//------------------------------//
// Chapter 12: Easy Come, Easy Go 
// Story: Fallout: Equestria - Change 
// by MetalGearSamus 
//------------------------------//


“Earth does break the things that we make.”


Living was not easy.

The first day I found nothing. I wandered amongst the rubble of the city until I heard the far-off roar of Fugax’s tank. I flew up and away, over the lake. I slept alone, in one of the more stable-looking buildings that protruded from the water. I slept fitfully, haunted by a bright light in a dark alley. On the second day I woke to another rainstorm. I tried to wait it out, but the clouds refused to close. I flew south, blinking water from my eyes until I finally emerged from the downpour. That night I collapsed beneath the wiry arms of a dead tree, dusty and exhausted. On the third day, morning light revealed the bodies of some raiders on the opposite side of my bed, wiggling in the wind like overripe fruit. I found nothing valuable on the bodies.

Continuing south, I came upon a trail of fresh hoofprints. I followed them over brown hills until they disappeared into a stagnant stream. I wandered through the water until the trail reemerged. The movement of the pony (or ponies) was now writ in dark mud; I hovered upwards to see if I could find them. I was in luck. I saw a wagon, just over the next bend. I flew closer, then dropped back onto the trail they had made. Two ponies pulled the wagon, while a dirty cream unicorn with a crosshair as a Cutie Mark sat on its roof, a rifle slung over his shoulder. I came upon them briskly, smiling but with my gun loose in its holster; I was disguised as Surprise.

“Hello!” I called out to them, donning my brightest smile. The stallion on top whipped around at the sound of my voice. I felt the fear in him, and before he could crack off his first shot I was dodging it. He took time to aim the second shot, but I kept my distance and managed to avoid it. “Stop!” I shouted. “I don’t want to fight.” No third bullet came.

“Who the ‘ell are you?” He kept me in his sights, the rifle gripped steadily in his magic. By now his companions had taken up positions on either side of him. One was an orange-spotted yellow mare, the other a rose and lime stallion.

“I don’t want to fight,” I repeated. “I’m looking... I’m lost.”

There was a pause. I felt a faint unease waft from his mind. Suddenly, the mare said, “You’re from the Enclave. What are you doing here?”

“I’m lost,” I repeated, taking a step forward. “Do you know the way to Tubers?” It was where Surprise and I had been heading before I had abandoned her.

“Hold up!” The unicorn stabbed his gun at me. “Answer the question, pegasus,” he growled.

“I... I’m not the Enclave.” I wracked my brain, but I knew almost nothing about the Enclave. “I’m trying to get to Tubers.”

“You’re a pegasus in Enclave armor, you expect me to believe that shit?” I felt a tension from all three of them. I got ready to flee.

“I’m not Enclave. I killed one of the Enclave, and took their armor.” That gave them pause; the unicorn’s rifle dipped low for a moment.

“You a deserter?”

I did not know what that word meant, but the way he said was almost hopeful. If he wanted me to be a deserter, I would give him what he wanted. “Yes. I am,” I said. It was the right answer: he gave a short nod, and jumped off the wagon. His gun was still on me, but I could tell he was beginning to relax. I just needed to make him trust me.

“Why?” he asked.

Why? “Well, they tried to kill my Que—” I coughed to stop myself. “They tried to kill my mother. So I killed them. We had to run away from the Enclave.”

“And where is your mother now?”

“She—Tubers. She’s in Tubers. We were headed there together, but we got separated when more of the Enclave came after us.” I swallowed, and took another step forward, putting on a sad, scared face, the same one Surprise had worn when I first met her. “Please, do you know how to get there? Am I going the right way?” That got to him. He swung the rifle onto his back, and closed the gap between us.

“Yeah, missy, this is the right direction. But you still got a helluva ways to go.”


* * * * *


The stallion’s name was White Wind, and his companions were Tango Seed (the mare) and Golden Grime (the other stallion).

“Grime and I are from around Manehatten, originally. We ran into Tango near New Appleloosa, and we tried to make a living there, but life never seemed to give us anything good. Raiders kept coming back, even if you scoured their dens, an’ Red Eye and his slave trade are stretching their limbs father outside of Fillydelphia each day. Losing Stock and Core was the final nail in th’ coffin. So we headed south, to the Fields. Heard it was quieter, emptier... not easier, mind you, but maybe just a bit more peaceful.”

“Is it?” I asked. We were pulling the wagon together, as we had been since my arrival. Grime and Tango did not trust me enough to let me out of their sights, and they were tired from pulling the wagon besides. The Fields were all I knew. If they were supposed to be peaceful, then I dreaded discovering more of the greater Wasteland.

“Well, I’ll let you know when we get there.” He chuckled. “The journey hasn’t been, I can tell you that.”

“Still better than Appleloosa,” Grime murmured.

“That’s only ‘cuz you didn’t like apples, GeeGee,” Tango chidded, bumping him bodily.

“And that’s ‘cuz there was nothin’ to eat but apples, apple pies, and applesauce! A pony needs variety! I get sick now, just from the smell of ‘em.” He made a gagging noise. “I don’t care if the Fields got more or less raiders so long as they got more than one type of food.”

Tango laughed, but White Wind ignored their banter. He told me about their life, their fights with raiders, the friends they had lost. I kept him talking all through the day, asking all the questions that came to my mind and feeding him a story or two of my own when he prompted me. Luckily, these ponies seemed to know as much about the Enclave as I did, so none of the details I provided were questioned. By the end of the day, Tango had warmed up to me, and with her came Golden Grime.

We made camp as the sun sank beneath the horizon. They chose a patch in the road between two hills, and started a small cook fire. There was a dinner of dried flowers and some unknown meat, but it did nothing to slow the rise of my true hunger.

White had first watch, and so he trotted off to a higher vantage point as Tango extinguished the fire. It was too risky to keep it going through the night, she explained. Fortunately they had blankets, and as I curled up in mine I saw that she and Grime had another way of keeping warm. I felt a stirring of emotion as they curled up together, but they were soon asleep, so my second meal was short and unfilling. I smiled, however: now I knew how to get love out of this group.

The next day we traveled mostly in silence. The hills were constant, but dwindling, as were the grasses and shrubs that dotted their slopes. I asked about the change once, but they only shrugged.

Shortly after lunch, we crested a hill and found a sprawling settlement. Tents and the ashes of fires spread out before us. They encircled a flat wagon that looked more like a theater stage at a distance. A horde of ponies milled about the encampment: a moving rainbow of dirty hair and ragged clothing. The smell of manure permeated the air, growing stronger as we crept closer.

“What the hell’s all this?” Grime asked.

“I ain’t got a clue,” White replied. “They don’t look like raiders, though. Hell, I barely see any weapons.”

When we drew close enough to the vagabond camp, a gaggle of ponies stepped out to greet us. At their head was a familiar face: it was the pony who had been preaching in Maize. He still had a pair of broken glasses over dark purple eyes, as well as a pepped grey mane with a steely black coat. His Cutie Mark was an empty, six-pointed halo. A chill ran down my spine when I recognized him. If Unity were here...

“My friends, welcome!” The preacher greeted us with a broad smile. “What brings you down this road?”

“Tubers,” White explained cautiously. “We’re headed for the Fields.”

“Well, if that is true then you are fortunately close. Tubers is a mere day from this spot. But why would you want to go to such a place? It is no haven. There is a war there.”

White frowned at that. “War? We heard it was quieter down there...”

“Oh, the dead are awful quiet, yes,” the preacher said, “but that is not the quiet you seek, I hope? No, I thought not. Trust me, my friend, you will not find peace in the Fields. It is no better than the rest of this Wasteland. That is why we are leaving.”

My new companions exchanged a look. “Leaving for where?” Grime asked from atop our wagon. He and Tango had their guns out, but they were not raised.

“Unity!” the preacher declared. It was the answer I had expected. What the Abomination wanted with a horde of ponies I could not guess, but the longer I let this preacher speak the more likely I was to lose my new allies. And the longer we stayed here the more likely one of Unity’s vessels was to show up and detect me. I could not afford another encounter with them, especially not amongst their followers.

“We need to find my mother,” I asserted. “She’s in Tubers. If you’re right about the war, we need to get there as soon as possible.”

The preacher’s smile dipped at my outburst. “My friend, I am sorry to say, but Tubers is the last place you will wish to be. Most of my congregation is made up of ponies who have fled from that city—and all fled from the Fields. We have no pegasi among us, unfortunately, but if your mother is smart she will soon enough flee as well. The war is coming to that city, in a way it never came to the others. This will be no minor skirmish, believe me. It will be true war. Tubers will melt.”

“Hold on,” White interjected, “what war? D’you mean the Zebra are back?”

“No, not the Zebra. It is ponies fighting ponies, yet it is war all the same. A Stable opened and out poured an unholy brood of unicorns calling themselves ‘New Canterlot.’ They claim dominion of the Fields by right of faux-royal blood, and intend to conquer Equestria as well.”

“They say they are the rock around which Equestria will rise,” one of the preacher’s followers said.

“Pah! What blasphemy they spew!” the preacher spat. “This ‘New Canterlot'i s the the sixth such cult our Goddess has seen try and reestablish our capital; it is as uncreatively named as all the others, and just as weak. Only the Goddess can save Equestria now. I have seen her power, my friends. Unity is the only redemption this world has left to it. Join us, and I will show you.”

“But what about Tubers,” I pressed. I did not want to talk about the abomination, or hear more of his religious ravings. “Why will the war destroy it?”

“Even as we speak, a legion of Steel Ranger marches to reinforce their brothers,” the preacher stated. “I spoke with their leader, and told him what I knew of these new blasphemers. The two armies will clash at the city, I have no doubt, and it will be razed to the ground in the crossfire. The unicorns’ powers grow, day by day, but even at their peak they do not have the numbers to overcome all the factions of the Wasteland, let alone the Steel Rangers. They are but children, barely able to walk in this strange world, whereas the Steel Rangers have dominated these lands since they were first scorched. They will crack the rock, and the resulting avalanche will crush any who are nearby. I say again: do not go that way.”

“But I have to,” I said, giving White a panicked look. “I need to find my mother.” I need to apologize to Surprise. I need to build my hive. I need to help my friends.


* * * * *


In the end, my companions were not converted. Tango was interested in the preacher's words at first, but White and Grime were not so easily persuaded, thanks in small part to my staunch instance we reach Tubers. White was dismayed by the prospect of a war in the Fields, but I pointed out that we had no reason to believe all of what the preacher said, especially since he seemed more interested in gathering new converts than anything else.

“We can always double back if there’s nothing down there for us,” Tango added. “A big group like this moves slow.” And with that the matter was settled.

We made camp farther down the road, at the top of a hill. We did not make any fire that night, so long after Tango and Grime had fallen asleep in each others hooves I was left shivering and hungry under the infinite black sky. My armor might have kept me warm, but it was uncomfortable to sleep in and I had taken it off. When I could stand the pains no longer, I threw off my ragged blanket and trotted over to where White Wind was keeping watch. I stopped by his side, and he gave me a concerned look that I could barely see.

“What’s wrong, missy?” he asked.

“I can’t sleep, I’m too...” Hungry was what I thought, but what I said was, “...scared. I just can’t stop thinking about what that preacher said. What if he’s right? What if mom gets caught in a battle?” I sniffled.

“Don’t worry...” He turned toward me. “We don’t even know if he’s telling the truth, like you said.”

“Oh Celestia, what if she dies?” I went on. “We barely managed to escape the Enclave. I... I don’t know what I would do without her. Oh—” I faked a sob and shivered.

“Uh, hey...” He put a cautious hoof on my shoulder. “Hey, listen, she ain’t gonna die. She’s got wings, right? She can get to safety faster than anypony else, and it’s hard as hell to hit a flying target, even fer me.”

“R-really?”

“Yeah, I swear it. And in a battle, nopony’s gunna be gunning for those who run away anyway. Especially if they ain’t on either side.”

“Okay... yeah...” I gave another sniffle. His hoof was still on my shoulder, his head bent low to hear me better. I felt emotions simmering within him: a confusion, a hope, a hurt. He wanted to comfort me, that much was certain. And I wanted to feed. “I’m so cold down here.” I shivered again, looking up at him.

“Missy—”

I moved forward, and we were kissing.

His emotions unified then, and I drank deep from his passion. It was not a pure love, but it was hot and powerful. I urged him on, with my mouth and body, and he was all too happy to oblige. My hunger was gone, but I was not yet full, and I did not know when I might next get a chance to feed. I had never gone beyond a kiss, but any reservations I had were swept aside as the current of his emotions strengthened. He took over, moving us to pursue his pleasure while I let go of myself to focus on feeding. I would not be overwhelmed this time. I would not do to him what I had done to Garlic.

We gasped and shuddered for very different reasons, but in the end we lay on the ground together, spent and happy. I had fed, and I was very full.

See, Fugax? See, Chrysalis? It can be done. We can live here. I will not go back. I will not be consumed. I will survive.

The next morning I woke refreshed. All the small aches and anxieties that had built within me were gone. I felt strong and whole, and full of hope. White Wind seemed very much the same, smiling and exuding a constant stream of happiness. That day, as we traveled, we stuck close to each other, talking when we had to pull the wagon and huddling together when we stood watch on top. All the time I fed, growing stronger and stronger. Had I not been in such a hurry I would have considered keeping him. He was pleasant, and never did I sense any cruelty in him, even when we chanced upon a group of raiders and left them dead in the dust. That had been a short battle: the raiders had been hiding out in an abandoned barn, but several barrels of gas or oil had been strew around the property, and when the bullets started flying the field was quickly set ablaze. The barn burned and collapsed, and before the raiders’ screams had all died the embers were already cooling.

“What a shitty way to go,” White muttered.

“Aye,” agreed Grime.


* * * * *


I fed from White twice more that night, then left before dawn broke. I flew on through the darkness, full of energy. I felt a little bad for leaving them, but I did not want to be held back and risk losing Surprise’s trail. I needed to move fast.

I reached Tubers as the sun rose. The city was a ruin. Scorched earth surrounded the collapsed, melted mess that was all that remained of the factory-turned city. Pillars jutted up from the metal entrails like rocky bones stripped of muscle. I had not seen the smoke trails rising in the dimness of dawn, and by the time I was close enough to see what had become of the city light was pouring across the horizon, washing the land in an red-orange glow. A few twisted walls remained on the south corner, but even those were scorched and scarred.

I surveyed the area. I was not worried, not yet. Surprise was a cautious pony, and I was not certain she had come to Tubers in the first place. The southern mountain range rose high in the near distance, blocking out the glare of sunlight as I searched through the cooling rubble. A river trickled by to my right, snaking away toward the sea. I saw evidence of a dam and aqueduct further upstream, but no sign of activity. Bodies were strew about the facility: some Steel Rangers, some civilians, and plenty of blackened, cooked corpses poked out from the city's remains. The smell of them made my mouth water and my stomach churn, and I was still not sure which reaction I preferred. I searched through the bodies but took only a few knives and ammo for my shotgun.

There was no sign of Surprise, or of anything at all, really. There was not even evidence of a Plantation left, and there must have been one nearby at some point, I knew.

My mood grew as black as the smoke hanging above me. This was not the welcome I had hoped for.

I scouted the mountains next. It was a long trot upstream before the rocks started to rise, but my wings allowed me to sweep quickly from the east to north, following the turn of the land. I investigated any suspicious outcroppings, but found nothing until the sun had risen above the clouds. There was a small path up the mountain, decorated with rotten signs that I could no longer be read. I followed the trail, and found a cave at its end. I grew hopeful, but inside there was nothing but damp rock and a few boxes.

I cursed. Tubers was the only lead I had to go on, but I knew in my heart Surprise would not have stuck around after the battle. I did not want to lose her.

I broke open the boxes and found some dried fruit and two sacs of beets. I snacked on a few of them--I knew now that I needed food to heal and transform--as I pondered my next move. I decided to follow the Steel Ranger’s warpath. It was not difficult to find. New hoofprints and wagon tracks marched away from the remains of Tubers. I flew westward, deeper into the fields. 

I found their convoy at midday. They had continued in a straight line, not following the land, and were now trodding along the northern coastline. The sea was dark, and a mist was rolling in from the direction of Baltimare. Dead bushes poked out from the sand dunes below me.

As soon as I saw the Rangers, they saw me. I shrieked as a flare exploded underneath me. The heat was not harmful, but the message was clear. I was in their sights. I began a slow descent as a pair of Steel Rangers trotted toward me.

“Stand down, Enclave.” Both of them had cannons on their backs. “What are you doing in this area?”

“I’m looking for my... sister,” I said. “She looks like me. Have you seen her?”

There was a pregnant pause. I sensed they were talking between themselves. The ranger who had first spoken responded. “We have the pony you’re looking for,” she said.

Relief, then apprehension, jolted through me. “Where is she?”

“Safe,” she answered. Another pause. “Surrender yourself to us. If you cooperate we will release you and your companion. You will be free to go, as long as you do not interfere further with the war here.”

“And... if I don't trust your word?”

“The I have orders to haul you back by force.” She sounded bored, like she was only half paying attention to the conversation she was apart of. “I do not harbor you or your... associate any ill will, but your appearance and participation in recent events is of interest to us, Changeling.” A chill flowed through me, and I tensed.

“How-?”

“You can’t possibly think we didn’t question your associate. Or that your actions in the past weeks have gone unnoticed, can you?”

I ground my teeth in silence.

“Before we bring you in, I wish to ask you a few questions. Do you understand?”

I felt blood rushing through my ears. I managed to nod.

“What is your name, Changeling?” she asked.

“Worker,” I spat.

“Is that name unique?”

“..what?”

“In your social-system is the name ’Worker’ unique? I am an Intelligence Officer, but that is not my name. Do you get a name beyond your role?”

“Worker is my name.”

“Hmm. Mine is Kernel. I believe you met my cousin, Cobb, shortly before you were abducted in Maize, am I correct?”

The memory sent a pang of rage and humiliation through me. I choked out an affirmation.

“Excellent. My guess was right. Now, come with us, Changeling. We will let you see your friend.” She turned and trotted back toward the convoy. I followed reluctantly, and her companion fell into step behind me. I grew more anxious as Kernel continued speaking.

“I will be frank, Changeling, you have done a poor job hiding your movements through these lands. Not that it was simple to piece together your trail after my brothers in arms first encountered you, but once we acquired a few key witnesses most of what you had done became incredibly obvious. To me, at least, but that could always be because this job is my specialty. I know how to get information from people.”

I wasn’t quite sure why she was telling me all this, but I suspected most of it was a lie.

“Do you admire Surprise?” She tilted her head back.

“What? Why would I?”

“You are looking for her and you wear her skin. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, you know.”

My cheeks burned as I dropped my disguise. I kept my head down and said nothing. The air was cooling quickly, and the mist had overtaken the convoy by the time we reached the back wagons. I felt the eyes of all the Rangers on me as Kernel led me through their midst. Suddenly we stopped, and her companion left without a word. I could see only a few feet in any direction. I felt like we were sitting in a cloud.

“Surprise will be here shortly,” Kernel stated. “But first, tell me about yourself.”

“What about me?”

“Tell me everything. Goals. Knowledge. Experiences. It is my job to collect information, so give me information.”

I hesitated. Pale darkness swallowed us.

“Talk, Changeling,” she said, still in that same disinterested tone. “Talk now and be truthful, or my duties will require the implementation of extortion, torture, and other such unpleasant coercions. I don't enjoy it.”

A faint green glow came from the sockets of her armored mask. Light danced in the air between us.

“Just talk, Worker.”

I started from the beginning.


* * * * *


Surprise greeted me with a scowl. “Worker.”

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I didn’t mean to leave you.” I started to explain. We were in the middle of the convoy, the mist swirling around us, as Kernel and two other escorts watched over us.

“Stop,” Surprise said after a moment. “I don’t care, Worker. Why did you even come back?” She gave me a hard look. “I know how you work, you just use ponies. I don’t want to give you love.”

The words crashed into me, and I grasped for words. “I... I thought you were a friend...” My cheeks hurt. I had not expected this. Anger, sure, I had abandoned her after all, but not such an abrupt and utter rejection. I felt numb.

“A... friend?” Her voice had softened, but she was still doubtful. “I don’t believe that. We’re your prey, Worker; I’ve heard the stories. You eat us!”

“No! We don’t eat you.” I tasted the memory of blood and flesh. “We feed. Just your emotions. Just your feelings. We don’t eat you. It doesn’t hurt.” I felt tears start to roll down my cheeks. I had been more worried about her than I had admitted to myself. Her words cut deeper than I imagined they could have.

“Our records indicate otherwise,” Kernel put in. “Mind control, comas, imprisonment and starvation; not very pretty.”

I hissed in rage at the Intelligence Officer. “I don’t do that. I don’t need to. My Queen... Chrysalis wanted to trick ponies. She hated ponies. We hated them because she hated them.” I took a step closer to Surprise. She balked. “Please... I’ve seen how it ends. Hate doesn’t work. Deceit doesn’t work. I just want to live. I just want my friends.”

“Worker...” Surprise sighed. “I made up my mind. I didn’t think you were coming back. The Steel Rangers... I told them about the NCs. They offered me a job. They... they say they can heal me. I might be able to fly.” She gave me a sad look. It hurt less than her earlier anger, but I still could not help but cry. “You saved me once. Thank you. But I want this more than your...” She bit her lip. “...your friendship.”

I knew she did not mean to be so harsh, but I could not find a reason to disagree with her.

“I understand,” I mumbled.


* * * * *


“Well, that was exciting,” Kernel droned after Surprise had been taken away. I refused to dignify that with a response. “Don’t fret, we will let you go soon. I just have one more thing I want to check.” She said something into her helmet I could not hear, and then sat patiently as the mist thinned around us. I heard another pony trot up to us from behind. I turned my head and gasped.

“Tulip!?”

“You!” Tulip stopped in her tracks, eye twitching. “Why is it always you!?” She was clad in light armor that covered her neck and back, but offered little protection for her legs. Her face was smattered with warpaint.

I hissed at her.

“Yeah, fuck you too.” She turned to Kernel. “Why am I here? Do I get to kill him?” She cracked a smile as the possibility occurred to her.

“Nooo,” Kernel sang, in that constant, almost-bored tone, “I just needed to confirm he is the one you encountered. You are dismissed.”

Tulip gave a harsh grunt and stormed off while I fumed in silence. Kernel huffed in amusement, and moved to stand in front of me.

“I have no further questions, Changeling.”

“Does that mean I can leave?”

“No,” she shook her head. “Follow me. My commander is interested in meeting you.” As she spoke her companion rematerialized from the mist. I trudged along between them and kept my focus on the ground. It was only a short while before we found her commander.

The armor he wore was caked with grime and mud. A sawed off alicorn horn was soldered to his helmet, its top covered in dried blood, and a pair of brilliant blue wings were bolted to his sides. They drooped over the barrels of the biggest pair of guns I had seen so far. The turrets were so polished they almost glinted, even in this lighting. He stood alone near a makeshift table that had been set up at the head of the convoy, examining a map.

“Who are you?” I asked, awestruck.

“I am Star Paladin Rock Crusher,” he said, turning to me. His voice was deep and booming. “You are the Changeling. Officer Kernel has already sent me a briefing on the information you have given me; you claim to have encountered the alicorns before?”

“Y-yes,” I said, glancing at his grotesque trophies. “You met them too?:

“Indeed. One of the alicorns asked me to join their ‘Unity.’ ‘Become one of us’ it said.” He chuckled; it was a dark, wheezing noise. “I accepted, however, I believe we have differing opinions on how to ‘become’ one of them.”

I could only give a weak smile.

“My companions at the time did not appreciate the joke either. We lost a lot in that fight.” He nickered. “But that is neither here nor there. Unity, New Canterlot; we have common enemies, Changeling, and I could use someone with your abilities.”

I furrowed my brow. “You want... me to work for you?” 

“I am offering you a job, yes. We could learn much from studying you.”

I thought of what the Pegasi had done to Chrysalis. “How can I trust you? How could you trust me?”

“We do not trust you. We would be friends at arm's length. You would only be regarded as a civilian, and we would keep an escort with you at all times, but you would be compensated and free to leave us at your leisure.”

I considered it. If he was being genuine, then it might mean security for me, and a chance to mend my relationship with Surprise. But Tulip would be here too, and I did not know if this group would survive their war with New Canterlot. Other Steel Rangers existed, I understood, but would they have the same reaction to me? And security was still no guarantee of love. No, I could not join them, not now anyway. I still had yet to find Rolling Stone. I had abandoned White Wind in favor of my friends, and the gamble was already half lost.

“I can’t,” I said. “Not now, anyway.”

“But you are interested?” The commander tilted his head.

“Yes,” I admitted.

“Hmm, well, I suppose there is no harm in letting my offer stand. Be on your way then, and should you return do not try and deceive us. I am being amicable because I think we could benefit, but we understand what you are, Changeling.”

I nodded a grudging thanks and turned to leave. Kernel stopped me as I prepared to leap into the air.

“One last question has just come to me, Worker,” she began. ”You never mentioned what the purpose of collecting those crystals was. What was Chrysalis’s goal? What would their unification accomplish?”

I shrugged, anxious to take flight. “I don’t know,” I said. “They make up the Crystal Heart. Chrysalis knew what it did, but she never shared it with us. It’s magic.”

“Hmph, very well. I believe you. You may leave us.” She trotted off without another word.

I took off, leaving Surprise, Tulip, and all the Rangers in the mist below.


* * * * *


I passed over Bulbs at midday, from there it was easy to find my way back to Pitch’s research facility. I set down carefully next to the air duct entrance, and braced myself for the journey through. I had to shed my armor to fit into the air duct, so I stowed it on the rooftop, out of sight. I was able to control my panic this time, anchoring myself with the hope that Rolling might be here. I was almost calm by the time I reached the end of the duct, but then I noticed something: it was quiet. Not a hint of breath or the slightest shuffle came from the zombies that I knew where below me. I hurried to the end, and toppled onto the ground.

The laboratory was ransacked. Broken glass and shattered chalk strewn the floor. Chairs were pushed aside, and all the tables that were not built into the ground had been overturned. I gasped, and shoved open the door to Pitch’s sleeping quarters. They were empty. No sign of her memorabilia was left, not even a strip of poster paper. Pitch herself was similarly absent.

I opened the door to the lab, peering cautiously out into the hallways. It was empty. I saw that the eye-high barrier Pitch had built to keep out her zombified friends had been broken down in the middle. I made my way through the research base, calling out for Pitch and Rolling, swiveling my ears about to hear for the first hint of activity. Debris littered the halls, but it was only the sediment of time. There was little evidence the rest of the base had been raided; perhaps whoever had invaded had come through the vent, or else they had overcome the unthinking zombies with ease. Dark thoughts rose in my mind as I realized what must have happened here.

“Rolling!” I called again. “Professor!”

Finally, I got a response. I was at the back of the base, near an open doorway that lead to the tower. The voice came from above me.

“Who’s there?” I looked up, and saw a speaker placed next to an exploded turret.

“It’s me, Professor,” I called back. “It’s... it’s the Changeling.”

She had hidden herself in the tower’s ventilation system, in a small room that she had set up in case some explorer made it past her defenses. It had enough power to operate the speaker system and the few cameras that still worked. She looked somehow worse than before when she finally crawled out to meet me. Her hair was completely gone, and her eyes had sunk even farther back into her skull. She gave me a haunted look as she tried to tell me what had happened. She sputtered, unable to finish a sentence.

“Was it New Canterlot?” I asked.

“Y-yes! It must have been. They... they barged in—Oh, I barely made it to my alcove in time—I didn’t see what happened, but Rolling—they had him with them—I saw them interrogate him, but he—oh, it was too much—”

“Is he alive?” I demanded. My heart jumped into my throat. I knew why the NCs had come here, but I did not think they would have taken Rolling. Or that they might have even captured him before.

“Y-yes, I think so—”

“Think so?”

“They took him away after they destroyed my lab, I—I didn’t see much after that. The system only covers so much area... but, but they... I don’t understand. They lead them all away... Melon, Twinkle, Icarus... oh, they’re all gone for real now... Why did they—? I—I can’t—”

She would have been crying had her tear ducts still functioned. I grimaced, reluctantly putting a hoof on her decaying shoulder.

“They were already dead,” I told her. “Nothing has changed.”

“Oh, I know, you’re right, of course, but... but it still hurts... and I don’t understand... Changeling, what happened? What did you two do?”

“My name is Worker,” I told her. “And... well, it’s a long story, and I need to follow them. I need to go find Rolling. Which way did they go?”

She shook her head. “I didn’t see.”

“Then, where is New Canterlot?”

Another shake. I hissed in frustration, turning away from her.

“Why?” she mumbled. “What did you do?”

“We didn’t do anything,” I spat. “This isn’t our fault.” She balked from the venom in my voice. I knew she did not deserve it, but I was angry at myself. This was my fault, in part. I had told them about the lab. I had told them about Pitch. “The NCs are working with the zebra. They’re using Necromancy to make soldiers for their army.”

“Wh-what?”

“That’s why they took your friends. They’re retreating from the Steel Rangers. They need to replenish their ranks.” It was the only explanation that made sense. It explained why Gleaming Armor had been so excited when I had mentioned a ghoul during my trial. 

“Oh... oh the horror.”

I looked back at her. She seemed to have calmed a bit, or at least contained herself. She was looking at her forehooves, tracing little circles on the ground before her. She breathed in deeply and sighed. The transformation was sudden, but I could see her panic had been expelled. I blinked. This was not a reaction I had been expecting.

“They came from the north,” she stated. “Beyond that, I don’t know. You obviously ran into them, are you sure there was nothing you discovered that might point to their location?”

I shrugged. I did not have the time to think about this now. I needed to go after Rolling. I could go back to the Steel Rangers and ask for directions, but they would not trust me enough to let me fly off in front of them and risk me alerting the NCs. I could simply accompany them, but that would take far too long, and my arrival would coincide with another battle. I let out another hiss through my teeth, wracking my brain for more options.

“Tell me what happened,” Pitch repeated. “Go through it with me.”

I frowned. I had told my story once already today. I knew how long it would take to tell it again, and this time I could not abridge so many events. I would have to tell her about Maize, our capture, our escape, meeting Surprise, returning to bulbs, another capture, meeting the mad Prince, the march to tubers, the battle, the rescue of Chrysalis, the search for crystals in Baltimare—

I paused, frowning at a recent memory. I reached back and looked through my things. I pulled out the Stable Evacuation Map I had found in Baltimare. I unfolded it in my magic. It was faded, but still visible. Baltimare Bay was a giant horseshoe, and as the coast curved southward I recognized the mountains and calm farmland of the fields. And, poking out from the western shore, circled in bright red ink, was a single dot labeled ‘111’. I smiled, relief flooding through me.

“They’ll be in Stable 111,” I said aloud. “I know where it is.”


* * * * *


As soon as Pitch marked my location on the map I was off. It took me a full day of flying to reach the coast, and another half day to zero in on the stable. By then it was night, and all I could make out from the sky was a faint twinkling of lights in the darkness below, some reflected in the nearby ocean. I slept on the ground that night, under some shrubs on a far-off beach. I woke much later, unsure how much time had passed. The world was dark and dreary, but all times were like that in the wasteland.

The salty wind filled my senses as I swooped back toward the lights I had seen the night before.

The city of New Canterlot certainly did not live up to its predecessor's glory, but it was a formidable sight nonetheless. Walls of packed rubble, stone, and bits of petrified wood surrounded its entirety. Behind the wall, I could see five massive defense bunkers. One sat at each corner of the city, with a final one in its center. Each had a trio of automatic turrets mounted on top, and I could see dozens of guards patrolling along the walls. At it center was a great hole. A spiraling stairway of dark grey steel lead down into its depths, but there was not enough light for me to make out any details. The place was not impermeable—the wall would stop an army’s charge, but it was short enough to climb over unassisted and the bunkers, while sturdy, could be broken with enough time and explosives—but definitely impressive. I wondered what sort of monsters they had to face that warranted such a sturdy perimeter. Or had they foreseen a need to retreat back to their stronghold? Gleaming had not given me the impression that he would have planned for defeat. 

It was pointless to wonder about such things, however. I needed to plan a way to infiltrate the city. I could not simply waltz into the city disguised as any random pony. I would no doubt be questioned, and any story I invented ran the risk of having holes, even to those I had just met. There were simply too many basic facts about the world I might get wrong. I would also need to act fast. I did not know if Gleaming had yet returned, or how long it would be before the Steel Rangers arrived.

I flew up to the cloud cover, and pulled down a small tuft of the dark material. I sat on it and began descending slowly, until I was close enough to peer down and watch the general commotion below me. I disguised as Surprise again. I did not want to be seen, but even if they did spot me I would give them the impression of being an Enclave spy. 

I watched, and I waited.


* * * * *


It took me until noon to notice something peculiar.

The city sat near the precipice of a cliff, and as the day went on my eyes were drawn to the shifting waves that crashed against the rocks below. I stared at the tide, entranced, until I saw a pony pop into my sight. He was a bluish-green, unlike any of the guards, and seemed to be searching the waters around him. He retread back behind the cliff, and I was left to wonder who he was, and where he had gone. I moved my cloud cover back up into the sky, then flew away toward the west. I descended and doubled back, flying below the cliff’s ridge. The smell of the sea was stronger here, and the roar of the waves filled my ears.

I returned to the city, and found the Stable. It had been set into the cliffside, above the waterline in a great cave that had been excavated from the cliff. I saw evidence of roads leading down from the top of the ridge, but they had been worn away by the passage of time. There was no way left to climb up or down to the city. The giant hole above must have lead down into the stable’s depths.

The stable was shut, and I realized then that the emblem I had mistaken for a great steel sun was really the stable’s monstrous vault door. They had put it on their banners, engraved number and all, so proud were they of their origin.

I looked around for evidence of the green pony, and saw a small side-door that had been cut into the stable. Around it I saw several tables. Implements were scattered about them, including a bell, a fishhook, and papers held down my magical weights. A metal dock had been built to extend out over the water. It was coated with barnacles and rust. Nopony was visible now, but I did not approach. I stayed close to the cliffside and watched the doorway. Though there was little chance I would be seen from this vantage point, I was thankful for the dark coloring of my suit; it let me blend in to the rock around me.

Another half-hour passed until the pony re-emerged. This time he was joined by a pair of white-coated soldiers. The trio pulled a shallow cart between themselves, filled with grains, dried fruits, and odd metal trinkets. The guards set it near the end of the dock and left their companion, nodding goodbye. He stood alone, staring out at the waves, waiting.

I could have easily incapacitated him, but I did not have a safe place to stash his body, nor did I know who he was or how he fit into the stable. I was also curious as to what he was waiting for. I saw no ships of any size on the water. My mind scrambled to image what else he might be expecting, but I did not have to wait long to find the answer.

Without warning five figures rose from the waters at the head of the dock, colored pink, purple, green, orange, and blue. They were ponies. I blinked in surprise. Only their heads were visible, but even from this distance I could see that something was wrong with them. Their eyes were large and farther apart than most, their muzzles were thin, almost tube-like, and they had no manes. They did not have hairy coats; instead I could make out the gleam of scales as they bobbed in the water. I was not sure how they managed to stay afloat without so much as a splash.

As I gaped at the sight the two parties began to trade. The ponies in the water somehow brought up a small chest between themselves. The unicorn levitated his goods down into the water, and then took their offering while nodding his thanks. He opened the chest, and I saw glass glint and glimmer as whatever was inside reflected the sparse light of day. A chorus of thanks came from the ponies in the water, and they they vanished, slipping back under the waves as quickly as they had come. The unicorn returned to the stable, carrying the chest with his magic. The ponies did not re-emerge. I realized that they had gone deep into the water. The revelation was baffling.

I was wasting time here, it was clear, but I could not bring myself to follow the unicorn. After a moment of agonizing over my next action curiosity drove me to dive toward the water. I hovered, bracing myself, and plunged my head underneath the waves. The sounds of the ocean were dulled here, and my sight was limited. The salt water stung my eyes, but I caught a glimpse of a bright pink flipper swimming deeper into the murk below me.

I returned to the air, blinking away the pain as the pieces began to connect in my mind. I felt a memory stir; not an experience, just the echo of a fact I must have at some point known. These were another kind of pony. I flew back to the cliff, and found an outcropping on the old roadway that had enough space for me to rest on. I stripped off my Enclave armor and stowed it there, then I rushed back to the water’s surface. I triggered my magic, hoping my hunch was right.

I was flooded with elation as I splashed into the water. My wings were gone. My forelegs had been replaced with a pair of small flippers, and my hind legs were fused together as one giant flipper. I drank in the water around me, and found I could breathe even as it filled my lungs. My vision was only slightly improved, but there was no pain as I took in my surroundings. I tested my new limbs, and swam downward, following the general direction in which I had seen these water ponies descend. I was disguised as the pink pony. I had glimpsed her face from a distance, and that was enough. I found it strange that this one had no cutie mark or any other signifier. 

I had sparse details—trade partners, food, jewels—but they were enough.  Already I was concocting a plan.

I slowed when I caught up to the group. They were proceeding at a leisurely pace, making conversation between themselves. I was surprised to find that their voices came to me clearly through the water.

“Blueberries!” one exclaimed. He was a dark shade of purple. “It’s always blueberries!”

“Well, ‘s not like they can grow much else in that steel cave o’ theirs. Y’can eat grass and corn if you don’t like the fruit.” The one who spoke lead the pack. She was a bright orange color, with small yellow spots on her scales.

“Aye,” the pink one chimed in. “More for me!”

The purple pony’s whinny reverberated through the water. “Shucks, commander, I like fruit just fine. I just wish they had more variety. I want apples, or a nice orange. I’ve heard great things about oranges.”

“Oh yeah?” said the fourth pony of their group. He was a soft green, with black stripes that ran down his back. “Where’d you hear that, Finnegan?”

“Well, lieutenant, sir, remember that ghoul ship we ran into last year? The ones playing at pirate?”

“Ah, I wasn’t there for that one. They mentioned them?”

“Yes, sir. They all kept insisting they just needed some citrus. They didn’t realize they were dead.”

“Tragic.”

“Well I miss kelp,” moaned the pink one.

“Me too, Sandy, me too,” said Finnegan. “Sometimes I wish I’d never volunteered to come back here. I still don’t quite believe there’s a whole wasteland full of bustling ponies up there.”

“Don’t be sayin’ that,” their commander said. “It’s too late to go back now. I don’t want to risk running into those siren again. We’ll make it here, we just gotta hold out for a little longer... hey, Vortex, we should be home by now, aye?” She turned back to the lieutenant.

“Aye.” He nodded. “Current must have crept up on us. It’s strong here.”

“Oh, but I’m strong everywhere,” the commander replied.

When they whinnied it sounded like a bubbling lagoon, but I did not get the joke. They did not stop swimming as they talked and laughed. They stayed in a loose cube formation, carrying their cargo between themselves.

“Ah, there we are!”

The journey until now had been through empty water, nothing but dirt and debris on the seafloor below us. But now I saw a bed of crops, no more than wavy brown weeds, tended by more colorful sea ponies. Lights floated around them. One drifted near me, and I saw it was alive--a small gelatinous creature that pulsed in time with its strokes as it swam through the murk. As we proceeded deeper dark forms rose up from the seabed. Buildings shaped like the tops of twisted trees stuck up from the ground. They were pale white, pink, orange, yellow, and lime green. Their surfaces were dotted with small holes, and I saw hard sediment drifting around the most dilapidated of the structures. We had come to a city, I realized. It was set up around two sides of a wide channel, which the group in front of me now followed. It was a tiny settlement: the buildings grew bigger and then stopped abruptly at the channel’s end. Beyond that was an abyss. No light penetrated further. I glimpsed only the barest hint of the vastness of the ocean, but it was enough to stop me cold. Seeing the sky would have awed me had I retained my faculties when I had first encountered it, but this was an infinity of a whole new magnitude. The ocean’s depth loomed above and below the city. One small shake from the earth and it would be swallowed whole; reduced to less than dust.

Fear gripped me. I was unable to swim further. I hovered where I was, transfixed, until new movement caught my eye. A rusted wrench twirled through the channel below me, caught up in a current I could not see. I saw a bright yellow sea pony dart out from one of the coral houses and snatch it up in their mouth. They swam back to safety, and let the scrap of metal sink into a nearby bucket that was equally as rusted. I saw a few more ponies mirror these actions, and my eyes followed the flow of debris back toward the shore. There were twinkling metals, maybe even a few gemstones, and all manner of garbage. The trinkets trickled in, the sea ponies swept them up, and then dumped back more than half of what they examine. What they did not keep fell over the edge, lost to eternity. Here was the end of the food chain. These sea ponies were bottom feeders, sifting through the Wasteland’s refuse until they could coax life back into this barren straight.

I had lost track of the trade party in my earlier terror, but that did not matter to me anymore. I had enough information to get into Stable 111, and there was no reason to linger. I had switched to the dark purple one to better blend in with my surroundings, but one glance upward would have aroused the scavengers’ curiosity. I spun around, and raced toward the surface, away from the sight of the deep ocean. I had wasted enough time here already.


* * * * *


“Oranges!” I shouted, glaring up from the water. “You promised us oranges!”

“What?” The dock attendant was clearly taken aback. He had trotted up to the water with a bored expression on his face when I had rung for him (there was a bell attached to the dock’s underside), but now his ears were pressed down to his head, and his tail was between his legs. He flinched when I smacked the water with my fins.

“You promised us oranges, and all we got are blueberries. We’re sick of blueberries! We’ve got nothing to eat but blueberries, blueberry pies—we even made blueberry sauce!”

“Y-ya’ll can make pies down in that water?” He was almost as confused as he was scared. I decided to ignore my logical blunder.

“You know what we can’t make? New fruit! A pony needs variety! I’m getting sick just from the smell of blueberries now! You promised us oranges! I want oranges!”

“L-look, uh, Fin, was it?”

“Finnegan!”

“Sorry, Finnegan, I’m just the delivery guy, they told me—”

“Well, Delivery Guy, they told me that I’d be getting some oranges. So cough ‘em up!”

“I, um, I—”

“What’s your name anyway?”

“It’s—it’s Olivine—”

“Look, Olivine, if you can’t get me my oranges, then get me somepony who can.”

“I don’t—”

“Get. Me. Somepony. Who can.”

He turned around. I waited until he was halfway to the door before shouting.

“Hold it!”

“Wha—?” His eyes widened, but he did not have time to scream and I dived him from the air. The impact sent us both through the old wooden dock, and I immediately disguised as Finnegan again. He kicked at me, but the water slowed him. I bit down on one of his hooves and swam lower, not giving him a chance to push his head back above water. I waited for his struggling to weaken, and then brought him back up. I undisguised and flew him back to dry ground, using my magic to help lift his weight. I dropped him as soon as I could and let him cough up the water he had swallowed. I gave him a solid blow to the back of his head and knocked him out for good.

I dragged him away, then flew him up to where I had stowed my armor. I gurgled, and spewed a layer of viscous green slime over my prey. The cocoon hardened, darkening somewhat. It stuck out like a sore thumb on the rocky wall, but you could only get a good look at it from the sea. I had kept an eye on the doorway this whole time, but I had not been heard. I took in a deep breath, and thought through my next steps.

I felt a pang of sympathy for Olivine as I rested, but I did not dwell on it. He was not my friend. I did not know him. I landed in front of the door and took on his skin. No one greeted me when I walked in. The corridor was well lit but short, and there was nothing in it except a card table and a few empty cans of carrot juice. The walls were pure white. I crossed to the opposite door and glanced at what was beyond.

The Stable’s main room was a cavernous well. Three bright crystals hovered in the air above, illuminating the whole space. An immense statue had been erected in the center. It depicted a single pony, standing on her haunches, one hoof reaching up to where the ceiling must have been when the Stable was first built. Her body shimmered: it was covered in jewels, crystals, and hundreds of sparkling metal scraps. I saw two unicorns adding new pieces even now, taking great care to choose the place of each new placement. Two trails of water streamed down from the statue’s eyes, gathering in a wide pool that had been erected around her feet. The moving liquid added to the shimmering of her body, making it seem almost an illusion. Her Cutie Mark shone the brightest. It was a shattered diamond, its pieces enveloped and held together by a bright red heart. A single phrase had been carved into the pool’s wall: Amethyst, we too yearn.

Reverent space was given to the fountain, but around the cavern’s walls the rest of the city had been laid out. I saw food stations and a few shops, but mostly the scenery consisted of a few benches and conversion tables. The ponies here had their colors; the uniform white of the soldiers had been split by a prism. I saw a massive stairway had been carved into the side of the cavern, spring up toward the opening. At the point above the statue’s upraised hoof the wall changed from smooth metal to roughly polished rock. The soft sounds of hoofsteps and whispered conversations echoed around the chamber, rising up to the dark gray sky.

I scanned the walls. More hallways lead away from this central room. The soldiers were sparse down here, and there was no sign of Gleaming Armor or and of his underlings. I must have beaten them here. That would give me time to explore and learn, but it would also mean more risk of exposure. This was a very confined space. No doubt everyone knew everyone else. It would be impossible for me to play the ignoramus here.

I needed to plan. I sat at an empty table and stared at the fountain, watching the light play across Amethyst’s crystallized coat. 

Amethyst.

I remembered the name. She had fled here with Bon-Bon. It was her map that had led me here. I still had her notebook stashed away with my armor. I rested my head on the table top as I pondered who she had been.

Why did they give you a statue? Clearly she had been important. Their leader? Why did they cover you in crystals? A few looked like the ones we had been seeking. I shook my head. No, they can’t be related. That would be too much of a coincidence. It’s just rubbish from the sea floor. The dead world’s refuse pasted on a monument to a dead monarch.

I would think about it later. I approached the nearest guard, doing my best to look concerned but not terrified.

“Excuse me, Sir?”

“Yes? What is the matter?” He had been standing alone near a hallway no one approached, staring vacantly at the statue.

“I... there’s a problem with the dock. It... collapsed.”

“Oh. Well, talk to maintenance then, they’ll know what to do.”

“No, it’s—you should come see this. I think it might have been sabotaged.”

“What? By whom?”

“I don’t know, I just—just come see—” I was already turning back toward the door. He started another protest, but the movement of my body was enough to convince him of my urgency. He followed me out to the dock, and out of sight of any other ponies.

I stepped back inside a few minutes later, my fur white and my Cutie Mark that of a horseshoe and anvil. I stepped back to the hallway and took up the guard’s post. Fifteen minutes, I told myself. I will stand here for fifteen minutes so I do not look suspicious. I counted each second. Fifteen minutes. Then I start snooping around for information.

I gave up at seven.

I proceeded down the hallway behind me first. I had seen no one so much as approach it, and even other guards tended to shun the area around me. I found a corridor of empty rooms. There were no doors, only strips of cloth dangling from the top of the door frame, some covered with beads, others sprinkled with more of the sea ponies ‘jewels.’ I stuck my head into each. One appeared to be a library, but I did not have time to check any of the titles. Another was a living quarters. It was filled with strange incense and trophies. The third room turned out to be a small kitchen. It looked like a scaled down version of the one I had seen in Garlic’s Plantation, except a large cauldron had been placed in the middle. It bubbled with a glowing green substance, heated by the small blue flame below it. I took a step forward and gave it a curious sniff. It smelled sweet and pungent, but unlike anything I had yet experienced. I shrugged, and turned around to continue my investigated.

I almost ran into the zebra as I stepped back out into the corridor.

“Ah! Galliant?” His accent was much less pronounced than the one Aegis had, but otherwise he was indistinguishable in the dim light. I stepped back, suppressing the surprise on my face. “What are you doing back here?”

Galliant. First name basis. I would have to be careful.

“Olivine sent me,” I blurted.

“What? What for?”

“The sea ponies... they’re asking for... more than usual.”

The zebra frowned. “Oh. Well, tell them to fuck off then? You have plenty of gems.” He tried to step past me. I blocked him. I was almost a head taller in this form, and much more muscular. He gave me a shocked look.

“They found a few diamonds. They want something special for them; just this once.” 

He tilted his head as he looked up at me. I saw his right ear had been pierced, and several gold ringlets were spaced evenly along its outer edge. “Did your mother never tell you about the mouse who asked for a cookie? You have plenty of diamonds as well. They shine just as well as crush metal.”

“Oranges.”

“What?”

“Even something as simple as oranges. They are not very picky.” I said, stepping aside to let him pass into the kitchen. He frowned, taking a tentative step forward.

“What would I know about oranges? You ponies grow the food; you grow them oranges.”

“We can’t,” I guessed. He had turned his back to me, and we were alone. I would push this conversation as far as I could. “But you can make them something, I’m sure.”

“Ha! What, do you want super-sea ponies?” He waved a hoof toward the cauldron. “Or invisible sea-ponies? Or, perhaps that ass-licking Olivine wants to deal with the undead armies of the sea? I do not deal in trinkets you magnanimous fuck! This is insulting. Go talk to your farmers or something.” He regarded me with hostility now, but I had learned enough. I took a step forward. He flinched but did not back down.

“You insult me,” I grumbled.

“You have insulted me by this request. I will insult you at my leisure.”

“Fair enough. Where are your invisibility cloaks?”

“What?”

“You mentioned invisibility. Where are the cloaks. I’ve seen you use them.”

The annoyance in his demeanor vanished. He was suspicious now, and confused. I felt also a trace of fear.

“They are... where they always are...”

“And where would that be?”

His eyes narrowed. “What are you?”

I had triggered my magic before he had started the question. My fangs ripped down into his flesh, scraping downward but not deep enough to puncture his larynx. I followed through on my motion and ended up chomping down on his leg. He gave a half-muted scream and fell forward as I jumped into the air. I let him fall and then dropped down onto his chest. A bought of wheezing followed as he sprawled on the floor, fighting to breathe.

“Where are your invisibility cloaks?”

I walked around so he could see me, and I floated a nearby knife above his head. Blood was dripping steadily down his neck, but it was not a strong flow. I had aimed correctly.

I did not understand his reply. I stomped down on his uninjured foreleg and kicked him in the head to stop his screaming. I had to stomp down thrice more before the bones broke.

“Where are your invisibility cloaks?”

“You’re... a fucking... bug...” He glared at me, and I could feel the flames of his hatred; further pain would only be fuel. His spirit was even more durable than his limbs. I did not have the time or stomach to get the information I wanted. The noises he’d made thus far had left me nauseous. I slit his throat and tossed the knife aside. I took a moment to steady myself, surprised at my reaction. I had killed before, was torture a somehow more terrible act?

After a moment I stepped up to the bubbling cauldron. I used a small cup to scoop some of the green liquid out and gave it a tentative taste. I was not unpleasant, and thicker than I had expected. I waited a minute and felt no different, so I drank the rest. The effect was immediate. I felt my body swell with energy and burst, and suddenly I felt stronger. More steady on my feet. I check myself over. Nothing had changed, but the feeling persisted.

Super-sea ponies.

I shrugged. It hadn’t killed me. If I had gained anything, then it would be a pleasant surprise later. For now I had bigger things to worry about.

I continued my search down the corridor. I found two more rooms, one full of memory orbs, and another which turned out to be a hallway lined with several chests and beds. It was a small barracks, adorned in the same creepy style as the earlier bedroom had been. I checked through all the chests, but found little except carved wooden statuettes and decorative knives. As I turned to leave I slipped on the floor. Baffled, I put another hoof down on the spot that had moved. I felt fabric. I focused on the spot and, to my surprise, it glowed under my magic. The air shimmered and rippled as I draped the cloak over myself experimentally. I lifted a hoof up in front of my face. I smiled. I could see nothing but the room around me.

My lucky day.

The room at the end of the corridor was empty but for a single terminal. Still underneath my new cloak, I tapped curiously through the menus. There were various recordings, many with mundane titles or simply numbers to indicate the dates they were recorded. The numbers meant nothing to me. Only one title caught my eye. I played truth.wav.

“You have heard these words before, my dear son.” A mare spoke. It was a voice I did not recognize, but I heard age in it, and a painful rasp. “They are the first words we heard upon learning about our history. You also know they are only half the truth.”

“Yes mother.”

“Today you will learn the rest.”

I heard a click, and then a third voice started. It was another mare, young and hopeful. A recording within a recording. I frowned as I listened.

“Hello, my little ponies. Welcome to Stable 111. If you are listening to this now, do not despair. We have not lost the war... not if you have made it here. As you may notice, only unicorns have been sent to this stable. The reason for this? Celestia herself have selected you. You all have useful skills: food production, weaponry, defense. In sum, you have the most potent magicks for fighting back against the zebra. Hone your skills. Raise your children to be warriors. When the time comes, you will erupt from this haven and rejuvenate Equestria. Stable 111 is the greatest hope we have for a future full of ponies, Celestia herself has said so. She has seeded the very walls of this place with her magic. You are safe here; safe to grow strong. My little ponies, you are Equestria's last hope. Hone your power, and you will bring about a new dawn. Endure, and Equestria will rise again. Celestia is watching.” Another click signaled the end of the nested recording.

“Now,” said the mother, “this next file was found by my grandfather. It is the truth.” Another click.

“Hello. To whoever finds this: I’m sorry.” The mare sounded much older now, and weary. “You know who I am. You know how we got to this point. I’m sorry, but we lied. We... fuck, they thought that, by giving you a ‘divine’ purpose, you’d be able to... well, I don’t fucking know. I just don’t fucking know anymore. I guess they thought it’d blind you to how difficult the task is. Or it would prevent you from doubting yourself. Or something. Point is: they lied. We lied. You’re not special. You’re not magical savants or anything, just the lucky bastards who get to survive the apocalypse... and we’re the ones who failed you... fuck, I’m sorry. I’m just... so fucking sorry. Please... please don’t make the same mistakes we did. Don’t fight. Don’t kill. Don’t... just don’t fuck up like we did. I’m sorry.”

Silence followed. I blinked, confused. Divine purpose? Lied? Gleaming had spouted off the same rhetoric as the first recording. Why—?

“They... lied? Celestia... it was all a lie?” The second voice was much quieter now. I could almost taste the despair in it.

“Yes,” said the first mare, her voice full of a defiant pride. “ But their lie became our reality. We are Equestria’s last hope. We are its greatest potential. We do have the greatest magical power, the greatest organization, the greatest drive in all of the Wasteland. We are a rock around which the Wasteland will rise. We are a rock on which our enemies will break. We shall bring to this world the dawn of a new age not because we have been chosen by Celestia, but because we have forged ourselves into the greatest weapon for Equestria’s good.”

“This is the real truth,” she concluded. “The real truth is that we are what we make of ourselves. Do you want to avenge Celestia? Then take our armies out and crush the zebra underfoot.  Do you want to be the king of all Equestria, my son? Then take it. It does not matter if it was all a lie. If you want it, then make it your truth.” The rasp in her voice turned into a bout of coughing. 

“Y-yes... mother... I will.”

“Good... Gleaming, good. Make me proud...” There was a final wheeze, and the recording ended.


* * * * *


I stepped back into the center of the Stable, unseen, and found it abuzz with activity. I watched as the central chamber filled and drained as ponies scrambled back to their homes. Guards shouted orders and directed the traffic, and in minutes the area was clear of civilians. The remaining guards took up positions along each hallway, except for a small vanguard that began marching up the stairwell. I followed them, making sure to keep a safe distance and step lightly. I knew they could not see me below the invisibility cloak, but I knew better than to think myself truly safe. I had at least learned that from all my failures.

I crawled up the last few flights only after I was sure the soldiers had dispersed to the ground above. The soldiers had spread out around the battlements, but they did not seem to be preparing for battle. The bunkers were empty, and the turrets did not turn to point at any enemy. A cheer went up, and I saw several of the unicorns levitating stone ramps to lean over the side of the walls. I stepped back to the northernmost barricade, where only three soldiers remained, and watched as the army of New Canterlot returned.

Gleaming was at the head, followed by Lute. The two stood opposite each other, and watched as their soldiers marched back down into the city. There were less than when I had last seen them, but not by much. I looked carefully, and noted a soft green glow around their eyes. There were almost twice as many undead as alive within their ranks. I shuddered. New Canterlot hadn’t even tapped into its reserves yet.

After the obedient horde had passed, they marched in the prisoners. Or I thought they were prisoners until I saw the few with guns escorting those in the middle. My heart raced as I scanned the faces. They were not a small group, but they could be no more than a fourth of the number of NC regulars. I saw Hairpins, and Tumbleweed with a black eye. She was smiling as always, but mud and exhaustion was plastered across both their faces. I glanced coats and Cutie Marks that sparked vague memories—ponies from Chard or Bulbs, or Maize maybe. Then Rolling—I had to stop myself from gasping. He was there, in the back. His fur was ruffled, and I saw several bandages around his legs, but he walked normally, and looked otherwise unhurt. A long rifle was strapped to his back, and a gun pointed at the pony in front of him—Spare Parts.

I blinked. By the time my mind recovered they were nearing the bottom of the pit and the city’s soldiers were returning to their places in the battlements. I had been unable to process the sight of them—Rolling was here. He was working for the NCs. And Spare Parts was alive. Guilt weld up within me; guilt and relief and the memory of hunger left unsatisfied. I had no idea I could feel so much for Spare Parts. I thought she had died for me. I thought I hadn’t cared. And Rolling... a black lump sat in by gut. I couldn’t believe had would work with them. Did he not know what they had done? Had I misjudged him completely? Had I—?

I shoved it all away from my mind. Rolling was down below. A dead zebra was there too, and Gleaming was back. The element of surprise was quickly slipping away from me. I had no time to spare agonizing over possibilities. Working with the NCs was not a betrayal, I told myself. Rolling must have some other motive. He might be coerced, or maybe they promised him something. Maybe they told him I was here.

I sensed a flash hate behind me, and then the sear of heat across the back of my neck as I spun around to see where it came from. The air sizzled behind me. Had I been a second slower the laser beam would have bored through my head.

“You breathe too loudly, bug.” Lute fired off three more beams as she spoke. I dodged them all, looping upwards with my wings while gripping the invisibility cloak in my mouth. I sped away, up toward the clouds, swirling and zig-zagging as much as I could. A barrage followed me as more soldiers joined in, but I had gained enough distance in my initial burst of flight. I soared through the clouds and kept going west until I could no longer hear the hiss of vaporizing water behind me.

Adrenaline pumped through my veins as I forced myself to take deep breaths. I screamed in frustration. I had been so close. I had almost done it. But of course they had found me. I would be the first thing they’d check for, now that they new. Gleaming was a fanatic, but he was not stupid. I cursed, fear cutting through my battle high. They would no-doubt be sweeping the perimeter soon, looking for those ponies I had replaced. I took another breath and dove back below the clouds.

I skirted along the side of the cliff, water churning below me. The sun was setting, sending long shadows across the water. The rock glowed orange around me. I pulled up sharply, suppressing the urge to curse again. My suit was gone from where I had stowed it; the green sarcophagus I had vomited out was split open and already decaying. I saw five soldiers guarding the rear entrance, and the sweep of light beams above me. Not a half hour had passed since I’d fled and they were already locked down.

I tried to sleep that night above the clouds, but the stars were too much to bear. There were so many of them, so many strange gleaming lights, glinting like crystals. The moon was there too, illuminating the cloudbank for miles. I felt exposed and vulnerable, and overwhelmed by the infinity above me. I curled up in the roots of a dead tree, near a muddy beach in the west. I tried to think of options, of ways to get back into New Canterlot and get Rolling out. But there was nothing I could do. I was out of tricks, and my enemies were too powerful to take head on.

But the Steel Rangers would be here soon.

I sighed, trying to release the fear and anxiety that squirmed in my gut. I could do nothing but let the coming war play out, and pray that the ponies I hoped for as friends would find a way to survive it. But did I even care about them any more? Surprise had rejected me, Rolling seemed willing to work with the NCs, regardless of the reasons. The only other ponies I knew had tried to kill or torture me in one form of another—Spare Parts was the exception, but she did not know who I really was, and I had hurt her in any case. The others of my species were gone, either physically or mentally or both. Professor Pitch was the closest thing I had to a real friend, but she was technically dead.

I wept suddenly, regret and despair welling up inside of me. White Wind and his group had liked me; they’d let me in. And I’d thrown them away without even thinking. I just wanted to survive, why didn’t I just stick with them? Why did I chose the harder path? For friendship? Did I even understand that word? Was it even possible for me to have true friend?

We are what we make of ourselves.

I gave a bitter laugh. I could make myself anyone else. I could even disappear now. But that would not get me friends. That would not help me find stability. I would be a parasite until the day I died, a deceiver, a predator. I would forever be at war with the other species of this world. No amount of magic or power would change that fact.

I can be anything, I realized, except myself.



Footnote: Level up.
New Perk: Mind Reader - You can sometimes sense oncoming attacks, but not from who or where. Enemies are 10% less likely to hit you and S.A.T.S costs 25% less Action Points to use. Too bad you don’t have a PipBuck. (You need to have taken Telepathy (Level 1) in order to take this perk).
Quest Perk: Sea Pony Skin - You can swim and breathe underwater when properly disguised. Amazing! Stat penalties when in the water are removed when properly disguised.
Quest Perk: Bone-Strengthening Brew (Changeling Variant) - With this perk, your limbs only receive 75% of the damage they normally would. (Note: Bone-Strengthening Brew and the cybernetic implant perk Adamantium Bone Lacing are mutually exclusive.)