Naiara nosed his wing up and down with her nose. “How’re we gonna do that?”

I raised a hoof. “I… might have an idea on that.” And maybe more.

Cassie raised an eyebrow. “When did this happen? You’ve been stuck in bed for the better part of a week!”

“Yeah, but I’ve been listening. While these three,” I pointed to the two zebra and the one Changeling, “were away gallivanting around Plottawa and Whinniepeg, YOU,” my hoof found Cassie, “were talking with Amber and Esto. Amber wanted to go back to the Whitepony facility, right?”

Bosco and Naiara tensed up at the mention of the place. “Yeah, so?”

“So, I’m thinking maybe not the worst idea right now? There’s tons of information there, about all sorts. There might be something there that can help get Snow’s magic back.” My chin stayed low as I finished. The reactions I got back weren’t particularly positive, but at least the suggestion was out there.

Bosco was first to offer his opinion. “Last time we were there, Naiara almost died. Undertow and I got foalnapped. Hell, the last time we were there, the Changelings showed up, everything went to hell, and has pretty much stayed there since!”

Unlike Bosco, a more neutral tone was adopted by Cept. “But why were they there at all? Why did they pick that moment to take you and Undertow? Do they know something that we do not?”

Cassie looked to the colt-turned-Changeling. “Would they tell you? They haven’t really been all that forthcoming with information up until this point.”

He grunted. “And we might not have time to humour them if they want us to jump through any hoops to get the info. Let’s call that Plan B for now.”

“Plan C.” I corrected. Maybe.

Again, everybody looked at me in consternation. “What?”

Stretching my wings to ease the twinge, which drew a warning glare from Cassie, I looked in the opposite direction that Cept had been facing. “Well, assuming a day trip to Whitepony’s still our Plan A, there might be another move to make before we resort to going to the Changelings hat-in-hoof.”

“You’re not flying all the way to Whitepony, Breeze.” Cassie interjected. “Confound it all, you’re barely out of bed!”

It was my turn to frown at the interruption. “I meant that we’d take the sky carriage, which YOU would pull, but that’s beside the point. I’m talking about Plan B now.”

I had everybody’s full attention now. Cassie was still sceptical, Naiara was intrigued, Bosco was confused, and Cept’s intense attention simultaneously spurred me on and made my stomach tighten. I took a deep breath. “Well, Snow lost her magic because she’s down a horn, right?”

They all nodded.

I’m either really clever or really crazy.

“...Don’t we have a spare?”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

“And you’re sure this is where he said to meet?” I certainly hope so. I have had about all I can stand of your nonsense, ponies. I better see some uptick in income or else things are going to become very unpleasant.

“Are you questioning my comprehension of a simple arrangement, Eitom?” The pegasus flying beside me, Willow Wisp, barked back.

And everything’s a slight if you’re not fawned over! “I am verifying the information I’ve been given for this assignment. Nothing more.” The bile bubbling in the back of my throat took a few swallows to hold back.

Willow Wisp pushed further. “Just do as I say and you’ll be fine.” She snorted, before muttering under her breath. “Story of my life, not that anybody listens.”

And the tightness in my throat returned. “I don’t take orders from you, pegasus!” She jolted at my snap, but I continued before she could respond. “I work for Latvi and, right now, so do you. Order me or my Monsters around again, and we’ll have a problem. Is that clear?”

Glaring, she looked past behind her to where Latvi was being carried by two of my Monsters. The scientist unicorn was deep in conversation with Wicker, and didn’t seem interested in our discussion. Seeing no support, she turned cold eyes back to me, gnashing out a single word. “...fine.”

Small miracles! Uninterested in speaking with her further, I turned and gave the signal for the rest of us to descend. Below us, the ruined and burned-out husk of a supply caravan lay in a forest clearing. I still don’t think it’s all that smart to be between Plottawa and Lethbridle like this. Her slavers don’t control either anymore.

My monsters and I thudded down around the clearing, weapons posted outwards. Willow Wisp fluttered onto the top of the wreckage, which leaned and creaked in response to her new weight. She wobbled when it did so, and took a good few seconds to right herself again.

Some of the other griffon noticed, and grinned to each other. It was definitely satisfying, especially since they didn’t stop their sweeps. It spoke to their training, evoking memories of our former leader and his methods. You did good work with these guys, boss. Sticking to standards without fail, that’s the trick. Ponies never understand that. I could almost smell the smoke from the cigars he constantly inhaled.

Not one of the Monsters had so much as suggested changing the name of our troop. Wicker and I never would have agreed if they did, but it said something that it was never even considered.

“So what now, chika?” Wicker was standing guard by Latvi. It was almost comical how the straw-coloured mercenary dwarfed the blue scientist. Still, we had a contract with him, so we took his orders.

So long as he keeps paying. It remains to be seen how long that will last now that his Raider army is gone.

Willow Wisp drew in a deep breath, stopped for a moment to adjust as the caravan shell moved under her, and spoke directly to Latvi. Wicker went ignored. “I shouldn’t have to wait long. Peanut won’t waste my time.”

I saw Latvi raise an eyebrow at her singular pronouns.

“Very true, Overmare, but I have business with Latvi too.” Somehow, Peanut was suddenly standing there, cigar between his lips, in the middle of the perched pegasus and stunned scientist.

My rifle was instantly trained on the earth stallion. If I wasn’t fighting my own racing heart, I might have laughed at Willow Wisp’s startled hooting. “Where the hell did you come from?”

Wicker, all-business, had put himself between him and our contractor. “Shit, pony, don’t do that!”

To his credit, Peanut seemed unaffected by the ring of Monsters who all had him in their sights. He turned and gave Willow Wisp a damn-near sparkling smile as she picked herself off the ground, having tumbled down at his surprise entry. “Good to see you safe, Willow Wisp. I heard what happened at Plottawa. Very unfortunate, but we can retake it later.”

Latvi cut in before she could respond. “Nice trick with the zebra stealth cloak, but why are you here, Peanut? The last time I saw you, your slavers were firing rockets at my Raiders. Why shouldn’t I just have my Monsters gun you down where you stand?”

While his expression screamed ‘you are welcome to try’, his smooth voice didn’t waver. “Well, I’d rather like my lieutenant back, if what your lieutenant said about her working for you is true, and then I’d like the two of us to make you a mutually beneficial proposal.”

Willow Wisp showed nothing but confusion at his words, while Latvi took a moment to levitate and clean his glasses. “Really, a proposal? Do tell.”

My back paw tensed in the dirt. Of course you won’t just tell us to shoot him. You want to play games, like always. How many Monsters will we lose this time, I wonder.

Holding up his shin to display the Pipbuck wrapped around it, Peanut tapped the screen. “Have you heard the broadcast by Overseer Roc yet?”

“OVERSEER ROC?!” We all winced at Willow Wisp’s livid screech.

“Apparently not.” Peanut rubbed his ear. “Don’t worry, I have it recorded. Allow me.”

While the announcement played back, to which I was only half-paying attention, Wicker was miming shooting Latvi. He was even making ‘pow pow’ movements with his beak. I smiled at his antics, until I noticed that Peanut saw it too, and swiftly motioned for him to stop.

Once the recording was done, Willow Wisp sat stewing. Latvi, however, was thoughtful. “All that lost technology, in the hooves of those bulkheaded thugs?”

Peanut clapped his hooves together, getting everyone’s attention. “Which brings me to my proposal. I want the three of us to get into that Stable, even if it means working with the Rangers for a little while. This,” he again pointed to the Pipbuck, “means I can get us there. The lovely Willow Wisp here can then get us in the door, and then you get your moment. According to… several sources, you’re the resident expert on digging up the secrets of the past.” He offered a hoof to the blond scientist. “Just imagine what you could do with all that old world knowledge and technology. Pristine, untouched by the fires that burned our world. It’d be like walking into the past. Doesn’t that sound wonderful?”

Latvi’s eyes were glazed over, lost in his fantasies. “Yes,” he breathed ecstatically. “wonderful.”

Oh hell. Latvi liked his games, but Peanut had him totally outclassed here. To my further annoyance, Willow Wisp seemed to have noticed what the Slaver boss was doing, and for-once kept her mouth shut. Now we have to deal with Steel Rangers. They would have taken most, if not all, of their Neighlway forces to the Stable. They won’t want to give up the tech to you three, which means we are going to lose A LOT of Monsters on this one.

Sometimes, I hate my job.

Somehow, Latvi managed to shake off his daydream. Even more surprising, he managed to ask a relevant question afterwards. “This is all very tempting, Peanut, but what’s in it for you?”

The Plottawan leader grinned around the cigar in his mouth. “Glad you asked. Two things: I want one-sixth of the Stable’s collective treasures, in whatever form, for my own use,”

Which means you’ll take an eighth if Latvi learns how to haggle.

“... and then I want you and your Monsters’ assistance in getting into Lethbridle, getting my people out, and dealing with whichever of your Raiders they haven’t enslaved or killed yet. I don’t care how your Raiders are dealt with; leave, rejoin you, die… whatever. So long as at the end of it, they are out of the city entirely.”

Make that a tenth. Hell, a twentieth! I slammed my rifle down on the ground and advanced on Peanut, talons out. “You’re asking a hell of a lot just to point the way, slaver! And spit out that damn cigar!”

Wicker was on me instantly, holding me back. “Whoa, bro! Down, down! Eitom, reel it in!”

Peanut dropped the cigar into the palm of his hoof. “This? Not a cigar.” He held it out to Willow Wisp. “Here, you’ll get a kick out of this.”

“Me?” She blinked, but took the ‘cigar’. “What am I supposed to do with this?”

“Do? Nothing. Just enjoy it. That is the horn of a filly we all know and ‘love’.”

Recognition dawned for the pegasus. “Snowflake? This is Snowflake’s horn?”

Willow Wisp turned it over and around, looking at it from every angle. She mused to herself. “Snowflake has no horn.”

Latvi’s eyebrows shot up at the mention. “You took her horn? Impressive.”

Finally, the red mist began to subside. I tapped Wicker on the shoulder. “I’m okay, I’m okay.” To prove it, I took a half-dozen steps back, claws up and open.

Latvi had been staring at the severed horn in unbridled amusement. Now, he turned to Peanut. “Your offer? I accept. But I may I suggest a slight alteration?”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~