"So, let me get this straight," Andromeda said, rubbing the sides of her helmet with her eyes tightly shut. "You're saying that those cultist hippies were trying to resurrect Nightmare Moon, but something went wrong with the spell, the black unicorn hit me by accident, so I started an entirely unnecessary bloodbath, this filly is the said Nightmare Moon, and you had a portal spell set up to take you to safety?"
Mrs. Miserables and the two teenagers, who were all sporting new bruises, nodded, glancing between the strange mare and the weird filly. Andromeda had opened one eye and saw this, she sighed wearily and pulled the filly over to herself with her magic.
"Let's take a look at you, shall we?" she said she looked over the filly, who was looking rather frightened now. A small bruise on her side was the only sign that the poor thing had been attacked. "Okay, unique color pattern matching both myself and my space suit. Extremely lovely eyes, if a little strange. Wish I had hair like that. And this thing."
Andromeda touched the glowing pink square just above the filly's right forehoof. It rippled like a shockwave in a pond. It was dimmer now than it had been before, possibly something to do with her present mood. She looked back up into the filly's eyes and let her expression soften. She pulled the little creature to her breast in a maternal hug. "Don't worry, you're safe with me, dearie."
She then then glared at the other three. "I see absolutely no reason any of you had to hurt her. Heck, that kick, Mrs. Miz-er-obbes, could have killed her. Does no pony respect the sanctity of life is this damned forest?" She took a couple deep, peachy-flavored, breathes to calm herself down. "You know what? Just count yourselves lucky. I understand you all are afraid of the dark, sick, filthy, perverse, I'm rambling, garbage that goes on in these woods. Some racist earth ponies up the road, bloodthirsty forest hippies everywhere else, would make for suspicious psychos on a witch-hunt."
The two teenagers lowered themselves tot he ground as a sign of repentance. Andromeda continued.
"I forgive you all, as she is all right. Lucky for you being a mother makes me react whenever a foal cries for help. I would hate to see what might have happened had I not woken up in time. But, I will give you all the benefit of the doubt, I believe you would have stopped once you saw what you were doing. But, again, the damage is done, and it will take some time to heal."
Mercy stood up and levitated the filly into and unoccupied saddlebag. She gave the three ponies in front of her a look only a mother could possess, that look between rage and compassion yet fully infused with love. "So, here's the deal. We're all getting out of this forest. We're all going to get along. And, until we exit this terrible place, you will not approach me, or the filly, unless you want to apologize." She lifted up her right hoof to look at her pipbuck.
"Peppy, which way to Command?" she had asked, since she already found that Peppy couldn't find Stable 41. At least there she might get some help from ponies who knew and respected her.
An arrow appeared on the far right of her helmet, she turned and faced it, point the hoof out and nodded. "That'a way, let's get going." She started off at a decent trot.
"Who says I'm going with you?" Mrs. Miserables demanded, not liking being ordered around. Nor did she like the teenagers, now that she could see the remains of the metal spikes on their legs. When she looked closer she could even see the faded smiley-face tattoos.
Andromeda paused and looked at her. "You dropped a canyon on us, made me feel like I'd made somepony die for my sake. I appreciate that by the way. Thank you. And you tried to harm an innocent filly, who was just born less than an hour ago. You owe me, and this forest is a mad house. I need all the help I can get. Besides, you look like you've already got your bags packed."
It was true, Mrs. Miserables had two full saddlebags at her sides. She had already had them ready before entering the canyon after Andromeda, a contingency just in case things went sour. After she had slipped through a portal connected to a circle of femurs she had left a mile or so away(she wasn't stupid), she had collected them and returned to see if anypony had survived. Then she saw the two teenagers staring at the filly, who was standing beside the body of Andromeda, and when she had connected the dots she jumped to the conclusion that the filly was Nightmare Moon reborn and had used powerful dark magic to slay the indestructible mare.
Being out of ammunition, she had lunged at the filly and delivered a savage kick to her side. The noise had awoken Andromeda, who then began throwing punches at everypony taller than her shoulders. Which meant some collateral damage on the part of the teenagers. Then again, they hadn't tried to stop her either.
Mrs. Miserables just gave an annoyed grunt and began following the strange mare. "I have everything I need anyway."
* * *
Commissar Delta and General Scorpion had left the Sanherdroam together with a small escort of twelve shield bearers. Now, the way shield bearers worked was a team, typically of two, one concentrating on defense, and the other on offense. One would bear a large shield and the other a weapon of some sort, and both would concentrate on keeping each other alive. It was an extremely effective set up that Her Grace was said to had revised from ancient tomes.
The general's shield bearers were all the strongest ponies and zebras to be found in Mareusalem, the shields were covered in spikes to discourage enemy charges, and the offensive part of the team bore a heavy battle saddle with an assortment of weapons for different ranges and targets. All of them wore power armor, painted gold instead, with blue highlights and short green capes. The six duos surrounded the two officers, shields facing out, and safeties off.
The commissar was used to such treatment, being one of Her Grace's many more honored shield bearers. But the general just seemed to begrudgingly accept it.
"Still not used to such security?" Delta asked with a chuckle.
Scorpion rolled his eyes, he had left his helmet back in the office. "Just reminds that I'm old and need protecting."
"We're both old," Delta said. "I, however, have a wife and children that won't let me sit down. You really should try it, General."
"A half-burned, ex-Enclave, dried-up old Pegasus like me? I think I'd be safer walking naked into a Blue Stripe encampment."
Delta snorted in raucous laughter at that. "True. You can kill your enemies, but family will drive a stallion you straight to the grave." His dying died down and she gave his friend a compassionate look. "Still, Her Grace would be remise to let one of her general's bloodlines to end so abruptly."
"What's she going to do? Force a mare on me?" Scorpion actually looked slightly worried at that prospect. It was too good for Delta not to take advantage of.
"Wouldn't be the first time," he said in as serious a tone as possible, watching his friend almost trip over his own hooves. Wings were very useful in keeping balance apparently. "Don't be too surprised if a young mare shows up at your doorstep with a letter from Her Grace." Scorpion was really looking uncomfortable now. "I think some fillies and colts with both stripes and wings would look absolutely adorable."
Scorpion regretted leaving his helmet behind as his face suddenly turned bright red. Delta's eyes went wide with realization.
"You like zebra mares, don't you, General?" the commissar asked in an amused grin on his face.
Scorpion searched for some way out, stuttering all the while. "W-well, th-th-they h-have nice, f-firm... aw, here we are. L-let's go inside and take care of Her Grace's business."
Delta wordlessly commended the shield bearers for keeping straight faces throughout the whole conversation, and followed the Pegasus inside of a large warehouse. the metal doors opened and then closed behind them, and the covered windows hid all that went on inside. Soldiers stood ready outside the doors, weapons at the ready.
* * *
Short Wave was enjoying Sham's company immensely. Not only was outwardly she kind with a sweet voice(being highly attractive didn't hurt either), but she was also full of a refreshing goodness. Having been raised in a zebra family, he found it hard to express many of his emotions growing up, as zebras innately suppressed them unless the situation truly called for it. For an earth pony colt growing up around such an emotionally distant, yet still affectionate, family, made for a very confusing and troublesome foalhood. Sham was like a glass of water in this hot desert.
Lastly shall I see you,
Upon that golden rise?
The heart beneath my breast a drum,
As I await your sweet return,
From the land that far away lies.
On that day you may take me,
A soft slumber falls upon us,
After from each other we learn.
That I may rise joyful in those coming dawns,
To know that I hath become gray and fruitful with thee.
"Can you possibly be anymore desperate?"
Unfortunately, they had a heckler. That zebra mare was belligerent in her harassment of Sham. To the point that Short Wave had to hold the little mare close to keep her from running off. But this time seemed to be the final straw. For Short Wave that is.
"Will you shut your damned mouth you stupid, striped prancer," he shouted at her. Prancer being a zebra term for a very indecent mare, this made the doctor's mouth drop open and her eyes go wide.
"How dare...," she started in retaliation, but was cut off by the young earth pony.
"No!" Short Wave shouted back at her. "How dare you... how dare you treat this poor filly like some sort of parasite. She has been nothing but pleasant." The zebra's eyes narrowed in aggression. "In fact, you've done next to nothing this whole time, other than try and bring her down like you did earlier. Do you even do anything? At all?"
"I'm a doctor," the zebra growled, rolling her shoulders. "I don't have time to waste on some out-of-shape blueblooded mudpony that had to be drug in here because of a sunburn. This 'nurse', has done nothing either, other than flaunt her deplorable poetry and flitter her eyes at you. Hardly any taste, either, you are definitely no catch. She's just desperate enough lift her tail for the first pony who... aaaah."
The zebra leapt to the side in time to avoid being hit by a flying clay pitcher, which shattered when it hit the ground and spilling out the brackish water held within. This took the zebra's attention for a moment, and when she turned to look at the stallion, she found herself literally nose-to-nose with him.
Short Wave bared his teeth at her, even with his slightly chubby appearance it was quite intimidating. Sham gripped the stallion's tail with all four limbs, her teeth and her magic, trying to pull him back, unsuccessfully. She watched in horror as the zebra's ears fell back and she began cowering underneath the deadly gaze of Short Wave.
"You have made me mad, stripey," he said through his teeth.
"Y-you shouldn't be up like," the zebra choked out in terror. "You were on the verge of sunstroke, you couldn't possibly..."
"You. Made. Me. Mad," Short Wave said slowly and methodically. "I haven't been mad like this in years. Do you know why?" He asked the question again when the zebra mare didn't respond.
"N-no," she answered, backing away a few steps.
"Because the last time is was this angry I made my entire family cry," he spat out, the rage increasing in his veins. "Perhaps I should demonstrate." He lifted a hoof in preparation to strike, but stopped suddenly when Sham latched onto his raised leg.
"Stop," she cried out, tears flowing freely down her cheeks. "You're a good stallion. She's not worth it. She's just a meanie." She looked into the eyes of the stallion, pleading the zebra's case. "Please. I know you're a good stallion. Don't prove me wrong."
Short Wave's face softened and he lowered his leg a little. He watched as sham unclenched her hinds legs and magic to stand on the ground, but kept her front hooves wrapped firmly about his leg. He looked back at the cowering zebra mare and snorted. "I am a good colt. Which is why I'm leaving before you corrupt my morals stripey. Come with me, Sham, they don't deserve you here."
"If she leaves," the zebra said, composing herself, badly, "she'll never work here again. What good is a mare if she can not hold down such a simply job?"
Sham looked terrified. While she liked Short Wave, she had only known him for a few hours. Meanwhile, this job was all she had to keep her and her sister off the streets. She let out a sigh of defeat. Her sister meant more than a stranger. "I'm sorry, Short, but, I hardly know you. This job is all I have."
Short Wave saw the triumphant smirk on the zebra's face. He was not going to let her win. "My grandfather can help you with that." He turned and started towards the exit. The rage was subsiding and his limbs were starting o feel heavy, but he forced himself along.
The zebra snorted out a laugh. "Ooh. And just who is this all-powerful grandfather of yours?"
"Commissar Delta of her Grace's personal shield bearers," Short Wave said nonchalantly. as he passed through the tent flap. Both the mares were left speechless. Commissar Delta's reputation proceeded him quite a ways. Short Wave smiled as the unicorn mare almost seemed to materialize at his side, a hopeful grin on her face, her nurse's uniform now gone. It had been no contest where her hopes laid.
* * *
"Okay," Andromeda said as she laid down inside of a cave she had chosen as shelter for the night. She levitated the filly out of her saddlebags and set her down between her front hooves so she could get a better look at her. "Now then, little one. Why don't we have a little talk."
The filly watched as the other three entered the cave, keeping to the other side and away from the mare, as per her orders. Looking back she saw the curious, yet stony eyes behind the odd costume. "W-who are you?"
"No," Andromeda said with a shake of her head. "I will ask the questions first. You will answer. Right?"
The filly closed her mouth and nodded.
Andromeda fondled the filly's strange mane as she talked. "I may not be the brightest mare in the world, but I'm by no means the stupidest. That title belongs to Missy for the time being."
"Missy?" Mrs. Miserables shouted, leaping up and glaring at Andromeda.
The mare rolled her eyes and nodded. "Yes, Missy. I'm not going to keep saying Mrs. Miz-er-obbes all the time. Especially since I don't see a mister."
"It is kind of a mouthful," Pintsize pointed out with a shrug. Cold gave him a light shove to let him know he shouldn't get between the two mares.
The newly dubbed "Missy", puffed out her cheeks as she searched for some way of protesting, and then just let the air out in defeat. "Forget it. Call me what you want. It's a stupid name, anyway."
Andromeda turned her attention back to the foal brought her head down so they were eye-to-eye. "Back to my questions. What's your name?"
The filly opened her mouth and then froze. She realized all of a sudden that she didn't have one. Then she remembered that these ponies had yelled something earlier. What was it again. "ummm, Newmirror Money? I think?"
Andromeda chuckled. "Close. According to history, you're Nightmare Moon. A dark monster that tried to bring eternal night across the whole world."
The filly cringed at the accusation. But was comforted by the mare's soft touch.
"However, if you really had such power, I doubt any of us would be alive at the moment," Andromeda mulled over what she had just said for a moment. "Plus the fact you came trotting up to us talking about playing a game. That's not something the dark mare of dreams would say... I think. Haven't met too many to be sure."
The filly heard these things, and the soda in her veins felt very cold upon hearing them. A feeling, like something was breathing on the back of her neck made her uncomfortable. She didn't this. It was almost painful in fact.
Andromeda spoke up again. "This leads me to a few different conclu..."
"I'm cold," the filly suddenly piped up, before plunging force and pressing herself between mare's legs, trying to warm up her blood.
Mercy stared down in bewilderment at the filly's action. Seeing her shiver made her suspicions, however small, melt away with compassion. "One conclusion. You're a little filly brought suddenly into a hostile world." She levitated the filly out from between her legs and set her against her side, then curled up around the small form. "A little love and forgive can cover a multitude of your past sins, little one. I'll keep you warm this night."
The two teenagers watched with mixed emotions at the strange mare's actions, both admiring and curious at her acceptance of the filly. Missy, however still had opinions to voice.
"Will you stop that," she demanded. "It's not even a real pony. For crying out loud. It's a spell, giving manifestation to one of the most evil villains in history."
Andromeda didn't even acknowledge what Missy had said. "So, your an alicorn?"
Missy groaned at Mercy's dismissiveness. "Are you really just going to ignore everything I just said?"
Andromeda nodded, not even giving her a glance as she concentrated on a warming spell for the little filly. Her horn even hummed in a calming tone to aid in the foal's comfort. "Aren't alicorns supposed to be super powerful? You know, move the sun and moon kind of stuff. Granted, you managed to bring the world down atop of us, that was fairly powerful."
"I'm not an alicorn," Missy responded in a miffed tone.
"Then why do you have a horn and wings?"
Missy growled and stood up, dropped all her coverings to the ground and spreading her wings wide. She lit up her horn and summoned a little light behind her to show them what she was. The light passed through the gossamer portions of her wings, making them appear to be full of holes. She pulled back her lips to expose two sharp fangs.
"I am as artificial as that creature you're coddling," she said in dark tone. The teenagers, upon seeing her teeth, gasped and moved further away from her. "All this fur, my mane, these feathers, even my eyes, are things I plundered from corpses," she pointed to each of the parts respectively. "I grafted them to my hideous body so that I might move when the sun rises. My power is nothing but runes I tattooed on the inside of this flesh, I split my horn in half that I might graft on this unicorn horn to boost my own powers. I am Mrs. Miserables... and I am a changeling remade."
There was a dead silence that followed. The revelations were both disturbing and astounding. All four ponies stared at the beast in all its splendor. She looked at them all in turn, awaiting their thoughts.
"What's a changeling?" Andromeda asked. Missy facehoofed with a groan.
* * *
Commissar Delta watched the pegasi mechanics flying about the inside of the warehouse, carrying tools and parts to and from the Enclave airship. It was immense, stretching form one end of the warehouse to the other, blastmarks showed how Scorpion had managed to capture it, and the magenta paint that was slowly being applied proved his intentions for it. All the Enclave marks and symbols had been removed, and a pile of Sanctuary items were ready to be set up. He also noted at least three rifles trained on each one of the pegasi. Save one, a mare, who was currently chained to the floor with and strapped with explosives; several turrets were aimed at her. She wore black, sheenless power armor with fiery purple decals, some sort of special forces. But, where were her wings?
"Who is that?" Delata asked, drawing Scorpion's attention to the mare.
Scorpion sighed wearily. "We have an Enclave airship right here in front of us, and you want to talk about her? Good choice."
They walked over tot he mare, who watched them with her expression hidden by the mask. Delta stepped a few paces away, but Scorpion walked right up to her and lift her visor to expose what laid beneath. Hundreds of surgical scars crisscrossed what might have once been a beautiful face. He snapped her teeth at the general's hoof, growling aggressively.
"The enclave called her Subject X-887 EP-PP," Scorpion said, watching as the mare ineffectively mauled his armored hoof. "I call her Closure, because, due to her, we now know why the Enclave raided St. Cream's Foal Hospital."
"I thought you rescued all those foals," Delta said, taking a step forward. He noticed his words made the mare cease biting the armor.
"She's not Saddle Arabian," Scorpion said, setting the hoof down and sighing. "She's Equestrian. The Enclave wanted a lot of earthbound foals for these experiments it looks like."
"What experiments?" the Commissar demanded. He wasn't angry with his friend, but with the Enclave monsters that had done this to the mare, and possibly other foals.
"You know a pony has a strange gene code, right?" General Scorpion asked, looking to his friend, who nodded slowly in response. "An earth pony married to an earth pony could give birth to a unicorn or a pegasus. Such strange bloodlines, they can suddenly pop up out of nowhere, unexpected and take parents by surprise. now, imagine Enclave pegasi, who are never allowed on the ground, giving birth to an earthbound pony. What happens?"
"I am not sure I wish to know," Delta said, but he knew he needed to hear it.
"Sometimes, parents will keep the foal a secret, constructing a second home on the ground to keep the foal safe," Scorpion began his explanation, feeling his blood boil. "Sometimes, they have to flee to protect their child, becoming Dashites." He hung his head and shuddered at he forced himself to explain the last bit. "But, more often than those decisions, thanks to population-control propaganda, parents are more than willing to just let their 'impure' foals... fall."
Delta closed his eyes and gritted his teeth in anger. Scorpion continued.
"But, this starts taking a toll on the blood, such small populations start becoming inbred. Even just slightly. They need other ponies to help keep them healthy. So, why not create technology that would allow other ponies to walk on the clouds? And what better test subjects than foals? They adapt quickly, and can be taught just about anything. Like Closure here. She hates all things not Enclave."
The earth pony mare bared her teeth and tried to take a step forward, but the chains kept her in place. Scorpion gave her a pitying look.
"Pegasi magic works like a constant outpouring of water. It's how we fly fast and walk on clouds. The magic flow out of us, and connects with the air, making it pass around us, or binds things together, like clouds, to form a literal sheets of water that keep us afloat. Earth ponies, like Closure, direct their magic via physical touch, allowing them to grip the ground and deliver strikes that could shatter trees. For her to stay afloat in the clouds, she have to have such a forceful magic... recoded."
"Those scars...?" Delta didn't say anymore.
"No need to be gentle, she was only one of the earlier test subjects. They took away her force, as a filly. Of course, she was too unsightly to use as a breeder after that, so they made her into an experimental soldier. Say hello to the first earth pony Shadowbolt, Commissar Delta."
"How does she fly?"
Scorpion pointed towards some vents on the sides of her armor. "Closure? Be dear and show my friend, please." The mare growled at him and refused to comply.
"Subject X-887 EP-PP, your wings, now."
All eyes turned towards an old pegasus stallion in a black overcoat hovering overhead, his forehooves crossed in front of his chest. He glared at the mare, you immediately obeyed. Dark clouds suddenly burst out of the vents, lightning ran through them as they shaped themselves into a pair of surreal wings that flapped to show they were controllable.
"Earth Pony Pegasus Project?" Delta quipped, looking at the newcomer, who lightly landed close by.
The stallion nodded. "There's a UP-PP onboard, if you wish to meet him. And, yes, that mean Unicorn Pony Pegasus Project."
"Commissar Delta," Scorpion said, gesturing towards the other pegasus, "this is Brigadier General Flash Nimbus, formerly of the Grand Pegasus Enclave." He then gestured to the zebra. "Brigadier General Flash Nimbus, this is Commissar Delta of Her Grace's shield bearers, Sanctuaries best."
Delta made no attempt tot deny his friend's claim. "I trust you're cooperating here in Mareusalem, General?"
Flash nodded. "Of course, we turned ourselves in in hopes of a bargain."
"I shot you down," Scorpion deadpanned.
"After you saw us waving white flags," Flash explained, keeping a calm and respectful attitude. This made Scorpion roll his eyes. "After the clouds rolled back, we saw that there was no more hope for the Enclave to continue existing. So... we decided to find the closest superpower and enlist. Sanctuary has been known for taking... unsightly beings before."
"We embrace Her Grace's philosophy," Scorpion growled, noticing that Flash had said that last part while looking directly at Delta. "All who seek redemption and a bright future are welcome. The track record speaks for itself."
Flash just mumbled something and sat down. He looked at Scorpion and asked, "So, why have you brought the Commissar here?"
"Because he is going to be taking your ship and heading into Equestria in search of... somepony," he didn't dare say who it was lest he make Her Grace look like a lunatic.
Flash's eyes went wide and flared his wings in disgust. "A zebra? Flying my ship? I will not allow this striped primitive to..."
"Under Her Grace's orders, the best Mareusalem has is to be given to him to aid in his search," Scorpion stated forcefully, smirking at the seething stallion. "Seeing as you want to make such a good impression with Her Grace, I would assume you will allow us to take control of the New Hope. Am I wrong?"
Flash Nimbus quickly tired to come up with an excuse. "I-I mean... plenty of my crew are still loyal tot he Grand Pegasus Enclave. It would be suicide to just let them go with you to Equestria, where most of the Enclave is likely trying to rebuild itself. They would most likely mutiny."
"Really?" Scorpion asked incredulously, looking up at the working pegasi. He gave a sharp whistle, and half of them immediately dropped to the ground behind him and stood at attention. "I think twenty is just fine for a skeleton crew. Well, add some shield bearers and other staff, and the Commissar has a pretty good chance of coming back alive."
"W-what?" Flash asked looking at his former crewmembers who were now giving him condescending smirks. "What's the meaning of this?"
Scorpion signaled somepony with a wing without looking away from the other general. "I took the time to question your crew very... very carefully, and found most of them simply hate your guts. After all, you were the commanding officer group of troublemakers. Nothing more than an abusive buck hiding behind a fancy, bureaucratic title. These young malcontents apparently did not appreciate your rule."
A zebra carrying a chest on his back walked up to the pegasi soldiers and dropped it in front of them, causing it to open up. The pegasi immediately dove at the chest, grabbed what they wanted, and then fell back into formation. Now they were all armed with Sanctuary issue weapons and smiling gleefully, making Flash Nimbus take a couple steps back.
Scorpion took this opportunity to fly up and land on the deck of the ship so he could look down on Flash. "They were kind enough to inform me that you've purposefully been making the repairs take longer than they should have." He watched as Flash became more and more terrified. "Luckily, they've been making wonderful progress without your knowing. I was hoping to tell you this after flying New Hope to Sanctuary, but, I guess delivering you to Her Grace via caravan will just have to suffice."
"N-no, please," Flash begged falling to the ground, wings splayed out on the floor. "I-I-I just..."
"I don't care about your excuses," General Scorpion snarled at him, wings flaring out aggressively. "I know how you reached your rank. The only way you can in the Enclave. By appeasing the government dogs. Her Grace will also like that I'm sending Closure with you. You don't want to know what she did to those few captured Enclave who attacked St. Cream's. What will she do when she sees what happened to a filly you dubbed Subject X-887 EP-PP? Along with a note from Lightning Aurora, you know him as Subject X-22351 UP-PP, detailing his own experiences with you."
Flash was nearly inconsolable. The fear of Her Grace radiating off of him like a tidal wave. General Scorpion smiled leapt back down to the warehouse floor. "Somepony take him away. He's not needed anymore."
While some Sanctuary soldiers quickly took the sobbing stallion away, one of the pegasi that hadn't answered Scorpions whistles flew over tot he respective general with a nervous smile on her face. "Um... General Scorpion, sir?"
"Yes?" Scorpion asked, giving her a look of mild attention.
"Is it too late to join your side?" she asked, her smile growing wider with desperate hope.
Scorpion chuckled and shook his head. "Gear up, filly. You'll make a fine soldier of Sanctuary."
The mare almost collapsed in relief, but managed to fly back and tell the others the good news. Scorpion chuckled to himself. "Just needed to put some things into perspective."
"This has truly been a productive day," Delta said with a nod of acknowledgement to his friend's tact. He would have praised his friend more, but, but a familiar sound drew his attention.
"Hey, Grandpa, I'd like to talk with you."
The Commissar looked to his grandson trotting into the warehouse with an unknown mare practically clinging to his side. He walked over to the colt and looked at him with an unamused expression. "We are in formal settings. Protocols are expected, Short Wave."
Short Wave just snorted dismissively. "Yeah-yeah, throw the book at me."
Delta sighed and shook his head. "Why are you here? You're supposed to be resting in that hospital. Heat stroke is not a laughing matter."
"Neither is an abusive zebra doctor," Short Wave returned with a grunt. "Come on. I'm on the verge of collapsing here. This lovely unicorn beside me, is all that's keeping me standing at the moment." Sham smiled and waved nervously at the Commissar, who gave her an appreciative nod.
"And what's your name?" Delta asked her. He wasn't entirely prepared for the answer.
"I'm Sham, Commissar Delta of Her... augh."
Delta had grabbed the mare by her shoulder and pulled her over to him. He hardly noticed as his grandson fell over, having been supported by the mare. He looked her over with wide eyes. Her candy striped mane and vanilla fur clicked in his memory. "Do you happen to have a twin sister named Shim?"
The bewildered mare could only nod in shock that the famous zebra seemed to know her.
"My word," the commissar said with a smile on his face. "I never thought this would happen. Short Wave, this filly here was at St. Creams, same as you. Daughter of a well-known entrepreneur, if memory serves me right." Sham began to sweat a little. "Short Wave. Pick yourself up in the presence of a mare. Short Wave? Oh, dear. Your grandmother will kill."
* * *
"So, by devouring love, you mean you empathically trace ponies' brainwave, stimulated glands inside your body to produce a nectar that you then cough up so you can mix it with a binding agent, such as sugar, flour or salt, to turn it into a life-sustaining honey. Right?" Andromeda had managed to say all that in a single breath, which she found to not be as hard as she would have thought.
"No-no," Missy said, rather deflated with the nonchalance this strange mare had. She couldn't tell if she was fearless, or just plain stupid. Possibly some wonky combination of both. "We need the binding agent ingested first, which then mixes with the nectar produced from the brainwaves, then is coughed up, combined with water and a generous amount of salt."
"So that's why you were hoarding that salt, interesting," Andromeda said thoughtfully. She looked down at her side and smiled a the little filly that had fallen asleep quite some time ago, dreaming small dreams. "Does this also mean that that broth I gave you was pointless?"
Missy shook her head. "No. The veggies gave me some sugars, and the care you gave me was a form of love, so I could produce some nectar and make myself some honey before the trip. Being a changeling with runic powers scrawled on her chitin and tattooed on the inside of pony hides I heal quite fast anyway. Although, using power like I did back there just about burnt out one of my hearts, I'll need to get a new one at some point."
Seeing the confusion on everyponies' faces, she explained it to them. "All the pony parts on my are alive, thanks to some clever medical work, if I do say so myself. But, to keep them alive, I needed a way to make sure blood pumped throughout them properly. The answer came in the form of shifting some of my own organs around and placing in three hearts, doesn't matter if their pony or something I cut out of an abomination. More runes here and there, and there you have it here. The perfect disguise. A pony suit. I look like a normal pony and since I appear to be an alicorn, most thugs will avoid me like the plague. Until I came to this forest, anyway. Stupid Spell Nexus."
"Did he try and hit on you too?" Andromeda asked sympathetically.
Missy stared at her in bewilderment. "What? No! Ugh. He tried to catch me, so he could use my blood to bring back that abomination you're cuddling with."
"Then she promptly stole the pieces of Nightmare Moon and ran," Pintsize said, receiving a jab in the side from Cold for interrupting. "Oof. You know the rest. Oof."
Andromeda laid her head down on her hooves and chuckled. "Why would you need a disguise anyway? You're a changeling, you said you could become anything. Why not transform into an alicorn?"
Missy lowered her head and sighed. "Because my parents needed salt, and so they traded me to a whorehouse when I was only five in exchange for a few bags." She heard Andromeda gasp in horror. "A little operation to restrict my changing abilities, and you have the perfect little tool. Do you have any idea how many caps perverted ponies will pay to bed with a filly who can shift bodily proportions to suit their fantasies?" Then she chuckled darkly. "The corpses I wear are the monument to their sins. For Tartarus hath no fury like a mare scorned."
"Is that why you want to hurt this child?" Mercy asked, her eyes filled with compassion for the mare. "Do you think I would do the same thing as your parents? Do you think I would use a foal in such an abominable act?"
Missy looked her in the eye and shuddered. "I am a dark creature myself, I can understand Nightmare Moons desire to be loved, but have it rejected. It would have been better if my parents had instead ground me up for the salt in my chitin then... that place." She closed her eyes and slumped to the ground, feeling drained all of a sudden. She pulled her wings against her sides and tried to shut everything out.
When she felt something touch her, she opened her eyes and noticed Andromeda's horn glowing, and then the cape she had tossed aside being draped over her back, all the while clocked in the purple aura. She looked back at Andromeda, who smiled.
"Even dark creatures deserve some love, Mrs. Miz-er-obbes," she said kindly. "You just need to accept that. There are many who deserve death, but they must first have a chance at life to choose their path. I believe you," she then gestured to the teenagers, "all of you, have ben given a new lease tonight. Even this filly... who I have yet to name."
"Will-O'-the-Wisp," Cold suddenly piped up, drawing everypony's attention and almost waking the filly. "What? It's a good name."
Pintsize rolled his eyes and shook his head. "A fairy light that lures children out into the woods to be eaten? Great choice. Oof."
Andromeda chuckled at their display and gently stroked the little filly's head. "How about... Wisp. Wisp Willow. That will be her name. Both for her wispy mane, and the willows near the lake where we found her."
Missy actually discovered an unfamiliar warmth well up inside her. "I think that will do fine, Mrs. Something-or-Other."
Andromeda lifted her head in surprise. "What? I thought for sure I told you all my name."
* * *
Elsewhere, back where her journey had begun, Hope was still rebuilding itself, it's shape different than how the Ministries had envisioned it, becoming something else. Something new. The pink tendrils had managed to expand the hole, allowing the rocket to lay perfectly on its belly as they dug for more scraps. The white hull was now a dark gray, all the holes were sealed up, and the screen had been completely repaired. It was starting to look less like a rocket now. The mainframe itself had become more elegant as well, no more need of buttons, as it didn't need a pilot anymore. But it was compelled to find one anyway.
--ANALYSIS: HOPE AT 70% CAPACITY---ESTIMATED TIME: AWAITING UPDATE---UPDATE: RUBBER IN LOW SUPPLY---SEARCHING FOR ALTERNATIVE RESOURCE---SPACE CAPTAIN MERCY ANDROMEDA: UNDETECTED---MISSION UPDATE: LOCATE AND RETRIEVE SPACE CAPTAIN ANDROMEDA---PURPOSE: REDEMPTION---