//------------------------------// // 26 - The Name // Story: Fallout: Equestria - War Does Change // by tom117z //------------------------------// Chapter Twenty-Six: The Name “But Stripe is what ponies see fit to refer to me as, so it is what you shall also refer to me as.” The areas around us were familiar, and we were so close to Stable 84 now. Our arrival couldn’t come soon enough. We were exhausted, almost to the point of collapse even. Altrix had suggested we take a break, sleep and finish the journey the next day. But we couldn’t. I couldn’t. Not after what we had learnt. How what I was facing, what we were facing… How it was beyond anything I could have imagined. Goddesses, what have I dragged us into? The morning sun was barely reaching us through the clouds, and there was no denying how tired we all felt from the last two all-nighters we pulled. First through the metro to get to Haven and now back to here. We really should have been getting back early morning tomorrow, but given how much we’d pushed ourselves… Well, I had to keep telling myself that every moment counted. Besides, soft beds were waiting after we warned the Princess. Still, the exhaustion meant that nobody had said a word in hours. It was like autopilot, really. I honestly felt like Stripe was about ready to put Altrix onto her back and let the changeling sleep if she weren’t so ready to fall herself. I wonder if the hive has any coffee? Hell, I’d take a Sparkle-Cola. The energy given would do nicely. Ugh, now I was drooling at the thought. I needed a distraction. We all did. Well, at times like these there’s only one radio station for the job. Good morning, Wastelanders!” DJ Pon-3 cried our of the PipBuck’s radio, sounding as upbeat and enthusiastic as ever. “How is everypony doing? This is your pal, DJ Pon-3 and, well, it’s that time again… that’s right, time for some news!” Please be something good. I think we need a little cheer after what ever the fuck we’ve just been through. “I hear rumour that Monterey Jack, cheese shop owner up in that oh-so-hoity-toity Tenpony Tower, has been arrested for deciding that being a thieving jackass is the appropriate response to an act of kindness. Remember what I keep telling you, my little ponies: treat each other with kindness and respect. Or don’t and watch it come back to bite you in the tail.” “In other news, somepony’s finally arrived to fix my toaster. Hallelujah! It’s breakfast time! Here’s a little Sapphire Shores to get you through the morning.” Right. Toaster fixing and thieves. Must be a slow news day. Still, he wasn’t wrong about the morning Sapphire Shores. The song was relatively cheerful, so that was nice. It helped a little with the general mood. Though just a little. But hey, he could have put on a more depressing song. Sweetie Belle did enough of those… “Ugh, turn that shit off,” Moon Blossom moaned. I guess some others weren’t sharing my opinion. Still, the last thing I needed was a peeved Moon Blossom, so I obliged and turned off the PipBuck’s broadcaster. Silence refilled the space around us, which seemed to give the pegasus a small amount of satisfaction. “Much better,” she said. “Damn, this stable place better have some nice beds. I’m going to sleep for weeks.” “Never done an all-nighter before?” Cobalt jabbed. “Not two in a row, jackass,” she shot back. “Who knew that sticking with the good guys would be such a fucking workout…” “We’re almost there,” I told her. “Just a couple minutes more, then we’ll be at the cave entrance leading to the hive.” “So, do try to behave,” Stripe cautioned the former raider. “Hey, I’m the face of innocence,” Moon Blossom claimed. “And as long as they give me the bed I mentioned, I’ll be good. Actually, tell me which one I need to screw if it’d get me there faster! Mare or stallion, I don’t give a damn.” Too much information… “What is with you?” Stripe asked the pegasus through gritted teeth. “Is violence and sex all that courses through your mind?” Both mares stopped and turned towards one another, forcing the rest of us to slow to a halt and look on a little helplessly. Uh oh… “Is ‘raider’ not good enough of an answer?” “You chose to abandon that life. And yet here you are.” “Look, is this about what happened back in the metro?” Moon Blossom replied, taking on an uncharacteristically serious expression. A little like how she got back in Stable 77, actually. “Because I didn’t mean anything by that, you know. I was just messing with Scrap Heap. But I need to make my fun in this fucked up world somehow.” I’m not sure I like being caught in the middle of this… “So, you don’t really enjoy the fighting, is that it?” Stripe asked, looking sceptical. “Oh, hell no. I love it!” she corrected, before gritting her teeth and massaging her temples with her wing tips. “But… Argh, I’m trying here, alright!? I meant every word back in that stupid bunker, but don’t expect that to make me into some mild-mannered mare. I am who I am, Stripe. And I’m a former raider who kicks ass and talks shit. But I also want to help, isn’t that enough?” Stripe was quiet for a moment, almost studying her. “And you are sincere about that?” “I’m here with you guys, aren’t I?” “I guess you are.” Huh, believe it or not Stripe actually gave Moon Blossom a small smile. “I can’t say I approve of your… sense of humour, but I do believe your sincerity. I apologise for snapping.” “Yeah well…” Moon Blossom scuffed the ground awkwardly. “I’m not exactly a people person, so… Yeah, I guess I’m sorry for hitting on your boyfriend.” I blushed. “I mean, we’re still not-” “I think we’re all just tired, exhaustion can fray your nerves,” Altrix interrupted me. Altrix! Of all people! “We should have rested last night.” “You know we’re in a hurry, Altrix,” Cobalt pointed out. “Just don’t expect me to tone it down anytime soon, I have my charms to uphold,” Moon Blossom said to Stripe. “Then I will attempt to be more accommodating, as long as your heart stays true,” she relented, before giving the mare an amused but dangerous look. “But if you pull another stunt like you did in those metro tunnels…” “Yeah yeah, I get it…” she replied, raising her hooves in defence. “Come on though, he is adorable when he blushes…” Stripe laughed. “He is, isn’t he?” I think I preferred it when they were fighting… “RIGHT THEN!” I announced to the group. “It looks like we’ve stopped, let’s get back to it. Yes? Yes. OK.” Before I lost what was left of my pride. Still, Stripe and Moon Blossom finding some kind of common ground was progress I could get behind. The zebra had always been cautious of the crude pegasus ever since we’d joined up in Stable 77, I was a little afraid they’d always be at odds. I guess the wasteland is good at making the unlikeliest of friends. That might actually be its one redeeming feature. Still, our silence and tiredness quickly returned as we made the final leg of the trip. Even if our spirits had been lifted a little by the prior interaction, we still had to make it in and explain everything to Princess Insidiis. And who knew how long that was going to take? And who knew how she would react? The wastes quickly passed us by, and up ahead I could see a dip in the dirt that was the crater in which the hive’s entrance was built. And as we came up to the edge and looked inside, the immediate thing I noticed was the lack of radscorpion bits littering the large bowl. I guess the changelings had been busy cleaning up. Looking towards the entrance, neither could I see any sign of the Steel Ranger bodies. I guess those had been taken in as well. Maybe the bodies were buried, and the old weapons and armour scrapped for parts. I couldn’t really say, though it’s what I’d do. We started to make our way down towards the cave entrance, my E.F.S. being clear of anything friendly or hostile. Everything was just… silent. Quiet as the grave. And it remained that way as we crossed the crater and entered the cave, for which I turned my PipBuck’s lamp on to help was see the path ahead. One of the first noticeable things that was different compared to our last visit was the lack of clicking from my PipBuck, indicating the absence of radiation. The changelings had been busy over the last ten days, I wonder if the whole hive was clear by now. Or most of it, if not the whole thing? Well, given the green bars I’d just spotted on the E.F.S. I was guessing we were about to find out. Though I was not expecting the bullet to ricochet near my hooves! “Stop right there!” a female voice demanded, and three changelings in stable security barding approached from around the corner with 10mm pistols aimed our way. “Who are you? Our PipBucks picked you up coming in, how did you-” The mare at their head paused mid-sentence, lowering her gun as her large blue eyes went wide. “Altrix…?” “Mum!” Altrix shouted, running forwards and glomping the security guard. …Well, that’s one way to be introduced to your friend’s parent. Honestly, I’d forgotten until this very moment that Altrix’s mother was a guard. Wish I’d remembered that beforehoof. “Oh, I was so worried!” the guard said gently to Altrix, allowing herself to be a mother over a security officer for that moment. “You’re not hurt, are you?” “No, Mum. I’m fine,” Altrix assured, pulling reluctantly away from the embrace. “My friends helped me.” Oh boy, now she was looking at us! “Friends? Yes, these must be the ones the Princess mentioned. Though, I only thought there were three of them?” “Yeah, I’m the new intern,” Moon Blossom quipped with a wide grin. “I… see,” the changeling replied. “And the rest of your friends, dear?” “Scrap Heap, Stripe and Cobalt,” Altrix introduced us one by one. “We got the talisman!” “You did? That’s wonderful news!” The mare then turned to regard us again. “My name is Matercula. I work as a guard for the stable under Princess Insidiis. A pleasure.” “Yeah. Likewise,” I stated. “So, uh… You’re Altrix’s mother, huh?” “I am. And I’m curious what’s been told about me.” “Nothing negative, that much is true,” Stripe replied. “We knew of your station, and… other details.” She seemed to get what these ‘other details’ were. “I see. Altrix must trust you a great deal to share so much. She’s a shy little thing at times.” “Mum!” Altrix squeaked in protest. “She’s actually braver than you might think,” Stripe said. “You should be proud.” “I never said I wasn’t,” Matercula replied warmly, and I saw her daughter go a little red at that. “But if you have the talisman you should go talk to Princess Insidiis. Her Majesty will want to know about what you found.” “We, um… also need to tell her about some other things…” Altrix informed her. Matercula frowned. “What other things? Altrix, what’s happened?” “We met some… well, bad people out there. The hive may be in danger,” I explained. “Bad people? We’ve met some of those.” They have? “But if it’s that urgent, I’m sure the Princess can explain more. We’ve cleared out those ‘ghouls’ that inhabited the hive, those poor souls. Some of our drones have been hard at work clearing the radiation away. The tech left to us did the job, though it took a while. We’ve got all but some of the lower levels cleaned.” “What was wrong with the lower levels?” Cobalt asked. “Some cave-ins, we’re having to clear the rubble and make it safe before we can clear the rads. Still, we’re beginning to move much of the populace into the hive, and it’s a lot roomier up here.” “What’ll happen to the stable?” “We’re not sure right now. Though there are talks of turning it into extra workshops and food production, as well as an emergency shelter in case of an attack by raiders or monsters. The hive’s a work in progress, and we’ve got love collectors trying to solve our supply issue.” “You have no idea how nice it is not to be starving all the time,” one of the other changelings muttered. Yeah, that’d probably suck. “I’ll go speak with Insidiis about our… issues,” I volunteered. “The rest of you can go rest. We haven’t slept in two days.” “Two days?” Matercula looked down at her daughter in concern. “Altrix, you should know better!” “I know…” “We were in a hurry,” I explained. “Still, we could all use the rest.” “I’ll stay with Mum if that’s okay with you,” Altrix said. “I… want to talk.” I nodded. “Alright, the rest of you get some rest.” “I’m coming with you,” Cobalt decided. “Before you argue, I’m the one carrying the talisman. And I also want to talk to Insidiis about Kronos, so I’m coming.” “Fair enough. Stripe? Moon Blossom?” “Passing out,” Moon Blossom answered. “I will catch up,” Stripe stated. “I wish to speak with Matercula a while longer.” “If you wish,” Matercula agreed. “The rest of you can find Insidiis down in the stable’s Overmare’s Office.” “Thanks,” I said to the changeling. “It was nice to meet you.” The guard gave me a nod, and then she turned back to Altrix and Stripe, ready to continue their discussion. The other two guards, meanwhile, saw fit to escort the rest of us back to the hive. The entranceway wasn’t pitch black like the last time, but instead was lit up with green flames running along the walls, the bones having all been cleared up. There were also more security guards in here, having set up some barricades just outside the entrance and forming a decently formidable checkpoint. A happy go lucky raider would probably get gunned down in a second. A missile launcher sporting griffon slaver, however… We all proceeded further down into the hive, and it was almost amazing to see the transformation it had gone through. Deeper in there were changelings walking the halls, some alone and others in groups of friends, peers or family. Some still wore the standard Stable 84 jumpsuit and PipBuck, while others seemed to have cast off the attire now they were out of the stable. And when we got into the atrium… Wow. The largest section of the hive was the most alive we’d seen yet. Countless changelings were buzzing back and forth between the various levels of the structure, all intermingling and going to Celestia knows where… It also showcased exactly why there were no railings, since they were all flying from level to level rather than using the stairs. Oh, and Moon Blossom just had to give me that smirk as she took off to fly down herself! My stupid parents being stupid unicorns… Still, we descended down the hive using the normal way (for non-pegasus ponies, at least) and eventually arrived back at the bottom. It was much more leisurely without a horde on our tails, it was like a whole different world. I could almost imagine this was how things were for the hive before… Moon Blossom was waiting for us, since she didn’t know where the stable door actually was, and we pressed on. Moving down the corridor, all life seemed to bleed away and even the lights dimmed a bit. I guess with most changelings being upstairs now there wouldn’t be many hanging around the stable. I wonder how many are still in the fallout shelter. Actually, how many changelings are even in the hive? A couple hundred? Couple thousand? Somewhere in between? Maybe somewhere towards the former, given the fear Chrysalis held for her people’s future. Maybe less, depending on how badly their love shortage affected them… I was broken from my musings when we emerged form the passage and arrived at the stable entrance, which was already open. There were a few security guards there, though thankfully none of them were primed to gas us this time around. We exited the hive and entered the stable, making sure to get one of the guards to show Moon Blossom to a room where she could crash for as long as the former raider wished. And that just left Cobalt and I, and we were heading straight for Insidiis before anything else. I vaguely remembered the way from my previous time spent in Stable 84, though the signs on the walls were still a great help. We did also spot a few remaining stable dwellers as we went, walking and working within the halls of the great underground shelter. Nowhere near as many as we saw in the rest of the hive, though. We passed by one scruffy-looking drone, a maintenance worker I would guess, as we entered the stable’s own atrium. There was no birthday party ongoing this time, and the overly clean metal space was empty of life. Looking up, I could see the silhouette of Insidiis in the circular window of the Overmare’s Office. We headed towards the door marked as leading towards the said office and made out way up the stairs. Now this staircase and subsequent corridor were a dead ringer for Stable 77, just less rusted. And I couldn’t suppress a small shiver down my spine at the similarities as we opened up the door and entered the office. Once again, the office was identical in every way. But it was clean, and everything looked almost knew. The lockers and computer equipment were all stacked neatly around the room, the desk was polished and shining… And there was Princess Insidiis, looking out of the window and into the atrium. “So, you return,” was the first thing she said on hearing the door slide open. “I am glad. There was some worry that you would perish in this ‘Equestrian Wasteland’ of yours.” “Overmare,” I greeted in turn. “I like what you’ve done with the place.” The royal changeling glanced at us. “My drones have done good work… And that in itself is beyond amazing.” “Oh?” Cobalt questioned. “You cannot comprehend how terrible Stable 84 was for our people, even if it did save us in the long run,” Insidiis growled. “My changelings, living their lives while barely functioning for generations. Hungry from birth until death. Basic magic being a struggle, and how we had to persevere. Had you been hostile entering the hive, and we’d not been able to gas you into unconsciousness so we had time to access the reservoir, any fight would have been a losing one for us.” “And now?” “Now… it’s like a step into the past. Our magic is returning to its old strength, my people are full and happy, a sensation they’ve never felt. And now they have so much of the hive back their living space has practically doubled. It hasn’t been without its own challenges, mind you…” I remembered what Altrix’s mother said, and I had to wonder… “Who did you encounter outside the stable?” “So, you heard?” Insidiis asked, finally turning to look at us. “Yes, I’ve had scouts outside the stable finding love sources. One group encountered some ‘raiders’ you’d told us about. I lost some people before they were able to overcome the ponies and… acquire what we were seeking.” She turned to look out the window again. “Our inexperience led to the casualties we took. Something we are also seeking to rectify. But enough about that, how was your own task?” “Oh! Right, Cobalt,” I said to the unicorn. “Mind delivering to the Princess our package?” Cobalt nodded, lighting his horn up and levitating the water talisman from the saddlebag, causing Insidiis’ eye to brighten when she saw it. “One water talisman in prime condition. This should solve your problems.” Insidiis gingerly took the device from him, holding the mix between technology and the arcane before her. “Thank you. Both of you. This means a great deal to us; our ailing water supply would have killed the hive before we even got started.” “And… there’s something else you should know…” Now was a good a time as any. I wasn’t really looking forward to telling her, but it had to be done. “There’s this guy…” And so, we explained. We told her everything, every part of our journey from Stable 84 to Stable 77 and then back again. But we particularly focused on the return trip. Our encounter with Kronos, the forces he worked for and finally the memory orb we’d recovered from one of his soldiers. During the explanation, Insidiis moved from the window and sat down behind the desk. She was silent the whole time, just listening without asking any questions. And I discovered just how pale changelings could go through their chitin. “Mother…” Insidiis whispered when we were finished. “What did you do…?” We were silent as the changeling placed a hoof on her forehead, looking distressed about… well, everything we had just told her. And I mean… what more could we say? I really didn’t know, I was at a bit of a loss. I guess I just had to wait for Insidiis to take in the information, and then address us again. “I knew nothing of mother’s deal with Twilight Sparkle,” the Princess finally stated. “I never questioned it, still wouldn’t if it was just this ‘ChangeBuck’ device you spoke of. But to develop artificial Changeling Queens…” The Princess shook her head in disgust. “She was playing with fire, even if she thought it best. Oh, she always did go to extremes…” “The modified potions were never finished,” Cobalt pointed out. “But if Kronos and his people were to figure it out…” “Then this ‘Goddess’ and her alicorns could enslave my people, and use us as a weapon,” Insidiis concluded. “By the hives…” “What are you going to do?” “I don’t know, I’m still just trying to process what you’ve told me,” Insidiis responded. “Equally distressing are these stable experiments. The mere thought that Scootaloo sealed us inside on purpose is… I was aware of her grudge against us, but to condemn a species? That orange turkey better hope she’s already dead, because if she lives to this day…” “You can save the vengeance until later,” I interrupted the Princess, we really didn’t have time for is and I was too tired for bullshit. I wonder if that was a mistake, judging by the glare I received, but I stood by it. “Red Eye and the Goddess want your hive, and if they get it then everyone is screwed. The stakes here are… just ridiculous! So, what do we do?” Insidiis frowned, but then seemed to tilt her head in through. “What do you do indeed…” “Come again?” “My changelings are still adjusting. We’re in no shape to fight a war against this slaver army you mentioned. But if this facility you saw were to be rendered useless…” “You mean you want us to find the MAS facility and destroy all the research and tech used in creating Changeling Queens,” Cobalt smartly deduced. “Am I right?” “You have proved proficient. Quite the team, and what’s more…” the Princess chucked. “I’ve heard the broadcasts, ‘Scavenger’. You have a small reputation above ground, it would seem. Well… I guess… The Princess adopted a stern expression, and I resisted the urge to shrink under the scrutiny of those blade-like eyes. “You could find this facility and do what you must. Or if nothing else, provide such a nuisance to Kronos that you give us time to become fully established in this new world we’ve found ourselves in.” “And how are you going to ‘establish’ yourself exactly?” “A permanent supply of love for one,” she answered. “New weapons and armours. We are beginning to develop plans for automated defences, and other such upgrades to the hive. But it may take months yet. Maybe longer.” Months? Oh boy… “I don’t think we have that long.” “If not, then I pray you can find this facility and destroy it,” Insidiis said. “Or that you’re wrong. For all our sakes.” I couldn’t resist a sigh. This wasn’t exactly what I thought would happen when I’d agreed to get a water talisman… But fuck, I did decide on the life of a hero, right? I bet the Stable Dweller and Security go through much the same or worse… I could do this. I had to. Alright, here we go. “Where do we start looking?” Princess Insidiis hummed. “I mentioned earlier how one of my scouting groups received casualties… Well, another didn’t return at all.” Well, that sounded ominous. “What happened to them?” “I do not know. But they vanished around the pre-war town of Buckingham.” Great, the one town in the local area we had yet to visit. Might as well fill out the map. “It’s around a day’s travel south of here, and from what I understand it was a huge manufacturer of arms for the military during the war.” “Red Eye does so love his factories…” Cobalt muttered. I wonder how many slavers would be stationed there? “You’re sure it’s Kronos’ people responsible for their disappearance?” “No. But it’s the only lead I can give you,” she stated. “And if there are slavers there, perhaps you can ‘retrieve’ the location of this facility from them.” I guess we had little choice. I knew I’d have to talk it over with the others first, but I really didn’t see many other options that would lead to a good outcome. For changelings or ponies. Is it bad a part of me was starting the miss the monotony of scavenging? “Well, we’ll do it. After we’ve had some downtime. We’ve been through a lot lately.” Insidiis nodded in understanding. “Of course, I wouldn’t expect you to push yourself to the brink. Take a couple of days before you depart, ensure you are well rested and fit enough for the trials ahead. You may use the same rooms as before, take the time you need.” “Yeah, we’ll do that. Thanks.” “It is I who should thank you, Scrap Heap,” Insidiis replied, her gaze softening into a small and thankful smile. “And there is one last thing.” “And that is…?” Insidiis got up from the desk, moving towards one of the nearby lockers and opening it. From it, she retrieved a small object that looking a little like a memory orb but seemed to have a different aura about it. “This orb can be used to directly communicate with its twin,” Insidiis explained, giving me the orb. “A bit like a telephone, but without the useless connection issues. I can use it to contact you, and likewise.” “I guess my PipBuck’s broadcaster wasn’t your first choice,” I joked, taking the orb and looking it over. “We’re underground, the signal wouldn’t be great. If it exists at all,” she responded. “This way I know I can get through to you if need be, and you can give me updates.” “We’ll keep that in mind.” I placed the orb into my bags. I must admit to feeling a little safer with it, rather than going around not knowing what was happening back at home base. “Well, if that’s everything I really need some shut-eye.” “Of course, go ahead. In the meantime, I need to… process some more.” Insidiis seemed to sag a little, and she seemed almost… tired. “Are… you okay?” “Oh? Oh, right. No… I don’t think so.” The Princess sighed, returning to her place by the window. “For two centuries I’ve been waiting for news about my mother’s fate. And now I discover she kept more secrets from me than I ever imagined, and I’m no closer to knowing whether she lives, or…” Oh… Cobalt and I glanced towards each other, and then we slowly began to make our exit. The Princess clearly needed her space at that moment, some time to come to terms. But I couldn’t help but feel her troubles were just beginning. I flopped down onto the comfy bed, letting out a sigh of relief as I sank down into the mattress with my limbs splayed out wherever they damn well pleased. My armour and weapons were discarded haphazardly on the floor. Damn, it’d been over a week since I took the damn things off. It felt good just to be in my natural coat again. Ignoring the new bruises and scars, anyway. I was tempted to go and have a shower before I hit the hay. The last time I was here was the first time I’d ever had one, and by Celestia was it heavenly. I never knew you could lose all that dirt and grime in such quick fashion. Yeah, that was tempting. But so was the soft mattress on my back… All that would have to wait, however, when I heard somepony chime my door. “Uh, come in?” The door slid open at my call, and I stood corrected. It was someone, and that stunning zebra mare walked into the room and closed the door behind her. Once we had some privacy, she turned to look at me and… did a double take. “You alright?” I asked with a frown. “Oh? Yes! I... I’ve never seen you out of barding before,” she answered. “It’s strange.” My frown deepened. “Yeah, you have.” She gave me a deadpan glare. “Alright, I haven’t seen you out of barding when you aren’t dying from a grenade explosion.” “…Point taken.” Stripe sighed, dumping her saddlebags and sniper rifle by the door and coming over to the bed. I sat up as she reached me, hopping up and sitting down to my left. She seemed… distracted and couldn’t quite meet my gaze. “Stripe, is something bothering you?” I asked carefully. “Has something else happened?” She shook her head. “No, nothing. Altrix is with her mother, and I believe Moon Blossom is long in the realm of dreams. Whatever former raiders dream of.” I laughed. “Who knows? Maybe kittens for all we know.” “Death, murder kittens.” “Probably.” We both shared a small laugh at that, before silence reasserted itself. It was like an eternity was passing us by, and a strange feeling of bloatsprites flying around entered my stomach. I found that I couldn’t quite meet her gaze either… “About before,” she finally said, breaking the silence. “At the Megamart…” Oh. “Perhaps it wasn’t the best time to show you how…” She paused, grimacing. “But when you almost died, I… I was angry, and I was scared. I’m… not sure how else to describe how…” “Stripe,” I interrupted, slowly placing a hoof onto her shoulder. “I… I get it. I mean, I’m not so sure I could describe it either but… yeah, I get it. I…” Silence returned again, and it was even more deafening than the last time. Those bloatsprites were nowt doing barrel rolls left, right and centre! And- And… Ah, fuck it. “I love you.” Her head immediately whipped around to face me, and she stared at me with wide eyes. “W-what did you say?” I resisted the urge to run. I said it once, do it again, you stupid unicorn! “I said, I love you,” I told her honestly. It was now or never. “You were the first person to see something more in me than some apathetic moron, even when I didn’t even think much of myself. You were the one who just wanted to help people, while I… Well, you’re amazing. What more can I say?” Stripe was silent, regarding me with those adorably wide bright eyes and a jaw that had hit the mattress. And yes, those bloatsprites were gone. And, after all that had happened between us, I already knew the answer she was going to give me. “Xena.” Uh, what? “My name is Xena.” Oh… OH! “Xena, huh?” Was I smiling like a colt right now? I think I was smiling like a dumb colt right now. “Well, hi there.” “Tell no one,” she warned. “It’s just between us.” “Oh, I’m sure I can keep the secret. It’s too nice a name to share.” Xena chuckled, though her smile took on a small, sad quality. “The truth is, I love you too. You, a pony. Hm, my family would despise you.” “Your family abandoned you for a cult of crazies and murderers, obsessed with an old war,” I said seriously, giving her a stern look. “They don’t deserve you, and I don’t give a molerat’s ass what they would think of me.” “Well… good. Because you all have felt more the family to me than they have, for all our respective flaws,” she said, her smile brightening again. “You foolish people.” “More the fool are you, for liking us so much,” I retorted playfully. “Ah, so I am. I wonder just how far that foolishness runs…” We both leaned in, and I felt her soft lips meet mine. And it was like everything just… stopped. And nothing else mattered in that moment. I had no idea a pony, or a zebra, could feel this way. And it felt right. We fell back against the mattress, our kiss only breaking for a moment before we started again. Xena and I, locked in our embrace. Rest could wait a little while longer. Footnote: Max Level New Perk: A Zebra’s Embrace - Nice going, Romeo! Your companion perk has been upgraded and now gives you +10% accuracy while in S.A.T.S.