(Story extract)

By the time we’d trundled into the long, familiar tunnel leading into the EQUAD facility, we had garnered a large entourage around the tank. Every now and again you could hear some curious Steel Ranger banging a hoof against the steel side, resonating and making the sleeping unicorn wince in pain. Every curious tap and wince from the unicorn picked away at myself – didn’t they know what they were doing? Don’t they care that Minty’s in pain? Don’t they… they… Sugar Rush rested a hoof gently on my shoulder, my vision blurred through tears and eyes stinging. The tank came to a slow stop, the quiet gasps of admiration filling the air as Fringe swung open the forward left door, Nova standing outside with an understandably worried expression.

“Where’s Minty? We can have him taken to the infirmary immediately, and- Minty!” Her frown changed to a wide, hopeful smile as she leapt past Fringe and wrapped her hooves around Sugar Rush’s neck, taking the augmented unicorn mare by surprise. Minty let off a soft groan as Sugar stuttered, Nova starting to let off soft cries, a smile still on her muzzle – oh, this isn’t going to end well. “Y-you had me so worried! When I h-heard that you were injured… but you look fine now! You… you…” Her smile moved back to a frown, tears streaking down her cheeks as she took a better look at the pony she was hugging. Sugar Rush held her up, looking over to where I was standing over Minty.

“I’m sorry. Where’s the infirmary?” Sugar Rush’s magic lifted up the lightly sleeping Minty, Nova moving out of their way as my augmented friend was levitated onto a waiting gurney by his doppleganger. The confused Steel Ranger paladin sputtered, looking towards myself for a moment and then jumping out of the open door of the tank, chasing through the thinning group of power armored ponies who were still admiring the sight of the massive tracked vehicle. Fringe and Nikolai stuck around, the tunnel slowly growing silent as all the onlookers filtered back to their posts. Fringe lit up another cigar, taking a few puffs off of it and looking up at myself as I stood in the open doorway of the tank, resting against the frame and looking at the concrete floor.