>The roars of the mob shook the very foundation of the Canterlot prison tower
>It had been days...never stopping
>Even within the confines of the cell, the young stallion could feel their hatred permeate through the thick stone walls, threatening to tear him apart
>After all, he was accused of murder
>Not just any murder, but that of an incredibly popular local politician, one that the crowd outside followed fanatically
>One who was poised to makes some big changes in Equestria
>And the worst part?
>The young stallion couldn't even say with certainty that he didn't do it
>The whole night of the murder was a blank to him
>Yet, they accuse him of a crime he can't even remember
>He sat solemnly, looking out the small window in the wall, his only connection to the outside world he'd had while waiting for his "trial", if you could call it that
>The recent political climate saw few accused of opposing the regime receiving due process
>Anti-Royalist sympathizers held the high offices, the magistrates, the courts
>If you showed loyalty to the crowns, it was rather reckless to show it these days
>As the stallion looked down over the city from his cell, he saw the thousands gathered below, cursing his name, calling for his blood
>He grimaced
>Didn't they have anything better to do than stand around heckling him all day? 
>But he knew they weren't just here to protest, they were waiting for the first opportunity they could get to take a shot at him
>He stepped away from the window with a sigh
>How had it come to this?
>3 years of dedicated service to the crowns, a spotless record, and a generally outstanding reputation with the general public, all ripped away at the drop of a hat...
>But these were the least of his worries
>As he approached the cell bars, he heard the snickering of his only constant companion since his arrival here
>A lifer, decrepit from years of insufficient sunlight and exercise, yellowed teeth and gnarled limbs, his shaggy appearance was matched only by his equally repulsive personality
>"Would you listen to that ruckus? You're lucky you're in here or they'd have your head on a pike already!" He cackled
>The young stallion ignored him, simply gazing up and down the hall, hoping that SOMEONE would come in and get you out of this cell already
>"I tell ya, ain't heard 'em out for blood like this since the Mareyland Boulevard Strangler sat in that very same cell...you must have done something awful terrible, huh?"
>Still ignoring him, the young stallion rolled his eyes and sat back down in the corner hopelessly, resting his head against the wall and allowing his purple mane to fall slightly over his face
>His time in captivity hadn't allowed him the luxury of maintaining his appearance
>The older prisoner grunted
>"This whole time 'n you ain't said a word. Ya know it's rude to ignore somepony when they're talkin' to ya don't ya?"
>The younger stallion sat in silence and rested his head against the wall
>"What are ya, some kinda mute? Gonna be reaaal hard testifyin' if ya can't even speak."
>Still, he gave no response
>"Hmph. Youngsters these days, no manners at all I tell ya. Even the scummiest of criminals thinkin' they's too good fer the rest of us. Where do ya think ya get off? We's both criminals here."
"I'm no criminal." the young stallion said
>"That's what they all say, 'cept me. Ain't no denyin' what I am." the old prisoner boasted
"Good for you." the younger replied
>The old prisoner frowned, not pleased with his cohabitant's dismissive mannerisms
>"Yet, here ya are, in the high tower locked up with ol' me. Seems like somewhere a criminal would end up."
"So it would seem, but it's not." 
>"Well now that yer finally talkin', mind tellin' what ya did to cause all this commotion? I was startin' to like how peaceful this place got then y'all show up and it turns into a madhouse. What gives?" the old prisoner asked
>The younger sighed
"Forgive me, sir, but I really don't want to talk about it."
>"Well I do! I wanna know what's so dang important that my sleep's gotta get interrupted every night for the last week by some mob hootin' and hollerin' about some youngin' who got thrown into MY house."
>The younger cracked a weak smile
"YOUR house?" he asked
>The old prisoner outstretched his hooves as far as he could as if to highlight the expansiveness of his cell, despite nearly touching each wall as he did
>"I's been here longer than anypony. Even the guards ain't stuck 'round long as me. This is MY house."
"Yeah, bought and paid for by the citizens taxes." the younger replied
>The older waved his hoof dismissively
>"Only fair, they's the ones that had me locked up after all."
"Of course." 
>A particularly loud roar echoed in through the window from outside, interrupting the prisoner's conversation
>The older cackled
>"From the sound've it they'll have ya joinin' me pretty soon, or worse. Shame, I don't mind a roommate after all these years by my lonesome."
>The younger scoffed
"I'd bank on the "worse" outcome there. Treason isn't exactly looked kindly upon."
>The older's eyes went wide
>"My oh my, somepony who might just have outdone the ol' man for once. And here ya were with your "I ain't no criminal" a few minutes ago."
"I never said I did it, that's just what they accused me of."
>The older shrugged
>"Must've had good reason if ya got locked up fer it."
>The younger chuckled softly, looking out the window
"You really have been in here a long time..." 
>The older cocked his eyebrow curiously
>"Are ya suggestin' me that the justice system is FLAWED? Hoo boy somepony call me a lawyer! If we tell 'em that we'll be out by mornin'!"
"You're funny, old man." 
>"One've us hasta be. And it sure ain't you if you're just gonna sulk in the corner like ya been doin'."
"A little hard to be cheery when you're probably going to hang before the week is out." 
>The old prisoner chuckled
>"Consider it a mercy, otherwise you'd be stuck in here with me, 'n somethin' tells me you wouldn't like that to much now would ya?" he said with a smile
>The younger chuckled
"Can't say it'd be ideal." he replied
>Suddenly the door to the cell block creaked open, groaning under it's own weight and dry hinges
>Two guards walked through and approached the young stallion's cell
>"It's time." One of them said, while the other took a key to the door
>The young stallion frowned and stood to meet them
>As they lead the young stallion out his cell, the old prisoner looked him up and down as the guards shackled him and bound his wings to prevent any attempt to escape
>"What's yer name son?"
>The young stallion smiled, amused by the old pony's persistence at trying to get to know his first extended companion in probably forever
"Does it matter?" He asked
>"I'd just like to know who I been talkin' to before I never see 'em again." The old prisoner said with a sly smile
>The younger returned it before the guards motioned for him to move
>As they approached the door leading out of the cellblock, the old prisoner called out
>"Well? You gonna tell me or what?!"
>The younger stopped, and called back from the door just as he was forced out into the hall
"My name is Radom." 
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>Even flanked by two royal guards, Radom could feel his heart racing faster as they approached the exit of the tower
>The collective rage of the crowd outside threatened to rip the steel doors from their hinges and tear him apart
>The three stopped at the sally port, it was clear even the guards had to mentally prepare themselves for what waited outside
>The senior officer turned to Radom with a grim expression
>"When we step through these doors, you stay between the private and myself. Make no sudden movements, do not respond to the protestors, just keep on walking. Do you understand?" He asked coldly
>Radom nodded
>"Yeah, and if ya try to run, we'll let that mob tear ya limb from limb, murderer." the other guard added
>The senior officer responded with a quick slap across the back of the head
>"We will get him to the court as our duty dictates." he commanded
>The private rubbed the back of his head
>"Yes sir..." he grumbled
>Straightening his helmet, the senior officer took a step forward, putting a hoof on the door and pushed it open
>The roar of the crowd rushed forward, almost knocking the three over
>"Remember what I told you." the guard said to Radom before dragging him out the door
>Stepping outside for the first time in days, the amount of sunlight stung his eyes
>Stumbling forward while trying to keep between the guards was made ever more difficult as his senses were assaulted by all the commotion around him
>Like a living ocean, the crowd pushed against the rows of guards standing on either side like a hate fueled tide crashing against a rocky coast
>"MURDERER!"
>"TRAITOR!"
>"STRING HIM HIGH!"
>The calls came from every direction, but Radom pressed on, looking straight ahead instead of risking infuriating them further
>Suddenly, the escort stopped moving
>"What's the hold up?!" the senior officer shouted ahead
>Ahead of your escort, the crowd had managed to push back the guards, who were desperately trying to clear the way
>All around the crowd was beginning to get even more frenzied, trying to force themselves through the hole
>Objects began flying from the crowd over the guards
>Radom tried to take cover between his escort, but a rock slipped through a struck him in the temple
>Wincing in pain, Radom grabbed his head, ducking away from the onslaught
>"GET MORE GUARDS OUT HERE!" the senior officer shouted
>From the prison doors a mere 40 yards away, more Royal Guards poured forth, rushing past Radom and his escort
>Radom, removed his hoof from his head, and held it in front of him
>Ruby red droplets fell onto his hoof, and the stinging subsided a bit
>Finally, the reinforced guardsmen were able to push the crowd back and cleared the way, allowing the escort to move on
>Only another block to go...
>...
>You are Anonymous, and today was shaping up to be a real shitter
>Not only had you been sitting in this courthouse for hours on end, but you had to console your hysterical wife and tune out that ridiculous noise outside
>And all the while your suit was giving you a wedgie that you dared not pick at while in the presence of so many ponies
>Damn it, Rarity
>"He should be here by now, the tower isn't that far away, what if something happened to him?!" Mosina rambled frantically, looking out the window over the crowd
>You put your hand on her shoulder
"He's fine, the Royal Guard isn't going to let him get hurt." You said, trying to sound reassuring
>But as you looked over the sheer size of the crowd, you doubted yourself whether the guard truly had the manpower to hold off so many angry ponies
>Mosina took a deep breath to calm her nerves, to little effect
>She was hopelessly mesmerized by the scene just outside
>"This is just insanity. Pure insanity." She mumbled to herself
"No doubt..." You replied, looking out over them as well
>Mosina finally pulled her eyes away from the window and looked at you
>"How could this have happened...?"
>You put a hand on her cheek, brushing a tear away from the corner of her eye
"It's all gonna be sorted out, we both know Radom would never do what they're accusing him of."
>"But do THEY know? You saw the news, those ponies out there want blood and they don't care who they take it from." She replied, her voice shaking
>You frowned
"Nobody is going to touch Radom, I promise. Even if I need to see to it myself." You said, pulling her into a hug
>She sighed into your shoulder as she returned the embrace
>"How did this happen..."
>You frown, looking around the court room
>The stuffiest bunch you've ever seen, suit and tie, no shortage of sticks up the ass
>It was a large room, unsurprising for such a popular case
>Back where you came from, something so high profile would be kept behind closed doors for the protection of the accused
>But with the new reforms by the anti-royalists, trials were becoming public spectacles, less about justice and more about giving the public the chance to watch the accused be torn apart metaphorically, before they got the chance to do it literally
>Fortunately, the courthouse was well guarded today, so the proceedings might actually get a chance to go forth uninterrupted
>You hoped that was the case, for Radom's sake at least...
>You sighed and put your face in Mosina's mane
>Your nephew...on trial for not just murder, but treason...
>Couldn't say you were terribly surprised that SOMETHING went wrong, Canterlot had been on a downward spiral for years ever since the anti-royalist movement began
>Radom's insistence on joining the Royal Guard didn't thrill you, but you supported his dream and even helped him along the way, and you accepted the risk your nephew was taking when he went took his assignment in Canterlot
>Still, you'd had worried about injuries, riots...you never imagined that he'd ever end up like this
>Suddenly, the door burst open, and the sound from outside came pouring in causing every head in the court to turn
>The guards emerged first, Radom practically being dragged behind them before slamming the doors closed
>They collapsed on the ground, panting and trying to catch their breath
"Radom!" You cried, rushing out of your seat and into the lobby, several others following behind
>As you approached you could see the blood running from a wound on his head
"Are you alright?" You asked him
>A small smile came to his face
>"Nice to see you too, Uncle Anon." He said, throwing an arm around your neck in a weak hug
>You were still in shock seeing your nephew in this condition, but you managed to return it
>"Radom! You're bleeding!" Mosina said as she reached you, taking Radom's head in her arms and examining it
>"I'm fine, it's fine...still kicking aren't I?" He replied with a weak chuckle
>Mosina frowned
>"Someone help him, please?!" 
>The guards, finally having recovered, began to take control of the situation
>"Hooves off the prisoner!" they commanded, pulling him away from you and Mosina
>The senior officer observed Radom's wound
>"Take him to the bathroom, clean and patch him up and we'll get on with this."
>As they dragged him away once again, you saw Radom turn back and mouth a quick "I love you" to you and Mosina
>Together the two of you sit there and watch as they disappear behind the side doors
>At least you were, Mosina was looking at the blood on her hoof, the tear ducts welling in her eyes in a desperate silence
>You furrowed your brow, and sighed
"He might be in trouble..."
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>Sporting a fresh bandage on his head and shackled legs, Radom looked far from presentable for a defendant in court
>There's no way back where you came from that they'd allow this...
>Perhaps that was intentional...you wouldn't doubt it
>"All rise for the honorable Judge Justice!" The bailiff called as the old black robed magistrate entered the court
>Everyone rose only for the elderly Justice to usher them back down
>"Sit, sit!" She said in an unusually cheery voice given the circumstances
>The room silently complied as she took her seat upon the bench and flipped through some papers, adjusting her spectacles to her face
>After a few minutes, she looked up and scanned the two tables in front of her
>"Are both parties ready to proceed?" she asked
>The prosecutor stood, the brass buttons on his blue uniform shining brightly
>"The State is ready, your honor." he said
>Judge Justice nodded for him to sit down, and then turned to Radom's table
>"And the defense?" 
>Radom looked to his left, and to his right at the empty seats beside him
>Apparently the attorney that was to be appointed to him had better places to be
>Radom cleared his throat and stood
>"Uh, I'm sorry your honor, but my lawyer seems to be running a little late...is it possible that we could wait just a few more minutes?"
>Judge Justice sighed
>"Unfortunately, Mr. Radom, we're already behind schedule and must go on with or without-"
>Suddenly the doors burst open and an exhausted looking pony came running through, followed by a paper trail pouring forth from their suitcase
>"I'm here! I'm here!" she cried, tossing her suitcase onto the table in front of Radom
>"Like to cut it close do you?" he whispered to her
>"I'm so sorry, I overslept..." she replied, turning to the judge
>"Sorry, your honor, we're ready to begin."
>Judge Justice smiled warmly at the disheveled attorney
>"Nice to see you fashionably late as always Ruby." She said
>"Now that everypony is here, the trial will commence." The old judge announce, flipping through her papers
>"Today we will hear the case of Equestria v. Cpl. Radom of the Royal Guard. Does the prosecution have any opening statements?"
>"We do, your honor." The prosecutor said, standing from his chair and approaching the jury
>"Ladies and gentlecolts of the jury, why are you here today?" He asked
>There was a pause as the jurors all looked at each other in silence, as if telepathically trying to formulate a collective response
>Before they could, the prosecutor waved his hoof
>"Because, it is your duty, as citizens of Equestria, to serve in such a way. It is your duty to provide your precious time to be here and sort hear the case of your fellow citizen concerning their most horrid of crimes. Duty, something you all understand, but not so for the defendant who, as you will see today, shunned his own duty and took the life of an upstanding citizen he was honor bound to protect." He boasted, pointing in Radom's direction
>"When the State has made it's case, you will see beyond any reasonable doubt, that the Corporal sitting in that chair murdered Path Finder in cold blood as he slept, this I promise you."
>The prosecutor nodded to the judge and sat down
>"A little dramatic there isn't he?" Radom whispered to Ruby, receiving only an elbow in response
>"And the defense?" Judge Justice asked
>Ruby cleared her throat and stood 
>"Ladies and gentlecolts of the jury, my client, Corporal Radom, didn't do it. Thank you."
>With that, the weary defense attorney nodded to the judge and sat down
>You stared in awe as she began unloading paperwork from her brief case as if nothing just happened
>"Okay..." Judge Justice said, not quite believing what she just heard
>Radom sat there with his jaw agape
>"Are you kidding me? That's it?" He whispered to Ruby
>She looked at him confused
>"Well, you didn't do it, did you?" She asked
>"Well I don't think so, but-" Radom began to answer before Ruby cut him off
>"There you go! Nothing to worry about!" She replied with a wink
>Radom stared at her for another moment before burying his face in his hooves
>He realized clearly now that the ride has just begun
>For the next several hours, both the prosecutor and Ruby went back and forth, presenting their cases and cross examining each and every witness (of which there were few, and none of which who saw the crime actually occur)
>For a while, it seemed relatively hopeful that Radom would not be able to be convicted based on the evidence that the prosecution had
>Though he was the only one who officially had access to the victim, nothing could conclusively connect him to the murder
>It didn't help that he was amnesic about the whole thing, being called up to the stand unable to answer with more than "I don't know."
>Now, the jury sat behind closed doors deliberating as you and Mosina approached the defense's table
>You reach over the rail and tap Radom on the shoulder, finally prying him from out of hiding under his hooves
"You holding up okay?" You ask
>Radom chuckled exasperatedly
>"Considering that there's twelve ponies behind those doors deciding whether or not I'm going to hang for a crime I can't remember with about as much evidence saying I did do it as evidence saying I didn't, yeah I'm okay." He answered
>"Don't you worry, there's no way that the jury can be convinced that you did it, not beyond a reasonable doubt." Ruby said wearily, already fumbling around with papers for her next trial of the day
>Public defenders, the work is never done
>Radom gave her a weak smile
>Despite the underwhelming opening statement, she had really done a good job as far as he could tell
>"Thanks...glad you're optimistic about this." Radom said as the jury room doors opened
>The jurors came lining out and you patted Radom on the shoulder
"You're gonna be fine." You said, trying to encourage your nephew before taking your seat once again
>Mosina leaned over and gave him a tight hug before joining you
>She breathed deeply, glancing at you as you stared intently forward in anticipation
>She rubbed your arm
>"He's gonna be okay, right?" 
>You shake off your nervousness and look back at her
"Yeah...yeah..."
>Judge Justice looked over the jury as they all took their seats
>"Has the jury reached a verdict?" She asked
>One of the jurors stood
>"Yes, your honor we have. We the jury, find the defendant, Corporal Radom..."
>The speaker paused, looking out over the audience
>Your heart raced, thousands of thoughts began flooding through your mind, both of hope and despair, vying for control
>Mosina grabbed your hand, biting her other hoof nervously
>Radom looked like he was going to explode at any moment 
>"...not guilty." He said finally
>And just like that, your worry turned into relief, it felt as if a thousand pound weight had been lifted off of your shoulders
>"YES!" Mosina cried, not bothering with trying to contain herself over the mixed cries from the others in the court
>You couldn't blame her, it had been a terribly stressful time
>Radom simply slumped back in his chair with a sigh as Judge Justice pounded her gavel
>"Order! Order!" She demanded with sudden uncharacteristic authority to her voice
>The courtroom quickly fell silent under her piercing gaze
>"Would the defendant please approach the bench." She commanded
>Radom looked to Ruby, who ushered him up and toward the bench
>Within a few short steps, he was looking up at the old judge, who's demeanor had shifted into a more serious one than before
>"Corporal Radom, you have been found not guilty of the murder of representative Path Finder." She said, eliciting an uncertain smile from Radom
>But something about her tone wasn't right...
>"However, in accordance with military law, your failure to protect your charge leaves this court with no choice but to strip you of your position as a royal guard, along with your equipment, your rank and all authority that comes with it."
>Radom's eyes went wide
>His heart raced, and a chill ran down his spine
>He couldn't believe what he was hearing...and yet hear it he did
>"From this day forth, you are no longer a member of the Royal Guard, and are barred from rejoining it's ranks indefinitely." 
>You and Mosina were stunned as you watched Radom's career...his life's dream fall apart right in front of you
>"But...but I didn't do it! How can you do this?!" Radom cried, panicked
>Judge Justice frowned, obviously not liking this any more than he did
>"The Royal Guard does not tolerate failures of this magnitude I'm afraid. This is their punishment, and their law Mr. Radom, you know this." She said
>Radom recoiled a bit at his rank being dropped in favor of "Mr."
>Judge Justice raised her gavel once more, looking pitifully at Radom, her eyes showing how sorry she was for carrying out her duty
>"This court..." She said, bringing down the gavel, sending an echo throughout the now deathly silent room
>"is adjourned." 
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"You okay there Radom?" You ask from across the table, watching your nephew as he continued to bury his face in his hooves
>He'd been moping around ever since he came back with you to Ponyville after the trial
>"Yeah, just peachy." He answered, not lifting his head up
>You frowned, not knowing how to pull him out of this slump
>Not even a visit to his favorite restaurant seemed to help 
>But you could hardly blame him
>Getting kicked out of the Royal Guard couldn't be easy on him
>Still, he was free, and that was enough for you and Mosina
"Listen, I know you're upset, but it's not the end of the world right?"
>Radom lifted his head slightly, cocking an eyebrow at you
>"I got fired from my dream job uncle Anon, and I can never get it back. What else am I supposed to do now?"
"You can do anything you want, you're still free. Maybe this is kind of a blessing in disguise...you saw how crazy things were getting in the city." You said
>Radom grunted in response
>"Yeah, and they're gonna need me more than ever pretty soon." He said solemnly
>You leaned back in your chair and sighed
"They'll do their duty if it ever comes to that, don't worry." You said
"But in the meantime, we need to find you a new job. Have you thought about anything?"
>Radom looked at you incredulously
>"It's been two weeks...?"
"And it would do you some good to get your mind off things. I heard Flik mention an opening for the town Sheriff position, you've got the experience, why not try that?" You suggest
>Radom rolled his eyes and groaned
>"Anon...only royal guard wannabes become sheriffs..."
>You cocked an eyebrow at him
"Or maybe they just want to look out for their own town instead of the capital. Why don't you head over to the town hall and put in an application? He's there now and should be able to walk you through it."
>"Fine, fine." Radom said, pushing away from the table and making for the door
>As you watched him leave you sighed
>You loved the boy, but he could be difficult
>Arrogance...the curse of youth
>Raising your hand, you beckon over a waiter
"Check please..."
>Radom grumbled to himself as he headed toward the town hall
>"I can't believe I'm doing this..." He said
>"Damn that judge...I went years without one single problem and then it all goes down the drain..."
>As he passed through the market place, he was surrounded by ponies packing up the stands as the day came winding to an end
>As he looked around, he noticed one in particular who seemed a little out of place
>A pale yellow earth pony bearing saddlebags marked with patches indicating the various attractions around the country
>She had no stand, no merchandise, she was just perusing those of the few shopkeepers that were still chugging along despite the late hour
>They were making their way up the line toward where Radom was headed, and as they drew close, he noticed her keep glancing in his direction
>Radom rolled his eyes
>Tourists...
>Before long, they were practically on top of each other, Radom passing just a hair in front of her 
>"Excuse me?" She asked
>"I'm sorry, but could I trouble you for just a moment?"
>Her voice shook just a bit when she spoke...
>Clearly she was nervous about something
>Radom stopped in his tracks and sighed
>"No reason to be rude..." He thought to himself
>"What can I do for you?" Radom asked her
>She smiled with relief as a twinkle came to her icy blue eyes, obviously happy that he decided to stop for her
>"Thank you, I'm just passing through town and I was wondering if maybe you could show me around...you know, get a feel for Ponyville's night life." She said, blowing the 
>"The name's Quickstep, by the by." She said, extending a hoof
>Radom took her hoof and shook it
>"Radom." He replied
>"But uh...why me? You don't even know me."
>Quickstep giggled
>"Something told me you know a thing or two about the night life..." She said, eying him up and down
>Radom looked at himself
>Bat pony
>Duh
>"I hate to disappoint you ma'am, but I'm really more of a day pony." He said
>Quickstep looked undeterred
>"I never would have guessed, still, I'm sure a strong stallion like you wouldn't have any trouble missing a few hours of beauty sleep to escort a young lady around town a bit, right?" She said
>"And please, call me Quix..." She said in a sultry tone, batting her eyelashes 
>Radom was slightly caught off guard at the forwardness of this mare
>In fact, he was beginning to wonder if maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to show her around after all...
>Still...he remembered his promise to go apply for that job...
>And he wasn't about to break a promise to his uncle
>"Sorry ma'am...uh, Quix. But I'm kinda busy right now..." He said reluctantly
>For the first time, Quickstep looked disappointed, but still, she smiled at him
>"It's quite alright Radom, I understand. If you change your mind, I should be easy to find." She said, flicking his chin with her tail as she passed around him and continued on her way
>"I wouldn't wander around alone...not exactly safe at night." He warned her
>"Oh, I'll manage..." She called back over her shoulder
>Radom stood and watched her disappear into the crowd, kicking at the dirt
>"You owe me one, Anon..." He grumbled as he turned and continued toward the town hall
>About three hours and what only Flik could describe as a "small bit of paperwork", Radom finally emerged from the hall, yawning as the cool night air chilled his skin
>The moon was high in the sky, and the only light was that of the lamps hanging off of the few houses that had them
>Still, Radom wasn't bothered by it, his eyes still managing to make the most of what little light there was
>Maybe he should have been a night guard after all...
>The sleepy town was as quiet as the grave, not a soul stirring outside of their homes except for the occasional alley cat or another of the myriad of creatures that emerged in the night
>Even for a sociable pony...it was a nice feeling to just be alone for once, and Radom relished the few chances he got to do so, losing himself in his thoughts
>Suddenly, he was jarred from his peaceful trance at the sound of cans being knocked over in a nearby alley
>He froze to listen more closely
>"You picked the wrong night to be out here, lady." A male voice threatened
>"Please...you don't have to do this!" A familiar female voice answered fearfully
>"Quickstep..." Radom muttered to himself, quickly moving toward the sounds
>Slinking up to the alley, he poked his head around and saw that it was indeed Quickstep...being overshadowed by a rather large stallion
>"Hand over the goods lady!" He demanded, reaching for her saddlebags
>"No! Get away from me!" She cried, backing into a corner
>She had no escape, Radom knew he had to do something
>"Stop right there, criminal scum!" He shouted as he stepped into the alleyway
>The stallion looked over his shoulder, turning to face Radom
>"Well well, somepony wants to be a hero...good, I've been itching for a fight all night!" He said, immediately charging 
>It was at this moment that Radom realized just how big this guy was, it was like having a tank bearing down on you
>Quickly, Radom leaped into the air, keeping himself airborne just long enough for the brute to pass underneath him
>The thug clumsily stumbled to a stop, nearly falling over himself as his sheer mass struggled to halt his momentum
>"Help! Help!" Quickstep shouted, a few lights at nearby homes turning on
>The thug charged again, Radom swiftly sidestepping and knocking his legs out from beneath him as he passed, sending the thug crashing into the dirt
>With nothing but an angry snarl in response, the thug staggered back to his feet and pounced on Radom, trying to pin him to the ground
>Radom brought his rear legs up underneath the brute and kicked upward, sending him flipping over and onto his back
>Getting back to his feet quickly, Radom turned and positioned himself with his rear legs facing the downed thug
>As he tried to get back up, Radom reared up and delivered a quick kick to his head, knocking the thug unconscious
>Radom felt a twinge of pain in his legs
>"Damn, I'm getting rusty." He lamented, rubbing at it before being nearly tackled in a hug
>"Thank you! Thank you so much Radom!" Quickstep cried, nearly bawling into his neck as she squeezed him
>"Can't...breathe..." He gasped, struggling for breath before she finally released him
>"Whoops...sorry!" She said, wiping the tears from her eyes
>The two got up out of the dirt and Radom brushed himself off
>"I thought I warned you about coming out here by yourself, you could have been hurt, or worse!" He said sternly, still feeling the adrenaline coursing through him
>"I'm sorry, he promised to show me around and-"
>"Hold it right there! Nopony move!"
>Radom and Quickstep looked toward the entrance to the alley and were met with the sight of a pair of Royal Guards
>What were they doing here? This was out of their jurisdiction
>"They're right here, Princess Twilight." One of them said, looking over their shoulder
>From around the corner, the Princess of Friendship emerged, making her way between them
>She observed the scene, glaring at the downed thug, shifting her gaze to Radom and Quickstep
>"You can leave." Twilight said to Quickstep, her voice more authoritative than usual
>Quickstep looked at Radom, and back at Twilight with her jaw dropped before reluctantly scampering away and out of sight
>Twilight watched her go before turning back to Radom
>"Come with me."
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>Radom looked around in awe at the interior of Twilight's castle
>He'd been in castles before, when you were a royal guard it sort of came with the territory
>But this was different from the neatly laid stones and gilded halls of Canterlot
>This castle had been produced with nothing but magic...it was unlike anything he'd ever seen before
>Still, he fought to stay focused for the princess
>If she was commanding him to accompany her, it had to be something serious
>Especially given how out of character it was for the bookish princess to be so authoritative with her subjects
>Soon, she led him into a large room with seven thrones arranged in a circle around it, each bearing the cutie mark of one former holders of the elements of harmony
>Twilight climbed upon her throne and looked around at her guards, and then to Radom
>"Guards, leave us." She ordered
>With silent obedience, the guards began to file out of the room, Twilight watching as they left one by one until finally the last one disappeared out of the chamber
>As soon as he did, Twilight sighed with relief, and her demeanor shifted almost instantly
>"I'm sorry about all that, corporal certain precautions had to be taken to get you here." She said
>Radom looked at her confused
>Nobody had addressed him by his rank since he was discharged...but then again, Princess Twilight may not have known better
>"It's no trouble your majesty, but-"
>"There's no need to be so formal corporal, there's not much time for it as is. Call me Twilight."
>Radom cleared his throat, trying to regain his composure
>Normally royalty didn't insist on such...casualness
>"Yes your-Twilight...I'm sorry but I don't understand, I'm not in the Guard anymore. Why are you using my old rank?"
>"Would you prefer I didn't?" She replied
>Radom scratched his head
>"I...suppose it doesn't matter?" He answered
>"That's a truer assessment than you think corporal."
>Radom cocked an eyebrow at her
>"Ma'am?"
>Twilight stood from her throne and walked over to a framed map of Equestria hanging on the wall
>"Approximately four hours ago, we received reports of a massive riot in Canterlot, with orders not to intervene. We heard nothing more until about an hour ago, we learned that the rioters had overrun the palace."
>Radom's heart skipped a beat
>Overran the palace?
>"W-what about the Princesses?" He asked
>Twilight frowned
>"They managed to escape, and are currently in an undisclosed location. They're safe for the time being, but we have other problems..."
>Other problems? What could be worse than the royal sisters being driven out of Canterlot?
>"What are you talking about?" Radom asked
>Twilight took her eyes off the map and looked at him solemnly
>"The majority of the rioters are anti-royalists...and have declared the monarchy dissolved, and their leader Eclipse as the provisional "governor" of Equestria."
>Radom couldn't believe his ears
>The monarchy...dissolved?
>What were these ponies thinking?
>"But..the sisters raise the sun and the moon! They think just kicking the sisters out of the city makes them legitimate? And what about you?! Surely you have some say in this???"
>Twilight frowned
>"With the majority of the Royal Guard captured and defeated, the anti-royalists control Canterlot. They can muscle in whatever they want, and there's nothing I can do to stop it." She said
>Radom shook his head
>"But...your magic, you and the others completely defeated Tirek not a few years ago, surely you can do it again with these...traitors?"
>"That was no ordinary magic, and frankly we aren't sure how it works or it's what effect it could have, if any at all in this situation. No, I think our best course of action is to convince the rebels to surrender." Twilight explained
>But Radom was confused
>""Our" best course of action?" He asked
>Twilight nodded
>"I'm about to ask something of you Radom, it won't be easy, and it might sound just a little bit...nutty. But believe me when I say that it's the best shot that we have to save Equestria as we know it."
>Radom bowed quickly
>"Say the word and I'll do it Princess, I don't care what it is."
>Twilight gave him a concerned smile
>"I'm glad you're confident, but I'm afraid this is no simple task." She said
>"Tell me, are you familiar with Equestrian history, Radom?"
>"Mandatory classes in the Academy, didn't have much choice. Well, that and my aunt is a bit...obsessed with it, more or less." He answered
>Twilight rubbed her chin
>"Come with me." She said, leading Radom toward a door at the back of the room
>Down a spiraling staircase, into a room lit only by torchlight, they came upon large round door
>"Are you aware of the Order of the Arbiters?" She asked, her horn glowing and moving the door aside
>Radom wracked his brain, trying to summon a thought of such a thing, but to no avail
>Never in all of his lessons or Mosina's stories had he heard of anything by that name
>"I...can't say that I am." He admitted
>To his surprise, Twilight didn't even look disappointed
>"I wouldn't expect you to, very few are aware of the Order, much less what they actually did." She said
>"Did?" 
>Twilight nodded as the door rolled open, revealing a chamber with walls several stone plaques lining them, names inscribed
>A crystalline stand sat in the middle of the room, a large leather bound tome sitting upon it
>On the wall behind the stand hung something that caught Radom's eye
>A set of armor...resembling that of that of the Royal Guards but more...archaic...neither the gold of Celestia's day guard or the deep purple of the Luna's night guard, but a bright silver, with a red crest atop the helmet and a long red cape
>"The position of Arbiter has been vacant for over one thousand years, since before Nightmare Moon was banished." She explained
>"The Arbiter acts as the voice of the monarchy, the representative of the princesses abroad when they cannot be there themselves, but so rarely is such a figure needed, and even rarer one who can fill that role and perform the duties that come with it responsibly."
>Radom scratched his head
>"So...what does this have to do with me?"
>Twilight approached him, putting a hoof on his shoulder
>"I would name you Arbiter, Radom. To serve as the representative of the crowns until this crisis is over."
>Radom's brain nearly shut down, he felt himself go weak in the knees and fell into a kneel
>"P-princess, it...I would be honored but...surely there is someone better?"
>Twilight frowned
>"The rebels have support at all levels of government, nopony knows who we can trust...except you." She said
>"Why me? Why can you trust me?"
>"Because...you're the only one who has absolutely nothing to gain from joining with them."
>She was right, the anti-royalists hated him...they wouldn't take him in even if he wanted to join them
>Radom finally felt the strength returning to his legs, and rose from his kneeling position
>"What would you have me do?" He asked
>Twilight looked relieved at his acceptance
>"One step at a time." She said, lifting the helmet with her magic, and floating it toward Radom
>"You've accepted my offer, that's enough for tonight. For now, go home and get some rest, you'll need it for tomorrow." She said dropping the helmet in his hoof
>Radom turned the helmet, looking at it glimmering in the torchlight
>Perfect size...
>"Take the armor before you go, it's yours now." Twilight said
>Radom nodded to her, taking up the pieces before heading back to the door before stopping and turning back to the princess
>"Twilight?" He said, causing her ears to perk up in surprise
>"Yes?"
>"Thank you... thank you for this chance." Radom said before continuing out of the chamber, leaving the princess behind
>Twilight sighed as Radom left
>"I only hope you don't come to regret it..."
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>The moment the sun began it's slow crawl over the horizon Radom was out the door, his armor reflecting the few rays of sunlight there were this early
>When he'd arrived home the previous night, everyone else had gone to bed, allowing him to slip in undetected
>He'd contemplated telling everyone the news first thing in the morning
>"There's no way Mosina and Anon are going to believe this, it's too good to be true!" He thought to himself
>"They'd be amazed, they'd have to be!" 
>He could barely contain his excitement
>Him, an Arbiter...the voice of the crowns!
>Surely his family would be ecstatic for him to receive such an honor
>But as he lay in bed, he thought more and more...and began to worry
>...What if they weren't?
>What if this just seemed like a wild goose chase? 
>Another way to go get himself killed?
>He HAD just gotten acquitted of treason, after all
>Now he was off to act against the very same ponies who tried to have him executed?
>Mosina would have a damn heart attack if she found out...
>And Anon...he'd never approve of running off into something this big without considering every last agonizingly small detail...
>The more he thought, the more Radom became convinced that it wasn't such a good idea to let his family know about his deal with the princess after all
>They'd been on their own adventures before, but they'd never let him go off on something like this alone
>No, he couldn't tell
>They couldn't know
>And now, at the crack of dawn and braving the chilling breeze, Radom prepared to leave Ponyville behind
>The streets were empty, save for the single mail mare happily working her route
>She waves at Radom...or at least he thinks she does
>He could never tell with those eyes of hers
>Soon, Twilight's castle came within view, causing Radom to pick up the pace 
>He was eager to learn just what he'd being doing as the Arbiter, how he'd be combating the rebellion in Canterlot
>As he approached, the two guards standing watch nodded to him, and opened the doors
>"Council Chambers, the Princess and her guests are waiting for you." One of the guards said
>"Guests?" Radom asked
>Who else would Twilight have called here?
>The guard nodded
>"I wouldn't advise waiting, you're already late."
>Late?!
>How early was he supposed to be here?
>Radom quickly stepped inside, gliding through the halls to the council chamber
...
"So he should be here soon, yeah?" You ask, fiddling with your jacket as you wait for your nephew to arrive
>You look to your left and right at the ponies waiting with you
>One was a large, mean looking sonofabitch, tapping his armored hoof in the corner impatiently 
>The other, the exact opposite
>A young white unicorn, fiddling with her dark grey mane as she flipped through the pages of some textbook on a subject you doubted you could pronounce
>"I'm surprised he didn't arrive earlier, I figured he's want to get started as soon as possible." Twilight replied
>Mosina snickered
>"You haven't seen him the last few weeks, getting that boy out of bed before noon takes a miracle some days. I'll be surprised if he's not half asleep when he gets here."
>"I assure you, I'm wide awake." Radom announced as he strode in, looking around with suspiciously at the occupants of the room
>"Who's all this then?"
>Twilight chuckled
>"I apologize Arbiter, I didn't mean to surprise you."
>Radom eyed the two unfamiliar ponies, and then you and Mosina
>"It's fine, Princess. Should we get started then?" He said
>Twilight nodded
>"Of course, there isn't a moment to waste!" She exclaimed as she walked over to the large map of Equestria
>"Gather around everypony." 
>The five of you approached the map as well, as Twilight lifted a pointing stick up to illustrate her directions
>"As you all know, the anti-royalist rebels only have physical control over Canterlot. However, this incident has shaken the trust of several other cities in the monarchy." Twilight explained
>"They question whether or not they are truly safe under the crowns if Canterlot itself can't even be defended."
>Radom shook his head
>"Seriously? It wasn't like some enemy came out of nowhere and broke the walls down, it was from the inside, our own ponies!"
>Twilight frowned
>"Unfortunately, the facts of the situation do little to dispel their fears."
"So what can we do?" You ask
>"We show them that the crowns still have everything under control and can continue to carry out their duties. As you can see, the sun and moon continue to rise, business will carry on as usual until the Canterlot incident is resolved...including our responsibilities to the ponies of Equestria, more specifically in your case, the ponies of Stalliongrad, Fillydelphia and the Hayman Islands."
>Stalliongrad
>You and Mosina both shot each other an excited look
>It'd been a long time since the two of you had returned to the city, maybe now could be the chance to catch up with an old friend...
>Radom smirked
>"So when do I leave?"
>Twilight smiled
>"Soon, Arbiter. But you won't be undertaking this alone. Both your aunt and uncle will be there, they've served the crowns successfully in the past, and I have no doubts they will be able to help you as well."
>"Figured..." Radom said as you planted a hand on his shoulder
>"Furthermore, two associates of mine will also be joining you." Twilight said, gesturing to the other two ponies in the room
>The large armored pony stepped beside Twilight, scanning over you and the others
>"My friends, this is Sir Hammer. Hammer one of the premier knights on the tournament circuit in Canterlot, and has graciously accepted my request for him to aid you in your mission."
>Hammer nodded silently as the unicorn mare steps up next
>"And this, is Hex. Hex is one of our best and brightest pupils at Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, and this excursion will be serving as her test for graduation."
>Hex blushed a bit at Twilight's praises, and gave you all a small wave with her hoof
>"Wait, wait...she's still a student?" Radom asked incredulously
>"Are you sure that's such a good idea?"
>Almost immediately you cringed a bit at Radom's disrespectful comment
>Twilight looked at him questioningly
>"What does it matter if she's still a student?" She asked
>Radom shook his head
>"Well, she's not finished with her studies yet...surely there's another who has who would be more prepared-"
>"I'll have you know, Arbiter, that I too was Celestia's student long before I was a princess, and that never stopped me or my friends from accomplishing great things, did it?" Twilight said
>Radom opened his mouth to object again, but a nudge from your elbow told him to keep it to himself
>"I'm sorry, I meant no disrespect." Radom said with a sigh
>Twilight smiled at him
>"I now you didn't, you're only thinking of the success of this assignment, and want nothing to put it in jeopardy. I respect that, but I'll ask that you trust my judgement in this case."
>Radom nodded
>"Of course, princess."
>"Hex has your orders in writing, which you can go over on your ride to Stalliongrad. Unfortunately there is no time to go over it all right now, but if you have any questions or must reach me, Hex will be able to send a letter to me through my assistant Spike. She also carries the bits you'll need to cover your expenses, assuming you don't get reckless with your money." Twilight explained
>"Now, do you have any questions before you leave?"
>The five of you looked exchanged glances, waiting for anyone to speak up, before shaking your heads 
>Twilight grinned and looked over the group with confidence
>"Very well, then I wish you all the best of luck, and may the sisters keep you safe on your journey. You are dismissed."	
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>The train rolled northward, billowing a thick black cloud from it's stack and groaning against the rails
>The morning sun was still climbing, but the ride to Stalliongrad was a long one
>You and the others would still be waiting for quite a while
>Still, you felt the familiar comfort of the rolling locomotive, an experience you'd grown fond of over the course of your time in Equestria
>It reminded you of adventures past, old friends...
>But it also gave you time to reflect, a bit of time where the rest of the world was but a inkling at the back of your mind
>A short reprieve from the real world where you could just sit and think, talk, or just watch the world pass by out the window
>Perhaps that was the part of it that you enjoyed the most
>Unfortunately, Radom did not seem to share the sentiment
>He paced back and forth anxiously, like a caged animal who'd been locked up for days
>You frowned as you watched him, wishing to yourself that he would just relax
"You alright there?" You asked as he made another pass by you
>He didn't stop, only grunting in response
"Words would be nice." You reply
>Radom stopped pacing for a moment and sighed
>"Fine, everything's fine."
>You eyed him skeptically
"Somehow I'm not convinced..."
>Radom groaned
>"I'm just a bit on edge, alright? Really, it's nothing." He said
"Don't want to talk about it?"
>Radom looked around the car
>It was empty except for the five of you
>Mosina was lost in her book, resting her head on your lap 
>Hex sat in the far corner, sitting in a meditative pose and levitating all the objects around her in a slow orbit, much to Hammer's amusement as he watched from a seat away
>"Eh...not really..."
>You caught his staring at the others, and understood the apprehensiveness
>You stood up and patted him on the back
"Come on, we'll go to the other car." You said, making your way to the door
>"You bring my pillow back soon you hear?" Mosina said playfully
>You smile and nod at Radom, holding the door open to the next car
>Reluctantly, Radom followed
>As you shut the door behind you, you can practically feel him tense up
>Something was clearly bothering him
"Alright, now can we talk?" You ask
>Radom sat down, flopping into the seat
>"If you insist..."
>You sat across the aisle from your nephew, waiting for him to start
>After a few moments of silence, he sighed deeply
>"I've just got a lot on my mind Anon." He said
"Yeah, anyone can see that just by looking at you." 
>He gave you a tired smirk
>"That obvious?"
"Like a billboard."
>His smirk quickly subsided and he stared at the floor
>"When did you find out?" He asked
>You cocked your brow at him
"Find out about what?"
>Radom stretched out his forelegs, motioning to everything around him
>"All of this?" He said
>You shrugged
"A few hours ago when Twilight told us. Why?"
>Radom exhaled slowly, trying to piece together just how he was going to proceed
>How could he explain this to you without sounding awful?
>"I just...wasn't really expecting anyone to be coming with me on this is."
"Well we are, is that a problem? I thought you'd be excited that we get to help you." You said
>Radom shifted in his seat, looking more uncomfortable each passing moment
>"I don't know Anon, last night I was sort of thinking that maybe I should do this on my own."
>You stared at him for a few moments, processing what he just said
>Why would he want to go at something this important alone?
"...Can I ask why?" 
>Radom peeled his eyes off the floor and looked you square in the eye
>"After seeing how worried you and aunt Mosina got after the trial, I didn't know how you'd take it." He explained
>"I knew you were both happy for me to be home again and out not in the middle of anything dangerous, and I thought that if I told you that you'd be less than enthusiastic about it."
"Well, clearly that's not the case. When Twilight told us the news we were more than happy to offer help in any way we could." You said
>"Oh, don't get me wrong, I'm glad you're not upset, but that's not the only thing I was worried about."
>You roll your hand in the air as if to usher him along
"Go on...?"
>"Well...the way I see it this is kind of a way to redeem myself. To show the princesses I'm still worthy of serving, let them see what I can do." He said
>"And I guess I was just afraid that maybe you guys would outshine me. I mean, you've already done so much, the Princesses eyes are going to be on you just as much if not more than me. I'm the Arbiter, I just want to make sure nobody forgets that."
>You chuckled slightly, causing Radom to glare at you
"I'm sorry, I get it though, totally." You said, trying to be reassuring
"Who'd have thought that the guy hand-picked to represent the royals would be jealous of ME." You said, barely stifling another laugh
>"It's not funny!" Radom protested
>With a bit of a struggle, you managed to regain your composure, smiling at your nephew
"No, you're right, I'm sorry. It IS a big deal." You conceded
"But I think you're all worked up over nothing. We're all here to help you, not steal your thunder."
>Radom gave a defeated sigh
>"Just promise me you'll let me do this my way, alright?" He pleaded
>You hadn't planned on orchestrating everything during this trip, maybe offering advice here or there where Radom might have needed it
>But, if it meant that much to him, you figured that maybe it would be best to keep your opinions to yourself unless absolutely necessary
"Deal." You agreed, propping yourself up and opening the door to the next car
"Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to get back to being a pillow. You coming?"
>"I'll be there in a few, I think I'll stay in here for a little while." Radom said
>You shrugged and left the car, heading back to your seat
>Radom remained seated in the empty car and rubbed his hooves to his temples
>This WAS his chance, and as unpleasant as it was to tell that to his own family, he wasn't going to let anything stand in his way
>Anything
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>As the train groaned to a stop, you looked out the window at the terminal
>Instantly your mind opened the floodgates, and all the memories of your last trip here began to flood back to you
>You sat for a few moments, losing yourself in your own thoughts before a hoof slapped you on the knee, dragging you back to reality
>"Alright, everybody off!" Mosina said cheerily
>You took a few moments to collect yourself before grabbing up your dufflebag and making for the door
>As the five of you stepped out onto the platform, you were instantly greeted with the cold chill of northern air
>Luckily, you remembered a coat this time, so the it's harshness was more tolerable than the last time you were there
>Unfortunately, Radom had not come prepared as you did, his armor being his only shelter from the elements
>Still, he didn't seem to mind too much
>He stood, giving only a single shiver before forcing himself to adjust to the temperature change
>"Alright," He said
>"let's get moving."
>"To where, exactly?" Hex asked, struggling to find a comfortable way to carry her large bag, presumably filled with books
>So typical of Twilight's pupils
>Radom retrieved Twilight's written orders from his bag and read
>"Some place called the Red Square is where we're supposed to go..."
"Did we never tell you about that?" You asked
>Radom scratched his chin, thinking
>"Now that you mention it it DOES sound familiar
>You chuckled
"A good friend of your aunt and I owned the place back in the day. Still might. We stayed there during our first trip to Stalliongrad."
>Mosina looked at you excitedly
>"You think Oblast will be there?" She asked
>You cocked your brow at her
>"Who else would we be meeting at a bar, Mosina?"
>Radom rolled his eyes and stuffed the paper back into his bag
>"Lead on then, we'll get their quicker that way." He said
>As you stepped out of the terminal and into the streets, a light snow had begun to fall, just barely beginning to settle in the grass and on the cobbled streets
>"We'd better get there soon, you know how quickly the weather goes from bad to worse up here." Mosina cautioned
>"What are you talking about? It's just a little bit of snow." Radom said, looking around at the daintily falling flakes
>"I was at a tournament here a few years back, "just a little bit of snow" turns into a blizzard in minutes. Didn't stop me though, of course." Hammer boasted
>Radom scoffed
>"I'll believe it when I see it. These sorts of things tend to be overblown." He said
>"Anon, Mosina, which way are we headed?" 
"If I remember correctly it's only about three blocks or so away." You answered, trying to remember
>Mosina nudged you and began walking off down the street
>"Last building on the corner." She said with a cheeky grin, recalling the words of Colonel Snow Sight
>You followed her, passing through the crowded streets and making your way toward the old Red Square Inn
>Eventually, you reached the end of the street at what used to be a lonely corner that was hardly recognizable to you now
>Standing there, emblazoned with lights, gilded ornamentation and posters advertising performers of all sorts adorned the Red Square
>You and Mosina stared at it bewildered, your jaws hanging open at the sight of the once homely and simple inn you'd once known as the sounds of peppy jazz music emanated from the inside
>Hammer chuckled and moved toward the door
>"Now this is my kind of place!" He said, pushing through the front door
>Hex looked at you and then back to the door
>"I...better go check on him, make sure he doesn't wander too far!" She said, rushing in after Hammer
>Radom nudged you with his elbow
>"You guys didn't tell me this was going to be such a swanky place." He said slyly
>You can only rub your eyes to make sure it wasn't merely an illusion
"That's because it really wasn't...what the hell happened to this place?" You asked
>Mosina shrugged
>"We'd better find Oblast, he'll be able to tell us for sure."
>You step through the doors and step into what feels like a whole other world
>Where once there had been a simple bar and fireplace, there was now a long gilded bar teeming with glistening bottles and a grandiose stage upon which a band played fervently to the cheers of the audience
>Waitresses in skimpy uniforms bolted to and fro taking orders, refreshing patrons drinks, and flirting it up for tips
>In fact, you could see them doing just that with Hammer over in a corner while Hex slunk into her chair, turning redder than a strawberry 
"Eh, they'll be fine." You thought to yourself
>Suddenly, a young waitress pops up in front of you
>"Welcome to the Red Square! Can I get anything for you folks?" She asked
"Actually we're looking for Mr. Oblast?"
>The waitresses ears perked up at the name
>"Oh you want to see the Big O? Sure thing, let me go get him for ya! Take a seat and relax!" She said, turning to Radom
>"Guards drink for free, sweetie." She said, turning and brushing him with her tail as she hurried off into the crowd
>Radom struggled to fight off a blush as you gave him a shit eating grin
>"The Big O?" Mosina asked with a giggle
"You know how Oblast can be. Come on, let's find a seat."
>The three of you sit at the bar and look around
>"It's certainly different..." Mosina muses, pressing up against the bar as the crowd moves around behind you
"No kidding." You say, turning back to Radom
"Hey, soldier-boy. Mind ordering your uncle a free drink?" 
>Radom furrows his brow at you
>"I'm the Arbiter Anon, not a guard." 
"Yeah but these ponies don't know that." You said
>Radom sighed and took off his helmet, raising his hoof
>The bartender noticed and came wandering over
>"What can I get you boys?"
>A heavy hoof landed on your shoulder before you could speak
>"Four hard ciders, on the house's tab Barista." You heard a familiar voice say
>"Actually, make it five, tonight's a time to celebrate!" 
>"Right away Mr. Oblast." The bartender said, rushing off to fix your drinks
"When did you get so good at sneaking up on people, you old bastard?" You said, turning around to see your old friend
>"About the time you got so bad at letting ponies know you'd be in town!" He chuckled, throwing his hooves around you and squeezing with all his might
>"How's it going, my friend?" 
"It's going, to say the least." You gasped, patting him on the back
>"Oh I know the feeling." Mr. Oblast said, turning to Mosina
>"And Mosina, just as beautiful as I remember."
>Her cheeks were on fire as the two locked into a hug
>"Please, Olast, no need for the flattery..." She said, giving the old stallion a big squeeze
>"It's not flattery if it's true!" Mr. Oblast replied, finally looking to Radom
>"And who's this you've got with you?" He asked you, eying Radom's armor
"That's our nephew, Radom. Radom, this is Mr. Oblast." You said, introducing the two to each other
>Radom extended his hoof toward Mr. Oblast
>"Nice to meet you, sir." He said
>Oblast reached his hoof out, but instead of shaking Radom's, he pulled the younger stallion in for yet another bearhug
>"Any family of these two is family of mine." He said cheerfully
>Radom could feel his armor practically giving way under the strain
>Just as he thought he was about to pass out, the drinks arrived, and Oblast released him
>"So, what brings you all here?" He asked, quickly downing his first mug
>You pointed at Radom
"Him. Official business from Princess Twilight."
>Mr. Oblast's eyes went wide in realization, looking back at Radom
>"You're the Arbiter! Hahaha! I should have known they'd send you lot, it makes perfect sense now!" He laughed
>"You knew?" Radom asked
>"Aye, I do. I may be retired from politics, but the crowns still know who to come to if they want to get things done in this city." Oblast replied boastfully
>"I guess that means we'd best head back to the office straight away then." Oblast said, downing his second mug like a shot and walking off
>Hex noticed you all moving to the back and practically had to drag Hammer away from the table to follow 
>Radom followed absentmindedly, allowing his eyes to wander around the room before they coming to a sudden stop on a pair of icy blue eyes only inches away from his face
>"Radom! I thought that was you!" Quickstep said excitedly
>"Quix...? What are you doing here?" Radom asked
>"Oh, you know, seeing the sights, taking in the local culture. What are YOU doing here in that handsome get up?" She asked, eying his outfit
>Radom chuckled nervously and fiddled with his helmet
>"Oh, this? Just a little something from Princess Twilight. Official business, you know." He said, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible
>Quickstep looked even more intrigued at the mention of the princess
>"Really now? Royal work? Must be awfully exciting!"
>"Yeah...it's alright." Radom said, still trying to downplay his role as much as possible
>"Oh you're so modest...for a hero." Quickstep gushed
>"In fact, I never did thank you properly for saving me back in Ponyville...why don't you come with me so I can fix that?" She said, brushing he scarlet and salmon mane to the side in an overtly seductive fashion
>Radom could feel his heart skip a beat as he tried to respond
>"I, uh...well..."
>Quickstep giggled
>"I'll take that as a yes..." She said, taking him by the hoof and leading him away
>Radom craned his neck trying to find you and the others again, but you'd all disappeared into the crowd and Quickstep led him further away
>"Great..." He thought to himself as the crowd cut him off completely
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>Quickstep led Radom through the crowd and toward the stairs leading up to the guest rooms
>After all, the Red Square was still an inn, at least nominally so
>"So you're staying here too?" He asked her as they continued to weave through the other guests
>Quickstep nodded
>"It seemed nice, much more lively than Ponyville at least." She said
>"Though to be fair I suppose I didn't get the full experience, but you know all about that." 
>Radom scoffed
>"No doubt...what did you do after that whole mess?" Radom asked as they ascended the staircase
>Quickstep waved her hoof
>"Oh it's not that exciting, but we're both here now! THAT'S what's exciting." She replied, giving Radom a quick smile
>"Ah! Here we are..." She said as the two stopped in front of room 12
>She unlocked the door and stepped inside, the room inside covered in darkness 
>Quickstep trotted into the darkness, the sound of rummaging emanating from the inside
>Radom squinted inside, looking around for the mare
>Even with his eyes built for the darkness of the night, he struggled to make heads or tails out of it
>"Too much time in the sun..." He muttered to himself
>"What was that?!" Quickstep called from inside
>"Nothing!" Radom called back
>Good ears on that one...
>"Are you coming inside~?" She cooed
>Radom felt his heart skip a beat and a mighty lump in his throat
>With a quick shake to ease his nerves, he stepped into the dark room and looked around
>His eyes scanned the room, but he saw no trace of Quickstep
>Suddenly, he felt another presence approaching from behind
>Before he can react, he's tackled to the ground
>The two roll on the ground, fighting for dominance
>The hard wood floor creaks beneath the struggling ponies before finally, Quickstep manages to throw her weight onto his shoulders, pinning Radom firmly to the ground beneath her as she straddles his waist
>He pants beneath her, trying to catch his breath from the surprise attack when suddenly his airway is compromised from a very different assault as Quickstep locks her lips to his
>At first he is too shocked to respond, which doesn't seem to deter the mare greedily vying after his tongue
>Eventually, he snaps to his senses and reciprocates
>They continue for a few minutes before Radom feels Quickstep's hoof slap his chest
>She abruptly breaks the kiss, much to his despair and stands up with a devilish smile, leaving a small rolled scroll on his chest
>"Well, I think that's a mighty fine thank you, wouldn't you agree?"
>Radom lays there for a moment confused, wishing that the sensations hadn't ended so soon, before clumsily grasping at the scroll
>"W-what...?"
>She giggled
>"A little something I picked up my travels, in my line of work you come across a lot of interesting things."
>Radom looked at the rolled up scroll, still not entirely sure what just happened with how quickly gears were shifting
>"What is it?"
>"Ask your unicorn friend about it." She replied, making her way back to the door
>"How does she know about Hex...?" Radom thought to himself
>How long had she seen them before he saw her?
>But then, he picked up on what she had said
>"What work do you do?" He asked as she flipped the door open, silhouetting her form against the light in the hall
>She turned back to face him and gave him a sly grin
>"I find things." She said, before stepping out into the hall
>Radom quickly staggered to his feet and rushed out to catch her, only to be greeted by an empty hallway
>As Radom scratched his head, he wondered where she could have gone
>"Hey! What were you doing in there?!" 
>Radom whipped around to meet the angry voice and saw an old mare with a walker trudging toward him
>"Oh, I was invited in by the renter, she just ran out." Radom explained as he straightened up his armor
>The old mare eyed him, confused
>"Sonny, there ain't nopony renting that room that I wouldn't know about. Now you'd better start talkin'!"
>Radom's felt the previous lump in his throat return
>If Quickstep hadn't rented the room then how did she get the key?
>"I...uh...well-"
>The old mare suddenly stepped forward menacingly
>"You guards think you can just do whatever you want, dontcha?" She growled
>"Back in my day, we'd send your type back to Canterlot in a body cast!"
>Radom was at a complete loss 
>Never before had he been in a situation like this, being threatened by the elderly
>The old mare raised her walker high above her head, showing surprising balance without it
>"Why I oughta take this walker and shove it right up your-"
>"Aunty, please!" Oblast said as he reached the top of the steps and saw the scene unfolding before him
>You and the others followed close behind
>"This little punk was sneaking into rooms!" The old mare said
>"Aunty, this is Anon and Mosina's nephew, and I don't think they'd like it very much if you cracked him upside the head with your walker like that." Mr. Oblast replied, prompting the old mare to lower her weapon
>"There's guests downstairs that need checking in, would you go help them please?"
>The old mare muttered to herself as she walked by, giving Radom the worst death glare imaginable as she did so
>Radom breathed a sigh of relief
>"Thank you, Mr. Oblast." He said
>"Ah it was nothing, kid. The old bat's half senile, accusing guests of everything under the sun. I try to keep her out of the way generally but you know how old folks get." He chuckled
"Well now, at least if she comes back I know who she's coming after." You laughed
>"What were you doing up here Radom?" Mosina asked
>"We lost you in the crowd downstairs and couldn't find you."
>Radom looked back at the open door, and then at his companions
>"I was just...looking around. I was curious after all the stories you told me about this place." He said
>He figured there was no sense in telling a story about a blue-balling mystery mare disappearing in mid air at this point, so why try?
>"Well, funny enough, you picked just the right room for it. That there is the very same room these two posted up in all those years ago." Mr. Oblast said, stepping forward into the room, flicking on a previously unseen light switch and illuminating it
>"Come on in, I'll give you the grand tour while we discuss our business."
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>"Griffons? Here?" Radom asked, astounded at Oblast's news
>He nodded while taking another gulp of his drink, slapping it down on the table with a satisfied sigh
>"You heard me right, sonny. Griffons." He said
>Hex raised her hoof
>Oblast looked at her for a few moments, waiting for her to say something
>She stayed silent, however
>"Yes...?" He asked
>Hex finally put her hoof down with a smile
>"The nearest Griffon kingdom is Catonia, could this group be related to them?
>Oblast shrugged
>"That's the thought, we don't know too much more than our scouts could report." He replied
>"And in the future, if you have something to say, just say it. This isn't a classroom." 
>Hex blushed, obviously still used to the structured classroom way of communication rather than talking like an actual human being
>Or pony, whatever
>"So what DO you know?" Radom asked impatiently
>"We know that they're set up shop in the old coal mines to the west of the city. Very hilly area, lots of abandoned caverns and mine shafts, easy to hide."
"Not from your scouts, apparently." You chimed in
>Mr. Oblast gave you a prideful grin
>"Stalliongrad is well protected, but dealing with a foreign invasion is a royal responsibility, unfortunately."
>Radom looked at him questioningly
>"Unfortunately?" 
>Oblast chuckled
>"Not too familiar with the history of this place, are you boy?" He asked, patting him on the back
>"Stalliongrad has always been very independent minded, we don't like relying on anypony else to get things done around here. But as part of the union between us and the monarchy, we must allow them to deal in foreign affairs." He explained
>"And you don't trust the royals to take care of it?" Radom asked
>"Under normal circumstances, no." Oblast replied flatly
>"But seeing as though they sent some old, reliable help this time," he continued, gesturing toward you and Mosina
>"I may have to reevaluate that opinion."
>Radom quietly grumbled to himself, sensing that he was once again being overshadowed
>"So what are we supposed to do about these griffons?" Hammer asked
>"Kick 'em back to their side of the border, right?" 
>Mr. Oblast nodded
>"Catonia is a small kingdom, they're probably looking at doing something drastic to try and win some respect from the big players out there." He said
>"If they're here with intentions of expansion, they're not going to let us push them back without a fight." 
>You reclined in your chair, considering the situation
"And what if they're NOT here to invade?" You asked
"What then?"
>Mr. Oblast cocked an eyebrow at you
>"What else would armed griffons show up on our side of the border for?"
>You shrugged
"I'm not necessarily saying that it's NOT what they're doing, but what if? What's "Plan B" for if they really aren't a threat?"
>"A bunch of soldiers showing up unannounced sounds pretty threatening to me." Radom replied
>"I think it'd be best to play it safe and assume that they're up to no good and hit them as soon as possible while they don't expect it."
>You frown at him
"Still, I think that maybe we should approach this a little more carefully. Find out more before we make any assumptions."
>Mr. Oblast grinned at you
>"You really think that, Anon?"
>You looked over to Radom, who was glaring in your direction
>He clearly didn't like that your counsel was weighing so heavily on this decision
>Still, you couldn't NOT say your piece, lives were potentially at stake
"I do." You said
>Oblast pounded his hoof on the table 
>"It's settled then!" He said cheerfully
>"We'll hold off crushing some griffon skulls until we find out exactly what's going on."
>"Oh what, are we just going to walk up to them and start a conversation or something?" Radom asked incredulously
>"Sure, why not?" Mr. Oblast shrugged
>Radom couldn't believe his ears
>This was madness
>Armed invaders show up on the city's doorstep and they wanted to TALK?
>He had to take control of this situation now
>"If we're going to speak to them, we're going ready to take them out if necessary." He said bluntly
"What, waving around weapons isn't going to provoke them?" You asked
>"It shouldn't if they aren't up to no good." Radom replied
>"I'm with him," Hammer chimed in
>"I didn't come along just to get killed trying to play nice with some griffons."
>Mr. Oblast shrugged
>"Very well, we'll leave first thing in the morning and get to the bottom of this mess." He said
>...
>That night, Radom tossed and turned in his cot
>In his sleep he found himself standing in a hallway, lavish decoration all around him
>He'd been here before
>It was the Crestfall Hotel, but he hadn't been there since the night of his arrest...
>The night of the murder
>But Radom didn't remember this, the last thing he remembered about that night was arriving at the hotel, nothing more
>He stared at a door for a moment before pushing it open
>Slowly, he began creeping into the room, flicking the switch on the wall first, but to no avail as the lights seemed to be dead
>The hard rain pounded against the window on the far side of the room as he drew towards the bed, it's sleeping occupant undisturbed by his intrusion
>Within moments, he was almost upon it
>A flash of lightning from outside illuminated the room, revealing the occupant of the bed
>Representative Path Finder
>Radom practically jumped out of his bed in a cold sweat, breathing heavily
>With a heavy sigh, he buried his face in his hooves
>"Troubled dreams?" A soft voice called from the darkness
>Radom looked up and saw Hex a short distance away, sitting up in her own bed reading a book she'd illuminated with her magic
>"Hex? What are you still doing up?" He whispered groggily, not trying to wake anyone else
>She shrugged
>"Just some late night research, it's not the first time I've been too caught up in something to catch some sleep." She said
>"You've been tossing and turning for almost two hours now...something wrong?"
>Radom groaned and hung his head
>"Just...had a nightmare is all." He said
>"What about? I'm big on dream interpretation, maybe it means something." Hex replied
>Radom wasn't sure whether or not to tell her, after all she may not even be aware of the whole ordeal, or the fact that he was tried for murder
>"It was just something that happened a while ago...guess it's still in the back of my mind." He said, not wanting to reveal too much
>Hex closed her book and nodded
>"Go on..." She said
>"Well...there's not much more to it than that. It's just weird because I don't remember doing what I saw, just the time and place..." Radom said
>Hex rubbed her chin thoughtfully
>"Interesting...do you think that your mind is just sort of, filling in blanks about something you'd forgotten?"
>Radom rubbed the back of his neck nervously
>"I guess, it could just be my imagination." He said trying to divert more questioning
>Hex's horn began to glow, and Radom felt a sudden warmth around his head
>"What are you doing?" He asked
>"Old memory restoration spell, if you'd forgotten something, this spell should bring it to the surface." Hex said
>"I've never heard of anything like that." Radom said
>Hex grinned
>"It's not the most reliable spell, sometimes things are just gone when they're forgotten," She explained
>"Just hold still, it's almost...uh-oh..."
>"Uh oh?" He asked
>"That's...I don't believe it..." Hex muttered to herself
>"Don't believe what?" Radom asked frantically, getting more worried by the moment
>Hex frowned at him
>"Somepony has put a memory inhibitor on you...they're selectively blocking out SOMETHING in your subconscious..."
>"How do you know that?" He asked
>"This isn't like normal magic, they leave behind almost no trace of their existence, the longer they go unnoticed, the more damage they will do, so their users like to make sure they stick around." Hex explained
>"That's the theory anyway, such magic have been outlawed in Equestria for generations..."
>"Can't you remove it?" Radom asked
>Hex shook her head
>"This is old magic, I'm not sure anypony knows the counter spell to something like this except maybe Princess Twilight...even then, it could take a long time to reverse."
>Radom groaned in frustration
>"So I'm stuck with this?" 
>Hex thought for a moment
>"Well, it's possible that there is another way." She said
>"Historically, inhibitors could be broken through sheer willpower and meditation...once you become aware of it's presence, or something like that."
>"You don't sound too convinced..." Radom said
>"It was something I read a long time ago, but I'm fairly certain that's how it works." She said
>Radom sighed and laid his head back down on his pillow
>"But don't worry Arbiter! I'll find a way to break that inhibitor in no time!" Hex proclaimed enthusiastically, pulling another book out of her bag and zipping through the pages
>Radom couldn't help but let an exasperated chuckle escape him
>If anyone could find some obscure spell to fix this, it was this bookworm
>But in the next moment, the vision of him standing over the slain politician crept back into his mind
>Maybe some things would be best left forgotten...
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>Light snow covered patches of the ground like a tattered blanket outside the city limits of Stalliongrad
>For a little over an hour, you and the others had been heading westward toward the mines
>The rising sun behind you gave little comfort as you continued toward the still darkened hills that concealed your destination
>A particularly bitter breeze flowed over you, penetrating your coat and sending shivers down your spine
"Defend it all you want, but there's no way anybody can find this sort of weather reasonable." You said to Oblast as he led the pack
>"What can I say, some folks just aren't built for the cold." He chuckled
"Well not all of us have the luxury of a natural coat either." You grumbled
>"I TOLD you to pack something heavier," Mosina said
>"this is your second time here, you should know better by now!"
>You turn to Radom and play puppeteer with your hand, making exaggerated nagging faces 
"See what I have to deal with here?"
>Radom gave a small grin and shook his head
>"Maybe Anon just wanted to be light on his feet for this, don't be too hard on him." He said
>Hammer scoffed
>"Who needs to be quick when you can shrug off anything the enemy throws at you?" He asked, pounding a hoof on his plate armor
>"I'd love to see somepony try and get through this." 
>Hex snickered
>"Careful Hammer, not everypony carries blunted weapons like in those tournaments of yours." 
>Without missing a beat, you bend down and grab some snow off the ground, forming it into a snowball and tossing it to Hammer
"Here's some ice for that burn man." You said with a shit eating grin
>The snowball connected with Hammer's breastplate, causing him to scowl
>"What's a bookworm know about fighting anyway?" He grumbled
>Hex's goofy smile faded and she slunk down, as if trying to hide herself
>Radom noticed and furrowed his brow at Hammer
>"About as much as someone who's only play-fought his entire career."
>Another snowball flies in Hammer's direction
>"You just wait and see what all that "play-fighting" does for a pony." Hammer said
>One hundred bits says I cave in more griffon skulls than any of you!"
>You chuckle
"That is, assuming we even fight them." You said
"I think you should slow your roll just a bit."
>Hammer snorted 
>"Well I know for sure I can take more with my sword here than you can with that...stick you've got slung on your back."
>You felt for your rifle, having almost forgotten it was there
>You'd received it as a gift years ago on a trip to a small minotaur principality, it was certainly an upgrade over the old muzzle loaders you'd had
>Utilizing the newest developments of smokeless powder cartridges and a bolt action, you could take far more shots than with your pistols
>You hadn't had the heart to tell them how primitive this was compared to the stuff back home, but it was progress
"Hopefully I'll never have to prove you wrong." You said with a smile, patting the rifle on your back as you kept pressing forward
>The hills were still a ways off, a small patch of forest obscuring all but the highest points
>"You didn't mention any woods, Mr. Oblast." Radom said, eying them warily 
>Oblast shrugged
>"Didn't think it was that important." He replied
>"The scouts reported the griffons encampment as in the hills themselves, not the forested area."
>Radom sighed
>"And you don't suppose that maybe they could have advanced a bit by now?" He asked
>Mr. Oblast scratched his chin in thought
>"It's...possible."
>Radom groaned rubbing his temple with his hoof frustratedly
>"Fantastic...so they could spot us from a mile away and we can't do the same." He muttered
>"Just waiting for us to walk in there and catch us off guard..."
>"Or, if they're not in there, it could give us an opportunity to scope out their encampment before we head in, yeah?" Mosina suggested, trying to paint a more hopefully picture
>Radom opened his mouth to argue, but decided that arguing wasn't going to help at this point
>"Maybe. I think maybe we should consider going around the woods rather than through them."
>You looked at the wall of trees ahead of you
>It stretched beyond your sight in both directions, apparently much longer than it was deep
>"I don't think so, if I'm right these trees look like they stretch on for miles in either direction." Mosina said, looking at her map
>"It could take two days to get all the way around, we're not prepared for that..."
>Radom frowned, still not comfortable with going in blind
"We'll be through it in no time, everyone'll just have to be on their toes...or hooves I guess." You said reassuringly
"It's not like we're going to be sitting around waiting for them to find us."
>Almost the moment you finished your sentence, your eyes caught a snowflake dance down in front of your face
>Then another
>And another
>Within moments, the snowfall was growing so heavy that you were losing sight of the hills in the distance, and the wind was screaming in your ears
>Typical northern weather
>"It's a blizzard!" Hex cried over the howling wind
>"We need to find shelter!" 
>She was right, the six of you couldn't stay out in the open in these conditions
>You strained your eyes, piercing the white out conditions and looking toward the trees
>It wasn't perfect, but a thick bit of woods might give you just enough cover from the elements
>Radom saw you staring and shook his head, knowing what you were about to say
"We need to get into the woods now before we get stuck in this snow!" You said, looking at Radom
>"It's too risky!" He protested
"We're in more danger here than we will be in there!" 
>Radom looked back from where you came, and then toward the woods
>You could see the reluctance in his eyes as he struggled with the decision
>"Alright, into the woods everyone, move it!" He said, charging ahead
>The six of you pushed through the blinding snow as it began to pile on the ground all around you
>Each passing minute you felt it grow higher around your feet, threatening to bury you should you stay put too long
>The wind began blowing the snow directly into your eyes, the bitter cold biting at your exposed skin
>Should have brought a scarf...
>Or goggles
>You shielded your face, struggling to keep up with your pony companions
>Suddenly out of the corner of your eye, you swore you saw two dark figures zip through the air, like ghosts passing through the clouds
"Did you guys see that?!" You shouted over the wind
>"There's no time for sight seeing Anon!" Radom called back
>Hesitantly, you moved forward as you eyed the sky until finally, you broke the tree line
>The thick canopy did indeed manage to shield the forest floor from most of the snowfall, and the wind was blocked such that you could hear your companions without them practically screaming
>Radom walked around observing the area while the others caught their breath
>He exuded an aura of anxiety, staring into the twisted foliage, looking for some unseen enemy
>"We should rest..." Hammer said between heavy breaths
>"Still think all that armor was a good idea?" Hex snickered
>With an exhausted death glare, Hammer quickly silenced her
>"We should set up camp, wait for this storm to blow over." Mr. Oblast said, throwing down his bag
>Radom looked at him incredulously
>"Why would we need to set up camp for that?" He asked
>"Storm this strong? Could go on for hours. Would you prefer to sit around freezing our flanks off or try and stay warm?"
>"We are NOT staying here." Radom objected
>"Unless you want to head back out into that mess, we don't have much of a choice, son." Oblast said
>"Now, who's going to go get firewood?" 
>"I got it." Hammer said, before Hex placed a hoof on his chest
>"Take a rest, you're exhausted." She said
>Radom was fuming
"It won't be long...we'll keep two on lookout until the storm passes." You said as he pulled away to follow Hex
>The rest of you watched as the two disappeared walked off
>When he was sure they were out of earshot, Mr. Oblast looked at you
>"Quite a temper on that one." He said to you and Mosina
>"He's been through a lot...give him time." Mosina said, still watching her nephew 
>"If he's going to be a leader, he'll have to get used to things not always going to plan. Otherwise he's going to have a really hard time." Oblast said with a shrug
>You looked back out from the tree line at the storm
"How long do you give it?" You asked
>Oblast looked out at the snowfall and scratched his head
>"Oh I don't know...nine, ten hours?" He replied, using his magic to start setting up a fire pit
"You can tell just by lookin' at it?" You asked
>Oblast laughed
>"Anon when you've lived your whole life in the north these things become second nature." He said with a grin
>Hours later, Oblast's forecast proved to be right
>The snowfall showed no sign of slowing down, and the sun had already begun to slip below the horizon
>The darkness obscured the depths of the woods around you, the light of your campfire barely penetrating it
>In fact, it was only growing weaker by the minute as you began to run out of wood
>You looked around at your companions, none of whom seemed too concerned
>In fact, only Radom seemed to be focused on the situation, staring intently into the flames
"We need to get more wood...who's turn is it?" You asked, interrupting the campfire conversation
>"Uh...Oblast and I, I think." Mosina said, standing up from her seat
>Oblast groaned, slowly rising as well
>"Fine, fine...need to stretch my legs anyway." He said
"You two be careful, don't go far." You said
>Mosina winked at you
>"Wouldn't dream of it sweetheart."
>You smile uncertainly as they move into the darkness
>"It won't be long, huh?" Radom asked, not looking away from the fire
>You frown at him
"There was no way of knowing this was coming, my bad for trying to be positive." You replied
>Radom gave a sarcastic snort
>"Maybe we should try some realism next time." He said gruffly
"It's a minor setback, we'll pick it up as soon as the storm passes, it's not that big of a deal." You said
>Radom cocked his eyebrow at you
>"You call being stuck in the woods in a storm "minor"?"
"We're all still here aren't we?" You asked
>"Yeah, us and who else?" He replied
>You rolled your eyes
>It'd been hours since you'd first stepped into the woods, and there hadn't been a single sign of anyone but your group in the area, pony, griffon or otherwise
>At this point, you'd chalked up what you'd seen out in the storm as just a trick of the eye
"I think if were weren't alone here we'd know by know." You said
>Radom chuckled exasperatedly
>"Maybe, or maybe they could be just waiting."
"I think you're being paranoid, Radom." 
>"And I think you're being naive, Anon."
>Your mouth opens to respond, but you can't seem to find your voice to reply to your nephew
>You stare at each other across the fire for a moment trying to put together a response
"Radom...I-"
>Suddenly, a scream rings out from the darkness
>"ANON!!!!" 
"Mosina?!" You cry out, grabbing your rifle and dashing off into the dark
>"Hammer, Hex, let's go!" Radom shouted as he took off after you
>You listened for Mosina as you ran deeper into the darkness, straining to see anything, but hardly caring
>The only thing that mattered in that moment was finding her
>But you heard nothing but the wind and snow weaving through the trees
>You looked at the ground at your feet and saw obvious signs of a struggle, they couldn't have gone far
"MOSINA!" You cried, only your echo responding
>Radom and the others finally catch up to you, looking at the scene in desperation
>"What happened?!" Hex asked
"They took them...they took them..." You said to yourself, dropping to your knees still clutching your rifle and staring off into the darkness
>Suddenly, you felt a hoof on your shoulder
>You pried your eyes away from the shadows and looked at your nephew standing next to you, straightening his helmet
>"So let's go get them back."
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>Under the cover of darkness, you and your companions weaved through the trees
>Your mind was racing almost as quickly as your heart
>The griffons had Mosina and Oblast, taken them right out from under your noses
>God knows what they would do to them...
>You struggled to keep the thoughts at bay as you pressed on through the woods, your companions no longer outpacing you as your legs carried you forward with new found resolve
>Soon, you broke the tree line, emerging at the foot of the hills leading up to the abandoned mines
>The storm had finally begun to pass, only a few flurries here and there remaining as you stood looking up into the hills
>"So, whats the plan then?" Hex asked, panting lightly as she caught her breath
"We stay together, no more separating." You said, trying to formulate some sort of strategy
>"They already know we're here..." Radom added
>"We can't just run straight in, they'll be expecting it."
"They don't know that there are more of us." You said absentmindedly, your eyes still scanning the slope ahead of you
>Radom looked at you quizzically
>"You don't think they saw our campfire? Or that they haven't started interrogating Oblast and Aunt Mosina?"
>More images began flooding your mind, images of the torture and pain they could be inflicting on your friend and wife
>You managed to suppress them once again, shaking off the chills they gave you
>"We'll take it slow, the less attention we draw to ourselves the better." Radom suggested
>The four of you began your ascent up the rocky hills, watching closely for any signs of movement in the darkness
>Thankfully, the rocky slope provided plenty of cover to shield yourselves from view, but the pace was agonizingly slow
>But as much as you wanted to reach the mines, you couldn't risk being caught yourself or you'd never save them
>Time seemed to drag on as you stumbled through the dark, listening for any sign of your enemy
>Just as you could see the sky beginning to light up with the sun on the horizon, you spotted torch lights tucked away in the distance between the hills
>"There," Radom said, pointing in the direction of the lights
>"they didn't even have the sense to hide their camp!" 
>"Why would they? Nopony comes out this far." Hex said
>Radom smirked
>"Except us, which is more than enough." He replied
>"Come on, lets get a closer look."
>The four of you crept along the hillside still shrouded in shadow, but the continuously rising sun threatened to take away your cover
>You watched as the shadows slowly peeled away by the minute as you sat perfectly still, observing before making your next move
"We're running out of time...once the sun comes up they'll see us for sure. We need to pick up the pace." You suggested
>"They'll see us if we move too quickly, pick your poison." Radom said
>You frowned
>At least under the cover of darkness any griffon that might see you wouldn't know exactly what they were dealing with, if you were seen in broad daylight, they'd know how to prepare
>You needed to get into that mine
"Try and keep up." You said, taking off toward the mine
>"Anon!" Radom protested, but it was too late
>Groaning in frustration, he and the others followed you
>You bounded through the brush like a jungle cat chasing it's prey
>The shadows continued to recede as you raced against the clock to reach the mine
>With less than fifty yards to go, the sun finally peeled away the last of your cover
>You dove into a particularly dense patch of brush, your friends following you inside
>The entrance to the mine was in sight, but much to your dismay, it was guarded
>Several armed and armored griffons stood watchful for any sign of intruders
>Radom grimaced at the sight
>"Now what?" He asked
>With no cover between your hiding place and the entrance to the mine, there didn't seem to be any means of approach that would not alert the guards
"We need to get past them..." You said
>You felt for your rifle, but Hex stopped your hand with her hoof
>"Wait! Why don't we try sneaking by them?" She said
"How? There's nothing between us and them to sneak through." You replied
>"I could try an invisibility spell...it doesn't last too long but I could hold it long enough to get us by the guards."
>"I still think we should just smash our way through." Hammer grunted
>Radom narrowed his eyes at the guards in the distance
>"We don't know how many more they have, and if we alert them they might hurt Mosina and Oblast..." He said
>"Hex, try your spell." 
>Hex smiled as her horn began to glow
>But with a sudden jolt of magical energy, the spell backfired creating a small burst of light and sound, causing you and the others to freeze up in shock
>You watched as the guards immediately hopped up to attention, looking for the source of the disturbance
>"What the hell was that?" Radom whispered to Hex, not taking his eyes off the guards
>Hex looked flabbergasted 
>"I-I don't know what happened...that's never happened before..." She said, confusion in her voice
>Suddenly, teams of guards started fanning out from the entrance and into the surrounding area
>"I...I think they're using a detection spell...any magic cast in the area will backfire while the spell is in effect." She explained
>The patrols moved slowly, watching and listening 
"They're coming..." You said, taking aim at one of the guards
>"Hex, is there any way to break the detector?" Radom asked
>Her mind raced as she tried to formulate a plan
>"I can't cast any spells...we'd need a nullification scroll to break it." She said
>Radom's eyes went wide and he immediately began rummaging through his pack, pulling out the scroll Quix had given him
>"Hex, is this what we need?"
>With a quick examination, Hex's expression turned to one of disbelief
>"Yes! Where did you-?"
>"No time, use it!" He ordered
>Hex immediately began reading off the scroll causing it's words to glow faintly
>One of the patrols was quickly approaching your position
>The scroll suddenly dissolved in Hex's hooves as she finished reading it
>One of the guards eyed your bush suspiciously, moving toward it for a closer look
>"There, that should do it!" She whispered, her horn glowing once again as the griffon reached your hiding spot
>The griffon pulled the bush apart, only to be met with nothing
>He grunted and wandered off to continue his search, while you and your companions sat frozen perfectly still, cloaked by Hex's spell
>She gave a sigh of relief as you all watched the patrols move away from your position
>"That was a close one..." She said
>"Too close..." Radom replied 
>Together, you made your way to the entrance of the mine
>"With all the patrols out looking for us, we should be able to just walk on in, right?" Hex asked
"Depends if that was really all of them." You said
>Slowly, you pushed the old door open and poked your head inside
>Torch lights lit the darkened tunnels inside, but there was no sign of anyone, griffon or pony
>Stepping inside, you saw two tunnels creating a fork going off in two different directions
>"Of course..." Radom grumbled
>"Which way do we go?" Hex asked
>Your eyes shifted from one tunnel to the other
"We'll have to split up."
>The others looked at you like you were crazy
>"We're in the middle of a hostile camp, and you want to split up?" Radom asked
"We'll cover more ground this way. Hex can keep up her invisibility spell as long as she can, you and I can handle ourselves." You said
>"It will be easier with just one other pony...I could keep Hammer and I covered for at least an hour." She agreed
>Radom looked unsure, but with no alternatives, he relented
>"Alright, you and Hammer take the left path, Anon and I will head right. Stay hidden unless you absolutely need to reveal yourselves." He said
>Hammer scoffed
>"There goes my fun then." 
>You watched as the two ponies hoofprints rounded the corner, disappearing into the dimly lit tunnel
>"So much for staying together..." Radom grumbled
"Need to be able to adapt...plans change." You said
>You turned to Radom and saw him staring down into the tunnel as if in a trance
"Ready?" You asked, bringing him back to reality
>He sighed as he unfolded the blades on his armored horseshoes
>"As I'll ever be." He said, as the two of you stepped into the tunnel toward whatever might be waiting in it's depths
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>You and Radom slowly crept through the tunnel, listening and watching for any sign that you were not alone
>And while you had not yet encountered any griffons, you had also not found any sign of Mosina or Oblast
>The deeper you pushed into the seemingly empty mine, the more worried you became
>Still, you had hope that even if you didn't find them, that Hammer and Hex would
>The two of you had not spoken a word since you started down the path, only the sound of the occasional falling rock or the crackling of the torches lighting your way broke the silence
>As you looked around, you saw the decaying remains of the mine left behind decades ago during the Depression that forced the closure of the mine and many other local businesses
>Rotting support beams cobwebbed from top to bottom, half filled carts of coal and dirt left exactly as they were the day the workers finally left for good
>How anyone could stand to live in here for any amount of time was mind boggling to you
>Suddenly you hear something that stops you and Radom in your tracks
>Muffled voices coming from further down the path
"Hide!" You whispered
>Radom immediately leaped upward, securing himself to the ceiling with his blades and hanging there
>You looked around for a place to hide yourself
>"The patrol's been gone a long time...think they found something?" A voice echoed through the tunnel
>"I don't know...maybe they found something to eat. The others are starving." Another answered
>You spotted an empty mining cart in a darkened corner
>You hop inside and immediately regret your decision as you feel yourself breaking through the thickest cobwebs Equestria has ever known
>Every part of you was absolutely covered
>You shuddered, but stayed silent as you heard the two voices getting closer
>"I know, I really hope we can move out of here soon, this place gives me the creeps. The wife says the hatchlings aren't taking it too well either..."
"Hatchlings...?" You accidentally muttered to yourself, quickly realizing your mistake and slapping a hand over your mouth
>Suddenly, the footsteps stopped mere feet away from your cart
>"Did you hear something?" One of the voices asked
>"Probably just a rat, damn things are crawling all over this hole."
>You looked up at Radom on the ceiling, and saw his eyes shifting quickly from you to the two griffons now standing directly between you
>He motioned downward with his eyes, pointing them out to you
>But not only that, he pointed to himself and then down at them with his clawed hoof
>If he was thinking what you thought he was thinking, you didn't like it one bit
>Slowly, Radom began unlatching himself from the ceiling, getting ready to drop down
>"Yeah, I guess you're right, I jus-ACK!" The griffon was cut off as Radom dropped down onto his back, wrapping his hooves around the griffon's neck 
>"What the hell?! Get off him!" The other cried as you stood out of your cart, raising your rifle butt toward him and charging
"Hey!" You said, causing the griffon to turn around just as the butt of your rifle slammed into his eye socket, sending him to the ground unconscious
>Radom continued choking the other one, silencing him
"Where are the two ponies you took?!" You demanded, aiming your rifle at him
>"MMMMPH, MMM MMM MOHHHEMP!" 
>Radom relented a moment to allow him to answer
>"Help! HEEEELP!" He cried, prompting you to buttstroke him as well, leaving two unconscious griffons on the floor
>His cry still echoed through the tunnel as you and Radom stood in silence, catching your breath
>"Think they heard that?" He asked sarcastically
>The sound of footsteps in the distance answered him
>You sighed, affixing your bayonet
"Yeah, just a bit..."
>...
>Meanwhile on the other side of the mine, Hex and Hammer crept along silently, not even speaking to each other
>Suddenly, the echo of a voice calling for help ran through the tunnel, prompting them to stop in their tracks
>"What was that?" Hex whispered
>"Where the fun's coming from, come on!" Hammer said, bounding forward
>"Hammer wait!" Hex pleaded, rushing forward to catch up with him
>"I can't keep the spell up and run like this!" 
>"Bah, so what? We haven't seen a soul since we started down this tunnel, everything's happening over there!"
>At that moment, Hex sighed in frustration and let the invisibility spell drop
>"Must you always do things the hard way?" She asked between breaths as she caught up to the knight
>"No pain, no gain, that's what I always say." Hammer boasted, stopping at a turn leading off the path
>"Back at the academy, I made lots of gains without so much pain..." Hex said, panting from their run
>Hammer inspected the divergent path, unlit by torches unlike the main one
>"I bet this is a shortcut, whatever's going on over there, this way will probably get us to it!" He said
>Hex squinted down the path
>"I don't know Hammer, I can't see anything in there...it could be a-"
>Hammer stepped into the darkness and yelped as he almost immediately began sliding downward, the path giving way to a steep slope
>"...trap." Hex sighed, stepping onto the slope and sliding down after him
>"AAAH!" Hammer cried as Hex calmly caught up to him just as the slope changed into a vertical drop
>Hex rolled her eyes and grabbed the two of them with her magic, slowly levitating them safely onto the ground, Hammer landing head first
>"What was that for?!" Hammer demanded
>"No pain, no gain, remember?" Hex replied with a devious grin
>"Why you little...." Hammer began before taking a look around and realizing that they were not alone
>All around the two ponies were griffons of all sorts, young and old, male and female
>Crude nests with hatchlings crying for their mothers, most of which were frozen with their gaze on the two ponies
>The silent stand off continued for a few tense moments before one of the griffons finally spoke up
>"W-who are you?" One of the mothers asked as she shielded her hatchlings
>"Don't you worry about who we are, where's your leader?!" Hammer commanded, brandishing his blade
>Hex quickly smacked him on the back of the head
>"Hammer! Can't you see they're scared?" She said, turning back to the griffon
>"I'm Hex, and this is Hammer. What's your name?" 
>The griffon looked at the two of them nervously
>"Siri, my name is Siri. What are you doing here?" She asked
>"We're looking for some friends of ours, two ponies. Have you seen them?" Hex replied
>Siri's eyes went wide
>"You...you're the ones the patrols saw in the forest!" She said
>"Yes, and your friends took some of our friends, we were hoping to come get them back."
>Siri turned to one of the other griffons
>"Go get the Captain, now!" She said as the other griffon took off running
>"The guards were waiting for you to show up to explain the situation, how did you get inside?"
>Hex chuckled nervously
>"We sort of...snuck in?" 
>"Where are the others in your party?" Siri asked
>Hammer grunted
>"They took the other path, sounded like they ran into some of your friends a while ago."
>The griffon suddenly looked panicked
>"Follow me, there's no time to waste!"
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>You and Radom dashed through the winding tunnel, the griffons in hot pursuit
>No matter which way you tried to run, they stayed on your tail
>"Any ideas?" Radom asked between breaths
>You swear you'd been going in circles, every path looked the same
>At least, all the lit paths did...
>You noticed several offshoots that were not illuminated by torchlight
"We're going dark." You said, grabbing your nephew and ducking into a pitch black hall
>"Anon what are you-mmmphhph!" Radom tried to protest as you covered his mouth, watching as the griffon pursuers ran past
>"They went this way! Hurry!" One of them called, the others following suit
>You waited in silence as they disappeared further into the mine, their footsteps growing fainter and fainter until you could no longer hear them
>With a sigh of relief, you release Radom, who quickly recomposes himself, dusting off his armor
>"Jeez, Anon, couldn't have wiped off those cobwebs by now?"
>You chuckle at him
"And when should I have done that, when we were knocking out those two guys or during the chase?"
>Radom groaned as he started pacing back and forth getting the webs off
>"You know I hate spiders AnoOOOOO-" 
>Radom slipped as he unknowingly stepped on the steep slope of your hiding spot and began sliding down
"Radom!" You cried, diving in after him
>As you cleared the low ceiling, you saw the tunnel open up into a large, brightly lit room, the floor of which was quickly rising to meet you
>You looked around frantically for your nephew, and eventually spotted him
>...hovering above you, having lifted himself out of his fall
>You always forgot about the wings...
>Suddenly, you felt the slope give out underneath you, and the rush of the air flashing by as you began to fall toward the stone floor
>You braced for the impact, but in the next moment felt yourself stop plummeting as you were grabbed mid-fall
>Uncovering your face, you saw Radom struggling to carry your weight above you
>"Damn Anon, were you always this heavy?" He gasped
"I may have hit Sugercube Corner a few times last week...are you calling me fat?"
>At that moment, you felt your descent begin to speed up once again
>"We're going down!" Radom cried, flapping his wings as hard as he could trying to slow you down
>The two of you collided with the stone floor, wincing as you bounced off the hard surface before rolling to an agonizing stop
>You lay there for a moment, trying to recuperate
"Definitely had better landings than that..." You said finally, your voice muffled into the floor
>"Excuse me for not being able to fly with three times my weight hanging off of me." Radom snipped, pushing himself to his hooves and shaking off the impact
>He looked around the room, taking note of all the makeshift beds, crude tables and chairs, and all other manner of furnishings
>Way too many for a small raiding party...
>"Looks like there's more griffons here than we thought." He said, helping you to your knees
>You took a look around and noticed the same
"No kidding...look at this place, must be able to fit...fifty at least." You said, climbing to your feet
>Walking over to one of the sleeping mats, you notice something strange
>A small plush griffon
>Picking it up, you shake it at Radom
"Typical for raiders to carry toys with them...?"
>Radom squinted at the toy, taking it from your hand
>"Wouldn't think so, never met one though. Stranger things have happened." 
>You look around the room some more, flipping through the bed sheets, poking at half eaten food on the tables
"They left here in a hurry...not too long ago." 
>Radom cocked his brow at you
>"Since when did you go all detective on me?" 
>You chuckle
"I was doing this stuff when you were still in elementary school, kiddo." 
>Radom noticed a rickety old door on the far end of the room
>He approached it, looking it up and down
>To the side of the door, he noticed a small plaque bearing the words "Project Manager"
>"This must have been where the miners stayed...who would willingly live down here?" Radom asked
>You shrugged
"Desperate ponies in desperate times."
>Radom frowned
>"We're going in, cover me." He said
"You got it." You replied, raising your rifle
>Radom turned to you, mouthing down from three
>On one, he flung the door open and you burst inside, sweeping the room
"All clear." You said, waving him in
>This room was a little more well furnished than the last, a halfway decent bed, a desk,
>Leftovers from the previous owner no doubt
>But one thing stood out...
>On the desk were three glasses...
>Well, two glasses and a tankard, still frothy
>Definitely Oblast material...
"Either someone's extra thirsty or some esteemed guests were invited into the boss man's office." You said
>"They were here, Aunt Mosina and Oblast were here!" Radom said excitedly, rushing back to the door
>"Come on, they can't have gone far!" 
"Radom wait!" You said, following him
>He burst through the door, and stopped in his tracks
>"Hold it right there!" 
>Surrounding the entrance to the room were dozens of armed griffons, trapping you and Radom between them and the room
>You raised your rifle as Radom readied his hoof-blades
>"Drop your weapons and nobody gets hurt." One of the griffons commanded
>Neither of you responded, nor did you lower your weapons
>The griffons looked at each other frustratedly
>"Please, drop your weapons."
>"Anon? Radom?" A voice that you'd been longing to hear for almost a day called out, causing you to lower your rifle in shock
"Mosina?" You cried
>"Put down your weapons boys it's alright!" Oblast's voice called over the crowd
>"Excuse me, sorry, pardon me..." She said, pushing through the crowd of griffons
>As soon as she and Oblast emerged, the two of you locked eyes and stood mouth agape
>There was a clatter as your rifle fell to the floor as you rushed forward and scooped her up in your arms, holding her tighter than you ever had before
>The griffons lowered their own weapons as a few of the womenfolk in the back daw'd at the sudden PDA
>Radom sighed as he reluctantly retracted his hoof blades, still wary of being surrounded like you were
>"It seems we may have gotten off on the wrong foot..." A deep voice said, parting the wall of griffons in front of you
>From the sound of it, you swore James Earl motherfucking Jones was going to appear before you, but instead, you were greeted with something very different
>A griffon, of significantly shorter stature than his comrades, strode through the crowd, commanding obvious respect despite his size
>"I am Captain Stonebeak, the shepherd of this of this flock." He said, bowing slightly
>"I apologize for the misunderstanding, once we spoke to your friends and learned of your intentions to meet us peacefully, we tried to rectify our mistake, but it seems you are all more resourceful than we anticipated."
>"Mistake? You kidnapped two ponies!" Radom exclaimed
>Stonebeak shrugged
>"Armed strangers in a strange land advancing toward your camp demands a response, we had to be sure of your intentions before you found us." 
"We were coming to speak to you, not to fight." You said, releasing Mosina from your embrace
>"So I was told, but hindsight is 20/20, yes? You would have been welcomed by my guards but somehow you managed to elude them. 
>Radom shook his head
>"This is all beside the point, what are a bunch of griffons doing in the outskirts of Stalliongrad?" He asked
>Stonebeak furrowed his brow at Radom, stepping up to him, barely meeting eye to eye
>"Are you a soldier, boy?" The captain asked
>"I'm the Arbiter, the Princesses' representative." Radom replied
>"Well then, Arbiter, you should be fully aware of the looming civil war in my country. We are conscientious objectors who do not wish to spill the blood of our countrymen over the trivial matters being debated." Stonebeak explained
>Mosina looked confused
>"Conscientious objector status is a thing over there?" She asked
>The other griffons laughed in a roaring chorus, but Stonebeak remained composed
>"No. It is not. And that is precisely why we are here." He said, turning back to Radom
>"We seek asylum in Equestria, for the good of our families so that they may be spared from the terror of a pointless war."
>"That is, if you would grant it to us, seeing as you claim to be the representative of your monarchs."
>Radom looked uncertain
>Refugees?
>Granting asylum?
>Where else would they be able to go?
>Conservative Stalliongrad was worried enough just spotting them on their doorstep, let alone letting a large band of griffons into their own city
>"What will you do while you're here? Do you have any contacts? Anywhere to go?" Radom asked
>"We have nothing but what we have carried here. We had hoped that, in the spirit of friendship as it is so highly regarded in your country, that we may be aided by the state to get us settled and onto our feet."
"I hate to break it to you, captain, but Equestria is having it's own crisis right now. The "state" is barely holding itself together." You said
>Stonebeak looked back to Radom
>"Is this true?"
>Radom sighed, nodding his head 
>"More or less, one of our princesses still remains free to carry out her duties, but Celestia and Luna are currently in hiding from anti-royalist rebels. You really couldn't have chosen to visit Equestria at a worse time."
>Stonebeak thought for a moment
>"Or perhaps, this is the perfect time." He suggested
>Radom looked at him confused
>"What do you mean?" He asked
>"We came to Equestria to spare our families the horrors of civil war, but if you can provide a safe place for them, my men and I will be glad to offer our assistance to you should it secure our place here."
>Radom froze up a bit
>This was all happening so suddenly
>Just a few moments before, these griffons were the enemy, and now here they were pledging themselves to the crowns of Equestria
>He looked to you, as if trying to gauge your reaction
"More help is always a good thing..." You said, still trying not to force your opinion as his decision
>Mosina nodded
>"I agree, the princesses need all the help they can get right now."
>Oblast seemed a bit wobbly
>"Well NORMALLY I'd say different but if the good Captain here can provide a few barrels of that Griffonic ale for the Red Square I'll say they're fine by me."
>Radom weighed his options, and after composing himself, offered his hoof to Stonebeak
>"Captain, on behalf of the crowns of Equestria, I will grant you your request for asylum. If you would accompany us back to Stalliongrad, we'll get you set up on a train for Ponyville, Princess Twilight will be able to take over from there."
>The griffon captain's stern demeanor broke for only a moment as a smile crept across his face
>He took Radom's hoof and shook it
>"Gladly, thank you Arbiter, I can tell you are truly wise beyond your years."
>Oblast fought to suppress a laugh, barely containing it
>"What's so funny?" Stonebeak asked curiously
>"Oh, Mr. Oblast here just has coughing fits sometimes...isn't that right?" Radom said quickly, death glaring at Oblast the whole time
>Mr. Oblast quickly recomposed himself, forcing a few weak coughs to seal the act
>"Oh yes, it's the dust. Definitely the dust..." He explained
>Stonebeak narrowed his eyes at Oblast, but was quickly reeled back in as Radom placed his hoof on his shoulder
>"Now, if you'll be so kind as to rally up your folks here, we'll meet you out front. We'll be in Stalliongrad before nightfall."
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>You and Radom stood on the platform, ignoring the stares from ponies coming and going as the griffons around you waited patiently for their train to Ponyville to arrive
>After the events of the previous day, you'd contacted Twilight to update her on the situation
>To nobody's great surprise, she was more than happy to extend an invitation to the griffons to stay in Ponyville 
>She'd undoubtedly find some way to make good on their offer of assistance
>Radom and Stonebeak discussed official business, something you'd decided to allow your nephew to handle without your advice
>Even though he didn't say it, you could tell he appreciated you allowing him to truly take the lead for once
>"...and that's pretty much all you need to do. Once you get to Ponyville Princess Twilight's guards will see you to the castle and she'll set you up from there." Radom explained as the train came rolling up
>Stonebeak nodded and watched as it screeched to a halt, steam billowing out of it as ponies began to disembark
>"Thank you again Arbiter, you have truly done us a great service, one we shall not forget."
>Radom smiled and nodded his head
>"You take care of yourselves." He said as the griffons began to file onto the train
>Stonebeak gave a slight bow before following his people onto the train
>The two of you stood and watched as the train pulled away, until finally it was just a small speck far off in the distance
"Ponyville ain't gonna know what hit 'em." You said as you turned to head back to the Red Square
>"It's not like they've never seen griffons before." Radom replied
"Visitors and traders maybe, but a few dozen coming to live there is certainly going to shake things up a bit." 
>Radom looked at you curiously
>"You think it's going to be a problem?"
>You shrugged
>Equestria didn't have such a problem with race, or species rather as your home back on Earth, but as with everything in life, you never knew what could happen
"I'm not saying that necessarily. I just think it's going to be a big adjustment, especially with the school. Cheerilee is going to have quite a few new students to accommodate."
>Radom rolled his eyes
>"That's for Princess Twilight to figure out, we've got our own problems to worry about." He said
>"In fact, we should be packing already, we're leaving for Fillydelphia first thing in the morning."
>You chuckled to yourself
"I remember my last trip to Filly..."
>Radom gave you a devious grin
>"Aunt Mosina have to bail you out of trouble?"
"Hey, it's usually me coming to her rescue, she owed me one." You laughed
>Radom smiled and shook his head, keeping his eyes forward
>The two of you made your way out into the street, walking in silence along the streets as you headed back to the inn
>That night, you and your companions celebrated, Oblast's patrons practically turning the Red Square upside down 
>After a particularly heavy round at the bar, Radom felt a tug on his shoulder
>He turned to see Hex, looking very excited
>"Radom! You need to come see this!" She said
>Radom looked at her curiously
>"Can it wait? Anon just bought another round and-"
>"It's about the inhibitor, I may have found a counter spell!"
>Radom's eyes went wide and he hopped up from his seat
>"Oblast, take my drink." He said
>Mr. Oblast swept up the tankard and clanked it against his own
>"Yesshir!" He slurred merrily
>Radom and Hex rushed up to the room, Hex quickly levitating a book to herself
>"Okay, go ahead and sit on the bed." She said, flipping through the pages
>Radom obliged, waiting patiently as Hex prepped herself
>"I thought you said there were no counter spells?" He asked
>Hex shook her head
>"I said that it was unlikely, but as it turns out there have indeed been several experimental counter spells developed over the years."
>Radom cocked his eyebrow at her
>"Experimental?"
>She waved her hoof dismissively
>"Oh don't you worry, it's nothing dangerous...I think. Now lay down please." She said
>"That's reassuring..." Radom sighed
>Normally he wouldn't allow himself to be subjected to experimental magic, but the liquid courage seemed to be doing it's job, and he complied
>Hex took her place behind his head
>Radom looked up at her, watching as her horn began to glow
>"Try to relax..." She said softly
>He took a deep breath, as relaxed as he was going to get at this point
>Suddenly, he began to feel warm as a magical aura enveloped his head
>"H-Hex? I feel kinda-" He began, only to be cut off as his body locked up
>His mind immediately seemed to plunge into the depths of his subconscious, rocketing through memories long passed until finally, he found himself once again looming over a bed in a darkened hotel room
>A lightning strike outside illuminated the room, and Radom could see the doomed politician sleeping soundly in his bed
>Unable to control himself, Radom watched as he unfolded his hoof blades
>In his mind, Radom tried to stop himself, pleading not to carry out the act
>As the booming sound of thunder shook the room, he was found himself back in the Red Square
>"Wow, that looked like it wasn't very fun at all..." Hex said
>Still shaken up, Radom shot up from the bed and shook his head
>"Hex...I-I don't think we should try this again..."
>"What? Why not?" She asked
>Radom groaned
>"I just don't think it's a good idea, okay?"
>Hex looked at him concerned
>"Radom, you're worrying me, what's wrong?"
>Suddenly, Mosina burst through the door
>"There you two are!" She said, stumbling inside clumsily
>"Anon and I were (hic) lookin fer ya..."
>Radom looked at her suspiciously
>"Aunt Mosina...are you drunk?"
>"Pshhhhhh...this is nothin'..." Mosina said dismissively
>"I just wanted to tell...you (hic) how proud (hic) we are of you...and that we love you THIIIIIS much." She said with outstretched arms, stumbling backwards just as Radom managed to catch her
>He could only smile at his aunt
>She didn't party much, but when she did she went hard for sure
>"I love you guys too, but I think maybe you've had a little-"
"ALRIGHT, WHO'S READY TO GO STREAKING?!" Your voice sounds through the inn
>"YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE WEARING CLOTHES YA DRUNKEN BASTARD!"
>"Radom sighed
>"Hex, I need to go take care of this, could you watch Mosina for a minute?" He asked, handing off Mosina to Hex, barely keeping her on her hooves
>As he headed out of the room, Mosina and Hex stood there silently
>"Did I (hic) interrupt somethin'?" Mosina asked
>"No...Radom's just got a lot on his mind I guess." Hex said sullenly
>"Well (hic) I don't blame him...it's been a (hix) rough few weeks...with the trial and all."
>Hex looked at her curiously
>"What trial?"
>"You didn't hear? (hic) I thought all of Equestria would know..."
>Hex shook her head
>"I've been locked up in the Academy with my research..." Hex replied 
>"But please, tell me all about it..."
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>The train car rumble and swayed as it rode along the rails, causing you to bounce slightly in your seat
>The road to Fillydelphia ran through rough farmland, the countryside providing a deceptively undeveloped picture of the area compared to the sprawling city that lay just beyond it
>Of course, even hours after getting on the train at the first light of dawn, you still had quite a ways to go
>You and Mosina had slept most of the way so far, leaving your companions to their own devices, which seemed to suit them fine as Radom and Hex had taken to isolating themselves and Hammer was happy to occupy himself taking advantage of the on board buffet
>As you let your mind wander, you felt a tug at your sleeve pull you back into reality
>"Anon, look at this." Mosina said, pointing to an article in the newspaper she was reading
>You took the paper and looked at the title
"Republican Guard Envoy To Quell Fillydelphia Uprising?" You read out loud
"The hell is the Republican Guard?" 
>"The royal guards who swore allegiance to the new government I guess." She said
>"But that means that they'll be in the city at the same time we are."
>You frowned
"You think they'll try anything?"
>Mosina nodded
>"If they know what we're doing? Absolutely." She replied
>"There's no way they'll let any agents of the Princesses just walk around if they can do something about it."
"So what are we supposed to do? Hide?" You asked
"The dossier says WE'RE the ones who are supposed to resolve this problem, not them."
>"Eclipse wants to flex their muscle and show that they can take care of everything the Princesses did, this is just their way of trying to prove that."
>"So we'll just have to beat them to it." Radom said, emerging from the other car
>"Radom," Mosina pleaded
>"We don't know how many they have, if they know who what we're doing here we could have a serious problem on our hooves."
>She looked back over the paper and thought for a moment
>"Maybe it would be wise not to be so open about our mission during our stay here."
>Radom raised his brow at her
>"Not everyone believes in the provisional government, or Eclipse's legitimacy. If they tried anything the authorities in Fillydelphia would side with us for sure." He reasoned
>Mosina shook her head
>"It won't matter how much they agree with our cause if we're dead." She said
"So dramatic..." You said after a moment of silence
>"Anon this is serious!" Mosina said
>You shrugged
"I think we'll be fine as long as we don't actively try to provoke them. Who knows, maybe we can convince the mayor to bar their entry into the city."
>You turned to Radom
"Well, what do you think?"
>Radom turned it over in his head
>As much as he didn't want to admit it, Mosina had a point
>Guards who were willing to betray their oaths and join the anti-royalist regime probably wouldn't think twice about attacking him and his companions if they were actively interfering with their mission
>But Anon was right too, most of Equestria was still on the side of the monarchy
>If the mayor could be reached before the Republican Guard got there, she could easily be convinced to keep them out altogether
>"We'll keep a low profile until we get to the Mayoral Mansion, then we'll go with Anon's plan and try to block the Republican Guard from getting into the city."
>You ribbed Mosina
"See? Plan's solid. Nothing to worry about." You said
>Mosina sighed
>"Alright, alright. This paper was from yesterday, and knowing Canterlot bureaucracy that means this envoy of theirs won't be leaving until today. That gives us at least a few hours to get to the Mayor before they even get to the city."
>Your stomach gurgles loudly
"Yeah, well I'll be starved before we ever have to worry about that if I don't get something to eat soon." You said
"I'm gonna go find Hex and Hammer, see if they're still getting breakfast."
>"I'll come with you, I could use a little something myself." Mosina added, jumping off her seat to follow you
>"You want anything Radom?" She asked, stopping at the door between the cars
>Radom waved his hoof
>"I can never think of anything on the spot, I'll catch up with you." He said
"Fine by me, but don't be sore if I don't leave more than a few scraps for you." You laughed as you and Mosina left him alone in the car
>Radom smiled and shook his head, turning his attention to his bag, gathering his belongings so that they wouldn't get left behind on the train
>He stopped as he picked up a particular piece of parchment, slightly crumpled as it had been hastily hidden away breaking into the mine
>The words upon the scroll Quickstep had given him now faint, their magic drained when Hex used it to conceal them
>Now it was little more than just a piece of paper, but still Radom decided to hang onto it as a token of sorts
>As he looked over the words, he suddenly felt another presence in the car with him
>"Worked pretty well, didn't it?"
>Radom turned around to meet the voice, only to find himself quickly embraced, a deep kiss planted on his lips as Quickstep took him by surprise
>"Hello again, love." She giggled as she released him
>"Quix? Where did you come from?" Radom asked, still shocked 
>Well, I'm from Manehattan originally, but I tend to move around a lot these days." She replied slyly
>Radom rolled his eyes 
>"You know what I mean..." He said
>Quickstep snickered and nodded to the door
>"I saw you from the car next door, I couldn't resist saying hello." She said, gingerly running her hoof along his chest, her eyes wandering to the used scroll
>"I see you managed to find a use for that old thing, I trust it wasn't too difficult?"
>Radom scratched his head
>"Well, no, Hex figured it out pretty quickly,"
>Quickstep looked at him quizzically 
>"Radom, dear, you didn't have to let your unicorn friend do it for you, anypony can use a magic scroll." She explained
>"Yeah, well I didn't know what it was..." He replied before a thought crept into his head
>"...How did you know I was going to need that scroll? Where did you even get it?"
>She shrugged
>"I didn't necessarily know you'd need it, I just thought it might come in handy." She explained
>"And it looks like I was right."
>Radom frowned
>"That doesn't explain where you got it or why you had it..." 
>Quickstep rolled her eyes and smiled at him
>"Is it really so hard to just accept a gift without needing the who what when where and why?"
>"I'm just curious." Radom replied
>Quickstep looked him in the eye, a hopeless smile on her face
>"Let's just say that it behooves a lady in my line of work to have the right tools on hoof." She said
>"And what sort of work would that be?" Radom asked
>She giggled and headed for the door to the next car
>"Now, now, no need to uncover all the mystery, I wouldn't want you to get bored of me..." She said as she pushed through the door, leaving Radom with a playful flick of her tail as she disappeared
>Almost as soon as she'd left, you and the others came strolling back in
"Here, your aunt convinced me to spare a few bites for you." You said, handing Radom a plate of food
>"I practically had to beg him for it, don't let it go to waste now!" Mosina chuckled
>Radom still stared at the door, consumed with the questions flooding his mind
>"Yoohoo, Equestria to Radom, do you read me?" Mosina said, waving her hoof in his face to capture his attention
>He forced himself to pry his eyes from the door, taking the plate from your hand
>"Thanks..." He said, retaking his seat
>You and Mosina gave each other a confused look
"Something on your mind?" You asked
>Radom shook his head with a defeated sigh
>"You don't know the half of it."
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>The screeching of metal on metal contact assaulted your ears as the train ground to a halt
"Welp, time to get a move on I guess." You said to your companions, patting Radom on the back as you and Mosina stood to leave
"We'll meet you out on the platform."
>Radom nodded as the two of you exited the train, turning to gather his belongings
>As he did, he noticed Hex sporting an uneasy look on her face as she packed her books
>"What's eating you?" He asked, catching her by surprise
>"What?" She replied, quickly masking her expression
>Radom rolled his eyes
>"Something's bothering you, it's written all over your face." He said
>Hex gave a half-hearted smile
>"I dn't know what you're talking about, I'm fine, really."
>Radom furrowed his brow at her silently
>Seeing that he wasn't going to be fooled, Hex sighed defeatedly
>"I just have a bad feeling about this place. Filly has one of the highest crime rates in the whole country, and we're headed right into the worst part of it while ponies who probably want to kill us are on their way here. If that's not stressful I don't know what is."
>Radom understood, a bookworm like Hex wasn't exactly well prepared for the rougher life outside of academia
>The addition of the Republican Guard turning the mission into a race against the clock didn't help either
>Still, they had a job to do and it was his responsibility to keep up morale
>"Don't worry, we'll make this quick, we'll be long gone before the Republican Guard even arrives." He said reassuringly as they made their way out of the train, gaining a small smile of relief from Hex
>"Yeah, if you don't expect to just walk in and sweet talk these crooks into giving up this uprising of theirs we can skip right to the beat-down and be done by noon." Hammer quipped
>So much for keeping up morale
>As you made your way out into the streets, you were met with the sights and sounds of a bustling city
>Taxis, street venders, the commotion of thousands of ponies all going about their business in this urban jungle
>Mosina looked over the city map, working out the quickest route to the Mayoral Mansion
>"It looks like it'll be about an hour to walk to the mansion from here..." She pondered
"Can't we take a taxi?" You asked, looking out at the street
>"In this traffic? Forget about it, it'll take even longer than walking!" Mosina said, pointing to the slowly moving carts
>"Besides, with five of us I doubt they'd be able to do it anyway."
>"Can I see the map?" Hex asked, taking it as Mosina handed it over
>Quickly studying it, her ears perked up with excitement
>"What about this? If we take Liberty Drive and cut straight through, we'll be there in no time!"
>Mosina shook her head
>"Part of that route is held by the rebels, it'd be too dangerous to go there before we know exactly what we're dealing with."
>Hex turned pleadingly to Radom
>"You said we'd try to get in and out of here as quickly as possible, this is the fastest way to the mayor." She said
>Radom weighed his options
>On one hand, it would be safer to take Mosina's route
>But on the other hand, they did need to get to the mayor before the Guard arrived, and Hex found the fastest avenue to getting there
>"We won't be in the contested zone very long, we'll take Liberty Drive." He decided, much to Mosina's aggravation
>"Fine, but if we get into trouble, don't say I didn't warn you." Mosina groaned, rolling up the map and stuffing it back in her bag
>As the others started off down the street, you nudged Radom
"I think you made the right call." You said
>"You do?" He replied
"Definitely, you see all this shit I'm carrying? I'm not trying to lug it all halfway across town when we've got a perfectly good shortcut."
>"So, laziness trumps danger?" Radom sighed
"Every time." You chuckled
>Within ten minutes, the five of you stood at the boundary between the rebels and the rest of the city, your progress halted by a makeshift wall blocking off the street
>Not a problem for Mosina and Radom, but for those of you without wings or magic, climbing it would leave you out of luck if there happened to be trouble on the other side
"Well, what now?" You asked, scratching your head as you looked at the surprisingly high wall in front of you
>Radom stared intently at the barrier
>"I'll fly over it and find a way around. Anon and Hammer would be trapped on the other side if we could even get them over it." He said
>"Sounds like a problem for them, being stuck in there with me." Hammer grunted
>Radom shook his head and lifted himself off the ground
>As he reached the top of the wall, he peaked over and saw a deserted street lined with burned out and decrepit buildings on the other side
>The rebels really took a match to their own neighborhood it seemed...
>He turned back to you and the others
>"I'll be back in less than an hour, if I'm not, get to the mayor and let him know what happened." He ordered
>"Just be careful, please?" Mosina pleaded
>Radom gave her a smirk
>"Aren't I always?" 
>As he cleared the wall, the coast seemed clear, and he proceeded until he was out of sight
>In every direction, he saw nobody in the streets, it was like a ghost town, remnants of what used to be a living city like the one back on the other side of the barrier
>The silence was pervasive, the sound of the breeze was all he could hear
>Between every alleyway, Radom looked for some hole in the barrier, but it seemed solid 
>Clearly these rebels didn't intend to give up their territory without a fight if they were this diligent in constructing it's defenses
>But if that was the case, where were they? 
>As far as Radom could tell, this portion of the city was abandoned
>"Where is everyone...?" He thought to himself as he rounded a corner
>As he did, he was met with a sight that jarred him right out of his thoughts, prompting him to take cover behind a broken wall
>A crowd...a big crowd, and it was coming his way
>They were still about two blocks down the road, but they'd notice him if he moved into their line of sight
>He moved to head back from where he came when he froze
>Another patrol had appeared, trapping him between the two
>Radom searched his surroundings for another way out, but he was trapped
>Suddenly, a short whistle from behind him caught his ear
>Turning to face the source, Radom saw a manhole cover left slightly open, leading down into the sewer
>He took one more look back at the patrols headed his way and realized it might be his only way out without being seen
>Dragging the cover off enough to slip through, Radom descended into the sewer
>As he hit the ground, he looked around, squinting as his eyes adjusted to the darkness
>Then, another whistle from behind him
>But as he turned to meet it, a heavy blow struck the back of his head, and down he went
>As he felt consciousness slipping from him, Radom heard a voice in the dark
>"Just when you think you've seen it all..." 
>The approaching hoofsteps stopped just in front of him, a spark illuminating a small group of ponies eying him laying on the concrete
>One unicorn approached and leaned over him with a devious grin as Radom's vision faded 
>"Don't worry old friend, you're in the best of hooves..."
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>With a gasp, Radom shot up as he regained consciousness
>He felt a cold sweat coating him, and struggled to regain his breath
>"I was wondering when you'd wake up." A cheerful voice mused from a short distance
>Radom looked around the room for the source, his eyes finally coming to rest on a raggedly dressed, hooded unicorn reading a book by candlelight beside his bed
>Radom felt the back of his head, wincing as his hoof ran over the rather large lump where he'd been struck
>Apparently his host noticed, as he chuckled slightly to himself while shaking his head
>"I do apologize for the less than warm welcome my friend. But we couldn't be too sure what with the situation going on topside, you understand." He said
>The pain throbbing in his head kept Radom from formulating any sort of response, instead taking to inspecting himself for any other injuries
>He found that nothing had been removed from his person, apparently his captors had simply thrown him onto this cot after knocking him out
>"Not in a talkative mood, eh? That's quite alright, to my recollection you were always fairly reserved during our time together."
>The pain was becoming unbearable, and Radom laid his head back down on the cot, clutching the back of his head
>The unicorn closed his book with a sigh and approached Radom
>"They really did a number on you, but not to worry, I still remember some of those healing spells from basic." He said
>The unicorn's horn began to glow, enveloping Radom's head in a magical aura
>Suddenly, the pain began to subside, at least to the point that it was bearable
>Rising once again, Radom felt the lump on his head, which was noticeably smaller now
>"Thanks..." He grumbled
>With a cheeky grin, the unicorn nodded
>"It's the least I can do for an old friend, can you stand?"
>Old friend...he kept saying that
>Radom slowly got to his feet before looking his host in the eye for the first time since he woke up
>"I'm sorry but, who are you?"
>The unicorn smiled pitifully at Radom, shaking his head
>"And here I was thinking you might have remembered a classmate."
>Radom studied the unicorn's face, when a light bulb suddenly lit up in his head as the memories came flooding back
>"Safe-Guard?" Radom asked
>"Ding ding ding! I was beginning to worry that maybe that blow to your head did more damage than I thought." Safe-Guard said excitedly
>"But...you never graduated, you got expelled two weeks before the final exam." Radom said, recalling the incident 
>"Aha! Or so it seemed. The truth is, Radom, that I was selected from among our fine class to take on some...special training, and an assignment that was not to be on the record." Safe-Guard explained
>"You see, despite my request for a position in the medical corps..." he went on, nodding to the red cross on his flank
>"I scored rather highly on other areas of the trials that the higher ups determined put me more in line with the more...subversive side of our line of work. Care for a drink? I assure you our facilities down here are quite sanitary." He said, beckoning Radom over as he left the room
>Radom followed, still puzzled by what he'd said
>"What do you mean subversive...?" He asked as Safe-Guard led him into a surprisingly well lit room compared to the rest of the dingy sewer with ponies running about, shooting Radom questioning looks as they passed
>Safe-Guard stopped one with his hoof mid stride
>"Siri, go grab some cider for my friend and I here."
>"Yes sir!" The frazzled mare said, taking off out of the room
>"I tell you Radom, this group here has been going non stop since this whole mess started. I'm not sure how much longer they can go for."
>The bags under their eyes and the distinctive lack of pep in their steps told the whole story
>"Safe-Guard, what are you all doing here?" Radom asked again
>"The same thing that you are, presumably. Protecting the Realm, service to the Princesses..."
>Radom furrowed his brow at Safe-Guard, his patience wearing thin
>"Oh there's no need to get worked up, I'm simply here to act as a fail safe." 
>"Go on..." Radom said
>Safe-Guard sighed, taking a seat at a small table
>"Well you might as well sit if you want to hear the whole story then." He said reluctantly
>Radom complied, waiting silently for his former classmate to continue
>"I was sent to Fillydelphia to pose as the chief medical officer for the loyalist forces during this conflict, conducting humanitarian operations in contested territory when not advising the mayor." He explained
>"However, my true mission in the city is to uncover the true motivations behind the rebellion, not just what the mayor is telling us."
>"You have reason to believe the mayor is lying?" Radom asked
>Safe-Guard shrugged
>"In order to keep up my cover, I haven't been able to do much digging, but from what my agents tell me there's definitely something going on that the city authorities aren't sharing with us."
>Radom thought for a moment
>"I'm here to put an end to the conflict and gain the support of the city before the usurpers in Canterlot do."
>"So I heard, terrible business that is." Safe-Guard replied
>"My point is, if I can get close to the mayor, maybe I can find out what's going on." Radom explained
>Safe-Guard grinned
>"It would certainly free up my resources on this side of the wall, these rebels are stubborn, but not unreasonable. With greater attention I should be able to get their side of the story directly from the source instead of hearsay from the wounded I patch up."
>At that moment, Siri came running back in, barely balancing a tray with two tankards of cider in her mouth
>"Thank you dear, if you would please check topside and make sure that patrol has dispersed."
>With a nod, Siri took off again
>"It seems to me that we've got the makings of a mutually beneficial partnership going here my old friend," Safe-Guard said delightedly
>"but for now, let me fill you in on what we've gathered so far."
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>You paced back and forth, taking an occasional glimpse at the towering wall before you
>You checked your watch
>10 minutes to go 
>Radom told you to wait only an hour, and time was running out
>"Do you think he's okay?" Hex asked, breaking the uncomfortable silence as the group sat around waiting for a sign 
"He's fine." You replied bluntly, still pacing like a caged animal
>You'd all heard the sound of movement on the other side of the wall some time ago...
>A lot of movement, like a crowd moving through the streets
>But you knew your nephew, and you knew he wouldn't be so easily caught by something as obvious as a crowd of ponies
>But still, the tension was eating at your nerves
>You decided that your pacing wasn't helping you to calm down, and with a deep sigh you sat on the curb, learning your head back against the barrier and closing your eyes
>A reassuring warmth leaning on your shoulder prompted you to take a quick peek at Mosina, who'd taken her place next to you
>"He's okay, he'll be back any minute..." She said, trying to comfort you
>You wrapped one arm around her, pulling her close 
>There was still time...he'd make it back like he said he would
>"We've waited long enough, we're wasting time sitting here." Hammer announced, clearly losing patience with the lack of progress
>You glared at him
"We're not leaving without Radom." You said flatly
>"For all we know the Republican Guard could be at the mayor's doorstep right now, we can't wait any longer." Hammer demanded
"He still has ten minutes before we're supposed to leave." You said
"We're not going anywhere until then."
>Hammer's eye twitched, his frustration building
>"Look, just because YOU are too afraid to make a decision doesn't mean I am. We're throwing away the mission here because you won't stop pussyfooting around!"
>You let go of Mosina and stood up, walking over to Hammer
>As big as he was for a pony, you still towered over him by a good bit, staring down on him with your meanest death glare you could summon
"Son, I'll ask you to sit down and shut up before you bite off more than you can chew."
>"I'm not afraid of you, ape-man." Hammer replied, not backing down
"You should be. I've been wiping the floor with far tougher guys than you since you were in school."
>Hex rushed up to the to of you, putting her hooves between you trying to create some distance
>"Guys, guys, please, now's not the time for this!" She pleaded
>"You're not in charge here Anon. If I say we're going, we're going." Hammer said defiantly
"You're staying right here until Radom gets back." You said
>"No, me and Hex are going to the mayoral mansion, now. Come on Hex." Hammer replied, turning to leave
>Hex looked from Hammer to you, her eyes begging you to do something
"Hex isn't going anywhere, and if you leave, it's desertion." You said, unslinging your rifle
>Hammer scoffed
>"Yeah, and what are you gonna do about it?" He said, taking a few more steps away
>You audibly flick off the safety and shoulder your weapon
>Hammer stops in his tracks
>"Are you serious?" He asked
"Disobeying an order from a agent of the princesses is insubordination, abandoning your mission is desertion. If you put this mission in jeopardy by abandoning the Arbiter, you'll have earned a bullet." You said calmly, but authoritatively
"Now sit down on the curb." You ordered as Hex and Mosina watched speechlessly
>"That won't be necessary!" Radom called out from the nearby alley
>You lowered your rifle and smiled
"Just in time." You said as you approached him
>Hammer was visibly fuming 
>"What was all that about...?" Radom asked
"Just a lesson in patience, nothing major." You said
"Right Hammer?"
>The knight replied only by spitting on the ground
>You turned back to Radom with a cheeky grin
"See?"
>Radom took another look at the two of you
>"I've found our way through, let's get a move on, there's not much time." He said, beckoning you all into the alleyway, now lined with several of Safe-Guard's outfit
>"Who are these guys?" Mosina asked as you all passed by them
>"Friends of a friend, I'll explain later." Radom said
>As the rest of the crew made their way down into the sewer passageway, Radom stopped you when the others were out of earshot
>"What happened back there?" He asked you
>You frowned
"Hammer was trying to leave, he wanted to take Hex with him." You explained
"I told him to give you a few more minutes, and he got belligerent." 
>Radom furrowed his brow
>"He doesn't have the best attitude, does he?"
>You shook your head
"He's dangerous, Radom. Real big chip on his shoulder and it's going to get us in trouble if it doesn't get taken care of soon." You said
>Radom sighed, planting his face in his hoof
>"I'll talk to him later. But in the future, I'd ask that you not use force to solve such a situation. If he's going to be this way, it might be better just to let him leave."
>You shrugged
"This is your operation, if that's your call, I'll follow it." You said
>He gave you a weary smile, glad that you were letting him maintain the lead this time
>"Thanks Anon." He said
>With a nod, you descended the ladder into the sewer
"But if he gets uppity with me again, he's getting the butt of my rifle across his head." You said
>With a roll of his eyes, Radom followed you into the depths
>"Looks like Safe-Guard might just get some more practice with the head wound thing..."
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


>As the manhole lid ground against the pavement, sunlight nearly blinded you 
>Radom's shortcut through the sewer system should have taken you almost directly to the mayoral mansion
>"See anything?" Mosina called up from under you
"I haven't looked yet, give me a second!" You replied
>You heave the cover off completely, and hoist your self up the ladder
>As your head pokes up into the street, you see the same busy scenery as before as you scan the area for the Mayoral Mansion
>"Hey! Get out of the way!" A voice shouts, catching your attention to the taxi speeding right toward you
>You curse as you duck back down into the hole, the taxi running harmlessly over the hole
>You poke back up in time to catch sight of them again
"Watch where you're going asshole! We're spelunking here!" You shout at the driver, climbing out of the sewer
"Alright guys, come on, out of the hole." You call down to your group
>One by one they emerge from the hole as you take to blocking the traffic
>Much to the dismay and annoyance of the ever busy city folk
>Once the last of your company joined you on the surface, you cleared the street to the jeers of the now congested roadway
>Impatient bunch, aren't they?" Hex asked
>"Not even Canterlot is this bad."
"It's been years since I've lived in a city like this, don't miss it one bit to be honest." You said, still scanning the area for the  mansion
"Anyone see the big house?" You ask, giving up
>Mosina looks around, her eyes popping open almost immediately
>"Anon, it's right there." She said, pointing off down the street
>You look, but don't see what she's trying to show you
>From your point of view, it looked like she was pointing at a decrepit looking building, practically being consumed by the street around it, covered in overgrown weeds pushing through the cracks of the sidewalk and trash littered by passersby
"What, behind the run down looking crack house?"
>She hits you on the chest
>"Anon!"
>You looked from the house, and back to her several times
"Seriously? THAT'S the mansion?" You ask
>"They haven't exactly had the budget to spare since this whole mess began." Radom clarified
>"But yeah, that's it."
>You cocked your brow at the sorry sight
"Back where I came from, the whole country could be falling apart but you'd be damn sure the head honchos would keep their place looking presentable."
>Together, you approach the building, two dark suited ponies stepping out to meet you as soon as you hit the first step
>"State your business." One of them said behind their dark glasses
>Radom stepped forward, standing tall in his armor
>"We represent Princess Twilight Sparkle, we're here to speak to the mayor."
>The two agents eye him
>"I've never seen armor like that before, you don't look like any guardsman I've ever seen." One of them said
>"I'm not a guardsman, I'm the Arbiter." Radom replied
>"Now let us in, we have urgent business with the mayor."
>Suddenly, the doors to the mansion burst open, a fat, jovial looking pony in a fine, regal looking suit waddled forth
>"You idiots! Don't keep them out in the street!" He commanded as the agents stepped aside, allowing you and your company to walk inside
>The regal looking pony bowed as the doors shut behind you
>"My lords, ladies, I'm so glad to see well. I trust your journey was safe?" He asked
>You barely stifled a snicker
>"Well enough." Radom answered
>"And you are...?"
>The pony chuckled nervously, shaking his head
>"Dear me, I've forgotten my manners. Mayor Quill at your service!" The mayor said, holding out a hoof toward Radom
>"Radom." He replied, taking the mayor's hoof
>"It's a pleasure to meet you and your company, oh the excitement we've had since we heard we'd be visited by an Arbiter! Never in my life did I expect such an honor." The mayor said
>Hammer snorted audibly
>"Gesundheit," The mayor said, not missing a beat
>"Now if you'll all follow me we can-" 
>Suddenly the door were thrown open again
>"Hey! You can't go in there!" The agents called after the group of ponies who'd just burst in
>"Mayor Quill," the lead pony said, her red armor clanking and her gold cloak flowing behind her, her lavender mane cut short in a militaristic fashion
>"I am Captain Grim of the Republican Guard. My men and I would have an audience with you." 
>Your company looked on in shock
>The Republican Guard wasn't supposed to be here, not yet anyway...
>The mayor however didn't look quite so surprised
>"Ah, excellent, now that you're all here I won't have to give the presentation twice!" He said, relief in his voice
>Radom glared at the mayor
>"Sir, what's the meaning of this?" He asked
>Captain Grim looked surprised as well
>"Yes, who are these ponies and...ape?" She asked
>You blew her a raspberry in response
>"I know this must be terribly confusing for all of you, so I'll make this simple," Quill explained
>"You see, with the turmoil in Canterlot recently, I wasn't quite sure who would be more effective at sorting out this problem in my fair city, so I requested the assistance of both the conflicting parties." 
>Radom and Grim eyed each other curiously
>"You don't honestly expect us to work with these...imperialists do you?" Grim asked indignantly
>"I'm not fond of working with traitors myself." Radom shot back
>"Well that's fine, because what I'm proposing will suit your attitudes just as well." Quill said cheerfully
>"Whichever of you can sort out this pesky rebellion of mine will earn this cities' loyalty." He announced
>"With that in mind, I expect all of you to do nothing short of your best work, a little competition is a fine bit of insurance for me, don't you think?" 
>Your group and the Republican Guardsmen stare at each other, the tension slowly building
>This could get ugly...
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>You and Radom lagged behind the others as the briefing came to an end and you walked through the halls of the mansion
>Quill had laid out his version of the situation at hand, outlining the details he felt would best help you accomplish your mission
>Luckily, Mosina and Hex were there to soak up all the information like sponges, because the rest of you were too busy exchanging dirty looks with the Republican Guardsmen sitting across the table from you
>Except for Captain Grim that is, who kept her focused, steely gaze on the mayor's presentation the whole time, not taking so much as a glance at you or your group
>Now that the meeting was over, the mayor's staff had taken to showing you all to your quarters for the duration of your stay
>"I don't like this." Radom said
>"The fact that the mayor would even consider supporting the usurpers is treason."
>You shrugged
"Yeah well, look at it from his perspective. He's got a duty to this city and it's people, he doesn't necessarily want to throw in his lot with the weaker side."
>Radom paused
>"And we're the weaker side?"
>You sighed
"No, I'm just saying he doesn't know which side would best serve his people yet."
>Radom shook his head and resumed following you
>"Does that really matter? Every official has a duty to uphold the crown, every official oath in Equestria acknowledges loyalty to the Princesses first." 
>You shrugged
"Welcome to politics, bud. Sometimes rules get bent a bit under extenuating circumstances." 
>Radom frowned
>"At any rate, when the situation has stabilized I'll be bringing charges against the mayor for this." He said
>You chuckled
"Don't let him hear you say that, otherwise he may just hand over the city to the Republican Guard right now."
>"That's another thing, what the hell are we supposed to do about them? You really expect them to play nice?" Radom asked
>"I think you should worry a little less about us, and more about the task at hand, Arbiter." Grim's voice replied from behind you
>You and Radom stopped in your tracks and turned to meet her
>"Maybe if your tyrants followed that same advice they wouldn't be hiding like the cowardly rats they are." She continued
>"Strong words coming from a backstabbing traitor." Radom replied
>Grim chuckled, flanked by two of her Guards
>"You're fond of that word, aren't you? A traitor to whom, may I ask?" She asked
>"To all of Equestria. You broke your oath, deposed the rightful rule of the land." Radom said
>Grim yawned, rolling her eyes at Radom
>"Rightful rule? By what right do a few self-proclaimed "princesses" have to rule over us all? Without the consent of the ponies they claim to rule, they are nothing more than tyrants depriving us all of our right to self determination." 
"You know, coming from a place that ran things exactly like you're trying to, I can assure you that happens no matter how the government is chosen."
>Grim glares daggers at you
>"Nopony cares about your backward jungle country, ape." She spat
>"Ponies are honorable, they do not betray their own in such ways."
>"Kind of like how you're not betraying the Princesses, right?" Radom asked, a cocky grin on his face
>Grim stomped up to Radom, their faces almost touching
>"You are nothing but a lapdog of the oppressors. Were it not for the mayor's request that we stay our hooves in his home, we would deal with you and your imperialist lackeys as you rightfully deserve."
>"I'd like to see you try." Radom said, not flinching away from her
>Grim eyed him up and down, before slowly backing off
>"Be careful what you wish for, Arbiter." She warned
>"Bad things happen in the rebel controlled parts of this city."
>"We've handled worse, maybe you should be more concerned about your own men, I've got full faith in mine." Radom said
>With a grimace, Grim motioned for her guards to follow her as they took off in the other direction
"She's a nice gal, isn't she?" You asked
>"Yeah," Radom replied
>"a real peach."
"I wonder if she was serious, you know, waiting for us to head out over the wall to take a crack at us." You mused
>"If I play our cards right, we'll barely even need to, if at all." Radom said
>You cocked your brow at him
"Awfully confident there. I take it you've got a plan then?" You asked
>Radom simply smirked
>"Lets just say that sometimes it pays to have friends in "low" places..."
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


>The night air nips at your face as you stare out at the wall dividing the two halves of the city, one side well lit, the other in darkness
>You shudder and turn to rejoin Radom and Hex in your perch, a dilapidated apartment with its face almost entirely collapsed,allowing you to view almost the whole of the city from the upper floors
"Got anything yet?" You ask as you pass by Radom
>Furrowing his brow behind his binoculars, he only grunts in response
>His eyes followed small torch lights moving in the distance, patrols presumably
>Nothing special
>For the third night in a row
>The three of you had been in this room for days, waiting patiently 
>But your food supplies were beginning to run low, and even after all this time you hadn't seen anything notable worth recording
>Putting down the binoculars, Radom sighed
>"This is going nowhere," he said
>"I think we need a new plan."
>Hex looked at him disappointed
>"What about your contact? Didn't he say to wait here?"
>Radom nodded
>"He did, but it's been days. Whatever plan he had, I don't think it's coming together." He replied
"Let me take a shift, you get some rest." You offer, extending a hand for the binoculars
>With a defeated smile, Radom hands them to you, rubbing his eyes as you trade places
>"Let me know immediately if you see something, alright?" He asked
"You. Sleep." You said, shooing him away
>Rolling his eyes, Radom walked further back into the bombed out room, passing Hex who was once again buried in her book
>He laid down on his small cot with a groan of frustration, pulling Hex out of her trance
>"So, I've got some good news!" She said
>"Yeah?" Radom replied
>Hex nodded
>"I may have found a way to break that memory inhibitor spell."
>"Oh?" He asked
>"So what's the bad news?"
>Hex frowned at him
>"What makes you think there's bad news?"
>Radom lifted his head up, cocking his brow at her
>"There's always bad news these days." He said
>Hex looked back into her book
>"Well...I guess there could be a chance that whoever implanted the inhibitor could have also implemented a counter spell for anyone who tries to break it." She admitted
>"What sort of counter spell?" Radom asked
>Hex shrugged
>"Oh, you know, head exploding, immolation, transformation...pretty standard stuff."
>Radom rolled his eyes
>"Fantastic."
>Hex chuckled nervously
>"Heh...I'll uh...I'll keep on looking, see if the risks can't be minimized."
>Radom sighed and rolled over, shutting his eyes
>All at once, the lack of rest hit him like a truck, and he quickly fell asleep
>Once again, he found himself standing outside the room of Representative 
>Pushing the door open, he flicked the switch on the wall, the lights still not working
>Again, he crept toward the bed where the politician slept soundly
>Radom stood over him for a moment, looking around the room before setting his eyes back on Path Finder...
>...and producing his hoof blade
"Radom, wake up! Wake up!" You said, shaking your nephew as he tossed and turned in his cot
>"...Ernh...uhh....w-what?" He asked, opening his eyes slowly
"You were dreaming...loudly..."
>Radom's eyes went wide
>"Loudly...?" He asked
>You rubbed the back of your neck and cleared your throat
"Pretty much, um, screaming."
>Radom buried his face in his hooves
"Definitely got some attention, we've got a patrol headed this way." You explained
>Radom looked at you, worried, and shot out of his cot, rushing out to the perch and picking up the binoculars
>Sure enough, the torch lights of a large patrol heading their way, about two blocks down the road
"So what's the plan?" You ask him
>Radom frowned
>"Where the hell is Safe Guard..." He thought out loud
"You know, they don't necessarily know we're in here...maybe if we-"
>Suddenly, through the binoculars, Radom saw the patrol suddenly swarmed, red armor glinting in the moonlight
>"Shit!" He said under his breath
"What's going on down there?" You asked, straining to see what was happening
>"The Republican Guard is attacking the patrol." Radom explained
"So...we going down there?"
>The manhole covers in the street suddenly ripped out of their place, more combatants emerging from underneath the streets
>"Safe Guard's guys are down there!" Radom said, throwing down the binoculars and rushing for the door
"Hex we're moving!" You shouted, grabbing your rifle
>Hex fumbled with her book, stumbling as she took off after the two of you
>The three of you burst out into the street, sprinting toward the action
>As Radom and Hex pushed forward, you ducked into a side alley and loaded your rifle
>You noticed a fire escape leading upward, and hatched an idea
>Radom and Hex sprinted closer, Radom unlocking his hoof blades and lunging onto the first Republican Guard he could find, tackling them to the ground
>Hex's horn shined as she unleashed a powerful burst of magical energy, flinging another into a nearby wall
>Radom's hoof blades locked with the spear of one of the Guards, snapping the shaft in half with a swift motion and slashing him across the face
>As his opponent fell to the ground, Radom noticed one of Safe Guard's men about to be overcome by the relentless onslaught of another Republican Guard
>He rushed into the fray, drawing confused looks from the rebel patrolmen as he cut a swath through the red armored enemy
>He pounced on the back of the Guard, bringing him down to the ground and bashing his helmeted head against the pavement, knocking him unconscious
>Standing up to catch his breath, Radom heard a shot ring out from overhead, the bullet whizzing by him
>He turned around in time to see another Guard fall, only two or so feet away
>He looked up to the roof above as you gave him a thumbs up and took aim at another target
>Down below, you saw another wave of red armored guardsmen approaching from the alleyway
>You propped up your rifle and lined your sights on the what you could only assume was the commanding officer
>Your shot rang out through the night air, and he dropped to the ground like a sack of potatoes
>The approaching wave began stumbling over itself as they panicked without their leader
>You took three more shots, emptying your magazine and taking down three more guardsmen
>Smirking as you watched them retreat, you reach into your ammo pouch for another stripper clip
>In your peripheral vision, you notice movement down the street
>Your eyes widen as you see another wave of Republican Guard approaching
"Christ...how many did they send?" You mutter to yourself as you reload
>Taking aim at the leaders of the pack, you quickly down another five officers
>As you looked around the scene, you could see more approaching from every angle
>You and the others were surrounded...
>Radom and Hex stood back to back, fending off charging enemies as best they could, but tiring under the ceaseless onslaught
>The rebel patrol had been all but wiped out, and Safe-Guard's men were not going to hold out much longer either
>It seemed as though Eclipse ordered what amounted to a small army to come to the party
>No doubt a little extra assurance that no matter who the mayor chose, the new regime would see Fillydelphia taken under their rule
>Ducking the clumsy attack of another Guardsmen, Radom jammed his blades into the gaps of his armor, allowing him to fall to the ground
>About ten feet away, he spotted Captain Grim, cleaving through what remained of the rebel patrol and Safe-Guard's troops
>Taking flight, Radom dove into her before she could react, rolling on the ground and regaining his footing as she struggled to get back to her feet
>She was panting hard, already wounded, but a fire burning in her eyes that said she wasn't ready to quit
>"I knew you'd be working with these rebels! You want them to take the city!" She cried
>"Looks to me like you're the only one who brought an army here, Grim." Radom replied, taking a defensive stance
>Captain Grim smirked, gesturing to the scene around them
>"Quantity has a quality all it's own." She said
>"And luckily, the mayor saw fit to allow entry to our forces. He knows which side will win this war."
>At that moment, Radom realized how quiet it had become
>Republican Guards surrounded them completely, only a handful of the rebel patrol and Safe-Guard's men remaining
>Hex looked too exhausted to continue, sucking wind as she fell back to join the small defensive circle of survivors that had formed 
>"Surrender, Arbiter." Grim demanded
>"There's a cozy cell back in Canterlot waiting for you, one I'm sure you're familiar with by now." 
>With a bang and a whistling sound, a bright red light suddenly appeared overhead, illuminating the area as it flew higher and higher
>And as quickly as it had come, it was gone
>Everyone on the street level stood staring at it, confused...
>...until the faint sound of flapping wings could be heard in the distance
>It happened like a lightning strike, blackened figures raining down from the sky swarmed the Republican Guard on all sides
>Near deafening screeches disoriented them as they were cut down in droves by the unknown force
>Their ranks broke, and the Guardsmen were in full retreat, still being hounded by the shadowy assailants
>Captain Grim now found the tables had been turned, and she herself surrounded
>Unsure of what had just happened, but not to let the opportunity slip away, Radom quickly knocked her blade away and held his hoof blades to Grim's throat
>"I think I'll stay on the outside a little longer, it suits me." He said as the remaining rebels cheered 
>Radom grinned as he saw you emerge from the alleyway
>"Anon, do you mind explaining what...just..." He trailed off as he noticed the ponies figures behind you, their blue and green eyes shining in the moonlight
>One, a black maned mare, looking rather amused at the whole spectacle around them while still maintaining a stance of solid confidence
>The other, a rather shaky stallion, appearing to be more on edge than the ponies who'd just spent the last ten minutes fighting for their lives
>With a cocky smile, you extended your arms to gesture to them
"Just called in a favor."
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>In the subterranean labyrinth of Safe-Guard's base of operations, ponies ran about wildly, rushing supplies from one room to another as the wounded kept on being rolled in
>Moans of agony filled the halls, echoing and carrying throughout the complex
>But Radom could barely hear it, he was lost in his own thoughts
>The events of the previous night kept replaying in his head
>What happened out there?
>Why hadn't he been able to prevent it?
>What would have happened if those strangers hadn't been there?
>Anon and his apparent allies were off somewhere else in the complex, doing what, Radom didn't know
>He had been doing what he could to help with the treatment of the wounded almost ceaselessly
>It was only after being forced to take a break for rest that he ended up sitting in the barracks, unable to sleep
>A knock at the door ripped him out of his trance
>"Come in." He said, still staring up at the ceiling
>The door cracked and Mosina poked her head in, a troubled smile on her face
>"You alright in here?" She asked
>"Yeah." Radom replied flatly, still not shifting in the slightest
>Mosina's smile faded, replaced with greater concern
>Stepping into the room, she takes a seat as the foot of Radom's cot
>"I've seen you running around here like a madpony and now you're sitting here in the dark all by yourself. Are you feeling alright?" She asked
>"I'm fine." He said sharply, becoming more agitated.
>Mosina looked at him questioningly
>"You don't sound fine, don't look like it either. I've never seen you so stressed...not even at your trial." She said
>Radom closed his eyes and sighed, covering his face with his hooves
>Mosina scooted closer, laying a hoof on his leg
>"Radom, tell me what's wrong, please?"
>He knew she wouldn't let it be, leave him to stew in his emotions
>She never did, not during his childhood, and not now
>"I just...I don't know what came over me, rushing to battle like that." Radom said
>"I didn't make sure it wasn't an ambush, I could have gotten Hex and Anon killed, and-"
>Mosina put her hoof to his lips, an understanding smile on her face
>"You feel guilty, it's natural. But you saved those other ponies down there. If you hadn't done what you did, it would have been a massacre." She explained
>"More like if it weren't for Anon's friends..." Radom sighed
>Mosina frowned
>"Mirage and Aux are your friends too, Radom. We're all in this together. You gave them the time they needed to get into position to make their attack possible." She said
>"This isn't some sort of competition of who can claim the most glory, it's a team effort, and we all play our part."
>Radom opened his glassy eyes, staring into hers, forcing a weak smile
>"How'd you get to be so smart?"
>"Pffff, this is just experience talking." She replied
>Radom sat up with a groan, rubbing his weary eyes
>"You didn't come here just to check up on me..." He said
>"Anon wanted to speak to you, he's tied up in the council chamber with the others. They didn't want to proceed without you." Mosina explained
>"But he didn't send me, I'm allowed to care about my nephew, you know." 
>She smiled and gave Radom a hug before bounding off the cot and heading for the door
>"We'll be waiting for you." She called back before rounding the corner, disappearing from sight
>Radom stared at the door, summoning the strength to stand up
>As he passed through the doorway, two nurses almost immediately plowed into him, carrying bundles of medical supplies as they rushed to and fro
>The compound must still be busier than he thought
>Hugging the wall as closely as he could to make room, Radom made his way to the council chambers
>As he passed them, ponies in the halls gave him small nods 
>But one sight stopped him
>A wounded rebel, much of their head wrapped in bandages, spotted him and struggled to stand at attention, offering as good a salute as they could
>"Thank you for the assistance, sir." He said, one eye peering out from beneath the tightly wound gauze
>"Not sure I would have made it out alive if you hadn't been there."
>Radom was unsure of what to say
>After all, he wasn't on the rebel's side necessarily, even though this one clearly thought so
>"Don't mention it..." Radom said, continuing on his way
>The rebel hobbled after him
>"We knew the crowns would send help soon, we just knew it!" He said
>"We've been trying to get a message to the princesses for so long, I guess one of them finally got through!" 
>Radom looked at him questioningly
>"You have?"
>The rebel nodded
>"Of course! We knew only the royal army could save our city. We've done as much as we can but everypony is getting tired...morale is dropping...but now that you're here victory is within our grasp!" He exclaimed
>"The name's Cliff, by the way." He said, extending a hoof 
>Radom gave it a shake, eliciting a small wince from Cliff 
>"Radom." 
>With a slight shake to ward off the pain, Cliff continued
>"At any rate, it's great to know we've finally got official support. The boss is going to be overjoyed when I tell him."
>Radom looked at him curiously
>"You have direct contact with the rebel leadership?"
>Cliff nodded
>"Oh yeah, me and the boss are real close, after that stunt you pulled yesterday I'm putting in a good word for sure."
>Radom thought for a moment
>"Why don't you come with me...Cliff was it? There's some ponies I'd like you to meet."
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


>Covered in bandages, and wielding makeshift banners fashioned from some old towels bearing crude recreations of the rebel insignia, the raggedy rebel patrol leads you and your companions through the ruined streets of their half of Fillydelphia
>Cliff had insisted on the banners, so as not to be attacked while approaching the gate
>He had also promised you all an audience with the one he called only "The Boss"
>He seemed to be genuine in his promises, but to err of the side of caution you had deigned not to come unarmed
>After all, these were the rebels you had initially been intending to subdue, you couldn't count on their cooperation just yet
>Onlookers, those caught behind the wall when it was put up to separate the rebel holdings from the rest of the city whisper and watch as you are led through the streets
>Beside you, Mirage and Aux look around curiously
>"It's been so long since I was last here..." Mirage mused
>"To see it like this...it is a tragedy."
>Mosina nodded
>"It really is, there's no telling how much has really been lost. Much of the Old City has been destroyed. So much history gone..." she said
>"It'll be rebuilt." Radom replied
>"Yeah but that's not the same really." Hex added
>Radom shrugged
>"No use crying over spilled milk, all we can do is rebuild and move on."
>"Here, here." Hammer said.
>At the end of the block sat what appeared to be a gate, flanked by guard towers built out of debris
>"That's the gate to the compound." Cliff said
>"Once we get inside I'll take you to the boss."
"That simple? They'll just let us walk right in?" You ask
>Cliff waved a hoof dismissively
>"Oh sure, no worries. You're with us, they'll assume you're cool." He assured your crew
>As you approached the gate, the guard in the tower eyed you suspiciously
>"Halt!" He cried
>"Who goes there?"
>Cliff looked to Radom, urging him to speak
>Clearing his throat, Radom stepped to the front of the group
>"My name is Radom, Arbiter of the Princesses."
>The guard paused for a moment
>"Who are the other ones?"
>Radom looked around at the rest of you, shrugging
>"These are my companions, as well as several of your own patrolmen. We've come to seek an audience with your leader." Radom said
>Another brief pause
>"Are those our banners?" He asked
>"They're supposed to be, the real ones were lost in battle." Radom explained
>"You're using towels with soot to draw a picture!" The guard called back
>Radom glared at Cliff, turning back to the guard
>"So?" He asked frustratedly
>"So you expect us to just take your word for it then with your half assed towel flags?" The guard questioned
>"We have your men with us!" Radom protested
>"We don't know that!" The guard countered
>Radom groaned
>"Cliff would you please say something?" He pleaded
>Cliff stepped forward
>"Guys! It's me, Cliff! Open the gate!"
>Another pause
>"How do I know that?" The guard replied
>"I'm wearing our uniform!" Cliff shouted
>Another guard suddenly appeared in the opposite tower
>"They could be a changeling you know."
>The group collectively groaned in frustration
>"OPEN THE GATE YOU MORONS." A powerful voice called from behind the gate
>Suddenly, the sound of grating metal screeched through the air as it parted, revealing the inside of the rebel compound, and a towering minotaur standing before it
>"Forgive my guards, they're new." He said, his voice much friendlier than before
>"My name is Thunder Hoof. Welcome to my compound."
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________