AN: IMPORTANT! This is semi smut section at first so skip to the second break to re-enter the safe for young audience section.

THESE

BREAKS

ARE

TO

PROTECT

THE

EYES

OF

THE

YOUNG

AND

INNOCENT.

"Wakey wakey Flare." I can hear somepony whispering in my ear.

"Huh. What's going on?" I ask. I realize I am restrained in a bed and ask. "Why am I restrained, and who are you?"

"Oh Flare, don't tell me you don't recognize my voice."

"TWILIGHT?!" I ask loudly. "What is going on here?"

"Well, let me show you." She says as her horn lights several candles around the bed and I see that I am in her room, which now has totally black walls and ceiling. There are leather bands holding me down. The most impressive thing is Twilight herself. She is wearing sexy socks, panties, and other black leather wear. Needless to say, I am speechless.

"Uh... uh... uh...uh..."

"Think before you speak Flare. I told you I was going to give you the special tour, and that includes a tour of my entire body, inside and out."

I gulp as she advances on top of my body.

'Was that a dream or, nope. that was real.' I think to myself as I wake up beside Twilight, mysterious liquids on the bed. 'Yep, not a virgin any more.'

"Well you held out longer than I had expected for a virgin. Let me tell you, that was the best lay I have had in a long time." Twilight says as she wakes up.

"Well you were the best I had ever had. Which is not really anything since I have never got action." I reply. She slaps my face lightly with her hoof.

"Hey, if I never came along, would you have ever gotten any, let alone gotten into a relationship?"

"Maybe, if I wasn't killed for real. Maybe move back to New Cloudsdale. But now I wouldn't think of it. I had actually been planning to ask you if you wanted to go on a romantic moonlit hunt or something after dealing with Benny, but i would say that this makes that unnecessary."

"Awww." she sighs and proceeds to kiss me on the cheek. "I would have gladly accepted. For now though, let's try to keep our actions to a minimum outside my room. Never know who could be trying to exploit this."

"Good idea. Let's get cleaned up and see if anypony else is up." I suggest.

Now that we are all seated around a table and about to eat whatever Pon-3 and Hawkens are making, the rest of us have some conversation.

"So was I the only one who couldn't sleep last night?" Rex asked.

"I got a wonderful sleep." I said, "What kept you up?"

"Well, I heard a lot of thumping coming from somewhere that kept me up till at least 1 in the morning."

"I don't know what you were hearing but I was fast asleep." Twilight responds with a slight blush.

"All I know is, I was so tired, I just fell asleep on the couch." Hawkens tells us from the kitchen.

Twilight, Stardust and I laugh at this. A few moments later, Hawkens and Pon-3 bring us some muffins, pancakes, and haybacon strips. Suffice to say it was rather delicious. I thank Pon-3 for allowing us to stay the night and then the group and I head out to the Lucky 38 to speak with Mr. Stable. When we get there, Appletracks is waiting for us outside, go figure.

"Well howdy partner. Are you ready to head on inside?"

"Eeyup. Lead the way."

He does something that opens the plating that covers to doors and I head inside soon after. When we get to the elevator inside, Appletracks stops us and says, "OK, now only Flare is allowed to see the bosspony. He has however comped you the Presidential sweet so y'all can wait in there for Flare."

We all proceed to get in the elevator with no argument considering that we can't really argue against the ruler of the city. Appletracks stops the elevator on Presidential sweet floor and the rest of the gang gets off, leaving Appletracks and I the last ones on. He starts the elevator back up and we get to the top floor where the big pony himself is supposed to be. The door opens and waiting is another Applejack Securitron. Another custom model, this one has a unicorn horn and metal wings.

"Well hello there. You must be the courier that my husband wants to see." She says.

"Yes I am, and you are?" I ask.

"I am one of the Applejack Securitrons, custom model. I am designed after Mr. Stables wife from before the war."

"Works for me. Where can I find the Stallion of the hour?"

"He is in the room to your right and he is waiting for you."

"Thanks." I reply and walk into the room. I see on the bottom level of the room is a giant monitor that is black and white and has a unicorns face on it.

"Hello Flare. Nice see you in one piece. I am glad you came to see me before you went to take your revenge. You see, one of my employees has betrayed me, and I need you to get what he stole from me back. Now, Benny is in the Tops casino and I need you to go deal with him, however you please. Just make sure that I get the platinum chip in the end."

"Will do." I reply and then walk out. 'Well that was weird.'

Appletracks and I take the elevator down and pick up the rest of the group. We all then head to the main floor.

"So what did he want?" Twilight asks.

"He just wants me to go collect the platinum chip from Benny." I reply.

"Seems simple enough."

We now head out of the 38 and walk to the Tops. When we get in through the entrance, we are stopped by a security pony who asks us to hand over all of our weapons. Hawkens manages to conceal his shotguns under his wings but since my wings are considered weapons, the security pony tries to take them, he gets a little more than he bargained for.

"OW!" I yell when he yanks on them since I have refused to take them off. This sparks me since it hurt like a colt-of-a-gun. The guard, now taken aback by my fire, pulls his machine gun on me.

"Flare, calm down. He didn't know that your wings are no longer artificial." Twilight says to me trying to put out my fire.

"Ok." I reply, calming down. I now say to the guard. "Look bud, these wings are half organic now. Ever since I got splashed by pink taint, they have been a part of me. So unless you want to be cremated, I would leave them ALONE!" My fire now raging, I can see that the guard has pissed himself.

"Flare, you're going to get us kicked out." Twilight whispers to me.

"Sorry, I just hate it when people do something bad to my wings. They're my only reminder of home."

"It's ok. Besides, were here to get Benny, not some lowly guard."

This comment gets me back on track. After I give the rest of my weapons to the guards, I walk into the casino floor with purpose. I see Benny over at one of the corners. Noticing this, I practically run at him. He sees me coming and the look on his face is even more priceless than that of the Will's. His eyes go wide when he sees my entourage. This puts a smile on my face. I knock two of the guards away with mt grapples and the use them to pin him against the wall with one over his heart, ready to pierce, and the other against his neck, ready to slice.

"Look kiddo, no reason to overreact now is there?" He asks with desperation in his voice. "We're all sensible creatures, are we not?"

"Normally this is true Benny." I respond. "But seeing as you SHOT ME IN THE BUCKING HEAD, I think your sensibility is null and void."

"Well if sensibility is not working, then take a look at the odds here. I have one bodyguard for each of you, add to that they're packing machine guns, I believed we can reach some sort of an agreement."Benny counters. I look around and see that each of his bodyguards is pointing a 12.7 mm machine gun at me. "How about you meet me in the presidential suit and ill tell you everything. Here, this key will activate the elevator to the suit. You and your gang head up and ill be up shortly."

"Fine, just make sure you get up there, or I will find you, and I will you."

I proceed to the elevator and once the whole group is in, I activate it and the elevator takes us to the top floor. When we are all out, the elevator doors close and I can hear the elevator going back down to the main floor. A few moments later, the intercom goes off.

"Sorry bout crossing you again kiddo, but seriously, I would have to be an idiot to go up to meet you."

"That's it. Your a dead pony Benny. YOU HEAR ME!"

"Now that anger of yours is why I am not up there with you. Sorry but i am out of here kiddo. Oh, and stay dead this time would you."

"I wonder what that is supposed to mean?" Stardusts asks.

"Did somebody call the elevator?" I ask

"No, why."

"Nobody here called the elevator. Do you think Benny sent some ponies to be our terminator."

"That's exactly what I think Shiara."

"Well in that case, allow me cut some if them a new face."

"Be my guest." I reply.

Shiara proceeds to jump up to the wall above the elevator with her machete in her mouth.

"Does she have invisible wings or something?" Hawkens asks.

"Shes a ninja remember." I say right before the elevator door opens and 10 ponies with silenced pistols and switchblades storm out. Shiara manages to cut 3 of their heads off as they leave. One of the remaining ones comes after me and shoots my wing, drawing a blood/oil mixture. This causes me to become a fireball and incinerate him. I look around and I see that Hawkens claws are bloody with guts. Twilight had zapped two of the assassins and Shiara had cleaved another 3.

"That's it. Im going after Benny NOW!" I yell.

"Wait a second. He's probably long gone."Twilight says.

"Then we check his suite." I say before storming into the elevator.

My fire dies down to a simmer as we get to the main floor. I check my E.F.S. to make sure that Benny didn't have any more traps for me. I don't see any but I do see an arrow pointing towards the back of the hotel. I follow where the arrow is pointing and it leads towards an elevator. We all get in the elevator and it takes us to one of the higher floors. My E.F.S. is now pointing towards somewhere further through a hallway. Following it leads me to Bennys suites doors. We all go in and I immediately go as far back as possible. I end up facing an open doorway with a securitron on the other side. It has a smiley face instead of the normal securitron face. It sees me, rolls up to me, and says, "Heeeeellooooooo! My name is Yes Stallion. How can I help you today?"

"Umm. I'm looking for Benny. Do you know where he is?" I ask.

"Oh he ran through here a few minutes ago. He seemed like he was in a big hurry to get to Fortification Hill.

"Thanks. You were oddly forthcoming with that information."

"That's how Benny programmed me. To be 100% complacent with anypony."

"In that case, what is Benny planning to do with the Platinum Chip?" I ask, the rest of the group now with me.

"He was going to reawaken Mr. Stables army if securitrons that are down there, and use them ti take over the strip, after replacing Mr. Stable with me."

"And how would one do that?" I ask because I would rather see the middle ground a free place or at least similar to new equestria.

"Well, one would need the Platinum Chip, seeing as its a data transfer device. After you get it, you would need ti get into the 38 to remove Mr. Stable from his seat of power. After he is out of the way, i would transfer my neuro-computational matrix into the Chip, and upload it to the mainframe."

"Well I have already been in the 38."

"Wonderful. That makes things twice as easy. Benny was always plotting about how he was going to get in there. Now all you would need is the Chip. To bad Benny tried to take it to Fortification Hill. That's where the LOZ is stationed."

"Wonderful, just wonderful. Well, thanks for the info." I say before walking out. After a minute or two more, we are outside of the tops. A zebra in a very fancy prewar outfit walks up to me and says.

"The Caesar wants to extend to you his greetings and formally invite you to his current encampment in Fortification Hill. He offers you this emblem to show that you are not to be harmed. He also wishes to pass on that the one known as Benny is now his captive, and wishes to offer him as a gift to you."

"Thanks. How do I get to Fortification Hill?

"Just go to Cottontail Wood Cove. Ill mark it on your Pip-Buck.". He marks the cove and then walks away. A few moments later, a NCR pony comes to me and hooves me a note.

"It's from the General. He wants to meet with you. Enclosed is a pass and a symbol of good will."

"Um thanks." I reply as he trots away. When he is gone, I say, "Look, no matter how much I don't like it, we have to go to the LOZ headquarters and get Benny."

"If we do, promise me that we will kill the next group of LOZ we meet after this." Hawkens replies.

"I never thought you would ask." I reply.

We set back towards the Ultra Luxe. We go to the roof to get Pon-3's Skycarriage. When we get there, I see that it looks awesome. It has a two pony hitch, reinforced walls, floor, and ceiling, along with 4 windows on each wall. Inside the carriage is what impresses me the most, it has a New Equestrian Solar Power Core. They are some of the most expensive Power Cores made. Since they can actually generate an antigravitational magic for emergencies. Hawkens and I hook ourselves in as Twilight, Stardust, and Shiara get in the carriage. When they are in and the door secured, Hawkens and I take off. When we leave, a hole opens in magic barrier surrounding the city in the sky, allowing us to leave. We fly down to the Silver Rush and I go in with Twilight. The owner recognizes us and waves to a pony in the back. He comes out a few moments later with the new scope for my rifle. Twilight hands the owner some caps and we leave to the carriage. I hook back in and Twilight gets back in. We take off and fly south at top speed. In two hours, we pass over Novac. Another hour later, we pass over the Colterado River. We follow it south and a few minutes later, I spot an encampment on the shore. We take the Skycarraige down near the entrance to the encampment, which is near an overlook. I leave Stardust and Hawkens to guard it since Hawkens would not do well in the encampment and Stardust should be able to keep him in check. When I enter the Cottontail Wood Cove, I am stopped by two members if the LOZ. I show them the emblem that I was given and they let me through with a look of shock. After we get through the bulk of the camp, we reach a dock where a legionary is waiting for us.

"Are you ready to go to Fortification Hill?" He asks us.

"As ready as I will ever be." I respond.

"The trip will take a while so make yourselves comfortable."

After a 5 hour trip, we finally reach Fortification Hill. It looks like a primitively set up fortress, but with all the legionaries at the place, it doesnt need to be very fortified. We get strange looks as we go on through the place but Shiara is looked at much differently. After a few minutes of walking, we get to the top of the hill, where the Caesar is stationed. As we are about to enter his tent, we are stopped by one of the Caesars guards.

"I am sorry but only Flare is allowed to see the Caesar."

"Its ok guys. Remember, if push comes to shove, I can spark them out of their bad idea."

They stay behind begrudgingly, especially Shiara. Once inside, I see the Caesar with two guards by his side and 6 guards elsewhere. The Caesar notices me and motions for me to come forward. I do so and he says, "Ah, the pony of the hour. Normally I don't allow for a lowly pony to have an audience with me but you, you are one special case. You are one determined pony, tracking your killer all across the Middle Ground, when you could have just turned the other way. I have a request for you. If you agree I will let you deal with Benny over there however you please."

"What do you have in mind?" I ask after a few moments.

"Well, when Benny here arrived, he had on him this chip." He says holding up the Platinum Chip. "This chip happens to match up to a slot in a Protostable that is under this very hill. Since the door can't be blasted or drilled open, something dangerous must be in it. I want you to go in and destroy whatever it is."

"Deal." I reply. "Where is this Protostable?"

"It's under a structure overlooking the Colterado, less than a minute from here."

"I'll get right to it." I say. He proceeds to hand me the chip and I then leave. Outside, I am joined by Twilight and Shiara, both awaiting my return with worry.

"What did he want?" Twilight asks.

"He wants me to go into Mr. Stable's Protostable and destroy it. The sooner we do, the sooner we can leave, so let's get going." I reply very seriously. I then set off to the structure above the Protostable. When we get inside, we are all given our weapons back.

"You may need them inside, and since you may need to defend yourselves." a Legion zebra inside tells us.

"Thanks." I reply as I equip my rifle.

"Oh, pony, i noticed some parts of your gun were different than even custom models. That gun was taken from a power suit, like the ones those Steel Rangers use." One of the other zebra says to me.

"Interesting." I reply before sticking the Platinum Chip In a terminal. It results in an opening of the ground to reveal a hidden staircase. I walk down the stairs and see the Protostable door. Like all of the Protostables, this one has a door shaped like somponies cutie mark. This one was shaped like a purple shield with a white star in the middle. I stick the chip into a slot in the door and it spits the chip out and opens. Inside is a set of screens that show Mr. Stable.

"You got here sooner than I expected." He says. "I know what the Caesar wants you to do, and I don't want you to do it. What you need to do is go to the last room in here and insert the chip into the computer in that room. That will activate on of the last hopes for keeping the Middle Ground out of anyponies hands."

"And if I don't?" I ask.

"Then you have doomed us all."

I proceed on through the stable and down some stairs. At the bottom of the stairs is a security bot. It shoots a laser out of its head at us and it goes between Twilight and me. Shiara hurls her ceremonial dagger at it. It goes directly into the head and the robot explodes. We continue on through the stable without a word so as not to make more robots aware of our presence. I pull out Spikes Rage with my grapple after putting my rifle on my side.

"Best burn them then have the lasers or pyre just bounce off them." I say quietly. "Use your E.M.P. spell as much as possible."

We continue on throughout the stable and take down machines that want to kill us very quickly. I get a few shots in that melt the insides of the machines. Twilight E.M.P.s some, letting me move in to manually disable them and gather some spell packs. Shiara, being the ninja she is, manages to avoid all the robots attacks while getting in closer and closer to the point where she can just stab them in the head, jump back, and look awesome as they explode. We eventually reach the end of the stable, and seeing as it was a straight shot path, it was easy-ish to get to. I put the Platinum Chip in a terminal on the side of the room. After a few seconds, the entire structure trembles as though an earthquake was occuring at this very moment. After we all regain our hoofing, we walk back through the stable and I notice that in one of the rooms, another area of the stable is visible through window. The room, now lit, is filled with thousands of Securitrons. When we leave, one of the legionaries takes our weapons again.

"Well well well, from the shaking of the ground, you must have decimated that stable." The Caesar comments with a heart chuckle.

"Indeed, now then, I know how I am going to deal with Benny."

"And?"

"I am going to fight him, one on one, to the death. No guns, just him with a machete vs. me and my wings."

"I like your guts. Very well, go tell him and then we will go to the arena."

I walk over to where Benny is tied up.

"Well Benny, isn't this just some sweet sweet irony?"

"Yeah yeah kiddo, just get it over with."

"Hey, I am going to give you a chance at life. You and me in the arena, to the death."

"Now hold up son. Are you for real?" Benny asks in shock. After a few moments, he continues. "I appreciate this one last try for my life."

Now the guards escort the both of us to the arena. It is a pit in the ground with an entrance gate on one side and the edges are surrounded by spiked wood. One of the guards hoofs Benny a Machete.

"I hope you are ready to pay for killing me Benny." I threaten, my fire lighting.

"New tricks wont scare me kiddo. Bring it on." Benny challenges and we both rush at each other.

Benny tries to finish the fight quickly with a slash at my head but I block it with my grapples. I then use my grapples to pick Benny up and throw him across the arena. Benny tries to rise to his hooves but I am at him before he is halfway up. I rip the machete from his mouth with one grapple and throw it on the ground. I pick him up by the neck with another and lift him up above me. He is burned by my rage, literally. I bring him back down to eye level and say to him through closed teeth, "I will make sure the last thing you see is my rage." At this point, I can see true fear in his eyes as I lift my other grapple up. With a smile, I send the grapple through his neck and with the other, I snap it clean off.

"Good riddance."

LEVEL UP- LV.15

Perk Added - Grapple Wizard Rank 3

You now deal an additional 10%(30% overall) damage with your grapples and can lift an additional 10%(30% overall) more.

AN: there is a poll up on my page that determins the end of the next chapter. Please answer it because no matter what happens, stuff gets real. It is just a matter of time. I will update the poll at the end of each and every arch, and going to the damn does not end the story.