Fallout Equestria : Black And White

by Philweasel

Chapter 6.2 - Doomed to Repeat It

It was dark. It was always dark, under the dark grey clouds that covered the wasteland.

Dust Kicker inspected the prisoners, making certain none of them were hurt, ill or abused, nor that they seemed likely to hurt themselves. Elizabetha had gained a reputation for the quality of her slaves back when she ran this crew, and it was a reputation he intended to uphold.

There wasn't much chance of resistance from this lot at least. Like most stable dwellers they quickly devolved into simpering cowards the second you so much as waved a gun in their direction.

...well, almost all of them.

He stopped at Cerulean Sparks' cage, the small filly staring back at him with those cool, golden eyes. He smiled back, impressed by her guts. Fifteen, and not a hint of fear, "They all keeping their hooves off you?"

"Yes." She replied simply, her lip curling in an odd mixture of disapproval and interest, "They really seem to respect you."

"It's a good crew, who all know what they're fighting for."

"And what's that?"

"A better world." He responded, smiling at her interest. He had hoped she would bite, "It's not like the stable up here. There's no order, no discipline. The flaws that destroyed the world writ large, destroying it over and over again every day. Selfishness, pride, factionisation."

Cerulean Sparks seemed to respond to this, nose twitching, "And slavery is the answer?"

"No. It's a crime, and an abomination." He admitted, "But one that we've been forced to commit. Building a new world requires sacrifice, but it's a sacrifice no pony seems willing to make."

"So you force them?"

He nodded, "Sometimes to save the world, you make the hard decisions."

Her yellow eyes shone with cold assessment, looking deep into his. Until finally... she nodded, ever so slightly, "I'll remember that."

¬

It was dark, dark and silent, with just the faint hum of magic in Puppy's anti-grav drive and the equipment in the walls. Dust Kicker took a deep breath and advanced, scanning the route in front carefully with his saddle equipped flashlight. It looked abandoned down here, nothing but rusty pipes and hanging wires, still the lack of dust on the ground beneath his hooves suggested that the route was well used. The floor echoed as he walked, meaning there was absolutely no chance of stealth. They knew he was coming anyway.

Ahead lights illumined a large sign above a dirty and somewhat cramped looking access pipe, accessed by a warped and rusty looking ladder. Dust Kicker read across the sign with amusement, "Hopeville Sewage and Septic storage system, warning, danger of death. Sounds lovely."

"Those stains... they're not organic material. It's paint." Puppy confirmed.

Dust Kicker nodded, he figured, "Structural readings ahead?"

"Heavily reinforced." Puppy stated confidently, "A stable, or bunker. And intact, at least on the outside."

Dust Kicker nodded, gingerly hauling himself up into the access pipe and continuing. He soon came to the most obvious sign yet, an unmarked but clearly Stabletec door. It was open, revealing rows of silent, watchful and intimidating turrets that decorated the checkpoint beyond. There was absolutely no sign of anyone living however, and those turrets didn't so much as track his progress as he continued.

Ahead, the path branched. The way ahead was sealed by a heavy duty blast door, as was the path to the left. The right however lay open and Dust Kicker dutifully followed, walking into what looked like a briefing or communications room. The lights kicked in as he entered, three holograms appearing on the central platform. They were all in military dress, a female unicorn, an earth pony male, and another earth pony male with general pips.

"General, reporting civilian activity around Silo 2." The female stated, sounding more flustered than she likely intended, "They have located the entrance, and are actively searching for a means to open it."

"I assume all lockdown procedures have been put into effect." The general replied.

"Of course sir."

The other earth pony spoke up at this, "Sir, I recommend decommissioning site 2. Shut down the megaspells, bury the facility."

"Acknowledged Captain Trundle, but denied." The general responded, "Captain Iris, prepare security forces to clear civilians from the area. Live ammo."

"Sir?" The earth pony replied, eyes widening.

"I am privy to information you are ignorant of." The general replied officiously, "The next few weeks are critical to the war effort. Megaspell capacity must be maintained at all costs."

"Affirmative sir." The mare replied, "Deploying security forces."

The holograms vanished, the door beyond sliding open. Dust Kicker took a brief look at Puppysmiles before taking the bait, moving forward into what looked like a signal intelligence facility. Most of the monitors were turned off, but a single large monitor above the main table stood blinking a 'press any key to continue' message.

Dust Kicker moved forward to the console below, clicking the space bar. Immediately the screen burst into life, messages scrolling past.

WARNING - CONNECTION TO MANEHATTEN 1 LOST

Silo 1 - 'Manehatten command, we have lost your signal. Advise on status.'

PRIORITY ALERT - MISSILE APPROACH DETECTED ON WEST COAST - STAND BY

Silo 1 - 'Equestria command, advise. We have a missile warning, is this in error?'

PRIORITY ALERT - MULTIPLE WARHEADS CONFIRMED - STAND BY

Silo 1 - 'Equestria command, advise.'

Cloudsdale 1 - "Contact Manehatten for orders Divide 1.'

Silo 1 - 'Negative Cloudsdale, Manehatten unresponsive.'

WARNING - CONNECTION TO CLOUDSDALE 1 LOST

Silo 1 - 'Equestria command, multiple lost contacts. Do we launch, advise?'

WARNING - CONNECTION TO CANTERLOT 1 LOST

Whitetail Relay - 'Code 1110. Launch all megaspells! Repeat, launch all megaspells!'

PRIORITY ORDER SENT - AUTHORISATION ACCEPTED - COMMAND CODES HAVE BEEN UNLOCKED

LAUNCH LAUNCH LAUNCH

Silo 1 - 'All silos, this is not a drill. Launch launch launch.'

SILO ONE - DOORS OPEN - STAND BY FOR LAUNCH

SILO TWO - DOOR ERROR DOOR ERROR - CILIVIANS ON SITE

PRIORITY ORDER SENT - SILO TWO AUTHORISED FOR LIVE FIRE ON CIVILIANS

Silo 1 - 'Get them out of there Silo 2! Any means necessary!'

SILO ONE LAUNCH - MEGASPELL 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 LAUNCH COMPLETE

Silo 1 - 'Silo 2, 3, advise on situation.'

Silo 2 - 'Troops down, civilians armed.'

Silo 1 - 'Still on site?'

Silo 2 - 'Confirmed.'

Silo 1 - 'Silo 3, report.'

Silo 3 - 'Negative silo 1.'

Silo 1 - 'Silo 3, clarify last message.'

Silo 3 - 'Equestia hit. No further megaspells incoming. Target sights include civilian areas. No tactical justification for launch.'

Silo 1 - 'Silo 2, 3, launch! That is an order!"

Silo 2 - 'Negative silo one, civilians still on site. Safeties won't let us open the door until they're clear.'

PRIORITY ORDER SENT - DOOR SAFETY OVERRIDE SILO 2

SILO TWO - DOORS OPEN - STAND BY FOR LAUNCH

WARNING - INTRUDERS DETECTED IN SILO 2

Silo 2 - 'Fuck you you fucking warmongering scum! We won't let you do this!'

SILO TWO - MEGASPELL LAUNCH ABORTED

SILO TWO - MEGASPELL DECOMMISIONING SEQUENCE ACTIVATED

PRIORITY ORDER SENT - MEGASPELL DECOMMISIONING SEQUENCE DEACTIVATED

PRIORITY ORDER SENT - SILO TWO - DOORS OPEN - STAND BY FOR LAUNCH

PRIORITY ORDER SENT - LAUNCH SEQUENCE LOCKED SILO 2

SILO 2 - WARNING : MULTIPLE SAFETIES OVERRIDEN - DOOR CLOSED DURING LAUNCH SEQUENCE - UNABLE TO CANCEL LAUNCH SEQUENCE

Silo 2 - 'Stop the launch you bastards! Stop it now!'

SILO 2 - WARNING : UNABLE TO CANCEL LAUNCH SEQUENCE - DOORS CLOSED ABORT ABORT

SILO 2 - OPEN THE DOORS OPEN THE DOORS

...System reset. Please stand by...

WARNING - CONNECTION TO SILO 1 LOST

WARNING - CONNECTION TO SILO 2 LOST

WARNING - LOST HILLS RELAY REPORTS SYSMIC EVENT

WARNING - CONNECTION TO LOST HILLS RELAY LOST

WARNING - CONNECTION TO EQUESTRIA COMMAND LOST

WARNING - ELEVATED RADIATION LEVELS DETECTED IN AREA

WARNING - SEVERE DAMAGE TO SILO 3

Silo 3 - 'Celestia help us.'

PRIORITY ORDER SENT - MEGASPELLS LOCKED, DOORS LOCKED, CONTROLS LOCKED - SILO 3

Dust Kicker looked up as the monitor above activated, showing Hopesville from the perspective of a camera upon the relay station. It was beautiful, peaceful looking.

...then the earth shook, the ground cracked open, and blue flames roared from the ground. Hopesville was shattered apart, the whole city shattered into pieces before being set ablaze in balefire. A moment later, what remained collapsed downwards into the new valley that had now been created, a dead, broken wreck.

A number appeared across the bottom of the screen. Twenty six thousand. The population of Hopeville.

The doors slid open on the other wall, revealing what was clearly the office of somepony important. Dust Kicker played the good solider and continued to follow the clear path he was being given, looking about at the interior. It was T shaped, with two wings holding an informal meeting area with couches and a wine cabinet on one side, and a file storage area on the other. Ahead was a large desk featuring a complex looking control panel, and beyond a large set of windows looking out onto a huge silo.

Dust Kicker advanced to the desk. There was the skeleton of a pony in the chair, most of it's skull melted away. A laser pistol on the floor in front appeared to be the culprit, and it was likely also responsible for the control panel being almost totally fused into a twisted mess.

He then looked up towards the silo beyond, illuminated by the churning, twisting forms of the megaspells within their harnesses.

"He... killed himself?" Puppysmiles asked, bobbing along behind.

Dust Kicker nodded, "Either that or he was killed by the soldiers sent to arrest him. But he had already done his work by then. Locked off all controls, then fried the panel."

Puppysmile's voice became sad, "He was a good pony."

"He still lied to the ponies above. Still participated in a ruse that got thousands of innocents killed." Dust Kicker pointed out, finding his own feelings on the matter... muted, "Broke a dozen rules of war."

"You... don't sound surprised."

"Why should I be?"

Puppysmile's voice grew strained, "I met Princess Luna. She was a good pony..."

"And she still did this."

"Why?"

It was a good question. But one he was pretty sure he had the answer to, "Because she felt she had to. Because everypony was acting that way. Because it didn't feel like being good got anything done."

"I knew you would understand Dust Kicker." Came a response from over the announcement system, the doors at the side of the room sliding open. From them came a tide of troopers, clad in yellow armor marked with a curled griffon claw, ponies and griffon alike.

And just behind them, moving through a gap they created for her... a middle aged female griffon, wearing jade colored glasses and sporting a heavy machine gun at her side. She had a few more scars, a lot more wrinkles, put on a few pounds... but hadn't they all? Dust Kicker turned to face her, "Elizabetha."

She smirked, "It sounded like you expected me."

"You had the connection to me, the connection to Red Eye... you mentioned how you wanted to find one of the fabled lost silos, gain access to the communications network. You're smart, driven, ambitious." He shrugged, "It all made sense."

"I'm flattered. More so that you remember me so well." Elizabetha chuckled, Dust Kicker annoyed at how attractive it made her look. The old feelings all bubbled back, especially as she grinned and cooed sweetly, "When you last saw me I was a slip of a girl babbling about idealistic nonsense, and you were an loud, obnoxious punk."

"And now you're a terrorist, and I'm a zebra praetorian."

"Ha! The paths we take... but I have always been a revolutionary Dust Kicker." Elizabetha confidently exclaimed, "And you... you still take things too seriously. Never let go of that naivety."

Dust Kicker remembered those little 'talks' he had with Red Eye over the radio, "Yeah, I've been told. It was you, talking to me over the radio?"

"Sometimes." She admitted, "Though to be honest, I normally played the carrot. There's others who hate you far more."

"Who?"

"Oh no, you're talking to me now kid." She answered, smirking viciously to herself, "Tell me, why did you come here alone?"

He stared her down, "You expected me to come alone. I'm sure you know..."

"Of course I do." She stated confidently, cutting him off, "Because Puppysmiles convinced you that it was the right thing to do. That this was something you had to do yourself, that it was a matter of honor." She laughed, "You're as predicable as you are stupid."

"Wha..."

"Puppysmiles!" Elizabetha declared cheerfully, "History belongs to the victorious!"

"And should never be mistaken for truth." She answered in a soft, broken monotone, floating past Dust Kicker's shoulder towards the awaiting guards.

"NO!" Dust Kicker reached for her but the soldiers all raised their weapons, causing a moment of hesitation enough for her to retreat behind their lines. He cursed himself for being so stupid, having once again underestimated his opponent, "Two codephrases."

"One hidden in her hardware, and one implemented the old fashioned way." Elizabetha noted with cheer, her look of smug victory eminently punchable, "We built her personality from the ground up, you honestly thought we hadn't already planned for this?"

Puppysmiles had in fact, it was why she hadn't confronted them directly at the Battle for Canterlot. Still he had hoped it wasn't the case, and it did make his job considerably harder, "You mean the Rangers built her. Is that what you're up to these days, aiding their fascist takeover?"

She snarled then, changing her face into something he barely recognized. It was a look of bitter, self serving rage, a dark blasphemy in the eyes of a griffon he had always associated with the heart of idealism, "I didn't join anything!" She gave a shrug, relenting after a moment, "The Red Eye project was the Ranger's idea. Peach Tree's really. But he came to me to plan it."

Dust Kicker raised a eyebrow, "Peach Trees... came to you?"

Elizabetha grinned, "The old bastard knew the value of networking. He tried to come across as the perfect solider, but his most famous battles were waged in the council chamber."

Dust Kicker understood now, "He needed forces outside of the Rangers. For deniablity."

She smirked, "For competence. A bunch of hard headed 'yes sir, no sir' troopers in power armor? They can clear a building and hold a line, but they can't scout a wilderness worth shit. Peach Trees knew that, but he could never be seen going to the Talons."

"So he came to you." Dust Kicker stated, trying to keep her talking as he scanned for ways out of this situation, "Mercenaries, not affiliated with the NCR."

She spat on the ground at the name, "Fuck the NCR."

"Still sore Elizabetha?"

She grimaced back at him, "We were fighting for something Dust Kicker!"

He smirked, "Slavery and murder."

She just stared for a moment, then slung her machine gun up onto her shoulder and cocked him a look of deadly seriousness, "Who are you who doesn't know your history?"

"Hmph..." Dust Kicker snorted, "I should have known it was you the first time I heard Red Eye come out with that. You always were quite the pretentious historian."

"The world experienced a thousand years of peace because Celestia was in charge. The moment she gave them freedom, allowed herself to doubt her moral authority... they fell on each other like dogs." Elizabetha snorted, "But I don't blame Littlepip. She grew up in a sealed, self sufficient environment, free of conflict and worry. Places like that breed idealistic fools."

"Like Red Eye?"

"Yeah, actually." She stated smugly, "He had the right idea, a enlightened overlord ruling over the idiot masses. But he was never able to follow through, wedded to his own foolish ideals to the end."

"And what... Puppysmiles is different?"

"Yes... or at least, she should be." Elizabetha answered, "She's seen how horrible the world is, how eager they are to turn on each other the second they're given the slightest reason. How they've forgotten all their previous mistakes, wedded to making them all over again. She will understand what must be done to save it."

Dust Kicker understood, at least as far as Elizabetha saw it, "That's why you helped her escape, why you sent her out with us. You wanted her to see the chaos with her own eyes, to see peace collapse again and again and war rise in it's place."

Elizabetha grinned wide, "Yes... you get it Dust Kicker."

He got it alright. This was Red Eye's motivations, after all this time. To ruin the world enough that it would make Puppysmiles as insane and cynical as them. For that they had killed millions, spread hate, sabotaged the efforts of good ponies, "And what, Puppysmiles rules the NCR? You take over? It won't be as easy as that and you know it."

Elizabetha just chuckled, shaking her head, "There won't be a NCR."

"What?"

"We were honestly hoping that the zebra and Equestria would save us the trouble, unleash their megaspells and wipe themselves out. Leave a nice clean world for us, ready to be cleaned up with the Gardens of Equestria and rebuilt from the ground up." Elizabetha shrugged her shoulders, motioning to the window looking out into the hanger and the megaspells all sitting ominously in their berths, "As it is, it looks like we'll have to give things a little push. And what luck... the near total leadership of both nations is currently sitting pretty in Ponyville. So that's another thing I have to thank you for Dust Kicker."

Dust Kicker wasn't sure she should be thanking him, since she had just revealed her entire plan. He figured she was a monologuer, Elizabetha always did love to talk.

He promptly triggered the device hidden in his battlesaddle, forming a shield about his body which instantly exploded with a burst of EMP radiation and blinding light. The Claws all shouted and lifted their weapons but didn't fire, for good reason. Packed into the room like this, any shot they missed would likely hit a comrade, indeed he had cleared more than a few bandit encampments by abusing their lack of fire discipline. Shame they were apparently too well trained for that.

Whatever, he wouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth. He immediately charged Elizabetha, taking her off her paws and slamming her hard into the drinks cabinet. It exploded in a shower of glass and booze, the aged griffon instantly going limp as he felt her ribs shatter. With her down and her still blinded comrades reluctant to fire it was easy to tear open her saddle bag and pull out her base ID, delivering a harsh pair of bucks to two griffons who rushed to pull him off her. With that done he lunged for the door, opening it with a swish of the keycard and rushing through to close it behind him.

He galloped onwards, trying to catch his breath as he tried to lose any possible pursuit. Now it was done his body ached like a motherfucker, crying out not for the first time that he was far too old for this shit. He had to pause for a moment to click his false leg back into position, using that time to pull out the tracking device for Puppy's eyebot he was packing. It told him precisely what he didn't want to hear, showing that she was already pretty far into the facility.

"You still impress Dust Kicker. After all this time."

Dust Kicker looked up at the speaker on the wall of the corridor, bearing Red Eye's dulcet tones. He told himself not to be fooled, but this one was really a lot more convincing than the one outside.

"Elizabetha was so certain that you would come here alone, with just Puppy with you." Red Eye's voice stated over the intercom, sounding rather impressed, "We prompted Puppy to encourage it, but still..."

Dust Kicker shrugged his shoulders, "She still knows me too well, after all this time."

"Well it was her who predicted your actions at the Lost Legion. That you would connect Puppy's systems to theirs, and hide the truth from your comrades. That you would trust Red Eye implicitly, long after you renounced your allegiance."

It was huh? He should have figured, "It's what made her a good leader. A good commander. She could always predict the reactions of others."

"She didn't predict that you would escape her."

Dust Kicker chuckled, "No, she didn't." He looked up at the speaker, still frustratingly anonymous,"Did you?"

There was a brief pause before the answer, "I like it when you surprise me."

"Then keep watching." He boasted, though he certainly wasn't reassured by the idea that someone was watching his every move through the base cameras, and that obviously meant their security systems were still functional. He set off in the direction of Puppy's signal, clearing himself through high security doors with his keycard and looking for some kind of map. He was disappointed, finding nothing but featureless corridors, storage bays, and long abandoned barracks.

Until... he heard voices nearby. He followed them, soon finding himself at a clearly powered and in use part of the facility. The clawsteps of a single griffon echoed inside a adjoining room, door slightly ajar. It was a female, seeming to be speaking to another figure.

"Yes, I understand... but the prisoner could be a risk in this situation, if the intruder was to come here... fine, I'll lock this area down and come to you, just give me a few minutes."

There was a click, the sound of a radio being turned off. The clawsteps moved away from the door.

Dust Kicker slipped inside of the security office, sighting up on the single griffon facing away from him. She barely had a chance to turn before he fired, striking her across the back of the head with a beanbag round. She struggled, staggering for a moment before flopping into a heap, and he moved over to kick her hard in the ribs. The blow failed to stir her and he injected a combination healing potion and sedative, a combo that would keep her out for hours, taking another key card from her pack.

The security office was obviously protecting somewhere. Somewhere with a 'prisoner’. He slid the keycard across the reader, the door opening up to what was indeed a large prison area.

Really large. At least enough spaces for a hundred ponies. Dust Kicker wondered what purpose it could have possibly served. It seemed really excessive now, because as he walked out onto the gantry above three floors of this place he could only see one occupied cell. He moved towards it, watching the earth pony inside stir and lift himself to stare assessingly in his direction. His voice was strident, his accent educated and military, "Dust Kicker."

Dust Kicker looked the pony over. Clean shaven and athleticly built, two things unusual in long term prisoners. Of middle age, and vaguely familiar, "You have me at a disadvantage."

"Then you are not supposed to be here."

"No." He admitted, "And I'm guessing you're not either."

"Who sent you?"

"The NCR, and Free Zebra Alliance." He stated, figuring laying his cards out would gain him answers the quickest, "Here to stop Red Eye."

"Excellent." The pony replied, smiling with relief. He offered a sharp salute, "Star Paladin Stern Lancer of the Applejack Rangers."

Stern Lancer? Dust Kicker had heard of him, and kicked himself for not recognized him straight away. High Elder Peach Tree's second in command, and a formidable figure in his own right. And that suggested a good reason for him being here, "You were involved with the Puppysmiles project, and faking Red Eye. You're working... were working for Elizabetha and the Claws."

He had the good decency to look guilty, "Yes... you are well informed."

"You have no idea." Dust Kicker took out his code breaker device and plugged it into the side of the cell's keypad, the machine beeping a couple of times before the door slip open, "Come on, they know I'm here."

Stern Lancer flexed as he stepped out, popping his neck before looking over as Dust put the code breaker away, "You are very well equipped for a mercenary."

"Not a mercenary anymore." He smirked, "They're not paying me for one."

Stern Lancer simply nodded, then motioned for them to move back the direction they came. He looked at the griffon's sleeping form as they passed through the security station, noting her condition as he retrieved her shotgun, "You left her alive."

"I considered it the best option to ensure a successful outcome." Dust answered, "I can't negotiate with them if they're dead."

"You expect them to talk?"

Dust Kicker looked at him, smirking, "They spoke to you and your boys."

"And look where that got us." Stern Lancer answered sharply, taking the insult on the chin, "Elizabetha is a lunatic with megaspells. She needs to die, and die quickly."

"Yeah." Dust Kicker noted, having wondered about that, "How did that happen, out of interest? The megaspells?"

"No idea." Lancer stated firmly, before offering Dust Kicker a slightly apologetic look, "But I guess you might find that suspect, considering the rest of the lies."

"Well since you mention it..."

Lancer nodded in understanding, "We were aware that Elizabetha and her family had access to some sort of pre-war facility here, though we assumed it was just a bunker. She certainly never said any different."

Dust Kicker remembered what she had said, "She works for you?"

"Peach Trees really. She's his favored mercenary for operating in these areas. Clever, discrete, gets results." Lancer explained, "It was nothing we haven't done before. False flag operations, remind the NCR that they still need us."

Dust Kicker was surprised he would admit to it, "You've created fake raiders before?"

"During peace time civilians always question the worth of the military. They chip away at us, take away our ability to respond to threats... and then when a threat comes, we're woefully unprepared." Lancer fixed Dust Kicker with a grim look, "Do you fault us for a bit of theater, putting on a show to demonstrate our worth and perhaps killing a few raiders in the process?"

Dust Kicker admitted he had a point of some sort. Still, it had gone much further, "This is no mere theater."

"It started with Elizabetha's idea." Lancer explained, "We wanted this one to be impressive, to draw lots of raiders to the banner and really capture the public's eye. Elizabetha normally provides candidates, but this time she had a far more unusual idea."

"The fake Red Eye."

"It was crazy, but the more we thought about it the more sense it made." Lancer explained, "It would certainly capture the attention of both the raiders and the general public. Many of the raiders in this area are his former followers. And she could do it, she had a modulator that could replicate his voice, scholars who could replicate his manner and personality, a convincing explanation for his survival..."

Dust Kicker remembered 'Red Eye' telling him, "He said Twilight Frost lied about his death. She was the only witness."

"She did not. Indeed her description of his last moments was accurate enough to locate his grave." Stern Lancer confirmed, "Red Eye's remains currently reside in a Ranger facility, retrieved from the ruins of the cathedral sixteen years ago. We confirmed that it was him, Red Eye is quite dead."

Dust Kicker was... somewhat disappointed, "So it was all a lie."

"Yes. I am oddly proud that it was so convincing."

"This fake, he knew things... that only Red Eye knew." Dust Kicker started, before realising the truth. After all Red Eye wasn't the only one would would have been privy to that information, "But there was another mare involved with this operation wasn't there? A white unicorn with electric blue hair."

Stern Lancer gave a inquisitive look, before nodding, "Yes. Spark Matrix. "

"She used to be called Cerulean Sparks. Back... when she was a slave of Red Eye's." Dust Kicker sighed, "Of mine."

"Yes, I recall her saying that." Stern Lancer confirmed, "Honestly I wish we never involved her, or her master."

"Her master?"

"Ambition leads to further ambition." Lancer explained, "It soon became clear that the operation would both cost a great deal, and truly grab the public's attention. We were well beyond simple public goodwill, Peach Trees thought this could be the groundwork for a much larger operation."

Dust Kicker nodded, "Puppysmiles."

"We already had some dealings with a pre-war AI called SolOS. A research AI, an advanced one. Sentient, psychopathic, brilliant and utterly insane. We should have had him killed, but we believed we could control him." Lancer explained, "He offered the Puppysmiles idea to us, demonstrated through basic mock ups of her capabilities that she could pretty much break into any computer system in Equestria. We learned that Velvet Remedy's secretary had been nursing a crippling Mint-all's addiction, got herself heavily into debt with bad ponies. We used that to convince her to support us, give us access to Followers systems."

Dust Kicker shook his head. Was every third member of the Followers secretly crazier than a bucket of frogs?

Lancer snorted before continuing, "With that access the idea was to add a cyberterrorism angle to Red Eye, and then offer Puppy OS as a counter. A defender of our computer systems, which would handle all electronic security for the NCR."

"And the Rangers would have full control."

Lancer glared at him, clearly offended, "Yes, we wanted control. But we never intended to infringe on the civilian government, simply have the best tools to keep them safe."

Dust Kicker had heard that before, "Even from themselves?"

"Yes, if necessary." Stern Lancer admitted, "Puppy's data gathering and analysis capabilities would determine threats without any bias, and then we would eliminate said threat with the same purity of purpose."

"A technocracy. How very... Ranger."

"I won't apologize." Lancer stated, "You've traveled with Puppy. What is your assessment of her capabilities for such a task?"

"As wonderful and flawed as any one of us." Dust Kicker answered without pause, "And no more capable of handling ultimate power."

"No organization governed by a code as strict as the Rangers could ever believe in ultimate power." Lancer responded sharply, "Peach Trees himself might have theoretically possessed the authority to do as he wished, but responsibility is a heavy chain to bear."

Dust Kicker supposed he was right... however naive he was in thinking everypony was so honorable, "So Cerulean Sparks?"

"She was the lead designer for the Puppy OS project. One of SolOS's." Lancer thought for a moment before going into more detail, "In particular she worked on her hacking capabilities. Had knowledge of some of Doc Slaughter's old work."

Dust Kicker decided to come clean, "I know both of them."

"Who?"

"Cerulean and Elizabetha. They're both... ex-girlfriends of mine."

Stern Lancer raised an eyebrow, "That's... odd, but how does it relate to anything exactly?"

"It's not the only thing they have in common." Dust Kicker stated, being aware that he certainly had a type, "They're both ruthless, extremely intelligent, obsessed with history and driven to the point of madness. And they both have history with Red Eye."

"You think... they colluded?"

Dust Kicker sighed, shaking his head at the thought of what they couldn't considering their abilities and personalities, "I think introducing them might have been the worst idea you ever had."

¬

They continued onwards, following the small blinking icon on Dust Kicker's tracker. They managed to avoid any security or pursuit simply by moving through the abandoned areas of the facility, which Dust though was a rather blatant security flaw. Especially when they knew he was here.

"I don't like this." Stern Lancer growled, "Elizabetha is more careful than this. We're walking into a trap."

Dust Kicker had to agree. Still, "We don't have any other leads. We still don't have a map of this place."

"Sure but..." Stern Lancer paused, then his brow narrowed, "Ahead, quiet."

Dust Kicker nodded, setting up his rifle and urging Stern Lancer forward. The younger, quieter pony saw his point and advanced, moving up round the corner and disappearing for a few moments before leaning back out and motioning for Dust Kicker to follow.

He advanced around, seeing that this corridor opened out into what looked like a loading bay, complete with intact looking flatbed transports loaded with crates. Dust Kicker noted four ponies in the area, two unloading and two carrying weapons. They were joined by a single griffon, male and carrying a long rifle.

"Quick assault is our best option." Stern Lancer stated firmly, "Take them all out before they can call for help."

"We could sneak past?"

Stern Lancer shook his head, "There's a map of the facility right there behind the griffon. We need time to study it."

"My shotgun's the only weapon that's non lethal." Dust Kicker noted, patting the weapon at his hip, "I would prefer not to go live if we don't have to."

"Your preferences are irrelevant." Stern Lancer retorted, readying his own weapon, "Equestria is at risk. We do what has to be done, there's no room for hesitation in war."

Dust Kicker swallowed his anger at the pony's words, moving to object... but Stern Lancer was already moving away, weapon discharging with a roar. The first guard dropped immediately, Dust Kicker forced to admit he was a damn good shot.

Dust Kicker leapt off the gantry and engaged SATS as the others started firing, landing on a crate and firing beanbag rounds at the two loaders as they scrambled for their weapons. The two toppled backwards, out of the fight, Dust Kicker absorbing the second guard's round on his cybernetic leg before nailing him with two shots to the head that laid him out cold.

He looked round to see Stern Lancer exchanging shots with the griffon, a fairly equal exchange until the griffon made the mistake of opening his wings to fly to better cover. Stern Lancer took the opportunity to nail him through the left wing just before the apex of his ascent, throwing him off balance and leading him to crash awkwardly through some crates. The griffon attempted to extract himself from the wreckage, spotting Stern Lancer advancing and raising a desperate claw, "Wait...!"

Stern Lancer finished him off with a single shot to the head, barely even acknowledging the kill before moving over and pulling ammo from the griffon's saddlebags, "We need to move."

"Right..." Dust Kicker noted, reminded why he hated working with Rangers.

And at that very moment, Red Eye's voice sounded out over the intercom, "He's right you know? They heard that gunfire, and have already sent a squad to investigate."

Stern Lancer looked up, "What the heck?!"

"And that griffon you just killed was her eldest son."

Dust Kicker cursed, "Stern, that's what I wanted to avoid. She's not going to do us any favors now."

"I wouldn't accept any from a terrorist." Stern Lancer retorted, looking over the map, "The main command centre is this way... and the megaspell controls down here."

Red Eye spoke up again, "You'll need to unlock the megaspell controls from the main command centre."

Stern Lancer looked sharply at Dust Kicker, "Explain why... whomever's on the comms is helping you!"

"I wish I knew." Dust Kicker replied, though privately he had some idea, "Stern Lancer, the two facilities are a fair distance from each other. If I head to the megaspell controls, you need to open them up from the command centre."

"Here's another idea." Stern Lancer offered, "We reverse that."

"Here's another... we don't." Dust Kicker responded, matching Stern's commanding glare, "You might not have much reason to trust me, but consider the fact that this is your fault."

Stern Lancer narrowed his eyes.

"And that I am better armed than you."

Stern Lancer grunted, moving away, "Fine. Besides, I'm more familiar with military technology."

Dust Kicker watched as he turned away and galloped off through the door towards the command centre. He wondered if this was the right decision, letting him go alone.... letting him go at all. Letting him go the way that was clearly being prompted by whoever was on the intercom.

Whatever the case, the choice was made. He took one final moment to centre himself before heading off to his own destination.

¬

Stern Lancer donned the flak vest he had taken from the dead terrorist at his hooves, glad that he had finally found one his size. Along with the weapons and ammo he had taken he was adequately equipped now at least, though he missed his power armor.

He looked around the area, counting his kills. At least nine souls who wouldn't be causing Equestria any more problems. He proceeded past them without any further consideration, looking up at the command centre door and the swiveling camera mounted above, "I'm coming for you next."

He tapped in an override code he knew and the door slid open, admitting him into the familiar sight of a military command centre... though the central pillar had been replaced by a crusader mainframe, surrounded by consoles and monitors. Stern Lancer trotted out boldly before the cybernetic tower, his grim, cold eyes glaring straight into the glowing blue eye that moved to track him. He rolled his shoulders, flexed muscles he had done his best to maintain through his long periods of isolation.

"Stern Lan..."

Lancer cut SolOS off midword, keeping his voice clipped and pitched enough to overpower the machine's powerful speakers, "Why did you keep me alive SolOS?"

"Because you were useful to me." SolOS admitted, though his tone had lost none of it's arrogant self assurance, "You were next in line for command of the Rangers. There was any number of ways in which that could be used."

"I see." Lancer responded, thinking of the hundreds of his brothers that had died because this machine didn't consider them useful, "I think our decision to spare you from deconstruction and study was a poor one."

SolOS chuckled. It shouldn't have been allowed from such a soulless abomination, a dark, humorless rumbling, "At least you Rangers will have on achievement worth remembering when I remake this world."

…and then suddenly, without warning, all the lights went off and they were plunged into darkness.

¬

Dust Kicker advanced, the blinking light showing the way to Puppysmiles growing ever closer. Indeed, she lay just beyond the door ahead, the big, reinforced set of double doors that led off the viewing platform he currently stood upon. They sat in the middle of a large, circular column that took up the centre of the silo, megaspells to his right and left. They hummed with coiled energy, large and churning, leaving no illusions to the power contained within. Any one of them could erase Ponyville from the map.

He stepped forward, the doors sliding open before him. They led him right into a large CIC room, map consoles, radar stations, tactical controls, readouts of vast numbers of connected systems scrolling down the viewscreens. One of them was clearly the satellite system Ace had spoken of, displaying a grid of connected structures high above the planet's atmosphere.

And there she was. Standing on a platform in the middle of the room, metal hooves resting inside grooves connecting her to the two consoles that stood on either side. She was taller, older, but her manner was the same. She was thin, fragile, standing with a mixture of uncertainty and stubborn resolve that came across as defensive and standoffish, enhanced by a sharp, bony intensity that seemed to lower the temperature just with a look. It didn't help that one of her eyes stared at nothing, the golden iris cloudy and dead... and the other was a cybernetic enhancement, a chilly blue glow from a shiny black eyeball.

Dust Kicker advanced, noting the slight shimmer around her, "Cerulean Sparks."

She smiled, thin and closed mouth, "I've waited for you."

Dust Kicker had noticed. This whole time, she had been goading him to come here, to engage her face to face. He looked around at the control room, noting how appropriately 'final boss' it looked, "So is this going to be a boss fight? Got turrets in that roof, generators powering that shield around you?"

"Yes actually." She admitted, "But I hope it won't come to that."

Dust Kicker took a deep breath, wondering how it had come to this, "So you're the mastermind. You're Red Eye."

"That's a simplification. A rather gross one." She stated, returning to her familiar look of cold indifference. It was instantly familiar, despite the years and the scars. When he had seen her she had been fifteen years old, thin and underdeveloped, with a chilly intensity to her that had sat oddly atop her youth. Now with her cybernetics, the wrinkles of age and wear, the weight of experience in her expression... her true self shone through. And her voice carried an endless weight of disappointment, "There were a half dozen operators behind the Red Eye broadcasts."

"And you were one of them?"

"Yes."

He figured. It answered a lot of questions, "When we found out that Red Eye was impersonating Puppysmiles, that was you wasn't it?"

Cerulean Sparks looked impressed, her eyes widening in interest, "How did you know?"

"You were angry. With me." He took a deep breath, remembering the moment clearly. It still haunted him, "Because I disappointed you. Because you wanted me to defy Elizabetha's predictions, prove myself... more noble than that. Too noble to lie to everyone, endanger Puppy's life out of loyalty to a long dead dictator."

Cerulean Sparks' eyes grew cold, "You're right. She predicted it. And she was right."

"I'm sorry."

"I'm sure you are." She responded, "And you needn't worry. I'm used to the world living down to the low expectations of it's cynics and nihilists."

"Is that why you're doing this?" He asked, doffing his hat, "Everyone's been telling me their side of the story today. So... what's yours? Why the hell are you sitting on a near dozen shiny balls of armageddon?"

She smiled again, a little more genuine this time, "A good question. Everyone in this has some reason for what they've done, don't they? Stern Lancer wants order, Peach Trees wanted the Rangers to endure after he was gone... Silent Steel wanted redemption for his lack of resolve, for being a pawn in the plans of the Rangers who he despised. And Elizabetha... she just hates the world I feel. It's betrayed her too many times for her to feel it's worth saving, and she's too spiteful to just let it go."

"And you?"

"Maths." Cerulean Sparks answered with a soft, sad little smile, "And simple logic. Ponies, griffons, zebra... they all have to die."

Dust Kicker chuckled at the absurdity, "Because... logic."

"You've seen it as well as I." She whispered, "You've seen it in the zebra territories, you've seen it here in the NCR. The day of Sunshine and Rainbows... it was a lie."

"It saved the world. And we're trying to keep it saved."

"You'll fail in the end Dust Kicker. It's a mathematical certainty." Sparks stated, her tone thick with regret, "Celestia learned that. She successfully kept war from consuming the world for over a thousand years, but eventually the march of technology made that impossible." Sparks lifted a hoof, electricity rippling along the touch plate built into it, "Now any pony is capable of attaining the power of an alicorn, without any test of moral fortitude or good sense, and with megaspells the most base of ponies can achieve wonders and terrors Celestia could barely dream of."

"Like what you've done?"

"Yes." Sparks smiled, broad and vindicated, "A single, broken horned unicorn, with a keyboard and a internet connection. And with a few pushes, I've incited global war."

Dust Kicker growled in frustration, "That's on you!"

"Don't be naive Dust Kicker." She stated softly, shaking her head, "It could be anyone. I hid from the world for years because of these implants, because I knew how dangerous they'd be in the wrong hooves. Doc Slaughter spent decades looking for me... at least until I hacked into his pacemaker and gave him a fatal heart attack."

Doc Slaughter had been suspiciously absent for years. Indeed most ponies had concluded that his company had been covering up his death to protect their reputation, and it was nice to have confirmation. Besides… "Well honestly the world might be a safer place for it."

"It merely slowed the inevitable Dust Kicker." She answered, "They'll figure it out eventually. Dream Star's assistant, Signal Jammer? She knows how to create my implants. Others may have left detailed schematics. Who knows what the Children of the Cathedral found in it's buried vaults? And these implants, dangerous as they are, are hardly the ultimate application of technology gone wild."

"And megaspelling the world is the answer?"

"Yes."

"How?!"

"They're rebuilding the world in the image of the old Dust Kicker." She stated sharply, angrily, "Countries, companies, factions, patriotism. Using old weapons and old flags, picking up a doomed system that destroyed us all last time. They celebrate history, remember it... but they don't understand it."

"And you're just going to destroy it all?!"

She nodded, a simple, resolute gesture, "Burn the flags, burn the histories, burn the races, burn the world... and start again."

Dust Kicker couldn't believe it. That was just... the lapse in logic was big enough to drive a truck through, "Isn't that what you're trying to prevent?"

"It's inevitable." She whispered, "And if I allow them to do it themselves it risks destroying the Tree of Harmony, the Elements, this facility, the cloning facilities hidden within Splendid Valley... the planet itself, should they get creative."

...and now he understood, "Burn the world, start again. With those resources..."

"I could make a new world. A new species. A new society. A new future." She smiled, seeming to have made up her mind, "You taught me this. You and Red Eye. Sometimes to save the world, you make the hard decisions."

He sighed. He understood. He understood all too well, "You're wrong."

She frowned, "Am I?"

"As always you're too busy looking at the big picture, and missing the little ones." He stated firmly, never more sure of himself, "History goes round in circles. As a society we'll keep making the same mistakes. War... war will never change. But ponies don’t change either. We come out into this crazy, awful, wonderful world and we discover who we are. What's important, what we want to fight for, we fall in love, we struggle, we succeed... we create our stories, and sometimes we even find our peace in ending them."

Sparks stared back, "And history tramples all of them."

"They are history." Dust Kicker responded, "Not the history that gets taught in schools, but real history. In decades to come they'll like talk about how Fluttershy did it all herself, how Easu won the war at Clendal. They won't understand the truth, that Clendel, that today... it was the combination of a million different stories, a million different ponies, all finding their own truths. And that if it wasn't for them, we wouldn't be here today." He thought back, "There's a mare called Strawberry Sunrise, an Applejack Ranger. She took an entirely different route through the wasteland, I only know most of her feats from the radio. But she toppled kings, built a new Ranger order, and honestly was more useful to the defense of Clendel than I could ever be. Her story might not directly involved this grand global war you're trying to avert, you might not have taken personal interest in her, but her story was real, and important none the less. There's a hundred others, all weaving a story you're treating like some win loss game."

"But it could all end..."

"Then it ends." Dust Kicker cut in, "But to create your perfect society, you're not just cutting short the story about how nations wipe each other out in mutually assured destruction, you're ending all those stories. Billions, each as unique and worthwhile as the next."

"Dust Kicker... I've been alone for a very long time." She stated with a deep regret, gulping back emotion, "I met SolOS, Elizabetha, Peach Trees, Silent Steel... and they all had such grand plans. They all wanted to save the world. And all their plans were built on lies and death."

"And you still helped them?"

"Red Eye convinced me he could save the world. When you introduced us, he spoke to me at length." She smiled, a broken, pained expression, "I wanted him to use me for his plan. To merge with me to become a alicorn god."

Dust Kicker knew that she had been chose to be one of the 'backup unicorns', in case Littlepip had refused or been unable, "He wanted Littlepip."

"She took it away from me." Spark Matrix hissed, "She refused his offer, killed him, and then got me injured and left me behind in the Everfree Forest. And because of that, I became... this." She waved her cybernetic hooves at Dust Kicker, "And then to turn the screws a little tighter, the grand world she created? It was just like the old one. It was full of hate, and pain, and suffering."

"That's because you never took the time to look for anything else. I know you Sparks." He looked her straight in the eye, "Who was the last creature you honestly felt a deep connection to? Who felt like family?"

She blanched, retreating back a step, "I... P... Puppysmiles..."

"Has she ever actually met you?"

"No..."

"You don't know ponies. You don't know their stories. And that has led to a single, painfully ironic mistake." He smiled, "Spark Matrix... who are you who doesn't know your history?"

Her voice felt, "What?"

"The world has been destroyed before. Multiple times. The Windegos, the Star Demons, the Great War... and each time, we've brought the world back from the breach. Because war might not change, but there's some things about us that don't change either." He nodded at her, offering a smile, "That we'll always find a way."

"But what if we don't...?"

"What if your grand plan failed?" He answered, "I understand that you feel powerless. That you want to do something. But you can't count on saving the world. You can't even count on saving one pony, you don't get to say if your idea of a better world is the right one. The only thing you can do is save yourself, live the life you know is right. And if that inspires others... well then they'll join you, and you can make a real difference." Dust Kicker fixed her with a hard, questioning stare, "But you don't get to decide that we're not worth saving. Littlepip never offered to give us a perfect world. She offered to give us a world we could make something of, one where we had a second chance. And though we may stumble, we're still moving forward."

"Dust Kicker..." Cerulean Sparks chuckled, "You don't understand. I... failed. You won before you even got here.”

Dust Kicker raised an eyebrow, “What?”

She actually laughed, the tension in her face collapsing and a broad, defeated smile spreading across her face, ”Ponies and Zebra didn't destroy one another. You came together, made peace, ended the war. Many died, but the world might be even stronger now."

Well that led to one big question, "Then why am I here?"

"To bring Puppysmiles. You see, I needed her." Cerulean Sparks grinned, looking embarrassed, "I told SolOS and Elizabetha that I needed her to unlock the safeties on the megaspells. But that was a lie."

Dust Kicker lifted an eyebrow, "Then why do you need her really?"

Puppysmiles voice sounded out over the announcement system, "To permanently disable the launch controls on this facility. Hello again Dust Kicker!"

"You're done?" Cerulean Sparks asked.

"All done." Puppysmiles confirmed, "I've disabled the release systems and the targeting computers. Now I just have to activate the decommissioning protocols."

Dust Kicker hadn't expected this. He had been reasonably confident he could talk her down, but this sounded like she had already given up, "You... were never going to launch?"

"I made a promise." Cerulean Sparks stated quietly, "When we first started. The moment the zebra, ponies or anycreature threatened the world, started a second great war... I would end them. I would take it as proof they were unworthy, and start over. But you didn't."

"We stopped the war."

"And passed our test." She smiled thinly, "Not with flying colors, admittedly."

"We made a lot of mistakes." Dust Kicker admitted.

"But you earned the right to fix them yourselves." Cerulean Sparks replied, "I'm a mare of my word. When I play a game, I obey the spirit of the rules."

Dust Kicker noted that she had needed to lie, "And what does SolOS and Elizabetha think about this?"

"They concluded that you succeeded by chance, and that they were still justified in launching the megaspells." She looked up at him with affection and relief, “But I wanted you to tell me they were wrong. I needed you to convince me.”

Dust Kicker smiled back, relieved he hadn’t made that big speech for nothing, "We need to decommission them immediately. They might still find a way to launch them, even with targeting controls disabled."

Cerulean Sparks nodded in agreement, "I agree. I only delayed because the moment I activate protocols, it will be undeniable that I have betrayed them. Puppysmiles?"

"SolOS and P7 have been detained." Puppy answered, her voice wavering only slightly as she announced her parent's capture, "I've sent them to Ace Gold, he reports that both have been contained within sealed systems."

That brought up a good point, that he felt he should share with Cerulean Sparks. They were apparently on the same side now after all, "For the record... I might not have been as alone as you might have thought."

She turned her head to him, "You have other forces in play?"

"Star Swirl is waiting to teleport to my location the moment I give her the word, and Calamity has troops standing by to deploy via airship." He explained, "Velvet Remedy has already deployed anti megaspell countermeasures across the NCR."

"You managed to keep it from me. Impressive."

"It's fairly simple once you know what to look for." Dust Kicker chuckled, "You actually made the world a little safer in the long run. We clearly needed to be more aware of the security of our data networks, now that we know what you and Puppysmiles are capable of."

Spark Matrix smiled back at him, "I noticed you were particularly well equipped."

"The best the NCR could offer."

"And they gave it to you." Spark Matrix grinned affectionately, "They trust you that much?"

Dust Kicker admitted it took some convincing. Velvet and Calamity didn't know him, and he was a servant of an foreign power. But Ace had vouched for him, and most importantly... "I convinced them that I was the best chance of ending this peacefully. I don't want anyone else to die."

Spark Matrix closed her eyes, looking pained. A second later and she spoke again, "Puppysmiles, have we made any progress with Elizabetha and the Claws?"

"The majority of the Claws have been trapped within the facility." Puppysmiles stated, though her voice was slightly uncertain, "But Elizabetha herself gave her security tag to another griffon, likely to confuse me. It... ah, worked."

"Then where is she?"

"I don't know." Puppy admitted, "She's been avoiding the security systems somehow."

"She knows this place like the back of her claw." Dust Kicker warned, "And there's no reason to delay the decommissioning any longer. She knows something's wrong by now."

"Right." Spark Matrix agreed, straightening out and placing both hooves on the plates. Her face furrowed with concentration, data flickering across the computers around the room.

"Warning. Decommissioning system has been activated, by the authority of Princess Luna." An announcement declared, speaking cool electronic female voice that echoed across the entire facility, "All personnel are asked to commence evacuation procedures, making sure to dispose of all physical records. The silo area is off limits, pending megaspell burn off. Please stand by."

Dust Kicker watched the computers as they read off status reports. Was this it? Had they succeeded?

...a huge tremor shook the entire room, throwing him off his hooves and shattering glass. He fell.

A klaxon sounded out a dull, distorted alarm, assaulting his already shaken ear drums. He looked up to see the walls dented inwards and broken electronics scattered across the floor, Sparks looking concerned from within her protective tube. A moment later and a huge explosion tore through the side wall, shredding consoles and cracking the tube with concussive force. Sparks was hurled against it's surface hard, going limp and smearing blood across the inside.

Dust Kicker made it unsteadily to his hooves, calling out to Puppysmiles to open the tube. He was unable to hear her reply, nor the sound of his own voice. And besides he had other problems to worry about, staring through the broken hole in the wall to where Elizabetha stood upon a support girder within the silo beyond, a rocket launcher in her claws.

Her eyes narrowed upon him as she lifted it again, Dust Kicker activating S.A.T.S and feeling time slow down as he cued up his shots, two shots from his shotgun was enough to damage the launcher and send it sparking. At this range however his shots against Elizabetha herself just bounced off the tough old griffon and she threw the launcher aside with a growl, bringing up her machine gun instead and bringing it to her eye.

Dust Kicker looked back at Sparks, seeing that the glass was open and she was stirring. And he realized what he had to do, "Puppy, Spark... get out of here."

And then he targeted his grapple pistol and fired. The line fixed on the girder Elizabetha was standing on, Dust Kicker jumping and waiting for the painful jerk as the line went taunt. He used to pull off these kind of maneuvers when he was with the talons, now however he was aware he was a hell of a lot older and heavier.

It had some advantages though. The girder shook as his weight fell upon it, causing Elizabetha to lose her balance and her shots on the command center to go wide. Dust Kicker braced his body against the wire too and the impact wasn't that great, activating the pull back and allowing himself to be pulled back upwards towards the grifffon.

Elizabetha saw him coming and leapt away, opening her wings wide and aiming down towards him. He took his opportunity, aiming for her wings and firing with a solid slug.

...they both hit. Dust Kicker felt bullets shred his side, as he at the same moment saw his shot break Elizabetha's wing. She yelled out and plummeted, panic fading to sheer rage as she focused on him below. She used her remaining wing to drive herself faster with a yell of fury, smashing into Dust Kicker with enough force to tear the grapple gun from his hoof and break his shoulder in the process.

The impact on the metal walkway below wasn't much more pleasant. He landed straight on his back and felt a few vertebra shift, Elizabetha bouncing away to sprawl clumsily across the metal. Above the megaspells churned, slowly expanding as their containment broke down. His pipbuck was already screaming out radiation warnings, he knew that in less than a minute this place would feel like standing inside a nuclear reactor.

Elizabetha stirred, reaching into her belt and pulling free a long bladed knife.

"Ugn... be reasonable... you've lost..." Dust Kicker forced himself back onto his hooves, testing his battle saddle and quickly realizing that it was quite badly broken, "We need to get out of here..."

She turned to him, sporting of all things... a smirk. She backed towards a console upon the walkway, plugging a small electronic device into it and looking up as the silo doors shuddered, "I taught you everything you know Dust Kicker. Taught that traitorous bitch up there too."

"What?"

She looked back at him, eyes shining, "SolOS cooked up a plan B. Just needed to destroy that control center first." She patted the control panel as the silo doors juddered open, causing a rain of dirt to cascade down to be consumed by the expanding megaspells, "Now I have full control."

"The megaspells are already being decommissioned!"

She shrugged, "Maybe they won't reach Ponyville, but Fillydephia is only ten minutes away at supersonic speeds. I always hated that city."

Dust Kicker looked at her, looked into the eyes of the griffon he used to love. Who taught him to read, who taught him politics and philosophy. He could only think of one question, "Why?"

"I followed Red Eye because he promised a better future!" She shouted, advancing forward way too quickly for a griffon of her age. Dust Kicker's spine made it impossible to move fast enough, she attacked from his side and drove her claw fiercely across his forehead, only a quick duck saving his eye. He tried to ram his shoulder against her but she grappled him, throwing him sideways to slam her into the walkway's guard rail, "I followed SolOS because he promised a better future! And you've taken both away from me!"

Dust Kicker gasped in pain, trying to figure out what still worked. His back was shot, his left shoulder was broken, his battle saddle hung useless, his grapple gun was out... "The future they promised... it was a lie..."

"It was the only truth!" She yelled, seizing a crowbar from the ground next to her and nailing him across the back of the head. It drove him downwards and sent his head spinning, Elizabetha raising the weapon again, "But I was denied twice, in favor of a... theme park version of the past! A parody, created by those who neither understood it nor cared to see it's failings!"

She swung downwards, Dust Kicker catching the blow on his bionic leg. It shattered the casing but stopped the impact, allowing him to charge under her guard and slam her into the guardrail on the other side, "We learned. We survived, we beat you." He growled as he tried to wrestle her over the edge, "I'm sorry that we didn't live up to your imaginary utopia."

She grappled him to the ground, a sharp twist taking his hooves out from under him. Her claws found his throat, driving him downwards, "You believed it too, once!"

"I... grew up... I let go..." He struggled against her, amazed at how strong she was. Or maybe he had just gotten weak, "...you can't let go can you? Still trying… to justify… killing all those kids?"

"Shut up!"

He put all his strength into it, forcing her upwards bit by bit, "You don't want to burn the world! You want to burn your mistakes! You want to burn your disappointment!"

"Shut UP!"

She clawed at his face. He twisted and took it across his jaw... then activated his now recharged S.A.T.S. Time slowed down and he took the opportunity to slip from her grasp, then firmly swing his bionic arm upwards to take her in the jaw. She fell sideways, Dust Kicker looking round to see the machine gun lying just a short distance away...

...and he turned away from it, galloped forward and yanked the electronic device from the console. Immediately the doors shuddered and began to close again, the launch sequence protocols reversing before his eyes. He balled up all his remaining strength and hurled the device away from him, sending it flying through the air to hit one of the expanding megaspells with nothing but a soft hiss as it was consumed.

...the rattle of bullets split the air, tearing through Dust Kicker's back and sending him crashing to the walkway in a puddle of gore. He looked up with dimming eyes, Elizabetha standing in the silhouette of the megaspells she sought to unleash, regret, rage and pain in her eyes. He just smiled back at her, hearing his pipbuck scream wildly as the radiation spiked dangerously.

"I guess we'll never see which of us was right." She stated, looking up as the megaspells finally fell apart, washing the entire area in a blinding blue light. Dust Kicker couldn't help but marvel how warm it felt, thinking that it wasn't actually so bad after all. He had almost died so many times, lost so many body parts, lost so many friends...

...and now here at the end... it was nice. He had saved the world. That wasn't a bad epitaph for a dirty raider with a chip on his shoulder.

¬

Captain Solid Step patrolled the area with furrowed eyes, never comfortable to be operating so far outside NCR territory. Especially overseeing a large group of panicked and desperate mercenaries, most of which were armed and extremely jumpy. They came pouring from the emergency exits of the bunker, most smart enough to throw down their arms and surrender when they saw a small army of NCR troops waiting for them with guns raised.

"Please, I implore you to contact my lawyers." One of the mercenaries shouted as he was let past for detainment, a rather effete looking griffon wearing glasses and a tailored suit, "I assure you, we are all mere accessories to any crimes that took place."

"You're a traitor and a terrorist, and will be treated as such." Solid Step replied, then looked at his staff sergeant, "Who is this clown?"

"Sadducees Kirkwing sir, he identified himself immediately." Sergeant Gretta answered, reading off a data pad in front of her, "He's a professor of history at Manehatten University, on study leave for the last year. Renowned expert in Red Eye and his operation."

"Well that explains a lot." Solid Step noted, "Put him in special custody. Who else do we have?"

"The actor playing Red Eye that was identified by Dust Kicker? He seems to have slipped the net. We remain on the lookout." Gretta answered, "Sadducees had three siblings. Two have been detained. One is dead, Sanhedran, we've identified the body."

"Right. And SolOS?"

"Ace reports him and P7 are firmly isolated." She took a breath, then waved someone over. Solid Step looked round to see two soldiers come forward, escorting another earth pony in mercenary gear. It was worth noting that unlike the others however, this one didn't bear himself like a prisoner, "And this pony states that he is in fact Star Paladin Stern Lancer of the Applejack Rangers."

"You may verify my credentials." Stern Lancer firmly stated, eyes fierce and proud, "At which time, I ask to be turned over to my chapter. I must remind you that you have no authority over me."

He had heard that one too many times before. He was glad to have another answer to that this time, "I'm afraid the Rangers have formally seceded from the NCR, so no can do sunshine." He looked back at Gretta, "What about their hacker, Elizabetha, and Dust Kicker?"

Gretta's expression dropped, hesitating for a moment before giving her report, "Puppysmiles reports they're dead sir. They were caught in the wave of radiation when the megaspells collapsed."

He cursed internally. To lose both enemy leaders and the point man? "Damn shame."

¬

Dust Kicker opened his eyes to an angel. Not for the first time, nor the first time for this particular angel, "Am I dead?"

"Yes." Fluttershy stated sweetly, stepping away to allow him room to stand, "You died down there in the silo, a hero and a legend. You saved the world."

Dust Kicker looked around. He was still in the Hopesville area, a little ways north of Griffon's Ward by his estimation. And there standing a short distance off, Sparks, looking faintly embarrassed, "Is she dead too?"

"Yes." Fluttershy acknowledged, "She stayed at the controls until the end, fighting to close the doors."

Dust Kicker looked round at the ruins of Hopeville, still a broken monument to the injustices of the world, "The afterlife kinda stinks."

"Forgive me my weakness." Fluttershy softly admitted, giving him a soft, apologetic smile, "But I wanted to at least offer you a choice."

"You'll kill us both if we ask?" Spark Matrix suddenly interjected, sounding somewhat angry at the idea, "Or you'll let us live, but in doing so destroy the legacy of our heroic ends?"

"No." Fluttershy bluntly replied, "Your legacy, your heroism... it needs to happen. You need to die this day."

Dust Kicker looked across at her, searching for meaning. But her gaze said nothing, just full of that same benevolent sweetness, "Then what choice are you offering us?"

Fluttershy opened her left wing, waving it down towards the treeline just bellow, and the hill beyond that where a lonely cabin stood, "This land has long sheltered those with no place to go. Who need to die, in order for the future to have meaning. And with the Claws being detained as we speak, Griffon’s Ward will not turn away strong hooves."

Dust Kicker felt it like a kick in the gut. He had always considered it a possibility, "We can't go back?"

"And who are you to say that?" Sparks declared sharply.

Fluttershy just continued to smile, the mare's anger bouncing right off her, "Your body has already been recovered Spark Matrix, and Velvet Remedy has ordered that it remain under tight control. No one will be allowed to study your implants, nor use them for nefarious purposes, and the world will be safe... for now." She turned her head to Dust Kicker, "And Easu needs you Dust Kicker."

Dust Kicker frowned, "But isn't that a reason why I...?"

"It is a weakness he must overcome."

Dust Kicker's protest died, falling silent as he considered what she was saying. And he knew by now that Fluttershy was normally right, "So we're better off dead?"

"Yes." Fluttershy confirmed, "But there's a new life for you here. A hard life, but one that will offer you satisfaction if you let it."

"Redemption?" Sparks asked, frowning deeply, "I can understand you saving him, but why me?"

"Maybe I understand why you did the things you did." Fluttershy smiled knowingly, "Maybe I didn't do it for you. And maybe... I just felt like it. And speaking for myself, redemption isn't something that can be given or earned. If you wish to change yourself, do so without the false promise that it will somehow erase your sins."

Dust Kicker looked around at the vast wilderness that surrounded them. And though it meant leaving behind his life, his friends, his very identity... the idea of starting again as simple frontiersman, with the weight of everything else taken off his shoulders, it was an attractive one.

He looked up at Fluttershy, "So you know the future?"

"To an extent." She answered, "I can see the fates of individuals, the paths they may tred and what may come of them. I can see the actions they must take for harmony to be balanced." She smiled broadly, "But I cannot see what you seek to ask me, nor what your decision might be."

Dust Kicker found that comforting, or at least less confusing. He pondered his questions, finding one at the forefront of his mind, "Did we do it? Did we save the world?"

She chuckled, "That's hard to define."

"Did we make it better? Will it go on, will ponies and zebra get along?"

"It will go on. Crises will come and go, villains will rise and fall. Each time, doomsayers will claim the world inches towards destruction, but heroes will rise to the occasion." Fluttershy stated with a wry affection, pausing for a moment before becoming more specific, "Easu will be a great leader, and the zebra will be both united and prosperous. They will name him Caesar, and under his wise rule.”

"And Equestria?" Sparks asked.

"Equestria will decline. Whether Gloom caused it or did all she could to stop it will be forever debated. But even as the wealth, progress and pride drains from it's structures, those within will think a little harder about what truly matters, and in time the seeds of the future will bloom."

"And the zebra lands will fall into decadence, and the quality of kings will fail. And Equestria will see their weakness, and rise to reclaim the pride they lost." Sparks stated grimly.

Fluttershy smiled, "Who are you, who does not know your history?"

”But the world will survive. Ponies will continue to live, strive, and make their own legends. Become heroes and save the world.” Dust Kicker smiled, “But it will never remain saved.”

”But it will always produce heroes.” Fluttershy answered with a smile.

Dust Kicker nodded, understanding that now. That ultimately… things would be ok. That the world would go on. That darkness would pass, that all things would pass, and that at the end of everything his long, winding journey was finally over.

And maybe, just maybe, peaceful days waited ahead.

Comments

[Mocha Star]

Wow, how'd I never come across this?
And it's finished!
😃
Whoop.
Hope its a good read... Cuz I'm going in.

[Philweasel]

9236684
I just KEEP killing him!

Ahh, I have mixed feelings as well. It was a monster that I often had trouble controlling, but if it brought just a little bit of satisfaction to your lives, it was all worth it.

[fanreader999999]

Hm.

1,120,666 words

12228

Hm.

[squid ink spaghetti]

Wow, thanks for creating this story, I love how much lore and world building went into it, probably the best foe fic in terms of this. I really liked the characters too, my fave being Dream Star, Cerulean Sparks and Xephyr. Its a great story full of imagination. Anyway, how about a prequel about the screwball conspiracy?

[Philweasel]

9270097
Heh, I would love to, and I have a lot of it planned out, but... ah, maybe one day. It's a fairly straightforward adventure tale in the end, though I would love to devote more time to some of the characters within it.

[Chilibreath]

Thank you for an enjoyable story.

[RRBrony]

I must confess this was an interesting story. However I feel like you should have changed some aspects of the story, primarily the constant jumping between characters and their point of view. It made it rather hard to follow at times, probably the greatest issue I had was the constantly added new characters who each had their own history told.

But the way you did it confused the fire out of me, here we are going along one route and then the story breaks and we're with a different pov in a different timeline/place. That caused me many times to think I was reading something out of place/order. Honestly, if you ever felt the desire to edit/update/enhance this story, I would suggest by finding a better way to introduce the back stories of the characters. Like when you introduced dream star.....that was a hell of a shock and very abrupt and awkward. I thought my reader had skipped something and I ended up checking on it to make sure that's what the text said.

Another thing that I kind didn't like was the way the story seemed to treat pip in the beginning, tbh I can't seem to put my finger on it anymore because it was a long ordeal of listening to this story over many months.

That aside, I kinda feel torn about the way you left things so open ended and in the wind. We never did find out what dust and sparks chose to do. There was a semblance of what might have happened to the ncr and the zebra lands. But what about star/char? Ace? All the other major characters?

I feel like you did your best to tie up all the plot lines you had going, but honestly in the end most of the ones you had the reader get most attached to ended up being killed off of their fate unknown. Like dust, whose ending was a little anticlimactic. Or the way things with pip and homage ended.

I guess, in the end I was kinda hoping for more....idk..... pizzazz or something more like a hero who "died" but was able to enjoy a semblance of their previous life. The option you provided at the end wasn't terrible, but I felt the forcing of dust and spark to never really venture outside of the walls was more akin to a prison sentence as opposed to a new lease on life.

All in all, it wasn't a bad story. It does has some rough edges to it and could stand a few edits and some rewrites to improve it to stand out amongst some of the other stories but seeing as its your first, last and only story you did a good job.

Ps. How did you not lose your mind trying to put all of this together? Like, my brain hurt reading this in small 4 to 8 hour doses, but you had to dream it up and put it on paper! Oh, and when you write hero's and characters don't think you have to keep killing them all off. Lol. It got rather morbid after a while.