The spine of the little bug thing that shot at me, bounced off my armored wing as I raised it to block the projectile. I didn't want to know if that dart would do anything more than sting but I wasn't about to find out as I gripped Secret in my teeth and took aim and gently squeezed the trigger. The slight pfft the gun made was misleading as the bullet struck the little bug and popped it into little pieces of green gore.

“Is it dead?” Bubble called from behind a small mound of rubble, what used to be the face of the building we wanted to look into.

We had only just made it out of Flim and Flam’s factory, but already we decided to check out some of the nearby buildings, which I was glad for having found an old pistol holster that, with a little work, I managed to fit Secret for now so I had easier access to my new gun. The police station that I found it in was ransacked heavily except for some more rounds for my pistol and miscellaneous junk that Bubble suggested would be worth something to somepony. So we got a few hoof cuffs, some scrap metal and something that I was surprised to find intact, a spark battery.

The building next to it, which by my best guess, was or used to be a corner store, which had bugs all over it. The flying ones reminded me of the metal thing that Watcher guy was talking to me through but horribly mutated, but luckily they didn't seem very strong and their main and only tactic was float around and shoot weird darts at living things.

I holstered my pistol and turned to face her, “yeah sweetie… come on out.”

Things between Bubble and I had changed dramatically since our adventure inside Flim and Flam’s. I wasn't sure if Bubble being with me is a good idea still… but I did not want to leave her alone or with anypony I personally didn't trust.

I smiled as she made her way over the rubble carefully as to not slip and fall. She glanced up at me and frowned, “what's so funny?”

I shook my head, “just thinking…” I turned to walk into the corner store but found myself muzzle to plate… grill… face thing of another one of those stupid little floating robots. To my credit I felt quite proud to not have jumped back from the surprise but at the same time I was feeling annoyed now.

It sat hovering with tiny wings just staring at me not moving or doing anything for several seconds before the voice of Watcher crackled from the sprite bots speakers, “well… I am impressed… you and the filly are not dead.”

I could tell, even with the lack of tone from the robot, he was being quite sarcastic and I was not in the mood for this. I glared at the robot, “and you're still useless… shocker,”

Bubble moved up next to me eyeing the Sprite bot clearly confused, “uh… Split?”

The bot gave me a static-y growl before pulling back and floating down to Bubbles level, “are you ok littl-”

Bubble moved away and behind my forelegs to try and hide from it. She peaked out at it frowning, “what's going on Split? Why is it talking?”

I felt my muzzle spread into a confident smirk and bent down a little and gently stroked her mane, “it's ok sweetie… there are some ponies out there that try to act tough but they can't really do anything,” I stood up straight as she looked to me as I shot the sprite bot a glare, “he is such a pony.”

The sprite bot advanced on me but I stood my ground and the speaker crackled, “such a tough little buck aren't you? Ok… ok… let's see what kind of thoughtful little buck you are shall we?”

I cocked my eyebrow before it backed up slightly and turned to face past the buildings, which was south according to my EFS compass. I frowned, “what are you talking about you little bug?”

“If you walk South from here you will find a small slaver camp. They have cages with ponies in them,” he said before turning back to me, “I tried to… um… I tried something else to a much better pony and she was quick to figure it out so I'm going to be straight with you. Can you save them?”

I sat there staring for a little bit, “are… are you fucking insane?!” I took a step forward and was surprised to see the sprite bot back peddle, “you want me to go into a slaver camp…”

“So you are a cowar-” he tried to interrupt me but I cut him off pointing to Bubble.

“You want me to go into a slaver camp with a little filly?!” I frowned deeply, “I'd love to go save them… but you don't seem like a great foal sitter right now.”

The sprite bot hovered for a few seconds before finally saying, “I… I'm sorry… I'm not used to seeing a pony that would help a filly…”

I growled, “bullshit!” The sprite bot shifted back as my eyes narrowed, “you don't want to get your hooves dirty so you want me to… and if she ends up captured, hurt or worse then you can blame me fully!” I took a step forward, “why don't you he-”

The sprite bot made a static popping noise then turned and bobbed away with its overly happy and bouncing tuba. I watched it before pulling out my pistol and taking aim and sending a round into it. I was surprised when it sparked, popped then exploded but I felt better and slid my pistol into my holster.

Bubble tapped my leg and I looked down at her, “we are still going to help though… right?”

I smiled, “don't worry sweetie… I'm not letting ponies get away with selling other ponies.” I looked into the corner store and sighed, “hopefully no one finds this place before we get back.”

With that I lay down and let Bubble climb onto my back and get comfortable before standing and started off at a quick gallop. Bubble held on tightly and I felt her lean her head so she could see ahead, “who was that Split? I have seen a lot of those Sprite bots but they never talk.”

“I wish I knew…” I said frowning a little, because honestly I really wish I did.

She leaned forward pointing a hoof suddenly, “there!”

I skidded to a stop feeling very exposed in the open as I spotted the fires and the large wagon type cages of the camp. I quickly glanced around looking for something to hide me from view and spotted the shack off to the right. I hurried over to it, jumping over small islands of rotting and brittle plants, my hooves clattering on broken concrete.

“Wait….” I looked down at the concrete for a second then around taking the area in more now that the shack at least blocked my view from the camp. Glancing down at my pip-buck and noticed on the map that it had another location marked right where I was standing, “New Gardens…” I said with a frown, “wow… informative.”

Bubble slid down off my back and onto one of the raised islands and looked at the dead brown grass in it, “don't gardens grow food?” She looked back up to me confused, “why is this one special?”

I nudged her to the shack with a hoof and then followed behind, “back before the war… ponies had all kinds of plants grown so others could see what they looked like,” I said almost robotic like thinking from the books. As she neared the shack, she reached up and opened the door and trotted inside.

I stopped short as a memory hit me…

“What's this mommy?” a younger me asked sitting with my mother curled up on the floor. My hoof reached up and pointed at the picture of a cartoon pony walking down a trail with all kinds of beautiful flowers.

I looked up at her and she smiled gently, her deep blue eyes, much like mine, filled with kindness and love, gazed back down at me. Her violet mane tied back in a tight bun made her look very professional but still quite pretty. She wore her stress well as her job made time like this hard, as she had to be a pony that was looked to for guidance as well as being a loving mother. The soft bags under her eyes showed that she was tired but she wasn't about to leave me alone again so soon.

She gave a soft giggle and ran a hoof through my spiked back mane, “that's a garden sweetie… ponies love to grow flowers not only to eat but to look at.”

I smiled, “can I see one?”

She opened her mouth to answer but the door opened suddenly, “Ma’am… it's urgent… it's about your husband.”

“SPLIT!” Bubble yelled, pushing on my forelegs, sounding worried.

I shook my head and focused on the filly, “what's wrong Bubble?” I instantly started to look around taking a battle stance, “somepony coming?”

“You… you were crying… and just staring…” She whimpered softly causing me to slowly look down at her. She looked up at me with big wet eyes, “I… I thought...”

I sighed and put a hoof behind her and guided her into the shack… or better described from what I could see… a shed… with a bed in it.

‘Must be for quick naps,’ the pony in my head guessed.

I leaned down and scooped the filly up and set her on the bed. She sniffed a little and I could still see that her face was wet. I brought my leg up and rubbed my face then looked back at her, I took notice of the wet streaks on the metal of my armor. I sat down and tried to put together why I had stopped.

Finally I looked to her, “I lost my mother when I was young too,” Bubble’s eyes widened with surprise but I smiled and shook my head, “nothing like how you did sweetie… I lost her because of my dead beat dad and her job. She always juggled between being my mother and helping the pegasi.” I hung my head so I didn't glare at her as the next part was my least favorite memory, “my father choose to leave and drop down below the cloud and become a Dashite instead of caring for his son and wife. When he did that everything went to hell for me and my mother… she did what she could but ended up giving me to close family to be cared for as she focused her time in finding and punishing Dashites… I… I was not much older than you at the time.”

I looked to her with a sigh as she rubbed her eyes, “and… you started crying because you were thinking about her?” I nodded and she looked down. She shifted uncomfortably before looking up, “so that means she loves you still right?”

I winced and felt something cold grab my heart, “I… really don't know… if I had to guess after what happened… probably not.”

Bubble shook her head, “mommies always love their foals… that's what my mommy said.”

I gave her a small smile, “yeah… I guess you're right,” but I really didn't believe it… she sacrificed much to get me the best training and schooling and I repaid her by… no… I shook my head I don't think my mother would have liked to have heard that I killed a filly orders or not… but it was moot point as I would never gotten the chance to ask her personally again.

I stood up tall and glanced around the room at all of the crates, gardening equipment and the single bed in the room. Many of the tools seemed too rusted to even look at without it breaking. I could guess that the boxes held only rotting gardening supplies and with a flick of my wing my guess was confirmed as the nearest box had a couple bags of very old fertilizer.

I shook my head and glanced around taking note of the lack of windows before looking back to Bubble Gum, “ok sweetie… you're not gonna like wh-”

“You want me to stay here while you save them?” She said with a grin, “just hurry back and… and be safe.”

I nodded and turned, walking to the door, stopping to look back at her, “can you hide until I get back… just in case… and don't say anything or come out until I get back.”

She nodded and hopped down from the bed and wiggled under said bed, sliding behind a crate under it. I saw her peek out slightly and I nodded, feeling confident no pony would see her until I came back. I turned and walked back into the dead garden, closing the door behind me. I glanced skyward when a rumble from the darkening clouds threatened rain soon. I stuck my wings out and jumped into the air climbing quickly until the moist kiss of the clouds touched my face. A smile spread across my face because I have to admit, I missed the feel of the clouds and the air under my wings but right now… I had ponies to save.

I looked down at the camp seeing 6 ponies moving around going from cage to cage and a final pony close to a large fire. I tilted my wings and lowered down slowly to get a better look. It seemed that they never expected anyone to attack from above as they looked around the horizon waiting for something. I could now make out 5 of the slavers were stallions and the last was a mare… I think… ponies in the cage were of all ages and genders and seeing the foals in the cages made me see red… no really… the pony by the fire now that I was close enough was a red mare tied to a post. She kept looking to the slavers and to the ground letting her braided white with a red striped mane drop into the dirt. Her tail was equally as braided and was covered in dirt as she laid by the post. I could also see that she was a unicorn and I must say… very attractive.

Her ears folded back and she looked up at me her beautiful emerald eyes going wide at my sight. She stood up and I raised a hoof to my lips and pointed to the slavers wandering around obliviously. She looked to the then back with a small nod then slowly sat back down and lifted her hoof like it was hurt and gave a squeal of pain.

The slavers moved to her… well most of them as two stayed back and watched. I grinned and dove down heading to one of them landing with a soft thump behind a stallion with a light gray coat and ugly green mane, which was slicked back with grease from the lack of care. His cutie mark was a pair of hoof cuffs crossed and I almost thought that the other lines on his flank were part of it too but I reasoned instead that they were whip scars as they were spread almost from the back of his hooves to his mid back and probably further if his vest didn't cover it. He was wielding a pistol like mine except in such horrible condition I'm sure it would blow up in his face if he shot it.

His ear twitched after my landing and he slowly looked back in time for my wing blade to stop inches from his eyes that instantly widened. I gave a smile and spoke low, “you want to walk away from here?” he nodded quickly so I continued, “drop the pistol.” His mouth opened and it fell to the ground with a small clatter. I lowered my wing, “get the fuck out of-”

BOOM!

His head spattered over my face and chest making me stagger back in shock. I could feel hot sticky blood dripping into my mouth and eyes as the other stallion held a large two barreled gun floating in a red glow. He was a unicorn and was almost black with a dull purple mane and tail. His deep red-orange eyes narrowed at me as he snarled, “traitors don't get to walk away… and neither will you!”

The gun roared again as I lifted my wing to block some of the hit. I felt many hits on my wing and legs but luckily there was not much power from the weapon even from the lack of distance we had between each other. I lowered my wing when I heard the weapon snap as he tried to hurry and load it again, ‘two shots… reload…’ my head pony smirked. I smirked as well and leveled my pistol, his eyes went wide just as the weapon snapped close.

I didn't want him to get another two shots on me so I activated my S.A.T.S (Stable-Tech Arcane Targeting Spell) and time slowed to almost a halt instantly. This allowed me to target different body parts of the pony, such as head legs torso, and gave me chances of hitting where I aimed. It also kept track of how long the spell would last between each shot and with my pistol I got 4 solid shots into his face… well I got 2 of the shots in as I targeted his head and fired the 4 shots. The first shot bounced off the gun he had and the next went wide but the third dug into his left eye and the last created a small hole that drove through just under his horn and out the other side.

I saw three more stallions running in my direction as the one I shot fell. Another unicorn pulled up a long rifle and took aim so I scrambled, diving behind one of the empty caged wagons…. Wait… I looked up into the cage and my eyes widened, the bullet that sparked off one of the bars made me drop back down.

“Empty?” one of the stallions peered around the side of the cage a baseball bat in his jaws and I popped into SATS and fired two rounds into his head. As he dropped the next ran around levitating a sledgehammer up before I could react. The hit from a bigger pony might have broken my back if it weren't for my armor, as he slammed it down, making the metal on my back spark with a small flash, but I just sucked a breath in through my teeth and spun, bringing my wing around to block another swing. The handle hit my blade and the head rolled down my wing and fell to the ground with a dull thud. He roared and tried to tackle into me and I ran at him, a smile spreading across my face. If he wanted to go hoof to hoof he would soon learn what my specialty was.

Just as we reached each other he struck out with a hoof that had a shoe on it that came to a sharp point like a wedge. I ducked to the side while I turned my body to face the blow and with a fluid motion I punched a hoof up just below the joint and held the pointed hoof with the other. There was a loud pop and then his scream filled the air as I pushed the joint to bend the wrong way and then separate. I turned away not letting go of his leg and with a kick of my back leg and pulling on the limb, flipped him up and over and slammed him hard onto the ground. I winced as a loud crack made the final stallion stop and stare at the buck.

The buck stared into the sky wide eyed, “I… I…”

The other buck ran up next to him, “Hammer!” I backed up realizing what I slammed his spine on and probably snapped it like a twig. He looked at me as the final stallion and the dirty mare peeked around the wagon as well. They looked at me and I lowered myself down to a fighting stance but they just walked to the paralyzed buck.

Why was I feeling bad as I watched them try and tell him to not move, promising they would get him to safety as soon as they could. I would wince when he screamed in pain when they tried to move him and I bent down and lifted Secret from the dirt and set one of the potions, a syringe of pain killer and the bottle of buck on the floor. The mare glanced at the supplies and then to me but I just closed my eyes and moved away and to the mare that was tied up.

I could feel it deep inside my gut that something was not adding up right and as I moved to her I glanced at the other two caged wagons noting that only one had ponies in it and that there were no foals of any age in them. The stallions and mares looked dirty but quite healthy as they watched me almost sadly.

‘Probably given up hope,’ the pony in my head guess which I figured had to be the case but I had to get to the mare first.

She was laying on the ground with a bridal around her muzzle and tied to the stake. She had fresh bruises on her cheeks and tears rolling down her face. She looked to me her eyes going wide with hope, “a… are… are you real?” She asked with a small country drawl.

I looked to her horn which had a soft green glow around it with a thick black band around it. I ground my teeth in anger, “I guess that prevents you from using magic?” Her eyes glanced up as she tilted her head back slightly, she then looked back with a nod. I moved up to her smelling a sweet smell of mint coming from her and looked at the band. I swallowed hard, “how do I get it off?”

‘Please tell me how to get that thing of-’ I slammed my head against the stake my cheeks turning bright red.

She cocked an eyebrow looking both worried and confused, “are you okay?”

Even her country accent made my heart skip a beat. I lifted my hoof to rub my head where I hit myself, “y… yeah… just… something on my mind… wrong place wrong time.”

She cocked her head confused but then shook her head, “al’right… it's a ring… it jus’ slips on an’ off… it's a bit stuck so you may have to pull it off for me.”

watched as her cheeks grew a bit brighter in red as she said so. I looked at the horn and looked at my hooves, ‘too big….’ I lifted a wing and glanced at it, ‘not strong enough to pull that off…’ I looked and swallowed, “only one option…” I glanced at her and she looked a little scared, “are… are unicorn horns sensitive?” I leaned close and she lowered her head so that her horn was pointing at me. She gave a small nod and swallowed hard, “i was afraid of that…”

I opened my mouth and took the horn into my mouth. Not wanting to bite down I felt for the metal with my tongue and when I slid it down her horn she gave a small shudder and whimpered. I couldn't tell right away if it was out of fear or…. Something else. I felt the metal on my tongue and gently lowered my teeth onto the metal ring.

I stood with my legs apart and said around her horn making her shudder again, “ready?”

She gave a weak and timid, “mhmm.”

I swallowed and took a deep breath, “one…. Two….” I felt her tense up and I but down hard on the metal ring, “THREE!” I the started to pull back. She let out a scream as she pulled back.

The ring was quite stuck but it suddenly jarred as she fell back, the band letting her horn free. I felt something shoot into my mouth that had a minty after taste as I fell back landing on my butt hard. I spit the metal ring to the ground and licked the inside of my mouth looking at the end of my nose. I opened my mouth to say something but whatever was on my mind flashed away as she pressed her mouth to mine. I felt her work my tongue for a few seconds as mine eyes were wide.

It took me a few minutes for my brain to catch up and by the time she did she had separated from me and lowered her head slightly, “s…. Sorry… I… I just… didn’ think anypony would save me.”

I rubbed my tongue in my mouth as the minty taste lingered after the kiss, “no… that… that was…” I looked up at her and my head swam. I shook my head to steady myself as I felt a smile spread across my face. I looked at her, she looked amazing as she gazed back with her braided white mane drooped over her shoulder and her brilliant green eyes looked longingly back at me. I could see the small freckles that spread from one cheek across her nose to the other cheek. The bridal covered some of them and I felt a twang of anger at that. I lifted my wing as she looked at it in surprise and awe.

“Wh… wha’ are you…” The blade of my wing gently brushed against her cheek making her eyes go wide but she relaxed before she tensed as I brought the bridal off with an easy pull. She wiggled her nose cutely before giving me a stunning smile, “Thank you…” She pawed a hoof in the dirty glancing down at it, “um… I…” She looked at me with only her eyes, “I'm Peppermint Candy.”

I chuckled slightly, “yes you are.” she giggled and I felt that I could sit and listen to that giggle forever. I shook my head a little, “uh… Splitstream…”

Something in my head was telling me something that I almost forgot, ‘the slaves!’

I stood up suddenly and swayed a little, “I… I almost forgot!”

She stood up and her horn lit up and held me steady, “are you al’right?”

I swallowed and pointed in the direction of the shack, “there… there is a building over there… meet me there… I'll be right back.”

Her eyes went wide, “you haven’ finished off the slavers yet!” She stood and looking in the direction I had come from, “I… I need to hurry!” She looked at me, “please… please end their evil… please!”

I gave a small nod and she took a few steps back then turned and ran in the direction of the shack. I stood there for a few seconds watching that sweet flank run until she was out of sight. With a deep regretful sigh I walked to the cage that the slaves sat in watching me. I lifted up a bobby pin and looked at the… three… three… locks… I grimaced because I knew if I failed too many times… they were screwed.

“Hey!” a stallions voice called from next to me and I looked to see the one stallion I had yet to fight standing there with his legs spread. I stood and faced him lowering my head ready to fight… I just wish he stood still enough for me to go after him. He reached back and pulled out a pink tin and a yellow tin and threw them down at my hooves. He glared, “you helped my brother and my sister said we needed to return the favor… take the yellow one first.” he said pointing at the tins with a hoof. Was he blue? No green… purplish maybe? He lowered his hoof, “we are square… just… leave us alone.” he gave a snort, clearly wanting to fight but he turned and walked to the waiting mare.

I stood watching them as the mare fully lifted the injured buck onto one of the cages and walked off. I looked at the tins frowning, “fixer?” I didn't need to be fixed… did I? I walked over and opened the tin and sniffed then smiled brightly, “Minty!” I took one of the tablets into my mouth and chewed before swallowing, “wow these tasted…” My vision focused almost instantly and my taste fixed itself and what I thought was a minty tablet now tasted like I just licked the bottom of my armored hoof. I licked my lips wanting to get rid of the taste.

“We didn't get a chance before we got hit with the same spell… she uses different techniques for each pony she lures in.” I looked up at where the voice came from and noticed one of the bucks was leaning his hooves out of the cage looking at me with simmering anger. I guess I looked as confused as I felt as he pointed to the pink tin, “take one of those and we can talk.”

I looked down at it and read, “Mintals?” and lifted the tin opening it and looking at the tablets that looked a little like chalk. A minty smell reached my nose as I held it in front of me and I wrinkled my nose not sure about this.

“She learned how the mints worked and was able to create a spell that was basically the opposite… the only way to get it to work is having a pony swallow the spell… that's why Fixers… well… fix it,” he said watching me.

I frowned and looked back, “i don't need these… do i?”

“You do if you want to be able to fool her so you can get close enough to get back at her.”

I sighed and licked up one of the tablets and chewed quickly and swallowed. What happened next was nothing short of amazing. I could taste the difference in the chemicals in the tablets and my wings tingled as the clouds boomed closer signaling my brain that we had maybe 20 minutes before it was going to rain. I also knew in my head that I was going to get her back with her own ability… but first.

I looked to the cage and with my drug enhanced brain was able to see that these ponies were quite healthy looking and strong, ‘the perfect slaves,’ my brain teased and I went to the single lock and lifted the bobby pin and smiled.

As soon as they were out they went to the dead ponies I had killed and began to take the things they had as the stallion that was talking to me stood before me. He was about my height and looked like a buck I could go hoof to hoof with and the winner would be questionable. He had a Sandy colored mane and tail with hard teal eyes and a drake brown coat. He held a hoof out and I bumped a armored hoof against it as he smiled, “Thank you friend… my name it Tow Cable.”

I grinned back, “Splitstream… or Split.”

“Well Split… we owe you quite a bit… you gave us a chance that many do not.” he looked back at the other four ponies, two mares and two stallions as they looted the dead ponies.

I watched as they picked up the supplies that seemed hardly worth a single pony to take and frowned, “no… not yet.” he looked at me confused and I pointed my wing back to the direction of the corner store, “i just cleared out a small store that looks like a good place to get supplies… go for it… you could use it.”

He looked at the direction and then to me cocking an eyebrow, “why?”

I shrugged, “because… I have a little filly that would tell me to.”

I stared at me for several moments before one of the mares came up next other him, “hey Tow… let's go!”

He stared at me, “lets… go this way… I have a feeling it may be worth it.”

He slowly started to walk away heading in the direction I came the mare following. The 2 stallions and the other mare trotted by with everything the dead ponies had. The mare stopped her light purple mane cropped short and her pink eyes popping with a silver gray coat as she smiled at me, “when you’re done with her I can make you happy handsome,” she finished with a small wink and trotted off after the others.

I sat watching my face feeling a bit warm now and I had to cover my face as my head was matching her hip sway. I sighed and stood looking to the shack and I narrowed my eyes, starting to walk towards it. As I walked my mind wandered to why I was watching her flanks as she walked away. I frowned and looked up, “she was cute but… but I wasn't desperate… was I?” I shook my head, “No… that's not it… but… why was I suddenly so deeply wanting to please a mare?”

‘In more than one way,’ I thought frowning and shaking my head. Peppermint was an obvious reason why… she was a unicorn… I never seen magic like what she could do…, ‘Did do,’ the pony in my head reminded me.

I nodded with an anger growing inside and I shook the thought from my head as I reached the door. I could hear her on the other side talking to herself suggesting she didn't know Bubble was under the bed. I wanted her to pay for tricking me and I smirked as I thought about taking her horn off with my wings blades, but I think she needed to have a taste of her own medicine.

I opened the door and she looked back over her shoulder with her front hooves on the bed. I looked down from her back tracing her spine with my eyes right to her flanks. There was no doubt she was extremely attractive and I would have loved to show her how high I could have taken her, but I was basically drugged to probably be next in the cage. I walked in as i closed the door with my tail.

She slipped her hooves down and smiled at me as she turned to face me, “you had me worried… I thought they might have hurt you.” Her words were full of honey and promised that would have made my heart flutter but I could see something in her eyes that said I was in her Web. Her horn lit up and I felt something slip through my mane and down my neck that made me close my eyes and sent a shiver down my spine. Her magic traced my armor once it reached the spot on my neck where the armor began, “why don't you climb out of that armor and…” She gasped as she noticed the hole in my armor, “my poor baby… did you get shot recently?” She cooed softly and I saw her horn light up then a sharp pain come from my bullet wound. I hissed in pain as she telekinetically pulled the bullet from my leg making it bleed once again.

“Split!” Bubble shrieked as she wiggled from under the bed and ran over to me.

I sighed, “I'm fine Bubble.” I looked to Peppermint as she back peddled from Bubble Gum like she was a bomb.

Bubble looked at Peppermint glaring, “stay back you bitch!” my eyes widened and I looked at Bubble. Her ears flattened back and she looked up sadly, “she said she was going to make you work!”

“Y… you have… a filly?” Peppermint said with a small whimper. She backed into the bed and slowly backed up onto it.

I leaned down to nuzzle the filly, “don't worry… I'm not going anyplace,” I lifted my head and glared at the mare, “as for you… why does it fucking matter if I have a filly or not? You capture ponies to sell them to-”

She glared at me, “I DON'T CAPTURE FOALS!”

My eyes narrowed dangerously, “so… you leave them to die in the wasteland?”

She recoiled like I struck her her eyes wide, “I… no… no…”

I took a step forward and she backed against the wall, “tell me… how sure are you that every pony you capture doesn't have a foal hiding like I had Bubble hide?”

She shook her head, “no… I… I don't hurt foals… I… I can't,” her eyes began to fill with tears, “I… I know wha’ it's like… to be used at such a young age,” she looked at me pleadingly, “please… don’ kill me…”

I stood there my breathing surprisingly calm after having been almost caught. I thought for a moment, “who were the slavers? A couple of them didn't seem to want any to get away but the last few… seemed close… and the slaves you had… who are they?”

She swallowed, “half of the slavers… they were part of my crew… they knew how to work around my abilities, but they don’ take kindly to cowards and traitors. The rest of them were a family trying to get into something for caps to live on.” I tightened my jaw as I thought that maybe I should have just needed them, but at the same time maybe they would try for another line of work. She continued, “the slaves were ponies like you who tried to help slaves from slaver's. My magic allows me to create illusions so they think that the cages are full. When they seem one defenseless mare tied up in the open they try to help her first… that's when I use my Slave Down spell to make them dumber until we get them locked up.”

“And that's what you did to me… until one of the family I helped gave me a fixer to counter your spell,” I said my eyes narrowing. Her eyes went wider, “One of the slaves told me that you could make a spell that was pretty much the opposite of these mints called Party Time Mintals. So he and the slavers figured that a thing like fixer would counter its effects.” I could feel my senses dulling around me as the PTMs began to wear off, which I was not exactly minding much considering I felt too amazing for it to feel natural.

She looked down at Bubble Gum and then back to me, “so… so what are you going to do?” She still had that country drawl and despite her capturing ponies and not knowing how many families she's destroyed I was torn.

I thought for a moment before looking up with a glare that made her recoil back again to where she was small ball in the back corner of the bed. I growled low and dangerously, “On one wing I want to slice your horn off and take you to the slaves I set free and let them do what they want to you… and considering they know you're here I could just cuff you to the bed and leave you… it's more than what you deserve.” Her pupils shrank as her eyes began to fill with tears but I just glared down at her I'm disgust, “on the other wing,” my wing snapped out with a metallic Shink, “I want to just end you here and now.”

She tried to push back further tears flowing down her face looking like she hoped she would pass through the wall somehow, “please…. Please…” She whimpered over and over.

I folded my wing back up and reached down and gently lifted Bubble Gum in one hoof and held her there looking at the mare on the bed. I then, with a snort of anger, turned and opened the door. I glanced back slightly, “If I find, see or hear about you capturing ponies to sell to other ponies again…” I turned my head more so she could see my face better and so I could see her reaction. I growled with promise, “Celestia and Luna won't be able to put you together again.”

She lowered her head down looking close to wetting herself, and with the sudden smell that hit my nostrils I guessed she had. I didn't wait for a response as I walked out and closed the door with a snap with my tail.

I started to walk back in the direction of the corner store glancing back slightly to see Peppermint sneak out and run back in the direction of the camp. I frowned as I watched her disappear as a sudden BOOM! Shook the wasteland. There was a bright flash and another loud BOOM that made Bubble Gum curled into my chest as I held her and half walked and fluttered my wings to keep her close. I could hear the rain starting to fall around me and when a rather large drop fell onto my nose I decided now was a good time to hurry.

I had just started to get a good gallop in when a red beam of energy struck down in front of me hitting the side of one of the concrete plant holders and scorching it black. I skidded on the wet stone to a stop and looked up. The lightning flashed in time for me to see the sleek black armor of an Enclave pegasus and he had just shot at me. I swallowed hard but he just hovered there staring at me for a few seconds before he dove down at me.

“Shit!” I said in a low voice as I kept my head over Bubble to keep her from getting too wet. The rain was coming down thick and cascaded off my armored wings. The water leaked down the back of my neck soaking my back. My mane hung down soaked with rain water so keeping Bubble Gum dry was almost impossible but I was doing it.

He landed on the ground in front of me but I could not hear the armor hitting the concrete over the rain. He walked up slowly, “why Split… tell me why before I turn you into mud.”

I frowned not taking my eyes off him, “Solar Flare?”

He took a step forward, “yes Split… I was given your position after you betrayed the Enclave… I was then tasked to take you out.” He shifted slightly the rain running down over his visor as he glared at me with his yellow eyes, “I just want to know why you decided to turn your back on…” he looked at my hoof holding Bubble Gum and his eyes went wide. He pointed a wing at her, “Split… who.. what's that?”

I growled, “she's the reason I ran off,” he looked to me shocked, “If I didn't save her Steel was going to have her killed… she was innocent… in fact I'm pretty sure by this point everypony slaughtered at the transmitter was innocent.”

“She's… she's contaminated Split… its… it's a mercy.” he said but his tone didn't carry enough weight for me to believe that he believed that.

I snorted, “answer me… why would I have just given everything I had up to just save a random filly?” he just stared at Bubble so I continued, “Steel is up to something… something that he was either going to use me for or he needed me out of the way for. I don't know what but I'm not just going to kill a filly because he tells me to. She has meant more to me than anyone I knew above the clouds so if you want to try and hurt her or kill me to leave her to her fate,” I lowered her down under me and took a battle stance and he took several steps back, “Then I will end you for trying.”

He looked stunned for several seconds and I took a chance and glanced at Bubble. She was cowering under me holding onto on of my hooves as she looked out at him. Finally he hung his head, “Split… I…” he shook his head then looked up, “fine… I will look into your claims carefully,” he reached back and pulled something out of a saddle pack and tossed it to the ground, “i had a feeling… but I wanted to hear it from you…” he didn’t smile or anything, only continuing to glare, “but if I find out there was nothing and you just lied to me… I'll come find you again and end you.”

I nodded, “Thank you Solar Flare… and… before I can say or do anything… for everything… I… I'm sorry.” he took a step back but gave a sharp nod and with a flap of his wings, took to the air. He stopped just outside of my vision and watched me for a second, then looked up and flew off into the sky.

I sighed and looked down to Bubble, she looked back up, her curly mane drooped back, soaked. I smiled and lifted her up and held her close before moving over and lifting the case up in my teeth. I looked back to the shack looking for a fast way out of the rain and turned to head to it.

Once inside I put Bubble down and she shook sending water all over the place and making me shield it with a wing. She looked up at me and giggled, “hey idiot! You are already wet.”

I lowered my wing and raised an eyebrow at her frowning. Her smile faded at my expression as I looked down at her, “idiot… huh?”

She lowered down and her ears folded back, “Split… I… I didn't mean-” I sat and detached one of my armored boots and held it over her head, turning it over and dumping a good amount of water onto the filly's head. She squealed putting her hooves over her head, “ HEY! S… stop! You big idiot!”

I put my waterless boot back on and gave her a smile as the soaking wet filly just glared up at me. She however smiled back as she started to giggle. I dropped the case to the ground and climbed out of the armor. Every part of me was soaked from my shoulders forward. I took my other boot off and emptied it into the crate I opened before.

Bubble walked over to the case and poked it with a nervous hoof, “so what's in this?”

I looked to it and shrugged, “pop it open… I doubt he would booby trap something if he planned to find me again later.”

She smiled as she worked the latches and I watched carefully just in case. When she finally popped the lid open she took a deep breath in looking at the supplies inside. There was enough rations for several days for a single pony and around 8 bottles of water. My eyes widened as she began to pull things out of it my mind trying to figure out if he had planned for several days out or was he trying to help me. Under the supplies was a compartment that had several spark packs for energy pistols and… and…

Bubble pulled out a circular piece of metal with a cloud and lightening bolt on it and a couple of vials with some kind of chemical inside. She looked at it for several seconds before looking to me, “Split… what’s… this?”

I swallowed hard seeing the metal circle, “remember when I told you about Dashites?” She nodded once and I sighed, “well… this is their mark… either he wants me to burn off my own cutie mark and brand myself or… or he was going to do it himself.” she gasped dropping the brand to the ground with a thud. I looked at it for several seconds before looking back to the box, “anyhow… anything else.” she just looked at me horrified and I sighed again and sat down, “back when the Megaspells destroyed Equestria the pegasi took cover behind the clouds to protect other pegasi and to ensure that we could keep from being attacked. We planned on coming down to save Equestria once we deemed it safe but Rainbow Dash didn't have patients and decided to buck all of us and came down here to save ponies on her own.” I looked at the filly taking a breath, “so anyone deemed a traitor is branded with her cutie mark and often either hunted or just banished.

“But… was she not right in all things considering?” She asked innocently.

I opened my mouth to argue but as I continued to look at her I could see she was right. I was fine and ponies were living even if just. I sighed, “yes but… how good can things be?”

She smiled, “why not turn on the radio and see?” at my confused expression she walked over to a small box with a dial on it close to the bed on the boxes. I looked at it with a confused frown having thought it was just another container with a weird design but she lifted a hoof and hit a button and with a small pop and a static hiss.The room suddenly filled with a beautiful sound of a mare signing about home. I felt a pain in my heart as each note sung seemed to show me something I was missing.

I almost cried for more as the song ended having caught it close to the end, which made my ears drooped. Suddenly a stallions voice came through the speakers in a way that made my ear perk up, “Good Evening! This is DJ pon-3 how is everypony doing? Before I set you up with your nightly music some last pieces of news for you. I can't say I have anymore about the mare that cleared out the raiders in Ponyville and saved the ponies inside but I do have a little news about something out west. Ponies talked about a odd lightning flash streak across the sky a few days ago. Could it be an odd storm? New weapon? Who knows my little ponies but the small settlement made in the transmitting station out that way went completely dark. Nothing there but a few glowing piles of ash. So I want you ponies out close to Las pegasus to be careful. Now… don't think I'm going to give you bad news without a little good! Apparently there is a black metal winged pony out there who has a little bit of a conscious. He went into a raiders home only to save the captives they had from a fate worse than death though I guess it would eventually be death for them if he hadn't come by. The story goes that he had saved them without any reward and even yelled at the raiders that they were messed up. Well Metal Wings… I won't disagree and please… keep on fighting for ponies who need it and I will help by spreading the truth for everypony to drink up and help keep a smile on their faces. That's all I have for now my little ponies and I hope I will have more for you in the morning so stay safe and I will let the sweet melody of Sweetie Belle start off tonight's stretch. Stay safe Equestria and Goodnight!” the radio then started to play a song that made my head bob from side to side.

Bubble switched it off with a smile, “looks like you might be getting a fan!”

I snorted, “he said a pony with metal wings,” I held up my wing with a smirk, “clearly which I do not have.”

Bubble frowned and trotted over to my armor then turned to face me. She frowned and raised an eyebrow before lifting her back leg and kicking it making the closest wing armor slide open. I looked at it for a long second then face hoofed, “damn it!”

She trotted over, “what's wrong?” She leaned her hooves on my leg to lean closer, “it was all true.”

I rolled my eyes, “yes… but it missed the part that I got their foal killed because I wasn't taking it seriously.” I sighed deeply, “They could… no… they should have told him the whole story.”

“But… but you got the a filly who needed a family and making you out to be a hero gives ponies hope!” She said with a big smile.

I let out a deep sigh, “I am still hardly a hero… hell you heard Solar Flare.”

She smiled a little, “you saved a bunch of ponies just now… and back at the raider camp… and… and me.” I flinched a little my ears standing up straight looking at her in surprise. She was right and I knew she was right but I didn't want to feel like something special when any pony should be helping others out.

I looked to the ceiling, “Then again… ponies are not suppose to be selling other ponies against their will to other ponies.” I hang my head in defeat, “I guess you're right…”

Bubble then walks over and nuzzles against my leg making me look at her. She looks up her ears back, “Is it a bad thing?”

‘Well is it?’ the pony in my head asked.

I give her a small smile and shake my head reaching a wing around and letting her nuzzle against the feathers she likes, “no… I suppose not,” my ears swiveled around as I listened for the rain and it sounded like the rain at least let up for us to get to the bar so I stood up and walked to my armor.

I frowned looking at it as it was now quite scratched and dented now. It had a few holes where it should not have any. It also had dark red and brown streaks from blood streaking the black metal. The blades of the wings were the only part that should have had dried blood on them but they looked as new as the day I got the armor. I lifted a hoof and rubbed my chin thinking how expertly crafted they were.

I shrugged and using my pip-buck got back into my armor which was still damp but there were no small lakes in my boots. It should be dry in a bit if the rain was only a slight drizzle. I then scooped up the supplies and slid them into my saddlebags and before I turned to walk out and glanced down at the Dashite brand. I stared at it for a long time before sighing and lifting the brand and dropped it into my saddlebag. Looking to Bubble I smiled and opened the door and held a wing over her as I gently pushed the filly out with a hoof.

“Come one Bubble… we have to get going. I don't trust this place as a place to rest,” she nodded and walked out, keeping under my outstretched wing. With that we made our way back to the corner store and took a peek inside. The slaves… well ex slaves cleaned it out and already left.

I smiled and turned to head in the direction of the bar when the note caught my eye. I smiled at it and picked it up as it read, Split… we owe you a lot more than you realize. I have a feeling you let that bitch go but for some reason I can't help but trust your decision on this. If you ever need help come by Friendship City and ask for Flack I'll be waiting to hear from you. P.S. Sugar Sweet said you better look her up if you come by too. Said she wants to thank you personally. You Lucky Buck… anyhow thanks for everything, Flack.

I couldn't help but chuckle as I slid the note into my saddlebag and turned and lead Bubble back onto the road where we started heading to the bar, hoping that it was the last thing we would find before we get into anymore trouble. However with my luck I was either going to run into a super deadly monster pony or the bar was going to be some kind of death trap, but we would not know until we got there.