The morning hadn't been as terrible as Steel Wing had expected. Once he was far enough away from Autumn Heart the security ponies had approached her with questions. Some of which she was very reluctant to share with strangers. Once it was established that Steel Wing had been defending her, and that she had just gotten a bit hysterical the security ponies were more at ease. They still kept their distance from the massive pegasus.

The griffon watched her two companions with mild amusement, although admittedly she was impressed with his stance and size. He was clearly not ecstatic with their presence so she decided to strike up conversation. "Shouldn't you be more happy your marefriend is safe?" She asked ignorant their situation.

He glared at her before realizing she didn't know what she'd said. "We're not like that." He stated too tired to be interested in conversation.

Whether she had no empathy or was just trying to be friendly she pushed on, "You seemed pretty ready to take a bullet for her. She paying you? Body guard or something right?"

"No she's not paying me, we're friends." He said with heavy resignation. "What about you? Those two look like they could barely handle a radscorpion between the both of them. You look like you could dance in Maripony just to get hellhounds to attack."

"I owe the ponies in Sky Fall my life. I wasn't their problem and they could have let me bleed out. They didn't though." She drew one of her pistols and started fiddling with it. "Names Corona, people in town call me Griff. I tried to get them to stop, but since I'd already agreed to help them they didn't. Asses."

She stretched dramatically, wings out resembling a scene from a dramatic movie with the character shouting 'Why!!' She was a magnificent specimen of a griffon, he noted. Well built, a confident and not cocky stance. All the way down to her well maintained talons, which he was sure were used to rend flesh frequently. Her armor he saw was black with three tears through it. On closer inspection it was just part of the design. He was about to ask about it when he finally realized it was his turn for an introduction.

"Steel Wing." He replied extending a hoof.

Griff took it and said, "Been meaning to ask about that." Steel Wing raised an eyebrow, "That's a take on specialized griffon armor if I'm not mistaken. Don't suppose those are mechanical are they?"

"Nope, feather, skin and bone underneath." He replied eliciting a critical look from the griffon.

"Don't they weigh you down when you're trying to fly then?" Again she couldn't have known what she'd just asked.

"No they don't get in the way of flying. All the do is hurt whenever I extend my wings. That and dismember enemies."

---------------------------------------------

The sun had risen above the cloud cover by the time they had all come to a friendly understanding. Evidently they had stopped for the night twenty minutes from Sky Fall. Corona informed them that: The locals who weren't asleep and had heard the screams from when the raiders first arrived had started a commotion waking up a good portion of the town and gone to the guards about it. When the grenade went off and there was silence people began to go back to bed. When the screaming started up again, several ponies insisted guards be sent to investigate. Naturally the relatively inexperienced guards were very reluctant to go, so they asked their griffon who had been made Captain of the Guard to go take a look. Corona had informed them of all this with a wry smile.

The morning had only had one other hitch since the shouting exchange between Steel Wing and Autumn Heart. She was too unsteady on her feet, still recovering from shock and having not eaten. Too weak to even climb in the back of the cart, and when Steel Wing had attempted to help her up she panicked from his aggressive touch and kicked at him. She had calmed down the instant she was in the wagon apologizing for 'freaking out' again.

Steel Wing wasn't doing much better as far as rest was concerned, Lack of sleep coupled with exertion with a pinch of blood loss left him feeling dead on his hooves. Unfortunately he still needed to pull the cart; the two guard ponies could pull the wagon, but at a drastically reduced speed. The harness not being fitted for a griffon left Steel Wing to push on the last few miles to town.

The guard ponies took up the rear making conversation with Autumn Heart. Corona was up front walking alongside Steel Wing. "Sorry to bring this up again but it's bothering me. Friends make sacrifices for friends and even take bullets for each other. You seemed ready to take on all the worlds plasma canons for that mare."

"I suppose I owe her my life too." Raising his head to look at her, "She saved me from a dark hole that I'd fallen into. I may use the excuse that I'm just helping her complete her delivery, but I'm going to make sure she gets to wherever home is safely before I leave her."

"Good for you, I guess." Taking the conversation in a completely different direction she asked, "Can I see your wing?"

"Not that I don't think you have handled sharp objects before, but they are extremely sharp." He said trying to dissuade her desire to touch them.

"Eh." She intoned retrieving thick leather gloves from a bag. "I'll survive."

Steel Wing shrugged and fulfilled her request slowly extending a wing. Even though his body was numb from the nights events, he still by reflex winced at the ghost pain.

Corona took the wing in her covered talons walking on her hind legs. She tested their flexibility and tapped on them a few times. "Is the metal cut to fit over every feather or something?" She asked as she slowly wiggled the feather plates separately.

"Not exactly, it's hard to explain. All I can think of to say is that it took minor surgery and unicorn magic to affix them to my wings."

"Uh huh." She said moving to test the edge. Steel Wing turned his attention to the road ahead seeing the town now in view. He came to an abrupt halt when he heard "OW FUCK!" from his right. At first glance he thought she had just lost a talon. He quickly folded his wing back to his body. "Well damn." She said holding her hand up and watching her trigger talon dangle limply.

The wing blade had gone through the glove and cut into the flesh, without the glove she'd have lost it entirely. "Got healing supplies in the wagon." He offered as he watched her blood collect and drop off his wing leaving it clean as ever.

She simply nodded and quickly took off landing on top of the cart and crawling in, drawing a surprised yelp out of Autumn Heart. A few minutes later she landed next to him with healing bandages holding the injured talon in place while it mended.

"So, those are sharp." She murmured.

"Yeah they have to go through muscle and bone fluidly." He said suppressing one of his usual dark chuckles at the misfortune of others.

Even while doing his best Corona picked up on the implied 'I told you so.' of his tone and changed the subject to something less pride wounding. "So how does a buck like you not have half of the wasteland's fillies after you?" And for a third time the excusably oblivious griffon managed to strike upon a very painful topic, for the already emotionally battered pegasus.

He couldn't hide the pain the question had stirred up in his reply, "The only filly I can ever really love is above the clouds. I won't see her until we're both dead in the ever after."

His grave tone made the griffon tone down her approach. "So you can't get close to a filly physically or emotionally on the surface, because the one you want is somewhere far far away? Does she feel the same way?"

"I can only hope she'll always have some love in her heart for me; I also hope she has found someone to give her what she needs to be happy."

"But you can't allow yourself some happiness since you're away from her?" Steel Wing's face told her that he hadn't received the question well. "I mean how long has it been since you last saw her?"

"I see her every night, when I dream. I have nightmares, but when she appears for a little while it's all okay. No pain or fear. contentment."

"As sad and romantic as that is, and don't get me wrong I mean waiting for someone you love can be important." She rambled on like this for a a little while trying to defuse tension before coming back to her point. "But you didn't really answer my question, which may be due to the fact that I didn't ask it flat out." She was now slightly nervous about pissing off the moody death machine next to her. "When's the last time you got laid?" Finally got that out, good going girl!

"..."

Corona waited for a long time. While he continued to move step by step closer to the town. The last few minutes to the town passed in silence.

Once the one wagon caravan was within sight of the morning watch Corona took off to head off any questioning of intent the guards would ask of the moody pegasus.

He slowed as he arrived the entrance to the town, Corona was busy moving ponies out of his way hurriedly so he could continue. As he passed by she smiled apologetically, "Three years." He said hoarsely moving the wagon inside the city wall. Wow she thought beak hanging open slightly.

Once the wagon was well inside the city walls he undid his harness started walking towards the inn, taking two steps before collapsing in an unconscious heap.

Corona padded up to Steel Wing. "Yep."

--------------------------------------

"What's that smell?" Steel Wing grumbled finally coming back into the waking world. He could feel the bed under him: soft, clean, big.

Against his brain's will he forced himself to open his eyes. Instantly grinning when he discovered the source of the smell. It was 'clean' that he was smelling. Aside from a thin layer of dust in places the room was spotless well kept and dimly lit from light filtered through thick scarlet curtains.

As Steel Wing tried to sit up his muscles seized up causing him to lay back limply. He'd felt this before, passing out from total exhaustion. A training run did as much to him and his squad at one point. The lesson was you can go as long as you want without proper sleep coupled with physical tasks; once you went to sleep you were done for the next few days, or more if you tried to go weeks. They had gone seven days and twelve hours until they were allowed to rest Steel Wing had been the first out of bed in only two days. As his trip had only been a day or so he was confident he could get out of bed in a few hours.

He attempted again in vain to sit up. Ten minutes later he tried again to no avail. Another ten minutes was spent breathing deeply as eh prepared for what he decided would be the final try. Tensing all of his muscles he threw himself forward grunting loudly as he fought to keep himself up right. With great amounts of effort plus cursing he managed to sit up panting from the huge exertion he had subjected himself to.

The door was promptly thrown open, a mare wearing doctor fatigues with a determined scowl on her face charged into the room placing both forehooves firmly on Steel Wing's chest forcing him to lay down. It was almost comical to see this doctor bravely pushing a pegasus easily twice her size around like he was her colt.

Too comical in fact for some ponies to stifle a giggle, Autumn Heart was one such pony. She had been right on the doctor's tail through the door and had the great fortune to witness the whole scene.

The doctor however found nothing humorous anywhere in the room. "What pony in their right mind would mutilate themselves so horribly!?!" She was inches from his face bearing down on him with a generous amount of force.

"What?" was all Steel Wing could manage to say, causing the enraged doctor to react by rearing up and come back down on her non helpless victim.

"Your wings damn you!" What did you do to yourself!?" She was nearly foaming at the mouth. Autumn Heart carefully dragged her away from the bed by the tail.

"I put armor on them." His tone suggesting 'isn't it obvious?'

Autumn Heart was about to release the doctor but at his answer wisely chose not to; holding back the doctor as she attempted to storm the bed a second time. Steel Wing inadvertently flinched.

"No shit you idiot, do you know how badly damaged your wings probably are?"

"I-" Instead of telling the doctor to mind her own damn business Steel Wing gave Autumn Heart the chance to get tail out of her mouth. "No, I don't."

The doctor seemed satisfied at the chance to tell him just how wrong what he had done, was.

Autumn Heart let go of the doctor, who immediately planted her rear on the floor bringing her hooves up to squeeze the sides of her head.

"Steel Wing?" Steel Wing offered trying to lessen the doctor's fury

"Don't remind me." She snapped, followed by a long silence. "Do they hurt?" she asked, her tone much more even.

"Yeah, when I first unfold them."

"Stitches!" The doctor suddenly yelled towards the open door, prompting Autumn Heart to step clear of the doorway.

Steel Wing's entire body shuddered involuntarily when he saw the horn poke around the corner. He had to actively suppress a gasp as the horn was followed by a ghoul pony.

The ghoul, Stitches, walked in magically pulling a cart and clipboard in behind him. "Yes doctor?" He said in that wonderfully dry throaty tone one would expect from a ghoul.

"Could you take down notes about this exchange please." The ghoul nodded and levitated the clipboard with a pencil in front of him.

"So when you first work your wings, correct?"

Steel Wing nodded followed by the quickly scribbling of pencil on chalkboard.

"And not when you're flying?" Steel Wing donned the iron pony mask for a moment before simply shrugging.

"So you already know you can't fly?"

He shook his had and shrugged.

"You don't know if you can fly?"

He nodded curtly.

"Why haven't you tried?" The doctor was now pushing buttons she couldn't even see.

"I can't." Steel Wing said with a heavy sigh.

The doctor leaned over to Stitches and whispered something, not realizing that Steel Wing could still here. "We should probably do a PTSD screening." Stitches nodded and continued writing.

"Did you have a bad experience the last time you flew."

"Yep!" He responded with mock enthusiasm.

"What happened?" The doctor pushed hopefully, believing the fake progress. Autumn Heart had actually spent enough time with Steel Wing to know when he was being uncooperative.

"I fell." He said with a grin, crushing the doctor's belief that they had gotten somewhere.

"He's worried that if he flies his sister will be killed." Autumn Heart spoke up, causing three pairs of startled eyes to fall on her. Steel Wing and the doctor had clearly forgotten Autumn Heart was even in the room.

"Is this true?" The doctor asked hesitantly.

Steel Wing shot Autumn Heart a glare before responding. "Yes, and it isn't some unfounded paranoia. Her life would in fact be in danger if I ever use my wings to fly again." Steel Wing had given up on dancing around the doctor's questions.

The doctor took a moment hoof rubbing chin as she thought. "So, since you can't use them to fly you decided to mutilate them?" She asked pointedly.

"When I had it done I made sure I found the best there was to do it." He countered glowering at the doctor.

"I'm not scared of your silent threats, I gave you muscle relaxers so you couldn't leave before I got the chance to scold you." The doctor said with a smirk. "Granted, I was impressed you managed to sit up at all."

So it wasn't total exhaustion like he had thought, Drug induced paralysis, much better. As he lost himself to his thoughts temporarily a frown took over his muzzle.

"How long have you had them?" The doctor asked trying to bring him back to the room.

"Two years and some odd months." He replied thoughtfully.

The doctor's eyes widened in horror. "If those plates don't come off you're liable to lose your wings all together!" The doctor said growing concern in her voice.

Steel Wing passed a critical eye over the earth pony, "What the hell makes you such an expert on pegasai anatomy?"

"Oh, Hi!-" the doctor said taking on her own sarcastic tone, "I'm Snips and one of the best surgeons in the whole damn wasteland. Sorry if you haven't heard of me, really that's my bad." She got up and started pacing around the room. Autumn Heart readied herself to go for the tail the instant she started sprinting at the bed again.

"Some great surgeon, can't even handle a pencil. Besides they don't just come off, they've been worked around the joints in my shoulders." He said trying to dispel the doctor's dream of removing the metal plates.

"DO YOU EVEN WANT WINGS!" she said flying across the room at the bed. Only to be stopped mid air caught in the Stitches' levitation field.

The idea of actually losing his wing finally wiggled it's way into Steel Wing's head where it quickly grew into a wildfire of fear and understanding. "Yes, Yes. I. Do."

"Then will you listen to what I'm saying?" Snips near pleaded still dangling in the air.

"I will listen, but that doesn't mean I can just let you take them off. I've grown attached to them not just physically, but mentally and emotionally too. These plates are as much a part of me as the appendages they cover." The thought of parting with them almost brought a tear to Steel Wing's eye.

Snips for her part began to better understand the pegasus in front of her wasn't simply a soldier pony, but a thinking feeling pony as well. "I imagine with them you wouldn't have lived long enough for this problem to even come up then?" She asked Stitches finally convinced the doctor had calmed down.

"Something like that." Steel Wing said suppressing a chuckle.

"They have to come off. I can't surrender that point; but if you keep them off for a week or so, and with proper care during that week, we'll- I'll find a way to replace them." Snips trotted calmly over to the be extending a hoof, "Deal?" she added trying to get somewhere with all this drama.

Steel Wing limply moved a foreleg, smiling when it flopped off the side of the bed. Snips took his hoof and shook it for the both of them. "Deal." he said quietly.

"And SCENE!" they all heard from the door. Corona was standing the doorway mock clapping.

"Oh, Miss Griff I-"

"Call me Corona." The griffon interrupted, with a still friendly tone. She may not be able to get the whole town to cooperate, one on one she commanded enough fear with her presence to get a pony to use her real name.

"Yes of course miss Corona, did you need something?"

"Yeah, I want to have chat with the grey one." She said casually. Stitches looked down causing Corona to take note that his leathery hide was also grey. She face-palmed, "Ugh, the big grey one. Alone."

The room was silent a moment before Snips spoke up, "As you wish miss Gri-," The doctor stopped herself with a well performed hiccup, "Of course miss Corona." Briskly trotting past the griffon followed by stitches, followed by a magically pulled cart.

Autumn Heart was the last out stopping in front of the griffon who eyed her curiously, "Hurt him and I'll find a way to ensure you can never lay an egg again." Autumn Heart growled her voice barely a whisper. With that she left.

Steel Wing saw the griffon's shocked expression and was about to ask when Corona asked accusingly, "What's up with that bipolar bitch anyways?"

"Uh, don't really know what you're talking about. She laughs and cries sometimes. The wasteland gets to her, gets to all of us sometimes." Steel Wing said as if he were explaining a fact of life, which he was.

"Yeah whatever, anyways." She said pulling up a chair next to the bed. "For some reason I can't let this go without some kind of resolution." She began to explain, "This filly you love so much, is a pegasus right?" Steel Wing cleared his throat loudly before nodding. "And she's probably above the cloud curtain right?" Rolling his eyes he nodded again. "Cool two for two." The griffon paused thoughtfully, "Now this is the part that's blowing my mind. If I had a way for you two to communicate would you want to do it?"

Steel Wing's body tried to jerk upright so he could look the griffon in the eye, since he only managed a quick muscle spasm. "I'm not sure why but a guy like you not getting laid for three years is driving me nuts."

"Yeah I'd like that but there's no way you could reach her." Steel Wing said trying to avoid getting his own hopes up too high. "She's more than likely under heavy surveillance all day."

"Fine, but if I could, would you be okay with me doing it?" She asked still confused about why she even cared.

"Yeah, but why?"

Corona recognized it as a fair question but merely shrugged, "Your guess is as good as mine. So what's her name? Her appearance, line of work?" Corona listed off the things that would give her any chance of pulling this off.

"Most ponies call her Snow Wing, looks a lot like me, a bit smaller with a snow white mane. And she's an Enclave military doctor."

"Wow snowing funny." Corona said feigning laughter, going as far as to hold her sides. For Steel Wing it was just nice that someone finally got the joke about his sisters name on the surface. He hadn't encountered anypony with even the slightest clue that precipitation came in frozen, flaky form. "And what about- What?" Corona interrupted herself narrowing her eyes at Steel Wing.

"What, what?" Steel Wing said raising an eyebrow.

"What was that about her looking like you."

Steel Wing went rigid not having realized he let that slip. "Uh..." He tried to come up with a response but couldn't.

"Is this 'Snow Wing'," she started using talon-quotes, "A cousin or something?"

"Sister." Steel Wing said in defeat.

Corona let at a low wonderfully pitched whistle, taking in what she'd just been told. "Can't say I expected that." She leaned back in her chair looking up to the ceiling. "So, um- How long had you two been. Er, together?"

"From age ten to twenty."

The griffon fell back in her chair, recovering quickly clearing her throat. She set her chair back up trying to pretend she hadn't reacted that way to what he said. "Well how old was she when it started?" She asked not sure why she wanted to know.

"Ten." He said matter-of-factly.

"So then you are-"

"Twins, correct." He finished for her.

"Wow, so you've been separated from your family as well as your first and only lover who is also your sister? That's beyond tragic-," She silenced her self, "What a sec, you said little bit smaller than you, snow white mane and a medical officer?"

Steel Wing nodded suspiciously.

"Wow, um not to get your hopes up or anything but I may have seen her before."

Steel Wing miraculously sat up without having to think about it. "What happened?" He spoke slowly, "This doesn't have to do with how you were nearly killed does it?"

Corona could see where his thoughts had gone. "No absolutely not. It was a couple days ago that I may have seen her. The whole getting shot all to shit happened a couple months ago." She instantly went back to the current issue. "The white maned pegasus in question was flying with a small wing of Enclave soldiers the other day. I didn't think much of it since they avoided the air space around Sky Fall."

Dread took hold of Steel Wing as he remembered what he thought had been a dream just last night. "You're sure you saw a wing of Enclave military pegasai with larger than average snow-white maned medical officer?" His voice shook with anticipation.

"Yeah, I know I saw it but that doesn't mean it was Snow Wing or anything. It was just a possibility." She said not knowing he had already come to the conclusion that they had seen the same thing.

"I think I saw the same wing of pegasai as you. I thought I was seeing her in a dream, but if you saw it too then it was her, I'd recognize her anywhere."

"You really think it was?" Corona asked quietly.

Steel Wing nodded slowly before settling back into the bed looking silently towards the window.

"Want to see outside?" She asked more quietly than before. Again he only offered her a nod she went and fulfilled her offer before padding to the door.

The moment she opened the door Corona was greeted by a pair of questioning amber eyes. The eyes looked past her to where Steel Wing lay almost motionless.

Autumn Heart took a few steps back, before charging the startled griffon with surging strength. "What did you do to him." She spat looking straight into the eyes of the pinned griffon. Recovering from her shock the combat hardened griffon nearly tore the angry mare's throat out.

"Autumn!" Steel Wing shouted distracting the two from each other. "I'm fine, now get off before somebody gets blood everywhere." He commanded, giving way to the minor odds of the bloodletter being Autumn Heart and not the well trained griffon.

Autumn Heart stepped back carefully apologizing loud enough for all in the room to hear. Corona accepted the apology and exited the room. Steel Wing fell back when the furry tail disappeared around the corner.

"Autumn, you don't need to protect me. I may be vulnerable, but this town doesn't mean us any harm." He said looking to the ashamed mare, "I get that you may not be ready to trust everyone just yet since last night, but take my word for it these ponies aren't trying to hurt us."

"Yeah you're probably right." Autumn Heart admitted.

"Can you get that doctor in here so she can get me moving again? Please?" He begged suddenly tired of the very well kept room.

"Yeah, sure." She said slowly trotting out of the room.

Because I'm the only one she thinks she can trust? Please don't let her be falling for me. "Please!" he groaned to Celestia, or Luna, hell he'd even take Discord if he was listening. Oh my Snow, what are you doing down here? He let out a long drawn sigh.

Steel Wing's blood turned to ice as he turned his gaze back to the street. He saw a unicorn out in the street. No, she was just turned this way she wasn't looking at me. He tried to assure himself. He silently screamed at himself for being wrong when the unicorn turned to stare directly at him with a slight smirk. She trotted towards the window horn glowing faintly. Just as she was about to hit the wall, she kept going. Steel Wing was slightly dazed from the thrashing he'd given his brain for being wrong. But the time he was completely focused the unicorn was at the side of his bed with a slight scowl.

"You're really bad at not getting yourself killed by any unicorn who happens to spot you. You were already warned weren't you?" Disappointment evident in her voice.

He sighed as he began to come to terms with the way he was about to die. A doctor literally chained me to my deathbed. Very well done karma. You've won yet again.

"You're lucky I'm not here to kill you." She said brightening slightly.

Oh brain it's so wonderful when you're wrong. He thought giving the unicorn a fearful smile. "So then, what are you here for?"

The face of wicked intention vanished from the unicorn filly. Putting her forelegs on the bed she hovered over Steel Wing,

"I've been sent to make sure you are what we want." The look in her eyes told Steel Wing that she was at odds with herself.

After several seconds of silence the unicorn pouted her lips and leaned in to the prone buck. Steel Wing had already quickly decided how best to handle this particular situation. Slowly and gently he pushed her back away from him. Her coat was wonderfully soft; the way her body yielded to her touch gave her the characteristics of being a plushie doll. She had given up on the kiss and now watched Steel Wing as he slowly and carefully moved her off the bed. Just as her forehooves left the edge of the bed to dangle in the air, Steel Wing no longer felt the plush unicorn and watched in horror as his hoof plunged straight into her chest. The unicorn simply dropped back down to all fours falling through his foreleg.

"That will do for now." The unicorn now began to dissipate, "Oh and about your wing problems talk to the crazy zebra." She concluded, just in time for her muzzle to vanish completely. Leaving Steel Wing to his confusion about what her words meant.

"Yes, good! Keep your shadowy prestige unicorn cult."

"Who are you talking to?" Came Snips voice from his right causing Steel Wing to jump a little.

"Phase shifting unicorns." He looked her in the eyes, "Not joking."

"Right, so I've come to help you out of bed." She climbed half way onto the bed reaching into her lab coat. When she brought her hoof up to his face there was nothing there. Knocking him on the head she said, "You can walk the drug has worn off by now." With that she trotted out of the room leaving Steel Wing to rub his head.

--------------------------------------

After squeezing through the small ground floor of the inn he had been resting in, Steel Wing was again out in the town proper. He shook himself of the residual paralysis from his extended nap. It was sometime late in the afternoon; since they had arrived in the early morning, Steel Wing found himself grinning with pride over beating his exhaustion so quickly.

"Good to see you're okay." Came the nervous voice of a filly. Steel Wing looked over to see the unicorn guard that had accompanied Corona.

Turning towards her, he gave her his kindest smile. She relaxed visibly with some concern still in her eyes. Steel Wing recognized it as the 'bad news' face.

He waited patiently for her to start. Taking a deep breath she said, "When you first arrived you left your wagon near the gate, so a bunch of us guards tried to move it farther into town by the guard's quarters so we could watch it until you could get up." She talked quickly and had managed that in one breath taking in another great breath she delivered the bad news. "The wagon was old and it took a lot of us to move it and half way to the guard's quarters a back wheel fell off, and that caused the front wheel on that side to break from the sudden weight. and NOW we can't move it at all."

By the time she finished unicorn guard was nearly hyperventilating. "Don't worry too much about it I was planning to go to take most of it to Plunders' Pilfered Prizes anyways."

"I thought you were planning to outfit an army." She said jokingly, putting a hoof to her mouth shocked by her own words own words.

Whatever she had expected his reaction to be it was not laughter. Wiping a tear from his eyes he gave her his best reassuring tone. "And at one point I thought you did in fact need an army to go to war. Then I learned you only need someone with the will to fight for a cause." His expression darkened. "For the longest time I never thought I'd be the one to start fighting."

A short silence silence grew around them as they both contemplated those words. Brightening up suddenly Steel Wing asked, "Where's this cart at. All that stuff isn't going to sell itself."

The guard happy to have an excuse to look elsewhere turned and trotted off, motioning for Steel Wing to follow. On their way Steel Wing received many looks; most of extreme curiosity, some of fear, and for others confusion.

The guard mare dropped back to his side and explained, "Most of these ponies ain't seen a pegasus up close before. The're probably askin' themselves if ya'll are the same size or something. Name's Sweet Spot by the way."

"Steel Wing."

"Yep so I've heard."

Taking a shot in the dark Steel Wing asked, "Name makes you a sharp shooter then?"

"Bingo."

Their short trip ended in silence while Sweet Spot brought him to the broken down cart.

There were a few guards watching the cart to make sure it didn't get robbed. A couple of the guards were talking with a young colt the third seemed very uninterested and was simply scanning the street. Steel Wing face hoofed when he recognized the blatant distraction tactic and spotted a pure black foal creeping right under the guards.

"He's come to claim his stuff!" Sweet Spot called out getting the attention of all five. Steel Wing spotted the foal peek it's head out completely invisible to all others.

The colt looked to his partner in crime nervously then back to Steel Wing who had started strolling casually over, acting as though nothing was amiss.

"Oh would you look at that!" He cried leaning his head into the cart. "A few things spilled out." Leaning his head down by the foal he whispered, "Now, I should tell them you were stealing from me." The foal's eyes were wide with fear. "But I don't want to. I suspect the punishment on a foal for attempted robbery wouldn't be much; but, and this is the big part I've been your age and I never liked getting in trouble. Do you?" The foal shook her head vigorously. "So what lie should I tell them for why you're in here?"

"Isn't lying bad too?" She said straining her voice even though it came out as a whisper.

"Fair point." Pretending to mull it over a moment he said, "Well guess not then." As he pulled his head away. The foal leaped up desperately wrapping herself on his muzzle in an attempt to pull him back down. He complied.

"I was a slave you were transporting?" She said hopefully.

Steel Wing balked, contempt on his face. Contempt not directed at the filly but the very idea of being a slaver, also that the filly would think of something like that.

"No?" She asked dejectedly.

"Autumn Heart and I found you in a cage the raider's had brought along. What's your name?"

"Lilly."

"Alright Lily, my name is Steel Wing. You fell asleep after last night and you don't know the colt outside."

She nodded.

"Oh my Lily I can't believe I forgot about you!" Steel Wing suddenly shouted.

He looked back to see that he had gained the attention of all the guards. The colt who had been distracting the guards looked like his insides were knotting themselves up.

Sweet Spot was the first to ask, "Who?"

Steel Wing dove back in quickly motioning for the foal to climb aboard his head. She clenched her eyes shut before opening them with her best wide eyed and confused look. Lilly then scrambled up his face and slid down onto his back.

Turning with a slight smile he said, "Lily."

The colt was about ready to have a heart attack thinking they'd been caught.

"And this is your-?"

"Rescuee. The other night, from the raiders."

Lily clung to his neck peeking over his head nervously at the guards.

"She'll be okay with me for a while I think. For now I need to go find Loot and get to selling this stuff, I'll bring her here to do the trading."

He started walking off before any present could protest.

When they had turned a corner heading towards the town's general store Lily hopped off her ride. Steel Wing quickly caught her by the scruff of her mane and tossed her back on.

"Hey!" She complained.

"If the guards see you walking around by yourself they'll bring you back to me and I've told enough lies for one day." He counter-complained.

"Hmph." She kicked around a moment before settling on his back.

--------------------------------------

Steel Wing stopped in front of the last place he had truly laughed before falling into his darkness two years back. He nearly skipped through the door as he reminisced. Coming to a stop in front of the counter. When he began to pay attention he found that the store was unguarded.

"Wooohoooo!" Rang through the store originating from above Steel Wing.

An orange blur landed on the far end of the counter and sped quickly towards Steel Wing; who almost decapitated the pegasus filly who slid down the counter on her hindlegs.

"Hey welcome to-" She started but stopped when she realized she hadn't stopped sliding.

From Steel Wing's perspective he only heard the 'Hey' before the orange bullet was on its way down the bar.

The filly gave out a scream before falling on her back and continuing down, her entire body jumping the gap between the end of the bar - and the wall.

With an echoing WHACK the filly flopped onto the floor in an orange pile of pain.

A brief silence followed by an escalating yet foal like laughter as an equally orange earth filly came out from behind the counter. Collapsing in a giggling fit by the still pegasus.

"The look on your face was so perfect!" She wailed. "Oh wow," she said coming down. "you were going fast huh?" The orange earth pony shook her hoof of the blood that was pooling around what Steel Wing prayed was an unconscious pegasus.

Ducking quickly behind the counter the still ambulatory filly retrieved a healing potion and carefully poured it down the still one's throat;

"I bet her she couldn't do a cool stunt when the next customer walked in." The earth pony proudly explained. "The deal was she had to do it like 'us earth ponies'." She finished using hoof quotes.

"Is she alright?" Steel Wing asked recovering from having nearly ended the filly himself.

"She's taken worse. Took a good bit of buckshot once when someone tried to rob mom." She replied stroking the pegasus' mane until she stirred.

" Wow- umm, is Loot here?"

The orange filly deflated, which Steel Wing instantly recognized having done it himself just this morning. Something had happened to the owner of the store.

"Mom?" The pegasus mumbled coming to.

"No, not mom." The earth pony corrected still gently stroking the pegasus' mane.

"What happened to Loot?" Steel Wing pushed.

"Slavers took her while she was trading with a caravan outside the city. They came quick and left more quickly. We were here watching the store when it happened."

Steel Wing worked his mouth trying to say something as he watched tears well up in the filly's eyes. A weight slid off his back as Lilly made her way over doing her best to wrap the larger crying filly in a hug.

When Steel Wing's feelings returned the first he felt was a righteous anger building inside of him. "How long ago." He demanded.

The orange pony was taken aback by the sudden aggressiveness but answered, "A week and a half ago. They went away east, someone said they went to Armory."

Steel Wing felt his raging blood freeze over. "What do slavers from Armory want with your mom?"

"She refused to help them with something so the removed her so she couldn't warn people." The pegasus filly said finally coming to. Trying to rub the semi dried blood out of her mane she continued. "We already told everypony around town but nobody wants to mess with Armory so we just lost a mom." Her voice far too bitter for a pony her age.

"What about Griff?"

"Captain Griff? She's the only one who even wants to help, but she's not dumb enough and we understand well enough that she can't just assault Armory by herself. Especially not just to save one pony."

"What did she say when you told her about the deal the slavers were trying to work out with your mom?"

"Griff promised she'd keep a look out for slavers creeping around town. I believe her too, girl has great eyes."

"Young colts and foals have been disappearing around town though." Squeaked Lilly having finished comforting the orange earth pony.

"I'm sure there parents have just been keeping them indoors more or something." Steel Wing said with a dismissing hoof, while worrying about the statement himself.

Lilly shook her head sadly. "Being less than a day away from such a big slave camp makes Sky Fall a very frequent place to receive the children of escaped slaves." She said instantly convincing Steel Wing that there was a problem that needed to be dealt with.

"Right, I need to talk with the store owner about some large trading, then I'm going to Armory."

The orange pair went behind the counter. The earth pony stood on a stool while the pegasus hopped up on the bar with a clip board in her mouth. Her eyes went wide as she tried to gain stability on the slick surface.

The earth pony couldn't hold back a giggle as she was reminded, "I greased the counter after I dared you to do the stunt." Turning back to Steel Wing she proudly announced, "My name is Hidden Gem, friends call me Gemmi. That foalish featherbrain is Bits, she has a pretty bad 'bite'!"

"I remember you two, Loot's twins right?" Steel Wing said sadly.

"Mmhm, now what was this big trade deal you were talking about?" Bits said nudging the clipboard across the bar at Steel Wing.

"Well can you go get your father, he's managing the place right."

"You're lucky one of us can function while being reminded of our missing parents, ass." Bits said patting her teary eyed sister. She lifted her sister into the air and down behind the counter where Lilly was quick to envelop her in another hug.

"Yeah I should have known better. Hell it's happened to me three times today. I guess I understand how easy it is to do it to someone else. I'm sorry."

"Yeah yeah, and I'm Celestia now what did you want." She said folding her forelegs and setting where her sister had been.

"I have a wagon full of: weapons, armor, ammo, and replacement parts for various things."

This elicited a raising of the eyebrow from Bits. "Show me."

--------------------------------------

A little while latter the four of them were gather by the cart. Steel Wing watched as Bits darted around inside the wagon eyeing the impressive stockpile.

"So where did you get all this again?" Bits asked skeptically.

"A raider here and there. Traded some stuff with a few merchants."

"So a dozen raiders had enough to buy all of this from traveling merchants."

"Well a couple hundred raiders but yeah pretty much."

If Bits had been on the ground her jaw would have touched dirt. "Woah." she said finally landing back outside. She scuffed at the ground in contemplation. "Celestia please help me here." She pleaded suddenly. "You don't want to sell all of this for just caps right?"

"No, I need extra medical supplies, grenades, different ammo, and probably some proper armor. For me and a friend I guess." He said remembering Autumn Heart who he hadn't seen since waking up early on.

She immediately rushed to hug his foreleg wrapping herself around it pseudolovingly. "Great because I think Corona has a rule against hoarding guns and ammo like that. I'll go grab a list of our inventory." With that Bits took off flying rather well for such a young filly.

"Could you teach her how to fly?" Gemmi spoke up since her last crying spell.

"Me?" Steel Wing asked putting a hoof to his chest.

"Duh you, the only pegasus for miles around."

"I don't exactly fly." He confessed.

"Because of the metal?"

"Yeah because of that. Sorry."

"Nah it's alright she woulda asked you herself but she's sort of embarrassed."

"Doesn't seem like it to me." He said remembering how she had tried to stare him down in the store.

"She's got a good head for conducting business, but not really for bartering; that's my job. She talks and I price things." Gemmi grimaced realizing she had just literally given away a trade secret.

"I promise I won't tell anyone else your sister's weakness." Steel Wing assured her, "I'm a friend of the family after all."

"Okar ret's oo is" Bits tried to say around a mouthful of papers, executing a rough landing on Steel Wing's head leaning over and placing the papers on his muzzle. They promptly fell all over the ground many falling on the resting Lilly.

"A hundred and thirteen pages! Are you out of your mind!" Gemmi cried in exasperation.

"Eh with all the crap in there we're going to have to redo our inventory list anyways." Bits said dismissively, "Let's get down to business!" She declared, and so they did.

--------------------------------------

An hour and a half later as twilight arrived Steel Wing and Gemmi were finalizing their deal back in the store while Bits flew back and forth unloading everything from the cart and organizing it in the store. Steel Wing noted with some surprise that the orange speed ball would have easily passed the Enclave endurance test.

Lilly tried to sneak away twice during the exchange, almost escaping the second time. Steel Wing still wanted to keep her around for the eventual discussion with the guard captain Griff. Something he prayed wouldn't be a mistake.

"So you managed to clean us out of all our: explosives, grenade or otherwise. Armor piercing rounds for anti armor guns. Which by the way I think was a totally redundant invention." Gemmi began to get off track, "Although if you had to go up against a tank and still get a shot out the other side that might work out. It could have enough power to go through concrete and strike through a heavily armored target. Hmmmmm..."

Steel Wing cleared his throat and picked up where she had left off, "Almost all of your super strength healing potions as well as all of your healing bandages.Two sets of reinforced combat armor, modified with shock absorbing padding and multiple pockets. As well as 2,000 caps and a small amount of canned foods. Did I miss anything?"

"Nope." She cheered brightly.

"Good doing business with you then, and I'll do my best to bring your mom back I swear." Steel Wing said using the most serious tone he possessed.

Gemmi nodded in understanding fighting back more tears.

"Look out, I'm comin' in." Bits shouted from the balcony.

She flew down landing on the counter intending to slide to a stop. She had unfortunately forgotten about it's greased surface. "Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit!" she cried trying to take off again before getting to the edge. Instead she got air just in time to hit the wall again, slightly softer and leaving her only dazed.

"Hah! you can't even do it right as a pegasus." Geemi declared with pride once more.

"Whatever I'm done placing all our stuff. What about all the stuff of the stuff you're getting?" She asked hovering next to Steel Wing.

"Have it all gathered I'll pick it up tomorrow morning. Then I go." Steel Wing noticed how heavily the orange pegasus was sweating, he saw her visibly holding herself back from panting with exhaustion. "You're great, keep at it kid." He said encouragingly.

Bits looked confused but felt pride swelling in her chest from the honest to goodness praise from what she believed was the mackdaddy of all pegasai.

He was already at the door tossing a frustrated Lilly onto his back.

--------------------------------------

A few minutes later Steel Wing and Lilly sat in the lobby of the guard's headquarters waiting to be shown in to see Miss Griff. It was 9 o'clock by the time they had arrived, and most everyone not on duty was already in bed. When the front desk pony said she was going to be busy with paperwork all night Steel Wing simply strolled into the hallway to find Griff for himself.

Eventually he found a door who's handle had been intentionally replaced with a knob likely to keep ponies from easily intruding into the office. Steel Wing being determined to deliver his very important news in the form of a statement from Lilly was not deterred. With a great deal of effort and several failed attempts the knob finally turned and the door swung open. Steel Wing simply strolled in with Lilly in tow.

The room was decorated with a big game motif with several of the wasteland's more lethal creatures mounted up on walls. The body of a tainted parasprite sat preserved in a glass case on the wall opposite Griff's desk. A desk which Griff herself had fallen asleep at. Several stacks of various papers lay scattered around the desk some even spilling onto the floor. Steel Wing, knowing full well that her probable reaction to surprise would be with sharp talons, caused him to refrain from his usual method of waking sleeping targets.

He lifted a hoof slowly tapping on the desk until she began to stir. "Just put them with the others." she muttered barely half awake.

"Actually this is important unlike," Steel Wing began staring down at what he learned were the numerous submitted complaints scattered across the floor. "uh-- the scratching sound someone is hearing at night."

Groggily the griffon lifted her head, blinking her eyes a few times. When she was absolutely positive there was a giant pegasus standing in front of her desk she sat up straight.

"Look if you have a formal complaint you wish to give in person you'll be next after a hundred and ten other townsponies."

"This is about a major problem concerning the entirety of the population. Quite literally and figuratively."

"Heard it before. Don't get me wrong I like you but you will have to wait your turn."

Steel Wing waited for her to finish with an impassive look on his face when she had finished trying to shoo him away he stated flatly, "The younger and significantly large population of orphans is being taken to Armory, the slaver stronghold."

Corona simply stared at him for a long while, "You have some proof?"

"Word of mouth from a foal who ought to know." he said placing Lilly on the desk for the griffon to see.

"I know her, she's always being brought in for petty theft." She scratched her head trying to remember, "The worst of liars I have ever known. So what does she actually have to say?"

Steel Wing nudged the shivering foal encouragingly. "I- I..."

The poor foal looked like she was about to wet herself on the desk. Griff gently patted her head, and tried to stroke her mane. She got as far as the patting before Lilly flinched away from the talons. The gesture was well received and the foal put on a brave face.

"Three of my friends disappeared a couple weeks ago; a foal, a filly who was four years older than me, and a colt. None of them said they were leaving and all us other orphans have tried to find them but we can't."

Once she spoke she started trying to find a way off the desk and out of Corona's sight. Steel Wing was too busy watching the trembling griffon on the other side of the desk to help.

A talon started carving grooves into the desk, "Why haven't you orphans come to me before about this." Her voice trembling with barely contained rage with a hint of suspicion.

"Every time we do one of us gets taken. It isn't always the one who comes but we stopped trying."

Corona had begun to polish one of her guns while she listened, "Have you ever tried to come in to get help?" She asked toying with the trigger.

"Griff are you alright?" Steel Wing asked pulling Lilly off the desk.

"Yeah I did once, never again." Lilly said from Steel Wing's back.

"Who-" Corona had to take a few shaky breaths before continuing, trying to restrain herself in front of a foal was clearly physically taxing. "Who did you talk to?"

"An amber buck, Tracker I think."

"If you'll excuse me for a moment I need to go wake up the guards."

With that the griffon rose still trembling talons balled up into a fist, trying to prevent herself from drawing a weapon. "I'll be right back just stay here." The door closed slowly and clicked shut behind her.

Once her soft steps died away Steel Wing felt a tap on his neck, "Am I in trouble?" Lilly asked in concern.

"You're probably more safe than you've ever been." Steel Wing assured.

A few minutes of silence later the two heard the sound of many ponies galloping out through the reception area. Followed by the near shrieks of Corona as she ordered them to move "...faster than equinely possible..."

The galloping began to die down as they heard the sound of padded feet charging towards the door, stopping for a fraction of a second just outside to turn the knob. The griffon literally flew back into the room face contorted with rage.

"That fucker, why didn't I see it myself!?" Her voice shrill.

"Griff is everything alr-"

"Call me Griff again and I'll gouge your damned eyes out with a rusty spoon!" She shouted, "Now you, if you refuse to use those wings get out there and start rounding up all the orphans who might still be out. I'm going to find out where he is if it's the last thing I do." She started going through a stack of already opened letters some of them unintentionally shredded by the manic griffon.

"Was it him, er Tracker?"

"Yes, and these are all from Armory. Meeting times and-" She came to a very new looking envelope, new for the wasteland was simply that it wasn't crumpled up or covered in smudges. Quickly scanning through the letter her face turned from rage to maniacal glee. "Oh he's out already, and I know where this is happening. I'm going to enjoy coating my talons in his blood."

Steel Wing felt a chill run down his spine upon seeing the bloodlust awaken in the normally taciturn yet friendly griffon. "I'm glad you found the pony responsible for this but you aren't planning to go to a meeting with slavers all alone are you?"

"No, I'm not you're right." She agreed regaining some composure. She merely needed to look Steel Wing in the eyes to gain a nod of silent agreement from him.

"Come with me then I can't take a bunch of guards since there's children involved." Steel Wing was relieved to hear that she was thinking tactically again. She landed next to Steel Wing and picked Lilly, causing her to scream a moment before she was pressed to the crying griffons breast. "They took my foals and colts, my children. I'm supposed to protect you and I didn't. I'm so sorry."

She held the dazed foal out in front of her looking at her as if her forgiveness would make it all better. That dream quickly died in her eyes as she carefully placed Lilly back on the floor.

"Right meet me outside, and armor up at least three little ponies will be using us as shields. A shield without magic or metal is a blanket after all."

"What about Lilly?"

She looked back down and thought a moment. "You tired little one?" Her voice unrecognizable from her previous tone. Lilly tried to shake her head instead letting out a big yawn. "A terrible liar like I said." Corona scooped the foal back up and put her back down on a bed in the corner of the room. "Sleep here you'll be safe, if you aren't then I don't deserve to alive either now do I."

Lilly heard nothing else already drifting away to sleep on the softest bed she'd had in ever.

"Outside ten minutes." Corona ordered.

Recognizing her authority inside of her own town he snapped off a real salute and quickly darted out the door.

--------------------------------------

Back at the inn Steel Wing darted through the table filled area scooting them out of his way only pausing briefly to ask where Autumn Heart was. The bar tender informed him of a second bed in the room he had awoken in. He was off before the bar pony finished telling him that Autumn Heart had asked for some privacy.

Steel Wing barged into the room and caught Autumn Heart in the act of clopping, a sight that stopped him dead in his tracks.

"Nnngh... Oh? Ahhhhh!!" Autumn Heart's voice rose several octaves to a scream as she flipped off the bed. Steel Wing backpedaled into the hall angry that this was costing him time. "What's so damn important?" Autumn Heart shouted getting up on wobbly legs.

"Foals and colts are being sold to slavers right now and we need to get moving." He said trotting back into the room.

Autumn Heart's flushed face and angry glare vanished when he came in without any hint of a joke in his eyes. "Goddesses, what are you going to do?" She asked her arousal quickly fading.

"I'm going to give you this combat armor, grenade launcher, and shit ton of grenades. Then get into my own armor and leave you to decide whether or not you're coming." He spat tossing the aforementioned gear at her.

"Uh, yeah I'm coming." She muttered starting to get into her armor.

"Don't say just do!" He barked trying to focus on his own armor.

Steel Wing was suited far more quickly than Autumn Heart and with three minutes left he roughly helped her get into her own. "Whatever grenades you're taking take and lets go." He was already out the door.

--------------------------------------

Corona was waiting for the two of them outside the guards quarters annoyed at having to wait the entire ten minutes she had allotted them. An equally annoyed Steel Wing followed by a flustered Autumn Heart finally arrived. "A few guards are after us because we refused to stop for questions." Steel Wing said trying to catch his breath.

And on cue several guard ponies caught up with the three, stopping when they saw their captain talking with the two suspects. "Get back to your patrols!" She shrieked at them. Two of the guards hardly needed to be told once already flipping around when they caught her gaze. The last one flailed over himself before galloping away.

"You two you're with me." She said without dropping her authoritative voice.

Autumn Heart was a bit reluctant to keep running, Steel Wing on the other hoof felt like he'd just finished his warm up exercises. The two ponies were off after the lead griffon flying ten or so feet above them.

--------------------------------------

Five minutes outside the gate later Steel Wing called Corona down closer to the ground remembering to use her real name. "I have a plan." He informed both of his companions.

"I'm listening." They said in unison.

--------------------------------------

Twenty minutes later Steel Wing and Autumn Heart had slowed to a brisk trot, the land mark Corona had read about in the letter was just a hundred yards off. She informed her companions of this then flew off to enact her part of the plan.

"For the record I don't ever want to talk to you ever again if this doesn't work." Autumn Heart couldn't hold back her complaint.

"Trust me you won't be able to talk if you're dead, for now quit talking they can probably hear us." He bit back silencing her.

"...and it's getting down to less than half. I can't keep up with this demand for much longer or people will start to notice. Besides which I-"

"Luna damn you, you left in such a hurry we had to run to catch up with you!" Steel Wing called no more than twenty feet from an amber coated traitor, six armed body guards, and a suave looking stallion who watched their approach with a scowl.

"These friends of yours Tracker?" He asked thrusting a hoof in their general direction.

"Why I, uh-" Tracker was visibly shaken by the pissy tone of the slaver.

"We're a couple guards who wanted in on this whole thing, figured Tracker'd need help since things are getting a little tighter."

The slaver raised an skeptical eyebrow at Tracker.

"Hey um you two, can I talk to you for a sec?" Track waved the armored intruder ponies over.

"What's up boss?" Steel Wing asked in a hushed tone.

"Who in the Goddess forsaken wasteland are you two? Are you trying to get me killed." He hissed.

"Yes." Autumn Heart snapped back much to Steel Wing's surprise. That wasn't in the script my dear.

"What do you mean yes who are you?"

"Friends of the good captain." Steel Wing admitted grin growing wider.

"She knows?" Steel Wing nodded. "Well then- then what happens to me?" Tracker asked with growing alarm.

"Everything alright?" The slaver pony cut in.

"Yep debating something right quick." Tracker responded his voice nearly cracking.

"Well what happens to you depends on how much you're willing to help retrieve all the children you've sold away."

"I can't do anything and three of us can't do anything either. Taking these guys on is suicide."

"For you maybe." Autumn Heart retorted, "If you get lucky enough and actually help us out here you might get off a little bit easier."

"Did you think we'd come unprepared for this?" Steel Wing asked.

"I- I don't know." Tracker had clearly given up on this night going the way he'd wanted.

"Good now keep going with your deal until we give the signal for shit to hit the fan, then run for cover. And if you give any hint whatsoever about what's going down you don't get a warning."

"What's the signal?"

Steel Wing broke away from the huddle ignoring the question, Autumn Heart followed suit.

"Right all done with that then."

A piercing screech shot through the night above their heads.

"The hell was that!" One of the guards shouted mouth sitting around his battle saddle trigger.

"Sounded like a griffon, probably talon merc." Steel Wing said waving a hoof, "This ain't there business so they ain't our problem." Giving Tracker a swift kick and a wink he turned his head towards Autumn Heart. "Now we were just talking and we decided that we'd give you an extra foal we picked up on the way out here. Actually managed to put up a fight." He quickly struck a pose, "Hard to imagine I know but-"

"Alright enough. Where is the little cunt?" The slaver interrupted.

"All nice and passed out in a bag." Steel Wing said poking his head into one of Autumn Hearts bags. He carefully wrapped his tongue around the master pin for the bag of grenades, lifting his head out slowly he said, "Cath!" Tossing the bag to a body guard who was so very luckily in between the slaver and the rest of the guards.

Just as the guard caught it Steel Wing spat the master pin out onto the ground.

"This is the running part!" Steel Wing announced executing a perfect about face and running. Followed by Autumn Heart then Tracker. All three followed by what could easily have been the loudest ever since the last recorded sonic rainboom. Everything within fifteen feet of the bag was annihilated everything inside of thirty feet was just sent through the air. The three running ponies were in the latter category.

Steel Wing could tell he wasn't unconscious yet all he could do was stare up at the clouds until his ears finally began to ring. "Much better." He said, being that the ringing dominated all else he wasn't sure if it was loud enough to be appreciated by anyone else.

Autumn Heart was soon standing over him trying to say something and pointing a hoof at her ear. He smiled and shrugged. With a look of annoyance she plucked out an ear plug continuing to motion at, going into a tirade that Steel Wing was glad he couldn't hear.

While watching her go on and on about something, an object struck his hoof, another his head then a few more. They weren't heavy but there were a lot of them and a lot more coming. Autumn Heart was interrupted by this light shower of bits and pieces; of bits and caps he soon discovered as a rather warm cap landed in his eye. It was raining caps, Praise Luna. Blow up slavers get money rain. Duly Noted. It became apparent that he was laughing rather loudly as Autumn Heart looked at him in concern. Before long his laughter caused her to crack a smile and she too began to laugh.

Not long after the shower ended Steel Wing had regained most of his hearing; whereupon a much more content and relaxed Corona landed next to him. In fact she looked a little light headed the way she stumbled on her landing. Grinning from cheek to cheek she helped Steel Wing back up onto his hooves.

"Thank you, I needed that." She gave him a quick hug. He giggled as her soft feathers tickled his face.

Pulling back he asked, "Needed what, help?"

She simply laughed as she took off, "I'll see you back in town." And she was off.

"Hey Autumn Heart where'd you run off to?" Steel Wing called looked around he found her sitting mouth agape staring off at something. He trotted up next to her and she did not react he poked her in the rib, "Hey you ready to head back?"

He decided to take a look at what she saw. A tree, dead of course, thirty yards or so out had been decorated with streamers of some kind. "Not that pretty." He said trotting out to get a better look. His mood quickly darkened, his smile faded and his pace slowed to a complete stop ten feet away. Strung around the tree were the intestines of a pony, a pony Steel Wing noted was once named Tracker. His body hung as the centerpiece of the decor, swinging back and forth with his intestines keeping him aloft.

Steel Wing swallowed the lump in his throat, and shuddered to fight back a rising tide of his lunch that day. He failed to a second time when the strung up pony groaned an inequine wail escaping his mouth. Steel Wing emptied his stomach twice over.

Why do I never carry a gun why?! "Oh buck me!" He shouted. With a determined grimace on his face he charged the tree turned and bucked the tree for all he was worth. The tree shook but did little else. "Just fall damn it!" He pleaded with the barely living pony. Again and again he tried. Finally on the thirteenth strike the body swung down still attached by one end of his digestive tract. With all the speed he had Steel Wing ran to the body and crushed the skull attempting to grant the living corpse.

--------------------------------------

Steel Wing and Autumn Heart walked back to the town in silence, walked and nothing else. The half hour trip out took them till dawn in their state.

When the guards had called out to them the only thing that had gotten them in was Sweet Spot recognizing Steel Wing through the sight of her scope. She tried to ask them about what had happened, the simply pushed past her.

To the inn, up the stairs, both to their own beds. Steel Wing tried to find something funny to say about what had happened when he'd charged in. All his thoughts were simply drowned out by the memory of Tracker's last statement of absolute torment and pain.

As much as he didn't want to his body needed rest. Reluctantly he closed his eyes planning for the nightmares that would now include trees decorated for Heart's Warming. Naturally all the decorations were ponies.

Footnote: Level Up!

Steel Wing - Level 8

New Perk Added
Shrapnel Proof - All shrapnel and scatter fire based damage against you is reduced by 20%

Autumn Heart - Level 6