"I was so focused on my studies, I never made time for any of my friends in Canterlot."
Forgotten. Is it possible for anything to be truly remembered? I don't think so. When we die, we are buried. The only things that remain are memories. What if all who carry our memories dies, eventually? You might could argue that stories could be told to their children and grandchildren. Of course, if those children and grandchildren die without telling those same stories, no one would remember. The most important of ponies in history probably have statues or tomes written about them. Those, too, degrade. It may take time (decades or centuries) but nothing truly, truly lasts an eternity. So, eventually, we are forgotten. I suppose that would be less disquieting than just being buried, then never even being brought up, again. What if you forget about somepony and come back, years later, in their life? They probably feel forgotten, but the definition of the word "forget" is "to cease to think of or consider". I would think "cease", in that sentence, means a complete stop. Whether I'm right or wrong is not what I'm trying to get at. Think of it as... the ramblings of a mare who has forgotten what a good, night's sleep feels like.
Okay, sharing a body sucks. Sharing a sleep-deprived body DOUBLE sucks.
On our way up the old path, I found it nearly impossible to walk without tripping over our hooves. We took turns controlling her tired body. It barely helped. I was glad we didn't get ambushed. There were, however, a lot of hostile scavengers around. Of course, between Redd and Nico's firepower, Dad's intimidating stature, and Violet's animosity towards everyone who looked our way with angry eyes, we weren't in any real danger.
A small comfort embraced me as we finally saw the Beacon a short distance away. I knew it was probably selfish to think, but the first thought that came to me was, "I wonder if it's possible get drunk in a body with dual minds". Would it take double the alcohol? Would one of us stay sober? I would have loved to take a chance with it, but decided it was probably one of the worst ideas. Also, I didn't even know if Pepper drank alcohol. Be a shame if she didn't.
"I never thought I'd be this happy to see the place where I lost all my caps, again." Violet said with a solemn breath.
"You've been there, before?" I asked.
"I'm sure everypony in a thousand-mile radius has been here at some point." She chuckled.
Nico shook his head. "Why am I not surprised you managed to lose all your caps."
She retorted. "I didn't really lose all of them. I just... I..." She grunted. "Well, I still had enough to buy a drink when I was done!"
I chuckled. Good ol' Violet. She wasn't as bad as Bolt Chaser was about gambling, but she definitely came in at a close second.
I bet Chaser would love the place.
My smile turned sour as I remembered him, again. I tried, so hard, to only think of pre-wasteland Chaser. The tape kept entering my mind. How could one tape impact a lifetime of friendly memories just like that? I mentally noted to listen to the tape once I had the Pipbuck, again. I still owed it to Pepper.
"Home, sweet home." Nico breathed as we came to the first building. Ponies walked up and down the street, some as if the wasteland were just a normal place. A few foals trotted, happily, next to their mother or father. Ma's store had quite a few patrons bustling about. I even saw Tonno Weights napping on a porch in front of one of the houses. It was just as quiet and dusty as I remembered. Except, the constant thought of this quaint little town blowing up because of me. That was definitely new.
The building that stood out the most, though, was Fleece's small, square clinic. I was ready to see my newfound sister! It didn't take us very long to reach her front door. I assumed everypony already knew the ghoul, with the exception of my father.
Once Nico opened the door, all of us piled in the waiting area.
"I'll be with you, shortly!" The familiar, scratchy voice yelled from the back. A few minutes after, she walked into the room, carrying an empty vial. "Just let me toss this and-" She perked her chipped ears, when she saw us. "Nico! What on Equus are you doing here?" She trotted up to him, looking over him. Then, she turned to the white stallion, eye widening at the sight of the scar on his side. "Redd, correct?"
He nodded.
"Fleece, I have more than enough to trade if you can fix up his injury a little better." Nico told her, his voice tired.
"Of course." The ghoul looked at the rest of us. "Where's Sia? Please, don't tell me she..."
I forced Pepper's body forward. "H-here."
Another retelling of the previous events later, I had caught Fleece up with what had happened while she worked on re-stitching Redd's side. Pepper and I had stayed with him while Nico and Violet went to trade for ammo, food, and water. Dad stayed in the waiting room to rest. I needed to have a talk with him, as well.
"Sooo... The necklace I gave you was enchanted and has a connection to something called the 'Rainbow Pearls', and it somehow caused you to lose your body to a magical, evil being who plans to find the pearls, along with another villainous being who wants them for a different reason, and now you're sharing a body with this young lady, here, until you can figure out a way to get yours back?" The undead pony recanted.
"I'd probably think it was a crock of shit, too." Pepper spoke up. "She even has a lame nickname: Fear Fighter."
Fleece didn't bat an eye at the change of voice, but snickered at the name. "Well, I must say, the one-hundred, seventy years I have been walking this planet, I have never seen anything like this." She shook her head. "But, I can't say things like this are impossible in Equestria. After all, magic (good or bad) has always been rampant, here."
"No surprises, then?" I chuckled, dryly.
She smiled. "I'm only surprised you haven't gone stir crazy. You've been in my thoughts, though, my friend."
-hurk-
The ghoul looked at Rocky sitting on the floor. He kept his wall-eyed gaze in Redd's general direction, wagging his tails.
She grinned. "I never thought the armadillo could get anymore adorable."
With practiced ease, she snipped the extra medical thread with a pair of sterile scissors. Redd didn't seem as timid around her as he was when he first arrived. The doctor finished up and levitated a vial of some sort over to him. The gray-white liquid inside did not look too appetizing. "This is a one-time antibiotic. You're developing a mild infection in your blood, but since it's still early, this will do the trick. It doesn't taste very good, so please try not to throw it up."
The tough buck grimaced, slightly. "I, uh... I'll try to keep it down."
"What about those crackers? Those should help." I said.
"Century old crackers will probably make me more nauseated." He flattened his ears.
Pepper rolled our eyes. "You got anything else in mind, cry baby?"
Redd glared at us, but knew better than to argue.
I shook our head as we turned to go to where our saddlebags were. "You don't have to be so mean to him." I whispered.
"Well, he shouldn't be so stubborn." Pepper said, out loud.
I was about to object, when I caught something, walking by Fleece's room. I remembered the room, since that was where she kept the dresses she stored. Something was different, though. She had cleared out some of her trinkets and left an empty space beside where her mattress lay. I spotted the corner of a basement door. It was a heavy, cement entrance. Stuff was still piled in front of most of it as if it were just an obsolete space, but my brain was telling me that it led somewhere, important.
"What is it?" Pepper asked, quietly. She must not have noticed.
"Do you see that door?" I asked.
"What about it?"
"I never noticed it." I said. "I wonder where it goes."
"Probably just some storage room." She dismissed it.
I squinted. "A simple storage room wouldn't have such a heavy door." I added that to the list of things to do. "I can ask Fleece about it, later. Let's get those crackers."
Upon stepping hoof in the waiting area, I noticed Dad was curled up next to our bags, his face contorted in thought. He was probably thinking about Gale. It only bothered me more, now that I knew he had known who she really was. If there was one thing my anxiety taught me, it was that some ponies probably didn't want to share their secrets. To argue with that, though, any knowledge of Gale would be extremely useful in saving the world.
"Dad?" I said, cautiously.
He didn't answer, so I had to repeat. "Daddy."
"Huh? Yes, sweetheart?"
"What's wrong?"
He forced a smile. "Nothing."
I felt the weird tingle in our forehead as Pepper levitated the box of crackers out.
"Come on, Dad. I know there's something on your mind." I said.
He shook his head. "I promise, there's nothing wrong. I'm just a little homesick for the tavern."
I gave him a few more seconds to tell me. When he never did, I exhaled. As bad as I wanted to push him for answers, it just wasn't the right time. He had lost his livelihood in that fire. "If you're sure. Promise you'll talk to me if something is bothering you, though."
"Of course. I don't mean to be closed off. It's not fair to you." He rubbed his neck. "With everything going on, I guess I'm mainly just worried about you. I just got you back in my life. I don't know what I would do if you were taken from me, again."
I wanted to hug him, but didn't. For Pepper's sake. "You won't. I'm gonna go get these to Redd. You get some rest, okay?"
He nodded with a yawn. I think it was fake, but didn't question it.
Redd sat up as we walked in. The crackers were set on the bedside table. Redd groaned when he saw the faded image of the crispy snack on the front. He finally relented and took out the packaging. They were never open, so maybe they wouldn't be so bad. After getting a few of them down, he pushed the box away, drinking the rest of the water Fleece had brought him.
"Thanks." He said, looking over at his side. "Well, it definitely looks and feels better." The stitches were fairing so much better. Thankfully the scars wouldn't be like Clockwork's. I cringed at the thought.
Nico trotted in, his saddlebags hanging over his back. "Okay, We have enough food and water to last a week." We were already good on most of the medical supplies. Ma managed to get a few cartridges for your energy weapons. I also bought a shotgun for Mixer. Can't always rely on brute strength."
"So we're all set?" I asked.
He nodded. "Sorry, no cake, though."
Damn. I needed a big slice, right now.
I grinned. "Well, as bad I hate missing out on the dessert of the Goddesses, I think we should get going as soon as Redd gets the okay from Fleece."
"Where are we going, now?" The unicorn stallion asked.
I shrugged, hopelessly. "I have no idea."
"Great. No plan. Again." Pepper mumbled.
I cleared our throat. "We need to find a way to track that Pipbuck."
"The only way you're gonna be able to do that, is if you have a computer mainframe that has some Stable-Tec software. That's the only way I know of, at least." Violet piped up as she walked through the door. She now wore a tarnished sword holder at her hip.
"Are you supposed to be a ninja, Vi?" Redd snickered.
She smiled, proudly. "It suits me. Sleek, stylish, quiet. Your energy rifles suit you, too. Big, loud, and needs to be cleaned frequently."
He rolled his eyes. "Ha-ha."
"Violet, how would we know what kind of computer to look for?" I asked.
She rubbed her chin. "Well, I guess to know for sure you'd look for the Stable-Tec logo. Of course, anypony who is tech-savvy can probably upload the programs onto a regular terminal. I'm not a computer genius, or anything, but I could probably figure it out if we need it."
Might as well be looking for a needle in a haystack. It'd be easier to find.
I sighed. "We will get to it when we get to it. Pepper and I will find Fleece and see if Redd is okay to travel."
We left the banter as we made our way down the hall. It only took a few steps before I spotted the doctor in her room, rummaging through her drawers. Junk had accumulated on the desk from her searching. It was also zooming over Pepper's head. "Whoa! Watch it!" She warned the ghoul.
Fleece turned for a brief moment before going back to the treasure hunt. "Sorry, hon. I'm trying to find the witch hazel salve. I've got a patient with a terrible rash on her backside."
I scrunched our nose. "Hope she feels better soon."
"Well, she would if she would stop messing with dirty, old stallions." She shook her head. "Prostitution has its downsides."
My face would have been pink if I was back in my body.
From the corner of my eye, I saw the concrete outline of the door. It piqued my interest to the point where I had to know more about it. "Hey, Fleece, where does that door lead?"
She looked up, now holding a half-used tube of paste. "Oh, that? I have not one clue. When I first got here, it was sealed pretty tight, but I managed to open it. Unfortunately, I couldn't get past the hallway. There are defense turrets that pack a bit of power. They shoot at anyone who goes through."
I swallowed. If there were turrets, there had to be something worth defending down there. Pepper swished her tail.
"You never asked anypony here if they knew what was in there? Surely, someone knows." I said.
"The topic did come up a few times, but nopony else knew, either. Ma did mention a giant, hidden lab." She waved it off. "But, I didn't really pay much attention. I did diagnose her with onset dementia, after all."
A hidden lab? Right under Floater?
I thought a moment. "Why would they build a lab here? I haven't seen any above-ground structures that look like an entrance to something like that."
Her head nodded towards the secret door. "That is the entrance. This clinic was build around it. Personally, I don't believe there ever was a government operation down there. The placement seems less... secure than it should be, other than the turrets."
I stared at the entrance, hoping it would spill its secrets.
"Actually," Fleece pointed out. "One of the bartenders at the casino let it slip that there is another underground entrance in the security room at the Beacon. They had the same problem with the turrets, though, so the manager of the place resealed it and deemed it hazardous."
"So, they put an entrance here and in the Beacon?" I contemplated the distance between the two. "That's about a hoofball field in length, give or take a few yards."
Fleece nodded. "It's a huge facility, if the rumors are true." She started towards the hall. "I'd better get this to Night Dancer."
A lab would have a computer.
"Wait." I interjected before she disappeared. "Would it be okay if we went down there to check it out? If it's a lab, there should be a terminal good enough to track a Pipbuck."
She looked as if I had just slapped her in the face. "You can't be serious."
"I-I am."
"That corridor is lined with those turrets. there are at least half a dozen. A few of them shoot lasers!" The salve almost fell from her levitation spell. "You could get seriously hurt, or worse!"
"But what if that's the only chance I have? There's a lot at stake, Fleece. Not just getting my body back, but there are lives on the line, too." I pleaded.
Her surprise faltered, turning into worry. "What if there isn't even a laboratory? If so, we don't even know if there's anything left. The security systems could just be faulty."
"I have to try." I put a hoof on hers. "There's a risk no matter what I do. At least, this way there's a better chance to make things right."
Her eye drilled into mine, as if begging me to take back my plans. Eventually, she drew a breath and stomped her hoof. "Damn it, I am going to regret this. Alright, but you had better be careful. Don't come back here riddled with bullet holes."
I gave her a half-hearted smile. "Thank you. I promise, if it's too much, we will abort."
She shook her head, holding up the tube. "Let me apply this, and I will come back to move the junk from the door."
With a nod, I headed the opposite direction back into the waiting area. Nico sat across from the sleeping form that was my father. He held a pencil in his magic, writing something in an old notepad. When he saw us, he quickly put it away. "So...?"
Oh, crap. I forgot to ask about Redd. He is probably in no state to go with us, anyway.
"Uh, well, Redd doesn't need to go where we are going." I said, timidly.
Nico raised a brow. "And, where are we going, exactly?"
For a few seconds, I couldn't figure out how to tell him we were going underground, risking getting saturated in bullet holes by overactive security turrets, and exploring a (possibly empty or dangerous) research facility. Shouldn't have been too hard, right?
"Well, apparently, there's an ancient lab under our hooves. Filled with guns. Like, sentinel turrets. There could be a computer there!" I just blurted it all out, getting ready for a negative response from him.
He blinked, then closed his eyes and breathed out. "Okay. That is crazy. You're gonna have to explain that one a little better."
Better reaction than I could have hoped for.
"There's some kind of basement door in Fleece's room that is rumored to be the 'undisclosed' entrance to a lab. There is also one in the security room in the Beacon, but that one is closed off. It's all under speculation, but there is one thing we know for sure."
"Which is?" He eyed me, carefully.
"A hall full of turrets. Those are real, as proven by Fleece when she attempted to check it out." I sighed.
There went that sour frown, again. "Can't say I'm surprised you'd find something like that."
"Are you in, or not?" Pepper demanded an answer.
He looked from my eye, to hers, then back to mine. "I trust you know what you're doing. We've been through almost everything else, it seems. I am, however, going to find you both some kind of protection. Barding, at least. To keep your important organs from turning into swiss cheese. At least it's just stationed turrets and not, oh, I don't know... an army of ultra sentinels."
I mentally hoofbumped myself. Mostly, for not getting scolded. "That's fair."
"I hate wearing clothes." Pepper took her vocal chords back. "Whoever came up with idea for clothes is a real whack-job."
I cleared our throat as I took control, again. "It's just until we get out of there. Or when we know it's safe."
She rolled our eyes. "Fine. I can't dodge while sharing my skills with you, anyway."
One ugly set of barding (seriously, he bought the same one he made me wear when I first got to Floater) and one game plan review with the team later, and we were all set. As expected, there were mixed reactions. I hadn't really thought about what supplies we could leave or bring since we were, literally, going to be right under the town. There was also the issue with Redd, still. My fault.
I looked at the room full of ponies, then behind me at the basement door. Fleece had just finished removing the last of the junk. The door was definitely bigger than it seemed.
"I bet there are robots or mutant animals or top secret weapons or-"
"Easy, Violet. Don't waste your energy fantasizing about a place that's probably empty." Redd told the green mare.
She folded her forelegs, landing on the ground next to him. "Don't be a stick in the mud."
Fleece checked Redd's wrapping to make sure everything was in order. She finally nodded. "You are okay to go, but when the going gets tough, you will not get going. You will sit and shoot from a distance, and only if you are up to it."
Violet snickered at the stallion as he groaned. "I am not a colt!"
Fleece chuckled. "Hon, I didn't say you were."
-hrk- -hrk-
"Sorry, Rocky. I'll be nice to your friend." She hid her laugh behind her flaked hoof.
As if satisfied with the answer, the animal plopped down next to Redd.
"You'd better stay behind, Rocky. Fleece will take care of you, don't worry." Violet said to the animal.
He blinked, then rolled over on his back and went to sleep. He didn't seem as dumb as Dad had said.
"Ugh. This stupid barding is itchy." Pepper completed her 10th doggy-ear-scratch since we had put on the clothing. Couldn't say I blamed her, there.
"Let's just... try to get this over, quickly." I said, "Let's get the door open."
Nico, Fleece, and Pepper all ignited their horns, engulfing the concrete slab in a trio of different colors. I wasn't expecting the door to be that heavy, but once they started lifting, I felt the immense pressure on Pepper's forehead just as much as she did. See, I had always thought a unicorns magic could levitate most anything, since they weren't physically picking it up. I was instantly reconditioned when I felt the headache growing. Thankfully, it didn't take long for all three of them to swing it open. With a loud bang and a cloud of concrete dust, we could finally see inside.
"It's dark." Dad said.
He wasn't lying. I could barely see anything beyond what was cast in light by Fleece's room. Lowering our head slowly, Pepper and I took the first peek inside. Thank Celestia we didn't get our head blown off. It was almost pitch black in the hall, save for a few distant, blinking, red lights. They weren't enough to light up anything around them. They looked like the stars in the sky.
I really wish I had my Pipbuck.
Nico rolled his eyes, and lit up his horn. The soft, blue glow was a little brighter than a lantern probably would have been, but still not as bright as a modern flashlight. We descended down the few steps, one by one. Couldn't risk them falling apart. They were the same type of steps you'd see in a factory cat walk. I guess you could imagine the rust that accumulated over time.
"I wish I could go with you." Fleece said, stopping on the second step.
I turned, giving her a reassuring smile. "I would feel better knowing you were here with your patients. Besides, we can handle it!"
She faked a smile, back. "I know."
As she turned to head back up, I faced the dark hallway with the same amount of fear I had since the previous day. I wasn't sure if it was the dark, the endless void, or just not knowing what to expect. We had been told about the turrets. The pre-war security system still managed to see everyone as a threat. They were, most likely, programmed to only let authorized personnel inside. Good for security, bad for us.
"Sweetheart, I-I'm not sure about this." Dad whispered.
If anxiety was genetic, then I have no doubt where it came from.
"I-It's alright, Dad." I swallowed back the fear in my voice. "We can do this."
I took some comfort in the familiar weight of Bob, holstered at my shoulder. It took a ton of convincing, but Pepper eventually accepted the weapon. I also had the knife, given to me by Weights. It had somehow ended up in Nico's inventory.
The hall, as it turned out, did not go in a straight line. Instead, some of the halls snaked their way under the town. Halls. As in, plural. Although it was tiresome to come across a cave-in at every turn. It seemed like every corner we turned, there was a giant mound of concrete and rebar. The only upside to this, was that the main hall was still fairly linear. It was easy enough to not go in circles.
I just wanted to get it over with. If I could just find Gale and get that foal away from her, I would at least feel some hope. The more I seemed to try, the worst things got. The paranoia kept nagging at the back of my mind. "I bet they think you led her to the pearls on purpose." I tightened Pepper's jaw. She probably assumed I was afraid of the dark. Better for her to think that than to know I'm responsible for all of Gale's misdeeds. Especially, since I put that colt's life in danger. I would not let myself forget that. I wouldn't hesitate, again.
Don't hesitate.
It wasn't that hard to realize we had made it to where we were going. When we turned the final corner, I saw the flashing, yellow light right above a steel door. I barely made out the letters painted on it.
Ministry of Arcane Sciences
Undisclosed Mini-Lab #4
Authorized Researchers Only
I whispered. "So, it's true... Not just any lab, either. It's a M.A.S facility."
"Whoa." Violet stared, in awe.
A sudden beep echoed off the walls. Then another. And two more. Before we knew it, a row of green lights appeared, changed to red, and buzzed as if warning us. "Get cover!" Nico yelled. Nico, Pepper and I jumped behind a huge slab of concrete. The others took cover behind a corner of the hall. The storm of bullets barely missed us. There were even two laser beams flying past.
The rounds exploded into the floor next to us, almost loud enough to deafen someone.
"Saw that coming!" Violet yelled from across the way. "What do we do, Fear Fighter?"
I had no time to scold her for the name. I kept Pepper's hooves over her head for cover. "Do we have grenades?"
"Bad idea!" Redd hollered. "We use explosives, we risk this place caving in!"
Shit. One shot at a time, then.
The bullets suddenly stopped, right before we heard the short buzzing, again.
I looked over at Dad, who had flattened himself to the floor. Next to him, a tiny crack in the concrete would let us see the positions of the turrets. "Dad."
"Hm?"
"Can you see through that crack?" I whispered.
The cream-colored pegasus eyed the crack, before he slowly got closer to it. He visibly struggled to get the right angle, but eventually did. "I see them. There are four on each side. It looks like two of them have laser technology."
"Okay, so no taking them head on." I clenched Pepper's jaw.
"I guess we will be fighting firepower with firepower." Redd grinned.
"From a distance." I added. "So it will be best to use a rifle with a scope."
Everyone looked Nico's way. His eyes shot from one of us to the next, then he flattened his ears. "Fine."
"All you have to do is levitate your gun out into the hall with your magic, and shoot each one a few times. Aim for the base." The base would contain the "brain" of the machine. It's also what attaches them to the wall.
He nodded, the rifle floating around the corner, carefully. No rain of bullets, yet.
"Okay, aim the best you can and shoot when I say shoot." I looked back to Mixer. "Dad, watch where the round hits and let him know where to aim."
He nodded, not taking his eyes off the crack.
"Okay, shoot!" I yell-whispered.
The first shot rang out, almost bursting our ear drum in the closed-in space. I heard the round impact the concrete on the opposite side of the hall.
"Aim left and up, slightly." Dad instructed
Another shot. This time, we were rewarded with the small blast of the turret coming apart.
"You got it!" Dad smiled. "Seven to go!"
Nico's aim had to be corrected a couple of times on the next one, but he still managed to destroy that one, too. He had gotten the hang of our targeting system, so the next couple of turrets were easier. Four left, and two of those were the laser turrets. It took a couple of shots for one of those to short out. The last two regular systems were down, in a hurry. I waited for Dad's instructions on the last of the laser turrets. I noticed the struggle when he began to sweat.
"Everything okay?" I asked.
"I, uh..." He paused, then looked up at me, defeated. "I can't get a good sight on the last one."
Shit, again.
"Shit." Pepper read my mind.
"Couldn't he just keep shooting and eventually get it?" Violet spoke up.
"There's no time. Plus, that would waste ammo." I said.
Redd shifted his weight. "I could always-"
"No! I won't have you get hurt, again!" I shouted.
He looked at me, surprised. "Okay, okay!"
Silence. I would have hated to go back just because of one turret.
"I could peek around the corner. I'm 'Flashbang', after all." Violet said, proudly.
It would have been great if a million other suggestions would have filled my head. Instead, all I thought about was Violet's getting shot off. "No, way!"
She snorted. "Come on, Sia. I'm fast. By the time one of those things beeps, I'll know to duck. And plus, I can aim Nico's gun for him, as long as he can hold it steady!"
I bit my lip, trying to think of the odds of her dying. It did take a full second and three-fourths for the turret to start shooting after it gave the warning buzz. I've seen Violet fly in our P.E. class in high school. It only took her ten and a half seconds to fly the entire, seven-part course.
"Come oooon!" She said. "Let me do this!"
I growled. "Fine! But don't get killed, please!"
She rolled her eyes, playfully. "I won't! Get your gun ready, Hotshot."
Nico flattened his ears, but obeyed. "Alright. Make it quick. The trigger is sensitive, so you won't have to slam it."
She nodded, crouching to get ready.
"Okay... Now!"
At lightening speed, Violet flew around the corner, aimed, and pulled the trigger. It was so fast, I barely had time to register what happened. When I looked back, she was already standing behind Nico, again, grinning. The bullet had struck home, causing a shower of sparks from the weapon. It would only take one more shot, before-
-BZZT-
A laser round went off as she went back for the second shot.
"Agh!" She yelped as the turret exploded.
"Violet!" I ran to her.
It had worked! All the turrets were now gone!
I went to congratulate her, but stopped when I saw her holding her ear. There was no blood or anything, but once she moved her hoof, I saw the turret had managed to get one hit. Half of her ear had been shot off. The blackened end had been cauterized. "Goddesses, Violet! I told you to be careful!"
She smiled, sheepishly, holding back tears. "I-It's fine! I've had worse..."
I shook my head. "Thankfully, it's not bleeding, but you'll still have to have it looked at to prevent infection."
"Y-yeah. I will." She hissed in pain as she reached for it, again. "I should probably not be so cocky."
"Ya think?" Redd spoke. "You dimwit!"
"At least we got them all. The door isn't locked, either, from what I can tell." Dad inspected the steel entrance.
I took a breath. "Let's just go in."
I twisted the handle, ready to run away from any danger than jumps out at us.
As it creaked open, the fluorescent lights almost blinded me. When our eyes focused, I was almost breathless at what I saw.
Almost...
ERROR: NO STATS TO DISPLAY
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Level Up!
New Perk
Energy Sufficient - Your energy weapons now use 25% less charge with each shot.