Chapter one: Defrost

Chapter one: Defrost

‘In Celestias’ name it’s freezing,’ the thought filled my head, letting the steady beat of the equipment run its course as it resonated in my ears. It hadn’t been anything new to me anyway, just something you learn to deal with when you’re a pony-cicle.

Then again, reality has a nasty way of smacking one in the face.

‘Wait… why was I feeling this again now? the last time I had was back when… oh shit!’ My eye lids snapped open after that thought crossed my mind. It had been a while since they had worked, and the light of whatever shined back at me was certainly giving them a crash course.

The inside of my cylinder still had frost on the glass, and with a hoof as I tried to scrub the thin layer to the side, I still managed only a few inches of view to see in to the area. Yet, even as I looked through the thinner coat of ice on the outside, I couldn’t make out a thing. No technician, the lights were dimmer than I remember, everything just seemed… dead? Hopefully, it was just my eyes readjusting.

The rapid beeping from just by my cylinder finally caught up with me as it bounced back and forth in my ears. Whatever had happened to my home for the last who knows how long, it wasn’t happy with its current predicament. As for me? I just wanted to know why somepony wasn’t opening this damn hatch already!

“Let’s see here,” I tried to rummage my way around the tight confines of the capsule, which must be said is not the easiest task. Feeling yourself out in a space this cramped after being put in a freezer for what seemed like a long overdue nap can certainly make a pony groggy… Cut me some slack will ya?

Going from left over dinner to escape artist didn’t seem to be a good career change for me. Especially given that from what I could feel from around my hooves it was all just the smooth interior of our chambers.

“Damn it!” in hindsight headbutting the door may have not been the smartest thing, but it did remind me of the horn I had to use. Plus, something else there poking out at me in the dull interior.

The emergency release we weren’t ever really trained on when it came to this stable, hell we weren’t even told much about our stay. Only that it would work to preserve us over the course of years until things had died down so our bodies would still be ‘fit as a fiddle’ the salescolt had said. Slowly I grabbed the handle with the yellow aura from my horn as I gave it a twist.

Nothing. Not a damn thing.

‘Stable-tec built to last,’ my eyes rolled to the emerald reflection of them against the frost that still lingered. Finally, after some fiddling and rather impressive contortionist skills if I might add. Both hoof and horn finally managed to find their mark on the stubborn piece of metal, the orange fetlock of fur barely stood out from the light that dwindled around me, but with both of them working against the handle it gave way with a snap.

Hatched opened, and… oh? So that’s what happens when you don’t use your legs for a while? The taste of the cold steel floor wasn’t all that flavorful against my lips, but with a struggle some footing was made. Was it just me? Or did the entire room have a chill to it? Even with the thicker stable jumpsuit for storage, I could still feel the nip against my neck.

“Ugh…” the yellow and red hairs atop my thankfully thick skull had grown a tad during my time out, even covered some of my eyes, nothing a quick whip couldn’t fix. Wonder if we got any barbers down here in the stable? Which reminds me, “… Hello? Anyone there?”

Okay, so there was a world of difference between standing and walking after not moving for so long. Meeting the floor once more taught me that really quick. Steadily with a bit of luck working in my favor I managed to stabilize myself on all fours, a feat that given how much commotion I seemed to be making.

Not a soul came out from anywhere to investigate.

It may have taken a few steps, “…Ouch…” the word passed my lips for probably the fifth time as my muzzle grew sorer. Yet, a much overdue eventually later, my legs decided they still had a job to do.

The cylinders I passed by all seemed to still be frozen shut. A thin sheet of frost formed on the glass windows to those that lay fast asleep… odd, why was I awake? I hadn’t been a part of the stables crew. “Is something wrong?” the question fell to only my ears as I made my way down the long corridor towards the stair case with other residents on either side.

A few more beeps on the other hoof grabbed my attention as I went, it was a terminal at the start of the room. Overlooking all those that resided in this wing, a simple thing, and one that any creature would have been able to view to check the status of all those on ice.

A view that showed nothing but flat lines.

I wasn’t a medical pony; I knew a decent amount to know to keep blood in my own body… usually.

But I had seen enough shows, and read enough books to know a flat line in any sort of medical degree was a bad sign. With what my legs allowed, I ran up to the nearest chamber and scrubbed against the pane of glass that separated us from the outside world.

“Are you alrig-!” was about all that had gotten out.

The coolness of the cylinder might have worked to get ice on the outside window, but the nearly mummified corpse of the pony inside begged to differ on how well some of us had been preserved. One after the next, I went and checked all those in my wing, and each one told the same tale.

Something had gone very wrong in Stable 100.

A curious nerve pinched in the back of my mind, as I walked over to look out at my chamber. Resident 070- Wildfire it had read from across the control panel, right next to the display of Emergency Thawing Procedure.

I hadn’t designed it, or even knew how it worked in detail. I knew enough though on talismans, matrixes, and basic common sense to understand how it all fit together for these things to work. Mine on the other hoof had several wired in to it from an open access port, that shouldn’t have been there from the original.

A few life support talismans to keep the blood pumping for a creature inside, some oxygen filters and spell matrixes to pull the carbon dioxide from one’s body and replace it, even various nutrient injectors to keep the minimal level of functions working. Every chamber had a backup or two as one’d expect, but the bundle of extras coming from mine just seemed like overkill. All cutting-edge stuff for the magical land of Equestria, and all seemingly failed in the chambers I resided with.

All save my own.

That nerve got the best of me, “Was it just my wing?”

Suddenly, blood managed to find its way to my legs and force them working once more as I nearly propelled my body down the wing to that staircase, and promptly found myself quite literally taking to the sky. A tumble down a flight of stairs later, and I found what had tripped me up. The pile of bones part way down the stars could have broken my neck! However, the remains were ignored as there was someone else, I had to check on.

Getting to my hooves once more, the trot kept me on my hooves in case there were any other surprises along the way. It hadn’t been a super large stable, you didn’t need to be when most of your residents were in a freezer. Yet, as I got closer to the next wing, I could feel my heart getting faster.

A tap to the door switch later, and a groan, showed a wing that wasn’t in much better shape than my own. The light flickered only showing me half way down the long hall till the next light decided to get some life in it, and the various pipes and wires that came through in places all seemed to have a good layer of dust on em. It was all so… quiet? No, wait… there’s that beeping from before. The terminal at the front of the room still glowed with that eerie green tint they always had, and this one didn’t read any different signs.

Flat lines all across the board.

All save one, that one just read Disconnected.

Then again, I shouldn’t have needed a terminal to tell me that one, it was the only chamber open. From the countless chambers on either side of, and the torn-out control panels. Either somepony had been doing a little sabotage work, or they needed parts. There this one chamber remained open, and largely intact. Just like mine had been. Might have not had access to the resident logs for who went where, but I can read a name on a screen to the other chambers with a body in them.

“Yours isn’t here…” it was both a relief, and at the same time a worry on my mind now, “…so where’d you go?”

Trotting back to the skeleton I had found, there was the thought that it was who I was looking for. Alas though, the bony appendage on that skull of theirs told me all I needed to know. This was a unicorn, and I was looking for an earth pon-… oh what have we here?

From the skeleton’s fetlock atop its own stable tec jumpsuit something still remained, a Pip-Buck, “I’m… sorry about this,” with a smooth tug from my horn, the bones fell through and I brought it up to my own leg and wrapped around. An older model, didn’t need any fancy key to remove it, all the better for me.

Still I had never used one of these things before, they were just starting to become a thing. Immediately my vision lit up with the display from the device,

Scanning…

New user identified…

Checking authorization…

Confirmed…

Validating vitals…

Verifying Spell Matrix Master Key…

Configuring Eyes Forward Sparkle…

Charging S.A.T.S…

Checking inventory…

Please stand by…

…

Configuration complete.

Alrighty then! That’s going to take a bit to get used to. Still, with everything it was showing me now in my own eyes, I could see the usefulness. What I couldn’t see however, was whether or not these red bars in my vision were above or below me. The skeleton must have been a worker for the stable itself, thankfully luck had been on my side a little more. With a grasp from my horn I pulled out the IF-21… err… 10mm pistol from its holster.

Odd… why would a stable of largely frozen dwellers need an armed guard, because of those red bars? Only one way to find out, and with that the holster made its way around my waist.

From the stair case the skeleton remained below as I went higher in the structure itself, passing my wing and on towards where the conscious maintainer would… well, maintain. It wasn’t like most atriums from stables that I had heard of, mostly just a little opening with some artificial grass to relax on under a synthetic tree or two with a dawn’s morning light projected overhead. Something to give the Stable employee on duty a way to unwind during their time.

This place now however, just looked damn depressing. Whatever those bars were, they certainly looked like they had the run of the place. Bits and pieces of the fake grass and tree had been chewed on. Trash from spent rations had been scattered. Even what looked like oversized cockroaches were here and there… or at least what remained of them.

But a roach couldn’t be that big, could it?

What really grabbed me though, were the sounds coming from the employees dining area. With a round chambered my back slid against the door to the room, and with a quick flick of the switch it opened like a very under oiled machine with a loud squeal. If I thought I might have gotten the drop on whatever was inside, the screeching of the door would have thrown that out the window.

Inside though, I couldn’t see anything. Maybe it was the flickering lights that seemed to be present everywhere in this place now, or perhaps those bars were shorter than the counters that the lone employee would make their rations from. No matter the case, I could hear the scurrying, and it was getting closer.

My eyes trained down the sights like I had learned to do from years back at work, though shooting a target was different from shooting a living thing. No matter, red in an E.F.S. was something that was hostile, for all I knew it could have been what killed that pony on the stairs.

Out scurried a few of those overtly sized roaches…

“Are you kidding me!” I had expected something a little larger, maybe a diamond dog? They loved to dig and might have been able to get in a stable. This was just… pathetic.

The three of them fluttered closer to me with their wings and started trying to nip at my hooves, seemed that this jumpsuit was still good for something. Though the few ticks of radiation I got from each bite begged to differ on that matter.

Okay, not so pathetic, but still…

A few swipes of the pistol later and a number of satisfying crunches, and they had met their end. strange though, I couldn’t have pictured these things causing one employee to pass and the whole stable to go up in flames… metaphorically of course.

“So, what had happened?” the unnerving silence didn’t have an answer.

With the projection overhead going from dawn to noon, the light picked up with it significantly. Good thing too, because I doubt, I would have noticed the plastic shimmer from by the tree. There on the blades of ‘grass’ rested an access card, a few bottles of Sparkle Sola, one long since spilled and the other not opened, and with what might have been a box of cookies if the roaches hadn’t gotten to them.

“A fitting break meal if there ever was one,” carefully I pulled the unopened bottles’ cap off and took a tug from it as I slipped the access card in my pocket… Damn! Even after who knows how long, these things really don’t lose their flavor! “Wait… what’s the date anyway?”

The various menus on my Pip-Buck popped up, ‘let’s see… Status, Inventory, Map… ah! There we-’…

I might not have been the best at math… but that can’t be right.

Couldn’t be right.

A number like that would hit you like a bag of bricks, or a bag of C-4 with the detonator in your hoof. Math might have been a nuisance in school, but it didn’t lie if done right. Fake grass or not, it was still comfy enough to slump down to after realizing that you’ve been a pony-cicle for so damned long.

How much had changed on the outside I wondered; things hadn’t ended the best but there should have still been something out there that was surviving. How long ago had it been since things in this stable started to turn for the worst? How much longer could I have been out and still survived? What was I supposed-?

As much as I might have wanted to contemplate life there for the rest of time, and play twenty questions with myself. A trip that long in the freezer did keep one thing waiting… I had to take a leak. Passing through where I dispatched the roaches did yield me something good at least. The door slid open, and this must have been where the Stable-Tec employee that was awake laid their head after the day.

Good thing too, I was about to do the same. After relieving myself, the next thing that I could figure was freshen up, a shower was long overdue after all. With the water washing over my mane, I just stood there trying to keep some sense of normalcy going. Just like nothing had changed from the day I woke up before coming in- “Damn it!” I shouted out as the water went from lukewarm to something out of Tartarus.

No matter what I tried to fiddle with it, it stayed boiling… somepony needed to check the heater in here. Either that or the princesses just didn’t want to give me a break to collet myself from everything I’d just learned today.

As weird as it might seem, I was tired, and while the bed was dusty from the time that had passed since its last occupant. The mattress was still just as soft, at least softer than my chamber, and as my head rested back against the pillow one thing only went through my head.

‘A hundred and seventy-five years…’ that voice in the back of my head told me, before I had to repeat it myself, “… I’ve been on ice for the last hundred and seventy-five years.”

Chapter two: Last one out...

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Chapter two: Last one out…

Alarm clocks were great, ya know? I mean, they might have been the bane of my existence while working and having to get up early. Though like anything good piece of tech they had a job to do and they did it well. Since I was younger… or am I still? Anyways I’m getting off subject.

Alarm clocks! I used to have an old-style bell and hammer version on my nightstand. Was it crude compared to the ones that had all sorts of different alarm tones you could put in? Yep. Did the ticking get annoying when you were actually awake in your room if you paid too much attention to it? Double down, yes sir. Though would it be loud enough to wake up a pony from a few centuries’ long coma? You bet your ass it was.

Although in leu of a clock, the entirety of a stable shaking under your back was another solid replacement. These things were meant to not be near any seismic activity, kinda defeats the purpose of an underground haven if that very ground is the thing that brings the whole party to its knees. Anything that could move a stable like that to its very core was something to be paid attention too. With a reluctant set of hooves, my body dragged itself from the bed, still hoping all this was a dream.

“Six hours…” I looked at the clock from the Pip-Buck, it wasn’t much, and it certainly wasn’t the ‘sleep’ I’d gotten on ice. Though it would have to do as I slid the pistol in the holster, and started to make my way out the quarters.

Some cryo tubes failing wouldn’t cause that sort of response in the stable, at least I really hoped that they wouldn’t. Alas, I wasn’t going to find any answers up here where the crew of this place kicked their hooves up. If there was anything to give me answers in this place, then I’d have to go all the way to engineering.

Was I involved with the design? Nope. Thankfully though, I also wasn’t stupid when it came to common sense… sorta. Another trump card in my favor was seeing a few of their designs in magazines from before. The company might not have shared all their secrets, for obvious reasons, and they couldn’t have been all of the same design in the end. Although come on, let’s be honest. If you were to draw up a structure like this from the ground down, where would you put the power supply?

Further down the stair case I went, passing by the wings of those residents’ long since dead. Part of me wanted to double check just to see if perhaps any of the staff keeping this place running was still breathing. Ya know, get some extra help to figure this all out. The other part of me though won out, and continued down my path to the various maintenance areas. Yep, right at the bottom, just like I thought.

The first hatch was sealed up tight by a lock somepony like myself without tools didn’t have hope to access… what were you keeping locked away if all of your residents were on ice? I’ll add that to the dumb questions that I would never get answer to list. I looked around for any sort of key hole, but all I saw was the same reader I’d grown familiar with over the years… and I had just the thing for it. Thank the princesses I grabbed that card; cardio wasn’t my strong suit, and I didn’t feel like making that trip back up those stairs.

‘What am I even looking for?’ truth be told, I hadn’t a clue.

There was hope it’d be a big monitor, with clear instructions saying ‘push to fix whatever broke’. Anypony in the field of Troubleshooting can tell you right now it’s never that simple. Especially in engineering. Hey, a colt can hope right? Then again, I don’t need to be an Engineer to know this.

That many errors on terminal screens around the room couldn’t be a good thing…

The prototype spark reactor hadn’t been on the market all that long when the stable was finished, I made sure I kept up on those news articles. A marvel of technology it sure was, and the ones after that got even better the more the designs were tweaked. Yet, even in other more refined versions that were produced, there’s no way it should have been making this much power!

Even behind the sealed reinforced glass shroud for what had to be the control room. Inside the lonely room with only one access point, I could see the ambient glow and bolts of energy that surged around the very core of the machine. Arcing back to the metal enclosure that housed it and likely sent those pulses of energy back into the stable itself. That was made fact by the numerous output readings jumping from yellow to red every few minutes before going back down. With many of the red reaching the end of their limit probably meant it was more than could be measured.

No wonder things were on the fritz!

The terminal didn’t give me much to go off of either, it was for monitoring and imputing simple setting adjustments. A useful tool to the engineer that watched over this place, you know like the one that laid dead on the staircase. Something that certainly wasn’t in my skill set. All I had was a list of numbers and a key pad to work off of.

“Command settings… Input control… Data logs…” no matter how much it might feel like it, banging on keys doesn’t ever make the computer work better, “How about a how to guide?”

When one terminal locked up from either wrong input keys or lack of credentials, I went on to the next. There were enough of them in this room alone helping run the show to give me a whack at the problem, but no such luck of solving it. Whose ever card I had; they clearly didn’t have the clearances needed to outright modify that critical a piece of the Stable. I needed an Off switch, and I wasn’t going to find it here. Another torrent of power came from the reactor, and from my wrist I could feel the Pip-Buck spike with a different reading to tell.

Caution: Minor radiation exposure.

As if I needed any other reason to leave.

I looked back at the core, its strange aqua glow getting bright just before every surge released from itself. This thing wasn’t happy being trapped underground, and I didn’t like being down here with it for the ride. There wasn’t much I could do from this terminal; I didn’t know how to shut down a reactor! Not in my job description. Even if it was, would that have made a difference at all? No matter what I might have been able to do at this point to help it, it wouldn’t have mattered. The whole stable seemed dead anyway, it was just me here hanging out like a ghost of what once inhabited this place.

A few taps of the keys later and the data logs section popped up on screen…

Data entries corrupted…

“Shit!” my head shook, hell my whole body shook from this wrench being thrown into my existence. My life went from simple, to lovely, to terrifying, to freezing, and now to oh fuck in seemingly a snap.

Never the less, something had to have happened down here that caused this. The terminals down here had to be all connected to the same control system that ran the stable, nearly every bit of data was stored here. I knew that much, and I knew whatever had happened to this place it would be in the numbers. The plug from my Pip-Buck went in to the side of the terminal as I brought over all the data files I could hold. Which thanks to the ridiculous storage on these things, was all of them.

Once the data had finished moving, I knew this place wasn’t long for the world. It had been less than a day, and I already had a meltdown on my hooves. With a quick toss of the place, I ran around the engineering area to get a lay of the land. There hadn’t been an official medical department, everyone’s asleep, ‘why would you need a Band-Aid?’ I assume was the mindset in the budget meeting.

Never the less, the few boxes of medical gear down here in maintenance for the pony awake did have something useful. A few healing potions, Med-x syringe, Rad-Away, a RadSafe… it was a start. Didn’t do the pony on duty much good in the end.

With a haphazard bag of a tool utility pack across by back the sputtering reactor beckoned a little more pep in my step. Lights around me were starting to flare up, as some gave way with a wicked pop, and my hooves brought me back to the stairs not even looking back as I flew up them. Back in the residential area, if you could call it that, I went back to where I had killed those roaches.

Those bugs might have gotten in a decent amount of the goods stored, as evidence from the wrappers around the common area. Alas, a few packages of canned apples or even oats were a gift from the princesses. A sealed can or two of purified water joined them in my bag, and for a moment I caught myself looking back at the atrium.

“What happened here…” a really stupid thought to have at the time, especially given the circumstances. I’d already overstayed my welcome, and the reactor was sure to remind me it was time to check-out. Another shake of the stable erupted, and I made my way up the stairs to the upper most level of the stable.

The main entry area of the stable wasn’t anything to be noted really. A few containers holding old jumpsuits, the occasional desk where entry screening was done, and various arrows on the ground telling even the ineptest pony where to go. What caught my eye from the flickering lights was the yellow box with the pink butterflies on the wall. A quick check later nabbed me another Med-x.

Now the next big hurtle… a very big, heavy, hurtle.

The stables’ door was something of pure over engineering in the best case imaginable. The hulking gear remained there since the start of our little retreat. Now I just needed it to release me. A covered red button in a place like this could only mean one thing, and with my plug hooked in to it the cover opened up. An overzealous press of the button later and…

Nothing.

Not a damn thing.

‘Stable-tec I will burn you to the ground,’ come to think of it, given what I’d experienced, the thought had probably crossed quite a few others minds too.

There was still enough power in this place to move it, hell there was more than enough power. Looking back at the tool belt, my horn picked up a few of those aforementioned tools and went to work. One thing I always like about machines and tech more than ponies, if it was broken, all you had to do was find the problem. Some ponies were just impossible to fix.

The panel on the control felt loose as I fiddled with it, almost as if somepony had opened it up already. There inside a lose wire dangled from the main release, free from its connection from years of neglect. Gotta love when it’s simple. With a tightened screw later and a little reassembly, I could almost smell the air once more when my hooves tried the button again… if it opened that is.

The terminal next to the button came to life after the second attempt at least, and from it posed one very simple question.

Breach detected.

Warning. Outside environment at hazardous levels! Are you sure you want to breach containment? Y [] N []

Umm… Yes!

With another press the hydraulic arm that went to the door swung down with a deafening squeal, something needed a lot of grease, but the hydraulics did their job and pulled the door free. One other tab blinked on the terminal however, Operation data log. A click shown the same corruption error, but what else is new?

A download later and I stepped up to the edge of the door, looking at the elevator that brought us down here all those years ago. It probably was wasting time, and absolutely stupid for wondering it, but at the end of the day I was getting ready to step out in to a new world likely far different than what I had left.

‘… Let her have the same chance.’ Those words replayed like I’d heard them yesterday. “I’ll try to…” My answer fell on deaf ears.

Over the threshold my body went, followed quickly by another rush of power that blew out a couple of the bulbs that were left in the access room. Even the terminal fizzled and cracked by the surge… which in turn was followed even hastier by the mashing of an elevator button, and the steady close of a safety gate.

Goodbye Stable 100, hello world.

Chapter three: Tutorial

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Chapter three: Tutorial

I had expected to be blinded by the light or something when the top hatch finally came open, I mean according to my Pip-Buck it was only noon. Though the clouds above that seemingly blocked out everything put a damper on the chance of seeing the sun once more. Hey, at least the air tasted… raw. Like something about it screamed of pollution and decay, the surrounding area didn’t seem much better.

The walkway down from the elevator even after almost two centuries remained littered with the skeletons of those that had tried making it inside. Stuck at the fence they tried to pry open and get past the guards, even the guards themselves had stayed till the doors were sealed. How could that have felt? Trying to keep back a bunch of ponies who wanted only to survive, just to stay with them when it all got blown to hell.

All along the path there had been the remains of those and their luggage. ‘How many actually made it to their stables?’ it was a good question to be asked, better one would be how many other stables crashed and burned like mine did.

I looked around at the debris of crashed vertibucks and sky wagons. Apparently, some tried to take to the skies to get to the stable quicker. Judging by the number of bodies outside that fence, didn’t work out too well for them. Still, as long as the town hadn’t been wiped off the face of the map… I had a place to start at least.

With a glance down at map on my screen I saw a little tag pop up, Fetlockton.

***

Without daylight to burn time really does move fast, especially when there hadn’t been any other red bars shown since, I left 100. It was approaching evening when the place once called home came in to view. Good thing too, because the thundering crack behind me which drew my eyes, followed closely by the mounds of smoke rising to join the already grey skies only told me one thing.

Stable 100 was no more.

‘Hmm… I wonder if Las Pegasus could have seen that?’ it was a stupid thing to wonder, considering that place got the same treatment as most of the nation.

Whelp, home sweet home at least! Or so the thought should have been…

The various parts of ponies set up on pikes have a way of pulling any sort of joy out from you. Eyes had been removed, limbs cut off, and probably a dozen too many darts were thrown in to a mares’ torso like a dart board. At least I think that was a mare. I felt my stomach lurch almost to my tongue from the stench, these were fresh…

“Hello?” the whisper left my lips as I found my legs bringing me closer to the ground to sneak as best I could. Funny, how could it have been even quieter outside, than a stable where you’re the only one alive?

Then the cackling and chatter of another echoed through the streets that were but a memory as a little blue bar popped up, finally! It was beginning to get creepy. I trotted around the corner of the few wagons that laid up turned like crude barricades, and there in the middle of a street wandered another pony. Maybe their sense of attire was a little off, leather barding and a few metal plates here and there, but it was another pony!

“Excuse me… Miss?” the words had barely left my mouth when that head turned around, and I could only see the bits of flesh still clinging to her teeth.

And that’s when the bar turned red.

“Aren’t you handsome!” the crazed mare lunged while her teeth gnashed out those words, and swiftly pulled out a tire iron from the belt in to her teeth.

Okay, combat 101… if you try to attack someone with a melee object, make sure to see if they are armed with a gun as bullets are very effective. Then again, if your target is a stable dweller who hasn’t figured out a thing of this world, you have far better odds.

She wasn’t the heaviest mare in the world, but those pupils were the size of pin pricks! Who knows how many chems she must have been on? The wild swings from her tire iron might have knocked my pistol away, but good thing Pip-Buck casings were tough. With one hoof holding her head out of reach from mine, the case came in full strength and connected with her temple.

I might have knocked her sober for a few seconds as she rolled off the side, but as I got back to my hooves so did she. This time though she was disarmed, another lunge later met her with a bullet to chest… and merely a stumble to her stride.

Okay, take two!

Six more later and she dropped to the ground in a lifeless heap… hmm would that make it a take seven then? That’s when it dawned on me though, one very simple fundamental fact.

I just killed someone, I just murd- okay technically it was self-defense, but still. This is the first time another life had been taken by my hooves! Not even during the war did I see the front lines! My support for the effort was in a different area. How would you expect me to feel at first? Though, I guess to my testament if the E.F.S. marked them as red they didn’t have the best of intentions to begin with. Still, it didn’t feel right to do, maybe she was just sick? Murderous by first impression, but insane possibly.

My hooves fell to the ground for a moment at the lifeless body. Without her eyes open, the mare looked nearly peaceful, and I could imagine she was just sleeping. Here was a mare who might have had all manners of problems with her, ones I couldn’t know, and I just shot her. I wanted somepony to come out and tell me what was going on, at least say she had it coming… I mean she did?! …Didn’t she?

Then again, combat 101 should tell you another thing…

Guns made noise.

A few more red bars popped up on my screen, and boy were they getting close. The ruins of what was a diner gave me a good vantage as the mares’ friends showed up. Let’s see, two earth ponies, one unicorn, all with melee weapons save the unicorn who sported a… definitely a missile launcher, and definitely a number one threat.

‘What the hell had this world come to?’ I couldn’t help but wonder, my E.F.S. was outright marking ponies as threats.

Ponies of all damned things! We were probably the most peaceful race this world had seen… you know besides the years of war, bloodshed, weapons development, genocide, and chaos. I should feel bad about this, I should have felt bad about straight up executing some mare in the streets. Yet the more I looked over these ponies, the more I could only think how to come out of this alive. Something was very wrong with this world, and I had a feeling I was just getting started.

“Come on out!” the unicorn floated the thick barrel around as he searched, “we know your hiding…”

Well… duh? Why wouldn’t I be?

Three to one was never a good fight, I flipped through my inventory and looked at my ammo count. Only thirty rounds, and with the magazine on this version that was less than three full mags… whelp! What did I have to lose?

The gun hovered up as the sights aligned over top unicorns’ head, steady pull of the trigger and… the round pinged off the brick wall behind him. I hated small arms, you had to be way too nimble with them to do a thing, and usually required more bullets. A few more squeezes yielded me a better result as he looked around in one spot to try and find the shooter, and caught him in the throat and temple… I’ll take luck any day. Thankfully he must not have been as chemed up as the mare.

The two stallions with him though that held a bat and what looked like a piece of rebar quickly followed the flashes and darted towards the diner. Okay running now! Through the front door one plowed, his counterpart joining him a moment later. I could hear them across the counter as my head stayed low with the gun close by.

Slowly I crept along the tile floor, waiting for one of them to poke their own head over. Either they were brain dead, or hadn’t seen me leap the counter. Their hoof steps kept walking around as if they were searching, just doing a terrible job at it.

‘Alright think… think,’ the list of what was in my inventory flew past my eyes, there had to be something that could be… Hmm, what’s this?...

Time slowed down for what seemed like to a crawl, I had heard of S.A.T.S. once or twice before, but never used it myself. Boy was I glad it came with this Pip-Buck! Both colts’ expressions turned from one of anger to surprise at this stallion standing behind the counter with his gun at them, and from this close there wasn’t much that could have been done.

Four shots more down the chamber and they joined their friends, two in each head just to be sure. More than likely beginners’ luck having never used S.A.T.S. Still, it was kind of surreal. Fresh out of the stable, and four bodies now notched into my belt. What kind of world must it have been where these ponies were killing one another at first sight?

Add that to the ever-growing list of questions.

While the two that came in to join me might not have had anything on them of use, the mare and missile colt had bottlecaps of all things. Thankfully my Pip-Buck threw that in to the same field as the Equestrian Bit from before. So, caps were currency now? I wonder how long it took for that to take off, better question, how the hell did my Pip-Buck know this was ‘bits’ now?

The launcher itself looked beat up to every sense of the word. Rusted, dented along the exhaust port, certainly needed a little more than some TLC. My magic though took hold of it with all the familiarity of a musician to their favorite instrument. A waft from the exhaust port filled my nose with that sense of nostalgia as the chemicals danced long my mind, screaming to me that the colt had fired it recently.

“Oh, I’ve missed that smell,” there might have been saliva coming from my mouth. Who doesn’t like a little high explosives to brighten their day? Granted it might blow up in my face, but it’d be fun while it lasted.

About hugging the weapon to my chest, the three rounds for it quickly found their way in to my bag as the launcher wrapped over by back. The streets may have been cluttered and filled with a scent that couldn’t quite be placed, but it still had the same lay out from when I was here. Looking down either road way of the small town, my hooves started in the one direction that made sense.

Home.

Granted, I hadn’t a clue what state it might have been in, especially after all these years. Though, could anyone blame me for wanting to check it out while I was in the area? There along the many burned out streets that remain littered with… litter. The row of small cookie cutter homes remained still standing.

Well, partly standing at least.

A number of them seemed to be more than in just disrepair, but given the group I had run across, it didn’t surprise me that things may still be at their worst in the aftermath of total annihilation. Some roofs were caved in after the rot got to it over the years, a number were boarded up as if they had been make shift shelters for some, even some were torn in half from maybe just time taking its toll and the foundation giving way.

The teal house on one side of the street laid in tatters it seemed, having fallen victim to the decay of timbers. Honestly, I couldn’t even tell if it was teal or not anymore. Half its porch was gone, and a few of the windows were broken. If there was anyone trying to hold up in it, they weren’t making a peep.

Across from it on the other side of the street I saw the rusty red panels of timber that made up another home, the door had been kicked in long ago and hung off its hinges. Judging from the darker shades of red in the shape of a skull that were flaking, it hadn’t been inhabited in a while. Though I didn’t want to dwell on if that was paint that was used or not.

My place was a reck.

“Even after all these years,” I said to myself as I walked along the floor boards that still gave off their creaking, “the timbers are still holding, and still making just as much racket as when I walked them last.”

I never did get the chance to replace them, and it didn’t look like I’d ever have to think on it again. The kitchen had been tossed like a salad as even the empty cans were gone, hell someone in those years even took the door off of my fridge. Seriously, who takes a fridge door? I trotted past the kitchen and moved through the halls, trying my best to keep an ear out from anything that might be here.

Then again, I wasn’t always the stealthiest so if there was anyone. They’d probably already be at my throat. The door in the back only remained half open, letting me hear the titters that scurried across the floor, as my hoof steps slowed to a tip-toe. I may not be all that sneaky, but I could still try and catch something off guard.

With the pistol out it held up to my eyes as I pushed the door open, funny this place was probably cleaner than it was when I still lived here. Then again, I probably had a few unwanted guests that did some spring cleaning while I was out. Would you look at that, more guests. Why did roaches have to get so damn big too!

A few scurried out from under the workbenches and tossed tool bins, these ones weren’t much different than the ones I ran in to back in 100… or so I just had to think that at first. Oh, hello! Aren’t you a new one? The largest one of the bunch caused my Pip-Buck to tick from the radiation that came off of its glowing hide.

His little friends took a few bites out of my jumpsuit, but nothing a night’s rest couldn’t fix. The big one was a different story, how had radiation effected these things that much? I thought roaches were supposed to be immune to radiation for crying out loud! Nothing the butt of a grip couldn’t fix in the end. The smaller ones may have met their end, but the larger one half my torso size skittered away in the shelves of my old workshop.

“Oh no you don’t, come back here,” the barrel held in front of me as I went and followed the light it gave off like a beacon, waiting for it to-… yep, that’s it!

It fluttered in the air trying to go for my face, luckily a horn works so much quicker and swatted it out of the air into a chalkboard. Two, probably overzealous, shots later and it was down for the count. The chunks of flesh that broke off from the moderate caliber softly clicked to me on my Pip-Buck, then as they faded with the rads I put a few of them in my bag. Who knows if it might be useful later on? Bait to drive something off, bargaining, emergency rations?

Yeah, that last thought was pleasant…

Radroach meat my PB gave it, even had a value of one cap to it. “How the hell do you know that?” it was a question that would probably linger to the end of time, but didn’t matter.

A quick look around shown that there wasn’t anything not worth taking. Every screw, inch of tape, empty lube can, and even screwdriver had been picked from this place. Let’s see what the rest of the house had to show, shall we.

‘Well compared to the rest of my day,’ I thought for a moment if this would jinx it or not, ‘this has been kinda… uneventful really.’

The living room was cleared, just a lot of dust in the mix. The dining room only had a single table and chair to it, could have sworn I had a full set. Even my bedroom was a mess like I expected, and there were far more dried fluids in my bed than I left there… yuck. The bathroom needed a much-deserved cleaning, but the water that still managed to flow might have been a little grimy. Then again, the rads coming off of it were pretty low so I think I’d manage.

I looked around in the hall for a second and even waited to see if anything could be heard from above before my eyes turned to the one place left unsearched. The attic door was shut, and the roof looked intact from the view outside. Only one way to find out. With a grip on the handle and the pistol held in my mouth I gave it a tug.

Surprisingly, the whole contraption itself didn’t come crashing down on me in one go. Unsurprisingly, there seemed a good amount of garbage from time that did fall. Most of this stuff wasn’t even mine, I didn’t use the attic often. Just had it really for if I ever got a family of my own and needed the extra space.

Creeping up the stairs, it was impressive more so that they still held my weight. With a glance around as I peeked the edge, the only fading light that came within was the small X shaped window that looked out front. Keeping my hooves ready to brace myself should it give way; the floor boards here were probably the most stable in the whole building. As I worked myself further in, I scanned with my E.F.S.

No blue bars, no red bars. I was actually alone up here. Which was a good thing, because the handy clock that came with this wrist contraption was telling me it was soon approaching dusk. Damn… time flies when you’re having fun, don’t it? The light thankfully from the Pip-Buck was enough to see a little more clearly around, and once satisfied that the coast was clear I pulled the stairs back up for a little added security.

There really wasn’t much up here. A box or two, old books that hadn’t been read in a century plus. Nothing really as comfortable as a cryo chamber, or a bed for that matter. Hey I had made it though, escaped an exploding stable, and got back home. Here now I rested in my attic, and munched on a horribly expired can of what at one point was apples… I think. It was sweet at least, and there really wasn’t much left that the radroaches hadn’t gotten to. Yet, as I munched on that paste of a fruit long past, and a few other items I got from 100. I had to ask myself.

So why did I feel so empty?

Maybe it was the fact the skies were cloudy the whole day.

Maybe it was that I had no idea where to go after today.

Maybe it was the realization that it all might have been a lost cause.

However, I was alive. So, I had that going for me. Plus, a promise was a promise.

My eyes drifted out that window to the streets that were once known well to me, now left to the wilds of the world that others knew far more of. It would be a learning experience sure, but I was a good student back then. Always paid attention to the teacher, did my work when it was due, and was on time… I’ll just have to learn a little quicker out here it seemed… maybe a nap would help me to wake up from all this.

---

For being a young adult barely at the end of their teens, I was doing pretty good for myself, but then I had also gotten in the right job market. The door to my home opened up, and although it was lonely at times, it was still a home none the less. My saddle bags from work dropped to my sides by the door as I picked out a few of the designs in one of them and walked over towards the kitchen as I looked them through.

“Gatling Laser Conversion,” across the top I had read, right next to the stamp of the Ministry. The set of gears, surrounded by the apple with the swords through it had took up a majority of the front page.

It had been one of the many projects that crossed their desk, and just like any dreamer of an engineer or developer, there had to be somepony ready to try and make that dream a reality. Lucky for me, I was just that kind of pony for them. Probably why I got hired in the first place when the war started ramping up.

With an apple in my aura and a kettle of water on the burner for some coffee later, I returned to my living room to take a minute and look over some of the design a little more. The diagram itself told me everything I needed to know about the weapon concept. Longer barrels arranged in a group of four, higher capacity for the spark batteries. According to the numbers the total energy output would be a little lower than the typical energy rifles, but it’d sure make up for that with firepower output.

With the drawing placed, I broke out a pencil and got to work. “Let’s see… these should be spaced a little more apart for better cooling as they spin,” I changed the specs of the barrels just a tad as the words came like I wasn’t the only one in the room, completely normal behavior… I know, “hmm… probably should change to using sparkle packs instead of batteries…”

Small arms I never got a lot of involvement in, the heavy guns on the other hoof are where I shined. Something about taking a big hunk of metal and making bad guys disappear really fast appealed far more to me than the more subtle approach with other guns. The M.W.T. certainly shared my appeal with most of the projects they had. From the Power Armor those Steel Rangers wore, the weapons that armed them, and everything in between.

“Hmm… I wonder if-” the crash nearly made me jump off the couch and in to the ceiling, as something whizzed by my head and tore off in the kitchen.

Then again, the baseball that struck my cabinet and rolled back across the tile put me at ease as I picked it up with my horn. Having turned around, the neatly punched hole through my window only a head or two higher than my own when I was sitting let me breathe a sigh of relief. Whoever hit it had a pretty good swing on them.

A quick poke of my head at the window later earned me a group of very shocked looking colts, and one earth pony filly. The latter held a bat in her mouth as her violet eyes caught mine. All the others there scattered, and the filly herself raced towards the teal house across the way. With her mint tail disappearing around the door, I just shook my head.

Really? If you’re going to try and hide, don’t go straight to your house after you’d already been seen. Walking to the kitchen I turned off the burner and brought the ball back up to my side. It wasn’t much to fix a window, hell I probably had the glass for the pane somewhere in my workshop anyway.

Kids will be kids though, and I at least could return the ball.

Chapter four: Heavy metal

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Chapter four: Heavy metal

So… this world wasn’t a dream still, damn…

It wasn’t the best night’s sleep I could have gotten, that award went to the freezer. Still, it had been nice to see the old days once more, even if it was but a dream. The morning sun, or at least as much sun as there could be through the cloudy sky, lit up the attic just enough for me not to need the PB light, good thing too. More light tended to give one position away, and judging from the squeak of floorboards.

I wasn’t the only one in the house anymore.

The steady creaking and dragging of metal against the floor below didn’t give much to go off of. Looking out the small window I could see a few ponies making their way through the streets, all ragged and beat up much like the ones yesterday. Spikes, torn up cloth, and heavy leather plates really seemed to be in season.

“There’s gotta be some better scrap around here,” the crusty voice muttered below, “Maybe some chems…”

It was hard to tell where they had been. Just below me, bottom floor, bedroom, bathroom? Who knew, I sure didn’t. One thing I did know though was staying up here and trying to hide would get me killed if they just searched long enough. With a steady motion I moved over to the ladder well up, and cracked just-

Okay! I guess it being used for the first time in over a century took its toll on the equipment, as it gave out the second my horn started to push on it. Causing the entire contraption, and myself to fall down to the floor below. Good thing my back broke the fall, and let me be in a perfect place to look up to the yellow twigged out eyes of a stallion. In his maw was what I could only imagine as some kind of gun in his mouth.

Three shots later, and it was absolutely some kind of gun in his mouth! I was starting to think that a stable jump suit may not be the most practical armor imaginable. Luckily for me the gun was a small caliber and left me with just a few bleeding holes, unluckily for him, he didn’t have S.A.T.S.

Four shots from my own pistol aligned on his head, from this close how could it not kill him. One nicked his ear, another missed entirely and went in the wall, the third got him in the jaw at least, with the fourth finally going off and disappearing to where I know not… did I mention that I really didn’t like small arms? I’ll take an AR over this even any day.

Whelp melee it was!

The pistols’ grip was effective against more than a number of radroaches sure, but a full-grown stallion? Kinda a different story there. After a few whacks he still stood, dazed a bit, but standing. With the spell wearing out his gun rang again, peppering the floor boards with a few more shots at my hooves, and giving a moment to switch weapons.

The metal tube of a missile launcher was far better, and as he stumbled to align his shots from the few hits with the pistol. The heavy weapon itself whipped around from my back and smashed in to his skull. With the crunch that followed told me all I needed; he was down for the count.

His friends outside, might need a little more convincing…

The round metal apple shape bounced cleanly through one of the windows as it rolled across the ground. I may have been able to dive out of the way enough to miss the majority of the explosion, but my hind legs hadn’t gotten around the wall quite yet. Shrapnel stung like hell! More than the .38 caliber that had hit me moments ago. With blood now starting to steadily trickle down my legs I slugged down a healing potion and let the magic take effect.

Well damn, these things were great! I watched as my wounds closed up before my eyes and I got a renewed sense of energy. The bullets that started to pepper my old home immediately brought me back to reality though, and warned me of the few that were making their way closer in now for the kill.

Okay, new plan… or would this be the first plan anyway? Eh didn’t matter, with my legs still working properly and the stinging bees gone I got up to the second floor and looked out the window. There were only a few of them, five at most, six if you wanted to count the one down stairs now looking like paste.

I checked over my pistol ammo and… eighteen rounds left. Yep I was running low, and if I couldn’t even hit a pony literally a foot in front of me with targeting. How was I supposed to hit a group of ponies crossing a street in the open? Yesterday was dumb luck… and S.A.T.S. was recharging. With the metal tube slung up on my shoulder and steadied with my horn, I aimed down the sights and pressed my luck into something more familiar. It might blow up next to my head, but at that point it wouldn’t be my problem anymore would it?

“A little more…” they walked with guns drawn towards the house, and I saw another bouncing a grenade up and down in their hooves waiting with the most eager pair of eyes to toss another one in. ‘Oh, you’re getting it first,’ the thought crossed my mind as I looked at his saddle bags and could only imagine what other goodies he had in there.

There wasn’t even time to see the back blast, from me to them was less than a few dozen yards, and that was covered in no time by my shot. Apple grenades had been reduced to what I think you could call pony jelly… then pony vapor, and whatever he had in his bags had done a wonderful job on his companions. Each of them either still twitched from the metal that had passed through them, or laid perfectly still like they never even moved in the first place. You know, minus the missing limbs from their torso.

One day…

It had barely been one day, and I already had ten notches on my belt… it was going to be a long time out of the stable, but as sad as it seemed. These ones were getting easier. Why they went from zero to murder pony on site of another I couldn’t tell you, maybe that’s how their life had always been. How did they end up like this? Is this how the whole of Equestria was now? Add those to the list of questions…

With a sigh and a shake of my head I walked down and out of my place. It had been stained with blood, bullets, and probably a number of heinous acts over the decades since I had been gone. It wasn’t a home to me anymore, neither was the teal house across the way. If she’d gotten out, and couldn’t go home…

Where would she have gone?

The question would linger for a bit, but as I checked over the bodies of what remained of those outside the only sensible place would be the next town over. It’d be nice to travel in style, even if that style was spikes and such. Alas, their armor was shredded from the blast of my missile and Apples extra munitions… pity, I would have loved to have some grenades at least for the trip.

Past that the weapons they had looked worse for wear than the launcher itself, at least I got a few dozen 10mm rounds off of them though. With nothing more that would be better off as dead weight from those bodies, or puddles. I looked to my map for a little bit of guidance in this semi-new world.

“Let’s see… Maresport.” The cursor hovered over the general area and got to walking. Launcher firmly on my shoulder, and loaded if it was needed.

***

Why did it feel like this wasteland was a lot of the same thing cut and pasted ever few hundred yards? Burned out building, check. Crashed vertibuck with skeletons around it, check. Random piles of bones that never seemed to make a full pony, I’d probably just beaten wasteland bingo by now with how much it all seemed to be the same thing over and over again.

… yep, this was going to get boring really quick.

Random rounds of gunfire off in the distance, yep mark that one off too. Though as I approached the town, I listened a little closer, that sounded like some heavy arms these ones were using. A lot more than whatever those other ponies had their hooves on. An extra pep in my step brought me forward to the fray.

When did I start running towards the sounds of gunfire?

With a panted breath I looked around, there were a few pockets of shots going off. Closest one to me seemed to be… a Steel Ranger? Three of them? They’re still around? Then again, it’s hard to mistake that armor, especially with my experience. Something wasn’t right though, that armor should be more than capable of sustained hits from multiple small arms at once, so why was this one having any-

The gut wrenching shot that rang out answered my question all too well, kinda hard to move and fight effectively when you keep getting hit with Anti-Machine Rifle rounds. One shot you might walk away from if the repair talisman on the suit could catch up, but judging by the now two suits laying on the ground. Someone had a lot of ammo to burn through.

One suit however, remained standing.

Okay standing may have been an overstatement, if I had to guess from the sparks of electricity bouncing off of it his matrix was shot, but the pony on the inside should be fine. I dived behind a few of the piles of collapsed rubble as a few more ponies came in to view. Just like I called it, these one certainly had a nice supply of weapons.

The grenades dotted along their vests of the six that came down, happily draped across their green combat armor. An unnerving emblem of a pony skull with its mouth wired shut painted on their plating… hmm think they meant business? Each one sported some sort of long weapon too, well taken care of it seemed like. Even past all the debris and dust, I could see the shine of fresh gun oil on that IF-86 assault rifle!

“Ya still in their mate?” one in heavy combat armor asked and tapped the power armor with the butt of his rifle. When no reply came, he did it a little harder and started laughing, “Oh come on now, I know those grenades didn’t kill ya.”

“Let me out of this thing and you’ll see how alive I am!” the voice from the ranger shouted out through the muffle of his helmet.

They were supposed to have some sort of speaker on then, but I guess with his suit fried more than an egg. You lost all form and function, and just became a paperweight. We never could get past that in the testing phase. Do you have any idea how delicate spell matrixes are? They’re easy enough to reset, but doing so inside a suit is another matter. Some suits are a little more insulated though, some like this poor stallions’, not so much.

“Tagger, how long do you think his buddies will last before we can barbeque em in their suits?”

Alrighty fuckers! There may have been a few choice decisions made during the war that were in bad taste. However, I draw the line at cooking soldiers in their own armor! With launcher up and loaded I took aim, hitting the one right in front of the ranger would probably kill him in the process if none of his suit was working.

Then again, adding another notch by exploding the one furthest made a wonderful distraction!

“What the fuck was that!” another shouted as he got up from the ground, covered in what I can only imagine was his friend.

And… running once more! In to the building they came from I went. The missile launcher slung once more around my back; splash damage didn’t make for a very good close-range weapon. With the pistol at my side, I waited for them to take the hint and start looking around. Thank the princesses for E.F.S. The red bars moved steadily from around the floor below, but with an eye I kept a view on the stair well.

S.A.T.S may have given me a percentage for my hit chance, no matter the range it seemed. On the other hoof, if I put the barrel right next to the pony’s skull… a single pull of the trigger, and the colts’ crimson added a fresh coat of paint to the wall past him. Jig was up, so I ducked back in to one of the rooms. There weren’t as many bars as when I first saw them, so I’d probably gotten at least two with that first missile.

The hoof sized hole that appeared through wall told me that whichever ones were armed with the AMRs weren’t too worried about conserving ammo. I don’t even want to know what it could do to a… no wait, I knew perfectly well what it could do to an unarmored target! Might need a shovel to clean me up, and a mop. Okay so they could punch through the very walls I needed for cover.

However, we were inside, and those weapons were very large.

Looking at where the hole came from, I crawled under it and moved over to the door to poke my head out. Just my luck the coast was clear, with a charge I went to where the shot had come from and kicked the door in to the office. There stood a very confused looking mare who tried her best to hoist that weapon around in the tight room to me.

Pistol trumps rifle in close quarters, even with me at the grip.

Granted it took several shots to actually hit, go through her armor and drop her, but it worked in the end. Alright, one more down… three more to go. One hadn’t moved since I got in to the mix, and that bar planted itself next to a very still blue one outside. Hmm… mister BBQ must be keeping watch.

The door I burst through brought another with the assault carbine. It was oiled perfectly, and boy did he know how to cycle that receiver! The 5.56 rounds dotted around the room kicking up papers, sparking off metal, and even tearing out chunks from the desk I hid behind. With a click to his weapon, I shot up and looked out for him, but he had already gotten back in cover.

The barrel though to his weapon poked just past the frame, and with a tug of my magic, I dragged the body of the mare closer and picked up her armament. Might not be high explosives, but it certainly wet my whistle. Another volley of fire peppered inside the room, and just like clockwork his gun ran dry. Horns were so much better at holding heavy weapons, and mine missed the grasp of guns like this! The bipod dropped as I leaned up on the desk, with a tight grip on it with my horn, the mini-cannon tore a hole in the frame of the door he tried to use as cover.

Healing potions work wonders sure, but they won’t fix you if you’re missing half your torso… my shoulder however, might just need a day or two of rest. Ejecting the round with a loud clank of the bolt, I lugged the weapon with me and put it on my back next to the launcher. Don’t want to make the same mistake as the mare. Pistol out, and let’s find the other-

The stock of any weapon to the face was never a fun thing to experience. Then again with the alternative being the bore of his IF-9 Combat shotgun, I’ll take the stock. Quickly the barrel turned around after my stumble going towards my chest, the pistol fell to the floor from the hit and both my other weapons were far too cumbersome pull out at a time like this.

So, what’s a pony to do?

My horn reached out instinctively and grabbed on to his vest. Both of us looked at one another for a second as I held up three or four pins in my aura, and he looked to the cooking grenades on his plating. With a shove from to the room he had come from and a dive, not even a peep was heard more from the colt as he vaporized in a meaty woosh as the blast swept out to the hall.

A quick check of myself and this time I thankfully didn’t take any of the shrapnel with me. That just left one more to deal with, and this time he was coming in to join me here. They really needed to upgrade the E.F.S., I’d love to know how close something was before it just jumped out from corners like Grenades did a second ago.

“Tagger? Spitshot? Bomber?” BBQ had muttered out loud as he went, “Where are ya’ll?”

This one had been in heavy armor, even up close my pistol might not do a thing, but I had at least one shot left to make it count. With a sharp whistle from my lips, the ears of the stallion perked up as he looked down the hall to me and the launcher. Funny how the tables can turn so fast, one minute you’re talking about cooking a solider in his own armor. The next minute you’re gone like a magician in a puff of smoke… a puff of very red, misty, smoke.

Scot free I hadn’t walked away however; it was only a matter of time before that launcher bit me in the ass, and that it did. The exhaust pipe at the end expanded too much and shattered along the shoulder rest next to my skull… my thankfully thick skull. It might have not been enough to kill me, but oh wow I could feel my ear dangling down half my head! Judging from the dry touch to my hooves that just had to be bone showing from probably third-degree burns. It was numb in the center, but those edges set my brain on fire with pain!

Slugging down another potion while I had it, I let the magic go to work and mend my face as best it could. I huddled there against the wall to myself, clenching my jaw until I could hear out of my right ear once more and the skin had grown back. Keep my bones and blood on the inside… that’s all I needed.

Back to business, there was a ranger to save.

Out I trotted from the small office building, and there right where BBQ had left him was the Steel Ranger. There didn’t look to be any new holes in the armor, or scorch marks for that matter, so I had to guess the stallion I just dusted hadn’t made good on his idea.

“Are you alright in there?” it seemed like a stupid question at the time, the two other bodies around him were likely his friends, but hopefully he still lived, “Hello” I tapped a few more times on the helmet before the coughing finally greeted me.

“Ugh… I’m going to carpet bomb this whole area if I get the chance,” that I could respect, though he’d have a way to go before he was even close to that level of offence, “Who are you? And where are the rest of those damned Gunners?”

Gunners? Hmm maybe this group that attacked em? With a flick of my horn I popped open the armors service hatch on the side and hooked my Pip-Buck up to it, “You mean those ponies that were attacking you? They’re… taken care of let’s say.”

“I can only hope you worked them over well before they perished,” he groaned from inside, trying his best to take a look at my work. The flexibility of the armor was never one of its strong suits, “Wait, do you know what you’re doing?”

‘Command, reboot… reconnect primary matrix master key…’ the steps went through my mind like I was reading them from the tech manual for the first time, “It’s a… long story, but just give me a second and…” after a surge of power the suit came back to life as the pony on the inside did the same. With a quick shake the ranger moved all the servos and joints to ensure it was in working order.

Just as with a quicker turn he went to his downed soldiers… I could see the look of dejection on his helmet. This ranger was irate for good reason, and he was looking up to the rest of the town as he listened in to the sounds of other gunfire in the distance. The visor of that suit met my eyes and looked me over for a moment, the stable suit I wore may have thrown him off a bit. I know I didn’t look like some of the ragged ponies you saw walking about these parts.

“What’s your name civilian?”

“Wild, Wildfire,” I answered, kind of surprised at the civilian remark. Such formality in a place where you can be cooked alive…

“Military back ground?”

“No…”

“But you understand power armors?” yep, this was absolutely him sizing me up, and the jumpsuit wasn’t helping.

“Ahh… I read a lot in my stable,” I lied and tried my best to tip toe around trying to explain that I was an antique that just rolled out of a freezer. Reading seemed far more believable at the time, and I was in no position to have him doubting me. Especially to a pony who could vaporize me with that IF-90 Anti-dragon autocannon on his side, “…I’m good with matrixes and weapons… sir.”

It felt appropriate to call him that, at least it was respectful. That garnished something from him it seemed, maybe a thanks because he didn’t get that often. Perhaps it was about running in to a pony who still had some manners out here. Either way, it got a good reaction. With a hoof extended towards me, I took it in my own and shook.

“Paladin Tungsten Shield, me and my patrol were moving through this town and got hit by this group the Gunners,” his eyes trailed back to the other sounds of conflict going on, “we got separated, and when some of them showed up with spark grenades… well you can see how that worked.”

Should I want to dive head long in to a conflict between the Steel Rangers and a group of very well armed ponies? Probably not, I might live longer. Now that I think of it though, having more guns on my side would be a benefit.

“I could help reset their suits if their knocked out?” I offered, looking at the AMR on my back, “this should tear any Gunner apart.”

I wish I could read helmets better, really it would come in handy right about now. Though as he looked to me, the suit of a fallen comrade, and the weapons fire off in the distance. The paladin asked but one question, “Are you fit to operate a suit of armor? You won’t last long like that.”

Against what these Gunners had, anything more head on would tear my jumpsuit apart… with me inside none the less. Usually that kind of thing required full fledge training, and hours of prep work before even being inside the suit. Both of which I had plenty of already, but my little white lie of reading was quickly going to fall apart if I said that.

“I… can probably manage,” I glossed over that little detail and he went to one of the fallen suits.

“Good, then it’s time for a crash course.”

With a heave he picked it up to its feet and looked across the suit. It was dinged up, broken, damaged and blown halfway to hell… yet in its own light, a work of art and fine engineering. Perfect if you ask me. With a few moments silence he said what he needed to say to the body inside before turning back to me.

“Knight Rogue here was a wonderful member of the Rangers… young, driven, and determined to do his duty to its fullest,” I about waited for the helmet to start crying honestly, but I could understand the sentiment, “if it was his time to die today, then may you use his armor to haunt those that caused this.”

Honestly, how do you say No to something like that? I stepped up to the armor, and just below the neck collar read the stamped name plate of Rogue. It wasn’t something that was done all too often, but some rangers still made it a habit to have their name stamped to it. With a plug in from my PB I followed down the list of commands, before finally finding the Eject option.

With a groan the various locking mechanisms gave way and opened up along the back, there in the suit was one colt. Probably around the same age as me now that I look at it, and probably a small reason why Tungsten chose this suit. With a graceful horn I picked him out from the armor and laid the blood-stained body along his back as gently as I could. Once I was clear, the paladin went up to the corpse and watched over him. Somewhere in his silence, Paladin Tungsten was probably replaying everything that happened today and what he could have done differently. I know I would’ve been.

That’s what nailed the stallion, and took him out of the fight. In the neck there was a clean punch from what was likely an AMR, not the best of armors in this area especially for movement. Whelp, I can’t go in to battle with that type of opening. With a glow to my horn I held it close to the opening. It was a simple spell that any in my craft would have learned, not the most effective thing to use on the fly in combat. Unquestionably useless if you’re in the armor yourself, but for a quick patchwork after a test it’d work perfectly.

Metal stretched and formed over the hole that was created, sealing it up like the rest of the suit was designed to be. All earning me a moments glance from the Ranger that stood not far away. Now the next task, this one wasn’t exactly designed with unicorns in mind… hell none of them really were, but unicorns still had to work on em somehow. So, we knew what to do in the shop. Plucking the headpiece off to work on I used the same spell, pulling and forming at the metal on the helmet where the mane was designed to sit. There was just enough material there to work with to extend the mane shielding and… That was a tad hot from being molded!

Dumping a little of my water over the newly shaped plate, I slipped the helmet over. My horn wasn’t knocking on the side so it fit well enough to work. With a final look at the inside, I walked up from the back, dropped my bag, and slipped in. Okay, scratch that previous thought Rogue was a little bigger than me. If you’d been walking around in armor all day, I’d imagine you’d get pretty strong too. Thankfully my Pip-Buck fit in to this thing and was able to sync up with its systems.

The suits were designed with some leeway when it came to sizing, where they’d adjust in structure to fit the user. I’d give it a few hours or so and the plates would move a bit more to fit around my frame… you know, assuming I lived that long. ‘Let’s see here,’ I looked in to the built-in visor of the suit at what I would be trotting into battle with, ‘IF-100 Thunderhoof AMR… and an IF-86 Mk. C with an extended drum magazine.’

With my horn sheltered in the armored mane it took hold of the AMR I procured from the Gunners, as the rounds were pulled from it and placed in the hopper to the Thunderhoof. A pull of the bit later in my mouth feed, and the rounds for both guns were chambered ready to go. Tungsten stood there and looked at me once more, he wanted to ask questions, I could see it in his visor… kinda.

There are somethings a piece of metal and glass can’t hide though, and one of those was the tell tail sign that a pony is pondering a whole hell of a lot more than what he’s saying. Not dwelling on it too long, I plucked my actual bag from the ground and fixed it as best I could to the back of the armor. Never know when I might need that 10mm again.

“Ready to go, Paladin?” the small talk sure felt weird, considering never in my life did I think I’d be working with the rangers.

“Always… now about that crash course…” after a simple nod he turned towards the fight, “Follow my lead, let the suit carry you and don’t fight it, if it shoots at you then make it dead… anything else you’ll learn as you go.” Most of which to learn I already had under my belt… even that last part. His suit tore off further into town, and my hooves matched his own as we both dashed off to get his comrades.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from combat in a suit of power armor. Sure, when we tested them in the labs and such, and they were always some of the most beat up pieces of equipment imaginable. The rigorous testing, breaking, repairing, and retesting would do a number on any hardware. Had to make due with what you got. Typically, they were squeaking constantly from lack of grease, burned out matrixes that had to constantly be reset, and even the occasional servo that burned out completely got changed.

Though now here I was, running head long in to the fray with a Steel Ranger Paladin, against a group of enemies I knew nothing about besides that they could be some rather twisted souls. In a suit that was arguably better maintained in a wasteland than a bunch of us could do in a lab before it rained fire and torched a nation. Rogue certainly took care of his equipment, and these ponies were dead set on tarnishing its sheen.

Nothing a liberal application of lead couldn’t fix, right?

The first burst from the IF-86 took at least one of the Gunners’ heads clean off, thankfully helmets were still pretty light armor. On top of that, the E.F.S. of the suit was functioning flawlessly… and that was a lot of red on my screen!

A thump followed by the subsequent explosion may not have been enough to throw me, but it certainly gave the armor a run for its money as it lurched to the side. The pony responsible loaded up another grenade in his launcher, as I targeted with S.A.T.S. 78% chance hit on the head. Not bad for this gun really, a burst and he dropped before the launchers’ breach even closed.

Why did it seem they were all targeting me? The Gunners that had the rangers that still stood pinned down, suddenly found a very unique fascination with the colt fresh out of a stable. Rounds pinged off the plates of armor that covered my hide, the suit itself didn’t seem to be repairing at the moment but I’ll have to troubleshoot that later. You know, when I wasn’t getting shot at.

Armor integrity: 87%

Thanks for the update!

Tungsten was faring far better than myself, even over my own fire I could hear the steady racking of his autocannon as the windows of those buildings that surrounded us became littered with his shells. With another click to his gun, the shells went from blowing through the walls, to blowing up them and whatever pony was standing behind. Seriously, at what point do you think they’d just throw their hooves up against that kind of offence and leave?

A missile streaked over my head and landed next to Tungsten. While the paladin was lifted clear off the ground and over a mound of debris, I looked up and followed the streak. There in one of the windows I saw the tube poking over the edge. Too far for the rifle, not too far for the AMR. With the sights lined up in the window I waited, it’d only take one… Hi!

One missile pony down… many more to go.

Galloping over to the motionless armor, I watched the ambient glow of the repair talisman going to work. Holes were patched up, plates were rearranged, and the only thing it was missing was the sheen to its armor. What about the pony inside? “Paladin! You alive in there still?” don’t know how well he could have heard any of that with the rounds from a firefight going off, but it didn’t take long for him to get to his hooves.

“I’m alright…” Tungsten shrugged the hit off and got up on all fours, before looking back to what looked like an old playground, “Come on, I see friendlies.” With a hop, skip, and a jump. We made our way across the opening of fire to their post. “Crusader Cornwall!” Tungsten shouted out as we leapt over the crude embankment of debris they had set up.

The blue bars showed up on my E.F.S. I counted only about three standing, the same number on the ground, and probably twice that on the ground and likely not getting up again. Those that still stood were doing a hell of a job holding their line, if you could call it that, but who know how much they still had in them before being exhausted.

In a few moments, one of the three suits that shot back against the Gunners dipped away to answer him. Another round left his chamber, as he turned to Tungsten, “Reporting Paladin.”

All three of us hit the dirt, or sand in this case as another missile shot from overhead and took out a set of jungle gyms. Tungsten looked back at the trail of smoke and dumped at least a few dozen shells at it with his cannon. Peace through overwhelming fire power, gotta love it.

“Whose suits are down out of everyone here?”

The crusader pointed out to those I had already picked out from when we first approached. “Back Blast, Dustfire, and Pixie all have their matrixes fried,” hmm one of those names did not sound like the other, “we would try to but-”

With a hoof, Tungsten silenced him, “Say no more, you’ve done good keeping this up, let’s give them a reason to not mess with the Rangers,” with a nod Cornwall scampered off to the line, and the paladin turned his attention to me, “Can you get it done?” his tone fell a bit more somber, “Can you save them?”

Returning the same gesture, the crusader gave him, I looked to the three fallen rangers, “I’ll do my best.” With that I got to work. Only downside to all of this.

I’d have to get out.

‘This is bullshit!’ I yelled in my own head. It wouldn’t have done much good to do it out loud as I’d probably be the only one to hear it. Tungstens’ was easy enough to reboot, and with most of the same design going to every suit of armor it didn’t take much to get the first one back on their feet.

“Oh, hot damn! You did it,” Back Blast yelled as he got up to his hooves and joined in the fight. the red bars on my E.F.S. were still there, but they seemed to be dwindling at least.

Another round sparked from the slide over head as I hit the sand once more, slowly crawling my way to the next ranger out for the count. Their heavy incinerator one side may not have been the best choice for this place, but oh that light machine gun would do just nicely for the cause. I wasn’t sure if I could hear whimpering from inside the suit, or if it was just the wining of the metal from the playground set that was partly on fire now.

Either way, once Pixie got up what I could only guess might have been a mare, returned everything the Gunners threw at them before we arrived. With even more to spare, as her LMG poured out the rounds from its barrel. Alrighty, two down, one to go.

Dustfires’ was a little more complicated once I got it open. Not only had the matrix been shut down, but even the chemical pump for the combat drugs and healing potions had shorted. Oh, was that blood leaking? I quickly hit the side of the helmet with the grip of my pistol, trying to get any reaction out of them.

“Are you still breathing!” I yelled at them, as I got the chem pump fired up once more. Inserting one of my own potions, I got to work on the matrix as the magic did its thing.

It didn’t take long for the slightest movement to come from the helmet, “What?... What happened?” the ranger tried to look around, but I put a hoof to the helmet.

“Relax, you’re going to be alright, I’m resetting your suit,” alright open that function, scroll down to that setting… and click!

Three for three, not bad in a day’s work.

Dustfire got up with the twin IF-95 mortars, and with a feverish determination planted the rear hooves of the armor down on the ground and took aim. With a drop of the loaders and a clunk later from the propellant charge going off, the shells lobbed themselves clear across the distance to those that tried to fire pot shots at us.

The cloud of smoke from atop one of the buildings could have been a pony at one point or another, but not anymore. A few rounds were still exchanged with those that tried to fight on, but as the dust would settle it dwindled down in to nothing. The Steel Rangers had come out on top this day, just like they had often in their glory days.

The rangers around me checked over their own wounds, none of them paying much attention to the random stable pony that walked around in an ever-dirtier jumpsuit. While they did their own thing, I went back over to the suit and checked it over. Still even now, the repair talisman seemed to be on the fritz. Who knows how much damage Rogue had taken before he finally dropped. If the suit sustained enough damage, it might have just fried the talisman all together.

“Excuse me, you there,” my eyes turned and found one of the rangers galloping up to me, “I understand you’re the one who got our comrades armors back up and running, even our Paladins?”

“Yes… that’d be me,” I shrugged it off in a way, what was I supposed to do? Just let them die, “I happened to be in the neighborhood, looked like Paladin Tungsten needed a hoof.”

“A hoof indeed… I must thank you then for not only helping us, but saving him as well,” well that was mighty nice of them. If I had done something like this back before everything went to shit, I might have gotten a metal, but it’s a good deed never the- “now if you will please relinquish your Pip-Buck, and step away from that armor.”

… Come again?

“You might have to say that once more,” my head about balked at that 180 degree turn there, “I just helped you? All of you, and you’re going to try and steal now from me?”

“I don’t expect a stable dweller like yourself to understand,” was it just me or was this ranger starting to get very sneery with me? “It’s the Steel Rangers duty to protect and preserve all technology from years past, and as such, that includes what you are-”

“Crusader Bleak Burrow,” the low rumble of a voice came and cut the air that was growing between me and the ranger. In reality I wouldn’t have been able to do a thing, all I had was a 10mm, and no armor piercing rounds for it either. Though Tungsten stepped up to the Crusader with what could have been steam coming from his nostrils, “this stallion went out of his way to ensure the safety of not only myself, but also your fellow comrades… and you want to thank him in this way?”

“While I appreciate the assistance, Paladin,” he gestured to the armor and to my own tech, “both of these are relics that we are charged with protecting, is it not?”

“We protect technology yes, but many have forgotten that a long time ago ponies also fell under our protection,” funny I didn’t know power armor could shiver, and judging by the suits that were gathering around us. I’d say they were a lot more thankful for the help than Crusader Spineless here, “I think he has earned more than enough right to carry that Pip-Buck,” he looked to me and then to the suit, “as well as the armor.”

“But… But… that’s genuine Steel Ranger technology!”

“And if we have to take it back to base, you’ll be the one carrying it all the way there then,” I don’t know where their base was, but given how fast the stallion stopped in his tracks. It couldn’t be a walk in the park, “It’s been damaged beyond all sense of us trying to repair it, who knows… maybe he could make some use of it.”

If I can get it working that is, there was more than just a screw loose when it came to this armor. On the bright side, I was in a world of parts it seemed, “Much appreciated, Paladin.” Once more I shook his hoof, and could only imagine the fumes coming from the Crusader. With that all too eagerly my hooves stepped in my armor, and the system came back online around me.

“Say nothing of it, maybe in time… we’ll meet again,” a tip of his head later, and Tungsten turned to the rest of his rangers, “Alright everypony! Back to base.” With that the group started making their way out of town, leaving me to do some scavenging of my own.

***

Only downside with their fire power, it didn’t leave much in terms of a body to actually search. Still, a few extra AMR rounds, some 5.56, and a healing potion or two never hurt anypony. I looked in a different direction that the Rangers had gone, and over viewed the map that was built in to my visor tab.

Most of the surrounding towns from Maresport were shanty even during the war. Hard to imagine what they’d even become in a world like this. So, with the best of hope possible I once again looked to the road the Rangers went, and turned opposite of it… If that’s how they thanked ponies who saved their life, I didn’t want to run in to any outside of Tungstens’ view. With the town now starting to pass me by, and the smallest sense of direction, I managed to look over the suits systems.

‘Let’s see… scrolling through settings of the suit… ah there we are,’ It’d been a while since I had stepped hoof in one of these things, could you blame me for mentally going over the steps? ‘begin system diagnostic.’

Diagnostic in progress… please stand by…

Repair talisman: Offline…

Chemical pump: Offline…

Armor integrity: 68%

“Yep… you’re a piece of junk,” the paladin was right, this thing would probably cost half my soul to fix up all the way. I’d probably find the parts to do so in time, I knew what to look for at least. Best thing about it though, it was a piece of tech I understood, “you’re a piece of junk, and you’re just perfect.”

Footnote: Level Up.

New Perk: “Power up! Power Armor MK. I”- Congratulations! You’ve obtained a piece of old-world technology in the form of Ranger Power Armor. Damage resistance, Energy resistance, and Radiation resistance are all increased. Wear it with pride, Ranger.

New Perk: “Bronze Chariot”- More guns, more fun! Utilizing a battlesaddle, you’re able to carry one standard and one heavy weapon.

Chapter five: DIY Power Armor

View Online

Chapter five: DIY Power Armor

“Let’s see…” my mind raced as it looked at all the error messages from the suit. It was a piece of junk sure, but it was my junk. Something that I understood from a by gone era in pony engineering. If I held on and treated it right, then who knows? Maybe it’d turn out well for me.

“What would work with this,” I asked myself as I looked at the screen.

Power Armor was a complex machine in its own right, one that usually required a dozen ponies to craft all working together towards one goal. Then again, some parts could be shoehorned in if need be… what’d you expect? War was expensive after all, and there was always some equine trying to save a bit.

‘Okay, why not start here?’ I noted as the map screen of the armor went through my vision and placed a marker on the warehouse in question.

Someplace I knew existed during the war that dealt in the armors manufacture, or at least components. Having some knowledge of the country before the war might just work to my benefit. Although how much of it would be left the same? Most of the stuff I’d need would probably have been scavenged already, or broken over the years. One thing was for certain in the bleakness that made my surroundings…

Things had changed, and they had changed drastically.

Ponies were murdering one another left and right in the street, and for what? Hell I just walked out the door to my stable and almost got put down by a mare high off her flank, there wasn’t even a thing on me of value!? No matter what had changed, I had a task now, or two of them. First of which was to get this suit back up and running to its fullest, or at the very least the best I could get it. That or die trying… hopefully not.

“Oh, hello,” a mechanical voice projected ahead of me.

Honestly, I hadn’t been paying much attention, being in a suit of armor kind of leaves you feeling a little invincible really… even with the bullet holes that dealt Rogue in. As such, blindly walking in this world my helmet smacked into the hard casing of the bot there before me. Strange though really, Sprite Bots didn’t normally talk to individuals now did they.

“Ahh… hi-ya!” I blurted after it righted itself from the impact. Really how am I supposed to know who might be controlling this thing? “Not quite sure how you’re supposed to greet others in this day.” Usually, it seemed to be with shooting first, and talking later.

The floating bot paused for a moment as it releveled itself and took me in. How much of a threat could a stable pony be after all, power armor or not? Then again, how much of a threat were these little drones of a bee hive given a metal form? With its gentle grace, the floating orb of pandered around me on the road and took in everything I could fight back with. I knew they weren’t designed for combat, let’s face it, a well-armed foal could drop one using a BB gun.

Yet, it stopped as it examined me. “You’re all alone?”

“I’m the only one on the road, so I suppose I am,” I gestured to the empty asphalt behind me, “why? Were you expecting more?”

“Usually Steel Rangers travel in groups, seldom do they let their brothers go on their own,” the bot spoke as it floated there in place.

That’s why the curiosity, “not a Steel Ranger, the names Wildfire,” yeah, as if that namedrop was supposed to clear anything up. “I helped a few of them in a bind, and the leader of that group gave me a bone.” My legs held out, showing off the armor that was bestowed upon me.

The bot stayed silent for a few more seconds… and a few more after that. “That’s kind of… surprising,” it about gasped at the prospect, “I would have expected them to strip you for everything shiny you carried.”

Granted Crusader Cutthroat back there sounded like he would have loved to, but that couldn’t be all the rangers… right? “What do you mean?” the question lingered as the metal bot floated there, “the rangers were war hardened veterans, they might have use of some tech… but to really strip it from other ponies?”

Sure, I was a civilian in a suit of power armor that was destined for military use. That was out of the ordinary, granted. Then again, things couldn’t have gotten that bad while I was asleep… could they? I lightly grabbed hold of the sprite bot as it bobbed there in the air and brought its sensors to my visor.

“How much has really changed in this world?” I asked, and all the bot could really give me is a mechanical sigh.

“You aren’t from around here, are you?” It asked, as if almost knowing the answer already, “the rangers aren’t what they used to be, that’s for sure.” That sigh this time almost sounded like they knew what they were beforehoof. “They harbor technology more than ponies’ lives, and if you get in the way of that, then so be it… you’re just a few wasted rounds to them.”

So, the heroes that I had known from many years past, now were reduced to what? Wasteland thugs? “So, a lot had changed…” I sighed as I let go of the bot, sure whoever was controlling it probably knew far more than me. This wasteland was its own world, and I was a mere guest, “…any advice for a blind mule like myself?”

“With you all alone that bit should be obvious for you,” my silence beckoned just a bit more of a push in the right direction, “…make some friends,” it said in that mechanical voice, “Though I’d steer clear of other rangers if I were you, they may not be so welcoming to see you in their armor.”

“I figured that much…” it was just a piece of armor, then again in a world like this It could mean the literal difference between life and death, “although, I’m looking for someone from my stable…” I watched as the bot stayed there and floated in place, “do you know which way to the nearest actual town, somewhere I’d be able to learn a few things from.”

“Of course… stable pony,” that probably explained the ignorance. A few seconds later and the bot answered, “I’d say try Drybank,” it voiced as it started to break up in static, “the ponies… are… decent… th-”

With a pop of its circuits and a fizzle, the bot started bobbing to a trumpet on the road. Looking down the pavement, I saw the bot go on and on, all on its own. So maybe whoever gotten control of it didn’t have total control. It is what it is. With a hoof raised I looked to the marker I had place and started moving towards it.

Ironshod warehouse and saw another pop up further past it, Drybank.

***

The warehouse itself may not have been anything special in its own right. Brick building, a few broken windows, and of course… probably a dozen skeletons littered out in the lot as you would approach. Though the rounds coming from it made it seem as though those inside were guarding the key to Equestria! My armor reflected some of the shots that spewed from the rifles, but never the less they still dinged up the plating pretty well.

Armor integrity: 55%.

With a few dodges and dives, I rolled in to the building… or more so crashed through a loading bay door. With the repair system out of commission, I’d have to be careful. The armor might give me protection for now, but it still had its own limits out in this world. The bulk of the armor stood against the wall as I heard the other occupants of the building stand by and get to their places.

Raider Waster, it popped up in my E.F.S. from the suit, as the stallion let lose another shot from their rifle. How did they have different ranks? Who even decided that? After all they seemed to still be mostly armed with low caliber .38s or tire irons for crying out loud! Never the less, with the bars staying put for now I turned and started my own assault.

The carbine ripped in to those that got a little too careless, 5.56 rounds dealing more damages than any 10mm could ever hope to do. Leaving me to pick and choose my targets as they presented themselves. From the random head that popped out of the cover, to the occasional target that tried to get a shot off or two at me, or ones that tried to get to a better position.

From what I gathered Raiders had to have been the bottom of the food chain in the wastes. Their rounds may have not punctured, but they still did some damage sure. Then again, I got about as much damage from an average baseball- the smack of something a little heavier threw me off as I rolled there on the ground.

Looking up, I saw the raider with a rather confuddled work of art. The rocket engine at the back of the sledgehammer would have been a crazy idea back in the day… of course just my luck there still seemed to be some who had some crafting skills of their own! With another slam the head of the hammer dented my torso plate as the mare holding the monstrosity of hardware tried to go through it. My chest cavity was not supposed to feel like that… A buck from my legs later and the mare skidded back against the wall, giving me some breathing room as I got back to my feet.

Another swing of the hammer later and I’d probably need some dentist, seriously! How could a mare this size swing- … yep those chemed out eyes of hers already answered my question. Her pupils had to have been the size of needles. Why did I always have to get the drugged sorts in my travels? Judging by the meat sticking out between her teeth, she’d been eating well too.

Wait… was that pony fur!

With the mare lunging at me once more from her crazed rampage my hind hooves slid across the ground, narrowly missing the swipes of hers. S.A.T.S. clicked on, and in that trance, I threw a few more rounds her way. The carbine let rip several shots in to her torso and tore through to the other side in slow motion.

A drop of her flank later after the spell wore off, and the mare looked at me with almost a question of why upon her brow. Shortly the rest of her body fell to the floor. So, no automatic healing, and no armor repair… and breathing was not supposed to hurt like that. With the back to some cover, I popped the visor up and fished out a potion, glad to have my ribs slowly being mended in to place.

With my guns locked and loaded, I ran up the stairs that dotted on the side of the storage floor to where a majority of the bars held firm. There those raiders picked their shots from, and turned their attention towards me as their rounds tore in to the armor with blinding speed.

It took a few shots, but after a time I still felt the rounds dig in to my skin. Even under the armor that I wore, they went to work on it all the same. With every shot I fired, four more hit me back and dug in to the plating. The error signals I was getting started to litter the screen of the armor as it piped up in needs of repair.

Armor integrity: 49%.

‘Yes, I get it, you’re shot… so am I!” I groaned talking to the machine while pressing on.

Only a few more to go, and I spotted a rather careless barrel sticking past a doorway to an upper room. The AMR tore through the wall and into the pony past it, dropping him to the ground and letting me run past the body without a second thought of stepping through his viscera. The numerous other raiders there present still popped shots off at me while I went, and cleared room by room.

With a thud, one very brave or very stupid pony leapt through an observation window to the main room, and planted both their hooves to the shoulder plating. I might have heard their forelegs snapping from the impact, but even with that injury they still pressed on and tried to swing at me. The carbine may have been the best thing I could use at this range, but long barrels just weren’t the best close hoof. A few of my rounds hit home, but whether or not it was chems or just adrenaline, this stallion didn’t let up.

A clench of their hoof later by my own, and I held on long enough to bring the helmet back. Normally no one wins in a headbutt, then again, an armored head against soft flesh is always a blessing. Metal met flesh in the middle, and somewhere between bone started to break. Slumping down to one side, his eyes started to roll back in their sockets as something on the inside gave way. Letting me focus on the few shots that were being taken at me still.

I’ll have to admit, I never had a knack for fighting. A scuffle here and there in school was one thing, but this? I was quite literally shooting from the hip in most of these encounters! Hell, if I didn’t have the armor, I’d probably have been dead in the first day after encountering the rangers. Even if it had a number of things wrong with it, Rogues’ suit was holding up like a champ!

Armor integrity: 42%.

Warning: Front right servo damaged!

I just had to open my damn mouth! A pop to my side caused part of my leg to drop under the weight. Picking it up, I tried to flex the joint in and around, but with a resounding crunch I knew something had finally given way. If you threw enough .38s at something eventually you’d come out on top. With a hobble the bulk of the amor managed to get into a corner office as I took a much-needed breath. The few bars that remained moved about from the rooms I hadn’t reached yet… was it just me, or were they getting-

Three metal apples through a window stopped any other thought, and forced me to kick the heavy wooden desk over top them. It wasn’t enough to stop the entire blast sure, but it was enough to keep me from becoming mincemeat… I just had to ride the blast wave. Half of me remained in that office, and the other half burst through the drywall to the next room over.

It was from there I learned two things. One, armor on the rump of these suits weren’t the best, the small burning from the shrapnel in my ass gave that away. While two, using a helmet in a headbutt was effective, using it as a battering ram… eh, not so much. With little Celestias dancing in my vision I finally managed to look up, to a few very surprised looking ponies.

Throwing caution to the wind for the sake of self-preservation, I clicked the carbine on to full auto and before they even managed to raise their own arms a healthy amount of lead found its home. Those remaining bars that I met all fell to the ground in heaps of disarray. Some with a few holes in them, and a couple others looked barely recognizable as anything equine from the high velocity rounds.

My head slumped to drywall as I shook the helmet, they must have tossed in those grenades and wanted to flush me out. “Just flushed me in the wrong direction…” I pulled out another healing potion to answer the burning in my skin from the several pieces of shrapnel that still made it though.

With one good powered hoof, the rest of the armor pushed through the wall and scanned around the room once more. Didn’t seem to be anymore bars, and judging by the very eerie silence and lack of someone shooting at me. I’d have to guess that was the last of them. Good thing too, the suit was starting to get on its last leg… or at least last three.

Armor integrity: 33%.

I still wasn’t sure if that constant reminder in my face was going to be a blessing, or a curse to know how much I’m getting my ass kicked… these were the lower rungs of thugs too, how would I fair against something more threatening?

I’ll get the snot knocked out of me later to learn that, for now, looting time. Each of the bodies that I went to had something on them, whether it could have been of use to me I wasn’t sure. A few Bucks here, an extra 5.56 round there… they weren’t even shooting with that?! Overall, nothing super special. Even their few pipe weapons or the occasional combat rifle had a value mark to it, maybe if I could find someone to trade with, I could come out with a profit.

Back in the main area a groan of the suit left the back hatch opening up, and I slipped out. Finally, able to get a better look at what I had to work with when it came to… yep there really shouldn’t be that many bullet holes in a suit of armor!

‘Oh, you poor thing,’ it felt normal to weep for a machine really, all the time and effort that was put in to them. You had to admire the hoof work in their creation, so to see it take this much of a beating, it hurt like seeing your kid get beaten up at school.

Scavenging around I managed to pick up a few pieces of scrap metal here and there. A small ding or dent was easy enough to fix with just the suits metal, but something this substantial I’d need the extra scrap to go along with it. Spent fuel canisters, a bucket or two, and a set of combo wrenches missing more than a few later, and with a little help from my horn the plates had at least been partially put back together.

After a quick connection from my PB I went over the system, Armor integrity: 72%. Still scratched up sure, but they’d stop a bullet once more.

As I lifted up the leg section, I took a closer look at the barring on the inside. There neatly stuck between the two surfaces, was the mangled remains of a .45 round lodged inside that locked them up. A tug of my horn later and I held the round there in front of me, “All that trouble, because of you,” unceremoniously the round found itself a home amongst the other trash in this place. A few bends of the limb told me that it was still in working order… for now.

It was about as good as I’d be able to get it, for not having a full workshop to set up in. The bodies of those that tried to kill me already looted, brought me back to the real question and reason I stopped by here… what else did this place have to offer?

Much of the place had been looted long before I came out of the ice it seemed. Sure, there was a lock box here and there that might have had something good in it, but lock picking wasn’t in my skill set. One thing that did catch my eye was the crate with the three pink butterflies on side. It wasn’t a typical medical box, no this one was shipping something.

Taking one of the tire irons that not too long ago tried to cave my head in, the lid popped off with a crack of the wood as the rusty nails gave way finally. There inside… oh! It could have been Hearts Warming Eve for me!

The pump fitting had the connections I was more than familiar with, and absolutely something I could work with. A near gallop in my step found myself once again at the armor, as the side control panel opened up with a twist from my horn. There a similar chemical pump resided, albeit a heavily damaged one.

A tug from its various plugs pulled the damaged one out, and all too eagerly I slid the replacement in. Lining up the injectors with their ports through careful application of my horn. With a familiar glow the suit recognized the attachment, and started going to work setting it up… matrixes were a wonder of technology. Really can you blame the rangers for wanting to safeguard it?

Digging through my bag, I put what healing potions I had in to the slots of the pump, along with the Med-X, Buck, and Rad-away… still, there were a few more spots I could fill in. ‘Dash… and Stampede,’ add it all to the shopping list. They might send my body on a whirl, but in a pinch, they’d probably save my life too.

The crack of thunder outside alerted to me just how much time had passed, it was getting dark out, and who knows what goes bump in the night now. From the ceiling overhead there must have been a leak, and with that a steady stream started to pour over top my head and mane. Besides being the closest thing, I’ve had to a shower in over a century. A few steady clicks from my Pip-Buck told me another thing.

Rain was apparently radioactive now… of course it was.

My armor set up on the ground floor, and I managed to find a tarp to drape it over top. Making me a rather handy makeshift tent, as I snuggled up underneath the covering and right next to my armor trying to stay clear from the toxic water. With a heavy sigh, my head leaned back against the cold metal. I got a pump from this trip, so that was a start.

Then again even with my eyes trying to stay shut, how can any creature sleep with this kind of a monster storm?

I brought my Pip-Buck up to me and scanned through some of the files I had pulled from 100. Most of them were corrupted sure, but if there was any way to pass the time, and to try and bore me into falling asleep it was working on matrix data.

After popping a RadSafe to keep the ticks of my meter down, I found myself there trying to work on figuring out what went so wrong to my ice box.

Footnote: New Perk: “Warm Fuzzy Feeling…”- Thanks to your armorer skills, and some lucky scavenging, your suit can now supply you automatically with various combat drugs and potions to keep pressing the fight.

Chapter six: Sound advice

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Chapter six: Sound advice

Okay, so sleeping under a suit of power armor probably isn’t the most comfortable place in Equestria to prop your hooves up. Then again, I was dry, still breathing, and not being shot at… Which was far better than I could say for whoever was outside at the moment!

Several rounds could be heard just out of the building, but thankfully they weren’t coming in my direction yet. That yet part had me acting on pure reflex as I tossed the tarp to the side and jumped into the suit like a shot of coffee surged through my veins. Once my eyes woke up enough, I could see the half dozen or so red bars through the visor out there in the entrance lot of the building.

With only one blue bar there to join it…

Creeping up to the window, I saw those that awoke me. The ponies that stood further off were pretty well armed, but then again, I had run in to the likes of them before. That same pony skull decorated their own armor like the ones that had attacked the rangers, as they cycled rounds time and time again to assault the pony currently taking cover behind a crashed vertibuck.

Carbine rifles and combat armor VS. no armor and what looked like a .44 pistol… yep, those were terrible odds.

I could have left out the back, I could have galloped away and saved myself the ammunition, I could have done so because it seemed letting ponies kill one another was the main dish this new world had to offer… then again, the world from before was still alive in me, and I wasn’t about to turn my back on another that needed a hoof.

For a second, the image of a pony in shining armor went through my mind, as comical as that sounded. ‘Time to be a hero,’ the thought passed as I readied myself.

The burst from my own rifle exploding the stallions head probably was a surprise to his comrades, as was the random suit of power armor that burst through the door. Now it was an even fight, but oh boy did their rounds do more to the suit than the raiders!

Armor integrity: 59%.

Yeah, I could see that thank you, I had just repaired it too! A slide from my hooves later and I found my own cover from the barrage. The pony they had been attacking right across from me in view now. The earth pony mare looked half scared out of her wits, and I couldn’t blame her really.

Her sandy coat had been littered with all the grime and grit of this world as it dug deep in to her mane and tail… no wait, that was brown to begin with. Still, those piercing yellow eyes of hers screamed to me even through the gun fire. Almost as if she was expecting me to attack her as well. Out of everything going on now, she showed fear to the one that tried to fight back with her. Just how far had the rangers fallen from their pedestal? No matter, both of us needed to get out of this situation.

The silent nod from me to her beckoned the raising of her own gun, as I popped up from my cover and slid in to S.A.T.S. A Gunner made the mistake of getting a little too close for comfort as they tried to close in with their combat shotgun. With a quick burst later, he joined the first one that I hit on the ground. Although, not before a good spray of pellets from his weapon littered my suit. There’s a reason it’s called Buckshot, and that felt like a kick straight to my chest!

I didn’t get time to look at the damage it’d done, my head was back into cover the moment the spell wore off. All I could feel was the gritting of pellets between the plates. Some mercy had been shown to me it would seem this day. The mare was a decent shot herself.

At least somepony was good with a pistol…

The heavy .44 slugs broke through the combat platting of those would be soldiers as they focused on taking shots at me. Leaving my impromptu ally to line up her own sights. How she was able to bite down on a bit, and line them up so expertly I’ll never know. Shit, I could barely do that with a horn and targeting assistance!

With their sights on me though a few more dropped to her own rounds, and left me once again needing some repairs while their rounds continued to dot along the platting. My carbine picked off those that turned their attention to her instead, as me and her traded windows of shooting. My windows just happened to involve taking more than a few bullets, and getting constantly reminded by the suit that I wasn’t invincible.

One round of theirs nicked me in the temple, sending my spray straight into the ground… Fine then! I call your .45 and raise you .50! Out of the three that hunkered down, one was left turned into red mist through their cover. Their heads stayed down for a few seconds while I hopped to my hooves and started advancing, the occasional burst from my carbine did well to keep them that way, and I wasn’t about to waste the AMR on all of them… that last one just asked for it. Two guns came up over the barrier, firing blindly in my direction. Sure, it may not have been aimed, but a bullet was a bullet, and it still dinged the hell out of my armor.

Armor integrity: 50%.

Ugh… why was I sensing a theme here?

The stomping of my armor towards them might not have been the stealthiest way of getting the drop on em, but with a few remaining and nothing in their hooves but basic trooper gear. I just wanted to finish this little shootout already and get back to the road. An antenna popped up over top of their cover as I approached and heard the transmission.

“We gotta rogue ranger here taking shots at us!” I don’t know who they were contacting, no idea if they saw the name plate on the suit or if they just made it up. No matter the case, the colt with the radio sounded pretty desperate to what I would assume were his superiors, “I repeat, rogue ranger attacking!”

Peeked a little too high there my friend.

With his body now joining those that were dropped between me and the mare, his friend shot up to try and make a run for it. Racing down the lot and towards the road as they just wanted to get clear from this random ‘Steel Ranger’ that happened to show up. Although it’s hard to outrun over 1400 feet per second.

The slug dug into the back of the last colt and dropped him before he made his next step, and with him falling the mare stood up next to me. Smoke still coming from her barrel as she glared at the corpse… before quickly turning the barrel to me.

“Whoa now! Take it easy!” my hoof held up, trying not to seem like a threat. Granted one .44 wouldn’t do a lot to the suit, but my skull didn’t want to test that theory. Even with this little display, her bar remained blue, “I’m not gonna hurt you.”

“Yeah, heard that a few times in my life,” her eyes rolled as she tried to speak around the bit, “Why’d you help me? I ain’t got any tech if that’s what you’re thinking.”

So that’s what it was… “Not a Steel Ranger,” the skeptical glare she gave told me all about her inner thoughts, “the suit was a gift for helping another ranger, they didn’t want to have to fix it up.”

Sure, that sounded believable… to some extent. With her glare slowly starting to diminish, the barrel of the gun found its home once more in her holster. Her eyes watched over me and the suit, probably looking at all the damage it had taken from the little shoot out. Something I wasn’t looking forward to seeing in the future.

“Hmm I reckon then you wouldn’t have gone through that trouble if you were,” she sounded almost surprised that another pony would stick their neck out for one of their own, “certainly aren’t like many rangers I seen.”

“Yeah, so I’ve heard…” her eyes squinted a little more at me.

“You ain’t from around here are ya?”

“Also, heard that one before,” I couldn’t help but chuckle, from that random Sprite Bot I bumped in to, to this mare. This is what the saying ‘a fish out of water’ really meant, “Sable pony here, I recently left and wandered in to this place that I guess once was Equestria.”

“Ah that explains the dumb founded expression, if I could actually see your face that is,” her hoof held out towards me. “Names Tumble… yes, like the weed.”

My visor lifted up so she could actually see a friendly face, and that expression she mentioned, as I grasped her hoof with all the care needed when in a suit of armor, “Wildfire.”

“Well, Wildfire, thank you again for the assist,” she looked back at the new corpses added to the wastes, “Damned gunners… always were a pain in the flank around these parts. Least they carry good gear.”

As if by nature she started picking at those left growing cold. Really, it just seemed the norm now, I guess. Tumble grabbed on to the ammo that she needed, and hoofed over the 5.56 that was found. While on my back I held on to all the arms they had brought to the table. Weapons like this were valuable before the war, imagine how much they’d be now.

“So, where ya headed then?” she asked as the last body was stripped, and what goods could be shoved into her saddle bags.

“Drybank,” I replied and started adding up the value to the guns my PB had given them. Not sure about the economy now a days, but it was at least something in theses wastes.

“Oh, are you now?” her ears perked at the sound of that, “I was headed there myself actually, just on the road when I ran across these guys here.”

My screen brought the direction in to view as I stared down the road. Trying my best to guesstimate how long it’d take to reach from here, “And I had actually crashed here for the night, you know before the bullets woke me up.” I looked towards the warehouse, wishing there had been a little more for me to find, “good thing I did too.”

Every pocket, bag, and satchel were checked by the mare as she went to work. Clearly, she had been at this sort of life style for a while now, “For sure, the Gunners always been picking on folks in these parts.”

“Eh, having some better gear than another doesn’t make you automatically better,” I summarized. Tall talk for a pony walking around in a suit of armor.

“Although… if you’re heading to Drybank, and I’m heading the same way…” I could see the nervousness on her face, and in the way she plodded at the ground with her hoof. Was she still not sure if I was a ranger? Or was she just worried to meet a stranger?... actually, given those I had run in to lately, I couldn’t blame her. “Would you mind if I tagged along with ya?”

We’d just met, and for all I know she could very well put a bullet in my head if she got in close enough with what she was packing. Then again, the resounding words of advice from a little robot repeated in my mind. ‘Make some friends,’ It was a lonely world sure, and it’d probably not last past the trip, but maybe with another there it’d be a little bit brighter.

“Sure, you’re more than welcome to,” I replied as she joined me on my march towards the town.

***

Okay, at least if you weren’t being shot at, the wasteland was a very boring place it seemed then. It had to have been an hour that had passed and all we managed to run in to was some mutated Parasprites. Those things were annoying even before the war, now they were just annoying… and trying to kill you.

With the few creatures that tried and fail to carry out that deed, it hadn’t given much time for me and Tumble to actually chat. Though with the silence now getting stale between us as we walked. The mare finally piped up, as I kept my eye on the E.F.S.

“If I may…” she started, looking at the few burned out houses along the road for any sign of trouble, “What brings you to Drybank?”

“… Eh, I’m looking for somepony,” still nothing on the radar, not even from the buildings we passed by which was kinda a surprise, “me and her were in the stable together.”

“Must be a hell of a mare to leave a stable of all things,” her eyes almost spoke of the same envy. I could imagine, compared to out here a stable must have been paradise… besides the whole meltdown bit. Tumbles’ eyelashes about fluttered, “Special Somepony then I take it?”

It was an understandable question sure, but she couldn’t have been further off the mark. “Oh no, no… nothing like that,” I recalled all the fonder memories made back then, “it’s a little more complicated.”

“Well… we’re walking along a vacant road, to a town still probably a number of miles away,” about a dozen to be exact, I noted and looked at the map from my helmet, “in other words, we got nothing but time.”

She had a fare point to be honest. Besides the occasional billboards of the Ministry of Morals Mare commanding Obey, there wasn’t a thing in sight. Plus, showing a bit of my cards wouldn’t do anything to hurt really. “Hmm… whelp where to start?” I asked, before the most obvious finally came to the forefront of my head, “why not at the beginning.”

---

That same ball that nearly took my head off minutes ago found itself up in an aura as I stood outside the teal house. With a few quick knocks against the frame, my body found itself rocking back and forth as it waited. For all I knew there could be no one home besides the filly, and after what had happened. I certainly wouldn’t answer the door if I was her.

Soon enough however, the creaking of floor boards could be heard through the door way itself. Hmm… must be a problem in this neighborhood. There as the door slowly swung open, an elderly Pegasus stood. What color her mane and tail had once been faded long ago. Though those sky flavored eyes glared at me with an intense gaze only a grandparent could have.

“Can I help you, dearie?” okay, so not the tone I was expecting with that glare. She just sounded, and honestly looked… tired?

“Oh, it’s nothing much,” I held the ball out to her, as the mare took it in her wings, letting it fall against her orange feathers, “there was just a little incident a few minutes ago, and I believe that belongs to a filly who lives here.” The smile on my face stayed firm, it was all I could do to try and keep up the pleasant appearance. Really, I wasn’t mad, just thought I’d let her know what happened is all.

Though the mare had other ideas.

“Ugh… this again,” she murmured under her breath, but while her hearing might have fallen with the years. Mine was still listening intently. “Winter! Winter get down here and explain yourself!”

As if she had been waiting around the corner, which in hindsight she probably was, the aptly named filly came in to view. Her winter dyed coat probably the worst color to hide the embarrassment on her face. Yet those eyes never rose up off the ground, and still kept their hard interest in on the floor boards.

“I thought I said not to play with those colts,” the mares’ tone softened, and even raised up the fillies’ chin with a wing. “They’re not nice ponies you know… you always seem to get in trouble with them.”

“They’re my friends, Lilac,” okay now! There was the hissing of a serpent, “About the only ones I have in this place.”

Instantly her head brushed off the feathers and crossed her hooves over her chest. For all I knew the mare had just been watching over the filly while her parents were away, and it certainly wasn’t my place to say anything. I know my uncle though would have beaten me half way across Equestria if I talked to him like that.

“I’m sorry to trouble you, ma’am,” I tipped my head to Lilac, and watched her sympathetic eyes look me over. She really was tired it appeared, maybe she watched over the filly more often than I thought. “I just wanted to bring the ball back around, that’s all.”

“Oh! Let me get something though to cover the damage-”

I held up one hoof before she could finish, “That’s really not an issue, I have enough tools and parts I can patch it up in no time.”

The words may not have been spoken, but I could see it on her brow. It wasn’t the first time she’s had to cover for the little one, though this might have been the first time another out right refused to take anything from her. With Winter still giving us both the cold shoulder, no pun intended. Lilac finally extended a hoof out.

“I’m sorry to meet under these circumstances, you just moved in across the street recently, right?”

With a gentle shake, my eyes turned back to my peacefully little place. “Certainly did, the names Wildfire.”

“Well Mister Wildfire, pleasure to meet you,” it was a wonder a smile like that couldn’t melt the glares from the filly, “I’m Lilac, and the little one’s Winter Blossom.”

“Nice to meet cha,” I tipped my brow again to her, and then to the filly, “both of you.”

The mare twiddled her hoof against the boards under her, and made a few small glances back and forth between me and the filly. She wanted to ask something, that much was obvio- “If you won’t accept any payment… would you perhaps mind another hoof to help?”

Almost in tandem, my ears and Winters’ shot up at that offer. It was a simple thing to do, I mean with my horn it was no trouble on my own, but if the mare wanted to help that bad so it wouldn’t just feel like charity then I suppose I could oblige. Hell, by the looks of things I could already see the scheming on the fillies’ face of what to get into while the mare was out of the house.

“It would certainly give something for Winter to do, keep her nose clean a bit?”

Whelp that threw a wrench in both our engines. Instantly the fillies’ ideas crashed and my own wondered just how much, all be it reluctant, help she might be. With a shrug of my shoulders, I bit the proverbial bullet. What’s the worst that could happen?

“Hmm… if you’re insisting,” I watched the smile on the mare grow a little, and if Winter had been a toy her eyes would have spun out of their sockets with how much she was rolling them at me. “Say work on it this weekend? Around the same time?”

The heavy huff from her chest told me all about how much this filly gave a damn, but with a drop of her shoulders she relented, “Yeah… sure, whatever.”

“I’ll be looking forward to it,” I held out a hoof to her, which probably surprised the up-and-coming mare. ‘Kill em with kindness,’ as my uncle always said. With quick shake, I made my way back to the workshop after wishing them a goodnight. I had a couple days to make sure I had everything, but my stomach growling gave me a little more incentive to get back home.

---

With my visor turned to Tumble as we marched on, I could see it all plastered over her face like a Nightmare Night mask. There seemed to be enough calculations going off in her head to make steam at this point. Finally, after several attempts she asked the million bits, or would it be cap now, question.

“How’d everything seem so damned peaceful?” if anything the enjoyment I was getting from her not being able to see my growing snicker, made having to breathe through a mask worth it.

“Oh, that’s easy,” I waved it off with a casual hoof, “It was before the bombs.”

3…

2…

And… 1…

Almost as if clockwork, her hooves stopped in the middle of the road and I got a few more paces from her. Waiting once again for the math to take over and her work out the numbers. “That’s impossible, unless you’re one of those ghouls,” one of those what's? “But that sorta thing doesn’t happen often as it is…”

“Not entirely sure what a ghoul is, so you’re wrong with that guess,” I waited a few moments to throw her another bone, “the stable I was a part of put their residents in cryo chambers… I was frozen.”

Something in the back of her head shorted out, and while I might be able to rewire a suit of armor. A ponies’ brain was a different field entirely. With her eyes going wide once again, steadily she trotted up to me and we found ourselves continuing down the path we had started. From there not much was said for a number of minutes, my eyes stayed clear of the display in the visor to know how many exactly, time just seemed to drag on the more you focused on it.

“You’re not lying, are you?” she pipped up once more, this time tapping the suit with a hoof to see I guess if it was hollow. “You’re really from the war?”

“Is it really that hard to believe?” there were other stables out there, with who knows what crazy other stable ideas. So why did it seem like I’m the first to ever step hoof outside.

With a shrug of her shoulders, she trotted on past me, “Eh just odd to hear… the wastes can be a strange place to being with, so I suppose it’s possible,” by a glance back at me, once again she sized up the pony she traveled with, “still… tough to believe I’m traveling with a pony-cicle.”

There’s the breaking of the ice I was hoping for… okay, pun intended on that one. A few extra stomps as I caught up to the mare and we continued to walk in tandem, sharing a much-needed chuckle. My eyes kept peeled on the E.F.S. and hers scanning for what I might have missed. Then again, after walking the better part of the day, and the eventful morning we both had.

It can leave a pony with quite an appetite.

Apparently, power armor had great acoustics for a growling stomach. Tumble looked over to me as we walked, having heard that over the servos in my leg joints. “Hmm hungry I take it?”

“Hey walking in a half functioning suit of armor can drain you like that,” I threw a hoof up in defense.

Her eyes looked to the few burned out wagons along the road and to the various vegetation that still managed to grow out here. I wouldn’t recommend eating any plant that looked like that, but as I said before. Guest here in the wastes, at least I had a guide here with me. Though without a word the mare continued to look about, but if I couldn’t see anything on my scanners, how could she hope to?

I started to follow behind her as she left the path, “Ahh… what-”

A quick smack from her hoof to the helmet shut me up quick, and stopped me in my place, “Armor is not the best thing to hunt in… seriously, stealth ain’t your middle name,” okay got me there, she looked over to what appeared to be a shack. Judging by the clear scanners, pretty abandoned to me, “Wait in there, and if you think you can manage, try and get a fire going with that horn of yours?”

Alrighty listen to the teacher for this part, “Where are you going though?”

“We’re both pretty hungry, so I’m gonna find us something to eat,” oh I did not like that grin she was giving me, “Time for a little wasteland dinning 101.”

***

“Okay, so this is the norm you’re telling me?” I sat on my flank in the armor, which as you’d imagine isn’t the most comfortable thing in this world. While in front of me I held out the roasted thorax of a Radroach she had caught out in the local vegetation.

Watching the mare tear in to her own hunk of flesh, she chowed down on it like it was discounted Hearts and Hooves day chocolates. The gummy bits of meat from the bug dripped down her face as the harder shell stuck along her cheeks. Sure, I’d seen animals kill animals before and eat them, there did exists predators in certain forests that weren’t always the kindest to us pony-folk. Though to watch a pony chomp on a bug? That’s a new one.

With my visor up I leaned in and took a mare sized bite of it… okay, a normal mares’ bite of it. Maybe a filly bite. Nothing compared to what Tumble was putting up. The insides were gooey like a jelly doughnut wrapped in crushed up chips as the shell. Certainly, didn’t taste like either of those things, but at least cooked it was… palatable? Would probably be the best word for it, this was the wasteland now and beggars couldn’t be choosers. Couldn’t imagine it raw honestly.

“Hey ya didn’t barf!” Tumble sounded like she was congratulating me, or she was surprised.

Several crunches later of the outer shell and it slid down my throat with a much-exasperated sigh, “Thank you? I guess…” another bite, a few more crunches, and another sigh. The second was a larger chunk, but it didn’t really have that much of a taste as I thought of it. More like a paste with a little grit to it, “… so is Radroach the only cuisine in the wastes I should prepare myself for?”

“Oh, hell no!” she exclaimed, almost a little too proudly, “you have Radgator, Radhog, Bloatsprites, and don’t even get me started on Manticore legs! You know, if you can kill it…” with almost a sigh the mare leaned back against the wall in the shack we had found, “Sadly, Radroach, Sprites, and Radrat are what you seem to run in to most… other ones are usually too strong to kill, so you’re kinda left to the bottom feeders.”

“Hmm I see…” I said and subconsciously took another bite of my roach, chewing on it without thought. Before finally realizing what I had done, and… well I rolled with it. I worked with chemicals and various other nasty tasting components in my occupation before the war, and while you’re not supposed to eat it. Accidents did happen… did you know hydraulic fluid tasted like almonds? “You know, it kinda tastes better the more you have it… or the more you don’t think about it.”

“That’s the spirit!” Tumble professed, and started almost immediately cooking up the few that I’d gathered back home. “Besides, it’ll give ya the energy to keep going too.”

I couldn’t argue with her on that. Actually, having something solid finally, or partly solid, in my stomach after a while. I could already sense the turnaround of feeling truly full for the first-time since I left. With her busy making up some more grub, and me slowly munching away on my meal. Seriously, these things were meaty for their size. I opened up the data files I’d pulled from 100 through the visor… I could have more bug after.

Most of one group of data I’d put together while at the warehouse. Some systems may be complex when it came to matrixes, but it was all just energies, magic, numbers and a whole lot of junk I’d rather not try and go on a college level to explain. Luckily, if you knew how to piece it back together, and were patient. You could get it to work for you.

It was really just about finding groups of data that would click back together for you on their own. The magic driven matrixes in some devices might be fragile to a shock, but the data itself was nearly indestructible. Hell, anything short of a bolt of lightning, or a balefire bomb and whatever was stored on a Pip-Buck, or device in general, would more than likely be able to get recovered.

Eventually…

Data patch complete…

Accessing files…

…

Reactor data uncorrupted.

Well now, that’s a start… scrolling down I opened up the first file of data, and what I found seemed to be the power outputs for the reactor itself. I did say it all had to be in the numbers, didn’t I? Carefully I looked through the different ranges from the very start of the reactor lighting off and on through the years. For the most part it all seemed stable, a constant flow of power going to the shelter.

Then it spiked, about what looked as if thirty years ago, something with the reactor jumped up in power before settling back down. Judging by the surge that was sent out, it’s no wonder systems around the stable started failing. Matrixes were tough as I said, but that charge was more than a bolt of lightning!

“Hmm find anything?” My head jumped back up to the mare as she chowed down, “You’re pretty silent in that helmet of yours, anything good?”

“Oh, it’s just data files and such from my stable… they were corrupted but I’ve been working on fixing them up,” I clicked a few more logs up to come closer to the more recent ones, “hopefully to find out what happened in there.”

“Well then I’ll just repeat myself,” she snickered, “find anything?”

“Actually… I might have, somewhat,” carefully I started looking at the various outputs from when they started and watched them grow throughout the years. Each spike getting a little stronger and lasting a bit longer with every cycle, “the reactor they were using was still fairly new, so they were supposed to have a technician awake at all times monitoring it. After a shift they’d wake up another, and then go back to cryo themselves.”

With a quick pop of the visor I tore out another bit of my lunch, and tried to see if anything else was shown from the data. Ideally something on that door to the stable, but alas, all I got were power readings in the end. “I take it somepony didn’t change shift?” she asked from across the fire.

“Hard to tell… it’s just numbers, would have been nice to see some security footage,” my mind started to go back to everything I ran in to while still at the stable. You know, for my short time there actually awake. There were the radroaches, the flickering lights, the power spikes that were blowing terminals apart… and a skeleton. “There was one body… or what remained of it at least, on a set of stairs.”

For a moment it looked as if Tumble thought about it, before turning back to her own meal, “Eh accidents happen… the guy could have taken a fall, and just not got back up.”

“Hmm possibly, maybe had a heart attack, was eating something and choked,” a million different possibilities on how everything could have gone down, but that unicorn had to have been one of the stables’ staff. There’s no other way this Pip-Buck would have a Matrix Master Key otherwise. No matter the case, that once incident spiraled the whole stable down to oblivion.

A crack in the distance brough Tumble to look out the window to the skies above, or at least what skies there were and took a deep breath. “Storms going be brewing here soon,” so she was a meteorologist? “How far you reckon we are from the town?”

After another bite of my roach I flipped over to the map, and looked at the scaling on the side, “meh… less than half a dozen miles.”

“Whelp, how about we finish what we got and hit the road again?” she suggested, eagerly scarfing hers down at a rapid pace, “maybe with what you pulled off the gunners you could get a dry room to stay in for the night.”

True enough, I certainly wouldn’t want to be on the road out in the dark in this world if I didn’t have to. After a few more minutes of us both gorging ourselves on the wasteland delicacies, a sight that Lilac would have turned pale over. The pair of us found ourselves once more on the road.

Our little shack already fading in the distance while the same cut and paste wasteland started once again to take up the surrounding land scape. Seriously, those billboards were creepy even before the war. Yet even with them starting to peel and fade, that pink mare still looked like she was staring at ya.

“I gotta ask though…” the mare said while we walked, biting her lip as she spoke, “not to sound grim or anything… but how do you know Winter’s out here?”

“Process of elimination…” my response came, which the more I thought of it the more it made sense. Though with her growing confusion I elaborated a bit, “there was only one body I saw in that Stable outside a chamber, and it wasn’t Winter… plus besides mine, her chamber was the only one that was empty.”

After a nod of understanding on her part, she could see why I’d believe that mare would have made it out in to this world. Where she had gone, I hadn’t a clue. Maybe I’d find her, maybe I wouldn’t… but wouldn’t know till I at least gave it a go. From there I waited in albeit eager anticipation for this next stop. An actual town, some place I might get an answer or two.

Chapter seven: Stoking the flames

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Chapter seven: Stoking the flames

Okay… so the definition of town had changed it seemed in the recent decades.

The one road encampment ground itself out of what looked as a dried up river bank, with part of the town stretching to the pre-war town that resided on the shore, a fitting name then for the place. Regardless of how much the place looked like it was held together by duct tape and hope, having some establishment had to mark it on the map for what one could call a town these days.

For all to see there was the bar, the loud on goings of ponies inside who probably had a few too much gave that much away. A small hotel of sorts made out of what was once a proud seafaring ship, now rusted heap of scrap on the banks edge. While in the rough center seemed what I’d imagine was a small market, from the various stalls posted up along either side of the wall. Of course, with me and Tumble reaching this place at dusk, nothing was open to turn in these goods.

Though no matter the time of day, one thing stayed true. That constant stare I got from the few folks walking around the town, seriously it’s like they never seen power armor before. Then again, given the news that I’d heard, it was the Ranger Reputation that they were known for. Those that did get close without realizing quickly put an extra kick in their steps to put some distance between us.

“Weird, it’s like I can feel the target on my back…” sarcasm got the best of me, but I hoped the mare would be able to pick out a laser dot if there was one.

“Well as you should know by now, Rangers are either feared or hated in these parts…” Tumble answered, her pistol in its holster unlatched and at the ready in case of trouble. “Usually both.”

Thank you, my wonderful travel companion, for telling me what I already put together… for now I didn’t see any actual arms pointing my direction. Just some very judgmental stares. Staring I could deal with, heavy caliber rounds I’d rather avoid. As we walked though it didn’t seem to get any better, sure the town might be small, but the number of ponies looking like they were about to gun us down made it feel miles long.

“State your business,” a pony called out from their porch.

If he had a star, and a cow pony hat, I’d called the earth pony sheriff.

The long handle bar mustache the colt wore went all too well with the big iron on his hip. By the looks of it an IF-17 B model, the precursor to the IF-18. Either way, this ponies 17 model was still packing .44 rounds. If he had the right ones loaded, my head was coming clean off after a few shots.

“Not looking for trouble,” Tumble piped up, as she looked to the sides of us, I’d hope to see if we were being flanked.

“Well Rangers are always looking for something, and trouble is always on the menu for em…” with a flick of his leg, the holster unbuckled the strap and made it ready for action as he pulled it out in one swift motion. “So, what’s your business, ranger…” the colt asked past the grip.

I really am starting to repeat myself… maybe I should just make a recording, “Not a ranger,” that garnished about the same curious glare I’d got from Tumble when we first met, “helped a few of them, and they gave me a gift… a very nice gift.”

It took a few moments, a few longer than I may have liked, but never the less the sheriff held his gun there for some time before finally holstering it once more. Maybe it was the state of the armor that gave it away, or that I had a less than Ranger looking mare by my side, “Sorry about that… Rangers-”

“Yes, yes, are looked on rather sourly now… I heard,” I jumped the gun and finished for him, “sorry, been getting guns pointed at me a lot lately for wearing a little extra protection.” Hmm, was it just me, or did Tumble seem to flinch after I’d said that?

“I’d get used to that if I were you,” the older colt snickered for a moment before taking out a cigar from his vest. “Welcome to Drybank then… what brings ya to this humble slice of shit?”

Colorful vocabulary… “Looking for someone actually,” I answered while looking around the area, there didn’t seem much to be open now at the time, and I doubt any pony or creature would be willing to talk to what looked like one of those iron clad soldiers knocking at their door. “Someone who left my stable… some time ago… violet eyes, pale coat… mint green tail and mane?”

The sheriff, really what else was I supposed to call him? Looked to the sky, the ground, and every which way as he thought there in the open. Finally, after some time his hooves threw up in the air, “Can’t help ya there, many ponies pass through these parts, you kinda just all blend the faces into one another…” he mused and lit a match.

“Fair enough…” yeah, it was probably a lost cause in the end, really, I didn’t know when she had left the stable, though I couldn’t imagine my chamber holding out much longer than hers. It had to be somewhat recent.

“I’d suggest the bar,” the scruffy colt said after taking a few puffs from his cigar, and blowing circles in the air, “most ponies tend to focus around them, so if anywhere, they might have a little extra word for ay.”

With a turn of my head I saw the local salon once again, and I had to admit, it was a lively place. Who knows the colt might have an idea there in after all? With a tip of my helmet to him, the sheriff went along his duty. Smoking his cigar, and watching over his town… at least I think he was appointed.

Tumble and I walked the streets closer to the bar, the few ponies there out to see us did seem a little more at ease with our presence. Okay, my presence, let’s be real here. I guess if the local law pony was good with us being around, then so was every other resident.

Then again, that news hadn’t spread to the bar quite yet.

The rickety doors to the salon opened, and almost instantly I could have dropped a feather and been deafened by the landing. Every eye glared at me and my partner here as we entered like a couple of outlaws. Who knows, Tumble here could be an outlaw for all I knew and they might just think I’m her bodyguard. No matter, both of us watched every eye turn to us the moment we passed the doorway.

Though, as fast as they watched, each pair of eyes soon turned toward their drinks, cards, or the mare singing on stage… oh scratch that, not a mare, female gryphon. Still, she sounded lovey, first real music I’d heard in over a century. Talking over being scorned by a disheartened lover… amazing after nearly two centuries they couldn’t come up with new material to write a song about.

“Welcome to the Dust Bowl,” that sounded like sandpaper coming out of his throat. How had he not keeled over yet? “What can I get cha?”

Could I have taken a seat, probably. Would I have broken it, oh absolutely. With that mindset, I stood as Tumble slid in to a seat of her own, turning to the bar keep. There wasn’t much of a selection. Most the labels, if you could call them that, looked like they had been cooked up in a bathtub. Shit, some of them probably had actually.

But booze was booze, and if there was one way to break the ice, it was with liquor.

I brought out one of the rifles the gunners had donated to my cause and showed it to the bar keeper. Instantly himself, and a few of the other patrons there about went googly eyed at the well-cared for arm. “Your vendors aren’t out to trade for caps,” I replied, hoping none of those next to me were stupid enough to try and steal it from my hooves, “on that note, would you trade a gun for some drink and a chat?”

Hesitantly he seemed to ponder it over, probably hoping I’d throw something else there in the mix. Though once he saw all he was going to get was a good rifle, his hooves reached out and grabbed the gun before quickly bringing out two cracked pints. “Stable pony, eh?”

Me and Tumble looked at one another, then the mare started to snicker, “really, it’s pretty obvious… who throws a grade “A” gun like that on the table for some booze and information?”

“Okay… you got me,” I held up a hoof to the both of them… I was learning here mind you! “Yes, stable pony, and to answer before it comes up, no not a ranger… just looking for someone.”

“Shit… took the words right out ah my mouth,” he replied while filling our glasses with what I could only hope wasn’t piss. “We get all kinds a folk out here, anything in particular?”

“Stable pony… as you’d probably imagine,” I replied, taking the drink to my visor before popping it open. I wasn’t much of a drinker back in the day, but in the name of the Crystal Empires’ frosty peaks, that tasted like shoe shine and hoof polish! The first sip went down my throat as if it was lava, and I struggled to hold in my cough. Tumble on the other hoof, brought half the pint down in one go. “Were your parents by chance Diamond Dogs?”

“What you mean?” she asked while gingerly sipping the latter half of the drink.

“Sorry to say it chief, but stable ponies we don’t run in to all that often round here…” just my luck wasn’t it. The bartender brought out the bottle and refilled Tumbles glass once more, not even bothering to get mine for with what little was finished from it, as he waited on me with the bottle itself, “most of you trade in your jumpsuits for something better in the first day, so it makes you kinda hard to spot… unless you talk to em.”

“Well… it was worth a shot at least,” I took another sip from whatever this concoction was, and pondered my next move in near silence.

From there Tumble joined me in the same endeavor as we enjoyed our drinks, and the bartender went tending to a few more patrons. How much had the roadmap I’d painted of the country changed since I was last in it? Better question would be where the hell I’d go after this place, if I was at a lost, then she probably was as well out here.

Plans required concentration and a clear mind, then again, given my situation I think I earned to indulge just a little bit. Steadily, the liquid in my glass started to drain, and just like clockwork the bartender came by to refill it. Hopefully he wasn’t putting this on my tab. Though it looked as if that gun was worth its weight in gold for the amount he came by for myself and the mare.

“You gonna finish that?” Tumble asked, eying the remains of my third glass.

“Calm down, you got your own,” I pulled my glass away from the mare. She simply looked up at the faceless helmet, grinned, and started to snicker.

We’d only been here maybe an hour or so, and already she had gone through two, maybe three times what I had. One can understand wanting to drink your sorrows away, and this world probably had a lot of those, but sheesh… I didn’t want to have to scrub puke out of armor plates.

After topping off the glasses of a few other patrons, the keep found his way back to us. Good thing too, she was due for a refill. “However, come to think of it,” he groaned while pondering the next few thoughts it looked like, “there is another place not too far from here… Pasture Falls, from what I heard a few stable ponies had made their way through there over time.”

Just like that, the point popped up on my map as he said it. Gotta love that timing really, I looked over the map and could see it was another dozen plus miles or so from me. Then again, who knows what’d I’d encounter in the space between here and there. Maybe there’d be something to help the suit along, maybe I’d get blown to pieces, ahh all the possibilities.

Gotta love it.

“Appreciate it,” I pulled out a cap or two from my actual stash and dropped it on the counter. Sure, he may have had his night made with the amount of the actual weapon, but call it a force of habit to tip.

A few shouts from outside however broke whatever song that gryphon was singing on the makeshift stage. All the amplified voices carried quite well through the night, and brought them well in to the receptors of the suit. Both myself and Tumble looked at one another and took a quick drink from our glasses before looking outside through a cracked window… okay, she probably took a few gulps.

For sure there was some Diamond Dog in those veins…

There out in the main street of the town… or I guess the only real street, stood another set of power armor. Each one armed with a mini gun, and one with a belt-fed combat shotgun. Not the typical wears of a ranger, never the less still effective. Scouting party? Maybe, but they seemed to be in a pretty heated argument with a colt over his weapon, and it didn’t seem to be lessening at all.

“And technology of that kind is ours to procure,” one ranger answered the pleads of the colt, thankfully they hadn’t been paying attention to the windows of the salon there in front of them, “wouldn’t you prefer your weapons to help the betterment of the wasteland, for the betterment of the country itself?”

“Fuck the wasteland!” the colt shouted, rather proudly I might add, “I fixed this damned caster from the ground up, stock to barrel, ya ain’t taken it because its shiny and shit!”

Both rangers looked at one another past the pane of their visors for a moment, before the silent agreement was made. With a single turn of their barrel one round from each would be soldier went in to the leg of the colt that stood against them. As the colt fell, I got to see where all the hatred for this suit came from first hoof. Having one more or less ask for my PB is one thing, flat out shooting a guy for his gun? There had to be a line drawn somewhere…

Granted the liquor hadn’t been in my system long enough to blame for such actions… okay that was a lie, I could already feel half the blood rushing from my head. Though that did give me a good excuse. With a steady push of the swinging doors, I stepped outside in full armor and looked upon the other clad figures there with me. AMR to minigun, carbine to shotgun… oh who would come out in these plays…

“Excuse me there gentlecolts…” I pranced up into view along the porch to the salon, “what seems to be the issue here?”

Maybe the liquor did hit me a little harder than I thought already, instantly each of their guns were aimed at me, and they didn’t look as amused with my antics as I thought they would be. Though at the very least, the colt they were arguing with was making his way out of the firing line. Never the less, here was a few guns with more barrels than I’d hope pointed at me.

“You, ranger, state your identification!” minigun and shotty called out from their built-in speaker system… to a sober pony that would have been intimidating.

“Not a ranger, just a very concerned citizen…” a snap of my head from inside the helmet help settle some of the nerves firing off… had it really been that long since I’d had a drink? … yeah, about a century and a half or so, stupid question. Those guns didn’t seem to be dropping any time soon. So, I did the only logical thing possible.

S.A.T.S. fired up and it must have been because it was a long gun, but the carbine was sure hitting home in this! Two, three… nope let’s make it four bursts to be on the safe side, and sure enough the 5.56 slammed home in to the duel armed Ranger as he tried to cycle his minigun. Each round tore clean in to his leg and broke apart the servo in the knee joint. Shattering it and causing his first several rounds of 5mm to dig in to the ground, before he stopped and looked up at me in astonishment.

That was, until his partner took aim as the spell wore off. Granted his minigun might not have done too much damage to a normal suit, but it’d shred mine if I gave it the time to do so. A few .44 rounds that clacked along the armored shell and drew its attention. Just in time for the AMR to take proper aim.

One well-placed shot, and down the sternum of the torso, the round tore clean through the plating and in to the soft flesh underneath. It must have been the close proximity, sure, but never the less. The pony inside dropped like a sack of recycled cans after he was hit.

Duel armed here stopped as his other hoof finally picked him back up to face me, the AMR clearly drawn in on his suit while he took aim. There we stood for what had to have been at least a literal minute. Though not long after that, he looked to his fallen comrade, and back to me. He had to be checking my weapons, maybe the suit itself, something to identify. Though the only thing he likely could see was the name of a fallen soldier.

Minigun and shotty verses AMR and carbine… those kinds of odds he didn’t like.

“You…? How’d you manage that?” the ranger asked in what sounded like bewilderment.

“Eh, let’s just call it luck, shall we?” I cocked back the fresh round to my carbine, and took aim once again at the ranger, “now… scram…”

He wasn’t just out gunned, a minigun spoke volumes on the battlefield, he was also outmatched. Maybe it was just him, but landing a clean shot with a standard infantry weapon and dropping a suit of power armor looked as if it shocked him a bit. With a hightail of his hooves, the suit of power armor turned and limped as fast as it could in to the wastes of the night, out of sight, and out of mind. As I looked to the shattered remains of the suit I took down, I thought to the body inside.

This pony died… and for what? To uphold an idea, of holding tech above other lives? Yeah, that seemed wrong in the end… but did the one inside the suit know it was wrong? Some did, Tungsten knew they had to protect ponies as well. Though, how often would I come across ponies with the same idea as him. How often would I come across ponies who would let me hold on to this armor, without a little ballistic incentive.

“Thank… you,” the plasma caster colt answered as he got to his hooves.

Tumble approached and reloaded her .44, before lending the colt a shoulder to lean on, “You okay?”

“I was shot in the leg, so what do you think?” he wasn’t wrong really, and while myself and Tumble looked at one another, the colt we’d just saved looked towards another building with a red cross across it’s door, “Docs always open, I can get there myself… but thank you for the help.”

“Don’t mention it,” I answered as I watched him reach in to his saddle bags and pull out a small pouch.

“Ain’t much, but a good deed deserves a good reward.”

With a toss of the pouch to me the colt started hobbling towards the door, as I looked inside. So, helping another pony in need from some wasteland thugs garnished you a hoof full of caps in the end. Well, at least some had a sense of thanks in this world. Right after the colt had left, another colt turned up to myself and Tumble, one a little more familiar.

“You got rid of em, that’s for sure,” the sheriff exclaimed with a tip of his hat.

“All In a day-” Tumble started, before he finally finished.

“… for now, that is,” both our eyes looked towards the colt as he stood there and pushed his hat back. Watching in the direction the ranger had taken off in, “rangers don’t take too kindly to others getting in their business, so if there’s a threat to their order, they’ll come looking for it.”

Tumble stepped up to me, holstering her gun as we both stared at the sheriff, “You’re worried they’ll be back.”

“Well no shit,” the colt spit to the side of the road, and quickly took a note of the now darkened sky, “listen, thank ya for getting rid of them, but if you stick around it’ll just mean trouble for us… stay the night sure, but I want cha gone come the morning, clear?”

Both me and Tumble looked at one another. I couldn’t argue with that really, he had to protect his town, and at the end of the day I was just a guest here. With a small nod of my head I went to the power armor I’d fell and brought up its command matrix from my suit, the colt inside may have had the wrong ideals, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t help me in some way.

The locks and latches gave way with a creek and along the back to suit opened up, revealing the partly shredded corpse inside. Damn… so this is what it really did to the wearer inside? It looked like somepony had turned his chest cavity into confetti. With a steady horn I pulled the stallion out, he was a heavy one, but nothing compared to the suit I’d have to pull.

“So where do you put the dead?” I asked the colt in charge, and for a moment there he just stared at me, before erupting in to laugher.

What? What's so funny about that?

“Yeah…” Tumble came up to my armor and set a hoof on the shoulder, looking to the body I held in the aura, “I’d just leave him out here off the road, somepony will take care of it.”

So… that’s how it was? You died in this world, and you were thrown in to the side ditch of a town. Along with the rest of the trash… there were probably worst fates I’d imagine. With a release from my horn the body slumped in an alley, as my appendage grabbed hold of the armor and picked it up carrying it alongside me, as the mare hopped to the opposite side. While we made our way to the hotel of the settlement, and the burning in my horn started to grow from the weight. I couldn’t help but see some sort of surprise in the mare that traveled with me.

***

Five starts this wasn’t, but it was a bed that at least was mostly clean of mildew and grime. Probably one of the better places I’d hunkered down in since leaving the stable. Now that the lanterns were lit, and no pony was trying to shoot me, I could finally get down to business.

The spent suit of armor I took from the ranger may have been shot to all hell from that one round, but there was still some use to it in the end. Even if the round damaged the repair talisman… figures. At least one or two things were looking ripe for the picking, and with a careful horn I picked at the side structure of the suit, trying my best to get at the gun.

Rogue had taken care of his armor quite well, to the point of perfection in terms of upkeep… this one not so much, some of those bolts that held the saddle on were rusted to no end. At least this time I wasn’t working on it in silence like I had done in the warehouse.

“How’d you know where to hit him them anyway?” Tumble asked from her bed in the shared room, “I mean granted 5.56 could go through that plating eventually, but it’d take skill to drop them in a few bursts.”

From behind the grease on my face a smile grew ever wider, the suit was starting to budge finally, and one of the bolts was already out. “Well back before everything went downhill, I worked for one of the Ministries…” why her eyes were growing wider I hadn’t a clue, it’s not like they let just anyone get a place in one of the stables… at least I think, “the M.W.T. to be exact, oddly enough doing projects like this.”

“Wait… did you make the rangers armor!?” and right about now her eyes should have fallen out of their sockets.

“Yeah not the first time I’d been asked that,” That was a warm memory, “but no… I helped refine it, however, I worked with a number of projects,” a few more turns later garnished me the next few bolts falling from their place, “mostly with munitions and heavier weapons for the troops, power armor I was mostly with testing and trying different modifications.”

“So, you made the rangers armor,” she repeated herself flatly, and with the most interested look watched as I worked on the suit.

“Helped innovate… difference there,” I responded and continued trying to get at what I wanted. Sure, I might not be able to use the matrixes, but there was something I could get. “Certainly made me more comfortable with heavy munitions…” with a twist I showed her the cutie mark I’d earned after playing with a few chemicals as a colt. The bursting firework shell might have led me to a life of entertaining ponies with fantastic displays in a different life… you know, if there hadn’t been a major war. Though one thing was making me curious about this mare, “Question for you now…”

“Probably an answer.”

“Is there a reason you’re still sticking around?” Wow! That sounded a lot less rude in my mind, “I don’t mean it like that! It’s nice having some company, but I just figured you’d split after reaching town, especially with all the trouble I’ll come across for this thing,” my hoof tapped the side of the torso plating.

With a rock of her flank on the bed, the mare twiddled her hooves together. If she was trying not to look embarrassed it wasn’t working all that well, “If you can’t tell… I’m kinda a drifter,” it didn’t take her long to read the best duh I could give, “yeah, the name’s all too appropriate. Actually, that’s how I got it in the first place,” you show me yours and I’ll show you mine reigned true I suppose. Turning her back side to me, I saw the coiled-up underbrush that birthed her name, “Couple of caravan workers found me in the remains of a wrecked wagon, bodies all around, the usual… took me in, and raised me.”

Hmm… touching back story, and one that I can probably picture happening all too often in this world, “I am sorry to hear that,” I finally pried the saddle off and the minigun to boot, leaving it to rest on the ground for a moment as I went over to my suit to work on it all the same, “So, you’ve been moving your whole life then?”

“Yep!” she sounded mighty proud of that fact, probably one of the more experienced ponies I’d imagine out there, “but to answer you … you’re moving from place to place it seems searching for that mare, and it’s not too often you find a pony with a head on their shoulders.”

That there sounded like a proposition to me, “I’m gonna guess you’d like to continue tagging along?” I asked with a smirk, and removed the saddle from my own suit, dropping the carbine and the AMR from their frames.

“If you’ll have me… you get someone to watch your back, and I get to do what I’ve always been doing,” she beamed there on the bed, probably one of the few smiles this room had seen. “Plus, it’s smart to follow the armored pony who’s carrying a big gun.”

The two of us laughed there for a few moments on that. Having extra arms turned a regular raider in to a new level now called gunners, and gave the steel rangers nearly impunity it seemed when dealing with other creatures… unless they were facing another in power armor.

“Can’t argue with ya on that one really,” I gave another chuckle while attaching the frame from the ranger I dropped to my suit, as the minigun soon found its own place there on the armors’ side. Then with the plucking of my horn the AMR found it’s home right on the side opposite. Why that ranger hadn’t been more armed, I couldn’t guess still… but it gave me the upper hoof in the end, so could I really complain?

With both those now connected, I picked up the carbine and looked it over… a fine weapon sure, carefully taken care of by the ranger that once owned it. How many Rogue had killed with it I’ll never know, but could somepony else probably put it to better use? With a toss, it landed in the mares’ lap as she looked down at it and then back to me.

“Easier to watch ones’ back if you have more rounds in the magazine,” I winked at her, and just like that she hugged the weapon to her chest. If I hadn’t been in the room, she might have started cuddling with it.

“Guessing you don’t mind if I hang out with ya?”

“One condition,” her ears perked for a second, “don’t sell it… it meant something to somepony, and he took care of it well.”

Closely her eyes waded over the firearm, taking in all the TLC that it was given. “One like this? I’d never dream of it,” if I had to guess, I’d say her eyes were starting to tear up. Must have been awhile since anyone did something kind to the mare, “Thank you, Wild.”

I however, shrugged my shoulders at the gesture. It was going to help me in the end as well, but if she ever did decide to leave, it’d give her a better set of odds out there too. “Oh, don’t mention it, you did seem pretty outgunned there with the gunners.”

“Hey! I’ve gotten good with this gun,” she happily pulled out her pistol.

“Definitely better than I’d ever hope to be with one,” my attention turned back to the task at hoof, “I got new toys too…” a few clicks of my horn to make the connections to the mouth bit and just like that I could hear the slight hum of the matrix settling in the new armament.

Taking a step back I looked at the marvel of tech there I had patched up. Yes, there were still dings and scrapes from when I helped the mare out of a bind, but I also managed to get some of the previous ones patched up in no time before working on the weapons. It was coming together alright, but I still had a thing or two on the shopping list.

“The bartender said Pasture Falls, correct?” she asked while settling into the mattress, and just as suspected, between her hooves rested the carbine as if it were a teddy bear.

“That’s the plan,” with a yawn and a stretch later, I found my neck cracking in a few places I didn’t know existed.

Curling up on the mattress myself, my eyes trailed over the suit and started thinking of just what else I should add to that list. A list that could wait till tomorrow to continue as I did my path. Though in the end today was pretty fruitful, I got to practice some more getting shot at, pissed off the rangers and gunners just a tad, upgraded another part of my suit… and, I made a friend.

Footnote: Level up.

New Perk: “Iron Chariot”- With a little grease from that horn of yours, and a well-rounded knowledge of everything armor-ish. Your Power Armor is now capable of holding a heavy weapon on either side of it.

Chapter eight: Growing reputation

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Chapter eight: Growing reputation

Drybank slowly faded from view as we walked the path less traveled. Okay, this path looked actually very heavily traveled. Judging by the tracks from wheels and hooves alike. Tumble and myself did just as the sheriff asked, and that morning we headed out to our next destination.

Pasture Falls.

Sure, it was a number of miles away, but I wasn’t walking it alone this time around. “Hmm we should look in to checking out some places for supplies,” I looked over my stash of AMR rounds, which was dwindling to say the least, “If I’m going to keep running in to rangers, might need them.”

Granted, we turned in all the gear we’d pulled off the Gunners and got a decent number of caps for the lot. Even sold the 10mm from the stable… what? Not like I was any good to begin with, when would I ever need a gun like that again? The slots in my Chem pump were topped off with what I could fill it with, and in the mist of the entire market I’d gotten my hooves on some Stampede and Dash… how were drugs were more available than clean water? That explained all the chemed out raiders I’d fought before.

Tumble went on her own little shopping spree and picked up a few extra rounds for the gun, and an extra mag as well… still no armor curiously enough, perhaps liked to stay a little further from the fight? Then again, even with a busted up suit, I made up for her lack of plating. Yet even with our supplies topped off, it was only going to be temporary… I was a big target after all, and I’d always be better off with some surplus.

“There should be a manufacturing plant a few more miles up the road,” Tumble gestured with the barrel of the carbine, as its stock pressed against her shoulder and she took the mouth bit up.

One burst from it, and the Bloatsprite in our path met its demise. Was it overkill using a rifle round against something as trivial as a bug? Probably, but did that earn a beam from the mare after taking her first shot with the new rifle. Absolutely.

“Why not tune in to the DJ?” she asked while passing by the blown out remains, “helps kill time, and they usually have some news of what’s goin’ on out here.”

“The DJ?”

“Oh! Right, stable pony,” I could see the mental facehoof, “should be in the broadcaster from your Pip-Buck, hell even that armor might have access to it.”

A few clicks brought up the menu from the suit… Well she was right, there in the tab I found the station and set my own speakers to play it out loud for her as well. Really? I couldn’t patch the armor up without my own magic, but I could get a radio station? Ahh the M.W.T. sure had its priorities straight at times. The cheery tune continued to play as we strolled the wastes, kinda surreal to think I remember when this song came out…

And now I was hearing it over a century and a half later.

“And that ladies and gentlecolts is the best we got from Sapphire Shores,” the stallion over the airwaves called out as the song came to an end. “In other news, there seems to be a new gun in the wasteland… or Ranger I should say,” I could almost hear the papers shuffling at their microphone- wait… did they just say ranger? “You’re hearing me right, out west there’s now a ranger who’s sticking it to those other armored cans that try to beat down on common pony folk, even managed to tag a few of those Gunners while at it. Now I don’t mind when the rangers squash a nest of raiders, but when you try and pry gear off of your fellow pony, that just ain’t right.”

After another pause, whoever it was reporting continued, “seems they gunned down a few of those rangers just yesterday at the town of Drybank, left one of them limping home. Those soldiers, if they even earned the title, probably didn’t expect that when they strolled in to town,” How’d this DJ get that news already? It just happened… quick check to the clock… twelve hours ago! “Now I know some of ya’ll may think this is just a one and done kinda thing, but you don’t toy with the rangers on a whim here… so let’s hope to see some more acts from this… Rogue Ranger? … huh, that’s gotta a nice ring to it.”

“And if you’re out there hearing this Mister Rogue, do us all a favor… please keep it up,” you couldn’t help but hear the pleading from their voice, even over the airwaves, “This is DJ-Pon3, signing off and leaving you with another track, this time something a little classier,” just like that the voice cut off, and was replaced with instead the soft cello of a musician long dead.

For several minutes the two of us continued walking as we listened in to the song, and to the next few that came up. Finally, it had to be said, “Okay what was that?” I asked.

Almost immediately Tumble started cracking up along the path, as she nearly choked on her own breath. “That… is the DJ of the wasteland, DJ-Pon3,” she spoke through another fit of giggles, “They work out of Tenpony Tower. Helps keep us all up to date on important things going on in our back yard… and on occasion speaks highly of those fighting the good fight, like you apparently.”

Rogue Ranger… had someone seen the nameplate to the suit? Seemed a little too fitting, “I’m not even a ranger,” I muttered almost to myself, but the mare still picked it up and earned another snicker from her, “Seriously, all I did was shoot some colts and now I’m getting praised?”

“Well… yeah, what’d you expect?” her tone almost made it sound like I should have taken a class on the wastes before I jumped in to them myself. Hell, I’d take a slide show, “the rangers got out of their bunkers at most five years ago, since then they been nothing but trouble for those they run in to, and with how they act plus the firepower they got… you think many others even take the chance to stand against em?”

And score two for Tumble, “Alright you got me there…” the thought mused over the back of my mind for a moment longer as we walked, “though how’d they find out so damn fast?”

All the mare did was shrug her shoulders, “Don’t know, the DJs always had a way of getting eyes and ears everywhere…” another song came to an end as the pony in question put out some sort of news regarding storms in the area, “I’d say roll with it, I mean if other ponies see you on their side, might lead to less guns pointed our direction when we go in to town.”

Make that three points to Tumble, I’m gonna need a scoreboard here. “Got me there as well…” then again the opposite could also be true, “or it might lead to more guns aimed at me, the rangers aren’t going to be too happy about being in someponies crosshairs.”

“Oh hush, they’re already in a lot of ponies crosshairs,” she brushed off that argument with another chuckle, “least this time it’s a pony with a fighting chance at beating em… plus the DJ’s right.”

I really wish she could see my brow raising behind the visor, “How so?”

“Rogue Ranger does gotta nice ring to it.”

***

“Is that some strip ready to die for their country!” we heard the Mister Handy yell out as it floated between conveyor belts. When did they program them to have sass?!

After we’d finally reached the plant, every security system quickly found itself switched on at the sight of an intruder. The outside of the building seemed inviting enough, not a single peep, but the moment we stepped inside that’s when all hell decided to break loose. The various turrets that dotted the ceilings and walls, as well as the bots that joined them, turned everything from energy lasers to flamethrowers our way. Both myself and Tumble hunkered down behind a metal press, steering well clear of the flames that shot from the Handy.

As it came in to view, a heavy stomp from my hooves threw it off balance and put a nasty dent in the armor plating, and with a quick burst from the minigun the hull answered with a pop of its circuits as it fell. A few more Handys appeared from their stations, as one’s buzz blade struck across the suits armor and sent sparks casca-

Armor integrity: 71%

Okay more than just sparks! Each tooth that dug in took another percent off, and with a buck to the side the blade dislodged as I staired down the one responsible… AMR for one Handy? Overkill yes, but oh so worth it! With a leap and bound I waded into another group of bots, unintentionally taking all the focus in the room.

Tumble herself was numbers just the same, and besides the patch or two of a singed coat, she didn’t need to have any armor at this rate. As each turret kept its barrel at me, her .44 slugs found their home in the thin plating as one by one the turrets went silent.

‘So, I’m the distraction!’ I thought while pushing another bot back to get a clearer shot at it and its comrades. Bullet Sponge was NOT the best roll to be playing, but it did leave the mare to line her shots up quite well.

The soft purr of the motor spun the barrels up and swept across the few that joined in the fight. 5mm wasn’t known for its stopping power… but it was known for sheer volume. All the armor in the world would eventually break down with enough of it. One by one a crackle and pop of their circuits bit the dust, and sent the bots to the ground. By the sound of things after my barrels quit spinning and another round from the mare let off, the place seemed quiet.

“Reckon that’s the last of em?” Tumble loaded her pistol again just in case.

“I’d say don’t jinx it, but my screens are clear,” no red bars, good sign at least, “if there were any left here, they’d attacked by now I’d imagine.”

Together we moved past the heaps of now scrap metal, the mare taking care to step over the few Handys I dropped in a wide birth. “The security of this place might have kept them out any others,” she looked in to her saddle bags, likely checking her stock of ammo.

“Seriously, why so many damn turrets,” for a manufacturing plant it sure seemed to have an excess of protection.

“Well… look at all this equipment,” she gestured to the room that presented itself, “they probably made a boat load of items for the war effort here.”

We walked through the myriad of machines and conveyors that dotted the production floor. Everything it seemed from bullet presses, to food dehydrators was here, and set to turn out goods needed by the troops. Yep that’d be something old Equestria would have wanted to keep out of the zebras’ hooves. Still, for having active security it looked like the place had been scavenged a number of times… then again armor wasn’t the stealthiest thing there was.

After getting through the machines, we came to the management and worker section, the hallways that lead to every office, locker room, and storage area that was needed to keep the place running. Right along with them, those turrets that looked as if they were installed at every turn.

As they came in to view, myself and Tumble took turns dispatching them while we went. They might not pack much of a punch, but the rate of fire on those things were incredible! “You know I remember hearing about these types of security systems being used in places during the war, give those spies something to think about,” Even saw some of them being installed at my old job. Another burst from my gun ran across the shell of the turret, causing it to sputter and spark before dying out, “Never thought I’d on the receiving end of it though.”

“They really over engineered everything during the war,” she popped off one round in to the next target we’d come across, “Didn’t they?”

If there was one thing Equestria did right, it was become a production power house, “Yeah… look where that lead them though.”

The offices hadn’t garnished much from their desks, beside a few paperclips and the occasional moldy lunch that was one step above dust on levels of rot. Every piece of scrap that may have been useful had already walked off by some other means long before we arrived. The locker room for the staff however, those that worked here certainly knew how to spend their lunch hour. Tumble pulled out a bottle of Wild Pegasus Whiskey still with the cap on it, and all to eagerly shoved it in her bag. The grin on her growing like a school filly who just got asked out.

“What?” the mare asked as I just shook my head, “paying for your drink can get expensive.”

“I didn’t say anything,” I snickered behind my visor.

After the locker rooms came the storage area, and if I thought the rest of the place had been ransacked, this place had been picked like it was on clearance. With no turrets shooting at us, it must have been one of the first places that got looted in the whole building. Though one thing did catch my eye, in in the corner of the room past the shelves stood a security gate with a few containers and a safe.

Scratches along the lock, dents in the frame, yet nothing inside looked broken into. That gave me some hope, and I raised up a- Ting! … hoof. I could drop robots built for war with a few kicks, but couldn’t get through a damned gate?! The tutting over my shoulder was growing louder, and with a light shove Tumble pushed me to the side.

“Not everything needs to be with brute force,” a bobby pin and screwdriver were pulled out from her bags, nestled all too comfortably in her muzzle.

Yet another skill I’ll have to learn for this new world. It didn’t take the mare but thirty seconds to get through the gate. Almost immediately when the door swung open, she went at the safe. That on the other hoof held up a bit more of a challenge. After a number of tries with me looking over her shoulder, several bobby pins, and a dozen or so expletives. Both myself and Tumble heard that all to lovely click.

As she started sifting through its contents, I looked over the other containers in the room. Thankfully, they weren’t locked. Whoever must have stored things in here was probably counting on the gate to keep others at bay.

“Oh, what have we here,” my gaze turned to the open container before me bearing my ministries logo, and beneath my visor the smirk grew.

“Find anything good?” she looked over towards me.

“Something you might like,” I turned the crate over for her to see and the mares’ jaw about dropped. There in the crate rested an energy rifle, gauss rifle to be exact.

With the carbine slung across her back, the mare plucked the rifle up in her hooves and shouldered it. Checking down the sights and bringing it around, “That’d explain the 2mm rounds I found in the safe,” loading up a cartridge, with a flip of the switch the gun came to life with a hum, “Though it doesn’t explain this…”

In her hoof was a gem, more specifically a spell matrix sapphire, imprinted with its own data and magic that caused the whole rock to give off a radiant glow to it. She may have gone googly eyed at the rifle, though this is what made my ears stand on end.

“You found this in the safe?” I picked it up in my horn and brought it closer to the visor, sure enough, it looked like the ones I had seen in the past.

“Yeah, right next to a coffee cup of all things… don’t know what it is,” her eyes started to look at it, and then back to me, “You do though, don’t cha?”

“If it’s what I think it is… it’ll sure come in handy,” with all the eagerness the mare showed to the whiskey, I shoved the matrix in my bags. “Don’t worry, you’ll know when I’m done with it… if it works that is.”

A roll of her eyes later found us looking over the rest of the room with disappointment. There still didn’t seem to be much that remained even in terms as something so simple as food, though it hadn’t been a complete loss for us. Tumble got a new gun out of the deal, and I picked up another toy for the suit. With nothing more for us, we trotted out the back of the storage area and on the road.

***

Have I mentioned that I hated the landscape of this place? Everything just seemed so cut and dry with no change to it. Everywhere there were bones, a few scampering insects, maybe a crashed wagon here and there. Just like most of the buildings we’d past were mostly boarded up for some reason, like plywood would stop an intruder…

Never the less, the openness of this place was almost surreal at times. Without many other ponies around it all just seemed as if at times Tumble and I could be the last ones alive here in Equestria. Pasture Falls was several miles away from us, though it wasn’t getting any closer the longer I looked at us moving across the map. Then again, this area was even more barren than most of the distances between towns I’d seen so far.

After Drybank we ran in to what at one point was a town. The name I couldn’t recall, never traveled there often, but what remained left a far cry from its old image. Several buildings were collapsed on themselves, and even then both myself and Tumble could see the various patch work of ladders and scaffolding that ran between rooftops.

Even if the occasional sound of gunfire didn’t steer us away, the whole place reeked of decay and violence. That place we both made the unanimous decision to avoid entirely and simply stuck to the ‘roads’ around. Now we were just left to wander with that husk of a place passing by in our wake on one side.

On the opposite was what looked like a dry lakebed, not a large one at that, but still I recognize old boats no matter how much they might be just worn-out hauls now. My hooves started to move towards the bank, cutting through would save us some time if we were to go around, no matter how open it might seem to be.

The hoof on my shoulder had other ideas, “Woah there now,” Tumble pulled back before I went down to the basin, “I wouldn’t do that if I were you…”

My visor turned to her, and then back to the lake bed. “Yes, it’s open, but it also would save us likely a couple miles… besides there’s enough debris out there to cover in if need be.”

“I ain’t worried about getting shot,” Tumble shook there for a second, before quickly pointing a hoof to the bed itself. What she was pointing at I couldn’t be sure, there were a lot it could be, but just there as I followed her hoof, I saw the only thing really out of the ordinary.

A mound of dirt, amongst the smoothness of the rest of the lake bottom.

“I’ll forgive you for the blunder, but that’s a Hellhound pit…” I swear she did the dramatic pause for effect on purpose, “they used to come from those diamond dogs during the war, got all sorts of nasty radiation in em, hate ponies about as much as a raider hates an empty needle… and they’re deadly to match all that hate.”

Diamond Dogs, there’s something I was familiar with. Big paws, like to dig, scruffy built-up canines, handled liquor like a ten times sober alcoholic… how much had they changed? “I’m guessing they aren’t intimidated by armor?”

“They can slice clean through it,” well… that was a downer! With a shake of her head the mare turned tail and started walking along the lakes edge, keeping her eye to the basin as if it was about to jump out at her, “plus some of them have managed to get their paws on weapons, ones they built up to their own needs… bigger, and stronger just like em.”

Trotting up to her, my eyes started to stay just as peeled to the seemingly calm bed. “So big, strong, can use powerful weapons, and go through armor like paper,” my brain went over the check list, “anything I’m missing?”

“They got a tough hide on em,” and the award for most over powered creature in the wasteland goes to…

Well, it looked like we were going around now, but if that kept us out of the claws… or would it be paws? Of those things, really, I couldn’t complain. When the mare who’s traveled the wastes starts charging up her rifle, you know she’s rearing for a fight if it comes. After a quick pull of the bit, I ensured the AMR was locked and loaded to follow the same hindsight. Hopefully, that’d be enough to make them think twice.

Steadily we trekked around, listening to both the occasional sound of gun fire from the town, while keeping an eye out for anything that might come up from the lake itself… as nerve wracking as the possibility of being attacked on either side was.

Besides the occasional shot, it was also dead silent.

A few clicks over to the radio brought the music back from my time playing in the suit. Hmm… maybe an orchestra playing in the background of all this devastation isn’t the brightest setting I’d hope for. Never the less, both Tumble and I found ourselves trotting just a little bit livelier as the tunes played.

“Hard to believe enough music survived to actually have a decent enough playlist,” I wonder how many songs they did managed to hold up in that place? I’d heard pop, classical, rock, even some sort of metal by a gryphon band. What they’d said, couldn’t tell ya, but that sure would get a pony pumped up for a fight.

“You’d be surprised the kinds of things ponies back in your day kept sealed up,” Tumble reminded me that ponies could be weird at times, “I mean, who puts a coffee cup in a safe?”

“Wait you weren’t joking about that?”

“No… sadly it’s not the first time I found something like that too,” judging from the frustration in her eyes, this mare must have been scratching her head at thoughts of her own kind over a century ago. “Everything from ashtrays to surgical trays found in fridges, desks, safes… hell even a bread box of all places.”

I’m going to chock that up to the radiation making ponies go insane after the bombs… Tumble however, stopped in her tracks as she looked over a particular store that must have given off some sort of vibe. Maybe for the Hellhounds an AMR was intimidating… but not some creature it’d seem.

The round ricocheted off the shoulder plate and rocketed somewhere along the ground. Tumble… well, tumbled behind an abandoned cart as I just turned towards the windows of the store. A few red bars scampered in the darkness of the Pony Joes, yet even in the dim light it was hard to mistake spikes, chains, and what I hoped was imitation leather.

The .45 the one fired pinged off the suit once more. I don’t know about you, but if I saw a ranger coming my way, the last thing on my mind would be to shoot at him. A quick spin of the barrels brought a sweep across the broken window frames at the ground floor, not a clue if I hit em or not, but it sure kept their heads down. At least enough not to shoot at us… somewhat.

From the louder shot off to my side, one of the raiders dropped as the blue streak met what little part of him was exposed. Somepony was getting to try their new toy… to great effect it seemed. With a slow pacing I kept my eyes open on the windows, waiting for the other to try something.

There ya are! Another shot dinged off the- oh shit! For a second there my hoof covered the helmet as I watched the visor crack. My heart raced for a moment while it reached the edges of its housing, and my overzealous jaw chomped down on the bit. 5mm spun to life following where I saw that bar duck off too, and it didn’t stop till it faded into nothing. As I pushed the door open and heard the small chime of a bell above, I saw the blood stains on the ground.

One pony laid with its head gone after the 2mm round went through it. Perhaps a tad overkill, but look what I’d just done with the mini. Near where it’s head would have been rested an IF-… you know, I don’t have a clue what the hell this thing is?! Pretty sure it’s just a pipe wired down to a two by four. Gotta give it to them, they sure are crafty.

As for the other one… I think there was more bullet than pony left, and leather didn’t do much when it came to bullets it looked like. Holes peppered across the colts’ body as he laid there next to his baton and IF-Whatchamacallit. The rounds might be small, but it didn’t matter so long as you hit em in the right spots. I just got lucky it looked like, the line went clear across his chest and probably nicked his heart. Though that matters little when the rest of him looked like mince meat.

‘Why?... why would you even try it?’ the thought had been there before sure, but it still didn’t have an answer. With all the tech, armor, and weaponry at the ranger’s disposal. What would make some pony armed with nothing more than a pistol think they could take them on?

“Coast clear?” Tumble asked as she popped up to my side, sweeping the barrel of her rifle over the counter.

“… Yeah, they’re down,” nothing else on the scanner either, “It’s stupid…”

Tumble stopped as her ears perked up, her mouth half way buried in a box of Sugar Apple Bombs. “Whampf is?” she had asked over a mouthful.

“Every wonder why any pony who is clearly out gunned, would try and shoot still?” she looked like the thought mulled over her mind for a few moments, “I mean really, power armor hasn’t changed much since the war, and even then against well-armed zebras it was feared… but these guys who only had a pistol between them still tried?”

With a shove, what remained of the sugary goodness found its way in to the mares’ bags, a snack for later she was looking forward to given the grin on her face. “Well… they don’t really have much to lose,” she went to the bodies and started to do the looting, “I mean they could die an hour from now because this roof decided to collapse. Yet if they managed to gun you down then that’d mean some pretty decent weapons for them, and maybe a better chance later.”

Go after the large fish, because in the end it might feed you for longer if you win. Sure, it made sense in some way, but if that fish was armored and packing guns of its own… was it really worth it?

“Plus, a lotta raiders are chemed up and looking for their next fix… you’d be a good pay out.”

“So, I’m a walking piggy bank,” I couldn’t help but groan from that fact, I saw myself buying a lot more rounds the next town we reached.

“A piggy bank with some serious firepower,” the wink she gave may have been in the best of intentions… but that power only counted depending who I ran in to.

Raiders didn’t seem to carry all that much in terms of arms, sure there had been the one with the missile launcher, and a number of them with grenades. Though that didn’t mean they knew how to use them effectively, I at least worked with most of the equipment I was packing at some point or another. That said, shooting at a target to test a weapon was far different than shooting at someone who likely also had a gun.

Gunners just seemed more like well-armed raiders, and that scared me. They were trained to use them, took care of their weapons, and actually had some sort of organization. One gunner packing the right gun, and I was a goner… don’t even get me started on where Steel Rangers fell in this spectrum. At least I was better armored than the gunners, so that sort of put me on par with them.

Rangers were on a totally different level.

‘Well, I’ll certainly get the chance to practice my marksmanship…’ probably more than I bargained for, “A big gun only will get you so far,” I reminded Tumble, as we both started to poke around Joes, “after all, I’m not the only one out here with one.”

Like so many other places, this place looked picked clean to the bone. Though there were still little odds and ends to find. Tumble fished out what looked like a few Fancy Buck snack cakes, before quickly making half disappear down her gullet. I managed to come across a few things of water with only partial radiation to it.

As the mare went to check out what I’d imagine was the managers’ office, I decided to give the back storeroom a go. The shelves might have been knocked over and the containers long spilled whatever contents they had years ago, but while this room might have been a bust. The hatch on the floor gave me some hope.

“What have we here?” with a pull from my horn the cover lifted up and reviled a set of stairs. Taking a few careful steps, the wood seemed to be holding up the extra weight of the armor. Surprising, considering the whole thing was underground.

Though this looked like an additional storage room, but by the looks of things, not many had come down here. I cracked open a few of the crates and was gifted with a few cans of fruit… or veggies, hard to tell with the labels having faded away. I shoved what I could in my bag and tore the seal off one… Mhmm peaches!... I think. Either way it was sweet, and gave me the same grin Tumble got from the cereal.

As I munched down, the looting continued. Sacks of flour here and there, a few cartons of eggs long past expiration… I don’t even want to try and crack that one open, and coffee beans that turned in to dust the moment I picked up the bag… figures. Considering I used to live off the stuff back at work, a fresh roast would be far better than whatever it was I was drinking in Drybank. Wonder how hard it’d be to get a cup out here?

Oh well, a pony can dream.

That kit on the wall though was looking just as appetizing. Even under all that dust, you couldn’t help be see the butterflies on the outside. Popping the latch dropped two healing potions from it and what looked like a thing of purified water. Hell, better than nothing… though why you’d have a first aid kit down in-

“Wildfire!” Tumble had yelled out from upstairs.

She didn’t sound too pleased; I wouldn’t be either given I could feel the building shake from the types of munitions hitting it! Nearly flying up the stairs brought me back to the main dining area of the donut shop.

And right in to the path of a few dozen rays.

Dropping to the floor saved me some headache, though the suit was getting another run for its money. Across it I saw the scorch marks from some high-powered weapons… this didn’t seem like raiders in the slightest.

“Surrender at once or face execution!” nope, no mistaking the sound of a voice coming through a power armors’ speaker.

Tumble ducked down and scurried her way past the booths over towards me, all the while crimson beams darted through the window. With a quick charge to her rifle, the mare popped up and sent it to answer them. How effective a gauss rifle was against armor… well it was better than the carbine at least.

I popped up and slid in to S.A.T.S. if only to give me some time to think. There out in a firing line were four rangers, two of which armed themselves with twin gatling lasers, one carried a heavy incinerator and shotgun combo, while the other looked to be packi- Okay acting now! The flash from the last one’s barrel told me all I needed to know, and in the crawl of the spell I got to watch the grenade round come towards the window.

Well, time to be a hero… though this was going to hurt…

Slowly I fought against the spell, watching as its charge drained, and I tried to get myself in a better position. Tumble was moving at the same pace as the rangers, and kept herself hunkered down behind the booths between charges. She couldn’t take the hit, but my metal ass sure could… I hope.

Just a few… more… feet!

The grenade went off against the back of the counter, and while the blast might have moved my whole suit across the room with the grace of a pelican. It did manage to act as a shield to the mare, letting me soak up a majority of the shrapnel. Tumble turned her head to me, and loaded up a fresh cartridge to her gun.

“Are you alright?!” she shouted over the commotion.

Armor integrity: 45%

I really wish she could see the look I was giving her… though as my suit started to administer the healing potions, the ringing in my head cleared, and some of the holes in my chest started to patch up under the plating. “Hit the one with the launcher!” I barked past the glass that felt in my lungs still, one bad thing about using an explosive weapon, your ammunition was pretty fickle.

Finally, I got back up to my hooves as she took the shot, and out there stood only the charred-out husk of a ranger after having his mag explode. It was a quick death at least, though it didn’t even faze the other three. Luckily, I had an answer for this. Lining the sights up to one of the laser users, the AMR let loose.

Or it was supposed to.

All I got was a click every time I chomped down on the bit. Something about taking a grenade blast to the side wasn’t good weapon maintenance… why can’t I have something nice?! No matter, the minigun spun up and with its constant purr sent a stream of bullets to the pair of gatling users. After a few seconds the rounds managed to chew through enough of the plating in the neck to drop one of them. Though his friend got the picture and took cover, that left…

Hot! Very much hot! Armor plates were not the best thing to use against fire!

Mister incinerator sent another stream of his own in through the window, neatly blanketing me in a torrent of flame, and leaving him just as exposed. The 2mm round punched through the colts’ visor and shattered the glass inwards, it would have been painful… if the back of his helmet hadn’t blown out as well. Really did matter where you hit em, I didn’t have the skill to pull that off.

Looking around, I leapt behind the counter and over to the fryer. This was a kitchen, with oil, it had to have… Oh thank the goddess! With a tug of my horn I pulled the extinguisher free and turned it towards myself. Spraying the suit down with the foam snuffed the flames, and cooled some of the platting as well. Leaving me standing there for a spit second as the smoke baked off me.

Armor integrity: 33%

“Oh, screw this!” the Med-X injector was triggered, bringing the burning sensation down to a summer day, and the pain in my chest from the explosion back to a mild nag. A heavy stomp of my hooves lifted me back over the counter and out the door, galloping towards the other ranger.

I don’t know if he was shocked or not to see me coming out here to meet him face to face. Either way, he didn’t exactly shoot the second we made eye contact. His mistake, not mine. Thru a painkiller induced high the shoulder of the suit slammed in to his own and brought the ranger down, leaving me to stand over top him.

Hoof after hoof laid in to his helmet, the power part of the power armor standing true to its name. Every hit seemed to jar the stallion underneath a bit more. I could have stepped off and broke his guns, let him go like I had done before… but where had that led me? My motor already spun up, as the line of lead left punch after punch into the softer plating on the stomach, until it finally gave way.

Maybe not a quick death like I would have wished, nothing like is friend that vaporized where he stood. Stopping power, the minigun wasn’t known for, but it sure had the volume of fire to silence any naysayer. All those rounds hitting at once in such a soft tissue left the ranger bleeding out in his own suit. No amount of healing potions mattered when your intestines were put through a meat grinder.

The heavy breaths remained as I looked around to those rangers that fell, sweat trickling into my eyes from my impromptu sauna experience. Why’d they come out this way? Was it because of what I did back in Drybank?... who am I kidding, of course it was, the real question was would this be the end of it… here I am kidding myself once more.

“Umm… Wild?” the softer voice carried over the panting inside my helmet, as a hoof rested on my shoulder.

There next to me stood Tumble, and her eyes showed… Worry. “Yeah… kinda lost my cool there,” that was an understatement.

“It’s alright… you were just set on fire,” she looked over the suit with concern, as I tried to do the same, “are ya good in there?”

Some of the foam still clung to me even after my out lash, though the scorch marks from the fire still remained… along with the blood splatter from dumping who knows how many rounds in to the colt. No wonder she looked concerned; I’d be worried too if I was in her shoes. As for my body itself, the Med-X was still working its magic, and the healing potions had done their job.

“I’m good… suits healing me up just fine,” a wonder of technology it was.

“Think they tracked you down for some payback?” hmm like I had just asked myself that question…

“Oh no doubt, especially with what I’m walking in,” an armored hoof tapped the chest of the suit, and with a pull of my horn I detached the AMR now that the coast was clear.

Oh for sure… the receiver is definitely not designed to have several holes like that going through the mechanism. It’s a shame too, I hadn’t even gotten to use all the rounds. Dropping it down to the ground, my lips muttered a quiet thanks to the ranger who had kept it in such good working order.

Back to looting I suppose. Both myself and Tumble managed to pull a few good things off the rangers. My chem pump was topped off, and the mare even got a few of the spark batteries from the gatling lasers for resell. Sadly, no 5mm… this thing chewed through ammo like no other! I’d be needing a replacement for the AMR though. Looking through my options there really was only one to see, energy weapons never were my thing… fire on the other hoof.

With a tug I pulled the incinerator clean from its user, and brought it over to my suit. Ahh it’d been a while sense I’d tested with the IF-451 model. “I thought you had to be out of your suit to do that?” Tumble asked as she went over another of the rangers.

“Na… I only needed to at the hotel because I had to upgrade the battle saddle,” speaking of upgrades.

Thankfully, each of the suits that were left were largely intact… minus the grenade user. Popping open their service hatches welcomed me with a slew of goodies, and each one found their new home in my bags. A few repair talismans, another spell matrix, and a couple of the chem pumps would come in handy. If I couldn’t use it to fix the suit, at the very least some of these parts would fetch a decent price. I’d just much rather repair it someplace a little less exposed.

Our bags were heavy now with loot, and as Tumble tried to get hers better situated across her back, I looked around the area and down the road still ahead, “Ya ready to get back to it?” I asked while opening the fuel valve to the incinerator.

“As much as I’ll ever be,” the mare trotted alongside as we went on.

Footnote: Level up.

New Perk: “Heavy Gunner- Lv. 1”- Peace, through overwhelming firepower! After some practice your skills with heavy weapons are improving, resulting in a damage increase of 25%.

Chapter nine: On the trail

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Chapter nine: On the trail

Let’s see… trading posts? Check. Bar? Check. Quote unquote hotel? Check. Yep, this was a town by the looks of it. Judging by the few glares that I got and ponies trying to stay out of my way, it looked as if it was one like any other. Hey, at least it cleared the path for myself and the mare.

They could see I was a colt on a mission, and before I had a run in with the local constable wanting to kick me out. I’d rather get something to go off of first, and I knew just the place to start. Although that didn’t stop another from trying to chat along our little walk.

“You didn’t have a choice really…” oh we’re going over this again?

“That might be true, but I didn’t have to straight up merc that last one like I did,” the same answer I’d been giving my travel companion for the last hour or so I repeated.

“They did likely catch up to us somehow,” Tumble got closer to the armor, as a few of those that stared at us stuck their noses up. Hmm was it at me, or the company the mare kept? “And if I had to guess it was from the one that ran off back in Drybank.”

Already made that assumption, though I don’t think ran would be the best word… but that still didn’t mean it sat right in my stomach. “Maybe, maybe not, never the less they didn’t have to die like they did… and for what? A busted suit of armor?” all while we went back and forth, I sighted just the place I was looking for. If there was a place everypony stopped in this wasteland… it was the one with a drink.

After opening the doors, we got much the same response we did back in the last place. Silence, stares, and then every creature promptly getting back to their drinks. I guess that was the flow of things. This time around, I didn’t throw down a small fortune on some words, as me and the mare approached the counter.

“Are ya going to be any trouble there, ranger?” the older gryphon asked from the opposite side of the counter, as one talon stuck below the edge… I sure hope he was carrying something more than a shotgun behind there.

Instead of saying anything, I decided to give Tumbles advice a go, and just pointed to the name plate on my chest. For a few moments the gryphon stared at it, then back up at the visor, and I almost saw the click of realization in the back of his head.

“Oh! you’re that ranger,” well that was sure a change of attitude…

‘Word really does travel fast, don’t it?’ I myself wondered there, “ya’ll already got that broadcast?”

“Well duh… it’s a radio signal, kinda travels faster than hooves… or wings for that matter,” he flexed out his own appendages. “Anyways, what can I get cha?”

The mare beside me dropped down a few caps from her stool and with all the greed I could see in her eyes almost started drooling on the counter. “You got any Saddleoff Vodka, or perhaps two?” Happy hour never ended did it?

With one talon raised, the gryphon disappeared for a few, leaving me and Tumble to ourselves. As well as a few more moments to ponder her words, “I suppose I’ll have to get used to it, won’t I?” a ginger nod greeted me from my companion, as she picked up the shot glass set in front of her, and pushed the other towards me. Visor popped open and I held the small glass with my horn, clinking it against hers, “I take that as a yes.”

“It’ll get easier… I just don’t know why it’s so hard for you?” at least with the visor up she could see the look of confusion I was giving her, “I mean raider, gunner, ranger… all of em will kill you if they got the right reason.”

“Because back during the war there weren’t any raiders or gunners,” and with that proclamation we just traded expressions, “the other two are thugs, plain and simple… the rangers however were heroes back in my day,” a small smile passed by my face for a moment, “Some younger ponies even saw them as superheroes.”

Together me and her took the shot, and slammed the glasses back down on the counter. It took a moment or two for the burning to clear my throat as it did hers, “they ain’t the heroes you once knew… now they’re just really well armed thugs.”

Just the way the world works, I guess. Oh, how the mighty have fallen… almost poetic. Regardless, the next round was on her as a few more caps dropped on to the counter for the bartender. Just as fast our glasses were once again topped off, and we did another cheers. What we were drinking to right now, don’t know. I do know that right now, this third one set in front of me was the last.

With that out of the way, I waved the gryphon off from refilling it, “Well clearly you ain’t in here to drink,” yeah that was a no brainer, “so what is it you might be looking for?”

“Information,” the gryphon raised his eye to me at that, “I’m looking for somepony… stable earth pony, mare, violet eyes, minty mane and tail… aptly named after her coat, Winter?”

The gryphon once again paused, and with a talon to the edge of his beak thought there, or at least I think he was thinking… scratch that… I hope he was thinking on what I just told him, not how many caps he might be able to squeeze out of me for that info. “Actually… I might know,” the caps just started to flutter in his eyes, “there’s a small farming family here in town, keep a couple crops just outside the limits… one of their colts done business with stable ponies that had reached the area over time.”

I got all that for free! “That’s great!” okay, just a little less excitement before he does start charging, “You know the name of this colt?”

“I don’t, sorry… though it likely wouldn’t do ya any good,” and here comes the punch line… “a few of them got taken by slavers not but a week ago, took em down to one of the mines they’re held up in.”

Great… another group of ponies I’d have to get on the wrong side of the gun with. What are the chances of this colt making it away from the slavers? Given their namesake they were probably good at keeping ponies from scampering off… duh, why the hell would I even ask myself that kinda question? Still, it’s a start at the very least.

With a sincere nod of thanks, I started to turn my way towards the door, “Which way to those farmers?”

“What? You’re thinking of tangling with those slavers?”

Really? The bartender almost sounded surprised, even Tumble started to cock her head at the idea. “If I want answers, there’s really not much of a choice…”

“Big guns or not, you don’t just walk in to a place like that and expect to get out in one piece,” now the mare was starting to make sense, as she hoped from the stool and up to me, “mines are usually pretty well guarded, and slavers tend to have a decent amount of weaponry of their own… ponies are worth something after all.”

“So? What might you suggest?”

“You could get a guide…” the two of us popped our heads up and looked over to one end of the bar, actually only a few stools down from us. There sat a dark toned gryphon male, clad in his own combat armor with an IF-64 assault rifle draped across his black and grey coat. The knife handle looked worn down a lot over the years… I might deal with guns, but I know how tools get worn. Thought the sheath draped against a satchel that looked laden even as he sat, “Couldn’t help but hear your dilemma there chief, walking in to a place of the unknown can get you killed mighty quickly…” his avian eye was starting to trail over the suit, and a shiver matched it in my nerves.

“Yeah… I figured as much,” something screamed scam artist about this guy.

“Well, it just so happens I’d been around those mines a time or two,” hell even the walk of the guy gave me the creeps, as he sauntered up to me and Tumble. Both his wings draped over our shoulders, and with a tug of the limbs he looked between myself and the mare. “I could bring you there, show ya around, say hello to the hosts, find that colt and help get ya out… for the right price.”

“Or you could just shoot us in the back right now and be done with it,” The mare sneered at him as she blew off his wing. Good to know I wasn’t the only one feeling it, “seriously? I’ve heard addicts who had a better scamming voice than that.”

Tumble looked about ready to pounce. However, even with a mare probably itching to pull the gun from its holster. The gryphon stared her down all the same way I’d seen knights do to a dragon in stories of old.

Across the bar counter, the gryphon ruptured in a roar of laugher enough to silence most of the bar itself, forcing both me and Tumble to look at the one who just served us. “Who him?” the bartender piped up finally after catching his breath, “He’s about as harmless as a spent casing…” with another glass in talon the gryphon filled it for his fellow, as the one in question swiped it up and held it towards the keeper. “he’s a merc, that’s all there is too it, but he’s got his loyalties to caps… and if you pay the right price, he’ll be loyal to you.”

“Much obliged,” the gryphon under scrutiny raised his glass, one gulp later and the drink disappeared down his gizzard.

Okay so here was a mercenary, offering to guide myself and Tumble to a mine where a possible lead was, for some unknown number of caps, and with little to no reason to keep his word… sure, why not…

“And why should we believe-?” Tumble asked the obvious.

With one talon raised, the gryphon cut her off. Never letting her gaze past his claw, “because if I don’t keep you alive, then I don’t get paid… do I need more motivation?”

Money made the world go around, and that was a pretty good argument on his part, “How much?” I could feel Tumble just staring at me in shock. Hell, I had armor and I could feel it digging in to me.

“Hundred caps, no more, no less.”

For a moment I stood there, sure that might be a lot, then again how much was having another shooter in your group worth? “Tomorrow morning, out front of this place,” his brow raised as I held a hoof out, “half then, half when we get back?”

“You got yourself a deal,” A grab of my hoof later and he shook, smiling past those violet eyes, “Names Deacon.”

“Rogue Ranger,” I turned to a very annoyed looking mare, “and this is Tumble.”

“Tiss a pleasure,” even with that introduction, the mare still looked about as sour as month old milk. Yet that didn’t stop the guy from tilting his beak to her, “let me go get prepped, and I’ll see ya tomorrow,” with a nod the gryphon headed out from the bar.

Which left myself and the mare on our own once more and with a chore list to do… step one, sell the goods we got. Step two, get a room to sleep in for the night and for me to work. Step three… find out what the hell the name of this colt was.

***

Okay so we were doing things a little out of order it seemed. As we walked towards the outside of the town, we kept an eye out for the little farming area set up. It didn’t take long to pick out against the dead of the wastes, and judging by the crop yield, growing in this land was to be more difficult than I thought.

“You really trust him?” Tumble asked as we got closer to the farm… or at least I think this counted as a farm.

“Gryphons were much like that back in my time, greedy and only working for the bits,” okay time for a history lesson it looked like, I wonder how many books on the past were still even readable now? “Plus, many were hired by the zebras to fight in the war, so for him to be following the same route, it didn’t surprise me that much.”

“Hmm I know that there’s still groups of them out here that work together for bounties and different jobs, just weird to see one on his own,” whatever it was that seemed to be going through her head, the mare didn’t let on, “And what if he does try to cut and run tomorrow?”

“Then you get to find out the range of your gauss rifle…” okay that drew a sadistic smile from her!

And that by the looks of it that was a gun barrel sticking out of the makeshift shack, “Stop right there!” a voice yelled out to us as we reached the edge of their ‘crops’, “Whatcha business round here?”

Okay they looked still blue on my screen… let’s hope that didn’t change if they started shooting. Though with still some distance between us I turned up the mic on the suit, “Just looking for somepony!” the speakers bellowed, much to the dismay of Tumble as she drilled her hooves in her ears. Little less volume there, “don’t mean any harm, we’d heard you had a colt who worked often with stable ponies… we were hoping to talk to him, but it turned out he was taken.”

I really didn’t want to have the burden of burning down a whole shack of who knows how many on the back of my mind. Though that gun barrel kept pointed at us, and from here I couldn’t much tell if there were any chatting inside or not. Thankfully, I didn’t have to wait long before that door opened, and out stepped a mare.

Her wicker hat across the brow might have saved some of her mane from the scruff of the day, but what color her hairs were before I’d never know under all the dirt. “Yeah… slavers took Mason, he was the one that mostly talked with em,” apparently tobacco still grew in this place, as she took a hearty spit from the wad in her lip, “Why? What could he do for ya? There ain’t a thing he could offer-”

“Not a ranger,” I really did need to make a recording of that just for others.

The cocking of her head however still didn’t buy it, until her eyes looked as if they dwindled down to the nameplate, “Well I’ll be… never thought to see ya around these parts.”

‘And I never thought I’d be in a world like this one,’ the thought passed by me a few times now, never the less with a gentle hoof myself and the mare shook, and I grew ever thankful that barrel was lowered on their part. The three of us started walking towards their shack, and I soon had a hoof poking me in the side.

“Told ya that name would come in handy,” Tumble started to snicker. Okay, so Rogue Ranger did have a nice ring to it… and if it helped avoid some conflicts, then I’d be all for it.

“Yeah, yeah I hear ya,” she couldn’t see it but my eyes were rolling back to the mare from the farm, “As I had said though, I’m looking for somepony from my stable, and I heard…Mason was it? dealt with them often.”

As we walked, she nodded, “Mason Jack, yes, yes,” she held open the door for the two of us as we walked in past her and inside. At the gun was a colt, no older than Winter when we first met, and that double barrel he had looked heavier than he. With a quick wave of her hoof, the colt scampered off with the barrel dragging on the floor, leaving us to talk, “They nabbed him up as he was heading out back here from trading in town…” it didn’t take a sensor to hear the worry in her voice, and the quiver in her tongue.

Though really? In that short distance he got picked up by slavers? “I’m sorry to hear that,” I bowed my head a tad at her, there wasn’t much else I could say… but there was something I could do, “We’d already made a contact to show us to the mine, if he’s still there, we’ll bring him back.”

Not sure if it was literal dirt in her eye, or if it was emotion. Either way, the tear ducts of that mare started to pool at the prospect, “you mean that?” she looked back and forth to myself and Tumble. This might have been the first real helping hoof she’d gotten in a long while.

“Well I’m following him, so yes, we do,” the mare with me nodded.

“Thank you…” her lips started to shake for a moment, and with a clench whatever she was feeling eased itself out. “Just, thank you,” Those eyes of the mare lead out the broken window towards the crops, or what they had still, “it’s been harder without him here, he’s the talker when it comes to making deals… so most of our selling in general was done by his tongue.”

I don’t know what you’d even really have to sell from a place like this. Even if it was just the three of them here, including Mason, what I saw growing outside didn’t amount to much in the end. Plus, if you count the other beds that I was seeing, there’s no way they’d make enough food for the lot of em.

“Why don’t they seem to be growing that well?” I followed her eyes towards the various crops. Corn, tomatoes, potato stems, melons… all of which looked half the size I was familiar with. I can get having poor soil, but this was past that.

“You don’t know, do ya?” the mare raised that question to me, and all I could do was look from her to Tumble.

“Enclave, sorry forgot to teach him that much…” the mare to myside facehooved, clearly this was something that should have been taught in Wasteland 101, “After Cloudsdale was lost to a Balefire strike, the Pegisy closed off the sky.”

What?! How do you just close off a portion of the country like that? “Yeah, you’re going to have to explain just a tiny bit more than that…”

I guess my turn for a history lesson, “they kicked their cloud production in to overdrive and blanketed the vast majority of the skies with em, hard for the zebras to hit what they can’t see after all,” fair move there, but still… even to this day? “That cloud cover you’ve been seeing ain’t natural, they’re still going at it. See the surface as toxic and what not.”

Come to think of it, I hadn’t even really considered the sky… I kinda just thought it was always stormy. Now that I thought of it though, there hadn’t even been a partly sunny day since I left, “Well… that explains that,” I muttered under my breath before turning towards the pair, “So how do ponies even survive down here then? I mean if you can barely grow a damn thing.”

“Stubbornness,” Tumble answered, proudly I might add, “after all we always can supplement with critters.”

“Cleverness as well,” our host added, “some places aren’t totally covered, and just have better enough soil that they can more or less make up for the little sun they might get.”

I had yet to run across one of those places, maybe in time I would and I’d actually be able to see the ‘finer’ things this wasteland had to offer… you know, besides radiation. After that little explaination, myself and Tumble had got what we came for. The mare, Patch Work as she finally introduced herself, said she’d scrounge up something for our trouble should we get Mason Jack free.

Honestly, I could care less about the reward, I just wanted another lead… and somewhere in my chest it felt right to get they guy back to his family. Call that my old-world values coming to light again. With myself and my companion now headed back to town, we sought to complete the rest of our to-do list. After all, tomorrow would be a rather hectic day…

***

“Ten caps each…” Tumble grumbled from her mattress, as we both worked on our own projects for the night, “how do you charge ten caps for a single 2mm round?”

There was a lot I had to learn about economics in the wasteland, was that expensive? Apparently so, but then again, the round could take the head off of most ponies even in armor. Never the less, we still managed to walk away with a good haul after selling off some of the ranger parts. The fuel tank was topped, my 5mm belt was locked, and I was just as happy as can be while tinkering with the suits matrix to get it set up for what I had in store.

Next thing on the shopping list… something to replace my Stable suit, seriously this thing was more shot full of holes than the armor half the time. Plus, that hit from Mister incinerator really did a number on the fabrics. Awe well… I’ll save that for tomorrow.

Even through her protest, the mare worked on the same weapon that brought her those frustrations. A scope laid beside her, as she modified the rails above to accept it, giving her just what she needed to reach out a touch a target… why couldn’t I be that accurate with anything that wasn’t full auto or capable of separating a pony from their soul?

“There… that outa do it,” she sounded proud of herself as it clamped in place as a smile graced her, it wasn’t every day I suppose out here that you got to take a breather and just work on your own equipment. Even improve it as well- “What's that look for…?”

Oh! That’s awkward, “sorry about that,” I shook myself from the memory, “just lost in the past is all.”

“… Somethin’ with Winter, I suppose?” Well she’s a mind reader now.

Certainly wasn’t wrong with that assumption, “yeah… one of the older ones, that look you had just reminded me…”

---

“Alrighty, let’s get this over with…” Winter groaned as she stood on my porch.

This was going to be a quick day… “Eager are ya?” I snickered at her, while grabbing the small tool bag I had prepared and had her follow me out front to where she left her mark. There the old frame was still in its place, “Follow my lead.”

Picking up a small prybar, Winter watched from over my shoulder as I took my own and started removing the molding. Mirroring myself, the filly started on the opposite side as we worked in tandem. It was a simple enough project, and if desired this could all be done in the course of an hour… or I could find ways to make it last several, that all depended though on how she acted.

This was supposed to be a punishment after all.

One by one the nails were pulled, and as if by clockwork the first panel fell to the ground. My eyes just turned towards the filly as she got hers off before me… “What? You said follow your lead,” the bar found itself across her shoulder like a bat, “I’m good at breaking stuff.”

“Yes, yes… and that’s why you’re here now,” that made her cringe a bit. Did I enjoy making a sucker punch at a young pony? Not entirely, but it was nice to knock her ego down, “Let’s see how well you are at fixing things though.”

Steadily each of the panels fell, Winter worked on the lower nails to the sides as I got the ones out of reach from her. After that was said and done with, a grasp of my horn later yielded me the whole frame being pulled free.

Together the two of us went back inside and to the workshop, bringing the old window frame to the center bench. There the filly hopped up on to the surface as I pulled out the shattered pieces of glass, had to get the area prepped after all.

“This place is a mess,” she said while nearly stepping in a cutting fluid spill.

“And I still know where everything is, so doesn’t matter to me,” I shrugged my shoulders to her and left it at that with a chuckle.

“Yeah… I tried that excuse with Lilac, but for some reason I still gotta clean my room…” if we could find a way to harness power from sass, Equestria would have been saved with this one filly, “So, what is it you do?” she pipped up, and under her hooves I saw a few of the designs from work scattered about.

“I make things… big things,” it was a small pleasure of mine to be able to say I was helping in the war effort, the biggest pleasure though was just being able to work with my hooves and horn, “Most of which usually end in something exploding.”

“Like weapons?”

“Eh… both things for attack, and defense,” carefully the filly peered through the various schematics, “you’d be amazed what you can make, if you put a some thought in to it.”

That line got something turning in the back of her mind, even from my place across from her, those young eyes I wouldn’t say lit up… though there was a flicker of imagination at the prospect of creation and destruction being married together in the same equation… to some that probably would be a red flag to see in a filly. To others, it was a sense of wonder that many young minds clung to, I should know… I got the same look when I was her age.

Heck it’s what got me in to this line of work.

“What's this one?” her hooves held up the diagram.

Pulling glass free was best done with a horn, and if she was asking… “that’s a variation of a missile launcher, one designed for the power armor frames you might have heard about.”

“I have,” ahh there’s that familiar eye roll, “they’re all any of the colts in school talk about… they wanna go be superheroes in em and win the war.”

Really? So that’s how the kids saw these things, certainly is fitting, “well this launcher would do the trick,” were these M.W.T. schematics and somewhat classified? Yes, though if Winter was a spy working for the Zebras, then I’d eat my horn. I pointed to the tip of the missile itself, “these warheads are designed to go through heavier armors, like some of the weapons the Zebras had been using… though they needed to be on something a little sturdier than your average pony.”

“Like a suit of armor,” she put together before I spelled it out.

“Exactly… plus they can fire more than one at a time before having to reload,” it was a wonder of tech for the country we lived in. So many new possibilities with just a suit of armor, “give a pony enough ordinance, and there aren’t many that would dare stand in their way.”

For a minute there she continued to look though the various designs that were out on my bench. Perfectly fine by me, if it kept her intrigued than who was I to complain. Myself however, continued on the actual reason we were here. As time ticked by the groove that the pane went in was cleared, and there with a smaller hammer the nails holding the cover frame together were pulled clear.

“What do those ones do?” she looked over the nails the size of needles.

“These ones hold the outer frame of wood to the whole frame,” I showed her the edges and the groves that were cut in to it, “there they help sandwich the glass between them, and hold it in place.” One of the most basic designs imaginable, and one that hadn’t been changed in whoever knows how long. Easy to make, easy to repair, what's not to love?

“Can I try and give it a go…?” to my surprise, the filly spoke up and pulled the hammer from my own grasp, already starting on the next set of nails, “just tell me what to do.”

This was a change, “alright… well first…”

We stayed like that for the rest of the time there in the shop. Every step in the simple repair process Winter did herself, just with the helping guidance of yours truly. I don’t know what it was that got to her, maybe it was actually being trusted in doing something, perhaps it was getting to create with her own hooves, a part of it might be working out any little frustration she held in so close. Either way, the clock ticked by without either of us paying it any heed.

Part of me was surprised Lilac hadn’t come over to check up on her, then again, she was right across the street so she must have doubted Winter was going anywhere. That left us talking back and forth over my work, something that brought intrigue in the filly to no end.

“Wait… did you make the rangers armor!?” that was probably the most girlish squeal I’d heard in my life.

“Helped innovate,” I corrected her, and watched carefully as she moved the glass cutter and scored the section, manipulating the larger piece around with covered hooves. Princesses forbid I send her home with a gash, “I didn’t build it from the ground up, but I did help make it better.”

After the last score was made, a few taps later greeted us with a nicely sized section to work with. Holding it up in my aura, I brought it over to the open section that was cleaned out of the frame, and after my partner had placed a bead of caulk down, the pane soon found its own home once again. As the same cover frame was put back over to hold it in place.

“And… set,” there with the final bead made along the pane’s edges, and an empty tube of caulk in her hooves, Winter placed it back down on the counter and stood tall. Together, we looked at the end product for the days work. An easy enough task, yet one that I could see brought the first genuine smile to her face. “Nice going there, Winter,” really, it was a good job on her part. Past all the sarcasm and sass, she actually was an attentive filly.

“Ahh… thank you,” she started to kick the top of the bench with her hoof. A white coat was a horrible color to try and hide a blush, but she was wearing one no doubt, “and, I’m sorry… about the window.”

“Oh, it’s no big deal,” I brushed it off, but it was still nice to hear, “These things happen, just gotta learn to pick up the pieces… in some cases more literally.” I would have to clean this shop up. Especially with glass shards now lying around, “That said the sealant needs to sit for about a day, so it’ll have to be installed later.”

That looked like a jab to her smile, and just like that me and the filly found ourselves walking through the house towards the front door, “… could I… help whenever you do?”

As if by reflex I felt my ears perk at her question, “Of course, you’re more than welcome,” who was I to deny that to her?

“… I… did have some fun,” that probably tasted like vinegar on her tongue, though as bad as it tasted, there didn’t seem to be any façade in her words. “I never really got to do anything like this, and at school they’re always so worried about kids getting hurt, most of the shop classes are gone.”

That there’s a crime if there ever was one, seriously how do you expect ponies to learn skills like basic repair without the classes to teach them? What had the education system come to… well, there was at least one thing that could be done. The sky by this time was long since turned to night, and as we crossed the street to her place, I could see the few lights that remained lit in the windows.

Lilac must have been waiting on her, because as we stepped up on the porch the door creaked open, “Well now, you both are done later than I expected.”

“We got caught up, I apologize for that one,” a simple enough explaination, hopefully she hadn’t needed her back earlier.

“And whenever it’s done drying, I’m gonna go back over to help,” Winter proclaimed with tempered glee.

If it hadn’t been for the hearty nature of flying for most of her life, Lilac might have just had a stroke, “If that’s alright with you,” I followed up with, getting no sense of disagreement from the mare, “That said, Winter here was a good help… and I’d like to say she even learned a thing or two.”

Her vigorous nodding told me that answer.

“And… if there are any other projects that I might be working on around my place, or even if you find yourself needing an extra hoof of mine,” Lilac cocked her head to me as I went on, “She’d be more than welcome to help if she’d be willing, with your permission of course.”

I wasn’t sure, but that looked to be a tear welling up in the mares’ eye. Lilac looked to myself, and back to the filly, who was acting as a stark contrast to the same young mare I’d seen not too long ago right here at this doorway. “Oh, I think I’d be alright with that,” her eyes went back to the filly, “so long as she doesn’t go making projects…”

Much to Winters’ dismay that same blush returned to her once again, at this point she might as well be named Rose. Though the chuckle shared between myself and the mare soon dissipated as we all shared our goodnights, and went about the rest of the evening to ourselves.

---

“Well, that was mighty sweet of ya,” even under some of the grime caking my eyes from working on the suit, I could still see the gushy smirk across Tumbles’ lips.

“Hey she seemed to enjoy herself, after getting used to it, giving your hooves something to do does wonders for a pony,” it didn’t take much to teach what tools were for what, or how to measure, get angles and what not. All you needed was a little time, and one willing to learn, “plus over time whenever there was a little repair work needed around the house, or even a project of her own, Winter found herself over at my shop.”

3…2…1… and click, that was music to my ears. With the suits original matrix removed and the port cleared, the one that Tumble had found from that safe was slid in to place. To the untrained eye, it looked as if a quick and easy swap. Though to one who had dealt with this kind of tinkering before, it could be a massive headache if done wrong.

Ports had to be cleaned from the previous matrix to remove any trace of the old spell, preventing any cross mixing of spells and what not. Even the new matrix had to be prepped to fit in the new suit, reflecting the cuts on the stone of the old one so the transition between them would be seamless.

Most importantly, the repair talisman needed to be functioning.

Right next to the new matrix, as well as other ports for additional matrixes and talismans, one of the talismans I’d pulled from the rangers found its new home. These thankfully were more forgiving than most others. They all worked the same no matter the equipment it was placed in. Just like that, as it set in place, I saw the new prompt pop up on my Pip-Buck.

New Matrix identified…

Run spell program? Y [] N []

Oh… so much yes! With a perhaps overzealous hoof I mashed ‘Y’ and with the hopper full of scrap from scavenging before, both myself and Tumble found the lightshow of plates glowing and reshaping to be as mesmerizing as a firework display. Who knows whatever a passerby was thinking?

“Ahh… should I be worried?” Tumble started to scoot away from the suit on the mattress.

“Oh hardly… I did say you’d know when I had use of that matrix from the safe…”

Edges changed, shapes twisted as the suit went to work, and even the horn covering I originally made on the fly seemed to remain during this metamorphosis. Fusing better into the mane armor as if it was a part of the design from the get go. It was a beautiful sight, and one that could bring a tear to any engineers’ eye. That was the miracle of when technology and magic mixed with one another…

The end product was even more gorgeous than the pair on their own.

With a dimming of the enchantment finishing up. The suit itself looked like nothing I’d seen the other rangers in up till now, if I had hoped to blend in with another ranger at some point in the future, that tactic was lost now. Heavier plates dotted along the entire frame, giving more protection towards the most vulnerable parts of the user. Even the curvature of the frame was different than the previous, as it molded into the new pattern. Would I be slower now? oh for sure, but if that meant I could soak up more fire than it was well worth it.

“So that’s what that thing was,” she said with a poke to the chest piece, “It upgraded your suit?”

“Exactly… this was something we were working on during the war still, it just never made it out to full production,” true it could have saved countless soldiers, but the big wigs always were concerned in some way, shape, or form about saving money. Not many of them were produced, and even fewer versions like them got in to the hooves of those in uniform, “the original suits were cheaper to make, and most of the ones that got to actual soldiers were for those of higher ranks…”

“Figures, someponies always gotta be saving a cap when they could,” as disgusting as that sounded, that was the nature of war.

“And they found many ways to save those caps back in the day…” cutting budgets for research, testing, and development… it might have saved the country if those soldiers were given what they needed to fight with. Though that would have been a long shot, no matter your armor, it doesn’t protect all that well against a Balefire blast. “I had to get the repair talisman working before it could be upgraded, once it was, and the new matrix was installed… it was just a matter of letting it go to work.”

Still, it’d probably take a little longer for it to repair itself now that it had a more complex design, and more mass to make up for. One thing stayed true to the old version, that same nameplate sat right where it had always been. Hopefully, it’d act as an even larger deterrent for most other creatures we run in-

“Hmm… those rangers had a score to settle before, but with you taking em for scrap,” oh I didn’t like where she was going with this, “wait till they see ya now.”

Yes, thank you Tumble… for reminding me… “I’ll worry about that later,” yes much later, hopefully when I was about to keel over at the end of my life span later, though I didn’t see that coming true. My task was done for the night, while as I curled up on my own mattress, I took one last look at the suit. Admiring just how far it’d come, “For now, let’s just focus on slavers.”

Footnote: Level up.

New Perk: “Power Armor MK. II”- Thanks to the installation of a new schematic, your Power Armor has increased its resistances by 50 across the board (Damage, Energy, Magical Radiation). Though at the cost of 10% of your overall maneuverability, and repair speed.

New Perk: “Mhmmm… junk…”- Do you know the way to a Rangers heart? Its regeneration! Armor Repair is back online, just keep that hopper full.

Chapter ten: Revelation

View Online

Chapter ten: Revelation

“Ahh… did I miss something from yesterday?” Deacon asked as his eyes trailed over the new changes to the suit, “Or was I at the bar counter longer than expected?”

Fishing out the bag I’d made that morning, I tossed it to our guide with my horn. Without even counting, the gryphon simply held it in his talon and weighed it out as if a scale. He’d have to have been doing this a while to tell that much from it.

“Let’s just say I’m good at what I do.”

That seemed to satisfy the gryphon enough, and with a shrug the bag went right in to his own stash. “Eh we all got something were good at out here, not like there’s not the time to practice,” in the distance his eyes seemed to follow the path out of town, almost as if judging the journey, “You all set to roll?”

Both myself and Tumble looked at one another, and behind the visor she picked up my expression. With what little things wrapped up that morning before meeting him, it was time to hit the road. With a nod the male swung his head, and we started walking.

***

‘In the lunar princesses’ name, I hate walking…’ part of me groaned after what had to have been an hour down the path. It was a slower pace than probably expected, power armor would do that sort of thing. Though neither of my cohorts were complaining about the tacked-on hours.

Our guide for the most part had kept to himself, and instructed us on different routes as we occasionally made the detour around areas that were unsightly to say the least. Larger Raider dens that had been established, nests of creatures I didn’t want to meet, and occasionally the pond of magical radiation that ticked my meters more than a metronome.

Oh, what fun the world was today.

Though this was getting boring, and boring meant time ticked by slower than space itself… “How far did you say this place was?” we’d never really covered that part of the trek.

“Bout’ a day’s walk… give or take,” he pondered once again with the edge of a wing to his beak, “Though trying to avoid some of the bigger dangers does add on some time to that.”

Tumble still looked skeptically at him, not sure if he was leading us in to a trap, or being truthful to his words. Never the less, my E.F.S. was clear, so for now I didn’t worry too much. “So why is it ya working alone?” she piped up, granted it crossed my mind from what I remember of history before, but didn’t want to go about it so bluntly, “most of the time gryphons would be working in groups, especially in your occupation… group die off or something?”

That wasn’t a question you’d chuckle at normally… but sure enough we both heard the low throat snicker of him coming up. “Oh hardly, though that’d probably would have saved me some trouble on an occasion or two…” cryptic message sure, but still not an answer, “there were contracts, and I just happened to nab up a lot of them on my own. Often enough to piss off some of other members, and certainly enough for them to force me out… been doing freelance ever sense.”

“Freelance… like slaving…?” that term meant a lot of things, actually a little bit of everything. Somepony was thinking of all the possibilities… and it made sense. If I had just gotten out of my group of mercs, I know I’d be wanting to make a quick cap if I could… what better way than to sell off some able-bodied ponies?

Almost as fast as the question left her lips, the clip on her holster undid, ready to relieve Deacons’ head from his shoulders. Calmly though, we both watched Deacon stop in his tracks and sigh. “What does it take to make a cap or two in peace?” I heard him mutter under his breath, really the sensors on these helmets were awesome at times, “No… not slaving, I don’t touch that area of work…”

“Any particular reason?” she asked without missing a beat, “it’d be easy enough to lead others in to a slaver base, only to be captured.”

“You’re as quick with that gun as you are your tongue ya know? Alas, no, only if I had a death wish,” funny, that was starting to seem like a daily occurrence out here. Still, the mare held her gun at the ready, “You look pretty handy with that pistol, and he’s in power armor… how am I supposed to take that on?” … fair point, but can you really blame her for asking? “Plus, most places will shoot ya on sight if they know you’re working with those kinds of groups. I don’t know about you, but I like to enjoy a drink in peace from time to time.”

There was an answer that seemed to satisfy her, even I could see the shoulders of the mare relax a bit. “Forgive the suspicion…” I offered standing almost between the two like a stump, “I suppose it’s just kind of odd to see a gryphon on their own.”

“No big deal,” He seemed to brush it off and we continued walking, “gotten a few barrels pointed at me for the same question before.”

“So how do you know the mine then?” Tumble asked clicking her holster closed.

“I used to go through there for scavenging… you know before it got taken over,” Deacon rolled his eyes for a moment, “back with the old crew, there were a few jobs of getting parts and such.”

“Not far off from back in my day,” everything I read about the gryphons and Zebras from old news clippings had them doing a little bit of everything… could call that Freelance as well, “even with the zebras ya’ll were in gangs of your own, hell almost entire armies… there were all sorts of jobs they had you doing.”

Though one that brought a snicker from our guide, “Back in your day? You some sort of fossil?”

Tumble grinned over to me, waiting almost to see if I would explain or not. How I wound up here wasn’t much of a secret to keep, at least not from one with a smaller gun than me, “In a way… yes,” his head turned to meet mine and gave the same face of curiosity I’d gotten before. “Stable pony, went on ice at the end of the war… woke up not too long ago,” though if I didn’t swap out the Stable suit for a pair of utility coveralls underneath this plating, it might have been more believable. Far less chafing at least.

Yet that comment seemed to give me… Nothing, not a single face of doubt, inquiry, or even suspicion listed on his face. The only thing that greeted us was the laugh of a guy who had heard everything at this point. “Really now? You’re a pony frozen in time?” between words he laughed, and managed to catch his breath at the same time, “And I’m the illegitimate son of Celestia…” through his torrent of laughter, both myself and Tumble just looked at one another.

It was absurd to think so, sure, even she was snickering for a bit at how comical is appeared when said out loud. Never the less, her smirk wiped itself free of her face soon enough, “If you’d seen him work on that armor of his, you’d believe it in a heartbeat,” she backed me up, and together we watched him stop for a moment.

“Next I’m going to hear you worked for one of the ministries or something,” His snickering continued, and I couldn’t help but let him have it for a few more moments.

“Actually yes…” with a snap his beak shut, and slowly with the ticking of the clock his eyes started to grow wider. “Ministry of Wartime Technology to be exact… how do you think I got a place in the stable?”

Just like a balloon bursting, his laugher stopped, and his mind seemed to deflate. Every sentence he tried to say seemed to fall apart at the first syllable, as the gryphon just pointed to myself and the smug grin on the mares’ face.

“… You’re serious?”

“As much as a live grenade…” I extended my hoof to him once more, “real names Wildfire, I used to help work on heavy weapons, and at times help with the armor.”

A second or two later, and the gryphon took the armored hoof and shook, “Well… shit, I ain’t got much more I can say to that,” we turned to, and started back on our way. All with a new wave of curiosity in the gryphon, “So then if you don’t mind me asking… what are you looking for out here?”

“I went in with somepony else, when I woke up, they weren’t around,” slowly my eyes turned and took in the vastness that the world had to offer with all its dull colors, “hoping they’re still out here, somewhere.”

Deacon hadn’t said much after that, taking it all in I would assume. Then again, who could blame him really? Though that didn’t stop Tumble from putting her own two caps in, as she nudge him in the side, “however, instead of fossil, he prefers pony-cicle.”

That garnished a good change to the air around us, as both of them shared their own laugh, letting us walk on in higher spirits.

***

“And they just… gave it to you?” I know it seemed hard to get, but fixing something like this could have taken time for the group… unless you worked on them in the past, so I guess I was cheating in a way.

“Yep… it would have had to been hauled back to where ever they were held up otherwise,” all the better for me, even if it did need some work… and a good share of luck.

We’d been walking for a number of hours after that initial breaking of the ice between Tumble, myself, and our travel companion for the time being. Besides the occasional Roach, Sprite, or even random rat… all of which Tumble removed with the utmost of glee, for later I would assume, our trip was largely walking and talking. Many questions had come from the gryphon about what I’d done in the past, and it seemed to quell some of his doubt. Apparently being able to list off the various parts of a gatling laser conversion, by even number, wasn’t all that common.

What really made him wonder was how a Stable Pony fresh out of the… well, stable, managed to get their hooves on a suit of power armor so fast. “The most I’d heard of others, besides the rangers, using those suits were some who killed the ranger inside and took it for their own,” I watched him ponder for a moment, “not something you run across all too often, given the literal wall of steel they’d have to go through.”

Plus, the knowhow of working the matrix and controls on the inside, seriously… I even had to take a course on it when they were introduced before they even let me put my hooves on one. “Well this Paladin was very thankful for my help saving some of his troops,” really? What commander wouldn’t be happy of that? “he saw it as a loss they could take, and thought I’d do better with it.”

“Been doing pretty well with it so far, I’d have to say…” Tumble commented, as she looked through her bag of goodies.

Okay, goodies might be an overstatement. The cuisine of the wastes wasn’t completely terrible. It was no diner, café, or even the donuts of a Pony Joes. Though given the experience of a donut shop lately, I could take that pass. Still, it was something to get in your stomach and get you the energy to keep going… or die tomorrow, which ever came first I suppose. In a few hours, those bug guts, and rat intestines were going to start looking pretty tasty.

A talon to my collar dragged me to the ground, and had the mare pull her pistol on our guide in an instant. Even with that level of threat, the gryphon didn’t flinch as he stared down the barrel to her, then again, neither did Tumble. I just laid there like a rock in the mud as I wondered what just happened.

Carefully, he held his talon up to his beak beckoning the two of us to shush, as he pointed up. Slowly me and the mare poked our heads over the embankment and to the open grounds that dotted with barren trees, dirty roads… and a single building marking one side.

“That’s… one of the Gunner outposts,” he answered to Tumble more than myself, and we both watched as she pointed her .44 away from him.

“I thought we were avoiding most of the bigger threats along this way?” she almost scorned him, looking out at the structure, as I did the same. It almost looked like some sort of… what? Library? Maybe at one time, a bigger one sure, though those halls were probably laden with something more gruesome than the latest horror novel now.

“We were… buildings I can avoid pretty well… that I can’t,” he pointed with one talon up over our little cover in a different direction, “They didn’t normally send them out this far…”

There walking across some of the smaller hill sides and embankments that gave us cover, both myself and Tumble watched as what looked like a patrol made their way through the wastes. It was only a group of less than half a dozen sure, likely simple guards patrolling the local area, but certainly enough to raise the alarm if they spotted us.

With a slow breath, I even heard the mare release the stress she likely held for our curious companion, “So what now?” I whispered to him, unsure how much ground the group was covering.

It took a few moments, probably one or two longer than I would have liked sure, but in the end, Deacon shrugged his shoulders to the both of us. “We can wait here till nightfall? A few hours, slip by em?” he poked half his head above the dirt, “I don’t see us making a run for it… Gunners are usually armed well, and could probably reach out and touch us.”

Yeah… much like the AMR that dealt a certain Steel Ranger Knight his final blow. “Probably the safest option,” Tumble seemed to agree with that given her nod, “keep still, wait for the patrol to pass, and try to keep quiet before slipping away…” it was a sound plan, a good plan, and one that would keep our heads out of many, many crosshairs. I really didn’t want to know how many members they had in a building like-

“What the fuck?” all three of us looked up from our cover to see the patrol standing there staring down at us.

…that.

Instantly the minigun purred, Tumbles .44 rocked, and Deacons’ carbine cycled. Our rounds tore in to those that stood there in shock at what they had uncovered, unable to get to their senses or their triggers in time. Soon enough all those dropped amongst us as bodies, and off in the distance we heard silence.

Until the sounding of a siren.

Lights lit off of the building, searching the area. Doors opened up on the front, and on the roof, as we saw bodies pile out. Even from here, I could see the distinct glow of a few turret lights click on as they went about their sole duty.

“So… was there a plan B?” Tumble asked with a cocky brow to the gryphon.

We had to be a hundred yards from the compound, still well within range of anything they might be packing. There’s no way we’d be able to get past them on hoof without either losing one or two of us, or some decent luck. Plus, they’d likely be on us for a while afterward, even after our backs were turned.

Best defense was a good offence, right?

“Tumble…” she turned towards me, “see if you can hit their turrets, give us less bullets going our way…” this was crazy, “Deacon? Think you can give them something to look up for?” a distraction would help… but this was still suicide. His face didn’t seem to think so though, “we can’t go past them without some sort of loss, last thing they’d probably thing was a direct assault?”

Yep, clinically insane!

Deacon checked his magazine and swapped it out for one with a black band of tape on its end, different ammo maybe? Hopefully something more effective against harder targets. All the while the mare perched herself up on the edge of the embankment with her gauss rifle, making full use of that new scope.

“Break on three?” they didn’t give any argument, and as much as I wanted to, the count started, “One… Two…” deep breaths, deep breaths… “Three!”

Like that, I burst from the covering of dirt and debris from ages past, to face down a literal stronghold. Just as the gryphon took off to the skies. It didn’t take long for those lights to turn towards me, and less there after that till I saw the first turret go up in smoke. Damn, she was good with that thin- okay focusing now! A few dozen rounds started pining off the new and improved plating, and after that I started getting the readouts in my visor of the damage.

So small arms I was pretty well off against, at least at this volume… let’s not find out how I handled anything bigger. A number of barricades formed around the front entrance of the building, various carts, concrete barriers, and burnt out rubble. Perched above some of the sturdier cover, I saw the faces of those lining up their shots. The minigun spun up and sent a few strafing lines across their ranks, one or two of the bars I saw in my visor dropped. Those that joined them just kept their heads done.

The sound of an assault rifle might have fallen on deaf ears in this commotion, though the few bars that dropped told me Deacon was working for those caps. With every stomp of my hooves I made my way closer and closer to the barriers, as I did their aim got all the better. Tumble might have been making short work of the turrets she could see, but past those lights it must have been hard to tell where they were.

Another spray of my gun later took out a light or two for her, and helped me see the machine that started targeting. Within seconds a number of rounds drove in to the breast plate of the armor, one of the densest parts sure, but boy did that still leave a mark! Being out in the open like this sure didn’t help either.

Armor integrity: 72%.

Across the diagram of the suit it read out to me, Thanks for the update… quickly I slammed in to the closest barrier I could reach, just below the range of the turrets above, and kept an eye peeled towards the edge for any barrels sticking over as I gave my suit a breather.

The mechanized gun above me crackled and blew with its circuits showering overtop me, cheers to that mare on the horizon. Still, that was quite a few red bars facing my direction… I didn’t even want to imagine what it’d be like inside.

Armor integrity: 75%.

Well you’re taking your sweet ass time now! ‘Ugh…’ I groaned, knowing what I’d have to do, ‘can’t stay a sitting duck for the whole fight,’ with an outreached hoof I managed to get hold of the top of the barricade, and started to pull myself up.

Before promptly falling flat on my back.

That extra armor sure put on a few pounds… whelp, going around.

Not so quickly getting to my hooves, I followed around the outer wall. If I could jump worth a damn this wouldn’t be an issue, but it was a barrier for a reason. Never the less, they had to have a way of getting in an out, and… there it was!

What looked mostly made of wood with sheet metal nailed to its outer side certainly had to be the weakest point of their whole wall, and all the better for me, was as flimsy as I thought. With one hind kick from the servo driven limbs the hinges on its sides caved and blew the whole section in to their courtyard. Stepping in welcomed me with the very intrigued, and angry glares of those who defended their position.

Unicorns, earth ponies, both colts and mares of all different sizes, shapes and colors. Gryphons didn’t seem welcome I suppose, and Pegisy were probably hard to come by with what the Enclave had- Oh for Celestias sake, focus!

All barrels turned towards me as the last turret gave way, and with me standing out in the open, their own rounds came to and struck the plating. A drop of the valve from my side brought a stream of fuel their way as the whoosh of flames covered a few of them, leaving a lot of screams to echo through the approaching dusk. Yeah, not so fun when you’re the one being BBQed is it?

The turrets might have always targeted center mass, hitting the toughest part, though these guys and gals just hit whatever they could. Shoulder, head, leg, even the occasional round struck my flank. All of which fed back in to my visor and told me exact details of how close to dying I really was, they couldn’t all be as strong as the chest plate.

Armor integrity: 59%...

Armor integrity: 56%...

Armor integrity: 52%...

Steadily I watched the percentage drop with each round that hit, they weren’t as strong as the turrets granted, but they still took a toll. My own fuel clipped across the barricade and caught some of them in smaller patches. Not enough to kill, but surely enough to give them more concern.

Or enough to hit something else.

One that I licked with the flames dived towards me… melee attack? Against armor? Are you- then he exploded… just my luck I’d lit some of his munitions aflame and he took the suicide approach! That blast left the heavier suit skidding across the dirt and crusty grass of their courtyard, and made my head whirl.

The small pony icon of a colt with bandages around his head told me all I needed to know… that’s why those stars were dancing across my vision. After a few seconds the pump kicked in and trickled in the potions to my system. A welcome dose to take the edge off as I went back to the priority at hoof. With my fuel in that tank starting to run low, the barrels on my mini spun up and mowed those that were just out of reach to the flames.

5mm peppered those that still took shots at myself, yet with their attention turned towards me, that left another to shine. Deacon landed on one of the catwalks to their barricade and immediately drove his barrel in to temple of a colt, before splattering his brain across the very confused looking comrade next to him.

A butt of the rifle from the comrade raised up to strike, though this gryphon was just a tad faster, as his knife pulled from its sheath and lodged itself under the ponies’ jaw and up in to his skull… very well worth those caps indeed. Another looked to raise up his own shotgun to our guide, though before my guns could take care of him, Deacons’ punched through his chest armor.

Definitely packing armor piercing rounds.

One came in too close to myself and tried to strike… nope, not taking that chance again! It didn’t take more than half the strength of the armor to crunch his chest in as I bucked, launching the pony across the area and into another wall. Spraying amongst a few more of them with the mini, I watched small bits of meat tear off and land amid those that charred from the incinerator.

After a few more shots rang out amongst us, the last of them fell to the ground. Leaving myself and Deacon to look over those remains… had to be about a dozen and a half. Who knows how many I’d hit with the flames, hard to tell when being shot. Deacon sure did his fair share of damage with that gun, and the two of us would have been cut to pieces if it wasn’t for our little overwatch.

“Well now, you look like hell…” Tumble commented as she trotted through the gate I’d blown open. She wasn’t wrong, I felt like hell… and my suit wasn’t lying either.

Armor integrity: 41%.

“Eh… I’ll manage, just give it a chance to repair some,” how long it’d take to get to 100%, I hadn’t a clue, but we likely didn’t have that long. Thankfully, with some scrap still in the hopper, I slowly watched it go to work and climb little by agonizingly slow little.

“So… now what?” Deacon asked as he looked over some of the bodies and plucked what goods were quick to nap, “I mean those inside have to know we’re out here… and I don’t imagine them taking to kindly to what’d we just done.”

He was right, even if we high tailed it out of here, there’d be who knows how many on our trail not long after we got back to our journey. The building itself was large, with probably more than enough Gunners inside to do us in a number of times over… that said, you shouldn’t just half ass an assault.

“Clear it, maybe?” they both looked at me like I was on a suicide mission, I couldn’t blame them either, “if we run, they’ll shoot us in the back… we already did a number on them out here, maybe surprising them would work in our favor again, going close quarters?”

I was sitting at about a 47% advantage right now, maybe enough to take on what’s inside? Doubtful, but at least in there I’d also have back up. The two of them looked at one another, debating it in silence on if they should follow my clunky ass inside… I might survive getting shot in the back, but would one of them?

“How long you think till they burst out those doors?” Tumble asked as she prodded the gryphon.

Another shoulder shrug, gotta love that vote of confidence… “a minute? Maybe two?”

Not good odds to turn tail and book it… “So, clearing it is then,” the three of us looked to one another, and just like that each of our arms found a new magazine in them. It didn’t take long for us to position ourselves against the frame of the main door, you know, the one that was probably the most heavily fortified of the whole building…

Grand ideas, am I right?

With Deacon on one side, and Tumble positioned with the carbine out, I found myself in the middle of harm’s way… again. Though out of the three of us I could take the most brunt of damage and keep going.

Oh well, 49% it was then!

A burst from the door yielded us… Nothing?

Nope, not a soul there to greet the welcoming party… never a good sign I suppose. Steadily we made ourselves at home and walked in, Deacon took cover behind every desk, bookshelf and cart we found. As Tumble guided herself in taking cautious steps with her rifle pointed forward. For myself, I stomped in like a herd of buffalo.

Through the walls and halls of the first room, which looked like the checkout area, we could hear the echoes of those inside. Muttering, footsteps, even the clunking of something heavy… or was that just me? Nope not just me!

The doorway across from us that lead to the rest of the building burst open just as we got half way in, as a cart rolled forward. What once held books now was stocked with a machine gun, and a very eccentric mare behind the firing bit, as she racked the round in the chamber and opened up.

Several shots made contact with me, and those were just a tad bigger than the turrets for sure. Chunks of the armor broke off from every shot, and whatever it was they were packing, some instinct knew the suit wouldn’t take much more of it. Giving all the grace of a hippo I meandered behind the checkout desk next to Deacon. He knew to keep his head down, and Tumble across from us had the same mindset. Along each side of miss machine gun, I could see the shuffle of a few more troops of theirs fall in to place from the edges of my cover.

Just as fast as it started, her gun ran dry. Taking the opportunity, myself and Tumble poked our barrels out and managed to tag one or two of those by her sides, leaving me to target the larger threat. 5mm poured out, striking her battle cart… to no avail, what? Did they armor that damned thing?!

By the looks of it, yes, and before long the mare was going at it once more. Those heavier bullets broke chunks off of the wooden desk, peppering both myself and the gryphon in splinters. Deacon though? He was rummaging in his bags for something, out in his talons popped something I was all too familiar with. A tear from his beak later and the apple grenade went over his shoulder.

Followed by a blast that silenced them for a few moments, giving him the time needed to pop up at take his mark. Following suit, we both targeted the mare, as Tumble sprayed with the carbine to keep the others heads down. Deacons own rifle had the accuracy I could only hope for with the mini… what did you expect? It was better for Spray and Pray.

His bursts scattered across the cart and punched a few holes in it, leaving the mare to flinch from behind. Maybe it was a lethal shot, maybe not, either way she stopped firing. Though that didn’t stop her friends. They took it upon themselves to empty whatever they had at us, with that out of the way however, I did my part.

Stepping clear from the desk, I slid in to S.A.T.S. and took aim. Four of them remained from after the grenade, and our own mare doing her thing. I had enough charge to hit all of them, but how accurately? I wasn’t alone this time around though, with the first two targeted in the chest the bursts from my own weapon cleared a hole in their barding, neatly tearing in to that skull decal they wore.

As soon as the spell ended, the other two that remained took mighty offence to that one and started firing at me. A pony in power armor really did make a good distraction for sure, and while their shots might have not done anything close to what the big gun did, it kept those shots off of my support. The couple shots from my side left neat holes in their chest pieces, and the gryphon blowing on the end of his barrel.

Armor integrity: 37%.

Well… that was better than expected, “Everyone alright?” I asked turning to those in the group. Deacon plucked a few of those splinters from his feathers, and Tumble kept her eyes peeled on the door they had come through.

“Never better,” she commented quickly.

“Oh, I missed this…” Deacon looked positively… Happy? That’s a little weird, “If this is the check-out area, then that would mean the rest of them are past those doors.”

Good observation, not one I was looking forward to seeing for myself. A few clicks of the internal controls later and I looked at the suits’ hopper, sitting at less than a third full wasn’t settling well with me. Almost by instinct I went over to the desks and bodies, picking out any scrap that might have been on them or available. Neither of my comrades questioned it, they knew the suit needed to keep going.

I was next to useless without it… I just tested weapons and armor okay?!

‘Now I’m doing a whole hella lot more than testing,’ I hadn’t even thought of how many notches I had on the belt now, ‘Well see how well that holds,’ just above half full, better than what I started with. The hoppers’ hatch closed, and the talisman went to work, the percentage hemorrhaging its way up, “Okay so assuming this is set up like a normal library,” that was an odd look from the two of them, granted they’d never seen one that wasn’t home to somepony wanting to kill you, “long aisles, central reception area, and by the looks from the outside, a second floor with likely the same narrow channels…”

“So… a bottleneck waiting to happen,” Deacon deadpanned.

“Or an easier way to pick em off,” Tumble followed up with.

Thank you for seeing my point, “Stick together or fan out?” almost in sync they looked at me crookedly, again, “I seem to be their favorite target… you two together might be able to take more out with their eyes on me,” now they were looking a little more in agreement, “I’ll push in, draw their fire.”

“Try not to get too shot up,” the mare remarked, working with 50%? How could I go wrong? “And Freelance or not, don’t you try anything funny,” she quickly turned towards the gryphon.

“And spoil all this fun with an impromptu betrayal? I’d never dream it,” that sneer he gave her didn’t quite have the humor I was hoping for, still, the smirk she gave him looked almost as if she was begging for him to try.

Barging in probably wasn’t the best of choices, they knew we were inside, and if they had radios then they’d probably be expecting a call from those we just wasted… Wow! I was getting used to this fast, ‘thank the goddesses for strategy games,’ I shook my head at how much of those simulations were coming true, “Hmm… how many of those grenades do you got?” just like that his bag opened up and he took a quick peak in, pulling a couple out as I took them in my aura. One gentle tug, and all the pins were pulled, as I held the safety handle down with my magic.

Thankfully, the gryphon caught my drift and got to one side of the door as Tumble joined him. using a careful talon, he nudged the door back open and- yep they were waiting for us! Those on the other side set themselves up and aimed at the one spot we could have come in, the door moving was all they needed to open up.

Together we waited for the rounds to wane, before a hefty toss launched those metal apples inside. Soon enough I heard the shouting of those inside, and with a nod to the pair that joined me I jumped inside.

Just in time to see the grenades go off amongst a group of them. Their numbers disbursed for a moment to find their own cover, as I went between book shelves that lined the outer wall. From the number of bars on my screen, this really was a stronghold. Each of them was littered with arms and munitions, and between the pot shots I fired, I could see one standing in that reception area.

The colt there looked to be carrying as much armor as a pony could without keeling over, everything from his head to hoof was covered in a mix of metal plating and ceramic tiles, only the thin slit gave him any sight. ‘If that’s not the leader I don’t know who is,’ it was a fair bet to be made, and one that earned me a just reward.

Thump.

Armor integrity: 32%.

I heard the sound over the other shots before it even made contact, but oh he was a good shot! Even through that visor of his, “That’s him!” he yelled out as I looked up from where the grenade knocked me, and another round was sliding in its chamber, “That’s the ranger!”

Oh, I was starting to not like this reputation!

Scampering to my hooves I rolled, narrowly missing the next round that came my way from the colt. That didn’t stop his goons from taking their own marks however, and just like that rounds started pinging off the plates… why was I going slower? The flashing of my hind leg plates on the diagram told me something else inside was busted.

Granted the suit could fix it in time, but that wasn’t time that I was going to get easily. My hooves more or less dragged the hind quarters from behind me, and plopped myself down one of the aisles. Another thump that blew out a section of shelving a row down told me he wasn’t entirely sure where I’d wound up, or his vision wasn’t as good as I originally thought.

Still, the sound of a gauss rifle not going in my direction was welcome.

Glancing around the corning, I saw some of the 2mm EC rounds hit some of those around their leader. Some dropped, some didn’t, but that gave me a breather. The mini spun up and as me and the tank pony looked at one another we both pulled our triggers. 5mm travels faster sure, but it ricocheted off of his plates just like many of his comrades did mine. Now I knew that feeling of facing a wall of steel…

His shot was different and punched right in my chest, knocking me on my ass again.

Warning: Internal bleeding!

Warning: Multiple lacerations!

Warning: Armor integrity: 12%

Yeah… that’s what it felt like…

Groaning wouldn’t get me anywhere but dead, and as I saw him load another shell my suit kicked in and gave me a number of healing potions. ‘That won’t be enough,’ I knew it, and even through the helmet, he could see I was down for the count after one more shot. Another two injectors triggered, and I inhaled the aerosol deep in to my lungs as the injection shot in to my veins.

One thing was for sure… Dash and Stampede was a hella a combo.

Even past the damaged servos in my hind legs, somehow my body pushed through it and lunged the entirety of the suit up and at the colt. With a bound I went over the counter to the reception desk, planting a hoof square in the plate of the armored colts’ jawline. Normally for one like him he probably would have shrugged it off, even from power armor, though drug infused…

The pony rolled back in to a few of his cohorts, knocking them down with him and by the looks of it crushing one under his weight. His barrel pipped up and went off, but the round was too close to arm and bounced off my armor, detonating somewhere away from me. Several more hooves of mine contacted him in the chest, shoulder, head and whatever else I could hit. 5mm might not do much, but steel against steel did something to make him shutter.

If those others with him were shooting still I didn’t even pay attention, I probably was done with my armor in places and there was no way the talisman was keeping up, not after his shot. As the blood from him underneath the plates started to seep out, he kicked me off him. Even down, this guy still had some strength on him!

Mine on the other hoof was quickly starting to fade, my legs were getting heavier with having to work more for the suit, and the pain in my chest was either from wounds or my heart nearly bursting from the drug use. What little energy I had left was spent kicking a few of those amongst him away, as I focused on the big guy.

His plates were intact, and whatever damage I did was only on the surface, but I had something that could get under that armor… I just hoped the whole building didn’t go up as well. Biting down on the bit, the spray of fuel went over the colt and seeped inside on to his coat, once he was covered, I cut it off. Trying to minimize as much damage to the area that I was still in very close contact with.

Still, it seemed to be doing the trick.

The wails of the colt could be heard reverberating throughout the main hall, and with every step he took, his body shook a little more as he got closer. “Not again!” I ducked back over the desk and got as low as I could, and half a second after, the munitions he brought to the table cooked off.

Plates fragmented off of his body, digging in to some of the shelves around me, and even one or two of those that stood with him. Getting back to my hooves once more, I was welcomed with the sight of a blown-out torso devoid of any resemblance of a pony. Those closer to him didn’t fare much better, as they laid in innumerable manners of agony. Some clenched bleeding wounds, some gurgled their last breaths, and some just lied still as if sleeping this whole time.

I looked around the room, there weren’t any more moving by the looks of it… not a single one stirred amongst the rubble and debris, and it was quiet. Which made me wonder, “Tumble! Deacon!” I shouted, hoping to hear an answer, but got nothing.

I may have heard nothing, but there were still two blue bars on my screen. Looking around the area, they weren’t on the ground floor, maybe upstairs? Quickly finding a flight, I hobbled my way up. The suit was already going to work, and by the time I got up there it hit 10%. A long way to go for sure, but not zero just yet… if it ever did, well that’s a lesson for another day.

It didn’t take long to see the gauss rifle sticking out from one of the book shelves and overlooking the central area, “Tumble!” one of the hind legs kicked in and started moving more, helping to carry the load as I got closer.

There around the corner I found the pair… a little worse for wear…

Deacons’ plating looked dinged up and scratched, across his own coat and feathers were a couple more holes and cuts. Tumble however… “You’re gonna be fine there,” the gryphon had her laying on her back, as he rummaged through his bag for something, “I’ve seen worse wounds before… mostly on me.”

The gaping hole in her side made me question that, you really shouldn’t see that much insides of a pony on the outside of their body. With a pair of forceps, the gryphon went to work on her, crimping off something inside that was spurting the blood as he dumped what looked like vodka across his talons. Grabbing a couple of in the intestines that protruded, he pushed them back in to her torso with care.

“Does it… feel as bad as-” she tried to get out between breaths, though a talon hushed her.

“Easy now, let me work…” a needle threaded amongst his digits, as he punctured the tissue and started to stich where it had been bleeding inside from my view.

“What happened?”

The gryphon didn’t break eye contact with his task as I asked, “Bastard came up one of the stairs… got a shot off.”

Over past them rested a lone colt, the sawed-off shotgun just past his muzzle. Yeah, that’ll do it to ya… “Can’t you use a potion?” they were working well for me, or at least well enough to keep going, but I didn’t really know what they could and couldn’t do.

Gently his head shook so not to damaged his work, “not with her insides exposed like that, plus this’ll help heal it better in the long run,” a few more quick stitches after and he brought the same needle to the hole that was made. The wasteland seemed to turn normally peaceful ponies in to savages, but it also seemed to turn a merc in to a surgeon.

With what looked like practiced ease, the point went in and out of the tissue, slowly but surely closing up the wound. Once that was tied off, Deacon fished out a potion from his bag and brought it to the mares’ lips, holding the back of her head up to it as the purple liquid went down her throat.

“That’s… so much damn better,” she smiled up to the ceiling, before turning her eyes towards the gryphon, and then promptly the bottle, “though that was alcohol abuse.”

I watched the mare go from clenching on her own breath, and outright threatening the guy, to now laughing with him over her wounded body. Okay, trying to laugh at least. The wincing on her face told me that she was still in some deal of pain, and just like that before her a needle was brought out by our guide.

“If you want it,” he held out the Med-X, to which she gladly nodded.

I popped my visor up for some fresh air and looked around the room, the coast was clear for now, so I might as well indulge, “Alrighty… now that that’s taken care of, shall we-” and now that was a look as if I’d grown two heads! “What?”

“Ahh… did you take anything while you were down there?” Deacon asked, as Tumble started to cringe.

“A dose of Dash… and a few potions to patch me up, plus a Stampede,” the makeshift medic just started to shake his head at me, “I took a grenade to the chest! I think that was warranted!”

“Just… be careful with that stuff,” he cleared his nostrils there for a moment, before looking around and finding some sort of tray. Wiping it clean left enough of a reflection for me to take a- eyes were not supposed to be that shade of red! That was more than just bloodshot, those were popped blood vessels, “your heart probably only handled it well because it’s your first time, but keep doing it and you’ll find out what it feels like to have it explode in your chest.”

Not a sight I wanted to picture… and yet I still pictured it. Okay, so mixing and matching chems was a bad idea, I’ll just have to try getting shot less, or get better armor. It’s a work in process. My heart still fluttered a bit, but it hadn’t reached explosion levels yet, and even with the pain in my chest subsiding. The legs of the armor at least bent to my will better than on the walk up here.

Armor integrity: 15%.

Really, no rush now…

Thanks to a helpful talon, Tumble found herself back up, wobbling but still breathing. Deacon gave her a much-needed shoulder to lean on as we walked across the upper floors. Giving us a good view of the operation, they had going on. Some of the bookshelves up here had been broken down and turned in to some sort of bedding for them to reside, while a number of crates dotted along the area.

Even if a group got in to the main hall, they’d have been taken out like shooting fish in a barrel… the Gunners might have just underestimated a group of three individuals. That left us a fair amount to scavenge over, and hopefully something to top off my ammo reserves. Why did I pick the two most ammo hungry weapons in the wasteland?

Though there was one thing that would be more important to find, “Reckon we can find a mare your size out in this mess?” I looked over to Tumble as she cocked her head, “or would you prefer to go at it without armor still.”

Both Deacon and her looked at one another, before she looked to the mending wound on her side, “Yeah… probably a good idea.”

***

It’d taken the better part of an hour, or two, though our search wasn’t in vain. We each hauled a good number of meds, and ammunition from the base. Maybe not enough to top off my reserves, but enough to not complain about. Plus, the grenadier of the bunch sizzled down to a smolder by the time we left, hopefully some other group could make better use of the place than a bunch of thugs.

With what little light from the night sky through cloud cover shined, we found ourselves making camp after walking several miles more in to the dark. It had been slower with Tumble having to take it easier, but with every hour that passed her speed picked up. Now she was just as happily roasting some of those goodies she’d picked up along the way, and doing so in a set of semi-new combat barding she plucked from one of the containers.

Pip-Bucks gave a light off of their own, and while I might have been residing in the suit for the night for safety reasons, I still managed to bring up the data files on the visor to poke around in and work on. That gave me more than enough to do while she cooked, and Deacon went over his own bag of goods.

Each of the meds we pulled from the gunners were placed neatly in front of him. Everything ranging from Rad-Away to RadSafe, things I’d find over the counter and ones I couldn’t pronounce, and healing potions to a vial of sludge called Hydra… something that he just described was an all or nothing bet, and if he was using it, you were on deaths door.

From the corner of my eye I picked up the gryphon being prodded by a stick of Radrat intestines, freshly charred from the fire and still smoking hot. A smell I’d likely take years, assuming I live that long, to get used to… I’ll stick to my bugs. Which was weird enough to say.

“Hungry?” Tumble asked him as he packed up his kit.

“Oh, you know the way to a guy’s heart,” he gladly took the stick with a thankful nod and immediately started chomping down, tearing chunks off of it with his beak.

I couldn’t tell if it was the fire or not, but was that blood in her cheeks from her own body, or earlier today? “I did want to say…” yep, it was her own, “Thank you, for earlier,” the gryphon stomped mid chomp with a hunk of tissue hanging from his lips, “Luna knows I’d be no more alive than that piece of meat if you hadn’t done something.” That was probably the softest I’d heard her talk to him since he joined in on our little adventure.

“Oh… Tiss nothing,” he brushed off for a moment, trying to hide his own smirk that I picked up, “Don’t worry, if it happens again during this next go, I’ll do it all over again,” he winked to her, “Free of charge of course… but let’s try to avoid that, shall we?”

Oh boy did that get a reaction! It took a shotgun shell to the side to get her to stammer before, apparently this did it all the same. Quickly she just rolled her eyes at him and snickered, finding her place next to the fire as she cooked up some more grub.

I popped my visor and took a chunk out of Bloatsprite… hmm yep, roach tasted better. This just tasted like moldy cheese, but some cheese did age with- you know, just don’t think about it. Another bite in and I closed my visor to get back to work.

“Speaking… of this next go,” Tumble much there, Tumble? She did manage to get the sentence out at least, “how far off do ya say we are?”

Deacon looked off in to the direction we’d been going, how he could tell in this darkness I’d never know, but if you roamed the waste enough you did learn a thing or two. “We’ll be there by tomorrow for sure, maybe a few miles, give or take… I’m not complaining,” the crack of his neck echoed there in the night as he stretched, “I’m rather enjoying this honestly.”

“Getting… shot at?” I mused over the numbers, and cocked my helmet to him.

“Oh, not quite, call it a change of pace,” he sunk his beak in to another section of the rat, “usually I get paid to do simpler things… find this thing, kill that thing, clear this area, bring this to here…”

“Sounds like you’re doing all that in one job,” Tumble started to snicker over her own dinner, “We’re finding this one pony, killing and clearing those as we go, and bringing him home.”

A snap of his talons got her attention quick, just as it did mine, “not quite right… the usual jobs are pretty local, I hadn’t left that area in a bit, and going a mile or two then coming back is what gets old.”

I let them go back and forth a bit as I continued, “Like the traveling life then?” she asked.

“That part’s a bonus, assaulting a slaver mine is far more exciting than finding some family heirloom taken by a raider,” he proclaimed with only a sense of enthusiasm I’d imagine a true adventurer having, “I hadn’t had this much fun in years!”

“Gottcha!” I nearly shot up from my seat in joy, which earned me a few odd looks from the pair. For the most part I’d been sitting in silence here working, Tumble probably figured what’d I’d been doing, Deacon though hadn’t a clue. “Oh, I’ve been working on cleaning up some of the data from my stable, figure out what went wrong… and when Winter might have left.”

“Assuming Winter is this pony you’re looking for,” he put that one together quickly, “so? Good news?”

I held up a hoof as I worked, there was a decent amount of data to go through, though I just needed to look at one thing as I clicked through the various menus…

System…

Data logs…

Main Stable entrance…

Operational dates…

‘Oh… that’s not good,’ my heart sank there inside the suit, somehow finding the bottom of my armor and remained there. I wasn’t sure what to find, and I knew it had been a long shot, but what did I have to lose? I didn’t expect this though, “it says for the two times it had been opened, including mine, the only prior one was years ago…” I quickly did the math in my head, “… about twenty-five years to be exact.”

Footnote: Level up.

Chapter eleven: A glimmer

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Chapter eleven: A glimmer

How long I stared in to the fire, I didn’t know. All I knew is it was the dead of night, and I should have been asleep hours ago, but if I couldn’t, then the least I could do is let them get some shut eye. Both Deacon and Tumble lied down on the ground just across the fire, each snoring listlessly in to the night. Out in the open like this, as small as the fire might have been, it could still have been seen for a few miles I’d imagine.

Yet, even with that clarity, my visor stayed clear and the guns on either side of me remained quiet. That left me with nothing to do, but think… scary prospect, ain’t it?

‘Twenty-five years…’ it rang through my head once more, that was a long time, hell that was about as long as I had been alive… at least as old as I was when I stepped in to the that chamber and went on ice. “Does that make me fifty, or still twenty-five?” probably not the best question to be asking right now, or the most important.

Still, a lot could change in a quarter century… I mean, look around me.

It was a desolate wasteland, how long it had taken to get like that? How long after the bombs fell was it before ponies stopped trying to work together to survive, and only barely clung on to what savage nature helped them in this world? How much could a young mare go through after leaving the ice, and still make it in this world? 100 might have been an ice box, but at least it wasn’t full of questions. With that, the list kept growing… I’d get around to answering them when I could.

“So, you took my advice I see,” I heard the steady beep to my side as I turned and saw a Sprite Bot nearby, the front of it gazed to those sleeping before bringing its attention back to me, “and by the sound of things you’ve been pretty busy…”

“Ahh it’s you again… whatever your name is,” it was nice to see a familiar face, especially one that gave me some sort of direction. You know, even if I couldn’t exactly see his face presa, “though I had been working on the suit more, found some good parts for it.”

“I can see that much, it’s quite impressive… though I wasn’t talking so much about the suit,” I didn’t have to stay quiet for long for him to catch my drift, “Tune in to DJ-Pon3 sometime, you’ll get what I mean soon enough,” the bot chuckled for a moment as it bobbed in the air, “and it’s Watcher, by the way.”

So, Watcher ay? Yeah, that sounded ominous… “I guess I’d been making the airwaves then?” I mused, turning back to the fire. Face or no face, I could still feel the bots gaze upon me.

“Oh, more than you’d imagine… seriously, with what you’re packing I’m surprised more bands of rangers haven’t come for your head, let alone the Gunners,” he might have been laughing, but I could still feel that target on my head growing. “You made some friends though it seems, so at least there will be others to watch your back.”

An armored hoof of mine pointed to the odd ball out, “Well he’s a hired hoof, in it for the caps… so I don’t know about friend,” acquaintance? Maybe? Eh he’s not shooting me so that’s good enough, “her though, she’s been well so far, good shot too.”

The bot could have been trying to nod, or it might have just been its characteristic bob it always had. Either way, even through not being able to see the face of one I’d been talking too, I could still feel his mood and expressions. “You never know what you might find in these wastes… friend, foe… lover maybe,” that sounded like longing… maybe for a lover long past? “Find any leads though on your missing pony?”

“Yeah… but not entirely good…”

From there I relayed to this stranger the accounts of the last time I’d run into him, and what’d I’d learned from then on. Even going from meeting Tumble, poking around Drybank for a tidbit, prodding the Rangers there, making our way to Pasture Falls, upsetting more Rangers… running theme, right? To the lead of this Slaver mine, and meeting our resident gryphon… all the way up to me missing the mark by over two decades.

Watchers’ bot hovered there for a few moments, and while the silence wasn’t all that welcome, it had been a good amount to take in, “And you’re still planning on hitting the mine?”

“Might as well,” the idea rolled over my mind once more, “we’re already here… what’s the harm in poking a little deeper?” getting shot, blown up, turned to ground meat, lit on fire… do I need to continue?

“I hope you find something then… many still manage to survive these lands, even if they’re new to them,” that was nice to hear. Ponies were adaptable, and stubborn… if anything could survive in a post-apocalyptic Equestrian wasteland, it was an Equine, “Good luck out-”

Fizzle, and pop, there went the voice, and the bot itself.

As I watched the bot float off down the terrain, playing that awful trombone, I looked out to the path we had yet to walk. There was a number of things that could have happened from the moment she left the stable, and none of them in her favor, but maybe with a little luck… I’d at least get some closure.

***

The morning had been at least somewhat kind to us, and after another hour from when Watcher left, Tumble woke up and took over. Getting me a little nap in before facing this next challenge. It hadn’t taken long for us to make it the rest of the way, and as soon as both myself and Deacon woke up, we were on the road again.

The very wet road…

This rain wasn’t close to what I’d first encountered. Barely even a tick went off from my counter, then again, I wasn’t the one getting all that damp. Both my companions remained drenched from talon to wing or head to hoof as we looked at the few lights in the distance that the mine gave off. Tumble might have been using her scope to get a closer look at it, but even I could see what they had going on from this distance.

That was an operation if I ever saw one.

Towers had been erected around the dig site, each with its own light as it peered for any the likes of us. While between them cobbled together it looked like a make shift barrier of some kind. Maybe a few concrete slabs here and there, but mostly it seemed to be wood… hopefully.

“I’m picking out a figure or two up in those towers,” she relayed to us more info while keeping a close eye on them, “Hard to see with all this rain now…” the mare grumbled as she wiped what water blurred her scope. “Might have a better vantage from that hill, maybe a view over their wall?”

“If it’s hard to see them, then that’ll go both ways,” Deacon brought up, as his head started to swivel around, “I’m gonna take off, get a birds eye view… so to speak.”

“And I’ll-”

“You should probably hold up for a sec,” Tumble held her hoof in front of me, “Power armor ain’t stealthy, remember?”

I relinquished to that ever-repeating point… so with a few loose words in terms of a plan, I.e. wait for them to start shooting before I trot my happy self in there, both of them went to their respective positions. Deacon took off towards the sky before I even noticed, and Tumble slithered her way over the ground to play overwatch. How did those gunners even manage to pin her down when we first met? The way she moved; being in the wasteland that long would turn ya half zebra I suppose.

That left me… waiting…

It was one thing to wait not knowing what would happen next. It was another when you had a pretty good idea what would, and all you could to was stand by in anticipation. Not something I was the best at.

‘Ugh…’ I moaned to myself as I acted like an overgrown and well-armed paperweight. Granted, peace and quiet was nice compared to shot-up and loud, but one thing was for sure, ‘it might be a far cry from the world I knew, but if a bullet doesn’t kill me, this will.’ Unceremoniously the pebble beneath my hooves found its way swiped back and forth, before being catapulted with a slightly overzealous kick…

Then the first detonation.

With a snap, I looked off towards the mine and could see a few plumes of fire rising up even through the rain. Either Tumble shot something valuable, or Deacon still had some tricks up his sleeves.

Whelp! My turn to join!

After a short slide down the mound my hooves started to keep pace with my heart, thundering across the opening towards the mine… or was that actual thunder around me? Eh no matter, those rounds were very much real! A thin line of fire dotted along the ground nearby, though never made contact, and only kicked up chunks of dirt as it went. Just as Deacon guessed, it was hard for them to see too.

Thank the princesses for E.F.S… The wood gate ahead of me might have kept out a normal pony, but for that single red mark on the opposite side of it, mass was a really good thing to have on my side.

Too bad for him.

My shoulder made contact with the structure, and just as fast the rest of me punched through and plowed in to the one standing opposite. He hadn’t a clue what hit him, and as the stallion stumble to get to his hooves. The soft purr of my mini dotted along his chest… first one down, and many more to go!

The open mine dug out in the center from their towers, while on the sides of it was some sort of ramp cut from the dig site that led down. Made easy access to those watching over the slaves they kept, and with only one exit, an even easier route to cover. One path to follow, and a decent number of those defending their posts along the sides.

As I approached the edge of the dig, the semi-blue trails of EC rounds dotted along the towers, punching in to those that covered the area. One however, got a little too close for comfort. .308 was a lot larger than the 5.56 I was used to, and the rounds from his rifle cut in the armors plating. Not enough to cause worry, but surely enough to give me something to think about.

Ducking behind a trailer that once housed staff, I looked up to the figure as he did the same from his perch. Tumble hadn’t hit him yet, then again, that tower was made of wood… even with the rain, the fuel used by incinerators burned hotter than most. A quick burst of its muzzle sent the supports of said tower up in a blaze, and after a few seconds I could hear the tower waning as it creaked from the stress.

With a snap, the beams gave out and brought the tower, and the shooter down to the ground. His marker faded from the crunch as it slammed back to earth, and left me walking past the mangled remains of the lump that looked semi pony-ish… legs were not supposed to bend that way. Those across from me along the sloping sides of the mine had other ideas.

I didn’t have time to even see the flash as the missile took off from one side of the opening to the other where I resided. While the fall from this height might have not killed me, these servos were amazing in that respect. The blast was still enough to plunge me down a few levels, and even with the few warnings going through my visor of the shrapnel from the warhead, I still managed to land on all fours… or at least twos.

Stumbling to get my footing, I saw the culprit from above, as the mare handled the overly sized weapon from her shoulder and loaded up another round, while her friends alongside her lined up their own shots. Spinning up the barrels, the thin line traced across the surface from where she stood. Like I said, they were far better at Spray and Pray. That only resulting in them bobbing away from the spray back into cover. 5mm verses solid stone siding was not on my side…

Three shapes though joined them, as I watched the blue bar pass by for a moment, and mere moments after that those that tried to down me met their end after a few more detonations. The gust of wind that greeted me brought about the familiar face of the gryphon, as he reached in to his bag and plucked out another grenade.

“How many of those do you have?” bottomless bag it was looking like.

“Eh… enough,” just like that he tossed the one in his talon over the side, and we both were welcomed by the few yells of those below.

Steadily, with the heavy stomping of my hooves, and his far nimbler steps. The two of us went forth, trailing down the slopes to the mine and running in to those that he had picked off during his fly-bys. Someone had been very generous with their gifts, I just hoped he had more. Already a few more shots started to land around our path, and they were getting better with their mark.

Yeah, with my front leg giving out that kinda seemed obvious…

Half the suit dropped to the ground from the shot, that let me know this band of ponies may not have been as well armed as the gunners. Though they far outmatched any raider I’d seen so far. Ponies really were worth something if all of em were packing more than a .38! One across the way slung up a crude pipe rifle to his shoulder, and what felt like .45 dug into the chest plate before I dropped him with my own burst. Even if it was rudimentary tech, still quite effective. Just like that Molotov!

The bottle crashed over my frame, blanketing me in fuel that spattered against the falling rain. This time I didn’t have an extinguisher handy, and while it seeped on to the plating, I could feel the suit starting to heat up the longer it went. Either my armor was better insulated, or their fuel was diluted. Still, the sweat was starting to trickle down my neck, and as my head swiveled around, I chose the only route I had.

Galloping as best I could towards the edge, I leapt off the side, and let the rush of wind beat against the flames as the thinner fuel started to pitter off. Okay, this was a little further down than I expected! With a crunch I heard the front servo cave, and between the round I took, plus gravity being quite fickle. After landing the rest of the suit fell to one side, and the blaze subsided, leaving me to stare out at the few ponies there in almost as much surprise as me.

Armor integrity: 68%.

Not bad… and certainly not zero just yet! As quickly as I got back to my hooves, those there that joined me turned their barrels to the suit. Cycling their receivers like it’s all they knew, given what I’d experienced, it probably was. Kickstarting my own light show, the fuel poured out from the muzzle, draping over those that got a tad too close. As the stream began to sputter, ‘hmm… quarter tank’, yep… ammo hungry.

The ones that were smarter took that note and got in some cover behind older mining equipment, as I soaked up as much fire that the suit could take. Whether I wanted it too or not. A small ticking by my hooves begged for my attention, and just like that the metal apple rolled its way between all four.

Stomach armor wasn’t the best, a pony needed to breath after all, and true to that statement a dozen or so hornets shot through the suit and threw me off the ground. Laying in a front-end loader bucket, I could hear the rounds ping off its metal construction as it vibrated the metal. Gotta love Equestrian construction… never the less, that pony diagram I was seeing didn’t look all that happy.

Armor integrity: 59%.

Warning: Sternum concussed!

So that's what CPR by explosives felt like? Rolling, or flopping, as best I could. I fell from the basket and back on to the ground, and before my hooves even made contact the motor was spinning up and raking across them as if they were fall leaves. Leaning heavily to one side as my suit tried to repair itself, the accuracy was even worse, and more or less dug into the various cabins from machinery around the base of the dig site. It did keep their eyes off me, and not who they should have been on.

A few controlled bursts matched their wild and free fire, and unlike theirs, with every burst fewer and fewer slavers remained standing. The last one from what I could see out here in the open met his end with both a spray of 5mm and a headshot from 5.56 as it covered the side cab of a dozer in what looked like an exploding paint can.

Deacon fluttered his way down from where I took my leap, having gotten a clear vantage from above and using it to its fullest. “You still alive in there?” he tapped the top of my helmet with a talon.

‘About 53% alive I suppose…’ I headbutted the inside of my helmet, something I didn’t think I’d manage. At least I could feel the suit kicking in with potions, in a way I’m glad we hit that gunner base, gave us some means to stock- oh I knew that feeling, not doing that in here! Quickly the visor popped up, and whatever contents of my gun found itself across the ground, as the gryphon took a step or two back. I barely even had anything to upchuck?! “Ugh… stomachs not gonna sit right for a week, assuming I live that long… but I’ll manage…”

Without warning, the gryphon started to poke around the side of the suit. Tapping on different plates and running his talons across it. If he was finally deciding to stab me in the back, he was doing a piss poor job at it.

“Where’s your med port?” that made more sense, with a flip of the controls, the panel that held the chem pump opened up as he rummaged through his bag. Sliding a few more of those goods we picked off of the gunners, my reserves were well topped off for now, “that outa hold you over for a bit… assuming you don’t go being a bullet sponge.”

‘What? And break the trend…’ flipping the panel close, both me and him turned past the bodies we’d created. The joints of the suit starting to function fully once more, and I could walk now without it wanting to meet the ground again. “It’s not like I ask for it…” says the pony who is a walking talking billboard of hey shoot me!

All the guy gave me in return was a shake of his head. Someone was used to evading danger, and not outright letting it smack em in the face. With a tap of his talon to the shoulder, I followed his lead around those bodies and off to one side of the pit… a dead end. For a moment I looked to him, wondering if he’d be just as puzzled as I was. Though without question Deacon went up to the cobbled together wall of scrap and reached behind one barrel. I heard the click, and just like that part of the wall slid away. There before us was an open tunnel to the deeper part of the mine, and likely even more of our friends that we made up here.

“They hadn’t changed that out,” he checked the magazine on his carbine. “Well, we don’t gotta be subtle at least.”

“And close quarters is where this shines,” I nodded off towards the IF-451, that was the second time I’d been lit on fire… maybe this was karma coming back at me?

I might be doing better with a little heat now, but the fire didn’t so much care who could be too close. Deacons’ armor was rated for bullets and beams, not flames. A fact I kept in mind while both of us paced down the tunnels of the mine, while also hoping to find more fuel. The markings of tools from long ago still hadn’t aged a day it seemed, the only real difference between now and then was the skeleton or two that dotted along our path.

Nothing fresh, so that’s a good sign. Still, we hadn’t seen any sign of slaves though, not even outside. Cages, chains, or even a whip missed from our site… unless they had them further down this rabbit hole.

A quick hoof held up to Deacons’ chest plate stopped him, as I scanned ahead. The E.F.S. might be wonderful outside, and in most buildings. Though down here past all this granite, that was a tough one, even for the over engineering of pre-war Equestria. Never the less, one crimson bar popped up from down the tunnel as it straightened out. ‘Maybe line of site?’ it was possible, but still hard to tell with half the lights not-

The first shot pinged off the helmet, yep totally line of site!

That was followed by a few dozen or so more, as their shots skipped down the channel towards us. Either whizzing past over our heads, or causing puffs of dust from bouncing off the walls. The two of us dived towards whatever cover we could get, Deacon managed to get behind an ore cart, as for me, I had to make due with the rough-cut square in the wall. Half of me was exposed, but they weren’t good shots at the very least.

For a moment, the onslaught stopped, and there we had our opening. Using me as a shield, Deacon followed behind. Popping off his own rounds at whatever flash he saw, while I peppered the area with 5mm. Together, we weren’t sure entirely what we were hitting. All we knew was as long as we kept shooting, theirs seemed to die down.

After a number of more feet, we finally managed to break in to an opening. There those few slavers that once held their ground, dispersed in the area to continue their attack… or would it be defense? No matter, they were happily shooting at us, and I was inclined to defend. Deacon broke off from behind me, taking his own cover as I did the same.

Bouncing back and forth between a few of the trailers that probably housed office workers, it left us with a small maze to navigate, mixed with some of those slavers that joined us on the ground in the fray. Speaking of which, a very surprised looking colt poked his head out at the wrong time.

The chomp of his bit sent the buckshot scattering towards me, pinging off the plates and shattering one of the windows to the trailer. Another shot he tried, but before he could I gave him several of my own, as the small holes littered his unarmored chest. From across the structures, I could hear the short bursts of the carbine. Either Deacon had met his match, or the slavers their own.

Out from an open door, rolled an all too familiar site… a metal apple, this one with a red band.

You know… I was getting really tired of this.

As its shell ruptured from the charge inside, the mixture in the outer casing caught alight draping crimson flames across the area… namely me. Whatever increase in protection I got from that last upgrade, it sure was worth its weight in insulation. Those military issue incendiaries were no joke, and while it was getting toasty, my skin didn’t feel like it was boiling… just yet.

With a kick, the trailer door opened back up against whoever had tried to shut it, and returning the favor I matched their flames. The tank might be almost out, but from this close? I didn’t need much… okay now that was getting hot! Underneath my helmet I started to pick up the smoldering stench of burning fabric, and if the utility coveralls were getting to that point.

I wasn’t far behind.

Leaving the charred pony to their own demise, my clunky self ran between the trailers. For a brief moment I passed by a curious and worried looking Deacon, before charging at those he had taken shelter from. The trio behind their own generator might have been protected from the gryphon, but after a literal walking inferno at speed rounded their corner…

The first one crunched against the frame of the generator. Denting its metal shell along with cracking the stallions’ rib cage with a sound that rang down the tunnel. At first, those that flanked him tried to get in close. Something though, seemed to deter them. No matter, they were just as happy shooting me. One, two, and three slugs dug in to the shoulder plating. He must have been aiming at the neck, a careless miss on his part, and one that earned me a very terrified look from the stallion in question.

Slugs might have been more effective than the shot from earlier, but the armor stopped it thankfully. Still, I was still due for a bruise after that sort of shot. My mini spun and… totally missed him as he took off before it reached full speed. That didn’t stop his friend though, and soon enough something much heavier than me slammed in to my side.

Tumbling across the ground, I looked up and sighed a breath of relief. Good news, those flames had died down enough for that last tuck and roll to smother them, bad news, the same cart the other stallion had hit me with kept rolling… and pinned me against the wall. Fully laden with ore, after getting some speed there was little a pony could do to stop it. Now from a dead halt, and with a whole lot less breathing room. My hooves pushed against the cart, inching it till I could get out.

One colt leapt atop the cart, and lowered his own pistol against the visor. The first shot scratched the top layer, the second round cracked the tempered glass, and the third sent spalling in and against my face. I winced as some of the flecks dug into my eyes. If I couldn’t see, it wouldn’t take much more after that to do me in…

With a thump, that next shot didn’t come.

All I heard was the carbine popping a few more bursts rather close to me, “Don’t worry, I got em,” Deacon sounded off nearby, maybe right next to me.

“Thank ya… though do you have anything for this?” from inside the helmet, I popped the visor as he took a look, “How bad is it?”

He might have been wincing for all I knew, hard to tell between wanting to blink my eyes to clear them, and wanting to keep them shut so it stopped burning, “Ahh… just gotta flush those, wait one,” the sound of talons against the ground dissipated for a few minutes. Meanwhile I took that time waiting to get myself completely out from behind the cart, soon enough he was back and tapped me on the shoulder. The moment I turned to face him a bucket of water was thrown at me, and although it was slightly radioactive, most of those glass flecks found their way worked out enough for me to see now at least… sorta.

Armor integrity: 42%.

“Thanks…” I blinked several more times to get them loose, it burned still like I was in tear gas, but I’d make do while the water works went on. With the visor dropped, the suit had repaired it as Deacon found the bucket, that left us with just one place to go, “… so, further down?”

“As if we have any other place to go.”

“One did slip away, so they’ll know were coming,” then again, how could they not?

Moving down the only road to take, both of us kept our eyes peeled for anything else that might pop out. Plenty of side tunnels and sections had been carved out since the mine was in operation, and who knows how many more since the slavers took over. It wasn’t hard to imagine a random slaver taking a pot shot from anywhere along the line… unless we took them by surprise when we first arrived.

And yet, all… or at least most of the nooks and crannies were vacant. Granted many weren’t larger than three ponies wide, but at the very least I’d expected to find some poor soul standing in the shadows with a butter knife ready to pounce. The most we ended up getting was a few trip wire turrets linked up to shotguns or pistols. That first one caught us by surprise, though afterwards Deacon kept his beak close to the ground disarming them as they went. All the little scraps spent making them found their way in the suits hopper, and I could breathe for a moment while the suit marched on repairing itself.

Upon arriving to the next spacious area, one thing was made clear. This was the heart of their operation. From across the cavern both of us even in the dimmer light could see the slave cages and ponies miserably milling about inside. If Tumble was down here, I might have been able to get a better look, but for now we’d have to make do with what we got.

“Light em up!”

Oh… not good!

More spot lights flashed on directly towards our positions, attempting to blind us. A trick that I’d seen before already. Both myself and Deacon waded through the on coming fire by the fur of our coats, and for what seemed like the first time I came out nearly unscathed. Deacon across most of his side and hind leg looks like it’d been chewed up by a rabid dog.

Clenching his beak as we hunkered behind a boring machine, the gryphon started to fish through his bags. Pulling out bandages, and potions as he applied them liberally to his own wounds… I gotta say, he was rather handy with those medic duties of his. Working on 49% and letting Deacon do his thing, my sprays took to clearing some of their spot lights to give us a better target. With each one that dropped, and every fleck in my eyes that cleared from earlier, I got a better scope of what we were dealing with exactly.

Slavers dotted along the scaffolding, storage huts, and machinery of the mine. Front end loaders, drillers, trailers, and even a few ore sifters it looked like from what I read long ago. Each one seemed more rusted than the last, and nothing seemed to be freshly dug out. No matter their condition though, those heavy, overly engineered hulls left for great protection!

5mm bounced off the edges of a loading bucket that housed one pony, it might have been unable to go through, but it was still enough to keep a head or ten down. Those from above had the clear advantage as they worked the still functioning lights, and with myself torn between the lights to shoot better, and the ones actually shooting. I found myself hunkering down back behind our mound of ore more often than not. Armor or not, you don’t survive a barrage of fire that size for long.

“Well would ya look at that…” I felt a nudge from the gryphon as he waited for me to look, trailing across his barrel, we both took note of the generator off to the side.

They had to be getting power from somewhere after all. With a sly wink, the gryphon popped a few bursts from his gun at the machine, and with a fizzle and pop that resonated throughout the room, the spot lights died off. Leaving only the emergency lighting that kicked in.

How in the hell did that work after all these years?!

Together the two of us dived headlong in to the fray. With a single whoosh, Deacon took to the very low hanging sky and stumbled amongst those up in the scaffolding. Leaving me to work on the ones a little more ground level. My eyes still burned a bit sure, glass had a nasty habit of lingering, but at least with most of the lighting down we were all on the same playing field. ‘Wait a second…’ duh, I didn’t need to be on the same field. With a flip the helmet light turned on and basked the area in front of me.

Would it give away my position, yes. Though I was kinda obvious to begin with. Would it also blind any who tried to look directly at me to shoot, also yes… did that still mean I would get shot… what do you think?

Heavy clanking of a belt feed being loaded was more than an announcement of one’s armaments, the concussive bangs that rang even in my helmet were just a tad over doing it. Their aim might have been based off shoot at the pretty light theory, though the accuracy suffered… regardless, boy was that chipping away at the armor!

Armor integrity: 39%.

The slaving business must have been booming for them to afford weapons like this then! Snapping towards the spray, I sent my own in the form of fuel and went across the two manning their gun. As ammo thirsty as both my guns might be, they at least didn’t need the best accuracy to be effective.

After a sputter or two, the incinerator went dead… well, it was fun while it lasted. That left me the mini, and given how much I’d been using it lately today, a resupply was long overdue. ‘A few hundred rounds left… counting fire rate,’ mentally the numbers started going over in my head, I had either on decent burst to work with, or multiple smaller ones. Either way, ammo saving was the name of the game for now.

Three more opened up on me, one above and two on ground level. With them peppering, I charged at the two in front. The first got out of the way, the second was a bit more stubborn. Ramming the helmet in to his own skull at a full gallop, his body dropped to a heap and the daze of his eyes never saw the stomp of my own hoof to his throat. I could only imagine the colts’ fluids splattering across the plates in the dimness.

There was a very detailed wash in the future of this suit… given how much was caking on it.

The rounds from overhead stopped, just as my attention turned to the next pony that took off… oh it’s you! Slugs from the last area, how wonderful. The colt scampered from beneath the scaffolding, as a number of his cohorts came out from the wood work. These ones I could deal with, and although I might have had misgivings about killing those considered heroes to the Equestria of old, those that sold ponies in to servitude I held no reservations for.

Armored hooves flew in the faces of those that closed in trying for the kill. A mistake that they made time and time again. Granted, close in it was easier to hit some of the weak spots to the suit, joints and such, but that still put you within hooves length of Steel Ranger armor… I don’t know about you, but distance is always better when going against it. A few skulls cracked as I worked my way towards the pony from earlier, passing the ones I dropped to the side of me.

‘Where are you going?’ I wondered as I saw the colt pushing some of his fellows past him and on towards me.

He was heading towards some sort of shed by the cages, and while he tapped away at the terminal. I dealt with the ones he turned towards me. One mare brought back a fire axe with her horn and swung, having an aura holding your weapon up made it all the easier to dodge though in this kind of light. Craning my head back, the edge buried itself in the supports of the structures overhead. Leaving her more than open as she tried to tug it free, as my hind hoof bucked her square in the chest.

Driving her in to the body of the other colt Slugs had sent, the two of them lied on the ground for a moment too long. The mare was down for the count, the colt under her only needed a quick burst to finish him off, leaving me just one more to tend with. Many of the shots from around the area were getting few and far between, and if I wasn’t the one being shot at, Deacon was putting in that work then.

Slugs dropped his hoof on to one button as I approached, and grabbed him by the shoulder. Spinning him about to face me, a quick slug of my own to the jaw seized any and all motor function from his brain as his neck twisted far past what should be considered healthy.

Now that he was down, I had a chance to look towards those in the cage with a bit of a better eye. The light atop my helmet flickered, and steadily it swept across the faces of those inside. Dirt caked most of them, amongst the blood, bruises, cuts, scrapes, and obvious signs of assault that lingered on both the mares… and a few of the colts. ‘The wasteland really didn’t take any prisoners, did it?’ it was a stupid question to ask, given some of what I’d seen so far.

Ponies that ate one another, chemed themselves out of their mind and attacked the first thing that moved, traded their fellow kind for a couple of bullets and maybe a cap or two, would kill for just a piece of tech of the old world, and judging by the blinking collars on their neck the price of freedom could be a severed head by some C4…

Harsh reality of life now, wasn’t it? My head couldn’t help but shake at the thought, it was senseless for sure. Coming up on two centuries after a war, and we’d barely been able to get some sort of nation going in what amounted to small towns that dotted along the area.

Maybe one day we’d be able to come around and get back on our hooves, maybe one day you wouldn’t need a watch to stand guard while you tried to catch some sleep… maybe I’d even live to see that say, who knows?

“Don’t worry, we’re here to get ya’ll out,” I said through the suits’ coms, we were here for one of them in particular, but freeing all them was certainly a bonus… and did bring some sense of justice to the name I’d been given by the DJ.

A drop of something metallic brought my attention to two things. One, the terminal that Slugs was tapping away on was still operational. And two, something inside that shed was making a whole lot of racket. Approaching the terminal, I started to read through the flashing dialog… and I really hoped my eyes were giving me issue from that glass…

But alas, they seemed to have healed, and I was seeing things clear as day.

Command input accepted…

Startup complete…

Initializing Security protocols…

Creaking open, the front of the shed gradually widened and from the inside red beams of light met my own from the helmet. These ones however, already screamed the ill intent they had for our intrusion to the slavers den.

“Striped intruder identified,” I heard the chambers lock on its side, “lethal force, authorized.”

Sentry Mk. III, my visor read to me.

‘Oh… crap,’ was about all my mind processed before the missile pod on its side went off.

The bulk of my frame rocketed across part of the area, landing nimbly like an air dropped tank on to another pony. He might have helped break my fall, as I crushed him under the weight, but armor increase or not, that still fucking hurt! ‘Armor integrity: 25%’ I read off, and fought past the pain being treated by meds.

“Oh, I am so scrapping your ass for parts!” I shouted at the bot, as it wheeled out of the shed completely… you know, I don’t remember them having that many spikes back in the day.

A purr from the opposite side of the launcher started, and that was a sound I was all too familiar with. 5mm scattered around me, some making contact, and many others sending sparks along the various equipment from the area. Saving as much of my skin as I could, the trailer made for a decent piece of cover, giving me time to catch my breath.

The bot had its own sensors, much like an E.F.S. It knew where I was, just as I did it. One it didn’t account for however; was an ally I’d brought. Deacon sent a few bursts in to the crude plating that dotted along its head. That extra protection the slavers gave it might have stopped the 5.56, but it surely got its attention. In a flash the missile went out from its launcher, striking against the overhead of the mine and scattering chunks of rubble across the bot, forcing it to stumble.

“Deacon!” I shouted, looking around the area as I left my cover. To my relief, the rustling of feathers joined by my side.

“Don’t think I’d be done in so easily,” he chuckled, before both of us turned towards the bot shaking off the chunks of rock, “any ideas?”

These bots were used as guards for a reason… their overwhelming firepower was usually enough to deter even the foolhardy. Add the amount of platting the slavers did, and between my dwindling ammo supply, and even an entire satchel of grenades. It’d be a tough fight to run away from alive, let alone win.

More 5mm scatted between us, leaving our tails tucked as we dodged what we could. Whichever one Mason was in those cages, if he was even still in there, there wasn’t time to figure out. the spray of munitions from this bot had to be kept away from those captured at all cost. Otherwise this whole trip would have been for nothing.

Luckily, it saw me as a bigger target… however lucky that might be considered.

Our weapons might not have been enough to bring it down, though the more we bounced back and forth against equipment. The more an idea started to form, if I was going to be a distraction, might as well use it. The drill that had been used originally in the mine looked still somewhat operational, maybe not enough to move its frame, but enough to turn. I looked over the suits systems, it had cleared thirty by now given I hadn’t been shot in a few. Though with my legs still functional, the chance had to be taken.

“See that…” I pointed towards the equipment, as Deacon nodded, “think you can get it started?” yep, that was the stupid look I was expecting.

Though, with only a shrug the gryphon took off, leaving me to do the dirty work. Rolling out from behind the dozer, just as I thought its barrels were still pointed at me… oh joy. Whelp! Time to keep it that way. Both our miniguns spun and started the spray of rounds to match one another, mine going in a burst at a time, and the bots a near constant stream.

Between my own, I made sure to give the suit time to repair a percent at a time. Ducking in and out of cover, enough to keep the damned thing interested, but not enough to give it any- okay a missile throws a wrench in that plan!

The cinderblock wall I’d used blew out from behind me, leaving me spread across the ground of the mine. “Cheater…” I coughed inside the helmet, and that kinda tasted like blood.

Without any comeback it rolled through the rubble, and lowered its barrels towards me… just as the sound of an engine kicked off. An auger the side of a wagon started to spin up on the front of the drill, slowly at first as it kicked off the century plus of rust. Though you had to love that Equestrian over engineering.

Leaping up from my spot, both my hooves planted against the torso of the Sentry. Its barrels might have been long, but that made it better for range fighting. Up close, the only thing it could really do was take jagged swipes at me with its weapons. They might not have been boxer level punches, but my ribs were still gonna be sore tomorrow.

Grunting against the pain, my hind hooves planted firmly against the dirt and started pushing. At first the bot didn’t budge, but with enough umph and testicular fortitude… still nothing. ‘Sorry Deacon,’ I thought before toggling to the chems and shooting a dose of Stampede.

Boy was that ever a difference! No wonder they had ports for these, my eyes were probably pin pricks sure, but my plan was working. The wheels on its frame started to spin with no purchase. Steadily, it waded back against the ground, as I trudged past those slavers that fell and made this mine their tomb. All that was left, was to take out this last trash can.

‘Just a few… more… steps!’ the words repeated in my head, even after every step.

Then it finally paid off.

An auger that size was designed to bore through entire mountain faces in search of the black coal Equestria so desperately needed back during the war… hell it’s what kicked off the war in the first place. Against rock it was like cutting a cake, against a robot… have you ever taken a power drill to a stick of butter?

No?

Well, allow me to demonstrate… metal chewed away at metal, breaking off and bending all those neat spikes and plates the slavers had added to the bot to turn it in to their own. Once through that, the boring machine went to work on the inner shell. The matrixes and talismans on the inside were resilient, for the most part. This would be considered an exception.

Grinding against its frame, the wining of the servos inside cried out almost like it was in pain. Even while it swung at me still, the bot lost a lot of its strength with every second it spent against the drill. A pop rang out from its back, and sparks shot past my face, leaving the whole frame to slump down against me.

Stepping away, I let the whole frame fall, showing half its torso still sparking from the damage as bits of it hung from the mouth of the auger. It didn’t move, the lights in its head went off, and even still I stared at it waiting to come back for another go… but it never came.

“Effective, that’s for sure,” Deacon said as he fluttered from the cab of the auger and down to the bot, looking over the damage it’d done.

“Running low on ammo, had to improvise somehow,” my shoulders shrugged, and… I tripped. My knee hit the ground, and almost at that instant Deacon was there, “and take something to make it work.”

He already knew what I was talking about, and the gryphon just shook his head, “pop the panel,” he said, and I didn’t question it.

Just like that a needle was shoved in to the port, and across my entire frame I could feel half my system want to go at a mile a minute, while the other half urged me to take a nap damn near. “What was that?” I groaned from the ground, as a happy medium was being negotiated between the two sides of that spectrum.

“Benzodiazepine,” Benzo-diaz-what-the-fuck? He saw my bewilderment through the visor, “Gunners use chems too, and they’re well stocked to treat for it… this should help with your heart rate, get it under control.”

Yeah, combat drugs might be a tad addictive. Though if anything I’d have my chest cavity blowout before I got to that point. I turned back to those cages, and trying once again not to think of that, my hoof managed to point them out, “They got some kind of collars on them from what I’d seen, explosive I’d imagine.”

That didn’t even seem to faze the gryphon, and he pushed my condition to the side, “That’s usually how they deter riots… though there’s always some boss with the key.”

Boss? Hmm… “Try looking over the colt by the shed the bot came from, closest to the terminal,” I swear he could see the lightbulb that went off over my head, “he’s the one who activated the sentinel.”

All he did was nod, and beat his wings over to the corpse in question. “Twenty-seven rounds…” the display told me, that’s how close I’d came to running dry. Not a nice feeling to have for sure.

Checking over the bot, the missile launcher I might not have any use for at the time, but those 5mm it was packing would be more than welcome for my collection. They were meant for guarding, and who knows how long they’d have to keep shooting before back up would arrive. So, after popping the hatch to its gun, that rewarded me with at least enough to make up for what I’d spent down here.

Still, it’d be nice to get some fuel.

Minigun was loaded enough for comfort, parts from the bot were thrown in to my hopper, and the suit was starting its repair… I was a happy camper! Besides the thundering in my chest. With some pep I trotted over towards the cages, and watched as Deacon brought what I’d imagine was the command key to each of those inside. Now that bullets weren’t flying, I had a chance to actually take in more of those that were captured. Looked to be nearly two dozen, and while I’d heard the mutters of thanks going to Deacon. There was a different story for me.

Some looked over the suit and myself with distain, wondering probably if I was going to bring the guns on them when they turned their back. Even after saving them, all of them having a front row seat to it, a few still thought the worst of this armor and what it represented… and yet, by the looks of it though, one or two still managed to smile past the pain on their face at me.

I may be shot up, bruised, and had been lit on fire twice in the same day… but I managed to bring a smile to some in this world. If that wasn’t worth it, I don’t know what is.

“So what? Is he gonna shoot us now?” a colt pipped up, he didn’t even look a day over ten… though from the scars he wore, it looked like a life time of pain had already been inflicted on him.

A small cough kicked up from my throat as I cleared it, the gryphon however, beat me to the punch, “Take it easy now tike, he ain’t like the other rangers…” some of those he freed looked between the two of us. “He’s that Rogue Ranger you might have heard about, one of the good guys.”

I don’t know how much radio they’d be getting from down here, but even that simple comment put a few of them at ease. A click later and the last collar fell from the ponies’ neck, none of them had left since they were released. Probably wanted to scavenge a bit, princesses knows I would, but I had other things to attend to.

“While you’re all here however,” each of their heads turned towards me. “I’m looking for somepony, heard one who might have information was taken here… is there a Mason Jack in this group?”

It took a moment or two, but soon enough a single pony started to make their way forward, “… That’d be me,” the scruffy colt scratched at where the collar had been, “Though if its all the same to you, may we leave first?”

Now we were getting somewhere, and with no objection from Deacon, the three of us made our way back towards the entrance of the mine. Those slaves would have a whole area to loot now, and with all the traps taken care of, there shouldn’t be much for them to worry… hopefully they’d be able to get back to where they came from.

The route out was far shorter than going in, probably something to do with not being shot at. Though as we broke in to the light, from around the entrance of the mine I noticed number of bodies that had not been there when we first went in. Some looked like they’d fallen from the surface, yet chunks missing from them told me they’d been shot.

Another body fell against the ground, pancaking across the stone.

Each of us looked up, expecting to see more, but when none came, we continued up the slopes. At ground level now even more bodies littered around the area, some slumping out of windows, and others out in the open. Somepony had been busy…

“Ya’ll made it,” Tumble pipped up from the top of one of the slavers towers, before quickly getting to the ladder and sliding down.

“And you look like you’ve been having fun,” Deacon remarked as he took in the count.

“Well after you guys went in, I moved up, a few slavers came and tried to make their way down,” the mare looked over those same bodies, “again, tried…”

I’ll say… and after a snicker from inside my helmet, all four of us walked out of the fortifications that were set up, already pointing in the direction of Pasture Falls. After being down in a mine and having a bomb collar strapped on, I could more than understand Masons’ desire to get back home. For a pony who hadn’t seen the sun in a bit, he sure had a pep in his step. It didn’t take long after we’d left, and the mine was fading in the distance, before the appreciations had started pouring out.

“Seriously, thank you for getting me out of there,” he said… for the fifth time.

“It’s no problem at all,” I waved off to him, and kept my eye out on the road, “Though… I was hoping to ask you a few questions.”

“Ah yes! You said you were looking for somepony?” he perked up to my side, as both Deacon and Tumble trailed just behind us, “I mean I’d traded with a number of them over the years, so it might be a bit fuzzy… but I’ll try.”

“This pony should be a bit more… unique,” it didn’t take long to describe Winter. From how she looked, acted from back then, and given the difference in time… that she should be in her forties now.

Just like a switch, I saw the light go off in his head, “Oh her!” that sounded exciting, “I remember her for sure, nice mare… far more polite than any I’m used to.”

“You’re serious?!” none of them could tell, but my eyes were about swelling past the breaking point of the helmet, “you remember her? Winter Blossom? White coat, violet eyes, mint mane and all?”

A bit vigorously, he nodded to me. Even Tumble and Deacon looked surprised that he’d remembered her from all the ponies in the country to exist, each of them snapped their head to one another before going back to him.

“Well I’ll be damned…” Deacon looked like he could have slapped his knee with that statement alone.

“She said she’d come from some sort of cryo stable… went on ice just after the bombs,” oh that was more than promising! “I didn’t believe it at first, I mean who would? But with you here looking for her, there’s no doubt.”

“How long ago was this?” that was the important question, and I ignored the ‘I told you so’ Tumble gave our resident Gryphon about my history.

Mason looked up to the bleak sky, hopefully doing the math, “I’d say… a few months?... yeah, a few months ago, she came through town.”

A few months… that was a whole lot better than twenty-five years! If she’d managed to survive all this time, then what were her odds of doing so for the months since she was last seen? That gave me more hope than I had when I first even heard of other stable ponies trading. I could have straight up flown over Lunas moon at this point!

“How do you know her?” Mason asked me as we walked, “I mean I’d imagine you knew her from before during the war… was she family?”

That I’d heard before, especially when I’d go in to work and chat with some of the other coworkers. They always thought she was family at first, and no matter what the facts were, seeing her as such brought a smile to my face.

“In a way…” I beamed from behind the visor.

“Daughter?” he prodded a bit more.

That however earned a much-needed shake from my head, I was far too young to have a kid of my own back then! “Oh, absolutely not!” my hooves nearly left the ground at the thought, even after almost two centuries, I ain’t that old, “… she was more like, a little sister.”

Footnote: Level up.

Perk: “Heavy Gunner- Lv. 2”- Additional training at the bit has done well by you. Heavy weapons damage increased by 25%.

Note: This stacks with ‘Heavy Gunner Lv. 1.’

Chapter twelve: Crosshairs

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Chapter twelve: Crosshairs

Decorations were hung, the sound of bells in the distance could still be heard, and even given the warmer weather we’d gotten the last month. Hearts Warming Eve still managed to gift us some snow. Yet, as I walked across that nearly vacant street. You could still feel the eeriness in the air. There was a war going on after all, and while many of the houses along my path had put out a few decorations. Those ponies I saw on the sidewalk held that unease of the world.

I was just happy to be spending the evening in some place that at least felt normal.

With a gentle hoof, I knocked on the door before letting myself in, “Anypony home?” I asked already knowing the answer.

It didn’t take long for the pitter patter of hooves to meet me, as the new newly ten-year-old damn near galloped down those stairs and lunged at me. “Happy Hearts Warming Eve Wild,” Winter beamed up from me as her hooves draped around my shoulders.

“And to you as well, Winny,” I returned the gesture, always glad to see that sideward sneer she gave me from the name. What? Saying Winter all the time got old. Soon enough, the maiden of the house joined.

“Well, you’re just in time,” Lilac gave me the same greeting, fighting past some of those bags under her eyes.

I’d come to know that was her usual face, after getting to know them over time. With a whisk of my horn the packages on my back were brought out and one placed in the living room. The holiday had a dear history lesson behind it, and a story that always seemed to bring ponies closer together. Something that was severely needed during this time, if only I could see how we’d be treating one another in the future… for now though, we had gifts to look forward to.

“Baking was never my skill, I’ll be honest with you,” the second package opened up to show the apple pie. It may have been made yesterday, but that smell of cinnamon was potent, “I hope it’ll do.”

Lilac though waved it off, as she walked the pair of us to the kitchen that joined her dining table, “I’d said it before and I’ll say it again, you don’t have to worry about always bringing food over you know…”

“And you know I’ll never listen.”

By that declaration, my treat joined the mass of food on the table. Everything from casseroles, to scones and tarts, to fresh banana bread and veggie stew. One thing was for sure, I never left this place still hungry… if I could leave at all.

Taking my usual spot at the table, Winter joined right across from me, while the head was left for the head mare herself. Lilac was more of a wiz in the kitchen than I could hope, and with me being as punctual as she when it came to cooking times and meal prepping, before the napkin even went over my lap. Her mitted wing placed the centerpiece, freshly baked stuffed pumpkin with a myriad of herbs one couldn’t comprehend.

These were the days I missed even before the bombs, and ones that I didn’t get to experience all that often. “Well now don’t let me stop you,” she dropped the mitts off on the counter, “Dig in.”

Don’t have to tell me twice!

It didn’t take long for food, and plates to start being passed around like the bottles on a ship. Both myself and Winter might have gained ten pounds alone this night looking back, but it was a night well spent.

“Anything new with work?” Lilac asked while she sipped on her wine glass.

Silently wishing I let the pumpkin cool a bit more before swallowing, the bit that missed my mouth was brushed off. “Oh the usual… deadlines needing to be met, new projects taking the place of old, and more testing than a college,” that seemed to make up more of my life now.

With this war going on, there was always somepony who had an idea or piece of tech to try and help win it. Whether it made past the drawing board happened with a few, but many were scrapped before the drawings were ever even done. No matter, they still had to be tried before they were deemed a failure. Something about Megaspells had been mentioned recently, but those were something that just didn’t seem like dinner conversation… maybe the name, right?

“You’re doing the princesses work,” she took a bite of her creation, smartly cooling it a bit with her breath, “I just wish this would be over with… it’d be nice to do this sort of thing more often.”

True, rationing in some places of the nation had been in effect, coming and going as the need was seen fit. Though, for a holiday like this one, Luna knew she had to keep her nations moral high if the support was to stick. Considering most things were tight, the three of us decided just to do a simple gift exchange, drawing a name each.

“How is it going with your school?” I mused to the filly, watching as she nearly dropped the scone, “or are they still having limits put on the schedule.”

“My schools doing fine… open more than I’d hoped,” there’s the iconic eye roll, “though I did get an B Plus on my history test!”

Both myself and the older mare shined at hearing that. Winter might have not been the most… model student, when I first met her, and granted had a few issues here and there. Being a very verbal student would do that sort of thing. For the most part however, if herself from a few years ago met the present day one, they wouldn’t have believed the change. At the time I couldn’t have known what brought it about, then again, I wouldn’t have to wait long.

Dinner for the most part went on like any feast. Eating, sharing stories of the past, more eating, laughing and carrying on… oh! Did I mention eating? With our plates, and the table for that matter, cleared quite well. I helped clean up a bit around the kitchen, knowing full well Lilac and Winter would be having leftovers for at least the next week.

“Can we do it yet?” Winter almost bounced up off the chair.

“In a moment, dearie,” Lilac answered while putting a few plates in the drying rack.

“Same as last year?” I asked with a raised brow, to which I was greeted with a steady nod. Then the wave of a hoof to shoo me off.

Taking that que, both myself and Winter went in to the living room where the few presents remained wrapped… for now, as the mare joined us soon afterwards. Taking her seat in the antique lounge chair, Lilac used her wing to bring the wine glass up. Though before she even got the chance to take a sip, there was a box on her lap.

“We can do yours first,” the filly hopped up on the opposite end of the couch from me.

Lilac however, just shook her head and smiled, putting her glass down, “Oh I suppose we can then…”

With a careful hoof, she peeled back the wrapping. Doing her best to keep it in one piece, likely to use on a later date, and after a few sections of tape. There in her lap sat a bird house. Freshly painted with flowers and little bees along its sides. Even a few smaller spots on the side for seed, and the holes already made to hang it up when spring decided to roll around. It might have not been the most extravagant gift one could give, but for the mare…

It meant the world.

“Do you like it?” Winter asked, and even over the joy in her eyes, I still saw her wanting to bite her lip.

“… I love it,” Lilac held the creation to her chest, cradling it against her heart, “now I know what you spent so much time over there for,” she chuckled for a moment before turning a sly eye towards me.

“Well she did say she had something special in mind for you,” I turned my head away, trying to hide my own snicker, “Just like I had for her.”

Floating the package, I brought for Winter, she held its hefty weight up on her legs and tried to fenagle amongst her smaller limbs. Finally finding purchase on one of the edges, her hooves tore into it with far less grace than her guardian. It didn’t take long for the red metal chest to sit neatly beside her on the couch as she hoisted it off.

With a pop of the latches, Winter brought out what a young tinkerer needed in their life… tools to call their own. From pilers, to tin snips, combination wrenches, and even a brand-new ratchet and socket set. After every tool that passed through her hooves, a small squeal of delight nearly erupted from her muzzle, and she too held the chest close to her.

“Now I don’t have to always use yours,” she giggled, fiddling with the ratchet and listening to its steady click of the inner teeth.

“Though you’re still more than welcome to,” I nodded towards her, before feeling a wing brush up against my shoulder.

As I turned, a small box held soon was passed off to me, and Lilac returned to her comfort, “it may not be as flashy as what you got her… but you more than deserve it.”

A curious comment… ‘hmm,’ I wondered, holding it to my ear and giving it a quick rattle, ‘no small parts.’ With that and a tug, a clean line was torn down its side.

Held aloft by my aura, resided a coffee mug.

Purple in color along all sides, beside the emblem on the bottom anyone in Equestria would recognize as the mare from the Ministry of Arcane Sciences’ cutie mark. Though what stuck out was the abbreviation on the side of it.

‘B.B.B.F.F….?’ my head turned to Lilac, and almost with that grandmotherly smile she just nodded.

“Don’t worry, I’ll explain later…”

Okay… whatever that meant. With that sitting on the back burning, and carols playing across the radio. Winter continued to fiddle around with her tools, asking here and there about what other projects we could get in to in the future. Apart from that, myself and Lilac chatted with one another, letting the filly have a night of peace with new play things.

Eating that much however would take its toll eventually.

Sure enough, after an hour or two, Winter laid on her end of the couch. Tool box curled up to her chest as she lightly snored into its cover. Both of us that were still up had broken open another bottle of wine for the occasion. Another year done, and alas… who knew how many more of this conflict.

“It’s senseless, truly,” Lilac said as she poured me another glass with her wing, before topping her own off, “All this fighting over some black rocks in the ground…”

“Rocks that just happened to be what fuels this country,” it was a sad fact, but a fact none the less.

Zebras had coal, Equestria needed coal. Zebras needed gems, Equestria had gems. There was trade between the two, then that trade turned in to a monopoly trying to choke the other into submission… and that turned to war. A quick synopsis of this day in age if there ever was one. A war that had carried on years now.

“At least there’s some light to shine these days,” Lilac mused to me, almost begging for me to take the bait. Thankfully, seeing my confusion, she cast me a line, “I saw that mug at one of the gift shops of the M.A.S… you know, when they actually had those.”

“That might have been an idea from the Ministry of Image, boost morale and what not,” hell Luna probably had a hoof in that as well.

“B.B.B.F.F. was something Ministry Mare Twilight had regarding her family, brother actually… Big Brother Best Friend Forever,” if she was hoping that’d explain at all, it really didn’t. Then again, watching her eyes trail over to the slumbering filly kinda filled in that blank, “Winny, never got along well in school… as you more than know from how you met. Constantly in trouble, slipping in grades, and sticking with that group of colts.”

Ahh yes, the ball players… hadn’t had a window break in quite a while come to think of it. Now knowing my luck, one would happen tomorrow, “Oh I remember those days well… it’d only been a few years now.”

“And then you came around…” she beamed to me, “taught her when she was curious, gave her something to put her hooves to good use… instead of picking a fight.”

So that’s what it was… working with her hooves gave her the little release she needed at the end of the day from school and peers. Something to blow off some steam, smartly at least, “We all need some kind of outlet you could say…”

“And you became more than that,” silencing herself after seeing Winter roll over on the couch, she waited for the filly to crash back in the cushions, “you aren’t much older than her, only by a decade, far less than me…” that kind of chuckle could only be made by a grandmother regarding their age, they knew they were old, but only they could joke about it. “Winter and I never clicked… but with you around, she’s been just wonderful since then.”

I certainly had heard less complaints from Lilac regarding the calls she’d get about the filly, “So… I’m a big brother?”

“A Big Brother Best Friend Forever, and one she couldn’t be happier with.”

That right there, that brought a smile to my face. I had grown up as an only child, and while I had classmates at friends, they just weren’t the same as those by blood. Even if this one wasn’t in that same regard, many I worked with now thought the same as Lilac… now I had a mug to prove it. With a different look to it now, I held the mug close and looked over the work of art.

Mass produced to make a quick bit? Sure. Probably would shatter in a million pieces the first time it fell? Absolutely. Never the less, it was a work of art to me now, and one I’d have to be a little more careful with than some of my mugs. “It feels good to have a little sister, even if she does hate her nickname,” both of us grinned for a moment, “even better to be a part of a family again…”

---

“Again?” Tumble pipped up as we walked along the burned-out roads that were a far cry from the streets in that memory, “What do you mean by that?”

Oh right! Haven’t done an entire history lesson on myself yet, or at least partial history, “parents got divorced when I was younger, when my mom passed, and my dad didn’t want me, her brother took me in,” Ahh Uncle Ale… wonder what he’d make of this world? Probably just wonder if he could find a good tavern, “needless to say we weren’t very close… about the only thing we enjoyed with one another was strategy war games.”

“Take it you didn’t stick around long when you got a bit older?” Deacon asked from over his shoulder, to which I just answered with a nod, “The hell is Hearts Warming Eve though?”

“Celebrates the founding of Equestria, brings ponies together and what not… gifts, food, friends…” you know, all the things this world seems to have run out of. At least, in some respects.

A sniffle however, managed to grab the attention of all three of us, as we turned to see Mason using a handkerchief to dry his eye, “I swear, just dust in my eye,” yeah… we’ll go with that, “that was a sweet memory… though I have to put a damper on the mood…”

Oh, what could it be this time?

“Let me guess, you don’t know Winter at all and just bluffed to try and get an escort home?” steadily I could already see Tumble unlatching her side arm.

Quickly though, a hoof held up from the colt, “No nothing like that! I do remember her, and she was in town for a bit… I just don’t know where she went afterwards, at least not exactly,” well that’s a damper if I ever heard one, “She traded some goods, helped fix a thing or two around the farm for caps, then headed out… mentioned a town to the north, don’t know the exact location, but got a general area she talked about. Someone closer might know more?”

Okay so lessen that damper to a speedbump, it was a vague answer like a student trying to BS their way through a question from the teacher. Though in a world like this, and with the luck of even finding one who claims to have met her, it was better than nothing at all.

“That I can make due with, gotten this far,” I looked back at Tumble, as she latched her holster and nodded at me, “Might as well keep going.”

***

The sun that poked through that overcast kept getting dimmer and dimmer, though with pep in our step we still managed to trek on in to the dusk. Making as much head way towards Pasture Falls as we could, now that we had someone to deliver. So for now, we were just left with more walking… though that boredom got the best of me, and brought the my mind back to the words of one just the other day.

‘Tune in to DJ-Pon3 sometime, you’ll get what I mean soon enough…’ well Watcher, let’s see if you’re right. After a few clicks, I got the wonderous sound of… An electric guitar?

Sure enough, the hard rhythm and rapid drums filled not only my helmet but the speakers on the suit so the others could hear. Maybe I’d have to consider looking at the volume first before tuning in next time…

“That right there was from the new record I’d pulled from a trader that passed through, one of those rock bands the gryphons were fond of before to war… I bit too hard for my liking, but hey if you’re in a shooting mood, that’d be the music to do it to,” the DJ popped in as the song came to an end. Yeah, I’ll consider that on a later date, while my ears were functioning at least, “Speaking of a shooting mood…”

Oh, here we go…

“You guessed it, that Rogue Rangers been at it again, this time they’d been doing a bit of reading it seems… and the Cozy Corner Public Library is once again open to the public,” hmm I don’t remember ever visiting that one before the bombs, “with the halls and shelves clear of Gunners, its open for any pony or critter looking to scavenge, or perhaps just travel a bit more comfortably knowing they weren’t gonna get shot at for trespassing.”

Both Deacon and Tumble looked at me smirking, while Mason looked to the three of us back and forth. “Wait, you did that?” he asked, as the gryphon among us took the reins.

“Admittedly, Rogue Ranger has more of a catchy name than myself or her,” he gestured to the mare.

“Hmm Tumble the Tumbleweed, and Deacon the Doctor?” she offered.

While the nickname might have come in handy at times lately since it being bestowed upon me. The mares’ suggestions only garnished a hearty chuckle from myself, Deacon, and even Mason. Something that was quickly quelled as our local radio host cut us off with more chatter…

“That said… it’s also gotten the attention of certain others in the wastes,” This can’t be good, I couldn’t even see our hosts face and already pictured the grim expression plastering it, “Lock, Stock, and Barrel are rather pissed at their hoof hold being lost, and judging from the chatter about the wastes, they’re looking for some payback.”

Lock, Stock, and Barrel… I’d bet my current caps count they’re related.

“Mister Rogue, if you’re hearing this one… keep up the good fight, but please do so with your ears up and head on a swivel,” that sounded like an almost plead, “we could still use you around here… that’s it for now folks, DJ-Pon3 signing off!”

Just like that the radio went back to some music I was a bit more familiar with from back during the war. Far softer than what I tuned in to. Still, a warning like that raised some questions, these one however I could probably get answered much sooner rather than later.

My visor turned to the trio amongst me, and past the tempered glass the two who had been with me longer picked up on it in a few moments. “Our friendly neighborhood Gunner Brigadiers, Lock, Stock, and Barrel,” Deacon announced, almost with a sense of admiration in his voice for the three, “Siblings actually.”

“I figured that much…” behind my plates of steel and ceramic I cheered for getting that much right, “can I get a better explaination though than having a family feud?”

“Barrels the youngest mare of em,” Mason popped in as we walked in to the night, “usually likes to keep a distance between herself and a target, moves fast, and hits hard… has her personal AMR, and rumored to make her own rounds to boot, with deadly effect,” pure solemnness, that voice change was from the position of experience, “She’s taken jobs on the higher end of the cap scale, even going so far as to kill a few regular Rangers that were in town… taking the shots from out past the boarder.”

So, she was a crack shot with a rifle that was designed to decimate armor… how lovely.

“Then you got Stock, the middle colt,” Deacon followed up with, “prefers things that go boom, carries enough explosives to sink a battleship, and has somehow managed to get mortars under his hooves as well,” he rattled off from the top of his head as it it’d been sitting there stewing.

Tumble tilted her head to him, as I did the same, “Work with him before?” she asked.

“Nope, but in my line of work, you get to know a pony or two… and what they like.”

And now we had a brother who sounded armed with all manners of tin can destroying implements…

From there I heard the sigh as Tumble took a deep breath, “Lastly there’s the oldest sister, Lock…” you could nearly hear the groan in her voice, “She’s actually not all that different from you… besides being a murderous bitch.”

Whelp, then what were the similarities?!

“Has her own suit of power armor, heavy weapons, even has a third gun on her shoulder for smaller targets…”

“Not possible,” I shot her down for a moment, trying to piece through the various blueprints I’d seen over the years, “the suits weren’t designed to hold more than two weapons, at least from what I worked on.”

“Well believe it or not, when you throw a pony in a wasteland, they can get pretty crafty,” fairly recent memories of a rocket propelled sledgehammer started to fill my mind, okay I’d have to give her that one, “no one’s certain where she got it from, or if it was thrown together from whatever she could get her hooves on… one things for sure, she’s gotten good with it over the years.”

Icing on the cake! Another in power armor who had far more experience than myself.

So… a pony who for the most part, until recently, only worked with suits and weapons for testing. Up against a band of trained, skilled, and ruthless killers each with their own perks and tricks. Not to mention the literal army they had under their belt, or the weapons at their own disposal, or the probability of being hit with artillery from a distance, or shot with a tricked-out AMR, or…

‘You know what, I get it already,’ I shut myself up and just walked, shaking my head at what’d I gotten myself in to, “It’s not like I try and pick a fight with em… they just happen to shoot first, and get in the way.”

Between the Rangers, and now this band of misfits… I was making friends all over; Watcher would be so proud.

“May not start the fight, but you finish it at least,” Mason interjected in to my mental monologue, “You’ve seen how it can be out here, even removing one group, or getting in the sights of one, helps out everyone not involved.”

I guess that’s true, being a walking talking distraction would keep their eyes off many others out here in this place. ‘Could they track me somehow? What kind of offence should I expect? Do they know what the suit looks like, or just the company I keep?’ all these questions, courtesy of an overthinking mind. Yet, when one starts to let their mind wander like that, it tends to drain the life out of ya rather quickly.

From my yawn, even in the helmet, it passed on to the others. Each of them taking a turn trying to let the events of the day pass over them. It wasn’t long after that we decided to make camp, having covered a greater distance with our return then when we ventured out. Deacon took his rifle and propped himself against the open end of the sky wagon trailer we’d turned in to a camper for the night, at least in here there was only one place the Gunners would have to shoot at us from…

Unless they used explosives and just blew-

‘I said stop…’ once again, half of my mind scorned its counterpart, before managing to close my eyes. Keeping wary the company I’d invited to play hide and seek.

***

“Pa!” the colt from the farm exclaimed as he nearly went through the door upon our approach.

For as small as his limbs looked, they sure let him move fast. Covering nearly what looked like the length of three ponies in one jump, his hooves wrapped around Mason as the father did the same to his kin. Patch Work held her own place at the door, and just as before, there seemed to be a bit of dirt in her eye.

“Touching ain’t it,” I looked to my companions and watched Tumble smile, while Deacon rolled his eyes. This was probably something he’d done often enough to warrant that.

“Welcome back dear,” Patch kissed Mason when he finally managed to get to the door.

Us three following not too far behind, as we all piled into the small shack. There out on the table rested a few bags that I don’t recall seeing from the last time we were here. While the father put his son down, he quickly found himself turning back to us.

“Thank these fellers, and miss,” he nodded to our resident mare.

“Oh, I plan to…” the mare of the shack went to those sacks and brought them over to us three, “it’s not much, some salted meat, and about a hundred caps each… but what you’ve brought back was more than worth it to us.” Food and money? Yep, I could call that adequate payment, but the info he gave was worth far more to me.

Mason on the other hoof, trotted off and started rummaging through what looked like a busted-up cabinet, and before long a section of parchment that looked nearly ready to crumble to dust was carefully laid across the table. That drawing I’d recognize anywhere… as should most of those in this country.

The magical land of Equestria… or at least it used to be.

With a hoof, he traced along the terrain and went just to the edge of a mountain peak, “Around here,” he gestured in a circle, “Winter had said it was nearby this range… should get you in the right direction.”

‘Oh, more than you know,’ I about bounced in the suit, though that might have collapsed their whole building.

“Thank you again, for bringing him back,” Patch said to us, as her little family huddled together once more. Glad to have their patriarch back with them.

After a simple enough You’re welcome, getting a town called Barkston near that area to look for, the three of us headed out of the home. Leaving them to catch up, and the wife to look after whatever wounds he might have gotten down in the mine. Now that that’s out of the way, there was one more thing to take care of. Fishing out the small purse of caps Patch had given us from my bag, it sorted out what I owed, and tossed it over to our guide.

Snapping his talon out, Deacon caught it and looked at the pair of us, “Like promised, half at the start, and half at the end…”

“And just like promised, I didn’t shoot ya in the back,” he tipped his beak towards us with a snicker, before looking over the bag a little more. Something was going through his head, and what it wasn’t I might have been able to guess.

“It’s all in there, though feel free to count it if you’d like,” last I checked I can manage that much at least, and it would be fair to assume he was trying to judge how many were in there. Although I never said it’d be a good guess.

When his eyes met my visor, the bag was tossed back to me. In a quick aura I caught it, and looked back between him and his payment confused. All the gryphon did was shrug at me, checked his rifle, slung it across his shoulder, and pulled his own bag of supplies in to a more comfortable position.

“You know… I wasn’t lying when I said that was the most fun, I’d had in a while,” for a moment he turned towards the town, the guy must have been here for a while to look at it with that kind of longing. Yet, he turned back to us, “what ya say I stick around ya’ll for a bit? Switch things up a little,” without missing a beat he went from myself and caught Tumbles’ skeptical look, meeting hers with a grin of his own, “Free of charge, of course.”

Could I really say no to another gun?

“Whelp on that note,” he might have been able to fly, but wings didn’t help if an armored hoof was already wrapped around his shoulders, “welcome to the team!” I exclaimed, as Deacon tried to breath, and Tumble started to snicker.

So, we had a new destination… or at least area, an addition to the group, and food for the road ahead. One thing was sorely needed though, while the other two might have been able to get by with just 5.56, 2mm, and the occasional .44. My guns were the ones that were ammo hungry, and after cleaning this place out before we left of all the fuel and 5mm. I doubted they had time to stock up since then.

Upon that conundrum, our newest member mentioned a hospital along the way. Maybe there we could get some extra 5mm, fuel if I was lucky, or at the very least some goods to trade with. Plus, it’s a hospital, so Deacon should more than be able to stock up on the chems he used on me down in the mines. I mean what hospital, even in this place, wouldn’t have something good in it…?

***

Or… we could find an entire hornet’s nest worth of raiders…

Seriously, they had to have been fucking like rabbits to keep these numbers up across the wastes! Most of the hospital’s floors had been burned out and charred, something gave way however long ago, leaving many of the floors now exposed to one another in the center. Only being connected by the crude scaffolding and plywood the raiders threw together.

Their engineering didn’t give me the best hopes, but it was either stay in one spot and get shot, or keep moving around!

Short bursts from my mini accompanied any punches that I threw, if only to keep those that got a bit too close for comfort at a distance while the 5mm put in its work and dropped them. There didn’t seem to be much more than a few pieces of crummy metal armor to make up their protection, and as for arms, everything from pipe wrenches, to the occasional combat rifle were in style this year…

Plus chems, lots of chems.

One stallion socked the side of the suit with a power hoof, charged up by the talisman, it sent a shockwave through my side. Not enough to short the suit out, but more than enough to make my hair stand on end. A quick jab from my elbow to his gut sent him on his knees, but only for a moment. Deacon really needed to give his speech about exploding hearts to this lot.

Our hooves locked with one another, wrestling to the ground. So long as he couldn’t charge and punch, I’d be fine. Then again, from this angle I had issue shooting too. A burst later, and he slumped off to the side of me, and nearly through the hole in his head I could swear I’d seen Deacon smirking.

Rolling back to my legs, I saw the next one coming, and something a bit juicer behind him. With the unicorns’ switchblade levitated out ahead, the edge bounced off the side of the plating like a bowling ball to a pin, and left the colt still in my path. Needless to say, his surprised face didn’t last long past a few punches to it. Another body slumped to the ground, as I was rewarded.

Just past where the colt had appeared, was an ammo container. Were you locked…? Nope! The latched clicked open to give me a present, that was a fuel tank inside. Immediately I screwed the new one in to the side port, and watched my tank go up a smidge. Eh… better than nothing. It gave me enough to get the pilot flame going again, and some fumes in the tank.

No 5mm though, and that was still on its last leg. One of the smallest bullets in the country, yet somehow seemingly the hardest to find in bulk. Unless you paid a boat load of caps, and that would have kinda defeated the purpose of scavenging if you blew it all in one place. Hooves were effective though, especially armored ones.

Two more dropped down from a floor above. The first one broke out a very orange IF-80 20-gauge, or was that rust? Slam-firing about five shells before it jammed, 20-gauge or not a few of those pellets still scattered against the visor and earned me some broken glass. Immediately my eyes shut, avoiding the issue I’d run in to during the mine, and leaving me blind. That however, left me open to the other that joined.

IF-72, standard issue for the first real soldiers that ever were expected to fight Zebras in combat, hefty .45 caliber did pack a punch, but always suffered from low rate of fire and high recoil. Though a large kick didn’t matter at this distance. Dotting along from my leg on up across my chest and neck, they still managed to reverberate through the plates, almost making me go as deaf as the music the DJ last played from the metal striking metal.

Shaking my head to get some bearings, a quick spray of my own from the mini shot Tac 72 to the ground. Just as he dropped, 20-gauge managed to clear his jam as he moved away from me, and promptly was latched on to by a pair of talons as punishment for getting a tad too close to the edge. With some heave, Deacon pulled the pony off the side and let him drop, allowing gravity to save him some ammo, and he got back in the swing of things.

The gryphon was fairing better in this place, able to flutter between floors at will left those raiders that choose close combat at a loss while he peppered them from above. Any that got a bead on him or I were swiftly met with 2mm EC.

Okay, so mostly any that got a bead on him.

Somepony seemed to be covering the gryphon more than myself. On the other hoof, while I might have liked the extra cover. He was far more exposed, and Tumble was doing quite well covering his flank. A beating of this sort I could take, and just what the armor was designed for. I say just as a hammer landed square across my hind legs. Again, staying still too much!

Tripping me up, the mare that swung it brought the spiked end down for a puncture, before she could one side of me rolled. Watching as the end buried itself in the floor, a buck to her chest nearly caved it in with one go, sending her sliding across the room and even getting some air time.

“Come on, we ain’t done yet,” Deacon landed as he held a talon out to help me to my hooves.

“I never said I was either,” moving once again, the two of us trailed along the sides of the crater that had been formed here in building.

Scratch that previous statement, it didn’t give way… something crashed. Judging by the wreckage at the bottom it looked like a Vertibuck, and when it collided, it did so hard. Getting a better look, I seemed it left a crater in the center of the main area, and carried itself all the way down to the basement.

The central shaft made by the vehicle is what joined all these floors out in the open, and gave both ourselves and the raiders a clear view of one another from across its gap. Tumble seemed to be enjoying herself, perched just out of reach from above, courtesy of Deacon giving her a lift when we first came in. That gave me and the gryphon the task of going floor to floor.

Did I mention not trusting these guys engineering skill?

Whether they’d been tampered with, or just poor construction, stepping on this set of scaffolding sent it wobbling under our limbs. Deacon fluttered just off the edge to try and take some weight of it off, though this thing wasn’t made for armor frames it seemed.

With gravity still working, I shot down like the can I was. ‘Stick the landing, stick the landing!’ I shouted to myself, managing to just get my hooves under me before the ground got too close.

Part of the vertibuck gave way from under my hooves, dropping its wing and crashing the both of us in to the ground. Cleanest landing in history it was far from, but in any case, I was still breathing. From down here I could hear the few shots coming from Deacon and Tumble overhead as they took care of other raiders off along the sides.

“That’s… odd?” I muttered while taking a look around.

For a hospital, there seemed to be a set of bleachers along the sides of this pit. Not something you see very day in a medical building, and I hadn’t noticed it until getting lower. Then again, the next oddity would be the bones scattered about. That wasn’t all that odd from the normal wastes, but those bones considered commonplace were dry and aged…

These were fresh…

Plus, these chains along the ground, what could they contain… ‘Oh fuck! That’s moving!’ I shouted to myself, watching as the same metal links went past my legs and in to the shadows.

Along the side of the crater, from the darkness I saw a muzzle at first.

Its fur had tattered in places along the snout, stretching bare patches down the length of its neck and chest. The shoulders of the thing must have been at least a few ponies wide while it walked, and from its stride alone it could have probably bust through solid granite. Down along its arms, housed at the very end laid… stone?

Enraged Hellhound my E.F.S. displayed to me, and ya know what… I’m just gonna ignore that from now on. Tells me a lot of things that just seemed a bit obvious.

Armor integrity: 71%.

Warning: Jaw fracture detected!

Judging by the hangtime I was getting from its swing, and the feeling in my teeth, that wasn’t stone. These raiders had encased its claws in concrete. Skipping across the floor, I quickly found my hooves again and squared off against the beast. Maybe they were using that to keep it from digging out, and with the chains imbedded in it might have meant they tried keeping it in one place before.

Didn’t last long clearly…

But it was good with those chains! With a flick of its wrists, the length of metal links swung around the basement and wrapped around my body, and as it yanked back, I found myself lurched off the ground towards it. Past that, one concrete paw swung against the helmet and battered me across the face.

Armor integrity: 55%.

Slowly groaning, I got back to my hooves and back peddled away from it, spinning up my 5mm. Smaller slugs scattered across this things body, some earning me actual bleeding wounds, others giving it nothing but annoyance. Tumble wasn’t joking when she said they had a tough hide on em. How much damage I was really doing probably wouldn’t have dropped it, but it was enough to keep it at bay.

Those concrete paws of it swung wilding against the open air, after every step or two back I’d taken to avoid them. The chain even whipped down against me a few times, though those attacks were slow and easy to see. Still, my 5mm cycled back rounds, hoping I’d hit something import-

Or you could just click and run out of ammo!

Sure enough, the minigun was out of commission for the time. I hadn’t found any rounds for it when we first got in here, and the bot from before didn’t drop nearly enough for my indiscriminate use. This hellhound only gave me the sponge I needed to use up the rest of my shots. Something that now left me skipping back against the basement floor to avoid swings.

Though something, gave it a distraction.

The colt on the ground didn’t know where he had turned up.

Yet, as the hellhound rested its eyes on him, the colt had any trace of drug snap out of his system in an instant. Not like it helped him at all, the once diamond dog brought both of its solid boxing gloves up in the air, and before the pony could even let out so much as a yelp, the weight of them crushed both bone and tissue under itself against the floor. Splattering him like a water balloon against canvas.

Looking up, I saw Deacon grab on to another pony, deliberately tossing him down to the ground below. The mare that fell might have had nothing to do with the imprisonment of the dog, but as far as the canine was concerned… pony was enemy, and if they were between me and it, I couldn’t argue.

After her failed attempt to scamper away was met with a haymaker worthy of a train crash, both myself and the dog watched her body fly over the basement and in to a solid wall. Splattering against it like an over ripened fruit, and soon enough its attention turned towards myself.

One heavy paw socked me under the chin, and almost like the bell at a hammer swing game for a carnival, I shot upwards. Nearly meeting the first real floor to the hospital, I saw the warning signs go off along the suits systems.

Armor integrity: 47%.

Warning: Concussion detected!

Yep, getting hit by basically a wagon over and over again wasn’t good for my heath. Rolling as best I could, little images of Celestia and Luna appeared flying around my vison, was that worse than seeing the stars? Med-X quickly found itself in my bloodstream, letting me fight past that sensation of getting my brain bounced around a cage.

A few blue contrails struck in to its hide, tearing chunks of it out and causing the dog to howl up to the one responsible. Though as distracting as Tumbles shots were, they didn’t seem to be downing the creature any time soon. My eyes glanced towards the incinerators fuel level, barely enough to kill a pony, let alone this beast…

Unless I was crafty.

Using my horn, I ripped the weapon from my side, and with a heave tossed it at the dog. “Shoot it!” I yelled out, hoping one of those above heard me over the speakers.

Sure enough, a few bursts from the gryphon landed in its tank as it smacked against the dog chest, rupturing it across his frame. The wash of fire caressed the mutt, blanketing him more than I could have hoped if I fired it normally. Thick hide or not, there was little tissues out in nature that could fight against fire.

And the dog wasn’t one of them.

Flailing around as it burned, a lucky swing from its chain wrapped around my leg and dragged me as he went. Tossing me like a fish on a line in to one of the walls, more warnings went off, yet even if I might have been along for the ride. His motions were getting slower, and soon enough the charred pooch let out one last cry before collapsing to the ground.

Getting back to my hooves, the feeling of a potions trickling in to my system gave me a nice wash of relief. With caution I walked past the beast, halfway expecting it to lurch back up to its paws and cave my skull in. If it hadn’t been for the filters on the suit, I might have smelled its smoldering flesh. How they got it down here I could only imagine, but if this was the basement, then there had to be a way up as well.

Just off to the side I found the door to the stairs, far too small for something the dogs’ size to get out from, and with a buck from my back hooves it swung open and happily I trotted back up to meet my companions. With no shots ringing out, and the bodies of those raiders now littering the floor, we all could finally take a breath.

“Good thinking with that toss,” Deacon said as he fluttered down to me, dropping Tumble off as he landed.

“I mean I’m out of 5mm… so I had to improvise,” and lose a weapon in the process.

Together now we searched the area, going room by room, and running in to a few tripwires along the way. Really? What would the raiders do if they forgot about their own traps? Some of these were just thrown in the most random of places, thankfully Deacon was well versed in exploration, and managed to get a few of those traps disarmed while we went.

Most of the floors we covered while working our way up paid off in some way shape or form. A few caps here, some ammunition there, maybe a potion on occasion. The latter all found their way in to our medics bag, as every gun and piece of gear worth a damn landed along my back. If I couldn’t find any 5mm, I’d just have to buy it.

As we reached the upper floors of the hospital, one room stood out amongst the rest as it overlooked the crater in the center. Here looked to be where the leader of this bunch hung his hat, which one in the masses we fought they were, didn’t know. Although, around the room were quite a few containers just ripe for the picking, and by the bed a weapon locker to boot. Without even a word to her, Tumble immediately went to the weapon locker and started picking, that left myself and Deacon rummaging through the other containers.

Whoever their boss was, he sure kept a good stash!

‘Let’s see… .45s, .38s, 12-gauge buck, and… no 5mm,’ no matter, all the contents of these were dumped in to my bags. Somepony would pay for it at the next town we came across, and with a heavy squeak, I turned to see the weapon locker door swinging open.

“Oh Wild, this might be up your alley,” Tumble called out to me from across the room

Trotting up alongside her, there in the locker rested one of the more innovative designs during the war. Shotguns I never got in too much at work, this one however, had dislocated shoulder written all over it. The thicker barrel was built to take sustained fire during battle, and judging by the flip-up loader, this one was modified to be belt-fed. Even the receiver looked reinforced to take additional punishment… something though, seemed off about it.

Floating it up to me, the latches on my helmet undid and popped open letting me get a closer inspection. There was a glow coming from the gun, small at first, but in the poorly lit room up here I could see hints of it radiating from the ammo feed.

Lifting open the receiver, there along the pathway of the belt I saw it. The small stone had its own runes engraved on to it, imparting some arcane energy to the weapon in one form or another, whatever that might have been I’d just have to find out.

“Something wrong with it?” Deacon asked, as he and Tumble looked at it over my shoulder.

“Oh, far from it. It’s… unique, that’s for sure,” that was an understatement, and one I’d just have to try out.

With some care and a delicate measure of horn control, the weapon found its new home in place where my incinerator had once been. Its ammo count taking up that vacancy in my visor, and letting me bring up its details in the suits inventory.

‘Explosive Combat Shotgun?’ I mean I knew the IF-87 had a number of variations, but was that one of them?

Pulling the bit, a single shell chambered inside and I let it loose across the open gap of the crater. Just as advertised, in the distance each of those pellets peppered along the distant wall and exploded upon contact. Not an overly large explosion sure, but still more than enough to cause extra damage.

The two that joined me took a leap back after I let that round loose, “What the hell was that?” Tumble asked, looking over the gun with a new light.

“That… was a talisman at work,” oh happy days! Losing the incinerator was well worth if considering the payoff, I’d just received, “it’s something parts of the M.A.S. and M.W.T. were working on during the war, the Zebras had rifles that could light ponies on fire… so some genius decided to copy them.”

“And make a shotgun in to a grenade launcher of sorts,” Deacon said while tapping the side of the gun.

That might be overselling it, then again, I wonder if the same effect would work with any type of ammunition, I loaded in to it? Granted I hadn’t been collecting many shells in the past, though with this little added effect, the few dozen I had on me would probably be more effective.

“Although, as intriguing as the effect is, I do have some concerns,” between the pair of them, I could see the doubt they shared. After all, why would anypony have concerns over a weapon like this? One simple reason in fact, “splash damaged kinda defeats the purpose of a close-range weapon…”

Footnote: Level up.

Chapter thirteen: Earning that bread

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Chapter thirteen: Earning that bread

“How’d you get this versed in chems anyway?” Tumble asked to our resident medic as we walked, passing the time along the way as the hospital was long gone now behind us.

Deacon just rubbed his talon against the back of his head. Clearly, he wasn’t all that proud of his experiences, “needless to say, I had a decent addiction problem in the past…” yep, I wouldn’t be proud of that either, “you learn your stash well when seeking a fix.”

“And I’m guessing the medic part of healing came from treating your own wounds while going freelance?” with a nod he answered my question. Previous addict or not, he was sure good at what he did now. Though I guess you have to get good at patching yourself up in this world, especially when half of those you run across want to kill you. Still, that did raise another question, “How’d you break the habit? That couldn’t have been easy, especially out here.”

“Tenpony Tower,” he said like I was supposed to know anything about that past its where the DJ worked, and I just waited silently for him to catch my drift. “Larger community, actually more like a city in of itself out in Manehatten… they’ll trade with ya if you got the caps, and even heal you.”

“I thought they didn’t allow violent creatures? Anyone who did raider activity…” Tumbles smirk started to grow while she poked at him, “Merc work doesn’t count?”

The gryphon however held up his talon after that, “Oh there’s a big difference between Mercenary and Raider, doll,” well that wink he gave made her balk, and even earned him a pair of glowing cheeks. “Both will kill ya, but the raider will probably fuck and eat the corpse… we’re a bit classier.”

And blush was gone now! That last one made the mare almost go white, either she hadn’t expected it from him, or because she probably had seen a raider do just that before… I was really hoping for the former. Either way, both myself and the gryphon got a good chuckle out of the mare living up to her name, and failed to make any sort of sentence after that.

Something crawled up in Deacons’ bonnet, as the gryphon started sifting in through his bag, “Alrighty, I got about five things of Med-X, a dozen healing potions, a few choice chems, and a couple hundred caps to add to it,” Deacon rummaged and looked on towards me, “might as well see what we might need whenever we get to town?”

Smart move… “My chem pump is sitting about half full,” having little to no ammo greatly left me burning through potions more than I cared to admit, “and about the same for caps.” Although if Deacon wasn’t complaining about ammo, then he was probably better stocked than myself and the mare combined.

Tumble seemed to follow our lead, and started delving through her reserves, “… And I’m all out of 2mm now after that hospital stay,” she said, checking over Rogues carbine slung over her shoulder, readying it if needed, “plus lets face it, healing potions are always welcome.”

Collectively we all sighed, there was a lot of shopping we had to get to when reaching a town. Speaking of which, the map in my visor clicked open as I trailed across the screen. Mason gave us a general area to explore and a place to seek out next, though I never looked to see how far it had been. Sitting about another dozen miles from us, I saw the outline marker for what would be our next stop.

“Anyone here been to Barkston?” that earned me a few blank stares. Clearly, they hadn’t, and so there’d be no way of telling if it’d even be worth the stop. No matter, it’s not like we had a lot of options here, and with my back laden with things to sell off, I’d be looking forward to shedding the extra pounds, “don’t know how many caps we’ll get for all of this junk, but hopefully I can pull some extra shells and 5mm.”

“2mm is just so damned expensive,” I watched the mare about facehoof at that fact.

“Why not do some contracts?” once again I gave the gryphon the silent treatment, waiting on him, “most places that are a bit larger have some sort of job board… what? You think all mercs get contracts scoping out bars?”

To be fair, it’d probably be a good place to start if you wanted to hear what troubles were weighing on somepony, “So… we’re all mercenaries now?” Tumble asked.

“No, no… not all the jobs are killing and such, sometimes it’s just finding parts, supplies or what have you,” Deacon waved his talon around as he talked, “And simple jobs can add up the caps over time.”

And might give us some breathing room, made for a lot better of a plan than scavenge and sell of scrap to the highest bidder. Plus at least with this we knew how much we’d be getting for our troubles… instead of whatever the buyer says something is worth.

“So, get to town, hit up the job board, sell off what we got so we can actually complete said jobs… and maybe even find some information on other towns in the area Mason had talked about?” that sigh from earlier turned into agreement. We had a plan finally, and one that had a far clearer goal than walk north and hope for the best… granted that’s what we were sorta still doing anyway.

Still, it was nice to have this figured out, and as the pair walked around a crashed sky wagon just a few feet ahead of me-

A single shot rang out.

My shoulder ducked against the edge of the downed vehicle, and with half my visor out I peered around the corner. Deacon was clenching his shoulder, wounded but far from dead. Next to him Tumble already had pulled out what looked like a dirty rag from her bag and started holding it to the wound.

Though who fired the shot?

Oh! That’d be you guys.

There in front of the two, a couple gryphons landed in similar armor to our resident of the same species. Each one had carried some sort of higher end gear, apart from our usual raider group. A combat rifle and shotgun armed one, while the next kept a marksman sniper rifle in his talon, as the third and final kept his beam rifle across his back, what looked like an AER-7.

Ahh, Flash Industries always made such nice energy weapons. Though while my eyes might have been admiring the armament. His eyes what looked to be… square on Deacon?

“Finally found ya, Deacon,” Mister Combat almost growled, though they didn’t seem to see me for now.

“Mucker…” Deacon chimed in, and got back up to his feet, “pleasant finding you out here.”

Beam rifle snapped out of his trance and turned towards what looked to be the youngest gryphon of the bunch, who still happened to be my newest companion, “You know why we’re here… let’s make it simpler,” weapon in his talons or not, I could still hear the venom in those words, “you japed us out of boatloads of caps from those jobs before.”

That explains it… this was some of the old crew he rolled with, no wonder they seemed a little more pissed than some of the other characters we’d run in to. Still, they hadn’t noticed the pony in power armor, and judging by my E.F.S. these three seemed to be the only ones here.

Deacon however, didn’t seemed fazed by the trio that already put one in him. “Last I checked it was first come first serve… so I beat you to the punch,” could you sound any snider to the ones with their guns ready? “Big deal, go find other jobs.”

“Enough!” marksman rifle shouted, pulling the stock up to his shoulder, “It’s hard enough out here as it is, give us the caps you got… and well only hurt you then…” there even from my cover, I could see his eyes roll to another, and it wasn’t towards me.

That was a threat I didn’t like…

Tumble seemed to catch what he meant, and already had her .44 holster undone… before Combat pulled his rifle up and ready, yet in that, Beam kept his cool. Not something I was quite willing to do, at least two of the three looked ready for business, and that was more than I cared for.

Slipping in to S.A.T.S. I kept the gun on semi-auto and lined one shell up on Combat, didn’t need to get any other caught in the cross fire. The marksman rifle would take longer to reload with the bolt action of it, and Beam still had to get his rifle even out to begin with. Given only a 23% chance of hitting from this range, I more or less banked on each pellet doing more damage given their explosive nature.

Something that I really should have had more faith in!

Only about half of the shot landed on target, and from each explosion that went off a chunk of the gryphon was torn from his torso. In the dragging on of time from the spell, I swore I could see the expression on the mercs face change from one of confidence to terror as he was literally ripped apart pellet by pellet.

Soon enough, the spell closed out, and just like that Marksman rifle got to watch most of his friends’ entrails and tissues shower over his armor. Leaving bits of feathers dotting along his face, stuck from the blood and tissue.

“The fuck was that?!” Marksman about tripped over his own talons, and Beam even back paced a few more.

Yep, hearing that more and more often…

To the surprise of the two, I walked in to view, stepping between my companions and them as a shield. Let’s face it, I’d already taken enough shots to cover the pair that they never asked for, what was a few more?

“So… how are we going to settle this?” I asked, waiting to see what they’d do. S.A.T.S. was still charging up, but given the damaged this shotgun had I doubted I’d need it.

Marksman was the first to make his move, and lined his rifle back up on me. Though before he could take the shot, another already had hers lined up. The .44 slug dug deep in to his skull, dropping the gryphon before he even knew what hit him, and left his eyes wide open in shock as the back of his cavity burst out.

Somehow, Beam during all this remained calm, the most reaction he showed was when his cohort blew apart from the shell. Then again, who wouldn’t be surprised from that? With a sigh, the lone gryphon shook his head at us.

“See this is what I told them… I said you were lucky, and somehow you’d get out of this,” the older gryphon almost chuckled under his breath. Somehow, I told you so, just didn’t cut it in this scenario when those you’d say it to were dead.

“How do you think I managed to clear so many jobs so fast, and piss ya’ll off in the process, Staggs?” Deacon asked, and brought himself up to my side.

The gryphon, who I could only assume was Staggs, simple shrugged his shoulder and relented, “Well… it seems this might be a bad time, though I’m still salty about those caps,” given how this conversation was going so far, I didn’t like that…

Spinning up the barrels to the mini, the crusty gryphon took the hint, and fluttered off in to the sky. Far away from us hopefully, I mean he didn’t need to know I was out of ammo for it. Deacon however, placed his talon on the barrels and pushed them down.

“I could probably still drop him from here ya know…” Tumble hoisted up the carbine and started looking at the speck off in the distance.

“Na, let em be…” Deacon sufficed, already getting on the trail ahead of us, forcing myself and Tumble to catch up, “we’d both saved each other’s tail a number of times in the past, he’s a good guy… he’s just particularly stubborn.”

Stubborn, in this world? Who knew…? Regardless, neither myself or Tumble tried to take that shot, leaving us to wonder when we’d be seeing Staggs again. Meh, that was a problem for future Wild, present Wild just had to worry about getting to town already.

***

And by the looks of it, figuring out what jobs would be worth it.

Seriously, with a town this size built in to an old train yard, it far more amounted to a city if anything. With that, came an influx of other ponies hiring for work. Across the crude plywood sheet were different contracts nailed up, all ripe for the taking. Everything from assassinations, to gathering seeds and everything else in-between.

It’d be the first time I’d ever taken a contract like this, no big surprise there, but it’d be the same for Tumble. She had made her living going around the wastes and walking to and froe. Made sense she wouldn’t have been up for sticking to one job and rolling it on through to the end, until she tagged along with the likes of me.

Ponies bustled around us, going about their own business in the market set up. All around them rested shops and various vendors trying to sell off their own goods, so with most doing their business face to face, us three were more or less left to look over the board in peace… besides the few who took an odd look or two at me, for obvious reasons mind you.

“So… where do we start?” I asked the two, hoping at least one of them would have a better idea.

Tumble got the swing of it sooner than myself it seemed, and from the board she pulled off one sheet, “‘Pest problem: nearby subway station, 500c. You’ll know em when you see em’,” she read off… yeah that seemed a bit suspicious. “Might be something simple, like radroaches?” she offered, hoping in our favor.

‘500 caps… for killing bugs,’ I mused there for a moment.

As doubtful as it seemed, for a couple hundred caps, it’d be a hard offer to refuse. With that she slid the parchment in to her bags, and all our eyes went back to the board. One down, let’s see how many more- well you look promising.

‘Parts wanted! Any and all Spark Batteries, will pay 30c per! See crimson building a few miles south of Barkston as a starting point.’ Really? It was that easy to find jobs in this place? Even with guidance. Still, spark batteries were up my ally, and while a name of the building would have been handy. We could work with the description; I mean how many buildings would standout enough to not need any more direction than that?

“And what have we here?” Deacon laid his talon on one sheet in particular.

The first thing that grabbed me was the price listed for the job… a thousand caps seemed like a pretty good buy in! How had this one not been swiped up yet? ‘Gang leader of the Pack, dead or alive! Preferably the former… Held up in nearby courthouse.’ Hmm… that might have something to do with it, though I wasn’t all too keen on killing ponies for money…

“Well, I guess we are mercs at this point,” I grumbled, from designing and testing weapons used by her majesty’s forces in combat, to scraping up bottle caps by killing each other…

“Oh, take it easy now there… it ain’t like that,” Deacon pulled the sheet from the board, holding on to it for safe keeping. “If this is the guy I think, I’d run in to him before, and not in a good way…” what exactly would have been considered a good way to run into a gang leader? “He’d had this coming to him for a while now.”

Okay that did surprisingly sooth it over a bit with me. Hunting ponies for thin punches of metal was one thing, doing so because they were scum on the other hoof was a favor if anything. I could live with that much if I was living up to the reputation that had been given to me. Now we not only had a place to stop off from, but also something to keep us occupied… so we’d probably be here for a bit then while working on them.

My head went on a swivel, and I’m sure some of the residents were wondering if I was targeting them, though I only had my eyes out for one thing. “Think there’s a hotel somewhere around here? Or at least what amounts to one,” I kept looking.

“Why not just camp outside the city?” Deacon offered with a shrug, “I mean we’ll save caps, plus a place this size, most degenerates tend not to get too close.”

There was a sizable number of buildings and burned-out homes that we passed on our way here. Any one of them would make for a decent enough base to work out of for sure… lucky for me I had a pair of experience wastelanders around here with me. From that decision another was made amongst us, I needed ammo, and they each had their own needs in terms of chems and potions.

With a shopping list now given out we decided to split up and see what we could come up with. I’d handle the ammo for the lot of us, and those two would go about seeing to us not dying from wounds in the future. Thankfully, somepony in this time decided to make advertising easy. You wanted armor? Look for the big sign marked Armor! Clothing? For whatever occasion, there was one joint that had different garments nailed to the outside. You wanted things that went bang? Try the place with a big ass bullet painted out on its sign. Every single one of the shops were damn near lined up, neatly cut out of train cars or joining a few together.

Simplicity at its finest… I love it.

Some of the ponies selling? Didn’t love so much…

“Ten caps each,” the stallion griped across the counter, how a pony managed to even get the chunky after eating mutated plants and bug I’d never know. Tumble however was right, ten caps per 2mm EC round was too damned much!

I may not know the price of information, but ammunition was my forte, “You can’t be serious…”

“Same for you as it’d be any other costumer, even if you been doing the wastes a good deed,” okay so he already knew who I was. Maybe that was why I hadn’t had any guns pointed at me yet, word spread quick among the merchants the Rogue Ranger was in town.

“Oh, I’m not pulling that card if that’s what you think…” and time to school a merchant in ammo-smithing! “To make ten 2mm rounds you need about a half pound of lead, some oil, copper, and fertilizer,” already I could see his mind trying to do the crafting in his head. Clearly, he never made it himself, and only bought it, “do you have any idea how easy some of that junk is to come across out here?”

“Well… its more convenient-”

“That I go out, get the materials, make it myself because I know how, and sell it outside your door for a cheaper price…” A type of crafting I’d had plenty of experience in, granted it would take tools I didn’t really have, but never the less his eyes narrowed upon me, and quickly the math started to go off of how much business he’d lose from that. “Not counting how easy it is to make the other rounds I requested as well… so… want to make a different deal?”

I could almost hear the grinding of his teeth from over the counter, music to my ears, “Fine! Six caps each…”

“Splendid!” with that I pulled out some of the gear we procured, and made the trade. He might have been mad at first, but with a few of the pieces that would line his shelf now, I doubted there’d be many complaints from his future customers.

After he stacked what I had ordered along the counter, and I made sure I wasn’t getting taking for a sucker with him forgetting a few extra rounds. My happy armored ass left the shop. Alrighty ammo was taken care of for-

“Oh my!” I heard somepony shout out, and before I could react, out they popped from nowhere while I stepped out with my stack of goods. Instantly I was on the edge of my hooves, watching as the unicorn mare dropped her own bags and started prodding over the suit with her eyes. Taking in what seemed like every bolt and rivet that held it together, “I’d never gotten to see the armor this up close before, usually rangers shoot you if you even dare.”

I watched her hazel eyes flutter in fascination under the grey and black coat of hers… no wait, that was just grease it seemed. Her coat was, garnet? Maybe… though those grease stains were probably hell to get out of a mane that white. Even under that bandana she wore, it didn’t look to have escaped the work that the mare had clearly been putting in. Was I checking her out? Of course I was, though in my defense she was doing the same to me.

“Normally you’d be right,” I offered, and watched her not shriek away but stand firm, “But not a ranger…” she didn’t give off any sign of being a threat, just a very intrigued pony. With that my hoof held out to her, and flipped up the visor to give a friendly face… less ponies seeing this armor as a threat the better, right? “Rogue Ranger.”

Once more her eyes lit up, as she took hold of my armored hoof. “Ahh well then, Mister Rogue, pleasure meeting ya,” could her beam get any bigger? “Especially with all the work you’ve been up to.”

So, DJ-Pon3 really did reach this far and wide it seemed?

“Work that seems to have left its mark…” her hoof pointed to some of the larger dents and scratches over the suit. The repair talisman might have been working, but if it wasn’t causing damage, it could care less for cosmetics.

Something this mare actually cared about.

Before I could protest, her horn pressed against the suit, and from there I saw a very familiar spell. Leeching across part of the plating, the several dings started to straighten out and crisp up under her glow, leaving behind armor segments that looked damn near right off the factory floor. For a moment, I wasn’t sure what to say…

“Well… damn…” Okay probably not the best thing to start off with, “miss…?”

Never the less, the mare giggled a bit at my own blunder and just shook her head to me ever so lightly, “Oh it’s nothing, fixing is kinda what I do,” she turned to, and showed me the grease gun on her flank. Makes ya wonder if those were stains across her body, or if they were natural, “and is Alimite.”

Okay! Hoof in mouth needed to stop now! A few swift kicks to the side of my brain solved that problem, and I nearly bowed to her out of thanks. “Well Miss Alimite, thank you for that… I would have fixed it up myself, but it’s nice to know there’s some ponies out here with kindness.”

“Wait,” her head cocked once or twice to me, “You know the same spell?”

“Ahh… yes?” so apparently it wasn’t that common knowledge, “I’m… good with crafting, fixed this up as well,” I tapped the breast plate, and that garnished me nearly her jaw to join the dirt below.

“So… Mister Rogue,” she finally got out after some effort, by the looks of it giving herself a few good mental kicks as well, “will you be around these parts for long?”

That was tough to say, sure we had some work to attend to, but in the end, who knew how far that’d take us out from the area. Also, for that matter, if we’d be in over our heads and wind up in some ditch somewhere or an unmarked grave… positive thoughts…

“Well, myself and my group are doing some contracts in this area we’d gotten from the board,” random mare pops up out of nowhere and starts asking questions on if I’d be around here long? Seemed kinda suspicious. Then again, why’d she help polish the suit if there’d be a knife in the back of it later? “So, I’ll be in and out…”

“Well then, on that note, I’ll probably run in to ya again at some point,” she brought the bags up over her back and in to place. “Until then take care of yourself, and keep up the good work,” Smiling once more at me, the mare trotted off down the rails. Random encounter, or planned assassination by some gunner or ranger, who knew.

Either way, I had my companions to get back to… and some jobs to get done, ‘sweet mare though…’ I caught my eyes trailing down the tracks.

***

“I say parts first,” Tumble suggested as we munched on some roasted… you know I don’t even know what this is honestly. It didn’t taste buggy, and even with the crunch to it I doubted it was crackers… ah food was food I guess, still, hot sauce would have been lovely in this place, “seems a safer bet than hunting down some pests, or trying to kill a gang leader.”

She had a fair point, plus who knew what kind of goods we might find in the building talked about for said parts. “Then take care of those pests afterwards,” Deacon followed up with.

I didn’t like the description given still… You’ll know em when you see em had an ominous tone to it after all, but on the other hoof there was a good number of caps on the line. Money always would win out in that battle. With no objections to that order from any of us, that left the gang leader as the last one to seek out. Good thing too, because his hideout was the furthest of the three.

“Sounds like a plan to me then,” I stood up and stretched out a bit, as the others finished their dinner and called it a night. With me on first watch, my E.F.S. trailed over the area, noting anything that moved.

It wasn’t long before I heard the soft snores of those that joined me, and my eyes looked out at Barkston, even at night it bustled from the ponies that called it home. Then again, if I was living inside a makeshift city that had walls of shipping cars built up around it, I wouldn’t be worried about what went bump in the night and keeping a low profile either. As for us, just like Deacon suggested we found our little home away from home in an old… well, home.

It may not have been the most intact structure of the lot that surrounded the train yard, but it did have an open view to the area around it. Perfect for seeing if any creature was trying to sneak up, and with my sensors going there was little I had to really worry about any getting the drop on us… though that left me to twiddle my hooves together until I awoke Tumble to take over for the night.

We’d be heading out to the crimson building described, and I hoped it was as obvious as the ad made it out to be. Even still, our guns were topped off, our resident medic had a brand-new swash of chems and potions to work off of tucked away in his medical bag, and even Tumble had more EC rounds than she knew what to do with. As for me? I had my visor popped up, looking over the armor.

“She did some fine work…” I had to admire it, truly. For all the damage this thing had been taking lately, it was nice to see it restored to its glory that Knight Rogue would have kept it up to. Hopefully next time I was in town, the late Knight would be proud of the condition I’d kept it in.

***

That’s a crimson building if I ever saw one.

Considering we’d seen it at minimum a mile away, I’m surprised that job hadn’t been swiped up yet. Though as we got closer, it started to get a familiar feel to it. Almost like I’d seen a few of them in the past. Robco Emporium: Selling Equestrias’ future, today! Was painted across its side, yep… that’d be why it looked familiar. I’d been to a few of the Robco buildings during my work, after all some robots had to be heavily armed, and they all looked more or less the same to me.

This one however, looks to have slipped under the radar, in more ways than one.

Even after stepping inside, for the main reception area there still seemed to be some rather obvious scrap around! A .38 rifle was set out on the counter, beside it what looked like some sort of combat blade was stabbed in the wood, hell even a couple 10mm rounds Deacon immediately procured from the secretary desk up front were found.

If that’s what's at the welcome mat, how had this place not been picked clean yet?

The wall turret’s around the room looked to be dead… or at least they weren’t shooting at us quite yet, so not entirely the same thing. A single ring from a bell brought my head over to the same desk, and a very curious gryphon that stood there ringing the greeter. “Hmm…” Deacon mused for a moment, dinging it a few more times, “doesn’t seem like anyone’s home, usually a ghoul or two would have shown up from that.”

After the ring, a single smack followed, and their Tumble stood with her hoof to her face, “don’t… ever, say that.”

“What? I’m just saying, if any century old irradiated pony was milling around… that’d be a dinner bell for em.”

He had a point, in the empty halls of this place that lined around the front space, that simple ring did echo quite- Wait… What?! “That’s what a ghoul is?!” a few B rated motion pictures flickered across my mind of ponies running in terror and being torn apart. I’d take getting set on fire, again, over being eaten alive any day.

“Yeah, what your wasteland guide didn’t explain that?” Deacon asked, sticking a tongue out at the mare, before ignoring her snicker and getting back to me. “Magical radiation can do wonders on an equine, most it killed… but those were the lucky ones.”

Zombie ponies… on top of chemed up junkies that didn’t know when they’d been shot, robots that were itching to murder a stripe, mutated dogs that could cut me in half, an army of well-armed wasteland soldiers out for my head, and a bunch of munitions riddled tin cans that wanted to turn me inside out by now. There was also Zombie ponies to add to that list.

“Good day to you ma’am!” pipped up the Mister handy beside us.

Tumble left behind nearly a silhouette from where she once stood. Both myself and Deacon snapped to with guns ready and… any attack we thought was going to come didn’t. The bot just hovered there and looked at us, floating on its smaller thrust talisman and bobbing there. Then I looked down to where it stood. At its base was the remains of a placard detailing some of its features that could be used around the home.

“That explains it…” I looked around down the halls and noticed the lights, or lack thereof, “there’s no power to this place, this one only activated because it has its own power. It’s a display model.”

Deacons’ eyes lit up at display model, and instantly started to meander toward the bot, going around it to the panel on its frame. With a quick fizzle and pop, the thruster died and the rest of its bulk fell to the ground. Leaving the gryphon there tossing those batteries in his talons. “There’s only a few of them though… sadly,” he looked further down the hallway we’d started on.

‘Hmm… no power, sales building with display models,’ I started doing the math. The buyer was paying per battery, so if we managed to stumble across a bot by accident, how many must be inside? “If they were selling them here, then they probably had to keep a good stock of those inside,” the building from the outside looked big enough as it was, that lead to only one real solution, “how about we split up from here, cover more ground and loot those display models… shouldn’t be much of a threat.”

The pair with me didn’t have much to argue with that, and before they left along their own path our resident medic poked around my chem pump to ensure I was good on everything from meds to combat drugs… what a wonderful medic he was. Always making sure his patients were pumped full of chems, and potions.

That echo from earlier didn’t last nearly as long as I thought.

After less than a minute the steps of those that joined me on this journey, my friends- huh? That implied both of them were. ‘Well Deacon did say he wanted to tag along for the ride,’ I thought while walking through the tattered halls, ‘Sounds like a friend to me.’ what else would you call it?

Given how seriously he took his medic duties, I knew Tumble would at least be in good hooves… or talons in this case. Plus, I hadn’t heard any shooting from anywhere in this place. Which had me both relieved and a little worried. Around me I saw some more displays for Mister Handys, Protectiponies, and even a Sentry… none of them moved automatically though like that first one. Leaving me to trot up to the latter of the bunch, and probably the biggest threat if it turned south.

Although this bot might have been a bit bigger to run off a simple battery, and while Sentries were designed to hold different types. This one’s weapons were more than suited for the task. Twin prism gatling lasers would do a number to any and all targets in their way, and even though I could feel the saliva start to pool up from the sight of them. I knew their ammo was expensive.

Hence, there being a job to find said ammo.

A couple loosened bolts later and I was greeted by a half dozen cartridges all linked powering the mammoth weapons. Now that that bot was downed to just a cavepony with clubs. The others in the room quickly fell under my horns’ trade. Seriously!? How had no creature gone through this place yet?

Flipping on the helmet light to get a better look around I kept a move on, already noticing a trend here. Even the sales desks to the room nearby seemed to be mostly untouched. Sure, there wasn’t much to be found in terms of salvage, but as I poked through the desks some sort of pay off was usually there. Maybe a cap or two, a few low caliber rounds, perhaps some meds. It wasn’t much in of itself, but if the whole building was like this then this place was a virtual gold mine!

The lights overhead started to flicker to life.

‘Hmm… motion activated?’ it was a good assumption at first, but seeing a couple garage like doors on the side of the room open up made my heart sink.

“Intruder alert,” that voice sounded familiar.

Twin sentry bots rolled out to the sales floor. Across their frames weren’t the standard wasteland garb of spikes and plate metal, these were factory made and ready to go to protect what the company had here… might explain why no pony managed to get in and out of this place very well.

Running now! One might have been armed with the same prism gatlings, but its counterpart was making good use of its dual minis. Office desks weren’t built to be bullet sponges, and while my armored hide darted between the cubical, traces of 5mm and rainbow light danced in the air around me. A few shots hit home and-

Armor integrity 86%.

‘Alrighty, so they’re a lot more powerful than I remember back in the day!’ The thought crossed my mind for a moment, as I poked my head out from the desk and went to another one.

Taking a quick aim at the mini user, several of the pellets scattered over the armored shell. Even at a couple dozen yards, this thing still packed a punch! Chunks of scrap blew off from the small explosions as several sparks flew, one shot might not have done the trick… though the rapid nature of my new toy quickly fixed that. As it tried to close in, my shots just got more effective, and this thing couldn’t take the hint. Mini jerked a few times before crumbling to the ground, that just left…

Yep that was a crayon pack of light, this time around I brought out my own mini and spun it up. 5mm had about the same effect as you’d imagine against something this heavy armored, and it didn’t even seem to faze it. After a number of beams struck across my plates, I slid back in to cover, and glanced at my dwindling percentage.

Armor integrity 65%.

I just fixed it all up too…

Though the rumbling of treads coming closer quickly brought me back to the task at hoof. Ducking back out of cover the spell fired off and time seemed to slow down once more. There only a few feet ahead, both me and the bot stared at one another as S.A.T.S. started lining my shoots up. A pistol would have missed, somehow, but a few bursts from this might do something.

The small caliber dotted along its’ head, earning me off shoots of energy flickering around from something important inside giving way. With its sensors likely gone, as my spell faded that left it to only fire around the room wildly. A room I was still in… not the best of plans, but I wasn’t dead yet. Never the less, that allowed me to slip back away as it poured beams around the room. Galloping I lunged behind its fallen brethren, thankful the plating on it was reflecting the beams off.

‘Turn…’ I waited, ‘come on, keep going…’ almost there, “Gotcha!” I shouted as a stream of 5mm left my barrel on towards it.

There weren’t many weaknesses for these things, either large amounts of fire power, or straight up explosives. Though one thing that many ponies forgot was they were still robots, and in turn had some sort of power source at the end of the day. The burst found its home in the spark pack along its back, protected yes, but with enough bullets…

That struck a nerve, and following the crackling of its systems the bulk of the bot rose and then fell. Smashing against the ground with a crunch much like the one I used as cover. Before I grabbed the goods, any chunk of metal or ceramic I could nab made its way in to the hopper as my suit went to work. Just like I had done the ‘display models’, whatever goods they were carrying quickly found its way to my bags. Along with another hoof full or so batteries ripe for the picking.

So, maybe not the easiest job we could have picked…

Gun shots carried far better down these halls than hoof steps it seemed, and as soon as my bags were stuffed. My hooves started beating against the dirty and stained flooring underneath towards it. These things were giving me a run for my money when they landed a shot, depending on their armament, who knows how the pair might be fairing.

It didn’t take long to follow the echoing as it got louder with every leap and bound, I made. After bursting through a door, I found the- okay this room had seen better days. Sections of the wall and ceiling laid fallen across the ground, exposing what looked like cables for the building, while a few burst pipes filled the lower center with nearly waist-high water. Trudging through it Deacon remained popping off rounds damn near as fast as my mini.

Speaking of which…

The motor spun just in time to light up a Protectipony that got a bit to close to my feathered friend. These ones were far less armored than what I’d just went against, still their beam guns were dangerous. Bullets you can dig out, but it’s hard to heal a pile of ash…

Clank!

A pair of heavily armored arms smashed across my helmet, launching me off my hooves and joining Deacon in the pool for a dip. There weren’t many robots with that kind of strength, and just as suspected… another Sentry. This one thankfully didn’t have any beam weapons, though it still had something to match mine!

The missile it fired might have been targeted, but something caused it to jerk at the last second. Only sending it flying to the side of me, instead of right on target. Certainly not the best outcome, but I was in one piece at least… and only with what felt like a minor concussion. Getting back to my hooves, the barrels on the mini started drawing its fire before the launcher could reload. There’s where I saw the blue streak punch in to its side.

Tumble had knocked its targeting off course with that first shot, though 2mm EC or not. Against this was a different story. Between the two of us, it deemed me more of a target and brought its own 5mm to bare down. Forcing myself and Deacon to find our hideaway behind some of the smaller display pedestals in the center, as both of us crouched and had the water up to our chests.

Still, the charged shots of the mare could be heard over the flashing of different beam weapons from the bots and the occasional shot ringing out from one of the Mister Gusties. As Deacon tended to the former and latter, I tried to get the Sentries attention.

Something tried a bit too late.

A single yelp pierced the room as I broke my cover, and for a second there I thought the fighting had stopped… but alas it hadn’t. Tumble wasn’t fast enough to avoid the swing from the Sentry, but she was able to bring the gauss rifle up between her and the launcher on its arm. I couldn’t tell if the pain on her face was from the hit, or the fact that her rifle looked more broken than last two Sentries were. Before I could even try and get out of the water however, 5.56 started peppering over the shell of the bot.

Deacon landed by her side, and kept on cycling his weapon. At least its attention was drawn away from me… S.A.T.S. fired up, and even with the time slowing to a crawl, I could still feel the different rounds of those still in the room pinging off the suit. Never the less, I started tagging that back panel with all the shotgun shells I could.

Three shells, for all the fine Equestrian engineering… it’d only give me three shells.

‘Better hope they count,’ that was the last thing I thought before letting the spell die out and the shots ring.

The first one went wide, and only garnished a few of the pellets striking its shoulder. The other two however, they found their home right where I needed. With a bang that rivaled that of the shells, the spark pack blew open and sent whatever arcane charge it had out across the its body. Spasming for a few seconds, it soon fell along with the others in the room that had been scrapped.

As it did, Deacon immediately hoisted Tumble up and brought her behind a lone display stand in the corner, leaving me to be the center of attention… again… yay. Still, from there they both had a good vantage of the room, and from the sound of things their carbines seemed to be firing nearly in tandem with one another.

As for myself, some of these bots were getting a bit too- close!

One Gutsy swiped at me with its saw blade, skipping off the plates and earning it a hoof to the chassis. I didn’t feel like finding out the splash damage of the shotgun quite yet, and although I had rounds to spare for once with the mini. If any more of those Sentries showed up, I’d be needing them.

Crunching the next Protectipony with a few punches beneath the water, I let them come in for a swim. I might have sucked at hoof to hoof, but I could still throw a swing, and although I might have been slower in the water. Robots weren’t exactly acrobats themselves. Another Gutsy lifted one of its arms up and sent a small burst of flame across, as I stomped through the water and put it out just as fast.

“That shit don’t work here!” could you blame me for getting a little heated? No pun intended…

Heavy clanking brought my head to a swivel as I turned tail and looked at the door… I had to jinx it with the Sentries. This pair rolled on through the water like it was nothing, joining the hoof full of bots still there, and they were just as content throttling me with their arms as opposed to shooting me.

Armor integrity 52%

Another smack from its barrels forced my head under water for a second, and I realized the ring I’d found myself in.

Armor integrity 48%

As I surfaced my barrels went to work, scattering shots across one’s torso. Though too little effect, and only earned me another hefty swing from its arm. “Wild!” Tumble called out over my boxing match, I wasn’t in this fight alone I knew, but there were just so much their guns could do, “You can reset your suit right!”

“Umm… Yes!” I shouted out to her on reflex, this time neatly ducking one swing from the Sentries launcher that attempted to throttle me. Giving a small opening to rake some fire across the other bots in the pool with me. Though as I shot them, I heard the sounds of a very familiar carbine chiming off of the ceiling above me.

‘What are you- oh crap,’ with that I saw one of the power cables from above, now severed, falling towards me… and the pool.

That level of a short made something in the whole building go wild, as lights flickered, some burst from the surge, and a few of the other cables in the wall started to fizzle and smoke. Though they weren’t the only ones…

The bots that joined me for a swim didn’t fare any better, and once the charged cable hit the water the same current went through them. Causing some of their plating to literally shoot off from the influx of power, as they sunk beneath the surface. As for me… I was in a metal suit of armor; how do you think that worked out?

My armor was dead, the matrix shorted out, display down, and servos locked up… but I was alive!

I could taste copper on my tongue sure, but still alive.

The sparking in the water gave out, and just as it did a friendly face jumped in my darkened vision. “Are you alright in there?” Tumble asked as she tapped the side of the helmet.

Oh, if only you could see my face…

“I am…” I grumbled, not looking forward to this reboot sequence, “but we’re not doing that again…”

***

Not to gloat too much, but it was great being a unicorn, I’d take magic over flying or sheer strength any day. Magic at least could get me out of the suit when its latches didn’t want to work, and although it was heavier with its upgrades. I’d managed to get it to the drier part of the room outside the center.

The room itself seemed to be specifically for those bots intended for war… which might have explained all the resistance. Plus, with the different display platforms and lights around the room, the ones that still worked at least, all made for a good workplace to get my tech back up and running.

“I’m sorry,” Tumble said… again.

“Its fine, I got out of it didn’t I?” granted it wasn’t fun being trapped in it for the time it took to get the latches manually off, but I still got out.

“Still… sorry,” as sheepish as she might try and make herself look with that apology, something told me she’d do it again if needed to save our skins.

Boot sequence started…

Matrix loading…

Please stand by…

“Ahh… there we are,” beside me I had some of the remains from the Sentry that broke Tumbles gun, more specifically, I had its own minigun broken apart. With my suit going to work on repairing itself, it seemed like the right time to do some field work. “I wonder what brought them on line anyway.”

It was curious, something must have triggered them to come on line. After all, if we got this far in the building itself before they came on, it couldn’t have been the security system. Otherwise, those turrets before would have taken shots at us.

Tumble just groaned from the side of the suit as she leaned against it, “That would probably be his fault…” she pointed over to our friend, while he went about going after what we came here for, “he was poking around on a terminal and then the main power just kicked on.”

“I swear I didn’t do it?!” his talons threw up in the air as he tried to defend. Accident or not, I couldn’t be mad at the guy; he was picking the room clean of anything we’d be able to use, allowing me to work. From ammo, grenades, a few flares, to scrap, and everything along the spectrum of useful garbage. The gryphon fluttered up to us as he held out a sack of spark batteries freshly pulled from the bots, and put some of the scrap in my suit, “powers off now though, so we should be fine.”

If he hadn’t just filled my hopper, I might have slapped him… thankfully Tumble had my back.

A quick hoof to the back of his head told him pretty clearly her thoughts on the matter, “Stop saying things like that,” she almost hissed at him.

While they bantered, I put the finishing touches on my project, and with the 5mm topped off thanks to the generous donation from the Sentries… My knew tri-barrel mini was ready for action! I couldn’t help the smug grin from growing on me, I mean who would be able to?

“Hey if it comes down to it, I have this now,” Deacon pulled the missile launcher he got from the Sentry off his shoulder.

Sure, your average gryphon was pretty strong compared to an earth pony, so he’d be able to use it. Considering our pest problem was next on the list, who knows if it’d come in handy. I didn’t have the place for it on my suit, but I’d always appreciate some extra fire power… others, not so much.

“That’s just what you need…” although she groaned, even from under that hoof on her face I still saw the smirk growing.

Chapter fourteen: Spice rack of allies

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Chapter fourteen: Spice rack of allies

Given the fiasco we’d had at that Robco stop, before hitting up this little pest problem we decided to crash there for the night. The bots were dead after all, and if ponies seemed to avoid the place to begin with from the start. There wasn’t much for us to worry about as we slept. Still, one of us kept our eye open… you know, if the power mysteriously came on again.

Sleep though never seemed to come lately, not since my extended freezer stay, and if it hadn’t been for the clock in my suit, I might have thought it’d been only five minutes. Sure, enough though, several hours had passed it looked like. Leaving us semi-rested and ready for more… and by more, I meant traveling.

My eyes kept peeled towards the sky more than anything… Staggs, was it I think? Either way, he did say it wouldn’t be the last of em. Whether we’d run in to more of his group, or just that one gryphon alone, I didn’t know. Though I didn’t feel like being caught with my pants down.

For that thought alone, Deacon agreed to take to the sky just ahead of us, literally giving a bird’s eye view of the trail we had to walk. As we did, Tumble stuck close to me, carbine at the ready and her .44 unholstered. Seemed like she was in the same mindset given our last walk along the path well-traveled.

The gauss she’d abandoned back in the Robco, after spending probably what amounted to half the night trying to piece it together… but as you might imagine, if a pony in power armor after a few hits from a Sentry would be left wobbling. A weapon wouldn’t fare any better.

A shame too… with these long and open streets of the cul-de-sac we were walking, the rifle would have been perfect for taking pot shots at what ever poked their head out. Hell, I just bought ammo for the damn thing. For now, though, it just appeared like the burnt-out houses and collapsed structures would be our company.

Deacon stopped right in front of us, barely catching himself on his talons to keep from flipping, “Cover… now!”

You know, when someone tells you that, it’s usually best not to question them…

Just like he suggested, one of those burnt-out buildings became our shelter, and left both myself and Tumble wondering what the hell had spooked him. Popping the smallest of slivers from the helmet out of a shattered window, I looked around the area. Nothing was showing up on my E.F.S. and granted these things didn’t have an infinite range but-

Yep… that’s a reason to hide!

Along one of the crosswalks to the neighborhood paced what looked to be a patrol of Rangers, I mean what else could they be? That wasn’t the only thing that jumped a pony’s memory, “What are ya’ll up too…” subconsciously I started leaning closer out the window to make sure I was seeing things right… guns like that were hard to confuse.

“What is it?” Tumble jumped up next to me in the frame, and for a second, I watched her reach back for a scoped weapon, only to pause and stop.

We’re gonna have to get you a rifle again… “Those kinds of barrels sticking up like that could only be one thing, IF-100 Brown Betty,” together the pair looked at me like I’d expected them to memorize every gun catalog in existence, “120-millimeter howitzer, takes special armor to actually fire the damned things…” plus, you’d need a pony built like Big Mac from the war.

Deacon joined us at the frame, now cramming all three of us looking out this broken window towards a trudging patrol of metal and explosives. Scope or not, his vision must have been far better than mine… gryphon thing maybe, “that’s a big ass gun to be out in the middle of nowhere for nothing…”

“Exactly… you don’t just send something like that out for no reason,” I mean the shells alone to a vender would probably be more than they make in a month.

“You know…” the mare amongst us started to plod her hooves together, “they did send one patrol after you before, remember?”

‘Yeah, I remember… I got set on fire,’ my own thoughts reminded me, “Oh how could I forget…”

“So, maybe this is take-two?” she offered as the three of us watched them go, “you don’t have the best track record with them, and it wouldn’t be hard for them to find out what jobs you might have taken up to track ya.”

Great, so not only do we have to contend with whatever these pests are… but also ponies that are armed well enough to level a building, let alone one pony, “Let’s just wait it out for a bit, let them pass,” they didn’t seem to be going completely in the right direction, so they might have only gotten the subways general location, “A good long bit.”

The Brown Bettys were considered light artillery sure, cut down to be mounted on to the armors that hauled them. Light or not, they still had the range to lob a shell a few miles. A range I didn’t want to be anywhere inside of if they were to see me out in the open. Upgraded suit, compared to theirs, or not. 120mm to the chest isn’t something you just survive.

Neither of my companions argued with that thought, probably pondering the same thing, and with that we waited for the heavy armor to pass by… this station wasn’t going anywhere after all.

***

Said station wasn’t all that hard to locate either. Nearly every hundred yards it looked like there was a sign pointing in the direction of it. Which surprised me then when we hadn’t found it swarming with Rangers… though I could work with that moment of peace. The three of us stared down the stairs, steadily watching the few flickering lights in the depths.

Flicking the headlight on the helmet, it still didn’t do much to guide us as we walked the crumbling steps. E.F.S. or not, it didn’t tell you if something was above or below you, or for that matter even how far it was. My companions were even worse off in the end. Tumble apart from the limited flares had nothing, and only Deacon brought out some rusted flashlight that was about as bright as a candle.

Those lights along the walls didn’t get any better the further down we went. Past the ticket booth, they just barely lit up some of the benches and rails that ponies a long time ago would have waited to board the rails. With the stomping of my hooves, a few of those bones crunched while we went, and resonated off the walls of the tunnels.

“So… did it say how far we had to go in here?” Deacon asked in a hush as he kept close behind me, before skipping off with his candle to look at some of the luggage around for goods.

It was nice to have a packrat in the group.

“No, not really,” I thought back to the ad that was placed. The only thing it really said was these pests would be pretty obvious… as encouraging as that was.

Yet, as obvious as these pests were supposedly to be, my sensors still remained cleared. Nothing from the ticket booth, to the restrooms on the side, or even the tunnels that stretched in either direction gave me anything in the shape of a red bar. It was all still, and the dust only kicked up in the air from us walking.

“Subway… we just had to pick a subway, and not bring any actual lights,” Tumble sneered as she pulled out a rod from her saddlebag. Lighting off the flare in her mouth, the mare went exploring off towards what little area of the station was covered by the overhead lights. Poking her head in one of those rest rooms, carbine at the ready.

We’d gotten lucky with finding some flares, now if only we’d found some batteries for the light. Certainly a blunder on our part, and as we looked around the station, my lamp stuck to the ground. Even most of the dirt and trash didn’t look as tossed around as I’d have expected it to look from some sort of pests living down here.

Soon enough I made myself to the edge, and looked down the tracks. There didn’t seem much other place to go than total darkness. “Up here’s cleared,” one side to us was blocked by the train that had long took its last stop, the other end my light barely reached a few dozen yards before the illumination was lost, “as much as I’d hate to say it, there ain’t much else for us to do.”

“Right,” the mare trotted past myself and Deacon, as she leapt down to the tracks, “Let’s get to, IT-!”

Metal twisted, wood snapped, and the space between the rails buckled under her weight when she put her hooves on it. I could almost see her face turn from exploration to shock, and then just as fast to fear when she dropped out of site. As the dust settled, my light looked past it to the hole in the ground that remained of our resident mare.

“Tumble!” both of us shouted in unison, before looking to one another.

It didn’t take an engineer to know that she was living up to her name and still rolling down deeper. As the thuds of her going got back to us, the light of her flare got dimmer and dimmer. With a shrug of his shoulders, Deacon grabbed his light and leapt in after her. ‘Oh, what a life I live now,’ more exciting than my last one I’ll admit, and just like that, I went in after him.

Metal didn’t slide as easily down a tunnel than I thought!

Seriously, I didn’t need the little pony display to tell me my head was hurting, but with all its reliability it was there to tell me what I could already feel. Surprisingly, as the ground started to level out and I slowed a bit, the armor didn’t seem to lose much of its integrity. Sure, I was skipping through the tunnel like a bowling ball across shattered glass, but it wasn’t damaging the suit nearly as much as I thought it would. So, gravity I was most resilient to… not gonna test that out any time soon.

Oh hi-ya dirt!

‘Thank you helmet,’ I groaned to myself as the visor and headlamp got a clear picture of the ground.

“Nice landing,” you know, I was going to ask if she was okay, but that told me all I needed to know. As I got up, Tumble stood there, battered, beaten, and a bit dirtier than normal, but still standing. By her side Deacon tried his best to fix his flashlight to the end of his barrel with some tape.

Now that we were situated, where the hell were, we? The light of the flare she dropped didn’t give off enough to make any guess, “So… is this part of the subway?” my head swiveled around the tunnel, no markings or sign of engineering, just-

“Wait…” Tumble piped back up, and nearly twisted my head back around the wall.

There it lit up something I nearly missed, and I don’t know how I could have. In the walls there were markings, just not anything I’d seen made by a tool or even machinery. No, these were natural, and whatever made them was big… about as big as something I’d run in to already.

“Please tell me that’s not what I think it is,” I about facehooved.

“Okay… it’s not,” Deacon said as I watched him start rummaging through his bag once more, pulling out a magazine with the same-colored band he’d used on the gunners, “I mean, it is though.”

Tumble meanwhile brought her carbine up, and looked to flip it to full auto, “Those pests, are Hellhounds…”

They did say in the ad it’d be obvious…

Just as soon as that revelation settled, my E.F.S. went off, and boy was it full! It looked like in every corner of it there was at least one or two bars that was moving about. Down here it was even harder to tell which direction they’d be coming from, and with us literally going through the roof of one of their tunnels, it was even harder figuring out which way to go.

Eenie…

Meenie…

Miney…

“That way! Run!” I shouted to them, and without a word against it we started beating feet against the dirt, leaving the flare in the distance as fast as possible.

Okay, that grinding and snarling wasn’t getting closer as we went, but it surely wasn’t getting any quieter. No matter the case, we were heading somewhere away from them… hopefully not a dead end. Soon we broke in to the literal fork in the road, a few different paths we could take, and all of them leading somewhere.

Though which one?

Better question, who were they more likely to follow?

Time to be a hero…

“I’ll lead them away from ya’ll,” pretty sure Tumbles’ jaw hit the floor, and Deacons’ wasn’t far behind, “they’re gonna hear me over you anyway, take one of the other tunnels, they have to have a way out of here somewhere.”

“…See ya on the flip side,” Deacon almost saluted, as he brought up Tumble across his back in one move and picked a hole at seemingly random.

Great… so what was step two?

Oh, right!

Picking a different tunnel, my hooves galloped down, lighting barely a stone throw ahead of me and making all the racket I could at the same time. Center of attention I certainly was. Though I still didn’t plan on being buried down here.

A head broke through some of the dirt in front of me, and those jagged yellow teeth snarled as they tried to chomp down when I passed. Missing by a few inches, I didn’t stop to see if he (or she, it was hard to tell) joined in the chase. I’m sure this entire pack was on my heels; as I’d been told several times now, power armor wasn’t quiet after all.

Another break in the tunnel opened, and there two more stood. The mini spun up, peppering 5mm across the first one’s torso. Even with the higher velocity of the longer tri-barrel, it didn’t seem to do much but tickle at first. Sure enough though, you fire enough and they get the point. The dog dug down quickly to avoid the fire, leaving the second on his own to attack. Alright let’s see how well this did!

One shell rang off through the hollow, scattering pellets in to his frame and letting small explosions burst chunks of flesh out its hide. They could certainly howl, and his own reverberated through these tunnels calling to the others. A few shells more silenced him, and left the mutt a twitching mass on the ground.

But where was…

The first shot back up underneath me, launching the armor airborne and in to the ceiling overhead. Slamming in to that, and then to the ground, the dog brought its claw up and over at me. As fast as I could, my horn reached out and grabbed hold of its wrist, spinning the barrels up once more and chewing away at its limb.

Sawing neatly through the bone and tissue, the hound yelped in pain, and tried bringing its other limb to bare. A shell took care of that, leaving it only with a clawless paw and stump to work- alright those still hurt! Its forearms were built like clubs for sure… that one in the raider den didn’t even need the concrete mitts.

Across the room I flew, and into the wall I landed.

Armor integrity: 92%

Okay, so not as powerful as the mitts… I didn’t see any of the other hounds close by, but I’d imagine they weren’t all that far behind. Not wasting any time, I got back to my hooves, picked another tunnel to the right, and kept running. Heavy stomps right on my flank from the one I toyed with.

Judging by the grunting and gnashing of those teeth, he was pissed too, though I could see some light now finally! I doubt it was fresh air, but any illumination would be better than out right relying on this headlamp. Getting in the area, it looked a much deeper level of the same subway system, some of the machinery dotting along the sides. More of the lights were working down here, so I had that to be-

A hellhound rested right beside where I entered, and for a moment I froze, unsure if it had seen me or not. Though that was a stupid thought, it surely would have heard me. Just then, its eyes snapped open towards me, and my mini started spinning up…

Yet it didn’t move.

It just sat there, ‘A blue bar?’ it showed.

Hello Stumpy!

Armor integrity: 83%

Said dog barreled in to me at terminal velocity, knocking me in to what looked and felt like sump pumps to keep the stations dry. My head was ringing, the vision was dancing, and already my suit could take the hint and started administering Med-X. Not much good that did, as a few more pommels came down and beat my head against the pump like a drum.

Armor integrity: 75%

Wrapping its tattered limbs around my frame, it brought me in closer. The jaws of the dog opened wide as he clenched on to me, and I watched in my daze his maw reaching out overtop my helmet.

So, this is how I went?

The dog jerked for a moment, with me still in its grasp clenched against its his chest, before its head finally rolled off the shoulders and smacked against the ground. Myself soon joining it there, as it stopped and stared at the visor, the same grimacing expression remaining.

“There’s way out if pony backtrack, and head down the center tunnel,” the Hellhound that saved my hide grumbled.

No… not a Hellhound, maybe? Definitely a female though by the way the sheen in her aqua eyes flickered against my headlamp. Plus, far slimmer than the few other dogs I’d seen, and certainly with a hell of a lot more bruises and beatings under her dirt coat. Her claws were just as sharp as any, good thing to. Hellish for sure, but not completely mutated… given she was talking to me instead of trying to rip my head off.

With a plop the dog found her place back on the ground and just grumbled, “You’re not gonna kill me?” I just had to ask… please don’t jinx it.

“Won’t make a difference to dog,” she grinded her teeth it looked like, and stared past me to the one she’d slain, “be dead anyway here soon.”

“You didn’t have to help…”

“Dog dead even before pony barged in, but I like taking one of them out with me,” probably the lowest chuckle I’d heard passed her stained teeth. “Pony think I gave myself these?” her claws pointed to some of the bruises and wounds across her coat. It was hard to tell if it was her natural color, or if she was just that dirty, in any case fresh wounds still showed just as clearly.

‘That was it… I’d found the runt of the pack…’ my horn dug through the bag along me and fished out a healing potion, with a toss the dog caught it in her paw instead of outright crushing it, “Backtracking in this place I imagine can be difficult, without a guide,” I shrugged to her, “what do you have to lose?”

She caught my drift pretty quickly, and with a crunch drank down the potion and glass of it all in one go as she got to her paws. “Alrighty… pony stick close.”

Her claws stretched out, and some of the wounds along her that looked a bit fresher closed as the potion took effect. Following the pooch out, we went back up where I’d gone, reaching the place where I exploded the other dog and made the wrong turn.

“Are you the only pony down here?” her ears started perking up, and the nostrils flared.

“Two more, mare and a gryphon,” I checked my reserves, already knowing I’d be in for it. Chewing through their hide was hard on the mini, but the shotty had less ammo… just have to pick em carefully.

With a jerk of her head, we went down a different tunnel than she suggested, but soon enough across the walls of dirt I heard the sounds of rifle fire. There in another opening the red flickering of burning chemicals shined like a beacon, and in the center of the triangle created by them, were the pair I’d come down here with.

Bursting in to the room, both myself and the pack runt opened up on our own. 5mm still would have taken too much to down one, but it did make them stagger. Leaving each mutt more than open for a follow up of a shell. S.A.T.S. locked in on the two furthest from the pair in the center, locking in a single shell on their head. I didn’t need each pellet to make contact, just enough to get their attention.

And that they did.

Even the first that only was struck with four of the eight, still managed to get part of their jaw ripped off from the micro explosions. Wailing now in agony, both himself and the other that the shell missed entirely turned towards me and started running. A couple more shells racked back and rang out the barrel, peppering across their bulk and taking just enough mass out of them to bring one of the beasts down.

The other one my guide took care of, digging her claws right in to the hounds’ temple and tore out half its skull in the process as it tried to swipe at her. The females’ gouge draped me in a nice blanket of red mist, and the corpse fell to my hooves… yep that smell wasn’t going to come out for a while.

A third Deacon cycled his weapon in to, those armor piercing rounds of his digging nicely into the hide of the mutt. Though it wouldn’t drop it fast enough, and letting my gun purr the rounds bit in to the creatures back. Together our fire gave it something to think about, and a final stab of a pair of claws large enough to be BBQ skewers rammed in to its chest. Opening up its gut and letting its insides spill out over the ground. Ya know, I’m kinda glad for the poor vision right about now.

I still caught Tumble raise her gun up to the one I’d brought, “Nope!” I shouted, and pushed the weapon down, “She’s helping…” so not totally poor vision, I could see the looks of he’s insane across them as they stared at me. Not the first time I’d gotten that, “No time to explain, let’s get going.”

Our guide sniffed the air as she looked down the tunnel, “Pack coming…”

From that, the two didn’t really have much they could say… stay down here and get trapped like mice in a maze, or possibly have a chance to fight these things in the open. The four of us opted for the latter. Following the runt down a number of tunnels, I could feel the incline getting steeper the more we went, and the scraping and clawing of something moving through the dirt would get louder before fading out. Where ever she was taking us, any time they tried to reach, she was one step ahead.

And just ahead, the real glimmer started to shine… sunlight.

Or, you know… what amounted to it in this world now. Either way, it was out the open, which was far better than where we were. Water flowed just past our legs as we sloshed in the shallow mud, out to the open. There in a pit we stood, a few broken tunnels around us, a crashed train car, and some of the piping that supplied the water. A sink hole must have formed here over the years and brought it all down, giving us a way out in the present.

And putting us like fish in a barrel to those 120mms on the edges of the pit.

“Lay down your arms!” one ranger shouted out as the four of us stood at the bottom.

“Fucking perfect…” I gritted before flipping on the mic of the helmet, “You don’t want to do this! Get out of here while you have the chance!” that received a different reaction than I was hoping for!

Three pairs of 120mm barrels lowered down upon me and my group, out what looked like the six from earlier we saw, half of them were armed with the artillery. It’d only take one of those guns to get the job done… and they went with enough to make a similar hole to the one we were standing in…

‘Geeze who’d I piss off?’ that thought crossed as the one who shouted out before stepped forward again.

“You are in no position to make threats, Rogue Ranger,” so, they did know me by that, I had a fan club! And they wanted my head on a stake.

If they got the chance that is… because even through the metal, the ground was certainly shaking.

I counted a dozen, or at least that much, you know it was hard to count while running… They’d shot up from the ground amongst the rangers themselves. While the three of us, including the hound that guided us out, took shelter in the train that laid across the bottom of the sink hole. From the window along the sides of the car, I got full view to the real power of a Hellhound.

Just like Tumble had said, their claws were sharp enough to cut clean through the armor that the rangers were adorned. Given how quickly it was going through them, I didn’t want to find out how well this upgrade would do against it. They weren’t paying much attention to us, the rangers had bigger fish to fry, and the dogs were preoccupied with them… though we still didn’t have a way out of here. It was a hole after all.

One dog sliced the 120mm off the side of a ranger, and as it hit the ground the shell discharged. Lobbing it square in to the car next to us, and showering the debris all around. Steadily, one by one they fell, both dog and SR alike. Just as fast as it started, only half of the dogs remained, far more than I’d have hoped for.

And now they had a new target.

“Get out of range!” I shouted to Deacon as I burst from the train, spinning the barrels.

Our avian friend didn’t question it, and took not only himself but also our mare out of the sink hole and up along the edges of it. The mutts didn’t seem to care at first, they had myself and one of their own to contend with. As they leapt down the slopes of the hole, I noticed not all of them were carting around claws. Some of those claws were carrying weapons as well, what looked to be a few modified AER-10s from the-

Scratch that, a lot more powerful AER-10s!

The first beam crackled against the air just past my head and struck the car, melting some of the outer paneling in the first shot… if it could do that to metal… 5mm immediately started targeting those that carried those weapons, forcing either their shots to go wild or them to duck down. Those that weren’t armed didn’t care, and closed the gap. With me a little preoccupied, they were left at the paws of the one that joined us.

Whoever she was, her frame might have been half the size and only partly mutated as those from the tunnels, but boy was her claws just as sharp to match! Trading slashed to and from with one, hers caught something vital in its neck and dropped it to the ground. Giving another the space to move in, had it not been for one little thing.

Aerial support.

The missile did just as it was designed, and streaked through in the path of the dog. It didn’t matter if they had a hide that could take a beating, high explosives worked wonders. Parts of that poor pooch scattered around the area and I’d probably have to pick some of them from the plates of armor later. Assuming I made it to later that is, one got a little too close for comfort, too close for the mini to get enough rounds in. Enough though to put a shell or two in to its chest and blow out the sides of its ribcage.

Armor integrity: 73%

There’s that splash damage I was talking about… good thing I kept this on semi eh?

“Who the hell gave this gun that!” I shouted out to any who would take pity on me, which happened to be no one, and just kept racking back the shells at those who tossed some of their arms down and decided to take us on claw and tooth.

Too far, and they just lost some tissue from the shells, too close in and I got the kickback. Had to find that butter zone, something I was more than happy to practice now! Deacon hadn’t gotten a lot of those missiles, and after a couple more rained down that left only their support from the carbines above. The female hound wrestled with one across the bottom of the pit in the water that pooled up, sloshing it back and forth.

Falling back in to S.A.T.S. I queued up the mini on the one entangling her, it might not kill it, but perhaps… with the burst leaving the barrel, the forearms of the dog was struck, loosening its grip and giving her back the upper paw.

A charged shot struck the side of the suit, and even upgraded, the smoldering of skin I was starting to get accustomed to returned. Its not exactly being set on fire, but it sure felt like it! More beams came from the dog, and whatever modifications they made to it sure didn’t improve the accuracy. My tongue clenched back some of the urge to yelp, as my suit took the hint and administered its chems.

Lining up another burst, the 5mm peppered across the weapon in question, breaking something of value and causing it to burst in his paws. The mutt let out a hellish howl, fitting I know, and charged. Murder in its eyes only for one.

One shell…

Two shell…

Three shell…

Butter zone found! The fourth shell that struck across its neck and face did the job, causing it to roll head over heels into me. I’ll take being knocked down than torn in half any day. As I laid there, I waited to see if any more would try and pounce, but those that shot out of the ground were in pieces around me now. Either from missiles, shells, or claws of their own kind.

Regarding their own kind…

A pair of paws reached up and over the corpse that pinned me down, lifting it up and off to the side with no effort. The female ‘Hellhound’ that brought us out here stood there, tattered, beaten, and pommeled from tangling with her own. Though she did so and helped us in the end as well, with that in mind, the paw that outstretched to me I took and got back to my hooves.

“Much obliged…”

“Eh, pony don’t mention it,” she shrugged her shoulders at me, as we started hiking up the incline and to the edge where the rest of my companions were.

Tumble still had her carbine at the ready, pointing right at her, while Deacon had the launcher with what was probably his last shot doing the same. I couldn’t blame them for being cautious, with the name like Hellhound, who wouldn’t? My visor turned to the pair, and back to the hound, then to the hole we’d come out of. Joining those of her kind were the rangers, or at least what was left of them.

Sections of armor were cleanly torn or cut off, weapons they were armed with broken and left in pieces, nothing so much remained that could even be considered scrap or worthy to turn in to a vendor. Hellhounds were no joke, and if it hadn’t been for this one, we’d all be in a similar state down in those tunnels.

“So… why did you help us?” I asked, assuming now would have been a good time as any to rip our spines out.

For a second, she turned her head down to those tunnels, “it… it long story.”

Ain’t it always? Popping my visor up, I brought a hoof out to her, “Well I think time is one of those things that’s abundant in this world now, so how about start with a name?” she looked at me and to the hoof, and I could feel the other pair waiting for her to make the wrong move, “Wildfire.”

Finally, after a few skips of my heart, she took it, “Riff Raff.”

***

“I don’t trust her,” Tumble, try as she might, whispered to me as we walked.

Riff Raff kept to the middle of our little group, Deacon heading up the front, which left myself and our resident mare to share a chat about the new comer that just happened to be sticking with us for the time being. Though one thing the mare didn’t notice that I picked up, this dogs’ ears were twitching.

“Pony know I can hear, right?” okay a grin like that wouldn’t really put any of us at ease…

Tumble however, caught the look and stopped there. “I just thought all Hellhounds were, well… savage,” and yet Riffs grin kept growing, “no offense!”

Although she grinned, the dog just shrugged her shoulders at the pair of us, “Matters more how much of that magical glowing junk dog take swim in,” she said, and went back to working on the laser rifle she pulled from one of her pack. “Me? I guess pony could say I was lucky, my blood relatively clear of ponies glowing shit… didn’t sit well with others down in that hole.”

I knew she didn’t look as hellish while we were down there, and even now that some of the grim from her fur had been wiped away, besides some of the many scars she wore. Riff here looked about as normal as one of the Diamond Dogs from back in my day… besides still being stronger than an ox, and able to rip clear through metal plating.

Yeah, normal…

“Can’t completely whine like ponies do, dog got some benefits,” her claws for sure were obvious, though she still felt the need to flick out a few of those digits. Seriously, how sharp does something have to be to go through metal like tissue paper? “And radiation don’t bother much, that just bonus.”

So, she has all of the benefits, but none of the drawbacks… ‘wait, what were the drawbacks of being a Hellhound?’ I mean besides being public enemy number one to literally any settlement or town you probably came across, or I guess in some cases, your own kind. “What did you mean when you said you were dead even before I barged in?”

Even without her facing us, I could still hear a sigh, “Ain’t as mutated as others… they didn’t like that too much, and if pony couldn’t tell, they like to show their feelings rather personally,” a life living as the runt of the pack would surely leave scars like that across one, “But dog smarter than others, make self useful.”

With a flick of the switch though to the side. The rifle powered up and she took aim at, what I hoped was, an abandoned house. One of those beams from the gun was able to seer my coat, even under the armor, but to wood that decrepit? Almost instantly the frame caught fire where she hit, and started going through the rest of the structure.

And just like before, she kept that grin going, “understood some weapons, helped fix theirs, and say in packs’ graces… but know not last long.” Again she sighed, many of those wounds looked fresh. So if I had to guess, the other hounds probably took their turns beating her to a pulp, when it was one against all of em. “Wouldn’t have stepped up, had it not been for pony,” the grin was soon replaced by a gentle nod, likely the first time she’d even had a reason to show gratitude I’d imagine, “big guns speak loudly, give good back up.”

“You’re very welcome,” Deacon chimed in, as he hiked his shoulder up to situate the launcher, and I swore I could see him stick his tongue out at Tumble. She’d have to eat her words, that did come in mighty handy.

Yet even with all this firepower, they still were barely a match for those others down in the tunnel, let alone what this one might be able to do with that rifle. “Well… if you’re going to be walking with us for the time being, can we trust you?”

Her grin wiped away as she stared at my visor, “if dog want to kill, would have done by now,” how many red flags can one creature get?! Though the stone glare on her face that had all of us on edge soon left, and was replaced by that low rumble of a laugh. “Dog play! Not kill you, you good ponies…” her eyes turned for a moment to the only one not in that category, “and good turkey.”

That made his feathers ruffle!

“If all same to pony,” Riff plodded the ground, “can dog stick with you?”

Almost instantly all three of us stopped in our tracks from the question. Deacon looked at Tumble, Tumble looked at him, and soon both of them looked on to me… when did this become my call? I mean sure, she was more than capable of killing off all of us in probably one swipe, and we were already a target by me wearing this armor. Though Riff did save our skins, and that had to be worth something in the end… plus the whole not killing us yet bit.

“I’m assuming another pack would be less welcoming?” it was a stupid question sure, but it had to be asked.

Just as expected, she nodded, “New pack kill on site, even just for meat…” then she started thinking a little bit more it looked like, “or a play thing, or target practice, or hunt for sport.”

“Hmph… sounds like an attractive group,” Deacon sneered with his own grin, though I’d imagine he should know, having traveled the wastes as long as he did.

“Turkey not half back looking himself,” Riff responded with a wink.

Deacon stammered, Tumble looked like she could boil water with the heat from her cheeks, and as for myself. I just joined in her laugher that erupted, “Oh, I think you’ll fit in just fine there, Riff.”

Much to the others initial dismay, the dogs’ pep picked up instantly as she threw her rifle across the shoulder and marched along with us on back to Barkston. Though that did start to beg one question, what was the town going to say?

***

Both myself and Tumble stood by from a fair distance as Deacon talked with the guards of the town. Riff stood right next to him, as it felt like every barrel with in town limits was pointed right at her. Much the same way when we first waltzed in here with her, though to be fair, the guards armed with long guns atop the various cars and storage buildings of the yard did seem to have left.

You know… after they saw she wasn’t mutilating the residents.

All our feathered friend had said was he would talk to the guards, and although my lip reading was shit, that seemed to be a good-hearted laugh shared by the bunch. “Huh… he does have a way with words, don’t he?” I asked to the mare, and she only gave me a rolling of her eyes.

After that it didn’t take long for Deacon and our newest addition to get back over to us… though Riff was without her rifle. “Alright, so they’re cool with her coming to and from the town,” that seemed obvious, she wasn’t being shot at, then Deacon elaborated further, “however, she just can’t be armed while in the walls… keeps others at ease and what not.”

A snort from the hound got all our attention, “As if dog would even need gun to kill,” once again her claws flashed out along the paw that’d easily palm a ponies’ head, “these would do just fine.”

Not the time and place to make that comment… and as a few of the guards hauled away her rifle on their back, their looks of concern said more than they could voice. “She’s joking!” Deacon shouted out, jumping between her and the guards, “Wouldn’t ya know it, we found a Hellhound with a sense of humor!”

‘Smooth…’ I just shook my head, the guards still weren’t shooting, so we were in the clear for the time being.

Now we could get to the bottom of why we stopped back in on the town before our last contract… supplies. This was going to be an endless cycle wasn’t it? Stock up supplies to do jobs, complete jobs to pay for more supplies, then stock up again. Rinse and repeat. Whelp, maybe with some luck we’d come out in the positive.

Deacon, Tumble, and Riff headed out to pick up some extra rounds for all around our group. I needed some more shells, and I knew after that last barrage our gryphon would want a few more munitions. I may not be there to twist that portly ponies’ wrist, but I think a certain pooch would do just fine in that respect. Plus, they’d need her to explain that the pest problem is taken care of.

That left me with a sack full of batteries ready for the turn in, hoping they were still open. The sun was going down sure, and while the streets might have been lit. Even stores in this world still had to close. Looking over the original contract told me it was the owner of the general store here in Barkston, and right above my head I looked at the very crummy painted sign of GEN STORE.

Hey, it works it works…

The mare across the counter was all too eager to get her hooves on the sack, I’m not even sure she counted how many I’d turned in. Though thanks to Deacons fine scavenging work, we’d just pulled in another 750 caps. Not too shabby, for going up against an entire production floor of robots.

Now all that’s left was- Me not to be crashing in to other ponies.

Scratch that, I didn’t move, the other pony however was on the dirt… ‘Wait a sec…’ I looked down to the ground and saw a very familiar dirty bandana, “sorry about that, had my head in the clouds,” my visor flipped back up as I helped Alimite to her hooves.

“I did say I’d run in to ya again, just didn’t figure it to be so literal,” Alimite floated up a couple of the boxes she’d carried before our collision. “Though that’s what I get for trying to carrying everything in one go,” for a moment she just smiled, then her eyes looked like they were starting to wander over the suit once more, probably a little worse for wear the last time we’d met, “been busy I take it?”

Her hoof tapped the side of the new gun modification, and in couldn’t help but chuckle, “Oh, just keeping myself occupied while I’m in town,” while trying not to get myself torn in half, or blown up by artillery, or for that matter set on fire. With a fetch of my horn, I pulled a few of those boxes up and off to my own side, “Here let me help… keeps ya from running in to others.”

She might have been surprised at first from the gesture, but never the less Alimite accepted it with a smile. “Such a gentlecolt, hard to imagine these days,” her head jerked down the rails, and you didn’t have to tell me twice what that meant.

Quickly I caught up and walked with her through some of the streets of Barkston, largely just various tracks of vacant cars, as we passed by those little cut outs of society ponies had still tried to recreate. In some cars you could hear laughing and music, then five feet more you’d hear yelling and crying, and past that all the commotion of a true city. Singing, drinking, maybe the occasional gun shot in the distance…

Society was a loose term now.

“So, call me curious,” I watched her head turn a bit towards me before I continued, “how did you learn that kind of spell?”

It took a few seconds, but eventually she caught my meaning, “Well, being the one that always fixes things, you pick up a few new skills here and there,” and I’d imagine there’d be a lot more skills to learn in this Equestria. “That just happened to be one I gathered over the years… an old gunsmith taught me back then.”

A good one to have for sure, Celestia knows how many times that spell had saved my skin back at work, “With a skill set like that, I’m assuming you’re the town mechanic?”

Looking around, I wasn’t sure exactly where she was leading me. We were past the cars, so all the shops were behind us, now we were at the warehouse portion of the train yard. Which seemed to be this places’… headquarters? Control area? Government, if that was a thing. All I could see inside some of the large bay doors were different locomotives lined up. Some in far better condition it looked like than others. While some of those better kept ones had guards posted at either end.

“Not really… I’m doing a favor, a friend of my settlement asked to help fix up some things here,” she nodded, taking one of the boxes and shaking it in front of me, “patching up the water system for the town, ya know things that keep this place running, just needed to get the parts from the stores first.”

Hmm I’d imagine this whole place would get pretty unruly without water, even if it still was partially irradiated. “So, I’m guessing this is where they keep all that equipment.”

“Yep, they’d managed to take some of the old steam engines and use em to turn well pumps…” great, so the country is still dependent on coal, even after balefire bombs, “though they usually burn manure.”

Okay, so not dependent. That good old pony stubbornness was reigning true. Whether it was making crops out of nothing, pumping water with a locomotive and some crap, or strapping a rocket to the back of a sledgehammer. Somehow, we found a way to make things work. Though if she wasn’t from around here, then maybe she’d know something about any other settlement up north.

“Where’s your-”

“There ya are!” Tumble about shot up alongside the suit, “we’d gotten all our list done, and even got a little bonus for having to deal with Hellhounds.”

Soon after she showed up, both Deacon and Riff were in tow. I about said something, till I heard a box fall from behind me. There Alimite stood just staring up at our newest member, and for a second, the blood drained from her face matching it to her mane.

I waved my hoof in front of her, “Ahh, Alimite…” finally getting her attention, “Relax, she’s with us.”

I might have said it already, but Riffs’ toothy damned grin really could peel paint, let alone the nerves of another. “Well now… very colorful group you have going on,” she continued to stammer, and got her boxes back up.

“OhMiss Alimite…” a stuck-up voice if I ever heard it called out, and up there along one of the platforms was a colt that looked a bit too clean for this world. “If you wouldn’t mind, could you please get back to doing your job? Hmm?”

Wow from zero to murder eyes in half a second, that’s quicker than a raider. “I’ve got the parts I need Conductor,” she sneered right back. With her attention back on me, and trying what looked like her best to ignore the colt, she looked a little more relaxed, “I do have to get back to that favor, before I strangle their self-appointed mayor,” I watched as her eyes did a once over on the suit,” …although, whenever you get back come find me, I’m kicking my hooves up at the inn.”

‘Oh?’ that’s an interesting offer, “is this the part where you try to steal the suit?” my snicker earned me yet another giggle from the mare.

“No, no… though I might have something for it, you find all sorts of things in the strangest of places,” with that Alimite tightened the knot on her bandana, and started backing up towards those trains. “Until then, Rogue, goodnight.”

After a timid wave and a smile, on both our parts, I watched her disappear in to the warehouse. Letting me and my companions get back to our- “What are ya’ll staring at?”

Each of them just looked at me blank faced, except for Tumble, her grin was getting wider by the second, “Well now… our Tin Colt has a heart.”

Footnote: Level up.

Perk: “Heavy Gunner- Lv. 3”- Practice really does make perfect. Heavy weapons damage increased by 25%.

Note: This stacks with ‘Heavy Gunner Lv. 1 and 2.’

Chapter fifteen: Lighting the keg

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Chapter fifteen: Lighting the keg

So, story time… when I was in school still, I wasn’t what you would call one of the most popular colts. Sure, I was nice to others, and if they needed help with work I tried. Though, I never quite fit in anywhere to one group. That lead to a very large learning gap when it came to mare and colt interactions.

Clearly, going on ice and waking up here hadn’t helped that gap…

“So, just a friendly face?” Tumble raised her brow, trying more to entice this subject as she cooked up… something, rat maybe? “Not many ponies would smile at that suit like she was.”

Largely I tried to ignore her, and instead watched Deacon as he organized his medication satchel. Anything to take away from the mare currently snickering at me from the living room of our little burned-out abode. A mare was easy enough to ignore, a hound was a different story, and the laugh from our canine friend sure carried in the night. Probably scared some of the guards too now that I think of it.

“Wild probably blushing under helmet,” Riff chuckled, holding her rifle close now that it was back in her paws. “No wonder he not take off suit since we got back.”

Well, at least Riff was rubbing off on Tumble a little now, even she got humor out of that one. Granted, the more they brought this up, the more my cheeks were getting red. “Like I said before, ran into her while getting ammo the first day here, chatted a little, and she took interest in the tech,” a simple enough encounter, though I’ll leave out the bit of her cleaning the suit up with that spell, if only for my sake, “a friendly face, that’s all.”

“A friendly face who’s inviting you to their room…” Tumble just winked at me, “not something you hear too often from ponies, especially who’d just met apparently.”

“Or she’s trying to stab him in the back,” Deacon piped up from his medic duties for a moment, and earned him another smack to the back of the head from our resident mare. “What? I’m just saying, that suit would fetch a good price.”

As right as he was, I’d rather not let it come to that. Still, what could she have for me? “Regardless of the intent,” Tumble rolled her eyes at the gryphon, “she sure looked pretty peppy once her eyes went back to ya, Wiley.”

Call it fond memories, though that certainly brought a snicker from me, and another set of looks from those around our little fire. “It’s nothing…” I popped my visor to get some of that wonderful wasteland stale air, “just been a while since I’d heard that name…”

“Wiley?” Tumble perked, and scratched the end of her chin, “well your face isn’t as red as I’d thought.”

“Who call pony Wiley?” Riff mused, “Other mare?”

She wasn’t wrong with that guess, and it seemed time to catch our newest addition up to speed, “Whelp, where to start…”

---

“Motherfucker!”

Well now… that was some vibrant language for a young mare. Granted, if I just took a hammer to the hoof I’d probably be preaching to the same choir. Thirteen or not, I just hope Lilac didn’t hear that, otherwise both of us would be getting our mouths washed out with soap.

“Steady there Winny,” I told her while looking through my tool bag, ‘I know I have some in here somewhere… ah, there ya are.’

Flicking my horn over to her, the up and coming mare caught the wrapping with her other hoof. “Okay, so I let that one slip,” que the eye roll, “she’s not around though, so I think our coats are safe.” Just like the champ she was becoming, Winter wrapped up her hoof, and got right back to it.

This time a little more careful with her swings.

Granted, I could have thrown this irrigation piping together in half the time than doing it by hoof, you know after some much needed studying up on the matter. However, Winter did insist on helping with Lilacs’ Garden project. Let’s face it, she was getting good when it came to pipe work. Especially after that last incident. Plus, I was getting strawberries out of it, and what's not to love about that?

It’d probably taken us the better part of the morning to lay out all the piping, and on top of that to get it cut. It was a simple enough design, rainwater collected in a barrel off the back gutter of the house, and a valve on the base allowed it to flow to the different garden patches. The hardest thing to figure out was how the hell Winter still hadn’t gotten a cutie mark yet. After all the work we’d been doing over the years, you’d think she’d get at the very least a plank of wood and a nail.

But alas, even as a teenager, she was still picked on for being a blank flank… though that stopped pretty quick after she beat one of the colts… sorta. ‘Surprised she never got one with boxing gloves while younger,’ it crossed my mind for a moment, before I got back to the task at hoof.

With everything more or less set up, myself and my assistant set about hammering home the clamps around the piping. Winter took care of most of the actual hammering, though my horn handled the sealant. Lilacs’ garden was already a pretty good size to begin with, though with this up and running now, that just made less trips the older mare would have to take… you know, when the shelves were actually stocked still.

This damned war had been going on for nearly ten years now, and neither side could see over the horizon to the end in sight. Most of those elites that made up Canterlot didn’t have to think about the shortages of goods. It was the working-class pony like myself who felt most of the rationing, at least depending where you resided and the local supply of goods. However, for a mare that’s been retired, and in a smaller town like this one? Goods could still be expensive to come by.

But that didn’t stop the warm nature of a particular mare.

“You two look plum tuckered out,” Lilac spoke from her back porch, as she balanced a pitcher of water with lemon wedges.

Time sure does fly when you’re having fun, or getting injured, and before either of us knew it the noon sun had long past and it already looked like I should be getting ready to make dinner. “Much appreciated,” I raised my glass to the mare, and promptly downed about half of it in one gulp.

“Well now, if you don’t have much left to do…” Lilac looked around to all that we’d actually accomplished. The piping was largely coming together, and really there was just double sealing everything, then connecting the barrel to the gutter. My nod answered her, “would you like me to set an extra space at the table?”

The mare really did know the way to a colts’ heart, “Oh you are too kind,” I tipped my head to her.

“Though I can start cooking now if you think you’d like to stop soon.”

“Ya me and Wiley here can get it knocked out here soon,” Winter jumped in at the last second, all too eager with that hammer of hers.

“Give it another-” wait… Wiley? Both myself and Lilac raised our brows to the mare nearly in tandem, “Where’d that come from?” I asked.

“What?” the younger mare just shrugged at us, “you been calling me Winny for years now, you didn’t think I’d come up with something for you?”

A soft giggle grabbed our attention, and there Lilac tried her damndest to hide the smirk that grew past her wings. “Now ain’t that cute,” she snickered at us again, before setting the pitcher out with us, “I’ll get right too it then, and will grab ya when it’s done.”

That left me just smirking at the young mare myself, “Really now… Wiley?” I started to chuckle.

“Cut me some slack now,” Winter went back to the barrel and started rolling it over to the side of the house, “There’s not many names I can make with Wildfire ya know.”

Couldn’t argue with that one, plus I was in the same boat when I gave her Winny. Now that that was out of the way, we both got back to work. I was already looking forward to whatever it was our host would throw together.

---

“Who Winny?” Riff started scratching the back of her head, “special pony friend?”

At this rate I needed to put it on tape just so I could replay it, thankfully, those amongst us had already heard the story and why I’m out here. I didn’t even have to say a word. “Wild was frozen back during the war,” Tumble answered for me, “in one of those stables you’d probably run in to.” Or probably hadn’t if she spent all her time down in the tunnels.

“As for Winny, real names Winter… Blossom?” Deacon hit it right on the head, “they went in that stable together, though when he woke up, she wasn’t there.”

It’d taken the better part of a minute or so, at least enough time for Tumble to finish half of her dinner. Until steadily, Riff Raff looked at myself all over, before she just shrugged. “You ponies really weird…” she started to shake her head, oddly not even questioning the absurdity of it all, “I take it you look for Winter?”

“Well she’s the closest thing I have to family, like a sister I mean,” I corrected her earlier assumption.

“Humph… Well if she out there, Winter have great bodyguard when find her.”

Ya know, the pup had a point. Power armor would make most creatures quiver, minus chemed out raiders apparently. So, where ever she was, when or if I tracked her down, there would be some hefty firepower watching over her shoulder.

“What pony do after?” our hound proposed, “After find what happen to Winter, better or worse… what we do after?” her eyes looked, almost, a bit worried at the prospect, “seem we following where you lead, what about after nowhere to lead too…”

I… hadn’t thought of that.

Part of me was in the mindset that once I found Winter, or what became of her, everything would just fall in to place. I’d be around her, maybe at some settlement, Rangers wouldn’t be able to find me, and even the gunners would eventually lose interest. Everything would just fall back to how it once was…

Back to a world that doesn’t exist anymore.

There wasn’t much else I could do but shrug to the pup, “I’m not sure… really.”

Around the room the response seemed to be largely shared amongst those I’d picked up along the way. Our mare looked as if she was pondering the same question, as did the gryphon. Tumble could just keep to her name sake and go where the wind took her, Deacon was a merc by choice and could follow the caps, even Riff would be able to find her place eventually after I reach the end of my path. Another pack might kill her, and although being out on her own might paint a target on her back. There wasn’t much that could take her kind on.

I guess the real question was, would they leave?

“Awe hell,” Deacon chimed in, tearing a bit of the ‘rat’ Tumble passed off to him, “Wild’s got a good adventure going for him so far, and a decent amount of trouble to follow…”

Gee, thanks.

“… I’m sure there will be something that keeps it interesting,” he concluded.

Yeah, keeps it interesting… ‘like having an entire army after my head,’ I thought, looking in to our fire. As for after this little journey was all said and done with, we’d just have to cross that bridge whenever we came to it.

For better, or worse.

***

“You know this would be better with a scope,” Tumble grumbled from her vantage as she looked from the window to the courthouse.

Really now, I didn’t pick where she had posted up, and all she really had going for her was Rogues gift and her .44. Yet still, she looked out at the courthouse as described in the contract. Most of the courtyard in front was dug in and used the fencing as its biggest defense, besides the turrets of course… because no matter where you went. There were always enough of those to go around.

Even from our view a few dozen yards from that point, out an old apartment ground floor, I could still see the random guard or two poking their head out from the windows of the house. The building itself looked more intact than I’d expected, with only a single corner collapsed, I’d call that improvement on the usual rubble and debris, and certainly better than the line of buildings on either side of it that lead towards us.

“Deacon, any more info on these guys?” I asked to our semi expert.

With great thought, I hoped, he scratched the end of his beak, “think of em as higher end raiders…” yeah, that sounded promising, “call themselves the Pack, where ever they got that name from your princesses knows…”

Probably from tearing apart ponies and other creatures’ limb from limb, or something just as gruesome. Who knew, that was part of the fun. Though if they were organized enough to have a name, they must have some sort of defense going for them.

“… I was once paid to watch over a caravan,” it didn’t take an expert to see the gryphon shutter at the memory, “needless to say, the pack is well known for their eccentric nature… and tend to fight in groups.”

Hmm their name choice kinda gave that away…

“Any suggestions then?” I asked, only to receive silence from around the room.

All the mare gave us was a mild shrug, “I mean, a distraction would be nice…” her eyes went between us and the courthouse, “gives them something to keep their sights on, and would let some of us less resilient beings get in close.”

Namely I’d imagine, herself and Deacon.

From her sly grin I could already see where this was going, and ya know… run and gun was not a solid plan. No matter how often we came back to it. Barge in to a Robco sales floor without thinking of the security, entering a factory that likely still had similar defenses, or even charging headlong to a ranger in need the first time around.

Still, it seemed like it was going to be the only option for us… great, just what my suit needed! With nothing else coming from them, both myself and Riff ducked our heads, ready for the first step in this so-called plan…

Run, and draw fire.

The first dozen or so feet were smooth sailing, it took some time for the guard to notice what was coming at them after all. After that though, there’s where the real fireworks started! That wasn’t standard defense turrets this Pack had going for em, those were fucking missile turrets!

Celestia their aim was terrible, but splash damage was damage still.

Armor integrity: 91%

Well damn, that’s the highest it’s been in a while for a fire fight!

I spoke too soon…

A dozen missiles from those turrets went off to the side of me and around my hooves, they might not hit like that of one held by a pony. Though, they still were high explosive none the less. Half deaf in one ear, my hind leg dripping blood, and what felt like a section of plating dangling to the side of the suit, I walked… or hobbled, to one of the other buildings nearby the courthouse.

Armor integrity: 79%

Riff wasn’t far behind me, taking pot shots with her own beam rifle at those turrets. I saw a few go up in a flash and sparks. Though it looked as if they had defenses to spare. Soon enough, the pooch joined me in our makeshift holdup, a pastry shop. Not the best shelter, but it did give those inside the courthouse somewhere to aim. Just as it gave me a solid wall to peek around and pepper the 5mm against their guns. As well as those that tried to take a shot of their own.

Not as effective as Riffs’, but it garnished me a few more notches on my belt, and gave my suit a few moments to repair. Those missiles scattered all around the side of the building, knocking out fresh mortar and glass from the structure as it showered myself and my companion. Amongst them, various calibers of guns were lost in the munitions. Riff probably didn’t expect to become a bullet sponge when she joined up, but welcome to the club!

Another bar on my E.F.S. went down, and not by either of our guns from what I could tell. Which meant either Deacon or Tumble were getting in range and giving them two fronts to fight against. I didn’t know what the Pack was armed with inside, but if they had guns like this out here…

Okay, not thinking of that now. Time to move!

Or try to… holding one plate back in place, the suit finally stitched itself up enough to get my legs and servos moving with some pep. Letting both me and Riff close in, firing to my name. Tri-barrel and a slightly slower rate of fire or not, the mini might not be the most accurate in a run and gun scenario, but our pup knew how to control her shots well. Where my 5mm would keep the heads of those inside down, her beams would make short work of those that still had interest in us.

As rounds from the bars, other than the turrets, pinged off my suit. We’d eventually got to the fencing, and with some liberal effort on both our parts a decent section of said barricade found its new home on the ground. The gang members inside were getting their sights dialed in, a few of them started to go for the helmet. For the time being, they seemed content on staying put inside their building, and probably readying more defenses.

My side slammed against the outer wall of the courthouse, ‘Ouch…’ I grumbled still feeling that tingling of nerves in my leg. Hey, at least I could still feel it. Riff bunched up behind me as she loaded in a new cartridge for her rifle. The collapsed corner we’d overlooked from earlier gave easy access to the ground floor, though the Pack probably knew that.

Scrambling atop the mound of broken brick and wood, Riff and myself got in to what looked like the file room, now littered with papers still after all this time. Surprised no pony had burned it all yet… eh that time would come. Especially with all this oil on the-

“… Oh… fuck me!” almost as soon as the words had left my mouth something ignited the fumes.

It wasn’t an inferno compared to the others I’d been in, hell even the suit was handling it quite well. Though trying to fight through fire and flames wasn’t the most pleasant thing to do! Mainly when you had a coat still exposed. Riff growled as she swatted at the flames along her arm, and I tried to look around for anything to quell the burning.

“Purge those who doubt the pack!” well that’s who lit the fuel… and that hissing was familiar, IF-451 if I believe…

The woosh of fuel brushed many of those embers the oil on the ground left up in to the air of that room. Collapsed wall or not, it was still cramped, and made seeing a pain in the flank. Incinerator here though was clear to see as Celestias’ sun, and he wasn’t holding back any of that fuel. Sheets of liquid blanketed over myself, and whatever fuel he was burning. It quickly turned my suit in to an oven. The longer it went, the more I saw the integrity ticking away like a clock.

Armor integrity: 83%

Stop it…

Armor integrity: 77%

Stop…

Armor integrity: 71%

Warning: severe tissue damage!

“Fine I get it!” I shouted to the suit, and lunged at the IF-451 user.

He had at least enough sense to not use it that close range, and instead opted to pull out… no you don’t! My horn grabbed hold of the pin he tried to pull with his teeth, grasping it firmly in its place. I knew what a detonated Incinerator could do even with fumes left, who knew how much fuel he still had. Using my hoof, I ripped the gas mask from his muzzle and tossed it clean across the room, letting the blaze I was still going through because of him backfire.

The smoke and soot started getting to him from the get go, and with his concentration blown. That apple stem ripped free from his grasp, and my hoof found his jaw. The resounding crack of his neck left the rest of his bulk slumping to the ground, still as wide eyed as when I took his mask off.

“Heads up,” I heard just in front of me, and as I raised my head a face full of powder welcomed it… nice, frosty, powder, “saw the smoke, figured it’d be you,” Deacon answered and shook the extinguisher.

Meds were already trickling into my system, and I was so glad I didn’t look at my leg right now under the plating that still had to patch up. I could kiss the creator of Med-X right now. “Did you find any more of those?” you know, for the next time I’m lit on fire…

“Or some left?” Riff asked, showing off her very blistered and patchy looking arm.

Deacon however tossed her the extinguisher as he went digging through his bags. Tumble wasn’t far behind him it seemed, and pushed past the gryphon, “There’s a stair well just back where we came from, we cleared the path too it… but,” she looked to our group, “it’d probably be better if we split up, a pair taking a floor?”

From the outside this place looked about two stories tall, if you didn’t count the basement it probably had… and if I were a gang leader here, I’d probably be held up in the main court room. Dusting off some of the extra powder and frost the built up, I got back to my hooves. They knew we were here, and we certainly wouldn’t get all day to figure it out.

‘See that’s a better plan then charge in…’ I threw a hoof on Deacons’ shoulder, “me and Deacon can take the bottom floor, you and Riff take the top?” Tumble and the pup in question looked between the four of us, “widens the firepower.”

Riff might have had her own suggestion to that, though a few good healing potions from the medic quickly changed her mind as she slugged them down. Already showing the relief across her face. Tumble just nodded as we left the filing room, and the pair started up the stairs. If she didn’t get the heavy metal backing her up, at least she got a hellhound… okay, semi-hellhound.

Deacon cycled out his magazine for what looked like his standard ammunition, as me and him readied ourselves at the door to the next room. My mini was sitting pretty with bullets, shells were still decent, and I wasn’t smelling burning skin for the time being.

Let’s see what's behind door number one!

A room full of office desks was a bit more tamed than I was expecting. Although, I guess they had to process all the files we just burned from somewhere, and those heavy metal frames did give plenty of places to hide. Just as we’d gotten at good view of the room, the shots started ringing through the space without warning.

The gryphon to my side was the first to be caught off guard, as he buckled there to the ground. Joining him, I felt a few rounds ping off the back plating. Deacon clenched on to the few holes that lined just above his hip. I don’t know how he could be smirking like that after getting shot, but when I was about to ask the obvious, he waved it off. As he pushed off to the side behind a separate wall to lick his wounds, I pressed forward drawing their fire.

Heavier slugs dug in to the side of the plating, and a few luckier shots managed to put a crack in the visor as I went. Upgraded or not, getting shot through the eye socket was almost always a death sentence. My bulk dropped as low as I could get, and let off a shell or two trying to put their own heads down.

Something that didn’t all work out as I’d planned, and even without the few inches the armor gave, there wasn’t much in here when it came to cover for myself. These shots I’d just have to take in stride, though after being lit up like a torch for the… fourth time? I was feeling a little bit shootie. With my head ducked down to hide the visor as much as I could. The mini purred on blindly, and sent its small caliber across the countless debris still scattered around the desks. Amongst the picture frames, scissors, coffee cups, and terminals that broke apart.

Those red bars didn’t fare much better.

For every shot they let off, I returned tenfold. Theirs might have had more of a punch, but numbers were on my side, and it didn’t take long for the last one to have their torso nearly cleaved in two from the sheer volume of lead. My barrels stopped spinning, and in the flickering light of the room the ambient glow of the barrels popped in the corner of my eye.

Armor integrity: 64%

“See, good as new,” Deacon proclaimed as he joined me, a fresh bandage across his hip. Though I hoped that followed a potion, “Not the first time I had to make repairs on the fly.”

Given his profession, I didn’t doubt it.

Something I was still getting experience with myself. 64% wouldn’t get me very far if they were packing everything from small arms to heavy weapons, and while he went about picking through some of the fresh bodies laden around the room. I started ripping in to the desks and wastebins for any sort of scrap I could throw in my hopper.

The aforementioned scrap found their way there, as did staplers, rusted cans, and even the occasional flask. Tumble might have been upset they were empty, though if the suit could speak it would have thanked me. Steadily, that 64% started ticking up… a wonderous machine the M.W.T. helped throw together, with of course a little arcane help from the M.A.S.

“Oh ho, what have we here?” Deacon muttered as he went through what looked like a footlocker.

Out in his talons the gryphon pulled a few more rounds for his launcher, and slid them in to his bag. The bodies around us didn’t warrant many goods it looked like, though it was hard to loot a pile of mush.

As he checked on his own IF-64, Deacon looked over to me, “How’s your suit holding up?”

Armor integrity: 75% I read through the visors’ display, “Eh… I’ll manage,” from the empty room we found ourselves in, the steady shots in the halls echoed to us. “Sounds like Tumble and Riff are putting in work,” really, it was hard to mistake the sound of her beam rifle.

All our medic did was nod, “Well, let’s not em have all the fun,” he snickered as we passed through the next door and in to what looked like… a cafeteria?

Tables, trays, and a serving counter with armed ponies lining up behind it. Yep, cafeteria alright, and by the looks of it they added some plating of their own to that chow line. Cheap tables weren’t the best thing to stop bullets, not by a long shot. Though Deacon made good use of an old Sparkle-Cola machine as it soaked up the rounds, and he returned some of the favor. There being only one of those machines… well you could imagine where that put me.

Taking up much of the fire, my 75% already was dropping from those taking shots between their firing slits of the counter. Not fast enough to worry, but I knew Rogue was looking down on me with shame for what I was putting his suit through. What do you want from me? This thing was bulky before the extra plating, and It’s not like I can just make my own cov-

‘Idea…’ the lightbulb almost went off above me, as I rushed towards Deacons’ shelter.

He looked a little confused as I tried joining him behind it, even more so when I tipped the machine over on its side. Although as he ducked behind it, my hooves planted against the frame and started pushing. With my head low, and the shoulder plating taking most of the brunt, our ram screeched across the ground towards the counter. It was called power armor for a reason, and I could only imagine the looks on the gang members faces.

With every stomp of my hooves, the machine pushed more tables and chairs out of the way, letting my shotgun do even more damage to their fortification as the pellet spread narrowed. Parts of the makeshift fort were falling apart, and those gaps they were shooting from were getting mighty big… enough for another to get his own two cents in.

From this short distance, accuracy mattered little, even more so when it was a missile. Before I knew it, Deacon had already let one shot loose amongst them, and left scattering parts of pony and kitchen ware falling about. Soon enough, with maybe a shadow of a grin he was loading up another and setting the tube on his shoulder. Not the most ideal weapon for close quarters, although I was the last one who should be talking, there was an explosive shotgun strapped to my side.

One ganger didn’t quite take the hint, and instead insisted on leaping over the counter towards us. Splash damage or not, I’d rather have mine over Deacons’. Two shells from the shotty later and the mulched remains of what might have been a mare sprayed over my plating and in to my avian friends’ feathers. A rather anger induced second shot did the trick, and silenced the rest of those that once sheltered there.

Stepping atop the cola machine and over the counter, the fruits of his work showed from the puddles around. There wasn’t really much of anything to go through from this bunch, and both of us just passed by the slippery piles without any heed. Those shots throughout the building continued, and from here I could have sworn they sounded a bit louder.

“We’d better catch up with them, this place wasn’t that big,” I said to my companion, as Deacon just nodded and went towards the back door of the kitchen, “We should be-”

Past him the boxy barrel of an AER-7 filled his face.

Just over that, was a face I’d recently met.

“Oh, it’s just you,” Deacon started smirking once again at the most inopportune time imaginable, with a barrel pointed at his face no less! “What brings you to these parts, Staggs?”

“What are you doing here?” the salty gryphon asked, and I waited on chomping my bit.

“Probably the same reason you are,” Deacon lowered the beam rifle down, though surprisingly Staggs didn’t protest at all, “Pack leader contract?”

I could smell the fumes coming off of the older gryphon, even through the filters of the helmet, “Son of bitch,” Staggs groaned, “out of the gang and you’re still swiping them away!” he sounded pissed, hell I’d be pissed if someone kept taking my job, and yet his barrel wasn’t moving to shoot our medic.

Don’t know how he was reading the situation, but a talon extended from Deacon to his counterpart. “Tell ya what, why not tag along for just this job?” Staggs looked either insulted or irritated at the offer from my view, “they’re decently armed here, and it’d better your chances if you had some guns backing you up.”

It’d taken some time, and in the silence- … wait… “are you hearing that?” I asked, turning my head for a better ear.

Deacon followed suit with the motion, “Ahh no…”

“My point exactly, it’s quiet now,” a second or two later the gryphon caught my drift.

“Help us out and I’ll give ya half my cut?” Deacon made his final offer.

There it is!

Almost too eagerly Staggs shook talons with his younger cohort, loaded up a fresh energy cell, and nodded to the pair of us. We didn’t know the layout, or where the pair had wound up, but if our hearing was anything to go off of. The rest of our group had to be close by.

“How’d you get in here?” I questioned our tag along.

“A lot quieter than ya’ll,” Staggs grumbled at my back, “I’m getting too old for the head first approach, so I came in the back door.”

Hmm… so we knew Tumble and Riff weren’t the way he went. Which meant, we had to be closer to the main court room. Well if Staggs was hoping to stick to that stealthy approach, that went out the window with me stomping around. The hearing room we’d entered already had a few bodies laying throughout it, none by myself or Deacon. Considering they weren’t ash either, it couldn’t have been Staggs.

It was a shitty world when the breadcrumbs on a trail were corpses.

Though that trail yielded us a very annoyed looking hellhound, licking her wounds. Tumble didn’t look all that much better, but together they were still breathing beside at one point what might have been the secretaries’ desk to the main courtroom. A tiny gust of air kicked up as Deacon went about the role he’d fallen in to, as his kit was already opened up and tending to the two.

Riff Raff let the gryphon tend to her forearm, already having been healed from the burns earlier, now it just laid tattered and shot up with a number of fresh scorch marks across it. I had to give it to her kind, they were built tough. Besides the one potion, she waved off anything more from our medic. Letting Deacon go to the other in need.

“What happened here?” I asked the obvious, if our guess was right, I think I knew what was behind door number… three?

“Boss pony inside,” Riff pointed towards the door with a thumb, “me and mare open door, get shot at, lots of lasers.”

So… either there were a lot of ponies inside with the leader, or he had some serious firepower of his own. Neither was good for us; it was a courtroom. Really only one way in and one way out in front of us at the moment, and I doubted any of us explored enough to know where another entrance would be.

“I swear I’m alright,” the mare insisted, “hell you look worse for wear,” Tumble might have been rolling her eyes at Deacons’ own bandages, but that didn’t stop a little flush in her cheeks as he covered her burns.

“Doctor Deacon check dog out again?” once again Deacons’ feathers ruffled at the wink from Riff.

Once again, Tumble looked like an over cooked grenade.

And once again, I couldn’t help but laugh at the trio.

The only outlier here was Staggs, who just looked confused as he stared at the four of us and shook his head. Deacon at least was the first to recover, and slung the missile launcher back up on his shoulder at the ready.

“Right! So, are we ready to do this?” he asked, and sounded just a tad eager to leave the situation.

Could ya blame him?

Riff and Tumble got back to their feet, Staggs brought his AER up, and I joined Deacon in front of the door. If they really did have the firepower, it wouldn’t take long between opening the door and them opening up on us… better make it count.

A strong front kick nearly knocked the doors off their hinges-… and oh those guns would do it! I noticed a bit too late as the twin gatling lasers on the battlesaddle started spinning up, and I was forced to back behind the door frame. Hell, even Deacon wasn’t able to get a shot off with his launcher. Now that the door was open, there were a few bars along with the leader, though he was the obvious priority here.

“You mess with the pack you get the fangs!” yep… totally the leader of this bunch.

His bolts kept peppering through the open door, keeping the five of us back in cover. The other bars in the room hadn’t really moved much, if anything they might have been covering their boss, or waiting for us to make a move. However, if my eyes were right and the leader was packing what looked like a set of AER-15’s with a gatling conversion. Him firing like that at full speed meant one thing to me…

3…

2…

1…

His spark batteries ran out almost like clockwork, and that’s when his back up started firing. Giving myself a slight window to work with, as I drew some of their fire while the leader reloaded. Those with me followed my lead soon after, filing in behind the benches that ponies would have filled during a trial. As the leader of the bunch hunkered down atop the judges’ pedestal.

Riffs’ rifle returned her own crimson beams against his, keeping the leader for the most part to short bursts that he raked across the room. Tumble might have been the least armored of us all, though she found something a bit sturdier than one of the benches… my suit. All too happily, the mare propped the carbine up over my back and shoulders, giving her a stable base to shoot from, and a bit of cover.

Was I being used as an improvised meat shield? Yes. Was it keeping my friend alive? Also, yes.

Plus, she was pretty damned good with that thing.

Even as the door to the jury room opened and a few more of the Pack came in, those red bars that were in the room still started to dwindle. Deacon and Staggs remained to the side of me, taking their own shots carefully. When one shot, the other would move up to the next aisle, if one needed to reload, the other would cover them.

Perfect synchronism if there ever was one.

And the total opposite of what I had going for me. My guns were cycling almost as fast as I was watching my armor percentage tick away. The other gangers that joint their leader weren’t packing his level of weaponry, but the shots they were getting off between ours were still hitting their marks.

Armor integrity: 53%

‘Still manageable,’ I told myself while letting the gun purr. Chewing through the halls of justice, with a level of chaos they’d probably not seen before during their hay day.

A couple overcharged laser shots whipped past me, and went square in to the chest of the Pack leader as he leveled his guns. It was a slow process with the combat armor he was wearing, but soon enough you saw the pain on his face stick as the cracks along his coat started to spread across. Soon enough, the colts’ entire form started to collapse in on itself in a pile of ash one could have swept up with a dust pan.

Those of the gang left over didn’t last much longer past that. Between the controlled fire of the two mercs, my mini, Tumbles marksmanship, and Riffs sledgehammer of a rifle. The rest were either turned in to corpses, or soot.

After the shots died down, I checked over my E.F.S. right quick, only to find an empty display. Nothing below, above, or around in the immediate area. A much-needed breather we’d gotten, and as I trotted up to the pile that was left. There shimmering was a little something to turn in for the reward. A pair of dog-tags, hopefully that would suffice… either that or I’d need to put the colt in a jar.

Sadly, the leaders’ guns were pretty well damaged by the shots from Riff. Though what juice his spark batteries had would still prove useful, and with a tug of my horn they found their new home in my bags. Tumble did much the same, as she went around to the other bodies we’d left and gathered goods. Everything from arms to armor, hoofing them off to our hound.

“Just like old times, eh?” Deacon asked to his counterpart while we picked through some of the last remaining containers.

A humph escaped the older gryphon, “what? You going head first in to the fray and getting lit up… yeah just as I remember it.”

“Oh, don’t tell me you’re still gonna be pissy…” Deacon continued to try him, “you think you would have been able to clear out this place on your own?”

All Staggs did was cock his brow at the youngster, “… I could just air this place out, ya’ll included.”

Open threat or not, Deacon just punched him in the shoulder like he’d told a bad joke. Ya know what, gryphons were weird. Then again, this entire world was weird. Now that we had a decent haul to take back to Barkston with, we found ourselves heading back towards the front door through the lobby of the courthouse. This time with a lot less ponies trying to shoot as us, or set me on fire… again.

Though as I lead the way and pushed the door open, all that welcomed me was… the same dull grey overcast I’d come to know. The sun would be nice to see again after almost two centuries, but Pegisy were notoriously stubborn at times. Hell, just look at the Ministry of Awesome’ head mare.

A clank behind me drew my attention, as from across Riffs’ back, one of the guns from the gangers dropped to the ground, “Ya know I can help-”

Pain…

Actually, not even pain at first, really just a slowly growing burn running down the side of my shoulder. I wanted to look around to see what that was that ran across from me, there was just one problem. The suit was on the ground, and I couldn’t move, or even feel for that matter. Riff was latched on to my suit with her paws pulling on me. Tumble was saying something, but I couldn’t hear a thing over the ringing in my helmet.

One thing’s for sure… my foreleg should not be dragging like that!

And then, the sound started to come back, as did the messages across my vision.

Warning:

Suit integrity compromised!

Severe tissue damage!

Unable to administer chems, seek medical treatment!

Armor integrity: (ERROR ERROR ERROR)

Oh… that’s not good.

My head slumped against the ground as Riff tried to lay me down as gently as she could. Tumble had already slammed the door shut, and was trying to peer out the windows along the sides of the building. Deacon was tossing meds left and right as he went through his bags, before pulling out half a dozen healing potions.

“Quick! Drink up!” he shouted, and without question I popped my visor and gulped down the purple liquid.

I couldn’t see down across me, nor could I see how much good it was actually doing. Judging from Deacons face though, it didn’t look good. As he grabbed his bag, more chems and syringes started to pour out. I hadn’t realized he stocked up that much on those goods. Until, one syringe was pulled with his talon.

One I recall him saying it was an all or nothing…

In one motion the cap was pulled off, and the gryphon drove the needle deep into the tissue of along my shoulder blade… wait… shouldn’t that be covered in armor? Just as I thought it, Riff started crunching up some of those weapons with her claws, making short work of them as she dropped the piles next to the suit.

“What the hell was that?” Tumble asked as from the corner of my eye I watched her scan out the window.

“Sniper…” Staggs muttered from the opposite window, “building directly across.”

Yeah, my suit could second that motion, “Deacon… think you can hit em with the launcher?” I grinned, though the humor seemed lost.

“Stay still a moment, let the Hydra do its job,” he ordered while putting some of the scrap in the hopper, though I could feel the chem already working.

My shoulder blade was beginning to pull my foreleg back in to place, as was the bone starting to reform?! It’s strange, healing a bone over time you never noticed, having one grow in a few seconds while lying still… you felt that all through the process. Steadily the feeling in my leg started to return, as did the pain. My teeth gritted against one another, and Deacon took that hint as he shoved a Med-X in to my shoulder. Good thing too, that shit was starting to-

Nope, still smelling burning meat!

Immediately Deacon doused the opening with water. That dulled it a bit, but from having my shoulder blade more or less severed to being put back together wasn’t a pleasant feeling in the slightest. As much as I wanted to look down on my shoulder to see it get mended back up, the suit had other ideas. Broken down materials always repaired faster than whole goods, and with Riffs claws going to town, the suit itself had all the scrap it needed to work with… for now.

Plate by plate, those that dangled by mere cables were pulled back in to place… seriously, whoever thought up repair talismans needed a raise. My suit was finally giving me a feedback report every step of the way, and once whatever affected the chem pump was fixed. I got another dose of painkillers in my system.

Warning: Armor integrity: 5%

Critical failure imminent!

Still not good, even if all the damage was in one spot. The suit could only keep up with so much, if it hit zero, then the repair talisman would completely fry itself trying to overwork and would stop repairing all together. Rogues’ talisman was damaged before it even reached that threshold, no matter the case, what damage done would have to stay till I got to it.

“We got company,” Staggs ducked down from the window, just as a few rounds went through it and sent glass over the area.

As much as Deacon might not like it, my hooves eventually pushed myself up to all fours… ‘not the best of ideas’, my eyes winced, while another shot of Med-X filled my veins. The suit might be repairing, and my shoulder was together in some way. Though to say it was fixed was a far cry from the truth.

“What are they?” I asked, not wanting to get too close to the window while my suit still made repairs.

Tumble just started to shake her head, “Your old friends.”

Gunners… how terrific.

“A few are walking towards this place,” Staggs jerked his head to the window, “though with the sniper out there packing that kind of heat… they should be the first to go.”

“We’ll need another way out of here,” Deacon pointed out the obvious, as his magazine was switched to the armor piercing, “Ideally one not in the crosshairs of em.”

Riff without hesitation broke apart the last of her gun collection, before stomping off to the room beside us. All of us just watched as she pushed her way in to the mares’ room and shut the door behind her… when you gotta go, you gotta go, I guess. Though the crunching of mortar and drywall kinda threw out that idea.

As innocently as a hellhound could, Riff poked her head back out the door to us, “Need way out, dog make way out…” she ushered us with her paw, “can reach other buildings on side.”

Oh, the perks of having a hound on your team…

“I’ll go for the sniper,” Staggs flexed out his wings.

“And I’ll be joining you,” all of them looked at me like I’d just sprouted my own set, “I have a bone to pick with that guy, and I’m not even the vengeful sort.”

Warning: Armor integrity: 18%

Those broken-down parts worked wonders, not ideal, but then again when was it ever? Scooping up the remainder of the scrap for my hopper, myself and Staggs went out the side Riff had made opposite the collapsed corner we’d come in from. Letting the trio stay back to draw some of the other Gunners attention.

Staggs was about as silent as a dove while he flapped, just barely above me. If it hadn’t been for the E.F.S. I might have forgotten he was there. Though that little sensor also showed me the half dozen red bars that were getting closer to the courthouse, and I gulped for the safety of those I just walked away from. ‘They’ll be better if this guy is taken out,’ I reminded myself. The sniper had to have known we were coming, they were smart enough to set up an ambush, they knew we’d find a way out of there.

“Careful now…” Staggs swooped down to ground level and held a wing in front of me as we approached the building, oddly enough it was the same apartment building we had checked the courthouse out from, “They were up on the roof when I saw the silhouette.”

Damn, that eagle vision really was a thing…

“So… meet me up there?” the gryphon cocked his eye for a moment at me, then we heard the sound of even more gun shots than usual for the wastes. The trio must have waited for those gunners to get in a bit closer, though as I looked back, Staggs almost looked… worried? “Don’t take too long,” his demeanor went right back to that salty gryphon, and he took to the sky.

Pushing through one of the doors to the building, I had expected an entire slew of traps to greet me. Though they either didn’t have time to set them all up, or just didn’t care. Soon enough I found the stairs and started making my way up top. The trek might have been giving my suit time to patch, but in Lunas’ holy night… the real weakness of power armor had to be stairs.

Not an AMR.

Not high explosives.

Not even gravity itself.

Just damn stairs… by the time I reached the top it had to have been only a dozen, maybe a bakers’ dozen, worth of flights. Although it felt like I’d just climbed all the way up Canterlot mountain. ‘I’d been running around the wasteland, for over a week now… and stairs are what kicks my ass,’ I might have grumbled, but at least I was at the top.

Now to face a group of murderous ponies!... yay.

A heavy buck to the door knocked back the hinges and opened it up for my grand entrance… as part of the wall was blown out in one shot. Snapping my head back and following the contrail, the group I was expecting turned out to only be a trio of ponies. With one mare holding a pretty well-maintained AMR in her hooves, with her rose irises trained down its sights. The colts alongside her carried their own hunting rifles, but they were nothing compared to that beauty!

Whoops, cover now!

The pain in my legs from getting shot and the climb up immediately left once my life was on the line, and I found myself taking cover behind a set of air conditioning units for the building below. My armor was only hovering around 25%, and that wasn’t anything to mess with considering what the mare was packing. Poking my head out, S.A.T.S fired up and gave me a clear view of the trio.

One was already getting a few shots put in him, and out the corner of my eye I saw a crimson beam lace out in slow motion and strike the gunner. Yielding much the same result as the Pack leader, as his companions started to line up their shots. I did the same. With only a 33% chance to hit, it’s no wonder half the 5mm rounds went wide, and those that did hit the mare did so right in her chest plate.

The spell died out, with a pile of ash joining them, now it was an even match. Another shot from her AMR tore a hole through the AC unit, and narrowly missed my more private parts. Intended or not, this mare was going down for that! While Staggs focused on tangoing with the other spotter, me and the mare had words to exchange.

Or shells.

The shotty racked em back as fast as I could chomp down on the bit, blanketing sections of the roof with small detonations and causing some of the tared room to break apart as I went to town. Yet somehow, for every shell I went through, this mare danced around it like a ballet. Her rifle was slung over her shoulder, and she was drawing closer with every prance she took. Strange… something in her hoof was glowing…

Powerhooves were one of those things that somepony thought was a good idea, then never took the time to get socked in the jaw by one of them. To that pony I have to say, fuck you. Armored or not, the discharge of energy in them sent my already fritz filled systems through the whirlwind. My display cracked and filled with static, and even a few of my servos took that extra second to keep up with my movements.

Not the kind of time I had.

Those lost seconds were running me in to the ground. Her charged bracers might not get a full buildup of power by the time she landed another hit, but even that small amount was enough to give me a literal shock to the system. ‘Sorry Staggs,’ I thought and let the mini spin back up as I did a twirl. Sweeping the 5mm across the roof, thankfully I didn’t hit the gryphon… though the mare also eluded that burp.

“Boo,” I heard the words in my ear, before the kick landed and forced me to eat roofing material. The giggle of the mare sounded like it’d come from a school filly, not a mare hellbent on making me in to a pile of pulp!

Before another burst of mine could get her, the mare already flipped over top of me and drove another hoof in to my helmet. Earth ponies were strong for sure, but they weren’t known for the nimbleness. Where she picked it up from, I’d never know, nor did I have any interest in finding out. If she managed to keep this up though the suit would stay on the fritz, and it’d just be a matter of time before she got bored and took out her rifle to finish the job.

Whelp, desperate times call for desperate measures…

Dancing on her hooves, the mare got in close once again. This time my shotgun was ready, just not with her in its sights. One shell blew a chunk out of the room beneath the two of us, not enough to damage the structure, but more than enough of a shockwave to give her something to think about.

Armor integrity: 23%

Between static it managed to get that much out to me at least. Okay so it hadn’t gone down much from that, and it’d looked like she took the brunt of it. Shrapnel had nicked the suit, although it tore through parts of her limbs that weren’t covered in the Powerhooves. Speaking of… the mare dove back in to the fray, ready to land another hit, and once again I denied it with my own shell. This time peppering a few for good measure around our hooves.

Armor integrity: 19%

I may be taking a beating from the gun as well, but between the two of us I’d last longer. Some of the shrapnel managed to damage something on one of her hooves, and sent a small shower of sparks. The talisman on it died out, leaving her two options. Keep dancing around with her Powerhooves, or finish this fight.

She chose the latter.

The mare pulled her AMR, and with only the hoof work I’d seen from clips about Zebra snipers. Lined up her shot as she held the barrel along her hooves. Adrenaline fueled my own as they went to work, beating against the roof and trying to throw off her aim. Still she fired, blowing holes through the structure the size of softballs… not somewhere I wanted to be!

While I ran, the mare tiptoed on her hind hooves, keeping up the dance to the sound of gunfire. “Hold still ya varmint!” she shouted, though I didn’t listen. That was anger in her eyes, and she must not have been used to taking this many shots to get a clean hit.

If you didn’t count that first one.

My mini spun up again, and while the display was still flickering, this time with her focused on her aim she wasn’t thinking of mine. Running a line of rounds across her, the mare managed to avoid the last bit, but the initial burst is what tagged her. Blood started to leak down the side of her leg, and her once nimble movements were now staggered… yeah, it hurts don’t it.

If anything, that just made her even angrier, and while she fanned the trigger of the AMR. I returned the favor with my shotgun. She only needed to land one on me and I’d be done, just as I did her. We might have been missing, but mine affected an area, and still drove her back to skip across her hooves while dodging a bulk of the pellets.

Until, she skipped a bit too much.

The mare landed along the edge of the roof, and started waving her hooves frantically to keep her balance. As she lost her rifle in the process the last shell of mine that discharged, was the final push. S.A.T.S. might not have been charged, but time still seemed to slow down as I watched her fall back over that edge. The entire time, we just looked at one another, she couldn’t see my face.

But I could see fear on hers.

For a second, it felt as if the fighting stopped, just long enough for me to hear the thud of raw meat hitting pavement. I rushed over to the edge, and there across the ground was the mare spread eagle against it. From this vantage, a dozen stories between us or not, I could still see her eyes looking back up at me.

The stairs might have been the smart move to take, though power armor was designed to take a fall as well… at least from this angle. Taking that leap, I landed several yards from her making most of the street itself shake, and realized that in fact the gun fire had died down to silence. Tumble, Riff, and Deacon were already trotting up to my impact site, before they finally noticed where I was walking to.

To my surprise, those eyes of the mare followed me when I walked up to her… she was still clinging to life. A cough escaped her chest, and with it probably a good quart of blood. Something inside her was broken. Spine, a few dozen ribs, probably internal bleeding to boot. Yet the only thing she could do was look at me, and raise one of her hooves to point.

Deacon brought out his bag, and pulled out a syringe of Med-X. She was dying, he knew it, and like the medic he played. The least he could do was numb the pain… even if she had tried to kill me, I could appreciate the modesty. Though this mare pushed him away with her hoof, and as best she could, shook her head.

“Your face,” she coughed up between labored breaths, “let me see it…” It was an odd request, but it was one I at least could grant. The side of my visor slipped up, and I watched as a smile started to grow, “ahh… there it is,” she coughed up a bit more blood, and let it dribble from her lips. Her hooves started to move, and although Tumble already had her .44 out and at the ready if she tried something. The downed mare reached towards one of the pouches on her side, and pulled out a tape, “now I know who to look for, when I see ya in hell.”

Just as soon as her sentence finished, she dropped the tape in front of me, as her hoof landed to the side. The mares’ final breath escaped, letting her rest with that wicked smile still stretched across her lips as Staggs flapped down towards us. A bit overdramatic, although I have to give it to her…

Good comeback.

“Oh crap…” the older gryphon said as he stood amongst us. All our eyes turned towards him, as his snapped back to the four of us, “You don’t know who this is… do you?”

Listen buster… I don’t even know what my armor percentage is at. Not with the display still… oh wait, it’s rebooting! Finally, after it got done sorting out the hits it took from her Powerhooves, my visor displayed something in the top actually useful, something about the mare I’d just fell…

Gunner Brigadier.

I didn’t just kill any mare, I killed Barrel, “… Well… Fuck,” I facehooved.

Chapter sixteen: Needle in a haystack

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Chapter sixteen: Needle in a haystack

I’d never seen a mare so happy about holding a weapon, at least besides the one I gifted to her from Rogue. Tumble tried to work her shoulders to keep Barrels’ AMR across them evenly, right next to the carbine from said ranger. In her hooves, one of the rounds she pulled off the dead commander she looked over, trying to make heads or tails of it.

“Any idea there Wild?” she finally asked the resident expert of things that went bang…

“Armor piercing incendiary…” I knew the incendiary part all too well, some of my skin still felt raw under the plating.

The suit might have been trying its best with what I gave it, but some of the joints still sounded like grinding coffee as they moved taking us back to town. Plus, a lot of the plating itself just looked… rough, there really wasn’t any other way to describe it. Fresh patched plates from the talisman were smooth, these looked like someone had taken a forging hammer to em. Just a little something I’d have to touch up with that spell, do Knight Rogue proud. As for my foreleg, that was still sore… understandably so, but that limp would go away in time.

Hey, I could still feel it at least.

“Something like that should have killed ya,” Staggs reminded me of the obvious as he looked over the suit. “So, either you’re being looked out for by one of ya’lls’ princesses, or you need to get in to gambling.”

“Let’s just say… mine’s a bit sturdier than normal Power Armor,” I didn’t want to go too much in to detail with the guy, especially one that shot one of my group not long ago, “Barrel probably wasn’t banking on that.” It’s amazing to think that if Tumble hadn’t found that spell matrix locked away in some random safe, this armor would have been my coffin.

“So, save these for special occasions,” said the same mare as she put the rounds back in her bags for safe keeping.

Looked like AMR rounds were back on the shopping list. A pricy commodity, but good thing we stripped the Gunners before we left. They even threw some of their big guns at the trio while me and Staggs went to deal with the sniper. A few of them had been armed with miniguns of their own, which I happily took the 5mm from before Riff threw them all on her back.

There was one thing though I could do while we walked, and from my bag the tape Barrel had passed off was held in my aura. “Think I should play it?” I asked for a general consensus.

“What’s the worst that’ll happen… you’re already gonna have her siblings coming after ya now,” Staggs once again, reminded me of the obvious.

So, with nothing really to lose, I slid the tape back in my bags as the inventory pulled it up. Click, and play… static came through at first, before the sounds of the mare with a bit less blood coming from her throat piped up.

“Well Ranger, if you’re hearing this, that means ya killed me… congrats,” I could already picture the sneering face of the mare staring at me, “Thanks for sticking out like a sore thumb, really it ain’t hard to find the tin can actually trying to be a goodie two shoes… and checking out the bounty board made it all the easier to corner ya,” so that’s how they did it. Somehow, they figured out what jobs we were looking in to, and just waited for the right one to strike at.

“I don’t know how ya beat me, I’d dropped suits like yours before like they were nothing,” I don’t know about ones like mine, but you sure tried your damndest, “That said… you won, and now you’re gonna have hell to pay when Lock and Stock get news of this,” from over the tape all the speaker filled with was the cackling laughs of the mare, “have fun looking over your shoulder… prick.”

The tape cut off, and just like the sneer I pictured Barrel wearing. Staggs held the same expression, “See what I mean.”

***

Barkston never looked so sweet… okay it still looked like a slum, but at least it was a functional slum. Most of our goods had already been either turned in to caps or goods of our own. Between ammunition for the AMR, the shells I’d gone through, and even some of the chems that were spent saving my ass. We hadn’t come out on the green as much as I’d have liked, but there was still the matter of turning in the contract for the Pack leader.

A bit easier said than done.

“And I’m telling ya, not gonna cut it,” the mare on the contract argued with us still.

Something about dog tags not being enough to confirm the kill, as no one knew the real name of the colt. Should have guessed this was going to happen, but if tags weren’t enough, I doubted powder would be. As much as Deacon might have been trying to convince her, this mare wasn’t budging. The gryphon looked about ready to strangle her, and even Riff was running her claws against one another.

There wasn’t much I could do to sway her, and even Tumble was at a loss. This probably happened often enough that somepony should have thought of a way to track this sort of thing. Though things couldn’t be that convenient, and the four of us were left to walk out empty hooved.

Staggs just tutted from the side of the car this mare was running her business out of, “She’s like that sometimes… I’d done business with her before, and she’s just as fickle about the details as ever,” the elder gryphon calmly walked past us like nothing could touch him, and he tapped a talon across Deacons’ shoulder, “Watch and learn.”

Without so much as an explaination the pair went back to speak to the mare, or I hope they were speaking and not outright robbing her. Meanwhile, the three of us just looked back and forth to one another. Happily kicking our feet against the ground as we waited. Something we didn’t have to do for very long, I swear not more than five minutes passed and we already had the duo walking out with a fresh bag that jangled at their steps.

“I don’t know how you do it,” Deacon shook his head.

“It’s all in the tongue…” alright, now Staggs had my curiosity, “you’ll learn as you get older there, Little Chicky.”

Well now, apparently calling him Turkey wasn’t the only way to get our gryphon to shut down… Though before I could get any question in on that, the younger of the two sorted out what he promised and handed them over. Staggs paused for a few moments as he weighed out the bag in his talons, probably trying to judge how many were inside. Hmm… now where did I see that before?

Ruffling his feathers, and settling his bags, Staggs cracked his neck before sliding the bag in his own, “Ya know… they ain’t a half bad bunch,” his eyes fell to the rest of us before patting his counterpart on the shoulder once more, and for a fleeting moment his gaze turned towards me, “take care of em will ya.”

With that, the gryphon started away from us. An odd sort for sure, but as we all watched him go, another started to pipe up. “So… Little Chicky?” Tumble started to snicker, soon having Riff join in hers.

Yet, all Deacon did was shrug and look to the other of his kind as he faded off, “Yeah… my dad always was a character.”

‘What the hell?’ that thought crossed my mind, and by the looks on their faces, Tumble and Riff Raffs’ as well. Snapping between the father and his kin, the longer I thought about it, the more I saw the similarities, ‘hmm… Explains his way with words,’ I sufficed.

After that nice little revelation our shopping was done, our dogs were tired… some more literally than intended, and I think all of us could use some shuteye. We’d just gotten back to town before everything closed, although with the trio heading back to our makeshift home away from home. I still had some unfinished business to attend.

Hopefully, hotels weren’t closed.

With the word Inn carved out in to a crude plywood sheet still partially lit up with a lantern, while it dangled off the side of what looked like passenger cars still parked at the station for the yard. Now that I’d found the right place, just have to find the right mare, as I trotted through the conductor post. The scruffy colt there raised his eyes… no wait, eye, at me across the tarnished magazine he’d held.

“Don’t know what kinda tech you’re gonna find here…” he grumbled, barely paying any heed to the suit itself.

Okay, so maybe news didn’t travel all that fast of who’s in town and who doesn’t want to get shot, “Not looking for tech, and no, not a ranger…” recording, I had to make one. Finally, his eye looked over the suit, probably catching the name attached to it as he went back to his reading.

“So, on that note… what can I do ya for, don’t got any cabins available.”

“Actually, looking for-”

“Me,” Well surprise! Even in the suit I nearly shot a foot off the ground, though when I got situated and looked to her, Alimites’ jaw just gaped, “having fun Mister Rogue, I hope…?”

Yeah, the pounding the suits’ taken, let alone myself should have given that much away, “Oh, just fighting the good fight.”

For a moment, her hazel eyes stared before fluttering and she ushered me to follow. Sorry in advance to those trying to sleep as I made half the car wobble from walking. Soon enough, we’d come before one room and the mare opened it right up. Tight fit for sure with just myself in here, somehow Alimite managed to squeeze by and get a case out from under the cot.

That’s… a lot of tools, even my work bench back home would be jealous with what this mare was hauling around the wastes. While there may have been a number of them, and in total disarray. Alimite looked as if she knew exactly where she needed to go, and in time she pulled something that I knew very well.

A spell matrix… sorta.

It wasn’t a total upgrade, and not as precious of a stone like the sapphire had been. Though this topaz still had passed across the desks of the M.W.T. at some point, so regardless, it had something I could use. Whelp only one way to find out.

“I hope that helps,” Alimite said as she closed up her case and slid it back under the cot.

Even something small would be great to have, especially after going from what the suit was when I first got it. Though, this kind of thing doesn’t come cheap, “I’m sure it will… although how much do I owe ya?” she started cocking her head at me, “Payment, usually something given after-”

Immediately the mare started to snicker at me, “I know what payment is, though you don’t need to ask of it,” she waved off with a hoof, “You’ll put it to better use than myself, and certainly better than those rangers.”

For carrying what would probably be a small fortune for the others in these suits, that’s mighty generous of her. “Why thank you,” after I slid it in to my bag, there was just one thing to do then, “now I just have to install it, and let the suit finish what it started.”

Without missing a beat, the mare squeezed past me on out the door of the cabin, “If you’d like… I could help you repair it, we do know the same spell,” hmm that we did, “plus, I’m curious what's on that stone.”

Could I really say no to that?

Absolutely not, and so with that we both made our way out the ‘hotel’ and on towards our makeshift little camp. A short trot away sure, and along it Alimite asked more on matrixes for the suits. While most might have found their way in to terminals, having a spell quite literally set in stone let a creature that couldn’t use magic control a system. Hence why earth ponies could use power armor, and anyone above a 20 IQ could work a terminal.

A concept that, had it not been created in the time of war, the pony responsible might have gotten recognition for it.

There as we approached the ruined house, I saw the small stream of smoke carrying off in to the air, and just as I suspected. Dinner was cooking, and even with Deacon doing the actual roasting Tumble was still having a hard time focusing on the few critters cooking and her new toy. Though our arrival drew all their attention as soon as I stepped in.

“Alrighty…” I started to grumble as the suit slid off, and I stepped between the trio that’d been traveling with me and the mare, “Alimite, this is Tumble, Deacon, and Riff,” after naming off the latter, it still didn’t help said hound was giving that same yellow caked grin, “she’s offered to help with some repairs…” very much needed ones too.

Deacon gave her a small wave, Tumble tipped the neck of a bottle of vodka she’d had to her, and Riff just gave her postcard smile. Worst first impression ever… What? Did you want me to make brunch so we could all sit down and have a proper introduction? Besides, Alimite was already starting to put her horn work on the suit. As she did, I went to grab a few of the smaller appliances laying around the house. Some of these goods you’d think a pony would have looted by now, but I guess things still go unnoticed.

A hotplate here, an empty paint can there, it all did start to add up the more you searched. Scavenging might not have been my strong suit, though repair work was what I excelled at, and I knew just what my suit needed for nutrients to get right. Of course, a coffee cup couldn’t hurt either…

Ugh… this’d probably go better if I had a cup for myself.

Plopping myself down next to the suit, my horn started to break apart of said scrap as much as I could. Whether it was taking a few screws out, or even its major components. “Why pony do that?” Riff asked while she scratched her head, “if suit fix self, why pony break stuff already?”

“Easier for the talisman to work the more things are broken down,” I answered, before it hit me, “Wait, isn’t that why you broke apart those weapons in the first place?”

All Riff did was shrug, “Dog just break stuff, seem like good idea.”

She wasn’t wrong, hell that’s the only reason it was able to repair as much as it did. Feeding the pieces and parts in to the hopper, I hoped that would be enough to get this new matrix up and running. Though while I worked, it became clear another set of eyes were looking over me. Alimite might have been trying to hide it, but she was staring. More particularly, at my shoulder.

The flesh there had patched up, but it still just looked raw compared to the rest of my hide. On the plus side, my leg wasn’t as sore, “I’d seen better days,” I said to the mares’ unasked question, “but I’m still in one piece.”

“Oh!” she started to blush, and got back to helping the suit along while she cringed, “didn’t think it’d be that obvious…”

It was.

“What… what happened?”

“Something that you’ll probably hear DJ-Pon3 talk about in a day or two,” the chuckle probably wasn’t the best response, nor did it entirely answer her if at all. It was enough though to garnish me a short cough from our audience.

Deacon might have been keeping a straight face, it was the females who had a tough time not watching myself and Alimite work. All with their own smug grins. Once again, ignoring you two, I had things to do. Once the last of the scrap was… scrapping, I tugged open the side panel where the matrix was held, attached the Pip-Buck, and pulled the matrix gifted to me from my bags. This one was nothing like the other, far past a different gem entirely. It didn’t need any adjustments or even cuts to get right, and like butter it slid right next to its sibling.

New Matrix identified…

Run spell program? Y [] N []

The Pip-Buck lit up with the message, and just as eagerly as before I pressed ‘Y’ waiting to see what I got this time… alright, not as glamorous as a display like before, and certainly not as vigorous. Still the suit started to get to work. This just might take a bit, considering it still had to fully repair itself from the damage Barrel had done. Alimite slid back for a moment, no doubt taking in the wonder of technology.

Tech that still couldn’t save the country from going up in flames.

‘Positive thoughts,’ I reminded myself to a failing degree.

A squeal of delight however, grabbed all of our attention as we turned our eyes to the other mare in the room. Tumble must have found something from Barrels’ rifle that she liked, then again, she was the type of mare to just hug a rifle close to her chest to begin with.

“It has an advanced recoil compensating stock on it,” Tumble finally answered us, “and apparently…” she turned the muzzle break towards us to see it clearer, “it even was given a name.”

Mercy… how ironic.

A certain gryphon might have been smiling at the mares’ excitement, and Riff was cocking her brow, but as for myself. I noticed something different with the gun in its magazine slot, something that it shared with one of my own.

“May I?” my hoof held out to her, and as Tumble released it my horn plucked it from her grasp, it gave the Pip-Buck a better chance to inventory it. “Penetrating Anti-Machine Rifle, ignores thirty percent of targets armor,” I read off to them as the device told me, and turned it over to the slot showing the group. There inside was yet another talisman, much like the one in my shotgun, this one with just a different effect.

And now Tumble looked about ready to marry the gun right then and there. Before my horn even let go of it completely, she’d already swiped it from the aura and rocked it in her hooves. No wonder Barrel was punching holes through ranger armor so easily. With her custom rounds, and that talisman, there wasn’t much I’d imagine that would stand up to it.

How lucky had I been to have stronger armor, and the mare to miss by an inch or so from dead center… no pun intended.

“I’d never seen anything like that…” Alimite started looking over the weapon from a distance, “How’d you know about the talisman?”

“Eh, he used to work with em before, or at least knew of them,” Deacon answered for me thankfully, taking what at one point was a bug thorax from the fire and tearing a chunk out of it with his beak, “Worked for the M.W.T. back during the war, and just happened to get lucky enough to have a place in one of those stables… though was put on ice when he went in, and now is trying to find a mare he went in with,” yep, that summarized it quite nicely, and saved me the trouble of repeating it, “Wild here’s our own prewar relic… or pony-cicle.”

Tumble might have snickered from the term she coined, and I’m pretty sure Riff got the joke as well… hell it was starting to grow on me too. However, Alimite sat there silently and just looked at me. Whether she believed all that, I doubted it, though she’d seen what I could do with the suit and operate it too. So really where was the-

“Who’s… the pony you’re looking for?” she said slowly, and my eyes went back to her.

“Winter, Winter Blossom,” I answered like I had a number of times before. “She was about fifteen when we went in the stable, though probably had aged a bit,” twenty-five years to be exact.

Alimite still stared, and raised up from her hooves at me inching closer, “…what was her cutie mark?”

It couldn’t tell if it was anger, or suspicion in her glare. Was it something I said? “She… didn’t have one,” granted, most by her age would have earned it already, but Winter tried a number of things working with me, just to no avail, “at least when we went in.”

“White coat, mint mane and tail, violet eyes?” the mare before me rattled off.

With every description she gave, my heart pounded a bit more and my eyes felt like they would shoot from their sockets. “YES!” I nearly jumped through the next floor of the house, “do you know her?!”

There, Alimite slumped as her flank found the floor. That wasn’t anger, or suspicion, it was shock that drew on her face, “Know her?” she chuckled, “… she gave birth to me.”

Footnote: Level up.

New Perk: “Titanium Plating”- A stronger coating has upped Power Armor damage and energy resistance by 25. However, at the cost of 5% of your overall maneuverability, and repair speed.

Chapter seventeen: Homecoming

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Chapter seventeen: Homecoming

Set me on fire and call me a Molotov!... actually no, already have too much experience with that one so far. No matter, Winter was alive! One global antihalation, twenty-five years, however many miles differences since then, but hot damn she was alive!

And I was talking to her daughter.

“Like birth-birth?” I asked just to clarify while we walked.

Sleep didn’t come easy that night after finding out, and along the entire walk to where Winny called home I either pestered the mare with questions, or picked my jaw up off the ground. The odds I didn’t even want to try and calculate, nor did I even know what math I’d start out with to do so.

“Like ‘water breaking, labor for hours, blood, crying, and screaming birth,’ yes…” Alimite told me for only the tenth time. A little bit too much detail for my liking, but I got the point, “she’s, my mom.”

Huh… went from a troublemaker in school, to being a decent up and coming mare, to almost overnight from my prospective a mother. I would say how time flies, but I don’t think those rules apply in cryo. That did raise one question I hadn’t gotten to just yet, if Winters’ the mom…

“How’d she meet your dad?”

No sooner had the words left my lips than Alimite almost stopped in her tracks. She didn’t say anything to me at first, just bit her lip, “That’s a sore subject,” she visibly gulped, “mom doesn’t talk about it too much… but when she first left the stable, she got picked up by some, unsavory ponies.”

“Slavers,” Deacon jumped in, getting our attention as we waited for him to explain that conclusion. “I mean, healthy mare, no real radiation, and clean,” shit, even the merc started to cringe, “It probably wasn’t the best hoof to start out on.”

Alimite just nodded to his reasoning, “That it wasn’t, they kept her around for… safe keeping let’s say.”

Oh, so it sounds like there’s a band of slavers that need a-

“They kept her around for a good while,” the mare cut off my train of thought, almost like she could tell what station it was heading towards, “then they snatched up the wrong pony. That pony had friends that cared, those friends went to get them back,” alrighty so slavers got their comeuppance, “after that little rescue, mom went back with them to their settlement… been there ever since.”

Safe and sound, alive and kicking, and every other iteration of the phrase… it’s all I could have hoped for. Minus the obvious trauma after she got out.

“And she’s been doing well, takes care of the irrigation, pipes, and other things around the place that need worked on,” the pride she had for her mom beamed as much as her lips, and I couldn’t help but share the same sentiment. Irrigation, I wonder where she got that skill from, though I can think of where Alimite learned hers.

“Winter grow up lots since thawing,” Riff added.

“It might have been a crash course for the wasteland when she first stepped foot in it,” Alimite followed up with. Slavers would do that to ya, especially a healthy mare, “though she’s happy with the outcome.”

I smiled a bit more as the mare more or less presented herself. Riff was right, Winter sounded like she had grown up a lot sense she left the ice box of 100. How much watching over she’d need now? I couldn’t tell ya, she had a quarter century of experience on my head… what could she teach me maybe?

“Did she ever go back?” Both myself and Alimite looked over to Tumble bringing up our rear, “to the stable, she had to have known where it was.”

A gentle shake from the kin answered her question, and my curiosity, “She couldn’t… once I was born, she had to be a mom,” as good of a reason as any, “even when I was older any time I’d ask, all Winter would do is cry,” though the mares’ eyes soon turned toward me, and as if on que her smile grew with mine. “Though she talked about you often, just never thought I’d be the one to find ya.”

Oh, dear Celestia, what have you told your daughter?

“She misses you, obviously,” well I’d hope so. Though even through Alimites’ smile, I could still see the tear ready to fall, “mom always said her heart shattered twice, seemingly overnight. First, when she had to go in the stable and leave Lilac, and then when she had to go out the stable and leave you.”

We’d both had a mirror copy of the same experience. Each of us left a pony we’d cared about. One to die, and one to hopefully have a chance. A chill shot up my spine, as even the armor started to shiver. That was a memory I’d never forget myself, and one that felt like it happened only a day apart from one another…

“What was it like?” Deacon asked the question I dreaded, “the end of the world?”

For a long moment we were all silent, the only thing I heard was the light smack from Tumbles’ hoof to the back of Deacons’ head, and the gryphon grumbling about the mare being temperamental.

After a sigh, I had to relent, it was in the past after all…

“I mean… it started out like any other day…” though, doesn’t it always?

---

One that quickly went to shit…

The morning was like any other. Wake up, freshen up, and go in to work from there. It was less than an hour of me being in our building that we’d gotten the news that there was an attack. Most of us didn’t think too much of it. Like many when the war first started, we thought Equestria was a steamroller and the Zebras would either get out of the way and bend, or become flattened under the combined might of the whole nations pouring into the war effort.

We were wrong.

I hadn’t run so much sense PE in school. Though as my hooves beat against the sidewalk towards home, even out in the distance I could see the flashes of megaspells lighting off. Wiping entire portions of the country off the map. Other ponies scrambled to and frow around the town, ramming in to one another, shouting, all desperate to find someplace to hide. Though there was little that could hide from a spell that size. The last flash I’d seen looked like it’d came from Las Pegasus, or at least close to it, and home wasn’t far from that.

My home came in to view, and just out front of it a sky wagon with the Stable-Tec logo on the side landed. The Pegasus that jumped out the pilots’ cab already was in front of me before my mouth opened.

“Wildfire I presume,” she more so ordered, likely already having my file and picture committed to memory, “We have instructions to deliver you to the stable for safety.”

“Thank you, but I have-”

With a stomp, she silenced the last bit of that remark, “There’s no time!” the mare looked like a fighter, probably had seen some part of the war before she was a shuttle for ponies like myself under the ministries. Yet, her voice might have sounded strong as concreate, though her eyes were ready to break like glass. I already knew why, the last news I’d heard was Cloudsdale going up in fire, “You are to come with us this instant! We already have half a dozen others inside, and I will not risk their lives for-”

My turn, “I don’t expect you to!” I wasn’t a fighter, and she looked about ready to drop me and throw my knocked-out ass in the back, though I wasn’t going anywhere without them. “I have my pass on me, though the guest one I have to get.”

Finally, she understood, my own hide wasn’t the only thing I cared about, “… You have ten minutes.”

Not wasting a moment longer, I darted in to my home. A place might have been reserved for ponies like myself in a stable, probably to continue production whenever things settled down. Though Stable-Tec knew if they wanted ponies to play nice underground, they’d need ponies they were close with to join them.

From the lock box, my horn nearly ripped the latch off and pulled the pass I’d been given. Usable for any pony I wanted, the only problem was it didn’t carry over to multiple ponies. No sooner had I grabbed it than I ran past the sky wagon and to the house across the street.

Just like she always had, Lilac left the door mostly unlocked in this place. It was a safe neighborhood, and let’s face it, ponies trusted one another. Me bursting through the door wasn’t an uncommon sight to see over the years after we’d all gotten closer. Those occasions were under far better conditions.

“Lilac! Winny!” I shouted, to no answer at first.

“She’s upstairs,” I heard the warm greeting from my elder. Lilac had always tried to maintain herself in appearance, with makeup and always going that extra step to keep her mane in order as it grayed. This day was different, she was letting her age show past those eyes that had already let out all their tears, as she picked up a glass of scotch with her wing from the rocker.

“We have to go…” my hooves wanted to grab her and start dragging, but I knew that’d probably get me slapped for being ill mannered, even during a time like this. “There’s a wagon out front and-”

“And you only have one pass,” she glanced up from her sip of the glass.

‘How’d she know?’ I never showed her, nor did I tell Winter about it either. They didn’t need that kind of worry in their life, but here the mare called my bluff, “I’m sure I can convince-”

“Convince Stable-Tec?” she laughed, and it sounded just as absurd when I said it, “as much as you complain about all the forms and bureaucracy from them, I doubt that.”

She was right, like the grandmother I never had, she was always right, “They want me in the stable, if I can’t take both of-”

“You’ll… what? Do something stupid,” for the first-time since we’d know one another, the mare insulted me. I’d set things on fire in the shop living up to my name, come over with a new injury her eyes hadn’t seen yet, and even caused a few good magical shorts in my time. Although through all that, Lilac just helped bandage me up, and tell me to try again. Calmly she got up from her recliner and came over to me, gently resting a wing to the side of my face, “I’m old, I hate to say that but it’s true… I’ve already had a full life,” she had, and from those eyes I could see it replaying before her, “Let her have the same chance.”

‘Damn you Lilac,’ right as always.

My hooves wrapped around her and I let a few fleeting tears fall, and I felt the soft lips of her kiss the top of my forehead as she ushered me along. My time was ticking… quickly I went upstairs to the room I’d help paint not long ago. There on her bed, was a mare that looked as if she’d gotten her heart ripped out by her first colt. For all the tough mare attitude Winter tried to show, and for the most part backed up, here’s where she fell apart.

“We’re…” she tried looking up to me, the waterworks already in full effect, “we’re going to die, aren’t we?”

Not if I had any say in it.

My own gentle hoof rested on her shoulder, “no… we’re going to survive, Stable-Tec is waiting out front to take us away.”

“All of us!?” her joy was infecting, though like most infections, it goes away in time.

I didn’t have to say anything before it started to fall, “They only gave me one guest pass…”

Winter had gotten better with math a lot in the later years, and I already saw her doing the equation of who would be joining me, “What about-”

“She… she wants you to take it,” how do you tell a mare, that she’ll have to leave behind a pony she cared about? Winter in the end didn’t fuss, she knew Lilac was as stubborn as they came… probably a bit more than herself.

With a leap, Winter got off the bed and grabbed a bag that was already full. She was prepared once the sirens started going off, they’d probably talked about these drills and such in school. Now it was time to put that in action.

The pair of us walked down those stairs for the last time together, and at the bottom stood Lilac. She was stubborn, right a majority of the time, and very prideful to begin with. Yet all that finally broke once we reached the bottom. For as old as she was, those wings were strong, and they managed to pull the two of us in to one last embrace. My tears had already fallen, Winters’ were the next to continue their tirade.

She sniffled, trying to wipe the tears away, and gave a final look to the Pegasus, “I love you… mom,” Winter said as we moved towards the door.

If balefire could scorch a city, the warmth Lilac had shown after hearing that simple word could have burned the sun.

And with that, the door closed behind us and we were on our way.

Sky wagon was a new way of travel for me. For the work I’d done with the ministry, I had yet to sprout wings and take to the sky. It was a mode that I could have done without for this, out the windows to the cabin myself and those who joined us watched the flashes across the horizon. Some a bit too close for comfort. Winter huddled herself closer to my side while we sat, and waited for this turbulent trip to be over.

It wasn’t long after we’d taken off before it stopped once more outside the stable. The single cog cut in to the ground marked the elevator that would bring us there, and although we tried to be civil heading towards it in an orderly fashion. All of us were on edge wondering if a door that large would be enough to stop what the zebras had unleashed upon us.

“Alright, everypony here?” a colt in a lab coat called out when the elevator reached the bottom, and we followed the line leading behind the next cog, “Don’t worry, you’re all safe now, welcome… to Stable-100.”

Safe… when you could still feel the ground shake from the blasts outside.

There were murmurs all around from the others that resided there with us. How many places had been hit? How many ponies had reached stables? What would happen to the country? All questions no pony had the answer to.

As we filed through the stations, storing belonging, picking up stable jumpsuits, and getting our vitals checked. We worked our way further in to the stable, and there we reached a crossroad. “Please go to your assigned wing,” another pony under the Stable-Tec name announced, “check the board to find your place, guests will be in a separate wing.”

Going down the display, I saw my name marked ‘Resident 070- Wildfire’ in wing A. While wing B Winter would have to call home for the time being. A hoof clenched around mine, and looking to my side, the mare started to shiver. It was cold down here, but these were her nerves at work.

“I… I don’t want to leave,” Winter clenched her jaw, “I don’t want to be separated.”

It seemed like a common sight, a few others around us were going the similar motions with their loved ones and the guests they’d brought. All I could do was take a knee, and try to sooth her worries. “Hey, we made it here…” by the skin of our teeth, “… I’m only in another wing, when all this is said and done, I’ll find you.”

Still Winter sniffled, she didn’t believe me, and I couldn’t blame her.

“Promise?” she asked, and waited for me to nod, “Pinkie Pie promise?”

For the first time that day, I chuckled, “Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye,” going through the motions, I got the same response from her. Pinkie Pie would have been proud of herself to bring one pony at least a grin, even down here.

As we were lead along our separate paths, I found myself in the wing. Chambers lined either side, stringing all the way down the corridor. Resident 070- Wildfire, I wondered for a moment how many of those assigned to this stable had made it in time, and it wasn’t long before I found my own chamber.

With the direction of the representative there from the company, all of us did as we were told. Crawl inside, get comfortable, and relax… I felt the cold touch my coat, and it seemed to go deeper than that. Slowly, my breathing started to ebb, and even the thundering in my chest fell to a flutter. I closed my eyes, wished this all to be a dream…

And fell asleep.

---

“Are you crying?” Deacon asked to the one sniffling.

“No!” Riff almost barked at, “get something in eye.”

Sure, you did Riff, sure…

“Well, ain’t that touching,” I heard another sniffle of a colt, and for a moment there I managed to forget about the other two traveling with us.

It makes sense, you wouldn’t want to send one pony along on their own in a place like this. Alimite apparently went along with this pair of ponies. Caravan workers who lived their lives on the road… hmm, think they knew Tumbles adoptive parents? No matter, the mare Ashburn kept to herself, and the colt with her Tanker only threw in enough remarks to remind me they still held a place in this trek.

“I’ve heard many stories here walking the lands, and to think I’d heard it all,” Tanker shook his head, “hell when I first heard of that Winter mare, I thought it was just a story…” he dug into his pockets, and out came a hoof full of bits he dropped off to his cohort.

“And you were wrong, told ya so,” Oh my word, she speaks! Ashburn made eye contact with me for what felt like the first time, “though I didn’t expect the entire history lesson.”

No pony ever does, but its one clearly not that many out here ever got to hear. Even Alimite looked like this was her first introduction to the end of the world. Her mom was really letting her down on history, ‘wow that’s gonna take some used to saying,’ once again that reality slapped me in the face. Though the mare before me held back her own tear, as she shook her head. Probably thinking the same thing, a lot of ponies did that day, and how senseless it was to burn the world.

All for some rocks.

“I hate to pry,” Tumble said, as she waned a hoof raising, “But Lilac sounds a bit old to be her mom… or am I missing something?”

No Tumble, you’re not, “because she wasn’t,” that comment earned me a few confused stares from those who’d been listening to my tales.

“Lilac had a daughter of her own, once upon a time,” Alimite picked up where I left off, more than likely hearing this part of the past all too often, “though her own daughter passed away when she was young… not long after that her husband.”

“Winter she adopted a number of years later, kinda as a surrogate daughter slash granddaughter,” a gentle reminder of what could have been to the old Pegasus I suppose, “That’s why Winny never really got close to her, no relation, and a huge age gap.”

“Until you showed up,” Alimite turned to face me with a grin, and although my visor was hiding it. Our expression was mutual, up until hers began to fade, “that’s why it was so hard for her to leave. She walked away from the closest thing she had to family, a mother and a brother alike.”

Another thing that happened likely all too much that one fateful day…

“Why not wake Wild with her?” Riff brought up the question that I’d been waiting for.

“She didn’t have clearance, only one of the Stable-Tec technicians could have,” though she was able to do something else in the meantime at least, “with there being no pony else there for her, all Winter could really do was leave,” plus, much of the food had been eaten by roaches… I wouldn’t have wanted to be trapped in there with em either.

“Mom knew that if you made it out, you’d find her eventually,” the daughter added, “you don’t break a Pinkie pie promise.”

Damn right.

***

“Good afternoon wastelanders!” well that’s an overly cheery greeting, what could the DJ possibly have for us today, “I just wanted to give a big shoutout to our resident Ranger out there, sticking it to the gunners,” the radio played for the others to hear, and after that last sentence Alimite tilted her head at my visor, “this just in, Gunner Brigadier Barrel has met her match, and is six feet under by now… or being torn apart by radscorpions, I’d take either one.”

Alimites’ jaw dropped, and for a moment she looked back at our other mare. Particularly, at the AMR she sported. Tanker and Ashburn locked eyes, before doing their own double take, and just passed me a simple nod of approval. They hadn’t known me well, but this alone seemed to garnish some level of approval from them. Traveling the wastes like them, or even Tumble, they’d probably seen the cruelty of the new Equestria first hoof.

I’d imagine any cleansing of it would be welcome, “That’s right, Rogue had knocked one pillar of their command to the ground, and from what I’m hearing it’s thrown their entire organization in a tizzy,” Odd, how could one do so much? Don’t they have two others to lead? “some gunners had reportedly left not wanting to be targeted, and some others tried to leave… before being persuaded to stay.”

That’s what it is… they’re worried I’m outright targeting them, even though if anything we just happen to have crossed paths a bit too much. “The other Commanders are working on picking up the pieces, something yours truly couldn’t be happier over hearing. All things considered, good work out there Rogue Ranger, but be warned,” just what I was waiting to hear, “Lock and Stock are going to be coming for blood next… so keep your armored ass loaded up, geared up, and ready for a fight when they do. This is DJ-Pon3 signing off!”

Oh, I plan on keeping this thing well stocked for when they do…

“That explains all the repair work,” Alimite just shook her head at me.

What do you expect? You don’t just go fighting these Gunners and expect to come out of it clean as a whistle. Thankfully, all this walking had given time for the suit to get completely up to speed. I was reading 100% across the board, and ready for round two!... or would it be three?

Then again, how far of a reach did they have? I wasn’t a geographer, nor was I all the versed in Equestrian territory. From my map I could see we were already at Unicorn Range, at least somewhere close to it. As we moved north along the western edge of the range, I could feel the nip in the air from the temperature dropping. Who was I to say anything? I just got out of a freezer.

However, while we walk with mountain peaks in both the distance, and right alongside us. Something else started to peer on the horizon, something pony made. Buildings dotted along the area they shared with a few guard towers, as the glint of turrets still shimmered even at this range, and what looked like barricades were established in places around the town. It looked fairly well defended for a random settlement out in the middle of nowhere, then again, out here what was there really to defend against?

Hopefully, too far into nowhere for the gunners to care.

With every step we drew closer, and in the last several dozen yards or so the pounding in my chest grew. My goal was almost complete, I’d be back with Winter in no time at all, and that was putting a nice warm feeling in my chest… no wait, that was a laser beam.

The shot heated up the front plating well enough for me to notice, though the gift from Alimite made it only that of a bad sunburn. Instantly said mare was in front of me, waving her hooves around, “Hold you damned fire! Friendlies!” she shouted out to the towers, enough to make it ring even in my ears, and with only one more shot meeting us they must have gotten the point and recognized her.

Steadily we approached, or at least my group did. Alimite just sent a scowl towards one of the guard towers, and a beam rifle toting mare shied away behind cover as we finally broke outer perimeter and walked in. The turrets there on some of their posts didn’t so much as even aim at us, though with just the 5.56 they were firing, there wouldn’t have been much damage done anyway. Feels nice not to have them coming my direction for once. That said, scratch my previous definition of a town or settlement, at least compared to what I’d seen so far, this was a settlement!

And those were guards…

Their mining garb kinda threw me off at first. Helmets, lanterns, and heavy coveralls with what I’d imagined was homemade plate armor bolted outside. Never the less, they were guards, and their guns were point at us… yep, undeniably a settlement.

“Alimite…” the oldest of the bunch scuffed past his mustache, just like an old sheriff I’d seen before, “findin’ folks that wanna work for their stay is admirable, though why’d ya bring that there creature in here?” both his barrel, and those of who flanked him kept their bead on the hellhound in the room, before sharing a few to me, “And one of those tin cans.”

Riff looked about ready to flex out her claws, right around his neck. Though before I could even so much as pop my visor to look him in the face and repeat not a ranger again, Alimite was already stepping forward and lowered his lever action with a flare of her horn.

“Walker, calm down, I know you take your job seriously,” her eyes almost fluttered back at me and my group, “but they ain’t your normal group.”

Now seemed a good time as ever, I reached out with my hoof, “Rogue Ranger, sir…” alright a bit of a kiss ass, but that was better than the alternative.

For a second his eyes glared at me still, then his hoof met mine, “Well then, wasn’t expecting ya to make it out in these parts.”

“Dog not expecting warm welcome,” Riff huffed under her breath, but the mic on the suit picked it up. At least she was keeping her claws in, and those teeth.

Walker, as his name went, settled down the rest of his possie and dispersed them to the sides. All disappearing amongst the shacks, buildings, and sheds seemingly scattered about the town. Each looking about as old as I was now, technically.

“Sorry about that, weren’t sure if you were being led as a hostage,” he gave a gentle embrace to our guide here.

“And like I said to mom, I can take care of myself,” she repeated, almost as if on replay, “Though speaking of mom, where is she?”

“Over by the gardens… ya know, doin’ her thing.”

Gardens? That’s a first I’d heard of that in the wastes, if you didn’t count the one back in Pasture Falls. Though from what we’d seen, this was just the tip of the town. While we walked down one street with Alimite, we ended up passing by a medical shack, trading posts, and of course… a bar… or I guess saloon given the towns feel. Hell, even a small creek cut through the town and out the side, neatly dividing it in two.

“This is… clean?” Tumble looked around, even more surprised than I was.

Okay, not entirely clean… there was still a small tick of radiation as we walked across the short bridge above the water, but at that level you’d never notice unless you’d lived several lifetimes.

“This place used to be a mining town at one point, way back before the war,” Alimite filled us in as she gave us a quick tour on the way, “set out from most others, they built it to last, and that kept it clear from pretty much all the bombs… plus, it was deserted before they fell.”

From what I’m hearing the town had to be self-sufficient upon its founding, and if it was a ghost town after the mines likely dried up. Then the Zebras had little need to hit it, somepony found gold in these hills, just in the form of a place to build upon.

“Once ponies started to started to see it as a home and not just a camp for the night, they wanted to keep it safe… and bust their asses to do so,” we followed her as my eyes looked towards those shacks behind us, likely belonging to the workers all those years ago. Now converted in to whatever the town had need for.

Many of the smaller buildings we’d passed had signs outside that gave tail to what their purpose was. Painting of a gun here, a rack of armor there, you get the idea. There were other buildings past those that didn’t have anything outside on display, some larger or smaller than the next. The few fillies and young colts that ran from that direction gave it away their purpose, those must have been actual homes.

A first real sign of life in the wastes.

Until… I saw some actual green besides from the stable. It wasn’t exactly on mass production levels, nor was it entirely green per say. Undoubtedly enough for the original town of workers, but it was stability in the wastes. Something found few and far between. From that sight alone my hooves started to pick up, leaving my group as they took their own pace. Soon enough, another passed by me, as she started yelling out.

“Mom! Ya around here?” Alimite looked along the rows of corn, tomatoes, and what I’d imagine were potatoes. Sure, they might all look a little lopsided, and a bit smaller than I remember from the golden days, but food was food.

Out from a shed answering that call poked a face not much different than the one I left long ago. There were a few wrinkles under her eyes, more than enough dirt across her coat and raggedy overalls. Yet, even with her mane under a bonnet. I could still see the smudges of mud streaking through it, but there was no doubt about it. Those violet eyes hadn’t changed one bit.

This was her.

“Alimite!” Winter shouted as she dropped a sack and bound for her daughter, wrapping a tender hoof around her shoulder. “I take it everything went well in Barkston?”

“Yes, just fine… but-”

“Now maybe Conductor will get off our flank about owing him,” Winter gave her near signature eye roll, “that damn colt needs to get laid sometime.”

“Absolutely, stick up his ass and everything, however-”

“Ugh, tell me about it, would you believe he tried to get in with-”

“Mom!” the mare shouted to her, finally breaking Winters’ rant, “as much as I would love to hear your comeback to that shit stain stuck between your boots called Conductor…” her eyes seemed to soften a tad bit, just as they rolled over her shoulder back to me, “there’s somepony I want you to meet.”

Winters’ eyes looked past her daughter, and caught my visor. Seriously, how do you miss me standing here in this thing for so long? She was surprised, I’d guess wondering what her daughter was doing walking around with a ranger. Though as she approached, I noticed the .357 revolver on her hip undone and at the ready.

“What’s your business? And why in the names of every goddess damn creature are you totting around with my daughter,” Winter went from zero to murder at the drop of a hat… huh, looked as if Alimite picked up more than just mechanic skills from her mom. Alimite just facehooved, and to be completely fair to the daughters’ reaction, I couldn’t keep myself from laughing as Winter poked her hoof in to my chest plate.

My mic caught the approach of the others, and judging by Winters’ look. She was just as taken back at seeing some of our party, “Nice to see you too… Winny,” her ears perked, and my visor found its way up as I beamed. For several seconds, she stayed put. Then those eyes widened as her hoof out stretched and rested on the side of my face, “I told you I’d find ya.”

Smack.

Okay! Not the best response I was hoping for. The silence grew there after that sound resonated between us, and I swore I could hear a certain hellhound snickering to herself. “That’s… for taking so damn long,” from murder face, back into the one I’d seen in Stable 100, talk about whiplash. Before I could say anything more, her hooves managed to reach around the bulk of the suit, and a deep sigh escaped past her muzzle against the plating, “Welcome back, Wiley.”

***

The walk to her home past the crops didn’t take long, but the conversation between the two of us felt like it’d been years… okay, so technically it was, but you get what I mean. Winter had built herself up here in this town pretty well it seemed, and as we passed by the front door to where the mare resided, that became even more apparent.

Every other home in the wastes seemed to have their own sort of disarray. Papers on the ground, dirt on the walls and all manners of scrap thrown about. Yet, here in this little slice of the country, there was organization, and an all too familiar feel to the surroundings.

“An actual home?” Deacon stood in awe at the same sight, “Impressive.”

“Well back when this town was still a town, they needed a place to fix up tools and equipment, this was their shop,” Winter walked around what she’d turned in to the living room of the place, a few dusty and ragged couches sure, but far better than other places, “when I got here I started learning under the pony that once did my job, and in time after they died I stepped in to the at roll… took years to get it all together,” the smirk on her face from the work she put in started to fade, as she looked back to me and my group, “twenty-five years to be exact.”

Years well spent. The waiting area was converted in to a sort of living room, and from over her shoulder I could see a repair bay turned kitchen, with a few doors leading to other bays themselves for whatever purpose the mare could need. The upstairs probably was much the same as before, and judging from the outside, the pony that once owned it in a past life lived here as well. A perfect set up if there ever was one to keep a town running.

“I’m sorry…” and train of thought thoroughly derailed, from the scenery my eyes went back to the mare, and this time I didn’t have a visor to hide my face. Her own started to build up its tears, “all those years I could have come back for you, but I left ya in a freezer just hoping you’d make it…”

Something that in the end probably saved my life, “It’s not your fault, you had… other priorities,” my glare turned to her kin.

“I filled him in on what had happened to ya mom, when you got out,” Alimite took her own seat on the couch, “at least enough to get him up to speed.”

Winter cringed there where she stood, biting her lip. It was in the past, and nothing that I could do about it now, she just likely didn’t want me to think what could have happened had she not wound up here.

Though that cringe started to fade, and as she took off the bonnet. Her overalls started to shed, “Not the proudest of starts… but it did earn me this, and I have you to thank for it.”

Well… I’ll be. Even out here in the waste you can still earn your mark. The flower on her hip looked in stark contrast to her canvas coat, but the peddles made of snowflakes gave a good insight to how she’d earned it. Winter tended to the gardens, and all manners of things that kept this place running, not easy to do when you’re trying to grow in the base of a mountain and with little sun to spare.

“Courtesy of learning a little something about plumbing and irrigation before I went on ice,” she started to grin.

“As fitting as ever,” sometimes ya had to wonder if ponies earned their name or the cutie mark first, “a small lesson to pay, for you to had saved my life,” most of those in the room looked lost after that. Except for one who was actually there, though for those that weren’t I’d just have to fill em in, “most of the chambers in the stable had failed…” an understatement of the last century, “and mine would have met the same end in time, had it not been for somepony splicing in a few extra talismans to keep it up and going.”

Just like when we first met, Winter tried keeping her eyes away, “well I couldn’t wake you up, but I could give you a fighting chance to stick it out… you did teach me a bit about connecting talismans and what not,” one of the many lessons that probably had aided her over the years, “a fighting chance that has really struck a chord, according to the DJ.”

Hmm so the radio waves reach all the way out here too then I suppose?

“You’ve been making enemies all over, first the Steel Rangers, then the Gunners… want to piss off the Enclave next?” she started to giggle, and by the princesses name I missed hearing that. Although I’ll take a hard pass on upsetting an entire race of pony, “you’ve also made friends as well it seems…” Winter turned to those that joined us in the room. All from a different walk of life, and all along on my little journey, “I can’t thank each of you enough, I know Wild tends to get himself in over his head at times,” gee thanks, though she wasn’t wrong with that, “I’m glad he had some to look out for-”

The door behind us slammed open, and there in the frame stood a scraggly little colt covered in what I hoped was mud looking around the room, “Winter! You there?”

You could almost hear her groan, “Yes Peeper, what is it?”

“One of the purifiers is on the fritz, again,” whelp that groan was mutual, “pumping out sludge to the piping.”

Almost as if by instinct, Winter buckled her overalls back on and tied her hair back, “I’ll be there in a sec, close off the valves to keep it away from the crops,” the colt scampered away just as fast as he’d come in, and already the mare was heading to the shop and grabbing her tools. “I apologize, we’ll have to do introductions in a bit… duty calls.”

The lot of us followed close behind her, and while I had no idea what’d we’d be doing. It was probably something my hooves could go to work on. Soon Winter was already long out of the shop and on her way to where she was needed. Letting us follow at a more leisurely pace, and giving me the chance to ask the obvious.

“So, does this happen often?” I turned to the one pony who’d be able to give me an answer.

“Possibly a bit too much, for mom’s liking,” Alimite rolled her eyes, “we have food and water sure, but it’s all at the cost of maintaining the equipment.”

A true enough fact if there ever was one. Things broke, you either fixed it, or carried on without it. Approaching, I could see the contraptions fixated next to the creek bed that jutted out over the embankment. Alimite jumped head long in to the fray with her mom, and as we approached even through my suit, I could read the hoof deep sludge that steadily ticked with radiation.

Yeah, not something you want in your corn. Together we watched the pair go between the tanks, filters, and pipes that made up their purifiers as a few other ponies there largely held on to tools or turned valves. Some of the machinery started to groan, and the rattling in those pipes withered away as the work was done to them. Before long, out from one of the hatches on a tank I saw the smeared face of a mare who’d had a little too much muck for one day.

“Motherfucker,” Winter grumbled as she climbed down the side and on to the ground, “keep the supply line closed, and open up the purges! We have enough stored for a bit, but try to ration it,” even from her barking, I could see her daughter was right. This did happen a lot more than she liked.

As if in school, Deacon raised a talon, “anything we can do to help?”

“Not unless you can pull a purifying talisman from your wing…” she quickly snapped out of that trance and shook her head, “Sorry, it’s been acting up for months, and we haven’t been able to find a replacement for it… need clean water for the fields, or else-”

“Ponies glow green,” Riff answered.

All Winter did was nod. They had something good going for them here, not many other places could say the same, “talismans are rare to come by, and to pay for one would probably cost more than the whole place has combined…”

“Why not go to a stable?” Tumble offered, and besides paying that’d probably be the next best bet… you know assuming all the other stables hadn’t gone up like mine.

“Most had been raided already, or are sealed up tighter than a posh mares’ crotch,” well the wasteland turned ponies in to poets I guess, colorful context indeed there Winter, “There’s a stable not far from here, but its chock full of ghouls… many at this settlement aren’t fighters, the turrets do most of that, so we hadn’t been able to look in to it.”

“Don’t forget the radiation leaking inside,” Alimite added as she approached, and her bandana had certainly seen better days.

No wonder it’s so damn dirty…

Although, radiation… ghouls. Sounded like something right up our alley, at least for two of us. ‘Let’s be a hero… in a way,’ I chuckled. Ahh if only a particular hound could see my face, “Riff… you did ask what the plan was when I found her…”

Chapter eighteen: Planting roots

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Chapter eighteen: Planting roots

“When dog agree to this?” Riff asked as she leaned on the large cog.

My Pip-Buck connected to the main service switch outside in the guard shack by the door, and while I propped myself against the armor playing with the commands trying to unlock it, the hound fiddled with her rifle. Somehow the last time Winters’ town had tried this place, they decided to lock it up tight. Though if there were ghouls inside, I couldn’t blame them. No one wanted Zombie ponies on their doorstep.

“You didn’t, not exactly…” and another set of menus opened up for me to go through, “my armor can protect me from the radiation, and you already told us about your natural resistance… something Deacon and Tumble are ill equipped for.”

There were radiation suits that a pony could wear, but if clean water was hard enough to come by, how hard ya reckon one of them would be? The pair however, didn’t seem to be complaining about being omitted from this adventure. Deacon passed a few RadSafes to Tumble, as they both chomped down on the pills.

“We’ll keep an eye out here while the doors open, make sure those things stay put,” Deacon answered, while he switched to a different color taped magazine. Yellow this time around… hmm, hollow points maybe? “And make sure ya’ll can still get out.”

Already been damn near trapped in a stable once, why not mark another one down. Who knew how these house guests would be though? I couldn’t imagine Ghouls being much tougher than regular ponies, and if all they could really do was use their hooves. How much of a threat could they be? Probably a stupid thing to ask yourself before charging in a stable with a lot of them. Even better question would be, how had we not run in to any sooner? I’d rather face the ghouls than entire ranger squads.

Verifying authorization…

Please stand by…

Almost there…

“Although… I take it this is the plan?” Deacon perked up once more, and looked over to me, “Help the settlement is the endgame?” granted Riff Raff had asked what we were going to do afterwards, and I stupidly hadn’t put as much thought in to it than I should. I didn’t know what to tell him, I mean he was following me, hell they all were. Yet now I wasn’t sure what to tell them. All the gryphon offered in return from my silence was a simple shrug, “hey now it’s better than half the contracts I’d done… a lot more noble for sure.”

A mercenary worked for the caps, granted Deacon seemed a bit tamer than some of this cohorts from the war. Though who knows some of the dirty jobs the guy has had to do in the past, before running across myself and getting drug in to this mess.

Oh! What are you staring at miss…?

Deacon might have missed it entirely, but I caught a certain mares’ eyes looking toward our feathered friend. “You do still have an entire command of gunners pissed at ya,” her attention turned back to myself. Thank you for the reminder, as if I could have forgotten that. Although, it’s unsettling to say the least when I can’t be sure if Tumbles’ grin should make me worry or not, “I suppose I could stick around and see for myself how it all plays out… help out here and there too.”

With a rifle like that, I’m sure they’d have damn near half the mountain range covered from attackers. Something started to settle in my chest though, it might have been the radiation, but it was nice hearing them wanting to stay put for a while… ‘whelp two for three now,’ I thought and all our eyes turned to the last one standing.

Riffs’ eyes darted between the three of us, until finally with a grunt her paws threw up in the air, “Fine! … dog stick around to help town.” She might have been groaning, but somewhere I saw the flicker of a smile.

“Just think of it like being a part of a different pack,” Deacon offered to her.

Three for three, and whether or not it was a spur of the moment decision, only time would tell. That was something I could ask under better circumstances later, for now, we had a job to do.

Override engaged…

Locks disconnected…

Stand clear…

With that the cog finally began to croak, and the thinnest of cracks in the frame opened wider with every passing second, “Alrighty we’re in-”

That’s a spike in radiation! I was counting at least a dozen rads a second and climbing. My scorched ass jumped in the suit as quickly as I could, and watched as the ticking went down to a more reasonable degree. Deacon tipped toed up to me and offered some of the meds he’d been stocking up on, and just like that my Rad-away slot was topped off.

Reasonable degree or not, even with the suit, who knew how long we’d be in here.

Deacon had enough meds to hold himself and Tumble over while watching over the door, but judging from their heads whipping back and forth. There was something in the air that made the two put a fair distance between themselves and the open doorway of death… you know, besides the lethal levels of radiation. Both myself and Riff stood there staring in to the abyss of flickering lights and stale air that likely reeked with decay. It was moments like these, I wanted to kiss the creator of the filters for these suits.

“Ready to go there?”

The flip of her rifles switch answered that question, and we headed in.

***

Although I spent really only one full night in my stable, got to admit, I took the cleanliness of it for granted. Other than the radroaches and some trash from the previous Stable-Tec employee doing their rounds, the place was damned near spotless. Then again, there’s not that much to clean up after you put all your guests down on ice… a luxury this stable didn’t have it appeared.

The first floor looked, and even felt, like the one where I’d first entered my stable. More of a reception and check in desk than anything, a few boxes of stable jumpsuits littered the ground, and I could even see the faded logo of the company itself. You’d think the residents would have burned that by now, from the chairs thrown about, papers across the ground, and a few piles of bones.

They had all the reason to want to.

“We’re gonna have to go deeper,” I muttered to my companion, and flipped my headlamp on.

“How deep stable go?” Riff asked, poking through some of the boxes with her rifles muzzle, “Do you know layout?”

For all the stables the company had built, you think it’d been easier for them to keep the same style and map. Alas though, with every new project something probably changed and they had to go back to the proverbial drawing boards. Though I think in this case it would have been a more literal one. This led to one simple answer for the hound…

“No…” Riff about facepalmed at me, “What do you want from me, I was on ice most of my stay, remember? And it’s not like they made these cookie cutter style.”

She cocked her head at me and started to sniff the air, “not sure what cookies have to do with this, but how Wild know we going in right place?”

Wait… where the hell would a hellhound learn what cookies- and one mental smack later, my focus returned as we went past the intake area and down one of the halls. “Well if it’s for major equipment, then chances are it’d be towards the bottom, safest and all,” that much was similar to mine.

As we crept along, I had to wonder just how long this stable had been abandoned? Had the residence all turned in to ghouls after decades, or weeks? For that matter, why hadn’t they just opened the door and left if things were that bad inside. I’d rather take the chance and face the world than be trapped like a mouse in a cage.

Come to think of it, I did choose to face the world rather than blow up with my stable.

There wasn’t much up here anymore it looked like; the hall we’d gone down only lead to two places. One was the security office, and two being an elevator. The former already was cleaned out, not even a piece of riot gear remained for the picking, and surprise… there wasn’t even a chem in sight. The latter on the other hoof, looked ominously at us with its doors open and the light flickering inside.

As Riff and I stepped in, my hoof went to press the one button actually lit up on the panel. Though before I pressed it, I noticed a tape on the ground. Curiously, the simple device found its way to my bags, and I found it in my inventory before pressing the button.

“Chief Engineer Cotter speaking, and I gotta say… fuck Stable-Tec,” my head snapped over to Riff as we both listened in to what else I might agree with colt on. “Things have been getting pretty bad out there it seemed, and the Overmare wanted the access to the inlet shut off just to help keep us secure down here, and safe… at least that’s what she told us,” Just as an Overmare should do, look out for their stable, “all I know is this reactor Stable-Tec had cooked up has been keeping me running around the clock making sure everything stays pretty… or else who knows what’d happen.”

Hmm… I could give ya three guesses as to just what would happen. Though if this reactor had been down for a while now, and leaking at that. Then it must have been one of the refined versions compared to my stable… or me and Riff would have to be making a very quick exit here when the alarms went off.

Gotta love the possibilities.

“I’m gonna keep looking through the blue prints of this damned thing, see if I can learn it a bit better than that crash course the company had made…” I could hear the colt laughing in the background as he recorded, “Crash course… might have well called it ‘babies first reactor,’ they put more details it the warning labels of bleach than they do designs!”

So… somepony was learning to maintain a prototype reactor that kept their stable alive and kicking. All while being given little to no real training, or materials needed to do their job. Now where had I heard this before?

“I sure hope the residents of this place appreciate the brain tumor I’m gonna have trying to make sense of this arcane crap…” I feel your pain there, and then the tape cut off as Cotter finished. Just as the elevator reached its stop.

Floor one: Residential and Medical.

The door squeaked open to the area where those in this stable would have kicked up their hooves at the end of the day. As me and my companion stepped in, I couldn’t quite place it, but there was something uneasy about this place… almost haunting. The lights flickered, of course they did, the air was still like the ventilation hadn’t run in who knew how long, and across the floor there was one thing I was becoming very accustomed to.

Blood.

Dried up streaks dragged across the floor every which way. Far too much to be from one pony. I hadn’t expected there to be any pony still alive in here, especially considering the ghoul problem. Though it was a surprise just how gruesome things turned to this once safe haven. Zombie ponies or not, it couldn’t have been a peaceful death for those here.

Riff held her rifle out in front of her, the steady hum of the tech a complete flip from my metal hooves tapping across the ground. The light on the helmet brought some semblance to this eerie place, and put the chaos on full display. Tables were up turned, playing cards thrown about, suitcases broken open and littered across the floor, and just for good measure there were enough bones to open a natural history museum.

Then, I heard the hoof steps.

The slow snarls joined in and one red bar popped up on my E.F.S. Feral ghoul. So, this is what happens when a pony is exposed to radiation over time. The husk of an equine lumbered only a dozen yards in front of us, and in the lights that did work I got a good look over the thing in all its glory. Mangled and torn fetlocks, patches of its coat long rotted away, and that face was surely something only a mother could love… or maybe grandmother.

Crunch.

My hoof dropped down on a femur, and before I could even say anything the sound of hooves started to pick up. That ghoul snapped too like a dinner bell had been rung, and stared galloping towards us. For being one step above a corpse, this thing could damn sure run! Mini spun up just as it closed in, and against rotting hide the ghoul stood little chance as it chewed through its shoulder and torso.

Plopping to the ground like wet tissue paper, parts of it decorated over my suit in a crude Nightmare Night prep. Scratch that previous statement, I wanted to rut the creator of these filters. This wasn’t going to come out easy later, first though I’d have to get to later.

More hooves started beating against the floor, and before I knew it half a dozen more ghouls came out of doors and from under imitation plants to greet us. It was Residential after all. Riffs beams started cutting in to a few of those, searing off their hide and even making some turn to ash. All the while mini got its work in, cutting in to those that had an interest in getting more lead in their diet.

One jumped from a residence beside me, wrapping its hooves around the suit trying to take a chomp out of it. Yeah, metals not so tasty, is it? A quick turn from my hoof knocked it back, and left part of its hoof lodged in the barrels of my gun. The motor tried to spin, but with its forehoof smacking against my neck, the barrels clinked back and forth against the suit.

Plan B, shotgun.

Not the best plan! More parts of the pony sprayed across me, but from every shell I racked the integrity of the suit paid the price. Parts of the plating rattled just as much as the ghouls’ flesh, and as my head recovered from the ringing. I felt a steady chomp underneath me. Okay, so teeth could do something to the armor, just had to be in one of the softer areas. One hoof stomp later sprayed all sorts of puss laden muck on the plates.

Riff wrapped her claws around the one I de-hooved, and neatly finished it off with a squeeze of her claws. Giving her own squirt of liquid pony, “Ugh…” her muzzle started to wrinkle, “ghoul ponies never fun to play with.”

“Yeah, I got that much,” my horn grabbed hold of the hoof and let my barrels free once more.

I didn’t see any more bars on the screen, though who knew what might be lurking behind closed doors. Riff had her own scars to tend with, as tough as the hounds hide might be. Ponies’ teeth could still do a number it appeared.

Taking a bit more of a cautious step this time, we worked through the residential area. Looting might have been the smart thing to do, but to go from every dwelling to the next would have taken forever. I didn’t have the Rad-away for that kind of trip, and even inside the suit, from that elevator ride alone my meter started ticking a bit more steadily.

In the interest of not ending up like one of these things, the next two ghouls we ran across both myself and Riff picked our own target. Her AER-10 worked wonders against soft targets like this, probably a bit overkill… but so was putting explosives on a shotgun. The mini sufficed for these, what I lacked in the accuracy the steady stream of lead still got the job done. Two more down, and just an entire stable left to go. The scratching of something from inside those quarters could be heard in my mic, but so long as the door stayed closed, I wasn’t gonna bother em.

Next stop, Medical… and this was the least sanitary medical I’d ever seen!

It was hard to mistake pony bits littering across the floor, and I had to wonder if these things resorted to cannibalism or even if they needed to really eat. As nice as it would have been to loot this place in particular, most of the boxes and cabinets were already open. The residents here probably tried every chem and potion combination in the book to stave off the radiation.

Another ghoul crawled out from under a table, just fast enough to earn a swipe against my side. It might have been their brain rotted away to the point of no return, but whatever controlled their strength was sure turned off. That swing was enough to stagger even a buffed set of power armor. Well… I call your hoof, and raise you steel! A bit overzealous of a punch, but enough to cave its skull in one swing. So, hoof to hoof was a viable tactic for these things, though that close encounter let me finally notice one more thing. Ghouls gave off radiation as they attacked, great… so cannibalistic, and radioactive.

‘Why am I not surprised?’ that thought crossed my mind a lot lately.

Riff tip toed past me and to the one cabinet not opened, was it locked, probably, but that mattered little to those claws. One slash and the door opened to a few supplies falling out. With a slurp, the hound finished off one healing potion, and passed me the Rad-away as I took an injection to make space for it. The group that we fought a few minutes ago was likely the spike in my levels, and I sure didn’t need the extra hoof sprouting up.

“If elevator not take us,” she looked around as her ears perked, listening to who knows what in the area, “how we get there?”

“Good old-fashioned way…” Stairs, lots of stairs.

Speaking of which, just at the back of medical I saw the sign still lit up. Stairwell, oh thank the goddesses. The trip up might suck later, but I’ll take working with gravity for the time being. As we went down the flights, I kept note of the labels on the wall. Seemed Residential carried on for a few more floors, and I didn’t need that excitement in my life right now. Happily passing by those, we’d finally reached the end of our line. This section of the stairwell had collapsed, and water sprayed out from the piping of the wall that gave way.

“Shit…” I groaned, we should have passed the last of the residential area, that just meant we’d have to go through another section of the stable before reaching the bottom.

I felt a tap on my shoulder, and Riff just smirked, “No, not shit… water.”

Yes, I can see- Oh! Finally, it clicked to me, and I ran my hoof under the steady stream. Yeah, it was water obviously, but the most important part was told when it came in contact with the suit. No ticking present, which meant the talisman was still doing its job after all these years. Even if it was just circulating water to this one spot, that meant the stable hadn’t gotten the chance to use it a lot. All the more life span for Winters settlement… I’d really have to find out if it had a name or not.

Back tracking a few flights earned us one placard on the wall, Floor five: Common, Atrium, Café.

Why the hell couldn’t my stable have had an area like this?! That was a full fucking orchard in stable, right across from it the cafeteria, and between the two a picnic setting that looked like they’d taken it all from a picture! Granted, those corpses on the ground did take away from the scenery a little bit, but that’s not the point. If they could clear this place out, take care of the radiation, and find some decent soap. Give it five years and this place would be right as rain ready to service those above seeking shelter.

Oh, right… ghouls!

Our entrance was a bit less stealthy than I’d hoped, but look who’s talking. From overtop the counters of the cafeteria I already saw a small group of ghouls shuffling towards us. Some faster than others, and all eager to sink their teeth in to us. Both our guns let loose, cutting in to those that were the closest, but judging from these numbers this is where a good amount of the stable dwellers decided to push up daisies.

My mini was getting red just looking at em, and Riffs rifle wasn’t faring any better. The next dozen that came filled my E.F.S. ever more, and some thinning of the heard was needed. Effective range be damned, the shotgun still could do a number to soft targets. Shells racked back and forth as I chomped at the bit, all the while we backed our way to the small orchard that’d been erected here.

Trees might have given us less line of sight, but it also let these things charge as us less. The first one smacked against a trunk, and Riff was happy to finish it with a swipe of her claws. Between the bark being blown off from my shells and actual flesh, most of my visor was filling up with viscera. Creaking started to fill the atrium, and with that I watched as half the tree I laid in too started to fall.

Half normal size or not, a tree trunk to the torso still got the job done. A few ghouls twitched between its branches, and even pulled themselves in half trying to get to us. While Riffs paws crunched in to those trying to bite at our ankles, my shotgun peppered at the ones leaping over the tree like clay pigeons. Every shot that I took, broke a bit more of a pony off, and scattered the ground around us with fresh equine fertilizer. This orchard had seen better days for sure, maybe in time it would again.

Armor integrity: 74%

I saw the warning before I even felt the bit on my neck, or the pony jumping on to my back. You’d think that’d be something easily noticed, not so much it turned out. Still, those teeth could do work! Even under the plating I could feel the pressure from each bite, and my rad meter started to spike. Bucking to my name, my hooves pushed back and forth against the ground as it tried to get the damned thing off.

I gotta give the ghoul an A Plus for effort, he still held on like his life depended on it. With one more buck, I threw my back against another trunk, sandwiching the pony between me and the bark. The meaty crunch of tissue that followed was sweet music to hear, and like a bag of trash it slumped off my side.

Armor integrity: 72%

Warning: leak detected!

Ya don’t say! The rads jumped in my system more than they had when we first opened the door, all from a bite mark. Instantly my suit started administering Rad-away, and I tacked a few more doses on for good measure for what lingered. The steady sounds of the beam rifle filled the background of my panic attack, as Riff took care of the last one with a few shots. The talisman was starting to patch up the wound on my neck, slowly… oh so slowly, but thankfully that ticking already died down.

If that’s the spike I got while here, I didn’t want to imagine what the lower levels were like… though I’d probably be seeing that soon.

“You okay?” Riff asked as her head dipped down and looked over the chunk that’d been taken out.

“Yeah… just a scare,” I looked to the one I bucked off, at least was remained of him, “bastards can bite damn near through metal…”

“And flesh too,” she showed off her leg.

Alrighty, I shouldn’t be complaining. That looked a lot worse than what I was going through. From the chunks missing from her thigh to calf, it was probably enough to make up at the very least half the weight of your average pony. No wonder the settlement hadn’t tried to tango with these things, a radiation suit would be gone in one chomp.

“Let’s… let’s try and get you something for that,” we pressed on through the atrium, and on to the cafeteria.

Sharp knives, hot pans, and slip hazards everywhere. You’d think this place would have some sort of first aid kit, I knew Riff would have been happy to see one of those boxes with the butterflies. No such luck, the only thing we’d managed to fined was a few empty cans and some still containing Cram.

The hound all too eagerly swiped the latter, and started crunching through the metal, “Not expired,” she grinned between the bits.

Honestly, I didn’t know if that ‘meat’ would ever expire. So, while she shoveled the cans down her gullet, I threw the scraps in my hopper for later. With nothing else for us in terms of usefulness, we headed for the door… and more stairs.

Floor Six: Storage.

I read as we approached the door. This must have been where they pulled up the goods for the kitchen to use, the shelves at one point were probably stocked with all sorts of things the stable might have needed. Judging from the bare surfaces around, they’d used it all trying to survive. We crept in the large room, packed between the frames of shelves that laid bare like a maze, until we’d reached the center.

Nothing was on my E.F.S. which was a surprise, and even from the shitty lights here plus my own, I couldn’t make out anything moving around us… what have we here? Between a few empty crates, there rested another tape like the one I’d found in the elevator.

“This just doesn’t make any sense!” the colt shouted in to my ears from the tape, “this reactor they wanted so much to test in the stable should have had more shielding than even Shining Armor could have produced, and yet here we are…” wait what? From over the audio I could hear the shuffling of papers, “yet from what I’m seeing, the damned thing wouldn’t have stopped a rocket blast, let alone radiation.”

So… the stable was ill equipped to handle this kind of equipment? Budget cuts maybe, that always seemed to be the culprit for things of that sort. “I tried to bring this to the Overmare, but the cunt wouldn’t listen, and just preached that Stable-Tec knew what they were doing,” having to tell your superior that they were wrong, and not being listened to. This ponies final days were really starting to hit close to home.

“If she ain’t gonna listen to me then she will when the residents start having their manes fall out, seriously… who the fuck puts a reactor below the stables’ environmental equipment?!” probably some pony who sucks at structural engineering.

Though if that was the case, any leak would have gotten in to the air supply if that talisman gave out or got overworked. Plumbing was thicker than vents after all, and if the water wasn’t registering anything. Then it had to be the air.

“Let alone one floor above that the blasted storage!” or… that could have done it to. My meter was ticking steadily while we walked amongst the shelves, and almost by instinct I pumped another dose of Rad-Away in my system. Ya know, just for good measure. That did tell me we were close.

“I don’t know what Stable-Tec was up to when they designed this shit, but somethings got to be done, at least to hold off some of the effects till I can find out how to put a bandage on it,” With no supplies down here for major repairs, and the surface the way it was. From how the rest of the stable looked, I doubted Cotter really got the chance to do that.

The tape cut out as we reached a clearer area of the room. Some of the frame work of the shelves had been taken apart and left with just its legs, scattered around the floor. That ticking in my ear though wasn’t getting any quieter, and my hooves started to pick up the pace when we saw a service entrance.

Locked.

Fuck! I slammed my head against the wall next to it, and Riff just stared at me. “Head not make a good key,” she tutted for a moment, before pushing me to the side.

With a flare of her paws, those digits came out and stabbed in to the control panel. A few sparks flew from around the hounds’ arm as she held it there, grunting from the charge. Apparently, hellhounds were resistant to radiation and electricity. Puttering out, the small light above the switch flickered and died. Letting Riff pull her claw out from the panel and dig it underneath the door frame.

Once she had a grip, all it took was a good pull and the door slid up and in to its housing. Yet another perk of having a hellhound on your team. We both stepped through and behind us the door from its weight slammed to the ground, even making me jerk my head to it. That’s where I noticed something else about the door. The controls on this side had been tampered with, not quite like the way Riff Raff had done, but somepony knew what they were doing down here.

Gravity helped me along the rest of the way as the weight of the suit carried me down the stairs. This time around it felt like a lot more flights than just for one floor of storage, unless they did do something smart and put a chunk of dirt between the maintenance area and their food supplies. Which granted would be the smart thing to do, but then again, we’re talking about Stable-Tec here mind you.

With every step I took that steady ticking picked up. We were getting dangerously close to it, at least for me, and before long there was another placard right in front of us above a door.

Floor seven: Maintenance.

The light was lit on the controls, and thankfully Riff didn’t have to try her luck again at being a locksmith. That squeal of the door however resonated more than just in this stairwell, and as we stepped through to the other side, I already could see the shuffling movements in the dim lights. These ones looked a bit more ragged, or irradiated, however you wanted to look at it. Their flesh had swelled up from all the tumors that likely grown inside them, but that extra heft hadn’t slowed them down!

Down here we didn’t have an orchard to hide amongst, so myself and Riff were left to hold out ground and light up whatever got a bit too close for our liking. One managed to get in and chomp down on my foreleg, that was met with a burst from the mini and chewed through his skull just as much as he tried to my leg.

From the dust that was being kicked up, her rifle was making decent work of those still at a distance. Any she missed or wasn’t focused on, I hit with my own guns. Peppering them with either 5mm or shells. That thicker hide of theirs was an improvement over the others, and which ever got in that managed to take a swipe, my meter jumped in response.

A howl echoed in the room, a braver one leapt and threw its hooves around Riffs neck. Planting its teeth right in the soft tissue, she tried to swipe at it with her claws, but her own bulk wouldn’t allow it. S.A.T.S. clicked on the ghoul, and I locked on three bursts to its torso, not trusting the accuracy enough to go for a headshot. It wasn’t enough to get a kill, but it did make the ghoul jerk a bit, right in to her grasp.

With a rip, she pulled it off her back and tossed the pony back against another, and I laid four shells in to the pile of meat. It was hard to tell where one ended and the other began, but we had other matters to attend to, as a couple more ghouls worked their way out between the equipment.

Then I heard it, a growl matching nearly Riffs own.

Darkness did give one advantage, it let you see certain enemies, particularly ones that were lit up like a glowstick. This ghoul shuffled out from its hidey hole in what looked like a pair of coveralls I would have worn while at the M.W.T., tool belt and all around its waist included. Minus the Stable-Tec logo on its chest.

Bloated Glowing One, my E.F.S.-

Wait… why the hell were the corpses starting to move again?

Growling turned in to shrieking, and from the horn on its head an eerie glow pulsed out across the room. Whatever it’d done started seeping in to those I’d shot, and the bodies once again started to get to their hooves. Ash stayed ash thankfully, but with our kill counts being about even, that still left half the room to unalive…

Those that were missing limbs hobbled towards us with the same vigor as before, but if they had one that could heal… “You take glowy,” Riff grinded her teeth as she stared to those others, a trail of blood still streaming down her neck, “These mine.”

Nope, not arguing with her on that.

The suit powered past, a bit slower than I hoped for as a few still swung with their hooves at me, but I already had my target. The burst that followed put a few rounds in him, but it wasn’t much more than that. The ghoul was quick, and maybe a bit smart. The glowing one closed the distance, met me in the middle as we locked hoof in hoof, and damn was this one strong! Neither of our legs gave an inch, and I started spinning up my gun. Though the tri-barrel mod was too long to bring anything to bare, and I wasn’t about to expose myself with the shotgun.

Cracking my helmet against its skull, it doubled back and staggered from the blow, but quickly found its hooves again and came at me. Until another of its brothers flew across the room and smacked in to it. Riff had taken her rifle and started using it like a bat to the ones that got in close, our other encounters likely having burned through her ammunition.

With it at a distance, both my barrels turned too and opened up. Though the one that hit it the glowing one used to its advantage. Okay, it was a lot smarter than the others. Its shield was deteriorating, but not before it got in close to me and lunged. My hoof held out as it jaws wrapped around the plating and started to cru- Ouch! Mother-! Plating was strong and had some give to pressure, bones underneath not so much.

Warning: Fracture detected!

No shit! I’d fallen off a swing set before and knew what that felt like. From the chomp it gave my rads started to spike as well, and with the healing potion another dose of Rad-Away seeped in.

Warning: Rad-Away depleted!

The ghoul still clenched on like a gator, and I wasn’t about to find out if they could death roll. Servos in my legs grinded from the extra weight of a tumorous pony, and lifted the glowing one up clear of the floor as I slammed it back to the ground… still attached! Pushing even more, I started to drag it across the plate metal floor and in to equipment. Hopefully, I wasn’t hitting anything that held the talisman. Its torso smashed against sewage treatment, ventilation, power distribution, and even what I think was a service console before it finally gave way and let go.

With it on the ground, 5mm started spraying. Not nearly as effective as I was hoping, and only one leg being cut was all I yielded. Once again, we found ourselves locked with one another, this time I literally had the upper hoof. A haymaker caught its jaw and judging from the grin it almost gave me, that wasn’t enough.

Was I really about to do this again? Whelp I had to, another dose of Stampede shot in to my system, and like that I felt my muscles tense up like I could press three hundred pounds! Heart was thundering, hooves were sweaty, knees were getting weak, legs were heavy… but I didn’t give a damn! Another swing sent it stumbling as its jaw cracked, another put it back on the ground, and a shell blew off most of its face as it sprayed over mine.

I didn’t need to see this anyway, that bar on my visor was still lit, and if it was then more shells were needed. The suit rocked from the pepper of explosions over the ghoul, and my armor chipped away with every shot. Even after I saw that bar fizzle out, I kept the press on just for good measure I told myself.

“Wild!” Riff tapped on my shoulder, causing me to stop, “Ghoul dead…”

Below me was nothing more than a stable suit, in need of more than some tailor work, chock full of meat. “Yeah, got a little carried away there,” ‘slow breaths, steady there Wild…’ was I thinking to myself in third person?

Armor integrity: 45%

Not the best decision, and I could feel my heart still pounding without that drug from Deacon. Benzodiazwhatever it was, but for now I could still walk under my own power and I wasn’t hitting the ground just yet. Riff had put in her own work, and around there were scattered parts of ponies every which way. Her body hadn’t fared much better, hell between her chunks missing and my rads starting to climb, all I could do was chuckle.

“So…” I gulped down a breath, “glad you decided to stick around?”

The hound just smirked at me, and I looked back to the pile of meat before getting down to business. Most of the equipment was labeled thankfully, and it didn’t take long to find the water system. With a generous tug from her claws the front panel was ripped off, and inside placed along the main feed pipe was the glowing crystal we’d come down here for.

The more delicate touch of my horn removed it from its housing and placed it in my bags for safe keeping. We didn’t need anything else from here, and I wasn’t about to go take a look at their reactor. Last time I didn’t that my stable blew up, as we headed for the door, one thing did catch my eye. The same control console I smashed the ghoul in to had something else, a tape.

Whelp, why not see what it had to say.

“That’s it… I’m done for,” Cotter this time around just sounded defeated, and even from the voice I could tell one thing. He was counting the days till it all crashed and burned, “I was brought down in this stable to maintain the equipment, and that I tried… with the limited sources and lack of help from the Overmare, I did what I can… I sealed the maintenance floor.”

Umm… how was that helping things? “We needed time to fix the problem, and with the floor sealed then the Overmare can’t stop me from staggering the air flow… help reduce the spread of radiation and what not,” that made more sense. I mean it wasn’t too far from their food granted, but if it was still leaking then what difference would bad food mean, “I got some of my crew onboard with me, and we’d been down here for who knows how long working on it. Trying to take what metal we could from any spare place and slap it on… we’ll see how much we can put on it to hold.”

The shelves… they took whatever they could spare to put some extra padding on the reactor to save themselves. “Celestia help those above to understand,” a lone sniffle escaped from the speaker, “and Luna damn me if I can’t make this right.”

Crackling, the tape cut out and I found myself looking back at the one I blew apart. ‘You tried your damndest, Cotter,’ I thought and slipped out the door.

Now that we had the talisman checked off on our list, while I walked the straight path through those areas we’d come through. Riff poked around what she could, grabbing anything that might be of use to us, or even the settlement. Never know when you might need a microscope after all… though my rads were still starting to pool up, and those stairs up weren’t going to win against me.

Our path we’d cut gave a clear way out, and soon enough the elevator door was closing behind us as we rode back to the surface. “Are you gonna try and fix it?” I asked, seeing the state of her rifle slung across her back.

Riff brought the gun back in to her paws and gave it a once over, before shaking her head, “Dog good, but not that good… probably go boom first time shooting.”

Couldn’t blame her with that reasoning. I wouldn’t want to shoot it after taking the gun to batting practice. The doors to the elevator opened up, and we kept walking. The halls seemed a bit quieter than when we left, and as odd as it was, I couldn’t care less. The light at the end of the tunnel was just ahead, literally and we emerged from our tomb in the wonderful skies of the new Equestria.

Just past the fences, I could see two heads sticking up as we approached. Nothing else on my E.F.S., no gunners, just my pair of- … very blushing friends? Sure enough, the mares’ face was flushed like Riffs’ beams, and as she turned her eyes away from the gryphon. They met ours, and the mare stumbled to her hooves.

And immediately clenched her muzzle.

Deacon didn’t do much better, and we were met with the same response, “You two… okay?” he squeezed out past his talons.

We’re breathing, and my heart rate was normal, so why do you-? Yep, that’d do it. Even the overcast sky was enough to really show the amount of grime and pony chunks that clung to both myself and Riff. Together we looked at each other, not sure who looked worse for wear. Smears of fluid still trailed over my plates, and bits of flesh looked like a patched quilt on the hound.

Deacon went to open his beak, but a single claw raised from Riff silenced him, “Turkey… not say… word.”

***

With my suit back at Winters’ place, both myself and the mare started our work on the main tank of the purifier. Tumble and Deacon had taken what little Riff could grab and set off to make a profit, as for the hound herself, Alimite was nice enough to show her where she might be able to scrub off some of the bits. Something I’d have to get to clean up later. For now, there was other work to be done… at least, Winter had work to get done. I couldn’t fit even without the suit, and to be fair I’d probably be getting in the way of things as she went.

“I still can’t believe you got it,” she said cradling the talisman in her lap, before holding her hoof out, “Three quar- no… five eighths.”

How the tables had turned… pulling the wrench from her bag I brought it down to her with a touch of my horn, “I told you we would, and we did.” Granted, I didn’t tell her all the details of our trip down the stable.

Even having streaks of grime across her face, Winter still smirked at me the way she had when but a filly, “a hundred and seventy-five years, and still as stubborn as a mule.”

She wasn’t wrong, and while we shared our little snicker with one another like back in my shop. The mare operated on the contraption, a simple enough process I’d imagine. Take one out, and plug in a new talisman. Then again, I worked on guns, not pumps.

“Reminds me of the good years,” her eyes nearly replayed the same memories from before, probably similar ones I’d told my group.

“You still had some good years outside the stable I’d imagine,” odd… why were her eye raising to- Oh shit, “After, I mean, getting ya know… here.” Alrighty with that little stammer, my eyes turned towards any and every pony in town as they went about their business. Oh look! Somepony was selling noodles… and Winter was still looking at me, I could feel it, “Speaking of here, does this place have a name?”

“No… not really, keeps it off most of Equestrias’ radar,” her hoof tossed the wrench back at me a bit faster than intended, I hoped. Still, my aura wrapped around it midair, while she started to climb herself up and out of the tank, old talisman wrapped up in a bag across her back, “And… you’re right, I have had a few good years since being here.”

Whew… dodged that bullet.

“And just as much bad as you’d think… Raiders fighting us as we try and trade to other towns, crops not yielding quite enough for everypony, or even a simple head cold that puts half the place out of commission in bed,” so a lot of bad years I reckon. Probably more bad than good, yet even with that, the mare still found a way to smile, “the first month or so was rough after I got here, but then I learned about… you know.”

All she had to do was look at her waist, yeah, I got the idea, “and you had a bit of a reason to keep your head up.”

“I liked to think of it as a breath of fresh air, something, or one, to look forward to at the end of the day,” her hooves wrapped around one of the valves they’d shut earlier, and slowly started to crack it.

Breath of fresh air, kinda the same way after I’d gotten here and found her. Having the idea of finding Winter out here had given me some sort of goal to follow. Though now that she was right in front of me, that shifted to helping the place she called home. Any other time I wouldn’t have wanted to charge headlong in to a radiation filled stable death trap, maybe a slaver mine or gunner base sure, but I’d rather be shot at than eaten and irradiated. Though if that’s what it took to keep this place up and running like Alimite said, then I’d be happy to oblige.

“Without that, or this place… well, the wastes have a way of running a pony in to the ground over time, some sooner than others,” Winter hadn’t reached that point, and I couldn’t see her hitting that any time soon. This mare had survived out here for two decades, a slave at the start of it, becoming a mom, and making a settlement run.

The rangers seemed to have forgotten the value of their fellow ponies’ life in a quarter that time…

From under her hooves I could hear the water finally starting to pour out though the talisman, and if the pipes from the stable were any indicator. Then the crops here should have a fresh supply soon.

Winter started to pack up some of her tools, and slung the bag across her back as we walked along the pipping. “Now, enough about my tail of woe…” oh, I could already see where this was going from her grin, “how’d you even start out of 100, and managed to get yourself such a colorful group.”

Hmm… her daughter had put it the same way.

Whelp, where to begin? My escape from 100 had garnished me a rather shocked jaw from her, she hadn’t expected it to go complete megaspell I guessed. After that going home wasn’t much of a cake walk either, got to meet the new neighbors… love spikes, murder, and chems.

“You’re terrible with small arms…” she started to laugh at my poor excuse for marksmanship with a 10mm, and I didn’t have a candle to defend myself. So instead, I continued.

Winter was surprised the ranger had gifted me the suit, given their nature now, and she had a few more imaginative words of her own to add to the group. Went over meeting Tumble, and helping her out with the Gunners there. Pissing off some more of the rangers along the way, which Winter looked like she enjoyed hearing a bit too much. After relaying about Mason Jack and helping rescue him with help from Deacon, he decided to tag along.

A gryphon working for free sparked her curiosity, but if he was game for an adventure, then who was I to deny it? After that I told her we needed some caps and supplies, so our newest member suggested doing some contracts. That led me to meeting Alimite, meeting Riff, and then meeting Barrel… in that order.

That pleasant, then surprising, and finally painful… order.

“So… Barrels’ really dead?” she asked, and it seemed even with the words from the DJ. That fact still was hard to believe for some.

“Yes, she is… and her siblings aren’t too happy about it,” painfully, I reminded myself. Though with me north now and off the map from my understanding, at least for the most part, maybe they’d stay clear?... fat chance, right? “But, after we ran in to her, your daughter offered to help patch up the suit… even gave me some extra schematic matrix for it.”

“That sounds like her,” Winter started to giggle, “made the connection after that I assume?”

“You bet, she’d never heard my real name before, it was just Rogue Ranger,” or Mister Rogue, if you wanted to be technical, “Deacon, told her my story, and after that lightbulb lit off, we kinda hightailed it here…”

And then immediately dived in to an irradiated stable.

Winter just looked at me, shaking her head while fiddling with another valve along the piping, “Out of the stable and already on some adventure…”

Adventure of a life time, hard to believe it’s been a… wait, how long has it been anyway? My wrist picked up and brought the menu of the Pip-Buck over, and sure enough more math followed. A month, give or take. I hadn’t exactly remembered the day I walked out of that timebomb. Although between making a few friends, making good hoofful of enemies, piecing together how my stable fell apart, traveling the western parts of Equestria and trying to connect the dots…

Time really does fly when you’re having ‘fun.’

“What about now?” she brought me back to the moment, “I mean you found me, will they stick around?”

I had asked them that already, and the reactions were… mixed to me. Deacon I wouldn’t say was treating it like another contract, but then again, he was always used to some sort of adventure. Is this enough for him? Tumble had been moving her whole live, and while she might like to see how things play out with my story. Would that be enough to keep her around? As for Riff Raff, she didn’t have any other place she could go. How does a hellhound go about milling with the common pony?

“I’m… not sure.”

“Well… no matter the case, you’ll all be more than welcome here, especially after what you’ve done,” Winter closed off one of the valves with her hooves, and we started making our way to another set, “I have to take care of the purges for the purifiers, make sure all the gunk is out of em before supplying the crops… why don’t you find your friends?”

That, sounded like a great idea.

The settlement itself bustled with those ponies going about their daily routines, or even choirs. Things needed to get done, and it looked like everypony here had a job to do. The shops were the first place I checked, and hitting that nail on the head, there was Deacon and Tumble stepping out of one store.

“You look a bit anxious, out of that suit I mean,” Tumble commented as I approached.

Yeah, I did feel kinda naked without it, I won’t lie, “Eh it’s becoming a second skin almost,” that was true. Although it wasn’t the only thing on my mind, “Make out with anything good?”

Deacon hauled up the sack along his back, “the usual, meds, ammo, and more meds… though couldn’t find anything for Riff, weren’t sure of her tastes.”

“Speaking of her, where’d Alimite take her off to?”

My question garnished me a jerk of the mares’ head as she led us down towards that creek from earlier bisecting the town. There in the center of it, was one semi-clean hound still scrubbing away with the mildly radioactive waters. It was better than nothing, and certainly better than walking around covered in pony bits. Even from the banks I could hear her grumbling about the rotting tissues that stained some of her coat, though I don’t think soap was something she’d ever get the chance to use.

“Any luck with that?” Tumble smirked to her, watching the hound struggle.

“Live with dogs’ whole life, rotting pony not smell better,” Riff huffed at her, before getting behind her ears. The hound dropped to all fours and arched her back as her whole body let off a shake, sprinkling us with some of the viscera-soaked waters before she joined us on the edge. I guess that fur was brown to begin with.

Ahh… whelp, now’s a good time as any, “Listen ya’ll… I got to ask you something,” alrighty this is already awkward. How do you word this? Hey I know we’d been traveling for a bit, but I’m here now, so I don’t know what to do next besides stick around… shoot from the hip, “I know we kinda already brought it up outside the stable, about what the plan was afterwards, but I just have to ask… are you all sure about staying here?”

They looked dumbfounded, either that or the question was just as dumb as it sounded, “I know each of you were following me around for this little journey, but I’ll be here for the foreseeable future,” it was a good place to set up and call home, and if they needed somepony to help defend it, I had a few guns that would do the trick, “Winter say’s you’d all be more than welcome to say, but are ya’ll really serious about saying put?”

There, I said it… it needed to be asked for real, and not before running in to a stable.

They all stopped for a moment, the sense of humor gone from the air around us. I doubt they’d crossed paths without meeting me first. Hell, Deacon probably would have had a contract to clear Riffs den at some point, and Tumble might have just passed by the gryphon without even a second thought. Yet here they were, together at one place.

“Ya know… I have this cutie mark for a reason,” Tumble looked at the brush of her namesake covering her flank, “I’d been moving my whole life, from town to town, cave to cave, and everything in-between…”

Here it was, the start of this little rag tag group falling apar-

“It’d be nice to not live up to my name for once,” she finished off with, and smiled at me, “Even a weeds gotta plant down somewhere.”

If it hadn’t been for them standing next to one another, she might have caught the smirk from the gryphon. “Traveling is fun, and the change of pace is what makes my line of work… interesting,” not the word I would have used, but I’ll leave that to the expert merc, “that said, helping to keep a settlement safe and running is its own reward…”

Can’t argue with that logic.

“… plus, it leaves less of a target on my back, especially traveling with you,” his talon tapped me in the chest, “Or more of one, not quite sure… but I’m still in.”

That logic I could argue with, but he was staying either way.

With a sigh, our hound looked as if she’d had enough and just crossed her arms, “Dog get hunted otherwise, and like Turkey said before… it like different pack,” a very odd pack at that, “might as well enjoy it, you good pack mates.”

The awe from the gryphon killed any sentiment the hound might have had, “Didn’t know hellhounds could be softies…” he grinned at her.

“High talk coming from you, Little Chicky,” Tumble snickered, and I got a front row seat of Deacon having half his talon shoved down his throat.

He might have been speechless, and between the ladies they were relishing in his dilemma. Though I was just glad to hear it in the utmost of sincerity, they were staying put. They might be bicker back and forth right now as Deacon tried to defend himself from the teasing of the mare, but they were staying-

“If mare not kiss him, I will,” oh… that shut their mouths.

If I could find an egg, and maybe with some luck, coffee. I might have been able to fry it over Deacons’ beak by now. Put a few slices of hay bacon on Tumbles own muzzle and call it a well balance break- alrighty enough of that. I’m starting to get hungry, and that isn’t helping matters. Might as well save the two…

“As for mares,” I got their attention, “Any idea where I might find Alimite?”

“Try Winters’!” Tumble followed up quickly.

“Yep! She wanted to take a peek at your armor while you helped her mom,” Deacon added on to her.

“Something about it being the least she could do!” the mare followed with.

Awe… aren’t you two cute… they might have hated me for it, but between myself and Riffs’ laughter there was enough blood in their cheeks to burn that breakfast to a crisp. A claw and hoof wrapped around the paws of the hound, and whether she liked it or not. The pair started dragging Riff off down the streets. Something about finding a replacement suited for her.

Whatever that could entail…

Winters’ home came in to view after I left them to go shopping a bit, and while the front of the old shop might have been clear. The sounds of scrubbing could be heard in the back. Following it, there in the middle of the back-repair bay was my suit right where I left it, and a filthier than normal mare by its side.

“I would have gotten to that…” I reminded her and approached.

“As true as that might be, leaving chunks of pony to rot isn’t the best way to treat your suit,” what would Rogue say to me if he were here? Though trying to help with the installation of the talisman did take priority, “Besides, as Tumble should have mentioned, it’s the least I can do…” right back to it, Alimite picked up a brush with her horn and started scrubbing away at one of the plates. Not to be out done, I did the same. Where they’d found a cleaning brushed with more than half the bristles still inserted, I hadn’t a clue, but they were doing the job just nicely.

Turpentine would have been nice, but I’d settle for good old fashion elbow grease. “On the bright side, while there might be some ghouls still left down there,” like a whole few levels worth in Residential, “baring the radiation, it wouldn’t be a bad place to check out for supplies for the settlement.”

“And if we can ever get some rad suits, I’ll probably be the first one inside,” Don’t know how easy I felt about anypony trying to fight a ghoul dressed in rubber. If it did get to that point, I’d be in there all the same, “all other matters aside however, thank you,” Alimite looked over to me from the suit with a beam, “a talisman like that would be the point of failure for this place, and with that one having been engineered for a stable. Then we shouldn’t have to worry about it for another few years.”

I can imagine, going from supplying a whole stable to a town, not really a downgrade, but it certainly was up to the task. “I’ll be looking forward to seeing how that plays out then in the years to come, me and my group,” with a pause, her strokes and mine stopped as she twisted her neck to me. “Already talked to em, and they plan on sticking around here with me… helping out where they can.”

As if her smile couldn’t grow any bigger, I was proven wrong. It’s the same one I’d seen on Winter when she was still a filly, and she helped build that bird house for Lilac. Alimite might have stayed silent, but from the other side of the suit I could tell. Even without the flush in her cheeks under all that grime, she was happy we were.

That did leave one problem though, “between the four of us, not counting Riffs bulk and my suit… just have to figure out where to kick our hooves up.” Helping around here or not, I don’t imagine the town being too kind to having Riff snoring right outside their door. Hell, I was surprised they even let her keep the rifle in town when we first got here.

A tap to my head though urged me to look up, and Alimite brought her head back, “Leave it to me… although you might want to bring that,” with our brushes down, I stepped in the suit and made my way to the back corner of the shop with her.

There sunk in to the concrete floor was a hatch, more than wide enough to stand three or even four ponies wide, let alone a suit of power armor. As she lifted the hatch with a tug, the sounds of a well-oiled door rung and the counterweight with spring took the majority of the doors heft. Holding it there to the side with ease, we went down the dim stairs, and down below the repair bays.

The basement was a lot cleaner than I was expecting, only a few empty cots and shelves of random parts and materials laid around the room. With a table erected in the center for whatever the occupant might have needed. Still, there was a light or two that still worked, and that brought the place a few notches higher than most basements I’d been in. If anything, whoever stayed down here in the past knew what they were doing. It was dry, warm, and I don’t imagine many would go and bother somepony down here often.

“This used to be the store room for the shop way back when,” Alimite and myself walked further in, and the mare pulled the chain on an extra light or two, “though after the bombs fell, some ponies used it as a makeshift bunker.”

That explained the cots, and even their footlockers to boot, “A good place to build one off of.”

“And… if you’d like, a place you and your friends can rest your head.” Half a second later she must have read the shorts going off in my head, “Talked it over with mom while you all were out at the stable, we figured if ya’ll were gonna stay and help out, you’d need some place to call home.” A place I could actually use too. Whether it be repairing the suit, or fixing something out in the town. The shop above was damned near three times the size of mine back home, “There’s always some folks out here looking for a hoof, ya just gotta ask… and you all’d be the ones for the job.”

I looked back at her, and while some of her flush might still be present. She wasn’t trying to stroke my ego with that, this mare genuinely believed we could do right by this place. I mean, we’d already started to. So, was I about to go back and make this mare a liar?

Hell naw.

Paw steps were one thing that was very distinguishable, even through concrete, and with the bickering above I knew one thing. My group had returned. “Wild… ya here?” Tumble called out as they moved around upstairs, “you’re not gonna believe this.”

“Open hatch in corner, come on down!” Alimite yelled back to her, and soon enough the trio joined.

Huh… ya know, this place wouldn’t be half bad. Even Riff could damn near stand at a full height, and that was with her newest toy slung over her shoulders and a heavily modified combat helmet on her head. An IF-92 if I recall, 40mm auto-grenade launcher. Heavy weapon suiting the user, belt fed, and from the looks of things a chopped barrel on its end. Won’t have as much accuracy over distance, but it’s a grenade launcher… hitting center mass matters little, when there’s no chest cavity left.

Some of us didn’t look so stellar about the choice of armament. “Out of all the choices, ya went with that,” Tumble stood there, giving her the same looked Deacon received when he picked up the missile launcher from the Sentry Bot. “This is just great, totally perfect,” her head shook to the hound, to Deacon who probably encouraged the purchase, then to me before her hoof soon met face, “between your grenade launcher now, Chickees’ missiles, and Wilds’ shotgun… there goes the neighborhood.”

Riff was already cracking up, and I managed to stifle my own by biting my lip. Ahh, the perks of having your face hidden behind a vale. In case Tumble hadn’t already noticed though, the neighborhood was gone a long time ago…

“Collateral damage or not, I’m glad to hear you all will be staying,” Alimite nodded to my group, and their eyes went back to me. Hey, I just relayed what ya’ll told me, “and as I told Wild here, this place is open for you to stay, if you’d like,” she gestured to the rest of the basement, “I should go find mom, make sure she doesn’t need any help. I’d imagine after that ordeal in the stable some of you probably want to get some rest…”

Oh, more than you could imagine. Although, food first, then rest. My visor popped back up to her before she left, “Thank you, and Winter… for all of this,” the possibilities of living under a shop…

Alimite just brushed it off, “It’s really nothing at all… again, the least we could do, Mister Rogue,” she winked at me and headed back up the stairs.

The word least seemed to have a new meaning lately. To go from bumping in to me outside a gun store, to letting me live a floor or two below you. That’s a big least… never the less. That act of selflessness earned us a place to rest our heads, hang our guns up, and me to get out of the suit without worrying over being stabbed.

“Wow…” Deacon perked up from over at one of the cots, and I noticed the trio had already dispersed to claim parts of the basement, “for all your tech and sensors in that thing, you sure are blind.”

Oh, har har…

“He’s not the only one…” I heard a mumble from the mare in the room, as she went about stowing the carbine.

Gotta love the mics in this thing…

Footnote: Level up

Chapter nineteen: Turning point

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Chapter nineteen: Turning point

It might have been a cot in the bottom of a repair shop, but boy was it comfortable. I’d been up later than expected getting the rest of the gunk off the plating, and that left me well tuckered out for the night. I hadn’t slept that well since I was on ice. Though, I don’t know if you could call that sleeping. Never the less, not having to wear the suit at night just to be safe was a good plus. One thing was clear, judging by the lack of snoring in my ear, and the quiet of the room. I was alone.

The other cots were vacant, and even where Riff curled up for the night was clear. My friends weren’t here, so where could they have gotten to? With my hooves reaching the floor, and a stretch I got right back in to my suit. Even in the safety of the town, I hate to admit, but it felt weird without it. As I cleared the stairs, the bay above was clear as well. Although the clacking in the kitchen bay did tell me somepony was still home.

“Well good morning,” Tumble said as she scarfed down the remains of some wheats, and I rolled in the room, “Expecting a fight?”

“No… hopefully, just comfortable in it,” don’t know if that’s a bad thing or not.

From Winter at the counter shaking her head, she just expected no less of me. “Typical… but I do know you well,” more than anypony had in over a century, and from her hoof a cup was presented to me. “It’s staler than century old pasta, but it’ll do.”

Could… could it be?!

My visor popped up, and without the filters I knew that smell from anywhere. My tongue was burned, my throat torched, but I’d been lit on fire a few times now so this was still a cakewalk. If there was an afterlife, I found it, “Sweet Celestias’ tit…” my eyes nearly rolled in the back of my head from the sip, “I knew I’d find some in time.”

“And I knew you’d probably want a cup,” Winter grinned while getting back to her own pick me up, “Coffees hard to come by, but then again not many ponies drink the stuff anymore… usually go for something a bit harder.”

Tumble held up her own mug, “like this.”

I didn’t need sensors to tell me that was more whiskey than coffee in hers, “Where’d you get a bottle already?”

“Well, while somepony was taking a nap…” hmm wonder who she could be talking about, “me and the gang went out on the town and looked around a bit, found a trader, and made a trade…” not the smartest of trades, but Tumbles’ head started shaking at my judging eyes, “don’t worry, I did buy some supplies as well.”

“And… started to find ya’lls next move,” Winter followed up with, and broke open a box of Sugar Apple Bombs well past their expiration date. “Deacon, was his name? Went to check on local jobs, see what can be done to help out.”

Two of the three accounted for, now what had Riff-

“And given her talent of digging, Riff Raffs’ tearing up some drainage for the crops,” she answered my unasked question.

Here for just more than two days, and already they were trying to earn their stay. If there was any doubt about them sticking it out for the long haul, that vanished. I would have taken a seat to join them, but the suit would have shattered any chair I tried. So, I just leaned against the makeshift counter and sipped on my well-deserved cup of Joe. It’d taken a hundred and seventy-five years to get, but that wait was so damn worth it.

First things first, “I didn’t get the chance to yesterday, but thank you, Winter,” she looked above her box to me, “For letting us all stay here, I know you might have expected me in another few decades or so…” that earned me a little chuckle from the mare, “but to extend it to my friends as well, truly, thank you.”

Winter just brushed it off her shoulder much the same as Alimite did, “Tiss nothing, you’re family remember, and a friend of yours is a friend of mine.”

Well with that out of the way, second things second, “Now… what can you tell me about the defenses here?”

Already she could see the bells and whistles in my head starting to run at full throttle. I remember seeing the assault turrets along some of the walls as we came in, and if that was their deterrent alone, I wasn’t sure how this place still stayed on the map. The area itself was remote of course, but that’d only get you so far. Once you were on someponies radar, with enough force, they were coming in.

Winter hadn’t helped with any of that worry after she explained how many they had going around the settlement. Those turrets were the main line of defense, like she said before we went in the stable. They were maintained well, and stocked with ammunition for sustained fire. Eventually though you’d need a bigger punch. Fortunately, that was my field of expertise.

Improving things that made bad ponies go away really quickly.

“So, they can be upgraded,” the pair looked at me like I was about to pull a better turret out my ass, not that easy, “doesn’t take much, just need a bigger gun…” now where to find that, “Who takes care of the turrets here?”

“Oh, I believe you met her already,” Winter started to snicker at me.

Well could you make it more obvious?

It didn’t take long after that for me to find my way out the door and tracking down a certain bandana wearing mare. I might have not gotten the entire lay of the town down just yet, but checking the perimeter for her seemed like a good place to start. On the plus side, for the first time ever, I even got a wave from some of the settlers.

That was a familiar face, or barrel at least. There in one of the guard posts was the same mare that likely took a shot at me when we first got here. She might have been trying to hide behind the barricade at the top, but a blue bar was a blue bar.

“Excuse me, Miss?” no response, “I just have to ask you something.”

Nothing.

“I’m not mad about that shot you took,” okay, that earned me a peek from her head, “I’d have done the same thing.” Yeah… if I could aim anything better than a minigun.

The chocolate mare scratched the back of her head as she stood up, still trying to avoid my visor with her eyes. “Sorry about that… Rangers aren’t exactly-”

“Civil now a days, I know,” my visor popped up to meet her face to face, like I hadn’t heard that one a million times already.

“Right, but you’re not one of them rangers,” finally she perked up, and even looked at me, “heard about what you went through to get that talisman, and who ya were,” she wrapped her hooves around the ladder and slid herself down. I guess news of that talisman traveled fast, small town, “Butter Crisp, at your service… Sir.”

Hmm… I feel like I’d been in the same position about a month ago, “Well, Miss Crisp… maybe you could help me,” after a short description of my specialty, we went for a walk on her rove to the next post.

Butter gave me more details about their protection. Alimite might have covered the turrets, but there still needed to be a pony on a gun at some point. “Mostly we work in shifts, twelve on twelve off,” a schedule I was familiar with during crunch time at work, “during that shift we rove between each of these posts set around some of the settlement.”

“How many posts and ponies?”

“Four posts… and two ponies at a time going between em,” yeah, those numbers were more than lacking, “then you got Walker with his guards, they answer if anything does spook us, or patrol the streets.”

“Weapons?”

“A rifle here and there, plus my beam,” she brought the weapon out with a whisk of her horns’ aura.

With half this place covered at any one time, it’d be easy to miss something creeping up in the distance. They seemed to have enough ponies here to double those numbers alone, yet the terrain was the biggest defense they had.

The towers didn’t look much better… some strapped together two by fours, old pallet wood, and some sheet metal to keep the rain off was about it. Nails couldn’t have been hard to come by in this place, but a good kick would have likely knocked any one of them down. Never the less, the mare scurried up the ladder and took her post with more trust in the structure than I would have had.

“How often do ya’ll have to actually have to defend this place?”

Her cringe was enough to answer that one, “last time we had a gang of raiders come through was about two years ago… things were, messy,” I’d imagine it would have been. Farmers with shovels and rifles, against hardened, chemed up pony’s hell bent on deep frying and poaching- alrighty quit with that imagery, “It’s been scrubbed from most of the maps of old Equestria we all reckoned, after being abandoned and all,” so the terrain and keeping their head down was their protection.

A vote of confidence I did not cast, who knows how many they lost during that time. I had my work cut out for me this time around, but if I could help build a better gun for a country. Then how could I not for a town? Be nice if there was a meter to show how much defense this place had… ahh just another pipe dream.

After a parting wave, I kept along the edges of the settlement. It wasn’t long after leaving Butter that I finally found the mare, just as I left her the previous day in fact. Grease stains, check. Bandana in need of washing, check. Sweat and tears, also check.

“Now who’s been busy?” I asked… and promptly got a wrench mere inches from my helmet as she shot up and yelped.

“Don’t scare me like that!” she snapped between a smirk, before passing off a look over the suit, “though you have too it looks like.”

Ah yes, the once and proud suit was returned to its original sheen… for now, “Oh I had some time last night.”

“And you’re still wearing it.”

“Well I didn’t sleep in it if that’s what you’re thinking,” my eyes were roll- no wait, visors still up, “more comfortable in it, and most only know me by the suit…” actually the more I think on it, if I did have to hide. How many know what the pony inside looks like?

Another turn of her wrench brought the plate on the turret firmly in place, and a flip of the switch later the motor inside purred to life. Sweeping to the surrounding area, the gun looked out for any threat, and the mare kept an eye on it to ensure the job had been done right. She was good at her craft, for sure.

That grease gun was well earned.

“So… what brings you to my office then?” she tossed the wrench in her bag.

Eyes off the cutie mark!

“A… drive to help,” smooth there Wild, smooth. I went on to tell her what Riff and even Deacon were busy doing, and Tumble had already stocked up for our next venture. Although Alimite didn’t correct any of what I’d learned from Butter during our chat.

“Butter Crisp wasn’t lying,” not what I wanted to hear, “most here have some sort of gun, but they aren’t always the best of shots…”

How could a pony not be a decent shot in this-…?! No wait, I had no room to talk. I could barely hit the broad side of a pony’s skull with a 10mm.

“Hence the turrets,” she slapped a hoof against the one beside her, “they take care of the smaller threats that do make it out here.”

“What I’m worried about is the bigger threats…” ya know, power armored ponies steam rolling up to this place to hunt my sorry ass down, “If we could get the guns for them, could you upgrade the ones here? Maybe add more.”

Alimite picked up her bag and draped it over her side as we set off. Apparently, this was a routine to her. Get up, check the defenses, repair what needed it, and repeat. Though along the way her hoof found the end of her chin and she pondered what I’d asked. If she couldn’t build them outright, I knew I could, but two ponies going at it would be a whole lot quicker.

“Imma need some metal for the frame, a motor, targeting talismans, spark batteries, and of course a big gun,” already that shopping list was being written down in my head as she rattled it off. “Some of which I have here, it’s the talismans that are the hurtle.”

Ahh yes, the pinnacle of Equestrian engineering. Crystal with a spell rune in place, able to identify friend and foe alike. Pretty much any Robco product would have them, shame we didn’t gather all those from the emporium before… alas, hindsight’s twenty-twenty.

The next turret looked to be moving fine, but just as she’d probably done for years, the mare checked it out. “Any idea where to start?”

“A bunker would be a good place… there’s one a good day’s hike away, had bots in it last I heard,” she popped the panel off the side and took a peek, before passing me a sly look, “raider base now, but I think you’ll be ju-u-u-s-st fine.”

I’ve been tangling with Rangers, Gunners, Ghouls, and Hellhounds lately… Raiders? Please and thank you! I’ll probably be eating those words later, but for now I could enjoy the simplicity of it. Crazed ponies that just wanted to shoot, stab, or hack me to pieces and fuck my corp- stop it!

“Did Winter teach you about turrets?” a fair question to ask, especially given what the mare was currently doing, but also a way to get some of those images out of my head.

All Alimite gave me was a shoulder shrug as she went about her task. “Somewhat… she taught me the basics of talismans and wiring them in to things, the rest I either learned myself, or picked up along the way,” her hoof tapped the end of the horn atop her head, “like the spell I used on your suit, it can patch these as well.”

Hell, I’d imagine it came in handy for all sorts of things around this place. ‘Speaking of this place,’ I thought as I started to turn towards the rest of the town, or settlement… whatever you wanted to call it. The once abandoned town that was left to rot, now had a fresh lease on life. Ironically, it came after the world blew up.

My friends had already gone out of their way to look around the place, and if I’m going to be here for a while. Why not do the same? I think I could manage that between all the running around and jobs to get done.

And having the Rangers on my tail…

And having Lock and Stock wanting my head on a pike…

“There ya are,” flapping from above brought my attention back to another, as Deacon landed with us. From his bag a few pieces of parchment were pulled and waved in front of me, “found some work to do while we’re here.”

“Great, I have some as well for us,” just needed to find some talismans, and bigger guns to automate.

“Well I’ll show my cards first then, we got copper pipping that needs rounded up,” he read off one of the papers, “says for irrigation and the like.”

Probably Winters’ doing putting that job on the board.

“And second there’s an outpost the Gunners had erected that some here would like to scavenge from,” already I didn’t like where this was going, even before the gryphon started to snicker, “Old friends of yours, right?”

At a certain point all a pony could do was just accept the mess they’d wound up, I’m already in hot water with that group. What was a few more of their own slain? At least one of the jobs he’d pulled didn’t involve gutting somepony… hopefully. Though the only way to find out was to get out there and start marking things off the list.

“Plus, there’s a raider base set out in a bunker we have to check out,” that perked his curiosity, “supplies for turrets, I’ll fill ya’ll in more as we move, let’s grab the girls and come up with a plan.”

Half a salute later with his wing, and Deacon was already airborne once more flying back to town. My visor dropped and with the map up and running, a few new places formed as points of interest yet to be discovered. M.W.T. Bunker 632, S. Vanhoover Sky-port, and finally the Tall Tale Boarding School. The joys of Equestrian engineering, now all I needed was a way to fly around this part of the country like Deacon and we’d be all set.

“Whelp, I’ll grab my gun,” come again? Alimite brought her tool bag back over her shoulders and started heading towards town, and even with my visor down she knew the look I was giving her, “What? You think you’re just gonna go out there without me?... not a chance.”

Judging by her grin, I didn’t have a say in the matter.

***

Can you really say no to a mare with a pump-action?

The turret goal was the first one decided to be done amongst us, and although I might have had the bunker up on my map. It was nice to have somepony along who knew the area more than all four of us combined. Still, as capable as the mare might have been with that thing, she did say not many at the town were fighters. Alimite walked with our little posse down yet another long dirt road, fitted with little more than the shotgun and some leather barding.

This was going to bite me in the ass… “Ahh… is that armor going to do you any good?” her head only half turned to meet mine, already giving me a brow.

“Humph… it’s not all about strength ya know,” it wasn’t long after that the mares’ tail flicked up and smacked the side of my helmet, “sometimes it’s about how quick you are.”

Riffs’ paw found the back of my helmet, just as Alimite trotted ahead.

“Wild pick poor words,” the hound tutted at me, and flanking us I could hear the snickering of the other two.

Dumbass… “That’s not what I’m saying!” alrighty then, how to save this one? “I just mean that leather really isn’t the best when it comes to bullets, maybe we could have grabbed something-” what felt like Tumbles’ hoof followed the same suit as Riffs’, yep still poor words! “To be safe and all! Last thing I want is Winter to ring my neck for bringing her daughter back full of holes.”

Nothing was hitting me so far from the girls, good sign there. All Alimite did was shake her head at me, and what I hoped was a shadow of a smile started to stretch. “You sound like mom…” ahh good or bad thing? “Don’t worry about me, last I checked I can handle myself out here.” She started to grin, “who do you think was the one usually doing these jobs before you rolled in to town?”

That put me at a little ease, and kept the other two females in check.

“Besides, heavily armored or not, it’s good that I came along on this one,” and that grin only started to grow, “extra set of hooves for the goods and to keep you in one piece,”

“What makes you think I won’t keep it together?”

“I’ve seen the state your armors been in before, and as you know I have the skill to help patch it up,” two mechanics in a group was better than one in my book, “Plus, like Tumble inferred, splash damage is the middle name of this group apparently.” My eyes were forward with her, but I could already hear Tumble saying I told you so, “and that kind of thing isn’t going to cut it in this case, those talismans are sensitive, so please… try to take your shots carefully?”

Something a little easier said than done. I still had the mini to work off of, and Deacon had his IF-64. Riff would have to make due with her claws for the time being against any bots, a fact that even across her face I could tell she was a bit disappointed at.

“Riff can still use her new toy on soft targets,” Deacon reminded her.

And there was that toothy smirk of hers.

***

A grin she shared while lobbing shells, with a disturbing level of enthusiasm!

Even over the barrier as we approached, each of those detonations inside were followed by a few hearty screams and yelps of pain. I almost felt sorry for em… almost. We hadn’t even gotten to the bunker but five minutes before being spotted outside, and with our cover already blown that left a lot of run and gun.

At least, jog and gun…

We still had to get close to the entrance, with Riffs’ support chunking shells over the walls of theirs. I booked it towards their encampment. The extra pounds I was getting from the upgrades weren’t helping in terms of agility one bit, but the shots that dinged up the suit I could take in stride! … for now. With a thud, my back planted against the barrier. The rounds above started to tag across the suit from those on the wall, and my guns couldn’t get high enough to target em. Those that were outside of the wall were fair game for me.

With a whoosh Deacon swooped down and raked one raider with several bursts before finally punching through, sending his over the edge. Even my mini was taking its sweet time to do any real damage to the pony underneath, though as another raider got in too close, hooves went to work crunching in some of his chest plating and breaking something important.

The few Conex boxes scattered outside the bunker those raiders turned in to what amounted as a barricade, and my hooves planted firmly in the ground as I pushed open one, they’d used as a gate. Overhead I could still feel the shots pinging off the helmet, reinforced or not, that shit still rang like a bell! Although the AMR off in the distance from one mare kept their numbers above to a minimum.

Alimite slid up beside me, and brought her shotgun with the barrel skyward. One shell later, and what remained of a head fell to meet us as she racked back another shell. Alright step two, let’s make a hole. Another push garnished the squealing of the bearings inside as the door slid open.

And to greet us was yet another half dozen pissed off ponies, and even a few… very odd looking, Mister Handys.

Holding myself between said targets, and those less armored. The suit soaked up the rounds that impacted, as my mini purred to life once more. Some of them took the hint, and grabbed cover while they could, others not so much. Two of the more ballsey raiders charged, one with something a bit too familiar for my liking. Power armor wasn’t the fastest thing in the west, at least not as fast as a rocket sledge, and my jaw was going to be feeling that in the morning! I wasn’t at little Celestias in my vision just yet. Before he could get another one in, a lone shell from the mare beside me tore the colts’ head off.

His bot partner didn’t take the hint, and while the buzzsaw tried to cleave my plating apart, the mini sprayed across his thrusters to the metal housing above till something fizzled and popped. Above us, more of the 40mm from Riff rained down, scattering some that hid from their cover and left me with open targets. Another Handy hovered in closer as I went for the fleshier targets, and swiped across the plating on my neck with its saw.

Alimite thankfully had words for it in the form of buckshot, and added another talisman for the taking. The 5mm wasn’t enough to stop those that ran outright, but it more than put some pain in their legs as they ran. The ones that stumbled met their end, before only one bar remained hidden.

Ya know, you’d think this would be the time and place to throw your hooves-

One bottle smacked over head of me, blanketing the plates with fuel as it ignited. “Son of a bitch!” I shouted, as my hooves beat against the ground trying to get some wind to quell the flames. Stop, drop, and roll wasn’t really all that possible in armor this bulky. So, all my lead ass could really do was try my best to fan it out.

Hi-ya Mister Molotov!

Or Miss I suppose, the mare didn’t know what hit her as I ran around the corner doing a full charge and trampled overtop. All four hooves pressed down in some way, snapping bone and snuffing out that bar on my E.F.S. As for me, I was still on fire…

Small patches of dead grass showed my path, and with every stomp I took the flames died just a little bit more. Out here I had enough space to keep the pace up, inside the bunker if that happened again, I’d only hope for another extinguisher.

“Is he like this often?” I heard one mare ask.

“Sorta, happens often to him actually,” a gryphon answered.

“Pony know fire out, right?” Riff finally popped in.

My hooves skidded against the ground, and to the best of my ability I checked myself over. Just as she said, the flames had petered out. Whatever their fuel was, it clearly wasn’t top shelf. “and ya’ll just watched!” I snapped my head back to them.

Armor integrity: 82%

Okay, not as bad as I was expecting.

“Either watch, or dog bury you to snuff out,” Riff shrugged her shoulders at me.

Sure, the plates were hot even through the suit, but I wasn’t hitting skin melting temperatures just yet. In fact, not even close. Guess that Titanium plating from Alimite really did the trick, or helped at the very least. Said mare already went to work on those bots we downed, and plucked the talismans from their housings with ease before stowing them away.

“Two down… and how ever many more to go,” she trotted past us towards the bunkers entrance.

How many defenses do you reckon the place would need before any sane pony went nope, I’m good, and left it alone?

I looked back at the bot she’d worked on, and sure enough this didn’t look like any factory model I’d seen. Spikes littered around the base of it, as some chains that couldn’t have been for more than decoration draped over the thrusters. Hell, even the paint work looked more like something a foal would have cooked up. Alas, the bots fought with them and not against them.

Almost like the raiders here knew what they were doing…

As we approached the bunkers exterior, one thing became clear, this didn’t seem like your run of the mill raider group. The traditional Steel Ranger symbol had always been the iconic phoenix wing crossed sword, with three gears as the backdrop over an apple. This one was different, the hilt of the sword had a demon tail coming off it, and those once glorious wings were scratched out and painted over with horns.

Deacon took point at the door, carefully opening as he looked around the edges. He wasn’t the only one surprised that none came bursting through to support those we’d fought… just like that, the gryphons’ talons were clipping away at the upper edge at something behind the frame.

“Nasty thing, frag grenades,” he pulled the bundle free after disarming it, and added them to his stock.

Shoving the door open, nothing shot at us immediately… which seemed kinda unnerving. I went first this time around, and kept an eye on my E.F.S. for anything lurking in the shadows. If word had gotten further down in their hidey hole, then they might know we were coming, and if this place was built in any way like a Stable. Then there would only be one path really to follow.

There at one of the entrance area draped across the wall, something caught my eye. It was a banner similar to the one we’d seen painted over outside, ‘Tarnished Terrors?’ I read at the bottom, ‘Wonder what their specialty is…’

And there it was, red bars.

I counted three, at least that’s what the E.F.S. told me. It wasn’t long after I saw them that the shots started pining off the concrete walls around us. A desk can only hide so much, and with Deacon and Alimite using it, Tumble found herself behind me as a shield again. Riff lobbed one round down range, and my mini started spraying with it. Two of the bars disappeared, but if I had to guess from the bullets tagging me. There was a few more left down there.

Shotgun it was! They weren’t bots after all. Shell after shell gave these raiders something to think twice about, and my hooves pressed forward drawing their fire. Soon enough, another joined me, as Riff Raff let off another round. She seemed to be a bit more careful indoors with that thing, something I’m sure the rest of our group was thankful for.

Never the less, between both our explosives going off the halls echoed something fierce. If the ones further down didn’t know we were here, they sure did now. Their smaller arms couldn’t even be heard over our blasts, and at some point, I lost track of where the shots were even coming from.

The fifth shell from her barrel let loose, and after that all but our guns fell silent. I wasn’t getting anything on my sensors, and with a flip the head lamp went on to shine our way through. From the bits of meat out on the ground, that was the welcoming committee.

What's this? One of the plates left over of its user still hugged around half the torso, although this didn’t look like normal metal plating they’d worn before. I mean, it was crudely welded together, but this looked thicker. Yet light enough for them to move around in. It reminded me of the stuff you normally saw on Robco products… so either these raiders learned metallurgy, or…

“They’re using parts of the bots to armor themselves,” I said as the other three caught up, and gave the remains the once over.

“Clever, psychotic sure, but still clever,” Tumble said.

Alimite got down and started looking over, something, on the body, “Though this doesn’t look like it came from more than one or two bots,” it still was enough to keep em standing longer, “so hopefully they hadn’t cannibalized all the machinery in this place.”

Then this whole trip would be for nothing, besides wiping this place clean. Maybe some other group could set up shop here? It’d be a great place to consider, or loot at the very least. With no more thoughts going to the raiders’ choice of protection, we carried on our merry way.

Past the entrance hall we’d found what looked to be the bunkers mess area. All around us tables laid scattered with everything from old cans, to parts of a pony I couldn’t quite place. They might not have totally cannibalized the bots of this place, but they sure did put pony on the menu. Some resorted to eating bugs, and some resorted to eating others. How hungry do you have to be to think gee, I wonder what he tastes like?

I did ask for the crazed ponies, didn’t I?

Tumble started drifting off towards the kitchen, and soon behind her Deacon joined. If there wasn’t anything shooting at us right now, then it was prime scavenging time. A few of those cans found their way in my hopper to make up for the loss. Along with every fork, spoon, and cup I could find laying around. Riff started digging through one of the trash bins, and… ugh ew!

The hound managed to find some sort of what I guess was meat in there. Just like a foal on Nightmare Night, she chomped down on it with greed, “What? Dog stomach strong.”

Perks of a hellhound…

Alimite trotted just past my scavenging, letting her pump-action lead around every corner, door, and support pillar this place had to offer. Those years spent in the waste did teach ya something after all, you never knew what was just around the- all I heard was one shell going off as she poked around a door, and my hooves were already beating against the trash on the ground to her.

Slumped inside a cleaning gear closet, was one mare holding a combat knife with half her torso blown out. Alimite cocked in a shell while loading in a new one to the tube, and looked back at me, “Told you I could handle myself.”

… yeah, I’ll eat my words later.

From the frowns on the pair that checked out the kitchen, there wasn’t much to be found. Riff looked to be the only one to find anything of use in this part of the bunker, and some of it still clung to her teeth. The Calvary wasn’t rolling in just yet, so if they weren’t going to come out to find us. We’d have to make the trip to them.

The bunker didn’t seem to go down as much as it did expand out, which meant I didn’t have to deal with stairs at least. A few long halls likely linked most of the place together like an ant colony, and after the mess hall we found ourselves heading towards the barracks. A bit wider open than a narrow channel, and with half the wide arched tunnel wrapping around the corner ahead. You had to wonder just how big this place was. A map of this place would have come in handy right about now… Oh! Speaking of Handy.

Those little thrust talismans were unmistakable to the ear, and there patrolling was one of the Robco products. Before I could even look at my E.F.S. for others, a quick burst dropped the robot with a clank to the ground. All our eyes looked back to the one holding the carbine, as Deacon just stood there and shrugged at us.

“I mean we we’re gonna have to eventually,” as true as that might be.

It wasn’t the stealthiest approach, especially without knowing what’s around the bend. A few more bars popped up, and with a similar metal stomp to my own I already had an idea what they could have been. Three Protectiponies trudged out from one of the compartments to the side, their beams starting to trace along the concrete towards us.

With most of the center corridor made up of old couches and book shelves for those that stayed here, our choices of cover weren’t the most ideal. As much as I wanted to believe in the strength of my suit now, I wasn’t messing with beams like that! A feeling we’d all shared, somehow even Riff managed to hunker down behind a bookshelf while those shots singed the wood frame. S.A.T.S. engaged and I poked my head over top the couch as a burst from the mini queued up. A clean shot through its own neck earned a nice jerk of its servos, but didn’t drop it.

A follow up with the 12 gauge did the trick, and Alimite racked back another. I was not about to be out done with this, S.A.T.S. be damned for its recharge time. The mini went to work as she pumped out her own shells, and quickly together we dropped another to the ground. The last one from that room took a heavy interest in myself and turned its guns towards me. Several beams punched the torso plate, and I could already see those beams ticking away at my suit’s strength. Then my chest started to burn, and with the rate of fire on that thing, I’d be ash before the mini caught up.

Armor integrity: 74%

Armor integrity: 68%

Armor integrity: 62%

Okay! One shell wasn’t going to matter. Just like that the combat shotty peppered the Protectipony with buck, some of its plating outright fell off from the impact, but just outside the butter zone it still stood. A pair of 5.56 finished the job, as both Tumble and Deacon broke their cover to check out the piles of scrap.

And I got another hoof to the back of my helmet.

“I said no explosives…” Alimite reminded me.

Survival dictated that decision, “Hey, it was either that quick shot, or you sweep me up with a broom,” not a sight I wanted to picture, but that image was below the heart exploding one from before.

With a smirk, the mare went about what she came along for and started working on the trio. That gave me a better look at the garrison of this place, and I found myself walking in to the compartment the bots had come from. Nothing out of the ordinary, just a run of the mill crew quarters. A few cots to rest on, a desk or two to take care of personal paperwork, and what looked like an extremely faded PlayColt Magazine.

Yep, definitely a barracks.

Though tucked underneath one of the cots something caught my eye. The orange to it a hard contrast to the concrete it sat on… could this be what I think it is? The uniform might have been a bit more faded than the magazine, but I knew it none the less. It was the same sort of coverall like uniform the Rangers would wear before getting in their armor. Prevent chaffing and just more comfort, hard to come by now in this world. Under some of the other cots and in amongst the containers I found even more paraphernalia. A few rank devices, SR: Code of Conduct booklet, and even an officer cap. Although as I finally saw the back of the door, the most telling sign of the obvious was the poster.

There proudly standing on a hill top with his hooves to the sky, was what the Rangers were supposed to be. His armor gleamed in the sunlight, cared for like Rogue had done his own. The ponies behind him remained sheltered and protected, the zebras in front cowered back to their trenches with fear. Bold letters stated Equestria needs you! Join the Steel Rangers today, a phrase that set the minds of many young colts back in the day alight. They were almost superheroes back then, and now they were nothing of the sort… oh, how the mighty had fallen.

Minus a few good ones, like Tungsten, I wonder where-?

“Have at thee stripe!” the mechanical voice shouted from out in the hall, and after dropping the uniform I jumped out ready for a fight.

Riff palmed the bot around its head, as one of the arms tried to swing wildly at her with that saw blade, to no such luck. The teeth came only a few inches from the hounds own, but she hadn’t worried and just started to squeeze the housing in on itself. Any other time, it’d be comical, although with another four bars coming out of the wood work on my E.F.S. The hound and myself were a bit too preoccupied to laugh.

A neat dousing of flame grabbed my attention as one hovered out from a different compartment, and the 5mm was already starting to pour on that target. The first dropped with a cackle, the second I panned over to with my steady stream as he appeared and started chewing in to the main housing. Until, someone decided to practice their pitch. With an arm like that, the one Riff hurtled crashed in to the other bot and knocked each of em out of commission in one go.

Hearing the soft bursts of 5.56 around the halls, amongst them the occasional shotgun blast. One of those bars disappeared, just as the last hovered out from a separate quarter. My barrels spun up and- got my kill stolen by an over eager mare with a happy trigger bit. The first shell from her was enough to disable the thrust talisman, the second she placed the edge of the barrel right below one of its eyes supports.

A small amount of grease spattered across Alimites’ face after that last shell, and with a hoof the mare wiped it away, “Find anything interesting?”

Ah, who were you-? Oh wait, me! “just some Steel Ranger garb,” my head shook to get back in order, “Was this one of their bunkers after the bombs?” I mean it was labeled as an M.W.T. bunker, so not that far off.

“Couldn’t tell ya, they did leave their bunkers less than a decade ago… and who knows how many they had scattered around Equestria,” hard to believe they’d want to leave the safety of a bunker like this, unless they truly wanted to help out there. Which of course, I doubted very much, “This one in particular we didn’t find till about a year ago, and by then it already had other visitors.”

As Alimite pulled another targeting talisman from the one she fell, the other two from our group joined in. Both Tumble and Deacon pranced out, and the gryphon was left rubbing his beak with a talon. What? Tumble hit ya again?

“Hmm, maybe create a suppressor for it,” that’s what it was, he was trying to improve his carbine. How had he not already made that change after being on his own for a while? “And I’d reckon I could find the parts in the town too.”

Alimite just nodded from beside the other bots, confirming his guess. It’d be nice to have some part of this little group be stealthy. Would save a lot of ammunition on my part not always having to go loud when walking in a room. In reality, the pair would best be suited for that role. Riff Raff and myself would never work well playing the quiet game, and I doubted they made suppressors for a grenade launcher. Speaking of ammo however, my eyes dwindled down to the counter on the bottom of the visor.

‘Five hundred-ish…’ four eighty-seven to be exact… but I was being generous and rounding up. Just how much had I been using this thing? Oh right, trying not to blow the targets up this time around. These little patches of enemies were wearing down that supply for sure, why hadn’t I gotten more 5mm while in Winters’ place?

‘Because you make bad decisions at times,’ thanks me for reminding me of that fact.

Alrighty, so conservation was once again a prior- “Hey wait up!” before I knew it the bunch of them were walking down the corridor of the place without me, and with all the grace of a broken wagon I trotted back up to em.

“You looked like you were in your own little world there,” Tumble answered.

Kinda, sorta… yeah, I was, “Going through the numbers is all, my mini’s almost dry,” and I’d like to not have Alimite pissed at me for blowing every bot we came across half way to the Crystal Empire.

Apparently, my ammo running out hadn’t concerned any of them, none batted an eye at the prospect, and the most I got was a head shake from Alimite. Granted, it was my fault for having a very ammunition hungry weapon. The mini wasn’t much better than the incinerator, although I still missed that one too. Oh well, that was an issue I’d have to solve later on. Hopefully short bursts would save my hide.

Barracks were cleared out, now that left us another hole to check out. Rec-Room I saw plastered above the door. Do you think any of that recreation could have something to do with 5mm? Well a colt could dream at least. The tip of my hoof pushed the heavy iron door open, and there across the wide-open atrium were all manners of things to keep a group of ponies occupied.

Workout benches, barbells, dumbbells, stacks upon stacks of board games, open ping pong tables, and a whole plethora of couches and chairs to read upon. Sure, most of the games were probably water logged, and the ping pong balls themselves had probably been recycled for more destructive uses. Though in its hay day, this bunker would have kept is occupants pretty damned happy it looked like.

The first shot I almost ignored, lost in why any pony would leave this place. The second, third and fourth however grabbed my attention all too well as they struck across the shoulder plates. Mini spun up and… ‘Breath,’ I reminded myself, and gently chomped at the bit in short strides. A dozen rounds at a time burped from the tri-barrel, sparking across the barricade of furniture and free weights these Tarnished Terrors had thrown together.

Somehow, I’d been the only one to wind up in the room, my friends were still pinned at the door as I tried to hunker down behind a couch. Cushions however, were not the best cover, and chunks of fabric tore clean from their shots. What they didn’t miss still had enough umph in it to put dents in the suit, and my percentage was starting to tick down once more.

Another quick burst of the gun earned enough of their heads down to get Deacon and Alimite in here behind their own cover. The raiders’ eyes were still on me, and I needed to keep it that- wait… soft targets.

Full-auto it was! Shell after shell of mine slid in to the reinforced barrel, and just as fast left to scatter those mini grenades down range. I was far outside the butter zone, but it got their attention. Now to just close the gap, a couple shells would hold them down and get me a few paces closer as they opened back up. Having a slow-moving hunk of metal lumbering toward you was still enough to get their trigger bits going, and boy did they have ammunition to spare!

One in particular was doing its fair share of damage. Every other shot dropped another percentage down on my meter. .308… undoubtedly that was .308 that was taking chunks out of my suit now. I could see the stream of shots as they came toward me, and already pictured the smirk of the raider behind the sights.

Thump.

And… half their cover was gone. Thanks, Riff, for that one. Two more joined shells of hers joined my own, and mister .308 went silent. That didn’t stop his friends from taking over though. Deacon slid up behind the same pillar I’d been using, and pulled out a metal apple ripe for the picking. From his expert toss it must have landed somewhere close, judging by the scattering ponies behind that barricade.

One side of the fort they’d erected finally gave way and came crashing to the ground, giving us a way in besides climbing over top. Between the 5.56 of both Deacon to my left, and Tumble to the far right of the room, I stomped on towards that opening waiting at the bit. Smaller rounds struck the sides of the suit, so who ever had been at the .308 either was dead or they were out. No matter the case, good for my health.

I hadn’t even gotten past the opening of their wall before biting down on the bit and letting the shotty loose. Some stayed on the wall to hold back my cohorts, others faced off at me. Raking it across the room, the mass of enchanted lead sent not only ponies scattering, but also every paper, can, and piece of scrap imaginable as it intertwined with the limps of those that were torn apart. A month ago, I would have been appalled by committing such acts, against ponies none the less. What’s it say that my eye wasn’t so much as flinching from having seared chunks of pony leather paint the walls?

More .308 started to dig in to me, and there I saw the one doing it. Turned out Mister .308 was actually Miss, as a unicorn mare had rigged a battle saddle with twin light machine guns, and just as eagerly as I had done her teeth dug in to the bit. Both of us started tearing chunks out of the other, though why the hell was I the only one flinching!

That’ll do it… the mares’ horn was glowing, and just in front of her the shield held firm and caught my rounds as they dropped to the floor. ‘Bitch…’ I whined, watching that smirk I’d pictured actually start to grow across her face. This war of attrition was not in my fav-! Something broke through the knee plate, and just like that my front half collapsed. That didn’t stop the mare from keeping her onslaught of rounds coming.

Armor integrity: 48%

Warning: Front left servo damaged!

Fine I get it! Shotty started spraying at the ground around her, much like I’d done with Barrel. The blast might not have been much, but her shield didn’t cover on all sides. That was enough to jar her a bit, and leave her eyes piercing towards me with hatred.

Yeah, be pissy all you wa- in a snap she disappeared from my glare… Workout bars were heavy enough, about forty-five pounds or so. Having one swung by a hellhound, a slimmer one none the less, still was enough to knock your socks off… or toss you around the room like a soft ball. Miss .308 rocketed in to one of the concrete pillars, and from a medical stand point your neck was not designed to bend that way!

As she slumped to the ground, her LMGs fell silent… and some of them were getting the idea.

From the wall, one raider started dashing off out of sight down the next passage. I hadn’t noticed but those that were keeping my friends busy had already been dealt with as I went on my shotty rampage, and then tried to handle the mare.

Reluctantly, my suit got back up to all fours. The first step nearly put me back on my face, but I got the hang of limping as the talisman went in to over time. Past Riff and her makeshift club, the others slipped in and joined us, and I felt my jaw cringe involuntarily.

Tumble had a few new wounds that were healing up, and Deacon was in the process of slugging back a potion of his own. The only one that looked like she’d got off Scot free was Alimite, save the few cuts and wounds that dotted over her frame. Yet, even with that minor damage, the mare just looked plain tired.

“Everyone in one piece?” It needed to be asked really, there’d already been a few small shoot outs since we’d been down here.

Deacon almost immediately started rummaging through his own bags, “I could use some more healing potions, especially if we got more to go.”

Riff tossed aside her club and hoisted that launcher back over her shoulder, “Dog like to get out of here already.”

A sentiment I think we all shared, how much more to go anyway?

Looking to where the raider had charged, I saw the placard above. Armory/Storage… if there was anywhere to hold up, it’d be there. “Last leg of this place…” whether we liked it or not, I didn’t want to go any deeper after this.

Limping turned to hobbling, and as my servo got back in to the swing of things. We found ourselves once again in a narrow passage, and right now it was quiet. We’d been expecting to have any number of threats come out along the way, but as we passed by smaller offices and rooms where they could have been hiding. We got nothing, not so much a roach found its way on my E.F.S. I didn’t like this, it had ambush written all over it. If those strategy games taught me a damned thing, it was if you found your path abruptly calm…

You were right where they wanted you.

The hall opened up to a room much like the Recreation area, though instead of things to keep ponies occupied, stretching across the expanse were shelves a few ponies tall with boxes upon boxes of items. Weapons? Maybe, though if that were the case, I doubted they’d had stayed boxed for this long.

Slam!

Servos were working! And I’d found myself launched four feet in the air after that shock. Behind us the metal door had slid closed, and blocked us in here. Riff threw her claws around the edges and gave it her all to get it open, but even with my help shoving. The door didn’t budge, and worst still. I could hear the sound of treads.

And… hoof stomps?

“Well now, what have we here?” I knew a power armor hoof when I heard it.

Just as suspected, there in the center aisle of shelves was a colt… actually you looked like the one that we followed down here! He’d upgraded it seemed. That armor of his looked like it’d seen better days, but protection was protection, and a pair of minis would do a number on ya. Although, what's with the inhaler? Got asthma there?

“Seems to be you’d found yourself in the wrong bunker there, Ranger,” Flanking either side of him stepped out two Protectiponies as he monologued, and if he was going to talk, I started looking around at the odds.

Alrighty… Odds not looking good.

The source of those treads finally came forth, and in the side aisles two sentries rolled in. They were rusted beyond belief, but all that steel plating welded on had to have gave them substantial protection! ‘Rusted… maybe that’s where they got the name Tarnished Terrors from?’ not the best thing to be thinking about now.

A tap to my side brought the corner of my eye to Deacon, and as he met mine, his eye drifted to the launcher across his back. If I’d gotten away with a shell to save my skin, I don’t think Alimite would have opposed us saving all our hides with this one. We were backed against a wall, with nothing but shelves and boxes as cover. Against by the looks of it a missile launcher, AER-15 gatling, and a shit ton of 5mm between the two of em.

I nodded to Deacon as subtly as I could… we’d only have one shot at-

His round let loose and took out one of the shelves, causing it to collapse and put itself between us and the raider. Not what I had in mind, but effective! After that the first few seconds went by like a blur, almost as if I was caught in S.A.T.S. Riff jumped head long over the shelf and through the dust at one of the sentries, with Alimite close on her paws, between the cracks I saw the carbine wielding dynamic duo snake away and draw the attention of the other bot. All the while the colt looked just about as shocked as I was.

Shock gone!

His minis started purring towards me, and before I knew it the 5mm was sparking over the plating. Following Riffs idea, I charged head long at him, chomping at the shotgun bit and sending quick burst of my own 5mm to match his. This time there wasn’t a shield to hold back my shells, and from the flakes of corroded metal being ripped off. I knew I’d last in this one.

A Protectipony however to the face, would take anyone by surprise… how the colt managed to move that fast I couldn’t understand! My eyes didn’t lie, and even in a half back suit he was moving faster than Rainbow- … shit. The buck followed quickly after that realization, and even without wings I was flying across the room. My back slammed against the wall as I slumped to the ground upside down, and looked back just in time to see a second set of hooves punch me in the chest.

Armor integrity: 39%

Warning: Sternum fractured!

That explained the blood in my mouth, and as I coughed some of it got on the visor painting the inside red. Between every punch a burst of his guns dented the damaged plating even more. A single shell put him off his rhythm, and caused enough damage for the colt to step back. Even if my armor was cursing me for it, that was needed. Though I didn’t let up on the bit, and still upside down the barrel rocked with buckshot spraying from its end.

A few hundred rounds be damned… this guy deserved it! My barrels started to spin, and the 5mm ran in a stream through the air. Taking chunks out of his suit, the other Protectipony that had just gotten back to him found itself unceremoniously used as a shield. Extra cover or not, I wasn’t letting him try that same shit twice. Every shell I had broke more off the bot, and it started to dwindle down to but a torso.

Click.

‘Damn it!’ mini dry, not the sound I wanted to hear, at least I still-

Click.

“Double damn it!” I yelled out. How did switching this thing to full-auto chew through so many damned… you know what, don’t answer that.

If he was going to be chemed up to no end, time to fight fire with fire. The needle I didn’t even feel pump at first in my blood stream, but I sure felt the effects! That colt might have been holding the bits of the robot up still, but it didn’t stop me from powering through like the M.W.T. intended. 5mm peppering across me or not, I couldn’t have cared less! I had a bone to pick with this guy for hitting me with a Protectipony.

One punch knocked that Dash inhaler from his muzzle, without it all he had was the strength of the suit aiding him, and the drugs lingering effects. Our hooves locked in with one another, and before he could get the chems back in place my head cocked back to meet his. Those pinpricks for eyes turned normal for half a second as his nose broke.

Hoof to hoof combat wasn’t either of our specialties, and a few times we’d ended up making contact with the others swing. Although where mine would contact and keep going. His would meet in the middle and stop dead in their tracks while the chems worked themselves out. From every impact I could see it growing on him, something was breaking in his legs.

Armor or not, a pony had its limits.

His hooves scrapped away at the metal flooring trying to find purchase, “Oh no you don’t!” I wrapped my hooves around his waist and pulled him back in. Bringing my bulk back up to the hind legs, I held the colt aloft and started to squeeze. He might have fidgeted, he might have begun to yelp, but all I knew was the sound of metal grinding away and bones breaking were filling my ears.

Snap!

And with that radiating between us he stopped moving, I let go and the suit in my grasp dropped to the ground, as did my own. For a moment, all was quiet around me, and I got the chance to look in to the eyes of the pony I just snuffed the life out of. Hardened criminal in the wasteland of Equestria or not… that was terror in his eyes.

A sentry broke through the shelving next to me, but my heart was already thundering just waiting for a fight! The bot groaned as its arms swung up, nearly toughing the ceiling while it wound up to pile drive.

‘Come on, hit me!’ I shouted at it on my flank, there was still enough drug in my system for one more go.

Then it hit the ground next to the leader, half of its back was torn out and sparking from the discharge still left in its systems. From the hole it made, stepped Riff and Alimite. The hound still clenched the spark pack in her claws.

A mare trotted up alongside me and took a look over the suit, almost immediately with my own talisman she started patching up the damage that had been done. “I’m glad I came along,” Alimite smiled, and whether she could tell or not I returned it. That thundering in my chest didn’t stop, and as much as I wanted to pop this visor up to take a clean breath. I didn’t want to put my pupils out there on display.

‘Breathe, Wild…’ I held the breath unknowingly for a moment, until the steady exhale fogged my visor a tad. ‘Just… breathe.”

Tumble and Deacon joined in soon after, the gryphon holding the spark pack across his back next to the launcher. Those wings of his were singed, their blackened tips clear even in this poor lighting. Get a little too close with that back blast did ya?

“See anything on your screen?” Alimite asked as she worked.

My eyes drifted down, and from what I could tell it was clear. All I gave was a nod and got back up to my hooves, something my body didn’t quite agree with as my footing struggled to stay put. The thumping told me I was still kicking, but it shouldn’t be that far off the charts… what was I putting myself through? ‘A whole lot…’ stupid thing to ask.

Now that my suit was in working order enough, the mare went to her own duties on the bots. These talismans were a bit better protected than the run of the mill Robco products, so while she was covered by Riff. Myself, Tumble, and Deacon made our way around the other shelves and stashes of supplies. Most of which already looked broken in to and ransacked sure, but here and there we could find something useful.

Tumble did was she did best, and committed another B&E on a locked security gate while herself and our resident gryphon snooped around through the locked containers inside. As for myself, I wandered. How much good I’d be as a guard against something big without any rounds I doubted, but if anything was still lurking these aisles. It’d find me first for sure.

Another clearing opened up, and this looked more like an armory in my book. The weapon racks were empty of course, and those ammo containers on the shelves had been thrown around. Though the work benches looked plenty used in the past, and one thing caught my eye. A row of power armor stations pushed me even further on that idea this had been a Steel Ranger bunker at one point.

Why would anypony need one of these stations if they weren’t going to use it? I would have imagined the Terrors would have broken them down by now. We had a few in the shop back when I worked for the M.W.T. but nothing like this. They were expensive to create, and you needed the right materials that were strong enough to even hold up one of these suits. Unless you knew how to put it in a lock state so it stood on its own, something that really only technicians and the Rangers were versed in.

Bleak Burrow, I saw engraved above the station, “Why do you sound…” Oh that guy! How could I forget somepony trying to steal my shit?

Down the line I read off even more names on the various stations. Crimson Lance, Crop Duster, and Fire Fly I hadn’t recognized. Though a few I did, Pixie and Dustfire I remember patching up just after getting this suit. No doubt about it, up to a few years ago, this was a Steel Ranger bunker.

Steadily I paced down the rows, wondering just what happened to some of these soldiers. Had they all turned sour like many of the rangers, such as Burrow, or had some kept to what the rangers were all about during the war and protected ponies?

My hooves stopped before I’d even finished reading the name plate. Tungsten Shield, there was a name I certainly remembered… “So, this is where it all started?” I looked over the station, admittedly a little fondly.

This one was a bit heavier built than the others, well warranted given what I’d seen the Paladin packing. Next to it on the bench, rested an audio tape. Last words of a Steel Ranger before charging in to the wastes? Or the ramblings of raiders? Only one way to find out. Sweeping it in to my inventory, I’d have to listen to it a bit later whenever I had a moment of peace.

“Got something for ya,” I heard across my shoulder, and this time I didn’t shoot off the ground. Alimite carted in her aura a few green boxes of 5mm, and right next to them shells ripe for the picking.

“I could kiss you right now,” I thought.

“Ah… what?”

Not a thought! “Thank ya!” keep the visor down you dunce, “Celestia knows I needed it after that last go around.”

She didn’t pry too much after that, and just loaded them up in to the suit, “Oh I figured, I saw you were empty while patching it up.” Still wearing that smile… she was enjoying this bit of the trip.

As the new shells were put in, the gun started lining them up along the belt. A true marvel of tech, minimal love and care needed, and it just kept on ticking. No wonder the Rangers were dead set on preserving the likes of it. My counter read off a few dozen shells in the bank, and with that I switched it back to semi-auto. Self-control and all, my trigger bit was getting mighty antsy.

The trio joined in with us at the back of this armory, and laden across the hounds back were guns freshly ripped from those sentries and that power armor. That should give Alimite here enough to get started with at the very least. Considering the gryphon now had a smile on his beak, him and Tumble must have found some of their own ammunition down here along with mine, or something just as sweet.

Now to make good on what I told Riff.

“Let’s get out of this place…” no objections from any of them.

As we passed through the aisles of spent goods, and broken bots. One thing kept in the corner of my eye. Those stations were where the rangers took care of and tended to their suits, just as if they were an extension of their own hooves. Hell, Knight Rogue probably had one back there as well, if not in this bunker then in another much like it. In any case they put time, effort, and sweat in to their uniform to keep it at peak performance and carry forth an idea. An idea themselves, and many others, carried in to the bunkers across Equestria when the bombs fell.

So, what changed?

One thing became apparent, this wasn’t where it all started for the Steel Rangers. No, this is where the heroes of the war died, just as the country did, and the Rangers of the wasteland were born in their wake…

Footnote: Level up.

Perk: “Heavy Gunner- Lv. 4”- You’ve gone through enough munitions and ammo to know your way around the big guns. Heavy weapon damage is increase by 25%!

Note: This stacks with ‘Heavy Gunner Lv. 1, 2, and 3.

Chapter twenty: An Elders' eye

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Chapter twenty: An Elders eyes

Guns for future turrets, check! Some ammo to keep me going, check! Heart rate below that of a typhoon, also check! Painful, but I’ll still mark it off as a success. After getting out of the bunker we’d all started our route towards the copper goal. Once again, my map was brought up and I tried to do some quick math of the travel time between here and the S. Vanhoover Sky-port.

Somehow though in the first few hours of travel, we hadn’t seen hind or hair of anything out this far west of Unicorn Range. With the silhouette of Tall Tale, at least what was left of it, off in the distance to the south of our destination. Even while being this close to major cities, there was little in terms of resistance while traveling in these parts. The occasional bar would pop up, but Tumble quickly dispatched whatever critter it was and tossed it in the back of her bag for later on.

“Where the hell is everypony?” Tumble asked aloud, as she shoved what looked like an oversized cricket in to the sack.

“I know right!” and… all of them were looking at me, okay maybe I was a bit too zealous with that, “No, I was just wondering the same thing, it’s quiet out here… like we’re the only ones walking this route,” dumb thing to suspect, but it was getting creepy.

Riff shook her head at me, “Wild see this wrong,” ahh care to elaborate on that? With a paw raised past me she just pointed off to one hill.

Baren, beaten up and scorched like all the others. So, what was special about this-? Then I saw it, one equine shape poked its head out before quickly retreating back down to cover. I’d been expecting after that to take some sort of heavy munition to the chest, and my eyes started darting around for any piece of cover… any second now.

Come one…

Geeze, what's taking so long?

Riff must have noticed my head spinning, and a paw rested on my shoulder. “We pass by many more, if those not attack, these likely not either.”

“Wait, how did you know there were others?” I know my sensors didn’t pick up anything. All she gave me was a tap to the end of her muzzle.

“Nose good,” yeah fair enough, “but doubt they not want to come close to group with dog and tin pony.”

So… what? Intimidation? That hadn’t worked for me in the past all too well. Some raider still would try and take a swing at me, granted back then it was just myself and Tumble. Even after getting Deacon in the group, and with Riff we’d still found our way in to a fight… although, many of those we- scratch that, all of those we were asking for.

If we passed by as many as the hound was suggesting then I wouldn’t lose sleep over it. They kept their distance, and we did the same. For that matter, even if they were friendly. Riff Raff might have been on to something there. You think they’d risk coming up to a group with heavy armor and a hellhound?

Safe to say, no.

My helmet stifled the groan I let out, ‘So intimidation worked on most of those… besides the Gunners, chemed out Raiders, and of course the Steel Rangers,’ all groups that had kicked the crap out of me before, and all groups I’d have to deal with again in time. I might have been out in the middle of nowhere, and hoping to stay out of sight. Yet, I knew all it’d take would be the wrong pony spotting me and the jig was up.

***

The first beam shot wide and punched in to the cinderblock wall beside me. Turrets in large groups might have been a force to be reckoned with, but on their own like this they were just plain annoying. While I drew their attention and toyed with what popped up from the guard tower to the sky-port, the bursts far behind me took care of em helping to clear our approach. I mean Riff could have just sent shells lobbing down range and leveled the whole tower, but Deacons’ approach I liked more.

Drew less attention from what's inside.

It’d taken the better part of the day, and with evening now on the horizon we made our way past the broken chain-link fencing of the guard tower and went further in to the port. Now that it was a bit darker, I got to see why so many of Tall Tales buildings had disappeared. The glow half the city gave off had likely dimmed down over the last century plus, but it didn’t take a scientist to figure out where that green was coming from. Clearly that city had been marked for extermination by the zebras during the finale days.

A fact that was only proven once we got past some of the outer buildings and in to the open of the runway. Scattered around the flight line of the place were all manners of sky wagons, transport craft, and even vertibucks lying as nothing more than monuments to the past. By the looks of it some had probably been airborne still when the bombs fell, and if any were coming from the south…

Subconsciously I gulped, knowing I’d been in a sky wagon during the bombing, “How lucky had I been?”

“What was that?” Alimite perked up.

I hadn’t realized she was right next to me the whole time I took in the sight, “Nothing… just counting my lucky stars,” the mare just looked at me a bit funny.

From getting a place in the stable, meeting Winter and Lilac, being close to home when the bombs fell, Winter knowing how to keep my ass alive when the other systems failed, getting out of the stable just as it went up in smoke, running in to Tungsten, Tumble, Deacon, Riff, and even Alimite. All to learn who the mares’ mom was and be led back to Winter after all this time, what were the odds?

How many things had to go right for that to happen, verses what could have gone wrong? Luna couldn’t even count all those stars in the sky, and she was a deity level alicorn that could move the placement of the moon itself.

“Well, when you’re finished counting…” she bumped the side of my suit, throwing herself off step more than anything, “I’d say we have a place to start.”

As soon as that had left her lips the mare trotted towards one of those crashed Vertibucks, with myself and the group following close on her heels. If we were thinking of the same thing, and given her mind we probably were. Then these war birds were exactly what the town needed. Alimite started crawling over the exterior of the vehicle, and made her way up to one of the top mounted turrets.

The quick burst of a carbine grabbed my attention for half a second, as Deacon shot something off in the distance. “Sorry… ‘nother turret,” he shrugged. From this far off, and in this kind of lighting? Or lack thereof, definitely a gryphon thing, “If we’re looking for copper, wouldn’t plumbing be a better place to start?”

Before I could answer, Alimite jumped in twirling her wrench around. “These Vertibucks carry it as well, and every creature goes for the plumbing first,” we watched as she tapped the side of the barrel with a wrench, “need them to cool weapon systems down, especially those magical ones.”

He thought about it for half a second too short, “That much I know, I also know flying does that pretty well, and wouldn’t they have already been salvaged by now?” If it wasn’t my area of experience, he might have won that. Alas, I had a bit more to say on the matter.

“Not so effective when in hover,” I pointed out to the gryphon, and the other pair that looked just as curious, “pretty simple set up actually, copper tubing wrapped around the barrels was pumped with coolant… or water if need be.” Like most things that were simple in design, it was effective too, “Plus, the sleeve wasn’t bolted to most weapons so they could be swapped out on the fly. Which means, if some pony had looted these already, chances are they missed the sleeve itself.”

A thud next to me answered that question quite nicely, and there on the ground rested an intact cooling housing. Sadly, like I assumed, there wasn’t a gun attached. Pity really, be nice to put up some more arcane firepower for the town. Above us at the open turret, Alimite loosened up the next one and gave it the same treatment, generously missing me by a bit more than last.

“If you figure there’s a few good yards in one barrel, then between these other crashes I should be able to put a dent in that contract,” the mare answered while looking over the flight line again. They might not all have been armed, but that was a lot of salvage to be had if even just half was viable, “Though that might take some time…”

“Could scavenge?” Riff offered, and racked back a 40mm, “I can watch mechanic pony.”

“Grenade launcher not the best thing for distance,” Deacon reminded her as he pulled the carbine up on his shoulder, “I’ll hang back as well.”

Yep, I already saw where this one was going, and it didn’t take long for my visor to drift between the pair of em and up to the mare working on the other gun. Out here in the open would make any of them easy pickings for a well-trained sniper. Even with Barrel out of the picture, I knew just how effective the gunners could be with an AMR. For that matter Stock apparently had artillery at his disposal, what do you think the range of it would be?

I wanted to stay, keep my E.F.S. scanning the horizon and fences to catch anything that might try to hurt- and then Alimite caught me staring. Did not realize my visor was still on her! The mares’ hoof out stretched, she just waved it off toward the rest of the port and urged me forward with a smirk.

Without so much as a word I knew this, she was right. We should take a look around, “Alrighty well process of elimination states that I’ll check the place out, I shouldn’t be too long,” my horn reached out and started pulling Tumble along as I strode off. “Though you’re coming too… I’m not getting shot in the ass.”

At first, she struggled, and kinda looked a bit hurt at having to leave, but soon enough my original travel companion groaned and relented. “Okay, fine… though we should make this quick,” Tumble stuck her nose up in the air to take a whiff, “storms coming in soon, I can feel it.”

Meteorologist…

An impressive one at that, I could hear the cracking off in the distance just as we lost sight of our group and entered a hanger. Older model Vertibucks were half broken down from over the years of looters, and while the mare started poking around some of the work benches, I stayed on overwatch. There were a few bars that would pop up here and there, but when investigated they turned out just to be some radroaches.

Nothing a quick stomp couldn’t fix.

Tumble might have wanted to save it for dinner later, although she’d picked up enough on our way out here to make up for the loss I felt like. As I heard a squeal of delight, a bottle of something disappeared in to the mares’ bag. She’d found her happiness for the evening, Now I just had to do the same.

Between the booze and the salvage, she was turning up a decent amount to trade later. Whoever worked in these hangers sure knew how to have a good time. While Tumble took care of that, I started loading up some junk in the suits’ hopper. Ya know, because a fully stocked repair hopper was happiness for me now a days. Hell, looking around there were enough tools and broken components that if a pony here had enough time and patience, they might be able to get one of those vertibucks working again.

‘Oh, the possibilities…’ I started to wonder, before giving myself a mental haymaker.

I’ll save that project for another lifetime, one where I didn’t have to worry about keeping the suit up in fighting condition just to live. For now, we made our way through the hanger and on to what looked like the place’s weapons store room… or tool shop? I couldn’t tell with the abundance of both tools and weapon parts littered about. Didn’t look like enough parts to make anything workable, so somepony just left them lying around.

“I sure hope whatever deity the zebras believe in can hear me, because sincerely… fuck you,” my head snapped to the sound of a stallion, and there by a terminal stood Tumble. The mare gave me a shrug as her hooves were thrown up, but if nothing was popping up on my screen yet from the voice calling, then might as well let it play.

“Forty-five… forty-five sky craft were in bound here for shelter when we saw the flashes off in the distance and the radio chatter went dark,” in the goddesses’ name, that many? “And how many managed to land? Thirteen. How many of that thirteen were more crashing than landing? All of em…” I could hear the sound of a bottle uncorking from over the mic, followed by the soft sobs of a pony who’d just sounded shattered inside.

“You could see the flashes of Canterlot from all the way here, and from what I heard before comms were lost was something about Cloudsdale… probably nothing good,” no… not good at all, “here alone nearly three hundred were lost just trying to survive a bit longer,” From the wreckage outside, three hundred sounded like an understatement, “Don’t know how much shelter this place would have been anyway, metal don’t do much for radiation,” I heard something sliding across the speaker, something else metal, “to the pony listening to this, good luck out there in whatever’s left… if you’re a stripe listening, well… are ya happy now?”

The gun shot was the first thing I heard, before a thump of something fleshy hitting the floor. Both myself and Tumble looked around the terminal, and quickly found the bones of the pony we’d just heard. At least what was probably them, much of the skeleton had been smashed and tossed about. Never the less, judging from the hole in the skull, it was a fair guess that this was the stallion.

Tumble shook her head at the terminal, and started checking around some of the shop. “I just don’t get it,” she muttered, to herself or not I couldn’t tell.

“Get what exactly?”

“How it could have led to… this,” her hoof pointed out of the service window to the rest of the building. Marvels of creation all of these machines were, but the reason behind their development was all wrong… and in their wake, nothing but destruction followed. Ponies could have done so much better if we weren’t at the zebras’ throats, yet instead of prosperity, you had ponies over a century later asking but one thing, “how could they have let all this happen?”

That was something I’d been wondering there myself actually for some time. I’m positive there were things going on behind closed doors, and in secret locations all over Equestria pulling the strings of the war. No country goes to war expecting it to last more than a decade, and if it does there has to be a line drawn where all bets are off. Where one side would do anything to stop it all. All that really mattered then, was which side held the trump cards.

“I didn’t follow the politics… not my thing, as for weapons,” now you’re speaking my language, and one she might be able to understand as well, “Equestria was a powerhouse, more than the zebras could have ever been, towards the end of it we had them backed in to a corner ready to be steamrolled.”

She stopped working on a storage box lock, and the look she gave the outside already told me a bit of her thoughts, probably something along the lines of so much for steamrolling… “and how’d that work out?”

Eh, I was close; though not too well for us, “the Zebras got megaspells… no one knows how, but they did, and it was only a matter of time till they used em.” Maybe they were hoping to knock enough of Equestria off balance to turn the tide, maybe they underestimated the effects, or perhaps they just wanted to wipe ponykind off the face of this planet.

“Well, you trapped em in a corner with no way out,” she started working on another storage bin, “any critter would bite back with all it had left to get loose.”

‘Oh, so this is our fault as well…’ my eyes rolled behind the visor, to think that she was putting some of the blame on Equestria… ‘though, wasn’t it?’ that little voice spoke up, and asked.

Like I said before. Both countries had something the other needed, Equestria had the gems, Zebra nations had the coal. Could there have been other negotiations down the line besides total annihilation? That’d been better, but that was the political side of things I never followed. It was something small to wonder for sure, though it had to make you wonder… Did Equestria drive the Zebras to this?

If you put it into Tumbles’ analogy, then… yes, we did.

“What the hell?” not the thing you want to hear your friend say.

I cantered over her shoulder, and there inside the crate was a very memorable green glow basking the pair of us. It looked so peaceful when it rested in its straw cushion, a wonder no creature had taken it out of the thing yet and tried to pawn it off. Then again, they are next to useless if you don’t have the right launcher, or know how to make something of it.

And as I lifted it out Tumble was patiently waiting for an explaination, “Oh, that’s a balefire egg.”

“Then why the fuck are you holding it!?” she shouted.

“Ahh why wouldn’t I?”

“Why the hell do you think!” the mare looked about ready to jump across the counter and run out the hanger, “I’m not going anywhere with a bomb that can destroy a city!”

“Oh relax, it’s perfectly harmless,” ghosts of the past were screaming at me now, I could feel it as the glow disappeared in to one of my bags. “They need to be launched in order to work… for the most part.”

Before she could protest any more, I already started searching about the rest of the room for any sign of that launcher. Could it destroy an entire city like she thought? No, but it would make really short work for the next squad of rangers that tried to take me in? Oh, so much yes… It’d just be a shame there wouldn’t be anything left of their suit to use.

The launchers themselves were nothing more than a large shoulder mounted catapult, though I’m sure I could find a way to attach it to the suit if needed. That alone would probably help with the intimidation factor, and have any good sane mind just think nope, and turn around. Now, if only I could find more than one round.

Tumble started tiptoeing around me, as she continued looking through some of the other boxes and cabinets, “Just what we need… more splash damage,” mutter or not, I caught that.

Cabinet, nope. Footlocker, negative… ‘Oh where, oh where, did my launcher run too? Oh where, oh where could it be?’ why was I having this much fun looking for something that would probably leave me a puddle of goo? Because this is what I lived for! Tumble had the life of roaming from town to town, until she settled with me. Deacon sought out adventure. Riff wanted a pack, that wouldn’t try and kill her. As for me? I wanted something that gave a very big boom… Security cage, also a fat no. The helmet met door of the latter and I relented, if it wasn’t in this room then somepony must have run off with it… lucky.

“No dice?” Tumble sounded just a bit to enthused about that.

“No dice… although, I might be able to put it to some use,” I watched part of her smile drop to the floor, “rig it in to a bomb, maybe a mine for defense?”

Thankfully a crack of thunder interrupted any rebuttal the mare might have had, and brought our attention to the clambering of parts and scrap out on the main floor. Taking a peek from the service window, there were the other three drenched from head to hoof… or paw. Riff was the first to shake herself dry, lathering the others in some of what the wastes had to offer in terms of a shower.

“Progress out there?” I asked, and quickly earned a scowl from one mare.

“If you mean almost drowning in rain water alone, then yes,” Alimite held up a sack in her horn, “and if you’re referring to the cooling pipes, also yes.”

Wet or not, they were safe at least, though a bit chilled it looked too.

“If I might make a suggestion…” Deacon said before sneezing out the other half of that statement, “camp here for the night?”

Yeah… I think that’s warranted.

***

Quickest way to a hellhounds’ heart?

Fresh meat apparently. Riff tore in to whatever Tumble had caught on our way here, by the looks of it an oversized rat. The mare kept cooking whatever else she’d picked up, as we hunkered down in the tool shop waiting for the storm to pass, or ‘daybreak’ to come. Whichever one came first, I guess.

Both herself and Deacon shared one of those bottles she’d picked up from the hanger, happily sipping on it as the crackling from the carcasses filled the room over the open fire. Was it safe to have a fire burning inside like this? Probably not, then again none of them looked at ease while I prodded over our latest find.

“Seriously, it’s not gonna go off,” I said for the umpteenth time.

Still, they didn’t trust the green ball of hell fire in my hoof, I’d even gotten out of the suit and started checking it over for damage to show a bit of trust in the munition. Yet, the only one who’d get close was Alimite.

Said mare passed me a canteen of water, fresh from their settlement. As I took a few tugs, the lack of ticking from my rad meter was a welcome silent sound. Fresh water, something taken too far for granted back in the past, now a commodity.

“Say that as much as you’d like, you say Balefire around any folk and they start to tremble,” Deacon responded as he took another gulp from the bottle.

It’s not the like the flashes were fresh in any creatures’ mind. I doubt any would be alive now that’d seen it… ya know, besides yours truly. Never the less, it was a good find in my book. Even without the launcher here, the egg would more than likely fetch a decent price if I couldn’t put it to good use. Though, that made me wonder if the settlement had one in stock.

‘Add that to the shopping list,’ I told myself before stowing it back in my bags.

And then I found something else, a tape.

“Where’d ya pick that up from?” Alimite asked as she took back her canteen.

“Oh, this came from the bunker,” I hadn’t a clue what might be on it still, but only one way to find out.

The years of sitting down in a hole hadn’t done the magnetic strip any justice, but as the crackling subsided a voice finally began to play. “-they’d done this to us, all of us,” an older stallion played from my Pip-Buck, “We’d fought hoof and nail for those princesses, and to what end? Nothing but destruction…” couldn’t argue with that one, neither of the regal sisters could have guessed it’d end this way.

“Battle after battle, skirmish after skirmish, and all we were rewarded with was hell fire. The zebras should have been given no mercy, instead we held back far too much,” not what I would have said…

We beat them back time and time again, everything they threw at us we tossed back tenfold. Given everything Equestria had at its disposal, I could understand the venom in his words. This stallion was angry, how many had he lost to the fighting?

“And now here we are, shriveling underground like rats waiting for the sun to shine once more… one that will never come, damned Pegasi,” another thing I could agree with, how could you expect this country to recover if you took away the sun? “Our country betrayed us and turned on themselves in the aftermath, the princesses disappeared when we needed them the most, and we were left with nothing to do but watched as fire ran across the plains like the buffalo had once done… we must do something to right all of this.”

Maybe not kill ponies for their tech? That’d be a good start. As it played, I caught the ears of those with me starting to perk up from the sounds of the voice, they were taking an interest in the past. Of what an old ranger had to say.

“The Ministry of Wartime Technology gave us the tools to do better, be better than anything else on the field. We hit harder, moved faster, and when we got knocked down… we wiped the blood from our muzzles and got right back up,” That’s the ranger spirit I remember! Maybe this guy wasn’t half- “and if there’s any creature to turn the tide of the surface, it’s the Rangers, by force if needed.”

And… now you lost me.

He was livid with how things turned out, but could you have blamed him? By the sounds of it he’d watched the world burn, and couldn’t lift a hoof to stop the flames. Even with all their might, with everything the M.W.T. had given them in weapons and munitions. The Rangers just had to watch as zebras played the ultimate trump card.

“Who knows when we’ll decide to leave this bunker, maybe other regimens have already… but when we do, the wastes above will know of the Steel Rangers’ fury,” he started seething in to the microphone, before a bloody cough caught up with him and masked a few curses under his breath for us to hear, “I’ll probably be dead before that time ever arrives… pity, but life has a way with that.”

Just when was this tape made? It’d be nice to have a time stamp on it, “M.W.T. tech is scattered all about Equestria, and if the Rangers are to do their duty, it needs to be in our hooves… for the better of the country,” try telling that to those out here surviving. That was an argument I’d heard once before, from a colt I’d shot in the knee, “I probably won’t survive to see it, but my kin might… Knight Gallant is making a name for himself down here already.”

A name I hadn’t heard, was he in the group with Tungsten? No, depending when this was made it’d be too old. Another torrent of coughs broke any concentration I might have had, “Until we rise again from the ashes, this is Elder Iron Hoof, signing off.”

The tape broke with static and died, just as our silence followed suit.

Tumble started coughing much like the elder had, “betterment of the wasteland my ass…” she took another pull from the neck, “they hadn’t done much but piss every pony off out here.”

That was a sour note to end on, and from what I’d seen of the rangers now this ideology must have been shared by a few regimens. Assuming it wasn’t just all from the same bunker at least. Somehow, even in the same bunker, Tungsten hadn’t let that idea infect him. Even with Crusader Bleak Burrow trying to take the suit and Pip-Buck, those with Tungsten seemed ready to side with him after I helped them out. There were still good rangers out there, but what this elder was spitting tainted the waters for the lot of em with the ponies here in the wastes.

***

“Take the lot of em and spread the extra fire power to those guns in place,” Alimite directed a few of the other settlers to relieve our hellhound of the haul, “I’ll be there shortly to get to work.”

Those settlers looked a bit apprehensive getting close to Riff, but so long as she kept those teeth of hers hidden, they didn’t look ready to run off… just yet. I could already see the gears starting to turn in the mares’ head, how she planned on using them to build up the defense of this place. How they hadn’t done this already, I still couldn’t figure out. Better late than never, right?

Have I mentioned the benefits of having a hellhound on your team? From carrying the heavy weapons to copper bundles, if you didn’t have a wagon, Riff was the next best thing. Granted, I still had a few strapped to my back, but before anything could be said I felt the weight being lifted off.

Riff threw them over her shoulder next to the others, “Dog take to cap in, be useful make town ponies worry less.”

Smart thinking, “And we’re coming with ya, in case the shopkeeper has a heart attack…” Tumble said while dragging the gryphon along. Also, smart thinking.

That left me with- “And I’m grabbing my tools,” Alimite started tightening the knot in her bandana, “It’ll be a long day, standing here won’t make it any shorter.”

“Need a hoof?” I offered.

“Hmm turrets and heavy weapons might be your specialty,” couldn’t be more right with that one, “although, I’m sure you have other things you’d like to shop for.”

Yea that weight on my side did need something to throw it still, I’ll save tinkering with guns for later. With that the mare made her way back home, and I had my own list to take care of. We’d made good time on the way back, even with the supplies weighing us down. Which left plenty of time left in the day. Why not kill two birds with one stone, explore the town a bit, and find my next big gun… or catapult.

Let’s see here, where was that store?

My eyes kept peeled for any sign of that gun painted on the shack, and at the same time I couldn’t help but feel a few eyes here and there giving me a look far different than what I’d gotten in a few towns now. Not so much worry, as it was curiosity. How often you think they saw a ranger suit in these parts, let alone one that wasn’t trying to steal from em?

There weren’t any whispers when I came in to view, or even the utter silence I’d been known for. I was just another addition to this place. Another pony doing their part to keep the gears turning. Then with a nudge to my leg begged some attention as I looked down, and there in the dirt was a colt rubbing the end of his muzzle as blood started to trickle down. You think one would see a suit of power armor in their path, but tell that to one mare.

“Ya alright there,” my hoof reached down, and the little guy shied away from it. So, I did what any decent pony would do. My visor popped up, and I gave the colt a smile, “easy now, I won’t hurt cha.”

“Yeah, all ponies say that,” he spat out before climbing to his hooves, “then you get locked in a cage and plowed dry when they get bored.”

If there was one way to shut a pony up, that was it. Seriously, how do you even respond to that?! The helmet was probably the only thing keeping my jaw still attached at this point. Luckily, the arrival of a few other younger ones gave me a moment to reprocess that… and re-reprocess it. Like a pack of wolves, they huddled around him, and stared me down. The adults in the town might know of me by now, but the kids sure as hell didn’t!

“What ya doin’ to our friend?” one young buck with half his teeth still snapped.

“Ahh…?”

Wrong answer.

A switchblade slid out from somewhere in his rags, and rested clenched between his teeth… at least between the gaps in em, and then my E.F.S. popped him up as a red bar. I was not shooting a kid! How the hell does this suit even see that as a threat to begin with?

“Taph one mur ste-” he tried to get out between the handle.

And a swift hoof answered him… not mine mind you! Behind him trotted up a Pegasus filly probably a good year or two older, certainly not old enough to fly- ‘oh shit…’ understatement with that, this pony would never be able to fly. Those stumps on her back were from where her wings once were. A few of those in the little pack shrunk back a little as she stepped forward and glared at them all.

“Ya’ll a pack of dumb shits,” apparently soap in the mouth wasn’t a threat in this Equestria, “This that ex-Ranger ya might have heard of,” Rogue Ranger, but was I about to correct her? “He’s a good one apparently, so go find somepony else to harass!” she kicked Switchblade in his flank, and that seemed to be that.

I hadn’t even looked up from her and they all scattered to the wind like trained pets, and this was their ring leader I was guessing, “Thank ya for that… miss?”

“Cut the miss crap,” she rolled her eyes at me, “I ain’t married, or have a kid… just call me Spade.”

Alrighty then, I could work with that. The filly started trotting off down the street, and whether she liked it or not I went right along with her, “Well in that case, thank you, Spade.”

“Don’t mention it, someponies gotta keep em straight.”

Hmm… Winter could have used her when she was her age, “Correct me if I’m wrong-”

“You’re wrong.”

What?! I hadn’t even said anything! “Okay… isn’t that what their parents would do?”

Her head shaking should have said enough, “yep, wrong,” but she elaborated anyway, “some of em don’t have any, kinda just stay with an adult here, but with most adults keeping this place running round the clock… they don’t have eyes on em all the time, and get bored.”

I wouldn’t imagine the wasteland to have a day care or school for ponies their age to begin with. At least they had somepony they’d listen to, “So you keep tabs, and keep them out of trouble?”

A click of her tongue answered back, “now you’re getting it,” Spade stayed like that and watched as my head swiveled about like a dial at where we were walking. I hadn’t been to this part of the town, and with all the shacks looking the same it was hard to find any landmark to even set my sights on, “You’re lost here, aren’t ya?”

Could it be any more obvious? “Yeah… I’ve been busy since arriving…”

“Oh, I know what you’ve been up to… how ya think I knew you weren’t giving Brail trouble?” Brail? The colt that ran in to me? “Kids blinder than a Bloodwing with its head cut off.” Yet another creature of the wastes to be seen. Bloodwing? The name sounded bad enough, and I didn’t intend on learning what that was any time soon, “come on then, I suppose I can give ya a proper tour.”

The filly started to trot off down the street, and I made sure to stay close on her heels. As we went, she pointed out some of the buildings and gave purpose to them. I’d never have guessed the town was divided a bit by its roles. A good section of it was for living area, like the one she’d found me in. Some shacks were joined together by crude construction, either shared by a larger family or multiple ones she explained. Till we broke from the small streets into an opening. One large square made up the towns center and had the most ponies milling about.

Outside as we passed there were a few ponies tending to their own smaller plants, washing what remained of clothing, or even hammering away on workbenches. One colt we trotted by even had the guts pulled from an old jukebox, “Soft Notes’ been working on that thing since I’ve been here,” Spade smirked for the first time I’d met her, “says he wants to brighten up every ponies’ spirits once it’s fixed.”

The next block they’d set up for storage, apparently digging out many of the foundations to build cellars in to. Given the temperature of the air, the ground was probably just perfect for that sort of thing. “Most of the guards hang here as well, keeps any from poking around and taking more than their fair share,” she pointed out, and there were a few of those I’d seen with Walker pacing about.

“What's with the mining getup anyway?” I asked while some of those passed by us, thankfully not paying me any heed.

“Gives em some sort of uniform,” that sneer nearly mirrored Winters’ when she was that age, “helps any newcomer learn who’s boss.”

“Speaking of boss…” I lead off to, “Who is in charge around here, does Walker answer to anypony?” I mean Barkston had Conductor… I suppose. What did this place have?

A groan escaped past her lips, something she probably got asked a lot I assume, “You gotta lot of questions here,” Can you blame me? I’d like to not step on the wrong ponies’ hooves, “no pony is really in charge, so to speak, those guards help keep the peace… Walkers’ opinion is respected, just the same as your friends’, or even the doc, but generally we all decide what's what.”

So, a democracy with no appointed leader, princesses were the name of Equestrias’ game back then, but then again you can see where a monarchy lead the county. Democracy seemed to be working well so far here. This place must have been around long before Winter arrived a quarter century back, to have all this done and functional? It was years ahead of some places I’d come across.

Turning down another street took us to a separate block, and I got a familiar sight. Many of those signs for shops I saw when first arriving lined the sides of us, and just past them were the homes we’d gone full circle around.

‘How’d I even get lost?’ I’d been this close to the shops all along, but I did say I wanted to explore a bit…

“If I have to explain what this block is for… then you probably shouldn’t handle a gun,” Spade rolled her eyes to me yet again.

“Guns, armor, and goods,” plus medical care and alcohol. Depending on the day, perhaps needed in that order.

“Good, you’re not an idiot after all,” she said as we approached the creek, and I saw the repair shop off in the distance past the crops, “and that concludes todays tour,” she stopped in the middle of the bridge, “Got it?”

Okay, now I had a good lay of the land here, make a big circle and eventually I’d find where I had to go. I gave her a short nod, “I think I can manage now, anyway I can thank ya?”

“Yeah… keep doing what you’re doing,” that was an… odd request? Her eyes left mine and went to the rest of the town, and for a moment I saw the sharpness in them disappear, “the ponies here are decent at least,” those stumps on her back twitched at that word. I could only imagine what kind of ponies she might have run into in the past, “but many of em wouldn’t survive if anything happened to this place… so make sure nothing does.”

I didn’t have time to say anything more to her before the filly scampered off in to the streets. Help the town run because it was the right thing to do was a no brainer, doing it because a mare believe you would be the one to was a nice sentiment, but having a filly out right ask you to protect the place?

‘No pressure,’ I shook my head, how did I get myself in to these things? If I was to help keep an eye on the place, I needed to start on my shopping list.

That gun store popped in my vision just ahead, and with a bit of an eager step I trotted on toward it. The door to the place had been left open, and as I walked inside, I got a lay of what this town had to work with in terms of arms. Some of these weapons had seen better days, rust here and there, no gloss of oil that had likely long since rubbed off, and damage worn deep in many of those on display. There were a few that stuck out that had been maintained well, either by this shopkeeper, or the firearms previous owner.

Sadly, a balefire egg launcher wasn’t hanging up for the taking.

“Anything I can help ya with?” the scruffy sound of another came from the back of the store, and if nothing was up here shown than maybe it’d be back there.

“Perhaps…” I got up to the counter, just as the pony running the show came out the back, “would you by chan- what in the ever-living shit!?” panic time now!

The ghoul there standing in coveralls just looked at me as I dropped the visor and started backing up from the counter. Shotty was no good in this place, whelp Mini it was! Those barrels started spinning up and I debated a few moments on if S.A.T.S. would be needed so no stray shots hit the-

“Oh, quit your overreacting…” the ghoul groaned to me and blinked its cloudy eyes, “First time ever seeing a ghoul I take it?”

It spoke! The ones in the stable hadn’t done that? Unless you counted groans, moans and shrieks as speaking. Still, the mini stayed spinning, but I didn’t quite want to pull the trigger just yet, “Not exactly, those in the stable near here weren’t as… vocal, as yourself.”

It started to nod and I swore there were gaps in its neck that pulled apart from the motion, “ahh so you’re the one that got that talisman then… nasty thing radiation does to a creature,” yeah that flaking tissue across most of its face spoke volumes to what some rads could do, “but it don’t turn all of us in to blood thirsty equines,” okay then! Now it was getting closer to me as it rounded the corner, instead of lunging to take a chunk out of my neck, a craggily hoof stretched out. “Mabel Margarine, at your service.”

There might have been a smidge of radiation coming off that fetlock, but if it- she, wasn’t trying to kill me… “Rogue,” I took her hoof in mine as lightly as I could and gave it a small shake, even from that it looked about ready to snap off.

“Now I recognize the name, should have figured it was you… only pony ‘round here that’s totting power armor,” with introductions out of the way, and my knowledge of the wasteland creatures expanding just a tad bit, she found herself back behind the counter.

This might have been something my wasteland guide should have explained before I went around town on my own, “So some ghouls stay…” how to phrase this one? Tactfully.

“Sane and not wanting to rip the throats of another pony?” Mabel hit the nail on the head with that one, “no one’s sure really, some stay well clear of radiation after that fact and lose it, others can go generations with exposure before they just flat out die,” she bit part of her lip in wonder, honestly I was curious myself now, “… might have something to do with the pony.”

Probably genetics and other sciencey garb. Different division than what I dealt with, although, ‘Generations?’ I repeated to myself, “I’ll add that to the little facts I learned out here, though what do you mean by generations?”

That earned me a snort, “Sweetie, you think Mabel Margarine is a name earned out here?” she started to chuckle again, “I was a pastry chef before the war.”

… and error 404, page not found… a few swift kicks to the right nerves got my brain working once again, ‘Well I’m not the only pony who’s long past their lifespan, besides Winter,’ my head shook and I had to lean against the counter as she let me take in that revelation, “so… from chef, to arms dealer.”

Mabel about balked for a moment, as she held her hoof to her chest, “Hmm… you don’t seem all that surprised, usually it takes some newcomer a few minutes to put it all back together.”

Shoes on the other hoof now it seems, ain’t it? “You’re not the only one who was there to watch it all crash and burn,” she looked me over again with a curious eye, “Winter and myself went into the same stable, and if you know her story, its much the same… just mine started a bit later.”

Try twenty-five years later to be exact, but better late than never. So now there were at least two other ponies I knew that had any idea what it was like to watch a whole country go up in flames. Almost made me wonder how many across Equestria itself had gone through the same ordeal and lived to tell it all… that had to be some bragging rights at one of the bars.

I survived balefire annihilation!... maybe there was a T-shirt somewhere.

“That explains a whole lot more, you’re that Wildfire colt she’d talked about,” I didn’t even have to answer, with a pop of my visor I met her with a nod, “and a fine-looking colt at that,” Mabel passed me a wink. Even with a stomach full of nothing, I still felt some of that acid hiking back up my throat. Just… ew, “Alas, you didn’t come here to kill or flirt with walking, talking pony-jerky… what can I help ya with?”

Right! Back on target, “long shot here, but do you have a Balefire Egg Launcher?”

And… her head began to shake, “’fraid not, damned ammo is hell to come across, and last thing I’d want is one of these townsfolk to get trigger happy with it too close to the place.”

My heart sank just a tad at that fact, sure it would probably level half the town itself, but in the right hooves you could cover literally a section of the approaching land. I don’t know about you, but seeing a guard with one pointed at me would be quite the deterrent.

“Shit… it was worth a shot at least.”

“I’ll keep an eye out for one though, care to stock up on anything else while you’re here?” she had a point, and with the gunners being the next on the list we were bound for a fight.

A few hundred caps later and both my guns were well topped off, and after a small wave of thanks from her for the shells and 5mm I found my hooves heading back towards the shop. Last thing I wanted to do was get in fight with the egg on me, either losing it in the process, or maybe it taking a round in a place it didn’t like.

Yes, they were stable, but accidents do happen…

‘I can always tinker with it later,’ I told myself, might not have the parts to make a launcher myself. Although, as I said before, never know when it might come in-

“… It really is selfless, what he’s done,” that voice sounded all too familiar, albeit a bit muffled behind the door, never the less as my hoof hovered next to the knob, I heard Alimite on the other side.

“Oh, he’s just that way… likes to help,” and there was Winter.

“Not something you come across all that much in the wasteland,” Alimite had a fair argument with that one, “I mean to just arrive here, and then in that same day put your neck on the line to help? Its unheard of.”

What was I supposed to do? Let the town pay out the ass for a new talisman, or send somepony less suited down in to the stable? I have the tools, and the means to do just what this place needed. Something that someponies aren’t quite willing to do… I’m looking at you rangers.

“Welcome to what ponies were like back before all this,” Winter explained to her from the other side of the door, “we weren’t all out for ourselves… Wildfire’s just carried that idea into the freezer with him.”

Alimite didn’t answer there for a moment, and although I would have liked to see what expression she wore. I also wanted to keep myself hidden, you know, just for a bit longer, “and then after that talisman, him and his group roll right in to checking off jobs posted around the town?... even trying to beef up security here?” she paused, hell even a key hole would have been nice to look through at the very least, “If we were worried about protection before, I don’t think we’ll be much longer… not with them here.”

That was… invigorating to hear, and… was it just me or was this helmet getting hotter?

Through the wood the soft snickers of another broke passed, “Them? Or did you mean to say him?”

“Oh, he’s delightful all himself, trouble might have followed him a bit with who he’s run in to, and let’s face it that suit had probably seen better days before his turn with it,” both of the mares shared a giggle, and luckily, they couldn’t hear my groan. So, I get shot up in this thing a lot, what's the repair talisman for anyway? “But his skills alone could help this place so much, handy with tools, knows his way around a workshop, a genuinely sweet colt, certainly easy on the-” her daughter stammered, before going dead silent midsentence, “… oh, shut up.”

“I didn’t say anything…” Winter responded, “nothing at all.”

“What I meant was,” even I could hear the younger mare take a breath to collect herself, “he is wonderful to have here, him and his friends, all putting in their own work to help.”

Very invigorating to hear… ‘It’s nice to be here too…’ like an idiot I started smiling inside the helmet.

Thump.

And ignoring what was going on in front of me. As I looked down, the mare was already on her flank, tool belt at the ready while she tried to walk out the door. Just right in to me, “we have to stop meeting this way,” I held my hoof out for her and helped the mare back to her hooves.

“Ahh…” there was a mental kick to the self if I ever saw one, “just heading out is all, working on those new turrets,” she about choked out past those lips, “Thank you! …for getting those by the way.”

With that she about ran out the door frame, past me, and down the dirt road. I watched as she went probably a little longer than intended, who wouldn’t? Hearing such praise was nice to say the least. Even if she hadn’t quite expected the extended audience. Stepping back in to the home, Winter wore a similar smile as I did under this vale of metal.

“How much did you hear?”

My turn to stammer, “Well… ahh… she thinks pretty highly of me it seems,” keep the visor down you- wait… “you knew I was out there,” my vision narrowed on her, “didn’t you?”

“Call it mothers’ intuition,” she went back to I guess what she was doing before chatting with her daughter. Working on what looked like smaller flower pots for later, “and she thinks so much more than that.”

Yep, definitely hot in here! “What do you mean?”

Damn it Winter, laughing was not the answer I was looking for! “I’ll tell you when you’re older.”

“I’m still older than you!”

“Not in cryo-years,” she laughed, leaving me fuming under this thing, “make your way around town just fine then?”

Way to change subject… “If you count almost being jumped by a bunch of school aged ponies… then yes,” that sparked her interest, and her ears as well, “met one filly, Spade, she showed me around.”

I could already hear the groan from the mare, “She didn’t give you any trouble, did she?”

“Oh, no absolutely not, kinda foul mouthed as I remember somepony being actually,” Winter caught my stare, and it didn’t take long for her to make the connection after that.

As a pot slipped from her grasp and shattered across the floor.

What? It’s kinda funny I found a younger- why did she look like that? Winter stared at the broken ceramic across the ground, almost at a loss for words. I got up to her side, and popped up my visor before sweeping it all up in one go with my horn and dumping it away. There no big deal now was… it? Her hoof trembled, almost frozen where it slipped from her grasp.

“Winter?” I rested a hoof on her shoulder, “it’s just a pot…”

Finally, she started to snap out of it, “Yeah it is…” with more caution it looked like, the mare continued cleaning out dead seedlings from other pots.

It was quiet, and in all the years we ended up spending in that shop of mine, there wasn’t quiet known to us like this. “Is everything alright?” I watched her hooves carefully, and there it was again. A steady shake from one of them as it scooped out the spent dirt, “Are you, alright?”

“I’m… I’m fine,” she held out the hoof as I took hold of it. The vibrations coming through it weren’t all that strong, but they were still there none the less, “just one of the perks of getting old out here,” she gave me a smile, and I was hard pressed to return it, “not something many get to experience out here…”

“But you did,” I had to remind her, “and look what you have to show for it.”

Together we stood there for what felt like minutes, but steadily as she listened, her hoof met my own and just patted overtop it. Winters’ smile still held as she tended to the other pots like nothing had happened, “A lot more than some, I’ll say.” That infectious giggle of hers spurred up once more, and even I found myself relinquishing at least a smirk of my own.

Getting old in Equestria before meant a wheelchair to some, retirement, or perhaps a trip to all those places you missed out. Aging out here, depending on the pony, could have been a death sentence. A little arthritis was nothing to keep one as stubborn as her down. Winter appeared in better spirits, and while I might have wanted to stay and chat a bit longer. There were other matters to tend to, one, stashing this explosive someplace safe…er. Two, finding my friends and coming up with a plan for later.

One besides run and gun.

“That was easier than I expected,” I walked down the steps to the basement, and there was the trio, “Shopkeeper survive?”

Riff hadn’t answered just yet, though she looked about as innocent as a hellhound could, “Pony not freak out…”

“She screamed when Riff walked in,” Tumble ratted her out, and I caught the tongue sticking out from the hound in question. “Thankfully, Deacon was able to patch that connection right up.”

The gryphon just gave me a shrug, “Learned it from the best,” namely his pop I’d imagine, and with that he hiked a sack up on to the table, “Got some supplies for the next bout too.”

Excellent, now that left me with my part. I went over to the cot I called my own and stashed the egg for safe keeping later in the trunk. With that taken care of my map clicked over to the marker as it hovered over the location, Tall Tale Boarding School.

The school I’d only seen once before, granted that was from when I was attending a different school and it was an away game so memory there was more than a bit fuzzy. From the lightshow radiating off the city, I had to wonder just how close this building was to the blast. If it was good enough for the gunners to call home, then maybe it stayed clear from the impact all together.

Now how to illustrate this? Back at the table with a few pops of the latches, and my helmet slid off next to his bag, as I started grabbing what I could around the place to use. Random assortments of junk started to litter across the table, and that grabbed the interest of those there while they huddled around waiting on me to set it all up.

My eyes darted from the map, to what I was creating. It wasn’t an exact to scale replica, but it was enough to get an idea down packed, “And here we have the school…” or cardboard box if you would, arts and crafts weren’t my thing okay.

“That a box.”

Yes Riff… “look I’m going off of a crude line drawn map here, cut me some slack,” my horn started to place up other junk as I put what I could only assume was debris around the school. Smaller boxes made up whatever outlying buildings to the school I saw, and between them I started lining up pens or broken pencils along their edges, “Fences, if you would… and…” I cleared some of the dust from between them all, “Courtyard.”

All in all, not bad for a few minutes work and a decade or so old memory.

“Is there an actual plan with this one?” Deacon asked, plodding one of the fences between his talons.

“Kinda, the last place we’d tackled with the gunners close to this was that library, and I’d like to avoid taking a grenade to the chest again,” or having one of my friends take a shotgun to the side, “we have different buildings here to worry about, and if we’re gonna clear it, we need to find out where their leader is,” every major building appeared to have one. Why would this be any different?

Tumble rested Mercy against the side of the table there with her, “I can cover well enough with this as we get in, but it’s next to useless up close.”

“This same,” Riff pulled her 40mm in front as it hung off her shoulder by the strap.

At the end of the day, we would have to go class room to class room to clear it out. Not the most ideal, but it did let us tackle smaller groups at a time… those strategy games were coming in handy right about now.

“And I’d bet my beak there’s turrets of some kind up top too,” and Deacon was probably right with that assumption.

The school from what I remembered had a clear line around it, not something you want when trying to hide an approach. Only two of us could even use the word stealth, that left myself and Riff sticking out like a sore hoof. I’d rather save the shootout till we were well within its walls and on even ground.

Riff leaned into the table, poking her claw across the grain, “Can go at night?” she looked to each of us, “big ground to cover, less target.”

That was one way to avoid an early on shooting spree, “We can sneak up to the buildings, get in from there, and make our way around to clear it up,” my hoof moved from the main building to the others nearby. If they did have someone in charge, then they’d probably be in the largest one, “at the very least I’d flush out who’s ever calling the shots, and worst comes to worst, we can hunker down in a class room,” See here? This was strategy, an actual plan… so to speak.

“Those guns up top won’t be going anywhere still, assuming there are any,” Deacon pipped up, “We’d just have to worry about them on our way out.”

Could take care of them on the roof afterwards? Though that would still put us in the line of fire, and trying to do so on roof with little cover wasn’t someplace I’d like to be. “Terminal…” Tumble muttered, and our eyes went to her as we waited on her explaination, “if they have a terminal, it might link to the guns, can try to kill em from one spot?”

I had a trained merc, a talented mare with a scope, and a hellhound on my side… each one had been playing this wasteland survival game far longer than myself. Would I have made it this far without any one of them? Probably not, and I couldn’t help but smirk at that thought.

Now I wonder if another would like in on this, “Then its settled, we’ll head out that way later this afternoon,” That should put us there around dusk, and as the helmet slid back on my head, I checked the time. There were a few hours to kill before we headed out, “I’d say let’s get some shut eye before then.”

“Wild sleep-in suit?” Riff asked as she started to stretch out.

“Not at that point yet,” I shook my head and turned towards the stairs, “Let me see if somepony else would like to join.”

“You’d like that wouldn’t you,” go ahead and laugh it up Deacon…

No other suggestions past that? Perfect, with that I found myself heading back up the stairs and into the shop. Tumble muttered something to the gryphon as I did, but if they weren’t calling out back for me, then it must not have been important. There was a mare to find, and I knew just where to look.

Actually having a lay of the land to go off of was fantastic, now I didn’t have to worry about getting myself lost on my way back to the shop. I mean from the outskirts here I could still make out the tip of its roof, but never the less thanks to Spade I had an actual map of the place. As I approached, the sounds of a wrench started to fill my ears of a mare hard at work.

“-son of a bitch!” yep, hard at work.

“Everything alright?” Alimite was stuck sucking her hoof when I came in to view, how any pony managed to get this much grime on them just building up a turret I’d never know.

As if in a panic she wiped the end of her muzzle clean, and replaced that frustration with a smile, “just the joys of being the town mechanic…”

A joy I could understand. Setting up guns for the town wasn’t all that different than creating them back in the M.W.T. shop before the bombs. Just a little more sense of urgency out here with it literally being your life on the line. The guns we’d pulled off those sentries might only put a dent in what this place would need, but it was a start. With that Alimite kept cranking down on the nut holding the AER-15 in place, and just as she finished a flip of its switch later kicked the gun online as it swiveled side to side.

She looked a bit overjoyed to have that up and running, and I couldn’t help but share the same sentiment. It was nice to see our work coming together, hell maybe the next time I run in to the rangers I could swipe up extra guns for the town.

I wonder if you could rig the balefire egg launcher in to a turr- nope, bad idea.

“When are ya’ll heading out?” she asked, hauling up her tool bag back across her shoulders as she started making her way to the next set of guns.

“Actually, we planned on heading out in a few hours, the others are taking a nap now,” I followed her as we went, “trying for a dark approach, something to keep our head out of the spotlight.”

She stopped for a moment to consider that plan, before getting back on the trail, “smart move… ya’ll ain’t exactly stealthy.”

So, I’ve been told, many times now, “Although I wanted to see if you planned on joining up with us again,” her head turned to meet mine, “might be something worthwhile in their base, and I’m sure you’d be able to fish it out if it’s there.”

“Hmm… as much fun as it was before to go with you, I’ll have to pass on this one,” Alimite said with a bit of longing in her voice, “with these new guns to set up, I’ll still be working by the time you make it back here,” shoulda figured that one, but it didn’t hurt to ask at least. “And I might have not said it earlier, but thank you for this extra work…”

You did thank me for that already, albeit a little rushed, “no worries, what we’re here for remember?”

Try as she might while we reached the next set up, I still caught that grin. Those parts she needed to build a new gun system for the town were already in place, all she had to do was put in a little elbow grease, something she got right in to. “I know many of us will sleep a bit better at night knowing these things are up and running,” the scrap metal set aside for the project Alimite picked up with her horn, bending it in to the frame work she needed for the missile launcher to go here, “especially now that we can handle those bigger threats you’d mentioned.”

I mean the targeting talismans would still locate anything seen as a threat, so would this gun shoot a missile at a Radroach? Probably, but It’d also now be able to handle anything else that wandered its way in to town.

“Do me a favor, while you’re out,” my eyes went from the gun back to hers, and I could see the tinge of worry behind those irises. “Be careful… out there, power armor or not, it has its limits… just like you do.”

A limit I had a habit of pushing… I was in the research and development department; our literal motto was to break it in the lab so it wouldn’t out in the field. What did you expect from me? Though, I wasn’t in the field anymore, no lab or retries here. If it broke now, or I did, there wasn’t a guarantee I’d be able to get it fixed up.

The visor popped up, and just like I did her mother, my hoof went through the motions. “Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.”

That earned me a giggle much like her mom, “you should get some shuteye too… go on,” she shooed me away with a wrench, before passing me a smirk, “I’ll see ya when you get back.”

Whether I’d be able to close my eyes was yet to be determined, but you learned to sleep anywhere when working in the lab trying to support the war effort. Least I could do was try, and just as I found myself going down those stairs to the basement. My eyes grew heavier with every step. Something that looked to be shared with my companions.

Riff Raff snored enough to make some of the ground shake beneath my hooves, even through the metal plating. I wonder how well the neighbors slept at night now? Tumble didn’t look like she was having any… issues? The mare laid stretched out on her stomach across not only on the cot, but also Deacons’ lap, as his talons worked their way about her spine. His eyes tried their best to keep up to the ceiling above after meeting mine, but I could still see the flush in that beak.

“Not what it looks like…” he held up one talon. Oh? Pray tell, “had a kinked back, and I was just doing my medic duties to relieve it,” intending to or not, he looked pretty fondly down on her, “Happened to fall asleep in the process.”

Happened to… even under the visor, I knew he could still hear my snickering, “whatever you say… Little Chicky.”

Chapter twenty-one: Reboot

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Chapter twenty-one: Reboot

The light was in our favor, or lack thereof. Our stomachs were full, at least as much as a hellhound ever could be. Plus, all in all it had been a relatively relaxed trip out here to the school. Minus the snickers a certain gryphon was getting, other than that my trip here was great!

“Just as you called it,” Tumble relayed to Deacon as she looked through the scope, “I can see the turrets up top.”

The gryphon might have been right with that assumption, but while I looked off in the distance towards the school itself. Deacon tried to keep his eyes away from the peering glare of the hellhound next to him.

“So… Medic Duty?” Riff began chuckling, again, while we’d staked out the place.

How she’d heard any of that exchange knocked out for the afternoon, I didn’t know. Though the hound didn’t seem ready in the slightest to let the gryphon live it down. “For the last time,” he groaned while rubbing his beak, “Yes… medic duties…”

“Alright you two, serious time,” I had to be the party pooper and remind them why we were here in the first place.

There didn’t appear to be much in terms of a pattern with those few outside walking the area, they just stopped and went as they pleased. Good for throwing off somepony sneaking in, bad if you’re that pony. Whatever spotlights they had only faced from the front of the main building itself, though you had to wonder just how hard it was to pick out a suit of armor or a hellhound in the haze of night.

Apparently, pretty damn hard. Between the automated guns on the roof, and the gunners pacing about, neither gave our little party any heed as we crept in for a closer look at the place. Even with the relatively flat ground, and little in terms of things to hide behind. Tumble and Deacon managed to get just underneath a class room window out of the lights. That left those more cumbersome out behind the burned out remains of the schools’ sign.

Together me and the hound watched as the lights above swept side to side in the main front lawn of the building, waiting… and waiting… and- Now! Grass was a lot better at muffling the stomps of these metal hooves and paws. Smacking against the side of the building with her back, not so subtle. Before any of us could scold her, Riff reached up and opened the window above, crouching down on all fours to give us a boost.

Tumble poked her head above the edge first, and following her nod Deacon went up next, that left… “Alrighty Riff,” I whispered while watching out for any guard making their rounds, “You’re up- Next!” alrighty! Not subtle at all with that one, hadn’t expected to be hoisted up by the hound in one go and tossed through that window myself.

My hooves came to a halt across the linoleum floor, and as I looked up to meet her with my jaw still unhinged, Riff was already through herself, “What? Dog strong, remember?”

Listen there was strong, and then there was ‘Colt handling a suit of armor and throwing it’ strong. For being far lankier than those counterparts we’d run into, I had to keep reminding myself Riff definitely hadn’t lost any of her umph in those paws.

Right, back on track now. Judging from the faded posters around us, I’d have to make the assumption of history class. Assuming the country even survived long enough to become history, I wonder what the creatures writing this all down would say about this chapter in pony history? The chapter where the Steel Rangers were reviled by most of the country, where the Pegisy blocked out nearly all the sun, where you had a rag-tag bunch trying to clear out a school of trained killers.

Sliding over the floor instead of taking steps welcomed me with a little less noise from moving about in the suit. Enough at least that the gunner just outside the door stopped long enough to cock his head, and dismiss whatever he might have heard. See? Power armor can be stealthy!... or incredibly lucky, and with him out of site I pushed open the door so we could check out the next hall-

“Oh shit!” both myself and the gunner that followed the other guard yelled in unison, just as our triggers followed that same pattern.

Their 10mm sparked across the helmet plates, and even earned them a cracked visor in the process. My 12-gauge on the other hoof didn’t have to be half as accurate, combat barding included. The straps that held it to that mares’ frame all but snapped as the pellets went to work on her tissues. She collapsed to the ground in a heap, just as my head turned towards the rest of the group, and the school bell started ringing.

Somehow, I doubted class was in session…

Heavy metal smashing shut behind us wasn’t what any of us wanted to hear. In the same window frame, we’d come through a metal panel now remained. A split second later, and similar panels started to fall across the other windows along the class as the sound echoed throughout the hallway. One last hope and… nope, the door at the end of the hall also had a gate across its frame now.

Riff had enough already, and flared out her claws as she approached the panel, “No! It won’t!” and zap, “…work,” resistant to shock or not, the short hairs across her coat I could even see standing on end, and either I was seeing things or there was smoke coming from her ears. “Schools in lockdown mode…”

Something they started doing after the Littlehorn Massacre, no creature in, no creature out. Never seen it myself, and Winter hadn’t mentioned it with her school during the time. Someponies would just be over protective is all. Terrible idea if you thought about what zebras could bring into a school, things you’d want be able to evacuate from, but somepony probably thought ‘hey, at least we’ll catch the one responsible?’ during that meeting.

Riff looked about ready to try that window again, and just like that she took a swipe at it with her claws, only to get the same result… though now there appeared to be a twitch in her step. So, hellhounds were radiation proof, shock resistant, strong, and apparently very stubborn.

“Second time is not the charm in this case,” Tumbles’ head went back and forth along the hallway before coming back to me, “any way to disable the lockdown?”

“Yes, because security systems were totally in my job description…” sarcasm might not have been needed, but what about anything since she’d known me would say I knew anything about this system? Although… now that I think about it, “If anywhere, I’d imagine the principals’ office?”

Now we just had to get there…

The E.F.S. gave me nothing down the hall we faced, and if the door behind us lead outside from what it appeared. Then the only way really to go was forward down that dark passage with its emergency lighting overhead. My head bobbed forward, and just like that we started creeping down the hallway. For being a gunner outpost, you’d think they would have put in more lighting around these parts. Even a few lanterns would have made all the difference in this part of the school.

It might give our location away, but I kicked the headlamp on anyway. With any luck they’d take a shot or two at its source- And there’s the first shot! Almost like they were waiting for something to shoot at. The round struck off the helmet like the previous mare had, this time there was a whole lot more ringing in my ears from the hit… sounded like a .308.

Reflex took over at this point, and the first door on my right was kicked off its hinges. All of us piled in just as the rounds stopped, and Riff leaned out the door long enough to let one 40mm loose from her barrel. I couldn’t see the effects from inside here, but with that stream of fire suddenly falling she must have hit something.

Until it started again, how fortified was this place?

‘Right… Equestrian over engineering,’ I groaned, and made my way to the front of the classroom.

Most schools back then had to entrances at either side of the room, and this one was no different. With Riff drawing their fire from the rear, my forehoof pushed open the front door and found the sandbag embankment they’d set up as cover just in front of me. A half dozen shells should make more than quick work of this.

As the apple bundle landed at my hooves.

There was enough sense in my fight or flight response to grant me at least a leap of faith from the grenade. Though not all that far from the extra weight I’d put on with the suit, it was enough to only have half my legs shredded, and bleeding… all while the extra force from the blast put me right on top of the sandbags.

Armor integrity: 77%

Warning: Severe limb damage!

Burning in my legs or not, I don’t think the two colts staring at me cared all that much… one was still holding a grenade before he’d fully realized where I’d placed myself, and immediately his horn went for something on his- Fuck that shit! Rippers were wonderful against flesh in the war, and some of them were even sharp enough to go through armor. I wasn’t about to find out how strong my neck armor was against that.

His horn fought to press it to my throat, my horn wrestled to keep it back, as the other colt reloaded his LMG and went back to work. .308… called it, my mini started to spin, but Ripper pressed the barrels away just in time to avoid the spray. The shotty was pointless at this range, and I was getting mighty tired of just laying on my damned stomach. While I pushed myself up over the sandbags, my hoof reached out and grabbed hold of the colt. With magic we were equal, but once I got ya in my hooves…

His foreleg snapped just as fast as his will to fight, and before long his other leg was beating on mine to try and get out of it. That dropped his grasp on the ripper, and left it all to me. One swipe across his shoulder and through the neck did the job, he hit the ground trying to keep as much blood still in him as he could.

Even a potion wouldn’t fix that one bud…

At this point LMG finally took notice of the situation he was thrust in to, a little too late to do anything really. Another swing from the ripper quite literally cut him off… ha-ha! get it? because it cuts?...

That was funny to me then, and as my friends approached the sandbag mound, they could still hear me cackling. “Ahh… Ya alright there?” Deacon asked with his carbine pointing towards the corpses.

“Oh, just made myself laugh…”

“I can’t imagine over what,” why did he sound concerned all of a sudden? “I mean… with your legs…” what about them? I mean they’re searing a bit, but are they still attach-? nope, I mean yes, but still not good.

Scattered across the suit were decent sized plates missing from patches along my hind legs up to my crotch, thank the goddesses somepony decided to make that part of the suit more armored. Although seeing from those holes only blood and bits of what might have been meat start to seep out, should have been a cause for concern. Shit, was that my leg in there under the plates or chopped hay bacon?!

That Med-X injector was working overtime for this, I could barely feel a damn thing! At this rate I was probably out, but no wonder so many of these raiders are chemed up all the time. Throw enough drugs in a ponies’ system and they become a one equine army. I may not have felt it all that much, but I could see the same work being accomplished from the healing potions pumping into my veins. Those shrapnel lacerations were healing up right before my eyes, and the bleeding was already beginning to stem. Arcane medicine was a wonderful thing to have on your side.

The glow of my suit drew my attention back into a bit of this reality, and just like that it went to work patching up the damage done to itself as I watched is percentage trickle up… slowly. “Right, let’s keep this going,” I pulled forward down the hallway, and tried my best to ignore how well I’d be walking outside the suit.

“How the hell does that work?” Tumble asked almost in a whisper, gotta be more specific than that, “your legs are torn to pieces… talisman or not, you shouldn’t be standing, let alone walking.”

“Let’s call it magic,” a generic answer if there ever was one for the Ministry of Arcane Science, though not enough to satisfy the mare, “the suit reads what the wearer wants to do more so by thoughts and nerves, than them actually moving and copying that motion,” that got me a little bit of understanding, I think? “Picture it like this, if a ranger gets a broken leg and can’t move normally, the suit still reads him wanting to move and does so on its own… keeps ponies fighting, even when broken.”

Sure, several lacerations across legs were a far cry short of broken bones. Though the concept remained the same for both. If you were hurt and unable to move, the suit gave you the help needed to keep you on your hooves. I can’t begin to tell you how many lives that had saved on the battlefield.

“Could have helped a lot of folk too after the war, if it didn’t all get blown to high hell,” Deacon added on from the back.

I mean, I know the mare in charge of the Ministry of Peace was always working towards helping ponies in the end. Who knows how they could have used all this war technology had the war fizzled out and Equestria came out on-

Slam!

Once again, I found myself imitating a Pegasus, these gunners were doing that on purpose! “Oh, will ya’ll quit!” I shouted, to a break in the hallway that only had Tumble in it behind me, “What the hell?”

There in the middle was another metal door like the ones that sealed up the outside of the building. Whoever paid to have this school fortified, they hadn’t spared any expense. They’d turned this place in to a prison, and could control it as they saw fit.

“Deacon! Riff! Are you-?” I didn’t get the chance to stop her, before Tumble slammed her hoof against the door.

Who knows many volts shot through the mare in one go, and sent her shooting clear across the hall. Power armor wasn’t the most comfortable thing to break one’s landing, though it was better than the floor in this case as I caught the mare in my hooves. Against my chest, I could feel her own was thundering as much as mine would after Stampede, just what did they wire this school with?

“Tumble?!” I tried to smack her face with the utmost of care, that wouldn’t take her head clean off, “you with me?”

Her eyes were fluttering under those lids, though from my opinion that could have just been muscle spasms. If it wasn’t for the puke that splashed over my chest, and her coughing up a lung into my lap. My horn grabbed whatever I could find from my bag to help her, and out I plucked a thing of water. May not have been a healing potion, but it was better than nothing.

She gorged herself pretty well for a pony who just became a light bulb, “Thanks…” she creaked past the mouth of the canteen, and looked towards the door, “did they answer?”

Actually… I hadn’t even paid attention, “Are ya’ll back there still?” nothing, not even a peep from the other side. That was a silence neither of us wanted to hear, “we aren’t hearing any gun shots either,” it finally dawned on me, “which means they aren’t getting shot at, and they aren’t having to shoot.”

Tumble pushed herself up after that from my lap, and brought the carbine to her shoulder, “then let’s find this office, and see if we can get back with them.”

Right behind ya with that, there had to be somewhere these hallways linked up. If all else, getting the doors open would solve that problem. From that hall we’d made our way down the rows and rows of lockers. Some laid open with school supplies still inside, others looked like they’d been broken in to over the years. I knew school had been in session on the day of the bombs, yet even outside the blast radius I had to wonder just how many of these students managed to get somewhere safe.

The History wing was behind us, and besides the few barricades from the lockdown. We’d had a clear path through this next wing. By the looks of it, I’d have to guess science. Posters of the M.A.S. Ministry mare were plastered all about, some in better shape than others, and others with far more lewd depictions of Miss Sparkle in their place. Gotta get your rocks off somehow, I suppose.

My hoof held out just as I saw the few bars getting on screen, Tumble didn’t question it and stayed put next to me. Those bars ahead stopped their movements just as we did, did they have an E.F.S. too? I’d imagine you could find a Pip-Buck somewhere in the wastes if you looked hard enough. Then I heard it, the small whirling of a motor as my head looked up.

How’d they still worked after all these years, I didn’t know, but if the lockdown system was still functional. Why wouldn’t the security cameras? The lens stared at me while I returned the favor, somepony was keeping tabs on us as we went through… nothing a shell couldn’t fix.

Overkill, of course, but I didn’t like being watched.

“That explains how they separated us,” Tumble kicked the blown-out case to the side.

And the mare fell to the ground.

By instinct I put myself between her and the rest of the hallway, as the next several shots rang out and echoed down the halls. Smaller target against the ground or not, a few tore clean through the suit, and took chunks out of the integrity as well as my hide.

Armor integrity: 70%... my suit needed more time to prepare for this shit.

Coming at night helped us keep a low profile, but not in here if I didn’t have anything to shoot besides a red bar on the screen! My headlamp was giving me away, and now I needed darkness. With a flip, it went out, and only the flashes of those shooting could be seen.

It might have been feeling the blood run down my own side, or it could have been the adrenaline. Either way one hoof wrapped around her waist, and with a bound my thick helmet knocked the door off the classroom. Yep, science wing for sure. Beakers and flasks galore in this place. While they shot outside at the door frame, I let the mare down behind the teachers work station at the front. Groaning for sure, in pain I’d expect, but she wasn’t dead.

“What the hell was that?” she asked. The round looked like it went clear through her shoulder plating, and still had enough punch in it to tear down her back… I’m no medic, but I’d guess armor-piercing.

“Something for me…” they’d picked the right poison this round.

The suit had its healing potions wired in to it that it was already injecting for my wounds, that was wired to me, so I’d need to find on out here for her. Science class room, had to have a first aid box some-… priorities first! Tumble wasn’t going to die from that, but these guys sure would make sure we both did soon. Dark or not, I could barely make out the silhouette of ponies moving at the back of the classroom. Shotty rang loose from the station, but at this distance I was far outside that butter zone.

Never the less, it kept their head down as I looked further around the room. The headlamp might have given me away before, but the muzzle flash had the same- ugh this sucks… My hooves wrapped around the neck plating, through the metal I couldn’t feel the hole, but I could feel the blood starting to run down my neck underneath.

Armor integrity: 63%

‘So, this is what Rogue felt?’ Stop that, not the thoughts to be having!

My inventory opened up and I forced another potion into the system to stem the bleeding. It slowed, but how many more of what they’re packing would I be able to take. Another few bursts came our way, and this time they weren’t even waiting for us to poke our heads up. Instead they just shot through the counter itself… cheaters… half the workstations door blew off from the slugs. 5.56? No, too much heft to it, 7.6-? I said stop that!

Most of my frame went over Tumble, between having to tear through the workstation and my suit, it should keep her safe. For a second the helmets light flicked on just so I could check her wound. She’d at least be alright; her bleeding was consistent at the very- hello… what have we here? Out of all the containers to have stored in one place, who would pick those to share a room? My aura wrapped around the first jug and popped its cap off before doing the same to its counterpart.

Tumble, given her expression, looked at me like I’d lost my mind. Patience there, I’m good at this sort of thing. With one of its contents inside the other, I tightened the lid back in place, gave it a good shake before tossing it towards the back of the room. My hoof kept the helmets light hidden as I waited, they probably didn’t see that fly back there, and if they couldn’t see me tossing it. Then I doubted they’d see the reaction.

After another shell racked back and greeted them, I ducked back down behind the counter and waited. More of their shots passed through and took chunks of wood out the station, as long as they weren’t hitting me though I was happy.

Then I heard it, the dull pop from the lid giving out. High school chemistry don’t fail me now! The small echo of that pop vanished, and after a few seconds I started to hear it. Coughing, not just your normal cold kinda cough, this was straight up hacking a lung out your chest. Just what I was waiting for. Their shots started to get few and far between, and with that I rose up from the counter and let the light shine on them.

One, two, three, four… all bars accounted, and all out of cover. A shell for each barked from my muzzle, and even with their combat armor. They met the same fate as the mare had when I first got in here. Tissue was so much weaker than ceramic plates, yet both broke apart all the same. Just as fast as it started, they were on the ground in twitching masses of flesh.

“What… What’d you do?” Tumble asked from behind me.

As I went to look around the room in amongst the bodies and gas, “Just a little home cooking with cleaning products… chlorine is such a nasty chemical,” Granted it wasn’t exactly a bomb, but it was enough to get them distracted.

Their weapons met much the same fate. All the oil in the world wouldn’t protect against that corrosion, and already the oxidation started to wear away at them. Just like it did a container amongst the bodies. Even under that layer of rust, I could still make out the pink butterflies along its case. The latches on its side were corroded now, but after a squeal they gave up and opened. Two healing potions, and a thing of purified water.

Tumble got right up to my side and looked at my handy work, as a bandana covered her muzzle from the lingering vapors, “Kinda messed up, don’t cha think…”

You’re joking, right? You have ponies out here raping, killing, burning, and dusting each other. Yet, I gas one group of gunners, and now that’s where we draw the-… oh, sarcasm, “You had me there for a second,” I hoofed over both of the potions, she’d need em more than me.

The first one she slugged down like it was a shot of whiskey, and the second one found its home in her bag while I added what little bits of scrap I could to the hopper. Considering they wised up now, I wasn’t looking forward to what we’d find after passing by where these gunners had appeared from. Another hallway, though there wasn’t anypony shooting at us just yet so I’d take it.

With them packing ammunition like that, I made sure Tumble was behind me this time around as we crept down the hall. From those classrooms on the side, no pony had jumped out, or even tossed a grenade… kinda unnerving honestly. For being an outpost, I’d expected far more resistance here than this. Not that I’m complaining mind you! Just making an observation is all.

As we broke from the hall, large pillars welcomed us along with the muddied and blacked out windows to the front of the building on one side, and a staircase to the next floor on the other. ‘Ahh, a lobby, and if this was the entrance…’ my eyes followed along the walls, and there nestled in the corner I saw the other windows to the office.

I didn’t see anything on my E.F.S. just yet, and if those windows were locked up tight, then maybe we were in the home stretch. “Alright, I can take this one,” Tumble commented as she trotted past me and towards the office door, as my barrels pointed to the windows for anything that reared its head, “cover me while I take a look around.”

Way ahead of you on that one, and with that she slithered inside. I didn’t see anything going bump in the night, and- Slam!

That was getting old really quick, “Stop doing that shit!” I yelled at the window while its security gates closed around it. Tumble looked at me through those bars with worry in her eyes, if it was being controlled in there. Then she had company I didn’t see.

Through those bars I looked with my headlamp, trying to give her enough light to figure out if there was any danger. I didn’t see any other doors for this office leading elsewhere, just the desks that went back through the room for the principal, VP, and secretary. Judging from that glow, the head honcho in charge had his terminal still with power. Though with an empty chair, somepony else must be controlling all this somewhere as well.

Wait… was that hoof steps?

Armor integrity: 59%

Oh, that was so not good… and that was an energy beam if I ever felt one! Who knew light could have so much enthusiasm behind it? Another high charged shot rang out, and this time I’d actually heard it coming. That didn’t save me from keeping my armor clear of the hit, but at least this time I’d been expecting it. Right in the shoulder guard it went, and-

Armor integrity: 52%

“What the hell are you packing?!” immediately my ass ran behind one of those pillars for cover, I hadn’t seen where it came from… hell I hadn’t seen anything. My E.F.S. was clear, the lights were still just above a campfire in this place, but there couldn’t be that many places for the bastard to hide.

A third shot broke out from the… Air? What the hell was going on?! This time my reaction was enough to avoid the hit as it sizzled against the pillar. Though I was sure the darkness in here just took a pot shot at me. Charging forward I went towards where the beam came from, but nothing stopped me in that path. Somepony was messing with me here, and I didn’t like it. The suit sat just above-

Armor integrity: 46%

Whoever it was liked to play in the shadows… that one hit me in the ass! Shadows and subtly be damned here, the mini spun up and while my hoof kicked out, I leveled the playing field by giving the lobby a fresh sweep. 5mm hadn’t done too much against gunners before, and I wasn’t expecting this one to be any different. What I was hoping for was a little indication… something… anything…

That was a grunt coming from the shadows.

Three shells cocked back and let loose as fast as I could cycle em in that general direction. Most of what little debris around the room scattered as the dust kicked up, except in one place. The light from the headlamp might not be the brightest, thanks M.W.T. funding, but it was enough to see the distortion. Two more shells met it, and the ghost retreated back into safety, just as I found my own cover again behind a vending machine.

With one eye half the visor poked out, and there someponies power had run out finally. The colt fiddled with his battlesaddle from behind the same pillar I’d hunkered behind just before, and I let another shell meet him while the E.F.S. gave me a name to target. ‘Gunner Commander eh?’ I read to myself, no wonder the better tech. I didn’t know how they organized themselves, but given the names I’d come across and what rank their leaders wore. I’d have to guess army.

The AOE from the shotty kept him behind that pillar long enough, and I only had to guess where he might have ended up. Okay, so from what I could see there was no barrel of his sticking out anymore, nor could I even get a glimpse of a silhouette. Shit! Hot, hot, hot! Three more bursts of his own met my chest, and that Titanium plating was probably the only thing keeping me from melting at this point.

With a yank I threw the vending machine down to the ground for some cover, and listened to his beams impact the other side. Yeah, armor piercing doesn’t work when its light doesn’t it? Between his shots the mic in the helmet picked up those hoof steps from before, and as I peeked over the machine another burst from his rifle kept me down. I wasn’t about to find out how many it’d take to go through the helmet, especially at thirty percent… though, he wasn’t behind cover anymore.

Hmm… this worked in the courthouse, let’s see about now.

My hooves planted against the ground, almost going through the tile in the process as I started to heave against the vend- Well then that was easier than expected. Like a fresh wax on these floors the machine pushed forward with the ease of a shopping cart, and I knew just where to put it. My ass might be a little exposed, but that gave him something to shoot at as I gave it one last thrust and twisted around for a buck.

There might have only been an inch or so of air time it, but the vending machine soared through the sky still with all the grace of a… well, vending machine. My satisfaction with that feat was only eclipsed by the sound of a crunch after it hit something a bit meatier and slammed against the pillar. The machine wobbled back and forth as I approached, but he wasn’t shooting at me either, and I got to see the vale fade away.

Stealthbucks tended to break when you got injured, and my medical knowledge would guess a punctured everything inside. Yet, even in this predicament, the colt still tried to chomp on his bit. Angled like that though the shots went wide into the ceiling, and I just got to watch him. Novasurge rifle? They really did keep the best toys for their higher ranks didn’t they, I’d only known the Pegisy for using that.

He wasn’t going anywhere, and if he couldn’t shoot me, then might as well take this opportunity, “Your leaders,” I literally leveled with him, just in case he managed to lower that gun of his, “how close are they to finding me, if at all still?”

Come on now, speak… Deacon would have given him a Med-X, and I might be inclined to- “Fuck you…” he spat some of his blood at me. Okay, never mind.

I remembered Tumble saying stubbornness was how someponies survived down here, guess that applied to Gunners as well. “Alrighty then…” I wiped away some of that blood, seriously what’d you have to lose? “let’s start simpler, can the lockdown be undone in that office?”

“Eat. A. Bag…” he made one gasp, “of…” then fell face first to the machines’ surface.

Just a peachy colt, aren’t chat?

“Commander Whisper,” the radio on his shoulder started to crackle, and my horn plucked it from its clasp, “what’s your status?”

You sounded very official, for a bunch of well-armed thugs, “Whisper is sorta out right now,” huh, Commander Whisper, rather appropriate name, “might I ask who’s calling?”

In the silence that followed I went back to the windows and watched as Tumble clicked away at the terminal. She still looked worried, though with my little foe down there might have been relief in those eyes too. “Ahh… it’s you,” the voice about purred to me, and this time Tumble perked her head up at me as she heard the voice too. All I could give was a shoulder shrug in response, “Whispers death seemed slow and painful, just like the rest of my own… Rogue Ranger.”

How then hell did they- No wait, they were watching this place, and right now whoever was on the line probably was looking at me through another camera somewhere, “He brought that upon himself, just like all of them had,” my eyes scanned around the room looking for anything that might even resemble a video feed. The corners were clear, the office didn’t have any from what I could tell, “Whoever you are, I need to say I never outright targeted the gunners… just happened to be the wrong place, and wrong time.”

“Wrong place and time you say? That might have been true for most of them,” were they actually understanding that much, or at the very least agreeing with me… kinda. Although I doubted it’d get me any brownie points, it’s not like they couldn’t hear what I said over this thing, even in a building this radio was crystal clear, “Though it would have been better if you let my sister settle the score.”

That… wasn’t over the radio.

Thump, thump, thump.

‘Oh, so not-!’ terrible thoughts to be had at a time like this, and even without wings I found myself hurtled through the air from the blasts. I’d gone through a wall before, though that was drywall. This was cinderblocks, glass, and metal bars… my head danced, joints groaned, and now I knew what it meant to be a battering ram.

Warning: Armor integrity: 17%

Thanks for the reminder, as if the blood trickling down the inside of the suit wasn’t enough. Tumble looked at me about ready to yelp, but the little shake I gave her with my head hushed her. I could take this punishment, I think, either way I’d last longer than her. The servos finally began to respond, and from the smashed desk I limped back towards the opening in the office my suit made back into the lobby. On the ground floor was clear, though I didn’t have to look far to find out where that came from.

Up those stairs I saw it, I wasn’t sure what model that was… but it sure was power armor. Even in the dim lit light, my visor could still make out the crudely welded plates on the original suit, as well as the munitions. Reflex took over on that one, and I gulped while listing off what was staring me down. That IF-451 didn’t look friendly, nor did the IF-86 similar to Rogues across the shoulder, and I already knew what an IF-92 like Riffs’ could do… now where had I heard this setup before?

“… Fuck…” I muttered inside the helmet, and hoped they didn’t hear it, “Lock, is it?”

“The one and only,” the mare bobbed me a curtsy of all things, and the latches along her helmet popped open… I hate to say it, but why was she so damned pretty? Her chocolate mane looked to be well kept, even under that helmet, and I couldn’t see a speck of dirt tainting her ivory coat. Those rosy eyes of the unicorn might catch some colts’ attention, but they were leaking venom while they stared down at me, just like Barrels had, “It amazes me how much one pony can be such a knife in my ass…”

I mean, that’s one way to put it, “Not as if it was intentional.”

She didn’t seem mused by that, “Most things in the wasteland aren’t done intentionally… killing a raider to survive means one of his clan may be out of a lover, ransacking a town could lead to just one more place a caravan won’t visit,” I already knew what she meant, ripples in a pond spread after all, “ending a sniper only to upset the rest of her family…”

And I knew all too well what she meant by that one! I didn’t get half a second to think before her helmet dropped, she was in the air, on the ground, and slamming her limbs against my chest. Her hooves were strong from the years out in wastes, before I knew what happened my back was shoved against the pillar as she pressed me in to the concrete. Power armor against itself should have been an even fight, but how the hell was this mare so strong?! Chems, it had to be chems… well two can play at-!

Her hoof socked me in the side, and with one go the wind let out of me. I was getting really tired of tasting my own- blood! For one moment my vision was inverted, and the next my back was on the ground. Tile cracked underneath the weight, and even with my vision fading in and out the mini spun up. 5mm wouldn’t do a damn thing to a suit like that, but it’d give her something to-

Another hoof came down to my side, and just like that the mini stopped spinning. One of my own reached out for hers to throw the mare off balance, but she learned this skill through trial by fire. I picked everything up by trial and error from a lab. A buck from her landed in my jaw and sent me spinning across the floor. Not enough force to go through the wall like before, but more than enough to put a serious dent in the suit as I slumped to the ground.

Warning: Armor integrity: 10%

Critical failure imminent!

Okay, a combination of chems and time spent in the wasteland. How else would it feel like I just got hit by a forging hammer? The same stomp of those hammers started to fill my ears as she approached, and Lock didn’t look in a hurry to get to me. At least that’s what it appeared from the four of her in my eyes. One of them had to be real, and if my vision wouldn’t play along the mini would!

Barrels weren’t supposed to grind like that… oh, I hoped that was just my eyes being all screwy right now. Two of the barrels were almost snapped in two from her stomp, and the third kept tapping in to my side as it attempted to spin. So long my dear friend, shotty it was then! S.A.T.S kicked on, and I got that tell tail time distortion the spell gave out. Three shells clicked across her suit, she was just past the butter zone, but it’d do something at least.

One shell aimed at her gun went wide, the second only about half those pellets make their mark, and third one’s the charm. I got to see in slow-motion the enchanted munitions pepper across those plates… and not do a damn thing. Seriously, all I did was take some of the rust off!

Her visor went from me, then lower… wait, did her gun just follow? Sure enough, the shoulder mount followed her helmet, and a 5.56 dug right in my foreleg while I sat there. Then another went for my left, and with each shot I heard the suit start to wane as it did whatever it could to keep me breathing.

Another healing potion, and another bullet…

Another bullet, and another percent down…

Lock tutted while she waltzed over, “I’d expected a whole lot more out of you, or was it just dumb luck you got the leg up on Barrel?” to be fair, she did over step her mark and went off the building herself.

Warning: Armor integrity: 5%

Critical failure imminent!

Finally, she got right up next to me, and stopped. Her visor twisted down to meet mine, and so did the muzzle… just make it a head shot and get it over with. The flash rocked against my ears, but that pain in my shoulder told me what I knew already. She wanted to take her time with this one.

Warning: Armor integrity: 4%

“She did that, to herself,” I managed to squeeze that out between chomping down on my teeth.

Warning: Armor integrity: 3%

Not the smartest thing to say, “You have to be about done in there by now,” she looked over the suit, and I couldn’t help but do the same. The holes she was making weren’t closing up with any of the urgency I’d hope for, and she must have known what that meant, “then I can take ya back to base… have some real fun.”

Warning: Armor integrity: 2%

“I already called dibs on getting the first few licks in on ya, so Stock will have to wait his turn,” the visor stared at me still, and if it wasn’t for the lighting, I might have thought the metal started to smile, “could make a game of hunting your friends afterwards… after all, misery loves company.”

Warning: Armor integrity: 1%

In Lunas’ name you’re a twisted mare…

Warning: Armor integrity: 0%

I felt the talisman pop from the panel on the side, and just like that. No more repair work for me, although that’d be the least of my concerns right about now. Lock had me at the end of a barrel, three of them actually. All I had was a shotgun that’d kill me at this range, and bundle of metal tubing on my side.

Her head raised up from mine, and behind that shroud had to be the look of satisfaction. She’d won, and I couldn’t do a thing about it. So why did her helmet begin to snap around? With a jerk her head went back, a contrail passed between us. With what little strength left, I looked off to the side, and there prone on the ground was Tumble… the lockdown was up, and Mercy was out. How had she seen that coming?! Lock didn’t have eyes in the back… shit, E.F.S.

Another shot rang out, this one Lock still maneuvered past on towards cover. All my friend needed was one clean shot. I knew what the rifle could do to me, and her extra plating wouldn’t save her from a torso hit. AMR rounds blew chunks out of the pillar, if Tumble couldn’t hit her, she’d just go through that cover then. Right gun to do it with, but come on I had to do something. My hooves tried to move, and with the display bleeding off the last of my potions I fought up.

Wasn’t the first time I moved in the suit while it was nearly scrap, and I wasn’t about to let this mare do Rogue dirty like that! The plating was trashed, and servos started to squeal, but they were still working at least. I just had to draw her attention away from Tumble long enough with the shotty for Mercy to get a clean line of sight, one round would be enough, I hope. Only one way to find-

Thump.

The blast put me back on the ground, and once again inside I could see the warnings going off about what needed repaired… yeah, I know. Her attention was on me at least, and Tumble was just ahead- in the hoof of Lock.

My heart skipped a beat, and I watched one mare start to choke the life out of the other. Mercy was a fantastic weapon, but not up close like this. Lock was Barrels older sister, and she knew the weapon well. All of its strengths, and weaknesses. Although now she’d just caught Tumble using her dead sisters’ gun.

“Ya know…” I watched her grip tighten a bit more, that was spite in those words, “this one I might just kill now,” the barrel on the carbine swiveled down.

Two shots echoed in the lobby, and just like S.A.T.S. time seemed to slow down. Tumbles face I saw go from blue to white as snow, and she looked towards the fresh holes in her armor as the trails of crimson flowed out from underneath. Locks’ vale just dragged towards me with the utmost of disinterest, as out of my throat lurched a gut-wrenching yell. A flick of her hoof later, and she tossed Tumble off to the ground as her hooves started heading my way.

‘Get up…’

So, this was the real wasteland, wasn’t it?

‘Get… up…’

This mare had hardened herself in it for years, and I was just a guest.

‘I said get up!’

Time to check out then…

Thump.

I looked up, and the round hit Locks side. Her whole body twisted about from the impact, but she still stood her ground and watched the next few shells come down range. Not direct hits, though they left a mark on her that I couldn’t come close to. Those flashes were coming from down the hall, somepony was putting an arch on that 40mm, and I could hear her jaw ready to crack under the helmet.

A larger blast than before managed to rock her further away from the pair of us, and I saw the missiles contrail lingering. Across her plates I saw not sparks from rounds hitting, but actual damage for once as it dug in to the plates. Yet, even with that, she didn’t seem too worried about standing there a bit longer, “Ahh… the carvery arrives,” she met my gaze again, and through this glass I hoped she felt the daggers I wanted to stab her with, “Do me a favor, don’t die just yet, I’m not done with you…” turning away she started to gallop in the opposite direction from the oncoming fire.

That mare was armed, angry, and worst of all… smart. She knew when to leave. Something I was still learning, ‘you do the same,’ I groaned under the weight as I pushed up and looked down the hall she went. Before turning my attention to the one opposite.

Riff was the first one in the lobby, 40mm launcher hanging off one shoulder, and a very beaten-up gryphon on the other. Deacon wiggled himself free, dropped his own launcher, got back to his feet, and with a bit of work he still hobbled over to the mares’ side as she was brought up into his lap.

Fresh wounds littered over his own coat, mirrored only by the hellhound herself. Just what had they gotten in to while gone? Nothing better than what me and Tumble did, that’s for sure. Wounded or not from their travels through the school. Neither of them looked like they cared, Deacon sure didn’t. He just looked focused as he held on to the motionless mare and checked her over while I approached.

“Is she gonna be alright?” it was stupid to ask, and the gryphon looked at a loss for once.

His digits went to her neck, and from his beak I could see him counting. “Her pulse is weak…” he commented while still reading off the beats. I imagine so, that was a lot of blood for one pony to lose… Tipping it over from his side Deacon emptied his bags out on the ground and started fishing out whatever potions he could hold in those talons, before feeding them down the mares’ throat. Not really a substitute for blood mind you, “There’s little I can do from here to actually help, just prolong.”

Right, not the place to play wasteland doctor, “we need to get back,” I looked towards the front door.

If Tumble had gotten the lockdown lifted, then maybe she shut down the guns as well. No gunners were pouring through to meet us just yet, and the quickest way from point A to point B was a straight line. Riff didn’t hesitate as she cradled the mare around her claws and lifted her upon across one shoulder. If there were any outside, close range would have to do as I racked another shell. Deacon was still packing AP rounds, so that gave us an advantage, and RR could shoot that launcher with one paw.

We’d have to make a break for it.

My hoof knocked the front door clean open, and outside we stepped…

“You’ve got to be joking…” I think the law goes anything that can go wrong will. No wonder there weren’t any gunners, here to greet us was a squad of rangers in their place.

“Rogue Ranger,” the one at the head of them called out, and I recognized something on him.

Another beat my chest went over, and that feeling was felt with the rest of my group. Riff looked to every one of them ready to let the lead start flying, and Deacon already had his carbine at the ready. Though this was a three to one fight, and given what they were carrying. They didn’t care about dead or alive at this point.

“You remember those Balefire egg launchers I talked about,” Deacon passed his eye to me as I pointed them out along a few of the rangers, “That’d be them.” Even from here I could see the envious glow of their payload. As if they’d need to use them with what the leader packed on his side.

“Follow us quietly,” said leader of the bunch demanded, and he’d already sized up our predicament. We really weren’t in any place to argue, “your presence is requested at base.”

“Over dogs’ dead body,” Riff started to snarl.

“That’s… probably the point,” my hooves moved forward past them and to the rangers. There’s only so much a stallion could do in this situation, fight and probably lose all his friends, or comply and hope for the best. At least this way, they could get out of here and perhaps get to the town in time. I didn’t have to look to know the glares they were giving me as I went towards the rangers, though they had to see the helplessness in this as well. “If I go, quietly, you won’t fire upon them?” how much could you trust their word? Or his for that matter now…

“On my oath as a ranger, we just want you,” he answered, yeah… whatever that amounted to now a days.

Sometimes you just had to bite the bullet, “Alright… I’ll come.”

Just like that, with my friends still rearing for a fight, I waved the white flag. It wouldn’t look pretty when they got back, but they could still make it back to town in one piece at least. With a heavy weight falling on my chest, I stepped forward amongst their ranks, each suit glaring at me with all the sharpness of a needle.

Up until I got to one that lead their spear, “Lead the way… Paladin.”

Tungsten merely nodded his head, “of course, and thank you… Rogue Ranger.”

Footnote: Error. Please stand by.

Chapter twenty-two: A good one

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Chapter twenty-two: A good one

Power armor always had one nasty draw back to it, shock attacks. A well-placed spell, or spark grenade and all of a sudden you were nothing more than a paperweight. Sure, the application of such a charge might not be immediately fatal to the occupant, though it would do a number on the magical components inside.

Those attacks were usually high voltage, just like the last time it happened to me with a live wire in a pool of water. Like clockwork it fried the matrix and shut everything down, though the plating at least protects other components on the inside such as a Pip-Buck. As for the occupant, they’ll taste metal for a bit longer afterwards.

Then there were other ways of using a shock. For example, if you put a lower voltage between two points on the suit. Say… hind hoof to forehoof? Then you could pump it right through the user, while keeping a majority of the systems intact. They might need to be reset like with any other shock to the system, but it wouldn’t permanently damage them. It’d just make a really bad day for the poor pony inside.

And today, I was that poor pony.

“Hit him again,” one ranger said to another, as the later turned up a dial and flipped the switch.

I’d been shocked before at work, and the knee jerk response to that was to pull you hoof away as fast as possible. Although I wanted to jump ten feet through this ceiling, and hopefully crack a few skulls on the way down, the chains wrapped around each of my hooves put a damper on that one.

So, I did all I could do, grind my teeth into near dust till they turned that switch back off. I’d been lucky, they put the electrical connections between my front and back hooves that didn’t include the Pip-Buck. Might not have lessened the pain any more of all your muscles wanting to contract at once with nowhere to go, but if I got out of this thing then I should be able to reboot the system.

Though that if was getting bigger by the second…

“Are you done in there yet?” one of the rangers asked with a tap to my helmet. Oh boy do I wish I knew combat spells right about now, “care to release the locks?”

My jaw was still too tense with the remaining charge to let out a word, so I let the helmet shaking do the talking. That firing bit was probably the only thing keeping me from biting my tongue in half, though with both my guns removed, I wasn’t getting any fireworks out of chomping down on it. Only so much I’d be able to do with the shotgun anyway, though these two weren’t in power armor either.

Scribes? I think they were called when I was hauled in here and chained down, certainly not interrogators. Their uniforms looked like nothing I’d see from the war, not much more than utility barding with a few tools pressed to their side. I barely had what felt like half a second between shocks, not enough time to answer them, or even throw out an insult. Certainly not enough time to pull that hammer from one of their sides and do some skull cracking.

It still gave em enough time to look over the suit as the juice pumped through me. They were smart enough to know just how much of a shock to give me, bastards… “The armor doesn’t seem to be repairing,” the mare of the two noted when the charge stopped, “the repair talisman might have been damaged during his fight with those savages.”

Savages… says the pony shocking me to near death!

“We can always replace it, once we get him to come out of his shell…” the colt once again turned his attention to me, “hear that? All we need is you to come out, and this all can stop.”

Why don’t I believe that? Maybe because of the smirk he was giving me as well, not very convincing on your part. My silence answered him, and he returned it with another shock. Honestly at this point I was sure the colt was getting some sort of sick thrill out of this.

“Scribe Wallard, that’s enough,” another called out, and with what movement I had left my neck turned to see Tungsten Shield coming through the door. He looked, different? I mean as different as a metal body could, come to think of it… had I ever seen him out of that suit before? “It was ordered that the suit and occupant be unharmed, to the greatest degree possible.”

That shut down the scribe a bit, and I watched him turn the dial down, “Apologies’ Paladin, though this colt has proven to be quite stubborn…”

Yeah, I get that a lot, “Tends to happen when you pump a current through somepony, they get a temper,” Wallards’ hoof went straight for the switch, and I braced as the shock was about to come… any second now… huh? Tungsten was holding the hoof of the scribe in place, and I about swore his visor glowed red at the colt.

“Unharmed, do I have to spell it out for you Scribe?” he let the hoof go, and we both watched the colt take a step or two back.

“You all have a broad range for that term,” I grumbled back to him beneath the visor. I didn’t need to see my coat to know there were patches of raw flesh that’d likely never heal.

Tungsten still glared at the pair with us, before his own visor finally came back to me, “For what it’s worth, they originally wanted you dead after the trouble you’d caused some of our other members,” humph was that supposed to make me feel better? “I convinced them otherwise, relayed how you helped my team out in the field, and said you might be able to be reasoned with.”

I’d probably get shot in the skull if my visor popped now, but he had to imagine the look I gave him. Convinced might not be the best word, “Normally I’m a reasonable colt, I’d like to think, though I draw the line at torture and interrogation,” for a split second there he flinched, that stung the Paladin a little, “I thought you were one of the good ones there for a bit.”

That armor of his looked like it went down a few inches from where I was standing, and while the others in the room appeared about ready to give me another dose of juice. The Paladin held them off with a hoof, “I deserved that, considering your treatment here… though there wasn’t much of a choice that was left for us when you wouldn’t get out, we all want the same thing in the end,” ya’ll just have a nasty way of getting to that end. Tungsten found the desk behind him in the room, and under the groan of its legs his armor propped up against it.

“You have a very special gift it would seem, Rogue,” he nodded off towards me, and I’d bet my horn the suit as well, “Far more than I’d have thought went we first met… and one that would be invaluable to the Steel Rangers.”

So… that’s where this was going? It wasn’t an execution, “You’re… recruiting me?”

“Think it over, you’re skilled with the armor and can clearly make necessary upgrades,” I don’t know about making them out right. Although, with enough time, a unicorn could put the same spell imprints I have on a matrix for another suit, “for the Rangers a unicorn like you in our ranks would only help our cause, and if anything, accelerate them.” Your cause… that phrase bounced around my head, and while it did the Paladin got off his rump and started making a circle around me. “The wastes could be tamed once again, and all of its equine would sleep a lot easier at night with the security that would bring… all the Steel Rangers need is an extra helping hoof.”

I mean… what’s not to like about that? The tech the rangers had could help a lot of those out here in the wasteland. You don’t have to worry about a raider base if you can level the whole field with a Brown Betty. Any pony could sleep with both eyes closed with a patrol of rangers walking a towns parameter. Plus, I’d like to see any creature being taken as a slave, when there would be a steel battering ram knocking down the slavers door to get em back. It all sounded just perfect, and what the rangers were supposed to be.

Then again, that was the old rangers.

“It’s a lie,” the mumble from my lips I knew was too quiet for him to hear, and I just waited for Tungsten to lean in a bit more, “Your cause is a lie!” There that got his attention, “you say we all want the same thing, but why haven’t the rangers helped out anything yet? You’ve been hoarding technology for half a decade, and what have you done with it all?” silence, that’s what I’d expected from his end, and those scribes that joined us. For all the power this branch of the Equestrian Military once held, they really were terrible at lifting their hooves for a fellow equine, “Nothing? Am I right? How about myself now… with the only piece of tech we share being a suit, what have I accomplished in a fraction of that time?”

Liberated a slaver operation, rescued a father from said slavers, took out the head leader of a gang, cleared a hellhound nest, killed a third of the gunners’ leadership… not counting however many of their own members. All the while tracking a mare through the wasteland for my own personal reasons, and in the end helping their entire town survive by charging down into the depths of a stable. I didn’t need to relay any of that to them, the important bits they’d probably already heard from the radio, but my point still stood.

“Your average stallion, who’s just a bit better with tech, has done more in just over a month than ya’ll have in the years you’d been out,” my hoof stomped in to the ground. At least, it tried to, if it weren’t for these chains. “Still nothing? Here, let me help you with what you’ve accomplished… fear,” his helmet cocked as it looked at me, “Since getting this armor anytime I walked into a town everypony was waiting for me to open up on them, take what they had and leave.” His puzzlement held firm, then again, he hadn’t been the one to walk amongst others and see the worried glares coming my way.

“Even when rescuing a wash of ponies from chains and bomb collars, you know what they expected when freed?” I didn’t give him time to even think, “for me to kill em all… I can’t blame them for thinking it honestly, first rangers I found after getting the suit shot a colt for his weapon.” You ever think they wonder why most ponies look at them sideways? There’s probably a million and one ways the rangers had been described by folks out here, though I think one mare summed it up quite nicely, “The rangers have become nothing more than well-armed thugs, and from my view… you’re the ones that need taming.”

Tungsten was silent again, and Wallard looked at that switch with an increasing urge to press it. Only the mare looked composed out of the trio, until she popped to attention and held a hoof across her breast.

“Elder,” she bowed, and I watched both the colts follow that same gesture.

Just who was…? Oh, you look fancy. Remember how I said versions of the better schematics only got out to those that were higher ranks before? This must have been one of those ponies. There didn’t seem much difference from the average suit, but it did look slimmer. His servos didn’t whirl when he walked, and even being a stallion for his age, those hooves handled the suit like it weighed nothing. I remembered something like this back then, all the protection, but far more agility for the user.

You know, the total opposite of what I had going for me. Although I’m kinda glad my suit didn’t have all the bells and whistles his did. My eyes started to dance along the decorations engraved into the metal itself. Across those normally steel grey plates were the very etchings and embroidery you’d expect to see on a family heirloom, not a suit made for war. Never the less the suit itself looked well taken care of, just like the guns along its sides. Let’s see… AER-9 Plasma Caster, and an IF-100 like the one I started this journey with.

Yep, still made for war.

“Easy now scribes, and yourself Paladin, there’s no need for that…” the stallion opted out of wearing his helmet, which let me see his graying mane and stone coat. It didn’t look war torn and weathered like I’d expected from one his age, though the glare of that yellow iris could have peeled paint. “Especially not here with our guest.” Guest? Really now? Terrible hotel if you ask me, hell for all I knew we could be in a hotel… if it wasn’t for that damn sack they threw on me before we’d arrived, “You’ll have to forgive me for meeting you so late, I had hoped to have this conversation face to face, but your cooperation has been slow, and I’m inpatient.”

You sounded every bit condescending as I’d imagine an Elder, whatever that is, would sound, “Then you’ll have to forgive me for being difficult, but I don’t take kindly to those tarnishing the name of heroes.”

“Hmm… heroes? I hadn’t heard that term for the rangers since my own father,” Oh great, now a family history lesson, “he always talked of my grandfather and the war, those they’d lost within their command, families that were broken apart by it, even what they could have done different from the princesses to save all this from happening.” A lot of things could have been done differently, and I doubted he’d be able to spin it in any way to get me to believe what they’re doing now would be considered the right solution. “Those heroes could crush any foe they came across, and how you might ask…?” I did not like him being this close to my face! “Technology, it’s what Equestria used to rule over the battlefield, and what can save us once again.”

This was starting to make me wonder if ponies should have ever gotten past the stone age… once you got a little too smart for your own good, and figured out how to marry magic with machines and what not. It was all downhill from there.

There were plenty of ponies out there making due with bare minimum. Turning crops without much sun to grow em, or even drawing water out the ground by burning crap… that pure equine stubbornness had kept plenty of ponies from pushing up daises.

“My father, and grandfather never got the chance to see the surface for what it became,” the Elder sounded a bit solemner at that, before his gaze met mine again, “though that might have been for the best, they would have burned everything in sight and decided to start anew… I at least see the potential in some of this country that’s left.”

Great… I got the optimist of the bunch, “and you want me to be a part of that.”

“Against my better judgement, for as much trouble as you might bring us, your talents have been highly spoken for,” only one other in the room knew what I could do, and he kept that visor away from my own, “Elder Gallant had a vision he picked up from his father, and passed on to me, and that was to crush the reckless parts of this country with force if needed… and from what I’ve seen, force is what will be required,” his hoof touched the end of my chin, and picked my helmet up to meet his face. Where was a headbutt when you needed it? “You could be the final piece to that puzzle, upgrade all our chess pieces to sweep the board clean…”

Wait… Elder Gallant, I knew I heard that name at least. Back before when it was still Knight Gallant. If it was all one family tree then no wonder this colt picked up so much animosity for what happened in the past. Iron Hoof passed that hate down to his son, and then the son after him… too bad they didn’t teach him anything in terms of negotiation skills.

“Take back every scrap of tech this place has to offer, so that we may right the wrongs from the past,” could you be less creepy, and not hold my chin while talking like that?! “What do ya say?”

Any other would have had their mouthwatering at what he offered. You’d have protection by the entirety of the steel rangers. Live better than any part of the wasteland I’ve seen so far. Plus, all one skilled in the same craft would have to do is what they’ve been doing for years since.

It was an offer that your average pony out here would have taken up in a heartbeat, and one I would have grabbed if you asked me almost a month and a half ago. For all his song and dance, this Elder forgot one thing though. I’d seen what the wasteland turned the rangers into, that take back comment really doing it in for me. They’d already taken enough by force to help, and they haven’t given a thing in return. So, if you asked me… they didn’t need any fancier toys.

“No.”

“Come again?”

“I said… NO!” the speaker on the suit blared out in to his ear. I’m so glad out of all the systems, that was still working… worth it, “you want to do more for the betterment of the wasteland and Equestria, then do it with what you have… I’m not giving you an extra hoof up on any competition.”

Clank!

Old geezer or not, this colt could still swing! His hoof struck across the helmet once more for good measure, and if it weren’t for the chains, I might have hit the ground, “How. Dare. You,” he let in another hit, “I offer you the chance of a lifetime, and you spit in my face. You think you’re making a difference out there? A place or two cleared of scum won’t change a thing, they’ll be back in a week,” I tried to fight it, but his hoof still managed to pull me into facing him, “every little thing you’ve accomplished will be undone in time, why not settle for something more permanent?”

Even in a helmet, I smelled the blood ready to trickle from my nostrils. How many times have I gotten beaten up since leaving the stable? Was it really all worth it? “I might not be able to save the whole wasteland, but if I can make a part of it a little better… that’s good enough for me.” short answer, yes, it is.

Not the answer he wanted, and he let me know that with an uppercut. Now I was thankful for these chains, otherwise they might have had to cut me out of the ceiling. “I was afraid of that… such a waste,” the elder shook his head at me, before turning towards the door, “up the current till either he pops or the suit does, if the suit goes first… make sure he doesn’t last much longer.”

Wallard looked all too happy to oblige by that order, and I knew that’d be it for me if the power didn’t give out soon. What was the likelihood of my friends tracking me from the power surges in the local area? Probably about the same of them doing it from my screeches as the current started to pick up. The scribe didn’t even wait for the Elder to leave the room, he just kept the switch on and slowly cranked the dial up. At its lowest setting I could feel my muscles start to tense up and pull, though with nowhere to go, they just contracted in place.

“Elder!” Tungsten yelled out, and cut off his superior on his way out the door, “willing to help us or not, the Rogue Ranger here is not like the usual wasteland monster we run across,” for a moment that visor looked to mine, and through it I could see some regret of bringing me here.

The Elder held up a hoof to him, “He is a Rogue for a reason, even if the suit is relinquished, likely he’ll still stand against us at one time or another.”

Behind all the plating and hinges of that helmet, something in Tungsten was about to burst, “Elder Snatchback! You would put so little value on a citizens life?” between a squint I watched the Elder stop in his tracks, “I implore you, once out of the suit, let him go… he can only help those in the wastes like he’s done already, it’s not our place to take away one of the good ones.”

Snatchback, as it would seem, wasn’t having any of it, “It’s our place to do as we see fit, Paladin,” oh that made Tungsten shrink back a bit, “and work toward the completion of our goals… even if that means snuffing the life out of just one pony.”

Just one pony indeed… the Elder didn’t so much as look back to me when he went out the door, Tungsten on the other hoof stared for a good few seconds before he retreated as well. I might have had a chance if the Paladin was in charge of this bunch, like he was the group when we first met, but as of now I was at the hooves of this Elder Snatchback. More particularly, at the hooves of a Scribe with an itchy hoof… It was gonna be a long night, if I lasted that long.

Again, that if was getting mighty big…

***

The clock shorted out after the first hour, though I’m not sure if that helped the time go by faster or not. In any case, blacking out half the time did let the night go by a whole lot faster than I expected. Not that it was getting any easier, inside the suit I could feel those raw patches of skin that had too much current go through them rub against the side of the suit. Not the most comfortable situation, that raw skin must have broken into blisters by now from the charge. Plus, with the chem pump was on the same fritz as the rest of the suit, they weren’t gonna heal up any time soon either.

At least the Scribes had gotten tired, or bored, for the evening and retired. That left me still standing, in the middle of a room chained up, inside a suit with nowhere to go. Hell, I didn’t even know where I was still. Like an idiot I hadn’t bothered to look at the damn map while we were walking here. Even if I did get out, I’d probably have plenty of miles between myself and the settlement to cover. With the suit in its condition now, would it even make it?

Next question, would this guy stop snoring?

The guard that was supposed to be watching me had his hooves kicked up on the desk since he’d came in after the Scribes. There weren’t any keys on him, otherwise this would have been a quick escape. Levitate the keys off, open the locks, knock him out… then get out of this place while avoiding ever breathing thing in it.

Yeah, quick…

Alas, I got to watch the colt get comfortable for the night as he made himself at home. He knew I wasn’t going anywhere, and just like the day had been. Tomorrow would probably be a lot of the same routine. Shock, question, shock, threaten, shock… rinse and repeat.

I hadn’t had a drink since just before we started scoping out the school, let alone food, ‘Why didn’t they include a built-in water spout to this thing?’ I waited a moment for the suit to answer. Before only the rumble inside the chest plating responded, if shocking wasn’t going to work, starvation was next on their list. Then it dawned on me, I help work on these damn suits, so in reality I was partly my fault for the user not being able to get a drink, ‘well hindsight’s twenty-twenty…’

The door opened up for the first time since the guard came in to take over, and would ya look at that… Sleepy here wasn’t in a coma after all, “Paladin,” he popped to with a salute.

Hmm there’s only on ranger of that rank who’d be coming to see me, coincidentally the only one I knew, “Tungsten Shield…”

That suit of armor strode in, but the visor hadn’t even looked at me. The Paladin went straight passed myself and to the guard still at attention. Sleepy held his salute the entire time he was being glared at, and I about half expected him to be dropped for sleeping on the job. At the very least an ass chewing.

“Guard… take a walk,” whelp not an ass chewing then, just as the salute was dropped that colt had already made his way past the door.

The Scribes couldn’t get me, Elder Brokeback didn’t spur any interest on my part, and Tungsten had already tried beforehoof. Makes ya wonder, “What card are you gonna play now?” I asked, and waited for him to turn around to face me, “Your ideals? Maybe how its for the better of what's left of this country? Threaten my life outright?”

I heard that sigh behind the metal, “Do you understand at all what the rangers have been trying to do?” after a shake of that helmet, his hooves started pacing back and forth there where I could see him, “We’ve been gathering all this gear to make our fight easier, the only creatures who out tech us are the Enclave, and they haven’t made any interest in the surface since we’ve been here.”

“Gathering also counts as stealing,” I’d already seen that first hoof, “and if you’ve been doing that for the last five years or so, then how come no pony has made the call to action yet?”

“It’s not so simpl-”

He tried to get that word out, but I’ve been getting tired to hearing excuses, “Then make it simple! You have big guns, kill bad things that harm good ponies!” there were probably so many more logistical aspects of that, but you get my point.

The armor slumped a bit, and I didn’t know it at the time but apparently the look of disgrace could splay across plating. Tungsten seemed like a logical colt, cared about those under him, and wanted what was best for ponies in general. He had to see the plight in this, how their own actions were driving them further from helping their fellow equine.

At least in an ideal world he saw that, “The Elder has been taking suggestions you know…” Oh? Were one of those suggestions to get- “he still sees the value in your knowledge, and after a suggestion from another in his council, the argument is being made to seek out your group to force your compliance…”

Not the reply I was expecting honestly, and I had to do some quick math on just how easy it’d be to find them. “Good… luck with that,” From my calculations it didn’t look good in the Rangers favor. Keep your eyes out for a gryphon, earth pony mare, and hellhound… the latter might be easier to pick out of a crowd, but given I’d see what those claws could do. There wasn’t much doubt she’d be able to take em and bolt.

“This is serious, Wildfire,” huh? Guess we were on a name basis now that the guard wasn’t in here, “Elder Snatchback is not one to be trifled with, and he’s as stubborn as they come… it doesn’t matter how long, if we could find you, he’ll find them, and this time I doubt it’ll go as peacefully as it did with you,” I wouldn’t imagine so with Riff Raff being in that bunch. “You’re a good stallion, and like you said, you’ve done more than the rangers could have dreamed with that one suit… please, reconsider it?”

Well… at least he admitted I was right. Never the less, as true as those words were, they didn’t have the leverage, “Without my friends, you have no cards to play… so my answer remains the same.”

“And what of when he tracks down not only your friends, but also where you’ve been kicking your hooves up?” ahh… come again with that last one? “The Elder’s not stupid, after the suggestion was made about your friends, he mentioned finding your base… it could be a town, settlement, or village, it’ll be all the same to him once they’re in his grasp.”

Snatchback had mentioned chess earlier… and this must have been his checkmate.

It might have taken a month, but I found the place in time. All the Elder would have to do would be follow where I’ve been, and who I talked to. Those breadcrumbs would lead him right to Barkston, and after that he’d have to make his own way north amongst the mountains. Was it possible to do? Sure, but stubborn or not, I’d take him quite a bit… hopefully.

I tried to hide my concern behind a laugh, or at least a confident tone. “Still, good luck with that… I had a hard-enough time finding the place,” plus a generous stroke of luck running in to the daughter of the mare I was looking for. Otherwise I’d still be roaming around the wastes, “Elder Snatchback might as well just kill me at this point, because I’ll probably be dead of old age before he finds it.”

“That’s option two,” Tungsten spilled, though truth be told, I wasn’t surprised that came next, “valuable or not, there comes a time where eventually baggage becomes dead weight.”

Who knew how long a fuse this Elder would have with me before he decided to cut that weight free? I would guess before he was willing to send out the rangers to comb the lands in search of that settlement. Then again, I’ve probably wasted enough of his time now with the interrogation, and before with getting out of those previous attempts on my life. Chances are that fuse was getting mighty short, and I doubted I would be here for very long.

My friends would be safe once I was gone. Even if Snatchback was the vengeful sort, and I’d put money on it that he was. It’d just get that much harder to find them with me out of the picture. For a moment there we just both looked at one another, our visors locked in with one another. He knew there wasn’t a thing he could say for me to change my mind, and I knew this would be the end of the road.

“Whelp…” I gave the best shrug I could, “can’t win em all can ya?” Really, how else could I respond? His gaze didn’t leave mine, even as the guard walked back in.

“No…” he answered and shook his head, “I guess you can’t.”

One buck from a back hoof later, and the guard smashed against the wall, before his head slumped to the- wait, what the fuck just happened? Tungsten stood there, heaving heavy breaths through the muzzle of the suit. He didn’t sound winded so much as like he was about to have a panic attack, I would too if I just did the same thing. For a few seconds the Paladins’ glare steadied on that guard he hit, and watched where he laid. Sleepy here wasn’t getting up any time soon, and after he did it’d be a good stay in medical for him.

“Good, he’s still breathing,” that was your intent?! At this point I was pretty sure my neck would snap with trying to look at what Tungsten was doing. Whatever it was, I could feel those chains start to slacken and fall to the floor.

“Where the hell did this come from?!” my turn for hyperventilating! “You go from trying to negotiate, to outright decking another and freeing me?”

If the silence before was killing me, now I was getting revived just to die all over again. Was this a ploy? A trick? Something to give me a glimmer of hope and then swipe it out from my feet, just so I’d give up those skills. The back panel of the suit opened up and I felt something clicking in to it as he went to work.

Anything at all there, Paladin?

“You can reboot your systems still, correct,” he walked out of my blind spot and over back towards the door, “just like when we met.”

Habazwa? “Umm… yeah, I can,” assuming the Pip-Buck wasn’t shot to all hell. Though I wasn’t ready to get out of my only shield just yet, “Why?”

Once more his visor went back to me, and I heard a heavy heart finally fall through that breath, “Because you’re right… The rangers have been sitting too idle, and if a regular pony could do their own part to make things a little better,” one compartment opened up on his chest plate, and out he fished what looked like a stone, “Then why the hell haven’t we yet?”

Alrighty then… I could live with that answer, just like I’d done before my horn undid those latches and pried the suit open like a tin can. It wasn’t an elegant process, but it got the job done. Before long I was- ‘Ouch…’ meeting the floor again with my face, guess this is what happens when you stand for too long. Stubbornness brought me back to the panel he’d opened, and I propped myself up as best I could against it till my legs woke up.

“Think fast,” What was that? My horn caught the stone he once held, about a foot before it smacked against the side of the suit. Let’s see, definitely a kind of diamond, though with an aqua tint to it? Rare for sure, but what were you for? “we’ll need it, trust me.”

Trust you… how far would I get if I didn’t? There along the inside of the panel was the matrix and talisman slots. Right where I’d put it, I found the dull stone that had once been a repair talisman. The light had been snuffed out of it after that scuffle with Lock, and it looked about as bad as I’d imagine. Now that I was seeing it from the outside, the whole suit had been put through the ringer.

The same holes the mare left as she shot my legs and shoulder, littered up and down the platting. Even some of the damage from those grenades remained along the underbelly. No wonder the talisman burned itself out, too much damage at one time would cook just about any spell. As much of a mess as I was. I’d be damned if it didn’t try to keep up with the punishment, and keep me breathing along the way. My Pip-Buck plugged in to the suit as an aura took care of the gift from Tungsten, and slid it into place.

While I was at it, all this hoof work gave me a perfect chance to look at my own hide, “That… might be infected…” wounds really weren’t supposed to have clear liquid coming from them, were they? Now in the open air I could feel the raw skin start to- oh Luna stop it!

One of the Med-X injectors felt the wrath of my horn as I ripped it out, and jabbed the needle in to my side. Breath… I tried to follow my own advice, and while I did the chems pumped through my system bringing that searing visceral skin down to a tender sunburn. Best not to think about it.

“So… that’s it? You agree with me?” I gritted between my teeth and asked Tungsten as he watched the door, trying to keep hot needles in my limbs at bay. All the while the Pip-Buck clicked away between menus, and I brought up the suit to get it back online.

“That… Plus, I wasn’t lying with what I told the Elder,” my eyes might have been deep within codes, but I gave half an ear raised to hear him out, “you’re a good pony Wildfire,” and two ears raised now, “it’d be a waste to let ya die here like a stripe in the mud… not while there’s more you can do.”

Hmm… my stay in the wastes ain’t quite done yet, isn’t it? Not while I had anything to say about it, and with a purr I heard the matrix kick back to life. I think the suit agreed with that sentiment. What damage remained my horn went to work on mending it up like new, or at least passable. Not something I hadn’t had to deal with already out here, but I was gonna miss that talisman.

Just like the stone doing the work, my horn had a harder time putting metal back together after those last couple upgrades. Let alone with what little metal in the room and my hopper I had to work with. The going was slow, and I felt that migraine coming on from the over exertion of magic, but piece by piece I watched the plates form back together. It wasn’t going to win any fashion shows, but I’d get me back in the action. For how long? Who knows! Let’s find out…

Before the Mex-X wore off I slipped back in to the embrace of that metal cocoon and let the latches lock me back in place. The menu tap clicked open to my inventory and I took stock of the situation I’d been thrust in. Tungsten already topped off the healing potions when he first popped that hatch, and I still had several doses of chems at my disposal. Though without any guns, I was quite literally disarmed. Now for the important question.

Armor integrity: 23%.

Not what I was hoping for, but sure as hell a lot better than what it was! Without anything repairing it, if it hit zero now the suits systems themselves would fail and I’d be a sitting duck… and very dead, “I’m standing, but I’m gonna need my guns,” no wait, scratch that, “well… gun.”

After a nod his helmet peeked through the doorway, “they stored them in another section of this base, not far from here, but not a cake walk either,” as if I’d have expected anything less, “follow my lead.”

Just like when we first met, I stuck close behind the stallion as we went along the corridors. More lights flashed on an off overhead, I mean did any place in Equestria have a damn lighting system that worked? Enough of that thought, why the hell was it so damn hot here? No wonder my guard passed out once he came in, if the rest of building was the same way, who’d be able to sleep in that?

Once I saw a hoof go up, I stopped behind my guide as he checked another doorway. The steady march of power armor was unmistakable, and while his head turned from one direction to the other that marching quelled with time to a dull stomp. Tungstens’ helmet bobbed forward, and through the door we pushed. With all the smoke in the room, it’s no wonder it’s so- yep, that’d explain it.

Across either side of the room were the massive crucibles that once fueled Equestrias’ war effort. That tell tail orange glow they gave off radiated heat through most of the building itself, and packed the air tight with soot. Once again, thank you for the filters in this thing. The Steel Rangers had found themselves a steel mill to call home… I swear some ranger picked that location for dramatic effect.

All the bits in the air did made visibility a tad harder at least, and between some of the upturned crucibles we’d snuck passed others that were none the wiser to our presence. Either that or they thought we were just another group of normal rangers going about their business. Although with the number of rangers working above, I wouldn’t be surprised if it was the latter. What the hell were they all doing here anyway? A steel mill seemed like an obvious target for looting, and couldn’t be easy to defend with all the access it’d have for supplies to come in and out.

Between the smoke, and splashing of molten metal that came down. We’d worked past the ground floor with relative ease, I probably just jinxed the hell out of that, but it was progress. Once at another door that led Celestia knows where, Tungsten led the way through to another set of halls as we passed by some intersect-

“Tungsten!” Crap!

Both of us froze in place, and I wasn’t sure yet if we should make a run for it or see what this pony had to say. The Paladin in question made that call, and straightened up his back as he turned around.

“Yes… Taffy,” for the first time, I watched Tungsten clam up… though that name was almost as bad as Pixie. Still, I’m surprised he didn’t correct her on the title, “What seems to be the problem?”

Huh? I guess they made Power Armor that size, oh you look just so cute in that thing! “There’s a problem with the pony we brought in,” she said while barely reaching over shoulder level to either of us. Hell, I doubted she’d be able to lift that combat shotgun on her side without the suits help, “the guard was found knocked out, and the prisoner’s chains undone.”

Oh, I’m really hoping she didn’t get a good look at the armor when I was brought here, Tungsten didn’t look all that concerned then with me being only inches away from her. “Understood, if he’s on the loose chances are, he’ll be going for his munitions,” don’t tell her the plan! “Knight Blaze and I will go secure the arms, if he does come around, we’ll be ready.”

“Roger… ahh,” she looked to me for a moment, “Paladin,” New at this much? Once those words left her mouth, an alarm started sounding though the building.

“Secure the south loading dock,” Tungsten pointed her off down the hall, “He might remember his hoof steps and try back out that way.”

“Copy, please be careful… sir,” after another salute the Knight did as she was ordered, and headed off in that direction.

For a moment there I watched his visor trail off after her, and saw something besides being a leader painted across it… what’s going through your mind Paladin? I didn’t get the chance to ask, and with that the pair of us went on our own way. Here and there through the halls more rangers passed by us, but so long as I was with the Paladin no pony questioned it. One more set of doors blocked our path, and by it stood a pony on guard. As we approached, he flashed a salute, but quickly dropped it just as fast.

“Paladin Tungsten, what can I do for you?” the guard asked.

“We’re here to secure the weaponry that prisoner was wielding, he’s on the loose,” the guard didn’t give it a second thought, and like that we were already through the door.

Was sneaking really that easy? I mean I understand rank has its privileges but still, you think somepony would ask a question or two… Especially to a room like this! Inside the room there were storage racks stacked nearly wall to wall. If this was just their own supply, I might have been more sympathetic, but some of this was pre-war tech that looked like it’d been through the waste a few miles.

Magical energy weapons that had been scraped together from available parts, munitions that had bits of corrosion only weathering outside could have caused, even tucked away on one of the shelves were a few talismans that glowed bright with arcane energy. As much as I wanted to poke around and go shopping, I had my eyes for only one thing. Yet seeing everything they had amassed was enough to justify my reasoning for telling the rangers to piss off.

There you are sweetness!

My horn grabbed hold of the shotty before I’d even gotten to the shelf, and after checking it over for tinkering some Scribes might have done. I was pretty satisfied they hadn’t even touched it. Bagged and tagged like everything else here that could be put to so much use.

As I finagled the gun back into place, along with some rounds for the ride, I heard the tapping from Tungstens’ hoof. “We have to get going, it won’t be long till they wake that guard up.”

If he even could remember his name that is, “What’s the next move?”

“North loading dock, carefully head opposite where they think you’d go,” he actually had a plan for all this, far better than I would have done, “afterwards cut through the town and head over the-”

“Umm… what’s going on here?” there at the door stood another ranger.

“Securing munitions to keep them away from the Rogue Ranger,” Tungsten followed up without missing a beat, “Is that a problem, Crusader Bleak Burrow?”

The Crusader stood there for a few more moments contemplating the Paladins words, but he didn’t look about ready to just walk away like the others, “I had the same idea actually,” he stepped into the room further, “And who might this be?”

Ahh… “Knight Blaze,” I held up the same salute I’d seen earlier.

I didn’t like the look his visor was giving me, and certainly didn’t like that it was getting closer and closer to my own. “Knight Blaze…” he said slowly, “Then why does your name plate say otherwise.”

Oh, to hell with this guy. Shotty might have been armed, but I didn’t feel like blowing my ass half way to the moon and back. Instead my forehoof opted for an upper cut that caught the ranger off guard. He stumbled back just in time to meet the Paladins own swing, and after that quick one two punch face and body met floor. Together we stood there and waited for anymore to come through the door, when none did, I had to wonder if this threw a wrench in to Tungstens’ scheme.

“Change of plans?” besides fighting through an entire base of rangers.

“Nope, just doing things a bit faster,” and by fast, he meant a full fledge sprint!

The guard outside the door didn’t have a chance to move as he barreled through. Shot to hell or not, Rogues’ suit carried me behind him while we dashed along the path. My compass pointed north, but past that I hadn’t a clue to the layout of this place. Which reminded me, where was this place anyway? A few flicks of the dial brought up my map and I got to see just how long this trip would last. Even though I visited it, Winters’ settlement still didn’t show up on the map. When they wanted to stay off the grid, they meant it, but if memory serves me right… There!

Following the outline of Unicorn Range north along the map, I knew it had to be in that general area. Might have been off by a few miles, but hopefully I’d start to remember the scenery and get us further in the ball park. Problems for later, first there was getting out of this place. Then I’d worry about crossing the twenty some odd miles to get there.

The mill floor was bustling with Rangers going every which way, but with that haze in the air their attention was far from us. Together we followed the rolling machines for rough metal and as we did alongside the conveyors, we found ourselves approaching an opening. Just past that were the tracks that carted off the mills production to be formed for the nation all those years ago, and in present day would lead to our escape.

‘Almost… there,’ I could already taste the sweet-

Snap!

Jinxed that one there, Wild. Whatever was holding the door up broke, and the metal plates fell in our path… of course it did! Both of us grinded to a halt in front of the door before smacking in to it, and as we looked along the edges, I didn’t see any other door leading out. Behind us however, something kicked on as the lights shined bright to our backs. Huh, some lights in the wastes worked then.

“You didn’t think it’d be that easy, did you?” I heard that same condescending voice from before, and as we turned it looked like the Elder had brought friends.

Flanking either side of him was what looked like the entire company here, even scaling up along the catwalks above their guns were drawn on us. Ya know, normally at this point I’d start counting the odds against us. Though to list off all the various arms before us would sound like a weapon catalogue.

Somepony was over compensating…

Tutting to himself the Elder started pacing in front of those ranks with him, “Out of every ranger here, it just had to be you to drive the knife in,” I knew that comment wasn’t for me, and Tungsten by my side straightened up from the voice of his superior still, “all the loyalty you displayed in the bunker and out in the field, and you throw it away for this?”

“Sir, with all do respect,” pretty sure that sir wasn’t needed at this point, “my loyalty is to ponies and this country,” good to know I wouldn’t be the only one facing a firing squad.

“A country that let is populace down!” for all the age this guy showed, his hoof still managed to put a crack in the concrete flooring, “We fought for years through blood, sweat and tears. How were we repaid? With green flames of retribution from a country we’d never seen, one we could have glassed in a week!” given the arsenal Equestria held, a week was still being stingy, “No pony else is going to do what we can for the wastes, you understood that at one point.”

The Paladins’ head started shaking, “This one has already started, with far less.”

I couldn’t tell if that grinding was coming from the Elders’ servos, or his jaw, “And we would do so much more in time if he’d join us,” that in time part is why I hadn’t, “there’s no sense in wasting two ponies of such talent, so I’ll make you a deal… shoot him in the head now, and we can get on with our lives.”

Let’s see… IF-90 “ADAC”, utilizing 14.4mm shells, capable of firing three hundred and fifty rounds of minute, and designed to do its namesake. Penetrate the plating of dragons, and in some cases other hardened targets. As for his version, it could swap between different ammo types with the flip of a switch. Translation to all this? If Tungsten throws his conscience out the window, I’m boned.

I heard one shell of his rack into the chamber, and at this range a repair talisman wouldn’t matter. He might have helped me up to this point, but to walk away from the rangers couldn’t have been an easy choice to make.

Instead, his barrels pointed towards the Elder directly, “Not on the table, sir.”

The pair faced off for a few more moments, before the Elder fell back in to line with his own, “Such a pity… take aim,” he commanded, and like that every barrel swiveled towards us.

“That talisman,” Tungsten muttered under his breath, “activate it on my mark.”

“Ready,” Snatchback followed through with, as I found the stone in my inventory, “Fire!”

“Mark!” the Paladins hooves wrapped around my waist.

And then we were both lifted off our feet from the blast wave… wait not exploded? Nope, but flying now! With the combined weight of our suits, we tore through the door to the loading dock and were sent tumbling across the tracks. My head found the side of a train car, no not a train car, a shield?

Sure enough, the car might have stopped us, but the first thing I hit was a barrier around the suit. Against the dusk sky I could see the steady glow of magic that surrounded us as it flickered before fading away. Thank you, Tungsten! Ahh… Tungsten? The ranger laid there across my stomach for another second before his frame started to move. I followed once he was off me, and a few dozen yards away was the neat hole we’d created. With some very pissed off Rangers coming out of it… running!

Tungsten knew the area, so on his heels I stayed while the peppering of rounds landed around us. Those workers from the mill needed a place to live, and the shanty town that sprung up gave us the cover we needed as we went through the streets. Part of buildings started to break off from the heavier guns that shot our way as bricks and mortar fell around us. Wrong again, those were actual mortars!

One ranger broke through a wall in our path, and opened up with his mini. The 5mm didn’t pack a punch, but now that my suit was crippled small chunks started to chip away. Less than optimal range, though the 12-gauge racked back shell after shell as it sparked across his plates. Every step we took increased its damage, and by the ‘close range mark’ parts of his armor blew off in droves. He dropped finally by the seventh shell and we thundered past him. I brought up the inventory again for the talisman. It didn’t light up like before, cooldown maybe? Please don’t be a one and done thing…

Those mortars were getting- Damn it! Once again, I found myself thrown through a structure, and the suit showed its’ age as it waned. Another ranger found me and landed a few shots of his own, before a burst of 14.4mm broke him in half. Tungsten grabbed hold of my shoulder, and brought me back up to my hooves as he dragged me onward.

Armor integrity: 15%.

Don’t think about- a missile streaked past my head and shattered what once was a cart, that’ll take my mind off it! Tungsten turned around on his heel and sprayed more of is gun their direction, and I kept my eyes watching the red bars that dotted around my E.F.S… nope! I shoulder checked the Paladin out of the way from a rangers’ sights, and his dual AMRs’. The .50 rounds sprayed, and with another check to the talisman I saw it illuminate.

The shield draped around my suit with only a few feet left on either side, no wonder he held on during our flight. It wasn’t meant for squad usage, but with me in front of him it gave us some portable cover. AMR let more shots down range, and I chomped on the bit. Shells of my own went through the shield as one of his slammed into my shoulder.

Armor integrity: 10%.

I was still running, and while a chunk of my armor was gone, the shoulder remained attached! Okay so I wasn’t completely invincible in this thing, but it did slow his rounds down enough to not tear me in half.

Tungsten charged ahead as I heard a loud click and rack to his weapon. From his barrel fired two of his own shells at the ranger, and instead of the solid shells he’d been using. These ones detonated upon impact, tearing most of the buildings’ wall away with it as the Ranger felt the brunt of the blast. As myself and the Paladin pulled ahead past the injured ranger, I finally saw what on the horizon we were heading towards. The bridge was about the only thing in the area that peaked above these buildings, and if there was a bridge then below it had to be water. Even if it was clean, the rangers wouldn’t be able to cross it with enough haste to catch us… just had to worry about the bridge.

With it in view I saw the sections of it that had collapsed over the years from neglect, and the cables above hadn’t fared any better. Full lengths of those supports looked like they fell and helped break apart the surface below. How was this even still standing? The closer we got, the more I saw those barriers the rangers had set up and the ones guarding it.

I really should have saved that shield.

The guns they had mounted to their sides turned these rangers in to makeshift turrets in their own right. With their shots spreading far and wide the Paladin put himself square in my eyes as he soaked up the shots. His own shells blew chunks out of their sandbags, and as little as it might have done, I poked my barrel from around his side to lay down some assistance. At this range, fat chance with-

That was something important! A fireball erupted behind a pair of them and blanketed the rangers with fuel. You gotta love that area of effect this thing had. With them now focused on putting themselves out, something I knew all too well, we charged passed as they opted to take a swim. They’d live through that one, though it wasn’t something they would likely live down.

“Target the cables!” Tungsten shouted, come again?

Oh, that’s what ya mean!

His cannon went off on the few cables that remained, and like snapping string they broke apart. My own gun turned towards the anchors along the surface. As rust blew apart so did the bolts holding them down. Every wire that broke rippled in the ground underneath us, and from the few that gave way the whole bridge began to shake. Didn’t know how many it’d take before it fell out from under us, but I kept on firing.

Tungsten left me to that while he turned about to hold them off, and I had no interest in seeing the wall of steel on our heels… that was a lot of bars… Why did I look?! My eyes went back forward and he back peddled over the structure. More cables tore apart from the shells, and with a lurch I felt something finally give way. Equestrian over engineering be damned, this thing was coming down one way or another.

All together the concrete dropped a good foot before it held firm again, and again I let the shells ring true. We were halfway across by the time it went down another foot, but that was starting to happen more frequently the further we went.

And like a rug, it swept out from under us.

With us starting our rampage against the structure on one end, like dominos whatever section of the bridge left gave way under its own weight. Out the corner of my eye I saw steel and stone crumble to bits while it took those rangers on top of it with them to the water… and that was getting closer now!

Tungsten turned forward with me and our heels kicked in to high gear. Now that gravity was taking over, the cables ahead of us stretched and snapped. Ducking to avoid being beheaded by a few, the same supports crashed into their brethren and broke them along with it. I could hear the shots dying down around us, either that or the sound of the bridge was drowning it out. No matter the case, to hell with this gate!

At some point the rangers had erected a checkpoint here at the start of the structure, and together with the ADAC my shotty ripped into it. The gate didn’t open so much as the whole wall holding it fell from the constant fire, giving us an opening as we made the final push. Both of us jumped, and I felt the ground underneath fall away.

Landing atop the remains of their gate, our hooves ground against it and we stopped. I couldn’t help but look, and the sight I saw was one of destruction. This structure that stood up to the test of time, met its match at the hooves of two armed ponies. Parts of it still fell away to the water, but even with the patches that hung on there was no solid strip connecting either side. At last, I could let that breath I’d been holding out.

Cross this shit you- a single crack echoed through the empty space, a sound I knew all too well… That was a gunshot I heard, and the next thing that filled my ears was metal hitting the ground.

Tungsten laid there at my hooves; with a hole I was all too familiar with through his armor. The same kinda hole that ended Rogue, and almost did me in. “Paladin!” I grabbed hold of him and started dragging the suit further away, that was a lot of blood coming out. Though the groaning inside told me he was still breathing.

Dust from the broken structure filled the air between each bank, but as the wind picked up it started to disperse. We were still well within range for their munitions, yet that was the only shot that rang out. The only one with the authority to stop them was the Elder. I looked and saw one pony that stuck out amongst the other suits there on its edge. It might have been him, or it could have been any other ranger armed with an AMR.

I was inclined to believe the former.

My horn flared, and I hoisted the ranger up over my shoulders. Those servos inside my joints yelled and cried from the extra weight, but I wasn’t about to leave him here to be an example for the rangers. Stomping along the road, I followed up on my E.F.S. to find the marker I’d placed, and pointed myself towards it.

***

Warning: Servos over unencumbered!

No shit, tell me something that wasn’t so damned obvious. For the last few hours, I hauled the ranger in to the night without rest. There wasn’t anything shooting me in the ass, so our gambit with the bridge might have just paid off. Now I had to contend with that twenty miles I’d mentioned earlier.

“You should have left me,” well now fifteen miles, and a very hurt ranger, “You’re only damaging your own suit.”

Whatever in his own was damaged hadn’t quite repaired enough to walk. The plating was together, but his chem pump only trickled in healing potions apparently. It wasn’t doing much more than keep him breathing. If we reached Winters’ then Deacon might be able to put those talons to work and fix him up. After that, figure out what’s wrong with the suit and get him in to the fighting spirit. In a perfect world at least.

Another torrent of coughs erupted from him, and even through the muffling of his helmet I could hear how wet those were. “Just hang in there, I know a guy who can get ya right,” I bounced a bit to get him resituated.

“Don’t know how much right there is to be made,” he grumbled again through the visor, “when it’s all over, use what’s left of this thing to fix your own… it’s the least I can do after bringing ya to them.”

The Paladins’ heart was in the right place, hell out of every ranger that came out of that bunker. His was probably the only one with the welfare of ponies in mind, and now he was beating himself up after following orders. Would I have done the same thing in his position? I’d like to think not, but then again, I hadn’t been training in a bunker for years waiting to serve.

No, I spent my time in a freezer, then immediately jumped in to the wastes. That was starting to show, especially with the extra weight. Every joint I had was on fire by this point, and I wasn’t just talking about the suits. Those biological ones I’d been born with started to scream after the first hour, and I let another dose of Med-X seep into my blood.

Hopefully that lasted as well, though I needed to take my mind off it, “where’d ya get that talisman anyway?” I kept it cued up in my inventory at the ready, should something go bump in the night. “Seems like something that would be under a heavy lock and key.”

Talking probably hurt a lot for him, but it also told me he hadn’t faded yet, “Recently during a patrol, found a crashed Vertibuck on its way to the Crystal Empire…” he let out another wet cough, “on our way back is when news of this Rogue Ranger started passing around.”

“How’d you know it was me?”

“A hunch… you weren’t all that far from where we met, to where you shot that ranger,” Right… and then spared the other one that likely started the whole hunt for my head, “After hearing more of the exploits, I put two and two together,” good detective work, or I was sucky at keeping my head down. Yeah, probably that one, “I didn’t tell em your real name though, just in case I was wrong.”

So, they only knew me by my nickname then. With Tungsten on my back, the only others who knew me for me were all friendlies. That’d leave Snatchback only a suit of armor in the wastes to hunt, and not the face to match. Which gave me something to hide behind if it came down to it, just like I’d been hiding behind this armor since nearly the day I stepped out of the stable… if there was any time to come clean, it was now.

“I didn’t read in my stable…” I felt his head rise up a little trying to face mine. It was a small detail I omitted during that first meeting, but it only felt right that he knew the whole truth, “back when we met, I told ya a lot of reading was how I figured out matrixes… but I was on ice the entire time,” he wasn’t in any position to doubt my story, and with nothing but time I spilled the beans.

Everything from my first day at work to walking inside the stable as the bombs fell. Tungsten was silent for most of it which made me worried a few times, but every so often he’d inquire a bit more about the past and what the M.W.T. was like. That interest seemed to awaken him a little more, as did the other questions of where I planned on going in my travels. Of course, I had to mention Winter and why I’d been moving around so much out here… and for the first time I can think of, I heard a chuckle from the stallion.

“So, you’d been waging a crusade against two of the most armed groups in this part of the wastes, all to track down a mare,” It’s not like I asked to run across them! It was luck meeting him and the other rangers, even luckier he gave me the suit. The Gunners were just in the path, and they were about to cook him at the time. Then there was later when I saved Tumble, but that encounter was intentional. Thought helping a mare out was the right thing to do at the time.

“In my defense, I was going off of old-world values here… and just was in the wrong place, at the right time,” a lot of that going on in this path ain’t it?

Old values that he seemed to share, like another one, honesty, “You know he’ll come after you, right?” brutal, obvious, honesty.

I didn’t even have to ask who he was referring to, “I figured as much,” though with having to constantly cross a river to work out of that area. Maybe there was some extra breathing room just out of sheer inconvenience?

“That steel mill was only a forward operating base, they needed the machinery to work the steel,” not the words I wanted to hear, “all of it was being brought back to a port further west, and a ship to head north,” still not wanting to hear this! “You might know it, considering your history lesson… the C.E.S. Cadance.” Any idea of inconvenience was delightfully blow to bits with those words.

Damn it…

The ship itself I didn’t exactly know, at least past what I read in papers. Regardless of its details, it was a ship they had access to, and a way of moving around the country. Something the Rangers did not need access to in the slightest. Another marker popped up on my screen, and as I switched over to the map. Out west I saw it, Port of North Luna Ocean highlighted there where he described. It was the only port in that whole area after all. Further south than Tall Tale, and certainly a hike to be made by the rangers if they planned on coming my way.

Given who their leader was, and the mess I’ve been making. It was a hike they’d probably make with a smile, “So long as they have that place to call home, Snatchback will find ya sooner than you think.”

Was he really expecting me to storm a ranger base and kick em off their hill? “And what do you think I’d even be able to do?”

“What you’ve been doing… being what the rangers could have only hoped they were,” his voice dipped down a bit with that last remark, and I wasn’t sure if it was out of solemnness or his injuries, “I did try to be one of the good ones.”

This pony had given a suit of armor to another who he’d just only met. A suit that had saved that sorry ponies life on more than one occasion. Then after bringing said pony to his superiors, saw the wrongs that were present in their logic. Instead of going with the grain, he threw their code aside for the welfare of another in less than a day of consideration. An act that has now left him clinging on to life and fighting for every breath… and an act that reminded me of the heroes the rangers once were.

This called for a small headbutt, and my helmet knocked his enough to snap him out of it. “I don’t know, in my book… ya are one of the good ones.”

For a moment there, the edges of his visor looked like they smiled. “… would you mind, if I sang something we’d come up with in the bunker?” well, you get enough ponies trapped in a metal box underground, you’re bound to pass the time any way you can. With no objection from me, Tungsten took another breath.

“We are the Steel Rangers,

And we aren’t afraid of danger.

We’ll charge head long,

Till our enemies fear our song…”

He may not have been the singer in his group when they came up with that, but by golly he sang it with all the heart his could muster given his state.

“…Maybe one day we’ll meet our match.

One day a grave we’ll catch.

Though to Tartaruses gate,

We’ll show them their own fate.

Sing fighting tooth and nail.

To victory, and endless Ale.”

That must have taken every ounce of air out of his system, but not enough to stop a chuckle from him that I quickly joined in on. So, there were poets in the rangers as well, who knew? “It’s corny I know,” might be true in every sense of the word, but to those in their ranks. It probably inspired em to no end, “but there was pride in the Rangers at one point in history.”

A pride I might not have seen through his armor, but still could be heard in those words. “We got just over ten miles to go,” and sometimes I hated having this thing in my vison, “how about a duet?”

Footnote: Level up.

New Perk: “Shinings’ Contribution”- Prewar tech at its finest, a shield talisman! Shield gives an additional 75 damage resistance to current level that blocks all incoming damage for ten seconds. Any damage greater that impacts is severely reduced in power. Warning: Needs time to recharge between uses.

Chapter twenty-three: Hollow victory

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Chapter twenty-three: Hollow victory

“…To victory, and endless Ale,” I finished off the last line for another time.

How long had past I didn’t track any more, nor did I the miles. I just kept walking towards that marker on my E.F.S. and hoped eventually I’d see something. Tungsten stopped singing along what felt like a few hours ago, and opted to hang his limbs off the side of my suit while they nearly dragged across the ground.

Warning: Servo condition critical! Seek repair!

My steps weren’t even a full stride as one of those servos gave out along the way, by this point I probably could have crossed more ground crawling while I dragged that limb along for the ride. Though I wasn’t about to ditch him out in the wastes for some raider to have a field day with. This ranger deserved better than that, something his bothers and sisters in arms would never measure up to in my eyes.

Those eyes instead saw something else as the sun peeked behind me, and guard posts I once critiqued were now my beacon. “We’re almost there, Tungsten,” I jostled him a little trying to get a reaction. Yet, his helmet slumped to the side like it had been for half this trip, and a tear blurred my vison.

Either it was the tear, or just lack of sleep, and food, and water… and everything else a pony needed to survive. Out in the distance I saw movement, and something take to the sky. The black dot in the air was undoubtedly our medic, as for the figure that stood a few heads higher than the others, definitely Riff. From the others that joined em, I couldn’t make out anything to distinguish one sandy mare.

Warning: Right servo failure!

Thanks for that suit, my face in the ground didn’t tell me that already. I tried to bring another hoof out to push back up, but this time the suit wasn’t hearing it. Instead, I got a groan and another pop from the joint collapsing under just that pressure. Yeah, I think I’ll just rest here for a moment.

Sorry guys, I couldn’t… meet ya… halfway.

***

I could feel my ears twitching from sounds of others nearby. Though my eyes were still heavy after that trek across the wastes. I had to say though, feeling a breeze across my burns this time around felt great compared to the last go.

Wait a second…

In a snap, I shot up to my flank and got a look around. My armor stood only a few feet from me at the wall as I remained naked. This had to be one of the few places I wouldn’t feel so worried about not being in it. Some kind of medical shack, the cots for those in care and butterfly covered boxes gave that much away. From a window I could tell the sun was out, and with a quick check to my Pip-Buck it was only half past noon.

More hoofsteps were just past that door, and soon enough it creaked open. “Ahh, you’re awake now…” an earth pony mare stepped in with a work apron on, and I saw the clear stamp of a syringe on her flank. She couldn’t have been much older than Winter was when we first got to the stable.

“Towns’ Doc I’m assuming?” one pony I hadn’t run into while exploring the place.

“No, designated sewage worker at your service,” she took a bow of all things, “… of course I’m the doc,” yeah stupid questions deserved stupid answers, with that she held a hoof out to me. “Lack Luster,” not the kind of name I’d put hope in to, but once she had my hoof in her own the mare got to work. Twisting the limb around, in a few ways I didn’t know it could bend. From that apron a small hammer was brought out, and smacked into the leg forcing me to cringe, as it jerked out, “Hmm… feeling seems to have returned quite a bit, I didn’t even get a reaction while you were out.”

Grade-A treatment out here in the wastes, ain’t it? “Thank ya for the patch work, Miss Luster.”

“Oh please, I ain’t old enough to be Miss just yet,” now where have I heard that before? Do you have a sister? “Besides, in your case I was an assistant more than anything… he did the real treatment.”

Just past her I saw a familiar face, as Deacon stepped in and passed me a small smile. “Hey all I did was give him fluids and try to patch up those burns,” after those words my eyes turned to the scars from the interrogation, and wouldn’t ya know it? They were still there, not as raw as they once were, but I didn’t see them going away any time soon, “well… try to patch them up. You’re lucky Alimites good with those tools, otherwise we’d never have gotten you out of that suit.”

That explains it, I just hope she didn’t have to take a hacksaw to those locks. At least the rangers didn’t have somepony like her on their side, “you did what you could, that’s all that matters.”

“Sometimes that’s not enough though,” his beak dipped down, and I couldn’t help but mimic the gesture, “we both tried to do what we could for that other ranger… figured he was someone important if you were willing to cart him all the way here.”

Maybe not in the ranks of the rangers as a whole, but for the short time I’d known him? “Yeah, he was.” Whelp, time for bad decisions.

I kicked my hooves out to the side and much to the cringe of both my docs put weight on them, and just as fast found the floor once more. Both Luster and he were at my side holding up my weight as the legs tried to steady themselves. Ponies were used to travel in the old days, covering the whole country in a few days by hoof was nothing new to us. To do so while carrying what amounted to three ponies though on their back? Let’s just say unicorns weren’t known for their strength.

With a flare my horn reached out to the suit and undid those locks, and like that the back of it opened up as I was guided back in. Just put one hoof in front of the other, “alrighty, I’m good now,” I answered while the back closed up.

It probably wasn’t healthy to spend so much time in this thing, but I did feel right at home. Almost like another day in the office, an office where there was a high chance of getting murdered every which way to Sunday. Now that my hooves were working, if not a little tingly, Deacon opened the door up for me as Luster stayed back. Together we walked only a few doors down, before stopping in front of another.

I knew what was behind this one, and with a shove the door opened up to a single table there in the center. The closest thing to an operating room this place could have, and on it was one body that I’d basically just met for the first-time face to face. He must have spent just as much time in the suit as I had, for his caramel coat to be that clean and all. Not a hair on his mane was out of place, besides the hole in his side, and from this view it looked like he’d been sleeping.

I wasn’t sure what I expected when seeing him, certainly though not this. For being a pony of well-rounded combat prowess, Tungsten was a lot younger looking than I thought. Maybe I was waiting for an older colt with a grey beard to pop out of that suit, instead I got one who appeared only a few years younger than myself… probably more than a few, his flank was still blank after all.

A late bloomer like Winter was, and one that’d never get to see what their skills could really do.

“Riff brought his suit back to the shop while we worked on him, but from all the blood that caked its insides… there was just too much lost,” the wound on his side said that much, it never quite healed. Even with all the potions that went in to him over the journey back, “who was he anyway?”

A Paladin, a fighter, and a leader. More importantly, “One of the good ones,” I muttered back, though if one had fallen. Was there another that pulled through? “What about Tumble…” my jaw clenched for a moment and my breathing stopped, please don’t let me-

“Don’t worry, we got her back here in time,” oh thank goodness, half the weight in my chest let off with those words and I could breathe again. “Had to dig the rounds out, but that mare’s a tough one,” he started to beam a bit more at that fact, “you’d be surprised how simple it is to donate blood to a pony with some tubing and the right needle.”

And the right gryphon for the job. As tough as she was, we might have to invest in some better armor if we kept getting in to these adventures. I’d seen enough, and Tumble I could catch up with in a moment. There was a job to do, and this colt wouldn’t have any sense of peace while he still remained above ground.

“Where are you going?” Deacon asked, and I heard him follow me to catch up as I headed out in to the sunlight.

“To find a place to put him to rest… it’s the least I can-”

Apparently, a wrench can reach terminal velocity with magic alone! My head jerked to one side after the tool hit, and as I started rubbing the side of my cheek it picked back up in an aura. “You said… you’d be careful!” that was a mare, and she sounded pissed. Okay, pissed and worried. Alimite trotted up along the road getting closer with every step, and I could see the redness in her eyes, “instead you go and throw yourself at the Rangers like a rag doll!”

Somepony wasn’t telling the story right, “I wouldn’t say throw, it was either go with them or get blow up in that case,” and that was being generous. There wouldn’t have been much, if anything, to even bury in the end.

For a second there I saw her brain stop mid firing, and her mouth started to stammer, “… Riff’s terrible with telling stories then.”

“Well… I can fix that, but first can you point me to where ya’ll bury ponies?” her eyes drooped there, and she must have remembered that I didn’t come back here empty hooved.

A short walk toward the outside of town near the mine let me put some things straight. Those rangers meant business when we ran into them, and they weren’t going to take no for an answer. I’d glossed over the whole part about electrocution and murdering me when they got the suit off, but her whole demeanor changed once I started talking about the Paladin and what he’d done to help me out of that bind.

A sniffle came from the mare as we approached a spot with several markers around it, the various names of those that’d passed displayed on everything from two by fours, to actual stone, or even just a rock to mark for a loved one where they were.

“Mom said you’d be fine in the end, you’re stubborn like that,” your mother knows me well, and with that Alimite started back towards town, “Let me grab a few shovels.”

***

Even with magic, going through some of this compacted dirt proved a bit harder than expected. With myself and Deacon going at it we’d managed a hole not quite six feet, but enough for our liking. The wrapped up remains of the Ranger rested by Riffs’ feet, and in hindsight she could have made this dig a whole lot faster. Though in the end it was something I was glad to partake in.

At least out here he wasn’t alone. The towns cemetery wasn’t all that large compared to some during the war. Though there were enough markers for the ponies buried that he’d have some company. Tungsten gave his life to save a pony he barely knew, but one he saw potential in. I’d just have to live up to those expectations.

Tumble had joined in with us halfway through, and I was glad to see with my own eyes her still breathing. If we had been any further from town, then I might have been making two holes out here. She looked in high spirits for a mare that’d had a brush with death, but then again that probably wasn’t her first rodeo.

With a hoof, I helped pull the gryphon out, and Riff used her paw to coddle the body gently into his final resting place. Together the four of us stood there, I don’t know how many ‘funerals’ were actually held in the wasteland. The last body I asked how to dispose of, all I got in return was a laugh. Though with the only one that interacted with the guy being me, I let out a cough and cleared my throat.

“I know many out here in this new Equestria look at the Steel Rangers as nothing more than thugs,” by far the best description I’d gotten for them, “yet some clung to the old way of things, just like the Paladin here… you all didn’t know him, but if it weren’t for this colt then we’d probably never have met in the first place.”

I’d gotten lucky with that, if I found his patrol before they encountered the gunners. Then there wouldn’t have been a reason for him not to take my Pip-Buck and keep on rolling. Hell, I’d probably have run into that group of gunners before they did, and been left rotting alongside the Rangers as they were finished off during that fight.

“Tungsten Shield didn’t have to give me this suit as a gift, and it’s thanks to his kindness my flank had been saved more times than I can count while traversing the wastes… and in a way, not just mine,” the only one that logic didn’t really apply to here was Deacon, he’d have just kept on doing his merc thing in that town. Steadily my visor went to the two others present, as they first landed on Tumble, “I wouldn’t have been able to give you any support when we first met, and the gunners then probably would have killed us…” then on to Riff Raff, “and even if we survived that, down in those tunnels the other hounds would have made quick work of us.”

Claws that can slice clean through a suit of armor, imagine what that’d do to a regular pony? Or better yet, let’s keep that image away. There were enough horrible images in my mind from this place. Though the generosity Paladin Tungsten Shield is what really kicked off this little journey for me, and let me be what the rangers had hoped to become… even if I didn’t think I’d ever live up to the tile of Ranger. That alone made some of those images’ worth it in the end.

My horn grabbed the first clump of dirt with a shovel and scattered it in to the hole, “To that, I have to thank you, Tungsten.”

The others there didn’t say a word after me, but their faces sure did. As little as they might have known him, it looked like genuine sadness splayed across their face. From what I could tell, they might have thought this to be one of those rangers that could have helped drive the rest of them towards a better path. Yet, his life was cut short by another.

After the hole was filled in, I brought something to mark his final resting place. The helmet from his suit seemed like a fitting tombstone, while no one else would have known the one that was buried here, or what he’d done. It’d been the first thing I’d seen of him, and even without the pony to go with it. I doubted I’d forget that face behind the visor.

***

Even after death, Tungsten was still helping me out.

Just like he wanted I was taking what components I could to put some patchwork on my own suit, something it was desperately in need of. Rogues might have been upgraded, but in the end most of the core parts were all the same. Made swapping out components all that much easier out in the field, should the need arise.

Another servo let go of its housing from the knee joint, and I got to see the extent of its damage first hoof. The bearings inside were nearly flattened against the wall, their spherical shape long gone only to be replaced by what more amounted to straight up metal shavings. Walking all that way had done exactly as the Paladin said, it damaged the hell out of my suit. Even with the repair talisman installed from his, mine needed some TLC before it’d get back into the fight.

With the guns off to the side for easier work, it’s TLC I’d been giving it for the last several hours. Everypony else in town must have gone to bed for the night, the only pony I’d seen walk past the shops open door being one of those few guards that roamed the town. Under the floor my friends had followed suit, and called it an evening early. That left me to my own devices, something I could use right now.

Another set of hooves made my ears perk up, and this time it wasn’t from one of the guards, “You’re still going at it,” Alimite said as she approached, a plate held out in her aura of something I couldn’t make out.

“Somepony has to,” and if he gave me the tools to set things right, you’re damned sure I was gonna use em.

“Well mom always said you threw yourself at your work when upset,” Passing by me for a moment, she slid the plate on to the workbench. “And I haven’t seen you eat all day ya know…”

“Not hungry right now, thank you though.”

And just like that her horn grabbed hold of my tail, “Come on, and eat, I just made it,” jokes on you, my hooves are stronger than your horn, “Don’t make me grab my mom…” Oh that was a threat that got me moving! I’d seen Winter in a fight or two in the earlier years of our friendship, suffice it to say. If Alimite could be pinpoint with a wrench, I knew her mom’s game must have improved tenfold.

Some reluctance later and I found myself putting down the tools, and taking a seat at the bench. Whatever it was, I had to admit. It smelled delicious… which kinda made me worried if my sense of taste for wasteland food was getting more optimistic, or just my tongue was completely fried.

Stringy for sure, and the skin had a crunch to it that reminded me of Bloatsprite, “Well… this is new,” I took another bite, and found myself actually enjoying this one. Yep, my tongue was getting too used to this.

“Radtoad,” she said casually, and for being a toad its legs were pretty beefy. Another thing I didn’t want to run in to out here, though as I chowed down on the first real meal I’d had in the last few days. I caught her eyes roaming.

Namely across my coat, and the scars that were the price to pay for refusing the rangers. Those burns after all Deacon did to them still showed as if they were fresh, dancing in trails like a lightning strike. The coat hadn’t even gotten any stubble to it, and likely barely would in the weeks to come, or years if I was being generous. At least they didn’t hurt any more just from the air, and I could work pain free.

“It’s not as bad as it looks,” I mean it sucked at the time, but I got through it.

With a quick shake to her head, she must have thrown that thought out, and instead turned her attention to the suit. “How come it’s not repairing itself? I thought the talisman would have been the first thing you replaced.”

“I did, but somethings require a more delicate touch,” a few more bites out of the toad, and we both got up to look over my work, “the talisman is pretty straight forward, the servos on the other hoof…” I just showed her what I pulled out, and with her mechanical mind the mares’ jaw started to cringe.

Between getting the crap kicked out of me by Lock, and going through the ringer with the rangers. It was good that I didn’t make it out of the steel mill on my own, otherwise I don’t know when I’d have gotten any replacement parts. The old talisman was nothing but a rock, and the servos now would just serve as scrap for the suit to make the final repairs once I brought it all back online.

“That walk back knocked the wind out of it,” and gave me this headache to contend with for the evening.

Whelp I had parts, tools, and time. No use complaining over it all, and with some food now in my stomach I crouched down and got back to work pulling those worn parts out. I knew I wouldn’t sleep right with work still to be done, especially when I had plans for this thing. Apparently, Alimite wasn’t in a sleeping mood either, as she brought out that bandana of hers and tightened it to keep the hair from her eyes.

She might never have worked on power armor a day in her life, besides that repair spell on occasion. Though the mare still knew her way around a tool box, with a helping hoof we pulled the other servos from the joints and set them off to the side. Tungstens were far easier to remove, they hadn’t been shot to all hell.

Mine still had bent and even broken attachment points from us trying to pry them out, and a couple of the connections nearly fused to the part itself. Nothing a liberal application of magic couldn’t fix, and of course elbow grease. In half the time with the extra help, those connection points were straightened back out into place. Ready and waiting for their replacements.

Working like a well-oiled machine… no pun intended. As I finished installing one, she came behind me, and closed up the access ports to it. Going the extra mile, Alimite even started patching up some of those holes made by Lock that hadn’t quite sealed up, or what I missed. The talisman might have covered that, but any bit that wouldn’t stress it was all the better in my book.

“So, what about after this is all fixed up?” she asked working on one of the rear legs, “with the rangers I mean.”

“Well as crazy as it might sound… I think it’s time to pay them a visit,” regardless of the look she was giving me from over the suits back, I swear I’m not suicidal, “the rangers have control of a port out west, plus some kind of ship,” details I could always go into later, but that was enough to put worry on her face, “and so long as they have a hoofhold they’ll be a threat on the horizon.”

There’s no way the guns on the ship could reach out this far, or any real distance mainland. The Crystal Empire wasn’t quite on the scale as its southern cousin when it came to military might. Regardless, it was still a base of theirs. Something I had to see removed from them, if there was to be any peace in my neck of the woods.

“Considering the mindset of their leader… I don’t see them just rolling over,” I did say Snatchback seemed like the vengeful sort, and Tungstens’ words confirmed that.

“You’ve been that much of a pain in the ass for them?” she asked, and if you considered the few I’ve killed along the way. Including what I could do for their whole organization. Then yeah, I think I have.

“You could say that,” and if they found this place, it’d be the trump card he needed to force my hoof, “all I have to do for now is destroy a port, at least a good part of it.”

With a final push the last of the servos was installed, and Alimite came right up to finish off the process. As she worked on the panel, I connected my PB to the suits interface and started going through the menus. The hoppers I could fill up in a bit, and let it repair over night while I rested. For the time being I just wanted to check one or two more things, then I’d be satisfied.

The locks opened back up, and in I went while it closed behind me. Inside there was the ambient glow of the HUD as it cued, before coming to life right before my eyes. No warning signs, that’s always a welcome start. A few clicks later and I started running the diagnostics.

Repair talisman: Online…

Chemical pump: Online…

Warning: Armor integrity: 15%

Okay, one warning sign I could live with. Spent servos went in hopper, and my attention turned towards the guns. Shotty was the first to find its place back home on my side, and along the other was something a bit more for range. Tungstens IF-90 was cumbersome in its purest definition, but if the Paladin told me to haunt the Gunners with Rogues suit. Then I’d be doing the same to the Rangers with his gun. At least it was a bit less ammo hungry than the mini had been.

Time for a second opinion, “Alrighty, how do I look,” I gave the mare a turnaround of the suit. Not the prettiest sight to see, but beauty was in the eye of the beholder. To me this thing was just gorgeous.

She seemed to think so too, and as much as she might have tried. That smirk wasn’t going anywhere, “Meh could be better,” Alimite answered while she walked up to the suit… ouch… After a comment like that, was a closer look really-? Her lips planted on the side of the helmet there for a quick peck, and in that short time I might have just blown another servo motor, “But nothing that can’t be repaired… I’m glad it got ya out of there in one piece.”

Was it hot in here?

“Ah ha…” I could feel the heat building up in that helmet. Just keep the visor down, and say something! “Couldn’t have done it without ya,” that was a lie, and you knew it.

Judging by the look she gave me; she knew it too. Though that didn’t stop the smirk from growing, “And as lovely as it looks… do you at least have a plan on how to destroy nearly a whole port?”

I’d been working on that thought about as much as I had the suit. However, all the synapsis bursting into flames were putting together some that just might work. “I dunno,” yep, definitely a plan coming together, “I might have a trick or two up my sleeve.”

Chapter twenty-four: Offence

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Chapter twenty-four: Offence

“So, this what pony does at night?” Riff asked as she finally got done looking over the improvements to the armor, as I worked inside it on my own drawing.

Namely the cannon on the side that almost matched her launcher in size. After my nights work, and a quick nap. I got right down to it, and looked over what I could of the map on my PB for any and all details I could give on the port. There wasn’t much to go off of with the line drawings on its screen, but I did get some sense of what we were up against.

Most ports back then were amped up in protection during the war, for reasons that should be obvious. Shipping was by far the best way to control supplies in most cases, and if the Zebras could hit Equestrias’ goods then I’d put a decent dent in their whole grand scheme.

“And will all that work be enough for this next venture?” Deacon kicked his hind paws up on the table, already having gotten a lay of the land.

It didn’t take them long to figure out what the next move was, and even less time for it to be shot down by the three of them the moment it left my lips. Facing a patrol here and there, or even the occasional squad of rangers was one thing. The few times I’ve done so, either had the drop on them or a more hellish support. This however, was attacking them outright on their home turf.

“It sounds crazy,” I knew it did.

“Understatement,” Tumble added on, and she was right, “but you have to have something more planned than knock on the door and ask to leave under your belt.”

You could say that, but I’ll save that for when the moment is right, “the fact is these guys won’t let somepony like myself go, I mean look,” I presented them the suit.

Broken down, built back up, and repaired every way imaginable. Then improved more than any ranger outfit in the area, it was a skill the wastes didn’t quite have. Plus, one the rangers could solely control all to themselves.

“They use power armor, that’s their biggest strength. All the guns and tech in the world don’t help if you can’t protect it,” the armor was an icon to them even during the war itself, and them trudging around the country in it only solidified that, “if they can find a way to improve it, then they’ll stop at nothing to do so… and the first step in all that is me.”

I’d call myself egotistical, but then again how many out here could say they had the same background?

“The last thing they need is any more power, especially with the ideals of their Elder at the helm,” the sour taste Snatchback left on my tongue lingered, even with him miles away.

Literal generations of the same ideal to bring the country back under rule by force, passed from grandfather, to father, and to son. Putting order in to things sounded like a good idea, but not when a hoof hadn’t even been lifted to start with, and yet you still wanted more power for yourselves.

I replayed the conversation I had with the Elder, how he wanted me to do the same to the rangers what I’d done to Rogues suit. Join their ranks, upgrade their chess pieces, and sweep the board. These three had already seen the rangers for what the wasteland made them, and although it wasn’t said out loud. Their faces said enough, they didn’t need better pieces.

Deacon went from kicked back to leaning over the table really quick, and took what looked like a closer interest in my little diagram. “The guy sounds like a charismatic, whack job… I should know, one raised me,” almost as if he was studying it, the talons of the gryphon started to dance over the drawing, “besides killing them all, how you plan on kicking them off the hill?”

I’m glad you asked, “The C.E.S. Cadance that’s moored there is their main base, but for a ship that size it’d need an actual pier to dock at,” the articles I read of it didn’t have any pictures, but there was at least statistic listed. my horn reached out and brought over the broken pencil I’d been using for this lesson plan, “and with some decent understanding to ships, you need fuel…” that was a given for any war machine the country had in its arsenal.

Along the largest pier I had drawn out, I put another line spanning the length of it. Coal was the driving force for fuel in the country, though liquids burned so much better for a ship that size. Plus, you didn’t have to worry about boiler explosions like you would from a normal steam engine. After some arcane engineering, it didn’t take much for both Equestria and its norther cousin to turn the solid fuel in to that liquid that could work on water.

“The Crystal Empire was ferrying supplies down to Equestria for a good part of this war, and her ships needed a way to top off… that’s were these lines come in,” I pointed to the one I’d just made, “even if there’s just fumes left inside, the right spark would blow the line all the way down its length.”

Behind me I heard a pair of hooves, and there upon the stairs was Alimite as she came in to join the party. She hadn’t heard this part of the plan, no matter how much she pried the night prior. Judging from the intrigue, the mare looked about as eager to hear what I was formulating as my friends did.

“Define… right spark?” I didn’t know if it was by reflex or not, but Tumble took a step back.

Now seemed a good time as any, and with a whisk of my horn I pulled a little trophy out from my cot. The Balefire Egg sat there on table, in all its envious glow. Something that made everyone there follow suit with the mare.

“I did say I could probably rig it as a bomb,” if only they could see the grin on my face, “Go in, plant bomb, destroy pier, get out… and maybe, break something on that ship as well.”

“What about other pier?” Riff added.

“None in this area that I know of,” unless somepony got a bee in their bonnet and built one while I was on ice, “even if there is, it’ll still put them at a greater distance than they are now.”

With a little bit of luck, they’d find a port far enough away that I’d be more of a hassle than anything to try and get to. Elder Snatchback was vengeful, but how much of a grudge could one pony hold?

Each of them looked to one another, then back to the map, to me, and one another again. This was asking a lot from my group. Coming along for the ride to find a mare was an adventure, working in a town to help out was noble in its own right, but taking on an entire faction of ponies? Just how far were they willing to follow me, till someone said they were done?

Apparently, this was the line, and Deacon shook his head before making his way to the stairs… “You don’t have to help if you don’t want,” I called out to him, and watched the gryphon stop mid step, “I know it’s asking a whole hell of a lot more than rescuing a pony from slavers.”

He turned back around to face me and- why were you looking at me like that? “What? You think this is where I call it a day?” those words appeared to be said around a laugh caught in his throat, “I live for this kinda shit…” spoken like a true adventurer, after that Deacon started back towards the stairs.

“Then where are you going?” Tumble took the words out of my mouth.

“You all suck at math… attacking an entire ranger port with, what? A group of four?” semi-solid plan or not, it sounded stupid when you said it like that, “I’m going to pull some strings, and see if I can get some support… or get shot, it could go either way.”

Before I could ask any more, his tail slipped away. So, this wasn’t where the line was drawn… don’t know if I should be thankful for the bunch I’ve run across, or worried about their mental health. For now, I’ll just be thankful. Tumble took hold of Riffs’ paw, and started dragging her along. Something about stocking up on munitions for the trip, Celestia knows we’ll need that fire power.

“Now, what can I do?” Alimite asked as she stepped up to the plate, “I need to hang back here, tend to my actual duties, though I want to do something.”

Let’s see… what was the most useful tool in an attack plan, besides weapons? “Can you get me information?” any strategist would tell you the same thing, “something on the port, layout, defense.”

Her hoof touched the end of her chin as she thought, “That… I might be able to do, there are some pre-war ghouls in town that might be familiar,” ahh yes, somepony like Mabel might be able to answer a few questions.

Now that the gears of the machine were ticking away, and with everypony else doing their part. It was my turn, the Balefire Egg hovered next to me as I made my way towards the stairs. Though I couldn’t help but see the worried look in her eyes from the munition, and to myself.

“Where are you going with that thing anyway?”

“Well, I have to make a bomb,” I just hoped one of these would be enough, “and I’d much rather not do that in the middle of town.”

***

Hours of tinkering, planning, and packing later. We found ourselves hiking out of town westward bound. How Mabel carried 14.4mm but not a Balefire Egg Launcher, I would never know. For now, the ADAC was fully stocked up, and we were all happy adventurers along the trail. At least three of us were, Deacon had flown off earlier the night before and promised he’d meet us just outside the port. Not that we were a hard bunch to find, though him possibly getting shot did have me worried.

He was already gone, and there was nothing I could do about it now except get to the task at hoof. My bomb was packed away in the sack draped over my back, and every step we took made the pair with me a little bit nervous as it jostled around. A perfectly safe munition, now dressed up with a makeshift timer to match. Though that makeshift part was probably what had them worried in the first place.

I’d come through on my end for the plan, Riff was stocked up, and Tumble had ample enough rounds for Mercy. Even Alimite was able to get me a bit of info to work with. Whatever ghoul she talked too knew their stuff. Apparently, they’d been there the day the bombs fell and held up at the port for safety. With its walls and fencing around it, plus the round about security at the time. There was little the Zebras could do during the war to get in and sabotage supplies.

After the war though, somethings just happened. Like a ship going off course and ramming in to one of the sea walls along the waterfront. According to the ghoul it happened a week after the bombs while the dust was still settling, and in the few times he’d been back before the rangers took over. That ship hadn’t moved an inch, but left a break in the ports’ defenses as it beached itself.

With my map brought up, I put a marker roughly where the ghoul had said the ship was, giving a nice waypoint to follow as we trudged through the morning sun. “We should get there towards the evening,” give or take a few hours or so, “with any luck, Deacon shouldn’t have to wait for very long.”

“Assuming he still makes it,” Tumble didn’t seem to trust whatever plan the gryphon was cooking up on his own, “one of us should have gone with him, just in case.”

I’m sure you would have liked that, “or it would have made negotiations harder for whoever he’s talking with to have myself and Riff there over his shoulder,” I saw her about to throw a hoof up, “and we’ll need your eyes, if we’re hoping to get even close to the place before all hell breaks loose.”

Tumble was the only one with a scope, and any sense of tact when it came to sticking to the shadows. For as many times as she reminded me of that, you’d think she’d remember it herself, “Alright you got me there.”

“Pony worry too much,” Riff gave her a pat on the shoulder, and not one Tumble was welcoming by the look on her face, “her turkey be fine… smart bird.”

Less than an hour out on the trail, and I already had one mare about to go in to cardiac arrest… or strangle a hellhound. As entertaining as the latter would be to witness, my eyes stuck to the map and ignored the pair bickering around me. Somepony had to plot a course after all, and to tune the pair out I just kicked on the DJ.

***

Just like the ghoul said, that vessel had punch right through the sea wall and done some damage to the ports’ defenses. There was a gap in its outer wall more than thirty feet wide from the bow of the ship running ashore into it. A clear weak point, and the Rangers knew it. Guards had been posted like I expected, but nothing compared to the actual main gates the compound had.

“I see… two,” Tumble relayed from scope as she looked over the ship, “Nope, make that three, actually on the ship itself.”

Too bad they didn’t make suppressors for anything we were carrying, short of her carbine. Whelp, option two, “Riff, you’re up,” she grinned a little too much at that.

The outside of the wall had largely been littered by everything from wagon ruins to craters of shells detonated long ago. It wasn’t ideal cover, but when was it ever? Those holes in the ground were still enough to cover both my frame and the hellhounds’, Tumble stayed back along the brush incase things got heated for us. For now, I had to wonder how it was us two who were being the quiet ones.

We stopped and watched the one guard up top take a long look out at the ground around us, and his visor scanned the surrounding. E.F.S. was great and all, but sometimes it would still mess up when it came to readings. Most things that moved with any form of aggression it could detect, but if you hunkered down, or moved more carefully. Then the spell in its matrix wouldn’t so much as give off a peep. A design flaw I heard off all too often, and one these rangers didn’t quite pay attention to.

Once his eyes were off of us, me and the hound got back too it and scurried our way to the edge of the vessel, as she stuck close to the brush built up around it. The first ranger I saw on my own visor was just around this corner, and in the lighting, I had to try something with him. Another step, and I was face to face with the pony.

“Ahh!” we both yelled for a moment.

“State your name and rank!” he shouted, aiming the LMGs on his side.

So far so good, “Knight Blaze, Sir,” I popped to attention, “sent here to relieve one of the rangers…” the suit wasn’t a perfect match to theirs, but at this time of night…

“Knight?” he paused for a second, and scanned over me, “how the hell did a knight get issued weapons like that?” I saw his bolt draw back once as he waited for my answer.

And… ya got me there, “…Riff…”

The ranger didn’t have enough time to yelp, let alone shoot back before the paw of the hellhound reached out and clasped around his throat. Those claws she was gifted worked just as well as her counterparts, and like that the husk of the ranger was dropped to our feet as something was ripped clear of his neck. Clean kill? Not judging from the shimmer of blood I was getting from my view. Though it was quick enough to keep the others there-

“What's all the commotion?” another voice called just past the hellhound.

Fine! Not quick enough. Bounding past Riff put me to the muzzle of the next ranger as he turned the corner, and my shoulder found his chest. Slamming him in to the side of the haul gave off a resounding clank like a hammer, but something like that at a port hopefully wouldn’t draw much attention. My hooves held him in place, as the colt tried to level his guns too me. Up until a paw passed inches by my head.

So, steel ranger armor, or the haul of a ship. In either case, hellhound claws could go through it. Riffs passed straight through his helmet and the ships siding, neatly pinning his head to the bulkhead as I slunk away and his body stayed in position dangling. I mean, there were probably worse ways to go by her hoof. Though one, two… that left.

“Halt right there!” number three, who as I turned stared down at us from the catwalk, “Don’t fuckin’ move, or so help me,” his missile launcher spoke for himself.

From this side of the ship, I was hoping Tumble could see the predicament, an AMR might raise the alarm, but in the end, it gets us out of- what sounded like muffled pffts broke out and the ranger jerked where he stood. After another sway, his suit fell towards the railing and pushed through it to meet us on ground level. Riff pulled her claws free, as I trudged up to the body. Along the back of its helmet were quite a few holes I’d grown familiar with… though that meant.

“Miss me?” the gryphon called from above us, as he glided down from the catwalk. Under one wing held a sacrificial pillow with cotton prodding out from a hole, “I’d have let you know I was on board, but these guys never seem to take a break.”

Makeshift suppressor, and AP rounds make for a lethal combo. Good thing he was on our side, and speaking of our side. From over the ports ambient noise, I heard the approach of a few unarmored hooves.

“Glad ya made it…” Tumble smiled at him, before both her and myself looked to either side of the gryphon, “though where’s this help you mentioned?” he didn’t have any new holes in him, so the get shot option was off the table.

“Trust me,” he passed her a wink, “They said they’ll come when the show starts…”

I had one hell of a beacon to light off to get their attention then. Together the four of us climbed to the bridge of the ship, giving us a bird’s eye view of the port itself… or at least close to it. My design might have been just a tad off when it came to scaling, but you get the gist of it. This place received all kinds of goods and supplies from the Crystal Empire during the war, to some of my drawing might pale in comparison.

One thing was for sure, I probably got the ships scale closest.

Out of everything to take in of the place. From the patrols of rangers along storage warehouses, to pallets and pallets of steel being brought down the pier. My eyes set on the pride of the Empire herself, the C.E.S. Cadance sat right where Tungsten said she was… What he failed to mention, was that ship was a loose term in this case.

That, was a submarine.

It might not have measured up to Equestrias’ own battleships, but for going underwater the thing was still as long as the pier itself. Plus, about two piers in width if I had to take a guess. There weren’t any guns along her top that I could make out, though you wouldn’t need em under the surface. What I did see, were the clean-cut outs and painted outlines that marked its main armament… Balefire missiles.

The Crystal Empires unspoken trump card should things have turned south… I hated being privy to knowledge at times. It’s amazing what someponies from work would talk about at the bar after a few drinks. Ponies made the megaspell, Zebras made the bombs, and to protect their own lands the CE put them onto a sub hidden under the waves. How many of those still worked after nearly two centuries I didn’t want to guess.

I thought this was supposed to be a supply ship. Yet, somepony way back when decided to take those supplies underwater… clever. Screw that particular pony for giving the rangers a base, but still clever. The Zebras wouldn’t be able to target those ships if there weren’t any to see, and if the Crystal Empire wanted, they could appear less involved in the war.

My eyes would have remained gawking at her glory, if it wasn’t for a tap to my shoulder. “What color were fuel lines normally painted back in your day?”

“Umm…” okay think damn it, somewhere out of all the newspapers and magazine articles I’d read, baring the political ones, I’d had to have seen… “Yellow? if I recall.”

“Then you had to have been here before,” her head started to shake for a moment before scanning with her rifle, “I found a pipe going the length of the pier, that should be it then.”

Even from here with just the suits view I could see that semi-rusted line running parallel to the Cadance. It’d be nice to have letters on the side that Tumble could read to confirm it, but I’d take the educated guess. There weren’t many other things it could be, a ship that size produced everything it needed but food and fuel. Plus, by the looks of things it led to a small building with other pipes running in to it from along the port. I’ll take pump station for a thousand?

“So, I’m up?” Deacon flared his wings out and gave them a light flap, “Fly in, drop the bomb, fly out, and blow the place so we all move in.”

Sounds so straight forward don’t it? Just one problem, “Until they saw you in half, the bomb’s heavy… I could hear Wilds’ suit whining from the weight all the way here,” Tumble pointed out to him, which mostly was my fault, I might have added a little something extra to it besides the Balefire part, “you’re not gonna be as agile as you normally would.”

Deacon’s beak shut shortly after that; he knew it as well as I did. A gryphon’s best friend was the same as a Pegasus, speed. If you slowed one down, then they were sitting ducks… no pun intended.

“So? Keep eyes off air,” Riff brought her 40mm back around to her front, “give eyes somewhere else to look, once they do, you go in and put toy.”

That’s more like a plan… even if I saw exactly where this was going. Still, it would draw their eyes away from the gryphon. Typical magicians’ trick, being played on highly trained soldiers. With a word of advice to put the bomb in that pumping station, and our overwatch staying with Deacon till we were situated. Myself and Riff looked out at the entire port we had to cause a ruckus in.

“Just like the stable, eh?” I cracked my neck, and looked for a place to start.

“Yes, but ponies shoot back,” as if I needed a reminder for that.

No point in hanging out here, right? The pair of us slid down the outer bank towards the interior of the port. Shipping and receiving was its life blood, and even after almost two hundred years, there were enough crates and rusted out containers to give scrap to the whole wasteland. For now, they’d serve a different purpose.

The maze of metal around us might have obstructed any view to patrols milling about, but it did the same to them. My E.F.S. brough three red bars in to place on the other side of this container, and my visor turned with them as they continued their patrol towards the end of the structure. Our steps were controlled, theirs marched as if they were stomping the ground itself. Riff didn’t have my eyes, but she was smart enough to figure out what I was getting at. The trio that rounded and met us had only a split second to realize what they were facing.

And that was too little too late.

ADAC went right off the rip and its first shell tore one rangers’ shoulder in half before his buddy opened up with a mini on me… sorry bud, mines bigger. His 5mm scattered across my platting, but for every shell I fired he met mine with a dozen. Slower rate of fire be damned! My mini before might have taken smaller bites in to plating, but the 14.4mm tore chomps from armor like a ravenous Timber Wolf! Every shell that left jerked me to the side, enough so that my hind hoof almost had to plant itself to keep the round on target… yeah, something I’d have to get used to.

Although, between mine and Riffs, I couldn’t tell which was carrying more explosives in its payload. As husks of their armor fell to the ground, with little bits of pony falling around us to join. I had to stop for a moment look over my inventory… and just like I guessed, Armor Piercing Explosive Composite Ridged. For when something absolutely cannot live to see tomorrow. Surprisingly overkill in this case, and I gave a twist to the bit as the gun cycled back to the normal rounds.

Regular Armor Piercing, as if those wouldn’t be enough.

Yep! That was an alarm if I ever heard one, and that was even more bars popping up now. Subtly was taking a back seat on this one, we had to get their attention. Something Riff was more than happy to do as her barrel pointed skyward, a quick burst from her let loose as we went in the opposite direction. Those bars were going towards where the gun shots were heard originally, and it wasn’t long before a few more explosives went off in the distance. I’d have been impressed if that killed any of em, but it got their attention.

We’d galloped between the containers to either side of us, trying to play chicken with those bars as they appeared. E.F.S. never told you just how far something was, or if it was higher or lower than yourself. Just the direction you’d find it, for this place though it was enough… kinda. Above several types of rounds dropped down to meet us as we went, those rangers had climbed atop the containers and were happy to reign down everything from 5mm to .50 on us.

The latter was what I really had to keep an eye out on. Without Deacon here to patch me back together, I doubted I’d survive another one of those rounds. Ah hello! The barrel of an AMR shoved just past the window frame of one building overlooking our maze of containers. His shot went wide, but still was enough to blow out the crane arm between us. With the arm on the ground, ADAC let rip in to its structure and my hooves got ready to counter its fire.

Huh? That was getting easier already! Thank you years in the testing room! Thankfully AP shells were wonderful at cutting through wrought structure steel. AMR here probably wasn’t expecting that, and I switched back to the other rounds to drive the point home. Three, four, and five rounds should do it. The window he or she once stood now just poured out smoke as myself and Riff went by it. Yeah, serves ya-

Thump, Thump, Thump.

That… wasn’t from Riff…

40mm might not have hit me the chest this go around. Though it sure as hell felt like it did, and once again like before I saw the warnings start to flash about internal damage. Injectors triggered underneath the plating, and I was steadily reminded just how fragile ponies could be…

Warning: Concussion detected!

Warning: Torso compression identified!

I just said I was reminded of that already! My lungs were trying to knock the shockwave out of my system, although a concussion wasn’t high on my priority list, not while I couldn’t feel em from the pain killers. First, I had to pry myself from this container, then I’d worry about that. The Ranger responsible started in his charge as his barrel let loose a few more, but I had another trick.

His shells struck and blew me free of the container, though when he finally caught up. My shield had just started to vanish, leaving the shotty to meet him head-to-head. Whatever was left of my arcane protection shattered from my shells at this range. Just like his helmet did, as both the shield and his head disappeared in a snap.

Armor integrity: 83%.

Mother- “I just had you fixed!” I cursed to no one, got back to my hooves, and joined back up with the sound of 40mm in the distance. Eighty-three was better then what I had most of this journey, should I really be complaining?

My side stumbled in to wall of a container as I trotted through the maze. Fog was building up in my vision, and with a quick head shake I tried to set things clear. Meh… no luck, everything in front of me still was a blur. Never the less, that figure I’d remember from anywhere. A blob pushed past me, before swiping against my head.

Not help-! Actually, it was starting to clear now, “Wild alright?” Riff asked as she brought back her paw again.

“No! No, No… I mean, yes!” I held her paw away. There was still a pounding in my skull, but for the time being my eyes were on straight. Although I was really hoping they were kinda screwy… that was a lot of bars.

Even if an E.F.S. didn’t give distance, I didn’t need it to tell me those were getting closer. The ground beneath me was starting to shake from those thundering hooves, and already I felt like we sat still for far too long. A missile going off feet from us only solidified that mindset! Without the shield up to deflect it, shrapnel from the warhead did more than its fair share of damage to the suit as even more signs lit up over my HUD.

Warning: Internal bleeding!

Armor integrity: 69%

I had to admit, it was holding up better than I thought it would… myself? Not so much. The taste of iron filled my mouth, and spread over the inside of my visor as I coughed. There’s the internal bleeding it’d mentioned. One of my legs started to buckle as I moved, shrapnel must have gotten to it as well.

As I started to fall from trying to find some semblance of cover, Riff wrapped her paw around my armored tail. She didn’t look much better after that explosion, and down along her entire side I saw the streaks of blood trailing.

Though the hound didn’t look anywhere close to done, “Dog drag,” her heals locked back next to me, “Pony shoot…”

Ahh, wha-? oh shit that’s what you meant! Dirt, stone, and whatever other debris this port could muster kicked up behind us as the hound did exactly like she said. Riff might have been bleeding and battered, but she wasn’t about to let that break her stride. My hooves and stomach dragged against the ground, though the faces of rangers passing by looked about as stumped as I was.

She was pulling her weight, literally, my turn.

The rangers behind us that opened up hadn’t counted on having to hit a moving target this fast, most of their shots landed every which way around us. My ADAC didn’t have the volume to guarantee a hit, but the explosive shells it was carrying would more than make up for that. Another chomp to the bit later, and empty shell casings started to litter off my side down the trail.

I was really starting to hope Riff hadn’t banked on losing them… given the trail of spent munitions and armor parts that shattered from the shell’s detonation. It wouldn’t take a detective to find- Nope! I saw the AMRs’ barrel coming my direction on top of a crane, and instantly my hoof dug in to the ground. It might have jerked Riff off to one side, but it made their shot miss its mark.

Fine! I call your .50 and raise you 14.4mm… they might have gotten clear from my strafe, but with the arm they were perched on now cascading to the ground. I doubted they’d survive the fall. Others had something closer to match mine, and I heard the steady thumping in the distance. With the delay between launch and detonation, most the 40mm that came our way only peppered me with the shards of metal as they went off a bit too late to land a direct hit. Although, that was a more direct approach. One launcher I saw face us from above a mound of crates, and the ranger tried to get his bearings.

Both himself and the crates were turned to splinters shortly after a barrage of my own. However, his friends threw the stop and aim tactic out the window and decided for accuracy through volume instead.

I didn’t have time to return fire before their own landed amongst us, and lifted my flank clear off the ground from the shockwave of the combined explosions. Thank the goddesses the shield on this thing was quick to appear! That said, I was getting tired of flying all the damned time… at least now I had company.

With my flank off the ground, I rammed in to the hound and carried her along for the ride as we found our target. Our combined weight was more than enough to break the door of this warehouse off its frame, and together we found ourselves littered across the ground. Until my back slammed into a pile of crates and I got an inverted image of the door we went though. Not a clean hole, but it gave me a view of those outside making their way to us.

Riff was the first on her paws, bleeding from a few new wounds atop her head, and she unslung the 40mm under one arm. A few of those shells went off at the base of several more containers inside, tearing more of the actual door apart. While I righted myself back up straight, the doorway inside was filled with cascading crates.

Not a perfect barricade, but I had a moment, “I think we got their attention.”

Riff chomped away at a healing potion, and bit the cap clean off with her teeth, “Wild state obvious,” she rolled her eyes at me.

Whoever this backup was Deacon had placed, they were sure taking their time getting here. Though if they were going to kick back and wait, then I planned on using this time we had down to let the suit do its thing and patch away from the damaged getting here. They weren’t busting the door down just yet. Steadily healing potions were trickled in, and underneath all this plating that was patching up I could feel my body doing the same. Luckily the taste of iron was gone from my tongue.

Though where exactly are we? Looking around, I had to guess this was a warehouse to whatever they brought off the ships… duh. Brick walls, pallets upon pallets of stuff either before the war, or the rangers had found. By the looks of it, some of this stuff looked fairly newish…

And… what might you be?

Similar to the box I’d found the chem pump in, this one instead had the M.W.T. logo etched in its side. I might have a whole lot of rangers out there gunning for me, but I couldn’t help take a peek inside. Amongst the packing was a small box, and as the lid lifted off, I saw an ambient glow of familiarity. Tumble picked one out similar when I uncovered the gauss rifle, that was a sapphire though, this was a diamond matrix…

Whatever it was, I knew it was valuable, and the rangers would want it. By definition of that, it was better in my hooves than their own. Which went the same for the thing under this packing. My horn pulled the rest of the packing off, and… oh sweet Celestia!

“I need you to hold them off for about two minutes,” Riff looked about ready to throw me back out there at that request, but before she could I was already out of my suit.

“What pony doing!?”

“Just trust me!” this might be all worth it… or it’d give me a more spectacular way of leaping to my own destruction. The matrix I had to work in later, this I could take care of now.

Thrust talismans were a simple tool, used a lot in robots. Some genius a while back decided hey what if we threw this on power armor? Thus, the creation of this work of art. I hovered the mod over top the suit, and upgraded or not it still retained enough of its original frame to hold the modification. With it locked in place, I went about using my horn and hooves to finely place the different connections and controls. Wiring them up to my matrix so the suit would recognize the contraption.

With time to spare, my hooves were stepping back in to the suit, and I saw the newest addition light up across the display. Alrighty, so far so good. While I was sitting at 75%, now seemed a good time as any for a trial run.

“I’ll go high,” I eyed the skylight above, as my hooves kicked out and I let them flex a bit. Servos were still intact, and it was holding up the extra weight just fine, “You go low… bust through when I get out there and surprise em.”

If she was confused before, then the ports along the newest attachment lighting off with flames didn’t help any. My hooves were already off the ground again, and this time I was doing it on my own accord. The glass above gave way with just the slightest push, and as those panes fell the hound readied herself by the door. See, she learned pretty fast.

Cutting the thrusters off, my bulk dropped to the flat roof. For a moment I was worried about punching through, yet that Equestrian over engineering did me proud. As I crunched my way towards the edge, I could hear the steady clanks of those suits over the side. They hadn’t expected to be attacked, and certainly didn’t expect any creature to get up here while the main door was covered.

Down below I counted out at least three dozen or so rangers, all geared up and waiting for us to make a move inside… where they thought we were trapped. Past them, and more of the shipping containers, buildings, and other random assortment of junk. I could make out a number of rangers going about their own duties in the port. Clearly, we weren’t worthy of all their consideration, and they thought this’d be enough.

I needed to get their attention away from that door just long enough for her to get out, and join in. Through the HUD I found the DJs radio station reaching all the way out here still, hopefully there’d be something to get the blood pumping. I could really go for a shootie kinda mood right… now? This song I didn’t know, nice jaunty tune to it thou-

“This is your time to pay,

This is your judgement day.”

Well… that’s appropriate.

“We made a sacrifice,

And now its time to take your life.”

Oh, how fitting! ‘Time to be a hero,’ I hovered over my chem pump and gave myself a combo they wouldn’t soon forget.

“We shoot without a gun,

We’ll take on everyone.”

I don’t know about everyone, but I’ll take this bunch for now. After one step and a leap, I let gravity take over from there.

“It’s really nothing new,

It’s just the thing we like to do!”

They hadn’t expected this! With the heft of the suit behind me, my hooves dug in to the ground forcing several of those nearby to stagger. Those rangers were wide open, having still been staring at the door… their fault for not looking up. S.A.T.S. clicked on, and from this range, I was right in that butter zone.

“You better get ready to die!”

One, two, three, and four shells, four targets… and click!

“You better get ready to kill!”

Shotty rang true to those caught up in the spell as time stood almost still around me. Anything past this range would have been null, but from this close each pellet shattered full plates of their armor. The first went down without a hitch, when one pellet broke off the armor the ones that followed tore at the pony underneath. Leaving target one, two and three a bloody pulp trapped in a tin can. Number four was still standing up, though he was the furthest out of the bunch.

“You better get ready to run!

‘Cause here we c-o-o-ome!”

As the spell wore off, my hooves went after the fourth. Behind me I heard the sound of 40mm being lobbed, and I knew I wasn’t alone in this surprise attack any more. My hooves wrapped around number four, and tossed the ranger Riffs way. Stampede made me stronger, Dash made me quicker, but there wasn’t a combo in history that could let me slice through a pony like she could!

“You better get ready to die!”

I saw the look of surprise finally vanish from those other visors around me, and wouldn’t ya know it? My trump card was back up and at the ready!

“Get ready to die!”

Before the shield even went around me, I was spinning with the ADAC. Explosive rounds were still equipped, but in a hay day like this accuracy forgiveness made all the difference! Though why was I off the grou-?! Okay, still a friendly. Riffs’ paw clenched around my waist as she hiked me up to her hip. With me under one arm, and her 40mm under the other. Together we were a damned gun turret!

That three dozen quickly cut down to half those numbers in our view, and with my shield at least covering half her side. If they wanted to take a shot at my friend, they’d have to get in her sights first. Shots were pining around the suit, and into the shield letting little flickers of light dance over its exterior. Though that was about to change faster than I had hoped… Alrighty times up! My shield flickered away all too fast from the rounds still hitting it, and as Riff dropped me to my hooves, I hit the ground running.

The song kept going as my hooves matched the beat. Riff was on my tail, and so were the rangers left over that they’d sent. With the chems still in my system I thundered between the containers, and one ranger was unlucky enough to get in my path. Shotty let a shell or two off to stun him, but before his barrels raised back up, I closed the distance. Helmet met helmet, and I won that battle by a landslide as he was tossed end over end into another metal crate.

From the cranes jutting over those containers, I knew I was heading in the right direction. Passing by the last container, I was welcomed with the open port before me… and a number of pissed off rangers. They had a fair gap between us, but with their volume of fire both myself and the hound kept our feet going against the ground. From the corner of my eye, I saw some racing along the vacant pier opposite of the Cadance.

As my eyes drifted to a crane nearby… Ding! Idea!

14.4mm poured out, ripping in to the base of the machine. These things were created to hull literal tons of supplies at a time, not to take explosive AP rounds to their structure. Several shells later, and with a busting screech the years out in the weather with no care added up. One or two of those rangers weren’t so lucky, and past the dust that settled I saw a few of the red bars vanish underneath. Some of them didn’t take the hit it seemed, and already I saw hooves clambering over top the-

And poof… their dead? “What the shit?” sure enough two of the rangers that tried to get over the debris, now laid slain in the wreckage. I didn’t do that, and they weren’t missing half their armor so it wasn’t Tumble.

One gryphon landed on our side of the crane, head to talon adorned in armor with face covered… nope, not Deacon. His goggles went to those rangers, and back to myself. With one talon, he passed me and Riff a salute before taking off to the sky once more.

A stomp brought me to a skidding halt, and I turned to face those soldiers behind us. There were less than I remembered, the flashes in the air above gave a clear reason as to why. Well now, looks like our support was finally here! Though they weren’t gonna have all the fun still, so long as I was in the fight, I could ignore my chest vibrating like a washing machine. Getting shot at has a way of focusing your priorities.

I flipped back to regular AP rounds and S.A.T.S clicked back on the first target I could find. With a clear line of sight three shells triggered across the frame of a ranger. One crumbled his leg, the second knocked the wind out of him, and the third ripped most of his head clean off. His body joined those before him as the spell ran out, and I kept my mouth on the bit. Was I getting shot still? Of course, but boy did I feel invincible in this-!

The radio broke with static as something slammed into my side, and hauled me in to a shipping containers wall. Invincibility gone now, snapping back to reality! My barrel turned towards the ranger, but before I could take another chomp on either of my guns, he pushed them out of the way. Instead, I became a fairs strength test game as his upper cut met my jaw. There wasn’t a bell above me, but damn there might as well have been.

Armor integrity: 63%

Before my hooves even touched the ground, he was back on me, up close like this he knew I couldn’t use the guns. It I had to guess; he was more chemed up than I was. At least the Med-X was already pumping in my veins.

Warning: Med-X port depleted!

You really have impeccable timing with this shit! His hooves rocked against my chest, and I felt a few of those plates dent from the impact alone. That explains it, somepony has been tinkering. This colt said screw it to guns and went straight for melee combat. Hydraulic pistons clanked against his forehooves as he charged in for another swing… three, two… one! Shield went- silent, not ready yet, and his hoof continued without heed.

Have I mentioned hoof to hoof wasn’t my forte? My horn reached out and held his swing in place, but it barely slowed his momentum. That armored limb still cratered against my head, and sent it as well as my body spinning. I couldn’t taste the dirt my muzzle was in, but that might have been a tooth on the tip of my tongue.

His stomping behind me was getting louder so I had to think fast on this one. With a slip I managed to get out grasping range as I beelined towards another crane along the pier. The rangers’ hooves were hot on my trail, and with everyone else seemingly occupied with the either the air support or Riffs’ thumping. Myself and the ranger were left to dance on our own.

Almost, almost, almost! After a tackle from him both of us rolled underneath the machines frame. Once again, our hooves locked with one another and he dealt two hits before I knew what happened.

Armor integrity: 57%

The adrenaline was starting to wear off, or it was the chems… either case his hits were getting worse with every swing. I didn’t have pistons that powerful, but I did have thrusters! His swing I grabbed hold of, and when his next one came around, I kicked on the pack. Together we both took towards not the sky, but the base of the crane. It wasn’t a straight shot, and from my grip on him I heard the clank of every support beam smash against his suit as I brought him up past my own helmet.

Turning him in to a makeshift battering ram, all I heard was a crunch as his helmet caved in on itself. Both of us fell from there, myself a bit more gracefully as I landed on my hooves. As for him, his frame beat against a few more of those beams before meeting me on the ground. Yeah… helmets were not meant to be retractable like that.

Fluttering wings passed through the gunshots around me, and Deacon landed at the base, “Told ya they’d show…”

I know I know, “Not a moment too late,” his back was clear, which meant one thing, “is it planted?”

“Oh, you know it,” he twirled the pull-pin I set up to start the timer, and I felt my heart skip another beat.

No wait, that was the drugs again. My chest clenched, and even in front of him I couldn’t help but grasp it in pain. Was I relying on that shit too much? For this little fight I felt it was warranted, how long do ya think I’d have last against mister Boxer here if I didn’t have em? Deacon didn’t need to ask, and was already by my side holding my shoulders up as best he could.

The gryphons head started to shake at me, “Coming off a high sucks, I know,” he wasn’t fishing out any of that shot for me. So, either he didn’t have any more, or this was punishment, “how big is this bomb supposed to be?”

Through the visor I looked past the reinforcing beams of the crane, ya know the crane that just happened to be right next to the pier… with the Cadance. Once more my heart kicked into overdrive, and I grabbed hold of the gryphon with a hoof tossing him over my back. Alongside I saw the yellow piping I so clearly marked before, and kept my hooves going to an imaginary song in the back of my head.

Bomb making back in the day was an exact science. Too little or too much of one chemical, and you could change the reaction time from a few seconds to minutes or hours. Having a detonator was good, but you didn’t always have the option to make a reliable timer with programing. Now try doing that while working with paperclips, and cooking timers.

My hooves cleared edge of the pier as I saw the ambient glow of green flames off the containers in front of me. Light traveled far faster than sound, and just as soon as I registered the flash the shockwave hit. Carried by it, I tried to slow down before meeting the wall of metal, though there’s only so much you can do.

Deacon I spilled off the side to avoid the upcoming pain before I hit, as he took off with those wings. It was only with a last twist of a hoof did my back take the brunt of the impact. That was not a pleasant sound to be made as my whole body splayed against the container. Then again, it did give me a stage side seat to the show. The fuel line ruptured along the length of the pier as intended, but that had a lot more than fumes inside!

Still liquid fuel cascaded from this pier to the one next to it as it showered flames down, and past it all I could see the Cadance take a hit as well. Fire spilled over her deck, and whatever shrapnel was created from the blast left a few gashes in her hull. More importantly, the whole pier was going up like a tinderbox.

Equestrian over engineering or not, this port still used wooden beams as support posts. With the heat getting them, plus the weight of the surface itself, parts of it started to wane side to side and crumble. Piping and equipment over its structure fell into the waters below, there might have been a few rangers amongst them. Yet, I couldn’t take my eyes off the sight I’d created.

For a few more moments, all the gun fire around remained silent as I watched it all unfold, and just like that I found my heart finally beating a tune I could actually survive. I guess an oh shit moment was enough to smack the shit out of my system to clear the chems.

Alright, enough hanging out. I pushed against the container, and like paint I peeled free of it with a thud to the ground… and a stab to my back. Ugh, what was the chances of finding a physical therapist in the wastes? I could figure that out later, but scratch my earlier statement. The only thing I heard over the flames was the occasional shot in the night. With a scan of my E.F.S. around the area I noted a few bars still active, though while some moved far past my vision, others were snuffed out.

One though, I could see from here.

Across the bow of the Cadance, stood one suit. I didn’t have enhanced vision with this thing, but that suit looked cleaner and more ordain than any other. S.A.T.S. clicked on, but from this range nothing lit up as even a chance to hit. As I canceled the spell, all I could do was watch as the damaged ship slowly started to creek back to the waters. That suit was smiling at me, and from this range Snatchback was more than able to take a shot with his AMR.

Yet, nothing came of it.

All he did was stare my way for a good minute, never moving an inch from that space on the deck. In fact, neither of us moved from the others view. He’d seen what I could throw together in terms of an attack, upgrade the suit mid-battle after stealing their gear, and improvise weaponry against them.

All in all, it was a slap in the face of the rangers, and he wasn’t likely to let this offence slide that easily. I’d kill for my own AMR right about now… but before I could procure Tumbles’, he started backing towards one of the hatches and disappeared below the deck. As the sub continued to pull clear from the remains of the pier.

“You sure know how to get their attention,” I knew that voice, more notably I knew that beam rifle.

Staggs strode in amongst the embers and smoldering debris of the pier, flanked either side of him by half dozen other gryphons loaded for combat. Weapons cleaned and maintained, armor patched and repaired as needed, while even a few of them sported medical bags should one of their comrades need some help in the field. Now these guys, and girls, looked like trained mercenaries. Not like the ones that tried to take Deacon out along the road.

Speaking of which… my own trio met me there with them, gryphon included, “Any stragglers?” he asked towards his dad.

“Eh the boys are takin’ care of em,” Staggs rolled off his shoulders, “and I already got more of the gang picking up the goods.”

Wait… goods? “Ahh, I don’t follow here?” somepony, or gryphon, fill me in.

“Just payment,” Deacon answered as he came back up to my side, popped the panel and jabbed a needle inside my system. Oh, that felt good, the kink in my spine straightened out immediately from that impact. “Gryphons don’t work for free, remember?” unless it’s you, “so for their help, I said they’d get to loot the rangers and whatever gear they could carry.”

The gunners were well armed, but compared to the rangers it was like a candle light to a bonfire. Getting top quality arms was rightful payment in my book, especially if Staggs and his mercs were taking contracts even against them.

“Fair enough,” I turned my attention to the elder, “thanks then for the help.”

“Little Chicky does make a compelling argument from time to time,” amongst those gryphons behind Staggs, I could hear the snickering and the groan of my own friend. “Getting to kick the rangers’ ass was just a bonus… as for you my good sir,” he pointed a talon to me, passing a small bow, “keep up the good work.”

There wasn’t much that needed to be said after that, so all we passed to one another was a nod. Maybe now we wouldn’t have to run in to a merc trying to collect Deacons’ head, not after this payout. With Staggs and his group heading back in to the ports’ compound to meet their own means. That left my group there at the wreckage of a pier, with the Cadance only a silhouette in the dark.

“They’ll be back,” Tumble killed the mood right then and there, but she spoke the truth. Their ship was damaged, and they’d have to get it patched up somewhere. Though that somewhere wasn’t here, and I could live with that much at least.

“Eeyup,” I sighed at that fact, but with the pain in my back dulled now and me still breathing. I’d count this little sucker punch as a victory in my book.

Footnote: Level Up.

New Perk: “…And A Pony Jumped Over the Moon”- Technology is a wonderous thing! With the installation of an improved Thrust Talisman, you are now able to take to the skies for a short distance. Just remember to watch where you land… or don’t.

Chapter twenty-five: Ain't no rest...

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Chapter twenty-five: Ain’t no rest…

That hit it took against the container did a little bit more than I thought. The pair of exhaust ports were crimped like a spent tube to toothpaste, and as I fumbled with it on the workbench, I could hear a rattling inside. Back at the shop was a perfect place to work on both the suit, and fume over the finer details of our little excursion.

We’d kicked the rangers off their hill. Though like Tumble said before we made our way back here, they’d return in time. I had a breather till that time came, and I already knew what would follow when they came knocking on the door. Snatchback wasn’t going to take No for an answer. I knew he was going to be coming my way, and now he knew I wouldn’t go quietly. If he wanted to take me, it’d have to be by force.

Force I’d happily return if I could get this damn vent open!

Clank!

The pliers I was using to pull the ports open slipped free for the tenth time by now, but with this go it gave me an opening I could work with. Taking the end of a metal pipe, I slide it inside with my horns’ aura, and started pushing against the outer walls to the exhaust. It was tedious work, yet as any artisan would tell you. Losing yourself in your craft was strangely calming.

Something my friends were also losing themselves in around town. Every pony needed a hobby after all, even in this world. Otherwise, you’d probably go insane, and start eating ponies. Deacon had mentioned seeing Lack Luster, as Tumble trotted along with him a while back. Though I had to wonder what kinda hobby a hellhound could get into. In any case they were out of the shop, and I had all the tools to myself to work.

“I can see why they want ya,” a voice called out, and Alimite came through the kitchen area joining me, “though it’s certainly not for your cautious nature.”

In my defense, I didn’t plan on sticking that close to the bomb… “Deacon might have planted it faster than I expected.”

“And yet you still found the time to work on your suit.”

Yeah, she had me there, “I could install this one on the fly… perse.”

The mare took a seat on the stool, and watched as I continued working. This port was almost done, and once again would take me in to the skies. Instead of, you know, blowing up on me. A few more pulls of the outer wall set it right, now there was just one more to take care of. The second exhaust port wasn’t as damaged as the first, but more than enough to keep me grounded. At least I could get the pipe in this one without stretching it apart first.

Alimite for once, didn’t lend a helping hoof. She might have missed me taking my own glances at her, but I caught those eyes lost in my own work. The mare was a wonder when it came to everything defensive, and even handy with a shotgun. Though the line was probably drawn on things that could cause me to crash and burn.

Her eyes however, were starting to wander, “Now what did you find here?”

Come again? Oh, that thing, “It’s another kind of matrix for the suit, a little gift procured it from the rangers,” of course I meant stole, but procured sounded better. Her hooves continued to examine the stone, all the while I kept my own at work as she started to levitate it up closer, “it has to be something important, otherwise somepony wouldn’t-”

Zap!

With a clench of her horn, Alimite pulled back leaving the stone to fall back on to the work bench, “-have put a spell encryption on it,” not the right time to snicker at her. Though could you blame me?

“That’s not funny…” her hoof cradled the small singe on the tip of her horn, and I watched the blood begin to fill her cheeks. I don’t know, it kinda was to me, “if its locked, then how do you plan on using it?”

There ya are… with the second vent straightened out, I turned my attention to the housing. Past the access port I found what caused that rattling all the way here. The thrust talisman inside had to be held aloft off those inner walls, giving it free space to drive the air around it as intended. To do so, the designers used anchor springs to allow a bit of give. All but one of which had broken away, and left the stone rocking back and forth inside.

Thankfully, I could work and teach at the same time, “oh… I have my ways,” now could I go in to a long lecture about these things? Hell yeah I could! We had to sit through a whole class on them to secure our work back in the day. Although after having to listen to it all told by a colt who had the personality of a corn flake. I’ll take a hard pass on that idea, “Zebras couldn’t use magic on their own, but they had spies that could and were sympathetic. So, to counter some items like memory orbs or matrixes could only be accessed if you drew the encryption off first.”

Wire, I needed wire, and I know I’d seen some around here somewhere… My hooves started rummaging through the various containers this place had to offer. One perk of being the towns mechanic, you got all the junk you could ask for.

“While enchantments on a stone can be drained, it’s just tricky at times. Try to take too little and you take nothing at all… spell remains,” Found ya! The spool of locking wire was nearly out, though it had the thickness I needed. Taking out whatever it had left, I started wrapping it round a pen sitting across the bench. I’m not surprised some of those raiders had gotten crafty, leave any pony around long enough and they’ll start throwing stuff together to see what happens. After the wire was wound tightly enough, I pulled it clean of my makeshift mold. Cheap? Trashy? And liable to break? Try all of the above, but it’d worked for my purposes, “Take too much, it’ll go on the defense… and spell remains.”

“But all I did was pick it up?” she pushed the stone away a bit more, with her hooves this time.

“It doesn’t care,” I couldn’t help but pass her another smirk, “all it knew was that magic was holding it, and it said no.”

After about ten more of those springs were made, I headed back over to the thruster pack. Locking wire was pliable, and I had to fix that. With the liberal application of magic, damn near anything was possible, and with a steady shot of heat going through them. Those springs actually lived up to their name, holding their shape like a champ.

“Still doesn’t answer my question,” I glanced over to her again while attaching one of the new springs to the anchor points of the stone, “how are you going to use it?”

Oh right, that question… sorry, lost in a lecture, “By draining the spell holding the encryption, very carefully,” yeah, she didn’t look to by buying that, “again, it’s tricky, and will take some time… but might be worth it.”

I mean, you wouldn’t put something like this under lockdown if it wasn’t important after all. Holding another pair of springs aloft with my horn, they quickly found their place back inside supporting the talisman. To air on the side of caution, those extra springs found their home intertwined with one another. Funny how something so intricate could be undone by just a broken spring. You’d think they would have made these things more resilient, but I wasn’t the one who designed em. Then again, they probably didn’t imagine the user taking a beating from a Balefire Egg.

Another half dozen attachments later, and the talisman was back in business. The thruster pack I picked up and carted over to the suit. It was as easy to reattach as it was in the field, so at least those connections hadn’t been damaged. According to the Pip-Buck, all systems were nominal, and I wasn’t the only one who could tell.

“Field test?” Alimite asked as she leaned in closer to the screen, and looked positively giddy at the thought.

I was hard pressed to deny that from her, and granted after any repair a test should be warranted… though there were other matters to attend to, “maybe later,” her lips turned into a pout before my eyes, “don’t worry, I’ll grab ya to see first,” awe there’s that smile.

With a more graceful horn, I tugged the matrix back and looked it over. Alimite looked almost jealous that it hadn’t shocked me, but that was liable to happen at any point. Enveloped in my aura, I could feel the charge inside. Ever so slowly, my own arcane gift started to tug away at it… little by little… I could almost feel it trying to resist or judge whether or not I was hostile.

Either case, that wasn’t something I’d find out just letting it sit around. It’d take time, and was something I could chip away at. The worst part was I didn’t know the strength of the unicorn that’d put the enchantment on it, for all I knew it could be drained and usable in a day, or three months from now.

Ornate armor flickered through my head, as did the flash of an AMR, and just like that I saw a suit of power armor drop in front of me…

Zap!

My reaction was a little more zealous than Alimites’, and my hooves found themselves thrown a good two feet in the air. Both myself and the stone met the ground at the same time, though now I had one rather amused mare looking down on me.

“Oh good, I’m not the only one,” she snickered back at me, alright I deserved that. With that jab out of the way, her hoof reached down and helped me up.

“Yeah… it’s something that requires concentration.”

“Well… I can let you be if that would help?”

“No!” okay, that was a bit overenthusiastic for a reply, “It’s not you, just… other things going on in my head,” yeah that sounded cryptic.

Most other ponies I knew, which wasn’t many mind you, would probably have brushed it off and left anyway. Alimite however, pulled the stool in closer and got comfortable crossing her hooves as I put the stone back up. With the other hatch to the thruster pack open, I examined the second talisman and was happy to see it still in place. There didn’t need to be a repeat to that incident, so any of those leftover springs were wrapped around the originals… for ya know, safety.

Though it was quiet, too quiet… I looked just over the open port, and still sitting there with her eyes on mine was the mare. Alimite stared at me, I stared at her, and all it took was a sigh for me to snap out of it… mares were stubborn.

Particularly this one.

“Elder Snatchback was there at the port…” I started off, and I saw her lean in a bit more, “after everything was said and done with, the Cadance started pulling out, and to see us off was that bastard atop his ship.”

Alimite gave me a small shrug, but didn’t respond with anything past that. “He could have taken that shot,” just as he likely did with Tungsten, “but he never did, we just watched one another as he got away.” Maybe if I had a few more of those eggs I could have turned that sub into a tomb, but that would have just trapped them here in the area.

“They want you, remember?” a fact I was getting really tired of hearing again, and again, “apparently destroying an entire base of theirs wasn’t enough for them to throw the towel in.”

Which surprised me, Snatchback wanted me executed after I was out of my suit at the mill. Though even when I was right in his sights, he didn’t pull the trigger. Change of heart? Doubtful. If anything, he might have seen more than enough potential to warrant more of an effort to get me in their ranks. That much alone worried me of how far they’d go now under his order, if not for my skills, at the very least retaliation.

“Although given the trouble I heard you caused at the port, that taken alive idea might change soon,” She had a fair point there, eventually I would be far too much of a hassle to get ahold of. Just like Tungsten said, dead weight, “they’ll still have to track you down in the end, especially if this Snatchback wants to make it so personal,” she closed the thrusters hatch almost on my hooves, and I just looked at her, “Till that time comes take a break, clear your head, and don’t think about the rangers… they’ll get what's coming to em, that I’m sure of.”

Why did it sound so much more believable coming from her?

‘Right, because this is a mare that believes in ya,’ in fact, both herself and Tungsten did. One of them enough to risk his own life to save mine, and paid the price for it. She was right though, dwelling on them wouldn’t help my concentration. Neither would sitting cooped up in a work shop all day. Hobby or not, some ‘fresh air’ was needed from time to time.

The suit was sealed up, and with the matrix there next to it still, I went over to the bay door. “Well… care to join me then?” before I’d even finished, Alimite was there with me heading out into town, “I’m curious to see what Riff’s gotten into since we got back.”

“Oh, I can answer that,” she trotted ahead down the road, leaving me to play catch up.

Not as much time had passed as I once thought, there was still the whole afternoon of heavily overcast daylight to be spent. All around ponies bustled through the town doing this and that, trading goods, patching up holes in buildings, or carting their own wears through. Amongst them were a few faces I’d met already, the pack of youth before that cornered me… and right on their heels was Spade chasing them down.

The gaggle of kids shot past myself and Alimite, far out of site before I even turned around. Somepony had gotten on Spades’ nerves, and from the short time I met her. That wasn’t a place those kids would want to be.

It wasn’t far past the outer perimeter of the town that I saw what the mare had meant. Slathered in dirt and grime by one of the towers, was the hellhound living up to her origins with a few sections of timber slung across her shoulder. The fine-tuned claws of hers dug through the soil with ease, as chunks of it were withdrawn to leave gaping holes. Like a well-oiled machine, a timber pillar from her shoulder sunk into the hole, and the removed dirt Riff packed tightly around their base.

With another done, she moved on to the next marker a pony had held up, repeating the process. Behind her three or four ponies pulled planks of wood and metal, lining them against those posts as well as the towers to be nailed together. The newly erected walls weren’t the only additions to the town. Even the guard posts got some extra slabs of metal to keep the guard up there safe and sound. Butter Crisp looked all too happy to be putting that metal sheeting in place.

“Now if only they’d have more ponies on guard,” the numbers Miss Crisp had told me weren’t anything to be proud of, and a guard post was useless without the guard.

“Actually… last I checked Walker is also having his guards be a part of the normal rounds between posts,” Alimite chimed in, and my two cents was shot down instantly.

Though how did it take this long to have those on patrol inside the town limits apart of perimeter duty? Hell, if nothing really did happen this far out in the middle of nowhere, I’d take guard duty over sitting in a shack with nothing to do. At the least then I’d be moving around, “So… there’s more guns looking over the area, and now more eyes as well,” Riff finally sighted me, and flashed those teeth at me in a grin. She was enjoying this kind of dirty, not the covered in rotting pony guts kind.

Passing by them, we both took a tour of the other towers that had been reworked as well as the makings of a wall between them, and much like the one we just saw still in that process. These ones gave the pony there on watch a bit more protection. Plates of metal adorned the outside of the loft, and for quite a few of them the tower itself was nearly spacious enough to hold an additional pony or extra ammunition should the need arise.

“How had no pony made these changes before?” I asked aloud, looking to the work that had been done in less than a day or so.

“No pony really saw the need,” Alimite looked about as sick of that answer as I was, and she’d been dealing with it for years, “many get complacent when they’re out here in the peace and quiet. There isn’t a thing to go bump in the night,” till something does, “Though with the wonderful assistance of some newcomers… it’s not just ponies like myself doing all the odd jobs.”

Gee, I wonder who those fluttering lashes could be talking about?

“I mean sure they all want to maintain this place, but that’s just maintain, not make any better,” our hooves turned back towards the rest of the town, as she led the way. “Progress spurs progress, and seeing one group go the extra mile to help out kicks another group of ponies into high gear… lovely domino effect, ain’t it?”

Domino effect indeed, they had better protection, and more guards looking across the land. Compared to most other places I’d passed through, this town lived up to that name. Just how much could it grow till somepony put it on the wastelands radar? It had to be a stroke of luck that it wasn’t there already. Then again, the more it grew, the more I’d like to believe the ponies that called this place home would stand to defend it. Well… ponies, and other creatures.

Speaking of other creatures, what had you’d gotten in to?

Deacon stood outside Lusters’ shack looking over what I had to guess was a patient. My little medical understand was enough to know that legs shouldn’t bend that way, and the mare on the front porch knew it as well. Regardless of her grunting and moans, the gryphon didn’t flinch and went to work. I heard the crunch of bone a few times as that limb was straightened out, and my own stomach did a few summersaults.

Alimite beside me shared much the same sentiment, and turned her head away from the operation taking place. The door to the shack opened up, though where I expected the young Luster to pop out, instead I got Tumble playing nurse. The tray she carried held enough chems to almost put the mare asleep, and Deacon shot those needles in to his patients’ hooves as fast as my own pump. Her crying went to bubbling and sobs, though at a certain point I doubted she’d have felt the leg being amputated.

Yet as much as my jaw line was breaking from the sounds of bone still being set. Deacon never relented; his face held the same grin he’d worn when I first noticed him at the shack. Even as his face met mine, he held that smile. Maybe in a different life he’d have been a doctor, or at the very least a combat medic.

Hmm… medic sounded more suited for him, I couldn’t see the gryphon lasting in a pristine white coat for long. “Whelp, it’s nice to know Deacon found his little niche here in town… apart from patching my ass up,” with a quick nod said gryphon got back to putting those splints on the leg, and we got back to our walk.

“Tumble too,” she added, and our hooves went on towards the bridge.

Huh? We already made a full trip around town?... time flies I guess, but I felt like doing maybe another lap or two. The suit wasn’t going anywhere, and I doubted any pony would try to tinker with it while I was- the sound of something shattering answered my thoughts. Alimite and myself broke in to a full sprint towards the shop, and with the least amount of grace I’d seen in her the mare knocked the door open with a shoulder.

Alright, nothing on fire, nothing shooting us, nothing explod- “Mom!” her yell cut me off, and I followed the mare towards Winter on the ground.

Both our horns reached out and lifted the mare too her hooves, and instantly I started looking her over. Breathing? Check. Heart rate normal? Felt like it. Bleeding from her head? Nope that’s not supposed to happen. Responsive? “Ya can put me down…” signature eye roll, also check.

Winter was back on her hooves and standing, but as my eyes wandered, I steadily got the picture of things. Step stool knocked over to one side, shattered stack of jars, and a bloody smear across the makeshift counter. Her kin was already pulling bandages out from one of those cabinets, and with all the fuss I’d expect, Winter was doing her best to hold her daughter off.

“I’m alright now, ya hear?” she protested, but Winter forgot where Alimite got her stubbornness.

“Yeah… good luck with that,” I started lifting up some of the broken glass from the floor, “Took a fall did ya?”

Her eyes widened for a moment at mine, before wincing back shut after a splash of alcohol against her brow, “Like I said before, just one perk of getting old in the wastes…”

And like before, I saw her hoof start trembling, before she held it against the counter. Winter was as stubborn as mares came back in the day, and living out in this world hadn’t softened that side of her in the slightest. If I had been the one treating her, she might have just batted me away. Though, Alimite hadn’t seemed to notice what her mom had pulled, and I wasn’t about to open that can of worms… not yet anyway.

“Well now… am I gonna have to safety proof your shop?” and there was the playful, murder glare I had hoped to get. Alimite too even joined in the look, and together the two shared a small chuckle.

“I swear I’ll weld ya in that suit of yours…”

“Oh please, like I couldn’t cut myself out?” I grinned back at her, glad that I was at least getting humor out of her.

Another slam to the front door drew all three of us, and standing in the doorway was one I’d only met but once. Although, I was all too familiar with that face of worry the mare wore as she heaved breaths in and out of her chest.

“Help…” Ashburn choked, before falling to the ground.

Any pain or tremble Winter might have had was washed away, and she went to the mares’ side holding her up. Her chest was rising, and those eye of hers still looked between the three of us. Yet, every time she tried to speak all we got was the cracking of an old radio. Wait… that’d do it, if her lips were flaking that bad, I didn’t want to know how parched her throat was.

Hoisting a mug of water from the kitchens sink over, it might have been dirty, but it was enough to get her going. The mare choked down the whole container in half a gulp, before Alimite took the hint and went back to the kitchen, “Raiders… jumped our caravan… at night,” never a good sign when it started with them. Alimite pulled up alongside her with a sizable canteen, and started metering the liquid so she didn’t choke, “Took one colt hostage… Tanker.”

The mare likely ran through the night just to get that information to us, and her voice was proving it. No matter the amount of water she slugged down, it never seemed like enough for her to get more than a word or two out at a time.

“Want caps…” the mare gulped down the remains of the canteen, before taking her gasping breath, “five hundred, at Stonewall Treatment Plant…”

Between the M.W.T. and M.A.S. Ministry Mare’s, I couldn’t tell which one to kiss first for this tech. Nearly as soon as those words left her lips, like other locations before it, that plant lit up along my map.

Winter lifted the mare up to her hooves and brought her over to one of those couches in the room to lay on, before passing myself a look that I could read all too well. She knew what had to be done, and who would be the ones to do it. Let’s see I had a location, a target, and an objective. Now all I needed was a team to help complete it.

“I know the place, and the colt,” Alimite chimed in, and immediately started heading towards the stairs, “Let me grab my gun, and I’ll round up the others,” she peeked past the stair well to myself, “meet ya here in the garage?”

Took the words right out of my mouth, “See ya’ll in ten…” never a dull day, was it?

***

As creative as they might be at times, Raiders weren’t exactly the smartest bunch in the wastes. They gave us an ultimatum with the price for a pony’s head, yet didn’t bother to give a timetable at all to bring it by, or even a due date… not that I’m complaining mind you. If anything, it just meant they wouldn’t know when we’d be there.

If they were hoping for caps, they’d be sorely mistaken. How many times did this kind of ransom work? Kidnappings were all too common I’d imagine, but I couldn’t imagine the raiders staying true to their word to release a captive peacefully. So instead, we were bringing other payment… like shells.

“I didn’t remember it being under raider control,” Alimite muttered to myself at the head of our little party, “I mean it’s been a bit since I was there last, but there wasn’t really anything of value there they’d want.”

Treatment Plant… hmm, “Machinery? Maybe,” I offered to her. Perhaps one in their group was smart enough to get it working for their benefit.

“Ahh… doubtful, sewage plant mind you,” right… all the scrubbers in the world wouldn’t clean away radiation. Even if it did, they were next to useless if the water wasn’t flowing through those pipes. So, unless the raiders were gonna start farming, I was at a loss, “I wouldn’t even make the stretch to say for easy defense.”

Understandable, there wasn’t a large need during the war for Equestria to guard its own literal crap. While I tried to process what the raiders might have need of such a place, if there was one besides to keep their heads dry. Alimites’ eyes went back forward, and all of use followed along the trail she carved.

Travel in all the silence of the wastes wasn’t just boring, it was downright creepy at times. Billboards with propaganda still visible across them didn’t help the creep factor, everything from a tarnished Pinkie Pie encouraging reporting suspicious bad ponies, to Miss Fluttershy asking for volunteers in the Ministry of Peace. There was one way to break the silence however, besides wasting ammunition.

A few clicks later brought out far softer sounds than what I last played. Not the rock or pop I was used to back in the day, this was a bit more classical. An eerily similar peace to the scenery around us… oh well, beggars can’t be choosers. Not like I could phone in a request for the DJ.

So instead, I listened.

My hooves clacked against the ground song in and song out. I’m pretty sure the DJ had their entire station on shuffle, or they might not have the pick of the crop when it came to music out here. Probably both in all honesty, but it did make for a surprise at the end of every track. What was I gonna get next? Yakish Metal? Maybe some orchestra thrown in? Southern Equestrian twang? Who knows!

No matter what it was the armored stomps found a way to fit the tune. Some of the more electronic dance music of the city a few times now brought my heart throbbing from the bass alone.

“And that there wastelanders is just something from a very old, old, old friend of mine,” There’s the DJ! I’m surprised it took em this long to get actually on the airwaves, it’s only been… shit how long since we left? I didn’t bother looking at the clock on my PB, I could already see it was nearing dusk, “Speaking of old friend… our Rogue Ranger’s at it again out there.”

Oh boy, here we go… “Latest word on the street is the port those other rangers had been calling home went up in smoke not too long ago,” if by smoke you mean an entire pier blown to bits and fuel lines being ruptured to spill flaming liquid everywhere, then yes, “in a rather spectacular fashion I might add, even if you’re passing by south of Tall Tale you might be able to see it glowing.”

If that place was still burning then there were bigger problems at hoof. I wanted to kick the rangers off their hill, not burn down a city! “All things considered, I kinda wanna start a scoreboard here… Rogue five, to Gunners and Rangers nil!” yeah, nil… if you didn’t count Lock beating the crap out of me, and the Paladin biting the dust, “in other news, Tall Tale Boarding School dropped its own flags and those Gunners that once called it home have kicked rocks.”

Huh? We never finished clearing that place out, the gunners separated my group and Lock was just toying with me more than anything. Yet, they still walked away from it? “I know Rogue was there as well… but reports of his involvement are,” I could hear the papers shuffling behind the mic, “unclear…”

Understatement.

“Regardless, it’s time for some of us to go back to school if you’re looking for a new place to scavenge,” how much of that was my doing, I didn’t know. Lock might have figured we wouldn’t fall for that trick twice, and she was smart to think so… something I didn’t like, “and before I get back to our regularly scheduled programs, a message for Rogue,” and what might that be? “Hoofhold or not, some of those rangers might not have been at the port when ya cleared it, and there are others that operate in the area… keep your wits about ya.”

Yeah, I’ll keep that in my back pocket, “until next time fillies, gentlecolts, and every other critter out there, this is DJ-Pon3 signing off!” I’d kill to know how this radio pony had eyes and ears in enough places to learn half of what they did.

Alimites’ hooves came to a stop just ahead of mine, and my chest nearly careened in to her flank. Her eyes went around not to any of us, but to the surrounding area, the sky, and everything else in between. Wide open area, with only the husk of what once was some sort of trading post maybe, but also not a thing on my E.F.S… so what was she getting at?

“It’s not the best of locations,” she took a deep breath, “but it’s better than completely in the open.”

Aren’t there more pressing matters? “What about, I don’t know, the hostage?” you’d think I wouldn’t have to remind her of that.

“We’re still several miles out from the plant, and by the time we got there it’d be early morning,” Alimite didn’t have to explain more than that, “I’d rather fight raiders after some shuteye, and they wouldn’t expect us to have the caps so soon,” and yet, she still explained.

Shot down like part of the Equestrian Wonderbolts… before I could even admit she had a point; Tumble was already breaking off splinters of the trading post into kindling, and homing her sights across the open ground. That mare was on the hunt for grub, and Riff shared the same interest as her muzzle perked up to the air sniffing out prey.

We had been walking the better majority of the day, and although I’d have rather rescued the settler in one go. A full stomach and restful night would make it just a little bit easier, “Alrighty then… I’ll take first watch.”

Chapter twenty-six: Resurgence

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Chapter twenty-six: Resurgence

Less than an hour after we’d gotten settled in for the night, and already I could hear the steady snore of Riff drowning out the others. Spending time in the basement huddled with one another got us all used to it by now, though how we hadn’t drawn the attention of anything walking around in these parts of the wastes I hadn’t a clue.

With them out, and the E.F.S. still clear, my horn turned to the little pet project I’d brought along for the trip. Even having everything else cleared from my head, this stone still resisted my own pull. I don’t know if I should be irritated with the unicorn that put the encryption, or impressed… for now I’d settle for a happy medium.

I’d been tugging away at this thing for what felt like it could have been hours, but as my eyes drifted off to the side. That handy dandy HUD told me only about fifteen minutes had passed. Yeah… it was gonna be a long night, and I still had another two hours before I woke Deacon up. Little by little I drew out the enchantment, and matching my own I couldn’t feel it getting any easier.

On the plus side, it wasn’t getting harder on me either-

Zap!

“Son of a-!” I chomped down on my tongue, definitely jinxed that one.

The stone itself found a new home resting on the ground where it’d dropped, and I couldn’t help but imagine the little pulsating glow it gave off was mocking me. This shock hurt a lot more than what I’d experienced in the shop. Maybe it was stronger because I was on the right path to breaking it? Eh, flip a coin, it all depended on what the original unicorn had imprinted on it.

“Having trouble there?” Alimite propped herself up on her forehooves and just looked at me from next to the smoldering fire.

The others hadn’t seemed to awaken from that little outburst, none of them even so much as moved. Before I could cause any more sleep to be lost by em, the matrix found its way back in my bag and I remained propped up on the helmet underneath me.

What? They made a good makeshift stool out in the field, “not for reasons like before,” she didn’t seem to be buying that, “no really, just fiddled with it a bit too much this time.”

Without a word, the mare found her way to her hooves and listed over to me. Armor couldn’t have been that much warmer than the embers left over. Though I suppose I’d taken in a lot of that radiant heat, because she wasn’t complaining in the slightest.

“Hmm… toasty,” Alimite leaned herself against the side of the suits’ plating.

Yeah, it’s not the only thing, “Sorry about that… didn’t mean to wake ya, just figured I’d chip away at it some more,” tinkering helped pass the time after all.

“Oh, don’t be, we all learn to sleep lightly out here,” unless you were a hellhound, and had little to fear, “except for you, it took your stable ready to go up in flames to get you out of your chamber.” Okay, hellhound with nothing to be afraid of, or a very naive pony. Still, I had to share that snicker with her, a reactor going critical was a great alarm clock.

I saw her eyes starting to drift. “How much do you know about the stables anyway?” whelp, wasn’t expecting that one, and she could tell, “Mom told me a number of times about how the stable was inside when I was young, made me always wonder if there were other ponies right beneath my hooves living a normal life,” her tongue stopped there, and I saw that fumble in her look, “Well… semi-normal.”

Sadly, with the various skills and knowledge I had under my belt. Stable-Tec was one of those things that had eluded me. If mine was Stable 100, it stood to reason there should be at least ninety-nine more before it. Though, that’d be a lie as well. There were plenty in the works from what I heard even after 100 was finished. The better question was, how many actually still were operational?

“There were a lot of them, that’s for sure,” it’s amazing what can be accomplished when a good number of ponies see the impending doom of their nation, “but if my experience is anything, they weren’t nearly as hearty as Stable-Tec advertised.”

Hell, I had both sides of the spectrum for experience of just how bad a stable could go. On the low end, a simple discrepancy when it came to shielding for the spark reactor that doomed the stable and its residents. On the high end, a reactor that decided to commit suicide.

Never the less, with the number of them that were created, it stood to reason something must have gone right in a few. “Stable-Tec tried to build things to last, and either they crashed and burned… or they were nearly indestructible,” those shelters were designed to take megaspell blasts after all, “I’d imagine somewhere in Equestria there are ones still working.”

I felt a breeze sent a shiver across my muzzle, and so did the mare as she snuggled a bit closer into the plating. “And I’d imagine if they could see what it was like on the surface, they’d probably choose to stay inside their shelters,” could you really blame em? “Hard to believe some pony right now might be learning about the war in a history book.”

When you say it like that it just makes me feel old, “Hmm… think they’ll run across a picture of me?”

One shoulder check and a smirk later, and the both of us found ourselves staring at those flames flickering away. It was kinda surreal to think of it that way. If there were other stables out there functioning normally, then after this long there had to be a few generations of ponies who remained oblivious to the world above. If the Steel Rangers could manage to hunker down in their own shelters, and come out flourishing.

I’d bet caps on it there was a few stables out there doing the same. Though Alimite did make a point, there’s no way they’d stick it out here if they had a choice. Some stable pony would probably take five steps out, say nope, then turn right around. Unless of course they didn’t have a choice, like some of us.

Plating between us or not, after a few more moments of watching the flames dance. I felt the soft rise and fall of the mare as she propped herself up against me, now fast asleep. The wasteland made ponies light sleepers, and also able to fall asleep anywhere. With more of a gentle horn than I had with the matrix, I laid her down on the ground beside me, and got as relaxed as I could in the suit.

She was out, yet even then Alimite still managed to roll just a bit closer to the almost radiator like heat of the suit. The ghost of a smile still on her muzzle told me enough, she was comfortable there curled up like a cat in front of a fire place.

Whelp, I wasn’t moving an inch from this spot now… “Just another hour and forty-five minutes to go…” I hated this clock sometimes…

***

Sleep came a lot easier than I expected after Deacon relieved me, and with a good couple hours keeping those bags from under my eyes at bay. Our little group approached the marker on my screen. On the few occasions where I’d popped my visor open, at this distance there was still a funk that was growing with every passing step we took. Definitely sewage treatment like Alimite said.

Riffs muzzle was probably the only one besides myself who didn’t have a mask put over it as we approached, and once again I found myself thanking the genius who put these filters in the helmet. Hell, even Alimites’ bandana found its way around her nose to keep some of the scent out.

Another curve of a hill later, and across through the thick of sickly trees I saw the open vats behind a fence. Really now, who even wanted to break in to a place like this before the war? Our trot broke to a light step, and Deacon fluttered his way up to the branches above. My E.F.S. wasn’t picking up anything from this range just yet, and with many of the waste tanks lining around the area inside. Tumble looked to be having trouble getting a glimpse of those behind the fencing.

“You’re not gonna find much cover out here to get a closer look,” Alimite perked up alongside her counterpart, as Tumble let out a huff, “no pony wanted to live near a place like this, so it’s all open ground.”

Great, so charging in head long was gonna have to be the plan… whelp maybe our eyes above had something else to-

“I got nothing,” Deacon answered my unasked question once he landed, “not a single creature out and about, least not in the open.”

Well, they did know to be expecting a ransom at some point, “maybe they’re hunkering down till we arrive?” weak offer, but the best I had at the moment.

I mean, what else would they be doing? If they were smart, which in of itself was kinda a stretch, then they knew a whole settlement would be pissed about having one of their own taken. I know I’d be preparing for an entire assault if the caps trade turned ugly.

“How about I go knock, see if there’s anypony that answers,” truth be told, it wasn’t the worst idea I could have had, “ya’ll stay back in the tree line incase things take a turn.”

No counter offers? Good, with that they hung back and my hooves pressed forward along the path we carved through the woods. I half expected gunfire once I broke the tree line, but with the air still silent I kept my head up. They had to have heard me coming, across the ground in Power Armor you’d at the very least feel something vibrating under your hooves. Still, my E.F.S. remained clear.

Even with the front gate approaching, there wasn’t so much a gun barrel sticking out over their perimeter. A few clicks, and I hovered over selecting the shield talisman. The closer I got, the easier I’d be to get a lucky shot off with a missile, and at this range a direct hit would turn me into a work of abstract art.

Alright, about ten yards out now… and still, nothing, “Hello!” I shouted out through the speaker, drunk guard on duty forgetting to raise the alarm? Or chemed out of his mind? “Anyone home!”

I heard crackling, but as my visor looked around it was just the wind against some of the dry grass. So subtle approach out the window, and I charged towards the gate. The makeshift battering ram of my shoulder still hadn’t let me down yet, and maybe that racket would garnish some attention from those… here?

Between the tanks still topped off with raw sewage, and all the various shacks and supply sheds out in the main yard. Deacon made the right call, there wasn’t a soul to be had. I could see outside those shacks’ tables with cards still on em, bottles of booze, spent shell casings, and maybe the occasional pile of bones. Ya know, all the usual wasteland garbage, but no pony to claim ownership.

More rustling from behind told me the arrival of my friends, and from their silence much the same that went through my head probably went on repeat in their own. Tumble, Deacon, and Alimite all poked their heads around through the sheds if any creature was hiding. While Riff and myself kept our eyes peeled for anything that might jump out at us.

Prime time open target right now, and I waited for a shot to ring out…

Instead, I got screeching metal like claws on a chalk board, and a very embarrassed looking gryphon holding the door open to the main facility. “Ahh… my bad,” nothing out here, so he had the right idea.

If the outside was clear, only other place to go was in. With him on the door, myself and the mares lead the way inside before Riff held up the rear. My helmet light flicked on, and all around I got the typical ruin vibe from every other place I’d explored. Flickering lights, dusty corridors, random scrap every which way and that.

Yet, still no raiders, “Are we sure this is the right place?” I cocked my head towards our guide.

Alimite didn’t look all that amused with that question, and instead I got her hoof pointing just above us. There for us all to see was the tarnished nameplate of the building, ‘Stonewall Treatment Plant- tidying yesterday’s messes today!’… as if your septic system needed a motto. My question was still answered, and I had to wonder if they could have moved the colt out before we’d shown up.

Only one way to find out, my light stayed forward along the hall on towards what I’d imagine was the main processing hub. At least, that’s what all the signs would have me to believe. We’d already passed by other doors labeled for locker rooms or other employee spaces. Though I doubted they’d keep a hostage there. They’d probably be held up in a place the raiders could easily defend.

Riffs’ barrel popped up next to me as both of us took point at the door, and with her heavy paw the latch on it swung open for myself to charge in… and promptly grind to a halt. Just like the outside, this place was clean. Well, cleanish, more spent shell casings, and what I doubted was paint sprayed across the walls. As along either side of us remained the vats of liquid in stages of processing.

But no Caravan worker in sight, not even a raider.

“Let’s poke around, maybe they moved him,” Alimite already started heading towards the ladder well, and worked her way to the catwalk above.

I wasn’t far behind her, while the others broke off in their own search. A closet maybe where they stuck the poor colt and dipped out? Further down in the processing area? If I had to guess from the stowage tanks going down the lengthy hallway, this one plant was handling all the waste water for the surrounding area.

From below I heard the clatter of my friends looking around every nook and cranny this place had to offer. All the while my eyes were glued to the E.F.S. for anything to pop up. Blue bar, red bar, I’d take purple right now.

Thump.

My chest careened into to the back side of the mare, and Alimite stumbled forward with a few skips to catch herself, “Sorry… trying to look at the sensors,” just not where I’m walking.

“I’m good, just worried about that,” her hoof stuck in some blood across the catwalks’ grate. What? Should I be surprised about- oh… that was fresh.

I’m an idiot… spent shell casings, and fresh blood on the ground and walls. Somepony beat us to the punch, and that just raised more questions. For example, where the hell were the bodies? It’d take a lot of effort to kill a bunch of ponies then dispose of them before we got here, and I couldn’t imagine who would go through that trouble. If somepony else was in the area and rescued the colt, they’d have no reason to, and any other group would leave them to rot in place as well.

The further we went down the walkway the less I was liking this place. That blood she pointed out only started to get more and more frequent, yet there still wasn’t a pony for it to belong to. The trio below didn’t seem to be having any luck either, in and out from between the tanks I watched them go. Though every time one of them emerged it was with empty hooves.

Waste tanks behind us, and in front was another door. Alimite creaked it open with her shotgun drawn, and right by her side I stuck. There were enough places here to hide and get the drop on somepony. Apparently enough to hide an entire facility of raiders. Though we were getting somewhere now, in the open space below us were cages those ponies used for their entertainment, and not a soul to-

“I got em!” Alimite shouted, and leapt off the catwalk to the ground below.

The mare raced over to one of those cages, as myself and the trio joined in to see the colt… and he’d seen better days I’m sure. Littered across his chest were dozens of small cuts, each one oozing puss and almost gel like blood. There wasn’t a medicine in Deacons’ case that could cure that, his eyes remained bloodshot and yellow while they stared back at us. All the mare could do was run her hoof over trying to close them, but with the swelling they stayed open.

“…Gangrene…” Deacon muttered, and picked up what looked like a rusted kitchen knife from the ground. Caked along its edge was the same waste that had been festering for nearly two centuries.

Alright… where were these raiders… my helmet hid the grinding of my teeth, but there wasn’t a thing around to take my nerves out on. So instead, I went over to the colt and held the chains up holding him to the cage, as Riff cut him free. I might not have met Tanker, but there wasn’t a pony alive who deserved- okay no there were a few, but you get my point.

From behind me I could hear the tutting of the gryphons’ beak, as he went about the area. “It doesn’t make sense…” I don’t know, this scene seems pretty cut and dry to me, and he already saw the questioning glare we all shared, “Raiders like getting paid, so why would they kill their chem-ticket?”

He… had a point, the raiders we’d come across so far were of the shoot first mentality. Though, if they were hoping for come caps to come their way, why would they do this to the colt? Plus, that was far too much blood scattered around the place for just one colt. They had to be here somewhere, probably dead by another hoof, but if they weren’t, they would be soon. My eyes darted around for something, anything to tell me where they might have gone.

Before, they rested on one thing.

Processing plants like this weren’t all that complicated. Waste water was taken in, scrubbed of its garbage, and then filtered and sent back out. Though you needed to do something with all that garbage left over. Many places would send it to the dump, but from what I read some would outright burn it all.

The incinerator wasn’t all that surprising to see in this place, but what caught my eye was the parchment stamped to the door. With Rogue Ranger written large enough above on the metal in pony fluids for me to see.

My horn reached out and pulled it free, and brought it to my visor, “If you’re reading this then it’s probably a bit too late for your friend. Infection is a nasty tool, but when I get to play with you it’ll be just one thing in my bag of tricks…” somehow while I read it aloud to them, I could hear their voice saying it in my head as well, “…Raiders’ fault for getting in our territory, and his fault for getting captured at the wrong time.”

And our fault for not getting here in time… Infection is something that normally doesn’t act fast, but with all the waste battered up on that knife. That was a recipe for a long and cruel death, “Usually I would have just killed him on the spot, but he was so sure this wonderful Ranger was going to get him home safe, and just kept talking you up… how’d that work out for him?” this was one of those ponies that deserved the same treatment I meant earlier, “As for you, don’t forget about that little favor I asked of ya, and try to keep it for a bit longer… sincerely, Lock XOXO.”

Saying the hugs and kisses wasn’t necessary, but it would be necessary to give the mare a hug and kiss when I saw her. Particularly 12-gauge hugs, and 14.4mm kisses right down her damned throat… Lock had gotten here before us, killed the raiders for being in her turf, and tortured the poor guy. Getting to spit in my face through a note was just the icing on the cake for her.

With care Riff shouldered her launcher and picked the colt up in her paws, at least he could be brought back home… but I knew that would matter little to his family if he had one. That wasn’t a conversation I was looking forward to. This colt had been crossing his hooves that he’d get to see them once again, and here we were.

A day late, and a dollar short.

“Ugh!” Tumble started coughing behind us, and turns out the mare popped the cork on that door, “Found the raiders… I think.”

Stuffed inside those brick walls were mounds of charred pony bones. Now that the door was open, I could see the heats haze through the air, and somehow given her treatment of Tanker. I doubted Lock had them put in there already dead. Their jaws locked open in a silent scream told me that much. Scum or not, there were still worse ponies out there in the wastes… and one of them had the hots for me.

***

A tarp might not be the most appropriate casket for the colt, but it’s all we could find in the plant to wrap him in. The Gunners had picked that place clean before they left, not leaving behind so much as a tin can for scrap. At least it kept the grime off Riffs’ already dirty coat, but with nothing else holding us there we headed back towards the settlement with the bad news for somepony.

News I wasn’t looking forward to delivering… ‘How do I even say this?’ hey, sorry about your loved one, but some bitch took her anger out on him. Yeah, that’d likely get me slapped, or shot, ‘What would Lilac say?’ she was always the more tactful one.

The spread in our group along with the silence did make for a good thinking place, and as long as the Eyes Forward Sparkle stayed clear. Then all I had to worry about was what to do when I got back. Although, light hooves coming up to my side put those thoughts to a grinding halt, as did the wrench tapping to my armor.

Alimite didn’t exactly look cheery after finding out the demise of the colt, but for being somepony who knew him more than us. She was in a lot better spirits than myself, “Quit blaming yourself…” how did I know those were gonna be her words?

“Hard not to, he was counting on a rescue,” and instead he got an execution.

That didn’t look to faze her in the slightest, “A lot of ponies are waiting for their knight to come galloping in to save them,” hmm where have I heard this story before? Usually there was a princess and a dragon somewhere in the mix, “but out here it ain’t a fairy tale, there aren’t always happy endings.”

“Is that… why you seem so calm with it?” that sounded better in my head, but she wasn’t smacking me with her wrench so I continued, “You knew him best out of us, and it looks like it’s just rolling off your shoulders.”

For a moment as we continued walking her steps halted, before picking back up with my own, “Don’t mistake it for being cold hearted,” Alimite bit back her tongue as if she wanted to say more, but pressed on after a shake of her head. “I know back in your time… there were plenty that passed in the war, and just like now, suffice it to say, it’s something you get used to,” another breath gulped down her throat at the thought, probably something she’s been building up a tolerance for over the years, “I know in time my mom will pass away, or she might have to bury me tomorrow… there’s nothing you can do about it.”

Its like playing a game of chess with only one piece. You can move around as much as you might like, the inevitable fact is it’ll come to an end eventually. “He was a carpenter for a different town,” she glanced my way, knowing I was still heeding her previous words through that visor.

“Why’d he go by Tanker then?” I hadn’t caught the stallions’ cutie mark; it was too marred up by cuts to decipher.

“Used to haul a tank of fresh water for the caravan, after deciding to hit the road of course,” okay, now it was more fitting, “in time though he also started helping out around our town, patching up shacks and such.”

Now the tough question… “Did he have any-”

“Family? No,” I hate to say it, but thank Celestia for that, “Ashburn was about the closest thing to it I believe, never saw him close to any other.” So, there was still somepony to tell the bad news to, but also somepony to remember him, “If you want, I can be the one to tell her.”

Alimite made the offer, and while I might have wanted to jump at it. It wasn’t something I should just pawn off, “I appreciate it, but I can do that.”

“Then I’ll join you,” she passed me a small smile, “it’ll be easier coming from a friend.”

Stubborn as always, but welcome all the same.

Chapter twenty-seven: Consequence

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Chapter twenty-seven: Consequence

I’ve had to deliver bad news before to a pony…

When no other her age would show up to Winters’ birthday party, it put her almost in tears, even after turning herself around. Those colts she called friends showed their colors then, but she still had myself and Lilac to attend and make up for it.

Reporting to the boss there was an issue regarding power distribution in one of the gatling conversions. Of course, I was told to find a way and make it work, but there was only so much one could do to a gun to get it to comply.

Telling Lilac that Winter had gotten in to another fight at school after I went and picked her up. The mare was upset naturally, but as far as Winter was concerned the other pony deserved it. My opinion? Well, they didn’t mess were her again after that, so it solved future problems at least.

But telling one a friend had been killed? That was a new field entirely, and with all the protection this suit gave. I still felt the tears of the mare punch me square in the chest. Alimite did as she said she would, and went with me to find Ashburn. The caravan worker had cleaned herself up well since last seeing her, but with us empty hooved finding her it didn’t take long to put two and two together.

Her muzzle buried itself into Alimites’ shoulder letting it all out, and all I could do was stand there like a rock. Ashburn and Tanker might not have been family in the literal sense of the word, but if you saw this from the outside looking in, you’d have thought she just lost her husband. Know a pony long enough they become family in the end, and having no blood between them doesn’t help the loss in any way.

That sentiment, I could understand…

“Did… you bring him back?” she asked over another stifle of tears.

“We did,” I nodded back to her, what more could I say past that? “He’s wrapped up in the medical hut.”

Her look didn’t soften at all, but at least it hadn’t gotten any worse. Somepony out of this would get closure, “Was it quick?” she started choking, “Did he suffer?”

For a split second Alimite shot me a glance, and I lied hiding behind the visor. “As much as it could be.”

With a tug, one mare picked the other up from her hooves, and Alimite lead her cohort out from the caravan station the town had set up. Now it was just myself, no daylight left after booking it to make it back with the colt, and my thoughts to keep my company… not a good place to be. I’d failed, plain and simple. There was another pony who was counting on me to come through, and they were snuffed out for looking up to that hope.

Beating myself up never went well alone, I needed a drink.

The lights strung up through town might have had half their bulbs missing, and with a slow flicker to the fluctuating power. Although never the less, it managed to light my path through the residential area of the town. After the days work, every pony had found their own way to spend an evening.

Some worked on their shacks, others tended to their small gardens, and even one colt kept working at that old jukebox from before I saw. This time around, it looked like it had its guts back inside. If it wasn’t for all the dirty faces, and myself in power armor. I might have just thought I’d gone back in time to when things all made sense.

A pony can dream, can’t they?

Besides the few other ponies milling about, I was alone on my walk about town. Even as I got to the section where everything was being stored, those guards that patrolled barely paid me any heed. About the only one that passed a nod my way was Walker. He’d probably heard about what happened by now, news travels fast after all.

The path way with the shops was also closed up for the night it looked. Shop fronts sealed with plywood, or just their counters empty of goods. Though even if the closest thing this place had to a bar was locked up, I knew somepony that had something to quench my thirst.

Where the lights to those shops were out, the workshop still had its lit up. Someponies never found sleep, and that’s what I was counting on. As I went through the door to the makeshift living room, I found who I needed. Winter might have been there looking over Mercy with intrigue, but the mare working on it had my full attention.

“Tumble…” her head perked up to meet me, “you still have that bottle?”

I ain’t never seen a mare light up that fast, you’d have thought I just proposed. Tumble shot up from the couch and went through the shop to our little hidey hole with an eager grin plastered across her. As she did, Winter just stared at me. She knew I didn’t have much of a soft spot for the bottle back in the day, and she also knew it’d only be for either special occasions, or if something was bothering me.

Can you guess which one she suspected? “It’s about Tanker… ain’t it?”

Totally called it, “Like mother like daughter,” I shook my head to her and made my way further inside. The armor was about as comfortable to me as any couch at this point, and right about now I didn’t feel like sleeping. “Before you say it…” I pointed out, and caught her mid inhale, “I know it’s not my fault, already had that told to me.” Technically…

That smile told me everything, she knew who gave me that lecture, “So then what is it?”

Well… how would you summarize this? Bringing the wrath of an entire wasteland group down on a pony who I didn’t even know, and didn’t deserve it. Then failing to live up to their expectation of you, all when they needed it the most.

“Regret, I would say…” yeah, that sounded about right, “the gunners didn’t need to kill him, but she did because he was counting on me.”

Almost as fast as she left, Tumble came back in the room with that whiskey in hoof, and a gleam in her eye. After an honorary swig of her own, the neck was held out to me. Whelp, it smelled better than what I had in the bar way back when… but damn did it taste the same! Another swig or two down didn’t help any, and just left me hoofing the bottle back over to its owner.

Winter didn’t partake, instead she stuck to her side of the couch and looked as if she was pondering those words. Even when offered, the mare waved it off with a hoof. “You regret not doing more to help em?” gee you’d think that’d be obvious, apparently it took the blank stare from my open visor to drive that point home, “I mean from Tumbles’ account, it sounded like you gotten beaten to the punch.”

“That’s only half of it…” now some of the words were starting to come together, hopefully they’d make sense, “I’d never meant to go hoof to hoof with the Gunners, nor did I mean to kill the sister…” just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Okay, I could go for another taste, and Tumble was more than happy to oblige. She must have gotten a new bottle at some point; there was no way with how the mare was slinging this back the original had lasted this long.

“And now you have, and you’re regretting what you brought to the door step,” Ain’t you spot on with that one? I wasn’t used to the little trouble maker I once knew, now trying to give me some heart-to-heart advice. Guess ya mature a bit when you have a kid of your own. A steady nod from over the neck was enough to answer, “Whelp, as much as it might suck to say… what's done is done.”

Maybe not the best of advice, “Really? Just like that?” I asked, and instead I got one nod in return.

“You kicked a hornet’s nest,” or shot it to pieces, that’d be more appropriate, “and even if those hornets died out, you’d still have some regret of what you could have done differently… and for what they might do in the future,” alright, that sounded better after she explained it.

Regret wouldn’t un-shoot some gunners pinning a mare down, it wouldn’t put a library back under their control, or for that matter have gifted Barrel wings in her time of need. Maybe if I bit the dust during a few of those engagements it might have quelled their thirst for vengeance, but then I’d just be another body claimed by the wastes.

Plus, who would be around to clean up after the gunners in the future? The Rangers certainly weren’t doing a good job at it. No matter what their intentions might come off as. Suffice it to say, somepony had to be the one in their sights. I was just the lucky pony to be it, and one thing was for sure…

“I’m doubting there’s a way to smooth things over with the gunners?” ya know, besides having me six feet under. If the two out of three siblings were anything to go off of, they weren’t the most negotiable bunch. Lock seemed to call the shots more than anything, and she wanted quality time alone with me.

The clatter of a bottle drew my attention away, and Tumble about slammed the near empty glass on the makeshift table. “I outta smack you for even thinking that,” well you can probably forgive me for at least asking, “The gunners are still pissed, and they’ll take it out on any pony with a soft spot for ya… so how do you solve this problem?” she paused, and I already saw the grin starting to grow across her face, “the wasteland way.”

I.E… kill em before they get to me. This wouldn’t be as simple as blowing a pier to high hell. The gunners probably had a fort built up over the years, and one I hadn’t the slightest clue to where it was. I’d gotten lucky with Tungsten giving me a location to go off of for the rangers. Though there’s no way there’d be a sympathetic gunner ready to lend a hoof. No, this would take some planning, coordination, skill… and…

‘Music?’ I felt my ears perk up from the back of the helmet at the tunes.

A quick check to by PB told me the radio was off, but I wasn’t hearing things. Both the mares got up from their seat and followed me to the door. Winter tagging right alongside me, with Tumble cradling the remains of her drink. That was music alright, sounded like something I’d heard from the DJ. Though this sounded a bit different, not traveling across the airwaves grainy, but coming fresh from an old record.

It was enticing to hear the old classical dance music in full swing, literally given the beat. Like moths to a flame, the three of us waded out the door and towards the streets trying to find the source. Something that seemed to gather the attention of many others as well while we made our way near the town center. The closer I got, the louder the music became, and I caught a view that had to be a rarity in the wastes… ponies actually smiling.

The widest of them had to be from the colt responsible. Soft Note looked mighty proud of himself beside the jukebox, as the machine dealt out the tunes from a day long since past. Playing the right music could put any pony in a particular mood. Smooth and melodic was perfect for studying, rapid and hard more than enough when it came to getting pumped up… or shooting each other. Though this set all those around us at ease, and brought out a few from the crowd to the center.

I can’t recall the last school dance I went to, but the dancing there couldn’t have been as bad as some of these ponies. Although, after almost two hundred years, I think you could forgive them. I was the last one who should be talking any who. While I laughed to myself however, that didn’t stop a few more ponies from town joining in with one another.

It wasn’t any special occasion to my knowledge; the colt just finally got the machine up and running. That seemed to be enough for these folks. As barren as some of the wastes could be, at least this little snippet had some life in it still.

From past those making up the middle, I saw that familiar heft peeking over top as Riff made her way through the crowd. The hellhound looked about as confused as I’d imagine half the ponies were meeting her for the first time. Yet, even while she made her way closer to those she knew a bit better, I caught her tail flickering to the beat.

“Why ponies make fool of selves?” really? Somehow, she knew the ins and outs of baking enough to know what a cookie cutter was, but not dancing.

“It’s what they do best,” Deacon answered coming up to myside, or more particularly Tumbles.

Couldn’t argue with that one, we were mighty good at screwing ourselves. “It’s called dancing you two,” Winter stifled a snicker out from underneath her breath, but I knew her tells all too well, “and it’s doing exactly what Soft Note hoped it would.”

Also, couldn’t argue with that. The ponies around me looked genuinely happy to finally have some music in their lives, and not just from a radio. I got to hear the melodious sound of not only music, but quite a few towns folk laughing it up with one another while they swung to and froe. A few off on the side sharing a drink with others as they mingled in their own little world. Plus, I got to listen to the protesting of a gryphon and mare while they were unceremoniously pushed towards the group of ponies.

Ahh… such peace in a place like this.

“Pick, mare dance with turkey, or dog will,” Riff just had to flash her teeth for Tumble to seize up.

Yet, only for a moment. A half second later, whatever was left in her bottle went down that gullet as her hooves grabbed hold of the gryphons’ talons, and I could almost see him trying to flutter away as they were lost in the crowd. It’s amazing what someponies will do with the right amount of liquid courage in their system, something that I was nowhere near testing out tonight.

Armor wasn’t the best thing to try and be nimble in, so instead I found myself a nice quiet corner of the square to kick my feet up. More accurately, lean against. The makeshift porch to the shack was enough for me, I’d rather just stand back and watch. Riffs’ tail kept its flickering, but the hound didn’t dare join in, smart move. As for the other two, every so often I saw the peak of Deacons’ wings poke up over the crowd as he found his footing.

Winter seemed to follow my lead, and whoever owned this shack was more than providing with the worn-out rocker in front. The mare didn’t need to say anything, she knew where I was coming from, and together we just watched all those younger folks enjoy themselves… I can call them that, right? At least a few in the crowd I could, Spade was about as out of place as Riff, but like a hen she stood off to the side watching the pack of youth milling about. Maybe a hawk was more to her stature.

Speaking of younger folks…

“Well, it’s about damn time,” Alimite worked her way over, and plopped down on her flank between us, “it’s a wonder he ever got that thing working.”

“Gave him a hobby there for a bit,” Winter followed up.

Although if she was here now… “Where’s Ashburn? Is she doing alright?” I looked past the way she came, but even then, I couldn’t make out the mare.

Alimite softened there a moment, “as good as can be expected, she’s saying her last goodbyes in medical… I wanted to give her some space,” across her face I saw that weak beam. Not one of joy, but instead of closure. At that moment I was glad we managed to get him back here with somepony he knew. Far better than what end the other raiders met. Though a nudge brought me out of those thoughts, “now… why aren’t you out there?” she asked probably trying to change the subject.

Couldn’t blame her for the attempt, in this part of the town there were ponies happy with their lives, and in another part was one pony saying goodbye. My eyes trailed over the group that assembled, and amongst them I could still make out the rather feverish faces from two of my friends. They were embarrassed, but they weren’t stepping out either… I’d just have to take that first step, one I never would.

“Let’s just say-”

“He’s nervous to,” Winter jumped my gun and cut me off, and although she couldn’t see it there was a scowl under this visor for her. As if by instinct her tongue shot out at me, “didn’t dance when he was in school, and never really took it up after that… feels awkward on the floor.”

Didn’t really fit in my skill set either. I could design weapons of war, modify suits of armor, and alter arcane matrixes out the wazoo. Ask me to try and feel the flow of music and move with it? Just shoot me now, and save yourself the trouble. That was one chink in my-

“I can’t blame ya,” … What? Alimite caught my expression through the visor, “I never learned myself, and it’s not something you’d do often out here,” strange, you mean that skill would have nothing to do with basic survival? Unless you shot to the beat like I had, “all that said… now that Soft Notes’ got that thing working,” why was her smile growing? And why was I getting warmer in here? “I wouldn’t mind sometime, with the right partner.”

Yep, definitely hot in here now! Somewhere between mouth, and brain there was a mix up. So instead of a response, all she got in return was a low gasp as I tried to catch my breath. Winter seemed to be in good spirits watching my fumble, and her daughter followed suit with the snickering.

“Assuming I can pry ya out of that thing, again,” Alimite winked, and once again I was so glad the rangers didn’t have her on their side.

So, risk a mare pulling me out of this suit to try and tango sometime? Or go willingly for the hell of it… did I have to weigh this decision? “Oh… I might take ya up on that offer,” okay that shut her up for a moment, and together we kept our place at the porch.

And every so often I could feel the light prat of some dogs tail against the shack. Admit it or not, Riff was enjoying the tunes. I didn’t imagine there was much to listen to down in those tunnels. If she was enjoying it, then it was just a matter of time before…

“Why Wild not make fool of self?” Called it.

“Nope…” I glared back at her. Show me that grin all you want, it doesn’t work on me Riff. Another mares’ glare found my visor, and I saw her lips starting to curl, something I was having a hard time saying no to, “At least not-”

Something forced my ears up, and I stood there scanning the darkened sky and area beyond. It could have been a trick of the music, it could have been somepony dropping a piece of metal, it could have been a number of things… but I knew that sound from somewhere.

Winter hadn’t been paying attention, her eyes were still on those listening to the tunes. Riff and Alimite however had all eyes on me, and they knew something was buzzing through my head. “Wild? What is it?” Alimite asked to my side, looking up at the sky with me.

That muffled clunk didn’t sound like a gunshot, even with a suppressor. Though it sure as hell didn’t sound like anything natural. No, this was different, something my brain was trying to go through the entire M.W.T. listing of shit I had a hoof in to place it. Gunpowder all sounded the same, just got louder the bigger you went, and energy weapons you could usually tell by the color they gave off.

But sound was the only thing to rely on when it came to one thing, “IF-95…” Mortar, my throat clenched half a second too late.

Then the first shell hit.

Chapter twenty-eight: Wakeup call

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Chapter twenty-eight: Wakeup call

It was almost as if S.A.T.S. clicked on as the time slowed down. The round hit wide, only managing to shatter half one shack into pieces. For those poor souls inside it was at least a quick death… then the next one landed. The music stopped as I watched the blast tear that jukebox in half before doing the same to the pony that once fixed it.

Amongst those of the crowd two more landed and sent a spray of dirt, debris, and pony parts scattering. Folks took off running which way and that, while all I could do was throw my visor around hoping for something to pop up on the E.F.S. No dice, artillery was too far out of range, and my screen was clear.

One figure stood through the soot, and as I rushed up Deacon was hauling what I hoped was a still breathing settler over his shoulder. I grabbed one side of the fallen stallion with my horn, and threw him over the suit. The gryphon didn’t so much as say a word before he was already back amongst those hit. Now where was… I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw Tumble helping a mare who lost her leg.

No time to dally, there was only one place to go.

Four more clunks rang out in the distance, and minding the pony on my back I stuck close to the shacks out of the open. The next volley of shells scattered on towards the buildings these ponies built up over a life time, some now reduced down to scrap wood.

Alimite and Winter peeled past me, the mother with her weapon drawn as they both ran towards the shop. They had their own priorities during whatever this was, as did I. My hooves carried me on in to Lusters, and as I already figured there were a few others who made it here from the first hit. Missing limbs, shattered legs, and puncture wounds painted the floor boards crimson while the doc ran between them.

“Lay him here!” she yelled while pushing old furniture clear for the colt across my back. Immediately her doctor bag opened and she started jabbing at him with every needle in there it seemed.

The door swung back open, and Deacon fumbled in with the same mare split between himself and Tumble. Almost literally, some sort of shrapnel managed to tear the belly of the mare clean open. Out past that open door something started to become clear, those weren’t all screams of pain I was hearing.

Some of them sounded like they were enjoying this…

One colt far different from the ones I’d seen in town burst on past the door. The machete in his teeth meant business, and with his pupils dialed in on the closet target. Half a dozen slashes from the dull edge still drew blood on my friend hind forcing him to drop the mare. ADAC and Shotty were useless at this range, but a burst from Tumbles’ carbine dropped the colt where he stood. Combat armor, pony skull emblem, well fed, and by the sounds of it from outside… organized.

Lock wasn’t waiting around for me to break that favor; the Gunners had found this place.

My barrels stayed trained on that door for any more unwanted guests, as Tumble went to his side. “Relax… just a flesh wound,” Deacon smirked back at her through a grunt, but I know a deep cut when I see it.

Never the less before either myself or Tumble could stop him. The gryphon patched himself up almost as fast as the colt made the cuts, shot a Med-X, and jumped into action alongside Luster. Both the mare and I just looked at one another, and I’m not sure who was more impressed by his dedication. Maybe somewhere with the princesses Fluttershy was looking down with approval.

More shouting and gunshots started to permeate past the door, and muffled behind the walls of the structure I heard that same clunking from before. Pushing past the frame I peered down the dirt paths that carved through town, and amongst the steady purr of turrets out in the distance, other firearms joined in on the choir. Far more than I’d seen in this town. However, some of the newer residents didn’t need a gun.

I wasn’t more than two feet out the door when a Gunner was slung me, but before I could even get a bead on him. His lifeless body slumped to my hooves, and I saw the one responsible coming in to view. Riff licked the ends of her paws clean, while over one shoulder was both her 40mm, and a pony to boot. Looked like one gunner tried to get a bit too close judging from his torn abdomen.

She made her way on to the shack, and movement behind the hellhound grabbed my attention. One leap put me past her, and in the face of another of Locks troops rounding a building. The mare clenched the bit, and from this close I still felt a dozen .308s rattle my cage. Yet, that was all she was going to get out of it. A thrust from my horn sent her just far enough away for a single shell to do all the work needed.

And then their own shells hit, again.

Armor integrity: 92%

Warning: Concussion detected!

I can’t stress this enough, but fuck this artillery was getting good quick! If I had to guess… you know from the throbbing in my skull, these were high explosive shells, not anti-personnel so less shrapnel. They were looking for an armored target to rattle and toss about to pieces. I could only but wonder who that might be. Luckily the first of the salvo blew me out of range from the other three, but that shit still hurt…

Something clenched my tail as my noggin rattled on the ground, and Riff was already dragging me in to the shack once more as she rested the other settler down. “Only see few get into town,” she filled us in, “new guns giving run for money.”

I tried processing that as the suit trickled in meds of my own, and I got to watch my vision straightened out once more, “Good, so let’s try to keep it that way.”

“I hate to break it too ya chief,” Deacon talked over checking out the new patient Riff brought in, still limping himself, “but that won’t mean a thing if the town is leveled by morning…”

More clunks off in the distance answered that enough, and these ones were getting closer to the shack itself. Wood against high explosives was never a good combination. All it would take is one lucky hit, there goes one Ranger, and a boat load of others as collateral.

Riff hoisted the 40mm off her shoulder, and with a quick check of her gun took a stand at the door. “Dog watch over healing pony, and turkey,” I don’t think he’ll ever get used to being called that, “Wild go find and break big gun.”

You know, I almost felt sorry for whoever tried to break this door down and attack those inside… almost. I readied myself at the door, as Tumble tagged alongside. If Riff was gonna stick around and help guard, then there was no need for her to watch over them. Besides, I could use somepony watching my back. Out the door we burst, and almost immediately there was a small whistle from above.

After bouncing like a pinball my suit and its passenger came to a stop, with only half my ass lodge in a porch. Tumble held her hooves my side for a second longer. Until she saw the fading glimmer around us of the shield… it was nice to know I’d work against an indirect hit. “I’ll need to get Mercy,” she shook herself off of me, and looked off past some collapsed shacks towards the shop, “if their guns are far off, we’ll need something with range.”

And I didn’t doubt that AMR could reach out and touch it, or at the very least see it.

Across my side I started to hear and feel the pinging of rounds as they dented into the armor, and less accurate shots tear into the planks of wood around us. Maybe more than a few made it past those defenses, or the turrets were down for the count. I kept Tumble covered while they had me in their sights, up until she jumped through the open window of a vendor as I took the more direct approach of barreling into the door.

From the holes I was seeing in the storefront, it looks like they brought every caliber to this party! Though if we were in the market, that meant the shop was only across that bridge, and through these guys. Yeah, nothing I couldn’t- a scream pierced through my helmet, and immediately I shot up looking through the stores window.

Those rounds towards us turned their attention to the source, and now in their sights was another store front as they closed the gap. Well, their loss for not paying attention. ADAC armed and I brought the bit ready to chomp. ‘Stop!’ I yelled to myself, and past them noted one colt I’d just barely met. Brail was cowering behind the shops front counter, and while the gunners may not see him, I certainly did.

Shotty too far, ADAC might blow them and the store to pieces… “Tumble, cover me.”

The mare didn’t get the chance to say a thing before I was already out the window stomping towards those thugs. That’s was one way to draw their attention! By the third step their guns were already back on me and dumping shots, so long as they weren’t going towards the other store, I could live with that.

Armor integrity: 79%

One gunner dropped before I could even reach them from the 5.56 behind me. Although somepony picked a bad time to reload… IF-86 dropped his mag as I got within muzzle length of him and didn’t stop. My snout kissed the end of his own, before trampling over him towards the next target. IF-9 pumped three slugs off in to the suit before I knocked her against the wall of the shop.

Armor integrity: 71%

Shotgun wasn’t dead yet, and my hoof went in for the- bang! Okay, now she was? The gunner slumped to one side with nearly a look of surprise across her face, and a little 10mm hole in her temple. There past the counter wasn’t just Brail from earlier, but the entire pack… along with their guardian holding an IF-21 in her mouth.

Spade wasn’t trembling, and had probably shot a gun before now… but her face still just stared blankly ahead of my own. Shot a gun, sure, but had to use it…? “Is everypony alright?” I asked giving her a gentle rest of my hoof to her shoulder.

That seemed to do the trick, as she shook her head clear. “Yeah, were good…” she didn’t sound like it, but this wasn’t the time and place to-

Clunk.

Oh shit! My inventory flipped over and… shield not ready yet. Instinctively I slammed my whole side against the opening of the counter trying to make up for the gap, and moments later the shockwave hit from the shells landing beside us. This storefront might need a full remodeling, but damn did the pony who built it know their construction! That counter held me firm and just acted as a brace for the concussion when it hit.

Armor integrity: 63%

Warning: Internal bleeding detected!

The first thing I saw was Tumble trying to drag my ass inside the store, but Spade giving me a quick smack with her gun was a close second. Her blank expression from before was now one of worry, and she was more than vocal about that.

“You ain’t allowed to die here mister!” her head started pushing against my back, and at the same time more potions started to inject.

Nothing like the motivation of a filly threatening you, “I’m… fine,” that was a lie. About 63% a lie at least. Though with my insides starting to mend themselves together from that shockwave passing through, I did manage to find my footing.

Together Tumble and I poked our heads over the counter and past the lighting that stretched to the bridge, and on through the darkened fields before the shop. It was a lot of open ground, fair game for whoever was spotting this artillery. I didn’t want to make that trip, she didn’t want to either, but if we wanted to be able to reach out and touch the gunners. She’d need that gun of hers. While there wasn’t any fire coming our way, now was a good time as any.

“You all stay here, get somewhere safer if you can,” I told to Spade, knowing very well the others would fall into line if she went anywhere. All the filly gave me was a nod, and I went back to the mare, “ready to go?”

Limbered up, Tumble brought her hooves on to the counter top alongside me, “as I’ll ever be…”

Together both of us bound over the top, and hit the ground running. If there was somepony spotting for their artillery I wasn’t about to make it any easier for them, and sit still for too long. Almost as if by cue four separate clunks resonated out in the distance, for the first time I was able to figure out a direction as my visor turned east. Closer up to the mountains, probably giving them the extra elevation for-

One shell right at my tail forced my hooves a bit faster, and I thoroughly kicked my flank in to high gear. The next three landed not far off from the initial mark. Whoever was spotting for them was good, but thankfully not that good.

Tumble started to creep past me as her hooves far out matched mine, but she also wasn’t hauling around several hundred pounds of metal and weaponry. Those upgrades to the plating certainly didn’t help all that much.

A few more feet put us over the bridge and on towards the fields. Some crops might get trampled, but I’d rather hear about it later from Winter than end up blown too bits. Maybe in the fields we’d lose them, or they’d level the whole damned place. For a split second my ear flickered inside the helmet, waiting to hear that familiar tune answer my jinx.

Yet, their guns remained silent… as did the shop in front of us. Besides the few bodies outside the door, it didn’t look any different from when I left it not all that long ago. ‘Sorry about this Winter,’ I thought for a moment, before turning to the tried-and-true battering ram that was my shoulder.

Door broke open, I rolled in, and my hooves caught the floor finally bringing me to a stop. With a .357 staring right at me, “That’s liable to get ya shot,” Winter put her pistol away nearly as fast as it was drawn, and I got back up to my hooves in case any others followed us here.

“Trying to avoid mortar shells… stopping to knock isn’t exactly an option,” any moment now I expected one of those shells to come through the roof, and ram itself down my throat.

Hmm… nope, still nothing. Maybe all these jinxes were just building up to get back at me later. “Well, you’re here now, so go on in the back and make yourself useful,” Winter waved me off as she stood guard once more, “Next to my daughter, you probably know turrets just as well, and by the sound of things outside they’re taking a beating.”

From the back of the shop, I already could hear the clanging of tools and other parts against each other. Somepony was busy, and as I pushed open the door a bit more cautiously. Alimite ran by an inch from my muzzle. Bandana up in a knot, tools laden across her belt, and a big enough bag of parts to rebuild over half the M.W.T. The mare looked frantic, but at the same time calm and ready for anything.

Tumble didn’t wait for anything, and while I watched one mare run around like her own personal madhouse. The other went to retrieve what she came here for, that left me- Excuse you! Alimite grabbed hold the suit with her aura and pulled me in towards the pile of parts.

“Good you’re in one piece,” for a split second she smiled, and I knew she meant it, “I need those servos,” and a split second later I found the parts across by back, now I knew how Riff felt, “holding up alright?”

Compared to the other shit I’ve carried, this might as well have been literal featherweights, “Oh, I think I’ll manage.”

A little readjustment found the bag better situated, and when I had to start galloping again, I wouldn’t leave it in the dust. Alimite went back too it, somehow finding more places on her belt to put tools. While I reached out for whatever scrap I could find and shoved it in my hopper. That last salvo of shells almost nipped me in the ass, and I’d much rather not get torn to shreds with her spare parts in the crosshairs as well.

Smaller dents and misallied plates nudged themselves back in to place with the talisman getting fresh food. No, no take your time. It’s not like there isn’t a fight going on outside! You’d think we would have made these things with a bigger hopper, but nope… somepony thought just a hoof full of scrap would be enough to win a war. Yes, I partially blame myself for that blunder.

Alimite whipped out her pump-action, and after racking back a shell lead me back to the others, “All set mom?”

Winter looked… worried, to say the least. The mare peered through one of the windows, and past her face I could see those flashes glinting off it. Arty out there was laying down the pain still, and both of us had to silently wonder what’d be left in the end. It’s a wonder he hadn’t followed us to the building, and blow it out from around us.

All her mom gave us was a nod, and with Tumble coming out carting Mercy over her shoulder, the four of us left the shop with myself on point several lengths ahead. The darkened expanse of the fields didn’t hide any bars, at least according to my E.F.S. and we trotted through the rows of food towards the bulk of the town. Our mechanics had places to go, and it didn’t take long for me once in the light to find my bearings. I mean, if all else just follow the shooting.

On through the streets we went, and along the once only semi-dirty path every so often we passed by the body of settler and Gunner alike. Defense turrets weren’t perfect, not by a long shot, but if we hadn’t made better ones. I had a gut feeling we’d be seeing a lot more Settlers across the ground.

And then the storefront next to me exploded… lucky shot bastard.

Armor integrity: 62%

Warning: Ruptured ear drum! Abnormal heart rhythm!

Huh? So that’s what happens when you get forcible CPR with compression waves… though drug spamming probably didn’t help either. Any percentage I went up in Winters’ was wiped clean. Whatever the hell Mabel had behind that counter of hers, I’d have to see if she had anything left after this.

Winter shouted words to me as my visor stared up at the lighting above, but all I saw were her lips moving. I wanted to get up, yet anytime I moved past a rocking chair my head went spinning. Voices weren’t coming through, but some mares’ 12-gauge was ringing loud and clear as she held some unseen gunners off.

At least the towns lighting over top was… oh… you’re really stupid!

A shot of my own potion supplemented whatever the suit was trickling in for those injuries, and I was really hoping healing potions worked for heart rate correction. Something to learn for later, right now I had an epiphany. The shield kicked on as I finally found my footing, and past its shimmer stood some very confused looking gunners.

From behind the shield combat shotty rang true, turning a few in to the pancake batter I’d come to know. .357 joined in, and with Winter beside doing work that left little for her daughter or even Tumble to mop up. One got in a tad too close for my liking, but before he could break through the shield or the other two to answer him. A haymaker answered his chin, knocking the stallion to the ground, and a single .357 scattering his skull across the dirt. Nope! She hadn’t lost that touch after all these years.

Now just to test this theory, and stay put for just a bit-

Clunk… There it was!

Before the salvo even finished, I already found my way between some of the buildings, followed quickly by the girls. Visor stayed on where I once stood, and there wasn’t a long pause between the artillery, and the ensuing blast of the shells. From this close dirt and other debris rained over top us, but in the end my little theory paid out.

“The lights,” I mumbled at first, but was only answered by the blank stares of the three, “They’re targeting me, and they’re using the lighting of the town to do it.”

Especially with the Enclave cloud cover, they’d need any light available to call in shots from a distance at this time of night. Regular shelling was alright to try and soften the town up when I was indoors, but the gunners had a real throbber for me. Once I was in the open, that rang the dinner bell.

Winter was the first to move after that, she checked her revolver, and put herself between myself and the opening of the alley. “I can kill the lights, give you a clear path without them having you in their sights,” she looked around the corner, before turning to face me, “You just keep them in your own.”

Winter tore down one street, and I had to admit. Having no armor really did make a mare faster, no wonder where Alimite got it from. Half my visor leaned out the alley watching her go, ensuring nothing bit her in the ass. Till I heard more clunks off in the distance, and I broke from the alley with my friends and ran down the opposite way. Ya know, moments like this makes me realize just how ironic this was in the grand scheme of things.

Most of the tech and weaponry in the wastes, spawned from the brainchild of the M.W.T. or M.A.S., I had a hoof in developing. To a much smaller degree, I had a hoof in testing as well at the range. At some point or another a design had probably crossed my desk, or I’d taken one home to look over while eating dinner. After all that time in the office, and shop trying to hone Equestrias tech to be the deadliest on the battlefield.

Here I was, on the receiving end of it all… Just like that!

The small group of gunners wasn’t a surprise to me, I mean… who was attacking us after all? What did ignite my oh shit meter was the Missile pony ahead as he took aim, and I held my breath with a click of S.A.T.S. The flash leapt from behind him as the warhead came towards me. Too bad they weren’t guided and pretty damned slow even without the spell, a split second and side step later and- his round was turning towards me?! That’s when I caught the box with wires and shit sticking out the side of the barrel, targeting computer, of course it was.

Target pony? No, wouldn’t kill the round. Shoot round? Might still damage the… oh fuck it. One shell locked on the munition, and in midair I got to watch pellets meet warhead. Subsequently, I watched the still glowing hot shrapnel from it speed on through, right in my path.

S.A.T.S. started to die out, and time sped up again. Just as the shrapnel slammed into my chest, and face. The visor cracked, and parts along the center shattered, forcing my eyes to clench shut. Now I was blind, and I didn’t dare open my eyes while there might still be glass flakes around the helmet. Instead, I settled for a squint, and all I got in return was blurred images of flash warnings along my HUD. I’d take that over glass literally in my eye any day.

Around me I heard the cycling of 5.56, as well as 12-gauge. I may not be able to aim worth a damn right now, but I felt those mares use the suit for what it did best. Be a bullet sponge, though I wasn’t completely useless in this state.

“Point me!” I shouted, and for a second neither of them did a thing, till I felt their hooves work in tandem to nudge me the right way. A moment later, I felt a jerk to the cannon.

I wasn’t sure what weapon would be best suited for it, but there really isn’t a such thing as situational only weapon when you consider what I was packing… at least for the ADAC. 14.4mm raddled off to who knows where, and to my own self I hoped I didn’t cause more destruction than the Gunners did.

Then I heard it once more, another salvo, and my horn grabbed hold of those next to me as best I could and started dragging them on towards whoever was shooting me. Whichever one was tapping the ADAC encouraging me to fire wasn’t complaining, and like they wished I kept it pouring in. Until there was but one jerk to the shotty, and as if called upon I let the shells fly free.

Something squishy was under my hooves now, and parts of me wanted to imagine it was grapes for wine… but I knew better. The ground beneath me shook while those shells found their old mark, and I was thankful they didn’t have something a little more direct. Nothing was hitting me for a moment, so in that time I let the visor pop up and watched as those glass flakes fell free from my muzzle.

Armor integrity: 55%

With that headache avoided, I looked to one side and Tumble clenched on to the cannons rear. As the opposite held Alimite in a similar position. The trail behind me looked like many others I’ve made in the time since 100. Pony bits scattered about, minced flesh here and there, along with the blood of more gunners spilling the streets. Then I noticed, past her head something else. Those lights strung around town started to do much the same as the rest of the wasteland, they flicked as if fighting to stay on.

A fight they lost.

After one more spark the lights went out, and around the three of us those streets were nearly pitch black. Besides the occasional beam of energy shooting up from the front of town, it was hard to see anything through this tinted visor.

“You two okay?” the mares had let go, but I still felt them next to me.

“Breathing, so that’s a plus,” Alimite answered, and I watched her blur in the night.

“I hate to say it,” I heard Tumble follow up after her, “but you make a wonderful shield.”

Yeah, don’t make a habit of that, “and a big target,” wait… who the hell were-

Something hit me, something heavy at that, and the suit crunched against the side of one shack as the parts bag flew off. I tried to look where the hit had come from, but all I could make out was three different shapes in the night. One larger than the others I noted, and I saw the flickering of a red bar to my E.F.S. Shadow pony tossed the other two blurs to the side, giving me only the return of both mares grunting from the impact. Big mistake on his part, as with them out of the way shotty started laying down the shells.

One, and I saw from the muzzle flash a pony dodging.

Two, and that pony inched closer avoiding the shell.

Three, and I watched the smirk of the stallion inches from me.

The fourth shell just escaped the barrel when concrete filled my vison, and once again sent me sprawling. Wood paneling didn’t stand a chance, as I found my way through the shack and in to a living room of some kind. Here there was still light, and I kept my barrels facing towards the second door I’d made.

A concrete crusted pole smashed against my chest with a resounding clang, knocking what little breath I had left from my chest. Before it slid to the ground, this stallion was already clenching it in his teeth and delivering another swing. My hooves held up to try and stop it, but with all its heft I felt something inside give way.

Armor integrity: 47%

Warning: Right foreleg fractured!

My front half crumpled, and a buck to the jaw sent a number of little Celestias dancing in my eyes. For a second past the tiny princesses, I watched the stout colt trudge with that same grin under a combat helmet. His crude Warhammer of concrete and rebar dragging behind him.

5.56 ripped through the door frame, and I knew my own calvary arrived. Tumble leapt on through the actual door while my vision tried to right itself, only to be met with a table to the face knocking her back outside. That she’d walk away from, taking his tenderizer to the chest would likely cave it in. Dizzy still or not, I shot up against the colt. Slamming my own shoulder into his, I heard a crack through the helmet and I had to wonder if it was his joint popping or mine.

Our limbs remained locked with one another, but so long as he couldn’t get ahold of that hammer, I’d be happy. Both our heads cocked back, and met in the midd- oh damn it! The Med-X trickled in before the full pain even registered, but what the hell were they feeding this guy?! My hooves dropped, just as I felt his wrap up underneath the suit lifting me free from the ground. Huh, so this is what it’s like to be colthandled?

My back smashed against the floorboards, and underneath it felt like I dropped down a few good inches into the foundation. Above, the stallion got hold of his hammer yet again, and throughout this that smile never left his face.

A face that now shook…

Out the side of his neck I saw the hole, and watched the stallion shutter from the impact as he stood there trying to process what happened in his eyes. Then another shot rang out, and a similar hole punctured its way through his temple blasting out the side. The weight of his hammer dropped from his mouth on my chest, soon followed by the stallion to my side. Melee weapons might not need to be reloaded, but he still brought a hammer to a gun fight.

A hammer that wiped the floor with me for a few minutes there, “You ain’t getting outta this fight that easy,” some filly told me something similar not too long ago, now overhead stood a different grin from a very different pony.

Walker lent me a hoof a helped hoist the suit up to all fours, while past him both Alimite with her parts bag and Tumble got into the shack. The latter’s muzzle had seen better days, that’s for sure, but nothing our resident doc couldn’t fix up.

The old stallion tossed our mare a handkerchief, and as the mare wrapped a cloth to cover the bleeding, I let the suit tack on a few percentages. Now that I wasn’t getting my head smashed in, those mortar shots were coming in a lot less often now that I think of it. My gamble, and Winters knowledge, paid off.

Walker kept an eye peeled out the window, as he loaded a few more .45s into the tube. “I’d been cleaning up what got through before the guns took note, and this fella looked to be the last of em,” besides the dozen or so we’d run into, the colt was probably the reason our trek through town had gone fairly smoothly, “so unless you want to help me get the light back on, we should head to the-”

“No lights,” Alimite stepped up, and that seemed to catch him off a little, “those mortars need em to spot for, otherwise they’ll just fire blind.” She left out the part where they needed them to spot me, but regardless of that fact the colt looked content with the news.

“Alrighty so that makes our next move a whole hell of a lot simpler,” lever action found its way back against his shoulder, with the bit at his muzzle, “… let’s get your firepower at the front where it’s needed.”

Those guns needed to go down as well… but if they couldn’t see me, then I’d happily help here where the support would be appreciated for a bit. Walker was the first out the door, with the three of us following closely behind. The colt had to know this place like the back of his hoof by how he moved around the streets this dark. Then again, as I took my eyes off the road and pointed them skyward. The fight wasn’t all that hard to make out.

The bullets might have gone largely unnoticed, besides the occasional tracer. Although beyond the roofing I could see the tracing of energy beams cutting through the sky from every missed shot. Even over the gunfire, the occasional salvo peeked its head out in the distance. Whoever was on those mortars might not have a clear target, but judging by the flashes coming from the front of town. They’d decided to turn their sights on the firefight ahead.

One round whizzed by my head, and I had to do a double take to make sure neither of the mares’ behind me took a fall. Walker however, strode on like this was just another day in the office. If it was any other part of the wastes, I’d imagine it would be. I wonder what he did before this? Not many are likely to live up to his age after all.

Upped defenses or not, there was little wood and sheets of metal could do against well-armed attackers. My vision was starting to adjust to the darkness around me, just in time to catch the spark of shots punching through the towns newly erected walls. A few figures on our side dropped, and were almost immediately carted past us by others. One turret sent a shower of sparks down as it took one too many hits, and before I could even look at her. Alimite was already rushing off to tend to her mechanical child.

Tumble… at least, I think? Yeah, that was her, stuck close to me as I ran up towards one of the guard towers. I wasn’t about to figure out if it could support my weight, but it gave her the height advantage she craved. My armored ass found itself right at home along one of the walls, apparently from the time I’d last seen em, somepony had enough sense to install stairs leading up to make a catwalk.

Which gave me a perfect place to- oh shit…

The terrain coming up towards town might have been largely flat on itself, minus the occasional boulder that probably fell down the mountains ages ago. Yet, every nook and cranny that was offered, those gunners took up like it was free estate. However many gunners there were in Equestria, this had to be a decent chunk of them.

Armor integrity: 40%

The first dozen shots I didn’t even register before the damage was already done. Concrete sledge from earlier was right, I am a big target! Almost immediately I let my hooves out from under me, and hit the deck. This wasn’t the time nor place to get shot full of holes and have the talisman break… again.

I knew the rounds above weren’t going to stop, not while they knew where I was. So I played my trump card. The shields’ wall fell around myself, and even one of the ponies next to me I’d just noticed. To myself the timer already started counting down.

Ten… my teeth chomped on the bit, and 14.4mm started flying. Slower firing or not, I was really hoping Mabel would was alright so I could restock later. It was hard enough seeing in the dark, and every shot I gave the muzzle flash blinded me a bit more before returning back to the night void around.

Six… yes, I was out of order with that, but trying to count and shoot at the same time is a whole lot harder than you think! Smaller sparks started ricocheting off the shield, while larger ones glanced against the suit, and kept the press on anything past these walls that moved.

Shit, what number was I-?

Armor integrity: 36%

Another dozen shots smacked me in the chest before I could even blink. Okay a cooler head needs to prevail now; my one colt army approach was quickly tearing chunks off my suit. Ten seconds of impunity had turned to passing potshots over the section of wall. A soft purr of a minigun awoke, and I watched the same turret that was destroyed when we got here spring back to life.

Only to be matched by another cascade of sparks further down the wall from a turret, and I swear I could see the mare leaping towards it. For a few moments I sprung back up, dropped a couple shells, and went back behind the wall. I couldn’t tell how many of them I might have hit with each burst, but I had to be doing something to them. More shots pinged off the top wall, leaving me waiting a few more moments before returning the favor.

A.P.E.C.R. was a beautiful thing, and certainly helped to light up the night sky. Then I saw it, some of those craters made by the mortars they’d decided to turn in to trenches. I might not be able to dig straight through the ground to get to them, but the other side of the indent…

A burst of 14.4mm railed into the crater, and I got to watch a frame by frame of those few gunners get shot out of their own hole. With no cover left for them any that were evicted found their end by the weapons by my side, and I once again played a dangerous game of peek-a-boo with the gunners. Might not be the fastest thing in Equestria, but at least they couldn’t score more than one or two shots on me when I was exposed.

Between breathers, the suit was able to put a few points into its integrity. Only to have it knocked back down to where it started moments later. A dangerous game indeed- why the fuck was I flying?! Nothing was under my hooves, and what looked like the night cloud cover was just…

Slam!

… above. Huh? This time I was getting little Lunas. Something was throbbing in my, well, everything. As I got back to my forehooves I was pleasantly aware my vision was adapting quite well to the dark. Enough to notice that ten-foot gap in the wall where I once stood, as well as the others that didn’t fare so well from the impact of the shell. As three more rained down off the original.

What have we here? A few figures started coming towards the hole, but I knew that could only be one thing. Shotty clicked to the space and sent a trifecta of shells their way. One of them fell where he once stood, another retreated back to their hole, and the third dove to the edge of the wall. I could make out his weapon poking past the cover, and all I could do was wait for him to make a- move?

A smaller burst of red from overhead struck behind where I couldn’t see, and that pony slumped into the opening before disappearing in what looked like ash. Let’s see, following trail and-d-d-d there ya are. Wow, my eyes were really getting used to this, I could even make out details. Butter Crisp clenched her rifle in an aura for a moment more, before another hoof pulled her back into cover, and I finally snapped too.

Whelp, Tumble had company up there, and I had company here! Those first bunch weren’t the only ones to notice the clear break in our defense, and past the wall I noted several more starting to swarm towards it. I might be in their line of sight, but if they wanted to get a shot at me. Then they’d have to be in mine as well. As my hooves crept forward, I let one 12-gauge shell go with nearly every other step to keep em down on the other side.

ADAC would be a bit too much, and all it would take would be one miss step for the cannons shell to destroy another part of the wall. Some of those caught by the mortar shell started to stir to their own hooves, and carry whoever else they could away from the fight. Some in likely better shape than others… I was thankful now Winter cut the lights.

More gun fire started to join my own from the ramparts repelling them, and with only half my visor tilting up I noticed not only the turret taking charge, but the mare fixing it up with her horn. Subtle or not, even through the dark I could see the strain across her face, that bandana was going to need a whole lot more than washing after this.

Armor integrity: 25%

Oh shit pay attention! I pushed myself up against the interior of the wall and gave not only my guns, but the suit itself a rest. With Alimites’ turret taking up some of the flack, I figured I could afford to gain a few percentage points.

Something stuck past the hole in the wall mere inches from my muzzle, and all I hope was it wasn’t another brick shit house of a pony. Neither of mine would due at this range, and with a grab of my hooves I launched not only their weapon but the whole pony itself further inside. That gunner slammed into ground, but they recovered a lot faster than I did!

Wait a sec, I knew that spinning… 5mm darted into the plating, and almost immediately I met him with the 12-gauge. Buckshot flew, only sparking over the pony ahead giving me another familiar sight. Atop their head I could see that horn glowing, and around them the pellets weren’t only caught, but detonating against the shield. This pony was sturdier than that mare from before, they weren’t so much as flinching against- huh?

Where their horn once was, I saw the fizzle and crack of something shattering the appendage. Just as fast, the gunner fell to the ground in a heap. Now who could have done that one… even in the dim setting with muzzle flash being the only true source of light. A white coat was still the worst camouflage out here. Winter broke through the shroud, walked right up the gunner, and put another .357 round in him.

From the hole beside me more shots started to break through, and I all too happily stuck only the shotty out past the corner raking shells amongst whoever was- oh, that’s not fair. With one eye peeking past, the gunners seemed to have brought out support. More shimmers in the night sparked, spraying every caliber in the catalog our way through their shields.

That white blotch popped right alongside me, and she looked all too satisfied with her kill. Those others were getting pretty close now, and even with the settlers along the wall doing their part. These shield users weren’t throwing themselves at us like the rest of the gunners. Each of their movements were controlled, and calculated.

Fire some, move to new location and let horn recharge, then move in some more. 14.4mm could do the trick, but by now they were too close without some settler losing an eye… “What the fuck are you doing?!” Winter jumped past me to the other side of the gap, and I watched a few contrails wiz by her form.

I knew she couldn’t hear me, or she outright ignored my call. Though her back was planted to the wall, from here I could see that same anger when she first saw me trot in town with Alimite. Two more were getting near, and I let another few shells give them something to consider as they tried to close the gap. Out the corner of my eye Winter leaned, paused, and that magnum of a round left her barrel.

Well… I’ll be.

One unicorn staggered from the impact, soon getting a second that finished the job. With everything going on around us, the mares’ side arm drew that unwanted attention as the other gunners behind their aura started focusing on her.

She needed a window, and that was something I could deliver. More 12-guage belched out, peppering across those shields. It wasn’t doing much, but any unshielded form nearby to them dropped as fast as I hoped the unicorns would do. More importantly, it gave her an opening, and from my side I watched the muzzle flash erupt dropping another of them.

Now it was starting to make more sense, you could get AP rounds for just about anything. Magic shield or not, you put that kind of penetrating power behind a charge that big and you were bound to break someponies hopes and dreams. I distracted, and she dropped em, pretty good teamwork if I do say so myself.

Warning: Armor integrity: 20%... Teamwork that was getting me shot to pieces…

Note to self, increase size of hop- another blast nearby shattered that train of thought! Dark or not, I was able to see the guard tower across from me teetering on its last literal legs, before it fell back towards town.

Winny was holding those shields at bay pretty well on her own, and as I saw the last gunner unicorn hunker down. My legs darted to the top of the tower resting now against the ground. Motion? Moaning? Anything?... a hoof wrapped around the edge of the plating, and I grabbed hold of it with my horn.

Butter felt a bit daze from the fall as she fell into my shoulder, but after a mortar shell I think that was forgivable. Tumble without a word however, bounced right up across my side, leveling her barrel over my back. Facing the same direction, I saw the new gap those shells had made where the tower once stood. As well as the new guests taking advantage of it. Crisp I moved behind me as both the carbine toting mare and my shotty locked their sights on the darkened masses.

Even with the new entrance, they took the hint pretty quickly digging themselves in to the dirt. Pellets were far less accurate than 5.56, but it was enough to keep their heads down for the time being. Through the night I saw her rifle shots spark over some targets armor, and I knew full well if these guys were that armored it’d take some of Winters to- turn em to ash?

Sure enough, the blob of a pony I once looked at faded away to nil, and the barrel of the other mare jumped past my vision. That wasn’t an automatic barrel, I knew what those looked like, yet Butter still fanned that trigger like she was born for it. Armor was good, but eventually enough rays would melt it and the pony away.

Now where was… there ya are! Shield pony on their team waltzed his way to the opening. Immediately my shells turned in his path, from this distance it might have just tickled, but his fire turned my way mighty quick. All I had to do was keep him busy long enough for Winter to do her thing.

Something concussed my left ear, and I was getting really damned tired of these shells! Wait… if it was that close, I’d be in pieces. Out the corner of my visor I looked down and saw the real culprit. Mercy was enough to go through my suit alone, the only saving grace I had was an unintentional turn. So, to a normal pony… well, I turned my visor up to where shield guy was, and all I saw in his place was maybe a hoof.

Overkill much, but then again, the gunners were literally using artillery to try and kill one- … wait a second. My 12-gauge stopped as I unclenched the bit from my mouth and tried to run the math. Up to this point they’d been firing in volleys of threes, and if one was all it took to bring the tower down…

My eyes snapped every which way, scanning around the empty space, before turning to where I thought I’d heard them before. Mortars needed a charge to be launched just like any self-propelled munition, but unlike regular artillery these contained their own explosives to propel them. Ones that burned even after they left the barrel, leaving behind a trail of smoke and fire.

There in the distance out east, without the towns’ building to block my view, three more embers rocketed off in the sky. One hoof grabbed hold of Tumble, the other reached and wrapped itself around Butter, and together I tossed them in the guards’ nest. It was armored, and they weren’t. Then my eyes caught it, and time slowed down like after the first shell of the night.

Winter was slumped against the wall clenching her gut, likely from a round that went through the wall. Her head was facing the injury, and not the skies above. My hooves kicked in to high gear, and started towards her. My own shield was enough to protect the suit, and already I’ve had bouts where I’ve had to cover another pony… what was one more?

I just had to get to her.

Rounds bounced off the suit, some even going as far as to lodge themselves between the plating. My integrity was shit as it was, but I had bigger priorities than a damned talisman! Repairs could be made later, and I didn’t even want to look up.

The only thing I had in my eyes was Winter, and for a moment she looked up to see me coming towards her. That pale coat of hers showed more features than any other out here in the night. She looked serene, almost at peace, without any clue as to what was coming…

In that moment, it reminded me of the same expression I’d get any time she saw me for the first time in the day. Like when I had to go pick her up from school because of a fight, or when I’d walk through the door of Lilacs’ and Winter would be bounding down the stairs to meet me, and like the many times she’d hurt herself… I’d be right there with a bandage. Even through everything going on around her, even if she couldn’t see the worry plastered across my own face, she gave me that same expression…

She smiled.

A smile I only saw in full because of a flash.

As my horn reached out to grab her, both of us were caught in the shockwave. The steel surrounding me cratered another towers’ legs from its weight, lighting off more warnings in my visor. Warnings I ignored as I shot what Med-X I could, blissfully catapulting the integrity out the window as I looked around for the snowy mare… and there I found her.

Winter rested to the tower leg across from me, and as I shot over to her side, she didn’t respond with anything more than a grunt. Grunting required air in your lungs… I could take that, but I couldn’t take care of her here. I was a target, the only reason this spot probably took more fire was likely because one of them saw me here, and called in more artillery. If any from the gunners saw me leave, the shells would follow.

Somepony ran up to myside, and through the night I recognized that lever action. Walker looked like the gruff sort, yet I could see the concern on him. “Give ‘er here, I’ll take her,” he about threw the mare over his back, “you kill those damned guns.”

Oh… I fucking intend to, “TUMBLE!” I shouted through the suits’ speakers. Half a second later, the mare was there with me, Mercy in tow… good, we’d need that, “We’re going hunting…”

Warning: Armor integrity: 12%

Whatever scrap from the shredded wall I ripped apart and shoved in the hopper, before turning my E.F.S. eastward. There was still a fight going on here, one that was more a stalemate than anything. Our turrets were keeping them back, and with them purring along other sections of the town the line would be held. Maybe if those mortars were gone, they’d leave as well.

I could only imagine the dust behind me getting kicked up as I went.

My own hoof steps were drowned out from the thundering in my chest. Even without any chems in my system, I still might manage to keel over. Tumble matched my speed easily once again, but I had fury and brimstone in my blood right now. The mare took up one side of me, and to the opposite along the walls the town erected, the fighting continued. To get to this artillery we’d have to go through some of it, and just ahead was one patch of wall that looked relatively cleared out.

Those turrets along the top wouldn’t mind the extra firepower coming their way, and with that ADAC took off chewing through the plating. The gunners might have managed to punch holes in the barrier, but mine straight up knocked sections down.

With a jerk of my head Tumble froze for a second wondering what I meant, then with the shield kicking on she got the idea. Her hooves wrapped around the armor as she rode along my back, and through what remained of the wall we went. Some very surprised gunners on the other side were caught off guard, only to meet explosive buckshot, as we left them in the dust as well.

We were clear, and that hillside along the base of the mountains was getting closer with every step. “What's the plan!” she yelled in my ear.

Right… about that, “I’m working on it!” they’re blindly shelling where they can hope to hit me, and me alone. Makes me wish I’d killed that gunner after meeting her a bit faster, though if cat and mouse is what they wanted I could deliver, “put some distance between you and me!” she looked confused, and rightfully so, “They’re looking for a target!”

And it was time to give them one.

My headlamp flicked on, and she knew what I was doing now… I just hoped I knew what I was doing. Without a second thought Tumble rolled off my back with that massive rifle across her own and slithered away into the night. Those gunners behind us were taking only occasional shots our way, so that just left me, her, and arty in the distance.

Speaking of which… I saw the first burst of propellant go off, soon followed by three more of its friends. This guy was taking the bait, hook line and sinker. Bait that just happen to be my own ass! One shell went off behind me, and the subsequent trio seconds after.

Far enough to keep me safe as my suit did its thing, but more than close enough to kick my heels in to high gear. I kept my course until I saw the next salvo break from their barrels, then with a jerk I pivoted against the ground. Armor wasn’t nimble, not by a long shot, but I could still serpent my own way out of this mess. One sad thing about mortars, they couldn’t be used all that close. Hell, neither could my own gear.

Warning: Armor integrity: 18%

Oh, by all means take your sweet ass time! Another salvo broke free, and I changed from a zig to a zag just as quickly. The blasts behind me weren’t getting any closer at least, and I could just imagine the frustration on the spotters’ face.

A third salvo launched, and I was starting to hear this better without all the gunfire around me. Now all I had to- those four shells blew only yards ahead in my path. My hooves ground to a halt there for a moment, before looking further out to where they were coming from.

Okay, I’ll give it to em, the spotter was getting mighty better. With my feet once again beating against the ground, I pushed through the gravel like terrain. All I could do at this point was wait for the next grouping to come my way, their little holdup was getting closer, and it wouldn’t be long till they were no longer effective.

One shell fired off as I neared the site, but the other three never came. Instead of a blast, I got a burst of light from overhead. The flare blanketed the surrounding area in its light, there wasn’t anything else out here but broken boulders and maybe the occasional ancient wagon. No… wait, there was something else.

Less than a hundred yards away I could see it, and the trio was waiting for my own arrival. Those were sentry bots; I’d know them from anywhere… even with extra plates welded to their exterior, they’re hard to mistake, especially with the mortars across their shoulders. Yet, between them stood one colt. No more than thirty yards now I slowed to a walk, and took in what I was up against.

The combat armor he wore looked modified by one that’d been at this a long while, heavier plates gave more than enough coverage. Plus, all the more places to put those grenades on his bandoleer. Still, he wasn’t shooting me just yet with that grenade launcher. Oh no, he just stared me down… which didn’t feel any better than a 40mm to the chest.

“Ahh… took ya long enough to get my, invitation,” the colt sneered to me, “I was stockpiling those shells for such an occasion, but you still had me worried you’d never show.”

I’ve heard this attitude somewhere else, one mare that I’d killed, and another that came close to doing me in. Must run in the family, “Stock I presume?”

Even with that visor covering most of his face, I could see those lips turning into a grin, “Sis said you were easier than she thought, it took your friends to bail you out…” he gave me a small shrug, “I’m pretty embarrassed it took me this many shells to get your attention.”

My blood was boiling, and although I doubted he could tell, my teeth were well on their way to stumps at this point. Extra armor wouldn’t do him much good from this range against 14.4mm. Those bots would be my only concern, and their AER-15’s would be a very big concern. No, I needed to wait for somepony else to get in place.

“You came close a few times now, I’ll give ya that… using the lights to figure me out?” he looked a bit taken back from that statement, probably imagining it was a smart move on his part. To be fair, it was, but he didn’t need to know that, “for what it’s worth, Barrel did that to herself.”

She mis stepped her mark, and gravity did the rest. Not the most poetic way to go, but all I did was nudge her off the edge with a 12-gauge. “Barrel was always the cocky one of the bunch,” he started to shake his head at that fact. Really? It sounded like it was the lot of you, “wanted to play with that rifle of hers as much as she could, instead of finishing off her target.” You mean, kinda like you’re doing now? “Do you have any idea how many times I had to play the big brother and save her ass with the boys here?”

His hoof gestured to the two bots flanking him, and it almost sounded like he treated them as pets. Though if they were camping out here in the foothills… “Should I be expecting Lock any time soon?”

Another snicker on his part answered me, “Oh she decided to let me have a turn at ya… wanted me to take you alive, if possible,” alive… and she sent the pony with artillery on their side to do it? “That said, at the end of the day, I think she’ll forgive me for this…”

His mouth brought the launcher up chomping at the bit in one go, and just as he did S.A.T.S. kicked on. Still, I wasn’t fast enough to tag him with a round before his own already was well on its way. That flare overhead barely illuminated the grenade, but it was enough for me to que some buckshot along its surface. One shell of mine laid flack down, but the 40mm passed right through. The second shell welcomed much the same result. Only the third round did anything, managing to fracture the grenade a few yards from me.

My spell died out as the small concussion reached, but none of the shrapnel seem to have… why the hell was it so cold? Across my frame I saw the frost starting to build up while my joins waned in protest to move. It almost felt as if I was in the cryo- son of a bitch! The gunners were some of the most well-armed members in the wastes, it’d make sense they could get their hooves on cryo grenades.

His visor met mine, and I knew he was enjoying this already. His prey was frozen in place, all the better for the bots by his side. ADAC belched alongside me right in line with one of the sentries as 14.4mm chewed against the ground making its way towards it. With a final puff I didn’t get to watch his guard dog take the hit, the flare above finally petered out. From those sparks though a few of mine did make contact, just like their beams did to my suit.

The frost of his grenade was quickly melted after that first beam to the chest, letting my legs loose to try and avoid the incoming fire. High level Equestrian engineering or not, sentries still needed a clear line of sight to shoot you, and a clear target for that matter. With the flare above gone, I killed my lamp and ran to the first blotch along my visor.

Rock would stop energy rounds at least, and I threw my back against the boulder. They needed to see me to do any real damage, and everything I had would be one hell of a beacon for them to foll- I felt a tap against my head, before whatever it was fell to the ground below…

Thrusters kicked on like second nature, and I watched the blast take off from where I once sat, as I rocketed into the sky. He probably wasn’t expecting this… A few feet from me something joined me up here, before going off itself. I was waiting to eat my own words, in return the flare nearly blinded me on the spot.

Now I was falling, while right below were two very trigger-happy sentries that filled the sky around me with crimson. Maybe the flare was blinding them as well, but that wouldn’t last for long. I kicked the thrusters again to try and lessen the impact, instead I got a choke and a burp that did nothing for the fall. The sentry I landed in front of looked almost surprised, just before turning its barrels to meet me…

And getting half its side ripped off in a burst of flame.

I didn’t give Stock time to think that one through, I recognized Armor Piercing Incendiary when I saw it. The colt huddled himself beside the other sentry only a few dozen yards away, and with every stomp I took towards him both my guns matched me for the beat. The first dozen belched free from the barrels, lighting up our little corner of the world.

Try dodging this… what the hell? With one swipe, the bot beside him swatted the gunner behind its bulk. Its extra plating was doing just as designed, and soaking up all the damage it could. Plating sparked, 14.4mm dug into it, and explosive shells caused much of the smaller plates to break off. It might need a hefty amount of repair work, but the damn thing was taking the beating in stride.

A pet loyal to its owner indeed.

Never the less, something decided to give way. Underneath all that metal one of its legs gave out and the treads below came to a halt. I was already too close to use either one of my guns by now, I just had to- not get smacked in the chest! Even with the damage, a swing from these things was not to be trifled with. I didn’t get so much airborne as I did become a kickball, as I skipped across the ground.

Warning: Armor integrity: 13%

Right into the path of the first sentry. Both of its arms swung down trying to collide with the suit, and cave my chest in. With a kick of my hoof I pushed myself further under it and out the other side. A burst of my 12-gauge left it jerking from the impact, but it still stood. Huh? I didn’t realize a robot could even looked pissed off… sure enough, this thing looked ready to tear me in half like it was!

My hooves scampered against the dirt while those beams ripped into the ground behind me. Its brother joined in all the same, their combine fire starting to leave my backside a bit more charred than I’d hoped for. All as I patiently waited for Tumble to take her time and line up another-

Warning: Armor integrity: 10%

“Fucking shoot them already!” I yelled out through the speaker.

Much like the first one, I saw the effects before the shot even registered in my ears, and one of the bots lost a bit more of its plating from the near miss. This time however, I noticed her muzzle flash off in the distance. No wonder it took so long to get a shot off. I probably couldn’t even reach out to her with the ADAC if I tried.

“Halt!” I heard the colt yell out, and sure enough both his bots stopped their onslaught. As for myself, I didn’t stop till I was well behind another rock. I only watched as his hoof waved around, and in moments those bots were either rolling, or walking their way out in the night. I mustn’t have been the only one that saw that flash then, “I knew there was something you had up your sleeve…” well, not really my sleeve perse, “… Barrel used to practice against my bots’ with her rifle, I know it’s signature rounds all too well…” in the silence of the night, I heard a sigh from under that helmet. “Closest thing to brother, sister bonding time the wastes have.”

The flare from above was flickering on its last leg, but I could still see him clearly as day on his own in the open. I wasn’t about to lay into him now, not with his toys so close still. No, I needed them good and far away before I thought of it. Stock even without his guards didn’t seem to care he was facing real power armor, even after seeing what I’d managed to do against the sentries plating. He had to have known his wouldn’t last very long.

Yet, he still crept closer to my cover, “You don’t get it… do you?” I watched his hoof start rifling through some pack along his side, and out came a few syringes… oh boy. “It was more than just another in our ranks you snuffed out! It was more than just a comrade that we can’t share a laugh with now over a fire…” he snapped out at first towards me while shooting a few of those chems. Yet, even with that mix of drugs, his voice softened, “you didn’t simply kill off another head to our chain of command…”

That… was almost a whimper?

More syringes, and even bottles were pulled out from his bags, before immediately going in his veins or gullet. Deacon could probably tell me what they were, but from here all I knew was they were bad news. Alright enough is enough! Out I slid from the cover, locked the ADAC to him… then the light above went out, as did the red bar in front of me on my E.F.S. in a puff of smoke from where he once stood.

“…You took our little sister from us,” the red bar to my left said.

Okay so flying, and skipping once again! It might have been the armor denting after the hit, but there should have been some damage on his- damn it. I hadn’t even gotten to my hooves before another grenade from his launcher went off, and I got that icy chill all over again. The servos in my legs even had a harder time scraping against the ice, but my neck was still working well enough to see the next kick.

My jaw rattled, and I knew for certain I heard bones breaking. Not of my own, but outside the armor. It wasn’t a lot of damage to be done bare hooved to armor plating, but hell he didn’t let up! The little princesses dancing around my eyes hadn’t even gotten settled before the next hit came, and the next one, and the next one… and…

Warning: Armor integrity: 6%

One hoof of mine broke free from the frozen ground, matching his power without the help of chems. Stock doubled back from the hit as I heard another crack, and with the flare gone I flipped my headlamp back on just to see the dent I’d put in his own plating.

Ahh, ponies shouldn’t have foam coming from their mouths…

Hidden under the visor of his helmet the white droplets picked up, and beneath them I might have heard a snarl. His shoulder check against mine knocked the rest of the armor free, breaking the ice away. Though that wasn’t the only thing I heard breaking, Stock was quite literally tearing himself apart while trying to beat me down.

My lamp shined on him just in time to see the next flurry of punches, each one making his limb bend out of place just a bit more. A buck from me was enough to push him off, and I got to see those misshapen limbs twist and turn back into place… if there was anything that could do that for a pony, that I experienced, it was Hydra.

Nope… not chancing it. S.A.T.S. kicked on and I toggled over to his center of mass with the ADA- why the hell was he moving so damned fast?! The colt didn’t care if the spell was still activated, he plowed straight into me like a runaway sled knocking me to my back. My only perk was watching each of his swings come in slow motion while they collided with my head. Luckily for me, he changed tactics. Bare hoof boxing was out, and Stock turned his armored forelegs into clubs.

Warning: Armor integrity: 4%

Very. Effective. Clubs… finally one hit the top of my head, and my little light started to flicker before basking both of us in darkness. I pushed against from what I could tell were his hooves, yet even with the power of the M.W.T. on my side pure pissed-off-ness left us deadlocked. Okay, I was gonna feel dirty for this one… with a hike of my hind hoof I managed to find one place that wasn’t totally armored.

An audible yelp escaped through the foam, and I pushed him off before putting some distance between the two of us. He wouldn’t be happy about that one, and it was nice to know no matter how many chems you took. Some places on a colt where still ten- several dull thuds landed around me, and like clockwork I toggled the shield on. A dozen or so grenades were enough to bounce me back and forth between their individual shockwaves, and on the ground I laid battered like a kickball as the shield flickered.

Then I heard the locking of a barrel, and the immediate thump as the cryo round hit home. Whatever left the shield had it gave, and died around me. A mixture of frost and arcane shards fell to my hooves, as it took the brunt of the blast.

Something bright smacked me in the face, and began spinning around in the air in front of me before following suit with three more hits. My eyes were already having a seizure trying to adjust to the darkness then back to light in a moments notice, but that third hit from the flare managed to crack my visor. It also, put somepony within grasp.

My hooves wrapped around the stallion, and even through his plating I could feel him start to squirm. His helmet started meeting mine in a signature headbutt, though mine was still harder. Blood was probably mixing with the foam from his mouth, but the stallion didn’t care. With both our hooves a little occupied, my aura tried instead to reach out for something… anything to win this over. Maybe if I used one of those cryo grenades on him, I could get him to sit still enough to-

Click.

The first of half a dozen I heard, and both of us looked down in unison. All the while, my headlamp decided to work again. I might have been hoping for a cryo grenade, but I’d take a few frags as well. I kicked my heels into the ground, clenched tight to his chest, and let the thruster rip as it carried both of us up in to the sky. The landing wasn’t going to be pleasant, but I wanted to be as far away from him as possible.

Still the colt struggled against my chest, his own hooves giving smaller jabs to my ribs. Then after a split second, our visors met, and his swings stopped. “Humph… well played…” I’d like to think there was a nod of his head before I let go.

The thrusters put several more meters between us as he fell to ground, and I got the muffled blast against his plating. At that distance you’d be lucky to survive one, maybe two direct impacts… but a whole belt? I didn’t listen for the thud of his body against the ground, I was going to be seeing it myself here shortly anyway.

Through the air I fell, and this time it wasn’t exactly going to be on my hooves. Still, whatever I had left for the thrusters I used to try and slow the fall. It wasn’t enough to save my pride, as I smacked against the ground and immediately buckled under the weight of the suit catching up with me.

Warning: Armor integrity: 2%

My head barely lifted up as the lamp flickered, and I got to see the mangled remains of the colt there only a few yards away. That satisfied me enough, “… Not bad…” the back of my head slumped against the dirt once more.

I might have thought it was the warnings going off at first, but sure enough I heard sound of hoof steps getting closer. In the flickering light of my headlamp, Tumble popped up in my vision. The mare looked about as beaten and battered as I felt, but we were both better for ware than Stock, and if she was still breathing. Then those bots weren’t an issue anymore.

“Stupid question, but you alright?” she asked, trying her best to help me back to my hooves.

Reluctantly the limbs began to respond, and I found myself facing the town once more as we steadily headed back home. Whatever might have been left in my hopper was trying its best to repair the damage, and I already got back one whole percent! Moving up in the world here…

“I’ll manage…” the suit was groaning around me, probably begging just to be put out of its misery already. Rogue had treated it so well, and it had been thrust in the hooves of somepony as reckless as I was. A few hours of work and I’d have it right as rain, all I had to do was get back to the- oh fuck… “Winter…”

We both froze there like her namesake, before galloping back to town.

Chapter twenty-nine: The price we pay...

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Chapter twenty-nine: The price we pay…

“I swear I’m fine!” Winter was protesting along the nape of my back as I trotted out of the school nurses’ office, past a few other colts that looked a bit worse than herself.

She says that now, and yet her face was bruising more by the minute, while her nose bled down my own coat. Apparently, the price to pay for ‘missing’ her party a month ago was a royal buck to the muzzle. Even with them licking their own wounds, they couldn’t help but throw a sneer her way before the door closed. If I caught it, I know for a fact she did, and we’d probably be back here in the office once more in a few weeks.

As much as she might have protested, the filly wasn’t throwing herself off my back just yet. Winter remained quite complacent during our ride out the school door… I had to drag myself from the couch to the school after they called, it was my day off after all. No wonder she asked the school to call me instead of her actual home.

“I’m still taking you home before you put one of them in the hospital,” well that comment seemed to stroke her ego a bit, “that wasn’t a compliment… Winter,” a-a-and now were back to being glum. Since getting Winny under her belt, anything other than that just sounded wrong to her almost… it did get the point across at least.

More of her blood dripped along the back side of my coat, no matter how much she tried to wipe away with that hoof. There might be a transfusion needed at this rate, “They started it…”

The go to reason for any fight… prime example? Look at the war we were in with the zebras. Still, this filly wasn’t fighting a whole country. No, she just wanted to put some young ponies back in their place. I can’t really say violence isn’t the answer, what do I design after all? But maybe not for every situation.

Then again, they did shove her first… and she met that with a black eye to their leader, “And are you going to do this every time one of them presses your buttons?” oh, very poor choice of words…

“Uh, yeah?” she perked up once more, almost proud that she could take any of them on.

Okay, I walked into that one, “And now I’m going to have to patch you up, Lilac might have some ointment lying around and what-” for the first time since I put her on my back, the up-and-coming mare looked concerned, “What is it? Does it hurt?”

“N…no,” her eyes shot away from me, but she was spelling it out enough in the tremble of her coat.

I knew her well enough by now to know this. Something was on the young mares’ mind, “Winter…” yeah she wasn’t about to open up with that smart one, “… Winny, what's wrong?”

Slowly her head rose up, and for a moment it looked like she was about to cry right then and- spoke to soon, there went a tear slowly trickling down the side of her cheek. This wasn’t normal for her; no Winter would rather break a leg than let the water works flow. Looking around, I eyed a bench not far off our path and made my way right towards it.

She was a little startled at first from being lifted off my back so suddenly, but as her flank found the bench Winter about shrunk into the grain. I took a seat only a foot or so away from her, and just let her get a few tears out. Sometimes that’s all it takes to get another to open up.

“Can… can we please not go there just yet, let the bruising die down some first?” huh? Winter still wasn’t looking at me, but that tone was just plane hollow, “I don’t want Lilac to see me like this, know I got into a fight and such…”

So that’s what this is about… Winter had been doing well for quite a few months now. She just didn’t want to disappoint somepony she cared about. Sadly, a responsible adult would do the right thing and let the older mare know, I’d done it the first time I picked her up from a fight after all.

“Lilac would be mighty upset knowing this happened you know… she was happy you were keeping your nose clean.” Her muzzle stayed pointed square at the ground, but I could see a few more tears building up from that statement alone. The filly wasn’t looking forward to that lecture from the mare, and the subsequent grounding that was bound to happen, “so, what say we clean that nose up first? Hmm?’

Fortunately, I wasn’t all that responsible… she is so lucky I’m her second contact at school now.

It took a second or two, but I saw that bulb go off above her head soon enough, “You mean…?”

“What? I have the same medical kit at home,” Celestia knows I’ve gotten my fair share of bruises over the years.

Not a moment later, her hooves were wrapped around my neck as she stood on her hind legs. Some of that blood I could feel going down underneath my mane, but I didn’t care honestly. It was all going to be washed off soon anyway. Besides, if Lilac saw it on me, she’d just think it was another day at the office.

“Thank you, Wiley…”

I couldn’t help but share the same beam as we got up and made our way back to my place. All the while sneaking in and out of bushes hoping to avoid that mares’ eyes if she was out and about… what she didn’t know, wouldn’t hurt us.

Winter found herself a bit more comfortable at my kitchen table as I broke out the kit, and promptly started stuffing her nose with gauze. After the ice pack touched her face she jerked back a bit, but that smile persisted none the less. I’d be lying if mine didn’t as well.

“What’s that for?” she asked over the pack, and I already knew what she was talking about.

My glare drifted away from her for a moment, on up to the counter, and at the many coffee mugs I’d gone through. All leading up to a particular one there displayed proudly amongst them. It was cheap, mass produced, and already had a chip in it from use. Yet, that B.B.B.F.F. logo still was on display clearly… the same as my smirk.

“Nothing… nothing at all…”

---

An older sibling watches over their younger counterpart, at least that’s what I’ve always believed. I’d done so in the past keeping an eye out for Winter when the chance showed up, after seeing that look of betrayal from first turning her in, and now I had to try and to the same thing once again. That memory alone was enough to spur my legs on past the suit begging me to stop. It must have been going toe to toe with the sentries, but I managed to even overtake Tumble on our way back dashing to town.

There were still a number of red bars filling my E.F.S. but they weren’t anywhere close to me, nor were the bullets flying as much as when we’d left. No, along the walls that withstood the attack only a few of this town fired pot shots at those under Lock.

Without any mortar support from a distance, they must have lost their fighting spirit in full. Lucky break for me, that left me with one thing to focus on as I pushed through some of the damaged shacks in town. Nothing was going to spot me out here anymore, but before I could flip my own lamp on. The light above flickered back to life, somepony must have had the same idea as me, and-

Oh wow… that was a lot of bodies…

Both gunner and town folk littered around the grounds approaching the medical building. I couldn’t imagine anyone in town going to the extent to cover the gunners, so any that were covered I just had to assume was a loss on our part. Yet, those gunner bodies tossed around here looked like they’d met a blender. Some slashed head to hoof, others cleaved nearly in half, and some more met the full fury of a 40mm launcher. There were breaks in the line even from the small section we were at, though if the Gunners thought it’d be a walk in the park once they got in… a pissed off hellhound had something to say about that.

My hooves ground to a halt against the door, I didn’t know who was on the other side, and I wasn’t about to trample them bursting through. Instead, the thundering in my chest went down about half a notch as Tumble caught up behind me, and we both pushed our way inside.

Behind us was just the tip of the iceberg as the saying goes, and in here wasn’t any better. All around I could see those injured from the fight in every state of pain. Burns, bullets, cuts, stabs… you name it, the gunners used it to deadly effect. Another blur fluttered past me, and I watched as one went about trying to keep all he could from the light at the end of the tunnel.

Deacon looked about as drained as most of those he treated, yet he still found the strength to keep the press on and treat as he went. While on the other side of the room Luster kept up with his pace, nearly leaping back and forth between her patients, as Riff tried to do her part and move them about as needed. A well-oiled machine if there ever was one.

Amongst them however, I didn’t see one… and I didn’t recognize her pure coat out amongst the dead. So, she must be here somewhere. My hoof raised to try and get the attention of my friend, but quickly I pulled it back after a second. He was busy saving those he could, I could find her myself.

Carefully the tips of the armored hooves moved over top and around others scattered within the shack. The medical hut of the town wasn’t built to handle this many that needed care, and many of the those that occupied a cot had another injured right by their side on the ground. There were groans all around, plenty in pain and crying out from it. Although, only one could I hear the cry of pain not for themselves, but for another.

That operating room I’d once stepped in front of not too long ago filled my vision yet again, and I wasn’t liking these steps to repeat. With another gentle push, the door swung open, and I found a few more injured in various states of repair. Luster must have had more medical goods and training than I gave her name credit for. Plenty of those in here looked worse for wear, but they’d live to see another day.

Past them on her own cot however, was that snow tinted coat I once knew. Now stained underneath on the skin with blood. Whether it was the site of her chest barely rising up to a full breath, or her own kin trying to stave off the tears that left her eyes raw. I felt my hooves shake with every step I took.

Winter was resting a hoof along Alimites’ shoulder, trying her best to sooth her daughter like any mother would in this situation. I wasn’t a medical pony, but my eyes still tried to trail across her to see any damage that would put her this far down. That blood wasn’t from what looked like bullet wounds, but cuts across her sides where her coat was once clean. An operation? It had to be, but for what exactly? Shrapnel from the mortars? Possibly, even if they were high explosive, there would have been something they tossed at a pony.

Yet, she looked paler than I’d seen in years…

“It’s rude to stare you know…” looks like I’d been made. Our eyes met through the visor, and with a flick it popped open. Winters’ face might have been one of comfort before, but now upon seeing my own, it only turned to sadness. “In all the years I known you,” she about bit her tongue at just those words, “I’d seldom seen you pass a tear.”

What? Me?... oh shit, she was right. My armored hoof wiped what it could away as I kneeled down beside the cot, and I tried to put myself together. Besides the recent operation, and a serious loss in color. She looked just fine to me. Loss of blood? Well, I knew a medic who could fix that.

“Let me grab Deacon,” or somepony at this point, “I’m sure he can get you right back on your-” I felt something rest on top of my hoof, and as I looked down, I saw it was her own, “…feet.”

“He’s far too busy, same with Luster, you know that… besides, they already did what they could,” she rested the back of her head against the pillow once more. Although what the hell are you talking about? It doesn’t look like they did much of anything besides cut her open and have a look around?! So why did she sound so defeated? The Winter I knew would have been pissed right about now, what- “Wiley…”

She knew me better than any, and already saw the circuits firing in my head. That word alone was enough to silence my thoughts, and put my attention back on her. As pale as they might have been, her lips still managed to curl into the same smile she passed before that shell came in.

“Thank you, thank you so much for everything,” I didn’t want to hear those words, that sounded too much like a goodbye for me. Yet, I couldn’t take my eyes off her, “you kept your promise in the end… you found me, like you said you would.”

That promise I made, and I did keep. Though I made another one not long before that to a different mare, to give Winter the chance at a full life. Winter never knew of that one I’d made to Lilac. So, I had to wonder, had I checked that box off? Was that duty fulfilled? With my eyes turning from her to the kin opposite of me, and the chance the older mare had in life. I like to think in a way it was…

But damn it! That didn’t mean it had to end now?!

“No… there has to be more, you look…” I clenched back my own tears again, and started peeling my eyes around the room for something. I couldn’t finish that sentence, she didn’t look fine, not the mare I knew her for. Yet, not one that should be ready to check out, ‘this can’t be it.’ Hell, I’d take anything that could help her. Healing potions, Hydra, boxes with those damned butterflies on them. There were already more syringes and pill bottles tossed around here than a junkie’s hideout.

While I looked, even through the metal I could feel the squeeze of a hoof beckoning me back to her. That smile never faded as she kept her head rested back, “Yes… Wild, you’ll understand soon enough…” she muttered as if reading where my mind was racing off to, but what was that supposed to mean? “Now I need to ask you to make another promise, if you could oblige.” As if I’d tell her no right now, “keep an eye on Alimite will you?” she trained her sites on her daughter, as I watched a few more beads of tears fill the young mares’ face, “I can be happy knowing she’ll be in good hooves…”

“… Mom,” the mare whimpered, and had her eye wiped clean by a tender hoof, that had likely done the same for years.

‘I don’t want you to go, I just got here!’ I should have said it out loud for her, but this wasn’t my moment to speak. Winter was stubborn in the purest sense, something she passed on through her blood line.

“And… when you have the chance, go to my nightstand at home,” huh? That was an odd request, but it was one that seemed to still be important to the mare. Enough to warrant her own tear escaping, “a little something I saved over the years, something that might keep your head above water, and help you understand.”

For a second, Alimites’ face rose to meet mine… and in that moment, I understood a little of what Winter was trying for. Everypony had a reason to stick it out here in the wastes, or as she put it, give them a breath of fresh air. Now, I just had another pony to look out for. Though, that didn’t make it any easier. There was still a target not only on my head, but this whole place now they knew where it was.

I swallowed what I could of my pride, and gulped down what tears still wanted to spill, “I will… on both accounts.”

A grin, of all things, edged on her lips. “Pinkie Pie Promise?”

I wanted to chuckle… but all I could do was go through the motions with my hoof, as I sounded it off to myself. ‘Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.’

The hoof around my own squeezed just a little more at that, and our eyes locked once again. Those violet eyes were the first thing I ever saw of the mare, when she was but a filly, just trying to be a kid…

Slowly her lids began to droop, and with that her grip started to loosen. Her limb fell from mine along the cot. I could feel my whole body lock up as I looked over her, waiting for any remark, I’d take an insult at this point. All I got in return was that same smile, still sitting proudly along her lips.

“Mom…” I heard the whisper to my side, but couldn’t even start to answer it, “Mo-o-o-om!” Alimite bellowed like a banshee… as if a part of her soul had just been cut out, and truth be told. It had.

Sobs of the mare across from me filled my ears once again, and all I could do was sit there like a log. Something wasn’t clicking in my head like it should have, and I was still trying to process it all. I should have covered her mother, I should have gone around and tried to show some comfort to the mare for losing the only real family she had. I should have done a million and one different things… though in the end, all I could do was feel my heart turn right back up to eleven.

The visor dropped like the suit knew exactly what I was about to do, and I rose to my hooves heading to the door instead. In that time, nearly every memory I had replayed like a day dream. Meeting her and Lilac for the first time, helping Winter to create a gift for her surrogate mom, patching her up when she was hurt, laughing at dinner with the two of them… leaving Lilac behind so Winter might have a chance.

All to lead up to this, trekking through the wastes, only to bring those wanting me dead on her own doorstep.

The glass inside my helmet was starting to fog from how much I was breathing, though even through that I still managed to work myself back to the front of the shack and its own bed of chaos. I might have brought this to the town, but somepony else had to put it all together, and lit the fuse. This place wouldn’t be safe so long as they were around, and I couldn’t keep that promise I’d just made while they still breathed… I just had to find them, and I knew where to start.

No pony in here would have been on the outside and able to answer my simple question, but I didn’t need to look for a pony, “Riff Raff…” my inventory opened up and I started toggling through the suits functions, “did you see which way did they went…?”

One of her ears flopped while thinking, but I got my answer soon enough, “West, maybe… why pony want to know?”

Warning: Armor integrity: 15%

That’ll do… and as I found what I was looking for in the suit, I switched on every activation I had. I handled it before, so what was a little more to push the limit? With a deep inhale the Dash filled every sack my lungs had to offer, as the Stampede flared through my body. At that point I couldn’t even feel the Med-X tagging along for the ride, but it was too late. I was already out the door, beating my hooves against the dirt as the sun just stared to peak up over the mountains.

It wasn’t a question of if the remaining gunners could see me coming with this light, but if they’d be able to stop me…

***

Pegisy were always the nimblest of our race, being able to fly would do that for you. In the past they could traverse every scape of land with just a few flaps of their wings. Earth ponies had to rank as the heartiest, build tough from the ground up. It’s no wonder they made damn fine foot soldiers, I mean just look at Big Mac from the war.

Unicorns however, our main advantage always had been magic from the get go. We weren’t the strongest, fastest, or biggest. That said, we were the craftiest. Spells and incantations had helped us keep up with our cousins in the past. We could always make due through sheer arcane arts, and when that wasn’t enough, we scienced our way out of problems.

Our brains were the best weapon we had.

Right now, I could feel that brain power taking a back seat as my inner Earth pony was channeling into every step I took off on the trail. They hadn’t broken off their attack all that long ago, and even if they made it further than I thought. Those that followed Stock here probably wouldn’t expect somepony on their own tails this soon.

There you are!

It couldn’t have been more than a dozen ahead of me, and it only took a few more stomps before they took notice… power armor wasn’t stealthy after all, but I wasn’t trying to be either. I had a point to make, and a mare to find.

A few turned around and started to open up with whatever arms they carried here, as the others kept putting distance between us. Maybe it was for the protection of their fellow gunners? Hard to believe in this place, all I knew it was loyalty misplaced. ADAC vaporized the first one with two shots, not even his armor would make good scrap after that.

The second took the hint, and ran to join his brethren, but he wasn’t getting off that easily. My aura wrapped around his hind leg with a tug, and put him on the face first on the ground. All the while I trudged on, ignoring the sound of his shriek from my hoof caving in his skull. I needed one alive to tell me what I needed to know… but only one, the rest were dispos-

‘I’m really about to murder a bunch of retreating ponies?’ that question passed through my head for but a moment. Before being promptly shoved into the back corner, and locked away. ‘Yes… yes I was!’

These weren’t ponies, these were nothing more than new aged criminals in the wastes. I might have had reservations about killing the rangers when I first made it out the stable, but not this scum. Peace in the wasteland might be a pipe dream, but I could help make this little part better, and that all started with wiping them clean of it!

Over the next hill I bound, just in time to catch the trail of gunners leading into what must have been a ghost town in the west even before the war. Shambles of shacks, broken fences, and what might have been a pasture at one point now turned itself into a hunting ground to play hide and seek in. A game I was versed in, and one I played now with a slight advantage.

The red bars on my E.F.S. dispersed amongst the ruins, and now I just had to track em down. One wasn’t straying that far from my path, and I about knocked half the shack over when I crashed through the door. This mare had barely raised her weapon by the time my hoof lodged into her sternum shoving her against the rickety wall, yet she still managed to get a shell off of her own into my plating.

A shell I could live with, and my head turned back to meet her. “I need-” that was about all I got out before the blood from her cough washed over the helmet. There might have been a bit more force behind that shove than I first thought. Letting go, she slumped to the ground by my hooves and I started scanning… no matter, I had more to choose from.

Wait… that’s a familiar- one side of the shack exploded with enough force to throw me through the next wall, landing me in the streets. It might have taken five percent off the suit, but that much I ignored. They also gave me a contrail to follow, and I wasn’t going to let him get a second shot.

‘Second floor…’ I noted, and lunged through the window to the ground floor. Taking a good chunk of the frame with me. Three bars were above, and I beat against the stairs to get to- Crash, okay, so years out here in the wastes will degrade some buildings… my flank found the ground floor once more, and I could almost hear the snickers of those above.

If I couldn’t come up, I’d make them come down instead! Explosive rounds cycled back, and the ADAC made quick work of the floor boards beneath those bars. If they could decimate armor, then wood was no match. Two fell clear to the ground joining me, but I hadn’t let off the bit fast enough. They looked more like compost than a pony after that volley. The third that landed was a bit more intact, at least intact enough for my needs.

Once again, my aura wrapped around them, this time their throat, while I dragged their body across the floor boards closer. His hooves dug against the boards trying to get away, but my horn was used to hauling suits of armor and heavy guns from work. It didn’t take long for him to get within a hair’s breadth of me. Not so tough with that launcher now, are ya?

“Where is she!” I shouted to the gunner, and the colt held his tongue with confusion, “Where the fuck has Lock set up shop!” that should clarify things a bit for him.

Come on you son of a bitch… he looked like he was trying to speak, and it might have been a smartass remark like I’d gotten from gunners before. Though as his face turned blue, I let go from my horn. Just like the first, this colt collapsed in a heap against my hooves, and didn’t move after that. Cooler heads needed to prevail now if I wanted to get answers, something I could work on with the other bars on screen.

I wasn’t sure if combat drugs impacted magic, but it sure as hell felt like it… oh well, on to the next one. I shouldered the door this time and burst out into the middle of town, scanning around the area. E.F.S. really needed some sort of distance calculator, there were bars still but I couldn’t find which was the closest. So, Eenie Meany Miney… 5.56 started spraying from the window before I’d even made a pick, but this guy already helped me with that decision.

He still hadn’t had time to reload while I approached, and with a dive through that window the gunner found his way under my bulk as I landed atop him. Was it his heart that I felt racing or my own? Probably mine judging by his lifeless expression, having the full weight of the suit land on you wasn’t good for one’s health. There was already blood from his sides spilling out where the rips punched through that’d attest to that.

My ears perked up for a moment, and I swore I heard my name being called… could that be my conscience? Celestia, I hope not, right and wrong were thrown out the window now. I had a mare to find, just like I did when this whole adventure started… One I wanted to protect, and now one I wanted to tear apa-!

Ting!

That drew my attention, and there in the room with us was another. In the mares’ hooves looked like something I’d expect the raiders to be carrying, nothing more than a few pipes welded together to a two by four. .38 caliber for sure, I don’t think the suit even registered that damage.

But it gave me an opening, “I need to ask you some…” another round of hers bounced clear off the suit, “Questions.”

She wasn’t having it, and instead loaded another magazine as the rounds continued to ricochet off. Fine then, I tried to be civil… one shell from shotty rang out, and the only thing standing afterwards was the back half of her torso. There were others still to interrogate, but damn were gunners stubborn.

Warning: Armor integrity: 9%

Critical failure imminent!

It’ll still have to do… the next bar I caught in my visor was too my left, and moving fast. Out the back door I went, and as I dashed through the alley way, I could only imagine the look on the gunners’ face when we’d run into each other.

“Wild!” That was definitely my name!

And that was a hammer… might not have been a rocket hammer like before, but the wind left my chest all the same. This gunner looked proud of himself at the hit, and past him I saw some of his friends making a break for it. Should have taken another shot while you had the chance, with a kick my hoof connected with his own. Not only dropping it, but giving me an audible crack as well.

Never the less, from the ground he tried for another swing. This time my hoof caught it, and with the chems pumping through my system it hadn’t even registered. Both my front hooves rose up, and I got to see that look on his face I was originally hoping for. Just before they smeared it across the ground.

A few of those bars were still visible, though one by one they started to disappear from the range of my sensors. The sights on the ADAC pulled up as I switched back to AP rounds, and I tried to put some of those still in its path along them. Yet, for some reason, I couldn’t hold still. All I needed was one good hit, to the leg or something, and that’d do. Their leg might be torn off completely, but they wouldn’t be going anywhere.

I planted my own hind hooves into the ground trying to steady myself, just one shot… “Come on,” I panted to myself, “Breathe-”

“Wild!”

Something smacked into the back of me, and I met the ground like a sack of flour. Guess there were- wait, “Riff?!” I shouted, and sure enough the hellhound laid across my back pinning me down, “What are you doing? Get the hell off me!”

She didn’t move, and even her eyes adverted from my own. Tumble shot past the hound and posted up along the ground, her rifle trained on those that retreated. Mercy would probably net the same result, but at least her aim was better than mine. All she had to do was take the shot…

Ahh, Tumble? “Go on, shoot em!” I yelled to her, instead all I got in return was a pained expression from the mare.

“Wild pony calm down,” Riff grumbled into my ear.

Calm down? How the hell could I do that? They’re right there, take one down, and solve this whole problem! I tried to push my hooves against the dirt to shove her off, but in Tartarus’ name she was heavy. My body was ready for this fight, I was pumped up and ready to finish them off already! All I needed was a… what the hell was I tasting right now?

It tastes like foam, blood, and cola. Once more my face met the ground, and whatever it was, I could see it dripping inside my helmet onto the visor. The suit might have been still, but it felt like my head was spinning separate from my body. That was nothing compared to what my chest was doing, it was like a DJ-Pon3 concert in there, and my heart was the bass.

I tried to raise my head up once more, and from that I got the fleeting image of those last bars disappearing in the distance. My little tantrum here was for nothing, and it looked like I was heading back to town empty hooved.

“Wild…” I heard another beside me, and there Alimite leaned down to the side of the suit. Although I couldn’t feel it, I knew her hoof was resting on its shoulder. If I thought she cried out all her tears for the day, I was wrong. Fresh ones managed to work their way down her face, and I got a fresh slap to reality. She was worried… about me, and I’d done that by my own hooves.

Why was it getting dark so quick?

Chapter thirty: …For those we love

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Chapter thirty: …For those we love

“I’m gonna have to start paying you for this sort of thing ya know,” Lilac muttered to me as my head remained stuck underneath the sink.

Winter might have gotten easier to handle, but there were still a few colts around school wearing bruises with her name on em. Between all the times attempting to keep her out of trouble, fixing things around what was becoming my second home… and the under the table fixings of the filly. You’d think I could have retired by now. Yet I got my own payment if a different sense. Getting to be a part of this little family was just what I needed. Plus, by golly could she bake!

“Say nothing of it,” I shook my head, knowing full well the look the mare was giving me, “you invite me over most nights anyway for supper, that’s payment enough.”

Leaking sink pipe… plumbing wasn’t in my job description, but how hard could it- a face full of waterlogged food chunks answered that question for me. Whatever might have been backing up the pipe not letting it drain found its new home through my mane, and I swore I could smell the pie crust she baked last week somewhere in there.

And through it all, Lilac was snickering at me… no, that laugh was a bit younger, “You’re supposed to use a bucket for that,” Winter chimed in from past the wooden cabinet, before I felt her head poke in to meet mine, “need a towel?”

My eyes were clenched tight, but I knew the look I was giving her, and it wasn’t long after that I felt the cloth draped over my face. This smell wasn’t gonna come out anytime soon, maybe if I used some of that turpentine, I might give it a run for its money. Then again, that’d cost a good chunk of my coat.

The wrench fell from my horn as I scrubbed what I could away, and right there for me to see was Winter wearing the smartest grin possible for her age… ugh, not even a teenager yet, and she had the attitude down packed.

Unceremoniously I was shoved aside as much as she could, and the filly wiggled herself into the cabinet with my wrench in tow. “You’re the smart one Wild,” she said working the mouth of the tool along the pipes, “why didn’t ya just follow the line?”

A small tinge of light from my horn gave off just the glow she needed to put me in my place, and after a twist from her. The plug at the bottom of the pipe gave out, letting the remains of last weeks meal drain free into the bucket I’d placed for just this sort of occasion.

Okay, I’ll give her that one then… “Not my forte, but I know enough to make due,” and that’s a terrible excuse.

In any case, the line was draining slowly but surely. All that muck that’d built up really brought any flow to a halt, hopefully now the mare behind us wouldn’t have to wait an hour before the sink drained to clean it out. Either that, or I’d be over here a week from now.

“And here I thought you knew all things about handy work?” she looked back to me, and through the drying bits I could still see that grin stretching ear to ear on her. Winter pulled the towel away, and started doing some of the clean up on my face herself. She had a much better view of it after all, something I was glad to not witness.

“Wild…” I heard Lilac mutter, and try as she might that smirk of her own wasn’t hiding like she thought it was, “you can just wash up here, no point in trekking it through your own place.”

With a small nod of thanks, and some relief I didn’t have to put up with trying to snake the drain. I went straight to the bathroom, and started scrubbing away before even bothering with the light. Improve the design of a new rifle? Sure. Mess with ordinance? Done deal. Basic home repair? I can learn just about anything… although by the smell of it, plumbing was one thing I’d have to brush up on then. Hell, maybe it was something both of us could do well in.

My hoof reached out, and after a flick I opened my eyes to see the fresh and- Bruises, cuts, and dirt caked every inch of my coat. Far more than the food chunks, and grimy water I’d thought. Even my face wasn’t spared from the damage, and I worked my hoof over the refection just to see if I was real.

How’d I get this beaten up over a sink?! The step or two back I took didn’t even register, as my eyes remained locked on that version of me that could only be from the trenches. He mimicked everything I did, the faces I made, even my tongue sticking out at him. Nope, that was me for sure. I knew those electrical burns across my coat well enough to know that much.

“What the hell?” I poked more at my face.

“Language, Wild,” Lilac said to my side, “Adult or not, you shouldn’t talk like that.”

I almost forget who’s house I’m in at times, “Right… sorry about that, it’s just-” I turned to face her, and my blood went cold.

That grandmotherly smile she always wore, even when trying not to laugh at my own dismay, was wiped clean. In its place all I saw was the hollowed out remains of a pony, its bones barely clinging to themselves with what little rotting tissue managed to hold it together. Yet somehow, Lilac… I think? Didn’t seem at all fazed.

“Something wrong dearie?” she cocked her head to one side, and I watched a normal sized roach scrape itself out from her eye socket.

What the fuck was going on?! I shoved passed her, and heard the yelp of the mare in return. That wasn’t the Pegasus I knew, no that was some horrible amalgamation of… whatever the hell that was! Though I couldn’t leave Winter in this place with that thing. It wasn’t a long dash back to the kitchen, and right where I’d left her the filly sat underneath the sink overlooking the piping.

“Winter! We need too-” our eyes met, and I felt my chest get punched through.

I thought my wounds were bad… but somepony had worked this filly over with a tire iron. Blood was dripping steadily from both her nostrils, and I wasn’t sure if there was an inch of her coat that wasn’t purple from the bruises and beatings. I couldn’t move seeing her like this, and even though I heard my name being called from what once was Lilac. My eyes couldn’t bear to see either of them like this.

So instead, I collapsed to the ground, covering my muzzle and face like a foal trying to hold off the boogiemare. ‘No, no, no, no, no, no,’ it ran through my head like a broken record, and my lungs raced to keep up with the storm erupting from my chest. “Stop it… it’s not true…” I felt my throat clench once more, as another pressed their hoof to my shoulder.

“Face it, Wild,” with one eye open, Winter stared me down with her own hollow orbs, “You failed.”

---

“FUCK!” I shot up from my back.

And promptly met a pair of talons, “Oh calm down!” Deacon snapped at, chomping his beak, “stop being so damn dramatic.”

My tongue froze there for a moment, and that was enough to send my eyes whirling while I looked around the room. The suit was standing over in the corner not far from me, but besides that everything down here just seemed dead. I never felt so uninvited in a place before, and that wasn’t even counting the glares I was getting from Tumble across the room. She looked pissed, more pissed than the gryphon tending to me right now.

Yet, she didn’t say a word, just continued passing that expression of sorrow mixed in my way. Deacon on the other hoof looked like he was going through the motions as if it was any other day. The damp towel sparked off some minor radiation as he dabbed it across my head, but I knew I wasn’t in any position to argue.

“Consider yourself lucky…” he gritted at me while rewetting the rag, “I’ve come close to an OD once or twice in my history, and I knew you were gonna do something stupid once you got out that door…”

Yeah… really stupid. My body took a dose like that once before, but reasoning I can do itagain wasn’t the smartest move in the book. All I could do now was let our team medic do his duty, and tend to another one of his patients.

That left me sitting there, and alone to my own thoughts. Not what I wanted to be doing right now. I remembered that little dream… memory? Thing? I’d witnessed in my slumber. Winter had picked up plumbing not long after that, and with my help excelled at it. We both did in fact, learning side by side. This world took that pleasant memory and turned it on its head.

Dream or not, I couldn’t help but let a tear of my own fall. I just went from watching the closest ponies I had to family enjoying an ordinary afternoon, to seeing what this world turned them into. One snuffed out at the start of Equestrias’ new chapter, and the other having been beaten by it through the years. Till it finally took her as well.

“What happened…” I didn’t intend for it to sound like venom, but I wasn’t in the right mindset to change how I felt. She looked healthy, a bit tired, but still breathing. So, what could have gone so wrong? “Why didn’t you help her?”

I didn’t think it possible for a gryphons’ pupils to narrow that much more, but he proved me wrong. Over his shoulder, Tumble looked ready to either throttle me, or give me a hug… probably both. Instead, Deacon held a talon to her, and continued going about his work wiping the cool sweat off my coat. My eyes were sharp enough against him to puncture steel, but he ignored it all the same.

Until he put the towel down, and I felt the talon collide with my jaw before I even saw it coming. If it wasn’t for the wall to my side I might have fallen out of the cot, but as I righted myself on my flank. The gryphon just stood there on his hind paws meeting my own glare.

“What do you want from me? You want me to say I called upon your goddesses to try and save one of their little ponies? Do you want me to have tried some Zebra black magic mumbo jumbo?!” now it was his turn to be angry, and truth be told. He had every right to be, I knew he wouldn’t have half assed his duty, but there still felt like it should have been more… “I can fix bullet wounds blindfolded, set bones with Wonderglue, and treat chems like no other…” That last one he meant to sting…

He turned his back to me, probably wanting to throw another punch. Until I heard a small sigh spill from him as he slumped against the cot with his back, and Deacon took a breath, “I’m a combat medic on the best of days, and a wasteland surgeon on the worst there Wild… I make do pretty well with what I have,” I was a testament to that. Patching wounds on the fly, and doing minor procedures was in his blood. I mean, both Tumble and myself owe our lives to the guy. “All that said, I’m not a miracle worker… I can’t cure cancer, not like that.”

There was a line to how much I could ask of my friend, and he’d already done so much for not only myself, but the town and other friends as well. I couldn’t go an- huh? “What do you mean?”

Slowly his head rose up from his palms, and panned over to me. Both of us sharing the same look of confusion, till I saw it dawn on him, “she… never told you, did she?” my expression told him that answer already, and all he gave in return was a shake of his head, “what is it with girls and their secrets?”

He didn’t see it, but it was Tumbles turn to stare him down after that remark. “When Winter was brought in, Walker got her back to that operating room with me as I looked her over. No real outside damage, so I figured internal bleeding,” a sound assessment if there ever was one, and one a doc like himself would have guessed, “so I took a look, and… well, it wasn’t good.”

The gryphon probably had seen more death and devastation with his old group than our little bunch. Having money on the line could mean any kind of work, and I doubted much of it was pretty. So, for him to be holding back his own tongue, it gave a good indication just how the mares’ body must have been fairing.

“Years out here in the wastes can do that to a pony,” Tumble finally got up from her seat and came over to join us, her expression no longer wanting to take either of our heads off, “especially kept in some of the conditions slavers frequent… getting wounded was just the final nail needed.”

That’s what it boiled down to… all those years ago of being in chains, finally caught up with the mare. If that band of ponies hadn’t already been taken care of, I might have gotten a new goal to meet.

That just begged one, rather obvious, question, “she knew, didn’t she?”

Deacon gave me a slow nod, “Yes… she knew it wasn’t going to be long for her. A year, maybe five for all I could tell, but in the end she just wanted to go out peacefully,” the times seeing her fumble finally made sense to me now, and if that was the case. She kept it secret then from not only me, but her own family as well. A talon rested on my shoulder, a lot more peacefully than his last gesture, “and with you here she was able to do that.”

That might have given me some semblance of peace, but not all that much. I would have preferred to have that extra few years to spend with her… but wouldn’t that just be selfish? The mare was fraying from the years spent out here, and who’s to say it wouldn’t have gotten ten times worse in the years to follow.

Would she have even been the same pony anymore? The image of her I saw while out cold came back to me again, and sent a shiver up my spine. All this time out here trying to track her down, and make sure she was safe. Yet, in the end, what did her in I couldn’t have even seen.

“I’m… sorry then…” I swallowed my pride a bit, before kicking the snot out of it for sounding so sour earlier. They didn’t deserve that, my friends didn’t deserve even a sideways look from me after what they’ve put up with, “Both for taking off like that, and doubting ya…”

A light smack from Tumble answered, before she gave one of the laziest snickers I’d heard in a while, “Yeah, you’re an idiot… we know.”

“And don’t think you’re gonna do it again,” oh I didn’t like that look he was giving me, “I took some liberties with that chem pump while you were checked out… might not have all the chems you were used to, but Med-X is still in there,” well that was a relief, “plus, a lot more slots for healing potions, should you go and get shot up.”

He knew my habits so well… “Thank you for that…” I was gonna miss the rush from the combat drugs, but at the end of the day I knew my heart would be thanking him, “How’d you learn how to modify it?”

“Well for starters you really shouldn’t be thanking me for that one…” Deacon started scratching the back of his head, and above all three of us heard hoof steps making their way across the floor. “We’ll let her know you’re awake, and then you can thank her personally.”

I wasn’t even able to get another word in before the pair scampered off to the stairs. It didn’t take a mathematician to figure out just who they were talking about. Only thing I had to wonder is just how pissed she really was.

Just as they left from my view, another came into it. With everything that’s happened in the last few… hours? How long was I out…? I could figure that out later. Regardless, the mare looked calm, but it wasn’t the kind of peace I’d seen before. Alimite kept her eyes forward while she walked in, and while they might have been in my direction. It felt like she was looking through me at this point.

True to that feeling, she held that stoic look all the way across the room while waltzing up to my armor. The same glare she gave across the room the mare repeated with the suit, both of them were staring blankly into one another. I about waited for the visor on it to break under her gaze, Celestia knows I would have.

Come on, say something at least… if there’s anything that worried me more than being chewed out, it was the silence before. She probably knew that, and while I wanted her to blow up on me already, the mare had different ideas. The same towel Deacon had been using on me, Alimite floated over to herself.

It probably didn’t do much besides smear the blood over those plates, but it was enough for her to ignore me a bit longer. We’d probably stayed like that for a solid ten minutes, and even I could see the cloth was long since dry.

Whelp, here goes nothing, “…Alimite?”

That’s about all I got out, before she pulled a wrench from nowhere and smashed it against the helmet. The first hit shocked me, but every one following I just got to see her composure fail a little more each time. She wouldn’t have said it out loud, but I knew she wished I was wearing it. At least then she could work her frustration out properly.

Oh shit! I dipped my head nearly to the covers, as the tool shot past me and collided with the wall. Now without anything to take her anger out on, I got to see the true brunt of just what I put not only my friends through, but her as well.

“You damned fool!” I winced back a bit after hearing that one from her, more than Deacons’ own punch, “What the hell were you thinking taking off like that, and to do what? Are you gonna fight the whole wasteland by yourself, is that it?” Alimite let off one more hit at the suit, this time with her own hoof, before turning those eyes my way. I knew that had to hurt, but right now I don’t think she even felt it.

“I don’t give a shit if you have a fancy suit of power armor to call all your own, you can still die if you do something like you just did,” and I’d come close to doing it myself, pushing the limits of its repair work, and even my own body. “It doesn’t matter if you’re the biggest badass out there in the wastes, if you’re stupid your days are numbered… being smart about things, that’s how you live!”

Being smart, and lucky, was how I managed to thwart the Gunners as well as the Rangers for this long. At the end of the day, the mare was right, I knew that was a stupid thing to do… but finding out where they called home was the next task. Chasing them down just seemed like the quickest way to do just that.

“What would Winter have said!?” oh she knew right where to throw those punches… Every inch Alimite got closer I wished more and more that I could shrink away under the covers, though there was no getting away from this bedtime monster of a mare, “you made her a promise before she…” from this close I could see her jaw tense up at the thought, “and here you are about to throw it away to try and shoot a few more of them in the back.”

I could make out the tears welling up along her eyes, and somewhere I could feel Winter wanting to kick the crap out of me for being the cause of them. Alimite had every right to be pissed, and I half expected the same return I’d gotten minutes ago, considering she missed with the wrench.

Yet where my eyes closed expecting a slap, in its place I felt her slump to the side of the cot… Much like she’d done with her mom earlier. “…My mom’s dead, the mare that brought me into this world is gone…” her eyes met mine, and we both shared that same reminder in our ducts, each of us trying to hold it back for the other, “don’t make be bury both her, and you, all in the same day…”

Whatever energy she had after that rant left her, and her head, collapsed to the cot near my hooves. She was all out of steam, and while I might have been at a loss for words on how to defend my actions… truth be told, I didn’t even want to. I at least do know what I should have done instead of taking off.

Slowly one of my hooves made their way up to the top of her back, and started giving her that gentle comfort I’d missed doing before. It wasn’t much, far less than I should have done, but I don’t think she was in the mood for a hug. Not while she still wanted to beat the snot out of me.

What was a colt do say in this case? Besides… “I’m sorry, Alimite,” I let my head sulk with the weight of my choices, as her head stayed down. Even if she wasn’t looking at me, she wasn’t pulling away either, “I didn’t mean to make ya’ll worry… I just wanted answers to end this.” I hadn’t even looked at the clock to find out how long I was out cold, just how long did they have to wonder if I’d pull through or now? “And I know I’ll be making it up to you for a while,” that stirred her head a bit, “but I’ll find a way to…”

After she rose her head up more, I got to see the few tears she let fall in silence, not the proudest moment of my life… but at least this one I could make right. Alimite just gave me a small shake of her head as she got back up to her hooves. She wasn’t storming off, but I had to ponder what was going through the mares’ mind.

Once more she found herself back by the suits side, this time the cloth was ditched, and I got to see that faint glow of her horn take shape. I hadn’t gotten the chance to look over the damage myself quite yet, but judging from the shifting plates, it was a fair bet the gunners had managed to take a good chunk off its lifespan.

I wanted to say more, but what else could I? There was only so many ways to say sorry or I made a stupid choice in my book. So, besides just saying it, I’d have to act on it as well. “Make up for it… hmm?” she mused while going to work on the damage done to the visor, “You really want to make amends?”

Were there more powerful words in the dictionary to convey this? “Yes.”

“Good… then finish what you started,” I may have only caught the expression, but I knew a half-baked grin when I say it, “you can start by finding that bitch, and putting her in the ground.”

Well would ya look at that, seemed like we operating on the same wavelength after all, and that was an order I could follow… smartly this time. I’d have to track down those that attacked this place, figure out where their main holdup was. If Lock was anywhere, it’d be there, surrounded by her whole army. As much as I wanted to bound out of this room and get too it, my suit needed repairing, and I needed probably another hour or two to get my head back on straight.

I forwent the full speed ahead approach, and settled for putting my head back on the musty pillow. Letting myself breath a bit more evenly this time, I watched the mare work on patching up what she could. There was plenty of work that needed to be done on it, and I wasn’t making anything right with the suit being in pieces.

All that said, I knew there were… other matters, to attend to.

Footnote: Level Up.

New Perk: “Life Giver”- With some skilled medical help, your overall med ports for healing potions had nearly tripled! Just make sure to keep them topped off, and do try to avoid bullets when you think of it.

Chapter thirty-one: Promises

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Chapter thirty-one: Promises

So, my guess work was still spotty. That hour or two turned into the following day, and even stepping into the suit felt like a chore in of itself. Never the less, there was work to be done, and this was probably the sharpest uniform I had for such an occasion.

Warning: Combat stimulants depleted!

Any other day I would have been worried, but today was not one of those. I just shook my head, knowing full well I brought that upon myself. All I could do was hope Deacons’ little modifications did the trick, and kept me on this side of the dirt. Which was far more than I could say for those around me.

The town had been busy while I rested, and out along the lonely stretch leading towards the mines that patch of land was getting occupied far faster than for my liking. What once was a few markers placed about, now had turned into rows upon rows of holes waiting to be filled.

‘Don’t look…’ I tried to remind myself while I walked along side them, but had I mentioned I was stubborn? It didn’t take long to do a fast count of the new occupants, and if we were going off of the wars’ standards. Less than forty losses were nothing, but to a town like this that meant the loss of a friend, neighbor, or even family member.

I failed to keep that number out of my head, so I had to settle on the fact that if it hadn’t been for Luster and Deacon those numbers would have likely doubled. Neither of them were here either, likely sleeping off the work they’d put in over the last few days. Even if they weren’t, there wasn’t much they’d be able to do for a pony ready to be laid to rest.

It wasn’t a ceremony, not even a speech for those they’d lost… every member here had somepony else nearby to them to finish the job, and start shoveling. I watched some say a few words before putting shovel to dirt, and some not even look at the pony. Maybe that was easier in the end. I was just glad some of them were finally getting the chance to be put down. One glance off to the side let me see Ashburn doing her part, as her friend met the first scoop of soil.

And another glance let me take in that helmet I put down here not too long ago. The afterlife or any of that jargon I never really discussed with others, not the kind of thing you bring up at work, or the dinner table. Though if there was some grim reaper pony ready to take them away somewhere, Tungsten was going to have a lot of company in the end.

As would Winter.

There wasn’t much procedure to be done like back in the old days. No embalming, no prep-work, no viewing after makeup. Ponies died all the time out here, so there didn’t seem like much of an effort to memorialize it… only to those that knew them took the time. Winters’ body laid in front of me, and for the longest time I just stared at her.

I’d seen her like this plenty of times in the past. Usually, it was after a late dinner at either of our houses. Lilac would have pulled a blanket up over her on the couch if it was chilly out, and if it was at my place, I’d already have her over my shoulder bringing her home. I don’t know if it was a trick of the eye, I turned my gaze away before I could find out, but that smile seemingly never left her face… and it gave me a split second of hope. Waiting to hear something, hoping it was still a dream. I’d hear a cough; she’d laugh and say something along the lines of ‘I got you so good!’

“No…” my eyes clenched back, and I had come face to face with reality yet again.

She was gone, and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do to change that. I felt a push to one of my shoulders, and there beside me was Alimite. The mare had worked herself ragged patching up what she could with her horn, enough to make me at least look presentable, and she looked more drained than anything. Doing that work was probably the only reason she didn’t snap at me again, but now it was coming back with a vengeance.

A crack overhead almost made me jump out of my suit, as my eyes started scanning for another volley of shells to come in. Until I paused, and just took note of the sky. Those clouds were grayer than before, and it wasn’t long after that observation that the first droplet hit my visor… how fitting.

It felt like I hadn’t seen rain in so long, and while I listened to the slow tick of the rad meter going off. Something inside me couldn’t care less, we weren’t finished out here. Tumble must have felt the same way, and while quite a few of those towns’ folk finished up and went back to someplace dry. Both mares stuck nearby, just as the odd one out of the bunch did.

Riff had probably helped dig most of these holes, though the dog took the opportunity to wipe away some of that grime with the help of the storm. After she finished up, the hound found her place alongside the grave.

I let out a sigh, knowing what had to come next, and with a little help from my horn the aura enveloped around the still mare. It wasn’t the first time I had to lift a pony, though this weighed the heaviest out of all of them. With every ounce I put into the spell, I could feel it draining out a little more from my system. Then I saw it, another aura latch on along mine. Alimite might have been tired, but she wasn’t down for the count, and her horn glowed all the same as mine.

As gently as we could, her body was lowered in, and for a moment there away from the dirt. That rain washed some of the grime away like it had Riff, leaving the mare with the white coat that gave her namesake. It was almost bitter sweet, knowing this was probably the cleanest she’d been in a while, under these circumstances.

I was getting tired of funerals… and this was only my second one, “I didn’t get out much, growing up,” poor way to start this, even I was trying to find the words, but after a look from those present. Somewhere they started to bubble up inside, “even less so when I started working at the M.W.T… and it was thanks to a broken window that I got to meet both Lilac, and Winter here.”

That garnished a hollowed-out chuckle from the kin beside me, I wonder how many times Winter had told her daughter that story? “After meeting, they’d become the closest thing I had to family in that town, and having to say goodbye once was hard enough,” keep it together there, “and now I’m doing it again…”

Winter wasn’t the only one who had to say goodbye on that day. I knew what was going to happen to Lilac in the end, what I didn’t know was what would happen to the stable. How long we’d be under ice, or even if it lasted that long… already know how that turned out.

It was the little things that mattered now after all, hoping for the sun to come out tomorrow was too tall an order. What I could hope for was tomorrow to just come in general, and I had somepony to thank for that. “It was thanks to you though, that I got a chance at anything out here,” their eyes might have been on me, but mine stayed on the mare below as she rested in the base. I’d like to think that somewhere she was listening, “A chance to live once more,” I passed a look on to the town, “a chance to meet new friends,” steadily my eyes finally trailed over each of those present, “and a chance to say hello again.”

Once again, the visor found its place looking over the mare. If I had taught her anything else during the war, she probably wouldn’t have been able to save my ass in the end. Winter might not have been able to survive out here to begin with either, but it was thanks to those lessons taught centuries before. That she was able to have that chance, just like Lilac had hoped.

A chance she took the fullest advantage of, “Goodbye, Winter Blossom…”

Okay, I needed to stop before my helmet drowned me… I could feel the few tears starting to bud up along my eyes, either that or I just hadn’t blinked since I’d been out here. In any case, I wasn’t the only one with something that needed to be said.

Alimite hadn’t said much all day to begin with, even while we were transporting all our losses out here. Although, that left her plenty of time then to think of just the right words, “You keep some strange company, mom,” hmm… I wonder who she’s talking about, “that said, also some of the better company here in the wastes…” she might have tried to hide it, but I saw that glance she passed my way. “Thank you for everything you’ve done for me, and for the whole town, I’ll try my damndest to keep it in one piece.”

A fitting heir to the throne of Ms. Fix It if there ever was one, “and don’t worry… I’ll keep an eye on him as well,” alright I had to give her that one. I tended to get into trouble out here, and you could never have too many watching your back.

Another crack from above broke the ambiance around us, and with it another torrent of rain fell. What once was simple droplets now were nearly water balloons landing every other second. That ticking in my meter spiked, and if it was doing that much for me. I couldn’t imagine was it was then for those exposed.

“You all should get back inside,” each of them looked back to me, and while even Alimite wanted to protest. She barely had the energy to stand after the day she had, “I can take care of her… don’t worry.”

Together both mares trotted on back to town, with Tumble helping Alimite lean on her all the way to the safety of the shop. That left me doing what I could with the shovel nearby too slowly scrap the dirt back in the hole. What's done was done, even with every scoop driving that point home a little more, it still hurt and probably would for years to come… assuming I lived that long.

Through the rain I saw another, and the figure of Riff stood by my side doing much the same as me. The dirt in her paws wasn’t being tossed around like she as digging out a burrow, no she was handling this with all the care I could have hoped.

Storm or not, I still saw that shadow of a smile on her muzzle. “Pony need not do by himself…” she shrugged and gave me a nod, “What friends for.”

“…Thank you, Riff.”

***

Well then… apparently taking several grenades to the chest didn’t do as much damage to that armor as I thought. Deacon had been working on it since I got back from… you know already, and by the looks of things it appeared somewhat salvageable. At least it was to the gryphon.

I wanted to give my two cents on what plating should go where, but I made pony armor, not gryphon. Besides, he knew all too well how to use those grenade slots along its chest. He wouldn’t have to be carting around his munitions in a bag anymore.

As he did that, the rest of us went on about our next course of action. We already knew what had to be done, the real question was how to go about it. Charging in had been tried once, and I was the still living result of that.

“They were heading in the same direction still when we carted you off,” Tumble answered my unasked question, I hadn’t seen where they went after everything went black. I was a bit too busy looking at my friends to notice, “So it’d be a start to set out after em from there.”

“Wandering in the wasteland though doesn’t lead to much else except trouble,” Alimite tagged on through a yawn. She really needed to be in bed, but this was something she at least wanted a small part in, “they could have gone any other direction after we were gone.”

Ahh yes, any direction back to whatever camp they might have been working out of. All while they waited and got ready for another attack, not something I think this place would survive again. Before they only broke off because of the loss of their heavy support, next time they’d have Lock by their side. Some part of me doubted she’d let any leave, not without a hole in their skull, or mine.

All I knew from our discussion was they headed west, and between the mountains and the North Luna Ocean there was A LOT of ground to cover. From office buildings, to hospitals, and even schools like we’d run into them before in.

Far too much ground to just throw a dart and go searching in…

I wasn’t a cartographer, I just built things that made bad creatures go away really fast. Plus, while I might have a map right in my vision, I didn’t know the lay of the land well after almost two centuries. That decision was best left to those who had walked the wastes, and not spent their time on ice. The most I did was draw out a crude map across our table of the surrounding land from the Pip-Buck.

So, while they had their girl talk, I just watched the gryphon fiddle with his own project. Stocks’ armor was shaping up quite well for him, might not be as heavy as the sibling made it, but with all the pouches the pony had used to try and turn me into a pulp. It’d serve our medic just as well.

He even managed to pull off something else from the corpse. The 40mm Stock had been using wasn’t all that special, no magic talisman like Mercy. Though since he’d lost the missile launcher, standard 40mm would do just fine… assuming he pulled any of those cryo ones off his belt, and could get it working after the hit it took.

Thump… for a second there I flinched waiting to feel the cold embrace from another of its payload, until I saw the mare with her head on the table instead. Tumble had probably had an easier life doing her own wandering before joining in my little adventure. All this talk of taking on an entire faction was doing a number on her, and it was getting obvious.

There wasn’t much else for her to do besides rub her temples, “Wild, next time you piss off a group of ponies, can you try and make it a little quicker to mop up?” she tried to laugh, but it only came out as a cough.

I couldn’t blame her, all of us were worn-out after the last few days, and going from a funeral to strategy… or attempted strategy, was wearing on us. We were still soaked from the rain storm outside, and that alone left none of us were in the mood for this kinda thought. The only one who even seemed remotely awake was the gryphon. Though he had something to keep him busy, physically at least.

“Yeah… I’ll try to,” I passed her a weak smile.

With a yawn escaping her, Alimite was the first to get up and make her way towards the stairs. She looked about as beat as her fellow mare, “I need to get some sleep, there’s a lot of repairs to be done, and it all starts tomorrow.” Now that her mom was gone, the torch passed to her kin in the field of helping keep this place above water. A tall order to say the least, yet past the bags in her eyes she managed a smile mirroring mine, “try not to stay up too late… or come up with anything too reckless?”

Reckless was out of my system… I think? No, I needed a head on my shoulders, and my blood stream clean for the next events. I could do that much, for both her, and her moms’ sake. A simple nod was enough to satisfy her, and that left just the four of us to come up with the next move. Three if you didn’t count the one behind us in his own little world.

“Ha-ha! We’re in business!” Deacon yelled suited up in his new armor, and clamped the chamber on the launcher shut without a hitch. Though his enthusiasm wasn’t shared with nearly as many as he thought, and it didn’t take him long to read the room, “…sorry.”

The only one who even got a chuckle out of that was Riff to my side, but besides that the hellhound remained largely quiet during our little chat. She’d been in those tunnels most of her life, so I doubted she knew the ins and outs of gunner locations.

Tumble poked her head up long enough to pull a chair over to her, and all it took was a flick of her tail to beckon the gryphon over. I could hear the wood strain under the extra weight from the plates, but if he could fly with a makeshift Balefire bomb, then I’d like to believe he could take it.

With the launcher over his shoulder, Deacon gave the map a once over, “If you want my advice, then our best bet is still to find a gunner and kick the crap out of em for some answers.” His shrug pretty much summarized what I already figured, though any chat I’d had with a gunner in recent times largely left more holes in me.

“Think we could ask the DJ?” I mean, they did have eyes and ears everywhere it seemed. Even Watcher had those Sprite Bots, they’d be somepony to give a ring to… assuming I could reach him again.

“Good luck with that…” Tumble sighed, something that all of them save Riff shared, “unless you got a broadcaster able to reach all the way to Manehatten.” Right, totally forgot they were on the other side of the country.

Even if I did, a broadcast like that would probably let half the area know of this little slice of the wastes. I know the Rangers would be listening in for that information, especially if it had my nickname in- ahh Riff? My train of thought derailed as I watched the hound take an uncanny interest in our gryphon, I mean… more so than usual.

And I thought Turkey got him to squirm, apparently having a hellhounds’ nose running over him did much the same. Deacon went ridged as I saw his feathers start to fluff. Tumble on the other hoof, just got a shot of caffeine in her system from watching it.

“Riff…” she gritted her teeth. Please don’t make a fight of this, I was in no position to hold a hellhound down, “now is probably the worst time to flirt…”

“Oh, mare calm down,” Riff brushed her off, and that deflated her just a tad below lunge across table levels, “dog getting idea…” yes that’s what she’s worried about, “not that idea!” still she didn’t stop sniffing Deacon, and from here I could see his neck feathers starting to stand on end. With one paw she plucked the 40mm from his grasp, and took a long whiff off its frame. Normally that smirk of hers was downright creepy, likely on purpose, this time though it actually looked genuine. “Dog not that different from ponies’ best friend you know…” Well, besides the whole irradiated body capable of tearing through metal and flesh alike, but I was starting to grasp what she meant.

Far faster than the mare was.

Chapter thirty-two: A ponies' bestfriend

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Chapter thirty-two: A ponies’ bestfriend

“This is an Ex-Machina if there ever was one…” Still, I couldn’t believe it, and here I was watching the hound live up to her name.

The rain from before might have washed away a lot of the scents in the area, but there were plenty of smells to go off of Stocks’ old equipment. It took all morning to lock on to a particular smell that perked Riffs’ interest, after that, and a hastily explained plan to Alimite. We headed out the door, and onto the trail.

A trail our hound followed with her nose to the ground, all I needed was a leash and it’d feel like taking the pooch out on a walk. Wait, scratch that, I don’t think they made collars big enough for her. Plus, she’d probably strangle me with it if I even tried to joke.

Even after a few hours now of steadily following her wagging tail. Her nose was taking us west at least, so there was more promise to be had. The gunners might have had some of the best training, and gear in the wastes. Although we had a good old fashion blood hound on our side seeking em out.

The town was long behind us, as we encroached on just a small suburb. My map opened up, and this place didn’t have a name to go along with it. Either that meant it was totally abandoned, or there were still things the PB didn’t know.

Oh, what's this? Riffs’ ears perked up facing a smaller house, more importantly the garage. As her nose trailed the outside of it, both Deacon and Tumble stood on either side waiting for whatever could be inside. Nothing was showing up on my E.F.S. but it’d let me down before… rarely, but still.

I didn’t have the time to ready a gun before her claw ripped half the door off, and while I expected a shot or two from the inside. The only thing I got in return was the scurrying of a few Radroaches now on my visor.

With a crunch and a grin, Deacon squashed the first one under his talon, “Your nose still good their Riff?”

With a humph she brushed off his remark, at least I knew she wouldn’t smite him for asking such a thing, “Dog nose fine…” she pushed into the structure, with me close behind.

A flick of my helmet bathed the area in its light while we took a look around. Just your run of the mill workshop, someplace I was all too familiar with. Granted, most of the peg board was missing tools and what not. Though a workshop none the less.

After a small tap to my shoulder, I stopped admiring the scenery long enough to give our hound some attention. There at the end of her paw was some cloth on the ground, and somehow, I already knew the red staining it wasn’t paint. Somepony was injured, they’d just stopped in here to try and patch themselves up before continuing on.

“Told you, Turkey,” Riff tapped her nose, and passed him a wink.

Riff one, Deacon Zero then… the gryphon didn’t seem to mind, and if they had passed through here taking shelter. That meant one thing, “here ya go,” I hiked the cloth over to our canine friend, “something a little fresher.”

And, something out of the rain.

A few good whiffs put her ears back along her skull, and it almost looked like she was reading her prey. Whelp, if any of us went missing, I know who I was turning to for help. Riffs’ pupils dilated a bit more before dropping both the cloth, and herself back to all fours against the ground. While the pair outside stayed there to cover our backs, me and her made our way in.

Riff had to have sniffed along every couch, chair, and blanket this place had before we found ourselves trekking back out the front door. If I had to guess, the gunners that passed through licked their wounds, and left from there. This whole place just didn’t give off the vibe of Gunner Fortress, it had to be just a stepping stone.

A few more of the long-dilapidated homes we went through, and just like the first, they all played out the same way. Scattered remnants of the would-be soldiers scavenging, and then moving onwards. Remains of old food containers that still smelled fresh, more bloody rags here and there from those that took a beating, and even the occasional spent casing that didn’t match the common .38 littering the ground. I had to say they were pretty consistent, damn near a straight line through town.

We’d probably have to go through the whole town before we even got anywhere closer to- “Ahh… guys,” Tumble called out behind us, and drew all our eyes her way, “If you were a group of gunners trying to make it back home, would you waste all your time going house to house… or go there first?”

Following her outstretched hoof, I had to admit… she had a point. The police building looked about as rundown as the rest of town, but if this was a stepping stone for them. I’d still choose to have a more protected stone, besides, if the trail was anything to go off of. That straight line was leading us right to it.

I didn’t have Riffs’ nose, but something didn’t smell right with me. “Tumble, can you spot anything from the building?”

Out she broke Mercy, and hunkered down between a few fences of the yards as we all joined her. A straight line to one building reeked of ambush, and even if they were on the retreat. I wouldn’t put it past the gunners to try something.

“I’ve got…” come on, sniper? Missile launcher pony? Slingshot? “… nothing.”

Well… that was unexpected, or they were waiting inside to corner us. “Deacon? Can you get a birds eye view?” with half a salute from his wing, the gryphon took to the sky. Tumble was already watching, that left one option, “care to take a stroll, Riff?”

Her own launcher unslung from her shoulder, and the hound gave me that signature grin of hers while we tiptoed for a closer look. There weren’t many windows in the station, at least ones still intact, to hide behind. I just waited for a barrel or something to poke through, and greet us. Between even just us two, our returning gift would be more than enough to welcome them.

Though it was quite still, and between the backyards we bound through for cover. I didn’t see anything too out of the ordinary for this Equestria. Alrighty, one more yard, and a street to go. My back anchored against a playground set, and with as little of the visor exposed, I tried to get a good look of the building.

Silence… that’s what worried me.

Next to me I heard more sniffing, and to the air the hounds muzzle went. “Pony was here…” that’s all the confirmation I needed to take that final leap over.

With Riff on my tail, and both of us out in the open. I waited to be tagged with the first round of the day, the shield was ready, my guns were armed, and my heart was racing… at a healthier level. My shoulder collided with the outer doors frame, just as Riff did the same the opposite side. It may not have been a door bell, but that would suffice as one. With one hoof I pushed the door open, and held my inventory over that shield activation.

Yet, my hoof came out clean… “well, this is uneventful,” I poked my head in, and looked over the empty halls.

The ground floor of the building was in disarray like I’d come to expect, though the open office area of the station did give quite a clear view of the level. Behind any desk there could be one waiting for us to score a lucky hit, and-

Thump.

One 40mm went off, and I got to see one of those desks obliterated from the shot. Riff looked all too proud to see me on edge, having expected that shot to come from the opposite direction. The only thing she offered in return was a shrug, “pony was here… not no more.”

I’d take a little warning next time thank you… My BPBs might have spiked, but she was right. If something was going to get the bullets flying, it would have been that. A gust of air signaled Deacon joining our ranks, and with a wave he gave his own call out to the mare to join as well. All four of us stood in the doorway taking a look, before my hoof finally crossed the threshold.

The thought of stepping on a mine still lived in lived somewhere in my head, but the more steps I took, the less it spoke out. Visor clear, armor still in one piece, and all of us still standing. Promising sign, though I still inched my way around every cubical… call me cautious.

Last time we’d expected to find a fight, it turned out to be a slaughter after all…

Between the four of us, the ground floor didn’t give much to offer. Most of the office was picked clean of any goods, that could have been from the gunners, or from just years of scavengers. My hooves were the first to reach the staircase, and as I inched up, I kept my eyes peeled for anything on the E.F.S.

Alas, not even another roach popped out, even when I went to the second-floor breakroom. It looked clean, at least cleaner than I’d expected. Sure, everything was still dusty, but there were wrappers of old food lying about that haven’t turned to powder from time.

As I exited, Tumble was the next to find her way up to this level, and she moved around the other desks. The side rooms to this floor could hold one or two in waiting, but enough to really put up a fight? I doubted it, but that didn’t stop me from keeping my barrels trained on the glass ahead. Interrogation rooms, storerooms, hell even the janitor closet found itself under my scrutiny.

We managed to catch on to their trail this fast, and if they didn’t get here but yesterday. How far could they have really gone? Better question, “What would have made them leave so fast?” I wondered more to myself as the other two joined us.

“Dog smell… food,” Riffs’ nose went back to the air, and I saw the small bits of saliva running down her lips.

Through the desks she pounced, until reaching one to the far corner none of us had gotten to. There at its base, were the remains of old food tins, much like me and her had found in the stable. I didn’t even question if they were expired or not while she shoveled what little remained down her gullet, the fact that there was anything to eat still in them said they were opened recently.

“And Tumble find something too,” … why did you just speak in third person? The mare didn’t give an answer to that, all she did was hold up more blood-soaked rags, as well as a few spent healing potion vials.

A whistle broke through the air, and from the blue bar on my screen I traced it to Deacon standing in another side room… nope, not just another room. This looked like where the cops would have given briefs in the past, and if I had to guess from the map across the table in the center. It held much the same role now as it did then, the upturned ammo boxes only told more of the tail for this place.

The homes surrounding us were the stepping stones, this was a staging ground. You wouldn’t drag this many supplies here just to hold up for the night, if I had to guess the gunners probably picked the area clean and brought it all here to store. It’s what I would have done at least, though something caught my eye besides the map.

Past the room was another, and through its pane glass I could make out the green glow beyond. Chief… okay, the rest was broken off in the glass, but this obviously was where the head of the department kicked his hooves up. Inside I went, almost wanting something to jump out at me. This close, without chems, if there was a gunner waiting we’d be able to take them alive. Yet as much as I wanted a fight, all I got in return was the ambient glow of the terminal.

With a click the screen of the terminal brought me home, and… ‘Password’… damn, “Hey Tumble,” I called out to her, and heard the hoof steps getting closer, “want to try breaking into something?”

I tapped the top of the terminal, and the mare started to smile with glee. You’d think hacking would have been in my skillset, and you’d be wrong. Though I figured if she could break into locks with ease, maybe she could manage a computer. While she went to work, I went back to the briefing room with Deacon.

The map of the area didn’t look all that changed from when it was first printed, only a few marks were made from the gunners in the years since. One of which, was where we called home. That put a pit in my stomach, they knew where it was, and the clock really was ticking on the next time they came to visit.

Besides that little footnote, everything else seemed just so… normal. No markings for strongholds, no stationing of their ranks, and certainly not a flag saying Fort Lock like I was hoping for. Just a regular map of western Equestria, everything from here to the ocean. Kinda put things in perspective of how far I’ve traveled, and made me wonder just what the rest of the country was up to.

You still had places like Baltimare and Filly Delphia to the east, and although I didn’t have time to watch the news during the final day of the country. Something told me they hadn’t fared much better than the west coast. You could see the flashes of Canterlot from all the way here… I remembered the words of a long dead stallion who got to see more of it than myself.

Part of me was glad I went on ice when I did.

I heard the crunching of a can as Riff joined in with us, and she started to look over the map herself. Likely with a different set of eyes than my own, I’d only traveled to some before they were flattened. Though there was a sense of wonder in her pupils over the vast land even just the west had to offer. To go from tunnels, to nearly an entire continent at your disposal… quite the jump.

“You mean you couldn’t have guessed that password?” Tumble called out, and half a second later the three of us crowded around the door. Myself wondering what she was talking about, “… seriously, chief of police… and he uses the word Justice?”

There were probably worse passwords used during the war… “I’ll work on my hacking skills later,” if I found the time, “anything in there of use?”

Steadily the mare scrolled through the computer screen with her hoof. They were state of the art during their creation, and certainly sturdy enough to withstand the Armageddon. What were the chances the gunners managed to use the computer systems in the wasteland to their advantage?

“Ahh… here ya go,” she started to smile.

Apparently, pretty good.

“To all remaining gunner forces,

Regroup at the After Party Correctional Facility, this is a direct order. Bring any and all supplies, and munitions available to you. This is not a drill, any disobedience or delay will be corrected by my own hoof with extreme prejudice.

Additionally, the individual known as the Rogue Ranger, is to be left alone until we are ready.

He’s mine.

Brigadier, Lock.”

No wonder they got out of here so quickly, their leader called upon them, and they weren’t about to leave her waiting… something I didn’t want to do either. Now I had a place to look for, and it didn’t take long for my eyes to trail over the initials on the parchment.

“APCF…” seriously, what was going through the Ministry mares’ mind naming these places? Though falling back to a heavily fortified position? “Called it.”

“Sounds like somepony’s gearing up for a fight,” Tumble came back to the room, as all four of us looked at that one marker on the map.

“Something we better be getting ready for as well,” I had a target, now all I needed was a plan, “let’s get back with the good news… well probably be needing that as well.”

Riff plucked the map off the table with her paws, and started looking it over even more. I was about to be doing the same thing here soon. I didn’t know the layout of the prison, nor the area itself… what do you want from me, I kept my nose clean. Though maybe someone in town did, only one way to find out.

***

“You know they’ll have the home field advantage on this one, right?” Deacon reminded me of that, for about the third time, I’d been hearing similar comments all the way back to town. There were a few thousand things that could go wrong with the plan in the back of my head, but for now I just needed a hoof full to go right and get this show on the road, “and if that call went out to all in their ranks, then they’ll have the numbers as well.”

And that one Tumble had pointed out about four different occasions. I was glad the town was coming back into view; we even had some light on the horizon to spare. “Yes… I know it’s a long shot,” understatement, “but Lock couldn’t imagine we’d go on the offensive and meet them on their doorstep.”

Or she could, and I’d be walking into a trap… Deacon already expressed his concerns, Tumble as well, I was just waiting on Riff to do the same. Though as I looked over, her muzzle was still in the map like it had been on our way back here. There wasn’t all that much to see on it, what could she be looking at?

“So what? You want us to walk up and knock on the front door?” Tumble groaned behind us, with her tail clenched in the dogs’ paw to help guide her as we walked, “Eating a bullet might be easier…”

We’ll we’d taken on a whole port of Rangers and walked- no wait, still had support there from Deacons’ pals. We took on a nest of hellhou- scratch that, Rangers showed up and inadvertently gave us some back up. Ahh… raided a mine controlled by slavers?

‘Yes, low armed, malnourished, and ill trained slavers…’ I needed a wall to smack my head against, luckily, we passed by the perimeter of the town already so one should be nearby.

One hoof locked into the dirt, and immediately I started looking around. Walls might be in abundance for my noggin to recalibrate a bit, but besides the one or two ponies on guard I saw along the towns edge. Where were the rest of them? I didn’t see much being repaired, and if I knew Alimite she wouldn’t let that go unfinished without reason.

The trio seemed to share my logic, and slowed their own pacing to a crawl as we looked around further. Market was clear, and most of the place where they set up homes was silent… or at least nearly silent. Every so often as we made our way through town, I’d see one or two town goers head out of their home with some sort of weapon and in the same direction.

Was Lock ready this soon to hit us again? My pace picked up a bit as we all headed to the town center, and from our approach I could see more of the settlers there rummaging about. No, not rummaging, some were cleaning out old rifles. Others looked like they had gotten some decent gear off the gunners we’d killed earlier. Even Luster ran about with satchels and packs full to the brim with meds.

Just what the hell was going on?

“Open up the storerooms, we should still have ammunition stashed away someplace in there,” that was a voice I recognized, and one that might be able to give some answers. Alimite stood nearly in the middle of the group, with Walker and a few of his guards around her, giving out orders. That was the face of a mare who had a mission on their mind, and one that still managed to soften for a second when she laid eyes on us, “Ahh good, your back.”

Back, and confused, “Did we miss something?” I asked the obvious, still taking it in, “are the gunners on their way back here already?”

“No, not that I know of, but we have our own plans for them,” she answered, and ushered us all to join in her group. “Many of us might not be fighters…” What I saw the other night might argue with that one, “but that doesn’t mean we’re gonna sit back and let you four bare all the burden.”

You… can’t be serious?! This place just came out of an attack, and here they were about to throw themselves at the gunners. Then again, wasn’t that what I was about to do? That’s not the point! We were better armed, and… and… and? That was about it… Steadily from the center my eyes looked to all of those gearing up, loading rounds into magazines, and getting some grub in them while they could. I’d seen pictures like this from back in the war, of soldiers readying for battle… and that’s just what they were about to do.

Though this didn’t fall on them…

“I… can’t ask ya’ll to do this,” I mean how could I? I’m the one who started killing them along my journey here, I’m the one that finished off the first sibling provoking the other two, I’m the one they were after. Lock made that perfectly clear in her little message, “It might be difficult, but this whole town needs you, I can’t ask you all to come with us and face them… it’s our fight.”

More so, my fight. I started it, but you can be damn sure I was gonna finish it. Some of those guards Walker had with them probably hadn’t fired a gun before the gunners were here. Yet, between all of them, they shared the same expression of the mare. Pure and simple determination, something I was getting in the way-

Clank!

I don’t think I was ever going to get used to feeling a wrench knock into this thing, “Let me spell it out for ya, Wiley,” Alimite squinted to me like I was an inch tall. Oh, that stung! “It may have been your fight before, but they made it ours now, and I’ll be damned if we’re going to sit on the sidelines while the four of you risk your necks for us…” Now I knew how Bleak Burrow felt talking with Tungsten when we first met, I could feel my hooves starting to shake a bit inside the suit, “one way or another we’re coming with you to where ever they might be held up, and there’s not a thing you can do to stop that.”

Those guards around her all started to nod in unison, and as much as I hated to admit it while putting their lives on the line for a half-baked scheme. We could use the extra numbers, if only to give us an edge.

By now it wasn’t just this group that had noticed the exchange, all those around in earshot turned their attention to us. Each one of the settlers were wearing the same face. They were infuriated at what had happened, and they weren’t about to have their chance at payback taken away. From Mabel sporting a hunting rifle, to even Spade. The combat helmet over her might have been a few sizes too large, but the 10mm pistol was just right in her muzzle.

I might lose this argument, but maybe with it I could win the next fight, “You’ll shoot me if I try to talk you out of it, won’t you?”

“No, I can’t do that,” Alimite grinned back at me with a wink, “my shotguns at home.”

Probably the only thing that saved me now, so before she could run and get it, my attention went to those that caught our little exchange. “I’m sorry, to bring all this trouble to your town,” I bowed my head to those that listened. They weren’t throwing me out for it, so there were still some wrongs I could right, “but thank you, for helping me see it through.” With only a nod from a few of them. Most of the others went back to their prep work.

That left one colt with the next obvious question, “Of course getting them all hyped up and ready is pointless, unless you have a place to go?” Walker mused.

Okay, now the planning part of the plan had to go into effect. I didn’t need the whole town for this part, only those that had a large sway of things. That meant my group, Alimite, Walker, and even Luster cooped up in the living room of the shop looking over the map. I’d already given them the brief about what Lock had said, where they were cooped up, and her wanting my head on a platter.

Somehow, they didn’t seem all that surprised by that last part. Though when the correctional facility came up all I got in return was blank stares. With as close as this town was with one another, I would have thought at least one of them had gone around that area and explored it a bit. You know, before the Gunners called it home.

“Sorry about that chief,” Walker ran his hoof along the edge of his stash, “At least to my knowledge, no pony goes near most prisons… usually they’re a death sentence packed with ghouls.”

“After Party’s no exception,” Alimite added on, “I know there were raiders kicking their hooves up before, but it looks like they got evicted.”

And gave the gunners a prime place to defend. If it was like any other prison then I’d imagine large walls, individual cell blocks to control inmates, and probably a tower to watch over them all. Plus, if it could keep ponies in, then it shouldn’t have an issue keeping them out.

“We have enough potions, and other meds to last for a fight,” I could see Luster running the numbers in the back of her head, “but not for an all-out siege.”

So, waiting them out wasn’t an option, and barging through the front door to start with wasn’t either, “Deacon, think you can call in another favor?” over the walls was a possibility then. Get in, open the doors, and go from-

“You might want to reconsider that…” Deacon rubbed the ends of his eyes at even the thought, “I’d never been to a post-war prison, but some of the gang have, and they aren’t known for their hospitality,” Thankfully I didn’t have to stare at him long before he elaborated, “Most had some sort of anti-air security to keep Pegasy on the ground, and that goes for gryphons too.”

Well, that idea crashed and burned at a record pace. We didn’t have enough info to know if the place had the ability to power those guns, but it was a chance that I doubted his old gang would take. A Balefire Egg bomb would have been enough to open the door at least. Though like Mabel said, those were few and very far between to come by.

“Go under wall…” Riff pushed closer to the table, and started running her claw over the mark on the map, “Dog not know area, but know ground. Pony make tunnels that go below,” so, a subway maybe? “Pony might think no prisoner want to go in tunnel with train,” with as smooth as some of those tunnels could be, there wasn’t much room to hide from one coming your way, “If only pony know creature good at digging, could make hole for them inside.”

It was times like this I really loved seeing that grin on her face, no wonder she was checking that map out so much. “If we could get the door open, think then we’d stand a chance?” I looked to the three ‘heads’ of the town, and while they each might have shared some concern. I wasn’t hearing a flat out no to the plan, “Then we’ll have to make teams… and I gotta get started on something that goes boom.”

And fast too, before Lock came knocking on her own.

Chapter thirty-three: Best served cold

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Chapter thirty-three: Best served cold

Ya know, compared to the other subway we’d been in, this one was a far tamer…

The ghoul was a bit more decomposed than the ones inside that stable, and while their bite packed a punch. My hoof was holding up much better than his skull. After another swing a final crack caved the rest of it in, and the shadow of a pony slumped back to the ground.

We didn’t need any pony taking shots that might give us away, so it was all hooves on from here on out. Until we popped the cork that is, that left both me and Riff up front with Deacon and the rest of the settlers taking up the back seat.

With most of lighting out from here, only the hounds’ eyes, and my lap brought any sense of our surroundings to the open. The occasional ghoul was nothing we hadn’t dealt with before, and another crunch told me Riff had silenced one past my limited vision.

Again, tamer…

“We getting close yet?” Deacon asked just behind us, as he squinted his eyes to keep up with the darkness.

How a Pip-Buck managed to track my position under all this dirt, I still hadn’t figured out. Hey, I’m not complaining. With a quick flick the map was brought up, and there a couple pixilated squares away from my marker, I saw the outline of the prison across the screen.

“Just a bit more,” I answered him with that and a nod.

You’d think the gunners would have cleared this entire place out had they decided to put their home right above it. Yet again, reality proved me wrong with that one. They probably hadn’t thought the need to clear the entire tunnel, just enough for their liking. That left us to do their dirty work and mop up.

I just hoped the surface team had an easier time getting into place. I didn’t know how much ground was around the prison for them to hide in, or how much they’d have to cover before reaching the entrance.

Don’t over think it, just keep walk- oh! you felt squishy… through the metal I still felt the soft press of something organic, and with my lamp I realized the torso of a pony was now wrapped up well around my knees. This ghoul had been here a while, yet somehow from the radiation it hadn’t rotted all that much.

We hadn’t killed this one, but from the holes along its skin I could guess that somepony packing heat did. Just as they done in the next dozen corpses ahead. There at our feet was a sturdy mound of bodies laid nearly stacked on top of one another. Almost as if the ghouls had charged crawling over each other to keep moving forward.

A ticking talon on my armor brough my lamp right in Deacons’ face, as he shielded it out with his claw. Half covered with his talon; the light still showed me enough to see him signaling silence from his beak. Alight, lamp off, and once again I found myself in the dark like during their assault- what was that?

Not the groans I was waiting for from a pack of ghouls, no this sounded like actual words. Granted they were muffled enough to lose their meaning from this distance, but our friend caught wind of it over the stagnant air.

I heard a cracking neck, and the unsheathing of a blade, “Looks like I’m up…” he muttered.

The gryphon pushed past me and I could hear those talons digging into the mound of ghouls, “Are ya gonna be alright by yourself?”

I couldn’t see it, “Oh trust me, these guys probably never fought in darkness like this before,” but I knew there was a grin.

With a few more plops the gryphon pushed his way on, leaving us there to wait on his call… not a thing that put much ease on your mind when sitting idle in the dark. Lock was smart… a stone-cold murdering bitch, but smart none the less. Enough to realize the weakness this spot presented, and made sure it was guarded. She damn near cornered me at that school, managed to figure out the location of the town, and knew well enough to send some of her bigger guns to try and finish the job. It might not have worked out in her favor, but this was her home fort on the line, the mare made sure of its safety.

From the sides, above, and below.

One shot brought my head back up, and I waited for another to follow to signal us to say screw it and press on. Though only the one was heard, amongst a few shouts. That was enough of a signal for- something heavy rested on my shoulder, and I already knew who it belonged to.

“Easy Wild,” Riff whispered into my ear, “Let turkey do his thing.”

Right, trust in him a bit. Gun’s blazing wasn’t always the way to go, usually that ended up messier than it could have been. Quiet might not have been mine or Riffs’ middle name, but it could have been our other pairs. It’s a shame his better half decided to work with the surface team, they could have had so much fun together down here. Though Mercy might have punched a hole into the prison yard all on its own.

A yelp carried itself down to us, and died out at the same time… half a second later there was a whistle, and if that’s not a signal I don’t know what is. Together us and the other few dozen behind waded our way over the ghoul mound, this time with my lamp to guide us along the way.

In Celestias’ name, what happened here? The makeshift camp these gunners had set up looked like a home away from home. There didn’t look like any clear shaft down from the prison to here, which in terms of security made sense. Though that left them all alone for probably stretches at a time.

This encampment was a mess, at least now it was. The several gunners they had here laid strung across their own furnishings. Only the lights of a few lanterns gave away to the slash marks along their bodies, and the punctures in their throats and skull.

“Caught em while a few were taking a nap,” I heard from above, and there perched was the gryphon atop the makeshift shack. Even with Stocks modified armor on him, he was still quiet enough to catch them with their pants down… scary thought.

When this is all said and done with, I had to talk to him about joining Walker on their little guard- chunks of dirt smacked me in the face, leaving a good amount of debris over the lot of us. The gunners down here probably got really tired of that while trying to sleep, good thing it wasn’t a few minutes early.

Though why were there gunshots going off abo-

“Oh shit!” my visor trained on the ground above. Something was catching hell from the gunners, and I didn’t need to tell them what that something probably was, “charges!”

Butter Crisp trotted up with the duffle bag across her back, she’d done good to guard it while we were clearing a path. Now that it was off her hooves, Riff tore open the bag and started clenching the munitions I’d rigged up in her paws. Before I could even say a word, the hound was already digging out the foundations of the ceiling along its sides. That would have taken hours to go through the reinforced concrete, but for her claws, chunks at a time were missing with every swipe.

She went to work, and the rest of us stepped back, far back… what? Deacon had his subtleness; I had my own skill set. It may not have been Balefire, but it would work as a demo charge. The longer we waited for Riff, the more shots I could make out above, and the closer the beats in my chest were getting to one another.

If we had more time we could have saved those explosives to open up one of the walls, but Lock put us on an unknown timetable. Now that table just got a lot smaller. Riff joined us a moment later, with a long trail of wire behind her in one paw, and a spark battery in the other. I didn’t trust myself making a timing device that many times over, so this would have to suffice.

With the two wires and a battery now in the clenches of my horn, felt it in my chest as my body prepared for what was to come next. Charge into an entire stronghold, with no knowledge of how many we were up against, and what tricks they might have in their home field… though those shots above weren’t breaking up anytime soon either.

Whelp, “Time to be a hero,” with that I touched the ends of the wire to the battery.

A-a-and… silence… what?!

Oh, screw this!

The panel on my flank opened up, and with a little help from my horn I shoved both leads into the matrix. It was nothing but energy after all, and with a jump of my HUD they went off. I didn’t have time to try and cover my ears, not like it would have done much good in the helmet. Even with that cover over them of metal, the ringing persisted as the shockwave met us from the layers upon layers of dirt cascading downwards. The ground beneath us hadn’t even stopped shaking before the whole lot of us stormed forward.

Our makeshift sinkhole wasn’t all that easy to climb out, but once up top I got a full view of what Lock had in store or us. Built like a prison this sure was, the high walls stood along the edges of the central buildings, and atop them I saw the figures running through the night taking shots at our other group over its edge. Though for every one we bought underground, there had to be another five of their own to match.

Armor integrity: 96%

Right! Getting shot now! Our distraction had garnished at least some of their attention, and many of those guns above stationed now trained their sights upon us. An eerie glow started to build from around the entire rampart, and while I expected some sort of AER. What I got were flood lights filling their purpose, and giving the entire yard an open view. The prison yard itself didn’t have many of its own structures to give shelter, but the gunners had called this place home for quite a while and had built up shacks along with their time here.

No one needed to be told a second, or first time, about where to go from here. While my hooves stayed planted at the entrance of our dig site, with a flick the shield went up around me. Those that joined us in the tunnels darted to the nearest buildings from the hole. The shield might not have been big enough to give those coming out cover, but it could still draw the gunners’ fire. Across its’ aura I saw the sparks leap off from the hits, and I returned the favor.

ADAC came to life with a strafe across one section of the wall. I probably wasted more ammo than anything, but a shell like that brought more shots away from the surface group in the open. Another burst tore apart a turret mounted on the wall, and I turned to the next… one? Those wall guns weren’t firing at us, no matter, I had plenty of targets that were!

My shield started to show its age, and as it petered out hooves beat against the ground to join those I’d come up with. Several blasts nipped my tail, and that’s all I needed to focus on what’s ahead. The shack didn’t stand a chance, and neither did its door. The whole thing must have shaken when I plowed into it, as did the colt unlucky enough to be on the opposite side. In one end, and out the other. All while the colt stayed stuck to my shoulder, that second wall either knocked him out, or broke something important.

His body fell to the ground as I reached some more cover from those overhead. Behind me I could see the line of our own forming within the confines of the gunners’ own dwellings, and amongst them that distinct 40mm thump rolling out from the other shots. Hmm, wonder who that could- Ping!

Armor integrity: 92%

Ouch…

The mare nearby slammed three more shots from her rifle into my side, and underneath the plating I felt that last one nick my coat while the percentage dropped further. A burst of my own 12-gauge reduced her down to hooves, and gave me a moment to reflect.

‘Right, home base,’ I groaned to myself, letting the armor try to return at least one of those points, ‘they have all their toys here.’ Like armor piercing rounds.

I couldn’t sit still for too long, that was a death sentence in of itself. So instead, while my group inside hunkered down, my vision trained on opening the floodgates. I may not have known squat about prisons, but I knew they had to have a way in for a lot of prisoners at one time. That meant a door large enough for a- there ya are!

Just over the roof to one of the cells blocks I could make out the arch way of what had to be a door… Thank you, gunners, for turning the lights on, and pointing that out for me. Now I just had to get there, a quick hit of Dash would do the- damn it. I was going to miss those, but I knew my organs were calling Deacons’ praises right now. Looks like I’m doing this the old fashion way.

Shots from above gathered around as I ran towards that arch, some managed to pack a punch against the armor, and all I could do was watch them chip away at it. Those above might not have been in my sights at the moment, but ya’ll were! Out of the cell block a group of them came out into my path. I don’t know if they were surprised to see me charging headlong at them, but if they were it dropped fast while their weapons raised.

Armor integrity: 83%

Armor integrity: 77%

Armor integrity: 72%

The literal wall of lead to the face was enough to tell me that much! Somewhere I could feel Knight Rogue looking down at me in disgust for how I was treating his suit, and just past him I reckon there was Winter shouting at me to get in cover.

No time… shotty racked back shell after shell while I approached them at the cell block. Some it put to their knees, others in better plating at this range shrugged off the hit. I didn’t need them to die though, just not shoot me down.

The thrusters along my back kicked on, and now that surprise returned as I went up and over their heads to the roof above. Here the only worry I had were those higher up along the wall, they still had a clear line of site, and the shots landing around my hooves meant they were taking that opportunity. At least here the duct work gave some semblance of cover.

Ahead, I could see my target finally a bit more clearly… my very large, heavy, steel and stone target. Okay, not stone, concrete if I had to guess, but you get the point! Whoever designed this place really wanted to go for that old time castle feel. Props to them, they nailed it. Now I just had to find out how to get it open… and if I had to guess, that tower next to it was the key.

As the edge of the roof neared, I watched as my thrusters charged up a bit more before letting them rip again. I wouldn’t clear the entire distance to the door, but it was better than trying to run through a-

Clank!

Armor integrity: 60%

Warning: Abdominal laceration detected!

So that’s what Anti-Air felt like? My face buried itself in the dirt after I fell, their turrets along the walls might have been dead, but the AA were up and running. Just my luck I was the one to figure it out, and now I was glad we didn’t try to convince Deacons’ friends to join us. Something warm was trickling down my stomach, and I welcomed the shot of Med-X to my system.

The armor repair might have been slow, but to stop that bleeding the meds sure were taking their time! Steadily I could feel the fluids starting to cake along my sides as I laid there. More shots were colliding with the armor, and it took another dose of healing potions to finally get me to feel my stomach mending. A shake of my head brought me back to my hooves, a bit wobbly as the warmth ran down my legs, but standing! I didn’t have time to bleed, I needed to let the rest of the party in… and these ponies were standing in the way of that!

Somepony must have taken the hint of where I was headed, and called a sizable mass of gunners to stop just that. Their firing line wasn’t anything to make a documentary about, but it was effective enough to put me diving into another shacks window. Even without the chems, my heart kept on racing all the same. Overhead their shots ripped through the crude wood and metal plating of the structure. A few of them managed to hit, but largely they demolished the furniture inside.

Two can play this game! As they fired blindly, I switched the cannon to APECR and let her rip the rest of the place in half. They knew I was in here; I knew their bars were against a wall; it was just a matter of who would out last- part of the roof fell atop me, and was thoughtful enough to give me time to look up as the rest came to join it.

With half a building on my ass I tasted floorboards, and then soil once more. The servos pressed with all they could to get the heap off, and as I rose only a few of those that forced me in here still stood from what I could see. Half a dozen remained between me and that damned door, now let’s make it zero. As I pushed through the remains of the shack, I let the ADAC have another burst to chew through em. Even for those hunkering down behind sandbags, it didn’t do much good as the shells sent burst of red mist on the opposite side.

Path cleared… and I winced while the door got closer in my- ouch… I bounced back against the metal as it reverberated and felt a new dent put in the suit. Built like a prison, instead I went for the Riff approach. Twisting around my hind hooves left dual indents into the frame, and with every hit it started to buckle a bit more.

One final kick slammed it into the concrete wall behind, and left me with a staircase that about collapsed from my frame slamming against it. A lone gunner was on his way down, but the only thing I managed to see before trusting him into the wall was a shimmer across his chest. No matter, I had another flight to make.

This door wasn’t built nearly like the one below, and my shoulder alone was enough to knock it open. There inside I saw the controls for the gate outside, along with a young buck loading up his double barrel. Both barrels later, and I lost both my patience, as well as another chunk of integrity. One shell of my own was enough to blanket some of the window in his tissues.

Armor integrity: 55%

Thanks for that… now all I had to do was flip this switch and-

Guard key required.

The terminal flashed at me, and I about choked on those words. Just as I did a few rounds started hitting the armored glass of the tower. It held, but I didn’t want to wait to find out for how long. An aura wrapped around the remains of the gunner, and I started turning what was left of his pockets inside out.

He was up here for a reason, and it had to be to watch over this- door? Not a key, but I finally got a closer look of that shimmer I saw moments ago on another gunner. The guard badge looked a bit beaten up over the years, but that gem in its center still remained ambient with some energy left in it. The last things these guys should be wearing was a symbol of justice…

Cue mental smack, alright! Back to business, his pockets were out, and I still had no key to work with. A larger crack in the window said now wasn’t the time to even attempt at hacking the terminal… I could really use Tumble right about now. From the tower I could see the doors mechanisms. Such a simple contraption, counterweight, pullies, and cables able to move a structure that-

… Idea!

APECR went back to regular armor piercing rounds, and I planted my feet against the ground to try and aim this thing. If I couldn’t open it with the controls, then this had to work. Chomping at the bit caused the entire tower to rumble as the rounds hit the reinforced glass. It might have been faring well against the gunners outside, but 14.4mm was a little heartier. The shells after the first dozen punched through and onto their real target.

The bundles of cables individually wouldn’t have stood a chance, but all together it’d be like trying to damage Equestrias’ battleships. Still, I kept the press on the bit. For every shot that glanced off the rounded target, another took a chunk of it out, and I saw the metal starting to stretch apart from the weight.

Click.

My visor was reading zeros for 14.4mm AP, and instinctively I went back to its larger cousin. That was more like it! Between its harder core and the explosives, the left-over cables all but frayed away like sliced rope. With a screech the rest of the cables pulled through its mechanism, and with it the door. All that ammo earned me a resounding thud of it hitting the ground, and I let my barrels cool down.

For a moment the shots hitting the tower stopped, and I got to look down below as in that open door those from the settlement started to push their way inside. Any unicorn we had that could do the spell found themselves upfront with a shield over those behind them It was amazing what someponies learned out here in the wastes, and it probably pissed some gunners off knowing we stole that from their playbook. As they got further inside their numbers went for different cover, or many even headed straight into the cell blocks.

Armor integrity: 63%

Alrighty that’s enough of a breather for me, and hopefully for the suit. We were storming the ramparts here in Fort Lock, and I wasn’t about to let the settlers do all the work now that they were inside. Going down the stairs was almost too easy, and I about glided over half of them as I broke through the door frame to the ground to join-

The suit and I tumbled across the soil in a heap, and watching the sight of settlers and gunners fighting spin was making me dizzy. With my back finally finding a resting place, I let my eyes get situated before even trying to rise up. When the hell did the gunners get a train to hit me with?!

No… not a train…

Just a pissed off suit of armor already overtop me.

I couldn’t see the face, and they might have been wearing one of those badges on the breast plate, but that glare the visor staired down at me with was all too familiar. Finally, enough chaos had been caused out here to urge the head mare to join us… and I was on the receiving end of it. This close to her, I could almost make out the smoke coming from those nostrils.

“I made good on that favor…” she couldn’t see my face either, or the grin.

Lock could feel the legs I shoved into her chest. Power armor or not, the mare went several good yards away, and I got back up to my feet squaring off. Those gunners taking shots were making good on their orders. Out here in the open, not so much as a stray round struck me while their boss was present. The settlers were too occupied with the others to lend a hoof, but this part wasn’t their fight.

“Yeah… you did,” she nodded to me, “Now let me make good on mine!”

Even with the distance between us, that flame still managed to belch its way to my face! I saw the flames kicking up around the visor, and while it wasn’t getting hot just yet. That initial thump I knew all too well… the grenades burst against the shield half a second after it went up. Which just left myself getting pushed back from every blast.

Fire wasn’t the clearest thing to shoot through, so with the shotty aimed from where the grenades were coming from, I met her with my own shells. I couldn’t tell her bar from any of the others around, but at least there wasn’t any blue either in its path.

No wait… that bar was making a move, as was the flames around me. Caught up inside the sealed shield did like you’d expect, and I didn’t think of. As it started flickering the fire spelled the same end and snuffed out from the lack of air. That left me with a puff of smoke escaping once the shield dropped.

Armor integrity: 57%

And a few AP rounds to the suit. The drop in integrity told me that much, as did the mare shoving me into a wall! Her visor went down, as did the carbine on its swivel, and another burst went into the suits shoulder.

Both my hooves wrapped around her waist, and while her rifle kept on trying to shoot. Her head was in the way of it hitting my own. A quick ignition of the thrusters brought the pair of us up and off the ground, not in the straightest line imaginable. The talismans weren’t designed to lift two suits, so instead both of us careened into the ground. With my hooves still grasping her however, I drug the mare through the dirt.

What would break first? Her head, or mine?

Together we hit the side of one cell block, and caused the whole face to rumble. One hoof to her helmet couldn’t have felt good, neither could the next three. She might have had years in the wastes to hone her skill, but mine was getting better with every encounter. Getting my teeth knocked in before by her, having to tango with the rangers, even fighting with the chemed out ponies that were raiders all helped in that training. Now I was putting it to good use. With a hike of her own leg, I tumbled off to the side, already standing my ground ready to-

Thump.

Armor integrity: 50%

Not get ragdolled across the prison yard! After enough circles I slammed my hoof into the ground putting me upright, and put her down the sights of my own barrel. I met her 40mm with 14.4mm, and watched as the mare danced much like her sister had. It wasn’t a large blast from the shells, but it was enough to get her off my tail. I started to cycle 12-gauge with it to match, keeping the press on. For being in that suit she sure was nimble!

Her 5.56 dug in around me, but having to dodge my own threw off her aim well enough to avoid any- “AHH!” I jumped half a foot in the air as the round passed through my hoof.

Med-X was pumping as her next burst hit, but as soon as I was all fours again, I watched her… Run? Sure enough, the mare might have been facing me, as was her swivel gun. Though she was heading towards the door to a block.

‘Oh, you’re clever…’ I thought as I made chase.

She was after all, out here in the open I had all the advantage. A gun for up close to flush her out from cover and keep her moving, as well as a literal cannon that would only need one good hit or two to put her out of commission. Inside she knew the layout, and likely where to hit me from. Here I was running headlong into it.

The interior was just as well-lit as it was outside, these gunners sure did turn this place into their home. Just as it looked like they removed many of the bars to the cells in this block. I wasn’t sure what each room was for now, but those gunners held up on one side of the hall had their own hooves full it looked like, and the cells gave them a perfect place to mount a defense.

Settlers from town made up the other side, and they seemed to be learning from the gunners as they turned each cell into a foxhole. Which meant, Lock could probably be hiding out in any one of-

Armor integrity: 48%

There ya are! I recognized her brand of bullet and caught the tail end of her… tail, disappearing around one of cells, and filled the doorway with buckshot. If she wanted to get out, she’d have to go through it, and once she was all I needed was one good-

Armor integrity: 46%

What the hell?! Three cells down she darted out, and fired off another burst. I huddled inside the cell to give me a moment, but even that was a moment longer than I needed. The walls between this cell and the next four down had been smashed to pieces. If the gunners had done this much redecorating, then who know where the hell she’d pop up next.

A 40mm detonated against the doorframe, forcing me back further into the cell and running down the hallway that had been created. Not a direct hit, but she was using the same strategy I had on her. Lock just had to wear me down enough, before something important broke. Then it was game over after that.

Once again, I found myself in the crossfire from both sides of the cell block, and here it was a bit harder to avoid collateral damage from either side. I couldn’t tell which ricochet was from the gunners or the settlers… but I knew who that came from! Another burst of flame spilled out from the catwalks above, and before I could find cover my rump was up in flames.

How did she get up there so fast, and how the hell was she still-! Chems… really, why do I even have to wonder this. I know all too well what they can do in combat, and this mare was pumped up with likely enough Dash to make the Wonderbolts proud.

She lived up to its name well, and now that I paid a bit more attention I watched as she wound herself in and out of the cells. This was almost like a chase scene in a cartoon, any door I thought she’d pop out of, instead Lock appeared four more down. Though she was inching herself closer, and I had to ignore the ticking away of the suit from my smoldering ass.

If they were all connected in a line… that meant… her helmet went past the door, and S.A.T.S. homed in on her. Headshot to end it? No small hit chance. Torso to give a better one? That’d probably be the- oh you have to be fucking kidding me!

From the time I engaged the spell, to the short moment I argued with myself. Lock already made it across half the hallway. Just how much of that shit was she on?! One shell loaded in, and I pulled just as soon as it was cued up to go. Even with the spell going, the mare was going at almost a normal trot to make up for it. 14.4mm was fast, and it was gaining on her.

Just a little… more… and…

Half the cell door frame was gone from the impact, and at most the explosive might have nicked her tail… Damn it! As another burst from her put me back in my place, I knew S.A.T.S. was out of the question, and another 40mm left me galloping to clear the blast radius of its cousins. Just as I met the edge from the frame, a stream of fuel met me as the flame filled my visor once more.

My ass had just got done smoldering too, and now here I was covered in it yet again! Instantly I brought the inventory up again, and went to the- shit! Not charged up yet, shotty it was! I turned towards where the fuel kept coming from and… you clever bitch. There was her red bar, as well as the torrent of blue behind her. I might hit her no issue, but who knows how many pellets would go amongst those that came with me.

Everything I had was a heavy hitter, except for… lunging out, I tried swiping at the mare with a hoof. It stopped the fuel, but she was fast enough without me being able to see! Never the less I lashed out at her as best I could. My back was starting to heat up, and I could feel the sweat trickling down my neck. It wasn’t going to be long till I’d need more than a healing potion to make up for this.

Thump.

Instinctively I braced for the hit, and felt the blast smack me against the chest just as the chill crept up my leg- hold up! My eyes snapped open, and I watched the frost creep up not only part of me, but also a majority of the mare. Her IF-451 sputtered before dying out, and I could hear the wining of those joints along her legs as she tried to sprint away.

Lock was only a muzzle length away from mine, and while the ADAC was a bit too powerful for me to want to use it at this range. Shotty would make the same point. Half a dozen shells picked the mare up, suit and all, and threw her across the room. All that extra welded plating had done its job, and kept her in once piece, but even if she killed me. Lock would be feeling that in the morning.

Now you were just the distance I needed you… ADAC clicked over to her position, and it had to be pure adrenaline that saved her from the salvo that followed her along the block. Without fear of hitting the others, I let a few extra shells loose as she pushed through the group of gunners holding up, and let them face the cannon themselves.

Some that weren’t tucked away within the cell didn’t know what hit them as their body all but vaporized from the impact. A few others managed to take the hint, and broke clear from their cells as they followed her down the block through the door at the end.

Okay… calm down, I let go of the bit and looked over my count. ‘One-oh-three…’ this thing didn’t chew through ammunition like the mini did, but I also didn’t want to waste it all on these guys. This line was broken, and with myself the rest of the settlers started to push up alongside me, as they jumped between cells for cover.

Thump.

Again, I winced and waited for the blast, this time however, in one cell a certain gryphon loaded up another shell. Deacon looked all too proud of his new toy, and the frost still on the end of its barrel spoke enough… hopefully he wouldn’t have to use it like an extinguisher any time soon. Close to his hip, there was another with a way undersized helmet. Yet she still found a way to make use of that 10mm pistol.

A shotgun blast to my side drew my attention elsewhere, and Alimite looked about as satisfied as the gryphon during our push. Racking back another shell, the next shot made one of the bars on my E.F.S. fizzle out, and the mare just passed me a grin. She was getting her own sense of payback, I guess revenge was like therapy in the wastes.

I wanted to say something corny… but they had their own task, as I had mine. With a nod of thanks and luck to them both I darted past the remaining gunners, and left them to face the settlers they’d pissed off with their raid.

My hooves stomped against the ground; except I wasn’t the only one making them this go around. The mare must have had some Dash still lingering in her system, Lock was managing to put just enough lengths ahead of me to avoid a clear shot. As I broke into another hallway, the reinforced door further down slammed shut to another block.

Three shots later put enough holes through it for me to trust my tried-and-true shoulder, and at full speed the rest of the door broke off. All as my face met the concrete wall on the other side, ya know, I really needed to learn how to stop with this thing at some point. From this end of the block, I wasn’t amongst those settlers on the opposite side. No… just a bunch of gunners trying their best to hold off our own hoard.

It took them a second or two to realize just who was amongst them, and a heartbeat later half of their barrels aimed towards me. A dozen rounds gone through before the shield went up finally after charging. I got to watch every gunner there drop a full mag into me, reload, and try again. Shotty barked as it matched their own, yet where one fell, another three it seemed like came out of the wood work to take their place.

This cover wasn’t going to… oh I was really starting to hate that sound!

Somehow between the gunfire, 40mm punched not only through the noise, but also managed to hurtle me up and over their cover out to the middle. From my position laid out on the ground, I could see the mare standing on the catwalk above. She had the high ground, and for her launcher that meant an easier time on target.

Another salvo from her was more than enough motivation for my hooves to work. I could feel each blast hammering shrapnel into my backside, but so long as I kept this speed going, I’d be fine. The first cell I dove into was much like the ones in the block previous, linked to the ones nearby. Now all I’d have to do is see if I could make her play the same game, she did with me.

Her grenades filled door number one, so I picked door number three instead. Darting out, I managed to get at least two 12-gauge shells off, but from this distance that was just an annoyance. Back into cover I went, and let her 40mm follow behind as I worked myself closer to her.

This time her rounds were lighting up as much of the doorways as she could. Lock knew this place like the back of her hoof, so she had to know where I’d be able to come out of. While she let the concrete soak up the blasts, I tried to clear my head and observe. AGL or not, much like the ADAC, they weren’t known for their rate of fire. It was all just a matter of timing as I watched the flashes go off to either cell door before me.

Left, right, left, right, left…

Go!

Out the left one I went, just as her next round hit the right. The visor staring back at me didn’t look all that fazed, but this would fix that. A single 14.4mm of my own went off, and while I was aiming for center mass. On the fly that was a bit harder to hit, instead it tore through part of the catwalk she resided on, and I got a rather pissed pane of glass dropping 5.56 at me now.

Not the best plan, but she wouldn’t fall for that- Crack!... twice. I could feel it trickling down my leg before my suit even had to tell me what that was.

Armor integrity: 30%

Warning: Front left servo damaged!

My face in the ground already spelled that out quite clearly. There was still some scrap left in my hopper, and although the suit was doing its best to patch up what it could. Somepony wasn’t going to give it the chance to get me back on my hooves.

Her 40mm trained on me again while I lay struggling to put weight on the leg, and then- half Locks side detonated where she stood. Sending the mare into the wall nearby with a thud. I had to have the princesses watching over my flank for this, but the contrail above told me a different kind of overwatch was on my side. Following it back, even from this distance with both sides trading shots, I recognized the mare behind the scope.

Lock probably hadn’t counted on meeting her sisters rifle head on, nor a mare skilled enough to use it. Tumble put a few more rounds down range at her for good measure, but having to hit with any accuracy through a catwalk wasn’t gonna happen twice.

Still, that much lead flying your way would send any pony running. Lock got to her hooves and started making her way through one of the doors above as I got to my own. The entire time I watched as sparks started to jolt out of her plating from the beating it was taking. Yeah, not so fun when somepony kicks your suit while it’s down. With a small salute to my marksmare, I trudged off after her.

Her suit was on the fritz, and one of her guns had been taken out of commission. While I wouldn’t exactly say we were winning the shootout with her gunners. We weren’t exactly losing either. The prison was built to house an entire population of inmates, but it wasn’t a continent. There were only so many places she could run and hide in, and I found the next stop along that route. C Block, the sign above might have been rusted, but as I broke through the door frame, I’d have to guess this was the cafeteria.

Much like the block before me both the settlers and gunners found their hold and stuck too it. Gunners claimed the kitchen, with the settlers calling dibs on the upturned tables. That door giving way had opened the flood gates, and those town folk swarmed in like ants on a summer picnic.

Thump, thump, thump.

I dove behind the embankment of tables from reflex alone, and where I once stood remained the same debris from before… right, she doesn’t have that toy of hers anymore. All while the grenade launcher kept rocking. If not her, then… yep, called it.

Riff stood only a few tables down from me, happily letting shell after shell lob their way towards the kitchen, as the occasional round would glance off her helmet. The hound didn’t mind, even while taking fire she was still grinning ear to ear. Walker next to her traded the same shots with his repeater for any who even so much as tried to tag the hound more precisely. Ironic, when you consider he even had his barrel pointed towards her not too long ago.

Though if that was coming from the hellhound, where was- Oh, there you are! My head stayed up a little too long, and I was rewarded with a fully armored mare almost tearing the helmet clean off in one lunge from the catwalk above.

Together we both rolled, before a shove pushed me into the wall and gave her a good vantage. I heard the hiss from fuel trying to bleed out, and for a moment there a cone of fire belched. Only to pitter away at her hooves, the cryo effects hadn’t quite cleared up from inside her tank. Watered down fuel was a terrible thing, and she wasn’t happy about it. With her glare, the shoulder weapon swiveled down to me.

Moving now! Here amongst the other settlers duking it out she knew I wouldn’t fire my own arms. That left one option, as the first shots buried their way into the chest plate. I cocked back my helmet and drove it into her own at full speed. All the armor in the world wouldn’t protect you from that, and from this close under her plating I could hear something of hers’ cracking… that or it was my own skull.

Nope, it was hers, the hoof to the back of my head however gave me much the same feeling. As I dropped I could both hear and feel the 5.56 of her rattle off along the back plating. A hoof of my own met the same spot I headbutted, but she didn’t so much as wince from that one, or the few more I swung up close.

Who knew how many chems were pumping through this mare, although she also had a goal in mind. Put me in the ground, then turn her guns on those that came with me. Not something I was about to let happen. It might have been too close to use the cannon still, but I apologized to Rogue for what atrocity I was about to commit.

Two shells exploded into her side, not only knocking her back a bit, but also ripping what remained of her launcher clean off. I watched as my suit yelled at me for the act, something I’d have to make up to it later. Point blank like that, and splash damage wouldn’t hurt those amongst us. Just myself, and my target. Now she was further away, and readying her IF-86. The following bursts did almost as much damage as the shells, though a bit more precise.

Armor integrity: 22%

Yeah, I was taking a beating again… what else is new? Though if mine was, then hers wasn’t far behind me. That rifle of hers tore into the wooden plating of the table I lunged behind, instead she just started to punch holes through the thing till it hit the metal she was seeking. Another burst to my flank sparked my ass out of cover, and up I went over the tables edge. Just as I caught something sparking off her own.

Together we both turned, and I had to admit, Walker could sure fan that lever! His slugs were nowhere near powerful enough to do anything really damaging to the armor… but that wasn’t his target. The gun over her shoulder dented and dinged with every shot he rattled off, some even managing to punch through the stamped metal, all while I closed in. I didn’t know how many rounds she had left in that thing, but she wasn’t taking the time to spend them on-

I watched Walker fall, with a single burst, and his rifle by his side…

The smoke left from her barrel as it righted itself back on me with its swivel, but this time her glare didn’t follow with a bang. Her gun was silent, either from Walkers’ doing, or it was just spent. Her hind hooves met me in my path grinding my charge to a halt with one kick to the jaw.

After her earlier hits I was starting to see those dancing ponies again, this time Lock had joined them. Her incinerator was water logged, launcher was gone, and now her rifle was licking its wounds. That meant I was licking the ends of her hooves. The fury of punches from the scorned mare drove my head back and forth like a bobble head as it bounced against the ground. I must have seen every color of pony in my vision, probably even a few gryphons there too.

It didn’t matter if I threw my hooves up or not, Lock just went through them and into my muzzle. Now both our armors were in tatters, and I still sucked at hoof to hoof. Between hits I could just imagine the grin she was wearing behind that helmet… a helmet that disappeared within a paw.

Just like that, the mare was lifted up off of me and thrown not just across the room, but out the reinforced window of the cafeteria. Several potions were trying to do their work, though my vision was still pretty hazy. Only the paw I saw extend out towards me as I grasped it, and Riff lifted me back up to my hooves.

She didn’t say much, hell the hound didn’t say anything. Together we just looked back to where the towns’ sheriff laid being tended to by some of his cohorts, before turning our gaze to the hole the brigadier had made. Riff went back to lobbing her own punishment as I galloped to the opening, and with a burst of the thrusters soared through to the other side.

Huh? Besides the shots ringing out around the prison, this place was quiet. The hoof ball court laid empty besides the occasional piece of trash, even the Gunners looked like they kept this place in working order. I guess both the inmates, and the prisons new occupants, needed something to keep themselves active.

Then again, I wasn’t looking to play ball, and neither was the one I joined here. That throw threw the window hadn’t done her any favors. As Lock started to her hooves, I could see it across the plating itself. I thought my suit was getting pushed through the meat grinder. Hers’ had to face grenades, explosives, an AMR, and a hellhound all in one day.

Yet still, the mare fought on and stood her ground as she stared me down. Between shots behind us, I could hear her panting breath over my own. This was our own little corner of the prison, and it gave us both a moment to ourselves. She wasn’t lunging herself across the space between us to pummel me. No, she had to be thinking, or at the very least reflecting.

I could easily put a shell through her with the ADAC. It wouldn’t take more than one or two shots to do, and leave nothing left. After everything she’d done, Lock deserved no less… It’s what she would have done if I were in her position. Then again seeing her in tatters like this reminded me of one simple fact…

I wasn’t like her.

“It’s over, Lock,” the mare didn’t move, instead she stood there and let me speak for once as her cracked visor pierced through the armor. “Those in these walls might put up a fight, they might run…” it’d be better if they did the latter, maybe… if they had some persuasion, “but you’re finished.”

One shot, that’s all I needed to put an end to it. Kick her while she’s down, and put this twisted mare where she rightfully belonged. I wanted her to lunge, try to shoot, give me a reason to pull the trigger. Winter would have probably dumped a magazine in her already, and although I didn’t know him, I’d be willing to bet Rogue would have done the same.

But she wasn’t moving, or giving me a reason to, “Stand down… order your troops to, you can walk out of here, and never return,” her head jerked a bit at that. Somewhere I could feel the previous two yelling every manner of curse in my direction… but somewhere else I could feel another nodding in approval. Forgiveness was always a pony trait, one that we were well known for before the war. The sun goddess forgiving her younger counterpart was testament to that. While this new Equestria may not know the same sentiment. Mercy was its counterpart, one that I was a bit more comfortable with. I couldn’t forgive what she’d done, to myself, or my friends. Yet, I could extend this much, and have the chance at stopping some of the bloodshed, “It’s more than you deserve, but I came from a different time… one with different morals.”

She was down, defeated, and more than a far cry from the mare back in that school. At least on face value. If she kept on living after this, I’d like to think maybe a different life would follow. Hopefully the gesture wouldn’t put a target on my back, but maybe with their leader calling them all off I wouldn’t have to keep an eye out for the gunners in the future.

“Nothing’s over… while I’m still breathing…” Lock turned away from me, and made her way towards the central tower.

This is what I get for trying to be a decent pony…

Damaged or not, her suit was lighter than my own. That let her put some good distance between us as I tried to stay on her hooves. The interior of the tower was nothing but a winding staircase leading up to the main deck, and I had to put the heaving in my breath aside while rocketing up the steps. If it was difficult for me then I couldn’t imagine what strength it took for her to make it.

Through the top door I went after her, and as I broke to the observation level my hooves ground to a halt as I watched the mare standing there with her back to me in front of a console. With a snap the mare turned around to face me, as her hoof reached up to the collar. With a twist what remained of the helmet came off as she tossed it to the ground.

Her chocolate mane was about as worse off as her suit, and even I couldn’t tell if the roses in her eyes had gotten redder, or if they were just that bloodshot. Chems would do that to you, and I’d be incline to believe that’s what it was from. If it weren’t for the tears still working their way down her face. Lock had been crying likely long before we’d gotten here and kicked the show off if I had to guess. Although now that it wasn’t hidden behind the vail, I could see her true colors.

Lock didn’t look so much angry as she was… broken.

‘You didn’t simply kill off another head to our chain of command…’ the words repeated to me as if the colt they belonged to was here in the room with us. I had been looking at this wrong, even since day one of dealing with the gunners. Lock had the same ferocity I had when trying to protect Winter and the town, and now seeing it on her face I could understand the sentiment… just what I’d done to her. Not by just killing her own troops, but her siblings as well. Enough to send a brother into a frenzy tearing himself apart in the process, and a sister into a final stand throwing everything she had left.

“I’m sorry…” once again she froze as if Deacon got another lucky shot off, “I’m sorry for what I’d done to your siblings, they were on one side of the fight, I was on the other… wrong place, wrong time.” I told her that once already when it came to Barrel, and now I answered to her for both of their deaths. Somepony had to stop the chaos outside, and I wasn’t the colt to try and do it, “If I could take it back I would, but you can at least save those of yours outside,” please… let this work, “Call off your gunners, and I’ll call off my own… we can all live to see tomorrow.”

Her eyes clenched shut at those words, yet another stream of tears managed to work their way free as they fell to the floor. Lock shook her head, wiping the rest of them off, and glared back at me. Judging from her jaw readying to crack, my plea fell on deaf ears, “You’re sorry?!” she snapped at me, and lifted her hoof up accusingly, “Sorry doesn’t change what you took! Sorry doesn’t bring them back to me! Fucking sorry doesn’t fix the promise I broke!”

Come again?

The slap from her hoof resonated throughout the tower, and as she cleared it from the console, I saw the switch she’d flung. Her suit might have been a wreck, yet somehow through it all that guard badge over it remained intact… and started to pulse.

… not good…

Several of the monitors around the room lit up. They were old beyond belief, but that magical charge in them still kicked to life, giving me a view from around the prison through the eyes of the security cameras. Cell blocks, the cafeteria, even the main yard were all on display, and from them I could see the turrets from before now kicking to life.

Seriously not good!

I wasn’t getting any sound, but I could see the barrels flash from each shot they took into the crowds that followed me here. Every one of those settlers weren’t ready for this, and it was only some quick thinking that got some back into cover. With myself up against window I watched down below while those guns herded the settlers as if they were inmates, all while the gunners themselves remained… untouched?

Now it all made sense… “Some will fight, some will still live to see tomorrow,” I could hear the inhaler going off, and the crunching of pills from the mare, and already once I turned the foam started to dribble down her lips, “but like you said… for me, it ends here… Ranger,” she spat out that word. Lock might overdose right here and now, but not before taking me out with her.

“Not a Ranger,” I filled her in, as S.A.T.S. kicked on.

Before I could even toggle over her the mare was inches from my brow. I’d never seen pupils that dilated, nor a hoof suck that much going into my jaw. The ground beneath me left as I soared once again upwards, and met the ceiling above. I just got to watch it all without being able to move so much as a hoof of my own, and she joined me in the air for another strike.

This time the spell wore off just in time to speed things up… namely my face careening into the metal floor. I didn’t have time for this! She landed behind me, but that left the console wide open. If I could just get to the controls, I could kill the guns. Save them now, fight her- I felt that clench around my tail, and with it a tug strong enough to pull me back.

My guns spun around as both sides of me rocked from the shells tearing parts of the tower away. Yet, Lock was just a bit quicker. I hadn’t even gotten a dozen rounds off before a kick to the helmet knocked me back on my side.

Warning: Armor integrity: 15%

Warning: Concussion detected!

I know I shouldn’t blame him for it, but damn Deacon! Did you have to take away my chems before this? The healing potions trickling in was clearing up the throbbing, but my vision was blurry as all hell. Clear enough still to see a figure getting closer though, and enough to know to duck. Lock overshot, and I bucked myself. I’m not sure what part of her I hit, but it got the mare away from me. That switch was only a hoof stretch away, and I leapt with all my might… almost there!

And then the full weight of the mare landed on my back, together we both soared through the air. Up and over the controls I needed to get to, and against its housing. Momentum was a fickle thing, as it led us sliding straight into the window. My helmet was the first to meet the glass, and thankfully it wasn’t enough to go through.

Her punch to my muzzle however, was the final straw. The window shattered as we both hung with our shoulders over the edge. Lock kept her hold onto my suit over top of me as she brought her hoof back for another swing, and another after that.

No amount of meds were gonna get my head on straight after this. With my guns sticking well past their useful range out the window, the only thing I had left were my own hooves. Even my horn tried to reach out to do its part of holding her back, but with every aura that conjured around her limbs. The mare broke free from them in half the amount of time.

I had to get her still, just for a moment. As my horn reached out for anything on her to do so, my hind hooves hiked up as best they could and pushed. I wasn’t flexible enough to reach her, but I could kick at the console. End over end I saw the ground beneath me come more into view, and her swings finally stopped as we teetered on the edge.

All it took, was one more push.

Lock toppled over top of me, falling past my visor just as my body straightened out in the empty space near the window. I didn’t take the time to look down, as with everything I could the thrusters kicked on. I could feel their heat licking against my flank from this angle, but I wasn’t falling either. Steadily the bulk of the suit crept upwards, and with my flailing hooves I grasped onto the edge of the window frame.

It started to buckle, it waned, but didn’t quite break. The servos in my knees screamed as they pulled the rest of the suit up and over to the console, and I fell to the floor. My breath was heaving, and I’m so glad I didn’t pick up smoking when I was younger!

I was right where I needed to be, up here and alone… Right! I still had a job to do. With a snap I righted myself back up and looked over the console. There I saw the switch she threw, Riot Control, and gave it the same treatment she had. Flicking it my heart raced still, but not quite out of my chest while I watched the monitors around me. Steadily with every passing second, each of those turrets she’d called into action started to falter and lay silent.

As did the ones outside the open window I could hear- Wait… aren’t you? There on top of the console was that same guard badge the mare had worn on her suit. Whatever rivets had held it in place were sheered off, and now I knew what my horn had grabbed hold of in our struggle. Though what quelled my mind was that pulse it had once resonated with now died out after a final pitter of life.

Throughout the prison I could hear much the same, or at least the lack there of. More than just the turrets had fallen silent. One shell in the console would stop any other from making the same move against us, and with that out of commission I went to the edge of the window and looked down.

It was somewhat poetic… three siblings, all with a beef against me, yet in some way gravity had a part in their fate. Now wasn’t the time for poetry though, I knew the suit could take it, but for once I chose to take the stairs on this one.

As I exited out the door to the main yard, I could see the remnants of the gunners starting to scatter. It might have been my presence, I might have been the settlers that were still firing the occasional pot shot at them, but I think the biggest sign that they were finished was their leader laying with her stomach to the ground motionless.

No… not motionless.

The suit of armor before me started to shake, and steadily I watched one hoof follow after the other as it began to rise up. Those settlers that joined me from a distance all had their guns trained on her, but I had a close-up view of what the mare had gone up against. The fall wouldn’t have been enough to end her. Though without that badge on the suit, the guns just saw her as another prisoner.

Across the plating the small calibers wouldn’t have done much on their own, I’d taken far worse from a sledgehammer. However, if you added all of them up, and trained them onto one target… well, I believe there was a kind of cheese named after this. There were more fluids pouring out of those holes than one pony should have in their body, and if they weren’t sealing up then whatever was repairing both her suit and her body was long spent.

Lock took a step to match my own, but hers began to falter and stumble. It wasn’t until we were nearly muzzle to muzzle that her head rose up to meet mine. She didn’t have a helmet to hide behind… I could return the favor.

The latches along the visors base lifted as did the helmet, and we got to see one another face to face. If there was even the slightest chance one of her guns was still in working order, without any TLC at least, I was a goner. A small hiss from the side of her suit drew my attention, and while I half expected to get some sort of charge going off. Locks’ hoof reached down to her stomach, and pulled from a compartment a small bag.

She didn’t have the strength to hoof it over, no it just fell to my own. Although it wasn’t blowing up in my face, so how bad could it be? “Thank you… Rogue,” what was this? Through her blood laden cough, of all things the mare began to smile. Maybe it was just the pain, but a tear trailed itself down the edges of her lips, “For letting me see them again.”

Her flank found the ground, and soon after that did the rest of her body… as Gunner Brigadier Lock, heaved her last breath.

Chapter thirty-four: Picking up the pieces

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Chapter thirty-four: Picking up the pieces

“Top of the mornin… ahh, afternoon to ya’ll wastelanders!” I don’t think I was ever going to get used to that cheer attitude from the DJ, “and a fine morning it is to be alive… better than I could say for some that is…”

Our looting of the prison yielded enough for us to at least make a dent in what had to be repaired at our own settlement. I would have liked to hang out a bit longer, see what might be hidden behind some of those locked doors, but after that fight pretty much every one of us just wanted to get home.

That, and somepony wanted to start her repairs.

While hauling extra siding in for the walls around this place, having the tunes playing in the background was something to lift the spirits. Even if it felt like me and Riff were turning out to be a pair of pack mules. Though it was Alimites’ call at the proverbial whip that had me tune over to the station and see what's new on the radio waves. I just knew in time the DJ was going to have their own news story about what went down.

“If you’ve swung by After Party Correctional Facility, you might have noticed it’s a bit more hospitable than in previous visits… and if you knew who called it home, you might also be able to guess who came a knocking,” my ego wasn’t the largest, but somehow this colt could stroke it through a microphone. “Rogue paid a visit to dear old Lock after a game of tag, and by my reports bucked her right off the hill.”

Or out a window… but those details could get a bit fuzzy. Seriously? It’d only been a few days; how did this pony already have reports on it? “With herself and those siblings of her riding the next train to Tartarus most of the gunners in the area have gone into hiding, or at the very least will be keeping their logo hidden for a bit,” hard to talk tough when you didn’t have a tank of a mare backing you… but was I really one to talk on that? “Rogue, if you’re hearing this and you find yourself in Manehatten anytime soon, let me get an interview… or buy ya a drink, whichever comes first.”

I think I’ll stick to running around western Equestria for now, going out east might get me in more trouble. Just how many more groups could I piss off if I made the trip? “Until next time then fillies and gentlecolts! Keep your rifle by your side, and your spirits high, you ain’t snuffed out yet.”

I’ll keep trying to put off that yet then for a bit longer. For now, all this armor made for a good building brace. One of the sections Stock had torn apart was already back in one piece, now all that was needed was for the reinforcing posts to be nailed in. Now that we weren’t prepping for a fight, I got to see the damage this place took.

Without any light to guide him, the colt and his bots did a number on what defenses it did have. Some of those turrets might never move again, but I knew one mare that could get a few shooting. I wasn’t in that field of repair, but there were plenty of sections to the perimeter that needed re-erecting.

I’m just glad I didn’t have medicine in my background… I hadn’t seen Deacon or Tumble all day, besides the occasional passing by to where the graves were. We’d taken back many injured, but thanks to Luster and the gryphon, those meeting the dirt for a long nap were dwindling. I’ll stick to acting as a support beam, I didn’t need to think about how many less there were of us here now.

A tap to my shoulder from a mare told me this section was good to go, and as I peeled off it the structure stood under its own weight. ‘Next section,’ I reminded myself, and like clockwork I went with the hound to hoist it up along the new struts for support. The same thing we’d been doing since the morning began. Time flies when you’re having fun, right?

Eh, to an extent. The sun wasn’t out presa, but that heat could still be felt kicking up. Me walking around in an oven wasn’t any better, only the tiny fan this thing had across my face was my saving grace. As for Riff… well I’d never seen her pant before, probably the closest thing to acting like a dog they did, besides all the digging.

“Water!” I heard another yell out, and there stood Spade waving her hoof.

It wasn’t before long till her little pack did as they were commanded, and made their way with a few buckets not only to the hound, but the rest of us as well. If the Hellhound was getting a workout, it was a fair bet all of us were.

Ting.

Looking down garnished me a muzzle full of water, “You need to lift your visor there, Wild,” thank you for the tip Spade.

“Much appreciated,” I returned her eye roll with one of my own, and after a few sips pointed her off to the others, “though they’ll need it more than me.”

All she did was press the bucket further into my chest, “Nope… keep drinking, I don’t give a damn what kinda armored-macho-pride ya got going on,” yeah that look was familiar. Same one I got when trying to convince another mare…

“You been taking lessons from Alimite?”

“No,” oh… that grin wasn’t good, “but I’ll have her sort you out if you won’t drink.”

Give me that bucket! Half of its contents going down my throat was enough to satisfy her, and good thing too. Last thing I needed was that mare putting a shell in my side instead of a wrench. With me taken care of, the young filly worked her way down the line of workers, and I finally took note of the bandage across her hind leg. A filly this young took a round all for the safety of her own home, I’m just glad she was with the right gryphon to ensure she stayed this side of the ground.

With a whistle my head jerked up, and above on one of the sections Alimite leaned down to me. Besides coordinating the repairs, she’d been doing more than her own part when it came to her pets, “Good I got your attention,” she smiled, as if I would ignore it? “They did a number on our guns during that fight, think you can haul a few back here to replace em?”

“Certainly,” … don’t bow you idiot, “any in particular you had in mind?”

She started to muse over that broad list. They didn’t call them gunners for nothing after all, half of what we got were their arms alone it felt like, “Something that will make retaliation a very stupid idea…”

Now you’re talking my language. A hop skip and jump later had me on my heels into town. Riff would be fine without me for a bit, I had a shopping list to take care of. Though as I walked it wasn’t just my legs that began to wander. All around the area the town folk were repairing what had been broken from Stocks’ bombardment, or by other means from the gunners.

It’d probably taken years for some of these ponies to build this place up, and a night to destroy some of that work. Several of the shacks that had stood for decades now remained with holes in their roof, or even entire walls missing.

Yet all the same, living out here for that long made many good at keeping things running. A few unicorns were hoisting roughly patched sections to plug holes in the overhead, and every which way and that earth ponies were pulling sheets of metal siding to give some of the structures literal closure. If it wasn’t for the fact we were centuries past the founding of Equestria, you’d have thought all of them were prospectors founding this town for the first time.

But you’d be wrong, they were all just trying to survive out here… even tucked away in the back mountains of the country, they weren’t completely hidden away from trouble. Luckily, we had even better means to keep that trouble at bay now.

Might need to invest in deeper cellars in the future… “What can I do for ya?” Butter Crisp asked as I came off the bottom step, a pen and parchment floating around in her horns’ grasp.

She sounded a bit solemner than I was used to… then again, having that lever action over her back must have weighed heavily on the mare. To me it was just a reminder of another face I wouldn’t see around here anymore.

Luckily at least, there was a pony ready to step into those shoes, “Alimite needs some guns to ramp up the defenses,” there were enough of them down here now to choose from after all, “Big guns.”

“Hmm…” she flipped through the clipboard, and a wave of her hoof shooed me off, “take your pick, I’ll have the guards bring her some ammunition for em later.”

Oh this was my kind of shopping market! Mini guns for days, launchers of all shapes and sizes, and enough energy weapons to make the strips wet their pants… if they wore those. I could get lost down here thinking of how to outfit the suit in new and likely more dangerous ways. Alas, I wasn’t the one that needed them. Besides, I had my work cut out for me when I finally kicked my hooves up for the night.

My horn jerked on a few that would make Riff start to drool, and nestled them along my back as best I could. A few grenade launchers and an AER-15 would be a start, at least enough to give any on the receiving end second thoughts.

Butter hadn’t so much as even batted an eye as I walked past with this load, and the guards bringing more down the stairs told me why. Those here hadn’t gotten to plunder the prison for very long before we headed back, but when wastelanders plundered, they plundered hard and fast.

Maybe I could go back there… you know, just to see what else I could pull up for the place. I’d love to put up some of the guns Lock had working for her, I wonder if the badges would still- Stop. That’s a project for another day, you have a mare to help right now.

As I approached the wall, said mare almost unhinged her jaw at seeing what I brought back. “What?” oh, don’t give me that look, “I took ‘retaliation being a stupid idea’ as ‘turn them into mist.’” Or I guess dust would be more appropriate for the AER.

Her hoof raised up as if to rebuttal that, but quickly found its way back to the gun she was working on. Guess I won that round, and as she went about her job, I laid the guns nearby. It didn’t take her much longer to pull out the machine gun barrel for it, leaving behind an open shell for her to work off of.

“Well, I still have a fair amount of work to do,” between this gun and the others damaged, yeah, I could believe that, “Want to pitch in?”

Do you really think I could turn down that smile? With the visor popped for some fresh air, I slid the rest of the helmet off. Working without it was always so much more comfortable. As she prepped the gun, I went to town on the space left behind. The IF-92 was a tad bigger than what was in there prior, and a bigger kick for sure. Last thing we wanted was them taking a few shots and shooting out the back.

Extra scrap metal she had around did the job well, and I thanked my lucky stars I picked up this spell at work. Besides swapping out the munitions, the machinery all remained the same. Hopefully if any of the gunners were watching over this out there it’d give them second thoughts on attacking the place again.

While I finished up, the gun laden in her aura rose up to meet me, and together we both lowered it into place. Not quite like trying on the perfect pair of shoes, but nothing a little horn work couldn’t- clank! Fix? Just like that the launcher fell into place, I suppose you could just hit it with a hammer a few times. If it worked for her, it was good enough for me. Now all that’s left was putting some bolts in to secure it.

A task that needed a bit finer tuning, and I reached out for the hoof drill, “I’ve been doing some thinking…”

“That’s kinda scary,” she snickered at me while working on her own hole.

Hey now! I had a good idea every once in a while, “well it’d put both of us to work for quite a bit…” that earned me some curiosity, “if we get the chance to go back to the prison, I was thinking on how to put something like their guard turrets to use.”

Now the gears in her head started turning, and I could see the cogs spinning before my very eyes. How did the system work? Hadn’t a clue, but if the gunners could get it to do their bidding. I didn’t see why we couldn’t as well.

“We’d need to figure out how they knew who to target,” Ha! I know something you don’t! “but it’d be a project that I wouldn’t mind losing sleep-”

Something out the corner of my eye caused my head to jerk. What I thought was a flash from a muzzle at first, turned out to be further than I thought. It wasn’t quite a second sun, not even a fire work display from this distance. Though whatever it was still took up half my hoofs width on the horizon, and lit up that part of the nearly dusk sky… I’d hate to see what that was up close.

I half expected to hear a shockwave, but little less than a peep reached us from out here. It was still enough to grab the mares’ attention it seemed, and her eyes looked over the flash with the same intrigue as my own.

Alimite just recovered from it before I did, “As I was saying… I’ll help ya work on it, if you can figure out how they did it,” a last turn on both out parts put the finishing touches to the gun, and like that she called upon it with a flip. The motor kicked on, and instantly the barrel went purring around in a steady fashion looking for trouble. Ahh, I love it when a plan comes together, “that said, there’s still plenty to do here.”

Together we looked down the line at the wall team buttoning up what had been destroyed. Even a few of the guard towers were resurrected with Riffs’ help. I’d already seen what work was being done further in town, but this was the buffer to that getting torn apart again. Would it be nice to have specialized turrets capable of targeting enemies literally a muzzles length away, and not have to worry about getting shot yourself? That questions a no brainer, but there were other priorities right now. A colt can dream, but it was a dream for the back burner.

One down, two more to go… for now. I had a feeling the mare was going to have me running back and forth for more guns, but in the long run, I wasn’t going to complain. “Butter give you any fuss about letting them go?” she watched as I picked up the other two and we went on our way to the next one.

“Not really, said she’d have a few guards bring the ammo later on,” I’d have carted it here myself, but the mare did have some shelving to take care of.

“Until then the guards would have to rove, even after we get these ones patched up,” Alimite knew the defenses better than any pony here, and she probably already knew where the weak points were.

I might have had my own project waiting on me, but… eh what the hell, “I could always help out with that ya know,” her ears perked up, “still would give some big guns watching the line.”

The wink was a bit much to throw into that proclamation, but she didn’t seem to mind, “after what you pulled off at the prison, you might be a bigger warning to them than any turret.”

And now my pride was swelling inside the suit… Not that pride! Still, with the helmet riding along on my flank beside the guns, I couldn’t hide some blood flushing my cheeks. Taking out Barrel had been dumb luck, Stock was kinda shot from the hip… I hadn’t exactly intended on pulling his grenades. Lock on the other hoof we went out of our way to attack, and she drew the short straw on that bid.

If that wasn’t a strike to their ego, I don’t know what was.

“I’ll talk to Butter when we’re through here, let her know you’re in for a patrol…” or two, maybe three… but I doubted this mare was gonna let me have all the fun tonight.

***

It always had to be the last one, didn’t it? The first two guns were a relatively quick swap, the third on the other hoof had a real number done to it. Apparently .45 wasn’t recommended for small motors. Who knew? After fishing it out from the gear box however, it took both of our horns to put the cogs back into place. Tiring work for sure, but I wasn’t out of the woods just yet.

Back at the shop I had a few minutes before my patrol partner was to arrive. That gave me enough time to wipe the grit away from my face, splash it down with some mildly ticking water, and relieve myself with what I’ve been holding all day.

What? I was busy.

Another look in the cracked mirror showed the same face I’d seen once in a dream, and for a moment there I had to stop myself from jumping back through the door. “Easy there, Wild,” deep breaths, come on now, “just your reflection…”

A reflection that could use probably a weeks’ worth of sleep, and a stay in the hospital. Locks’ beating had left its mark, and those bruises would stay for another few days for sure. Though it wasn’t the dream that got me, it was what capped it off.

Winters’ words, telling me I’d failed. My eye lids clenched shut once again, I didn’t want to look at myself. All the trouble I went through to get here, and for what? To lead the gunners straight to the town, and Winter to an early-

“No…” I whispered, and between both lobes of my brain I could feel the argument raging. Stock might have fired the shell, and I might have brought them to the doorstep, but the mare knew what was going on with her. Suffice it to say, Winny was a ticking timebomb. As my head rose up, the clenching in my eyes lessened, and I looked at me again, “keep your head above water now… there are ponies that need you.”

Right, like a whole town. No time to drowned yourself in- wait… ‘Keep your head above water…’ her words resonated again like she was lying on that bed. That’ll give you a smack to the face. Sorrows aside, there was something the mare had in store for me, and I wasn’t about to keep her waiting.

‘Nightstand…’ I reminded myself as I pushed the door open to what she called her bedroom. Just as messy as I would have expected her to keep it, kinda reminded me of that teenager way back when. Though I couldn’t blame her in this world, the mare had a lot bigger priorities on her plate than a clean floor.

The drawer went smoothly, and I felt my chest go from pounding to a grinding halt once it opened up. A pistol for good measure in the wastes, even a healing potion, some caps to spare as well. All largely ignored for what rested on a cloth nest. Years had faded the purple along its outside, but the emblem of the M.A.S. on the bottom was a clear as day. Just like the lettering along its sides.

B.B.B.F.F.

After a nearly world ending war, almost two hundred years, looting raiders, and the general need for junk… she managed to keep this mug intact. Armor wasn’t very flexible or tender for that matter, but I still found my flank on the floor and cradling the ceramic as if it was a newborn child. How she kept it hidden from the Slavers after getting out into the wastes, I didn’t know, but I’m so glad she- What's this…? The parchment inside fell to my lap, and with a careful hoof I raised it up.

‘Dear Wild,

I wasn’t clever enough to write this all out before your arrival, but seeing you back now had made the years in the waste worth it all… and let me finally put quill to paper. Truth be told, I don’t know how I kept this safe from the slavers when I first made it out, but if they managed to break it. Then that would have been the last straw for me, after all these years of waiting, having it so close by was the closest thing to having you around. Any time it got difficult out here, or I just wanted to talk to somepony… out of all things, I found myself talking to this mug. Silly, and maybe a little crazy I know…’

It wasn’t, not at all.

‘… but it helped keep me sane for just a bit longer, long enough for Alimite to join in my life, and you to finally get out here and find me… Just like you said you would. I knew things hadn’t been right with me for the last few years, I’m just glad I managed to hang in there for a bit longer so Alimite would have a good teacher, and now I know she’ll have somepony watching her back while I’m gone.’

I watched as a few drops from my eyes started to splatter across the page, but I couldn’t bring myself to wipe them away. So instead, I just let the water works do their thing.

‘If you’re reading this, then that time has come and gone… take care of yourself Wildfire, and those who care about you as well. If not for yourself, then do it for me at least. I’ll be waiting to see you again, when your own time comes.

With all the love a sister could have,

Winny.’

And I thought Lock could deliver a swift punch… just like that I had to take a gasp as I’d forgotten to breath while going through her note. The second time reading it was a bit easier, and the third was just pure wistfulness.

I doubted Alimite had seen the note, otherwise she would have smacked me with it after I woke up from that little rampage. No… this was something Winter intended for my eyes only. Something I could keep it as, for now. It took more of the servos working than my own limbs to pick me back up off the ground, and getting me down the flight of stairs to the shop was another feat in of itself. I managed to get to my own cot with some more luck, and in my footlocker there the mug found its new home, nestled in the same cloth Winter had kept it safe on. Would I ever need it for coffee again? No, but here just like she had it, it’d be a way to keep her close.

“Ahh… Wild?” I head a familiar voice behind me, and the ruffling of feathers with it, “you alright?”

Now I could wipe away those tears, “Yeah… I’m good,” I answered Deacon. I would have expected a bit more prying, but something on my face told him my answer was truthful enough.

“If that’s the case… ready for patrol?”

Huh? Guess when you’ve been in a medical hut all day, strolling the perimeter really was like a walk in the park. With a nod to him we made our way to the stairs, and I took one more glance at my footlocker… I would meet her again one day, but it just wasn’t that day yet.

***

I don’t know quite know what I expected out here really… walk around the town, make sure none of the turrets were faulty, and ensure the guards at the towers were still awake. The latter wasn’t all the difficult, we’d come under attack recently so if anything, they were more on their hooves than we were.

At least I had somepo- err, gryphon to talk with, “Luster will make a doctor out of you yet it seems,” I tried chuckle, lighten the mood with everything Deacon rattled off with having to repair on a pony in one day.

Pretty sure he covered the entire Equestrian Medical Journal from front to back, “I’ll take getting shot at any day,” he wiped his talon down across his beak, “So much easier putting holes in ponies than trying to patch them up.”

I was just glad he could do both, and then some. The guy managed to configure parts of power armor without even touching it before, if that wasn’t impressive, I didn’t know what was. Plus, he managed to save my ass on a few occasions, and depending how long my lifespan was. Would likely continue to do so.

Beep.

My limbs froze in place, and as my neck craned down, I was waiting for the blast of a landmine or something to go off… Celestia the gunners had made me paranoid. No mine, still had all my limbs. So, what could that have-

Beep.

Oh! The sprite bot hovered a few yards away from us, and Deacon brough his carbine up along his shoulder. He looked at me a bit weird as I lowered it, but if one of these bots were all the way out here… I had an idea who it could have been.

“Watcher? Is that you?” I waited as the bot bobbed up and down off the ground. Before finally the crackling of the speaker broke through.

“That it is, Wildfire,” my it felt like its been ages since I heard that colt! “Quite the journey you’ve been having, and I see friend might be more suitable now,” wha- oh right.

Deacon looked as confused as ever, but I had an entire patrol to fill him in, “Very suitable… it’s been a while.”

“Well, you’re not exactly easy to find out here, then again that was one hell of a beacon you let off at the prison… so I had a good place to start,” oh don’t get me… beacon? “Seriously, did you have to blow the entire place to Tartarus?”

Both me and Deacon looked at one another, and back to the sprite. I know we did a number on the prison, and the gunners in general, but what was he talking about? “We… didn’t? Got there, cleaned the place out, killed their leader… but it was still standing when we left.”

“Humph, somepony finished the job then…” that was, odd? Who would blow the place up outright? “Looks like they sent a balefire bomb straight down its throat.”

Now who the hell would have one of- “Oh… fuck,” if only I could have had a light bulb above my head, regardless I had a lot more to fill Deacon in on during our patrol. At least a theory, a very, very, possible, shitty, theory.

My turn to be stared at I guess, “In… any case…” Watcher said slowly, and he must have been able to tell I wanted this subject changed fast, “How goes your search?”

Not the subject I had in mind… but never the less, I filled the stranger in on what he’d missed. Getting new leads, meeting Alimite, killing Barrel and that whole conundrum, to winding up here. Helping out a settlement was always a welcome thing in the wastes, and he applauded me for that, especially after just showing up.

I noticed myself choking a bit less as we got closer to the most recent events, even getting the news about Tungsten and Winter out without swallowing my tongue. Was that acceptance? I sure hope so. Still, that didn’t keep my teeth from grinding away at the thought. Watcher was impressed that such Rangers still existed, it was just a shame his flame was snuffed out too soon.

“I’m sorry to hear that… truly,” in his words, I could hear the loss. The colt had probably experienced it enough out here, who knows how long he’s been in the wastes, “I only knew what I heard from the DJ, but I didn’t know what it all cost.”

A whole hell of a lot, but not everything.

“Thank you, Watcher,” I nodded to him in solace. It hadn’t cost all I had, but there was something building up in my gut that was telling me it wasn’t quite over just yet. Not after what he told me, “Do you know anything on the Rangers? Or heard anything new?”

“Not… lately,” well that was a surprise, “They’ve been quiet, almost unheard of I know, but there hasn’t been so much as a-”

A crackle to his comms left the bot floating up and down there, before the music started playing and it bobbed off. He has impeccable timing with that thing, or still doesn’t have full control. Maybe I’ll get to speak to him again soon, or it might take another month or so… something like that.

In any case, I learned enough, and this patrol couldn’t go by fast enough.

Chapter thirty-five: On the horizon

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Chapter thirty-five: On the horizon

Note to self… learn a drying spell. That cryo grenade Deacon used left more water in Locks IF-451 than I thought, hell I could probably wash my hooves with all that I flushed out. At least it was drying, in pieces that I’d have to assemble tomorrow granted, but still drying.

That left me with one more thing to work on, trying to figure out how to fenagle this swivel joint onto the suit. Lock had made it look so easy, but I wasn’t familiar with the design. It didn’t look like it was thrown together from available parts. This had to be manufactured at some point… prototype maybe? Not in my department. I already had a matrix that was on the back burner right now, this at least I could work on sooner rather than later.

Then again, all the changes to the suit with upgrading hadn’t exactly kept it in warranty. The swivel itself was simple enough. Mounted to the suit, and ran down through wires to the matrix and helmet, with a smaller gem of its own. Literally look, and shoot. It was finding a place to rig it that was the hard part.

Along the back between the shoulder blades? Na that might put a round in my head more than anything… unless. My eyes scoured the shop, and after a tug of my horn I pulled out some of the scrap metal laying around. If I couldn’t find a place to put it now, I’d just have to change the swivel itself.

With some extra help of my horn, I started plying on the metal framework. As the scraps joined in on it, the arm began to stretch out just past self-induced headshot range, and I reinforced it. What I’d be holding now would have bit more of a kick than 5.56 after all. I already had the incinerator for one side, and the Anti-dragon autocannon taking up the other. My shotty needed a place to call home now, and that’s just what I was about to give it.

It was stretched out, doubled in strength with some extra metal work, and after a quick weld of magic fitted in place. A push from my hoof moved it around some, and while it wasn’t as flexible like Locks’ contraption. Now that it was holding the full weight of the shotty, it’d still serve my purpose just fine.

All that’s left was to make the connections. The flank opened up, and while I guided the wire into place the matrix accepted it willingly, as I made some final connections. No fuss, no buss, not even a zap… why couldn’t that matrix be this easy? The encrypted gem still laid across the counter where I’d left it, and I could almost feel it mocking me. I’ll get to you, don’t you wor-

Zap.

Ouch… okay, maybe a little fuss.

Riffs’ snoring in the other room wasn’t exactly what one pictured as ideal working conditions, though she was dog tired after today… no pun intended. She had the right to sleep where ever her paws lead her. That just happened to be right through the front door, and onto the sofa. Perfect hearing distance from me in the shop.

“Well, you’re up late…” and apparently perfect to hide an approaching mare. Alimite popped up from the front of the shop and joined me with bags still waning under her eyes. How had she not met the same fate as the hound? “Couldn’t keep this to tomorrow?”

I mean, I could have, and I wanted to… but now I felt like there were more pressing matters. Something was on the horizon, and if Watchers words were anything to go off of. I could be on the clock and not even know it. This suit was going to be my ticket to see things through, and I needed it in top shape with every advantage I could get.

“Couldn’t sleep…” that was a lie, and she knew it. Alimite was waiting on me to say more, but I was too busy running wires up to the helmet, and she at least knew well enough to let me do my thing.

Underneath some of the plating they went, and through the conduit for the visor. There were all sorts of attachments for these things back in the war that were in development. Night vision, targeting HUD, hell even one to clean the food a pony ate… how that worked with the helmet on, I didn’t know. The point is, that meant there were plenty of places to make these connections.

Place, crimp, and… tac… the gem inside the swivel kicked to life as the entire gimble stiffened. A tug of my hooves pulled the helmet off, and I donned it for a look around. The display was limited while not inside the suit, but one thing was new. I could see the crosshairs of the shotty added on to not only the visor, but track from my eyes as well.

“Hmm… so a shotgun, a cannon, and now the incinerator,” Alimite smiled as she admired the parts laden over the table, and although the gun was unloaded, I still didn’t want to point the barrel her way. “You might have been able to win the war single hoofed.”

“Well, it seemed a bit more fitting for my name, but thank you…” my helmet found its home back on the collar, and now I had to sit face to face with the mare. She was smiling, but that was the kind of smile I’d seen in Lilac before, one that she inadvertently passed on to her daughter, “It’s that obvious, isn’t it?”

“Mom knew you well, and I’d like to think I have you figured out all the same… you really do throw yourself at your work when upset,” she started to snicker at me, and honestly, she was right, “so what is it? What’s on your mind?”

Oh… this was gonna be a can of worms to open. I thought I was paranoid from just a beeping sound, but the more time I had to think about it, the more it made sense. I was last sighted at the prison, that was broadcast across all the radio. After a short while there’s a flash off in the distance, and thinking on it now, it was in the same area as the prison.

Fast forward to Watcher running into me and Deacon, and him mentioning the prison being leveled by something like a balefire missile. Out of every group in the wasteland, who would have the time, resources, and motive to level an entire compound… all to kill one pony?

“…the Rangers?” she looked about as skeptical as I first thought it was.

“Yes… who else would it be?” there’s no way the prison had a reactor keeping it going, and if that was the last location the rangers hear I was at. They might have thought I decided to turn that prison into a home, “That wasn’t just an explosion, it was a message…”

At first, she started to shake her head. “Do you really think the rangers have that much of an ego problem they’d-” my look was enough to answer that question for her, “okay yeah you’re right with that.”

That wasn’t the biggest thing that worried me though, these weren’t guns on a ship like I originally thought. This was something that had an engine and could fly across the whole damned country if somepony programed it to. It wasn’t a matter of days or hours between launch and impact, it was only minutes… the Crystal Empire might have been ‘out’ of the war, but they still armed themselves well to ensure their ability to retaliate.

A retaliation that wouldn’t even give a warning.

“And if they find this place, then its game over,” they wouldn’t need a massive army to overrun the town, or even an artillery bombardment. No, they’d just need a small patrol to spot me, and call in the next strike. We wouldn’t know what hit us until we’d turned to ash.

Snatchback wasn’t taking any prisoners with this go, and he was far past the phase of trying to convert me… at least I think he was. Showing off the power he held might have been another trick to try and sway me to their side, that or this was more the scorched earth part of his plan. He already had the sub, and the missiles still worked. All they needed was a location.

That idea sent a chill down my spine, and I could see I wasn’t the only one. As if all at once I saw it flash in Alimites’ eyes as well, she lived knowing what the rangers had become for far longer than I did. If they had the chance to wipe me off the playing field, she knew they’d take it without hesitation if they couldn’t recruit me.

After a quick stretch, the mare plopped herself beside me as I put the finishing touches on the suit. She was silent for some time, before I heard her hushed sigh, “do yourself a favor,” I looked over to her shy smile, “… after the rangers are put behind ya, maybe find a different hobby besides pissing off bands of ponies?” ahh that was the same caring smile I gave to her mother all too often.

Yeah, I’ll work on checking out the Wasteland Vacation Guidebook sometime. “I think I can take a breather for a bit.”

My chuckled earned me one in return, “you better… but what's the next step?”

“I’ll need to find out where they are first…” and I already knew where to start for that one, after all, they were stationed here at one of the ports.

“And I’m imagining a trip after that?” she was starting to put the pieces together all too quickly, smart mare.

“Well, I know they’re not local… and with armaments like that they could be anywhere,” try across the whole country if they wanted, maybe I would end up paying the DJ a visit after all, “It’s about time that chapter of the Rangers was put in the history books.”

If ponies still would even write those, “… you think that’ll be enough?”

“Maybe… but putting a bullet in the Elder will sure be a start,” it’ll at least make me feel a whole lot better, “like I should have done with Lock.”

…You ever have one of those moments when you say something you should have held in? Yeah, this was one of those. Alimite looked at me with all the confusion I’d expected her to have. As far as she knew, it was a fight to the death from start to finish. One that ended with Lock meeting her demise, but an end that could have come sooner. Whelp, no point in hiding it now am I right? Though I feel like I should put the helmet back on, just in case.

“… when I should have at least.”

“You killed her though?”

“Yes… but I tried to spare her at first,” it sounds far stupider out loud than I thought…

Spare the mare that has hunted you through the wastes, sent her own siblings to end you, blew you half way to hell, and caused numerous deaths in the town. Crazy am I right? I wasn’t sure if Alimite as seething, or if she was still just confused. Either way, her silence wasn’t all that welcome.

Least I could do was answer her unasked question, “She was broken, and defeated… it didn’t feel like self-defense or even survival with her in front of me like that,” it just felt like straight up murder, “I wanted to pull the trigger, in Celestias’ name I should have, but I held back… I thought maybe she could stand her troops down, leave, and end it,” There had already been enough bloodshed for one day, hell more than one, but was that the only reason?

I think now I really knew why, mercy might have been the reason at the time, but there was something else to it the more I thought about it, “… I’ve been trying to be some sort of hero out here, like the rangers were in my day, and I’d like to think they would have done the same,” at least some of them, “… If only to have some semblance of peace.”

Snatchback would have buried her, Bleak Burrow as well without a thought, but Tungsten would have had some reservations. Lock might not have gone free under his care, though she’d probably live to see another day. Likely in a cell, but still alive. He showed kindness by giving me this suit all those moons ago, and again by setting me free which cost him his own life, even when I spit in the face of his ideals. It’s the very reason I was sitting here now, and extending that stretch of compassion to Lock was the closest thing I could get to repaying such benevolence.

I felt her hoof rest on my shoulder, and I waited for the punch in the jaw… I had a knack for that sort of thing. I was willing to let Lock go free with her tail between her legs, after all she’d done. Bombed their town, killed numerous of her friends, and done untold things to ponies I probably never met.

I almost wanted her to hit me, “That has to be the most idiotic, thickskulled, asinine…” I deserved that much for playing by the rules of my time, “and noblest thing I’ve ever heard of.” I could reboot matrixes all the live long day, but was there a doctor in the house to reboot my head and make sure I heard that right?! Deacon was asleep, and Tumble probably close by him at that, but I didn’t need his help right now like I thought. Alimite just sat there and looked at me with that fleeting beam on her face, “still was a stupid idea…” why did that still feel like a complement? “But… my kind of stupid.”

Thank…? You?!

Before I could react, her lips were on my own and I felt my body lock up like another cryo grenade went off at my- stop making weapon references! I was still waiting for the punch to come, but this was so much more welcome. Without my control my hooves seemed to get their own idea and wrapped up around her shoulders, pulling her in a bit tighter.

A small giggle erupted from her throat in our embrace, and we both struggled to stay upright on our flanks. I thought being in the helmet could get hot, at least this time around I wasn’t the only one, as I felt that heat radiating off her face from the blush filling it.

Sadly, the need for air caught both our attentions, and we pulled back from one another in a gasp. Her eyes fluttered at mine, and I knew I had the dumbest expression a pony could muster… what do you expect? It’s been almost two centuries since I’ve had a kiss?!

“… They really don’t make them like they used to,” she finished off, and curled up to me a bit tighter than before. I thought working on the suit with Riff in the distance was a distraction, this however, was a very welcome one at that. “You’re a good colt there, Wild… maybe a tad too good for the wasteland,” still not sure if that’s a complement, “but don’t change because of it.”

With those words of encouragement, how could I? “I don’t plan on it…”

“Good… I’ll get my wrench if you do,” she meant it as a joke, but I knew deep down it was a threat. If my trio were awake right now, this would have been the prime time to pop in and say I told you so. The shop however, remained silent… oh thank the goddess. “Then do you have an idea where to start looking?”

Just another box to check on my still fairly large list of How to dismantle the Rangers, “Well… they were stationed at the port, fair bet they have some information there.”

“And I’ll be joining you then,” okay, as stubborn as I learned her to be, that still surprised me. The town had more than enough work to be done, I didn’t expect her to- “as much work as there might need to be done they can manage repairs while I’m gone, Riff will probably be helping with structures, while Deacon and Tumble take care of the medical field…” check, check, and check on all accounts. She was right, “you have something to finish, that means you’ll need somepony to watch your back, besides…” Alimite slipped in a wink, “I said I’d keep an eye on you.”

Self-made engineer, repair pony, daughter, and now mind reader… it was really hard to argue with that logic. “I’ll be sure to fill them in then in the morning,” sorry Riff in advance for making you haul all the weight.

“And when will you be going to bed?”

That was a loaded question… let’s see here check the connections of the gun joint, do a once over of the incinerator and all its parts, add more metal to the hopper so it can repair, and make more excuses for the mare so you can keep working…

“Just finishing up,” yeah, I’ll keep telling myself that.

All she gave me in return was a short giggle, much like when we first met. “Boys and their toys…” she turned toward the helmet, and gave it a peck on its cheek. Somehow, I managed to feel that on my own, “please get some sleep soon…” places to go, ponies to see, bad ponies to actually shoot, I know the- “and if you’d like, my bed is warm… might be a bit more comfortable for you.”

Were the burns along my coat on fire again, or was it just me?

Was it possible to blow a nerve ending?

Could a pony get tongue tied enough to choke?

Who knows the answer to any of those questions! I sure don’t! “Much… obliged.” I managed that much through a few working synapsis.

Alimite trailed off out the room, and I was left stumped… did I really need to check all of that before going to join her? Yes, yes I did. Last thing I wanted was to fail in combat. The swivel joints weren’t colliding with the new extensions I added, and on the plus side I wouldn’t be shooting myself in the back of the head.

Incinerator was… dry? Ish… the fuel passing through it should clear out the rest of the water from its lines. It’d be nice to have a bit of fire at my hooves again, hopefully this one I didn’t have to throw away like before.

Next on the list, metal. After its fight with Lock, the suit was hungry for more. Whatever I could muster around me started pulling out and breaking down to what I could, as I shoved it inside. That matrix was next on the list of things to shove inside it, I wonder how much more scrap it’d need to maintain itself once it-

Ting.

That… wasn’t metal? Whatever I had left in my aura went into the hopper, and my eyes turned towards a small bag on the ground. I’d placed it there after getting back from the prison, and never took the time to look through it. After all, the mare it’d come from could wait, but now it had my attention.

With it now in my grasp, I lifted and spilled the bulk of it over into my hooves. Well, aren’t you curious? The pristine stone was as clear as day, more than the wastes had probably seen in a while, but its enchantment still flowed through and left off that typical radiant light. I’d heard about these before, the Ministry of Moral had a whole article of them at one time or another… hard to believe memory orbs still survived in a place like this.

From what I knew, they held the memories of a pony from one section in time. I mean, the name kinda gave that away, but its not like they gave a preview of what was instore. If I had to guess, this was from Lock… duh. The stored memories of the Brigadier, I should have out right smashed it then and there on principal alone.

But she allowed her last breaths to be spent, trying to give me this… “too good for the wastes,” I muttered, that pretty much sums it up. I didn’t know how these things worked really, but as I grabbed it with my horn, I could feel it starting to pull on me like I did the encryption.

If only to hear her last thoughts, I let go…

000

Oh… this was, weird… my eyes were fluttering, but I wasn’t at the wheel anymore. All I could sense was what the pony I was inside experienced, and got to see the world around me from their own eyes. I hadn’t felt this short since I was a wee- where the hell is my penis?!

Yep, that was gone! If I had to guess it was probably the Brigadier. So, this is what it was like being a mare, or a younger mare at least. Even sitting on this chair, I felt small, as other ponies passed me by… just how old was she now? How old was she when I done her in? The gunners that milled about didn’t pay much attention to the filly, and those that did quickly put their own gaze back forward.

Was that pity in them?

“Lo-o-o-ock… can we yet?” there was a tug to my, or her, hoof. Sitting beside us was a filly even younger than she was. Wait a minute… I remembered those eyes, and I was the last thing they saw while the mare was alive. Hard to imagine at one point Barrel was just another school age filly, but this time instead of pointing an AMR, she was pouting. It looked like somepony had been mean to her on the playground… so innocent looking, compared to what I experienced.

“Easy now, Barrel…” Lock hushed her with a hoof pat to the head, far fonder than I’d pictured she was capable of, “They’ll come grab us when they’re ready…”

“If they even remembered we’re out here,” a huff of frustration to Locks’ side brought out her hoof as she smacked a colt in the back of the head… I hadn’t ever really seen his face besides a grin, but if I had to put caps on it.

Stock had joined in the memory. Lock was hidden behind her own eyes, but the up-and-coming colt looked as if he’d been in a few scrapes all his own. Scars lined up and down his face, and from the patchwork of scars along the coat, I’d have to guess he played a bit too much with explosives… how fitting. Those scars were likely nothing compared to what he picked up in the wastes after growing into that armor of his, no wonder he wore the helmet to hide it all.

“I don’t need any lip from you, Stock,” she snapped, and I watched the colt shrink back into the chair, “Not now of all times… play nice with sis.” Barrel stuck her tongue out at him, but Lock ignored that as her brother exchanged the same gesture.

A creek next to them brought Locks’ attention back behind her, and in the open door stood the cleanest gunner I’d ever seen… his scrubs almost made him look the part. He didn’t say a word to them, all he gave in return was a jerk of his head, and the three little ponies obeyed following him into the room.

Or… hallway, a very dark messy hallway.

I could hear other ponies moaning out in pain from the doors along either side of us, but the mare ignored them. Her vision wasn’t set on the colt they were following, but to the door at the far end. She took a step, and I could feel her heart miss its own as she did. Lock was nervous, or excited maybe, but in a place like this I doubted there was any good news to be had.

The pony that guided us held the door open to the final room, and after the trio entered, both Stock and Barrel jumped out of the corner of Locks eye from the door closing on their flanks. The mare herself however, remained still, her vision trained on the bed.

This colt had seen better days… he looked more bandages than pony, but his face remained clear. Under the wrappings were the edges of plating sticking out, what good was it to have bandages on if you were still armored up? The same pony skull I’d seen on their armor, hung in a necklace around his neck, tattered around all the markings of a pony who’d experienced his fair share of combat. One of his eyes was missing, but the other looked down upon the mare, as he patted the side of his bed.

Like a dog calling, Lock and her siblings hopped to, and joined him there. “Now… what’s that look for?” he smiled at them, but I could see the hollowness inside. He wanted to sound cheerful, but the tone was lost on her ears, “You act like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Both me and Lock probably thought the same thing, in a day or two, we might just have, “What did they say, dad?”

Dad?! They still had those in the wastes? Even in this ragtag group of upgraded raiders?... of course they did, ponies didn’t just appear out of thin air. Though to think that somepony would take the time to really be a father in their ranks… I was at a loss for words. What must it be like to lead not only a band of thugs, but with your own children in their mists as well?

Dad didn’t look any at ease from that question, “Oh the usual…” he began to cough, and from the armor under his bandages I could see it stretching along his skin as it tore clean. Fresh blood started to mat the gauze, but even with a small shriek from Barrel, the colt kept his smile and stroked her mane with a hoof trying to put her at ease. Was… that plating fused to him? “Canterlot’s a hell of a vacation these days you know.”

No, I don’t know, but the mare sure did. Together like this I got to feel that shiver run down her spine, “You knew that already!” she shouted, as a tear begged to roll down her cheek, “yet you still went! Why?!” and just like that I added the capital as a place to stay well clear of.

“You know why… Lock,” the smile of his began to falter, and the mare held back her torrent as I felt the words choke in her throat. “I had to see if I could find her, anything, for ya’ll.” Another coughing fit met with blood trickling from his lips, and with a hoof he wiped it away.

“And… now what?” she asked in a tamer voice, “Now that you’re like this, what about us? What are we going to do?”

Once again, the colt put on a happy face. He was in pain, having metal plating stretch along your body like that would do it to a pony. Yet the clench in his jaw I could see kept him from shouting it out in front of the bunch, “Exactly what I prepared you all to become…”

His hoof lifted up the necklace as it slid up and over his head, and for a moment he stared at it. Part of me hoped I could find a memory orb of this guy, to know what was going through is mind right now, but I could see it already in his eyes. Just like Winter had, he knew the clock was up.

Lock had put that together just like I did, “No… I can’t!” she shouted at him, stomping her hoof into the cushion. Yet that didn’t stop him from draping the necklace over her, as it fell to her chest, the mare held it in one hoof. It was as damaged as the colt was, but it managed to escape whatever he was exposed to and made him one with his armor, “I-I-I… I’m not ready!”

“Brigadier Lock!” his voice boomed, and resonated off the walls. Her frame spoke to her name, as it froze in place, with her siblings matching. “You’ll never be ready, until you take that leap and find out…” with a flip of a switch, his eyes went from superior, back to that of a father. “Now, can you accept your first orders?”

Something was brewing in the filly, something she couldn’t put into words. Though part of me could… thrust into a position she felt ill-equipped for, without a clue as what to do next, or what choices to make. It was similar to when I’d stepped out of that stable, all I knew was to go home, and keep a promise… Lock sniffled, but nodded her head.

“Good… as acting leader of this band, I place you, and your siblings in charge,” Her eyes shot open at those words, but the mare stood firm, “but more importantly… I want you to promise me you’ll watch over one another, keep each other safe,” tall order for a filly who wouldn’t have even gone on her first date at this age, “lead your fellow gunners as not just a team… but like the family you three are…” no amount of swallowing would get the knot in her throat out, and I could feel her starting to choke on it, “do you accept these responsibilities?”

I couldn’t exactly hear her thoughts from in here, but I could feel the pounding of a headache starting to work its way up. She wanted to run, but if there was anything I knew of the mare I saw… no part of herself would take that route.

Finally, the mare found her voice, “Yes… I do.”

That warmed him up a bit, and his forehooves spread out. The trio didn’t need to be asked twice, and all three almost fell onto his chest. Barrel was already sobbing at this point, and Stock wasn’t far behind her. Might have come off as cold outside this room, but he was still just a colt. As he let those tears fall, out the corner of the fillies eye I could see him patting his younger sisters back in solace. Lock however, held her ground as the eldest.

She wanted to let the water works flow freely, but something held her back, “I’m so damn proud of you three,” even her dad held back a sniff. Now I knew where she got it from, “for all the dullness of the wastes…” Lock brought her head back to look him in the eye, as hers remained clouded, “you three brought color to my world… I love you.”

As if it was timed, the three spoke in unison, “I love you too, dad.”

There’s where Lock found her breaking point, and joined her siblings in a storm of tears.

000

Okay! That wasn’t something I planned on getting used to any time soon. I awoke back up on the floor of the shop, and through my body I felt the wave of emotion a filly had just experienced still lingering. According to my Pip-Buck only half an hour had passed, but it could have been the whole night…

I sat there for minutes longer, contemplating what I’d just seen. It’s one thing to read a memoir of a pony, another thing entirely to hear a recording. Though to see it through their eyes, really does put their life into perspective. In that time I got to see my enemy for something else entirely, compared to the picture I’d painted of them.

Three little ponies, saying goodbye to their father, and taking the weight of command from his shoulders on to their own.

Three little ponies, born into a band of killers, with only themselves to truly watch over one another.

Three little ponies, who by nothing but chance, I snuffed out…

The orb had found itself at my stomach, but from here on the ground I could see inside the bag and what else it held. My horn pulled free a necklace that now I could put meaning to, and a parchment wrapped up in its leather cord… unwinding it gave me only one message from the mare.

“For what it’s worth,” I read it to no pony but myself. Lock knew it was going to end, one way or another. I had to wonder, if she was victorious, how long would she have been able to go on without them? In the end, I did give her one thing, the chance to see them again, “…Your welcome, Lock,” I answered her thanks long past due.

My hopper was still feeding the repair talisman, and now with nothing left to do, my time had finally come. All three items found their place back in the bag, and as I tiptoed down the stairs, I made sure to be stealthy enough so the pair down here wouldn’t awake. Along with the coffee mug the bag joined them, was it to keep them close? Absolutely not, Lock was the last mare I needed close in any sense.

Yet at the same time, she didn’t deserve to be forgotten.

She was a killer, plain and simple. Her entire band of gunners were no better, with all the trouble they’d caused out here. If any other pony knew the meaning to them, the necklace would probably be melted down into a bullet to shoot the next in their ranks. At the heart of it though, when you took away all the killing, and bloodshed… it was just three siblings, trying to protect one another.

I kept my stealth going as I went back through the shop and into the main home, Riff had managed to toss herself onto the ground, but that wasn’t enough to wake her. Up the stairs I went, and as I approached the offered door, I waited to hear Alimite asking what took me so-… nope, sound asleep.

Just like I should be, slithering in to join her. I heard a coo from the mare as I put my weight on the worn in mattress, and she tucked herself in a bit closer to my chest. Lock I didn’t want to be anywhere near, but this mare?

This… I could keep my head above water for.

Footnote: Level up.

New Perk: “Steel Chariot”- Fear the Tank Pony… oh wait, that’s you! Equestrian engineering had out done itself, and you get to taste the fruits of their labor. Your Power Armor can now hold two heavy weapons on either side, with a third light weapon on a Line-by-Sight gimbal along the shoulder.

Chapter thirty-six: Breadcrumbs

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Chapter thirty-six: Breadcrumbs

This morning came way too soon for my tastes… I could have used another hour, or five, in that bed. Alas, our little problem wasn’t going to go away the more I sat on it. After getting the incinerator together for the trip, and packing away something to keep me entertained should we overstay our welcome at the port.

That just left me with my group to convince how this entire off the wall trip was necessary. Deacon, Riff, and Tumble sat around the table in the makeshift living room. It didn’t take long to brief them on the plan, and after some fuss about not tagging along for the task, they at least listened on why this had to be done sooner rather than later.

Deacon had heard most of it the night before patrolling the town, it was the other two that were taken back by the surprise. Riff at least saw the flash as I did, Tumble might have missed it, but after relaying the news from Watcher… and a long overdue explaination on who that was.

They were in agreeance. The rangers were on the horizon again.

“Still a dumb idea,” okay… reluctant agreeance, as Tumble pointed out, “go to the port with only the two of you, what if the Rangers are scouting to set up shop again?”

That thought crossed my mind, it wouldn’t take long for them to make a radio call and send another missile my way, “and what if they catch wind of this place?” my counter put her back in the couch. The mines would be the best cover for that kind of blast, but it’d only change our way of death. To go from ash to buried alive wasn’t an upgrade in my book, “Look if I kick my hooves up now, that just gives them more time to hone in to here.”

Tumble rolled her eyes, Riff snorted, and Deacon… well he kept restocking his med bag. Last night he was all for seeking out the Rangers hidey-hole, and while his grimace didn’t exactly give me the stamp of approval. It hadn’t been as vocal as the mares.

Rising to his talons, all the gryphon gave me was a shrug, “Whelp… then what are you still doing here?” he asked and threw the bag over his shoulder, much to my surprise, and Tumbles, “You’ll probably move faster with less of us anyway.”

Thank you, Deacon, for the support. Like it or not, Tumble rolled her eyes at me but relented with a huff as she slid back into the cushions. We’d been making plans like this together since the beginning, every move made might have been on my journey here, but each of their input helped bring me home. It felt kinda weird willingly going into the wastes without them. Even if I was still gonna have some back up.

The front door opened, and brought all our attention else were, speaking of back up… Alimite stopped mid stride as she looked at the bunch of us, “Ahh… good morning,” she paused before beaming at me, “I talked to Butter and a few of the others, they’ll know what to get done in my absence.”

I didn’t imagine they were all that thrilled about her being gone, but if she relayed any of what I told her last night. Then those overseeing the repairs would see the importance, “Ready to go then?” you know, before I get my hoof twisted. The tap to her shotgun answered that question, “we’ll be back before you know it.”

“And don’t worry ya’ll,” she turned her attention to the trio, “I’ll keep him in one piece.”

“Oh, dog know…” wearing that grin really wasn’t the hounds best look, “light sleeper.”

What are you- oh damn it!

“Seriously, the floors of the shop aren’t sound proof,” Tumble passed me a wink.

“We didn’t even do anything!” both of us shouted together, and from the looks they were giving us. That didn’t help in the slightest.

If only to save my own hide, I ushered my escort out the door and left the group behind to snicker all to themselves. In hindsight, leaving them behind was the smart move. Last thing I wanted was to be tormented the whole way there, Alimite must have thought the same, and both our paces picked up as we put distance between us, the shop, and the cackling that followed.

***

Who knew embarrassment was a good motivator? The servos had to work a bit of overtime, but hauling the mare across my back at speed most of the way there was a hell of a lot easier than some of the other feats.

The sun had barely started to tip on the horizon by the time we were overlooking the pier, and with the place now vacant of the Rangers it just felt dead… well, mostly. Out from our view point of the crashed ship, I could still make out some figures moving around the buildings and containers. Too far for the E.F.S. to determine friend or foe, but I had a feeling I’d learn that soon enough.

All our guns were too loud to pick off obvious threats with any discretion, so with nothing more to do from up here, Alimite wrapped her hooves around my neck as I slid down to the ground level. Amongst the containers meant a threat that could lurk behind any corner, as the mare stuck to my flank covering me. My barrels prodded around the bends, hopefully ready for anything.

You know, anything like that… two ponies were piecing apart one of the ranger bodies left behind. It took them a minute to spot us, but when they did their guns- went away? I didn’t get a word out as their tails were the last thing I saw slipping between some of the other containers.

“Huh?” well, this didn’t happen often.

“Are you surprised?” Alimite said, trotting up to my side. Before both of us made our way to the body. Armor plates were loose from them tinkering, and the gun mounts were vacant. Along with any ammunition they could get… fine looting if there ever was a thing. “They’re scavengers, might be ruffing it out in the waste, but that means they know how to pick their fights.”

Something I was still learning how to do myself…

While we walked a few more bars lit up from the rummaging around the forgotten port. All blue thus far, and any time I stepped into their vision, they ran for the hills. So, scavengers were the smart ones of the waste. They knew when their oh shit meter was maxed out. Raiders and slavers, not so much, they’d probably try and pick a fight holding only a butter knife.

I didn’t really get a layout of the place beforehoof, being dragged by a hellhound did a number on one’s bearings. Then again, there was one place I had an idea of where to look, first I’d just have to follow the drag marks my suit left… plus the shell casings.

At least this time I could use the smoke that still came from the pier as guidance. The mares’ eyes were trailing over the pillars of destruction creeping over those containers, “Is overkill in your vocabulary?” she asked, and the more we went in, the more I saw why.

In my defense, blind firing into any mass that shot back was the name of the game last time I was here. Now I was finally seeing the results. Many of the containers had holes the size of a hoof blown through them, and half of the buildings we came across met much the same fate. Sure, they were still standing, but it’d give an interior decorator a heart attack.

“I think Tumble said it perfectly before,” I knew she couldn’t see the grin, but trust me, it was there, “there goes the neighborhood.”

Or in this case, shipping port… if I could have done it all over again, I might have asked Deacon to put that bomb somewhere a bit more vital. Like on a sub, next to its missiles, and a rather ticked off Elder.

No, no, horrible idea. Leveling the port with those missiles going up would have meant the end of my friends as well. Plus, you know, me too. I’d settle for breaking their rocket engines right about now, and sending that metal tub of theirs to the bottom of the bay. Anything to keep me from having to track down these rangers clear across Equestria.

Ugh… hindsight would have been nice to have back then.

Ping!

Oh, hello! The colt in that doorway had barely scratched the breast plate with his revolver, but I wasn’t the only one he could have hit. Instantly I kicked the IF-451s’ burner on and I took- aim? The torch at its end snuffed out with an aura, and I had to look to the mare beside me with her horn lit up for answers.

“Wildfire…” her eyes leveled with my visor, “take it easy.”

We just got shot-!... At? The colt hadn’t moved from his spot, yet the gun itself fell from his mouth quivering. There at his hooves wasn’t only his side arm, but a filly as well. Her eyes were clenched tight, just like her legs were around his own, and all at once I felt my jaw drop inside the helmet.

“I’m… sorry,” he finally got out, “I thought you were one of them rangers coming back for his friends.”

I’ll just hold my tongue, mostly because it was still down my throat. “No, he’s something entirely different,” Alimite answered for me.

“Seeing you with him told me that much,” the colt picked up his pistol again, but this time slid it back in its holster, “You’re him, aren’t you?”

Yeah, I was still processing almost lighting this guy and the kid on fire…

“That he is, in the flesh,” thank you Alimite for taking up the mantle of voice box for me, “…well kinda.”

After scampering up his leg, the filly sat hidden now behind his neck far from my view. I couldn’t blame her; these suits could be terrifying. Back then they were heroes, but I just got another reminder that even with one ‘Ranger’ trying to do some good. It didn’t quite matter if there were still a whole bushel of bad apples spoiling it… even if I hadn’t lived up to the title.

He tipped his head to us, “best of luck to ya then, Rogue.”

I hadn’t recovered yet and his hoofsteps were already getting distant through the building. It didn’t take long before his bar was long gone of even my E.F.S. and I just turned right back around to keep walking.

More than once after that, and I kept seeing many of those bars disappearing from view. I half expected for some of them to be regrouping, only to surround us and go in for the kill. Yet, I was greeted with nothing but pure silence… why was that so much worse out here?

A small tap might have alerted me, but my visor stayed forward, “You alright in there?”

“I nearly just sent a colt and a kid to the crematorium,” out loud it didn’t sound any less insane.

All because I took a bullet to the strongest part of the suit, and my mind jumped from zero to melt faces off in a flash. Even after realizing who I was, the colt still looked about ready to wet himself. A campaign of pillaging the wastes will do that to a pony’s mindset. After all I’d done, with armor like this the protocol was still to shoot on sight… I really had my work cut out for me still, didn’t I?

“And you didn’t, you were going off reflex, that’s all,” Alimite kept her beam going through the flickering lights around us, hell it was the best part of her features I could make out in the failing scenery. “Ponies fear that armor, but you’ll change that mindset in time…” Seriously, when had she found the time to learn mindreading out here?! “For now, any idea where we’re going?”

I gave her a nod and pressed ahead. The bullet casings were scattered more than anything now, but I still could make out one building overtop these containers. Hell, it was probably the only one with more than half its windows, but after the gift I’d pulled from one of the crates. I’d remember that warehouse from anywhere.

Hey would you look at that! There was still a Wildfire/Riff sized hole in its front… I remember it as if it was yesterday, painfully so. A few heaves of my hooves pushed whatever debris had remained of our old barrier, you know what Riff hadn’t cleared herself. Inside looked about the same as when I’d left it… sorta.

Many of the pallets the rangers had collected here were either tossed around, or broken open. Staggs group went in hard on this place, it was the bulk of where they put their goods after all. Although if this is where everything was stored, with how meticulous the rangers could be, there had to be a log for it all.

“How did they get this many supplies off a sub?” the mare asked behind me as we walked.

“It’s almost like a hybrid,” I wanted to applaud the pony who thought of it, but especially after seeing it first hoof, I wanted to kick them in the teeth for setting the rangers up with a home, “supplies between Equestria and the Crystal Empire by rail kept getting hit, so somepony must have thought to take them to the sea.”

And subsequently, no pun intended, underwater… yay.

We weren’t getting anywhere amongst these boxes, what grabbed my visor was the back of the warehouse. All these goods had to be cataloged somewhere, and the offices above were just the place to do it… and this might very well be the cleanest room in the whole port, or maybe the wasteland for that matter.

With all the goods downstairs, no pony thought really to check out the admin part of the building. Thanks to the rangers, everything was still in order from their business here, and by the looks of the fading along the spines. Some of these books were well before their time arriving.

It’d be nice to have another map, but I’ll settle for this. Alimite pulled one booklet off the shelf and started turning pages. The one I grabbed looked a bit newer than hers, but page after page was nothing but steel shipments being sent north. Amongst other goods that is, if I wasn’t mistaken, by these reports it was almost as if the rangers were building a whole new base of some sort.

Yet still with all those supplies, no location.

I’d survived the apocalypse, made it out into the wastes, fought the gunners, and toyed with the rangers. I was not about to be thwarted because some scribe didn’t keep a record! It’s in their name for crying out loud! One book was tossed over my shoulder, and the next one came out. Alimite seemed to be getting the same news by the sound of her huff, repeating my move… only a shelf worth to go…

Minutes turned to over an hour, and most of the shelf had wound up on the floor in some way. Either by my tossing or hers, the only info I’d gathered from this venture was the rangers were definitely trying to set up shop somewhere. Equestria was just suppling the goods they needed to do it.

“I’m not getting anything on the Cadance,” Alimite threw another book that whizzed past my head, “besides some arrival times and when they left.”

If anything, the rangers took their cataloging seriously, “I’m guessing no note saying hey here’s our base, come find us?”

Her head shaking answered that question, “Not that simple… but consider yourself lucky,” damn- what? “They could have had two ships…”

A more careful toss later, and the book now rested in my aura. Sure enough like the mare said, the Cadance wasn’t the only one listed here. Shining read across one of the logs, actually make that more than one. Down the page the name went back and forth with the Cadance, but given these dates, the rangers couldn’t have gotten the time to use that one. All of the dates were only a few months prior to the bombs dropping, before the Shining slipped free from the pages. So unless the rangers decided to omit that one from their record, which given their filing habits I doubted, the Shining was out of their hooves.

“… if they could have gotten it working that is,” she finished off, and I was left staring at her in confusion. I’d missed something in these archives, but Alimite must have found it, “from what I’m getting it was hit during the war, stuck up in drydock now,” the mare peered a bit closer at the page, and from over her shoulder I could barely make out the smudged wording, “somewhere west of the Crystal Empire.”

Given the names of the pair, that should have been obvious… wait just a damned minute!

My horn flared out and grabbed on to some of the books we both tossed, all flipped open to the most recent entry, and all held for my eyes to skim through. Like a puzzle the pieces started to fall into place, and this picture was getting worse the more I saw it come together. A broken ship out of the country during the war, enough raw materials to build a whole town with, and a need to bring the wasteland under control by force.

Tungstens’ words almost replayed in my head about them sending supplies and massive amounts of steel up north. Something told me it wasn’t all for the Cadance. Never the less, that ship was damaged a bit from our last visit here, and having their pride and joy smoldering wouldn’t sit well on their tongues. How fast could Snatchback get em working again?

“Crazy question?” oh here we go, “how hard is it to get to the Crystal Empire?” her look pretty much spelled it out for me, but she was thinking so that’s a good sign.

“… I mean, it’s do able,” given her cringing it was probably easier to pull teeth from a hellhound, and even Riff would slice my head off it I tried, “A train or two make the trip on occasion, but for a price.”

You mean to tell me somepony managed to keep a rail line running even after almost two hundred years!? To say I was impressed was an understatement, but the price part is what lingered in my ear. A trip through some of the harsher parts of Equestria, on a train that had to have been decades past its service life. Those fees alone were enough to jack up a ticket. What's the likelihood a conductor would offer a ride to a pony trying to do some good? If they were anything like the last conductor I’d met, slim to nil.

Slim didn’t mean we were stopped dead in our tracks though… okay that one was a pun.

“Why? Planning a vacation?”

It was a shot in the dark, but with what I’d been learning put a candle to it, “if their ship’s still damaged, they’ll need a place to fix it…”

“And you think they could be at the same yard?” I mean it sounded a bit farfetched, but less and less so the more I thought of it.

“Well whatever port the Shining’s at would have what they need, and they were shipping an awful lot of supplies that way…” there it was, now I could see the picture I was painting appear in her eyes.

If it was damaged then the Shining had to be at some sort of yard to begin with, probably protected like it was during the war, and if they already had one ship at their disposal. Wouldn’t two make an Elder drool that much more? Some of those supplies would have to go to fixing the one we’d hit, but if they needed a place to do it… then what better place than where it was likely built?

“So…” my visor popped up for her to see the grin, “any of those trains nearby, or leaving soon?”

I loved watching the gears turn in her head, that meant progress on my part! “Fairly, and I’ll have to check-” a crack from outside lit up most of the storage area in a flash. My visor dropped back into place just as fast, but as she took cover and I took point, the only thing I could make out through the windows was the steady drizzle. “…After, we get back tomorrow,” she finished, and before I could say anything started pulling some of the moldy cushions out from the office chairs.

Thunder wasn’t something I wanted to travel in, not as a normal pony, and certainly not as one walking around in a tin can. If a power cord could knock the matrix out, I didn’t want to know what a bolt of lightning could do.

The mare shared that thought, as she put a few of the cushions together for bedding. Wasn’t ideal, dirtier than all hell, but it still looked comfortable enough to work… Would the shots I got back in school still work after all this time?

“Do you want me to take the first one?” she offered, but even after galloping the whole way here, with a shake I had to decline. There was too much on my mind to sleep right now. Alimite must have known I was beat, but she didn’t say a word about it. Instead she gave the helmet a peck to its muzzle, before crawling atop her makeshift bed with a thankful smile.

9:38 PM, I read in my helmet… yeah, I could stay wake for a few hours.

Which meant, I had some idle time on my hooves… and I knew just how to spend it. I perched myself just outside the office door, scanning the area first before I started. Out of one compartment the matrix fell free, and sitting there on the ground I could see that glow of the enchantment taunting me. Oh, I couldn’t wait to wipe that grin off its nonexistent face!

***

I may not have heard thunder anymore, but the rain outside didn’t let up all that much from last night, it also meant many of the repairs stopped outside. After we got back Alimite went to check in on what had been accomplished, as well as to see about our transportation. I really didn’t feel like hoofing it all the way north… but if it came to that, I’ll have to suck it up. Better deal with them now, than when there’s a missile heading our way.

Tumble on the other hoof had gotten crafty in our time away. You know, it’s amazing what one pony can do with an oil filter, some adhesive, and time to work. Both her carbine and Deacons’ rested in front of her as she worked in the shop, by the time we got back the mare had already finished a suppressor for one. While she worked on its sibling, I filled them all in on what we found, and where our hooves… or talons… or paws, would take us next.

And they thought going to the port was risky… “The Crystal Empire,” Deacon dragged his talon across the end of his beak.

“Pony lose mind?” that was one way of saying it Riff.

“I know, I know, it sounds crazy…” and completely far off from what they thought we’d all be getting into out here in the middle of nowhere, “but I have a theory.”

I told them the same tale I went over with Alimite back at the warehouse, and what I learned from the Paladin. The rangers were sending supplies north, if they already had the Cadance up and running. Then what would they need all those materials for? Learning there was a second ship answered that question for me, and it was the hounds turn to groan like the gryphon before her.

Having one ship was bad enough, especially with what happened to the prison. Having two at their disposal wouldn’t just be worse, it’d be disastrous. Double the munitions, double the bases they could operate from, and double the places they could hide. Could it have been somepony else that got a bit trigger happy back at the prison? Maybe, but I was still putting my caps on the rangers.

Snatchback wanted to bring everything under control by force, much like the Steel Rangers solved all their problems back in the day… with a heavy hoof. Being able to reach out and touch nearly any part of the wasteland would give them just the edge they needed. Wanted one town to comply? Just vaporize the place next to it, and they’ll fall in line. Sure, having upgraded suits would be nice, but who needs a suit of armor when your enemies are melted into the soil?

All three of them had seen the Cadance, and knew it was bad news in their hooves. Hell, there might not have been a creature alive right now worthy of having that kind of firepower. Not even myself if I was being honest. I’d almost turned two ponies to ash just because I took a careless bullet, and went by reflex alone. You think I’d want the power to wipe a marker off the map with the press of the button?

Fat chance.

“It’ll cost ya you know…” Tumble looked like she was already crunching the numbers, just how far had she been around Equestria while traveling? “Try about a two thousand caps,” okay that’s not too terr- “each,” worse, but under- “and that’s oneway.”

Damn it… I know since getting here our cap stash hadn’t been nearly that much, maybe halfway, but still no cigar. We were looking at… sixteen thousand for the round trip, and just thinking of those numbers started to make my head hurt. That of course was counting if it was just the four of us.

After that final screw, the Deacons’ carbine was suited up for his play style, and the mare hoofed it over to him. So, there were two things that could make the guy beam that much… one was firearms, and the second was the mare that held it.

How effective would a suppressor be for 14.4- stop, no time for machining, bigger priorities right now. “Why the hell is it so damn expensive to get there?” besides keeping the trains running and all, who knows what goods the Empire might have. You’d think some ponies would flock up to find out.

“Because the Empire was hit just like Equestria was, to some extent,” Deacon slung the rifle across his back, and leaned against the workbench behind him. “The only real city is the capital itself,” I mean sure, that’s where I would have sent my bombs if I was in the Zebras hooves, “and while it was protected with shields, the word is that didn’t stop some missiles from getting through, or the radiation at least.”

“Terrain isn’t any better, it’s all mountains for the most part,” the mare added on to the list of things we’d have to contend with, “translation… not a lot of need for travel.”

Call that all more fees to add to the total bill… but what was the cost of keeping tech out of the Elders hooves? Even if I had to hunt down a missile of my own to send their way, it’d be worth it in my book if it meant keeping them out of our manes in the end.

Getting a boat had crossed my mind on the way back to town, but I still didn’t have a place to look, and the Rangers would see us coming from a mile away. As much as I hated to say it, it had to be by land. Get to the capital, find something on the ships and where they were stationed, and put an end to that chapter of the rangers once and for-

What? Was it something I said?

Both Deacon and Tumble walked in unison out the open garage door, leaving me and the hound there cocking our heads. Our silence did get the mare to stop, and when she turned, I saw the small smirk beginning to grow.

“If it ain’t gonna be cheap, better start scraping together the caps,” she said.

“And I know just the place to start,” Deacon passed us a wink, “To the board!”

Well, I guess coming under gunner assault didn’t stop the need for jobs to get done. For real though, out of all the things that took a hit in town… how was a bounty board still up and running? They were pretty enthusiastic in their trot out of sight, and if that was the case. That meant they were still happy to come along for the ride. How did I manage to find friends like these?

Riff hadn’t darted off, but she was never really the job board kinda girl. No, the hound just sat there running one of her claws over the workbench. In silence of her own too, never a good sign, “Riff Raff? What is it?”

Her shrug didn’t tell me much, but I didn’t have to wait long either, “Dog not travel much as you know… but with what up ahead,” for the first time I saw her lips curl not in a grin, but a grimace, “may not need worry about trip back.”

How many things were there that could make a hellhound shiver? The Crystal Empire was apparently one, or maybe it was everything as a whole. Traveling to an unknown part of the territory, with who knows what dangers. All to find a port further away, and then face off against an entire company of ponies armed from hoof to muzzle…

Yeah, family vacation at its finest…

“When I think about it more, it does sound like I’ve gone mad,” my flank found the floor next to her, and once again I had to weigh out the options set before me.

A, continue day like normal and wait for the Rangers to eventually find this place, then send one of their missiles in for the kill. B, try to stay in hiding bouncing from place to place, but having to abandon everything here if only to keep it safe. Finally, C, head north and try to bring the fight to their front door.

I don’t know about you, but I wasn’t one that liked waiting, or being kicked out of my home for that matter. “The way I see it, we don’t really have much of a choice,” I rested my hoof across her paw, and stopped it from digging into the workbench further, “at least with this choice, we’ll be on our own terms.”

Her teeth gritting sounded through my helmet, and she had to know it wasn’t the best of options, but she at least saw it was the only one. “Dog hate it,” I do too Riff, I do too, “but pony right…” with that scary thought, the hound got to her paws, let out a stretch, and made her way towards the door, “Dog go see if Turkey and mare need help, maybe grab ammo for what they find.”

My friends were working on our next go, who was I to kick back and stay at the shop? Not when I had my own mare to find. The rain patted along the plates, while I stayed nice and dry inside. Almost reminded me of those days where all a pony wanted to do was curl up, break open a good book, and listen to the storm outside.

It was also the perfect place to let the hounds’ words seep in… by the sound of things, none of my friends had ventured that far north. We were going in blind, and that was just to the capital itself. Then there was the trek we had to make to where ever the Rangers called home. How much would stand in the way of things before we even reached the docks? Dear Celestia I wanted to kick my hooves up, hang the helmet on a hook, and call it a day. Retire from this whole Rogue Ranger business.

‘But I won’t,’ I told myself again and again as I walked the empty streets, ‘It’ll only be a matter of time before they find me, and put everyone here in danger.’

I hated being right sometimes, but maybe another could quell some of that worry. I didn’t have to walk far to find the mare, plodding around the growing mud amongst the newly erected barriers of the town.

Alimite went to each of her turrets as I watched, checking them over with all the tenderness of a mother. She sure had some odd kin in mind, but it was her job here after all. Amongst everything else the mare inherited from Winter. Up in the guard tower, one colt I didn’t recognize passed me a wave that I returned. Before following the mare down to the next gun. I know it was raining and all, but this suit couldn’t have been lost in the-

“Still not stealthy you know,” her eyes finally turned to meet mine, and the mare jumped down from the gun, splashing mud across the plates.

“Yeah, yeah I’ll have to work on that,” whether it was my tone, or those mindreading powers of hers at play. Alimites’ cheer failed, as she passed me that ever knowing gaze that something was on my mind, “… just got done talking with them about heading north.”

“Oh dear, how’d that go?”

Well… It wasn’t a failure? “Deacon and Tumble are looking up jobs to help with the caps,” the first step in that direction, but how many we really would need was starting to nag, “Though Riff pointed out that with how dangerous this could be, might not have to worry about the return trip.”

For a moment the mares’ look turned somber, and her eyes kept forward off mine. We were on the offense now, and she knew it. With that came its own challenges, and if our cards weren’t played right. Then there would be more holes needed to be dug out there amongst the graves.

“Truth is… I’m… worried too,” … say what now? My head jerked back to hers, and there the mare stood with the mud caking up along her hooves. The rain might be washing away some of the grime, but it wasn’t going to rid that look off her face, “it’ll be a journey for sure, and one I didn’t see myself making a year ago,” I was about ready to say my piece on that matter, but a hoof on the armored muzzle silenced that, “… regardless, I am going along with you.”

I should have protested that right then and there. She was far too important to this place, and if anything happened to her along the way. I wouldn’t just be letting down her mother, but the whole town itself…

Then again, I’d seen that look in her eyes before. The last time I tried to talk her out of something she about threatened to shoot me, and I knew I wasn’t winning this one, “I think I learned that much about ya.”

My chuckle garnished her own, and the mare gave my shoulder a shove, “And don’t you forget it… that’s how you get through things like this, with friends,” rain stricken or not, her lashes fluttered under that bandana, “…or more.”

You see, this kind of heart palpitations I actually could get behind! Instead of a playful shove, that would have probably thrown her through the wall, my horn reached out and pulled her to the side of the suit with a fillies’ yelp. There was enough plating to keep me nice and cool with the weather at my back, but already I could feel her heat breaking through.

“I can work with more,” if only to keep me from fogging up the visor, the helmet latch opened so she could see my beam.

Did I look like a fool? Perhaps. More importantly, did I care? Not at all… Especially with that! I could taste the grit from her lips of the soil passing to my own, but right now it didn’t matter. As the mare started to coo from her throat, the rest of me melted into it with her. I’d take her dirt-stained face over a prom queen any day.

Alimite settled herself almost the same time as I did, and with a tap of her wrench the visor dropped back down. Probably for the best, the trio already managed to get me and her to a port with just a few laughs. How far you reckon we’d get north from running alone if the gang saw that?

“I did… reach out about your train,” the mare shook herself, splashing some more of that mud over the suit, and helping to clean her own face up, “Hopefully I hear something back soon.”

Had I mentioned before how lucky I was to find this mare? No? Well allow me to yell it from the proverbial rooftops, “What the hell would I have done without ya?”

“Probably start walking,” her giggle might have been a joke… but let’s be real here, she was right.

Oh, what I’d do to have… this, every day… actually I already knew what I’d do, and that was take on an entire company of battle-hardened ponies on their own turf. Ahh happiness wasn’t always an easy fought victory now was it.

“Wildfire!” both our heads went up from one another to the sound.

As if on cue, my gaggle of friends came from the corner peering around… if they had been thirty seconds sooner… Tumble was the first to spot me, and the rest followed her soon after that. In the gryphons’ talon I could make out the crude parchment, though I didn’t get the chance to even read it myself.

“Slavers, grain mill,” the mare answered for our resident avian.

“Thousand caps, not far either,” Riff tagged on.

“And could clear it tonight if we hurried,” Deacon capped off, and I watched his eyes trail over myself and the mare by my side, “unless… you had other plans?”

This was shotgunning a plan if I ever saw one! I wanted to take a minute to regroup with them, figure out a bit more on the location and how many we were talking. At the very least grab some extra ammo from the shop. Yet, the nudge I was getting from another threw those thoughts out the window.

“You do need the caps,” Alimite prodded me with her muzzle forward, “go ahead, I’ll see what I can get together for the trip…” the last peck she left on the end of the armored snout was all I needed to kick my hooves off the ground, while picking and choosing my priorities.

Namely ammunition, that’s a given… “Alrighty! Let me grab somethings first!” I know I was kicking up mud on my friends trailing behind me. Right now, with their timing, I think I’d earned that much.

Chapter thirty-seven: Severed

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Chapter thirty-seven: Severed

Even after our hike, and me staying well ahead of them to avoid certain subjects, the rain still hadn’t let up as we overlooked the mill from our embankment. Together the four of us sunk into the mud, and watched the grain cellos at the figures off in the distance moving about. Tumble had tried to get a bead on them with Mercy, but those Slavers weren’t taking many chances.

All but a few of the lanterns inside were lit, and largely the only thing she could make out was the glow coming from some of the windows. Anything past that was hidden by the main building itself. Part of me wanted to let ADAC and Riff Raffs’ 40mm do all the talking, they had worked so well with the Rangers. Although these weren’t the Rangers, and given their nature, I doubted every creature inside would show up as red on my screen.

“I hate this damned rain,” the mare complained, and wiped away the mud from her scope.

Once they knew we were here it’d be a free for all. Something I’d much rather do inside, than here, “think you can take care of the ones outside?”

Now that her scope was clear for the time being, Tumble scanned over the mill a bit more. There didn’t look like a lot of creatures outside, who would want to be in this?... you know, besides us. Her nod was all I got in return, and Mercy found its way back across her spine.

“Not with that,” she unslung the carbine back into her grip, “but this outa do the trick now.”

Deacon followed the same suit, pulled his clear, and fluttered off the ground overtop the mare, “We’ll take care of em, just come on in once the coast is clear.”

Huh? So, I guess there was a plan to this after all. Like smaller prey, the gryphon plucked the mare off her hooves in his talons. Hoisting her off into the steadily drizzling sky… I hoped they didn’t have anypony looking up.

Good, if they were going to clear a path, then the next step would be freeing those that might be inside. Without any collateral the whole place would be a shooting range. With the mine the only place to go was further down, here it’d be what? Further up I guess? Floor by floor would have to be cleared. Last thing we wanted was one of the slaves to run into their captors half way down.

Okay, so the plan was starting to come together. Seeing one of those figures from the cello drop was a good start to it. I hadn’t heard anything more than the rain against my helmet, at least Tumbles’ hoof work was doing its job. Another one of them fell, and I saw the body land right next to another on the ground.

My mouth immediately went to the bit ready to bust in there, before seeing the one on the ground join his companion in silence… systematic, stealthy, a true surgeons’ scalpel in cases like this. They were quite the pair, weren’t they? Then on the other side of the coin, you had me and Riff… heavy, cumbersome, and the sledgehammer of our group. Hey! We all had our roles here.

Ours were just a bit less… subtle.

And… those were shouts now coming from the mill, “Time for less subtle!” I called out, and right alongside Riff Raff kept up the pace.

I couldn’t make out where the other two had gone, but where ever it was they were causing a ruckus. Just like we were about to be. The loading door of the mill might have been metal, though nothing strong enough for what it had to contend with next. 40mm leapt ahead of me colliding with the frame, through the rain I could see the blasts making contact as they punched holes along its center.

Now just for the final push, namely my shoulder. At full speed the suit tore through the frayed metal like a stack of paper, leaving a nice hole for the hellhound to join in on the other side. These Slavers looked about as surprised to see us, as the ones that had to contend with Lock probably were.

A few shots started sparking over the suit, and the yelp from the hound told me she was taking flack all the same… my chomp sent the first spew of fuel over those closest to us, while the rest above scrambled. Amongst the flames I couldn’t tell if they were mares or colts, but their bodies burned and screamed all the same. With heat like that from the well taken care of nozzle, it wasn’t hard to believe they fell silent in seconds.

Was it crazy of me to have this shit eating grin? For lighting ponies on fire, oh for sure. Although these ones made their bed… this I didn’t really feel sorry about. ‘Oh shit!’ already at three quarters a tank. Ahh, I remember your thirst for ammunition now, how I missed it.

The crackling of bodies might have sounded off in my ears, but at least the smell of them wasn’t getting through the helmet. A single thump from my left made another red bar disappear off in the distance above, and Riff loaded up another belt keeping those at bay as we worked our way further in. The mill either wasn’t finished construction before the bombs, or these ponies had already started scrapping it for… well, scrap.

Most of the walls above were missing to the next floors leading to the roof, all I could make out was the scuffling sounds of ponies in the distance, and the concrete framework of the structure. I didn’t see anything on this floor with us, at least not hiding behind those crates dotting the area. A quick burst from the incinerator set the rest of the wood ablaze just for good measure. So that left just one place to go.

These stairs were not made for two, so with me taking point my barrels stuck well past the entrance to the next floor. Not long after that my head joined- Fuck! A quick duck saved my skull, but didn’t stop the throbbing from the blast wave from behind. I could feel the Med-X trickling into my system to match the throbbing, and the reloading of a tube.

S.A.T.S. kicked on with a leap from my hooves putting me on the next floor. Missile pony had the breach closed, and sights down. Though ADAC was already tagging- half his head blew out in a slowed spray like paint. His friends down the same corridor looked shocked, I was too for half a second, before putting the crosshairs on them instead.

I cannot stress this enough… 14.4mm against a soft target? No thank you… the first slaver all but vaporized before my eyes as his torso turned to mush, sending the rest of his limbs across the ground. The colt behind him didn’t fare much better, soon enough his own pile of goo was pooling up on the ground. S.A.T.S. was a wonderful tool, but there had to be some ponies during the war with PTSD from what they saw with it.

That first shot I never heard, even E.F.S. couldn’t track where our two blue bars were, it was nice to know they were watching from the shadows. A choking from behind forced my attention, and standing there was one colt armed with a sledgehammer. Left neatly cut in two along the torso on the ground, with the hammer still clenched in his teeth.

Riff licked the ends of her blood-stained claws, all but ignoring the colts’ blood trickling against her paws, and I started to realize what these Slavers were really up against. If a few raiders hit this place, then they might have stood a chance. They had the numbers, fortifications, and high ground. Though they couldn’t have counted on this sort of response. Its almost amazing they didn’t just try to run, why would they have a reason to stay?

Not my concern, what I had to worry about was getting to this next stair- click… “Damn it!”

One grenade going off was already too much for my liking, three however was enough to send that taste of iron straight into my mouth yet again. My head, chest, legs… hell everything was reeling from the impact of both the shockwave, and being thrown into a concrete pillar.

Armor integrity: 87%

Bullets were a hit or miss when it came to pain, but boy did explosives still do the job! I’d have to ask Deacon if he could wire up more Med-X ports for occasions like this. Another shot of the drug went into my system, but this time I could still feel the blood trickling down the sides of my legs… I understand mobility is important, but so is the underbelly.

“Wild good?” a claw tapped on my helmet, and it dawned on me I wasn’t the only one taking that hit.

Riffs’ paw and stomach were just as tore up from the shrapnel, and if I had to guess from the fluids leaking out, she’d used her limbs to cover her face. That face though still looked in pain… just as my hooves found purchase, the side of the suit opened up to the chem pump. Why did I still wince from a needle pulling out after all I’d been through? Riff didn’t seem to even notice me stretch it over to her with my horn. She at least felt me shooting a shot of the drug into her, and I watched as some of her grimace relaxed.

“Wild good, Riff good?” and now I was talking like her.

The hound just nodded to me with glee, painkillers worked wonders no matter what creature took them. Although it did have me wondering now, what would happen if a hellhound tried Stampede, or Dash for that- nope, horrible idea. The rest of this building might out right collapse from that rampage.

The crunch of her own potion helped to sooth over the rest of her injuries, as did my own injections taking hold. Right back to it I guess, I could hear other pot shots being taken. Though if those rounds weren’t landing on our flanks, then the Slavers were a little preoccupied with our friends.

Too occupied to look over this flight of stairs. One mare met us face to face on her way down, and froze where she stood. All it took was the chattering in her teeth to drop the 10mm to my hooves. Incinerator? No, we’d have to go up these stairs. Shotgun? Too close for my liking. ADAC? That’d just be cruel.

A claw reached past me, but with a grasp of my aura the hound stopped. I couldn’t see it, but I knew Riff was looking at me weird. She could meet her maker in any number of ways by our means… but with her about ready to wet herself, it just didn’t feel right. Instead, I leaned in closer to the mare, towering over her with the suit.

“…Boo,” her red bar flashed to blue, and after a yelp the mare shot past the two of us down the open level. It was easy to track her making it clear through the building and to the ground floor, before that one blue bar blipped on my screen once more, before disappearing… oh don’t give me that look, “What?”

All I got was a chuckle, “first time Dog see Wild let one go.”

Yeah… first time for you, but not the first time I’d tried. “If she had taken a shot at us, I wouldn’t have considered it…” but she hadn’t, just a mare scared out of her wits.

Hopefully this one wouldn’t turn around, flip a switch, and transform the entire mill into a massacre. Happy thoughts, am I right? The rest of the staircase didn’t hold any surprises for us, and as we broke to the next floor I got to see the bodies of a few gunners we hadn’t touched greeting us.

Oh, and a few more alive and breathing! No sooner had we left the stairs when the first shots started pinging off the suit. This time they were leaving more than a dent in their wake. Seemed these Slavers took the hint, and brought out the big guns… or gun.

I knew that sound, there was one similar on my side, and the 14.4mm of theirs was chewing through the concrete pillars all the same. Where the hell did they manage to get an Auto-Cannon?! From what I could peak they had it mounted like a turret, so mine at least could move around, get in a better position and- shit.

My quick peak earned a peppering of shrapnel across the visor cracking it, as well as another glance. Past the cannoneer were cages, and their occupants probably wouldn’t like to get a showering of shells that might miss.

Okay, new plan… “Draw their fire!” I shouted to the hound; her shots at least had to arch there.

Riff didn’t even need an explaination and already started sending rounds down range from her own pillar. That left me an open corridor, and ten seconds to make the dash. Shield went up, and within the first moment sparks started bouncing off it. Their cohorts kept their eyes on the hound, but for a moment both me and the ADAC had a staring contest.

The first shot the shield took in stride, the next half dozen after that… err, not so much. Each one tumbled through the shield as it punched past the barrier, and I could feel it in my chest now almost caving in from the impact.

Armor integrity: 82%

Armor integrity: 76%

Armor integrity: 73%

And the shield started to flicker… Newer plan! Thrusters kicked on, and with this low ceiling my head all but scraped against the crown. Still, it was enough to throw them off with having to aim skyward. ADAC just got their bearings right when the talismans kicked out, and I already knew where I was gonna put my hooves.

As sturdy as the M.W.T. made their weapons, they weren’t designed for this. The full weight of the suit smashed across the barrel, tipping it and its gunner up in the air. Before exploding under me… of course! Somepony still thought it was a good idea to shoot. My horn jerked the gunner off the trigger before a second shot could go off, and with a buck I didn’t bother listening into the yelp of them going off the side.

Metal hitting metal brought me back from that smug victory to the others there, and the suit was taking the beating for it. The first slaver my hoof careened into almost knocked them out of their own armor, but it did leave their gun in the air for a moment before falling.

The second my shoulder went to work on, crushing them between a rock and a hard place… namely a pillar and the suit. Still the two behind me hadn’t taken the hint, this time they didn’t have the slaves to hide behind. Whipping around, S.A.T.S. kicked up, and they just happened to be standing close enough together for this to work. I didn’t need to toggle between targets, one would do, and the next three 12-gauge shells answered them accordingly.

One slaver turned to pulp before my very eyes, as the blasts ripped into the flesh of the second. Whatever armor the first had been wearing broke off and sliced into their partner, quickly dropping them as the spell wore off. All I had left were two twitching heaps of meat.

Now that left one last thing to do on this floor… the slaves huddled at the back of their cages, and I could count the dozen ponies mounting up into one if only to get away. Were they really so scared of this suit still- no wait, that’s what had them tongue tied. Riff walking up behind me closer to the bars would do that to most creatures out here. Her grin wasn’t the thing they were all hoping to see.

Without a word, the hound drew her claw across the lock in a slash, and shards of metal fell. With a groan of less than lubricated bearings the door creaked open, “… You’re free,” that threw them off, none of them moved an inch from the hold, “ahh… get going ya’ll?”

“Pony leave now!” another shouted to my side, and instantly every hoof in the cage shot up to their own.

Shaken with fear, they crept past myself and Riff. I might have gotten the feeble attempt of a smile from a few, but nothing was given the hounds way. As soon as they were past us their strength returned, and we both watched as the slaves raced down the hall towards those stairs. Hopefully that mare from before had gotten far away… they weren’t going to be as kind if they caught up to her.

Alrighty, that’s taken care of, “Did ya have to scare them like that?” I asked as we went past the cages to the next flight, “they’d already been through enough.”

“Wild think it mean?” Riff brushed off while shrugging her weapon around, “but sometime pony need kick in flank to move.” If you say so Riff… if you say so.

The next flight didn’t meet us with any visitors, all I could hear was… that was brain matter on my visor. What once was a colt on the other side of the door fell to my hooves, a neat hole through his skull. Around the roof laid much the same, slavers that met their match from the shadows. Even the lights they turned on hadn’t seemed to help them.

Stealth was a cruel game at times…

Still, amongst the loading cranes and steel beams, I couldn’t make out any other bars across my visor. Either that or they were just blending in with the fluids, “Alight! They’re all dead,” I wiped the blood as best I could. These things should have been built with wipers.

Ahh, there they are. One blue bar popped up from the side of a cargo crane in the night, and overhead I heard the rustling of wind from wings. Together both Deacon and Tumble didn’t look like they had a scratch between them. Nope, just extra tally marks under their belt, those attachments sure did the job.

“I assume everything downstairs is clear?” the gryphon looked past myself to the empty stairs.

“Mill clear,” Riff answered for me, “found slaves too.”

All in all, I’d have to say it was a success. Thousand caps in the bag! Now just another fifteen to go… how many more slaver dens could we find in this area? Or raiders for that matter. I’ll take another hellhound nest if it gets us any closer to our goal.

“You know… this is kinda getting old,” Tumble muttered as her eyes trailed over the bodies, “Slavers aren’t even really a challenge.”

“Wastelands easy when you have two living tanks with ya,” Deacons’ talon jabbed to myself and the hound, and from his grin that was still a complement.

“Dog and Wild could take seat next time?” Riff started to snicker at him, “let you two go in front.”

Almost for a moment the pair looked at one another like they were debating it. Given enough time, they could have cleared the entire building themselves. Our way was just faster for the bottom- wait… what was that? The mic on this thing picked up what sounded like wings flapping about, but Deacon was still here, and they were getting closer.

My head started to swivel, and the trio took note of it just as fast. Their questions I’d ignored till I could pinpoint exactly where that was coming from. It had to be wings, nothing else beat against the air quite like em. Deacons’ old group? No, they were paid mighty well last time we’d seen them. Pegasus? Only other option I could-

“The princess?!” I blurted out as the figure materialized before my very eyes in the air.

Sure enough, I recognized that blue coat from anywhere. Hell, half the wasteland would probably still bow at her hooves just at the sight, even I started to. Luna of all damned things had come down from the sky to help wipe this place of its filth! By golly I could outright walk up and kiss a dragon with this kind of-

Why did my friends look nervous?

Why did the princess look pissed?

… where was her cutie mark?

“Poor confused pony,” Luna… err, the imposter spoke as her eyes drilled into my visor as if reading my own thoughts, “Seemingly so lost in this world…”

“… A world we could save you from…” Okay you’re not one of the princesses! A green alicorn fluttered down alongside her sister picking up where she left off, both eerily similar save for their color.

“… if your kind wasn’t so cruel,” and now we had a trifecta, the purple one that joined about spat out that last line.

Wait... my turn to speak? Good, “Am I missing something here?!” the speaker probably carried that question all the way to the Rangers if they were listening hard enough.

My old teacher must have missed a chapter along our travels, thankfully Riff was more than happy to oblige where Tumble skipped out, “Not good ponies, don’t like rangers,” so like the rest of the wasteland? “Not fun to fight.” Par for the course!

“WE ARE AN EXTENTION OF THE GODDESS AND HER COMPASSION TO ALL PONY KIND!” all three shouted, and my ears rang through the helmet, “WE SAVE PONIES IN UNITY JUST LIKE THE ONES YOU LET FREE!”

Hold up… Aren’t they saved now already that they’re free?

“It matters not…” green waved off.

“…If we can’t have what the slavers promised…” purple reasoned.

“… then we shall have her instead,” and blue trained her eyes past me onto another.

Tumble… I wasn’t sure what this whole unity thing was, but if it put that much fear into the mares’ eyes then it couldn’t be good, “Yeah, not happening.”

Who knew a pony’s grin could be almost as worse as Riffs? “We weren’t asking,” all three answered.

And I wasn’t negotiating… ADAC answered Miss Green with enthusiasm on that one! The look on her- why was her face still here?! Then I saw that shimmer, her shield was already up, and it was dropping my shots at her hooves. A flash from the side and Miss Purple was gone, Blue not far behind her.

I don’t know where our resident stealth experts went, but their help would be appreciated! All I had to my side was Riff, and her 40mm sprung up beside my own 14.4mm- Purple appeared out of thin air, wrapped her hooves around the hound, and after passing me only a snicker zipped away in a puff of arcane smoke… with Riff in her hooves.

Great! So, my support was gone! Greens shield still hadn’t so much as flickered after my onslaught; all I could see was a… damn it! The initial shot from her horn wasn’t enough to hurt… a lot, but it sure left my joints fuzzy. That charge continued to arc its way over the plating, and even my HUD was giving me error codes. Not enough to fry the matrix, that’s a- and I was rolling now…

Armor integrity: 64%

Warning: Multiple rib fractures!

I had a floating I-beam to thank for that one… I could see the aura holding it, what I couldn’t see was the pony responsible! Another swing from it came in, and a belch from my thrusters moved me just out of reach as it crushed the roof- there ya are! The ambient glow of that horn stuck out against the night sky, now all I’d have to do was- I saw the shots spark off her own shield at first.

Where those shots came from, didn’t care! They weren’t at me, and that put Blue on the defensive. The glow of a shield overtook her form, and there along the surface more of those shots struck. Alrighty, she was occupied… that left me-

Zap!

Damn it! Another jolt hit from Green, and this time my limbs started to lock up from the impact. I hated that smug look on her face… and I got to see the horn charge up for another hit. Just in time to smack against my own shield. Smug turned to confusion pretty quickly when somepony used your tricks against ya!

And rolling! Again! That steel beam treated me like a hoof ball, and although the shield stopped projectiles, it wasn’t good at keeping me from smashing into an AC unit. Another bolt from Green sparked across my suits’ aura, this time I already got to see it faltering while her own held firm. If I couldn’t go through her shield though…

IF-451 spewed out a torrent of fuel right across her shroud, my fuel mix wouldn’t be enough to eat away at it. Though I doubted the mare inside would want to drop her shield in a shower of flames, thanks Lock for that trick.

One gone with Riff, one blinded, that left… Hi-ya! As many rounds that both the mare and gryphon were dumping into her, the horn of Blue never faltered. 5.56 was nothing compared to the right spell, 14.4mm APECR however… a burst of my cannon called the shield out on the mare, and after that quick succession parts of it already started to falter. Apparently, these things could feel fear, and as her camouflage disappeared, I got to see it across the mares’ face.

In Lunas’ name, the real one that is, I wish she could see my grin. Another salvo of shells erupted, this time the mare bucked and dodged with her wings to avoid it. My accuracy might have improved, but this mare had been at this a while! Still, the few shots that did land broke chunk after chunk from her cover exposing that flank. I just happened to get a front row seat to her tail singing all the same.

And… freeze in place? Sure enough, the imposter fell to the ground as her wings caked up with frost. With as much grace as… well, me falling, there was a thump as her hooves slammed but didn’t break. It must have taken every ounce of strength this mare had to stay on all fours, now it was time to finish the- and she exploded.

Or at least her torso did. From neck on down to where the cutie mark would have been, all that remained was a set of legs, a head, and what could have been compost. A sick part of me was enjoying that terrified look locked in on the severed head, as behind I heard another round being chambered in a very special AMR.

Another round from Mercy smacked into Green as the orb of flames began to die out… oh what the hell?! The shield itself might not have been completely intact, but every ounce of power left was put into the front. All I saw was the spent round slump to the floor at her hooves, and I got another grin in return. Seeing one of her sisters in pieces hadn’t so much as fazed the mare, if anything it just powered her up even more.

Another torrent of arcs broke from her horn, leeching across the roof. The other two weren’t in her sights, even with the literal cannon the mare had. No, I got that lucky ticket to be her target. Firepower was nothing if I couldn’t get that shield down, or at least weaker. Let’s see how she did up close! Against the roof I galloped, and with every arc that jumped on the metal frame I could feel my limbs wanting to jerk away.

Error signals flashed left and right from the hits, but so long as the suit wasn’t completely dead than neither was I. All I needed was to get in a tad closer and- Oh that one stung! Less than ten feet from her the next jolt shot through my legs. One spasmed, followed by what felt like the others, and instead of meeting her shield point blank with the cannon, I did with my face.

In all fairness, she looked just as surprised to see me as I was, and that broke her concentration enough to make her cover falter. The suit smashed into her chest, and I just knew that wasn’t my bones breaking. My momentum wasn’t something she could hope to waver, as both of us careened through the base of a crane and toward the edge.

From here muzzle to muzzle I couldn’t hope to hit, even with my head and gun swiveled down to hers, that was a headache I wasn’t looking forward to. Out the corner of my visor, her wings began to flail out for purchase, “Oh no you don’t!” my hooves wrapped around the appendages and held them firm to her side.

Ahh… that’s the fear I liked to see, geez that sounded twisted. For only being about four stories, the ground sure took its time with coming to meet us. When it did though, I watched as her skull smashed not only into the ground, but mine as well. As tough as these things were, metal was still tougher.

Slowly muzzle met muzzle, and hers began to stretch over it as mine pushed through tissue, bone, and everything else in-between. I’m pretty sure by this point I was about wearing her face on my helmet. Not to mention the rest of her body bursting out from under me like a tube of toothpaste.

*rmor in%$@^ity: 45%

War*&ng: Disp&$#@ in*@tiv#!

Faulty HUD or not, Med-X started trickling in almost as soon as the warning tried to spit out the message, and after using my body as a literal battering ram powered by gravity… it was a welcome-

Crunch!

If I had been paying attention more, I might have thought it good to look up a few seconds earlier… metal crunched against my own, and I felt the pressure of its weight impacting the suit over and over again. Each impact pushed me further into the body beneath, and the ground below that. If the Alicorn wasn’t dead before, she sure was now!

It felt like minutes had passed by as my face met the dirt, until I heard more fluttering overhead. “Wild! Ya down there?” ahh friendly fluttering this time.

“Whmp ou thinmph?!” I didn’t need to repeat that a second time as some of the weight above started move about.

“Yep, he’s there,” no shit Tumble…

Though how much could a mare and gryphon really move on their own? Every twist and turn they gave fell back to where it was, and my hooves were in no position to lend any aid… however, those were some heavier footsteps. Just then the weight started to fall off my back, and this time it stayed off.

I could feel my helmet freed up, and as it rose so did my head to see the hound that joined up with us. I didn’t need a headlamp to see the new sheen in her coat, and all I could make out from her face was the same underlying question.

“What happened to you?” both of us said.

“Self-proclaimed battering ram…” I wanted to slump my head back in the dirt, but a chuckle from the hound kept it risen to meet them.

“Purple bitch tries to drop dog,” Riff grinned at me, before fishing off whatever it was that kept my ass planted in place, “Not work so well.” You know, even with that weight off… I didn’t feel like moving from here, “This Tumble fault.” Riff pointed out.

Much to the surprise of said mare, “What?! Why me?”

“I second that motion,” my forehoof went up, finding purchase on the ground, “you just had to say it was getting old…”

Tumble stayed silent after that, and Deacon did the smart thing following her lead… wastelands easy with two tanks after all. A paw down to my hoof beckoned me, and as much as I wanted to rest here for the night. I also wanted to do so in the comfort of my own-

My forehooves found their place, but it still felt like a weight was sitting on my ass. A quick turn around showed just what had fallen. A crane at terminal velocity wasn’t in the testing for power armor. Yet here it was, off the side in a tangled heap, and I could make out the damage done to the suit even if it couldn’t tell me.

The guns were missed, but right along the flank plate something didn’t feel right… for that matter, something didn’t feel at all, “Guys… I can’t feel my legs.”

***

For all the armor plating I put on this thing, I have to admit, it’d be nice to feel the warmth of a fire against my coat at times. Slavers cleared? Check. Slaves saved? Also check. Unexpected guests taken care of? With a brutal check as well! Now all I had to do was try to relax for the night, Riff offered to take first watch. So I was free to-

“Will you get out of the damned suit and let me take a look at you?!” -piss off our group medic.

“I said no, you can look me over when we get to town,” and mark off another tally, I think that’s the fifth time I told him now?

It might have taken a bit longer with walking away from the mill till we felt comfortable calling it a night, but I still made it! How bad could it really be? My legs were kinda numb inside the suit, and I couldn’t feel the sensation of metal against my coat from the hips down. Though the suit did as it was commanded, and kept the pony inside moving.

And another facehoof… or facetalon I should say, answered me, “It’s been about three hours now, Wild,” Deacon groaned at me again, “if you can’t feel em then there’s something going on inside… just let me-”

“No… not out in the open like this,” I hushed him, “if I’m outside it, and something comes at us, it’ll just be you and Riff…”

His silence at least meant he understood, even if it was acknowledging my next to uselessness as a standard pony. Between the two of them they could probably manage, though having to cover my ass as well wouldn’t help the matter.

The blue bar approaching in the dark was a welcome sight to behold, and while I might not have heard the shots. I knew the mare wasn’t coming back empty hooved. Tumble finally came into the light of the flames, and across her back was what looked like Radrats… or was it a mole? Screw it, food was food.

Not soon after she camped out by the fire was the few rats thrown over it on a stick. “Still not getting out of his suit?” she asked not to me, but our medic.

“He’s probably one of my more stubborn patients…”

I’ll take stubborn over being vulnerable any day thank you. Though I didn’t want him to jump on that subject any more, “What were those things?” I tried to divert their thoughts, “I’d been alive for the actual princesses, but they were a lot kinder than what I just saw…”

“Alicorns,” Tumble answered the obvious, I put that much together already, “they’re part of some sort of group, call themselves Unity… but don’t know a whole lot about em.” Well so far you knew more than me, “experts with magic, and shields as you’re familiar with… hell the only things in the wastes that make them nervous are Rangers and Hellhounds.”

“Rangers have big guns,” Riff just pointed to myself, “And hounds…” her claws flashed out, and that was enough said for me.

“No wonder they wanted to separate you two,” Deacon poked at one of the rats, likely starving himself, “Think we can get some extra caps for dealing with them too?”

I’d love to get the extra caps for having my ass dropped on my stomach… and getting hit with a crane. Alas that’d have to wait till we got back, and sitting here near the fire waiting for food was boring. Luckily, I had some hindsight while grabbing ammo to bring a little something along to pass the time. Just like myself, the stubborn matrix floated out from one of my compartments, as the helmet came back up.

Now let’s see… where to start with- my hoof came up, and soon my side met the ground. Apparently sitting on already numb legs didn’t make the best cushion, and together the trio just stared at me on the ground.

“…I meant to do that,” one hindleg begrudgingly kicked out after some effort, and put me on my stomach. I could feel them rolling their eyes, but they weren’t making any comment about it so far.

That left my stomach still growling, and my mind with something to do for the time being…

***

I was never going to get tired of passing by these gates… it might have taken longer than intended, but the less I thought about moving the more the suit was able to do its own thing. Still, it had been an entire day, and my legs still weren’t waking up from their slumber. Half the time it felt like they were just dragging behind me now.

Not a nice prospect should I have to beat hooves and run.

At least the town was shaping up, shacks were patched, turrets were running, and in a few of those guard towers there remained some figure with a gun. All was right in this part of the wasteland, and I know just the mare who helped drive it forward.

“There ya are!” Alimite materialized seemingly to my side, nudging my shoulder with her own… well I could feel that! “Decided to take the scenic route did ya?”

All I got was a snicker from one hound before she walked off with the bounty paper. Tumble and Deacon however remained silent, and I just knew the gryphon was itching to get me out of this thing.

“You could say that…” just play it off for now…

“I’m glad ya did, otherwise I wouldn’t have gotten any news for you by the time ya got back,” Alimites eyes were lighting up more than usual, and truth be told so were mine, “I found your ride.”

“How’d you get it so soon?” Deacon asked what I was already wondering. We’d only been gone a day and somehow this mare managed to pull something out of her bandana.

And the mare looked all too proud of herself now, “Station owner reached out with a job to any who could help just this morning, sounded pretty urgent,” as if anything for a train out here wouldn’t be considered urgent, “and here’s the real kicker… they’re offering free travel to the ones who deliver…”

My hooves ground to a halt, and I felt the whole suit bump forward. A quick turnaround told me the same thought was shared by my friends as they ran into me. Free travel… that was fucking wonderful news! Now we didn’t have to fetch every quest and bounty the wastes had to offer. Just get whatever the owners needed, deliver, and we’d be well on our way to- Wait…

“What’s it they need…” I peered to the mare, and even through that smile it started to falter.

“Yeah, that’s kinda the hard part…”

Great, there was more to this story than just a happy ending, “Let’s get back to the shop…” and I had my own deck to figure out, “…that might not be the only hiccup.”

***

“You’re telling me you can’t feel a thing?!” the mare… or my mare, shouted into the mic barely before I had gotten the sentence out.

“Only the back part!” and that sure sounded better in my head.

Alimite looked about ready to take a can opener to this thing to get me out. Before she could I took center stage down in the basement and started feverishly undoing latches. I’d really need to brush my coat if I spent any longer in this thing, and as much as I enjoyed seeing the town come into view. Feeling that fresh air across my back was a welcome treat in of its-

Oh, hi floor!

As I pushed myself out the front, my muzzle soon met the cold concrete base. Deacon and Alimite were to my sides just a second too late, but they were already trying to stand me up. Mind you, trying being the key word. With both of my forehooves wrapped around their shoulders, my hind legs literally now dragged across the ground. I tried looking down between my legs to see how they were moving… but they weren’t responding in the slightest.

Hell, I couldn’t even feel the concrete scraping against my hooves, and the fresh air I mentioned was nonexistent across my hind limbs. Together the two dragged me over to one of the cots, and plopped me down on my stomach. The musky pillow was far more welcome than the floor, though I’d still prefer Alimites’ bed.

“Oh shit…” That is not something you want to hear the resident doctor say!

“How bad is it?” I’m positive I didn’t want to know that answer.

“Just… give me a minute,” Deacon trotted off somewhere else in the room.

Now I could see the nerves getting the best of the mare to my side. Last time I saw that on her I’d almost overdosed, and I could still feel the same pit in my stomach starting to grow with every passing second.

“While he does his thing,” Come on there girl, don’t fret over me just yet. Quick! Change the subject! “What was it they needed?”

That didn’t help her mood, and I about saw blood starting to trickle as she bit her lips, “… A Spark Generator Axil…”

If I had anymore fuses left after leaving the stable, that might have just burst the last one… alrighty, stay calm. You’re in no place to freak out now, Deacon is working on you, Alimite is next to ya, and Tumble is probably finding some booze to celebrate getting the train. Yep, just a relaxing day out in the wastes.

“A fucking Spark Generator Axil?!” and my head found a new level to the pillow to slump in.

I heard the clanking of the bottle before I even saw the culprit, “What the hell is that?” Tumble asked as she took a pull of some amber liquid… called it.

Talons across the floor welcomed soon after her, and- “Ouch! Watch it!” my eyes met the gryphon, and there he held a needle dripping with fresh blood.

“Sorry… just running some tests.”

Right… tests, which involved stabbing into me. No point in disturbing the doc, so instead I kept my eyes forward, and off whatever it was he was doing. If I was going to be laying here for the foreseeable future as Deacon worked, I might as well put that time to good use. Plus, change the subject for my own benefit.

“Coal was getting pretty scarce during the war…” Duh, that’s kinda what lead to the world blowing up, “Some of the first to be sanctioned and have their supplies cut for the effort were the trains, at least ones carrying passengers… so they looked for alternative means to make money by travel.” Subconsciously or not, my head started drifting back towards my flank.

Up until Alimite pressed her hoof to my bare cheek and kept it still. I wanted to take a look what he was doing back there, but something in her expression told me to sit tight. “One way of doing that was with a Spark Generator,” the mare picked up where I’d left off, “same principal as the Spark Batteries, but larger… much larger.”

“Enough to move a whole train,” I tagged teamed the lowdown on these things, it was my distraction after all! “They just needed a way to make to take the energy stored and turn it into motion… hence the axil.”

“So? Let’s find a pipe, clean it up a bit, and were home free,” Tumble waved her hoof around, enough to make me wonder just how much she was celebrating.

Alas, it’s never that simple when it comes to machines and magic. Even worse when you combined the two, “The axils are special mind you, they had to be machined to withstand the energy flowing into them, and not warp from the heat.” Pure Equestrian overengineering!

Oh, those were some heavier steps coming our way… out the corner of my eye I could see Riff join in on our little circle, and in her paws was a mighty heavy bag of caps that jingled. The dog looked so proud of herself; it’d be a shame to burst her-

“We might not be needing those for the trip,” -bubble… Thanks Tumble for breaking that one to her.

“Dog talk nice to pony to give more for Alicorn bitch… and this thanks dog get…” she groaned away, and the bag dropped to the ground, “What change?”

“Owners of the train put out a job, find a… special piece of machinery,” Alimite filled her in, “No wonder they were offering free travel…”

Even Riff knew the deal was too good to be true, “How hard to find?”

Alrighty now it was my turn to chime in again, “The axils are expensive to make… but at the same time, they’re kinda common actually,” oxymoron I know right? “Besides being in trains, some were sold as standalone units to major businesses to keep the lights on as a back- Will you cut that out!”

I couldn’t see him, but Deacon knew I was talking about him. Alimite kept my head forward, so my glare at the pillow had to suffice. Never the less, whatever he was doing, the gryphon continued along his way. At least I hoped he was doing something back there, that numbing shot must have really done the trick.

Let’s get back on track, “Hospitals, prisons, even a few of the Ministry buildings had some apparently.”

“If they’re so common, then why did you flip out hearing that’s what they were after?” Deacon finally decided to join in on the fray.

“Because most places that would have one are either the base of some group, or blown to every level of hell imaginable,” Thank you again Alimite for filling in that gap. Although that wasn’t helping our predicament in the slightest, “and I don’t think we want to attack one group, just to go out and face the Rangers all over again with little supplies… it’d probably be best to get the axil then head to the station on the outskirts of Las Pegasus before another pony cashes in.”

So, there was still a small gap in our plan… okay a major gap. No axil, no train, and no train, then no trip north. I didn’t have shipping records of those parts, nor did I even know where to start looking for one around… Las Pegasus…

“Hold up…” I muttered, and it fell on deaf ears.

“Dog have other question,” Riff spoke up, but my gears were still turning. As if you need to raise a paw? “Wild know how to work on them?”

And now it’s Riff Raffs turn to bring in the weather… for all the skills I learned, general maintenance on a generator was not one of them. Sure I could probably figure it out, but could I in the time we had to get it to the conductors?

“Sadly-”

“I can…” collectively we all stopped and looked at Alimite. Even Deacon did as I could see him halt through the corner of my vision, though why did he have his combat knife in his talon?! “At least I think I can, I’ve done nothing but tinker all my life… I should be able to figure it out.”

And plan still in motion! I had some filling in the blanks to do, and more walking should the suit be up for it, or my friends for that matter. Though it was a plan none the less, find the axil, get to the station, and bring the fight to the Rangers! Dear Celestia that sounded optimistic…

A clank to my side drew our attention elsewhere, and now walking off, Deacon went to a rag and started wiping down his talons. “Allow me then to add another hurtle to cross over…” oh great, what is it this- “you’re paralyzed.” -time.

Funny… I didn’t know the wasteland could get this quiet?

Part of me was still processing that information, but to another they already were long past that step. “Are… you sure?” Alimite questioned, he might not be a medical expert, but I’d trust his word more than most others, “he was walking here just fine not too long ago?”

“That’s the suits doing… Wild explained it before, it reads what the user wants to do and acts accordingly,” Deacon paraphrased a lot with that one, but she got the gist, “first sign was that nasty scaring along your spine from where the crane landed, if it wasn’t for the suit, you’d probably would have just been cut in half…” yeah, just cut in half, “but testing your sense of feeling with a needle, scalpel, and even my knife kinda made it clear. From the hips down you can’t feel or move a thing.”

Whelp I guess that wasn’t a numbing injection after all… “Paralyzed…” I repeated if only to drive the point home. I knew the suit would still work, it got me here after all. Though as slow as I could get with it before, how would I fare now?

“And now you’re about trek across the wasteland, to get an axil, just to face the Rangers again…” Deacon spelled out the other hurtles I already knew of, and this race was getting longer by the minute, “… I already know your answer to this, but I’ll ask anyway… are you up for it?”

When would have been the smart time to throw in the towel? When I reached this town and everything seemed just perfect, hang up the helmet and live a simple life? Maybe when we torched the pier and sent the rangers running, who knows how long it’d take to find me out here, especially if I actually kept my head low. Perhaps the smarter time would have been when the Gunners were dealt with, and our little slice of the wasteland was out of someponies sights… for the time being.

I would have still had my legs.

Alas, hindsight’s twenty-twenty… and although I knew the answer my friends wanted to hear. They knew the one I’d give, at least I knew they’d be there to pick me up when I fell. “I made it this far, why call it quits now?”

A mood that was shared by most, but one still had to ask the obvious. “Then… where do we find an axil?” Tumble brought up that point I’d been working out, with another pull of her bottle.

A bottle I gladly relinquished from her with a tug of my horn, and took a swig myself. Given the news I just received, I think I deserved it, “Leave that to me.”

Chapter thirty-eight: Memory lane

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Chapter thirty-eight: Memory lane

Here I thought I’d never have to traverse these roads again, that was a mistake. The town was already long past us before whatever sun started to creep through the clouds. Alimite was able to say goodbye and leave a list of things to check before parting ways, and that left the rest of us enough time to stock up for the journey too and frow.

It’d be nice if we got that train, I wasn’t looking forward to walking- Damn it! The suits muzzle, and consequently my own, buried in the ground yet again. After about the third time, Riff stopped giving me a paw to get up on, and her chuckle instead filled my ears.

“That make nine,” the hound reminded.

But who’s counting anyway?! “And I’m still fine!” I shouted through the speakers. Alimite wasn’t far from me in the path, leaving Deacon and Tumble to take up the head of our trek, “As long as I don’t think about… it, the suit does its thing.”

Right, just do like you’ve been doing since you were a foal… steadily the hind legs of the suit pulled me along and got into the same rhythm we’d found for the last couple hours after leaving Barkston in the dust. I was doing so well too, looks like that reset the record.

That just left Pasture Falls, Drybank, Maresport, and then finally home. My PB was able to find the buildings I was looking for, and our little waypoint guided us along that journey. Las Pegasus was hit by the Zebras, no question about that. Then again, most of outlying area I didn’t see a flash come from on that fateful flight out to the stable. If my house was still standing after all these years, and there was an active train station, then it had to be. It took half the night to convince the group that I was needed for this, even if they might have made it faster. They didn’t have the clearances I did.

“I can still pick a lock ya know,” Tumble passed the same idea she’d been pitching since we started out, and all I could do was shake my head at the mare.

There was a difference between wasteland locks, and M.W.T. locks that she wasn’t quite grasping just yet. Plus locks would be the least of our worries, “and picking a lock doesn’t do ya much good with a hole in your chest…” Oh don’t give me that glare Deacon! “I’m just saying! The place is probably guarded like the day I left it, assuming the powers still on.”

“And if it’s generator is still running,” Alimite reasoned even further, “Which given my understanding, it should be, then we’ll need him…”

Thank you! Might a been a little bias from her view, but the truth of the matter was simple. You don’t just go walking into an M.W.T. facility unannounced and live to tell the tail. All the cloaking technology in the world didn’t mean a thing when you were shot full of holes. Just ask the Zebras, there were a few instances where they tried… but the Ministry of Moral never got the chance to interrogate them before they barely looked like an equine of any sort.

“And you’re sure there’s one there? Still intact at that?” Deacon put his eyes back forward along the trail, “you’ve been on ice for a bit, who knows how much had changed.”

If there was anything Equestria did right, it was build things to last… “It’ll be there, it took a Balefire blast to call everyone out of work that day… and the bots probably kept the place tight,” Now I had to deal with them, almost two hundred years later. Something I was already working on, “just have to walk-” Make that ten… “damn it!”

***

I don’t care if the last couple days wandering, and headbutting the ground, without rest skewed my memory. These parts looked familiar… Pasture falls never looked so welcoming, far more than the first time I was here. Barely even a snide eye met me or my friends while we strolled into town. Granted, it was late, and the only ponies out at this time were too inebriated to tell there was a suit of armor or a Hellhound in their mists.

Speaking of it being late, “Where was that inn again…?” the visor peered across the small town, and it didn’t take long to see the broken-down windows of the lodging off less than a block away.

I’m so glad Riff brought those extra caps with us… I might have crashed there before. Although, it was hard to imagine bribing an inn keeper letting both myself and the hound stay under their roof without em. Even if we were the good guys, depending on who you asked.

The creaking doors to the run-down inn opened up, and in it we all piled in place of what amounted to the front desk… nothing more than a few stacked crates, with a crude sign of check in painted across. Now I remember this setting, past that counter there was the same mare ripe for the wasteland in age from last time I was here. The spectacles across her brow were cracked, but as she pushed them up with a hoof her eyes went across our rag tag group.

“Nope…” oh that got shot to hell quick.

“It’s just for one-” Alimite tried to sooth her down, but the grimace on the keepers’ face stayed firm.

“Absolutely not, I don’t care what ya might have done since you left here last time,” her hoof shot out before our Gryphon could work that magic tongue of his, “but if anypony wakes up and sees her walking the halls… I won’t have business for a month!”

Riff I could already hear grinding her teeth, but with a little help from myself and Tumble the hound was pushed outside before she could make a scene… or rip the mare in half. You know, which ever came first. Alrighty! So that idea was off the table. For the moment I looked to the bar, they probably had rooms…

“Deacon,” I called out to him, “think you can chat with that bartender? Maybe plead for a room?”

For a moment he considered it, then that talon at the edge of his beak broke off and I got a shake of his head. “’Fraid not chief… he’s not exactly keen on hounds either,” were there any creatures that were? “No offense Riff.”

“None taken…” the hound sighed, “I can dig hole, call it a night.”

I wasn’t about to find a dog house for her to kick her paws up… nor let her coddle herself inside a trench. No, we needed a better place to stay, “any other ideas for the night?”

To my offer all I got were stares. We weren’t exactly expecting to walk in with open hooves, but it’d be nice to have a place to stay for the night. One that wasn’t some burned out house on the verge of collapse. I hadn’t seen any on our way here that were close by, even when I was heading into town the first time.

So either we bribed the living hell out of somepony, or we got to- “Well I’ll be!” hooves wrapped around the suit, and through the plating I felt a squeeze. This is not the welcome I was expecting?! Though… why did only half my friends look surprised? There to my side stood a scruffy looking colt, this time around the bomb collar was left at home, “I didn’t expect ya in these parts again?”

“Oh, neither did I,” nor did I expect to make it on basically two legs, “You look better than when we left ya Mason.”

Sure enough, the colt had filled out quite well since being back home and getting some real… or I guess, more filling, food. Tumble popped up and returned the gesture, as Deacon shook his hoof with a smile. It was nice to see some of the good we did on our journey paying off, even if the other two were left in the dust.

“The misses keeps me hearty, hopefully enough to fight off slavers this time,” he might have chuckled, but I knew there was still a tinge of worry hidden in it, “really, what brings you to these parts? Seems you gathered some extra cohorts.”

Hmm where to start? “That might take a bit.”

Without a word his jerk ushered us along the dirt road. It didn’t take long to reach his farm, and there in the window the lanterns were still lit. Patch Work emerged from the door as we started our approach, and for a second upon seeing Riff I’d imagine she faltered, before her gaze turned to the three of us that helped make her house whole again.

That softened her gaze a bit, and with the door held open we all fell inside… I remembered this place being a little roomier last time. Though we didn’t have an entire party with us back then. Off in one corner the couples’ kin laid fast asleep, I don’t know how we didn’t manage to wake him after barging in here, but before long both the husband and wife joined us in what amounted to their living room.

“I’ve been keeping an eye out for him every night since you brought him back,” Patch Work walked up to her husband and planted a kiss to his cheek, and even the shabby colt began to blush, “now look who he’s pulled in.”

“And the Rogue Ranger here has a story to tell,” Mason pulled up a chair, as Patch went back into what had to be their kitchen.

Soon the mare twisted back with a few things of water, might not be as strong a drink that Tumble was hoping for. Yet it barely clicked in my sensors, so I couldn’t complain as we all found a seat.

Thankfully, Masons’ bit jumped in part of the way to my tale. Between the five of us giving a brief summary of our travels, the couple had about left their seat on a few of those occasions. Particularly after hearing the demise of Lock, Stock, and Barrel. The latter had apparently done her own work around the town before, and the siblings weren’t what I would call missed.

Our little ranger problem was the next thing to put them on edge, I don’t know how long they lived out here in the wests of Equestria. Although even here, they knew the journey north was gonna be hell. Almost together they asked how we even thought of heading that way, and Alimite followed up with our thoughts of the train. My current injury stayed off the table, as did much of what happened to the town itself, and what it cost… they didn’t pry too much about the pony I was looking for, and just listened to the tale being told.

Which was a nice transit to our next leg of the journey! “And so here we are, heading back to my roots…” and thanking my lucky stars the station wasn’t out in Ponyville of all places.

Mason looked about lost for words, his wife on the other hoof, “That’s quite the story… one for the shelf I would say…” yeah, if I lived to tell it, “Are you still heading south then?”

“Yes ma’am,” Deacon tipped his beak to her, “though we planned on stopping here in town for the night.”

“And find room…” Riff grumbled which made the floor tremble.

I wanted to hush her up so not to wake the colt still fast asleep, but another had different ideas, “I know the Inn here wouldn’t be to kind to ya, Riff Raff, is it?” Mason Jack stated the obvious that we all knew, and Riffs’ glare was all the telling he needed for how that went, “we may not be able to hold ya in here for the night… but our land is more than open.”

Say what?

“Certainly, after what you did for us alone, it’s the least we can do,” Patch nudged Mason with a shoulder, before she hopped up to her hooves, “I can grab a few blankets for ya… keep up the good work Rogue,” excuse me! I wasn’t the only one throwing myself against- “and his friends of course.”

That’s more like it… and would you look at that! Riffs’ smile was earning her one in return from the mare. With the local slavers already taken care of, what was there to worry about? A secluded part of town where we wouldn’t have to sleep with one eye open? I’ll take that in leu of a room.

Together the five of us piled outside, sticking close to the farmhouse. Mason was kind enough to show a burn barrel he had that we could set alight for the night, and no sooner had he spoke those words than Deacon already had out a flint and steel. Minutes later, and a fire was roaring its way into the night.

Either I was getting soft from living in the town, or tonight seemed a bit colder than usual as I popped the visor. Riff was kind enough to lay flat along our ring, blocking some of the wind, but there was still a nip in the air. I loved this suit at times, the heater inside was keeping all but my extremities toasty… you know even if I could only feel half of them. Hey at least it was giving Alimite a reason to snuggle a bit closer… not that she needed a reason after all.

“Doesn’t this town bring up some fond memories…” Tumble leaned back against the side of the shack.

Ahh yes… like getting swindled out of some EC ammunition, though it was where we met our resident gryphon, and he decided to take the job of a lifetime. Just how far would I have made it without his Benzodiaz… whatever the latter part was.

“Oh… you mean like you waiting for me to stab ya’ll in the back, or you ready to just off me at the drop of a hat?” Deacon nudged the mare in the side, and even through the glare she shot his way. I could still pick up on that smirk in the flickering of the fire.

Speaking of fire… it was dancing a fair bit now… duh, wind will do that. I couldn’t feel a thing through this suit, but my friends sure could. Alimite pulled herself a little closer into the suit, and whatever warmth it held onto from the fire. Riff just rolled her back to the gust, and Tumble looked about ready to jump on the fire to escape it.

Up until a wing draped over her side… awe! That wasn’t the fire making those cheeks red now. “Thanks… Chicky,” she passed the gryphon a wink.

“Meh don’t mention it…” go ahead and try to hide that smirk Deacon…

As if on que, Patch came out with those blankets and passed them out among us. Not the warmest thing in the wastes, and they might have been more patchwork than actual blanket now… wonder who sewed it. Though I was getting nice and toasty in this thing, who was I to complain?

“You know…” the mare beside me mused, “seeing on a map where you traveled and actually walking it are certainly two different experiences…” Oh I would know, I’m making the whole trip twice now, “my mom really did make good friends back then.”

Far better than some of those young colts she hung out with, “I made a promise, and I intended on keeping it…” I tried to lean my muzzle down a little to her in the suit, but thank you M.W.T. for ruining that for me!

A quick peck still greeted the end as she met me in the middle, and Alimite slumped back down to my curled-up legs to stay warm. That was one promise I might have broken- No! Stop it Wild! ‘…It’s not your fault,’ I had to remind myself that yet again.

There was far more at play when I found Winter, things not even her own child knew… in the end, I got to see her again. Winter got to live her life to its fullest, and it ended knowing she’d have somepony to watch over all she held dear still left in this world. I made a promise to keep that going, and if it meant going backwards to do so.

Then so be it.

That… was a growl… no wait, a yawn. Riff rolled over yet again, as I swore her jaw damn near unhinged to gasp at that breath. “Alright, chitchat done…” the hound plucked what had to be the biggest piece of eye sand I’d seen free, or maybe it was just dirt, “still long walk ahead.”

You know its bad when the hellhound is being the voice of reason… yet she was right. It might not have been the basement, but getting to camp out here with my friends still managed to list us all off to sleep. First Riff, then the avian and mare followed, soon thereafter I heard the soft purrs from the mare to my side…

Well, if you can’t beat em…

***

I could probably elaborate over the last few days since leaving Pasture Falls, though I don’t think anypony wants to know about walking… Seriously, not everything in the wasteland is getting jumped by Raiders at every turn, or running across a hoard of Ghouls the moment you step on a stick. Granted, I had a few surprise run ins with others, nothing a few well-placed rounds couldn’t handle. Yet for the trip back it all boiled down to just old-fashioned leg work.

Irony given my predicament… speaking of which.

“Mother fucker!” I’d been going well since we left the town, and with only our destination off in the distance, I had paid a little too much attention to the ground beneath me.

“I think that’s… what? Thirteen now?” Deacon… stop keeping track.

Luckily, I was getting used to picking myself up off the ground, I made it to my hooves before Alimite could even lift a hoof of her- oh that giggle… the mare looked about burnt red from my glower. Yet, that didn’t stop her chuckle from escaping in the least.

“I’m… sorry,” no you’re not, “I am worried about you, really…”

Worried? Sure, I can go with that, she was just probably happy I still had my legs even attached. I couldn’t imagine the suit carrying only half a pony. Let alone making this trip south, then north. If that was the case my friends would have probably tied my crippled ass to the bed and left to finish the job on their own…

Aren’t I lucky to make the trip?

That however, was a sight for sore eyes… it looked just as rusted in paint as the day I stepped out of the stable. I mean, nothing compared to the nearly two centuries I’d spent on ice wearing away at it. I shouldn’t have expected all that much to change in the last few months since I’d slept here after all. Never the less, seeing home was a nice touch.

Oh how far I’d come, spending the night in the attic munching on peaches, to a walking gun with legs… I felt them seize up for a moment, and instead of meeting the dirt I fought against them. My forehooves dug into the ground, and while I righted myself I got to take a gander at the scene.

If only past me could see this coming… it’d have been a hell of a story to tell.

“Wild live here?” Riff asked from behind me, likely waiting for me to eat it again.

“Used to… before all, this,” I didn’t have to point to the land around us for her to catch my drift. I had my memories of this place already stowed away for a rainy day, one thing’s for sure. I didn’t know when I’d be back this way after leaving, “Let me check it out real quick.”

The floor boards didn’t so much as creak as I strode in, though they nearly buckled under the extra weight. This was why I didn’t take certain work home with me, and here I was… think this counted as overtime?

I couldn’t tell if anypony had called this place home after I left here, it looked just as a mess back then. Though it was picked clean from the shop as I recall, no pony would have a reason to go out of their way to check this. Up in my bedroom was just as much a disaster as when I left it before the bombs. I still knew where everything was, and if it already looked ransacked, then there wasn’t a reason to check it out further.

At least to the untrained eye… within my nightstand the dust kicked up from the drawer, and two century old books remained spitting at their spines. One however, was cracked open. My horn plucked it out from its home, and there to my hooves the badge fell to the floor. Plastic was resilient, as was the talisman in the center by my picture. Funny, I looked so clean back then… that’d be some company I wanted to share a drink with.

Me before the bombs, me after leaving the stable, and me in the present.

What would I say to them? Practice your aim with small arms? Learn to cook unorthodox food? Teach Winter self-defense? Humph… as if I knew any. My brawling was learned in the wastes, and getting the snot kicked out of me. Learn to live with the decisions you make, that’d probably be the soundest advice I could give.

“Alright, enough of this,” I shook my head, now was not the time to dwell on the past, and what could have been. I still had to clock in after all.

Coming back down the stairs I found the bottom floor vacant still, the porch however had most of my friends there waiting on me… again, most of them. Alimite was no where to be seen, though none of them looked concerned. Tumble just raised a hoof to the house across the street, and I got all the information I needed.

I hadn’t even bothered checking out Lilacs’ house on my way out the door before, and I couldn’t imagine it being in any better condition than my own. Sure enough, the door opened with a squeak, and the status of the floors would have had the old Pegasus flying up the- walls…

“Oh…” was about all I could get out when I saw the bones.

And the mare standing before them.

Alimite stood frozen feet away from the rocking chair, and I couldn’t tell if it was shock or not that crept its way onto her features. I’ll admit, I’m surprised the mare stayed here all this time. I guess there was some respect for the dead. Lilac looked just like she did when I first charged in here back then. Minus the missing scotch, though I swore I could still smell it in the air.

Do I hug her? Tell Alimite that it was quick? She’d know it was a lie, but what does one say at a time like- “Grandma…” …this… Alimite answered that question for me, and the tears that wanted to fall I could see suck back into her ducts.

In respect, the mare took a knee before the surrogate, with her hoof resting gently on the arm. Winter made well and good on telling her daughter about the mare that took her in when no one else could handle her. I gathered that much over knowing her already. While the tears may have wanted to break free, they were met with a smile.

“…It’s nice to meet you finally,” she said the words that would never be returned.

Somewhere I could hear Lilac sobbing in joy, and Winter was right there alongside her.

“I didn’t know she’d still be like this…” I couldn’t see the smile on the skull, but it was there. My hoof rested on her shoulder now, and silently one tear finally worked its way free from the mare, “If you’d like, we could bury her outback?”

Alimite paused her tears, but held back a breath, “… No, she looks so at peace like this, it’d be a shame to disturb it.”

A steady nod from me answered, and I could understand the sentiment. A far tenderer kiss from the mare graced her hoof, as she rested it on the cheek of the skull for a moment. Before rising back to her hooves… I’m glad I didn’t come in here to check when I first got out of the freezer. Alimite wouldn’t have had this moment if I put her in the ground.

Us two emerging from the door beckoned the trio back to their feet. Riff Raff opened her mouth, but a wing across from it silenced the hound. We all knew it was going to be something smart, and Deacon just beat us to the punch to squash it. Their hooves, paws, and talons followed behind myself and the mare that just got to see some of her moms’ memories, and we made our way further down the road.

“Tell me…” Alimite smiled still to my side, letting one other tear fall in solace, “Tell me a story from back then, something with her…”

Oh, that could take months to cover all of them, a good thing too if we had to walk all the way north… for now, I had maybe half an hour to cover between here and my old work. “I can do that for ya,” and I knew just the one to tell.

---

“The left side of the periodic table is composed of most reactive elements, so what would happen if you moved further to the right?” I tried to egg the young mare on, but somewhere between brain and mouth something wasn’t firing.

“Earth pony, remember,” I got Winters’ eye roll once again for the night, as her face flopped back into the book on my bench.

As a student I could ace damn near any science class with half a brain working on no sleep. Math and literature… well not so much. So when Winter asked if I could help her study some material in science I was all too eager, already had the hot chocolate ready by the time she came over after school.

Since when were they teaching kids periodic tables at her age?! “The words you’re looking for are less reactive,” I snickered. We’d already been at this for hours, scanned through chapter about three times, and burned probably a good four cups of coco a piece… let’s make it five! “Look over it again, I’ll be right back.”

The two empty mugs hovered over her head, and to my side. Winter hadn’t picked her head up off the book just yet, but maybe that’d transfer some of the knowledge though osmosis. Who was I kidding, that’s a lie, and I sounded like one of my teachers for even thinking it.

I kept the burner on low with some water, and with a couple rips of the packaging two fresh cups were at the ready. As I stirred the contents, I couldn’t help but wonder how to help the filly. This subject came naturally to me, though teaching another might have been my forte in the workshop. Actual subjects in school that skill didn’t translate to. If she was going to make a habit of coming over here for tutoring, then I’d need to install a chalkboard.

A project for another day, and with that in the back of my mind I broke back into the room. Ready to take a nother crack at it. “Alrighty, lets try this-” snoozing, almost snoring, I could hear from the pages. Winter wasn’t at the drooling phase yet, but after the last few hours, she might be there soon, “-again.”

A project for another day, and a subject to cover then as well… somepony needed to get home. With a whisk of my horn, I draped the filly over my back as I carried the books alongside. Time flies when you’re studying, and the sun had already disappeared long past the horizon. Though like clockwork, the porch light was on outside that teal house.

It didn’t take but the second knock before the Pegasus answered, “Oh dear, I hope she wasn’t any trouble over there,” Really? That’s the first impression of Winter knocked out over my shoulder?

“No trouble at all, we just hit the books pretty hard tonight,” I passed the filly off, and with a wing Lilac ushered me inside.

Before she took the filly upstairs, her wing gestured over to the living room, and with a careful step I took a seat waiting for her. I’d only been invited over for dinner once before, so I didn’t want to overstay my welcome. There was a few things I needed to do on my own list… namely clean up the shop a little. It didn’t take long for the trotting to emanate from the stair case once more.

Lilac looked tired, I mean more than usual, as she almost fell into the rocker, “I can’t thank you enough for catching her up a bit… I haven’t had to think about school work in decades.” I never asked her age, though if I had to guess it was probably up there in the time of when half of the periodic table was still unknown, “Can I get you anything to drink?”

“Oh no, I don’t want to-” yeah… that glare will shut up just about anypony, “ahh… glass of water?”

After a flutter of her wings, the mare was up and off to the kitchen… I hadn’t planned on staying a bit, but if the mare was going to offer me then who was I to refuse. By the time she returned, it looked like Lilac had taken a double shot of espresso in my absence. Her smile was back, and I could see the pep in her step.

She herself opted for what I had to guess was a mug of tea, and by the smell… yep, that was green, “how did it go today?”

I mean… I can’t say it was bad? Winter might have been struggling, but this was the first time with the subject and my hooves. What’d you expect? “As you think it did… she has some work to do,” understatement at the time, “but she’ll pull though.”

“She’s stubborn enough to do it,” that I learned quickly of the filly. Once her mind was on something, Winter wouldn’t sleep till she was satisfied. Besides, you know, today, “I do wish I knew more about what she was studying… Though I’m glad you can make up for my shortcoming.”

“Tis my pleasure, I love to teach… even if I’m a bit rusty myself,” seriously… chalkboard was on my to-do list already.

“Winter’s at least up front with you about wanting help… I can barely get anywhere with her.”

The tea in her wings almost spilled out as much as it sagged in her grip. Just like it appeared, the smile the mare had was gone, and I got to see the same listless expression when we first met. How many nights were there like this when she’d stay up and wait for the filly to come home? How many of those would Winter go to bed without a word to her of appreciation? My uncle never really was the sentimental or caring type, but if he happened to be up when I got home late he at least said something. It was still nice to hear ‘glad your safe kid’ once in a while.

“I’m happy somepony managed to…” the beginnings of a smile started to grace the mare.

I knew they weren’t exactly within the same age group… that much was obvious, but how could they not be close? Lilac loved her, I could see it, but something didn’t click between them. What was the rift? Better question…

“I hate to pry…” and yet here I go doing it, “but is Winter your… daughter?”

Okay! Don’t let the mare choke! A few hearty coughs almost made her tea come back up from the wrong pipe, not the question to ask while she was taking a sip. Thankfully, the mare got herself under control quickly. “Not… exactly,” some of that sorrow returned, and I regretted even asking, “Cherry Blossom, was my daughter…” another sip quelled what quiver in her lips there were, and the mare sat the mug down on the table, “Cherry, passed… about fifteen years ago, never got the chance to have children of her own…”

After that alone, I was ready to tell the mare she didn’t have to share, and apologize for ever asking. Alas, before I could get a word out, hers kept flowing. “She was all I had after my husband, so after Cherry was gone… I didn’t really have anypony,” the memories of her spouse and kin I could see playing through her eyes, and a feather wicked away the tear, “I wasn’t looking for a surrogate, or a replacement, but I wanted to share the love I had with somepony… so I looked at adopting.”

“I couldn’t keep up with a foal, not in my years now,” that garnished a chuckle from Lilac, and I followed with her if only to put her at ease, “so while I was looking through the records at the town hall of fillies and colts looking for a home, one stuck out to me,” Winter Blossom, “you can imagine why,” think it had something to do with the name?

“I knew she had bounced between homes… but I wanted to give her one to call her own, and if anything let her have a real childhood,” the pain returned, as that childhood still had to be lived with a war waging on. All I could do was stretch out a hoof over her own, as her wing brushed overtop my limb, “It’s just been difficult to say the least, she knows about Cherry, and I can’t help but think she just feels like a replacement.”

Forget how often the mare stayed awake at night waiting for the filly. How often did she cry wondering if she made the right choice to bring Winter into her home? Here was a mare who just wanted to give her love to another, and she couldn’t get close enough to her ‘daughter’ to do so… I didn’t have kids, but my heart went out to the mare for it.

“I don’t ever expect her to call me mom,” a sip silenced the knot in her throat I saw bubbling up, “I just want her to smile, when I call her daughter…”

School does not prepare you for conversations like this! I hadn’t had enough of a social life to know what to even begin saying… but I did have parents who loved me, or at least a mom who did. If there’s anything I learned from that mare, it’s the joy she felt from me calling her that simple three letter word.

“And she will… in time,” ‘copy and pasted’ words to say if there ever were, but it was the truth. Winter had led most of her life alone it seemed, but if she was going as far as to start studying. Who knows what else might change about her? “She’s trying to turn over a new leaf, might just surprise ya.”

A chuckle shook my hoof free, and the mare finished the rest of her tea, “that surprise might give me a heart attack… but thank you for that, Wildfire.”

What to do what to do… actually, I knew what I could do, “I know she’ll want to study again sometime with me,” hopefully over something that could keep her eyes open, “how about I come over instead?” her look told me our trains of thought weren’t on the same path, “… if I may, you’d at least know what she was studying, might be able to help out as well?”

It was small, but if the mare could get her own interest in the school work. Then just maybe it’d give something for the filly to take an interest in of the mare. Now she seemed to be following me, and the more Lilac mulled the idea over. The more I saw that beam start to grow.

“I’d like that.”

---

She was silent at first, but I could see the tear trailing down her cheek, “Thank you for that, Wiley.”

Behind the visor I shared her smile. One of the sweeter stories, there were plenty more I could share when we got back to the town after all this was said and done… assuming we did that is. First things first, this next hurtle that came into view.

Ahh… back at the office after all this mess. Equestria sure knew how to make them last after all. I took in the three wings that made up the exterior structures, each with their own purpose in mind. Arcane Firearms was where most of the unicorns hung out, you know given their nature. The next one over was the Conventional, something that I had more than a hoof in developing over the years. Lastly the Armor wing looked as unassuming as the other two, but I knew where this suit called home.

Joining all of them was what many of us just called the Birdcage, or Atrium if you prefer. The Ministry of Image wanted to give someponies a place to have their lunch after all, and spared no expense when it came to its construction. The steel veins trailed up its side giving it the nickname, as what little glass panels kept the weather out unless it was welcomed in to water the lawns.

Still many of us found us having a bite at our work stations, no time to bask under the sun… a treat I took for granted while it still shined bright. The buildings fared far better than the atrium itself, time would do that to glass, and I could see many of those steel structures warped and twisted over the years of neglect.

Rarity would have been appalled… More so by that welcome!

Thanks to the fading light, I saw the shimmer of the energy bolts before they hit any of my friends… my suit, didn’t fare so lucky. A tug of my horn pulled Alimite in close while the shield kicked on to cover our approach. These things were still working after all the years, that told me something, our trip might not have been in vain.

Now to get out of this! The visor flipped up as I held my badge out, “M.W.T. Technician Wildfire reporting!” almost instantly the guns fell silent, and- oh no you don’t! “With guests!”

Before they could open up on the trio in tow, a wane of their motors halted the turrets, and their barrels fell silent once more. Alimites tears were quick to dry up after that little commotion, and my group looked ready to blast them apart for good measure. With a hoof I gestured each of their heavy arms down.

“I wouldn’t do that…” Tumble looked sour at me holding Mercy in her hooves, “we’re guests here, and let’s not upset our host.”

That calmed them down, for now… we didn’t take too kindly to being shot at, but against what I knew this place was protected by. Discretion was our ally, we were on my home turf. The guns above the welcome center stayed on their guard as we passed by into reception. There behind the desk the dust had long built up, and I missed the smile I’d always get from the old secretary.

Script? I think it was… now I just sound like a shitty pony for not even learning her name, the mare probably was left to die like so many others out here in the wastes once the bombs fell. They didn’t just let any pony into a stable, and Stable-Tec probably didn’t see the need for a pony who could click away at a terminal at eighty words a minute.

“Where group headed?”

Right… about that, “I have no idea,” they all deadpanned to me at once, even Alimite cocked her brow up, “Okay I have an idea! Just have to test it out,” granted I knew there was one here, just not where it’d be hooked up, “the maintenance hall was built under the atrium, if there was any place the generator would be, it’s there.”

Central to all the wings, and protected by a concrete shell, with the soil above. We didn’t work down there back in the day, but trying to bring one of those generators in garnished a lot of attention.

In the meantime, I got to take in the past a bit myself… I’d walked these halls enough to know my way around, even cutting through the atrium itself to save a little time. This place was busy back then, when the bombs started falling it looked like any other day here with ponies running about. Come to think of it… this might have been the first time it’d ever been quiet.

Not quiet… I heard the whirl of treads up ahead, and saw the guns before the bot cleared the corner. One Sentry rolled into view, and on towards us. Those guns however stayed to its side, oh thank the goddess it wasn’t shooting in this tight space.

… Wait… I remember this one, we gave it our own name because of the rust growing that never seemed to buff out. “Clause,” I called out as it stopped, “Good to see you old friend…”

Please don’t short circuit, please don’t short circuit, please don’t- “Technician Wildfire, you are late for your shift.”

Yep, he hadn’t changed… I chuckled, but the tension from my friends staring down the war bot wasn’t getting any easier, “I know, I know… I have a party of guests,” I let his own visor look over the bunch, “We’re… delivering additional arms for research.”

I heard the clicking away at the talisman inside, until his frame dropped down a bit. “Understood, please check them in at the Conventional Wing office.”

With that, the bots’ motors purred back to life, and rolled out between us without another word. All of us watched it round the corner before heaving a sigh of relief. Fooling turrets was one thing, a robot that could speak and ask questions required a quick wit… and some luck. Maybe some of its logic circuits were fried, almost two hundred years of rolling around would do that to any machine. I mean, gryphons and diamond dogs weren’t exactly welcome by Equestrias’ standards.

Steadily we made our way through the buildings twisted hallways, this felt like a longer route than I remember, but I knew we were on track. Just had to follow the directory too. Amongst the reinforced walls, different windows held out on display some of the projects this M.W.T. facility had been working on… and I did a little check list of ones I’d personally touched.

“Shouldn’t we do some looting?” our gryphon piped up, and I heard a smack that echoed through the hall.

“We could have been lit up by that bot, or the turrets, and here you are wanting to ransack the place,” Tumble tutted to him under her tongue, and her glare turned into a grin at me, “Can we?”

Are you serious? “No!” I shrieked out just above a whisper, “You’re guests here, guests don’t leave this place with party favors.”

Last thing I wanted was to fight an entire building of bots that might still be running, all donned up in the latest gear of the time. Pulling an axil was one thing, just another piece of machinery. Though trying to clear out the testing and development areas?

“Do you want to be labeled a stripe by security?”

The couple was almost salivating at the possibilities of what this place might hold still… if the security wasn’t intact, it might have been just enough to arm this part of the wasteland. A nudge from Riff pointed them back in our direction, and we pressed on.

Right back into some familiar ground… the door opened up, and there was a sight I was used to. Even with all the chaos of other places out here, I knew this was just how the workshop looked on a daily basis. Parts thrown around from bins, spent shell casings littering the ground around the firing line, sections of metal lying in wait to be turned into the next weapon frame.

My second home, and I couldn’t help but pop the visor to take in a breath… yep, that was gunpowder. “What's that look for?” Alimite asked off to my side as I kept striding in.

“Just nostalgia…” it had been so long since I’d seen any of this… and so many memories over the years.

Staying up late with Flint and Beaker to try and get the right chemical mixture for a warhead. Having to be pried out of a suit by Anvil before the supervisor came in to check on us. Even when we played a prank and zip-tied Flasks’ ID to the support beam… what? Beaker loved messing with his sister.

It was all a wonderful trip down memory- “Hello… old friend,” I whispered, and took a step closer to one bench.

Much of it had been burned from previous tests, or had little measurements written down along its surface. There wasn’t always a paper handy, and soapstone worked well in a pinch. What did leave me breathless, was the picture on its edge. A gaggle of ponies, all in either lab coats or maintenance coveralls. As comfortable as pajamas you could imagine, and there was a smile on all our faces… the largest on that one pony in the center with the new badge.

I levitated the picture over, and behind me I could feel those eyes staring from my friends, as well as the pony from the past. “Wild?” Deacon was the first up to my side, as the others gathered around and looked over the image.

Was I crying? Of course not…! Okay maybe a little, “my first day in the office,” I turned the image so they could get a better look at a cleaner me. It had been months since they had any back up in the shop, and when I showed up many of them had a doubt or two about what this fresh kid could do.

It didn’t take long for them to figure out I earned my cutie mark for a reason though… “Pony look happy,” I was Riff, I was.

I had my own bench to help the war effort, a group of coworkers that all shared a similar interest, and even if I didn’t go out much on my own. I at least got along well with them. What more could a guy ask for? Maybe a second chance, to say thank you to them all for welcoming me in…

If only they could see me now.

A few twists of my horn pulled the crimps off of the back, and that picture slid out of the frame. It wasn’t much, but it’d be nice to keep for the trip. Maybe something to take home and reminisce about what things used to be, what started me down this path I walked now.

With the picture back in my compartment, I jerked my head onward. My friends didn’t pry much past that, they knew enough from my little expression to know what this place meant to me. If you love what you do, you won’t work a day in your life.

Yet through our little walk into the past, I found what we needed, this was the door I was looking for… a gallant shove later creaked the hinges open, and lead us into… a graveyard. Amongst the trees and bushes that dotted the landscape, there were almost just as many burned out remains of the security bots we’d just passed by. Everything from the Mister Handy model, to even a couple of Clauses cousins.

Why was the hair on my neck standing up? Our walk turned into a crawl, and whatever shimmer in the sky started to fade once more. Leaving those shadows around us from the buildings to grow bigger. I might have been able to find our way in the night, but a lamp made things ten times-

A talon pressed across my visors light, and I saw the grave look from the gryphon. With it flickering off, one claw of his raised up. I’d already seen the bent and twisted metal, what more could I have to- see… some of those beams were moving.

“Bloodwings…” he whispered, “Best stay silent.”

Oh… how lovely… now we just had to navigate-

Crunch!

The sound of crushing metal filled all our ears, and behind us it looked like Riff had been the unlucky one to find what once was a Mister Handy tucked between her toes… the screeches above didn’t follow no sooner after that.

“Run!” Deacon shouted and my light flicked on leading the way.

It was getting dark quick out here, and between our stomping over the ground all that welcomed us was the steady teeth chattering above mixed in with wings. None of my friends had stopped to shoot, and I wasn’t about to be the odd ball out.

Instead, my hooves pummeled into the ground as I looked for the center… There you are! One massive oak had been brought in to serve as the head piece to the atrium, a nice place for Pegisy to roost on their break. They weren’t the only ones either! Amongst the branches that had long dropped their leaves, I could see the shadowy smudges that darted along the open space.

More importantly, I saw the mound right in front of the trunk to the tree. The hatch leading down had likely not moved in decades, but boy did I throw my servos into overdrive trying to get to it… my shoulder arched back in pain, and it took all the concentration I had to keep my tongue from screaming out.

Beating against my head one Bloodwing had bitten off more than it could… how the hell was I not touching the ground?! The hatch was gaining distance quickly in my vision. The massive gust of wind these things brought with them was enough to pull a suit of armor free from the ground!

All I could make out was the bulk of its frame, and as my helmet found its face with the dull light. I got the picture of what had to be something summoned by Discord himself. You were not a face a mother could love! With my helmet meeting it, so too did the shotty turn around. One shell threw it off, the next three scattered viscera over my plating, and allowed gravity to take back over.

Not my most graceful landing… but I was breathing damn it! I could hear the screams and yells of those I’d brought with me not far away. Riff had swatted a few from the air as their bodies landed around during my approach to the hatch. Tumble peppered away with her carbine, while Alimite racked and slam fired shell after shell.

Where was the bird?

One wing beat got a little too close for comfort, and as I looked up, I got my answer. Deacon had taken it upon himself to give them something to chase, as he led them around the aptly named birdcage. Some were getting close in I could tell, but he banked what he could to avoid their slashes.

“Riff! Door!”

She didn’t need any other word of encouragement. Those massive paws clenched on to the handles, and I could see the veins pulsating through her body as she heaved. A lurch later, and the hatch started to budge. Whatever counterweight it had must have been damaged underneath, I’d just have to buy a little time.

Where are you… the red on my E.F.S. all blurred into one, but amongst it there remained one blue bar caught up. He was getting close, I wouldn’t dare use the ADAC, or the shotty with him in there. That left me one option… the IF-451 kicked on just as Deacon got a bit closer, and in one whoosh fire and fuel spilled out into the open sky.

The first couple Bloodwings didn’t have time to dodge this, and the flames enveloped their bodies. Sending them crashing down around us as burning husks. Those behind however took the hint and scattered like gnats avoiding the swatter. Smaller bursts kept any other mass of red from dog piling us, and I had to watch my fuel reserves carefully to not run out mid performance.

A final creak rang out, and there stood Riff with the hatch on her shoulders, “In…Now!”

I could see the light like a beacon from the maintenance bay below, and the girls were the first to take to one of their names and tumble inside. That left one other out there in the swarm, the red bars were scattered, but there was a blue joining their ranks… and he had to be lining up his shot.

Deacon didn’t bother slowing down his decent, and tucked in to the access tunnel rolling across the ground. My hooves followed him quickly after, letting Riff throw the hatch off her shoulder and slam shut. Catching one unlucky Bloodwing in its frame. The heavy weight of the door was enough to almost cut it in half, but after a second of screeching about the body fell quiet.

Was this thing a bat?! Sure enough from those ears along its head, to the almost pig nose… that was a bat at one point. Years out in the wastes had turned them into whatever the hell it so chose. Leading to this monstrosity against nature.

Didn’t I have them on the list of ‘Creatures not to fuck with’…?

“Deacon!” one mare shouted, and Tumble was by the gryphons’ side in moments. My head lamp flicked back on to reveal our friend.

Those things had nasty talons of their own… I could see the blood running across the ground from the wounds on his back, and even the flitter in his eyes were dull after a few moments of sitting still. Hoof after hoof, Tumble shoved potions into his beak, and the gryphon slurped down the purple liquid like she did liquor.

His back was piecing itself back together through the wonders of magic, but he looked drained after that ordeal… no pun intended. “Oh, don’t worry about little old me,” he tried to smile, but it fell flat as she shoved another potion in his mouth.

“Shut up and drink…” he wasn’t about to argue with her, and with what she probably learned in the medical shack. The mare went to work breaking out the bandages.

“Turkey, okay?”

“Never better…” he got out between the neck of the bottle.

He was breathing, and needed a long nap after trying to outfly those bats… er, Bloodwings. I didn’t have medical training, but I knew what most maintenance areas carried. “Let me see if I can find something to ease the pain,” almost as if by que, Tumble rammed a needle of Med-X into his ass.

That wasn’t going to stop me from taking a look around… looked like I wasn’t the only one with the idea. Alimite joined alongside as I went on, I expected to faceplant after trying to keep my heart in check. I guess adrenaline overpowered the lack of nerves.

Down here for the most part all I could see were bodies. Someponies must have thought of the idea to hunker down here to escape the bombs, or the Bloodwings outside. Either way, it didn’t bode well for them. What little scraps I saw showed that many must have starved, or died of thirst from the few canteens scattered about. Not the quickest way to go, but far better than being torn to shreds by those things outside.

A nudge to my side brought the lamp down, and Alimite just pointed her muzzle to the corner… so it wasn’t a complete loss after all. There spun the generator, keeping the lights on after all these years, as it purred like a kitten up to its moms’ belly. I really didn’t want to be around when the guns fell silent after it was taken apart. Though, I wondered if the place had a back up to it?

I saw the flash of her horn tightening the bandana around her head, and the mare brought out a few tools from her pack. “I’m going to see what I can do…” she started trotting off towards the machine, “we might be in here for a bit, best to lay low and wait till morning anyway.”

Like you think I’m going to open that hatch back up…

***

The second time around was far easier for the hellhound, and the hatch creaked back open to the morning… dull sun. Riff held the door up wide for us as we all piled out, and with a careful paw she kept it from slamming shut like it did the night before.

Deacon might have been the only one to sleep through the night, after his blood loss though. I don’t know if you could really count that as sleeping. Still, he was alive. A few more scars along his back from the bats that didn’t make it back up to their roost, but alive none the less. He looked all too happy to be leaning on Tumble as she helped him walk free into the atrium.

My eyes looked skyward, and to the fidgeting bats that clung to both the oak above, as well as the remaining beams. If the security didn’t keep any would be intruder at bay, those would thin out their numbers for sure… so long as they kept up there, I wasn’t about to waste the ammunition on payback.

After a small grunt, Riff hoisted the axil up and across her back. The tarp we found helped keep it somewhat comfortable on her frame, but the hound was probably getting tired of being a pack mule by now. It’d taken a lot of work on the part of another to get it done, but sure enough… Alimite delivered.

The mare I could feel snoozing across my own spine, and after last night she deserved her own rest. I could bear the weight of that much. Each of us were already pulling more than our fair share, as we licked our wounds on out the atriums sides. Pulling that axil had done its own work, and dropped all but a few turrets into a slumber.

I didn’t need to worry about showing my badge to any other, so with our prize in tow, and our pride still intact. I pointed the suit to the next waypoint my marker gave, Las Pegasus Station… our journey was really about to happen.

Chapter thirty-nine: R & R

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Chapter thirty-nine: R & R

You’d think I would have been used to guns pointing at me by now…

Alas, watching the entire station train their barrels on our group since our approach still sent my heart a flutter. They weren’t shooting, and either were we, so I could keep the peace till we got to where we needed. Not even a single guard had approached us when we walked in, they likely didn’t want to be in hooves reach of a hellhounds’ claws.

That just left myself to have a stare down with a locomotive, and hopefully somepony inside who might be able to quell this worry. “This is the Rogue Ranger!” the speakers bellowed out, and reverberated throughout the station, “I’ve come to collect on that deal of passage!”

Riff dropped the tarp she carried, and the axil inside spilled out across the platform. A few of the workers from the train looked either ready to clap, or pay up a dept they owed somepony for making a bet. These things were difficult to come by, unless you had a little knowledge almost two hundred years in the making.

At the sounding of the whistle, many of the guns around us stood down, and all of us in the group stood a little easier. One head however, poked itself free from the engine room, and gave us the same look many of the guards had when we first walked in.

“Well… I’ll be…” the colt swung from the door and landed the platform to greet us. His overalls reminded me of the train conductors you always read about in books, or seen in pictures. Hey, at least he was keeping the tradition alive, “I didn’t think anyone would actually manage to get one… this fast at least.”

Alimite had long awakened during our walk and was there by my side as the conductor, who actually lived up to the name, stood dumbfounded. “And we delivered… now will you make good on your deal?”

The pony in charge of the train might have gulped at the caps he lost out, but without the train moving the in the first place. I got to see the calm settling in of acceptance across his face. It was a fair trade on his part, “Of course… it’ll take a few hours to install and test, but we’ll be back on the rails again to take-”

“My party,” for a moment his eyes lingered to the most obvious of our group. He should be thanking the hound for carrying it the whole way here, “my entire party, up north,” I could see the numbers running in his head at what this cost him, either from the lot of us, or what travelers might jump from the train from the sight of Riff. Yet somewhere those numbers stopped.

“As promised.”

With his nod, any of the guards to the station fell away into their own business, leaving us standing there on the platform twiddling our hooves. That actually went a lot smoother than I expected. Usually there’s some barter between after trying to cash in, but this pony out right would pay what he owed in full, even if there was some reluctance… a colt of his word.

Ill take that any day of the week. With his workers now carting the axil off for maintenance, our side of the bargain was met… now what the hell were we supposed to do in the meantime? Alimite started tightening her bandana, and that already answered what she had in mind.

“I’ll see to it they make those repairs fast,” I should get her a whip as a slave driver, “you all could prep with shopping for supplies.”

“I mean we have the caps for it now,” Tumble snickered, as she tapped her side from the bundle Riff had pulled in earlier, “Shopping spree?”

I don’t know about spree, but- “I need more cryo grenades,” Deacon answered.

“Dog want more boom,” Riff implied her ammo.

“And I could always use shells,” Alimite fluttered her lashes at me, like a filly trying to sweettalk her father.

… Still having a hard time saying no to this one, “Okay fine!” I caved all too easily, as I turned to the mare who would be doing the heavy lifting, “Come find us when you’re sure they’re on the right track?”

“You bet,” she left a quick peck to the end of my muzzle.

Before any of my friends could dare say a word, I was already pushing the lot of them towards the market and well away from the mare. I might have been shopping with them for the time being, but at least here I could ignore any and all comments on that other matter. It was already pretty obvious after all… was I hiding it? Of course not. Did that mean I was up for the tittering and prodding? Not while there were bigger fish to fry, something that others still found the time for…

“Think they’ll get a suite together?” Tumble prodded the side of the gryphon.

For a moment the guy mused that one over, “with what we just delivered they could probably afford a whole car to themselves,” his grin met the mares, and I kept my eyes forward. “Though I would suggest getting out of the suit for that, don’t want to hurt the mare,” Deacon snickered over my shoulder while I tried to pay the utmost of attention to the vendor, “Doctors orders.”

Alrighty then that does it! “What does the doc say about interspecies contraceptives?” He forgot, two could play at this game.

His beak snapped shut half a second after those words left my lips, and I got to see the mare halt in her tracks with him. Riff kept her grin spreading wide behind them, but if I was going to be the center of attention. Then I could always use putting the spot light somewhere else. Did I feel sorry for it?

Not in the slightest.

“After all you two have been getting pretty close the last few months,” I grinned from under my visor. Deacon might have a good right hook on him, but that wouldn’t help in armor, “I mean tending to her when injured during the gunner stronghold, patching each other up in the courthouse, and who can forget the look you both had when me and Riff walked out the stable with the talisman…”

“Not forget… Medic Duties,” the hellhound could barely keep her chuckle from growing under the paw hiding her muzzle.

“Thank you, Riff Raff,” I nodded once to her and set my gaze on the pair, “my affections might be rather obvious, but I’m not hiding it… so tell me, why are ya’ll two?”

Oh how the tables have turned, and I got to see both Tumble and Deacon backed into the corner all the same… still, not sorry. Their flanks met a very confused vendors’ counter, and even he didn’t want to say a word after seeing the snicker on the hound. Together their glances would meet, before soon parting ways to the opposite sides, and any move they made didn’t help their case. Only make the hole deeper.

“Well, I mean… she’s a nice mare,” Deacon about choked his words out.

“And he really is a nice… turkey,” Tumble blushed as only a mare could, “especially with how he tends to others.”

“And after not wanting to shoot me at times, I can say she’s sure grown on me,” oh just say it Deacon…

“He might be willing to do anything for caps,” listen I can see that smirk growing… just say it girl, “but he’s got a good heart.”

“And she’s as stubborn as they come,” right next to Alimite in my book, but you’re on the right track there Deacon, “Something I find appealing.”

For Celestias’ sake!

“Mare like Chicky, and Chicky like mare,” Thank you Riff for summing that up!

They were stumped, and at this rate I could probably watch as time stopped between them. Neither one said a word to the other, and any time their eyes met it was always followed by a blush and a quick turnaround from their gaze.

Listen, I might not be the most socially versed pony in Equestria, new or old. Though I at least understood the same shit you saw in TV dramas when they’d pop up. This probably could make a full season at the very least. They’d been playing this game for a while now, and beating around the bush. All they needed was a little push in the right direction… okay, maybe not a push, this was more of a full fledge shove if anything.

“Riff… why don’t we go shopping?” my horn reached out, and plucked a good sum of caps from the bag Tumble carried. Didn’t know how much was in there, but it would suffice, “These two have somethings to discuss.”

The hound just smirked as she joined over my shoulder, and I got to watch both our resident sniper and medic pass only awkward smirks to one another. One that would try and save the life of another up close, and another that would prefer to take life from a distance… yet both a good pair together.

Now that that’s out of the way, and they should be occupied for the time being. We could go on that spree they wanted so bad, and I knew just where to start. The gun store was just as easy to find as the bar in this place, and between the two of us. This vendor might have keeled over from the heart attack alone.

“Wait…” the gryphoness behind the counter slowly peeked her head above, “You’re the one that brought that axil with ya, the Rogue?” I would have thought every creature in this place would have seen that display.

And I’d be wrong, “in the flesh… err, metal.” The hound I pushed a little forward, if only to not be the only one making the dealings and making a name for myself. “This is Riff Raff, part of our group as well…” not the smile I would go with, but the gryphon wasn’t flying off to the moon just yet.

“Hello, miss turkey,” apparently Deacon wasn’t the only one to get his feathers in a ruffle at that, “Have grenades for this?”

Her launcher slid from her back into her grasp, and inches from the vendors’ beak. Though that put the girl at ease more than I thought, she knew we were here for business at least. “40mm I take it?” Riff just nodded to her, “ample supply of that… and for your cause, I’ll throw in a discount,” her eyes trailed back from the hound to myself, and I caught the wink first hand.

Thank the goddesses Alimite was elbow deep in a train! Otherwise, I’d be picking feathers out of her mane the whole way north, “Much appreciated miss… though that’s the beginning of our list…”

***

Note to self… if we find ourselves ever stocking up again, assuming we get back alive, train stations were the way to go! With all the travelers coming and going through this hub of commerce, there were more than an abundance of goods at our disposal. Namely in this case, bullets… lots and lots of bullets.

14.4mm, 12-gauge, 50 Cal, .44… did Tumble even still have that thing? No matter; additional fuel, 40mm, and 5.56 in every shade of colors for Deacons’ tape. Might only last the first leg of our journey, but our magazines were sitting pretty for the moment. That gryphoness was more than appreciative of the caps, and I even threw in a tip for scouring the whole station for extra rounds. Oh, so sue me, good customer service deserves good payment.

Cocked, locked, and ready to rock! Though I could feel the servos starting to complain from the extra bags. How was another doing? “Holding up Riff?”

The hound already was carrying her launcher, and now a full satchel along her back with enough munitions to make the average Ranger wet themselves. Still, I got her signature smirk, teeth and all, “Dog happy… more boom.”

Bullets, check! Now to find the other couple and see if they managed to get to their own shopping. Yet somehow, I still for the life of me can’t find a bloody Balefire Egg Launcher?! Not that I needed it… but it would be nice to have for when we knocked on the Rangers door. Maybe give that one to Alimite if I come across it. Then we all could have something that gave a little more- oh hi-ya!

I almost crashed into the pair of ponies in our path. This time around my heels ground to a- thud… okay, my front hooves ground to a halt. Back hooves just flopped to the floor. The pair before us however didn’t walk by, or even balk back from the hellhound. They just stood there staring at us.

This… was getting creepy, “Ahh… can I help you?”

“You’re the Rogue, right?” the unicorn mare asked, “The one that’s been sticking it to the Gunners and Rangers out here?”

She looked like she’d seen better days… her coat was in tatters, mane needed a good month soak in conditioner, and her eyes probably haven’t seen sleep since before her own birth. Yet, there was a shadow of a smile across her lips. Just like the earth stallion next to her.

“And the one that cleared out a mine of slavers?” the colt asked, and collectively both myself and Riff shared a glance.

“Yes… that’d be me,” my hind legs, or servos, finally awoke and I got back to my hooves… before immediately locking up once more?!

A hug was not what I was expecting today… though the stallion gave me one none the less. His bony legs tried their best to wrap around the suit, but fell flat against the side plating. Riff looked about the same as I felt, and the mare barely grasping her torso made the hound freeze like no-

“…Thank you,” both the mare and stallion said in unison.

-other… “You’re… welcome?” yeah, I was confused now, “But for what?”

Finally, the pair broke their contact, as me and Riff settled ourselves. “We were amongst those slaves in the mines,” the stallion answered, and the dots I saw connecting in my head, “you made an entrance here when you first walked in, though you looked far different than we first saw you…” yeah, armor upgrades with more guns than I knew what to do with will do that to a pony, “but after watching you for a little bit around here, we knew it had to be you.”

The mare was biting her lip almost to blood, but I could see it was to fight back tears, “We never got the chance to say thank you back then,” now the tears decided to fall, “if it weren’t for you, me and my husband might have never seen the clouds again… let alone been able to stay together.”

Hearing the good deeds from the DJ across the radio waves was one thing… seeing what I’d changed from the ponies’ mouth was another feeling all together. The DJ made it sound almost like a hoofball team getting praised, but to watch the lives that I made just a little better… made it almost worth taking a crane to the back.

Might eat these words later… but I’d do it again.

“It’s not much…” the mare pulled a small sack from her saddle bag with a flick of her horn, “But it’s what we can do to say thanks.”

I didn’t want to accept it, especially after hearing where I’d met them. If I was a slave, I’d probably be holding on to every possession I possibly could. You weren’t exactly starting out on a good hoof, and never know when you might need it in the future. Something from the mares’ expression was pleading with me to give in, and the stallion was joining her in that sentiment. They were owing their survival to me searching for a pony in those mines, and while I had a hard time turning one mare down because of stubbornness. I couldn’t refuse these ones for their sheer desire to say thanks.

There from the bag a couple healing potions flew out from her aura, as well as a few choice substances I knew well. Med-X I can always use… the Stampede, and Hydra on the other hoof… might be better with somepony else. Gently I took them in my own grasp, and with a nod of my helm the only words needing to be said in gratitude were passed to them.

“Keep fight the good fight, Rogue,” the stallion said to me with his own beam.

“Someponies are counting on you,” his wife added.

Yeah… I had promises to keep after all…

After that exchange the pair gave one last nod of thanks, and disappeared into the crowd. Leaving me and my counterpart standing there, and the hounds’ eyes were already drilling into the back of my skull when I started down away from her.

I’m ignoring you for the moment… let’s see here, six healing potions. Enough I can distribute between us as needed, though Deacon was definitely getting the majority, he was our medic after all. Med-X was going in my ports, I had the largest tendency to get shot after all. As for the Hydra, yet another point goes to our gryphon. The stuff was apparently dangerous, and ‘all or nothing’ like he said. I didn’t know the effects, so if there was anypony to make the call to use it or not. Then it wouldn’t be a pony in the first place.

Now just one more thing to take care of… “Riff, don’t worry, Deacons’ getting the chems… at least the Stampede and Hydra.”

That seemed to be enough to suffice it for the hound. The meds weren’t going to be in my hooves for very long, you know, whenever we could find that pair. I mean the station was large sure, but how the hell could we not find them in this?

Past the armor vendors we went, where they likely would have gone for any repair needs before we made the trip. Still, no sign of them. Now on to the food vendors… the filters on the helmet might have been good, but I could still smell the cooking flesh of critters around me. Wait, was it starting to rain- nope. Riff shook her head once, and the slobber that came off caked against the visor in droplets.

Someone was hungry… yet, still no sign of our couple.

“Try Inn?” Riff offered, as she wiped the rest of the saliva free from her lips, “maybe pony and turkey found quiet spot.”

While it might have made my day to embarrass the pair by walking in, if there were sounds like that coming from the door, I’d more than let them have the moment. What? I’m not that mean. Though where there was in inn, there had to be a bar not far from it.

“I say the saloon…” could split ourselves up to hunt the two- …down?

From a shit eating grin, to stone faced with worry. The hellhound went through a whiplash of expressions right before my very eyes. My head started darting around, thinking at first maybe she spotted them after all. Alas, nothing in the visor, so what could it have been that nabbed her tail?

… Well then… didn’t think it’d be so literal. There at the base of the appendage, one foal held the tail in their tiny hooves. While next to them the young filly, no older than Winter when we first met, looked over Riffs’ coat with the utmost of interest.

Kid… if you want to die, there were quicker ways to do it. The visor turned time and time again from the young pair, to the hellhound in question. Though all Riff did was stand there like a statue, unsure what to make of this contact. How many would be willing to walk up to her kind and play with her tail?

“Riff Raff…” really what do I say to her? I wanted to make sure she was calm, but at the same time I wanted to start laughing!

“There you two are!” a shout out from the crowd met us, and amongst the other shoppers one mare came forth. She looked worried at first, but that was nothing compared to when her eyes laid on the two young ones. Immediately her tattered wings scooped up the two, and pulled them off to her side. Just as fast, Riff snapped out of her little trance, and her eyes fell to the mare. “Sorry about that… miss…” whatever claw was grabbing her tongue let go, and I could see the gulp going down her throat, “these two got away from me not long ago and went about on their own.”

My hoof patted itself on Riffs’ side, easing down the simmering tempter I could feel radiating from her. “Oh, it’s quite alright… kids will be kids after all,” my gaze turned to the hound once more, “right? Riff?”

The hound probably wanted to punt me over the train for that one… instead I got a forced grin, with slightly less teeth than I was expecting. “Right… pups do pup things,” her paw reached out, and while the filly shirked away at first. The gentle pat she gave to the young pony was a surprise even to me.

“Forgive me… they must have heard you were traveling with a Hellhound in your group,” the mare bowed her head a tad towards myself, and to Riff. “You seem to keep odd company, Mister Rogue,” very poor choice of words, and she caught that the moment it slipped from her tongue, “Not that I mean it like that! Just most hellhounds aren’t what I’d call… Civil,” you were going to run out of things to gulp if you kept this up, “No offence.”

Usually when somepony says that, it was meant as an offence in some way. I knew that much, and Riff probably did as well, but her grin stayed just platonic as ever, “No offence taken… little ones curious.”

To my own surprise, her tail flicked out, tickling the muzzle of the filly. This was one of those stories that little pony would be able to tell her friends, and they wouldn’t believe her. Giggling from the touch of a hellhound… hopefully she didn’t try that with any of Riffs’ cousins.

A timid wave let the trio leave our presence, and we got back to our search. Not before I saw the hound glance back at the mare, grinding her teeth. “Bitch… dog show you uncivil…”

I’ve seen her be uncivil… and usually it ended with her having to take a bath to get the viscera out of her fur, “Now is not the time and place to threaten a mother of two…” Why did I have to say those words when it should seem obvious?!

A huff later, and the hound settled her nerves. Good thing too, I didn’t need to explain to the pair just up ahead what she’d gone through. If there was anything that would make you stick out like a sore hoof, it was having an AMR the size of locomotive across your back. I picked out the barrel of Mercy first above all other heads in the mass of creatures doing their shopping, as it led us closer like a flag marking our way.

Good, now that we were back together, we could find out what they gathered for the trip. They still had enough caps left over to supply it, and anything else we could probably find in the Crystal Empire itself. If it was less traversed like I was led to believe, then I had high hopes those structures still held some loot of values inside.

Now just… “Oh my…” you know, I didn’t think gryphons’ tongues were that long…

Tumble would beg to differ on that one. We might not have been able to hear it, even with my tricked-out sensors, but I could see the gasps escaping the mare lips with every second of contact the two shared. If blood filled her cheeks, as it did his own. Though the two didn’t think for a second to look at their surroundings at who might be watching. I couldn’t blame them; I know I wouldn’t be thinking of that either.

Besides, I’d experienced the same feeling not too long ago… I knew the face of being lost in your own world all too well. I got the same way anytime I was around her. Just like he had by the fire, Deacons’ wings reached up and around the mare pulling her in closer. This time I could hear that coo almost purr out from the mare, and the giggle she immitted matched perfectly with the filly we’d just met.

One that matched the hellhound next to me as well, “About time…”

If we’d gotten here any later, they might have been at that inn after all… with that final thought the two broke contact with one another. As their eyes looked to the other, I could see the same bliss I had with Alimite. It was touching really, there was a lot wrong with this world. Between the raiders killing senselessly, slavers selling ponies, every creature more or less wanting you for lunch, or even the copies of a princess I once knew apparently flying about the nation now. Yet, there still seemed to be some things that were beautiful…

Watching the intrigue of a young pony at a creature she’d never seen.

Seeing first hoof the difference one pony can make.

Experiencing the euphoria of being so close to another.

And in this case, getting to admire the change from bliss to sheer dread change in a snap on ones’ face.

Tumble was the first to catch us staring, and soon Deacon managed to follow her eye sight and meet our own. Just like that, their embrace ended with each one trying to catch a breath during our approach. Riff grinning from ear to twisted ear, and I could have painted the helmet with the smile I wore.

I was a merciful ‘Ranger’ though, so when Deacons’ talon raised to say something. I met it with my own question, “So what’d ya’ll manage to find?”

The gasp from Riff begged for more info, but a quick kick to her paw silenced that. Something that they both looked thankful for. Blushing feverishly, probably running on half a braincell, and I’d imagine not in the right mind for sure… but still thankful.

“Food… mostly canned and meat,” Deacon spit out, while his eyes looked a bit more fondly at the mare picking up where he left off.

“I’ll make something on the way,” Tumble tapped her bag with an eager hoof, before pulling another item free from it, “Also, something to celebrate.”

Out from it an amber bottle was produced… make that a few. The label was long gone, but from the broken seal around its neck. Somepony had already taken the liberty of taste testing. “She figured if we made it this far, might as well…” Deacon scratched the back of his head with a talon, “and I managed to get some aid items for when we inevitably get shot… as well as some scrap for your suit.”

Speaking of things for the suit, “I got some chems as well…” out of my bag the gift was produced. I could see the gryphon ready to throttle me for even holding the chems in my aura, “not of my own accord! They were a show of thanks from some ponies, ones that were in the mine we cleared.” Without question the chems, and an extra potion or two found their way in his medic bag, “you’ll put them to better use than me.”

Okay, medic no longer wanting to break his oath and beat the hell out of a patient… step in the right direction.

“Did… I miss something?” another said off to our side, and if it weren’t for the bandana on her head, I might not have recognized her.

From head to hoof, Alimite was slathered in at least three different shades of grease and soot from the work she’d been doing. I wasn’t sure if there was enough soap left in the wasteland to clean this mare up, but damn if I wouldn’t look at least. More than when we were leaving the atrium, she looked tired under all that grime.

“Just… the norm,” I glanced back to Deacon for a moment before giving the mare my full attention, “You’ve seen better days.”

“Oh, just the average day of a mechanic…” the bandana came off, and with what little clean spots it had inside the mare wiped her face off. “Axil’s installed, and it’s supplying some power to the train… the conductor threw in a special treat for helping as well…”

Really now? do tell…

***

Showing was really so much better than telling… I was expecting the free ride after getting that kind of tech into their hooves. What I wasn’t expecting was this. The train car itself could have probably held a dozen or so ponies all on its own, yet here it was, being given to the five of us at our leisure.

Alimite said to call it a bonus for getting the repairs done so quickly… I however just bit my tongue at Deacons’ words earlier.

The main lounge area joined itself with a kitchen all on its own, might not have been fully stocked like one would hope, but our shopping from before could still put it to good use. Past that remained the lounge part of the… well, lounge. A few worn out couches, and a recliner that called for my name the longer I looked at it. Might have been dusty and missing a few springs, but it looked comfy at least.

One hallway down the side led to the back of the car, and along the way past three private rooms. Each one holding its own bed, and furniture for the most bit ridden pony back in the day who wanted to travel in style. The recliner was calling to me, as was the bed, but if there was still another hour left before we started moving. Then I had more to do than rest, one mare however, had other plans.

“How does this car only have one shower?” Alimite asked herself as she put her gear down, and pulled what chemicals would suffice to act as shampoo.

That I couldn’t answer… take it up with the conductor, “At least you can get a wash in before the trip,” I reminded her while the clasps on the back of the suit opened up, exposing my coat to the air once more… and I fell flat on my back.

Dirty or not, she was right by my side in an instant pulling me up into her hooves. Any other time I would have welcomed it, but this was just my laps of judgement. When you can’t feel a damn thing in your back legs, you almost forget that they don’t work.

“You alright?”

“Alimite… I’m hurt, not dead,” I started to chuckle, as my horn reached out and started moving my back side where I needed. With a gentle touch her hooves moved me up alongside the vacant suit, and my horn started rummaging through the bags along its back. We were going to be cooped up in here for little more than a full day after all for the ride, so I needed something to keep me occupied. “Figured I might be needing whatever this is for the next leg,” really… no pun intended, and out came the matrix that’s been a thorn in my side, “while I work on this. Why don’t you get showered and try for a nap?”

That was music to her ears, and she gave me a quick peck on the lips, “you try and join me soon… okay?”

“I can manage that, either after you get in there or tonight,” I really needed to set my priorities straight.

Sleep with a mare that pulled on my heart strings every which way, or work on a spell matrix that held who knows what? The colt side of me wanted to get in bed right now just so I’d be there when she returned, but the engineer side of me yearned to stick it to this matrix and show it who’s boss.

Her knowing I would join in time was enough for the mare, and with what had to be a can of turpentine Alimite scampered out of the room. Now on to you, my nemesis… the matrix still held that radiant glow of a spell willing to fight back. This time I had nothing else to cloud my mind besides breaking it down, and I had all the motivation in the world to do it.

Namely, a mare.

***

Minutes turned into hours, and hours into… awe hell who am I kidding? It was dark outside already, the train had been moving for quite a bit, and the soft purrs of one mare filled my ears. What filled my horn however, was something on the other side of the spectrum. From pure bliss, to utter damn annoy-!

Click.

“Oh, hell yes!” I shouted, and immediately fell to my side after losing balance.

The matrix didn’t stand a chance after the first few whacks at it… and several punches it threw back at me. My horn was starting to smoke from the effort I was pouring into the thing, but in time my magic managed to whittle away at its enchantments. The final piece of the puzzle was getting it just right for the suit to take hold, and that it did with almost as much enthusiasm as myself.

I fiddled with the plug for a few moments in eagerness, before finally getting the prompt to show up where I desired…

New Matrix identified…

Run spell program? Y [] N []

After all the effort I put into the thing, why did it even bother asking? An overenthusiastic press of Y, brought in the whirl of the suit getting to work itself. Plating was already starting to glow under its reinforcements from the Titanium, and it was certainly doing a whole lot more than when I installed the Mark Two…

That’s a lot of energy to be coming from one suit… “I take it,” half a yawn in words beckoned to me, and Alimite rubbed her eyes while she rose, “… you’re done?”

My ass by now was at the base of the bed, and there just over my shoulder the mare slid up to join as we watched the suit. All its armor looked like it was going through whatever glorious metamorphoses the M.W.T. had cooked up. Although I could have sat here for the process to finish, someone had other ideas…

“Ya’ll done love making in there?” I heard our gryphon yell through the door, and somewhere in the car I knew there were two other ladies giggling to themselves.

“Don’t you and Tumble have a car to yourselves as well?” I called back, and that shut him up right quick… before the cackle of a hound filled the car.

Alimite bounced out from behind me, and cracked the barrier between, “Not what that Oh, hell yes was for…” her face was straight as a bullets path, but I could see the blush filling her tissue. “He’s finishing up with his suit…that’s all.”

“Right,” hidden by wood or not, I could still feel Deacons’ eyes rolling, “Well whenever you’re done cleaning up… Tumble’s been cooking up something before we call it a night.”

“We’ll be right out,” I managed to hide the stammering in my voice for that one, though I’d love to have seen his face for my remark.

The door shut behind her with a press, and Alimite breathed a sigh of relief on her face. Our eyes met, and just like that… our own snickers ensued. We didn’t have to say a thing to one another after that invitation to dinner. Instead, the mare came up to my side, and through a flare of her horn hoisted my backside up alongside her.

My front hooves took the weight to join them, and we made our way to the door in tandem. “Don’t get used to hauling me around like this…” I bumped her shoulder with mine.

“Oh, I know you’ll figure something out to make it better,” she gave me a wink as we went down the hall.

The lounge area of the car was living up to its name well. Even Riff managed to find a way to get comfortable, as her legs dangling off one couch to the other shown. I could smell the wafting scents of wasteland cooking, and if I was being honest… it didn’t smell half bad really. I’d have tried to identify what exactly was in the pot before the mare, but my nose wasn’t that good.

With a careful twist of her horn, Alimite guided my backside to the other end of the couch. From here I was more than happy to rest, and she hopped off into the kitchen with a spring in her step. Dear Celestia, could I go for a nap right now, but I still had a train ride to check that off the list.

One of those amber bottles found its way in my vision, and at the end of the talon holding it, a very happy looking Gryphon. “How many have you had?” I had to ask after getting a good look at his eyes.

“Enough to make my dad proud…” he stifled a hiccup, and brought a bottle over to the hound.

Make that another bottle…

There was already an empty one by her paws, and with a nod of thanks Riff swiped the cap clean off with a single talon. A bit much don’t cha think? She didn’t care, the neck of it was already wrapped around her lips before I could say a word.

“Are me and Alimite the only sober ones here?” for now that is, I could see a more ginger cracked glass in said mares’ aura.

“How’d ya know I was-?” Tumble asked turning her back towards me, and as soon as those words left her mouth she shut it, “…Don’t answer that.”

“Why not drink?” Riff held up the end of her bottle to the sky. “We only going to new place full of dangers, to get location that might not be there, all to find rangers with sub at disposal, armed with big missiles…” she took another long pull from the neck, and I watched the bubbles of air displace the gulps, “Odds stacked well against.”

Still sounds kinda crazy now, don’t it? In the end though, we made it this far, and we’re on the last legs of our journey. Once the rangers were taken care of, then that was one group’s hit list I was off of… unless I pissed off this Enclave I’d heard about.

Certainly not on my priority list… No, I could settle with sticking it to these rangers, and hanging up the helmet for a bit. I might not be trekking over the wastes when this was all said and done, but I’d still be making sure my own little sliver was well protected. Once I buried a certain Elder that is.

“I figured a warm meal might not happen in a bit,” Tumble said while she cooked, and I watched whatever concoction she threw together simmer in the pot, “leave ourselves with a quiet night.”

“Might not make it back anyway…” Riff grumbled into her bottle.

Deacon looked about ready to strangle the hellhound with his bare talons… though before he could I had somethings I needed to discuss with the guy. Namely, what the hell we were to do once we got there.

A hoof both silenced the gryphon, and beckoned him over to the recliner by my couch, “She’s right you know,” oh don’t give me that look! “I meant about the odds… not exactly stellar.”

“Humph… when have they been with you?”

He’s… got a point. The gunners had an entire prison at their disposal, it was dumb luck there was a subway underneath. Rangers however, I had Tungsten feeding me intel about the last port. Where to go for sure, but I also knew what my target was. The Cadance had to go first and foremost...

"Any idea how to cripple a sub?”

My mind was telling me to just blow it all to hell, but given what it was holding… that might not be the best prospect. There was no way we’d be out the range of any warhead with whatever timer we could cook up. This needed something outside of my expertise, someone who had been more than just a developer and tester during their time. Someone who did an awful lot of different jobs.

I think Deacon could handle that much, and I saw his brain start firing off with a talon to his beak. I wanted to throw out a suggestion, but the moment my mouth opened he waved it off. Something was cooking up in that head of his.

“Cripple like any other ship,” so… blow it all to hell? “Sink it.” he must have seen where my mind was wandering to.

I mean there were a few ways you could go about that really. Damage the haul enough and whatever pumps it had onboard wouldn’t be able to keep up with the flooding. Crack open the hatches letting those inside, and they won’t be able to submerge without taking on water. Find a way to break the keel and the entire ships spine would be broken in the middle, and once again, sink it to the bottom.

Now the real question, “Got somewhere to start with?”

The gears in his head ground to a halt, and I could see a few fuses pop from his eyes. “You’re the pony-cicle remember? Pre-war tech is your thing,” he raised a brow to me, “I might think of something in time, but the most ships I dealt with were run of the mill surface going ones…”

Okay so not his expertise either, “hopefully we find something in the Empire that might make this task easier.”

“Shoot from hip!” Riff held her bottle in a toast to no one, “love it.”

“You’re pretty pessimistic now aren’t cha?” Deacon called out the hound, and I was in no position to get between the two if paws and talons started to fly.

A hiccup escaped the hounds’ lips, and I could see the window rattle from the belch that followed. That one might have just woken up half the wasteland itself, “Only while buzzed…”

You mean to tell me the mare in the kitchen, both of them in fact, were handling their liquor better than this spawn of everything radiation had to offer? Her cheeks were getting rosier by the gulp from that bottle, and before long the second one joined the first on the ground.

“Dog home not have booze… so sue me,” she waved off with a paw, clawing at a third.

“Save some for the rest of us Riff Raff,” Tumble called as she stepped into the lounge, Alimite in tow.

With a hearty pot of who knows what held in the latter mares’ aura. Without the lid I could smell the dance of scents trailing up my nose, though a dance might have been giving it too much credit… bar fight maybe? A few cracked bowls on Tumbles’ back were passed around with a ladle full of her concoction. Now with a closer look I could pick out some of the parts she’d used.

Sliced up Tatos, perhaps that one was a Mudfruit, along with what I’d imagine was every different cut of meat the station had to offer. I didn’t need to taste it to know there were many critters in here. Let’s face it, Radtoad looks nothing like Bloatsprite.

“I only had one pot to work with… so forgive me if it ain’t five stars,” Tumble passed a few spoons with more rust than metal to use. It must have been the hunger getting to him, but Deacon was the first to shovel a hefty amount in his maw.

Well, if you can’t beat em…

First impressions are everything really, and I had to wonder there for a second… was Tumble at all related to Lilac somewhere up the chain?! I wasn’t sure if the cooking was just that good, or if my tastebuds had finally been fried enough from the wastes. Either way, my tongue didn’t give a damn!

The first spoon full went down like one of the old Pegasies’ winter dishes. Hearty and filling, with just the right ingredients to keep a pony trotting for miles down the trail. Boy did I miss that mares cooking… but Tumble was quickly coming into a close second place. Usually over the campfires we’d had it wasn’t anything fancy. Stick it on a… well, stick. Put it over the fire, then call it a day. This was something thought out finally in terms of a meal, with an actual kitchen to work out of none the less.

Silence in the room garnished some of my attention away from the bowl, and if my tastebuds were dancing. So was everyone else doing the tango. Riff I hadn’t seen tear apart a dish like this before, and both her with Deacon were already filling up their second bowls. Alimite was a bit more reserved with her portions, but that beam told me enough. She was enjoying every second of the flavors that made their way over her tongue.

“Alright…” Deacon asked while putting more in his bowl, “What’d you do? This is fan-fucking-tastic!”

A complement like no other, and one that made the mare about as red as those Tatos in the stew. “Its nothing, really,” oh, don’t be so modest Tumble… “I just made do with what I had.”

“Dog going to find trash can,” Riff about took a bite out of the bowl while she slurped up the contents, “see what mare make from that, it good!”

Tumble just got the hellhound stamp of approval… if only to shut us up, said mare brought out another bottle from who knows where. Riff was still working on her own, though that left the rest of us to pass it around to one another while we ate. The broken clock on the wall would have kept ticking away, but I let the Pip-Buck one tell me the passage of time.

For now, the business of dealing with the Rangers had taken a spot on the back burner… I didn’t want to even bring it up. We were all too happy right now, given where we were headed. Alimite found herself curled up against my paperweights known as legs. Deacon had made himself nearly a nest of ruffled pillows and musky blankets near the mare… should I say his mare? Eh, we’ll figure that out later. Even Riff looked at ease, sipping from her bottle instead of the gulps from earlier.

With a full stomach now, she looked about ready to either pass out, or vomit. In the regal sisters’ name, I didn’t want to even know what hellhound puke smelled like. “You been interesting… Pack,” Huh? Riff started to chuckle a bit, and collectively I could hear our spoons setting down into the bowls. Before her eyes turned to mine, “mare was right, dogs not civil… not in slightest… but nice to have a pack that make dog want to act that way.”

Would you look at that, our hound had a soft spot. The others weren’t present for our little walk through the market, but I knew what she meant. It was easy to be hellish when that’s all any creature thought you as. Though to have a group see her another way… that was something a little special to the hound.

Her kind was fierce, territorial, and scared the hell out of any creature with half an IQ point to their name. Yet Riff here might have been all those things at one point or another. Traveling with us however, we got to see just how much of a dog she really could be. Fierce still, but loyal to our little group, and dare I say it… a good pack member indeed.

“I think what she’s trying to say is,” Tumble put up her bowl to the table, and pulled herself a bit further into the gryphons’ nest next to him. “She’s glad to have met us.”

She didn’t catch it, but certain avian eyes trailed back over her. “That’s mutual then…” Deacon followed suit with the mare, stacking his bowl neatly atop hers. “I’d been a merc all my life, since I was but a chick,” the nickname rang to my mind, “give enough caps to my old crew and they would have probably shot me dead… hell my own dad might have done the same if the price was right.” A bit fucked up, but I come to expect nothing less of this place. “It’s nice to have a group, or pack, that cares… I think I speak for every creature here when I say that.”

You do Deacon, you do…

Well, if were all in the sappy kinda mood, why not keep it going a little bit longer? “I might have said it already, but I know I’d be wandering the wasteland still without a clue where to go if it weren’t for all of you…” I could have fallen in with the Rangers trying to track Winter, could have wound up a Gunner myself once they saw my usefulness, more than likely I would have wound up dead in a ditch somewhere… “You all gave me a sense of direction, and not just in my travels, but also what to do in this world…”

Tumble was the first real friend I made out here, and one that taught me enough in the wastes to survive… namely what to eat. Deacon showed how to make a living tracking down paper, but also what good doing those things could do for those around me. Riff let me in on a simple secret, not everything scary in this world was out to get ya. As for Alimite, I got to see that even with all the dread, there was still beauty.

Little lessons to take away on our next journey, and ones I wouldn’t soon forget. “To that, I can’t thank ya’ll enough…” my many thanks with that weren’t said out loud, but I think they knew what I meant. The mare by my side did at least, I could see that in her own smile.

“Then…” Tumble raised her bottle. “No matter how this next leg turns out, I look forward to more nights like this… in this life or the next.”

I’ll drink to that.

Together the bottle found its way around to each of us, and down each of our throats a generous gulp of the amber liquid burned. Not a single cough was shared between us, though a few yawns were. It had been a long day on the rails. If anything, I expected to be in the empire by the morning, and if that’s the case. We had better get some shut eye while we could.

Riff’s snores were the first to be heard after our toast and a few moments of silence, but that beckoned the rest of us to follow suit. Passing a quick goodnight to each other, Deacon pulled Tumble up from his nest along with a few blankets to bring back to the cabin. Alimite with a little help from her horn managed to pull my ass off the couch and to her side.

It was a short walk down the hall, and the other pair had already slipped just through their doorway… I saw ours, devoid of light from behind its base. Inside I flipped the switch and before we could even get to the bed. Our hooves stopped in their tracks.

This… looked like a far cry from the suit I had walked away from.

From hoof plate to muzzle every inch of the armor had changed in some way. The shoulder padding was larger, nearly going up half the helmets sides. I’d like to see Mercy take a shot at it- nope, not chancing that one. Still, it’d probably give your average AMR a run for its money. Breast plate took up almost half the stomach in one go, it would murder me for mobility for sure. Though if they couldn’t break through the plating, what hope could they have of stopping me?

Even the guns themselves had their own coverings of protection. Plates draped over their housings, so I didn’t have to worry nearly as much walking around with the IF-451 anymore. Not that anything would want to get close enough to me now to use it… but where was the headlamp? All the tech in the world wouldn’t matter in the field if you couldn’t see. Did I have night vision now? Enhanced HUD? It’d be nice to know just how close some enemies were on the E.F.S.

Alas, all questions that could be answered in time, and ones I wasn’t about to test out now. Best place to do that was in the field I learned, “Aren’t you something…” I marveled at the sight once more.

Alimites’ magic almost dropped me there when we got close. I could see her wanting to go over every inch of the suit itself, “What happed to it? This looks like nothing the Rangers have, or even in old records I’ve seen.”

Yeah, not even the Lunar Princess probably knew about this one… “It was developed just before the bombs, one of the last the M.W.T. worked on… never got to full production,” or even production in general. I didn’t even think it made it off the drawing board. This was a relic that few in the ministry even knew about, and one that the rangers would be drooling over if they knew the past about it. “This kind of thing is what the Rangers are after, and why we’re making this trip.”

Could it be mass produced now? Doubtful, but with the expectation of the suit now and what it would be able to withstand. Even having a few in their ranks would be enough to make most creatures shiver. Power Armor wasn’t invincible, I knew that better than most, but one like this would sure make the user feel like it.

“You’re wrong… you know…” What was that? My head cocked to the mare, but her eyes stayed on the suit. “We’re making the trip because others with all the means to make a difference, don’t know how to use the tech properly… unlike some.” For a moment there I took in what she meant, then in the next moment my fuse box blew out when her lips met my one in a quick peck. “A colt who could have done well by the Rangers, instead chose to help those around him…” she smiled again at me, “that’s something no matter what they throw at you, can’t be taken away.”

With a little help from her horn, I turned back around as we headed towards the comfort of the bed. Armor could wait for the morning, right now I wanted to take a load off, and maybe wake up with some sense of what to do next.

My hind legs might not have been working, but I could flop on my back still. There Alimite about slithered up to my side, one hoof over my chest, as I pulled her in a bit closer. I should have fallen asleep right then and there, but with her so close how could I not give a kiss to her head?

Her giggle I felt through my chest, and propped up on her elbow the mare looked at me. That smile still clear on her face. “Your friends are right you know, this is a little pack that cares, and it’s just as mutual with me as it is them…” this time her lips found my own, and I kept my fuse box under control.

The train was bumpy along the tracks, the car was silent in the night, and I had a mare there close to me who I cared about. This is what I was making the trip for, not just to squash the rangers and keep me and my friends out of their sights. To also be able to wake up and go to bed again like this in the future.

Our lips though, didn’t break away from one another. Instead, we stayed like that, and as we did I could feel something else bumping in the ride… well now, that wasn’t paralyzed! Alimite noticed just after my realization set in, and in the dim light of a failing bulb I saw her smirk start to take hold a bit more.

“Ahh… sorry?” what else was I supposed to say?!

“Oh, don’t be…” with a hike of her hind legs, the mare rolled atop me… show off. “You know, Tumble did say this would probably be the last quiet night we had in a while… especially one to ourselves.” I couldn’t agree more, and it seemed every part of me was screaming in agreeance… though, come to think of it.

Just how quiet a night would this be?

Footnote: New Perk: “X-01 Power Armor”- Who knew Dragon scales’ could get jealous? As if blessed by the princesses themselves, Power Armor has increased its resistances by 75 across the board (Damage, Energy, Magical Radiation). Though at the cost of 15% of your overall maneuverability, and repair speed.

Chapter forty: New territory

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Chapter forty: New territory

When I was a younger pony… or am I still? Either way, I had a dream of coming to this empire. The technology that Equestria built and married with magic was enough to spur the minds of many my age. To hear something as magical as an enchanted kingdom that once was lost to time, suddenly reappearing in the frozen wastes a thousand years later.

Could you blame a young colt for wanting to make the trip?

Alas, my uncle was stuck in his ways, never left the house much. That kept me well within the borders of Equestria, and mostly the town I grew up in. It’s no wonder I wanted to get to the other side of the country the moment I was old enough.

If there hadn’t been a war, I would have made the trek up here faster than the fabled sonic-rainboom. Just like that legendary Pegasus trick that wasn’t quite a story anymore, neither was the journey I’d made. My vision of seeing this once great Empire made of crystal was finally coming true! Granted, it was almost two hundred years later, but still true none the less.

Call me, not impressed.

Our train departed the remains of a station only minutes after myself and the group were the only creatures getting off. Already behind the blanket of falling snow the lone structure was losing itself in my eyes. All we really had to guide ourselves was the map in the visor, good thing too, otherwise we’d probably be walking in circles without realizing it.

Not something all of us could afford… if rain was radioactive, then so too was its artic cousin. Riff and myself were well off enough to travel through this flurry, but a few others would start looking a bit green around the gills here soon.

Deacon already passed Rad-Safe to the girls before downing his own when we took a step onto the platform. It wasn’t a strong ticking, but it sure was consistent. I already knew what too much radiation could do to a pony… and I wasn’t ready to dig more graves.

“Why didn’t we ask for a weather report?” Tumble groaned as she took a tug from the bottle that survived the previous night.

Had she been keeping that just for herself? “Calm down there, we won’t be out in this mess forever.” Under each of his wings, Deacon did his best to keep the pair of mares warm. I knew his coat was a bit heartier than the average ponies, had to make weapons to kill his kind after all, and it pays to know your enemy… or one time enemy. Though I couldn’t see him, I knew those eyes of his were on the back of my head, “Right? Wild?”

“Eh… give or take a mile…” they might not have built the station at the edge of the empire, but who’s bright idea was it to make it a trip just to leave?

I think the only one of us smiling could have been our resident hound. How was it even through this snow fall I could see those stained teeth of hers? Check off another box for ‘Why Hellhounds are the most OPed creature in the wastes.’… immune to radiation, stupid levels of strength, can withstand constant barrages of gun fire, tear through armor like it’s a piñata… and now, survive a near blizzard with their thick hides.

Now though, I think we all could smile a bit more… and I might need to learn to read a map better, “Scratch that fillies and gentlecolts…” still wasn’t impressed with what I saw, but I’d take some shelter over this weather any day. “We’re here.”

The once proud Empire I once read about, and saw newspaper clippings of… was reduced to this. Snow covered all the streets, over the rooftops of the town surrounding the Crystal Palace, and even the Palace itself had icicles the size of its own spires stretching to the ground. As we walked closer to the boarder, I could see that some of these buildings just weren’t made to stand the test of time. Many laid in ruin along their foundation, or being propped up by their neighbor.

My metal was making strides through the thick blanket, cutting a path for the rest of us to follow through. It wasn’t quite chest height, but I know the girls were feeling a mighty chill in their underbellies. Even my plating was starting to feel the ice, but hey! At least I wasn’t on fire this go around. Still, if this kept up, I knew my hind legs wouldn’t be the only thing that went numb.

“That’s… odd…” Tumble chattered between her teeth, and out from Deacons’ wing she pushed up beside me. Her head was turning like a top, taking in everything the landscape had to offer, and reading it like a traveler. Me? I was flipping through the suit wondering if I could overclock the heater.

As she went forward, soon by my side only stood Riff. Both of us garnishing our mare of the wastes with the same puzzled look. Deacons’ own grew the more Tumble stayed silent, and Alimite slowly racked back her shotgun… never a good sign.

Safeties were off now on the mouth bit, just one thing to ask, “What is it?”

“Constant snowfall or not…” our tracker put her head to the surface of the snow, “there’s not a single sign of tracks made before us.” Didn’t she already answer that question of why there weren’t? If it snowed all the time here, then they would have been- “Even if they were covered, you’d still be able to make out the indents from where it laid a fresh coat.”

Okay, and now she’s reading my mind… “So, we’re alone?”

“That’s what’s scaring her,” the gryphon grasped a little tighter on his carbine.

No tracks besides ours… where the hell had everypony gone? We could have made a straight shot to the palace, that wasn’t hard to see through the weather. Although if there was a building to pass through, why not take a peek inside? Especially one with the tell tail faded red cross on it. Fluttershy might have had her own symbol going down in Equestria, but up here in the Crystal Empire they kept to tradition.

Crystal Hearts Hospital I read above the door way. For a place that would have been arguably one of the first to scavenge from, or even call home after the bombs. There wasn’t so much as barbed wire on the door as it swung open, and we made our way inside.

Hospitals were supposed to be inviting, and this one hadn’t looked touched in the ways of any in Equestria had suffered. The check in area was in shambles sure, carts thrown around, empty crates with dust settled atop them. Besides the need for a serious spring cleaning though, its like they closed up shop and left.

Just like the snow outside, there were clear marks left from our feet as it went through the dust. I expected to trip over some bones by now, but without so much as a femur crunching beneath my hooves. I was starting to miss that wasteland predictability.

Where the hell did everypony go?

“Hello!” Not the way I would have done it! Deacon was already rubbing the back of his head from the smack of a hoof before I had even turned around. “What?” he said in a bit more hushed tone, “There’s nothing in here, outside, or even tracks around us… it’s been deserted…”

“And plenty have probably thought the same thing in Equestria when exploring,” Tumble seethed at him.

“Not in Equestria,” and now was not the time to be a smartass…

All jokes aside, he had a point. There wasn’t so much as a Radroach nipping at my hooves, let alone anything on the E.F.S… “Let’s take a quick look around, it looked like the hospital was close to the palace,” you know, from what I could judge from the outside. At the very least we could get out of the snow for a little while we went through here.

Hospital, hospital, hospital… the one place you could get all your needs medically tended to. Whether it be a broken hoof, sprained ankle, recover from a drug addition like during the war for many. Hell, even get surgery done to make yourself the ‘best pony you could be’ to some.

Apparently judging by the mess ponies of old had made, it was also the first place to get stacked during the bombs… go figure. Given Deacons’ little surprise introduction, and the lack of effect afterwards. We’d decided to split up along the way. The gryphon and his fellow mare trotted off down one hall, while Riff stuck with myself and Alimite for some time.

Up until we reached the cafeteria as the hound started sacking that. The hound bound herself across the counter and opened up every cupboard and cabinet she could find for goods, as she tried sniffing them out. Maybe she was trying to make good on that trashcan idea for Tumbles’ cooking. Who knows how long that’d take her, so me and the mare opted to take our own trip.

Not the kinda date you’d take a girl out on.

Maybe a walk in the park for a first time, dinner perhaps as the evening went on… wading your way through the ruins of a once proud icon of health? I wouldn’t add it into the top ten, but what would constitute a date in the wasteland? Giving a bouquet of healing potions before pillaging an abandoned bunker? Yeah… I was thinking about this too much. Although, all this walking-

Hello floor! “I thought I was over this?!” I mumbled to the ground after my tumble. The wane of a servo picked up my dead limbs, dragging them back into position. I’d been doing so well too, but I guess there were kinks in my armor.

Not that another wasn’t finding it amusing… Alimite tried to hide her snicker behind the near strobe light of florescent bulbs above. Though with a quick flip of my lamp her smirk was seen, and vanished just as fast in its tactical red ambiance.

“There’s something behind me isn’t there…?” I held my breath for a moment, waiting for it to go bump in the night.

One that never came, “Oh no, not at all… I just didn’t expect your eyes to start glowing …”

So that’s where it went… lens integrated lighting, practical and harder to break than the rudimentary lamp most had. Plus, with the added benefit of scaring the wits out of some creatures. Something I didn’t intend to do with this one, and with a turn later the light went off in a different direction.

“Sorry about that…” I pushed open the door to a nursing office, and took point inside.

“It… is kinda funny, in a way,” Alimite muttered as she passed by me. “Pony in a big badass suit of armor, yet still walks like a foal sometimes…” I might be the one suffering for it, but even I had to ponder the absurdity of it.

Alright, enough pondering on… that subject. We had a hospital to raid, which sounded a lot more criminal in my head when I thought about it. This place had to have something after all, but with every opening of a cabinet, or tipping of a waste basket. Somepony had gone over this place with a fine-tooth comb.

No tracks were left, so it couldn’t have been after the war… could it? They’d have to be smart to get in and out without leaving a trace. The only thing left standing were the shelves themselves, and as the mare continued looking, she managed to pull out probably the last clean blanket in this place.

A rip of her horn later, made that the last two clean pieces of fabric… “Going into fashion?” I chuckled as she wrapped half up around her shoulders. Giving her a makeshift cloak.

“Hardly… but not all of us can have heated seats where ever we go…”

Fair point, and if it weren’t for her moving the blanket out of its storage, I wouldn’t have seen what it was hiding. A single audio tape, ripe for the picking. My horn flared inside the helmet, and pulled it free putting it in my pouch. We had nothing else to do while mulling over this place, might as well listen to the words of a pony we’d never meet.

“It’s all gone so wrong…” yep, that sounded like something from the past, “their missiles keep hitting the shield, but they aren’t getting through… I can only hope he keeps it up long enough for us to evacuate the supplies to help.”

Well, this nurse certainly had the right crew to clean this place out, but I don’t know how much help it really was in the end. As we left the office to search for the others, I let the tape play. “I’m worried… about… everything!” the mare on the other side snapped. Somewhere in the background I could hear the smashing of glass, maybe our nurse was having one last drink? “About Equestria, about the girls, about Auntie Tia and Lulu… about him.”

Right about now was when I expected the water works to come, and boy did they… but Tia and Lulu? “He’s trying his hardest to give us time, but I have to go to him… I must see that he can get out as well…”

A door opened past her sobs, and a different pony must have entered with her. “Your majesty, we have to get going…”

One more tear must have fallen as she choked back. “I know, I’ll be with you all shortly…” the static told me that shortly might have meant at that moment.

Majesty… that word hung in my ear for half a second longer, before it finally clicked. Not the longest recording I’ve gotten… but this one just sounded sadder than most, rightfully so. The mare just watched her own kingdom crumble around her hooves. One colt decided to sign off with a bang, this Princess tried to survive and help all she could. From what I heard of her, tis was her nature after all… How much of that would be in vain in the end?

Another glance around the corner and I was met with some friendly faces. Deacon and Tumble made their way through the vacant halls towards us, just about as empty hooves as we were. It didn’t take words to tell me that, but that raised just one question… where was our hell- the wall next to us smashed open like paper, and in an instant, I had the shield up and running trying to cover the others as best I could from…

… Riff Raff.

She looked at me, I looked at her, and her frown grew. “No… Cram…”

Are you fucking serious?!

“And that is no reason to start tearing holes in walls,” Alimite trotted past her into the torn apart cafeteria. Passing the other half of her blanket to a very chilled Tumble.

As the shield started to die out, I took in more of the rampage this one hellhound caused all for a can of that imitation meat. Tables were all over the place, either in one piece or many from what had to be her claws. Counters were raised, and what might have been cooking grease smeared itself across the walls… please be grease.

“Tearing do good though,” Riff caught up with the four of us, and on to the back doors that hung barely on a hinge. “Door open path to palace.”

Well, our way was clear now, and with nothing more holding us in this place a kick from my hooves took the rest of the frame out. Once more back into the cold! This time some of us were a bit more prepared. The snow wasn’t getting any thicker at least, so our treading through it only left those fresh steps that followed in our wake.

Was it just me… or was the snow getting, thinner?

Yep, definitely thinner. As we approached the palace grounds, it wasn’t just getting easier to walk through, but in some patches it was out right melted away. I could see the stone underneath as if it hadn’t been touched by a hoof in centuries, washed clean with the water of the radioactive skies… Odd? What could bring this kinda change to the weather?

It’d take something truly magical to break the cycle that those Zebras had unleashed upon… ponies… if those fragments of shimmering stone were what I thought, then that’d be the thing to do it. Around the center of the palace base, rested the shattered remains of everything ponies stood for.

Compassion, kindness, caring… love.

“What happed here?” Deacon asked as he poked one of the fragments with a claw, and immediately jumped back as it gave him a zap just like the matrix.

“Steady now there,” I calmed him as his carbine was drawn to the stone. “That’s… the Crystal Heart, or what once was…” blank faces, blank faces as far as you could see. Alright history lesson! “Magical relic, protected the Crystal Empire,” not well enough apparently, “united the hearts of ponies and filled them all with joy.”

“Now just stone on ground,” Riff tapped the end of one with her paw, and got the same treatment as the gryphon.

Yeah… a symbol of everything ponies stood for. Compassion, kindness, caring… love. Something that this world really needed right about now, “It must still have some effect if it’s melting all the snow.”

I mean there were stones with charges in them after all this time, but the heart was different. It needed others to keep it topped off, so what was keeping it going now? That’s a mystery for another day… right now, we had a palace to explore. One of the main doors stood in front of the five of us, and I had to take a moment of awe to look at it properly. The same effects that had kept the snow off must have kept the ground level to the same state before the war.

Now we just had to find a way- Deacon pushed on the door, and just like that it swung open as if freshly lubed. “That’s just… creepy,” he groaned for a time, before checking his gun once again, “Well, shall we?”

I lead the way with Riff there grasping her launcher. If there was anything waiting for us on the other side, they were about to get a very nasty welcome… alas, the entrance corridor remained empty. Baggage was thrown around, general litter scattered across the floor, and as the wasteland always loved… there were a few bones tossed in for good measure.

Besides that, not a single thing lunged out at us, and for a split second our guns were lowered. A nudge of my head signaled the all clear, and the other trio moved up to meet us as we trotted down the halls finding a staircase. We were creeping our way through the beacon of hope to the empire, and along this stairwell the decorative stained-glass windows still let some of the dull light shine through.

It'd have been nice to get a trip out here before everything went to shit… who knows, I might have been going across these very steps listening to the droning sound of an underpaid tour guide. Perhaps in a different life, right now there were all too obvious signs that things had gone terribly in the palace.

I could see the hoof scrapes of ponies from long ago, likely scampering to get further inside. How much good did that really do for those poor souls? It was a palace, not a stable, but out of every other building in the empire. This one had to be the most secure.

You know, besides the open door.

Let’s see, a directory would be nice… “Any clue where to go?” Alimite pipped up, her shotgun at the ready when we rounded a corner into a main hall.

Ahh… the galas this place must have once seen. The whole thing was wide enough to be its own ballroom, and the crystal chandelier in the center really brought out the namesake of the empire itself. Though why were they quiet all of a sudden?

Whelp that’s why… all eyes were on me, and all I could give in return was a shrug. “I never visited the place if that’s what you’re wondering.”

“Important things always at top,” Riff grumbled, “it pony thing.”

We weren’t getting anywhere on the ground floor after all, and thankfully ahead of us was one of the many grand staircases that I could already see myself having to climb today… Fuck. She was right, and if the rulers of this place had any sense, then they’d keep documents and valuables high up and away from the crowds.

Enough sense at least to put in a barricade along those very stairs. This wasn’t some thrown together Raider collaboration. No, the heavy steel plates of actual security blockades stood proud on the staircase, shielding those further up from whatever might come wading through the doorway. Even after all this time, nothing managed to knock them over? Was there nothing upstairs even worth looking into? Or had somepony done their part to watch over the…?

Another pony trait is we liked shiny things… and the shimmer out the corner of my eye caught my fullest attention. E.F.S. wasn’t lighting up yet, and with the flurry outside the lights cascading in here were at a minimal. Now with my eyes off what laid ahead, I could see the ghostly shadow dart behind a few of those support columns.

Was somepony alive out here after all?! That’d make our trip so much easier to have someone to ask questions too. “Ahh… Hello?” I called out, my friends were frozen in place around me, and out the corner of my ear I could hear the sniffing of Riffs’ muzzle.

And the locking of her 40mm, “That smell bad…” she curled her nose away. Whatever it was, it was getting closer as it flickered against the flooring. Wait a second, after a flick my headlamp… eye lamp? Went on to show our new-

Guest?

Ghouls I’d seen already, nothing more than ponies that soaked up a tad too much radiation in their time. After damn near clearing a whole stable of them, they weren’t all that much of a threat. This thing however… Crystal Ghoul, my E.F.S. popped up across the visor. No wonder it shimmered; I’d heard about the effects of the Crystal Heart. What it did to ponies was literally nothing short of magical.

This was just out right wrong looking in that light, more of a nightmare than anything in the princess’s mind. Its frame hobbled itself across the tile, and little flickers of stars danced across its dried and ragged coat catching the light of my lamp.

Up until, its head snapped back at the source, and I saw that jaw drop with hunger of crystalline teeth. Okay point made! Enough sightseeing, one shell of the ADAC cambered in place. I think normal AP rounds would work well enough, and a chomp to the bit let the round loose.

A-a-a-and I got to watch a new journal entry in the wastes being written! The pony that once stood there shattered along its body from the impact, not in a bloody heap like I would have hoped. Shards of it peppered along the area, punching jagged sparkling flesh into the stone flooring, some into the suit, and one managing to lunge itself in- Shit!

“Pony go boom…” Riff snarled as she grabbed hold of the spike, pulling it free from her shoulder. What got me worried wasn’t just the fact that I inadvertently friendly fired on her, it’s that the wound itself actually was deeper than some of the rounds she’d taken.

Her grimace was enough to make that fear mutual, and all in time to hear the rest of the ground floor start to growl back at us. One shimmer became two, two became five, and five became- damn it stop counting! Against the light of my lamp, I could see a few of them getting closer, and this time another took the shot.

With something less than explosive, Deacons’ carbine rattled off a burst… and I got to see the ricochets of them bouncing off the stony hide. Oh, so not good! Our backs were to one another, all I could see was what was in front of me, and the first thing I did was let the IF-451 let loose. Flames drenched those that got in range, and while it didn’t drop them immediately. It sure made them stumble from the heat cooking that flesh medium rare.

Behind me the guns of my friends started firing, and it wasn’t until one ghouls’ head exploded that I saw the smoking .44s muzzle flash. So, she did still have that thing? Tumbles revolver had enough punch to do some damage, and behind her Deacon was fiddling in his bags as he pulled out a new magazine.

Something grabbed hold of my flank, and although it was numb, I still knew crunching metal when I heard it! A buck sent the ghoul flying across the room into a group of its cohorts, and I let another stream fly across the floor. Drawing a clear line of battle into the tile, some picked up the pace as they pushed through after us. They weren’t dropping fast enough from the fire, and I could see the buckshot of another only scattering across their hides at distance. Up close on the other hoof was shattering them on impact, still too close for my liking.

Alimite was slam firing shells as fast as she was reloading, and I could see the shimmer of another approaching as she filled the tube. My hooves worked this time, as I bound past her headbutting the creep with a crunch to its noggin. Not fast enough to avoid its friend taking a chomp out of my rib cage. The underbelly of the suit wasn’t the strongest, and I behind the plating crushing in I could feel the blood start to trickle.

Armor integrity: 83%

So crystal serrated teeth were the suits weakness! Falling flat to my stomach flattened the ghoul all the same under the suits weight, scattering bits of it around like a dropped plate. As the snarling resonated throughout the hall, so too did our shots. Deacon was managing to put some down now with those green mags… what were those again? No matter, there was a near energy burn through their skulls before blowing out the back.

With her .44 Tumble was going to work, making up for all the time she kept the thing holstered. Though that left only two of us able to do some immediate damage. Riff was reduced to slashing at them with her claws, effective, but for every one she cut in half another two would pop up.

Another I crushed with the end of my hoof, and just as fast its friend joined in its place. My incinerator was effective, but I didn’t feel like dealing with flaming ghouls till they-! A blood curdling scream echoed its way through the hall, and as my head snapped, I watched one take a chunk of flesh out of Alimites’ shoulder.

The mare dropped her gun for a moment, and I dropped my heart. Until it picked back up tenfold, I wasn’t about to break a promise because of some enchanted pony-jerky! As if chems were coursing through my veins I closed the distance that had grown between me and her, ramming one shoulder into the side of the ghoul atop. Before bucking wild against the others that wanted to join in the party.

With a whisk of my magic, the mare was over my shoulder, and I was looking for an exit. “Stairs!” I bellowed out, and snapping too each of my friends started gunning towards the flight.

A shell fired from over my shoulder, and even with half of her chomped clean. The mare still managed to hold her gun with that horn giving me a little cover. The one or two that got in my way didn’t stand a chance, and just turned into puddy beneath my freight train of a charge. Now the only hurtle was this barricade, trivial for us, but how would the ghouls fair?

No time!

A flare of the thrusters put me in the air with my passenger. With two ponies it wasn’t flying so much as it was gliding, but we still got to the other side of the barricade. Our Gryphon carried his mare up and over just like I had, that left… Riff about launched herself over, one ghoul still clinging to her back paws as it smeared against the flooring from her landing.

That left… I could see the mangled hooves starting to grasp atop the barricade, and the more I looked the more I could see said wall starting to wane. With something fresh in hooves reach, they must have finally had a reason to press on. Deacon and Tumble were taking shots to those that managed to flop over the barrier, and with my guns largely a bad idea I started looking for anything to keep them on the other… side.

A shimmer gave me that answer.

Above I could see the chandelier, something that likely took months to make given all the stones that hung from its frame. Something that I was about to ruin in a few moments. ADAC locked in the APECR, and I didn’t care so much about the aiming needed, I just needed this thing to drop!

The rounds were designed to take down even the most heavily armed dragons… chains were trivial. With only the long burst of a few dozen I started to watch as the decorative piece faltered, and gravity finally took over. Parts of the piece rained down from above as the main section joined close behind, and the weight of it alone was enough to crater into the staircase we’d left behind.

Stairs, barricade, and ghouls met their match by palace decoration.

The large gap that remained was enough of a deterrent to some, but a few ghouls still tried to make that leap only to meet the floor below. If they were really wanting to keep creatures out from the upstairs, they should have dropped that to begin with. We got our breather, and with any amount of luck that kept the riff raff to the ground floor… well that riff raff, not our own.

Then something slumped off the side of the suit. “Alimite!” Right! Injured mare almost eaten alive. With a quick twist I was by her side, and through the pain in her face she still managed to let a smile creep in.

“I’ll be fine there, Wiley,” she passed me a shallow smirk, and it wasn’t just my cheeks that were flushing.

Deacon took a knee by her, as he brought out his kit. Bandages, ointment, and generous potion or two found their way to the mares’ care. A shot of Med-X really helped to take the edge off, and although she was wincing from it. My mare was pushing herself back to her hooves, even as the flesh was still being mended. I’m glad she inherited that stubbornness from her mother.

“What about dog?!”

Riff started to pout, but that earned her a fresh bandage being tossed to her face from our doc as she started to wrap the bites. Tumble loaded up fresh cartages to her .44, and Deacon did the same with his carbine as we looked away from the snarling behind us. Our wounds were licked, and with us leaving the grand hall in our wake that left just the rest of the castle to deal with.

This time around our feet were taking a more careful stride. The barricade set up might have been intact, but who knows if there was another group of those things lingering around in one of these rooms. There were plenty of places for them to hide, it was a castle after all… just how did any pony not get lost in places like this? Chances are they probably did, but those that once walked these halls had far more time to learn the route.

Us? Not so much… Map, directions, anything?!

We’d probably gone past the same painting three times before my hooves finally ground to a halt against the tile. Nowhere in the place was going to be covered fast at this rate, and even with the general idea of go up, there was plenty of up to be explored. Well now, the hospital hadn’t been too bad, and besides our welcoming committee there hadn’t been a single crystal freak.

What's the worst that could happen? “We need to cover more ground,” I looked to each of them, “I don’t want to be here any longer than I have to, and the best way to do that is splitting up.” Again…

Deacon already had his wing around one mare pulling her a bit closer, and that left Riff there in the middle picking sides. “Dog go with turkey, might keep you too occupied otherwise,” she gave myself a wink.

What did she mean by- oh shit!

“You know it’s funny, I would have thought you’d lost feeling in that,” Deacon chuckled.

Alrighty moving now! I wasn’t the only one with that idea, and Alimites’ hooves damn near pressed me hard enough to force the suit to scrape over the ground. Even down the hall and a few turns away, I could hear the cackling of my group at last nights’ tryst. If she was cold before however, the mare didn’t show it with the fire raging on her face now.

Stairs, much needed stairs right now… our flight up took us to the next level, or perhaps it was the next five? Outside the window along the staircase the ground seemed to be getting further away. Here though, I got to see some of the wasteland coming through to taint the place. No longer was the palace its pristine condition like the ground floor… you know, besides the corpses that now littered the main hall.

This place looked like it was actually in a time of war. Terminals were lit up along the wall, still drawing their power from somewhere in the castle, papers had been tossed along the ground in upheaval from ponies long ago running about, and even cots with blood stains saturated them. Guess they couldn’t get everypony into the hospital.

Though if there was a place to find information, a literal command center had to be it. Alimite got the same vibe, and her hoof was already clicking away at one of the terminals’ keys. Power armor hooves weren’t the best for fine work like that, I’d likely just break the keyboard in half even trying. Instead, my horn reached out to some of those papers that hadn’t quite made their way to the floor.

Supply records, shipping notes, even the latest issue of Play Colt magazine… Wonder how much the latter would go for in caps? Question for another day, the actual papers that mattered to me hovered around my helm as I sifted through them. For all intensive purposes, the Crystal Empire was sure giving it’s all to help their southern cousin.

Between all the troops that were sent to bolster the front lines, to even the empires own gems being shipped down to the ministries for development. It’s no wonder the CE found itself in the crosshairs of the Zebras. Equestria could have won the war on its own, but having a whole nother country in your corner really set them above the stripes.

And then I saw it, those big old bold letters across one parchment, C.E.S. Cadance. My teeth started to chatter for a moment, but as I started reading, they quickly died down. It wasn’t a location, but it was a little history…

To your Majesties,

While we continue to ferry supplies down to Equestria to help in their efforts, as you are well aware those lines have come under the gaze of our adversaries. Trains have been derailed by saboteurs, ships scorched by stripe lead dragons, and to make the trip via sky would be impractical to say the least.

Myself and the other engineers have discussed… alternative means of transportation. To go where the enemy hasn’t thought of looking yet. Not on the water, but under it. After running the numbers with the M.W.T. and M.A.S. we have figured it could be very possible to do just that. Given the right talismans, and talented hooves doing the job.

However, we request and require your sign-off on this before continuing. It would help keep those bringing supplies hidden away from the enemy, and as such would be a safer means costing us less lives.

Very Respectfully,

Commissar Iron Hoof

Oh, history indeed… last time I saw that name there was Elder in front of it. I already know what Cadance and Shining Armors decision was on that, they signed off on the creations that bore their name. Here I was almost two centuries later trying to find out where they dropped anchor, all so I could rid the wastes of Iron Hoofs’ decedent…

“Find anything juicy?” the mare called out from over my shoulder, steadily clicking away at the keys.

“Nothing use-”

A shot of static interrupted me, as the terminal came to life with the sounds of another. Alimite jumped back for a second from the screen, but together there I joined her listening in. “Just a little… longer…” this stallion was in pain. I couldn’t see their face, or know what was going through that mind of theirs, but gritting teeth were hard to mistake over a recording.

“Shining!” another entered the room, and I could hear the trotting of hooves over the tile. “We have to leave!”

“Then get out of here…” Shining was starting to flinch in those words, “I can hold the spell, but it won’t last forever.”

“You have to come with-!”

“I can’t!” the stallion snapped out, and for a moment I heard the gulp in his throat. A soft whimper escaped from the mare, and there was a sigh in his own breath, “I… can’t… if I stop the shield falls, and the stable will seal up automatically after it realizes the area is toxic, with or without us.”

Stable? I didn’t know Stable-Tec was all the way this far north, but I suppose Equestria wasn’t the only payroll they were under. No wonder Cadance had been trying to get supplies out, and why so much of this place seemed vacant. They likely brought everything they could into the stable… all save for one colt.

“Then let me help you…” Cadance said past those sobs, “let me help get more inside… I don’t want to do this without you.” The shuffling of feathers filled the mic, and I could almost see her wings over the guy, “I can’t… do this without you.”

“They’ll need their princess, my dear,” for all the chaos going on outside these walls at the time. One pony was thinking straight at least, “it’s a guard’s duty to protect his princess, just as it’s a husbands’ to protect his wife… I can hold it long enough for you to get to safety,” I heard the mare choke out for a moment, and another torrent of sobs met his soft words, “but alas, this is where I have to remain.”

Silence fell upon the pair of us, and I was about ready to yell at the mare to say something to the colt already. “You always were my knight in shining armor,” between a set of tears, the sounds of lips meeting met our ears, “I love you, my prince.”

“And I love you, in this life and the next, my prince-”

Another bout of static ground the recording to a halt. For a moment we just sat there, staring blankly at the screen. I already had questions that wouldn’t get an answer, and now I just had to jot down a few more to the list. Was Cadance able to make it back in time? How long did Shining manage to hold out for? Where the hell did they find the time to record this kinda thing?!

… where was the stable?

That question lingered with me as we got back to our hooves and on the path upwards. If the stable hadn’t gone up in flames like mine, maybe there’s a chance it’s still thriving… I doubt Cadance would be around, but who knows. That might be just what was giving the shattered heart its trickle of love to clear the snow.

Speaking of which… Snow continued to smear against the paned glass of the staircase, and I only could watch the ground below get smaller the further up we went. Vast expanse of the Crystal Empire, where ever that stable was, it certainly was well hidden. Hopefully it stayed that way, if there were still ponies down there surviving, I know they wouldn’t want to see what this place had crumbled to. Although this area looked a bit cleaner than the rest of the palace … the long hallway didn’t have so much as a speck of dust to-

“Hello there!” ahh! Alimite shot up from behind me almost atop the suit.

Before us stood… err, hovered, a Mister Handy fresh from the broom closet. Claw on one tendril, torch on another, and feather duster attached to the last. The biggest surprise was it wasn’t shooting at us! It remained there just bobbing up and down as its eyes looked us over. No wonder it was so clean up here, the tenders to the palace never stopped doing their jobs. If it was still in one piece, then maybe the ghouls hadn’t made it this far up… I’d make for a lot easier search.

“Nice to meet you sir,” I took a light bow, letting the mare slip off my side.

“Oh, pish posh lad, no need to show an old bucket of bolts such courtesy,” its eyes swiveled on from myself and my company. “Though it is appreciated none the less.” Strange… if this one was out and about, were there any- “If you’re here to see his majesty, Mister Ranger, I’m afraid he is quite indisposed.”

His… Majesty? So, Shining did make it this far after all. “It’s actually more of a courtesy call,” Okay! Pick a line of bluffs and see which one might work, “from…”

“…The misses,” Alimite chimed in, righting herself and straightening out her garment.

“Ahh! I see now, no wonder he let you in here through the commotion downstairs,” with a bob of one eye, we followed in its thruster trail down the hall… wait… he?

Before I could get an answer to that question, there at our muzzles stood a door like no other. Carved out of what had to be solid crystal itself, it glistened against the flickering lights around us. Fine hoof work indeed, and if I had to put caps on it, probably somewhere important.

Its one claw reached out and onto the pad below the handle, as a quick glow of recognition flowed between the robot and the frame. Behind its construction, I could hear the locks being undone, and just like that a gentle gust broke the seal.

“Do let yourselves in,” the bot started to bob off, “and please tell his majesty he’s one million five hundred forty-one thousand seven hundred and sixty hours late for dinner.”

Yeah… we’ll tell him. A single hoof creaked open the door on its hinges, and with little effort the chambers inside stood like a time capsule. Clothes were neatly stacked atop the dresser, bed linins tucked up tight under the mattress, and even the skeleton in the bed looked… peaceful. Okay, so it wasn’t all hidden away from the wasteland. The body there kinda threw off the scenery a bit.

Yet, where other bones I’d seen mostly were tossed about on a whim. This one reminded me of an old Pegasus, somepony who went out on their own terms. Along their back they laid, one hoof neatly folded over the other atop their chest. Their head relaxing against pillows that were long overdue for a fluffing, and almost a smile escaping along the edge of their long rotted away skin… this pony died happy, and probably greeted death with a beam.

I could feel my knee starting to buckle, this time however, it was by my own accord. Steadily to the ground I met the ragged carpeting, and paused there for a moment. I never met the colt in real life, again never got the chance to make that trip. Though from what I knew of the guy through papers, and even broadcasts. He was better a pony than most all that lined the rangers’ ranks now, all save for a hoof full.

“Should I ask?” Alimite gave her best curtsy, before joining me back in my approach.

“Just showing some respect, for a much-loved colt,” and very much cared for brother… I got my mug inspired by somepony after all.

Next to him rested a device I was already familiar with, and the tape floated its way in my grasp to the suit. It didn’t take long to find in my inventory, and with a click the sounds of some final words started to play like a sad song.

Or coughing at least, Shining was hacking up his other lung by now before he even got a word out. “Damned Stripes…” oh I knew that feeling all too well, “you threw everything you had at us, yet I still held on…” another torrent of coughs erupted from his throat, and in the background, I could hear the hinges we just walked through move again.

“Sir are you well? Should I fetch you something?”

“I’m quite alright, Fiddlesworth,” the tearing of his throat said otherwise, “please lock the door on your way out… I think I’ll be turning in for the night.” After a goodbye that Fiddlesworth didn’t know would be their last, Shining let out a sigh. “I hope she made it, I hope all of them did… but she had to have… still,” the ruffling of some parchment broke through, “it would have been better if she took this, just in case.”

Out the corner of my eye I could see this in his hoof, its flickering alone I should have noticed before the tape. Though could you blame me for wanting to hear some history? “Twily made good on her promise, got it to me not long before she went out to one of her secret projects…” a secret project that he still knew of. I guess she couldn’t hide everything from her brother, “if only I could have said goodbye… not that I won’t be seeing them again soon anyway,” whatever this colt breathed it must have been like razorblades to his insides, that last one I could almost hear the blood seep out. “This is Prince Shining Armor of the Crystal Empire, signing off, and wishing whoever might find this… good luck, and learn from us.”

The recording cut out, and I don’t imagine he waited long before taking his place on the bed. Even less time before whatever the zebras threw at this place took its hold of the guy. All while he took hold of something else, and with a gentle aura I lifted one skeletal hoof up to revile something I’d seen once before… from another like himself.

I had one similar already installed in my suit, a final parting gift from one of the good ones. This talisman however, shined with a deeper ocean tint that its lighter cousin could only dream of. “Can ya give me a hoof?” with a kick the back panel of the suit popped open, and my handy mare trotted back with a smile. “It should just be a quick-” Zap, “swap!”

That one I felt in my ass! “Not a swap, it actually went right over top of the other one in there…”

So… what the hell did that mean? I’ll have plenty of time to find out later when I got to the rangers. You know, when I actually figured out where the hell they were… it felt almost gross looking through the drawers of the pony whose body laid there on the bed. Though I still had a job to do, one that I think he would have understood if he could hear it.

The more I popped open, the more I realized one thing. This couple kept their work lives and personal ones separate at all costs. There wasn’t even so much as a newspaper clipping lying around. All I could see were pictures their majesties took from their wedding, times shared with friends and the regal sisters, or the pair just genuinely spending time together… anything to keep their minds away from the war that waged.

I didn’t want to go any further here, and by the looks of things it wouldn’t matter anyway. Hopefully the other group made out a little better, “Let’s circle back around, meet up with-”

The door burst open, and just as quickly the other trio slammed their backs against it. Deacon had some of his feathers singed, Tumble had probably seen better days tossing about in a briar bush, and even Riff was out of breath as she patted down scorched tatters of her coat. One thing was certain, the commotion didn’t stop when they held the door.

“What. Did. Ya’ll. Do!” I bellowed out, grabbing their attention in a snap. It had just been so quiet, and now that all went to hell in a handbasket.

“Deacon did it…” Tumble nudged her head his way.

Instead of a rebuttal, all I got from the gryphon was a nod. “No, no… she’s right with this one,” his talon went digging through the bag on his side, as something from the other side of the door pushed them off it for a moment. “Found the library, went looking through the records, asked the Mister Handy librarian for some help, and found an article of the subs being built…” the crumbled-up piece of paper flew my way, and I nabbed it in my horn.

I could see in the preserved print the pictures of twin keels being laid, and there in the corner of it stood out in bold letters NORTH LUNA BAY DOCKYARD. A little blip popped up on my compass, and just like that we had our heading… there was just one problem, “then what the hell is going on now?!”

“I wanted to take the article for your suit to pick out… although I didn’t have a library card,” Deacon started to grimace for a second, “so I might have tucked it in my pocket, and pissed off the librarian in the process…”

“… and the librarian had a friend,” Tumble finished for him, throwing her back into the door again.

“Why not just tell me the name of the place?!” That right there stumped the gryphon of a few seconds, though any further inquiry to his thought process was saved. A second time those doors nearly burst open, though with a hefty shove from the hellhound it slammed back. This time, I managed to have one bar pop on my screen now, “It’s just one! We can-”

“It’s a sentry…” okay Tumble, and?

“A big one…” Deacon clenched his jaw.

“Big big one,” Riff added, “pony take books seriously.”

Oh perfect! I didn’t deal with bots much, but I knew enough to see some of the models the ministries had planned… and just a few managed to nearly beat my ass in a boxing ring alone! Now here we were, locked up in some tower like a fairytale princess, trapped by some metal monstrosity. This would be the time to call out for a knight in shining armor right about now, all I’d have to do was pop the…

Oh, they weren’t going to like this one. “Deacon, how are your wings!” I shouted at him. For a moment he flared them out in confusion, though me galloping back into the room, and lining up my path answered his question already.

“Right!” his talons wrapped around Tumbles torso.

My horn did the same to Alimite, and plopped her along my back. “Hold on…” I muttered to her through the pounding at the door, advice she didn’t need to be given. Like a vice I could feel her hooves digging into my neck already! “Riff! Grab hold of something on your way out!”

The hound looked at me for a moment, and a moment past that I was already bounding towards the window. A few shells from shotty and the beautifully preserved pain glass blew out into shards. Joining the snowflakes, as I did the same with the mare.

So much faster than the stairs!

Snow whizzed by my head, and I’m sure somewhere in there I could hear one mare screaming in my ear… no wait, make that two. Past the screams I could hear the flapping of wings, and right beside me Deacon caught up. With a very petrified looking Tumble across his back, I was thankful to have armor protecting me, though the gryphon looked damn near purple with how hard she was squeezing him.

Did I mention this was faster than the stairs? And oh boy was that ground getting big! I brought up the thruster controls, just as Deacon started fanning out his wings putting him behind me. I had to time this, otherwise… well none of my friends carried a shovel…

Wait for it…

Wait…

“Fucking burn em, Wild!” Alimite shouted, and I can oblige that!

A jerk later and the talismans in the machine were going at a hundred and ten percent. Any snow beneath me was vaporized, and its droplets instead smacked across my visor. The ground was still coming in fast, but with my landing area filling up the HUD I could see at least some drag to my decent.

Mind you, that was only some… so this is what Lock, Stock, and Barrel all felt like? My hooves cratered into the ground, punching straight through the street and bringing me at least half a foot shorter. Shock Suppression be damned, that shit hurt! My legs were rattling, my teeth might have crunched down to dust, and I’m pretty sure I just headbutted the inside of my own helmet.

That left… “I swear to-” Alimite got out, before whatever could be found in her stomach evacuated itself across my back and scattered across the floor.

Stepping out of my hole, I trotted a few feet trying to jostle the mare, and think of any sort of apology to say… “Better than the stairs…”

Wrong words! Sarcasm aside, I threw it down a well for good measure and tried easing the mare onto her hooves. Better said than done, her first step almost sent Alimite to the ground again. With a shoulder to lean on though she found her footing, and I could see the panting from her breath… your ribs were not supposed to look like that…

“Are you alright?” her face said it all, and I know I was going to take that wrench to the side any moment… “Stupid question…”

Just in time to save my ass! Our resident medic fluttered his wings down to a near crawl a few feet away from us, and just as fast Tumble fell off his back onto the ground. Her legs were kicked up, and I’m pretty sure she got what I’d call a Pegasus Blow-dryer to the face, but she was breathing.

Deacon soared over in a moment, and once again was finding is way through those doctor bags of his. “Might have wanted to kick the brakes on a little sooner there chief,” he informed me a few hundred feet too late, though with the seconding from Alimite through a nod. Two healing potions found their way down her throat faster than she could breathe.

Deacon, alive. Alimite, healing, but alive. Tumble, pissed off at a gryphon, but there was nothing new with that one… a-a-and… There she is. Riffs’ claws dug neatly into the side of the palace, and all the way up I could see the trail they left. One hell of a way to mark her territory. A few stories from the ground, and she released, landing almost in perfect step with my own crater.

And immediately collapsed onto all fours panting. “Dog… appreciate… more warning next time!”

“How about we avoid the next time all together,” Tumble finally got back to her own hooves, and passed a venomous looking glare one gryphons’ way. “This is why no one comes here…” her eyes began to roll before stumbling a few paces, “Terrible weather, big ass robots, ghouls that explode, and ponies that want to play Pegasus…”

“I had to think on the fly!” I shouted with my hooves up, as we turned tail and started walking. All four of them either snickered, or were ready to beat me to death… “No pun intended! Besides, we left that thing long behind-”

Crash!

Steadily the five of us found the courage to look behind, and there masking the impacts of both me and the hound, was one bot to be reckoned with. Shield emblems dotted either of its shoulder plates just under the missile pods of its white painted metal, while what had to be the fighting flag of the empire fell from the barrel ends of its main autocannons. Each banner barely long enough to reach the treaded tripod that held it up… I could already hear somepony saying bigger at the development meeting of this thing.

The few dings and scrapes along that otherwise pristine coat told me all I needed to know. With this thing roaming the palace, how far would any of those ghouls really gotten? The whirl of a small servo perked up in my ears, and I saw its head spring to life as the lights zeroed in on me and my group. More particularly to the suit itself, as if it was peering through the visor.

Just as the HUD gave it a namesake, Final Lesson. I just had to open my damned mouth!

“Mission parameters: Protect palace property and occupants,” it groaned in that dead voice of a Sentry, “Trespassers identified… Crystal Empire Palace property found,” its mechanical voice signaled, as its sights seemingly began to narrow, “requiring with extreme prejudice.”

Oh, it looked like it wanted that paper back! Along its shoulder blades those pods lit up, and all five of us scattered missing the barrage nipping at our tails. No wait, scratch that, my tail in particular! Just like everything else in the wasteland, this thing had the hots for me. The ripples in the ground behind me ran as its own 14.4mm dug away from the miss.

My head swiveled to one side staring it down, as shotty did the same. Shell after shell we exchanged, and I didn’t have a hope to damage it from here. Though it did keep its attention away from another. The volley of 40mm against its haul gave more of a kick, even jarring its stance before the head turned to match Riff… with barely even a scratch on its paint. Another barrage from its shoulder sent the hound tucking away into the hospital.

Okay eyes back on me now! My hooves stomped and pivoted, charging at it might not have been the smartest maneuver, but neither was leaping out a palace window. Valve opened, and in my path a torrent of flames erupted like the dragons of old. Fire against metal wasn’t viable, but having those flames across its face did make me feel a bit better. Its AC arms swung about trying to swipe the flames away, as my own cannon kicked on.

Even against ones plated up like raiders, and tended too as if pets, APECR was a wonderful thing to… have… after the first shell hit, I saw that all too familiar shimmer spring to life. The flames started to die out from being suffocated under the vail of its shield, all as my rounds sparked and scattered against the stone beneath us like spent confetti.

This thing had a shield too… time to- one leg pivoted, and the other didn’t want to play along. Underneath the snow and ice my metal slipped up, sending me to the ground with a face full of frost. Still well within reach, and sight of that arm coming down.

“Motherfuck-!”

Ahh, there’s the boxing gloves from before! Myself and the suit as one skipped and sparked across the ground, before smacking into the side of another structure. Celestia and Luna were replaced by the pink alicorn of love dancing around, and with my friends taking the smart approach from behind cover. All its sensors fell on my armored ass… yippy.

A contrail answered my call, and the resonating in my ear told me Tumble had recovered from her skydiving lesson. Flames skipped against the shield, and while it faltered for a second following the impact. The enchantment never dropped, and if anything radiated even brighter from the hit. Just what the hell was powering this thing?! I tried getting to my hooves, wobbly for sure, but I was standing damn it… oh, hello!

One of its treads kicked into my chest, putting me back on the ground with the full weight of it on top. Concussive blasts I could withstand, punches from a metal arm all the same, even some of the most powerful ammunition in the waste the suit could shrug off with a little luck.

Getting stepped on by a big ass robot was not in the design plans for these suits!

Plates were shifting along my chest where I didn’t even know there were plates before, and now I could feel the weight of it pressing against my literal rib cage. If I’d been wearing any other suit, it would have collapsed like a can. My hooves tried to plant along its leg, anything to get this thing off me. Who the hell in the M.W.T. made these so beefy?! Even with the servos working overtime, I couldn’t get its leg to budge one… bit…

For a split second I looked and saw my hooves on its plating, and that dull shimmer around not only itself, but me as well… oh this was gonna hurt. Shotty swiveled down right along its tread, and I clicked on full auto for this one. With a single chomp, probably way too many shells met its metal with explosive fury. Chunks of it sprayed into my face from the pellets, and I could already feel the suit waning from the impact of my own munitions. Though finally something inside its matrix clicked.

With the foot off me, I rolled back onto my hooves and tried darting towards the hospital. Blasts of missiles nipped away at my ass yet again, each one nudging me a little more forward as they tried to-

Armor integrity: 64%

When the hell did you drop that low?!

Speed wasn’t my friend in the suit, but mass sure as hell was! Right next to the one Riff had made earlier, I punched a neat pony sized hole into the structure. My breath was still trying to catch up with having to haul more suit than pony around, but I at least had a breath to take… Riff on the other hoof looked like she needed about an entire pallet worth of Cram to get a smile again.

Chunks of glass stuck out along her coat from where obviously the windows blew out like shrapnel. Hellhound hides were tough, but even something as fragile as fused glass could do a number on them when it was propelled by a missile.

“Dog… hate… robots,” she licked along the trickling blood from her paw to its base.

“Yeah, you and me both,” the sounds of another 40mm going off outside told me Deacon finally found his roost. I think I could take a moment to let the suit do some work and patch my ass up, “inside the shield it can take a beating… found that out the hard way.” My whining ribs still pounded inside my chest, even with the meds going to work it hurt to breathe.

“Wild have fun trying to box it…” her glare already said that would be a bad idea for any in our group besides us two.

Outgunned? Oh, for sure. How far was it really willing to track us though? “We need a distraction…” I watched those canine eyes fall on the suit, “Not me! I mean something to keep it occupied so we can get out of here.”

Another shard of glass found its way onto the dusty floor, and with her launcher as a cane Riff picked herself up. “Dog… have idea then,” Wonderful! At least some creature did, “Keep bot busy.”

Not wonderful!

Before I could shout at her to learn more, those hellhound paws were already tearing away through the structure. My flank found the floor, crunching some of that glass underneath. I swear I said ‘not me’ when I mentioned a distraction… for the love of the princesses, I hope you know what you’re doing Riff.

Armor integrity: 66%

“Go ahead, no rush or anything!” I yelled into the helmet at the suit, as my hooves planted along the floor ready to charge headlong into the fray yet again.

Alrighty… Ready, fire, aim! Both the ADAC and IF-451 lit up the hole I made as I went through, and almost immediately the bot turned away from the buckshot smacking into its side to face off. Every one of its barrels and pods geared up, and I felt that knot in my throat choke its way down… please be something useful.

Missiles went off, 14.4mm lobbed from both our ends… and around me a shimmer shrouded the suit to match its own. The shockwave was enough to pick me up off my hooves again, but like a cat I found myself on all fours. Each of its rounds smashed into the shimmer, dropping the spent munitions to my feet like mine did the same to it. Just like its own though, my shield didn’t quite let up either.

All I got was a sparkle from the shots breaking on impact, and a very confused looking Sentry ahead. Somewhere in its matrix it was trying to run the numbers on just how to approach this one, and somewhere in that time another shell landed in front of its face. Frost started to put out whatever flames of mine met it, and over the enchantment its vision faltered. Off to the side I could see the fluttering wings already disappearing back into another building, even as its shells tried to catch up.

Oh no you don’t! Finally, my shield started to flicker, just in time for me to do something stupid… my go-to battering ram smashed into its leg, and I saw the face of ‘really?’ painted on its brow. To which I answered with another hefty dose of 12 gauge to its side. Its gun arms swung around its base trying to swat me like the fly I was, but if I had trouble moving in the suit. Then it sure as hell had a hard time getting a bead on-

Never mind! That hit knocked me back a few yards, and from my chest I almost felt my lungs cough up, but I quickly got right back into its personal space. Up and close here it didn’t want to use those guns, fine by me, I’d more than happily use mine. Once more inside the shield I let the incinerator rip, basking the tight space in flames. Any snow underneath us quickly turned to steam from the heat, and I could barely see its arms before they made contact.

Armor integrity: 51%

A combination of boxing matches and explosive buckshot was not a heathy mix… my head was starting to whirl, and no dose of Med-X was going to help the pounding. Just had to keep its eyes on me a bit… Longer?

The jaws of a ghoul latched onto my leg, and from reflex my hoof crushed its skull under the weight. Where the hell did y’all come- From! A dozen more shot out from the hospitals’ new exits. One lunged at me, which was only met with a single shot that detonated its entire body in a showering of crystalline shards.

Two more though found their way onto the legs of the bot, and I heard the crunching of their bones from the force of its swings… its eyes were off me now, and I found my window. Even with one nipping at my heels, I kicked the thrusters on in high gear launching me off the ground. The ghoul that tried to hold on lost its grip, finding a new home on the stone below, as I got to watch from the safety of the Hospital roof.

The first dozen the bot was handling well, though the snarling and chomping underneath signaled the arrival of friends, as another bunch poured out from the building. All too eager to join their friends and play with their shiny new toy. A couple of the ghouls that took rounds to their bodies exploded, and for all the plating in the world this thing had. Those shards sticking out of its armor still sent a few sparks out when they dug in, yet the damn thing stood tall. You know… I had to give it to Final Lesson. Whoever designed and built this one at the M.W.T. needed a raise after all the crap it was taking now.

“Plan work?” I heard that husky voice from behind, and Riff stepped up to my side.

“Plan work well,” I answered, and took one last look at the bot following its final orders… protect.

Stairs? No thank you, Riff and I found our way down quite nicely on the side of the building with a single leap. I wanted to be nowhere in sight for the bot or ghouls to pick up on. A wide circle around the open street we fought in yielded only the sounds of gun shots in the distance, as I finally came up to the rest of our group.

All of them looked about ready to burn this place to the ground, but I wasn’t getting a tool thrown at me, so that’s a plus. “Hey he’s in one piece,” Deacon started to snicker.

“And only caught himself on fire a little,” Alimite added, her ribs looking mighty better the last time I saw them.

Trying to turn the shield into an oven yielded a fresh coat of scorch marks to the suit, but ill toss that up to battle scars. Nothing a little TLC couldn’t fix later, “Thank you for being a distraction to my distraction…” I couldn’t help but slide some sarcasm their way for hanging me out to dry in the ring.

Okay, take two… all five of us put the fighting behind us, literally, and started heading out of the city. That marker firmly in the forefront of my vision as I lead the way. “Well, we couldn’t let you have all the fun, you can just take a better beating,” Tumble added, and like it or not she was right, “The thing sure had the hots for you after all.”

Well now… “I just attract all the attention, don’t I?” my eyes were rolling, but a nod from each of them answered that fact… bullet sponge was still my middle name.

Footnote: Max level.

New Perk: “Shinings’ Contribution Lv. 2”- Who says Alicorns get to have all the fun? Shield upgraded to give an additional 75 damage resistance to current level, blocking even more incoming damage for twenty seconds. Any damage greater that impacts is severely reduced in power. Warning: Charge time increased.

Chapter forty-one: Road less traveled

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Chapter forty-one: Road less traveled

How the Crystal Empire got its name, I might never know… anything outside the capital was nothing short of a town that I could kick a rock to the other end of. While of course, every one of them was blanketed in a sheet of snow. Nothing like we trudged through in the city, but enough to keep certain mares clinging to their cloaks to stay warm… or a gryphon.

Empire my ass… one city didn’t make a country. Years back I wouldn’t have thought I’d ever want to leave the city, once I got in there and saw all it had to offer from being hidden for so long. Never the less, we found ourselves walking across the territory out west towards our new destination.

It had been a few hours since the spire of the palace left our view, and what little sun Equestria got was nearly cut in half for the Crystal Empire. I couldn’t tell if it was actually getting to be nighttime, or just that terrible of visibility. Either way, I was more than happy to put some additional distance between myself and that bot… though that meant moving forward, and as such, more time to ourselves.

Silence wasn’t a virtue in my book, if anything it just let my mind wander while I kept the waypoint ahead and trudged on. Hell, even the lack of anything shooting at us wasn’t helping, and I just got my suit back up to 100%. By now I was practically begging for something to jump out at us crying for a fight. Otherwise, I was left to wonder just one thing…

How to take on a Ranger port.

The Port of North Luna Ocean had been mainly for shipping, even as today as it was back then. Get ships inside and out as fast as possible. It was large sure, but they also hadn’t expected to be hit so close to their operation. Was this one any different? Kinda, the Dockyard was their home turf, the port was nothing more than a stepping stone for them into Equestrias’ borders. There would be more rangers ready to die for a cause their Elder believed in, more ground to cover once we got to the place, and a whole lot more variables that could play into us not making it out-

“You’re steaming there, Wild,” Deacon nudged me with one wing, as Tumble stayed well tucked under his other.

Was it that obvious? “Not steaming, just lost in thought,” Alimite kept herself wrapped up only a few paces away from me. So, for now I had time for a little guy talk about our next move, if any creature could get a lay of the land, it was the one who could soar above it. “Seeing how the odds are stacked against us if you would.”

“Oh, we’re totally screwed on a number of levels there chief,” not the confidence I wanted to hear… “they have the home field advantage, there’s surely more of them than us, we have to destroy two ships while avoiding getting shot at, and that’s nothing to say of how long we can keep that element of surprise on our side.” Deacon had been waiting to rattle all that off, I just needed to ask the right question. Yet here he was, saying it all with a smile.

“So why the grin?”

“Because… look what you’ve managed to do still?” really, vagueness was not helping right now, “You took on one of the best groups in the wastes and came out on top, had help along the way, but still did it.”

I don’t know if I’d call the Gunners, the best, but they had to be up in the rankings. “A lot of help doing it mind you… now it’s just the five of us…”

“So? You’re not leading a whole war party down upon the rangers… big deal?” Someone wasn’t seeing the point in all this?! Neither was I if I’m being honest. “Our smaller group might be able to get in there to where we need to go without being seen.”

Not being seen… has he looked at our group? Alimite was the sneakiest of us, then there was himself who could stick to the skies, and finally Tumble who could do her thing from a distance. All with myself and Riff at the tip of our spear. Hellhounds stuck out like a sore hoof, there was just no hiding one of the largest threats to the wasteland. Finally, my metal ass came up to bat with the sorriest excuse for stealth one can imagine.

I’ve heard it enough times already, but stealth wasn’t my middle name. “How are you being so optimistic about this?” I watched his brow start to raise up at that. Although it was a downer on the train, one hound had it right, “… there’s a good chance we won’t have to worry about that return trip…” not with everything as it presented itself now.

One wrong move, one slip up, and there goes the act. I’d be Steel Ranger propaganda with them toting my head around on a pike, just as all of theirs would be. Big headlines of ‘Stay clear of the Rangers, or else’ below in bold outside their stronghold. It might have been the walk alone to my thoughts letting all the negativity in, but it was flowing freely now finally.

This was an all or nothing bet, either we succeeded, or we failed…

“Because you believed we could,” Come again? His curiosity was replaced with just a smile, and a gentle look down to the one hiding under his wing. “You’ve made friends out here ya know, ones that weren’t afraid to follow you across the land searching for one you thought you lost…” one that I did lose in the end still, but he must have caught my look, “… and even after that, we stuck it out to see things through. I wasn’t lying when I said I hadn’t had this much fun in years…” whether he intended to or not, that wing of his clenched a bit tighter around the mare. “It’s been a hell of a ride, Wildfire… and I know you wouldn’t have made this trip if there wasn’t at least the smallest chance of us coming out on top.”

Key word there, smallest chance…

“So… do you want to turn tail and run now that we have that goal in sight?” his eagle eyes looked through my visor, and he already knew that answer just like he did after giving my diagnosis.

With friends like these, what could I say? Though one mare beat me to the punch, “… we’ve come this far.” Alimite smiled back at me, barely hidden under the vail of her cloak.

And just like that with the words of a friend, I could feel some of that worry letting go… call it cold feet. I’ll just go ahead and blame the snow. Though that does beg one question, “So… how much do either of you know about submarines?” here I was spit balling on our way to the target, what a time to formulate a plan, “any idea where to start?”

“Like I said on the train, sink it like any other ship…” Deacon started with a shrug to his shoulders.

“…I mean they’re probably a pain in the ass to fix once broke,” Alimite finished off.

Right… I was the pony-cicle… alrighty textbooks and engineering 101 don’t fail me now! Getting a ship to sail was one thing, getting it to sail under the water was another altogether. So many things could go wrong that would send the crew to a watery grave. At least on an actual ship you could always get off and swim, but with a sub? Humph… how well could you hold your breath? You had to make your own air, carry enough food, give it the energy to drive itself, give it a way to submerge and…

Lightbulb, I got an idea, about 10% of an idea at least.

***

Que the abandoned town in the middle of nowhere… no seriously, the only motion I was seeing from any of the buildings in this place was the snow falling off those roofs. As for a town, I’d call it a village, but who was I to judge. This wasn’t even enough of a blip on the map for it to get its own marker.

Nothing but boarded up windows, rolling tides of sleet, and the occasional shutter flapping in the wind. There also weren’t any tracks that shown others recently visiting, so my guns could rest at ease. Although my eyes certainly couldn’t, every step we took I got to see that little marker off in the distance getting ever closer. Calming words of a friend or not, my heart was still thundering at the prospect of going toe to toe with em.

I had to relax… or at least get the figment of a plan out of my head or else it was going to explode. That concept was sitting at about 69% complete the way I saw it… hmm, nice. Though I still needed to draw it out for those with me to get the overall picture down pact.

“We should probably poke around some of these homes…” Tumble sniffled through her nose, “Might have a potion or two to use for the next hump.”

“We’ll need to rest till the cover of night, or at least dusk as well,” and all eyes on me. I hadn’t elaborated at all with what was buzzing through my head since out little chat, and that helped past the time till we were only several miles away from the coast. However, it also kept them all in the dark, “I have a plan.”

“Oh shit…” Thank you for the vote of confidence dear!

Yet even with her snicker, the mare was staring pretty intently for me to spill the beans… now you’ll have to wait. “Tumbles’ right though, we could always use a few more supplies.” A quick look around nabbed me a medium sized house, more than enough for us to pile inside. More importantly, it had a chimney, “Think you girls can poke around? Deacon and I will clear a spot for us to kick our feet up.”

Each of them looked at me a little funny for that, our usual ‘split up’ routine well and broken. Was there any reason? Kinda, but we’ll get to that… I wanted to map out the details a little better before I proposed them to the ones who’d be doing the heavy lifting. Without so much as a huff, the girls went one way, and we went on towards the house.

Plywood was great for weathering the storm, not so good for a metal hoof. Half a kick later earned us a grand entrance, and a dusty old room. Once again, I was thanking the filters on this thing, otherwise I’d be like Deacon sneezing up my entire sinus cavity. Now where was… there ya are. Just like I hoped, that fireplace was smack dab in the middle of the living room wall. Plenty of space for us to get ready, and me to put some ideas out for all to see.

Another buck to an innocent chair almost shattered the furniture to manageable chunks, anything else I needed my horn took care of as I piled them in the fireplace. Deacon however, moved just past the main living room on to another part of the house while I went. A quick burp of flames had the fireplace burning bright, and already I could almost sense the warmth on my face… if it wasn’t for all this plating.

Screw it… a few clicks of the latch, and helmet slid off. Letting me- “Ahh…ahh…achoo!” taste that sweet stagnant air.

“Yeah, not so fun is it,” Deacon came back empty taloned, “Kitchen was empty… but it looks like you’re already doing some redecorating.”

One leg of the chair I sacrificed was just what I needed, and in an aura, it levitated out of the flame and snuffed out with a puff of smoke. “Only if I wanted to make this place a classroom…” he had no idea what I was talking about, but it’d all make sense soon enough.

The wall was clear enough for my needs, and with the careful twist of my horn I started out simply. I didn’t design subs, barely even knew of their concept alone… but I did understand article and principals.

The idea wasn’t hard to grasp, and had been experimented with by others as a way to explore the waters around Equestria itself. A metal haul was heavy, but hollow it could still float. You needed a way to control its buoyancy, how do you do that one might ask? Simple, just use what’s around you. Zeppelins of old used the same idea in some ways, submarines just had a more abundant source of it… Water.

As I thought the lines on the wall were making sense in my mind, and I started to add the little details that might help the others along. A tank or two there, a pump here, piping everywhere in this damned thing. I swear I didn’t have a hoof in their creation, but I understood machines well. With my ‘chalk’ wearing thin, I finished up what I needed and took a step back.

“Ahh… we miss something?” Riff asked from behind me, and low and behold the whole gang was back together.

A small sack from Alimite poured onto the coffee table, and inside were just an assortment of your usual wasteland grocery list. Canned meat that the hound swiped up immediately, a few things of water that only sounded partially frozen, and a few boxes of sweet treats that might be a good fill in for popcorn.

The box of Fancy Buck Snack Cakes found a new home in the hooves between the two mares, as they and the hound took their seat on the couch. “Actually, I’m just getting started,” okay… deep breaths, you went through the plan your whole way here. Now just to spell it all out, and one of my hooves acted as a pointer. “Subs need to be able to regulate their ballast,” blank stares as far as the eye could see… alrighty, simpler terms then, “how well they can float,” that’s more like it, “mostly this is done by either pumping air or water inside what's called ballast tanks stored along the bellies of the beast.”

Using the stump of my chalk I circled around the crudely draw parts. “More water, and they sink. More air, and they float… simple really, but tedious…” it was all a balancing game. You needed the right about of both to get yourself neutral in the water, and having too much of one would make you either a boat on the surface or a rock on the sea bed. “I’m aiming at breaking those pumps, maybe even rupturing the ballasts if possible. The subs will sink, and without repairs, won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.” If at all that is.

One talon shot up, “why not break the haul?” Deacon pointed out one thought of his not too long ago, “probably be harder to fix that than some pumps.”

“I don’t know how well the haul is protected… if we use too much, we might just set off those warheads all together,” as spectacular as it’d be. I would much rather have a controlled level of destruction, “even with these parts being damaged, I doubt the rangers would be able to get the ball rolling on any repairs…” hell they needed shipments of steel from Equestria to just patch up the subs before. How much gear would they need to raise them from the sea bed? “Sinking them would render both useless for decades. Hell, they’d probably have better luck rebuilding the damned things from the ground up.”

Even with the ranger numbers at their disposal. They weren’t engineers, if they were they wouldn’t need me after all to upgrade a few suits of armor. Creating these ships needed entire teams at the drawing board likely, something the Rangers just didn’t have.

“I propose going in at night, get on the subs, set a few charges, and with some level of precision… send them to the bottom.” A solid plan, probably the best I’ve had. We get in, and get out with our heads well out of any ponies’ crosshairs…

Just one problem.

“And how do you propose we get in without being noticed?” Alimite picked that one up quick.

Alas, she was right. Some of us were better suited at stealth from the get go… though not amongst the rangers. My suit was too far changed to blend in, and Riff and Deacon were entirely different species. We needed someponies that could blend in, and waltz around like any other in their ranks. That just left two… Winter forgive me.

“With you two…” and just like that, both the mares present eyes grew wider as they fell back into the couch in near perfect unison. Alrighty, phase one! “None of us are suited really to sneak aboard a ship, we all stick out too much… but you two can look like any one of them.” Alimites’ bandana might have to be covered up a little, but last I checked none of the rangers had ever met her in the first place. Even Tumble could slither away in amongst them, with a few changes, “They have what's called Scribes, wear a different uniform than power armor, and with one over your coat you could blend right in.”

I hated this part of the plan… if we had the numbers, I’d say charge head long into the fray and hope for the best. However, we were limited in that. Tumble was the first real friend I made out here in the wastes. Literally from the beginning just after I dawned this suit of armor, she’d been there over my shoulder. Questioning Deacons trustworthiness, worrying over Riff slicing us in half, and who could forget all the times she had others in her crosshairs to watch my ass. It felt wrong to throw her into the mix of things when I couldn’t help right beside her… some friend I was.

Then there was another mare… I made a promise to Winter to watch over her daughter, and here I was throwing her to the wolves to make ends meet. Somewhere I could hear her mom almost cursing my name at even the idea… or maybe that was just myself arguing with it. I wanted there to be another way, but the more I looked at it, the more this seemed like the only chance. I’d be right there with them if I could, suit or not, but that issue should seem obvious.

Alimite hadn’t said a word, none of them did, so I had nothing more to do than drive the point home. “You also know machines… I’ve never seen a ballast pump, but out of all of us, you’d be the one to pick it out, and know where to put the charges.” If the gears in my head were already turning, then surely hers were as well. My eyes fell to Tumble, “and it’d do her well to have somepony watching her back, like you have for me since the start.”

After a quick cough, at least one of them found the thought to speak. “Speaking of charges,” Tumble finally put in her two cents. “Unless you want to start strapping grenades to one another, we’ll need to go shopping.”

“I was getting to that…” and time for phase two! “That’s where I come in,” all my M.W.T. training was going to come mighty in handy for this next go around. “We don’t have the firepower to rig something up for those pumps, but the Rangers sure do.” If this really was their main hub, then they had to have a stockpile of goods to choose from. “I can rig a few charges up to put a hole in anything important.”

“And as for the uniforms?” Deacon asked, “or were we going to the dockyards gift shop?”

Not even close, and que phase three. “Nope, that’s where you come in,” now the gryphon looked nervous. “Myself and Riff can’t sneak around willy-nilly, and it won’t take long for a naked mare to have questions asked to her…” you know for ponies mostly being naked as part of our daily lives, that word still managed a small blush out of the two present. “You at least can stick to the skies, find some sort of barracks, and swipe something their size to make this work.”

We had a shopping list now. Uniforms wouldn’t go unnoticed till it was too late. The explosives however might meet with some resistance, Riff and I had the best chance of dealing with that before somepony raised the alarm… as stealthily as you could ever call us together. All I’d need was a quiet place to tinker and I could have a few bombs that would blow the rug right out from under Snatchbacks’ hooves.

Did I still want to put a bullet in the guy? Oh fuck yes… but if I could take away his trump card, then he wouldn’t have that looming over my shoulder. At least then I wouldn’t think them as much of a threat, and if anything when he reared his head again it’d be easier to squash.

Once again, silence fell on the room. Either they were counting their blessings, or thinking of better ways to go about this… I was really hoping for the latter. “It’s a long shot, and I know I’m counting on each of you here… but it’s all I could think of.” Strategy in board games were fluent to me, I knew the rules, and what my opponent could do. In the real world though there were just things I couldn’t predict.

Would somepony spot Deacon on his way out of the barracks? Would I be able to make something go boom enough to matter, and not just raise the alarm? Did any of the rangers remember seeing Tumble from the few times we encountered them before? What if it was laundry day and all the uniforms were at the cleaners? Yeah, that last one was just bullshit, but I still had to consider it. In the end, I only had four chess pieces to play with, Snatchback had the entire board at his disposal.

Of all things, a chuckle wasn’t what I was expecting. Yet still, one mare found some humor in this, “you know my mom would have shot you if she heard this?”

Yes, I know that all too well, “I can already hear her cursing my name…” I wasn’t happy about it in the slightest, “if you think it’s too risky, I can try and think of something-”

“Risky is an understatement,” Celestia, you knew how to kick my ego! “I’d go with outright crazy…” finally the mare rose up from her hooves, and I waited for her to walk outside if only to cool off before she beat my head in. I know damn well that wrench was on her some- “Fortunately for you, I like crazy.”

I was about ready to take a swig of that water just to blow it out of my mouth… “You mean?”

“You heard her there Wild,” Deacon answered with a salute of his talons and stood up, “your mares’ in on the plan, and if she is, so am I.”

Tumble was the next to follow, already propping Mercy to her shoulder. “Up close might not be my glass of gin, but I can keep anything nasty in my sights and off her.” She passed a wink my way, before those eyes turned to the gryphon, “Take care of this for me when we’re in, will ya?” Deacon didn’t have a hope of firing the thing in the skies if he needed. Though if he lost it in the fray, judging from that glare she gave the guy, the rangers would be the least of his problems.

With friends like these… that left just one.

Riff looked to the four of us, finished her can of Cram, and crunched the rest of it in her paw. “Fine…” her legs found the ground, and I heard the floorboards starting to crack, “there now all us stand like jackasses.” Now we were five for five with this convoluted scheme, a million and one things that could go wrong, and I just needed it all to go perfectly and we could be back at the settlement in no time. “One question… what dog doing?”

Something that might just bring a smile to her face. “Both of us can handle rangers pretty well, but only one can do it quietly,” it took her a minute to catch my drift. Though in time I saw realization dawn on her. You know, I was actually enjoying that toothy grin, “your claws are sharp after all.” A grin that was growing ever wider.

Chapter forty-two: The best laid plans...

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Chapter forty-two: The best laid plans…

Alrighty! Story time…

When I was a young colt… you know, pre-divorce. I was always fascinated by those stories of old about the cliché knight in shining armor trotting into the castle to fight a wicked villain. Bust through the door, slay the bad guy, get the princess, and live happily ever after. Did I ever really know what happened after the big kiss? Not a clue! No pony did, although I guess that’s what someponies make ‘slice of life’ stories about.

Here I was now face to face with my villains’ stronghold. My proverbial dragon past the gate. I already had the armor to boot, though I wouldn’t call it shining in the slightest. Never the less, the feeling of living out my own fantasies from the knights in those pages was starting to get into my system sending my heart a flutter. Then again, maybe it could have been finally looking down at the dockyard, and seeing the rangers once again.

All I was missing was the proverbial princess to save.

The port could have been a full base if that was the first time I’d encountered them. That steel mill was nothing more than a source of supplies to bleed the wastes dry. This… this was a real damn base under their hooves.

Guards were posted up along the perimeter fences, patrols of said guards went out past that like the Gunners had with the library, and all around I could see search lights flooding the ground as they searched for any target in range. Inside, the buildings and hangers of this base teemed with light from the activity within their walls. Rangers coming and going full force, even with it being just past midnight.

Were they on the clock? Was there something the Elder was pressing them to complete important enough to forgo his forces sleep? Or was it all just a matter of them having enough troops to warrant multiple shifts… Snatchback was a bastard, but if anything, he could lead his troops well. So, I doubted it was anything but the latter.

Deacon fumbled with the sights of Mercy, as its stock lodged itself into his shoulder. For being well versed in the wasteland, I’m surprised something like that didn’t sit more comfortably in his talons. “In all that planning you’d come up with on our way here,” one eye of his looked through the scope to those targets well out of range, “did you think of a way to get inside past all this?”

I had knocked out about 97% of the plan! Though I couldn’t predict just what we’d encounter once we got here, cut me some slack will ya? “I expected something similar to the port, though we don’t have a crashed ship to make our way in through…” I couldn’t see a thing past what this short ridge lined with snow gave us.

He was the one with the scope after all. So if any of us would be the one to pick out our doorway, it’d be him. Now we were just left to sit, watch, and wait while he scanned the area. Tumble and Alimite had already tried cleaning themselves up as much as possible to at least look like a couple scribes. Wallard might have been a bit happy with that button back then, but he looked clean… something the mares were a little far from.

While I listened to the wines of the two behind me trying their best to scrub whatever dirt and debris clean with that cloak and some snow. My eyes stayed peeled to the dockyard, and particularly, what jutted just overtop one of those hangers. I’d seen that short spire before, way back at the port… now there were two of them.

I couldn’t tell which was which, but I’d bet anything that we’d found the Cadance and its sister ship the Shining… or would it be husband ship? Getting a better look at the two from here was neigh impossible, I couldn’t see the damage that was done, or know how much they still had to repair on the two. Although, I could make out the small glint of sparks shooting off from one along the haul. Looks like there was still some patch word to complete… good, so we weren’t totally late to the party.

“Gotcha…” Deacon muttered, clicking away at the adjustment knob again.

“See an opening?” I leaned down closer to him, trying to make my eyesight as inline with his as possible… a lot of good that did me from this far.

“Maybe, though the girls might need an extra scrub afterwards…” behind me I saw both aforementioned mares look up and wince, before the scope was produced to me.

A pop of the hatch later, and the visor gave way to my eyes as I looked down towards the dock. The place was big, and stationed right next to the water… duh… though for as much snow as there was around us. There hadn’t looked to be but a few patches within the actual fences. Maybe the Crystal Empire had invested in snow melting technology, or some rangers found a good stock of salt… either way, all that water run-off needed someplace to go.

Just out past one of the fences, resided pipes that I could see spilling out water into a ditch. Could it even fit us? Don’t know, though short of having Riff dig our way from here inside, that was our next best bet. Was it going to piss some ponies off? Oh, for sure…

“Alimite, Tumble… you might want to just hold off on that for now,” I waited for them to stop scrubbing for a moment to look, already glaring at me as if they knew this wasn’t going to be pleasant… truthfully, it wasn’t.

***

“I could shoot you right now…” Tumble grumbled to herself as we waded through the run-off.

“Not before I do,” Alimite followed up with. Your cutie mark’s a grease gun! I’ve seen you way worse than this before!

A quick slash of Riffs claws opened up the drains’ grating, and we were already well inside the compound by now. Though I was wondering just how soundproof dirt was if the two made good on that threat.

“Now is not the time to cause an alarm…” I looked back to the two and tried my best smirk. Not once did the visor pop up, their faces already told me all I needed to know about the smell of this place. It was a run-off for reason, all the oil, sludge, and grime of the dockyard seeped into this place.

Every so often we’d come across actual drain covers above, though I didn’t want to shoot out of one and into the laps of the rangers just yet. Here at least we could get a better vantage of the place. Along one of the pathway drains, all five of us managed to cram in, and mere feet away we saw rangers patrolling in ranks. They hadn’t a clue just what was under hoof right now, and I intended to keep it that way as long as possible.

Past them was just another warehouse looking structure, piled high through the crack in the door with what I’d imagined was at least a portion of the gear they had stocked up on. Wooden crates, stacked one atop the other, not the place you would store explosives. For that matter, it didn’t look like a home for any of the soldiers here either.

Whelp, on to the next one… down we tucked away, and were once again met with that welcoming flow of putrid water cascading over our hooves, paws, and talons. Deacon might have been just as exposed as our mares, though he chose this route, so his complaints were at least kept inside. Riff? If we weren’t here, she might have just been rolling around in the muck. For a hellhound that grew up in darkness and filth, this was the next best place to call home. So long as it wasn’t entrails falling off her coat, she was a happy camper.

The place was easy to follow at least, water could only flow one way. So, after our operation was said and done with, I jotted this down as a possible escape route… I might have to eat a bullet later for dragging someponies back inside. Although if it kept us out of the rangers’ sights, then that was a round I was willing to take.

A bend in the path took us to the left, and even if I couldn’t see the surface, we must have reached one end of the place already. Time really flies when you’re having fun… just ahead I saw another glimmer of light, and moments later a few of us were able to get in on the sight. This drain was a bit more cramped, but Deacon and Tumble were barely able to get up there against my sides.

Oh, what have we here? This administration looking building was far cleaner than anything else the place had to offer so far. I wasn’t on the hunt for paperclips though, what did interest me were the makeshift tents that sprouted up just outside its doors. Between them I could see rangers out of their armor, tending and polishing up those plates, just like a certain other ranger likely did while he still wore it… I really needed to make Rogue smile after this trip, maybe take a break and give the suit a rest… you know, after I found out how to-

Clank.

Son of a bitch! This was going to be an on-going battle, no matter which way I sliced it. My back legs gave out, and with nothing but wet metal underneath my hooves, I landed in the filth. Yeah, I deserved those snickers from the two that suffered right now. Thankfully, one paw cared enough to reach down and help pull me back up to my hooves.

“No time for bath,” Riff still couldn’t hide her smirk, “See anything?”

A quick shake of the armor like I learned from her, showered a few of them with the muck. “Found where they kick their hooves up…” my eyes went back to Deacon, and watched as he about studied the layout of the place. “Think you’ll be able to get in there?”

“I’ll figure something out…” it wasn’t totally in the open at least…

Still, I needed him to follow so he’d know where to meet up with us after getting the disguises. Back into the tunnel we went, and this time things were getting a little more complicated. A fork in the road, two ways to go, and probably a dead end on at least one of them. We weren’t exactly on a time crunch now that we found them, though I didn’t want to spend my entire night in this place either…

Right it was! If I was reading the mental layout of this place correctly, then we should be heading somewhere closer to the- “I don’t care!” that was a voice I knew all too well. My steps started to pick up, and just in time for the next opening to give way.

We were between two of the buildings now, didn’t know what they could be used for, but that machinery surely had seen better days… most of it was just scrap at this point with all the rust built up over the years. Snow wasn’t healthy for any metal, certainly not after almost two centuries of maltreatment.

Something that didn’t quite register in one ponies’ mind. “Get the crane operational! Chip the rust off with your hooves if you have to,” Snatchback trudged among a few other rangers, and even a scribe or two barking out orders. One hoof of his started to plod against the support leg of the machine he mentioned, and up to the control cabin he stared. Just like I had my own eyes drilling into him, “we need this to move those raw sheets of steel, so unless you want to become pack mules yourself… you’ll find a way.”

One round, that’s all I needed… the guy didn’t wear his helmet, but for as light as his suit looked, I wouldn’t need it to be a headshot. APECR would do nicely against a single target, it would be a poetic end to the stallion after what he did. Call it a final hello from the Paladin…

Whether I realized it or not, my barrels were starting to raise up, until a paw pushed them back down. “Now not time, Wild,” Riff out of all the creatures with us, was the one to bring me back to reality.

That didn’t stop my teeth from grinding against themselves. “Right…” I shook my head, and watched as the Elder disappeared back into one of the buildings.

Just as we went back into the drains. I could have still ended the guy right then and there, but would there be any other to take his place? Worst still, would the rangers seek revenge for having their leader sniped out from the cover of darkness? Surely, they would, and if those warheads were still under their hooves, that was a larger threat than just one pony.

One pony that was willing to shoot his own, just to get at me. One pony who was more than ready to level entire locations, just to kill me. One pony who would work his own soldiers, all to see that I was turned to ash… forget what I said earlier. If we managed to take out these subs, then the next task on my list was still putting a very large bullet in the Elder. I only wish I could save one of those warheads just for the occasion.

Call me spiteful, but the guy had it coming.

“Ahh… Wild?” Alimite perked up, well ahead of me after my own mental rant. “If you wanted to store all manners of munitions, safely, where would you put em?”

Listen, I had a Balefire Egg tucked away in your shop for a while before it turned it into a bomb… I don’t think I’m the best pony to ask that kinda question. Though if I had to guess, “probably on the edge of my base, just in case something went wrong.”

Her smile greeted me, and with a nudge of her head I took a spot next to her. Sure enough, in the back corner of the base was what looked like a shop very similar to what the town had. Though this one could have been a mansion compared to Winters’ home. I didn’t care so much as the scrap they probably had, or for that matter the tools I could inevitably use. What did perk my interest was the guards standing out front, taking turns to do a rove around.

Now why would you dedicate your own soldiers to looking after one building, if it didn’t have something juicy inside? “Yeah, that sticks out like a sore talon…” Deacon cracked his neck, and tried his best to flare out those wings in the tight confines of this place. “Looks like were in business.”

His eagle eyes peered back down the drains that we came, and he already knew who was up to bat next. “You up for it?” he glared back at me for a moment, before giving a nod, “just… be careful, Deacon… nothing flashy. Get in, and get out.”

“Oh, quit your worrying,” the gryphon started to chuckle, though I could feel the hollowness in that confidence. He was capable, I knew that much from our first encounter after hiring him as a guide, but needless to say… this was a bit more than a bounty on a board.

He turned to, ready to dart down the tunnel… had it not been for one hoof on his wing. Deacon stopped there, and before he knew what happened. A pair of lips found their way to the side of his cheek. Geez, and I thought I got hoof in mouth? His wings flapped out, nearly smacking Riff in their wake. Though the mare that caused all this couldn’t look prouder of herself.

“You better be careful, Little Chicky,” Tumble passed him a wink, and that hoof of hers remained on his side long after the contact. “Don’t make me regret our talk at the station…”

You know… something tells me we missed the best part when we caught them in their moment… neither of them looked ready to say. One gryphon at least found his tongue, “Oh I wouldn’t dream of it…”

With that, our merc damn near fluttered through the tunnels… he was doing his part, now we just had to see ours through as well. More so, I had to make sure this building was what we believed it to be, and pull a bomb out of my ass.

One thing about the rangers that set them apart from most groups, besides maybe the Gunners, is they were discipline. Might have been their heritage from during the war, those ponies who once donned the suits to fight for the crown, trickling into this world. Though all that order made them predictable. When one guard out front left his post, they moved with a careful step around the sides of the shop. Leaving one at the door, and likely the back wide open… all I had to do was wait.

It’d taken a few minutes, but eventually that one that walked off found their way right next to their counterpart. My group was ready to find that back door already, though after some words they held off, and I got the lay of their pattern a bit more. We didn’t have to wait all that long before the same ranger took off around on his rounds, and my eyes looked at the time.

Exactly fifteen minutes after the first go around…

With him getting back to his post a few more later. We slunk back into the drains; one path would take us further along the edge of the compound. Though one looked to be heading right where we needed. My compass still worked under all this dirt, and with my nose pointed that way we started trudging… until a ladder greeted us.

Metal hooves weren’t the best to grasp onto metal… so it’d taken a few minutes, but eventually my head met the cover to our pit. E.F.S. was clear, or that could be because nothing was shooting me yet. Whelp, here goes nothing!

Out from cover my head went, and all I was greeted with was the back fence to the dockyard, as well as the shop itself. One door there with a single fluttering light above it. Quick check to the time, and I got about ten minutes to get us all inside before we had to hunker down again. The others didn’t have nearly as much trouble getting out as I did, and before long we were at the door. Tumble tried the handle first, of course, locked.

Then came the bobby pin and screwdriver… boy was I glad we brought her along for this part! Our resident burglar made quick work of the door, before putting those tools of the trade back into her-

“Who the fuck?” the door creaked open, and there stood a ranger.

A ranger who almost immediately went limp, with a little help from a hellhound claw going through his visor and out the back. His body started to slump, but with a flare of my horn I muffled it down to tossed off shoes hitting the ground, as Riff pulled her paw free from his face… or what’s left of it at least.

See, this is why I brought her along, anything else would have been a little too noisy for my liking… but claws were silent, just what we needed. Peering to either side of the door, the back of the shop looked about as deserted as one might expect, or at least hoped for. It wasn’t long after our little jump scare that the door once again was shut, and we had this little corner of the base to ourselves.

Alrighty! Let’s get down to business… back here was dark, though I didn’t dare flip the visor light on just yet. Not till we knew we were the only ones in this place. I could still make out the silhouettes of crates out the dirt-stained windows this place had. Riff put her back to the door, claws at the ready, and certainly eye sight better than any of ours.

“One coming…” yep, totally better!

The girls ducked off to one side should things get loud, though I was flying blind here… “Don’t kill em,” I whispered to the hound, and could make out her expression.

Riff didn’t have time to question it, before the door opened up to our humble abode. I could see a hoof reaching up for the light switch, just as a claw was put to their neck. Before they had time to let out a scream, the visor came on… Alimite was right, this thing was terrifying when they weren’t expecting it.

“One word, and my friend removes your head from its shoulders…” Their suit was still frozen in place, either they were calculating the odds of helping their fellow rangers, or saving their life. Please let it be the latter, though judging by that tremble in their suit, somepony wasn’t too eager to open their mouth.

With a tug, Riff pulled the ranger inside, and shut the door behind them. My visor illuminating across their frame… wow I actually had to crane my neck down to look this one in the eye. Were the rangers recruiting this young? Or did somepony just get the short end of the deal when it came to genetics?

‘Wait a second…’ I thought to myself, and peered a little closer to their chest. The ranger might have been leaning back, undoubtedly uncomfortable from the intrusion, but it might have just saved their life as I read the name plate.

Knight Taffy.

“P-p-please…” I heard the quiver in her lips, “Don’t kill me…”

“That count as word,” now was not the time to grin Riff…

“Don’t make me then,” I kept up the glare to her face now, “first things first, how many are there inside this building?”

I could feel them running those calculations again, but something about having a hellhound at your throat really turned the odds in our favor, “Just myself, and Knight Baker.”

Oh… this was going to be weird. With a nod of my helmet, an aura wrapped around the switch on the wall and basked us in that fluorescent light of the wastes. It didn’t take more than a moment for her to see the body behind me, her frame starting to freeze up, and less than that to have Riffs paw once again wrapped around her throat.

“Scream…” Riff turned Taffies head towards herself, “make dogs day.”

I felt a little dirty for picking on a mare who probably hadn’t even had her first crush… though if we were playing this game, then I guess I had to be the good cop. A quick shake of her head in the dogs’ grasp answered that, and Riff let her claws stay sheathed. Another flare of my horn grabbed onto the mares’ flank, pushing her down to the ground. Wow, from here I must have been like a mountain of metal… her face barely reached my chest alone.

“Taffy, was it?” her visor turned back to me, and I even took a knee. “I’m not going to kill you… unless you ask for it, and if so, she’s going to be the one to do it,” one more look from the mare to our hellhound told her that it wouldn’t be the most pleasant death in the world. Though if she wanted confirmation of that, all she had to do was look at the blown-out helmet of her fellow Knight. “Let’s keep things simple, shall we?” a very vigorous nod answered, and I could work with that much, “What is it you all are storing here?”

“Umm… just munitions, rockets, missiles, grenades…” she listed off, really being all that keen not to give us a reason.

Compliant, I like it, so far this would be a ranger I’d have a bad conscience about killing… if it came to that. For her sake, I hoped she kept it up. A jerk from my head, and her visor looked surprised to see two more mares join us to her sides. I had this one under control, and I didn’t exactly feel safe leaving her with Riff alone for too long… I trusted her sure, but being around a hellhound for that long would make any creature squeamish.

Squeamish equaled dead in this case.

My attention turned to the girls, at least two of them. “Can you check off a shopping list for me?” both Tumble and Alimite glared at the ranger with us, but they still nodded in return. “Plastic explosives, a timer, and ideally angle iron,” that last one made Tumbles’ head cock to one side, luckily Alimite smiled and pulled her companion off to do some looting.

If they could get those things, then we’d be set. I already had an idea what do make, and this shop just gave me all the tooling I could ask for to pull it off. Although if the girls were taking care of that list, that gave me more time alone with this one… well kinda alone.

“The submarines…” I waited for Taffy to have her eyes back on me, “what are their status? Broken? Being fixed? Ready for the water?”

She was thinking again, though her visor was also trailing over my own suit. “You’re… him… aren’t you?” Not the answer I was looking for, but I could oblige that one with my own.

“Yes… and I intend to put a stop to whatever plans Snatchback has in store,” that didn’t seem to make her falter in the slightest. Seeing a pair of glowing red eyes staring her down made the mare into a foal, but hearing her Elders plans being targeted did nothing? Odd… “Although, my questions?”

Quickly she shook her head again, “the Shining is still broken for the most part, they had to put efforts into fixing the Cadance after it was damaged at the port…” once again her suit started to shake, and her visor darted between myself and the hound. “I don’t know the details!” she said frantically in a hush, “I just got promoted to Knight before you were brought to the Steel Mill.”

Keeping your workers out of the blue to your plans? Now there’s something I was all too familiar with… especially if you were the lowest rung on the totem pole. “So, you don’t know the entire status,” I summarized, and with a nod she answered. I could still work with that, damaging the Cadance had delayed the Shinings progress, and if those were welds that I saw off in the distance. Then we got here just in time, “what of Elder Snatchbacks plans?”

In the still air, I could hear that gulp though the helmet. “He wants you…” that much I knew, “and the Elder has ranted about raining hellfire on Equestria till you either surrender, or are dust.”

Even with those words spoken, they weren’t in callousness…

The door to our interrogation room opened up, and there the pair brought in a good hoofful of goodies for me to play with. I’d need a little more control for this next part, and with a few clasps the helmet slid off. I passed one more look to the mare on the ground, “He can certainly try…” she didn’t budge at that one either. Had the Elder pissed her off recently? Extra duty? Long hours? Something to make her just seem so careless about us readying an offense against him?

Across the workbench I could see all the manners of parts that I requested, all I needed to do was assemble them. The design in my head was simplistic, and it would fit perfectly into the plan. Then again, Taffy had also made myself consider a few other things…

“Change of plans,” I looked to my group, before letting my eyes fall on the Knight, “What size are you?”

***

Power armor was a wonder of tech, it wasn’t entirely one size fits all… but there was some breathing room to be had. I lucked out that Rogue was around my size, maybe a bit bigger. Though it didn’t take long for the matrix to take over and remedy that. Going from this Knight to another however…

“I really shouldn’t have had that snack cake…” Tumble wined as she sucked in an extra breath, trying to squeeze into the last bit of the suit as it shaped to fit her… sorta.

Her and Taffy were nowhere close in size, but Alimite had to be careful with explosives, and Riff was an obvious no go. Least now if things did turn hot, there’d be another in our deck of cards with armor on their side. Rogues’ rifle married all too well to that new suit, almost like it missed being a part of some actual armor. With the mare now sitting very uncomfortably, the back of the suit closed her inside, and Tumble got to pace around trying on her new outfit.

Something easier said than done. I heard the few scrapes and wines of the servos trying to do one thing while the mare did another. More than once, Tumble lived up to her name, meeting the floor all while she learned to walk again. Yeah, not so easy now, is it?

While she played dress up, and Riff watched the door. I got a little quality time with my mare, discussing explosives… ahh, what a lovely topic. “It’s called a shaped charge,” I brought out some of the angle iron to demonstrate, placing it face down. “Explosives go on the back, and with the open angle side against whatever you want to break, when it detonates, it’ll send a near clean cut into the target.”

This was about as precise as demolitionists could get. It’s what allowed those that specialized in the field to drop buildings without harming those next door. In this case, it’d hurt just the part we needed, and not enough to send the whole dockyard to meet our maker.

“So, place angle iron on pumps and bladders, put explosives on the back, tape up, then get out of dodge…” she summarized it quite well. Just as fine of a student like her mother was, though those projects were a bit more peaceful.

“Just need some tape…”

For a moment the mare stopped, before trotting off past our captive. Taffies suit gave her up pretty easily, and she was even smaller outside the damned thing. We hadn’t even had to use more than a quarter roll to bind her hooves together, a rag though worked quite nicely as the gag. Yet even with that in her mouth, I could still hear the whimper when one in my party got close to her on the ground.

Alimite looked down at the mare, almost with a tinge of regret in her face. Even from here I could about see the tear in Taffies eye, as they looked to each of us. I wasn’t a mind reader, but I knew the question already buzzing through her head.

“We’re not going to hurt you, Taffy,” her eyes went back to me, still full of worry. “I’m sorry for doing this, but we just needed a way in…” one that she provided quite nicely.

If we managed to sneak our way out of this place, some ranger would find her in time… or we’d make a special trip to see to her release. It felt wrong to leave her like this when all was said and done. Truthfully, I’m glad we didn’t meet her under other circumstances, otherwise her options would have been a bit limited.

With the tape now in horn, I attached what rig I’d thrown together with a few generous strips, a simple egg timer capping it all off. All together they brought back enough supplies to yield four bombs. One on the pumps of each sub, and one on the ballast. We were all set to pop the cork on the rangers’ plans, all that we needed was one more-

“Whmp… happm to hm?” Taffy let out the muffled voice.

She’d been quiet besides whimpers while we got her out of the suit, and silent still while Alimite wrapped her body up like a Nightmare Night decoration. Something was bringing on the conversation from the mare, and It’d be cruel in my book to not at least hear her out.

With a careful tug on the rag with my horn, the mare took a quick gasp. “What… happened to him?” him? Who might she be- oh, oh dear. A knot bunched up in my throat, and I already knew who she was talking about. Though the mare still had to ask it, “Tungsten, I knew he went off with you from the mill…” worry once again started to splay itself over her face, and this time I could see it wasn’t for herself. “Did he make it? Is he… safe?”

Silence fell on us all, all those present could have very well answered her, but they all knew it wasn’t their place. Unfortunately, it was mine. Bombs were done, so I could give this one my full attention. Getting away from the table, I went over to her, and this time the mare didn’t shy away in the slightest as I kneeled down.

“I’m sorry… to be the one to tell you this,” from those words alone she must have already known the outcome. The tears in her eye were already welling up, I just needed to break the damn. “He was gunned down after we made it over that bridge, by an AMR…” did I want to tell her it was the Elder? No, I still wasn’t entirely sure myself. Only about 99.99% sure, but I didn’t want to give that off. Then again, from that info, her gaze hardened a bit… if only for a moment.

A cough of her throat finally let those tears fall, and a sniffle later she tried to suck them back in. Taffy wasn’t completely breaking down, trying her damndest to hold it in, but if we hadn’t been in this room with her. She probably could have drowned in her own tears.

“Where’s… his body?” she managed to get out after a long clench of her eyelids, “did he at least get a proper burial?”

That much I could give her, “Yes… I took him back home,” a fitting funeral for one of the good ones, “his helmet marks the grave.”

It might have been small, but that brought a sliver of a smile to her. Almost as if she’d knew he’d appreciate that remembrance. “I recognized the gun,” she gestured to the side of my suit, “aren’t many like them with us… and I knew he wouldn’t give it up without reason,” it wasn’t closure for whatever she had going on, but it was at least the truth. That she could handle, “Thank you, Rogue… for taking care of it, and him.”

I never got to know Tungsten well enough to know if he had any friends with him in the ranks of the rangers… or for that matter, if he had anything more going on for him. I would have asked if they were close, but that would have been a little redundant. The answer was all over her face after all.

After another nod, I brought the gag back over her mouth with a silent sorry. She didn’t fight it, all the mare did was press her head up into the gag, and lay back down on the ground. Curled up with her hooves behind her back, Taffy instead pushed herself a little to keep her eyes off the rest of us. I could hear the soft whimpers as I got back to the workbench, but I didn’t pay them any heed. She had her answers, and if it was by the hooves of one of the rangers.

I don’t think she had any qualms about what we were doing here.

A squeak from behind alerted us for a moment, and both a shotgun and carbine were at the ready to let our intruder know we meant business… fortunately, it didn’t quite come to that. Deacon slithered his way through the window with a flop to the floor, and on the ground now rested a pair of folded up garments. I didn’t see any new holes on the guy, nor was there any alarms going off just yet.

He’d done his part well, just like I knew he would. “I’d like to know how these rangers managed to find enough soap to keep a laundry mat open,” sounds like some scribes were going to be missing a few items from their closet. His eyes fell to the one at his talons, and Taffy for a moment coiled back at the newcomer. “Wow, you guys managed to do stealth… I’m impressed.”

“Thank Riff for that,” I nodded off to her, and the hound looked rather proud of her claws.

“Ahh… and that one?” he raised a talon to the suit of armor that looked and moved with the grace of a hippo.

Oh right! He didn’t know the change… Tumble just looked at him, and I waited for the visor to pop up for a surprise.

Still waiting…

And waiting…

Ugh… fine. “Inner left of the base to your chin,” I looked over to our newest ‘tank’. “That’s the release.”

In an instant, the clasps came off, and the visor raised up to a very short of breath mare. “How do you breathe in that thing?!” she looked at the only one who could answer. Though all I gave in return was a shrug. I was too busy admiring the look one avian was giving her.

You know, there was just something about seeing a fully loaded mare in a suit of armor that sent a warm shiver down some of us… at least when that mare, and her siblings for that matter, weren’t trying to erase my existence from the planet. His wings sprung up half a second later, and the blood started to fill those cheeks once more.

“Don’t get used to it…” she smirked at him, “Though we’ll only be needing one of those.”

Said uniform was passed off to our other mare, and while Alimite slipped into something more comfortable. I took the satchel that seemed to be a part of the ensemble and carefully started sliding those munitions inside, along with that roll of tape. The list was checked off, and with the final buckle on Alimite done, I hoofed over the goods. Riff joined our little group shortly, knowing the time for guarding was done, now it was time for action.

I looked over my mare, sizing her up. Without the bandana to cover her head, she looked like any run of the mill member to their party. This mare to me though was anything but ordinary, something the Rangers were about to find out the hard way. Even Tumble looked the part, when she didn’t have three left feet to deal with.

My clock came up, and with only a few minutes to spare, I knew the back door was wide open. “It’s time…” I went to the two members that would be doing the heavy lifting for this stretch, “Sneak in, put the bombs in place, and-”

“Don’t get caught, shot, or die,” Alimite answered with a smirk.

“Get back in time for a drink,” Tumble followed up with cheerily.

Luna knows I could go for one myself. “We’ll have an eye on you each step,” I already had an idea where to put our hooves up for this go around. A gentle push of the door led us to the back fence, and on either side of us the coast looked well and clear. I passed one glance to the mare tied up on the floor, hoping that it wouldn’t be the last, before we slithered out.

My duo stuck close to my hooves, and with a glance I watched the girls steadily trot to the edge of the shop. Before quickly slowing that down to a casual crawl as they broke into the opening of the base. All eyes were on them now, we just had to be sure those eyes stayed well clear of ourselves. Dodging around the back of the shop to another hanger was easier than I expected. Not many of the Rangers seemed to actually walk their own fence line, and any of those that did… well…

A crunch of the rangers’ helmet between Riffs paws silenced the colt before he even knew what hit him. Deacon helped pull the body back behind another set of crates, and before long we were right back on schedule to sticking to the shadows. I didn’t know when they might expect to have that guard back from his rounds. Hopefully they didn’t question it if it took him a bit longer than the last go around.

Now along this warehouse closer to the actual yard part of the dockyard, we three looked around checking our corners. The stairwell leading up would put us in the open, but from the backside of the building itself. Those lights that pointed towards the ground only managed to light up a third of the way.

Riff was the first to hit the stairs, as I followed suit, and Deacon opted to take the winged approach. Fluttering along the side of us on our way to the roof, he inched himself closer to the edge. Good thing too… I could see that barrel sticking just above.

He looked to us, and then back up, before beating his wings once to break cover. “Hi-ya!” I heard overhead from our gryphon, and that ranger must have been teetering on the edge to fall over just like that.

With a grab of his AMRs’ barrel, the soldier tumbled end over end. Right into the clutches of an awaiting pooch. How strong did you have to be to catch a suit of armor mid-air, stab through the neck plating, and lay it back down quietly in the darkness of the stairs? Apparently, hellhound strong. It was over before I could even try to offer a better suggestion of wait till the guard leaves, though this was just as effective.

Breaking past the last level, the mostly flat scape of the roof offered that vantage point we were hoping for. It didn’t amount to anything for cover, but the rangers were still none the wiser to our presents. Never the less, we didn’t know who might be inside listening, so with a careful step we crept our way over to the opposite end.

Now I could see the scale of what the Rangers were working with…

Both the Shining and Cadance remained only a hundred yards apart, each with their own pier mooring them to land. Taffy was right, the Shining sure had enough work needed done to warrant scaffolding across its haul. From here I could see those under the Elder working from end to end, sparks showering off its exterior. What set my nerves ablaze, was the lack of work being done on the Cadance.

Besides the one or two sections of scaffolding, the thing looked damn near ready to set sail again… I really should have said to hit that one first. Alas, hindsight’s twenty-twenty, and from here I could see our mares going to the closer of the two. The Shinings’ boarding path was trickling in ponies left and right, and with the crowd the mares slipped right on by as if they were one of them. Lost in the sea of suits and uniforms, it was hard to pick them out.

Now my heart wanted to jump out of my chest, they were in the belly of the beast, and from here there was nothing we could do if it turned south. All I could hope was that Tumble kept her mouth shut around someone who might out-rank her.

“Would ya look who it is…” Deacon gave me a nod off to the side, and exiting the Cadance I saw the head stallion himself again.

Snatchback looked like he was still barking orders to those scribes that followed him around, and where ever his hooves pointed. Rangers scampered off at his beck and call. I couldn’t tell from here if they were mobilizing to move the Cadance out, or if it was still orders to get the Shining up to par. Either way, my teeth started to grind into one another.

“Want me to try my aim?” he asked, and I could see the sights already pinned on the Elder below.

My ADAC would have made short work of Snatchback… then again, I knew first hoof what Mercy could do to a suit. It was tempting to give him the go ahead, but like Riff had told me not too long ago…

“Now’s not the time,” I shook my head to the guy, “might put the girls at risk.”

He frowned a bit at that, but kept his barrel pointed along the ground, scanning the area. Now it was a waiting game, I couldn’t tell from here where our little infiltrators were. Hell, they might have gotten in and out, and already were making their way towards the Cadance. The timers I left in their hooves to figure out how much they wanted to be given. I didn’t want to set them already, and be on the clock.

At least with this approach, it wouldn’t be a total massacre… I might have had my reservations about killing the rangers in the beginning, but the more they hunted me, the more I was more than happy to return the favor. A bullet to Tungsten was enough to tip that scale over to the point of them being collateral damage in my book.

Though one Knight reminded me that they weren’t all like the Elder. Taffy was young, just started as a ranger with the armor, and just picked up that title as such… she mustn’t have shared all the same views as her fellow Rangers, otherwise she might have put up more of a fight when we caught her. Instead, she looked almost accepting to what we were doing.

Just how close were her and the Paladin? What had she been told if she was asking questions in her ranks? Would any of the other rangers really taken credit for the kill, or would they have covered for the Elder if he really was the one to pull the trigger? If they were friends, and shared some of the same ideals that led Tungsten to release me, just how compliant would the Knight been… knowing her Elder ended one of his own…

I thought for a moment at that look Tungsten gave her when they parted ways at the Steel Mill. It wasn’t one of a leader to their subordinate, at the very least it was from one friend to another. No matter their relationship, he cared about her, and she did him… and all it took was one bullet to end-

Deacon started fumbling Mercy in his talons, and both myself and Riff looked over the gryphon. “Something’s… wrong…”

Yeah, I didn’t need a scope to see that much. Those down below all were quickening their pace up, scrambling every which way and that. Did the bombs go off already? Were the Rangers on guard now looking for us? Surely, I would have picked it up, I made the damn things after all.

That… was crackling? Around us it sounded through the dockyard, and from our perch we could hear the speakers break through the dead of night. “Rogue Ranger,” I knew that voice… I knew it all too well, “It seems you’ve finally come to join us, a welcome intrusion to keep us from having to come to the country and hunt you down.” My eyes were starting to dart around the ground.

Though it didn’t take long before out in the distance, surrounded by his own guards, I saw that ornate armor… and who he brought to the table. “Your friends here may have gotten in our ranks, but they are a far cry from those I work with,” at his hooves being held down by two others I could make out the girls. Each taking a knee, staring out to the rest of the dock. Neither one of them were scanning the area, though the Elder himself was making up for that. “How far did you think they’d really get?”

I think I mentioned something once about reality smacking me in the face… “Shit,” all three of us mumbled at the same time.

Chapter forty-three: ... Fall at the first step

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Chapter forty-three: …Fall at the first step

“Can I drop him now?!” Deacon already leveled the barrel, with likely the Elders’ head square in his sights.

But I already knew how that would end, “No…!” my voice clamped down a tad bit more not to give us away.

“I tell you what… give yourself over to us, and I might just let these two friends of yours walk away?” that sneer in his voice was like a fork scraping away at a plate in my ears. He called our cards, now this guy had the entire deck at his disposal. “You have ten seconds to figure it out,” I could see from here his AMR drop down on Tumble in her suit.

Double shit!

“Ten.”

His voice boomed across the speakers, and I looked to the pair with me. Deacon was shaking his head, as was Riff. Unless they had a plan somewhere up their non-existent sleeves, now would be the time to spill!

“Seven.”

“Can I hit fuel lines with this thing?!” Deacon started scanning around, even Riff looked as if she was pondering just how much arc she could get with the launcher. Though I knew that wouldn’t save the girls if they were near the blast.

“Four.”

My visor went to the pair above, and the pair below… I had a promise, and here I was about to break it…

“Two…”

I couldn’t let Winter down… my hooves stepped over the edge of the building, and gravity took over. The suit felt heavier this drop, and with my legs breaking the fall. A neat ranger sized crater was made in the ground. Already I could feel all eyes, and guns, on me as my head slowly rose up. I didn’t need enhanced vision to see through that visor staring me down, the Elder was pleased with my choice, and all I could make out was the sigh on the girls’ faces.

“I’m here!” my own speakers bellowed out, ensuring no one would have missed it, “… you’ve got me…” slowly my hooves started to move forward. From behind I could feel Riff and Deacon following my walk of shame into the grasp of the Rangers yet again.

Longest walk of my life… every few yards or so, another ranger popped out of nowhere adding their guns to the ever-growing list on my ass. I couldn’t have been but a hundred yards from the whole scene up on the roof, but I might as well be trekking across Equestria all over again.

The Elder never left my gaze, as his did me the courtesy of the same. Every little thing different about the suit since we last met, he must have been drooling over. Another gun, the thruster pack, enhanced armor… all now in the clutches of those who least deserved to be wearing the uniform.

With a jerk of his head, the rangers holding the girls let back, and to their hooves the pair scrambled towards my sides. I couldn’t see any marks or bruises on em, so at least they weren’t injured from tangling with the rangers. Had it been either of the others, and we might not have gone down so quietly.

“Should have shot him…” Alimite muttered under her breath.

No… I shouldn’t, not when you consider what was at stake.

‘Humph… the princesses…’ I mused for a moment, but didn’t answer her. My eyes were still trying to peel back the visor of another.

“At last, we’re face to face again,” Snatchback flipped his visor open, and that smirk I was imagining remained plastered all over it. “You’ve been a lot of trouble you know? Stealing a suit that wasn’t yours to take, killing any and all who crossed your path under my name, damaging my crown jewel…” as much venom might have been coming off those words, I could see his face soften just a tad. “Forcing my hoof, to put down another…”

My own visor went up, “I didn’t force anything… that was your doing.”

“The Paladin was a shining example to our way!” he snapped back, almost jumping forward amongst his troops. “Obedient to the tee, loyal to our cause, disciplined like no other,” I could see the Elder bite his own tongue. All those things he said were true, but after a conversation with me, they were dismantled.

Obedient, until it meant killing one pony who was just trying to do better. Loyal, until he saw that the Rangers could have been doing so much more, but weren’t lifting a hoof. Disciplined, all the way till one pony showed him the error of the Rangers themselves.

With a shake of his head, Snatchback leveled his glare back on me. “Paladin Tungsten would have continued to move far in our ranks, had it not been the likes of you…”

I needed time… ‘Please come up with something better then blowing us all to hell,’ I thought. didn’t know what Deacon or Riff were going to come up with, but if they had something in mind. Any little bit helped, but this was starting to get personal in my book. “The likes of me?” I placed one hoof to the breast plate of my armor, “I’ve helped do more in a few months than any of you have combined! I’ve helped to clear actual threats to the wasteland! I’ve helped rescue those in need when you could have done it with a wave of your hoof!” my own pointed out accusingly at him, and even for a moment Snatchback took a step away.

“Myself, and my friends, those without your precious suits…” kinda sorta, “did it all! Risking our own necks to make things better as a whole, even if it was for a small corner of the wastes.” We all had to start somewhere after all, and if we could carve out a section to work on with just a few bullets and explosives. Imagine what the Rangers could have done… should, have done. “If anything, we’ve been trying to fill the void that the Rangers should have taken over when this world went to shit… being the knights in shining armor, the heroes, they were always viewed-”

Armor integrity: 89%

Warning: Foreleg integrity critical!

Oh… That wasn’t going to heal well… I saw the flash before I even felt the shot, and in an instant my front leg buckled from the impact. A softball sized hole neatly punched through just below the knee, and blood already started to pool at the ground. Tumble slammed her hooves behind her, ready to take on the entire Ranger battalion if needed. While Alimite was already on her knees at my side.

Nerve endings were finally starting to fire off in the back of my head, and somewhere below the knee I couldn’t so much as even feel the hoof there locked in the armor. The suit was starting to trickle in healing potions, and patch up the hole that the AMR made. Though I’d need something a little stronger if I wanted it to stay attached… hell, the only thing keeping it on the suit now was the plating that started to envelop it.

My teeth were gritting, trying not to give them the satisfaction of the injury… but damn did I want to bite my tongue off! Was there anything stronger than Med-X besides an outright coma? “Is… it-?” Alimite got out, before stopping there. My face alone was enough to answer that question. The suit should keep it inside till I could get it looked at by an actual doctor, hopefully soon before it was a lost cause. I’d just wished it was one of the back legs, at least then I couldn’t have felt it.

Steadily I brought the crippled limb back up, putting weight on it, and earning me a few murmurs from the crowd. They were either shocked, or impressed, that I wasn’t on the ground reeling. Though anything was possible with enough chems pumping through your veins… that and a whole lot of spite.

“Heroes…” Snatchback started to muse, pacing in front of his troops as that barrel to his side smoked. “Heroes that couldn’t stop the world from burning, heroes that allowed a government to crumble around them, heroes that chose to hide away when it all fell apart…” he was one to talk, the Elder came from the same bunkers. “They witnessed what ponies had done in the past, and from that a new order was brought down, something to quell any future worries of disorder amongst our kind… something that would be a whole lot easier if we had the tools to do it.” As if they didn’t already have enough toys at their disposal. I really could do with sanding that smirk on his face down to bear bone… “I still have that void of the Paladin to fill…”

And here’s where he tries to sell it, “a void you want me to jump into.”

“You? Oh no, we’re well past that…” that was… disheartening. I mean sure I had pissed the guy off to no end, but I was really hoping for some more time here! “That ship set sail when I had to do what needed to be done, cut out the cancer before it spread.” The Paladin was anything but cancer, he was one of the good ones… if there was anything sickening it was this waste of metal and flesh. “For all your talents, you’re nothing special Rogue, there will always be another.”

Special? No not really, I just tinkered around a lot as a kid, and got a good job tying to defend this country. “… And you’ll never live up to the prestige the rangers had back in my day,” he might not have fully gotten that, but I didn’t care.

By that sneer alone, he’d had enough chatting. One of his hooves raised up, and as if on que every gun that might have been waiting was at the ready. Tungsten said it himself, at a certain point, no matter how useful a pony might be… eventually everypony is just dead weight.

This is how it went then aye? My promise broken, my friends all dead once the other two jumped into the fray, and the wasteland under the hoof of this guy holding the button? I could feel the girls huddling a bit closer, even Tumble was starting to shake in that armor as she held her guns firm. Deacon must have had his finger on the trigger, waiting for me to pull something out of a hat… sorry pal…

This game, I came up-

The first explosion went wide, scattering some of the rangers as it landed yards ahead of- what the fuck was going on?! My shield flared out, covering enough of Alimite that I didn’t have to worry, and Tumble took the que to get behind me. Good thing to, that was too much fire in the sky to be stars…

More missiles started landing around my position, and amongst those guns heading my way, as all the rangers’ guns turned down the dockyards. Those that weren’t injured remained frozen, though with them occupied Alimite galloped past the few that did manage to return fire, getting into cover. That left myself, and Tumble, to witness the scene. Fire was breaking out near the entrance to the docks, and I could already hear the screams of those in armor driving the quiet night out.

Somepony explain what just happened?! “Crystal Empire Palace property found,” out in the dock, the voice echoed between the buildings, “requiring with extreme prejudice.”

Final Lesson burst through a container, crunching a suit of armor under its treads as its eyes flared around the grounds. Its ornate emblems were scorched, the flags ripped apart from its barrels, and one launcher was left smoking on its shoulder. Even its own armor started to sputter little arcs of voltage from its battle before… this thing went through hell and back to get here past those ghouls, and it wasn’t about to let some tin cans prevent it from completing its mission.

Every ranger opened fire, and just as fast as mine had, it’s shields went up around it… though were they flickering-? Not the time! A shove from Tumble pushed my ass into high gear, and galloped between the shots from the rangers to cover. Finals’ autocannons were cycling, cutting down suit after suit of rangers. Either it took a hit to its targeting, or the thing had a vendetta like me… think I can recruit-? Another missile went off nearby, and that was final shove I needed to launch my ass through a window into a warehouse.

Tumble barreled through the door in her suit next to me, and another familiar face joined as Alimite popped in between us. “Who the fuck put that thing in charge of security?!” I screamed out, balancing myself against the wall on my head… funny, my shield just now started to die out.

Hopefully some Elder got caught in the- “Find him!” the loudspeakers rang throughout the compound; oh, I didn’t have that kind of luck. “Bring me his fucking corpse in as many pieces as possible!”

Alimite took what potions she had and added it to the suit, letting it slide right into my system to make up for what I’d lost because of the hoof. The throbbing was still there, but I’d manage for now. Our plan wasn’t in shambles just yet, we were still breathing, and just survived an execution. Call that a win in my book…! Although… wait a second?

“How far did you to get with the explosives?” I asked, and in return I got a smirk from the only mare I could see it from.

A rumbling beneath my hooves answered that question, bringing be back up to the window to view the fruits of their labor. The Shinings’ hatches were holding steady, but a few of them that were open let the smoke bellow out like a chimney. Its tubular body started to roll steadily to one side like it had been placed on a hill, and I watched those working on it leap off trying to save their skin rather than the ship. Before long, half the plan was already realized, as the sub capsized to one side at the bottom of a shallow grave.

I could kiss this mare right now… “It’s not your middle name,” Alimite grinned, “but stealth is mine… though I’m the disciplined one apparently.”

“I’m so sorry I didn’t know to salute fricken officers in this armor!” Tumble shot back with words, and her guns, at the rounds that found our position.

Whelp! Change of plans, and pace… “You need to get out of here,” I leveled with my mare, and she already looked about ready to beat my head in. “You don’t have any guns, you’re barely wearing armor, and there is a very big murder bot who’s ready to break a missile off in my mouth!” All those points made something in her click, she didn’t like it judging from that scowl, but the mare wasn’t stupid… “use that middle name to your advantage, get to the others… please.”

I was going to be making up for that one later. Though with a quick description of where Riff and Deacon were held up, Alimite shoved off through the rest of the building. Thankfully as far away from the gunshots as possible. Someplace I really wanted to be, but alas, there was still a job to do wasn’t there?

“Time to be a hero,” I muttered more to myself than anyone. A hero to wipe this ideal from the wastes, even if it was just one part of it.

I heard the lock of another fresh mag, and Tumble shook her head. “What's the plan?” she got used to that suit fast, wonderful! Because she wasn’t going to like this…

“Same as it had been since the start,” really, not going to like this, “next on the list, the Cadance.”

“They took our explosives, so I hope you have a better idea than shooting our way out…” both of us glared out the window at the chaos unfolding.

Yeah… “Working on it.”

The rangers were trying to bring down the bot, the bot was silencing any and all that got in its way, and for the moment we were just left to enjoy the show. From here we could see bodies starting to fly as it batted them away like Parasprites, and I knew from experience that those rangers weren’t getting up any time soon. I had better armor, and it still felt hard to breath at times after taking that kinda hit. They still hadn’t figured out to get inside the shield, and even combined their guns weren’t making it drop any faster.

With all this chaos, it was dismantling any order the rangers had. Would they be able to get the Cadance away from it all? Could we make things difficult with a little help? Only one way to find out, if it had its sights on me, and the rangers were between the two of us… oldest strategy in the book. I waited a few more seconds for that little indicator to light up, before leaping back through the window.

“Round two you over sized toaster!” I called out to challenge it.

Another ranger vaporized after a burst from the autocannons on its arms, before finally the bot twisted its glare our way… running now! Flames licked both our hind quarters as we darted away between another maze of containers, with Tumble putting a few yards between us out in front. Whatever Snatchback did to me wasn’t pretty under this armor. I could feel my forehoof squishing under the knee into itself, but a steady trickle of chems kept that pain at least to only a minor stabbing sensation.

Behind us, a robot on a mission, and ahead pissed off rangers… What a time to be alive!

ADAC kicked on just as fast as Tumbles carbine, both of us cycling the triggers to clear a path. Her rifle wasn’t rated to stop armor, unless she hit it in the right spot, but it was surely enough to keep any of those lesser armored rangers well clear. She didn’t have any work done to the suit, and if mine was still ticking away at the integrity, then Taffies must be more than screaming at her. Before long the mare slowed her pace to match mine by my side.

A grab of her hoof shoved one ranger to the ground as he shot out of cover, and she leapt over the guy while continuing to make our trail. I only glimpsed back for a moment, but that was enough to see Final roll right over the ranger, crushing him like a soda bottle with one stomp. I really needed to stop looking at the damn bot and just focus on-

Not eating fucking dirt! Another spasm of my hind legs sent the suit missing a step and plummeting into the ground. My muzzle drug across the concrete for a few feet before coming to a halt. Tumble was already a dozen yards ahead before her hooves dug in place, and I heard that wonderful sound of treads once again.

Chunks of concrete sputtered up around me as I activated the shield in time. Final Lesson rolled only spitting distance away, but whoever programed this one made sure to include emotions somehow. This bot was pissed! Even at seeing its shells crunch against the shield, it kept the fire pressing on. A scattering of 5.56 drew its sights elsewhere, and gave me an opening to get back to my hooves. With a belch of fuel draped over the front of its barrier in a crimson blaze, it swatted away at the flames.

Yet still through the fire this thing couldn’t take a hint! A flicker of my own shield said it all, time to go… with a little pep from another explosion going off, Tumble and myself got right back to it. Up close was not a place I wanted to be with that thing, but would it hunt me down till it was destroyed? Who am I kidding, everything was hunting me! The rangers, the gunners, and now this damned thing.

As we shot through a narrow opening in the stacks of containers, the firing line ahead got into position. They didn’t care that I was already cycling the ADAC, the few that I dropped were only reenforced by another dozen standing to their sides. I really should have kept that shield ready, with a shove of my hoof, I pushed Tumble back behind me and let the suit take the brunt-

Armor integrity: 75%

Oh, fuck me running! Their shots were still punching holes into the suit long after my revelation that this was a horrible idea, and instead I opted for an even worse idea… I knew that yellow piping. My partner must have thought the same thing, and with both our bits chomped we aimed well past the rangers themselves.

My rounds punched the hole, Tumbles provided the spark… whatever fumes left must have been waiting for somepony to rub them the wrong way. Sections of the piping blew out in an instant, showering the firing line with shrapnel and bathing them in fire. Armor could withstand the heat, the ponies inside, eh not so much.

Many started running for the nearest extinguisher just to suppress the blaze, a few others didn’t manage to well, and only made it a few yards before they collapsed in a charred heap. That line was finished, just in time for us to blitz past its remains into the open area following the buildings of this place.

Oh, would you look at that! Another firing line… and this time I didn’t have a pipe to exploit. My autocannon chipped away at a few of them, but the smarter ones by this point were already well behind concrete barricades. We were half a hoofball court apart and closing fast, and I really didn’t feel like having them shoot me in the back while we avoided Final. What I would do for a- the contrail lit up in the night, and even past the shots ringing out around us. It was hard to mistake that gun.

One ranger fell to the AMR, and I watched the bar next to him get snuffed out all the same as his munitions went off. Joining it, raindrops the size of 40mm grenades started to fall down around those that thought cover was still a good idea. Scattering them every which way and that, Tumble was the first to reach the barricade and leapt over top it. She must have dumped a good third of her magazine into that guys’ helmet, with how the back of it blew out.

The ranger in front of myself got a good shell off with his own combat shotty, but mine was a bit overpowered. Four shells were all it took to turn his suit inside out, and once again I looked behind us. Fire burning away? Check. Twisted remains of armor? Check. Now where was… another container launched itself out from the maze, and joining us in the open was Final giving me that dead eye glare…

Murder bot? Check!

Another couple rangers tried taking their shots at it, but I didn’t look long enough to see how that worked out for them. We were already beating hooves to the ground when the sounds of its autocannons rang out in a quick burst, before those shells started dotting their way down the line towards our heels.

“What is happening?!” the speakers of the dockyard broke out, “It’s one Sentry? Bring it down already!” awe… somepony was getting upset.

Though he does make an excellent point… “we can’t keep this up forever!” Tumble shouted out to me, as her shotgun tore out the side of one scribe trying to take a shot with a missile launcher.

Both of them were right… as much as Final Lesson was helping us right now. This wasn’t exactly what I’d call a truce. More like a temporary partnership, “we can get past the shields to damage it!” I shouted back to her over the sounds of- huh? Would you look at that.

Wherever the piping we’d shot before must have gone underground at some point. The section of concrete in front of us lifted up for but a moment, before the gasses burst out. Showing the area with more metal, flames, and now stone. My eyes followed down the path of the hole, and just like here, in a few different places to the docks I could see a similar fireball break through like an erupting volcano.

All we did was shoot one pipeline?!

Tumble and I slammed our backs against the side of the container maze, trying for whatever breath we could catch. “Yeah… you have fun with that one, Wild.”

“I didn’t say it was the best idea…”

“So what? Does it only react to something shot at it?”

I didn’t have the time to explain the finer details of arcane arts and machinery! “It just has to be going fast enough, and the shield will view it as a threat.” There, that summarized it.

14.4mm lighting up the side of our cover was enough of a clue that we overstayed our welcome here, and off to the races we went- a hoof shot out past me, and smashed down atop my muzzle. I don’t care how armored this thing was, that still hurt! Tumble turned around in time to get her own face full of hoof, knocking her well and back to the next container over.

Just who the hell was this… guy? The ranger looked about ready to break out of his suit if he so much as flexed a little too much. Up to my hooves I went, and twisted the shoulder gun over to meet him head on. Though before I could so much as even get a shell off, he was already atop me again. I could hear the wane of his servos, but with his grip around my waist I found myself… was that the ground?!

Armor integrity: 68%

Sure enough, somepony must have found wrestling magazines out here… along with a pallet of protein! My helmet crunched into the concrete, before slumping down to my back like a turtle. I couldn’t tell if that was the sound of Final getting closer as it tried to hunt between these narrow containers, or just this guys’ walk. Either way, the ground was shaking a little with every step he took.

“Did you…” I coughed for a moment, as images of a certain sledgehammer came to mind, “have a brother in the gunners?” he cocked his head for a second.

5.56 lit him up on the side, and Tumble probably used all her weight just to shove him a few feet away so I could get back to my hooves. Still, he didn’t falter for long, and with one right hook I had to catch the mare in my own hooves. With a crack to his neck that I heard through the helmet; this ranger wanted to make it as personal as possible.

Nope… ADAC kicked on, and turned our narrow corridor into- oh what the fuck! The ranger dove down enough to avoid the fire, and came right up into my jaw with that helmet. Shoving myself back out into the open, and Tumble there joining me as she skid to a halt. Boxer took an ever-proud step out to join us, and started rolling his shoulders.

And in a flash, he was flying away in a tattered mess of metal… missiles trumped hooves any day. Though our savior wasn’t stopping with just one. Final let out another barrage of munitions our way, several cracking into the side of those containers as it lumbered closer. Tumble and I were scrambling, barely making any purchase when the heavy steel boxes decided to finally give way.

Like a foals’ block toys, they fell to the ground. Cascading sparks and twisted remains amongst us as we started to put distance between- an angry wine broke out through the night, and both of us turned to see one of those containers smacking Final in the face. Clearly the bot didn’t like taking a punch.

Though a new light sparked up in the back of my mind, as it looked like it did the mares’ as well. “We need something heavier,” Tumble voiced what we were both thinking.

And I knew just the thing… it worked at the port with some rangers, how well would a Sentry fair?

“Follow my lead…” I scanned quickly around us, ignoring the bars present till I found the operator cab sticking high up in the sky.

Good, now we had a beacon to go to… Time to lead a trail of breadcrumbs! Tumble was the first one on her heels, firing away at the near impenetrable shield of the bot. The carbine was nothing more than gnats to the thing, and 14.4mm wasn’t much better. Although, it did have the desired effect… getting Final livid enough to shoulder away those broken containers as it rolled on towards us.

I took the lead this time around, and with Tumble nipping at my flank we dashed off- face first into a damned container! Why was it acting up so much now?! Was it all the adrenaline going through my system? I needed to find a neurosurgeon somewhere in the wastes… fat chance, right? Something collided with my back leg in the daze of my vision, something heavy, and by instinct I threw the shield up as fast as I…

Armor integrity: 50%

Warning: Hind leg integrity critical!

Warning: Med-X port depleted!

… Could… So that’s what an autocannon did to the wearer? So glad it was in a leg I couldn’t feel! I just wished the suit could tell the difference with that one. Already my front leg was starting to feel as if it was stabbing into my chest, but sheer grit alone was keeping my head in the semi-clear. I was already stumbling to gain purchase, and with one leg now in need of some serious love, being a tripod wasn’t conducive to my health.

Armor integrity: 46%

Nor was a fist of metal… Final Lesson had me cornered, or more so pinned with a barrel to my neck. Underneath me I couldn’t sense the ground as I dangled there, I just hoped it wasn’t stupid enough to fire that thing from this close. The other barrel leveled against my head at that thought, and I got to see the crimson glare of fire this one bot had been fueled by all across the Crystal Empire.

Oh it hated me… a hatred that disappeared behind a pair of hooves wrapping around its shoulder, and instantly my ass met the ground once again. Like a bucking bronco Final flailed is arms around, trying to dislodge its rider. Though Tumble had other ideas as she brought hoof to head over and over again. Two can play that game, it was distracted, and with us both now in its shields I brought the shotty up to one of its legs.

“Hop off!” I shouted, giving the mare a few moments to clear from the blast. Full auto flicked on, and before it had the chance to give me a swing half a dozen rounds buried themselves into the plating.

Armor integrity: 39%

Lower than I wanted by a longshot… I ducked under another swing, and this time it was adrenaline that carried myself away from the bot. Both of us slithering our way between the stacks of containers, sorry buddy, you’ll have to take the scenic route. Alright back on track now! I could still see the machine getting closer with every step, and I knew we wouldn’t have long before Final was on our tails again once we got in the clear.

A few rangers up ahead were scrambling, one or two took pot shots at us, but with them having to keep an eye out for our friend. We weren’t the biggest threat in their eyes, how touch- Nope! I shoved Tumble to the side, narrowly letting the AMR shot break between us and kill a shipping container. One mare didn’t take too kindly to that, pumping round after round from her mag into the colt before my ADAC finished him off.

So, we were on the rangers’ heels, and Final was on ours… hell of a game of cat and mouse. As we broke into the opening, I saw those rails leading down the path, and with it our crane. Snatchback wanted his troops to get them working again, but after today I would make sure nothing was standing taller than the warehouses.

Something a few ponies didn’t like.

Armor integrity: 35%

Whatever was left of my front leg inside the suit was forgotten as we hit the dirt, huddling ourselves behind a few crates… wooden crates… not the smartest move I’ve made. Already the shots from the rangers were starting to chip away at it like a beaver, showering us with the splinters. Both of us leapt up, returning what fire we could, and a few more of those bars began to drop.

And… another did?

Sure enough, the ranger I had in my sights had half his helmet rupture, and all I could see was the contrail leading its way to our overwatch. With a calling card like that, it shouldn’t have been hard for Alimite to find them. Just past another trail, smaller explosions started to dot the ranks of those behind cover of their own, either flushing them out, or outright sending them running. What kinda arch was Riff putting on that- oh, too long out in the open!

Armor integrity: 25%

I really hated missiles… this at least came from a pony, and while my partner lit him up enough to keep that head down. I found my hooves just intime to pay my respects, namely with a burst of my own. I wasn’t getting any more munitions shoved down my throat, and if it weren’t for the narrow channels, Final would have already been on top of us. Finally, I had a second more to breathe, and take a look at what we had to work with.

This thing looked big enough to haul an entire section of one ship with a single go, fitting for the location, though I had an entirely different purpose in mind. “Think you can bring it down?” Tumble shot me a look, before turning that glare to her guns.

“Just how am I supposed to do that with these?”

“You’re crafty…” she did turn a few scraps into suppressors for a gun, “use some of that trademarked pony stubbornness.” Already I could hear more explosions going off in the distance, just how many rangers was the bot toying with? “Unless of course you’d like to dance with our friend when he gets here?”

Tumble was already yards away as the sentence left my lips. What? No rebuttal? No comment? Was it something I said? I couldn’t help a chuckle from making its way up my throat, something that soon left me as realization dawned. I had a date with a murder bot, hell bent on turning me into paste… great.

My visor was scanning our little arena, steadily watching as my integrity trickled up at a snail’s pace… come on thirty percent! There were fires still breaking out around the dockyard, and the more I watched my scanners, the less bars I was seeing. Either Final Lesson was giving them a run for their money, or-

“This is Elder Snatchback,” he… sounded a lot more poised than I would have been if I was watching my entire operation crumble. “Remaining troops make your way to the C.E.S. Cadance,” oh that’s not good, “we’re leaving this place… I look forward to seeing you again, Rogue Ranger…”

So not good!

This would be the part where a sane mind would say it’s not the time to panic… but this is the perfect time to do just that! Snatchback was loading whatever troops he could on that sub, missiles still armed, and I’d have to hunt him down in Equestria while he had all the advantage in the world! He could sit just off the coast waiting to hear from one of his scouts where ever I was, and then wipe it off the map with the push of a button.

I needed to get to him, I needed to find that bastard and break his toy with him in it. Just one tiny problem… I saw a few Rangers clatter across the ground only a dozen yards away. One was about torn in half, one had part of his helmet caved in the least healthiest way possible, and one was barely crawling on his stomach. A hoof from the soldier stretched out towards me, maybe asking for help, or out of anguish.

There wasn’t time to figure it out, before he made it more than a few feet, the suit broke apart from a single detonation of a warhead. Bits of armor rained down like hail, and in that shower, I saw the problem I’d mentioned.

Final Lesson was running atop the other bodies with its treads caked in blood. Perhaps in a different life, I might have adopted this robot as part of my group. Though in this one it wanted nothing more than to add my name to its belt from today alone… all those kills must have finally done something to it after all. Its shield was finally starting to flicker, never falling entirely, but after almost two centuries it was getting put through its paces.

Took it long enough…

“So, we-” That’s about all I got out before its guns lit up the ground it stood on. Final was fed up with its mission, and I had the marks to prove it.

Warning: Armor integrity: 19%

Alrighty! So that’s what a cannon round feels like to the chest! Strongest part of the suit for sure, but my sternum was begging to be put out of its misery… sorry, can’t oblige that request. My indicator for the shield was still dim, and all I had between us was wooden boxes. Splinters started flying as I slid as much as I could to avoid the fire.

Returning it all with my own, each barrel of mine rattling off. Flamer flamed, ADAC cannoned, and Shotty shot. The fuel might have been keeping it a blazing blind heap of rage and metal, but its shots were at least not tagging me just yet. Something sparked on the inside of that shield, and one of its cannons slumped to the ground.

I saw the puncture my 14.4mm did, leaving the round mostly intact in its elbow joint. Just as suddenly, the hole it broke through in the shield closed up. This thing wasn’t unstoppable, but hey neither was I! One launcher sent off a quick burst of munitions my way. Most went wide, either striking containers off to the side, or outright obliterating those crates around us. Thank my lucky stars those shockwaves were minimal…

Its attention was all on me, now I just needed to get it someplace else… with a quick glance to the crane, my hooves started back peddling. Watching as the flames died down from its vision, and that fire in its eyes grew. Another rack of missiles lined up on the shoulder, and- exploded? Sure enough, its own payload had reached its breaking point, and gave out from a misfire. Final lurched to one side as if it’d been hit with a wrecking ball, but did the bot go down? Of course not, where would the fun be in that!

Mental note, find the grave of the one who designed this thing, and plant another Balefire Egg atop it for good measure. One gun and pod were down for the count, but the bot still lumbered forward towards me. The cannon continued to chew out chunks of the dockyard, but so long as it was keeping its pace going I could work with-

Warning: Armor integrity: 14%

Warning: Right shoulder dislocated!

Motherfucker! Shoulder armor was the second strongest, but that wasn’t enough to save my skin… or joints. The entire suit started to collapse, me bringing it down all the same as if it wasn’t even there. Behind one of those crates, I found myself, and already with my back to the barrier I could feel the sections of it being torn through.

Come on…

Any second now…

… oh, hurry the fu-!

My shield went up just as a round from Final whizzed by my head. Now only the melodious sounds of spent ammunition filled the void between us as I worked myself back up to a hoof or two. Each round that he delivered I took a step back, letting him draw himself a bit closer. Geometry wasn’t my strong suit… but practical application was where I shined. This spot looked to be just perfect.

Hooves stopped, and I held firm, letting it do its worst. I had about five seconds before that worst was the end of it. Though with itself so close, would it resort to those guns? As if on que the shield died out, and Final rested only a breath away from my muzzle after its treads finally stopped.

A hit from the barrel lifted me clear off my hooves, onto my back, and without warning was shoved right into my trachea once again. Somepony better hurry up or this was going to be very short-!

The shot rang out from a distance, and my ear perked up from that tell tail rifle. With a slap of my hoof, the cannon pushed off to the side, and buried the round deep into the ground. My ears may never stop ringing from that shot, but with the shotty planted to its already damaged leg I let loose a few more shells.

Warning: Armor integrity: 12%

Warning: Armor integrity: 10%

Warning: Armor integrity: 8%

Critical failure imminent!

Three to be exact… the leg finally burst apart at the seams, and Final let out the closest thing to a howl a robot could muster. A howl that was drowned out by the groaning of metal in my- hey my hearing was back faster than I thought! Just in time too, that metallic wine was getting louder by the second, and I only caught the glimpse of the sight above for a moment as I tried to beat feet.

A burp from my thrusters answered that challenge, and on the ground still like this turned me into a sled. Skirting me away from the bot with one last look to Final.

His red glow met my dead visor, and I watched as the operator cab collided with the bulk of my torment. Swallowing it up under a grave all of its own. Sentries were rated for a lot of things… explosions, bullets, beams, artillery shells… you name it, the M.W.T. thought of some way to counter it all.

Somehow, I don’t think cranes came up in the development meetings.

“Yeah… I know that feeling,” my head slumped back to the ground. Watching as another sputter of sparks erupted from the cab, bathing the area with Finals’ demise.

“Deacon’s getting pretty good with that rifle,” the voice of Tumble carried over the sound of sparks and flames in the distance, and with a hoof outstretched I took it in my own… so that’s how she managed it? With a little areal-

More popping went off in the distance, this though, didn’t sound like any gun I knew? I could identify munitions based off of sound alone, so what the hell was- Oh shit! Before Tumble even knew what was going on I was already a league ahead of her, tracing the sound as best I could. Though there was really only one place it could be coming from.

Along the pier we broke free, and caught sight of those cables linking the Cadance to shore slipping off into the water. The one thing tethering the sub from getting away, and they were going free now… the whole ocean could be their base, hidden from the sight of any without a sonar, and anywhere in Equestria their target. All thanks to that smug ass suit of armor standing on the hull!

My visor locked with Snatchbacks’ as we stared down at one another. Both myself and Tumble were easily making up the distance as the sub tried to chug its way into deeper waters. Though once I caught sight of his barrel dropping to us, I knew I couldn’t take that chance. With a grind of my hooves against the pier, the first shot passed right in front of me. All as Tumble took the same approach, the Elder was recalculating those shots fast, and already the second and only shot he’d need nipped inches from my chest.

A shove from my shoulder pushed us down to the dirt, just off the edge of the pier to where those cables connected the sub… good, no fuel lines here. At least I didn’t have to worry about getting blown up just yet. That craft wasn’t getting any closer though as his rounds peppered across our cover, tearing chunks out of the infrastructure as he tried to get to us.

And… what? Above I could hear more explosives going off, and peaking my head clear I saw the grenades dotting along the hull near him. Riff had cleared the rooftops, and already was raining down her own hell upon the sub. Wouldn’t be nearly enough to cause damage, but it did give the Elder something to think about. Snatchback ducked away towards one of the supply hatches, and I broke out of cover before Tumble even had the change to get her bearings.

No time to waste! I thundered forward, trudging past the dead bodies of rangers that either my party had a hoof in, or our robot friend. None of them were worthy enough to even haul aboard the sub to give a proper burial. Instead, Snatchback left them out here like any other corpse, ready to be picked clean from head to hoof.

Tungsten I carried miles just to try and help him, but this ranger I was perfectly happy with sending to a watery- oh, hi ground! I don’t know if it was one of the bodies that I tripped over, or if it was my legs acting up again. Either way I managed to get some air as time slowed to a crawl and I noticed several things all happening at once in my eyes.

One, Snatchback was no longer even giving me the courtesy of watching me try to stop him. Two, in his place a pair of rangers stepped forth upon the deck, their Brown Bettys at the ready… as if they’d even need to arch those cannons from this range, yet still I could see the angle rising up on them. Finally, three, Riffs’ fire support had come to a stop.

Oh wait, four, the ground was getting closer already… with a smack my muzzle scrapped against the ground, leaving me on the dirt with just those guns towards me. Warning: Armor integrity: 10% I read off… as if that’d matter with those kinds of munitions. I was two for three with near death experiences today alone. The execution didn’t work out quite like some ponies planned, and Final had a nasty headache from its attempt on my life…

Asking to go three for three might have been a bit too much…

With a flash their muzzles went off, and I crossed my heart that with me dead Snatchback might leave my friends alone… assuming they weren’t vengeful enough to chase after him after my demise. Seriously, who am I kidding? Somepony was going to pay for this in their books, and worst still, I wouldn’t even get the chance to talk them out of-

It? Something lifted up from under me, and once again I found myself at the mercy of gravity. This wasn’t like any time I’ve been thrown away from explosions… trust me, I know what that feels like.

This had some care behind it, and as my eyes snapped back open all I could see was that little embankment Tumble and I took cover behind enveloping me. A moment later, 120mm shells went off behind, and I had to kick myself for a moment to figure out if I learned self levitation. Peering up from the edge, those rangers were already sinking back into the submarine as if their job was done… but I’m still here, so who-

No…

Just… no…

Their strength was unmatched by most anything in the wastes. Enough to cleave armor in two with a single swipe, haul machinery around on their shoulder like a pack mule, or even catch a falling ranger in their claws and deliver a swift stealth kill… or in this case, hurtle a suit of armor out of the blast area.

But not enough strength to get themselves out.

My hooves about shot me off the ground to the hellhounds side… what’s left of it… and from there clenching her paw I could feel Riff still managing to cling on. I’ve seen this hound bloodied, beaten, battered, and on fire… but she decided it wasn’t my time yet to punch out, and chose to bite that bullet for me.

“… Riff Raff…” I bit my tongue for a moment, helpless with what I had on me…

A swift pair of wings joined at my side, along with another set of heavy hooves, and softer ones to boot. Each of my friends, all of them I brought along for this ride because they wouldn’t leave even if I asked them too. Now all of us witness to what kind of price that adventure can cost.

“Why pony… look sad?” Riff started to chuckle, blood dribbling from her lips, and even more seeping out across my suit.

Deacon had his bag torn in half from those talons, and every potion he could fit between his digits were at the dogs’ lips forcing them down. Riff protested, but a shake from his head wouldn’t let her get another word in. “Quiet you…” the gryphon choked out for a moment, looking through his bag for anything more to give, “you’re… you’re going to-”

“Be, okay?” a snort from her wasn’t the optimism I was looking for.

A sniffle to my side beckoned some attention, and even if her own visor hid the expression. Tumble had a hard time looking at our friend on the ground… she might have wanted to shoot her from the very start, kind of her thing, but now behind that glass I knew there was a tear shedding at the sight before us.

“What about…” Alimite held up one syringe that rolled just out of the mess Deacon made, it was an all or nothing kinda deal.

Deacon snatched it out of her aura, pulled the cap off, and brought it within an inch of Riffs’ coat… before her own paw grasped his limb. He looked ready to punch her and jab the needle in, but with her claw getting a tad tighter, I could see the anguish on our docs’ face.

Her paw pushed his talon a bit more gently towards myself, and my visor popped up to meet her eyes. I knew I had tears in them, and she was probably snorting under that postcard grin… but if she wanted to comment, Riff didn’t take the time. “…Take, need more,” she let go of Deacon and rested the paw on my hoof, “you good pack leader… make dog proud.”

For a split second I watched the Cadance slip just past the edge of the pier, it still hadn’t entered open water just yet… but I couldn’t just- “You need to go,” Deacon finally faced me, freely letting those tears fall from his beak, “Your rides waiting…”

I didn’t want to… I didn’t want to leave and wonder what happened until I came back, if I did… but one mare gave me a nod. Alimites’ own smile said it all, there was nothing I could do here, but perhaps they could. “Good get em, Wiley,” she beamed, and there looked to be so much more on the tip of her tongue, but not the time to say it all.

My med port opened up, and just like that Deacon slammed the needle in its receiver. With a slap the hatch closed back up, and my hooves broke into a full gallop. Adrenaline might have been super charging my heart, but Hydra was keeping my muzzle dead center on target. Whatever the chem was doing for my nerves might not last, but it’d be enough… hopefully… for this.

The edge of the pier was getting closer, and with a final leap, whatever the thrusters had in them I gave it their all. Flying like a falling tank, I soared through the skies for but a few moments, until they started to sputter out.

Gravity was for once my friend, and below my hooves I did the math quickly… right on target, I just wish there was somepony underneath to land on. With nothing to break my fall, my metal met the exterior of the sub, almost making me slip along its slick edges. Though a quick balancing of my feet solved that problem. Now for the next step, the hatch was designed for an earth pony to operate, so my horn made it all too easy to nearly rip it out of those hinges. Down below, I saw the deck, and somewhere inside…

I had a score to settle.

Chapter forty-four: Ballad

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Chapter forty-four: Ballad

My hooves clanked against the metal deck, reverberating throughout the suit, and even the rest of the passageway. I waited for a moment to have my ass lit up, but after another second of wincing nothing came of it. Instead, I was greeted with the vacant halls and pristine lit lights of the vessel returned to its hay day.

If the rangers put even a fraction of the care into working on the wastes as they did this ship, I might have still felt guilty about doing all this… might. No rangers were insight on my E.F.S. or the hull of this thing was blocking any reception I could get. I don’t know which part made me more nervous. They had to have known I would get onboard, shouldn’t they? The last any of them saw I was on the pier still… but they knew I had the jetpack.

Though they probably didn’t know the range of the thing. Then again somepony should have heard my ass go down the shoot… but the sub itself had clattering of different parts as it went through the- oh for the love of Luna stop! I wasn’t getting shot at just yet, so I could take that moment and give myself a breather. The suit would be thanking me for that later when the bullets did decide to fly.

Armor integrity: 30%

Okay so that was still trying its best, half my guns worked better at close range. Though I’ll have to be gentle with shotty, ADAC… sorry… you’re going to have to take a back seat for now. With a careful set of hooves, I started tip toing my way further in. Commissar Iron Hoof had asked for the permission to build this vessel, and with knowing what ranks he would join in, its no wonder the layout was like this.

For all the beefiness the suit had, my shoulders didn’t even come close to the walls… or bulkheads? My Navy lingo was trash, so bear with me. Still, if I could turn around freely in this thing than a standard suit shouldn’t have any problems. Iron Hoof was careful with his planning, and at its forefront had to be troops in this armor manning the sub itself.

Imagine what Equestria could have managed if they had a few of these under their own hooves. With a supply transport built like this, Luna could have ordered entire companies of Rangers to storm the shores of the Zebra nation right under their stripped noses… hindsight, right? The Crystal Empire was more than happy to foot the bill for its construction, Equestria already had its own battleships… goddesses forbid the Rangers get ahold of a few of those monsters.

So I was aboard, now the real question… what to do? The ballasts were still ideal, and the least likely thing to blow us all up. However, now there were rangers here who would be very driven to keep those machines running, and me well away from them. Plus, you know, I’d like to get back myself… missile- nope, scratch that. Still not wanting to send myself off in a mushroom cloud. I’ll have to sink it, but I might need to be a bit craftier than with the Shining, now that my neck was on the line as well.

Next question, where the hell am- I… for a second the trio I faced froze in place. Their eyes or visor met my own, and with only one suit of armor between them. The other two in utility clothes were already drawing their guns. Two can play that game mind you! A clench of my jaw snapped on the bit, and my IF-451…

Burped? What the hell?!

Rounds started dinging away at the suit before I could do any troubleshooting, and here I could only tank the damage. Nowhere to duck, nowhere to dive into, and certainly no idea where the hell these two got 10mm AP rounds! Charging forth, momentum was my friend, and with a shoulder check I slammed into the unarmored mare.

Her head whipped back enough to collide it with the wall, and a smear of blood made its way down to the deck. Her partner leveled that gun right- ting! My fucking ear!? Tinnitus be damned, that shot made me dizzy. A hoof to his chest knocked him away enough for his armored cohort to take the lead.

Armor integrity: 23%

A hoof from him slammed into my jawline. Between that, and the pistol shot, I was long overdue for a concussion. Guns, still arguing with me… fine, I’ll improvise! My horn reached out and yanked the extinguisher off the wall. Colliding it neatly with the rangers’ helmet once, twice, and third times the charm. His visor cracked just as more 10mm rounds lodged into my side, and I turned the nozzle to said pony.

Face full of frost didn’t feel good now did it? The colt dropped the gun, and at the same time I grabbed it dropping the extinguisher. The barrel planted just behind the earpiece of the rangers’ helmet, and five shots later I was welcomed with the clanking sound of his suit hitting the deck. Blood already starting to dribble out the hole I punched.

Frosty was still stumbling, and the rest of the magazine found itself inside his chest before I even thought of trigger control. I hated small arms, I despised small arms… mostly because I sucked with them. Yet, if my own guns were going to be downers- a quick chomp to shotty proved that point again- then I had to make do with what I had.

Fresh magazine found its home in the handle, as well as the ones I procured from the bodies. With the pistol out in front, I trekked a bit more. Those shots echoed through the halls, and it wouldn’t be long till they found the bodies. I didn’t have time to hide the corpses, or whisk away the blood. They’d know sooner rather than later they were carrying an unwanted passenger.

Okay, suits armament out of the question, still no idea where to go, my element of surprise all but shattered, and I was armed with arguably one of the worst weapons my horn had ever tried aiming back in the office…

‘Note to self,’ I thought, still wistfully hoping there was some light at the end of the tunnel, ‘practice more with damn pistols.’

I didn’t mean this soon! Two more utility ponies rounded the corner at the end of the hall, and I didn’t even get the chance to level the sights before their rounds started digging in. My only saving grace was as always, the suit. Armor Piercing was designed for most standard armor, this thing was anything but.

My shots went wide, smacking into the metal frame of the sub around them before it even got close to a target. It wasn’t until the last round of the magazine that I clipped one in the shoulder. She ducked away behind the corner, but her companion only reloaded as I fumbled to do the same… he was faster.

My mag dropped to the ground as his first shot struck the helmet, and half way too him as I walked something in my noggin said screw it. Alimite would be so proud… the gun hurtled across the space, colliding with the bridge of his nose more effectively than any of my shots. Another aura of mine picked the magazine back up, and thundered on towards the colt. Both hooves weren’t necessary to finish the job, bu-u-ut it did feel oh so satisfying to cave his chest in with a stomp.

Now where was- the first shot got my attention, and the next dozen from the others down the hall was all I needed to slink my way back to that corner. I still couldn’t get a read on the E.F.S…

Warning: Armor integrity: 15%

Yeah, that told me enough! With only my helmet breaking the cover I managed to avoid at least all but one of the shots from those taking point. I needed to think, and this was not the place I wanted to do it.

Peaking the gun around, I thanked the fact that at least one of my parents was a unicorn, and dumped the magazine. Accuracy through volume? Still a viable strategy! One of those shots hit something along the walls, and the shower of sparks causes enough of a shock to the bunch that I swiped what ammo I could from the body before racing down a hatch and- falling like a newborn bird.

Hydra had worn off… and the clanking reminded me of an old grandfather clock up until I found the ground once more. Stairs worked so much better when I didn’t have to think about walking. Back to my hooves I managed without getting more rounds in my ass, and down the hall I went. They would be on my tail soon, and I didn’t have the slightest idea where I was on this thing. I needed to think for a moment, and to do that it had to be somewhere quiet.

Somewhere, anywhere, I’ll take a broom closet!

Or a locker… up along the red hatch I read Damage Control Locker #3, and ducked inside. My ear pressed against its frame, which probably wasn’t all that helpful trying to hear through metal. Though with nothing bursting through, or for that matter making a peep on the other side. I took a step back and looked around.

Whatever Damage Control meant, I’d have to ask an old ghoul someday, but to me it might have just saved my ass. All around there were supply lockers of air tanks, firefighting gear, tools to break and repair the sub, and even plastered on the wall… was a map. The Cadance looked big enough on the surface, but those designers really went for the iceberg approach.

Most of the structure was well below the water line that I could see from a distance. Level after level raced down deeper into the sub, and here before my very eyes it was all mapped out in painstaking detail. If they wanted to save the ship, I guess it helped to know all the ins and outs of where the hell you were to do so.

Smack dab in the center, or at least upper center, I found the little red star marking this locker. Back a smidge further, the very hatch I opened to get in… had I really only covered that far? The scaling to the drawing was terrible, but it barely held my hoof in the gap between those two points. I hated whoever it was that created Powerhooves, but Celestia fu-u-uc-c-ck the guy who drew this thing up.

Silos alone took up a third of one deck all together, let alone the sections devoted to those that manned the machine. How many did Snatchback have onboard? Better yet, how many could he have gotten if we didn’t crash their little party. There tucked away under the main mast of the ship, was exactly where I imagined said pony was kicking his hooves in the captains’ chair. Bridge displayed clear as day under that open area.

It was tempting to burst out here, charge in, and dump another full magazine into his chest… though I’d probably need at least two to make sure the job was done, or that I even hit the target. That kinda thinking would get me dead, very quickly. Missiles were a definite no, what else did this thing have to offer? Up towards the front of the sub, I saw those tell tail tubes lining out the muzzle. Torpedoes? Still an explosive, a lot smaller than Balefire, but I can keep that in my back pocket… who the hell were we shooting torpedoes at anyway?

Alrighty, circling back to plan-A. The ballasts were still my best bet… would I have to play defense with a pistol and hold off any trying to fix them? Of course! Would this be the most likely to keep my ass alive once the place was flooded out? Also, yes.

Armor was airtight after all; how else did you think you could have a filter on the- “It seems… we have a stowaway…” another clicking sound filled my hears as the intercom to the ship broke out, goddesses did I hate that voice, “how do you like the product of pony engineering so far, Mister Rogue?” enough to make me want to invent time travel, all so I could deck the one who built it, “a fine work our ancestors did if I might say so myself. Everything perfectly tuned to run like the well-oiled machine it was.”

Scratch that previous statement… invent time travel, just so I could smother this bastard as a- wow, that’s fucked up. “You took away one of my cards, Rogue, this one you won’t get… its systems are operational, and at the ready to deliver a blow to the Rangers’ enemies.” Keep talking there guy.

My eyes scanned over the map once more. It was too big for me to pull off the wall, and hope to get anywhere without it getting shot full of holes. I’d have to go off of memory more than anything… lets see… bigger frame numbers to the back, smaller to the front, smaller numbers for the top, and big to the bottom decks… really? It’s that idiot proof?

Now, where were those ballasts? Alimite and Tumble must have found one of these maps on their journey, and if they could decipher the location. Then so could- “Tell me, what do you think the blast radius is for one of these missiles? Enough to cover a prison that’s for sure,” not something I wanted to think about?! But still… totally called- “certainly enough to cover the dockyard then.”

-It… “What say we warm your friends up, shall we?” there was a large drop to both the ships’ structure, and my heart at those words. “Launch sequence engaged,” a more mechanical voice sounded out.

Fuck, Fuck, Fuck!

My eyes scanned even harder at the map. Trying to get every little detail I could in the short time I had now… down twelve frames, up one flight of stairs, over six frames to the right, past a dozen more frames to the ass and bingo. What would I do when I got there? Who knows! Though that was better than standing here trying to figure it-

The hatch opened up, and there stood but a Scribe. Their barding was far to clean for any that were topside during out little escapade on the docks. Yet, that gave me a clear line of sight to their name plate, and my eyes started narrowing down upon them.

“Oh hello…” I sneered, and watched his coat go white like he’d seen a ghost, “Wallard.”

The pencil the colt had hovered for but a second before it tried falling to the ground as he took off, though once it hit the deck, my hoof crushed it into dust. Just like I wanted to do to this colt very soon! Shock me like I’m a battery will ya?! I didn’t need chems to stir myself up into a frenzy, this one guy was doing it all enough. Added bonus he was going right the way I needed too.

Mentally I was counting off the frame numbers in my head, while keeping the colt in my sights. Eight, nine, ten… I hurtled over the knockers, bounding after the colt before he could alert any of his buddies… come on twelve! We were approaching that number, and as he dipped off down one corridor I couldn’t follow. I instead saw the stairs I needed to continue… this…

Wallard stood with another group of his friends, well tucked in between those, and away from me. Their guns went off, ricocheting rounds along the bulkheads towards me. All I had to do was cross this tiny hall, and go up the stairs. Though if they saw me go, it wouldn’t be long till they were on my hooves yet again.

Think damn…! It? Above I saw one of the pipes leading down towards them, and while I didn’t understand a lick of how this thing was put together. I knew what the hell STEAM meant. Out just past the corner I swiveled the ADAC. What? All of my other guns hadn’t worked yet? Might as well go for-

Click.

-Broke… “Damn it!” I shouted, slamming my head against the wall, and making those little figures dance in my vison for a split second.

Really not the smartest move… 10mm went around the corner, and yet again another magazine dumped to meet them, or at least near them. It wasn’t until the last two or three rounds that I heard the hiss breaking out, and the scampering of hooves. Already the hall was starting to fill with the pressurized gas, and those that once shot at me chose not to press their luck. The hatch beyond that leak slammed shut, and I slammed a magazine home bounding for the stairs.

That would have been easier with something a bit more explosive. What was with these guns? Now of all times when I needed them most?! This was punishment for something I’d done… I was a good colt… did I maybe lie to Lilac once or twice to save Winters’ skin? Sure. Although it didn’t warrant this kind of punishment! Problem for later to solve, navigation needed now.

Six to the right, six to the right, six to the right… and turn! The long passage way back laid clear, and my hooves started clanking away against the metal underneath. If they didn’t know where I was heading before, this might have been a dead giveaway. Out from one hatch a ranger surfaced, and just as quickly that hatch was slammed square in their muzzle knocking them back into the room.

I didn’t have time to stop and idle, who knows how long the sequence takes. Behind me I could already hear the shouting of the one I faceplanted, and it wouldn’t be long before they were hot on my tail. No matter, I was already narrowing in on where I needed to- there ya are!

Just above I saw the placard for the room, SILO CONTROL, and with an overzealous hoof I nearly pulled the hatch free before slamming it back in place. Grasping on it with my forehooves, and a little help from good old magic, I pried the handle down far enough to hook around one of the support frames to the door itself. As soon as I let go, the handle rose up from those on the other side, lodging perfectly in place as a crude lock… really hope I didn’t have to go through there again.

Oh… “Hi-ya!” I turned around to see a pair of ponies at the controls, one in armor, one lacking.

Utility barding immediately raised up their pistol, just as I did mine. His shots found their mark along the plating, mine hit everything from the console to his shoulder, finally putting the pony on the ground. As the magazine dropped, the hunk of armor slammed into my chest pinning me to the hatch I just came through.

Three hits of his landed in the plates, and sent my bones rattling from their impact. My horn wrapped around those hind feet, and with a yank he met the floor, as well as a swift kick from my forehoof. Sliding to a stop, I didn’t give him any time to gain purchase and leapt atop the ranger. Slamming my own hooves into his chest and neck. Underneath I could feel some of the plating finally giving way, but I had to give it to the ranger. He took those hits in stride.

Ping!

The slug glanced off my helmet, burying itself somewhere in the room when I eyed the colt I injured. Pistol barley in their mouth, and with an aura I pulled it free turning the barrel onto them. One shot from this range was all it took to paint the console behind him in a new shade of red. My aim sucked, but every once in a while, I got-

-lucky? The whole compartment started shaking, jarring me free from the ranger below and onto the ground. As I looked down the aisle of tubes, all had a green light stationed on their side, all but one that is. That one flashed red, before the rumbling finally came to a halt… and my throat clenched in place, as one missile went on its journey.

Long enough for another hoof to rock my jawline. Armor wasn’t supposed to make ponies nimble! Yet here I was, getting a back hoof from the ranger before me. Another round from me went wide, striking some electrical panel and sending a shower of sparks into the room. Though while the lights above started to flicker now, between flashes that ranger got in closer.

Helmet to helmet… quite the equal headbutt ain’t it? Both of us bounced back for a moment, collecting ourselves. I just did so a bit faster, and slammed the barrel square into his visor. Celestia, I wish I could have seen the look on his face… no matter! Armor piercing slugs tore their way through the reinforced glass, shattering it after only the first three rounds, and dropping his corpse to the deck a bit more permanently this time.

Armor integrity: 20%

That stent in the DC locker at least gave me some good news, though it would probably be a bit higher if it wasn’t for Utility over there. Down the corridor another light changed from green to red, this time the bulb of crimson was holding steady for now… no time to waste… the lights overhead finally found their sync and stayed on. Allowing me the full view of this room and everything that might be important.

Instantly my hooves started cracking into control panels, electrical boxes, and everything else in between. Yet that damned bulb kept mocking me! Ahh… new plan?! I ran over to the silo itself, and if this wasn’t a design flaw, I didn’t know what was. Not even an Emergency Stop, or an access port to tell it ‘Hey don’t launch!’. Even with the controls those ponies were at, somewhere between here and the Elder there was still communication in the wiring going that sent a shiver down my spine.

One missile was already on its way… one that could level an entire prison compound to dust, and without anyway to reach them. I could only hope my friends hightailed it out of there after I got on the sub. Two missiles… that was pushing it in my book!

“Think damn it! Think!” nerves were firing, but nothing was coming back with an answer.

My hoof slammed against the bulkhead, ready to turn this place into the most expensive fish tank decoration imaginable… you know, if my guns worked! Then, something clinked against the side of my suit. A fire bottle laid on its side, with a purple stripe along it and PKP in white lettering.

I… remembered these, back at work. More importantly, I remembered the warning on the side that I read clear as day. Not For Class- C Fires, oh I was about to break every safety instruction they taught us in orientation at the ministry! With an aura wrapped around its housing I stomped the cap off and darted back over to the main room, holding the 10mm square at myside. Not a moment too soon, there was already a shower of molten metal from the hatch.

Tube went inside the console, and with a blast of the purple powder I saw every light on its frame start to fizzle and burst with a final show of life. Before dying back out to nothing. That was doing something, and I gave the same treatment to every one of the electrical boxes on the walls. Caking them with the chemical that instantly turned the once silvery finish a pure shade of red and orange corrosion.

Parts of my suit were getting the same treatment from back blast, but if it wasn’t breaking down any of my integrity I didn’t care. Sparks were bursting, fuses in those containers were shot, even the lights overhead finally decided they’d had a good life and went out. My visor lights flicked on, letting the rest of the fire bottle do its work in the dark. Here and there another torrent of sparks would erupt, either from getting sucked in from cooling vents, or on other equipment that just wasn’t designed for this kinda punishment.

Just out the corner of my eye, I saw that flashing red light along the silo do dead… along with every other silo in the room. Even the emergency lighting didn’t survive my chemical breach, and the only light I got was from the hatch I once sealed now falling to the ground.

More 10mm rounds peppered around the room, but with nothing more than my visor to give an indication where to aim. I shut it off, and grabbed hold of the hatch lever on the far side of the room. Giving it much the same treatment as the first, those on the other side were going to be pissed they had to cut another.

Not my problem…

“Whatever you did, Rogue, it worked,” that voice slithered out of the speakers in the sub, “I’m showing dead readings all up and down the controls…” yay! Crisis semi-averted. Now all I had to do was find a way to silence this colt, break the sub some more, and get back to shore in once piece. “Electronics can always be fixed though, and with some parts from the Shining I’m sure it’ll be a lot faster than you could have hoped.”

Assuming you can get some divers inside that craft. I would be willing to bet those electronics won’t be too happy about being submerged in water for too long. “One missile should be enough for your friends anyway,” my teeth started gritting again at that prospect. I didn’t know the blast yield to these warheads… I worked with heavy weapons, but not that heavy. “But with them out of the picture, maybe you can see what we’re really trying to do here?”

Hmm… take over the wasteland with an iron hoof? Or would it be steel? “With a single push of a button, I can remove any threat that might threaten pony kind… isn’t that something to help safeguard the future?” whether I wanted to or not, I had to listen to the guy rant on. I knew enough how to get to the silos, but I wish I paid more attention to those diagrams in the DC locker to know where to go after that. “You could have made a fine addition to our ranks, with this firepower and your skills, we truly would have become unstoppable…”

It was largely because of luck, but I’ve been doing pretty damn well for myself with just a few upgrades, some bullets, and a hoofful of friends. The rangers could, and should, have done more already if they were dead set on helping. They didn’t need any more power, what they needed was a swift kick in the ass to get in gear and actually start doing something with all the gifts they took into those bunkers.

“Though I suppose if you want something done right,” my hoof grabbed hold of one hatch and slung it open, “you have to do it yourself.”

Snatchback stood in the flesh before me finally. His yellow irises piercing through the suit just as much as he wished that AMR would do. I charged forward trying to stomp over the colt, but like a cat he slid to the side and put a right hook square against my neck platting. Sending me to the deck with a whirl.

My hoof kicked out, trying to nab him with a cheap shot. Yet for all the bulk and strength I’ve been picking up along my travels, his suit was just too damn slippery! The sleek design was far more suited for this environment, and before I even managed to get back up to my hooves. Another set of his clocked the back of my helmet, sending stars dancing in my vision.

Warning: Armor integrity: 18%

Whatever I gained during my extinguisher rampage was gone, and steadily he started to chip away at the suit with controlled punches and jabs. My wider, more clunky ones were nothing, and I ended up doing more damage to the sub itself than he even noticed. It wasn’t until I jabbed at the wrong pipe, that the Elder got a face full of water, as well as a crude hoof to the bridge of his nose.

Snatchback stumbled for a moment taking the hit in stride, and I raised up the 10mm… just as he started lunging forward yet again. Slugs started to spray around the room, and even with one digging into his shoulder. He tanked that damage if it meant getting in a bit closer, as he slid right under my jaw. Another hoof of his rocked its underside, and sent me cascading down a flight of stairs.

I needed to work on my landings… instead I found myself bouncing down like a bowling ball, and slamming into the bulkhead with a daze in my eyes. There wasn’t even enough coordination in my vision to bother bringing the pistol up from the ground next to me, all I got was the steady clanking of hoof steps following me down.

“I spent years training in this suit, Rogue,” he spat out my name, finally reaching my resting place. “I understand the advantage that technology can give the average run of the mill colt… just look at yourself,” I swept my leg under him, but with a small leap he treated it like a school ground game. One that ended with me getting another kick in the jaw, “but unlike many of my subordinates, I don’t need it to get a kill…”

Warning: Armor integrity: 17%

His hoof socked me square in the gut, and of all the places to put extra plating, for all the treatment I’ve been giving the suit. That still hurt! My throat coughed up what was either phlegm or blood, as it spattered along the inside of the visor.

Warning: Armor integrity: 16%

Another hit landed in my neck, and underneath I could feel the small laps of blood reaching my noggin. Putting me in a daze with him blurry through my eyes. Snatchback was right… he had trained hard for these kinds of fights. I had years of experience building the suits up, making them better… not the kinda skillset I needed right now.

Warning: Armor integrity: 15%

He didn’t even need those guns along his side, years figuring out how to break a pony who wore them would turn any soldier into a fighting machine. A hammer hoof landed at the base of my helmet, and once again I met the ground. With the pistol inches away from me.

My horn reached out, nabbing the pistol in its aura and slung it around spraying… all until a swift hoof launched it right out of the aura and down the hallway far from my grasp. That was enough for me to get at least a breather in while I slammed both my hooves into his side. Snatchback skipped for a moment down the hall, and with any strength I had left I went the exact opposite.

I thought that punch back in the steel mill was just a lucky hit… but I was so wrong! This wasn’t some older colt who wore a suit of armor out of glamor. Snatchback made sure he was ready for if those bunker doors opened, and the world was still at war with itself. He didn’t spend his life frozen trying to wait it out, he trained, and trained hard… now I was just at the receiving end of all that frustration I caused in his ranks.

I’d been waiting to put a bullet down the guys’ throat for a while now, but he’d been just as eager to wipe these very floors with me if the chance should arise. A chance he was taking full advantage of!

This wasn’t running away… this was called a tactical retreat, something to get myself in a position where I might be able to figure out a way to end him and this machine. I barely had the upper hoof with my suit, even without the guns. Ballasts were out of the question, not with him on my tail. What I needed was a better plan than charge forth and conquer.

Or… I could just charge right into the one room I really didn’t want to be in! All around there were rangers in utility barding at control stations situated around one chair in the center. Flanking them, suits of power armor stood as those guards to the brain center of the sub. Here I just knocked on the door to the castle, and waltzed right in unwelcome.

Every single pony stood up almost in unison, pistols at the ready. Some here in the hive center even sported a few 10mm submachine guns, and every barrel available turned their attention on me. I was already far enough in the room that it was too late to reach the door again. My options were A- a room full of rangers ready to pump every ounce of lead they could into the suit, or B- an Elder whose title was earned by experience, not age.

Whelp, looked like option A… Snatchback stood in the hatch I just came through. I could see the trickle of blood dripping down along where he likely smacked something after my kick. More importantly, I saw the bloodshot eyes he tried to dig into my plating with. Circling around the room, he found himself right in the middle of their ranks. As all of them cornered me against one bulkhead.

From one firing squad, to another.

“You’ve had a good run there, I’ll give ya that much,” Snatchback cracked his neck, and wiped his brow. Almost admiring the blood that stained his plating. “It’s been a while since I’d seen that… you managed to get north, and take the fight too us.” With a single gesture of his head, one ranger gave up his pistol, and the Elder held it gingerly in his muzzle, “even almost came out on top…” so close, yet so far away… my eyes started flickering through my suits systems. I already knew where this was going, but I could at least have twenty seconds of peace to try and think. His hoof raised up, “FIRE!”

Warning: Armor integrity: 15%

Critical failure imminent!

Not as fast on the draw as I would have hoped! A few rounds managed to get through before the shield was finally up, and even now the extra coating of steel around them allowed some to burst through. Not enough to damage the suit, but more than enough to let me know what was coming. Other shots bounced right off, scattering around the room, some even digging into other computer components.

Had the Elder cared he was hurting his ship? Nope! His glare never left my visor, and already my own barrier was starting to flicker from the onslaught. “Keep it up!” Snatchback started to grin, “He can’t stay in there forever…”

If you don’t sink your ship first! Other rangers were blocking the doorway, and all I could do was sit here nice and pretty while their shots either slapped against the suit like a spit ball, or outright tore into their own machine- something fizzled out from one of the panels… And ADAC let out a single shell, tearing a hole clean through one ranger.

For a moment I was surprised, then I saw Snatchbacks eyes get wide with what I hoped to see… fear. “Well how about that,” I mumbled, and chomped on the bit.

14.4mm sprayed out like pent up retribution, ripping chunks of computers, and panels along for the ride. All before slamming into any ranger that got in my path, the Elder dove down to the deck, but those around him weren’t so lucky. Bar after bar on my E.F.S. fell as the suits were ripped to shreds under the heavy caliber round.

I couldn’t even tell what was a ranger or part of the sub on the ground by this point, all of it just looked like twisted metal. If they were only hoping to do some electrical work, I just took that idea and put it out to pasture! The smoke rose up off the end of my barrels as they stopped belching out rounds, and I looked around a bit too satisfied about the approach. Now the playing field was even… and… that was water.

“You fucking moron!” Snatchback shot up from the deck, thrusting a hoof my way, as he pointed it to the side of me. There in the panel was what once was some kind of talisman, now shattered like I intended to make his dreams. “That was to prevent M.W.T. heavy weapons fire, we’re on a sub! Are you trying to sink us all?!”

Too late there chief, some of my rounds already ate away at the sub. Though maybe those were just the ships’ water pipes I burst. Either way… hate to admit it… but he did make a very valid point. His rangers are the ones who shot it! Still, I got the room all to ourselves.

Though no more ADAC for me, Shotty and Burny? I don’t think that’d go through the hull, “Then let us finish this like Gentlecolts, shall we?”

Gentlecolts was a loose term… Snatchback leapt across the console, managing to put me back against the wall. This time however, I was fighting dirty. Shotty swiveled back down against his head, and I chomped away. He was fast enough to avoid that first shell, but with him knowing full well I wasn’t afraid to put too many holes in his sub. It was more than just my hooves he had to keep an eye out for.

My helmet met only the temple of the Elder, sending him sprawling back a few paces. More blood started to trickle down the side of his brow, and I could see that stumble in his step. The hiss was enough to alert him once again, and this time my flames managed to lick his armored tail as he dove for cover. Across the room I sent that spray, basking the equipment in a glorious blaze.

Warning: Armor integrity: 13%

Oh… right, he didn’t just have that AMR. Two shots from his AER-9 Caster punched into my suit through the flames, and I all but ignored them if it gave me a way out. A few more shells around his cover kept his head down long enough for me to reach that hatch, and once again it was a game of cat and mouse.

I didn’t have enough fuel to burn the entire machine to the ground, and shotty just wasn’t cutout for punching a hole through the hull. There was a bigger boom needed, and like I said, the ballasts just weren’t going to cut it this time around. I might not have known exactly where I was going, but this would be a hell of a lot easier to find than some tanks.

All I had to do, was get to the front of the sub.

Behind me more shots from his Plasma Caster dotted along the bulkhead, some managed to bite me in the ass. Though it wasn’t enough to send me to the dirt just yet. With a jerk of my head before rounding a corner, I turned the swivel onto him. Far out of the butter zone for sure, but it was enough to keep him out of precision range with that gun of his.

Turning to, these colts were about to get a rude awakening. Half a dozen stood in my way as I barreled down the hall like a locomotive on its last leg. Their pistols were at the ready, and even the submachine gun between them was already cycling. Shame none of them had any armor… nearly catching up with the stream of fire, each of them either burned or ducked back to save their own skin. I left many riling in pain from the screams behind me, but that’d be the least of their worries once I got where I needed to be.

Well hello there! One ranger in front of me finally managed to figure it out, and instead of a pistol. His battlesaddle barked forth, spraying .308 down range. Shotty matched his own casings as both of ours littered the ground, mine just had a bit more punch than his own, and before long enough of the plating was removed to put the pony underneath out of commission.

Warning: Armor integrity: 9%

Right! Not invincible… I quick peek behind me didn’t put the Elder in my sights, so either he went to tend to the sub, or he was just waiting for an opening. My path was clear, besides the random soldier that still decided this was a good idea to pick a fight with a pony literally armed with close range weapons. Another pair of utility wearing ponies I turned to red mist before they even knew what hit them, and across the suit I got another clean coating of pony paint.

And another sledgehammer to the side.

Not quite the train Lock threw at me, but that suit snapping to attention was unmistakable. Even with the new helmet donning atop his head, Snatchback was fuming past its visor. So, this is what made me decide to cover up finally? This and being on a pier that is. Together in the passageway we both stared one another down, if only he could see my grin…

“Elder Snatchback!” across the intercom a voice broke out, “We’ve lost bridge control of the propulsion system.” Seemed my fire was still raging on.

With a steady hoof, the Elder held it to the side of his helmet. “Reroute control to the engineering sector… I won’t be very long.”

That’s what you think- Bud! .50 ripped out past his muzzle, tearing a neat hole through several layers of the steel walls before finally resting somewhere unseen… oh somepony wasn’t playing anymore! Before he could level another round against me, I shoved the Elder to the side and pressed on. Flicking the shield while I went, and felt the steady punch in my flank plating of his rounds still managing to break through, but bounce off the suit.

Thank you Shining! Snatchback was nipping at my flank, but I still had a goal to reach… and while I watched the numbers on the placard get smaller. I knew it couldn’t be that far off. Another AMR round exploded one electrical box near my head, and I pivoted around just long enough to give the Elder something to think about. To hell with collateral damage, ADAC chambered only three shots and with a careful bite I sent them home.

The first shot right into the deck below him, punching a neat hole at his hooves. The second treated a light fixture with the utmost of prejudice. As for the third… well sorry to the one unarmored pony that popped their body out to try and get the drop on me, just a bit too late. From one shoulder to the next he was cleaved in half, and I didn’t give it time to watch him fall when I broke contact with my pursuer.

Just where I needed to be… something below vaporizing levels of explosive. The Torpedo room was exactly like I’d imagine. Rack after rack of well machined munitions, gantry cranes ready to hoist them off to one of the tubes, and their own control station should the bridge be out of commission. Wonder how they’d ever lose control of that place…

AMR ripped past, and any moment I hoped to have for a plan was thrown to the wind. I had company… very eager, and pissed company! Snatchback sent burst after burst of is Caster my way, and all I could try to do was put my hoof up to catch the rounds someplace less vital.

Warning: Armor integrity: 7%

I said less vital, not smartest move. Still my shotty swiveled onto his frame and while he lined up another burst, as did I. This time those shells broke some of his overly decorated plating off, tarnishing their polish, and causing the Elder to choose cover over a quick kill. Something I should probably do myself.

Behind one of the torpedo racks I went, he wouldn’t dare take a potshot at me here… would he? Silence answered that as a no, but if he was taking a moment for his suit to do some work. I could do the same. I’d take whatever percentage I could get, and I knew his would recover a lot faster.

More bursts of his AER-9 met the rack itself, missing the munitions… and past the peak of my cover I watched him take a careful step forward. His shots kept my head down, and it’d only be a matter of time till he had me right where he wanted. Whelp, if he wanted me that badly, I would give it to him.

S.A.T.S. kicked on, as I broke free from the rack, charging head long at the colt. A glowing pulse of plasma I was able to leap up with enough hang time to avoid it tagging the plates. In this trance, I could see him stop, trying to hold his ground as I got closer and closer. Shotty tagged along his frame, three shells… better make them count.

One to the head, two to the torso, and that should be more than enough to bring this waste of metal- down… caster pulses were slow, .50 was not… the flash of the muzzle was all I saw, and thanks to the spell I saw the round travel right below me and collide with my hind hoof. Knocking me off balance, my own shells went wide as the chance to hit went to zero, and I collided instead with the very forgiving floor.

Warning: Armor integrity: 5%

Warning: Hind leg severed!

Yeah… I got that much; whatever Final Lesson started; the Elder finished as he tagged the other leg. A hoof flipped me over on to my back, and against the console I slumped. Snatchback was grinning under that visor, knowing full well that for how much my suit was beaten up, upgrades didn’t quite matter. I’d seen a similar face from a mare, who had me in just the same position… though with a far better setting on her part…

“Alas… every journey must come to an end,” he scoffed, lowering his AMR to my helm, “any last words, Rogue Ranger.”

“Yeah,” I crunched my teeth past the pain and aches washing over my body. He tagged one limb that I couldn’t feel, but the rest of me was more than making up for it… now could it hold on just a bit longer, “How long can ya hold your breath?”

My head jerked down, toggled shotty to full auto, and laid every shell I could down range along the bulkhead. Something these munitions didn’t quite enjoy. The first shockwave threw him off balance sending that shot into the console behind me, the second tossed the Elder to the ground, and while fire started to erupt throughout the room I got back up to my fumbling hooves.

IF-451 basked the rest of the compartment in flames, and already I could see some of those getting turned to steam… there was a leak, enough to make the entire ship itself wane. For but a moment, Snatchback looked at me, debating if I was worth the trouble. Yet, after seeing me in front of the fire picking up behind, some part of his fight or flight response took over. As he turned tail to the door, I slammed my weight against his.

That AMR belched again, ripping past me, but once I was in close enough the full strength of the suit wrapped around him. The ornately gifted armor was faster, and sleeker than any I’d seen. Certainly gave him the advantage against most other heavily armored creatures or ponies. Though once it was brought to a halt, within my grasp, all the Elder could do was struggle much like Stock had in his final moments.

A quick jab from his hind leg did next to nothing, as did the headbutt that landed against my helmet. Still, I read 5% across the board, even with the fires getting closer to the pair of us. His Caster fired yet again, but from this close all he did was scratch some of the overhead. Even the AMR tore loose, and punched yet another hole into his precious sub.

“What. Are. You. Doing!” he screamed out between thrashes, “You’ll kill us both!”

“Maybe…” I started to get that same devious grin a hellhound taught me, “…but I’ll last longer.”

My plates were starting to heat up from the flames licking along our sides, but nothing more than a brisk summers’ day. If mine were that, then his must have felt like an oven. His thrashing about got more and more wild, and before long I heard the wails of misery from inside that helmet. Smoke was starting to erupt over his armor, as a fizzle and pop from under those plates of the electronics finally gave out.

Without the added strength of the servos helping him, all the Elder could do was fire off the occasional shot, and struggle against the inevitable. My horn reached out, grabbing onto his visor with all the might I could muster. As he leveled it against mine, I stared past its glass, wanting to see the pony inside.

“This… is for Tungsten,” and just like that, some anger fueled fury ripped it clean off.

It only took a moment before the blaze danced along his coat, cauterizing and charring away the blood that once trickled, now scorching his fur turning it black. He tried to breath, he might have been yelling and cursing my name, and he surely was clenching his eyes to keep them from burning out… but all of it was for naught.

Fire peeled away those eye lids, and I watched as the tears could do nothing. Slowly turning them into shriveled masses in their sockets. His body writhed less and less, until it too finally went still. Letting go, with a clank, that suit fell to the floor… the Elders final resting place, as I just BBQed a pony.

And once again I found myself flying…

One torpedo cooking off too close was enough to lift me clear off the suit, and hurtle my ass straight into the hatch. Knocking it open, I landed in the passageway, and got a clear view of what I just unleashed upon this machine. Fire was turning to steam just as fast as it could find new things to burn, and from some of the supports starting to buckle. It got hot enough to start burning the metal itself.

Under my flank I could feel the submarine starting to list, its nose pointing in an unintended dive. We weren’t fully committed to headbutting the sea floor, but it was still enough to make my hooves beg for some traction as I got back up and started walking… or limping.

Warning: Armor integrity: 4%

So I wasn’t immune to fire completely, but as promised… I lasted longer. Past my shoulders I watched the ambient glow of those flames start to trickle more though the sub, smoke following just as fast. Like the torrential wildfires out west that would sometimes plague crops back in the older Equestria days, my name spread through this once proud tribute to pony engineering.

Ahead I could see more rangers, scrambling to get away from the blaze. Though in a portable bunker like this, just where were y’all planning to go? They weren’t shooting at me, so I could let them have a few more moments to live. How many notches on the belt would this be? At this point, who bothers even counting?

If they were going to spend the last moments running in panic, then I could take the time I needed to relax for once today… it’d been a bumpy ride since the start, and with nothing but the steadily cracking sounds of machinery and electronics falling to my firestorm. All I had was time to reflect on it all.

I made a promise to a mare, to watch over another as we left the life we once knew. Thrust into this world in seemingly a blink of an eye… with that promise still fresh in my mind. I met a good ranger, helped him in a way that I didn’t imagine would return the favor when I needed it the most. I met more friends after the end of the world, than I did when everything was still civil…

Warning: Armor integrity: 3%

The bridge hatch opened up, and inside I saw my spray still doing work on the compartment… those bodies were long overcooked, but at least I had company when I dragged them to hell. That chair looked comfy though, and like the official title I never wore, I took my place in the captains’ post. A leader for the sub, but I’d already been a leader before…

I lead my group of friends across the wastes, following my own goals… and when those were met, they stayed with me. Even when one of my promises was already kept, to the end of her days, it earned me another. A promise those friends made sure I saved, by sticking by my side to the very end. Across the country, and even into another altogether, they never faltered…

“Thank you, my pack,” I allowed myself a smile.

Warning: Armor integrity: 2%

Even to a colt I seldom knew, or one I never met while he lived… they helped me. One showed me that not all of those tin cans were tarnished silver, some of them were genuinely good ponies, just trying to be what they were seen as. As of the other, he gave me the suit with his life, and let me carry on his name long past his own death. A suit that did him proud to the day he died, even now I could feel it patching itself up, like there was still a fight to be had.

Warning: Armor integrity: 1%

Sealed or not, it probably didn’t matter.

Maybe I’ll get the chance to meet him now. “Thank you, Rogue,” at the very least I’d like to see another, “And to you the same, Tungsten… I tried to be one of the good ones.” A hero… something that at least one town would be able to call this ‘ranger’, and something there was still a good group of friends from all walks of life, to remember me by.

It wasn’t the smoke getting to me, these filters were wonderful in that regard… though I still caught myself chuckling past a cough. “I came into this world, trapped in a metal tube,” I looked around at the fire still snaking its way around the compartment. The warning lights across a few of those computers flashing, before they too finally gave out. “Now I go out the same way…” though this was a little warmer…

Warning: Armor integrity: 0%

“…ain’t that a bitch.”

Chapter forty-five: One for the shelf

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Chapter forty-five: One for the shelf

I watched for a moment, as curious eyes grew wider and wider, far past the sleeplessness in them. Only to turn to puzzlement, as they twitched from myself to the covers. It was a tall tale to hear, but for one such as herself, it was one that few could have imagined in her eyes. What’d I’d give to have that kind of innocence again, to have the mind of a child, with little to fear within these walls.

“There’s no way he did all that!” she shouted to me, before letting out a yawn.

Alas, that sleep was finally catching up with her… “Think what you will,” I smiled, long past my own yawn. It was quiet nights like these, I was thankful to have to ourselves, when I could just share a tender moment… or a story. “Though that won’t make your bedtime change any.”

With a groan the filly mumbled, and finally rested back against the pillow. Such stubbornness, in such a tiny package… wonder where she learned that from? “But? How? How did he manage any of that?” she asked, protesting for a moment while I brought the covers up a bit closer to her neck, and she tucked them in close with a flash of her horn, “I thought the Steel Rangers were strong?”

Are strong… the years out in the wastes hadn’t changed that, and while there was nothing left of the bunch he tangled with. There were other bunkers out there across Equestria, but what he’d done was enough to keep some parts of the wasteland close to home quiet.

“That one’s simple,” with a tender pair of lips, I passed a peck along her brow. Much to the little one’s dismay, as she wiggled her muzzle to me. Just when was she going to get used to that? “… he had friends.”

Shuffling under the blanket for a moment, she finally situated herself and got comfortable. All in time for another yawn to take her by surprise, “Dad had some strange company…” oh you have no idea.

I just wish you could have met them all.

“That he did, but those are the best kinds of friends to have…” alright, she was dragging this out. With a careful twist of my horn, the lantern to her side turned down to a dim candle, and I strode towards the door. For a second I paused, looking back at her in that bed, and the smile grew on my face. She might not understand it now, but she would one day. “I love you, Tinker…” call it maternal instincts, but I was never going to get tired of saying that, “I’ll see you in the morning.”

Another yawn met me, and I had to bite my lip just to keep my own silent. “I love you too, mom.”

Or hearing that.

After a silent shut of the door, I took a breath, and wiped my eyes again… there was a long day ahead tomorrow. Up the stairs from the basement I went, and across the shop I already saw my laundry list of things to tend to. Some sections of the irrigation needed new piping, there was still half a turret on the workbench that was always on the fritz, and even the gutted parts of Stocks old 40mm found its way inside a bench vice for maintenance… I really needed to ask Deacon not to leave his toys lying around. Though, with all that work, how was that different than any other day? Still, the night was young, and I could do with a little time to myself now.

Outside the sky might have been dark from the clouds, but with the lights of the town still shining. I found my way past the crops still creeping up through the soil, it wouldn’t be long till it was harvest. Especially when there were more mouths to feed than ever before… the town itself had done well over the years, and while we were still barely managing to keep those newcomers full. So far, any that did show up at least made sure to pull their weight.

The market center had most of those stalls long closed down for the day, lights were out inside, all save the few that tended to their keep a little late into the night. As always, the door with the gun hanging above it stayed open. Somethings never change, and you never knew when we’d need an extra bullet in the night.

“Good evening there, Alimite,” I heard called out from the doorway. Standing there was one mare, blissfully sweeping away the dirt into the street.

“Good evening, Taffy,” I smiled warmly at her, noting the sand at the edge of her eyes, “Mable having you tend to the floors after hours?”

“Oh, it keeps me busy,” the shy mare gave a shadow of a smile past those weary lids of hers, “though I always worked better at night, so I can’t complain.”

I’m glad we were able to get to her in time… that storage room hadn’t see any of the fighting from the dockyard, and just like we left her. The mare was bound and gagged on the floor, shivering in fear, and wide eyed when we came back through. The Knight, or Ex-Knight, had no idea what transpired outside those walls. Though even after seeing the devastation that took place by our hooves, she didn’t shy away from our group as we turned tail.

We hadn’t made it past the outer fencing before Taffy finally asked that burning question… Admittedly, it didn’t take much convincing on her part to talk us into it. With another still wearing her suit, there wasn’t much worry for if she tagged along for the journey. Besides, it felt kinda wrong to leave her stranded out there in the north with nothing but the bodies of her comrades.

If we had thought about it any longer, well… the blast we saw from afar would have greeted us instead.

Getting back to the town must have been a culture shock after being with the Rangers. From order and discipline, to a ramshackle bunch of controlled chaos… though some would say they’re one in the same. Still, she didn’t run off when there was news of other ranger groups popping up. The mare decided to stick by our slice of the wastes, plus… it kept her close to somepony else.

As I passed by, I gave another wave trying to blink away my own sand. “I’d get some rest if you can manage it…” her brow started to stand on end, “I know somegryphon will be at your door tomorrow for parts.”

Oh! She didn’t like the sound of that one.

It didn’t matter just how many goods he brought in; Deacon still managed to make the mare about chase him out with that broom when half his gear was torn to shreds lately. As good as the guy was at fixing his own stuff, another pony was always on Taffies side when it came to his well-being. That still hadn’t changed much in his nature, no matter how many times she smacked him.

Steadily my hooves wandered the streets, the chill of the night never making it through my coat. Years out here would make you used to it all, and having the warmth of so many around you more than made up for it. The town square was no different during the day as it was at night. A few ponies laughed and carried on, some sharing a drink, as others shared a game of cards… or a hoof to the face.

The scuffle broke out from afar, and all I could hear from it was shouts of cheating… before a shot rang out. I knew who took the shot before I even had to see the mare. Butter had her lever action in the air, and but a moment after that the pair that decided to solve it with hooves were back on their feet. Pacing back to the game, a bit more peacefully this time with apologies spilling from their muzzles. There were some shoes to fill when Walker was taken, but in the end, one mare at least found the fortitude to step in them.

Three more guards trotted past her, eying the pair for but a moment, as they went back to their patrol. With the numbers swelling over the years, it was a welcome addition to at least have a few more guards on the roster. More than enough to keep the peace as the town became better known by those we trusted. That made Butters’ job ever easier, yet she still found herself working long into the night. This was her town… and she was going to ensure it was safe.

A gentle nod from her I returned while they walked by, and I still hadn’t worked out the energy in my legs. Those should be the only shots heard tonight, by a pony… hopefully. Although if I wanted to keep it that way, I had to make sure of a few things. Time to do my own evening tasks. Past the center I went, down another street that hustled with the quiet sounds of ponies turning in for the-

“Get back home ya varmints!” another shouted as she burst from an alley.

Quiet sounds… the younger kids of the town still managed to slip out a few windows here and there, either to explore, or just cause mischief. Though they all quickly learned, there was another who knew these streets far better than they ever could hope. The group of kids scattered, and I saw a few of them flee to the safety of their homes, a few others didn’t take the easy way out. Oh well, they’d learn soon enough once she caught them.

“I’m just glad you didn’t use that thing,” the 10mm pistol had fit well on Spades’ hip, after much practice that is. Though the combat helmet finally didn’t flop over her eyes anymore, “At least this time.”

“That was only once!” Spade protested, finally grown enough to meet my chin, “and I wasn’t even aiming at them.”

“You weren’t aiming in general,” another voice fluttered down from overhead, just behind her. Instantly the filly stiffened up, and even started to cringe, “it was a happy accident you only managed to shoot the ground below them.”

Either it was later than I thought… or running around with the up-and-coming mare was taking its toll on the gryphon. There were bags to the bags under Deacons’ eyes, and yet for as tired as he might have been. I saw that same spark in them from the first time he went out on patrol… with a certain addition to his party.

He was well versed in any and all types of jobs a merc could find. That kinda background makes for a well-rounded adventurer, town guard, and teacher. All he needed was a student willing to listen… or one stubborn enough to go hoof to talon with him. Keeping her stance strong, and chin up, Spade turned around to face him. Try as you might kid, you aren’t going to puff your chest out enough to intimidate the guy.

“You have any idea how many times the misses has pointed a gun at me?” Deacon started to snicker, which brought his partner down a few notches. “You’re going to have to do better than that.”

Called it… although, “Hmm… misses?” my ears perked up, and I watched his non-existent ears splay back against his head. “Finally giving Tumble the title I see? It only took what, five years?”

“Only four mind you!” he shouted, trying to puff his chest out much the same. Sorry Deacon, doesn’t work for her, and it won’t for you.

“Actually less…” Spade interjected, “this is just the first time I’ve heard him say it in public,” I couldn’t help but try and stifle a snort. Try mind you, succeed, not so much. Deacon passed his partner a glare, as she followed it up with a shrug of her shoulders and a grin, “What? I’m not always sleeping when ya send me to bed?” I could watch these two for hours, as she stuck her tongue out at him… if Deacon thought he was quick on the draw, he’d met his match when this one came to the table. “Then there’s the nights where she calls out Little Chicky, mostly behind closed-”

“And enough of that!” a talon went around Spades’ muzzle, and I finally let my laugh break the silence.

A silent night to myself was pleasant, but it was so worth it to run into the pair. Wiping a tear from my eye, I took another breath before even trying to get a word in. “Should I tell the misses that you’ll be late tonight?” so… Turkey, Little Chicky, and calling her that could send his feathers in a ruffle. Oh, he is not living this one down!

Letting go of her muzzle, and getting a giggle in return. Deacon hoisted the carbine across his shoulder a bit more, “we’re about finished up actually… so long as some filly doesn’t go around chasing others again?” the look of just doing my job spread across her face. “Other than that, we’ll be home in time for supper.” At least if I didn’t want to cook, Tumble was more than happy to have us over… in the home that she just happened to start sharing with the gryphon, after our adventure. “Now what of you Alimite?” his brow caught mine, “it’s late ya know… isn’t it time for you to retire?”

Probably, but there was one thing I wanted to see first… okay maybe a few things, “I’m getting there… just, doing my rounds.”

That much he could understand, and with some chatter between them about putting chloroform in Spades’ pillow, the two faded off down their own path. As I walked this one, all to myself. It wasn’t until I reached the perimeter to the town that I finally managed to catch some of that chill, out here the wind wasn’t broken by the buildings inside. Though, at least it gave our guns some much needed line of sight.

Up in some of those reinforced towers, I saw the guards standing by with weapons in hoof or horn. With more numbers, it gave those off duty time to practice a bit. So whatever my guns couldn’t reach out and touch, some of them hopefully could. Steadily I heard the purr of motors running as I watched the guns with a careful eye, making sure to pass a smile to those on guard, all while ensuring their automatic counterparts were in top shape.

Machines and ponies working together… that was security. Being far out of the way of most places was one thing, and while we might have gotten many new faces over the years. Having to cross all the open terrain to get here did leave more of those unwelcome guests far past the doorstep. I’d kill to have a few AMR turrets that could reach out and touch another from miles away, but that kind of foresight to pull the trigger or not was best in the hoofs of an actual breathing creature.

Ahh… a pony can dream, can’t they?

Back along the perimeter I went, and even before my approach I heard that ticking noise. The turret in question kept sputtering as it tried to swivel back and forth. Something was wrong with one of my created children, and I knew I wouldn’t rest well tonight until it was fixed. Up the ladder I went, as I left my eyes to wander over its frame.

“Come on darling,” I purred at it, like I wished the machine would back, “Show me your secrets.”

Motor was good, as was the belt attaching it to the swivel, so what could… ah there ya are. One of the pullies connecting the motor to frame was dented, likely from some critter getting a chomp in before being gunned down themselves. No matter how many guns you have pointing out of a place, Radroaches still somehow managed to skitter their way into just about anywhere.

Nothing a little love couldn’t fix. The tip of my horn edged closer to the part, and as I watched the ambient glow of the enchantment took over. Metal twisted and molded back into its original ‘factory’ form, and I heard that little chirp lessen decibel by decibel.

Seeing things put back together and working as a whole once more? That’s the part of the job I loved… the grease, grime and sweat? Call that a bonus in my book, not so much for others… all save a few I’d met. Down from the platform I found the ground, following the edge of our barrier, and as it curled around the towns edge. I caught the whiff of something in the air. Radroach? No too gamey. Scorpion? Those smelled like rotten brahmin milk.

My own patrol was done, and the rest of them I already took at earlier in the day, before getting occupied in a tale. There was still one stop I wanted to make before heading home, but I could always take a detour. That was red meat cooking, and just past the humming sounds of another, the smell lingered out the open window.

From tumbling around the wastes at the beck and call of the wind, to trudging through it along with another, and now here she was… humming the latest tune from the DJ, while in front of a stove. Mercy hanging from a mantel on the wall might have taken away from the holiday card setting, but that’s just what the wastes did to someponies.

She might go out from time to time with the gryphon, tackling odd jobs off the board to bring in extra caps. Old habits did die hard after all, but it was enough to scratch that particular itch of adventure in her name. Though besides being right at home behind a scope with a raider in her sights. The mare found just as much bliss in having a place to call her own.

“Radtoad?” I perked up, and the mare turned around licking the edge of her hoof.

“Close… but no cigar,” Tumble tutted for a moment, and pulled the pot from the heat, “Bloodwing.”

That was my second guess, machines I was well versed in… though cooking was her forte. “And I didn’t even get an invite…” I grinned to her, yet the mare brushed it off with a wave of the spoon.

“Oh please, you hate Bloodwing…” okay, she got me there.

What? Survival or not, a pony did acquire certain tastes out here still in the wastes. I hated Bloodwing, Tinker despised Tatos, and Deacon… actually I think that bird ate just about anything this mare put in front of him. She could have probably went and fried up a shoe, and he would have treated it like a Tenpony Tower meal.

“It’ll be Turkey on the menu if he doesn’t get his ass back soon…”

Time to play middle mare, “I ran into the pair of them not too long back, they’re almost done.” That garnished a smile from the mare, but I did have to throw one gryphon in hot water too while I’m here. If he wasn’t going to take care of his toys, I knew she would, “Though can the misses tell her gryphon to get his launcher off my work bench? I need that vice.”

“Certainly can, and I’ll-” Tumble froze for a moment at some of my select words, and if it wasn’t the heat of the kitchen. Then something else was getting the blood to rush to her face. Come on girl! It’s been almost five years now since the train station!

“Have a nice night!” I called out, and darted from the window before she could hurtle that spoon my way… or grab Mercy. Ya know, which ever came first.

Past their little home I found the path leading towards the mine… we still hadn’t explored it all that much after the years. Though given most of the tunnels were long past inspection, I think many of us were quite okay with that. I had… other reasons to be up here.

Just as the town grew, so did our number of graves. Some with something as simple as a large stone marking them, where only the family or friend would know. Others with actual sticks with their name carved into it. As well as others, with a piece of them they left behind when they made that final trip. The wind started to pick up in the opening a bit more, and I regretted not swiping a coat on my way out the door.

Though I wouldn’t be here long, just enough to say hello…

“Hi… mom,” the stone was a simple enough placement, but the snowflake peddled flower was my own touch. I slumped down to my chest, and this close even out in the cold, some of that chill was taken away. “If only you could see the place now, things have really went above and beyond since it all quieted down in our neck of the woods.”

Listlessly I looked out to the town, the lights flickering off in the near distance, as some were extinguished from those turning in. “Almost a little city all to itself… though a name we can’t ever decide on,” even after everything that’s happened, some of us who held the respect of others couldn’t decide if we should even call it anything. Part of us wanted to do something meaningful, to those that we lost during the more eventful times. Yet, while we weren’t exactly keeping our head down as much as before, we also didn’t want a name on the map, “maybe it’d be best to keep it that way…”

Back to her grave my eyes went, as they turned to the withering grass the sprouted up around the rock. A tug of my horn later, let those fly away in the wind. “Just like the place, Tinker has grown up so fast… was this how it was with me?” you had to grow up fast out here in the wasteland. Many her age had a much harder start in life, I knew one young mare who lost her wings when she was the same age. Though if I could keep her innocence just a little longer, then I could stay happy… ease her into the world. “You would have loved her, and there would have been another ear to listen to all the stories you got to tell me when I was young… of how things used to be.”

A sigh escaped past my breath, one like I always had when I was up on this open ground. “If only you could have met her,” I found my way back to my hooves, “both of you… for that matter.”

With a silent goodbye, or more of a goodnight, I went on to the next marker not all that far away. Some of the gear you saw out here marking ones body was still in good enough condition to use, though if the wrong pony saw you try and take it. It’d just be another hole somepony would have to dig in the end.

This one was no different, “I hadn’t forgotten about you Riff Raff…” the combat helmet on a stick, etched with her name, stayed in the same spot since we placed it. After everything we went through together, most of which I missed out on as the party trotted off for the next adventure, I think it’d be hard to forget this one hellhound who didn’t quite live up to that name. “How would you have done with a pony pup? A new little packmate for you to taunt, tease, and scare with that wicked smile of yours…” I started to chuckle for but a moment.

“A smile I can still say I miss…” I didn’t get to work with her long, but even in that short time. The hound sure grew on me, especially getting to watch Tumble squirm every time she looked at Deacon the wrong way. There was still plenty of squirming now, even after a very obvious subject was brought up, but the hound had a way of just making it that much more fun. “Don’t worry, you’re still watching over us… one way or another.”

After everything Deacon tried, sometimes there was just so much you could do for a creature. Though the gryphon wasn’t about to leave her there at that pier, between himself, and that suit Tumble got. They were able to march her all the way back home for a proper respect to the life she lived. A life that kept on living, in the first grenade turret I’d build from her launcher. She was grinning somewhere, baring those teeth at whatever crossed her barrels path.

Yet, her tribute wasn’t just in the form of a gun… and my eyes wandered over to another grave, and a helmet atop the mound of dirt. Nothing fancy, nothing flashy for anything he’d accomplished, just as he probably would have preferred it. Just a simple helmet, and the initials of RR across its brow.

“I know I say it a lot… but thank you, Wildfire,” my heart purred out a small thump in my chest. As I found it still aching at everything he went through, so much of it I couldn’t help to prevent. If only I’d met him sooner, but that might have led to different outcome. “The whole town would have been much different if you came at any other time, we could have already been on the brink, I might not have made the connection, or Winter could have already…” I choked there at the thought. You’d think I would have gotten used to that idea, and I did, but every so often it was still a surprise in my mind. With a quick shake I cleared my head, “The whole town owes you more than you could imagine, as do I…”

It had been years since I’d felt that first kick in my stomach. Though like any good mare, I knew what it meant long before that started happening. The morning sickness, the fatigue, the very hormonal outbursts… sorry Deacon for not being ever stellar towards your wit.

Yet, another had put it perfectly. “Mom was right about one thing,” okay a lot of things she was spot on about, but you know what I mean, “having that breath of fresh air, really does lift the spirits in a pony.”

Spirits that had been with me for the last four years, and would stay that way for many more to come if I had anything to say about it… things were fairly quiet in our slice of the wastes. Ponies were fed, there was water to drink, and I could rest easy at night not worrying about the little miss down in the basement sleeping by herself.

Now I just had convince somepony for a sibling, “still not stealthy!” I called out over my shoulder. “I know you heard all that.”

“Practice doesn’t always make perfect,” he muttered a curse under his breath, “but this time I wasn’t even trying.”

As I got to my hooves, that suit I saw so long ago, stood there stoic as ever. Beaten, battered, repaired, and patched up… it’s a wonder it hadn’t just blown up already. Though it’s not like he hadn’t given it his best shot at times. With a click, the visor went up, and I got to see my colt. Cheater… could I really be mad at that smile?

“I am trying mind you, part of the whole air about being dead…” he trotted up to my side, and admired yet again the grave we built for him.

I thought he was for months… I had cried my eyes out long after waiting for days on end for some sign that he was alright, but when he went off on that ship. There was just no way for us to know, no indication that we could even find him if we tried. I wanted to stay at the station up north, search out for him once the others had gotten back on the train… but that blast hitting the dockyard put that idea to bed rather quickly. As much as it killed me at the time, I knew one thing.

It was up to the colt to make his way back to us, and I got a knock on the door one night.

For as much as I missed him, to say I was furious was an understatement. We already mourned our dead from that trip, himself and Riff alike. Seeing his suit again was like reliving a painful memory. Though it was that happy kind of angry, where you’re so overjoyed to be wrong. Did I throttle him with my go-to tool still? You bet your ass I did! Though I was just glad that it hurt inside that helmet of his, told me he was the real thing and not just a dream.

We’d found another use for Taffies suit after all, Tumble wasn’t using it anymore, so it was the perfect headstone… at least the helmet was. I passed Wild a smile that mirrored his own, and watched as he looked over the grave now like he’d done almost every week since he returned. It was kind of surreal to see your own burial. However, some part of me thinks that it was a reminder of just how close he’d come to the real thing.

Myself and our friends pestered him for days about his journey back… but Wild kept his own secrets about that one. All I know is there was a lot of walking on his part, and falling, lots and lots of falling. For how much his suit was dinged up on the way, it was a tale for another day… perhaps a bedtime story of his own. Though I’m pretty sure the colt shot through the roof when I told him the news, as if it shouldn’t have been obvious for with how long he was gone… I’m just glad he got back in time to see Tinker take her first breaths.

“We really should be getting some rest… are you done your rounds?” I nudged him with my muzzle, but as I walked towards the town.

Wild stood there instead. “I am, just… give me a moment.”

His hooves went over to the other ranger helmet that dotted the ground, one he barely got to know in person. Yet I knew his whole journey would have been cut that much shorter, had they never crossed paths… I’ve seen him fire a pistol, and although it’s improved. Tinker when we do take her out to shoot, is already leagues past her father.

Whatever he said to the ranger, I didn’t know. He usually liked to keep that talk privately in his own head, but I could only imagine it was words of admiration… words that probably were sprinkled with the disgust for the rangers still active today. Time hadn’t made them any better, and there were far more like Snatchback than Tungsten. Though I’d like to think there were some good apples out there. Just like there were ponies who remembered some of those apples that fell, the flowers at the helmet from one mare told me that much.

I’m just glad the bad ones hadn’t made it out this far. “Alrighty… let’s get back.” He nodded to me and together we trotted into town.

Once inside the shop, I was thankfully able to convince him long ago not to start sleeping in the suit… as much as he would have felt safer with it on. He still woke up from time to time with a cold sweat, something about water rushing around him, but it had gotten better after a while. Those nights I’d squeeze him a bit tighter, and he’d drift right back off.

Though that also meant he had to leave his second skin down here in the shop. The latches along the back snapped open, and with careful ease he managed to slide out… onto those braces, and peg. It wasn’t the finest work I could have done, even working together it was arduous, but in the end he was mobile once more. Up until that hind leg seized up and he nearly met the floor…

A few tugs of his horn broke the joint free, and with a flex of the matrix going to work open on his hip. Wild found his footing once more. “Is there anything left of Taffies suit to fix that?” I asked, “I know the frame is in pieces, but there’s probably something.”

“I’ll have to check later, or it might just need some grease,” my kind of solution… look at my cutie mark, “hey it got me mobile, and the suit back up to order.” A pop of the rear panel made his face drop once more, like it always had, “more or less.”

Something about trying to hold off the flames of a sinking submarine sent that shield talisman into overdrive… and the stone was long fused to the framework of the suit itself. Magic had it’s limits, and whoever designed this talisman probably hadn’t accounted for all the punishment he’d put it through.

At least he could get the repair one replaced, but besides that whatever the suit had now was what it was stuck with. Even trying to scrape away the old stone myself with a chisel, only resulted in a sore hoof. No more modifications, no upgrades, no more tinkering… what he had now was what he’d have to live with.

“Did the trick and saved my skin…” Wild chuckled for a moment, and I knew that was another thanks to Tungsten he gave.

As did from the Paladin not giving out his real name apparently… hard to hunt a pony down when all you know of them is a code name and what kind of armaments their packing. Given what the suit was hauling around and what he’d done to their ranks. There really weren’t many I would imagine that would want to track him down anymore.

I did get him to only wear it now out on patrol, or when he was helping the town a bit with those odd jobs. So ponies could see him for his real face, at least in town he’d be safe. Anything he encountered outside our boarders didn’t really last all that long.

With a heavy hoof he pressed the panel back down, and sighed. He put his heart and soul into taking care of the thing, it was as much an extension of his body as his own horn. I knew Wild wanted to do more with it, make it stronger, better armor, even checked out any lead he might have on old M.W.T. shipments to repair that damaged section. Those attempts all became fruitless, but in the end anything he did find at least wouldn’t fall into other rangers’ hooves. To me, he’d already done enough, and our knight (in very dinged up armor) would more than suffice.

Together we tiptoed closer to the back staircase, and with a far more silent hoof he trotted down to the basement. Far past what it once was when I first showed him, the room all to our kin almost made Spade jealous when she’d stop by. It had an extra cot or two, but past that we made sure to clean it up right… especially once he was back, and we had another mouth to feed.

Wild inched closer to the sleeping filly, night patrols were usually his thing to do… though he made sure to stop in and see her before going to bed himself. Every time he did, I just watched from afar along the stairs. The smile that grew the longer he sat there with his kin was infectious, though mine was always cut short when I got him in this dim light.

Seeing everything that had happened.

His foreleg was too mangled for that last Hydra shot to reattach; all we could do was forge a replacement. Crudely attached to his sump with a few straps. It wasn’t pretty, but Tinker didn’t shy away from it when she was born. That’s all she’d known her father for having, and to her it was still as much a flesh and blood leg as his other one, as he rested both gingerly on her bed.

Both his hind legs hadn’t fared much better in the fight, and between the Elder and that Sentry. Each of them were nothing more than nubs of where his legs once were. The skeletal Power Armor frame from Taffies suit was enough to get him moving, and after much tinkering, let him slide into the actual suit even with it attached. Though just like upstairs, it wasn’t perfect, and would still have a hissy fit at times.

Across the rest of him I watched those other scars to the journey he made dance in the low flame of the lantern. His raw shoulder still hadn’t grown a hair that fully matched the rest of his coat, all thanks to Barrel. It might have been time getting to it, and the journey back, but in the last few years spending too much time on it set the joint aflame… nothing a massage and some Med-X couldn’t help at least.

Other things were a bit fickler. The work the rangers had done on him in captivity might have faded, although those tracing scars like a lightning strike still stood out against his coat. Somethings just never healed, and wouldn’t till the end of his days. Not to mention the loss of feeling along those scars that he noticed the more time he’d spent actually out of the suit.

I needed to stop staring… but no matter how much time passed, or how many times I saw them. I could only remind myself of the price he paid. “Shall we?” I asked.

And got a silent nod in return, as he leaned in planting a kiss atop Tinkers head. With a more cautious step, we both edged ourselves up the stairs and across the repair bays on to the main dwelling. Our room wasn’t that far behind, and with a creek to the door we stepped inside.

There wasn’t much that had changed over time from us taking over this room. Maybe a few more tools lying around, but that was largely it. Hell, I already had some of those on my little table on the side of the bed. He however, had his own memorabilia. The coffee mug I recognized, its abbreviation still as clear as day when I first saw it in moms’ drawer. I knew very well who it was a reminder for her of, after hearing about him so much… and here I am sharing a bed with the colt.

A picture lying without its frame of a life he once lived, one that all lead to this, and likely saved him in the end. I’m surprised he didn’t want to go back to work and check it out more, his badge did still function after all. Alas, it must have been his own sign of respect for those he worked with… ones that he never knew if they were selected for a stable.

The memory orb though, Wild just asked that I didn’t view it… I still did mind you while he was out one day… hey! It was there, and tempting me for weeks before I finally caved. Though after viewing it finally, I didn’t question any more as to why he kept that Gunner necklace and the note with it.

Some part of me thinks he knew I took a peak.

“Last I heard there’s some raiders who decided to call that stable home for now,” he broke my train of thought.

“Should have left it full of ghouls,” I offered that rebuttal, though we did get some good parts out of clearing it finally.

With a shake of his head though, both of us slid a bit under the blankets. Somehow no matter how many times you wash these things, they always smelled like faded mold. “I’m more worried about the wasteland getting a little too close to our slice of it…”

Ahh so this is where he’s going with it… any time there was a scare of the guns firing off at anything past a bug, Wild always started to cringe and go out for more walks of the land. It wasn’t healthy, but it did give him peace of mind… something I usually ended up doing this time of night anyway.

A quick kiss to his lips made his hind legs almost jump on their own, and I held the contact just a bit longer. “The wasteland can get as crazy at it’d like… as long as you’ve made this part of it a little better, that’s good enough for me,” I said after breaking the contact, and leaving him speechless. “Good enough for all of us.”

He’d done enough as it is… there were some ponies who would happily stay in their stable till they died, and while Wild might not have had the choice. He still could have had a far easier life in the ranks of the Steel Rangers.

Although, an easy life isn’t what made things better. Ponies like himself that threw their wellbeing to the wind for the benefit of others did… no matter the cost. For as much as I might cringe at seeing the cost he’d paid for making this slice better.

I knew if given the chance, he’d do it all over again.

Those were the kinds of ponies Equestria needed, and if he could do his part… then there had to be others willing to do the same. “The sun will shine once more, Wildfire,” I purred at him a bit more seductively than I intended… there was more than one cot downstairs after all. Alas I can save that for another day. I watched his worry melt away a bit at those words, and return with the same smile I saw back when we’d first met. As much as he might have gotten called it before, and never liked falling under the label. After everything that’s happened, he’s more than earned the title in my book, “and that’s a promise I can make… Ranger.”