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Chapter 22: Damned
第22章:诅咒
Fallout Equestria: Project Horizons
小马国:地平线计划
By Somber
作者:Somber
Chapter 22: Damned
第22章:诅咒
“You’ve got to get into the spirit of things! After all, this is your new home!”
"你必须了解事物的本质！毕竟，这是你的新家!"
“Not anymore.”
"不再是了。"
Death.
死亡。
I’ve seen a lot of it. I’ve seen old death in fields of bones where soldiers were left to decay, or dried-up bodies stuffed in closets for centuries to mummify or rot. New death in the ponies I’ve shot, cut, smashed, or crushed. Casual death, as casual as blowing the head off a raider because she’s a raider. Merciful death in a mare killing herself to escape the agony of dying in a wall. Sudden death in a door crushing a stablemate. Slow death in scavengers dying around Flank. Meaningless death in a mother getting run through for being mistaken for a long-dead mare. And cruel death in a comforting hug that transformed into a deadly embrace.
我见过很多。我曾见过战士们在骨头堆里等待腐烂，或者几个世纪以来尸体被塞在壁橱里变成木乃伊或腐烂。我射杀、割伤、砸碎或碾压过的小马又有新的死亡。随意的死亡，就像因为她是一个突袭者而把她的头轰掉一样随意。慈悲地死在母马杀死自己，以逃避死在墙上的痛苦。突然死在一扇门上，压死了一个同伴。在弗兰克周围死亡的食腐动物慢性死亡。一个被误认为早已死去的母马的母亲毫无意义的死亡。残酷的死亡在一个安慰的拥抱中转变成致命的拥抱。
Through it all, I’ve tried to find a line. I’ve worked to keep to a standard. Struggled up the slippery slope. I’d only kill the bad ponies. I wouldn’t kill the helpless ones. I’d do better. I’d be kind. Be strong. I’d hang in beside my friends. I wouldn’t allow myself to become an executioner.
经历了这一切，我试图找到一条线。我一直努力保持一个标准。在光滑的斜坡上挣扎。我只杀那些坏马。我不会杀那些无助的人。我会做得更好。我会很友善的。要坚强。我会和我的朋友们呆在一起。我不会允许自己成为一个刽子手。
Now I’d returned home. It wasn’t a perfect home. In fact, it was a pretty monstrous one. We’d done horrible things here. All of us. Everypony was complicit. But I took solace in the hope that all it would take was an outsider’s view, a fresh perspective, and the mares of Stable 99 would realize their mistake. They would go out and become a part of the world again. They’d work to make it better.
现在我回家了。这不是一个完美的家。事实上，这是一个相当可怕的错误。我们在这里做了可怕的事情。我们所有人。每个矮种马都是同谋。但是我希望所有的一切都是局外人的观点，一个全新的视角，而稳定99的母马们会意识到他们的错误。他们会走出去，重新成为世界的一部分。他们会努力让它变得更好。
Instead, they’d made it lunch.
相反，他们把它变成了午餐。
The disease Glory had discovered, that the Enclave were developing, that I’d encountered face to face in Tumbleweed and those farmers, had found its way to Stable 99. The Overmare, who I’d assumed dead and gone, had clearly become one of its first victims. Her laughing cackle rose higher and higher over the intercom as she pranced in front of the armored window, her pale legs covered in bites and sores as her bloody red lips curled in glee.
晨辉发现，昂科雷正在发展，我在Tumbleweed面对面遇到的疾病，那些农民，已经找到了通往Stable99的道路。我以为已经死了的Overmare显然已经成为它的第一批受害者之一。当她在装甲窗前蹦蹦跳跳的时候，她的笑声越来越高，她苍白的双腿上布满了咬痕和伤口，血红的嘴唇愉快地卷曲着。
My home had become a nightmare. Stable 99 had a population of five hundred ponies. With one germ, a third of the known population of Hoofington had transformed into a mass of psychopathic killers. Worse, these were physically healthy, armed, organized, and relatively trained psychopaths. And they’d been hitting caravans and villages, no doubt bolstering the stable’s armory with whatever they could take.
我的家变成了一场噩梦。稳定的99号拥有500匹小马。在一个细菌的作用下，Hoofington三分之一的已知人口变成了一群心理变态的杀人狂。更糟糕的是，这些人身体健康，全副武装，组织严密，而且精神病患者相对训练有素。他们一直在袭击商队和村庄，毫无疑问，他们用能带走的任何东西加固了马厩的军械库。
Since I’d stepped out into the Wasteland, I’d struggled to find my virtue. Was it justice? Courage? Perseverance? Idiocy? I’d struggled against the Wasteland so hard that it had become personified in a hallucination that seemed determined to test me and push me towards misery. Perhaps the Dealer wasn’t trying to break me, though. Perhaps he’d been spending all this time trying to get me to accept the truth:
自从我踏入这片荒原，我一直在努力寻找自己的美德。这是正义吗？勇气？坚持不懈？白痴？我与荒原的斗争是如此的艰难，以至于它已经变成了一个人格化的幻觉，似乎决心要考验我，把我推向痛苦。也许商人并不是想击垮我。也许他一直在试图让我接受这个事实:
My virtue is death.
我的美德就是死亡。
And right now? If the Wasteland needed an executioner… then I’d be a fucking executioner.
现在呢？如果荒原需要一个刽子手...那我就是他妈的刽子手。
* * *
* * *
There were no words I could say. No songs I could sing. No refuge from the sight of my mother’s decapitated head spiked in the middle of the atrium as giggling, laughing ponies I’d known my whole life spilled from the hallways leading to the large vaulted chamber. They wore security barding stained black and rust brown from coagulated blood, decorated with spikes and spurs of scrap metal, chopped off hooves, hooks, chains, and other vicious implements and trophies. No escape was offered from the metallic stench and sweet reek of slowly drying blood and putrefying flesh.
我说不出话来。没有我能唱的歌。看着母亲被砍下的头颅插在中庭中央，笑着的小马从通往巨大拱形房间的走廊里跑出来，我无处可躲。他们穿着由凝固的血液染成的黑色和锈褐色的保安服，上面装饰着用废金属制成的钉子和马刺，砍下来的蹄子、钩子、链子和其他恶毒的工具和战利品。人们无法逃避金属的恶臭和慢慢干涸的血和腐烂的肉体散发出的甜蜜的臭气。
I had two ten millimeter submachineguns, each holding thirty rounds of twelve gram ammunition per magazine with a firing speed of ten rounds per second. Both came out of my saddlebags as the raiders charged towards me, shrieking in
我有两把10毫米冲锋枪，每个弹匣装三十发十二克弹药，射速每秒10发。两个人都从我的鞍囊里出来，突袭者朝我冲过来，尖叫着冲了进来
delight. The first I saw was Dewdrop. Morning shift, nice and calm and professional pony. Her lips were now smeared with blood as a strip of pony meat dangled out the corner of her mouth. In three seconds, I sent sixty rounds at her and the deluge of ponies behind her.
喜悦。我第一眼看到的是露珠。早班，漂亮，冷静，专业的小马。她的嘴唇现在沾满了鲜血，嘴角挂着一块小马肉。三秒钟之内，我朝她开了六十枪，她身后马群像洪水一样倾泻而下。
Not one dropped.
没有一个掉下来。
Of course not one dropped. My aim was shit, and these weren’t ponies that had been emaciated and weakened by exposure to the Wasteland. These were healthy and robust ponies wearing body armor. They had access to Med-X, Buck, and other controlled substances kept in reserve for an Incident. I ejected the magazines and slammed fresh ones home, then slipped into the calm of S.A.T.S. I could see every inch of Dewdrop’s face, those purple irises and pinprick pupils surrounded by sick, piss-yellow sclera. And in that magical, decelerated sight, I could watch in perfect detail.
当然没有一个人掉下来。我的目标是狗屎，这些不是小马，已经消瘦和削弱了接触荒地。这些是健康强壮的小马，穿着防弹衣。他们可以接触到Med-X，Buck和其他为了应付突发事件而储备的受管制物品。我打开杂志，把新鲜的杂志摔回家，然后溜进s.a.t.s的宁静之中。我能看到露珠脸上的每一寸，那些紫色的虹膜，还有被病态的、尿黄色的巩膜包围着的针刺般的瞳孔。在那神奇的、减速的景象中，我可以看到完美的细节。
Six rounds coated her faceplate in webs of cracks and chips.
六发子弹在她的面板上涂满了裂缝和碎片。
Six more shattered the plate into jagged and broken polymer chunks.
还有六个人把盘子打碎成锯齿状破碎的聚合物碎块。
Six more transformed the face of a mare who could balance three stacked food wafers on her nose into strawberry jelly.
还有六个人把一匹母马的脸变成了草莓果冻，这匹母马可以平衡鼻子上三层食物。
Six more, and I watched as the pulverized remains tumbled from her neck and bounced across my hooves, her body crumpling like a broken toy.
还有六个，我看着粉碎的尸体从她的脖子上滚落下来，反弹到我的蹄子上，她的身体像一个破碎的玩具一样蜷缩着。
Goodbye, Dewdrop.
再见，露珠。
“Blackjack, come back,” Lacunae’s voice whispered urgently in my mind as time returned and I focused the remaining rounds on Shuffle and Primer. Their shotgun blasts slammed into my armor as I raced to the side, flinging away the smoking magazines as two more lifted from my bags and slammed home. More shots beat my plating, shoving me around. I ignored the pain, ignored my friends, and let the rage sweep me along with its own terrible poetry.
"黑杰克，回来,"随着时间的推移，拉库尼的声音在我的脑海中急切地低语，我把剩下的回合集中在《洗牌与启蒙》上。他们的霰弹枪击中了我的盔甲，我冲到一边，扔掉了吸烟杂志，另外两个从我的包里拿出来，砰的一声回家了。更多的枪击击打着我的盘子，把我推来推去。我忽略了痛苦，忽略了我的朋友，让愤怒和它自己可怕的诗歌一起席卷我。
Pony, Pony, rage resound
小马，小马，愤怒回荡
In the stable underground,
在稳定的地下
What immortal horn or hoof
什么不朽的角或蹄
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
能塑造你那可怕的匀称吗？
Primer staggered as the stream of bullets crushed and snapped her forelimbs, but still she came on. Shuffle raced around behind me, blasting at my combat armor. I felt my bones groan in protest as I rose on my hindhooves to meet Primer. Then we met, and I grappled with the mare who’d taught me firearms, her head turning to bring her automatic pistol in line with my face, blue and yellow eyes wide with glee and thrill as the hot, reeking barrel pressed against my cheek.
枪林弹雨把她的前肢打得支离破碎，但她还是来了。拖着脚在我身后跑来跑去，向我的战斗装甲开火。我觉得我的骨头呻吟抗议，因为我站在我的后蹄满足雷蒙德。然后我们相遇了，我和那个曾经教过我武器的母马扭打在一起，她转过头来把自动手枪和我的脸对齐，蓝黄相间的眼睛睁得大大的，眼睛里充满了欢乐和兴奋，因为滚烫、发臭的枪管压在我的脸颊上。
Two SMGs pressed their smoking hot barrels against her ribcage, and without blinking I sent the remainder of the magazines into her chest cavity. She folded against me, her jaw trying to work the automatic to take me with her. I dropped the exhausted SMGs and seized her weapon as life left the pony who taught me to never waste ammunition.
两个冲锋枪把滚烫的枪管压在她的胸腔上，我眼睛都不眨一下，就把剩下的弹夹塞进了她的胸腔。她靠在我身上，她的下巴试图用自动手枪把我带走。我扔下疲惫不堪的冲锋枪，抓住了她的武器，就像生活离开了小马，她教会了我永远不要浪费弹药。
In what fallen city or land
在什么堕落的城市或土地上
Did your spirit break so grand?
你的精神崩溃得这么厉害吗？
How much pain did you endure
你忍受了多少痛苦
To protect and life secure?
为了保护生命安全？
I whirled as Shuffle reloaded her shotgun, the yellow unicorn mare fumbling with her ammo; madness hadn’t robbed her of that. She was always better on the dance floor than on the firing range. Her screaming laughter speckled the inside of her visor with pink globs as I charged in. She ratcheted a round as my magic scooped up Dewdrop’s helmet and flung the bloody-maroon contents across her visor. She shrieked, firing wildly and blindly as she scrabbled to lift her helmet’s face shield with her hooves. She managed to get it up.
当Shuffle重新给她的猎枪上膛时，我旋转着，那匹黄色的独角兽母马正在摸索着她的子弹;疯狂并没有夺走她的子弹。她在舞池中总是比在靶场中表现得更好。当我冲进去的时候，她尖叫的笑声在她的面罩里面点缀着粉红色的球体。当我的魔法铲起露珠的头盔，把血红色的东西扔到她的面罩上时，她发出了一声响。她尖叫着，疯狂而盲目地开枪，同时拼命地用蹄子扒开头盔上的面罩。她设法勃起了。
She stared down the barrel of my gun as I stamped it against her eye and sent the bullet to obliterate a lifetime of amazing dance moves. Primer would have been so proud.
她盯着我的枪管，我用枪抵着她的眼睛，把子弹射出去，抹去了她一生惊人的舞蹈动作。雷蒙一定会很骄傲的。
And what friends and what love
什么朋友，什么爱情
Could lift your heart up above?
是否可以让你的心情高高在上？
And when your tears began to fall,
当你的眼泪开始落下,
What dread sorrow held you in thrall?
是什么可怕的悲伤束缚了你？
My friends were fighting behind me, screaming and shouting my name like distant ghosts beckoning me. More ponies were coming. Friends. Acquaintances. Rivals. Ponies I barely knew or recognized save that we’d once shared a meal at the cafeteria or passed one another in the hallways from time to time. S.A.T.S. recharged, and I slipped into it to put three automatic rounds into the mare that worked the cafeteria on evening shift and always managed to slip in a little more sugar than rations allowed. She staggered and twitched, her eyes widening in an expression of lucid wonder before I blew out her throat in an arterial spray.
我的朋友们在我身后打斗，尖叫着，呼喊着我的名字，就像远处的鬼魂在向我招手。更多的小马驹来了。朋友。熟人。竞争对手。我几乎不认识或认识的小马，除了我们曾经在自助餐厅吃过一顿饭，或者在走廊里时不时地擦肩而过。S.a.t.s补充能量，我溜进去给夜班餐厅工作的母马装了三发自动步枪，总是设法塞进比配给多一点的糖。她摇摇晃晃，抽搐着，眼睛睁得大大的，神情清晰，然后我用动脉喷雾把她的喉咙喷了出来。
More ponies were coming now. They came with mad giggles and jeering cries, their familiar faces stretched into caricatures of the ponies I’d known. They tittered madly through bloody grimaces as they advanced on me from both sides. I felt the distant wet sensation of blood on the inside of my armor; I ignored it. Like I ignored the screams of my friends, the frantic whispering in my mind, or the shuffle of cards within my soul. There were five hundred ponies that needed killing.
现在来了更多的小马。他们带着疯狂的笑声和嘲笑的哭声来到这里，他们熟悉的面孔变成了我认识的小马的漫画。当他们从两边向我推进时，他们在血淋淋的鬼脸中疯狂地傻笑。我感觉到我的盔甲里面有一股远处的血腥味，我没有理会它。就像我忽略了我的朋友们的尖叫声，在我脑海中疯狂的低语声，或者我灵魂中的扑克牌洗牌声。有500匹小马需要宰杀。
What the shotgun? What the flame?
什么猎枪？什么火焰？
In what torment birth your shame?
在何种痛苦中诞生了你的耻辱？
That the rifle? What dread eye
那是步枪吗？多么可怕的眼神
Guides your bullets as they fly?
指导你的子弹飞行？
My friends fought in a knot behind me. Rampage was a one pony stampede, a spiked wrecking ball even in armor a size too large. She was as strong as ten ponies, but she had ten blasting her and ten more shoving back against her armored sides. Lacunae swept the minigun like a magic wand, its tip sending out a line of sparkling death that made the pack surge back and forth in a sick unison while her shimmering shield deflected their shots. Only the occasional explosion announced P-21’s presence as blasts and bursts sent knots of them reeling. But they had potions protected from Enervation by the stable’s shielding, and I watched bloody holes close as they drank and rallied.
我的朋友们在我身后争吵不休。狂暴是一个狂奔的小马，一个刺破破坏球，即使盔甲太大。她有十匹小马那么强壮，但有十匹猛烈撞击着她，还有十匹猛烈撞击着她的装甲侧面。空隙像一根魔杖一样扫过迷你枪，它的尖端发出一道闪闪发光的死亡线，使得整个部队像病态的步调一样前后颠簸，而她闪闪发光的盾牌挡住了他们的射击。只有偶尔的爆炸才能宣告P-21的存在，爆炸和阵发使他们晕头转向。但是他们有魔药，在马厩的保护下，他们不会受到伤害，我看着血淋淋的小洞在他们喝水和恢复健康的过程中越来越近。
Glory flew from balcony to balcony, trying to draw fire up into the air of the atrium as she circled and darted from one side to the other and blasted magical light at everypony who tried to use the higher platforms to fire down at us. I
晨辉从一个阳台飞到另一个阳台，试图把火引到中庭的空气中，她绕着圈子，从一边飞到另一边，向每一个试图使用更高的平台向我们开火的小马发射魔法光。一
wondered if it was easier for her, not knowing that she’d just killed Textbook, the worst teacher in Equestria and the only one that I’d ever known. The one who’d who tried to teach a little filly about a war, ministries, and the mares who ran them.
不知道自己刚刚杀死了Equestria最糟糕的老师，也是我唯一认识的老师Textbook，这对她来说是不是更容易些。那个试图教一只小母马关于战争、事工和管理它们的母马的人。
I felt a stab in my rear left leg and looked down at a filly just old enough to have her cutie mark. She was jabbing a carving knife though a gap in the plates. I looked into her wild diseased eyes, wondering what her name was. What was her job in 99? Who was her mother; was she on evening shift? What did she like? What did she dream of?
我觉得我的左后腿被刺了一刀，低头看着一匹刚刚长到可爱标记的小母马。她正从盘子的缝隙里用刀捅来捅去。我看着她那双狂野而病态的眼睛，不知道她叫什么名字。她在99年的工作是什么？她的母亲是谁;她是上夜班的吗？她喜欢什么？她梦到了什么？
Then I realized that none of that mattered; I brought the dragon claw across her unarmored throat like it was water. She looked down in confusion at her own blood spattering across her forelegs, then she looked at me as her gaze unfocused, the knife slipping from her slack mouth. Yes. That’s your blood, sweetie. And then her eyes half closed as she curled up for an endless nap.
然后我意识到这些都不重要;我把龙爪像水一样划过她没有盔甲的喉咙。她困惑地低头看着自己的血溅在前腿上，然后她看着我，因为她的目光没有聚焦，刀子从她松弛的嘴里滑落下来。是的。那是你的血亲爱的。然后她半闭着眼睛，蜷缩着无休止地打盹。
When your guns and pistols roar
当你的枪和手枪咆哮
And promise doom and death in store
并承诺厄运和死亡在商店里
Do you smile, your work to see?
你笑了吗，你的作品看了吗？
Do you kill, to be set free?
你杀人，是为了获得自由吗？
I was failing. Falling. There were too many in the room, all armed… all armored… all family. They rolled in front of me in a wave, their own S.A.T.S.-guided shots cutting into me like knives as I struggled onwards. My shotgun roared, the barrel now glowing a cherry red. Angles, one of the structural engineers, slammed into me wearing cobbled-together armor from her workshop. The spikes plucked at the holes in my armor as she bit at my throat. I’d cheated off her math homework for years; she’d known. She never hid it. Shoving her back, I plunged my dragon claw into her eye and kept pushing till the back of the socket gave way and the curved tip pushed deep inside her skull.
我失败了。坠落。房间里有太多人，全副武装...全副武装...全家人。他们像波浪一样滚到我面前，他们自己的s.a.t.s.-制导的子弹像刀子一样刺进我的身体，我挣扎着向前。我的猎枪咆哮着，枪管现在发出樱桃红的光。结构工程师之一的安格斯穿着她工作室里拼凑起来的盔甲猛撞我。当她咬住我的喉咙时，尖刺刺穿了我盔甲上的洞。我多年来一直抄她的数学作业，她早就知道。她从不隐瞒。我把她推到背后，用我的龙爪戳进她的眼睛，一直往前推，直到眼窝后面塌了，弯曲的尖端深深地插进了她的头骨。
Thanks for the answers, Angles… With each mare I killed, I killed a little more of myself.
谢谢你的回答，盎格鲁......我杀的每一匹母马，都多杀了我自己一点点。
Pony, Pony, rage resound
小马，小马，愤怒回荡
In the stable underground,
在稳定的地下
What immortal horn or hoof
什么不朽的角或蹄
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?
敢塑造你那可怕的匀称吗？
P-21 slammed into me. I wished I’d made him get some barding too. His sides gleamed with blood from bites, cuts, and kicks, yet he was still on his hooves. Goddesses, he was tough. He’d endured a lifetime of this. He fired Persuasion low, the grenade skipping between my hooves to bounce between the ponies in front of me. The blast knocked a near perfect circle up and out. Some died. Many screamed. But far far more laughed hysterically at the slaughter.
P-21撞了我一下。我希望我也能让他受到一些惩罚。他的身体两侧闪烁着被咬伤、割伤和踢腿留下的血迹，但他的蹄子还在动。女神们，他很坚强。他忍受了一辈子这样的生活。他低低地打了一枪，手榴弹在我的蹄子间跳来跳去，在我面前的小马之间弹来弹去。爆炸产生了一个近乎完美的圆圈。有些人死了。许多人尖叫着。但是更多的人对这场屠杀歇斯底里地大笑。
He pulled out a purple bottle and held it up to me. I stared at it dumbly before I realized it was a healing potion taken off one of the fallen. ‘Is there a plan?’ his eyes begged me. Even with all his hate, even with all his pain, he hadn’t wanted this. Not this.
他拿出一个紫色的瓶子递给我。我默默地看着它，直到我意识到这是从一个堕落者身上取下的治疗药剂。有什么计划吗他的眼睛求我。即使他有那么多的仇恨，即使他有那么多的痛苦，他也不想这样。不是这个。
But there wasn’t a plan. There was nothing at all but blood and death and giggling madness and the mindless fire we returned to it. Simply shoot, and shoot, and shoot...
但是没有一个计划。除了鲜血和死亡，还有傻笑般的疯狂和我们回到它的无意识的火焰，什么都没有。简单的射击，射击，射击..。
And then he was grabbed, his tail yanked as his hooves skittered on the bloody floor, and he was pulled into that mass of raiders, of mares who had used him in the worst possible way. Rampage struggled on three limbs as more and more raiders piled onto her. Lacunae’s shield disappeared in a flash, her minigun turning briefly from firearm to bludgeon before she teleported away.
然后他被抓住了，他的蹄子在血淋淋的地板上飞舞，他的尾巴被猛拉着，他被拉进了那群掠夺者，那些以最糟糕的方式利用他的母马。随着越来越多的袭击者涌向她，狂暴的三肢挣扎着。她的盾牌在一瞬间消失了，她的小枪在瞬间移动之前曾短暂地从火器变成了棍棒。
And then I was falling as half the stable disappeared in red, my legs folding beneath me as an odd numbness spread through my left side and the world sounded like I’d dunked my head under the water in the tub. I wanted to keep shooting. I did. But my magic didn’t seem to know what to do with triggers or the like.
然后我摔倒了，一半的马厩都变成了红色，我的腿蜷缩在下面，一种奇怪的麻木感蔓延到了我的左边，整个世界听起来就像我把头浸在浴缸里的水里。我想继续拍摄。是的。但是我的魔法似乎不知道如何处理触发器之类的东西。
Glory descended, screaming through her tears as she landed atop me, her gray wings spread wide as if to shield me from the world as her beam guns flickered weakly, failing from overuse. I could only lie there, the stable spinning around me as blood poured down my neck. Fly away, Glory… Fly away… Go back to Chapel… please…
晨辉降临了，当她落在我身上的时候，泪流满面地尖叫着，她灰色的翅膀张开着，好像是为了保护我不受这个世界的伤害，因为她的光枪因为过度使用而微弱地闪烁着。我只能躺在那里，血从脖子上流下来，马厩围着我旋转。飞走吧，晨辉...飞走吧...回到教堂...请..。
And then Rivets and Midnight came out of the crowd, and they were screaming and firing and dragging me away to join Mom. I was so tired. The Wasteland wanted to know when it’d broken me?
然后《铆钉》和《午夜》从人群中走了出来，他们尖叫着开枪，把我拖到妈妈身边。我太累了。荒原想知道我是什么时候崩溃的？
Consider me broken.
就当我是个废物吧。
* * *
* * *
“So. Is this it?” Watcher asked me as I lay on a filthy mattress, listening to the rain patter on the roof as I sat in a heap of my own excrement, vomit, blood, and worthlessness. A terminal flickered on the desk with a simple message: >Terminate Power: Y/N? The Dealer calmly, quietly, looked on with tears in his eyes as he slowly shuffled the cards between his hooves. “Are you done?” asked the little bug robot.
"所以。是这个吗?"我躺在肮脏的床垫上，坐在自己的粪便、呕吐物、鲜血和毫无价值的东西堆里，听着雨点拍打屋顶的声音，观察者问我。桌面上闪烁着一个简单的信息:终止电源:y/n？庄家平静地、安静地看着，眼里含着泪水，慢慢地用蹄子洗牌。"你说完了吗?"小虫子机器人问。
“What else is there?” I asked as I lay alone in that room. “I’ve failed.”
"还有什么?"我一个人躺在那个房间里，问道。"我失败了。"
“You think you’re the first?” asked the robot. “You think you’re the worst?”
"你以为你是第一个吗?"机器人问道。"你以为你是最差劲的?"
“No,” I muttered softly. “It’s not a fucking contest, Watcher. I’m tired. I’m tired of evil, fucked-up shit. I’m tired of a world of evil, fucked-up shit where no matter how hard I push there’s something worse to push back. I kill Deus and get a new Project Chimera monster. I try and help the sand dogs and wipe out Riverside. Every step forward I take comes with three steps back.”
"不,"我轻轻地咕哝着。"这不是他妈的比赛，观察者。我累了。我已经厌倦了邪恶的，操蛋的东西。我厌倦了这个充满邪恶、混乱的世界，不管我怎么努力，总会有更糟糕的事情发生。我杀死了上帝，得到了一个新的奇美拉计划怪物。我试图帮助沙漠犬和消灭河边。我每前进一步，就会后退三步。"
“You don’t live for the evil, fucked-up shit, Blackjack. You live for the good parts. You live for the parts that matter,” Watcher told me as he hovered overhead. “Only an idiot lives for the misery.”
"你活着不是为了邪恶的，操蛋的狗屎，Blackjack。你为美好的事物而活。你为重要的部分而活着,"守望者在头顶盘旋时告诉我。"只有傻瓜才会活在痛苦中。"
I closed my eyes, feeling the cold, reeking vomit under my cheek as I curled up a little tighter. “And what if there aren’t any more good parts, Watcher?” I whispered.
我闭上眼睛，感觉到自己蜷缩得更紧一些时，脸颊下面冷冷的、散发着恶臭的呕吐物。"如果没有更好的角色怎么办，守望者?"我低声说。
“Then… you fight like hell to make some,” Watcher replied. “You fight till you’re out of bullets. You fight till your limbs are broken. You fight for your friends. You push and bite and you don’t give up till things are right again. Are things right, Blackjack? Are you happy with how things are right now? Is this it?”
"那么......你拼命挣扎，就是为了赚点钱,"观察者回答说。"你战斗到子弹用完为止。你们战斗到四肢断裂。你为你的朋友而战。你不断地努力，直到一切恢复正常，你才会放弃。一切都好吗，黑杰克？你对现在的情况满意吗？是这个吗?"
I couldn’t answer him. I couldn’t tell him. I couldn’t do anything but look at the
我无法回答他。我不能告诉他。我什么也做不了，只能看着
Dealer as sad tears ran down his cheek and he slowly rose, his worn cards fluttering around his hooves. “I’ll be outside when you’re ready,” he rasped quietly as he walked to the door and stepped out into the rain.
庄家伤心的泪水顺着他的脸颊滑落，他慢慢站起身来，他那些破旧的牌在他的蹄子上飞舞。"等你准备好了，我就在外面等你,"他一边走向门口，一边粗声粗气地说，然后走到雨中。
“Damn it, Blackjack!” Watcher shouted at me as I slowly lifted myself to my hooves. “We need you! P-21 needs you! Rampage needs you! I need you, damn it!” His tinny voice crackled as he fluttered in my face. I felt the chunks of foulness oozing southward. “Fight! We can’t do this without you!”
"该死，黑杰克!"当我慢慢抬起我的蹄子时，守望者冲我喊道。"我们需要你！P-21需要你！狂暴需要你！我需要你，该死的!"当他在我面前抖动时，他那细小的声音噼啪作响。我感觉到大块的污垢向南渗出。"打！我们不能没有你!"
“I can’t fight anymore. All I do is get ponies killed. The list just gets longer and longer,” I said quietly as I walked towards the door. “Time to pay the price…” A pain grew, sharper and sharper as if something were being bored into my skull.
"我不能再战斗了。我只会害死小马。名单越来越长了,"我一边走向门口，一边平静地说。"是时候付出代价了......"一阵疼痛越来越剧烈，就好像有什么东西正在我的脑袋里钻来钻去。
“Damn it, Blackjack! I won’t let you die!” Watcher screamed with Glory’s voice. “I’ll save you… somehow… just like you saved me. I can’t lose you, Blackjack. You’re all I have left.” I clenched my eyes shut as the pain grew and grew until it was all I knew. My whole world was pain.
"该死，黑杰克！我不会让你死的!"守望者用晨辉的声音尖叫起来。"我会救你......无论如何......就像你救我一样。我不能失去你Blackjack。你是我唯一的亲人。"疼痛越来越剧烈，我紧闭双眼，直到我只知道这些。我的整个世界都是痛苦。
* * *
* * *
“Got it!” I heard Midnight’s shaky, triumphant cry as something was pulled from the side of my head. There was a ping as a glowing, bloody bullet was tossed into an empty tin can next to my writhing body.
"知道了!"我听到了子夜的颤抖，胜利的哭声，因为有什么东西从我的头的一边被拉了下来。一颗血红的发光子弹被扔进了一个空罐子里，旁边就是我正在扭动的身体。
“Give her another dose of Med-X,” Glory instructed. “I’d even use Hydra if we had some…” she said as I squirmed against the ponies holding me down. “And get those healing potions inside her!”
"再给她一剂Med-X,"晨辉指示道。"我甚至愿意用九头蛇，如果我们有一些......"她说，我一边扭动着身子，一边对着压着我的小马。"把那些治疗药水放进她体内!"
“Hurry up,” Rivets rasped as she pinned me down. I didn’t feel the prick, but I did feel the numbing relief as the pain was taken away. A metal funnel was lifted to my lips and forced between my clenched teeth. The slightly bitter tang of healing potion dripped down my throat. I swallowed reflexively. More of the pain went as I drank along, injuries going away as the healing magic spread through my body.
"快点,"铆钉刺耳地按住我。我没有感觉到刺痛，但当疼痛消失时，我确实感觉到麻木的缓解。一个金属漏斗被举到我的嘴唇上，塞在我紧咬的牙齿之间。治疗药水的微苦的味道从我的喉咙里滴下来。我条件反射地咽了口唾沫。更多的痛苦随着我的饮酒而消失，伤痛随着治愈魔法在我身体里蔓延而消失。
Finally, I relaxed. The whole side of my head hurt, but it felt like my body was coming back together again. “What…” I muttered weakly, looking up at the gray earth pony, the black unicorn, and Glory. “What happened… why’s my head hurt?”
最后，我放松了。我的整个头部都很疼，但感觉我的身体又回到了原来的位置。"什么......"我虚弱地咕哝着，抬头看着那匹灰色的大地上的小马，黑色的独角兽和晨辉。"发生了什么事......为什么我的头疼?"
“Are you asking about charging into a stable of raiders, or the part where you got shot in the head?” Glory asked with a mixture of new relief and old irritation. “Didn’t you hear P-21 warning us to slow down? That something wasn’t right?”
"你是在问冲进一群突袭机的事，还是你头部中弹的那部分?"晨辉带着一种新的解脱和旧的愤怒的复杂心情问道。"你没听到P-21警告我们减速吗？有什么地方不对吗?"
“I think… vaguely… but I wanted to make sure the stable was closed. Then everything went sort of… fuzzy on me.” I blinked as I sat up, wincing as I touched the side of my head. “I got shot? But I was wearing a helmet!”
"我想......有点模糊......但我想确定马厩是关着的。然后一切都变得......模糊不清。"当我坐起来的时候，我眨了眨眼睛，当我碰到我的头的一边的时候，我眨了眨眼睛。"我中枪了？但我当时戴着头盔!"
“Which is why you still have a head,” Midnight said as she floated my helmet to me. Actually, I’d gotten shot in the head multiple times, judging by the dings and scrapes. One round, however, had punched through the armor and straight into my head. I glanced at the bloody round in the can. .308 armor piercing round. What I’d use, if I hadn’t been in over my horn killing… killing…
"这就是为什么你还有一个头的原因,"午夜边说边把我的头盔递给我。事实上，我的头部中了好几枪，从那些划痕和擦伤来看。然而，有一发子弹穿透了我的盔甲，直击我的头部。我瞥了一眼罐子里那颗该死的子弹。点308穿甲弹。如果不是因为我杀了...杀了..。
Oh Goddesses… My heart started to pound faster and faster as I realized what I’d done. Dewdrop. Shuffle. That filly with the knife. I’d killed them… I started to fall apart in front of everypony. No! I couldn’t do that now. They couldn’t take it now! I needed to hold it together, as tightly as Glory hugged my hoof in her own.
哦，女神们...当我意识到我所做的一切时，我的心跳开始越来越快。露珠。洗牌。那个拿刀的小姑娘。我杀了他们......我开始在每个小马面前崩溃。不！我现在不能这么做。他们现在受不了了！我需要把它紧紧地抱在一起，就像晨辉紧紧地抱住我的蹄子一样。
Her question saved me from a complete meltdown. “What happened here?”
她的问题使我免于彻底崩溃。"这里发生了什么事?"
Rivets looked at Midnight and then at me, and then the repair mare spoke slowly. “Well, you had us evacuate down here to the maintenance levels, and for a while there were shots and bangs. Some of the invaders tried to get downstairs, but we used pipes, horns, and hooves to fight them off. Then everything got real quiet, and we waited for somepony to come and get us.” Because mares in Stable 99 did what they were told. I’d told them to hide.
铆钉看着午夜，然后看着我，然后修理母马慢慢地说。"嗯，你让我们疏散到维护层，有一阵子枪声和爆炸声。一些入侵者试图下楼，但我们用管子、喇叭和蹄子把他们赶走。然后一切都安静了下来，我们等着有人来接我们。"因为马厩99号的母马听话。我让他们躲起来。
Midnight looked at me with a solemn little smile. “There was shouting and fighting, and soon there was shooting. The Overmare had been… attacked… and she said that you and your mother were traitors. That you had let the raiders inside. But I’d heard the transmission on your PipBuck. I knew she’d been sending and receiving transmissions from outside. She called me a traitor too and said I was going to be arrested.”
午夜带着严肃的微笑看着我。"到处都是喊叫声和打斗声，很快就有了枪声。奥佛梅尔被...攻击了...她说你和你母亲是叛徒。你让突袭机进来了。但我在你的PipBuck上听到了传输。我知道她一直在发送和接收外界的信息。她还骂我是叛徒，说我会被逮捕。"
Rivets nodded gravely. “So, I figured we’d just sit tight till we figured out what to do. Some ponies went topside, but most of us were trying to figure out how to get answers from the Overmare.”
铆钉们严肃地点点头。"所以，我想我们就坐在这里，直到我们想出该怎么办。有些小马跑到上面去了，但是我们大多数人都在想办法从Overmare那里得到答案。"
“Why didn’t you just arrest her?” Glory asked with a little frown.
"你为什么不直接逮捕她?"晨辉皱着眉头问道。
“There’s no system in place for it. No precedent,” I explained, then realized that that wasn’t completely true.
"目前还没有相应的制度。没有先例,"我解释道，然后意识到这并不完全正确。
“Well…” she said softly, but I knew her well enough to know she was thinking ‘that was stupid.’
"嗯......"她轻轻地说，但是我很了解她，知道她在想'那是愚蠢的。'
“The last time somepony tried overthrowing the Overmare, the stable was almost lost,” I added, glad for the mental distraction. “It’s a really big deal here.” That mollified her a little. “So what happened?”
"上次有匹小马试图推翻Overmare的时候，马厩差点就没了,"我补充道，为精神上的分散感到高兴。"这真的是一件大事。"这使她平静了一点。"那么发生了什么?"
“Well, at first the Overmare just sent snippy little messages that we were all traitors and in rebellion and stuff… but then she started to get creepy. She spent one whole day just giggling into the intercom. At first, we were sure that somepony up there would realize she’d cracked a seal and lock her up… only they were getting creepy too. She said that if we didn’t want to starve, we’d have to go up and be punished. We’d have to… eat… dead ponies. At that point, we improvised what weapons we could,” Rivets said, gesturing to a nozzle attached to a steam cleaning pack used to scrub the reactor.
"嗯，一开始Overmare只是发出一些尖酸刻薄的短信，说我们都是叛徒、叛逆之类的......但是后来她开始变得令人毛骨悚然。她花了一整天的时间对着对讲机傻笑。起初，我们确信那里的某个人会意识到她撬开了一只海豹并把她锁了起来......只是他们也变得令人毛骨悚然。她说如果我们不想挨饿，我们就得上去受罚。我们得...吃...死马。在那个时候，我们临时准备了一些我们可以用的武器,"铆钉说，一边指着一个连接到蒸汽清洗包上的喷嘴，这个喷嘴用来清洗反应堆。
I thought about that. I could see an infected Overmare demanding we eat the dead. Worse, I could see ponies doing it, too. She was the Overmare, and some ponies would probably slit their own throats if she asked them to. Or slit others’.
我想过了。我可以看到一头被感染的母马要求我们吃死人。更糟糕的是，我还能看到小马也这么做。她就是乌弗马，如果她要求的话，一些小马可能会割断它们自己的喉咙。或者切开别人的。
“Poor Marmalade… she’d come down here, too. She told us that the Overmare had ordered a ‘victory meal of the dead’. It was disgusting… but it was an order. Anypony who didn’t eat the meat… became the meat.” And Stable 99 mares were used to following orders... “Then she got sick. She kept giggling and biting herself. She tried to eat her own legs.” Rivets shuddered as she drew in an uncertain, halting breath. “I had to put her down… never imagined doing something like that.”
"可怜的玛玛莱德......她也会来这里的。她告诉我们Overmare点了一份"死者的胜利餐"。这很恶心...但这是命令。任何不吃肉的小马都成了肉。"而且稳定的99匹母马习惯于服从命令......"然后她生病了。她不停地咯咯地笑，还咬自己。她想吃自己的腿。"她犹豫不决地、结结巴巴地吸了一口气，铆钉都发抖了。"我不得不把她放下来......从没想过会做出这样的事情。"
Glory could sympathize.
晨辉会同情的。
The gray pegasus rubbed her nose with a wing; something that both my old friends found fascinating. “It looks like the disease causes increased aggression and an insatiable urge to eat protein. Like likes like, so anypony who doesn’t eat becomes part of the menu. Thus the disease gets spread. Once the cannibalism occurs once, there’s an urge to expand the infected. Pretty fascinating social
灰色的飞马用翅膀擦擦鼻子，我的两个老朋友都觉得很有意思。"看起来，这种疾病会导致攻击性增强，以及对蛋白质无法满足的食欲。喜欢喜欢，所以任何不吃东西的小马都会成为菜单的一部分。这样疾病就传播开来了。一旦同类相食发生一次，就会有扩大感染范围的冲动。非常有趣的社交活动
vector,” she muttered. I tried not to scowl. She was the only thing holding me together right now. I didn’t want to think about P-21 being up there…
"vector"，她喃喃自语。我尽量不皱眉头。她是我现在唯一的依靠。我不想想P-21在上面..。
Assuming he was still alive at all, which I was, because I’d lose my mind otherwise. “So, what have you been doing?” I asked.
假设他还活着，我确实还活着，否则我会失去理智。"那么，你一直在做什么?"我问道。
“We’ve been living off all the old stored food that was shoved down here after the Incident, trying to figure out what to do next.” Midnight looked at Rivets with uncertainty. “We were so glad to hear shooting; they’ll sometimes bring ponies in from the outside, torture them, or let them join. I think the Overmare just likes having us down here, slowly starving. She keeps trying to bait us with food, but we’re not desperate enough to come out yet.”
"事故发生后，我们一直靠存放在这里的食物过日子，想着下一步该怎么办。"午夜带着不确定的神情看着铆钉。"我们很高兴听到枪声，他们有时会从外面把小马牵进来，折磨它们，或者让它们加入。我想Overmare只是喜欢我们在这里，慢慢地挨饿。她一直想用食物来引诱我们，但我们还没有绝望到要出来的地步。"
“How many ponies are down here?” I asked as I sat up and finally took stock of our surroundings. We were in Atmospheric Maintenance Three, the processors humming their unending purr as they moved and purified the air of the stable around us. I looked at the table I lay on, now smeared with my blood, and at the precious playing cards now scattered across the floor. I looked out with my strange mutant sight and saw, through the flickering lights, dozens of scared eyes staring back at me. Slowly, I rolled off the table, trying not to step on the fallen cards.
"这里有多少匹小马?"我一边问一边坐了起来，最后估量了一下我们周围的环境。我们在大气维护三号，处理器在移动和净化我们周围马厩的空气时，嗡嗡地发出无休止的咕噜声。我看了看我躺着的桌子，上面沾满了我的血，还有散落在地板上的珍贵的扑克牌。我用我那奇怪的突变视线向外望去，透过闪烁的灯光，我看到了几十双吓坏了的眼睛在盯着我。慢慢地，我从桌子上滚了下来，尽量不踩到那些倒下的卡片。
The hall beyond was filled with ponies. Dozens and dozens.
远处的大厅里挤满了小马。一打又一打。
“Three hundred and fifty… Three hundred eighty?” Midnight asked as she looked at Rivets for confirmation.
"三百五十...三百八十?"午夜问，她看着铆钉确认。
More than half the stable? Much more than half! I felt struck by lightning… okay, actually I felt shot in the head, but I pretended it was lightning! Maybe that lead would do my brains some good! Unfortunately, healing potions hadn’t magically made the hole in my head completely heal, and I found myself staggering to the side, fighting for balance. “I need a plan. Right now. Something that doesn’t involve the two of us fighting off fifty raiders apiece.”
超过一半的马厩？远远超过一半！我感到一阵命中雷霆...好吧，实际上我感到头部中弹，但我假装那是闪电！也许那条线索对我的大脑有好处！不幸的是，治疗药剂并没有神奇地让我头上的洞完全愈合，我发现自己蹒跚地走到一边，为平衡而战。"我需要一个计划。现在。一些不需要我们俩各自击退五十个突袭者的事情。"
“We have one… sort of,” Rivets said as she walked over to a big, inactive arcane machine and popped it open. “You remember the Incident, Blackjack?”
"我们有一个......差不多,"铆钉说，她走到一个大的，不活跃的机器，砰地打开。"你还记得那次事故吗，黑杰克?"
“I have brain damage, so you’ll probably have to be specific,” I said as I stepped next to her and looked at a talisman shaped like a pinwheel around a gemstone. Ugh… why’d my head hurt so damn much… oh yeah… brain damage.
"我有脑损伤，所以你可能需要具体一点,"我一边说，一边走到她身边，看着宝石周围形状像风车的护身符。呃......为什么我的头这么痛......哦，是啊......脑损伤。
“I’ve known that for a while,” Rivets said with a smirk. “Most folks don’t know that, when the Incident occurred, the stallions sabotaged one of the air purification systems. My great grandfather was involved in it. He left notes, just in case.” She reached her head into a saddlebag and pulled out a very old book stuffed with added pages, then dropped it on the floor and hoofed it open. “Normally, the talisman converts carbon dioxide and any contaminants into oxygen.” She reached out and tapped the book with a hoof. “According to this, this talisman… doesn’t.”
"我早就知道了,"铆钉工傻笑着说。"大多数人不知道，当事件发生时，种马破坏了一个空气净化系统。我的曾祖父也参与其中。他留了纸条，以防万一。"她把头伸进一个鞍囊里，拿出一本很旧的书，里面塞满了新增的书页，然后把它扔在地上，用蹄子把它打开。通常，护身符能将二氧化碳和任何污染物转化为氧气她伸出手，用蹄敲了敲那本书。"根据这个，这个护身符......不是。"
“So what does it convert it into?” I asked, leaning in towards the sickly green gemstone.
"那么它会转化成什么呢?"我问道，身子向那块病态的绿色宝石倾斜着。
“Chlorine,” she said simply, and I heard Glory gasp. I looked at it more closely.
"氯气,"她简单地说，我听到晨辉喘息。我更仔细地看了看。
“Chlorine, huh? And what’s that do?” I asked as I reached out to tap the glyph with my hoof.
"氯，是吗？那有什么用呢?"我一边问，一边伸手用蹄子敲击这个雕像。
“Blackjack! It’s a very poisonous gas!” Glory blurted. My hoof froze inches from the green stone. Of course it is. Slowly, I pulled my head away from it. Glory gaped at Rivets. “How did he even do that? I’ve never heard of sabotaging an air purification talisman to do that.”
"黑杰克！这是一种非常有毒的气体!"晨辉脱口而出。我的蹄子离绿色的石头只有几英寸远。当然是了。慢慢地，我把头从它身上挪开。晨辉目瞪口呆地看着铆钉。"他是怎么做到的？我从未听说过破坏空气净化护身符来做这种事。"
“He doesn’t go into detail, but apparently, you go far enough back, and my family worked for one of the ministries doing all kinds of sneaky, hush-hush stuff. I’ve got recipes for napalm, homemade explosives, thermite…” At my ‘remember-Blackjack-isn’t-a-smart-pony’ look, she amended, “Stuff that burns good, stuff that goes boom, and stuff that burns through just about anything.” Rivets chuckled as I flipped through the book. Lots of arcany sciency formula thingies that were way over my head.
"他没有谈到细节，但是显然，你回到了很久以前，我的家人为某个部门工作，做着各种鬼鬼祟祟的秘密工作。我有制造凝固汽油弹、自制炸药、铝热剂的配方......"在我"记住-blackjack-isn't-a-smart-pony"的装扮下，她补充道:"能烧得好的东西，能爆炸的东西，还有能烧穿任何东西的东西。"当我翻阅这本书时，铆钉咯咯地笑了起来。大量的科学公式之类的东西在我的头上。
“Unfortunately,” she said with a sigh, “chlorine is a heavy gas, so we’d have to close of all lower return venting feeds while the talisman is active. That requires a command from the Overmare’s terminal and confirmation from the head of security and a maintenance supervisor.” She patted her hoof against the brass machinery as if consoling it that this wasn’t its fault. “So that’s where that plan hits a snag. Right now, if I turned it on, we’d just gas ourselves first and they’d have plenty of time to clear the upper levels.
"不幸的是,"她叹了口气说,"氯是一种重气体，所以我们不得不在护身符激活时关闭所有低回流量的排气口。"。这需要来自Overmare终端的命令以及安全主管和维护主管的确认。"她用蹄子拍了拍铜制机器，好像在安慰它，说这不是它的错。"因此，这就是该计划遇到的障碍。现在，如果我把它打开，我们只需要先给自己放毒气，他们就有足够的时间清理上层。
“The alternative is somepony sneaking through to the armory. They’ve got so many weapons up there that, if we could capture some and blow the rest, maybe
"另一种选择是让小马偷偷溜进军械库。他们那里有很多武器，如果我们能抓住一些，然后把剩下的炸掉，也许可以
we might have a shot. That’d probably be suicidal, though. They’re watching every inch of security.”
我们可能有机会。但这可能是自杀行为。他们正在监视每一个安全部门。"
“Not if we found Lacunae,” I said, looking at Glory with a wide grin. “Listen, Lacunae can read memories, right?”
"除非我们找到了空隙,"我说，咧嘴笑着看着晨辉。"听着，空隙能读懂记忆，对吧?"
“She can?” Glory’s eyes went wide. Crap, I hadn’t filled her in on that.
"她能吗?"晨辉的眼睛睁得大大的。该死，我还没告诉她呢。
“She told me she can,” I amended quickly. “If we find her, then she can read my mind and whisk us straight into the armory! Then she can teleport the guns back down here. If we’re really lucky, we could have all their weapon stores down here before they know it. We can take back the stable without gassing anypony!”
"她告诉我她可以,"我很快修改了一下。"如果我们找到她，她就能读懂我的心思，把我们直接带进军械库！然后她就可以把枪传送回来。如果我们够幸运的话，我们可以在他们发现之前，把他们所有的武器储备都弄到这里来。我们可以收回马厩，而不用对小马放毒气!"
“But where is she?”
"可是她在哪儿呢?"
“She teleported away, but I bet she’s somewhere close. I don’t think she’d leave unless she knew we were dead. The Goddess still wants me for something. Maybe in the tunnel, or right outside, where she could watch but still get away if attacked,” I said thoughtfully. “Then we just need to find P-21 and Rampage.” With any luck, Rampage would have taken over the raiders through sheer personality. I always wondered how exactly Deus cowed the others into obeying him. Maybe they’d been infected but not completely gone.
"她瞬移走了，但我打赌她就在附近。除非她知道我们死了，否则她是不会走的。女神还有事找我。也许在隧道里，或者就在外面，在那里她可以看着，但是如果受到攻击，她仍然可以逃脱,"我若有所思地说。"那我们只需要找到P-21和狂暴。"如果运气好的话，狂暴会通过纯粹的个性控制袭击者。我一直想知道，上帝到底是怎样威胁其他人服从他的。也许他们被感染了，但并没有完全消失。
“Blackjack… P-21…” Glory began softly.
"黑杰克......P-21......"晨辉轻轻地开始了。
“He’s alive. All right?” I said sharply, frowning at her. “I can’t believe he’s dead. He’s too clever and tenacious to die. So until I see his corpse, he’s alive.” He had to be alive. I owed him the Overmare’s head for all he’d done. Then I blinked. “What about the males?”
"他还活着。好吗?"我严厉地说，对她皱着眉头。"我不敢相信他死了。他太聪明，太顽强，死不了。所以在我看到他的尸体之前，他还活着。"他必须活着。我欠他一个欧弗马的人头，因为他所做的一切。然后我眨了眨眼。"那么雄性呢?"
Rivets looked at me in confusion and said in scorn, “What about ‘em?” My eyes must have flared like the pits of the damned, because she instantly balked, raising her hooves as she stammered, “They’re… I think they’re okay! Maybe! When everything was going crazy I heard Gauze telling Crutches that they’d barricaded the door with their bunks. They’re still using water in medical, so I suppose they’re drinking out of the toilets or something.” Midnight at least had the decency to look a little upset at that.
铆钉们困惑地看着我，轻蔑地说:"他们怎么办?"我的眼睛一定像被诅咒的人的腋窝一样闪烁着，因为她立刻停住了，抬起她的蹄子，结结巴巴地说,"它们......我觉得它们还不错！也许吧！当一切都变得疯狂的时候，我听到纱布告诉拐杖，他们用床铺堵住了门。他们在医疗中心仍然使用水，所以我猜他们是从厕所或其他地方喝水。""午夜"至少还体面地露出了一点不高兴的表情。
“Right,” I said, feeling better. “Okay. So the plan is… find Lacunae… get guns… take back stable… let P-21 turn the Overmare into a piñata for the
"是的,"我说，感觉好多了。"好吧。所以计划是......找到空隙......拿到枪......收回稳定......让P-21把Overmare变成一个piata
males… and then have a party before getting to work making 99 a part of the Wasteland. In a good way.”
男性...然后在开始工作之前有一个聚会使99成为荒地的一部分。是好的方面。"
Glory raised a wing. “Um… yeah. Question… how are you going to get out of here to find Lacunae?”
晨辉升起了翅膀。"嗯......是的。问题......你打算怎么离开这里去找拉库奈?"
Yeah… this part. This was going to be messy. “We’re going to need Marmalade.”
是的...这部分。这将会是一团糟。"我们需要橘子酱。"
* * *
* * *
Raiders are not stupid. They might be brain damaged, over-aggressive monsters, but then so am I. The sight of a yellow mare in filthy security barding, her mane coated in gore and grease, trotting out from the hatch with unsteady steps and incessant giggling, gave them all pause. A unicorn horn dangled from around her neck, a contrast to the orange jars on her flank. The welding goggles she wore were odd, but then most raiders seemed to have a sensitivity to light. She laughed, looked at them and their guns, and laughed some more before shuddering and biting her foreleg hard enough to draw blood. “Hey…” she giggled… “Got anything to eat?”
突袭机并不愚蠢。它们可能是大脑受损、攻击性过强的怪物，但我也是。看到一匹黄色的母马在肮脏的安全护栏里，鬃毛上沾满了血迹和油污，蹒跚地走出舱口，不停地咯咯地笑着，他们顿了顿。一只独角兽的角挂在她的脖子上，与她侧腹的橙色罐子形成了鲜明的对比。她戴的焊接护目镜很奇怪，但是大多数袭击者似乎对光很敏感。她笑了，看着他们和他们的枪，又笑了几声，然后颤抖着咬了咬她的前腿，咬得血都流出来了。"嘿......"她咯咯笑着说......"有什么吃的吗?"
As Glory said, like likes like, and the raiders stepped out from around their barricade to approach with their own eager and enthusiastic grins. “Are they fucking dead in there, Marm? Finally fucking dead?” the closer one asked as she looked at the cutie mark of a mare she knew. She was Angelheart, one of the meekest mares I’d ever known… actually, she’d been a little annoying before. Now she had decided to screw bits of pointy metal into her forehoof.
就像格洛里说的，像喜欢喜欢一样，突袭者们从他们的街垒里走出来，露出他们热切而热情的笑容。"他们他妈的死在那里，Marm？终于他妈的死了?"最近的一个问道，她看着她认识的一匹母马的可爱标记。她是天使之心，我所知道的最温顺的母马之一......事实上，她以前有点讨厌。现在她决定把一些尖尖的金属钉进前蹄。
“Nooooo…” the yellow mare giggled. “They’re finally pissing themselves in the deepest holes since their hero is dead in the head…” She rocked back and forth. “I think they’re just about ready to join us…” A look of relief passed between the two.
"不......"黄色的母马咯咯地笑着。"自从他们的英雄脑袋进水后，他们终于尿裤子了......"她前后摇晃着。"我想他们已经准备好加入我们了......"两人看了一眼，松了一口气。
“About time. Once you eat… it all gets so much easier… it’s not sick… not sick at all!” She laughed in glee.
"是时候了。一旦你吃了......一切都会变得容易得多......它不会生病......一点也不会生病!"她高兴地笑了。
“Yeah. It is.” And out came my dragon claw across her throat. Her eyes went wide, enough of the ghost of the kind mare I’d known left to look shocked before she fell limp. The other scrambled for her shotgun, but my horn flicked on the safety as she pointed it at my head. Her mouth worked the trigger
"是的。是的。"我的龙爪划破了她的喉咙。她的眼睛睁得大大的，我认识的那匹好心的母马的鬼魂在她倒下之前看起来很震惊。另一个争先恐后地抢她的猎枪，但是她用枪指着我的头时，我的号角轻轻地打开了保险。她的嘴紧咬着扳机
frantically, but Pastels was an artist, and for all her desire to kill me, she had no clue about the little button she had to press to disable the safety. My hooves snapped up and spun the gun in her mouth, breaking loose two of her teeth as it was knocked free. She fell back, giggling louder and louder as I raised my goggles and stared into her eyes. It seemed to draw some sanity back into her.
但是帕斯特尔斯是个艺术家，尽管她想杀了我，但是她不知道她必须按下那个小按钮才能解除保险。我的蹄子啪的一声折断了，枪在她的嘴里转了转，打掉了她的两颗牙齿。我举起护目镜，盯着她的眼睛，她笑得越来越大声。这似乎使她恢复了一些理智。
“Is… is… is… it over…?” she asked me between hysterical little hiccups, her yellowed eyes looking into my glowing ones in desperation. “It… it doesn’t get… easy… say it’s over…”
"已经...已经...结束了...?"她在歇斯底里的打嗝间隙问我，她那泛黄的眼睛绝望地看着我发光的眼睛。"它...它不会...容易...说它结束了..."
“Yeah. It is,” I said softly as I lifted the dragon claw to her throat. “It’s over, Pastels.”
"是的。是的,"我轻轻地说，同时把龙爪举到她的喉咙处。"结束了，帕斯蒂尔斯。"
“Good…” she stammered. “Good… good…” And her words transformed into a gurgle of red flowing down her chest before she went still.
"好......"她结结巴巴地说。"好......好......"她的话语在她静下来之前，变成了一股红色的汩汩声，顺着她的胸膛流淌下来。
Being an executioner was easy…
当刽子手很容易..。
I lowered Pastels to the floor, looking in the direction of the stairs to the living quarters. Surely she’d have more than two guards… but really, what was the point? The raiders knew there was nowhere for the rest of the stable to go, and time was on their side. As ponies got hungry and desperate, they’d start coming out. And then the raiders would get to start having fun.
我把Pastels放到地板上，朝着通往生活区的楼梯方向看去。当然她会有两个以上的保镖......但说真的，这有什么意义呢？突袭机知道马厩里的其他人没有地方可去，时间站在他们这边。当小马饥饿绝望的时候，它们就会出来。然后突袭机就开始玩起来了。
I carefully applied more blood to my disguise, trying to obscure the dried strips of hide Wonderglued over my cards. I painted a bit more on Marmalade’s PipBuck too; the black delta model had been far too conspicuous, so Midnight had put Marmalade’s on me and copied over all the files except EC-1101. The dye at least looked right. I was careful to keep the blood away from my mouth, of course. Finally, I lowered the goggles back into place and made my way towards the stairs.
我小心翼翼地将更多的血涂在我的伪装上，试图掩盖我的卡片上干燥的隐藏迷惑粘合条。我也在Marmalade的PipBuck上多画了一点，因为黑色delta模型太显眼了，所以午夜把Marmalade的涂在我身上，把除EC-1101以外的所有文件都复制了一遍。至少染料看起来是对的。当然，我小心翼翼地不让血流进嘴里。最后，我把护目镜放回原位，朝楼梯走去。
Moving up, I quickly saw why they hadn’t bothered with more guards. They’d trapped the living quarters with landmines and rigged tripwires to single shot shotguns. They actually had plates of food left out like bait for animals. I pocketed the green food chips as I stepped neatly over the tripwires and disarmed the mines. It’d make the eventual attack easier. I made my way up towards the cafeteria… and the screaming. The screaming, rising and falling, growing muddled, then clearer, then muddled again.
接下来，我很快明白了为什么他们没有增加更多的警卫。他们在居民区埋设了地雷，并将绊线改装成单发霰弹枪。他们实际上留下了一盘盘的食物作为动物的诱饵。我利落地跨过绊线，解除了地雷的武装，把绿色食品薯片装进了口袋。这会让最终的攻击变得更容易。我朝自助餐厅走去...听到尖叫声。尖叫，上升和下降，越来越混乱，然后更清晰，然后再混乱。
When I came across the second barricade, I had the dubious comfort of seeing the two guards looking back at me with expressions of overfed gluttony. They started to stir at my approach, then Carrot Sticks just belched and sank back down with a groan. “Hey…” She looked at me with her pinprick gaze. “Hurry up and get some…” Her horn glowed as she waved a bloody bone at me.
当我穿过第二个街垒时，看到两个看守回头看着我，满脸狼吞虎咽的表情，我感到一种莫名的安慰。他们开始搅动我的方法，然后胡萝卜条只是打嗝和沉下来与呻吟。"嘿......"她用针刺似的目光看着我。"快点，去拿点......"她向我挥舞着沾满鲜血的骨头，号角发着光。
“Oh… yeah. Looks tasty!” I said with as much enthusiasm as I could fake.
"哦......是的。看起来很好吃!"我尽可能假装热情地说。
“She is! Real tender!” the orange mare said in delight, belching again before she peeled away a few more strips with a delighted groan. A fresh scream echoed from the cafeteria. “‘Course it’d be nice if the entrée would shut up…”
""是的！真温柔!"橙色的母马高兴地说，又打了一个嗝，然后高兴地呻吟着剥掉了几条。自助餐厅里回荡着新鲜的尖叫声。"当然，如果主菜能闭嘴就好了......"
I swallowed as I walked around the corner and felt my legs wobble at the sight of a foal trotting out with a dark hunk of organ in her mouth, dripping blood down her face as she chewed in delight. “Her liver’s back!” squealed a voice from inside.
我咽了口唾沫，转过街角，看到一只小马驹叼着一块黑色的器官跑出来，我感到自己的腿在颤抖，血从她的脸上滴下来，她高兴地咀嚼着。"她的肝脏回来了!"里面传来尖叫声。
No… sweet Celestia and Luna no…
不...甜蜜的塞莱斯蒂亚和露娜不..。
Rampage lay on her back, chains holding her to a table as Mince and Chopper cut away regenerating hunks of flesh almost as fast as they reappeared. The chains holding her to the table were being grown around, trapping her in this nightmare. Suddenly, as terrible as it was, P-21’s worst fate was nothing compared to Rampage’s. They could eat her forever… hauled around wherever the raiders roamed as an eternal source of meat.
狂暴躺在她的背上，链子把她绑在桌子上，米斯和切宝切开复活的肉块的速度几乎和他们再次出现的速度一样快。把她绑在桌子上的铁链在她周围生长，把她困在这场噩梦中。突然间，尽管情况很糟糕，P-21最糟糕的命运还是比不上狂暴。它们可以永远吃掉她......随着掠夺者到处游荡，成为永恒的肉类来源。
Goddesses, I almost wanted to use Folly on her then and there.
女神们，我几乎当场就想在她身上使用愚行。
“Marmalade? Is that you?” asked a deep, low voice from behind me. Slowly, I peeked back over my shoulder and up. Way up. Most of my life, Daisy had terrified me because she was always half a hair from beating somepony within an inch of her life. Now, Daisy terrified me because she looked half a hair from eating somepony. Her yellowed eyes watered, the pupils contracted to near points as she glared at me. “Where have you been and what’s with the goggles?”
"橘子酱？是你吗?"我身后传来一个低沉的声音。慢慢地，我从肩膀后面往上看了看。一路向上。我这辈子的大部分时间里，黛西总是把我吓得半死，因为她总是差一点就要打死一匹小马。现在，黛西把我吓坏了，因为她看起来像是吃了一匹小马的毛发。她泛黄的眼睛湿润了，瞳孔收缩到接近点，她怒视着我。"你去哪儿了?戴着护目镜干什么?"
I worked my mouth once, and her scowl appeared. Not fair; normally I got five seconds before she scowled and beat somepony to a pulp. “I was hiding… sorry,” I muttered lamely, my usually witty replies lost in the sight of her discolored skin. She didn’t have any bites; I suspected that that was because she always had somepony else on hand to bite. “And the light hurts my eyes.”
有一次我动了动嘴巴，她皱起了眉头。这不公平，通常我有五秒钟的时间，她就会皱起眉头，把一匹小马打成肉酱。"我躲起来了......对不起,"我一瘸一拐地咕哝着，我平时诙谐的回答在她褪色的皮肤面前消失了。她没有被咬，我怀疑那是因为她总是有一匹小马可以咬。"光线刺痛了我的眼睛。"
She just looked at me for the longest moment, as if trying to peer into my soul, and then shrugged. “Yeah. Me too,” she said before she stepped past me and everypony got out of her way. Her barding had been augmented by battered and hammered plates sharpened into spikes. She slammed aside anypony too slow to get out of her way. “Lunch time.” She grinned maliciously.
她只是长时间地看着我，好像要窥视我的灵魂，然后耸耸肩。"是的。我也是,"她说，然后从我身边走过，每匹小马都闪开了。打磨成尖刺的盘子增加了她的勇气。她砰地一声把一匹太慢的小马甩到一边，不让它走开。"午餐时间。"她恶意地咧嘴一笑。
Rampage lifted her head, looking at Daisy with mad pink eyes. “I’m going to kill you. I’m going to kill all of you,” she vowed in agony. Daisy put one hoof on Rampage’s head, lowered her mouth to her throat, and bit a hole right through her windpipe. As the hole started to close, she grabbed something purple and pinkish red and pulled hard. There was a rip and a wheezing scream as Daisy’s head jerked back and forth till Rampages tongue flopped free.
狂暴抬起头，用疯狂的粉红色眼睛看着黛西。"我要杀了你。我要杀了你们所有人,"她痛苦地发誓。黛西用一只蹄子踩住了狂暴的头，把嘴放到喉咙处，然后在气管上咬了个洞。当洞口开始闭合的时候，她抓起一些紫色和粉红色的东西使劲拉。黛西的头来回抽动，直到兰帕吉斯的舌头啪地一声掉下来，发出一声撕裂声和呼哧的尖叫。
If I’d actually had Folly with me, I would have used it then and there.
如果我真的带着Folly，我会当场使用它。
Daisy chewed indolently as she looked down at me with that familiar, contemptuous smirk. “Aww. Hungry, Marm?” She looked over at Mince. “Give her the heart. Should be nice and tasty.”
黛西懒洋洋地咀嚼着，用那种熟悉而轻蔑的傻笑俯视着我。"啊。饿了吗，玛姆?"她看着米斯。"把心给她。应该美味可口。"
The… fuck…
妈的。
Suddenly, all eyes were on me as Mince’s horn glowed and she cut and tugged the beating organ free. Like likes like, and I knew without a doubt that any hesitation or excuse would have them tearing me apart. Mince tossed the pumping organ at me, and I caught it in my hooves. It was still beating slightly. I grimaced, praying that I could somehow do this horrific deed. Heartless, tongueless, and with her chest splayed open, Rampage just stared at me as her body regenerated the mortal wounds.
突然，所有的目光都聚焦在我身上，米斯的号角发出了光芒，她切开并拉开了那个跳动的风琴。喜欢喜欢喜欢，我知道毫无疑问，任何的犹豫和借口都会把我撕成碎片。明斯把那个抽水器官扔给我，我用蹄子夹住了它。它还在轻轻地跳动着。我做了个鬼脸，祈祷我能做出这件可怕的事。没心肝，没舌头，敞开胸膛，当她的身体再生致命的伤口时，狂暴只是盯着我。
Goddesses…
女神们..。
I bit down as hard as I could, trying to imagine it like some sort of giant grotesque tomato. My first impression: disgust. Not at the taste, actually; it just tasted like blood, and I’d tasted plenty of my own during numerous fights. Disgust at the act. The impression that immediately followed? Hearts were tough to eat! I swallowed the first leathery bite and immediately had to follow it with a second to keep from gagging. I tried to chew through the strong cardiac muscle. A third bite. Fourth. Fifth. By the sixth, the heart was half gone, and I feared that no matter how tough my stomach might be, I was going to puke from disgust.
我拼命地咬下去，试图把它想象成某种奇形怪状的大西红柿。我的第一印象是:厌恶。事实上，不是那种味道，只是尝起来像血，而且在无数次的争斗中我也尝过很多。对这种行为感到厌恶。随之而来的印象是什么？心脏很难吃！我咽下了第一口坚韧的口水，紧接着又是第二口，以免作呕。我试着咀嚼强壮的心肌。第三口。第四。第五。到了第六个月，我的心脏已经衰竭了一半，我害怕不管我的胃有多么强壮，我还是会因为厌恶而呕吐。
“Full…” I muttered, half playing the role and half in shock myself. At least it’d stopped beating… if what I’d eaten wasn’t convincing enough, so be it.
"满......"我喃喃自语，一半扮演着角色，一半惊呆了自己。至少它停止了跳动......如果我吃的东西不够令人信服，那就这样吧。
“You’re such a wuss…” the huge mare snorted, sounding exactly like the pony I’d known all my life. “Just like that blue stallion the Overmare was so keen on getting in her office. Just trotted after her like a good little fuckstick.” Daisy scooped the remains of the tough organ meat into her mouth, chewing it like bubblegum as her attention left me and returned to Rampage. Like that, the spell broke and everypony went back to waiting for the next course to regenerate.
"你真是个胆小鬼......"那匹巨大的母马哼了一声，听起来就像我从小就认识的那匹小马。"就像那匹蓝色种马一样，Overmare非常渴望进入她的办公室。就像个小操蛋一样跟在她后面。"黛西把剩下的坚硬的器官肉舀进嘴里，像嚼泡泡糖一样咀嚼着，因为她的注意力离开了我，又回到了狂暴。就这样，魔咒解除了，每匹小马都回去等待下一个进程再生。
P-21… I had to help him… I had to… I… was gonna throw up.
P-21...我得帮他...我得...我..。.都要吐了。
I staggered from the cafeteria, passed into the stable door chamber, and was glad to see it was empty. I stepped into the little monitoring alcove and promptly puked like my life and soul depended on it. Funny, but it seemed harder to bring up than it had been to choke down, and I had tears pooling inside the goggles. My throat burned, shame coiled up inside me. The first time I’d used a raider disguise in 99, I’d only pretended to be one. Now I was getting my first taste.
我摇摇晃晃地走出自助餐厅，走进马厩的门厅，很高兴看到里面空无一人。我走进小小的监控室，立刻呕吐起来，就像我的生命和灵魂依赖于它一样。很有趣，但是似乎很难提起这件事，而且我的眼泪都涌进了护目镜里。我的喉咙发烧，羞愧在我心中盘绕。99年我第一次用袭击者伪装时，我只是假装自己是袭击者。现在我第一次尝到了甜头。
I had to stop this. Even if it killed me, I couldn’t let this continue. The Overmare had everything she needed to make an unstoppable psychotic army. She could force feed infected flesh to prisoners, and with Rampage they’d always have a source of fresh meat. Maybe they’d eat themselves to death, like that one raider in the Miramare pens, but I doubted it. I couldn’t chance it. If the Overmare infected the entire stable, even Megamart’s turrets and Gun wouldn’t stop them. And with all the weapons in Megamart…
我必须阻止这一切。即使它杀了我，我也不能让它继续下去。奥弗梅尔拥有组建一支不可阻挡的精神病军队所需要的一切。她可以强迫受感染的肉体喂给囚犯，而且随着暴怒，他们总会有新鲜的肉来源。也许他们会把自己吃死，就像米拉马雷围栏里的那架袭击者一样，但我对此表示怀疑。我不能冒这个险。如果超级母马感染了整个马厩，即使超级马的炮塔和枪也不能阻止他们。Megamart有那么多武器。
Sweet Luna defend my stupid ass, this had to stop!
可爱的露娜保护我的屁股，这必须停止！
Then I heard a soft hiss behind me. I turned, my mouth still dripping bile and chunks of cardiac muscle. Lacunae stepped out of the secret passage connecting the stable door room to the Overmare’s desk. She must have plucked it out of my head from when I’d escaped 99; at this point I really didn’t mind. Glowing arrows hovered around her. I grinned, wiping my bloody mouth.
然后我听到身后传来一阵轻微的嘶嘶声。我转过身，嘴里仍然滴着胆汁和大块的心肌。拉库娜走出了连接马厩门和奥弗梅尔办公桌的秘密通道。她一定是在我逃出99号公路的时候把它从我脑袋里拔出来的，这时候我真的不介意了。发光的箭头在她周围盘旋。我咧嘴一笑，擦了擦嘴。
Then she shot me.
然后她开枪打了我。
Why do all my friends shoot me?
为什么我所有的朋友都向我开枪？
“Lac!” I croaked as two of the magic projectiles punched deep into my chest.
"拉克!"当两枚魔法炮弹深深地打进我的胸膛时，我发出沙哑的声音。
Ugh, first shot in the head and then in the chest? Could this day get any worse? “Lacunae…” I gasped as I slumped next to my regurgitated meal.
先是头部中枪然后胸部中枪？今天还能更糟吗？"空隙......"我倒在反刍的食物旁边，喘着粗气。
Instantly her remaining arrows disappeared as her purple eyes widened in shock. “What… you… ah… oh my… this is awkward,” she said with a flustered tone to her mentally projected words as she levitated me to my hooves and pulled me inside the passage. The bodies of four more raiders were piled there. She stared in shock at my flanks. “How did you change your cutie mark? And… what were you doing…?” She looked though the open door at the pile of regurgitated heart.
当她震惊地睁大紫色的眼睛时，剩下的箭立刻消失了。"什么......你......啊......哦......我的......这太尴尬了,"她用一种慌乱的语调对着她精神上投射出来的话说，同时她把我的蹄子悬浮起来，把我拉进了走廊。还有四具袭击者的尸体堆在那里。她震惊地盯着我的侧腹。"你是怎么改变你可爱的标志的？还有......你在做什么......?"她透过敞开的门望着那一堆反刍的心。
“I skinned Marmalade’s cutie mark and glued it over my own, and I had to eat Rampage’s heart to prove I was one of them,” I groaned. “Do you have a healing potion?” I said as I touched the bleeding holes her magic had left in me. Looks like I wasn’t the only pony in the Wasteland who could make magic projectiles appear.
"我把Marmalade的可爱印记剥了皮，粘在我自己的印记上，我不得不吃了狂暴的心脏来证明我是他们中的一员,"我呻吟着。"你有治疗药水吗?"我一边说，一边触摸着她留在我身上的魔法。看来我不是荒原上唯一一个会制造魔法射弹的小马。
“You… what?” I’d never seen an alicorn look sick before. “How… could you?”
"你......什么?"我以前从来没有看到过一只小角羊生病的样子。"你......怎么能这样?"
“To find you,” I groaned. “Healing potion… yes? No? Lacunae?”
"去找你,"我呻吟着。"治疗药剂...怎么了？不是吗？空白?"
But she seemed to be arguing with herself, the mutterings inside my skull increasing. “No, we did NOT see this coming… ugh… yes… fine…” She sighed softly and floated a healing potion to my mouth. “The Goddess wants you to understand that she was simply testing you. You passed.” She paused, then added, “And… she’d just like to note… this is not typical heroic behavior.”
但是她似乎在和自己争论，我脑子里的嘀咕声越来越大。"没有，我们没有想到会这样......呃......是的......很好......"她轻轻地叹了口气，然后把一瓶药水放进了我的嘴里。"女神希望你明白，她只是在试探你。你通过了。"她停顿了一下，然后补充道,"而且......她只是想指出......这不是典型的英雄行为。"
“Welcome to the Wasteland,” I muttered as the magic soothed the really nasty pain in my chest. I’d almost preferred the mini… nevermind. Unfortunately, the four raiders she’d taken had been armed only with simple melee implements. Hopefully that meant that the Overmare lacked the weapons to arm all her raiders well. That or she didn’t trust them enough to let them go around armed all the time. “Look… you said you can teleport yourself a couple times, right?” Lacunae blinked and then nodded. I told her the plan.
"欢迎来到荒原,"我喃喃自语，魔法缓解了我胸口真正令人讨厌的疼痛。我几乎更喜欢迷你...算了。不幸的是，她带走的四架突袭机只配备了简单的近战武器。希望这意味着Overmare缺少武器来很好地武装她所有的突袭机。要么就是她不够信任他们，让他们一直带着武器到处跑。"听着......你说过你可以瞬移几次，对吧?"拉库奈眨了眨眼，然后点了点头。我把计划告诉了她。
“The Goddess is not a… a courier service!” she blurted in that indignant voice within my mind. Then there was the sound of a long sigh. “If it is what must be done, I will do it…”
"女神不是一个.....。.快递服务!"她在我脑海里用那种愤怒的声音脱口而出。然后是长长的叹息声。"如果这是必须做的事，我会去做......"
Suddenly, she jerked her head upright. “Certainly not! Clearly this mare is incapable of…”
突然，她猛地抬起头来。""当然不是！很明显这匹母马不能......"
“Look at what she’s accomplished!” the Goddess said to… herself? Was that Lacunae? It felt… off.
"看看她都做了些什么!"女神对自己说？那是空白吗？感觉...不对劲。
“She’s mad! We’re wasting our time with her and her stable…”
"她疯了！我们在她和她的马厩里浪费时间......"
I had no time for this.
我没有时间做这个。
I rose to my hind legs, ripped off the goggles, and stared right into her purple eyes. “Goddess, right?” I hissed, blood and bile bubbling on my lips as I grinned. “Look… you want something in Hoofington, right? Well, right now I want to save my friends and my home. You help me do THAT, and I will get whatever it is you want. Because right now, I really do not need this shit. I have to save my friends. I have to save my family.” One wasn’t going to be enough this time.
我站起来，扯下护目镜，直直地盯着她紫色的眼睛。"女神，对吧?"我嘶嘶地笑着，嘴唇上冒着热血和胆汁。"听着......你想在Hoofington得到一些东西，对吧？现在我想拯救我的朋友和我的家。你帮我做到这一点，我会得到任何你想要的。因为现在，我真的不需要这些狗屎。我得去救我的朋友们。我必须拯救我的家人。"这次一个是不够的。
She stared back, and I heard countless whispered mutters and pleas. Vaguely, I could make out a mare saying, “Please… Trixie…”
她回望着我，我听到了无数低声的喃喃自语和恳求。我模模糊糊地听到一头母马在说,"求你了......特里克西......"
Then there was an overwhelming sigh that silenced all the other voices.
然后是一声压倒性的叹息，所有其他的声音都沉默了。
Finally Lacunae shuddered. “Fine. The Goddess will allow you to help your friends, but the Goddess will hold you to your promise. Tell this one what you need done.” I was so relieved that I slumped down, shaking. If I’d made a deal with the devil, it’d be worth it if it meant that I’d save 99 from the Overmare.
最后，缺口战栗起来。"好吧。女神将允许你帮助你的朋友，但是女神将要求你履行你的承诺。告诉这个人你需要做什么。"我松了一口气，跌倒在地，浑身发抖。如果我和魔鬼做了一笔交易，如果这意味着我能从Overmare那里救出99个，那就值得了。
She touched her horn to mine and I closed my eyes, doing all I could to remember the armory, the Overmare’s office, and Atmospheric Maintenance Three. Then I dug up every memory I could of the males’ quarters off medical. I’d only seen it once, and that had been long ago. I prayed it would be enough for her to get in and check on the males. Get them out. I wasn’t sure how many trips she could handle. I could hear that vast whispering inside her head; it felt like we were being watched by ghosts.
她用她的号角碰了碰我的，我闭上了眼睛，尽我所能回忆起军械库、Overmare的办公室和大气维护三号。然后我从医疗记录中找出了所有关于男性宿舍的记忆。我只见过一次，那是很久以前的事了。我祈祷这足以让她进去看看雄性。把他们弄出来。我不知道她能承受多少次旅行。我能听到她脑子里巨大的低语声，感觉就像我们被鬼魂看着。
Finally, she pulled away. “I think I have enough to make it. I dearly hope they have some appropriate ammunition,” she said as she lifted her minigun with a sigh. “What will you do now?”
最后，她离开了。"我想我有足够的钱来做这件事。我非常希望他们有一些合适的弹药,"她叹了口气，举起手中的迷你枪说。"你现在要做什么?"
“Get P-21 back. Once he’s safe… I’ll see if we can use the gas.” Rivets had downloaded her supervisor’s code into Marmalade’s PipBuck, and Midnight had transferred the Overmare’s code in from my delta model. All that left was for me to free P-21 and have him get the security code. Locks I could handle now;
"让P-21回来。一旦他安全了......我看看我们能不能用毒气。"铆钉们把她主管的代码下载到Marmalade的PipBuck中，午夜把Overmare的代码从我的delta模型中转移了进来。剩下的就是我解救P-21并让他拿到安全密码。我现在能处理的锁;
terminals I’d still leave to him. “If we can end this without any uninfected ponies getting killed, then we should.” Funny, the Dealer was missing a doozy of a chance to make me feel like a murderer. Then again, maybe I didn’t need him to; I was already feeling like a monster today.
我还是会把终端留给他。"如果我们能在没有任何未受感染的小马被杀害的情况下结束这一切，那么我们就应该这么做。"有趣的是,"商人"错过了一个让我觉得自己是杀人犯的绝佳机会。话又说回来，也许我不需要他这么做;我今天已经觉得自己像个怪物了。
“I’ll get started, then,” she told me. “Where will I find you and P-21?” I was so thankful that she didn’t ask ‘what if he’s dead?’ or ‘what if he’s had a full three-course infected meal?’
"那我就开始吧,"她告诉我。"我在哪里能找到你和P-21?"我很庆幸她没有问'如果他死了怎么办或者"如果他吃了一顿三道菜感染的饭呢?"
“Here, or outside the stable door,” I said as I looked at my PipBuck’s chronometer. “Please, get the males out if they’re alive. I really… really… don’t want to gas them,” I begged her, knowing there’d be no forgiveness for that.
"要么在这儿，要么在马厩门外,"我一边说，一边看着皮伯克的精密计时器。"如果雄性还活着，请把它们弄出来。我真的...真的...不想用毒气毒死他们,"我恳求她，我知道这是不可原谅的。
“I will. I’ll get them first, then the guns,” Lacunae promised.
"我会的。我会先拿到他们，然后再拿到枪,"拉库奈答应道。
“And thank the Goddess for me… for letting you do this,” I added. Lacunae looked surprised, then oddly amused before she shook her head with a smile and disappeared with a flash.
"感谢女神让我......让你这么做,"我补充说。拉库奈看起来很惊讶，然后奇怪地被逗乐了，然后她微笑着摇摇头，闪电般地消失了。
I sighed and pulled my dragon claw from the stained barding. Did the raider disease kill a pony’s sense of smell? Slowly, I made my way up the stairs to the Overmare’s office. I struggled to hear through the flooring overhead. I knew the sound of slapping flanks. She was damn loud. I hit the switch and winced at the hiss of pistons lifting the floor up. I hit the switch again after a few feet and wiggled through, trying not to grunt any louder than she was.
我叹了口气，把我的龙爪从污迹斑斑的帐篷里拔了出来。这种疾病会杀死小马的嗅觉吗？慢慢地，我上楼去了Overmare的办公室。我费了好大劲才听清头顶上的地板声。我知道侧翼拍击的声音。她真他妈的大声。我按下开关，听到活塞把地板抬起来的嘶嘶声，我畏缩了。走了几步后，我又按了一下开关，然后摇晃着穿过去，尽量不让自己发出比她更大的声音。
“Ride the pony!” she giggled in juvenile glee from the bedroom adjacent to her office. I mouthed the words, blushing horribly. Okay; yes, she was a psychotic little brat that had sold out my stable, abused my friend, and killed my mother… but really? Ride the pony? I checked my E.F.S.… Three red bars… and only one of them moving around and making the noises. Either she was really into voyeurism, or… Slowly, I trotted to the door and opened it a crack.
"骑小马!"她在办公室附近的卧室里，开心地咯咯笑。我满脸通红，用口型说着这些话。好吧，是的，她是一个精神错乱的小孩，出卖了我的马厩，虐待我的朋友，杀害了我的母亲...但是真的吗？骑小马？我检查了我的e.f.s.......三根红条......只有一根在动，发出噪音。要么她是真的喜欢偷窥，要么......慢慢地，我小跑到门口，开了一条缝。
You know, when she said ‘ride the pony’, I’d assumed that she was the one getting ridden…
你知道，当她说'骑小马'的时候，我以为她是那个被骑的人.....。
Maybe it was the sight of my friend, gagged with a bridle, chained to a bed, and being sodomized by the current greatest incarnation of evil I’d ever encountered in the Wasteland, but something about the scene brought out my inner Deus. I kicked open the door, snapped out the dragon claw, screamed “Cuuuunt!” and
也许是看到我的朋友被马勒住嘴，被锁在床上，被目前我在荒原遇到的最伟大的恶魔化身鸡奸，但是这个场景中的某些东西唤醒了我内心的上帝。我踢开门，啪地一声拔出龙爪，尖叫着"夸阿特!"及
charged the bed.
给床充电。
Then I saw the glowing horn, and then the straight razor pressed against his throat as he whimpered and she didn’t even stop thrusting. “I knew you’d be back. He told me you’d be back. And he was right, and here you are.” She gave an extra hard shove, and he cried out into the gag as blood and tears flowed in equal measure. Overhead, two turrets dropped down, their guns swiveling towards me. “I should thank you for bringing my favorite stallion back to me. He’s always been my favorite trick pony.”
然后我看到发光的角，然后直剃刀压在他的喉咙，他呜咽着，她甚至没有停止插入。"我知道你会回来的。他告诉我你会回来的。他是对的，现在你来了。"她狠狠地推了他一把，当血和泪同样流淌的时候，他对着塞口的东西哭了出来。头顶上，两个炮塔掉了下来，他们的枪转向我。"我应该感谢你把我最喜欢的种马带回给我。他一直是我最喜欢的小马驹。"
I felt a pit open up inside me. This was my fault. I’d been in such a reckless hurry that he’d gotten taken. “You’re sick…” I hissed, wondering if three S.A.T.S.-assisted bullets could take her head off before she could slit his throat. From the lines she’d carved in his neck already, I could tell she’d been playing at it. Target her horn? Maybe, but if I missed… “I am the Overmare. It is my duty to maintain the security and stability of this stable. Anything I have to do to blow off steam is perfectly acceptable! I can do anything I want. Anything!” she hissed, eyes narrowing as the razor drew another line of red in his throat. “And then you had to make everything difficult. You brought them here. Betrayed me. Just like your mother. Yes…”
我感到我的内心有一个裂口。这是我的错。我是如此匆忙，以至于他被带走了。"你病了......"我嘶嘶地说，想着是不是三颗sat辅助子弹能在她割开他的喉咙之前把她的头打下来。从她刻在他脖子上的线条，我可以看出她一直在玩这个游戏。瞄准她的喇叭？也许吧，但是如果我错过了..."我是海洋之神。我的职责是维护这个稳定的国家的安全和稳定。任何我必须做的发泄蒸汽是完全可以接受的！我想做什么就能做什么。什么都行!"她嘶嘶地说，眼睛眯起来，因为剃刀在他的喉咙里又划了一道红线。"然后你不得不让一切都变得困难起来。是你把他们带来的。背叛了我。就像你妈妈一样。是的......"
She was mad… just plain stark crazy. Whether it had been the disease or not, I had no idea. “You stupid little brat… do you have the slightest clue what the world outside is like? I’ve seen ponies fused with machinery and monsters, faced two-century-old ghouls who can’t get over their crushes, still have a serious hankering for some drugs, and had a boat dropped on me.”
她疯了...完全疯了。我不知道是不是得了这种病。"你这个愚蠢的小鬼......你知道外面的世界是什么样子的吗？我见过小马与机器和怪物融为一体，面对着两个世纪前的食尸鬼，他们无法摆脱自己的迷恋，仍然对毒品有着强烈的渴望，还有一艘船停在我身上。"
“You don’t get it. I can do anything. Nopony will ever hurt me again,” she said with certainty.
"你不明白。我可以做任何事。小马再也不会伤害我了,"她肯定地说。
“You mean Deus…” I muttered, looking at her. “I killed him.”
"你是说上帝......"我低声说，看着她。"我杀了他。"
She hissed back, “I mean my mother!” And she shoved so hard he screamed.
她用嘶嘶的声音回应道,"我是说我的母亲!"她使劲推，他尖叫起来。
“Your mother…” But then that made it clear... where she’d gotten a ‘toy’ like the one she now wore? “Your own mother…”
"你的母亲......"但是这让我明白了......她从哪里得到了一个像她现在穿的这样的"玩具"？"你自己的母亲......"
“Every night,” she hissed at me. “Every night. Because she was Overmare. She could do whatever she wanted. But not to anypony. Just me.” She giggled
"每天晚上,"她对我发出嘶嘶的声音。"每天晚上。因为她是Overmare。她可以做任何她想做的事。但不是对任何小马。只有我。"她咯咯地笑起来
brokenly as she shuddered. “I tried telling your mother. I did… but she said there was nothing she could do. Nothing! Nothing!” she yelled, her eyes wide and mad. “So I did it myself. I waited till she was drunk… I stole the razor from the dresser... one cut… and then I was Overmare.” She gave a sickly affectionate look at the bound stallion. “You brought back the only stallion who listened. My favorite trick pony. I can ride him like she rode me…”
在她颤抖的时候断断续续的。"我试着告诉你妈妈。我说了...但她说她无能为力。没什么！什么都没有!"她大叫，眼睛睁得大大的，很生气。"所以我自己动手了。我等到她喝醉了......我从梳妆台上偷了剃须刀......一刀......然后我就成了Overmare。"她病怏怏地深情地看了一眼受束缚的种马。"你带回来了唯一一匹听你话的种马。我最喜欢的小马。我可以骑他就像她骑我一样......"
I sighed as I looked at her. “I’m sorry… I’m sorry my mother couldn’t save you. That’s what Security is supposed to do. She should have done something.” Damn it, Mom, why didn’t you? “But none of that makes what you did all right.”
我看着她，叹了口气。"对不起......对不起我妈妈没能救你。这就是安全部门应该做的。她应该做点什么的。"该死的，妈妈，你为什么不这么做？"但这些都不能证明你做的是对的。"
“The stable’s dying. I saw the reports. A year at the most. But now we’re strong, the door is open, and we got guns. We’ve found the strength of meat and the strength of pain. We’ll take over the surface. Everything will be mine. And nothing will ever hurt me again.” She giggled as she thrust with wild vigor. “Now I get everything!”
"马厩快不行了。我看到报告了。最多一年。但是现在我们很强大，门是开着的，我们有枪。我们已经发现了肉的力量和痛苦的力量。我们将接管地面。一切都是我的。再也没有什么能伤害我了。"她猛地一推，咯咯地笑了起来。"现在我什么都有了!"
“Right. Including this.” Enough was enough. I entered S.A.T.S.: horn, head, horn, head.
"对。包括这个。"够了，够了。我参加了sat考试:喇叭，头，喇叭，头。
In an accelerated flash, the four bolts of concentrated magic struck her like a barrage of stars, and she shrieked as she fell one way and her horn spiraled away the other. P-21 gave one last scream as she was forced out of him, immediately curling up on the bed. I raced for the bed as the turrets began to pepper me with bullets. I tossed the filthy sheet up and over one turret, blinding it, and targeted the second as my horn sliced into the cable of the blinded one. With a shower of sparks, the cables parted and the turret lost power just as the sheet shredded.
在一道加速的闪光中，四道集中的魔法像星星的弹幕一样击中了她，她尖叫着掉到了一边，角盘旋着掉到了另一边。P-21在她被赶出来时发出最后一声尖叫，立刻蜷缩在床上。我跑向床边，炮塔开始向我开火。我把那块脏布扔到一个炮塔上，弄瞎了它，然后用我的号角刺穿了那条失明的电缆，瞄准了第二个。伴随着一阵火花，电缆分开了，塔楼就像被撕成碎片一样失去了动力。
“P-21, are you o…” No. He was not okay. He was so far from okay that I doubted he could find it on a map. His blank eyes stared off into space as he tried to curl into a ball as much as the chains would let him. First Rampage, now this. My shame redoubled on itself as I focused upward and fired three more shots. My magic was notoriously poor with armor, but I must have hit something vital; the second turret sparked and went dead. I fished out a bobby pin and wiggled it into the lock. “Hold on. I’m going to get you out of here… just hold on…”
"P-21，你还好吗。。」没有。他一点都不好。他一点也不好，我怀疑他是否能在地图上找到它。他茫然的眼睛凝视着太空，他试图蜷缩成一个球，尽可能多的锁链会让他。先是横冲直撞，现在又是这个。当我向上聚焦，又开了三枪时，我的羞愧加倍了。众所周知，我的魔法装甲很差，但我一定是打中了什么重要的东西;第二个炮塔点燃了火花，然后死了。我掏出一个发夹，扭进锁里。"等一下。我会带你离开这里......坚持住......"
Then I was rolling away as the Overmare tackled me, knocking me off the bed and sending us both rolling across the floor. Half her horn was missing, and it
然后我就滚开了，因为Overmare抓住了我，把我从床上撞下来，我们俩都滚到了地板上。她的角有一半不见了
sparkled as she tried to work magic with the stub. One bloody socket dripped down in my face as she sat on top of me and slammed her hooves into my face and throat in a frenzy of kicks. Between getting shot in the head once, shot in the chest twice, and shot in the back multiple times, this was starting to look like a bad day.
当她试图用存根施展魔法的时候，光芒四射。当她坐在我身上，用蹄子狠狠地踢我的脸和喉咙时，一个血淋淋的眼眶滴到了我的脸上。头部中一枪，胸部中两枪，背部中多枪，这一天看起来糟透了。
“I’ll fuck all of you… every one of you! I’m the Overmare! It’s my right!” she screeched as her voice rose higher and higher with wilder laughter. “You’ll never fuck me again! Never!”
"我要操你们所有人......你们每个人！我是奥弗马尔！这是我的权利!"她尖叫着，声音越来越高，充满了狂野的笑声。"你再也不能操我了！永远不会!"
Then a chain flipped over her head and pulled tight against her throat as two blue hooves yanked it taut. The chain dug in tight, the hoofcuffs keeping it from slipping free as her mottled skin went from dirty white to a horrible blue. Then purple. Her dark tongue rolled out as her horn sparked desperately for something to shoot him with. Finally, she gave one last shudder and went limp.
然后一条链子从她的头上翻转过来，紧紧地勒住她的喉咙，两只蓝色的蹄子拉紧了链子。链子紧紧地扣着，她斑驳的皮肤从肮脏的白色变成了可怕的蓝色，马蹄挡住了链子。然后是紫色。她黑色的舌头滚了出来，她的角激发了绝望的东西用来射击他。最后，她打了最后一个寒颤，然后变得无力。
He collapsed, shaking, sobbing, still entangled with her body. I sat up and carefully undid the bridle as he stared with eyes empty of everything except pain and humiliation. “I’m not your trick pony… I’m not... I’m not…” he whispered.
他瘫倒在地，颤抖着，啜泣着，仍然缠绕着她的身体。我坐起来，小心地解开缰绳，他的眼睛里除了痛苦和羞辱，什么都没有。"我不是你的小马......我不是......我不是......"他低声说。
“P-21…” I said softly as I crawled to my hooves.
"P-21......"我一边爬一边轻声说。
“I’m not… I’m not a trick pony…” He just shook more.
"我不是......我不是一匹会耍花招的小马......"他只是更加颤抖。
“She’s dead now,” I murmured. “She’s dead… let her go…”
"她现在死了,"我低声说。"她死了......放开她......"
He sniffed as he looked at me like a lost colt, the shaking increasing more and more. He’d pulled so tight the chain had creased her throat, and I carefully pulled it off and unlocked it from his hooves. He looked at the raw, bloody marks and shook even more before he hugged himself to a stop. I hugged him, desperately praying it was what he needed right now and not something that would make things even worse. He pressed his face against my chest, bawling brokenly as I held him, crying like he’d never wept before.
他嗅了嗅，像一匹迷路的小马似的看着我，抖得越来越厉害。他拉得太紧了，链子都勒破了她的喉咙，我小心翼翼地把链子拉下来，从他的蹄子上把锁打开。他看着那些鲜血淋漓的伤痕，颤抖得更厉害了，然后他抱住自己停了下来。我拥抱了他，拼命祈祷这正是他现在所需要的，而不是让事情变得更糟。他的脸紧贴着我的胸膛，在我抱着他的时候哭泣着，好像他从来没有哭过一样。
I looked at the Overmare. Pain… passed down from one generation on to the next. I might hate what she’d done, but I hadn’t worn her shoes. If my mother had been an overbearing monster, would I have killed her to escape, only to become a monster myself? Like Daisy passing on the pain she endured for her mother’s sadistic amusement? How far back did it go? Where had the sin been bestowed that would be passed to the daughter? Daisy. The Overmare. Had I just
我看着海洋。痛苦......代代相传。我可能会讨厌她的所作所为，但我没有穿过她的鞋子。如果我的母亲是一个专横的怪物，我会为了逃避而杀了她，结果自己却变成了一个怪物吗？就像黛西为了取悦她母亲的虐待狂而把她所忍受的痛苦传递给别人？有多久了？这种罪恶会转嫁到女儿身上，这种罪恶在哪里呢？黛西。海上母马。如果我只是
gotten lucky that my mother was affectionate? Was that the exception rather than the rule?
幸运的是，我妈妈很温柔？这是例外而不是规则吗？
No. I couldn’t believe that. There were hundreds in the stable; I couldn’t believe that abuse was somehow normal and right while being loving and caring was aberrant. If pain were the norm, it wouldn’t be hidden and shameful. It wouldn’t drive a pony mad with power and the need to control and humiliate others before others did so to her. She’d betrayed the stable, but I wondered if perhaps she’d simply seen it as hurting us before we turned upon her, or the stable itself broke down and slew her.
没有。我简直不敢相信。马厩里有几百个;我不敢相信虐待是正常和正确的，而爱和关心却是异常的。如果疼痛是常态，它就不会是隐藏和羞耻的。它不会让一匹小马因为权力和在别人之前控制和羞辱他人的需要而发疯。她背叛了马厩，但是我怀疑也许在我们攻击她之前，她只是觉得马厩在伤害我们，或者马厩自己崩溃了，杀了她。
How was it that the Wasteland could hurt ponies, even in the stable? Was it something in the land, or in us?
荒原怎么会伤害小马，即使是在马厩里？是土地上的什么东西，还是我们身上的东西？
Finally, he croaked in a raw voice, “I need a shower. I need to get her off me…”
最后，他用沙哑的声音说:"我需要洗个澡。我要把她从我身上弄走......"
“I’m sorry,” I whispered in his ear.
"对不起,"我在他耳边低声说。
His unfocused eyes found mine, and for a moment I was afraid I’d see disgust and scorn in them. Instead, there was only confusion. “For what?”
他那双目光不集中的眼睛看到了我的眼睛，有那么一会儿，我真担心我会在他们眼里看到厌恶和蔑视。相反，只有混乱。"为什么?"
“I… didn’t listen. I ran in… this is my fault.”
"我.....。.没听进去。我跑了进去......这是我的错。"
To my horror, he smiled, like I’d made a joke or something. “No. It’s my fault. I let her use me as her trick pony again. I should have blown us both up… but… I… I couldn’t… I couldn’t fight her.” He gave a hard gasp, as if fighting to keep something down inside him. “I had a grenade, and I… she told me to put it down… and I did! I couldn’t do anything but let her… I let her…” He was falling apart again, and I held him tight.
令我惊恐的是，他笑了，好像我开了个玩笑似的。"没有。是我的错。我又让她把我当成她的小马驹了。我应该把我们俩都炸死的...但是...我..。.我不能...我不能和她战斗。"他狠狠地喘了一口气，好像在努力把什么东西压在身体里。"我有一个手榴弹，我.....。.她让我把枪放下......我照做了！我什么也做不了，只能让她......我让她......"他又崩溃了，我紧紧地抱着他。
“No!” I kicked myself as he flinched.
"不!"当他退缩时，我踢了自己一脚。
I quickly softened my tone. “Blame me, P-21. Blame her for doing it, or me for being stupid, or her mother, or anypony… but not yourself. Understand?” I said sharply. I could handle him hating me. I couldn’t handle him hating himself.
我很快缓和了语气。"都怪我，P-21。责怪她这么做，责怪我这么愚蠢，责怪她妈妈，责怪任何人......但不是责怪你自己。明白吗?"我厉声说道。我可以接受他恨我。我无法忍受他恨自己。
“I need to wash… please… tell me we can get out of here. I want to go back to Chapel. Or Megamart. Flank. Anywhere. Just not here,” he said with a shaky breath.
"我需要洗澡......请......告诉我我们可以离开这里。我想回教堂。或者超级艺术。侧翼。任何地方。只是不在这里,"他颤抖着说。
“Not yet. Not yet. I’ve got a plan.” He blinked at me in confusion and I faked my best grin. “It’s a good plan. One of my best.”
"还没有。还没有。我有个计划。"他困惑地眨着眼睛看着我，我假装咧着嘴笑。"这是一个好计划。我最好的朋友之一。"
He looked at me for a long minute, then hiccuped, then gave a crooked smile. “Oh… so… we’re doomed, then?” He might have been sarcastic, but there was a terrible hope in his voice too.
他看了我很长时间，然后打了个嗝，然后给了一个歪歪扭扭的微笑。"哦......那么......我们完了?"他也许是在讽刺我，但是他的声音里也带着一丝可怕的希望。
I felt a little relief. “Smartass…” I said as I trotted to the Overmare’s terminal. “Can you get into the system and download the head security mare’s password into this PipBuck?” I asked as he limped after me, moving much more slowly and tenderly than before. He nodded, and with a few taps he was in.
我松了一口气。"聪明鬼......"我边说边小跑到Overmare的终端。"你能进入系统并将headsecuritymare的密码下载到这个PipBuck中吗?"我问道，他一瘸一拐地跟在我后面，走起路来比以前慢多了。他点点头，敲了几下就进去了。
“She didn’t change her old password,” P-21 said in an eerily detached voice. He wasn’t out of the woods yet. “Gin Rummy’s primary security password is… Blackjack,” he said with a glance at me. I sniffed… great. Couldn’t have guessed that, could I?
"她没有更改她的旧密码,"P-21用一种怪异的超然的语气说。他还没有脱离险境。"金拉米的主要安全密码是......黑杰克,"他看了我一眼说。我闻了闻...好极了。我可猜不到，是吧？
I raised the Overmare’s desk in time to see a purple flash. Lacunae staggered, looking quite mortal. Her black lace dress was spotted with sweat. I didn’t know alicorns did ‘sweaty’, but Lacunae certainly appeared to have exerted herself quite a bit. “The males are safe. The weapons are moved. Is the gas ready?”
我及时抬起了Overmare的桌子，看到了紫色的闪光。空隙蹒跚而行，看上去相当致命。她的黑色蕾丝连衣裙上满是汗渍。我不知道alicorns会"出汗"，但Lacunae看起来确实很努力。"雄性是安全的。武器被移动了。煤气准备好了吗?"
“Almost. Will you be able to take both of us?” I asked Lacunae as I poked around some of the other files.
"差不多。你能带上我们两个吗?"当我翻阅其他一些文件的时候，我问了Lacunae。
“Perhaps one at a time,” she said as she looked at P-21. “I’ll take him to the other males. He needs medical attention.” From the look in her eyes, it was clear she wanted to do far more for him than that. “Unity would give him peace.”
"也许一次一个,"她看着P-21说。"我要把他带到其他男人那儿去。他需要医疗救助。"从她的眼神可以看出，她想为他做的远不止这些。"团结会给他带来和平。"
I suddenly felt prickles run up my mane. “Would it take away the pain?”
我突然觉得鬃毛上有刺。"这会带走痛苦吗?"
“No. But we would help him bear it,” she said softly in my mind, “as we help bear mine.” And with that, she and P-21 flashed away. Maybe it was just me, but it seemed like alicorns had a real love for melodrama.
"没有。"但是我们会帮助他承受这一切,"她在我的脑海里温柔地说,"就像我们帮助他承受我的一样。"就这样，她和P-21迅速离开了。也许只有我是这样想的，但是看起来海芋们真的很喜欢情节剧。
Then the Overmare’s door hissed open, and Daisy walked calmly in with her bloody lips wide. “So, she dead yet?” Given her black-faced corpse lay at my hooves, it might have proven a silly question, except that the two raiders behind her started to giggle in glee and ran back into the stable crying out the news. “Good job, Blackjack,” Daisy said as she narrowed her yellow eyes.
然后奥佛梅尔的门嘶嘶地开了，黛西平静地走了进来，张开了她那血淋淋的嘴唇。"那么，她死了吗?"考虑到她黑脸的尸体躺在我的蹄子上，这可能是一个愚蠢的问题，除了她身后的两个袭击者开始咯咯地笑起来，然后跑回马厩大声喊出这个消息。"干得好，黑杰克,"黛西眯起黄色的眼睛说。
I felt a cold shiver run down my spine. “You knew I was going after her…”
我感到一阵冷颤沿着我的脊椎传下来。"你知道我在追她......"
“Knew? I watched.” She nodded to the large round window set in the wall of the office.
""知道？我看着。"她对着办公室墙上的大圆窗点了点头。
“How’d you know it was me?” I replied.
"你怎么知道是我?"我回答。
“Um, yeah. Marmalade wouldn’t have lasted two weeks alone. If she were alive, she’d have come back or died trying,” she said as she trotted towards me. “But you… Blackjack… the second I saw you there in the café, I knew you’d be the only one able to glue a dead mare’s cutie mark over your own and eat a heart to save your friend from the Overmare. You’ll move heaven and earth if you have to. You always have.”
"嗯，是的。果酱一个人撑不过两个星期。如果她还活着，她可能会回来，或者为此付出生命的代价。"她边说边朝我小跑着。"但是你......Blackjack......当我第一次在咖啡馆看到你的时候，我就知道你是唯一一个能够把死去母马的可爱标记粘在自己身上并且吃掉一颗心脏来拯救你的朋友的人。如果有必要的话，你可以不择手段。你一直都是。"
“So you wanted the Overmare dead,” I replied.
"这么说你是想让Overmare死,"我回答。
“I wanted her dead years ago,” she replied with a glare at the corpse that was oddly tinged with regret. “I thought, a few years back, that we understood each other. We could be something. But she was already too pissed off… too hurt and crazy. I saw her offing her mom coming for months. I’d have killed her sooner if I’d thought your mom would actually take over the stable.”
"我几年前就想让她死了,"她回答时用一种奇怪的遗憾的眼光看着尸体。"几年前，我以为我们彼此了解。我们可以有所作为。但是她已经太生气了，太伤心，太疯狂了。我几个月前就看到她和她妈妈分手了。如果我知道你妈妈真的会接管马厩，我会早点杀了她。"
“Then why not do it yourself?” I asked, wondering if Lacunae was going to be coming back. I really didn’t want to fight Daisy with just my claw.
"那为什么不自己动手呢?"我问道，心里想着空白会不会回来。我真的不想只用我的爪子和黛西打架。
“It’s funny. Once we started eating the meat, everything crystallized. I mean, we followed orders before, but once we ate it was almost instinctive. If I killed her, they’d have turned on me before I could get them under control. But you killed her. I’m in charge now.” She grinned widely. “I have plans for this place. We’ve been rotting under here. The Overmare just took whatever she saw. Me, I actually talked to the merchants before we ate them. We’re going to force the meat into everypony’s throat down there, and when they take the flesh, they’ll be with us. Then we’ll take Megamart. Then the Reapers. We beat them, we’ll have fear and respect… and, hell, maybe we’ll feed them the flesh too. With that delicious little striped pony, we might have food for dozens, even hundreds of us. And I bet other villages will be glad to pay us in meat to not to eat them.”
"这很有趣。一旦我们开始吃肉，一切都结晶了。我的意思是，我们以前服从命令，但是一旦我们吃下去就几乎是本能的了。如果我杀了她，在我控制住他们之前，他们就会背叛我。但是你杀了她。现在我说了算。"她咧嘴大笑。"我对这个地方有自己的打算。我们在这下面腐烂了。奥佛梅尔只是把她看到的东西都拿走了。我实际上在吃之前和商家谈过了。我们要把肉强行塞进每匹小马的喉咙里，当它们取走肉的时候，它们就会和我们在一起。那我们就带上超级市场。然后是收割者。我们打败他们，我们就会有恐惧和尊重......而且，该死的，也许我们也会喂他们吃肉。有了那匹美味的条纹小马驹，我们可能有几十人，甚至几百人的食物。我敢打赌，其他村庄会很乐意付我们肉钱，让我们不吃它们。"
My nightmare realized. “Right. So I suppose this is where you tell me to eat the meat for real and join you or die?”
我的噩梦成真了。"对。所以我想这就是你要我认真吃肉然后加入你们或者去死的地方?"
Daisy snorted and shook her head. “What, do I look stupid? No, you’re just going to die.”
黛西哼了一声，摇了摇头。"怎么，我看起来很傻吗？不，你只会死去。"
She drew a gun, one that definitely hadn’t been on the armory inventory. The silver-plated IF-33 Applebuck had belonged to Mom, as it had to every head of security in the stable going back to the door being sealed. Their names had been scratched on the handle. The damn gun even had its own name: Vigilance. The irony that I was about to be shot by Mom’s own pistol was not lost on me.
她拔出了一把枪，一把绝对不在军械库清单上的枪。这辆镀银的IF-33苹果巴克车是妈妈的，因为它要求马厩里的每一个安全主管回到被封锁的门口。把手上刻着他们的名字。这该死的枪甚至有自己的名字:警惕。具有讽刺意味的是，我即将被妈妈自己的手枪击中，这一点我并没有忘记。
The gun came up as we both entered S.A.T.S. together. With eerie smoothness, we acted almost as one. But while she was trying to blow my head off, I had a different thought in mind. My magic reached out and neatly depressed the magazine eject as she fired the round still in the chamber. It nearly took my head off; I could see it passing by me in the slowed down time. The bullet buzzed softly past my ear. I took the hefty magazine and promptly smacked her across the face with it twice.
当我们一起进入s.a.t.s时，枪响了起来。我们几乎像一个整体一样，表现得异常顺畅。但是当她试图打爆我的头的时候，我脑子里却有一个不同的想法。我的魔法伸了出来，在她在枪膛里发射子弹时，整齐地弹出子弹。它几乎把我的头砍下来;我可以看见它在慢下来的时间里从我身边经过。子弹轻轻地从我耳边飞过。我拿起那本厚重的杂志，迅速地用它在她脸上拍了两下。
Do it, Daisy… do it.
动手黛西动手。
She drew a second magazine with her hooves, and I jammed the first magazine back into gun. She dropped the second magazine to rack the slide, and I ejected it and hit her with two floating magazines. Her yellow eyes blazed with familiar fury as she drew a third magazine to load into the gun, but I jammed one back in. Then she screamed in rage and threw the weapon aside. My smile grew as I floated the gun to me and racked a round into the chamber with my magic. S.A.T.S. ran out.
她用蹄子抽出第二个弹匣，我把第一个弹匣塞回枪里。她放下第二本杂志去架滑梯，我把它弹出来，用两本漂浮的杂志打中了她。当她拿出第三个弹夹准备装弹时，她那双黄色的眼睛里闪烁着熟悉的愤怒，但我还是把一个弹夹塞了进去。然后她愤怒地尖叫起来，把武器扔到一边。当我把枪举过头顶，用魔法把子弹打进枪膛时，我的笑容更加灿烂了。高考考完了。
“I fucking hate unicorns…” she spat, then snapped out her baton with a jerk of her head and charged me, keeping her head low. There were rules to fighting. Earth ponies had to get in close and dirty, break a unicorn’s concentration so she couldn’t use her magic. Unicorns had to stay away or risk getting crunched.
"我他妈的讨厌独角兽......"她吐了口唾沫，然后猛地一甩头，拿出警棍向我冲过来，低着头。打架是有规矩的。地球上的小马必须靠得很近，很脏，打断了独角兽的注意力，所以她不能使用她的魔法。独角兽公司不得不远离，否则就会面临崩溃的风险。
The Overmare’s office was NOT conducive to the latter. I popped back into S.A.T.S. with enough charge for one shot. I lined it up, executed the spell, and sent a bullet straight into her leg. I wasn’t going to risk a headshot that might not do more than piss her off, but at least I could slow her down a little. She still slammed into me like a train, but I’d been hit by boats before and kept my concentration on the gun.
奥弗马尔的办公室不利于后者。我带着一针足够的能量回到了s.a.t.s。我把它排成一排，执行咒语，然后把一颗子弹直接打进她的腿里。我不打算冒险拍个大头照，那可能只会让她更生气，但至少我可以让她慢下来一点。她仍然像火车一样猛地撞上我，但我以前也被船撞过，所以我的注意力一直集中在枪上。
Rule two: to disable a unicorn, take out her horn. I brought Marmalade’s
规则二:要让独角兽失去能力，就拔掉她的角。我带了橘子酱
PipBuck up over my glowing horn as the baton fell with the creepy certainty of S.A.T.S. and cracked loudly against the casing. She swung again and again, smashing my forelegs and beating against the PipBuck casing as my horn pressed Vigilance right up against her gut. Rule three: a unicorn doesn’t have to move to hit you with a levitated weapon. She threw herself aside and off me just in the nick of time as the gun fired into the ceiling. I rocked forward onto my hooves as Daisy came back around for another charge, and I took another shot at her legs. Then she was on me, all swinging and biting and kicking as she tried to take me out before I could pistol stamp her again.
当指挥棒随着sat考试令人毛骨悚然的确定性落下，在我发光的喇叭上响起了皮布克。她一次又一次地摇晃，打碎了我的前腿，敲打着皮普克的外壳，我的角正好压在她的肚子上。规则三:独角兽不需要移动就能用悬浮武器击中你。就在枪向天花板开火的关键时刻，她把自己扔到一边，离开了我。我用蹄子向前摇晃着，黛西转过身又冲了过去，我又朝她的腿开了一枪。然后她就扑向我，在我还没来得及用手枪打她之前，她就想把我弄出去，又是摆动又是咬又是踢。
Instead, I cheated, dropped into S.A.T.S., and blew two more magic bullets into her face. The helmet she wore deflected some of the force, but the energy nearly flayed her features, sending blood pouring into her eyes. I curled up and rolled out from under her, bringing Vigilance around and putting two more solid rounds in her left flank. I heard sounds of more shooting from below. Either Lacunae hadn’t been able to come back for me or else the raiders had made a push now that the Overmare was dead.
相反，我作弊了，掉进了S.A.T.S.，向她的脸上又发射了两颗魔法子弹。她戴的头盔使部分力量偏离，但是能量几乎使她的五官脱皮，血液涌入她的眼睛。我蜷缩起来，从她身下滚了出来，把"警戒"带了过来，在她的左侧又开了两枪。我听到下面传来更多的枪声。要么是陷阱没能回来救我，要么是骑兵在Overmare已经死了的情况下推了我一把。
I was battered and bruised, but I had the gun. And she had… a rejuvenation potion, Hydra, Buck, and Stampede? Not fair! She chowed down, and I watched my hard work healing away before my eyes. Next time she came at me, I’d be unicorn paste, and we both knew it.
我被打得遍体鳞伤，但我有枪。她还有...一种恢复活力的药水，九头蛇，巴克，还有惊跑？这不公平！她狼吞虎咽地吃着，我眼睁睁地看着我的辛苦工作在我眼前愈合。下次她再来找我，我就成独角兽了，我们都知道这一点。
So I ran. I jumped down into the passageway beneath the Overmare’s desk even as she slammed her hooves down where I’d just been. I ran, flinging what weapons I had left behind me as I shot out the two flickering lights illuminating the hallway. “Blackjack!” she yelled as she raced after me.
所以我就跑了。我跳到Overmare的办公桌下面的过道里，即使她猛地把蹄子摔到我刚才去过的地方。我一边跑，一边扔出身后留下的武器，同时射出照亮走廊的两盏闪烁的灯光。"黑杰克!"她一边追我一边大喊。
“No! It’s ‘Cunnnnntttt’!” I screamed back as I fired down the hallway at the charging mare, aiming for her legs, doing all I could to slow her down even as she regenerated the damage.
"不！是'Cunnnnntttt'!"我朝那头正在冲锋的母马开枪，我也尖叫着回应，瞄准她的腿，尽我所能让她慢下来，即使她再次受伤。
Then the mines I’d tossed started beeping. She screamed as three tremendous bangs filled the tunnel and she went down hard. Carefully, I approached as she trembled from drugs, madness, and injuries. “I’m glad you came back, Blackjack,” she wheezed as she slowly pushed herself to her legs again. “I’m glad. If there’s anypony that could end this, it was you.” I could hear the grind of bone as her limbs knit together. Her lower body looked flayed as the magic potions kept her alive, and I hesitated.
然后我扔掉的地雷开始发出哔哔声。她尖叫着，三声巨响填满了隧道，她重重地倒了下去。我小心翼翼地走近她，她因毒品、疯狂和受伤而颤抖。"我很高兴你回来了，黑杰克,"她喘着粗气，慢慢地再次把自己推倒在地。"我很高兴。如果有任何人能结束这一切，那就是你。"我能听到她四肢接合时骨头的摩擦声。她的下半身看起来像是被剥皮了，因为魔药让她活了下来，我犹豫了。
What the hell would it take to finish her? “I want to help you, Daisy…” I stammered.
到底要怎样才能杀了她？"我想帮你，黛西......"我结结巴巴地说。
“You don’t know how to help me. You didn’t then,” she gasped as she looked at me with her crazed raider eyes. I met her gaze with my mutated stare. I wondered which of us was more the monster after all this time. “I mean… telling on my mom? Do you know what she did to me? I disappeared for a week and you didn’t wonder why?”
"你不知道怎么帮我。那时你没有,"她用疯狂的袭击者的眼睛看着我，喘息着说。我用我那变异的眼神看着她的目光。我不知道这么久以来，我们谁更像是怪物。"我是说...告发我妈妈？你知道她对我做了什么吗？我消失了一个星期，你不想知道为什么吗?"
“I thought you were avoiding me,” I muttered lamely.
"我以为你在躲着我,"我一瘸一拐地咕哝着。
“I was in medical, you jackass!” she yelled as she started to advance again. “She beat me senseless, had them heal me, and beat me again! Because you had to try and arrest my mom. What did you think would happen?”
"我在医务室，你这个混蛋!"她又开始往前走了，大叫起来。"她打得我不省人事，让他们治好我，又打我！因为你想逮捕我妈妈。你认为会发生什么?"
“I wanted to save you!” I countered, raising the gun but struggling to shoot. “I still do.” I just didn’t know how.
"我想救你!"我反击，举起枪，但挣扎着开枪。"现在也是。"我只是不知道该怎么做。
“That makes two of us,” she replied as she gained enough fury to charge once more, despite the two rounds I put in her chest. She ducked and whirled, hitting me with a double rear kick that sent me flying back into the railing of the stable door. The impact sent a disturbing tingle through my rear legs and knocked the wind out of me. As I lifted my head, I caught sight of two hooves, and then my head was snapped back so hard I was certain she’d busted my neck. I collapsed underneath the railing, struggling to keep my wits as I backed into the atrium.
"我也是,"她回答道，尽管我朝她胸口开了两枪，她还是怒气冲冲地再次冲了上去。她俯身旋转身体，一记双后踢打在我身上，把我踢回了马厩门的栏杆上。撞击使我的后腿产生了一种令人不安的刺痛感，并使我感到不适。当我抬起头的时候，我看到了两只蹄子，然后我的头猛地向后扭，我确信她打断了我的脖子。我倒在栏杆下面，退回到中庭，努力保持清醒。
I’d happily trade my horn for some Med-X, an ice pack, and a bottle of whiskey. “How… how was I supposed to save you?”
我很乐意用我的喇叭换一些Med-X，一个冰袋和一瓶威士忌。"我...我该怎么救你?"
“Kill Mom. Kill me. Either way, it’d end. But you couldn’t, and your mother wouldn’t, so you didn’t,” she replied. “It’s as simple at that, Blackjack.” She kicked me clear across the atrium floor, and my journey was stopped only by hitting the stake in the center of the room. She stood over me, looking disappointed. “Sometimes, the only way to save a pony is to kill the pony.”
"杀了妈妈。杀了我。不管怎样，这一切都会结束。但是你不能，你妈妈也不愿意，所以你没有,"她回答。"就这么简单，黑杰克。"她一脚把我踢过中庭的地板，我的旅程只因碰到房间中央的木桩而中断。她站在我旁边，看起来很失望。"有时候，拯救小马的唯一方法就是杀死小马。"
And Daisy was about to save me.
黛西正要来救我。
Then a white and red striped cannonball flew across the atrium and slammed into Daisy. The mare rocked but didn’t fall. Rampage, though, had her hooves around Daisy’s throat. “Eat my fucking liver, will you? Eat some floor!” She
然后一颗红白相间的炮弹飞过中庭，落在了雏菊身上。母马摇晃着，但没有摔倒。尽管如此，她的蹄子还是勒住了黛西的喉咙。"吃我他妈的肝，好吗？吃地板吧!"她
flipped over backwards and slammed Daisy’s face into the ground. I stared as I saw dangling lengths of chain sticking out of her body, wondering if we were going to have to disintegrate her again to get them out.
她翻过身来，把黛西的脸狠狠地摔在地上。我盯着她，看到一条长长的链子从她的身体里伸出来晃来晃去，我不知道我们是不是要再次把她解开才能把它们弄出来。
Daisy rolled to her hooves as the shooting and shouting increased and Rivets and Midnight pressed into the atrium along with dozens of other ponies. They might not know how to use guns, but they had the basics of point, shoot, reload. Rivets dumped a tin can of scrap metal into the nozzle of her steam cleaning pack, and with a great whoosh and clattering bang she blasted a chunk of raiders with shrapnel and scalding vapor. Their weapons sparked off her welding helmet and thick protective barding.
随着射击声和呐喊声的增加，《铆钉》和《午夜》和其他几十匹小马一起挤进了中庭。他们可能不知道如何使用枪支，但他们有点，射击，装弹的基本知识。铆钉把一罐废金属倒进她的蒸汽清洁包的喷嘴里，砰的一声，砰的一声，她用弹片和滚烫的蒸汽炸开了一大块突袭机。他们的武器照亮了她的焊接头盔和厚厚的防护服。
“Hey, meat wagon, get out of the way!” she yelled. Rampage stepped away from Daisy with a sharp grin.
"嘿，运肉车，让开!"她喊道。狂暴带着尖利的笑容从黛西身边走开。
“You don’t fucking get it, do you?” Rampage sneered up at the larger pony. An emerald beam of light flashed from the balcony, the energy burning away Daisy’s barding and cooking the meat beneath it.
"你他妈的还不明白，是吧?"那匹较大的矮种马横冲直撞，受到嘲笑。一束翡翠色的光从阳台上闪过，能量烧掉了黛西的帐篷，把下面的肉煮熟了。
“We’re her friends,” Glory said. The small gray pegasus had been forced to mount Leo’s old gun to fire over her shoulder to accommodate its size and weight.
"我们是她的朋友,"晨辉说。这匹灰色的小飞马被迫把利奥的旧炮架在肩膀上开火，以适应它的大小和重量。
There was a purple flash behind Daisy, and Lacunae appeared inside her sphere, the minigun motor already purring at speed above her. “That means…”
黛西身后有一道紫色的闪光，拉库奈出现在她的球体里，迷你炮发动机已经在她头顶上发出咕噜咕噜的声音。"这意味着......"
P-21 knelt beside me, forcing a stable rejuvenation potion to my lips as he glared at Daisy. “She doesn’t have to fight alone!” He gave me a shaky little smile as he looked down at me. “Right?”
P-21跪在我身边，眼睛盯着黛西，把一种稳定的恢复活力的药剂注射到我的嘴唇上。"她不必孤军奋战!"他低头看着我，给了我一个颤抖的微笑。"对吧?"
“Right…” I slowly crawled back to my hooves as the rest of the raiders rallied around Daisy. The giggling mass was armed, armored, drugged, and crazed. Even with them outnumbered by me and my friends, it was a daunting task. But for the survival of the stable, it’d be finished.
"对......"我慢慢地爬回我的蹄子，其余的突袭机围着黛西团结起来。那群咯咯笑的人全副武装，嗑了药，疯了。即使他们的人数比我和我的朋友多，这也是一项艰巨的任务。但是为了马厩的生存，这一切都将结束。
The final battle for Stable 99 was on.
马厩99的最后一战正在进行。
The atrium roared and thundered as both sides tore into the other with reckless abandon. The raiders, with their diseased aggression, fearlessly took hit after hit for the pleasure of hearing the screams of the stable dwellers. But three weeks of
当双方肆无忌惮地互相攻击时，中庭轰鸣着，雷鸣般地响起来。带着病态的侵略性，袭击者们无所畏惧地挨了一下又一下，以此来享受听到马厩居民的尖叫声。但是三个星期以来
fear and deprivation had eaten away at the stable ponies’ fear and doubt, and there wasn’t a single pony here who wasn’t ready to fight and die for their home.
恐惧和匮乏蚕食了马厩里小马的恐惧和疑虑，这里没有一匹小马不准备为家园而战斗和牺牲。
The close quarters and deadly weaponry swiftly took their toll, but when one of the stable ponies fell, their fellow ponies would drag them to safety and administer healing while the others fought on. If one ran out of bullets, another would spare a magazine. The raiders fought as individuals. Brutally, but alone. Even Daisy, snatching weapons from whatever raider she came across, might as well have been by herself for all the help she gave to the rest.
近距离战斗和致命武器迅速造成了伤亡，但是当一匹稳定的小马倒下时，它们的同伴会把它们拖到安全的地方，在其他小马继续战斗的时候进行治疗。如果一颗子弹用完了，另一颗就会省下一个弹匣。突袭机作为个体进行战斗。残忍但孤独。即使是黛西，从她遇到的突袭机那里抢过武器，对于她给予其他人的所有帮助，她还不如独自一人。
Ponies, decent and civilized ponies, would win the day for once. For once, the Wasteland would lose.
小马，正派而文明的小马，终于赢得了一次胜利。这一次，大荒地将会失败。
Perhaps she saw the inevitable, but, her disfigured barding covered in gore and her lips foaming from the drugs pumping through her system, Daisy leapt forward in a final charge. She had the strength and frenzy to kill plenty of ponies before she was finally dropped.
也许她看到了不可避免的结局，但是，她毁容的身体上布满了鲜血，嘴唇因为药物的作用而起泡，黛西最后冲了上去。她有足够的力量和疯狂去杀死大量的小马，直到她最终被抛弃。
We weren’t going to give her that chance. From the balcony above, a stream of emerald light flashed down across her frame. Lacunae’s finger of flaming metal washed across Daisy and every raider that joined her in that final charge. With a deft toss, P-21’s fragmentation grenade bounced under her and exploded directly behind her, shredding her legs. But just as momentum threatened to carry her into our lines, Rampage charged forward into the fire and reared up, shoving with every bit of strength in her frame. Daisy reared on bloody legs as gunfire bit and cut into her before finally they crashed to the side.
我们没打算给她这个机会。从楼上的阳台上，一束翠绿色的灯光从她的身体上掠过。空隙的燃烧的金属手指划过黛西和所有加入她最后冲锋的突袭机。P-21的破片杀伤手榴弹在她身下弹起，在她身后爆炸，撕裂了她的双腿。但是，就在气流威胁着要把她推进我们的防线时，狂暴冲进了火堆，抬起了腿，用尽全身的力气推搡着她。枪声一响，黛西用血淋淋的双腿直立起来，刺穿了她的身体，最后他们撞到了一边。
The giggling rose to hysterical levels as something broke within the raiders, and they milled, fighting each other more than us. I slumped as the adrenaline receded, leaving me weak and shaky. I approached where Daisy had fallen, her body broken and riddled with holes and her blood pooling beneath her. “So… is it… over?” she gasped softly, sucking in short, shallow breaths as she looked up with her jaundiced eyes.
当突袭机内部有什么东西破裂时，咯咯的笑声达到了歇斯底里的程度，他们咯咯作响，彼此之间的争斗比我们还要激烈。随着肾上腺素的消退，我跌倒了，只剩下虚弱和颤抖。我走近黛西倒下的地方，她的身体破碎了，上面布满了洞，血液在她身下汇聚。"那么......一切......都结束了吗?"她轻轻地喘着气，用带黄疸的眼睛抬起头来，吸着短而浅的气息。
I lay down next to her, pushing off the goggles and nodding.
我在她身边躺下，推开护目镜，点了点头。
“G…good…” she panted softly with a smile. “You… saved… me… Black…” Her eyes twitched as she took one last hiccupping breath and then slowly relaxed, her pupils expanding in some final semblance of sanity. Of peace.
"g.."很好..."她微笑着喘着气。"你......救了......我......布莱克......"她的眼睛抽搐着，做了最后一次打嗝的呼吸，然后慢慢放松下来，她的瞳孔扩大到最后一点理智的样子。和平的象征。
“Take care, Daisy,” I murmured softly, my magic closing her eyes. “Goodbye.” Sometimes, to save a pony...
"保重，黛西,"我轻声说，用我的魔法合上了她的眼睛。"再见。"有时候为了救一匹小马。
* * *
* * *
We’d won. Victory was supposed to bring certain feelings. Joy. Elation. Celebration. Certainly, everypony in the stable felt this to some degree, but a third of the stable was dead. There was no celebration for that, and I was so exhausted that it was all I could do to shrug out of the rancid security barding, take another healing potion, tell Rivets and Midnight to dump the bodies outside, and crawl to my room… my room.
我们赢了。胜利应该带来某种感情。乔伊。兴高采烈。庆祝活动。当然，马厩里的每一匹小马都多少感受到了这一点，但是三分之一的马厩已经死了。没有什么庆祝活动，我已经筋疲力尽，我只能耸耸肩，摆脱令人作呕的安全防护，服用另一种治疗药剂，告诉利维茨和午夜把尸体扔到外面，然后爬回我的房间......我的房间。
It was just as messy as I’d left it, with coveralls all over the floor, stale food chips lying in bowls on the bed, crumbs everywhere. There was a definite stale pong in the air I’d never noticed before. Slowly, I crawled onto the mattress with a groan. There was so much to do. I needed to check on P-21. Rampage. Glory. Even make sure Lacunae was all right. I had to find out who’d lived and died. I had to talk to Rivets and Midnight about the males and how they couldn’t be used that way anymore. Contact Megamart.
它和我离开时一样脏乱，地板上到处都是工作服，床上的碗里放着发霉的食物碎片，到处都是面包屑。空气中肯定有一种我以前从未注意到的陈腐的臭味。慢慢地，我呻吟着爬上了床垫。还有很多事情要做。我需要检查一下P-21。横冲直撞。晨辉。甚至要确保空白处没有问题。我必须找出谁生谁死。我不得不和利维茨和午夜谈论雄性的问题，以及它们如何不再被那样利用。联系Megamart。
Instead, I fell flat on my face asleep.
相反，我脸朝下倒在地上睡着了。
* * *
* * *
Somepony was touching me. It wasn’t a painful touch, but it was decidedly unusual. There was a very faint chemical smell, too. “If you’re planning on gassing me, could you please do it quickly?” I mumbled. “I’m way too tired and sore to draw this out.”
有个小马在抚摸我。这不是一次痛苦的接触，但绝对是不同寻常的。还有一种非常微弱的化学气味。"如果你打算用毒气喷我，能不能快点?"我咕哝着。"我太累了，身上又酸又痛，抽不出时间来。"
There was a familiar ‘eep’, and I glanced back at a blushing Glory as she pinched a rag between her hooves. A small metal flask of turpentine rested beside her. “I… I was… ah… Just… uncovering your cutie mark,” she said as she pointed at the exposed cards on my left flank.
有一个熟悉的"小睡"，我回头看了看一个脸红的晨辉，她正在蹄子之间捏一块破布。她身边放着一小瓶松节油。"我.....。.我只是......啊......只是......揭开你可爱的标记,"她指着我左侧暴露的牌说。
“Oh…” I replied lightly. “Well… carry on…” I said, closing my eyes with a wry smile.
"哦......"我轻轻地回答。"好吧......继续......"我说，苦笑着闭上了眼睛。
“Blackjack?” Glory asked me in her soft, timid voice.
"黑杰克?"晨辉用她那温柔、羞怯的声音问我。
“Mhmmm?” I asked as she teased Marmalade’s hide off my rump.
"嗯?"我问道，她一边逗弄着我屁股上的橘子皮。
“I’m sorry about your friend,” she said quietly.
"你朋友的事我很遗憾,"她平静地说。
“Me too… though Daisy wasn’t a friend, exactly.” I sighed. “She was the first pony I’d failed to save. Her mom was beating her. I tried to get her arrested. It didn’t work; I’m pretty sure I’m to blame for making her so… hurt.”
"我也是......不过黛西确切地说不是朋友。"我叹了口气。"她是第一匹我没能拯救的小马。她妈妈打她。我试图让她被捕。这没有起作用，我很确定我应该为使她如此...受伤而受到责备。"
“Why?” Glory asked softly. “You’re not to blame for everything that goes wrong in the Wasteland, or even your own stable. You tried to help. That has to count for something.”
"为什么?"格洛里轻声问道。"你不应该为荒原上发生的一切错误负责，甚至不应该为你自己的马厩负责。你想帮忙。这肯定是有意义的。"
“Good intentions don’t excuse bad results,” I said with a sigh. “Do you think we could have helped them? The infected?”
"好的意图不能为坏的结果开脱,"我叹了口气说。"你认为我们能帮助他们吗？感染者?"
Glory started to say something as she nudged the glued flap of hide aside, then sighed. “No. It’s not like you can just wave a magic wand and have a cure. There was once magic that might have been able to help, but today… no. A cure would take months, maybe years of research.”
格洛里开始说些什么，她把粘在身上的皮革推到一边，然后叹了口气。"没有。这并不是说你只要挥一下魔杖就能治好的。曾经有一种魔法可以帮助我们，但是今天......没有。治愈需要几个月，甚至几年的研究。"
“But Lighthooves created that damn thing...” I winced as she pulled the flap free and tossed it into the trash.
"但是是lighthoves创造了那个该死的东西......"当她拉开盖子把它扔进垃圾桶的时候，我皱起了眉头。
“No. I seriously doubt he did. I don’t know where he found this disease, but even the Enclave can’t create something like this from scratch. So even if he altered the contagion, he might not have a cure himself. I’m guessing they increased its rate of progression… it sounds like most raiders take months to break down, but this does it in less than a week.”
"没有。我严重怀疑他会这么做。我不知道他是在哪里发现这种疾病的，但是即使是昂科雷也不能从零开始创造出这样的东西。因此，即使他改变了传染病，他自己也可能无法治愈。我猜他们增加了它的发展速度...听起来好像大多数袭击者需要几个月的时间才能分解，但是这只需要不到一个星期。"
I sighed as the turpentine evaporated off my butt, feeling a niggling sensation. “You know… the flesh eating parts aside… I wonder if Lighthooves was after something else. The infected ponies were all loyal to the Overmare and Daisy.
当松节油从我的屁股上蒸发掉时，我叹了口气，感到一种微不足道的感觉。"你知道......除了吃肉的部分......我想知道，lighthoves是不是在找别的东西。受感染的小马都忠于Overmare和Daisy。
What if Lighthooves wants the disease to create unconditional loyalty? It would explain why he would want to accelerate the infection rate and find a strain that would work on pegasi.”
如果lighthoves希望这种疾病创造出无条件的忠诚呢？这就解释了为什么他想要加快感染速度，并找到一种能对飞马座起作用的菌株。"
“Maybe… but why? Most of us are already loyal,” she said a touch defensively.
"也许......但是为什么呢？我们中的大多数人已经很忠诚了。"。
“But would you kill… say… helpless surface ponies? Or other pegasi if given the order to?” She looked particularly troubled by that. “Maybe the Enclave is after a disease that ensures loyalty. The aggression is just a bonus.”
"但是你会杀死......比如说......无助的表面小马吗？或者其他飞马座，如果给予命令?"她看起来特别为此感到困扰。"也许昂科雷正在寻找一种确保忠诚的疾病。这种侵略性只是额外的好处。"
“That’s… a terrifying thought. It would mean that Lighthooves plans on asking pegasi to do things that are grossly illegal or immoral. That’s treasonous,” she said nervously, then shook herself. “This is all speculation, though. We don’t actually know why he’s developing it.”
"这真是......一个可怕的想法。这将意味着lighthoves计划要求飞马座做一些非常非法或不道德的事情。这是叛国,"她紧张地说，然后摇了摇自己。"不过，这些都是猜测。我们实际上不知道他为什么要开发它。"
I groaned. “Why can’t a smart pony think about this?”
我呻吟着。"为什么聪明的小马就不能考虑一下这个问题呢?"
“Smart ponies are,” she assured me with a pat on the shoulder. Then there was a moment’s hesitation. “Blackjack… on the boat… why’d you point that gun at me?”
"小马很聪明,"她拍了拍我的肩膀向我保证。然后有片刻的犹豫。"黑杰克...在船上...你为什么用枪指着我?"
I sighed, “‘Cause I’m crazy…”
我叹了口气,"因为我疯了......"
“Blackjack.”
"黑杰克。"
“No, really. I’m crazy, Glory.” I sat up with a groan, looking back at her. “For the last week or two I’ve been seeing a pony. This pale stallion. He comes and goes, but he’s always talking to me… taunting me. He builds me up when I’m falling apart and tears me down when things are going good.” I looked around the room, half expecting him to be there. “I can’t understand it, other than me being crazy.”
"不，真的。我疯了，晨辉。"我呻吟着坐了起来，回头看着她。"过去一两个星期，我一直在看一匹小马。这匹苍白的种马。他来了又走，但他总是和我说话...嘲弄我。他在我崩溃的时候鼓励我，在一切顺利的时候让我崩溃。"我环顾了一下房间，有点期待他会在那里。"我不能理解，除了我疯了。"
“A hallucination you have conversations with?” she said with a frown. “When did they start?”
"和你交谈的幻觉?"她皱着眉头说。"他们什么时候开始的?"
“Mmm… Brimstone’s Fall?” Then I frowned. “Well, actually, I didn’t start having conversations with him until Miramare.” Oh, great. Now all my paranoia alarms were going off! “You don’t think Lighthooves did something to me, do you? Put the Dealer into my head to drive me crazy?” I had an Enclave mind control device in my brain, I was sure of it! “Glory! I need you to do brain surgery on me, quick!” I said, seizing her shoulders in my hooves.
"嗯...硫磺会降临?"然后我皱起了眉头。"嗯，实际上，直到米拉马雷，我才开始和他交谈。"太好了。现在我所有的妄想警报都响了！"你不会认为是莱特霍夫斯对我做了什么吧？把毒贩子灌输到我脑子里，让我发疯?"我的大脑里有一个昂科雷思维控制装置，我很确定！"晨辉！我需要你给我做脑部手术，快!"我说，用我的蹄子抓住她的肩膀。
She looked at me flatly and smacked my face with her hoof. “You do not need any more holes in your head, Blackjack.” Okay, maybe she had a point there. The gray pegasus sighed softly and rubbed my cheek. “So, this Dealer didn’t make you try and shoot me?”
她直勾勾地看着我，用蹄子拍了拍我的脸。"你不需要再在脑袋上打洞了，黑杰克。"好吧也许她说的有道理。灰色的飞马轻轻地叹了口气，抚摸着我的脸颊。"那么，这个商人没有让你试图开枪打我?"
“No. I… I don’t know. I mean… if it’s not some Enclave plot…” Now I was feeling confused and anxious.
"没有。我。.我不知道。我的意思是......如果这不是什么飞地的阴谋......"现在我感到困惑和焦虑。
“It could also be the taint,” Glory said softly. “Maybe that’s how it’s getting to you.” Oh, yeah… that. I’d kinda locked that fact up in the back of my head. Glory stroked my filthy mane. “I just wanted to know… if I’d done something… anything…” She chewed on her lower lip in worry, her lavender eyes looking up at me.
"这也可能是污点,"格洛里轻声说。"也许你就是这样受到影响的。"哦，是的...那个。我已经把这个事实牢牢记在心里了。晨辉抚摸着我肮脏的鬃毛。"我只是想知道......我是否做了什么......任何事......"她担心地咬着下唇，淡紫色的眼睛抬头看着我。
I blinked and flushed. “No. Glory, you’ve been… wonderful. You saved my life in that fight. You save me more than I deserve…” And I knew that look in her cute little face. That was a kissing look. She was giving me a kissing look. My knees felt weak, my tummy fluttery, and my nethers were giving me some definite signs of approval. I liked her kissing look…
我眨了眨眼，脸红了。"没有。晨辉，你真是...太好了。你在那场比赛中救了我的命。你救了我比我应得的更多......"我知道她可爱的小脸上的表情。那是亲吻的表情。她给了我一个亲吻的眼神。我的膝盖感到软弱，我的肚子在抖动，我的下面给了我一些肯定的信号。我喜欢她接吻的样子..。
And why did I suddenly not mind nearly as much as I had in Chapel?
为什么我突然不像在教堂时那么介意了呢？
I had to admit, she might not be very good at kissing, but she felt very… very… nice. It was different from just a kiss, though; I’d kissed plenty of mares and a couple of stallions, and only once did I do it beyond foreplay. Only once did it mean something special. As our lips met, I couldn’t stop myself from smiling.
我不得不承认，她可能不是很擅长接吻，但是她感觉非常...非常...好。不过这和一个吻是不一样的，我吻过很多母马和几匹种马，只有一次超过了前戏。只有一次它意味着什么特别的东西。当我们的嘴唇相遇时，我禁不住微笑起来。
“Blackjack,” Glory purred softly once our lips parted, her eyes closed.
"Blackjack,"晨辉轻轻地咕噜着，当我们的嘴唇分开，她的眼睛闭上了。
“Yeah?” I murmured, my head spinning. I’d never kissed like that before.
"是吗?"我低声说，头晕目眩。我以前从来没有这样接吻过。
“You need a shower,” Glory said softly. “And clean your room.”
"你需要洗个澡,"格洛里轻声说。"打扫你的房间。"
* * *
* * *
When she’d told me I needed a shower, I hadn’t anticipated company. The showers weren’t exactly the sort of place two mares could get frisky; you never knew when a filly might stroll in. Somehow, though, we had the entire bathroom to ourselves for once. Hot water, glorious and wondrous hot water, cascaded down on both of us as Glory calmly washed the grease and gunk from my mane and scrubbed the yellow stain out of my hide. Soap, simple soap, was a luxury I’d never appreciated before as she scrubbed every inch. I’d never been washed like this before. I doubted that Glory had, either.
当她告诉我我需要洗个澡时，我没想到会有人来。阵雨可不是两匹母马可以玩耍的地方，你永远不知道小母马什么时候会溜进来。尽管如此，我们还是第一次拥有了整个浴室。热水，辉煌而奇妙的热水，如瀑布般倾泻在我们两人身上，晨辉静静地洗去我鬃毛上的油污和粘稠物，擦去我皮肤上的黄色污渍。肥皂，简单的肥皂，是我从来没有珍惜过的奢侈品，因为她把每一寸都擦得干干净净。我以前从来没有被这样洗过。我也怀疑晨辉有没有。
And then, when her washings went to my back quarter… suddenly, I couldn’t care less about hot water or soap or anything else at all. After everything I’d been through, this simple contact and bliss sent my hooves tingling and my eyes rolling in absolute joy. It was as if I were finally getting a reward for doing
然后，当她的洗衣服到了我的后院......突然间，我对热水、肥皂或其他任何东西一点都不在乎了。在我经历了这一切之后，这种简单的接触和幸福让我的蹄子发麻，我的眼睛因为绝对的喜悦而翻滚。就好像我终于因为做了这件事而得到了奖励
something good.
好东西。
The only thing better was getting to return the favor…
唯一比这更好的事情就是回报..。
* * *
* * *
“So… where’d you learn that?” I asked with a grin. I couldn’t stop grinning. If I were faced with Deus, Blueblood, Manticore Pony, Sanguine, and the entirety of the Zodiacs, I’d have laughed at the lot of them. I’d just… I don’t know. It wasn’t just sex, but something a thousand times better.
"那么......你从哪儿学来的?"我咧嘴笑着问。我忍不住笑了起来。如果我面对的是上帝、蓝血、ManticorePony、乐观和所有的黄道带，我会嘲笑他们中的很多人。我只是...我不知道。这不仅仅是性，而是比性好上千倍的东西。
Glory flushed as she helped me clean my room, as she’d insisted. It was a little surreal. There were a thousand things I should be doing, first and foremost checking on P-21. But he was still helping the males recover and dealing with his own pain. He needed time and space; I could at least give him that. Rampage had told me she’d deal with the chains stuck in her body… that was all she’d comment on. So now I was cleaning my room, and I couldn’t help but giggle every third step. Had I ever been this happy?
正如她坚持的那样，当她帮我打扫房间时，晨辉的脸涨得通红。这有点超现实主义。我有成千上万的事情要做，首先是检查P-21。但是他仍然在帮助雄性恢复和处理他自己的痛苦。他需要时间和空间，我至少可以给他这些。狂暴告诉我她会处理她身上的锁链......这就是她所有的评论。所以现在我正在打扫我的房间，每走第三步我就忍不住咯咯地笑。我曾经如此快乐过吗？
Probably not.
可能不会。
“Around,” Glory said evasively as she blushed, looking at me from under her purple bangs. At my arched brow, she went more rosy. “Honestly… P-21 and Rampage.”
"大约,"晨辉脸红了，从她紫色的刘海下看着我，闪烁其词地说。在我拱起的眉毛上，她变得更红润了。"老实说......P-21和狂暴。"
That surprised me. “Really?”
这让我很惊讶。"真的吗?"
“Well, P-21 was a little more clinical about what mares do together.” I watched her squirm delightfully. “Rampage… well… she’s really been around. I thought my coat would turn pink when she tried demonstrating zebra tantric sex positions.” That made my brow arch, and she starting going from pink to red. “Well, she did!”
"嗯，P-21对于母马在一起做什么有点冷静。"我欣喜地看着她局促不安。"横冲直撞......好吧......她真的一直在附近。当她试图展示斑马密宗性爱姿势时，我以为我的外套会变成粉红色。"这使我的额头拱起，她开始从粉红色到红色。"好吧，她做到了!"
I decided teasing was not called for just now as I heaped up all my dirty clothes in a canvas sack while Glory made the bed. “So… have you always been interested in mares, or am I just really lucky?”
我决定现在不需要开玩笑，因为我把所有的脏衣服都堆在一个帆布袋里，而晨辉在整理床铺。"那么......你一直都对母马感兴趣吗?还是我真的很幸运?"
“Both?” Glory offered as she tapped her hooves together. “Dusk is… very much… and I didn’t want to be like her, so I just didn’t have intimate relationships. I just figured I had too much studying and other work to do to
"两者都有?"她用蹄子轻轻敲打着，晨辉随之而来。"《黄昏》是......非常......我不想像她那样，所以我没有亲密关系。我只是觉得我有太多的学习和工作要做
worry about it. You finally got me to act on it.”
担心吧。你终于让我付诸行动了。"
“You have terrible taste. I’m probably the last mare you should have done that with. I can introduce you to Midnight, though,” I said with a crooked little smile.
"你的品味太差了。我可能是你最不想要的母马。不过我可以把你介绍给"午夜","我带着一个歪歪扭扭的微笑说。
“Don’t do that,” she told me softly. Huh? I’d done something? “Don’t tear yourself down like that… even if you’re joking. I’m glad I was finally able to do that with you. I don’t want to do it with anypony else.” Great, now I was pretty sure I was blushing.
"不要那样做,"她温柔地告诉我。什么？我做了什么？"不要那样伤害自己......即使你是在开玩笑。我很高兴终于可以和你一起做这件事了。我不想和别人做这种事。"太好了，现在我很确定我脸红了。
I tossed the bags full of dirty laundry by the door, looking at the shockingly clean room. “Wow… if Mom knew it’d take three weeks in the Wasteland to get me to clean my room, she’d have thrown me out of the stable years ago.” Mom… Suddenly, all the happy feelings started to slide away as I sat on the floor beside the bed.
我把装满脏衣服的袋子扔在门边，看着这个干净得令人震惊的房间。"哇......如果妈妈知道要花三个星期在荒原才能让我打扫房间，她几年前就会把我扔出马厩了。"妈妈......突然，当我坐在床边的地板上时，所有的快乐都开始消失了。
“Do you want to talk about it?” Glory asked as she reached out to stroke my cheek. I couldn’t help it; I closed my eyes and leaned into her caress even as I felt tears run down my face.
"你想谈谈吗?"当她伸手抚摸我的脸颊时，晨辉问道。我情不自禁地闭上眼睛，靠在她的爱抚下，甚至感到泪水顺着我的脸颊流下来。
“I don’t know. I just… I don’t know how to feel right now. I’m sad she’s gone, I’m mad she was killed… I don’t feel much satisfaction from killing the Overmare or Daisy. It’s just… I don’t know,” I finished lamely. “I was so excited to think I’d finally get to see her again. Tell her everything I’ve learned. Show her that… that I really was the security mare she wanted me to be. But I can’t. There’s so much that we’ll never get to talk about now.” I sighed as I sat up a little more and hugged Glory closer to me. “I don’t know if she knew that I loved her before I left. Now I never will.”
"我不知道。我只是...我不知道现在是什么感觉。她死了我很伤心，她被杀了我很生气......杀死奥弗梅尔或黛西我并没有感到多大的满足。"只是......我不知道,"我一瘸一拐地说完。"一想到我终于可以再见到她，我就兴奋不已。告诉她我学到的一切。让她知道...我真的是她想要的那种安全感。但我做不到。有那么多事情，我们现在再也没机会谈了。"我叹了口气，又坐了起来，把晨辉抱得离我更近了。"我不知道在我离开之前她是否知道我爱她。现在我再也不会了。"
“She knew,” Glory replied with a smile. “You’re not exactly the best at hiding your emotions.”
"她知道,"晨辉微笑着回答。"你并不擅长隐藏自己的情绪。"
I feigned indignance. “I’ll have you know I’m one sneaky, lying pony when I want to be.”
我假装愤怒。"我要让你知道，我是一匹鬼鬼祟祟、爱撒谎的小马，只要我愿意。"
Her wing stroked my horn… oh, sweet Celestia, she could do that all night and day if she wanted to! “But when you don’t want to be, you’re pretty obvious, Blackjack.”
她的翅膀抚摸着我的号角......哦，亲爱的塞莱斯蒂亚，只要她愿意，她可以日以继夜地这样做！"但是当你不想做的时候，你就很明显了，Blackjack。"
* * *
* * *
I have to admit, things were looking up. I had an honest-to-goodness marefriend and an inkling of why Midnight never said yes to me. The males were free… well, sort of. Breeding rotations were suspended, and as soon as Rivets and I could get something concrete down, they’d be abolished. The males, starved to the point they could barely walk, were being treated by the very medical staff that’d tormented them their whole lives. They flinched when I tried talking to them, and for the most part just ate their algae slushies and tried to recover as well as they could.
我不得不承认，事情正在好转。我有一个诚实善良的朋友，也知道为什么午夜从来不答应我。雄性是自由的...算是吧。繁殖周期被暂停，只要铆钉和我能得到一些具体的东西下来，他们将被废除。这些男性饿得几乎不能走路，他们正在接受折磨他们一生的医务人员的治疗。当我试图与它们交谈时，它们畏缩了，大部分时间只是吃它们的海藻泥，试图尽可能地恢复。
That left P-21.
只剩下P-21。
“Hey,” I said as I found him in medical, calming three colts who were still not convinced the mares weren’t going to kill them all. He flinched at my voice and looked back at me with wary eyes. He was trying to coax them into eating real food, but they weren’t convinced his apples and carrots weren’t some bizarre poisons from outside.
"嘿,"当我在医务室看到它时，我说，安抚着三头小马，它们仍然不相信母马不会把它们全部杀死。他对我的声音退缩了一下，用机警的目光回望着我。他试图哄他们吃真正的食物，但是他们不相信他的苹果和胡萝卜不是来自外界的一些奇怪的毒素。
“Hey,” he replied. “You look good,” he said with a ghost of a smile. “So, did Glory finally pounce you?” I flushed but smiled back.
"嘿,"他回答。"你看起来不错,"他带着鬼一样的微笑说。"那么，晨辉最终扑向你了吗?"我脸红了，但是也对他笑了笑。
“Yeah. She told me you helped with that?” I asked, glaring at the medical ponies with my shooty look. At least, I hoped it was my shooty look; I really needed to remember to try it out in a mirror. It worked, though, and they found something important to do away from us.
"是的。她告诉我你帮了忙?"我问道，眼睛瞪着那两匹医用小马，表情粗鲁。至少，我希望那是我的拙劣表情;我真的需要记得在镜子里试一试。不过，这种方法奏效了，他们发现了一些重要的事情，可以远离我们。
“I just gave her a nudge in the right direction. Rampage gave her the mare on mare dissertation,” he replied calmly.
"我只是把她引向了正确的方向。"狂暴给了她那匹母马的论文,"他平静地回答。
“And how are you doing?”
"你怎么样?"
“I’m fine. Sore… but… fine,” he said matter-of-factly, looking at me with that stoic little smile. I reached out a hoof to brush his mane out of his eyes and he jerked away. Our eyes met and he looked away. “Maybe not one hundred percent fine…”
"我很好。有点酸......不过......还好,"他面无表情地说，带着坚忍的微笑看着我。我伸出一只蹄子，想把它眼睛里的鬃毛刷掉，它猛地一抽。我们的目光相遇，他把目光移开。"也许不是百分之百的好......"
“You’ll talk to me if you need it?” I asked, and he nodded. That was the best I could hope for. I looked at the apple core. “Introducing them to Wasteland cuisine?”
"如果你需要的话，你会告诉我的吧?"我问道，他点了点头。这是我所能期望的最好结果。我看着苹果核。"向他们介绍荒原美食?"
“Just trying to get them off recycled food,” he said with a sigh. “I know we grew
"只是想让他们远离再生食品,"他叹了口气说。"我知道我们成长了
up on the stuff, but eating food recycled from waste is just… gross. I don’t care what kind of magical filtration you’re using.” I stuck my tongue out as well. I would never again stray from my two-century-old delicacies. Then his voice dropped as he spoke the question we were all dreading. “Also, what if… what if some infected bodies got in there?”
但是吃从废物中回收的食物真是...恶心。我不管你用的是什么样的魔法过滤。"我也伸出了舌头。我再也不会偏离我那两个世纪以来的美味了。当他说出我们都害怕的问题时，他的声音变得低沉了。"还有，如果...如果有感染的尸体进去了怎么办?"
I shivered at the thought. “I told Rivets and Midnight they had to be dragged outside. She assured me the system can handle a body put into it, but I don’t know.” I sighed, rubbing my temples with my hooves. Reality was pissing on my good day; at least that was a sign that this wasn’t all a great dream. “If they don’t have the recycled food, then what are we supposed to feed three hundred ponies? They’ve eaten all the stores already.”
一想到这个，我就不寒而栗。"我告诉铆钉和午夜，他们必须被拖出去。她向我保证系统可以处理放进去的尸体，但我不知道。"我叹了口气，用蹄子摩擦着太阳穴。现实糟蹋了我美好的一天;至少这是一个信号，表明这并不全是一个伟大的梦想。"如果他们没有回收食品，那我们要怎么喂三百匹小马呢？他们已经把所有的商店都吃光了。"
“I know,” P-21 said with a sigh. He looked around medical. “I just… I don’t think the threat is real to them. Raiders… diseases… all everypony can think about is not thinking about it. Going back to the status quo.” He sat down beside me. “P-4 and U-9 were asking me when they were supposed to go back to their breeding queue. They just… can’t understand they don’t have to do it anymore.” The frustration showed clear on his face. “And U-13 is trying to convince the other colts that a breeding queue is preferable. He actually liked it.” He looked so upset that I thought he might cry... or blow somepony up.
"我知道,"P-21叹了口气说。他环顾了一下医务室。"我只是......我不认为这种威胁对他们来说是真实的。袭击者......疾病......每个小马都会想到的是不去想它。回到现状。"他在我旁边坐下。"P-4和U-9问我他们什么时候应该回到繁殖队列。他们只是......无法理解，他们不再需要这样做了。"他脸上明显流露出沮丧的神情。"U-13试图让其他小马相信，繁殖队列是更好的选择。他真的很喜欢。"他看起来很沮丧，我想他可能会哭...或者炸掉一些东西。
“He’s been conditioned to. It’s not his fault.” But I knew there were mares who had been cheated of their reproductive chance and were not happy about it. I looked at the medical ponies on the far side of the room watching us with poorly concealed resentment. “I don’t know… they’re glad the killing’s stopped, but it’s almost like they hate us for staying here.”
"他已经习惯了。这不是他的错。"但我知道有些母马被剥夺了繁殖的机会，它们对此并不高兴。我看着房间另一头的医用小马，满怀怨恨地看着我们。"我不知道......他们很高兴杀戮停止了，但他们几乎恨我们留在这里。"
He frowned at them. “I’d be happy to introduce them to Persuasion.”
他对他们皱起了眉头。"我很乐意向他们介绍《劝导》。"
“Don’t do that…” Because a lot of the mares had guns now, guns out of security and guns from the raiders’ stores. And they weren’t giving them up.
"不要那样做......"因为现在很多母马都有枪了，保安那里没有枪了，突袭机商店里也有枪。他们没有放弃。
“It isn’t how it’s supposed to be, is it, Blackjack?” he asked me softly as he looked at the colts walking back into their dingy quarters. “We won. It’s supposed to be better. Right?”
"事情不应该是这样的，对吧，黑杰克?"他看着小马队走回他们肮脏的营房，轻轻地问我。"我们赢了。应该会更好的。对吧?"
“It just feels wrong,” I admitted.
"感觉不对劲,"我承认。
“It feels like Flank.”
"感觉像是弗兰克。"
* * *
* * *
“So, program routing log for EC-1101?” Midnight asked as she handled the Delta PipBuck with some admiration. She’d marveled as the broadcaster made contact with the maneframe without needing a single connection. “This is amazing.” She scrolled through the options as she looked at the cool blue screen. “You can actually access terminals at range with this. Fully StealthBuck compatible. Huge radio sensitivity. A major step over the 3000 model.”
"那么，EC-1101的程序路由日志?""午夜"一边问，一边带着几分羡慕的神情拿着德尔塔的皮伯克。她惊讶于电视台不需要任何连接就可以与电视台取得联系。"这太神奇了。"她一边看着冰冷的蓝色屏幕，一边浏览着这些选项。"你实际上可以通过这个访问范围内的终端。兼容隐形buck。巨大的射电灵敏度。这是超越3000型号的重要一步。"
I sat back, fiddling with Marmalade’s PipBuck as Midnight worked. Clearly, the last few weeks had been tough on her, but now it really showed in her puffy eyes and ragged look. “Fully what compatible?”
我靠在椅背上，随着午夜的工作摆弄着Marmalade的PipBuck。显然，过去的几个星期对她来说很艰难，但是现在从她肿胀的眼睛和粗糙的表情上可以看出来。"什么完全兼容?"
She looked at me with an annoyed frown. “StealthBuck. One-shot invisibility spells you can trigger with your PipBuck,” she explained as she searched for the routing data, then noticed my stunned look. “What? It’s in the PipBuck maintenance guide, page 141. I mean, I’ve never seen one before, but they were supposed to make you undetectable.”
她生气地皱着眉头看着我。"偷巴克。你可以用你的PipBuck触发一次性的隐形魔法,"她一边解释一边搜索路由数据，然后注意到我吃惊的表情。"什么？在PipBuck维护指南第141页。我的意思是，我以前从来没有见过这种东西，但它们应该能让你不被发现。"
Invisibility spells? I thought of Brimstone’s Fall, Flank, Blueblood Manor, even the sand dogs’ lair. Fuck you, Hoofington. Why couldn’t you send a couple of those my way, huh?! I scrolled through my inventory system, looking at the myriad of different kinds of ammo, the guns I’d salvaged, the brass casings I hauled around, and dozens of pieces of associated crap I hoped to turn into bottle caps in the future. And there, right near the bottom of the list… StealthBuck x2. I gritted my teeth to suppress a scream.
隐形术？我想到了宾斯通沦陷，弗兰克，BluebloodManor，甚至是沙漠狗的巢穴。去你的胡芬顿。你为什么就不能给我送几个呢?！我翻遍了我的库存系统，看着无数种不同种类的弹药，我打捞上来的枪支，我拖着的黄铜弹壳，还有几十件我希望将来能变成瓶盖的垃圾。这里，就在名单的底部......StealthBuckx2。我咬紧牙关抑制住一声尖叫。
Have I mentioned I am not a smart pony? Not… at… all. I wondered if I had some kind of magic ‘you win’ device hidden somewhere in my bags that I just didn’t know about yet.
我有没有说过我不是一匹聪明的小马？一点也不。我想知道我是否有某种神奇的'你赢了'装置藏在我的包里，我只是还不知道而已。
I heard the shuffling of cards in my mind as she accessed the data.
当她读取数据的时候，我听到了她在我脑海里洗牌的声音。
“So. Where was this program trying to go, Midnight?”
"所以。"午夜，这个节目的目的何在?"
“Shut up a second and I’ll tell you,” she snapped, then frowned. “Sorry. Tired…” She looked at the terminal. “I can tell you where it’s been… every ministry hub in Canterlot, Stable-Tec HQ in Fillydelphia, someplace called Maripony, the M.A.S. and M.o.M. hubs in Manehattan, Helpinghoof Clinic, half of the MASEBS network, Stables 1 through 7, 9, 14 and 15, 18, 24, 29, 45, 60, 73, 78,
"等一下，我告诉你,"她厉声说，然后皱起了眉头。"对不起。累了......"她看着终端。"我可以告诉你它曾经去过哪里...Canterlot的每一个部门中心，Fillydelphia的Stable-Tec总部，Maripony的某个地方，Manehattan的m.a.s.和m.o.m中心，helpinghof诊所，MASEBS网络的一半，Stables1至7,9,14和15,18,24,29,45,60,73,78,
and 99. And its next destination was… MASEBS broadcast tower 14.”
还有99。它的下一个目的地是......MASEBS广播塔14。"
My navigation tool brought up an icon almost due southeast.
我的导航工具显示了一个几乎正东南方向的图标。
I looked at a list on the terminal.
我看了一下终端上的列表。
Twilight Sparkle> Location unknown. Search timeout. Denied.
紫悦地点未知。搜索超时。拒绝。
Applejack> Stable 2. Blocked by Stable 2 Special Protocols. Denied.
苹果白兰地2。被稳定的2个特殊协议阻塞。拒绝。
Rainbow Dash> Location unknown. Search timeout. Denied.
彩虹破折号位置未知。搜索超时。拒绝。
Fluttershy> Location unknown. Search timeout. Denied.
地点未知。搜索超时。拒绝。
Rarity> MoP Hub, Canterlot. Deceased. Denied.
坎特罗特的稀有拖把中心。已故。拒绝。
Pinkie Pie> MoM Hub, Manehattan. Deceased. Denied.
平奇馅饼妈妈中心，Manehattan。已故。拒绝。
General Stonehide> Canterlot Command Center. Deceased. Denied.
斯通海德坎特洛将军指挥中心。已故。拒绝。
General Borealis> Location unknown. Search timeout. Pending.
北极光位置未知。搜索超时。悬而未决。
General Shimmerstar> (Hoofington Command Center). Primary check in progress. Pending.
西默斯塔将军(胡芬顿指挥中心)。正在进行初步检查。悬而未决。
Chief Justice Fairheart> (Fluttershy Medical Center). Primary check uninitiated. Pending.
首席法官费尔哈特(FluttershyMedicalCenter)。未启动的主检查。悬而未决。
Director of O.I.A. Horse> (Robronco HQ, Hoofington). Primary check uninitiated. Pending.
O.i.a.Horse总监(RobroncoHQ，Hoofington)。未启动的主检查。悬而未决。
Descendant protocol> N/A. Error. Error.
后代协议n/a。错误。错误。
Now I frowned. It had found Applejack’s location, so why had it moved on? What were ‘Stable 2 Special Protocols’? And why was General Borealis’s ‘Search timeout’ marked ‘Pending’ while the others were ‘Denied’? ...I really didn’t know anything about programs, did I?
我皱起了眉头。它已经找到了苹果白兰地的位置，那为什么还要继续前进呢？什么是稳定2特别协议？为什么北雷利斯将军的"搜索超时"标记为"待决"，而其他人则标记为"拒绝"？我真的对程序一无所知，是吗？
She smiled a crooked, tired little smile. “So, now that you have the data… when are you leaving?”
她露出一个歪歪扭扭、疲惫不堪的微笑。"那么，既然你已经有了数据......你什么时候离开?"
I simply looked at her in shock. We’d saved them from a mad Overmare just yesterday, and today they were trying to shove us right out the door? Disappointment welled up inside me as a shiver went up my mane. “Why? Do you want us to go?”
我只是震惊地看着她。就在昨天，我们把他们从一个疯狂的Overmare手里救了出来，而今天他们却想把我们推出门外？当我的鬃毛开始颤抖的时候，我的内心涌起了失望。"为什么？你要我们走吗?"
The black unicorn signed and rubbed her temples. “I don’t know…” she said as she looked tiredly at me. “I just want things back to normal where all I had to worry about was PipBucks.”
黑色的独角兽在她的太阳穴上做了手势。"我不知道......"她说，疲惫地看着我。"我只是希望一切恢复正常，我只需要担心PipBucks。"
“Join the club,” I said with a little grin, but she didn’t return it. “I’m sure with a little time you’ll get used to the Wasteland. I know you and Rivets will love all the scrap and parts in Megamart. And there’s a church dedicated to the Goddesses in Chapel. Even Flank wouldn’t be a bad place to visit as long as--”
"加入我们的俱乐部吧,"我咧嘴笑着说，但她没有还钱。"我相信，再过一段时间，你就会习惯这片荒原的。我知道你和利维茨会喜欢Megamart所有的废品和零件。在教堂里还有一个供奉女神的教堂。即使是弗兰克也是个不错的地方，只要——"
“Blackjack, don’t you get it?” she cried out as she whirled on me. “I don’t want to see Megamart, Chapel, Flank, or whatever. I want to shut the door and get back to fixing PipBucks. If you want to go… go. But I don’t want to know that that world exists! I want to close the door and never let it open again.” She looked at me a moment before her ears drooped and she collapsed, sniffing. “I’m sorry. I just… So many friends are gone. I think I’m going to see Pirouette in the cafeteria, but she’s gone. And I think about Sparkler…eating… and… I just want to forget. I don’t want to think about it, Blackjack. None of us do.”
"黑杰克，你还不明白吗?"她一边朝我旋转，一边大叫。"我不想见到麦加玛特、小教堂、弗兰克或其他什么地方。我想关上门继续修理PipBucks。如果你想去...去吧。但是我不想知道那个世界是否存在！我想关上门，再也不让它打开了。"她看了我一会儿，然后垂下了耳朵，瘫倒在地，吸着鼻子。"对不起。我只是...很多朋友都走了。我想去自助餐厅看皮鲁埃特，但她走了。我想到Sparkler...吃东西...还有...我只想忘记。我不想去想它，Blackjack。我们都不知道。"
I stared at her, feeling numb. The Dealer shuffled his cards as he looked at me gravely. I said quietly, “Midnight, this is my home.”
我盯着她，感到麻木。庄家一面严肃地看着我，一面洗牌。我平静地说,"午夜，这是我的家。"
She looked back and me and faked a smile. “Yeah, Blackjack. But… I’m not sure you belong here anymore… I’m sorry.” And she dropped my PipBuck and rushed out before she could even remove Marmalade’s.
她回头看了看我，假装微笑。"是的，黑杰克。但是......我不确定你是否还属于这里......对不起。"她扔掉了我的皮布克，还没来得及拿掉橘子酱就冲了出去。
“Don’t start,” I said sharply to the Dealer. “They just need time. A few weeks and they’ll be able to deal with the Wasteland. And you. That’s all.”
"别说了,"我严厉地对庄家说。"他们只是需要时间。再过几个星期，他们就能对付荒原了。还有你。仅此而已。"
The Dealer just looked at me like my mother, the cards sliding past each other. He just looked at me with that patient, sad expression. “Just let me know when you’re ready…”
庄家只是像看我妈妈一样看着我，牌从身边滑过。他只是用那种耐心而悲伤的表情看着我。"准备好了就告诉我......"
* * *
* * *
P-21 was right: it was turning into Flank all over again. My friends all found
P-21是对的:它又变成了弗兰克。我的朋友们都找到了
themselves increasingly isolated. Lacunae walked like a purple ghost through the halls, scattering the stable ponies in her path. Even with wings hidden and minigun put away, they avoided her like death itself. Rampage found herself consumed by boredom as she tried to engage stable ponies and found them shying away. Even Glory was forced to spend more time with me than with the ponies she wanted to heal; was a pegasus really so aberrant? Most tragic of all, P-21 found himself shunned by the males he’d hoped to save. He was P-21, and so he was dead to them.
他们越来越孤立。空隙像一个紫色的幽灵一样在大厅里走来走去，把路上的马厩小马分散开来。即使把翅膀藏起来，把小枪收起来，他们还是像躲避死亡一样躲着她。狂暴发现自己被无聊消耗殆尽，她试图饲养稳定的小马，却发现它们躲开了。就连晨辉也被迫花更多的时间在我身上，而不是她想治愈的小马身上;一匹飞马真的如此反常吗？最悲惨的是，P-21发现自己被他希望拯救的雄性避之唯恐不及。他是P-21，所以对他们来说他已经死了。
It wasn’t that the ponies were entirely ungrateful. There were dozens of small parties and impromptu celebrations between surviving friends. The slain were mourned and the Overmare cursed... but we weren’t a part of it. I’d hear the laughter and the talk, but it all died the second I walked through the door. Then everypony would look awkward until we left again. They didn’t know how to deal with us; it was like they were waiting for the moment when we’d turn on them. Even Midnight was avoiding me.
这并不是说那些小马完全忘恩负义。在幸存的朋友之间，有许多小型的聚会和即兴的庆祝活动。人们哀悼被杀的人，奥弗马尔受到诅咒......但我们不是其中的一部分。我会听到他们的笑声和谈话，但是当我走进门的那一刻，一切都消失了。在我们再次离开之前，每匹小马都会显得很笨拙。他们不知道如何对付我们，就好像他们在等待我们出卖他们的那一刻。连午夜都在躲着我。
Rivets became the de facto Overmare. I tried to spend every minute I could convincing her to send ponies to Megamart, trade for things the stable needed. I even echoed Bottlecap’s little ‘trade will save the Wasteland’ speech, but the gray earth mare just muttered and gave a halfhearted ‘we’ll see.’
铆钉成为事实上的Overmare。我竭尽全力说服她把小马送到Megamart，用马厩需要的东西来交换。我甚至附和了Bottlecap的"贸易将拯救荒地"的演讲，但是这个灰色的地球母马只是喃喃自语，并且半心半意地说了一句"我们走着瞧"
I looked at my friend, sitting there behind her desk, looking drawn and spent. “Rivets? You can’t keep Stable 99 bottled up anymore. The systems are falling apart.”
我看着我的朋友，坐在她的办公桌后面，看起来疲惫不堪。"铆钉？你再也不能把稳定的99号封闭起来了。这些体系正在崩溃。"
She rubbed her bloodshot eyes. “Ugh, you sound just like the Overmare.” She slapped her hooves down on the desk. “Do you think I don’t know this stable, Blackjack? I know every pipe! Every wire! Every talisman! Everything!! I don’t care what the data says; we can keep this stable going for two more centuries if we have to!”
她揉揉充血的眼睛。"呃，你听起来就像噩梦。"她把蹄子啪地一声放在桌子上。"你以为我不知道这个马厩吗，黑杰克？我知道每一个管道！每一根电线！每一个护身符！所有的一切！我不在乎数据怎么说，如果有必要，我们可以让这种稳定状态再持续两个世纪。"
“But the--” I began, but then she laughed. It made my mane crawl to hear that coming from the cool-headed mare. She rocked back and grinned at me.
"但是——"我开始说，但是她笑了。听到那头头脑冷静的母马发出的声音，我的鬃毛直往地上爬。她向后摇晃着，对我咧嘴笑着。
“The stable. Is. Fine! Sure, things have been breaking down since the Incident-- the first one--but we’ve been fixing them. Every Overmare since then has been sure that tomorrow we’d all die,” she said, her eyes narrowing and her teeth grinding, “but I know what this stable can do, what we can do. So don’t you
"马厩。是。好吧！当然，事情在第一次事故发生后就开始出现问题，但是我们一直在修复它们。从那时起，每一个Overmare都确信明天我们都会死去,"她说着，眯起眼睛，磨着牙齿,"但是我知道这个马厩能做什么，我们能做什么。你也是
come in here telling me my job. I’ll fix Stable 99 without having to set hoof out in that... that great... open... hrrrugh!” She shuddered violently. Apparently, I wasn’t the only pony who went all oogly from that wide... empty... urrrg...
进来告诉我我的工作。我可以修好99号稳定器，而不用踏进那个......那个大......开......门!"她剧烈地打了个寒战。显然，我不是唯一一个从那么宽...空...呃..。
I took a deep breath, trying to get her to understand. “Rivets. It doesn’t have to be this way. I know you don’t like the outside, but--”
我深吸了一口气，试图让她明白。"铆钉。事情不一定非得这样。我知道你不喜欢外面的世界，但是——"
“No. We’ve lived this way for over a century, safe and secure!” she shouted. Then she took a deep breath and settled back in her chair. “Sorry,” she began, her voice softer. “I guess you’re still just trying to help, but you’ve got to understand that you’ve already done everything we need. The ponies here don’t want to things to change, and neither do I. We don’t want to trade, we don’t want to explore, we don’t want to set hoof outside at all. We want to shut the door and go back to the way things are supposed to run. You were a good security mare, and you have done a lot for us... but if you keep trying to cause trouble, I’m going to have to ask you and your... friends to leave. Understand?”
"没有。我们以这种方式生活了一个多世纪，安全而有保障!"她喊道。然后她深吸了一口气，坐回到椅子上。"对不起,"她开始说，声音变得柔和了。"我想你仍然只是想帮忙，但你必须明白，你已经做了我们需要的一切。这里的小马不想改变什么，我也不想。我们不想交易，我们不想探索，我们根本不想把蹄子放在外面。我们想关上门，回到事情应该运行的方式。你是一个很好的安全母马，你已经为我们做了很多...但如果你继续试图制造麻烦，我将不得不要求你和你的...朋友离开。明白吗?"
I tried to think of some new argument to try, but my mind came up blank. After a few moments of thought, I just gave a resigned nod.
我试图想出一些新的论点来尝试，但我的脑子一片空白。想了一会儿，我只是顺从地点了点头。
“Good,” she said, rising. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to meet with some other maintenance ponies about keeping the stable running.”
"很好,"她说着站了起来。"现在，如果你不介意的话，我需要和其他一些维修小马会面，讨论如何保持马厩的稳定运转。"
* * *
* * *
I found myself alone in the atrium. Alone in the largest community gathering space in the stable. Ponies entering would take one look at me and then promptly continue to someplace else. I found myself reading Rivets’s book: ‘Duck and Cover: an Equestrian Patriot’s Guide to Survival’. Really, it was more a guide to blowing stuff up. The copy had been highly annotated. ‘Napalm: add a cup of cinnamon oil per five gallons to the mix. Zebras can’t stand the smell.’ ‘See if you can mix a little magnesium with the C-4. Boom and flash trumps boom.’
我发现自己独自一人在中庭。独处在最大的社区聚会空间的马厩里。进来的小马会看我一眼，然后马上继续到别的地方去。我发现自己在读铆钉的书:鸭子和封面:马术爱国者的生存指南。实际上，它更像是一个引导人们把东西炸上天的指南。这份副本被高度注释过。凝固汽油弹:每5加仑加入一杯肉桂油。斑马受不了这种气味看看你能不能把一点镁和C-4混合起来。爆炸和闪光胜过爆炸
A photograph showed a unicorn mare and an earth pony stallion sitting in front of a crater, grinning at the camera. There were remains of what appeared to be dragons littering the rim. A little note was written at the bottom. ‘What else did you expect from the Ministry of Awesome?’
一张照片显示，一匹独角兽母马和一匹地球上的种马坐在一个陨石坑前，对着相机咧嘴笑着。边缘散落着一些似乎是龙的残骸。下面写了一张小纸条。你还指望了不起的魔法部做些什么
I smiled as I flipped through, looking for other little notes. There was a drawing of a building with arrows pointed at the base. ‘Set charges here.’ Another of a
我微笑着翻阅着，寻找着其他的小纸条。有一幅画，画的是一座建筑物的底部，上面有箭头指向。在这里安装炸弹又一个
bridge over a river, and the comment, ‘They’ll never see us coming.’ There were diagrams of zebra factories, towns, water works, and bases, all with notes of what to sabotage or blow up.
在河上架起了一座桥，他们说,'他们永远不会看到我们来了。'这里有斑马工厂、城镇、水厂和基地的图表，上面都写着要破坏或炸毁什么东西。
A little photo in the back displayed a dozen mares and three stallions posing together. ‘Ministry of Awesome, Ground Pounders. We bring awesome to earth.’ I blinked at the picture and the one lone pegasus in it. Jetstream sat with a sad half smile surrounded by grinning unicorns and earth ponies.
一个小照片在后面显示了十二匹母马和三匹种马摆姿势在一起。令人敬畏的部，地面炮兵。我们给地球带来了可怕的东西我对着照片和里面唯一的飞马眨了眨眼睛。坐在那里，脸上带着悲伤的微笑，周围是咧着嘴笑的独角兽和小马。
‘Saw Rainbow Dash talking with the director today. Didn’t seem happy. Too much peace talk. Too much ending the war rather than winning it. Goldenblood seems certain we’re going to win, but I can’t tell if he was blowing smoke up Dash’s butt or really believes it. Sometimes it feels like the war is going to go on forever.’
今天看到彩虹·达什和导演谈话了。看起来不太高兴。太多的和平谈话。太多的结束战争而不是赢得战争。金血王似乎肯定我们会赢，但我不知道他是在吹捧达什，还是真的相信。有时候感觉战争会永远持续下去
One picture showed what I thought was a distant sunrise, but the spherical shape was wrong… and it was in front of the mountains rather than behind them. ‘Trottenheimer’s megaspell goes boom. We’re out of a job.’
有一张照片显示的是一个遥远的日出，但是这个球形是错误的......而且它是在山的前面，而不是在山的后面。特罗滕海默的巨型建筑轰然倒塌。我们失业了
The last black and white picture in the back showed the mare and stallion sitting outside the entrance to Stable 99. A young, crying unicorn foal was cradled in the unicorn mare’s hooves. The note on the back read, ‘End of the world time. We’ll be back. Card Trick’s playing security now, and I’m fixing machines instead of breaking them. Card Trick took the kid when her mom’s pass was denied. Said she couldn’t reach Stable 90 in time. No one says no to Trick.’
后面最后一张黑白照片显示的是母马和种马坐在99号马厩的入口外。在独角兽母马的蹄子里，孕育着一只哭泣的小独角兽。背面的便条上写着:世界末日到了。我们会回来的。纸牌戏法现在在玩安全游戏，我在修理机器而不是弄坏它们。当孩子的妈妈的通行证被拒绝时，纸牌戏法把孩子带走了。说她无法及时到达Stable90。没有人对Trick说不
I smiled as I pulled out Vigilance. Card Trick. Tarot. Little Poker. Full House. 52 Pick-up. Straight Flush. Aces. Royal Flush. Bridge. Hearts. Gin Rummy. Go Fish.
我微笑着退出了警戒队。纸牌戏法。塔罗牌。小扑克。满堂红。52皮卡。同花顺。太棒了。皇家同花顺。桥牌。红心。金拉米纸牌戏。去钓鱼。
Go Fish. I felt an odd little chill run through me. I hugged the pistol to my chest, feeling a connection to a mare I’d never imagined and a mother I’d never appreciated till it was too late.
去钓鱼。我感到一股奇怪的轻微的寒意贯穿全身。我把手枪抱在胸前，感觉自己与一匹我从未想象过的母马和一位我从未感激过的母亲产生了联系，直到为时已晚。
* * *
* * *
Only two days later, the only ponies who wanted to spend any time with me at all were my friends. Every eye looked at us with fear and suspicion. Sometimes, I’d see a knot of ponies and wonder if maybe they were going to try and force us to leave. We were reminders of the outside world, alien and dangerous.
仅仅两天之后，只有我的朋友们愿意花时间和我在一起。每只眼睛都用恐惧和怀疑的眼光看着我们。有时候，我会看到一群小马，我不知道他们是否会试图强迫我们离开。我们让人想起外面的世界，陌生而又危险。
I was healed up. Glory had gotten her AER-14 to work. Rampage had extracted the chains with the assist of a winch; the less I knew about the details, the better. And Lacunae kept looking at me expectantly… I just knew the Goddess was waiting to call a favor due. P-21 didn’t even try and talk to the males anymore. He was sleeping on my couch. Eventually, Lacunae excused herself; she’d wait on the surface. I suspected she needed a good dose of Enervation to put some distance between herself and the Goddess.
我痊愈了。晨辉让她的AER-14开始工作。横冲直撞的人用绞车帮助解开了锁链;我对细节知道得越少越好。空隙一直以期待的眼神看着我......我只知道女神正在等待一个应得的请求。P-21甚至不再尝试和雄性交谈。他睡在我的沙发上。最后，拉库尼找了个借口离开了，她在水面上等着。我怀疑她需要大量的能量来让自己和女神保持距离。
The third day after the attack, I woke to find a petition taped to my door. ‘Request for Blackjack and company to depart the stable’. I counted a hundred names before I gave up. Midnight was right there on the first page.
袭击发生后的第三天，我醒来发现门上贴着一份请愿书。要求黑杰克和其他人离开马厩。我数了一百个名字才放弃。《午夜》就在第一页。
I curled up with Glory on my bed, the papers tossed aside as I nuzzled her neck. “We’ll go tomorrow.”
我抱着晨辉蜷缩在床上，用鼻子蹭着她的脖子，把报纸扔到一边。"我们明天去。"
“I’m sorry, Blackjack. I know what it’s like to want a home,” Glory said softly. She knew far better than I did. I held her a little more snugly now, knowing what she’d lost.
"对不起，黑杰克。我知道想要一个家是什么感觉,"格洛里轻声说。她比我清楚得多。我知道她失去了什么，现在我把她抱得更紧了。
Mom was dead. My old friends were dead or had decided I reminded them of things they wanted to forget. My new friends were unwelcome. It was time to go.
妈妈去世了。我的老朋友们要么已经死了，要么已经决定让我提醒他们一些他们想要忘记的事情。我的新朋友不受欢迎。该走了。
* * *
* * *
My mother and I were one of the few mother/daughter pairs given the luxury of our own rooms. I rarely went into her quarters; it simply felt wrong. But in the morning, we’d be going to MASEBS #14, and I’d never have this chance again. Someday, the stable would replace both of us; how, I didn’t know… honestly, I didn’t really care anymore. They’d made their feelings clear. All I could do was respect their wishes. Given how everypony was acting, when I told my friends that we’d need to go to the tower to find out more about EC-1101, they were all more or less glad to be leaving. It was a destination in the direction of ‘away from 99’.
我母亲和我是少数几对拥有自己豪华房间的母女之一。我很少去她的住处，只是觉得不对劲。但是到了早上，我们就要去梅塞布斯14号了，我再也没有这样的机会了。总有一天，马厩会取代我们俩;我不知道怎么会这样......说实话，我真的不在乎了。他们已经把自己的感受说得很清楚了。我所能做的就是尊重他们的意愿。考虑到每匹小马的表现，当我告诉我的朋友们我们需要去塔里了解更多有关EC-1101的情况时，他们或多或少都很高兴离开。这是一个朝着'远离99'方向的目的地。
Even after weeks, the room still smelled like her: a curious mix of powder, gun oil, and lavender soap. There wasn’t much special; everything in the stable was mass produced. You’d try and put a unique stamp on things, though; in its own way, my mess was my attempt to personalize the impersonal. At least, that was a good enough excuse for me to not clean my room. Mom had decorated hers with
即使过了几个星期，房间里仍然散发着她的味道:一种奇怪的混合物，粉末、枪油和薰衣草香皂。没什么特别的，马厩里的东西都是批量生产的。不过，你可以尝试在事物上打上一个独特的印记;在某种程度上，我的混乱就是我试图将客观事物个性化。至少，这是一个足够好的借口，我没有打扫我的房间。妈妈在她的房间里装饰了
pictures and drawings. I knew Mom sketched, but I never realized how well she could draw. I wondered if her baton and cuff cutie mark was like mine, a talent she’d defaulted to because she wasn’t allowed to be the artist she wished to be.
图片和素描。我知道妈妈画过速写，但我从来没有意识到她画得这么好。我想知道她的指挥棒和袖口可爱的马克是否像我一样，一个她默认的天赋，因为她不被允许成为她希望成为的艺术家。
I wished she could have heard me play…
我希望她能听到我演奏..。
I saw a drawing of herself and Petunia as fillies; Daisy’s mother had a hard and aggressive look about her, just like Daisy at that age. Another self portrait of her in her security barding with a strange mare I could only assume was my grandmother. More older mares. Some dignified. Some lonely. A few with smartass expressions. So that was where I got it. The oldest showed the mare from the Ministry of Awesome pictures, her hooves holding the young unicorn filly. ‘Never had a kid of my own. Mother wandered off north. Hope she finds what she needs there.’ Then I saw a picture of me as a foal with a Joker card stuck on my horn. I smiled as I turned it over. ‘My Lucky Girl’.
我看到一幅画，画的是她和佩妮都是小母马;黛西的母亲有一种严肃而咄咄逼人的神情，就像那个年纪的黛西一样。她的另一幅自画像是她与一匹奇怪的母马进行安全抵抗，我只能假定那是我的祖母。更多年长的母马。有些人是有尊严的。有些孤独。一些表情很自作聪明的人。这就是我得到它的地方。最大的那个展示了可怕照片部的那匹母马，她的蹄子托着那匹小独角兽小雌马。我从来没有自己的孩子。母亲向北走去。希望她能在那里找到她需要的东西然后我看到一张我作为小马驹的照片，小丑的卡片贴在我的角上。我微笑着把它翻过来。我的幸运女孩。
I felt tears running down my cheek as I folded the pictures. I was lucky... luckier than I deserved. I just wish I’d appreciated it when it could have meant something.
当我折叠这些照片时，我感到泪水顺着我的脸颊流了下来。我很幸运...比我应得的幸运。我只是希望我能在它本可以有所意义的时候感激它。
* * *
* * *
It was late, and my friends were sleeping. My internal clock told me I needed to be doing a patrol just now, and odds were that I was the only security mare left in the stable. I knew I wasn’t going to be sleeping, and, odd as it was, I wanted to do one last sweep of the place. Tomorrow, I’d have Midnight swap Marmalade’s PipBuck for my own, and we’d be off, this time forever. We’d saved Stable 99 as much as it wanted to be saved.
已经很晚了，我的朋友们都在睡觉。我的体内时钟告诉我，我需要做一个巡逻刚刚，和可能性是，我是唯一的安全母马留在稳定。我知道我不会睡觉，奇怪的是，我想对这个地方做最后一次扫描。明天，我要把午夜橘子酱的PipBuck换成我自己的，然后我们就出发了，这一次永远。我们拯救了Stable99，正如它希望被拯救的那样。
Just like Flank.
就像弗兰克。
I trotted through the dim halls, hearing a few late celebrations in distant living quarters I knew better than to try and attend. The laughter and giggles tugged at me, though, and I still wished I could share in the festivities.
我小跑着穿过昏暗的大厅，听到在遥远的居住区举行的几场晚间庆祝活动，我知道最好不要试着去参加。尽管如此，笑声和咯咯的笑声还是让我感到不安，我仍然希望能够分享这个欢庆。
I made my way down to the humming halls of the maintenance and utility levels instead. My hooves were so familiar with the path that I could let my mind wander as I walked along. I passed the storeroom where I’d found P-21 stealing supplies. I found the nook under the generators where I’d hid him so long ago. I went all the way down to Atmospheric Maintenance Three. It hadn’t been
我走下楼梯，来到了维护和公用设施楼层嗡嗡作响的大厅。我的蹄子对这条小路如此熟悉，以至于我可以一边走一边让自己的思绪漫游。我走过储藏室，发现P-21正在偷补给。我找到了很久以前藏他的发电机下面的角落。我一路走到了大气维护三号。但事实并非如此
cleaned up; my blood was still dried on the table, and cards were still scattered about.
我的血仍然在桌子上晾干，卡片仍然散落在各处。
My magic gathered them all up, one after another, stacking them in my hooves with practiced ease. Then I slipped them into the worn cardboard box with the familiar scribble on it. It was something often done by young in the stable to claim some trinket or toy. ‘Property of Tarot’.
我的魔法把它们一个接一个地聚集起来，熟练地把它们堆在我的蹄子里。然后我把它们塞进那个破旧的纸箱里，上面有我熟悉的潦草字迹。这通常是年轻人在马厩里索要一些小饰品或玩具时做的事情。塔罗牌的财产。
Tarot?
塔罗牌？
Then there came a muffled crump and a resounding pop and hiss from somewhere else in the labyrinthine maintenance level. No alarms though. No alerts on the radio channels. I slipped the cards into my pack and quickly rushed in the direction of the hiss. A foul reek of decay filled my nostrils as black water crept along the floor. ‘Biowaste Recycling Tanks #2’ was on the door.
然后传来一声闷响，还有从迷宫般的维护层里某个地方传来的响亮的爆裂声和嘶嘶声。不过没有警报。无线电频道没有警报。我把纸牌塞进背包，迅速朝嘶嘶声的方向冲去。一股腐烂的恶臭充满了我的鼻孔，就像黑色的水沿着地板流动一样。生物垃圾回收箱2号就在门上。
Inside, there were two enormous metal tanks as high as me, four times as wide, and almost as long as the room. Numerous pipes marked with faded labels ran to and from each tank. From a burst seal sprayed the noxious gray water. I gagged from the stench.
里面有两个巨大的金属水箱，比我高，比我宽四倍，几乎和房间一样长。许多标有褪色标签的管道进出每个水箱。从破裂的海豹身上喷射出有毒的灰色海水。我从恶臭中窒息而死。
“I knew that seal wouldn’t hold!” a young mare shouted from around a monkey wrench clenched in her jaws as she entered from behind me. She raced past and climbed a stair to reach the spray. Her brown utility barding quickly took on a dark stain from the water. “Close the number four valve!” she yelled as she tried to tighten the bolts around the spraying connector.
"我就知道那个封条撑不住!"一匹年轻的母马从我后面进来时，嘴里紧咬着活动扳手，围着它大声叫喊。她飞快地跑过去，爬上楼梯去拿水花。她那棕色的水电费帐单很快就染上了深色的污渍。"关闭4号阀门!"她边喊边试图拧紧喷雾接头周围的螺栓。
I looked around cluelessly till I saw her waving a hoof in the direction of some big wheels on the wall. One had a number 4 on the pipe above it. The wheel glowed as my magic turned it. The spray increased and the filly shrieked, “Close the valve, not open it!” I yelled my apologies and reversed direction. What, it wasn’t like the damn thing was labeled!
我无所事事地环顾四周，直到看见她朝墙上一些大轮子的方向挥动着一只蹄子。其中一个上面的管子上有个数字4。轮子在我的魔法转动下闪闪发光。喷雾越来越大，母马尖叫道:"关上阀门，不要打开!"我大声道歉，然后转过身去。什么，这该死的东西又没贴标签！
With the valve closed, the spray slowed to a trickle. “I knew the system was overpressurized. I knew there was too much methane, but do they listen to me? Noooo…” she said as she wiped the gunk from her face.
随着阀门的关闭，喷雾减缓为涓涓细流。"我知道这个系统压力过大。我知道甲烷太多了，但他们听我的吗？不......"她边说边擦去脸上的黏糊糊的东西。
“What happened?” I asked, my body adjusting to the sweet and sour reek enough to avoid gagging.
"发生了什么事?"我问道，我的身体已经适应了这股酸甜的恶臭，足以避免呕吐。
“What usually happens when somepony tries to eat ten times more than they should. It ran out of space to put stuff. Damn thing built up too much methane and burst a seal. Just like I told them it would,” she said as she tugged and yanked on the wrench. “Of course, it’s not like the morning crew can deal with it? Oh no, best leave it to the new girl. That way, when the system’s fucked in the ass, everypony will know who to blame!”
"当一匹小马试图吃比它应该吃的多十倍的东西时，通常会发生什么。它没有空间放东西了。这该死的东西聚集了太多的甲烷，炸开了一个密封圈。就像我告诉他们的那样,"她一边说，一边用力拉扳手。"当然，早上的工作人员应付不来？哦，不，最好把它留给新来的女孩。这样一来，当体制被搞得一团糟时，每个人都知道该怪谁了!"
I couldn’t help myself. “What’s your name?”
我情不自禁。"你叫什么名字?"
She shook her head firmly, flinging away some of the muck. “Scotch Tape.”
她坚定地摇了摇头，扔掉了一些污物。"透明胶带"
I blinked and then grinned. “You’re Duct Tape’s kid?” Now that I looked at her with that in mind, I could see that she was indeed the filly from back before… everything. It hadn’t actually been that long, but she looked older now and much more confident; it seemed like she really had gotten the hang of it.
我眨了眨眼，然后咧嘴笑了。"你是管道胶带的孩子?"现在我带着这种想法看着她，我可以看出她确实是从后面来的小母马......在一切之前。实际上没过多久，但她现在看起来老了很多，也更自信了;看起来她真的掌握了窍门。
“You knew my mom?” She seemed both impressed and a little nervous about that.
"你认识我妈妈?"她似乎对此印象深刻，但又有点紧张。
I rubbed my nose and regretted it. Fortunately, the stench seemed to have paralyzed my sense of smell... mostly. “Yeah. I can kind of say that; if it wasn’t for her, I’d have never gotten the chance to leave.”
我揉了揉鼻子，感到后悔。幸运的是，恶臭似乎已经使我的嗅觉瘫痪了......大部分。"是的。我可以这么说，如果不是因为她，我永远不会有机会离开。"
She gave me a crooked sort of smile. Underneath the filthy overalls she was... a lot like her mom. Not beautiful or pretty, but cute with her light blue mane. “Yeah. I can only imagine how awesome that would be.” Oddly, I was both touched and inspired by her attitude. She was the first I’d come across that didn’t treat the outside with suspicion.
她给了我一个歪歪扭扭的微笑。在肮脏的工作服下面，她...很像她妈妈。不美丽或漂亮，但可爱与她的浅蓝色鬃毛。"是的。我只能想象那会有多棒。"奇怪的是，我被她的态度所感动和鼓舞。她是我遇到的第一个不用怀疑对待外界的人。
“What can I do to help?” I asked as I looked at the maze of pipes and arcane machinery.
"我能帮上什么忙吗?"我一边问，一边看着烟斗和奥术机器组成的迷宫。
“Going to have to vent the excess pressure,” she said as she looked at the massive metal tank and wiped the foul film off her mouth. “Okay… you want to explode, or do you want to puke?”
"我们得把多余的压力排出去,"她一边说，一边看着那个巨大的金属罐，擦去嘴上的污垢。"好吧......你是想爆炸，还是想吐?"
“What the hell kind of choice is that?” I asked, wondering if I should run and get Rivets. “Not explode.”
"这是什么鬼选择?"我问，不知道我是否应该跑去买铆钉。"不要爆炸。"
“Open the valve marked ‘purge’ and say goodbye to your lunch,” she said grimly
"打开标有'净化'的阀门，和你的午餐说再见,"她冷酷地说
as she pointed at a large, open-ended pipe at the base of the tank. She hopped down to one side, and I stood on the other. Together, we struggled, and then there was a pop and a hiss and black foamy water began to spray out. The reek was so intense that I doubled over and gagged, puking into the sludge spraying out around our hooves.
她指着水箱底部的一个大的开口管道。她跳到一边，我站在另一边。我们一起努力，然后砰的一声，嘶嘶的一声，黑色的泡沫水开始喷出来。臭气如此强烈，以至于我翻了个身，嘴里塞着东西，吐在我们蹄子周围喷出来的淤泥里。
“Yeah! Nothing like biowaste and digestion talismans!” she said as the flow continued for several minutes. Then she rapidly wrenched shut the valve. The flow cut off, the knee-deep fluid dropping as it spread out in a nasty tide of goo.
"是的！没有什么比生物垃圾和消化护身符更好的了!"她说，流动持续了几分钟。然后她迅速地猛拉关闭阀门。流动切断，膝盖深的液体下降，因为它扩散在一个肮脏的潮流的粘性。
The filly slogged through and turned on the vents to full blast. “Okay. Now we probably won’t blow up. Probably. Lots of methane coming from these digestion vats, though, and best not stand in it too long.” She gave me an insolent grin. “Though when this smell hits the living quarters, you know morning shift will finally be down here to do their damned jobs and not leave it up to the new girl.”
那匹小母马艰难地穿过去，把通风口开到最大。"好吧。现在我们可能不会爆炸了。可能吧。不过，大量的甲烷来自这些消化缸，最好不要在其中停留太久。"她给了我一个傲慢的笑容。"虽然当这股气味传到居住区的时候，你知道早班的人最终会来到这里做他们该死的工作，而不是把它留给新来的女孩。"
“You got a hell of a way to get help,” I said, spitting out a chunk. She gave me a friendly grin back. The first I’d received in days.
"你有一个地狱般的方式得到帮助,"我说，吐出一大块。她给了我一个友好的微笑。这是我几天来收到的第一封。
“Serves ‘em right for dumping me down here while they have fun upstairs, and being bottom of the pile means they can’t bust me any lower!”
"他们把我扔在这里，而他们却在楼上享受乐趣，这是他们应得的报应，成为最后一名意味着他们不能再把我降低了!"
Dark lumps appeared on the floor. The sludge slowly receded and my mane began to itch. Badly. “What is that?” I asked as I lifted one lump with my hooves… and stared at a broken half of a skull.
地板上出现了黑色的块状物。淤泥慢慢退去，我的鬃毛开始发痒。非常糟糕。"那是什么?"我问道，用我的蹄子举起一个肿块......盯着一个破碎的半个头骨。
Oh no… no no no… Rivets… what have you done?
哦，不，不，不，不，铆钉，你做了什么？
The lumps were the bones of ponies. Dozens and dozens of recently killed ponies.
这些肿块是小马的骨头。几十匹最近被杀死的小马。
The mare looked at what I held with a shiver of disgust. “Yeah, I guess they thought the recyclers would be up to it. I guess the old gray mare was a little pissed with that Security what’s her name told her to dump them outside. It’s been blowing seals and filters for days though. Sending one body through is no big deal, but dozens? Forget about it.”
母马看着我抱着的东西，厌恶地颤抖着。"是的，我猜他们认为回收商能够胜任。我猜那头灰色的老母马对那个叫什么来着的保安让她把它们扔到外面有点生气。不过它已经开启密封和过滤器好几天了。送一具尸体过去没什么大不了的，但送几十具呢？算了吧。"
For the last three days, Stable 99 had been gorging themselves on disease-infested food. My legs went weak as I slumped against the wall of the tank. “Have you been eating the food above?”
在过去的三天里，Stable99一直在狼吞虎咽患病的食物。当我靠在水箱的墙上时，我的腿软了下来。"你吃过上面的食物吗?"
“Me? No time. Rivets dumped evening and night shift on me. I haven’t even seen my bed since the liberation happened,” she said sourly. “Been eating old boxed shit. Why?” She saw my face, and concern bloomed in her eyes.
"我？没时间了。铆钉工把晚班和夜班的工作丢给了我。自从解放以来，我连自己的床都没见过,"她酸溜溜地说。"一直在吃旧盒装垃圾食品。为什么?"她看到了我的脸，她的眼睛里充满了关切。
It made sense. Like likes like. None of my friends or I fit in. This filly wasn’t infected. We were being driven off and isolated. I gave her a tired smile. “Listen. You want to do the stable a favor? My friends and I are going to be heading out soon. Really soon. There’s a place called Megamart that’s got tons of stuff the stable needs, and Rivets will need a maintenance mare to get it. Want to come along? It’ll get you out of clean up?”
这很有道理。喜欢喜欢喜欢。我和我的朋友都不合群。这匹小母马没有被感染。我们被驱逐出去，与世隔绝。我给了她一个疲倦的微笑。"听着。你想帮我个忙吗？我和我的朋友很快就要出发了。真的很快。有一个叫做超级艺术的地方，那里有很多稳定需要的东西，铆钉公司需要一匹维修母马才能得到它。想一起来吗？这样你就不用打扫卫生了?"
She looked at me skeptically. “Are you serious? Outside? Like, Outside outside?”
她怀疑地看着我。"你是认真的吗？在外面？比如，在外面?"
“I’m serious,” I said with complete sincerity. “Get anything you need and meet me at the stable door. You have ten minutes. Don’t eat anything. Nothing. Do you hear me?” She stared in shock, then nodded.
"我是认真的,"我非常真诚地说。"需要什么就拿什么，到马厩门口等我。你有十分钟时间。不要吃任何东西。没什么。你听到了吗?"她震惊地盯着我，然后点了点头。
One hundred raiders had devastated a corner of Hoofington. What would almost four times their number do?
一百名袭击者摧毁了Hoofington的一个角落。几乎是他们数量四倍的人会怎么做？
* * *
* * *
I’d almost reached the stairs up to the next level when a gray blur slammed into me. My muck-slicked hide sent me sliding several feet to hit the wall, fortunately not very hard. I looked up to see Rivets glaring down at me in the dim light. The other maintenance ponies behind her gripped wrenches and hammers... and they were looking at me like I was the leak.
我几乎要爬上下一层的楼梯时，一个灰色的模糊物体猛地撞上了我。我的淤泥打滑的皮革让我滑动了几英尺，撞到了墙上，幸运的是没有很用力。我抬起头，看到昏暗的灯光下，铆钉们怒视着我。其他维修小马站在她的扳手和锤子后面......他们看着我，好像我就是漏水的人。
“So... you not only think you know this stable better than me, now you think you can do my fucking job?” she hissed softly. “Or maybe... you’re down here trying to make work for me. Is that it? Trying to force us all outside?”
"那么......你不仅认为你比我更了解这个马厩，现在你还认为你能做我的工作?"她轻轻地发出嘶嘶声。"或者也许......你来这里是为了给我找工作。是这样吗？想把我们都赶出去?"
I struggled to my hooves, the muck making standing a disgusting challenge. “Rivets! You... you put the raiders in the recycling! I said--”
我挣扎着用蹄子，站着的时候那些淤泥让我感到恶心。"铆钉！你...你把突袭机扔回收站了！我说——"
“I’m sorry? When did you become the Overmare, again?” I stared at her in shock as she snarled. “We’ve put ponies in there for years. Nothing happens.”
"你说什么？你什么时候又变成海上母马了?"当她咆哮时，我震惊地盯着她。"我们在那里养小马已经很多年了。什么都没有发生。"
My eyes widened with horror. “Rivets. You’ve exposed everypony here to the
我吓得睁大了眼睛。"铆钉。你已经把这里的每个小马都暴露给了
disease.”
疾病。"
“There is no disease!” she shouted. “This is just you trying to drag us out of our home and into the Wasteland! To starve. To die!” She spat in my face. “That’s what I think of your disease. I’ve made sure everypony’s well fed and safe, and none of us are sick. We’re fine.”
"根本没有什么疾病!"她喊道。"这只是你试图把我们从家里拖到荒地！饿死。去死!"她往我脸上吐唾沫。"这就是我对你的病的看法。我已经确保每匹小马都吃饱了，安全了，我们都没有生病。我们很好。"
No. You aren’t. You aren’t, and you’re getting worse by the minute... “Rivets,
没有。你不是。你不是而且你每分钟都在恶化..."铆钉们
I’ve seen the raiders outside... you need...” What? At this point, what could I do?
我在外面见过突袭机...你需要..."什么？在这一点上，我能做什么呢？
What could anypony do?
任何小马能做什么呢？
“Need... what?” She suddenly broke into peals of giggles. “Trade? You think we want to fucking trade? We have everything we want right here. We don’t need to trade with the outside. We don’t need anything from them. And we don’t need you.”
"需要......什么?"她突然咯咯地笑了起来。"交易？你以为我们想交换吗？这里有我们想要的一切。我们不需要和外界交易。我们不需要他们的任何东西。我们不需要你。"
I felt a chill wash through me from horn to hoof. “Rivets...” But what could I say? She’d placed her faith completely and utterly in her work and the stable’s systems.
我感到一股寒意从牛角冲刷到马蹄。"铆钉..."但我能说什么呢？她全心全意地相信自己的工作和马厩的系统。
“Get out. You’ve broken enough things here. Now get out before you kill us all,” she snarled as she walked past, laughing that mad giggle that rose higher and higher.
"滚出去。你弄坏的东西已经够多了。现在在你杀死我们所有人之前滚出去,"她一边走一边咆哮着，笑着，那疯狂的笑声越来越高。
* * *
* * *
I stopped only long enough to shower the majority of the gunk off myself before I returned to my quarters. “Everypony get your stuff together. We need to get going, now,” I said softly. P-21 met my eyes. “That thing we were afraid of? It happened.”
我只停留了足够长的时间，洗掉了自己身上的大部分脏东西，然后回到了我的住处。"每个人都把自己的东西收拾好。我们现在就得走了,"我轻声说。P-21与我的目光相遇。"我们害怕的那个东西？它发生了。"
Horror blossomed on his face. “It’s infected?”
他的脸上泛起一阵恐惧。"感染了?"
“The whole food supply. They’ve been exposed to it for days. Three square meals a day.” Anguish bloomed on his face as he pressed it to the floor as he grit his teeth in pain.
"整个食品供应。他们已经接触了好几天了。一日三餐。"他痛苦地咬紧牙关，把它压在地板上，痛苦的表情在他脸上绽放。
“We failed…” he muttered. “We failed… we failed…”
"我们失败了......"他喃喃自语道。"我们失败了，我们失败了......"
“That doesn’t matter anymore.” In a few more days the rest of the stable would
"这已经不重要了。"再过几天，马厩里的其他人就会
turn on us. “We’re leaving. I met a filly who probably isn’t infected. The only one who acts… normal.”
背叛我们。"我们要走了。我遇到了一只小母马，它可能没有被感染。唯一一个表现得...正常的人。"
“But… we can’t just leave them like this,” Glory said in shock. “They’ll leave the stable and…”
"但是......我们不能就这样离开他们,"晨辉震惊地说。"他们会离开马厩......"
“I know, Glory.” They might not be as deadly without the Overmare or Daisy leading them, but they’d learn, and fast. I’d been talking about guns at Megamart; I knew Rivets would eventually get the same idea. “We’re going to sabotage the stable door. The Overmare once disabled it. We can disable it for good.”
"我知道，晨辉。"没有奥弗马尔或黛西的领导，它们也许不会那么致命，但是它们会学会的，而且学得很快。我在Megamart一直在谈论枪支，我知道铆钉最终也会有同样的想法。"我们要破坏马厩的门。奥弗马雷曾经使它失去了能力。我们可以永久禁用它。"
The others stared at me in horror. Glory said in a near whisper, “Blackjack… it’ll be like Stable 90.” Eventually, they’d stop eating the chips and start eating meat… each other.
其他人惊恐地盯着我。晨辉用近乎耳语的声音说:"黑杰克......就像稳定90一样。"最终，他们会停止吃薯条，开始吃肉......彼此。
“It’s the only way to protect the Wasteland from the stable,” I said softly, appreciating the irony. Here I’d thought we’d have to do the opposite. “Get your things. We’re going… I doubt they’ll stop us.”
"这是保护荒原不受马厩侵害的唯一办法,"我温柔地说，感激这种讽刺。在这里我认为我们必须做相反的事情。"拿上你的东西。我们要去......我怀疑他们会阻止我们。"
We got our things and made our way up to the door. I was glad to see Scotch Tape had taken my warning so seriously she hadn’t changed out of her stained coveralls. “Something’s wrong, isn’t it? Rivets isn’t even answering her intercom.”
我们收拾好东西，向门口走去。我很高兴看到苏格兰胶带如此严肃地对待我的警告，以至于她没有换掉染色的工作服。"有什么不对劲，是吗？铆钉连对讲机都不接。"
Yeah, something. “Everyone through. I’ll disable the controls and jump through before it closes.” I turned to P-21. “Grenade?” What, how else did they expect me to disable something? I opened the door, and together they stepped through. They’d meet Lacunae somewhere outside, I hoped. Then I hit it a second time and ran to the entrance as the door once again started to close.
是的，一些东西。"每个人都通过了。我会禁用这些控件，然后在它关闭之前跳过。"我转向P-21。"手榴弹?"不然他们要我怎么解除某些东西？我打开门，他们一起走了进来。我希望他们会在外面的某个地方遇到拉库尼。然后我又敲了一下门，当门再次开始关上的时候，我跑到了门口。
The Dealer stood beside me with sadness in his eyes. “You don’t have to do this, Blackjack.”
商人站在我旁边，眼里充满了悲伤。"你没必要这么做，Blackjack。"
Yes. I did.
是的。是的。
My glowing eyes met Glory’s. I smiled. Her eyes went wide as I levitated the Delta PipBuck and threw it through the closing door along with my bags. The rest looked on in shock as Glory screamed my name. Then the door closed in my face, the Dealer fading away with a sad sigh. I set the grenade and blew the
我发光的眼睛遇到了晨辉的。我笑了。我把德尔塔·皮布克漂浮起来，把它和我的包一起扔进关着的门，她的眼睛睁得大大的。其他人震惊地看着晨辉叫着我的名字。然后门在我面前关上了，商人悲伤地叹息着离开了。我放下手榴弹，引爆了炸弹
controls.
控制。
It wasn’t enough.
这还不够。
I wasn’t sure if Rivets would be able to repair the damaged controls or not. I didn’t know if, centuries from now, somepony might open the stable and be infected with the raider disease. And I knew there were dozens of foals who didn’t deserve the slow and painful death of the murder, starvation, and horror that was to come. Nopony here deserved what they were about to get.
我不知道铆钉是否能够修复损坏的控制与否。我不知道，几个世纪以后，会不会有小马打开马厩，染上这种疾病。而且我知道有许多小马驹不应该经历即将到来的谋杀、饥饿和恐惧的缓慢而痛苦的死亡。这里的小马活该得到他们将要得到的。
Except me.
除了我。
There was only one way to save Stable 99. That way came with a price I had to pay. I made my way up the secret passage to the Overmare’s quarters and carefully locked the door. Then I accessed her terminal, still logged in from days before.
拯救Stable99的方法只有一个。这种方式带来了我必须付出的代价。我沿着秘密通道走到Overmare的住处，小心翼翼地锁上了门。然后我进入了她的终端，还是几天前登陆的。
Ventilation Control.
通风控制。
>Activate All Air Talismans
激活所有空气护身符
Warning: Compromised Air Purification Talisman Detected!!! Do you wish to proceed? Y/N
警告:检测到空气净化护身符!!！你想继续吗？Y/n
>Y
Y
Security head concur with password:
安全主管同意密码:
>Blackjack.
黑杰克。
Maintenance head concur with password:
维修主管同意密码:
>Endurance.
耐力。
All Air Talismans Activated.
所有空中护身符激活。
The vents began to blow, and within seconds I smelled it. It was a strange scent… like pineapple and pepper… and at once my eyes started to water. I heard yelling from the atrium below as I stepped in front of the window and looked out at the greenish yellow haze that started to fill the room. Ponies started
通风口开始爆炸，几秒钟之内我就闻到了。这是一种奇怪的气味...像菠萝和胡椒...我的眼睛立刻开始流水。我走到窗前，听到楼下中庭传来喊叫声，看到绿黄色的烟雾开始弥漫整个房间。小马开始了
racing about. Their screams built higher and higher as they realized the very air of the stable was becoming toxic. The office being the highest room, I supposed I would be the last one to die.
到处跑。当他们意识到马厩里的空气正在变得有毒时，他们的尖叫声越来越高。办公室是最高的房间，我想我会是最后一个死的。
Fitting. I knew exactly what Buttercup had felt as she stood there watching her stable die over a hoofful of weeks. This would be over in minutes.
合身。当布特卡普站在那里，眼睁睁地看着自己的马厩在几个星期的时间里慢慢死去时，我清楚地知道她的感受。这将在几分钟内结束。
I saw two foals and a filly stagger and fall prone as tears ran down my face. Males who’d experienced just a few brief gasps of freedom now lay where they fell, scratching and clawing at their eyes as they gasped at the poisoned air. Rivets staggered out of the cafeteria and looked up at me, the betrayal etched in her rugged face... fresh bite marks on her forelegs. There was no forgiveness for this. No atonement. Midnight staggered out onto the atrium balcony, her eyes already starting to yellow as they stared at me in rage, even as she slumped against the metal rail, fighting to breathe as the poison gas built. Nopony would ever set foot in Stable 99 again.
我看见两匹小马驹和一匹小母马摇摇晃晃地倒在地上，泪水顺着我的脸流了下来。刚刚经历了几次短暂的自由喘息的雄性现在躺在它们倒下的地方，抓挠着它们的眼睛，因为它们在有毒的空气中喘息。铆钉们摇摇晃晃地走出自助餐厅，抬头看着我，背叛铭刻在她粗犷的脸上......前腿上还有新鲜的咬痕。这是不可原谅的。没有赎罪。午夜蹒跚地走到中庭的阳台上，她的眼睛已经开始发黄，因为他们愤怒地盯着我，甚至当她靠在金属栏杆上，挣扎着呼吸毒气的积累。小马驹再也不会踏进马厩99了。
A minute more, and it’d be over. My eyes watered and my lungs burned...
再过一分钟，一切就结束了。我的眼睛湿润了，我的肺在燃烧。
Suddenly, there was a purple flash behind me, and I heard the Goddess’s voice as clear as day. “We had a deal, Blackjack.”
突然，一道紫光在我身后闪过，我听到了女神清晰的声音。"我们说好的，黑杰克。"
“No… no no no NO!” I screamed as she wrapped her hooves around me. I blasted her purple hide with magic bullets.
"不，不，不，不，不!"当她用蹄子围住我时，我尖叫起来。我用魔法子弹射穿了她紫色的皮肤。
“Blackjack! You murderer!” Midnight screamed as I was stolen away in a purple flash. The word echoed endlessly in my mind.
"黑杰克！你这个杀人犯!"当我在紫色的闪光中被偷走时，午夜尖叫起来。这个词无休止地在我脑海中回荡。
The only death I couldn’t give was to the only pony who deserved it.
我唯一不能牺牲的就是那匹活该的小马。
Myself.
我自己。
Footnote: Level Up.
脚注:水平上升。
Perk added: Intensive Training - Your recent experiences have granted you a +1 to your endurance.
帕金斯补充说:强化训练-你最近的经验已经授予你+1的耐力。
Quest Perk added: The Power of Friendship - When fighting alongside your companions, you receive an additional +5 DT and +10% damage inflicted.
任务振作:友谊的力量-当你和你的同伴一起战斗时，你会额外受到+5DT和+10%的伤害。
Author's Notes:
作者笔记:
(Huge thanks (and hugs) to Kkat for creating FoE, huge thanks to Hinds and Bronode for making this decent to read, and huge thanks to readers who leave tons of feedback for me to nom on.)
(非常感谢(和拥抱)Kkat创建了FoE，非常感谢Hinds和Bronode让这本书读起来不错，非常感谢那些给我留下大量反馈信息的读者。)
Chapter 21: Waterfall
第二十一章:瀑布
Fallout Equestria: Project Horizons
小马国:地平线计划
By Somber
作者:Somber
Chapter 21: Waterfall
第二十一章:瀑布
“I shall save you! Show yourselves, you dogs! You curs! Ha! There you are, you mangy mutts.”
"我会救你的！现身吧，你们这些狗！你们这些混蛋！哈！给你们，你们这些肮脏的杂种狗。"
It actually seemed like the Wasteland, for once, was throwing me a carrot. Sure, we’d lost the whole morning going to Miramare only to have to teleport back to evade another monsterpony, but then we’d discovered an alternate route. One that might get us past without having to worry about flying death... or at least not worry so much. And I’d have somepony to get drunk with!
实际上，这次看起来像是荒原，给了我一个胡萝卜。当然，我们在去米拉马雷的路上浪费了整个上午的时间，只是为了躲避另一匹怪马，我们又发现了另一条路线。一个可以让我们过去而不用担心飞行死亡...或者至少不用担心这么多。而且我还有一匹小马陪我喝酒！
Of course, we’d need spark… magic-y… stuff… to make the boat run.
当然，我们需要火花...魔法...东西...让船运行。
“Charity!” I cried as I stormed into the post office. The yellow filly didn’t bother looking up from the stack of boxes next to her.
"施舍!"我冲进邮局时哭了。那只黄色的小母马懒得从她旁边的一堆盒子里抬起头来。
“No time to deal with you now, Blackjack. I’ve got to double-check this stuff and make sure Tarboots didn’t swap me those mines for a few boxes of gravel,” she said sourly around a pen as she scribbled on a notepad.
"现在没时间和你打交道，黑杰克。我得仔细检查一下这些东西，确保塔布茨不会为了几盒碎石而把那些地雷交换给我,"她一边在笔记本上潦草地写着，一边用笔尖酸地说。
I leapt over the counter in a clear violation of every rule of the Crusaders and seized Charity’s shoulders with my forehooves. “Charity, I need spark batteries and magic cartridges! Now! Or gemstones! I need them right now. Please!”
我跳过柜台，明显违反了十字军的每一条规则，用前蹄抓住了查瑞蒂的肩膀。"Charity，我需要火花电池和魔法墨盒！现在！或者是宝石！我现在就需要。求你了!"
Her eyes lit up and rolled thoughtfully, and with a flip of her head she spat out her pen and sent it spinning through the air to land neatly behind her ear. “Well, adding in processing costs and the Getting On My Nerves Tax… I figger I could sell ‘em for…”
她的眼睛闪着光，若有所思地转动着，随着脑袋的转动，她吐出她的钢笔，在空中旋转着，整齐地落在耳朵后面。"嗯，加上加工成本和烦恼税......我希望我能以......的价格卖掉它们。"
“And we’re broke,” I added. Paying Ditzy and trading for what we’d needed had sapped most of our caps. I grinned as widely as I could and tried to ignore the feeling of sweat running down the back of my barding.
"我们破产了,"我补充说。支付Ditzy和交易我们需要的已经耗尽了我们的大部分上限。我咧着嘴尽可能地大笑，尽量不去理会汗水从我的衣服后面流下来的感觉。
Her smile disappeared. “Get out,” she declared imperiously. She flicked the pen from behind her ear, caught it in her mouth, and resumed checking her list.
她的笑容消失了。"滚出去,"她傲慢地说。她从耳朵后面轻轻地弹了弹钢笔，把它叼在嘴里，然后继续检查她的列表。
I fell to my knees. “Please, Charity! Please! Without the boat, we’ll have to walk, if we walk the monsterpony will find us, if she finds us then I’ll feel sorry for her before I kill her, and if I do that then I’ll feel guilty, and if I feel guilty then I’ll whine! Please don’t make me whine!” I begged as several Crusaders peeked over the counter to watch in amazement.
我跪了下来。"求你了，查瑞蒂！求你了！没有船，我们只能走路，如果我们走路，怪兽会找到我们，如果她找到我们，那么我会在杀死她之前为她感到难过，如果我这样做，那么我会感到内疚，如果我感到内疚，那么我会发牢骚！请别让我发牢骚!"当几个十字军战士从柜台上偷看，惊讶地看着我时，我恳求道。
“I… you… what are ya…” she sputtered as I fell on my face and hugged her hoof.
"我.....。."你......你在干什么......"当我倒在地上拥抱她的蹄子时，她气急败坏地说。
“Please Charity! Please please pretty please pleasepleaseplease PLU… LEEEEZZZEEE!!!!” I wailed as I kicked my back hooves.
"求你了，慈悲！拜托拜托拜托拜托拜托拜托拜托拜托拜托我一边哭一边踢我的后蹄。
“All right!” she yelled down at me, yanking her hoof free of my embrace as she blushed. “I can spare one!” My eyes grew large. “Erm… two?” Tears ran down my cheeks as my lip trembled. She let out a grunt of disgust. “Oh, just take the whole box, Blackjack!” She walked over to a shelf, pulled out a wooden crate, and tossed it to me, six glowing spark batteries rattling within. I just gave a whimper, the whine growing higher and higher.
"好吧!"她朝我喊道，脸红了，猛地把她的蹄子从我怀里拉开。"我可以给你一个!"我的眼睛变大了。"呃...两个?"眼泪顺着我的脸颊流下，我的嘴唇颤抖着。她厌恶地咕哝了一声。"哦，把整盒都拿走吧，黑杰克!"她走到一个架子前，拿出一个木箱，扔给我，里面有六个闪着火花的电池，格格作响。我只是发出一声呜咽，呜咽声越来越高。
A bottle of Wild Pegasus plopped on top of them.
一瓶野飞马扑通一声掉在他们身上。
Humming in glee and floating the box in front of me, I made my way back towards the bridge, the humming faltering not a bit when, a few seconds after I got out of the shop, Charity screamed after me, “It’s going on yer tab, Blackjack! You hear me? With interest!”
我高兴地哼着歌，把面前的盒子漂浮起来，然后回到桥上，哼着摇摇晃晃的歌，就在我走出商店的几秒钟后，Charity跟在我后面尖叫,"算你的账，Blackjack!"！你听到了吗？连本带利!"
* * *
* * *
“Seahorse used to be an Equestrian Navy patrol boat,” Oilcan, the rust-coated engineer mare, explained as she trotted to a hatch in the stern deck, her horn glowing as she undid the dogs and secured a rag in her curly red mane. “Doubt there’s anything original on it besides the engine, though. I figger the last twenty years or so we’ve had to replace everything at least once.” She hopped nimbly up into the air and disappeared down through the hatch.
"海马曾经是海军的一艘马术巡逻艇,"身着铁锈色工程母马奥利康(Oilcan)解释道。她小跑着来到船尾甲板的一个舱口，解开狗身上的绳子，拿起一块披着红色鬃毛的破布，喇叭发出刺耳的声音。"不过，除了引擎之外，我怀疑它还有什么原创的东西。我估计过去二十年左右，我们不得不至少更换一次所有东西。"她敏捷地跳上空中，然后从舱口消失了。
The rest of the crew was finishing up business with two caravaners from Flank who’d come to trade chems and boxed food for bullets and music recordings
其余的船员正在结束与两个来自弗兰克的大篷车的生意，他们来交易药品和盒装食品，以换取子弹和音乐录音
brought from Tenpony in Manehattan. Sore as I was at Caprice, I’d gotten some Sugar Apple Bombs and some more Buck (just in case I had to wrestle Rampage again) from them in exchange for a few rounds of hunting ammo. A dirty look from me proved quite effective at getting them to shave a bit off the bill.
从Manehattan的Tenpony带来的。虽然我在Caprice的时候很痛苦，但我从他们那里得到了一些糖苹果炸弹和一些Buck(以防我再次与狂暴搏斗)，以换取几轮弹药狩猎。事实证明，我的一个恶狠狠的表情很有效地让他们把账单削掉了一点。
“Come on in,” Oilcan said cheerfully. “Plenty o’ room for all.”
"请进,"油罐公司兴高采烈地说。"人人都有足够的空间。"
Glory stared into the hole with an audible gulp. I just gave her a friendly nudge on her hip and a smile that would hopefully convince her not to worry about it. P-21 jumped down happily; stable ponies had no problem with nice, tight, cramped spaces.
晨辉一口气凝视着洞里。我只是友好地在她屁股上轻轻一推，一个微笑，希望能说服她不要担心。P-21高兴地跳了下来;马厩里的小马在舒适、狭窄、拥挤的空间里没有问题。
The engine itself was a block of polished brass inset with rubies and emeralds. It was connected by wires to a sapphire water talisman, twice the size of what we saw in 99’s utility room, that was hooked up to several large pipes. “This here’s the engine. It converts the raw magical spark energy into power for the water talisman. That makes the water that jets out the back to move the boat.”
引擎本身是一块镶嵌着红宝石和绿宝石的抛光黄铜块。它是通过电线连接到一个蓝宝石水护身符，是我们在99的杂物间看到的两倍大，连接到几个大管道。"这是发动机。它将原始的魔法火花能量转换成水护身符的能量。这使得水从后面喷出来移动船只。"
“Is there supposed to be this much water in here?” P-21 asked, looking down at the inch or so of scummy water that was sloshing about our hooves. My PipBuck clicked slowly; there wasn’t nearly enough radiation to worry me unless I had an engine bilge water slurpee.
"这里应该有这么多水吗?"P-21一边问，一边低头看着我们蹄子上晃动的一英寸左右的人渣水。我的PipBuck卡嗒声很慢;除非我喝了引擎舱底水思乐冰，否则根本没有足够的辐射让我担心。
The motherly mare grinned at him. “Well if you’d like ta grab a bucket and do something about it, I know we’d be much obliged.” She reached into my box and pulled out a spark battery, flipping the heavy square container in her hooves. Inside the crystal hovered a red ball of magical energy that shed little waving lines of light. She opened a panel with her mouth and pulled out an empty container, then slid the fresh one into the receptacle. There was a sudden hum as the gems lit up. “Of course, for when we don’t got spark batteries, we’ve got a flux converter.” She gestured at a circle strung with a spider web of glistening crystal strands. “Ain’t nearly as efficient.”
母马对他咧嘴笑了笑。"好吧，如果你愿意拿个水桶，做点什么的话，我知道我们会很感激的。"她把手伸进我的盒子，拿出一个火花电池，翻动着她蹄子里沉重的方形容器。水晶里面盘旋着一个魔法能量的红色小球，发出微微摇曳的光线。她用嘴打开一个面板，拿出一个空容器，然后把新的放进容器里。当宝石被点亮时，突然传来一阵嗡嗡声。"当然，当我们没有火花电池时，我们有一个磁通转换器。"她指着一个由闪闪发光的水晶丝编成的蜘蛛网串成的圆圈。"没那么有效率。"
“And if that doesn’t work?” I asked.
"如果这不起作用呢?"我问道。
“Well, then ya can get out and push. We’ve had to do that a few times.”
""那么，你可以出去推车了。我们不得不这样做了好几次。"
P-21 looked at the grease-slathered boards of the exposed inner surface of the hull. “I’m just curious why it’s made of wood.”
P-21看着暴露在外的船体内表面涂满油脂的木板。"我只是好奇它为什么是木头做的。"
“You know what happens when you take a nice metal boat out on the ocean? Pretty soon it’s a rusty boat at the bottom of the ocean. Sure, lumber might be a bitch to find, but it’s a damned sight easier to get and work than steel plate. We seal her up with tar and pitch as well as we can, paint her if we can get it, plate the hull if we can manage it, and she’s the best damn boat in Equestria.”
"你知道当你驾驶一艘漂亮的金属船出海时会发生什么吗？很快，它就变成了海底的一艘生锈的船。当然，木材可能是一个母狗找到，但它是一个该死的视线更容易得到和工作比钢板。我们尽可能地用柏油和沥青把它封起来，如果我们能得到它，就给它上漆，如果我们能做到，就给船体镀上金属板，这艘船是Equestria最好的船。"
“With an interesting captain,” P-21 observed dryly.
"还有一位有趣的上尉,"P-21冷淡地说。
Oilcan chuckled. “Yeah, Thrush ain’t what most folks expect, but her daddy was two buckets shy of a dry hold. Once, we were stuck on a beach off Manezibar with this tainted sea serpent watching us past the reef. So the captain, he somehow gets a whole flock of rock crabs to carry the boat on their backs to the far side of the island!” The rusty mare slapped P-21’s back as she laughed. “Thrush ain’t quite the measure of her daddy, but she’s the best girl for the job,” Oilcan said firmly as she smiled at P-21. “I had my reservations, but she’s the mare who loves Seahorse the most. She was willing to let her daddy go to keep it.”
油罐咯咯地笑了。"是的，画眉鸟不是大多数人所期望的那种鸟，但是它的爸爸就差两桶水了。有一次，我们被困在Manezibar附近的海滩上，这条被污染的海蛇看着我们经过礁石。于是船长不知怎么搞到了一群石蟹，把船背到了岛的另一边。"那匹生锈的母马边笑边拍P-21的后背。"画眉虽然算不上她的父亲，但她是最适合这份工作的女孩,"油罐公司一边坚定地说，一边对P-21微笑着。"我有所保留，但她是最喜欢海马的母马。她愿意让她爸爸留着它。"
The rest of the spark batteries went in a locker above the engine. “Seems to me going downstream wouldn’t require much power,” P-21 said.
其余的火花电池放在发动机上方的一个储物柜里。"在我看来，顺流而下并不需要太多动力,"P-21说。
“Shows you don’t know boats, boyo,” Oilcan replied. “Going downstream, you’ve got the water pushing you into rocks, beams, snags, and worse. Half our power is spent maneuvering around obstacles and the other half fighting current. Just wait till you see the Towers. Any boat that tries to just go with the flow is in for a nasty surprise. The Hoofington River eats ponies. With all the rain about, there’s a lot of energy in all that water.”
"这说明你不懂船，孩子,"油罐公司回答。"顺流而下，水会把你推向岩石、横梁、障碍，甚至更糟。我们一半的力量用在绕过障碍物的机动上，另一半则用在对抗急流上。等你看到塔楼就知道了。任何一艘试图随波逐流的船只都会遭遇令人讨厌的意外。胡芬顿河吃小马。周围都是雨水，水中蕴含着大量的能量。"
Just another thing about this place I hated. I found myself scowling in the direction of the city. It seemed so wrong, like it was a trap trying to draw everypony in with lures of riches and food. I wondered how many ponies had come to Hoofington and ended up killed by raiders, poisoned by taint or radiation, or sucked dry by Enervation fields. The more I thought about it, the more disturbing it became. Even Lacunae’s Goddess seemed distressed by this place.
我讨厌这个地方的另一个原因。我发现自己正愁眉苦脸地朝城市的方向走去。这似乎是错误的，好像这是一个陷阱，试图用财富和食物的诱惑来吸引每一匹小马。我想知道有多少小马来到Hoofington，最终被袭击者杀死，被污染物或辐射毒死，或者被Enervation田吸干。我越想越觉得不安。就连拉库奈的女神似乎也对这个地方感到苦恼。
Hoofington: the city that kills. It’d killed ponies when the zebras burned it. Killed zebras as it made itself the target of the war. And now it killed everypony it lured in. I could almost hear the cards shuffling in my head.
胡芬顿:杀人的城市。当斑马焚烧它时，它杀死了小马。杀死斑马使自己成为战争的目标。现在它把所有被它引诱进来的小马都杀了。我几乎能听到扑克牌在我脑海里慢慢洗牌的声音。
“Hey, you okay, Blackjack? You’ve got a shooty look on your face,” P-21 asked, giving me a nudge. I had a ‘shooty’ look? I needed a mirror.
"嘿，你还好吗，黑杰克？"你脸上的表情像是在开枪,"P-21问道，用肘轻推了我一下。我有一个'扫射'的表情？我需要一面镜子。
“Just… not a fan of Hoofington,” I replied sullenly.
"只是...不喜欢胡芬顿,"我闷闷不乐地回答。
Oilcan chuckled as she rubbed her nose with a dirty hoof. “Heh. Join the club. I used to live in Friendship City. Nice town. Maybe a touch crowded, but a good place to live,” she said as she checked some power cables. “One day, her daddy’s in port and so damn drunk that the town assigned him a guard so he wouldn’t blow something up on accident. He mentions that he needs an engineer. I’ve got a comfy life ahead of me, but he goes on about the riches, the adventure, the sights, the adventure, the rum, the adventure, the sex… oh yeah, did he mention adventure? Boyo talked me into bed and then onto his boat. Been a lot of places. But Hoofington’s always been the worst. Always has enough treasure to bring you here. Always has enough grief to make you wonder why you came in the first place. Bilgewater got eaten by a river serpent this trip. I doubt he’ll be the last… but the Seahorse’ll be back. I’m sure of that.”
当她用脏兮兮的马蹄蹭鼻子时，油罐咯咯地笑了起来。"呵呵。加入俱乐部。我过去住在友谊城。不错的城市。也许有点拥挤，但是一个很好的居住地,"她边说边检查了一些电缆。"有一天，她爸爸在港口，喝得酩酊大醉，镇上派了一个警卫给他，这样他就不会因为意外而炸掉什么东西了。他提到他需要一位工程师。我还有一个舒适的生活在等着我，但是他继续谈论着财富，冒险，风景，冒险，朗姆酒，冒险，性...哦，是的，他提到冒险了吗？博约说服我上床，然后上了他的船。去过很多地方。但胡芬顿总是最糟糕的。总是有足够的财富把你带到这里。总是有足够的悲伤让你想知道你为什么来到第一位。比尔盖沃特在这次旅行中被一条河蛇吃了。我怀疑他会不会是最后一个...但海马会回来的。我确信这一点。"
“So why do you stay?” P-21 asked.
"那你为什么留下来?"P-21要求。
Oilcan sighed and smiled, reaching out to touch the engine. There was a lover’s look in her eyes. “Back home, I had a pretty comfy life; wasn’t no Tenpony, but comfy. Out here… well… we ain’t found riches, the sights are all pretty damned ugly, the rum’s watered down, and the sex gets a little awkward on a little boat like this… but the adventure? He sure wasn’t lying about that. Long as the captain can steer her straight, I’ll keep her running. To Hoofington or Hell itself.”
油罐公司叹了口气，微笑着伸手去触摸发动机。她的眼睛里有一种恋人的神情。"在家里，我过着相当舒适的生活，虽然不是Tenpony，但也很舒服。在这里......嗯......我们没有发现财富，景色都是相当该死的丑陋，朗姆酒的水稀释，和性变得有点尴尬的小船像这样......但冒险？他肯定没有撒谎。只要船长能驾驶它直行，我就让它继续航行。胡芬顿或地狱本身。"
* * *
* * *
Seahorse wasn’t exactly made for a luxury cruise. The five of us had one room to ourselves, and that had only four hammocks. We had to shift the footlockers into the middle of the space and throw some blankets atop them for Lacunae. We were allowed to be there or sitting on the narrow walk that ran along the sides of the boat between the rails and the superstructure. P-21 pointed out that, since I couldn’t fly, all my fancy new barding wouldn’t be much better than an anchor. Damn it, what was the point of having cool looking armor if I never got to wear it?
海马号并不适合豪华游轮。我们五个人只有一个房间，只有四个吊床。我们不得不把储物柜搬到空间的中央，在上面盖上毯子给空隙用。我们被允许在那里，或者坐在狭窄的小道上，小道沿着船的两侧，在栏杆和上层建筑之间。P-21指出，因为我不能飞行，所以我所有的新军衔不会比一个主持人好多少。该死，如果我从来没有穿过这么酷的盔甲，那还有什么意义呢？
There was a hum in the back of the ship that grew louder and louder, then two
船尾的嗡嗡声越来越大，然后是两声
streams of choppy water blasted out the rear of the boat just below water level. Tarboots and Oilcan untied the lines and jumped nimbly into the rear of the boat, and the swoosh of the water plumes increased. At the stern, on top of the superstructure at the highest point of the boat, was the wheelhouse; for windows, it had rusty slats of metal that Thrush peered through as she moved the Seahorse upstream of the bridge before slowly turning the boat around. Immediately, the whoosh died to a gurgle as the powerful current carried us downstream.
波涛汹涌的海水从船尾冲出，刚好低于水平面。柏油靴和油罐解开绳子，灵活地跳到船尾，水面上羽毛的旋风增加了。在船尾，在船的最高点上的上层建筑的顶部是驾驶室，在窗户上有生锈的金属板条，斯拉什从桥的上游驶过锡霍斯，然后慢慢地把船掉头。随着汹涌的水流把我们带到下游，嗖的一声就消失了。
I admit that I am a complete and utter pansy when it comes to flight, but, if the whole ‘height’ thing was taken away, I liked the sensation of being carried along without having to walk around. “Keep your eyes open,” Captain Thrush called down to us as we sat on the walk, leaning on the metal rail.
我承认，在飞行方面，我是一个彻头彻尾的娘娘腔，但是，如果把身高这个概念去掉，我就会喜欢那种不用走动就能被带着飞行的感觉。"睁大你们的眼睛,"画眉船长向我们喊道，我们坐在人行道上，倚靠在金属栏杆上。
I kept Taurus’s rifle handy as my eyes scanned the scummy brown water. “What am I looking for?”
我把金牛座的步枪放在手边，眼睛扫视着那些人渣般的褐色海水。"我在找什么?"
“Till we get to the Fork, anything poking out of the river bottom or anypony with a missile. We might come across some hoppers after the Fallen Towers, but till then our biggest risk is running into something sharp and pointy,” she said calmly, making only the slightest adjustments to the boat’s heading and letting the current do the rest.
"在我们到达福克河之前，任何从河底冒出来的东西，或者任何带有导弹的小马。我们可能在倒下的塔之后遇到一些跳跃者，但在那之前，我们最大的风险是遇到尖锐的东西,"她平静地说，只对船的航向做了最微小的调整，剩下的就让洋流来做。
“Are ponies with missiles a common problem?” I called back, looking at the increasingly thick ruins lining the river and deliberately not looking at the enigmatic towers on the other side of the boat. This close to the Core, I felt… odd. Lightheaded. I could only assume it was the Enervation fields of the city nipping at my cells. Thrush was keeping the Seahorse in the middle of the river, but I felt the urge to ask her to move closer to the rubble-strewn western bank.
"带有导弹的小马是一个普遍的问题吗?"我回了电话，看着河边越来越厚的废墟，故意不去看船的另一边神秘的塔楼。离核心这么近，我觉得...很奇怪。头晕目眩。我只能假设那是城市的能量场在蚕食我的细胞。画眉把海马留在河中央，但我感到有一种冲动，想让她离那片瓦砾遍地的西岸近一点。
She grunted. “Reaper wannabes and raiders, mostly. They gather in small groups to prey on Riverside or Flotsam. Unless they’ve got something big, we generally don’t worry too much about it.” She gunned the engine and threaded the Seahorse around a spur of concrete just barely below the surface; I spotted it only as we slid past it close enough to spit.
她咕哝了一声。"主要是死神崇拜者和袭击者。它们成群结队地聚集在河边或漂流物上捕食。除非他们有什么重大发现，否则我们通常不会太担心。"她加大引擎的油门，把海马绕在刚刚低于水面的一根混凝土支线上;我只是在我们滑过它时才看到它，它离我们很近，可以吐口水。
Glory proved the most valuable pair of purple eyes. Standing in the bow just in front of the turret, she and the crew’s lookout, a young green earth pony mare named Seabiscuit, spotted hazards lying just under the surface that I couldn’t see even as we passed them, Glory pointing them out with her wingtips so that
晨辉证明了最珍贵的一双紫色的眼睛。站在炮塔前方的船头，她和船员们的了望员----一匹名叫奔腾年代的年轻绿色地球母马----发现了隐藏在海面下的危险，我甚至在经过它们时都看不到
Thrush could steer around them. As the river carried us along, the ruins became even larger and more elaborate and damaged. Blocks of apartment buildings had slid right into the water and filled it with deadly debris. Pipes blasted jets of yellowish-brown foamy, filmy water every few hundred feet as the land drained into the river.
画眉可以绕过它们。随着河流带着我们前进，遗迹变得更大，更加复杂，更加破坏。大片大片的公寓楼滑入水中，里面填满了致命的碎片。管道喷射出黄褐色的泡沫，每隔几百英尺就有薄薄的水流入河中。
A small camp of four ponies. Raiders, from the bloody bites on their limbs. I sighted them carefully, didn’t see anything resembling a missile, and was about to fire when the Captain said, “Don’t. Gunshots carry on the water.” Reluctantly, I lowered the rifle.
由四匹小马组成的小营地。袭击者，从他们四肢上血淋淋的伤口。我仔细地瞄准他们，没有看到任何类似导弹的东西，正要开火的时候，上尉说:"不要。枪声在水中传播。"我很不情愿地放下了枪。
“I thought you weren’t an executioner,” the dusty voice said softly.
"我还以为你不是刽子手呢,"那个满是灰尘的声音轻轻地说。
“I’m not an executioner. They were raiders,” I muttered to myself, glancing at the Dealer, who was looking at the raiders with pity. “They’re dying from a disease already. It’s going to kill them one way or another.” I remembered the mare in Miramare who had gorged till her stomach burst. “It’s not an execution if they’re already going to die.” I flushed in anger as I saw Glory look back at me. Great. Now everypony was going to know I was losing it.
"我不是刽子手。"他们是掠夺者,"我喃喃自语，瞥了一眼庄家，庄家怜悯地看着掠夺者。"他们已经死于疾病了。这将以某种方式杀死他们。"我想起了米拉马雷的一匹母马，它狼吞虎咽地吃到肚子胀破。"如果他们已经要死了，这就不是处决了。"当我看到格洛里回头看我的时候，我气得满脸通红。太好了。现在每个小马都会知道我正在失去它。
“Oh… well, that’s convenient,” he said with an understanding little nod. “So long as you’re granting mercy, it’s okay. Funny… wasn’t there another pony using the exact same logic just yesterday?”
"哦......好吧，那倒是方便,"他带着理解的微微点头说。"只要你给予怜悯，就没关系。有趣的是......昨天不是还有一匹小马用同样的逻辑吗?"
“Shut up,” I hissed softly.
"闭嘴,"我轻轻地嘶嘶地说。
“Of course, it wouldn’t be the first time you’ve done it,” he continued.
"当然，这不是你第一次这么做了,"他继续说道。
“Shut up!” I yelled at the pale bastard, levitating Cupcake’s revolver and pressing it to his forehead. “Why the fuck do you do this? I was feeling halfway good and then you… why are you trying to make me remember killing them all? Why can’t you let me be happy?” My magic tightened on the trigger; sure, it wouldn’t kill him, but I’d feel better.
"闭嘴!"我冲着那个苍白的混蛋大叫，把纸托蛋糕的左轮手枪悬浮起来，压在他的前额上。"你他妈的为什么要这么做？我感觉好了一半然后你...你为什么要让我记起杀了他们所有人？你为什么就不能让我幸福呢?"我的魔法在扳机上收紧了;当然，这不会杀死他，但我会感觉好些。
“Blackjack?” Glory said in a fearful voice as the Dealer melted away.
"黑杰克?""商人"消失时，格洛里用一种可怕的声音说。
The gun was pointed right between her shocked eyes.
枪正对着她震惊的两眼之间。
My magic released the gun at once, and it bounced off the deck and landed in the river with a little splash. I stared into Glory’s fearful and hurt eyes and felt
我的魔法立刻释放了枪，枪弹离甲板，溅起一点水花落入河中。我凝视着晨辉那双充满恐惧和伤痛的眼睛，感觉到了
myself start to shake. I hadn’t had the shakes like this in a while. I thought that I was over it. I’d put it behind me. Matured. Moved on.
我开始颤抖。我很久没有这样发抖了。我以为我已经不在乎了。我会把这一切抛诸脑后。成熟。继续前进。
I am a fucking idiot.
我真他妈是个白痴。
I hadn’t put anything behind me. I’d thrown it in the closet and forgotten about it. I’d murdered forty foals. Executed them. I’d rationalized. I’d justified. But my mind wasn’t letting me let it go. “I’m sorry, Glory. I wasn’t talking to you. I was… I’m just… sorry.”
我什么都没有放下。我把它扔进了壁橱，然后就把它忘了。我谋杀了四十匹小马驹。处决他们。我给自己找了个借口。我有正当的理由。但是我的大脑不让我放手。"对不起，晨辉。我没跟你说话。我...我只是...对不起。"
I saw the conflict in her eyes as I looked down into the water. Then she jumped over me and disappeared below decks.
当我低头看着水面时，我看到了她眼中的矛盾。然后她跳过我，消失在甲板下面。
“Well, that was interesting,” Thrush said from behind the wheel.
"嗯，那很有趣,"画眉在方向盘后面说。
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
"我不想谈这个。"
She smiled and shook her head. “Didn’t ask if you did. You don’t have to explain to me. I talk to ghosts too, sometimes.”
她微笑着摇了摇头。"我没问你有没有。你不用跟我解释。我有时也和鬼魂说话。"
Not quite what I was dealing with... at least I hoped not! “You do?”
不完全是我正在处理的...至少我希望不是！"是吗?"
“Sure. Dad asking me to shoot him,” she replied in a soft, casual voice that made me shiver. “Looking back, I probably should have, so it’s only fair he gets to haunt me from time to time, right?”
"当然。"爸爸让我开枪打他,"她用一种轻柔随意的声音回答道，让我浑身发抖。"现在回想起来，我也许应该这么做，所以他时不时来缠着我也是公平的，对吧?"
Sometimes all it takes is one second, one wrong action, one little mistake, and something precious is gone for good.
有时候，只需要一秒钟，一个错误的行动，一个小小的错误，一些珍贵的东西就会永远消失。
All except for the regrets.
除了遗憾。
* * *
* * *
P-21 had as much affinity for sea travel as I did for the air. He lay with his face in a bucket on the stern deck behind the wheelhouse. Really, I didn’t mind the rocking at all. It gave me something to think about besides that my brain was playing nasty tricks on my mind and I’d almost shot Glory in the face. True, she’d shot me first, but we were way past that.
P-21对海上旅行的热爱不亚于我对空中旅行的热爱。他脸朝下躺在驾驶室后面尾甲板上的桶里。真的，我一点也不介意摇摆。它给了我一些东西去思考，除此之外，我的大脑正在我的脑海里玩恶心的把戏，我几乎射中了晨辉的脸。没错，是她先对我开枪的，但我们已经不是那么回事了。
My ears flicked as I heard a distant sound, like a deep breath being drawn
当我听到远处传来一个声音时，我的耳朵轻轻地弹了一下，就像在深吸一口气
continuously. It made my mane begin to itch in apprehension as I looked first at the fire-gutted ruins across the river and then at the grim walls of the Core. “What is that?” I asked Thrush as I rose to my hooves.
连续地。当我第一次看到河对岸被火烧成灰烬的废墟，然后又看到核心区残酷的墙壁时，我的鬃毛开始恐惧地发痒。"那是什么?"当我站起来走向我的蹄子时，我问画眉。
“Fallen Towers,” she replied in a soft, grim tone. “You ponies better get down inside and tie yourselves in. This is going to be a little rough!” Her horn glowed as she lifted a length of rope and started tying herself to the boat.
"倒塌的塔楼,"她用温和而冷酷的语气回答。"你们这些小马最好进去把自己绑起来。这将会有点困难!"当她举起一段绳子，开始把自己绑在船上时，她的号角闪闪发光。
Somehow, I sensed a whole riverful of understatement in that as I rose as high as I could, looking for the source of that terrible sound. I heard the others getting below, but I couldn’t go hide. I had to see just what we were facing. The captain yelled something at me about breaking the first rule as I staggered forward. Passing the gun turret, I saw Oilcan pulling out the guns. Our eyes met, and I saw the fear in them. This was something bad.
不知怎么的，我感觉到了这句话里充满了轻描淡写的意思，我爬得越高越好，寻找那可怕声音的来源。我听到其他人在下面，但我不能躲起来。我必须看看我们面对的是什么。当我摇摇晃晃地向前走时，上尉冲我嚷嚷着说我违反了第一条规定。经过炮塔时，我看见油罐公司正在拔枪。我们的目光相遇，我看到了他们的恐惧。这可不是什么好事。
I rushed to the front of the boat and ran into Seabiscuit trying to go the opposite direction. The sea green mare balked and backed to the bow as the deck heaved. We were moving fast… really really fast. The wide river now seemed ominously narrow, as if all the rubble and junk had constricted it into a foamy flume. The boat gave one more lurch, and the mare gave up trying to move back and instead began to frantically tie herself to rusty metal rings set in the deck. “Tie yourself down!” she yelled, but I wasn’t really listening at that point.
我冲到船的前面，想往相反的方向跑，结果撞上了"海洋饼干"。当甲板起伏时，那匹海绿色的母马突然停下来，退到船头。我们进展得很快...真的很快。宽阔的河水现在看起来狭窄得不祥，仿佛所有的碎石和垃圾都把它压缩成了泡沫状的水槽。小船又一次突然倾斜，母马放弃了往后退的努力，反而开始疯狂地把自己绑在甲板上生锈的金属环上。"把自己绑起来!"她喊道，但我当时并没有认真听。
My eyes stared out in front of me as I felt a sensation like taking a cold bath wash over me. Like everything else in Hoofington, I suspected that the massive Core towers rising to the rolling clouds were ridiculously overengineered. However, despite that, during the war’s fiery end, one of the towers had broken off ten stories or so up and had fallen across the river. The heavy, armored face of the fallen tower acted as a dam of sorts, and the tower’s fall had shattered and knocked down a half dozen more buildings that were now also lying in the swirling fury of frothing water. The water poured over the jagged stumps of the fallen foundations like saliva over teeth. The river was hungry.
我的眼睛凝视着前方，感觉自己像在洗冷水澡。像Hoofington的其他地方一样，我怀疑巨大的核心塔耸立在滚滚的云层之上是荒谬的过度设计。然而，尽管如此，在战争的激烈结束期间，其中一座双子塔从十层左右的高度断裂，倒在了河对岸。倒塌塔楼沉重的装甲表面起到了某种水坝的作用，塔楼的倒塌已经粉碎并摧毁了另外六座建筑物，这些建筑物现在也躺在滚滚的水流中。水从倒下的地基的锯齿状残桩上流下来，就像口水流过牙齿一样。这条河饥饿难耐。
“How in Hell are we supposed to get though that?” I shouted. Then I stared as the boat flew between a pair of street lights. We weren’t going down a river any more… this was a street! The impromptu dam had driven the river out of its banks, and now we were navigating racing currents running through the ruins of the shattered office buildings. Broken foundations and rusted streetlights flew past us as the water flew forwards faster and faster towards the source of that
"我们怎么才能穿过去呢?"我喊道。然后我盯着小船在两盏路灯之间飞来飞去。我们不再沿河而下了...这是一条街道！这个临时的大坝把河水冲出了河岸，现在我们正在破败的办公大楼废墟中穿行。破碎的地基和生锈的路灯从我们身边飞过，水越来越快地向那个源头流去
perpetual inhalation.
永久吸入。
“Tie yourself down!” Seabiscuit screamed again as she grabbed a second length of rope, knotted it around my chest, and tied it to another ring. “Captain will get us through!” she yelled, the green mare staring back at Thrush with a look of frantic faith.
"把自己绑起来!""海洋饼干"又尖叫了起来，她抓起另一根绳子，把它系在我的胸口上，然后绑在另一根绳子上。"船长会带我们过去的!"她喊道，那匹绿色的母马带着狂乱的信心望着Thrush。
The captain just stared grimly ahead.
船长只是冷冷地盯着前方。
Then I saw exactly where she was taking us. The tower had not fallen completely intact. A split had opened up inside it where the top third had snapped back like a peppermint stick and created a yawning chasm that the river was forced into. However, I didn’t see a way through, only endless black. The Seahorse seemed to hang, suspended on that eerily smooth rolling tongue of water that poured down endlessly into the gullet of the fallen skyscraper.
然后我确切地看到了她带我们去的地方。这座塔并非完好无损。船体内部出现了裂缝，顶部的三分之一像一根薄荷棒一样折断了，形成了一个巨大的裂缝，河水被迫流入。然而，我没有看到出路，只有无尽的黑暗。海马似乎悬挂着，悬挂在那怪异而平滑的水舌上，水舌无休止地流入倒下的摩天大楼的食道。
And then, with a blast of cold wet mist, we plunged into the darkness. I gripped the rail with my hooves as we plummeted into the hollow interior of the skyscraper. Then, just as we’d fallen down, the water rose into a vertical wall again, and this time we were going up. The Seahorse rode the arching wall of water as it poured along the interior of the building like an enormous pipe. In my mutated sight, I could see the rusted steel beams stabbing at the Seahorse like spears. Something banged against the underside of the ship, and I felt the entire vessel jump as we raced wildly down the interior of the building. Cracks in the wall sprayed cold, foul water in my face. I had no idea how Thrush, how anypony, could navigate this passage.
然后，伴随着一阵寒冷潮湿的薄雾，我们一头扎进了黑暗之中。当我们垂直落入摩天大楼空洞的内部时，我用蹄子紧紧抓住栏杆。然后，就在我们掉下去的时候，水又涨到了一堵垂直的墙上，这次我们要上去了。海马骑着拱形的水墙，像一根巨大的管子一样沿着建筑内部倾泻而下。在我突变的视线里，我可以看到生锈的钢梁像长矛一样刺向锡霍斯。有什么东西撞到了船的底部，当我们疯狂地向建筑物内部冲去时，我感到整艘船都在跳跃。墙上的裂缝把冰冷、污浊的水喷到我的脸上。我不知道画眉，任何小马，怎么能在这一段航行。
Then I spotted light ahead, and with it the sight of another wall of water churning sideways. How could a vertical wall of water move sideways? “Hang on,” Seabiscuit screamed in my ear. I wrapped my front hooves around the railing as we approached that surging sweep of fluid.
然后我发现前面有光，随之而来的是另一堵水墙在侧面翻腾。一个垂直的水墙怎么会横向移动呢？"坚持住,"海饼干在我耳边尖叫。当我们接近那汹涌澎湃的水流时，我用前蹄把栏杆围了起来。
For a terrifying moment, I swore we flew. My stomach rose in my throat as we were ejected from a second split in the side of the tower and right at the face of a fallen apartment building. The water rose up and up, and we rose with it. Higher and higher the boat rose, and I stared down towards the stern. I wasn’t sure if I was simply soaked through or if I wet myself at the sight.
在一个可怕的时刻，我发誓我们飞起来了。当我们从塔楼一侧的第二道裂缝被弹射出来时，我的胃都提到嗓子眼儿了，就在一栋倒塌的公寓楼的正前方。水涨得越来越高，我们也跟着涨了起来。小船越升越高，我低头看着船尾。我不确定自己是被淋湿了，还是一看到就尿裤子了。
Then our rise stopped, but Seabiscuit’s did not. She continued going up and out, connected only by the rope tied to the ring. The rope went taut. Then, with a
然后我们的崛起停止了，但是海洋饼干没有。她继续上上下下，只用系在戒指上的绳子连接。绳子拉紧了。然后，用一个
metallic ‘ping’, the metal snapped. Her teal eyes widened in horrified resignation as she started to plunge back down towards the churning water as the boat hung in the air.
金属"砰"的一声，金属断裂了。当小船悬浮在空中时，她开始向下冲向翻腾的水面，蓝绿色的眼睛惊恐地无可奈何地睁大了。
I screamed as I set my hooves and launched myself into the air, my legs flailing.
我放下蹄子，腾空而起，双腿乱舞，尖叫起来。
Save one. Just save one…
留一个。只要救一个..。
Her trailing rope smacked me in the face, and I gripped it with hooves, teeth, magic, whatever. My rope went taut as well, and the ring held as we swung back and crashed into the deck of the Seahorse. My teeth rattled as I hit the rail and hooked a rear leg around it; she tangled with the turret.
她的拖绳砸在我的脸上，我用蹄子、牙齿、魔法什么的抓住了它。我的绳子也拉紧了，当我们荡回去撞上海马号甲板的时候，绳圈还在。我的牙齿格格作响，我击中栏杆，并钩住了后腿周围;她与炮塔纠缠在一起。
I wondered if we would hang like that forever. A small tilt in the wrong direction… backwards towards the surging torrent spraying from the tower...
我不知道我们会不会永远这样在一起。一个小小的倾斜在错误的方向......向着从塔里喷射出来的汹涌激流倒退.....。
Then the boat fell. With horrifying, ponderous slowness, it tilted away from the crumbling apartment face as I was looking down at a swirling froth of brown water. There was nothing I could do but clutch that rail with every bit of strength I could muster.
然后船掉了下来。当我低头看着一团漩涡状的褐色水流时，它缓慢而沉重，令人毛骨悚然。除了用尽一切力气抓住栏杆，我什么也做不了。
Every inch of me was slammed with more force than I’d ever thought possible as the boat fell upside down. My breath blasted from my body in a bubbly scream as I felt like the rope was about to cut me in two! Then I was lifted from the water as the Seahorse reverse-capsized, coming to the surface dripping wet and pointing her nose downstream. I opened my eyes, looking for the sea green pony and staring at the rope trailing in the water. The rope burn had torn two raw strips of flesh from around my forehooves.
船翻了个底朝天，我身上的每一寸肌肤都受到了前所未有的巨大冲击。我的呼吸像泡沫一样从身体里喷涌而出，就像绳子要把我一分为二一样！然后，当海马反向倾覆时，我被从水中拉起，浑身湿淋淋地浮上水面，鼻子朝下游游去。我睁开眼睛，寻找那匹海绿色的小马，盯着拖在水里的绳子。绳子的灼伤从我的前蹄周围撕下了两块生肉。
Just one… please, let me save just one...
就一个...求你了，让我救一个..。
I floated a Buck to my mouth and chewed down as the Seahorse raced towards a jagged strand of crushed buildings and debris. My heart thundered as I heaved with all my strength. I could barely breathe as I looped the rope around my forelegs, pulled, and looped again. I clenched my eyes shut, imagining the beams and concrete ripping her apart. It felt as if one of those jagged spurs had lodged straight through my chest as I pulled again and again.
我把一只雄鹿放到嘴边，咀嚼着，海马飞奔向一片参差不齐的建筑物和碎片。当我用尽全身的力气奋力起伏时，我的心怦怦直跳。我几乎无法呼吸，我把绳子绕在我的前腿上，拉，再拉。我紧闭双眼，想象着房梁和混凝土将她撕成碎片。当我一次又一次的拉扯时，感觉就像那些参差不齐的刺穿了我的胸膛。
And then a limp green form came over the rail and fell atop me. Water dribbled from her mouth as she lay there.
然后一个柔软的绿色身体从栏杆上飞过来，落在我身上。她躺在那里，水从她的嘴里滴下来。
“One… just… one…” I whispered softly as I rolled upright and pressed down on her sides, trying to force the water out. Thorn. Roses. Tumbleweed. Scoodle. Eleven zebras. Forty foals. Let me save just one!
"一个......只有......一个......"我轻声说道，我向上翻了个身，压在她的身体两侧，试图把水挤出来。荆棘。玫瑰。风滚草属。史酷德。十一匹斑马。四十匹小马驹。就让我救一个吧！
She lay there, another corpse, my heart racing so fast that I collapsed beside her.
她躺在那里，另一具尸体，我的心跳如此之快，以至于我倒在她身边。
Thorn. Roses. Tumbleweed. Scoodle. Zebras. Foals. Seabiscuit.
荆棘。玫瑰。风滚草属。史酷德。斑马。小马驹。海洋饼干。
Then she coughed, gasped, retched, and vomited water. I shook as I fought to sit up, trying to do something helpful and managing just to blubber and hold her shoulders as Tarboots walked carefully along the heaving deck, rushing to help. She drew one shaking breath after another as I fell on my back, gasping for breath with the blood-soaked rope tight around my hooves.
然后她咳嗽，喘气，干呕，吐水。当我试图坐起来的时候，我颤抖着，试图做一些有益的事情，当Tarboots小心翼翼地走在起伏的甲板上，冲过去帮忙的时候，我努力地哭泣并抓住她的肩膀。我倒在地上，血淋淋的绳子紧紧地缠绕在我的蹄子上，她不停地颤抖着吸气。
Everything fell away as I smiled.
当我微笑时，一切都消失了。
I saved one, you bony son of a bitch…
我救了一个，你这个瘦骨嶙峋的王八蛋..。
I saved one.
我救了一个。
* * *
* * *
“Wake up, Fishy. Fishy?” my mom called over to my bed. “I know you’re awake, Go Fish. You’re smiling.”
"醒醒吧，小鱼儿。可疑?"我妈妈打电话到我床边。"我知道你醒着，钓鱼去吧。你在笑。"
“Am not! Sleepin’.” And I snored loudly to prove it.
""我没有！睡觉。"为了证明这一点，我打了个响亮的鼾。
She bumped me with her nose. “Security mares have to wake up and do our jobs, Fishy.”
她用鼻子撞我。"保安母马必须醒来，做我们的工作，腥。"
“I dun wanna be Security, Momma. It’s no fun,” I muttered, looking up at my lavender momma with her smart, indulgent smile and striped purple and red mane.
"我不想当保安，妈妈。这一点都不好玩,"我喃喃自语，抬头看着我那淡紫色的妈妈，她那聪明、放纵的微笑，带着紫红色条纹的鬃毛。
“Security’s the best job in the stable,” she said softly.
"保安是马厩里最好的工作,"她温柔地说。
“Everypony says that ‘bout their job,” I said as I rubbed my eyes and yawned.
"每个小马都这么说他们的工作,"我揉着眼睛打着哈欠说。
She just chuckled. “But ours really is. We get to save ponies.”
她只是轻声笑了笑。"但我们的确是。我们可以拯救小马。"
~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~
“Why do we gotta be so mean to the boys, Momma?” I asked as my eyes looked over at two stallions walking with their heads hanging, following two mares. They looked hurt and… something else. I didn’t know what shame was back then.
"妈妈，我们为什么要对孩子们这么刻薄?"我看着两匹垂着头的种马，跟在两匹母马后面，问道。他们看起来受伤了...还有别的事情。那时候我不知道什么叫羞耻。
She smiled sadly as I got a green alfalfa smoothie from the cafeteria, munching on the sweet grassy sludge. “We don’t. But a lot of mares can be mean, so a lot of mares are mean to ponies they think it’s okay to hurt.”
当我从自助餐厅点了一杯绿色的苜蓿思慕雪，咀嚼着甜甜的草泥时，她伤心地笑了。"我们没有。但是很多的母马都很卑鄙，所以很多的母马对小马都很卑鄙，它们认为伤害小马是正常的。"
“But why? They’re not in my classes or nothing. What do the colts do?” I asked as I ignored the spoon and straw and chowed down.
""但是为什么呢？他们不在我的课上。小马做什么?"我一边问，一边忽略了勺子和吸管，狼吞虎咽地吃下去。
“They do something very important for the stable. They make babies.”
"他们为马厩做了非常重要的事情。他们生孩子。"
I imagined something like a factory where little fillies were assembled like dolls. “They do?”
我想象着一个工厂，里面的小雌马像洋娃娃一样被组装起来。"是吗?"
“Mhmm. One of them made you,” she said with a smile. “Not sure which one, but…” She flushed slightly as she said that to herself more than me.
"嗯。是他们中的一个造就了你,"她笑着说。"不知道是哪一个，但是......"她对自己说这句话的时候，脸上的红晕比对我说的还要多。
“But what did they do?” I asked with a little frown.
"但他们做了什么?"我皱着眉头问道。
“Well in your grandma’s time, colts and fillies shared all kinds of jobs. All except for one: the Overmare. Everypony got one baby to take over their jobs when they died, whether they were stallions or mares. Then, one day the Overmare had a baby colt. The males were happy because there were a lot more mares than stallions, anyway, and they thought the rules weren’t fair.”
"在你奶奶的时代，小马和小雌马分担各种工作。除了一个:Overmare。每匹小马在死后都会得到一个孩子来接替他们的工作，不管是公马还是母马。后来有一天，母马生了一匹小马驹。公马们很高兴，因为母马比种马多得多，而且他们认为规则不公平。"
I grumbled, “I don’t think the rules are fair either. It’s stupid I gotta go to bed when I’m not even tired.”
我抱怨道:"我也不认为规则是公平的。我不累就得上床睡觉，真是太傻了。"
“If you did, maybe you wouldn’t have problems waking up,” she said as she levitated a napkin to wipe my face clean. “Anyway, the Overmare said that the colt couldn’t be an overmare because he wasn’t a mare. The stallions said the Overmare was breaking the rules because she couldn’t have another baby. Then her foal died in medical. The stallions said the Overmare had killed him to have another baby and demanded she be replaced, but there’s nothing in the rules for taking away an overmare’s job.”
"如果你醒了，也许你就不会醒来了,"她说，同时她悬浮起一张餐巾纸，把我的脸擦干净。"无论如何，奥佛马说小马不可能是匹母马，因为它不是母马。种马说Overmare违反了规则，因为她不能再生孩子了。然后她的小马驹在医疗中死了。那匹种马说奥弗马为了再生一个孩子而杀了他，并要求换掉奥弗马，但是没有任何规定可以剥夺这匹母马的工作。"
I gasped as I squirmed, trying to get away from her floating napkin. “And did
我扭动着身子喘着粗气，试图摆脱她那漂浮的餐巾纸。"而且做到了
she, Momma?”
她，妈妈?"
She just smiled sadly and shrugged. “The stallions thought she did and they were angry. They took over the maintenance level and threatened to do something very bad if the Overmare didn’t step down. The stallions had a lot of mares wanting to help them before, but breaking the air purification talismans would have killed everypony. There was a nasty fight, and several important parts of the stable were damaged. Finally, most of the stallions were captured, and the Overmare said that from then on mares would run the stable and stallions would make babies.”
她只是悲伤地笑了笑，耸了耸肩。"那些种马以为是她干的，它们很生气。他们接管了维护级别，并威胁要做一些非常坏的事情，如果Overmare不下台。以前有很多母马想要帮助它们，但是破坏空气净化护身符会杀死每一匹小马。发生了一场激烈的打斗，马厩的几个重要部分受到了损坏。最后，大部分的公马都被捕获了，而且Overmare说从那时起母马会跑马厩，公马会生小马。"
I munched my green smoothie, making a mess of my face again. “Huh. I wondered why I never see any colts in school. Well, except for this one. He’s always hiding near the door. Or he was,” I said as I tapped my hooves against the table. “I haven’t seen him since I took him back to medical.”
我吃了一口绿色的思慕雪，又把脸弄得一团糟。"哈。我想知道为什么我在学校从来没有看到过小马。除了这个。他总是躲在门口。或者他是,"我一边说，一边用蹄子敲打着桌子。"自从我把他送回医务室后，就再也没见过他。"
She gave me such a sad smile. “Try not to think about it, Fishy.”
她给了我一个悲伤的微笑。"尽量不要去想它，小鱼。"
Because once you started, you wouldn’t stop. Not till it drove you mad.
因为一旦你开始了，你就不会停止。直到它把你逼疯。
~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~
Security were friends with security. Thus, my friends were, by default, the children of security mares. Daisy limped to the corner of the schoolroom where we were being taught our core lessons and security training by the bored, burned-out banality of Miss Textbook. Marmalade looked at the crème-colored filly in concern, at the darkened red bruises on her face and the twitchy look in her eyes. There were bandages on her legs, side, and flank.
安全是安全的朋友。因此，我的朋友，默认，孩子的安全母马。黛西一瘸一拐地走到教室的角落，我们正在那里上核心课程和安全培训，而教科书小姐已经无聊透顶、陈词滥调了。玛玛拉德关切地看着这匹红得发紫的小母马，看着她脸上黑黝黝的红肿，看着她眼中焦虑不安的神情。她的腿、侧面和侧面都缠着绷带。
“Are you okay, Daisy?” I asked, looking at the bruises on her cheek and muzzle.
"你没事吧，黛西?"我看着她脸颊上和嘴上的瘀伤问道。
“Yeah. I got in a fight,” she said, sniffing as if it were no big deal. Daisy always got in fights. As security, she was supposed to fight; we all were. But I always wondered just who she was picking them with. “So, what’s teach going on about?” she asked, and the honey-colored Marmalade and I looked at each other in concern. Daisy never cared about what the teacher taught.
"是的。我打了一架,"她说，嗅了嗅，好像没什么大不了的。黛西总是打架。作为安全人员，她应该战斗;我们都是。但是我一直想知道她和谁一起挑选的。"那么，教书的内容是什么?"她问道，我和蜜色的橘子酱关切地看着对方。黛西从来不在乎老师教的东西。
“The Ministry of Awesome and how it was just a bone thrown to Rainbow Dash, since she never actually did anything,” I said softly.
我轻轻地说:"真棒的部，它只是一块扔给彩虹冲刺的骨头，因为她实际上什么也没做。"。
“Sorry I asked,” she yawned, and we relaxed.
"对不起，我问了,"她打了个呵欠，我们就放松了。
Then Duct Tape walked by and the homely gray filly looked at the three of us… no, looked at Daisy. Daisy looked at her. “What are you looking at?” Duct Tape shook her head as she backed away. “I said, what the fuck are you looking at!” And as Duct Tape turned to run, Daisy charged her.
然后布基胶带走过去，那只丑陋的灰色小母马看着我们三个......不，看着黛西。黛西看着她。"你在看什么?"布基胶带在她后退时摇了摇头。"我说，你他妈的看什么看!"当布基胶带转身要跑的时候，黛西向她冲了过去。
“No! Please! I’m sorry!” Duct Tape begged as Daisy ploughed into the smaller gray filly and proceeded to pummel her.
"不！求你了！对不起!"黛西把胶带扎进小灰姑娘的肚子里，开始抽打她。
“You didn’t see anything! You understand?! Nothing, you gray pussy!” Daisy shrieked as she kicked the other filly over and over again while Textbook just looked on with a mild expression of annoyance that her lecture had been interrupted.
"你什么也没看见！你明白吗?！没什么，你这个胆小鬼!"黛西尖叫着，一遍又一遍地踢着另一匹小母马，而教科书只是带着一种略带烦恼的表情看着她的演讲被打断。
“Daisy!” I shouted in alarm, and the cream earth pony jumped as I raced to shove myself between her and the fetal Duct Tape. Marmalade just followed, because that was what she did. She didn’t have the sense Celestia had given a roach. Still, I shoved my way between them and kicked Daisy’s face firmly with my forehooves. That seemed to snap her out of it enough to make her fall back. “Get Tape to medical, Marm!”
"黛西!"我惊恐地大叫起来，那匹奶油色的矮种马跳了起来，我赶紧把自己挤到她和胎儿的胶带之间。橘子酱紧随其后，因为她就是这么做的。她没有塞勒斯蒂娅给出的感觉。不过，我还是挤到他们中间，用前蹄狠狠地踢了一脚黛西的脸。这似乎足以让她从中振作起来，使她后退一步。"马姆，把胶带拿到医务室去!"
The yellow unicorn looked at me, then Daisy, then Duct Tape, and finally realized I was asking her to do something. She bit Duct Tape by her mane and dragged her out the door. “What is wrong with you, Daisy?” I yelled as the rest of the class pretended to listen to the teacher. Because that was safer than listening and thinking.
黄色的独角兽看着我，然后是黛西，然后是胶带，最后意识到我是在让她做什么。她在鬃毛上咬了一口胶带，然后把她拖出了家门。"你怎么了，黛西?"当班上其他人假装听老师讲课时，我大叫起来。因为这比倾听和思考更安全。
The bandages had fallen away, and I stared at the cuts in Daisy’s sides and flank. They’d only been barely healed by the magical bandages. And unless she’d been hiding a horn her entire life, there was no way Daisy could have made such regular cuts. “Who… how?!”
绷带已经脱落，我盯着黛西身体两侧和侧腹的伤口。他们几乎没有被神奇的绷带治愈。除非她一辈子都藏着一个喇叭，否则黛西不可能做出如此规律的割礼。"谁......怎么会?!"
Now I was the one slammed to the ground. “Nopony. It was an accident. I mean… a fight! That’s ALL it was!” she said as she shouted down at me.
现在我倒在了地上。"Nopony.那是个意外。我是说...打架！仅此而已!"她一边说一边朝我大喊大叫。
Don’t think about it. Don’t ask. Don’t wonder. Crawl back into my desk and pretend like it never happened. Agree it was a fight, and don’t ask who. Agree it was an accident, and don’t imagine how. Do that and she might forget as well. And you’d be friends... friendish…
别想了。不要问。不要怀疑。爬回我的办公桌，假装什么都没发生过。我同意这是一场打斗，不要问是谁。承认这是个意外，不要想象怎么回事。这样做的话，她可能也会忘记。你们会成为朋友...朋友..。
“Did your--” was all I said. All I got out. She knew the question. I knew the answer as she tried to shove every ounce of her pain into me, and she had a whole lot of it to shove.
"你的......"我只说了这么一句。我只能逃出来。她知道这个问题。我知道答案，因为她试图把她的每一点痛苦都塞给我，而她有一大堆的痛苦要塞给我。
* * *
* * *
I opened my eyes, feeling the bobbing of the boat and hearing the sounds of ponies walking above deck. “You okay?” Glory asked as I stirred.
我睁开眼睛，感觉到船在上下摆动，听到小马在甲板上走动的声音。"你还好吗?"我一动，晨辉就问道。
“I feel like I got hit by a boat,” I muttered, lying there and feeling my heart thunder. I felt bruised from horn to hoof.
"我感觉就像被船撞了一样,"我喃喃自语，躺在那里，心里感到一阵雷鸣。我感到从牛角到蹄子都是瘀伤。
“You did get hit by a boat,” the captain replied as she leaned on the rear hatch. “Didn’t I tell you to get below and strap in? The rest of your friends did. You? You ran right out to the worst place you could.” The captain did not look happy about me breaking the first rule.
"你确实被船撞了,"船长一边靠在后舱门上一边回答。"我不是叫你到下面系好安全带吗？你其他的朋友都这么做了。你？你跑到了最糟糕的地方。"我违反了第一条规则，船长看起来很不高兴。
“Seabiscuit? Is she okay?” I asked as I looked at the torn skin on my front legs. At least my PipBuck had saved me from some of the burns… but from the pain on my sides, I suspected I was missing hide there, too.
"海洋饼干？她还好吗?"我一边问，一边看着前腿上撕裂的皮肤。至少我的皮伯克把我从一些烧伤中解救了出来......但是从我两侧的疼痛中，我怀疑我也错过了藏身的地方。
The captain’s look softened. “Yeah. So I won’t shoot you for breaking the first rule. Besides,” she added with a grin, “I have to admit, there’s no sight like going through Fallen Towers.” I had to agree; I’d be having nightmares about it for a while. I noticed that the captain was also showing raw rope burns and bruises. “Normally, I would have waited a few days for the water to subside. The water level was half again as high as it should have been for safe passage, but you folks are in a hurry.”
船长的表情变得柔和了。"是的。所以我不会因为你违反了第一条规则就杀了你。此外,"她咧嘴笑着补充道,"我必须承认，没有什么景象能比得上穿过倒塌的塔楼。"我不得不同意，我会做一段时间的噩梦。我注意到船长身上也有被绳子割伤的痕迹和瘀伤。"通常情况下，我会等上几天，直到水消退。水位比安全通道的水位高了一半，但是你们这些人很着急。"
“Not in that much of a hurry,” I groaned, momentarily sitting up and regretting it. I fell back into Glory’s hooves with a groan. “Where are we? How long have I been out?”
"没有那么匆忙,"我呻吟着，立刻坐起来后悔起来。我呻吟了一声，又回到了晨辉的蹄子里。"我们在哪儿？我出去多久了?"
“We’re in Riverside, just below the falls. That crash did more than just crush both of you; it also busted a seal on the bottom. We can patch it, but it’ll just take a while,” the captain said. “There’s not a lot to see here, but you can take a peek around town. It’s a Finders village, so it should be safe… ish.”
"我们在河滨市，就在瀑布下面。那次撞车不仅仅把你们俩都撞得粉碎，它还把底部的一个密封条打破了。我们可以修补，但需要一点时间,"船长说。"这里没什么好看的，但你可以在城里四处看看。这是一个芬德斯村，所以应该是安全的......差不多。"
“Safeish. I like that word. Not quite safe, but in the neighborhood,” I muttered sarcastically. I slowly dragged myself to my hooves. “Well, get me my barding.”
"安全。我喜欢这个词。不是很安全，但就在附近,"我讽刺地咕哝着。我慢慢地用力蹬着我的蹄子。"好吧，把我的帐单给我。"
“Blackjack!” Glory said. “You just woke up from passing out after having a ship fall on you, and from your pulse you’ve taken at least another Buck! Why don’t you just stay here and do something radical, like rest?”
"黑杰克!"晨辉说。"你刚刚从一艘船压在你身上的昏迷中醒来，从你的脉搏中你至少又吸收了一块巴克！你为什么不干脆留在这里，做点激进的事情，比如休息?"
I took a deep breath as I steadied myself, fighting to keep from hyperventilating. Nice and slow. Calm. “Well, Glory, there’s three reasons why I have to go. First, I need to get out there so that whatever eyes and ears Sanguine and DJ Pon3 have can see me so he doesn’t send that monsterpony to Chapel. Second, I want to see if there’s anypony I can help. Third, and most important of all…” I took a moment, looking at her gravely. “I really… really… need to go to the bathroom and I’d rather not hang my fanny off the side of the boat.”
我深吸了一口气，让自己平静下来，努力不让自己呼吸急促。慢慢来。冷静。"好吧，晨辉，我有三个理由必须去。首先，我需要出去，这样任何眼睛和耳朵血红和DJPon3可以看到我，这样他就不会把那个怪物小马送到教堂。其次，我想看看有没有我能帮忙的小马。第三，也是最重要的一点......"我沉思了片刻，严肃地看着她。"我真的......真的......需要去趟洗手间，我可不想把屁股挂在船舷上。"
Glory took one look at me in shock as the captain collapsed with laughter, then seized a pillow and beat me with it till I grabbed my bag and fled outside.
晨辉震惊地看了我一眼，船长笑得瘫倒在地，然后抓起一个枕头打我，直到我抓起包逃出去。
* * *
* * *
After a visit to the town latrine (a ditch that reeked so badly it almost had me reconsidering the boat), I found myself in Riverside. The town of two dozen inhabitants was built in a horseshoe-shaped strip of shops adjacent to the river. One floating dock made of old empty barrels stretched out to a post and the Seahorse. The roads north and south were barricaded, and the park in the middle of the village held planter boxes filled with vegetables and waxy green grass. Shops were selling pale sides of smoked fish and slabs of radigator meat, and at one outdoor butcher shop I saw two ponies cutting and chopping up an enormous frog.
在参观了镇上的厕所(一个臭气熏天的沟渠，几乎让我重新考虑的船)后，我发现自己在河滨。这个有24个居民的小镇建在河边一个马蹄形的商店带里。一个由旧空桶组成的浮动码头延伸到一根柱子和海马号上。北面和南面的道路都设置了路障，村子中间的公园里种满了蔬菜和蜡绿色的草。商店里出售着淡色的熏鱼和放射性鳄鱼肉，在一家露天的肉铺里，我看见两匹小马正在切割一只巨大的青蛙。
Despite the town’s size, I got the impression that it’d once seen better days. There were apartments above the repurposed stores that now had busted windows and were boarded shut. One shop had only some scrap metal, electronics, and nine millimeter ammo. I couldn’t see any signs of families; there was a terrible sense that, at any moment, the last occupants would just fade away, leaving Riverside just another ruin.
尽管这个小镇很大，但我感觉它曾经有过好日子。在重新改造过的商店上面有许多公寓，现在它们的窗户都被打碎了，关上了木板。一家商店只有一些废金属，电子产品和9毫米口径的弹药。我看不到任何家庭的迹象;有一种可怕的感觉，在任何时候，最后的居住者就会消失，离开河畔只是另一个废墟。
“What happened here?” I muttered as I looked at the ponies moving like ghosts around the almost empty shops.
"这里发生了什么事?"看着几乎空荡荡的商店里像幽灵一样移动的小马，我喃喃自语。
“Same thing that’s happening everywhere, Miss…” an old unicorn mare said as she mended a fishing net. I had to question the sense of anypony who ate anything out of that river. Slowly, I walked to her, and started as I realized that
"同样的事情到处都在发生，小姐.....。。」一匹老独角母马在补渔网时说。我不得不质疑任何吃了那条河里任何东西的小马的感觉。慢慢地，我走向她，当我意识到这一点时，我开始行动了
she was blind. Her milky eyes stared out at me as her hooves skillfully felt out the tears and her horn mended them.
她是盲人。她乳白色的眼睛盯着我，她的蹄子熟练地摸出泪水，她的角修补它们。
“Blackjack.”
"黑杰克。"
“Fishy,” she replied.
"可疑,"她回答。
Now that made me feel all kinds of strange and alarmed. “What? How did you know--”
现在，这让我感到各种各样的奇怪和恐惧。"什么？你怎么知道——"
“My name. It’s Fishy. Granny Fishy. Nice to meet you,” she said with a soft chuckle.
"我的名字。太可疑了。小鱼奶奶。很高兴认识你,"她轻声笑着说。
“Oh.” I sat down across from her. “What do you mean, the same thing happening everywhere?”
"哦。"我坐在她对面。"同样的事情到处都在发生，这是什么意思?"
“Riverside used to be a nice village. We were smack in the middle of the west side ruins. There was plenty to pick out of the countryside. Food. Safety. But the ruins’ve been picked clean, mostly. There’s more and more raiders, bandits, and Reapers. Less folks bring in less food. So villages just dwindle away. Death picks off the ones who stay, and there’s fewer and fewer boats.”
"河畔曾经是一个美丽的村庄。我们正好处在西边废墟的中央。乡下有很多东西可以挑选。食物。安全。但大部分废墟都被清理干净了。有越来越多的掠夺者，强盗，收割者。更少的人带来更少的食物。所以村庄就这样消失了。死神把留下来的人都杀了，船越来越少了。"
“This lady bothering you, Mum?” a pink mare with a pair of fish on her flank asked as she trotted up.
"这位女士在骚扰你吗，妈妈?"一只粉红色的母马边跑边问，旁边还有一对鱼。
“No, thank you, Perch,” Granny said as she waved a hoof at the mare, who took it between her own and guided it to her head so Granny could pat her. “She was polite enough to ask about the town.”
"不，谢谢你，佩奇。"奶奶一边说，一边向母马挥舞着一只蹄子。母马把蹄子夹在自己的蹄子中间，引导着蹄子到了母马的头上，这样奶奶就可以轻拍母马了。"她很有礼貌地打听了一下这个城镇。"
“It’s those damned dogs that are to blame,” Perch said with a stomp.
"该受责备的是那些该死的狗,"佩奇跺着脚说。
“Dogs?” I blinked.
"狗?"我眨了眨眼。
“The sand dogs,” the elder unicorn answered. “They live underneath the western ruins.”
"沙狗,"老独角兽回答。"他们住在西部废墟下面。"
Perch, clearly having a lot more to say, stomped her hooves again. “And they’re a menace. They scavenge the ruins, but they don’t trade, and I know they’ve got some decent salvage in their holes. They’ve got some weird cybernetics that make them too tough for most raiders and bandits, so we have to deal with them
佩奇显然还有很多话要说，又跺了跺蹄子。"他们是个威胁。他们搜寻废墟，但他们不交易，而且我知道他们的洞里还有一些像样的打捞物。他们有一些奇怪的控制论，这使得他们对于大多数袭击者和强盗来说太难对付了，所以我们必须对付他们
instead.”
相反。"
“Now, that’s enough, Perch. Times are tough enough without making things harder for some folks who don’t deserve it,” Granny said firmly to the younger mare.
""够了，佩奇。时间已经够艰难的了，不会让一些不值得的人更难过。"奶奶坚定地对年轻的母马说。
But the pink pony wasn’t listening. “You want to help?” she said to me. “Go down to the Riverside station of the Sunset Line, shoot every one of them, and open up the tunnels for scavenging. That’ll turn this place around, no sweat,” she said as she lifted up one of Granny’s nets and sulked towards the river.
但是那匹粉红色的小马没有在听。"你想帮忙吗?"她对我说。"下到日落线的河边车站，把他们一个一个打死，然后打开隧道搜寻食物。这样就可以把这个地方改头换面，不费吹灰之力。"她一边说，一边拉起奶奶的一张渔网，闷闷不乐地朝河边走去。
The blind elder mare just sighed as she ran her hooves over the netting. “Please, do not mind her. She is just desperate to save the home she knows,” Granny Fishy said as she tugged the nets with her horn and hooves. “I suspect you feel the same way.”
那匹年长的瞎母马一边用蹄子踩着网，一边叹气。"请不要介意她。她只是不顾一切地想要拯救她熟悉的家园,"腥奶奶边说边用她的角和蹄子拉网。"我怀疑你也是这么想的。"
“You do?” I gave a nervous little smile. “No offense, but you don’t know where I’m from. Trust me, nopony would want to save that place.”
"是吗?"我紧张地微微一笑。"无意冒犯，但你不知道我从哪里来。相信我，没有人会想要拯救那个地方。"
“Oh? But isn’t that where you’re going? Or maybe it’s where you’ve been. Who can say?” she said as she carefully tied a hole. “I suspect you have a long trail before you to reach your home.”
"哦？但那不是你要去的地方吗？也可能是你去过的地方。谁知道呢?"她一边说，一边小心翼翼地把。"我怀疑你还有很长的路要走才能到家。"
My mane started to tingle as I regarded her. “What do you know?”
当我看着她的时候，我的鬃毛开始发麻。"你知道什么?"
She chuckled at that wary question. “Know? My dear, I simply mend holes in nets,” she replied with a toothless smile. “But I have a sense about you. The past and future reach through you. Messenger, harbinger, and judge. Life in one hoof. Death in the other. Which will you decide? Not even the stars can tell...” Okay, that just jumped the creepiness factor up by fifty at least!
她对那个谨慎的问题轻声笑了起来。""知道吗？"亲爱的，我只是在补网上的洞罢了,"她回答时露出无牙的微笑。"但是我对你有一种感觉。过去和未来通过你触及。信使，先驱者和法官。一蹄生命。另一个世界的死亡。你会选择哪一个？甚至连明星都不知道......好吧，这至少让我的毛骨悚然系数上升了五十倍！
P-21 and Glory trotted up, the two probably noticing my slightly uneasy look.
P-21和晨辉小跑过来，他们两人可能注意到了我略带不安的神色。
“Blackjack? Who’s this?” Glory asked politely.
"黑杰克？这是谁?"晨辉礼貌地问道。
“Granny Fishy,” she said with a broad smile as she thrust her hoof out in the general direction of Glory. Glory took it in her own and gave it a shake. “Ahh… a pegasus. How interesting.” How’d she get that from a hoofshake?
"小鱼奶奶,"她把蹄子伸向光荣的大方向时，笑容满面地说。晨辉自己接受了这个事实，并且给了它一个震动。"啊...飞马。真有趣。"她是怎么从马蹄奶昔上弄到这个的？
“Fallen Glory,” Glory said softly as she glanced at me, then frowned at the old mare. “Did Blackjack… tell you?”
"堕落的晨辉,"晨辉温柔地说，她瞥了我一眼，然后皱起了眉头，在老母马。"Blackjack......告诉你了吗?"
“No. I just get a sense of things,” she said as she released Glory’s hoof and returned to the net. “Like your name… Fallen. How far have you fallen, I wonder. Have you learned to hate? Have you learned to spite? Have you learned to crave vengeance? If not, how can you know how to forgive, Fallen Glory?”
"没有。我只是有一种感觉,"当她放开晨辉的蹄子回到网上时，她说。"就像你的名字......堕落。我想知道你堕落到什么地步了。你学会仇恨了吗？你学会怨恨了吗？你学会渴望复仇了吗？如果没有，你怎么知道如何宽恕，堕落的晨辉?"
“How… what did you tell her, Blackjack?” she asked, clearly startled.
"你怎么...你跟她说什么了，黑杰克?"她问道，显然很吃惊。
“Nothing. I just met her,” I said defensively.
"没什么。我刚认识她,"我辩护地说。
P-21 looked at Granny mending the net, then looked at me. I cocked a brow. “What?” he said. “I don’t want creepy mystical mutterings about my fate or destiny, thank you very much.” He backed a few steps away from Granny. “Leave me out of it!”
P-21看着奶奶在补网，然后看着我。我扬起眉毛。"什么?"他说。"我不想听到关于我的命运或者命运的可怕的神秘的抱怨，非常感谢。"他向后退了几步，离奶奶很近。"别把我扯进来!"
“Oh, don’t worry young colt. Your fate has come and gone. It only begs the question of what happens in the epilogue,” the old mare said with a lazy wave of her hoof. For some reason, that seemed to bother him more than some cryptic remark.
"哦，别担心，小马驹。你的命运来了又走了。这只是回避了收场白中发生了什么的问题,"老母马懒洋洋地摇着蹄子说。出于某种原因，这似乎比一些含糊其辞的话更让他烦恼。
Then Perch yelled across the square. “Granny! Stop with the fortune teller routine and get that last net patched up!” The blind mare chuckled, and I gave her a skeptical glance. Had all this just been a local messing with rubes?
接着，佩奇在广场上大叫起来。"奶奶！别再玩赖布衣(电视剧)了，把最后一张网修好!"那只瞎眼的母马咯咯地笑了，我用怀疑的眼光看了她一眼。难道这一切只是当地人对乡巴佬的恶作剧吗？
“Ah well, fun is fun, but I’d best get back to work,” she said. “Don’t give an old blind mare’s words too much thought.” As we walked away, I looked back and saw her still wearing that lingering old smile.
"好吧，乐趣是有趣的，但我最好还是回去工作,"她说。"不要对一个瞎了眼的老母马的话想太多。"当我们离开的时候，我回头看到她仍然带着那个挥之不去的笑容。
* * *
* * *
“Blackjack, are you sure about this?” P-21 asked as we moved through the ruins.
"黑杰克，你确定吗?"当我们穿过废墟时，P-21问道。
“It’s one of my plans. Of course I’m not sure about it. But Perch said that if we could deal with the sand dogs, it’d open up the underground tunnels for salvaging again. And you know that there’s always time for dealing with raiders and bandits. We’ve got at least three hours till Thrush patches up the boat, so why not do some good while we’re here?”
"这是我的计划之一。我当然不确定。但佩奇说，如果我们能对付沙狗，就能再次打开地下隧道进行抢救。你知道，对付袭击者和强盗总是有时间的。我们至少还有三个小时才能等到画眉把船修好，所以我们在这儿的时候为什么不做点好事呢?"
“I have to wonder how your foes will view your good,” Lacunae said from the rear. She’d shed the heavy black lace dress and veil once we were out of sight of town.
"我不知道你的敌人会如何看待你的好,"拉库纳在后面说。一旦我们离开镇上的视线，她就会脱下沉重的黑色蕾丝连衣裙和面纱。
“Oh, don’t get her started with moral relativism,” P-21 groaned. “She’ll be stuck all day!”
"哦，别让她从道德相对主义开始,"P-21抱怨道。"她会被困一整天的!"
Moral whatism? “Look. It’s simple. We’re good. They’re bad. That’s all I need to know.”
道德白思主义？"你看。很简单。我们没事。他们很坏。这就是我需要知道的全部。"
“Right. Till one of them starts crying,” the blue stallion muttered. “Why are four smart ponies being led around by an idiot?”
"对。直到他们中的一个开始哭泣,"蓝色的种马咕哝着。"为什么四匹聪明的小马被一个白痴牵着走?"
“Can’t be that smart, then.” I stuck my tongue out at him and looked at Rampage. She still wasn’t much bigger than a filly, but I wasn’t going to pick a fight with her with that chainsaw knife in her jaws. “Hey, Rampage. Are you smarter than me?”
"那就没那么聪明了。"我伸出舌头望着他，看着狂暴。她还没有一匹小母马大多少，但是我不会拿着她嘴里的链锯刀和她打架。"嗨，狂暴。你比我聪明吗?"
She spat out the blade and balanced it atop her head as she said something in zebra to me. A toss of her red curls and she caught the blade again in her jaws with a grin. “I’ll take that as a yes,” I said with a roll of my eyes.
当她用斑马语对我说些什么的时候，她把刀片吐了出来，放在头顶上保持平衡。她抛了一下红色的卷发，咧嘴笑了笑，又把刀片夹在嘴里。"我就当你同意了,"我转了转眼珠说。
The plan was simple. I’d keep an eye open on my E.F.S. for red bars. Glory would scout them out. We’d annihilate them and save the day. My PipBuck navigation already had a toggle set on Riverside; how it knew, I’d never know. Once the dogs were out of the tunnels, the Seahorse would hopefully be ready to continue downstream.
计划很简单。我会留意我的e.f.s.红色条纹。晨辉会把他们侦察出来。我们要消灭他们，拯救世界。我的PipBuck导航已经在Riverside上设置了一个切换开关;它怎么知道的，我永远不会知道。一旦狗出了隧道，海马有望继续顺流而下。
I just hoped we didn’t get lost amid these ruins. They were unlike anything I’d ever seen; the swampy remains of Flankfurt were nothing compared to the cracked and broken ten and twenty story buildings that loomed over us. Most bore the telltale black charring of firestorms, and the streets were littered with rubble, smashed and twisted wagons, and, of course, bones. Still, a century of scavenging had turned the ruins into rain-drenched shells. Perfect little lairs for predatory ponies.
我只是希望我们不要在这些废墟中迷路。它们不同于我所见过的任何东西;Flankfurt沼泽般的遗迹与隐约出现在我们头顶的破裂的二十层建筑相比根本不值一提。他们中的大多数人背负着暴风骤雨般的黑色炭火，街道上到处都是碎石、粉碎的扭曲的马车，当然，还有骨头。尽管如此，经过一个世纪的搜寻，这片废墟已经变成了雨水浸透的贝壳。掠夺性小马的完美巢穴。
And speaking of which, there were some red bars straight ahead...
说到这个，前面有一些红条..。
I gestured to Glory, and she flitted from blasted-out window to blasted-out window, her gray hide and pale blue barding blending in with both sky and rocks. I had to keep track of her blue bar at times. She scouted the hostiles and returned. “About nine or ten, some in an old store right around the corner and the others in a coffee shop across the street. They’ve got a sniper on the third floor. I couldn’t tell if they’re raiders or bandits, but they’re all armed.”
我指了指晨辉，她从一扇被炸毁的窗户飞到另一扇被炸毁的窗户，灰色的皮肤和淡蓝色的树枝与天空和岩石融为一体。我有时不得不注意她的蓝色酒吧。她侦察了敌人，然后回来了。"大约九点到十点，有些在街角的一家旧店里，有些在街对面的一家咖啡店里。三楼有个狙击手。我不知道他们是袭击者还是土匪，但他们都有武器。"
“Red, it’s dead,” I muttered, glancing at my PipBuck. I imagined the cards shuffling in my mind, but I wasn’t even going to acknowledge the pale bastard. If they were armed and hostile, this wasn’t an execution. This was trouble and we were taking care of it.
"红色，它死了,"我低声说，瞥了一眼我的皮布克。我想象着这些牌在我的脑海里慢慢洗牌，但我甚至不打算承认这个苍白的混蛋。如果他们有武器并且怀有敌意，这就不是处决了。这是个麻烦，我们正在处理。
“Okay, so I’m in front. Glory from above and tagging that sniper. Rampage mixing it up. P-21, keep your eyes open and use Persuasion if there’s a knot of them. And you…” I looked at Lacunae and suddenly felt at a bit of loss. “What are you going to do?”
"好吧，我在前面。从上面看到的晨辉和追踪那个狙击手。狂暴把事情搞混了。P-21，睁大你的眼睛，如果有一大堆的话就说服他们。而你......"我看着空隙，突然感到有点茫然。"你打算怎么办?"
“I’ll back you up,” she said with a faint smile. Right, that was less than specific or comforting.
"我会支持你的,"她淡淡地笑着说。没错，这不够具体，也不够令人欣慰。
“Okay. Don’t shoot me, please,” I asked with a half joking smile. I started towards the hostiles when P-21 cleared his throat. “What?” I asked, looking at him and his sardonic little smile. He stretched out a hoof and tapped the helmet sitting atop my saddlebags. “Oh! Right. Headshot… good thinking.” I levitated and strapped the helmet in place, flushing slightly. Okay! Now, were we ready?
"好吧。请别向我开枪,"我带着半开玩笑的微笑问道。P-21清了清嗓子，我开始向敌人冲去。"什么?"我问道，看着他和他那嘲讽的微笑。他伸出一只蹄子，敲了敲坐在我鞍囊上的头盔。"哦！对。头部特写......好想法。"我把头盔悬浮在空中，用皮带固定好，脸上略微泛红。好吧！我们准备好了吗？
We were.
是的。
I strolled down the street as clear as day with Taurus’s rifle floating ahead of me. Rampage moved like a ponified cat, unnervingly quiet without her clanging metal armor. Glory moved overhead like a silent guardian angel while Lacunae walked behind me. Where P-21 was, I had no idea. Laying mines? Readying grenades? I just knew he’d be there.
我漫步在街上，像白天一样清晰，金牛座的步枪在我前面漂浮。狂暴的行为就像一只僵硬的猫，没有了金属盔甲叮当作响的声音，安静得令人不安。晨辉像一个沉默的守护天使在头顶上移动，而拉库尼在我身后走着。我不知道P-21在哪里。埋地雷？准备好手榴弹了吗？我就知道他会在那儿。
Through the scope, I saw a mare walking from the coffee shop towards the corner grocery store. I saw the spiked armor, the sawed off shotgun, and, more importantly, the half dozen hooves dangling off the sides of her barding. Most of all, I saw the eager grin that split her scarred face, yellowed eyes widening in glee at the sight of me.
透过望远镜，我看见一匹母马从咖啡店走向街角的杂货店。我看到了尖刺的盔甲，锯掉的猎枪，更重要的是，还有六只蹄子从她的护栏上垂下来。最重要的是，我看到了她那张伤痕累累的脸上露出的热切的笑容，那双泛黄的眼睛一看到我就欢欣鼓舞地睁大了。
Then I sent her brains out the back of her head with a clean shot through her left eye.
然后我一枪打穿了她的左眼，打爆了她的后脑勺。
All hell broke loose. At once, three more ponies rushed out, but they had the sense to go for cover behind the piles of rubble. One opened up with an SMG, a 10mm zebra model if I knew my guns, and sprayed bullets down the street at me. Where the heck had raiders gotten enough bullets to waste them with an
一切都乱套了。马上又有三匹小马跑了出来，但它们有意识到要躲到瓦砾堆后面。其中一个开了一个SMG，一个10毫米的斑马型号，如果我知道我的枪，并在街上向我喷射子弹。那些突击队员哪来那么多子弹
SMG? The pistols were a little more accurate, but my barding took the rounds with equanimity as I took aim with the rifle and blew the noggin off the mare with the SMG.
Smg？手枪射得更准一些，但当我用步枪瞄准并用冲锋枪打飞了母马的头部时，我的叫喊声平静地接过了子弹。
From overhead came the boom of a rifle round, and a resounding ‘PING’ glanced off the side of my helmet. Somewhere, I was sure, P-21 was thinking smug thoughts. Okay, enough badass stupidity. I had their attention now, so I made for my own cover behind a fallen wagon as my head throbbed. As nice as the rifle was, it just didn’t have the time or rate of fire for messy work. Good thing I had a shotgun!
从头顶上传来一发步枪子弹的轰鸣声，一个响亮的"乒"声从我的头盔侧面掠过。我敢肯定，在某个地方，P-21正在自鸣得意地思考。好了，够了，混蛋的愚蠢。我现在引起了他们的注意，所以当我的头在跳动的时候，我躲在一辆落下的马车后面。尽管步枪很好用，但是它没有时间和速度来完成这些乱七八糟的工作。幸好我有把猎枪！
Glory swept sideways, raking the sniper’s nest with her beam pistols. There was another loud boom from the sniper, but she deftly twisted clear of the shot, pirouetted, and resumed cooking the sniper with little beams of death.
晨辉横扫一切，用她的横枪扫射狙击手的巢穴。狙击手又发出了一声巨响，但她巧妙地扭动身体避开了射击，旋转着，继续用小小的死亡射线把狙击手击毙。
I just waited as Rampage raced in towards the two raiders with the ten millimeter automatics. The sight of a charging little zebra-striped pony seemed to make them hesitate in amusement. They realized their mistake too late as Rampage leapt over the rubble and wrapped her hooves around the mare’s neck. Then the ripper roared as she sawed her head clean off in a fountain of blood that seemed to make the remaining raider stare in awe. No wonder Deus had been able to command these psychopaths.
我只是等着狂暴冲向那两个拿着10毫米口径自动步枪的袭击者。看到一匹奔跑的斑马条纹小马驹似乎使他们在娱乐上犹豫不决。他们意识到错误的时候已经太晚了，狂暴跳过瓦砾，用蹄子勒住了母马的脖子。然后开膛手咆哮着，她把自己的头在血的喷泉中锯掉，这似乎使剩下的袭击者敬畏地凝视着。难怪天王能够指挥这些精神变态者。
Unfortunately, her awe made her a sitting duck for a round of buckshot to the head. Now, where were the rest…
不幸的是，她的敬畏使她成为头部中弹的靶子。现在，剩下的呢。
From the inside of the store spilled the remainder of the raiders; they’d been taking their time getting their barding on and guns ready. Another unicorn came out, spraying Rampage and me wildly, and this close in the shots were much more effective. I slipped into S.A.T.S. to plant two neat blasts in her head, then fired two more into the milling raiders behind her.
剩下的袭击者从商店里面涌了出来;他们一直在花时间准备他们的抵抗和枪炮。另一只独角兽走了出来，疯狂地向我和狂暴的我喷射，这样的近距离射击效果要好得多。我溜进S.A.T.S.，在她脑袋里装上两颗子弹，然后又向她身后的突袭机开了两枪。
Rampage jumped right over the fallen unicorn and slid on a sheet of blood to saw and kick wildly at the limbs of the raiders as I fired off two more shots and then reloaded as fast as my horn could manage. Then, from the coffee shop behind me came the purr of a minigun motor. Instantly, my ass began to vibrate as the stream of shots started to chew through my barding. The five millimeter rounds lacked individual punch, but I knew that in seconds those individual rounds would add up to a very holey Blackjack! Raiders behind me. Raiders in
狂暴跳过倒下的独角兽，滑倒在一片血泊中等待锯开，我又开了两枪，然后以我的角最快的速度重新装弹，狂暴地踢向袭击者的四肢。然后，从我身后的咖啡店传来了微型枪发动机的咕噜声。立刻，我的屁股开始颤动，一连串的枪声开始咬穿我的脖子。五毫米的子弹没有单独的打击力，但是我知道在几秒钟内这些单独的子弹加起来就是一个非常多孔的黑杰克！突袭机在我后面。突袭机进来了
front of me. Not good.
在我面前。情况不妙。
There was a soft thump, and a moment later the raider with the minigun was enveloped in a blast that tore off their head and all four limbs; what was left collapsed in a bloody heap that writhed for a few seconds. As two more came rushing to the door, P-21 emerged like a blue ghost, bit the stem off of a frag grenade, and tossed it through. A second explosion, and two more red bars vanished.
一阵轻轻的撞击声，过了一会儿，那架配有小型机枪的突袭机被爆炸物包裹起来，爆炸撕裂了它们的头部和四肢;剩下的部分倒在血泊中，扭动了几秒钟。当另外两个人冲向门口的时候，P-21像一个蓝色的幽灵一样出现了，他从一颗碎片手榴弹的弹柄上咬了一口，然后把它扔了出去。第二次爆炸，另外两个红色的条纹消失了。
With Rampage already raising havoc inside, I charged in through the door and proceeded to paint the raiders with lead. One had heavy metal armor, but no helmet. S.A.T.S. allowed the buckshot to render his head into paste. When the gun was empty, I tossed it into my sling rather than waste time reloading, then grabbed the fallen unicorn’s 10mm SMG. One raider was taking aim with a hunting rifle. In a second, I unloaded the twenty-five bullets left in the clip into him. His rifle shot still hurt like hell.
由于里面已经发生了越来越严重的暴行，我冲进门，开始给袭击者涂上铅。其中一个穿着重金属盔甲，但没有头盔。让铅弹把他的头打成了浆糊。当枪里没子弹的时候，我没有浪费时间重新装弹，而是把它扔进了我的吊索里，然后抓起了掉落的独角兽的10毫米冲锋枪。一架突袭机正在用猎枪瞄准。一秒钟之内，我把子弹夹里剩下的二十五颗子弹射向他。他的步枪射击仍然疼得要命。
And then, like that, it was over. There was one red bar in the back of the grocery store, but I didn’t see a target. Back room? Unconscious? I’d find out, I supposed. Lacunae walked calmly behind me, her hooves avoiding stepping in the blood. “Watch out. There’s one more in the back.” I looked at the carcasses put on display. Odd that so many of them were striped; they must have ambushed a zebra tribe nearby. It explained all the 10mm ammo. The guts dangled like garlands over the shelves. I moved towards the rear door that I guessed led into the stockroom.
然后，就这样，一切都结束了。杂货店后面有一个红色的酒吧，但是我没有看到目标。后面的房间？不省人事？我想我会查出来的。空隙平静地跟在我后面走，她的蹄子避免踩到血。"小心。后面还有一个。"我看着陈列的尸体。奇怪的是，这么多斑马身上都有条纹，它们一定是伏击了附近的斑马部落。它解释了所有的10毫米弹药。内脏像花环一样悬挂在架子上。我朝后门走去，我猜那扇门是通向储藏室的。
I paused and noticed a forlorn bottle of Sparkle-Cola sitting in the dead refrigerator. I floated it out, popped the top, pocketed the cap, and took a drink, then continued to the door with the bottle floating on one side and the gun on the other. Carefully, I swung the door open, ready to pop S.A.T.S. and end the hostile.
我停顿了一下，注意到冰箱里有一瓶可口可乐。我把瓶子拿了出来，打开瓶盖，装进口袋，喝了一口水，然后继续走到门口，瓶子漂在一边，枪在另一边。我小心翼翼地把门打开，准备打开s.a.t.s，结束这场恶战。
This was a nursery. I saw the foals lying together inside some kind of pen next to a roll-up metal door. My mutant eyes picked out the shapes… one of them shaking and sobbing and rocking amid all the rest. “Hey… it’s okay…” I said softly as I put the gun away. She was clutching a little ball to her chest as she sniffled and hiccuped. “You’re safe now…”
这是一个托儿所。我看到小马驹们一起躺在一个卷起的金属门旁边的某种围栏里。我那双变异的眼睛辨认出了那些形状......其中一个颤抖着，啜泣着，在其他的一切中摇摆着。"嘿......没关系......"我轻声地说，同时把枪收起来。她在胸前抓着一个小球，抽着鼻子打着嗝。"你现在安全了......"
Then she looked at me. She giggled, her scarred lips slashed all the way to her
然后她看着我。她咯咯地笑着，伤痕累累的嘴唇一路划向她
ears as she raised her ‘ball’ and bit off the stem. I just stood there as she threw it at me from the heap of dead fillies and colts. I couldn’t move. I could only think ‘PLAY’ as I watched the grenade arc towards me.
当她举起她的"球"并且咬断茎的时候。我只是站在那里，看着她从死去的小雌马和小马堆里把它扔向我。我动弹不得。当我看着手榴弹的弧线朝我飞来时，我只能想到"玩"。
A shimmering whiteish-purple field appeared around the filly and the grenade. The explosive hit it and bounced back just before the fuse ran out. The room shook, part of the roll-up door blew out, and I just stood there, looking in a daze at the pulped pile of ponies. A voice whispered in my head. “I told you I’d have your back.”
小母马和手榴弹周围出现了一片闪闪发光的白紫色田野。就在保险丝烧断之前，爆炸物击中了它，又弹了回来。房间在摇晃，卷帘门的一部分爆炸了，我只是站在那里，茫然地看着一堆小马。一个声音在我的脑海里低语。"我说过我会支持你的。"
* * *
* * *
The raiders had a surprising collection of firearms and explosives, something we helped ourselves to. Despite myself, I kept a pair of the ten millimeter SMGs and collected as many thirty-round clips as I could. Glory looted the sniper’s nest on the third floor and brought locked ammo containers down for P-21 and me to open. Rampage was munching down in the raiders’ stores; I really hoped she was keeping it to identifiable food and skirting cannibalism, but she was a growing girl. Literally; I thought she looked as if she’d added half an inch since we left Riverside. I made sure to grab some extra cans for later.
突袭机有一个令人惊讶的武器和爆炸物的收集，我们自己帮助自己。尽管如此，我还是保留了一对10毫米口径的冲锋枪，尽可能多地收集了30发子弹。晨辉洗劫了狙击手在三楼的巢穴，把锁好的弹药箱拿下来给P-21和我打开。在突袭机的商店里，暴跳如雷的人狼吞虎咽地吃着东西;我真的希望她只吃能够辨认出来的食物，避免吃人，但是她已经长大了。从字面上看，我认为她看起来好像她已经增加了半英寸，因为我们离开河边。我一定要多买一些罐头以备后用。
We heaped up the raiders in the middle of the street, and P-21 tossed in two incendiary grenades. With two soft ‘whomp’s, the raiders began to cook in the magical magenta flame.
我们把袭击者聚集在街道中央，P-21投掷了两枚燃烧弹。随着两声柔和的"砰"声，袭击者们开始在神奇的洋红色火焰中烹饪起来。
The real surprise was Lacunae picking up the minigun with her magic and turning it over curiously. I was struck with how she handled it, ejecting the belt before detaching it from the slain raider’s battle saddle. She tested the motor, rotating the barrels slowly as she maneuvered the massive weapon with shocking grace. She kept the weapon pointed towards the ground as she examined it closely; she knew guns. “Is there something you need?” she asked quietly as she noticed me watching her.
真正让人吃惊的是拉库尼用她的魔法拿起了小炮，好奇地把它翻了个底朝天。我被她的处理方式震惊了，在从战死的突袭机的战斗马鞍上卸下皮带之前，它弹出了皮带。她试了试发动机，慢慢地旋转枪管，以令人震惊的优雅姿态操纵着这件巨大的武器。当她仔细检查武器的时候，她一直把枪口对着地面;她知道枪。"你需要什么吗?"她注意到我在看着她，就轻声问道。
“I just didn’t expect the Goddess to be into guns.”
"我只是没想到女神会喜欢枪。"
“More than a few who have joined the Goddess know about guns,” she said patiently, but there was a strange scornful undertone in the telepathic voice. “The Goddess, of course, knows that guns are weak and worthless compared to raw magic. What are bombs and missiles to the energy of the cosmos itself?” she asked as she turned the weapon over again, pointing it down the street. I had no
"很多和女神一起的人都知道枪的事,"她耐心地说，但是她的心灵感应声音里带着一种奇怪的轻蔑的语气。"当然，女神知道，与原始魔法相比，枪支是软弱无用的。炸弹和导弹与宇宙本身的能量有什么关系?"她边问边把枪翻过来，指着街道。我没有
idea how you aimed a minigun.
你怎么瞄准迷你枪的。
“You disagree?”
"你不同意吗?"
“One of the few who can. The Goddess is quite disgusted with me for even handling such a weapon,” she said calmly as her magic lifted the heavy ammo drum from the battle saddle and slid it underneath the weapon, connecting the belt once more. “There is a certain destructive elegance in it, however. They are tools of war crafted with care and skill.” I noticed her magic had no difficulty at all handing the weapon and ammo. I doubted I’d even be able to carry it.
"我是少数几个能做到这一点的人之一。女神甚至对我使用这样的武器都感到厌恶,"她平静地说，同时她的魔法将沉重的弹药鼓从战斗鞍上取下，滑到武器下面，再次连接腰带。"然而，它有一种破坏性的优雅。它们是经过精心和技巧制作的战争工具。"我注意到她的魔法在交出武器和弹药时毫无困难。我甚至怀疑自己是否有能力带着它。
“So now you have a bigger horn and a bigger gun,” I grunted softly.
"所以现在你有了一个更大的号角和一把更大的枪,"我轻轻地咕哝着。
A long regretful sigh drifted through my mind. “Perhaps, but you have friends, Blackjack.”
一声长长的悔恨的叹息浮现在我的脑海里。"也许吧，但你有朋友啊，黑杰克。"
“Are you saying that the Goddess doesn’t have friends?” I asked, scratching my head. She slowly shook her head in a negative. I gave a confused smile. “Wait, I thought all you alicorns were connected, right?” She gave a single nod. “Why would the Goddess want friends if you’re… well… all together?”
"你是说女神没有朋友吗?"我挠着头问道。她慢慢地摇了摇头，表示否定。我困惑地笑了笑。"等等，我以为你们所有的海龟都是有关联的，对吧?"她点了一下头。"如果你们......嗯......都在一起，女神为什么还要朋友?"
“Just because we’re bonded doesn’t mean we like each other,” she said as she pointed the minigun down the street and narrowed her eyes. The motor whirred and a spear of fire and lead lanced out to chew through the rusted side of a wagon. Her eyes relaxed as the gun whirred down. “Sometimes, I think the Goddess desires friends more than anything else in the Wasteland. She simply can’t admit it.”
"仅仅因为我们关系亲密并不意味着我们喜欢对方,"她一边说一边把手枪指向街道另一头，眯起了眼睛。马达呼呼地转动着，一支长矛的火和铅刺出来，咬穿了马车生锈的一边。随着枪声的急速下落，她的眼睛放松了。"有时候，我认为女神在荒原上最想要的就是朋友。她就是不肯承认。"
* * *
* * *
There’s nothing that says ‘Welcome, we have milk and cookies!’ quite like a welcome mat that really did bear the words ‘Welcome, we have milk and cookies!’ So it was somewhat understandable that, standing in front of the Riverside subway station, I felt a distinct sense of unease nibbling at my mane. I looked at the welcome mat sitting in front of the only unbarricaded door to the subway. “Well… should we knock?” I muttered as I stepped closer to the door.
没有什么可以说"欢迎，我们有牛奶和饼干!"就像一个欢迎垫，上面真的写着"欢迎，我们有牛奶和饼干!"所以，站在河畔地铁站前，我感到一种明显的不安感在轻咬我的鬃毛，这多少可以理解。我看着地铁唯一没有设防的门前的欢迎垫。"嗯......我们应该敲门吗?"我一边走近门口，一边喃喃自语。
BEEP! BEEP! BE--
哔！哔！Be--
I jumped back just as a cone of shrapnel blasted up from the covered landmine.
就在我跳回去的时候，一个锥形的弹片从覆盖的地雷中爆炸出来。
“Right. No knocking. That might count as a doorbell, though.” Carefully, I gripped the door with my magic, imagining a canine Deus rushing out at me screaming ‘cunt’. Nothing came out, however.
"对。不要敲门。不过，这可以算作门铃。"我小心翼翼地用魔法抓住门，想象着一只狗狗向我冲出来，尖叫着"婊子"。然而，什么也没有发生。
“Maybe I should go first,” P-21 said as he looked at the black doorway. Emergency lighting flickered in the depths. “And try not to touch anything,” he said as he dug through his saddlebags and took out a pair of wire cutters. He knelt in the doorway, and there was a metallic snip as he cut a tripwire strung across it. He stepped cautiously through and past two rigged single shot shotguns. I snagged the box of twelve gauge shells as I followed close behind him.
"也许我应该先走,"P-21看着黑色的门口说。应急照明灯在深处闪烁。"尽量不要碰任何东西,"他一边说，一边从鞍囊里掏出一把钢丝钳。他跪在门口，剪断了一根穿过的绊索，发出金属的剪断声。他小心翼翼地走过去，经过两把带有操纵装置的单发霰弹枪。我紧跟在他身后，抢到了一盒十二口径的炮弹。
The subway was a nightmare of tangled junk and debris with one path snaking back and forth through it. There were two mines half hidden on the edges of the trail, but P-21 walked with extraordinary cautiousness. I almost made him put on my barding; I might survive one mine, but he certainly wouldn’t.
地铁就像一场噩梦，到处都是杂乱的垃圾和碎片，只有一条小路蜿蜒穿过。在小路的边缘隐藏着两枚地雷，但是P-21小心翼翼地走着。我差点让他穿上我的盔甲;我也许能在一次矿难中幸存下来，但他肯定不行。
He froze at a dingy bucket. “Blackjack, could you please turn that to face me?” he said softly. I slowly rotated the mouth of the bucket to face us, swallowing at the mine within. Calmly, he stretched forward and tagged the disarm tab with his hoof. “Thank you.” My respect for him rose even more.
他在一个脏兮兮的桶里呆住了。"黑杰克，你能把它转过来看着我吗?"他轻声地说。我慢慢地转动桶口面向我们，吞噬着里面的矿井。他平静地向前伸展身体，用蹄子给缴械标签贴上标签。"谢谢。"我更加尊敬他了。
“How did you know?” I asked.
"你怎么知道的?"我问道。
He gave me a sardonic look. “I thought ‘if I wanted to kill a mare stomping at the front of a row of ponies, what would I hide a mine inside so she’d kick the bucket?’”
他讥讽地看了我一眼。"我想,'如果我想杀死一匹在一排小马前跺脚的母马，我会把地雷藏在里面，让它踢死水桶吗？"'
Glory gave a nervous little laugh. The pair of us looked back at her and she blinked. “Oh, that wasn’t a joke?” Yes Glory, it was a joke. It just wasn’t very funny.
晨辉紧张地笑了笑。我们俩回头看她，她眨了眨眼睛。"哦，那不是个玩笑吗?"是的，晨辉，这是一个玩笑。这一点都不好笑。
“Why don’t I just trot ahead and set ‘em all off? It’s not like they can kill me,” Rampage suggested with a cocky little cant of her head.
"我为什么不直接跑到前面去把他们都引爆呢？"他们又杀不了我,"朗格骄傲地抬起头说。
“Because if you miss one, then we get blown up anyway,” P-21 replied as he continued his crawl. We reached the turnstile, and P-21 started to push through when he froze. “Glory. Can you fly over this and check the far side?” The little gray pegasus nimbly flew over the top and landed behind the gate.
"因为如果你错过了一个，那么我们无论如何都会被炸飞,"P-21一边继续爬一边回答。我们到达了旋转栅门，P-21僵住了，开始挤过去。"晨辉。你能飞过去检查一下远处吗?"这匹灰色的小飞马灵活地飞越了山顶，降落在大门后面。
“Don’t… push through that. There’s a gas tank and a grenade.” P-21 had me float his clippers to her, and she snipped the wire to the grenade. Only then did we move past. Thankfully, the space beyond the turnstile was clear of the heaps of debris, and we were able to spread out a little. There were bathrooms to the side with red hostiles.
"不要......坚持下去。那里有一个油箱和一个手榴弹。"P-21让我把他的剪刀递给她，她剪断了手榴弹上的电线。直到那时，我们才走过去。谢天谢地，旋转栅门后面的空间里没有堆积如山的碎片，我们可以稍微散开一点。旁边有浴室，里面都是红色敌人。
I pushed through down to the round lounge and relaxed at the sound of skittering radroaches. I stomped them with my hooves, then blinked as I saw a Sparkle-Cola machine. Smiling, I trotted over and started to push the button to see if I could get out a few more sodas. “Blackjack!” P-21 warned, and I froze. I looked back at him, then at the machine. Slowly, I stepped back. It was finally starting to click that I shouldn’t touch anything in here.
我向下挤到圆形的休息室，听到掠过的掠夺者的声音就放松下来。我用蹄子跺了几下，然后看到一台可乐售货机时眨了眨眼。我微笑着小跑过去，开始按下按钮，看看能不能再拿出几瓶汽水。"黑杰克!"P-21发出警告，我愣住了。我回头看了看他，然后又看了看机器。慢慢地，我后退了几步。它终于开始点击，我不应该碰这里的任何东西。
Then I heard the metallic click of a first aid kit being unlatched near the door to the bathroom. I turned. As it creaked open, a round tin fell into Glory’s hooves.
然后我听到了急救箱在浴室门附近被打开的金属卡嗒声。我转过身。当它嘎吱嘎吱地裂开时，一个圆形的锡罐掉进了格洛里的蹄子里。
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
哔！哔！哔！
She stared at it in horror, frozen.
她惊恐地凝视着它，目光呆滞。
It exploded in her face.
它在她脸上爆炸了。
Glory fell back, screaming as she writhed, her hooves shredded up to her elbows as she thrashed wildly in agony. I leapt atop her, pinning her, holding her tight as I levitated out a Med-X and jammed it into her leg. She stilled enough to go from screaming to sobbing. “I can’t see,” she said around bloody and torn lips. “Goddesses… I am sorry… I am so sorry…”
格洛里向后倒去，一边扭动一边尖叫，她的蹄子撕成碎片，直到胳膊肘，痛苦地剧烈抽打着。我跳到她身上，把她压住，紧紧地抱着她，把一个Med-X悬浮起来，塞进她的腿里。她一声不吭，从尖叫变成了啜泣。"我看不见了,"她的嘴唇周围都是血和撕裂的痕迹。"女神们......对不起......对不起......"
I stared down at her as I tried to tear my eyes away from her bloody sockets. Save this one, Blackjack. No matter what, save this one. I fought to shake off the urge to fall apart. I looked at the metal embedded in her face. Oh this was going to suck...
我低头看着她，试图把眼睛从她血淋淋的眼窝上扯下来。留着这个吧，黑杰克。不管怎样，留下这个。我努力摆脱崩溃的冲动。我看着嵌在她脸上的金属。哦，这真是糟透了..。
“Shut up,” I said as my magic proceeded to pick the bits of shrapnel out like tweezers. She gritted her teeth, trying to strangle her screams as piece after bloody piece was removed. Then I poured Sekashi’s healing potions down her throat. And there was nothing for it… I took out a Hydra and injected the gray sludge into her as well. She immediately started gasping and squirming as her face began to knit back together thanks to the influence of both potions. Then she opened her bloody eyes and stared at me in shock. Sobbing, she curled up
"闭嘴,"我说，同时我的魔法开始把碎片像镊子一样挑出来。她咬紧牙关，试图扼杀她的尖叫，因为一块块血淋淋的碎片被取下来。然后我把Sekashi的治疗药水灌进她的喉咙。我拿出一只水螅，把灰色的淤泥也注入她体内。由于两种药水的影响，她的脸开始愈合，她立即开始喘气和蠕动。然后她睁开血淋淋的眼睛，震惊地盯着我。她抽泣着，蜷缩着身子
tight against me as she shook. Her face still looked red and raw, but not blind or dead.
紧紧地靠着我，她颤抖着。她的脸看起来还是红红的，但不是瞎的，也不是死的。
“Shhh… it’s okay. You’re okay…” But she nearly hadn’t been. “Okay… so the rule is… don’t touch anything.”
"嘘......没关系。你没事......"但她几乎没有。"好吧......所以规则是......什么都别碰。"
“It might be too late,” P-21 muttered as he looked behind us. “They must have heard that.”
"可能太晚了,"P-21一边看着我们身后，一边喃喃自语。"他们肯定听说了。"
“Yeah, well they almost killed my friend. They’re about to hear a lot worse,” I muttered darkly.
"是啊，他们差点杀了我的朋友。他们会听到更糟糕的消息,"我暗自嘀咕道。
We picked our way down. P-21 found a grenade box with a live grenade inside, a bottle of Sparkle-Cola tied to a bomb inside a steel crate, and three grenades rigged to a tripwire. All that was before we even reached the stairs going down to the actual subway platform itself! Three more mines were on the steps, and he slowly crawled down to them. Then I glanced up and grabbed his rump hard with hooves and magic, pulling him back.
我们选择了下山的路。P-21发现一个装有实弹手榴弹的盒子，一个钢箱内绑着一个炸弹的可乐瓶，和三个绑在绊索上的手榴弹。所有这一切都发生在我们还没有走到通往地铁站台的楼梯口之前！台阶上还有三个地雷，他慢慢地爬下去。然后我抬起头，用蹄子和魔法狠狠地抓住他的屁股，把他拉回来。
“Stop,” I said sharply as I looked directly above him. Three little amber lights were shining on the roof just above his head. If there’d been a beeping, who would have looked up?
"停下来,"我直视着他的上方，厉声说道。三盏琥珀色的小灯正好照在他头顶的屋顶上。如果有哔哔声，谁会抬头看呢？
And then I felt him shaking in my hooves. “G…g…get off…” he stammered. I looked exactly at what I’d grabbed and suddenly felt the noxious mix of shame, embarrassment, and general horror at what exactly I’d pulled in getting him back. It was as if he couldn’t move even once I’d moved away. I wanted to give him a hug as he trembled and gasped for air; I knew that was the one thing I couldn’t give him.
然后我感觉到他在我的蹄子里颤抖。"g..G.."滚开..."他结结巴巴地说。我仔细地看了看我抓住的东西，突然感到一阵羞愧、尴尬和恐惧的混合感，害怕自己到底做了什么让他回心转意。就好像我一搬走他就动不了似的。我想给他一个拥抱，他颤抖着喘着气，我知道这是我唯一不能给他的东西。
“I’m sorry, P-21… it was an accident…” I muttered.
"对不起，P-21......这是个意外......"我喃喃自语。
“I know… just… I know,” he said before pressing his trembling lips together as he walked away from us. “Just, give me a second,” he said as he walked back towards the bathrooms.
"我知道......只是......我知道,"他说，然后紧闭着颤抖的双唇，走开了。"等我一下,"他一边说，一边朝洗手间走去。
“Blackjack,” Rampage said in a tone mixing impressed with scandal.
"黑杰克,"狂暴混杂着丑闻的语气说道。
“It was an accident!” I sputtered as I blushed furiously. “I hadn’t meant to grab… that… with my magic. He was about to get blown up!” I stood and
"这是个意外!"我气急败坏地说，脸涨得通红。"我并不想用我的魔法......去夺取它。他差点就被炸死了!"我站起来
started towards the bathroom. “I got to go apologize…”
往洗手间走去。"我得去道歉......"
“You…” Rampage said firmly as she stepped into my path, “need to disarm those mines while somepony with a lot less history, a lot more annoyance, and a lot more regeneration talks to him. Okay?” I stared at her in shock as she turned away, looking at the teddy bear on her flank as she disappeared down towards the bathroom. I frowned and snuck to the door as well. I wasn’t going to allow a repeat of Thorn. I’d bury her alive if I had to.
"你......"狂暴走进我的道路，坚定地说,"需要解除那些地雷，而一个历史少得多，烦恼多得多，和他谈话更多的再生。"。好吗?"当她转过身去时，我震惊地盯着她，看着她侧身上的泰迪熊，她消失在浴室里。我皱了皱眉头，也偷偷地走到门口。我不会允许索恩的故事重演。如果有必要，我会把她活埋。
“Go away, Rampage,” he said in that short-breathed voice. “I’m not in the mood to talk about it, especially with you.”
"滚开，狂暴,"他用短促的声音说。"我现在没心情谈这个，尤其是和你谈。"
“No surprise,” she replied.
"不奇怪,"她回答。
“So then why are you staying?” he demanded crossly. “Why is it every mare around me thinks she can tell me what to do now! This isn’t 99!”
"那你为什么留下来?"他生气地问。"为什么我周围的每一匹母马都认为她可以告诉我现在该做什么！这不是99!"
“No, it isn’t. And I’m not making you talk. I’m not your friend. You can keep silent and not feel guilty. Lie to my face. Beat the snot out of me, if it’ll make you feel better. All I’m going to do is sit here.” There was a soft thump. “And listen in case you do or until you’re ready to go... or Blackjack blows us all up with a well-timed sneeze.”
"不，不是的。我不会逼你开口的。我不是你的朋友。你可以保持沉默而不感到内疚。当着我的面撒谎。把我的鼻涕打出来，如果能让你感觉好点的话。我要做的就是坐在这里。"一阵轻轻的撞击声。"听着，以防万一，或者直到你准备出发......或者Blackjack用一个恰到好处的喷嚏把我们都炸飞。"
“I’m not going to talk about it.”
"我不会谈论这个问题。"
No response from Rampage.
狂暴没有回应。
“Go away, damn it. There’s nothing to talk about,” he said in an trembling voice. I pressed my back against the wall, my ears twitching as I dreaded what he might say. Then his breathing caught and he said, “I can’t believe she grabbed me like that…”
"走开，该死的。没什么好谈的,"他用颤抖的声音说。我把背靠在墙上，我的耳朵在抽搐，因为我害怕他会说什么。然后他的呼吸停止了，他说,"我不敢相信她那样抓住了我......"
“Well, Blackjack doesn’t do anything if it’s not spectacularly. Even groping the last stallion in the Wasteland who’d want it,” Rampage said dryly, and despite myself I felt my cheeks burn.
"嗯，黑杰克不会做任何事，如果它不引人注目的话。甚至在荒原上摸索最后一匹想要它的种马,"狂暴冷淡地说，不由自主地我感到脸颊发烫。
“It’s stupid. It was an accident. I know that!” His thin voice cracked again. “I thought I was over this…”
"这太愚蠢了。那是个意外。我知道!"他那细弱的声音又嘶哑了。"我以为我已经受够了......"
“Yeah. Funny how it’s never over till it’s over,” she said. “So, is it because she
"是的。有趣的是，直到结束它才会结束。"她说。""那么，是不是因为她
grabbed you or because she grabbed you?”
是因为她抓了你，还是因为她抓了你
“I don’t want to talk about it,” he said in a brittle voice I’d never heard before. I was so used to him being calm and stoic. And then there was a horrible hitch in his throat, and then a sob reached my ear.
"我不想谈论这件事,"他用一种我以前从未听到过的脆弱的声音说。我已经习惯了他的冷静和坚忍。然后他的喉咙出现了可怕的结块，接着一声呜咽传到了我的耳朵里。
“Took you back, didn’t it?” Rampage said in a calm, mature voice so terribly different from her
"把你带回来了，不是吗?"狂暴用一种与她截然不同的平静、成熟的声音说道
normal impudence or the snide tone after killing Thorn. “It was an accident, P-
杀死索恩后正常的厚颜无耻或恶毒的语气。"这是个意外，p-
She saw the mines overhead and just acted. It’s what she does. And I know she feels horrible for it.”
她看到头顶上的地雷就采取了行动。这就是她的工作。我知道她为此感到难过。"
“I know… I just… she killed him… and she used me… and… I know she’s a good pony and didn’t mean it but...” He broke off in a shaking sob.
"我知道......我只是......她杀了他......她利用了我......而且......我知道她是一匹好马，不是故意的，但是......"他抽泣着停了下来。
“So. It’s because she grabbed you,” she murmured softly.
"所以。那是因为她抓住了你,"她轻声地说。
“I know it was an accident… I just… I sometimes wish she’d left me outside 99. That she hadn’t tried to find me in Flank. I feel so glad to be alive till… something… anything… reminds of me that place and it feels like I’m back there!” He sniffed terribly as I clenched my eyes shut. “And worse of all… the second she did, I was ready to... to…” He choked like he was being strangled.
"我知道这是个意外......我只是......有时候我真希望她把我留在99号公路以外。她没有试图在弗兰克找到我。我很高兴还活着，直到......有什么东西......任何东西......让我想起那个地方，感觉就像回到了那里!"当我紧闭双眼时，他深深地吸了一口气。"更糟糕的是......她这么做的那一秒，我就准备......要......"他哽咽起来，好像是被勒死的。
“Perform?” Rampage softly offered and he sobbed again like a colt. I sat there helplessly, crying too as I listened to him right around the corner. A good pony… that’s what he’d called me. He was the good one. Even Rampage, barring the murderer within her. They were all good ponies.
"表演?"兰帕德轻轻地走过去，又像小马一样抽泣起来。我无助地坐在那里，听着他就在拐角处哭泣。一匹好马...他是这么称呼我的。他是个好人。甚至狂暴，除非她心中有个杀人犯。它们都是好马。
I was the one so cowardly I had to eavesdrop.
我是那个胆小鬼，我不得不偷听。
“I couldn’t help it. She touched me like that, and it was like she was next on my breeding queue. Everything I’ve felt and thought and… wanted… was just gone. She touched me like that, and I was back there again.” He gave a hysterical half cry, half laugh. “You want to know what I thought? What I really thought? I hope she likes it. That’s what I thought! Not ‘get your horn off me,’ not ‘how dare you,’ not ‘why did you do that,’ not even ‘pretend like it’s not a big deal...’”
"我情不自禁。她那样抚摸着我，就好像她是我繁殖队列中的下一个。我所感觉到的、所想到的、所想要的一切都消失了。她那样抚摸我，我又回到了那里。"他歇斯底里地半哭半笑。"你想知道我是怎么想的吗？我到底是怎么想的？我希望她会喜欢。我也是这么想的！不是'把你的喇叭拿开'，不是'你怎么敢这么做'，不是'你为什么要这么做'，甚至不是'假装这没什么大不了的......"'
“You’ve been conditioned to think that way. It’s not your fault. Blackjack is heading back there now to deal with the ponies responsible, right? You need to not blame yourself. This was a stupid accident. She didn’t mean to do it. You
"你已经习惯于这样思考。这不是你的错。黑杰克现在正赶回去处理那些负责的小马，对吧？你不必责怪自己。这是个愚蠢的意外。她不是故意的。你
didn’t mean to react as you did. Neither of you is to blame.” She took a deep breath. “I’m going to contact Dr. Helpinghoof in Manehattan. He’s a lot more reliable than those Ministry of Peace hacks. I probably wouldn’t have been able to stay in the Guard if he hadn’t--”
我不是故意的。你们两个都不该受责备。"她深吸了一口气。"我要联系Manehattan的helpinghof博士。他比那些和平部的黑客可靠多了。如果不是他，我可能就不能继续留在警卫队了——"
“Rampage. What are you talking about?” P-21 asked softly.
"横冲直撞。你在说什么?"P-21轻声问道。
There was only silence, then she stammered, “I… I don’t know. I don’t know what I’m talking about! I don’t know… any of that. But I can tell you Helpinghoof’s clinic’s terminal number. His receptionist is Carrot Cake. He tries to sing Sweetie Belle. I… I don’t know why I can or how I can… So why the hell did I just say it?” Now it sounded like Rampage was the pony falling apart, but it also seemed to be pulling him back together as well. She let out a shaky little sniff. “Do you think maybe Blackjack’s assembling the deadliest therapy group in the Wasteland?”
只有沉默，然后她结结巴巴地说:"我.....。.我不知道。我不知道我在说什么！我不知道...什么都不知道。但我可以告诉你助手霍夫诊所的终端号码。他的接待员是胡萝卜蛋糕。他试着唱"甜心贝儿"。我。.我不知道为什么我可以，也不知道我怎么可以......那我为什么要说出来呢?"现在听起来，狂暴就像是那匹四分五裂的小马，但它也似乎把他拉回到了一起。她摇摇晃晃地吸了一口气。"你觉得Blackjack会不会是废墟中最致命的治疗小组?"
“Goddesses, I hope not. Blackjack the therapist… we’re really doomed.” Then he paused. “You know, I haven’t heard anything explode in a while. You don’t suppose she’s listening to us right now, do you?”
"女神们，我希望不会。黑杰克，那个治疗师......我们真的完了。"然后他停顿了一下。"你知道，我有一阵子没听到什么爆炸声了。你不会以为她现在正在听我们说话吧?"
“Come on. Even Blackjack wouldn’t be that dumb.” I grimaced, rose to my hooves, and tried to sneak away as I blushed shamefully. I needed to find a hole and bury myself till I sprouted some new brains. They grew like mushrooms, right? Keep them in the dark and feed them shit? Maybe smarts grew the same way. Unfortunately, I was so occupied by thoughts of fungal brains that I kicked an empty Sparkle-Cola bottle.
"来吧。即使是黑杰克也不会那么蠢。"我做了个鬼脸，站起身来，脸红得很害羞，想偷偷溜走。我需要找到一个洞，埋葬自己，直到我长出新的头脑。它们像蘑菇一样生长，对吧？把他们关在黑暗里喂他们吃屎？也许聪明人也是这样长大的。不幸的是，我被真菌大脑的想法占据了，以至于我踢了一个空的可乐瓶。
“Blackjack!” the two shouted indignantly as I ran, but afterwards… there was laughter too.
"黑杰克!"我跑的时候，两个人愤怒地喊着，但是后来......也发出了笑声。
Maybe there was also some hope.
也许还有一线希望。
* * *
* * *
“Okay. What kind of sick creature traps a baby carriage?” Glory asked loudly, blatantly deflecting every trace of awkwardness off of my screw up on the stairs. The baby carriage trap had been extremely effective, using a baby’s cry. Only a reflexive telekinetic shove by me had pushed it down into the gap between the platforms before it exploded. A second later, and only Rampage would have been walking out of here.
"好吧。什么样的变态会把婴儿车给困住?"晨辉大声问道，公然转移我在楼梯上搞砸的一切尴尬的痕迹。婴儿车陷阱非常有效，利用婴儿的哭声。只有我的一次意念移物的推动，在它爆炸前把它推到了两个平台之间的缝隙里。再过一秒钟，只有狂暴会从这里走出去。
“Smart ones. It almost got all of us,” P-21 muttered as we looked around the subway platform. “And we also know that Perch was right; these sand dogs are sitting right on top of a treasure trove of salvage to be able to set up traps like this.”
"聪明人。它几乎把我们都吃了,"当我们环顾地铁站台时，P-21咕哝着说。"我们也知道佩奇是对的，这些沙狗正坐在一个打捞宝藏的正上方，以便能够设置这样的陷阱。"
“So where are they? They have to know we’re here,” I muttered. This subway station was clearly a home… or den… of some sort. There were beds set up in the subway trains. A table with some recently opened cans of food on it. A radio playing DJ Pon3, of all things. Were they out scavenging? Raiding? Lying in wait? I walked over to a table and looked at some busted open energy cartridges. There was also a small smattering of ruby flakes.
""那么他们在哪儿呢？他们肯定知道我们在这里,"我喃喃自语。这个地铁站显然是个家......或者说是个小窝......之类的地方。地铁车厢里有床铺。一张桌子上有一些最近打开的罐头食品。一台播放DJPon3的收音机。他们在外面捡垃圾吗？突袭？等待？我走到一张桌子旁，看着一些破损的开放能量弹壳。还有少量的红宝石碎片。
My eyes scanned the room, but my E.F.S. came up blank. I trotted to a door marked ‘Maintenance Access’ on the far side of the room. There was a blue bar inside. “Hello? Is anypony there?” Then I remembered that we weren’t looking for ponies.
我的眼睛扫视了一下房间，但是我的眼睛一片空白。我小跑着来到房间另一边一扇标有"维护通道"的门前。里面有一根蓝色的棒子。"喂？那里有小马吗?"然后我想起来我们不是在找小马。
The maintenance space was filled with electronics and strange mechanical devices. The opening door brushed against strange metallic limbs hanging from racks over workbenches that rattled against one another. I looked at the tools set neatly in order. On one workbench sat empty Sparkle-Cola bottles that held a small stash of emeralds, rubies, and even some diamonds. One corner had a bed and filthy blanket covering it. I had to admit, I was tempted to take everything that wasn’t nailed down.
维修空间充满了电子设备和奇怪的机械设备。开着的门碰到挂在架子上的工作台上的奇怪的金属支架，那些工作台相互碰撞发出嘎嘎声。我看了看整齐地摆放好的工具。在一个工作台上放着空的可口可乐瓶子，里面装着少量的翡翠、红宝石，甚至还有一些钻石。一个角落里有一张床，上面盖着肮脏的毯子。我不得不承认，我很想把所有没有钉牢的东西都拿走。
For some reason, somepony had taken a small plush Rarity unicorn toy and had turned it into a pincushion. It didn’t look like there was much of a need for needles in a workshop like this. There was a little sign above it: ‘No whining.’
出于某种原因，一匹小马拿走了一个稀有的毛绒独角兽玩具，并把它变成了针垫。在这样的车间里，似乎并不需要很多针头。上面有一个小标志:"不许抱怨。"
The wall by the bed was covered by papers. A lot of them appeared to be old plans and designs. ‘The Victory Plaza Rail Station’. ‘Shadowbolt Tower’. ‘Tunnel 456’. ‘Luna Hydro Spark Generator System’. ‘Tokomare Reactor Facility’. All of them were stamped ‘Ministry of Wartime Technology: CLASSIFIED’, ‘Ministry of Arcane Sciences: TOP SECRET’, or ‘Ministry of Morale: FOREVER!’
床边的墙上贴满了纸。其中许多看起来是旧的计划和设计。胜利广场火车站。暗影螺栓塔。456号隧道。月球水火发电机系统。"德国佬反应堆设施"。所有这些文件上都盖有"战时技术部:机密"、"奥术科学部:绝密"或"士气部:永远!"的印章
Here and there were photographs of a trio of dogs. One showed them dressed in army fatigues similar to those of Macintosh’s Marauders and armed with energy weapons and a lot of explosives. They were grinning while behind them smoked
到处都是三只狗的照片。其中一张照片上，他们穿着和麦金托什的掠夺者类似的军装，手持能量武器和许多炸药。他们一边咧着嘴笑，一边在后面抽烟
numerous craters. Another one showed the three standing in the middle of a half-buried ruin, bizarre and disturbing spirals carved in the walls and doors. A third, this one grainy and black and white, showed a valley that possessed a stark kind of beauty to it. There were a few more here and there of individual dogs, and I was surprised by the sight of the dogs in some sort of eating contest with Twist while Vanity looked on in disgust. The picture next to it had Twist sprawled out in defeat.
无数的弹坑。另一张照片显示三个人站在一个半埋在地下的废墟中间，墙上和门上雕刻着奇异而令人不安的螺旋形图案。第三个，这一个颗粒状和黑色和白色，显示了一个山谷拥有一种赤裸裸的美丽。这里那里还有一些独立的狗，我惊讶地看到这些狗和扭扭狗在进食比赛，而虚荣心则厌恶地看着。旁边的照片上，失败的特威斯特伸开四肢躺着。
The other interesting thing was the newspapers. ‘Ministry of Arcane Sciences declares Pleasant Valley Relocation act. Diamond dogs to be moved to appointed land outside Appleloosa.’
另一件有趣的事是报纸。奥术科学部宣布欢乐谷搬迁法案。钻石狗迁往Appleloosa境外指定地点
Ministry Mare Twilight Sparkle invoked eminent domain to appropriate the Pleasant Valley Mine Works and has started eviction processes for the current inhabitants, beings known collectively as ‘diamond dogs’. Although the natives protested the relocation extensively, Princess Luna granted the royal decree and dispatched members of the newly reformed Equestrian Army to maintain peace in Pleasant Valley and surrounding communities like Olneigh.
紫悦援引征用权来征用欢乐谷矿场，并已经开始对现有居民----统称为钻石狗----进行驱逐。尽管当地人广泛抗议这次搬迁，卢娜公主还是颁布了皇家法令，派遣新改组的马术军成员维护欢乐谷和周边社区的和平，比如奥莱尼。
Twilight Sparkle said that she sympathizes with the diamond dogs, but that the needs of Equestria must take priority. Pleasant Valley is being designated a critical M.A.S. research facility for the testing and implementation of radical and potentially hazardous spells as well as a high risk storage area for any potential by-products. She assures the diamond dogs that a new community for them will be founded elsewhere in Equestria.
紫悦说，她同情钻石狗，但Equestria的需要必须优先。欢乐谷被指定为一个关键的m.a.s研究设施，用于测试和执行激进和潜在的危险法术，以及任何潜在的副产品的高风险储存区。她向钻石狗们保证，将在Equestria其它地方为它们建立一个新的社区。
Another article caught my eye: ‘Trail of Broken Diamonds’.
另一篇文章引起了我的注意:《碎钻之路》。
Military units supervised the relocation of the diamond dogs from Pleasant Valley this week to a temporary holding camp near Appleloosa. Units from the 1st regiment were deployed from Hoofington and the 99th from Fillydelphia to ensure that the diamond dog removal went smoothly. Despite their apparent submission, several diamond dogs made a futile and savage attack on the ministry mare Twilight Sparkle. Their attack was foiled by a handful of troopers led by Big Macintosh of Ponyville, who quickly came to the rescue of Miss Sparkle and were able to subdue the attackers without casualties.
本周，军方监督了钻石犬从欢乐谷转移到Appleloosa附近临时收容营的过程。第一团和第九十九团分别从Hoofington和Fillydelphia调来部队，确保钻石犬顺利出动。尽管他们明显服从，几个钻石狗作出了徒劳和野蛮的攻击部母马紫悦。他们的攻击被Ponyville大麦金托什领导的一小撮士兵挫败，他们迅速赶来营救火花小姐，并成功制服了攻击者，没有造成人员伤亡。
Some critics have dubbed the relocation the ‘Trail of Broken Diamonds’, citing the unprecedented move to force non-ponies from their homes. Legal experts
一些批评人士将此次搬迁称为"碎钻之路"，称这是一次史无前例的强迫非矮种马离开家园的行动。法律专家
have pointed out that diamond dogs, being non-citizens of Equestria, are not protected under law. Ministry Mare Rarity was quoted saying, “Oh don’t worry about those things. They’re not like ponies, or even zebras. As long as there are some gems for them to dig up, they’ll be perfectly fine. Well, except for the breath, and the fleas, and their nails, oh and don’t get me started on their manners!” Critics of the plan have pointed out the region set aside lacks sufficient clean food and water for the diamond dog population and speculate they will try to return to their homes in Pleasant Valley.
指出，钻石狗并非Equestria公民，因此不受法律保护。援引马雷部长的话说:"哦，不用担心这些事情。它们不像小马，甚至不像斑马。只要有一些宝石可供他们挖掘，他们就不会有问题。嗯，除了他们的呼吸、跳蚤和他们的指甲以外，噢，别让我对他们的举止感到惊讶!"该计划的批评者指出，该地区预留给钻石狗种群的干净食物和水不足，并推测它们将试图返回愉悦谷的家园。
I looked at the picture of a very relieved and slightly mussed Twilight Sparkle shaking the hoof of a slightly flustered Big Macintosh. Behind them were two rows of canine creatures walking away and carrying bags and sacks or pulling wagons. Pegasi flew overhead with their guns trained on the canine creatures. Off to the side, Applesnack, Doof, and Twist were pinning three canines while Vanity tied them up.
我看着这张照片，一个松了一口气，有点慌乱的紫悦摇着蹄子，迈着大麦金塔电脑。在他们身后是两排狗狗，它们要么背着袋子，要么拉着马车离开。飞马座飞过头顶，他们的枪瞄准着这些狗生物。在旁边，阿普莱斯纳克、杜夫和特威斯特正在给三只狗别针，而瓦妮特则把它们绑起来。
‘Hoofington -- Goldenblood to welcome diamond dog workers for Reconstruction’, and beneath it, ‘Goldenblood unfit for position?’ I saw one of the three from the second photograph shaking the hoof of a pale, sickly looking unicorn. The canine, his vest ripped and patched, hardly looked happy about the deal. To be honest, neither did the unicorn.
"胡芬顿——金血王欢迎钻石狗工人参加重建工作"，在它下面,"金血王不适合这个职位?"我看到第二张照片中的三个人中的一个摇晃着一只苍白苍白的独角兽的蹄子。那只狗的背心撕破了，打了补丁，看起来对这笔交易很不高兴。老实说，独角兽也没有。
Goldenblood, once famous for his stirring ‘Hoofington Rises’ speech prior to his collapse on the ruins of city hall, has arranged for several of the strange diamond dog beings to be permitted to aid in reconstruction efforts. ‘The reconstruction effort has stalled due notably to the fact that ponies are absolutely lousy with digging. Diamond dogs possess a capability to dig that far exceed what we can accomplish with sweat and magic alone. Employing diamond dogs is the difference between having Hoofington completed in three years or thirty.’
在市政厅倒塌之前，Goldenblood曾经因为他那激动人心的胡芬顿站起来的演讲而闻名，现在他已经安排了一些奇怪的钻石狗来帮助重建工作。重建工作已经停滞，显然是因为小马绝对不善于挖掘。钻石狗拥有的挖掘能力远远超过我们仅仅用汗水和魔法就能完成的。雇用钻石狗是胡芬顿在三年或三十年内完成的区别
A Hoofington native, Goldenblood has received increased criticism for diverting substantial resources to the reconstruction effort and has drawn the ire of aristocrats across Equestria for proposed taxes to pay for the war. His recent comments about ending the war at any cost have drawn many to question his commitment to serving Princess Luna and the kingdom. Others question his physical soundness after his injuries--
由于将大量资源转用于重建工作，高登布拉德(Goldenblood)在胡芬顿当地受到了越来越多的批评。他还因为提议为战争纳税而招致了Equestria各地贵族的愤怒。他最近关于不惜一切代价结束战争的言论引起了许多人对他为公主卢娜和王国服务的承诺的质疑。其他人则质疑他受伤后的身体健康状况
I heard the faintest sniff from beneath the bed, breaking me away from the
我听到床底下有微弱的气味传来，把我从睡梦中惊醒
article. Who hides under a bed? I knew who. “Come on out,” I said as softly as possible. “I won’t hurt you.”
文章。谁会躲在床底下？我知道是谁。"出来吧,"我尽可能轻声地说。"我不会伤害你的。"
It took about a minute before she emerged. I’d seen the sand dogs in Maripony’s memory and in the pictures, but I had to admit that there was something distinctly creepy about the strange upright build of the being. Its arms hung down almost to its knees when fully upright, but nearly reached the ground as it slouched forward before me. A wet black nose sniffed constantly as she… unless diamond dog colts were in the habit of wearing dirty dresses… kept her eyes low. I was shaken by how thin she looked; but then, she hadn’t had a stable feeding her three recycled square meals a day.
大约过了一分钟她才出来。我曾在Maripony的记忆和照片中看到过沙狗，但我不得不承认，这种奇怪的直立体型确实有些令人毛骨悚然。当它完全直立的时候，它的胳膊几乎垂到膝盖，但当它在我面前无精打采地向前伸展时，它几乎触到了地面。一个湿漉漉的黑鼻子不停地嗅着她......除非钻石狗小马有穿脏衣服的习惯......她的眼睛一直低着。我被她看起来的瘦削所震惊;但是，她没有一个稳定的食物来喂她一天三顿正方形的食物。
“Hungry?” That got her looking at me, at least for three seconds. I fished around in my bag and came up with some cans of Cram. Personally, I wasn’t convinced it was meat, but I wasn’t going to eat radmeat to find out. However she recognized the can at once. I tried pulling on the tab, but it snapped off and I was left staring at it stupidly. “Damn…”
"饿了吗?"这让她看着我，至少三秒钟。我在包里摸索着，想出了一些补充食物的罐头。就我个人而言，我并不确信那是肉，但我也不打算吃雷达肉来查明真相。不过她立刻认出了那个罐子。我试着拉下标签，但是它啪地一声掉了下来，我呆呆地盯着它。"该死......"
“I can open it, pony,” she said, holding out her hand; her other forelimb ended in a stub just below the wrist. I looked at her sheared-off stump, then nodded and floated the can to her. She sat on the bed and braced it between her knees, her remaining claws ripping the lid off the square can as easily as tearing tinfoil. She wasted no time bringing it to her lips and chowing down as quickly as she could. I feared she might choke, but she finally ate the last bit of salty pink meat and licked the inside clean. She still looked wary. “Are you going to make us leave?”
"我可以打开它，小马,"她说着，伸出一只手;她的另一只前肢在手腕下方被截成了一截。我看着她被剪掉的残肢，然后点点头，把罐子递给她。她坐在床上，用膝盖支撑着它，她剩下的爪子撕开了方罐的盖子，就像撕开锡纸一样容易。她抓紧时间把它拿到嘴边，尽可能快地吃下去。我担心她会噎着，但是她最后还是吃了最后一点咸的粉红色肉，把里面舔干净了。她看上去仍然很警惕。"你要赶我们走吗?"
Was I? An hour ago, sure. Why not? Help Riverside out by clearing out raiders and sand dogs. Now? “No. No I’m not.” For some reason, that made her shake as she backed away from me on the bed with a whimper.
是吗？一小时前，当然。为什么不呢？通过清除袭击者和沙狗来帮助河边。现在？"没有。不，我不是。"不知什么原因，当她在床上呜咽着从我身边退开时，吓得浑身发抖。
“Please don’t kill me,” she whimpered softly.
"请不要杀我,"她轻轻地呜咽着。
“What? I’m…” And that was as far as I got as a powerful hydraulic limb closed around my throat and lifted me from my hooves. I looked around at noth-- the magical cloak hiding him crackled away before my eyes. I stared at another...
"什么？我......"这就是我所能得到的，一个强有力的液压肢体围绕着我的喉咙，把我从我的蹄子上拉起来。我环顾四周，看不到任何东西——隐藏他的魔法斗篷在我眼前噼啪作响。我盯着另一个.....。
canine, though this pale gray creature seemed more machine than flesh. The green eyes were quite sharp, though, as they glared at me like a balefire blast.
虽然这只灰白色的生物看起来更像机器，而不是肉。绿色的眼睛非常锐利，它们像火焰一样怒视着我。
“Go away, pony. This is our home now! You leave or die.” From the malice in his eyes, it was fairly clear he definitely preferred the latter. Metal teeth gleamed
"走开，小马。现在这是我们的家了！你要么离开，要么死。"从他眼中的恶意来看，很明显他更喜欢后者。金属牙齿闪闪发光
from within old graying gums as an acrid reek make my eyes roll. He wore a faded and frayed collar studded with pale rhinestones and there was a weathered dog tag that read ‘Rover’.
刺鼻的臭气让我翻白眼。他穿着一件褪色磨损的衣领，上面镶嵌着淡色的人造钻石，还有一个风化的狗牌，上面写着'罗孚'。
My first instinct was to try and blow his face off with magic bullets, but I took in how much metal he had on his skull. My magic had lousy armor penetration, and I could tell he could pop my head like a can of Cram if I didn’t kill him. “I don’t want to fight you.”
我的第一反应是试着用魔法子弹把他的脸打下来，但是我发现他的头骨上有多少金属。我的魔法对盔甲的穿透力很差，如果我不杀了他的话，我可以告诉他我的头会像一个死记硬背的罐子一样爆掉。"我不想和你打架。"
For some reason, the statement just seemed to piss him off more. “Oh, then you want us to leave? Or you wish us to dig? Or fight? Or experiment on us? Or you just wish to whine at us?” he snarled as I dangled from his grip. “Why not ponies just leave us alone?”
出于某种原因，这种说法似乎让他更加恼火。"哦，那么你想让我们离开？还是你希望我们去挖？或者打架？或者在我们身上做实验？或者你只是想对我们发牢骚?"当我从他的手里吊出来时，他咆哮道。"为什么小马就不能让我们自己呆着呢?"
“I will! I didn’t know. I’ll take my friends and go. I don’t want to kill you,” I replied, and I really didn’t want to die. Somehow, he looked sour about that, but given how hungry he looked, I was glad he wasn’t adding pony to the menu.
"我会的！我不知道。我会带着我的朋友离开。"我不想杀你,"我回答，我真的不想死。不知怎么的，他看起来有点不高兴，但是考虑到他看起来有多饿，我很高兴他没有在菜单上加上小马。
He carried me out into the subway platform where more dogs were appearing from holes in the tracks, ceiling, and, for some, thin air. A few clearly had some sort of cloaking talisman built into their cybernetics. P-21 and Rampage were both pinned down physically, and Glory, who’d flown up to a vent in the ceiling, was kept pinned by small arms fire. Lacunae remained standing calmly behind her magic barrier with the minigun focused on the three largest and most heavily augmented dogs, driving them back with bursts of fire that sparked and rattled off their metal limbs.
他抱着我走进地铁站台，那里有更多的狗从铁轨、天花板上的洞里出来，有些还是稀薄的空气。少数人的控制论中显然嵌入了某种隐形护身符。P-21和狂暴都被身体压制住了，晨辉飞到了天花板上的一个通风口，被小型武器的火力压制住了。拉库奈镇静地站在她的魔法屏障后面，用小型机枪瞄准那三只最大最强壮的狗，用一阵阵火光把它们赶了回来，那些狗的金属肢体被点燃，嘎嘎作响。
“Fight’s over! We’re leaving!” I shouted.
"战斗结束了！我们要走了!"我喊道。
“Not yet! I almost got them exactly where I want them,” Rampage yelled as she squirmed beneath one who sat firmly upon her.
""还没有！"我差点就把它们弄到我想要的地方去了,"狂暴在一个紧紧坐在她身上的人身下扭动着，大声喊道。
“Fight’s done, Rampage,” I said as I glanced back at Rover. He looked decidedly sour, but set me down. Slowly the combatants released each other and I got a better look at these sand dogs.
"战斗结束了，狂暴,"我回头看着罗孚说。他看上去很酸溜溜的，但还是让我失望了。慢慢地，战士们互相松开了手，我看清楚了这些沙狗。
This was just like Riverside. There might have only been two or three dozen at the most, and, even if these people were far stranger, there was no missing the signs of hunger, the slat sides and thin limbs. Even their augments didn’t seem to be working with as much power as they could. I saw one sand dog take the ruby
这就像河滨市。最多可能只有二三十个人，而且，即使这些人都很奇怪，他们也没有缺少饥饿的迹象，缺少板条的侧面和瘦弱的肢体。甚至他们的增强似乎也没有尽可能多地发挥作用。我看见一只沙狗拿走了红宝石
flakes from the table and brush them into a little port on their limb; instantly, the lights on the arm glowed brighter.
从桌子上掉下一些雪花，把它们刷成一个小孔，立刻，手臂上的灯光就变得更亮了。
I glanced over at P-21 as he was released, then looked up at Rover. “You know, there was a raider camp we took out an hour ago not far from here. They had food,” I commented lightly, and instantly saw the excited looks and heard the sniffing. Rover glanced down at me with a disgruntled little snort, but then the old dog gave a wave of his augmented hand. About half the camp went running the way we’d come down, sniffing our trail. “Can we talk?”
他被释放的时候，我瞥了一眼P-21，然后抬头看了看罗孚。"你知道，一小时前我们在离这儿不远的地方干掉了一个突袭机营地。他们有吃的,"我轻描淡写地说，立刻看到了他们兴奋的表情，听到了他们的嗅嗅声。罗孚不高兴地哼了一声，低头看了我一眼，但这时老狗伸出了一只增大的手。大约一半的营地人沿着我们来的路跑，嗅探着我们的踪迹。"我们能谈谈吗?"
“Always talking. Why can’t ponies just leave?” he grumbled as he started back towards the maintenance room.
"总是说个不停。为什么小马就不能离开呢?"他一边抱怨一边往维修室走去。
“Because I want to help you,” I replied. I heard P-21’s groan from all the way from across the platform. “What happened to you?”
"因为我想帮你,"我回答。我从平台对面听到P-21的呻吟声。"你怎么了?"
“What happened?” He froze and straightened, turning and looking down at me. His eyes seemed to glow. “What happened?” he growled softly and then turned with a snarl, flinging his arms wide. “Pony happened! Pony take home! Pony take gems! Pony take lives! Pony take world! Pony take everything! Pony tell us do this! Pony tell us go there! Pony tell dogs shut up! And always pony is whining about stupid pony war!” he said as he slammed his mechanical claws into the platform. “Why is pony always whining about pony? Piggy not whine. Cow not whine. Chicken and dogs not whine. Only pony is always whining about pony!”
"发生了什么事?"他僵住了，直起身子，转过身来，低头看着我。他的眼睛似乎在发光。"发生了什么事?"他低声咆哮，然后咆哮着转过身来，张开双臂。"小马出事了！小马带回家！小马拿宝石！小马杀人！小马拿走世界！小马拿走了所有的东西！小马告诉我们这么做！小马告诉我们去那里！小马叫狗闭嘴！而且总是小马在抱怨愚蠢的小马战争!"他一边说，一边用他的机械爪猛击平台。"为什么小马总是抱怨小马？小猪不抱怨。牛不哀鸣。胆小鬼不要发牢骚。只有小马总是在抱怨小马!"
Okay. Somebody had issues with whining ponies. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you mad. Please… I just want to know how I can help you.”
好吧。有人对爱抱怨的小马有意见。"对不起！对不起。我不是故意惹你生气的。求你了......我只是想知道我能帮上什么忙。"
“Please… hrmph…” he said with a little snort as he looked at me with narrowed eyes. “Only one pony say please and mean it, but he just use dogs too.”
"求你了......哼......"他眯着眼睛看着我，略带鼻息地说。"只有一匹小马说请并且是认真的，但是他也只是用狗。"
“You mean Goldenblood?”
"你是说金色血统?"
He gave a hiss. “He comes to us in desert… dry sandy ground. No gems; only rocks. Tunnels cave in all the time. Not home. He ask us to come to city. Dig tunnels. Pay in gems. Say city home to all that help build. We come. We dig for ponies and he pay in gems. Digging is hard and dangerous. Dogs get hurt, and pony magic not work well on dogs. Pony use dogs to make machine parts for dog and pony. But city tunnels not home either. Dogs want dogs’ home. Gold
他发出嘶嘶声。"他来到我们身边的沙漠......干燥的沙地。没有宝石，只有石头。隧道一直在塌陷。不在家。他要求我们到城里来。挖隧道。用宝石支付。对所有帮助建设的城市家园说。我们来了。我们挖小马，他用宝石付钱。挖掘是艰难而危险的。狗会受伤，小马的魔法对狗不起作用。小马使用狗，使机器零件的狗和小马。但是城市隧道也不是家。狗狗想要狗狗的家。黄金
Pony say he try and help.”
小马说他会尽力帮忙。"
“And did he?”
"他做到了吗?"
“He talk to Pretty Pony Princess. He try to tell us not go home. Home not home anymore. Gems gone. Nothing left. But it is home, do ponies not understand? Home! And we wish to return. So Gold say maybe if dogs fight zebras, we go home. And we fight, but there are many many zebra. Then, one day, not many dogs left. We ask, can we go home now?”
"他和漂亮的小马公主说话。他试图告诉我们不要回家。家不再是家了。宝石不见了。什么都没留下。但它是家，小马不懂吗？回家！我们希望回来。所以金子说如果狗和斑马打架，我们就回家。我们战斗，但是有很多斑马。然后，有一天，没有多少狗离开。我们问，我们现在可以回家了吗?"
He made the strangest little snuffling noise. “Golden take me home. Valley… gone. Big Pony building instead. Tunnels full of poison! Ponies poisoned our home! Our home! Dogs not poison pony home! Dogs not make pony kill for dogs. I go back, try to tell, but others return home anyway. Poison home is still home. Ponies call them stupid. Ponies try and make us leave.” The snuffling noise increased, and I realized the old dog was trying to cry, but had lost the ability.
他发出了最奇怪的小鼻息声。"金色带我回家。山谷...没了。取而代之的是大小马建筑。满是毒药的隧道！小马毒害了我们的家！我们的家！狗不能毒害小马回家！狗不会为了狗去杀小马。我回去，试图告诉，但其他人还是回家了。有毒的家还在。小马们说它们愚蠢。小马想赶我们走。"吸鼻子的声音越来越大，我意识到这只老狗是想哭，但是已经失去了这种能力。
“Dogs know, okay pony? It is our home! Dogs know we die there, but it is dogs’ home! Let dogs die in our home. But Gold ask we come back to Hoofington. He say please. He say sorry. He means both. Some come in tunnels dogs dug. And we stay. Bombs fall, many pony die, many dogs die too.” He let out a growl. “But even after bombs, pony is always telling dogs to go. Always. Always always always.”
"狗知道，好吗，小马？这是我们的家！狗知道我们死在那里，但那是狗的家！让狗死在我们的家里。但戈尔德要求我们回到Hoofington。他说请。他说对不起。他的意思是两者都有。有些是狗在地道里挖的。我们留下来。炸弹落下，许多小马死了，许多狗也死了。"他发出一声咆哮。"但即使在炸弹爆炸之后，小马也总是让狗离开。一直都是。永远永远。"
And I had too, I had to admit, feeling sick to my stomach. The moment Perch told me there were things in these tunnels with something that could help Riverside I’d taken a tangent away from saving 99, like an idiot. They’d been right to fill the entrance with mines. They’d mined aid containers and soda machines and things ponies would go after first. Even the baby basket had had a pony doll inside it.
我不得不承认，我当时也感到恶心。当佩奇告诉我这些隧道里有东西可以帮助河滨市的时候，我就像个白痴一样偏离了拯救99的方向。他们在入口处布满地雷是正确的。他们挖掘救援物资的集装箱和汽水贩卖机，小马会先去找这些东西。甚至连婴儿篮里都有一个小马娃娃。
“Pony now knows. Pony should leave,” Rover said as he took the young dog’s hand and returned to the maintenance room. I sat down hard and looked over at my friends and the dogs who had remained to watch us.
"小马现在知道了。小马应该离开,"罗弗一边说，一边拉着小狗的手回到维修室。我重重地坐了下来，看着我的朋友和那些留下来看着我们的狗。
Slowly, I stood and trotted back towards the still-open door. As I knocked, I heard Rampage say to P-21, “Told ya. Five bits… pay up.”
慢慢地，我站起来，小跑回到仍然开着的门前。敲门的时候，我听到狂暴对P-21说:"我就说吧。五块钱...付清。"
“May I come in?” I asked as I saw Rover trying to wire together a child-sized
"我可以进来吗?"我问，因为我看到罗孚试图连接一个儿童大小的电线
mechanical hand. He growled faintly as he glared at the metal. Well, it wasn’t a no… so I stepped inside and watched as he worked the tools with familiar skill. He opened up a tiny port and shook in a few crushed emeralds. The lights on the hand immediately lit up, the claws twitching.
机械手。他瞪着那块金属发出微弱的咆哮声。嗯，这不是一个不...所以我走进去，看着他熟练地操作工具。他打开一个小窗口，用几颗碾碎的祖母绿摇晃着窗户。手上的灯立刻亮了起来，爪子抽搐着。
“I’m sorry,” I replied. “I didn’t understand.”
"对不起,"我回答。"我不明白。"
He took the hand and attached it to a brace; the young dog took it and attached the device to her stump. She gave a yelp, and then the hand twitched as magic animated the metal. She stretched up and gave the old dog’s scarred cheek a lick before backing away.
他抓住那只手，把它固定在一个支架上;小狗抓住它，把装置固定在她的残肢上。她尖叫了一声，然后那只手随着魔法使金属活跃起来而抽搐了一下。她伸了伸懒腰，舔了一下老狗伤痕累累的脸颊，然后退开了。
I fished out another can of Cram for her; Rampage didn’t need all of it. Her mechanical claws tore open the can as easily as her natural ones did. She looked up at me warily. “Thank you, pony,” she said, drawing another sharp look from Rover. Then as an afterthought she added, “I’m Fifi.”
我又给她捞出一罐补充食物;狂暴并不需要全部补充。她的机械爪子像撕裂自然的爪子一样轻易地撕开了罐头。她小心翼翼地抬头看着我。"谢谢你，小马,"她说，罗孚又狠狠地看了她一眼。然后她又想了一下,"我叫菲菲。"
I gave her a smile. Kids were kids, after all. Unless they were Zodiac colts, but still. My kindness didn’t seem to sit well with Rover, who looked at me like he wasn’t sure if he should thank me or not. “What do you want, pony? You tell us where find food. We let you go. Why you stay, pony?”
我对她笑了笑。毕竟，孩子们还是孩子。除非他们是十二宫小马，但还是。我的好意似乎让罗孚不太高兴，他看着我，好像不确定是否应该感谢我。"你想要什么，小马？你告诉我们哪里能找到食物。我们放你走了。你为什么留下来，小马?"
“I want to help you,” I said with a smile. “It’s sort of my thing.”
"我想帮你,"我笑着说。"这是我的专长。"
“We do not want pony help,” he said, pointing a finger at me. “Pony help always hurt dogs. Always.”
"我们不需要小马帮忙,"他用手指着我说。"小马的帮助总是伤害狗。一直都是。"
“Please… you need food and you need gemstones, don’t you?” I thought back to Bottlecap. “You can trade! Trade for food with Riverside… and I know a pony who runs a gem mine.”
"求你了......你需要食物和宝石，不是吗?"我回想起Bottlecap。"你可以交易！和河滨市交易食物......我还认识一个开宝石矿的小马。"
“Pony does not listen,” he growled as he rose and faced me. “Pony help always hurt dogs. We try trade. Ponies cheat us. Ponies steal from us. Ponies attack us. Dog can not trust pony!” he said as he looked down at me with a strange look. “Who is pony who come here and think she make everything all right?”
"小马不听,"他咆哮着站起来，面对着我。"小马的帮助总是伤害狗。我们尝试贸易。小马欺骗了我们。小马偷我们的东西。小马会攻击我们。狗不能相信小马!"他一边说一边用奇怪的眼神看着我。"谁是小马，跑到这里来，还以为自己什么事都没有?"
“I’m… Security. I just want to make everyp… everyone safer,” I said lamely. Who was I to think I could just trot down here and overcome two centuries of pain and mistrust? I was such an idiot. ‘My friend has a gem mine.’ Oh, really? Ever heard the phrase ‘too good to be true’? And I had no idea if Dusty Trails
"我是......保安。我只想让每个人......每个人都更安全,"我一瘸一拐地说。我凭什么认为我可以跑到这里，克服两个世纪以来的痛苦和不信任？我真是个白痴。我朋友有个宝石矿真的吗？听说过'太好了以至于不真实'这句话吗？我不知道达斯蒂小径
would help, or if Perch would be willing to play fair.
如果佩奇愿意公平竞争的话。
He just looked at me with a scowl, his green eyes hard and suspicious. Then Fifi tapped the half empty Cram can against his metal arm. “Eat.”
他只是皱着眉头看着我，绿色的眼睛坚定而多疑。然后菲菲用他的金属手臂轻轻地敲了敲那个半空的填满罐子。"吃吧。"
“Dog not eat pony food,” he replied sourly.
"狗不吃马粮,"他酸溜溜地回答。
She beat the can against his arm again. “Go play, Fifi.” She frowned, narrowing her eyes and banged the can against his arm several more times. Finally, he gave a resigned sigh, lifted the can, and let the slimy pink mass remaining plop into his mouth. He chewed, looking at me thoughtfully. “Pony thinks she can get other pony to listen?”
她又用罐子敲他的胳膊。"去玩吧，菲菲。"她皱起眉头，眯起眼睛，又用罐子敲了他的胳膊几下。最后，他听天由命地叹了口气，拿起罐子，让黏糊糊的粉红色的东西扑通一声掉进嘴里。他咀嚼着，若有所思地看着我。"小马认为她可以让其他小马听她的?"
“I… I can try.” That was the most I could promise.
"我.....。.我可以试试。"这是我最大的承诺。
Rover scratched his white, tattered ear in a little cloud of dander. “I did not think pony help Fifi. I not think Security on radio real pony. Or she help dogs.” He pointed his mechanical claw at me. “We will bring… things… to trade. If village ponies are good and fair, we will trade for food. If not...” And he just sighed. If not, then they’d slowly run out of food and gems to power their limbs. And then they’d die.
罗孚把他那只破烂的白耳朵抓得满是皮屑。"我没想到小马会帮菲菲。我不认为广播里的安全是真的。或者她帮助狗。"他用机械爪指着我。"我们将带来......东西......进行交易。如果村里的小马又好又公平，我们就可以交换食物。如果没有......"他只是叹了口气。如果没有，那么他们就会慢慢地耗尽食物和宝石来支撑他们的四肢。然后他们就会死去。
“I’ll try and convince them. I will.” I’ll do better. I couldn’t change the past, but I could at least try and do better now and in the future.
"我会试着说服他们。我会的。"我会做得更好。我不能改变过去，但我至少可以尝试在现在和未来做得更好。
* * *
* * *
I had to admit, we were spoiled by the Miramare teleport. I’d thought that Lacunae could simply teleport us all across Hoofington at will. She firmly corrected that notion. She could teleport herself across Hoofington if she had to, with potentially one passenger. Without soaking up gobs of radiation, however, she’d only be able to teleport the five us of a few hundred feet. That was enough for us to get outside, but it left my head spinning and feeling as though I’d just gotten struck by lightning again.
我不得不承认，我们被米拉马雷的传送给宠坏了。我以为Lacunae可以随心所欲地把我们传送到整个Hoofington。她坚定地纠正了这种看法。如果有必要的话，她可以把自己传送到Hoofington，可能只有一名乘客。然而，如果不吸收大量的辐射，她只能传送我们五个人离开几百英尺。这足够我们出去走走了，但这让我头晕目眩，感觉好像又回到了命中雷霆。
Lacunae donned her black lace dress before we returned; a large purple unicorn caused far less commotion than an alicorn. She wrapped her minigun in a burlap sack as she floated it casually beside her; the weight seemed easily within her range of handling. If I tried carrying that weapon, my horn would burn out after five minutes!
在我们回来之前，Lacunae穿上了她的黑色蕾丝连衣裙;一只紫色的大独角兽引起的骚动远不及一只独角兽。她把她的迷你手枪用一个麻袋包起来，随意地把它放在身边;这个重量似乎很容易就在她的操控范围之内。如果我试图携带那件武器，我的喇叭会在五分钟后烧毁！
Back in Riverside, I approached the dozen or so ponies about the sand dogs coming to trade. The tone was immensely skeptical. Perch outright suggested ambushing them just to thin out their numbers.
回到河畔，我走近十几匹小马，询问它们是否愿意来做生意。他的语气中带着极大的怀疑。佩奇直截了当地暗示，伏击他们只是为了削弱他们的人数。
“Listen to yourself!” Glory suddenly shouted, the half-healed cuts on her face giving her a somewhat ghastly expression. “Aren’t you supposed to be ponies? Because all I’m hearing is a lot of bandit talk! Kill first! Take now! How is anything supposed to get better if ponies just kill and steal and take? It’s got to stop!”
"听听你自己说的话!"晨辉突然大叫起来，她脸上半愈合的伤口给了她某种可怕的表情。"你们不是应该是小马吗？因为我听到的都是关于强盗的废话！先杀人！现在就开始！如果小马只是杀戮、偷窃和掠夺，怎么会变得更好呢？必须停下来!"
I had to admit, I was pretty impressed, and it shut up Perch enough that the villagers seemed open enough to give it a try. The only thing they had to lose was everything.
我不得不承认，它给我留下了深刻的印象，它把栖木关得足够严密，村民们似乎都愿意尝试一下。他们唯一可以失去的就是一切。
* * *
* * *
I tried giving Thrush a hand with repairs. However, there are certain ponies who should never be given anything like a hammer or nails, and I am just such a pony. After nearly braining Oilcan with the hammer and spilling my nails into the bilge water that’d collected from the leaks, it was generally agreed by everypony that I should go wait in town for them to finish. Glory and P-21 proved far more capable at heating up the clumps of tar that were being used to plug the gaps. I almost burned the boat down!
我试着帮助画眉修理。然而，有些小马永远不应该得到锤子或钉子之类的东西，而我就是这样一匹小马。在用锤子把油罐锤得差不多了之后，我又把钉子洒进了从漏洞里收集来的舱底水里，大家普遍同意我应该去城里等他们完成。事实证明，晨辉和P-21更有能力加热用于堵塞缝隙的焦油块。我差点把船给烧了！
I think I’ve mentioned a few times that I hate waiting. Especially in a small town where there was literally almost nothing to do. I walked the perimeter of the food court four times, the Dealer just standing there watching me. He wasn’t talking to me. I wasn’t talking to him. In fact, if I could, I’d ignore him for the rest of my life. He’d almost made me shoot Glory. I still hadn’t answered for that.
我想我已经提到过好几次，我讨厌等待。尤其是在一个几乎没什么事可做的小镇上。我在美食广场周围走了四次，商人就站在那里看着我。他不是在跟我说话。我没跟他说话。事实上，如果可以的话，我会一辈子不理他。他差点让我拍了《晨辉》。我还没有回答这个问题。
Something that bugged me, though, was the door he stood next to; it was just a simple metal door set between a Fantastic Hoofware and Radio Stable. The symbol on it was small and seemed faded even before two centuries of exposure. Glaring at him once, I took a closer look. It was seven familiar symbols; a moon, a starburst, three apples, three balloons, three diamonds, three butterflies, and a cloud and lightning bolt. The moon sat in the center, surrounded by a ring. The six other symbols were arranged around it, and two more gray lines weaved in and out of them, seeming to tie them all together.
然而，让我感到困惑的是他站在旁边的那扇门;那只是一扇简单的金属门，夹在一个神奇的马厩和无线电马厩之间。它上面的符号很小，甚至在曝光两个世纪之前就已经褪色了。我瞪了他一眼，凑近看了看。七个熟悉的符号:月亮、星暴、三个苹果、三个气球、三颗钻石、三只蝴蝶、一朵云和一道闪电。月亮坐在中央，被一个圆环环绕着。其他六个符号围绕着它排列着，还有两条灰色的线条在它们之间交织着，似乎把它们联系在了一起。
At the bottom, written in small letters: ‘Office of Interministry Affairs, Riverside Branch’.
底部用小写字母写着:"部际事务办公室，河畔分部"。
This was the O.I.A.? It looked like a janitor’s access! I tried the door and grimaced as I found it locked. Well… time to see if I’d learned anything from P-21’s lessons. Carefully, I knelt down and started to tease the lock with a bobby pin. Two snaps later, I was wondering if I was doing this right, when suddenly there was a faint click. I glanced up at the Dealer, who simply shrugged.
这就是o.i.a.？它看起来像一个看门人的通道！我试了试门，发现锁上了，我做了个鬼脸。嗯...是时候看看我是否从P-21的教训中学到了什么。我小心翼翼地跪下，开始用发夹挑逗那把锁。两张照片之后，我正在想我这样做是否正确，突然有一个微弱的咔嗒声。我抬头看了一眼商人，他只是耸了耸肩。
Inside were stairs going down, lit by flickering emergency lighting. I tried the light switch, but there was nothing. Instead, I picked my way down into a workspace that was rather tight even to a pony who’d worked in a stable. Papers were piled high on standard issue desks amidst a few dead, dust-covered terminals. A few apathetic posters hung on the wall. ‘O.I.A.: We bridge the gaps.’ and ‘How can we help today?’ The only one that caught my attention at all was one that read ‘Do better.’ There weren’t any pictures of the Ministry Mares; in fact, the pony who did decorate the walls was Princess Luna. Her expressions varied from stern to mischievous to knowing.
里面是下楼的楼梯，闪烁的应急照明灯照亮了楼梯。我试了试电灯开关，但是什么也没有。相反，我选择了一条路下到一个相当狭窄的工作区，即使是一匹在马厩里工作过的小马也是如此。在一些死气沉沉、尘土飞扬的终端机中，文件高高地堆放在标准的办公桌上。墙上挂着几张毫无兴趣的海报。O.i.a.:我们弥合了分歧以及"我们今天能做些什么?"唯一吸引我注意力的一本书是《做得更好》那里没有任何魔法部母马的图片;事实上，装饰墙壁的小马是卢娜公主。她的表情变化多端，有的严厉，有的顽皮，还有的博学。
I flipped through some of the papers at random. A memo from the M.W.T. to the M.o.M. about spritebot interference with radio reception in Riverside. An M.o.I. letter asking if a particular brand of magic insecticide talismans were being accredited to the M.A.S. or the M.W.T. Was the M.o.P. inspecting all Stable-Tec stables to make sure they were accessible to handicapped ponies? Clarification from the M.o.M. asking if the Macintosh Memorial was going to be set up in Ponyville or Canterlot. A petition for the immediate inspection of the Yellow River Detainment Facility for health violations. Damn, if only it said where that was!
我随便翻阅了一些文件。一份m.w.t.给m.o.m的备忘录，关于spritebot干扰河滨市的无线电接收。一封m.o.i.信件，询问某个牌子的魔法杀虫剂护身符是否被认可为m.a.s.或m.w.t.的产品。m.o.p.是否检查了所有Stable-Tec马厩，以确保残疾小马能够使用它们？来自m.o.m的澄清是否将在Ponyville或坎特罗特设立麦金塔纪念馆。请求立即检查YellowRiverDetainmentFacility的卫生状况。该死，要是能告诉我在哪儿就好了！
As I read on, I got two impressions… one, the O.I.A. was really boring. Really, really boring. In fact, my vision started to blur trying to keep interested in all this pointless paperwork. Really, why would anypony care about whether Mr. Horse was a Hoofington native or if the M.o.I. preserved any zebra artifacts excavated during the reconstruction or why Twilight Sparkle had missed an appointment in Hoofington’s M.A.S. hub? Who cared? But, apparently, that was the O.I.A.’s job. And that led me to another thought…
当我继续读下去的时候，我得到了两个印象......第一，o.i.a.真的很无聊。真的真的很无聊。事实上，为了保持对这些毫无意义的文书工作的兴趣，我的视线开始变得模糊。说真的，为什么会有人关心马先生是不是Hoofington本地人，或者m.o.i保存了重建过程中挖掘出的任何斑马文物，又或者为什么紫悦错过了在Hoofingtonm.a.s中心的预约？谁在乎呢？但是，很明显，那是o.i.a.的工作。这让我有了另一个想法。
The O.I.A. was everywhere. They were connected to everything in Equestria. Even outside Equestria. There were memos from Little Wing Imports asking
O.i.a.无处不在。它们与Equestria的一切都有联系。甚至在Equestria之外。有小翼进口公司的备忘录要求
about delayed permits for zebra wares, contract agreements being negotiated with griffins to supplement pegasus forces during Winter Wrap Up, buffalo mineral access requests… was there anything the O.I.A. didn’t get stuck in the middle of? And yet, while all the focus was on the ministries, there was barely anything on the O.I.A. itself. Nopony seemed to be asking questions about its offices or practices. In fact I saw one letter that read, ‘How does one join the O.I.A.?’ It had been circled and a note written, ‘M.o.M.?’
关于推迟发放斑马制品许可证，在冬季总结期间与狮鹫达成合同协议以补充飞马部队，水牛矿物访问请求...还有什么事情是o.i.a.没有被卡在中间的吗？然而，当所有的焦点都集中在政府部门时，几乎没有任何关于o.i.a.本身的内容。Nopony似乎在询问有关其办公室或实践的问题。事实上，我看到过一封信，上面写着'如何加入o.i.a.它被圈了起来，上面写着'm.o.m.?'
I didn’t understand how a bunch of egghead pencil pushers could be doing so much unnoticed. How could Project Chimera be legal without the M.o.I. exposing it or the M.o.M. arresting Dr. Creepypony? Or had it been as Applebot claimed; that the ministries themselves were behind the project and the O.I.A. facilitated? Maybe that was why they’d been shut down so abruptly; they knew too much.
我不明白一群书呆子怎么能做这么多不引人注意的事情。如果没有m.o.i的揭露或者m.o.m逮捕Creepypony博士，Chimera项目怎么可能合法？还是像Applebot声称的那样，是政府部门自己在幕后操纵这个项目，而o.i.a.为此提供了便利？也许这就是为什么他们如此突然地被关闭了;他们知道的太多了。
I moseyed into a small hallway, past two bathrooms (the yellow aid boxes within held healing potions that had melted through their bottles) and saw a smaller office with something interesting: a dead pony. In the dry air, she’d mummified almost as much as Vanity had. The black flakes clinging to the wall next to her desk and the small 9mm pistol in her lap told me this was probably a suicide.
我走进一个小走廊，经过两个卫生间(里面装着治疗药水的黄色药盒已经融化在瓶子里)，看到一个小办公室，里面有一匹死去的小马。在干燥的空气中，她几乎和瓦妮特一样变成了木乃伊。她桌子旁边的墙上沾着黑色的雪花，腿上放着一把9毫米口径的小手枪，这些都告诉我这可能是自杀。
Her terminal still hummed softly. I tapped the keys, and after a flew flickers the screen came to life.
她的终端机还在轻轻地嗡嗡作响。我轻轻地敲了敲键盘，屏幕开始闪烁起来。
‘O.I.A. EMERGENCY CODE EC-1101 ACTIVE! PLEASE AWAIT FURTHER CONTACT FROM EC-1101 FOR SUCCESSION PROTOCOLS!’
O.i.a.紧急代码EC-1101激活！请等待EC-1101关于继承议定书的进一步联系
The terminal was stuck on that message. On a note beside it the cherry red mare had written ‘Luna is dead. Equestria is dead. Sorry, Director.’ I thought of the pictures out in the main work room. Apparently, having no Ministry Mare, the O.I.A. had latched onto the Princess herself for inspiration. Looking down, I noticed something by the dead unicorn’s horn: a memory orb. However, instead of being clear, this one was a definite warm yellow gold. There was a letter half-stained with blood.
终端卡在那条信息上了。在它旁边的一张纸条上，樱桃红色的母马写着"卢娜死了"。小马国死了。对不起，主任我想到了主工作室外面的那些照片。显然，由于没有牧师母马，o.i.a.从公主身上获得了灵感。往下看，我注意到死去的独角兽的角旁有一个记忆球。然而，不是清晰，这是一个明确的温暖的黄金。有一封沾了一半血迹的信。
‘I know you’re depressed, Cherry Soda. I know these are tough times. The O.I.A. has a mission to fulfill and duties to perform. Have faith in the Princess. Cooperate with Horse however you can. Hopefully, this will show you even I err. The password is--’ And of course the rest of the letter was blackened in blood! I
我知道你很沮丧，樱桃苏打水。我知道现在是艰难时期。信息自由组织有一项任务要完成，也有义务要履行。相信公主。尽你所能与马合作。希望，这将显示你，甚至我犯错。密码是----当然，这封信的其余部分都被鲜血染黑了！一
screamed with frustration and stomped my hooves, lifting the letter with a scowl.
沮丧地尖叫着，跺着我的蹄子，皱着眉头举起信。
Then I paused, looking at it. I walked to the bathroom and turned on the sink, listening to the rads slowly add up as I carefully wetted the bloodstained section and rinsed away some of the blackened fluid. I squinted, but I could barely make out the rest of the sentence. ‘…what your stallion-friend refused to give you.’
然后我停下来，看着它。我走进浴室，打开水槽，听着辐射强度慢慢增加，我小心翼翼地把沾满血迹的部分弄湿，冲洗掉一些发黑的液体。我眯起眼睛，但是我几乎听不清句子的其余部分。你的种马朋友拒绝给你的东西
Okay, now I was cursing and stomping my hooves again. I lifted the orb and squinted, thinking. Anal sex? Muffins? Diamonds? Head? Damn it! An answer? A foal? What?
好吧，现在我又在咒骂，又在跺脚了。我抬起球，眯起眼睛，思考着。肛交？松饼？钻石？头？该死！答案？小马驹？什么？
I took a deep breath. Okay. Think about stallions and mares as something outside Stable 99. What was something a stallion gave a mare? Semen! Damn it, Blackjack! I tried to concentrate. stallions and mares were different back then. They didn’t just schedule a time to do it; they certainly weren’t forced to do it. They had relationships. And those relationships eventually became like… like Mr. and Mrs. Cake. And to do that you had a wedding. But before you had a wedding you had to receive a proposal--
我深吸了一口气。好吧。想想种马和母马作为外面的东西稳定99。种马给母马的东西是什么？精液！该死，黑杰克！我试着集中注意力。那时的种马和母马是不同的。他们不仅仅是安排一个时间去做这件事，他们当然不是被迫去做的。他们有关系。这些关系最终变得就像...就像蛋糕先生和太太。为了做到这一点，你举行了一场婚礼。但是在你举行婚礼之前，你必须接受一个建议——
oooOOOooo
噢噢噢
Oh boy, somepony put this poor bastard out of his misery! The stallion I was in lay on his side, and from the pain and lethargy in his body he couldn’t be long for this world. His insides bubbled with every breath, and he ached from horn to hoof. There was something that felt like a numb horn pointing in his side.
哦，天哪，有人把这个可怜的家伙从痛苦中解救出来了！我所在的那匹种马侧躺着，由于身体的疼痛和嗜睡，他活不了多久了。每一次呼吸，他的内脏都会冒泡，从牛角到蹄子都会疼痛。有什么东西像一个麻木的号角指向他的身边。
“You’ve looked better, Goldenblood,” a familiar, wonderful, intelligent voice said calmly from the doorway. My host looked slowly over at the majestic sight of Princess Luna standing in the doorway, and his lips curled in a reactive smile.
"你看起来好多了，金色血统,"一个熟悉的、美妙的、聪明的声音从门口平静地说。我的主人慢慢地看着站在门口的卢娜公主，他的嘴唇微笑着。
“Your Majesty. My apologies for not rising but I’m afraid I’m a bit indisposed,” he said with soft, wry humor.
"陛下。我很抱歉没有起床，但我恐怕有点不舒服,"他带着温和的、嘲讽的幽默说道。
“That’s alright. I’ve only been ruler for three days and I’ve had enough bowing, scraping, and ‘Your Majesties’ to last me a lifetime,” she said as she trotted before him and levitated a pillow, sitting neatly upon it. “I was told you gave quite a speech. ‘Hoofington Rises’? Very catchy, particularly when you kept giving it even when you were bleeding out of half your orifices.” She reached over and brushed his mane from his eyes. “Does it hurt?”
"没关系。我才当了三天的统治者，我已经受够了点头哈腰，还有'陛下'，足够我用一辈子了,"她边说边在他面前小跑，把一个枕头悬浮起来，整齐地坐在上面。"我听说你的演讲很精彩。胡芬顿站起来？非常容易记住，尤其是当你连半个小孔都在流血的时候还不停地注射。"她伸出手，拂去他眼前的鬃毛。"疼吗?"
“Not at all. I suspect the zebras’ poisons burned away all the nerve endings. Painkillers take care of the rest,” he lied boldly, and from the sympathy in her eyes it was clear she didn’t believe him. But they could both pretend and not think about it. “So, to what do I owe the honor?”
"一点也不。我怀疑斑马的毒药烧掉了所有的神经末梢。剩下的就靠止痛药了,"他大胆地撒谎，从她眼中的同情来看，她显然不相信他。但是他们都可以假装不去想这件事。"那么，什么风把您吹来了?"
“I wanted to talk about… Littlehorn.”
"我想谈谈......利特霍恩。"
I felt Goldenblood deflate a little, collapsing against the mattress. “Forgive me, Your Majesty. It’s not something I can discuss.”
我觉得金色的血液有点泄气，在床垫上倒下来。"原谅我，陛下。这不是我可以讨论的问题。"
“You were the only survivor who saw the attack, Goldenblood. What happened? What really happened, besides what was in your report? I know you left something out. I can feel it,”
"你是唯一目击袭击的幸存者，Goldenblood。发生了什么？除了你的报告里写的以外，到底发生了什么？我知道你漏掉了什么。我能感觉到。"
“It’s all there in my memory, Your Majesty. Every bit of horror. Every monstrous moment.” He took a breath like a bubbling kettle before he hocked up a wad of pink and spat it in the basin. It smoked.
"都在我的记忆里，陛下。每一点恐惧。每一个可怕的时刻。"他像沸腾的水壶一样吸了一口气，然后抓起一团粉红色的东西，把它吐在脸盆里。它冒烟了。
“I know.” But there was still something left out. Something unsaid.
"我知道。"但是仍然有一些东西被遗漏了。有些话没说出口。
“So, what’s really bothering you, Your Majesty?”
"那么，到底是什么困扰着您，陛下?"
She took a deep breath and rubbed her eyes. “I’m in charge of the country and a war that is consuming half the world, and everything is a mess. A complete mess.”
她深吸了一口气，揉了揉眼睛。"我负责这个国家，这场战争正在吞噬半个世界，一切都是一团糟。一团糟。"
“So why tell me?”
"那为什么要告诉我?"
“You were right, ten years ago. You were right about what we should have done. Had we just done things differently...” She shook her head and then looked at him with a firm gaze. “I know the mistakes Celestia made, but what I’m not sure about is how to fix them. We’re drowning in disorganization and chaos. The entire government was utterly formed around Celestia, and everypony around me seems torn between treating me like my sister with a coat dye job or flinging their hooves into the air and crying doom.”
"十年前，你是对的。关于我们应该做什么，你是对的。她摇了摇头，然后用坚定的目光看着他。"我知道塞莱斯蒂亚所犯的错误，但我不确定的是如何解决它们。我们正淹没在混乱和混乱之中。整个政府都是围绕着天堂组成的，我周围的每一个矮种马似乎都在犹豫，是把我当做我的妹妹来对待，还是把它们的蹄子抛向空中，然后大喊厄运。"
He closed his eyes, and I could just barely hear him humming something softly under his breath. Then he looked at her. “You aren’t Celestia.” She gave him a wry smile. “Celestia was such an effective monarch because for a thousand years the government formed around her. Everypony could anticipate her wishes, tell
他闭上了眼睛，我几乎听不到他轻轻地哼着什么。然后他看着她。"你不是塞莱斯蒂亚。"她对他苦笑了一下。"塞莱斯蒂亚是一个如此有效的君主，因为一千年来政府一直围绕着她。每一匹小马都能预料到她的愿望，告诉她
her what she needed to hear, do what she needed done. You are not Celestia. The moment the bureaucrats, nobles and people realize that, this country is lost.”
她需要听到的，做她需要做的。你不是塞莱斯蒂亚。一旦官僚、贵族和人民意识到这一点，这个国家就完了。"
“You seem to know a lot about politics, Goldenblood,” she observed. “Most of the books I’ve read about the subject start and end with Celestia. And the so-called experts just seem to want me to grant them better favors than Celestia did!”
"你似乎对政治很了解，金血王,"她说。"我读过的大多数关于这个主题的书都是从塞莱斯蒂亚开始和结束的。而那些所谓的专家似乎只是想让我给他们比塞莱斯蒂亚更好的待遇!"
“I spent a great deal of time in Roam, growing up, and I read far more than is healthy. The zebras have a far more robust political system for selecting their Caesar,” he said with a groan as he paused and coughed that wet, retching noise.
"我在'漫游'中度过了很长一段时间，在成长过程中，我阅读的东西远远超出了健康的范畴。斑马有一个更加健全的政治体系来选择他们的凯撒,"他停顿了一下，咳嗽了一声，发出湿漉漉的呕吐声，呻吟着说。
She looked down at him and then asked softly, “What do you think I should do, Goldenblood?”
她低头看着他，然后温柔地问道:"你觉得我该怎么办，金色血统?"
He paused and coughed up another burning gob. What was inside him? “What you need is to remake Equestria.”
他停顿了一下，又咳出了一颗灼热的牙齿。他体内有什么？"你需要的是重塑小马国。"
She just looked at him with a dry smile. “Oh? Is that all?”
她只是带着干巴巴的微笑看着他。"哦？就这些吗?"
“Equestria is still in shock. Between Littlehorn and Hoofington, the entire country is in paralysis. When it wears off it will be too late to act. If you announce a reformation… reorganization… restructuring… something, it will give ponies hope in change. Confidence in audacity. Refuge in the knowledge that you are going to act. And the more different it is in appearance from Celestia’s government, the better.”
"小马国仍处于震惊之中。在利特霍恩和Hoofington之间，整个国家陷入瘫痪。当它消失的时候，再采取行动就太晚了。如果你宣布一项改革...重组...重组...什么的，它会给小马带来变革的希望。大胆的自信。避难所是知道你将要采取行动。Celestia政府的表现越不同越好。"
“I see. So anarchy it is then.”
"我明白了。那就是无政府状态了。"
“Of course not. And if you wanted anarchy, you wouldn’t have accepted the job.” He stared at her, and I felt the urge to blink, even though they weren’t my eyes. Luna closed her own with a small frown.
"当然不是。如果你想要无政府状态，你就不会接受这份工作。"他盯着她，我感到一种想眨眼的冲动，尽管那不是我的眼睛。露娜皱了皱眉头，闭上了自己的眼睛。
“I will rule. Celestia gave Equestria more than a thousand years of peace and prosperity. I will do no less.”
"我会统治的。塞莱斯蒂亚给了Equestria一千多年的和平与繁荣。我也会这么做的。"
“Not good enough,” he replied, closing his eyes and tugging the blanket over him. He peeked out at Luna’s slapped expression.
"不够好,"他回答，闭上眼睛，拉着毯子盖在身上。他偷偷看了露娜被打了一巴掌的表情。
“What?” she stammered.
"什么?"她结结巴巴地说。
“If you’re trying to run Equestria to soothe your ego and prove you’re another Celestia, then you’re going to fail, and fail miserably.” Luna’s eyes fell as her confidence melted. “And you know it too. Nopony wants their lives hanging on a Princess trying to one up a legacy that’s impossible to copy.” He broke into another fit of coughing.
"如果你试图通过骑士来安抚你的自我，证明你是另一个天国，那么你将会失败，并且悲惨地失败。"卢娜的信心一下子消失了，她的目光也随之黯然失色。"你也知道。Nopony希望自己的生命悬在一位公主身上，努力创造一份无法复制的遗产。"他突然又一阵咳嗽。
“No one’s ever said that to me before,” Luna muttered, still looking a little shocked.
"以前从来没有人对我说过这样的话,"卢娜咕哝着，看上去仍然有点震惊。
“Well, I’m dying, so I have certain liberties,” he replied, spitting up another noxious, bloody gob. He took a slow and deep breath. “For the right ruler, ponies will give anything and everything they can. They will fight to the death, sacrifice their lives, and walk into fire. We’re ponies. It’s our nature. So here is my proposal: beg an armistice and prepare to pay out the nose for peace, and abdicate as well. See what government the ponies come up with, and wash your hooves of it. Otherwise, decide why anypony should bow to a Princess who doesn’t even know why she should rule save that she’s a Princess.”
"好吧，我要死了，所以我有一定的自由,"他回答，吐出另一个有害的，血腥的戈布。他慢慢地深吸了一口气。"对于合适的统治者，小马会给任何东西和任何他们能给的东西。他们将战斗到死，牺牲自己的生命，走进火海。我们是小马。这是我们的天性。因此，我的建议是:乞求停战，准备为和平付出代价，同时退位。看看这些小马会带来什么样的政府，然后洗洗你的蹄子。否则，决定为什么任何小马都应该向公主鞠躬，她甚至不知道为什么她应该统治，除非她是一个公主。"
Luna glared at him coldly, but I could see the uncertainty in her eyes. “Our people have suffered for ten years in this war. Now it’s my chance to make things better. To make those ten years count for something! To make it all mean something. And I will do so even if it means my life! ‘Princess’ may be my title, but I am not going to forfeit my responsibilities and obligations to my people. And I will make things better! I will give the ponies of Equestria the future they deserve, at any cost!”
卢娜冷冷地瞪着他，但我能看出她眼中的不安。"我们的人民在这场战争中遭受了十年的苦难。现在是我让事情变得更好的机会。让这十年有点价值！让这一切都有意义。即使这意味着我的生命，我也会这样做！"公主"可能是我的头衔，但我不会放弃我对我的人民的责任和义务。我会让一切变得更好！我将不惜一切代价，给予Equestria的小马们应有的未来!"
At any cost? Could she imagine the cost? Could he? He closed his eyes and then gave a resigned sigh. “What you need is a reorganization of form more than substance. You want to stay in charge, but you need a break in Celestia’s status quo. You’ll have to do something she never did before. You’ll have to share power, or at least make the appearance of sharing.”
不惜一切代价？她能想象这样做的代价吗？他可以吗？他闭上眼睛，无奈地叹了口气。"你需要的是形式上的重组，而不是实质上的重组。你想继续掌权，但你需要打破塞莱斯蒂亚的现状。你必须做一些她以前从未做过的事。你们必须分享权力，或者至少表现出分享的样子。"
“Share power? But how? Celestia…”
"分享权力？但是怎么做呢？塞莱斯蒂亚......"
“The roles and obligations of government remain the same. Under Celestia, they were executed almost automatically. A thousand years of political stagnation will do that. Instead, you’re organizing them into bureaucracies or groups; a different form with the same function.” He paused as he closed his eyes again, and for a moment I wondered if he’d just died or something with how still he lay there.
"政府的角色和义务保持不变。在天堂之下，他们几乎是自动执行的。一千年的政治停滞将会导致这样的结果。相反，你把它们组织成官僚机构或团体，一种具有相同功能的不同形式。"他停顿了一下，再次闭上眼睛，有那么一会儿，我怀疑他是死了还是怎么躺在那里。
“You’re going to need help. Ponies you can respect and who respect you. Ponies with skill.”
"你将需要帮助。你可以尊敬和尊敬你的小马。技艺高超的小马。"
“Well I respect you,” she said, and he looked at her and I felt his heart beat faster. “But why? Aren’t I supposed to rule directly?”
"好吧，我尊重你,"她说，他看着她，我觉得他的心跳加快了。""但是为什么呢？难道我不应该直接裁决吗?"
“Not even Celestia ruled directly. She ruled through inference and tradition. If she’d had to make every decision like you’re trying to do, she’d have been crushed. The government that she formed was largely automatic. What you need are bureaus or ministries who can act while you rule. They’ll screen a lot of the day to day activity. But you’ll need a figurehead for them to solidify around. Somepony that can rally the people’s faith and deflect their criticisms. A pony with enough ability to be effective, but selfless enough to lack ambition. And that will not be easy to find.”
"即使是塞莱斯蒂娅也没有直接统治。她通过推理和传统进行统治。如果她不得不像你一样做出所有的决定，她会崩溃的。她组建的政府基本上是自动的。你需要的是能够在你统治期间发挥作用的政策局或部委。他们会屏蔽大量的日常活动。但是你需要一个有名无实的领袖，让他们团结起来。一些小马，可以重振人们的信心，并转移他们的批评。一匹小马，有足够的能力去发挥作用，但又足够无私以至于缺乏野心。这并不容易找到。"
But Luna was smiling as she stared at the door. “Oh, I don’t know, Golden.” He turned his head to look at a familiar yellow pegasus with sweeping pink hair. “Hello, Fluttershy,” Luna said with a calm smile as Fluttershy gaped in stunned silence.
但是卢娜盯着门看的时候却在微笑。"哦，我不知道，戈尔登。"他转过头来，看着一匹熟悉的粉红色头发的黄色飞马。"你好，小萤火虫,"卢娜平静地笑着说，小萤火虫目瞪口呆，一言不发。
“H- h- h- h-” And she finished in a squeak, her one visible blue eye peeking adorably from a gap in her pink mane.
"h-h-h-h-h-"她尖叫着说完，一只可见的蓝眼睛可爱地从她粉红色鬃毛的缝隙中窥视着。
“Fluttershy’s been nursing me along,” Goldenblood said with a fond smile at Fluttershy; one she returned as she drew up her forehooves, hiding her mouth behind them as she hovered. Her eyes darted from one to the other as she blushed terribly.
"小萤火虫一直在照顾我,"金色布拉德对着Fluttershy甜蜜地笑着说，其中一只小萤火虫在她盘旋的时候收起前蹄，把嘴巴藏在前蹄后面。当她脸红得厉害时，她的目光从一个人转向另一个人。
“Y…yes… I volunteer at the hospital whenever I have time,” she said with a shy smile, “I… I know I can’t do much, but I want to help out however I can.”
"y..是的......只要我有时间，我就去医院做志愿者,"她腼腆地笑着说,"我.....。.我知道我做不了什么，但我想尽我所能帮助他们。"
Luna just gazed at her with a growing smile. “Do you think ponies would rally behind that, Golden?” Fluttershy blinked as she looked from one to the other in confusion.
露娜只是凝视着她，脸上露出越来越灿烂的笑容。"你觉得小马会支持这个吗，戈尔登?"小萤火虫困惑地从一个看到另一个，眨了眨眼睛。
I had to agree, it did seem perfect. So why wasn’t Goldenblood smiling? He spoke softly, in a near dead rasp, “I suppose they would, Your Majesty.”
我不得不同意，这看起来确实很完美。那么为什么金血王不笑呢？他用近乎死气沉沉的粗嗓子轻声说道:"我想他们会的，陛下。"
“Thank you, Goldenblood. You’ve given me a lot to think about. In fact, you may have saved Equestria,” she said and she reached down and touched his side.
"谢谢你，金色的血液。你让我想了很多。事实上，你可能救了小马国。"她说着弯下腰碰了碰他的身体。
A wash of magic poured through him and he gave a spasm. It felt as if a cooling wave passed through his wet, poisoned lungs. Suddenly he was able to take a deeper breath with only the barest hint of that wet rattle. When the light faded, even Luna looked like that spell had taken quite a bit out of her. “And get well soon, Goldenblood. I’m going to need you more than ever with this reformation.”
一股魔法冲刷着他，他痉挛了一下。感觉就像一股凉爽的浪潮穿过他湿漉漉的、中毒的肺部。突然，他能够深吸一口气，只有那个湿漉漉的拨浪鼓的微弱声音。当光线暗下来的时候，甚至露娜看起来也像是被那个咒语夺走了很多东西。"祝你早日康复，金色血统。在这次改革中，我比以往任何时候都更需要你。"
She walked to the door and Fluttershy hovered to the side. Luna gave her that clever, intelligent gaze. “Fluttershy, is Twilight Sparkle still in Ponyville? I need to speak with her about an important matter.”
她走到门口，小弗特希在旁边徘徊。卢娜用那种聪明的眼神看着她。"小弗，紫悦还在Ponyville吗？我需要和她谈一件重要的事情。"
“I… I think so. We were meeting there this weekend,” the yellow pegasus said as she rubbed the back of her head with a hoof.
"我.....。.我想是的。我们这个周末在那里见面,"黄色飞马边说边用蹄子蹭了蹭自己的后脑勺。
“Thank you, Fluttershy. I’ll see you soon. I think that we’ll be seeing much more of each other in the near future. It’s time for the Elements of Harmony to save Equestria once again.” And with one last passing look back at Goldenblood, she walked from the hospital room.
"谢谢你，小萤火虫。回头见。我认为在不久的将来，我们会经常见面。是和谐元素再次拯救小马国的时候了。"最后回头看了一眼Goldenblood，她走出了医院的病房。
“What was that about?” Fluttershy said in confusion before she smiled down at Goldenblood. She landed and brushed his gold mane from his face and then started. “Why… why are you crying?”
"这是怎么回事?"Fluttershy困惑地说，然后朝Goldenblood微笑。她落在地上，拂去他脸上金色的鬃毛，然后开始动手。"为什么......你为什么哭?"
“Nothing. She simply said I was useful,” he rasped softly as he sat up in the bed.
"没什么。她只是说我有用,"他在床上坐起来，轻声地说。
“Well, let me get you cleaned up and check your burns,” Fluttershy said brightly.
"好吧，让我帮你清理一下，检查一下你的烧伤,"小弗特希兴高采烈地说。
“Fluttershy?” He closed his eyes but I could feel the few slow tears inching over his face.
"萤火虫?"他闭上了眼睛，但我能感觉到他脸上慢慢流下的泪水。
“Yes, Golden?”
"什么事，戈尔登?"
“I’m so sorry…”
"我很抱歉......"
oooOOOooo
噢噢噢
Coming out of that, I felt as though I were flying through the air, a hiss filling my ears. Still, I couldn’t help but remember something Watcher told me: ‘I know ponies whose fuck ups killed millions.’
从那里出来，我觉得自己仿佛在空中飞翔，耳朵里充满了嘶嘶声。尽管如此，我还是忍不住想起观察者告诉我的一些事情:'我认识一些小马驹，它们的混蛋杀死了数百万人。'
I’d just seen such a fuck up. Goldenblood had given advice to Luna that she then took and applied to form the ministries. And Goldenblood had been horn deep in it, apparently. And…
我刚刚看到了这样一个混蛋。金伯拉德给了卢娜一些建议，卢娜接受了这些建议，并申请成立了这些部门。很显然，金血王已经深深地陷入其中了。还有..。
I blinked as I stared out at the river before me, the water flashing past my dangling hooves as I hung off the bow of the Seahorse, my back hooves tied to the rail. I screamed, waving my hooves wildly as we flashed across the storm gray waters.
我眨了眨眼睛，盯着眼前的河流，水从我晃来晃去的蹄子旁边闪过，我把后蹄绑在船栏杆上，挂在海马的船头上。我尖叫着，疯狂地挥舞着我的蹄子，我们飞驰着穿过风暴灰色的海水。
“Okay! She’s awake now!” Glory yelled back, waving her hooves.
"好吧！她现在醒了!"晨辉挥舞着她的蹄子，大声回应。
“Get me off this thing!” I begged.
"把我从这东西上弄下来!"我苦苦哀求。
* * *
* * *
“I will never ever ever ever go into a memory orb alone where my friends don’t know where I am. Ever. Okay?” I muttered for the tenth time as Glory and Rampage lay atop me, pinning me to the rear deck above the captain’s wheel. Rampage was definitely getting heavy.
"我永远不会独自进入一个我的朋友不知道我在哪里的记忆球。永远不会。好吗?"当晨辉和暴怒在我身上时，我第十次喃喃自语，把我钉在船长轮子上方的后甲板上。狂暴无疑变得越来越严重。
Glory thumped her hooves on my head. “You better not. We were ready to go five minutes after you left, but suddenly we couldn’t find you anywhere. Lacunae finally magicked up a spell to find you. Then you were out when we really could have used you clearing out Hoofington Bridge. So… what do you say again?”
晨辉的蹄子重重地敲在我的头上。"你最好不要。你离开后五分钟我们就准备出发了，但是突然我们到处都找不到你。空隙终于用魔法找到了你。然后你出去了，而我们真的需要你清理胡芬顿大桥。那么......你再说一遍?"
“I will never ever ever go into a memory orb alone where my friends don’t know where I am. Ever,” I replied with a grumble. Apparently, while I had been in la-la land, the Seahorse had had to pass under a bridge that a slew of Reaper washouts had managed to take over since the boat passed upriver; unfortunately, they’d had a missile launcher. I’d missed out on the fun of teleporting up and wiping most of them out. On the plus side, though, we’d added to my store of ammunition and odd weapons for resale.
"我永远不会独自进入一个我的朋友不知道我在哪里的记忆球。"永远,"我嘟囔着回答。显然，当我在拉拉岛的时候，锡霍斯号不得不经过一座桥下，自从船经过上游后，大量的死神战士设法接管了这座桥，不幸的是，他们有一个导弹发射器。我错过了瞬间移动的乐趣，把他们大部分都消灭了。不过，从好的方面来看，我们还增加了我的弹药和零散武器的储备，以便再出售。
Glory finally decided that enough was enough and climbed off me. I shoved Rampage off as I looked around with bruised pride. Actually… what pride? I’d been an idiot trying to get into the orb alone in the first place! I knew it; this was just my friends letting me know how much I’d scared them.
格洛里最终决定受够了，从我身上爬了下来。我带着伤痕累累的自尊环顾四周，推开了狂暴。实际上...什么骄傲？我一开始就是个白痴想独自进入球体！我知道，这只是我的朋友们让我知道我有多害怕他们。
“Still, I wish you could have seen it. Luna and Goldenblood coming up with the
"不过，我还是希望你能看到它。卢娜和金布拉德想出了
idea for changing the government and Luna laying the foundations of the ministries. I mean, I didn’t get a lot of the political gobbledygook… but it was still amazing to see.”
改变政府的想法和卢纳奠定各部的基础。我的意思是，我没有得到很多政治上的官样文章......但是看到这些还是很令人惊讶。"
“Well, I figured the ministries just… happened,” Rampage said as she scratched herself. “Like one day Luna asked Twilight Sparkle and her friends ‘Hey, wanna help me run Equestria and blow up the world? It’ll be great fun!’”
"嗯，我以为那些部门只是......发生了,"狂暴一边抓着自己一边说。"就像有一天卢娜问紫悦和她的朋友'嘿，想帮我跑马术和炸毁世界吗？这会很有趣的！"'
Lacunae looked over with an unfathomable expression.
空隙带着深不可测的表情望着。
“Well, things have to get started somewhere, don’t they?” I said with a sigh as I looked at the golden orb. “Luna needed to rule, and Goldenblood told her what she needed to do to get everypony to follow her. And it worked… until the war and everything got out of hand.” So why had he told Fluttershy he was sorry?
"嗯，事情总得有个开始，不是吗?"我看着那个金色的球体，叹了口气说。"卢娜需要统治，金布拉德告诉她怎么做才能让每匹小马都跟着她。直到战争爆发，一切都失去了控制。"那么他为什么要告诉小弗他很抱歉呢？
Why had he seemed more keen on getting Luna to surrender and abdicate than to actually follow his ideas? And why had he given her advice at all only to seem to regret it later?
为什么他似乎更热衷于让卢娜投降退位，而不是实际上遵循他的想法呢？为什么他给了她一些建议，但是后来似乎又后悔了呢？
“I think all those ponies were just crazy,” I said with a little nod as I put the orb in my saddlebags. Maybe it’d come in useful later, or maybe Lacunae would want to see it. She hadn’t said a word when I offered it to her.
"我觉得所有的小马都疯了,"我说着点了点头，把球体放进了我的鞍囊。也许它以后会派上用场，也许拉库尼会想看看它。我递给她的时候，她一句话也没说。
I hopped up into the wheelhouse and sat next to Thrush, who was staring ahead intently. “So, where are we, Captain?”
我跳上驾驶室，坐在画眉旁边，它目不转睛地盯着前方。"那么，我们在哪里，船长?"
“We’re coming up on the Fork,” she said as she slowed the boat. “Dangerous spot here. We’ll let the current take us in for now.”
"我们正在前往福克河,"她说着放慢了船速。"这里很危险。我们暂时让水流带我们进去。"
“What makes it dangerous?”
"是什么让它变得危险?"
She gave me a sardonic look. “Oh, lots of things. Hoppers. Leeches. Snags. Ever see a river serpent?”
她冷冷地看了我一眼。"哦，很多事情。跳跃者。水蛭。障碍。见过河蛇吗?"
“Captain, I grew up in a stable. I hadn’t even seen clouds till three weeks ago,” I reminded her as I looked ahead. We were off the northern tip of the Core, and the river had widened to the point that it more resembled a big lake to me. There were buildings rising out of the water; streetlamps, signs, and countless smashed boats littered the water like so many toys in a bathtub. We passed by a large barge bleeding rusty rainbows from a mountain of barrels stacked on its deck. Past that, a large skywagon made a bridge between two apartment buildings
"船长，我是在马厩里长大的。直到三个星期前我才看到云。"我向前看的时候提醒她。我们已经离开了地核的北端，河水已经变宽，对我来说更像是一个大湖。水面上矗立着许多建筑物，街灯、路标和无数被砸碎的船只像浴缸里的许多玩具一样散落在水面上。我们经过一艘大驳船，从堆放在甲板上的一堆桶上滴下锈迹斑斑的彩虹。再过去，一辆大型空中马车在两座公寓楼之间架起了一座桥
standing like tall, lonely islands.
像高高的孤岛一样站着。
“What caused this?” P-21 asked, covering his nose with a hoof. The water reeked of iron and worse. “Balefire bombs?”
"这是怎么回事?"P-21一边问，一边用蹄子捂住鼻子。水里有铁的臭味，而且更糟。"巴利火焰炸弹?"
“Landslide,” the captain said simply, pointing a hoof between the buildings to the north. “Used to be a bluff overlooking the river. In the attacks, the entire slope gave way. Blocked half the river. There used to be a lot of water traffic, too; all those boats and barges just floated about and got snagged up in the flooded ruins. There’s a community, Flotsam, out here, but I think we’ll avoid it tonight unless we have to.” She looked at the scummy buildings rising around us.
"山体滑坡,"船长简单地说，指着北边建筑物之间的一只蹄子。"过去是一个俯瞰河流的悬崖。在袭击中，整个斜坡都坍塌了。堵住了半条河。过去也有很多水上交通，所有的船只和驳船只是漂浮着，被洪水淹没的废墟阻住了。这里有一个社区，弗洛萨姆，但我认为我们今晚会避开它，除非我们不得不这样做。"她看着我们周围拔地而起的低级建筑。
“Why’s that?” I asked curiously.
"为什么?"我好奇地问。
“One, because I really don’t want my boat stolen in the night. Two, because I don’t want a security pony to ride out and try to save the poor fishers. And three, because they have explosives in the water and I don’t want to get blown up if you get a shooty look.” Again with the shooty look. I needed to see this look.
"第一，因为我真的不希望我的船在夜里被偷。第二，因为我不想要一匹安全的小马骑出去，去救那些可怜的渔夫。第三，因为他们的水里有炸药，我不想被炸飞，如果你看到枪声的话。"又是一副扫兴的表情。我需要看到这种表情。
“Fair enough,” I admitted, curious about Flotsam and also curious about what had happened in Riverside.
"很公平,"我承认，对弗洛萨姆很好奇，也很好奇在里弗赛德发生了什么。
Thrush separated watches, putting one of my friends with one of her crew.
画眉把手表分开，把我的一个朋友和她的一个船员放在一起。
We found a building with an intact roof and carefully pulled through a fallen wall. Oilcan got out a bucket and put in a few pieces of wood, and Thrush ignited it with a spell. It must be so nice to not be a one trick unicorn. In the fire she stuck a length of metal that she propped up against the bulkhead near the middle of the boat. “What’s that for?”
我们发现了一座屋顶完好无损的建筑，小心翼翼地穿过一堵倒塌的墙。油罐公司取出一个桶，放进几块木头，画眉用咒语点燃了它。没有成为一只独角兽的感觉一定很好。在火中，她用一段金属支撑着靠近船中间的舱壁。"这是干什么用的?"
“Leeches. Don’t shoot if you see one. Just give it a few stabs till it goes back in the water. If you see something that looks like a big frog, shoot that if you have to, and if you see two really big eyes and a mouth the size of the boat, do everypony a favor and keep quiet so we can die peacefully in our sleep,” she said with a wink. “You watch the front of the boat. I’ll watch the back.”
"水蛭。不要开枪，如果你看到一个。只要刺它几下直到它回到水里。如果你看到什么东西看起来像一只大青蛙，如果有必要就开枪，如果你看到两只真正的大眼睛和一张船那么大的嘴，帮每个小马一个忙，保持安静，这样我们就可以在睡梦中平静地死去,"她眨着眼睛说。"你看着船的前面。我在后面看着。"
She levitated an egg timer, cranked it for two hours, and settled back against the frame as the rest went below and closed the hatches. Thrush and I wrapped ourselves in blankets as a veritable cloud of insects seemed to rise from the
她把一个煮蛋计时器悬浮起来，摇了两个小时，然后靠在架子上，其他人下去关上舱门。画眉和我用毯子把自己包裹起来，就像一团名副其实的昆虫云似乎从天而降
water and seek out every uncovered inch of pony flesh. The smoke from the fire in the bucket seemed to help keep them away a little bit, but I was smacking my hide raw with magic trying to swat them all. Thrush didn’t seem that bothered with them.
找出每一寸没有遮盖的马肉。桶里的火冒出的烟似乎有助于让他们远离一点点，但我正在用魔法把我的皮打得稀巴烂，试图把他们都打死。画眉似乎并没有被它们困扰。
“So, Thrush. Why’d you say you killed your dad?” I asked as I looked at the dark walls of our shelter, glad my eyes could peer through the shadows.
"那么，画眉鸟。你为什么说你杀了你爸爸?"我问道，我看着我们避难所黑暗的墙壁，很高兴我的眼睛可以透过阴影凝视。
“Boy. You sure know how to slide into a conversation topic, don’t you?” Thrush said after a moment. “We were in the Cervine Isles trying to find a new water jet talisman for the Seahorse. We snuck into a pirate camp.”
"男孩。你肯定知道如何进入谈话的主题，是吗?"画眉过了一会儿说。"我们在鹿群岛试图为海马找到一种新的喷水护身符。我们溜进了一个海盗营地。"
“Pirates?” I glanced at her hat with a little smirk.
"海盗?"我瞥了一眼她的帽子，露出一丝得意的笑容。
“Raiders on water, only not as nice. Pirates like to keep mares around for proper raping. Draw it out over a few weeks before killing you. Anywho, we got the talisman, but there were a whole slew of slaves as well. I wanted to free them. But twelve ponies sneaking through the jungle makes a lot more noise than two, and they came after us. Dad got injured and told me to take it, get the hell out of there, and make sure everypony knew he died a big damned hero. I took the talisman and abandoned him. Heard the shots, and then him screaming. Got back to the Seahorse. Sailed away.” She pulled out my bottle of whiskey… hey! I checked my saddlebags, and sure enough, it was gone! I gave her a sharp look, but from the distant stare on her face I couldn’t exactly blame her.
"水上的突袭者，只是没那么好。海盗喜欢把母马留在身边，以便进行适当的强奸。在杀死你之前花几个星期把它画出来。不管怎样，我们得到了护身符，但也有大量的奴隶。我想解放他们。但是十二匹小马偷偷穿过丛林发出的声音比两匹大得多，它们跟在我们后面。爸爸受伤了，他告诉我接受治疗，离开那个鬼地方，让每个小马都知道他是个英雄。我拿走了护身符，抛弃了他。听到枪声，然后他尖叫起来。回到海马号。扬帆远航。"她拿出了我的威士忌...嘿！我检查了我的鞍囊，果然，它不见了！我狠狠地看了她一眼，但是从她脸上的冷漠表情来看，我不能完全责怪她。
“So, some regrets, I take it?”
"那么，我想，是不是有些遗憾?"
“Every damn day,” she replied with a mirthless smile. “What gets me most, though, is that I play it over and over, and no matter how I try and look at it, it was my choice that killed him. If we’d just left them locked up he’d still be drinking and wenching all across the ocean.” She passed me the bottle and I took a pull, smacking at the biting bugs with a hoof.
"他妈的每一天,"她回答，脸上带着苦笑。"不过，最让我抓狂的是，我一遍又一遍地放这首歌，不管我怎么试着去看，是我的选择害死了他。如果我们把他们锁起来，他现在还在喝酒，在大洋彼岸乱搞呢。"她递给我一个瓶子，我拉了一下，用蹄子拍打着咬人的虫子。
“How about you?” she asked as she stoked the fire in the bucket. “Regrets?”
"你呢?"她边问边往桶里添火。"后悔?"
“A few. One big one. Broke into a sealed off section in the Fluttershy Medical Center. There were a bunch of colts and fillies kept in some kind of stasis. They’d been trapped like that for centuries, dying of diseases and injuries that couldn’t be treated. They’d gotten control of the maintenance robots and killed the nurses. Skinned them. Killed whoever entered that part of the hospital. We
"有几个。一个大的。闯入了FluttershyMedicalCenter的一个封闭区域。有一群小马和小雌马被关在某种静止状态下。他们像那样被困了几个世纪，死于无法治愈的疾病和伤害。他们控制了维修机器人，杀死了护士。剥他们的皮。杀了所有进入医院的人。我们
severed their connection to the robots. Then I had to choose whether to pull the plug or leave them locked up and trapped like that.”
切断了他们与机器人的联系。然后，我不得不选择是拔掉插头，还是把他们锁起来，像那样困在里面。"
“You pulled the plug, didn’t you?” she said with a smile. I nodded and she sighed. “Yeah. That’s what I figured. Because that’s the hard choice. Leave ‘em locked up, tell yourself somepony else will take care of it; maybe they do but maybe they don’t. The fact is, sometimes there is no right choice. You’re damned either way. The whole world is like that. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.”
"你拔掉了插头，是不是?"她笑着说。我点点头，她叹了口气。"是的。我也是这么想的。因为这是个艰难的选择。把他们关起来，告诉自己别人会照顾他们的;也许他们会，也许他们不会。事实是，有时候没有正确的选择。不管怎样，你都是该死的。整个世界都是这样的。不管你做什么，不做什么。"
I listened to rain falling on the gurgling water outside. “So what do you do?”
我听见外面的雨水哗哗地落在水面上。"那你是做什么的?"
She gave a dry laugh. “Say ‘fuck it’ and go on living either way. ‘Cause part of living is being damned, and the only way to get out of it is to stop living.”
她冷冷地笑了笑。"说'去他妈的'，然后继续以任何一种方式生活。'因为生活的一部分是被诅咒的，摆脱它的唯一办法就是停止生活。"
I thought about Priest and the Crusaders, Bottlecap and Dusty Trails, and even Caprice in her sick way. Yeah, each of them had screwed up somehow, but they kept going on. Was goodness just a illusion? Virtue just the best we could muddle through?
我想到了《牧师》和《十字军战士》，《瓶子》和《尘土飞扬的小径》，甚至还有她病态的反复无常。是的，他们每个人都不知怎么搞砸了，但是他们还在继续。善良只是一种幻觉吗？美德仅仅是我们能够应付过去的最好方式？
Virtue. What was my virtue? Why did a not-smart pony like myself have to think about these things? I just wanted to be better than the Wasteland around me. I wanted to leave ponies better for my helping them. I seemed to just leave them dead.
美德。我的美德是什么？为什么像我这样不聪明的小马要考虑这些事情？我只是想比我周围的荒原更好。我想留下更好的小马来帮助它们。我似乎只是让他们死去。
No. I’d helped in Riverside, hadn’t I? And Chapel, though by accident. I’d keep helping if I could. I’d find out where EC-1101 was supposed to go and turn Hoofington around in the process. I could do it. I had to.
没有。我在里弗赛德帮过忙，不是吗？还有小教堂，虽然是偶然的。如果可以的话我会继续帮忙的。我会找出EC-1101应该去哪里，并在这个过程中扭转Hoofington的局面。我可以做到。我必须这么做。
If I couldn’t, then I’d be really and truly damned.
如果我做不到，那么我真的会被诅咒。
* * *
* * *
I was staring out at the front of the boat when I noticed it: a strange black mark in my mutant night vision, like a blob of night creeping along the edge of the boat toward me. Somehow, I couldn’t move or think as that shapeless mass undulated closer and closer to my hooves. It was like a black, shiny, pony-sized thing crawling towards me for succor. The mass of darkness was a thing from my nightmares, and I stared as the pointed, tapered end of it lifted and opened. Dozens, perhaps hundreds of hooked teeth glistened as it oozed its saliva from
我凝视着船的前部，这时我注意到了它:在我突变的夜视能力中有一个奇怪的黑色标记，就像一团黑夜沿着船的边缘向我爬来。不知怎么的，我无法移动，也无法思考，因为那一团没有形状的东西越来越靠近我的蹄子。它就像一只黑色的、闪闪发光的、小马般大小的东西，向我爬过来求救。黑暗的一团是我噩梦中的东西，我凝视着它尖尖的、锥形的一端抬起又打开。数十颗，也许数百颗钩状牙齿闪闪发光，因为它从牙齿中分泌出唾液
the tip. I stared, wondering if my brain had truly snapped for good.
顶端。我盯着他，想知道我的大脑是不是真的崩溃了。
Then the glowing tip of the iron floated past my head and pressed into that maw with a sizzle and a iron reek. The blob hissed and writhed as it fell back into the river with a soft splash.
然后，灼热的烙铁头飘过我的头顶，发出咝咝的声音和一股烙铁的臭味，压进了我的肚子。那团东西发出嘶嘶声，扭动着，随着轻轻的水花落回河里。
“Huh. Usually leeches are bigger than that,” she said in my ear before returning her iron bar to the fire bucket.
"哈。通常水蛭的体积都比这个大,"她对着我的耳朵说，然后把她的铁棍还给了火桶。
Leeches. It went on my mental list of things to hate about Hoofington. Then it was underlined, circled, and had stars put around it.
水蛭。这件事成了我心里最讨厌胡芬顿的事情。然后它被划了线，圈了起来，周围还有星星。
~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~
The atrium of 99 was the heart of social life in the stable. Ponies came into the open space to discuss their jobs and the few recreational activities various ponies organized. The stable picnic allowed a few dozen mares to gather, spread out blankets on the metal floor, eat some recycled chips, and pretend that we were all on the surface rather than think about our current situation.
99中庭是马厩社会生活的中心。小马来到开放的空间，讨论他们的工作和少数娱乐活动各种小马组织。稳定的野餐让几十匹母马可以聚在一起，在金属地板上铺上毯子，吃一些回收的薯片，假装我们都在地面上，而不是考虑我们现在的处境。
I didn’t like Daisy’s mom. Nopony did. She was by far the largest mare in the stable and in charge of the second shift, which put her right behind Mom on the pecking order. She could be nice, but without warning she could shift straight into vicious little comments that could become painful beatings or kickings with the slightest provocation.
我不喜欢黛西的妈妈。Nopony做到了。到目前为止，她是马厩里最大的母马，负责第二轮班，这使得她的等级排在妈妈之后。她可以是好人，但是在没有任何警告的情况下，她可能会直接转变成恶毒的小评论，即使是最轻微的挑衅也可能变成痛苦的殴打或踢打。
So, it helped a great deal that I am such an idiot when I trotted right up to her and told the biggest, meanest, mare in the stable, “Petunia, I’m placing you under arrest for beating up Daisy. Please come with me to security for processing.” Mom, sitting right beside her, went very still.
所以，当我跑到她面前，对马厩里最大、最卑鄙的母马说:"佩妮，我要以殴打黛西的罪名逮捕你。请跟我到保安处办理手续。"妈妈坐在她旁边，一动不动。
“What the fuck is this, Gin Rummy? You put your brat up to this as a joke?” Petunia said as she chewed slowly on a gray fungal chip. A chip named ‘Go Fish’, no doubt.
"这他妈的是什么，金拉米？你把你那乳臭未干的小子当成玩笑?"佩妮一边说，一边慢慢地咀嚼着一块灰色的真菌芯片。毫无疑问，是一种叫做"钓鱼"的芯片。
“Go Fish, what are you doing?” she muttered in horror.
"钓鱼去，你在干什么?"她惊恐地喃喃自语。
“Being security,” I said firmly, pointing a hoof at Petunia. “She beats up Daisy! She cuts her, too!”
"要有安全感,"我坚定地说，用蹄子指着Petunia。"她打了黛西！她也割伤了她!"
“Fish, go back to our quarters please,” Mom said firmly as she rose and escorted me from the atrium. When we were out of sight she whirled on me. “Go Fish! How could you say such things?”
"鱼儿，请回到我们的住处,"妈妈坚定地说，她站起来，护送我离开中庭。当我们看不见的时候，她转过身来对着我。"去钓鱼吧！你怎么能这么说呢?"
“‘Cause she does, Momma!” I insisted, stomping my hoof as I looked up at her. “Daisy comes to school all bruised and cut up! Petunia’s the only one who can be doing it. Daisy can’t cut up her own flanks, can she?”
"因为她知道，妈妈!"我一边坚持着，一边跺着蹄子抬头看着她。"黛西来学校的时候浑身是伤，满身是伤！佩妮是唯一能做到的人。黛西总不能把自己的肚子给切了吧?"
Mom looked at me steadily, closed her eyes, and sighed as she shook her head.
妈妈坚定地看着我，闭上眼睛，摇摇头叹了口气。
Without another word she led me up to Daisy’s apartment and opened the door.
她一言不发地把我领到黛西的公寓，打开了门。
Daisy looked up in shock, wiping tears from her eyes. Mom looked at her. “Daisy, Go Fish made a very important accusation just now...” Daisy stared at me in horror as Mother asked slowly, “Does your mother hurt you in any way? Kick you? Cut you?”
黛西震惊地抬起头，擦去眼泪。妈妈看着她。"黛西，小鱼刚才做了一个非常重要的指控......"黛西惊恐地盯着我，母亲慢吞吞地问道,"你妈妈有没有伤害你?"？踢你？割伤你了?"
And Daisy just bowed her head. “No ma’am. I get in accidents a lot. And fights.”
黛西低下了头。""不，夫人。我经常出车祸。还有战斗。"
“I see,” my mother said in resignation. “And you know to report it if she does?” A slow lethargic nod.
"我明白了,"母亲无可奈何地说。"如果她说了，你知道要报警吗?"慢慢地昏昏欲睡。
“Daisy! Tell her! Tell her what she does to you!” But Daisy just gave me a chilling look. I’d gone from her friend to something else entirely. Something past what Duct Tape was... this was all going very horribly wrong. “Let me save you. That’s what security ponies do.”
"黛西！告诉她！告诉她她对你做了什么!"但黛西只是冷冷地看了我一眼。我从她的朋友变成了一个完全不同的人。一些超越胶带的东西...这一切都变得非常糟糕。"让我来救你。这就是保安小马的工作。"
“That’s enough, Go Fish. Let’s go. You’ll have to write an apology to Petunia...”
"够了，去钓鱼吧。我们走。你得给佩妮写封道歉信......"
~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~
I woke to the creaking rock of the boat and the sound of P-21 breathing nearby... and somepony else. I glanced up at the sight of Lacunae with her horn touching mine, my eyes going wide. “You have interesting dreams, Blackjack...”
我在船上吱吱作响的岩石声中醒来，听到附近P-21的呼吸声......还有一些其他的声音。我抬头一看，她的角碰到了我的角，我的眼睛睁得大大的。"你的梦很有趣，黑杰克......"
“You can read my mind?” I thought at her, trying not to think of a slew of expletives to add to that.
"你能读懂我的心思?"我想着她，尽量不去想那些咒骂的话。
“Like this, yes.”
"就像这样，是的。"
“And why are you reading my mind?”
"你为什么要读我的心?"
“You have interesting dreams,” she repeated with a tone of amusement. “And this way we will not wake the others.”
"你做了一些有趣的梦,"她带着一种好笑的口吻重复道。"这样我们就不会吵醒其他人。"
I am not okay with this… I thought back at her, “Have you done this with the others?”
我不能接受这个......我回过头来问她,"你和其他人一起做过这个吗?"
“Wouldn’t you? I desired to see if you meant me any harm.” And what about the other way around? She followed up with a simple, “I’m sorry you can’t trust me yet...”
""你不会吗？我想知道你是不是想伤害我。"那么反过来呢？她接着简单地说:"很抱歉你还不能相信我......"
Considering what she’d just done, that statement was more than a little ironic. “Yeah, well, the telepathy thing is... freaky.” And sneaky. “But you know we don’t want to hurt you, right?”
考虑到她刚才的所作所为，这种说法有点讽刺意味。"是啊心灵感应这玩意儿真是...诡异"而且鬼鬼祟祟。"但你知道我们不想伤害你，对吧?"
“Your blue friend does. He wants to hurt all of us. And he wants to help all of us. I cannot imagine a more conflicted male.” I sighed. P-21 still wasn’t over everything that I’d done to him. When I hurt a pony, I left scars. Deep ones. Just like Daisy. “What happened to your friend in the stable?”
"你的蓝色朋友知道。他想伤害我们所有人。他想帮助我们所有人。我无法想象还有哪个男人比他更有矛盾心理。"我叹了口气。P-21仍然没有忘记我对他所做的一切。当我伤害了一匹小马，我留下了伤疤。深刻的问题。就像黛西一样。"你在马厩里的朋友怎么了?"
“There is this one door with a faulty electric motor. She led her mom in there... brought the door down on her head. Said it was an accident. I never went near that door again; I never knew if she was inside, waiting to crush my head like a grape.” She took her mom’s position and that was that.
"有一扇门的电动机出了故障。她把她妈妈带进去...把门砸在她头上。说那是个意外。我再也没有走近那扇门，我不知道她是否在里面，等着像捏葡萄一样捏碎我的脑袋。"她接替了她妈妈的位置，仅此而已。
“Do me a favor... all of us a favor... stay out of our heads,” I thought as I looked up at her.
"帮我个忙......我们所有人都帮个忙......离我们的脑袋远一点,"我抬头看着她，心想。
“Of course. Good night,” she said as she pulled her horn away from mine with a parting, “Sleep tight.”
"当然。"晚安,"她一边说着，一边把喇叭从我身边拉开，临别时,"睡个好觉。"
Yeah... sleep... that wasn’t happening...
是啊...睡觉...那不是真的..。
* * *
* * *
In the morning, I found Glory shaking, holding one of the cold metal rods as if it were a magic wand to protect her. P-21 was as far from the water as he could get, and Rampage was roasting a chunk of leech over the coals in the fire before laying in. “What? It’s good!” she protested as she chowed down on the rubbery flesh. Another day and she’d be at her adult weight.
第二天早上，我发现晨辉在颤抖，手里拿着一根冰冷的金属棒，好像它是一根魔杖，用来保护她。P-21离水越远越好，然后在火堆上用水蛭烤了一大块水蛭，然后才上船。"什么？太好吃了!"她一边狼吞虎咽着橡胶般的肉，一边抗议。再过一天，她的体重就会恢复到成年人的水平。
The Seahorse crept out into the flow, the morning glow barely starting to illuminate the clouds to the east. Everything was coated in a sickly sheen of black mold and rotten fungus; not true growth, but the only slime that could spread in Hoofington’s Enervation fields and tainted waters.
海马悄悄地走进水流，晨光勉强照亮了东边的云层。所有的东西都被黑色霉菌和腐烂的真菌所覆盖，不是真正的生长，而是唯一能够在Hoofington的能量供应区域和污染的水域中传播的粘液。
Now that we were moving, I turned on the radio, hoping to hear more of the Stable Dweller and things around Hoofington. About an hour after I turned it on, the familiar voice of DJ Pon3 addressed the Hoofington region. “And to all my listeners out east, I’m afraid there are some ugly times. A veritable army of raiders has popped up in the north. They’ve hit every caravan and village from Toll to Megamart. These raiders aren’t the normal, half-starved psychopaths you’re used to, either. They’re healthy. They’re organized. And they’re eating everypony they can get their hooves on.
现在我们正在搬家，我打开收音机，希望能听到更多的马厩居民和Hoofington周围的事情。我打开电视大约一个小时后，DJPon3熟悉的声音响彻了Hoofington地区。"对于我在东部的所有听众来说，恐怕有一些不好的时期。一支名副其实的突击队突然出现在北方。他们袭击了从托尔到Megamart的所有商队和村庄。这些袭击者也不是你所习惯的正常的、半饥饿的精神病患者。他们很健康。他们是有组织的。它们吃掉了所有能吃的小马。
“So, who is responding to this menace? Well, not the Reapers. No, they got their hooves full trying to harass river traffic and seeing who is the most badass pony in Equestria. And it’s not the Steel Rangers, oh no. They don’t interfere with locals, and they’re busy stockpiling every bullet and missile they can get their hooves on. Aaaand it’s not the Volunteer Corps, either; come on, Enclave, if you really want to help, do you have to be so incompetent? I’m not saying you’re not trying, but is this the best you can do?
"那么，谁来应对这种威胁呢？不是死神。不，他们拼了命去骚扰河上的交通，看看谁是Equestria最牛逼的小马。不是钢铁骑兵，哦，不。它们不会干扰当地居民，而且它们正忙着储备每一颗子弹和导弹，以备不时之需。啊，而且也不是志愿者团;来吧，昂科雷，如果你真的想帮忙，你非得这么无能吗？我不是说你不努力，但这就是你能做的最好的了吗？
“Unless one of these three powers wants to pony up, things are going to get pretty brutal pretty fast. Otherwise, we’ll just have to cross our hooves and hope that Security can do something about it. Because once they strip Hoofington, it’s just a hop, skip and jump to Manehattan. So move your little rump if you can, Security. Folks need you more than ever.”
"除非这三个大国中有一个愿意掏腰包，否则形势很快就会变得相当残酷。否则，我们只能祈祷安全部门能做点什么了。因为一旦他们脱掉胡芬顿的衣服，那就只是一个跳跃，跳跃和跳跃到Manehattan。保安，尽量挪动你的小屁股。人们比任何时候都更需要你。"
Thrush looked at me with a curious smile. “Well… you’ve got an interesting time ahead of you.”
画眉带着好奇的微笑看着我。"好吧......你将度过一段有趣的时光。"
My mane itched like mad from all the humidity off the river, and I scowled as I looked out at the slimy buildings and bobbing ruined boats and barges. “Where the heck are they all coming from? I cleared out Withers and Pony Joe’s.”
我的鬃毛被河水的湿气弄得像发了疯一样，当我看着外面那些泥泞的建筑和被冲毁的船只和驳船时，我皱起了眉头。"他们到底是从哪里来的？我把威瑟斯和小马乔的店都清空了。"
“West side’s always been lousy with raiders. East side of the river, there’s too many ponies with really big guns for them to build up past small groups, but on the western half ponies are exposed and fair game. The Reapers don’t keep their numbers down unless they get annoying; heck, half the bandits and raiders in the
"西区总是有很多袭击者。在河的东边，有太多的小马和真正的大枪，他们建立过去的小群体，但在西部的一半小马是暴露和公平的猎物。收割者不会保持他们的数量下来，除非他们得到恼人，见鬼，一半的土匪和掠夺者在
Hoof seem to want to join up with the Reapers.” Thrush slowed and gave a barge covered in giant frogs a wide berth. “My guess is an entire village ran out of food and went raider. Not sure who it could be, though. There’s a lot of little squatter villages between here and there.”
霍夫似乎想加入收割者。"画眉放慢了脚步，让一艘满是大青蛙的驳船离得远远的。"我的猜测是，整个村庄的食物都吃光了，于是变成了袭击者。不过不知道会是谁。这里和那里之间有许多小棚户区。"
“In other news, more tragedy in the Hoof as I’ve confirmed that the village of Riverside has gone silent. There’s no activity in the community at all. No bodies, either. Whether the raiders got that far south or something else happened is unclear, but the entire town’s been hit. Hopefully survivors make it to safety and are able to tell us what the heck happened.
"还有一个消息，霍夫市发生了更多的悲剧，因为我已经确认，河滨市的村庄已经陷入沉寂。社区里一点活动都没有。也没有尸体。目前还不清楚袭击者是否到达了那么远的南方，还是发生了其他什么事情，但是整个镇子都被袭击了。希望幸存者能够安全到达，并告诉我们到底发生了什么。
“And I really wish I could end there, Hoofites, but if you’re in the south, keep your eyes open for stripes. There’s been reports of zebra sniper teams working all along the Luna Space Center and Black Pony Mountain targeting ghouls, Society farms, and even taking a few shots at the Skyport. Please note this seems to be only a small group or tribe, and don’t take it as an excuse to butcher every zebra from Glyphmark to Roam, people!
"我真的希望我能到此为止，Hoofites，但是如果你在南方，请睁大你的眼睛寻找条纹。有报道称，斑马狙击队在月球太空中心和黑马山一带工作，目标是食尸鬼、社会农场，甚至还在空中港拍摄了几张照片。请注意，这似乎只是一个小群体或部落，不要以此为借口屠杀从Glyphmark到漫游的每一匹斑马！
“And while normally I would nip down for some cheese and wine at the news of Paradise getting its just rewards, I’m afraid I can’t. Looks like Red Eye’s put his hooves down and has taken control of the slave market directly. So expect your local slavers to be really interested in grabbing you, your loved ones, and anypony else they can, because Red Eye wants them all. No word on what happened to Usury, but it’s to my (grudging) regret to report that Redbeard was impaled on his own radio tower. Red Eye: it’s called ‘temperance’; look it up. I’d tell you to look up ‘restraint’, too, but then you’d get all hung up on the collars and chains...
"通常一听到天堂乐园得到了应得的回报，我就会跑下来吃点奶酪和葡萄酒，但恐怕不行。看来红眼睛放下了他的蹄子，直接控制了奴隶市场。所以期待你当地的奴隶贩子真的有兴趣抓住你，你的爱人，以及任何他们能抓住的小马，因为红眼需要他们所有人。没有关于高利贷发生了什么的消息，但是我(勉强)遗憾地报告说，红胡子在他自己的无线电塔上被刺穿了。红眼睛:这叫做节制，查查看。我也会告诉你去查"克制"，但是你会被衣领和链子挂起来..。
“And that’s the news from around Hoofington. I know things are always tough, but you always hang in there. If ponies don’t help each other, who will?”
"这就是来自Hoofington各地的消息。我知道事情总是很艰难，但是你总是坚持下去。如果小马不互相帮助，还有谁会呢?"
I sat down hard. Riverside gone? What had happened? Had Rover decided that ponies couldn’t be traded with and murdered the survivors? Had Riverside gone and invaded en masse after we’d cleared out the traps, before Rover could replace them? Or were there other raiders we’d missed that’d wiped them both out? I thought of Fifi and Granny Fishy. What had become of them? Damn it, why did this keep happening?!
我重重地坐了下来。河滨市走了？发生了什么？罗孚是否决定了小马不能与之交易并杀害了幸存者？在我们清除了这些陷阱之后，在罗孚能够取代它们之前，里弗赛德是不是已经大举入侵了？或者还有其他被我们忽略的袭击者把他们都杀了？我想到了菲菲和菲菲奶奶。他们后来怎么样了？该死，为什么总是这样?！
Still, Paradise taken over by Red Eye? I doubted that the bounty on my head still
然而，天堂还是被红眼夺走了？我仍然怀疑悬赏我的人头
existed. I really would be glad to stop running across Zodiacs and desperate ponies.
存在。我真的很乐意停止奔跑穿过橡皮筏和绝望的小马。
* * *
* * *
“We need to put in at Flotsam for an hour,” Thrush announced with a sigh, more to her crew than to us. “Anchors owes me a barrel of tar and at least a case of spark batteries.” She looked at us. “I’m invoking rule one. You go wandering around Flotsam and I’m leaving you there. This isn’t like Riverside. Half the ponies here will shoot you in the back and claim they found you in the river. The other half will shoot them in the back. So just wait here. Tarboots and I will be back straight away.”
"我们需要在佛罗萨姆号上停留一个小时,"画眉叹了口气说，与其说是对我们，不如说是对她的船员。"锚还欠我一桶柏油和至少一箱火花电池。"她看着我们。"我要启用第一条规则。你在漂浮物周围徘徊，我把你留在那里。这可不像河滨市。这里一半的小马会从背后射杀你，然后声称他们在河里发现了你。另一半人会从背后开枪。所以在这儿等着。塔布茨和我马上就回来。"
I blinked. Why was everypony looking at me? “What?”
我眨了眨眼。为什么每个小马都盯着我看？"什么?"
Skimming along the water, we approached what looked like just another logjam of wrecked barges and ships, except that these looked even more mangled and twisted. It wasn’t until we got closer that it became clear that these weren’t an accidental mashing. Two barges had been welded together into one immense platform, and dozens of cargo containers had been converted into rusty shacks. Four large cranes trailed in the river, and there were countless nets and smaller cables dangling in the water as well.
我们沿着水面掠过，接近了一个看起来像又一个失事的驳船和船只堵塞的地方，除了这些看起来更加扭曲和破碎。直到我们走得更近，才明白这不是一次意外的捣碎。两艘驳船被焊接在一个巨大的平台上，几十个集装箱变成了生锈的窝棚。四架大型起重机拖在河里，还有数不清的网和小电缆悬挂在河里。
As we pulled close, one of the nearest cranes lifted a massive metal claw, spraying water and mud, and dumped the entire mass onto an open deck. The claw moved away, and a half dozen ponies began to pick through the sludge for anything of value. It sure didn’t seem like a very good deal, but I saw them going immediately for yellow medical boxes, ammo crates, and any remotely valuable pieces of scrap.
当我们靠近时，最近的一架起重机举起一只巨大的金属爪，喷出水和泥浆，把整个船体倾倒在敞开的甲板上。爪子移开了，六匹小马开始在淤泥中寻找任何有价值的东西。这看起来肯定不是什么好买卖，但是我看到他们马上就去买黄色的医药箱，弹药箱，以及任何稍微有点价值的废品。
What a life.
多美好的生活啊。
We pulled up, and immediately a dozen ponies looked at us with blatant speculation and sharp calculating stares. I just stood on the roof of the wheelhouse and looked back with Taurus’s rifle beside me, giving them my own baleful stare in return. Eventually, the group mostly dispersed, but there were always eyes on the boat.
我们停下车，十几匹小马马立刻用无耻的猜测和深谋远虑的眼神看着我们。我只是站在驾驶室的屋顶上，回头看了看身边的金牛座步枪，还以恶意的眼神瞪了他们一眼。最终，这群人大部分散开了，但船上总有人盯着。
“Five minutes. No exploring,” Thrush warned me as she and Tarboots hopped off and trotted towards the largest crane.
"五分钟。不要探险,"画眉警告我，她和塔布茨跳下车，小跑向最大的起重机。
“Everypony acts like I can’t control myself,” I muttered as I walked along the rail, looking out at the filthy, muddy ponies. Not just filthy. Half the ponies I looked at were deformed; a bent horn here or a twisted hoof there. Some had grotesque tumors sprouting from their hides.
"每匹小马都表现得好像我无法控制自己,"我边走边喃喃自语，看着外面那些肮脏、泥泞的小马。不仅仅是肮脏。我看到的小马有一半是畸形的，这儿的角弯了，那儿的蹄子弯了。有些动物的皮肤上长出了奇形怪状的肿瘤。
“What happened to all of them?” Glory asked softly.
"他们都怎么了?"格洛里轻声问道。
“Taint,” Oilcan replied simply. “It’s in the water. There’s nothing to eat but things that live in the water. They absorb the taint, and it gets transferred to anypony that eats them.”
"有问题,"油罐公司简单地回答。"在水里。除了生活在水里的东西，没有别的东西可以吃。它们吸收污染物，然后转移到任何吃它们的小马身上。"
All of us glanced at Rampage. She blinked. “What? I just got disintegrated. If taint can still mess with me after that, then find me a great big barrel of the stuff and we’ll see if I can die from it.”
我们都瞥了一眼暴怒。她眨了眨眼。"什么？我刚刚被分解了。如果在那之后污染还能困扰我，那就给我找一大桶这种东西，看看我能不能死于它。"
She had a point. I supposed if she got too mutated, she’d just walk towards the Core and come back fine.
她说的有道理。我想如果她变异得太厉害的话，她会径直走向地核然后安然无恙地回来。
Then there was a sound of yelling and screaming. A colt had apparently found a sealed gun case and had pulled it free of the mass. A larger scraggy mare was taking issue with his find, and lifted her hooves to beat on him as he hugged it for dear life. “Okay… not exploring…” I started to say as I rose. “Just going to kick some ass!”
然后传来一阵叫喊和尖叫声。一匹柯尔特马显然找到了一个密封的枪盒，把它从重物中拉了出来。一只更大的瘦弱的母马对他的发现提出异议，当他为了生命拥抱它的时候，她举起她的蹄子打他。"好吧......不是探索......"我站起来开始说。"我要去教训教训那些混蛋!"
“You can’t!” Seabiscuit said as she grabbed my hoof.
"你不能!""海洋饼干"一边抓住我的蹄子一边说。
Oilcan added gravely, “You’d just make yourself free game, and us too.” I gritted my teeth in frustration.
油罐公司严肃地补充道:"你只会让你自己变成免费的游戏，我们也是。"我沮丧地咬紧牙关。
Then there was a jerk that made the whole boat rock and I blinked as I looked around for the source.
然后突然有一个动作，使整个船摇晃，我眨眼，因为我环顾四周寻找源头。
Rampage was gone.
狂暴消失了。
She landed like a candy-cane-striped meteor on the back of the mare, knocking her flat on the deck beside the terrified colt. “Aggravated assault on a minor!” she yelled as she cupped the back of the mare’s head in her hooves and slammed her face into the neck. “Premeditated foal abuse!” She slammed again. “Resisting arrest!” And a third smash that finally made the mare spasm, her face covered in blood as Rampage stood and snarled at the crowd, “Who feels like
她像一颗流星一样落在母马的背上，把她撞倒在甲板上惊恐的小马旁边。"严重伤害未成年人!"她一边叫着，一边用蹄子把母马的后脑勺夹住，把脸狠狠地撞在了母马的脖子上。"有预谋的虐待小马驹!"她又砰地一声关上了门。"拒捕!"第三声撞击最终使母驴痉挛，她满脸是血，狂暴站在那里冲着人群咆哮道:"谁觉得像
being an accessory?!”
成为从犯?!"
Apparently they all did. Rusty spars of steel, hooked poles, jagged blades, and baseball bats materialized in the crowd around her. I stared as I watched her cutie mark swirl into that strange zebra glyph as she rose on her back hooves. They surged en masse, but with a hop she jumped clear over the leading edge. Then she was a one pony wrecking machine, her hooves seeking the joints, ribs, and necks of her enemies. I’d seen this kind of fighting before, in static pictures of fighting techniques.
显然他们都这么做了。生锈的钢梁，钩状的杆子，锯齿状的刀片，棒球棍出现在她周围的人群中。我凝视着她那可爱的斑马标记在那奇怪的斑马标志上打着漩涡，她从后蹄上站了起来。它们一起涌上来，但是她一跃就跳过了前缘。然后她就变成了一台小马破坏机，她的蹄子在寻找敌人的关节、肋骨和脖子。我以前见过这种格斗，在静态的格斗技巧图片中。
These moves were the light side of Fallen Caesar technique, fighting with restraint rather than to kill. And she could kill with a tilt of her hooves from flat to point. Just that, and her hooves would be going through her enemies rather than bruising ribs or spraining joints... Her red stripes seemed particularly brilliant as she moved through them like an avalanche. Ponies on the cranes were rushing out now with high powered rifles. But any fight that was left found itself sprawled out across the deck.
这些动作是堕落凯撒技巧的光明面，用克制而不是杀戮战斗。而且它可以用蹄子从一个平面到另一个平面的倾斜来杀死猎物。就是这样，她的蹄子会穿过她的敌人，而不是挫伤肋骨或扭伤关节...她的红色条纹似乎特别明亮，因为她通过他们像雪崩。起重机上的小马现在正用高性能步枪冲出来。但是任何剩下的战斗都发现自己横躺在甲板上。
Just like that, anypony who had a problem with Rampage left rather than face her glare. The colt had released the fallen gun case and now shook the fallen mare. “Momma! Momma!”
就这样，任何有问题的小马都离开了，而不是面对她的怒视。小马放开了倒下的枪套，现在摇晃着倒下的母马。"妈妈！妈妈!"
I saw the skull forming like it was rising from the depths... Saw that smile on her lips...
我看到头骨像从深处升起一样形成...看到她嘴角的微笑..。
Fuck. No.
操。没有。
One shot fired, passing under her ear; the hollowpoint tearing off half her face as it exited. Floating the rifle, I advanced as she fell, keeping the barrel on her. When she regenerated, I fired again. And again. And again. The entire village stared in shock as I repeatedly blew her brains out.
一发子弹从她耳朵下穿过，中空尖弹出时撕裂了她的半张脸。她倒下的时候，我拿着步枪向前走去，枪管仍然扣在她身上。当她再生的时候，我又开枪了。再来一次。再来一次。当我不断地打爆她的脑袋时，整个村子都震惊地看着我。
“Will somepony get this kid and his mom out of here?” I shouted, and then fired as she started to rise. I did not want her to make me deal with a murderous pony using Fallen Caesar style on me!
"有人能把这孩子和他妈妈弄出去吗?"我喊道，然后在她开始站起来的时候开了枪。我不希望她让我用堕落凯撒的方式对付一匹杀气腾腾的小马！
Some ponies got their wits together enough to drag both kid and mother out of sight. Some other scumbag snagged the gun case. I hoped it was loaded with armed grenades. Finally, we were alone in the center of a large area of nopony wanting to look at the crazy mares. Rampage just lay there, and I watched as the
一些小马恢复了理智，把孩子和母亲都拖出了视线。另一个卑鄙小人抢走了那个枪盒。我希望里面装满了手榴弹。最后，我们独自一人在一大片小马场的中心，想看看那些疯狂的母马。暴怒就躺在那里，我看着
skull seemed to dissolve into a swirl.
头骨似乎融化成一个漩涡。
“Thanks,” she muttered as she sat up and looked at the red and gray smears across the rusty deck. “Whoa… what’d I do?”
"谢谢,"她一边坐起来，一边喃喃自语，看着锈迹斑斑的甲板上红灰色的污迹。"哇...我做了什么?"
“Rampaged.” And thank goodness without her armor. “Do you remember?”
"狂暴。"感谢上帝没有了她的盔甲。"你还记得吗?"
“I… some cunt hit a kid and… I think I was going to… ah… arrest her?” She blinked at me owlishly before nodding. “Yeah, I think that was it. Then it all got fuzzier and fuzzier.”
"我.....。.有个混蛋打了一个孩子......我想我要......啊......逮捕她?"她在点头前对我眨了眨眼睛。"是的，我想就是这样。然后一切都变得越来越模糊。"
“Freeze! Don’t fucking move!” two unicorns shouted as they pointed rifles at both of us. “Nopony disrupts salvage operations in Flotsam.”
"不许动！他妈的别动!"两只独角兽用来福枪指着我们。"Nopony扰乱了漂流物的打捞工作。"
Rampage just took one look at them and then leaned forward to press her forehead against the barrel of the gun. “What, you think your gun can drop me when hers couldn’t? Go on. Try. And then, when you run out of bullets, I’ll fuck you with the butt of your own rifle.”
狂暴只看了他们一眼，然后身体前倾，把额头抵在枪管上。"什么，你以为你的枪能打倒我，而她的枪却不能？继续。试试。然后等你没子弹了，我就用你自己步枪的枪托干你。"
Okay, that was a little more disturbing than I’d anticipated. I put on my best cocky as fuck grin. “Look. Fight’s done. See to your injured, be glad they’re not corpses, and let’s forget all about this little disruption?”
好吧，这比我预想的还要令人不安。我带上了我最好的骄傲的笑容。"你看。战斗结束了。看看你的伤员，庆幸他们不是尸体，让我们忘记这些小小的破坏吧?"
The two looked at Rampage and then at each other. The striped earth pony kissed at the one pressing her rifle to her head. Finally, the pair backed away. “Just… get the fuck out of Flotsam,” they finished lamely as they backed away.
两个人看了看狂暴，然后又看了看对方。那匹身着土条纹的矮种马对着把步枪顶在头上的人亲吻起来。最后，两人退后了。"你他妈的给我滚出废墟,"他们一瘸一拐地退了回去。
Gladly. We trotted back towards the Seahorse. I’d seen all I wanted to of this place. Then I paused as I saw a pony sorting junk. My eyes were drawn to a slim black case the length of my fetlock next to a heap of bent sporks, cracked Ministry of Awesome coffee mugs, and battered plates. The stallion pretended I was invisible as I pulled it out with my magic. “Where’d you get this?”
乐意之至。我们小跑着回到海马那里。我已经看到了这个地方我想要的一切。然后我停了下来，看到一匹小马正在分拣垃圾。我的眼睛被一个超薄的黑色球笼吸引住了，旁边是一堆弯曲的叉子、破碎的魔法部咖啡杯和破旧的盘子。当我用魔法把它拉出来时，那匹种马假装我是隐形的。"你从哪儿弄到这个的?"
He looked at me finally, then at the case. He lifted a hoof, and I stared at the tentacles that wiggled at the end of his limb. “Ministry of Awesome sky carriage last year. Good salvage. You like it?” he asked with a hungry grin.
他终于看了我一眼，然后又看了看箱子。他抬起一只蹄子，我盯着那些在他四肢末端摆动的触角。"去年太空马车部。打捞得不错。你喜欢吗?"他带着饥饿的笑容问道。
“Ten caps,” I said, trying not to shudder as his tongue slipped out. It looked like a gray pipe.
"十个帽子,"我说，尽量不让自己发抖，因为他的舌头滑了出来。它看起来像一个灰色的管子。
He seemed to struggle for something to haggle over. Charity would have owned him. “Is very… ah… black. And shiny. Fifty caps.”
他似乎在努力讨价还价。慈善会拥有他的。"非常......啊......黑。而且闪闪发光。五十帽子。"
I looked at him flatly. “Ten and I’ll throw in two cans of Cram.”
我直截了当地看着他。"十个，再加两个补习班。"
His eyes lit up. “Done.”
他的眼睛亮了起来。"成交。"
We got back on the boat and I touched the sleek black case. There was a soft click and it opened in my hooves. Inside gleamed the massive magical shell and a folded up note. ‘Rainbow Dash, you seen anything like this before? That nutjob Trottenheimer whipped it up. Does it have anything to do with the work he did for you?’ I carefully slipped the silver bullet into my packs.
我们回到船上，我摸了摸那个光滑的黑色箱子。一声轻轻的咔嗒声在我的蹄子里响起。里面闪着巨大的魔法贝壳和一张折叠起来的纸条。"彩虹小飞，你以前见过这样的东西吗？是那个疯子Trottenheimer策划的。这和他为你做的工作有关系吗我小心翼翼地把银弹塞进背包里。
Ten minutes later, Thrush returned. She looked at Oilcan. “So, did she?”
十分钟后，画眉回来了。她看了看油罐。"那么，她有吗?"
“Leave the boat? Sure,” Oilcan said with a smile. Tarboots started to grin. “But not to explore or help anypony. Her friend decided to administer a little law enforcement and she jumped out to haul her back in…” Then Oilcan looked at me with a disturbed little smile. “After shooting her in the head… repeatedly.”
""离开船？当然,"奥利坎微笑着说。塔布茨开始露齿而笑。"但不要去探索或帮助任何小马。她的朋友决定执行一点法律，她跳下车把她拉回来......"然后油罐公司带着不安的微笑看着我。"在朝她头部开了一枪之后......反复地。"
“It takes a lot to get my attention,” Rampage replied.
"要引起我的注意需要花费很多时间,"狂暴回答道。
The pair looked at each other. “Huh. Well, I bet she’d leave to help somepony. You bet she’d explore. Oilcan said she’d wander off being bored. Damn… I guess none of us win.”
两人互相看着对方。"哈。我打赌她会离开去帮助某个小马。你打赌她会去探索。油罐公司说她会因为无聊而到处闲逛。该死......我想我们都没赢。"
“Wait! You bet I’d leave the boat anyway after telling me not to?” I said sharply, feeling slightly hurt.
"等等！你敢打赌，在我告诉我不要离开船之后，我还是会离开船吗?"我尖锐地说，感觉有点受伤。
“‘Course we did,” she said as Tarboots passed the box to Oilcan. Her lips split in a grin. “You don’t think I’d stay put if somepony told me not to, do you?” I wanted to cry; I’d tried to be good and stay put. I had! Was I really that predictable?”
"当然了,"当塔布茨把盒子递给油罐公司时，她说。她咧开嘴笑了。"如果有人叫我不要留下来，你不会以为我会留下来吧?"我想哭，我试着乖乖地呆在原地。我有！我真的那么容易预测吗?"
From the smirks, yes. Yes I was.
从假笑来看，是的。是的。
* * *
* * *
We were leaving Flotsam and the Fork behind, heading north. I admit, I was glad to be putting some distance between me and the Core. The east side of the city
我们离开了弗洛萨姆河和福克河，向北前进。我承认，我很高兴能在我和核心之间保持一定距离。城市的东边
was full of industrial ruins rather than residential. A number of huge rusting tanks and containers rose from the crumbling buildings like fungus. Like the west side, most of the factories bore black char marks from the intense flames. ‘BOOM Inc.’ rose over the largest container, spelled out on smokestacks that looked like sticks of dynamite.
到处都是工业废墟而不是住宅区。一些巨大的生锈的坦克和集装箱像真菌一样从摇摇欲坠的建筑物中升起。和西侧一样，大多数工厂都有强烈火焰留下的黑色炭痕。"BOOM公司"在最大的集装箱上空升起，集装箱在看起来像炸药棒一样的大烟囱上拼写出来。
I could only imagine THAT fire when the city went up.
我只能想象城市燃起时的那场大火。
The river was carrying us north towards a gap between two hills connected by a concrete arch. “Okay, if we can make it past Zenith Bridge, we should be okay,” Thrush said as she looked up at the structure.
这条河把我们带到北边的两座山之间的一个缺口，这两座山由一座混凝土拱门连接。"好吧，如果我们能过ZenithBridge，我们应该没问题,"斯拉什一边抬头看着建筑物一边说。
“And there’s a problem with that, isn’t there?” I asked as I looked through the binoculars. Both sides of the bridge had been fortified with trailers, slabs of concrete, and sandbags. On one side was a black pony skull on a red flag; on the other side’s flag was a half-apple with an inlay of three magical sparks ringed by gears, held by crescent-shaped wings, and overlaid by a sword of war with a mouth-brace hilt.
"这有个问题，不是吗?"我边问边透过望远镜看。桥的两边都加固了拖车、混凝土板和沙袋。一面是一个黑色的小马头骨，上面插着一面红旗，另一面是一面半苹果旗，上面镶嵌着三个神奇的火星，火星由齿轮环绕着，翅膀呈新月形，上面覆盖着一把口箍刀柄的战争之剑。
“The Reapers and the Steel Rangers both contest the bridge, and neither side is so short on ammo that they won’t take shots as us down here. It can get kinda hairy at times, since both sides have missiles.” She sighed. “Usually we pass by at night, but that’s eight hours from now.”
"收割者和钢骑兵都在桥上较量，而且双方的弹药都不会像我们这样短缺。由于双方都拥有导弹，有时情况可能会有些危险。"她叹了口气。"我们通常在晚上经过，但那是从现在开始的8个小时。"
“So…” I rubbed my chin. “Just speaking hypothetically here… if something exploded on the Reaper side… they’d be more inclined to shoot at Rangers than us, right?”
"那么......"我揉了揉下巴。"只是假设一下......如果死神那边有什么东西爆炸了......他们更可能向游骑兵开枪，而不是我们，对吧?"
Thrush nodded with a smile. “Yeah, we’ve done that before… but we don’t have any missiles.” She looked again and scowled. “Shit. They’ve spotted us. Probably waiting for us to get in range now.”
画眉微笑着点了点头。"是的，我们以前也这样做过......但我们没有任何导弹。"她又看了一眼，皱起了眉头。"妈的。他们发现我们了。可能在等我们进入射程。"
They were looking at us and each other. Maybe that meant they wouldn’t be looking up.
他们看着我们，看着彼此。也许这意味着他们不会向上看。
I looked at Glory. Thrush looked at Glory. She gave a nervous little smile. “What? Why are you both smiling at me like that?”
我看着晨辉。画眉望着晨辉。她紧张地微微一笑。"什么？为什么你们两个都那样对我笑?"
* * *
* * *
Five minutes later the Seahorse barreled past the bridge as gatling guns hummed, missiles exploded, and grenades popped in rapid fire succession. And to think, all of that was due to one grenade dropped by one pegasus. Only one missile streaked down at us, but we powered past it as it blasted a pillar of foamy water behind us. Two minutes later, we were clear and the Reapers and Rangers were still busying themselves with pounding away at each other.
五分钟后，当加特林机枪发出嗡嗡声，导弹爆炸，手榴弹接连发射时，锡霍斯从桥上疾驰而过。想想看，所有这一切都是因为一颗手榴弹落下了一匹飞马。只有一枚导弹向我们飞来，但当它在我们身后喷射出一股泡沫水柱时，我们以动力穿过了它。两分钟后，我们安全了，收割者和流浪者还在忙着互相攻击。
Glory fluttered to the deck, looking back. “Oh, I hope nopony gets hurt.” Given that they were both using missiles, I wasn’t counting on it.
晨辉飞到甲板上，回头望去。"哦，我希望小马不会受伤。"考虑到他们都在使用导弹，我没有指望它。
“Look at it this way: they can stop firing any time they like,” Thrush said with a grin as we powered down the river to the north. From the rattling of guns and the boom of missiles, that wasn’t going to be any time soon.
"这么想吧:他们随时都可以停止射击,"画眉笑着说，我们沿着河往北走。从枪炮的轰鸣声和导弹的轰鸣声来看，这种情况不会很快出现。
* * *
* * *
Toll was the last bridge crossing the river. Much lower than the Zenith span, it had a section that rotated in the middle to allow ships to pass on either side. That center span held the village nestled right on top of the powerful drives that moved the bridge. Fortunately it was open, and the Seahorse just powered past with a wave at the scowling ponies whom I was sure did not like getting cheated out of a payment. The bridge past the turnstile to the west showed recent battle, though, and some of the craters were still smoking.
托尔桥是过河的最后一座桥。比Zenith跨度低很多，它有一个中间旋转的部分，允许船只通过任何一边。正是这个中心跨度使得整个村庄坐落在移动桥梁的强大驱动器的正上方。幸运的是，门是开着的，海马冲着那些愁眉苦脸的小马挥了挥手，我敢肯定它们不喜欢被骗钱。不过，经过西面旋转门的桥上显示出最近的战斗，一些弹坑还冒着烟。
With the last obstacle out of our way, we powered down the last mile of river and into…
最后一个障碍物已经过去了，我们用电把最后一英里的河水冲掉，进入了.....。
The sea…
大海..。
I’d never seen the sea before. Never imagined it. Never could imagine it, not even from the little gray pictures in books I was too bored to pay attention to. A great leaden sheet of rolling water stretching as far as the eye could see. Half of it was obscured by a port to the east, but my eyes stared out further and further till my gaze reached the horizon. Far off, I could see strips of blue.
我以前从未见过大海。从来没想过。从来没有想象过，甚至从书里那些灰色的小图片里也没有想到过，我太无聊了，没有注意到它们。一大片铅灰色的滚滚水面，一望无际。它的一半被东边的一个港口遮住了，但我的眼睛越来越向外看，直到我的目光达到了地平线。在遥远的地方，我可以看到一条条的蓝色。
Suddenly, I didn’t want to stop. I wanted to ask Thrush to continue on out into that great open emptiness and get away from the nightmare that was Hoofington. I wanted to leave it all behind, for good.
突然，我不想停下来。我想要求斯拉什继续进入那个巨大的开放空虚，从Hoofington的噩梦中解脱出来。我想把这一切都抛在脑后，永远地。
Cards shuffled in my mind, and I let out a long sigh as I looked to the west at the
扑克牌在我的脑子里洗来洗去，我长长地叹了一口气，望着西边
large hills over the sea. I couldn’t go, no matter how much I wanted it. And it didn’t matter if I wanted to go somewhere else. Thrush’s father had been lost to pirates. The Wasteland was more than just Equestria. It was the entire world. There was no getting away from it.
海上的大山。我不能去，不管我多么想去。我想不想去别的地方也没关系。画眉鸟的父亲在海盗手中失踪了。荒原不仅仅是Equestria。而是整个世界。这是无法逃避的。
“What’s that?” P-21 asked as he pointed to the east towards the largest damn ship I could have ever imagined. It was tied up to a pier but listed to the side somewhat. It had turrets mounting the biggest damn guns I could ever imagine. They looked longer than the Seahorse!
"那是什么?"P-21一边问，一边指着东边那艘我能想象到的最大的破船。它被绑在一个码头上，但是有点歪歪斜斜的。炮塔上安装着我能想象到的最大的枪支。它们看起来比海马还要长！
“Her Majesty’s Ship Celestia. They called it a battleship; guess what it was for?” Thrush said with a snort.
"女王陛下的飞船塞莱斯蒂亚。他们把它叫做战舰，猜猜它是干什么用的?"画眉哼了一声说。
“It’s enormous!” P-21 gushed.
"太大了!"P-21喷涌而出。
“The HMS Luna was bigger,” Thrush said as she pointed at a darker patch in the middle of the harbor below a rusting tower of metal. “Took a direct hit from a balefire bomb and still took almost a century to completely sink. The Celestia’s now the local headquarters of the Steel Rangers.”
"英国皇家海军月神号更大,"画眉说，她指着港口中间一个生锈的金属塔下面一块较暗的地方。"被火焰弹直接击中，几乎花了一个世纪才完全沉没。天堂现在是钢铁游骑兵的地方总部。"
“What’s their story? I get that they have power armor, but why are they in Hoofington?” I asked with a small frown.
"他们有什么故事？我知道他们有强大的装甲部队，但他们为什么会在Hoofington?"我皱着眉头问道。
“Well, back in the last years of the war, Applejack designed magic power armor. Soldiers that were trained in its use became an elite group. When Equestria went boom, they buried themselves in bunkers and stables and waited it out. About thirty or forty years ago, they crawled out of their base in Manehattan and started to spread. They’ve got some sort of edict to collect and protect the M.W.T. technology, and since ponies aren’t M.W.T. tech, we can go fuck ourselves.
"好吧，回到战争的最后几年，苹果杰克设计了魔力盔甲。受过使用训练的士兵成为了一个精英团体。当小马国繁荣起来的时候，他们把自己埋在沙坑和马厩里，等待着灾难的结束。大约三十、四十年前，他们从Manehattan的基地爬出来，开始扩散。他们已经颁布了某种法令来收集和保护m.w.t.技术，既然小马不是m.w.t.技术，我们可以去操我们自己。
“Twenty years or so ago, they came down to Hoofington. I guess Elder Crunchy Carrots took one look at the Celestia and orgasmed. If they could get the guns to work, they could take over the city. If they could get the damn thing seaworthy… hell… I don’t think any place within twenty miles of the sea would be beyond their control.”
"大约20年前，他们来到了Hoofington。我猜脆老胡萝卜看了一眼天青石就高潮了。如果他们能让枪发挥作用，他们就能控制整个城市。如果他们能让这该死的东西适于航海...该死...我不认为海洋方圆二十英里内的任何地方会超出他们的控制。"
“Could they?” I couldn’t imagine those enormous guns firing. How big were the actual shells? If it could fire for miles, even the Hoofington defenses might not be enough. They could batter down the wall and the city would be theirs. Except for the Enervation… but what if their suits blocked it? Ooooohhh… my mane
"他们会吗?"我无法想象那些巨大的炮火。实际的炮弹有多大？如果它可以连续射击数英里，即使是胡芬顿防御工事也可能不够。他们可以摧毁城墙，这个城市就是他们的了。但是如果他们的防护服挡住了呢？噢...我的鬃毛
didn’t like that idea at all!
我一点也不喜欢这个主意！
“No idea. I think Crunchy Carrots just wants it working to make it work. Steel Rain, though… he’s definitely of the opinion that technology’s meant to be used.” She sighed and shrugged. “They’re mostly bottled up in the Ironmare base. I don’t have much dealings with them, since the Seahorse’s engine’s probably pretty high on their list of ‘Tech to Confiscate’. I don’t plan on finding out just how high anytime soon.”
"不知道。我认为嘎吱嘎吱的胡萝卜只是想让它发挥作用。钢铁雨，虽然......他绝对认为技术就是用来的。"她叹了口气，耸了耸肩。"他们大多被困在Ironmare基地。我和他们没有太多的交易，因为海马的引擎可能在他们的'没收技术'清单上排名很靠前。我不打算很快就弄清楚到底有多高。"
The Seahorse turned away from the Celestia towards the west side of the bay, where the land rose in high gray and brown hills. I looked back at the gray waves and the crashed and piled boats that had been jumbled together or half sunk in the harbor. From the depths of the sunken HMS Luna, I could see the telltale rainbow glow of magical radiation. Even the sea, as vast and wide as it appeared, hadn’t escaped the war. Nothing had.
海马从天堂转向海湾的西侧，那里的土地呈现出高高的灰色和棕色的山丘。我回头看着灰色的海浪，看着那些混杂在一起或者半沉没在港口的撞毁的、堆积成山的船只。从沉没的皇家海军月神号的深处，我可以看到泄露秘密的神奇辐射的彩虹光芒。即使是看起来广阔无垠的大海，也逃不过战火的洗礼。什么都没有。
“I’ll drop you off at the boardwalk. Unless you’ve had a sudden outbreak of sanity and want to come with us to Friendship City?” Thrush grinned widely. “Oh, it’s a great place. There’s this bar run by the fattest mare you could imagine, but her swill will get you messed up faster than you can spit. Pretty sure she cuts it with antifreeze.”
"我把你放在木板路上。除非你突然发疯，想和我们一起去友谊城?"画眉咧嘴大笑。"哦，那是个好地方。你可以想象这个酒吧是由最胖的母马经营的，但是她的饮料会让你混乱的速度比你可以吐口水。她肯定是用防冻液切的。"
I knew she didn’t want us to split up. We were a lot alike, but she had her boat and her crew. I had my… whatever it was. Quest? Mission? Brain damage? “Ooooh, tempting. I normally never pass up liquor that makes me blind, but I’ve got a long overdue appointment back home.” Ahead, we were approaching something like a carnival set on some long wooden piers. A huge ferris wheel bearing the rusted face of Pinkie Pie grinned out at the harbor with an impudent little wink while a wooden roller coaster leaned perilously out over the water.
我知道她不想我们分开。我们有很多相似之处，但她有自己的船和船员。我有我的...不管是什么。探索？任务？脑损伤？"哦，真诱人。我通常从来不会拒绝让我失明的酒精，但我回家后有一个迟到很久的约会。"前面，我们正在接近一个类似嘉年华会的场景，背景是一些长长的木质码头。一个巨大的摩天轮承载着生锈的小馅饼脸在港口露齿而笑，无礼的眨着眼睛，而一个木制过山车危险地倾斜在水面上。
Thrush carefully maneuvered the Seahorse to a rotten stair at the end of pier. It was rickety, but we were able to climb up to the top. My PipBuck pinged softly. ‘Boardwalk’ appeared in my vision.
画眉仔细地把海马弄到码头尽头一个烂阶梯上。它摇摇欲坠，但我们还是爬到了山顶。我的皮伯克轻轻地响了起来。海滨大道出现在我的视野中。
“Take care of yourself, Security. I look forward to having another adventure with you in the future,” she said with a grin and a little wave.
"保重，保安。我期待着将来和你一起经历另一次冒险,"她微笑着挥了挥手说。
“You too, Captain Thrush. Don’t get sunk,” I replied then frowned. “Or shot. Strangled. Raped. Disemboweled…”
"你也是，思拉什船长。不要沉下去,"我回答，然后皱起了眉头。"或者被枪毙。被勒死的。被强奸了。开膛破肚..."
“I’ll stay safe,” she replied with a laugh. The talisman at the rear of the boat hummed and hissed, and on twin jets of water the Seahorse pulled away and set out towards the open sea.
"我会注意安全的,"她笑着回答。船尾的护身符发出隆隆的响声和嘶嘶的声音，海马乘着两股水流向大海驶去。
I sighed softly, watching her go.
我轻轻地叹了口气，看着她离去。
“You wanted to stay?” Lacunae said softly.
"你想留下来?"拉库尼轻声说。
“Of course. I mean, she has a life that’s exciting and not filled with one messed up nightmare after the next.” I checked my rifle and swept it across the Boardwalk. Nothing in view, nothing on my E.F.S. Had I actually gotten lucky twice in two days?
"当然。我的意思是，她的生活是令人兴奋的，不会充满一个又一个糟糕的噩梦。"我检查了我的步枪，把它扫过木板路。什么都没有，我的e.f.s上什么都没有我是不是真的在两天内走了两次运？
Carefully, we made our way down the pier and into the amusement park. The massive wheel creaked softly in the wind as we passed beneath it. There was an army of raiders operating somewhere around here. Maybe some of them were around Boardwalk?
我们小心翼翼地走下码头，进入游乐园。当我们从下面经过时，巨大的轮子在风中发出轻轻的吱吱声。这附近有一支突袭机大军在活动。也许他们中的一些人在Boardwalk附近？
They were. Only they were dead. Really really dead. Somepony had tied three of them to a rail and then eaten them… alive, apparently, from all the blood spatter and how the wire used to tie them had nearly cut their hooves off in their struggles. Congratulations. There were ponies in the Wasteland more fucked up than even raiders. I just hoped we didn’t run into them between here and 99.
是的。只不过他们都死了。真的真的死了。有个小马把其中三只绑在栏杆上，然后把它们吃掉了......很明显，从所有飞溅的血迹以及用来绑它们的铁丝在它们挣扎时差点把它们的蹄子切下来的情况来看，它们是被活活吃掉的。恭喜你。荒原上的小马比掠夺者还要混乱。我只是希望我们不要在这里和99号之间碰到他们。
* * *
* * *
The path home had an interesting sense of déjà vu behind it. Despite the fact we’d run in an entirely different direction, I still kept looking for the farm with flooded fields or the ruin where we first met Watcher. I was also keeping an eye on my E.F.S. for raiders. We kept coming across signs of them. A bloody brahmin skull hammered into a tree. A pony stretched over a stump before being eaten. I didn’t check that closely, but I couldn’t imagine that had been the only thing done to her. The broken soda bottles near her hindquarters were evidence of that.
回家的路背后有一种有趣的似曾相识的感觉。尽管事实上我们在一个完全不同的方向运行，我仍然继续寻找农场与洪水淹没的领域或废墟，我们第一次见到守望者。我也一直留意着我的e.f.s.，以防突袭机。我们不断地发现他们的迹象。一个被钉在树上的血淋淋的婆罗门头骨。一匹小马在被吃掉之前趴在一个树桩上。我没有仔细检查，但我无法想象这是唯一发生在她身上的事情。她后腿附近的碎汽水瓶就是证据。
In once clearing, we encountered two stallions completely torn to pieces, the remains thrown like garland over the dead trees and thorny bushes. Even their skulls had been pulverized. The only thing not destroyed were their genitals. The specificness of that carnage made my mane crawl. I didn’t like it. These psychopaths were way too close to my home, but I needed to check and make
一旦清理，我们遇到两匹种马完全撕成碎片，遗骸抛出像花环在死树和多刺灌木丛。甚至他们的头骨都被粉碎了。唯一没有被摧毁的是他们的生殖器。那场大屠杀的具体细节让我毛骨悚然。我不喜欢。这些心理变态狂离我家太近了，但是我需要检查一下
sure it was safe before hunting these fuckers down.
在追杀这些混蛋之前肯定是安全的。
Then I spotted it. The mine door was still intact; even Deus hadn’t blown it off its hinges, apparently. I picked my way towards it, looking down. The remains of raiders lay in heaps outside the… No. Not raiders. Brahmin. I looked towards the door, a dread settling upon me.
然后我发现了它。矿井门仍然完好无损;显然，即使是上帝也没有把它从铰链上炸掉。我低下头，小心翼翼地朝它走去。袭击者的残骸堆积在...不。不是突袭机。婆罗门。我朝门口望去，一种恐惧笼罩着我。
I couldn’t hear the voices of my friends as I stepped through. The short dark tunnel downwards was filled with a sweet stench of carrion. Down and down I moved, faster and faster, ignoring the shouts of my friends as I raced to the bottom. If the door was open, if the raiders had gotten inside… but no. I gave a sigh of relief as I saw that door was closed and secure. Perhaps the raiders had tried but failed. I smiled as I rested my head against the metal surface.
我走过去的时候听不到朋友们的声音。向下的短短的黑暗隧道里充满了腐肉的甜美恶臭。我下来又下来，越来越快，忽略了我的朋友们的呼喊，我跑到底部。如果门是开着的，如果突袭机进来了......但是没有。我松了一口气，因为我看到那扇门是关着的，而且是安全的。也许突袭机尝试过，但失败了。我微笑着把头靠在金属表面上。
Lifting my PipBuck, I activated the Overmare’s override for the door. There was a mechanical groan, then a hum. Finally, I could see Mom… Midnight… sleep in my own bed… play a game with Rivets.
抬起我的PipBuck，我启动了Overmare的门控制装置。先是机械的呻吟，然后是嗡嗡声。终于，我可以看到妈妈...午夜...睡在我自己的床上...玩铆钉游戏。
I was home.
我在家。
A blast of hot, dank air hit me… I’d been outside for so long that the dankness made me gag. I heard shouts from behind me, but I didn’t care. I toggled in my mom’s tag and was astonished to see that she was in the atrium. Right through those doors… I walked to them and squeezed through the gap before the door finished opening.
一股闷热潮湿的空气袭击了我......我在外面呆了太久，阴凉让我作呕。我听到身后传来喊叫声，但我不在乎。我拧开妈妈的标签，惊讶地发现她在中庭。就在穿过那些门的时候......我走向他们，在门打开之前从缝隙里挤了进去。
“Hey everypony! Guess who’s…” I stared at the severed head of a mare... rotting lavender hide hanging in slats, striped purple and red mane spattered with dark bits of gore. It was speared on a shorn-off pipe with her PipBuck locked around it and the sign ‘Traitor’ written beneath it. Splayed torsos were nailed to the wall, guts and entrails dangled from the overhead rails like streamers. The black-brown stain of blood covered every wall, and from the halls off the stable came a low mad giggling.
"嘿，大家好！猜猜是谁......"我盯着一匹被砍下来的母马的头......腐烂的淡紫色的马皮挂在板条上，紫红相间的马鬃上溅满了深色的血块。它被一根被剪掉的管子刺穿，管子周围锁着她的PipBuck，管子下面写着"叛徒"的标志。张开的躯干被钉在墙上，内脏和内脏像飘带一样从头顶的栏杆上垂下来。黑褐色的血迹布满了每面墙，从马厩走廊传来一阵低沉而疯狂的笑声。
A hiss crackled over the speaker, and I heard the Overmare’s voice. “Welcome home, Blackjack. We missed you.” Her mocking giggle rose higher and higher as I began to scream.
扬声器上传来一阵嘶嘶声，我听到了Overmare的声音。"欢迎回家，黑杰克。我们都很想你。"当我开始尖叫时，她那嘲弄的咯咯笑声越来越高。
The raider army was Stable 99.
突袭机部队是稳定99。
Footnote: Level Up.
脚注:水平上升。
New Perk added: Light Trot -- You are agile, lucky, and always careful; or maybe you just mastered the art of self-levitation. Either way, you never set off landmines or floor based traps.
新帕金斯补充道:小跑——你很敏捷，幸运，而且总是很小心;或者你刚刚掌握了自我悬浮的艺术。无论哪种方式，你都不会触发地雷或地面陷阱。
Author's Notes:
作者笔记:
(Great admiration, joy, and respect to Kkat for creating FoE, Hinds and Bronode for spending nine hours making it decent, and for everypony happy to read it!)
(非常钦佩、喜悦和尊敬Kkat，因为他创造了FoE、Hinds和Bronode，花了9个小时把它做得像样，每个小马都很高兴读到它!)
Chapter 20: Mercy
第20章:仁慈
Fallout Equestria: Project Horizons
小马国:地平线计划
By Somber
作者:Somber
Chapter 20: Mercy
第20章:仁慈
“Tough love, baby!”
"严厉的爱，宝贝!"
It’d been raining for a while now. A cold rain. A hard rain. The kind of rain that makes you feel like somepony up there doesn’t like you. My throat burned, my legs ached, and every breath I took sounded like rasping metal. I looked up into the rain, too tired to even cry. But not too tired for this; for what I had to do.
现在已经下了一会儿雨了。一场冷雨。一场大雨。那种让你觉得自己像小马驹一样的雨并不喜欢你。我的喉咙发烧，双腿疼痛，每次呼吸都像是刺耳的金属声。我抬头望着雨，累得连哭都不想哭了。但也不是太累，因为我不得不这样做。
I started to dig.
我开始挖掘。
* * *
* * *
“It doesn’t hurt… It doesn’t hurt anymore… It doesn’t,” Rampage whispered to the crushed Thorn over and over again.
"不疼了......不疼了......不疼了,"狂暴一遍又一遍地对压碎的荆棘耳语道。
She was right. It didn’t hurt. The shock rolling through me had mutated into something completely new: a fury so absolute and complete that I launched myself at the striped pony, not caring about my injuries or even that I’d no way to kill her. It’d taken a combat drug cocktail last time. This time, it was something even more potent: my absolute and complete failure to protect a filly I’d sworn to. Rampage had told me she was a monster. If it took a monster to kill her, then that is what I’d become.
她是对的。一点都不疼。这种震惊在我身上翻滚，变成了一种全新的东西:一种如此绝对和彻底的愤怒，以至于我冲向了那匹有条纹的矮种马，完全不在乎自己的伤势，甚至不在乎自己有没有办法杀死她。上次我们喝了一杯战斗药物鸡尾酒。这一次，是更有力的东西:我完全没能保护起誓要保护的一匹小母马。狂暴告诉我她是个怪物。如果只有怪物才能杀死她，那么我也会变成怪物。
“Murderer!” I screamed as I struck her, knocking the poor foal’s body from that ghastly embrace. I screamed again, seizing her head in my hooves and slamming it against the metal railing again and again. I heard bones break and felt the spongy material within. Then I felt the head resolidify. No problem. I’d just do it harder and faster, again and again and again, till it worked!
"凶手!"当我打她的时候，我尖叫起来，把那可怜的小马驹从那可怕的拥抱中打了出来。我又尖叫起来，用蹄子夹住她的头，一次又一次地把它撞在金属栏杆上。我听到骨头断裂的声音，感觉到里面的海绵状物质。然后我感觉到头重新固定了。没问题。我只是越来越努力，越来越快，一次又一次，直到成功！
Every bit of frustration, all my failures, built into a horrible frenzy within me. I was supposed to keep ponies safe! I was Security, damn it! Of course the first
每一点挫折，每一次失败，都在我内心深处建立起一种可怕的狂热。我应该保护小马的安全！我是保安，该死的！当然是第一个
pony she’d go to was Rampage! And I’d been warned; I’d told her I’d stop her if she was alone around a filly. But nopony had thought to tell the Crusaders to keep Thorn away. How could we have explained it to her, anyway; she’d just lost her mother! She’d just watched her get put in the ground! How could I have been so stupid?
她要去的小马是狂暴！有人警告过我;我告诉她，如果她一个人在小母马旁边，我会阻止她。但是没有一匹小马想到要告诉十字军远离荆棘。不管怎样，我们怎么能向她解释这件事呢;她刚刚失去了她的母亲！她刚刚眼睁睁看着自己被埋在地下！我怎么会这么蠢？
Just one! Just save one, Blackjack. Couldn’t I even manage that?
只有一个！省一个吧，黑杰克。我连这个都做不到吗？
Crack! Crack! Crack! Finally, Rampage heaved me away, her inequine strength sending me rolling across the cracked asphalt. The look in her eyes, the tone of her voice, the way she stood… it was all… different. “Murderer? You monster… don’t you get it? This is the merciful thing to do,” she said calmly as she charged at me, her lips curled in a snide grin. Her cutie mark churned over and around the pony skull.
快克！快克！快克！终于，狂暴把我带走了，她不一样的力量让我滚过了有裂缝的沥青路面。她的眼神，她的语调，她站立的方式......一切都......不同。""杀人犯？你这个怪物...你还不明白吗？这是仁慈的做法,"她平静地向我冲过来，嘴角咧着，带着一丝恶毒的微笑。她的可爱印记在小马的头骨上翻来覆去。
I wrapped my forelegs around the railing behind me, twisted, and planted a double rear kick to her face just like a certain little orange pony would. The kick would have knocked out most mares, the crunch of a broken snout ending the fight. Rampage was not most mares. “She was suffering. I gave her mercy,” she said quite matter-of-factly. Like I was an ignorant foal.
我把前腿绕在身后的栏杆上，然后像某种橙色小马一样，在她的脸上来了一个双后踢。这一脚足以让大多数的母马失去知觉，撕裂的口鼻嘎吱作响的声音结束了这场斗争。横冲直撞不是大多数的母马。"她很痛苦。我给了她仁慈,"她非常平淡地说。就像我是个无知的小马驹。
“You didn’t have to kill her to end that, Rampage!” I yelled as she came at me again, throwing her forelegs around my neck and starting to squeeze. Only the rain allowed me to slip my head free before she popped it off entirely. I ended up beneath her and bucked to toss her up. As she dropped back down on me, I slammed my spine into her ribcage. Her breath whooshed out in a satisfying gust. I tossed her off my back; she landed, choking and gagging, on the cracked concrete. Adrenaline was carrying me only so far. I really needed some Buck and Stampede!
"你没必要杀了她来结束这一切，狂暴!"当她再次向我走来时，我大叫起来，把她的前腿绕在我的脖子上，开始挤压。只有下雨时我才能把头伸出来，不然她就把头完全撞掉了。我跳到她下面，然后猛地把她扔了上去。当她倒在我身上的时候，我的脊椎猛地扎进了她的胸腔。她的呼吸在一阵令人满意的狂风中呼出。我把她从我背上扔下去，她落在裂开的水泥地上，窒息而死。肾上腺素只能让我走到这一步。我真的需要吃点鹿肉和牛皮草！
“It was the kind thing to do!” Rampage gasped, choking as her eyes stared out into the rain over the bridge. “So much pain… so much suffering… I had to do it. Fluttershy couldn’t end it! Celestia couldn’t. But I could take their pain away.” She glared at me in contempt, those glyphs twisting around the skull. “Can’t you understand? They were in pain. Even when we took the nightmares away, they still suffered. So I gave them mercy! Wouldn’t you do the same?”
"这是一件好事!"她的眼睛凝视着桥上的雨水，气喘吁吁地横冲直撞。"这么多痛苦...这么多苦难...我不得不这么做。小萤火虫不能结束这一切！塞莱斯蒂亚做不到。但我可以带走他们的痛苦。"她轻蔑地瞪着我，那些在头骨上扭曲的象形文字。""你不明白吗？他们很痛苦。即使我们把噩梦赶走了，他们还是很痛苦。所以我给了他们仁慈！难道你不会这样做吗?"
Terminate Power: Y/N? A cold hand gripped my rotten heart. “No…” I said, but my denial skills had gotten rusty the last few days. “It’s not the same! They were
终止功率:y/n？一只冰冷的手紧紧抓住我腐烂的心。"没有......"我说，但是最近几天我的否认技巧已经生疏了。"这不一样！是的
crazy and trapped. I would have had to leave them there!” I tried to slam her to the ground again, shut her up for good! I didn’t want to think about it. Don’t think about it!
疯狂和被困。我不得不把它们留在那里!"我试图再次把她摔倒在地，让她永远闭嘴！我不想去想它。别想了！
But when she hit the roadway with the sound of another bone breaking, she arched a brow and grinned in that haughty, condescending manner. “Oh? Oh ho ho ho ho… so… you have given out mercy as well. Killed a helpless foal to spare them the pain? Pulled the plug?” I felt numb and stumbled, and she shoved me away from her. “Oh, so that was it? I’ve done that too.”
但是，当她撞上路面，听到又一根骨头断裂的声音时，她拱起了眉毛，以那种傲慢而居高临下的态度咧嘴一笑。"哦？哦，哦，哦，哦，哦......所以......你也给出了怜悯。杀死一只无助的小马驹来减轻它们的痛苦？拔掉插头?"我感到麻木，跌跌撞撞，她把我从她身边推开。"哦，原来是这样？我也这么做过。"
“I had no choice!” I yelled, trying to convince through volume.
"我别无选择!"我喊道，试图通过数量来说服他们。
“‘I had no choice!’” she mocked in return. “Isn’t that how it always goes?”
""我别无选择！"她反驳道。"事情不都是这样的吗?"
“No, you didn’t have to kill her!” I said desperately as we circled each other, my body suddenly feeling very tired and weak. “There was nothing I could have done!”
"不，你没必要杀她!"我绝望地说，当我们围着对方转的时候，我的身体突然感到非常疲惫和虚弱。"我什么也做不了!"
“Nothing? Really?” Her voice lowered even more. “Didn’t stay with them? Didn’t help them? Didn’t find somepony who could? Didn’t devote yourself to doing everything possible to save them?” Her questions slammed into me harder than her hooves as I backed away, towards the flaking word ‘Mercy’ on the asphalt.
""没什么？真的吗?"她的声音更低了。"没有和他们在一起吗？没有帮助他们？没有找到一个可以的人吗？难道你没有尽一切可能去拯救他们吗?"当我向后退时，她的问题比她的蹄子还狠狠地撞击着我，撞向柏油路上剥落的"仁慈"两个字。
I’d thought my choice was lose/lose. I knew some of the children were crazy, but had I gone from pod to pod to find out for sure? Could some of them have been saved? I’d thought the Collegiate and Society wouldn’t have helped, but had I asked them? Had I dragged Archibald and Splendid up there to find out for sure that there were no medics in the Wasteland? Had I devoted my life to finding some way of saving those terrible innocents?
我以为我的选择是输/输。我知道有些孩子很疯狂，但是我是不是从一个地方走到另一个地方去确认一下呢？他们中的一些人能够被拯救吗？我本以为学院与社会组织不会帮我，但是我问过他们了吗？难道我把阿奇博尔德和灿烂先生拖到那里去，是为了确定那片荒地上没有医疗兵吗？我是不是把自己的一生都奉献给了拯救那些可怕的无辜者的方法？
No. I’d pulled the plug, sung a little song, and then gone back to Megamart to collect some bottlecaps.
没有。我拔掉了插头，唱了一首歌，然后回到Megamart收集瓶装水。
Rampage pounced, knocking me onto my back on the warning sign and lying atop me. “You’re no different from me. Not at all. Sanctimonious, cruel, and vile. This world is too painful, too corrupted, too hateful! Mercy is the only decent thing we can give them!” she said to me softly, contemptuously, as her hooves crushed down with terrible power. “But don’t worry, Blackjack. I know you’re in pain. I know you’re sick. I’ll give you mercy, too.”
横冲直撞，把我推倒在警告牌上，压在我身上。"你和我没什么不同。一点也不。伪善的，残忍的，卑鄙的。这个世界太痛苦，太腐败，太可恨！仁慈是我们能给他们的唯一体面的东西!"她轻轻地，轻蔑地对我说，她的蹄子被可怕的力量压碎了。"不过别担心，Blackjack。我知道你很痛苦。我知道你病了。我也会宽恕你的。"
“Rampage…” I gasped, my legs kicking and struggling against her, but I wasn’t even sure I was really fighting her anymore. Whoever this mare atop me was, she wasn’t the Reaper I’d known.
"横冲直撞......"我喘息着，我的腿在她身上踢来踢去，挣扎着，但我甚至不确定自己是否真的在与她抗争。不管这个骑在我身上的母马是谁，她不是我认识的收割者。
“You keep calling me Rampage…” she said softly as I gasped and choked. “That’s not my name.”
"你一直叫我横冲直撞......"她轻声说，我喘着气，哽咽着。"那不是我的名字。"
“Get off her, you cunt!” Glory screamed. The gray pegasus dove from above, and a stream of red beams burned smoking holes in the striped pony’s body. The holes closed before my eyes, but Glory had the bit of her battle saddle clenched and poured on the fire. Finally, one red beam from her boxy pistols hit in just the right way, and the immolation reaction flashed along the striped pony. Her hooves burned my throat as she collapsed into a pile of ash atop me.
"放开她，你这个婊子!"晨辉在尖叫。灰色的飞马从天上俯冲下来，一束束红光在这匹条纹小马的身体上烧出了冒烟的洞。那些洞在我眼前闭上了，但晨辉的战斗马鞍紧握着，倒在火上。最后，她那把方方正正的手枪发出的一束红光恰到好处地击中了那匹条纹小马，它的牺牲反应闪过了。当她倒在我身上的一堆灰烬中时，她的蹄子灼伤了我的喉咙。
Something hard and heavy landed on my chest. I coughed and hacked as I looked at an egg of pink quartz wrapped in golden wire and glowing with an eerie pink-tinged light. A strange glyph in the egg’s center, a twisting whirlpool that throbbed like a heart, glowed more brightly than the rest, and there were more lights within. I shoved it off and rolled onto my side as Glory landed next to me. “Easy, Blackjack. Easy. She’s dead now. Breathe. She almost crushed your windpipe.” From the worry on her face, I suspected that she wasn’t sure about the ‘almost’ part.
一个又硬又重的东西落在我的胸口上。我看着一个粉红色的石英蛋，它用金丝包裹着，发出诡异的粉红色光芒，我咳嗽了几声，砍了几下。蛋的中心有一个奇怪的符号，一个扭曲的漩涡，像心脏一样跳动着，比其他的更加明亮，里面有更多的光。当晨辉降落在我身边的时候，我把它推开，翻滚到我身边。"放松点，黑杰克。很简单。她现在死了。深呼吸。她差点捏碎你的气管。"从她脸上的忧虑来看，我怀疑她对"几乎"这部分并不确定。
“What the heck is this?” I asked softly as I held the egg aloft.
"这是什么鬼东西?"我轻轻地问道，同时把鸡蛋举到了高处。
“I… I think it’s some kind of rejuvenation talisman… It looks like...” Glory trailed off, rubbing her chin thoughtfully.
"我.....。.我认为这是某种恢复活力的护身符......看起来像......"晨辉慢慢消失了，若有所思地摩擦着下巴。
Suddenly, a pink cloud began to collect around the egg, forming worms of crimson that spread and curled into fresh veins and arteries. Tissue crawled over the surface and formed into a pinkish-red mass that began to beat. I watched as bones grew like weeds and muscle stretched to cover them. Finally, young pale skin covered in brilliant red stripes spread like moss over her frame.
突然，一团粉红色的云开始聚集在卵周围，形成了深红色的蠕虫，扩散并卷曲进入新鲜的静脉和动脉。组织爬过表面，形成一个粉红色的团块，开始搏动。我看着骨头像野草一样生长，肌肉被拉长来遮盖它们。最后，年轻苍白的皮肤上覆盖着明亮的红色条纹，像苔藓一样散布在她的身体上。
The Rampage foal jerked, took a shallow breath, then another, then another. Her pink eyes opened and looked at me in utter misery. “I did it again, didn’t I?” As I looked down at her, I wasn’t sure I could answer. Slowly, the tiny foal curled up and wept. “I’m sorry,” she whispered over and over again, but to whom I couldn’t be sure. Her flank bore a dark mark, like a bruise.
狂暴的小马驹猛地抽搐了一下，做了一次浅浅的呼吸，然后又是一次，然后又是一次。她睁开粉红色的眼睛，痛苦地看着我。"我又做了一次，不是吗?"当我低头看着她时，我不确定自己能否回答。慢慢地，小马驹蜷缩起来哭了起来。"对不起,"她一遍又一遍地小声说，但我不能确定是对谁说的。她的侧腹有一块黑斑，像瘀伤一样。
“Sweet Celestia,” Glory breathed in amazement.
"甜甜的天堂,"晨辉惊叹不已。
“Rampage?” I asked softly as the two striped sticks wrapped in barbed wire appeared on her flank.
"横冲直撞?"我轻声问道，这时两根用带刺铁丝包裹的条纹树枝出现在她的侧腹。
“I did it again, didn’t I?” she said again as she sniffed. Then she looked at Thorn. A look of such pain crossed her young face that I couldn’t help myself. I hugged the striped foal as she sobbed into my shoulder. “Not again… why did it have to happen again?” I’d been repulsed by what she’d done, and hurt by what she’d said, but at this second, all I knew was that she needed my help. And maybe a hug would calm everypony down enough for somepony to explain what was going on…
"我又做了一次，不是吗?"她一边闻一边说。然后她看着索恩。她那张年轻的脸上流露出痛苦的神情，我情不自禁。我拥抱了那只有条纹的小马驹，它在我的肩膀上抽泣。"又来了......为什么一定要再来一次?"她的所作所为让我反感，她的话伤害了我，但此时此刻，我只知道她需要我的帮助。也许一个拥抱可以让每一匹小马平静下来，让它们知道到底发生了什么.....。
Glory watched her closely. “What happened, Rampage?”
晨辉仔细地看着她。"发生什么事了，狂暴?"
“I… went away. I was bummed… I like being by water, so I thought I’d come out here till the funeral was done. And then Thorn was running… and she… she was crying… and… I wanted to give her a hug but… but I was afraid… and… I went away. Till just now…” Glory listened closely with a little frown. “I guess I got disintegrated… that’s usually the only time I come out of it little like this.”
"我.....。.离开。我很郁闷......我喜欢呆在水边，所以我想在葬礼结束前到这里来。然后索恩跑了......她......她哭了......我想给她一个拥抱，但......但我很害怕......然后......我走开了。直到刚才......"晨辉皱着眉头仔细听着。"我想我被分解了......通常这是我唯一一次像现在这样醒来。"
“So… you’re crazy,” I said with a little half smile. “That should have been obvious.”
"这么说......你疯了,"我带着一丝微笑说。"这应该是显而易见的。"
“I guess.”
"我想是吧。"
Glory rubbed her chin in thought. “How long do these blackouts last?”
晨辉抚摸着她的下巴沉思。"这种停电会持续多久?"
“It’s not…” She sighed and smacked the sides of her head. “It’s like I’m there and then I’m somewhere else. And it’s… it’s a bad place,” she whispered as she trembled in my limbs.
"不是......"她叹了口气，拍了拍头的两侧。"就好像我在那里，然后又在另一个地方。而且......这是个糟糕的地方,"她在我四肢颤抖的时候低声说。
“Then it’s not crazy,” Glory said with a small frown. Our eyes met and she gave a small apologetic smile. “Please remember, I’m drawing on one class of psychology and something I once read in a Canterlot Journal of Medicine, but in real psychological disorders, another personality doesn’t just completely take over. That’s not how it works.” Rampage looked shocked.
"那就不是疯了,"晨辉皱着眉头说。我们的目光相遇，她略带歉意地笑了笑。"请记住，我引用了一门心理学课程，以及我曾经在坎特罗医学杂志上读到的一些东西，但是在真正的心理障碍中，另一种人格不会完全接管。但事实并非如此。"狂暴看起来很震惊。
“Huh… I always figured… I mean… are you sure I’m not cracked?” she asked with a confused, worried little look.
"嗯......我一直在想......我是说......你确定我没疯吗?"她带着困惑，忧虑的表情问道。
“You just regenerated from some talisman in your chest,” Glory replied with a shake of her head. “I’m not sure of anything with you. But if it was something as simple as being crazy, then it would be consistent. Or you’re one hell of an actress… but if you wanted to kill us… heck... kill all of Chapel… you could have. So I don’t think that a part of your brain twigged.” She sighed and frowned. “This is something else.”
"你刚刚从你的胸部的一些护身符再生,"晨辉摇摇头回答说。"我对你一无所知。但是，如果是像疯狂这样简单的事情，那么它就是一致的。或者你是一个地狱般的演员...但如果你想杀了我们...见鬼...杀了所有的教堂...你可以。因此，我认为你的大脑没有一部分受到影响。"她叹了口气，皱了皱眉。"这是另外一回事。"
I saw others running up and took the opportunity to engage in another bout of rasping and coughing. I rubbed my bruised windpipe, hoping that maybe sometime soon the Wasteland would give at least my respiratory system a break.
我看到其他人跑过来，就抓住机会又发出一阵刺耳的咳嗽声。我揉搓着我淤青的气管，希望不久的某个时候，这片荒地能给我的唿吸系统一个喘息的机会。
“Blackjack!” P-21 shouted as he limped towards us. Sekashi, carrying a burlap sack, was hurrying up behind him. The zebra took one look at the three of us, sighed, and came straight to me. She dug into her bag and pulled out a Sparkle-Cola bottle filled with something that had the consistency of paint. I took a drink and felt the familiar sensation of a healing potion, though it tasted somewhat odd. Good, though! P-21 stopped so short at the sight of Thorn’s crumpled body that he tripped and fell on his face. “Wha… Thorn…” He looked at the tiny Rampage. “What the fuck is going on?”
"黑杰克!"P-21一瘸一拐地朝我们走来时喊道。Sekashi背着一个麻布袋，匆匆地跟在他后面。斑马看了我们三个一眼，叹了口气，径直朝我走来。她把手伸进包里，拿出一个可乐瓶，里面装满了颜料那么稠的东西。我喝了一口，感觉到了一种药水的熟悉感觉，尽管尝起来有点奇怪。不过还不错！P-21一看到索恩扭曲的身体就停了下来，结果摔了一跤，脸朝下摔倒了。"什么......刺......"他看着小小的横冲直撞。"这他妈的是怎么回事?"
I slowly rose, spitting and hacking phlegm as the zebra brew did its work. I was glad I could still swallow, even if it hurt. Finally, I rasped, “Somepony killed Thorn. Not Rampage.” My voice sounded worse than a ghoul’s!
我慢慢地站起来，吐着口水，咳着痰，斑马啤酒在起作用。我很高兴我仍然可以吞咽，即使它伤害。最后，我粗声粗气地说:"有人杀了索恩。不要横冲直撞。"我的声音听起来比食尸鬼还难听！
“What?” he said flatly and pointed at her broken body with a hoof. “Rampage… what?” He looked at the shaking foal with a look he’d reserved for me and the mine boss and thoughts of returning to 99. “What!” he shouted, his eyes glaring from one to the next in outrage.
"什么?"他直截了当地说，然后用蹄子指着她破碎的身体。"暴怒......什么?"他看着那只颤抖的小马驹，带着为我和矿场老板保留的表情，想着回到99岁。"什么!"他大声喊道，愤怒地瞪着眼睛。
“Something took control of her,” I said firmly, the tiny Rampage looking at me as if she couldn’t believe it any more than P-21 did. “She killed Thorn. Said she was giving her a mercy. She did it. Not Rampage.” I looked at the slain foal, feeling empty and brittle again. “She tried to kill me next. Glory vaporized her. And then she regenerated into this.”
"有什么东西控制了她,"我坚定地说，小小的狂暴看着我，好像她和P-21一样不敢相信。"她杀了索恩。说她是在怜悯她。她做到了。不要横冲直撞。"我看着被杀死的小马驹，又觉得空虚而脆弱。"接下来她还想杀了我。晨辉使她蒸发了。然后她再生成了这个样子。"
P-21 clenched his head between his hooves. “Are you telling me we’re travelling with a psychopath?” I gave a stiff nod, and his eyelid twitched as he threw his hooves in the air. “Oh, so her being crazy makes it all okay? That’s so much better!”
P-21用蹄子夹紧头部。"你是在告诉我，我们正和一个精神病患者一起旅行吗?"我僵硬地点了点头，他把蹄子抛向空中，眼皮在抽搐。"哦，所以她的疯狂让一切都变好了？这样好多了!"
“I don’t think she’s crazy,” Glory replied. “Something else is behind this.”
"我不认为她疯了,"晨辉回答。"这背后还有别的原因。"
He glared at her, narrowing his eyes. “You’re as bad as Blackjack.”
他瞪着她，眯起眼睛。"你跟黑杰克一样坏。"
Glory didn’t back down. “I’m telling you that Rampage needs our help.”
晨辉并没有退缩。"我告诉你，狂暴需要我们的帮助。"
“Thorn needed our help!” he yelled at her.
"桑需要我们的帮助!"他对她大喊大叫。
“You’re right!” I yelled at them both, feeling something tear in my throat and set off a coughing fit that silenced the argument. I gritted my teeth, trying to get the words out. “Thorn needed us, and I failed to protect her! Me! But we can’t help Thorn now,” I said as I staggered to my feet, coughing and hacking up snot. I nearly fell flat on my face, and was saved only by Glory propping me up. “It’s my fault Thorn is dead. Mine.” Be mad at me, P-21. Not Glory, not Rampage.
"你说得对!"我对他们俩大喊大叫，感觉喉咙里有什么东西撕裂了，于是开始咳嗽，吵架也就平息了。我咬紧牙关，试图把话说出来。"索恩需要我们，而我却没能保护她！我！但是现在我们帮不了索恩了,"我说着，踉踉跄跄地站了起来，咳嗽着，鼻涕都流出来了。我几乎摔得粉身碎骨，只有晨辉支撑着我，我才得救。"索恩的死是我的错。我的。"生我的气吧，P-21。不是晨辉，不是暴怒。
“No, it’s not,” P-21 said darkly, looking at the striped foal. “If she can’t be killed, let’s dump her back in Blueblood’s well and blast it shut.”
"不，不是的,"P-21看着斑纹小马驹，脸色阴沉地说。"如果她不会被杀死，我们就把她扔回蓝血镇的井里，然后炸死她。"
“That’d be fair,” Rampage said softly. But the thought of burying anypony alive… even after what Rampage did... The cards shuffled again in my mind. I knew that at any second I was going to start having death ponies in my head and looking crazy.
"那就公平了,"兰帕德温柔地说。但是想到要活埋任何小马......即使在暴怒之后......扑克牌又在我的脑海里洗了一遍。我知道在任何时候我都会开始有死亡小马在我的脑海里，看起来很疯狂。
“No. We’re not going to do that.” It would be like the clinic all over again. “Whatever killed Thorn was not Rampage. Understand, P-21?”
"没有。我们不会那么做。"这就像诊所的故事重演一样。"不管是什么杀死了索恩，都不是狂暴。明白了吗，P-21?"
“I don’t care who did it; the blood is on her hooves! What do you think the Crusaders will do when they find out? She was one of them, Blackjack!”
""我不管是谁干的，她的蹄子上有血！你认为十字军发现后会怎么做？她就是其中之一，黑杰克!"
“I don’t know, okay?” I rasped. “But you bury her alive, then bury me too! I’m just as guilty as she is! Or did you forget what I did at the clinic?”
"我不知道，好吗?"我粗声粗气地说。"但是你把她活埋了，然后把我也埋了！我和她一样有罪！还是你忘了我在诊所里做的事?"
He stared at me, his eyes widening. “It’s not the same…”
他瞪大眼睛盯着我。"这不一样......"
“I know it’s not, P-21! I know it’s not. But…” I stared at the shaking Rampage… Arloste... I wanted to scream. I felt like I was the one going crazy now. “Just… trust me. Please,” I begged him as I slumped against Glory.
"我知道不是，P-21！我知道不是。但是......"我盯着那震动的狂暴......阿洛斯特......我想尖叫。我觉得我才是那个疯了的人。"相信我吧。"求你了,"当我靠着晨辉摔倒时，我恳求他。
He just looked at me. “You can’t save everypony…” he said softly as I slid back to the ground.
他只是看着我。"你不可能拯救每一匹小马......"当我滑回到地上时，他轻声说道。
“I know. But if I give up, then how can I save myself?” I asked as I hid my face in shame. He gave one last sigh.
"我知道。但是如果我放弃了，那么我怎么能拯救我自己呢?"我羞愧地掩面问道。他最后叹了一口气。
“What do you need me to do, Blackjack?” I looked at him and gave him a grateful smile… at least, I hoped I was smiling.
"你要我怎么做，黑杰克?"我看着他，给了他一个感激的微笑......至少，我希望我是在微笑。
“Tell Priest.” I couldn’t. I’d rather die than see his face when I confirmed that Arloste had been a murderer. He gave a stiff little nod, then limped away towards Chapel.
"告诉牧师。"我做不到。当我确认阿罗斯特是个杀人犯时，我宁愿死也不愿看到他的脸。他僵硬地点了点头，然后一瘸一拐地朝查普尔走去。
“You should have let him bury me,” Rampage muttered.
"你应该让他把我埋了,"狂暴喃喃自语道。
“Stop!” I croaked at her, then took a slow breath. “Just stop. I don’t know who or what you are, Rampage. I know what I saw and what you said. I don’t know if you’re crazy or not, but stop saying that we need to kill you. That won’t bring Thorn back.” I sighed as I looked the clouds, my gut clenching before I doubled up and hacked and coughed through my bruised throat. I spat out another wad, hoping that that stuff wasn’t blood.
"住手!"我用沙哑的声音对她说，然后慢慢地吸了一口气。"别说了。我不知道你是谁，你是什么东西，狂暴。我知道我看到了什么和你说了什么。我不知道你是不是疯了，但是别再说我们要杀了你。这不会让索恩复活。"我看着云朵叹了口气，我的肠子紧紧地攥在一起，然后我蜷缩起身子，咳嗽着穿过我瘀伤的喉咙。我又吐出一团，希望那不是血。
Then I looked at her curiously. “So… why are you little?” The look she gave me could have curdled Sparkle-Cola. I swallowed and chuckled, “Okay… you don’t know. How long are you going to be like this?”
然后我好奇地看着她。"那么......你为什么这么小?"她给我的眼神可以让"闪亮可乐"凝固。我咽了口唾沫，轻声笑了起来,"好吧......你不知道。你还要这样多久?"
She gave a little shrug. “Days? Honestly, it’s been almost five years since I was disintegrated.”
她微微耸了耸肩。""几天？老实说，我已经快五年没有崩溃过了。"
Right. “Glory… can you take her back to the Star House, please?”
对。"晨辉......你能把她带回星宫吗?"
“Blackjack, you should come too.” But I just gave her the easiest smile I could, and she sighed. Of course Glory was more worried about me. After a look, though, she finally turned to Rampage. “Come on, kid.”
"黑杰克，你也应该来。"但是我只是给了她我能给的最简单的微笑，她叹了口气。当然，晨辉更担心我。然而，看了一眼之后，她终于转向了狂暴。"来吧，孩子。"
Rampage blinked and frowned at her. “I’m at least fifty years older than you.”
狂暴对她眨眨眼，皱皱眉。"我至少比你大五十岁。"
Glory smiled. “I can’t help it. You’re just... so cute!”
晨辉微笑着。"我情不自禁。你真是......太可爱了!"
“I am not cute! I’m one of the top Reapers in all of Hoofington, and I’m a crazy, immortal death machine!” Rampage said with a little stomp of her hooves. “That is not cute…” She glanced back at Thorn with one last mournful look. “Not cute at all.”
"我一点也不可爱！我是全Hoofington最顶尖的收割者之一，我是一个疯狂的、不朽的死亡机器!"狂暴用蹄子跺了一下说。"这一点也不可爱......"她回头看了索恩一眼，带着最后一丝悲伤。"一点都不可爱。"
* * *
* * *
I scooped at the mud, but it slid back into the hole. It was more bailing than digging now. My breath burned in my throat as I coughed and hacked and scrabbled. Working hard and accomplishing nothing… I had to do better. I had to be strong, and kind, and aware… but I wasn’t. I was just a filly scraping at the mud.
我铲起泥浆，但泥浆又滑进了洞里。现在与其说是挖，不如说是舀水。当我咳嗽、乱砍乱抓的时候，我的呼吸在喉咙里燃烧。努力工作却一事无成......我必须做得更好。我必须坚强，善良，有意识......但我没有。我只不过是一匹小母马在泥地上蹭蹭而已。
* * *
* * *
“I need your bag…” I rasped softly.
"我需要你的包......"我轻声地说。
“Come. Let us get you out of the rain,” Sekashi said as she started to help me up.
"来吧。让我们把你从雨里弄出来吧,"Sekashi边说边开始扶我起来。
“Didn’t you hear me–” I started, and then sighed. Of course she hadn’t. Because she hadn’t lived a life of relative ease in a stable; she’d been trapped in a mine, going deaf while the rest of her people were worked almost to death and then gunned down around her. I took a deep breath and looked into her eyes. “I need your bag. And I need you to tell me a story.”
"你没听见我说话吗?"我开始说，然后叹了口气。她当然没有。因为她没有在马厩里过上相对安逸的生活;她被困在矿井里，耳朵变聋了，而她的其他人几乎工作到死，然后在她周围被枪杀。我深吸了一口气，看着她的眼睛。"我需要你的包。我需要你给我讲个故事。"
Sekashi’s eyes widened. I looked over at Thorn. Without hesitation, she bit the end of her burlap sack and dumped her belongings onto the bridge. She pawed through the strange herbs, stones, and bottles she carried. “What kind of story does a guardian need?” She deftly bit a bottle and tossed it up onto to her snout, extending it to me. I coughed as I took it, hoping it was some kind of medicine.
Sekashi的眼睛睁大了。我看了看索恩。她毫不犹豫地咬住麻布袋的一头，把自己的东西扔到桥上。她用爪子刨着那些奇怪的药草、石头和瓶子。"监护人需要什么样的故事?"她灵巧地咬了一口瓶子，把它扔到自己的鼻子上，伸向我。我一边吃一边咳嗽，希望那是某种药。
“A funny one,” I said with a little smile. “But what I really need is a story about a pony who cannot die.”
"很有趣,"我微笑着说。"但我真正需要的是一个关于一匹不死小马的故事。"
Sekashi blinked, then tried for a smile. “Ah… well, it just so happens that I do know such a story. Quite humorous, too. Orion’s story. Once, he was a zebra, the same as you or I.” She paused and chuckled. “Well, I suppose that he wasn’t the same as you. He wandered the plains with his tribe. He was not the strongest hunter, nor the bravest, nor the most capable. He was, in fact, the weakest, the most cowardly, and the most inept. Truly, poor Orion would not last long. But still, he wanted mares, and respect, and to stand proud and tall amongst his people.”
Sekashi眨了眨眼，然后试着微笑。"啊......好吧，碰巧我知道这样一个故事。还挺幽默的。猎户座的故事。有一次，他是一只斑马，和你我一样。"她停顿了一下，轻声笑了起来。""好吧，我想他和你不一样。他和他的部落在平原上游荡。他不是最强壮的猎人，也不是最勇敢的，也不是最能干的。事实上，他是最软弱，最懦弱，最无能的人。说真的，可怜的猎户座撑不了多久。但是他仍然想要母马，想要尊敬，想要骄傲地站在族人中间。"
As Sekashi talked, I limped to the still form of Thorn and, as gently as I could, tried to slip her into the bag. Her dull eyes looked at nothing at all, not
当Sekashi说话的时候，我一瘸一拐地走到荆棘那里，尽可能温柔地把她塞进袋子里。她那双呆滞的眼睛什么也没看，一点也没有
understanding what had happened to her. I prayed, as I brushed her eyes closed, that her last thought hadn’t been of Rampage’s betrayal. “I’m so sorry,” I whispered to her ear. Sekashi’s story halted, and she coughed in the rain before continuing.
理解发生在她身上的事。我擦着她的眼睛，闭上眼睛，祈祷她最后的念头不是狂暴的背叛。"我很抱歉,"我低声对她说。Sekashi的故事结束了，她在雨中咳嗽，然后继续。
“And so, as young stallions are wont to do, zebra or no, he made a foolish choice. One night, he called out to the stars, asking them to make him strong and brave and terrible. And the stars heard and granted his wish, and gave him forbidden knowledge no zebra should know. He put his spirit within a rock and the rock within his chest.”
"因此，正如年轻的种马习惯做的那样，不管是不是斑马，他做了一个愚蠢的选择。一天晚上，他向星星呼喊，请求他们让他变得强壮、勇敢和可怕。星星听到并满足了他的愿望，给了他禁忌的知识，没有斑马应该知道。他把自己的灵魂放在石头里，把石头放在胸膛里。"
I sat up, looking at her as I pulled the drawstring tight with my magic. “His spirit?” There couldn’t be a coincidence between the story and what I’d just seen, could there?
我坐了起来，用魔法拉紧了拉绳，看着她。"他的灵魂?"这个故事和我刚才看到的不可能是巧合，对吗？
She nodded. “Yes. All things have spirits. What you call a soul. It is the truest reflection of one’s self.”
她点点头。"是的。万物都有灵魂。你所谓的灵魂。这是一个人最真实的自我反映。"
Funny... I recalled a particularly boring lecture about cutie marks. “Why would that make him… well… invincible?”
有意思......我想起了一个特别无聊的关于漂亮分数的讲座。"为什么这会让他......呃......不可战胜?"
“There is a power to spirits. Our spirit is the truest reflection of self, the thing that makes us exist at all. And when we die, it is the piece of us that persists to eternity. But if we damage that spirit willfully and place it within another vessel, that vessel gains the resilience of the spirit.”
"灵魂有一种力量。我们的精神是自我最真实的反映，是使我们存在的东西。当我们死去的时候，是我们的一部分坚持到永恒。但如果我们故意破坏这种精神，并把它放在另一个容器中，那个容器就会获得这种精神的韧性。"
“And what happens to the pony that loses it?”
"失去它的小马会怎么样呢?"
She gave a shrug. “Who can speak of such things? It is a dark subject, and I speak only happy, funny tales. When they die, their spirit may linger in its vessel, trapped for all time. But perhaps, some day, the spirit may be free and reunited with the rest. That is what I can hope.”
她耸了耸肩。""谁能说出这样的话呢？这是一个黑暗的主题，我只讲快乐，有趣的故事。当他们死亡时，他们的灵魂可能徘徊在这个容器中，被永远困住。但是，也许有一天，灵魂会自由并与其他灵魂团聚。这就是我所希望的。"
“So what happened to Orion?”
"那么猎户座发生了什么事?"
“Ah, poor silly Orion with the heart of stone found himself stronger than the most terrible monster of the savanna. With his spirit within the unbreakable heart, he knew no fear, and so nothing could stand before his spears and hooves. But his tribe questioned how Orion could have gone from so little to so much. They questioned if he had used the forbidden magic of the stars, and Orion grew angry. He was strong and terrible, how dare they question how! In a rage, Orion
"啊，可怜的愚蠢的铁石心肠的俄里翁发现自己比大草原上最可怕的怪物还要强大。他的精神在坚不可摧的心中，他不知道什么是恐惧，所以没有什么能站在他的矛和蹄子之前。但是他的部落质疑猎户座是如何从这么小变成这么大的。他们质疑他是否使用了禁止使用的星星魔法，猎户座生气了。他既强壮又可怕，他们怎么敢质疑！盛怒之下，猎户座
slew his tribe from the elders to the youngest foal. And so he was left alone.
把他的部落从长辈杀到小马驹。所以他被单独留了下来。
“For years he wandered. All zebras fled from Orion the traitor, for the blood of the slain had marked him in stripes of crimson. No monster could slay him, even as he wished it, for they could not devour the stone heart. No spear could fell him. And so he cried out to the stars to take their gift back. But the stars do not undo what they have done. So finally, he jumped so high that he reached the stars and joined them, hunting for the most terrible monsters of the skies in the hopes that one may slay him.”
"多年来，他一直在游荡。所有的斑马都从这个叛徒俄里翁身边逃走了，因为被杀者的鲜血已经在他身上留下了深红色的斑纹。没有怪物能杀死他，即使他希望它，因为他们不能吞噬石心。没有一支矛能够击倒他。于是他大声呼喊，要求星星收回他们的礼物。但是星星并不能改变他们的所作所为。最后，他跳得如此之高，以至于他到达了星星并加入了它们，追捕天空中最可怕的怪物，希望有人能杀死他。"
She finished her story as I rested my hoof on the bag. “How could somepony put their… their soul into a rock? Why? It’s like… like… defacing your own cutie mark!”
我把蹄子搁在袋子上时，她讲完了她的故事。"怎么会有人把自己的灵魂放进石头里？为什么？这就像......就像......玷污你自己的可爱标记!"
“Or erasing one’s glyph,” Sekashi agreed, looking on as a spasm of coughing rolled through me. “There are many stories of doing such things, though. Of silly zebras wishing for power, or knowledge, or long life. Pursuing their desire, they sever their spirit and burn it in fires of magic, or barter with beings too terrible to name, or simply secure it within a new shell. The powers gained, and the knowledge, and the life… however, are rarely worth the price one has paid. But there are always fools who do not heed the warnings of the stars.”
"或者擦掉一个人的雕像,"Sekashi同意了，看着我一阵咳嗽。"不过，有很多这样做的故事。愚蠢的斑马希望权力，或知识，或长寿。为了追求他们的欲望，他们割断自己的灵魂，用魔法的火焰将其燃烧，或者与那些可怕得无法命名的生物进行交易，或者简单地把它安置在一个新的躯壳里。然而，获得的力量、知识和生命......很少值得你付出的代价。但总有些傻瓜不听从天上明星的警告。"
“Warnings from the stars? Or warnings about the stars?” I asked as I gently lifted the burlap sack and placed it across my shoulders. Too light and yet so very heavy… too young… she should have been given a chance at more life. A chance at happiness. Like those foals in the clinic.
""来自星星的警告？还是对星星的警告?"我一边问，一边轻轻地把麻布袋拿起来放在肩膀上。太轻，太重......太年轻......她应该得到更多生命的机会。幸福的机会。就像诊所里的小马驹一样。
“Yes,” Sekashi said as she used a bit of string to tie together her bottles and belongings as well as she could. “I know that for ponies they are pretty lights in the sky, but just because something is pretty does not make it harmless. The stars are powerful, otherworldly, and fickle. A foolish zebra or pony who calls upon them dooms not only themselves but others as well.”
"是的,"Sekashi一边说，一边用一根绳子尽可能地把瓶子和随身物品捆在一起。"我知道，对于小马来说，它们是天空中漂亮的灯光，但仅仅因为某些东西漂亮并不意味着它们是无害的。星星是强大的，超凡脱俗的，变幻无常的。一个愚蠢的斑马或小马，如果召唤它们，不仅注定了自己也注定了别人。"
“So zebras believe the stars are evil?” I asked, remembering those pictures and Maripony’s memory.
"所以斑马相信星星是邪恶的?"我问道，想起了那些照片和马里波尼的记忆。
“Some may, but did I say evil? No. Dangerous. Perilous. Fickle. But they do not wish our destruction, for otherwise we would surely be destroyed.” She gave a sad little smile. “It is far too easy to simply say that something is evil. To invite their attentions and to plead for their aid is folly, but they are not cruel and
""有些人可能会，但是我说过邪恶吗？没有。危险。危险。善变。但他们不愿我们灭亡，不然我们必然灭亡她露出悲伤的微笑。"简单地说某种东西是邪恶的，实在是太容易了。邀请他们的注意并请求他们的帮助是愚蠢的，但是他们并不残忍
wicked,” she said, her eyes lingering on Rampage before she looked up at the clouds. “There are stories of the stars giving guidance to those who need it. Stories of the stars granting succor and inspiration. It is when we demand of the stars that they grant our desires. Much to our pain, as your Nightmare Moon discovered.”
"真可恶,"她说，抬头看着天上的云朵，眼睛在狂暴中徘徊。"有些故事讲的是，星星给那些需要指引的人提供指引。星星的故事给予援助和鼓舞。只有当我们向明星提出要求时，他们才会满足我们的愿望。正如你们的梦魇之月所发现的那样，我们的痛苦更多。"
“Nightmare Moon?” I asked as we talked, glad for the excuse to take my thoughts off what had happened minutes ago. “What does she have to do with stars?”
"恶梦之月?"我边说边问，很高兴能找个借口把我的注意力从几分钟前发生的事情上转移开。"她和明星有什么关系?"
“Who do you think it was that gave her such power?” she asked as she kept her eyes on me. “The lesson of the stars is not that they are wicked things. How simple that would be! So many make that mistake. It is that they allow us to bring our true horrors to the forefront, and the pain may be left for generation upon generation. The stars did not make your Princess into that monster. The monster was there to begin with.”
"你认为是谁给了她这样的力量?"她一边问一边看着我。"星星的教训不是说它们是邪恶的东西。那是多么简单啊！很多人都犯了这样的错误。正是它们使我们能够将真正的恐怖摆在最显著的位置，而这种痛苦可能会一代又一代地留给下一代人。星星并没有把你的公主变成那个怪物。怪物本来就在那里。"
“But… Nightmare Moon and Princess Luna were two different ponies!” I protested. There was no way that the cute, intelligent Princess I’d seen could be a monster.
"但是......噩梦月亮和卢娜公主是两匹不同的小马!"我抗议道。我所见过的那位可爱、聪明的公主绝不可能是个怪物。
“Can you tell me the tale of how she became Nightmare Moon? The change from one to the other?” Sekashi asked. I opened and closed my mouth like an idiot. I knew the story of her banishment, but...
"你能告诉我她是怎么变成梦魇之月的吗？从一个变成另一个?"Sekashi问道。我像个白痴一样张嘴又闭嘴。我知道她被放逐的故事但是..。
“I don’t know…”
"我不知道......"
“Nor do we, but many believe that she made a plea to the stars and that they answered her call. And though her sister and people forgave her easily, that which the stars touch, they change forevermore.”
我们也不相信，但是许多人相信她向星星祈求，星星响应了她的召唤。虽然她的姐姐和人们很容易原谅她，星星触摸到的东西，却永远改变了。"
“That seems pretty severe,” I said softly. “What if I were touched by the stars?”
"这似乎相当严重,"我轻声说。"如果我被星星感动了怎么办?"
Sekashi laughed. “Oh, my dear Guardian, it would explain a great deal to me.” But despite her laugh, there was uneasiness in her eyes.
Sekashi笑了。"哦，我亲爱的卫报，这可以向我解释很多事情。"但是尽管她笑了，她的眼睛里却流露出不安。
* * *
* * *
I’d only excavated a hoof deep. My throat throbbed with every swallow. My eyes burned as I tried to scoop out a little more muck. “I’m wondering…” the
我只挖了一蹄深。每吞一口，我的喉咙就悸动一下。当我试图挖出更多的粪便时，我的眼睛灼烧起来。"我在想......"
Dealer whispered as the rain hissed off the yellowed grass around me, “if there isn’t some symbolism to this?”
当雨水从我周围发黄的草地上嘶嘶作响时，商人小声说,"如果这没有什么象征意义的话?"
“Fuck you and your symbolism,” I muttered as I scooped out a double hoofful of sludge from the hole, the mud slathering my legs. “I have to do this.” I’d failed… it was my responsibility.
"去你妈的和你的象征主义,"我咕哝着，从洞里舀出一桶污泥，沾满了我的腿。"我必须这么做。"我失败了...这是我的责任。
The Dealer just leaned against the wooden headstone, cards passing back and forth between his hooves as he looked at me with a rheumy old eye. “You’re only a pony, Blackjack. No shame in that.”
庄家只是靠在木头墓碑上，用他那双老眼睛看着我，牌在他的蹄子之间来回传递。"你只是一匹小马，黑杰克。这没什么可耻的。"
“I have to be better…” I gasped.
"我必须做得更好......"我喘着气说。
“Well, then, maybe you should see if you can get Sanguine to fuse some sand dog into you, or get some mechanical limbs. Maybe put a talisman where your heart should be so you can kick yourself in the ass for all of eternity?” With each question, he showed me a card. Gorgon, Deus, and the snide and cruel Rampage. “Would that be better?”
"好吧，那么，也许你应该看看你能不能让桑吉尼给你融合一些沙狗，或者装上一些机械的四肢。也许在你的心脏应该在的地方放一个护身符，这样你就可以永远踢自己的屁股了?"每问一个问题，他都给我看一张卡片。戈耳贡，上帝，还有冷酷无情的暴怒。"那样会更好吗?"
“Fuck you,” I muttered as my legs gave out on the cold, wet ground.
"去你妈的,"当我的双腿在冰冷潮湿的地面上疲惫不堪时，我喃喃自语。
“You’re going to need more than harsh language to be better, Blackjack. And since you won’t use what you’ve got… best get something that’s better than nothing.”
"黑杰克，你需要的不仅仅是严厉的语言。既然你不会使用你所拥有的东西，那么最好得到比什么都没有好的东西。"
“And what have I got?” I rasped softly, looking at the burlap sack as blood slowly stained through the cloth. My voice cracked, then failed entirely.
"我得到了什么?"我轻轻地步履蹒跚，看着布袋上慢慢渗出的血迹。我的声音嘶哑了，然后完全失败了。
“Blackjack, you idiot…”
"黑杰克，你这个白痴......"
* * *
* * *
Side by side, we entered Chapel, and Sekashi looked at me with her easy smile and worried eyes. “Let me check on Majina. I fear… I just wish to check on her.” She tried to keep her eyes on mine, but they could not help but glance at my passenger.
我们肩并肩地走进教堂，Sekashi用她从容的微笑和忧虑的眼神看着我。"我去看看马吉娜。我只是想去看看她。"她试图盯着我的眼睛，但是他们忍不住瞥了我的乘客一眼。
“Stay with her. At least one of us should have the sense to get out of the rain,” I crackled, feeling cold and tired. It was how I imagined Scalpel and Bonesaw must feel. I wondered what it was like to be a mother; the thought was simply
"陪着她。至少我们当中应该有一个人有能力避雨,"我噼里啪啦地说，感到又冷又累。这就是我想象中的手术刀和骨草的感觉。我想知道作为一个母亲是什么样子的;这个想法很简单
terrifying. I could barely take care of myself with my friends’ help. What would it be like to worry about a foal? To lose one?
可怕的。在朋友的帮助下，我几乎不能照顾自己。为小马驹担心是什么感觉？失去一个？
I was walking slowly past the post office when Priest stepped quietly out into the rain. The water spraying off his shoulders seemed to glint around him like an aura. Our eyes met, and there were no words. I looked with eyes of guilt, he with silent recrimination. He’d warned; I’d failed. What needed to be said past that? He stepped past me, giving the sack a small nuzzle of farewell, and walked off towards his church.
我慢慢地走过邮局，这时普里斯特静静地走进了雨中。水从他的肩膀上喷射出来，似乎在他周围闪烁着一种光环。我们的目光相遇，无言以对。我用内疚的眼神看着他，他则默默地反责。他警告过我，我失败了。除此之外还需要说些什么呢？他从我身边走过，用鼻子轻轻地向麻袋告了别，然后向他的教堂走去。
The door to the post office opened, and three young ponies tumbled out. Medley, Adagio, and Allegro rolled into the rainy street. Little Sonata followed the four; she’d have been the perfect age to be a friend for Thorn. Allegro struggled to get free with his treasure: a bottle of Sparkle-Cola RAD. Adagio hugged his rear legs while Medley clambered up his back, her horn glowing as she struggled to pull the bottle from his lips before he could drink it all. “Give it back! It’s mine…” she shrieked as she pummeled his head with her hooves.
邮局的门开了，三匹小马从里面摔了出来。混合曲、慢板和快板滚进了下雨的街道。小索纳塔紧随其后;她本来是索恩最好的朋友。Allegro挣扎着用他的宝贝:一瓶闪亮可乐RAD挣脱出来。慢板抱着他的后腿，梅德利爬上他的背，她的角发光，她挣扎着把瓶子从他的嘴里拿出来，他还没来得及喝完。"还给我！这是我的......"她尖叫着，用蹄子敲打着他的头。
“You said I’d get a drink, Alleg!” Adagio protested laconically, the blue colt tugging at his limbs.
"你说过我会去喝一杯的，阿莱格!"慢板简短地抗议着，蓝色的小马拉着他的四肢。
“Geff off!” the rose-colored colt growled, and the chartreuse unicorn yanked the bottle of soda from his mouth and held it above them. “Hey!” he protested, stretching up to reach the glowing bottle.
"滚开!"玫瑰色的小马咆哮着，黄绿色的独角兽从嘴里拽出一瓶苏打水，举在他们上面。"嘿!"他抗议着，伸手去够那个发光的瓶子。
“It’s mine now!” Medley declared, only to have Allegro grab her in a bear hug around her chest. Unbalanced, the pile of foals tumbled over with a loud thump. The glow around the bottle faded, and it fell into Sonata’s hooves. Three pairs of eyes met hers. The little purple earth pony smiled and then promptly spat into the bottle. A chorus of “Ew…” filled the air as the filly enjoyed her radish favored soda with a small smile of triumph.
"现在是我的了!"梅德利说，结果阿莱格罗紧紧地抱住她的胸口。一堆小马驹失去平衡，砰地一声倒在地上。瓶子周围的光线逐渐消失，掉进了索纳塔的马蹄里。三双眼睛迎着她的。紫色土地上的小马微笑着，然后迅速地往瓶子里吐了口唾沫。当这匹小母马带着胜利的微笑，享受着她心爱的萝卜苏打水时，空气中充满了"呕......"的合唱声。
“Hey, it’s Security Pony!” Medley said, pointing a hoof at me as she lay upside down upon the blue Adagio. They rolled to their feet, and suddenly I felt a pit opening inside me. “Did you find Thorn? Been looking everywhere for her.”
"嘿，是保安小马!"梅德利说着，用一只蹄子指着我，她倒着躺在那首蓝色的慢板上。他们都滚了起来，我突然感到身体里有一个洞口。""你找到索恩了吗？我到处找她。"
“What’s in the bag?” Allegro said with a grin of acquisitiveness, but he must have read something on my face. “Hey? What’s wrong? You don’t look so good.” What could I say? How could I explain that one of my friends had killed their newest member?
"袋子里是什么?"阿莱格罗带着贪婪的笑容说，但他一定是从我脸上读到了什么。"嘿？怎么了？你看起来不太好。"我能说什么呢？我怎么能解释我的一个朋友杀了他们的新成员？
“Hey, Sonata! Did you win?” Charity said from the doorway. Then youngest of the four took a drink with a wide smile.
"嘿，索纳塔！你赢了吗?"慈悲站在门口说。然后，四个孩子中最小的一个笑着喝了一口水。
“She spit in the bottle,” Adagio whined.
"她往瓶子里吐口水,"柔板呜咽着说。
“Just like I told her. Good girl,” Charity said before she yelled into the post office, “Sonata won! Pay up!” Then she glanced at me and her smile faded. She looked at me and the sack on my back. “What are you doing?”
"就像我告诉她的那样。"好姑娘,"慈善机构说，然后她冲着邮局喊道,"索纳塔赢了！付钱!"然后她瞥了我一眼，笑容消失了。她看着我和我背上的麻袋。"你在干什么?"
“She’s acting funny,” Medley said suspiciously.
"她的行为很奇怪,"梅德利怀疑地说。
But Charity’s eyes met mine. They flashed a moment like beam weapons before she said softly, “Thorn’s dead, ain’t she?” The four looked at her, then looked at me in worry. I couldn’t speak, I could only nod. “She took the walk, huh?” Her gold eyes looked at the bag on my back and I knew that she was lying through her horn, but once again all I could do was nod.
但是查瑞蒂的目光与我相遇。他们像光束武器一样闪了一会儿，她轻声说:"索恩死了，不是吗?"四个人看着她，然后忧心忡忡地看着我。我不能说话，只能点头。"她去散步了，是吗?"她那双金色的眼睛看着我背上的包，我知道她是在用喇叭撒谎，但我又一次只能点头。
The four didn’t looked shocked. They looked sad. Resigned. As if this wasn’t the first time.
这四个人看起来并不吃惊。他们看起来很伤心。辞职。好像这不是第一次似的。
“I thought she was going to stay,” Sonata said softly as she hugged the almost empty bottle. Medley put a hoof around her. “I really thought she wouldn’t walk.”
"我以为她会留下来,"索纳塔一边温柔地说，一边抱着几乎空了的瓶子。梅德利用蹄子围住她。"我真以为她不会走路了。"
“It happens, Sonata. It happens,” Medley said as she nuzzled her ear. This was how the Crusaders survived.
"这种事时有发生，索纳塔。这种事时有发生,"梅德利一边用鼻子蹭耳朵一边说。十字军战士就是这样幸存下来的。
Adagio looked at his brother, wilting in the rain. “Wonder who told her about the bridge. Probably Pander or Crisp… I’ll thump ‘em if they did,” the blue colt muttered dully, and that was how colts survived.
慢板看着他的兄弟，在雨中枯萎了。"不知道是谁告诉她那座桥的事的。也许是潘德尔或克里斯普......如果他们这么做了，我会狠狠地揍他们一顿,"蓝色小马无精打采地咕哝着，小马就是这样活下来的。
“Head inside. No point in being stuck in the rain,” Charity said, stepping aside. When they’d gone back indoors she looked at the bag again. “You going to take care of her?” All I could do was nod and her gaze dropped. “Good.” The yellow filly turned back to the post office.
"进去吧。被困在雨中没有意义,"查瑞蒂边说边走到一边。当他们回到屋里时，她又看了看袋子。"你会照顾她吗?"我只能点点头，她的目光低垂下来。"很好。"那匹黄色的小母马转身回到邮局。
“Don’t you want to know how?” I croaked, and then coughed. I was soaked through, exhausted, and just wanted to dry out.
"难道你不想知道怎么做吗?"我发出沙哑的声音，然后咳嗽了一声。我浑身湿透，筋疲力尽，只想把自己弄干。
She looked back at me with her sad gold eyes. “No,” she said simply as she
她用她忧伤的金色眼睛回头看着我。"不,"她一边说一边简单地说
stepped back inside. She didn’t need to know. Thorn had died, and I was taking care of her. That seemed to be enough. I’m sure a pony like her would eventually find out the details from Priest.
退回去。她不需要知道。索恩死了，我在照顾她。这似乎已经足够了。我相信像她这样的小马最终会从普里斯特那里知道细节的。
Alone, I walked to the grave where the trampled grass and muddy earth were the only indication of the ceremony that had taken place barely an hour ago. I looked at the wooden post. “Roses…” Gently, I laid Thorn on the grass. “I’m… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen,” I said as I closed my eyes, hanging my head. “I bet you’ve heard that a lot, huh, you bony bastard?”
我一个人走向坟墓，那里的草地和泥土是仅仅一个小时前举行的仪式的唯一标志。我看了看木柱子。"玫瑰......"我轻轻地把刺放在草地上。"我...我很抱歉。我不是故意让这一切发生的,"我闭上眼睛，低垂着头说。"我打赌你听过很多这样的话，哈，你这个瘦骨嶙峋的混蛋?"
“You’re talking to me?” he said from my left, where he was sitting and looking at the grave solemnly. I glared at him hatefully. He returned my gaze and had the audacity to look upset. “Yeah, it’s an old theme. The road to hell and all that.”
"你在跟我说话?"他坐在我的左边，一本正经地看着坟墓。我愤怒地瞪着他。他回应了我的目光，厚颜无耻地露出不安的神情。"是的，这是一个老主题。通往地狱之路等等。"
“Why can’t I make it any better? Why can’t I save even one foal who just lost her mother? Why do you take everything away?”
"为什么我不能使它变得更好呢？为什么我连一匹刚失去母亲的小马驹都救不了？你为什么要把所有东西都拿走?"
“I didn’t kill her,” the white horse said softly as he tugged the ragged cowpony hat further over his face.
"我没有杀她,"白马一边轻轻地说，一边把那顶粗糙的小马帽拉到脸上。
“You know what I mean…” I said quietly as I looked at the brown muck before me. “Why do you have to make it so hard?”
"你知道我的意思......"我平静地说，同时看着面前的棕色淤泥。"你为什么要把事情搞得这么复杂?"
“I don’t, Blackjack. You do… because you care so damn much,” he said softly, looking at me with a sad, avuncular smile. “And you know what caring means.”
"我不知道，黑杰克。你知道......因为你太在乎我了,"他温柔地说，带着一种悲伤的慈祥的微笑看着我。"你知道关心是什么意思。"
“Caring fucking hurts, no matter how you slice it,” I whispered, and then I began to dig.
"关心他妈的伤害，不管你怎么切它,"我低声说，然后我开始挖。
* * *
* * *
I don’t know how long I worked on digging that hole. It could have been minutes; it felt like days. I rasped, coughed, and had conversations with my own fractured psyche. I just couldn’t stop. I’d failed in all other regards; I would at least see her laid to rest or drop in the attempt.
我不知道我挖了那个洞多久。可能是几分钟，感觉像是几天。我尖叫着，咳嗽着，和我自己破碎的心灵交谈着。我就是停不下来。我在其他方面都失败了;我至少愿意看到她安息或者放弃这次尝试。
And, sure enough, my aching legs finally gave out and sent me sprawling next to the sack, coughing and struggling just to breathe.
果不其然，我疼痛的双腿终于不行了，我四肢无力地趴在麻袋旁边，咳嗽着，挣扎着呼吸。
“Blackjack, you idiot,” P-21 said softly beside me. “Don’t you have the sense to
"黑杰克，你这个白痴,"P-21在我旁边轻声说。""你难道不知道吗
get out of the rain?” he asked as he walked to the shallow hole and moved in to my left. The rain matting his navy mane, he started to dig alongside me.
避雨?"他边问边走向那个浅坑，然后走到我的左边。雨水打在他海军般的鬃毛上，他开始在我旁边挖掘。
Glory slipped in on my other side. Her lavender eyes met mine, and her wing gently wiped the rain from my eyes. She set down her packs and pulled out a blanket to drape over me before she moved to the hole as well.
晨辉悄悄地从我的另一边溜进来。她淡紫色的眼睛迎着我的眼睛，她的翅膀轻轻地擦去我眼前的雨水。她放下背包，拿出一条毯子盖在我身上，然后也走到洞边。
Across from us stepped Rampage. She looked too small to help, but all the same she lay on her stomach to dig out the mess. Black hooves stepped in beside her, and she stared up at Priest in shock as he floated a shovel before him. Giving one long look at the tiny Rampage, he proceeded to dig as well. Then, to my amazement, the rain stopped… No. It hadn’t stopped raining. It had simply stopped falling on us. Standing a little ways apart, Lacunae watched us toil, her horn glowing. Sekashi walked up with more of her potions and medicine. And then, most miraculous of all, Charity arrived with a shovel and bucket.
横冲直撞从我们对面走来。她看起来太小了，不能帮忙，但她还是趴在地上，把乱七八糟的东西挖出来。黑色的蹄子走到她身边，当牧师在他面前放着一把铲子时，她震惊地盯着他。看了一眼这个小小的暴怒，他也开始挖了起来。然后，令我惊讶的是，雨停了......没有。雨一直没有停。它只是不再落在我们身上。拉库尼站在离我们不远的地方，看着我们辛苦劳作，她的角在发光。Sekashi带着更多的药水和药品走了过来。然后，最不可思议的是，Charity带着铲子和水桶来了。
Beside me, the old pale stallion watched with a wistful look of longing. “See that? That’s how it should be.” Lacunae glanced in my direction as I muttered to myself.
在我旁边，那匹苍白的老种马用渴望的渴望的眼神望着我。""看见了吗？本来就应该是这样。"当我喃喃自语时，空隙朝我的方向瞥了一眼。
“I should be doing it…”
"我应该这么做......"
He gave me a look I was all too familiar with. “You are, Blackjack. You can’t do it all yourself, Blackjack. You don’t need to be better… smarter, maybe, but not better,” he said as he looked at me. “You just need your friends to carry some of your load.”
他给了我一个非常熟悉的眼神。"是的，黑杰克。你不可能一个人做完所有的事，Blackjack。你不需要变得更好......也许更聪明，但不是更好,"他看着我说。"你只是需要你的朋友帮你分担一些负担。"
The six of us together made quick work of the hole, despite the mud and wet. Priest levitated Thorn down beside her mother as I watched. “Rest easy, Thorn. Roses. Be united forever in the everafter.”
尽管泥泞潮湿，我们六个人还是一起快速钻完了洞。当我看着的时候，牧师把索恩悬浮在她母亲的身边。"别担心，索恩。玫瑰。永远团结在一起。"
“I… I never meant… I didn’t want this to happen again. Not again… not ever again,” Rampage blubbered as she looked down into the grave like she wanted to crawl into it as well.
"我.....。.我从没想过...我不想再发生这样的事。再也不会了......再也不会了,"狂暴哭着低头看着坟墓，好像她也想爬进去似的。
Filling the grave was far easier than emptying it. Priest just closed his eyes as Charity collected her shovels. “I know, Arloste. But it did,” he replied evenly.
填满坟墓比清空坟墓容易得多。当Charity收起铁锹时，Priest闭上了眼睛。"我知道，阿洛斯特。但事实的确如此,"他平静地回答。
“Yeah…” she muttered softly, and gave him a wan half smile. “Blackjack’s going to help me figure out how to die. Pretty cool, huh?” He glanced at me and
"是啊......"她轻声咕哝着，给了他一个苍白的微笑。"Blackjack会帮我想出怎么死的办法。很酷吧?"他瞥了我一眼
then at her. “Then… then I’ll get what I deserve… and I won’t ever do it again.”
然后是她。"然后......然后我会得到我应得的......我再也不会这么做了。"
“Nopony deserves what you’re going through, Arloste,” Priest replied softly. “I wish there was something I could do to help, but you’re still a threat to the Crusaders. You’ll still have to stay away.”
"没有小马值得你经历这些，阿洛斯特,"普里斯特轻声回答。"我希望我能帮上什么忙，但你仍然是十字军的威胁。你还是得离我远点。"
Rampage just nodded. “Can I see her before I go?”
狂暴只是点点头。"我走之前能见见她吗?"
His lips curled in a sad smile. “Of course.”
他的嘴角挂着忧伤的微笑。"当然。"
She gave a nod, and the foal-sized red-zebra-striped pony walked quietly out into the rain beyond Lacunae’s spell. Not towards the houses, but further into the graveyard.
她点了点头，这匹斑马大小的小马驹静静地走进了雨中，超越了Lacunae的魔力。不是朝房子的方向，而是更远的墓地。
“Where’s she going?” Glory asked as she watched.
"她要去哪儿?"晨辉看着她问道。
“She’s visiting our daughter,” he replied quietly.
"她去看我们的女儿了,"他平静地回答。
Their what? Glory covered her mouth in horror, and even P-21 looked shocked. “I was barely a stallion, but…” He gave a little shrug. “Old enough for it to happen once, after a lot of scotch and persuasion. I’d never seen her so happy. Then… out of nowhere… she killed her. It drove her crazy, I think. She tried so many ways to kill herself, it scared the Crusaders. Finally, she went into the city. I lost count of the number of times she was vaporized by the defenses. I thought that would be that. Only she appeared two years later as the Reaper, Rampage.”
他们的什么？晨辉惊恐地捂住了她的嘴，甚至连P-21也显得很震惊。"我几乎算不上一匹种马，但是......"他耸了耸肩。"在喝了很多苏格兰威士忌，说服了很多人之后，这种事只会发生一次。我从没见过她这么开心。然后...不知从哪里...她杀了她。我想，这让她发疯了。她尝试了很多种自杀的方法，这吓坏了十字军战士。最后，她进了城。我都数不清有多少次她被防卫队给蒸发了。我就知道会这样。只是两年后她以死神的身份出现，横冲直撞。"
“Why doesn’t she just… bury herself or something?” P-21 muttered, now with a touch of shame and pity.
"她为什么不把自己埋起来呢?"P-21咕哝着，现在带着一丝羞愧和怜悯。
“Because it wouldn’t kill her. Someday… maybe in days, or years, or centuries, she’d escape. And when she did, who knows what kind of monster she’d be? The only punishment she feels is acceptable is to die,” Priest said firmly. “She has to ensure that she’ll never hurt another--”
"因为这不会要她的命。总有一天......也许在几天，几年，几个世纪后，她会逃走。当她这么做的时候，谁知道她会变成什么样的怪物呢？她觉得唯一可以接受的惩罚就是死。"。"她必须确保她再也不会伤害别人——"
“So she gets off easily…” P-21 muttered.
"所以她很容易就下车了......"P-21嘀咕着。
“--and be tormented eternally in Hell,” Priest finished. P-21 blinked, then glanced at me. I think he finally realized just how deeply what she’d done had hurt.
"在地狱里受到永恒的折磨,"普里斯特最后说。P-21眨了眨眼，然后看了我一眼。我想他终于意识到她的所作所为伤害有多深。
There was just one last thing to do. I dug in my bags and pulled out my dragon claw. My horn was so dead that I had to grip it in my teeth and scrape it against the wood. When I finished, I looked at the post. ‘Roses’, and beneath it, my additions. ‘Mother… Thorn… Daughter’.
还有最后一件事要做。我掏出我的包，拔出我的龙爪。我的角已经死了，我不得不用牙齿咬住它，用木头刮它。当我完成的时候，我看了看邮件。'玫瑰'，在它下面，是我的附属品。母亲...荆棘...女儿。
“I’m done,” I whispered through my ragged throat, slumping against Glory. “Time to get out of the rain.”
"我受够了,"我从破烂的喉咙里低声说，在晨辉面前一蹶不振。"是时候避雨了。"
* * *
* * *
Unfortunately, my departure for Stable 99 was going to have to wait a little while. I was sick… sick sick sick sick. I’d almost prefer dying of radiation sickness to coughing, hacking, and generally feeling miserable. I know, Rampage was in an infinitely worse place than me, but she was simply dealing with a second childhood… or third… fourth... and at the moment there was nothing I could do as they put me upstairs in Marigold’s old bed.
不幸的是，我要去Stable99还得等一段时间。我病了，病了，病了，病了。我宁愿死于放射性疾病，也不愿咳嗽，干咳，感到痛苦。我知道，狂暴的处境比我糟糕得多，但她只是在处理第二个童年......或者第三个......第四个......此时此刻，当他们把我放到楼上玛丽戈尔德的旧床上时，我无能为力。
Sekashi stopped by to administer her healing draughts and brews. Apparently, a zebra who didn’t know how to mix simple concoctions was merely a striped pony. I know they may have smelled foul, but they were far better than the boiled leaves Glory brewed up. I was also admittedly curious about zebra culture. Pretty much all I’d learned about them was that they were the enemy during the war.
Sekashi停下来给她准备治疗用的饮料和啤酒。显然，一只不知道如何调配简单混合物的斑马只不过是一匹有条纹的矮种马。我知道它们可能闻起来很臭，但是它们比格洛里煮出来的叶子好多了。不可否认，我对斑马文化也很好奇。我所知道的关于他们的一切就是他们是战争中的敌人。
To hear her speak of it, the zebras had once lived in tribes across a vast grassland. Most were nomadic (though legends and archaeological evidence indicated that this might not have always been the case), and, rather than set up large towns and cities, they simply established a few buildings for healing and protecting their wells. Unlike Equestria, which had tamed most of its wilderness, the zebra lands had been rife with monsters and threats. These were respected by the zebras, and zebra stallions and mares would test themselves against these threats. What they lacked in unicorn magic they made up for with rare and potent magical talismans.
听她说，斑马曾经生活在一片广阔的草原上的部落里。大多数人都是游牧民族(尽管传说和考古学证据表明，情况可能并非总是如此)，他们没有建立大型城镇，而只是建立了一些建筑物，以治疗和保护他们的水井。与驯服了大部分荒野的马术国不同，斑马国的土地上充满了怪物和威胁。这些都是受到斑马的尊重，和斑马种马和母马将测试自己对这些威胁。他们在独角兽魔法方面所缺乏的东西，他们用稀有而强大的魔法护身符来弥补。
Apparently, a long drought changed much of this way of life. With the savanna dying, zebras were forced to gather in villages and cities built around water sources, and, with the zebras no longer able to just move away from them, competition with the natural predators became acute. A decade or so later, the land's gem deposits were exhausted, and the dearth of the gems that were the
显然，长期的干旱改变了这种生活方式。随着稀树草原的死亡，斑马被迫聚集在水源周围的村庄和城市，而且，由于斑马不再能够离开自己，与自然界的捕食者的竞争变得激烈。大约十年后，这片土地上的宝石储量已经枯竭，这里的宝石也随之稀缺
foundations of the zebras’ magical talismans threatened their survival. They found a twofold solution in Equestria. Equestria was industrializing, and many of the technologies it was beginning to develop held promise of replacing the need for talismans altogether. At the same time, though, Equestria had large supplies of gems, and, fortunately for the zebras, its burgeoning industry also meant burgeoning demands for energy, demands that the quickly-dwindling Equestrian coal supplies were unable to meet. Agreements were made: Equestria would supply the zebras with gems and give zebra industrialization a boost with the knowledge and technology for coal mining, and in return the zebras would send coal to Equestria.
斑马的神奇护身符威胁到了它们的生存。他们在Equestria找到了双重解决方案。马术国正在进行工业化，它开发的许多技术有望完全取代对护身符的需求。不过，与此同时，Equestria拥有大量的宝石供应。而且，对斑马来说幸运的是，该国迅速发展的行业也意味着能源需求的迅速增长，而迅速减少的马术用煤供应无法满足这些需求。双方达成协议:马术公司将向斑马提供宝石，并利用煤炭开采的知识和技术促进斑马的产业化，作为回报，斑马将向Equestria运送煤炭。
The demand for mining and the desire for technology completely changed their nomadic way of life. The zebra lands were tamed and exploited for their resources, and the zebras began to develop their own technologies, both earth-pony-like and alchemically based, to supplement and enhance their traditional tools and talismans. The Caesar, the latest to occupy a position that was formerly just a sort of highly experienced diplomat in charge of settling the largest inter-tribal disputes, took up the increased power the sedentary lifestyle had given him and declared a bold new future, but it was not easy. The zebras, experiencing the same sort of technological growth as Equestria, also began to experience the same sorts of unsteady social changes. City dwelling was no longer just something in legends, done by only a few small tribes, or done to weather a drought; now it was the norm. Railroads snaked across the land, turning journeys that might once have been weeks of hard travel into a few days in a well-appointed coach. The increasingly unified zebra military, armed with new weapons and new magic, stopped simply keeping the beasts away and began to hunt them down. New thoughts shot through zebra culture like lightning, and among them was one that began to climb to a dangerous boil.
对采矿的需求和对技术的渴望彻底改变了他们的游牧生活方式。斑马的土地被驯服和开发为他们的资源，斑马开始发展他们自己的技术，既像地球上的马一样的和以金属化合物为基础的，以补充和加强他们的传统工具和护身符。凯撒，最近一个占据这个位置的人，以前只是一个经验丰富的外交官，负责解决最大的部落间争端，接过了静止型生活方式赋予他的越来越大的权力，宣布了一个大胆的新的未来，但这并不容易。与Equestria一样，斑马也经历着同样的技术增长，也开始经历着同样不稳定的社会变革。城市居住不再只是传说中的东西，只有少数几个小部落才有，或者只是为了经受干旱;现在它已经成为常态。铁路在陆地上蜿蜒曲折，把曾经几个星期的艰苦旅程变成了在一辆设备齐全的大客车上的几天旅程。日益统一的斑马军队，配备了新的武器和新的魔法，不再简单地把野兽赶走，而是开始猎杀它们。新的想法像闪电一样穿过斑马文化，其中有一个开始攀升到危险的沸点。
Most zebras had never been able to spare much thought for how things were elsewhere. They'd been too busy surviving, and it wasn't as if things in faraway lands would matter much to them. Those who did think about it, though, tended to be quietly resentful of Equestria. Equestria, chosen land of the living goddesses, where the monsters were tame and even the seasons were ordered for the ponies’ comfort. Still, that resentment hadn't mattered much; Equestria didn't care much about the zebras, and the zebras couldn't do anything about the ponies.
大多数斑马从来不会多想别处的情况。他们一直忙于生存，似乎远方的事情对他们来说并不重要。不过，那些真正考虑过这个问题的人，往往对Equestria心怀不满。Equestria，生活女神的选择之地，那里的怪物被驯服，甚至四季都是为了小马的舒适而安排的。然而，这种怨恨并不重要;小马国并不太关心斑马，斑马对小马也无能为力。
The first wake-up call came when Nightmare Moon returned and delayed the
第一个唤醒电话来时，噩梦月亮回来，并推迟了
dawn. That was when the resentment started to rise, but there was still nothing those bearing it could do. Then, years later, the trade agreements were signed, and, though they were very good for the zebras, they were even better for Equestria; the zebras were paying in coal ten times what the ponies were paying in gems. And those gems were even more valuable to the zebras now than before; the new industries might have reducing the relative utility of the old talismans, but at an even higher rate they were creating new uses for enchanted gems.
黎明。就在那时，怨恨开始升温，但是那些人仍然无能为力。几年后，贸易协议签订了，虽然这对斑马来说很好，但对小马国来说更好;斑马用煤炭支付的价格是小马用宝石支付的价格的十倍。这些宝石现在对斑马来说比以前更有价值;新兴产业可能已经减少了旧护身符的相对效用，但是他们正以更高的速度为魔法宝石创造新的用途。
With all of this and more beneath the surface, it only took a small nick to start the process that would end with the world exploding. The hostage crisis was that nick, and the disaster proceeded from there.
所有这一切，以及更多的表面之下，只需要一个小小的缺口，就可以开始这一进程，最终导致世界爆炸。人质危机就是那个尼克，灾难从那里开始。
The Caesar withheld the coal until fairer trade terms could be negotiated. In response, Equestria withheld its gem shipments. Pony power, transportation, and manufacturing were cut back, then cut back again. Zebra industry faltered as the gem supply dried up, and the campaign against the monsters of the land found itself expanding beyond the capabilities of its suddenly-reduced supplies; this only further increased zebra reliance on coal-fueled technology, increasing the domestic demand for coal and decreasing the demand for foreign gems.
在谈判达成更公平的贸易条件之前，凯撒没有提供煤炭。作为回应，Equestria扣留了宝石的运输。小马的电力、交通和制造业都被削减了，然后又再次削减。随着宝石供应的枯竭，斑马工业步履蹒跚，反对土地上的怪物的运动发现自己已经超越了突然减少的供应能力;这只会进一步增加斑马对煤燃料技术的依赖，增加国内对煤炭的需求，减少对外国宝石的需求。
Peaceful diplomacy failed and Equestria, desperate as its ponies lost the infrastructure they'd come to rely on, began seizing coal shipments by force.
和平外交失败了，Equestria孤注一掷，失去了他们赖以生存的基础设施，开始用武力扣押煤炭运输。
It was curious… almost cute… to hear about the first battles. Great care was taken to minimize casualties. Prisoners were exchanged immediately. Medical care offered. Meanwhile, Celestia constantly strove for some sort of armistice. But as the war progressed, the fighting grew worse. Weapons development, new combat spells, and dangerous new spell talismans pushed the destruction onward. Every pony and zebra involved seemed to agree that the fighting should stop, but none were able to let the other side fire the last shot. Zebra refugees and displaced ponies became increasingly common, and violence and resentment against them grew.
听到第一次战斗的情况，我感到很奇怪......甚至有些可爱。为了尽量减少伤亡，我们采取了极为谨慎的措施。立即交换了囚犯。提供的医疗服务。与此同时，塞莱斯蒂亚一直在为某种停战协议而努力。但是随着战争的进行，战斗愈演愈烈。武器发展，新的战斗法术，和危险的新法术护身符推动了毁灭。参与战斗的每匹小马和斑马似乎都同意停止战斗，但没有一匹能让对方开最后一枪。斑马难民和流离失所的小马变得越来越普遍，对他们的暴力和怨恨增长。
Then came the Littlehorn massacre.
然后是Littlehorn大屠杀。
I only knew it as a footnote in my history books: the attack on a school prompted Celestia’s abdication and elevated Princess Luna to the throne. I hadn’t known that it had been Luna’s school. I didn’t realize that the attack had employed a
我只知道这是我历史书上的一个脚注:对一所学校的袭击促使塞莱斯蒂亚退位，并提升卢娜公主为王位继承人。我不知道那是露娜的学校。我没有意识到这次袭击已经使用了
terrible new poison talisman. The Caesar denied that the school had ever been a target and said that the weapon had been lost and would never have been authorized. But the slaughter changed everything. Nopony was interested in peace anymore. The only drive was to win at any cost.
可怕的新型毒药护身符。"凯撒"号否认学校曾经是袭击目标，并说武器已经丢失，永远不会得到批准。但屠杀改变了一切。小马驹不再对和平感兴趣了。唯一的动力就是不惜一切代价赢得比赛。
Of course, the burning of Hoofington came soon after, and the reconstruction soon after that. It was as if, once unified in a common direction, ponies raced to discover how much they could do. Nopony had seen that the new horizon they were racing towards was a cliff–wait.
当然，不久之后Hoofington就被烧毁了，不久之后又进行了重建。这就好像，一旦统一在一个共同的方向，小马们竞相发现他们能做多少。Nopony已经看到，他们正在向着新的地平线前进，这是一个悬崖等待。
“Somepony did,” I muttered. “Somepony knew.” I remembered the museum and the Cakes. Somepony had known the day and the hour and had taken steps… but for what, I couldn’t imagine.
"是小马干的,"我喃喃自语道。"Somepony知道。"我想起了博物馆和蛋糕。一些小马知道这一天和这一小时，并已采取步骤...但为什么，我无法想象。
* * *
* * *
“You gave me your damn cold,” P-21 muttered as he visited me with his own runny nose.
"你把你那该死的感冒传染给我了,"P-21一边流着鼻涕来看我一边喃喃自语。
“Bah. I gave you nothing. You stole it,” I retorted as I lay in bed.
"呸。我什么都没给你。"你偷的,"我躺在床上反驳道。
“Well, take it back, then!” he muttered, sneezing hard. “Ew…” He stuck his tongue out at the snot on his hoof. “Ugh… I hate being sick.”
"那么，收回你的话!"他喃喃自语，拼命地打喷嚏。"呃......"他把舌头伸向蹄子上的鼻涕。"呃...我讨厌生病。"
“Apparently, stable ponies catch it more easily. We’re lucky we’re in Chapel where there’s not a lot of Enervation. If we were in Flank, it could take days to get over.” I sipped from one of Sekashi’s bottles. “You should drink this. I think I’ve coughed up every color of the rainbow, but I feel better.”
"显然，稳定的小马更容易抓住它。我们很幸运，我们在教堂，那里没有太多的能量。如果我们在弗兰克，可能要好几天才能过去。"我喝了一口Sekashi的酒。"你应该把这个喝了。我想我咳出了彩虹的每一种颜色，但我感觉好多了。"
“Pass. Those zebra drinks taste like mare ass,” he said as he stuck out his tongue.
"算了吧。那些斑马饮料尝起来像马屁,"他一边说一边伸出舌头。
I rolled my eyes. “Please. Do you even know what mare butt tastes like?”
我翻了翻白眼。"求你了。你知道马屁股是什么味道吗?"
He looked at me. “Well it depends on how clean she keeps herself back there.” I winced and he reached over and pretended to read the label on the back, “Oh look. Side effects may include nausea, loss of appetite, rainbow snot, and putting all four hooves in your mouth.” He took a drink and his eyes widened, his navy mane frizzing as he jerked. “Okay… tastes worse than–”
他看着我。"这取决于她能把自己留在那里多干净。"我皱了皱眉头，他伸手过来，假装在看背面的标签,"哦，看。副作用可能包括恶心、食欲不振、鼻涕多，以及把四只蹄子都放进嘴里。"他喝了一口酒，眼睛瞪得大大的，一边抽搐，一边把海军的头发弄得乱七八糟。"好吧...味道比..."
“I defer to your experience,” I said quickly.
"我尊重你的经验,"我很快地说。
He took another drink and then sighed, setting the bottle back on the nightstand. “I also want to apologize. I know you’re trying hard… harder than any of us. I just didn’t handle it well.”
他又喝了一口，叹了口气，把酒瓶放回床头柜上。"我也想道歉。我知道你很努力...比我们任何人都努力。我只是处理得不好。"
“I’d be scared if any of us did,” I said as I leaned back in the bed, looking at the moon painted on the ceiling. “I’m sorry too… I want to save her. I do. And Thorn. And Roses. And Flank. Why is that so hard?”
"如果我们中有人这么做，我会害怕的,"我说，我向后靠在床上，看着画在天花板上的月亮。"我也很抱歉......我想救她。我知道。还有索恩。还有玫瑰。还有弗兰克。为什么这么难呢?"
“Because it’s better. It would have been easier to leave Roses and Thorn in that ruin or write off Flank. It’s what I would have done.” He sighed and shook his head. “You want to know what bothers me the most, though?” I cringed inwardly but nodded. “I really didn’t care that she was dead. It was wrong and all… completely messed up… but I was more angry that Rampage didn’t get punished for it.”
"因为这样更好。把玫瑰和荆棘留在废墟里或者注销弗拉克本来会更容易些。如果是我，我也会这么做。"他叹了口气，摇了摇头。"不过，你想知道我最烦恼的是什么吗?"我心里有些害怕，但还是点了点头。"我真的不在乎她死了。这是错误的，一切都......完全搞砸了......但我更生气的是，狂暴没有因此受到惩罚。"
“She is,” I pointed out.
"她是的,"我指出。
“Maybe. I’m not quite sold on the ‘not crazy mare still innocent of killing a foal somehow ‘cause she feels really bad about it’ theory,” he said with a wave of his hoof. “And I still want to know what Lacunae’s angle is.”
"也许吧。"我不太相信'不疯狂的母马仍然无辜地杀死了一匹小马驹'的理论，因为她对此感到非常难过,"他挥动着蹄子说。"我还是想知道，空隙的角度是什么。"
“Maybe she just wants to help make the Wasteland better?”
"也许她只是想帮助荒原变得更好?"
“I don’t think she has a clue what she really wants… or this Goddess. I talked with Priest about it. Apparently there are acolytes all over the Wasteland selling this whole ‘Unity’ religion. An alicorn takes you away to become one with the Goddess. Catch is, nopony ever comes back,” he said as he rubbed his nose.
"我认为她不知道自己到底想要什么......或者这位女神。我和Priest谈过了。显然，整个荒原上到处都有信徒在兜售整个"团结"宗教。一个独角兽把你带走成为女神的一员。抓住，小马永远不会回来,"他揉着鼻子说。
“Apparently I’m too damaged for Unity,” I said with a rueful smile. “And too whiny.”
"显然，我已经受到太多伤害，无法团结起来,"我苦笑着说。"而且爱发牢骚。"
He wasn’t smiling. “Blackjack, nopony is too damaged for Unity. They’ll take anypony. Murderers. Rapists. Raiders. Slaves. It doesn’t matter. I can’t really believe that they’d turn anypony away for being ‘too whiny’.”
他没有笑。"黑杰克，小马受伤太严重了。他们会接受任何东西。杀人犯。强奸犯。突袭机。奴隶。没关系。我真不敢相信他们会因为小马'太爱发牢骚'而拒绝它们。"
I frowned at that. “Maybe. I just don’t understand where the Goddess ends and Lacunae begins. She sounds like she’s a part of it, but… not. She said something about Hoofington being full of nightmares.” I caught his look and chuckled… then coughed, hacked, brought up something a decidedly ‘bugh’ color, and spat it into a rag before shaking my head. “Ew… anyway… not normal nightmares,
我皱起了眉头。"也许吧。我只是不明白女神在哪里结束，空白在哪里开始。听起来她是其中的一部分但是...不是。她说胡芬顿总是做噩梦。"我看到了他的表情，咯咯地笑了起来......然后咳嗽了一下，砍了一下，拿出了一个明显颜色"不错"的东西，在摇头之前把它吐到了一块破布上。"呃...不管怎么说...不是普通的噩梦
scary dreams. It’s definitely an alicorny thing.”
可怕的梦。这绝对是件稀奇古怪的事情。"
“Well,” he said as he wiped his nose on his leg. “Just… don’t let this bite us in the tail. I mean… I know you want to help her, but she and her Goddess are one great big unknown. Okay?” I sighed and nodded, taking another sip of the tasty medicine. It was kinda like licorice... salty licorice? P-21 relaxed a bit. “So… last question. What are we going to do at Stable 99?”
"好吧,"他一边说，一边用腿擦着鼻子。"只是......不要让它咬到我们的尾巴。我的意思是...我知道你想帮助她，但她和她的女神是一个伟大的未知数。好吗?"我叹了口气，点了点头，又喝了一口这美味的药。有点像甘草...咸的甘草？P-21放松了一点。"那么...最后一个问题。我们在Stable99怎么办?"
“Take it over,” I replied calmly as I rubbed my bruised throat. “I mean it. If Mom won’t listen, I will shoot her till she does. I will feel very guilty about it afterwards, but I’m not going to let that place continue.” Then I took a deep breath. “After that, anyone who doesn’t like the new rules can have fun in the Wasteland.”
"拿去吧,"我抚摸着受伤的喉咙，平静地回答。"我是认真的。如果妈妈不听我的，我就一枪崩了她。之后我会为此感到非常内疚，但我不会让这种情况继续下去。"然后我深吸了一口气。"在那之后，任何不喜欢新规则的人都可以在荒原玩得开心。"
He looked at me with a sigh. “I notice that plan doesn’t have anything about punishing them for what they did.”
他叹了口气看着我。"我注意到，这个计划没有任何关于惩罚他们所做的事情的内容。"
I closed my eyes. “Sorry. I’m not an executioner. I’d give you the Overmare if I could, but Deus took care of that.”
我闭上了眼睛。"对不起。我不是刽子手。如果可以的话，我愿意把奥弗马给你，但是上帝已经处理好了。"
“Well, get back to Stable 99 and take over. I assume profit follows on step three.” He crossed his forelegs on the edge of my bed as he cocked his head. “And if it doesn’t go to plan?”
"好吧，回到Stable99，接管这里。我认为利润紧随第三步。"他翘起头，前腿交叉放在我的床沿上。"如果没有按计划进行呢?"
“Drink some Wild Pegasus, sing some dirty limericks, shoot a lot, and try not to die,” I said as I looked him in the eye. “But I’m not leaving there till it’s taken care of, P-21.”
"喝一些野飞马，唱一些肮脏的打油诗，拍了很多，尽量不要死,"我说，我看着他的眼睛。"但我不会离开那里，直到它得到解决，P-21。"
“Good. That I can live with,” he said softly.
"很好。我可以接受,"他轻声说。
“I know you don’t believe it,” I said with a smile, “but most of Stable 99 are good ponies. We won’t have to kill them all.” Because if we did, then I was going to follow them. But I couldn’t believe Mom and the others would hold on to rules that weren’t even a part of the stable to begin with!
"我知道你不相信,"我笑着说,"但是99号马厩里的大多数都是好马。我们不必把他们全杀光。"因为如果我们知道，我就会跟着他们。但是我不敢相信妈妈和其他人会坚持那些从一开始就不属于马厩的规矩！
“You’re an optimist, Blackjack. Still, while I’m not sure about their goodness, I’m pretty sure they aren’t going out of their way to screw us. If they have a choice, then they’ll do what’s easier.” He gave my hip a nudge. “I’ll be honest. Fighting you… is hard.” I smiled at that. I needed to make cards. ‘Security: Don’t fight me, it’s hard.’ “And afterwards?”
"你是个乐观主义者，Blackjack。不过，虽然我不确定他们是否有好处，但我相当肯定他们不会想方设法搞垮我们。如果他们可以选择，那么他们会做更容易的事情。"他用肘轻推了一下我的臀部。"说实话。和你战斗......很艰难。"我笑了。我需要做卡片。保安:不要和我作对，这很难"然后呢?"
“Put Mom in charge as the new Overmare and put them in contact with Bottlecap. There’s got to be valuable things to trade. Trade will save the Wasteland,” I said with a smile. “Then we get the routing to the next destination for EC-1101, and maybe make a little stop at Hippocratic Research and see if I can’t talk Sanguine into giving up on it.”
"让妈妈作为新的Overmare负责，并让她们与Bottlecap联系。肯定有值钱的东西可以交易。贸易将拯救荒地,"我微笑着说。"然后我们去EC-1101的下一个目的地，也许在希波克拉底研究所停一下，看看我能不能说服桑吉纳放弃它。"
“Sounds… good,” he said, actually sounding impressed. Then he chuckled. “You know that something’s going to go wrong.”
"听起来......不错,"他说，听起来确实让人印象深刻。然后他咯咯笑了起来。"你知道有些事情会出错。"
“Yeah. Probably Sanguine,” I said, rolling my eyes. “The Zodiacs knew I was at Stable-Tec R&D. He’ll probably guess that I’ll head to Stable 99 to find the routing. He’s probably going to throw every raider, bandit, and slaver against me. Probably why DJ Pon3 said the area was so much more hostile now.” I brought up my PipBuck and tapped the screen. The sleek black display showed the navigation tool in soft, cool blue. I was amazed at how many places I’d reached in the last few weeks. “Ditzy is flying back to New Appleloosa tomorrow. She can drop us off at Miramare. From there, it’s two days to Megamart and two more to Stable 99.”
"是的。可能是乐观吧,"我说，眼珠转了转。"十二宫知道我在稳定技术研发中心。他可能会猜到我会去Stable99找路由。他可能会用每一架突袭机，强盗和奴隶贩子来对付我。也许这就是为什么DJPon3说这个地区现在更具敌意了。"我拿出我的PipBuck，轻轻地敲击屏幕。光滑的黑色显示屏显示的导航工具软，凉爽的蓝色。我很惊讶在过去的几个星期里我去了那么多地方。"迪茨明天就要飞回纽阿普卢卢萨了。她可以把我们送到米拉马雷。从那里到Megamart还有两天，到Stable99还有两天。"
“That’s a lot of ground to cover. Any chance Ditzy could fly us straight to Stable 99?”
"这需要涉及很多领域。迪兹有没有可能把我们直接送到Stable99?"
“She’s not a taxi. 99 is way out of her way, and we used up most of our caps paying for EC-1101.” Most of that money went to Ditzy for flying all the way out to Hoofington and back, a trip she usually risked only every other year or so. “We can’t keep her from her business just to save us some walking.”
"她不是出租车。99远远超出了她的能力范围，我们为EC-1101支付的大部分工资帽都用完了。"这些钱大部分都给了迪茨，因为她一路飞到Hoofington来回，而她通常每隔一年左右才冒一次险。"我们不能为了省几步路就不让她做生意。"
He made a face. “All very well for you,” he said with a grimace. “All your legs work.”
他做了个鬼脸。"一切都很好,"他做了个鬼脸说。"你所有的腿都很灵活。"
“My knees are half shot too, after jumping off that catwalk,” I reminded him; I could have taken a Hydra, but after all the damage done to me by the drug, not to mention seeing the manufacturing process, I’d rather wait a bit instead. He looked a little unconvinced. “It’ll work out. And just think, in a few days, we’ll be able to set Stable 99 right once and for all!”
"从t台上跳下来之后，我的膝盖也受了一半的伤,"我提醒他;我本来可以打中一只海德拉的，但是在药物对我造成了那么多伤害之后，更不用说看到生产过程了，我宁愿等一等。他看起来有点不相信。"会有办法的。想想看，再过几天，我们就能一劳永逸地让Stable99恢复正常了!"
He rubbed his chin. “Well, that’s a point. Maybe, though, we could find one of those magic flying wagons of our own? That would make travel much easier.”
他揉了揉下巴。"好吧，这是一个问题。也许，我们可以找到一辆我们自己的神奇飞行马车？这将使旅行变得容易得多。"
“I doubt that Glory would be up to flying us all around the Hoof,” I said, not
"我怀疑晨辉是否能够驾驶我们绕着霍夫飞行,"我说，不是
sure if a pegasus’s lift was related to their size. Then again, Ditzy wasn’t the largest pony in Equestria, and her wings didn’t even have feathers, so... so I didn’t know how it worked. Well, nothing new there.
飞马座的升力是否与它们的体型有关。还有，迪茨不是Equestria最大的小马，她的翅膀上甚至没有羽毛，所以...所以我不知道它是怎么工作的。没什么新鲜的。
“Glory would fly through fire if you asked her to,” P-21 pointed out.
"如果你让她这么做，晨辉就会飞过火焰,"P-21指出。
I flushed a little. “It’s not like that. She’s… it just feels weird to lust after her. And I’m not going to exploit her crush on me. So we’ll stick with the plan.”
我脸红了一下。"不是那样的。她...只是对她有欲望感觉怪怪的。我不会利用她对我的迷恋。因此，我们将继续执行计划。"
“Mmmm… maybe. I don’t know, it just seems that, every time you have a plan, it ends in disaster and heartbreak,” he said as he rose. “I should go make sure we have everything we need.”
"嗯......也许吧。我不知道，只是看起来，每次你有了一个计划，都会以灾难和心碎告终。"。"我得去确认一下，我们需要的东西都准备好了。"
Leaving me in bed presented an interesting problem. On one hoof, I was tired, on the second, I felt too rotten to sleep, on the third, I wouldn’t feel anything if I was asleep, but on the fourth, my dreams were full of the sound of crunching foals and Thorn singing ‘hush now’. However, being stuck in bed felt suspiciously like waiting, and I’d finished my gun magazines and the hoof-to-hoof training manual. Then, in desperation, I’d even tried reading one of P-21’s arcane science books. There simply wasn’t any way to make arcane radiation gem reactors and spark generation as thrilling as reading about Fallen Caesar fighting techniques. And don’t get me started on his books on locks!
把我留在床上提出了一个有趣的问题。一只蹄子，我累了;第二只蹄子，我感觉糟透了，睡不着觉;第三只蹄子，我睡着了也感觉不到任何东西;但是第四只蹄子，我的梦里充满了小马驹嘎吱嘎吱的声音和索恩唱着安静。然而，被困在床上让我感觉像是在等待，而且我已经看完了我的枪械杂志和蹄对蹄训练手册。然后，在绝望中，我甚至试着读一本P-21的晦涩难懂的科学书籍。没有任何方法能像读《堕落的凯撒》的战斗技巧那样制造奥术辐射宝石反应堆和火花发生器。别让我从他那些关于锁的书开始！
I still had two more memory orbs that I hadn’t viewed yet. Theoretically, I was safe as houses, provided no stealthed zebras or ghost unicorns attacked. I levitated the two from my bag. I still didn’t want to view the bloodstained orb, so I lifted the third… then frowned and floated Cupcake’s revolver into my bed. Slipping it under my pillow, I breathed out and touched the orb with my magic.
我还有两个记忆球，我还没有看。从理论上讲，只要没有斑马或幽灵独角兽偷袭，我就像房子一样安全。我把它们从包里弄了出来。我还是不想看到血迹斑斑的球体，所以我举起了第三个......然后皱了皱眉头，把纸杯蛋糕的左轮手枪放到了我的床上。把它放在枕头下面，我呼出一口气，用我的魔法触碰了那个球体。
Nothing. Not that it was locked, or anything. It was just that I could feel Stonewing being merged with the cockatrice, sense the creature squirming inside me as I shifted and distorted. It made my hide crawl! I took several deep breaths, closed my eyes, and tried again to coax myself to make the connection.
没什么。不是说它被锁上了，或者其他什么的。只是我能感觉到石翼正在与那只蟑螂融为一体，感觉到那个在我体内蠕动的生物正在我变形和扭曲。它让我毛骨悚然！我做了几次深呼吸，闭上眼睛，再次试图让自己和他们联系起来。
Nothing…
没什么..。
I was sick. I was tired. My horn sucked. Always decent explanations, but somehow they didn’t comfort me. How would I learn about the projects and see the Marauders if I couldn’t even get my horn to make the connection?
我病了。我累了。我的号角烂透了。总是很好的解释，但是不知怎么的，他们并没有安慰我。如果我连喇叭都连接不上，我怎么能了解这些项目并见到掠夺者呢？
I lay back in the bed, staring up at the moon. Had Marigold felt this way when she was being slandered and torn down by the system that had happily put her in harm’s way? Exhausted, disconnected, and alone? I tried to make the connection again and again before finally dropping the orbs back into my bag and turning over in bed. Just one more thing I couldn’t do.
我躺在床上，凝视着月亮。玛丽戈尔德是否也有过这样的感觉，当她被那个令人愉快地将她置于危险境地的体制诽谤和拆散的时候？精疲力尽，孤立无援，孤身一人？我一次又一次地尝试建立联系，最后才把球体放回包里，在床上翻了个身。还有一件事我做不到。
* * *
* * *
I sat alone on a mountain. It shifted and rumbled beneath me, but I could almost reach the clouds. If I could reach them, I could tear them aside and see the stars again!
我独自坐在山上。它在我脚下移动和隆隆作响，但我几乎能够到云层。如果我能够到它们，我就能把它们撕开，再次看到星星！
“Don’t look down,” rasped the old voice with a chuckle. “Care for a game? Draw Poker? Hearts? Go Fish?”
"别往下看,"那个老人咯咯地笑着说。"想玩个游戏吗？画扑克？红心？钓鱼?"
“Very funny,” I muttered.
"非常有趣,"我喃喃自语。
“I try. We’ve got that in common.”
"我尽力而为。我们在这一点上有共同点。"
I stretched and strained to reach the clouds. “Go away.” Just a little bit farther… “Hey. You’re the one dreaming me. You wake up,” he said with that purring of his cards. “So, what are you trying to do?”
我伸了伸懒腰，想够到云彩。"走开。"再往前一点......"嘿。梦见我的人是你。你醒醒吧,"他带着扑克牌的咕噜声说。"那么，你想干什么?"
“Get to the stars,” I replied. “If I can reach them… maybe they can help me.”
"到星星那里去,"我回答。"如果我能联系到他们......也许他们能帮我。"
“Sekashi told you they were dangerous.”
"Sekashi告诉过你他们很危险。"
“Only to selfish ponies who try to use them to become super powerful and stuff,” I said as I started to push the clouds aside. “I’m going to use them to help.” I wobbled as the rocks beneath me shifted a little, but I kept my eyes turned upward. “Nothing bad’s going to come of that.”
"只有那些自私的小马才会试图利用它们变得超级强大,"我边说边开始把云推到一边。"我要用他们来帮忙。"我摇摇晃晃地走着，脚下的岩石稍微移动了一下，但我的眼睛一直向上看。"不会有什么坏结果的。"
“So thought Fluttershy,” he rasped. “But you saw what came of trying to force a better pony.”
"小萤火虫也是这么想的,"他粗声粗气地说。"但你也看到了强迫一匹更好的小马的后果。"
“Well, making the Wasteland happy, then.”
"那么，让荒原开心起来吧。"
“And that’s Pinkie Pie’s thinking. You’re just going from bad to worse now,” he said as he shuffled the cards beneath me. “Come on down from there, Blackjack,
"这就是平奇·派的想法。你现在的情况越来越糟了,"他一边说，一边在我脚下洗牌。"从那儿下来Blackjack
before you hurt somepony.”
在你伤害别人之前"
“I can’t! I’ve got to help,” I said as I finally pushed the clouds aside. I could see the twinkling lights.
"我不能！我得去帮忙,"最后我把云推到一边说。我能看见闪烁的灯光。
“Help who?” the Dealer asked from below me. “Why?”
"帮助谁?""商人"从我下面问道。"为什么?"
“Because I’m going to turn into a monster if I don’t,” I said as I reached up and pinched a star between my hooves. It glowed like a memory orb, but hot and terrible.
"因为如果我不这么做，我就会变成一个怪物,"我一边说，一边伸手在我的蹄子中间捏了一颗星星。它像记忆球一样闪闪发光，但是又热又可怕。
“Oh? Then what are you now?” the Dealer asked. I looked down to tell him to shut the fuck up and–
"哦？那你现在是什么?"商人问道。我低头告诉他闭上你的臭嘴
I stood on P-21’s corpse. And Glory. Rampage. Lacunae. Bottlecap and Caprice lay further down the slope of corpses. Roses embraced the crushed body of her foal. Dozens of Crusaders lay still in their tattered cloaks, the filly patches fluttering softly in the breeze. Hundreds of ponies in Stable 99 barding. Thousands of ponies dressed as raiders. Enclave pegasi littered the slope like broken birds. At the edge of my sight loomed the blasted corpse of Deus, the pulped remains of Gorgon, and the smoldering body of Blueblood. And past them, the bodies continued farther and farther till they blended with the horizon.
我站在P-21的尸体上。和晨辉。横冲直撞。空隙。博特凯普和凯普莱斯继续躺在尸体的斜坡上。罗斯抱着她那被压碎的小马驹。几十个十字军战士穿着破旧的斗篷一动不动地躺在那里，那些小马驹们在微风中轻轻地抖动着。99号马厩里的数百匹小马。成千上万的小马打扮成掠夺者。飞马飞地散落在山坡上，就像破碎的鸟儿。在我视线的边缘隐约可见戴厄斯被炸毁的尸体，Gorgon的残骸，还有郁积的蓝血公主的尸体。越过他们，尸体越走越远，直到与地平线融为一体。
“Told you not to look down,” the Dealer said, sitting on Rampage’s face.
"告诉过你不要往下看,"庄家坐在狂暴的脸上说。
The mass then shifted and the slope collapsed beneath me. I fell through the darkness, my friends’ bodies burying me in a crush of limbs, the star coolly looking on between my hooves.
然后质量转移了，斜坡在我脚下坍塌了。我在黑暗中坠落，我朋友的尸体将我埋葬在四肢的拥挤中，星星在我的蹄子之间冷静地看着。
* * *
* * *
I jerked awake, knocking the box of Vanity’s memory orbs across the sheets and sending them rolling across the wooden floor. I looked around, the images of the stars no longer quite so comforting. I sat up in bed, curling and pressing my head between my rear knees as my forelimbs hugged my head tight. “Please… don’t take that from me. Don’t take the stars,” I whispered to my poor crazy brain.
我猛地惊醒过来，把装着《名利场》记忆球的盒子敲在床单上，然后让它们滚到木地板上。我环顾四周，星星的影像不再那么令人欣慰。我在床上坐了起来，前肢紧紧地抱着头，脑袋蜷曲着压在后膝之间。"请......不要从我这里拿走它。"不要带走星星,"我低声对我可怜的疯狂的大脑说。
I finally calmed down enough to climb down off the bed and gather up the fallen memory orbs. One must have rolled under the bed, and I huffed softly as I lay down on my stomach and peeked under for the orb… wait? Orbs? Two memory
我终于冷静下来，从床上爬下来，收集掉落的记忆球。一定是有人滚到床底下去了，我趴在床上，轻轻地喘了口气，然后向下面窥视那个球体......等等？球体？两个记忆
orbs glimmered at me from under the bed. What, were they breeding now? Very carefully, I pulled the pair out. One was quite dusty. I put Vanity’s orb back in the case, looking at the newcomer; Marigold’s. I touched it to my horn. “Please… please please please…” I begged, trying to make my horn work.
床底下的球体闪烁着光芒。什么，它们现在在繁殖吗？我小心翼翼地把它们拿了出来。其中一个灰尘很大。我把虚荣的球体放回箱子里，看着这个新来者，万寿菊的。我碰了碰我的号角。"求你了......求你了，求你了......"我恳求着，试图让我的喇叭发挥作用。
A flicker, and world faded away.
一个闪烁，世界逐渐消失。
oooOOOooo
噢噢噢
This unicorn mare fit me like a sock. Even her glasses felt like my glasses. Her headache matched my own. All she needed was a runny nose and a scratchy throat and we’d be interchangeable.
这匹独角兽母马像袜子一样适合我。甚至她的眼镜也像我的眼镜。她的头痛和我的头痛一样。她需要的只是一个流鼻涕的鼻子和一个发痒的喉咙，这样我们就可以互换了。
I also knew this building. This was the Fluttershy Medical Center, and I even knew this hallway. Even though it wasn’t half-lit and painted with a blood-lettered ‘PLAY’.
我也认识这栋楼。这是Fluttershy医疗中心，我甚至认识这条走廊。即使它没有半明半暗，而且画着一个血字的"PLAY"。
She stepped into Redheart’s office; I at once noticed that the stacked up papers and files seemed even higher than when I’d visited. The tired mare behind the desk pushed her glasses back and gave a frayed smile at my host. “Thank you for coming, Marigold. I know this is terribly short notice.”
她走进雷德哈特的办公室，我立刻注意到堆积如山的文件似乎比我去的时候还要高。桌子后面疲惫的母马推开眼镜，对我的主人报以磨损的微笑。"谢谢你能来，玛丽戈尔德。我知道这个通知太仓促了。"
“Well, you made it sound like it was life or death,” Marigold said in a soft and thoughtful voice edged with some tension. “Why else ask me to come out here in the middle of the night?”
"好吧，你说得好像这是生死攸关的事情,"玛丽戈尔德用一种温柔而体贴的语气说，语气中略带紧张。"不然为什么叫我半夜出来?"
Redheart trotted around from behind the desk to put a hoof on Marigold’s shoulder. “I know this has been… a difficult time for you.”
红心从桌子后面小跑过来，把一只蹄子放在玛丽戈尔德的肩膀上。"我知道这段时间对你来说很艰难。"
“Difficult?” Marigold said in a soft, taut voice. “Spending three years of my life on a dream I’ve had for as long as I can remember, only to get pulled for a medical review two weeks before the launch? Yeah. I suppose that counts as difficult.”
"难相处?"玛丽戈尔德用一种柔和而紧张的声音说。"我花了三年的时间来实现一个从我记事起就一直存在的梦想，结果却在发射前两周被拉去接受医学检查？是的。我认为这很困难。"
“It’s been challenging for all of us, with the assassination attempt. Big Macintosh’s funeral last week and all… well… yes. Difficult.” Redheart then pushed a file towards Marigold and she glanced down. ‘Marigold: P:H medical authorization: denied.’ And then atop it, ‘Medical Waiver: Approved.’ Her eyes went over those stamps once, and then twice. “So I’m glad to make things a little less difficult for you.”
"这对我们所有人来说都是一个挑战，包括企图谋杀。大麦金托什的葬礼上星期和所有......嗯......是的。很困难。"然后红心把一个文件推向玛丽戈尔德，她低头看了一眼。'Marigold:p:h医疗授权:拒绝'然后在上面写着"医疗免责:批准"她的眼睛扫视了那些邮票一次，然后又扫了两次。"所以我很高兴能让你轻松一点。"
“Why…?” Marigold asked in shock.
"为什么......"万寿菊震惊地问道。
“Because we’ve reviewed the test results for your heart and found them… less severe than we anticipated. And because Fluttershy knows what it’s like to have a dream. And because… we need your help.” Marigold frowned as she walked to a cushion and took a seat across from the elderly mare. Redheart gave a small smile. “Fluttershy has a dire medical emergency involving a pregnant mare. Without your help, she may lose the foal.”
"因为我们检查了你的心脏检查结果，发现它们......没有我们预期的那么严重。因为Fluttershy知道有梦想是什么感觉。因为......我们需要你的帮助。"玛丽戈尔德走向一个靠垫，坐在那匹老母马对面，皱起了眉头。红心微微一笑。"一头怀孕的母马出现了严重的医疗紧急情况。没有你的帮助，她可能会失去小马驹。"
“My help? But how can I help? I’m an astropony and an astronomer. I don’t know anything about medicine.”
"我的帮助？但我能帮上什么忙呢？我是一个天文学家和天文学家。我对医学一窍不通。"
“Fluttershy wishes to perform a procedure that will transfer the foal from the patient to you, making you a surrogate mother.” Marigold’s ears stood almost upright at this.
"Fluttershy希望进行一项手术，把小马驹从患者身上转移到你身上，让你成为代孕妈妈。"玛丽戈尔德听到这话，耳朵几乎竖了起来。
“You want me to do what? To… to have a baby?!”
"你要我做什么？为了...为了生孩子?!"
“Yes,” Redheart replied calmly. “Afterwards she’d be transferred to an M.o.P. foal services caregiver. You wouldn’t be expected to raise her.” As Marigold balked, Redheart continued, “I know this is hard. Normally we wouldn’t even attempt a surrogacy spell like this without far more preparation and counseling, but when we reviewed your files, we found you to be an ideal candidate. And time is critical.”
"是的,"红心平静地回答。"之后，她会被转移到一个m.o.p.小马驹服务护理员那里。你不会指望抚养她长大。"玛丽戈尔德犹豫了一下，雷德哈特继续说道,"我知道这很难。通常情况下，如果没有更多的准备和咨询，我们甚至不会尝试这样的代孕咒语，但是当我们审查你的文件时，我们发现你是一个理想的候选人。时间是关键。"
Marigold looked at the file and then at Redheart. “And does this waiver disappear if I say no?” And from her tone, I knew that she’d walk if it did, even if it cost her her dream.
玛丽戈尔德看了看文件，然后又看了看Redheart。"如果我说不，这份弃权声明会消失吗?"从她的语气中，我知道即使这样，她也会走的，即使这会让她失去她的梦想。
“No, Marigold. That was Fluttershy’s and my final decision. You don’t have to do this.” But from the look in the pale pony’s eyes, it was clear that she was desperate for Marigold to agree. “But we hope you will.”
"不，玛丽戈尔德。那是Fluttershy的决定，也是我最后的决定。你没必要这么做。"但是从这匹苍白的小马的眼神中，可以清楚地看出她急切地想得到万寿菊的同意。"但我们希望你会。"
Marigold reached up, rubbing her temples with her hooves. “You just… it’s going… ugh, don’t you realize it’s going to be pretty funny if all of a sudden I look pregnant?”
玛丽戈尔德抬起手，用蹄子摩擦着太阳穴。"你只是......这会......呃，你难道没有意识到，如果我突然看起来像是怀孕了，那会很有趣吗?"
“The foal is currently the size of a chicken egg. It’ll be months before you start to show.”
"小马驹现在只有鸡蛋那么大。要过几个月你才会显露出来。"
“Not to mention suspicious that I was turned down and then got a waiver. Somepony’s going to raise a red flag,” she said as she chewed on a hoof nervously. “It might… maybe… foul up the mission…”
"更不用说我被拒绝然后得到豁免权的可疑之处了。一匹小马要升起一面红旗了,"她紧张地咬着一只蹄子说。"这可能......可能......会破坏任务......"
“Well then, you should say no,” Redheart replied in a no-nonsense tone. “I know you’re willing to face terrible risks. This is no less a risk; perhaps even more dangerous than going to the moon. But I can tell you that the mother needs this. Fluttershy needs it. And I think a great many ponies will need it too, even if they never realize it. This is your chance to save one pony.”
"那么，你应该说不,"雷德哈特用一种严肃的语气回答。"我知道你愿意面对可怕的风险。这同样是一种风险，甚至可能比登月更加危险。但是我可以告诉你，母亲需要这个。Fluttershy需要它。我认为很多小马也需要它，即使它们从来没有意识到这一点。这是你拯救一匹小马的机会。"
I’d do it, but then, I’m an idiot. Marigold sighed as she looked at Redheart. “I almost wish you’d blackmailed me. It’d be easier,” she said as she closed her eyes. “All right,” she finally agreed.
我也想这么做，但我是个白痴。玛丽戈尔德看着Redheart叹了口气。"我几乎希望你敲诈我。这样会容易些,"她闭上眼睛说。"好吧,"她终于同意了。
What came next were a number of papers signed in a flurry. Clearly, she wasn’t reading them all, just signing on the X’s. Then two unicorns gave her a number of injections, but I was relieved that none of them seemed to involve the horrible rainbow-colored sludge I’d seen with Gorgon’s memory. Now definitely woozy, she was led into a room decorated like a forest. There were actually living tree branches coming out of the walls! I wondered what kind of spell did that. A veil of leaves separated one half of the room from the other.
接下来是一连串的文件签署。很明显，她没有全部看完，只是在x上签了名。然后两只独角兽给她打了几针，但是我还是松了一口气，因为它们似乎没有一针和我记忆中那个可怕的彩虹色淤泥有关。她被带进一间装饰得像森林一样的房间。实际上有活生生的树枝从墙里伸出来！我不知道是什么咒语造成的。一片树叶把房间的一半和另一半隔开了。
On the far side of that thin barrier, a mare sobbed inconsolably. “Shhhh… shhh… it’ll be all right...” Fluttershy said calmly over and over again.
在那薄薄的障碍物的另一边，一匹母马哭得极度伤心。"嘘...嘘...会没事的..."小萤火虫平静地一遍又一遍地说。
The mare spoke in a voice thick with grief. “Y…y…you must t…think I’m t… terrible… I am terrible, Fluttershy…” she stammered around the tears.
那匹母马悲伤地说着话。"y..Y..你必须这样。.我想是的。.太可怕了......我太可怕了，小萤火虫......"她含着泪结结巴巴地说。
“No. No, I don’t think that anymore. I think you’re sad, and hurting… and if I can help I will…” A blue eye peeked through the fall of leaves. “Oh. The doctor’s here. Are you absolutely sure?” Fluttershy said, and there was another sob. “Okay then. Just a little shot and we’ll get started.”
"没有。不，我不再这么认为了。我想你很伤心，很受伤......如果我能帮助你，我会的......"一只蓝眼睛透过秋天的树叶偷看。"哦。医生来了。你确定吗?"小弗特希说着，又发出一声呜咽。"那好吧。只要一小口，我们就开始了。"
The mare’s thick voice said softly, “Fluttershy, can you take it all away? Please? I don’t… I can’t… there’s so much…”
母马厚重的声音轻轻地说:"小绒毛，你能把它全部带走吗?"？求你了？我不...我不能...有这么多..."
A soft sigh. “Of course. You kept my secret. I’ll keep yours.” Be kind.
一声轻轻的叹息。"当然。你替我保守了秘密。我会保守你的秘密。"善待他人。
Then, a few minutes later, Fluttershy stepped through, gave Marigold one teary look, threw her forelegs around her, and hugged her with a teary sniff. “Thank
然后，几分钟后，Fluttershy走过来，泪流满面地看了玛丽戈尔德一眼，把前腿环绕在她身上，含着泪嗅了一下拥抱了她。"谢谢
you. Thank you so much.” Marigold relaxed and put her forelegs around Fluttershy, returning the gesture.
你。非常感谢。"玛丽戈尔德放松下来，用前腿环绕着Fluttershy，做出回应。
“She doesn’t know, does she?” Marigold said softly.
"她不知道，是吗?"玛丽戈尔德轻声说。
Fluttershy shook her head. “She couldn’t bear it if she did. And she has so much to do. So very much to do that she was willing to give up her baby.” She looked back at the leaves. “If the public found out, she’d be finished.” And if they found out about this, she’d be equally finished.
弗特希摇了摇头。"如果她这么做了，她会受不了的。她还有很多事情要做。太多事情要做了，她愿意放弃自己的孩子。"她回头看着那些树叶。"如果公众发现了，她就完了。"如果他们发现了这件事，她也会完蛋的。
“But who…” Marigold started to say before she shook her head. “I guess it’s better if I don’t know.” Fluttershy gave a sad smile and nodded.
"但是谁......"玛丽戈尔德摇摇头说。"我想我还是不知道的好。"小弗特希苦笑了一下，点了点头。
“Hopefully, when the war is over, she’ll be strong enough to remember and meet her again. And she’ll have the opportunity, thanks to you.” Fluttershy took her hooves. “I know a lot of ponies look up to you for going into space and all, but this makes you my hero.”
"希望战争结束后，她能够坚强起来，记得并再次见到她。她会有机会的，多亏了你。"小弗特希拿起她的蹄子。"我知道很多小马都很崇拜你，因为你进入了太空，但这让你成为了我的英雄。"
I don’t know about Marigold, but I felt damn good about that.
我不知道万寿菊怎么样，但我感觉非常好。
oooOOOooo
噢噢噢
When I opened my eyes I stared up at the ceiling, feeling conflicted. That was nothing new. Every single time I went into an orb, it felt like ‘Blackjack’ was getting a little more scrambled up with other ponies. Was I learning? Maturing? Or was I actually doing some kind of inherent harm to myself with these memories? Had Marigold selflessly become a surrogate, or had she feared that Fluttershy and Redheart would rescind her waiver? And what of the mare that was behind the veil? Was she wrong to have wanted to end her pregnancy, not knowing that Fluttershy had an alternative? Who had she been? Important, obviously. A Ministry Mare? There was a scandalous thought. Or even one of the Princesses?! Or maybe I was thinking too grandiose, and she’d just been a mare that Fluttershy wanted to help.
当我睁开眼睛，我盯着天花板，感觉很矛盾。这并不是什么新鲜事。每次我进入一个球体，就感觉'Blackjack'和其他小马一起变得越来越混乱。我在学习吗？成熟？或者我实际上是用这些记忆对自己造成了某种内在的伤害？是玛丽戈尔德无私地成为了一个代孕母亲，还是她害怕Fluttershy和Redheart会撤销她的弃权？那面纱后面的那匹母马呢？她想结束自己的怀孕，却不知道小弗还有别的选择，这样做是错的吗？她是谁？显然很重要。一匹牧师母马？有一种可耻的想法。或者哪怕是一个公主！也许我想得太过了，她只是一匹小马，小马驹想要帮助她。
I pulled my pillow over my face. “Ugh… why can’t anything be black and white!” I shouted into it. Everything had to be so… tangled. I sighed, then pulled the pillow away, looking at the moon overhead. Marigold had gotten her dream, but the scandal had destroyed her. The nameless mare had suffered terribly, but did that make it right? “Why am I the pony that gets stuck thinking about this?”
我用枕头捂住脸。"呃......为什么就不能黑白分明呢!"我对着它喊道。一切都那么...纠结。我叹了口气，然后把枕头拉开，看着头顶上的月亮。玛丽戈尔德实现了她的梦想，但丑闻毁了她。那匹无名的母马遭受了可怕的苦难，但这样做是对的吗？"为什么我是那种一想到这个就停不下来的小马?"
“Because you care,” Lacunae said softly beside me. I jumped so hard that I fell out of bed in a tangle of sheets. The alicorn cocked her head as she looked at me lying on the floor. “Are you alright?”
"因为你在乎,"拉库奈在我身边轻声说。我跳得太猛了，结果从床上掉了下来，床单乱成一团。阿里克纳抬起头，看着躺在地板上的我。"你没事吧?"
“I… wa… don’t do that!” I panted, feeling my heart thud. “I’ve had bad experiences coming out of memory orbs.” Which was probably why I had so much trouble getting into them.
"我.....。.哇...别这样!"我喘着气，感觉到我的心砰砰直跳。"我有过从记忆球中产生的糟糕经历。"这可能就是为什么我很难进入他们的原因。
“Forgive me,” she said politely. “I hope it was a pleasant memory.”
"原谅我,"她礼貌地说。"我希望那是一段愉快的回忆。"
“It was… complicated.” Slowly I rose to my hooves. “What are you doing?”
"事情......很复杂。"我慢慢地站起来。"你在干什么?"
“Waiting. Glory is attempting to cook. Her cooking is not going well, so I thought it best to check on you and get away from the smell,” she said as she looked at the memory orb. “So… is it worthwhile?”
"等待。晨辉正在尝试烹饪。她的厨艺不太好，所以我觉得最好检查一下你，远离那股味道。"她边说边看着记忆球。"那么......这值得吗?"
“More questions,” I whined, but looked at the orb. “What do you mean?”
"还有很多问题,"我呜咽着，但是看着那个球体。"什么意思?"
“I… we… we live within our memories, and the memories of each other. The Goddess directs and we act, but within her we flow from dream to dream and thought to thought. I can no longer remember which are my own and which are the dreams of the Goddess.”
"我.....。.我们...我们活在自己的记忆里，活在彼此的记忆里。女神指挥和我们行动，但在她的内在，我们从梦想流向梦想，从思想流向思想。我不再记得哪些是我自己的，哪些是女神的梦想。"
I wondered if that was why I was having so much trouble entering the memory orbs. Was I becoming afraid of changing?
我不知道这是不是我在进入记忆球时遇到这么多麻烦的原因。我变得害怕改变了吗？
“Do you… or the Goddess… know anything about magic?” Lacunae actually smiled broadly, and my answer was in her smile. “Okay. Dumb question, I guess. But I’m wondering about something Sekashi told me about a zebra who put his soul in a rock. Is that possible? I always thought that a soul was… well… you.”
"你......或者女神......知道魔法吗?"空隙实际上笑得很开心，我的回答就是她的笑容。"好吧。我想这是个愚蠢的问题。但是我想知道一些关于Sekashi告诉我的关于一只斑马把他的灵魂放在岩石里的事情。这可能吗？我一直认为灵魂就是......嗯......你。"
“It is, but there is dark and cold magic that can do such things. What you describe is a soul jar,” Lacunae said in her distant voice.
"是的，但是有一种黑暗和寒冷的魔法可以做到这些。你所描述的是一个灵魂的瓶子,"拉库奈用她那遥远的声音说。
“But... I don’t understand… how does something like that work?” I walked to the door, opened it, and was greeted by the reek of burnt apples smothered in melted rubber. Gagging, I closed the door and rested my back against it. Okay… there was gross, and then there was that.
"但是......我不明白......这样的事情是怎么回事?"我走到门口，打开门，迎接我的是被融化的橡胶包裹着的烧焦的苹果散发出的恶臭。我觉得恶心，于是关上门，背靠着门。好吧...是有点恶心，然后就是那个。
Lacunae seemed to be listening to something; her Goddess, I assumed. “Imagine
空隙似乎在听什么东西;我猜是她的女神。"想象一下
if you were to take a gun… something special and inherent to you… and then you placed within it a piece of your soul. That gun would retain the resilience of your soul. Perhaps it would never jam or rust. It might always be oiled. Perhaps even more accurate than identical firearms. In extraordinary circumstances, perhaps it might fire an extra bullet or two before needing reloading. To you, it would simply be a weapon, but to anyone else it would be a weapon beyond any of its kind.”
如果你拿起一把枪...一把特别的，与生俱来的枪...然后你把你的灵魂的一部分放进去。那把枪会保留你灵魂的弹性。也许它永远不会堵塞或生锈。它可能永远都是上了油的。也许比一模一样的枪更准确。在特殊情况下，也许它可以在需要重新装弹之前再发射一两颗子弹。对你来说，它只是一种武器，但对其他任何人来说，它将是一种超越同类武器的武器。"
“So what’s the catch? Because that sounds way too good to be true,” I said as I looked up at her, rubbing my runny nose with a hoof.
"那么，有什么条件呢？因为这听起来好得不像是真的,"我抬头看着她，用蹄子摩擦着我流鼻涕的鼻子说。
Lacunae smiled sadly. “The catch is that, so long as your soul is here, you can never pass into the everafter. And there is a price paid for rending something eternal. Souls do not heal, and it would take an exceptional pony to rend their soul thus and not suffer horrifically for it.”
空隙带着悲伤的微笑。"问题是，只要你的灵魂在这里，你就永远不能进入永恒。放弃某种永恒的东西是要付出代价的。灵魂不能治愈，只有一匹异常的小马才能如此撕裂他们的灵魂，而不会为此遭受可怕的痛苦。"
I closed my eyes, trying to get my brain to work right. What had Priest said earlier… about her healing like… “What if you had… I don’t know… like a healing talisman. A really powerful healing talisman…” Like the kind that had stuffed my guts back into me in the clinic… “And you made it a soul jar? Could it keep you alive forever? Even if you were vaporized?”
我闭上眼睛，试图让我的大脑正常工作。牧师早些时候说过......关于她的治疗......"如果你有......我不知道......像一个治疗的护身符。一个真正强大的治疗护身符......"就像在诊所里把我的肠子塞回我身体里的那种......"你把它变成了灵魂罐？它能让你永远活着吗？即使你被蒸发了?"
Lacunae looked intrigued. “Perhaps…”
空隙似乎很感兴趣。"也许......"
I imagined the pink egg I’d seen earlier. Just like the one I’d seen back in Fluttershy’s clinic, but with a tiny, ghostly Rampage stuffed inside. Indestructible, powered by the soul trapped within, remaking Rampage again and again. It didn’t explain what she’d done, any of her other abilities, or Glory’s theory that it wasn’t simple madness, but it did explain how she could get turned to ash and still reform.
我想象着我之前看到的那个粉红色的鸡蛋。就像我在Fluttershy的诊所里看到的那个，但是里面有一个小小的，幽灵般的横冲直撞。不可摧毁，由困在其中的灵魂提供能量，一次又一次地重造暴怒。它没有解释她做了什么，她的其他能力，或者晨辉的理论，这不是简单的疯狂，但它确实解释了为什么她可以变成灰烬，仍然改造。
“Is there any way to free a soul from a soul jar?”
"有没有办法把灵魂从灵魂罐中解放出来?"
“Ah…” Her lips curled in a slight smile. “For that, you’d need a… very special book.”
"啊......"她的嘴唇微微一笑。"为此，你需要一个.....。.非常特别的书"
“Don’t suppose you’d know where?”
"你不知道在哪儿吗?"
“Canterlot, perhaps? In the Ministry of Image.” Something was off. Years of poker had taught me the little tells that something was awry. The hint of a smile.
""也许是坎特罗特？在图像部。"有些不对劲。多年的扑克生涯告诉我，有些事情出了差错。微笑的暗示。
The tone. Everything. “We’ve been searching for one for a very long time.”
语气。一切。"我们已经找了很长时间了。"
“Canterlot?” I huffed. “May as well be in the Core.”
"Canterlot?"我生气了。"最好是在核心区。"
“It may,” she replied softly. “We know of one book for certain, but there may be others. A copy was seized by the O.I.A., but whether it was turned over to the Ministry of Image or not is unknown.” Then her eyes looked at my PipBuck, her smile widening. “But perhaps you possess a means to obtain it from the O.I.A. hub, yes?”
"可能吧,"她轻声回答。"我们确实知道一本书，但可能还有其他的。一份拷贝被国家情报局没收了，但不知道它是否被移交给了图像部。"然后她的眼睛看着我的皮布克，她的笑容扩大了。"但也许你有办法从o.i.a.中心获得，对吗?"
I gave a snotty sniff, narrowing my eyes slightly. Maybe it was due to Caprice’s games, but I just wanted to know for sure who was pushing my buttons. “Funny. What kind of Goddess wouldn’t know?”
我闻了闻鼻涕，微微眯起眼睛。也许是因为Caprice的游戏，但我只是想知道是谁在按我的按钮。"有意思。什么样的女神会不知道?"
“WE DO NOT NEED TO DIVULGE EVERY–” I smiled.
"我们不需要透露每一个——"我笑着说。
“Gotcha,” I said with a little smirk. “Goddess. Right? Mind letting Lacunae back?”
"逮到你了,"我傻笑着说。"女神。对吧？不介意把空隙放回去吧?"
“WE ARE THE INFINITE AND ALL-KNOWING GODDESS! WE DO NOT…” But the Goddess was now hissing her words in pain. “NOTHING CAN… WE… ARRRRGH!” She clenched her head as she trembled. “THIS… IS… UNBEARABLE! HOW DOES SHE TOLERATE IT!?”
"我们是无限和无所不知的女神！我们不......"但是女神现在痛苦地嘶嘶地说着她的话。"没有什么能......我们......啊......!"她颤抖着，紧握着头。"这...是...无法忍受的！她怎么能忍受得了?"
Right. Lacunae, okay. Goddess, not okay. “You okay?”
对。空隙，好吧。女神，不好。"你还好吗?"
I’m sure that somewhere, P-21 was grinding his teeth. Suddenly, she swayed and collapsed onto the bed. “That is… most disagreeable,” Lacunae said softly.
我敢肯定P-21在某个地方咬牙切齿。突然，她摇摇晃晃地倒在床上。"这真是......太令人不快了,"拉库奈轻声说。
“So. I guess that the Goddess doesn’t like Hoofington.”
"所以。我猜女神不喜欢胡芬顿。"
“Hoofington screams in my dreams. I have become used to it. I fear the Goddess had not,” suddenly her eyes widened. “And I fear she is very put out by your irreverence.”
"胡芬顿在我的梦中尖叫。我已经习惯了。我恐怕女神没有,"她的眼睛突然睁大了。"我担心她会被你的不敬所激怒。"
“Yeah? Insecure goddesses don’t impress me,” I said as I pulled out Cupcake’s memory orb. “I’ve seen Luna and Celestia. They didn’t act all-knowing. There was a hell of a lot they didn’t know. I don’t have time to waste on a Goddess that pretends to.”
"是吗？"不安全的女神不会给我留下好印象,"我一边说一边拿出"纸杯蛋糕"的记忆球。"我见过露娜和塞莱斯蒂亚。他们没有表现得无所不知。有很多事情他们都不知道。我没有时间浪费在一个假装的女神身上。"
Lacunae closed her eyes for a long moment. “Oh yes, very put out.”
她闭上眼睛好一会儿。"哦，是的，非常烦人。"
“Are all alicorns like that? Like you?” I asked as I put the orb away.
"所有的橡子都是这样的吗？像你一样?"我一边问，一边把球收起来。
“No. Most are… extensions. We exist within her, and within her we act to carry out her will. But we remain ourselves. She can dictate our actions as she wishes. I am an aberration.”
"没有。大多数都是...延伸。我们存在于她的内心，我们行动实现她的意志。但我们还是我们自己。她可以随心所欲地支配我们的行动。我是个失常者。"
“So you’re a mutant alicorn?” I asked with a little grin, but she smiled and nodded politely.
"这么说你是一个变异的亚利康?"我微笑着问道，但她微笑着礼貌地点了点头。
“I have been in Hoofington for many years. I am… resistant to the screams of the city. Few alicorns can survive in it for long. In some places, it is physically damaging,” she said with a little shudder. I wondered if she was referring to Enervation, or if this was yet another horror of the Wasteland that I just hadn’t encountered yet.
"我在Hoofington呆了很多年。我对城市的尖叫有抵抗力。很少有橡子能在里面生存很长时间。在某些地方，这会对身体造成伤害。"。我想知道她是否指的是衰弱，或者这是我还没有遇到的另一个荒原的恐怖。
“I’m pretty sure she wants me to find a book for her.”
"我敢肯定，她想让我帮她找本书。"
“It is magic she lacks,” Lacunae agreed.
"她缺少的是魔法,"拉库奈同意道。
I paused, frowning in thought. “Can it help Rampage?”
我停顿了一下，皱着眉头沉思着。"它能帮助狂暴吗?"
“I do not know,” Lacunae replied softly. “We have only hints at its power.”
"我不知道,"拉库奈轻声回答。"我们只能暗示它的力量。"
“Right,” I sighed, rubbing my muzzle. “Well. Good to know.” Then I sniffed as the rubbery smell increased. There was a soft knock from the hall. I glanced at Lacunae, then opened the door.
"没错,"我叹了口气，揉了揉嘴巴。"好吧。很高兴知道这些。"随着橡胶味的增加，我吸了一口气。大厅里传来轻轻的敲门声。我瞥了一眼Lacunae，然后打开了门。
“I made breakfast… er… lunch? Brunch,” Glory said, trotting in with a tray balanced between her wings. She turned and presented something that looked like mashed Sugar Apple Bombs soaked in milk and wrapped in a fried
"我做了早餐...呃...午餐？"早午餐,"晨辉边说边小跑着进来，托盘在她的两翼之间保持平衡。她转过身来，拿出了一些看起来像捣碎的糖苹果炸弹的东西，浸泡在牛奶里，然后包在油炸食品里
egg...then burned to crunchy sticks of carbon. I lifted one, wrinkled my nose, and took a bite. Somehow, she’d managed to make it charred on the outside and gooey within. “I had to improvise on a lot of the ingredients.”
鸡蛋...然后烧成脆脆的碳棒。我抬起一只，皱起鼻子，咬了一口。不知怎么的，她设法让它外焦里粘。"我不得不临时准备很多材料。"
I chewed thoughtfully for a few moments. “Not bad. Is that vinegar?” She smiled and nodded. “Huh, pretty good actually.” Glory beamed; I’d probably just made her day as I slurped down the rest of the interior and then munched the crunchy shell. I levitated another at Lacunae. “Want one?”
我若有所思地嚼了一会儿。"不错。那是醋吗?"她微笑着点了点头。"嗯，其实还不错。"光荣满面笑容;我可能刚刚让她高兴了一天，因为我吃完了里面剩下的部分，然后咀嚼着脆脆的贝壳。我在空隙悬浮了另一个。"想要一个吗?"
The alicorn shied away as she asked politely, “Blackjack, by any chance are you part dragon?”
阿里克斯礼貌地问道:"黑杰克，你有没有可能是龙的一部分?"
* * *
* * *
By morning I felt, if not better, at least decent. Between Priest’s healing and Sekashi’s tonics, I’d coughed up most of the sludge in my lungs, and my throat no longer sounded like a rusty tin can full of nails. While I had to admit that the smell was off, Glory’s cooking really wasn’t that bad. I thought that what she could do with the few ingredients rattling around in our packs was pretty creative; Rampage promptly told me that, if I suggested she try one, she would be aiming for me with her vomit this time.
到了早上，我觉得，如果不是好一点，至少也是体面一点。在Priest的治疗和Sekashi的滋补之间，我咳出了肺里大部分的淤泥，我的喉咙也不再听起来像一个装满钉子的生锈铁罐。虽然我不得不承认，气味是关闭，晨辉的烹饪真的没有那么糟糕。我觉得她能用我们包里那几种食材做出来的东西很有创意;狂暴很快告诉我，如果我建议她尝试一种，她这次就会用她的呕吐物瞄准我。
I took stock of my armaments, laying each weapon on the bed before me. The dragon claw for close in work, then Cupcake’s .44 magnum revolver, after that the twelve gauge pump-action shotgun, and finally Taurus’s rifle. The rest I’d traded, along with surplus ammo, for ammo for these. I’d kept Folly, of course. To be honest, I didn’t know who’d buy a gun with impossibly rare ammo. While the IF-33 would be tempting, I barely had enough ammo for a clip, and the 12 gun had been trashed. With the exception of the incendiary bullets, I’d blown through most of the specialty ammo we’d picked up at Ironshod Firearms R&D. I hoped we’d come across some more, especially the explosive rounds.
我整理了一下我的武器，把每件武器都放在我面前的床上。用于近距离射击的龙爪，然后是Cupcake的.44马格南左轮手枪，之后是十二口径的泵动式，最后是Taurus的步枪。其余的，连同剩余弹药，我用来换这些弹药。当然，我留下了《蠢事》。老实说，我不知道谁会买一把有着难以置信的稀有弹药的枪。虽然IF-33很诱人，但我几乎没有足够的弹药来装一发子弹，12发的枪已经被毁了。除了燃烧弹，我把我们在Ironshod火器研发中心找到的大部分特种弹药都打穿了。我希望我们能遇到更多，尤其是爆炸性的子弹。
The Aegis Security combat armor had pockets and holsters for most of these weapons. I had to admit, I felt better wiggling into my armor than I had in a while. While I missed my old security barding, the polymer and ceramic combat armor more than made up for it. Some spray-paint and I was just Security again. Best of all, Charity had used a stencil and some white paint to mark the rearing filly on my rump. I secured the weapons, clips, and the handful of healing potions I’d acquired and made my way downstairs.
宙斯盾安全战斗装甲的口袋和枪套可以装大多数这类武器。我不得不承认，我穿着盔甲扭动身体的感觉比以前好多了。虽然我错过了我的旧安全防护，聚合物和陶瓷战斗装甲弥补了它。一些喷漆和我只是保安再次。最棒的是，Charity用了一个模板和一些白漆在我的臀部上做了标记。我拿起武器，夹子，还有少量的治疗药剂，走下楼梯。
“Wow,” Glory muttered, her eyes lighting up at the sight of me.
"哇,"晨辉喃喃自语，她的眼睛一看到我就亮了起来。
“No helmet?” P-21 asked with a little frown.
"没戴头盔?"P-21皱着眉头问道。
“It cuts off my vision and hearing too much, and it’s uncomfortable as hell,” I said as I saw that Rampage was now Charity-aged. Apparently, while Glory’s own cuisine was too much for my friends, Rampage had gone out of her way to get every remotely edible bit of meat in our packs cooked up. Growing up, even with the assistance of a healing talisman, clearly used up the calories. I really
"它切断了我的视觉和听觉，这是地狱般的不舒服,"我说，因为我看到狂暴现在慈善年龄。显然，尽管晨辉自己的菜肴对我的朋友们来说太难吃了，但是狂暴女还是不遗余力地把我们包里每一块可以吃的肉都做好了。成长过程中，即使有一个治愈的护身符的帮助，显然也消耗了卡路里。我真的
preferred my Sugar Apple Bombs. Glory had ‘assisted’ her with some mixture of nausea, fascination, and disappointment that she wasn’t allowed to indulge in any culinary experimentation.
更喜欢我的糖苹果炸弹。晨辉帮助她摆脱了一些混杂着恶心、迷恋和失望的情绪，因为她被禁止沉迷于任何烹饪实验。
He just looked at me like I was doing something stupid again. “What?” I asked levelly.
他只是看着我，好像我又做了什么蠢事。"什么?"我平静地问道。
“Nothing. It’s great armor,” he said before going back to his Carrot Crisps, adding, in a mutter just loud enough for everypony to hear, “Boom. Headshot.”
"没什么。这是很好的盔甲,"他说，然后回到他的胡萝卜薯片，补充说，在一个小声嘟囔，刚刚足以让每个小马听到,"砰。大头照。"
Yeah, like he had room to talk! He still wasn’t using any barding, period! Still...
是啊，好像他有说话的空间似的！他仍然没有使用任何抵押条款，句号！不过..。
maybe I should reconsider the headgear.
也许我应该重新考虑一下帽子的事。
I looked at Lacunae. “What about you? Do you need armor?” Black mourner’s lace hardly seemed like adequate protection to me.
我看了看空隙。"你呢？你需要盔甲吗?"在我看来，黑色吊唁者的花边简直不像是足够的保护。
She looked at me, or, rather, at my horn. “I will be fine.”
她看着我，或者更确切地说，看着我的号角。"我会没事的。"
“Are you sure? I mean, P-21 likes to be all sneaky, but you’re a little too… big… for sneaking.”
""你确定吗？我的意思是，P-21喜欢鬼鬼祟祟的，但你有点太......高大......不适合偷偷摸摸。"
“I’m good, thank you,” she answered.
"我很好，谢谢,"她回答。
“Okay. Just saying… I’m pretty sure Celestia and Luna weren’t bulletproof, so no harm in wearing some.”
"好吧。只是说说而已......我很确定塞莱斯蒂亚和卢娜不是刀枪不入的，所以穿上一些也无妨。"
“Blackjack. I don’t need armor. I have magic,” she said with a small smile of irritation.
"黑杰克。我不需要盔甲。我有魔法,"她说，脸上露出一丝恼怒的微笑。
“Right. Of course you do. Because you’re part unicorn. You do magic. Excuse me…” I said as I stalked over to the kitchen, muttering sourly under my breath about big-horned alicorns and their magic. I could sing while blasting away ghouls. Could she do that?
"对。你当然知道。因为你有独角兽的血统。你会变魔术。对不起......"我一边大步走向厨房，一边低声咕哝着那些长着大角的橡树果和它们的魔力。我可以一边唱歌一边驱赶食尸鬼。她能做到吗？
Once everything was set, I gave the house a parting look and locked the front door, feeling slightly less secure in the knowledge that anypony with some skill and a bobby pin could open it. Oh well. Not much I could do about it now.
一切准备就绪后，我看了一眼房子，锁上了前门，因为我知道只要有点技巧和发夹，任何小马都可以打开它，这让我觉得有点不安全。好吧。现在我也无能为力了。
* * *
* * *
As a… pleasant surprise, Glory’s food didn’t taste much different on the trip back out and into a paper bag that Ditzy kept in her wagon for just such occurrences. I found two boxes in the back, wedged myself between them, and did everything I could to avoid screaming, crying, wetting myself, or taking my mind off my striped friend. Filly Rampage looked oddly like Silver Bell’s striped sister as the two sat in the back. I kept my magic grip on the revolver. If I saw a skull appear on her butt, I was going straight into S.A.T.S.
作为一个。.令人愉快的惊喜，晨辉的食物没有什么不同的味道在回来的路上，并进入一个纸袋，迪特兹保存在她的马车就是为了这样的事情。我在后面找到了两个箱子，把自己挤在中间，尽一切可能避免尖叫，哭泣，弄湿自己，或者把自己的注意力从这个有条纹的朋友身上移开。当两个人坐在后排时，疯狂的小母马看起来奇怪地像银铃的姐姐。我紧紧握住左轮手枪。如果我看到她屁股上出现一个头骨，我就会直接进入sat考试。
Glory and Lacunae flew at our flanks; Ditzy had stared at the alicorn with some nervousness, but of course she hadn’t said anything. I had to admit, the sight of the lace-draped alicorn was decidedly surreal. Then again, I was travelling with a pony with a soul thingy lodged within her and a hallucination that liked cards, on my way to… liberate… my stable. Reality was now a lot more subjective.
晨辉和陷阱飞向我们的侧翼;迪茨有些紧张地盯着橡子，当然她什么也没说。我不得不承认，看到带有花边褶皱的橡子绝对是超现实主义的。再说，我和一匹小马一起旅行，她的内心深处有一个灵魂，还有一个像卡片一样的幻觉，在我去......解放......我的马厩的路上。现实变得更加主观。
Then P-21 peeked out the back with a small frown. Why didn’t he freak out at the sky? “Blackjack…”
然后，P-21小小地皱了皱眉头，从后面窥视。他为什么不在天上发疯呢？"黑杰克......"
“Urgh…” I grunted in reply.
"呃......"我咕哝着回答。
“What is that?” he asked as he peered through his binoculars.
"那是什么?"他边问边透过望远镜观察。
I carefully moved to the back, making sure to avoid looking at the clouds above and the ground way way below. “What is what?” I asked, and then frowned as I spotted a black speck behind us. “What is that?” I lifted Taurus’s rifle and sighted through the scope.
我小心翼翼地挪到后面，确保不会看到上面的云，也不会看到下面的地面。"什么什么?"我问，然后皱起了眉头，因为我发现我们身后有一个黑色的斑点。"那是什么?"我举起金牛座的步枪，从瞄准镜里瞄准。
At first, I thought it was the Enclave. Maybe Dusk was coming to finish off Glory? But there was something off about how it moved, and I couldn’t see any mounted weapons. Its wings were as big as Lacunae’s, and it was gaining on us… fast. Really fast!
一开始，我以为是飞地。也许《黄昏》是为了结束《晨辉》？但是它的移动方式有些不对劲，我看不到任何固定的武器。它的翅膀和陷阱的翅膀一样大，而且它正在快速地接近我们。非常快！
“Behind us!” I shouted as the creature rolled faster than I could follow with the scope. “Ditzy! Get us on the ground,” I yelled as it swept over us. I heard the buzz of Glory’s beam weapons crackle as she shot at it.
"在我们后面!"我大声喊道，因为那家伙滚得比我拿着瞄准镜跟着他的速度还快。"迪兹！"把我们放在地上,"它掠过我们时，我喊道。我听到晨辉的光束武器发出的嗡嗡声，当她向它射击的时候。
My stomach rose in my throat as every terrifying nightmare I had about falling rose in my chest. Ditzy was getting us on the ground by the fastest means possible: straight down! As she dove, I saw the flash of beam guns and flickers of lightning from our airborne friends. After that, I was just holding tight as half of Ditzy’s wares battered P-21 and me. Rampage laughed in delight, and even
每当我做关于坠落的可怕的噩梦时，我的胃就会上升到喉咙里。迪兹用最快的方法让我们着陆:直接着陆！当她下潜的时候，我看到了我们空中的朋友发出的光束枪和闪电的闪光。在那之后，我只是紧紧抓住，因为迪茨的一半货物都砸坏了P-21和我。暴怒高兴地笑了起来，甚至
Silver Bell appeared more thrilled and less scared by the drop.
西尔弗·贝尔看起来更加兴奋，也没有那么害怕了。
Just before we hit, Ditzy flattened out, flying over the rubble strewn fields of Miramare. The wagon suddenly lurched to the side and the wagon cover ripped, four sets of brown claws tearing open the canopy. Something growled overhead, and I wasted no time thrusting Taurus’s rifle upright and blasting away blindly. With a snarl, it released the wagon, and Ditzy was able to pull up over the main building. “Get ready to jump out!” I yelled.
就在我们撞击之前，迪兹倒在地上，飞过米拉马雷碎石遍地的田野。马车突然向一边倾斜，马车车篷撕裂了，四个棕色的爪子撕开了车篷。头顶上有什么东西在咆哮，我立刻把金牛座的步枪竖起来，盲目地开枪射击。它咆哮了一声，松开了马车，迪茨终于能够把车停在主楼上。"准备跳出去!"我喊道。
The wagon came to a stop and the three of us spilled out. I could have kissed the ground… if we weren’t facing some kind of clawed, winged, flying thing trying to kill us. It wasn’t in sight, but I doubted that would last.
马车停了下来，我们三个人挤了出去。我本可以亲吻地面...如果我们不是面对某种爪子，有翅膀，飞行的东西试图杀死我们。我看不见它，但我怀疑它是否能持续下去。
“Get the door open, quickly!” I said as I nodded at the door to the locker room. “We gotta get out of sight!” I looked over at the ghoul pegasus. “Best get out of here. It’ll be after us.” And oh, how I hoped that was true and that this wasn’t some sort of ridiculously aggressive predator with a taste for ghoul flesh. “Thanks, Ditzy! I owe you a new canopy.”
"快把门打开!"我边说边对着更衣室的门点了点头。"我们得躲起来!"我看着食尸鬼珀加索斯。"最好离开这里。它会来找我们的。"哦，我多么希望这是真的，这不是某种可笑的、好斗的、嗜食食尸鬼肉的食肉动物。"谢谢你，迪兹！我欠你一个新天篷。"
She grinned and shrugged, then winked a cloudy eye at me and took off. I made sure to fire a few rounds at anything that might be a bat-winged thing. To my relief, I didn’t see anything go after the damaged wagon.
她咧嘴一笑，耸了耸肩，然后向我眨了眨眼睛，转身离开了。我确保向任何可能是长着蝙蝠翅膀的东西开了几枪。令我松了一口气的是，我没有看到任何东西跟在损坏的马车后面。
Rampage looked at the duffel bag between my shoulders that held her spiked armor. “I hate being little. How am I supposed to kick tail like this?” she said as she gestured at herself.
狂暴看着我两肩之间装着她尖刺装甲的行李袋。"我讨厌小孩子。我怎么能这样踢尾巴呢?"她指着自己说。
“You’ll find a way. I have no doubt about that,” I assured her. Behind us, the door clicked open. “Quick, inside!” If we were fighting something that flew, the lower the roof, the better. We disappeared inside just as the winged thing flashed over us. Whatever this thing was, it was fast. Really damn fast!
"你会找到办法的。我对此毫不怀疑,"我向她保证。在我们身后，门突然打开了。"快，进去!"如果我们对抗的是会飞的东西，屋顶越低越好。我们消失在里面，就在那个长着翅膀的东西从我们头顶掠过的时候。不管这东西是什么，它都很快。真他妈的快！
I’d just closed the door when an oozing brown stinger punched right though the heavy metal. “Ah!” I shouted as I reeled back, blasting at the appendage. It jerked free with a metallic squeal, leaving a hoof-sized hole.
我刚刚关上门，一根渗出的棕色针刺就穿过了沉重的金属。"啊!"我一边大声喊着，一边摇晃着身体往后退，猛击着身体的附件。它突然发出一声金属般的尖叫，挣脱了束缚，留下一个蹄子大小的洞。
A bright blue eye peeked through and then narrowed. “Peek a boo,” a low feminine voice growled.
一只明亮的蓝眼睛从里面探出来，然后眯起来。"躲猫猫,"一个低沉的女性声音咆哮着。
“Peek a this,” I muttered as I fired the rifle, but the eye jerked away with a laugh.
"看看这个,"我一边开枪一边喃喃自语，但那只眼睛随着一声大笑突然转开了。
“Well, at least it’s a happy monster.”
"好吧，至少它是个快乐的怪物。"
“Great. So you won’t be adopting it, then?” P-21 asked as he took a magic grenade and carefully positioned it at the base of the door so that anypony opening it would flick the stem off the weapon. We quickly moved further into the locker rooms. It wasn’t trying to come in through the doors. Maybe it was going to enter through the second floor to flush us out?
"太好了。那么，你不会采用它了?"P-21一边问，一边拿起一枚魔法手榴弹，小心翼翼地把它放在门的底部，这样任何一个打开它的小马都可以轻松地弹开枪柄。我们迅速进入更衣室。它不是想从门里进来。也许它会从二楼进来把我们引出来？
“Well, you never know. It could have some horribly tragic sob story,” I said as I rushed to the Marauders’ lockers. Actually, given my track record with these kinds of things, it was probably likely. I selected Doof’s locker and typed ‘Mamma’.
""嗯，谁知道呢。这可能会有一些悲惨得令人伤心的故事,"我一边说一边冲向掠夺者的储物柜。事实上，根据我过去对这类事情的记录，这很有可能。我选择了杜夫的柜子，打上了'妈妈'。
There were a stack of papers, a memory orb… of course there was a memory orb… and some large boxes of ammo. In the back was a… gun? It was a short tube about two feet long, with a mouth grip stock. Really, it resembled the biggest single-shot gun I’d ever seen before. A heart was carved in the stock with the words ‘Twist + Doof’, and somepony had painted ‘Persuasion’ on the barrel.
有一堆文件，一个记忆球...当然还有一个记忆球...还有一大箱子弹。在后面是一个。.枪？这是一个短管约两英尺长，与口柄股票。真的，它很像我以前见过的最大的单发枪。股票上刻着一颗心，上面写着"扭曲+杜夫"，还有一匹小马在桶上画了"劝导"。
No time for reading, and certainly no time for a memory orb. I dumped them into my bag and then turned the gun over. It sure wasn’t something I’d seen in any Ironshod Firearms catalogue. “What the heck is this?” I asked with a frown. “It’s sure no Ironpony.”
没有时间阅读，当然也没有时间记忆球。我把它们倒进包里，然后把枪翻过来。这肯定不是我在任何Ironshod枪械公司的目录中看到的东西。"这是什么鬼东西?"我皱着眉头问。"肯定没有铁马。"
“What’s what?” P-21 asked, and I showed it to him. “Oh! It’s a grenade rifle.”
"什么什么?"P-21问我，我拿给他看。"哦！这是一把手榴弹步枪。"
“Great. Enjoy,” I said as I pushed the tube into his hooves.
"太好了。享受吧,"我边说边把管子塞进它的蹄子里。
His eyes went round. “Blackjack! It’s a gun.”
他的眼睛转了一圈。"黑杰克！这是一把枪。"
“It’s a grenade gun!” I countered. “You do grenades. So logically you should be fine with it.”
"这是手榴弹枪!"我反驳道。"你会用手榴弹。所以从逻辑上讲，你应该对此没有意见。"
His eyes went even rounder. “There’s nothing logical about that!”
他的眼睛变得更圆了。"这毫无逻辑可言!"
I sighed and slid him the ammo. “Look. I trust you. Trust yourself and ante up. This isn’t some gun you point and shoot, right?” He frowned in worry but nodded. “Gotta figure out angles and delays and stuff?” He nodded again and I tapped his forehead. “Then it is right up your alley, egghead.” He sure didn’t
我叹了口气，把弹药推给他。"你看。我相信你。相信自己，下注。这不是你瞄准射击的那种枪，对吧?"他愁眉苦脸地点了点头。"还得想办法拖延时间什么的?"他又点了点头，我轻轻地敲了敲他的额头。"那正合你的胃口，书呆子。"他肯定没有
look happy about it, but he took the weapon and the grenades and slipped them into his saddlebags. And if I was wrong and he was feeling ‘shoot Blackjack’-y, at least it’d be quick.
看起来很高兴，但他拿走了武器和手榴弹，塞进了他的鞍囊。而且，如果我错了，他感觉到"射击黑杰克"——至少会很快。
Now there was just the question of how we would connect with Glory and Lacunae. Unless miss big purple horn had a magical location spell, and I wouldn’t put it past her, we’d have to go out or they’d have to come in. If I were the flier, I wouldn’t want to be stuck inside, so I guessed she was somewhere on the roof waiting for us to come out the second story.
现在只有一个问题，我们怎样才能与晨辉和空白联系起来。除非大紫号小姐有一个魔法定位咒语，我不会放过她，否则我们就得出去，否则他们就得进来。如果我是飞行员，我可不想被困在里面，所以我猜她在屋顶上的某个地方等着我们从二楼出来。
“We can get out through the crater,” I muttered. “But we need to tell Glory so they don’t come in and have us chasing each other in circles.”
"我们可以从火山口出去,"我咕哝着。"但我们需要告诉晨辉，这样他们就不会介入，让我们在原地打转。"
He frowned, then dug through his bag and scribbled a word on a piece of garbage. ‘Rads’. “Hook it onto the hole on the door and let’s go,” he said as he carefully unhinged the gun and slid a grenade into it. I did as he asked. Unless the monster was standing right outside, the pair would see it when they checked the door.
他皱了皱眉头，然后从包里翻出一些东西，在一块垃圾上潦草地写了几个字。拉德。"把它挂在门上的洞上，我们走吧,"他一边说，一边小心翼翼地把枪取下来，把一颗手榴弹扔进去。我照他说的做了。除非怪物就站在外面，否则当他们检查门的时候就会看到它。
“Why ‘Rads’?” Rampage asked.
"为什么是'拉德'?"狂暴问道。
“It’s the official term for measuring the intensity of magical spell radiation,” he explained as he looked back at us. “So unless that monster has cracked open a copy of Scientific Equestria or a Big Book of Arcane Science– ACK!” I swept him up in my hooves and gave him a hug. “Leggo! I got a grenade! A whole lot of grenades! Blackjack!”
"这是测量魔法辐射强度的官方术语,"他回头看着我们解释说。"所以除非那个怪物打开了一本Equestria科学杂志或者一本神秘科学的大书!"我用蹄子把它抱了起来，给了它一个拥抱。"快跑！我有个手榴弹！一大堆手榴弹！黑杰克!"
“I got a smart pony,” I said to Rampage with a grin.
"我有一匹漂亮的小马,"我咧嘴笑着对"狂暴"说。
* * *
* * *
In the main hall, I kept my eyes up. Vermin had gotten in: huge bloated mice that weren’t much more threatening than radroaches but still packed a wicked bite. I still wished the E.F.S. would give me a scale of bad guys-ness, but the bars were just red or blue. I had to watch for something a bit more substantial.
在大厅里，我抬起眼睛。害虫已经进来了:巨大的臃肿的老鼠，没有更多的威胁比流氓，但仍然包装邪恶的咬。我仍然希望e.f.s能给我一个坏人的等级，但是那些酒吧只是红色或蓝色的。我不得不观察一些更实质性的东西。
I hadn’t realized that something substantial was watching for us.
我没有意识到有什么实质性的东西在监视着我们。
As we made for the stairs down to operations, I heard the low growl rumble through the halls. My mane did the pony pokey as we looked at all the open
当我们走向通往指挥中心的楼梯时，我听到低沉的咆哮声穿过大厅。当我们看到所有的空地时，我的鬃毛像小马驹一样飞快地跑着
doors. Was it that bar by the barracks? The gift shop? Maybe somewhere above? Of course not.
门。是营房旁边的那个酒吧吗？礼品店？也许在上面某个地方？当然不是。
I’d just turned the corner to go down the stairs into operations when a great leonine shape pounced up at me. Its mangy hide was covered in bald patches and sores, but that did little to detract from its crushing weight or sharp fangs and claws… and wings... and stinger?! What the fuck, Wasteland? This had to be one of Chimera’s critters, right? How else do you stick a lion, bat, and scorpion together?
我刚转过街角准备下楼去参加行动，这时一个狮子般的身影突然出现在我面前。它肮脏的皮肤上布满了秃斑和伤口，但是这丝毫没有减轻它的重量，尖牙和爪子......还有翅膀......还有刺?！搞什么，废土？这一定是奇美拉的生物之一，对吧？不然你怎么把狮子、蝙蝠和蝎子放在一起？
Knocked on my back, I had no choice but to keep rolling. If it pinned me, I’d be dead. Fortunately, it had to hop to the top of the stairs first, and so I found my footing and levitated the shotgun in my white magical grip just as it started a second pounce. S.A.T.S. lined up three blasts to its head. Three blasts stripped great bloody swaths away from its face and shoulders.
在我的背上，我别无选择，只能继续滚动。如果它压住了我，我早就死了。幸运的是，它必须先跳到楼梯顶上，所以我站稳了脚跟，用我那白色魔法般的握力把猎枪悬浮起来，就在它开始第二次猛扑的时候。攻击性应激障碍综合症在其头部排成三列。三声爆炸把它的脸和肩膀上大片血肉模糊。
Didn’t kill it. I hopped away, avoiding a strike by its stinger tail as I fired and moved away. Its claws scraped horribly on my barding, and I was very glad all I’d face was a bruise… for the moment.
没有杀死它。我跳走了，避免了它尾巴的一击，我开了枪，离开了。它的爪子可怕地擦伤了我的头发，我很高兴我的脸上只有一处瘀伤......暂时的。
“Another one!” P-21 shouted around the mouth grip of Persuasion as he pointed it towards the second floor. The weapon made a curious ‘Thump’ noise and sent the grenade up to the second floor, where another of these monsters was starting down after us. The explosion took off the creature’s legs. Unfortunately, there were more behind it, and they were far more wary.
"又一个!"P-21围着"劝导"的嘴巴叫喊着，把它指向二楼。这件武器发出了奇怪的"砰"的一声，把手榴弹扔到了二楼，在那里，另一个怪物开始向我们袭来。爆炸炸掉了那个生物的腿。不幸的是，背后还有更多的人，他们更加谨慎。
Rampage tugged at the drawstrings of my duffel bag where it had fallen. “Blackjack! Why’d you use knots? I need my gear!”
狂暴拉扯着我的行李袋的拉绳，行李袋就掉在那里。"黑杰克！你为什么用绳结？我需要我的装备!"
“A little busy!” I yelled, jumping and moving as quickly as I could.
"有点忙!"我叫喊着，跳跃着，以最快的速度移动着。
“Come on! I can’t rampage like this! I need my ripper! Hoofclaws! Something!” I sent my dragon claw skittering across the floor towards her. “Thanks!” she said happily and started to saw through the knots.
"来吧！我不能这样横冲直撞！我要我的开膛手！蹄爪！一些东西!"我用我的龙爪在地板上滑来滑去地朝她走去。"谢谢!"她高兴地说，并开始看通过结。
“Rampage!” I yelled in exasperation. P-21 smirked – yes, he was actually smirking – as he fired another grenade to the top of the stairs.
"横冲直撞!"我恼怒地大叫起来。P-21得意地笑了——是的，他实际上是在得意地笑——他向楼梯顶部又发射了一枚手榴弹。
She blinked, looked cross-eyed down at the weapon in her jaws, and then rolled her eyes. She let out a fillyish squeal as she raced to the monster and hugged its
她眨了眨眼睛，斜着眼睛看着嘴里的武器，然后转了转眼睛。当她跑向怪物并拥抱它的时候，她发出了一声嘶哑的尖叫
back leg with all her hooves. Her head jerked back and forth as she sliced into the thick tendons behind its knee. It let out a roar as it staggered, and I was able to move away from it and reload with slugs.
用她所有的蹄子踢她的后腿。她的头来回抽动，因为她切开了膝盖后面厚厚的肌腱。当它蹒跚而行时，它发出一声吼叫，我得以离开它，用子弹装填弹药。
The monster then swung its tail and speared Rampage through the side. She twisted, grabbing the scorpion stinger in her hooves and started to slice through that instead as blood foamed out around the dragon claw. She simply continued to hold tight and slashed away at the stinger tail. The monster, seemingly confused by the squirming filly’s refusal to die, cut to the chase and pulled her towards its maw.
然后那个怪物甩动它的尾巴，从侧面刺穿了横冲直撞的人。她扭动着身体，用蹄子抓住蝎子的毒刺，然后开始撕裂它，而血液却在龙爪周围沸腾。她只是继续紧紧地抓着尾巴不放。怪物似乎被这只蠕动的小母马拒绝死亡弄糊涂了，于是切入正题，把她拉向它的胃。
Unfortunately for it, that meant taking its eyes off me. I pressed the barrel of the shotgun against its head and took off half its skull. As it spasmed and flopped, Rampage was thrown free. One last shot and it went still. “We’re running some more.”
不幸的是，这意味着它的目光从我身上移开了。我把枪管按在它的头上，取下了它半个头骨。随着它的痉挛和失败，狂暴被抛出自由。最后一枪，它静止了。"我们正在进行更多的测试。"
“Always with the running,” P-21 muttered as he limped down the stairs. Rampage wasn’t walking much better as her mouth foamed, but the hole in her side was healing with pink light. Once we got downstairs, I slammed the door behind us.
"总是跑来跑去,"P-21一瘸一拐地走下楼梯，喃喃自语道。狂暴的行动并没有因为她嘴里的白沫而好转多少，但是她身上的洞在粉红色的灯光下愈合了。我们一下楼，我就把门关上了。
I noticed Rampage was already intact, but still dripping white foam from her lips. “You okay?” Not the best question to ask her, but still.
我注意到狂暴已经完好无损，但仍然从她的嘴唇上滴下白色的泡沫。"你还好吗?"这不是问她最好的问题，但还是。
“Poisoned,” was all she rasped. I pulled out one of the antivenoms Glory had made for radscorpion stings and poured it down her throat. At once, she gagged and clutched her throat, falling over.
"毒死的"，她只是刺耳地说。我拿出一瓶晨辉专门为蛇蝎螫伤配制的抗蛇毒血清，倒进她的喉咙。她立刻呕吐起来，掐住自己的喉咙，摔倒在地。
“Rampage?” I asked in alarm, dropping beside her. Had I somehow made it worse?
"横冲直撞?"我惊恐地问道，在她身边跌倒了。我是不是让事情变得更糟了？
“That… tastes… disgusting…” she coughed.
"那......味道......恶心......"她咳嗽道。
I rolled my eyes and licked the end of the bottle. Okay, so it was a little bitter. “Baby.”
我翻了翻眼睛，舔了舔瓶底。好吧，是有点苦。"宝贝。"
“I am not a baby. I’m older than both of you combined,” she said as she pointed at me with a scowl. “You’ve just got a… a… a mutant tongue! That’s what!”
"我不是一个婴儿。我比你们两个加起来都老,"她皱着眉头指着我说。"你刚刚得到了一个。.A..一个变异的舌头！就是这样!"
“Hey, could we focus–” P-21 started to say as Rampage charged at me. I stuck
"嘿，我们能不能集中注意力——"当狂暴的士兵冲向我时，P-21开始说道。我卡住了
out a hoof and pushed against her forehead; even small, she nearly shoved me off my feet.
她把一只蹄子踢了出来，顶着她的额头;即使很小，她也几乎把我推倒在地。
“Oh yeah? Better check,” I said, sticking my tongue out at her.
"哦，是吗？最好检查一下,"我说，对着她伸出舌头。
Rampage blinked, then tackled me with a roar. It wasn’t nearly as effective as it would have been if she was her normal size. “Oh yeah! Really mutated! Just like those bruises!” she said as she swung her hooves at me.
狂暴眨了眨眼睛，然后怒吼着扑倒了我。如果她是正常身材的话，效果就不会那么好了。"哦，是的！真的变异了！就像那些瘀伤一样!"她一边说一边用蹄子向我挥过来。
“Awww, somepony needs her nap. She’s all cranky!”
"啊，有个小马需要睡觉了。她脾气暴躁!"
“Ladies!” P-21 shouted, making us both look at him. “Imminent mortal peril here! Chimera monsters hunting us down and you… you two are… uuugh!” He sat down, pulling his mane before he jabbed a hoof at both of us. “Do not make me put you in corners! Now, are we going, or do you two want to keep acting like two-year-old foals?”
"女士们!"P-21大声喊道，让我们都看着他。"这里危在旦夕！奇美拉怪兽在追杀我们，而你们......你们两个......呃!"他坐了下来，拉着鬃毛，然后用蹄子戳了我们两个一下。"不要让我把你放在角落里！现在，我们是走呢，还是你们两个继续像两岁的小马驹一样?"
We both stared at him a moment, then pointed at each other in unison and said in chorus, “She started it.”
我们都盯着他看了一会儿，然后异口同声地指着对方说:"是她先动手的。"
* * *
* * *
Travelling through the operations center gave me a sense of déjà vu. I’d fed Minty Fresh to a raider trying to get info out of him. Glory… I was really glad that Glory wasn’t down here again.
穿过操作中心让我有一种似曾相识的感觉。我把新鲜薄荷糖喂给一个想从他嘴里套出消息的袭击者。晨辉......我真的很高兴晨辉没有再来这里。
P-21 had strung a wire across the bottom of the stairs and up overhead, then had me tie three frag grenade by their stems. Jerk the wire, grenades pop free… boy I was glad he was on our side.
P-21在楼梯底部和头顶上拉了一根电线，然后让我在它们的茎上绑了三颗碎片手榴弹。猛拉电线，手榴弹爆炸自由...男孩我很高兴他是在我们这一边。
“Hey,” the Dealer whispered from a dark doorway. “Got a second?”
"嘿,"商人在黑暗的门口低声说。"有时间吗?"
“Not right now,” I muttered.
"现在不行,"我喃喃自语道。
P-21 looked at me. “Blackjack?”
P-21看着我。"黑杰克?"
Great. Now I was starting to act crazy. Crazier anyway. “Just… go away. I’m not crazy anymore and I don’t need you creeping me out. Okay? I’ve got monsters to deal with, and Rampage and Stable 99 and… you know what? This relationship just isn’t working out. It’s not you. It’s me. Okay. So just go away and stop
太好了。现在我开始表现得很疯狂。反正更疯狂。"你...走开吧。我不再是疯子了，我不需要你来吓唬我。好吗？我有怪物要对付，还有狂暴和稳定99，还有...你知道吗？这种关系就是不行。不是你的问题。是我。好吧。所以走开，停下来
bugging me.” I smiled to the old pale pony as pleasantly as I could, then saw the pair staring at me.
烦我"我尽可能愉快地对那匹苍白的老马微笑，然后看见那对马盯着我。
P-21 repeated himself in a far more unsettled tone, “Blackjack… who are you talking to?”
P-21用一种更加不安的语气重复着自己的话:"Blackjack......你在和谁说话?"
“Nopony! Okay. I’m just… ah…” I sat down hard and blurted, “Sometimes I see this pale horse who has a real fetish for cards and he likes being all cryptic and mysterious and I think he’s some crazy part of my brain but I’m not crazy anymore so I don’t need to talk to him so he just needs to go away…” I took a deep breath, glaring at the old stallion. “Right now!”
"小马！好吧。我只是......啊......"我狠狠地坐了下来，脱口而出,"有时候我看到这匹苍白的马，他对纸牌情有独钟，喜欢神秘莫测，我觉得他是我大脑中某个疯狂的部分，但我已经不再疯狂了，所以我不需要和他说话，所以他只需要离开......"我深深地吸了一口气，怒视着这匹老种马。"马上!"
The old stallion just nudged his hat back, looking at me with an amused smile.
那匹老种马只是把帽子往后推了推，带着愉快的微笑看着我。
“Okay!” Rampage said brightly, grinning at P-21. “Suddenly my problems don’t seem quite so bad!”
"好吧!"狂暴对着P-21咧嘴笑着，高兴地说道。"突然之间，我的问题似乎不那么严重了!"
“You killed Thorn,” he replied bluntly, taking away her grin as he sat next to me. “This been going on for a while?”
"你杀了索恩,"他直截了当地回答，夺走了她坐在我旁边的笑容。"这种情况已经持续了一段时间了?"
“Since Glory got branded,” I admitted. “I mean… I kinda had hints before then, but it was after she got branded that he started showing up for chats.”
"自从荣誉被打上了烙印,"我承认。"我的意思是......在那之前我有一些暗示，但是在她被贴上品牌之后，他开始出现在聊天室里。"
“Why didn’t you tell us?” he asked in a slightly hurt tone.
"你为什么不告诉我们?"他用一种略带伤害的语气问道。
“Well. I mean… you were just getting over wanting to kill me… you are over that, right?” His eyebrows arched as he looked at me coolly. “Okay… mostly over that. Anyway, Glory was hurt, I felt completely useless… then we fought Deus and the Zodiacs and there were all the problems in Flank and… I just wanted to seem like I had it together. Okay? That I could tough it out.”
"好吧。我的意思是......你刚刚克服了想杀我的念头......你已经克服了，对吗?"他扬起眉毛，冷冷地看着我。"好吧......大部分是因为这个。不管怎样，晨辉受到了伤害，我觉得自己完全没用......然后我们和上帝还有黄道带战斗，在弗兰克有所有的问题......我只是想看起来我一切都很好。好吗？我可以坚持下去。"
He just shook his head. “Blackjack, you’re an idiot. You sing while chopping up ghouls. You befriend any monster than seems the slightest bit depressed. You seem to make enemies with shocking regularity. And you think that seeing things that aren’t there is too much? I figured you were crazy when you stopped Daisy from bashing my head in, and nothing I’ve seen has changed that much.” He nudged my shoulder with his hoof. “You might be one twigged mare, but you’re also a good pony and a good friend.”
他只是摇了摇头。"黑杰克，你是个白痴。你边切食尸鬼边唱歌。你和任何怪物都是朋友，而不是看起来有那么一点点的沮丧。你似乎有规律地树敌。你觉得看到不存在的东西太多了吗？你阻止黛西砸我脑袋的时候，我还以为你疯了呢，我所看到的一切都没有改变多少。"他用蹄子推了推我的肩膀。"你可能是一匹娇弱的母马，但你也是一匹好马，一个好朋友。"
Rampage looked from me to P-21, and then asked, “Um… are you two gonna
狂暴把目光从我身上转向P-21，然后问道:"嗯......你们两个准备
kiss or what?”
接吻还是什么?"
The Dealer just smiled and chuckled softly, shaking his head. Immediately, we both went bright red. P-21 stammered and pointed at me. “Kiss? Her? She’s a mare!” Rampage broke into giggles as P-21 scowled. “I don’t even like her like that… really! I have grenades, you know!”
商人只是微微一笑，轻轻地笑了笑，摇了摇头。立刻，我们俩都变成了鲜红色。P-21结结巴巴地指着我。"亲吻？她？她是匹母马!"当P-21怒不可遏时，狂暴爆发出咯咯的笑声。"我甚至不喜欢她那样......真的！我有手榴弹，你知道的!"
I just smiled and shook my head, then stepped past the Dealer into the room. The office had once been somepony’s living quarters, but clearly the Enclave had cleaned house before abandoning Miramare. There hadn’t been much in here to begin with. Just a terminal I hadn’t even bothered to try accessing. Locks were one thing, but I had no clue how to–
我只是微笑着摇了摇头，然后从庄家身边走进了房间。这间办公室曾经是一匹小马的生活区，但显然昂科雷在放弃米拉马雷之前已经打扫过房间了。这里本来就没有什么东西。只是一个我甚至懒得尝试访问的终端。锁是一回事，但我不知道如何-
I might not, but… “P-21! I need you! Right now!” I shouted. Rampage’s giggles exploded into peals of laughter.
我可能不会，但是..."P-21！我需要你！就是现在!"我喊道。狂暴的笑声爆发成一阵阵笑声。
He stepped in with a look promising to find some way to murder a certain striped pony. “It’s not for sex or a joke,” I added quickly. I stepped over to the terminal. “Can you access this?”
他走了进来，看起来很有希望找到某种方法来谋杀一匹有条纹的矮种马。"这不是为了做爱或开玩笑,"我很快补充道。我走向终点站。"你能访问这个吗?"
His scowl disappeared. “Maybe. Let me see.” He hobbled in front of it. “Ugh… huge password. It better not be mares setting up more sex dates.” Rampage walked in, rubbing tears of mirth from her cheeks. He started his magic as I tapped my left hoof on the top of the monitor. Then he hit a key and the terminal let out a beep. “Whoa… I’m in on the third try! That was lucky,” he said, pleased at the turn of events.
他的怒容消失了。"也许吧。让我看看。"他一瘸一拐地走在它前面。"呃...巨大的密码。最好不是母马安排更多的性伴侣。"狂暴走了进来，脸上带着欢乐的泪水。当我用左蹄敲打显示器的顶部时，他开始施展魔法。然后他按下一个键，终端发出一声哔哔。"哇......我第三次尝试了！那是幸运的,"他说，对事态的转变感到高兴。
Yeah... luck. I looked over his shoulder. “And… so much for luck. Most of the files were auto deleted. Looks like… just garbage here.” Then he moved the cursor over one entry. “Wait, here’s one.”
是啊...运气。我从他的肩膀上看过去。"还有......好运就到此为止了。大多数文件被自动删除。这里看起来就像垃圾一样。"然后他将光标移动到一个条目上。"等等，这里有一个。"
To: Minty Fresh
致:MintyFresh
From: Lighthooves
来自:lighthoves
Nice job getting that confession. I knew that Dashite was just itching to tell us her true contempt for the Enclave. Morning Glory’s whole family is no better, really. It’s in their blood. Can you believe she’d accuse us of misconduct? Where is her loyalty? Her sense of duty? Her honor? Ah, well, as long as she has that surfacer terrorist assisting her, there’s not much we can do. Since she’s insisted
让他招供干得漂亮。我知道达什特急着要告诉我们她对昂科雷真正的蔑视。牵牛花的整个家庭也好不到哪里去。这是他们的天性。你能相信她会指控我们行为不端吗？她的忠诚在哪里？她的责任感？法官大人？啊，好吧，只要有那个表面上的恐怖分子帮助她，我们也无能为力。既然她坚持
we brand her, I suppose that’s what we’ll have to do. Such a pity. We were making some real progress investigating potential cures for the surface, but she’s mucked up the whole operation. Now she’s probably run off to Flank or Megamart. I suppose we’ll have to hope Yellow River offers better fruit. Get ready to relocate.
我们给她打上烙印，我想这就是我们要做的。真遗憾。我们在研究潜在的表面治愈方法上取得了一些真正的进展，但是她把整个行动搞砸了。现在她可能跑去弗兰克或者超级市场了。我想我们只能寄希望于黄河能提供更好的水果。准备好重新安置。
I wanted to shoot somepony. Actually, I’d already wanted to shoot him, but this moved him back to the top of the list. But, oddly, despite my horn twitching with the need to put a hole in the screen, something held me back. “Something’s wrong,” I muttered. “Back out. All the way out.” He frowned and did so. I looked at the screen and selected the first password option from the screen of gobbledygook. Then the second. Then the third.
我想射杀一匹小马。事实上，我已经想要射杀他了，但这让他又回到了名单的首位。但是，奇怪的是，尽管我的喇叭因为需要在屏幕上打个洞而颤抖，还是有什么东西阻止了我。"出事了,"我喃喃自语。"退后。一路走下去。"他皱了皱眉，这样做了。我看着屏幕，从官样文章的屏幕上选择了第一个密码选项。然后是第二个。然后是第三个。
‘Exact match.’ I repeated it two more times, and every time the third guess brought up the password, no matter how I put in the password. “That bastard,” I muttered.
完全吻合我又重复了两次，每次第三次猜测都会提到密码，不管我怎么输入密码。"那个混蛋,"我喃喃自语。
“I would like to buy a clue, please? Something in a size four,” Rampage said as she peeked up from between my legs.
"我想买一条线索，好吗？大概是四号的。"当她从我两腿之间偷看时，狂暴说道。
“This is why Dusk tried to kill Glory. This wasn’t for me. This was to put Dusk on Glory’s trail.” And if she’d been a little more lucky with her Novasurge shots, she would have killed her right in front of us. I read the message again and tapped the screen. “Yellow River. That’s for me.”
"这就是为什么黄昏要杀死晨辉。这不是给我的。这是为了让黄昏追随格洛里的足迹。"如果她运气好的话，她会在我们面前杀了她。我又读了一遍信息，然后轻轻地敲了敲屏幕。"黄河。这是给我的。"
“Yellow River? What’s Yellow River?” P-21 asked in confusion.
"黄河？什么是黄河?"P-21迷惑地问。
“Well, if you’ve ever seen me drink a whole lot of Sparkle-Cola all at once--” Rampage began with a little smirk.
"好吧，如果你曾经见过我一下子喝了很多可口可乐——"狂暴以一丝傻笑开始了。
“I don’t know, but he wants me to go there. A trap. A setup? Something.” I gritted my teeth. I had to go. It was the only lead I had for helping Glory at the moment. “He’s playing me.” Like the Goddess.
"我不知道，但是他想让我去那里。一个陷阱。一个陷阱？一些东西。"我咬紧牙关。我得走了。这是我现在唯一能帮到晨辉的线索。"他在耍我。"像女神一样。
“So what are you going to do?”
"那你打算怎么办?"
“Play along. Then I’ll play rough and dirty when the time comes for it. Find something to hang him with. And if all that fails, feed him to a hungry raider. Alive,” I muttered.
"配合一下。到时候我会使出浑身解数。找个东西把他吊起来。如果这一切都失败了，把他喂给一个饥饿的突袭机。还活着,"我喃喃自语。
“Yeah, right. Like anypony would do that…” P-21 began, and then our eyes met. His grin slowly slid away as he muttered sheepishly, “Oh. Damn. Awkward.” A loud explosion echoed through the operations hallway, followed immediately by a bestial roar of pain. “Saved by the monster,” P-21 muttered. “Blackjack, if there’s a way out, now’s the time.”
"是的，没错。就像任何小马都会这么做一样......"P-21开始了，然后我们的目光相遇了。他羞怯地咕哝着，嘴角的笑容慢慢消失了,"哦。该死。尴尬。"一声巨大的爆炸声在操作室的走廊里回荡，紧接着是残忍的痛苦咆哮。"被怪物救了,"P-21嘟囔着。"黑杰克，如果有出路，现在正是时候。"
I agreed, giving the Dealer a cold glare… not that it mattered. He wasn’t really there anyway; I just hated that disingenuous look of innocence he wore. We made our way to the storage utility that had been blown out. Both of us took a pill of Rad-X, and I held one out to Rampage. She just snorted and slid down into the hole in the concrete pipes in the floor. My PipBuck immediately began to spike, the readout showing a blue pony turning green and then yellow as the rads increased. I hoped this wasn’t going to be a long tunnel, or the whole thing would be moot.
我同意了，冷冷地瞪了商人一眼......这不重要。无论如何，他并不是真的在那里;我只是讨厌他那种虚伪的无辜表情。我们前往被炸毁的仓储设施。我们两个都吃了一片Rad-X，我拿出一片来狂暴。她哼了一声，钻进了地板上混凝土管道的洞里。我的PipBuck立即开始尖峰，读数显示一匹蓝色的小马变成了绿色，然后随着rads的增加变成了黄色。我希望这不会是一个漫长的隧道，否则整个事情就没有意义了。
Thankfully, we were able to reach the open pipes at the base of the crater, and sure enough, there was Lacunae, waiting patiently. Was it just me, or did she look even… well… more alicorny? Her coat glistened and her horn seemed to shimmer with potency. Radiation did an alicorn good, apparently. “Good. You made it. I was about to come in after you. We must be quiet. Glory is nearby.”
谢天谢地，我们终于到达了火山口底部敞开的管道，果然，那里有一个裂口，耐心地等待着。是不是只有我这么觉得，还是她看起来更......呃......像个女人？她的外套闪闪发光，她的角似乎闪烁着强大的力量。显然，辐射对孤果有好处。"很好。你做到了。我正要进来找你呢。我们必须安静。晨辉就在附近。"
I took a look around and my jaw dropped. That was a fuckton of red bars! I passed P-21 some RadAway, then gulped down some myself (not even getting to savor the sharp orangey flavor!) before the four of us crawled up out of the crater to where an armored vehicle lay on its side. Glory sipped on a packet as well, looking at me nervously. “Oh, good. You made it out,” she said with clear relief. “We’re surrounded by manticores.”
我环顾四周，惊讶得目瞪口呆。那是一堆该死的红条！我在RadAway路上经过了P-21，然后我自己也吞下了一些(甚至没有品尝到尖锐的橙子味道!)然后我们四个爬出火山口，来到一辆装甲车侧躺的地方。晨辉也啜饮着一个小包，紧张地看着我。"哦，太好了。你成功了,"她带着明显的宽慰说。"我们周围都是猛男。"
“Mantawhats?” I muttered as we crouched in the hull. Everywhere I looked, there were more of the lion/bat/scorpion hybrids. “How do you know what they are?”
"Mantawhats?"当我们蜷缩在船体里时，我喃喃自语。到处都是狮子、蝙蝠和蝎子的混血儿。"你怎么知道它们是什么?"
“Manticores are a constant threat in the Wasteland, though they’re usually not so well organized.” I’d thought for sure that they had to be something from Project Chimera, but apparently some abominations the Wasteland just whipped up on its own. “I think that she’s controlling them somehow.”
"多人兽在荒原是一个持续的威胁，尽管他们通常组织不是很好。"我本以为它们肯定是奇美拉计划里的东西，但显然是荒原自己搅起来的一些令人憎恶的东西。"我认为她在以某种方式控制它们。"
“She who?” I asked as I looked through P-21’s binoculars.
"她是谁?"我边问边用P-21的双筒望远镜观察。
Oh… she her. Now THIS had to be something from Chimera. The tawny pony
哦...她是她。这肯定是奇美拉的作品。黄褐色的小马
prowled back and forth on the roof of the main building. Her legs ended in razor-sharp claws rather than hooves, and the wings on her back were leathery instead of feathery. The scorpion tail she possessed snapped and stabbed at the manticores that didn’t shy out of her way quickly enough, and with her lips parted I could see a set of wicked fangs. As disturbing as she was, it wasn’t as bad as the flock of manticores lounging around the airbase. I couldn’t see how we were going to get a hundred feet without one of them spotting us.
在主楼的屋顶上来回徘徊。她的腿末端是剃刀般锋利的爪子而不是蹄子，她背上的翅膀是皮革的而不是羽毛的。她拥有的蝎子尾巴折断了，刺向了那些没有尽快躲开的蝎子，她的嘴唇张开了，我可以看到一组邪恶的毒牙。尽管她令人不安，但并没有那群在空军基地闲逛的人类那么糟糕。我不知道我们怎么能走到100英尺的地方而不被他们发现。
And the radiation was still building up in us.
我们体内的辐射仍在增加。
“Okay. We need to get the heck out of here,” I said as I looked at the twisted wreckage concealing us. Rampage was examining a heap of bones in some frayed and charred uniforms, while P-21 seemed to be checking his grenades and Glory took another Rad-X.
"好吧。我们得离开这鬼地方,"我看着隐藏着我们的扭曲的残骸说。狂暴正在检查一堆穿着破旧和烧焦制服的骨头，而P-21似乎正在检查他的手榴弹，晨辉又拿走了一个拉德-x。
“Would you like to return to Chapel?” Lacunae asked casually.
"你愿意回教堂吗?"空隙漫不经心地问。
“Well… yeah. That’d be great, but I don’t know how we’re going to get there without all of them piling on us,” I said and then frowned. “Are you telling me you can return all of us to Chapel? That’s miles away!”
"嗯......是的。那太好了，但是我不知道如果没有他们在我们身上打桩，我们怎么能到达那里。"我说，然后皱起了眉头。"你是说你可以把我们都送回教堂？那可是好几英里远呢!"
She took a long, slow, luxurious breath as she looked at the glowing crater. “Right now? Most certainly.”
她看着发光的陨石坑，深深地、缓慢地、舒适地吸了一口气。""现在吗？当然。"
“Right.” Ten or fifteen more minutes here and it’d be moot. I trotted over to Rampage, who seemed to be staring down at the bones with a wistful look. “Come on, Rampage. We’re leaving.”
"对。"在这里再待上十五分钟就没意义了。我小跑着走向狂暴，他似乎正用渴望的眼神凝视着那些骨头。"来吧，狂暴。我们要走了。"
“Huh? Oh, yeah,” she said as she crawled through the gutted vehicle. For a moment, I almost joined her, but then I moved to look down at the same pile of bones. This far into the transport, the body was a little more intact. Nothing valuable, of course. Just a rotten, scorched uniform, two tin ID tags hanging around her neck, the junk of two centuries ago. Slowly, I took a closer look at the name stamped in the tin.
"啊？哦，是的,"她一边说，一边爬过被掏空的车厢。有那么一会儿，我几乎要加入她的行列，但随后我移开视线，低头看着同一堆骨头。在这么远的运输过程中，尸体还是比较完整的。当然，没什么值钱的东西。只有一件腐烂的烧焦的制服，两个锡制的身份标签挂在她的脖子上，两个世纪前的垃圾。慢慢地，我仔细看了看罐头上印着的名字。
‘Twist’.
扭扭舞。
I stared at another of Macintosh’s Marauders. Slowly, I bent down and nudged the brittle bones. Her hooves had pinched something between them, bundling them in the rags of her uniform. With care, I liberated the objects from her rags.
我盯着另一个麦金塔的掠夺者。我慢慢地弯下腰，轻轻地推了推脆弱的骨头。她的蹄子夹着什么东西在它们之间，用她制服上的破布把它们捆起来。我小心翼翼地把那些东西从她的破衣烂衫中解放出来。
The pictures were all partially burned, discolored, or waterstained. There were little mouthwritten notes on the bottoms, smeared but still barely legible. Twist on a playground next to a foal so alike that only Twist’s glasses really set them apart. Weren’t we alike back then, Apple Bloom?
这些照片都被部分烧毁，变色，或水渍。底部有一些小小的口信，模糊不清，但仍然难以辨认。在操场上紧挨着一匹小马驹扭动身体，只有特威斯特的眼镜才真正把它们区分开来。我们那时候不是很像吗，苹果布鲁姆？
Twist standing in a candy shop with a sign that read ‘Peppermint’ under two crossed candy canes. Too bad about my candy shop, huh?
扭扭站在一家糖果店里，两个交叉的拐杖糖下面立着一块牌子，上面写着"薄荷"。我的糖果店太糟糕了，是吧？
Twist standing proudly amid a line of recruits with a buzzed mane, the youngest and smallest but looking eager to fight. Big Macintosh loomed beside her, giving her a brotherly glance. Look at my mane! It’s so short!
特威斯特骄傲地站在一排新兵中间，鬃毛嗡嗡作响，年纪最小，但看起来很渴望战斗。大麦金托什机出现在她身边，兄弟般地看了她一眼。看看我的鬃毛！太短了！
An older and more mature Apple Bloom posing for a picture in front of a stable door marked with an immense number 2. Looking good, Apple Bloom. Looking really good.
一个更老更成熟的苹果布鲁姆在一个标有巨大数字2的马厩门前摆姿势拍照。看起来不错，苹果布鲁姆。看起来真不错。
Twist putting Big Macintosh in a hooflock as the rest of the Marauders cheer and laugh at the sight. Psalm smiling in reserved amusement, Stonewing grinning as Jetstream leans against him. Vanity shaking his head with a smile. Even Doof having a great time.
在其他掠夺者欢呼和嘲笑的同时，把大麦金托什放进马蹄锁里。诗篇在含蓄的娱乐中微笑，斯通温微笑着，因为杰流靠在他身上。虚荣心微笑着摇摇头。即使傻瓜也玩得很开心。
Then a picture of the Marauders all gathered together in Prance. Her grin around the peppermint stick goes from ear to ear. My family.
然后是一张掠夺者们聚集在Prance的照片。她围着薄荷棒咧着嘴笑得合不拢嘴。我的家人。
The next picture was of Twist and three red-marked zebras. As sad as she looked, they appeared… haggard, yet also proud. She’s hoofbumping the leader. Last of the Proditors.
下一张照片是扭扭和三匹斑马。尽管她看起来很悲伤，但是他们看起来很憔悴，但是也很骄傲。她踢了头儿的马蹄。最后一批工程师。
All but one of the Marauders standing in grim lines on one side of a casket, the Ministry Mares on the other. Applejack resting her head upon the corner of the coffin as Twilight Sparkle holds her shoulders. Applesnack’s eyes looking at the orange mare past Celestia giving a eulogy. I had never seen such a look of repressed pain on a stallion’s face before. Twist just looks… lost.
除了一个掠夺者外，所有的掠夺者都站在棺材的一边，另一边是部长母马。紫悦把她的头靠在棺材的一角，双肩托着她的肩膀。苹果奈克的眼睛看着橙色的母马过去的天堂发表了悼词。我从来没有在一匹种马的脸上看到过如此压抑的痛苦表情。扭扭看起来...迷路了。
One of her in the hospital, looking hurt, but Vanity, Echo, and Applesnack are with her. Three out of eight friends; her eyes show far more pain than joy.
其中一个在医院里，看起来很受伤，但是瓦妮特、艾可和苹果麦克陪着她。八分之三的朋友;她的眼睛里流露出的痛苦远远多于欢乐。
She wasn’t smiling in the last picture. Oh, her lips were curled at the edges, but there was no mirth in her eyes as she stood alone on a tank, sergeant stripes on her uniform. She had the eyes of a ghoul: flat and lifeless and eager to die.
在最后一张照片中她没有笑。哦，她的嘴唇在边缘卷曲着，但是当她独自站在一辆坦克上时，她的眼睛里没有笑意，她的制服上有军士的条纹。她有一双食尸鬼的眼睛:平淡无奇，毫无生气，渴望死亡。
And so she had.
她就是这么做的。
There was one last picture that had fallen away, and I almost missed it. I recognized the young Apple Bloom as almost a spitting image of Applebot. I didn’t know who the orange pegasus or the unicorn with the purple mane were. They seemed to be in the middle of a fight in a garden, surrounded by statues, as Twist looked on with a sad smile. The worst day of my life was when I got my cutie mark, and you didn’t.
还有最后一张照片掉了下来，我差点错过了。我认出年轻的苹果布鲁姆简直就是苹果机器人的翻版。我不知道橙色的飞马和紫色鬃毛的独角兽是谁。他们似乎正在一个花园里打架，周围都是雕像，而特威斯特则带着悲伤的微笑看着。我生命中最糟糕的一天是我得到了我的可爱标记，而你没有。
I pressed the pictures back between her hooves as I heard the others call out a warning and bent my nose to nuzzle her skull. I prayed that she’d finally found rest at last. With one regretful look back, I returned to the others. There was a brilliant flash of purple light, and the world disappeared.
当我听到其他人喊出警告并弯下鼻子用鼻子蹭她的头骨时，我把照片按回到她的蹄子之间。我祈祷她最终能得到安息。我遗憾地回头看了看其他人。一道紫光闪过，整个世界都消失了。
* * *
* * *
Okay. I admit that I was a little frustrated. I had another monsterpony after me with a small army of flying monsters. I had no doubt, as lay there in the post office, sucking down my third RadAway, that she was probably already looking for us.
好吧。我承认我有点沮丧。我后面还有一匹小怪马，带着一小队会飞的怪兽。我毫不怀疑，躺在邮局里，吮吸着我的第三个RadAway，她可能已经在找我们了。
Worse… if she found out we were in Chapel…
更糟的是...如果她发现我们在教堂..。
“Why so gloomy?” Adagio asked lazily as the quartet collected around me. “If it’s about Thorn, it happens. Sometimes a colt won’t even stay an hour before they take the walk.”
"为什么这么沮丧?"当四重奏在我周围聚集时，柔板懒洋洋地问道。"如果是关于索恩的，就会发生。有时候，一匹小马连一个小时都待不了，就要出去散步了。"
I gave a little smile to the blue colt. “Thanks, but it’s not that. It’s just that I need to travel way up north, but it’s become a lot more complicated.”
我对那匹蓝色的小马微微一笑。"谢谢，但不是这样的。只是我需要一路向北，但情况变得更加复杂了。"
P-21 nodded. “Yeah,” he said as he looked at a crude map Priest had drawn for us. “We’d have to travel all the way south to Flank, head into the hills to cross the river upstream of the dams, north through Society territory, past the Collegiate ponies in Hoofington U, past all the Enclave at the Skyport OR sneak past Paradise, get past the Steel Rangers, and cross the river again near the coast way up north.” It was going to take weeks. Lacunae wasn’t familiar enough with anywhere up north to teleport to it, even if it was inside her range.
P-黑杰克头。"是的,"他一边说，一边看着普里斯特为我们画的一张粗糙的地图。"我们必须一路向南走到弗兰克，然后到山上穿过大坝上游的河流，向北穿过社会区，经过胡芬顿大学的克里斯提小马，经过空中港的所有飞地，或者偷偷经过帕拉迪斯，经过斯蒂尔游骑兵，然后在靠近海岸的地方再次过河，一路向北。"这需要几个星期的时间。拉库尼对北方的任何地方都不够熟悉，不能传送到那里，即使那里在她的范围之内。
“So why don’t you just take the boat?” Medley asked, giving us a look that questioned our intelligence. P-21 and I stared at each other; in all our time in
"那你为什么不坐船呢?"梅德利问道，用一种质疑我们智力的眼神看着我们。P-21和我互相凝视，在我们所有的时间里
Chapel, nopony had ever uttered the syllable ‘boat’ in our hearing.
在我们的耳朵里，没有一匹小马能发出"船"这个音节。
“There’s a boat?” P-21 asked sharply.
"有船吗?"P-21尖锐地问道。
She rolled her eyes. “Stable ponies don’t know nothin’. ‘Course there’s a boat,” the chartreuse unicorn filly said. “The Seahorse goes up and down the river all the time. Her captain’s a bit off, you know, but she’s the only one brave enough to risk it.”
她翻了翻白眼。"马厩里的小马什么都不懂。"当然有船了,"黄绿色的独角兽小雌马说。"海马总是在河里上上下下。你知道，她的船长有点不对劲，但她是唯一一个敢于冒这个险的人。"
I looked at her skeptically, and then took out the Hoofington Edition of the Wasteland Survival Guide. After flipping through a bit, I found an entry on the Hoofington River.
我怀疑地看着她，然后拿出了《荒原生存指南》的胡芬顿版。翻看了一会儿，我在胡芬顿河上发现了一条记录。
No visit to the Hoofington area is complete without spotting the Hoofington River. The largest river in all of Equestria in our times, the Hoofington River runs north from Equestria’s second-largest lake to the sea. Its progress is only interrupted by the dams, south of the city, that continue to provide power to the region to this day!
如果没有发现胡芬顿河，那么对Hoofington地区的访问就是不完整的。胡芬顿河是我们这个时代Equestria最大的河流，从Equestria第二大湖向北流入大海。它的发展只是被位于城市南部的大坝阻断，这些大坝直到今天仍在为该地区提供电力！
Now, you might be tempted to stop and take a swim, or, if it’s a rare dry day, take a drink. Take my advice and don’t. Upstream contamination has made all of the water mildly radioactive and tainted. That’s led radigators and river serpents of prodigious size and appetite to spawn. Even if none of that gets you, the river is choked with debris and its current is powerful. All the rain goes somewhere, ponies.
现在，你可能会忍不住停下来游泳，或者，如果天气罕见的干燥，喝一杯。听我的劝告，不要这样做。上游的污染使得所有的水都有轻微的放射性和污染。这就导致散热器和巨大的河蛇产卵。即使这些都不能打动你，河水也被泥石堵塞，水流也很急。所有的雨都会流向某个地方，小马。
For those folks desperate to travel along the river course, there are always a few brave souls willing to make the trip for caps. The most successful ferry is the Seahorse, which is still operating even after years on the water. The passenger is recommended to bring plenty of caps for the trip. However, the captain is quite… erratic in his pricing.
对于那些不顾一切想沿着河道旅行的人来说，总是有一些勇敢的人愿意为帽子而旅行。最成功的渡轮是海马号，即使在水上航行年后，它仍然在运营。建议乘客在旅行中带足够的上限。然而，队长的定价相当...不稳定。
Allegro nodded. “Yeah, the captain is one rough, tough, twigged pony, but they’re always good for getting us up and down the river. Doesn’t deal in slaves, and so as long as your caps are good, the captain’s usually fair. Crazy, but fair.”
阿莱格罗点点头。"是的，船长是一匹粗野、坚强、柔弱的小马，但是它们总是能让我们在河上上下颠簸。不卖奴隶，只要你的帽子好，船长通常是公平的。疯狂，但公平。"
I looked at P-21, beginning to see a pattern. He grunted sourly, looking at me. “Another unstable pony. Wonder if he’s as twigged as you are.”
我看了看P-21，开始发现一个模式。他不高兴地咕哝了一声，看着我。"又一匹不稳定的小马。不知道他是不是和你一样傻。"
“What?” I said defensively to the snickers of the four. Giving P-21 a slightly
"什么?"我以防御的口吻对着四个士力架窃笑。稍微给P-21一个
incensed look, I asked Allegro, “So, when does the boat stop by Chapel?”
我怒气冲冲地问阿莱格罗:"那么，船什么时候在教堂停靠?"
“She’s here now,” the red colt said with a grin.
"她现在在这里,"红色的小马咧嘴笑着说。
“Now? As in, right now right now?” P-21 asked as he and I looked at each other.
""现在吗？就是现在吗?"P-21和我面面相觑时问道。
“Yup! She’s tied up under the bridge. Charity’s doing her trading now.” With one last look at each other, we turned and raced to the door.
"是的！她被绑在桥下。Charity正在做她的交易。"我们最后看了对方一眼，转身冲向门口。
* * *
* * *
I really didn’t know what I expected when I thought of the word ‘boat’. Could it carry five of us? Would it be safe? Fast? Would Sanguine anticipate us taking it? Would we have the caps the captain wanted?
当我想到船这个词的时候，我真的不知道我期望的是什么。它能载五个人吗？这样安全吗？快？桑吉尼会预料到我们会拿下它吗？我们有船长想要的帽子吗？
P-21 found the concrete steps that led to a crumbling concrete slip underneath the bridge. Panting, we picked our way underneath and saw… the hunk of junk that looked as if it should be lying under the river instead of floating atop it.
P-21发现了混凝土台阶，导致桥下混凝土坍塌。我们气喘吁吁地走到下面，看到了那一大块垃圾，它看起来应该躺在河下面，而不是漂浮在上面。
Okay, maybe that wasn’t fair. What did I know about boats? I just didn’t think that they should look so… rusty.
好吧，也许这不公平。我对船了解多少？我只是觉得它们不应该看起来这么生疏。
It was almost as long as the bridge overhead was wide; maybe seventy or eighty feet? The hull had been patched and painted so many times that it was hard for me to figure out what its original color was. It was made of wood with metal sheeting hammered over the top; I knew this because of all the places where the metal sheeting was no longer there. At the front of the boat was a small enclosed turret with two machine guns pointing out.
差不多和头顶上的桥一样长，大概七十八十英尺吧？船体已经修补和油漆了这么多次，我很难找出它的原始颜色是什么。它是用木头做的，顶部用金属片敲打;我知道这一点是因为所有的地方都没有金属片了。船的前部有一个封闭的小炮塔，两挺机枪对着它。
It looked as if there were seven or eight crewponies, and the biggest stallion of all was sitting at a card table staring at Charity with his forehooves crossed. With his scruffy black beard, anchor cutie mark, and scarred hide, I guessed he was the captain. Charity stared back undaunted, as if trying to will him to part with his caps. “You’d better wait here,” P-21 said. “I’ll see if I can get us a ride.”
看起来好像有七八个船员，其中最大的一匹坐在牌桌旁，前蹄交叉着盯着Charity。他有着邋遢的黑胡子，锚上有可爱的标记，皮肤上有疤痕，我猜他就是船长。慈悲无所畏惧地盯着他，好像要用意志力劝他放下帽子。"你最好在这儿等着,"P-21说。"我看看能不能搭个顺风车。"
“Great. Waiting,” I muttered as I sat with a grumpy frown as he trotted down and started trying to break into the staring contest. He might as well have been talking to a wall for all the notice he got.
"太好了。等着,"我嘟囔着，看着他快步走下来，开始试图加入盯人比赛，我坐在那里，一脸不高兴的样子。他收到那么多通知，还不如对着墙说话呢。
“Tell me about it,” said a mare beside the river. “So boring just waiting for them. They’ve been at this for hours.” The turquoise unicorn mare had a mane so filthy
"跟我说说吧,"河边的一匹母马说。"就这么等着他们太无聊了。他们已经忙了好几个小时了。"绿松石色的独角兽母马的鬃毛非常肮脏
and chopped that I wasn’t sure if it was blue, gray, or some mottled mix of the two. She wore a battered black cap complete with skull and crossbones, like from a story book. A leather eyepatch covered her left eye. She swirled an amber drink in a bottle. “Want some? It’s rum… or grog… one of the two.” She glared at the contents suspiciously. “Sneaky little drink...”
我不确定它是蓝色的，灰色的，还是这两种颜色的混合。她戴着一顶破旧的黑色帽子，上面印着骷髅画，就像故事书上的图案一样。一只皮革眼罩遮住了她的左眼。她转动瓶子里的琥珀色饮料。"要来点吗？朗姆酒......或者烈性酒......两者之一。"她怀疑地怒视着里面的东西。"鬼鬼祟祟的小酒..."
“Sure,” I replied as I joined the inebriated mare, plopping down beside her and taking a swig. Rum (or grog, maybe), I discovered, was a bit sweeter than my preferred intoxicant. “That’s not bad.”
"当然,"我回答，我加入了醉酒的母马，扑通一声坐在她旁边，喝了一大口。我发现朗姆酒(或者烈性酒)比我喜欢的麻醉剂甜一点。"还不错。"
She offered her hoof. “Thrush.”
她伸出她的蹄子。"画眉。"
“Blackjack.” I bumped it with my own.
"黑杰克。"我用我自己的撞了一下。
She eyed my security barding, leaning back and squinting as she fought to focus her gaze. “Security… Security… where have I heard that before?” She suddenly pointed the bottle at me with a gasp. “You’re that… that… mare with the bounty, ain’t ‘cha?” I felt my mane start to prickle, but then she grinned. “Well, good for you. I always said that if you’re doin’ something good enough for somepony to pay to want you dead, then ya must be doing it well.”
她注视着我的保镖，身子向后一靠，眯着眼睛，努力想集中注意力。"保安......保安......我以前在哪里听过这句话?"她突然用瓶子指着我，喘了口气。"你就是那个......那个......拿着奖金的母马，是不是?"我觉得我的鬃毛开始刺痛，但她咧嘴笑了。"好吧，对你有好处。我总是说，如果你做的好事足以让某个小马付出代价想要你的命，那么你一定做得很好。"
“So, you’re not looking to collect?”
"这么说，你不是来收钱的?"
She took another pull off the bottle and then burped. “Who, me? Collect for Usury? HA! Fuck Usury! Fuck her right up her ass with an anchor! Bitch wanted me to transport slaves for her.” She scowled at me. “Do you know what kind of mess slaves make? I mean really? Smell lasts for… ev… er…” She made an annoyed face. “So I told her to go fuck herself, and everypony in Paradise, and I think Equestria too while I was at it.” I just grinned as she frowned and rubbed her chin. “I think I might have shot her too. Shot at her… one of the two.”
她又喝了一口，然后打了个嗝。"谁，我吗？为高利贷收钱？哈！去他妈的高利贷！用锚直插她的屁股！那婊子想让我为她运送奴隶。"她怒视着我。"你知道奴隶制造了什么样的混乱吗？我是说真的吗？气味会持续......更......更......"她做了一个恼怒的表情。"所以我告诉她去操她自己，还有天堂里的每一匹小马，我在玩的时候也想到了马术。"她皱着眉头，摩挲着下巴，我只是咧着嘴笑。"我想我可能也向她开了枪。向她开枪......两人之一。"
“Really?” I said with a chuckle.
"真的吗?"我笑着说。
“Well I was drunk at the time, and I don’t quite think she understood all the implications therein. She took it all personal-like. Put a ten thousand cap bounty on my noggin. I don’t think she realized most bounty hunters can’t swim,” the turquoise mare muttered as she upended the bottle into her wide open mouth. She swallowed, then blinked and stared into the bottle. “Gone… why is it always gone? A great tragedy strikes the Wasteland once again.” She looked at me through the bottom. “Oooh, wavy.”
"当时我喝醉了，我想她并不完全明白其中的含义。她把一切都当成私人恩怨。悬赏一万元买我的脑袋。我想她没有意识到大多数赏金猎人不会游泳,"绿松石母马一边把瓶子倒过来放进她张开的嘴里，一边喃喃自语。她咽了口唾沫，然后眨了眨眼睛，盯着瓶子。"不见了......为什么总是不见了？一场巨大的悲剧再次袭击了大荒地。"她从下面看着我。"哦，波浪。"
I smirked. I had been waiting for a special occasion to enjoy it. This would do. I floated out a bottle of Wild Pegasus that Glory had bought. “Security to the rescue,” I said with a little grin. I might not be able to save ponies who needed it, but I could at least get somepony drunk who’d appreciate it.
我得意地笑了。我一直在等待一个特殊的机会来享受它。这样就行了。我拿出一瓶晨辉买的野飞马酒。"保安来救援了,"我咧嘴笑着说。我可能救不了需要它的小马，但我至少可以把它灌醉，让它感激我。
An hour later, I had a nice warm glow in my stomach that gave rise to a pleasant buzz spreading throughout my body. “So, what’s your story, Thrush?”
一个小时之后，我的胃里出现了一股温暖的热气，令人愉快的嗡嗡声传遍了我的全身。"那么，你的故事是什么，画眉?"
“Who? Me? Pffft. Story? I’m lucky if I got a limerick.” She cleared her throat. “There once was a pony named Thrush, her mane was like a dirty old brush. But her daddy was captain and when his luck was cashed in, on his boat she’d have a serious crush,” she said as she balanced the bottle of Wild Pegasus on the end of her horn. Since she had her horn stuck in the bottle, it wasn’t that impressive.
"谁？我？Pffft.故事？如果我能得到一首打油诗，我就很幸运了。"她清了清嗓子。"从前有一匹叫画眉的小马，它的鬃毛像一把又脏又旧的刷子。但是她的父亲是船长，当他的运气被兑现的时候，在他的船上，她会有一个严重的迷恋,"她一边说，一边用她的号角端着一瓶野生帕伽索斯。因为她把她的喇叭塞进了瓶子里，所以没什么了不起的。
“No second verse?”
"没有第二节?"
“Same as the first!” she said with gusto, and I laughed even though it made no sense to me at all. “I’ve been steering the Seahorse all around Equestria. My daddy showed me all the neat little hidey holes and hazards to avoid. Normally I ply from Ironmare to Friendship City, but I tuck up river to see what the Eggheads or Crusaders have scavenged up every now and then. Damn skilled fillies and colts.” She sighed as she tilted her head left and right, making the bottle rock on her horn. “Most boats are lucky to last a year on the water. I’ve lasted three.” She looked at the dinged-up rustbucket with a look of love. “Saved my life, being captain. Having some control…”
"和第一个一样!"她津津有味地说，我笑了，尽管这对我来说毫无意义。"我一直在Equestria各地驾驶海马。我爸爸给我看了所有要避开的隐蔽的小洞和危险。通常我从Ironmare定期往返于友谊之城，但我顺着河流往上游走，看看那些书呆子或十字军战士时不时地从中搜寻些什么。该死的小母马和小马。"她叹了口气，左右歪着头，喇叭上的酒瓶摇晃起来。"大多数船只都很幸运，能在水上航行一年。我坚持了三年。"她带着爱的神情望着那个凹凸不平的锈桶。"当船长救了我的命。拥有一些控制权......"
Somehow, I doubted that there was nothing more to her than just five lives of verse. “So… wait? You’re the captain?” I asked in confusion, and then I gestured at the scruffy looking stallion with the thick beard. “Then who’s he?”
不知为什么，我怀疑对她来说，没有什么比五种诗的生命更重要的了。"那么......等等？你是船长?"我困惑地问道，然后指了指那匹长着浓密胡须、看上去邋遢不堪的种马。"那他是谁?"
“Him? Tarboots? He’s our quartermaster. He tells me where to go to make money and I go there. It’s not like I understand any of this business stuff. I just turn the wheel that points the Seahorse in the right direction and try not to get sunk. Hasn’t happened yet.” She let out a long, low belch, then smirked at me. “What? I’ve got biggest hat. That makes me captain.”
""他？柏油靴？他是我们的军需官。他告诉我去哪里赚钱，我就去那里。我对这些生意上的事情一窍不通。我只是转动方向盘，让海马朝着正确的方向前进，尽量不要沉下去。还没有发生。"她打了一个长长的、低低的嗝，然后朝我傻笑。"什么？我有最大的帽子。那我就是船长了。"
“I can’t argue with logic like that,” I said with a laugh.
"我不能反驳这样的逻辑,"我笑着说。
“And you? How the heck does a mare go around with a big ‘Security’ on her barding, shooting up the countryside?”
""你呢？见鬼，一匹母马怎么能四处奔跑，身上还带着大大的'保安'，在乡下射击呢?"
I took a deep breath as I balanced the rum bottle on my horn… okay… stuck my horn in the rum bottle. Ta-daa! “Well damn, if you’re a limerick...” I coughed and cleared my throat. “Blackjack steps outside. She tries to do good and help. Poor Equestria.” Never underestimate the powers of inebriation for inspiration! “Anyway, now I’m trying to get way north. Going home actually,” I said as I stretched over and showed her my PipBuck’s navigation map. “See? Stable 99. Way up top there.”
我深吸了一口气，把朗姆酒瓶放在喇叭上保持平衡......好吧......把我的喇叭塞进朗姆酒瓶子里。嗒哒！"该死，如果你是打油诗......"我咳嗽了一下，清了清嗓子。"黑杰克走出来了。她努力做好事，帮助别人。可怜的小马国。"永远不要低估醉酒激发灵感的力量！"不管怎么说，现在我正试着往北走。实际上是回家,"我边说边伸展身体，给她看我的PipBuck导航地图。""看见了吗？稳定99。远在天边。"
“Oh… up there huh? Raider territory these days. Didn’t know there was a stable up there,” she said as she rubbed her nose. “Well, I can drop you off here at Boardwalk. Just a quick stroll to your stable, then.” She then looked at me skeptically. “Question is… can you follow the rules?”
"哦...在上面啊？这些天袭击者的地盘。"我不知道上面有马厩,"她揉着鼻子说。"好吧，我可以把你送到海滨大道。那就去你的马厩转转吧。"然后她怀疑地看着我。"问题是......你能遵守规则吗?"
“Probably. Depends on the rules,” I said cautiously.
"可能吧。那要看规则了,"我小心翼翼地说。
“One... and this is a big one… listen to the motherfucking captain.” She lifted her hooves in frustration. “I cannot tell you how vital rule number one is. I tell you to shoot, you shoot. I tell you to shut up, shut up. I tell you to hide, then you hide. I tell you to swim for your life, then you swim for your life. ‘Cause otherwise somepony is gonna shoot you. Probably me.”
"一......这是个大问题......听他妈的船长的。"她沮丧地抬起蹄子。"我无法告诉你第一条规则有多么重要。我叫你开枪，你就开枪。我叫你闭嘴，闭嘴。我叫你躲起来，你却躲起来。我告诉你游泳求生，然后你游泳求生。因为不然有人会杀了你。可能是我。"
“Sometimes it feels like the day’s not started without somepony shooting Security,” I said with a resigned sigh.
"有时候感觉就像一天没有开始就有一些小马射击安全,"我说，与一个无奈的叹息。
“Price of virtue,” she said with a grin before continuing. “Two. Stay on the boat. You hop off for any reason and we gotta burn power to pick you up. Lots of places there isn’t anywhere to pull in. You got fliers?” I nodded and she looked curious. “Then they really have to stay in. If they take off, they’ll get thirty or forty feet before the city picks them off.”
"美德的代价,"她笑着说，然后继续说下去。"两个。待在船上。你不管出于什么原因跳下去，我们都得烧电来接你。很多地方都没有地方可以去。你有传单吗?"我点点头，她看起来很好奇。"那么他们真的必须呆在家里。如果他们起飞了，他们会飞到三十到四十英尺远的地方，然后被市政府拦截。"
“The city doesn’t shoot things in the river?” I asked curiously.
"城市不会在河里射击吗?"我好奇地问。
“Doesn’t have to.” She pointed a hoof at where the city wall met the river. A curtain of white rolled along it. “See all that rough water? It’s all busted up concrete and steel scrap. Besides, that close you’ve got ten minutes before the Enervation sucks you dry.”
"没必要。"她用蹄子指了指城墙与河流交汇的地方。一道白色的窗帘沿着它滚动着。"看到那些汹涌的海水了吗？到处都是混凝土和废钢。除此之外，你还有10分钟的时间来接近这个目标，否则你的能量就会耗尽。"
“So no flying. I’ll truss them up like a turkey myself if I have to,” I said with a nod, wondering just how one tied up an alicorn. Politely, I guessed. Tying up Glory… that led into some downright disturbing neighborhoods of thought.
"所以不能飞。如果有必要的话，我会把它们像火鸡一样捆起来,"我点点头说，不知道一个人是怎么捆起来的。我礼貌地猜测。捆绑晨辉......这导致了一些彻头彻尾的令人不安的社区思想。
“Third, you pay for your own gas. That means spark batteries, gem cartridges, even raw gemstones. If you can’t swing that, then you get to point your horn into a flux converter and channel till it falls off. And trust me, it’ll feel like it if you do.”
"第三，你自己付油钱。这意味着火花电池，宝石墨盒，甚至原始宝石。如果你不能摆动它，那么你就要把喇叭指向一个磁通转换器和通道，直到它掉下来。相信我，如果你这么做了，你会有这种感觉的。"
“Right,” I said with a nod, watching as P-21 and the large gray Tarboots strolled up. “Hey, P-21.”
"是的,"我点了点头，看着P-21和那双灰色的大马靴走了过来。"嘿，P-21。"
“Hey, Blackjack. I got us a deal with Captain Tarboots here, and–” He stared at me. What? Did I have something on my face?
"嘿，黑杰克。我在这儿和塔布茨船长做了笔交易，然后——"他盯着我。什么？我脸上有东西吗？
The gray pony interrupted him. “Captain Thrush? Got a request for five passengers…” He broke off with a sigh. “Captain?” The turquoise mare blinked at him, and he coughed. “Captain… you have a bottle stuck on your horn again.”
那匹灰色的小马打断了他。"思拉什船长？请求五位乘客......"他叹了口气，中断了话题。"船长?"绿松石母马对他眨眨眼，他咳嗽起来。"船长......你的喇叭上又塞了一个瓶子。"
She looked at him coolly and said, with as much dignity as she could muster, “I knew that. I did. Ahem. One moment.” She rose to her hooves, her magic carefully unscrewing the bottle from her horn. “Excellent observation, Master Tarboots… BUT… I’m afraid you’ll have to tell this adorable little guy that I have already agreed to provide passage to this filly and her friends.” The scarred stallion opened his mouth, and she raised a hoof. “No no, Master Tarboots! This is an adventure!”
她冷静地看着他，尽量装出一副高高在上的样子说:"我知道。是的。咳咳。等一下。"她站了起来，用她的魔法小心翼翼地把瓶子从角上拧下来。"观察得好，塔布茨大师......但是......恐怕你得告诉这个可爱的小家伙，我已经同意为这匹小母马和她的朋友们提供通道。"伤痕累累的种马张开了嘴，她抬起了蹄子。"不，不，塔布茨大人！这是一次冒险!"
I looked at her with a wide grin that was mirrored by the turquoise unicorn and bumped hooves against hers. “You bet. I’ll get every spark battery I can, even if I have to tie Charity up in a sack to do it.” Okay, maybe I wouldn’t go that far. Maybe I’d pay for them and THEN tie her up in the sack.
我看着她，咧嘴大笑，那绿松石色的独角兽映出了我的笑容，还用蹄子撞了她的蹄子。"当然。我会尽我所能找到每一个火花电池，即使我不得不把Charity捆在一个袋子里。"好吧，也许我不会走那么远。也许我会付钱，然后把她绑在麻袋里。
The stallions stared on in shock as they looked from one of us to the other. “Sweet Celestia,” muttered the grizzled stallion as P-21 set down on his rump with a groan.
这两匹种马震惊地盯着我们，看着我们中的一个。"甜蜜的天堂,"当P-21坐在他的臀部呻吟一声时，灰发的种马咕哝着。
“There’s two of them. There’s two…” the blue stallion moaned in despair. “Celestia save us all...”
"有两个人。有两匹......"那匹蓝色的种马绝望地呻吟着。"塞莱斯蒂亚拯救我们所有人..."
Footnote: Level Up.
脚注:水平上升。
New Perk added: Ferocious Loyalty -- When you drop below 50% HP, companions gain DT.
新振作增加:凶猛的忠诚-当你低于50%的血量，同伴获得DT。
Author's Notes:
作者笔记:
(Huge thanks to Kkat for creating FoE in the first place and for Hinds and Bronode spending 8 hours making it decent, and huge thanks for all three for putting up with my my whining and bitching...)
(非常感谢Kkat首先创建了FoE，感谢Hinds和Bronode花了8个小时把它做得像样，也非常感谢他们三个忍受了我的牢骚和抱怨...)
Chapter 19: EC-1101
第19章:EC-1101
Fallout Equestria: Project Horizons
小马国:地平线计划
By Somber
作者:Somber
Chapter 19: EC-1101
第19章:EC-1101
“Does my crown no longer count, now that I have been imprisoned for a thousand years?”
"我已经被囚禁了一千年，难道我的王冠不再算数了吗?"
I leaned against the metal railing of the Celestia Bridge, just a few yards away from ‘Celestia’s Mercy’, listening to the gurgle of the gray water passing beneath me. My eyes looked at the enormous relief of Luna on the floodlit dam. I knew it was Luna, now, after feeling her feathers on my lips. She gazed down at me despite the holes zebras had attempted to blast in the concrete.
我倚靠在CelestiaBridge的金属栏杆上，距离天堂慈悲只有几码远，听着灰色的水在我脚下汩汩流过。我的眼睛注视着水坝上露娜巨大的浮雕。现在，我感觉到她的羽毛在我的嘴唇上，我知道那是露娜。尽管斑马试图在混凝土上炸出洞来，她还是低头看着我。
“How are you feeling?” Priest asked as the black pony quietly walked up beside me. “Still have a fever?” He raised his hoof to touch the side of my head. I grimaced, pulling away. He kept looking at me with that annoying gaze that wasn’t trying to get me in bed.
"你感觉怎么样?"牧师问道，黑色的小马静静地走到我身边。"还在发烧吗?"他抬起蹄子碰了碰我的头。我做了个鬼脸，抽身离开。他一直用那种恼人的眼神看着我，并不是想让我上床。
I coughed a few times, proud to resist the urge to spit in the river. “Oh, me? I’m fine. I’ve faced the Wasteland’s worst. A little cold isn’t going to nail me.” I tried to keep up the act for a moment longer, then slumped a little. “Honestly, my nose is running worse than this river and my throat’s been scrubbed with a rusty wire brush... but I do feel better. Thanks.” He smiled a little more at that. I didn’t even want to mention the injury to my gut.
我咳嗽了几次，骄傲地忍住了向河里吐痰的冲动。"哦，我吗？我没事。我面对过荒原最糟糕的情况。一点点感冒对我没有什么好处。"我试着继续保持这个动作多一会儿，然后又有点垂头丧气。"老实说，我的鼻子流得比这条河还厉害，我的喉咙也被生锈的铁丝刷擦干净了......但我确实感觉好多了。谢谢。"听了这话，他又笑了笑。我甚至不想提及我的内心受到的伤害。
“You’re welcome,” he said, hooking his forehooves over the rail next to me and looking at the water flowing underneath on its journey to... wherever rivers go. There was a moment of silence. “You’ve changed.”
"不客气,"他一边说，一边把前蹄挂在我旁边的栏杆上，看着下面流淌的水流，这些水流向......无论河流流向何方。沉默了片刻。"你变了。"
I closed my eyes with a little smile. “I picked up this nasty habit called thinking. Pretty bad stuff. Caused me all kinds of misery.” I sighed and shook my head, still smiling. “I’m still not very good at it.”
我微笑着闭上了眼睛。"我养成了一个坏习惯，叫做思考。很糟糕的事情。给我带来了各种痛苦。"我叹了口气，摇了摇头，仍然微笑着。"我还是不太擅长这个。"
Since I’d gotten up and about, I’d bumped into Sekashi and her foal. Priest. Harpica. Chapel was starting to look more like an actual village, even if three quarters of its population were still colts and fillies. Of course, one thing hadn’t changed at all: the capmonger had greeted me with a look promising that, when I left, I would be capless. I just hoped she didn’t clear me out before I paid for EC-1101’s decryption.
自从我起床走动后，我碰到了Sekashi和她的小马驹。牧师。女名女子名。教堂开始看起来更像一个真正的村庄，即使四分之三的人口仍然是小马和小雌马。当然，有一件事一点也没有改变:那个唱歌的人跟我打招呼的时候，眼神里充满了希望:当我离开的时候，我会变得没有唱歌的能力。我只是希望在我为EC-1101的解密付钱之前，她没有把我赶出去。
Provided the file even remained in my PipBuck after being struck by lightning, of course.
当然，前提是这个文件在命中雷霆之后仍然保留在我的PipBuck中。
“There were ponies who were very good at it and still didn’t realize that what they were doing was wrong,” he sighed. “Anyway, I wanted to thank you for all your help.”
他叹了口气说:"有些小马非常擅长骑马，但它们还是没有意识到自己的行为是错误的。"。"不管怎样，我想感谢你的帮助。"
“Me? What did I do?”
"我？我做了什么?"
“You cleared out Blueblood Manor enough for us to be able to scavenge it safely. The Society will pay nicely for statues, cutlery, and things that aren’t rotted. We can use that money to buy some decent building materials and try to expand Chapel. I don’t know if you saw, but we’re getting a little crowded.”
"你清空了蓝血庄园，足以让我们安全地找到它。该协会将为雕像、餐具和没有腐烂的东西支付不菲的费用。我们可以用这笔钱买一些像样的建筑材料，并试图扩大教堂。我不知道你有没有看到，但是我们有点挤了。"
Trade is going to save the Wasteland? Maybe it will, Bottlecap. A village expanding. Growing. I’d tried to do just that two days ago. I smiled softly. “Well, let me know if you need any help.”
贸易能拯救荒地吗？也许会的，Bottlecap。一个正在扩张的村庄。成长。我两天前就想这么做了。我轻轻地笑了笑。"好吧，如果你需要任何帮助，请告诉我。"
I looked at him again. “Could you not touch one room? Please?” I told him about the memory orb and Vanity and showed him the letter. “He apparently did something bad, but for all that, I still think he was a good pony.”
我又看了他一眼。""你不能碰一个房间吗？求你了?"我告诉他关于记忆球和虚荣心的事，并给他看了那封信。"他显然做了坏事，但尽管如此，我仍然认为他是一匹好马。"
He looked at me and then gave me a little nod. “So, now what’s your plan?”
他看着我，然后向我点了点头。"那么，现在你的计划是什么?"
“Oooh, I’m a bad pony to ask for a plan,” I muttered. “Something always seems to explode when I plan something. So for now, nothing.” I couldn’t tell him that Watcher had made the arrangements to meet with my data analyst. I’d best stay put until Bottlecap contacted me… however she would. “Got a place we can lay up for a little bit? At least till the funeral?” We’d be burying Roses in the cemetery; she might not have always been a very good pony, but I still felt that she deserved to be buried with respect.
"哦，我是一匹不会要求计划的坏小马,"我喃喃自语。"当我计划某件事的时候，总会有一些事情发生。所以现在，什么都没有。"我不能告诉他，观察者已经安排好与我的数据分析师见面。我最好呆在原地，直到Bottlecap联系我...不管她怎么联系我。"有地方可以住一阵子吗？至少要等到葬礼吗?"我们会把Roses埋在墓地里;她可能不总是一匹很好的小马，但我仍然觉得她应该受到尊重。
“Funny you should ask that. Care for a walk?” he said as he gave me his easy
"你这么问真有意思。想散散步吗?"他一边说，一边给了我他的简单
smile. I had to admit, I was a little intrigued. We walked back to the shore, but instead of heading southeast towards the town, he turned sharply south towards the hills and the dam. I could hear the sounds of water roaring through the spillways as we made our way up. Then I spotted the house sheltered from the sight of Hoofington by a low ridge of rock. It looked out across the graveyard’s swath of yellow grass and Chapel beyond.
微笑。我不得不承认，我有点感兴趣。我们走回岸边，但他没有朝东南方向走，而是急转向南，朝着山丘和堤坝走去。当我们爬上去时，我能听到从溢洪道传来的水咆哮声。然后我发现了那座房子，它被一块低矮的石头挡住了Hoofington的视线。它可以看到墓地对面的一片黄色草地和小教堂。
“I haven’t been inside in years, so be careful,” he said as we walked towards the front door. There were little miracles growing beside the door: small flowers that looked like yellow and gold balls of color. Flowers. Actual flowers! Walking to the door, I reached out to the latch with my hoof and found it locked. Automatically, I reached for a bobby pin and focused, trying to remember exactly how to open it. The pin stuck and snapped. “Shoot.”
"我已经很多年没进去过了，所以要小心,"当我们走向前门时，他说。门边生长着小小的奇迹:小小的花朵，看起来像黄色和金色的球。鲜花。真正的花！走到门口，我伸手去拉门闩，却发现门锁上了。我不由自主地伸手去拿发夹，集中注意力，努力记住如何打开它。针卡住了，啪地一声折断了。"开枪。"
He tapped my shoulder and coughed with a hint of amusement. “Ahem.”
他拍了拍我的肩膀，带着一丝好笑的咳嗽。"咳咳。"
I looked up and saw the key floating beside me. “Oh, sure. Do it the easy way.” Still, I took it and opened the door. As I stepped in, I checked my E.F.S. for intruders. Nothing on it, so whether the place was empty or there was a cloaked zebra hit squad in there... or the damn PipBuck had been struck by lightning and I’d forgotten. Ugh, why couldn’t I be a smart pony?
我抬起头，看见钥匙在我身旁漂浮。"哦，当然。用简单的方法解决。"不过，我还是接过去，打开了门。当我走进去的时候，我检查了我的e.f.s，看有没有入侵者。上面什么也没有，所以不管那地方是空的还是有一队隐形的斑马杀手......或者那该死的皮伯克命中雷霆已经被我忘了。呃，为什么我就不能做一匹聪明的小马呢？
The cottage hadn’t been occupied in quite some time, but it looked like it’d been inhabited in the last few years instead of just the last few centuries. A layer of dust covered every inch of the place, and there were water stains on the ceilings and floors from old leaks. Still, it didn’t reek that badly of mildew, and what furniture I could see was in pretty good shape. Metal dinnerware was stacked neatly in a corner kitchen, and some old pillows sat before a stone fireplace. There were also stars everywhere. Painted on the ceiling, carved into the stones, made of polished copper, silver, and brass and nailed to the wall around a crescent moon... It had a feeling of great age to it, and I couldn’t help but touch one of the six-pointed shapes carved next to me.
这个小屋已经有一段时间没有人居住了，但是它看起来像是在过去几年而不是仅仅几个世纪有人居住过。一层灰尘覆盖了这个地方的每一寸地方，天花板和地板上都有旧漏洞留下的水渍。尽管如此，它并没有发霉，而且我看到的家具都是非常好的。金属餐具整齐地堆放在拐角处的厨房里，石砌壁炉前放着几个旧枕头。到处都是星星。画在天花板上，雕刻在石头上，用抛光的铜、银和黄铜制成，钉在围绕着一轮新月的墙上......它给人一种古老的感觉，我忍不住触摸了我身边雕刻的六角形中的一个。
“What is this place?” I asked in awe.
"这是什么地方?"我敬畏地问道。
“We called it the Star House when Arloste and I lived here,” he said with a wistful smile. I glanced at him, wondering if he knew that Arloste had returned in Reaper armor. I wasn’t sure; she hadn’t come into Chapel with us, saying something about fixing her gear.
"我和阿洛斯特住在这里的时候，我们把它叫做星际之家,"他带着渴望的微笑说。我瞥了他一眼，想知道他是否知道阿洛斯特穿着死神的盔甲回来了。我不确定;她没有和我们一起来到教堂，说了些关于修理装备的事情。
“What was your relationship?” ‘Knew him? I fucked him, or I wanted to.’ I couldn’t help myself as I smiled. What was it about good stallions...
"你们是什么关系?"""认识他？我干了他，或者我想干我忍不住笑了。好种马到底是怎么回事..。
He looked surprised, and maybe a little concerned, but answered, “I was an orphan. My parents came here and made the pilgrimage, though of course nopony called it that yet.” He sighed, his eyes looking at something more distant than the walls he faced. “I couldn’t go with them. I stayed behind and eventually wandered into the church. It was a mess, vandalized and defaced, but I felt a purpose in restoring it. I met Arloste shortly afterwards. She wandered down the road... I think looking to make the pilgrimage herself. Scared. Confused. Maybe even a little mad. We talked for hours, and I earned her trust, and she decided to stay a while.” He coughed quietly. “I thought she was my first success.”
他看上去很惊讶，也许还有点担心，但他回答说:"我是个孤儿。我的父母来到这里朝圣，尽管当然还没有小马这么叫它。"他叹了口气，眼睛望着比他面对的墙壁更远的东西。"我不能和他们一起去。我留了下来，最后漫步走进了教堂。这是一个混乱，破坏和损坏，但我觉得有一个目的，恢复它。不久之后，我遇到了阿洛斯特。她在路上徘徊......我想她是想自己去朝圣。害怕。困惑。甚至有点生气。我们聊了几个小时，我赢得了她的信任，她决定再待一段时间。"他轻轻地咳嗽了一声。"我以为她是我的第一次成功。"
I smiled. It’d be okay to tell him…
我笑了。你可以告诉他..。
His wistful smile hardened. “Then she killed a foal.”
他那渴望的微笑变得强硬起来。"然后她杀了一只小马驹。"
What. The. Fuck? I blinked and cocked my head, forcing a smile... or a grimace. “Come again…?”
什么。这个。操？我眨着眼睛，歪着头，强作一个微笑......或者做个鬼脸。"再说一遍......?"
He looked at me, both angry and sad in equal measure. “We’d started collecting the Crusaders. For a time, she was… happy. Wonderfully happy. She said she’d never gotten to be a Crusader, but she couldn’t tell me what she meant by that. Only as time went on, she became… odder than usual. The fact she didn’t get older was strange enough, but she’d talk to herself or mutter in strange languages. One morning, a foal was found strangled. The hoof marks on her throat were too large to be made by anyone here except Arloste.”
他看着我，既愤怒又悲伤。"我们开始收集十字军战士。有一段时间，她很开心。非常快乐。她说她从来没有成为一个十字军战士，但是她不能告诉我她是什么意思。随着时间的推移，她变得......比平常更古怪。她没有变老的事实已经够奇怪的了，但是她会用奇怪的语言自言自语。一天早上，人们发现一只小马驹被勒死。她喉咙上的蹄印太大了，除了阿洛斯特，这里的任何人都做不出来。"
Old anger and sadness lingered on his face. “She denied it, but I couldn’t trust her alone with the foals anymore. And worst of all, I’m not sure she believed it either. We couldn’t kill her… she had a strange ability to heal injuries, like she had a built-in healing talisman, but she couldn’t stay. A lot of the oldest Crusaders still miss her.” And from the tone in Priest’s voice, he did too. “So I moved into a house by the road proper and locked this place up.”
他脸上带着旧时的愤怒和悲伤。"她否认了，但是我不能再让她单独照顾小马驹了。最糟糕的是，我也不确定她是否相信。我们不能杀死她......她有一种奇怪的治愈伤口的能力，就像她有一个内置的治愈护身符，但她不能留下来。许多年纪最大的十字军战士仍然怀念她。"从普里斯特的语气来看，他也是这么想的。"所以我搬进了路边的一所房子，把这个地方锁了起来。"
I thought about Arloste lying with Thorn between her hooves in the garage. If we hadn’t been there, what would have happened? I swallowed hard, definitely feeling some hard questions coming for Rampage.
我想象着阿洛斯特带着荆棘躺在车库里。如果我们不在那里，会发生什么？我艰难地咽了口唾沫，确实感觉到一些难以回答的问题即将来临。
I hoped she didn’t kill me for asking them.
我希望她不会因为我问他们而杀了我。
“It’s a wonderful house. Thanks for showing it to me,” I said as I looked at it with a sigh. It was like a house in the stories I got to read as a filly. Well, when I was interested enough in reading, which wasn’t often.
"这是一座漂亮的房子。谢谢你给我看,"我叹了口气，看着它说。它就像故事里的一座房子，我在小母马的时候读过。当我对阅读有足够的兴趣的时候，这并不常见。
Priest chuckled softly. “You misunderstand. I’m not just showing it to you.” He floated the key to me and put it in my mouth. “I’m giving it to you.”
牧师轻声地笑了。"你误会了。我不仅仅是向你展示它。"他把钥匙递给我，放进我的嘴里。"我要把它给你。"
My butt and the key hit the floor. “You’re giving me a house? This house?”
我的屁股和钥匙掉在地板上了。"你要给我一套房子？这栋房子?"
“I don’t want it. I don’t even count it as mine. I was just holding onto the key,” he said as he looked at the stairs. “It needs some fixing, but your friends can help set that up. There’s some furniture upstairs... old belongings... We never used it, and it felt rude to just throw it out.”
"我不想要。我甚至不把它算作我的。我只是拿着钥匙,"他一边说，一边看着楼梯。"它需要一些修理，但你的朋友可以帮忙安装。楼上有些家具......旧的东西......我们从来没用过，把它们扔掉感觉很不礼貌。"
“But why?” I asked, feeling a little lightheaded. “I didn’t build you turrets or make walls or kill anypony for you… why would you give me this?”
"但为什么呢?"我问道，感觉有点头昏眼花。"我没有为你们建造塔楼、筑墙或杀害任何小马......你们为什么要给我这些?"
“So you’ll stop by Chapel more often, of course,” he said with a simple, pleasant smile.
"所以你会经常去查普尔，当然,"他带着一个简单而愉快的微笑说。
I kissed him. If my legs had been cuffed and hobbled, I still would have found some way to kiss him.
我吻了他。如果我的双腿被铐住并且跛行，我仍然会找到一些方法去亲吻他。
He didn’t kiss back. And when our lips parted, I looked him in the eye. His smile was polite, tolerant, and forgiving… and that was all. I smiled sheepishly at him in embarrassment, then growing confusion. I felt a little ashamed, even if he didn’t look angry. “Well, I’m glad you like it,” he said, covering up the resounding awkwardness as I blushed and rubbed my mouth sheepishly, kicking myself again and again. I’d acted just like I was back in Stable 99. Had I learned nothing?
他没有回吻。当我们的嘴唇张开时，我看着他的眼睛。他的微笑有礼貌，宽容，宽容......仅此而已。我尴尬地朝他羞怯地笑了笑，然后变得越来越困惑。我感到有点惭愧，尽管他看起来并不生气。"好吧，我很高兴你喜欢它,"他说，掩盖了那种响亮的尴尬，我脸红了，不好意思地揉着嘴，一次又一次地责怪自己。我表现得就像回到了99号稳定区。难道我什么都没学到吗？
“Yeah…” I muttered, fighting for a smile. “I like it. A lot.”
"是啊......"我咕哝着，努力想挤出一个笑容。"我喜欢。很多。"
“Well, I’ll let you look around,” he said as he walked towards the door. Then he paused. “Also. Could you please tell Arloste that I’m glad she’s okay, but that she shouldn’t come into Chapel?”
"好吧，我让你四处看看,"他边说边向门口走去。然后他停顿了一下。"还有。请你告诉阿洛斯特，我很高兴她没事，但是她不应该到教堂来。"
My gut dropped once more, like I’d just been cut... “Yeah… I’ll tell her.”
我的直觉又一次下降，就像我刚刚被割伤..."是的...我会告诉她的。"
He closed the door, and I walked to the nearest wall with an elegant six-pointed
他关上门，我拿着一把优雅的六角手枪走到最近的墙边
star, closed my eyes, and beat my head against it. “Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.”
星星，闭上我的眼睛，用我的头撞它。"愚蠢。愚蠢。愚蠢。"
* * *
* * *
A while later, after my head stopped feeling as if somepony had hit it with a wall repeatedly, I poked it into each of the small rooms. The two other rooms on the first floor had clearly been lived in by Rampage… Arloste… and Priest. Thankfully, it looked like they hadn’t been sharing them. The first room I checked probably wasn’t Priest’s, since it still had so much stuff in it, though I wondered if he’d cleaned up; it seemed remarkably neat for what I expected of Rampage. I found a quite dented brass star-shaped badge that said ‘Hoofington Guard’. There were also a lot of books: police procedurals, murder mysteries, and books of forensic science, mostly. She’d also collected wooden carvings of ponies. No, of zebras. I frowned as I looked from one group to the other.
过了一会儿，当我的头不再感觉像是有匹小马不停地撞墙时，我就把它插进每一个小房间。一楼的另外两个房间显然是住着横冲直撞的......阿洛斯特......和普里斯特。谢天谢地，看起来他们并没有分享这些照片。我检查的第一个房间可能不是普里斯特的，因为里面还有那么多东西，尽管我想知道他是否打扫干净了;它看起来非常整洁，符合我对狂暴的预期。我发现了一个凹凸不平的黄铜星形徽章，上面写着"胡芬顿警卫队"。还有很多书:警匪片，谋杀侦探小说，大部分是司法科学的书。她还收集了许多小马的木雕。不，是斑马。我皱起了眉头，从一群人看向另一群人。
Munching on some peppermint sticks I’d found in a desk drawer -- only a little bit dusty -- I peeked into what I assumed was Priest’s room. It was mostly cleared out, but there were sketches and drawings of the church. A picture of Celestia’s window was pinned to a wall over the bed. Beyond that, there wasn’t much left. I peeked at the full wastepaper basket and lifted out the wads.
嚼着我在抽屉里找到的薄荷糖棒----只有一点点灰尘----我偷偷看了一眼我以为是牧师的房间。大部分都被清理干净了，但还有教堂的草图和图纸。塞莱斯蒂亚的窗户被钉在床头的墙上。除此之外，就没剩下什么了。我瞥了一眼满满的废纸篓，把纸团拿了出来。
“Why throw these out?” I muttered softly as I smoothed them out.
"为什么要把这些扔掉?"我一边把它们理顺，一边轻声咕哝着。
Arloste looked back at me. The look was posed, and done with more detail than even the drawing of Celestia’s window. I stared into her eyes. Priest should have had a pencil for a cutie mark.
阿洛斯特回头看着我。这个造型是摆好的，而且比塞莱斯蒂亚窗户的图画还要细致。我凝视着她的眼睛。牧师应该有一支铅笔作为一个可爱的标志。
No wonder he hadn’t wanted to kiss me. He’d loved her. Then she’d done… something. Had she really killed a foal? How can you love a murderer?
难怪他不想吻我。他爱过她。然后她做了...一些事情。她真的杀了一匹小马驹吗？你怎么会爱上一个杀人犯？
I picked out the intact drawings from the trash, took the ones on the walls down, and collected them in a small stack in the middle of the room. I’d return them later. I thought that maybe… could there be some way… perhaps if I…
我从垃圾桶里挑出完好无损的图纸，把墙上的那些拿下来，然后把它们堆在房间中央的一个小堆里。我以后会还回去的。我想也许...也许有什么办法...也许如果我..。.
I sighed. Always trying to save ponies.
我叹了口气。总是试图拯救小马。
I wondered just how long it would take for me to be contacted. Would Bottlecap send me directions? Should I be listening for a clue from DJ Pon3? Maybe I should try and find out how to repair my PipBuck? Virgo Zodiac said she studied them, but I had no idea how to find her or if it would be safe to contact her.
我想知道我需要多长时间才能被联系上。Bottlecap会给我指路吗？我应该从DJPon3那里寻找线索吗？也许我该试试怎么修理我的PipBuck？处女座的十二宫说她研究过它们，但是我不知道如何找到她，也不知道联系她是否安全。
I walked upstairs. Clearly, this was where most of the belongings of the previous tenants had been stored away. Priest’s hornwork was visible here, too; all throughout the upstairs were nice neat boxes that only showed a little bit of rusting. I walked in on a room with a full moon painted right above the bed. Curious, I opened the closest metal box and saw a number of slightly warped photos and other knickknacks.
我走上楼。显然，这里是以前房客的大部分财产被存放的地方。普里斯特的角雕也清晰可见，整个楼上都是整洁漂亮的盒子，只有一点生锈的痕迹。我走进一个房间，在床的正上方画着一轮满月。出于好奇，我打开了最近的一个金属盒子，看到了一些略微变形的照片和其他小玩意。
A young light blue unicorn in thick glasses and braces grinned beside a far younger looking Twilight Sparkle and Cheerilee. She was levitating a little model of the globe with the sun and moon orbiting it. An award rested around her neck. I reached down and pulled out the little medal still hanging on the blue ribbon that had once hung around her neck. ‘Ponyville junior astronomer award’.
一只戴着厚厚眼镜和牙套的浅蓝色独角兽在一个看起来更年轻的紫悦和麦圈店旁边咧嘴笑着。她正在制作一个有太阳和月亮环绕的地球模型。奖章挂在她的脖子上。我弯下腰，把挂在她脖子上的蓝丝带上的小奖章拿了出来。波尼维尔年轻天文学家奖。
Then a picture of her older, still wearing glasses but without the braces. She stood in a blue uniform beside a dozen other mares. ‘Spacemares’, read a caption under it.
然后是她的照片，年纪大一些，仍然戴着眼镜，但是没有戴牙套。她穿着蓝色制服站在十几匹母马旁边。太空战士，下面有一个说明。
Another photo, and she smiled at me through her thick glasses as she stood before some massive pieces of machinery. Another had her with a small cluster of ponies looking up at a model of the stars and planets. And another with her meeting with Twilight Sparkle and Applejack. The blue unicorn clearly possessed an eager hoofshake, as it looked like she was trying to shake off the purple unicorn’s leg.
在另一张照片中，她站在一些巨大的机器前，透过厚厚的眼镜向我微笑。另一张照片是她和一群小马一起抬头看一个恒星和行星的模型。另一个是她与紫悦和苹果白兰地的会面。这只蓝色的独角兽显然有着急切的蹄震，看起来好像她正在试图甩掉紫色的独角兽的腿。
As I looked at the streaks in their manes, I frowned. It was amazing how similar they looked. Had Twilight Sparkle had a sister? Then I looked at the next picture, and my frown deepened. Was it a… missile? No. It looked much too big for that. Like a minaret mounted atop a delicate jewel-encrusted alabaster spire supported by four tapering buttresses. Some kind of… rocket?
我看着他们鬃毛上的条纹，皱起了眉头。它们看起来如此相似，真是令人惊讶。紫悦有个妹妹吗？然后我看着下一张照片，我的皱眉加深了。是不是..。.导弹？没有。它看起来太大了。就像一个尖塔，顶上有一个精致的珠宝镶嵌的雪花石膏尖顶，由四个逐渐变细的扶壁支撑。某种...火箭？
A picture from the moon.
来自月球的图片。
My entire body went numb as I stared at the image of a world hovering above a gray horizon of faintly luminous white dust and rocks. The sun silhouetted the world above me, but I could see the tiny winking lights of cities, the darkening blues of what I could only imagine were seas. The greens of plains and forests. It looked so small and fragile, surrounded by all that darkness. Yet there was light, too. Motes of light more beautiful for all that harsh darkness around them. The stars seemed to almost be welcoming, teasing, taunting… maybe even flirting a
我的整个身体都麻木了，因为我注视着一个世界的形象，盘旋在灰色的地平线上微微发光的白色尘埃和岩石。太阳映衬着我头顶上的世界，但我可以看到城市微弱的灯光，我只能想象海洋那种暗淡的蓝色。平原和森林的绿色。它看起来那么小，那么脆弱，被黑暗包围着。然而，也有光。光的微粒比周围的黑暗更美丽。明星们看起来几乎是热情的，戏弄的，嘲弄的，甚至是调情的
little.
小的。
We went to the moon. Not in some kind of fairy tale of an alicorn banishing her sister to the moon, but actually travelling there. We did that, I realized, as I looked at the next picture, showing the rocket sitting upright on the open and empty plain. It possessed a terrible loneliness, stark but beautiful. Pensive. Like Princess Luna, I found myself imagining.
我们去了月球。不是在某种神话故事的一个alicorn放逐她的妹妹到月亮，但实际上旅行那里。我们做到了，我意识到，当我看到下一张照片，显示火箭笔直地坐在空旷的平原上。它拥有一种可怕的孤独，荒凉却美丽。忧郁的。就像卢娜公主一样，我发现自己在想象。
There was only one picture of the blue unicorn on the moon, and I gawked at the strange bubble helmet and silvery, gem-studded suit she wore. From the way she hovered in the air, upside down as if in the middle of a somersault, I wondered if it was the suit or the moon that was allowing her to float effortlessly like a pegasus.
月球上只有一张蓝色独角兽的照片，我呆呆地看着她戴着奇怪的泡泡头盔，穿着镶满宝石的银色西装。从她在空中盘旋的姿势，就好像在翻筋斗一样，我在想是宇航服还是月亮让她像飞马一样自由地漂浮。
Another picture showed white, cloudy gems embedded in the stones and glowing with a strange light. The moonstones seemed similar to the talismans that Glory had collected, only lacking any kind of spell glyph within. Maybe they were the source of the moon’s gentle glow?
另一张照片显示的是嵌在石头中的白色云状宝石，发出奇怪的光芒。月光石看起来和晨辉收集的护身符很相似，只是里面没有任何法术符号。也许它们就是月亮柔和光芒的来源？
I lifted the box from the stack and set it on the floor before me, looking deeper into it. I perused the newspapers behind the photos. ‘Back from the moon!’ proclaimed one headline, the picture of the rocket sitting back on Equestria with dozens of ponies gathered around it and cheering. The next had a front page article, ‘Our future on the moon’. But it was crowded out by a report of a terrible zebra battle south of Hoofington. The next paper, dated a month later, read ‘Scandal strikes the moon program’.
我把盒子从那堆东西里拿出来，放在我面前的地板上，看得更深。我仔细阅读了照片背后的报纸。"从月球上回来!"一个标题写道，火箭坐在Equestria上，几十匹小马聚集在火箭周围欢呼。接下来是一篇头版文章，我们在月球上的未来。但据报道，在Hoofington南部发生了一场可怕的斑马大战。一个月后，下一份报纸的日期是"丑闻击中登月计划"。
And then ‘Astromare Marigold a moon momma? What tricks did she pull to land in the cockpit?’
然后是'AstromareMarigoldamoonmomma？她在驾驶舱降落时耍了什么花招
The last: ‘Space program suspended indefinitely pending investigation’. I looked at the picture of the mare smiling radiantly on the moon, then at the picture in the paper of a tiny-looking mare sitting before dozens of frowning, scowling ponies. A tiny little side article read ‘Ministry of Arcane Sciences preserves space explorer Marigold’s ministry stipend’. There was a little quote: ‘“Never has a mare sacrificed so much to go so much farther than most ponies could ever dream.” –Twilight Sparkle.’
最后一条:"太空计划无限期暂停，等待调查"。我看着那匹母马在月亮上灿烂地微笑的照片，然后又看着报纸上的那张照片，一匹看起来很小的母马坐在一群皱眉、愁眉不展的小马前面。一篇小小的旁文写着"奥术科学部保留了太空探险家Marigold的部级津贴"。有一句话是这样说的:"从来没有一匹母马为了走得比大多数小马所能梦想的更远而牺牲了这么多。"-紫悦
Finally, perhaps most heartbreaking of all, was a small picture. It wasn’t of the moon or on the front page of the Hoofington Post. It was of a tired and sad
最后，也许是最令人心碎的，是一张小照片。这不是月球的照片，也不是胡芬顿邮报的头版。这是一个疲惫而悲伤的故事
Marigold digging in her garden with an old brown stallion looking on with his own sad eyes and passing her some of the colorful poofy flowers I’d seen outside. Beside her rested a basket holding a purple unicorn foal batting at a little star tied to the handle.
玛丽戈尔德和一匹棕色的老种马一起在她的花园里挖地，用他自己悲伤的眼神看着她，递给她一些我在外面看到的五颜六色的娘娘腔的花。她旁边放着一个篮子，篮子的把手上系着一颗小星，上面放着一只紫色的独角兽小马驹。
A wrinkled note lay folded beside that picture. ‘Thank you for the flowers from your garden, Hoss. I just know that Tarot will love them… if she’ll stop eating them!’
那幅画旁边叠着一张皱巴巴的纸条。"谢谢你从你的花园里摘来的花，霍斯。我只知道塔罗牌会喜欢它们......如果她不再吃它们的话
There wasn’t anything past that. I wondered what had happened to her. I wondered if she’d died in the bombing. I wondered if there was anything past that sad photograph.
除此之外什么都没有。我不知道她发生了什么事。我怀疑她是不是死于轰炸。我想知道除了那张悲伤的照片还有什么。
* * *
* * *
Back downstairs, I looked at the blackened casing of my PipBuck and sighed. I hated waiting. I didn’t want to confront Rampage just yet. Glory was avoiding me too, since her own injury. P-21 had said something about haggling with Charity over selling some gear. I thought of visiting Sekashi, but honestly I was simply drained by my disastrous attempt at romance and thinking about that poor mare who’d been to the moon and been ruined for it.
回到楼下，我看了看我那皮布克的黑色外壳，叹了口气。我讨厌等待。我还不想面对暴怒。晨辉也在躲避我，因为她自己也受伤了。P-21曾经说过要和Charity讨价还价卖掉一些设备。我想过去看看Sekashi，但是说实话，我只是被我对浪漫的灾难性尝试和对那个可怜的曾经登上月球却因此而毁灭的母马的想法弄得筋疲力尽。
And as for trying to rebuild some sort of relationship with Priest... really, I probably wouldn’t have less of a chance than I did now even if I decided to shoot him.
至于试图重建某种关系与牧师...真的，我可能不会有更少的机会比我现在所做的，即使我决定射杀他。
It was probably a bad idea, but I levitated out Vanity’s orbs. I glanced at the bloody smear on the fourth. I didn’t want to deal with his death now. Goddesses, I was so sick of death. From Roses to Vanity, why did everypony have to die? Want to die? Weren’t there ponies who liked life? Who wanted something new in the Wasteland?
这可能是一个坏主意，但我漂浮出虚荣的球体。我瞥了一眼第四枪上的血迹。我现在不想面对他的死亡。女神们，我已经厌倦了死亡。从玫瑰到虚荣，为什么每匹小马都要死？想死吗？难道没有喜欢生活的小马吗？谁想要荒原上的新鲜事物？
Well, there was P-21. Too bad I’d killed his lover.
有P-21。可惜我杀了他的情人。
Ugh, I needed a drink. Why didn’t I ever have some Wild Pegasus around when I really needed it?
我需要喝一杯。为什么在我真正需要的时候，我从来没有过野生帕伽索斯？
I picked up the first orb from the set, then stopped and trotted over to make sure the door was locked. Then I frowned and shoved the entire couch against the door. Blackjack was not available!
我从摄影棚里拿起第一个球体，然后停下来小跑过去确认门是否锁上了。然后我皱了皱眉头，把整个沙发推到门边。黑杰克没空！
I lifted the first orb to my horn and closed my eyes. I tried to make the connection… but it was hard. Not like the orb was locked, but like my horn was scared to make the contact. I supposed that that was understandable. I had to breathe several times before I finally felt the connection take shape and the world swirl away.
我把第一个球举到我的角上，闭上了眼睛。我试着把它们联系起来......但是很难。不像是球被锁住了，而像是我的号角害怕去接触它。我想这是可以理解的。我不得不呼吸好几次，直到我终于感觉到这种联系已经成形，这个世界正在旋转。
oooOOOooo
噢噢噢
Oooooh! A party. As in a full five stars, red alert, don’t let the Overmare catch us, wow party! Lights flashed, the music was bright, and I wanted to dance! Not that I knew how to dance, but right now I’d have tried figuring it out if my host would let me! A banner bedecked with balloons and streamers proclaimed that this was ‘Ministry of Morale Hub Inauguration Party Time!’ Now this was what the Ministry of Morale was all about!
哦！派对。作为一个完整的五星级，红色警报，不要让Overmare抓住我们，哇党！灯光闪烁，音乐明亮，我想跳舞！不是因为我会跳舞，而是因为现在如果我的主人允许的话，我会试着弄清楚！一面用气球和飘带装饰起来的横幅宣布这是"士气部枢纽就职典礼派对时间!"这就是士气部的全部意义！
And in the middle of it all, both physically and socially, was a middle-aged earth pony mare with a poofy pink mane just starting to develop gray stripes. “Come on, everypony. I know what’ll make you shake your hoove things!” Pinkie Pie cheered as she immediately danced right up against stallions and mares half her age. Her infectious mood spread like a fever.
在这一切的中间，无论是身体上还是社会上，是一匹中年的地球上的小马驹，它的粉红色鬃毛刚开始长出灰色的条纹。"来吧，小马们。我知道什么东西能让你摇晃起来!"小派欢呼起来，她立刻跳起舞来对抗种马和年龄只有她一半的母马。她那富有感染力的情绪像发烧一样蔓延开来。
I was in Vanity; at least my host was a unicorn stallion. Made it easier to
我上过《名利场》，至少我的主人是一匹独角兽种马。这样更容易
ignore... things. Stonewing and Jetstream flanked me. Twist, Big Macintosh, and a yellow earth pony who looked like a geeky egghead brought up the rear. The large gray Doof seemed to be arguing with the ponies at the door. The young mare snickered as she adjusted her glasses, “That was mean, Macintosh.” From the rest of her squadmates came highly amused chuckles.
忽略...事情。石翼和飞天女侠站在我身旁。麻花，大麦金托什，还有一匹看起来像极客书呆子的黄色地球小马驹坐在后面。那个灰色的大傻瓜似乎在和门口的小马争吵。年轻的母马一边调整眼镜，一边窃笑道:"麦金托什，这太卑鄙了。"其他队员都笑得前仰后合。
“I just told ‘em I wasn’t sure he was on the list,” Big Macintosh said with a languid chuckle. “Didn’t think a stallion that keeps on hitting on fillies what aren’t interested would be.” Twist’s smile turned more genuinely grateful as Macintosh’s gaze darkened a touch. “If that boy can’t figure out how to manage his gun around ladies, then he shouldn’t be allowed to have one.”
"我只是告诉他们，我不确定他是否在名单上,"大麦金托什轻笑着说。"没想到一匹不断追求小雌马的种马会对它不感兴趣。"随着麦金托什的凝视使触摸变暗，特威斯特的微笑变得更加真诚地感激。"如果那个男孩不知道如何在女士面前使用枪支，那么他就不应该被允许使用枪支。"
“Hey, hear that, Jetstream? We’re ladies now,” Twist laughed gleefully.
"嘿，听到了吗，女飞侠？我们现在是淑女了,"特威斯特兴高采烈地笑了。
“Us? Psalm, maybe,” the blue pegasus said with a quirky sort of grin. “I can’t believe that she passed up a chance at a Ministry of Morale party to go pray.”
"我们？也许是诗篇吧,"蓝色的飞马带着一种古怪的笑容说道。"我真不敢相信她竟然错过了一个参加士气部聚会的机会去祈祷。"
“Well, could be worse. Applesnack just doesn’t have time for parties. Ugh, did
"好吧，还有更糟的呢。苹果公司根本没有时间开派对。是啊
that pony get his stick installed before he enlisted, or was it special issue?” Twist asked with a snort, giggling with a little bounce. So, with everyone else except Psalm here, that had to be Flak Jacket’s name, the one that had been scratched off on the lockers. She pulled out a peppermint stick and munched on the end. “Ooooh, I love these,” she said around the stick poking out between her lips.
那匹小马在入伍前就把手杖装好了，还是特别发行的特威斯特哼了一声，咯咯地笑了起来。因此，除了这里的诗篇，其他人的名字一定是防弹衣的名字，就是储物柜上被刮掉的那个名字。她拿出一根薄荷糖棒，咀嚼着糖棒的末端。"哦，我喜欢这些,"她说，周围的棍子戳出她的嘴唇。
“That one of those ‘special’ sticks?” Jetstream asked skeptically. “You know any zebra crap’s illegal.”
"这是那种'特殊'的棍子吗?"Jetstream怀疑地问道。"你知道任何斑马粪都是非法的。"
“Oh come on. They’re peppermint leaves. Peppermint! You can’t tell me leaves are contraband now! Besides, the Proditor eat them all the time,” Twist said with an easy laugh as the Marauders started to split up and go their separate ways. Big Macintosh went to speak to Pinkie Pie, the egghead following like his ghost.
"哦，得了吧。这是薄荷叶。薄荷糖！你不能告诉我叶子现在是违禁品！此外，普罗迪特一直在吃它们,"特威斯特轻松地笑着说，这时劫掠者们开始分道扬镳了。大麦金托什去找小派谈话，这个书呆子就像他的鬼魂一样追随着他。
Stonewing and Jetstream flew up to the second floor balcony, leaving Vanity watching with a wistful sigh. Twist spoke around the candy cane sticking out of the corner of her mouth like a cigar. “I keep telling you, your royalness, munch one of these and you might actually be able to ask her out.”
斯通温和飞天女侠飞到二楼的阳台上，让瓦妮特伤感地叹息着看着。特威斯特绕着从嘴角伸出来的拐杖糖说话，像一支雪茄。"我一直在告诉你，尊贵的陛下，吃一块这个，也许你就能约她出去了。"
“What? Who? Me?” Vanity sputtered. “I… she’s an enlisted mare and I’m a morale officer. It could never work.”
"什么？谁？我?"虚荣心劈啪作响。"我.....。.她是个应征入伍的母马而我是个士气军官。这绝对行不通。"
“Sure. But that doesn’t stop you from wanting to make it work,” Twist said as she bumped her hip against his before bouncing away.
"当然。但这并不能阻止你想要和他在一起,"特威斯特一边说着，一边用臀部撞着他的屁股，然后弹开了。
This was clearly not Vanity’s sort of party, and he migrated slowly towards the edges with the other lookers-on, sipping his drink, listening to the music, and keeping his eyes open for Jetstream.
这显然不是虚荣的派对，他和旁观者一起慢慢地向边缘移动，啜饮着他的饮料，听着音乐，睁大眼睛看着《飞天女侠》。
“You look pensive, Uncle,” a voice rasped softly in my ear, and both of us jumped. The sound was like the voice of a rusty can, and we turned to look at the fair hide and golden mane of Goldenblood. His brilliant golden eyes looked searchingly at Vanity. As he talked, his breath rattled so harshly in his chest I could hear it over the blaring music. “Hardly the Grand Galloping Gala, is it?”
"你看起来很忧郁，叔叔,"一个声音在我耳边响起，我们俩都跳了起来。这声音听起来像是一个生锈的罐头的声音，我们转过身来看着Goldenblood金色的鬃毛和白皙的皮毛。他那双明亮的金色眼睛探究地望着虚荣。当他说话的时候，他的呼吸在他的胸腔里格格作响，我可以听到他的呼吸盖过了刺耳的音乐。"这可不是什么盛大的奔驰晚会，对吧?"
“Golden!” Vanity smiled and gave his shoulders a friendly squeeze. “I didn’t know you were out of the hospital. You sound… better.” To be truthful, he looked… probably as bad as me. Dark hollows hung around his eyes, and his hide had unhealthy blemishes on it. He wheezed softly with every breath.
"黄金!"虚荣笑了，友好地挤了挤他的肩膀。"我不知道你出院了。你听起来......好多了。"说实话，他看起来...可能和我一样糟糕。他的眼睛周围是黑洞，他的皮肤上有不健康的污点。他每一次呼吸都在轻轻地喘气。
“Thank you, Uncle. I’m sorry I didn’t get to attend your commencement,” he
"谢谢你，叔叔。很抱歉我没能参加你的毕业典礼。"
said in that soft, horrid voice. “It’s exceptional that you signed up at all. I don’t know any other aristocrats who volunteered for a front line position.”
用那种温柔可怕的声音说。"你报名参军真是太特别了。我不认识其他自愿担任前线职务的贵族。"
Vanity gave a disgusted little snort. “After so many inspirational speeches, I thought somepony would have to sign up. At least a token noble.” He tried to smile dismissively. Goldenblood’s smile was more… aloof.
虚荣心发出一声令人厌恶的鼻息。"在发表了这么多鼓舞人心的演讲之后，我觉得应该有人报名参加。至少是象征性的贵族。"他试着露出不屑的微笑。金色血液的微笑显得更加...冷漠。
“So you signed up out of pride then?” Even I caught the note of disapproval. “Not out of loyalty to the Princesses?” The question seemed to catch Vanity by surprise as he focused on his nephew’s earnest expression.
"那么你是出于自豪才报名的?"甚至我也听到了不赞成的声音。"不是出于对公主的忠诚吧?"这个问题似乎让瓦妮特大吃一惊，因为他把注意力集中在他侄子诚挚的表情上。
“Well, I suppose for Luna as well. She needs all of our help.”
"好吧，我想卢娜也是这样。她需要我们的帮助。"
“Indeed. But I wonder if she has it.” Goldenblood spoke calmly, but even I could hear the tension in his voice. “Do you really think my father is loyal to Princess Luna? Do you believe that any titled pony is?” He swept his hoof to the side. “They hold their balls and galas, wasting their money on their own indulgences as war threatens the kingdom. They use their lineage to leverage safe postings around Canterlot and Manehattan rather than place themselves where they might actually have to fight. Is there any value to the aristocracy at all, Uncle?”
"的确。但我不知道她是否有。"金布拉德说话很平静，但我甚至能听出他声音中的紧张。"你真的认为我父亲忠于卢娜公主吗？你相信任何一匹有头衔的小马都是吗?"他把蹄子往旁边一撇。"当战争威胁着王国的时候，他们控制着自己的蛋蛋和狂欢，把钱浪费在自己的放纵上。他们利用自己的血统，在Canterlot和Manehattan周边发布安全的帖子，而不是把自己放在可能真正需要打仗的地方。舅舅，贵族阶级有什么价值呢?"
His question struck me as unusually direct, but I also had to admit that Goldenblood had a point. I hadn’t seen anything of Blueblood or the other aristocrats that seemed worth a damn. Vanity was the first and last aristocrat who seemed to care about the actual fighting of the war. Still, his gaze hardened as he looked at the sickly stallion. “Tradition. The noble houses have always existed to serve and support Equestria and the Princess. It is our duty and our sacred honor.”
他的问题非常直接地打动了我，但我也不得不承认，戈登布拉德说得有道理。我没有看到任何蓝血贵族或其他似乎值得谴责的贵族。虚荣心是第一个也是最后一个似乎关心战争实际战斗的贵族。然而，当他看着这匹病怏怏的种马时，他的目光变得僵硬了。"传统。高贵的房子一直存在，服务并支持着小马国和公主。这是我们的责任，也是我们神圣的荣誉。"
Goldenblood’s hard look softened slightly. “Undoubtedly, Uncle. But I have to wonder, do they serve her still?”
金色血液的坚硬外观略显柔和。""没问题，舅舅。但我不得不怀疑，他们还在为她服务吗?"
Suddenly, a leg went around my shoulders, a flash of pink to my left as Pinkie Pie pulled Vanity’s head into a crushing hug. “Hey! Why are you ponies over here looking like such sourpusses? Don’t you know it’s supposed to be a party, smarty?” Somehow, despite her grin, I detected a note of annoyance in her voice.
突然，一条腿绕到了我的肩膀上，粉红色的腿在我左边一闪而过，粉红小手指把瓦妮特的头拉成了一个毁灭性的拥抱。"嘿！你们这些小马怎么看起来这么讨厌？难道你不知道这是个聚会吗，聪明鬼?"不知怎么的，尽管她咧着嘴笑，我还是从她的声音中听出了一丝烦恼。
Suddenly her eye twitched and she went stiff. “Ahh! Left eye blink. Ear waggle. Rump itch? Oooh!” She suddenly headbutted the two aside just as a sick Doof was violently ill over the rail. “Ewww… somepony partied too hard?” she said
突然，她的眼睛抽搐了一下，身子僵硬了。"啊！左眼眨眼。耳朵的摆动。臀部痒？哦!"她突然用头撞了一下两个人，就在一个生病的笨蛋病得很厉害的时候。"呃......有人玩得太疯了吗?"她说
with some sympathy as the club’s staff hurried to clean up the mess as the huge gray pony groaned. “Good thing my Pinkie Sense saw that coming!”
俱乐部的工作人员在巨大的灰色小马呻吟时匆忙清理现场，他们表示了一些同情。"幸亏我的小手指感觉到了这一点!"
“Pinkie Sense?” Vanity asked with a skeptical smile. Goldenblood looked intrigued, however.
"小指感觉?"瓦妮特带着怀疑的微笑问道。然而，金布拉德看起来很感兴趣。
“Oh you won’t believe me either,” Pinkie Pie said as she rolled her eyes with a slightly sad smile. “Twilight Sparkle’s been trying to study it for years, and she still can’t figure it out. I just get little feelings that things are going to happen, and then they do!”
"哦，你也不会相信我的,"平奇说，她转动着眼睛，脸上带着略带忧伤的微笑。"紫悦多年来一直试图研究它，但她还是不明白。我只是有点感觉事情会发生，然后就发生了!"
“It sounds… convenient,” Vanity said as he hid his smile behind a feigned muzzle rub. I had to agree. It wasn’t like you could tell when bad things were going to happen just from an achy knee or itchy mane.
"听起来......很方便,"瓦妮特一边假装擦嘴，一边说。我不得不同意。你不可能仅仅从疼痛的膝盖或发痒的鬃毛就知道什么时候会发生不好的事情。
Pinkie Pie rolled her eyes with a sigh. But then Golden said softly, “It sounds… lonely. Knowing things that others can’t understand or accept. You bear it well.” Pinkie Pie’s manic grin disappeared as she looked at Goldenblood with a look of uncertainty, then a growing smile.
平奇·派叹了口气，翻了翻眼睛。但接着戈尔登温柔地说:"听起来......很孤独。知道别人无法理解或接受的事情。你承受得很好。"当她带着不确定的眼神看着Goldenblood时，她狂躁的笑容消失了，然后是越来越大的微笑。
“You believe me?”
"你相信我吗?"
“I think there are many things in this world that can’t be explained rationally, so therefore irrational explanations should be considered.” He glanced up at where Doof hung over the rail. “If it prevents us from getting vomited upon, I’d freely consider it.”
"我认为世界上有许多事情是无法理性解释的，因此应该考虑非理性的解释。"他抬头看了看挂在栏杆上方的杜夫。"如果它能防止我们呕吐，我愿意考虑一下。"
The pink pony grinned and swept him up in a hug. “I knew you were a good pony, Goldie Oldie Boldy!”
粉红色的小马咧嘴一笑，拥抱了他一下。"我就知道你是匹好马，戈尔迪·奥尔迪·博尔迪!"
Goldenblood suddenly hunched over and started to cough and retch. Pinkie Pie immediately released him, patting him on the back. “Oh, are you okay?”
金色的血突然弯下腰，开始咳嗽和呕吐。平奇派立刻放开了他，拍了拍他的背。"哦，你没事吧?"
He just gave her a tense little smile and then returned to coughing, stepping away a little. “Just… adjusting,” he said as he levitated a cloth from his vest and coughed into it before drawing a slow breath. Vanity looked at the spots of pink and red left behind on the cloth.
他只是给了她一个紧张的微笑，然后又开始咳嗽，走开了一点。"只是......调整一下,"他边说边把背心上的一块布悬浮起来，把它咳了进去，然后慢慢地吸了一口气。瓦妮特看了看布上留下的粉红色和红色的斑点。
Twist bounced her way across the club, smiling like nothing in the world could bother her. She nudged flanks with Pinkie Pie and grinned. “Hey Pinkie, this is a
特威斯特蹦蹦跳跳地穿过俱乐部，微笑着，好像世界上没有什么能打扰她似的。她用胳膊肘推了推小指派，咧嘴笑了笑。"嘿，平奇，这是一个
great party, but I’ve got something that will make it even better!” she said as she pulled out one of her candy canes and tossed it to Pinkie Pie, who caught it balanced on her nose and looked at it cross-eyed. “You’ve got to try these. Just take one. They’ll blow your mind!” she said with a grin.
很棒的派对，但我有更棒的东西!"她一边说，一边拿出她的一个拐杖糖，扔给小粉红派。小粉红派用鼻子顶住它，斜着眼睛看着它。"你得试试这些。就拿一个吧。他们会让你大吃一惊的!"她笑着说。
Pinkie Pie smiled and tossed the candy cane in the air, caught it in her mouth, and chewed. “Mmmm… pretty sweet, Twist.”
鹏奇派微笑着把拐杖糖扔向空中，叼在嘴里嚼着。"嗯......真甜，特威斯特。"
“Yeah. They’re really super, aren’t they? I made them myself!” she said proudly, fluttering her eyes behind her thick glasses.
"是的。他们真的很棒，不是吗？我自己做的!"她骄傲地说，在厚厚的眼镜后面眨着眼睛。
But Pinkie Pie wasn’t paying attention anymore. The pupils of her bright blue eyes expanded and her smile grew from ear to ear like mine had my first time playing the contrabass. “Oh wow! This really is super duper trooper good!” the mare said as she bounced gleefully on her hooves. “Wooo! Wooo! Wooo!”
但是鹏奇派再也没有注意到这一点。她明亮的蓝眼睛的瞳孔扩大了，她的微笑从一只耳朵到另一只耳朵，就像我第一次弹低音提琴一样。"哦，哇！这真是个超级骗子骑兵!"母马兴高采烈地用蹄子跳来跳去。"哇！哇哦！哇!"
She pointed a hoof at Twist as she started to giggle. “You’re still sad about Apple Bloom, aren’t ya? I can feel it!” She looked right into Vanity’s eyes. “And you keep thinking you’re a murderer and scared you’re going to turn into a monster. And you are!” And then she looked at Goldenblood. “And you…” Her smile slowly faded away. “You…” And like in ruins of Sugarcube Corner I watched as her face turned from glee into an expression of fear. “You’re going to hurt a lot of ponies. Lots and lots and lots…”
她用一只蹄子指着特威斯特，开始咯咯地笑起来。"你还在为苹果布鲁姆伤心，是吗？我能感觉到!"她直视着瓦妮特的眼睛。"你一直认为自己是个杀人犯，害怕自己会变成一个怪物。而你就是!"然后她看了看Goldenblood。"还有你......"她的微笑慢慢地消失了。"你......"就像SugarcubeCorner的废墟一样，我看着她的脸从高兴变成了恐惧。"你会伤害很多小马。很多很多很多......"
Goldenblood didn’t say a word as he simply looked back with his golden gaze.
金色的血液一句话也没有说，他只是用他金色的眼睛回头看了看。
“Pinkie Pie. Relax. It’s a party,” Twist said in worry as she gave Pinkie’s flanks a nudge, but now the pink mare wasn’t paying any attention to us. Her eyes were sweeping from one to the next. “And he’s a rapist… and she’s… she’s stealing! And… and… no!” She sat down hard, muttering. “Twitchy mane… hot hoof… tingly knee… dry tongue… what does it mean?”
"小手指派。放松。"这是个派对,"特威斯特一边用肘轻推小手指的侧腹一边担心地说，但是现在这只粉红色的母马已经不再注意我们了。她的眼睛扫来扫去。"他是个强奸犯......她......她在偷东西！然后...然后...不!"她重重地坐下，喃喃自语。"抖动的鬃毛......热蹄......刺痛的膝盖......干舌头......这是什么意思?"
“We should call a doctor,” Vanity said as he looked around. Twist knelt, apologizing repeatedly for the candy as she hugged the trembling Pinkie Pie. The crowd was starting to notice, but that was when a huge cake made in the shape of the pink ministry hub was wheeled in.
"我们应该叫个医生,"瓦妮特边说边环顾四周。特维斯特跪下来，一遍又一遍地为那些糖果道歉，同时她还拥抱了颤抖的小指派。人群开始注意到了，但就在这时，一个粉红色中心形状的巨大蛋糕被推了进来。
Pinkie Pie looked right at it and pointed her trembling hoof. “It’s a bomb… it’s a bomb… there’s a bomb… a really big bomb…” she whimpered over and over again as she shook. Then she looked around at the crowd. “You have… you
派看着它，指着她颤抖的蹄子。"这是一个炸弹...这是一个炸弹...这是一个炸弹...一个非常大的炸弹..."她一边颤抖一边呜咽着。然后她看了看周围的人群。"你有......你
have… there’s so many pony… you have to do something!” Twist looked skeptical. Vanity just shook his head. Goldenblood’s face was a stoic mask. Pinkie Pie stared at him. “Please, Goldie… please don’t let them get hurt…” she begged as tears ran down her face.
有...有这么多小马...你必须做点什么!"特威斯特看起来很怀疑。瓦妮特只是摇摇头。金色血液的脸是一张坚忍的面具。平奇派盯着他。"求你了，戈尔迪......请不要让他们受到伤害......"她哭着求道，泪水顺着脸颊流了下来。
Goldenblood closed his eyes, and then said in a tone of command that made Vanity’s ears rise up, “Vanity, get a message to the Hoofington Guard; there’s a terminal you can use in the club’s office. Tell them somepony planted a bomb at Prance. Twist, yes? Find Big Macintosh. Tell him the cake is a bomb.” He began hacking and coughing again but struggled to keep his breath. “Pinkie Pie. Listen to me.” The shaking mare looked up at him. “You need to smile. You need to calm down. Where you go, the party goes. And the party needs to go outside.”
戈登布拉德闭上了眼睛，然后用一种命令的口吻说道:"瓦妮特，给胡芬顿警卫队送个信儿，你可以在俱乐部的办公室里使用这个终端。告诉他们有人在Prance放了炸弹。托斯特，对吗？找到大的Macintosh。告诉他蛋糕是炸弹。"他又开始咳嗽，但还是努力控制呼吸。"小手指派。听我说。"那匹发抖的母马抬头看着他。"你需要微笑。你需要冷静下来。你去哪里，派对就去哪里。党需要走出去。"
Pinkie Pie stared at him, then swallowed and nodded. And like that she was okay again. Her smile returned, her hair seemed to curl… only her eyes remained terrified. “Oh… sure, Goldie. Great idea.”
派盯着他，然后咽了口唾沫，点了点头。就这样她又恢复了正常。她的微笑回来了，她的头发似乎卷曲......只有她的眼睛仍然恐惧。"哦......当然，歌迪。好主意。"
Goldenblood just gave Vanity a look, and my host ran for the office as Pinkie suddenly cried out, “Come on, everypony! You know what’d be a great idea? A block party! Outside!” Then she bounced towards the door while singing something about ‘raising the roof’ and ‘a party for Hoofington!’ The cake looked quite forlorn as the club emptied calmly. Prince Vanity’s name seemed to help the city guard take the threat seriously. Big Macintosh and Doof encouraged the rest of the staff to leave.
金血王刚刚看了虚荣一眼，我的主人向办公室跑去，小粉突然大声喊道:"来吧，小马们！你知道什么是好主意吗？街区派对！出去!"然后她蹦蹦跳跳地朝门口跑去，一边唱着什么"屋顶被掀起来了"和"胡芬顿的聚会!"俱乐部里空无一人，蛋糕看起来很凄凉。虚荣王子的名字似乎有助于城市警卫队认真对待这一威胁。大麦金托什和杜夫鼓励其他员工离开。
When the club was almost empty, Vanity carefully scraped away the pink frosting and cake. It peeled away enough for us to see the gray blocks of explosives within. She hadn’t been crazy after all.
当俱乐部快空了的时候，瓦妮特小心翼翼地刮掉了粉红色的糖霜和蛋糕。它剥落得足以让我们看到里面灰色的炸药块。她毕竟没有发疯。
When Vanity found Pinkie Pie, she was tackling one of the cooks. “You did it! You made that bomb. You’re a bad pony! I can tell! A mad bomber pony!”
当瓦妮特发现小手指派时，她正在对付其中一个厨师。"你做到了！你做了那个炸弹。你是一匹坏小马！我看得出来！一匹疯狂的轰炸机小马!"
“You’re crazy, lady! I just picked up the cake from the bakery!” he protested as she glared down at him.
"你疯了，女士！我刚从面包店买了蛋糕!"她怒视着他，他抗议道。
She grabbed his head in her hooves and pulled his face within an inch of her own. “Don’t call me crazy, you wicked, bad, no good pony. You’ll tell me what you were doing! I’ve made dragons talk; you’ll be easy.” She looked at the guards. “Can you take him to my hub? I think we’re gonna need a special private party-warty.”
她用蹄子抓住他的头，把他的脸拉得离自己的脸只有一英寸。"不要叫我疯子，你这个邪恶的，坏的，没有好的小马。告诉我你在干什么！我已经让龙说话了，你会很容易的。"她看了看守卫。"你能把他带到我的中心去吗？我觉得我们需要一个特别的私人派对——身上长疣。"
The crowd cheered as the stallion was dragged towards the ministry hub, still shouting his innocence. Oddly, Pinkie Pie didn’t look happy with their cheers. In fact, standing this close to her, she looked… angry. Scared and angry, and her smile was almost vengeful as she trotted out of sight. Vanity and Goldenblood followed. She was pacing. Fuming.
当这匹种马被拖到牧师中心时，人群欢呼起来，仍然在呼喊着他的清白。奇怪的是，鹏奇派看起来并不喜欢他们的欢呼声。事实上，站得离她这么近，她看起来...很生气。害怕和愤怒，她的微笑几乎是报复性的，因为她跑出了视线。虚荣心和金色血统紧随其后。她在踱步。Fuming.
“It’s all secrets and lies. All of it. All those ponies,” she said, more to herself than the two unicorns. “I saw what they were doing. I just… the pieces all came together and… and…” Her bright eyes darkened. She suddenly slumped. “I… I dunno how I can stop it. I couldn’t stop it when I knew it was a bomb.” She sniffed as tears went down her cheeks. “I’m so stupid. All I can do is throw parties. I don’t know how to stop bad ponies and keep the good ponies happy and safe!”
"全是秘密和谎言。所有的一切。所有的那些小马,"她说，比那两只独角兽还要自言自语。"我看到他们在做什么。我只是......所有的碎片拼凑在一起，然后......然后......"她明亮的眼睛暗了下来。她突然倒下了。"我.....。.我不知道我怎样才能阻止它。当我知道是炸弹的时候，我无法阻止它。"眼泪顺着脸颊流下来，她抽着鼻子。"我太蠢了。我所能做的就是开派对。我不知道如何阻止坏马，如何让好马高兴和安全!"
Vanity just sighed and rubbed Pinkie Pie’s shoulder. “Don’t feel bad about this, Miss Pie. Leave it up to the city guard; it’s their duty to keep peace and security. They’ll find the bad ponies.” And for a moment, it looked as if that was going to be that.
瓦妮特只是叹了口气，揉了揉小派的肩膀。"不要为此难过，馅饼小姐。交给城市警卫去处理吧，他们的职责是维护和平与安全。他们会找到那些坏马的。"有那么一瞬间，看起来好像就是这样。
But Goldenblood was just looking at Pinkie Pie. Then he said slowly, “I don’t know, Pinkie Pie. I think you can do more than you know. The Ministry of Morale’s more widespread than any ministry. You’ve got contacts and roots in the community. And you have the Pinkie Pie Sense; that’s something nopony else has. If there is anypony in Equestria who can keep us safe, it’s you.”
但是金血王只是在看小指派。然后他慢慢地说:"我不知道，小馅饼。我认为你能做的比你想象的要多。士气部比任何部门都要广泛。你在社区里有人脉和根基。而且你有小指感觉，这是其他小马所没有的。如果说Equestria有谁能保证我们的安全，那就是你。"
Pinkie Pie looked at him, her face a mask of desolation. Then she sniffed and rubbed her nose. “I… maybe. I’d need more of Twisty’s candy. And… there’s so much to keep track of. I don’t even know where to begin.”
平奇·派看着他，脸上挂着一副凄凉的表情。然后她闻了闻，揉了揉鼻子。"我.....。.也许。我需要更多Twisty的糖果。还有...还有很多事情需要记录。我甚至不知道从何说起。"
Goldenblood glanced at Vanity, his lips curling slightly. “Oh, I can think of a few places. After all, I know there’s lots of aristocrats who you should use your Pinkie Sense on. Especially if they’re not helping Princess Luna as much as they could.”
金色血液瞥了一眼虚荣，他的嘴唇微微翘起。"哦，我能想到几个地方。毕竟，我知道有很多贵族你应该用你的小手指感觉。特别是如果他们不尽力帮助卢娜公主的话。"
Pinkie Pie closed her eyes and then murmured, to herself or to the unicorns, I wasn’t sure. “Oh Goldie, I asked you not to let them get hurt…”
小粉红派闭上眼睛，然后喃喃自语，对自己或对独角兽，我不确定。"噢，戈尔迪，我告诉过你不要让他们受伤......"
oooOOOooo
噢噢噢
I jerked out of the memory and at once took stock. I was still on the couch
我猛地从记忆中恢复过来，立刻开始盘点。我还在沙发上
pressed against the front door. I wasn’t disemboweled. Deus and Blueblood hadn’t resurrected themselves and come out of the darkness to gang rape me. No spritebots. I had to admit that, for coming out of an orb, this was pretty smooth.
压在前门上。我没有被开膛破肚。天王和蓝血并没有复活，也没有从黑暗中走出来轮奸我。没有spritebots。我不得不承认，从一个球体里出来，这是相当顺利的。
So for once, I could actually think about what I’d seen. It’d been pretty clear that Goldenblood had a grudge against his father and the other aristocrats. Maybe it was his father’s treatment, maybe it was his loyalty to Luna. Whatever it was, he’d clearly set Pinkie Pie on the road to putting monitoring equipment into bakeries and sending her surrogate parents to spy on her behalf. Paranoia, or had Pinkie Pie really sensed something?
所以这一次，我真的可以想想我看到了什么。很明显，金伯拉德对他的父亲和其他贵族心怀怨恨。也许是因为他父亲的治疗，也许是因为他对卢娜的忠诚。不管是什么，他已经明确地让萍琪·派把监控设备放进面包店，并派她的代理父母代为监视。偏执狂，还是鹏奇派真的感觉到了什么？
Still, I’d heard the argument. The doubt. Goldenblood seemed determined to bring down his father and the aristocracy, and he’d used Pinkie Pie and his uncle. I just wondered…
尽管如此，我还是听到了争论。怀疑。金伯拉德似乎决心要扳倒他的父亲和贵族阶级，他利用了小手指派和他的叔叔。我只是想知道..。
…why I heard hoofsteps upstairs?
为什么我听到了上楼的脚步声？
“I could really use an E.F.S. right now,” I muttered as I rolled off the couch and readied the dragon claw and Cupcake’s revolver. “Actually, I could really use a drink right now.” Too bad neither Priest nor Arloste had kept a liquor cabinet.
"我现在真的需要一个e.f.s了,"我从沙发上滚下来，准备好了龙爪和纸托蛋糕的左轮手枪，喃喃自语道。"事实上，我现在真的很想喝一杯。"可惜Priest和Arloste都没有酒柜。
Slowly, I made my way upstairs. I’d only checked the one room, the one with Marigold’s belongings. I’d never checked the other… Images of more ghost ponies peeked into my mind. I cracked the door open.
慢慢地，我上了楼。我只检查了一个房间，那个放着玛丽戈尔德东西的房间。我从来没有看过其他的......更多的幽灵小马的画面在我的脑海里一闪而过。我把门撞开了。
The unicorn mare in black lace who’d been praying in the chapel when I first visited it was in the house, her back to me. Up close, I could suddenly appreciate how big she was. Her horn glowed as she lifted away her dress. A dusky purple hide appeared… and wings… and…
我第一次去教堂的时候，那匹穿着黑色蕾丝的独角兽正在教堂里祈祷，她背对着我。近距离观察，我突然意识到她有多大。当她掀开衣服时，她的角闪闪发光。一个暗紫色的皮肤出现了...和翅膀...和..。
Oh sweet Princesses, it was Luna.
哦，亲爱的公主们，是露娜。
No. No, not Luna, I realized. I’d seen Luna. What stood in the room was like a copy, a pale imitation. The light was dull upon her horn, and no magical moonlight seemed to glow on her matte hide. And to seal the appearance, there was no cutie mark on this mare’s flank.
没有。不，不是卢娜，我意识到。我见过露娜。房间里的东西就像一份拷贝，一份苍白的仿制品。她的号角上的灯光暗淡无光，她那无光泽的皮肤上似乎也没有神奇的月光。而且为了印证它的外表，这匹母马的侧腹没有任何可爱的标记。
Still… what the hay?
还有...这是怎么回事？
I considered my options: a tiny P-21 told me that I had the element of surprise and shouldn’t waste it. A tiny Glory warned me that she might not be hostile. A
我考虑了我的选择:一个小小的P-21告诉我，我有惊喜的元素，不应该浪费它。一个小小的晨辉警告我，她可能并不怀有敌意。答:
tiny Blackjack lay in a bathtub and whined about how she wanted a drink. A tiny Rampage just gave a shrug.
小小的黑杰克躺在浴缸里，抱怨她多么想喝一杯。一个小小的暴怒只是耸耸肩。
Fuck it. I closed the door softly, then knocked on it. “Hi. If you’d like to talk, Miss Alicorn, come on downstairs,” I said loudly, turning around. I’d probably just invited another monster to kill me. Maybe she was another Zodiac? Or a monsterpony like Gorgon? I really didn’t care at this point. If she tried to attack me, then I’d kill her… or something. The plan was still a little fuzzy. I hopped back onto the couch, propping my head up on one of the arms as I dug through my saddlebags for a Fancy Buck Cake and two Sparkle-Colas. I hummed to myself, trying to avoid the urge to go back upstairs.
去他的。我轻轻地关上门，然后敲门。"嗨。"如果你想谈谈，阿里康小姐，到楼下来吧,"我大声说，转过身去。我可能只是邀请了另一个怪物来杀我。也许她是另一个十二宫杀手？还是像戈耳贡那样的怪马？此时此刻，我真的不在乎。如果她想攻击我，我就杀了她...或者别的什么。这个计划仍然有点模糊。我跳回到沙发上，把头靠在一只胳膊上，从鞍囊里翻出一块花式巴克蛋糕和两杯闪亮可乐。我自言自语，尽量避免回到楼上去的冲动。
Then there was a hoofstep on the stairs. Then another and another. Purple eyes peeked around the corner. “Hey. If you’re going to kill me, mind waiting till I’m done eating?” I muttered around a mouthful of gooey cherry filling. She just stared at me a moment before slowly walking the rest of the way down into the living room. “Want a soda?” I asked, lifting one. I’m fairly sure that, of all the things she thought I might have asked, that wasn’t even on the list.
接着楼梯上响起了马蹄声。然后又是一个又一个。紫色的眼睛在角落里窥视着。"嘿。如果你要杀我，能不能等我吃完再动手?"我咕哝着吃了一大口粘粘的樱桃馅。她只是盯着我看了一会儿，然后慢慢走下客厅。"要苏打水吗?"我问，举起一个。我相当肯定，在她认为我可能会问的所有问题中，这个问题根本不在清单上。
The purple alicorn seemed at a bit of a loss. “The Goddess… does not require a soda,” she finally said in a low, quiet voice. I really was amazed I could hear it at all. There was something... unnatural about it, something… off. Something about it sounded familiar, too, Luna only knew how.
紫色的果实似乎有点不知所措。"女神......不需要苏打水,"她最后低声说。我真的很惊讶我竟然能听到它。有点...不自然，有点...不对劲。有些东西听起来也很熟悉，卢娜只知道怎么做。
“Didn’t ask if you required one. Just wanted to know if you wanted one.”
""我没问你要不要。只是想知道你想不想要一个。"
The alicorn’s horn glowed softly, and she lifted the drink to her lips. She looked suspicious and wary as she took a very small drink from the bottle. “You are… unusual. You are not afraid of us?” She’d somehow managed to say that while drinking, without moving her lips. Putting that aside for the moment, I focused on what she’d said rather than how she’d said it. I suspected that this was not the reaction she expected. Good. And was it my imagination, or did I now detect a hint of a smile?
玉米角轻轻地发着光，她把饮料举到嘴边。当她从瓶子里拿出一小杯饮料时，她看起来很怀疑，很警惕。"你......与众不同。你不怕我们吗?"不知怎么的，她一边喝酒一边说出了这句话，嘴唇一动也不动。暂时把这些放在一边，我关注的是她说了什么，而不是她说话的方式。我怀疑这不是她所期望的反应。很好。是我的想象，还是我现在察觉到了一丝微笑？
“Sorry. Call me jaded,” I replied after swallowing, “but after you have a cybermonster pony screaming ‘cunt’ at you while hunting you clear across the Wasteland, it’s sort of hard to raise the bar on that.” I popped the last bit of the cake into my mouth, chewing briskly. I gulped it down and wiped the crumbs away. “Not that you’re not interesting, of course.”
"对不起。"你可以说我厌倦了,"我吞下口水后回答道,"但是当你在荒原上追捕你的时候，有一匹赛博怪兽在对你大喊'婊子'的时候，要提高这个标准有点困难。"我把最后一块蛋糕塞进嘴里，轻快地咀嚼着。我一口吞下去，把面包屑擦掉。"当然，不是说你不有趣。"
“We are… the Goddess,” she said, again without moving her lips. There was some confusion and hesitation in her statement, as though even the purple alicorn wasn’t exactly sure. Personally, I would have thought that a goddess would be much more… assertive?
"我们是......女神,"她再一次不动嘴唇地说道。她的话里有些困惑和犹豫，好像连紫玉簪都不确定似的。就我个人而言，我会认为一个女神会更加......自信？
“Well, when I start seeing double, I’ll start calling you plural.” I sat up and coughed, hacked, and spat a glob of phlegm into the cake wrapper. The alicorn went from looking suspicious to looking disgusted. I wiped my mouth with a hoof as I looked up at her. “Do you have a name, or will ‘Goddess’ suffice?”
"好吧，当我开始看到重影的时候，我就会开始叫你复数。"我坐起来咳嗽，砍头，往蛋糕包装纸里吐了一口痰。阿里克松从看起来可疑变成了看起来厌恶。我抬头看着她，用蹄子擦了擦嘴。"你有名字吗，还是'女神'就足够了?"
Now, I know some ponies might have fallen over themselves at the sight of somepony that looked like the Princesses and called themselves a goddess, but I’d seen the real thing. I’d even been touched by Luna’s feathers… well, secondhand. I could still remember the feeling of them on my lips, and so, looking at this alicorn, I felt curiosity but certainly not reverence. I should have been more suspicious, I suppose.
现在，我知道一些小马可能会在看到一些小马看起来像公主并且自称女神的时候摔倒，但是我看到了真实的事情。我甚至被露娜的羽毛碰过，是二手的。我仍然记得他们在我嘴唇上的感觉，所以，看着这只独角兽，我感到好奇，但肯定不是敬畏。我想我应该更多疑一些的。
She just looked so… sad.
她只是看起来那么...悲伤。
Again, that long silence. It was almost as if she were considering options. “Lacunae.”
又一次，长时间的沉默。她几乎是在考虑各种选择。"空白"
“Lacunae. Let me guess, it’s a name that’s absolutely rife with meaning and mystery that’s completely over my head?” I said with a grin, and Lacunae looked a bit more wary. “Well, my name is Blackjack, but you know that already. You’ve been watching me for some time.” I looked at her from over the tops of my mirrored glasses. “In the chapel. And in the mansion.”
"空白。让我猜猜，这个名字绝对充满了意义和神秘，完全超出了我的理解范围?"我咧嘴笑着说，拉库尼看上去更加小心翼翼了。"嗯，我的名字是Blackjack，但是你已经知道了。你观察我有一段时间了。"我从镜子上方望着她。"在小教堂里。还有在大厦里。"
“We were considering you for Unity and joining the Goddess,” she replied softly. As with all of her speech, her lips did not move, and it looked like she hadn’t altered her breathing, either. That was one of the less strange things going on, though, and I could wonder about it later.
"我们正在考虑你的团结和加入女神,"她轻声回答。和她所有的演讲一样，她的嘴唇没有动，看起来她也没有改变呼吸。然而，这是正在发生的不那么奇怪的事情之一，我以后可能会对此感到好奇。
Joining the Goddess? Was there a part of that which didn’t sound creepy? I waved my hoof before me. “Pass. I’ve got way too much trouble on my hoof. I’m damaged goods.”
加入女神？有没有听起来不那么恐怖的部分？我在面前摆动着我的蹄子。"算了吧。我已经惹了太多麻烦了。我是受损的货物。"
“We agree.” She hesitated, head cocked as if she were listening and not quite sure how to express it. “We have observed some positive traits. You are… unusually tenacious. However, you are also unpredictable. Unstable. Irrational
"我们同意。"她犹豫了一下，昂起头，好像在听，不知道该怎么表达。"我们观察到了一些积极的特征。你真是...异乎寻常的顽强。然而，你也是不可预知的。不稳定。非理性
and self-destructive. And whiny. Definitely whiny.” There was a long pause. “We no longer wish for you to share in Unity.”
和自我毁灭。还爱发牢骚。绝对是爱发牢骚。"沉默了很长时间。"我们不再希望你们分享团结。"
“Huh,” I grunted softly, not entirely surprised but still slightly hurt. Was I that whiny? “Well shucks,” I said with a chuckle. “So if you’re not interested in me for this Unawhatsit, what are you doing here?”
"哈,"我轻轻地咕哝了一声，并没有完全感到惊讶，但还是有点疼。我有那么爱发牢骚吗？"哎呀,"我咯咯地笑着说。"所以，如果你对我不感兴趣的话，你在这里干什么?"
“We… I… we… live here,” she said. She took another hesitant sip, almost as if this wasn’t something a goddess was supposed to do. I supposed that, with the cottage being abandoned, this was a natural place for a big alicorn goddess thing to live. Either that, or Priest had omitted a really big part of his time here. “Am I dreaming?”
"我们.....。."我们...住在这里"她说。她又吞吞吐吐地喝了一口，仿佛这不是女神应该做的事情。我猜想，随着小屋被废弃，这是一个大角果女神自然生活的地方。要么是这样，要么就是普里斯特省略了他在这里的大部分时间。"我在做梦吗?"
Okay, the questions were becoming more interesting. “I don’t know. Are you?”
问题变得越来越有趣了。"我不知道。是吗?"
“I… we… I am always dreaming. We are dreaming each other’s dreams. But my dreams are missing.” She looked at the stars painted on the ceiling. “This city is full of nightmares. They scream in me. I do not want to be here, but we need me here.”
"我.....。.我们...我一直在做梦。我们在梦想着彼此的梦想。但我的梦想却消失了。"她看着画在天花板上的星星。"这座城市充满了噩梦。他们在我心中尖叫。我不想待在这里，但我们需要我。"
“Nightmares?” I muttered, thinking back over the last four days. Ya think?
"噩梦?"我咕哝着，回想着过去的四天。你觉得呢？
“They are hateful dreams. Spiteful. Full of malice. They make it hard to hear the Goddess. I wish I could hear us more clearly. I need her forgiveness. I need her confidence.” She looked in the direction of the chapel. “I can hear us most clearly in the house of faith. That is why I remain here, where there is less to fear.” She looked at me. “Are you afraid?”
"它们是可恶的梦。恶毒的。充满恶意。他们让人很难听到女神的声音。我希望我能听得更清楚些。我需要她的原谅。我需要她的信心。"她朝小教堂的方向望去。"在信仰的殿堂里，我能听得最清楚。这就是我留在这里的原因，这里没有什么可怕的。"她看着我。"你害怕吗?"
I sighed, looking at the strange creature. “Hun, I recently escaped from a rape factory. An emotionally scarred stallion who half-wants to kill me is my best friend. We’ve got a pegasus with us who was booted from the Enclave but still thinks of herself as one of them, and we’ve got a Reaper who survived getting her head cut off and who may or may not be a psychopath. I’ve faced monsters, been really annoyed by two-hundred-year-old mysteries, and shot at. A lot. You’re going to have to be a little more specific.”
我叹了口气，看着这个奇怪的生物。"亲爱的，我最近刚从一家强奸工厂逃出来。我最好的朋友是一匹感情受创的种马，他有一半想杀了我。我们有一匹飞马，虽然被飞地赶走了，但她仍然认为自己是他们中的一员，我们还有一匹死神，她的头被砍掉了，但她还活着，她可能是也可能不是精神病患者。我曾经面对过怪物，真的被两百年前的神秘事件惹恼过，还遭到过枪击。很多。你得说得更具体一点。"
“Are you afraid for your soul?”
"你害怕你的灵魂吗?"
I blinked and groaned, burying my face in my hooves. Philosophy. Why did she have to ask me about philosophy? Still, I thought about it. “I’m afraid that I’ll
我眨着眼，呻吟着，把脸埋在蹄子里。哲学。她为什么要问我哲学方面的问题？尽管如此，我还是考虑了一下。""恐怕我会的
turn into something I hate. I’m afraid that I’ll hurt ponies who don’t deserve it. I’m afraid that one day I won’t want to stop killing. So yeah. I guess I am.” I sighed and then smiled. “Guess we’ve got that in common. But, I’ve got mysteries to solve, questions to answer, and bastards to kill.”
变成我讨厌的东西。我怕我会伤害那些不配得到它的小马。我害怕有一天我不想停止杀戮。所以是的。我想是的。"我叹了口气，然后笑了。"我想我们在这一点上有共同点。但是，我有谜团要解决，有问题要回答，还有混蛋要杀。"
“I…” Then she paused. “May I tell her?” Then she fell silent and I frowned as I watched her closely. She drooped a little. “I… am looking for something as well, but it is difficult searching alone. We do not like the nightmares of the city. One can be ignored, but dozens spread the nightmare through us all. I do not want to search alone. May I accompany you?”
"我.....。。」然后她停顿了一下。"我可以告诉她吗?"然后她沉默了，我紧紧地看着她，皱起了眉头。她有点垂头丧气。"我.....。.我也在寻找一些东西，但是独自寻找是很困难的。我们不喜欢这个城市的噩梦。一个可以被忽略，但是几十个传播噩梦通过我们所有人。我不想一个人去寻找。我可以陪你去吗?"
“You… what? Why? Lacunae, I get shot at almost daily. There’s not a day seems go by when something isn’t trying to kill me. I’m not exactly sure it would be safe.” For either of us. For all I knew, this whole ‘Goddess’ bit was just a ploy by Sanguine to do… something. “I have no idea who, or what, you are or what your agenda is.” She definitely seemed psychologically unstable and was clearly withholding secrets.
"你......什么？为什么？空隙，我几乎每天都会挨枪子儿。没有一天不是有什么东西想要杀死我。我不确定这样做是否安全。"对我们俩来说。据我所知，这整个"女神"的事情只是桑吉纳的一个策略，他想做点什么。"我不知道你是谁、是什么，也不知道你的议程是什么。"她看起来绝对是心理不稳定，而且明显有所隐瞒。
“Please?” I blinked hard. Had an alicorn… just used the ‘magic word’ to try and convince me? Did she… or they… really think that I was that trusting of a complete stranger who was somewhat nuts?
"求你了?"我眨了眨眼睛。难道是一个魔法角......只是用了一个'魔法词'来试图说服我？她......还是他们......真的认为我会相信一个完全陌生的疯子？
I just looked at her for a moment, then raised my hooves into the air and snorted. “Welcome aboard! You get the dishes Tuesdays and Thursdays. Just make sure you try to schedule your emotional breakdowns when they don’t conflict with ours. One of us is bad enough, but when we all get going… whew.” I rolled off the couch and then struggled to pull it away from the door.
我只是看了她一会儿，然后把蹄子举到空中，喷了一下鼻息。"欢迎上船！每个星期二和星期四，你可以洗碗。只要确保当你的情绪崩溃与我们的情绪不冲突时，你就设法安排好时间。我们中的一个已经够糟糕了，但是当我们开始行动的时候......"我从沙发上滚了下来，然后挣扎着把它从门口拉开。
Then a brighter glow enveloped the couch and easily pulled it away. Great, and she was stronger than me. It was probably because of her great big… ugh! I didn’t need a case of horn envy right now! “Okay. I need to fill in my friends. I need to make sure Glory is okay. She almost got eaten last night, and she’s been acting weird. I need to tell Rampage not to try and gut you. I should probably also ask about that whole foal murdering thing. And I need to let P-21 know that we’ve got another mare with us. He’ll be thrilled.”
然后一道更明亮的光包裹着沙发，很容易地把它拉开了。很好，而且她比我强壮。可能是因为她的大...啊！我现在不需要什么嫉妒！"好吧。我需要填补我朋友的空缺。我需要确保晨辉没事。她昨晚差点被吃了，而且她的举止很奇怪。我要告诉狂暴不要试图把你开膛破肚。我也该问问小马驹谋杀案的事。我需要让P-21知道我们还有一匹母马。他会很激动的。"
As I slipped out that door, I heard her mumble softly, “Are you sure we want to do this?”
当我悄悄溜出那扇门时，我听到她轻声咕哝道:"你确定我们要这么做吗?"
* * *
* * *
I know… I know… there wasn’t much of this that wasn’t branded ‘really bad idea’, but despite that, I had to admit that there was something about her that made me want to help. Okay, she wasn’t a normal pony, but it felt so much like she was… lost. And I simply couldn’t believe this ‘Goddess’ gave a twig about a bounty.
我知道......我知道......没有什么事情不被贴上'真的很糟糕的主意'的标签，但是尽管如此，我不得不承认她身上有些东西让我想要帮助她。好吧，她不是一匹普通的小马，但我感觉她好像...迷路了。我简直不敢相信这个"女神"竟然给了一根树枝作为赏金。
I’m damaged goods travelling with broken wares and trying to save the Wasteland. “Where does it say that everypony I associate with closely has to be scarred, betrayed, crazy, or something else?” I wondered aloud.
我带着破烂的货物旅行，试图拯救荒地。"什么地方说每一匹和我有密切联系的小马都必须伤痕累累、遭到背叛、疯狂或者其他什么?"我大声问道。
While I might have wanted to talk to Glory first, Rampage was the first I came across. She was lying on a stone with her forehooves crossed, resting her chin on top of her hoofclaws and looking down at the town. “Hey,” she said sullenly. “So, he showed you the clubhouse, huh? Do I still have my old room, or did he turn it into a den?”
虽然我可能想先和晨辉谈谈，但我遇到的第一个问题是暴怒。她躺在一块石头上，前蹄交叉着，下巴搁在蹄爪上，俯视着城镇。"嘿,"她闷闷不乐地说。"那么，他带你参观了俱乐部，是吗？我原来的房间还在吗?还是他把它变成了一个小房间?"
“Actually, he gave me the clubhouse, so yeah. You get your old room back, Rampage,” I said as I joined her on the rock. “So,” I said as evenly as I could.
"事实上，他把俱乐部会所给了我，所以是的。你可以回到你原来的房间了，狂暴,"我一边说着，一边和她一起坐在石头上。"那么,"我尽量平静地说。
She didn’t look back as she said in just as even a voice, “So.”
她没有回头，就像一个声音说的那样,"那么。"
“Did you fucking kill a foal, Rampage?” I asked softly as I looked at the town.
"你他妈的杀了一匹小马驹吗，狂暴?"我看着这个城镇，轻声问道。
“Probably. That’s what everypony tells me. My hoofmarks on the body,” she replied, her pink eyes downcast.
"可能吧。每个小马都这么跟我说。"我身上的蹄印,"她回答，粉红色的眼睛垂下来。
“Then what was what you were doing with Thorn?” I asked, my magic pulling the heavy revolver from my bags. If I shot her in the eye fast enough and managed to get some rounds lodged in her brain…
"那你和索恩在一起干什么?"我问道，我的魔法把沉重的左轮手枪从包里拔了出来。如果我射中她眼睛的速度够快并且能让子弹进入她的大脑..。
“Being happy. Is that so hard to understand?” she said as she sat up. “I love kids. I mean, love ‘em. I look at all this shit, and the one thing that gives me the slightest hope is that some foal might grow up and be able to do something about it. I come across some fucker who hurts a kid, and I eviscerate him or her. No regret. No hesitation. Because as fucked up as the Wasteland is, nothing makes it worse than what we do to each other.”
"快乐。这很难理解吗?"她坐起来说。"我喜欢孩子。我是说，爱他们。我看着这一切，有一件事给了我最轻微的希望，那就是一些小马驹可能会长大，并能对此做些什么。我遇到过一些混蛋，他们伤害了一个孩子，我把他或她的内脏挖出来。没有遗憾。毫不犹豫。因为尽管这片荒原一团糟，没有什么比我们对彼此所做的更糟糕了。"
“So what happened then?”
"那么后来发生了什么?"
“I don’t remember. It was a boring day. We didn’t have any pilgrims. Just the
"我不记得了。这是无聊的一天。我们没有朝圣者。只是
usual ponies in town. I went to bed and woke up with the foal beside me, body beaten and neck crushed. I was so mad… so hurt… so… everything. A lot of the kids stuck up for me, but Priest couldn’t. I couldn’t either.” She hung her head. “I know what I remember, but I also remember the sight of her lying there. I still see her, even with my eyes closed. Even with my eyes gouged out. Every second is frozen in my mind.”
城里的普通小马。我上床睡觉，醒来发现小马驹就在我身边，身体被打，脖子被压碎。我很生气...很受伤...所以...一切。很多孩子为我挺身而出，但是普里斯特不能。我也不能。"她低下了头。"我知道我记得什么，但我也记得她躺在那里的情景。即使闭上眼睛，我仍然能看到她。即使我的眼睛被挖出来。每一秒都凝固在我的脑海里。"
I could relate. I really could. “Till we figure this out… if I see you alone with a foal… I’m going to take you out.” Then I frowned, rolling my eyes as I looked up at that great vasty badness above. Ooooh, mistake! Falling up now! I clenched my eyes shut for a moment.
我能感同身受。我真的可以。"在我们弄清楚这件事之前......如果我看到你独自带着一匹小马驹......我会带你出去。"然后我皱起眉头，转动我的眼睛，当我看着上面那个大气的坏东西。哦，搞错了！现在起飞！我紧闭双眼一会儿。
“Oh? And how are you going to going to do that?” she asked with a little smirk.
"哦？你打算怎么做呢?"她带着一丝傻笑问道。
“Well, you were found in a balefire crater…” I said as I grinned at her.
"好吧，你是在一个火山口被发现的......"我咧嘴笑着说。
“Yeah, but you don’t have a balefire megaspell,” she said with a snort, and then looked at me with a touch of uncertainty. “Do you?”
"是的，但是你没有一个balebiremegaspell,"她哼了一声，然后带着一丝不确定的神情看着我。"是吗?"
“Give me time.” I grinned, and she smiled back, maybe with a touch of unease. Hey, it wasn’t completely impossible! “So… on a totally unrelated note, have you ever heard of alicorns in the Wasteland?”
"给我点时间。"我咧嘴一笑，她也回以微笑，也许带着一丝不安。嘿，这也不是完全不可能的！"那么......从一个完全不相干的角度来说，你听说过荒原上的橡树果吗?"
“Alicorns? Here?” She sat up. “I’ve heard they’re around other parts of Equestria, but Hoofington’s never had them before.” She looked at me suspiciously, then gasped. “Wait… there’s one here, isn’t there?” She suddenly grinned. “Did you make friends with it?” I blinked, flushing as her grin grew and she cackled. “Oh sweet Celestia, Blackjack. Do you have a pet hellhound or something? Maybe keep a radscorpion in a shoe box? Only you could make friends with something that practically everypony in the Wasteland thinks is a monster.”
"海角牛？这里?"她坐了起来。"我听说它们遍布Equestria其它地区，但胡芬顿以前从未有过。"她怀疑地看着我，然后倒抽了一口冷气。"等等......这里有一个，不是吗?"她突然咧嘴一笑。"你和它交朋友了吗?"我眨了眨眼，脸红红的，她咧嘴笑着，咯咯笑着。"哦，亲爱的塞莱斯蒂亚，黑杰克。你有宠物地狱犬之类的吗？也许在鞋盒里放一只雷达蝎子？只有你才能和那些几乎所有在荒原上的小马都认为是怪物的东西做朋友。"
“I made friends with you, didn’t I?” Rampage looked at me with a slightly less snarky smile as I went on with all the smugness I could muster. “You know, it could be that I’m just using her. This could all be an elaborate ruse! I can do ruses you--” I started with a snort, then sneezed hard, blasting my hoof with streamers of snot. “Eugh…”
"我和你交了朋友，不是吗?"狂暴看着我，脸上带着一丝不那么尖刻的微笑，而我则洋洋自得地继续前行。"你知道，我可能只是在利用她。这可能是一个精心策划的诡计！我可以耍你——"我先是哼了一声鼻息，然后用力打了个喷嚏，马蹄喷出了鼻涕。"呃......"
Rampage smiled sardonically. “Right. You are clearly the puppet master. We are all your puppets.” She rose to her hooves, looking back at the cottage as she
狂暴嘲讽地笑了笑。"对。你显然是木偶大师。我们都是你的傀儡。"她站起身来，回头看着小屋
squinted up the hillside. “Well. I guess I should go meet this monster.”
斜视着山坡。"好吧。我想我应该去见见这个怪物。"
“Don’t fight her, Rampage,” I warned as sternly as I could manage, scraping the snot off my hoof on the rock. “She’s… strange.”
"不要和她打架，狂暴,"我用最严厉的语气警告她，一边把蹄子上的鼻涕蹭到岩石上。"她......很奇怪。"
“She’s an alicorn. Isn’t that required?” Rampage asked. “It’s kinda like becoming a Reaper or Steel Ranger: you just have to be off just to make the cut.”
"她是个独角兽。这不是必须的吗?"狂暴问道。"这有点像成为一个收割者或钢骑兵:你只需要离开，只是为了切割。"
“I know her,” I said sharply. Then I sighed as I sat. “I just don’t know where I know her from. Something about her is familiar. It doesn’t make any sense; I just look at her and feel… something.”
"我认识她,"我厉声说。然后我坐下来叹了口气。"我只是不知道我在哪里见过她。她身上有种似曾相识的感觉。这没有任何意义，我只是看着她，感觉到......一些东西。"
“You’re hopeless,” Rampage said with a shake of her head. “Fine. I’ll play nice.” She swayed her glittery razor-wire-wrapped tail. “Oh… and chessmaster Blackjack? You have snot on your butt.”
"你没希望了,"狂暴摇摇头说。"好吧。我会乖乖的。"她摇晃着用铁丝网包着的闪闪发光的尾巴。"哦......还有棋王黑杰克？你屁股上有鼻涕。"
I glanced back behind me, ears flattening as I glared at her. “It’s only because I’m plotting! Plotting the plots of… plotness!” I said as she walked towards the cottage. “Just you wait! Nopony’s gonna see this plot coming!”
我回头看了看身后，眼睛盯着她，耳朵竖得很低。"只是因为我在密谋！策划阴谋......阴谋!"我边说边向小屋走去。"你等着瞧吧！不会有人看到这一幕的!"
* * *
* * *
Once I’d dealt with the boogers on my butt -- honestly, I had a cold! Couldn’t they cut me a break? -- I headed into town, where I heard the delightful sound of Charity getting murdered. Okay, technically it wasn’t delight, but could anypony blame me if I did feel just a bit pleased?
一旦我处理了屁股上的鼻屎----说实话，我感冒了！他们就不能让我休息一下吗？我走进城里，在那里我听到了查瑞蒂被谋杀的欢快的声音。好吧，技术上来说，这并不是喜悦，但如果我真的感到有点高兴，会有人责怪我吗？
“You… you’re trying to take advantage of me!” Charity cried as she stood on a stack of crates. “I work… and I slave… and I try so hard to get caps for town… and you want thirty caps for a landmine?” She sat hard, bawling as twenty assorted foals and fillies watched on. “Why are you being so mean to me?”
"你...你想占我便宜!"当她站在一堆板条箱上时，她哭了。"我工作......我努力工作......我努力为球队争取帽子......你想为一颗地雷争取三十顶帽子?"她紧紧地坐着，在二十匹各色的小马驹和小雌马的注视下嚎啕大哭。"你为什么对我这么刻薄?"
“I’m not trying to take advantage of you!” P-21 sputtered, red in the face. “Twenty caps is too low! Even thirty is too low!” he protested as he raised his hooves. “Stop crying! I’m just trying for what’s fair! Twenty five caps. Twenty three?”
"我不是想占你便宜!"P-21气急败坏，满脸通红。"二十帽太低了！即使是三十也太低了!"他抬起蹄子抗议道。"别哭了！我只是为了公平而努力！25顶帽子。23岁?"
“You… you… you’re trying to rob me… you rob little ponies! How can you be so mean?” the unicorn bawled as she rubbed her eyes.
"你...你...你想抢劫我...你抢劫小马！你怎么能这么刻薄呢?"她揉着眼睛，独角兽放声大哭。
P-21 wavered and then slumped. “Fine. Twenty caps.”
P-21摇摆不定，然后暴跌。"好吧。二十帽子。"
And just like that, the tears stopped and she said happily, “Deal.” Hopping off the crates, she trotted towards her bag, muttering, “Stable ponies is so easy.”
就这样，眼泪止住了，她高兴地说:"成交。"她跳下板条箱，小跑着走向她的包，喃喃自语道:"稳定的小马很容易。"
“She’s not a pony,” P-21 muttered. “She’s some kind of bottle cap collecting monstrosity.”
"她不是一匹小马,"P-21咕哝着。"她是个收集怪物的瓶盖。"
“She’ll own the Wasteland someday,” I agreed solemnly as I sat beside him. “So… what’d you buy?”
"总有一天她会拥有这片荒原的,"我坐在他身边，严肃地表示同意。"那么......你买了什么?"
“Believe it or not, these fillies have dug up some decent stuff. I was just hoping to hang on to some more mines rather than sell them all,” he said as she returned with a huge stack of caps and set them on the crates. “Is that all my caps? All two thousand?”
"信不信由你，这些小姑娘挖出了一些不错的东西。我只是希望能留下更多的地雷，而不是全部卖掉。"他说着，她拿着一大叠帽子回来，把它们放在板条箱上。"我的帽子都在这儿了吗？所有的2000美元?"
“You don’t trust me?” she asked, her eyes going wide with hurt.
"你不相信我?"她问道，眼睛因为受伤而睁得大大的。
He smirked and narrowed his eyes. “Oh no. You’re not getting me with the waterworks this time.”
他得意地笑了笑，眯起眼睛。"哦，不。这次你别想用眼泪把我弄哭了。"
And then Charity sighed, a soft little heartbroken catch in her voice. “I knew I’d never get away with it. I mean, we try so hard to get ahead here… but I know all too well how tough things are.” She turned and started to walk slowly back towards her store. “I’ll get the rest of them…” It sounded like he’d demanded her prized teddy bear or something! Even I looked at him with disdain, and these were our caps!
接着，查瑞蒂叹了口气，声音里带着一丝伤心。"我知道我逃不掉的。我的意思是，我们如此努力地想在这里取得成功......但我太清楚事情有多艰难了。"她转过身，开始慢慢地朝她的店走去。"我去拿剩下的......"听起来好像他要求得到她珍贵的泰迪熊之类的东西！连我都鄙夷地看着他，这是我们的帽子！
He lowered his head and gave a grunt of defeat. “Nevermind,” he muttered, putting the caps in his saddlebags.
他低下头，咕哝了一声，表示失败。"没关系,"他喃喃自语，把帽子放进他的鞍囊里。
“Come again!” she replied brightly as she and four other Crusaders pushed the cart loaded with landmines into the post office.
"下次再来!"她和另外四个十字军战士推着装满地雷的手推车进了邮局。
“You should have seen me the first time. She charged me for a bottle of water that she gave as a gift to Priest,” I replied, looking at the boxes. “So what’d you buy?”
"你应该看看我第一次的样子。她向我收了一瓶水的钱，那是她送给牧师的礼物。"我看着那些盒子回答道。"那你买了什么?"
“Some ammunition, a magazine extender for your twelve gauge, some more dynamite for me, and some barding for you and Glory.”
"一些弹药，一个十二口径的弹夹扩充器，一些给我的炸药，还有一些给你和晨辉。"
“What about you?” I asked as I nudged open the box and pulled out some light black leather armor. A little closer to ‘raider’ fashion than I liked. A pony could get shot wearing this if she wasn’t careful.
"你呢?"我一边问，一边用肘轻轻推开箱子，拿出一些浅黑色的皮甲。比我喜欢的更接近"袭击者"的时尚。如果一匹小马不小心的话，穿着这个可能会被打死。
“If I get hit at all, it’s ‘cause I got noticed. I’ll just stay nice and quiet in the background while you three get shot up. That way it’s my own damn fault if something happens to me.”
"如果我真的被打了，那是因为我被注意到了。你们三个挨枪子儿的时候我就乖乖地待在后面。这样一来，如果我出了什么事，就是我自己的错了。"
I looked at the black leather barding. “Well, I suppose it’ll do till we get to Megamart. I wonder if we can spray-paint ‘good guys, don’t shoot us’ on it?”
我看了看黑色的皮条。"好吧，我想在我们到达Megamart之前还是可以的。我想知道我们能不能在上面喷上'好人，别杀我们'的字样?"
He looked at me with a smirk. “Blackjack. That’s Glory’s barding.”
他冷笑着看着我。"黑杰克。这就是晨辉的抵押。"
“This?” I looked at it in shock. “P-21, she can’t wear this!” It was… ugly. I could only hope it was some sort of disguise or something.
"这个?"我震惊地看着它。"P-21，她不能穿这个!"太...难看了。我只能希望这是某种伪装或什么的。
“It’s what she asked for,” he replied with a shrug. “She wanted something that looked like she could kick tail. Personally, I think it’s going to take more than clothes for her to be able to do that. No, your barding is in the other box.”
"这是她要求的,"他耸耸肩回答。"她想要一些看起来能让她甩尾巴的东西。就我个人而言，我认为要做到这一点，光靠衣服是不够的。不，你的帐单在另一个箱子里。"
I put the black leather aside. Honestly, it looked more like it was for sex work in Stable 69 than something Glory should be wearing to stay alive. I levitated that box aside and opened up the metal crate beneath it.
我把黑色的皮革放在一边。老实说，它看起来更像是为了性工作在Stable69，而不是Glory为了生存应该穿的衣服。我把那个箱子悬浮起来，打开下面的金属箱子。
Black and blue beauty greeted my eyes. This armor wasn’t just reinforced security barding, it was actual combat police armor, like I’d seen on the back pages of the Ironshod Firearms catalogues. Magically treated black ceramic plates on a matte blue kevlar jacket. This was armor for my whole body and wouldn’t leave my belly exposed. Blueblood couldn’t… okay. Not thinking about it. Not thinking about guts spilling out all…
黑色和蓝色的美映入我的眼帘。这种盔甲不只是加强了安全防护，它是真正的战斗警察盔甲，就像我在铁鞋火器目录的背页上看到的那样。奇迹般地处理黑色陶瓷板上磨砂的蓝色凯夫拉尔夹克。这是我全身的盔甲，不会让我的腹部暴露在外。蓝血贵族不能...好吧。不去想它。不去想内脏会全部流出来..。
I smacked myself hard, much to the alarm of P-21. I took a deep breath, trying to will my heart to slow. “Sorry, just making sure this wasn’t a dream.” He looked skeptical as I pulled out the pieces of blue armor and saw that, to make the icing perfect, ‘Aegis Security’ had already been printed upon the plates. “Oh, I could kiss you!” I said as I hefted the armor.
我狠狠地打了自己一巴掌，这完全是P-21的警告。我深深地吸了一口气，试图让我的心慢下来。"对不起，我只是想确认一下这不是个梦。"当我拿出蓝色盔甲的碎片时，他看起来很怀疑，看到为了让糖霜更完美,"宙斯盾安全防护"已经印在了车牌上。"哦，我真想吻你!"我一边说一边举起了盔甲。
“Yeah. Please don’t,” he said, raising his hoof to ward me away as I wiggled into the combat armor. “Does it fit?”
"是的。"请不要这样,"他说着，抬起他的蹄子挡开了我，我正在扭动身子穿上战斗盔甲。"合身吗?"
I blinked and then looked back at him. “You know what’s weird… barding always fits. I have to wonder if there’s some kind of ‘one size fits all’ spell made into these things.” Cinching it up under my belly, I had to admit that it was a little heavy, but not as much as the reinforced security barding had been. It had a sling for a shotgun on the left side, and a loop for a baton that would hold my dragon claw on the right. It even had saddlebags with pockets for holding healing and restoration potions as well as chems.
我眨了眨眼，然后回头看着他。"你知道最奇怪的是什么吗......barding总是很合适。我不得不怀疑，这些东西是否有某种'一刀切'的魔法。"我不得不承认，它有点重，但没有加固的安全防护栏那么重。它的左边有一个散弹枪的吊索，右边有一个握住我的龙爪的指挥棒的环。它甚至还有带口袋的马鞍包，用来装治疗药水、修复药水和药水。
As I redistributed my stuff, I told him about the Star House. He smiled. Then I told him about why Rampage hadn’t been seen around town. He stopped smiling. And then I told him about Lacunae. He seemed more upset about her than about what Rampage had told me. “How do you know this Goddess thing isn’t some kind of trick?”
当我重新分配我的东西时，我告诉他星空之家的事情。他笑了。然后我告诉他为什么狂暴没有在镇上出现。他停止了微笑。然后我告诉他关于缺陷的事。比起斯皮格告诉我的事情，他似乎更担心她。"你怎么知道这个女神不是什么把戏?"
“I gave her a chance to attack me and she didn’t take it,” I replied as I snapped the combat helmet into place. Thankfully, my glasses still covered my faintly glowing eyes. “I don’t know. She’s strange. I want to figure her out.”
"我给了她一个攻击我的机会，但她没有接受,"我一边回答，一边迅速把作战头盔放回原位。谢天谢地，我的眼镜还遮住了我那微微发光的眼睛。"我不知道。她很奇怪。我想了解她。"
He sighed. “Does she seem like she has some psychological or emotional problem that you think you can help her with?”
他叹了口气。"她看起来像是有心理或情感问题，你认为你能帮助她解决吗?"
I sat, tapping my hooves in front of me as I flushed. “Maybe…”
我坐在那里，一边刷着脸，一边轻敲着我的蹄子。"也许......"
“Of course she does. And is she sad?”
"她当然知道。她难过吗?"
I rubbed my nose as I awkwardly said, “A little. Maybe. Just a bit?”
我擦擦鼻子，尴尬地说:"有一点。也许吧。就一点点?"
“Blackjack, are you trying to turn us into the deadliest band of angsty whiny ponies to wander the Wasteland?”
"黑杰克，你是想把我们变成最致命的一群愤怒的小马，让我们在荒原上游荡吗?"
“Maybe,” I replied, and he sighed as he facehoofed. “What? It could work. Bad ponies could see us coming and go, ‘Oh Goddesses, no way I want to mess with them because then she’ll start crying, she’ll be suicidal, and then he’ll blow us all to the moon!’ I know I wouldn’t want to tangle with that.”
"也许吧,"我回答，他面对着我叹了口气。"什么？这可能行得通。坏小马可以看到我们来来去去,'哦，女神，我不想和它们混在一起，因为那样她会开始哭泣，她会有自杀倾向，然后他会把我们都吹到月亮上去我知道我不想和这件事纠缠在一起。"
He tried to suppress his laugh, shaking his head, and then sighed. “Alright. Just… please keep on your hooves, and make sure this isn’t another Lancer or Caprice.” That certainly helped sober me up a bit, and he passed me the twelve gauge ammo he’d picked up. Trust was good. Trust that gets eleven zebras executed, not good.
他试图抑制自己的笑声，摇了摇头，然后叹了口气。"好吧。只是......请保持你的蹄子，并确保这不是另一个枪骑兵或任性。"这确实让我清醒了一点，他递给我他拿来的十二口径的弹药。信任是好的。相信十一匹斑马会被处决，这可不好。
* * *
* * *
Speaking of zebras…
说到斑马..。
I really didn’t expect to see Sekashi kick Glory in the face when I encountered the pair. My eyes widened as I went for my dragon claw before a pink pony in my saddlebags bucked me upside my head and I noticed Sekashi wasn’t pressing her attack.
当我遇到这两个人的时候，我真的没有想到会看到Sekashi把Glory踢到脸上。我睁大了眼睛，伸手去拿我的龙爪，一匹装在马鞍袋里的粉红色小马突然从我的头顶跳了出来，我注意到Sekashi并没有发起攻击。
“You are rushing, Fallen Bird. Do not be in such a hurry to hit me that you fail to connect,” the zebra said as Glory picked herself up out of the yellow grass. Sekashi glanced at me, her smile widening before looking back at Glory. The gray pegasus hadn’t noticed me approaching while she was picking herself out of the grass. “Why do you wish for this, Fallen Bird? You are not a fighter like your friends.”
"你在奔跑，堕落的鸟儿。不要这么急着打我，以至于你连接不上,"斑马说着，晨辉从黄色的草丛中爬了起来。Sekashi瞥了我一眼，她的笑容在回头看Glory之前变得更加灿烂了。灰色的飞马在从草丛中爬出来的时候没有注意到我的靠近。"你为什么许这个愿，堕落的鸟？你不像你的朋友那样是个斗士。"
Glory shook herself hard. “I told you! I’m sick of being useless all the time.”
晨辉狠狠地摇晃着自己。"我告诉过你！我讨厌总是一无是处。"
Glory? Useless?
晨辉？没用？
“Back in the mansion, I survived only so long as Rampage was around. The second she wasn’t I got stuck in a stove!” she said as she started to shake. “I couldn’t even help Blackjack against Blueblood. He cut me without even looking back, and I just sat there as he gutted her! I nearly got her killed!” Glory shouted back.
"回到宅邸，只要狂暴还在，我就能活下来。她不在的那一刻，我就被困在炉子里了!"她边说边开始颤抖。"我甚至无法帮助黑杰克对抗蓝血。他没有回头看我，我只是坐在那里，看着他把她开膛破肚！我差点害死她!"晨辉回应了他。
“It is a poor fighter who forsakes their strength for a weakness, though I know very funny stories of fighters who do just so,” the zebra said with a wistful smile. “Perhaps I should write a tale of the Fallen Bird, who wished to fight like the dogs because she thought her wings too weak.” Her green eyes looked back at Glory. “Ah, but how would the story end?”
"这是一个为了一个弱点而放弃力量的可怜的战士，尽管我知道一些非常有趣的故事，那些战士就是这样做的,"斑马露出渴望的微笑说。"也许我应该写一个关于倒下的鸟的故事，她想像狗一样战斗，因为她认为她的翅膀太弱了。"她绿色的眼睛回望着格洛里。"啊，但是故事的结局会是怎样呢?"
Glory panted and hung her head. “I don’t want to hear stories! I… I saw what that… that… wh… wh… that slut was trying to pull. I knew it was Caprice and I didn’t tell her! She does everything for me. She saved my life and I just stood there as she was dying in front of me on the road. Rampage got her to Scalpel, not me. P-21 killed Blueblood. Not me.” She sat down hard, hanging her head as she started to cry. “I can’t do anything.”
晨辉气喘吁吁地低下了头。"我不想听故事！我。.我看到那个...那个...那个...那个荡妇想要拉的东西。我知道是凯普莱斯，但我没有告诉她！她为我做了一切。她救了我的命，而我只是站在那里，看着她在路上死在我面前。狂暴让她去找手术刀，不是我。P-21杀死了蓝血贵族。不是我。"她重重地坐了下来，低着头，开始哭起来。"我什么也做不了。"
“You caught me,” I said softly as I walked up beside her, taking off the helmet.
"你抓住我了,"我轻声说，走到她身边，摘下头盔。
Damn thing was uncomfortable.
这该死的东西让人不舒服。
“Oh my! Look at the sun! I believe I owe the Crusaders a story about two friends helping one and other. Excellent story. Very funny. Remind me to tell you some time!” the zebra said as she turned and trotted away. “Such a pity I cannot hear what two friends say to one another!”
"哦，我的天！看看太阳！我想我欠十字军一个关于两个朋友互相帮助的故事。精彩的故事。非常有趣。提醒我什么时候告诉你!"斑马一边说，一边转身小跑开了。"真可惜，我听不见两个朋友对彼此说什么!"
I walked to her and lifted the black, spiked barding from the bag. “So, I’m guessing this isn’t some sort of disguise thing,” I said as I sat down beside her. She turned her head away from me. “And I’m guessing that ‘Fallen Glory’ isn’t so much about keeping your identity secret as trying to be all tough?”
我走到她跟前，从袋子里拿出黑色的，带刺的东西。"所以，我猜这不是什么伪装,"我在她身边坐下时说。她把头转过去不看我。"我猜，《堕落的晨辉》与其说是为了保守自己的身份秘密，不如说是为了表现得强硬一些?"
“I have to be tougher, Blackjack. For you. I...” She flushed as she stood. “You do everything. You get shot, blown up, cut up, hunted and betrayed… and all I do is… nothing. I feel… I feel like I’m still trapped in that oven and just waiting for the monster to eat me. Like I can’t live if somepony doesn’t come by and save me!” she said as she started to shake. She lifted her hooves, watching them tremble. “I… I can’t… I can’t even… stop…”
"我必须更强硬，Blackjack。给你的。我。。」她站起来脸红了。"你什么都做。你被枪杀，被炸死，被分尸，被追捕，被出卖...而我所做的一切...什么都没有。我感觉......我感觉自己还困在烤箱里，等着怪物把我吃掉。如果没有马来救我，我就活不下去了!"她边说边开始颤抖。她抬起蹄子，看着它们颤抖。"我.....。.我不能...我甚至不能...停下来..."
I did what worked for me. I hugged her. I held her as she quaked in my limbs. She wanted to be stronger. She wanted to be better. “You help me, Glory. Whether it’s with your beam guns or with just being good and loyal, you help me.” I stroked her mane, and then looked into her eyes. Despite Priest’s healing magic, a thin scar remained, running from her brow to her cheek. She’d nearly lost an eye to the strike.
我只是做了对我有用的事。我拥抱了她。我抱着她，她在我的四肢中颤抖。她想变得更坚强。她想变得更好。"你帮帮我，晨辉。不管是用你的激光枪，还是只是出于善良和忠诚，你都会帮助我。"我抚摸着她的鬃毛，然后看着她的眼睛。尽管普里斯特有治愈的魔力，一道薄薄的疤痕还是留了下来，从她的额头一直延伸到脸颊。罢工几乎使她失去了一只眼睛。
She kissed me. It was probably the most awkward kiss in the history of pony kisses.
她吻了我。这可能是小马亲吻史上最尴尬的一个吻。
I was so shocked that I barely moved, and she pulled away, her budding hope crumbling in the face of my stupor.
我震惊得几乎动弹不得，她推开了我，她含苞待放的希望在我的昏迷面前崩溃了。
“I’m sorry… I guess… I guess I can’t even control myself,” she muttered as she looked away.
"对不起......我想......我想我甚至控制不了自己,"她低声说着，转过头去。
“No! I’m… I… just… didn’t know you felt that way." I was certainly stunned by it; as awkward as the kiss had been, there was no mistaking the emotion that had been behind it.
"不！我...我..。.只是...不知道你是这么想的"我当然被这个吻震惊了，虽然这个吻很尴尬，但是毫无疑问，这个吻背后隐藏着一种情感。
“And… do you feel the same?” she asked in a tiny, hopeful voice. And if I was
"那么......你也有同样的感觉吗?"她用充满希望的微弱声音问道。如果我是的话
honest, I’d crush her.
说实话，我会毁了她的。
“I… don’t know how I feel, Glory.”
"我.....。.不知道我的感受，晨辉。"
“I know you like mares. You were with her after all,” she said with a flush. “I could… do that…”
"我知道你喜欢母马。你终究还是和她在一起,"她脸红地说。"我可以......那么做......"
Oh Goddesses, Glory was actually trying to proposition me? “Caprice was sex. Mutual masturbation. She made me feel good, but nothing my own hoof couldn’t do for me. We were just using each other,” I said as I struggled to somehow defuse this emotional dynamite factory before it all blew up and she was crying… or worse. “I don’t want to use you like that, Glory.”
哦，女神们，晨辉实际上是在试图向我求婚？"反复无常就是性。相互自慰。她让我感觉很好，但没有什么是我自己的蹄子不能为我做的。我们只是在利用彼此,"我一边说，一边努力平息这个情绪化的炸药工厂，然后它就爆炸了，她哭了...或者更糟。"我不想那样利用你，晨辉。"
And crush. She didn’t have to say a word. She lowered her head, dropped her gaze, her shoulders hunched and her front legs rubbed against each other. “I see… sorry.”
还有粉碎。她一句话也不用说。她低下头，低下眼睛，耸起肩膀，两条前腿互相摩擦。"我明白了......对不起。"
Urrrgh. Was that as annoying for everypony else when I did it? “No, Glory. You don’t have to apologize. For anything,” I said as I hugged her as platonically as I could. “It’s just… yeah. I have sex with mares. And stallions. It’s all fun. But… you’re different. You’re special, Glory. And every single pony I’ve… been with… was just sex. That’s all it’s ever been. If I were with you… if we were together… I’m afraid it’d be the same. Then you’d stop being my friend and then you’d leave. And I don’t want you to leave…”
Urrrgh.当我这么做的时候，是不是和其他小马一样讨厌？"不，晨辉。你不必道歉。无论如何,"我一边说，一边尽可能像柏拉图式地拥抱她。"只是......是的。我和母马做爱。还有种马。这一切都很有趣。但是...你不一样。你很特别，晨辉。和我在一起的每一匹小马都只是性。一直都是这样的。如果我和你在一起......如果我们在一起......恐怕也是一样。然后你就不再是我的朋友，然后你就会离开。我不希望你离开......"
“So...” She fidgeted. “What now?”
"那么......"她坐立不安。"现在怎么办?"
I sighed and chuckled. “I don’t have a clue. I’m not the smart pony, remember.” Be kind. “Right now, it’s something to think about. But what I’m more worried about is you feeling like you’re useless. You’re not useless, Glory. You’re the only pony in the Wasteland that has a clue how to deal with the raider disease. You keep me going when I’m doing everything short of falling on my face. Heck, even when I am falling on my face.”
我叹了口气，轻声笑了。"我不知道。记住，我不是一匹聪明的小马。"善待他人。"现在，这是值得思考的问题。但我更担心的是你觉得自己一无是处。你不是没用的，晨辉。你是这片荒原上唯一一匹知道如何对付突袭者疾病的小马。当我做任何事情的时候，你总是让我坚持下去，除了摔个狗吃屎。见鬼，甚至当我摔个狗吃屎的时候。"
“I guess so. Though I don’t know what good I am with the disease. I’d need a lab and months of work to come up with a treatment.” She looked at the black barding. “I’m just sick of seeing you get hurt protecting others when I can’t do anything to protect you.”
"我想是的。虽然我不知道我对这种疾病有什么好处。我需要一个实验室和几个月的工作才能找到治疗方法。"她看着那条黑条。"我只是厌倦了看到你为了保护别人而受伤，而我却无能为力。"
“Don’t worry about it. I’m Security. It’s part of the job,” I said, giving her the
"别担心。我是保安。这是工作的一部分。"
easiest-going grin I could.
我可以咧着嘴笑。
She sighed and shook her head sadly. “Oh, Blackjack…” She was smiling, so why did I feel like I’d said the wrong thing?
她叹了口气，伤心地摇了摇头。"哦，黑杰克......"她微笑着，那么为什么我觉得我说错了话？
I told her about Rampage and Lacunae, and we were both grateful for the change in topic. Her caution mirrored P-21’s, but she seemed far more interested in the Star House. “You say there are pictures there from the moon? From the actual moon?” In her excitement, she seemed to forget all about the awkward patch we’d stumbled upon.
我告诉她关于《狂暴》和《空白》的事，我们都很感激话题的转变。她的谨慎反映了P-21的谨慎，但她似乎对星宫更感兴趣。"你说那里有从月球来的照片？从真正的月球上?"在她兴奋的时候，她似乎忘记了我们曾经偶然发生的尴尬的关系。
“Well, it looked like they were from the moon, and from the newspapers she’d kept it seemed like it. Why? Does it matter?”
"嗯，它们看起来像是从月球上来的，从报纸上看，她一直保存着它们。为什么？这重要吗?"
“Well, we thought that the Equestrian Space Program was a hoax, just a way to stir up public support during the war that got axed when it failed to produce weapons or a boost to morale like it was designed to. We didn’t even know if Marigold existed or if the scandal was just a way for the program leaders to wash their hands of a wasted experiment. I mean, the launch center is real enough. I think there’s a ghoul village there called Rocket Town. You can see it from the Skyport. But I never thought in a million years that those rockets could actually fly.”
"嗯，我们认为马术太空计划是一个骗局，只是在战争期间激起公众支持的一种方式，当它没能生产出武器时就被砍掉了，或者像它设计的那样鼓舞士气。我们甚至不知道玛丽戈尔德是否真的存在，或者这个丑闻只是项目领导者摆脱浪费实验的一种方式。我的意思是，发射中心足够真实。我想那里有个叫火箭镇的食尸鬼村。你可以从空中港口看到。但我从未想过这些火箭真的能飞起来。"
“Apparently they did, once,” I said, glad to see that she hadn’t put on the dreadful barding and happy that she’d cheered up a bit. “What do a bunch of ghouls want with rockets?”
"很显然，他们做过一次,"我说，很高兴看到她没有披上那可怕的外衣，也没有因为她高兴了一点而高兴。"一群食尸鬼要火箭干什么?"
“Oh, they’re some sort of cult or something. Plan to fly to the ‘great beyond’ or to some far off promised land. Since most of the space center is radioactive, we never went there. But Orion’s Herd is decent enough if you don’t mind ghouls.” From her shiver, it was clear there were some ghouls worth minding.
"哦，他们是某种邪教或什么的。计划飞往'伟大的超越'或一些遥远的应许之地。因为太空中心的大部分都是放射性的，我们从来没有去过那里。但如果你不介意食尸鬼的话，猎户座的鹿群就足够体面了。"从她的颤抖中，很明显有一些食尸鬼值得关注。
“Well, let’s get you some barding that’s actually protective and not something that makes you look like a raider,” I said as we headed towards the post office. Harpica strolled along with the ghoul foals in two rows behind her, and she gave us a very soft and polite greeting. Since arriving, the little ghouls had been quite well behaved and seemed too scared to wander off. A world that was more than four walls was an intimidating concept; I knew that firsthoof.
"好吧，让我们给你一些实际上是保护性的东西，而不是让你看起来像一个突袭者的东西,"我说，当我们去邮局的时候。哈皮卡和后面两排的食尸鬼小马驹一起散步，她给了我们一个非常温柔礼貌的问候。自从到达以后，这些小食尸鬼表现得很好，似乎很害怕不敢离开。一个超过四面墙的世界是一个令人生畏的概念;我知道第一点。
Still, at least the Crusaders were friendly enough and interested both in them and
尽管如此，至少十字军对他们还是很友好，对他们也很感兴趣
me. A blue colt with a cutie mark of a pitcher of pouring water even played with my black and red streaked tail curiously.
我。一匹蓝色的小马驹带着一个可爱的标记，上面有一罐倒水，它甚至好奇地摆弄着我那条红黑相间的尾巴。
Inside the post office, my eyes met Charity’s and we narrowed our gazes in unison. I licked my lips. She chewed slowly on a candy cane sticking out the side of her mouth. I walked to the counter and set the barding on it. “I want to make an exchange.”
在邮局里，我的目光遇到了查瑞特，我们齐心协力地眯起了眼睛。我舔了舔嘴唇。她慢慢地咀嚼着从嘴边伸出来的拐杖糖。我走到柜台前，把帐单放在上面。"我想做个交换。"
She neither said a word nor took her eyes from mine nor blinked. She just swung the candy cane around to point the tip at a sign on the counter that read ‘all sales are final.’
她一句话也不说，眼睛也不离开我，也不眨一下眼睛。她只是把拐杖转过来，把小费指向柜台上的一个牌子，上面写着"所有的销售都是最终的"
“Look. I don’t like you. You don’t like me. I get that,” I said quietly as I pulled down my glasses a little to look her in the eye. “But see that pegasus back there? That really nice pegasus? I like her, and I want to keep her safe. That means dressing her in some barding that doesn’t make her look like a raider. So I want an exchange.”
"你看。我不喜欢你。你不喜欢我。我明白,"我轻声说，同时把眼镜放下一点，看着她的眼睛。"但是看到后面那匹飞马了吗？那匹漂亮的飞马？我喜欢她，我想保证她的安全。这意味着给她穿上不会让她看起来像袭击者的护身符。所以我想做个交换。"
She just chewed slowly on the end of her peppermint stick. “Your friend… she mute?”
她只是在她的薄荷棒的末端慢慢地咀嚼。"你的朋友...她是哑巴?"
“Huh…?”
"嗯......?"
“Mute. Can she talk?” Charity demanded.
"静音。她会说话吗?"慈善机构问道。
“Yeah…”
"是啊......"
“Feebleminded then?” the little filly queried.
"那就是弱智了?"小姑娘问道。
“No, but…”
"不，但是......"
“Fillyphobic?”
"填充恐惧症?"
“Look…”
"听着......"
Charity chewed up the rest of the peppermint stick. “I’m just trying to figure out… if this is for her, why are youthe one doing the talking?”
Charity把剩下的薄荷棒嚼碎了。"我只是想弄明白......如果这是为了她，为什么是你在说话?"
Glory blinked and then stepped up past me. “Hello. Um… I need better armor than this,” she said as she pointed at the black barding.
格洛里眨眨眼，然后从我身边走过。"你好。嗯......我需要比这件更好的盔甲,"她一边说一边指着那件黑色的铠甲。
“Welcome to Charity’s, where we ain’t,” she said with a polite smile. “You need better barding than this?”
"欢迎来到'慈善'餐厅，我们不在这里,"她礼貌地笑着说。"你需要比这更好的抵押吗?"
“Well, yes please,” Glory said in surprise. “Something light.”
"哦，好的，谢谢。"晨辉惊讶地说。"轻一点的。"
Charity walked to a shelf behind the counter and pulled out something light blue.
走到柜台后面的一个架子上，拿出一件浅蓝色的东西。
It had been patched up more than a few times, but it seemed tailored for pegasi.
它已经被修补过好几次了，但似乎是为飞马座量身定做的。
“How’s that?” A faded patch on the shoulder read ‘Equestrian Skyguard’.
"怎么样?"肩膀上有一块褪色的补丁，上面写着"骑马的空中护卫"。
“I…” She took it and looked it over, then back at me, then at Charity. “It’s good.
"我.....。。」她拿过来看了看，然后又看了看我，然后又看了看Charity。"这很好。
How much?” I braced myself.
多少钱?"我振作起来。
“Eh, we’ll call it a swap. You need beam guns too, I hear?” My butt hit the ground about the same time as my jaw. “Beam pistols all right? Saddle-rigged?” Glory smiled gratefully at the filly and nodded. The filly put two of the boxy weapons, minus mouth grips, on top of the barding. “Four hundred caps and I’ll even throw in some gem cartridges.” Glory dug into her saddlebags for the caps as I just gaped.
"嗯，我们就叫它交换吧。你也需要光束枪，我听见了吗?"我的屁股和下巴差不多是同时撞到地面的。"光束手枪还好吧？鞍式装备?"晨辉感激地冲那匹小马笑了笑，点了点头。小母马把两个四四方方的武器----没有嘴的握把----放在马厩的顶上。"400个帽子，还有一些宝石弹壳。"晨辉在她的鞍囊里翻找帽子，我却目瞪口呆。
“Thank you! And thank you, Blackjack. Again… for everything.” She gave a little squeal. “Oh I can’t wait to rig these on my battle saddle.”
"谢谢！谢谢你Blackjack。再一次......为所有的一切。"她发出一声尖叫。"哦，我等不及要把这些装在我的战斗马鞍上了。"
I just stared at the filly behind the counter. “Why?” It was all I could say just now.
我只是盯着柜台后面的小母马。"为什么?"我刚才只能说这么多。
The filly looked at me coolly. “She needed the deal. You and your friend didn’t. You were just after caps. So I was just after caps. That’s what Bottlecap taught me,” she said before thumping her hoof on the counter. “Now are you going to buy something, or am I going to charge you for loitering? Ten caps a minute, starting now!” I ran for my wealth!
小母马冷冷地看着我。"她需要这笔交易。你和你的朋友没有。你只是想要帽子。所以我只是想要帽子。这就是Bottlecap教给我的,"她说，然后重重地用蹄子敲了敲柜台。""现在你是要买东西呢，还是要我收你游手好闲的费用？一分钟十次，现在就开始!"我为了我的财富而奔跑！
* * *
* * *
I felt a little bit… itchy. Not in a mane sort of itchy so much as an it’s-been-a-good-day-and-nopony’s-shot-at-me kinda itchy. I was starting to feel a little bit overdue for something bad to happen to me, but the skies were dry and most of the Crusaders and the few adults were getting ready for Roses’s funeral in the afternoon. So why was I feeling so jumpy at everything being… ordinary? Had I been so stressed for so long that I was starting to anticipate threats that weren’t there?
我觉得有点...痒。不是那种鬃毛让人发痒的感觉，而是那种"今天过得不错"和"小马驹向我开枪"的感觉。我开始觉得有点迟到了，不好的事情会发生在我身上，但是天空很干燥，大多数十字军战士和少数几个成年人正在为下午的玫瑰花的葬礼做准备。那么，为什么我对一切都感到如此紧张......平凡？我是不是压力太大了，以至于开始预料到根本不存在的威胁？
Then the skywagon swooped over the town once, and before I knew it my revolver was out. It was the Enclave! They’d finally…
然后那辆空中货车从城镇上空俯冲过来一次，不知不觉我的左轮手枪就开了膛。这就是飞地！他们终于..。
…sent a delivery wagon pulled by a ghoul pegasus? ‘Absolutely Everything. Yes, I do deliveries!’ was painted on its side. I looked at my gun and at the sight of a lavender filly climbing out of the back of the wagon and found myself starting to shake. Deus was dead. Blueblood was dead. The Zodiacs hadn’t jumped at me in a while, and I had yet to find out what monster of the day Sanguine had waiting in the wings. Just breathe.
派了一辆由食尸鬼帕伽索斯拉的运货马车？绝对的一切。是的，我送外卖被画在了它的侧面。我看了看我的枪，看到一只薰衣草小母马从马车后面爬出来，发现自己开始发抖。天王死了。贵族已经死了。黄道带上的生肖已经有一段时间没有跳到我身上了，我还没有发现在那一天，血族还有什么怪物在等着我。深呼吸。
“I’ll go get Charity, Ditzy!” the small lavender pony with the blond mane called out as three or four Crusaders rushed to the wagon to help unload boxes.
"我去找Charity，Ditzy!"当三四个十字军战士冲到马车上帮忙卸货时，那匹淡紫色的金发小马大声叫道。
Slowly, I walked closer, looking at the ghoul. Her mane might be almost gone and her wings so much bone, but that googly-eyed expression fit the poster in the post office almost perfectly. Noticing me, she pulled out a piece of chalk from her bags and lifted a slate that hung from a string around her neck.
慢慢地，我走近一些，看着食尸鬼。她的鬃毛可能几乎没有了，她的翅膀有那么多骨头，但是那个瞪大眼睛的表情几乎完全符合邮局的海报。她注意到我，从包里拿出一支粉笔，拿起一块挂在脖子上的石板。
She wrote on the slate and lifted it. ‘Blackjack?’
她在石板上写字，然后拿起来。黑杰克
Slowly, I trotted closer. “That’s me.”
慢慢地，我小跑着走近。"那就是我。"
Rubbing it clean, she dug into her bags for a folded piece of paper and passed it to me. I looked at her and then floated the note in front of me.
她把纸揉得干干净净，从包里掏出一张折叠好的纸递给我。我看着她，然后把那张纸条放在我面前。
Blackjack, I’ve made the arrangements with the person who can assist you with your decryption. She’s very secretive, but has always been trustworthy in our dealings. However, she operates under some paranoid rules. Ditzy will take you to her and then back to Chapel. You have to go alone and unarmed. When you reach the building, you’ll have to go into a memory orb. Then you’ll be taken to her. -Bottlecap.
黑杰克，我已经和能帮你解密的人安排好了。她很神秘，但在我们的交往中总是值得信赖的。然而，她在一些偏执的规则下工作。迪兹会带你去见她，然后再回教堂。你必须一个人去，不能带武器。当你到达大楼时，你必须进入一个记忆球。然后你就会被带到她身边。-Bottlecap.
I looked at the note and then at Ditzy. She blinked her offset eyes at me, then gave me what I assumed was supposed to be a reassuring smile. I sighed and then coughed. “Okay. So I’m with you, then?” I had to admit, even for a trusting fool like me, there were a lot of things that could be going on. But the fact was that if I was going to find out what EC-1101 was, and what Sanguine wanted it for, I’d have to trust them.
我看了看纸条，然后又看了看迪兹。她对我眨了眨眼睛，然后给了我一个我认为应该是让人安心的微笑。我叹了口气，然后咳嗽了一声。"好吧。那么，我同意你的看法了?"我不得不承认，即使像我这样轻信别人的傻瓜，也有很多事情可以做。但事实是，如果我想知道EC-1101是什么，以及桑吉纳想要它做什么，我就必须相信他们。
I gave the ghoul pegasus a smile that she happily returned. “Okay. I’m going to
我对食尸鬼飞马微笑了一下，她很高兴地回应了我。"好吧。我会的
tell my friends and drop off my stuff.” I pointed up the hillside to the southeast. “There’s a house up there where you can pick me up in a little bit.” Ditzy looked where I’d pointed and then nodded. I quickly trotted away to look for my friends.
告诉我的朋友，把我的东西放下"我把山坡指向东南方。"那边有座房子，你一会儿可以来接我。"迪兹看了看我指的地方，然后点了点头。我飞快地跑开去找我的朋友们。
I was pleasantly surprised to find all of them at the Star House. I was more surprised to find that nopony had killed each other. Lacunae sat by the stairs while Rampage cleaned out her old room and P-21 took Priest’s. Glory was working on attaching her new beam pistols to her battle saddle. I had to admit, she looked a lot better in the Skyguard barding than that black monstrosity P-21 had bought for her. Five ponies and only four bedrooms. Oh dear.
我花了6个喜欢·一个人在星空之家找到了他们所有人。我更惊讶地发现没有小马相互残杀。空隙坐在楼梯旁，而狂暴清理她的旧房间，P-21则住进了普里斯特的房间。晨辉正在努力把她的新手枪固定在她的战斗马鞍上。我不得不承认，她在空中护卫队里看起来比给她买的那个黑色怪物P-21好看多了。五匹小马，只有四间卧室。哦，天哪。
I stamped my hooves loudly on the floor. “Well. Good news, everypony...”
我大声地在地板上跺着蹄子。"好吧。好消息，各位......"
Rampage peeked out at me. “You’re pregnant.”
狂暴的暴怒向我窥视。"你怀孕了。"
I blinked and then scowled at the smirking Reaper. “No.”
我眨了眨眼，然后对着得意洋洋的死神皱起了眉头。"没有。"
“You’re drunk?” P-21 asked as he walked out with a box of Priest’s drawings balanced carefully on his back. “You seem pretty happy, but more coherent than I anticipated.”
"你喝醉了?"P-21一边问，一边背上小心地平衡着一盒普里斯特的画。"你看起来很高兴，但比我预期的更有条理。"
“No! I’m not drunk. I’m…”
"不！我没喝醉。我......"
“Oh, please tell me you’re not taking Buck again. I don’t know if Priest can heal the damage like Scalpel,” Glory fretted.
"哦，请告诉我你不会又带走巴克了。我不知道牧师是否能像手术刀那样治愈伤害,"晨辉烦恼道。
I sat with a little scream of annoyance. “I am not pregnant, drunk, or high!” I took a deep breath. “I’m going on a little trip to get EC-1101 decoded. Alone.”
我坐着，发出一声恼怒的尖叫。"我没有怀孕，没有喝醉，也没有嗑药!"我深吸了一口气。"我要出去一趟，把EC-1101解码。一个人。"
The three of them took it about as I expected.
他们三个人的反应和我想象的一样。
“Trusting the alicorn is bad enough, but now you’re going someplace alone, unarmed, and unconscious? What if you’re being sent to Paradise? Deus might be dead, but Usury still has the caps to inspire all sorts of trouble,” P-21 said sharply as he pointed to the door.
"信任独角兽已经够糟糕的了，但是现在你却要独自去一个地方，没有武器，毫无意识？如果你被送往天堂呢？天王可能已经死了，但高利贷仍然有能力制造各种麻烦,"P-21指着门尖锐地说。
“I trust Ditzy Doo to get me safely there and back again. And if I show up armed and with all of you, then she won’t even show.” Still, the more I thought about it the more I didn’t like it. “But... maybe there’s something we can do.”
"我相信迪兹·杜会把我安全地送到那里，然后再送回来。如果我带着武器和你们一起出现，她甚至不会出现。"尽管如此，我越想越不喜欢它。"但是......也许我们能做点什么。"
* * *
* * *
One minute.
一分钟。
That’s how long it took before my brain started screaming at me. The skywagon lifted, and in one minute I was certain I was going to die. Every thought was crushed away by that one impulse that grew and swelled within me. And while I knew that I wasn’t going to be sucked into the clouds while being smashed into paint on the ground, all I could do was scramble for an orb and clutch it to my horn as my heart beat faster and faster. I fought to try and make the connection, even if it was just to unconscious oblivion if the orb was trapped.
过了这么久，我的大脑才开始对我大喊大叫。空中马车升了起来，一分钟之内我就确信自己要死了。我的每一个想法都被一种在我心中滋长膨胀的冲动粉碎了。虽然我知道我不会被吸入云层，而被粉碎在地面上的油漆，我所能做的就是争夺一个球体，抓住它到我的喇叭，因为我的心跳得越来越快。我努力尝试着把这两者联系起来，即使这只是因为球体被捕获而无意识的遗忘。
I wanted to be with Maripony and Big Macintosh. I wanted to be with the Marauders. I wanted to be with Twist and Vanity and Jetstream and Stonewing and even Doof if I had to. I wanted to jump, insane as it was. I’d be happy taking a spin inside Deus, Blueblood or Gorgon or even Sanguine--
我想和马里波尼和大麦金托什在一起。我想和掠夺者在一起。如果有必要的话，我想和Twist，Vanity，Jetstream，Stonewing，甚至Doof在一起。我想跳下去，尽管这很疯狂。我很乐意进入天王、蓝血女、戈根甚至三吉尼的内部
oooOOOooo
噢噢噢
I was lying in a bed. A hospital bed, from the beeping machinery and the feeling of tubes going in and out of my body. Blissful lethargy filled me. I could barely move my head as the sensation of floating filled every limb. Everything felt so… distant. I couldn’t tell who or what I was inside right now, just that I was sprawled on my side on the bed. I had the feeling that there were a lot of ponies standing outside my field of vision, but I couldn’t move to see them.
我躺在床上。医院的病床，哔哔作响的机器和身体里进进出出的管子的感觉。幸福的昏昏欲睡使我心里充满了喜悦。我几乎不能移动我的头，因为漂浮的感觉充满了每一个肢体。一切都感觉如此...遥远。我不知道我此刻在里面的是谁或者是什么，只知道我四仰八叉地躺在床上。我有种感觉，有很多小马站在我的视野之外，但我无法移动去看它们。
Then a maroon unicorn stallion in a white lab coat stepped into view. “A pony truly is a thing of wonder. The arrangement of limbs. The paths of nerves. The circulation of our blood. Magic is in our very bodies and souls. It courses through us. It gave me the ability to alter the universe. Gave you flight.” His magic reached out to dab a cloth at my host’s drooling lips.
这时，一匹穿着白色实验室外套的栗色独角兽种马出现在眼前。"一匹小马真的是一件奇妙的事情。四肢的排列。神经的路径。我们的血液循环。魔法存在于我们的身体和灵魂中。它穿过我们。它给了我改变宇宙的能力。让你飞翔。"他用魔法把一块布擦在主人流口水的嘴唇上。
“Sadly, for all our wonder, our flesh is limited and our souls finite. But this war… this darling war… has offered us an opportunity to expand and explore the very possibilities of life itself. And you are going to play a role in that. You should be honored, Lance Corporal Stonewing,” he said as he adjusted his glasses. “You see, not only are we going to mend your flesh, we are going to enhance it. Empower it.” He patted his cheek softly. “We are going to make you… better.”
"可悲的是，对于我们所有的奇迹，我们的肉体是有限的，我们的灵魂是有限的。但是这场战争......这场亲爱的战争......为我们提供了一个扩展和探索生活本身的可能性的机会。而你将在其中扮演一个角色。"你应该感到荣幸，准下士斯通温,"他一边调整眼镜一边说。"你看，我们不仅要修补你的肉体，还要加强它。赋予它力量。"他轻轻地拍了拍自己的面颊。"我们会让你......变得更好。"
And with that he moved out of my field of sight, his hooves echoing across a tiled floor. The murmuring increased.
说完他就从我的视野中消失了，他的蹄子在瓷砖地板上回响。窃窃私语的声音增多了。
“I don’t like this at all,” a familiar mare’s voice said with an edge of tension as she approached the bed I lay upon. “I want to speak to him.”
"我一点也不喜欢这样,"一匹熟悉的母马走近我躺着的床时紧张地说。"我想和他谈谈。"
“The subject is under heavy sedation for the procedure, Fluttershy. He shouldn’t be conscious. He shouldn’t even be alive, with his spine severed,” another mare said as the pink-haired pegasus stepped in front of my host and lowered her soft blue eyes to meet mine.
"整个过程中，实验对象处于高度镇静状态，Fluttershy。他不应该有意识的。他不应该活着，因为他的脊椎被切断了。"另一匹母马说着，这时粉红色头发的飞马走到我的主人面前，垂下她柔软的蓝色眼睛来迎接我。
Her lips curled slowly, and I felt his curl to match. “Don’t worry, soldier. We’re going to fix you right up. We’re going to make sure you never ever get hurt again.” I felt a rasp in my throat that might have been a question. I didn’t feel… good. What little of my body I could sense felt like it was crawling inside.
她的嘴唇慢慢地卷了起来，我感觉到他卷曲的嘴唇也跟着卷了起来。"别担心，士兵。我们马上就把你治好。我们会确保你再也不会受伤。"我感到喉咙里有刺痛的声音，这可能是一个问题。我感觉不太好。我能感觉到身体的哪一部分像是在里面爬行。
“We’ve got his consent in writing and recording,” the mare with the familiar voice said softly. And then a bright red unicorn mare with a short white trimmed mane stepped into my vision. She wore magenta glasses with glittery plastic frames and a sure smile I didn’t like at all. “Dr. Trueblood’s got the other subject prepared for the megaspell.” A glittery red hoof came to rest on Fluttershy’s shoulder. “We really can’t wait any longer. We’re already committed.”
"我们已经得到了他的同意书面和录音,"母马与熟悉的声音柔和地说。然后一匹鲜红色的有着白色修剪过的鬃毛的独角兽走进了我的视线。她戴着紫红色的眼镜，上面镶着闪闪发光的塑料镜框，脸上挂着我一点也不喜欢的笑容。"特鲁布拉德博士已经把另一个主题准备好了。"一只闪闪发光的红色蹄子停在了小弗特希的肩上。"我们真的不能再等了。我们已经做出了承诺。"
Fluttershy just looked tense. Her eyes were surrounded by wrinkles. Stonewing made another noise of confusion. Something about this was all wrong, and we both knew it.
小萤火虫看起来很紧张。她的眼睛布满了皱纹。石翼又发出一阵混乱的声音。这件事有些不对劲，我们都知道。
The red mare continued softly, “They won’t use your megaspell on the battlefield, Fluttershy. But we can still put it to use to keep ponies safe. That’s what all this is about after all. Keeping ponies safe. And he will be safe, and he’ll be able to keep other ponies safe as well. He won’t even have to kill zebras any more. He’ll stop them with one look. Turn them back with another.”
红色的母马继续轻声地说:"他们不会在战场上使用你的巨盾的，小毛虫。但是我们仍然可以用它来保护小马的安全。这就是所有这一切的意义所在。保护小马的安全。他会很安全，他也能保证其他小马的安全。他甚至不用再杀斑马了。他只要看一眼就能阻止他们。用另一个把他们转回来。"
Fluttershy looked at me a moment longer, her eyes full of both sadness and a terrible kind of need. A need for… something. She wanted this, I realized, but she didn’t want to admit it. Couldn’t admit it. I think that my host realized it too as he breathed harder and faster, trying to say something… anything to stop this. But Fluttershy just backed away and let the nurses and doctors come and gently pull back his sheet and levitate him into the air. I saw jars full of a familiar and disgusting rainbow concoction dripping into a tube that disappeared into my
芙特茜又看了我一会儿，她的眼睛里充满了悲伤和一种可怕的需要。对某种东西的需求。她想要这样，我意识到，但她不想承认。不能承认。我想我的主人也意识到了这一点，他呼吸越来越困难，越来越快，试图说些什么...任何东西来阻止这一切。但是Fluttershy只是往后退了退，让护士和医生过来，轻轻地拉开他的被单，让他悬浮在空中。我看到一罐罐熟悉而恶心的彩虹混合物滴进一个管子里，消失在我的脑海里
limp hoof. Slowly, I was levitated over into the middle of a circle of unicorns.
软蹄。慢慢地，我漂浮在一圈独角兽中间。
I wasn’t alone. Something else floated there as well; something I first thought was some kind of chicken. Then I noticed the wings. The claws. The serpentine body. But before my eyes, it was changing. Bubbling. Melting as if it were made of wax. “Careful,” the medical stallion called out. “You don’t want to liquefy them too much. Remember the last four subjects.”
我不是一个人。还有一种东西浮在那里，我一开始以为是某种鸡。然后我注意到了翅膀。爪子。蛇形的身体。但是在我眼前，一切都变了。冒泡。像蜡一样融化。"小心,"医用种马叫道。"你不会想太多地将它们液化。记住最后四个主题。"
And so was my host. I caught a glimpse of his hoof stretching like wax before my eyes.
我的主人也是。我瞥见他的蹄子像蜡一样伸展在我眼前。
I wanted to cry out, but all he could do was rasp as I felt his body return. They’d said they’d sedated him. They’d lied, or it wasn’t nearly enough. And when sensation returned I felt the violation of the creature being pressed into his body. Flesh twisted as I felt it struggle and thrash for freedom inside him. And it was slow… so horribly slow. The creature felt like it was swimming inside him, as if his flesh were a net it tried to escape from. And worse, I had the distinct feeling of something happening inside my skull. My eyes crawled as I felt the sockets change.
我想大叫一声，但当我感觉到他的身体回来时，他只能用锉刀刺我。他们说给他打了镇静剂。他们撒谎了，或者说这远远不够。当感觉回来的时候，我感觉到那个被压在他身体里的生物的侵犯。当我感觉到他的身体在挣扎和挣扎时，他的身体扭曲了。而且非常缓慢......非常缓慢。这个生物感觉它在他体内游动，仿佛他的肉体是一张它试图逃脱的网。更糟糕的是，我清楚地感觉到我的头骨里发生了什么事情。当我感觉到眼窝的变化时，我的眼睛在蠕动。
“Excellent. He’s blended nicely,” I heard the medical stallion say sharply. “Right. Purge the contaminants and let’s see what comes out of the oven.” The glow dimmed, and I felt something horrid being expelled from my orifices. “Good. Superfluous biological material removed. Everything going exactly as it should.” The stallion stomped his hooves eagerly. “Wonderful. The fusion megaspell is a success!”
"好极了。他混合得很好,"我听到那匹医用种马尖锐地说。"对。清除污染物，让我们看看烤箱里有什么。"灯光暗了下来，我感到有什么可怕的东西从我的小孔里被赶了出来。"很好。去除多余的生物材料。一切都按计划进行。"那匹种马急切地跺着蹄子。"太好了。巨型融合体是一个成功!"
I dropped to the floor in a pile of colorful ichor and fleshy goo and slowly turned my head towards the sound of the stomping. The maroon unicorn in the lab coat seemed quite enthused. Meanwhile, Garnet was escorting Fluttershy to the door. I rose to my shaky hooves… feeling a body that was no longer my own. I tried to talk around a serpentine tongue, tried to call out to Fluttershy. I imagined him begging her to turn him back.
我跌倒在一堆五颜六色的鱼肉和肉粘粘的地板上，慢慢地把我的头转向跺脚的声音。穿着白大褂的栗色独角兽似乎很热情。与此同时，石榴石护送小萤火虫到门口。我颤抖着站起来，感觉到一个不再属于我的身体。我试着绕着一条蛇形的舌头说话，试着大声叫小萤火虫。我想象着他恳求她让他回来。
Then, with one parting glance over her shoulder, Fluttershy left the room with Miss Redhooves.
然后，小毛毛回头瞥了一眼，和雷德霍夫斯小姐一起离开了房间。
A nurse stepped in front of him. “He seems aware, Doctor Trueblood,” she said as she stared into my host’s eyes. Then she jerked and gasped, crying out in pain as her limbs solidified before me.
一个护士走到他前面。"他似乎知道，特鲁布拉德医生,"她盯着主人的眼睛说。然后她抽搐着喘息着，四肢在我面前凝固，痛苦地大叫起来。
“Excellent! Magical traits of the addition transferred intact!” the maroon pony in the lab coat said, actually dancing in glee.
"好极了！增加的魔法特征完好无损地转移了!"穿着实验服的栗色小马说，实际上是在欢乐合唱团里跳舞。
Then my host reared up and smashed the petrified pony into rubble. Screams started as he began to charge through the megaspell chamber. I noticed that he was trying to struggle to the doctor, his bat-like wings fighting for purchase. But then spells filled his body with a lethargy. He collapsed as the numbness robbed his strength once more. A sack went over his head. Conjured ropes bound his limbs.
然后我的主人暴跳起来，把那匹石化了的小马摔成了碎石。当他开始冲进megaspell房间时，尖叫声开始响起。我注意到他正试图挣扎着向医生走去，他蝙蝠一样的翅膀在挣扎着想要买到什么。但是随着时间的流逝，他的身体变得昏昏欲睡。麻木再一次夺走了他的力量，他崩溃了。一个麻袋从他头上套了过去。变戏法的绳子捆住了他的四肢。
“You said he’d maintain his sapience, doctor!” the mare with the glittery hooves shouted as she returned. “Fluttershy almost saw that!”
"你说过他会保持智慧的，医生!"那匹蹄子闪闪发光的母马回来时大叫起来。"小蝴蝶差点就看见了!"
The unicorn stallion chuckled in delight. “Oh, he did. I’m sure of it. He came right towards me, after all.”
独角兽的种马高兴得咯咯笑。"哦，他说了。我很确定。毕竟，他是直接朝我走来的。"
“You’re sure?”
"你确定?"
“Oh yes. Project Chimera is a complete success. We simply need more subjects to make the process more efficient. Explore combinations. Trace possibilities.” The doctor chuckled from nearby. “I think we should classify this strain as ‘Gorgon’.”
"哦，是的。奇美拉计划获得圆满成功。我们只是需要更多的主题，使过程更有效率。探索组合。追踪可能性。"医生在附近咯咯地笑了起来。"我认为我们应该把这种菌株归类为'Gorgon'。"
The glittery-hooved mare spoke from right above me. “I hope you’re right, Doctor. We’re trying to procure more combat personnel for the prototypes. Luna wants war resources, and we’re going to give them to her, though we’ll have to keep billing this as a Ministry of Peace project to keep the others distracted.”
闪闪发光的蹄母马在我的正上方说话。"我希望你是对的，医生。我们正在为原型机招募更多的战斗人员。卢娜需要战争资源，我们会给她，尽管我们不得不把这个计入和平部的项目，以分散其他人的注意力。"
“Ugh. Cloak and dagger intrigues I leave to you, Garnet. Are you going to forward our results to Emerald?”
"呃。披风激起了你的好奇心，加内特。你会把我们的结果发给Emerald吗?"
“Of course, Doctor Trueblood. The M.A.S. should be briefed about the possibilities of Flux-accelerated megaspells, and we’re already exploring possibilities with the other ministries.”
"当然可以，特鲁布拉德医生。医学硕士应该了解通量加速巨型细胞的可能性，我们已经在与其他部门探索可能性。"
“Are you sure that’s wise? Shouldn’t the Ministry of Peace maintain exclusivity?”
"你确定这样做明智吗？难道和平部不应该保持排他性吗?"
Garnet laughed brightly. “Oh, Doctor, then we wouldn’t be able to get away with nearly as much!” I felt magic lift Stonewing’s body as the red pony said softly,
石榴石明亮地笑了。"哦，医生，那么我们就不可能得到这么多钱了!"当红马驹轻声说道，我感觉到石翼的身体被神奇的提升了
“Let’s make sure his memory is nice and clean and then put him in storage till we’re ready to duplicate the process.”
"让我们确保他的记忆力良好、干净，然后把他储存起来，直到我们准备好复制这个过程。"
I felt a horn touch his forehead through the bag, and everything swirled away.
我感到一个号角透过袋子碰到了他的额头，所有的东西都旋转着消失了。
oooOOOooo
噢噢噢
Coming to, I felt myself shaking as the memory left me. Gorgon. Project Chimera was Equestria’s monster making program. And Fluttershy had known, had been involved. She had said to do better. That wasn’t better. That was insane. I swallowed hard as I twitched there on the ground. After Deus’s orb, and now Gorgon’s, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to go into any more orbs for a while. I felt sick at the thought of it. It was like sticking my hoof in a fire.
醒来时，我感到自己在回忆中颤抖。蛇发女怪。奇美拉计划是小马国的怪物制造计划。弗特希知道，也参与其中了。她说过要做得更好。这并不是更好。这太疯狂了。我在地上抽搐着，狠狠地咽了一口唾沫。在天王的球体之后，现在是戈尔工的球体之后，我不确定自己能否在一段时间内进入更多的球体。一想到这件事，我就觉得恶心。这就像把我的蹄子插进火里。
So, where the heck was I now? I slowly opened my eyes and looked around. This was some kind of office, and a fancy one if you looked past the fallen ceiling tiles and rotting floor. Streamers of water trickled constantly from broken and cracked pipes overhead and washed over the moldy carpeting in miniature rivers. The emergency lighting still flickered and twitched on and off. The big desk in the room... looked just like the Overmare’s. And the open door leading from the office was a stable door... or at least a flimsy, half-sized replica of one. This couldn’t be a stable, though; no stable had armored windows looking out at the Wasteland, as this office did.
那么，我现在到底在哪里？我慢慢地睁开眼睛，环顾四周。这是某种类型的办公室，如果你看过掉落的天花板瓷砖和腐烂的地板，你会发现这是一个很奇特的办公室。头顶上破裂的水管不断流出水流，在微型河流中发霉的地毯上冲刷着。紧急照明灯依然闪烁不定，时断时续。房间里的大桌子......看起来就像Overmare的。从办公室出来的那扇开着的门是一扇稳固的门......或者至少是一扇脆弱的、半大小的门的复制品。不过，这不可能是一个马厩;没有哪个马厩像这间办公室一样，有装甲窗户可以看到荒原。
I walked to the door. It looked like a stable, if you’d built one with rooms twice as large as normal. No stable I’d seen had hallways this roomy. I watched the rusty river trickling along the hall and cascading down some stairs. Judging by the cracks and holes in the wall, clearly this place wasn’t built as tough as a stable, either.
我走到门口。它看起来就像一个马厩，如果你建了一个房间是平时两倍大的马厩。我见过的马厩都没有这么宽敞的走廊。我看着锈迹斑斑的河水沿着大厅缓缓流过，还有一些楼梯像瀑布一样泻下。从墙上的裂缝和洞来看，这个地方显然也不像马厩那么坚固。
A ping sounded, and one of the replica stable doors down the hall slid open. Okay, once again, have I mentioned how much I really wish I had my E.F.S.? And my gun? And my barding? And my friends? I really hate being alone, especially in any place that looked remotely like a stable. Stables were not places for lone ponies.
一阵砰的声音响起，走廊尽头的一扇复制马厩门滑开了。好吧，再问一次，我有没有说过我是多么希望我有我的e.f.s.？我的枪呢？还有我的帐篷？我的朋友们呢？我真的很讨厌一个人，尤其是在任何一个看起来很像马厩的地方。马厩不适合单独的小马。
The door opened into an elevator, its walls lined with posters. ‘Stable-Tec, Voyage to the Future!’ proclaimed one. ‘Save yourself and your family. Sign up today!’ read another. Looking at the pictures of ten-story stables with swimming pools and internal gardens, I wondered why I’d never heard of a stable like that.
门打开了，进入了电梯，电梯的墙上贴满了海报。"Stable-Tec，未来之旅!"宣布了一个。"救救你自己和你的家人吧。今天就报名再读一个。看着十层高的马厩的照片，里面有游泳池和花园，我不知道为什么我从来没有听说过这样的马厩。
99 must have opted out of those features. And who knew, maybe it had. How many stables had been built? Perhaps Stables One, Two, and Three had been paradises, but towards the end, they had to replace underground greenhouses with recycling equipment out of a simple need for expediency?
99一定是选择了这些功能。谁知道呢，也许真的发生了。修建了多少马厩？也许一号、二号和三号马厩曾经是天堂，但是到了最后，他们不得不用回收设备取代地下温室，仅仅是为了权宜之计？
I stepped into the elevator, the doors slid closed behind me, and the car started descending. As long as I kept my eyes on the walls, I didn’t feel the panic building… too much. Ten seconds later, the elevator slowed and the car doors opened. I stepped into a hall almost completely sealed with rubble. One door remained clear; written on it in chipped white paint were the words ‘Stable-Tec R&D’. The few other doors I could see were open and led to rooms that looked so damaged that they might collapse on me if I so much as sneezed in the general area. I really hoped that I wouldn't have to try them.
我走进电梯，电梯门在我身后关上了，电梯开始下降。只要我的眼睛一直盯着墙壁，我就不会感到恐慌......太多了。十秒钟后，电梯慢了下来，车门打开了。我走进一个几乎被瓦砾完全封闭的大厅。有一扇门依然清晰可见，上面用白色斑驳的油漆写着"Stable-Tecr&d"。我能看到的其他几扇门都是开着的，通向一些看上去损坏严重的房间，如果我在一般区域打喷嚏，这些房间就会倒塌。我真的希望我不必尝试它们。
The door slid open in front of me, and I stepped onto a catwalk over a floor covered in worktables. I picked my way slowly around the edge to stairs down to the work floor. An entire wall was almost covered with glowing monitor screens. Looking up at the upper left, I saw a flickering label over a slowly rotating design. ‘Stable One: completed.’ Next to it was an even larger design. ‘Stable Two: completed.’ And the next. And the next. Some of the monitors were dead. A few were marked as ‘delayed’ or ‘redesigned’, but the majority of them were complete.
门在我面前打开了，我走上铺满工作台的地板上的狭窄通道。我慢慢地沿着边缘走到楼下的工作楼层。整面墙几乎被发光的显示屏所覆盖。抬头看左上角，我看到一个闪烁的标签慢慢旋转的设计。稳定一号:完成在它旁边是一个更大的设计。二号稳定器:完成第二天也是。第二天也是。一些监视器死了。有一些被标记为"延迟"或"重新设计"，但大多数都是完整的。
I saw the sprawling layout of Stable 89 with all its many storage areas and labs. It looked similar to 90 and 91. Then I frowned as I looked at Stable 90. ‘Complete?’ This stable’s not finished, Buttercup had written. A mistake, or had something else happened?
我看到了Stable89的庞大布局，以及它所有的存储区域和实验室。它看起来类似于90和91。然后当我看着Stable90时皱起了眉头。"完整?"这个马厩还没有完工，布特卡普写道。是一个错误，还是发生了别的什么事？
I smiled at the sight of 99, despite everything. I’d never realized how big 99 actually was. The four stories of habitation blocks around a central stair linking atrium to living quarters to utility storage to maintenance to reactor. It looked a bit like a tree, curiously enough. And it was ‘complete’, if ‘completely fucked up’.
尽管发生了这么多事，我还是对着99微笑。我从来没有意识到99到底有多大。中央楼梯周围的四层住宅区连接中庭到生活区、公用设施存储区、维护区和反应堆。奇怪的是，它看起来有点像一棵树。如果说完全搞砸了，那就是完整的。
Over the workstations were more stable designs flickering and rotating silently on their screens. ‘Rapture Hydrostable’ resembled dozens of bubbles. Was it supposed to go underwater? ‘Sea Star Hydrostable’ looked more like some sort of floating island. ‘Celestia Astrostable’ had rotating wheels like a wagon and long sweeping wings while 'Luna Astrostable' actually looked a lot like 99 but
在工作台上方，更稳定的设计在屏幕上闪烁和无声地旋转。'RaptureHydrostable'类似于几十个气泡。它应该在水下吗？"海星水下稳定器"看起来更像是某种浮岛。天堂星座有马车一样的旋转轮子和长长的扫动的翅膀，而月神星座实际上看起来很像99但是
built inside a big aboveground pyramid for some reason; I couldn't see how ponies were supposed to reach the door all the way up at the top. ‘Big Macintosh Megastable’ was positively huge, looking as if it’d been designed to hold thousands instead of hundreds. ‘Scootaloo Aerostable’ seemed more designed for cloud dwellers, while the ‘Pinkie Pie Aerostable’ hung from huge balloons! There were other designs that seemed even less concrete.
由于某种原因建在一个大的地上金字塔里面;我不知道小马怎样才能到达顶端的那扇门。"大Macintosh超级稳定器"绝对是巨大的，看起来好像它是设计来容纳数千而不是数百人的。斯库塔卢空中稳定器看起来更适合云层居民，而小指派空中稳定器则挂在巨大的气球上！还有一些设计看起来更不具体。
Along the opposite wall were monitors showing the evolution of maneframes, terminals, and PipBucks. The first machines were room-sized monsters, progressing through smaller and smaller boxes until they reached desk-sized maneframes like many we’d run across. The first terminals were already small enough to fit on a desk, but they looked bulkier than the ones I was used to, with smaller screens and more awkward-looking keyboards. Then the ‘Personal Information Processor: Alpha’ appeared in the form of a PipBuck so large that it covered an entire pony, boxes, straps, and wires everywhere like some odd form of armor. Beta PipBucks covered most of a limb and still had a backpack. After that, terminals became more simplified and refined, though I couldn’t see any differences between a standard, a hardened, and a reinforced terminal. The differences in the PipBucks were far more obvious. The Gamma models were what I had on my hoof, from the slightly bulkier 2000 to the more compact 3000. There was a Delta model, too, that seemed even simpler and more flimsy than the rest. Terminals shrank to hoof-sized ‘contact nodes’. I wondered if eventually the two would merge. Well, would have merged, if things hadn’t blown up.
对面墙上的监视器显示着人工智能系统、终端和PipBucks系统的进化。第一批机器是房间大小的怪物，在越来越小的盒子中穿行，直到它们像许多我们曾经遇到过的桌子大小的人形炸弹一样到达。第一代终端已经小到可以放在桌子上，但它们看起来比我以前用过的那些更笨重，屏幕更小，键盘看起来更笨拙。然后"个人信息处理器:阿尔法"以一个PipBuck的形式出现，这个PipBuck如此之大，以至于它覆盖了整个小马驹、箱子、皮带和电线，到处都是，就像某种奇怪的盔甲形式。虽然它的大部分肢体都被PipBucks覆盖了，但它仍然有一个背包。在那之后，终端变得更加简化和精致，尽管我看不出标准终端、硬化终端和加固终端之间的任何区别。Pipbucks之间的差异要明显得多。伽马型号是我的马蹄，从稍微笨重的2000到更紧凑的3000。还有一个Delta模型，看起来比其他模型更简单，也更脆弱。终端缩小成蹄子大小的"接触节点"。我怀疑这两者最终是否会合并。如果事情没有搞砸的话，我们早就合并了。
There weren’t any exits on the first floor, so I climbed back up to the catwalk. Most of the offices off the catwalk were locked and dark, but one was lit by the green glow of a terminal. I made my way to that door.
一楼没有任何出口，所以我又爬上了t型台。T台外的大多数办公室都是锁着的，而且很黑，但有一个办公室被终端机的绿色灯光照亮。我走向那扇门。
The office within was cluttered in an absentminded way. There were wadded-up designs piled high in the wastebasket, drawings taped to every available surface, and scale models dangling from the ceiling on fishing line. A foal-sized robotic pony stood silently in one corner, looking forlorn and abandoned.
办公室里乱七八糟，心不在焉。废纸篓里堆满了各种各样的设计图纸，每个可用的表面都贴满了图纸，天花板上悬挂着一些比例模型，悬挂在钓鱼线上。一匹小马驹大小的机器小马静静地站在一个角落里，看上去凄凉而被遗弃。
There were pictures of things other than technology, too. Three fillies wearing blue and gold capes piled one atop the other, laughing at the camera. The trio, a bit older, proudly displaying their cutie marks. I was struck by how similar they looked. The three again, this time mature mares apparently enjoying a night out together. There were pictures of Applejack, and one of Big Macintosh, and a
除了科技之外，还有其他东西的图片。三匹披着蓝色和金色斗篷的小雌马一个接一个地堆在一起，对着镜头大笑。这三个人，年纪稍大一点，骄傲地展示着他们可爱的标志。它们看起来如此相似，让我震惊。又是三只成熟的母马，这次显然是一起享受夜晚。里面有苹果白兰地的照片，还有一个大麦金塔电脑的照片
third of an elderly green pony.
三分之一的老绿色小马。
The terminal had only one thing on its screen. ‘Area of Inquiry?’ I looked at it and the keys, then typed slowly. >EC-1101
终端机的屏幕上只有一样东西。调查领域我看着它和钥匙，然后慢慢地打字Ec-1101
The screen flickered once.
屏幕闪烁了一下。
>Hello, Blackjack.
你好黑杰克。
I was looking at the blinking cursor when a flicker and flash from behind me caused me to spin around, reflexively trying to ready a weapon that wasn’t there. The light was coming from the robot, and as I watched it grew more and more concrete until a flickery image of a young Apple Bloom stood in front of me, identical to the filly in the picture save for the luminance that glowed around her. Looking at the strange, glowy earth pony I relaxed a bit, though not much.
我正看着闪烁的光标，突然身后传来一阵闪光，让我不由自主地旋转起来，试图准备一件不存在的武器。光线来自机器人，我看着它变得越来越具体，直到一个年轻的苹果布鲁姆站在我面前的闪烁的图像，与图片中的小母马一模一样，除了她周围闪烁的亮光。看着这匹奇怪的，发光的小马，我稍微放松了一点，虽然不是很多。
“Um… hello?”
"嗯......喂?"
“Heard you got yerself a puzzle on yer hoof,” the filly said as she trotted towards me. “Well, I never got a puzzle solving cutie mark, but most folk figured I was a clever pony.”
"听说你活着的时候遇到了一个难题,"小姑娘边说边朝我小跑过来。"嗯，我从来没有得到一个解谜的可爱标记，但大多数人认为我是一个聪明的小马。"
“If you don’t mind… what the heck are you?” I asked in shock. “Who are you?”
"如果你不介意的话......你到底是什么?"我震惊地问道。"你是谁?"
She gave a smile. “Well, that’s the million bit question, ain’t it? Maybe I’m a pony running things from a terminal somewhere, helping you out. Maybe I’m just a machine doing what I’m programmed to. Or maybe I’m Apple Bloom.
她笑了笑。"好吧，这是一个无关紧要的问题，不是吗？也许我是一匹小马，在某个地方的终端机上奔跑，帮助你。也许我只是一台按照程序运行的机器。或者我就是苹果布鲁姆。
You can call me Applebot.” Then she looked at my blackened PipBuck. Her eyes widened in shock. “Landsakes! How’d you fry a 3000? They’re supposed to last forever!”
你可以叫我苹果机器人。"然后她看着我那发黑的皮布克。她震惊地睁大了眼睛。"陆地的缘故！你怎么把3000磅炸飞的？它们应该是永恒的!"
“Um… lightning?”
"嗯...闪电?"
“Lightning?” The robot sounded skeptical. “You got it struck by lightning?” I nodded weakly. She rubbed her mouth as she looked at the blackened electronics, then shrugged. “Well, that’d do it. I guess you’ll be needing a new one.”
"闪电?"机器人听起来很怀疑。"你有命中雷霆吗?"我虚弱地点了点头。她看着被熏黑的电子设备，摩擦着嘴，然后耸了耸肩。"好吧，这样就行了。我想你需要一个新的。"
“So… the data’s not lost?” I asked warily as two mechanical... hands, if you could call the clusters of tools that, rose from the robot’s shoulders. The tools on
"那么......数据没有丢失?"我小心翼翼地问道，作为两只机械的手，你是否可以称之为，从机器人的肩膀上升起的一簇簇工具。工具打开了
the end of each finger began to deftly remove my PipBuck.
每个手指的末端开始灵巧地移动我的皮布克。
The little pony smirked. “Oh, it’d take a lot more than that to kill your data. Ta do that, somethin’d have to destroy your PipBuck outright. And probably you, too. Nah, you just fried the interface, which I gotta admit is still pretty impressive.” She set the device on the table, then trotted over to a metal cabinet. “Now… 3000… 3000… nope. Fresh out of 3000. Looks like you’re going to have to make do with a Delta model.”
小马得意地笑了。"哦，要毁掉你的数据可不止这么简单。要那么做的话，必须有人把你的PipBuck彻底销毁。也许你也是。不，你只是烧坏了界面，我不得不承认，这还是相当令人印象深刻的。"她把仪器放在桌子上，然后小跑到一个金属柜前。"现在...3000...3000...不行。3000个新鲜出炉。看来你只能凑合着用德尔塔型号了。"
“A Delta?” I asked as I watched her remove a sleek, polished silver PipBuck. I looked at it and then at my more bulky model. “Um… do you have anything a little bit heavier?” The little Apple Bloom cocked her brow at me. “Well, it’s just that I hit ponies with my PipBuck.”
"德尔塔?"我看着她拔掉一根光滑闪亮的银色皮布克管，问道。我看了看它，然后又看了看我那更笨重的模型。"嗯......你有更重一点的吗?"小苹果布鲁姆扬起她的眉毛看着我。"嗯，只是我用我的皮布克打小马。"
“You hit ‘em?” She clicked her tongue, and said with a touch of playful sarcasm, “That ain’t no way to treat sensitive electronics.” She replaced the flimsy silver one and dug around a bit. “Aha! Here we go.” She pulled out a matte black PipBuck that seemed marginally more bulky… but only barely. “Was designing this for the Shadowbolts, but it never made it into mass production.”
"你打了他们?"她咂了咂舌头，带着一丝俏皮的讽刺说:"这样对待敏感的电子产品是不对的。"她把那个脆弱的银色的东西换了下来，又翻了一下。"啊哈！我们开始吧。"她拿出一根粗糙的黑色扁铜线，看起来稍微笨重一些......但也不是很大。"本来是为暗影螺栓设计的，但从来没有投入大规模生产。"
Setting it next to my old 3000, the robotic hands removed the covering as I watched. “So… how’s
把它放在我的旧3000旁边，当我看着的时候，机器人的手移开了覆盖物。"那么......怎么样
Stable 99 holding up?” Applebot asked curiously.
稳定的99支撑得住吗?"苹果机器人好奇地问道。
“Huh?” I blinked.
"啊?"我眨了眨眼。
“Stable 99. I put a whole lot of new stuff in there. Was wondering if it worked out or not.”
"稳定的99。我在里面放了很多新东西。不知道是不是成功了。"
“Ah… well… it’s still working. I mean, I hear Rivets complain all the time about leaking pipes, but the recyclers still work like a charm.”
"啊......好吧......它还在工作。我的意思是，我一直听到铆钉工人抱怨水管漏水，但回收工人还是很有魅力。"
“Well that’s good to hear. I was a little worried about the reprocessors. I mean, I know they purify and remix the waste. I ate the sample chips myself. Still, there’s still something just… off… about that.”
""嗯，很高兴听你这么说。我有点担心再处理器。我的意思是，我知道他们净化和混合废物。我自己吃了样品薯片。尽管如此，还是有些不对劲的地方。"
“Yeah, especially when you have to reprocess a stallion after being removed from the breeding population.”
"是的，特别是当你必须重新处理一匹种马后，从繁殖人口。"
The robot froze as she finished removing the casing. She looked back at me.
机器人在她打开外壳的时候僵住了。她回头看着我。
“What did you say? You do what now?”
""你说什么？你现在做什么?"
“Put dead ponies in the reprocessors…” I blinked at her shocked and disgusted expression. “What? That’s what we’re supposed to do, right?”
"把死小马放进再处理机......"我对她震惊和厌恶的表情眨了眨眼。"什么？这是我们应该做的，对吗?"
“Uh, maybe if you like a high protein diet,” she said, still looking a little shaken. “Reprocessors weren’t made for that, though. That’s why I installed an incinerator.” She gave a disgusted little shiver. “And breeding what now?”
"呃，也许如果你喜欢高蛋白饮食的话,"她说，看起来仍然有点震惊。"不过，再处理器不是为此而生产的。这就是我安装焚化炉的原因。"她厌恶地微微颤抖了一下。"那现在怎么办?"
“Well… in Stable 99…” and I explained the whole breeding process as the little Apple Bloom’s mechanical armatures carefully removed a flat, glowing gem plate. It looked like a wafer of pure diamond with a magical glyph in the center. She placed it in the new PipBuck and deftly screwed it into place.
"嗯......在稳定的99......"我解释了整个培育过程，因为小苹果布鲁姆的机械电枢小心翼翼地移除了一个平坦的、发光的宝石板。它看起来像一块中间有魔法符号的纯钻石晶片。她把它放在新的皮布克上，然后熟练地把它拧到位。
“You what?!” was Applebot’s response to my explanation.
"你什么?!"是Applebot对我解释的回应。
“Well, that’s what we’re supposed to do! I mean, didn’t Stable-Tec set it up that way?” I said defensively.
"好吧，那就是我们应该做的！我的意思是，Stable-Tec不就是这么设计的吗?"我防御性地说。
The robot shook her head slowly, the magical hologram flickering slightly as it turned back to the PipBucks. Then there was a hiss and a click and a mare’s voice sounded from my new PipBuck.
机器人慢慢地摇了摇头，神奇的全息图像在它转向PipBucks的时候微微闪烁。然后是嘶嘶声，咔嗒声，还有母马的声音从我的新皮伯克传来。
“Hi. This is Scootaloo… and you know what? I’m sick of these recordings. I am just fucking sick of ‘em! I can’t… I don’t… Fuck!” the mare yelled. “How’d things get so messed up I had to do over a hundred of these?! Damn it... I’m just so sick of it all.” There was a teary sniff. “To hell with it…”
"嗨。这是史酷塔罗...你知道吗？我讨厌这些录音。我真他妈受够了！我不能...我不...操!"母马大叫。"事情怎么会变得这么糟糕，我不得不做上百件这样的事情！该死......我真是受够了。"他们含泪地嗅了一下。"见鬼去吧......"
“Okay! Again. This is Scootaloo, VP of Stable-Tec. You’ve got yourself one heck of a stable. We made it as good as we could. You’ve probably noticed you don’t have any orchards or food warehouses, right? Well that’s because the machines in 99 recycle all your waste, purify it, mix it… ugh… you know what? Don’t think about it. Okay, just don’t. It’s gross no matter how you slice it. It just means that you won’t run out of food anytime soon...
"好吧！再来一次。我是Stable-Tec的副总裁。你给自己找了个好马厩。我们已经尽力了。你可能已经注意到你没有任何果园或食品仓库，对吗？那是因为99号的机器回收你所有的废物，净化它们，混合它们...呃...你知道吗？别想了。好吧，别说了。不管你怎么切都很恶心。这只是意味着你不会很快用完食物..。
“So long,” she continued sharply, “as you keep the population stable. You should have enough contraceptives to last at least two centuries. You also need to keep a one offspring per pony policy. Keep things stable, Overmare. There’s other stuff here too, but you know what… I don’t care anymore. I don’t care. Do what you have to do, but keep things stable. Survive… and do better than we did.
"再见,"她尖锐地继续说道,"只要你保持人口稳定。你应该有足够维持至少两个世纪的避孕药。你还需要为每匹小马保留一个后代。保持稳定，欧弗马。这里还有其他的东西，但是你知道吗...我不在乎了。我不在乎。做你必须做的事情，但要保持事情的稳定。生存下来...并且做得比我们更好。
“Apple Bloom! You two are doing the next ones! Got it? I need a fucking drink. 99… fuck… 99…”
"苹果布鲁姆！你们两个负责下一个！明白了吗？我他妈要喝一杯。99...妈的...99..."
The voice cut off. “Those’re all the instructions given,” Applebot said. “There were some additional plans, but the fact is that by 99 we left it largely up to the ponies to decide what they would do. I mean, the only restriction 101 had was that it was earth ponies only. Who knows what they cooked up?” She gave a soft sigh. “Poor Scootaloo… it wasn’t fair to her, but she was the only one who could record those messages. I got tongue tied, and Sweetie Belle just bawled.”
声音被切断了。"这些都是给出的指示,"Applebot说。"还有一些额外的计划，但事实是，到99年，我们基本上把它留给小马来决定它们会做什么。我的意思是，101唯一的限制就是它只能是地球上的小马。谁知道他们编造了什么?"她轻轻地叹了口气。"可怜的史酷塔罗......这对她不公平，但她是唯一一个可以录下这些信息的人。我舌头打结了，甜心贝儿只是哭了。"
“But… how’d we go from that… to…” I just stared at the enormity of it. It hadn’t been some messed up Stable-Tec rule or bylaw. It was us. We’d created the nightmare P-21 and I’d escaped from. I swallowed hard and looked at the hologram-wrapped robot. “Are you really… Apple Bloom?”
"但是......我们怎么会从那个......变成......"我只是盯着它的巨大。它不是什么乱七八糟的稳定技术规则或者规章制度。是我们。我们制造了一个噩梦般的P-21，我从那里逃了出来。我使劲咽了一口唾沫，看着这个全息图包裹的机器人。"你真的是...苹果布鲁姆吗?"
“Maybe. Or maybe I’m just a copy of her,” she said as she finished and powered up the new black PipBuck. “Hard to say, really. But there’s some truth to saying that you shouldn’t use yourself as a test subject. Just ain’t healthy,” she said as the robot’s hands slipped the device around my hoof. “There you go. Complete with a fully functional broadcaster and terminal interface.” At my blank look, she rolled her eyes and then explained, “Basically lets you contact terminals through your PipBuck… if you have a signal source recorded.”
"也许吧。或者也许我只是她的一个复制品,"她一边说着，一边打开了新的黑色PipBuck。"很难说，真的。但是说你不应该把自己当作一个测试对象也是有道理的。就是不健康,"当机器人的手滑过我的蹄子时，她说。"这就对了。具有功能齐全的广播机和终端接口。"看到我茫然的表情，她转了转眼睛，然后解释道:"基本上就是让你通过你的PipBuck与终端联系......如果你有信号源的话。"
She then looked down at my PipBuck. “So… EC-1101. It still exists.”
然后她低头看了看我的皮布克。"那么...EC-1101。它仍然存在。"
I felt a shiver go down my spine. “EC-1101. What the hell is it?”
我感到一阵战栗沿着我的脊椎传下去。「EC-1101。这是什么鬼东西?"
Applebot smiled sadly up at me. “The keys to the magical kingdom of Equestria, Blackjack.”
苹果机器人悲伤地冲我微笑。"Equestria魔法王国的钥匙，Blackjack。"
* * *
* * *
Once upon a time, Equestria had been ruled by two Princesses. The older ruled because, quite honestly, she was immortal and magical. There wasn’t a civil war or a crisis of succession because the Princesses couldn’t die of old age. Celestia had a thousand years of experience, and the kingdom was familiar with her leadership. She wasn’t a tyrant. She didn’t have to be a tyrant. The status quo was so comfortable and predictable that Equestria simply accepted her rule. Beneath her was a hierarchy of lesser nobles tasked with administrating the smaller day to day local concerns and maintaining the order of things. Equestria
从前，小马国由两位公主统治。老一辈之所以统治这个国家，是因为老实说，她是不朽的，有魔力的。没有内战，也没有继承危机，因为公主们不能老死。塞莱斯蒂娅有一千年的经验，王国对她的领导非常熟悉。她不是一个暴君。她没必要成为一个暴君。现状是如此舒适和可预见，以至于Equestria只是接受了她的统治。在她之下是一个等级较低的贵族阶层，负责管理较小的日常地方事务和维持秩序。小马国
had a thousand years of near social stasis.
经历了一千年的社会停滞期。
Of course, the return of Nightmare Moon and Princess Luna disturbed all that. It wasn’t big at first, but the presence of two Princesses prompted a change in attitude across the kingdom. There were many reasons for Celestia to continue, but what if other possibilities were considered? New avenues of thought opened up simply because the societal fabric had altered its paradigm. Magic became arcane science. Nobles found their station questioned and challenged. Businesses arose. Trade with outsiders, both of goods and ideas, exploded. Life was new and good.
当然，噩梦月亮和卢娜公主的回归打破了这一切。一开始它并不大，但是两位公主的出现促使整个王国的态度发生了变化。有很多理由支持Celestia继续，但是如果考虑其他的可能性呢？仅仅因为社会结构改变了它的范式，思想的新途径就开辟了。魔法变成了神秘的科学。贵族们发现他们的地位受到质疑和挑战。生意兴隆。与外界的贸易，包括商品贸易和思想贸易，都呈爆炸式增长。生活是崭新的，美好的。
But then the war came, a war such as Equestria could not have known. And like so many things, ponies were not prepared for its novelty. The violence tore at Equestria, and fear and desperation ripped at its underpinnings. Some stresses pushed science and magic further than ever dreamed. Others tore ponies down. But through it all went the ironclad belief that, whether under Celestia or Luna, a Princess would rule.
但是随后战争爆发了，像小马国这样的国家不可能知道发生了战争。就像很多东西一样，小马并没有为它的新奇性做好准备。暴力撕裂了Equestria，恐惧和绝望撕裂了它的基础。一些压力将科学和魔法推向了前所未有的高度。还有一些人把小马撕成碎片。但是通过这一切，我们坚定地相信，无论是在塞莱斯蒂亚还是在月神的统治下，都会有一位公主来统治。
Shattered Hoof Ridge changed all that. Only Big Macintosh’s sacrifice prevented Equestria from discovering the hard way just how integral the Princesses were to the country’s collective psyche. The death of a soldier was tragic, but the idea of losing one of the fundamental parts of the kingdom proved unbearable. It introduced an insidious question: what would Equestria do if the Princesses were killed?
粉碎的霍夫山脊改变了这一切。只是大麦金托什的牺牲阻止了小马国发现公主们是如何融入这个国家的集体心理的。士兵的死是一个悲剧，但是失去王国最基本的一部分的想法被证明是无法忍受的。这引出了一个阴险的问题:如果公主们被杀了，小马国会怎么办？
EC-1101.
Ec-1101.
“Equestrian Command 1101 isn’t a computer file,” Applebot explained softly as her mechanical hands withdrew into her shoulders. “It’s a delayed-trigger megaspell designed to transfer control of the country’s crucial systems from the Princesses to another individual in the event of both of the Princesses’ deaths. It was supposed to use the terminal network; it would travel from terminal to terminal, node to node, seeking out the next designated target.”
"马术指挥1101不是一个电脑文件,"阿普尔波特轻声解释说，她的机械手收回到她的肩膀。"这是一个延迟触发的巨型机器，目的是在两位公主死亡的情况下，将国家重要系统的控制权从公主手中转移到另一个人手中。它应该使用终端网络，从一个终端到另一个终端，从一个终端到另一个终端，寻找下一个指定的目标。"
“So who were the targets?” I asked, just before the realization hit me. “The Ministry Mares, of course.”
"那么，谁是目标?"就在我意识到这一点之前，我问道。"当然是部里的母马。"
“Yes. First Twilight Sparkle, then Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Rarity, and finally Pinkie Pie. The spell would locate them all and bestow upon them the authority to run the country and give them full control over the countless
"是的。首先是紫悦，然后是苹果白兰地，彩虹冲刺，Fluttershy，稀有，最后是小指派。这个咒语可以找到他们所有人，授予他们管理国家的权力，让他们完全控制无数人
information, magic, and technological systems that ran Equestria. If it failed to do that, it would seek out the heads of the armed services, the courts, the Office of Interministry Affairs, or the descendants of any of its targets. Unfortunately, it seems, the spell could not make contact with anypony.”
管理Equestria的信息、魔法和技术系统。如果不能做到这一点，它将寻找武装部队、法院、部际事务办公室的负责人，或其任何目标的后代。不幸的是，这个咒语似乎无法与任何小马接触。"
“So how did it end up in Stable 99?”
"那么，它怎么会出现在Stable99中呢?"
“Sheer size, unfortunately, and the fact that it wasn’t triggered till the fall of Canterlot, which took far longer to die than the rest of Equestria. Most nodes handle small packets of magical information. EC-1101 was not small. It was a highly complex behemoth of a spell, and unlike normal files, it had only a few networks it could move through swiftly. The balefire bombs shattered those networks. The last jump it made, I suspect, was from the Ministry of Morale’s hub in Manehattan just prior to, or during, the city’s destruction. Then the Stable-Tec link between Stable 99 and the rest of Equestria severed, and the spell remained trapped in Stable 99’s systems.”
"不幸的是，规模太大了，而且事实上直到坎特罗特沦陷才引发这种情况，坎特罗的沦陷比Equestria其它地区花费了更长的时间才导致死亡。大多数节点处理小包的魔法信息。Ec-1101并不小。它是一个高度复杂的庞然大物，不像一般的文件，它只有几个网络可以快速移动。火焰炸弹粉碎了这些网络。我怀疑，它的最后一次跳跃是在Manehattan被摧毁之前或期间，来自于道德部在该城市的中心。然后Stable99和Equestria其他地方之间的Stable-Tec链接中断了，这个咒语仍然困在Stable99的系统里。"
“So… why is Sanguine after it now? The Ministry Mares are all dead; everypony’s dead.” Gee, what a rosy thought that was, Blackjack.
""那么......为什么桑吉尼现在要找它？魔法部的马都死了，每匹小马都死了。"哎呀，多么美好的想法啊，黑杰克。
“Correct, none of the Ministry Mares had offspring, and the likelihood of locating the descendants of the military or judicial branches is minuscule. The spell might recognize a ghoul, but I’m skeptical. Still, it is a key, and I think somepony with the right skills might be able to use it to force an override of something, maybe turn off a security system or break into a database. The fit would be rough, though, and it would prob’ly work only two or three times before the spell got completely wrecked.”
"正确，没有一个马尔斯有后代，找到军事或司法部门后代的可能性微乎其微。这个咒语也许能认出食尸鬼，但我对此表示怀疑。尽管如此，它仍然是一把钥匙，而且我认为一些拥有正确技能的小马也许可以用它来强制执行某些操作，比如关闭安全系统或者侵入数据库。不过，这种适应可能会比较粗糙，而且可能只会起作用两三次，然后咒语就会完全失效。"
An idea struck me. “Have you ever heard of something called Project Chimera?”
我突然想到一个主意。"你听说过奇美拉计划吗?"
She looked thoughtful, rolling her eyes as she stared at the ceiling. “There! Found an index.” She nodded once. “Project Chimera. O.I.A. Project sealed by Royal Command.” Her flickering eyes widened. “Holy smokes… sealed by Royal Command?”
她看起来若有所思，眼睛转动着，盯着天花板。"那儿！找到一个索引。"她点了点头。「奇美拉计划」。O.i.a.计划由皇家司令部密封。"她忽隐忽现的眼睛睁大了。"我的天......皇家指挥部封印的?"
“What’s that mean?”
"那是什么意思?"
“It means that Luna, personally, put her hoof down and killed that project. A lot of the ponies involved probably went to jail, too.”
"这意味着卢娜个人放弃了这个项目。很多牵涉其中的小马可能也进了监狱。"
“Could EC-1101... well... open it up again?”
"EC-1101能不能......呃......再打开一次?"
My mane crept on my neck as the little robot blinked, thought, and then nodded. “Prob’ly. If a Princess locked it, somepony with a Princess’s access privileges would have to unlock it.”
当这个小机器人眨眼、思考、然后点头时，我的鬃毛爬到了脖子上。"没问题。如果公主锁住了它，那么拥有公主访问权限的小马就必须解锁它。"
“How about Project Eternity?”
"永恒之柱怎么样?"
“Project Eternity. O.I.A. Project sealed by Royal Command.”
永恒之柱。O.i.a.计划由皇家司令部密封。"
“Project Redoubt?”
"堡垒工程?"
“Project Redoubt. O.I.A. Project. Sealed by Royal Command.” Then she blinked in shock. “Well now. Looks like Luna was cleaning house at the O.I.A. I wonder why.”
"堡垒工程。O.i.a.项目。由皇家司令部密封。"然后她震惊地眨了眨眼。"现在好了。看起来卢娜在o.i.a.清理门户，我想知道为什么。"
“Me too…” I frowned and rubbed my nose with my hoof. “Are there any other O.I.A. programs that were shut down by Royal Command?”
"我也是......"我皱了皱眉头，用蹄子蹭了蹭鼻子。"还有其他被皇家指挥部关闭的o.i.a.项目吗?"
“I don’t… wait… I’ve got… Project Steelpony… Project Partypooper... Project Starfall. Project Horizons.” Applebot paused, then the flickering robopony frowned in consideration. “You want something else that’s weird? They were all shut down on the same day, a month before the bombs fell.”
"我不......等等......我有......钢马计划......派对使者计划......星降计划。海怡计划。」阿普波特停顿了一下，然后忽隐忽现的机器人皱起了眉头。"你还想要什么奇怪的东西吗？他们都在同一天关闭了，就在炸弹落下的一个月前。"
I heard the soft rustle of cards as I thought about those names. “O.I.A. Office of Interministry Affairs, right? Who were they?”
当我想到那些名字的时候，我听到了卡片发出的沙沙声。"o.i.a.部际事务办公室，对吗？他们是谁?"
“Oh, them. Not much. They acted as liaisons between Stable-Tec and ministries other than the M.W.T.,” she said with a dismissive little shrug. “A bunch of overworked ponies who were really busy managing the gaps between the ministries.”
"哦，他们。不是很多。他们充当了Stable-Tec和除m.w.t之外的其他部门之间的联络人,"她轻蔑地耸了耸肩说。"一群过度劳累的小马驹，忙着处理政府部门之间的分歧。"
“What do you mean by ‘the gaps between the ministries’?” I asked with a little frown.
"你所说的'各部之间的差距'是什么意思?"我皱着眉头问道。
“Because that’s what the O.I.A. did. Say there was somepony in the M.A.S. that had an idea they wanted to work out with the M.o.P. The O.I.A. would pass that idea to someone in the M.o.P. They’d set things up for the two ministries to work them out. Make bridges between the ministries and fill the gaps.
"因为o.i.a.就是这么做的。比如说，在m.a.s里有一个小马，他们有一个想法，他们想和m.o.p一起工作。O.i.a.会把这个想法传递给m.o.p.中的某个人，他们会安排两个部门来解决这个问题。在各部之间架起桥梁，填补空白。
“Or say some inventor came up with a new talisman, but both the M.W.T. and the M.A.S. wanted dibs on it. The O.I.A. would work things out so that everypony had access without wasting time fighting and arguing. Some ponies liked to call it ‘Spike’s Ministry’, but I’m not sure if he was involved.”
"或者说一些发明家想出了一个新的护身符，但是m.w.t.和m.a.s.都想要它。会解决这个问题，这样每匹小马都可以进入，而不用浪费时间打架和争吵。有些小马喜欢称之为'斯派克的魔法部'，但我不确定他是否参与其中。"
“Hmmm…” I sighed, feeling the nasty thought. “Why would they make monsters, then?”
"嗯......"我叹了口气，感觉到了这个肮脏的想法。"那他们为什么要制造怪物呢?"
That seemed to surprise her, and I explained Gorgon’s memory orb. “That’s… very disturbing. But while I’ve no doubt the O.I.A. might set up something like that, it was probably originated at the Ministry of Peace. While most were diligent about helping Equestria, and even the enemy, there were some ponies there that were decidedly… creepy.”
这似乎让她大吃一惊，我解释了戈耳贡的记忆球。"这......非常令人不安。虽然我毫不怀疑o.i.a.可能会设立这样的机构，但它很可能源自和平部。尽管大多数人都在尽力帮助Equestria，甚至是帮助敌人，但那里有一些小马确实令人毛骨悚然。"
I sighed, looking at the PipBuck with a little grunt. “Well, damn. As interesting as all this was, I have to admit, now that I know what it is, I still don’t know what to do with it.” I tapped the screen showing the file name with a hoof. “I mean, it doesn’t tell me who Sanguine is working for or how to stop him.” I frowned at her. “Would he be able to use EC-1101 to make more monsterponies?”
我叹了口气，咕哝着看着皮普巴克。"哦，该死的。尽管这一切很有趣，但我不得不承认，现在我知道了它是什么，但我仍然不知道该拿它怎么办。"我用蹄敲击屏幕，显示文件名。"我的意思是，这并不能告诉我桑吉尼在为谁工作，也不能告诉我如何阻止他。"我对她皱起了眉头。"他能用EC-1101制造更多的怪物吗?"
“If that’s what Chimera was for, I suppose,” Applebot said thoughtfully.
"如果这就是奇美拉的目的，我想,"苹果机器人若有所思地说。
“So much for just giving the damned thing up. Could I just destroy it?”
"放弃这该死的东西就是这么回事。我可以直接毁了它吗?"
That made her pause. “I suppose. Sure. Not even your PipBuck spell matrix will survive something like a balefire blast,” Applebot replied, and I felt staggered. That’s what it would take? “But are you sure you want to? You don’t know what those other projects are or who you might be able to help.”
这让她停顿了一下。""我想是的。当然。即使是你的PipBuck法术矩阵也不会在爆炸中幸存下来,"Applebot回答道，我感到震惊。这就是代价？""但是你确定你想要吗？你不知道其他项目是什么，也不知道你可以帮助谁。"
Great. Guilt trip me with that. “I just wish I could find some offspring of Applejack or Pinkie Pie and shove it in their lap.” And then what? I started fiddling with the new PipBuck, checking some of its features. Huh. The E.F.S. was blue instead of amber. That was at least twenty percent cooler.
太好了。让我感到内疚。"我只是希望能找到苹果白兰地或者平奇派的后代，把它塞到他们的腿上。"然后呢？我开始摆弄新的PipBuck，检查它的一些特性。哈。E.f.s是蓝色的而不是琥珀色的。至少凉快了百分之二十。
“Yeah. Unless you’re some long lost descendant of Twilight Sparkle, it’s not much good to you,” she said, looking sympathetic. “If you want my advice, EC-1101 was en route somewhere when it got stuck in Stable 99. If you can get it to where it was going, you might fight some answers about what’s going on and who’s really after it.”
"是的。除非你是失散已久的紫悦的后裔，否则这对你没什么好处,"她表示同情地说。"如果你需要我的建议，EC-1101在前往某个地方的途中被卡在了Stable99。如果你能把它带到它要去的地方，你可能会为正在发生的事情以及谁在真正追求它而争论一些答案。"
“So how do I do that?”
"那么我该怎么做呢?"
“Oh, that’s easy. Go back to whatever terminal you got EC-1101 from and see which terminal it was going to next. Go to that terminal and repeat the process till the routing is finished.”
"哦，那很简单。回到你从EC-1101那里得到的任何终端，看看它接下来会到哪个终端。到那个终端，重复这个过程，直到路由完成。"
“Go back…?” I muttered weakly, my eyes widening. My mane was suddenly feeling very scratchy indeed.
"回去......?"我有气无力地咕哝着，睁大了眼睛。我的鬃毛突然感到非常扎人。
Back to Stable 99.
回到稳定的99。
I had to go back. I wasn’t exactly sure about Applebot’s suggestion of following the routing, but it was all I had at the moment. Above all that, though, was the fact that Stable 99 was a chapter I needed to close. I knew now that what they were doing was wrong, and I had the guns and friends to make sure it stopped for good.
我必须回去。我不是很确定苹果机器人的建议遵循的路线，但这是我所有的时刻。不过，最重要的是，《稳定99》是我需要结束的一章。我现在知道他们的所作所为是错误的，我有枪和朋友来确保他们的所作所为永远停止。
“Well, it’s a plan, at least,” I said, smiling.
"好吧，至少这是个计划,"我微笑着说。
“Good. I think that, whatever you do, you should track that--” And then there was a ping and a crackle as the illusion wrapping around Applebot flickered and the small robot slowly keeled over. With a clatter, it sparked and the illusion disappeared. Then automatic fire ripped through the windows of Apple Bloom’s office and I fell onto my side. The robot gave a buzz and the light in its eyes went out.
"很好。我认为，无论你做什么，你都应该跟踪它——"然后，随着围绕苹果机器人的幻觉闪烁不定，小型机器人慢慢地倒下，传来一声乒乓和噼啪声。随着一阵咔嗒声，这种幻觉消失了。然后，自动火焰划破了苹果布鲁姆办公室的窗户，我摔倒在地。机器人发出嗡嗡声，眼睛里的光消失了。
“Gonna try and take me alive?” I shouted at the tops of my lungs as broken glass settled over me.
"想活捉我吗?"当碎玻璃落在我身上的时候，我用最大的力气大喊起来。
A rock flew through the shattered windows and bounced off the top of my head, making me curl up as it landed in front of me. An apple-shaped ‘rock’ with a bright red band around the middle. Reflexively, I threw it back through the window as I dove for cover under Apple Bloom’s desk. The grenade erupted into a sheet of flame that splashed over the desk and the ponies immediately outside. I grabbed Apple Bloom’s terminal and yanked it hard, snapping its cords.
一块石头从破碎的窗户里飞了出来，从我的头顶上弹了下来，当它落在我面前时，我蜷缩了起来。一种苹果形状的"岩石"，中间有一条鲜红色的带子。下意识地，我把它从窗户扔了出去，然后躲到苹果布鲁姆的桌子下面。手榴弹爆炸成一片火焰，溅落在桌子上，小马立刻跑到外面。我抓起苹果布鲁姆的终端，用力猛拉，折断了电线。
Floating the terminal in front of me, I raced out of the burning office and onto the catwalks. One earth pony was scrambling, trying to extinguish her armor and bring her automatic pistol to bear on me at the same time. Another started taking shots that sparked and pinged off the terminal housing. I looked down and
漂浮在我面前的终端，我跑出着火的办公室，来到人行道上。一匹地球上的小马挣扎着，试图扑灭她的盔甲，同时用她的自动手枪指着我。另一个开始拍摄，点燃和砰关闭终端机房。我低下头
toggled S.A.T.S. with a thought. In that moment of accelerated time, my horn flashed thrice and her head transformed into gray, red, and white pulp. Sweet Goddesses, how I loved S.A.T.S.!
考虑了一下sat。在加速时间的那一刻，我的角闪了三次，她的头变成了灰色、红色和白色的果肉。亲爱的女神们，我是多么喜欢s.a.t.s！
Now I had a gun and a terminal. I lifted the former and heaved the latter at the mare with a similar ten millimeter automatic. She dodged away as I raised the pistol, took aim, and carefully planted a quartet of bullets in her face and throat. There were still a lot more red bars on my cool blue E.F.S., though, as I swept up her gun. I wished I had time to collect bullets.
现在我有一把枪和一个终端。我举起前者，用一把相似的十毫米口径自动步枪把后者举向母马。我举起手枪瞄准，她躲开了，小心翼翼地朝她的脸和喉咙开了四枪。不过，当我端起她的枪时，我那冷蓝色的e.f.s上还有更多的红色条纹。我希望我有时间收集子弹。
“Aries! She’s up there!” shouted a colt from the far side of the lab. The catwalk was clear, and I raced for the door. Suddenly, a plume of flame sprayed up through the grate and swept towards me! Burning office behind me and plume of flame to the front, the only way to go was down. I leapt over the catwalk railing. My tail, a little too late to avoid the spray of flame, trailed smoke. I landed, my legs giving a resounding pop as something gave way. I rolled and slid across the grimy floor, ending up underneath a worktable. I heard the ping of a grenade bouncing off the top before rattling further away and then detonating with a fiery ‘whoooph’.
"白羊座！她在上面!"一匹小马从实验室的另一边喊道。T型台很干净，我冲向门口。突然，一缕火焰从壁炉里喷了出来，向我冲来！燃烧的办公室在我身后，羽毛的火焰向前，唯一的出路是下去。我跳过过道栏杆。我的尾巴，有点晚了，无法避免火焰的喷射，尾随着烟雾。我着陆了，我的腿发出响亮的砰的一声，好像有什么东西倒下了。我翻滚着滑过脏兮兮的地板，最后滑到了一张工作台下面。我听到一颗手榴弹从顶部弹开的叮当声，然后又远远地叮当作响，接着又发出一声"呜呜"的爆炸声。
Something walked with ominously slow and heavy steps. The rest were moving fast. One slid across the floor with a victorious look in her eyes. Our gazes met, and her jaws worked the trigger. My horn was faster and with a pop ejected the clip.
有什么东西迈着不祥的缓慢而沉重的步子走着。其余的都在快速移动。其中一个在地板上滑来滑去，眼中带着胜利的神情。我们的目光相遇，她的下巴紧咬着扳机。我的喇叭响得更快，砰的一声弹出了夹子。
That didn’t stop the ten millimeter round still in the chamber from thumping meatily into my front leg, but nothing she could do prevented me from filling her with a half dozen rounds from both guns. Struggling to my feet, I snatched up her clip in my teeth and kept my head low as I limped as fast as I could, hoping that the smoke filling the room would screen my movements.
这并没有阻止枪膛里的10毫米子弹向我的前腿猛击，但是她没有办法阻止我用两把枪的6发子弹向她射击。我挣扎着站起来，用牙齿咬住她的夹子，尽可能快地一瘸一拐地低下头，希望弥漫在房间里的烟雾能遮住我的动作。
A wall of flame sprayed across my path, cutting off the stair back to the catwalk. I backpedaled from the heat so quickly that I fell over. I looked at the source of the flame. The Steel Ranger power armor had been spray-painted a brilliant cherry red with a fireball on the flank. A heavy incinerator was mounted on one side of the armor and a grenade launcher protruded from the other. Shit! I was dealing with a flaming Deus!
一堵火墙横在我走过的路上，切断了通往t型台的楼梯。我迅速后退以避开高温，结果摔倒了。我看着火焰的源头。钢骑兵动力装甲被喷漆成灿烂的樱桃红色，侧面有一个火球。一个重型焚化炉安装在装甲的一侧，一个榴弹发射器从另一侧突出。妈的！我在对付一个燃烧的上帝！
And worse, I doubted these bullets were going to cut it. I hobbled my way
更糟糕的是，我怀疑这些子弹是否能切断它。我一瘸一拐地走着
forward as two other ponies ran around to cut me off and finish me. I screamed around the clip in my jaws as I strafed the pair. Then I body slammed into one, collapsing into a tangle of limbs. The other mare was so eager to finish me off that she sprayed bullets into her teammate. I hauled the corpse over my body as a meat shield, hissing in pain as two more holes opened in me. My head started to spin…
另外两匹小马跑过来截住我，杀了我。我用下巴在弹夹周围尖叫着猛击他们两个。然后我的身体撞上了其中一个，四肢乱糟糟地倒在地上。另一匹母马急于结束我的生命，她向她的队友扫射。我把尸体拖过身体，当作肉盾，在我身上又开了两个洞时，发出阵阵疼痛的嘶嘶声。我的头开始旋转..。
‘Be strong’, a little orange pony told me. I ejected the spent clip and slammed the one in my mouth home, narrowing my eyes as I clutched the body over me like a macabre blanket. She had no such cover, and my bullets raked across her until she finally fell. I swallowed, fighting the urge to vomit. I could hear Aries walking closer and saw the remaining two red bars. Still, I needed healing desperately. Digging through their bodies, I found two cloudy gray potions and grimaced. They tasted like sour milk, and they didn’t do much for my injuries. The Med-X helped far more, letting me haul myself to my hooves.
'坚强点'，一匹橙色的小马告诉我。我把用过的弹夹弹出来，然后把那个弹夹塞进嘴里，眯起眼睛，把身体紧紧地抱在身上，就像一条毛骨悚然的毯子。她没有这样的掩护，我的子弹扫过她，直到她最后倒下。我咽了口唾沫，强忍着想吐的冲动。我可以听到白羊座走近一点，看到剩下的两个红条。尽管如此，我还是迫切需要治疗。挖开他们的尸体，我发现了两个浑浊的灰色药水和鬼脸。它们尝起来像酸牛奶，对我的伤没什么帮助。Med-x的帮助更大，让我可以使用我的蹄子。
“She’s getting up. Moving to your left,” the colt called out, and I reversed as grenades clattered in that direction, filling the air with more patches of crackling magenta fire. There was a hiss, and from a few feebly-glowing talismans sprayed cones of water. I doubted it would be enough to fight the kind of blaze that Aries was creating, but it washed out some of the smoke and made it easier for me to think. The colt was tracking me somehow. Not with an E.F.S.; I was pretty sure the power armor had something like that. This was something giving him the distance he needed.
"她站起来了。向你的左边移动,"小马叫道，手榴弹在那个方向噼啪作响，空气中弥漫着更多噼啪作响的品红色火焰。有一阵嘶嘶声，从几个无力发光的护身符喷射出水锥。我怀疑这是否足以对抗白羊座正在创造的那种火焰，但它冲走了一些烟雾，让我更容易思考。那匹小马不知怎么的在跟踪我。不是用e.f.s;我很确定动力装甲有这样的东西。这给了他所需要的距离。
I ran--okay, limped horribly with my leg threatening to make me fall flat on my face with one wrong step--in the direction of the door again. As I approached the stairs and the catwalk, I saw the blue unicorn colt with the pitcher cutie mark from Chapel looking down at a strange little device between his hooves. Then he calmly levitated a revolver and started blasting away at me. Falling on my face in the slippery pool of cold water was the only way I could keep from eating some more rounds of lead. I rolled over and pointed the pistol at his face, but he just smirked with certainty and fired again.
我一瘸一拐地向门口跑去----好吧，我的腿一瘸一拐，差点把我的脸摔个稀巴烂----再次朝门口跑去。当我走近楼梯和t型台时，我看到了一匹蓝色的独角兽小马驹，它的蹄子之间有一个奇怪的小装置，上面有一个来自教堂的水罐的可爱标记。然后他平静地将一把左轮手枪悬浮起来，向我开枪。我脸朝下倒在湿滑的冷水池里，这是唯一能阻止我再吃几轮铅的方法。我翻了个身，用枪指着他的脸，但他只是假笑了一下，然后又开了一枪。
Damn it! Sure, he was a colt, but he was shooting at me! Why couldn’t I blow him away for that?!
该死！当然，他是一匹小马，但是他向我开枪！为什么我就不能因为这个把他轰走?！
I scrabbled through the water as his bullet took off the tip of my ear. The Med-X wasn’t enough to fully keep the edge off the pain as I staggered ahead of Aries
当他的子弹从我的耳朵尖上飞走时，我在水里摸索着。当我蹒跚地走在白羊座前面时，Med-X并不足以完全缓解疼痛
and out of the blue colt’s field of fire. I just needed a healing potion… and to stop bleeding… and for the world to stop spinning.
从蓝色柯尔特的射击场。我只是需要一个治疗药水...和停止流血...和为世界停止旋转。
I limped along in a circuit. Aries had swapped to fragmentation grenades now, lobbing them with infuriating accuracy. My tail was both ragged and scorched now, and my butt was laced with superficial holes from chucks of shrapnel. The second I slowed down even just a little, I was toast! I wondered if they were toying with me for Gemini and Taurus...
我一瘸一拐地在赛道上跑。现在，白羊座已经开始使用分裂手榴弹，以令人愤怒的精确度击打他们。我的尾巴破烂不堪，现在已经被烧焦了，屁股上布满了炮弹碎片留下的浅浅的洞。我一放慢速度，哪怕只是一点点，我就完蛋了！我想知道他们是不是在耍我玩弄双子座和金牛座..。
Wait… my tail… I took cover behind an overturned workbench and ran my hooves and magic through my singed tail. Then I felt it: a small ball the size of a corn puff and almost as light was clipped to my tail. It had a small blinking light. A tracking device?
等等......我的尾巴......我躲在一个翻倒的工作台后面，用我的蹄子和魔法穿过我烧焦的尾巴。然后我感觉到了:一个玉米粉扑大小的小球夹在我的尾巴上，几乎和光一样亮。它有一个闪烁的小灯。追踪装置？
Good. I was so glad I wasn’t going to have to yell at Ditzy or Bottlecap.
很好。我很高兴我不用对着Ditzy或Bottlecap大喊大叫。
Still, what good did it do me against that power armor? Eventually, I’d bleed out or burn up, even if I crushed the thing. What I needed was some way to disable Aries, like with one of P-21’s spark grenades. Some way…
尽管如此，它对我的力量盔甲有什么好处呢？最终，我会失血过多或者烧伤，即使我压碎了那东西。我需要的是使白羊座失去能力的方法，比如用P-21的火花弹。某种方式..。
I looked at the rows and rows of stable monitors and the cables hanging behind them.
我看着一排排稳定的监视器和它们后面的电缆。
“Left! Forty feet! Now!” the colt yelled as Aries turned and fired another shot with the grenade launcher. To the right, I scrambled on top of the closest workbench and prayed. The grenade exploded, the monitors flickering wildly as the power cables were severed and the wires dropped into the churning water. There was a resounding pop and a smell of ozone. The power armor’s weapons drooped as the crackle went on, and then everything went dark.
"左边！四十英尺！现在!"小马在白羊转身的时候叫了起来，又向榴弹发射器开了一枪。在右边，我爬上最近的工作台，开始祈祷。手榴弹爆炸了，电缆被切断，电线掉进搅动的水中，监视器发出狂乱的闪烁。有一个响亮的爆裂声和臭氧的气味。随着爆裂声的继续，能量盔甲的武器下垂了，然后一切都变黑了。
Slowly, I walked towards the stairs and looked up at the colt. Now his smile wasn’t nearly so cocky. “Aries? Aries! She’s… she coming!” In my mutant gaze, I could see him clearly as I walked through the darkness towards him and tossed the gun aside.
慢慢地，我走向楼梯，抬头看着小马。现在他的笑容已经不那么骄傲了。"白羊座？白羊座！她...她来了!"在我变异的目光中，我可以清楚地看到他，因为我穿过黑暗走向他，把枪扔到一边。
He gave a desperate giggle and hiccup as he levitated his revolver and pointed it at me. My horn shoved the barrel aside as he fired. He reaimed, and again I shoved the barrel in the other direction. The bullet passed so close beside me I could feel it. I stared him right in the eyes as he pressed the hot tip of the gun to my forehead. “You won’t kill me! I’m a kid… I’m just a colt! You won’t! Please
当他把左轮手枪悬浮起来并指向我时，他绝望地咯咯笑了起来，打了个嗝。他开枪时，我的号角把枪管推到一边。他向后瞄准，我又把枪管往相反的方向推了一下。子弹在我身边擦身而过，我能感觉到。我直视着他的眼睛，看着他把枪尖按在我的额头上。"你不会杀我的！我是个孩子...我只是一匹小马！你不会的！求你了
don’t!” As he scrambled back, I saw his strange cutie mark was peeling away; a cutie mark decal. His flank was blank beneath it.
不要!"当他爬回来的时候，我看到他那奇怪的可爱的标志正在剥落，一个可爱的标志贴纸。他的侧腹下面一片空白。
He pulled the trigger, but there was no recoil as my magic gripped the hammer before it could release and fire the round. Now he shook in terror as his levitated weapon jerked ineffectually. “You’re right. You are just a colt…” I said low and soft, my grin spreading. “And I’m not an executioner.”
他扣动了扳机，但没有任何反冲，因为我的魔力握住了锤子，它才能释放并发射子弹。这时，他的悬浮武器猛地一抽，吓得浑身发抖。"你说得对。你就是一匹小马......"我低声柔声说道，咧开嘴笑了。"我不是刽子手。"
Then I grabbed him in my bloody hooves and twisted, sitting atop the stairs and pulling him across my lap as my magic flung the weapon from his startled grasp. He wailed as I pinned his head with one hoof and then spanked his ass as hard as I could, grunting with each smack, “Do! Not! Shoot! The! Nice! Security! Pony!”
然后我用我血淋淋的蹄子抓住他，扭动着，坐在楼梯上，把他拉过我的膝盖，我的魔法从他惊恐的手中扔出了武器。我用一只蹄子顶住他的头，然后用尽全力打他的屁股，他嚎啕大哭，一拍一拍，嘴里咕哝着:"去吧！不！开枪！这个！太棒了！保安！小马!"
Then I shoved him away from me and limped towards the elevator, leaving him sniffling behind me. From the depths of the power armor came a mare’s tentative, “Uh… hello?” as I limped into the door.
然后我把他从我身边推开，一瘸一拐地走向电梯，让他在我身后抽着鼻子。从强力盔甲的深处传来一阵试探的声音,"呃......喂?"我一瘸一拐地走进门。
* * *
* * *
I made my way back up to the office I’d awoken in and found my way up to the roof. Ditzy Doo waited nervously with Silver Bell as each of my friends, who technically hadn’t come with me to the meeting, each stood watch at a different corner of the building. Well, three were watching. Rampage spat loogies over the edge. As the doors slammed shut behind me, Rampage looked up and noted the new holes in me. Her face split into a grin. “So, run into any trouble?”
我回到了我刚才醒来的办公室，找到了上屋顶的路。迪兹·杜紧张地和银铃一起等待着，因为我的每一个朋友都站在大楼的不同角落里看守着，严格来说他们并没有和我一起参加会议。有三个人在看。狂暴的人在边缘吐口水。当我身后的门砰地一声关上的时候，狂暴抬起头，注意到我身上的新洞。她的脸裂成一个笑容。"那么，遇到麻烦了吗?"
My smoldering look gave them their answer. Really, it was my own damn fault. I’d said ‘Wait on the roof and keep an eye open for trouble,’ not ‘Stay ten feet behind me and keep quiet.’ The Zodiacs had gotten in some other way, and my friends had been up here the whole time. I flopped onto my side, dug out an orb, and got ready for the flight back.
我阴郁的表情给了他们答案。真的，这都是我自己的错。我说的是'在屋顶上等着，随时注意麻烦,'而不是'跟在我后面十英尺，保持安静。'生肖以其他方式进入，我的朋友们一直都在这里。我一屁股坐在地上，掏出一个球体，准备飞回去。
oooOOOooo
噢噢噢
Jetstream. The memories that flowed from the orb weren’t the same as I was used to. Somehow, they were concentrated and accelerated, coming in flashes and little insights.
Jetstream.从这个球体流出的记忆和我以前所习惯的不一样。不知怎么的，它们集中了，加速了，一闪而过，几乎没有洞察力。
Jetstream meeting Stonewing in summer flight camp. The pair learning to fly
喷气流在夏令营遇见石翼。这一对正在学习飞行
together, she with ease and he with difficulty. There is a race between them and some rivals, but a thunderstorm brews. A gust of wind blows all of them into a mountainside, with the exception of Jetstream. She flies faster than ever before. Stonewing, slowest flyer in all of Equestria, proves himself also the strongest as he carries three pegasi across the finish line on his back. She’s gotten her windy cutie mark. He’s gotten his granite wings.
在一起，她很轻松，他很困难。他们和一些竞争对手正在赛跑，但是暴风雨即将来临。一阵风把他们都吹到了山腰上，除了Jetstream。她飞得比以往任何时候都快。斯通文是Equestria跑得最慢的飞行员，背着飞马座冲过终点线时证明了自己也是最强壮的。她得了个可爱的印记。他得到了他的花岗岩翅膀。
The pair, older, seeing the Wonderbolts perform for the Summer Sun Celebration. A cyan pegasus with a rainbow mane talks about wanting to join the team. He can’t take his eyes off her. Jetstream can’t take her eyes off him.
这对年长的夫妇在夏日太阳庆典上观看了神奇闪电的表演。一匹拥有彩虹鬃毛的青色飞马谈论着想要加入这个团队。他目不转睛地盯着她。Jetstream的目光无法从他身上移开。
They’re sitting together in his home in a city of clouds, reading about the rescue attempt and the deaths of so many Wonderbolts together. He wonders about the mare. She just sighs and looks away.
他们一起坐在他位于云雾之城的家中，阅读关于营救尝试和如此多的神奇闪电的死亡的故事。他想知道关于母马的事。她只是叹了口气，把目光移开。
They meet behind the weather factories. He tells her he’s going to enlist. She tries to talk him out of it. They show up in basic training together. Stonewing lifts Big Macintosh on his back. He gets applause for the first time in his life. She smiles, so happy for him.
他们在气象工厂后面会合。他告诉她他要参军。她试图说服他不要这样做。他们一起参加基础训练。石翼把大麦金托什背在背上。他有生以来第一次得到掌声。她笑了，为他感到高兴。
They fly in their first battle together. Griffin mercs can’t resist the slower flyer, but their rifles can’t drop him. She picks them off one by one with lightning passes. After the battle, she receives commendations from their captain, Cupcake. She tries to give credit to Stonewing. He just shakes his head with a smile and limps away to the medic.
他们在第一次战斗中一起飞行。格里芬的雇佣兵无法抵抗慢速飞行者，但是他们的步枪也不能放倒他。她用闪电般的速度把它们一个接一个地摘下来。战斗结束后，她得到了他们队长的嘉奖，纸托蛋糕。她试图归功于斯通温。他只是微笑着摇摇头，一瘸一拐地走向医生。
Dinner on a boardwalk with the Marauders. Doof challenges Stonewing to a garlic eating contest. They eat bulb after bulb. Doof goes red. Then green. Then he loses. Stonewing eats three more bulbs. Jetstream gives him a victory kiss anyway. They watch the fireworks over the bay, her head resting on his firm shoulder.
和掠夺者们在木板路上共进晚餐。愚蠢的挑战Stonewing吃大蒜比赛。它们一个接一个地吃球茎。杜夫变成了红色。然后是绿色。然后他输了。石翅又吃了三个球茎。无论如何，Jetstream给了他一个胜利之吻。他们看着海湾上空的烟花，她的头靠在他坚实的肩膀上。
Another mission. She’s hit and spirals down. Zebra ninja warriors swarm in. Stonewing lands among them like an avalanche. A bayonet catches him in the throat, ripping it open. His wonderful bass voice goes silent forever. He doesn’t fall, standing over her till the rest of the Marauders extract them.
又一个任务。她被击中，然后螺旋下降。斑马忍者武士蜂拥而至。石翼像雪崩一样落在他们中间。一把刺刀卡住了他的喉咙，把它撕开了。他那美妙的低音永远沉默了。他没有倒下，站在她身边，直到其他掠夺者把他们救出来。
A dinner alone on a mountaintop. She’s going to do it. She’s ready. She’s going to tell him. She’s going to let him. But there’s an explosion in the village below, and he’s away, flying to help. She watches, realizing how alone she’d been
在山顶独自享用晚餐。她打算这么做。她准备好了。她会告诉他的。她会同意的。但是下面的村庄发生了爆炸，他飞去帮忙了。她看着，意识到自己是多么的孤独
before flying after him.
然后飞去追他。
The bombing at Prance. She tries to get him alone. She tries to tell him how she feels. He listens. He smiles. He shakes his head and kisses her forehead. He breaks her heart as gently as possible. She’s grateful for the bomb.
Prance爆炸案。她想和他单独在一起。她试图告诉他她的感受。他听着。他笑了。他摇摇头，吻了吻她的额头。他尽可能温柔地伤了她的心。她很感激那个炸弹。
An argument. She wants to leave. He wants to reenlist. She can’t see the reason. He just shakes his head. She’s had enough fighting. He’s not done yet. She signs the papers to stay another year.
一场争论。她想离开。他想延长服役期。她看不出原因。他只是摇摇头。她已经吵够了。他还没说完呢。她在文件上签了字，准备再呆一年。
They watch the rocket rise on a pillar of fire. Stonewing grins like an eager colt. She smiles and can’t help herself. She rests her head on his shoulder again, hoping he can’t feel her tears.
他们看着火箭在火柱上升起。石翼像一匹饥渴的小马驹一样咧着嘴笑。她微笑着，情不自禁。她又把头靠在他的肩膀上，希望他感觉不到她的眼泪。
Brimstone’s Fall. She sees the sniper. She starts to open her mouth. The bullet strikes him in the neck and he falls like a brick wrapped in a dirty sheet. She flies to save him, to repay him, but the medics load him on to an evacuation wagon with a tag around his hoof.
地狱之火。她看到了狙击手。她开始张开嘴。子弹击中了他的脖子，他像一块裹在脏床单里的砖头一样倒了下去。她飞过去救他，报答他，但是医务人员在他的蹄子上绑了一个标签，把他装上了一辆疏散车。
An argument. Big Macintosh tells her to be strong. Tells her that it’s alright. Tells her the war can’t last forever. Tells her to remember Stonewing and all they’d done together. She cries out and strikes him. She hits him again and again as the rest of the squad looks on.
一场争论。大麦金托什告诉她要坚强。告诉她没关系。告诉她战争不会永远持续下去。告诉她要记住斯通因和他们一起做的一切。她大声喊叫，打了他一顿。在其他队员的注视下，她一次又一次地打他。
She sits alone on a cloud. Vanity teleports to her. She tells him what she needs. He tells her it’s a mistake. She asks once more. He kisses her cheek softly, tells her he understands. Her eyes widen as he touches his horn to her brow and takes the tears away.
她独自坐在云端。虚荣心传送到她身上。她告诉他她需要什么。他告诉她这是个错误。她又问了一次。他轻轻地吻了吻她的脸颊，告诉她他理解。他用喇叭触碰她的额头，把眼泪夺走，她的眼睛睁得大大的。
oooOOOooo
噢噢噢
I awoke on the floor of the wagon, my gut and inner ears telling me that we were still flying. Fortunately, my brain had been through enough that, instead of screaming incoherently, I just lay there and groaned.
我在马车的地板上醒来，我的内脏和耳朵告诉我，我们还在飞行。幸运的是，我的大脑经历了足够多的痛苦，我没有语无伦次地尖叫，而是躺在那里呻吟。
“Try to relax, Blackjack. We’re almost back to Chapel,” P-21 said quietly as he stroked my striped mane. “Guess we weren’t much help after all.”
"放松点，黑杰克。我们就快到教堂了,"P-21一边抚摸着我的条纹鬃毛，一边平静地说。"看来我们还是帮不上什么忙。"
“Eh… it was my plan. Not your fault,” I replied with a groan.
"呃......这是我的计划。"不是你的错,"我呻吟着回答。
“What’s wrong with her?” the young filly asked as she looked down at me.
"她怎么了?"小姑娘低头看着我，问道。
“Just… not good with wide open places,” I groaned softly. “Too many memories, too. Pinkie Pie. Stonewing. Jetstream.”
"只是...不适合开阔的地方,"我轻轻地呻吟着。"还有太多的回忆。粉红派。石翼。Jetstream。"
The little filly suddenly looked curious. “A memory of Pinkie Pie? What was it about?”
小母马突然显得很好奇。"小指派的回忆？是关于什么的?"
“Somepony tried to bomb a party she was at.” Talking helped a little. Took my mind off of... falling… hurk!
"某个小马试图炸毁她参加的一个派对。"谈话起了一点作用。让我忘记了...坠落...痛苦！
“Spew…” muttered the disgusted filly. “I’m not cleaning that up!”
"呕......"那个讨厌的小姑娘咕哝着。"我才不打扫呢!"
“Don’t worry about it, Silver Bell,” Rampage said as she tossed a dirty rag over the puddle. I tried to go back into Jetstream’s rapid-fire memories but it was useless now. My horn refused to make the connection.
"别担心，银铃,"朗格边说边把一块脏抹布扔到水坑上。我试图回到Jetstream那些连珠炮似的记忆中，但现在已经没有用了。我的号角拒绝接通。
Then I looked over at Rampage and saw she’d removed her steel barding once more. Lacunae had to carry it so the cart wouldn’t be overloaded. The striped pony had no problem looking out, but I supposed that was because if she fell she’d… ugh… My eyes drifted further down to her flank, and then I froze.
然后我看了看狂暴，看到她又一次拿掉了她的钢条。空隙不得不搬运它，这样车子就不会超载。那匹有条纹的小马向外看没什么问题，但我猜想那是因为如果她摔倒了，她会......呃......我的眼睛向下看到了她的侧腹，然后我僵住了。
A cutie mark was a pony’s most innate self, an ultimate expression of who and what we were. That’d been as far as I’d gotten in the lecture before passing out from boredom, but I had the gist of it. Cutie marks mattered.
可爱的标记是小马最天生的自我，是我们是谁和我们是什么的终极表达。在我无聊到昏倒之前，我已经听到了这个演讲的全部内容，但是我知道它的要点。可爱的标志很重要。
So what was the meaning of a cutie mark of a teddy bear having its rotting guts torn out by barbs of rusting metal sprouting from candy while the bear itself ripped at a distorted a zebra glyph of a skull while fleshy tendrils pulled and shredded at the normally smooth lines and black lightning struck and shattered wineglasses while in the background swirled a spiral like a whirlpool? Yes, it actually moved. As I watched, the barbs of rust melted into chains while the teddy bear pulled its guts back in and screaming pony faces bubbled to the surface.
那么，当一只可爱的泰迪熊被从糖果里冒出来的锈迹金属撕裂了内脏，同时熊本身撕裂了一个扭曲的头骨斑马图案，同时肉质的卷须拉扯并撕裂了通常平滑的线条，黑色的闪电击中并打碎了酒杯，同时背景中旋转着漩涡一样的螺旋，这个可爱的印记是什么意思呢？是的，它真的动了。就在我看着的时候，铁锈的倒钩融化成了铁链，而泰迪熊把它的内脏拉了回来，尖叫的小马脸浮出水面。
Our eyes met, red on pink, and she gave a little smile and shrug. “Ha. Beat that for a cutie mark. Mine moves.”
我们的目光相遇，红红的粉红色，她微微一笑，耸了耸肩。"哈。为了一个可爱的目标而打败它。我的动作。"
I didn’t want to beat that. I’d rather die than beat that. “You win,” I replied softly.
我不想打破这个记录。我宁愿死也不要打败它。"你赢了,"我轻声回答。
I shut up for the rest of the flight. I wasn’t going to say one single word of complaint right now. There were worse things than flying.
接下来的飞行我都闭嘴了。我现在一句抱怨的话也不想说。还有比飞行更糟糕的事情。
* * *
* * *
Roses’s funeral was something of an aberration. Few ponies actually left bodies to be buried when they came to Chapel. The sentry beams turned all pilgrims into ash. Still, she’d left Thorn behind, and I’d asked Priest if he would allow it. I hadn’t expected anypony else to be here. To my surprise, the entire town attended. The Crusaders marched out en masse to support Thorn, and I suspected that for them this was a service for their lost parents as well. The hoofful of adults remained in the back. Lacunae looked right at home in her black lace. After my fight in the Stable-Tec R&D building, I limped as badly as P-21 as we walked out to the field.
罗斯的葬礼有点离经叛道。当他们来到教堂的时候，很少有小马真的把尸体留下来埋葬。哨兵的横梁把所有朝圣者都变成了灰烬。尽管如此，她还是把索恩留下了，我还是问了牧师是否同意。我没想到还有其他人会在这里。令我惊讶的是，全镇的人都参加了。十字军成群结队地走出去支持索恩，我怀疑这对他们来说也是为了他们失去的父母。成年人的蹄子仍然留在后面。她穿着黑色蕾丝花边，看起来很自在。在Stable-Tec研发中心的战斗结束后，我一瘸一拐地走到战场上，就像P-21一样。
Rampage was not in attendance. I could have asked his permission. She might have come.
狂暴没有出席。我本可以征求他的同意。她可能会来的。
Of course, this was the moment the clouds started to threaten rain. Well, my cold couldn’t get much worse, could it?
当然，这就是乌云开始威胁要下雨的时刻。我的感冒再严重不过了，不是吗？
Priest stepped next to the sheet wrapping Roses’s body, bowing his head respectfully for a moment before speaking in his soft, clear voice. “We all have a journey in our lives. A path to walk, a road to take. Each of us walks that road in our own way and at our own pace. Sometimes alone, if we must; sometimes with others, if we are lucky.”
普里斯特走到裹着罗斯尸体的床单旁边，恭敬地低了一下头，然后用他那柔和清晰的声音说话。"在我们的生活中，我们都有一段旅程。一条路可以走，一条路可以走。我们每个人都以自己的方式和步伐走在这条路上。如果必须的话，有时候是一个人;如果幸运的话，有时候是和别人一起。"
The fillies and colts around Thorn nudged her gently, reminding her that she wasn’t alone. She was a Crusader now.
索恩周围的小雌马和小马轻轻地推了她一下，提醒她，她并不孤单。她现在是十字军战士了。
“The road may be dark. It may be hard and painful. And all too frequently, it is cut short by another. We walk these roads as we are able, whether with vigor and excitement or a heavy load. But we all walk.
"道路可能是黑暗的。这可能是艰难和痛苦的。而且经常被另一个人打断。我们尽我们所能地在这些道路上行走，无论是带着活力和兴奋，还是带着沉重的负担。但是我们都是走路的。
“Roses’s road has come to an end like so many do in the Hoof. It was not a noble road, but while there was the blood of others upon it, there was also virtue. A love for a daughter and a wish to keep her protected and safe. So if some would speak ill of the dead, let them do so when the passed are not present.”
"玫瑰之路已经走到了尽头，就像许多人在霍夫所做的那样。这不是一条高尚的道路，但是，尽管这条路上有别人的鲜血，但也有美德。对女儿的爱和保护她安全的愿望。所以，如果有人要说死人的坏话，那就让他们在死人不在的时候说吧。"
I’ll bring cake to your funeral. You mean I get one? Sweet. How many lives had
我会带蛋糕去你的葬礼。你是说我也有一个？太好了。有多少生命
I ended that had never gotten this opportunity? Had Air Duct and Vent received one? Where was the funeral for Scoodle? For those forty nameless foals? For Tumbleweed and eleven zebras? Where were the kind words for U-21? For Vanity? For Gorgon? For Deus?
我结束了从来没有得到这个机会？通风管道和通风口有没有收到一个？史酷德的葬礼在哪里举行？为了那四十匹无名的小马驹？为了Tumbleweed和十一匹斑马？对U-21的赞美之词哪去了？为了虚荣？为了戈耳贡？为了上帝？
I did not want to die alone and forgotten.
我不想孤独地死去，被遗忘。
“Your road is at an end, Roses. Rest in the embrace of Celestia and Luna. Let the Goddesses receive you with their peace and mercy.” We bowed our heads, and then six unicorns, myself included, reached out our magic as one and lowered her down into the earth. The assembled ponies shuffled by. Medley dropped in a poem or note. Priest set a drawing of Thorn upon the stained linen. Charity laid two bottlecaps beside her. Glory a feather. Me? Two of the little golden flowers.
"你的路已经走到尽头了，Roses。在塞莱斯蒂亚和露娜的拥抱中休息。让女神们以他们的平安和慈悲接受你吧。"我们低下头，然后六个独角兽，包括我在内，伸出我们的魔法作为一个，并降低她到地球。聚集在一起的小马儿拖着脚步走过。梅德利写了一首诗或一个注释。牧师把一幅荆棘的图画放在染色的亚麻布上。在她旁边放了两瓶。晨辉如羽毛。我？两朵金色的小花。
The young earth ponies then took whatever spades they had and started to fill in the dirt. Harpica lay beside Thorn, holding her close under her dried and desiccated wing with an air of having done this many a times for a foal. Ditzy Doo’s leg held Silver bell closely, the overcooked ghoul nuzzling the jagged scar on the filly’s brow. As the dirt piled up, Thorn began to sob, “Momma! Momma!” Then a second later she wailed, “Wampage! Wampage!”
这些年轻的土地小马随即拿起它们所有的铁锹，开始往泥土里填土。哈皮卡躺在荆棘旁边，紧紧地抱着她，放在干燥的翅膀下面，一副为小马驹做过很多次的样子。迪茨·杜的腿紧紧地抓着银铃，煮过头的食尸鬼用鼻子蹭着小马额头上参差不齐的伤疤。当泥土堆积起来时，索恩开始哭泣,"妈妈！妈妈!"过了一会儿，她哭着说:"万佩奇！万页!"
I felt myself start to shake. I was already crying, but I had to hold it together. There was one last part. Glory had suggested it; P-21 had agreed. How could I not?
我感到自己开始发抖。我已经在哭了，但我必须忍住。还有最后一部分。晨辉建议这样做;P-21也同意了。我怎么能不呢？
Slowly, I lifted the contrabass from its case and stood on my hind legs. You hold it like an earth pony. I rubbed my cheek on the cool wood and whispered softly, “Please don’t let me mess up.” Priest’s sheet music floated before me. I levitated the bow to my hoof, pinched it behind my fetlock, and dragged it slowly across the strings.
慢慢地，我把那条低音提了起来，用后腿站了起来。你握着它就像一匹地球上的小马。我在凉爽的树林上摩挲着脸颊，轻声说道:"请不要让我把事情搞砸了。"牧师的乐谱浮现在我面前。我用蹄子把弓悬浮起来，把它夹在我的蹄铁后面，在琴弦上慢慢地拖着。
As the contrabass’s slow, sad notes rose over the sound of spades, it was joined by a violin. I looked at Charity in amazement, the filly giving me a grudging little nod as music rose from her glowing horn. I still didn’t like her, but for this there were more important things than what I liked or disliked. Priest calmly added the notes of a deeper stringed instrument. I don’t know what ‘Adagio for Strings’ meant, but as the music rose and fell, rising and falling, I could only feel my own disgusting and diseased heart trying to lift with it. And it hurt. Oh how it hurt. It didn’t matter if I cried; the rain was falling now. Higher. Higher. Just a
当低音提琴缓慢而悲伤的音符盖过黑桃的声音时，一把小提琴也加入了进来。我惊讶地看着查瑞蒂，这匹小母马勉强地向我点了点头，音乐从她那发光的喇叭里响起来。我仍然不喜欢她，但是为了这个，有比我喜欢或者不喜欢的更重要的事情。牧师平静地加上一个更深的弦乐器的音符。我不知道弦乐柔板四重奏是什么意思，但是当音乐起起落落，起起落落的时候，我只能感觉到我自己那令人厌恶的、病态的心脏试图用它来提升。这很伤人。哦，多么痛苦啊。我哭不哭没关系，现在正在下雨。更高。更高。只有一个
little further, the instrument seemed to say. Higher!
再往前一点，乐器似乎在说。再高点！
Silence.
沉默。
I hung my head as we played the last few chords, my heart starting to beat once more in my chest; I didn’t know what magic let me get through all that, but when the last note died, we were left with only with the hissing rain, a muddy pile of dirt, and a piece of wood marked simply ‘Roses’.
当我们弹奏最后几个和弦的时候，我低下了头，我的心又开始在胸膛里跳动;我不知道是什么魔法让我完成了这一切，但是当最后一个音符消失的时候，我们只剩下嘶嘶作响的雨声，一堆泥土，和一块简单地写着'玫瑰'的木头。
* * *
* * *
Most ponies, being smarter than me, know to get out of the rain, and this time I was at least clever enough to follow them. In the post office was a mournful celebration as the Crusaders talked about fallen friends and lost family. There were tears, but there were just as many smiles. This was a funeral for far more than just Roses. It was a funeral for Scoodle, and for everypony who had died yet was remembered. It was for that nameless Dashite, for those infected farmers, for Hoss and Granny Smith and Macintosh and Maripony and all the fallen Marauders.
大多数比我聪明的小马都知道躲雨，而这一次我至少聪明到可以跟着它们。邮局里举行了一场悲伤的庆祝活动，十字军战士们谈论着逝去的朋友和失去的家人。有眼泪，但也有同样多的微笑。这不仅仅是罗斯的葬礼。这是史酷德的葬礼，每一匹死去的小马都会被铭记。这是为了那个无名的Dashite，为了那些被感染的农民，为了Hoss和GrannySmith和Maripony以及所有倒下的掠夺者。
I limped over to the lace-veiled Lacunae. “So… Goddess…”
我一瘸一拐地走向蕾丝面纱遮住的缺口。"那么...女神..."
“The Goddess isn’t here right now,” Lacunae replied in a low tone of near… scorn. I was astonished I could hear it over the din. “She could not bear to be here right now. She is ignoring me and distracting herself with inconsequential thoughts of the others.”
"女神现在不在这里,"Lacunae用近乎...蔑视的低声回答。我很惊讶，在嘈杂声中我能听到它的声音。"她现在无法忍受呆在这里。她无视我，用无关紧要的想法分散自己的注意力。"
Looking at the alicorn, I frowned, not sure if I was upset at her or her Goddess. “I thought goddesses were supposed to care.”
看着阿里康，我皱起了眉头，不确定我是否对她或她的女神感到不安。"我以为女神应该在乎的。"
“They are. They’re not supposed to die, either, but they do. Excuse me,” she said as she rose and walked into the bathroom. There was a purple flash under the door, and when I peeked in she was gone.
"是的。他们也不应该死，但他们确实死了。对不起,"她说着站起身来，走进了浴室。门底下有一道紫色的闪光，当我往里面看时，她已经不见了。
Stepping out, I saw P-21 and Glory standing apart. The pair didn’t seem to associate with the Crusaders as well as I did. I looked at Charity, and she looked back at me. The truce would last a little longer. “Lacunae’s gone... somewhere.”
走出办公室，我看到P-21和晨辉站在一边。这两个人似乎并没有像我一样和十字军联系在一起。我看着Charity，她也看着我。停战协议还会持续一段时间。"空隙不见了......在某个地方。"
P-21 frowned at me and shook his head. “I don’t trust it. We don’t know what it can do!” Glory scowled at him, probably for his choice in pronouns.
P-21对我皱眉，摇摇头。"我不相信它。我们不知道它能做什么!"晨辉怒视着他，可能是因为他选择了代词。
“Well... um... you can add disappearing to the list. And wings. And unicorn magic.”
"好吧......嗯......你可以把消失加到这个清单上。还有翅膀。还有独角兽魔法。"
“Telepathy,” Glory added absently. At my uncomprehending stare she rolled her eyes. “She talks inside our heads, Blackjack. Ever notice how you can hear her no matter how noisy it is?” Um... yes. Yes, but it hadn’t occurred to me that that was because her words could skip straight past my ears and into my brain! But that was definitely good to know. So she could talk in my head. Though that did make me wonder what else she could do...
"心灵感应,"晨辉心不在焉地加了一句。在我无法理解的凝视下，她翻了翻眼睛。"她在我们脑子里说话，黑杰克。你有没有注意到，不管多吵闹，你都能听到她的声音?"嗯...是的。是的，但是我没有想到那是因为她的话可以跳过我的耳朵直接进入我的大脑！但是知道这些绝对是件好事。这样她就能在我脑子里说话了。虽然这让我想知道她还能做什么..。
I drifted through the crowd a bit more, then bumped into Harpica. The dusty ghoul looked at me in worry. “Oh, Blackjack? Have you seen Thorn anywhere? I brought her inside but she’s disappeared, and the rain is getting worse. Oh, the Master will be so upset if I lose track of one,” she fretted, forgetting that her master was the one who had killed Thorn’s mother.
我在人群中游荡了一会儿，然后遇到了Harpica。那个满身灰尘的食尸鬼忧心忡忡地看着我。"哦，黑杰克？你看见索恩了吗？我把她带进来，但她不见了，雨越下越大。哦，如果我找不到一个，大师会很生气的,"她苦恼地说，忘记了她的主人就是杀死索恩母亲的人。
I sighed. “I’ll see if I can find her,” I said softly, fearing that I’d have to tear her from her mother’s muddy grave. Oh please… please don’t make me do that. I sighed, my mane itching from all the damp. I needed a bath. A hot bath.
我叹了口气。"我看看能不能找到她,"我温柔地说，害怕我不得不把她从她母亲泥泞的坟墓里拽出来。求你了，求你别逼我。我叹了口气，头发全湿了，痒痒的。我需要洗个澡。洗个热水澡。
I stepped outside, coughing and spitting up more phlegm. I needed a few days’ recovery, and I wasn’t getting it. Even with the bullet holes healed, I could only hobble along. Pretty soon, I’d be as bad as P-21.
我走到外面，咳嗽，吐出更多的痰。我需要几天的时间来恢复，但是我没有得到。即使弹孔愈合了，我也只能蹒跚前行。很快，我就会变得和P-21一样坏。
I slowly scanned the town, but my E.F.S. was bare. She might have been in one of the houses, but I’d have to go into each one. The cool blue colors of the Delta PipBuck seemed to conspire with the rain to make this day as gloomy as possible. I looked towards Roses’s grave and felt relieved and saddened that nopony was there. I sighed and coughed again, wanting to go inside. If Thorn was like me, she probably wanted to be alone.
我慢慢地扫视了整个城镇，但是我的e.f.s是空的。她可能在其中一个房子里，但是我必须进入每一个房子。三角洲地区的皮布克车的冷蓝色似乎与雨水密切相关，使得这一天尽可能地阴沉。我望着罗斯的坟墓，因为那里没有小马而感到宽慰和难过。我叹了口气，又咳了一声，想进去。如果索恩像我一样，她可能想一个人呆着。
Then a tiny pink pony inside my head smacked my brain hard and pointed out something on the road. A tiny rain soaked rag.
然后我脑袋里一匹粉红色的小马重重地拍了一下我的脑袋，指着路上的什么东西。一块被雨水浸透的抹布。
A horn puppet.
一个长角的木偶。
No. No no no. Thorn wasn’t like me. She still had somepony to go to.
没有。不不不。索恩不像我。她还有一匹小马要去。
I ran to the puppet and saw the lavender filly running towards the bridge. I forgot about my cold and shivery body and ignored my aching legs as I started to run. I
我跑到木偶跟前，看见那匹淡紫色的小母马朝桥跑去。当我开始跑步的时候，我忘记了我的感冒和颤抖的身体，忽略了我疼痛的腿。一
yelled out into the rain for her to stop. Had one of the Crusaders told her about the bridge, that she’d be with her mother on the other side?
在雨中呼喊着让她停下来。是不是有一个十字军战士告诉她关于那座桥的事，她会和她的母亲在另一边？
There was another pony on the bridge. A pony that caught her in her limbs and held her as I ran to catch up. Rampage, missing her armor, just held her in her hooves as Thorn sobbed horribly into her shoulder. I stopped, lungs burning, legs feeling as if they were about to break. Her cutie mark seemed to still, the rest blending away into the image of the teddy bear. “Shh… shh... it’s all right.”
桥上还有一匹小马。一匹小马抓住了她的四肢，在我追赶的时候紧紧地抱住了她。狂暴，丢失了她的盔甲，只是抓住她的蹄子，索恩在她的肩膀上可怕地啜泣。我停了下来，肺在燃烧，腿感觉好像要断了。她身上的可爱印记似乎一动不动，其余的渐渐变成了泰迪熊的形象。"嘘...嘘...没事的"
“Wampage…” Thorn sobbed as she hugged her close.
"瓦姆佩奇......"索恩啜泣着，紧紧地拥抱着她。
“Shh… Shh… It’s okay…” she said as she held her. I struggled to tell Thorn to step away. For all three of us to return together. Don’t make me shoot her in front of you.
"嘘......嘘......没事......"她一边说一边抱着她。我挣扎着让索恩离开。我们三个一起回来。别逼我当着你的面杀了她。
My eyes met Rampage’s. I jumped into S.A.T.S., toggling three magic bullets.
我的目光遇到了狂暴的。我跳进了s.a.t.s，切换了三个魔法子弹。
My useless, exhausted little horn let out an anemic flicker and went dark.
我那毫无用处、精疲力竭的小角发出一声贫血的微光，接着就变黑了。
Her teddy bear melted away. “You’ll never hurt again.”
她的泰迪熊消失了。"你再也不会受伤了。"
The rain hissed as a crunchy pop filled the air.
雨发出嘶嘶声，空气中弥漫着嘎吱嘎吱的响声。
“It’s okay,” Rampage said softly to the bloody mass, a bony equine skull grinning at me from her flank. “It’s okay. You’ll never hurt again…”
"没关系,"朗格轻轻地对着血淋淋的尸体说，一个瘦骨嶙峋的马头骨从她的侧腹向我微笑。"没关系。你再也不会受伤了......"
Footnote: Level Up.
脚注:水平上升。
New Perk added: Dealer’s Ante -- Every time you kill an opponent in S.A.T.S., the spell immediately regenerates 20% AP.
新帕金斯补充道:"庄家的行板"——每当你在S.A.T.S.杀死一个对手，这个咒语立刻会产生20%的AP。
Author's Notes:
作者笔记:
(Thanks to Kkat for creating FoE, to Hinds and Bronode for making it spectacular, and to all readers who leave feedback. You keep this mattering. You keep this going.)
(感谢Kkat创建了FoE，感谢Hinds和Bronode，感谢所有留下反馈的读者。你继续这个话题吧。你继续吧。)
Chapter 18: Monsters
第十八章:怪物
Fallout Equestria: Project Horizons
小马国:地平线计划
By Somber
作者:Somber
Chapter 18: Monsters
第十八章:怪物
“It seems like the only thing royal about you is that you are a royal pain!”
"看来你唯一高贵的地方就是你是个高贵的讨厌鬼!"
What is ‘security’? I know I have the word on my barding, but what does it really mean? For most of my life, security meant walking two hours’ patrol through the living quarters, listening for the occasional alert, and long tedious hours writing reports so banal that I could fill them out in my sleep. Security was keeping the peace, maintaining stability, and preserving order.
什么是安全？我知道我有这个词，但它到底是什么意思呢？在我生命的大部分时间里，安全意味着在起居室里巡逻两个小时，偶尔听听警报，长时间无聊地写报告，以至于我可以在睡梦中把它们写完。安全就是维护和平，维护稳定，维护秩序。
But what is security in the Wasteland, where there’s no peace, stability, or order left to keep? Am I supposed to create them on my own? I‘m just one mare. I’d tried to instill them in a community where I thought security was needed. A gift, or so I thought. But my attempts were seen as threats, an attempt to usurp Flank from ponies ultimately content with the discord, instability, and disorder. I wasn’t just unwanted; I was everything they opposed.
但是什么是安全的荒原，在那里没有和平，稳定，或秩序离开去维持？我应该自己创造它们吗？我只是一匹母马。我试图把他们灌输给一个我认为需要安全的社区。一个礼物，至少我是这么想的。但我的企图被看作是威胁，企图从小马那里篡夺弗兰克，最终满足于不和谐、不稳定和混乱。我不仅是不受欢迎的，我还是他们反对的一切。
What am I supposed to be doing in the Wasteland? All my life, I had a role. P-21 rebelled against his, but while there aren’t words for how much I respect him for that, my role was comfortable, and in a way I’ve grown even more attached to it since I left the stable. Damn me, I like being security. When I see the raiders, slavers, bandits, and thugs that infest the land around Hoofington, standing in opposition to them makes me feel like I’m a little bit above the rest of the heap. Call it pride, if you want. But more and more I feel… lost.
我应该在荒原上做什么？在我的一生中，我有一个角色。P-21反叛了他，但是我无法用言语表达我对他的尊敬，我的角色很舒适，从某种程度上说，自从我离开马厩后，我对这个角色变得更加依恋。该死的，我喜欢当保镖。当我看到侵略者，奴隶贩子，土匪和暴徒侵入Hoofington周围的土地，站在他们的对立面，让我觉得自己有点高人一等。如果你愿意，可以称之为骄傲。但是我越来越觉得...失落。
And through it all, resting in my PipBuck is EC-1101, a mystery that I am simply not smart enough to solve. So what is my place here? Am I to simply find somewhere to call home and defend it to my dying breath? Chapel. Even Megamart. They wouldn’t be bad places to live. The question is, would I be able to close my eyes and cover my ears to everything beyond?
经过这一切，在我的PipBuck里的是EC-1101，一个我根本不够聪明去解决的谜。那么我在这里的位置是什么呢？难道我只需要找到一个称之为家的地方，然后用尽最后一口气来捍卫它吗？教堂。甚至超级艺术。它们不会是不适合居住的地方。问题是，我能不能闭上眼睛，捂住耳朵，不去想其他的事情？
What’s better, to fight against the entirety of the Wasteland and fail, or to care for a small part and ignore what remains? How can I do better?
与整个荒原作战而失败，还是关心一小部分而忽略剩下的东西，哪个更好呢？我怎样才能做得更好？
* * *
* * *
The rain dripped in streaks along my glasses as we trudged along the road northeast towards Chapel. The fact that we were heading to one of the few decent places in all of the Wasteland didn’t do much to raise my spirits. That snide little suspicion was already whispering: something was going to go wrong. Something always went wrong.
当我们沿着东北方向的小教堂的道路艰难前行时，雨水沿着我的眼镜滴下了几缕。事实上，我们正在前往荒原上为数不多的体面的地方之一，并没有多大的提高我的精神。那个小小的怀疑已经在窃窃私语:有些事情要出问题了。总会有些事情出错。
I glanced at P-21 as he rode in the wagon next to Thorn. Well... maybe not quite always.
当P-21坐在索恩旁边的马车上时，我瞥了他一眼。嗯...也许并不总是这样。
The wagon was full of gear from Deus’s camp; despite the few survivors of the Battle of Flank who’d stopped running long enough to loot the place, there’d been more locked chests and ammo boxes than the bounty hunters could open. Most of it was junk, but some of it was useful. P-21 busied himself with cracking the containers open as we travelled along the broken asphalt past rusting wagons. I could only watch in awe as he ignored the swaying and errant bouncing.
马车上装满了来自天王营地的装备;尽管弗拉克战役中有少数幸存者停下来抢劫了这个地方，但是上锁的箱子和弹药箱比赏金猎人能打开的还要多。大部分是垃圾，但有些是有用的。当我们沿着破旧的沥青路经过生锈的货车时，P-21正忙着撬开集装箱。我只能敬畏地看着他忽略了摇摆不定的弹跳。
We stopped for a break outside a Hippocampus Energy skywagon battery-swapping station as the rain picked up. My throat felt all scratchy and my nose wouldn’t stop running. Thorn wasn’t doing much better. Rampage busted some Sunrise Sarsaparilla crates into fuel for a fire, and Roses started to boil water in an old coffee pot. P-21 stayed in the garage, continuing to work. When he started on a heap of medical boxes, I nudged his flank. “Let me try those? You can tell me what I’m doing wrong.”
雨越来越大了，我们在海马能源公司的空中旅行车电池交换站外停下来休息。我感到喉咙发痒，鼻子一直在流鼻涕。索恩也好不到哪里去。横冲直撞地把几个装着撒尔沙的板条箱弄成了火柴，玫瑰花也开始在一个旧咖啡壶里烧水。P-21留在车库里，继续工作。当他开始处理一堆医疗箱时，我轻推了一下他的侧身。"让我试试这个？你可以告诉我哪里做错了。"
I don’t know why, but he actually smiled. Ugh, stallions are weird. “What brought this on?”
我不知道为什么，但他真的笑了。种马真奇怪。"这是怎么回事?"
“Roses almost died because I couldn’t open a lock. I don’t want that to happen again,” I said as I levitated a bobby pin out of his cardboard box. “So tell me what I’m doing wrong so I can do better?”
"玫瑰差点死掉，因为我打不开锁。我不希望这种事再次发生,"我一边说着，一边从他的纸板箱里弄出了一个发夹。"那么，告诉我我做错了什么，这样我就能做得更好?"
I hated picking locks. I hated having a cold. I hated being clammy and shivery all the time. As unlikely as it was, I imagined Lighthooves somehow manipulating the weather just to make me miserable. It felt good to have
我讨厌撬锁。我讨厌感冒。我讨厌一直浑身湿冷发抖。尽管不太可能，我还是想象着光剑能够操纵天气，只是为了让我感到痛苦。这种感觉很好
somepony to blame. Still, I had to admit that this was nice, just lying side by side while I winnowed down his supply of bobby pins.
要怪就怪他吧。尽管如此，我还是不得不承认这很好，只是并排躺着，同时我筛选掉他的发夹。
“A little farther… now tap, don’t twist. That’s it… almost…” And SNAP. I thumped my head against the yellow case, loathing pink butterflies. “Well, close.”
"再往前一点......现在点击，不要扭动。就是这样......几乎......"然后啪的一声。我用头撞那个黄色的盒子，讨厌粉红色的蝴蝶。"嗯，差不多了。"
“Unless there are healing grenades in there, I don’t think close counts,” I said with a sigh, sliding the box over to him. “Sorry for wasting your time.”
"除非有治疗手榴弹在那里，我不认为接近计数,"我说，一声叹息，滑到他的盒子。"抱歉浪费了你的时间。"
He blinked, waving the bobby pin at me with his lips. “Excuse me?” he asked around the mouthful.
他眨着眼睛，用嘴唇向我挥舞着发夹。"你说什么?"他一口一口地问道。
“With trying to help Flank,” I said as I looked out at the pouring rain. “If I hadn’t been clueless and actually realized she was Caprice… I dunno.”
"试图帮助弗兰克,"我说，我看着外面瓢泼大雨。"如果我不是一无所知，而是真的意识到她是一个任性的人......我不知道。"
“You think that somehow you could have magically made them good and deserving ponies?” he asked with a half smile, arching his brow. When I nodded, he sighed and shook his head. “Blackjack, I wish you were right. I thought that Flank was… okay. Maybe a little too vice oriented, but okay. But the ponies there made up their minds a long time ago about the kind of people they were going to be. You can’t make ponies change just by wanting it.”
"你以为你可以用魔法把它们变好，变成配得上的小马吗?"他问道，微微一笑，拱起了眉毛。我点点头，他叹了口气，摇了摇头。"黑杰克，我希望你是对的。我还以为那个弗兰克是...好吧。也许有点过于堕落了，不过没关系。但是那里的小马们很久以前就已经下定决心要成为什么样的人了。你不能仅仅因为想要而让小马改变。"
“I know, I was just so stupid,” I muttered. He thumped the back of my head, then opened the medical kit with a flick of his screwdriver. I don’t know which stung more.
"我知道，我只是太蠢了,"我喃喃自语。他重重地敲了敲我的后脑勺，然后用螺丝刀轻弹一下，打开了急救箱。我不知道哪个更疼。
“You were optimistic, Blackjack. It’s one of your best qualities. I wouldn’t have tried helping them. If you were wrong, then some lousy ponies would luck out and get something they don’t deserve. If I was wrong, ponies who needed our help wouldn’t get it. Which sounds better to you?” It did make a little bit of sense. I coughed, turning my head. I definitely didn’t want to share my budding cold.
"你很乐观，Blackjack。这是你最好的品质之一。我不会试图帮助他们。如果你错了，那么一些讨厌的小马就会幸运地得到它们不应得的东西。如果我错了，需要我们帮助的小马就得不到帮助。你觉得哪个听起来更好?"这确实有点道理。我一边咳嗽，一边转头。我绝对不想分享我刚刚萌芽的感冒。
“So what’s inside?” I asked as I flipped the hatch open with my horn. The rotten egg stench hit me immediately. The healing potion inside was so corrupted by Enervation that it’d eaten right through the metal stopper on the bottle. Two needles of Med-X looked intact; the bottle of filtered water, too. I looked out at all the rain. Maybe I could replace it with whiskey. “That’s what, the fifth spoiled potion?”
"那里面是什么?"我一边用喇叭弹开舱门，一边问道。臭鸡蛋的臭味立刻扑面而来。里面的治疗药水被能量腐蚀得很厉害，直接腐蚀了瓶子上的金属塞子。两针Med-X看起来完好无损，还有一瓶过滤水。我望着外面的雨。也许我可以用威士忌代替。"那是什么，第五瓶变质的药水?"
“Twelfth, if you count the ones that were so weak they looked like water,” he said as he set the goods aside and threw the case out into the rain with the others. Some of the potions were so corrupted that I swore they were moving inside their vials. He glanced back at me. “I’m sorry we didn’t tell you about Caprice, Blackjack,” he said softly.
"第十二，如果你算上那些非常虚弱的，它们看起来就像水一样,"他边说边把货物放在一边，和其他人一起把箱子扔到雨里。有些药水已经腐烂到我发誓它们会在瓶子里移动的地步。他回头看了我一眼。"对不起，我们没有告诉你关于随想曲，黑杰克的事,"他轻声说。
“I must have looked like quite the idiot,” I said with a little smirk, then coughed hard.
"我看上去一定像个白痴,"我带着一丝得意的笑意说，然后用力咳嗽了一下。
“You looked happy,” he replied. “I think you really liked the idea of helping ponies out just because it was the right thing to do. I couldn’t have done that.”
"你看起来很高兴,"他回答。"我认为你真的很喜欢帮助小马的想法，只是因为这是正确的事情。我做不到。"
I crossed my forehooves. “I was happy. And it was nice, even if it wasn’t real.” But I remembered Pinkie and that horrible glee that seemed to rot away into a begging mess before disappearing. Had the pink party pony really been happy? I’d never seen a poster of her without a smile on her face. I looked at P-21 with a little smile. “So… what makes you happy?”
我跨过前蹄。"我很高兴。这种感觉很好，即使它不是真的。"但是我记得小指和那个可怕的欢乐，在消失之前就像腐烂成一个乞讨的烂摊子。那匹粉红色的派对小马真的快乐吗？我从未见过她的海报上没有一张脸上没有笑容。我微笑着看着P-21。"那么......什么让你开心呢?"
He blinked in surprise and then shook his head with a smile. “This,” he said with a sweep of his hoof.
他惊讶地眨了眨眼，然后微笑着摇了摇头。"这个,"他用蹄子扫了一下说。
“Rain? Picking locks?”
"下雨了？撬锁?"
“Everything. Oh, sure, there’s a lot of it that pisses me off, too, but I’m alive, Blackjack! I’ve spent every year of my life knowing that, when I got that twenty-first dot, I was dead. I spent a year trying to think of a plan to escape and now… I’m out. Thanks to you,” he said with a smile as he looked down at me. “I’m pretty sure that someday the Wasteland might take that from me, make me bitter and disappointed, but right now I couldn’t be happier.”
"一切。哦，当然，我也很生气，但是我还活着，黑杰克！我生命中的每一年都知道，当我得到第二十一个点的时候，我已经死了。我花了一年的时间试图想出一个逃跑的计划，现在......我退出了。多亏了你,"他微笑着说，同时低头看着我。"我非常肯定有一天，荒原会夺走这一切，让我痛苦和失望，但是现在我再快乐不过了。"
Then he chuckled softly and corrected himself, “Actually, I would be happier knowing that 99 had ended its reproductive policy.”
然后他轻轻地笑了笑，纠正自己说:"实际上，如果99结束了它的生育政策，我会更高兴。"
“I think so. I mean, with the Overmare dead and the attack and the stable’s problems, they just can’t keep going. I know Mom will get things in order, and then they’ll have to come out. And if they don’t, then when we have EC-1101 worked out, we’ll go back and bring ‘em kicking and screaming outside,” I said with a smile.
"我想是的。我的意思是，随着Overmare的死亡，攻击和马厩的问题，他们只是不能继续下去。我知道妈妈会把东西整理好的，然后他们就得出来了。如果他们不这样做，那么当我们制定出EC-1101后，我们就会回去把他们带到外面踢踢闹闹的,"我微笑着说。
“And will you be able to give justice to those that won’t give it up?” he asked
"你能为那些不愿放弃正义的人伸张正义吗?"他问道
before picking at a case with a tight, tiny little lock. I had no idea how he managed to open it up, but a stack of bright orange shells greeted us. They were each almost as long as my hoof, and I curiously brought out Folly and slipped one in. No dice. These shells were still a little too small.
然后再用一把小小的锁撬开箱子。我不知道他是怎么打开的，但一堆鲜橙色的贝壳迎接了我们。它们的长度几乎和我的蹄子一样长，我好奇地把弗利拿出来，塞了一只进去。不行。这些贝壳还是有点太小了。
I sighed softly. “I don’t know. I realize that the only way to really stop a pony is to kill them, but I think that if I start killing ponies… even if they deserve it… I won’t be able to stop.” I turned the shell over and looked at him. “Why didn’t you kill him?”
我轻轻地叹了口气。"我不知道。我意识到，真正阻止小马的唯一方法是杀死它们，但我认为，如果我开始杀小马......即使它们罪有应得......我也无法停止。"我把贝壳翻过来，看着他。"你为什么不杀了他?"
He sighed, looking at his hooves. “Because I really… really… wanted to kill him. If I’m going to kill somepony, I don’t want it to be because I’m getting back at Stable 99.”
他叹了口气，看着自己的蹄子。"因为我真的...真的...想杀了他。如果我要杀一匹小马，我不希望是因为我要回到Stable99。"
“You’re a good pony, P-21,” I said as I set the shells aside... and then noticed a small wooden box taped into the corner of the case. What really drew my attention, though, was a written note on it that simply read ‘For Security’. “What’s this…” I muttered. My horn glowed--and P-21 reached over and touched it with his hoof, looking serious… okay, more serious than usual. The contact broke my concentration and set me blushing furiously.
"你是一匹好马，P-21,"我边说边把贝壳放到一边......然后我注意到箱子的角上粘着一个小木盒。不过，真正吸引我注意力的是上面的一张纸条，上面简单地写着"为了安全"。"这是什么......"我喃喃自语。我的号角闪闪发光——P-21伸手用蹄子碰了碰它，看起来很严肃......好吧，比平时更严肃。这种接触打断了我的注意力，使我脸红得厉害。
Carefully, he nudged the tape back and checked around the sides of the box. Then I saw the tiny wire connected to an adjacent explosive shell. If I’d just pulled the box, it would have yanked the wire, detonated the explosive shell… and all the others. I felt like I’d been plunged into a tub of ice water. He nudged the lid of the box open slowly to reveal a folded-up note and a glowing memory orb. These I carefully levitated out. Once the box was empty, he carefully lifted both box and shell and trotted out into the rain.
他小心翼翼地把胶带推回去，检查了一下盒子的边缘。然后我看到了连接到相邻的炸弹上的细导线。如果我把盒子拉出来，它就会猛拉电线，引爆炸弹......还有其他所有东西。我感觉自己像是被扔进了一桶冰水里。他轻轻地推开盒盖，露出一张折叠的纸条和一个发光的记忆球。我小心翼翼地把这些东西悬浮起来。一旦盒子空了，他小心翼翼地提起盒子和贝壳，跑进雨中。
I unfolded the note.
我打开纸条。
Security Cunt, I know it’s you reading this. I know because any other fucker is blown to bloody chunks. That’s good. This orb has a little message from me to you. Look at it. Don’t. I don’t give a fuck. But I want every bitch and bastard to get what they deserve. Especially you. Especially him. Especially me. From the pits of hell, fuck you Security.
傻逼保安，我知道是你在看这个。我知道是因为其他混蛋都会被炸成碎片。很好。这个球有我给你的一个小消息。看看这个。不要。我不在乎。但是我希望每个婊子和混蛋都得到他们应得的。尤其是你。尤其是他。尤其是我。从地狱的角落，去你妈的保安。
D
“You can’t seriously take him up on his offer,” P-21 said softly as he looked over
"你不能认真地接受他的提议,"P-21轻声说，他看了看
my shoulder; I hadn’t heard him come back.
我没有听到他回来。
“Of course not,” I said as I levitated the orb. “This is probably some kind of deathtrap or something. I mean, I really wouldn’t be dumb enough to do what he wants; even I’m not that big an idiot,” I said with the most wide and sincere grin I could manage. I tossed the memory orb out into the rainy night. “There. See?”
"当然没有,"我一边说，一边把那个球悬浮起来。"这可能是某种致命陷阱之类的东西。我的意思是，我真的不会傻到去做他想要我做的事情，即使我没有那么傻,"我带着我能做到的最开阔、最真诚的微笑说。我把记忆球扔进了雨夜。"那儿。看到了吗?"
He relaxed a little. “You had me worried there for a moment. Memory orbs from psychotic Reapers are nothing you need to experience.” He looked at the rest of the boxes and then back at me. “Why don’t you head inside? I’m down to my last bobby pin. I’ll go in as soon as it snaps.”
他稍微放松了一下。"你让我担心了一会儿。精神病收割者的记忆球不是你需要经历的。"他看了看剩下的箱子，然后又看了看我。"你为什么不进去呢？我只剩最后一个发夹了。它一响我就进去。"
“All right,” I said as I stood and trotted towards the door to the store, pausing to glance out at the rain. “I didn’t need his orb anyway. I don’t want anything Deus can offer.”
"好吧,"我说着站起来，小跑向商店的门口，停下来看了看外面的雨。"反正我也不需要他的球。我不想要上帝能提供的任何东西。"
Inside, the lavender unicorn boiled water inside a rusty coffee can. All her worldly belongings were in two ragged saddlebags, but among them was some kind of grass. Her purple eyes were scared to death of me, but her kid looked at me more curiously now that she was sure I wasn’t going to hurt her mother. Rampage had found a sock and somehow fashioned it into a crude horn puppet that she waggled on the end of her helmet’s spike.
里面，一个生锈的咖啡罐里装着薰衣草独角兽煮沸的水。她所有的财产都装在两个破烂的鞍囊里，其中有一些草。她紫色的眼睛被我吓得要死，但是她的孩子现在更好奇地看着我，她确信我不会伤害她的母亲。狂暴发现了一只袜子，不知怎么把它做成了一个粗糙的喇叭木偶，她在头盔上的长钉上摇摆着。
Glory brought me a coffee cup full of water that smelled of weeds. “Roses made some tea.”
晨辉给我带来了一个装满水的咖啡杯，里面散发着野草的味道。"玫瑰泡了茶。"
“‘Tea’,” I muttered slowly as I took the steaming cup. “I’m drinking a letter?”
"'茶',"我一边拿着冒着热气的杯子，一边慢慢地喃喃自语。"我在喝一封信?"
“Just drink it, Blackjack. It’ll help with your cold,” Glory said, giving my shoulder a nudge. I took a slow sip of the warm water that tasted like weeds had been boiled in it. “Swallow!” she ordered me as my cheeks bulged. But I couldn’t swallow this disgusting slop! “Do it!” My eyes watered and I gulped it down. Okay, it did help my throat, but… ugh! Glory relaxed a little. “Now drink the rest of it.”
"喝吧，黑杰克。"这能帮你缓解感冒,"晨辉说，轻轻推了一下我的肩膀。我慢慢地啜了一口温水，尝起来像是煮过的野草。"燕子!"当我的脸颊鼓起时，她命令我。但是我不能吞下这恶心的垃圾！"动手吧!"我的眼睛湿润了，我一口吞下去。好吧，确实对我的喉咙有帮助，但是...啊！晨辉放松了一点。"现在把剩下的喝完。"
“Can I put some RadAway in it first?” I muttered, getting a dangerous look from the gray pegasus. She’d swapped her uniform for regular black wastelander clothes. I wanted to get her something a lot more substantial, at least on par with security barding, as soon as we reached Megamart. I sullenly drank the boiled weed water.
"我能先在里面放点辣椒酱吗?"我咕哝着，从灰色的飞马上看到了一个危险的表情。她把自己的制服换成了普通的黑色废物衣服。我想给她买些更实在的东西，至少在我们到达超级市场的时候，可以和安全抵押相提并论。我闷闷不乐地喝着开水。
“She can gulp down hangover shots like they’re nothing, but balks at tea,” Rampage muttered softly, shaking her head.
"她可以一口气喝完宿醉的酒，就好像它们什么都不是一样，但是不想喝茶,"狂暴低声说，摇着头。
“So… what are your plans?” I asked Roses as I set the cup aside and scrubbed my tongue.
"那么......你有什么计划?"我边问Roses边把杯子放在一边擦干净我的舌头。
“Take care of myself and my daughter,” she said in a soft, hopeless voice. “I don’t know how I can do that, though.”
"照顾好我自己和我的女儿,"她用温柔、绝望的声音说。"不过，我不知道该怎么做。"
“Without being a slaver, you mean?” I said with a frown. She looked at me nervously and nodded. “How the heck did you get into that, anyway? I can’t wrap my head around it.”
"你是说不当奴隶贩子?"我皱着眉头说。她紧张地看着我，点了点头。"话说回来，你到底是怎么进去的？我无法理解。"
“I was originally a caravaner. There were more villages back then, little stops along the Sunrise Highway,” she said quietly, keeping her head bowed. “One day, I was at this little village where they were about to hang a pony. Murder… rape… I can’t remember the crime anymore.” She looked at her daughter, but the pink filly was captivated by the dirty little sock puppet. “I thought it was stupid. He was strong and healthy… and the Society always needed more workers. So I offered to take him off their hands for a hundred caps. It was a win-win for them. They got paid and he was taken away. I sold him at Elysium for five hundred caps. After that, wherever I went I kept my eyes open for ponies who were selling other ponies. Usually criminals, or accused criminals.”
"我最初是一个商队旅行者。那时候还有更多的村庄，日出高速公路上的小站,"她低着头，平静地说。"有一天，我在一个小村庄里，他们正要在那里挂一匹小马。谋杀......强奸......我再也不记得那个罪行了。"她看着她的女儿，但粉红色的小母马被这个肮脏的小马甲迷住了。"我觉得这很愚蠢。他身体强壮，身体健康......社会总是需要更多的工人。所以我提出用一百顶帽子把他从他们手中接过来。这对他们来说是双赢。他们得到了报酬，他被带走了。我在极乐世界卖了他五百顶帽子。从那以后，无论我走到哪里，我都会留意那些卖其他小马的小马。通常是罪犯或被告罪犯。"
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “It wasn’t easy work. You have to keep slaves healthy and calm, or they’ll get sick or fight. There were always raiders to worry about. Pay for food and the like. One day I came across a village that’d been hit hard. Bandits, I think, since there was more stuff stolen than murder and cannibalism. There were four survivors. They were starving, so…” She sighed and shrugged.
她闭上眼睛深深地吸了一口气。"这不是件容易的工作。你必须让奴隶保持健康和冷静，否则他们会生病或打架。总是有袭击者需要担心。支付食物之类的费用。有一天，我偶然看到一个遭受重创的村庄。强盗，我想，因为偷的东西比谋杀和食人还多。有四名幸存者。他们正在挨饿，所以......"她叹了口气，耸了耸肩。
“You enslaved them,” I muttered.
"你奴役了他们,"我喃喃自语。
“And saved their lives,” she added sharply. “I know it sounds terrible, but most places take care of their slaves. Food. Shelter. It’s not a nice life or a long one, but it’s life. If they work the slaves to death, then they have to shell out the caps to replace them.” Roses shook her head. “I don’t know how operations like Red Eye and Brimstone’s Fall can operate. They must spend caps out the nose to keep buying at those rates. It’s insane.”
"还救了他们的命,"她尖锐地补充道。"我知道这听起来很可怕，但大多数地方都会照顾他们的奴隶。食物。避难所。这不是一个美好的生活，也不是一个漫长的生活，但这就是生活。如果他们把奴隶活活累死，那么他们就不得不掏出帽子来代替他们。"罗斯摇了摇头。"我不知道像'红眼'和'硫磺降落'这样的行动是如何进行的。他们必须大手大脚地花钱，才能保持这样的购买速度。这太疯狂了。"
“Money tends to make some ponies like that,” Glory observed dryly.
"有钱能使鬼推磨,"晨辉冷淡地说。
“I have a kid,” she said quietly. “Flank may not have been the best home for her, but it was a home. I know what I did was wrong, but I had to do it.”
"我有一个孩子,"她平静地说。"弗兰克也许不是她最好的家，但它是一个家。我知道我做错了，但我必须这么做。"
“And would you do it again?” I asked levelly. She shuddered and shook her head, but now I could see it in her eyes. She would do it again, if she had to. “Hopefully you’ll be able to find something in Chapel. A better life.”
"你还会这样做吗?"我平静地问道。她颤抖着摇了摇头，但是现在我可以从她的眼睛里看出来。如果有必要，她还会这么做。"希望你能在教堂找到一些东西。更好的生活。"
“I hope so,” she said. Because if she didn’t, she might try to be a slaver again, and if she did that then I’d turn her into paint. I wondered if I actually could. Or would I just chicken out once again?
"我希望如此,"她说。因为如果她不这样做，她可能会再次尝试成为奴隶贩子，如果她这样做了，我就会把她变成颜料。我想知道我是否真的可以。或者我会再次临阵退缩？
“Hey, Blackjack. What is that?” Glory asked as she pointed a wing at the instrument case.
"嘿，黑杰克。那是什么?"晨辉一边问，一边用翅膀指着乐器盒。
I rubbed my runny nose and adjusted my glasses. “Just an instrument. I don’t even know how to play it or what it is.”
我揉揉流鼻涕的鼻子，调整一下眼镜。"只是一件乐器。我甚至不知道怎么玩，也不知道它是什么。"
“Then why bring it?”
"那为什么还要带来呢?"
“I don’t know. Why not?”
"我不知道。为什么不呢?"
Glory smiled and arched a brow. “Because it’s the size of a tank?”
晨辉微笑着，皱起了眉头。"因为它有坦克那么大?"
“It’s a contrabass,” Roses said softly as she rose and walked to the case. She opened it up slowly and sucked in her breath. “A very good quality contrabass.”
"这是条低音吉他,"玫瑰轻轻地说，她站起身来，走向箱子。她慢慢地打开，吸了一口气。"质量非常好的低音提琴。"
“How do you know?” I asked.
"你怎么知道?"我问道。
“I worked with the Society. You have to pick up these little things if you want to get ahead with those ponies. I can even pretend to like opera around those folks,” she said as she plucked a string, the note sounding sour and short. “It definitely needs some tuning.” She looked over at me and managed a shaky smile. “I can show you some basics on how to play. In return for everything.”
"我曾与该协会合作。如果你想赶上那些小马，你就必须学会这些小东西。我甚至可以假装喜欢那些人周围的歌剧,"她一边说，一边拨动一根弦，这个音符听起来酸涩而短促。"它肯定需要一些调整。"她看着我，勉强地笑了笑。"我可以教你一些基本的玩法。作为对一切的回报。"
“I thought unicorns made their music through their horns,” Rampage muttered.
"我以为独角兽们是通过它们的角来演奏音乐的,"狂暴嘟囔着。
“If they know an appropriate spell, and even knowing the spell they might not know the first thing about playing. I could make a sound like a flute and play a
"如果他们知道一个合适的咒语，即使知道这个咒语，他们可能也不知道玩这个游戏的第一件事。我可以发出长笛般的声音
few tunes, but it’s much harder to sound good.” She looked at the sheet music. “And if you want to impress the Society, then you have to be good.”
很少的曲调，但是很难唱好。"她看着乐谱。"如果你想给协会留下深刻印象，那么你就必须做个好人。"
I looked at the others, but saw only polite curiosity. “Okay, but I apologize for bleeding ears,” I said as I lifted the bass with my magic and then stood behind it. Roses immediately smiled. “What?”
我看着其他人，但只看到礼貌的好奇心。"好吧，但是我为耳朵流血而道歉,"我一边说，一边用我的魔法提起了低音，然后站在它后面。玫瑰立刻笑了。"什么?"
“You’re holding it like an earth pony. You can just use your magic,” she said as she lifted a sheet of music and flipped through it. Her own magic was barely strong enough to turn a page.
"你握着它就像一匹地球上的小马。你可以使用你的魔法,"她一边说，一边拿起一张乐谱翻阅着。她自己的魔法还不足以翻过一页。
“This is the way that feels… right,” I muttered, already self-conscious. Ugh, even Rampage and Thorn were watching! I felt a little weak in the gut. This was going to be terrible.
"这就是感觉......正确的方式,"我咕哝着，已经有点不自在了。啊，连狂暴和索恩都在看！我觉得肚子有点虚弱。这真是太可怕了。
I lifted the black-haired bow, pinching it behind my fetlock, and drew it across the strings, a smile rising to my lips at the note. Roses started. “I… guess it doesn’t need to be tuned.” She turned to the music and explained the notes and how each one corresponded to a position on the instrument. To my amazement it came to me as easily as cards.
我拿起那只黑头发的弓，把它夹在脚镣后面，在琴弦上划了一下，听到这个音符，我的嘴角浮现出一丝微笑。玫瑰花开了。"我.....。.看来不需要调音了"她转向音乐，解释每个音符以及每个音符如何对应乐器上的一个位置。令我惊讶的是，它对我来说就像扑克牌一样容易。
“You’re certain you’ve never played before?” Roses asked as everypony looked on.
"你确定你以前从来没有玩过?"玫瑰问道，每一匹小马都在看着。
P-21 came in, looking curious. He smiled at once. “Well, I’ve made noise, but I’ve never actually played something.” Looking at the music was like looking at a hand of cards; I could see each value between the notes, half notes, and quarter notes like different suits. “This is going to be terrible. You all know that, right?”
P-21进来了，看起来很好奇。他立刻笑了。"嗯，我确实发出过声音，但我从来没有真正地演奏过什么。"看着音乐就像看着一手牌;我可以看到音符、半音符和四分音符之间的每一个值，就像不同的套装一样。"这将非常糟糕。你们都知道，对吧?"
“Oh, just play. It’s not like we’ve got much else to do tonight,” Rampage said with a snicker as she sat Thorn in her hooves, holding her gently. Roses looked a bit nervous, but I pitied anything that dared threaten the foal at that second.
"哦，继续玩吧。看起来我们今晚没什么事可做了,"狂暴坐在她的马蹄上，温柔地抱着她，窃笑着说。玫瑰看起来有点紧张，但我同情任何胆敢威胁小马驹的东西。
I looked at the notes. Slowly. Relax. Don’t worry about it. And the bow began to stroke over the strings. See the note, execute. I could have been practicing with a baton as I moved the bow and tried desperately to get the song right. At least I had accompaniment.
我看了看笔记。慢慢地。放松。别担心。于是琴弓开始在弦上划动。请看注释，执行。当我移动琴弓的时候，我可能一直在用指挥棒练习，并且拼命地试图把歌曲唱对。至少我有伴奏。
“Twinkle twinkle little star; Luna alone knows what you are. Up above the world so high, like a pony in the sky. Twinkie twinkle little star; Luna alone knows
"一闪一闪亮晶晶，只有露娜知道你是什么。在世界之上如此之高，就像天空中的小马。闪闪发光的小星星，只有露娜知道
what you are.” I had to admit, I was more on key than she, but Thorn was ten times more fearless than I!
你是什么"我不得不承认，我比她更准确，但是索恩比我勇敢十倍！
“Blackjack! That was amazing! How… that can’t have been your first time!” Glory gushed.
"黑杰克！太神奇了！怎么......那不可能是你的第一次!"晨辉喷涌而出。
“Really. It was,” I said, feeling lightheaded. “Can we do another?”
"真的。是的,"我说，感到头昏眼花。"我们能再做一个吗?"
Roses turned to the next one in the book. The song was unfamiliar. Something about cupcakes, and it was much faster than the first. Still, I focused, trying to get every note right; I didn’t, of course. Nopony seemed to mind the occasional slip as my hoof pulled the bow back and forth against the strings. When I finished, I panted at the exertion. Playing music was harder than I’d anticipated.
玫瑰花转向书中的下一朵。这首歌很陌生。一些关于纸杯蛋糕的东西，而且比第一个快多了。尽管如此，我还是集中注意力，试图把每一个音符都做对;当然，我没有做到。当我的蹄子在琴弦上来回拉弓的时候，小马驹似乎介意偶尔的滑倒。吃完后，我气喘吁吁。演奏音乐比我预想的要难。
“You’ve got a real talent for that. I’m really shocked you don’t have musical notes for a cutie mark,” Roses observed as Thorn clopped her hooves vigorously upon the floor. Her simple statement struck me.
"你在这方面很有天赋。我真的很吃惊你竟然没有一个可爱的标记的音符,"玫瑰观察到荆棘猛烈地把她的蹄子放在地板上。她简单的陈述使我大吃一惊。
I’d never had a choice. As I touched my cheek to the neck of the instrument, I realized that from birth I’d never have been allowed to do this. I was security. I was allowed to listen to music, but play it? Create it? It was like listening to Sweetie Belle for the first time, or hearing that chorus ringing through the chapel and aching within to join it. My eyes met P-21’s. Had I gotten my cutie mark simply by default? I was good at cards and luck, but could I have been something else?
我从来没有选择。当我把脸颊贴近乐器的颈部时，我意识到从出生起我就不被允许这样做。我是保安。我被允许听音乐，但是播放音乐？创造它？这就像是第一次听甜心贝儿的歌，或是听到教堂里响起的合唱声，渴望加入其中。我的目光遇到了P-21。我得到我的可爱的分数仅仅是因为默认？我擅长打牌和运气，但是我能成为别的什么吗？
I’d always thought being forced into security had been an annoyance. I’d never imagined that Stable 99 had robbed me of something so personal.
我一直认为被强制安保是一件烦人的事情。我从没想过Stable99会抢走我这么私人的东西。
“Well, that was incredible,” Roses said as she flipped through the book. The next one was about dresses and much slower, but somehow richer. Then one about winter; did Equestria even have a winter anymore? I probably butchered both, but at this point I didn’t care. She turned to the next. “Oh, you’ll love this one, Thorn,” she said as she turned it to the next page, “It’s your favorite.” My eyes went straight to the notes, glad to play for the delighted filly.
"哦，那真是太不可思议了,"罗斯一边说，一边翻着书。下一个是关于裙子的，慢了很多，但是更丰富了。还有一个关于冬天的问题:小马国还有冬天吗？我可能杀了他们两个，但是在这一点上我不在乎。她转向另一个。"哦，你会喜欢这本的，索恩,"她翻到下一页时说,"这是你的最爱。"我的眼睛直直地盯着音符，很高兴为这匹高兴的小母马演奏。
Then I played the notes. Thorn clopped her hooves in glee and sang off key, “Hush now, quiet now, it’s time to lay your sleepy head…”
然后我弹奏了音符。荆棘欢快地踩着它的蹄子，跑调地唱道:"安静，安静，是时候躺下你的瞌睡虫了......"
My poor, diseased heart tightened into a hard gnarled hoof in my chest as I
我那可怜的、病态的心在我的胸膛里变成了一只粗糙的、粗糙的蹄子
continued to play. I bowed my head, not needing the music. Not needing anything but to stand there and endure. I could see Thorn, not sitting safe in Rampage’s lap, but trapped within the glassy pod wearing the wire mesh cap. I could hear the fans in the machines dying one after the other. The silence growing as I killed them.
继续玩。我低下头，不需要音乐。不需要任何东西，只需要站在那里忍受。我能看到荆棘，它不是安全地坐在狂暴的腿上，而是被困在戴着金属网帽的玻璃吊舱里。我能听到机器里的风扇一个接一个地死去的声音。当我杀死他们的时候，他们变得越来越沉默。
The bow clattered from my hoof as I hugged the instrument and slowly slid down to my knees. I hid my face behind it, fighting to keep the sobs quiet. “Wha… what is it, Momma? Did I sing bad?” Thorn asked in worry.
当我抱着乐器慢慢地滑到我的膝盖时，琴弓从我的蹄子上哗啦啦地响起来。我把脸藏在它后面，努力让哭泣安静下来。"怎么了，妈妈？我唱得不好吗?"索恩担心地问。
“N… no. Blackjack loved your singing,” Glory stammered as she rushed to my side. “She’s just…”
"n..没有。黑杰克喜欢你的歌声,"格洛里结结巴巴地跑到我身边。"她只是......"
A murderer. A monster.
杀人犯。一个怪物。
I put the instrument away in its case. Everypony just stared; some in confusion and some in worry. Glory wept, of course. “Blackjack…” she started to say as I walked past her. I saw her extend her hoof after me, P-21 stopping her with a shake of his head. Thank you, P-21.
我把乐器放在盒子里。每个小马只是瞪着眼睛，有些人困惑，有些人担心。当然，晨辉在哭泣。"黑杰克......"当我从她身边走过时，她开始说。我看见她在我后面伸出她的蹄子，P-21摇了摇头阻止了她。谢谢你，P-21。
I stepped out into the night rain. Just like that first time that seemed so long ago, the day when I’d killed my first young filly. My legs gave out beneath me. I closed my eyes, raised my head, and prayed desperately for the rain to wash it all away. I heard that song over and over in my sick heart, feeling hot tears mix with cold rain.
我走到夜雨中。就像很久以前的第一次一样，那天我杀了我的第一匹小母马。我的腿在下面支撑不住了。我闭上眼睛，抬起头，绝望地祈求雨水把一切冲走。我听到那首歌在我病态的心里一遍又一遍，感觉热泪与冷雨交织在一起。
* * *
* * *
The best thing about being cold, wet, and sick to your heart is that your body couldn’t care less. And so, in the middle of the night, I felt the call of nature and stirred to my hooves. There was a ditch beside the station that would do. I had done my business and started back when I spotted the faintest mote of light in the wet, dead grass. Slowly, I walked over to it and looked down at the memory orb I’d thrown into the rain.
身处寒冷、潮湿、令人心痛的环境中，最大的好处就是你的身体毫不在乎。就这样，在午夜，我感受到了大自然的召唤，我的蹄子被震动了。车站旁边有一条水沟可以用。我已经完成了我的工作，并开始返回时，我发现在潮湿，枯死的草地上最微弱的光斑。慢慢地，我走到它跟前，低头看着我扔进雨里的记忆球。
I lifted it, staring at the memory of a monster. I’d thrown it away with every intention of letting his vileness be lost to the Wasteland. That was before I was reminded of my own brand of vileness. Maybe it was a trap. Maybe this was one of those orbs that would kill me. Lock me into unconsciousness. I wouldn’t put it past him. He’d wired it to a bomb, so I had little doubt that he wanted me dead.
我举起它，凝视着一个怪物的记忆。我把它扔掉了，完全是为了让他的邪恶消失在荒原之中。那是在我意识到自己的卑鄙之前。也许这是个陷阱。也许这就是那些会杀了我的球体中的一个。锁定我进入无意识状态。我不会放过他的。他把它绑在一个炸弹上，所以我毫不怀疑他想要我死。
He was a monster.
他是个怪物。
So was I. I might have been a monster who felt guilty, but I was a monster all the same.
我也是，我可能是一个感到内疚的怪物，但我仍然是一个怪物。
“So…” I muttered as I stared at the orb, its light casting my features in its ghostly glow, “One monster to another… what’s on your mind, Deus?”
"那么......"我盯着那个球体喃喃自语，它的光芒在它幽灵般的光芒中投射出我的面容,"一个怪物对另一个怪物......你在想什么，天王?"
oooOOOooo
噢噢噢
It was a trap.
这是个陷阱。
Pain shot through me from head to hoof. Every motion, every breath, even the beating of my heart, ripped through me in a chorus of screams. I wanted to howl, but I had no mouth; to run, but I had no legs; to beg for release, but I had no life to snuff out. My body moved, and I felt mechanisms pull and pinch and tug at my bones, muscles, and flesh. A thousand upon a thousand nerves rasped and rubbed against inorganics trapped inside me. I wanted to take my dragon claw and rip them all out!
疼痛从头到脚一下子穿过我的身体。每一个动作，每一次呼吸，甚至是我的心跳，都在一片尖叫声中撕裂了我。我想要嚎叫，但是我没有嘴巴;我想要奔跑，但是我没有腿;我想要乞求释放，但是我没有生命去扼杀。我的身体在移动，我感觉到机械装置在拉扯我的骨头、肌肉和肉体。千千万万的神经摩擦擦着困在我体内的无机体。我真想用我的龙爪把它们都撕下来！
Then my host lifted a needle and jammed it into his neck. I felt a burning sensation as the agony melted away. And then I heard his voice, that faintly metallic speech. “Not fun, is it, cunt?” he asked low and soft as he trotted in front of a mirror. Even with the chem, I felt the pain chewing on my nerve endings. The only part of him that wasn’t on fire was his crotch. “This is five times stronger than Med-X. It’d kill anypony without a cybernetic heart. I’ve got no idea where Sanguine gets it, or how he makes it.”
然后我的主人拿起一根针，扎进他的脖子里。当痛苦消失时，我感到一种灼热的感觉。然后我听到了他的声音，那微弱的金属般的声音。"不好玩，是吧，婊子?"他在镜子前小跑着问道。即使用了化学药品，我还是感觉到疼痛在咀嚼我的神经末梢。他唯一没有着火的地方就是他的胯部。"这比Med-X强5倍。它可以杀死任何没有控制心脏的小马。我不知道桑吉尼是从哪儿弄来的，也不知道他是怎么做的。"
He stood in a tent before a broken mirror, holding the empty syringe before his eyes. “This was my last fucking needle, cunt. Last. Fucking. Needle.” His hooves came together, crushing the syringe. “So as soon as I’m done here, I’m coming for you. Since you’re listening to this, I’m probably dead.” He took a deep breath. “Thanks for that. Hopefully it was quick, but I wouldn’t bet on it with my fucking luck.”
他站在一个帐篷里，面对着一面破镜子，手里拿着空的注射器。"这是我最后一根针了，贱人。最后。他妈的。针。"他的蹄子挤在一起，压碎了注射器。"所以一旦我完成了这里的工作，我就去找你。既然你在听这个，我可能已经死了。"他深吸了一口气。"谢谢你。希望是快的，但是我他妈的运气不好。"
I’d never had a chance to truly look at him up close. Now I could see the raw, angry flesh around the protruding bits of metal, the way his eyelids had been ground away by the mechanical devices implanted in his sockets. I could feel how horribly heavy his body was, how the implants inside him tugged and twisted at his insides.
我从来没有机会近距离地看他。现在我可以看到突出的金属片周围生气的肉，看到他的眼皮被植入眼窝的机械装置磨掉的样子。我能感觉到他的身体是多么的沉重，他体内的植入物是如何拖拽和扭曲着他的内脏。
“So… I’ve got a choice. I want to fuck him. I want to fuck you. I really want to fuck you both, but if I had a choice… it would be him. So listen up. Sanguine does his business out of Paradise, but he keeps a special lab north of the Arena. Hippocratic Research.” He gave a little snort, but his smile melted away. “Some prewar technology place where he tries to make… monsters… like me.”
"所以......我有一个选择。我想上他。我想操你。我真的很想上你们两个，但如果我可以选择的话......那就是他。所以听好了。赛古尼在天堂外做生意，但他在竞技场北部有一个特殊的实验室。希波克拉底研究院。"他轻轻哼了一声，但笑容消失了。"一些战前技术的地方，他试图创造......怪物......像我一样。"
He sat hard, and I wanted to scream as I felt something internal tear. He didn’t even flinch. “He didn’t make me, though. I was always a monster. I just needed some armored organs for everypony else to figure it out.” He looked at me with those ragged, torn eyes. “I’m glad you were a better fucking monster than me.
他坐得很僵硬，我想尖叫，因为我感到有什么东西在内心撕裂。他甚至没有退缩。"不过，他没有强迫我。我一直都是个怪物。我只是需要一些装甲器官来帮助其他人解决问题。"他用那双粗糙而破碎的眼睛看着我。"我很高兴你是个比我更好的怪物。
And I hope you get put down before you’re a worse one.” He turned to look at a blue unicorn standing beside him, and then paused.
我希望你在变成更坏的人之前就被打倒。"他转过身来，看着站在他身边的一只蓝色独角兽，然后停了下来。
Then he scowled as he looked at himself in the mirror, seeming to be pondering something. “If you want to fucking know… if you care… go to the Miramare Air Station. There’s special lockers there. Fifth one. Password is… ‘Momma’. Have my shit. Enjoy it. And just know that… fuck… I didn’t want this. None of this.” And for a moment, the monster slipped away, and I looked at the face of a tired old stallion in pain and suffering. Then the moment passed, and he turned to the unicorn and shouted, “Now get this shit out of my head and lets go kill this cunt!”
然后他皱起眉头，看着镜子里的自己，似乎在思考什么。"如果你他妈的想知道......如果你在乎......去米拉马雷机场。那里有专门的储物柜。第五个。密码是...妈妈。拿着我的东西。好好享受吧。你要知道...妈的...我不想这样。这些都不是。"过了一会儿，怪物溜走了，我看到了一张疲惫不堪、饱受痛苦折磨的老种马的脸。然后这个时刻过去了，他转向那只独角兽喊道,"现在把这该死的东西从我脑袋里拿出来，我们去杀了这个婊子!"
oooOOOooo
噢噢噢
With that, the pain ended, but not its effects. I lay in the wet grass, my limbs twitching as phantom pain shot through them. My eyes were wide as I stared off into the night. He hurt. I had never imagined, could not imagine, pain like that. I’d never imagined that the implants forced into his body would be painful. Every inch of reinforced flesh came at that horrible price. Only one region had been unenhanced and free of pain.
就这样，痛苦结束了，但它的影响还没有结束。我躺在潮湿的草地上，四肢抽搐着，仿佛幻觉般的疼痛穿透了我的四肢。我睁大了眼睛，凝视着夜色。他受伤了。我从来没有想象过，也无法想象那样的痛苦。我从来没有想到植入他体内的植入物会是痛苦的。每一寸增强的肌肉都要付出可怕的代价。只有一个区域没有增强，没有疼痛。
I’d changed that. I could only thank Celestia that he’d died so soon afterwards.
我改变了这一切。我只能感谢塞莱斯蒂亚，他在那之后不久就去世了。
“Don’t you have the sense to get out of the rain, Blackjack?” a tinny little voice asked above me.
"你难道不知道躲雨吗，黑杰克?"一个微弱的声音在我上面问道。
Slowly, I turned over, the pain slowly fading from my twitching limbs as I looked up at the bobbing spritebot overhead. I sat back up, my head throbbing, my throat scratchy as I croaked, “Watcher?”
慢慢地，我转过身去，当我抬头看着头顶上那个上下跳动的机器人时，疼痛从我抽搐的四肢上慢慢消失了。我坐了起来，头在抽搐，嗓子沙哑,"观察者?"
The tiny bot bobbed slowly as it watched with its large blue eyes. I looked up at the clouds, wishing I could just fall into them. “You look rough.” I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know what to do. So I did the absolute worst thing possible.
小机器人用大大的蓝眼睛看着它慢慢地跳动着。我抬头看着天上的云，希望自己能掉进去。"你看起来很粗糙。"我不知道该说什么。我不知道该怎么办。所以我做了最糟糕的事情。
I bawled like a lost foal.
我像一只迷路的小马驹一样嚎啕大哭。
* * *
* * *
Sitting in the shelter of the garage next to empty footlockers and medical boxes, I told him everything. Everything I could. Everything I could think of. I told him what happened in the Fluttershy clinic. I told him about Brimstone’s Fall and failing to stop the execution. Failing to save Glory from betrayal at Miramare at the hooves of her own people. I didn’t stop, couldn’t stop. I told him what I’d learned about Stable 99, about how I’d hurt P-21. Of sparing a slaver only to have her become a victim, freeing a slave only to have him become her rapist. Of failing to make any part of the Wasteland a better place. I even told him what I’d learned about Deus just minutes ago. I stopped only because my inflamed voice gave out.
我坐在车库的避难所里，旁边是空置的置物柜和医疗箱，我把一切都告诉了他。尽我所能。我能想到的一切。我告诉了他在Fluttershy诊所发生的事。我告诉他硫磺会的坠落并且没能阻止死刑。未能从米拉马雷的背叛中拯救晨辉，而背叛的是她自己的人民。我停不下来，停不下来。我告诉他我从稳定99中学到的东西，我是如何伤害P-21的。放过奴隶只会让她成为受害者，放过奴隶只会让他成为强奸她的人。没能把荒原变成一个更好的地方。我甚至在几分钟前告诉了他我所知道的关于上帝的事情。我停下来只是因为我的嗓子发炎了。
For the longest time, the little robot just hovered there. I wondered if he’d really been listening. Finally, he just muttered, “Wow. And I thought LittlePip had it rough.”
在很长一段时间里，这个小机器人一直在那里盘旋。我不知道他是否真的在听。最后，他只是喃喃自语,"哇。我还以为小皮普过得很艰难呢。"
“Who?” I croaked.
"谁?"我死了。
“Just another mare with a talent for diving headfirst into trouble,” Watcher said with a dry little chuckle. “I’ve been trying to keep up with you and P-21, but you’ve been moving and running around all over Hoofington so much that it’s been tough. I guess that bounty doesn’t make things easier.”
"又是一匹一头栽进麻烦里的母马,"观察者干巴巴地笑着说。"我一直在努力赶上你们和P-21，但你们一直在Hoofington各地跑来跑去，这很困难。我猜赏金并没有让事情变得更容易。"
“Am I a monster, Watcher? I mean, you must have seen monsters before, right? Watching?”
"我是个怪物吗，观察者？我是说，你以前肯定见过怪物，对吧？观看?"
He was quiet for far longer than it took to say ‘of course you’re not’. “I don’t think you are. I’ve seen real monsters. But the terrible fact is that every real monster I’ve seen started as a pony just like you. Monsters are made, and the Wasteland’s great at picking at exactly the right thing to make you into one. If it can’t tear you down from without, it’ll do it from within. If it can’t get you, it’ll go after your friends. And if it can’t turn you, then it will try to make you so miserable it will destroy you.”
他沉默了很长时间，比说'你当然不是'所花的时间要长得多。"我不这么认为。我见过真正的怪物。但是可怕的事实是，我见过的每一个真正的怪物都是像你一样的小马。怪物是制造出来的，而荒原很擅长挑选正确的东西把你变成一个怪物。如果它不能从外部摧毁你，它会从内部摧毁你。如果它不能抓住你，它就会去抓你的朋友。如果它不能转变你，那么它会试图让你变得如此悲惨，它会毁了你。"
I hugged myself as I shook. “I’m such an idiot to think I could do this.”
我摇晃着身子，紧紧地抱住自己。"我真是个白痴，以为自己能做到这一点。"
“No!” he replied at once, and then repeated at a lower volume, “No, Blackjack. No. You are doing it. What you’ve gone through… what you’ve survived… is amazing. It’s more pain than a dozen ponies could endure, and you still haven’t lost yourself. I won’t say there’s no risk of it, but you’ve stuck by your friends rather than abandon them. You still care, even to a fault. I know you see yourself and think that you’re failing. Trust me, you’re not. Not like me…”
"不!"他立刻回答，然后用较小的音量重复道:"不，黑杰克。没有。你正在这么做。你所经历的一切...你所幸存下来的一切...都是令人惊奇的。这比一打小马所能忍受的痛苦还要多，而你仍然没有迷失自我。我不会说没有风险，但是你坚持你的朋友，而不是抛弃他们。你仍然在乎，即使有过错。我知道你看到自己，认为自己失败了。相信我，你不是。不像我......"
“Like you?” I asked, rubbing my nose with a hoof and getting it all snotty.
"像你一样?"我问道，用马蹄摩擦我的鼻子，弄得鼻涕直流。
“I sit here watching the Wasteland, hoping to help in the smallest way possible while I watch amazing ponies do what I can’t.” He let out a tired sigh. “And sooner or later, they fail. But I just hope that one group might turn things around and make the Wasteland a better place. LittlePip... you…”
"我坐在这里，看着荒原，希望尽可能最小的可能帮助，而我看着惊人的小马做我不能做的事情。"他发出一声疲倦的叹息。"他们迟早会失败。但是我只是希望有一个团体能够扭转局面，把荒原变成一个更好的地方。小匹普...你..."
“The Stable Dweller,” I added. “She’s incredible… what she’s done.”
"马厩居民,"我补充道。"她的所作所为......令人难以置信。"
There was a momentary silence and then a restrained laugh. “Well, I hope she hears about the Security Mare someday.” He let out a sigh. “I just… wonder… if I can trust you…”
一阵短暂的沉默，然后是克制的笑声。"好吧，我希望有一天她能听说安全母马的事。"他叹了一口气。"我只是......在想......我能否信任你......"
“Trust me?”
"相信我?"
“Not you, personally. Well, not exactly.” He paused, and I imagined him struggling a moment. “I’ve seen so many ponies try and step up, only to be torn down. Some I’ve helped. Others… I couldn’t. But eventually, there’s a point where they ask me to do something. Talking to a bot isn’t enough; they want to talk to me in person, or have me do favors for them. And as much as I might want to… I can’t trust them.” He gave a soft sigh. “I think LittlePip’s reaching that point… the questions she’s asking. The things she wants me to do. I don’t know if I can handle it if I have to tell her no, too.”
"不是你本人。嗯，不完全是。"他停顿了一下，我想象着他挣扎了片刻。"我见过那么多小马试着往上爬，结果却被推倒。我帮过一些人。其他人...我做不到。但是最终，他们会让我做一些事情。仅仅和机器人交谈是不够的;他们想和我面对面交谈，或者让我帮他们的忙。尽管我很想......但我不能相信他们。"他轻轻地叹了口气。"我认为小皮普已经到了那个地步......她问的问题。她想让我做的事。如果我不得不也拒绝她，我不知道自己是否能应付得来。"
“Well, you’re talking about it,” I said with a small smile.
"好吧，你正在谈论它,"我微笑着说。
“You told me so much,” he replied. “And you don’t seem to care who I am.”
"你告诉我这么多,"他回答。"你似乎不在乎我是谁。"
“‘Cause I’m an idiot,” I said with a chuckle. “You want advice from a brain-damaged mare?” I offered. “If she asks, let her.”
"因为我是个白痴,"我咯咯地笑着说。"你想从一头脑损伤的母马那里得到建议?"我提出。"如果她问起，就让她说。"
“But…”
"但是......"
“I don’t know who you are, Watcher. You might be DJ Pon3. Sanguine. Somepony else messing with me. And I really doubt I’ll find out. But you’ve been trying to keep ponies away, and it doesn’t sound like it’s working for you.” I closed my eyes. “Sometimes, if you really are a friend, you have to prove it.”
"我不知道你是谁，守望者。你可能是DJPon3。血红色。有人在耍我。我真的很怀疑我能不能找到答案。但是你一直试图让小马远离你，而且听起来好像对你不起作用。"我闭上了眼睛。"有时候，如果你真的是一个朋友，你必须证明这一点。"
“I know, but it could destroy everything,” he muttered.
"我知道，但它可以毁掉一切,"他喃喃自语。
“Or maybe, it could be exactly what you need,” I said, then turned my head, coughing and hacking. “Please be aware, this advice is coming from the most unqualified and reckless pony in the Wasteland. I don’t even have the sense to stay out of the rain with a cold.” Or to not look into memories left for me by my most hated enemies.
"或者也许，这正是你需要的,"我说，然后转过头，咳嗽着。"请注意，这个建议来自于荒原上最不合格、最不计后果的小马。我甚至感冒了都不知道怎么躲雨。"或者不去看我最讨厌的敌人留给我的记忆。
There was a long silence from the bot. “Maybe. I’ll think about it.” I imagined he sounded skeptical. I would be, too, with advice from me. Then he chuckled. “And in return, let me give you some advice. Get in out of the rain, Blackjack. I know your friends are worried sick about you.”
机器人沉默了很长时间。"也许吧。我会考虑的。"我想他听起来有点怀疑。如果有我的建议，我也会这么做。然后他咯咯笑了起来。"作为回报，让我给你一些建议。躲进雨里，黑杰克。我知道你的朋友们都很担心你。"
With that, the bot chirped and bobbed away playing a marching song. Definitely not something I could play on the contrabass. I rose to my hooves and walked slowly to the door. Despite myself, I felt a little better. Hearing those words from Watcher had cheered me up a bit.
就这样，机器人叽叽喳喳地唱着行进曲离开了。绝对不是我可以用低音提琴演奏的。我站起来，慢慢地向门口走去。尽管如此，我感觉好多了。听了守望者的这些话，我心里有了一点安慰。
I started back towards the door inside, my body finally separating out the pain that was mine from the pain that was Deus’s. It still wasn’t happy with me. Just as I reached the door, I spotted something at the edge of the dead trees. Maybe my eyes hadn’t quite sucked up enough radiation; maybe what I thought I saw was just my imagination.
我开始向里面的门走去，我的身体终于把我的痛苦和上帝的痛苦分开了。它对我还是不满意。就在我走到门口的时候，我发现死树边上有什么东西。也许我的眼睛没有吸收足够的辐射;也许我以为我看到的只是我的想象。
Princess Luna was standing there, watching me.
卢娜公主站在那里，看着我。
Of course, given my head, clearly this was just some sort of hallucination. I rubbed my eyes hard, and when I looked back she was gone. Back into the depths of my subconscious, where she belonged.
当然，考虑到我的头部，很明显这只是某种幻觉。我用力揉了揉眼睛，当我回头看时，她已经不见了。回到我的潜意识深处，她属于的地方。
* * *
* * *
P-21 looked up immediately, as did Glory. Rampage lay on her side, snoring like
P-21立刻抬起头来，晨辉也抬起头来。横冲直撞的躺在她身边，鼾声如雷
her ripper weapon, with Thorn in her hooves. Roses looked pensive. I sat down between P-21 and Glory, and she immediately gave me a hug and pressed her hooves to my brow. “I can’t believe you were out there for so long. You’re running a fever.” Her lips pressed together as I saw concern vie against the desire to tell me what an idiot I’d been.
她的开膛手武器，荆棘在她的蹄子。玫瑰花看上去忧心忡忡。我在P-21和晨辉之间坐下，她立刻给了我一个拥抱，把蹄子贴在我的额头上。"我不敢相信你在外面呆了这么久。你在发烧。"她的嘴唇紧闭着，因为我看到关心与告诉我我曾经是多么愚蠢的欲望竞争着。
“It’s okay. I needed to be alone for a bit. That song…” I shook my head. “I thought I’d put all that past me.” Now I wondered if I ever would. I wondered if I ever should. Was a brain filled with mental landmines the price of virtue?
"没关系。我需要一个人静一静。那首歌......"我摇了摇头。"我以为我已经忘记了这一切。"现在我想知道我是否会这样做。我不知道我是否应该。一个充满精神地雷的大脑是美德的代价吗？
“I was afraid you’d do something stupid…” P-21 began softly. Then I lifted Deus’s memory orb. His eyes widened, then he closed his eyes and shook his head with a groan. “I should have known. So… what did it do?”
"我还担心你会做傻事呢......"P-21轻声说。然后我举起了上帝的记忆之球。他睁大了眼睛，然后闭上眼睛，呻吟着摇了摇头。"我早该知道的。那么......它做了什么?"
“Hurt,” I replied. Glory brought me another cup of boiled weed juice, but with how my head and throat felt, I really couldn’t bring myself to complain. I held the drink between my hooves, looking down at my steaming reflection. “Did you know that Deus was in agony? Constant agony. I’ve never hurt so bad. Sanguine was the only source of the painkiller that made it bearable.” I glanced over at Rampage. “He thanked me for killing him. And told me where Sanguine is hiding.”
"受伤了,"我回答。晨辉又给我带来了一杯煮过的大麻汁，但是我的头和喉咙感觉很不舒服，我真的不能抱怨。我用蹄子夹住饮料，低头看着我冒着热气的倒影。"你知道天王很痛苦吗？持续的痛苦。我从来没有这么伤心过。血红素是止痛药的唯一来源，使它可以忍受。"我瞥了一眼狂暴。"他感谢我杀了他。告诉我桑吉尼的藏身之处。"
“I don’t get it. If he was in such pain… why…” Glory began and then flushed.
"我不明白。如果他是在这样的痛苦...为什么..."晨辉开始，然后刷新。
“Why didn’t he just… kill himself?” she asked in a near whisper.
"他为什么不......自杀呢?"她用近乎耳语的声音问。
I closed my eyes as I thought a moment. “Why don’t you? Why don’t I? He might have had a shitty life, but it was his. He wasn’t going to just check out. He had to go out fighting. That was the kind of pony he was.” I couldn’t think of him as a monster anymore. A vicious and dangerous pony, yes, but he’d had reasons for it. I don’t think I could have stayed sane with that constant pain.
我闭上眼睛想了一会儿。""为什么不呢？为什么不呢？他可能过着糟糕的生活，但这是他的生活。他不会就这么退房的。他不得不出去打仗。他就是那种小马。"我再也不能把他想成一个怪物了。一匹邪恶而危险的小马，是的，但他有理由这么做。我不认为我会因为持续的疼痛而保持理智。
Monsters come from somewhere, Watcher had said. I might not be able to save them, and I might not prevent myself from becoming one, but I could at least give him a little sympathy. After all, he’d been a Marauder... once.
怪物来自某个地方，观察者说。我可能救不了他们，也可能阻止不了自己变成一个，但我至少可以对他表示一点同情。毕竟，他曾经是一个掠夺者。
* * *
* * *
Continuing down the road in the morning, I had to admit I was feeling… rotten. Okay, my head was two sizes too small for my brain. My throat felt like I’d scrubbed it with a wire brush, and I had green snot oozing out my left nostril.
早上继续沿着路走，我不得不承认我感觉......糟透了。好吧，我的头对我的大脑来说太小了两个尺寸。我的喉咙感觉就像用钢丝刷擦洗过一样，我的左鼻孔里渗出了绿色的鼻涕。
Still, I was better than last night. Thorn had apologized in a near constant stream since she’d woken up and found I had returned, and I could only assure her over and over that it wasn’t her fault the song made me cry. It was a very good song, I promised her.
尽管如此，我还是比昨晚好多了。自从她醒来发现我回来了以后，她几乎不停地向我道歉，我只能一遍又一遍地向她保证，这首歌让我哭不是她的错。这是一首非常好的歌，我向她保证。
I managed an hour before Glory ordered me into the wagon with P-21 and Thorn. Since we’d gone through half the locked boxes from Deus’s camp before exhausting our bobby pins, there was enough room for me.
在晨辉命令我带着P-21和索恩上马车之前，我已经坚持了一个小时。在我们用完发夹之前，我们已经把天王营地一半上锁的箱子翻了个底朝天，所以还有足够的空间给我。
We listened to DJ Pon3 as the rain continued to drizzle. I smiled, thanking the Stable Dweller for recovering brand new Sweetie Belle recordings. Rampage trudged along, eating her occasional Mint-al and poking fun at Glory, P-21, or me. We were getting close to Chapel, and despite myself I found I was looking forward to seeing Priest and the Crusaders again. Even the capmonger would be welcome!
雨继续下着，我们听了DJPon3的节目。我笑了，感谢马厩居民恢复品牌新甜心贝尔录音。狂暴步履蹒跚，偶尔吃掉她的薄荷糖，取笑晨辉、P-21或者我。我们离教堂越来越近了，我不由自主地发现我很期待再次见到牧师和十字军战士。即使是开普敦的人也会受到欢迎！
“So, in case you’ve been living under a rock, or you have a rock for a head and have been listening to Redbeard Radio, it looks like there’s been one heck of a fight on the streets of Flankfurt. On one side, a motley alliance of thugs and gang ponies under the Pecos out for revenge, and on the other, a wicked band of bounty hunters working for the Reaper Deus. What were they fighting over, you ask? Why, the head of the Security Mare, of course!
"所以，如果你一直生活在岩石之下，或者你有一颗石头当头，并且一直在收听红胡子电台，那么看起来在Flankfurt的街道上发生了一场激烈的战斗。一方面，在佩科斯人的统治下，混杂着暴徒和帮派小马的联盟为了复仇，另一方面，一群邪恶的赏金猎人为死神上帝工作。你会问，他们为什么打架？为什么，当然是安全母驴的头！
“You may be asking yourself which side of this terrible clash came out on top. Did the Pecos manage to get back for Security’s help with freeing Brimstone’s Fall, or did Deus finally get his mare?” DJ Pon3 gave a hearty chuckle. “Well folks, it’s my delight to tell you… neither! When the dust finally settled and ponies dared poke their heads from their homes, it was Security who greeted them with a grin on her face! The Pecos are scattered all across the Hoof, and Deus, the Reaper who started this whole mess, is dead.
"你可能会问自己，在这场可怕的冲突中，哪一方占了上风。是佩科斯河设法回来报答安全部帮助解救了硫磺城的坠落，还是天王最终得到了他的母马?"Dj庞3发自内心地笑了起来。"好了，伙计们，我很高兴地告诉你们......都不是！当尘埃终于落定，小马也敢从家里探出头来的时候，是保安微笑着迎接了他们！佩科斯人分散在霍夫的各个角落，而造成这一切的收割者天王已经死了。
“That’s right, folks. For twenty years Deus has been the nightmare of Reapers, but this time he was outclassed by a single security mare. People out there may want to keep that in mind when they start thinking about doing things like hunting down ponies working their tails off to make the Wasteland a safer place.”
"没错，伙计们。二十年来，天王一直是收割者的噩梦，但这一次他被一匹安全母马超越了。当外面的人们开始考虑做一些事情的时候，他们可能想要记住这一点，比如猎杀卖命的小马，让荒原变成一个更安全的地方。"
I groaned and stomped my hoof on a case. “Damn it, DJ! I didn’t do anything but get shot at!” I said, drawing a startled look from Roses. “Gem and P-21’s
我呻吟着，跺着蹄子踩在箱子上。"该死的，DJ！我什么也没做，只是挨了一枪!"我说，露出一副吃惊的表情。"Gem和P-21"
bomb were the ones that actually killed him. And even then, it was all his ammo blowing up that finished him off!”
炸弹才是真正害死他的东西。即使在那时，他所有的弹药都爆炸了，他也完蛋了!"
“Yeah, but you’ve got to admit that you killing him is a better story,” Glory said brightly.
"是的，但是你必须承认你杀了他是一个更好的故事,"晨辉愉快地说。
“In other news around the Hoof, it looks like there’s been a recurrence of raiders hitting the Manehattan Highway and the Sunset Highway between Megamart and the river. Looks like you can’t keep the psychopaths down, so be sure you double up if you have to go anywhere near there. And if you don’t have to go, don’t go!
"在霍夫附近的其它新闻中，袭击者似乎再次袭击了曼哈顿高速公路和Megamart与河流之间的日落高速公路。看起来你无法让那些精神变态者安静下来，所以如果你不得不靠近那里的话，一定要加倍努力。如果你不是非去不可，那就别去！
“Now, if you’ll excuse me, hot damn, it’s time to get my toaster fixed!” And with that the music resumed. I blinked in confusion. His toaster fixed?
"现在，如果你不介意的话，该死的，该把我的烤面包机修好了!"就这样，音乐又回来了。我困惑地眨了眨眼。他的烤面包机修好了？
“I guess he really likes his toast,” I muttered cluelessly.
"我猜他真的很喜欢他的烤面包,"我无所适从地咕哝着。
Rampage snorted as we crested a ridge. I could see the towers of Hoofington again, and the bridge, and even the tiny white spire of Priest’s chapel. There were some ruins off to one side of the road; some kind of large house. “Yeah, well, I bet you he’s getting--”
当我们爬上山脊时，狂暴的暴徒喷着鼻息。我可以再次看到Hoofington的塔楼，还有那座桥，甚至还有普里斯特小教堂的白色尖顶。路的一边有一些废墟，一些大房子。"是啊，我敢打赌，他已经......"
Roses threw a tin can at the back of her head, glancing at Thorn. Unfortunately, at that moment a hard wet gust cut down the hillside, and with a deep rumble of thunder a torrent poured upon us. This was more than just a Hoofington drizzle; the cold deluge soaked through my barding in seconds, and Thorn yelped as she hid inside a wooden crate.
罗斯朝她的后脑勺扔了一个锡罐，瞥了一眼索恩。不幸的是，就在这时，一股强劲的潮湿阵风刮倒了山坡，随着一声隆隆的雷声，一股洪流向我们倾泻而来。这不仅仅是胡芬顿的毛毛细雨，几秒钟内，冰冷的洪水浸透了我的身体，索恩躲在一个木箱子里，尖叫起来。
“Of course! Of course you pick now!” I yelled up at the rain. I stood in the back of the wagon and thrust my left forehoof up at the black skies. “Well, forget it! We’re going to Chapel and there’s nothing you can do to--”
"当然！现在当然是你选了!"我对着雨大喊大叫。我站在马车的后面，把我的左前蹄推向漆黑的天空。"好吧，算了吧！我们要去教堂，你无能为力--"
The world turned white.
世界变成了白色。
* * *
* * *
I knew I was alive because death didn’t hurt this much. I thought for a moment that I’d been dumped back into Deus’s orb, but then I realized this pain was mostly external. I lay naked on a mattress with a blanket over me. “Oh… I could really use a day when I…” But my raspy quip died the second I looked around
我知道我还活着，因为死亡并没有那么伤人。有那么一瞬间，我以为自己又被丢回到了上帝的球体里，但随后我意识到这种疼痛主要是外部的。我赤身裸体地躺在床垫上，身上盖着一条毯子。"哦......我真的需要一天时间.....。。」但是当我环顾四周的时候，我刺耳的讽刺就消失了
and realized I was alone. Slowly, I sat up and winced as I looked at bright pink patches on my white hide. Funny, but they seemed a little familiar. Then I looked over at the pile of scorched metal plates that was the utter ruin of my barding. Glory must have used every healing potion we’d gotten from Flank.
意识到我是一个人。慢慢地，我坐了起来，看着我白色皮肤上明亮的粉红色斑块，我皱起了眉头。很有趣，但是他们看起来有点眼熟。然后我看了看那堆烧焦的金属盘子，它们完全毁了我的军旅生涯。晨辉一定用了我们从弗兰克那里得到的所有治疗药水。
The room I was in wasn’t much better. Bookshelves, filled with rancid and pulped books that tainted the air with a sour milk smell, ran floor to ceiling. A chandelier still hung from the cracked and water-stained ceiling, dusty crystals giving off a wan greenish-white glow that rose and fell like a breath. The fine carpet underhoof had transformed into a blackened rag that looked liable to disintegrate at a touch. I could feel the spongy floorboards underneath it.
我住的房间也好不到哪里去。书架上摆满了变质的纸浆书籍，空气中弥漫着酸奶的味道，从地板到天花板。破裂的水渍天花板上依然悬挂着一盏枝形吊灯，满是灰尘的水晶散发出一种苍白的绿色光辉，像呼吸一样起起伏伏。那块漂亮的地毯已经变成了一块发黑的破布，一碰就碎了。我能感觉到它下面海绵状的地板。
And worst of all, my PipBuck was dead as a doornail. Burns ran from the end of my hoof across my body; the ones on me were already partially healed, thanks to Glory, but the ones running across my PipBuck's screen... E.F.S. Navigation.
最糟糕的是，我的PipBuck死了。烧伤从我的蹄子末端跑过我的身体;我身上的那些已经部分痊愈了，多亏了晨辉，但那些在我的PipBuck屏幕上跑过的...e.f.s.导航。
Inventory. S.A.T.S. Everything was gone. Suddenly, I had a far better understanding of my friends. I’d never been in a situation where I couldn’t detect something in the next room or past a door. Slowly, I pulled myself to my hooves.
存货清单。所有的东西都没了。突然间，我对我的朋友有了更好的理解。我从来没有遇到过这样的情况:隔壁房间或者门外有什么东西，我都无法探测到。慢慢地，我鼓起勇气。
“Oh boy,” I muttered as I looked around for my gear but found only a few empty crates. From the mattress and the tipped-over table, it looked as if they’d hidden me here and then fled. I coughed and rubbed my drippy nose. “So… alone… unarmed… unarmored… PipBuck dead and I’ve got a cold… did I miss anything, you bony old bastard?” I muttered. From outside the windows came a white flash, followed at once by a booming crash. “Right! Almost forgot.” I walked to the door and then quietly pushed it open.
"哦，伙计,"我低声说，我四处寻找我的装备，但只找到几个空的板条箱。从床垫和翻倒的桌子上看，他们好像把我藏在这里，然后逃走了。我一边咳嗽一边揉着湿淋淋的鼻子。"那么......一个人......没有武器......没有盔甲......皮伯克死了，我感冒了......我错过了什么吗，你这个瘦骨嶙峋的老混蛋?"我咕哝着。从窗外传来一道白光，接着是轰隆一声的撞击声。"对！差点忘了。"我走到门口，然后轻轻地把门推开。
A pony in bloody plate armor loomed up before me. My horn glowed, but I caught myself before releasing the spell. It wasn’t a pony, just armor. The metal had transformed into an almost solid piece of rust; it’d clearly been posed in the rearing posture. I let out my breath. The hall, if anything, was in worse condition than the library behind me. Sandbags were stacked in barricades across it with pony remains crumpled behind them. Of course, their weapons and barding were all long gone.
一匹穿着血淋淋的盔甲的小马隐约出现在我面前。我的号角在发光，但是在释放咒语之前我控制住了自己。那不是小马，只是盔甲。这块金属已经变成了一块几乎坚固的铁锈，很明显是摆好姿势的。我放松了呼吸。大厅的状况，如果有的话，比我身后的图书馆还要糟糕。沙袋堆在路障上，小马的尸体被压在后面。当然，他们的武器和武器早就不见了。
I moved as silently as I could, knowing that eventually I’d hear one of my companions. If they were still alive, added a fatalistic portion of my head. I found myself missing the old card-shuffling bastard. This’d be the perfect chance for him to read my hoof with some cryptic clues. Then again, as I passed
我尽可能安静地移动，因为我知道最终我会听到我的一个同伴的声音。如果他们还活着的话，我的头上加了一个宿命论的部分。我发现自己想念那个洗牌的老混蛋。这将是一个完美的机会，让他读懂我的蹄子与一些神秘的线索。然后，当我经过的时候
beneath a mold-spotted oil painting showing a grinning white unicorn stallion, the place was creepy enough already.
在一幅满是霉菌的油画下面，有一匹白色的独角兽种马，这地方已经够恐怖的了。
An inequine scream tore through the house, making my mane stand nearly straight on end. Okay, my heart did not need to hear that! Finding friends and getting the hell out of here! Now!
一阵不一样的尖叫声穿过房间，让我的鬃毛几乎直立起来。好吧，我的心不需要听到这些！找到朋友然后离开这鬼地方！现在！
I heard something moving on the far side of a door. The steps were slow, heavy, and relentless. Now I knew that opening that door was a bad idea. I knew that that wasn’t Rampage strolling in a corner. But I also knew that there was a chance that one of my friends might be trapped inside. I opened the door, the hinges creaking as it swung.
我听到有什么东西在门的另一边移动。脚步缓慢、沉重，而且坚持不懈。现在我知道打开那扇门是个坏主意。我知道那不是在角落里闲逛的暴怒。但我也知道有可能我的一个朋友被困在里面。我打开门，门铰链摇晃时发出吱吱嘎嘎的声音。
The pony within looked as if it’d been cooked far too long on a stove. Its once elegant dress now hung in tatters upon its frame, blending with the flaps of hide dangling off its body. Its dull green eyes took one look at me, and it reared with a scream that sounded like it’d have stripped the flesh from my throat if I’d tried to echo it! I activated S.A.T.S. and--
里面的小马看起来好像在炉子上烤得太久了。它那曾经优雅的连衣裙，现在破破烂烂地挂在身上，与身上垂下来的兽皮衣襟混在一起。它那双暗绿色的眼睛看了我一眼，就立起一声尖叫，听起来好像如果我试图回应它，它就会把我喉咙里的肉从我身上剥下来！我激活了s.a.t.s并且----
The charging ghoul rammed into me as my routine failed me. I barely had time to fire one magic bullet into the ghoul’s chest before it was upon me. Without S.A.T.S., I couldn't fire magic bullets quickly and accurately enough to have them do any good! Jagged teeth gnashed as the monster lunged hungrily, jagged hooves digging into my unarmored hide. Its unnatural strength bowled me onto my back as it snapped at my neck.
充电食尸鬼撞向我，因为我的常规失败了我。我还没来得及朝食尸鬼的胸膛开一枪，它就向我扑来了。没有s.a.t.s，我不能快速准确地发射魔法子弹，让它们发挥任何作用！怪物饥饿地向我扑来，锯齿状的蹄子刺进我毫无装甲的皮肤，咬得我满口都是牙齿。它不自然的力量把我推倒在我的背上，折断了我的脖子。
I had one saving grace: the reinforced casing of my PipBuck rammed through broken teeth and knocked the ghoul back. My horn glowed as I flung anything and everything into its face, distracting it long enough for me to get to my hooves. I reared up, smashing the dead PipBuck against its head again and again as hard as I could. Finally, its skull burst like an egg, splattering me with clammy, partially rotted brains. With a sigh, it slumped down into a heap, and I took a few seconds to finish smashing its head.
我有一个可取之处:我的皮布克钢筋外壳撞破了牙齿，把食尸鬼撞了回来。我把什么东西都往它脸上扔的时候，我的角闪闪发光，分散了它的注意力，让我有足够的时间去踢它的蹄子。我站起来，用力一次又一次地把那只死去的皮布克鸟的头撞得粉碎。最后，它的头骨像个鸡蛋一样破裂了，粘糊糊的，部分腐烂的脑浆溅了我一身。随着一声叹息，它跌成一堆，我花了几秒钟把它的头打碎。
Finally I slumped, looking at the still twitching undead pony before I sneezed and blasted snot all over it. “Ugh... gross…” I muttered as I wiped my nose… and smeared glowing ghoul brains over my nostrils and upper lip. I froze...
最后我倒下了，看着那只仍在抽搐的不死小马，然后我打了个喷嚏，喷了一身鼻涕。"呃......恶心......"我一边擦着鼻子，一边咕哝着......把发光的食尸鬼脑浆涂在我的鼻孔和上唇上。我愣住了..。
Balefire bomb me now, Celestia. Just do it. Get it over with.
Balefire现在轰炸我，Celestia。照做就是了。结束这一切。
This room had been some sort of study; it seemed to have far more filing cabinets than books. Most of them had been pulled out, the files scattered and trodden upon until mold and moisture rendered them into pulp. The ghoul still had a trio of bobby pins in her mane… as well as a half dozen bottle caps embedded in her hide? Huh. There were two other ponies, but they were long dead, their formal wear rotten and threadbare.
这个房间曾经是某种书房，里面的文件柜似乎比书多得多。他们中的大多数已经被拔出，文件分散和践踏，直到模具和水分使他们成为纸浆。那个食尸鬼的鬃毛上还有三个发夹......还有半打的瓶盖嵌在她的皮肤里？哈。还有另外两匹小马，但它们早就死了，它们的正装已经破烂不堪了。
‘LIAR’ had been painted across the wall in black… no. Nevermind. Not paint. Oh boy, my mane was crawling, and I could feel the scissors snipping at my… I smacked my forehead into the wall as the tremors started. “No! We are NOT thinking about that now.”
"骗子"已经被漆成黑色的墙壁...不。算了。不是油漆。哦，天哪，我的鬃毛在爬行，我能感觉到剪刀在剪我的......我的额头撞在墙上，震颤开始了。"不！我们现在还没有考虑这个问题。"
The skeletal ponies did give me something useful, though. I left the study with one of their thighbones in my telekinetic grasp.
不过，这些小马的骨骼确实给了我一些有用的东西。我离开书房的时候，他们的一根大腿骨还在我的遥控抓握器里。
The next room was empty save for decaying stuffed beasts and… things I hoped were beasts. That one looked more like a sand dog from Maripony’s memory. As I started to leave, something caught my eye. Was that... yes! The room wasn’t quite empty after all; built into one corner was a gun cabinet! It was locked, which meant that it probably hadn’t been looted already, but… I swallowed and tried to focus on P-21’s lessons as I scrabbled at the lock. It was harder than most, and I winced as one pin snapped. The second opened the case with a click. I felt pretty good as I pulled it open and… saw a box of twelve gauge shells and a tube of Wonderglue. Yay... I didn’t even have a way to carry them! I made a quick jaunt back to the library to snag the blanket. Torn in half, it would at least make for an impromptu sack.
隔壁房间是空的，除了一些腐烂的填充动物标本和......我希望是野兽的东西。那个看起来更像是Maripony记忆中的沙地犬。当我准备离开的时候，有些东西吸引了我的眼球。那是...是的！这个房间毕竟不是很空，一个角落里是一个枪柜！它是锁着的，这意味着它可能还没有被洗劫一空，但是......我吞了一口唾沫，试图专注于P-21的教训，同时我在锁上挣扎。这比大多数人都要难，当一根针折断时，我皱起了眉头。第二个用鼠标点击打开箱子。当我把它拉开的时候，我感觉非常好......看到了一盒十二口径的弹壳和一管Wonderglue。耶...我甚至没有办法拿着它们！我飞快地跑回藏书室去拿毯子。它被撕成两半，至少可以做成一个临时的麻袋。
I looked at the bones, the glue, and the stuffed canine and slowly smiled. Ten minutes later, I trotted out with a thighbone studded with claws and fangs. As I turned the corner, two more ghouls screamed and charged me. I really wished I had S.A.T.S. to ensure my hits, but my magic was good enough as it swept the jagged weapon in an upwards arc that shredded the front of one ghoul’s throat and tore away its lower jaw. I stood on my rear hooves and rammed my PipBuck into the maw of the other as it lunged with a bite. Hugging its head, feeling its cold, slimy mouth slobbering on the end of my leg, I focused on bringing the thighbone around in a smash that tore off the first ghoul’s pulpy head.
我看着那些骨头，胶水，还有那只填充好的狗，慢慢地笑了。十分钟后，我带着一根布满尖牙利爪的大腿骨小跑出来。当我转过街角时，又有两个食尸鬼尖叫着向我冲来。我真的希望我有s.a.t.s来保证我的命中率，但是我的魔法已经足够好了，因为它把参差不齐的武器扫成了一个向上的弧线，撕裂了一个食尸鬼的喉咙，撕裂了它的下巴。我站在后蹄上，把皮布克塞进另一只马的胃里，它一口咬了我一口。我抱着它的头，感觉它冰冷粘滑的嘴唇在我的腿的末端流口水，我集中注意力把它的大腿骨旋转起来，撕碎了第一个食尸鬼的肉状头部。
One down, I tightened my grip on the other, twisting my forelimbs and body around till my weight levered it onto its back with me around to lying on top of
一个放下来了，我抓紧另一个，扭转我的前肢和身体，直到我的体重把它拉到它的背上，把我放在上面
the undead monster. I pinned it as it struggled and flailed. I looked down into its one cloudy eye and one empty socket and shouted, “Where are they? Where are my friends?”
不死怪物。当它挣扎和挣扎的时候，我把它压住了。我低头看着它一只浑浊的眼睛和一个空洞的眼窝，喊道:"它们在哪儿?"？我的朋友在哪里?"
For a moment, I thought it was going to answer. Its eye narrowed and met mine.
有那么一会儿，我以为它会回答。它的眼睛眯起来，与我的眼睛相遇。
Then it looked at my horn and screamed, “Liar!” then lunged for my face.
然后它看着我的喇叭尖叫,"骗子!"然后扑向我的脸。
You keep trying to save everypony… I closed my eyes and brought the bone down again and again on its skull till the creature shuddered and went still.
你继续试图拯救每一匹小马......我闭上眼睛，一次又一次地把骨头放到它的头骨上，直到它颤抖着静止下来。
Then I found the foyer. Sandbags had been made into barricades across the front door and built up in both windows. Machineguns that were more rust than gun lay amid the bones of ponies who had used them. The ammo containers were another story. Carefully, I pulled them open, looking at the well-preserved five point five six millimeter rounds. Rifle ammo and me with no rifle. One of the barricades had been stoved in fairly recently. I peeked out into a courtyard filled with pony remains. I could also see a dozen ghouls shambling about the yard… and our wagon. I could see the fine marble walls pitted with bullet holes and blackened by fire.
然后我找到了门厅。沙袋已经在前门上做成了路障，并且在两扇窗户上都建了起来。在使用过机枪的小马的骨架上，放着锈迹斑斑的机枪。弹药箱就是另一回事了。我小心翼翼地把它们拉开，看着那些保存完好的5.56毫米子弹。步枪弹药和我没有步枪。其中一个路障是最近才被烧毁的。我朝院子里看了一眼，里面堆满了小马的尸体。我还能看到一打食尸鬼在院子里蹒跚而行......还有我们的马车。我可以看到精致的大理石墙上布满了弹孔，被火焰熏黑了。
Again, more signs that something had gone terribly wrong. I looked at the carved busts of dignified stallions smashed and broken against cracked tile floors, and moldy tapestries creeping slowly down the walls they once decorated. There were wire nooses dangling over the edge of the balcony, and somepony had spray-painted vile epithets against the nobles… and even Celestia and Luna as well. After experiencing that memory, I wanted to kick the hay out of them!
又一次，更多的迹象表明事情出了严重的问题。我看着那尊尊贵的公马雕像在破碎的瓷砖地板上摔得粉碎，发霉的挂毯慢慢地沿着他们曾经装饰过的墙壁爬下。阳台的边缘上悬挂着金属丝套索，还有一匹小马用喷漆对贵族们下流的咒骂...甚至还有塞莱斯蒂亚和卢娜。在经历了那段记忆之后，我真想把他们踢出去！
I looked down another hall and I froze as my brain let out another spurt of craziness. Luna had returned, standing on the far side of the hallway with the foul water swirling around her ankles. “So... are you going to deal some cards, or what?”
我朝另一个大厅望去，当我的大脑再次喷出疯狂的念头时，我愣住了。卢娜回来了，站在走廊的另一边，污水在她的脚踝处打转。"那么......你到底要不要发牌?"
She just looked at me and then at the swirling water. Then I saw this water was a lot more... colorful... than it should have been. My mane started to itch as I backed away from the dark alicorn. “Right. Radiation is bad. Good thinking, me. I’ll just go this way...” I turned to peek down another hall, and when I looked back Luna was gone. Of course she was... she hadn’t really been there... right?
她只是看着我，然后看着旋转的水流。然后我发现这里的水比原本应该的颜色要多得多。当我从黑色的角果树后退时，我的鬃毛开始发痒。"对。辐射是有害的。好主意，我。我就走这条路......"我转身往另一个大厅偷看，当我回头看的时候，卢娜已经不见了。当然她...她并没有真正去过那里...对吧？
Okay, time to get my friends and get out of here! I moved along the first floor of
好了，是时候让我的朋友们离开这里了！我沿着一楼的
the rotting manor as quietly as my hooves could carry me. One peek in the banquet hall at the ghouls sitting expectantly at their tables and I closed the door as softly as I could. My ears strained for something that could hint at where my friends could be. Everywhere I looked were signs of battle, a mob of ponies storming the manor in one last desperate surge.
腐烂的庄园就像我的蹄子一样安静。在宴会厅里偷看了一眼那些食尸鬼充满期待地坐在他们的餐桌旁，我尽可能轻轻地关上了门。我竖起耳朵，想找到一些可以暗示我朋友在哪里的东西。我看到的所有地方都是战斗的迹象，一群小马在最后的绝望浪潮中冲进了庄园。
In one room that held the fanciest terminal I’d ever seen, the logged in screen told me that P-21 had at least gotten this far. I looked at the files. They appeared to be some sort of correspondences.
在一个房间里放着我所见过的最豪华的终端机，登录屏幕告诉我P-21至少已经走到了这一步。我看了档案。他们似乎是某种联系。
> To your eminence Lord Brandybuck of Trottingham,
致Trottingham的白兰地巴克勋爵阁下
>Surely you can’t be suggesting that ponies of our breeding and lineage retreat to a common stable with the rest of the herd? While existence within Stable 1 might be appropriate for ponies of our standing, provided the Princesses attended, I suspect that ponies such as yourself demand a sophisticated stable appropriate for the aristocracy. Fortunately, I know of just such a stable in development. It is being produced clandestinely, outside the notice of the ministries or Stable-Tec. Imagine a stable with appropriate waiting staff, stocked with provisions as befits our refined palates? A stable to preserve not just our lives but the culture and dignity our status demands as well?
你当然不会是在建议我们的小马和其他马群一起退回到一个共同的马厩吧？如果公主们都参加的话，马厩1的存在可能适合我们这种地位的小马，但我怀疑像你这样的小马需要一个适合贵族的精致马厩。幸运的是，我知道正是这样一个稳定的发展。它是秘密制作的，不在政府部门或稳定技术委员会的注意范围内。想象一下，一个有适当服务员的马厩，储备着适合我们口味的食物？一个不仅能保护我们的生命，还能保护我们的地位所要求的文化和尊严的马厩？
>However, such a stable will require a significant amount of capital if we are to be prepared against every contingency. A minimum investment of one million gold bits per household member is required to secure our proper future free of ministry meddling and the common rabble. I have every faith in your strictest confidences in this matter. I await your reply.
然而，如果我们要做好应对各种突发事件的准备，这样的稳定需要大量的资金。每个家庭成员至少需要投资100万比特，才能确保我们正常的未来不受政府部门干预和普通乌合之众的影响。在这件事情上，我完全相信你的绝对保密。我等待你的答复。
>Prince Blueblood.
王子。
The next three were the same, asking for vast sums for inclusion in an ‘exclusive’ stable. The final message was different, though.
接下来的三个都是一样的，要求加入一个"排他性"稳定的大量资金。不过，最后传达的信息却不同。
>It happens today.
这在今天发生了。
>When the fine nobility of Equestria is ready at your manor, we will transport all of you securely to the stable. Make haste. It won’t be long now.
当Equestria的贵族们在你的庄园里准备好了，我们会安全地把你们送到马厩。赶快。不会太久了。
That simple message froze my blood. Had there been ponies who had known of the balefire attack in advance? Suddenly, I thought back to Mr. and Mrs. Cake,
这个简单的信息冻结了我的血液。是否已经有小马提前知道了巴利火攻击事件？突然，我想起了蛋糕先生和太太,
and the Hoofington Museum. The automatic fire in the first two. The riot here. Somepony had known, had taken advantage… but why? What good was anything of the old world if it was blown to hell? I found one of the heaps of old bones in the hall with a folded paper spotted in brown mold. The words were hard to make out, but if I squinted and rotated the page...
和胡芬顿博物馆。前两枪自动开火。这里的骚乱。一些小马已经知道，已经占了便宜...但是为什么呢？如果旧世界被炸成了地狱，那它还有什么用呢？我在大厅里发现了一堆堆老骨头，上面有一张用棕色模子做成的折叠纸。这些字很难辨认，但如果我眯起眼睛，旋转书页.....。
‘I found out from a friend that there’s a huge stable hidden right under Blueblood Manor,’ the note read. ‘It’s three times bigger than any other stable. A super stable! Just for those aristocrats. I couldn’t get a straight answer from Stable-Tec, but there’s something to this. Keep your eyes open and your hooves ready.’
"我从一个朋友那里得知，在蓝血庄园下面有一个巨大的马厩,"便条上写道。它是其他马厩的三倍大。一个超级马厩！只是为了那些贵族。我无法从Stable-Tec那里得到一个直接的答案，但是这里面有一些东西。睁大你的眼睛，准备好你的蹄子
Something bad had happened in Hoofington. Something that had gotten a lot of ponies killed, but why and for what? I slowly looked over the decayed manor, the torn apart rooms, the desperate fighting by the aristocrats and their guards. And worse, why did my mane itch like mad the more I thought about it?
在Hoofington发生了不好的事情。一些让很多小马被杀的东西，但是为什么和为什么呢？我慢慢地看了看腐朽的庄园，破烂的房间，贵族和他们的卫兵拼死搏斗的场面。更糟糕的是，为什么我想得越多，我的鬃毛就越痒？
* * *
* * *
My hoof for a shotgun. Trying to bash and ram these ghouls to death -- or redeath… or whatever killing ghouls was! -- had me exhausted. Of course, that might have just been the cold that brought every ghoul in earshot whenever I coughed or sneezed. Which was frequently. Why couldn’t I be trapped alone and naked while healthy?
我的蹄子是猎枪。试图把这些食尸鬼砸死----或者复活----或者不管杀死食尸鬼是什么！让我筋疲力尽。当然，可能只是因为感冒，每当我咳嗽或打喷嚏时，所有的食尸鬼都会听到我的声音。这种情况经常发生。为什么我不能在健康的时候被单独和裸体困住呢？
The first floor offered little. I found evidence of Glory in the form of pink heaps of glowing dust and of P-21 in a few fresh detonations in the halls. Some ghouls that were crushed and dismembered had to be the work of Rampage. Whatever had happened to my friends, they at least had their weapons!
一楼几乎没有什么东西。我发现晨辉的证据是粉红色的一堆堆发光的灰尘，以及P-21在大厅里的几次新鲜爆炸。一些被粉碎和肢解的食尸鬼肯定是狂暴的作品。不管我的朋友们发生了什么，他们至少还有武器！
I found new annoying, nagging clues: an auditorium with weapon turrets and destroyed robotic sentries… and a lot of dead aristocrats. A makeshift gallows off the foyer. A skywagon that had been dropped into a conservatory, smashing through the glass, scattering its load of yellow barrels and littering the room with pools and splashes of rainbow-colored goop that’d crept to every inch of that wing of the manor. Oh, forget my shotgun! I’d give anything for my PipBuck to be working!
我发现了一些新的恼人的、令人不安的线索:礼堂里有武器塔楼，毁坏了机器人哨兵......还有许多死去的贵族。门厅外临时搭建的绞刑架。一辆撞进温室的豪华轿车撞碎了玻璃，把装满黄色木桶的货车四处散落，房间里到处都是池塘和彩虹色的液体，这些液体已经渗透到庄园的每一寸地方。忘了我的猎枪吧！为了让我的PipBuck工作，我愿意付出一切！
But first, I needed a kitchen. Not just because I was hungry. I tried to stay as quiet as possible as I trotted past the banquet hall and down into the adjacent disaster area. Instead of my eyes, I used my ears. The kitchen had flooded with
但首先，我需要一个厨房。不只是因为我饿了。我小跑着穿过宴会厅，来到附近的灾区，尽量保持安静。我用耳朵代替了眼睛。厨房里挤满了
rancid water that had become a kind of soup of spoiled rot. Pausing and listening, I heard the slow gait of a ghoul.
腐臭的水变成了一种腐烂的汤。停下来听着，我听到一个食尸鬼缓慢的步伐。
Or two. Or three. I was on my fourth thighbone; two hundred years in the Hoofington damp did nothing to help preserve these remains. If I was lucky, though, the kitchen would have something more substantial.
或者两个。或者三个。我正在我的第四根股骨上，在Hoofington潮湿的地方呆了两百年，对保存这些遗骸毫无帮助。不过，如果我够幸运的话，厨房里会有更实在的东西。
Then my ears twitched. “Taking forever… really… how does he expect me to create masterpieces in these conditions?” The voice sounded like a rattled cup of rusty nails. Carefully, I poked my head around the corner and looked around with my amber gaze. A large ghoul stood patiently before a stove, apparently unaware that it’d long since stopped working.
然后我的耳朵抽搐了一下。"永远......真的......他怎么能指望我在这种情况下创作杰作呢?"这声音听起来就像一杯生锈的钉子发出的嘎嘎声。我小心翼翼地从角落里探出头来，用琥珀色的目光环顾四周。一个大块头食尸鬼耐心地站在一个火炉前，显然没有意识到它早就停止工作了。
I took one step into the muck filling the kitchen and his remaining ear twitched; he turned surprisingly quickly and looked right at me with yellow eyes. A cleaver and a carving knife levitated around him. “Who dares trespass in my domain?” Our eyes met, and the boiled-looking pony suddenly grinned. “Eh? A glow job? Nice. He finally hired some quality wait staff for poor Cookie?”
我朝厨房里的淤泥走了一步，他的耳朵抽搐了一下;他惊讶地迅速转过身来，用黄色的眼睛直勾勾地看着我。一把切肉刀和一把切肉刀悬浮在他周围。"谁敢侵入我的领地?"我们的目光相遇了，那匹看起来像煮熟了的矮种马突然咧嘴笑了。""嗯？容光焕发的工作？很好。他终于为可怜的曲奇雇了一些高素质的服务员?"
I see ‘em all the time on ghouls. I must have sucked up enough radiation for my eyes to glow like those rare ghouls, and given the mess that was my coat, I supposed I looked appropriately ghoulish. “Yeah. What do you need done, boss?” My cold-ravaged throat made me sound just as nasty as he. I saw a disintegration pistol on the counter beside him and edged closer.
我经常在食尸鬼身上看到他们。我一定是吸入了足够的辐射，让我的眼睛像那些稀有的食尸鬼一样发光，而且考虑到我的外套一团糟，我想我看起来相当残忍。"是的。你需要做什么，老板?"我那冰冷的喉咙使我听起来和他一样讨厌。我看到他旁边的柜台上有一把瓦解的手枪，就慢慢靠近。
“Boss, huh? I like that.” The ghoul grinned from ear to missing ear. Actually, that was all he could do. I got the impression he wasn’t exactly all there, as most of his kitchen lay half submerged. “These nobles… always in such a rush. Why don’t you set started on dicing the vegetables while I get ready for the main course,” Cookie said as he pulled the hatch open a little. “I hope they like the new menu… Ooooh, the turkey is almost done.”
"老板，嗯？我喜欢这样。"食尸鬼咧着嘴笑了起来。事实上，这就是他所能做的一切。我得到的印象是他并不完全在那里，因为他的大部分厨房都半浸在水里。"这些贵族......总是这么匆忙。你去切蔬菜吧，我去准备主菜。"库基一边说着，一边把舱门打开了一点。"我希望他们喜欢新菜单......哦，火鸡快烤好了。"
“Let me out!” Glory screamed at the top of her lungs from the depths of the oven.
"放我出去!"在炉子的深处，晨辉在她的肺部尖叫着。
I’d moved closer, looking for what I needed, when my thinking stopped. Without a moment’s hesitation, my horn grabbed the largest, heaviest, and probably dullest cleaver on the counter and swung the chopper into his spine. The last vestiges of sanity went out at that moment as Cookie whirled; apparently ghoul anatomy differed a bit from that of the living, as his animated flesh continued
当我停止思考的时候，我走近一些，寻找我需要的东西。没有片刻的犹豫，我的角抓住了最大的，最重的，可能是最迟钝的切肉刀在柜台上，挥动菜刀刺向他的脊椎。在饼干旋转的那一刻，最后一丝理智的痕迹消失了;显然，食尸鬼的身体与活人的身体有一点不同，因为他活生生的肉体还在继续
moving. He let out that mad scream as he reared up.
移动。他站起身来，发出了疯狂的尖叫。
This time, their habit helped me. In that second, I yanked out the chopper and brought it sideways through one of his rear legs. Despite the rusty edge, the weight of the blade was enough to cut clean through the limb. He fell back against the stove, and I was on top of him, trying to keep him pinned as the chopper fell again and again. Finally, it finished cutting through his thick neck with a solid ‘thunk’, and the massive ghoul fell still.
这一次，他们的习惯帮助了我。就在那一秒，我猛地把直升机拉出来，从侧面穿过他的一条后腿。尽管有生锈的边缘，刀片的重量还是足以将肢体切开。他向后倒在炉子上，我压在他身上，试图让他别动，直升机一次又一次地掉下来。最后，它发出一声结实的"砰"的一声，砍断了他粗壮的脖子，那个巨大的食尸鬼仍然倒下了。
“Glory!” I shouted, yanking open the stove and looking into the tiny space. Her pinprick pupils stared back at me as she lay there, curled up in the stove. I could see and smell that being trapped in the tiny space had been too much for her. I reached in and pulled her out, hugging her tightly as she shook more and more. “Shhh… Glory… it’s okay, Glory. It’s okay. You’re okay. You’re safe,” I said over and over again.
"晨辉!"我大叫着，猛地打开炉子，看着里面狭小的空间。当她蜷缩在炉子里躺在那里的时候，她那针刺一样的瞳孔也盯着我。我可以看到和闻到，被困在这个狭小的空间里对她来说太难了。我伸手把她拉了出来，紧紧地抱着她，她抖得越来越厉害。"嘘......晨辉......没关系，晨辉。没关系。你没事了。你很安全,"我一遍又一遍地说。
How did Glory and I help you? Finally, the shock broke as she sobbed into my shoulder. I stroked her mane with a gentle smile, and she started to calm down. “You’re alive. You’re alive,” she muttered in relief as she pressed her face to my shoulder.
晨辉和我是如何帮助你的？最后，当她对着我的肩膀抽泣时，我的震惊消失了。我温柔地微笑着抚摸着她的鬃毛，她开始平静下来。"你还活着。你还活着,"她把脸紧贴在我的肩上，如释重负地咕哝着。
“Glory, what happened? Where are we?”
"晨辉，发生什么事了？我们在哪里?"
She looked at me in surprise, then sighed. “You got struck by lightning, Blackjack. Right in the PipBuck. It was bad. I think most of the charge went through the plates in your barding, but it heated them till they melted through your armor.” She blinked and tapped her hooves together. “Oh. And your heart stopped. Roses managed to conjure a spark strong enough to restart your heart, and we gave you every healing potion we could. I even almost used Hydra,” she confessed, looking guilty.
她惊讶地看着我，然后叹了口气。"你有命中雷霆，黑杰克。正中下巴克。很糟糕。我想大部分子弹都穿过了你的盔甲，但是它把它们加热，直到它们融化了你的盔甲。"她眨了眨眼睛，用蹄子轻轻敲了敲。"哦。你的心脏停止了跳动。玫瑰花设法召唤出一个强大的火花，足以让你的心脏重新跳动，我们给了你所有我们能给的治疗药剂。我甚至几乎利用了九头蛇,"她坦白道，看起来很内疚。
“The storm was getting worse, so we headed for this manor. Unfortunately, as soon as we got inside, the ghouls attacked! P-21 dragged you off somewhere. Roses and Thorn went upstairs. Rampage and I were forced down here.” Glory started to shake as she pointed to a small door. “We thought to hide... okay, I wanted us to hide in there but… there was a hole. She fell in.”
"暴风雪越来越大，所以我们朝这个庄园走去。不幸的是，我们一进去，食尸鬼就袭击了我们！P-21把你拖到什么地方去了。玫瑰和索恩上了楼。狂暴和我被迫来到这里。"当她指着一扇小门时，晨辉开始颤抖。"我们想藏起来......好吧，我想我们藏在那里，但是......那里有个洞。她掉进去了。"
I walked over to the door she’d pointed to. The little alcove was just big enough for two ponies. “What hole?” Then my hoof felt the rusty edge. There had been a metal lid, but it hadn’t been up to holding the weight of the Reaper’s armor. “I
我走向她指着的那扇门。小壁龛刚好够放两匹小马。"什么洞?"然后我的蹄子感觉到了锈迹斑斑的边缘。这里曾经有一个金属盖子，但是盖子承受不了死神盔甲的重量。"我
think… I think it’s a well,” I said as I looked at the still water.
我想......我想这是一口井,"我看着静止的水说。
“Poor Rampage. I can’t believe that’s how she’d go…” Glory said softly.
"可怜的暴怒。我不敢相信她会这么做......"晨辉轻声说。
I felt a niggling horror. “Glory… I doubt she is.”
我感到一种不安的恐惧。"晨辉......我怀疑她是不是。"
Glory looked in the room and then at me. “You think she’s still alive?” She started shaking. I had to admit, it was unnerving to me as well.
晨辉看了看房间，然后又看了看我。"你觉得她还活着吗?"她开始颤抖。我不得不承认，这也让我感到不安。
I couldn’t imagine Rampage not trying to drown herself. “We’ll need some rope or chain or something. If she’s alive, we can’t leave her down there,” I said, wondering how deep the water-filled pit was. Why was it never easy?! I raised the chopper. “Get your pistol. Once we find the others, we’ll try and get her out, and then we’ll have to get out of here. I dunno how bad it is, but we’re sucking up radiation.” One of the many PipBuck functions I missed terribly.
我无法想象狂暴如果不试图淹死自己。"我们需要一些绳子或链子什么的。如果她还活着，我们不能把她留在下面,"我说，不知道那个充满水的坑有多深。为什么从来都不容易?！我升起了直升机。"拿上你的手枪。一旦我们找到其他人，我们会试着把她弄出来，然后我们就得离开这里。我不知道情况有多糟糕，但我们正在吸收辐射。"我非常想念PipBuck的许多功能之一。
“It’s broken. Too many shots without replacement parts,” she said as she splashed through the muck to the burned-out weapon and her shredded gear. “What should I use?”
"它坏了。太多的镜头没有更换零件,"她说，她溅通过淤泥烧毁的武器和她的粉碎齿轮。"我应该用什么?"
I looked at Cookie’s cleaver and lifted it into the air before Glory. She looked ill. “Or would you prefer knives?” Now she looked really ill. “Just think of it as really intense surgery. The procedure is head amputation.” Okay, that got a little crooked smile.
我看着库基的切肉刀，在晨辉之前把它举到空中。她看起来病了。"或者你更喜欢刀子?"现在她看上去病得很厉害。"只要把它想象成一个非常紧张的手术。手术过程是头部截肢。"好吧，你笑得有点歪了。
“Blackjack, how can you crack jokes like this?” she shouted, then reached out to take the cleaver between her hooves, looking both upset and a little amused despite herself.
"黑杰克，你怎么能开这种玩笑?"她大叫着，然后伸出手去，在她的蹄子之间拿起切肉刀，看起来既沮丧又有点开心，尽管自己。
“What? I should be scared?” I said as I looked around the kitchen, grinning as if it were nothing at all. I couldn’t help it! “Why…
"什么？我应该害怕吗?"我边说边环顾厨房，咧嘴笑着，好像什么也没发生似的。我情不自禁！"为什么.....。
“When I was a little filly and the lights would turn down looo-o-ow. The darkness and the shadows would make my fear grooo-o-ow. I’d hide under my bed from what I thought I saw
"当我还是个小姑娘的时候，灯光就会慢慢地熄灭。黑暗和阴影会让我害怕。我会躲在床底下躲避我以为看到的东西
But Gin Rummy said that wasn’t the way to deal with threats at all!”
但金拉米说，这根本不是对付威胁的办法!"
“You’re… singing?” Glory murmured in shock as I strode out into the hall, calling out like a bucket of rusty nails and drawing every hungry bastard in earshot. “How can you be singing?!” Unfazed I continued:
"你在...唱歌?"当我大步走进大厅时，晨辉震惊地喃喃自语，像一桶生锈的钉子一样大声呼喊，把每个饥饿的杂种都吸引到耳边。"你怎么能唱歌?!"我继续说道:
“She’d say: Blackjack, you need to stand strong, Lower your center of maaa-a-ass You’ll see that they can’t hurt you
"她会说:黑杰克，你需要坚强地站起来，降低你的中心，你会看到他们不能伤害你
If you cut them off with a paaa-a-ass!”
如果你用大屁股把它们切断的话!"
The ghouls that spilled out after us met each swing of my rusty chopper, heads and legs parting under its heavy, jagged blade. “Ha! Ha! Ha!” I laughed out with each sucking ‘thock’ of the blade into the monsters in the hall as we advanced. If I didn’t get one, Glory finished it off behind me, watching me with astonished eyes. “Soooo…
我们每次碰到锈迹斑斑的直升机，都会有食尸鬼出现，头和腿在沉重的锯齿状刀刃下分开。"哈！哈！哈!"当我们向前走的时候，我笑出声来，每个人都把刀片吸进大厅里的怪物。如果我没有得到一个，晨辉在我身后完成了它，用惊讶的眼神看着我。"所以.....。
Chop up all the ghosties!
把所有的食尸鬼都剁碎！
Tear up all the grossly!
把这一切都撕掉！
Glare up at the creepy!
怒视这个令人毛骨悚然的家伙！
Smash up any weepy!
打碎任何哭泣的东西！
Kick out at the kooky!
开始疯狂吧！
Slice up all the spooky!”
把所有怪异的东西都切片!"
A final surge of ghouls charged as I spread my legs wide in the hall, bracing myself and swinging the chopper as I shouted, “And cut that big dumb scary face and kick him hard in the throat if he won’t leave you alone and if he comes at you again then he’s got another think coming and the very idea of him hurting you just wanna… hee hee HAHAHAHAHA!” I laughed wildly as I lunged forward, the jagged chopper tearing the ghouls into piles of parts as I finished with one horrid buzzing note, “Chooooooooooooooop!” With my last swing, the head of the last ghoul arched over my back to land at Glory’s hooves.
最后一股食尸鬼冲了过来，我在大厅里张开双腿，支撑着自己，挥舞着直升机，大声喊道,"如果他不放过你，就把那张可怕的大脸割下来，用力踢他的喉咙，如果他再来打你，那么他就会有另一种想法，他伤害你的想法只是想......嘻哈哈哈哈哈哈!"当我冲上前去的时候，我狂笑起来，锯齿状的直升机把食尸鬼撕成了一堆一堆的零件，我用一个可怕的嗡嗡声结束了演讲,"chooooooooooop!"我最后一次挥杆，最后一个食尸鬼的头拱过我的背，落在晨辉的蹄子上。
Standing in the hall with snot running down my face, grinning from ear to ear, my eyes glowing like amber moons, I looked back at her. “See? Just need the right weapon and the right attitude.”
站在大厅里，鼻涕顺着我的脸流下来，笑得合不拢嘴，我的眼睛像琥珀色的月亮一样发光，我回头看着她。""看见了吗？只需要正确的武器和正确的态度。"
Of course, that was the moment when, as we stood exposed in the main hall beneath the balconies, a half dozen ghouls charged, and these had died wearing body armor that still looked intact enough to be trouble. Still, have chopper, will chop!
当然，就在那一刻，当我们暴露在阳台下的大厅里时，六个食尸鬼冲了进来，他们死的时候穿着看起来完好无损的防弹衣。不过，有直升机，会砍！
Then something metal pinged off the ground in the middle of the crowd of undead and an explosion ripped most of them to pieces. I glanced up at P-21, who was looking at me in furious frustration. “Hey, P-21. Good timing,” I said
然后，在不死族的人群中间，一个金属的东西砰的一声从地上掉了下来，一场爆炸把他们大部分炸成了碎片。我抬头看了一眼P-21，他极度沮丧地看着我。"嘿，P-21。时机正好,"我说
as I walked, taking off head or limb, whichever I got to first, into the midst of the ghouls as they struggled to rise. Behind me, Glory looked at one squirming ghoul and gave a hesitant little chop that just made the corpse jerk and squirt semi-congealed blood on her face. I think she was about ready to climb back into the oven.
我一边走着，一边把头或者胳膊都砍下来，不管是哪一个，我一边走着，一边走到食尸鬼中间，他们挣扎着要爬起来。在我身后，晨辉看着一个蠕动的食尸鬼，犹豫不决地轻轻砍了一下，使得尸体猛地抽搐起来，脸上的血半凝固地喷了出来。我想她差不多要重新回到烤箱里去了。
“Blackjack, are you brain damaged?” he shouted down at me.
"黑杰克，你脑子坏了吗?"他对我大喊大叫。
I blinked, thought about it for a second, sat on my haunches, and held my forehooves a few inches apart. “Little bit.”
我眨了眨眼，想了一会儿，坐在腰上，前蹄间隔几英寸。"一点点。"
“Little… I… oh… you…” He stomped his hooves as I strolled towards the stairs. “You are… the most… the… I…” He was actually sputtering by the time I reached him.
"小...我..。.哦......你......"我朝楼梯走去时，他跺着蹄子。"你是......最......我.....。。」当我走到他身边时，他已经气急败坏了。
“I missed you too,” I replied as I nudged his hip with my own, cutting him off. “And thanks for taking care of me while I was out.”
"我也想你,"我一边回答，一边用自己的屁股碰了碰他的屁股，切断了他的话。"谢谢你在我出去的时候照顾我。"
Now he’d gone from babbling with fury to stammering with embarrassment. “Ah… yeah,” he said as he stepped back from me, rubbing his head and apparently unsure how to react. “You’re okay? Right?”
现在他已经从愤怒的牙牙学语变成了尴尬的口吃。"啊......是的,"他说着从我身边退开，揉着头，显然不知道该如何反应。"你没事吧？对吧?"
“You and Glory are. If we can free Rampage and find Roses and Thorn, I’ll be fucking ecstatic,” I chuckled, looking at a second set of barricades at the top of the steps. “Please tell me you found some working firearms?”
"你和晨辉是。如果我们能解放暴怒，找到玫瑰和荆棘，我会欣喜若狂的,"我笑着说，看着台阶顶上的第二个路障。"请告诉我你找到了一些能用的武器?"
“Not unless they shoot rust. I’ve got some shock grenades and a magic grenade left, and that’s it.”
"除非它们会生锈。我只剩下一些震荡手榴弹和一个魔法手榴弹，仅此而已。"
P-21 went over to Glory, and I sighed and bent over, coughing and hacking, spitting phlegm over a fallen picture of some pretentious-looking unicorn. I took a few breaths, trying to steady myself. “How is she?” P-21 asked Glory; I was surprised I heard them at all.
P-21去了晨辉，我叹了口气，弯下腰，咳嗽，咳嗽，吐痰，倒在一张自命不凡的独角兽的倒影上。我深吸了几口气，试图让自己平静下来。"她怎么样?"P-21问晨辉，我很惊讶我居然听到了。
“She’s doing it again,” Glory muttered softly, probably watching me in worry.
"她又来了,"晨辉轻声咕哝着，可能是在担心我。
“Pushing herself?”
"逼迫自己?"
“Mhmm...”
"嗯......"
I turned and gave them both a smile. “Hey. I’m fine. I’ve fought Deus. A head cold is nothing,” I said as I rubbed my sweaty brow with a hoof. Oh Goddesses, how I could use some Buck right now. “Come on. Let’s find Thorn and Roses.” I looked at the three second floor wings. “Have you checked them all?”
我转过身，给了他们一个微笑。"嘿。我没事。我和上帝战斗过。头部感冒算不了什么,"我边说边用蹄子摩擦着汗津津的额头。哦，女神们，我现在多么需要一些巴克。"来吧。我们去找荆棘和玫瑰吧。"我看了看二楼的三个翅膀。"你都检查过了吗?"
“All but that one,” he said, nodding his head at a barricade before us. The fancy furniture was sprinkled liberally with bullet holes and shell casings. From the corpses on the far side, it clearly hadn’t been enough to keep out the vengeful ponies below; we carefully picked our way over the top. Fewer attackers had made it this far, so the vandalism was somewhat reduced. Generations of handsome unicorn males decorated the walls, fungus nibbling away at the once vibrant colors of their portraits.
"除了那个以外,"他说，对着面前的一个街垒点了点头。花哨的家具上到处都是弹孔和弹壳。从远处的尸体上看，显然还不足以阻挡下面那些报复心重的小马;我们小心翼翼地选择了爬上山顶的路。到目前为止，攻击者已经减少了，故故意破坏行为也有所减少。一代代英俊的雄性独角兽装饰着墙壁，真菌蚕食着他们画像中曾经鲜艳的颜色。
“I don’t suppose you know how to get this working, do you?” I asked P-21 as I waved the PipBuck at him.
"我想你不知道怎么修这个吧?"我一边问P-21，一边向他挥舞着皮伯克。
“What do I look like, a PipBuck technician?” he asked with a worried little smile.
"我看起来像什么，一个PipBuck技术员吗?"他带着担忧的微笑问道。
My ears twitched and I raised a hoof to my lips. I walked to the door and pressed my ear against the paneling. “Shhh… be very quiet and the bad ponies will go away,” whispered a voice. I checked the door. Locked. I stepped aside to let him at it. Two bobby pins later, the lock opened.
我的耳朵抽动了一下，我抬起一只蹄子放在嘴唇上。我走到门口，把耳朵贴在门板上。"嘘......非常安静，坏小马会走开,"一个声音低声说。我检查了门。锁上了。我退到一边让他打。两个发夹之后，锁打开了。
I knocked on the door. The pair stared at me in shock. “Bad ponies don’t knock,” I said before opening the door and stepping inside.
我敲了敲门。这两个人震惊地盯着我。"坏小马不会敲门,"我说，然后打开门走了进去。
A nursery. Oh sweet Celestia, full of grace, don’t make me fight ghoul foals.
托儿所。哦，甜蜜的天堂，充满恩典，不要让我与食尸鬼小马驹战斗。
The bright colors were faded, the edges of the room sporting faint decay. The toys had definitely seen better days, and the books, for all the care paid to them, were clearly on their last legs as well. Sitting on a soft couch was a surprisingly young ghoul mare. Her decayed teal wings spread out to protectively hug the dead pony children around her. She wore a faded and threadbare nurse’s uniform. “Please… don’t hurt the children…” she whispered softly, her cloudy eyes following me warily along with the gaze of the dead foals.
明亮的颜色已经褪去，房间的边缘显得有些衰败。这些玩具肯定经历了更好的日子，而那些书，尽管付给了他们那么多的照顾，显然也已经奄奄一息了。坐在柔软的沙发上的是一匹令人惊讶的年轻食尸鬼母马。她那腐烂的水鸭翅膀伸展开来，保护性地拥抱着她周围死去的小马儿。她穿着一件褪色破旧的护士制服。"请......不要伤害孩子们......"她轻轻地低声说，她那双乌云密布的眼睛小心翼翼地跟着我，凝视着死去的小马驹。
And one live pony.
还有一匹活的小马。
Thorn rose out from under her wing. “No, Miss Harpica. This is a good pony.
荆棘从她的翅膀下长了出来。"不，哈皮卡小姐。这是一匹好马。
This is Miss Blackjack,” she said softly as she wiggled out of the cluster and gave herself a shake before she smiled up at me. “Are you okay, Miss Blackjack? You don’t look so good.” She then turned to face the other ghoul foals. “She got zapped by lightning!” That was apparently quite impressive.
"我是Blackjack小姐,"她一边轻轻地摇着身子走出丛林，一边摇了摇头，然后向我微笑。"你没事吧，Blackjack小姐？你看起来不太好。"然后她转身面对其他的食尸鬼小马驹。"她被闪电击中了!"这显然令人印象深刻。
I didn’t feel so good, to be honest. I hadn’t healed fully from my ‘zap’, my coat was scratched all to hell, and to top it all off, I felt dead on my hooves… well… relatively. “Yeah. I’m just a bit sick.”
说实话，我感觉不太好。我还没有完全恢复过来，我的外套被刮得像地狱一样，更糟糕的是，我的蹄子感觉像死了一样...嗯...相对来说。"是的。我只是有点不舒服。"
The foals slipped off Harpica’s lap and moved to different sections of the nursery to play with the toys. There was something disturbingly... methodical about their play. The actions weren’t done out of joy. The children played because they had always played. The rote behavior was all they knew. Harpica stood, and the undead pegasus approached with a nervous look. “Um… miss… if it pleases you, miss… may I suggest a rejuvenation potion? Or I could try and summon the nurse for you. Things have been such a mess since… well… the bad night.”
小马驹们从哈皮卡的腿上滑下来，移动到托儿所的不同区域玩玩具。他们的表演有些令人不安的...有条不紊。这些行动并非出于喜悦。孩子们玩耍是因为他们一直在玩耍。他们只知道死记硬背。哈皮卡站了起来，不死的飞马带着紧张的表情走近了。"嗯......小姐......如果你高兴的话，小姐......我可以建议一种恢复活力的药剂吗？或者我可以帮你叫护士。自从......那个......糟糕的夜晚以来，事情就一团糟。"
“Well, a restoration potion would be wonderful but…” But she was already trotting over to the medical box. I didn’t know how to explain that by now the potion was likely so much sludge.
"嗯，复原药水倒是很不错，但是......"但是她已经跑到医疗箱那里去了。我不知道该怎么解释，到现在为止，药剂可能有这么多淤泥。
She returned with a vibrant purple bottle. I took it from her, staring at it dumbfounded. “Is something the matter, Miss Blackjack?”
她拿着一个充满活力的紫色瓶子回来了。我从她手里拿过来，目瞪口呆地盯着它。"有什么事吗，黑杰克小姐?"
“I guess there aren’t any Enervation fields here,” I said, smiling and glad to finally get a break. The restoration potion soothed delightfully as it went down my throat, its magic restoring and regenerating my aching body. The wonderful sensation tickled from horn to hoof. Despite the exhaustion and the sickness creeping through my body, I found myself oddly refreshed.
"我猜这里没有任何能量场,"我笑着说，很高兴终于得到了休息。恢复药水顺着我的喉咙流下去，令我欣喜地舒缓了一下，它的魔力恢复了我疼痛的身体。这种奇妙的感觉从角到蹄发痒。尽管疲惫和疾病在我身体里蔓延，我还是发现自己神清气爽。
Glory looked around the nursery. “Ah… Harpica? What happened here?”
晨辉环视着育儿室。"啊......哈皮卡？这里发生了什么?"
“Oh. Well. You see, their parents came here expecting to go on a journey to someplace safe. It was a bit of a festivity, you see. Quite the to do. I wasn’t really a part of it all; my place was here with the children. However, I understand there was some problem with the sky carriages being late. The guests all became very nervous. And then… then there was the most horrible flash. And another. And another. The guests were all terribly upset with the good Master.”
"哦。好吧。你知道，他们的父母来这里是希望去一个安全的地方旅行。你知道，那有点像个节日。非常值得去做。我并不是这一切的一部分，我的位置是和孩子们在一起。不过，我知道空中马车晚点有些问题。客人们都变得非常紧张。然后...然后出现了最恐怖的闪光。再来一杯。再来一杯。客人们都对这位好主人非常失望。"
“I’ll bet. He seems an easy pony to be upset at,” I muttered. The ghoul’s cooked-
"我敢打赌。他看起来是一匹容易惹恼的小马,"我喃喃自语。食尸鬼煮熟了-
meat-colored cheeks creased faintly as she fought to hide a smile. Then it faded.
她极力掩饰着微笑，肉色的脸颊微微起皱。然后就消失了。
"There was a problem down at the door. Apparently, many ponies from the surrounding towns and villages came here thinking there was safety. They claimed the good Master had a stable built below the premises. I thought it quite odd; if he had such a thing, why wouldn’t he have gone inside? But the ponies, they were convinced that safety was within. Then the fighting began. Master Vanity came by and offered to help me escape… but…” She looked at the ghoul foals with a sad smile. “But I was hired to care for the children till their parents return for them. I couldn’t leave them.”
"门口出了点问题。显然，许多小马从周围的城镇和村庄来到这里，认为这里是安全的。他们声称这位善良的大师在楼下建了一座马厩。我觉得很奇怪，如果他有这样的东西，他为什么不进去呢？但是小马，他们确信安全在内。然后战斗开始了。瓦妮特大师过来帮我逃跑......但是......"她带着悲伤的微笑看着食尸鬼小马驹。"但是我被雇来照顾孩子们，直到他们的父母回来为止。我不能离开他们。"
I felt a chill rush through me. Were all pegasi so loyal? Without really thinking about it, I put a hoof across Glory’s shoulders and hugged her closer to me.
我感到一股寒意涌上心头。飞马座的人都这么忠诚吗？我不假思索地跨过晨辉的肩膀，把她紧紧地抱在怀里。
“Finally, there was a great crash, and soon after that the fighting stopped. It became very quiet. I peeked downstairs and found the skywagon and the dripping barrels. I felt… quite odd. When I returned, I think I had some of the...
"最后，发生了一次严重的撞车事故，战斗很快就停止了。它变得非常安静。我往楼下瞥了一眼，发现了篷车和滴着水的桶。我觉得...很奇怪。当我回来的时候，我想我有一些..。
stuff on me. We’ve been waiting since then.” She looked at the foals and gave a little nod. “They’ve all been quite well behaved. Even with…” She glanced at her ghoulified flesh and sighed.
我身上的东西。从那以后，我们一直在等待。"她看了看小马驹，点了点头。"他们都表现得很好。即使是......"她瞥了一眼自己僵硬的肉体，叹了口气。
“Waiting for what?” P-21 asked with a sad frown.
"等什么?"P-21愁眉苦脸地问。
Harpica just gave a small smile and shrug.
哈皮卡只是微微一笑，耸了耸肩。
Then I blinked. “Master Vanity?”
然后我眨了眨眼。"虚荣大师?"
She nodded slowly. “Yes, the good Master’s younger sibling.” Her lips curled in a fond smile. “He was quite kind…” Then she immediately blushed and added, “Not that I’m thinking above my station, miss! I believe he had his eyes on another pegasus any… oh dear, now I’m gossiping! I’ll lose my position.”
她慢慢地点了点头。"是的，好主人的弟弟。"她的嘴唇微微一笑。"他真是个好人......"然后她马上脸红了，接着说,"小姐，不是我想得太多!"！我相信他看上了另一匹飞马......哦，亲爱的，现在我在说闲话了！我会失去我的职位。"
“I don’t think you have to worry about that,” P-21 said dryly.
"我认为你不必担心这个,"P-21冷淡地说。
“You said that Vanity helped ponies to escape? Did he leave with them?”
"你说虚荣帮助小马逃跑了？他跟他们一起走了吗?"
Her smile grew. “Master Vanity was positively valiant. He single-hoofedly fended off dozens of attackers. He always was the superior duelist.”
她的笑容越来越灿烂。"瓦妮特少爷非常勇敢。他单枪匹马地挡开了几十个袭击者。他一直是决斗高手。"
“And did he escape as well?” I asked with a smile, imagining the roots of King
"他也逃走了吗?"我笑着问道，想象着金的根源
Awesome and the Society.
牛叉与社会。
Her smile faded a little. “His room is just down the hall, miss.”
她的微笑有点消失了。"他的房间就在走廊尽头，小姐。"
I swallowed hard, looking over my shoulder. “He’s still here?” The suddenly solemn pegasus nodded once. “We’ll… be right back.”
我使劲咽了口唾沫，回头看了看。"他还在这儿?"突然严肃起来的飞马点了点头。"我们......马上回来。"
“Blackjack? What are you doing?” P-21 asked as we stepped back into the hall.
"黑杰克？你在干什么?"P-21在我们退回大厅时问道。
“He was a Marauder! One of Macintosh’s Marauders,” I said with a little hop on my hooves. “He might be able to tell me about Macintosh and Maripony.”
"他是一个掠夺者！"麦金托什的掠夺者之一,"我一边说，一边用蹄子轻轻地跳了一下。"他也许能告诉我关于麦金托什和马里波尼的事。"
“He might eat your face,” P-21 suggested.
"他可能会吃掉你的脸,"P-21建议道。
That sobered me. “Then he needs to be laid to rest,” I muttered softly.
这让我清醒过来。"那么他需要安息了,"我轻声咕哝道。
We carefully checked the other doors for some sign of Roses, though I liked to think that Vanity was protecting her like he had the others that terrible day. The bodies in the hall were arranged in odd crescents. We came upon three more roaming ghouls, their guard livery rusted into plates on their undead hides.
我们仔细地检查了其他的门，看看有没有玫瑰的痕迹，虽然我喜欢认为瓦妮特是在保护她，就像那可怕的一天他保护其他人一样。大厅里的尸体以奇怪的新月形排列。我们又遇到了三个游荡的食尸鬼，他们的守卫制服锈蚀在他们的不死兽皮上。
Finally, the last arc of slain foes lay right outside a pair of double doors. I swallowed, wishing that I had my E.F.S. and could have some clue if he was hostile or not. Finally, though, I sighed and knocked on his door. No response. Not good. I swallowed and tried to open it, but it was locked.
最后，被杀死的敌人的最后一道弧线就在一对双开门的外面。我咽了口唾沫，希望我有我的e.f.s.，可以有一些线索，如果他是敌意或不。最后，我叹了口气，敲了敲他的门。没有回应。情况不妙。我咽了口唾沫，试图打开它，但它是锁着的。
“You know this is a bad idea,” P-21 muttered before he knelt and started to open the lock.
"你知道这是个坏主意,"P-21在跪下开始打开锁之前喃喃自语道。
“You didn’t see him. He’s a hero. A real, true war hero,” I said, nearly bouncing on my hooves in eagerness. When the lock clicked open, I opened the door slowly and stepped into a room lit by a flickering magical chandelier. Dust covered every surface, and the lack of tracks on the carpet dashed my hopes of finding Roses in here. A huge canopied bed was draped in fine sheets that stirred faintly at our passage.
"你没有看见他。他是个英雄。一个真正的，真正的战争英雄,"我说，急切得几乎蹦蹦跳跳。当锁卡嗒一声打开时，我慢慢地打开门，走进一间被一盏闪烁的神奇枝形吊灯照亮的房间。每一个表面都是灰尘，地毯上没有痕迹，破坏了我在这里找到玫瑰的希望。一张巨大的盖着天蓬的床铺上铺着精致的床单，在我们走过的路上微微地动了动。
Then I spotted him sitting before a desk. He was lying back in his chair in that odd fashion that I occasionally assumed, his eyes closed, his hide in surprisingly good condition despite being a ghoul. Oddly, he still possessed his slightly faded emerald mane. “Vanity? Um… Prince Vanity…? I’ve wanted to meet you ever
然后我看到他坐在一张桌子前。他以我偶尔会想到的那种奇怪的姿势躺在椅子上，闭着眼睛，尽管是个食尸鬼，他的皮肤却保持着惊人的健康状态。奇怪的是，他仍然保留着那略显褪色的翠绿色鬃毛。"虚荣？虚荣王子？我一直想见到你
since I found out about the Marauders. I wanted to ask...” My voice faded away as I saw he hadn’t moved.
自从我发现了掠夺者。我想问......"我的声音消失了，因为我看到他一动不动。
My horn glowed, and I gently brushed the dust off his features. No facsimile of life lingered in his dull eyes, nor had his skin sloughed away. He sat in perfect repose as he had for two centuries. Black powder lay thick over his lower limbs where it had pooled and spilled. In his lap lay a silver picture frame. Ever so carefully, my magic reached out and brushed the dust away.
我的号角闪闪发光，我轻轻地拂去它脸上的灰尘。他那双迟钝的眼睛里没有一丝生命的影子，他的皮肤也没有脱落。他像两个世纪以来一样安详地坐着。黑色的火药堆积在他的下肢上，已经溢出来了。他的腿上放着一个银色的相框。小心翼翼地，我的魔法伸出手，拂去灰尘。
Jetstream grinned up at me with a faintly blushing and awkward-looking Vanity sitting beside her. They both looked so young in their brand new uniforms, he dressed in purple and she in blue.
喷气流冲我咧嘴笑了笑，身边坐着一个微微脸红、样子笨拙的虚荣心。他们俩穿着崭新的制服看起来都那么年轻，他穿着紫色，而她穿着蓝色。
P-21 opened the desk drawer, making me jump. “What are you doing?”
P-21打开书桌的抽屉，吓得我跳了起来。"你在干什么?"
“Seeing if he has anything useful. Like, say, a gun?” I hated to admit it, but he was right. Sour as it was, he might have something we could use.
"看看他有没有什么有用的东西。比如说，一把枪?"我不想承认，但他是对的。虽然很酸，但他可能有我们需要的东西。
The only thing of note was a carefully folded piece of paper resting on a wooden box. I lifted it and unfolded the paper.
唯一值得注意的是一张精心折叠的纸放在一个木盒子上。我把它拿起来，打开纸。
Dear Director,
亲爱的导演:
Courtesy demands that I say that I hope this letter finds you in good health and spirits. In honesty, however, I pray you are suffering as slow and terrible a death as I. Project Redoubt has been successful beyond your dreams. It is my sincerest hope that you die in your hole; you have doomed hundreds with your duplicity, and I have been complicit in their murder. My lesser regret is that I will never be able to deliver this resignation in person along with a blade through your callow heart. For my greater regret, I can only pray that someday, somehow, she retrieves these. I held them for her, as I swore I would.
出于礼貌，我要说，我希望这封信能使你身体健康，精神愉快。然而，老实说，我祈祷你正在经历和我一样缓慢而可怕的死亡。堡垒计划已经成功地超越了你的梦想。我真诚地希望你死在自己的洞里;你的口是心非把数百人置于死地，而我是他们被谋杀的同谋。我不那么遗憾的是，我永远无法亲自递交这份辞呈，也无法用一把利刃刺穿你稚嫩的心。对于我更大的遗憾，我只能祈祷有一天，不管怎样，她会找回这些。我发誓我会帮她保管的。
Celestia and Luna, forgive your nephew for my perfidy.
塞莱斯蒂亚和卢娜，原谅你们的侄子对我的背信弃义。
Vanity.
虚荣心。
A war hero… he was supposed to be a war hero. I hadn’t imagined him as something else.
一个战争英雄...他应该是一个战争英雄。我没有把他想象成别的什么东西。
Project Chimera. Project Eternity. Project Redoubt. I could scream. Had there
奇美拉计划。永恒之柱。工程堡垒。我可以尖叫。在那里
been a Project A Clue for Blackjack?
是黑杰克的线索项目？
I opened the wooden box and looked at the four orbs within. One had been smeared with blood, the black streaks marking it the most recent.
我打开木箱，看了看里面的四个球体。其中一个身上有血迹，这些黑色的条纹是最近留下的。
“No, Blackjack. You are not jumping into memory orbs right now,” P-21 said as be reached over and closed the box. “We have to find Roses.”
"不，黑杰克。你现在不是跳进内存球,"P-21说，作为达到并关闭了盒子。"我们必须找到玫瑰。"
“Yeah,” I muttered as I backed away. Was it just my imagination, or was Vanity smiling?
"是啊,"我一边后退一边喃喃自语。这只是我的想象，还是虚荣在微笑？
* * *
* * *
After half an hour and a dozen rooms, we’d found no sign of Roses. My nose was running, my throat burning, my body aching, and my mane itching. I’d really had enough of the creepy house. My only relief was that the pale bastard hadn’t shown up with strange little teasers and ominous card tricks. He was really missing out on his opportunity here. The levels of weirdness were increasing exponentially as we went from room to room.
半个小时过去了，我们找了十几个房间，还是没有玫瑰的踪影。我流鼻涕，喉咙发烫，全身酸痛，鬃毛发痒。我真的受够了那个诡异的房子。我唯一的解脱是那个苍白的混蛋没有带着奇怪的小玩笑和不祥的纸牌把戏出现。他真的错过了他在这里的机会。随着我们从一个房间走到另一个房间，怪异的程度呈指数级增长。
In one, there was an art gallery dedicated to Fluttershy, apparently done when she’d been young and… a model? That was what it looked like, though I had a hard time imaging the yellow pegasus surrounded by screaming fans. Strike that. I could imagine it easily. There were also pictures of a younger, lighter-haired unicorn who bore a striking resemblance to Rarity. ‘Sweetie Belle’.
在其中一个，有一个专门为Fluttershy设计的艺术画廊，显然是在她年轻的时候做的......一个模特？那就是它看起来的样子，尽管我很难想象黄色飞马被尖叫的粉丝包围的样子。把这句删掉。我很容易就能想象出来。还有一些照片，上面是一只年轻一些、头发淡一些的独角兽，长得非常像稀有。'甜心宝贝'。
A second room seemed devoted to the Ministry of Image, ranging from pictures of the buildings in Canterlot and Hoofington to internal papers and documents to news clippings about the Ministry Mare, which seemed few and far between. It looked like the M.o.I. was not big on self-promotion.
第二个房间似乎专门用于印象部，从Canterlot和Hoofington建筑物的照片，到内部文件和文件，再到关于印象部的新闻剪报。看起来m.o.i不太喜欢自我推销。
Another room held pictures of Rarity. Many of these pictures were more clandestine in nature, ranging from a few official pictures of the great mare to secretive photographs.
另一个房间里放着稀世珍品的照片。许多这些照片在性质上更加隐秘，从一些官方照片的伟大的母马到秘密的照片。
One room was completely empty save for eight defense turrets and a pedestal holding a wedding ring. I thought it best not to investigate further.
其中一个房间空无一人，只有八座防御塔楼和一个戴着结婚戒指的基座。我认为最好不要进一步调查。
One room was full of dresses…
一个房间里堆满了裙子..。
Then Glory’s ears twitched. “Is that music?” I paused and listened. Definitely chamber music, recorded, by the scratchy sound of it... and an oddly familiar contrabass. “Hurry,” I said as we ran. The double doors were blocked, but I could see through into the decayed ballroom. Roses stood in an elaborate and fine ball gown. Dozens of bruises bloomed across her face, blood leaking from her nose and split lip.
然后晨辉的耳朵抽搐了一下。"那是音乐吗?"我停顿了一下，听着。肯定是室内音乐，由刺耳的声音录制而成......还有一种奇怪而熟悉的低音提琴。"快点,"我们一边跑一边说。双开门被堵住了，但我可以透过窗户看到腐朽的舞厅。罗斯穿着一件精致的舞会礼服站在那里。她的脸上布满了瘀伤，鼻子流血，嘴唇破裂。
Most ghouls were, of course, disturbing. Seeing one dressed in formal attire was slightly more so. However, this stallion’s cheeks had rotted away clear to his ears. His lidless eyes transformed his entire countenance into that of a monstrous mad horse. Grayish-brown mane stuck out in tufts along his spine down to his threadbare tail. I could only hope he was insane; I could not imagine existence with such features.
当然，大多数食尸鬼令人不安。看到一个穿着正式服装的人，情况就稍微有些不同了。然而，这匹种马的脸颊在他的耳朵里已经腐烂得很干净了。他那双没有眼睑的眼睛把他的整个面容变成了一匹巨大的疯马。灰棕色的鬃毛沿着它的脊柱一直延伸到它那破旧的尾巴。我只能希望他是个疯子，我无法想象有这种特征的存在。
Strike that, I really hoped he was sane… and nice… and had saved Roses from some other source of injury.
除此之外，我真的希望他是正常的......和善的......并且已经从其他伤害源救出了Roses。
From the look of terror on her face, I doubted it.
从她脸上恐惧的表情来看，我对此表示怀疑。
“Now!” he said grandly, his boiled-sounding voice booming over the scratchy recorded music. He gestured to a silk rose in a small jar. “Say it… right.” He took a deep breath and gestured to himself, his breath hissing through those horrid vents in his face.
"现在!"他大声地说，他那沸腾的声音在刺耳的录音中轰鸣。他指了指一只装在小瓶子里的丝玫瑰。"说出来......对。"他深深地吸了一口气，做了个手势，他的呼吸透过脸上那些可怕的气孔发出嘶嘶声。
“Well, Hello. I am Prince Blueblood.”
"哦，你好。我是蓝血王子。"
Oh, sweet Goddesses, did he just waggle his eyebrows? Did the pony that once bragged the war would only last a month just... hit on a beaten unicorn?! In what universe did alicorn Princesses have to die while this... this... thing... was allowed to persist!
哦，亲爱的女神们，他刚刚是不是摇了摇眉毛？难道曾经吹嘘战争的小马仅仅持续了一个月就......撞上了一只被打败的独角兽?！在什么样的宇宙中，阿里卡公主必须死去，而这个......这个......东西......却被允许存在！
“And I am… Rarity?” Roses whispered.
"而我是......稀世?"玫瑰在低语。
“No!” he shouted, reared up, and slammed his forehooves into her face. As she lay there, sprawled and quivering, he knelt and then said in a softer voice, “Oh dear, you’ve fallen. Let me help you back on your hooves.” His magic hauled her upright.
"不!"他大叫着，用后腿直立起来，用前蹄猛击她的脸。她躺在那里，四肢伸开，浑身颤抖，他跪下来，然后用更柔和的声音说:"哦，亲爱的，你摔倒了。让我帮你重新站起来。"他的魔法把她拽了起来。
The three of us shared a look and immediately started to tear at the desks and boxes blocking the door.
我们三个人看了一眼，立刻开始撕扯那些挡住门的桌子和盒子。
“Please, let me go,” Roses begged, sobbing as she slumped. “I have a daughter. Let me go back to her, please.”
"求你了，让我走吧,"罗斯哀求着，边哭边瘫倒在地。"我有一个女儿。请让我回到她身边。"
“No! No! No!” Blueblood screamed down at her. “She doesn’t have a daughter! She was supposed to have sons. MY sons. But she didn’t. She wouldn’t. She dared… dared… reject me! Didn’t she know who I was? I would have made her a princess! I would have made her everything.” He then levitated a sword off the table beside him. “Now, dear lady, I pray you, say it right.”
"不！不！不!"贵族们朝她尖叫着。"她没有女儿！她应该有儿子的。我的儿子们。但她没有。她不会的。她竟敢...竟敢...拒绝我！她不知道我是谁吗？我会让她成为公主的！我会把一切都给她。"然后他把一把剑从他旁边的桌子上悬浮起来。"现在，亲爱的女士，请你说对了。"
Roses looked over at us trying to break through the doors. Just another minute or two and we’d be through.
罗斯看着我们，试图冲进门去。再过一两分钟，我们就完了。
“And I am R… Rarity,” Roses said in a shaky voice. She looked over at the fake flower. “Oh my, w… what a lovely r…rose.”
"我是r。.稀有,"玫瑰颤抖着说。她看了看那朵假花。"哦，我的天啊。.多么可爱的r。.玫瑰。"
I think he was actually trying to grin; too bad it was already his default expression. “Why, you mean, this rose?” He swept it up, held it in his jaws, and then neatly slipped it into her hair. “It goes with your lovely eyes.”
我想他实际上是想咧嘴笑，可惜这已经是他默认的表情了。"为什么，你是说这朵玫瑰?"他把它卷起来，放在嘴里，然后整齐地塞进她的头发里。"和你可爱的眼睛很配。"
Roses gave a shaky smile as Blueblood lifted his hooves and held her shoulders. “Did I say it right? Are you happy now?” His voice rose higher. “Are you happy now? Are you? Are you happy?!” he screamed in her face. “Did I do it right?”
当布鲁布拉德抬起他的蹄子，抓住她的肩膀时，罗斯颤抖着微笑。""我说得对吗？你现在开心了吗?"他的声音提高了。"你现在高兴了吗？是吗？你开心吗?!"他当着她的面尖叫。"我做得对吗?"
“Yes!” she screamed in desperation.
"是的!"她绝望地尖叫起来。
“Liar!” he roared, plunging the sword into her chest. “You always lie to me!”
"骗子!"他咆哮着，把剑刺进她的胸膛。"你总是对我撒谎!"
“Roses!” I screamed as I hacked at the last barrier blocking the door.
"玫瑰!"我在最后一个挡住大门的障碍物前乱砍乱砍时尖叫起来。
From down the hall roared a mare, “Move, Blackjack!” I turned in time to see Rampage, lacking armor and dripping wet, racing down the hall towards me. I barely had time to leap aside as she rammed into the barricade with enough force to crash through the wardrobe blocking the door.
一匹母马从大厅里呼啸而过,"快走，黑杰克!"我及时转身看到狂暴，没有盔甲，浑身湿透，沿着大厅向我冲过来。我几乎没有时间跳到一边，她用足够的力量撞开了挡在门外的衣柜。
Blueblood gave a long-suffering sigh as he twisted and withdrew the sword, muttering, “Wonderful. Peasants.”
当他扭动并拔出剑的时候，蓝血贵族发出了一声长长的痛苦的叹息，喃喃地说:"太好了。农民。"
“You bloody animal!” screamed Rampage as we followed in behind her. The ghoul simply raised his sword before him with a bored expression. At the last moment he stepped aside, the sword flashing in her path.
"你这该死的畜生!"当我们跟在她后面时，她尖叫着，横冲直撞。食尸鬼只是无聊地在他面前举起了剑。在最后一刻，他走到一边，剑在她的路上闪烁。
With a thump, her head went rolling across the ballroom floor, her body walking ahead a few more feet before collapsing.
砰的一声，她的头滚过舞厅的地板，她的身体向前走了几英尺，然后就倒下了。
“Such rude interruptions,” he muttered, then his eyes landed on me and they brightened. “Sweet Rarity. Have you come to reconsider my offer?”
"这么粗鲁的打断,"他喃喃自语，然后他的眼睛落在了我身上，亮了起来。"甜美的稀有。你是来重新考虑我的提议的吗?"
“I’ve come to kick your ass,” I screamed as I brought the chopper around in a sweeping arc. He jumped over the jagged edge with shocking ease. I didn’t care. The sight of Roses stabbed through the heart and of Rampage’s head lying there with a slack, confused expression fueled me to destroy this monster. Especially before I started to care about it.
"我是来踢你屁股的,"当我把直升机开过来的时候，我尖叫着。他轻而易举地跳过了锯齿状的边缘。我不在乎。看到罗斯的心脏被刺穿，狂暴的头躺在那里，神情呆滞，困惑不已，这一幕激起了我摧毁这个怪物的决心。尤其是在我开始关心它之前。
“No!” he yelled as his sword feinted around my wild blows and chops. The tip sliced into my hide as he adopted that hissing voice of horrid geniality. “You are supposed to say: sweet Prince Blueblood, of course I accept your proposal of marriage. That is what you are supposed to say!” He hissed through those gaping teeth, “Then we live happily ever after! Like we’re supposed to!”
"不!"他大声喊道，他的剑在我狂野的拳脚下晃来晃去。当他采纳了那可怕的温和嘶嘶的声音时，尖端划破了我的皮肤。"你应该说:亲爱的蓝血王子，我当然接受你的求婚。这就是你应该说的话!"他透过张开的牙齿嘶嘶地说,"那么我们就活在很想和你在一起里了！就像我们应该做的那样!"
I swung the chopper about as I bled, my wilder swings gouging out chunks of moldy dance floor as I struggled to get clear of his blade. His fine steel grated and rasped against the heavy edge of my own weapon as we circled each other. Worse, as effective as the chopper had been against mindless ghouls that charged recklessly forward, it was painfully useless against his darting and slashing saber. He danced away from my awkward swings and around me as if this were a ball, while the tip of his blade sliced and nicked my exposed limbs and hide. For all his pomposity, two centuries had clearly been long enough for him to get really good at slicing a pony up. Maybe some magic bullets would work? The first glowing cone of force smacked into his torso instead of his face and didn't seem to faze him at all, and the second he actually dodged! Without S.A.T.S., I could barely hit him with them, and it looked like they wouldn't hurt him even if I could! As much as it galled and terrified me, I didn’t know how I was supposed to beat him!
我一边流血，一边挥舞着砍刀，我那疯狂的挥舞把发霉的舞池地板上的大块大块的东西都刨出来了，我挣扎着想摆脱他的刀片。当我们围着对方转的时候，他的精钢在我沉重的武器边缘摩擦磨擦。更糟糕的是，这架直升机在对付盲目鲁莽冲向前方的食尸鬼时效果非常好，但在对付他飞奔猛砍的军刀时却痛苦地毫无用处。他跳着离开了我笨拙的摆动，仿佛这是一个球，而他的刀尖划破了我裸露的四肢和隐藏。尽管他自命不凡，但两个世纪对他来说已经足够长了，足以让他真正擅长把小马切成片。也许一些神奇的子弹会起作用？第一个发光的力锥击中了他的躯干而不是他的脸，似乎一点也没有让他感到不安，第二个他实际上躲开了！没有s.a.t.s，我几乎不能用它们打他，而且看起来就算我可以，它们也不会伤害他！尽管这件事让我感到难堪和恐惧，但我不知道我应该如何打败他！
“I’d say Rarity had you pegged perfectly,” I said as defiantly as I could, panting as blood pattered under me. He was standing with alert poise, not even looking at all tired. As ravaged as his body was, none of it was due to me. “You don’t deserve a mare like her.”
"我敢说，莱蒂完全把你盯住了,"我尽可能挑衅地说，气喘吁吁，就像血液流过我的身体一样。他镇定自若地站在那里，一副疲倦的样子。尽管他的身体已经被毁坏了，但这一切都不是我造成的。"你配不上她这样的母马。"
“I am a prince. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to find a princess that
"我是王子。你知道找到一个公主有多难吗
meets the proper standards?” he said grandly as he looked down at me with that mocking, endless rictus. “I would have made her everything. Her children would have had the blood of alicorns in them!” His voice rose more and more and I hoped he’d made some mistake I could exploit. “And why? Because I refused to eat her friend’s carnival fare? Because I didn’t want to walk through a puddle? I am a prince! There are expectations of me that she could never understand!” I watched Glory move around behind him, but with contemptuous ease he whipped the tip of his blade at her. She dropped her cleaver and fell back, pressing her hooves to the left side of her face.
符合合适的标准?"他用那种嘲弄的，没完没了的口气看着我，气势汹汹地说。"我会把一切都给她。她的孩子们身上会流着橡树果的血!"他的声音越来越高，我希望他犯了一些我可以利用的错误。""为什么？因为我拒绝吃她朋友的狂欢节食物？因为我不想走过一个水坑？我是王子！她永远不会理解我对她的期望!"我看着晨辉在他身后走来走去，但他轻松地用刀尖抽打着她。她扔下切肉刀，向后倒去，用蹄子顶着左脸。
His voice dropped back to a calm hiss. “Something peasants like you... and she...
他的声音回落到平静的嘶嘶声中。"像你这样的农民......而她.....。
could never appreciate.” He advanced for the kill. “I would have made her glorious.”
永远不会欣赏"他向前进发，准备杀人。"我会让她光荣的。"
“She made herself the mare that she was. She didn’t need you for anything!” I charged again. He ducked his head under my desperate blow as his sword flashed. I knew that feeling. I knew it all too well as I fell on my rump, my forehooves hugging my gut as I felt my insides threatening to spill out once more. Oh... please don’t vomit in front of this... thing... I could only barely keep my magical grip on the chopper as his sword floated around and pressed to my throat. “She didn’t need you...” I whispered softly, shaking as I felt myself near my limit, the blade starting to slice into me.
"她把自己变成了原来的母马。她不需要你做任何事!"我再次充电。他的剑一闪，他在我的致命一击下低下了头。我知道那种感觉。我非常清楚这一点，当我趴在地上，前蹄紧贴着我的肚子，我感到我的内脏有再次流出来的危险。哦......请不要在这个......东西面前呕吐......当他的剑漂浮在空中，压在我的喉咙上的时候，我只能勉强保持我对直升机的魔法握力。"她不需要你......"我轻轻地低声说，当我感觉自己快到极限的时候，我颤抖着，刀刃开始刺入我的身体。
“Of course she didn’t. Nopony did. But I needed her,” he hissed softly.
"她当然没有。Nopony做到了。但我需要她,"他轻轻地嘶嘶地说。
“Hey, Prince Asshole!” P-21 shouted from the doorway. “You need this?” he asked as he held up the wedding ring and then set it atop the green magic grenade. He flicked the stem away and ran, dragging Glory with him.
"嘿，王子混蛋!"P-21在门口喊道。"你需要这个?"他一边问，一边举起结婚戒指，放在绿色魔法手榴弹上。他轻轻地把茎抽掉，拖着晨辉一起跑了。
“No!” Blueblood screamed as he ran toward the ring and grenade. The flash of magic disintegrated most of his face, his chest, and his sword, sending him sliding back towards me. One eye still focused on me as his corpse was cooked for real. “Ra... ri… ty…” he gurgled in his throat, extending a hoof towards me.
"不!"当他跑向手榴弹和戒指时，蓝血贵族尖叫起来。他的脸、胸膛和剑的大部分都被魔法的闪光击碎了，他滑向了我。一只眼睛仍然盯着我，因为他的尸体是真的被煮熟了。"拉......里......泰......"他用喉咙咕噜咕噜地说，一只蹄子朝我伸过来。
Blood dripped over my squeezing hooves as I looked down at him. “I’m not Rarity,” I said as I raised the chopper with all my focus above his smoking neck. “But even if I were, the answer would still be no!”
当我低头看着他的时候，血从我挤压的蹄子上滴下来。"我不稀罕,"我一边说，一边把直升机举起来，全神贯注地看着他冒烟的脖子。"但即使我是，答案仍然是不!"
And the heavy thud of the cleaver echoing across the ballroom reinforced that.
屠刀的重击声在舞厅里回荡，更加强了这种感觉。
I slumped on my side, feeling the disturbing sensation of my blood spilling and my guts trying to slither out of my abdominal cavity.
我侧着身子，感觉到令人不安的流血的感觉，我的肠子试图从腹腔里爬出来。
“Nice job,” Rampage said with a grin as she looked down at the decapitated ghoul.
"干得好,"朗格低头看着被斩首的食尸鬼，咧嘴笑着说。
I stared up at her pink eyes and scarred hide. I looked over at her severed head. Her thick red mane hung in tangled curls around her striped body. P-21 looked even more astonished. Glory, however, was still curled up tightly and shaking, clutching her face as tightly as I held in my guts.
我抬头看着她那粉红色的眼睛和伤痕累累的皮肤。我看着她被砍下的头颅。她浓密的红色鬃毛缠绕在她斑纹般的身体周围。P-21看起来更加惊讶。然而，晨辉仍然紧紧地蜷缩着，颤抖着，紧紧地抓着她的脸，就像我在内心里抓着她一样。
“He cut off your head!” I groaned.
"他砍下了你的头!"我呻吟着。
She just looked at me with a smirk that didn’t reach her eyes. “Eh, I got better.”
她只是傻笑着看着我，没有看到她的眼睛。"呃，我好多了。"
* * *
* * *
I’d like to say that I marched triumphantly out of Blueblood Manor, but the fact is that they dragged me out on the bloody dress. P-21 and Harpica brought out Roses covered in a dusty sheet. Rampage fetched her armor from the bottom of the well -- I didn’t exactly want to know how -- and obliterated the few remaining feral ghouls outside around the wagon. The rain may have been miserable, but at least the lightning had let up. From the blackened trees around the manor, going inside had been the right thing to do.
我想说，我得意洋洋地走出了BluebloodManor，但事实是，他们是穿着血淋淋的裙子把我拖出来的。P-21和Harpica拿出了布满灰尘的玫瑰花。狂暴的暴徒从井底把她的盔甲取了出来----我不太想知道是怎么做到的----并且消灭了车外仅存的几个凶残的食尸鬼。虽然雨下得很大，但至少闪电减弱了。从庄园周围被熏黑的树木中，走进去是正确的选择。
I didn’t anticipate sharing the wagon with thirteen foals, however, dressed in their prim cloaks and summer hats against the weather. The ghoul foals seemed positively thrilled, thought they kept it more or less to themselves. After all, I was bleeding out slowly and Thorn was now an orphan. “We know how you feel,” one of the ghoul foals told the pink unicorn. “Our parents are dead too.”
我没想到会和十三匹小马共用一辆马车，不过它们穿着整洁的斗篷，戴着夏天的帽子，以防天气不好。食尸鬼的小马驹们看起来非常兴奋，认为他们或多或少地把它藏在自己的身体里。毕竟，我正在慢慢流血而索恩现在是一个孤儿。"我们知道你的感受,"其中一只食尸鬼告诉粉红独角兽。"我们的父母也去世了。"
As we left, I glanced back at the wing where I hoped Vanity rested peacefully. Once more I glimpsed the dark alicorn, this time looking out a window at me before walking out of view. My mind was playing peekaboo with my senses. All I needed now was an obscure reference to card houses or a sight of Celestia poking around and I’d be set.
我们离开的时候，我回头看了看那边，我希望瓦妮能安静地休息一下。我又一次瞥见了那只黑色的独角兽，这一次是在我走出视野之前从窗户向外看。我的大脑在用我的感官玩躲猫猫。现在我需要的只是一个模糊的卡片屋的参考，或者是一个塞莱斯蒂娜在附近探访的景象，然后我就准备好了。
* * *
* * *
Our arrival at Chapel was a bit chaotic. Priest immediately rushed to Glory, who
我们到达教堂时有点混乱。牧师立即赶到晨辉，谁
then turned him firmly towards me. That was about the time the amount of blood still in my body dropped below the amount of blood needed to remain conscious. I am pleased to note that in this state of unconsciousness, I had no dreams that involved metaphoric fatalistic card hustlers. Sometimes even I get lucky.
然后把他坚定地转向我。大约就在那时，我体内的血液量仍然低于保持清醒所需的血液量。我很高兴地注意到，在这种无意识状态下，我没有做过任何关于比喻的宿命论扑克骗子的梦。有时候我也很幸运。
I came to slowly, lying on a mattress with the strangest sense of having done this before. It was the same cellar as last time, only now there were two IV racks that held a slow drip from a blood pack, another from a pack of RadAway, and one of Med-X. My entire torso was wrapped in healing bandages. I might have been put out with Scalpel for working with Caprice, but right now I could really use her healing contraption.
我慢慢地苏醒过来，躺在床垫上，有一种奇怪的感觉，好像以前做过这件事。这里还是和上次一样的地窖，只不过现在有两个静脉注射架，上面放着一个血袋慢慢滴下的血液，另一个是一包雷达威，还有一个Med-X。我的整个躯干被包裹在愈合绷带里。我可能会因为和Caprice一起工作而被解剖刀麻醉，但是现在我真的可以使用她的治疗装置。
“Hey,” a tinny, mechanical voice said above me.
"嘿,"一个尖细的机械的声音在我上面说。
Slowly, I looked up at the strange little bug robot. “Hey,” I replied weakly. “Let me guess. I look bad?”
慢慢地，我抬头看着这个奇怪的小虫子机器人。"嘿,"我虚弱地回答。"让我猜猜。我看起来很糟糕?"
“You look pretty awful. Yeah,” Watcher replied as he lowered himself down to eye level. “I heard you killed Blueblood. I didn’t even know he was still alive.”
"你看起来糟透了。"是的,"观察者一边回答，一边把自己降低到与眼睛齐平的高度。"我听说你杀了贵族。我甚至不知道他还活着。"
“He was too obsessed to die. Even at the end, he wanted the one mare who told him no,” I said, shaking my head with a groan. “I think he wanted a second chance with her, but had to win.” I shook my head a little. “I feel sorry for him.”
"他太执着于死亡。即使到了最后，他还是想要那匹拒绝他的母马。"我摇着头呻吟着说。"我认为他想和她再有一次机会，但必须赢。"我摇了摇头。"我为他感到难过。"
“Well, I was going to mention this to LittlePip, but I think I’ll have to save it. No way anypony would believe this,” Watcher said as his wings buzzed almost inaudibly. “She’s coming to see me.”
"好吧，我本来打算告诉小皮普的，但是我想我得把它保存起来。任何小马都不会相信这个,"观察者说，他的翅膀嗡嗡作响，几乎听不见。"她要来看我。"
“She is?” I blinked, in a bit of a sick, Med-X haze. “She is… way to go.”
"是吗?"我眨了眨眼睛，在一种病态的Med-X烟雾中。"她真是...了不起。"
“I thought about what you said and… you’re right. For two hundred years I’ve been trying to be like Blueblood. Have everything just so. Everything the way I want it to be, nice and safe. But if I keep that up, eventually I won’t be able to reach out to anypony. I’ll just be stuck here forever.”
"我想了想你说的话......你是对的。两百年来，我一直试图成为一个像蓝血一样的人。一切都保持原样。一切都如我所愿，美好而安全。但是如果我继续这样下去，最终我就不能再联系任何小马了。我会永远困在这里。"
“I hope it works out. I know that LittlePip must be a special mare for you to take this chance.” I gave a lazy little grin. “Need some pointers? I’ve dealt with professionals.”
"我希望一切顺利。我知道小匹普一定是一匹特别的母马，你才会冒这个险。"我懒洋洋地笑了笑。"需要一些指点吗？我和专业人士打过交道。"
There was a momentary pause. “What?”
有一个短暂的停顿。"什么?"
“Well you… and her… together for the first time?” I gave a lazy smile.
"你......和她......第一次......在一起?"我懒洋洋地笑了笑。
There was a long silence, and then, “Blackjack, that’s just wrong on so many levels.” I hoped that he was laughing in those pauses. I think he was. Hoped so. “I also wanted to say congratulations. A friend of a friend told Bottlecap that you had the money together, and she told that friend to tell her friend that she was going to arrange for the meeting. You’ll finally find out what EC-1101 is.”
沉默了很长时间，然后,"Blackjack，这在很多层面上都是错误的。"我希望他是在那些停顿中大笑。我想是的。希望如此。"我还想祝贺你。一个朋友的朋友告诉Bottlecap你已经有钱了，她让那个朋友告诉她的朋友她会安排这次会面。你最终会知道EC-1101是什么。"
“Yeah, about that...” I sighed and pulled my hoof out from under my blankets. I held up the charred casing and burned-out screen. “Is this gonna be a problem?”
"是啊，关于那个......"我叹了口气，把蹄子从毯子里拉了出来。我举起烧焦的外壳和烧坏的屏幕。"这会有问题吗?"
Footnote: Level Up.
脚注:水平上升。
New perk added: Ghoulfriend -- 10% more damage to ghoul targets and an opportunity for additional speech options.
新的额外能力:食尸鬼朋友——食尸鬼目标伤害增加10%，并且有额外的语言选择机会。
Author's Notes:
作者笔记:
(Note to the Curious from Hinds: I’m still here, if anypony was wondering. Somber just didn’t add the endnote to this one. I assume that Bronode will be going over this at some point, too.) (Cause Somber is not a smart pony.)
(注意来自Hinds的好奇:我仍然在这里，如果任何小马想知道。严肃只是没有添加尾注这一个。我想Bronode在某个时候也会对此进行研究。)(因为忧郁不是一匹聪明的小马。)
(No, because Somber is a pony who got up at three in the morning and spent nine hours writing this chapter.)
(不，因为Somber是一匹小马，凌晨三点起床，花了九个小时写这一章。)
(Exactly! Not a smart pony!! ::Flops over unconscious.:: Oh... and you are awesome, Kkat... awesome awesome.... snnnzt....)
(没错！不是一匹聪明的小马！例句这个人说:哦......你真棒，Kkat......真棒.....。就是这样...)
(Greetings to everypony from sunny Spain! Too sunny, actually, I like your work, Celly, but goddamn! Bronode here, and yes, though I may be delirious from the heat, I will indeed be giving this a look over and sending updates as soon as I’m able since I don’t even have access to a goddamn phone line out here. Somepony wanna trade places? Anypony?)
(向来自阳光明媚的西班牙的每一匹小马致意！太阳光了，实际上，我喜欢你的工作，塞利，但该死的！布罗诺德在这里，是的，虽然我可能会因为高温而神志不清，但我确实会过来看看，并尽快发送更新，因为我在这里甚至连一条该死的电话线都没有。有人想交换位置吗？任意小马?)
Chapter 17: Identity
第十七章:身份认同
Fallout Equestria: Project Horizons
小马国:地平线计划
By Somber
作者:Somber
Chapter 17: Identity
第十七章:身份认同
“It’s all secrets and lies with those ponies!!”
"那些小马全是秘密和谎言!!"
I’m starting to wonder: am I still Blackjack? Sure. My cutie mark is the same queen and ace. I have the same security barding, modified and very patched up though it is. I’m still not the smartest pony and I have a terrifying habit of stringing together half-baked ideas on the fly and calling them a plan. I’m still as mule-headed as ever; that will never change.
我开始怀疑:我还是黑杰克吗？当然。我可爱的分数是同一个王后和王牌。我有同样的安全条件，修改和非常补丁，虽然它是。我仍然不是最聪明的小马，而且我有一个可怕的习惯，就是匆忙中把不成熟的想法串在一起，称之为计划。我还是一如既往地固执己见，这一点永远不会改变。
But since I’ve left the stable, I’ve killed ponies. I did that before, too, only I painted it with colorful euphemisms like ‘taking out of service’ and ‘defending myself to their death’. Now, I just killed, plain and simple, with shotgun and carbine and fire axe and my bare hooves if I needed to. I was also more concerned with survival. In Stable 99, everypony knew that the stable was one hard sneeze from failure. Now I had ponies that would kill me for bottlecaps. Heck, even the very land itself would kill me. There was already a time bomb inside me that might finish me, or maybe mutate me and then kill me.
但自从我离开马厩，我就开始杀小马。我以前也这么做过，只不过我用了一些委婉的说法，比如'退出服务'和'为自己辩护至死'。现在，我只是杀了，简单明了，用猎枪和卡宾枪，如果需要的话，用斧子和我光秃秃的蹄子。我也更关心生存。在Stable99，每匹小马都知道马厩就像一个失败的喷嚏。现在我有了一些小马驹，它们会因为装瓶而杀了我。甚至连这片土地本身都会要了我的命。我体内已经有一个定时炸弹，它可能会杀了我，或者让我变异，然后杀了我。
Still, at least spending most of my time almost dead made the few poor bits I had left feel a lot better. Relatively.
尽管如此，至少我大部分时间几乎是死去的，这让我剩下的那些可怜的东西感觉好多了。相对而言。
There have been changes in me, too. I think a little more. I know that I’m still not a smart pony, though. I just don’t know things. I don’t pick up on them as I should. I can shoot things and hit things and that’s about it.
我身上也发生了变化。我想多一点。尽管如此，我知道我仍然不是一匹聪明的小马。我什么都不知道。我没有注意到他们，这是我应该做的。我可以射击，打中东西，仅此而已。
I find that I care a little more. It’s funny to think of myself as less callous outside the stable than inside it, but it’s true. I feel bad for ponies who are trying to kill me; how crazy is that? They’re trying to kill me, and I feel bad for them about it.
我发现我更在乎一些。有趣的是，我觉得自己在外面比在里面更冷酷，但这是事实。我为那些想杀我的小马感到难过，这有多疯狂？他们想杀了我，我为他们感到难过。
...Maybe it’s not that I’m changing. Maybe I’m just realizing that the pony who
也许不是因为我在改变。也许我只是意识到
lived in that stable wasn’t who I thought she was. But if she wasn’t... then just who is she?
她不是我想象中的那样。但如果她不是...那她到底是谁？
* * *
* * *
It would take us a while to get down from the top of the Exchange. Walking wasn’t the problem; my legs were strong enough, and Deus’s final moments had knocked down so much of the walls that we had plenty of slopes we could scramble down. The problem was simply summoning up the will to stand and make our way to the streets below. While I kept staring out at the rain P-21, ever practical, went to dig out Taurus and check his belongings. I couldn’t fault him for that; some scavenger would come by sooner or later for them. The duffel bag carried a few missiles and a few dozen rounds for his hunting rifle.
我们需要一段时间才能从交易所的顶部下来。走路不是问题，我的腿很强壮，天王最后的时刻推倒了很多墙，我们有很多斜坡可以爬下去。问题仅仅是唤起我们站起来的意志，让我们走上下面的街道。当我一直盯着外面的雨看的时候，P-21去挖掘金牛座并检查他的东西。我不能怪他，早晚会有捡破烂的来找他们。行李袋里装着几枚导弹和几十发猎枪子弹。
I had to admit, that rifle was a beautiful weapon. The stock was made of well-worn and oiled tan wood with a brand of a bull on the stock. The action slid like silk, with only the softest rasp, and the scope was cleaner and truer than my assault carbine. I ejected the clip, looking at the armor piercing rounds that had tried to bring down the technomagical monster and failed. I’d done no better. In the end, it was P-21’s bomb and Gem’s sacrifice that had mortally crippled Deus, and his own weapons that had finished him.
我不得不承认，那把步枪是一件漂亮的武器。该股票是由磨损和油棕色木材与一个品牌的公牛在股票。动作滑行像丝绸，只有最柔软的锉刀，范围是清洁和真实的比我的突击卡宾枪。我弹出了弹夹，看着那些试图击落这个技术怪物但失败了的穿甲弹。我也好不到哪儿去。最后，是P-21的炸弹和杰姆斯的牺牲致使天王致命地瘫痪，他自己的武器也毁了他。
I had so many reasons to be happy for his death, so why wasn’t I? I doubted that any bounty hunters would be after me now that he’d been finished off. Heck, technically this made me a Reaper. Nopony would mess with me now, right? He’d violated my stable and made my life a living hell with the price he’d placed on my head. He’d threatened my friends and mocked a mortally wounded Mini. So why wasn’t I dancing in the street right now and singing ‘ding, dong, the Deus is dead!’?
我有那么多理由为他的死感到高兴，为什么我没有呢？我怀疑没有赏金猎人会追杀我，因为他已经被干掉了。见鬼，技术上来说，这让我成为了一个死神。现在不会有小马来烦我了，对吧？他侵犯了我的马厩，用他悬在我头上的价钱让我的生活变成了人间地狱。他威胁我的朋友，嘲笑一辆受了致命伤的迷你车。那么为什么我现在不在街上跳舞，唱着'叮，咚，上帝死了!'？
“I dunno,” answered the old pale horse sitting beside me on the ledge, slowly working the cards between his hooves as he looked at me with his sad, milky old eyes.
"我不知道,"坐在窗台上我旁边的苍白的老马回答，用他忧伤的乳白色的眼睛看着我，慢慢地在蹄间玩牌。
“Shut up. I’m in no mood for crazy right now,” I said softly as I closed my eyes.
"闭嘴。我现在没心情发疯,"我轻轻地闭上眼睛说。
“I reckon not, but here I am,” he chuckled.
"我想不会，但我还是来了,"他轻声笑着说。
I rubbed my eyes, then glanced over at him again. The cards hissed softly between his hooves. “What is this supposed to accomplish? I get it. Taint is
我揉了揉眼睛，然后又瞥了他一眼。卡片在他的蹄间发出轻微的嘶嘶声。"这样做的目的是什么？我明白了。污点是
driving me nuts. So what’s with all the spooky little card metaphors?”
把我逼疯了。那么，这些令人毛骨悚然的小卡片隐喻是怎么回事?"
He just smiled and shook his head. “Oh, well, us hallucinations need to do something to keep things interesting. Otherwise, some ponies just don’t think,” he said as he dealt five cards to me and five to himself. “You know why you’re not happy, don’t you? Deus wasn’t exactly the brains of the operation, was he?”
他只是微笑着摇了摇头。"哦，好吧，我们这些幻觉者需要做些什么让事情变得有趣起来。否则，有些小马就是不会思考,"他一边说，一边给我发了五张牌，给自己发了五张。""你知道你为什么不高兴，是吗？天王并不是这次行动的主脑，不是吗?"
Don’t look… don’t look. “No. Sanguine, and whoever is employing him.” I sighed. He’d told me to listen to the recordings and I had.
别看...别看。"没有。还有那个雇用他的人。"我叹了口气。他让我听录音，我就听了。
The cards were right in front of me; I couldn’t help myself. I slowly picked them up, looking at the spread. I didn’t have any idea what game we were playing now. A pink mare with a curly mane was balancing on a ball on the edge of a cliff, a cupcake on one hoof and a present on the other. A white alicorn grasping a pair of scales with a sad expression. A pair of red eyes peeking out of a cage of nine swords. An empty bottle of Wild Pegasus with eight upside-down shot glasses on a bar with a mare silhouetted in a doorway. A purple mare hanging by her rear hoof from a rusted street light.
牌就摆在我面前，我情不自禁。我慢慢地把它们捡起来，看着它们散开的样子。我不知道我们现在在玩什么游戏。一匹鬃毛卷曲的粉红色母马正在悬崖边上保持平衡，一只蹄子上有一个纸杯蛋糕，另一只蹄子上有一份礼物。一只白色的海角抓着一对鳞片，带着悲伤的表情。一双红眼睛从九剑的笼子里探出头来。酒吧里放着一个装有八个倒置酒杯的野马空瓶，门口有一匹母马的剪影。一匹紫色的母马后蹄挂在锈迹斑斑的路灯上。
“I think I got a flush,” I muttered, glancing at him. “Why can’t my fucking broken brain just play things straight for once?”
"我想我得到了同花顺,"我咕哝着，瞥了他一眼。"为什么我那该死的破脑袋就不能正经一回呢?"
“You tell me. It’s your brain,” the old stallion chuckled as he put down his spread next to mine. A moon overlooked by a sad young black alicorn. A handsome unicorn stallion smiling, his mane and horn bright yellow. The black towers of Hoofington wreathed in green light. Six swords piercing the clouds with upturned blades. A yellow pegasus with long, beautiful pink hair sitting before a pool and hugging a strange little blue and green ball in her hooves. I couldn’t tell if the card was upside down or not.
"你告诉我。那是你的大脑,"老种马轻声地笑着，把他的桌布放在我的旁边。一轮月亮被一只悲伤的年轻黑独角兽所俯视。一匹英俊的独角兽种马微笑着，他的鬃毛和角都是亮黄色的。Hoofington的黑塔笼罩在绿光中。六把剑用上翘的剑刺穿云层。一匹黄色的飞马，长长的，漂亮的粉红色头发，坐在水池前，蹄子上抱着一个奇怪的蓝绿色小球。我不知道这张卡片是不是倒过来了。
“I’m sure that this is all fascinating and chock-full of meaning and mystery, but you should know that I’m not a smart pony. I don’t get stuff like this.” I sighed, closing my eyes. “I don’t understand anything anymore. Why can’t I do anything? I can’t protect Glory. I can’t make everything right with P-21. I can’t understand Rampage. I can’t even be happy that one of my enemies is dead.” I slowly lay back, rubbing my face with my hooves. “And to top it all off, I’m having conversations with crazy hallucinations that give me mysterious, creepy cards.”
"我确信这一切都很迷人，充满了意义和神秘，但你应该知道，我不是一匹聪明的小马。我不明白这样的事情。"我叹了口气，闭上了眼睛。"我什么都不懂了。为什么我什么都做不了？我无法保护晨辉。我不可能和P-21一刀两断。我无法理解狂暴。我甚至不能为我的一个敌人死了而高兴。"我慢慢地向后躺着，用蹄子摩擦着脸。"更糟糕的是，我正在和疯狂的幻觉交谈，这些幻觉给了我神秘、恐怖的卡片。"
“Blackjack?” Glory asked softly, “Who are you talking to?”
"黑杰克?"格洛里轻声问道:"你在和谁说话?"
“Just myself, Glory.” I sighed, looking over and seeing that he was gone. I sat up and looked at her again. Her eyes were dull and lost. What could I ask? ‘Are you okay?’ Of course she wasn’t. ‘How are you feeling?’ She was miserable. Finally, I sighed, stood, and walked to her. “What can I do to help, Glory?”
"只有我自己，晨辉。"我叹了口气，环顾四周，看见他已经走了。我坐了起来，又看了看她。她的眼睛呆滞而迷茫。我能问什么呢？你还好吗她当然不是。你感觉怎么样她很痛苦。最后，我叹了口气，站起来，向她走去。"我能帮上什么忙吗，晨辉?"
“You can’t call me that anymore,” she replied softly.
"你不能再那样叫我了,"她轻声回答。
I closed my eyes, wishing that I could turn her elder sibling into a feather duster. “You don’t have to listen to her, Glory.”
我闭上眼睛，希望能把她的哥哥变成鸡毛掸子。"你不必听她的，晨辉。"
“I have four sisters, Blackjack,” she said. “Dusk is the oldest. Then Moonshadow. Then me. Lucent and Lambent are younger. My father lives on his pension through the Enclave. Dusk is an Enclave security officer. Moonshadow is in research. Lu and Lamb are in Enclave schools. Do you know what a family member turning Dashite will do to them?” she asked. I shook my head dumbly. “My father will be forced to disown me publicly. Maybe he already has. Otherwise, he loses his home, his income, everything. My family would be forced to live on some feral cloud near the Everfree Forest, or worse, come down here to survive! Moonshadow might have been bumped from whatever project she’s working on. And I know the kind of trouble Lu and Lamb are getting from their classmates.”
"我有四个姐妹，Blackjack,"她说。"黄昏是最古老的。然后是月之影。然后是我。朗讯和兰本特则更年轻。我父亲靠着在昂科雷的养老金生活。黄昏是一名昂科雷安全官员。Moonshadow正在研究中。卢和兰姆在昂科雷的学校上学。你知道一个变成大栅栏的家庭成员会对他们做什么吗?"她问道。我默默地摇了摇头。"我父亲将被迫公开与我断绝关系。也许他已经这么做了。否则，他会失去他的房子，他的收入，一切。我的家人将被迫生活在永恒自由森林附近的一些野生云彩上，或者更糟糕的是，来到这里生存！Moonshadow可能已经从她正在做的任何项目中被取消了。我也知道卢和兰姆从同学那里得到的麻烦。"
“How can they do that? How can the Enclave betray you but be so hard on pegasi strong enough to walk away from that?”
"他们怎么能这么做呢？飞地怎么可能背叛你们，但它对飞马的残忍程度足以让它离开你们呢?"
“Walking away isn’t strong!” she snapped back at me. “Sticking it out, backing your fellow pegasi, doing what must be done… that’s strength,” she said firmly. “The Enclave didn’t betray me; Lighthooves did. And every single time some pegasus goes Dashite they completely destroy everything Rainbow Dash wanted to do. Like they decided to drop her loyalty and courage and become the greatest egotists of the pegasi.
"离开并不坚强!"她回击了我。"坚持到底，支持你的飞马座同伴，做必须做的事......这就是力量,"她坚定地说。"昂科雷并没有出卖我，反而是光剑出卖了我。每次飞马去达希特他们就彻底摧毁彩虹达希想做的一切。就像他们决定放弃她的忠诚和勇气，成为飞马座最自大的人。
“There was one a few years back, a real high profile case. Deadshot Calamity. A legend in the security forces, the kind of pony who could have really forced the council to engage with the surface. He gets an audience in front of the pegasus council. Does he call for opening contact with the surface? No. Does he say we should trade food and medicine to the surface? No. Instead, he spends half an hour calling the entire council cowards, featherbrains, and negligent murderers. Then, when his wing went looking for him to beg him to reconsider, he killed
"几年前发生过一起真正引人注目的案件。死亡射手灾难。安全部队中的传奇人物，那种可以真正迫使议会与地面接触的小马。他在飞马座议会面前得到了一个听众。他是否要求与表面开放接触？没有。他是否说我们应该把食物和药品交易到海面上？没有。相反，他花了半个小时称整个委员会为懦夫、笨蛋和过失杀人犯。然后，当他的翅膀去寻找他乞求他重新考虑，他杀了
them!” she shouted and stamped her hooves. “That featherbrained idiot almost singlehoofedly destroyed ten years of work getting the Volunteer Corps established!
他们!"她一边大叫一边跺脚。"那个脑子有毛病的白痴几乎单枪匹马地毁掉了志愿者队建立十年的努力！
“So I know just how damaging what Lighthooves did was. And every time there’s a report mentioning ‘the Dashite Morning Glory’, Dusk’s career falls a little more behind. Every time a news release talks about Dashites, Lambent and Lucent will suffer the mutters and glares of their classmates. The only way my family gets to have any real peace is if I’m dead. Dusk gave me a choice: die for pretend or die for real.”
"所以我知道光剑的所作所为是多么具有破坏性。每次有报道提到"大栅栏牵牛花"，《黄昏》的事业就落后了一点。每次新闻稿谈到达什人，Lambent和Lucent都会遭到同学们的嘀咕和怒视。只有我死了，我的家人才能得到真正的安宁。黄昏给了我一个选择:要么假死，要么真死。"
“Your own sister would kill you?” The idea chilled me; it was like me killing Mom.
"你自己的姐姐会杀了你?"这个想法让我心寒，就像我杀了妈妈一样。
“She was going to before you stopped her,” Morning Glory replied softly. “But she gave me a choice instead, and that was generous of her.”
"在你阻止她之前，她正要去,"牵牛花轻声回答。"但是她给了我一个选择，她很慷慨。"
“So you’re giving up?”
"这么说你放弃了?"
“Of course I’m not giving up. I have to find some way to stop Lighthooves and expose him and what he’s doing. Not because he wronged me, but because he wronged the Enclave! I can’t believe that he’s operating with the blessing of the pegasus council. And if I can prove my loyalty and clear my name, then maybe I can be Morning Glory again.” She sat up and sighed. “Till then, I’ll have to be somepony else,” she said as she stood, looking out at the drizzling rain.
"我当然不会放弃。我必须想办法阻止光剑，揭露他和他的所作所为。不是因为他冤枉了我，而是因为他冤枉了昂科雷！真不敢相信他竟然得到了飞马座议会的支持。如果我能证明自己的忠诚，洗清自己的罪名，也许我就能再次成为牵牛花。"她坐了起来，叹了口气。"在那之前，我得做别的什么小马,"她站起来说，望着外面的毛毛细雨。
“Morning Glory…” I said softly, looking at her. At her burned-away cutie mark and that pale brand on her flank. Did losing your cutie mark change you? Had it changed P-21, or was there a unique mark underneath the spell 99 had put on his flanks?
"牵牛花......"我轻轻地说，看着她。在她烧焦的可爱的标记和她的侧腹苍白的烙印。失去你的可爱标记改变了你吗？它是否改变了P-21，或者在99的法术下面有一个独特的标记在他的侧翼？
“Fallen Glory,” she corrected quietly. Then she looked at me with a sad smile as the rain dripped off her purple mane. “I think it’s a Dashite-esque enough name. And besides, you can still call me Glory. You and P-21 are the only ones that really do.”
"堕落的晨辉,"她平静地纠正道。然后，雨水从她紫色的鬃毛上滴落下来，她带着悲伤的微笑看着我。"我觉得这个名字很像达什(dashite)。而且，你还可以叫我晨辉。你和P-21是唯一真正做到这一点的人。"
“Glory… you don’t have to do this,” I whispered, looking into her hurt eyes. Just like Mini’s. I couldn’t shake the thought that this was some kind of suicide, bloodless but no less wrong.
"晨辉......你不必这样做,"我低声说，看着她受伤的眼睛。就像米妮一样。我无法摆脱这是某种自杀的想法，虽然没有流血，但也是错误的。
Her lips trembled as she closed her eyes. “It’s better this way. What did I have left that was Morning Glory’s, anyway? My career and reputation are gone, my family is ruined, my sister wants to kill me, and I don’t even have my…” She clenched her eyes and teeth in a hiss of pain. I couldn’t tell what was rain and what was tears anymore. She drew a shaky breath. “All I have are my friends. That’s more important to me than any name.” Her round, wet eyes stared up at me, begging me to accept it. Accept her.
她闭上眼睛，嘴唇颤抖着。"这样更好。不管怎样，我还剩下什么是牵牛花的？我的事业和名誉都没了，我的家庭也毁了，我姐姐想杀了我，我甚至没有我的......"她痛苦地咬紧了眼睛和牙齿。我分不清什么是雨，什么是泪。她颤抖着吸了一口气。"我只有朋友。对我来说，这比任何名字都重要。"她又圆又湿的眼睛盯着我，乞求我接受它。接受她。
What could I do? Everything about this felt wrong… but… I put my hooves around her and murmured, “If this is what you really want, Fallen…” She gave a little sob; it wasn’t, but it was what she thought she had to do.
我能做什么？这一切感觉都不对劲......但是......我用蹄子搂住她，低声说,"如果这就是你真正想要的，堕落......"她抽泣了一下，其实不是，但是她认为她必须这么做。
When she stopped crying, I took a deep breath and gave her a look of stoic determination. “I also have to confess something. A grave and dark secret from my past. Something I’ve not told anypony…” I said, watching her eyes get round as she braced herself. I took a deep breath. “My name… the secret, true name of the Security Mare… is… Go Fish.”
当她停止哭泣时，我深吸了一口气，用坚忍的决心看了她一眼。"我还得坦白一件事。一个来自我过去的阴森的秘密。有些事我没有告诉任何小马......"我说，看着她鼓起勇气睁大眼睛。我深吸了一口气。"我的名字......秘密，真正的名字是......钓鱼。"
She blinked at me in confusion, and then I let out a snirk and curled my lips in a smile. She let out a hiccupping little giggle. Then another one. Finally we both broke out in laughter. “I guess you had a really big aquarium in 99, huh?” she said as she gasped for air.
她困惑地眨着眼睛看着我，然后我发出一声窃笑，微笑着撇了撇嘴。她打了个嗝，咯咯地笑了起来。然后是另一个。最后我们俩都笑了起来。"我猜你在99年的时候有一个很大的水族馆，对吧?"她一边喘气一边说。
I just smiled and nuzzled her forehead. She didn’t get the joke; she was still my Glory, no matter her name.
我只是笑了笑，用鼻子蹭了蹭她的额头。她没有听懂这个笑话;她仍然是我的晨辉，不管她的名字是什么。
* * *
* * *
When Stable 89 opened its doors, they found me in the tub. Despite being battered and banged and bloody, the cast iron tub in the middle of the street proved surprisingly comfortable as I lay back and occasionally refilled it with water from a nearby down spout. The cute little security mares poked their heads out of the parking garage and stared at the bodies filling the street and the rubble of the top floors of the Exchange. I raised my almost empty bottle of Wild Pegasus at them. “Hey,” I called out with a nice, inebriated smile. They disappeared back inside.
当89号马厩开门的时候，他们发现我在浴缸里。我躺在街道中央的铸铁浴缸里，不时从附近的排水管里倒入水，尽管已经破烂不堪、撞击不断、血流不止，但还是出人意料地舒服。这些可爱的小保安母马从停车场探出头来，盯着街道上的尸体和交易所顶层的瓦砾。我举起我那几乎空了的野飞马酒瓶对着他们。"嘿,"我带着醉醺醺的微笑喊道。他们消失在里面。
“I say something wrong?” I asked P-21 as he came limping up with his duffel bag. With a pull I emptied the bottle.
"我说错什么了吗?"我问P-21，他一瘸一拐地拿着行李袋走了过来。我一拉，把瓶子里的东西都喝光了。
“Eh. Probably didn’t expect us to hang around,” P-21 said as he set the bag down and unzipped it. “No honor in the Wasteland, it seems. Anypony who wasn’t killed stripped most of the good gear before running. Still, I found a few with some useful things.” He scooped up two hooffuls of bullets.
"嗯。可能没想到我们会在这里逗留,"P-21一边说，一边放下包，拉开拉链。"在荒原上似乎没有荣誉可言。任何没有被杀害的小马在跑之前剥夺了大部分的好装备。不过，我还是找到了一些有用的东西。"他舀出两桶子弹。
“Ugh… nine millimeter and twenty gauge shells,” I muttered as I pawed my hoof through the collection of ammo. Still, maybe we could sell or exchange them for something more substantial. I wanted some more clips for the hunting rifle. “Automatic pistols. Revolvers. Oooh!” I said, sitting up. “An IF-33 Applebuck!” I picked out the weapon and immediately drew back the slide. “Twelve point seven millimeter rounds. Semi-automatic firing. Seven round clip.” I pointed it away from anypony and gave a small frown. “Been through the wash a few times, though. Let me guess. No more twelve point seven?”
"呃......9毫米口径和二十口径的子弹,"我一边用爪子扒着收集的弹药，一边咕哝着。不过，也许我们可以把它们卖掉或者换成更实在的东西。我想要更多的猎枪弹夹。"自动手枪。左轮手枪。哦!"我说，坐起来。"一辆IF-33苹果巴克!"我拿出武器，立即拉回滑梯。"十二.7毫米子弹。半自动点火。七发子弹。"我把它指向远离任何小马的地方，皱了皱眉。"不过洗过几次了。让我猜猜。不再有十二点7了?"
“Ask your PipBuck. I just collect the bullets. Those are short. Those are long.
"问问你的皮伯克吧。我只是收集子弹。那些都很短。那些都很长。
Those are round and plastic. That’s about all I can do,” he said with a smirk.
那些是圆的和塑料的。我能做的也就这些了,"他傻笑着说。
“Right, sorry,” I said.
"好吧，对不起,"我说。
“And a dozen sticks of dynamite. Some frag grenades. A few landmines. This,” he said as he pulled out a half-full bottle of whiskey.
"还有一打炸药。一些手榴弹。一些地雷。这个,"他一边说，一边拿出半瓶威士忌。
“Ooooo, gimmie!” I said with a grin, holding out my hooves. “You are a gentlecolt and a scholar,” I said as I swirled the contents and took a pull. Letting out a sigh, I sang in whatever key I stumbled into, “Oh rain may fall and the wind might blow, the earth could quake or clouds bury us in snow, but as bad as they are there’s one thing I know… with friends and whiskey is how I plan to goooooo!”
"噢，给我!"我笑着说，伸出我的蹄子。"你是个绅士，也是个学者,"我一边说着，一边转动着杯子里的东西，拉了一下。我发出一声叹息，然后用不知道是什么调子唱起来,"哦，雨也许会下，风也许会刮，地也许会震，云也许会把我们埋在雪里，但是尽管它们很糟糕，我还是知道一件事......和朋友在一起，威士忌是我计划好的!"
He winced. “Blackjack, that was terrible!”
他畏缩了一下。"黑杰克，太糟糕了!"
“You’re just jealous that I am a mare of many hidden talents,” I said primly.
"你只是嫉妒我有许多隐藏的才能,"我拘谨地说。
“I also found this,” he said as he pulled out the dark, wickedly curved claw.
"我还发现了这个,"他一边说，一边伸出那只黑黑的、邪恶弯曲的爪子。
“My dragon claw!” I said gleefully, giving him a hug and licking his cheek. I have to admit, I have never seen a stallion that stiff before. I could have used him as a baseball bat!
"我的龙爪!"我兴高采烈地说，给了他一个拥抱，舔了舔他的脸颊。我不得不承认，我从来没有见过这么僵硬的种马。我本来可以把他当棒球棍用的！
He shoved me off, looking confused. “Your dragon claw?” he asked, scrubbing
他把我推开，一脸困惑。"你的龙爪?"他边擦边问
where I’d licked.
我舔过的地方。
I lifted it with my magic and inspected it. Still harder and sharper than anything else I’d ever encountered. “I picked it up in a museum and dropped it on the way here. I thought it was gone forever.” I lay back in the tub and took a pull off the bottle. “I might actually get laid if my luck keeps going this way.”
我用魔法把它拿起来检查了一下。比我遇到过的任何东西都更坚硬更锋利。"我在一个博物馆里捡到的，在来这里的路上丢失了。我以为它永远消失了。"我躺在浴缸里，从瓶子里拿出一把来。"如果我的运气一直这样下去，我可能真的会有艳遇。"
He coughed and flushed a little as he looked away. “And to firmly change the subject off your reproductive organs… why did Glory burst into tears when I called her Morning Glory?”
他一边咳嗽一边脸微微发红，目光移开了。"为了坚定地转移你生殖器官的话题......为什么当我叫她牵牛花的时候，晨辉哭了?"
I sighed and slumped, my muzzle dipping underwater to blow bubbles a moment before I rose and explained, “Glory wants us to call her Fallen Glory now. I don’t get it. It’s like… she’s willing to die just so she doesn’t inconvenience others. Just don’t get it.” Then I looked at him sharply and took a slow pull of the amber fluid. “What about you?”
我叹了口气，垂了下头，嘴巴浸在水里吹泡泡，然后站起来解释说:"晨辉现在想让我们叫她堕落的晨辉。我不明白。就好像...她愿意死只是为了不给别人带来不便。就是不明白。"然后我用锐利的目光看着他，慢慢地吸了一口琥珀色的液体。"你呢?"
“What about me?” he asked in confusion.
"那我呢?"他困惑地问。
“Ever think about changing your name? P-21… you could name yourself… ummm… Boomer. The Blue Bomb! Maybe see if Scalpel can remove that… whatever it is on your butt so we can see your real cutie mark under it,” I said as I gave him a smile.
"你有没有想过改名字？P-21...你可以给自己取个名字...嗯...Boomer。蓝色炸弹！也许看看手术刀能不能把那个......不管你屁股上是什么，这样我们就能看到你屁股下真正可爱的印记了,"我笑着说。
He sighed and shook his head. “No.”
他叹了口气，摇了摇头。"没有。"
“All my friends keep sighing and telling me that,” I grumbled as I narrowed my eyes with a pout, “Why can’t they ever say ‘Oh yes, Blackjack, you’re so right. Brilliant, in fact!’” I tilted my head back, looking up at the sky and too drunk to care about my stomach falling up. The rain had actually let up a bit. “It’d be so refreshing.”
"我所有的朋友都在叹气，告诉我这个,"我嘟囔着，撅着嘴眯起眼睛,"为什么他们不能说'哦，是的，黑杰克，你说得太对了。事实上，非常棒！"我仰起头，仰望着天空，喝得太醉了，根本不在乎自己的肚子在往上掉。雨实际上已经停了一点。"这会让人耳目一新。"
“I’ve thought about it,” he replied and then quickly added, “The name thing, not the brilliant thing.” Oh, thanks, P-21. Just crush my hopes. Crush them like a tiny crushable thing that is easily crushed… like… meh. I blew a raspberry at him.
"我考虑过这个问题,"他回答道，然后很快补充说,"名字的问题，不是什么了不起的问题。"哦，谢谢，P-21。粉碎我的希望。像碾碎一个很容易被碾碎的小东西一样碾碎它们......就像......嗯。我对他吹了一个草莓。
“Some stallions think about names in 99… who we’d be if we could be somepony else. Our names. Our cutie marks.” He hooked his hooves on the edge of the tub and rested his chin upon them. “Fact is, I like being P-21. I like that
"有些种马会在99年想名字......如果我们可以成为别的马，我们会成为什么样的人。我们的名字。我们的可爱标志。"他把蹄子钩在浴盆边上，把下巴搁在上面。"事实上，我喜欢当P-21。我喜欢
I’m the stallion they were supposed to kill but couldn’t. I can’t forget 99. It’s a part of me. So I might as well take some strength from it.”
我就是那匹他们本该杀死却没能杀死的种马。我忘不了99。它是我的一部分。所以我不妨从中汲取一些力量。"
I pursed my lips and tapped his forehead. “You think too much. How abouts you take some of my fun, and I take some of your smarts, and then we’ll be… like… unstoppable!” I said with a laugh.
我撅起嘴，轻轻拍了拍他的额头。"你想得太多了。你怎么不抢我的风头，我抢你的风头，然后我们就......就像......不可阻挡!"我笑着说。
The stable security mares peeked out at us. I gave them a sardonic grin and they disappeared once again. “Ugh… why do they keep doing that?”
马厩的保安母马在偷看我们。我给了他们一个嘲讽的笑容，他们再一次消失了。"呃......他们为什么老是这样?"
“No idea,” he said with a chuckle. “But one little piece of advice: when most ponies take a bath, they take their barding off first.” He trotted off to check for more salvage.
"不知道,"他笑着说。"但是有一个小小的建议:当大多数小马在洗澡的时候，它们会先脱掉马皮。"他小跑着去寻找更多的打捞物。
I blinked and then leaned over the edge of the tub, shouting after him, “Most ponies haven’t been shot at as much as I have! I’ve got a bounty on my head, you know! My head is worth thousands of caps!” I leaned further and further out as I waved my hoof at him. “How much is your head worth, huh?” And with that I was refamiliarized with the concept of balance as the legless bathtub overturned and sent me sloshing across the crumbling asphalt. The mares by the parking garage just stared in shock.
我眨了眨眼睛，然后靠在浴缸边上，跟在他后面喊道:"大多数小马还没有像我这样被射过那么多次！有人悬赏要我的命，你知道！我的脑袋值几千顶帽子!"我向他挥动着蹄子，身子越靠越远。"你的头值多少钱?"我重新熟悉了平衡的概念，因为没有腿的浴缸翻倒了，让我晃荡在摇摇欲坠的沥青路面上。停车场旁边的母马惊呆了。
“I have a very very valuable head,” I muttered to the sky.
"我有一个非常非常值钱的脑袋,"我对着天空喃喃自语。
* * *
* * *
A few hours later, after a soggy nap in the street, I was dry and miserable as my treacherous body metabolized the alcohol, dehydrated my tissues, and gave me the sensation of having been kicked upside my dumb head. I knew this because Glory had told me in clinical detail what my body was doing to make me feel so miserable. Of course, my head throbbed far too badly to care. Hah! Take that, smart ponies! The fact that I was still feeling shaky after the chems I’d taken to fight Deus didn’t help much.
几个小时后，我在街上打了一个湿漉漉的盹，我感到又干又痛苦，因为我那危险的身体代谢了酒精，身体组织脱水，让我有被踢到哑巴脑袋上的感觉。我知道这一点，因为晨辉在临床上详细地告诉我，我的身体正在做什么，让我感到如此痛苦。当然，我的脑袋抽得太厉害了，根本不在乎。哈！接招吧，聪明的小马！事实上，我仍然感到不安后，我采取了药物对抗上帝没有多大帮助。
We were gathered in the lounge of Stable 89, alone save for the barpony who was mixing up something she called ‘The Price’. She trotted over with a tray carrying a shot glass and a large bottle of orange fluid. “Here you go. Fix you right up.”
我们聚集在Stable89的休息室里，只有一个人，除了一个小矮人，她正在调制一种她称之为'价格'的东西。她拿着一个托盘小跑过来，托盘上放着一个小酒杯和一大瓶橙汁。"给你。马上治好你。"
“Are you sure we can’t go back to Scalpel’s clinic?” I muttered, looking at the
"你确定我们不能回手术刀诊所吗?"我低声说道，看着那个女人
glass. It was filled with some kind of red fluid with a raw egg on top and some sort of reddish-brown... stuff sprinkled all over it. “It smells like butt. It’s gonna taste like butt, too.”
玻璃。里面装满了一些红色的液体，上面有一个生鸡蛋，还有一些红棕色的东西洒在上面。"闻起来像屁股。味道也会像屁股一样。"
When I’d visited the clinic, Scalpel had just given me a look that said ‘This isn’t chem withdrawal, this is taint eating your heart. STOP HELPING IT,’ and tossed me out on the street. She was very good at giving looks like that.
当我去诊所的时候，手术刀刚刚看了我一眼，说'这不是化学药物停药，这是腐蚀你的心脏。然后把我扔到了大街上。她很擅长那种表情。
“She has a standing policy of not treating hangovers,” Barpony said brightly. She had the most bizarre cutie mark I’d ever seen or imagined: a hodgepodge of a balloon, streamers, glitter, a shot glass, a tiny wrapped present, and a mare’s outline, all crammed onto her butt. “You drink this one first,” she said, pointing to the shot. “Then you drink from the bottle before you throw up. It helps if you pinch your nose shut.”
"她有一个不治疗宿醉的长期政策,"巴波尼愉快地说。她有着我所见过或想象过的最奇怪的可爱的印记:一个气球的大杂烩，彩带，亮片，一个小酒杯，一个小包装的礼物，和一匹母马的轮廓，都塞在她的屁股上。"你先喝这杯,"她指着酒说。"然后在你呕吐之前用瓶子喝水。捏住鼻子会有所帮助。"
I rose to my hooves with a lurch. “I’m going to Scalpel’s. I’ll pay her double.” Glory and P-21 pushed me back down, ignoring my whining.
我猛地站起身来。"我要去外科手术刀店。我付她双倍的钱。"荣誉和P-21把我推回去，无视我的抱怨。
“She’s dealing with injured ponies now,” P-21 said firmly. “You’re not injured. Drink.”
"她现在正在处理受伤的小马,"P-21坚定地说。"你没有受伤。喝吧。"
I sighed and lifted the shot glass. “When I throw up, I’m aiming for you,” I warned him, then downed the spicy, slimy, egg-y, salty, tomato-y concoction in one go. There was definitely a greasy sense of something trying to crawl back up my throat. Then I blinked as P-21 started to shy away. I held the shot glass out to Barpony. “Not bad. Can I have another?”
我叹了口气，举起酒杯。"当我呕吐的时候，我会瞄准你,"我警告他，然后一口气吞下了辛辣、粘滑、带鸡蛋味、带咸味、带番茄味的混合物。有一种油腻的感觉，好像有什么东西要爬上我的喉咙。然后我眨了眨眼，P-21开始害羞地躲开了。我把小酒杯递给Barpony。"不错。我能再来一杯吗?"
“And thus her legend grows,” Rampage said with a snicker. I’d no idea what she’d done to improve her mood, but I hoped it hadn’t involved maiming. The barkeep with the peach coat looked at me with a surprised smile, then went to mix me another while I drank the orangey-tasting liquid. I had to admit, when I finished it off, I was feeling a bit better.
"她的传奇就这样成长了,"狂暴窃笑着说。我不知道她做了什么来改善自己的情绪，但我希望这不会伤害到她。那个穿着桃色外套的酒保吃惊地笑着看着我，然后又给我调了一杯橙子味的酒。我不得不承认，当我完成它的时候，我感觉好多了。
“What I want to know is where Caprice is after all this! Because I got to tell her that her security stinks. This place might be a lot more fun than Megamart, but I can’t believe her only defense was two gates and a bunch of mares who were completely outgunned!” I gave a scornful sniff, then noticed that everypony was looking at me funny; what, were my eyes glowing again?
"我想知道的是，发生了这一切之后，凯普莱斯在哪里！因为我得告诉她她的安全系统太差了。这个地方可能比Megamart有趣得多，但是我不敢相信她唯一的辩护就是两个大门和一群母马，它们完全没有武器!"我轻蔑地嗅了一下，然后注意到每匹小马都在用奇怪的眼神看着我，怎么，我的眼睛又发光了？
“Blackjack, I’m pretty sure that that fight last night involved five to ten percent
"黑杰克，我很确定昨晚的比赛有百分之五到十的概率
of the entire population of the Hoof. Deus rounded up dozens of ponies hunting you and the Pecos called in favors to get three other gangs to join in. I don’t think even Bottlecap’s turrets or Gun could have stopped it,” P-21 pointed out.
霍夫人的全部人口。天王召集了几十匹小马来追捕你，而佩科斯河则请人帮忙让另外三个帮派加入。我认为即使是Bottlecap的炮塔或者Gun也无法阻止它,"P-21指出。
I snorted and shook my head. “Don’t use your fancy mathematics to muddle the issue! If Flank had some decent defenses, neither Deus nor the Pecos would have tried storming it. It wouldn’t matter if they could. They’d have gone ‘Nuh-uh. I don’t want turret death beams turning me inside out. We’ll hide and ambush Security when she comes running for the hills!’ and last night would never have happened.”
我哼了一声，摇了摇头。"不要用你那花哨的数学把问题搞得一团糟！如果弗兰克有一些不错的防御，无论是上帝还是佩科斯河都不会试图突袭它。就算他们能，也没关系。他们肯定会胡说八道。我不想让炮塔的死亡之光把我翻个底朝天。我们会躲起来伏击保安当她跑到山上的时候昨晚就不会发生了"
“You wouldn’t believe how often I hear that one,” Barpony replied as she brought me three more ‘Prices’. I gulped down the first. Glory gave one of the glasses a sniff and immediately looked like she was about to be sick. “So what do you suggest? What would make Flank safer?” She’d also brought me some more of the orange-flavored water; it was kinda like RadAway but not as tasty.
"你不会相信我多么经常听到这样的话,"巴波尼回答说，她给我带来了另外三个'价格'。我一口气喝下了第一杯。晨辉闻了闻其中一只眼镜，立刻显得她要生病了。""那么，你有什么建议？怎样才能使侧翼更安全呢?"她还给我带来了一些橘子口味的水，有点像拉达威，但没那么好喝。
I lifted the empty shot glass with my magic and spun it as I tried to think. “First off, one of the best things Bottlecap has are those turrets. Just knowing that they’re there probably cuts off a lot of problems. You’ve got six buildings that would give you an excellent field of fire on the ground. You’d just have to get the turrets, install them, and make sure that every guest knows that doing something stupid gets them shot.”
我用我的魔法举起空酒杯，在我努力思考的时候旋转它。"首先，Bottlecap拥有的最好的东西之一就是那些炮塔。只要知道他们在那里，可能就能解决很多问题。你有六座建筑，它们会给你提供一个绝佳的地面火力区域。你只需要找到塔楼，安装它们，并确保每位客人都知道，做一些愚蠢的事情会让他们中枪。"
Glory rubbed her nose as I sipped the water. “It shouldn’t be that hard. A turret is basically a gun, a frame, a spark battery, and a targeting talisman. If there’s any place around here with robots or military weapons, we should find most of what we need.”
我喝水的时候，晨辉抚摸着她的鼻子。"这不应该那么难。炮塔基本上是一把枪，一个框架，一个火花电池，和一个瞄准护身符。如果附近有机器人或军用武器的地方，我们应该能找到大部分我们需要的东西。"
“The second thing is this place’s defenses. One gate is hard enough to defend, but two is a real nightmare. Stables have one door for a reason,” I said with a frown as I stirred the contents of the second shot glass with my magic. “Also, that chain link fence might keep some ponies in and out, but the Pecos just blew a nice big hole in the wall and Deus walked right through it. You need something sturdier. Stacked rubble at least. Wagon frames. And then something to keep ponies away except for where you want them. Landmines, maybe.”
"第二件事是这个地方的防御。一扇门很难防守，而两扇门则是一场噩梦。马厩只有一扇门是有原因的,"当我用魔法搅动第二个小酒杯时，我皱着眉头说。"此外，铁丝网围栏可能会让一些小马进进出出，但佩科斯河刚刚在墙上炸出了一个漂亮的大洞，天王就径直穿过去了。你需要更坚固的东西。至少是堆起来的碎石。马车车架。然后找些东西把小马赶走，除了你想要它们去的地方。也许是地雷。"
“Landmines aren’t hard to set up,” P-21 said, looking a touch green as I gulped down the second shot and swished it in my mouth, “But you’d need a lot of
"埋设地雷并不难,"P-21说，当我吞下第二颗子弹并把它塞进嘴里的时候，他看起来有点绿,"但是你需要很多
them. You’d also want to secure them so that a unicorn can’t just disarm them with their magic.” The slimy consistency was a little bit seminal, but not that bad. Had to admit, I loved the spicy bite! I gulped it down and watched him shiver.
他们。你还要确保它们的安全，这样独角兽就不会用它们的魔法解除它们的武装。"黏糊糊的一致性有点像精液，但也没那么糟糕。不得不承认，我喜欢吃辣的那一口！我一口吞下，看着他颤抖着。
“How do you do that?” I asked, curious.
"你是怎么做到的?"我好奇地问。
“Drill a hole in the bottom and attach a wire to the detonator. Unicorn sees the mine, disarms its detonation tab, picks it up, wire rearms the mine and boom.” Okay. I’d be letting P-21 handle any mines I happened to come across. “The real problem is moving rubble around to make a decent barrier.”
"在底部钻一个洞，然后在雷管上连上一根电线。独角兽看到地雷，解除它的爆炸标签，拿起它，电线重新武装地雷和繁荣。"好吧。我会让P-21处理我碰到的任何地雷。"真正的问题在于移动瓦砾，形成一个像样的屏障。"
“Pffft,” Rampage snorted. “It’s not like any of those slabs off the Exchange are heavy. Pass out some Buck and some booze and get working. Be cleared away by suppertime.” She reached over and grabbed the third shot, sniffing it skeptically.
"噗,"狂暴哼了一声。"看起来交易所的那些板块都不重。分发一些巴克和一些酒，然后开始工作。到晚饭时间就能收拾干净了。"她伸出手抓住第三枪，怀疑地嗅了嗅。
Barpony looked at the four of us oddly as she said, “Yes, that would be very helpful but...”
巴波尼奇怪地看着我们四个，说:"是的，那会很有帮助，但是......"
“But,” I finished for her, “It won’t mean a thing if Caprice can’t get some decent security ponies in place. I don’t blame them for not being able to stop both those bunches, but I do blame them for running. You were braver than they were.” Barpony closed her mouth, just blinking in shock. “They need some adequate weapons training. They need to be confident that they can handle risks and deal with problems. I saw the security ponies when we were leaving Rooms; they were just standing around and didn’t know what to do.”
"但是,"我替她说完,"如果Caprice不能找到一些像样的安全马匹，那就没什么意义了。我不会责怪他们没能阻止这两个串，但我确实责怪他们跑步。你比他们更勇敢。"巴波尼闭上了嘴，震惊地眨着眼睛。"他们需要一些适当的武器训练。他们需要对自己能够处理风险和问题有信心。当我们离开房间的时候，我看到了那些保安，他们只是站在那里，不知道该怎么办。"
The peach-coated mare just looked from one of us to the next. “Yes, that would all be wonderful, but… don’t you three have something more important to do?”
那匹披着桃色外衣的母马只是从我们中的一个看向另一个。"是的，那太好了，但是......你们三个不是有更重要的事情要做吗?"
I blinked. To be honest, the last couple of days had involved running, fighting, running some more, and fighting some more with interspersed breaks of gloom and depression. Still, she had a point. I had to find this Caprice... assuming she hadn’t just abandoned Flank, in which case I was going to hand everything over to Barpony and get my caps to pay for decoding EC-1101 from her. But for the first time in almost a week, I had something I wanted to do instead of something I had to do.
我眨了眨眼。说实话，过去的几天里，我一直在跑步、打架、跑更多的步，更多的是在间歇性的忧郁和沮丧中挣扎。尽管如此，她说的还是有道理的。我必须找到这个Caprice...假设她不只是抛弃了Flank，在这种情况下，我会把所有的东西都交给Barpony，然后用我的帽子来支付她解码EC-1101的费用。但是在将近一周的时间里，我第一次有了自己想做的事情，而不是不得不做的事情。
“You know what?” I slapped my hooves on the tabletop before me. “No, I don’t.
"你知道吗?"我把蹄子拍在我面前的桌面上。"不，我不知道。
Call it a working vacation. This is the first big slice of civilization I’ve seen in a while, and if I can make it secure, then I will.”
称之为工作假期。这是我一段时间以来第一次看到这么大的一片文明，如果我能确保它的安全，我就会这么做。"
“But… you haven’t even discussed payment…” the peach mare stammered as Rampage downed the shot. I wasn’t exactly sure what I saw in Barpony’s eyes.
"但是......你们甚至还没有讨论过付款的事情......"母桃色母马吞下枪时结结巴巴地说。我不太确定我在Barpony的眼睛里看到了什么。
I just shrugged. “I don’t care about that. I just want to do something for a change that doesn’t involve me running for my life or killing somepony. Caprice can pay me whatever is fair when she decides to show herself,” I said with a scowl as I looked around the brothel. “Honestly, where is she? I can’t believe she’s still hiding! Or did she run?” The peach mare just blinked at me as if she thought I was joking or something.
我只是耸耸肩。"我不在乎那个。我只是想做一些改变，而不是为了我的生活而奔跑或者杀死一匹小马。当凯普莱斯决定现身的时候，她可以付给我任何公平的报酬,"当我环顾妓院时，我皱着眉头说。"说实话，她在哪儿？真不敢相信她还躲着！还是她逃跑了?"那匹桃红色的母马刚刚对我眨了眨眼睛，好像她认为我是在开玩笑似的。
Glory looked at me with a worried little smile as she said, “Blackjack, Caprice is--”
晨辉带着担忧的微笑看着我说,"黑杰克，随想曲——"
Unfortunately, that was the moment that Rampage's stomach decided that it didn't like The Price and that the drink should be returned. The rest of the stomach's contents, in a show of solidarity, decided to follow it out. Vast quantities of semi-digested meat splashed over P-21’s back and he froze in place, twitching. The striped pony scrubbed her mouth with the back of her hoof. “That’s disgusting! How the hell did you swallow three of those?!” she said as she pushed a hoofful of Mint-als into her mouth and chewed vigorously.
不幸的是，就在那一刻，狂暴的胃决定不喜欢价格，并要求退回饮料。为了显示团结，胃里的其他东西决定跟着它走。大量半消化的肉溅到P-21的背上，他僵在原地，抽搐着。那匹有条纹的矮种马用蹄子后面擦了擦嘴。"真恶心！你到底是怎么吞下三颗的?!"她一边说，一边把一支薄荷糖塞进嘴里，使劲咀嚼。
P-21’s bright blue glare cut back over his shoulder at Rampage, promising explosive retribution.
P-21的明亮的蓝色眩光从他的肩膀后面掠过，预示着爆炸性的报复。
I staggered back and then rose to my hooves, waving a forehoof at the stench. “Well… I guess that’s that. Why don’t I meet with her security in an hour or two in the parking garage? See if Caprice will spring for the parts Glory needs in the Exchange. And… um… get a mop?” I suggested.
我摇摇晃晃地向后退去，然后站起身来，对着那股恶臭挥舞着前蹄。"嗯......我想就是这样了。我一两个小时后在停车场见她的保安怎么样？看看Caprice是否会为Glory在交易所需要的那部分产生灵感。还有...嗯...拿个拖把来?"我建议道。
“Good idea,” Barpony said, still finding something about the conversation funny. “Why don’t you use room B-10 in the living quarters while I show P-21 to the shower? Eat something and finish freshening up. I know Caprice won’t mind. I’ll pass on the message to the security ponies to get ready.”
"好主意,"巴波尼说，仍然觉得谈话中的一些东西很有趣。"你为什么不用起居室的B-10房间，我带P-21去洗澡呢？吃点东西，然后梳洗一番。我知道Caprice不会介意的。我会把这个消息传达给警卫小马，让它们做好准备。"
“Good,” I replied with a nod. My head still wasn’t quite over my last bout of inebriation. “And let Caprice know that I really want to meet with her, okay? For one thing, I still need to get paid for these contracts.” I looked around in
"很好,"我点头回答。我的头还没有完全恢复到上一次醉酒的状态。"让Caprice知道我真的很想见她，好吗？首先，我仍然需要为这些合同获得报酬。"我环顾四周
concern; everypony was looking at me oddly again. Well, except P-21; he was looking at vomit.
关心;每匹小马都再次奇怪地看着我。嗯，除了P-21;他看到的是呕吐物。
“What?” I insisted.
"什么?"我坚持。
Glory just sighed, shaking her head with a smile. “Just... never mind...”
晨辉只是叹了口气，微笑着摇了摇头。"只是......算了......"
* * *
* * *
I had to admit, Stable 89’s layout was a lot different than 99’s. For one, it was cleaner, with brighter light and no faint tang of mold and leaking sewage. Since Stable 89 was apparently designed for eggheads, there was lab equipment in every room. I passed numerous storage rooms with shelves holding all kinds of chemicals and arcane science materials in jars and containers. In contrast, their security station was barely larger than a closet, and I couldn’t even see a sign for an armory.
我不得不承认，Stable89的布局和99的有很大的不同。首先，它更干净，光线更明亮，没有霉菌和污水泄漏的微弱气味。因为Stable89显然是为书呆子设计的，所以每个房间里都有实验室设备。我经过许多储藏室，里面的架子上放着各种各样的化学品和神秘的科学材料，它们都装在罐子和容器里。相比之下，他们的安全站只有一个壁橱那么大，我甚至看不到一个军械库的标志。
I could only guess that when Stable 89 had been taken over, the lack of facilities translated to a lack of security. In 99, Security had an entire floor to ourselves. A room for baton training and target practice, a jail for detention and interrogation. Either Stable-Tec had assumed that a bunch of scientists wouldn’t need law enforcement, or it was a pretty severe oversight.
我只能猜测，当Stable89被接管后，缺乏设施就意味着缺乏安全。99年，保安部有一整层楼都是我们的。一个用于警棍训练和射击练习的房间，一个用于拘留和审讯的监狱。要么Stable-Tec认为一群科学家不需要执法，要么这是一个相当严重的疏忽。
The living quarters were divided into sectors A, B, and C; I supposed it was an egghead thing. A was dedicated to sexing, but it seemed like the other two were for the ponies living and working here. I found B-10 and stepped in, wondering if all the living quarters were unlocked, if Caprice had already set it aside, or if the security clearance in my PipBuck opened it up even though it was for another stable. It didn’t really matter. Aside from an alcove with a work table in one corner, I might as well have been home.
生活区分为a区、b区和c区;我想这是个书呆子的地方。致力于性行为，但似乎其他两个是生活和工作在这里的小马。我找到了B-10，走了进去，心想是不是所有的生活区都没锁，是不是Caprice已经把它放在一边了，或者是不是我的PipBuck里的安全许可打开了，尽管它是用来换另一个马厩的。没什么大不了的。除了一个角落里有一个壁龛和一张工作台之外，我还不如呆在家里。
Home. After everything with P-21, I’d thought that Stable 99 would be branded a horrible nightmare, and it was. Yet seeing this neat little steel can, I had to admit that I felt a pang of longing for that hole in the ground. I wanted to play cards with Rivets. I wanted to try and tease Midnight into my bed… oh Goddesses, how I needed somepony in my bed! I missed Mom telling me what to do. It was dull and thoughtless and monstrous, but it had been my life.
家。经历了P-21的一切之后，我以为Stable99会被贴上可怕噩梦的标签，事实也的确如此。然而，看到这个整洁的小钢罐，我不得不承认，我感到一阵渴望在地面上的洞。我想和铆钉一起玩牌。我想试着把午夜逗到我的床上...哦，女神们，我多么需要一匹小马在我的床上啊！我怀念妈妈告诉我该怎么做的日子。这是愚蠢的，没有思想的，荒谬的，但是这就是我的生活。
I flopped down on the bed, feeling odd little twinges in my horn and head.
我一屁股坐在床上，头和角上感到一阵奇怪的刺痛。
Hangover? Taint? Both? “Ugh… I can just imagine what Mom would say:
宿醉？污点？两者都是？"呃......我可以想象妈妈会说什么:
‘Blackjack, you’re neglecting your duties and yourself.’” I sighed as I rolled onto my back, loving that wonderful familiar mass-produced Stable-Tec mattress. You sleep on one and you’ve slept on them all.
黑杰克，你忽视了你的职责和你自己。""我叹了口气，翻了个身，爱上了大量生产的Stable-Tec床垫。你睡在其中一个上面，而你睡在所有的上面。
Funny thing was that the idea of helping Flank be safer just seemed good to me. I might have first thought of it as some kind of drug den, but having been here and experienced the joy of eating new food, or the music in Mixers, or even the thought of sex in ‘Stable 69’, I felt that the Wasteland needed Flank. Something to look forward to. Something to want that was more than mere survival. I just hoped Caprice wasn’t a complete tool when I finished setting up security; ugh, I was helping this mare, and she couldn’t even shake my hoof with a thank you?
有趣的是，帮助弗兰克更安全的想法对我来说似乎是好的。我可能第一次想到它是某种毒窝，但是在这里体验了吃新食物的乐趣，或者在混音器中的音乐，或者甚至是在《稳定69》中的性的想法，我觉得荒原需要弗兰克。值得期待的东西。想要的东西不仅仅是生存。我只是希望当我完成安保工作时，Caprice不是一个完整的工具;啊，我正在帮助这匹母马，她甚至不能摇动我的蹄子说声谢谢？
…Crap, now I was starting to get bored. In fact, technically I was waiting, which was worse than just boredom.
该死，我开始觉得无聊了。事实上，从技术上讲，我是在等待，这比无聊更糟糕。
I still had that other memory orb from Miramare…
我还有另一个来自米拉马雷的记忆球..。
“No! Fuck no!” I said as I sat up and smacked my temples with both forehooves. “No more orbs, brain. They are not healthy for you. They make you sad, or make me wake up all alone, or wearing a bomb! So no orbs!” Then I blinked and rubbed my face as I realized that the idea hadn’t gone away. “If I use one I’ll wake up… I dunno… with a tattoo, or two centuries from now, or pregnant, or something!”
"不！当然不是!"我一边说，一边坐了起来，用两只前蹄拍打着太阳穴。"没有球体了，大脑。他们对你来说不健康。他们让你难过，或者让我一个人醒来，或者带着炸弹！所以没有球体!"然后我眨了眨眼，揉了揉脸，因为我意识到这个想法并没有消失。"如果我用一个，我会醒来...我不知道...有一个纹身，或者两个世纪以后，或者怀孕，或者别的什么!"
I looked over at my saddlebags. Tick… tick… tick… I let out a long sigh of disgust. “This is going to end badly, brain. Very badly.” I floated my bags over and set them next to me. “Okay… just warning myself… this is a bad idea. Last chance to do something sensible like… sleep… masturbate… something?” Nope… still wanting to check the orb… I sighed and touched my horn to it.
我看了看我的鞍囊。滴答......滴答......滴答......我厌恶地长叹了一口气。"大脑，结局会很糟糕。非常糟糕。"我把我的包漂过来，放在我旁边。"好吧......我只是提醒自己......这不是个好主意。最后一次机会做一些明智的事情，比如......睡觉......手淫......什么的?"没有......还是想看看圆球......我叹了口气，用我的号角碰了碰它。
oooOOOooo
噢噢噢
Wow… no password or anything? Refreshing… My body was… okay… those were wings… that was a… uh huh… pegasus stallion. He was wearing some kind of armor from head to hoof; not armored barding, but actual plate armor. He had the taste of chocolate in his mouth and his nose itched terribly.
哇...没有密码什么的？清爽...我的身体...好吧...那些是翅膀...那是一个..。.啊哈...飞马种马。他从头到脚穿着某种盔甲;不是铠甲，而是真正的板甲。他嘴里有巧克力的味道，鼻子痒得厉害。
The place seemed to be some kind of fancy tent. A large display showed two train tracks and some sort of rail yard. There were dozens, maybe even hundreds of train cars all lined up on the model. There were all kinds of ponies standing
这个地方看起来像是一个豪华的帐篷。一个巨大的显示屏上显示着两条铁轨和某种铁路站场。这个模型上有几十个，甚至上百个列车车厢。各种各样的小马都站着
around looking grave and talking in low voices. My host carefully snuck out something from under his wing and, under the pretense of adjusting a strap of armor, popped an entire cupcake in his mouth.
看着周围的人，低声说话。我的主人小心翼翼地从翅膀下面拿出一些东西，假装要调整盔甲的带子，然后把一整个纸杯蛋糕塞进嘴里。
“You keep doing that and you’re not going to fit in your armor,” a mare said in a soft, teasing tone. He looked over, and both our hearts stopped as we looked into the bright teal eyes of a beautiful dark alicorn. I was stunned by her beauty, and terribly embarrassed. My host choked down the cupcake in one gulp, fighting the urge to cough as he returned to attention. Then a dark wing stretched out. “Oh look. Crumbs.” The softest feathers imaginable flicked them from his lips.
"你继续这样做，你不会适合你的盔甲,"一匹母马说，软，挑逗的语调。他看了看我们，我们的心都停止了，我们看着明亮的蓝绿色眼睛的一个美丽的黑暗角果。我被她的美貌惊呆了，感到十分尴尬。我的主人一口气把纸杯蛋糕咽了下去，一边回过神来，一边强忍着咳嗽的冲动。然后一只黑色的翅膀伸了出来。"哦，看。面包屑。"可以想象得到的最柔软的羽毛从他的唇边掠过。
I’m fairly sure both my host and I could have died right at that moment.
我相当肯定我的主人和我都可能在那一刻死去。
I was used to Princess Luna being a painting on a wall or a picture in a book. The concept of Luna being sent to the moon for a millennium, only to be returned for a few years and then assuming control of Equestria, was some dry chapters in a book for me. Respectable and tragic, certainly, but she wasn’t real.
我已经习惯了卢娜公主是墙上的一幅画或是书中的一幅画。卢娜被送上月球一千年，只回来几年，然后接管Equestria的概念，对我来说只是一本书中枯燥的章节。值得尊敬和悲惨，当然，但她不是真实的。
Not until now. I never could have imagined Princess Luna appearing as a mare a bit older than me. That intelligent, even calculating, look in her teal eyes that seemed to take a measure of everything they looked upon. Her easy smile, friendly yet also mysterious, as if you couldn’t quite be sure what she was smiling about. Nopony could have told me of the silvery luster of her dusky blue mane, like a beam of moonlight in the middle of the drab tent, nor of the delicate taper of her horn that caught the light just so and made it appear as though a star alighted on the tip when she moved. Suddenly, I was in the presence of something more, so very much more, than a worthless pony like myself. I wanted to rage at the nobles chatting softly with one another and say ‘Look! Look at her! If you do what you do, then you are going to lose this!’
直到现在。我从来没有想到卢娜公主看起来像一匹比我大一点的母马。她那双蓝绿色的眼睛里充满智慧，甚至精于算计，似乎可以衡量她们所看到的一切。她平易近人的微笑，友好而又神秘，好像你不能完全确定她在笑什么。没有一匹小马可以告诉我她灰蓝色的鬃毛有着银色的光泽，就像一束月光照耀在单调的帐篷中间，也没有一匹小马可以告诉我她那纤细的角尖恰好吸引了阳光，使它看起来就像一颗星星在她移动的时候落在了顶端。突然间，我面对的东西比我这样一匹毫无价值的小马要多得多。我想对贵族们轻声地相互交谈大发雷霆，然后说:'看！看看她！如果你做了你该做的，那么你将会失去这个
The flap of the tent opened and Princess Celestia entered. I’d heard her described as a ‘ruler’; I admit, I always imagined her as an ‘Overmare’. I expected something small, petty, fussy, and ruling because the law said so.
帐篷的门打开了，塞莱斯蒂亚公主走了进来。我听说过她被描述成一个"统治者";我承认，我一直把她想象成一个"乌弗马"。我期待着一些小的、琐碎的、繁琐的、规则的东西，因为法律是这么说的。
With Celestia before me, I mentally bowed along with my host. It was reflexive; had she made a request I would have carried it out that instant. An aura of maternal kindness seemed to wash from her and touch everypony in her presence. Her rainbow mane constantly shifted in an ethereal breeze that I felt only in my imagination. In her sad gaze was a love absolute and unconditional.
有了天堂在我面前，我在精神上向我的主人鞠躬。这是条件反射，如果她提出要求，我会立即执行。一种母性的仁慈似乎从她身上散发出来，抚摸着她面前的每一匹小马。她那彩虹般的鬃毛在飘渺的微风中不断变换，我只能在想象中感觉到。在她悲伤的目光里，有一种绝对的、无条件的爱。
Nopony had ever possessed eyes like that, and none ever would again; of that I was certain.
小马驹从来没有这样的眼睛，以后也不会有了，这一点我敢肯定。
You lost this? YOU LOST THIS?! For coal and pride and fear you sacrificed this? I wanted to scream at these ponies, and the Princesses themselves. I wanted to show them this empty world that would follow them. No price, none, was worth the loss of these Princesses. The world was less without them.
你弄丢了这个？你丢了这个?！为了煤炭，骄傲和恐惧你牺牲了这一切？我真想对着这些小马和公主们大喊大叫。我想向他们展示这个会跟随他们的空虚世界。没有任何代价，没有任何代价，值得失去这些公主。如果没有他们，这个世界就不那么美好了。
My host, however, did not move a feather. I swore his lips still tingled from Luna’s playful brush, but all his attention and every sense were focused on Celestia. Celestia’s own features were worried, like the sun hidden behind a wall of clouds. Luna immediately approached her. “They said no?”
然而，我的主人一根羽毛也没动。我发誓他的嘴唇仍然被露娜顽皮的刷子刺痛，但是他所有的注意力和感觉都集中在塞莱斯蒂亚身上。天国自己的容貌让人担忧，就像太阳隐藏在一堵云墙后面。卢娜立刻走近她。"他们拒绝了?"
Celestia took a deep breath and shook her head.
塞莱斯蒂娅深吸了一口气，摇了摇头。
“Your Majesty, this goes beyond insult! That coal was paid for nearly two years ago. It is illegal for the zebras to halt shipments due to a… political disagreement!” a fancily dressed mare snorted in disdain.
"陛下，这不仅仅是侮辱！那笔煤差不多两年前就付清了。对于斑马来说，由于某种原因而停止运输是违法的。.政治分歧!"一匹穿着花哨的母马轻蔑地哼了一声。
“The Caesar remains adamant. The coal will not be released until his government can verify the legality of our claims,” Celestia said softly as she looked at the models. “His representative also hinted that we should re-evaluate our own gemstone embargo.”
"凯撒仍然很固执。煤炭将不会被释放，直到他的政府可以核实我们的声明的合法性,"塞莱斯蒂亚轻声说，她看着模型。"他的代表还暗示，我们应该重新评估我们自己的宝石禁运。"
“It’s a ploy, Your Majesty. The Caesar is just using this as an excuse to extort more beneficial contractual terms in exchange for our gemstones,” a unicorn stallion harrumphed. “They are simply being stubborn. We can’t just bend neck.”
"这是个阴谋，陛下。凯撒只是利用这一点作为借口，敲诈更多有利的合同条款，以换取我们的宝石。"。"他们只是固执己见。我们不能只是弯下脖子。"
A pony wearing more businesslike attire coughed politely. “It may be moot, Your Majesty. Zebras do not need gemstones to survive. Hippocampus Energy estimates that, even after cutting back power supply to forty percent, we can only keep power going for another month. After that, Equestria will go dark.”
一匹穿着更职业化服装的小马礼貌地咳嗽了一声。"这可能没有实际意义，陛下。斑马不需要宝石来生存。海马能源公司估计，即使电力供应减少到%，我们也只能维持一个月的电力供应。之后，小马国将陷入黑暗。"
“Somepony remind me whose great idea it was to build an infrastructure on an energy source Equestria doesn’t have?” Princess Luna asked in a faintly sarcastic tone. Only Princess Celestia smiled at the attempted humor. The rest of the ponies in the tent looked nervous.
"某个小马提醒我，是谁出了这么好的主意，要在一个Equestria没有的能源基础设施上建设一座基础设施?"卢娜公主用一种略带讽刺的口气问道。只有塞莱斯蒂亚公主对这种尝试性的幽默微笑。帐篷里的其他小马看起来很紧张。
A pegasus in fancy formal dress tapped her hooves. “Well, we have the guard here. We’re in the right. Just take the coal and let the Caesar choke on it. If their
一匹穿着华丽正式服装的飞马踢动了蹄子。"好吧，我们这里有警卫。我们是对的。只要拿着煤，让凯撒噎死就行了。如果他们的
king can’t govern, why should we suffer?” Murmurs of agreement grew. Celestia simply looked sad.
国王不能统治，我们为什么要受苦?"同意的声音越来越多。塞莱斯蒂亚只是看起来很悲伤。
Then a young voice said from the corner of the tent, “That would be a terrible idea.”
然后一个年轻的声音从帐篷的角落里传出来:"那将是一个糟糕的主意。"
Every eye in the tent turned to a unicorn stallion who seemed to realize that this was not his place to make a comment of any sort. He was the same age as me! Pale of hide and with a straw yellow mane and oddly yellow horn, his cutie mark was a yellow teardrop. I hoped it didn’t signify him wetting himself; he certainly looked like he wanted to. Yet Celestia smiled to him. “And you are?”
帐篷里的每只眼睛都盯着一匹独角兽种马，它似乎意识到这不是它发表任何评论的地方。他和我一样大！苍白的皮毛，稻草黄色的鬃毛和奇怪的黄色的角，他的可爱的标志是一个黄色的泪珠。我希望这并不意味着他尿裤子了;他看起来的确像是想尿裤子。然而，塞莱斯蒂亚对他微笑。"你是?"
A handsome unicorn stallion with a compass rose on his flank glared down at the young stallion and then quickly chuckled, “Oh don’t mind him, Your Majesty. He’s still learning his place.” And clearly his place was to shut the fuck up; I’d gotten plenty of looks like that from Mom.
一匹英俊的独角兽种马侧腹上插着一枚指南针，它怒视着这匹年轻的种马，然后立刻咯咯地笑了起来,"哦，陛下，别管它。他还在摸索自己的位置。"很明显，他的职责就是闭上他妈的臭嘴;我已经从妈妈那里得到了很多这样的表情。
The white unicorn with the yellow drop then pressed his lips together and stepped past the larger. “The Caesar is the protector of the zebra people. He’s not a king. He’s a protector. When the Wonderbolts extracted the hostages from the Barberry Coast, it was an insult to his ability to protect people in his lands. He has to restore his respectability.”
带着黄色水滴的白色独角兽紧闭双唇，从更大的独角兽身边走过。"凯撒是斑马人的保护者。他不是国王。他是个保护者。当神奇闪电从BarberryCoast救出人质时，这是对他保护国内人民能力的侮辱。他必须恢复他的体面。"
“Quiet, you,” the handsome stallion muttered with a glare before giving a suave smile at the Princesses. “Don’t mind him, Your Majesties. He spends a few years in their land and thinks himself an expert.”
"安静，你,"英俊的种马喃喃自语，瞪着眼睛，然后对公主们露出温文尔雅的微笑。"别理他，陛下。他在他们的土地上呆了几年，认为自己是专家。"
“Perhaps. But I want to hear all options. Continue.” The elder unicorn looked like he’d just downed a shot of Barpony’s ‘Price’.
"也许吧。但是我想听到所有的选择。继续。"老独角兽看起来就像刚刚喝下了一杯巴波尼的"普莱斯"。
The yellow-maned young stallion swallowed. “This Caesar… since he rose to power, he’s suffered many setbacks: monster attacks, drought, and now the hostage crisis. He needs a win, Your Majesty. Give him the gemstone concessions he wants, and when things calm down they can be renegotiated.”
那匹黄毛的小种马一口吞下去。"这个凯撒......自从他掌权以来，他遭受了许多挫折:怪物袭击、干旱，现在又发生了人质危机。他需要一场胜利，陛下。给他他想要的宝石让步，等事情平息下来，就可以重新谈判。"
The pegasus mare gave an outraged little snort. “That’s treasonous talk, putting zebra interests ahead of our own! We can simply take the coal.”
那匹母马愤怒地哼了一声。"这是叛国的言论，把斑马的利益置于我们自己的利益之上！我们可以简单地采煤。"
“And the Caesar will fight back. He has to. That’s his sacred duty.” He looked around at all the assembled ponies. “I know it’ll take longer and be more
""凯撒会反击的。他必须这么做。这是他神圣的职责。"他环顾四周，看着所有的小马驹。"我知道这需要更长的时间，更长的时间
difficult, but I’m sure it’ll be better than violence.” More disdainful and dismissive talk. ‘Listen to him,’ I wanted to scream! Then he blurted loudly, “Please, listen to me!” Apparently this broke so many rules of protocol that everyone did. “The zebras have a word for this. It’s not a fight. It’s not a battle. It’s war. They use it when their entire country faces terrible threats. Flights of dragons. Swarms of manticores. They’ve done wars before, where every zebra is drawn into the fight. And they are terrible things. Please, don’t resort to war to try and solve this problem when there are other means.”
很难，但我肯定这比暴力要好。"更加轻蔑和轻蔑的谈话。"听他说,"我想尖叫！然后他大声地脱口而出,"请听我说!"显然，这打破了许多规则，每个人都这样做了。"斑马对此有一个专门的说法。这不是打架。这不是一场战斗。这是战争。当他们的整个国家面临可怕的威胁时，他们就会使用它。龙的飞行。成群的山毛榉。他们以前也打过仗，每头斑马都被卷入战斗。它们是可怕的东西。当有其他办法时，请不要诉诸战争来试图解决这个问题。"
There was a fragile, momentary pause. Then the unicorn with the compass rose on his flank gave a disdainful snort. “War. Hardly sounds serious. Let the Caesar bring his war.”
有一个脆弱的，短暂的停顿。这时，那只侧面插着罗盘的独角兽轻蔑地哼了一声。"战争。听起来并不严肃。让凯撒带来他的战争吧。"
“Let him. I doubt the zebras have the stomach for a real, drawn-out battle. I give them six months before they beg us to take their dirty rocks,” a stallion harrumphed.
"让他去吧。我怀疑斑马是否有胆量进行一场真正旷日持久的战斗。我给他们六个月的时间，他们才会求我们收下他们的脏石头。
A mare laughed. “Three months! And they’ll give us their mines too.”
一匹母马笑了。"三个月！他们也会把地雷给我们。"
“Please, they’re only striped mules. Once they face our magic and flyers they’ll cower and beg for peace. One month, at the most,” the unicorn stallion with the compass rose said with a cocky little grin, earning cheers from the onlookers.
"拜托，他们只是有条纹的骡子。一旦他们面对我们的魔法和传单，他们会畏缩并乞求和平。最多一个月,"带罗盘的独角兽种马咧嘴笑着说，赢得了围观者的欢呼。
Only the business ponies, the guards, and the Princesses weren’t laughing. The business ponies looked at their clipboards. “Your Majesty, I can’t talk about fighting or politics. I can only tell you that without coal our economy will come to a crashing halt. Half of Fillydelphia’s work force is on furlough. Manehattan is dark for most of the night. That’s right now. If we can’t get coal we won’t be able to ship food to the large cities. It’ll be more than an inconvenience. It will be a famine.” The cheers and talking died out.
只有生意上的小马，守卫和公主们没有笑。商业小马仔们看着他们的写字板。"陛下，我不能谈论战争或政治。我只能告诉你们，没有煤炭，我们的经济将陷入崩溃。Fillydelphia一半的劳动力正在休假。曼哈顿的夜晚大部分时间是黑暗的。就是现在。如果我们得不到煤，我们就不能把食物运到大城市。这可不仅仅是个麻烦。这将是一场饥荒。"欢呼声和谈话声渐渐消失了。
Princess Celestia smiled at the assembled ponies. “If you gentleponies would please give us a moment alone?” There were mutters and talks as the aristocrats and businessponies were funneled out of the tent, leaving only the guard. Celestia looked as if she was going to cry once they’d left. “How has it come down to this? Taking what we want? Fighting? War?” Celestia rubbed her eyes. “I’d forgotten that word; it’s been so long.”
塞莱斯蒂亚公主对聚集在一起的小马微笑着。"你们两位先生能不能让我们单独呆一会儿?"随着贵族和商人们从帐篷里溜出来，只剩下卫兵，人们开始抱怨和交谈。塞莱斯蒂亚看起来好像他们一离开她就要哭了。"事情怎么会变成这样？拿走我们想要的？打架？战争?"塞莱斯蒂娅揉了揉眼睛。"我已经忘了这个词，已经很久了。"
“That young stallion was mistaken. It’s not a zebra word. We invented it. When you fought me,” Luna replied softly. “Wyrre… wasn’t that how it was said back
"那匹年轻的种马弄错了。这不是一个斑马词。是我们发明的。当你反抗我的时候,"卢娜轻轻地回答。"怀尔......别人不是这么说的吗
then?”
然后呢?"
“Something like that. I also remember how much I hated it.” She took a deep breath, looking at her sister. “What do you think, Luna?” Princess Celestia asked gently.
"差不多吧。我还记得我有多讨厌它。"她深吸了一口气，看着她的妹妹。"你觉得怎么样，卢娜?"塞莱斯蒂亚公主温和地问道。
Luna sighed as well. “I don’t really see us having much choice. We’ve been at this for months now. It’s not a question of if we want to fight. We have to have the coal. We could agree to all the Caesar’s demands, and it could take months to resume shipments.” She looked towards the tent flaps. “I wish we’d had that young stallion when this started. Who is he?”
卢娜也叹了口气。"我真的认为我们没有太多选择。我们已经争论了好几个月了。这不是我们想不想战斗的问题。我们必须有煤。我们可以同意凯撒的所有要求，恢复运输可能需要几个月的时间。"她朝帐篷的盖子望去。"我希望刚开始的时候我们有那匹年轻的种马。他是谁?"
“One of my nephew’s children,” Celestia replied with a disgruntled sigh. “Blueblood saddled him with some horrid name. Brandyblood?”
"我侄子的一个孩子,"塞莱斯蒂亚不满地叹了口气。"贵族给他起了个可怕的名字。白兰地血?"
“Another one? And Blueblood actually brought one of his… offspring… with him to court?” Luna looked disdainfully at the tent flap. “It amazes me that any mare would let him into their bed, yet his bastards clearly show some success in that regard.”
""再来一杯？而且蓝血王子还带着他的一个......后代......一起上了法庭?"露娜轻蔑地看着帐篷的门帘。"让我吃惊的是，任何母马都会让他上床，但他的私生子在这方面显然取得了一些成功。"
“You almost did,” Celestia said with a half smile, making Luna flush before Celestia continued, “His mother was a friend and died last month. He returned for her funeral. I suggested to Blueblood that the boy might enjoy court. Bring him back from his virtual exile in the zebra lands.” Celestia frowned. “Another good intention gone horribly wrong.”
"你差点就做到了,"塞莱斯蒂亚半带微笑地说，在卢娜脸上泛起红晕之后，塞莱斯蒂亚继续说道,"他的母亲是他的朋友，上个月去世了。他回来参加她的葬礼。我向贵族建议，这孩子可能会喜欢宫廷生活。把他从他在斑马地的虚拟流放中带回来。"塞莱斯蒂亚皱起了眉头。"又是一个错得离谱的好意。"
Luna looked sympathetic. “You couldn’t have known the Caesar would take our rescue so personally.”
卢娜看起来很同情。"你不可能知道凯撒会如此在意我们的救援。"
“I should have, Luna. I’ve ruled for a thousand years. His father was flexible. And his grandfather. He’s more in his great great grandfather’s demeanor.” Celestia sighed, shaking her head. “Sometimes it’s so hard keeping them all straight over the centuries. I thought the rescue a simple, elegant solution. I feared delay would kill the hostages. And now… having lost the Wonderbolts…”
"我应该的，露娜。我统治了一千年。他的父亲很灵活。还有他的祖父。他更像他的曾曾祖父。"天国叹了口气，摇了摇头。"有时候，几个世纪以来，要让它们保持直线是很困难的。我认为营救是一个简单，优雅的解决方案。我担心拖延会杀死人质。现在......失去了神奇闪电......"
“The Wonderbolts saved lives at the loss of their own. Nopony can do more than that,” Luna said as she put her wing around her sister. “No hope with diplomacy?”
"神奇闪电拯救了生命，但也牺牲了自己的生命。小马可以做得更多,"卢娜一边说，一边用翅膀抱着她的妹妹。"外交手段没有希望吗?"
“Negotiations have danced around in circles since then. The solution should be obvious, but for some reason we simply can’t agree. They need the gems desperately; they’re needed for the most potent weapons against the monsters in their lands, but we can’t give in on our gemstone embargo; it’s the only leverage we have.” She rubbed her eyes again. “I miss the days when my biggest concern was a snoring dragon’s smog problem or parasprites in Fillydelphia.” She gave her sister a sad smile. “Want to take over? I could do with a nice long vacation.”
"自那以后，谈判一直在兜圈子。解决方案应该是显而易见的，但出于某些原因，我们就是不能达成一致。他们迫切需要宝石，他们需要这些宝石作为对付他们国土上怪物的最有力武器，但我们不能放弃宝石禁运，这是我们唯一的筹码。"她又揉了揉眼睛。"我怀念那些日子，当时我最关心的是打鼾龙的烟雾问题，或者是Fillydelphia的寄生虫。"她给了妹妹一个悲伤的微笑。"想接手吗？我可以享受一个美好的长假。"
Luna laughed. “Not for all the sugar cubes in Equestria. Besides, I know you’re not serious. It’ll take a lot more than this to make you quit, Tia.”
露娜笑了。"不是为了Equestria所有的方糖。而且我知道你不是认真的。要想让你退出可不止这么简单，蒂娜。"
“True,” Princess Celestia said with a soft sigh. “So then, this is how it starts. I only hope the Caesar realizes how dire our need is and reconsiders.” She levitated a scroll of parchment and pen, deftly writing with the practiced ease of a thousand years. Then she coiled it up and approached my host and a unicorn guard beside him. “Take this executive command to Captain Lighthorn. He is to take custody of the coal shipments. Take care to keep casualties to an absolute minimum. Understood?”
"是的,"塞莱斯蒂亚公主轻轻地叹了口气说。"那么，就是这样开始的。我只希望凯撒意识到我们的需求有多么迫切，并重新考虑。"她漂浮着一卷羊皮纸和一支笔，熟练地写着，就像千年前那样轻松。然后她把它盘起来，走近我的主人，在他旁边有一只独角兽守卫。"把这个行政命令交给莱顿船长。他负责监管煤炭的运输。注意将伤亡人数减少到最低限度。明白吗?"
“Yes ma’am,” the guards said in unison, the unicorn hovering the instructions as they saluted and trotted out of the tent.
"是的，女士,"卫兵们异口同声地说，独角兽盘旋在指示上，他们敬礼后小跑着走出帐篷。
“Can you believe that?” my host muttered, “Intense.”
"你能相信吗?"我的主人喃喃自语道,"紧张。"
“We don’t talk about the Princesses’ business, Cupcake,” the unicorn muttered beside my host. Then she looked a touch worried. “But, yes… that was… intense.”
"我们不谈论公主的事情，纸杯蛋糕,"独角兽在主人身边喃喃自语。然后她看起来有点担心。"但是，是的......那是......紧张的。"
Outside the tents, the nobles had gathered in little herds, while off to the side Blueblood was administering a rather physical education of his own as he smacked the straw-maned young stallion over and over again. “How dare you, you little embarrassment? You inconvenient little... squirt!”
在帐篷外面，贵族们成群结队地聚集在一起，而在另一边，当他一遍又一遍地拍打那匹用稻草编成的年轻种马时，蓝血王正在进行他自己的体育锻炼。"你怎么敢这么说，你这个小不点？你这个不方便的小......家伙!"
The young stallion cried and protected his head. “Please, Father! I only wanted to help her!”
年轻的种马哭着保护着他的头。"求你了，父亲！我只是想帮她!"
“Don’t you dare call me that, you hear me? You have no father,” Blueblood growled.
""你敢这么叫我，听见了吗？"你没有父亲。"。
“Cover for me,” Cupcake said as he made a swift detour. The brown pegasus
"替我掩护一下,"卡帕特一边绕道一边说。棕色的飞马
thrust himself hard between Blueblood and the young stallion. “Excuse me, sir, but you are distressing the gentlefolk.”
使劲挤在蓝血和年轻的种马之间。"对不起，先生，你使上流社会的人感到苦恼。"
Blueblood scowled down at his son and then glared at the guard before raising his snout into the air and trotting away to make his apologies. Cupcake just sighed and shook his head before looking down at the stallion. “Say, are you all right? What’s your name, kid?”
蓝精灵怒视着他的儿子，然后怒视着卫兵，然后把他的鼻子抬到空中，小跑着离开，向他道歉。纸托蛋糕只是叹了口气，摇了摇头，然后低头看着这匹种马。"喂，你没事吧？你叫什么名字，孩子?"
He looked up at Cupcake then and I felt myself start. His eyes weren’t yellow, but a brilliant gold. Blood trickled down between them from a small gash on his brow beside his odd, metallic-gold-colored horn. Despite his tears, his gaze was steady and held a confidence that shook me. “Thank you, I’m fine,” he said as his intense golden eyes stared into mine, “And my name is Goldenblood.”
他抬头看了看纸杯蛋糕，我感觉自己开始了。他的眼睛不是黄色的，而是明亮的金色。鲜血从他那奇怪的金黄色号角旁额头上的一道小伤口流淌到他们之间。尽管他流着眼泪，但他的目光很坚定，他的自信让我感到震惊。"谢谢，我很好,"他说，他那双金色的眼睛紧盯着我的眼睛,"我的名字是金色的血液。"
oooOOOooo
噢噢噢
Coming out of the memory, I immediately jumped to my hooves! Okay, more accurately, I fell flat on my face intending to jump to my hooves! Still, I looked around for the bounty hunter monster pony cyborg ghosts that surely had sprung upon me while in the orb. All I saw and heard was the glow of the lights and the whirr of the vent fans. And then I slowly lifted the small glowing orb. Tears trickled down my cheeks as I stared at the little cloud of light within.
从记忆中走出来，我立刻跳起来！好吧，更准确地说，我摔倒在我的脸上，想要跳到我的蹄子上！尽管如此，我还是环顾四周，寻找着那些在球体里突然出现在我身上的赏金恋人：Ex档案怪物机器人幽灵。我所看到和听到的只是灯光的光芒和排气扇的呼呼声。然后我慢慢地举起那个发光的小圆球。当我凝视着内心的一丝光亮时，泪水顺着我的脸颊流了下来。
Priest had tried to explain it to me; that memory orbs were more than just experiences. They were testaments, proof of the existence of ponies centuries ago that had shaped the world today. They were more than just curiosities or battles or relationships that played out in better times. They were lessons of just what we had lost and how very far we had to go to reclaim it.
普里斯特曾试图向我解释，记忆球不仅仅是经验。它们是遗嘱，证明了几个世纪前小马的存在，它们塑造了今天的世界。它们不仅仅是好奇心、战斗或者在更好的时候发生的关系。这些教训告诉我们，我们失去了什么，我们还要走多远才能重新找回来。
I pressed the orb to my chest, holding as tightly as possible the most precious object I could imagine in all of Equestria.
我把球紧紧地贴在胸前，尽可能紧紧地抱着这个我能想象到的全Equestria最珍贵的东西。
* * *
* * *
Four hours later, I collapsed against the concrete rail on the top floor of the parking garage. My training session with the security mares, and I use the term because there wasn’t a single stallion among them, had been an unmitigated disaster. They could shoot and they could swing a baton, but they didn’t have the attitude. “That was terrible. Just terrible. Teaching is hard.”
四个小时后，我瘫倒在停车场顶层的混凝土栏杆上。我和那些保安母马的训练课程，我之所以用这个词是因为它们当中没有一匹种马，是一场彻头彻尾的灾难。他们可以射击，可以挥动指挥棒，但他们没有那种态度。"太可怕了。太可怕了。教书很难。"
Below me, the cleanup of last night’s wreckage was just getting started. Slabs of the Exchange were being cut free by Morn-- by Fallen Glory’s disintegration bolts or small blasts of dynamite. Rampage and a few hardy stallions would slip into straps and start pulling. Unicorns levitated lengths of pipe under the slabs to roll them along. Smaller pieces were heaped up along the fence perimeter. It’d take a while, but with everypony working together, at least the foundations would be laid. Apparently, Caprice had told all the visiting stallions that nopony was getting laid till it was cleaned up. I’d never seen such hard work in all my life.
在我下面，清理昨晚残骸的工作才刚刚开始。交易所的石板正在被黎明切断----被堕落晨辉的崩解螺栓或小爆炸炸药。狂暴和一些强壮的公马会溜进皮带开始拉。独角兽们在石板下面悬浮了一段管子，让它们滚动起来。较小的碎片沿着围栏堆积起来。这需要一段时间，但是每个人都在一起工作，至少基础是可以打好的。显然，卡普莱斯已经告诉所有来访的种马，小马要等到它被清理干净才能上床。我这辈子从没见过这么辛苦的工作。
“Oh, I don’t think it was so bad,” Barpony said as she pulled out two Sunrise Sarsaparillas from her saddlebags. She’d stopped by to listen and stayed for the whole lecture and even tried to shoot; she was hopeless with a gun, though. I’d given up on finding her name; she seemed too amused by the question to give me a straight answer.
"哦，我觉得没那么糟糕,"巴波尼一边说着，一边从马鞍包里拿出两瓶日出牌汽水。她停下来听了整个演讲，甚至还试着开枪;尽管她对枪一窍不通。我已经放弃了寻找她的名字;她似乎被这个问题逗乐了，没有给我一个直截了当的回答。
Below us came the sounds of shots and the occasional crash of an empty bottle shattering. I hadn’t anticipated that many of them didn’t know how to use a gun and swung their batons like they were afraid of hurting themselves. “They were scared of me,” I muttered, glancing at her. “Worse, I think I sounded like Mom and made them feel like they were worthless at the same time.”
我们下面传来了枪声和空瓶子碎裂的声音。我没有预料到他们中的许多人不知道如何使用枪支，挥舞着警棍，好像他们害怕伤害自己。"他们怕我,"我喃喃自语，瞥了她一眼。"更糟糕的是，我觉得自己听起来像妈妈，同时让他们觉得自己一文不值。"
“You just have to realize that most of the ponies here aren’t exactly brave warrior folk. They’re prostitutes that rotate their security duties, mares who are trying to kick Dash and Dust addiction, and fillies desperate not to fall into either trap. And stallions who sign up just try to use it to get free drugs and sex.”
"你只需要意识到，这里的大多数小马都不是勇敢的战士。她们是交替执行保安任务的妓女，她们是试图戒除冲浪和灰尘瘾的母马，而那些不想落入任何陷阱的小雌马。而那些注册的种马只是试图利用它来获得免费的毒品和性爱。"
“Which were you?” I asked, and then winced. “Um… don’t answer that.”
"你是哪一个?"我问道，然后退缩了。"嗯......别回答。"
“Prostitute, but I have a lot of side jobs now,” she said without hesitation or shame. “And you are so cute when you get two hooves in your mouth.” I blushed, and I wasn’t sure if it was at her highlighting my awkwardness or her flirting. It definitely made me chuckle, though.
"卖淫，但我现在有很多兼职,"她毫不犹豫或羞愧地说。"你嘴里叼着两只蹄子的样子真可爱。"我脸红了，我不确定是因为她突出了我的笨拙还是她的调情。不过，这确实让我咯咯笑了起来。
“What I wonder is how Flank’s lasted so long without falling before.”
"我想知道弗兰克怎么能坚持这么久却没有倒下。"
“The fact is that Flank’s always been vulnerable. We keep everything nice and happy, and we hope that if somepony gets out of line, somepony like you will step in. And it’s worked for years; the Pecos were our unofficial security contractors, paid in booze, Dash, and sex. Sidewinder could have taken us over
"事实上，弗兰克一直都很脆弱。我们保持一切美好和快乐，我们希望如果一些小马得到了线，一些像你这样的小马将介入。佩科斯河是我们非官方的安全承包商，收入包括豪饮、短跑和性。响尾蛇可能会接管我们
if he’d had a little more sense and a little less whiskey.” I caught a momentary haunted look on her face, but then she caught me looking and smiled.
如果他能理智一点，少喝点威士忌"我看到她脸上一时的不安表情，但随后她发现我在看她，笑了。
“Well, not anymore,” I muttered as I looked at the street. Even the rain hadn’t washed away all the blood. The bodies were still being dragged out into the swampy ruins of the town. “So sooner or later, somepony else is going to try something.” Again, that... strange expression.
"嗯，不再是了,"我看着街道喃喃自语道。即使是雨水也没有冲走所有的血。尸体仍然被拖到城镇的沼泽废墟中。"所以迟早会有人尝试做点什么。"又是那个...奇怪的表情。
“I think you did better than you realize,” Barpony said firmly. “I was surprised, to be honest. I didn’t expect you to talk about restraint so much.”
"我认为你做得比你意识到的要好,"巴波尼坚定地说。"说实话，我很惊讶。我没想到你会这么多地谈到克制。"
“Why, ‘cause I’m so bad at it?” I asked with a grin and got a nod in return. I sighed. “Well, guess I’m a hypocrite on top of everything else. Still, Mom always taught me that if you can get someone to do what you want by asking nicely, ask nicely. Then escalate. A security officer that goes for their baton or gun first is a thug with a uniform.”
"为什么,'因为我不擅长这个?"'我笑着问道，得到了一个点头作为回应。我叹了口气。"好吧，我想我是个伪君子。尽管如此，妈妈总是教导我，如果你可以通过友好地请求别人做你想做的事情，就要友好地请求。然后逐步升级。首先去拿警棍或枪的安全官员是一个穿制服的暴徒。"
“And is that what you do?” Barpony asked.
"你就是干这个的吗?"巴波尼问道。
“Most ponies I’ve run into are either nice or pre-escalated. Those bounties go a long way towards that,” I commented ruefully, listening to the pop of small arms fire. “When they’re able to put themselves in harm’s way, they should be much better at security work. I can tell they’re tough mares. It’s just a step from looking out for yourself to looking out for others.”
"我碰到的大多数小马要么是好马，要么是先升级的。我一边听着轻武器开火的声音，一边沮丧地评论道。"当他们能够将自己置于危险之中时，他们应该在安全工作方面做得更好。我看得出它们是很难缠的母马。从为自己着想到为他人着想，这只是一步之遥。"
And just like that, I was being kissed; sweet Goddesses was I getting kissed! My eyes went so wide that I felt like they would just roll out of their sockets! My rear legs gave out as I fell soundly onto my haunches and felt her tongue doing things inside my mouth I could barely imagine. When she finally gave me a breath I felt myself blushing from horn to hooves. “Habazawah...” Then I shook myself hard. “What was that for?”
就这样，我被吻了;甜美的女神们被吻了！我的眼睛睁得那么大，我感觉它们就要从眼窝里滚出来了！当我沉重地跌倒在我的臀部上，感觉到她的舌头在我的嘴里做着我几乎无法想象的事情时，我的后腿筋疲力尽。当她终于给了我一口气时，我感到自己的脸都红了。"哈巴扎瓦......"然后我使劲摇了摇自己。"这是干什么?"
“I didn’t want to have not done that,” she said as she turned and curled her silky tail around my throat. “Now come on.”
"我不想没有做到这一点,"她说，她转过身来，把她柔滑的尾巴绕在我的喉咙上。"来吧。"
“Huh… where are we going?” I asked as I trotted after her. Then she gave me a look and I quivered down to my hooves. “Oh…”
"嗯......我们要去哪儿?"我一边跟着她一边问。然后她看了我一眼，我浑身发抖。"哦......"
* * *
* * *
When we finally took a break, I felt good. No. Screw that. I felt great! Truly and honestly great. For once, I didn’t have any regrets about leaving my nice, safe, ugly life in Stable 99. From my rear emanated a buttery goodness that spiked through my entire body. Our limbs were tangled together in the middle of my bed. I still had fluttery contractions twitching in my hindquarters.
当我们最终休息的时候，我感觉很好。没有。去他的。我感觉棒极了！真正而诚实的伟大。这一次，我不后悔离开了我在Stable99美好、安全、丑陋的生活。从我的背部散发出一种黄油般的美味，刺穿了我的整个身体。我们的四肢在床中间纠缠在一起。我的后腿仍然有颤抖的收缩。
She was watching me with her amused pink eyes, reflecting the colors like stars.
她用她那被逗乐了的粉红色眼睛看着我，眼睛像星星一样反射着颜色。
“I felt like I was a virgin there for a bit,” I said, getting my breath back.
"有那么一会儿，我觉得自己还是个处女,"我说着，恢复了呼吸。
“You mean you weren’t?” she asked with a teasing smile. I winced and she gave a soft murr as her hoof stroked my cheek. “I’m teasing. You were actually very sweet.”
"你的意思是你不是?"她带着挑逗的微笑问道。我皱了皱眉头，她的蹄子轻抚着我的脸颊，发出轻柔的低语。"我开玩笑的。你真的很贴心。"
“Why is it that you make ‘sweet’ sound like ‘virgin’?” I asked as I knit my brows together in worry.
"为什么你说'sweet'听起来像'virgin'?"我愁眉苦脸地问道。
“Because virgins are sweet too,” she said archly.
"因为处女也是甜的,"她俏皮地说。
I sighed, closing my eyes with a deep breath. “You’re taking advantage of my afterglow. No fair.”
我叹了口气，深深地闭上了眼睛。"你在利用我的余辉。这不公平。"
“Fairness doesn’t exist in the Wasteland,” she said as she licked my cheek, making me shiver. “Another?”
"公平在荒原是不存在的,"她说着舔了舔我的脸颊，让我颤抖。"再来一杯?"
“I think I’ll melt if you do.”
"如果你这么做，我想我会融化的。"
“Then I’ll just bottle you.”
"那我就把你装在瓶子里。"
“Liquid Security?”
"液体安全?"
“Security-Cola.”
"安全可乐。"
“I’m not sweet enough for that.”
"我不够可爱。"
“I beg to differ,” she said as she nibbled my ear. “You are very sweet.” Okay, blushing now!
"我可不这么认为,"她一边说一边轻咬着我的耳朵。"你真好。"好了，脸红了！
Unfortunately, I also had some work to do. “Why don’t we take a little break? You can go ask your boss when she plans to meet with me, and I can go make sure things are working out above?” I gave a little chuckle. “You know, the
不幸的是，我还有一些工作要做。"我们为什么不休息一下呢？你可以去问问你的老板什么时候和我见面，我可以去确认一下上面的情况。"我轻轻地笑了笑。"你知道，那个
longer I’m here, the more I like this place.”
我在这里待得越久，就越喜欢这个地方。"
She paused as if considering me, almost measuring me, and then grinned. “Well that’s good. That’s the point of Flank. Fun for everyone,” she said as she stood and gave herself a shake. “You go ahead. Save up some energy for round two. Three… four… five…”
她停顿了一下，好像在考虑我，几乎在测量我，然后咧嘴笑了。"嗯，那很好。这就是侧翼的意义所在。每个人都很开心,"她站起来摇了摇头说。"你去吧。为第二回合节省点力气。三...四...五..."
I nearly danced down the hall of the stable, not caring who saw me or what they thought. Maybe it was because I was helping ponies because I wanted to, or maybe it was the fact that Miss Barpony could tickle my nethers like I’d never imagined, but I was feeling really good! I know I got all kinds of looks, but I didn’t care. Didn’t care! Didn’t care. Did. Not. Care!
我几乎在马厩的大厅里跳舞，不在乎谁看见了我，也不在乎他们在想什么。也许是因为我想帮助小马，或者也许是因为巴波妮小姐能够触动我的下体，这是我从未想象过的，但是我感觉真的很好！我知道我有各种各样的外表，但我不在乎。我不在乎！我不在乎。是的。没有。小心！
Outside, I found Glory working her magic with the machinery, getting the frames together. Given all that she’d been through, she seemed to be throwing herself into her work. When she spotted me she pressed her lips together and scowled. “Oh look, she emerges.”
在外面，我发现晨辉正在用机器施展魔法，把画面组合在一起。考虑到她所经历的一切，她似乎全身心投入到工作中去了。当她发现我时，她紧闭双唇，满脸愁容。"哦，看，她出来了。"
Okay, sad Glory I could handle, ridiculously loyal Glory I could deal with, but where did pissed off and snippy Glory come from? “Are you all right?”
好吧，悲伤的晨辉我可以处理，可笑的忠诚的晨辉我可以处理，但是生气和傲慢的晨辉来自哪里？"你没事吧?"
“Of course I’m all right. I’ve just been working my tail off while you’ve been getting your labia lubed,” she said as she grabbed a wrench and firmly tightened a nut. She spat the tool back into a toolbox beside the frame. “I sure hope she was spectacular. She apparently costs a hoof and a half an hour.”
"我当然没事。她一边说，一边抓起一把扳手，紧紧地拧紧了一个螺母。她把工具吐回到架子旁边的工具箱里。"我当然希望她很出色。她显然要花一蹄半小时的钱。"
“Hey! You don’t have to talk about her like that,” I said sharply with a scowl. Her angry eyes started to tear up, but she scrubbed them away before I sighed and put a hoof on her shoulder. “What’s wrong with what we’re doing? I thought you were okay with making these turrets.”
"嘿！你不必这样说她,"我严厉地皱着眉头说。她愤怒的眼睛开始流泪，但她擦干净它们，然后我叹了口气，把蹄子放在她的肩膀上。"我们现在做的有什么不对吗？我还以为你不介意造这些炮塔呢。"
“I am...” she said with a sigh. “It’s just… why couldn’t you have asked us about this first? I don’t like helping Caprice.”
"我是......"她叹了口气说。"只是......你为什么不先问问我们呢？我不喜欢帮助Caprice。"
“I’m not that thrilled about helping her either, but there are good ponies here that deserve our help. Why shouldn’t we help them?”
"我也不是很乐意帮助她，但是这里有很多好马值得我们帮助。我们为什么不能帮助他们呢?"
“Because she’s a drug dealer who now has a monopoly on the addicts of the Hoof?” Glory said sourly.
"因为她是个毒贩，现在只有她才能吸食霍夫的毒品?"晨辉酸溜溜地说。
I sighed. “Glory, it’s not like that. She can keep the price high and…”
我叹了口气。"晨辉，不是那样的。她能把价格抬得很高，而且......"
“And she can keep the price low too,” Glory responded. “I don’t buy the argument that all those scavengers in the ruins got their drugs from these outside suppliers. I don’t believe she’d undercut her profits through ethics. They’re lingering here, Blackjack. And I know Scalpel’s trying to treat more addicts, but I think she’d be happy with even one additional patient.”
"而且她还可以保持低价,"晨辉回答说。"我不相信那些废墟中的拾荒者从这些外部供应商那里获得毒品的说法。我不相信她会通过道德手段削减自己的利润。他们在这里徘徊，黑杰克。我知道手术刀正在努力治疗更多的瘾君子，但我认为即使多一个病人，她也会很高兴的。"
I had my doubts, too. Barpony seemed to know what was going on. Perhaps she could let me know if Glory was right, or convince her that this was okay. I just felt creepiness itching along my spine. “I’m sorry I sprang this on you. Is there anything I can do to help?”
我也有我的疑虑。巴波尼似乎知道发生了什么事。也许她可以让我知道晨辉是对的，或者说服她这样做是对的。我只是感到沿着脊椎发痒，毛骨悚然。"对不起，我突然对你说这个。我能帮上什么忙吗?"
She sighed, looking at me as she seemed to shuffle through her list of things she needed. “Targeting talismans. Without them, these are just weapon display stands.” She looked out over the ruins of Flankfurt. “There’s a Robronco retailer somewhere south of here. It might have working talismans.” I checked my PipBuck, and sure enough, a little navigation icon popped up along with the note ‘Objective: recover targeting talismans.’
她叹了口气，看着我，似乎在把她需要的东西一一列出来。"针对护身符。没有它们，这些只是武器展示架。"她眺望着Flankfurt的废墟。"这里以南的某个地方有一家Robronco零售店。它可能有有效的护身符。"我检查了我的PipBuck，果不其然，一个小小的导航图标弹出，旁边写着"目标:恢复目标护身符。"
Underneath it was another. ‘Objective: deliver Flank’s mail.’ I blinked and started. “What? I’d completely forgotten about that one!” I frowned and looked at the note. “Can’t I just give the mail to somepony here and let them hand it out?” Of course it didn’t answer. There were a dozen arrows on my map around the town. Most of them were in Flank itself, but not all of them; wondering how it knew the locations was driving me crazy!
下面是另一个。目标:送弗兰克的邮件我眨了眨眼，然后开始了。"什么？我已经完全忘记了那件事!"我皱起眉头，看着那张纸条。"我就不能把信交给这里的小马，让他们分发吗?"当然它没有回答。我的地图上有一打箭头绕着城镇飞行。他们中的大多数都在弗兰克本身，但不是所有的;想知道它怎么知道的地点是我疯了！
“Okay, well it looks like I’ve got two reasons to go out now. Want to come with me when I do?” I asked, and her mood brightened before my eyes.
"好吧，看来我现在有两个出去的理由了。想跟我一起去吗?"我问道，她的心情在我眼前变得明亮起来。
“I suppose I have to. Do you even know what a targeting talisman looks like?” she said with a small smile, returning to the Glory I knew.
"我想我不得不这样做。你知道目标护身符长什么样吗?"她微笑着说，回到了我所知道的晨辉。
“It’s a talisman with a target on it?” I offered.
"这是一个有目标的护身符?"我提出。
She laughed, shaking her head softly. “Okay. Come get me when you’re ready to go.” Victory!
她笑了，轻轻地摇了摇头。"好吧。你准备好了就来找我吧。"胜利！
I wandered around, looking for the ponies the letters were addressed to. One to the butcher in the Trough. Another to the robot-masked ponies in Mixers, who
我四处徘徊，寻找那些信件寄给的小马。一个给槽里的屠夫。另一个是混频器里戴着机器人面具的小马
apparently never left their armored booth and required me to feed them through a slot. I wondered how they got food in there, or went to the bathroom… okay, not wondering anymore! Two were to Scalpel from former patients. One to Caprice; I’d deliver it when I finally met her.
显然从没离开过他们的装甲车位，还要求我通过狭缝喂他们。我想知道他们是怎么弄到食物的，或者是怎么上厕所的...好吧，我不再想了！其中两个是以前病人的手术刀。一封写给卡普莱斯，当我最终见到她的时候，我会把它交给她。
One was to Octavia. What, I was delivering mail to dead ponies now? At least I knew where her room was, and once the letter was inside, my PipBuck dutifully informed me that this letter was officially ‘delivered’. I looked at the yellowed paper envelope nestled between the bones on the bed. It was two hundred years old; it really wasn’t wrong to read, right?
一个是去奥克塔维亚。什么，我现在是在给死马送信？至少我知道她的房间在哪里，信一进去，我的PipBuck就忠实地告诉我这封信已经正式"送到"了。我看着床上骨头之间泛黄的信封。这本书已经有两百年的历史了，读起来真的没什么错，对吧？
The old pale stallion chuckled softly in my ear. “Tisk tisk… tampering with the mail. That’s a serious offense.”
那匹苍白的老种马在我耳边轻声地咯咯地笑着。"TiskTisk...篡改邮件。这是一种严重的犯罪。"
I ignored the amused hallucination as I tore open the envelope. I wasn’t prying, I was reading it to Octavia… or rather her bones… okay, getting away from creepy thoughts now!
当我撕开信封的时候，我忽略了这种愉快的幻觉。我不是在打听，我是在读给奥克塔维亚听......或者更确切地说是她的骨头......好了，现在远离那些令人毛骨悚然的想法吧！
“Dearest Octavia, I am so glad to hear that you’ve found someplace to rest your hooves. I’m very sorry that Pinkie Pie was so upset about your charity concert. I tried to talk to her about it, but she treats it like a personal snub. She’s so odd these days. I can’t tell what the matter is with her, but she’s changed. I suppose we all have, to some extent, but some days it’s like I don’t even know her anymore.
"亲爱的奥克塔维亚，我很高兴听到你找到了休息蹄子的地方。我很抱歉鹏奇派对你的慈善演唱会如此不满。我试图和她谈谈这件事，但她把这件事当作是个人的怠慢。她这些天很古怪。我不知道她怎么了，但她变了。在某种程度上，我想我们都有过，但有时候我甚至都不认识她了。
“Regardless, I’m sure that with time she’ll come around. She still fondly remembers the pony pokey your quartet played for her all those years ago. However, I was not simply writing to offer my sympathies. I wanted to follow up on you after your procedure. Are you noticing any ill effects or differences? I recall how unpleasant the experience was for you, and I don’t want you to feel abandoned.” I glanced at the terminal. Considering her recorded message to Pon3, it was clear that she had been. She’d never gotten this letter. She’d died alone with her instrument.
"不管怎样，我相信随着时间的推移，她会回心转意的。她仍然深情地记得那些年前你的四重奏为她演奏的小马。然而，我写这封信并不仅仅是为了表达我的同情。我想在你手术后跟进你的情况。你是否注意到任何不良影响或差异？我记得那次经历对你来说是多么不愉快，我不想让你觉得被抛弃了。"我瞥了一眼航站楼。考虑到她给Pon3的录音信息，很明显她已经。她从来没有收到过这封信。她带着乐器孤独地死去。
“I hope that sometime in the future we can get together. I rarely have time to get away from Canterlot, but I’d like to speak with you more in person. Oh! And there’s a certain mare named Glass who may poke about asking about what happened. I hope that you can keep everything in the strictest confidences. She’s such a nosy little thing!
"我希望将来某个时候我们能聚在一起。我很少有时间离开Canterlot，但我想更多地与你面对面交谈。哦！还有一匹名叫格拉斯的母马，她可能会问到底发生了什么事。我希望你能把一切都严格保密。她真是个爱管闲事的小东西！
Sincerely, Rarity.”
真诚的，珍宝。"
That made me blink. The Ministry Mare of the Ministry of Image checking up on Octavia? Did she have a career resurrection spell or something?
这让我眨了眨眼。图像部的马力正在检查奥克塔维亚？她是不是有什么职业复活咒之类的？
From the taped-up cabinet came a soft thunk, making me jump to my hooves. I frowned, looking at the tape on the rusty doors. Carefully, I pulled the tape away and opened the doors. Everything was exactly as I had left--no, wait. The pin that had held the bow had fallen out of the back of the cabinet.
从贴了胶带的柜子里传来一声轻轻的撞击声，使我跳了起来。我皱了皱眉，看着生锈的门上的胶带。我小心翼翼地把胶带拉开，打开车门。一切都和我离开时一模一样----不，等等。用来固定蝴蝶结的别针从橱柜后面掉了下来。
I honestly had no idea how to play an instrument. Music was something other ponies did and I enjoyed. The only magic my horn could master was used to kill things. It wasn’t my place as security to try and make something… beautiful. I looked at the black hairs in the bow and then at the strings. I sighed softly; this was stupid. I should be doing things… helping… not staring at a musical instrument I had no hope of playing.
我真的不知道如何演奏乐器。音乐是其他小马做的事情，我很喜欢。我的号角所能掌握的唯一魔法就是用来杀生。作为安全人员，我没有资格尝试创造一些......美好的东西。我看了看琴弓上的黑发，又看了看琴弦。我轻轻地叹了口气，这太愚蠢了。我应该做一些事情......帮助......而不是盯着一个我没有希望演奏的乐器。
Still…
不过..。
“Ugh, I hope I don’t break it or something…” I slowly levitated out the surprisingly heavy instrument and set it on its peg. I looked at the pictures taped inside the doors and carefully stood on my rear hooves. I rested my left forehoof on the strings at the top, right forehoof pinching the bow behind my right fetlock. I pressed the black bowstring to the wires and dragged it slowly across.
"呃，我希望我不会把它弄坏或者什么的......"我慢慢地把这个沉得出奇的乐器悬浮起来，然后把它固定在钉子上。我看着门上贴的照片，小心翼翼地站在后蹄上。我把左前蹄放在上面的绳子上，右前蹄把弓捏在右前蹄后面。我把黑色弓弦按在电线上，慢慢地把它拖过去。
The slow, deep note filled the dirty little apartment with a single mournful tone. Carefully I reversed the motion, and played another note. And another. I couldn’t call the sounds of me sawing back and forth music, but I wanted to continue. Slowly, the instrument seemed to say. Slowly. No need to rush. I carefully ran the bow across other strings, my ears picking out the different tones as they rose and fell with each of the four strings. I had no idea what I was playing, if I was playing at all. I simply couldn’t stop, not right now as I dragged the bow back and forth. This was noise, not specific notes or music, but even then it was beautiful noise.
那缓慢而深沉的音符以一种哀伤的音调充满了这间肮脏的小公寓。我小心翼翼地把动作倒过来，又弹奏了一个音符。再来一杯。我不能把我前后锯动的声音称为音乐，但我想继续下去。慢慢地，乐器似乎在说。慢慢地。不用着急。我小心翼翼地在其他弦上拉弓，我的耳朵在四根弦上下起伏时分辨出不同的音调。我完全不知道我在弹什么，如果我真的在弹的话。我简直不能停下来，不是现在，因为我拖着弓来回。这是噪音，不是特定的音符或音乐，但即使是这样，也是美妙的噪音。
It took the sight of P-21 watching me with his wide eyed stare before I stopped, flushing. “Ah… oh. Sorry. I got distracted.”
看到P-21瞪着大眼睛看着我，我才停下来，脸红了。"啊......哦。对不起。我分心了。"
“Blackjack, you can play?” he demanded in shock.
"黑杰克，你会玩吗?"他震惊地问道。
“I can’t. I didn’t!” I blurted as I looked at the pictures inside the cabinet. “I was just copying her.”
"我不能。我没有!"当我看着橱柜里的照片时，我脱口而出。"我只是在模仿她。"
He looked incredulous as he stared at me. “Well, you fooled me. I mean, I couldn’t say what you were playing exactly, but it sounded good.”
当他盯着我时，他看起来不相信。"好吧，你骗了我。我的意思是，我不能确切地说出你演奏的是什么，但是听起来不错。"
I extended the bow to him. “Why don’t you try?” He looked skeptical, but copied my stance. He held the instrument awkwardly and dragged the bow across the strings with an anemic little noise that made me wince. Yeah, no wonder he had been staring. If I sounded like that playing, I’d stare too, wondering if I should put the bullet in me or him. “That was… nice…” I said, forcing a grin and letting out a mental sigh, glad he’d finished.
我向他鞠了一躬。"你为什么不试试呢?"他看起来很怀疑，但是模仿了我的立场。他笨拙地拿着乐器，拖着弓在琴弦上划来划去，发出一种贫血的小声音，让我畏缩不前。难怪他一直盯着我看。如果我听起来像是在演奏，我也会盯着看，想知道我应该把子弹射进我还是他的身体。"那真是......太好了......"我强作笑容，心里叹了口气，很高兴他说完了。
“If you say so. Still, I’m impressed you got it in tune and everything,” he said as he carefully put it back in the cabinet. “Glory told me you were going to go out looking for targeting talismans?” When I nodded he continued, “I want to go with you and see if we can’t pick up some landmines from Deus’s camp.”
""如果你这么说的话。不过，我还是很佩服你能把它调好，还有其他的一切。"他一边说着，一边小心翼翼地把它放回了橱柜。"晨辉告诉我，你要出去寻找护身符?"我点点头，他继续说,"我想和你一起去，看看我们能不能从天王的营地里挖些地雷。"
“Are you sure that’s safe? I’m pretty sure Rampage didn’t kill all the ponies he sent into Flank.”
"你确定那样安全吗？我敢肯定，狂暴没有杀死他送到弗兰克的所有小马。"
“Maybe, but I know he kept a lot of things locked up, and I just don’t have the mines to really make this place secure. I need a few crates of the things,” he said, glancing to the window. “Besides, I think folks here might be glad for the break. I think we’re freaking them out a little.”
"也许吧，但我知道他把很多东西都锁起来了，我只是没有地雷来确保这个地方的安全。我需要几箱这些东西,"他说着，瞥了一眼窗户。"此外，我想这里的人们也许会为这个假期感到高兴。我觉得我们把他们吓坏了。"
“What do you mean?” I frowned, worried. “We haven’t done anything.”
"什么意思?"我皱了皱眉，很担心。"我们什么都没做。"
“Haven’t done anything?” He arched a brow. “You apparently ran in here dripping bloody foam. You then blew up a factory. That was followed by blowing up the number two Reaper in the entire Hoof. And today we’re fortifying the place. It probably looks to them like we’re taking over.”
"什么都没做?"他挑起眉毛。"你显然是跑进来滴着血的泡沫。然后你炸毁了一家工厂。然后炸毁了整个霍夫的第二架收割机。今天我们要加强这个地方的防御。在他们看来，可能是我们在接手。"
“That’s ridiculous!” I snorted. “Four ponies couldn’t take over a town.”
"这太荒谬了!"我哼了一声。"四匹小马不可能占领一个城镇。"
He didn’t laugh. “Blackjack, one of us could if she wanted to. Have you seen Rampage today? She’s hauling around rocks with the strength of ten ponies. Heck, with the way things are now, Glory could if she could fly. And with you in the mix… Blackjack, I’m thinking leaving sooner is better than later.”
他没有笑。"黑杰克，只要她愿意，我们中的一个就可以。你今天看过《狂暴》吗？她用十匹小马的力气拖着石头到处跑。哎呀，以现在的情况来看，如果晨辉能飞的话，她就能飞了。既然你也参与其中......黑杰克，我想越早离开越好。"
I sighed with a scowl. What was the point of saving this place if somepony else came along and just took over? I wanted Flank secure. “When I’m sure that everything will be okay, then we can go. Maybe even tomorrow, if we’re lucky.” Or the day after that. What’s the rush?
我愁眉不展地叹了口气。如果有其他人来接管这里，拯救这个地方又有什么意义呢？我要弗兰克安全。"当我确信一切都会好起来的时候，我们就可以走了。如果幸运的话，甚至可能是明天。"或者后天。为什么这么急？
“If that’s the plan,” he said with a sigh. “Still, if we’re going out, we should leave soon. I’d rather explore the ruins with daylight rather than at night.”
"如果这就是计划的话,"他叹了口气说。"不过，如果我们要出去的话，我们应该很快就走。我宁愿在白天而不是在晚上探索这片废墟。"
“Yeah, and I have mail to deliver out there,” I said as I lifted my remaining letters.
"是的，而且我还有邮件要送,"我一边说一边拿起剩下的信件。
He looked a little concerned. “You know, you can probably just leave them with Caprice and let her handle them.”
他看起来有点担心。"你知道，你也许可以把它们留给凯普莱斯，让她来处理。"
“Tell that to this thing!” I snorted, waving my PipBuck at him. He just smiled, rolling his eyes and shaking his head as he stepped out. I sighed and returned to the opened cabinet, looking at the picture of the gray pony with such poise and confidence. How sad for her to end in this lonely room. I reached out and plucked each string with a hoof, smiling at the clear tones before closing the doors.
"把这话告诉这家伙!"我哼了一声，向他挥舞着我的皮布尔。他只是微笑着，转动着眼珠，走出去的时候摇摇头。我叹了口气，回到打开的柜子前，看着那张灰色小马的照片，显得那么镇定自信。她在这个孤独的房间里结束生命是多么悲伤啊。我伸出手，用蹄子拉起每一根琴弦，对着清脆的音调微笑着，然后关上门。
* * *
* * *
With a shot, Taurus’s rifle tore out the guts of the sentry robot mindlessly patrolling around the Robronco retail store. Sighting with the scope was immensely more effective than using the lighter assault carbine, and the heavy hunting rounds punched through their armor soundly. It was a bit more challenging than just running and shooting, but infinitely safer.
随着一声枪响，金牛座的步枪毫无目的地在Robronco零售店周围巡逻，把哨兵机器人的内脏掏了出来。瞄准镜比使用轻型突击卡宾枪更有效，沉重的狩猎子弹有力地击穿了他们的盔甲。这比跑步和射击更有挑战性，但是安全得多。
“You know, I could just run in and stomp them all into scrap metal,” Rampage said in a bored tone as she drew a picture of a filly in the mud with her hoofclaws.
"你知道，我可以跑进去把它们都踩成碎片,"当她用蹄爪在泥地里画一只小母马时，斯皮格无聊地说。
“And you’d stomp the talismans with them,” Glory pointed out. “That’s why I’m not zapping them either.” Well, and because her AER wasn’t working yet and I had the longest ranged weapon.
"你会用它们踩碎护身符,"格洛里指出。"这就是为什么我也没有电击它们。"好吧，因为她的AER还不能工作，而我有最长的射程武器。
“And…” I fired off the last shot. My aim was just a little bit off and the head of the robot exploded in a spray of shrapnel. “Awww, horseapples,” I muttered, glancing at the small pegasus. “Sorry about that.”
"然后......"我开了最后一枪。我的瞄准有点偏差，机器人的头部被弹片炸开了。"啊，马苹果,"我咕哝着，瞥了一眼小飞马。"很抱歉。"
“Well, we might find more inside. Remember, no smashing the heads if you can help it. Talismans are usually pretty brittle,” she reminded us. “Unless they’re made out of diamonds, but still.” She trotted ahead to examine the robotic remains.
"好吧，我们可能会在里面找到更多。记住，如果可以的话，不要砸别人的头。护身符通常很脆弱,"她提醒我们。"除非它们是钻石做的，但仍然是。"她小跑着向前检查机器人的遗骸。
“She still isn’t flying?” P-21 asked me softly.
"她还是不能飞吗?"P-21轻声问我。
I shook my head, wondering about that. “I dunno why either…” Had removing her cutie mark somehow damaged her ability to fly? Was it psychological? Or maybe something else? “Ugh, I am not a smart pony. I don’t even know how pegasi fly, period.”
我摇了摇头，对此感到疑惑。"我也不知道为什么......"除去她身上的可爱印记是否在某种程度上损害了她的飞行能力？是心理上的吗？或者是别的什么？"唉，我不是一匹聪明的小马。我甚至不知道飞马座的飞行速度，句号。"
“Maaaaagic,” Rampage taunted as she trotted past us towards the store.
"魔幻世界,"她从我们身边疾驰而过，向商店走来，狂暴的狂怒嘲弄着我们。
“Ah, of course,” P-21 muttered with a smile, rolling his eyes and limping after her while I picked up my spent casings before catching up. I watched his leg with a sigh. Scalpel could have healed it after a day or two, but the injury had set; it would take a fully operational health restoration matrix to repair it; basically, a medical megaspell. He would still have to wear that damned leg brace. I silently wished the Wasteland could be a little more fair for once. Bust my leg and let him walk. But the Wasteland didn’t work like that. He got to limp and I got to guilt.
"啊，当然,"P-21微笑着喃喃自语，转动着眼珠，一瘸一拐地跟在她后面，我正在捡我的弹壳，准备追上她。我看着他的腿叹了口气。手术刀本可以在一两天后治愈它，但是伤口已经愈合了;需要一个完全可操作的健康恢复矩阵来修复它;基本上，一个医学巨型体。他还是得戴着那该死的腿支架。我默默地希望这片荒原能够再公平一次。打断我的腿，让他走。但是荒原并不是这样运作的。他一瘸一拐的，我开始感到内疚。
I loaded Cupcake’s revolver and carefully moved into the Robronco retail store. Brown tiles, cracked and water-stained, crunched underhoof as I moved in. Row after row of rusting models stood at attention on their display pedestals. I took three steps before a buzz filled the room and a few lights flickered to life. “Welcome, visitors to the Flankfurt Robronco Outlet Center!” the speakers crackled, and wispy music began to play as we moved through the store. There were red bars on my E.F.S.; clearly not all of these robots were just on display.
我给小蛋糕的左轮手枪上了膛，小心翼翼地走进了罗布朗科零售店。褐色的瓷砖，破碎的，水渍斑斑的，当我走进去的时候，地面嘎吱嘎吱作响。一排排锈迹斑斑的模特们立正站在显示台上。我走了三步，一阵嗡嗡声充满了整个房间，几盏灯闪烁着生命的光芒。"欢迎来到FlankfurtRobroncoOutlet中心!"扬声器噼啪作响，我们在商店里走来走去，纤细的音乐开始响起。我的e.f.s上有红条;显然不是所有这些机器人都只是展示。
As we walked, occasionally an automatic message would spout off as we moved through the display floor. “Here at Robronco, ‘Quality is Key’ is our motto and the motto of our founder, Mr. Horse. Every Robronco unit comes installed with a spark generator capable of months of sustained operation, and with your own handy recharging station, your Robronco robot can operate indefinitely. It’s not just a purchase for you, but for your grandfoals too! Talk to our automated sales rep today.”
我们一边走，一边穿过展示区，时不时会听到一条自动留言。"在罗布朗科,'质量是关键'是我们的座右铭，也是我们创始人霍斯先生的座右铭。每台Robronco机器人都安装了一个可以持续运行数月的火花发生器，并配有自己方便的充电站，你的Robronco机器人可以无限期运行。这不仅仅是为了你，也是为了你的孙子孙女！今天和我们的自动销售代表谈谈吧。"
“You have to admit, machines working two centuries without supervision is
"你不得不承认，在没有监督的情况下工作两个世纪的机器
pretty impressive,” Glory said quietly as she looked at the spritebots floating around the store and playing the bland music.
令人印象深刻,"晨辉看着商店里漂浮着的弹簧机器人，播放着平淡无奇的音乐，平静地说。
“Why are you whispering?” Rampage asked as she pointed at the machines. “They’re playing music, so I’m pretty sure that if something here can hear us, it doesn’t really care.”
"你为什么小声说话?"她指着那些机器问道。"他们在演奏音乐，所以我敢肯定，如果这里有什么东西能听到我们，它也不会真的在乎。"
As she returned her attention to the store around us, I noticed that P-21 was looking at her, his eyes roaming over her more closely than I’d ever seen him regard a mare. “Hey, Rampage...” She looked over her shoulder at him, arching a brow. “Those stripes...”
当她把注意力转回到我们周围的商店时，我注意到P-21正在看着她，他的眼睛在她身上游动得比我见过的任何一次都要近。"嘿，暴怒......"她回过头来看着他，扬起了眉毛。"那些条纹......"
She just smiled like he was a tasty little Mint-al, her pink eyes locking with his.
她只是微笑着，好像他是一个可口的小薄荷铝，她的粉红色的眼睛与他的锁定。
“Yes?” she asked in a tone that did not invite further questioning.
"什么事?"她用一种不会引起进一步质疑的语气问道。
“Well... I...” he began, then swallowed. “Nevermind. I just...” I really wondered if he’d dare trot through this minefield. “Why do you look like a red zebra?”
"嗯......我.....。。」他开始，然后吞下去。"没关系。我只是......"我真的很想知道他是否敢小跑穿过这片雷区。"为什么你看起来像一只红色的斑马?"
She blinked, then laughed. “Oh! Is that all? Wow. I thought you were going to ask me something... you know... personal.” She smiled warmly at him as she approached. “Well the reason is pretty simple...”
她眨了眨眼，然后笑了。"哦！就这些吗？哇。我以为你会问我一些......你知道的......私人问题。"当她走近时，她热情地向他微笑。"原因很简单......"
“Yes?” he asked as she walked towards him languidly.
"什么事?"他一边问，一边看着她无精打采地走向他。
She grinned as she stretched her face towards his, making him lean back nervously as she replied, “It’s ‘cause I want to.” Then she turned and continued picking through the store. He gave a smoldering glare at her and then glanced at me, daring me to comment. I just smiled as I looked at some of the interesting robots.
她咧开嘴笑着，把脸转向他，让他紧张地向后靠着，她回答说:"这是'因为我想这么做'。"然后她转过身继续在商店里挑挑拣拣。他闷闷不乐地看了她一眼，然后又看了我一眼，看我敢不敢评论。我只是微笑着看着一些有趣的机器人。
I passed by the standard ‘Protectapony’ sentry model and two spidery ‘Mr. Handy’ and ‘Mr. Gutsy’ models, levitation talismans long ago given out. I noted a larger metallic pony balanced on two wheels between its hooves. A flat screen stared out of where a face would normally go. “The PDQ-88p Securipony is our newest upgrade for home and municipal security. With its automated repair and restoration upgrades, the system will be able to continue performing indefinitely against all threats.” There was a momentary pause, and then the voice said, softly and quickly, “Automated repair and restoration options are not yet available at this time. Please contact a Robronco customer service representative for further details.”
我通过了标准的"Protectapony"哨兵模型和两个蜘蛛型的"Handy先生"和"Gutsy先生"模型，这是很久以前发放的悬浮护身符。我注意到一匹更大的金属马，它的蹄子之间有两个轮子。一块平板电视盯着人脸通常会出现的地方。"PDQ-88p安保系统是我们家庭和市政安全的最新升级产品。通过自动修复和恢复升级，系统将能够无限期地对所有威胁进行执行。"有一个短暂的停顿，然后声音说，轻柔和迅速,"自动修复和恢复选项尚未提供在这个时候。详情请与罗布朗科客户服务代表联系。"
In the corner hulked a massive four-wheeled robot that looked more like an enormous crab than a pony. Four heavy tires supported each of its splayed legs, and its vaguely equine head was nestled between armored shoulders. A minigun poked from one shoulder and a missile launcher from the other. “The SP ‘Workhorse’ series of sentry ponies combines maximum firepower with a reinforced and magically shielded chassis capable of withstanding shock spells. When in place, you know the Workhorse is going to be keeping you nice and safe.” I looked at the looming mechanical monster, scratching my mane absent-mindedly as the speaker added softly, “Robronco not liable for collateral damage, injury, or death thirty days after placement. Please contact a Robronco customer service representative for further details.”
角落里停着一个巨大的四轮机器人，看起来更像一只巨大的螃蟹，而不是一匹小马。四个沉重的轮胎支撑着它张开的两条腿，它那模糊的马头依偎在装甲的肩膀之间。一支迷你枪从一个肩膀戳了过来，另一个肩膀又戳了一个导弹发射器。"工作马"系列哨兵小马结合了最大的火力，加强和魔法屏蔽底盘能够承受冲击法术。一旦到位，你就知道"苦力马"会保护你的安全。"我看着这个隐约可见的机械怪物，心不在焉地抓着我的鬃毛，因为扬声器轻声地加了一句:"Robronco在安置后30天内不负责间接伤害(电影)、伤害或死亡。详情请与罗布朗科客户服务代表联系。"
“I didn’t know Robronco was in the business of supplying tanks,” Glory said solemnly.
"我不知道罗布朗科公司从事坦克供应业务,"晨辉严肃地说。
“Tanks?” Rampage looked up at the machine and snorted. “That’s not a tank. A US… that’s a tank.” Then she stopped and scowled, but I couldn’t tell at what.
"坦克?"狂暴抬头看着机器哼了一声。"那不是坦克。一个美国......那是一辆坦克。"然后她停了下来，皱起了眉头，但我看不出是什么。
“A what?”
"一个什么?"
“Robronco Ultra-Sentinel. And if you find one, you’ll know. Then you’ll be dead,” Rampage said as she focused and suddenly struck out with her hoof. The impact left an inch-deep impression in its armor.
"RobroncoUltra-Sentinel.如果你找到了，你就会知道了。那你就死定了,"朗格说着集中精力，突然用蹄子踢了一下。这次撞击在它的盔甲上留下了一英寸深的印记。
P-21 looked at the indentation and then asked with a smirk, “Then how do you know about them and yet still live?”
P-21看着压痕，然后傻笑着问道:"那么你怎么知道他们，而且还活着呢?"
But for some reason the question really seemed to piss her off. “‘Cause I’m really tough to kill,” she replied, her scowl darkening.
但出于某种原因，这个问题似乎真的惹恼了她。"因为我真的很难杀死,"她回答，她的怒容暗淡下来。
I rolled my eyes, keeping the revolver floating beside me. The door to the back was marked ‘Maintenance Garage: authorized Robronco employees only.’ From the red bars, it was fairly clear that whatever was in there was unfriendly.
我翻了翻眼睛，把左轮手枪悬浮在身边。后面的门上写着"维修车库:只接受Robronco员工"从红色的栏杆上可以清楚地看出里面的东西是不友好的。
I guardedly pushed my way through into a mess. Neat stacks of robot parts had tumbled down and lay rusting in iron-reeking pools. An unwholesome rainbow hue spread around the racks of spoiled electronics and scrap metal piles. A broken pipe near the ceiling sprinkled foul water down into the mechanics pits. Despite the corrosion on every surface, however, the beam turrets near the roof slowly rotated this way and that, searching for intruders, and I heard the odd
我小心翼翼地挤过去，陷入一片狼藉。一堆堆整齐的机器人零件滚落下来，躺在散发着铁臭味的水池里生锈。一种不健康的彩虹色调散布在满是损坏的电子产品和废旧金属堆的货架上。靠近天花板的一根破裂的管子向机械坑里洒下了污水。尽管每个表面都有腐蚀，然而，靠近屋顶的梁塔缓慢地转动着，寻找入侵者，我听到了奇怪的声音
hum of a levitation talisman somewhere on the second floor.
在二楼的某个地方，有一种飘浮的魔法的嗡嗡声。
My PipBuck began to crackle as I walked past a bank of spoiled spark batteries. The burst containers oozed purple and orange glowy fluids into the water around my hooves, and my radiation meter responded accordingly. Without a word, Glory passed out tablets of Rad-X. Rampage looked at it scornfully. “What, you’re immune to radiation too?”
当我走过一堆坏掉的火花电池时，我的PipBuck开始发出劈啪声。爆裂的容器中渗出紫色和橙色的发光液体进入我蹄子周围的水中，我的辐射测量仪也做出了相应的反应。没有一句话，晨辉分发了平板电脑的Rad-X。狂暴轻蔑地看着它。"什么，你也对辐射免疫吗?"
“Nope. But it can’t kill me,” she said as she then trotted ahead of us out into the open. “Enough sneaking around!” she yelled brightly, “This is getting boring!”
"没有。但它杀不死我,"她说，然后在我们前面小跑到开阔地。"别再偷偷摸摸的了!"她欢快地喊道,"这越来越无聊了!"
“Warning! Warning! You are not authorized to be here! Warning! Surrender immediately!” Unfortunately, neither the robots nor the turrets seemed likely to recognize ‘surrender’, and Rampage certainly wasn’t in the mood as Protectapony robots shambled forward like metal zombies and the turrets began to spray beams of crimson death at her. Her metal armor blackened as it deflected some of the energy, and she launched herself across the room to rip the robots to pieces.
"警告！警告！你没有权利来这里！警告！马上投降!"不幸的是，无论是机器人还是炮塔似乎都不可能识别出'投降'，当Protectapony机器人像金属僵尸一样蹒跚前行，炮塔开始向她喷射深红色的死亡光束时，狂暴肯定没有心情。她的金属盔甲变黑，因为它偏转了一些能量，她发射自己穿过房间撕成碎片的机器人。
“Mind the heads -- yipe!” Glory called out as the turrets detected us and let out a rapid-fire stream of magical energy that scorched holes in my barding and hide. I narrowed my eyes and brought up S.A.T.S., putting four heavy revolver rounds into the casing. Glory finished it off with two pink bolts of disintegrating magic. Unfortunately, our fire seemed to be waking up more of the machines. They stepped out of their waterlogged recharging stations, dripping rust. In fact, I wasn’t exactly sure how much of a threat they were till their unrusted heads started to fire.
"小心头——哎呀!"炮塔发现了我们，发出一股魔法能量的急流，烧焦了我的帐篷和藏身之处，晨辉随之而来。我眯起眼睛，拿出了s.a.t.s，在弹壳里放了四发左轮手枪。格洛里用两道粉红色的魔法结束了这一切。不幸的是，我们的火似乎唤醒了更多的机器。他们带着满是水渍的铁锈走出充电站。事实上，我并不确定它们究竟有多大的威胁，直到它们那不安的脑袋开始开火。
I put the last two rounds into the chest of a shambling metal pony. Then, with an electric shock, the pony exploded! Hot, sharp metal showered down over me as a jolt shocked my hooves. “C…careful! They’re really… unstable.”
我把最后两发子弹打进了一匹摇摇晃晃的金属小马的胸膛。然后，一个电击，小马爆炸了！滚烫、锋利的金属雨点般地落在我身上，震动着我的蹄子。"c..小心！它们真的......不稳定。"
“They’re not the only thing!” Glory shouted, Rampage laughing like a maniac as she bucked the sparking remains into a turret. A door slid open, and out rolled a Workhorse sentry.
"他们不是唯一的东西!"晨辉呼喊着，狂暴像疯子一样大笑，她挣扎着把冒着火花的残骸扔进一个炮塔里。一扇门打开了，一个工马哨兵滚了出来。
“Rampage! Big one! Sic it!” I shouted as I dumped the shell casings into the water and loaded six more of the large-caliber pistol bullets. The robot’s left
"横冲直撞！大家伙！咬吧!"我边喊边把弹壳扔进水里，又装了六颗大口径手枪子弹。机器人在左边
shoulder popped open and sent a missile through the air, blasting into the striped pony and sending her flying into a heap of robotic scrap. It rolled slowly around, bringing that gatling gun to bear. “Nevermind! Scatter!” I shouted as I ran across the loading bay, away from P-21 and Glory. Cupcake’s gun barked in rather pathetic fashion, even with S.A.T.S. guiding the shots to the eerie whine of the minigun strafing after me.
她的肩膀突然张开，一枚导弹从空中飞过，击中了那匹有条纹的矮种马，把她撞成了一堆机器人碎片。它慢慢地转过身来，把那门格林机枪举了起来。"没关系！散开!"我边喊边跑过卸货区，远离P-21和晨辉。小蛋糕的枪发出了相当可悲的叫声，尽管s.a.t.s把枪声引向了紧跟着我的机枪发出的可怕的呜呜声。
The sensation of being hit by a minigun was entirely different from anything I’d felt before. I felt as though I’d been slipped underneath a sewing machine without thread. From ass to rib, a line of small deadly rounds tried to perforate anywhere not covered by armor, and managed to punch through a few places regardless. I collapsed into the mucky water, falling behind an overturned desk.
被小型枪击中的感觉和我以前感觉到的完全不同。我觉得自己好像被塞进了一台没有线的缝纫机里。从屁股到肋骨，一排致命的小子弹试图在没有盔甲覆盖的任何地方打孔，并且不顾一切地打穿了几个地方。我瘫倒在泥泞的水中，跌倒在翻倒的桌子后面。
“Stay down!” P-21 shouted, drawing a shock grenade as the Workhorse sentry rolled through the water. He tossed it right in front of the robot, and it detonated with an oddly anticlimactic beep and crackle. The robot, however, jerked spasmodically as its spell matrices were assaulted. It didn’t stop, though.
"趴下!"当"工作马"哨兵在水中翻滚时，P-21大声喊道，并拉出一枚震荡手榴弹。他把它扔在机器人面前，机器人发出古怪的、虎头蛇尾的哔哔声和劈啪声。然而，当它的法术矩阵受到攻击时，机器人还是断断续续地抽搐起来。尽管如此，它并没有停止。
Suddenly, the pile of scrap was tossed aside as Rampage rose with a hysterical laugh. The left side of her face had melted to the bone, yet I could see the flesh crawling back into place. Her lips dripped foam from Stampede and, laughing madly, she charged through the muck towards the robot. It turned its minigun on her, and I watched in horror as the stream of rounds ripped face from flesh and flesh from bone. Yet she didn’t fall! She ran against the stream of fire even as it tore into her chest, as if it were just a light shower of rain! Churned organs fell into the water as she closed the distance. Suddenly the gun clicked, its ammo expended.
突然，一阵歇斯底里的笑声把那堆废铁扔到一边。她的左脸已经融化到骨头里了，但我还是能看到她的肉又爬回原位。她的嘴唇从斯蒂姆佩德嘴里流出泡沫，疯狂地笑着，穿过淤泥向机器人冲去。它把它的迷你枪对准了她，我惊恐地看着一连串的子弹撕开了她的脸，撕开了骨头上的肉。但是她没有摔倒！她逆着火焰冲进胸膛，仿佛那只是一阵小雨！当她拉近距离时，搅动的器官掉进了水里。突然，枪发出咔嗒声，弹药耗尽。
Rampage lacked face, throat, and apparently lungs. None of that stopped her from launching herself through the air and slamming into the robot with such force that one of its front legs was torn from its socket. Her head turned and gripped the handle of one of the blades she carried, pulling out something resembling a cross between a chainsaw and a knife. Her bloody jaws clenched and the weapon began to whirr. Hooves locked on, the Reaper began to tear into the body with the sparking saw blade.
狂暴缺少面部、喉咙和明显的肺部。所有这些都没有阻止她从空中跳起，用力猛击机器人，以至于机器人的一条前腿从插座上被扯下来。她转过头来，紧紧抓住自己手中的一把刀的柄，拿出一个类似于电锯和刀之间交叉的东西。她血淋淋的下巴紧咬着，武器开始呼呼作响。蹄子锁定，收割者开始撕裂身体与火花锯片。
The robot responded by simply collapsing against Rampage. I heard bones shatter as even her strength wasn’t enough to stop its incredible mass… or was it? Slowly, she rose on broken limbs and tore her way deeper into the machine
机器人的反应就是简单地崩溃以对抗暴怒。我听到骨头碎裂的声音，因为即使她的力量也不足以阻止它那难以置信的质量......或者是这样？慢慢地，她站起身来，用破碎的四肢撕开机器，钻得更深了
with savage sweeps of her head. A panel finally gave way, and with an electric shock it exploded and went silent. Rampage stood there, shaking, a strange pink light seeming to stitch her slowly together as we watched. Glory approached with a restoration potion in her mouth, but Rampage just looked her in the eye and shook her head firmly. Glory brought the potion to me instead.
用野蛮的方式扫过她的头。一块仪表板终于塌了下来，在电击的作用下，它爆炸了，沉默了。狂暴站在那里，浑身颤抖，一道奇怪的粉红色光线似乎在慢慢地把她缝合在一起。晨辉在她的嘴里注入了复原药水，但是狂暴只是看着她的眼睛，坚定地摇了摇头。晨辉却给我带来了魔药。
The strange pink glow faded, her flesh restored. Suddenly, she hunched over and puked a deluge of bloody minigun rounds over and over again. As the magic potion restored my flesh, she screamed and began to claw at herself, tearing open gruesome knots that bulged under her skin. As each tore open, blood and more minigun rounds tumbled into the water. With a scream of rage she went through the shop like an earthquake, ripping and tearing at everything around her in blind fury. We simply retreated upstairs, unsure if she could recognize friend from foe.
奇怪的粉红色的光褪去了，她的肉体恢复了。突然，她弯下腰，一次又一次地吐出血淋淋的迷你枪子弹。当魔法药水恢复了我的肉体，她尖叫着，开始用爪子抓自己，撕开皮肤下膨胀的可怕的疙瘩。随着每一个都被撕开，鲜血和更多的迷你炮弹滚落到水中。随着一声愤怒的尖叫，她像地震一样穿过商店，在盲目的愤怒中撕扯着她周围的一切。我们只是退到楼上，不确定她是否能分辨出敌友。
Finally she collapsed, shaking as she hung her head and wept. Slowly I approached her. “Rampage? Are you okay?” It was right at the top of my list of stupid questions I shouldn’t ask.
最后，她瘫倒在地，低下头哭泣，浑身发抖。我慢慢地走近她。"横冲直撞？你还好吗?"这是我不应该问的最愚蠢的问题。
She stared right at me with her wet pink eyes and spat a bullet in my face. “What the fuck do you think?” Without another word she turned and walked back out front.
她用湿润的粉红色眼睛盯着我，朝我的脸上吐了一颗子弹。"你他妈的在想什么?"她一句话也没说就转身走回了前门。
I returned to the others upstairs. “What did that? Stampede?”
我回到楼上的其他人那里。""那是什么？蜂拥而至?"
“I…” Glory opened and closed her mouth in shock. “Nothing could do that! Nothing. Did you see that trauma? She was missing her face! Multiple compound fractures in her limbs and ribs and she still stood.”
"我.....。。」晨辉震惊地张开嘴巴，又闭上嘴巴。"什么也做不到！没什么。你看到那个外伤了吗？她的脸都没了！四肢和肋骨多处复合性骨折，她仍然站着。"
“Right...” I looked the way Rampage had gone and then looked at Glory. “Right. You find your talismans…” I looked at P-21. “You see if you can find anything else valuable. I’m going to make sure she’s… stable.” Clearly they didn’t envy me my job.
"对......"我看了看狂暴离去的方式，然后看了看晨辉。"对。你找到了你的护身符......"我看了看P-21。"你看看能不能找到其他有价值的东西。我要确保她......情况稳定。"显然他们并不羡慕我的工作。
I made my way out in front of the retail store and was met by the sight of Rampage picking her nose with a hoofclaw. I balked a moment as she snorted, and then blew three bloody rounds from her sinuses. “This is a real bad time, Blackjack.”
我走到零售店门口，看到狂暴女子正用蹄爪挖鼻孔。我犹豫了一会儿，她哼了一声，然后从鼻窦里喷了三发血淋淋的子弹。"现在真的不是时候，Blackjack。"
“What are you?” I asked as I walked to her.
"你是什么?"我一边走向她一边问道。
“Good question,” she muttered.
"好问题,"她喃喃自语。
I stepped in front of her. “I need to know. How did you just do that?”
我走到她前面。"我需要知道。你是怎么做到的?"
“Piss off, Blackjack. I don’t owe you or anypony else answers.”
"滚开，黑杰克。我不欠你什么，也不欠别人什么答案。"
I sighed. “Rampage… I want to help you if I can.”
我叹了口气。"横冲直撞......如果可以的话，我想帮助你。"
“You… you want to help… heh…” She began to laugh, sitting down hard. “Well of course you do. That’s what you do, after all.” She grinned at me and I suddenly appreciated how shiny recently regenerated teeth were. “So why don’t you go ahead and tell me? What am I?”
"你......你想帮忙......呵......"她开始大笑起来，重重地坐下。""你当然知道。毕竟，这就是你要做的。"她冲我咧嘴笑了笑，我突然意识到新生的牙齿是多么的光亮。""那么你为什么不直接告诉我呢？我是什么?"
“Don’t fuck around with--” I began, but she rose and thrust her face into mine.
"别胡闹——"我开始说，但她站起身来，把脸凑到我脸上。
“What the fuck am I?” she screamed in my face, and it took everything I had not to shoot her with a magic bullet in reflex. “How the fuck do I do what I do? How did I just do that? How do I know what an Ultra-Sentinel is? I’ve never even seen one before! Why is it I can speak Zebra? How come I can drink radioactive waste till I’m shitting rainbows and still not fucking die? Why do I come back again and again and again?” She gripped my shoulders with her hooves, claws digging in as she screamed, “Who the fuck am I, Blackjack?”
"我他妈算什么?"她对着我的脸尖叫，我不得不用尽一切办法反射出一颗神奇的子弹射向她。"我他妈的该怎么做？我是怎么做到的？我怎么知道什么是终极哨兵？我以前从来没有见过！为什么我会说斑马语？为什么我可以喝放射性废物，直到我拉出彩虹，仍然他妈的不死？为什么我一次又一次地回来?"她用蹄子紧紧抓住我的肩膀，爪子深深地陷进去，尖叫着:"我他妈的是谁，黑杰克?"
“Rampage!” I shouted through gritted teeth as her hoofclaws shoved in deeper and deeper.
"横冲直撞!"我咬紧牙关喊道，她的蹄爪越来越深。
“Who!? What? Why can’t I fucking die? Why!” she yelled hysterically.
"谁？什么？为什么我他妈的不能死？为什么!"她歇斯底里地大叫。
Okay. There was ‘not okay’, and then there was an entire world of fucked-upness that transcended all boundaries of normalcy. I’d visited there for a couple of days while travelling with Glory. Rampage apparently lived there full time.
好吧。这里有"不好"，然后是一个超越所有正常界限的整个操蛋的世界。我和晨辉一起旅行的时候去过那里几天。暴怒显然一直生活在那里。
Unfortunately, Rampage was also about to rip my forelegs off. I hit S.A.T.S. and toggled four magic shots at both her knees. My horn flashed over and over again as the magical bullets tore through flesh and bone. With two small explosions her forehooves came off and we fell away from each other.
不幸的是，狂暴也差点撕掉我的前腿。我打了s.a.t.s，在她的两个膝盖上弹了四下。当魔法子弹撕裂肉体和骨头时，我的号角一遍又一遍地闪烁。随着两声小小的爆炸，她的前蹄脱落了，我们彼此分开了。
She hissed in pain as I panted, drawing the pump action shotgun. I doubted it would actually do anything, but I wasn’t going to fuck around. Those claws hurt. Before my eyes the pink light returned and she shook as bone extended from the stumps. Flesh and muscle wrapped around it, and finally skin and hoof
我喘着粗气，她痛苦地嘶嘶叫着，画着泵动式。我怀疑它是不是真的有用，但我不会到处乱搞。那些爪子很疼。粉红色的光在我眼前重现，她颤抖着，因为骨头从树桩里伸出来。肉和肌肉包裹着它，最后是皮和蹄
materialized.
物化。
For a moment I was afraid she was going to charge me, but instead she just took a deep breath and walked over to her own dismembered legs, removing the claws and tossing her limbs aside.
有那么一会儿，我还担心她会冲向我，但她只是深深地吸了一口气，然后走到自己被肢解的腿边，拔掉爪子，把四肢扔到一边。
“You don’t know who you are or what you are?” I asked softly.
"你不知道你是谁，也不知道你是什么?"我轻声问道。
She looked pissed, but finally slumped as she said softly, “My earliest memory was a while ago. Some ghouls found me in the Miramare crater with half a tank lodged in my skull. They must have thought I was a ghoul like them because they pulled me out. Surprise surprise when I had a pulse. I was completely clueless. They used me, then sold me to some pieces of shit that eventually founded Paradise. After a few years I was sick of getting fucked and broke free.
她看上去很生气，但最后还是垂头丧气地说:"我最早的记忆是很久以前的事了。一些食尸鬼在米拉马雷陨石坑里找到了我，我的头骨里还卡着半个油箱。他们一定认为我和他们一样是个食尸鬼，因为他们把我拉了出来。当我还有脉搏的时候，我感到惊讶。我完全没有头绪。他们利用了我，然后把我卖给了一些混蛋，最终建立了天堂。几年之后，我厌倦了被操和被挣脱。
“I drifted a little bit and found Scalpel when she was still a wandering medic with old Bonesaw. Tried to figure me out. Scalpel eventually found that heap of a healing booth, rigged the auto-doc and put down roots in Flank. Bonesaw settled down in Megamart. Me? I ended up in Chapel when it was just me and a dumb colt wanting to fix up that stupid church of his.”
"我漂泊了一会儿，发现了手术刀，当时她还是一个带着老骨头的漂泊医生。试着了解我。解剖刀最终找到了那堆治疗室，操纵了自动医生，在弗兰克身上扎下了根。Bonesaw在Megamart定居下来。我？最后我来到了小教堂，那时只有我和一匹傻乎乎的小马，想要修理他那座愚蠢的教堂。"
“You knew Priest?” Something about my question make her smirk.
"你认识牧师?"我的问题有些地方让她得意地笑了。
“Knew him? I fucked him.” That sent a slap through me, before she added with a chuckle, “Or I wanted to anyway. We hung out together and found more kids; usually the young of ponies making the walk…”
""认识他吗？我干了他。"这句话打了我一巴掌，她笑着补充说:"或者说，我也想这么做。我们一起出去玩，发现了更多的孩子，通常是小马驹在散步......"
“Pilgrims,” I muttered.
"朝圣者,"我喃喃自语。
“Yeah, that’s what he called them. Young colts and fillies, though… they’re tougher, haven’t been worn down as bad. They stuck around rather than following their parents, and we formed the Crusaders together.” She sighed softly. “I always wished I could be one of them.” I remembered what Scoodle had mentioned so many days back.
"是的，他就是这么称呼他们的。年轻的小马和小雌马，虽然......他们更坚强，没有像坏消耗。他们没有跟随父母，而是留了下来，我们一起组成了十字军。"她轻轻地叹了口气。"我一直希望自己能成为他们中的一员。"我想起了史酷德几天前说过的话。
“Arloste…” I murmured, getting a sharp look. “That’s your name.”
"阿洛斯特......"我低声说，目光锐利。"那是你的名字。"
“It was a name Scalpel made up for me. Before that I was ‘the fuckmare’,” she said sharply, then sighed and rolled her eyes. “Arloste. Are Lost.” She shook her head. “Eventually I got sick of it. I wasn’t like him. It… hurt… to be around
"这是手术刀给我起的名字。"在那之前，我是'那匹性交母马',"她厉声说道，然后叹了口气，转了转眼珠。"阿罗斯特。迷失了方向。"她摇了摇头。"最终我厌倦了它。我不像他。在周围...很...受伤
him. So I left. Wandered around. Crossed paths with a Reaper named Rampage. She swore she could kill me twenty different ways. I was only looking for one. Turns out she was a lot squishier than me. Big Daddy Reaper let me join. Took her name and her armor… I was tired of Arloste. Too many regrets.”
他。所以我离开了。四处游荡。遇到了一个叫狂暴的死神。她发誓她可以用二十种不同的方式杀了我。我只是在找一个。结果发现她比我还爱挤。死神老爹让我加入。取了她的名字和盔甲...我厌倦了阿罗斯特。太多遗憾了。"
“And then Big Daddy sent you to me,” I said in conclusion.
"然后老爹把你送到我这里来,"我最后说。
She gave a mirthless smile and shrug. “I want to fucking die, Blackjack. You’ve been out in the Wasteland for a couple of weeks. I’ve been staring it in the face for years, and it’s not getting better. The Hoof is a meat grinder. Ponies keep coming and they keep dying. It’s getting worse. The poison spreads a little more every day and one day, if I don’t die, I think I’m going to be the last living thing in the stinking corpse of Equestria.”
她不高兴地笑了笑，耸了耸肩。"我他妈的想死，Blackjack。你已经在荒原呆了几个星期了。我已经盯着它很多年了，它没有变得更好。霍夫是一个绞肉机。小马不停地来，它们不停地死去。情况越来越糟。毒药每天都在扩散，如果我不死，我想我会成为这个小马国发臭的尸体里最后一个活着的东西。"
“So just go to the Core. They’ll vaporize you instantly and...” And our eyes met. Her face was a mask of horror. “You’ve been there, haven’t you?”
"那就去核心区吧。他们会立刻把你蒸发掉，然后......"我们的目光相遇。她的脸上带着恐惧的表情。"你去过那里，是吗?"
“I’m not going to talk about it,” she whispered softly.
"我不想谈这件事,"她轻声说。
“But…”
"但是......"
Like that she was on top of me. “Not! Talking! About! It!” And looking into her eyes I knew she’d kill me right now rather than say another word.
就像她压在我身上一样。""不！说话！关于！它!"看着她的眼睛，我知道她现在宁愿杀了我也不愿再说一个字。
“Okay. Okay…” I grunted in pain; she was heavy in that armor. Slowly she climbed off me. “I just wish there was something I could do…”
"好吧。"好吧......"我痛苦地咕哝着，她穿着厚重的盔甲。她慢慢地从我身上爬下来。"我只是希望我能做些什么......"
“Join the club. But that’s the great thing about the Wasteland: it will throw shit at you time and time again, letting you stare at it in frustration like a glass of nice cool water on the other side of some bars while you’re dying of thirst,” she said as she looked at me, “And you want to know the really fucked up part? You’ll go crazy and bash your skull to paste before you die of thirst.”
"加入俱乐部吧。但这就是荒原最棒的地方:它会一次又一次地向你扔大便，让你沮丧地盯着它，就像你渴得要死的时候，在酒吧的另一边喝一杯清凉的水,"她看着我说,"你想知道真正糟糕的是什么吗？你会发疯的，在你渴死之前敲碎你的脑袋。"
* * *
* * *
Inside, I found P-21 in the upstairs offices as Glory examined the glyph-marked talismans glowing calmly on their shelves in a storeroom. He was working on a terminal, scowling at the screen as he struggled with password after password. He looked up at me. “I can’t believe I’m asking this, but how is she?”
在里面，我在楼上的办公室里找到了P-21，晨辉正在检查储藏室架子上那些平静地发光的符号标记的护身符。他正在一个终端上工作，愁眉苦脸地看着屏幕，一个密码接着一个密码。他抬头看着我。"我不敢相信我会问这个，但是她怎么样了?"
“Messed up, so she’s in perfect company,” I replied with a wan smile. “It’s weird. I’m so used to being the nexus of messed-upness in the universe. I don’t know how to handle other ponies’ pain.”
"一团糟，所以她有个很好的伙伴,"我回答说，脸上带着苍白的微笑。"这很奇怪。我已经习惯了成为宇宙混乱的一部分。我不知道如何处理其他小马的痛苦。"
“How did Glory and I help you?” he asked with a smile.
"晨辉和我是怎么帮你的?"他笑着问道。
“Lots of hugs, and not killing me,” I added with a chuckle.
"很多的拥抱，而且不会要了我的命,"我笑着补充道。
“Yeah, that last bits helps a lot,” he said, then closed out the screen again. “Ugh, somepony was a paranoid bastard!” He looked at me with a sigh. “This is taking forever. All I can say is, it better be worth it, or I’m going to invent time travel just to kick her ass!”
"是的，最后一点帮助很大,"他说，然后又关闭了屏幕。"呃，某个小马是个偏执的混蛋!"他叹了口气看着我。"这要花很长时间。我只能说，最好物有所值，否则我会发明时间旅行来教训她!"
I thought back to the memory orb of the Princesses. I’d try and do… better… if I had such a spell.
我想起了公主们的记忆球。如果我有这样的咒语，我会努力做得更好。
“Anyway, present for the horn head club,” he said as he reached into his pouch and pulled out another memory orb. “Found it hidden in a drawer. Not sure if you’d want it…” he added. “Your track record with orbs is a little spotty.”
"无论如何，这是给角头俱乐部的礼物,"他一边说，一边把手伸进口袋，拿出另一个记忆球。"在一个抽屉里找到的。不知道你是否想要......"他补充道。"你的球体记录有点参差不齐。"
“Yeah but…” I swept it up in my magic and looked at him. “Like you said. I may as well since I’ll be waiting either way.”
"是的，但是......"我用魔法把它扫了一遍，看着他。"就像你说的那样。不管怎样我都会等的。"
“Sure. We have to do the actual looting while you take a stroll through other ponies’ memories.” From the nervous look in his eyes I could tell he wasn’t serious; he clearly remembered the last time I went into an orb and didn’t come out of it.
"当然。我们必须在你漫步在其他小马的记忆中的时候实际上去打劫。"从他紧张的眼神中我可以看出他不是认真的;他清楚地记得上次我进入一个圆球而没有出来的情景。
“It’s a dirty job, but some mare’s got to do it!” I chuckled and raised the orb in a salute before touching it to my horn, hoping I didn’t come out of this dead, mutilated, or crying. The world whirled away.
"这是个肮脏的工作，但总得有母马来做!"我咯咯地笑着，举起圆球敬礼，然后把它碰到我的号角上，希望我不会从这个死去的、残缺不全的或者哭泣的东西里出来。世界旋转而去。
oooOOOooo
噢噢噢
I was standing in a factory of some sort. A laboratory? Lots of ponies standing around a table looking serious and frowning at a heap of scrap metal. Lots of nervous ponies in lab coats. I was in a mare; no wings, but she had a horn. Somehow things were just clearer when I was in a unicorn mare.
我站在某种工厂里。实验室？许多小马围着桌子站着，看起来很严肃，皱着眉头看着一堆废金属。许多紧张的小马穿着白大褂。我是在一匹母马;没有翅膀，但她有一个角。不知怎么的，当我在一匹独角兽母马里的时候，事情变得更清楚了。
“Three Ministry Mares for a test demonstration? Is Horse mad?” a mustard-
"三匹马参加测试示范？马疯了吗?"芥末
colored mare whispered softly in my ear. Then I noticed the three sets of cutie marks directly in front of my host: three apples, a group of white stars around a large purple one, and a cloud and thunderbolt.
有色的母马在我耳边轻声低语。然后我注意到我的主人正前方有三组可爱的标记:三个苹果，围绕着一个大的紫色星星的一组白色星星，以及一片云和雷电。
Rainbow Dash gave a very vocal yawn. “Boring. When’s this thing supposed to start?”
彩虹·达什打了个响亮的哈欠。"无聊。这东西什么时候开始?"
“Shhhh,” Applejack shushed, “He may be a cocky jackass, but Mr. Horse knows robots like no other.”
"嘘,"苹果白兰地嘘了一声,"他可能是个骄傲的混蛋，但是马先生对机器人的了解是独一无二的。"
“I wish he’d start,” Twilight Sparkle said with her own impatient little huff.
"我希望他能开始,"紫悦说，带着她自己不耐烦的小气。
“Tarnation, girl, you in that much of a hurry to get ta the lunch reception?”
"该死的，姑娘，你这么急着去参加午餐招待会?"
Twilight Sparkle bowed her head a little. “Actually, I had some other things to take care of, since I’m in Hoofington anyway.”
紫悦微微低下了头。"事实上，我还有其他事情要处理，反正我是在Hoofington。"
“You actually want to do things here?” Rainbow Dash asked with a small frown. “If Shadowbolt Tower weren’t here, I’d never come. Hoofington’s like the fug-ugliest city I’ve ever seen.” A number of stallions and mares looked at her with poorly concealed frowns and she added, unabashed, “Well, it is.”
"你真的想在这里做事吗?"彩虹·达什皱着眉头问道。"如果没有暗影螺栓塔，我是不会来的。胡芬顿是我见过的最丑陋的城市。"许多公马和母马皱着眉头看着她，她毫不掩饰地补充说:"嗯，的确是这样。"
“Still, it’s churning out discoveries by the week. If things weren’t so busy in Canterlot, I’d relocate some projects here. It’s nice to be able to coordinate things with the M.o.P. or M.o.M.,” Twilight Sparkle said brightly.
"尽管如此，它每周都有大量的发现。如果Canterlot不是那么忙的话，我会把一些项目搬到这里。能够与m.o.p或m.o.m协调事情真是太好了，紫悦公司高兴地说。
“Speaking of Morale, have you talked to Pinkie Pie, Twilight?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Like, recently?”
"说到士气，你和平奇·派谈过了吗，暮光之城?"彩虹·达什问。"比如，最近?"
“No. Not for almost a month, with everything so busy. Is she alright?”
"没有。差不多一个月了，一切都那么忙碌。她还好吗?"
Rainbow Dash looked hesitant as she rubbed her mane. “She’s… just being way more random than usual. I haven’t seen her like this since--”
彩虹·达什摩挲着鬃毛，显得犹豫不决。"她......只是比平时随意多了。我很久没见过她这样了，自从——"
“Fillies and gentlecolts, thank you for coming,” a pale gold earth pony stallion said as he trotted up to the table with a cloth-covered round drum on his back. He had the strangest little pencil-thin mustache and sparse, narrow brown mane. His cutie mark, perhaps appropriately enough, was three gears. He bucked his hips, caught the round cylinder neatly on his head, and then bounced it off to hold it in his hooves before the crowd. “What I have inside this container is
"小雌马和绅士们，谢谢你们的到来,"一匹苍白的金土种马一边说，一边背着一个盖着布的圆鼓小跑到桌前。他有着最奇怪的小胡子——细细的胡子，稀疏的棕色鬃毛。他的可爱标志，也许足够恰当，是三个齿轮。他扭起臀部，把圆筒整齐地套在头上，然后反弹起来，在人群面前用蹄子夹住它。"我在这个集装箱里的东西是
going to revolutionize manufacturing as we know it.” Even Rainbow Dash looked interested now, as he set the container beside the pile of scrap metal. “I give you, the mechasprite!”
将彻底改变我们所知的制造业"就连彩虹·达什也看起来很感兴趣，因为他把集装箱放在一堆废金属旁边。"我给你，这个机器人!"
And he whisked the cloth away to reveal… a glass jar full of ball bearings?
然后他迅速地把布拿开，露出一个装满滚珠轴承的玻璃罐子？
“Uhhh… that’s it?” Twilight asked in confusion.
"呃......就这样?"暮色困惑地问道。
“The normal ones are annoying enough! Now we’re making our own out of metal?” Rainbow Dash complained.
"正常的人已经够烦人的了！现在我们要用金属做自己的了?"彩虹破折号抱怨道。
“I beg you to be patient,” he said with a broad grin, his eyes sweeping the ground and silencing the murmuring. “Think of all the steps involved in manufacturing! Ore must be extracted, refined, and shipped; parts must be fabricated, then assembled. If only there was a way to shape the raw material directly into the end product!” He stroked the glass jar lovingly. “Well, today there is! With the simple application of a magic field…” He flipped a switch at the base of the jar, and suddenly every ball bearing’s eyes lit up. Two tiny wings appeared on each, and the little metal orbs fluttered out of the jar and into the air.
"我请你耐心点,"他咧嘴笑着说，眼睛扫过地面，压制住了低语声。"想想制造业涉及的所有步骤！矿石必须经过开采、提炼和运输;零件必须经过加工，然后组装。要是有办法把原材料直接加工成最终产品就好了!"他亲切地抚摸着玻璃瓶。"好吧，今天是有的！只需要一个魔法场的简单应用......"他按了一下罐子底部的开关，突然，每个滚珠轴承的眼睛都亮了起来。两只小小的翅膀出现在每个上面，小小的金属球飞出瓶子，飞向空中。
“Well, at least they’re not as cute. Can’t see Fluttershy adoptin’ ‘em…” Applejack muttered.
"好吧，至少他们没那么可爱。看不出小灰蝶会收养他们......"苹果杰克喃喃自语。
Mr. Horse continued with his broad, confident smile, “Any design can be programmed into the mechasprites, and they will proceed to seek out raw material, ingest, process, and produce the design. Watch!” And he pushed another button on the base. The mechasprites began to bob in the air with the strangest chirring noise. Then they suddenly descended on the scrap metal and began to take little bites out of the twisted lengths. They chewed up the bits of metal and spat out wads of shiny liquid metal on the table, forming the globs into solid steel. They smoothed the metal with licks of their tongues and in a minute an automatic pistol lay on the table. “Voila! From scrap to weapon in ten seconds flat.”
马先生继续他的宽阔，自信的微笑,"任何设计都可以编程到机械程序，他们将继续寻找原材料，摄取，加工，并产生设计。看着!"然后他在底座上按了另一个按钮。机甲兵开始在空中发出最奇怪的啁啾声。然后他们突然来到这块废金属上，开始一点一点地咬扭曲的长度。他们咀嚼着金属碎片，吐出一团团闪亮的液态金属在桌子上，把球体变成了坚固的钢铁。他们用舌头舔了舔那块金属，一会儿桌子上就放着一把自动手枪。"瞧！从废料到武器只用了十秒钟。"
Mr. Horse clearly had a strange sense of time, but I saw his point. Wait? Were there more mechasprites? As I watched, one opened its mouth and belched out another mechasprite that was rust red. “As you can see, the mechasprites will use surplus materials to manufacture more production units. They can even specialize to improve efficiency.”
马先生显然有一种奇怪的时间观念，但我明白他的意思。等等？还有更多的机器人吗？就在我注视着它的时候，其中一只张开了嘴，吐出了另一只铁锈红的蜘蛛。"正如你所看到的，机械制造商将利用多余的材料生产更多的生产单元。他们甚至可以专门提高效率。"
Twilight Sparkle raised a hoof. “Not to be an alarmist, but what’s to stop them from eating… say… Hoofington?”
紫悦抬起了蹄子。"我不是危言耸听，但是有什么能阻止他们吃东西呢......比如说......胡芬顿?"
“Excellent question, Miss Sparkle.” His grin clearly said he’d hoped somepony would ask that. “Get them outside the magical field and…” He caught one in his mouth and pulled it from the others. Its eyes went wide, and then the wings wrapped around it and it retracted back into a round ball. My host started to fidget with something in her bags.
"问得好，火花小姐。"他的笑容清楚地表明，他希望有人会问这个问题。"把他们带到魔法场外，然后......"他用嘴叼住一只，把它从其他的手里拉了出来。它的眼睛睁得大大的，然后翅膀环绕着它，缩回成一个圆球。我的主人开始坐立不安，她的包里有些东西。
“Uh… are they supposed to be doing that?” Rainbow Dash asked as she pointed at the table. The scrap metal was all gone, and now a veritable swarm of mechasprites devoured the metal table… and began to gnaw on the metal bleachers the audience sat upon.
"呃......他们应该这么做吗?"彩虹·达什指着桌子问道。废金属都不见了，现在一大群机械工人正在吞噬着金属桌子......开始啃咬观众们坐的金属露天看台。
Mr. Horse’s smile turned a touch more nervous. “Aha… eager little things aren’t they?” He stepped up to the case and flicked the switch off. The mechasprites, however, continued to eat and multiply in greater and greater abundance. “What… this isn’t possible!” he gasped as he stared at the device.
马先生的微笑使他更加紧张了。"啊哈......这些小东西很急切，不是吗?"他走到箱子跟前，关掉了开关。然而，机械蜘蛛继续进食和繁殖，数量越来越多。"什么......这不可能!"他盯着那个装置，倒抽了一口气。
“Well they’re doing a whole lot of eatin’ for impossible!” Applejack cried out. “Look out, everypony!” she yelled as one of the beams holding the roof groaned and bent.
"他们吃了太多不可思议的东西!"苹果白兰地大叫起来。"小心，小马们!"一根支撑着屋顶的横梁发出呻吟和弯曲的声音，她喊道。
Mr. Horse gave a frustrated sigh and nodded to ponies watching on nervously. They immediately tossed dozens of apple grenades into the swarm; bright blue bands flashed brilliantly as the shock grenades scrambled the magic animating the machines. As one, they folded their wings and clattered to the concrete floor.
霍斯先生沮丧地叹了口气，向紧张地看着的小马点点头。他们立即向蜂群投掷了几十个苹果手榴弹;亮蓝色的光带闪烁着灿烂的光芒，震动手榴弹扰乱了机器的活力。作为一个整体，他们收起翅膀，啪嗒啪嗒地落在水泥地上。
The yellow stallion ran his hoof through his mane. “Well. That was an unforeseen glitch we haven’t encountered before, but certainly you can see the potential…”
那匹黄色的种马的蹄子穿过鬃毛。"好吧。这是一个我们以前从未遇到过的意外故障，但你肯定能看到它的潜力......"
“I sure can. Potential for disaster,” Rainbow Dash scoffed. “I don’t think the M.o.A. will need your mechasprites, Mr. Horse.”
"我当然可以。潜在的灾难,"彩虹·达什嘲笑道。"马先生，我不认为m.o.a.会需要你的机器人。"
“Ain’t nothing good that can come from something based on those critters,” Applejack agreed as ponies started filing out. “Come on, Twilight.”
"没有什么好东西可以来自这些动物的基础上,"苹果杰克同意作为小马开始整理出来。"来吧，暮光之城。"
The purple mare approached Mr. Horse with a sympathetic smile. “I’m sorry, Mr. Horse. It really did have amazing potential.”
那匹紫色的母马带着同情的微笑走近马先生。"对不起，马先生。它确实具有惊人的潜力。"
“They shouldn’t have done that,” he replied firmly.
"他们不应该那样做,"他坚定地回答。
“Well, something caused them to. I’m sorry. If you like, perhaps we could take a second look at them? Find out where they went wrong?” she asked politely.
""嗯，有什么东西使他们。对不起。如果你愿意，也许我们可以再看看它们？找出他们哪里出了问题?"她礼貌地问道。
He looked at her sharply a moment, but then relaxed. “Thank you, but that won’t be necessary. I suspect this is… an internal matter…”
他用锐利的目光看了她一会儿，然后放松了下来。""谢谢你，但是没有必要。我怀疑这是......一个内部问题......"
Twilight looked concerned, but finally just shrugged. My host rose and left with the other ponies filing out after the three Ministry Mares.
暮光看起来很担心，但最后只是耸耸肩。我的主人站起来，和其他小马一起，在三匹母马之后离开了。
“Can you believe that? Mechasprites? I thought this guy was supposed to be some sort of mechanical genius,” Rainbow Dash scoffed, “Instead he nearly turned Flankfurt into mechasprite munchies.”
"你能相信吗？麦克斯普利茨？"我以为这家伙应该是某种机械天才,"彩虹·达什嘲笑道,"结果他几乎把弗兰克福变成了机械零食。"
“Well, in every harvest you’re gonna get a few rotten apples. He’ll do better next time,” Applejack said with a sigh, “Looks like I’m gonna have to skip lunch. Gotta head over to Aegis next and see how they’re working on the latest combat armor.”
"好吧，每次收获你都会得到一些烂苹果。"他下次会做得更好,"苹果杰克叹了口气说,"看来我不能吃午饭了。"。接下来得去宙斯盾看看他们怎么做最新的战斗装甲。"
“Applejack, I haven’t seen you in weeks. You promised!” Rainbow Dash said irritably.
"苹果白兰地，我好几个星期没见到你了。你答应过的!"彩虹·达什不耐烦地说。
“I know, I know, but this is important too. My brother’s signed up, and if he’s going fighting, I want somethin’ protecting him other than his thick skull!”
"我知道，我知道，但这也很重要。我哥哥报名参军了，如果他要去打仗，我希望有人能保护他，而不是他那个笨脑袋!"
“Ugh… all right. You and me then, Twilight!” Rainbow Dash said brightly, then frowned and looked over at the purple mare. “Um… Twilight? Equestria to Egghead… come in Egghead…”
"呃...好吧。你和我，暮光之城!"彩虹飞快地说着，然后皱起眉头，看着紫色的母马。"嗯......《暮光之城》？小马国到知识分子国，知识分子国..."
She immediately started. “Oh… ah… I actually can’t. I have a… um… meeting.”
她立刻开始了。"哦......啊......我真的不能。我有个..。.呃...会议
Rainbow Dash hung her head with a groan, muttering, “Worst day ever…”
彩虹·达什低着头呻吟着，喃喃自语道:"今天是最糟糕的一天......"
My host turned down a side hall and went up some stairs to a window overlooking the demonstration floor. Mr. Horse and a number of research mares were gathering the mechasprites into baskets. Then my host took off her saddlebags and pulled out a small arcane device. “It worked,” she said softly, passing it to an open door. A hoof took the device and slipped it inside.
我的主人转过一个侧厅，上了一些楼梯，来到一个可以俯瞰展示楼层的窗口。马先生和几匹做研究的母马正在把麦加斯匹特收集到篮子里。然后我的主人脱下她的鞍囊，拿出一个小小的奥术装置。"成功了,"她轻声说，把它递给一扇开着的门。一只蹄子把这个装置塞了进去。
A moment later a heavy bag of bits was tossed out at her hooves. “Thank you.”
过了一会儿，有人向她的蹄子上扔出了一个沉重的垃圾袋。"谢谢。"
My host nickered happily as she stroked her hooves through the gold coins. “I could do more. I have access. I could completely screw his research,” my host said as she tucked the bits into her saddlebag.
我的主人一边用蹄子轻抚着金币，一边愉快地玩着镍币。"我可以做得更多。我有权限。我完全可以搞砸他的研究,"我的主人边说边把这些东西塞进她的鞍囊里。
“That won’t be necessary,” the hidden mare said softly. “We only wanted to discredit, not disrupt.”
"没有这个必要,"隐藏的母马轻声说。"我们只想败坏名声，而不是破坏。"
My host frowned sharply at the cracked door. “Well you might want to pay to keep me around and handy.”
我的主人对那扇破门皱起了眉头。"好吧，你也许想付钱让我留在你身边，让我随身携带。"
The air filled with a tense pause. “And if I don’t?”
空气中充满了紧张的停顿。"如果我不呢?"
My host smirked. “I might feel chatty…”
我的主人得意地笑了。"我可能会觉得很健谈......"
“I see.” Then I felt something tickle her ear. She looked over and saw the silenced barrel of a pistol floating beside her head. “I would rather Mr. Horse waste his time with this setback, but an equicide or suicide investigation would do, Ms. Fairhoof. And it would be cheaper.” My host’s guts immediately loosened as she started to shake.
"我明白了。"然后我感到有什么东西在挠她的耳朵。她环顾四周，看到头边漂浮着一支手枪的消音枪筒。"我宁愿马先生把时间浪费在这个挫折上，但杀死或自杀调查就够了，费尔霍夫女士。而且会更便宜。"当我的主人开始颤抖时，她的内脏立刻松动了。
“P…please…”
"p..请..."
“Don’t play games with us and we won’t play games with you, Ms. Fairhoof. Trust me, you won’t like our games.” The hidden mare chuckled as the gun disappeared through the door. “They’re killers.”
"别跟我们耍花招，我们也不会跟你耍花招，费尔霍夫女士。相信我，你不会喜欢我们的游戏的。"隐藏的母马咯咯地笑着，因为枪从门里消失了。"他们是杀手。"
oooOOOooo
噢噢噢
I emerged from the memory with a chill. First, of course, I checked for inevitable zebra ninja assassins or Enclave agents; damn, it was odd not to worry about waking to find Deus sodomizing me. Okay, disturbing image, please go away. Still, I rose and gave myself a vigorous shake. “Everything okay? Nopony dead?”
我带着一丝寒意从记忆中浮现。首先，当然，我检查了不可避免的斑马忍者刺客或飞地特工;该死，不担心醒来发现天王鸡奸我真是奇怪。好了，烦人的画面，请走开。不过，我还是站了起来，强有力地摇了摇自己。"一切都还好吧？小马死了?"
“No, but somepony should be.” P-21 scowled at the terminal. “Twelve key password… all to hide the dirty notes the manager here was passing to the
"没有，不过应该有一匹小马。"P-21对着航站楼皱着眉头。"十二把钥匙密码...都是为了隐藏经理传给
secretary at Robronco HQ. Looks like they were arranging a little party of their own in her office,” he said with a little chuckle, “Has her password and everything. Was sex always this complicated before the bombs fell?”
罗布朗科公司总部秘书。"看起来他们正在她的办公室里安排一个他们自己的小聚会,"他轻声笑着说,"有她的密码和一切。"。在炸弹落下之前，性总是这么复杂吗?"
“Probably,” I said as I lifted the orb. “Where’d you find this?”
"可能吧,"我一边说一边举起球体。"你在哪儿找到这个的?"
P-21 snorted and rolled his eyes. “Taped to the back of her drawer, actually. Guess she didn’t want somepony to find it.”
P-21哼了一声，翻了个白眼。实际上是贴在她的抽屉后面。我猜她不想让小马找到它。"
“Was her name Fairhoof?” I asked as I looked at him. He frowned in confusion. “The manager?”
"她叫费尔霍夫吗?"我看着他问道。他困惑地皱起了眉头。"经理?"
“No,” he said, “it was Merry Penny. Why?” But I could see why.
"不,"他说,"是梅丽·佩妮。为什么?"但我知道为什么。
There was a grainy newspaper clip on the wall behind him. ‘Robronco retail manager dies to runaway robot.’ Most of the rest of the article was illegible, but I could at least make out that the manager had been an unicorn mare.
他身后的墙上挂着一个颗粒状的剪报。Robronco零售经理死于失控机器人文章的其余部分大部分都难以辨认，但我至少可以辨认出经理是一匹独角兽母马。
‘You won’t like our games. They’re killers.’ Ponies sabotaging other ponies’ work? Bribes? Murder? “What the hell was going on in this town?” A lot of secrets in the Hoof. Like a country within a country. Why was my mane creeping at the thought of that?
"你不会喜欢我们的游戏的。他们是杀手小马破坏其他小马的工作？贿赂？谋杀？"这个镇上到底发生了什么事?"蹄子里有很多秘密。就像国中之国。为什么我的鬃毛一想到这个就毛骨悚然？
* * *
* * *
I left first. Our sacks were bulging with nummy looted goods. I was sure that once we converted them into caps, I’d have everything I needed to pay for EC-1101’s decoding. Unfortunately, the pensive look of Rampage doused my excitement, but one look from her pink eyes as she slowly chewed on a Mint-al made it clear that pity would be hazardous to my health. P-21 and Glory exchanged a glance but kept their comments to themselves. I chuckled softly to myself, wondering if we were the most dysfunctional band of friends in all the Wasteland.
我先走的。我们的麻袋里装满了抢来的数不清的货物。我确信一旦我们把它们转换成大写，我就拥有了支付EC-1101解码所需的一切。不幸的是，狂暴的沉思的表情浇灭了我的兴奋，但是当她慢慢咀嚼薄荷糖的时候，她粉红色的眼睛里的一个表情清楚地表明，怜悯对我的健康是有害的。P-21和晨辉交换了一下眼神，但没有说出他们的看法。我轻声对自己笑了笑，想知道我们是不是整个荒原上最不正常的朋友。
Probably.
可能吧。
“So why are we delivering a two-hundred-year-old letter?” Glory asked as we trudged along a flooded street, clammy cold mud squelching under my hooves as I moved in the lead. My rifle swung slowly back and forth at the red bars that inhabited the ruins. Bloatsprites for the most part, and I didn’t waste rifle ammo
"那么，我们为什么要送一封两百年前的信呢?"我们拖着沉重的脚步走在一条被洪水淹没的街道上，我走在前面，湿冷的泥浆在我的蹄子下吱吱作响。我的步枪慢慢地在废墟上的红栏杆前后摆动。大部分都是浮肿精灵，而且我没有浪费来复枪的弹药
on them. Since I was already running low on ammo for the carbine, I picked them off with that and swapped back to the scope to check for trouble.
关于他们。因为我已经快没有卡宾枪的弹药了，所以我用那把枪把他们干掉，然后换回瞄准镜检查是否有问题。
Another two bobbing sprites ahead; a swap-out and five shots later, the carbine was dry and the street ahead clear.
前面还有两个上下浮动的小精灵，换了一下枪，又开了五枪，卡宾枪已经干了，前面的街道也畅通无阻。
“Because the PipBuck says so,” I replied grandly as the clouds overhead threatened more rain. “Who knows? Maybe it’s going to a ghoul who will be touched that we delivered mail to it and give us a super sweet silver bullet so I can vaporize whatever monster Sanguine sends next.”
"因为皮布克是这么说的,"我盛气凌人地回答，因为头顶上的云层预示着要下更多的雨。""谁知道呢？也许它会寄给一个食尸鬼，我们把邮件寄给它，给它一颗超级甜蜜的银弹，这样我就可以把接下来寄给它的怪物血吉恩蒸发掉。"
“Or, you know, eat our brains,” Glory added with a chuckle.
"或者，你知道，吃掉我们的大脑,"晨辉笑着补充道。
“Always with the brains. Honestly. It’s not like ghouls can chew through skulls,” Rampage said with a scornful little snort. “Actually, most ghouls favor the softer organs. Liver. Lungs. Entrails.”
"总是有头脑的。老实说。这不像是食尸鬼可以咀嚼头骨,"狂暴带着轻蔑的鼻息说。"事实上，大多数食尸鬼更喜欢柔软的器官。肝脏。肺。内脏。"
My stomach lurched a little. “Yeah, that’s more than I needed to know.”
我的胃有点反胃。"是的，我不需要知道这么多。"
Glory frowned in thought and then looked at me. “Is that true?”
晨辉想了想，皱起了眉头，然后看着我。"这是真的吗?"
“Why are you asking me?” I wondered with a nervous laugh. “I’m creeped out enough by raider cannibalism. Don’t even make me wonder about ghoul diets. You can ask one when we meet one.”
"你为什么问我?"我紧张地笑了一下。"我已经被突袭机食人行为吓坏了。别让我怀疑食尸鬼的饮食。当我们遇到一个时，你可以问一个。"
“I know. I know,” she huffed as she fluttered her wings. “It’s just the scientist in me. I mean, if they’re immortal and healed by radiation, why the drive to eat at all? Is it a reflex? Instinctive? Is there an actual need to eat or do ponies simply taste good?”
"我知道。我知道,"她一边拍打着翅膀一边吹着气。"我只是一个科学家。我的意思是，如果他们是不死的，并且被辐射治愈了，为什么还要去吃东西呢？这是条件反射吗？本能？是真的需要吃东西，还是只是因为小马的味道好?"
“So… Fallen Glory is a scientist?” P-21 asked with a small smile, making her almost trip. I frowned at him, but of course he didn’t care.
"那么......堕落的晨辉是个科学家?"P-21带着一丝微笑问道，这使她几乎要晕倒了。我对他皱起眉头，但他当然不在乎。
The light gray pegasus gave a little frown. “I… I don’t know… but Glory at least is a curious pony.”
浅灰色的飞马皱了皱眉。"我.....。.我不知道......但格洛里至少是一匹好奇的小马。"
I smiled at that. Morning Glory had been a shy, scared, and blindly loyal pegasus. Glory was curious, but wary. What would Fallen be like? I hoped that she’d just be a mask Glory wore when she was around Enclave ponies.
我笑了。牵牛花曾经是一匹害羞、害怕、盲目忠诚的飞马。晨辉是好奇的，但也是谨慎的。堕落金刚会是什么样子？我希望她只是晨辉在小马周围时戴的一个面具。
“So who are we delivering this piece of junk to?” Rampage asked as she punted a half-submerged skull aside.
"那么，我们要把这堆垃圾送给谁呢?"她把一个半浸在水中的头骨踢到一边问道。
I looked at the faded lettering on the envelope. “A Mister and Missus Cake at…” I glanced up and my voice trailed away. “Sugarcube Corner…”
我看着信封上褪色的字母。"一位先生和一位太太在......"我抬起头，声音渐渐低了下去。"糖果屋角......"
The rotting structure leaned precariously out over the alley where it slouched against the burned-out shell of its neighbor. The colorful pink paint had decayed into a fleshy grayish tone, the white trim darkened and peeling with the constant moisture. The roof had warped in the rain till it resembled mummified leather. A tower once resembling stacked cupcakes now creaked as it leaned over to the side like a vengeful hoof about to fall. One wall had blackened, but not burned, a testament to the sturdy building materials. Leaning plastic candy decorations poked out of the muddy ground before the store. Broken colorful glass stood in twisted window frames like squinting eye sockets. Over the front door dangled a sign hanging from one corner. ‘Sugarcube Corner’, it read, and beneath that, ‘Cakes and Confectionery’.
这座正在腐烂的建筑摇摇欲坠地倾斜在小巷上方，斜靠在邻居烧毁的外壳上。五颜六色的粉红色油漆已经腐烂成了肉质的灰色调，白色的装饰随着不断的潮湿变得暗淡和脱落。屋顶在雨中已经变形了，像木乃伊似的。一座曾经像堆积起来的纸杯蛋糕一样的塔，现在吱吱作响地斜靠在一边，就像一只报复心重的蹄子即将倒下。有一面墙已经变黑了，但没有烧毁，这是坚固的建筑材料的证明。倾斜的塑料糖果装饰品从商店前泥泞的地面露出来。破碎的五颜六色的玻璃像斜视的眼窝一样扭曲地立在窗框里。在前门的一个角落悬挂着一个牌子。'糖果屋角'，下面写着'蛋糕和糖果店'。
And there were yellow bars inside.
里面还有黄色的栅栏。
I put a hoof on the front step, and the structure gave a great groan. I clenched my eyes closed at the thought of being buried delivering mail to ponies probably long dead; Deus would laugh his ass off. “Okay. I don’t think we should all go inside. Just me and maybe Glory.”
我把一个蹄子放在前面的台阶上，结构发出巨大的呻吟声。我紧闭双眼，想到自己可能被埋葬在为小马送信的坟墓里，这种想法可能早就过时了;天王会笑得屁股开花。"好吧。我觉得我们不应该都进去。只有我，也许还有晨辉。"
“Sure. Somepony’ll have to dig your butts out after it falls on your head,” Rampage muttered as she looked at the tottery structure.
"当然。暴怒看着这座摇摇欲坠的建筑，喃喃自语道。
Slowly, we made our way up the steps and past a mold-spotted poster reading ‘Official Ministry of Morale Confectionary Center’. The sight of Pinkie Pie popping out of a cake with that grin on her face made me shiver. The waterlogged floor sagged a little with each step. I looked at the walls tilted at crazy angles, the splintered paneling showing the soaked, crumbling bones of the building. I kept glancing at my PipBuck. The second it said this job was completed, I was out of here! There was a little arrowhead on my E.F.S., but still the note wouldn’t clear.
慢慢地，我们走上台阶，经过一张有霉斑的海报，上面写着"官方部门的士气糖果中心"。看到粉红小手指派从蛋糕里蹦出来，脸上挂着笑容，我不寒而栗。浸水的地板每走一步都有点下陷。我以疯狂的角度看着倾斜的墙壁，破碎的镶板显示着浸透的、摇摇欲坠的建筑骨架。我不停地看我的PipBuck。第二，它说这项工作已经完成，我离开这里！我的e.f.s上有一个小箭头，但字条还是不清楚。
Clearly, ‘Sugarcube Corner’ wasn’t good enough. One look in the kitchen was enough to convince me not to go inside. It looked like the brick ovens were the only things holding up that half of the building. That left the stairs. I put my
显然，《糖果屋角》还不够好。在厨房里看一眼就足以说服我不要进去。看起来只有砖砌的炉子支撑着这半座建筑。离开了楼梯。我把我的
weight on the leaning steps, glad they leaned with the slouch of the building rather than against it. My hooves fought for purchase on the uneven surface as the structure groaned and swayed around me. The door at the top of the stairs wasn’t flimsy wood but rusting steel covered by a splintered wooden veneer. Stepping onto the second floor, I noticed that that wasn’t all that was wrong here.
他们把重量放在倾斜的台阶上，很高兴他们不是靠在台阶上，而是靠在建筑物的下垂处。我的蹄子在凹凸不平的地面上挣扎着想要买下它，这座建筑在我周围呻吟着，摇摆着。楼梯顶部的门不是脆弱的木材，而是生锈的钢铁，外面覆盖着破碎的木皮。走上二楼，我注意到这并不是问题的全部。
Why would a bakery need a room full of rusted terminals and monitors? A large chalkboard slumped against a leaning wall. On it were drawn three columns: ‘Good Ponies’, ‘Bad Ponies’, and ‘Really Super Naughty Wicked Bad Ponies’. Only the second and third columns had names in them. There were posters up here too, but of a decidedly different bent. ‘Remember, we keep Equestria fun and SAFE,’ the poster read as Pinkie Pie twitched her tail. ‘Only you can prevent trouble,’ read another.
为什么一个面包店需要一个装满了生锈的终端和监视器的房间？一块大黑板靠在一面斜墙上。上面画了三个栏目:"好马"、"坏马"和"超级淘气的坏马"。只有第二和第三列有名字。这里也有海报，但是却有着截然不同的倾向。"记住，我们要让小马国玩得开心、安全,"海报上写着，小指客摇动着尾巴。"只有你才能避免麻烦,"另一条写道。
There were also a lot of bones in here. Now I had a problem. Left was where my PipBuck was telling me to go, right were three yellow bars. Non-hostiles. Well, if I didn’t have to bother whoever was that way, then best to not bother them.
这里还有很多骨头。现在我遇到一个问题。左边是我的PipBuck告诉我去的地方，右边是三个黄色的小格子。没有敌意。好吧，如果我不必去打扰那个人，那么最好不要去打扰他们。
I walked to the left towards an actual bedroom. Two skeletons greeted me, one splayed across a terminal and the other curled up in the corner of the room. I looked at my PipBuck. This was definitely the place. “So, are we done here?” Glory asked.
我向左走，走向一间真正的卧室。两具骷髅迎接着我，一具横躺在终端上，另一具蜷缩在房间的角落里。我看了看我的PipBuck。就是这里。"那么，我们谈完了吗?"晨辉问道。
No. I sighed and remembered what I had done with Octavia. Slowly I tore open the paper and withdrew the letter inside.
没有。我叹了口气，想起了我对奥克塔维亚所做的一切。我慢慢地撕开纸，把信取了出来。
“HEY!!!” a giant pink head screamed in glee.
"嘿!!!"一个巨大的粉红色头颅在欢乐中尖叫。
I fell to my rump as I dropped the paper and the tiny pink talisman in the middle of the page shot glitter and streamers all over me. A deep groan rolled through the building. The huge ghostly head of Pinkie Pie flickered as she grinned down at me. “Hiyas Mr. Cake! Hiyas Mrs. Cake! I wanted to try out this super terrific invitation spell and thought that it’d be just perfect for you.” She gave a sympathetic little frown. “I know you two aren’t happy being away from Ponyville, but you’re the only two good ponies who are so super good terrific that you’d never turn your back on me… or say I have a problem… or call me… what she called me...” The smile was now a rictus, her cheek twitching as she stared at me.
当我把纸和放在页面中间的小小的粉红色护身符扔到我身上的时候，我跌倒在我的臀部。一阵深沉的呻吟声响彻整座建筑物。她朝我咧嘴一笑，小手指派的巨大幽灵般的脑袋忽明忽暗地闪烁着。"嗨，蛋糕先生！嗨，蛋糕夫人！我想尝试一下这个超级棒的邀请咒语，觉得它非常适合你。"她同情地微微皱了皱眉。"我知道你们两个不喜欢离开Ponyville，但是你们是唯一的两个好小马，它们非常好，棒极了，你们永远不会背对着我......或者说我有问题......或者叫我......她叫我什么......"微笑变成了咧嘴的笑容，她盯着我，脸颊抽搐着。
It was scary how the friendly smile seemed to melt off her face, her curly mane
她脸上那友好的微笑似乎融化了，她卷曲的鬃毛似乎融化了，这让人感到害怕
slowly straightening before my eyes as she quivered. “You two have always been the nicest nice ponies I’ve ever known. You’re like… like my mom and dad…” she said as her head started to shake and she gave a hiccup. “I think… I think there’s something wrong… very very wrong… super terrible bad wrong… and I have to stop it. I’m the only one who can. Then… then maybe… maybe we can have a real party. In Ponyville… like we used to.”
当她颤抖的时候，我的眼睛慢慢的直起来。"你们两个一直是我见过的最漂亮的小马。你就像......就像我的爸爸妈妈......"她说着，头开始颤抖，打了个嗝。"我认为......我认为有些不对劲......非常非常不对劲......非常糟糕的不对劲......我必须阻止它。我是唯一能做到的人。然后...然后也许...也许我们可以开个真正的派对。在Ponyville......就像我们过去一样。"
She suddenly stiffened. “But first we have to find the bad ponies in Hoofington. I know Quartz is a no good terrible bad pony. And those Four Star ponies too… but I think there are others. I think… I think the ponies in my hub there are bad. I think they know what the bad ponies are up to. It’s all secrets and lies in that place. Nopony is who they say they are. Nopony is… “Except you two! Right? Right… Right! So… please… find something. Anything. Please?” Hooves covered her face. “You’re the only ones I could give a piece of myself to. You’re my real parents. Please… Mom… Dad… help me…”
她突然变得僵硬起来。"但首先，我们必须在Hoofington找到劣质小马。我知道Quartz是一匹糟糕的坏小马。还有那些四星小马......但我认为还有其他的。我觉得...我觉得那里的小马不好。我想他们知道那些坏小马在干什么。那个地方充满了秘密和谎言。Nopony就是他们自称的那个人。小马是......"除了你们两个！对吧？对...对！所以...拜托...找点东西。什么都行。求你了?"蹄子盖住了她的脸。"你们是我唯一能给予自己的人。你们是我的亲生父母。求你了......妈妈......爸爸......帮帮我......"
With that, the tiny engraved sliver of rose quartz snapped in two, and the glowing ghostly head disappeared, leaving us covered in magical pink glitter and streamers.
说着，那一小片石英石突然裂成了两半，发光的幽灵般的头颅消失了，留给我们的是神奇的粉红色亮片和彩带。
Pinkie Pie needing help? I thought she was supposed to be the happy one, yet that was almost begging. Terminals. Lists of ponies? I thought the Ministry of Morale was supposed to be about fun? How in the Wasteland had she gone from fun time Pinkie Pie to that?
小手指派需要帮助吗？我以为她应该是快乐的那个，但是那几乎是在乞求。终端机。小马的名单？我以为士气部只是为了好玩？她是怎么从娱乐时间变成那样的？
“Can we go now?” Glory asked softly as the building groaned around us. There were faint popping noises in the floor. “Please… Blackjack,” Glory begged as she backed out the door.
"我们现在能走了吗?"当建筑物在我们周围呻吟时，格洛里轻声问道。地板上有微弱的爆裂声。"求你了......黑杰克,"晨辉一边退出门一边乞求着。
“I… wait,” I muttered as I looked to the skeleton in the corner. Slowly I crawled closer. I could feel the floor quivering under my hooves. There! A flash of pink under the bones. Gently, I reached out with my magic and tugged the tiny pink figurine free. Slowly I pulled it close and turned it with my magic, my eyes widening as I stared at the tiny plaque. ‘Awareness: It was under ‘E’!’ it read. I looked at her mischievous grin, her bright and shining eyes… not that desperate and sobbing pony I’d seen just a minute earlier.
"我.....。.等等,"我一边看着角落里的骷髅，一边喃喃自语。慢慢地，我爬近了。我能感觉到我的蹄子下面的地板在颤抖。那里！骨头下面一抹粉红色。我轻轻地用魔法把手伸出来，把那个小小的粉红色小雕像拽了出来。我慢慢地把它拉近，用我的魔法转动它，盯着那块小小的匾额，我的眼睛睁得大大的。意识:在'e'下面上面写着。我看着她淘气的笑容，她明亮闪亮的眼睛......不是我刚才看到的那种绝望和抽泣的小马。
Why were the walls around the Cakes full of bullet holes?
为什么蛋糕周围的墙上布满了弹孔？
I could see them as clear as day through the layer of filth and peeling candy cane wallpaper. The holes were evenly spaced; an automatic sweeping from left to right. This was a murder. Another two-hundred-year-old murder. My mane crawled on my neck as I remembered the ponies in the museum. And then I spotted the writing on the wall. The sort of thing that you might try to write as you bled out while cradling the statue of your surrogate daughter.
透过一层污垢和剥落的糖果手杖壁纸，我可以清楚地看到它们。这些洞的间隔是均匀的;自动扫描从左到右。这是一起谋杀。又是一起两百年前的谋杀案。当我想起博物馆里的小马时，我的鬃毛在脖子上爬来爬去。然后我看到了墙上的字迹。当你抱着代孕女儿的雕像流血致死时，你可能会试图写下这样的事情。
Project Eternity.
永恒之柱。
Then my senses picked up something else: clouds through gaps in the roof and Glory screaming as the room slowly peeled away from the rest of the structure. I gripped the statuette in my mouth and scrabbled for the door as rotten carpet sloughed away underhoof. The rotting turret leaning out over me was starting to collapse as well.
然后我感觉到了其他的东西:云穿过屋顶的缝隙，晨辉尖叫着，房间慢慢地脱离了建筑的其他部分。我把小雕像叼在嘴里，像腐烂的地毯从蹄子上脱落下来一样，拼命地向门口跑去。俯视着我的腐烂的炮塔也开始倒塌。
Then hooves wrapped around me as Glory leapt through the door and squeezed me tightly as she flapped her wings for all she was worth. Out we went, over the broken side of the building as the turret crashed down. The wind nearly knocked me from her hooves as it passed. “Glory! You’re flying!” I cheered and then looked back. “Glory, we need to go back! There’s three more in there and it’s about to come down!” Indeed, the entire building seemed to be disintegrating before my eyes. In a minute or two it would pancake flat.
然后，当晨辉跳进门，紧紧地挤压着我的时候，她拍打着她的翅膀，尽她所有的价值。当炮塔轰然倒塌的时候，我们从建筑破损的一侧出发。风经过时，差点把我从她的蹄子上吹下来。"晨辉！你在飞!"我欢呼起来，然后回头看。"晨辉，我们需要回去！里面还有三个，马上就要塌了!"事实上，整个建筑物似乎在我眼前分崩离析。再过一两分钟，它就会变成薄饼。
She just looked and then nodded, swinging me through the air back towards the second floor hall.
她只是看了看，然后点了点头，把我从空中甩回到二楼的大厅。
I ran smack into a stallion scrambling for the stairs. Then I noticed something unusual… It was under ‘E’! For one, he was mostly clean. Two, he smelled of semen and musk. Three, there was blood on his rear legs. Fourth, I knew him. I saw the bow tie on his gray flanks.
我猛地撞上一匹奔向楼梯的种马。然后我注意到一些不寻常的东西...它在'e'下面！首先，他基本上是清白的。第二，他身上有精液和麝香的味道。第三，他的后腿上有血。第四，我认识他。我看见他灰色的侧腹上系着领结。
“What are you doing here?” I asked, ignoring the shaking building as joists popped and creaked.
"你在这儿干什么?"我问道，忽略了摇晃的建筑物，托梁发出嘎吱嘎吱的响声。
“Run! It’s collapsing!” he shouted; he hadn’t tried to run until I’d fallen out.
"快跑！它正在坍塌!"他喊道，直到我摔倒了，他才试图逃跑。
My eyes narrowed. “What the fuck are you doing here?” He stared into my gaze and then looked over his shoulder at the back room. I grabbed his ear in my teeth and with a pull threw him over my shoulders and tossed him out over the edge. Fortunately, I was aiming for beyond the wreckage and he landed, thrashing and
我眯起眼睛。"你他妈的在这里干什么?"他盯着我的目光，然后越过肩膀看向后面的房间。我用牙齿咬住他的耳朵，一拉，他就从我肩膀上摔了下去。幸运的是，我瞄准了飞机残骸以外的地方，他着陆了
sputtering, the muck having broken his fall. “P-21, sit on him! Rampage! Prop this building up!” I turned and rushed towards the room with the other two non-hostiles. I could hear the bricks of the stove below collapsing.
溅射，淤泥阻止了他的下落。"P-21，坐在他身上！横冲直撞！把这栋楼支起来!"我转过身，和另外两个没有敌意的人一起冲向房间。我能听到下面火炉的砖瓦坍塌的声音。
Inside were a number of metal bed frames and a unicorn mare and a filly who were bound to one with a particularly bloody mattress. The filly was just tied with rope, but the mare had been chained and hoofcuffed. I made one swipe with my dragon claw and freed the filly. “Get her out of here,” I shouted at Glory as I looked back at the mare.
里面有一些金属床架，一匹独角兽母马和一匹小母马，它们被绑在一张特别血淋淋的床垫上。那匹小母马只是被绳子拴着，但是那匹母马已经被链子拴住并且被铐住了。我用我的龙爪一扫，把小母马放了出来。"带她离开这里,"当我回头看着那匹母马时，我对晨辉喊道。
At the lavender unicorn mare with a broken horn.
在那匹破了角的淡紫色独角母马旁。
‘I just gotta survive, I have a kid.’
我只想活下去，我有个孩子
A chill ran down my spine as I looked at the tight cuffs locked around her hooves. They were cutting into her hide. Hopelessness bloomed in her eyes. “Please, take care of Thorn,” she shouted.
当我看着锁在她蹄子周围的紧紧的袖口时，一股寒意顺着我的脊椎流了下来。他们正在切她的皮。绝望在她的眼中绽放。"请照顾好索恩,"她喊道。
“Not happening!” I said as I looked at the locks. I had no clue if I could pick them. “You’re going to get out of here…” I focused my horn on the locks. I didn’t even have a bobby pin on hand! Instead I just forced the lock to turn, my eyes watering.
"不可能!"我边说边看着那些锁。我不知道我是否可以挑选它们。"你要离开这里......"我把喇叭对准了锁。我手上连发夹都没有！相反，我只是强迫锁转动，我的眼睛流泪。
Snap! With that clear, crisp breaking noise, I knew that that the lock connecting the chain to the beds wasn’t coming off. I glared at the two cuffs. Carefully… carefully… my eyes watered as I fought to maintain focus.
啪！伴随着清脆的爆裂声，我知道连接链条和床的锁不会掉下来了。我怒视着那两副袖口。当我努力保持注意力的时候，我的眼睛湿润了。
Snap!
啪！
“Sweet mother fucking Celestia, cut me some slack here!” I screamed as I bit down on the chain, wrapped it in my forehooves, braced my hindhooves against the metal headboard, and started to pull. “Come onnnn!” I screamed as I strained, my heart thudding in my chest as if I were riding a high of Buck. Buck! The way my heart was beating now… could I take some more? Be strong. I had to be strong. I had to be better. I levitated the tablet of Buck and chewed. The energy surged to my limbs as I screamed and pulled with all my might. My heart beat so loud that I couldn’t hear the collapsing building around me.
"天杀的塞莱斯蒂亚，饶了我吧!"我一边尖叫，一边咬住铁链，用前蹄把它包起来，后蹄支撑着金属床头板，然后开始拉。"来吧!"我一边紧张一边尖叫，我的心在胸膛里砰砰跳动，就好像我骑在巴克身上一样。巴克！我的心脏现在跳动的方式...我能再吃一些吗？要坚强。我必须坚强。我必须做得更好。我把巴克的药片悬浮起来，咀嚼着。当我用尽全力尖叫和拉扯的时候，能量涌向我的四肢。我的心跳得很厉害，以至于我听不到周围倒塌的建筑物的声音。
Then the chain gave way with a loud ping. I didn’t hesitate a second as I shoved my head through her cuffed hooves and lifted her onto my back. Ducking my
接着，铁链被一声巨响打断了。我毫不犹豫地把头伸进她戴着手铐的蹄子里，把她抱到我背上。躲开我的
head, I ran from the collapsing building. The floor dropped out from under us as I leapt for the doorway to the missing room. A great gust of wind picked us up and shot us into the debris as the building collapsed behind us.
我从倒塌的大楼里跑了出来。当我跳到通往失踪房间的门口时，地板从我们身下掉了下来。当我们身后的建筑物倒塌时，一阵大风把我们卷了起来，把我们打到了瓦砾堆里。
We were together in a tangle of limbs, chains, and broken wood. Rampage pulled herself from the wreckage, gripping a jagged spar that impaled her torso and pulling it free as if she were removing a splinter. I knew exactly how she felt. My heart beat so hard it felt like there was a spear of wood in my chest! I really wished I could yank it out, too. I struggled to breathe, but each pant didn’t bring in any air! Glory flew to my side. “Oh, you idiot! What did you take? Buck? Hydra? It was Buck, wasn’t it?” she cried as she fought to keep my head above the foul water. “Your heart is going to explode, you jackass!” she shouted, and then pulled out a Med-X and jabbed it home. The pain lessened and I liked to imagine that my heart rate was slowing down.
我们四肢缠在一起，锁链缠在一起，木头也断了。狂暴从残骸中挣扎出来，抓住一根刺穿她躯干的锯齿状物，像是在取出一根刺。我完全了解她的感受。我的心跳得很厉害，感觉就像有一根长矛插在我的胸口！我真希望我也能把它拽出来。我挣扎着呼吸，但是每条裤子都没有带来任何空气！晨辉飞到我的身边。"哦，你这个白痴！你吃了什么？巴克？海德拉？是巴克，对吗?"她一边哭，一边努力让我的头露出污浊的水面。"你的心脏要爆炸了，你这个混蛋!"她喊道，然后拿出一个Med-X，用力戳了戳它。疼痛减轻了，我喜欢想象自己的心率正在减慢。
“Is she going to be okay?” the unicorn with the broken horn murmured. I was struck by the ironic sight of flowers for her cutie mark. I’d only seen them in pictures.
"她会好起来吗?"那只角断了的独角兽低声说。我被她可爱的印记上的花的讽刺景象所打动。我只在照片上见过他们。
“No. She is not,” Glory said firmly. “She is going to kill herself at this rate. Because she is not a smart pony!”
"没有。她不是,"晨辉坚定地说。"照这样下去，她会自杀的。因为她不是一匹聪明的小马!"
“She… saved me…” the lavender unicorn said as she sat down.
"她......救了我......"淡紫色的独角兽边说边坐下。
Glory looked at her broken horn and her eyes widened. “You’re that slaver.” She winced and her foal ran to her side. Glory looked at the young filly and then at the slaver. “You… She… Urrrrgh!” The pegasus walked to one side and began stomping plastic candy lawn ornaments. “I preferred Deus. At least it was easy to hate him...” she fumed.
晨辉看着她破碎的角，眼睛睁得大大的。"你就是那个奴隶贩子。"她畏缩了一下，她的小马驹跑到她身边。晨辉看了看小姑娘，又看了看奴隶贩子。"你......她......呃!"飞马走到一边，开始跺起草坪上的塑料糖果装饰品。"我更喜欢上帝。至少恨他很容易......"她怒气冲冲地说。
“No offense, but what are we going to do with him?” P-21 asked as he nodded down to the stallion he sat on; P-21 had shoved an apple grenade in the stallion’s mouth. I wasn’t exactly sure if that was the smartest thing to do, but the stallion wasn’t trying anything.
"无意冒犯，但我们该拿他怎么办呢?"P-21一边向坐着的种马点头，一边问道;P-21把一颗苹果手榴弹扔进了种马的嘴里。我不确定这是不是最明智的选择，但是这匹种马什么也没做。
Slowly I sat up, the Med-X calming me down enough to catch my breath. “What?”
慢慢地，我坐了起来，Med-X让我冷静下来，喘口气。"什么?"
“He’s a rapist. Are we going to let him go to do it again?” P-21 asked as he tapped the stem of the apple.
"他是个强奸犯。我们会让他再去做一次吗?"P-21轻轻地敲着苹果的茎问道。
“Take it out of his mouth, P-21.” I felt oddly numb. “You’re… Frisk, right?” I asked as P-21 removed the explosive. “What the fuck do you think you were doing?”
"把它从他嘴里拿出来，P-21。"我感到莫名其妙的麻木。"你是...弗里斯克，对吧?"我在P-21卸下炸药时问道。"你他妈的以为你在干什么?"
“Getting even,” he muttered as he glared up at me. “When she had the guns she tied me up and was happy to sell me to Paradise.”
"扯平了,"他一边盯着我一边喃喃自语。"当她有枪的时候，她把我绑起来，很高兴把我卖到天堂去。"
“And she got her horn smashed for it. Are you saying she tried it a second time?” He just glared up at me. I looked at the unicorn as my heart thudded in my chest.
"她的号角因此被砸烂了。你是说她又试了一次?"他只是瞪着我。我看着那只独角兽，心怦怦直跳。
I heard a whisper in my ears. “So… what’s the proper punishment for a rapist?” the old pale stallion murmured in a voice like shuffling cards.
我听到耳边有耳语。"那么......对强奸犯的适当惩罚是什么?"那匹苍白的老种马用像洗牌一样的声音喃喃地说。
“I’m not an executioner,” I muttered.
"我不是刽子手,"我喃喃自语道。
“Blackjack!” P-21 hissed in outrage. “How is this fucker different from 99?”
"黑杰克!"P-21愤怒地发出嘘声。"这个混蛋和99有什么不同?"
“He’s different in that I have to pull the trigger,” I said firmly as I stared down at him. “I won’t make you or Glory murderers.”
"他的不同之处在于，我必须扣动扳机,"我盯着他，坚定地说。"我不会让你或荣誉谋杀犯。"
“It’s not murder,” P-21 argued.
"这不是谋杀,"P-21辩称。
I looked at him. “He’s unarmed.”
我看着他。"他没有武器。"
“He’s not Mini. He’s not dying slowly and tragically. This stallion is scum,” P-21 retorted.
"他不是米妮。他不会慢慢地悲惨地死去。这匹种马是人渣,"P-21反驳道。
Glory just swallowed. “I know what he did was wrong. And I don’t want him to ever do it again, but killing him isn’t the answer.”
晨辉就这样被吞噬了。"我知道他做错了。我不希望他再犯同样的错误，但杀了他并不是解决问题的办法。"
We glanced at Rampage. She cocked a brow and snickered. “What, you want my opinion?” She then turned to the foal who watched us all warily. “Did he hurt you, sweetie?” she asked with a surprisingly gentle smile. The filly returned a scared but slow shake of her head. Rampage shrugged. “Eh, I’m good either way.”
我们瞥了一眼狂暴。她扬起眉毛，窃笑起来。"什么，你想听我的意见?"然后她转向小马驹，小马驹警惕地看着我们。"他伤害你了吗，亲爱的?"她带着令人惊讶的温柔微笑问道。小母马惊恐而缓慢地摇了摇头。狂暴耸了耸肩。"不管怎样，我都很好。"
I looked at the mare then; the mare that I had maimed in my own battle rage. “Do you want me to kill him?” I asked, hearing those cards shuffle over and over again. I’m not an executioner. I’m not. This is justice. This is what’s fair!
于是我看了看那匹母马，那匹我在战斗中狂怒致残的母马。"你想让我杀了他吗?"我问道，听到那些牌一遍又一遍地洗牌。我不是刽子手。我没有。这就是正义。这才是公平！
She met my gaze and gave the tiniest of nods.
她迎着我的目光，微微点了点头。
Out came the hunting rifle. Funny how I couldn’t hear my heart anymore. It was as if everything inside me had gone still and quiet. “Let him up,” I muttered, and with a frown P-21 agreed. My eyes met Frisk’s. “You have till the count of ten to run.” P-21 pressed his lips together as the stallion scrambled to his hooves. “One,” I said softly.
猎枪出来了。有趣的是，我再也听不到自己的心跳了。就好像我体内的一切都静止了。"让他上来,"我咕哝着，皱着眉头表示同意。我的目光遇到了弗里斯克。"我数到十你就得跑。"当这匹种马争先恐后地用蹄子奔跑时，P-21紧闭着嘴唇。"一个,"我轻声说。
Frisk backed away slowly. “Two,” I counted as I lifted the barrel with my magic. He immediately turned and ran. I grit my teeth. “Three.”
弗里斯克慢慢后退。"两个,"我一边用魔法举起木桶，一边数着。他立刻转身就跑。我咬紧牙关。"三个。"
“Are you going to be able to do it, Blackjack?” P-21 asked with a scowl. Would I?
"你能做到吗，黑杰克?"P-21愁眉苦脸地问。我会吗？
“Four,” I intoned, watching him run through the ankle deep water. With rubble to either side of him, he could only go in one direction. “Five.” The water sprayed up around him as I leveled the crosshairs on the back of his neck. “Six.”
"四个,"我吟诵着，看着他在及踝的深水里奔跑。两边都是碎石，他只能朝一个方向走。"五个。"当我瞄准他脖子后面的十字准星时，水喷到了他的周围。"六个。"
“You can’t do this, Blackjack. Please. You’re not a murderer!” Glory begged. Was I? I’d always been a killer. Was I ready to becoming an executioner, killing coolly and deliberately?
"你不能这么做，黑杰克。求你了。你不是杀人犯!"晨辉乞求着。是吗？我一直都是个杀手。我是否已经准备好成为一个刽子手，冷静地、蓄意地杀戮？
“Seven.” I’d thought he’d be further along, but he was slowed by the water and junk hidden under the surface. “Eight.” I saw the crosshairs tremble on the back of his head.
"七个。"我以为他会走得更远，但是水和隐藏在水面下的垃圾拖慢了他的速度。"八个。"我看见十字准线在他的后脑勺上颤抖。
Rampage didn’t say a word. You’ll bash your skull to paste long before you die of thirst. “Nine.”
狂暴一句话也没说。在你渴死之前，你会敲碎自己的头骨去糊。"九个。"
Is this how it begins?
是这样开始的吗？
“Ten.”
"十。"
Be kind.
善待他人。
I clenched my eyes shut and collapsed in the water, tears running down my face as I fell to my knees, hugging the rifle to keep from losing the weapon in the muck. I let out a sob as I bowed my head. I could imagine P-21’s disappointed expression as I failed him again.
我紧闭双眼，倒在水里，眼泪顺着脸颊流下来，我跪在地上，紧紧抱着步枪，以免把武器丢在淤泥里。我低下头时发出一声呜咽。当我再次辜负了P-21的时候，我可以想象他失望的表情。
“I’m sorry,” I whispered. Then I looked at the maimed mare. She stared at me in shock. “I couldn’t… I wanted to, but I couldn’t. I’m sorry.”
"对不起,"我低声说。然后我看着那匹残废的母马。她震惊地盯着我。"我不能......我想，但我做不到。对不起。"
The mare just held her wide-eyed foal. Then she said softly, “I really don’t mind… you didn’t kill me either.”
那匹母马刚刚抱着她的大眼小马驹。然后她温柔地说:"我真的不介意......你也没有杀我。"
* * *
* * *
“You are one strange pony,” Scalpel said as I stood in her auto-doc, letting the machine probe and restore me through her magic. “Most ponies don’t bust a horn one day and pay to replace it the next.” Roses, the mare I’d rescued… and almost killed... was resting upstairs with Thorn.
"你是一匹奇怪的小马,"解剖刀说，我站在她的汽车文件，让机器探测和恢复我通过她的魔法。"大多数小马驹今天不鸣喇叭，明天再付钱换喇叭。"玫瑰，那匹我救了......差点被杀死的母马......正和索恩一起在楼上休息。
“She quit being a slaver,” I replied softly. “That has to count for something.”
"她不再做奴隶贩子了,"我轻声回答。"这肯定是有意义的。"
“She lost her gun and her crew. That doesn’t mean she quit.”
"她失去了她的枪和船员。这并不意味着她放弃了。"
“Frisk raped her. She deserves something,” I muttered.
"弗里斯克强奸了她。她应该得到一些东西,"我喃喃自语。
“If it wasn’t in Flank, doesn’t matter,” she replied as she took another drink.
"如果不是在弗兰克，没关系,"她一边回答，一边又喝了一杯。
“It matters.”
"这很重要。"
“To you, sure. To me, a bit. But to most ponies, it was her own fault getting caught. Hell, most ponies would think it fair payback to a former slaver.”
"对你来说，当然可以。对我来说，有一点。但是对于大多数小马来说，被抓是她自己的错。该死，大多数小马都会认为，对一个前奴隶贩子进行报复是公平的。"
“She has a foal.”
"她有一匹小马驹。"
“Well, that’s a first in the Wasteland,” Scalpel said with a chuckle. “You know what your problem is?”
"嗯，这在荒原是第一次,"手术刀咯咯地笑着说。"你知道你的问题是什么吗?"
“Brain damage?”
"脑损伤?"
“You think all ponies are good people, and you want to help them.”
"你认为所有的小马都是好人，你想帮助它们。"
“That’s a problem?”
"这有问题吗?"
“It is if you think you can help all of them on your own.”
"如果你认为自己可以帮助所有人，那就是这样。"
“Don’t you help everypony you can?”
"难道你不尽力帮助每一匹小马吗?"
“Sure do, but I’ve narrowed down my ‘can’ a bit to what I can manage. I recognize that some ponies can’t be helped. Too addicted. Too burned out. Too eaten up. They’ll take every bit of help I can offer and still mess themselves up. So I have to make the rotten call and write them off. And they die, sure enough as if I’d shot ‘em dead. But if I didn’t, I’d be just as dead.”
"当然可以，但是我已经把我的'can'缩小到我能做到的范围了。我知道有些小马是无可救药的。太上瘾了。精疲力尽。吃得太多了。他们会接受我所能提供的一切帮助，但仍然把自己搞得一团糟。所以我不得不做出糟糕的决定，把他们一笔勾销。然后他们就死了，就像我开枪打死了他们一样。但如果我不这么做，我也会死。"
“So it’s you or them, is that it?”
"所以不是你死就是他亡，对吗?"
“They don’t have a chance without me,” she replied with a shrug.
"没有我，他们没有机会,"她耸耸肩回答。
I sighed and closed my eyes. “I could have killed her, but I didn’t want to be an executioner. I wanted to kill him, but I couldn’t do it. Why?”
我叹了口气，闭上了眼睛。"我本可以杀了她，但我不想当刽子手。我想杀了他，但我做不到。为什么?"
She tapped my head. “Because you want to save ‘em. You want them to be good ponies again. But ponies ain’t good or bad. Ponies is ponies, and the sooner you realize that, the easier it’ll be.”
她拍了拍我的头。"因为你想拯救他们。你希望它们再次成为好马。但是小马不是好的也不是坏的。小马就是小马，你越早意识到这一点，事情就会越简单。"
“Yeah, but I’m too stupid for easy.”
"是的，但是我太笨了，不容易。"
“Well, I’ll say something nice at your funeral.”
"好吧，我会在你的葬礼上说些好听的话。"
“I get one? Sweet. Will there be cake?”
"我得到一个？太好了。会有蛋糕吗?"
She laughed as she deactivated the machine. “You are one twigged mare.”
她笑着关掉了机器。"你是一匹娇小的母马。"
“I’ll take that as a good thing,” I replied with a grin.
"我认为这是件好事,"我咧嘴笑着回答。
Her expression turned more serious as she adjusted her glasses. “Are you looking to take over Flank?”
当她调整眼镜时，她的表情变得更加严肃。"你打算接管弗兰克吗?"
“I dunno. Should I?”
"我不知道。我应该吗?"
“Not if you believe in good ponies.”
"如果你相信好马的话就不会。"
“The ponies here aren’t?”
"这里的小马不是吗?"
“Nopony is. Some try, but Flank isn’t about helping. Here, everypony is looking out for themselves and doing what they have to do.”
"Nopony是。有些人试过，但是弗兰克不是来帮忙的。在这里，每个人都在为自己着想，做自己该做的事。"
I closed my eyes, imagining Barpony. “I know two that are looking out for others.”
我闭上眼睛，想象着巴波尼。"我知道有两个人在照顾别人。"
“Well, that’s two more than I know,” she replied.
"嗯，比我知道的还多两个,"她回答。
I smiled and gave a shake before slipping my barding back on. “I need to find Caprice. Is she back in her office yet?”
我笑了笑，摇了摇头，然后又把我的头发披回去了。"我要找到凯普莱斯。她回办公室了吗?"
“Ask your friend at the bar,” Scalpel said with a little snicker. “You do know who she is, don’t you?”
"问问你在酒吧里的朋友,"斯科博格窃笑着说。"你知道她是谁，对吧?"
“I keep trying to find out,” I muttered.
"我一直想知道,"我喃喃自语道。
“Oh, well, I won’t ruin the surprise for you.”
"哦，好吧，我不会破坏给你的惊喜。"
I huffed softly. “And that keeps happening.”
我轻轻地喘了口气。"这种情况一直在发生。"
Something was wrong, and once again I couldn’t put my hoof on it. Did Scalpel always look so… tired? “Well, speaking of Caprice, I should probably go and tell her that we’ll have finished fortifying this place soon. And if she doesn’t like it then I’m handing it all to that barpony. Or you. Or somepony. Hell, I can run this place better than she can.” Great. Now Scalpel looked worried.
有些地方不对劲，我再一次无法把我的蹄子踩在上面。手术刀看起来总是那么...疲惫吗？""好吧，说到反复无常，我也许应该去告诉她，我们很快就会完成这个地方的防御工事。如果她不喜欢，我就把这些都交给那个酒鬼。或者是你。或者什么小马。见鬼，我可以比她更好地管理这个地方。"太好了。现在手术刀看起来很担心。
“Well… I’m sure she’ll be glad to hear that. Why don’t you get a bite at the Trough first, though? Magic is no substitute for food,” she said with her frayed smile.
"嗯......我相信她听到这个消息会很高兴的。不过，你为什么不先去海槽吃点东西呢？魔法不能代替食物,"她带着磨损的微笑说。
“Good idea. See you later,” I replied. Walking out, I noticed something else; these were the same addicts as I’d seen before. In fact, they were the same as when I’d first been brought in. I supposed treatment took more than a single day; look at how many times I’d been back to deal with the damage I caused myself.
"好主意。回头见,"我回答。走出去，我注意到了一些其他的东西;这些瘾君子和我以前见过的一样。事实上，它们和我第一次被带进来的时候是一样的。我以为治疗花了不止一天的时间;看看我回来处理自己造成的伤害有多少次。
Still…
不过..。
Things weren’t much better in the Trough. For some reason, I was noticing how off things were. The bountiful food really wasn’t all that great in amount; they just spread it out more. The ‘fresh’ produce from the Society was withered and pale. The apples on top were decent enough, but most of the remainder were soft and overripe. Even 200 Years Fresh had empty cardboard boxes behind the packages. The only food that actually looked appetizing, I’m sorry to say, was the food in the Enclave shop, and that was closed and locked up.
低谷期的情况也好不到哪里去。出于某种原因，我注意到事情有多离谱。丰盛的食物实际上并不是数量那么多，他们只是把它们分得更开。来自协会的'新鲜'农产品枯萎苍白。上面的苹果还不错，但剩下的大部分又软又熟过头了。即使是《200岁新鲜》的包装袋后面也有空的纸板箱。唯一看起来很可口的食物，我很遗憾地说，是昂科雷商店里的食物，那是关着的锁着的。
Something was definitely off. I supposed that, having been around Flank for a
肯定有什么地方不对劲。我想是的，我已经在弗兰克待了一段时间了
while, I’d finally started to notice things. Still, had the security mares always followed me around like that? They didn’t look like they were after more pointers. P-21 and Rampage had gone to raid Deus’s camp of everything not nailed down while Glory and I returned to Flank. She was now in the Exchange, trying to convert our salvage to caps.
我终于开始注意到一些事情。不过，那些保安母马总是那样跟着我吗？他们看起来不像是在寻找更多的指点。P-21和狂暴已经去袭击天王的营地，所有东西都没有钉牢，晨辉和我回到弗拉克。她现在在交易所，试图把我们的打捞转换成大写。
And me? It was time to see Caprice.
那我呢？是时候见见凯普莱斯了。
I strode into Stable 89, my eyes starting to flicker amber as I’d finally sucked up enough radiation to trigger my mutation. I was resolved to see Caprice and get this done.
我大步走进Stable89，我的眼睛开始闪烁琥珀色，因为我终于吸入了足够的辐射来触发我的变异。我决定去见Caprice，把这件事做完。
Then I saw Barpony chatting with Scalpel. The former seemed to be waiting for me, and my nethers gave me other options as Scalpel trotted further in. I guess even doctors needed to scratch that itch from time to time. “Hey,” I said, with an easy grin. She looked good… tired… tense… worried… but good. Really good...
然后我看到巴波尼在和解剖刀聊天。前者似乎在等着我，我的下面给了我其他的选择，当解剖刀进一步。我猜即使是医生也需要时不时地挠挠痒痒。"嘿,"我咧嘴笑着说。她看起来很好...疲惫...紧张...担心...但是很好。真的很好..。
“Hey yourself,” she said as she bumped my rump and passed me a bottle of Sparkle-Cola. “Heard you had a busy day helping the town.”
"嘿，你好,"她一边说一边碰了碰我的屁股，递给我一瓶闪亮可乐。"听说你忙了一整天帮助镇上的人。"
“Yeah, something like that.” I took a pull off the bottle. It tasted… odd. Sweet, but also bitter. It must have been an old bottle… “But I need to see Caprice. I have business with her.” Her eyes twitched to my barding, my guns.
"是的，差不多吧。"我从瓶子里抽了一口。味道...很奇怪。甜蜜，但也是苦涩的。那一定是一个旧瓶子......"但是我需要看看Caprice。我和她有生意要谈。"她的眼睛盯着我的剑，我的枪。
“Oh? Well, she’s still out, but how about we go back to my quarters till she gets back?” she asked, and only the thought of her offer kept me from going through the roof.
"哦？好吧，她还在外面，不过我们回我的房间等她回来怎么样?"她问道，只是一想到她的提议，我就不忍心大发雷霆。
“Sure,” I said with a chuckle, groaning as she nuzzled my mane. I had to admit, watching this filly’s flank was even more appealing now. It was like a moon… like a beautiful peach moon…
"当然,"我笑着说，呻吟着，她用鼻子蹭了蹭我的鬃毛。我不得不承认，现在看着这匹小母马的侧腹更有吸引力了。就像一轮月亮...像一轮美丽的桃月亮..。
* * *
* * *
I had to admit that there was something nice about her room. Maybe it was the light. Everything in the room had a whitish silvery glow to it. I was glowing. She was glowing. It was like we were making love in the stars.
我不得不承认她的房间有一些美好的东西。也许是因为灯光。房间里所有的东西都发出银白色的光。我容光焕发。她容光焕发。就像我们在星空中做爱。
I just gave such a wide grin my cheeks hurt. “Okay. I’m ready for another.”
我只是咧开嘴笑了一下，我的脸都疼了。"好吧。我已经准备好再来一次了。"
“Unfortunately, I need to check on a few things, and then I’ll be back,” she said as she slipped from my hooves.
"不幸的是，我需要检查一些东西，然后我会回来,"她说，她从我的蹄子滑落。
I closed my eyes again with a soft groan. “So not fair…”
我又闭上了眼睛，轻轻地呻吟了一声。"太不公平了......"
“Don’t whine, Blackjack,” she told me with a little wink. “It makes you sound virginal.” With that she slipped out the door and I groaned.
"别发牢骚，黑杰克,"她眨了眨眼睛对我说。"这让你听起来像个处女。"说完，她溜出了门，我呻吟着。
I lay on my back, trying to touch that soft shimmery light. “Blackjack,” the old stallion rasped.
我仰面躺着，试图触摸那柔和闪烁的光芒。"黑杰克,"老种马粗声粗气地说。
“Go away. I’ve orgasmed. I don’t need to talk to crazy.”
"走开。我高潮了。我不需要和疯子说话。"
“Blackjack. You need to take a Fixer,” he said softly.
"黑杰克。你需要一个修理工,"他温柔地说。
“Fixer doesn’t fix nothing. That’s what Glory said,” I muttered as I looked up at the colors. “I feel good. Why do I need to fix that? Everything’s so… ugly. She’s pretty. She’s nice. Let me feel good. Please?”
"修理工什么都修不好。"晨辉就是这么说的,"我一边看着这些颜色，一边喃喃自语。"我感觉很好。我为什么要解决这个问题？一切都那么...丑陋。她很漂亮。她人很好。让我感觉良好。求你了?"
“Maybe. But this isn’t real. You need to take a Fixer. She has some in her drawer.”
"也许吧。但这不是真的。你需要一个修理工。她抽屉里有一些。"
“How do you know that?”
"你怎么知道的?"
“You know it,” he replied simply.
"你知道的,"他简单地回答。
I started to cry. “Just let me stay here. Please. I don’t want to go out there where it’s horrible. I am so sick of horrible. I liked it better when I didn’t notice how… bad… things are.”
我开始哭泣。"就让我呆在这儿吧。求你了。我不想去那个恐怖的地方。我讨厌可怕的事情。我更喜欢当我没有注意到事情有多么...糟糕的时候。"
“That’s a price you pay for noticing. Look at Pinkie Pie. Look at what she saw. See how it destroyed her? You can’t lie here, Blackjack. Get on your hooves.” I slowly rolled out of bed and staggered over to her desk. I lifted the package of Fixer, wincing at the way the red colors of the packaging bled into the silver glow.
"这是你为注意到这一点而付出的代价。看看小手指派。看看她看到了什么。看到她是怎么被摧毁的了吗？你不能躺在这儿Blackjack。赶快行动起来。"我慢慢地从床上爬起来，摇摇晃晃地走到她的书桌前。我拿起包装盒，看到包装上的红色渐渐变成了银色的光芒，我不禁畏缩起来。
I pressed the bitter tablet to my tongue and chewed.
我把苦药片按在舌头上咀嚼。
The glow disappeared and I gave myself a brisk shake. Everything from the hallway to the bed was a blur. My barding and stuff were nowhere to be seen.
脸上的红晕消失了，我轻轻地抖了一下。从走廊到床上的一切都模糊不清。我的帐篷和其他东西都不见了。
“Please…” I whispered to the memory of long dead goddesses, “Please please don’t let this be a setup…”
"求求你......"我低声对着早已逝去的女神的记忆说,"求求你不要让这一切成为圈套......"
Her room was decorated with strands of colored lights. Every inch of the room had strange little trinkets and nick-knacks. I looked at some of her treasures. A spent magic cartridge? A foal hoof bootie? A kazoo? They were all teasing me, making me wonder about this mare.
她的房间用几束彩灯装饰起来。房间里的每一寸地方都有奇怪的小饰品和小玩意儿。我看了看她的一些珍宝。一个废弃的魔法药筒？小马驹的蹄子？卡祖笛？他们都在戏弄我，使我对这匹母马感到好奇。
I noticed a lot of papers in a waste basket. I probably wouldn’t have paused if I hadn’t noticed the writing was all fancy and looping, like how I’d seen Princess Celestia write. I floated one out, narrowing my eyes. “My dearest Peach Pie. I look forward to munching on your apricot of love. No words can adequately express how full and throbbing my rhubarb is for your delectable flower. I long to nuzzle your sweet grass and look forward to your lips full of celery. Your sweetest cherry, Lord Orange. Oooookay…” Then I glanced down. “PS: I am including an incentive of ten thousand caps to sway you to my garden of love.”
我注意到废纸篓里有很多纸。如果我没有注意到这些文字充满幻想和循环，我可能不会停下来，就像我看到塞勒斯蒂娜公主写的那样。我眯起眼睛，拿出一个。"我最亲爱的桃子派。我期待着咀嚼你的杏仁爱情。没有语言能够充分表达我的大黄对你的美味花朵是多么的饱满和悸动。我渴望用鼻子蹭你的甜草，盼望你的嘴唇里塞满芹菜。你最甜蜜的樱桃，橙子勋爵。好吧......"然后我低头看了一眼。"附言:我有一万顶帽子的诱惑，要把你带到我的爱之花园。"
Ten thousand caps for sex? I couldn’t imagine. I looked at her desk and the colorful bottles; not just soda. Perfume bottles. And there were foal stickers all over her terminal. And glitter. And…
一万个帽子代表性？我无法想象。我看着她的桌子和五颜六色的瓶子，不仅仅是苏打水。香水瓶。她的终端上到处都是小马驹的贴纸。还有闪闪发光。还有..。
It was under ‘E’!
在"e"下面！
Then I noticed it: a little spot of something drab on the bookshelf. Something plain. It wasn’t hidden so much as simply placed behind layers and layers of junk; that’s what all this was. Not trophies or important mementos but simply stuff. Stuff to deceive and mislead. A veil. Slowly I walked to the bookshelf and my horn carefully moved aside the bottles and levitated out a picture in a dusty frame.
然后我注意到了:书架上有一点点单调的东西。一些朴素的东西。它并不是简单地隐藏在一层又一层的垃圾后面;这就是所有这一切。不是奖杯或重要的纪念品，而是简单的东西。欺骗和误导的东西。面纱。我慢慢走向书架，我的喇叭小心翼翼地把瓶子移到一边，悬浮出一幅布满灰尘的画框。
Softly I swept it aside and looked down at the grainy, black and white photograph of a grizzly stallion standing over three fillies, hugging them all in his hooves. The one on the left, with the disdainful look at the other two, I didn’t know. The one on the right, grinning gleefully up at the old stallion, was the barpony who’d given me all kinds of wonderful feelings minutes ago. But in the middle…
我轻轻地把它推到一边，低头看着那张黑白相间的照片，照片上一只灰熊站在三匹小母马旁边，用蹄子紧紧地抱着它们。左边那个，用轻蔑的眼神看着另外两个，我不知道。右边那个，对着那匹老种马高兴地咧着嘴笑着，是那个几分钟前给了我各种美好感觉的酒鬼。但是在中间..。
Bottlecap.
Bottlecap.
The door hissed open right then and in walked Caprice. Suddenly I could see
这时门发出嘶嘶声开了，凯普莱斯走了进来。突然，我可以看到
around her edges. The apprehension underlying her smooth demeanor. The wariness in her eyes. The fear. She was afraid of me. Why? I wasn’t her enemy, was I?
在她的边缘。她平静的举止下隐藏着的恐惧。她眼中的警惕。恐惧。她害怕我。为什么？我不是她的敌人，对吧？
Yes… I was.
是的。
“You’re… you’re up…” she said, trying to keep her voice smooth. She may have pulled it off before too, but now I heard the strain in her voice.
"你......你起来了......"她说，努力让自己的声音保持流畅。她以前可能也做到过，但现在我听到了她声音中的紧张。
“Yeah. I think I took something,” I said calmly as I put the picture back and then I levitated the package of Fixer. “So I took something else,” I said, frowning. “Why didn’t you tell me you were Caprice?”
"是的。我想我拿了什么东西,"我平静地说，同时把照片放回去，然后我悬浮了一包Fixer。"所以我拿了别的东西,"我皱着眉头说。"你为什么不告诉我你是Caprice?"
“I was just playing…” she began, sliding into an easily prepared line. My lips pressed together. That was true, but it wasn’t the whole truth. Not even most of the truth. “Blackjack, please… why don’t we continue our fun, hmm?”
"我只是在玩......"她开始说，滑进一条容易准备的队伍。我的嘴唇紧闭着。这是事实，但不是全部的事实。甚至不是大部分真相。"黑杰克，拜托......我们何不继续找乐子呢?"
I looked at her, not smiling now. I just stared and watched her slowly unravel. The tense smile. The pleading eyes. The nervous shake. A little pressure and they were impossible to hide. “No. I think we’re done with that, Caprice.”
我看着她，现在不笑了。我只是盯着她，看着她慢慢地崩溃。紧张的笑容。哀求的眼神。紧张的颤抖。只要一点点压力，他们就不可能藏起来。"没有。我认为我们已经做完了，凯普莱斯。"
“Please don’t kill me,” she whispered as she shook.
"请不要杀我,"她颤抖着低声说。
“What? What are you talking about?” I frowned as I looked at her, feeling my mane crawl. “Gemini and Taurus… they knew exactly where to find me. And U-
"什么？你在说什么?"我看着她皱起了眉头，感觉自己的鬃毛在蠕动。"双子座和金牛座......他们知道在哪里能找到我。还有u-
And Deus. You sold me out!” I shouted at her as my eyes narrowed. “You fucked me!” She started to back out the door, but my stare locked her in place. “You told the security mares to step aside, didn’t you? You wanted me to come into the stable. Make me nice and comfortable. Drug me up and hand me over to Deus? And Taurus knew exactly where that bridge was to cut me off. He could have sniped me easily if I hadn’t trapped Mini.”
还有上帝。你出卖了我!"我眯起眼睛向她喊道。"你耍了我!"她开始退出门外，但我的目光锁住了她。"你叫那些保安母马让开，是不是？你想让我去马厩。让我舒舒服服的。给我下药然后把我交给上帝？金牛座知道那座桥的确切位置。如果我没有陷害米妮，他可以轻易地狙击我。"
“I had no choice!” she cried out. “It was hand you over or Deus would have leveled Flank and buried us alive inside the stable! This town is everything. It’s all I have,” she said as she finally backed away. “Now you’re taking over. Just like Usury did at Paradise and Bottlecap did at Megamart. You’re going to take Flank away from me!” she yelled as she backed towards the door.
"我别无选择!"她大声喊道。"如果不把你交出来，上帝就会把我们的侧翼夷为平地，活埋在马厩里！这个小镇就是一切。这是我的全部,"她最后后退时说。"现在你接管了。就像在Paradise和Bottlecap在Megamart做的那样。你要把弗兰克从我手里抢走!"她一边往门口退一边大叫。
“I wanted to protect it. I wanted to protect you. You could have told me! You could have just asked me to go. I wanted to help you, Caprice. Not Flank, you!”
"我想保护它。我想保护你。你应该告诉我的！你可以直接让我去的。我想帮你，凯普莱斯。不是侧翼，是你!"
I snarled as the white glow of my magic sheathed my horn. It was like back at the mine; I was looking right at a softer, sweeter Lancer. A snake. If I didn’t kill her now, she’d just bite me again later.
我咆哮着，我的魔法的白光遮住了我的号角。就像回到了矿井，我看到的是一个更加柔软，更加甜美的枪骑兵。一条蛇。如果我现在不杀了她，她以后还会再咬我。
A dry shuffling of cards and an expectant silence.
一阵干巴巴的洗牌声和期待的沉默。
“But I am NOT a fucking executioner,” I snapped as she backed away through the door into the overmare’s office. I walked over to my saddlebags and pulled out her letter from Bottlecap and threw it in her face. “There! Message delivered. The Finders owe me for three contracts. Pay up.”
"但我不是一个他妈的刽子手,"我厉声说，当她通过门退回到overmare的办公室。我走到我的鞍囊旁，拿出她在Bottlecap寄来的信，扔到她脸上。"那儿！信息传达。芬德一家欠我三份合同。付钱吧。"
She looked at the letter at her hooves, shaking. Without opening it she tossed it into the trash and then walked to her safe. She pulled out five bags marked ‘1000c’ and set them on the table. I swept them into my saddlebags. She stiffed me 10%... but I didn’t care at this point. I just wanted to get the hell out of Flank.
她看着那封信，发抖着。她没有打开它，把它扔进垃圾桶，然后走到她的保险箱。她拿出五个写着"1000c"的袋子，放在桌子上。我把它们扫进我的鞍囊里。她给了我10%......但我现在不在乎。我只是想离开弗兰克。
“I’m sorry…” she muttered softly. “I just… liked not being me.”
"对不起......"她轻声咕哝着。"我只是......喜欢不做自己。"
“Yeah,” I muttered back, chewing down another bitter tablet. “I liked you not being you too.”
"是啊,"我咕哝着回答，又吃了一片苦药。"我也喜欢你不是你自己。"
* * *
* * *
I’m the security pony. I’m the one that shows up to kill all the fun. Flank was glad to see me go. They had their turrets; the rest was up to them. I’d wrangled a few concessions for our hard work: a working wagon, the contents of Octavia’s closet, a few recordings from Mixers. Those two had been the only ones genuinely sad to see me leave. Even Scalpel had just looked at me with her tired, burned out eyes and just given me a shrug.
我是保安小马。我才是那个来扫兴的人。弗兰克看到我走很高兴。他们有自己的炮塔，剩下的就靠他们自己了。为了我们的辛勤工作，我争取到了一些让步:一辆能用的货车，奥克塔维亚壁橱里的东西，还有一些《混音者》的录音。看到我离开，他们两个是唯一真正伤心的人。即使是手术刀也只是用她疲惫、灼伤的眼睛看着我，只是耸了耸肩。
Roses and Thorn would be coming with us to Megamart or just someplace that wasn’t here. When Rampage and P-21 returned, we simply loaded it all in the cart and left.
玫瑰和索恩会和我们一起去Megamart或者别的什么地方。当狂暴和P-21返回时，我们简单地把它们装进购物车然后离开。
“So. You figure out who Caprice is yet?” the Reaper asked.
"所以。你知道卡普莱斯是谁了吗?"死神问道。
“Shut up, Rampage…” I muttered.
"闭嘴，暴怒......"我喃喃自语道。
Ponies is ponies, Scalpel had said. They’re not good or evil. Maybe that was true; maybe we were all somewhere on a slope of gray. But I knew there were
小马就是小马，解剖刀说过。他们不是好人也不是坏人。也许这是真的;也许我们都处在灰色的斜坡上。但我知道肯定有
ponies who struggled every day to stay as high on that slope as they could, and others that just apathetically slid further and further down.
小马每天挣扎着尽可能高地站在斜坡上，其他的则无动于衷地越滑越低。
Footnote: Level Up.
脚注:水平上升。
Perk added: Action Mare (rank 2): +15 additional AP in S.A.T.S.
帕金斯补充道:战斗噩梦(等级2):在S.A.T.S.增加15个AP。
Skill note: Lockpicking (50)
技能说明:开锁(50)
Author's Notes:
作者笔记:
(huge thanks to Kkat for creating and inspiring me to get through this chapter, and to Hinds and Bronode for making it worth reading, and to everyone kind enough to give me feedback about it!)
(非常感谢Kkat创造并激励我读完这一章，感谢Hinds和Bronode让这本书值得一读，感谢每个人给我反馈!)
Chapter 16: Walk the Hard Road
第十六章:艰难前行
Fallout Equestria: Project Horizons
小马国:地平线计划
By Somber
作者:Somber
Chapter 16: Walk the Hard Road
第十六章:艰难前行
“What are we gonna do?”
"我们该怎么办?"
“We’re… gonna… run!”
"我们...要...跑!"
P-21 was alive? P-21 was alive! He was pissed, but he was alive. No bomb around his neck. No bruises or bloody marks. No burns or bullet holes. He was alive, okay, and pissed off at little old me! I laughed as I scrambled off the bed, startling the pair of them as I hugged him happily. “You’re alive! Oh thank Celestia!”
P-21还活着？P-21还活着！他很生气，但他还活着。他的脖子上没有炸弹。没有瘀伤或血迹。没有烧伤或弹孔。他还活着，而且对我这个小老头很生气！我笑着爬下床，高兴地拥抱了他，吓了他们一跳。"你还活着！哦，谢谢塞莱斯蒂亚!"
“Get… get off me! Blackjack!” He scowled as he kicked at me. I licked his cheek and his scowling face snapped to an expression of shock! “Ew! Blackjack. Stop it!” I fell back on the ground, laughing like I hadn’t laughed… well… ever. He frowned down at me, wiping his cheek as I lay back on the carpeting. “You are so… random.” For some reason that made me laugh even harder. I had tears in my eyes from laughing so hard!
"放...放开我！黑杰克!"他一边皱着眉头一边踢我。我舔了舔他的脸颊，他那愁眉不展的脸上突然露出震惊的表情！"哎呀！黑杰克。住手!"我倒在地上，笑得就像我从来没有笑过一样...好吧...从来没有。我躺在地毯上，他朝我皱着眉头，擦着脸颊。"你太...随意了。"出于某种原因，这让我笑得更厉害了。我笑得眼泪都流出来了！
U-21, the scrawny brown unicorn stallion -- scrawny from years of being locked up in a room by mares, I reminded myself -- watched the display with utter bafflement. “Now, if you’ll be a good little mare…” I wasn’t paying much attention. He was alive. P-21 was probably going to kill me, but at least I’d be able to do what was right. To do better! “Ahem! We’re going to step outside and…” His tan eyes twitched and he stomped his hooves. “Will you stop laughing! I have a detonator, you know.”
我提醒自己，这匹皮包骨瘦如柴的褐色独角兽种马，多年来被母马关在房间里，骨瘦如柴。"现在，如果你是一个好的小母马......"我没有太注意。他还活着。P-21可能会杀了我，但至少我能做正确的事。为了做得更好！"咳咳！我们要到外面去......"他棕褐色的眼睛抽搐着，跺着脚。"你能不能别笑了！我有一个引爆器，你知道。"
I stopped laughing, but not smiling, as I looked up at U-21. The brown unicorn resumed his nasty smile. “Now, you’re going to walk nice and easy along the Sunset Highway till we meet up with Deus. If you try anything… anything at all… I’ll blow your head off. And this detonator’s a deadpony’s trigger. I let go for any reason and you’re a headless horse.” He rose and started for the door.
当我抬头看着U-21时，我停止了笑，但没有笑。棕色的独角兽重新露出了讨厌的笑容。"现在，你沿着日落公路慢慢地走，直到我们遇见天王。如果你敢轻举妄动...任何事...我就打爆你的头。这个引爆器是一个死马的引爆器。我不管什么理由都会放手，而你是一匹无头的马。"他起身向门口走去。
Distantly, I heard the rain start to pour again; good old soggy Hoofington.
我远远地听到又开始下雨了，老好人，湿漉漉的胡芬顿。
And just like that I thought about his demand, his collar, and his detonator and just cackled. “Oh don’t be stupid. I’m not going anywhere with you,” I said as I wiped my tears, still hiccupping with the occasional laugh.
就这样，我想到了他的要求，他的项圈，他的引爆器，然后咯咯笑了起来。"哦，别傻了。我不会跟你去任何地方的,"我边说边擦干眼泪，偶尔还会笑着打嗝。
U-21 stared at me. “Cunt! You’ve got a bomb around your neck and I’ve got my hoof on the trigger. You’re going to do exactly what I say or--”
U-21盯着我。"婊子！你脖子上挂着炸弹，我的蹄子踩在了扳机上。你必须完全照我说的做，否则——"
Maybe it was the word. Maybe it was the rush I was feeling from seeing P-21 again. Could have been that a few hours ago I was inches away from being eaten by a giant tainted abomination, that a few hours before that my heart had stopped, or that a few hours before THAT I’d been shot through the left side of my chest by a beam weapon. Regardless, I felt a dangerous little lucidity that brought U-21 and his detonator into my complete attention.
也许是因为这个词。也许这就是我再次见到P-21所感受到的匆忙。可能是几个小时前我离被一个巨大的受污染的怪物吃掉只有几英寸的距离，可能是几个小时前我的心脏停止跳动，可能是几个小时前我被光束武器射穿了左胸。无论如何，我感到一种危险的小清醒，把U-21和他的雷管引入了我的全部注意力。
“Or fucking what? You’re going to kill me?” I rolled to my hooves, laughing at this as well. “Maybe you didn’t get the memo, but I’m dead already. All you’d be doing is saving me from the discomfort of mutating into some freak before dying of taint.”
"不然怎么样？你要杀了我?"我连滚带爬，对此也大笑不已。"也许你没有收到备忘录，但我已经死了。你所要做的就是把我从变异成怪物的不适中拯救出来，不然我就会被污染而死。"
P-21’s eyes widened as U-21’s jaw dropped open. “You suicidal m- moron,” the unicorn started to stammer as I grinned at him.
由于U-21的下巴张开，P-21的眼睛睁大了。"你这个自杀的白痴,"我咧嘴笑时，独角兽开始结结巴巴地说。
“And now that I think of it, blowing my head off might kill me, but it would completely fuck you. You work for Deus, right? Deus, the Reaper I shot with artillery? Deus, the Reaper that wants to invent whole new methods of mayhem to try out on me? I would just love to see what he does to you when you tell him that you cheated him out of his revenge!” I said with glee.
"现在我想起来了，轰掉我的脑袋也许会要了我的命，但是它会彻底地干死你。你为天王工作，对吗？天王，我用大炮打中的死神？天王，那个想要发明全新的破坏方法来试验我的死神？我只是想看看你告诉他你欺骗了他的复仇时，他会怎么对你。"我高兴地说。
“I… that’s not… he wouldn’t…” U-21 muttered as he stared from me to P-21 and back again. “You’re insane!”
"我.....。.那不是......他不会......"U-21低声咕哝着，盯着我看P-21然后又看回来。"你疯了!"
I laughed again. “I’m insane? Trust me, you have no idea.” I snickered and rubbed my chin with my hoof before pointing it at him. “Come to think of it, Deus wouldn’t be the only pony pissed to not kill me. I got an entire family of bounty hunters after me. Ever hear of them? The Zodiac family? And I just know that there’d be hordes of bounty hunters all over the Hoof who’d be mighty put out with a brown unicorn cheating them of their hopes and dreams.” I stomped a hoof, making him jump. “Especially if you actually collected on the
我又笑了。"我疯了？相信我，你根本不知道。"我窃笑着，用我的蹄子摩擦着我的下巴，然后把它指向他。"想想看，上帝不会是唯一一个不杀我的小马。整个家族的赏金猎人都在追杀我。听说过吗？十二宫家族？我只知道，霍夫身边会有成群的赏金猎人，他们会被一只棕色独角兽强有力地赶走，从而欺骗他们的希望和梦想。"我跺了一下蹄子，把它吓了一跳。"特别是如果你真的收集了
bounties and had thousands and thousands of caps in your pockets!”
口袋里有成千上万的帽子!"
P-21 looked on in worry as the brown unicorn waved the detonator in my face like it was some kind of magic charm to drive me off. I pushed it aside, moving my grinning face even closer to his. “You’re wearing a bomb! That’s… that’s… crazy. You’re crazy.” He sat down on his rump, his weak focus making the detonator shake.
当棕色的独角兽在我脸上挥舞着雷管时，P-21看上去很担心，就像它是某种魔法能把我赶走一样。我把它推到一边，把我咧嘴笑的脸更靠近他的脸。"你身上有炸弹！这...这...太疯狂了。你疯了。"他坐在他的臀部，他的弱焦点使雷管震动。
“Crazy?” I threw back my head, cackling. “I’ve been passed beer by frigging hallucinations, don’t you tell me what crazy is!” I laughed, definitely feeling past the edge. “The Enclave might be okay with you killing me, but after what I did to their Vertibuck, I’m pretty sure they’d be pissed at you for cheating them of their chance to interrogate me with their newest death plague, or the chance to feed me limb by limb to a bunch of raiders,” I said as I stepped even closer to him, my eyes wide and staring. Oh, if only I had some rad poisoning right now! Though I imagined my natural red eyes were bright enough.
"疯了?"我仰起头，咯咯笑了起来。"我已经通过该死的幻觉喝过啤酒了，你不要告诉我什么是疯狂!"我笑了，绝对是感觉过了边缘。"昂科雷可能不介意你杀了我，但在我对他们的眩晕鹿做了那些事之后，我敢肯定他们会生气，因为你用他们最新的死亡瘟疫欺骗了他们审问我的机会，或者把我一片片喂给一群袭击者的机会,"我一边说，一边走近他，睁大眼睛盯着他。哦，要是我现在中毒就好了！尽管我想象自己天生的红眼睛足够明亮。
U-21 was shaking head to hoof and was apparently so unsure of his telekinesis that he’d transferred the detonator to his hooves to keep the trigger down. “I… you…”
U-21对蹄子摇头晃脑，显然对自己的心灵遥感不太确定，所以他把引爆器转移到了自己的蹄子上，以保持扳机不动。"我.....。.你..."
“And that’s not mentioning what my friends would do to you. I have helped a few ponies in the Hoof, and I’m pretty sure that some of them wouldn’t mind getting some payback on my behalf. Dusty Trails, Bottlecap, and potentially every colt and filly you pass might want to put a bullet in you. Then there’s Rampage. Has Deus mentioned Rampage? Fellow Reaper? Actually wants me alive for her own plot or scheme or amusement? And if she doesn’t, you can spend every second of the rest of your life wondering when Morning Glory is going to vaporize you from above at the speed of light. Have you ever been sniped with a beam rifle? Have you?” I shouted as I yanked open my barding to show the puckered scar. “‘Cause I have!”
"这还不包括我的朋友们会对你做什么。我曾经帮助过霍夫的几匹小马，我敢肯定其中一些不会介意为我得到一些回报。DustyTrails，Bottlecap，还有可能是你经过的每一匹小马驹和小母马都想给你一枪。然后是狂暴。天王提到过狂暴吗？死神同伴？为了她自己的阴谋或者计划或者娱乐真的想要我活着？如果她没有，你可以用余生的每一秒来思考牵牛花什么时候会以光速从天上蒸发你。你有没有被步枪射中过？是吗?"我一边大喊，一边猛地拉开帐篷，露出皱巴巴的伤疤。"因为我做到了!"
“Blackjack…” P-21 said in a warning tone as U-21 shrank back against the wall.
"黑杰克......"当U-21缩回到墙边时，P-21警告说。
“But what’s really funny to me… really really funny… is that P-21 would put a bomb on me and hand you the button. ‘Cause if there’s going to be any pony in all of Equestria -- in all the bloody, fucked-up world! -- that has a Goddess-given right to blow my head off, it would be him!” And I magically seized the detonator and yanked it into the air, shaking it at him. “See this? This does
"但对我来说真正有趣的是......真正有趣的是......P-21会在我身上放个炸弹，然后把按钮递给你。"因为如果整个小马国都有小马的话——在这个血腥、混乱的世界！——有一个女神——她有权把我的脑袋轰掉，那就是他!"然后我奇迹般地抓住了引爆器，把它猛拉到空中，向他摇晃。"看到这个了吗？这个可以
nothing! P-21’s too smart to give you the real trigger!”
什么都没有！P-21太聪明了，不会给你真正的触发器!"
“Blackjack, that IS the detonator,” P-21 shouted in alarm.
"黑杰克，那是引爆器,"P-21警报喊道。
I blinked, looking at him and the hovering trigger before me. “It is?” That brought be back down to earth… well, closer anyway. “Well, I hadn’t expected that.” I sat down hard, looking at the mechanism that could take my head off with the release of the trigger. I scratched my mane vigorously as I looked at him. “Um… oopsy on that last one.”
我眨了眨眼睛，看着他和悬停在我面前的扳机。"是吗?"这让我回到了现实中......好吧，不管怎么说，更接近了。"嗯，我没想到会这样。"我重重地坐了下来，看着那个可以随着扳机的松开而把我的头拧下来的机械装置。当我看着他的时候，我用力抓了抓我的鬃毛。"呃...最后一个糟透了。"
“We only had one detonator,” P-21 said with a sigh, rubbing the back of his head. U-21 had decayed into a hiccupping fit, and by the smell coming from him I knew that housekeeping wouldn’t be happy with me. “And it’s hard to read a magazine and keep that little tab held down all the time.”
"我们只有一个引爆器,"P-21轻轻地叹了口气，摩擦着后脑勺。U-21已经腐烂成了打嗝发作，从他身上散发出的气味，我知道客房服务员不会对我满意。"而且很难一边看杂志，一边一直保持低调。"
“Huh,” I said as I trotted over to my bags, dug out my roll of duct tape, and taped the trigger down. Then I tossed it to the blue pony. “There you go. You can pull the tape off later, if you want,” I said.
"哈,"我边说边小跑到我的包里，掏出我那卷胶带，用胶带把扳机固定住。然后我把它扔给了那匹蓝色的小马。"这就对了。如果你愿意，你可以以后再把胶带扯下来。"我说。
“You are crazy,” U-21 muttered in shock.
"你疯了,"U-21震惊地喃喃自语。
“Probably,” I chuckled. Still smiling, I rummaged a bit more and pulled out a bottle of Wild Pegasus. I looked around the suite and found three coffee cups. Okay, they weren’t shot glasses, but they were better than nothing. I poured two, and then looked at P-21 as he watched me, a touch wary. “Want one?”
"可能吧,"我咯咯笑着说。我仍然面带微笑，继续翻箱倒柜，拿出一瓶野飞马。我环顾了一下房间，发现了三个咖啡杯。好吧，它们不是烈酒杯，但总比什么都没有强。我倒了两杯，然后看着P-21，他看着我，有点警惕。"想要一个吗?"
He put the detonator on the table beside him, shaking his head. He looked… conflicted. Could I blame him? I levitated one cup over to U-21. “Here. Have a drink, then go in the bathroom and clean yourself up. Then we’ll talk.” The cup shook between his hooves as he gaped up at me. I took a drink as I looked at him with a smile. Now that he wasn’t making stupid demands, I felt a little bad for the brown unicorn. I was responsible for some shit in his life one way or another.
他摇摇头，把引爆器放在身边的桌子上。他看起来...很矛盾。我能怪他吗？我漂浮了一个杯子到U-21。"这儿。喝一杯，然后去洗手间把自己洗干净。然后我们再谈。"当他瞪大眼睛看我时，杯子在他的蹄子之间颤动。我喝了一口酒，微笑着看着他。现在他不再提出愚蠢的要求了，我为那只棕色的独角兽感到有点难过。无论如何我都要为他的生活负责。
He took his cup into the bathroom and closed the door behind him. I glanced at the stain and wrinkled my nose a little. “Was I that scary?”
他把杯子拿进浴室，关上了身后的门。我瞥了一眼那块污渍，皱了皱鼻子。"我有那么可怕吗?"
“A little bit. Yeah. Didn’t help that he was so sure the collar threat would work,” P-21 said evenly as he looked at me. “You seem…” I twitched my ear, wondering if I was better or worse. “Different,” he concluded, looking at my chest wound. “You’ve been through a lot while we were separated.”
"有一点。是的。他确信领子的威胁会起作用，这也没有什么帮助,"P-21一边看着我，一边平静地说。"你看起来......"我扭动着耳朵，想知道我是好还是坏。"不一样,"他看着我胸口的伤口，总结道。"我们分开的时候，你经历了很多。"
I sighed and took another drink. I couldn’t stop smiling. I should be sobbing and hugging his hooves, begging him for forgiveness. “Not just me. Glory too. The Enclave betrayed her. Branded her a Dashite to discredit her when we found out they were making some plague weapon.”
我叹了口气，又喝了一杯。我忍不住笑了。我应该哭泣，拥抱他的蹄子，乞求他的原谅。"不只是我。还有晨辉。昂科雷背叛了她。当我们发现他们在制造瘟疫武器时，就给她打上了大栅栏的烙印，使她名誉扫地。"
“Goddesses…” P-21 shook his head. “When you went rolling away after that little speech at the mine… I wasn’t sure you’d come looking for me.”
"女神......"P-21摇了摇头。"当你在矿场发表了那番简短的演讲后离开时......我不确定你是否会来找我。"
“You’re my friend,” I replied with a smile. A friend who had every right to kill me. “I think it’s a rule: if you get separated from a friend, you have to move hell and high water to get back to them.”
"你是我的朋友,"我微笑着回答。一个有权杀我的朋友。"我认为这是一条规则:如果你和朋友分开了，你必须竭尽全力回到他们身边。"
“I wasn’t sure I still was after what I pulled,” he replied. “At the mine, I mean.”
他回答说:"我不确定自己是否还在追求那些东西。"。"我是说，在矿上。"
“I know why you did,” I said softly as I looked into the cup and felt some tears start to creep. “Justice. I just didn’t think about what that meant.” I finished off my cupful with a sad smile so I wouldn’t have to see that look on my face. “I’ve been doing a lot of that lately. Thinking, I mean.”
"我知道你为什么这么做,"我看着杯子，感到眼泪开始流出来。"正义。我只是没有想到这意味着什么。"我用一个悲伤的微笑结束了我的杯子，这样我就不会看到我脸上的表情了。"我最近经常这样做。我是说，思考。"
“Must have hurt,” he said with a snort, but his hard look softened as I smiled at him. I hoped it reached my eyes.
"一定很疼,"他哼了一声说，但当我朝他微笑时，他那坚硬的表情变得柔和了。我希望它进入我的眼睛。
“It did. A lot. If you’d tried this a few hours ago I probably would have cut off my own head to save you the trouble.” I told him about going to Chapel, waiting for them to arrive, then Sekashi’s arrival and the encounter with Virgo. “I got to where you two were attacked and knew I needed Glory. I can’t figure out a rescue to save my life… or save a cutie mark.”
"是的。很多。如果你几个小时前试试这个，我可能会把自己的头砍下来，免得给你添麻烦。"我告诉他去教堂，等待他们的到来，然后是Sekashi的到来和处女座的遭遇。"我到了你们两个被攻击的地方，知道我需要晨辉。我想不出拯救我生命的方法......或者拯救一个可爱的标记。"
He looked at me in confusion when the bathroom door opened and U-21 stepped out. He looked at me as if fearing I’d bite him or something. A few minutes ago I might have. “Hey. Want some more?” I asked, lifting the bottle of whiskey and swirling it.
当卫生间的门打开，U-21走出来的时候，他困惑地看着我。他看着我，好像担心我会咬他一口什么的。几分钟前我可能。"嘿。还想要吗?"我一边问，一边举起一瓶威士忌，打着旋。
His eyes flickered from P-21 to me and then back again. “What is the matter with her? Why is she being nice? What kind of sick game is this?” he demanded as he pointed a hoof at me.
他的眼睛从P-21转向我，然后又转回来。""她怎么啦？她为什么对我这么好？这是什么变态游戏?"他用蹄子指着我问道。
I chuckled, and made him wince. “Let’s just say you caught me in a really good mood. If you want to go, though, I won’t stop you.” I poured a little more whiskey into my cup, and after a moment of hesitation U-21 nodded for a refill
我咯咯地笑了起来，让他退缩了。"这么说吧，你发现我心情很好。不过，如果你想去，我不会阻止你。"我又往杯子里倒了一点威士忌，犹豫了片刻之后，U-黑杰克头要求续杯
as well. “If you don’t mind my asking, what happened after you were taken?” I asked P-21.
也。"如果你不介意我问的话，你被带走后发生了什么事?"我问了P-21。
“Don’t tell her. It’s a sneaky trick,” U-21 muttered as he flushed.
"别告诉她。这是个卑鄙的把戏,"U-21一边冲水一边喃喃自语。
But P-21 just shook his head. “She’s not capable of sneaky tricks.” He sighed and looked out the window. “When the Enclave attacked, we ran. They didn’t pursue. There was some talk of trying to find Sekashi, following the rail lines, or trying to intercept you between the tracks and Flank.” He gave a crooked grin as he looked at the brown unicorn. “I might have mentioned that it’d be a very bad idea to follow you, given you’d be in a bad mood when we found you.”
但是P-21只是摇了摇头。"她不会耍诡计。"他叹了口气，望着窗外。"当昂科雷进攻时，我们逃跑了。他们没有追求。有人说要找到Sekashi，沿着铁路线走，或者在铁轨和弗兰克之间拦截你。"他看着那只棕色的独角兽，咧嘴一笑。"我可能会提到，跟踪你是一个非常糟糕的主意，因为我们找到你时，你的心情会很糟糕。"
“You’re right,” I replied as my maudlin feelings spread. “And I never would have had the time to think about things if you had.” I would have continued on like an idiot, ignorant of my crimes against him.
"你说得对,"我回答道，同时感伤的情绪蔓延开来。"如果你有的话，我就没有时间去想这些事情了。"我会像个白痴一样继续下去，不知道我对他犯了什么罪。
“Finally, we made our way here to meet up with Deus and the rest of the hunting parties. Since there were ten of us, it took a lot longer than I’d expected. He’s been rounding up bounty hunters for his band. Meanwhile, U-21 here,” he said with an even stare at the brown unicorn, “spent every free minute trying to remind me of everything I wanted to forget. We arrived just after you torched that factory, then we followed you up here. I heard you mention an orb, and we waited a bit, knocked, and picked the lock when you were out of it.” Smirking a little, he added, “It was a pretty good lock, but not good enough.”
"最后，我们来到这里，与天王和其他狩猎队会合。因为我们有十个人，所以花的时间比我想象的要长。他一直在为他的乐队召集赏金猎人。与此同时，这位U-21,"他凝视着棕色的独角兽说,"花费每一分钟的空闲时间，试图提醒我想要忘记的一切。"。你放火烧了那家工厂之后我们就到了，然后我们跟着你到了这里。我听见你提到一个球体，我们等了一会儿，敲了敲门，等你出来的时候把锁撬开了。"他得意地笑了一下，接着说:"这是一把相当不错的锁，但还不够好。"
“I gotta know, what was the plan if I didn’t have an orb?”
"我想知道，如果我没有圆球的话，我的计划是什么?"
“We were gonna all ponypile in and tackle you,” U-21 muttered into his coffee cup. “Use my rope trick to tie you up and throw on the collar.”
"我们本来都要挤进来对付你的,"U-21低声对着他的咖啡杯说。"用我的绳子把你绑起来，套在衣领上。"
I winced. “Do you have any idea how bad I’d have hurt you?” I suspected they didn’t know about my ‘look at you and explode your unarmored face’ trick.
我皱了皱眉。"你知道我会伤你有多深吗?"我怀疑他们不知道我的'看着你，爆掉你毫无防备的脸'的把戏。
“It doesn’t matter anymore!” he slurred, “Deus is done with me. When he thought I might be able to lead him to you, then I had a little protection... but I’m done now! This was my last chance!” He fell on his face, burying it in his hooves. “I am so fucked. I am so sick of getting fucked over by everypony.”
"已经不重要了!"他含糊不清地说,"上帝和我玩完了。当他认为我可以带他找到你的时候，我得到了一点保护......但是现在我不干了！这是我最后的机会!"他脸朝下摔倒了，把它埋在蹄子里。"我完蛋了。我受够了每个人都欺负我。"
“Join the club,” I said softly, feeling that warm buzz slowly cooking my brain. “For what it’s worth, U-21, I’m sorry.”
"加入我们的俱乐部吧,"我轻声说道，感觉到温暖的嗡嗡声慢慢地在我的脑海中回荡。"不管怎样，U-21，我很抱歉。"
“Huh?” He sniffed, rubbing his eyes.
"啊?"他闻了闻，揉揉眼睛。
“For what happened in Stable 99. I used you, and I did you a wrong. I’m sorry for that.” I sighed, closing my eyes as I leaned backwards on my rump and pressed myself against the mattress, head tilted back. “I am so tired of feeling guilty all the time. Most of it I can live with, but every time I think back to Stable 99 I just… hate myself. Worse than Deus or the Overmare or anypony. And it doesn’t matter that the rules said it was okay. A part of me knew it was wrong. Always did. I guess I forgot to remember to not think about it.”
"因为99年发生的事情。我利用了你，我对不起你。我为此感到抱歉。"我叹了口气，闭上眼睛，向后靠在臀部，头向后仰靠在床垫上。"我厌倦了一直感到内疚。其中大部分我可以接受，但每次回想起Stable99我就...恨我自己。比上帝或者奥佛马或者任何小马还要糟糕。规则是否允许并不重要。我内心深处知道这是不对的。一向如此。我想我忘记了不要去想它。"
U-21 looked at me in amazement. He probably never expected to hear those words. He looked down at his hooves. “I… sorry. Ever since I left 99…”
U-21惊讶地看着我。他可能从来没有想到会听到这些话。他低头看着自己的蹄子。"我.....。.对不起。自从我离开99岁以后......"
I rocked forward with a curious frown. “What did happen when you left 99?” I asked, feeling giddy thoughts churning around with simple curiosity and the knowledge that soon I’d have to talk with P-21 about what I’d done. “How’d you run into Deus? Did you meet Sanguine?” I asked as I scratched my itchy mane.
我好奇地皱着眉头向前摇晃着。"你离开99号公路时发生了什么?"我问道，头晕目眩的思绪随着简单的好奇心搅动着，我知道很快我就要和P-21谈论我的所作所为了。"你怎么遇到天王的？你见到桑吉尼了吗?"我一边问，一边抓挠自己发痒的鬃毛。
“I…” he began when there was a knock on the door. We looked cluelessly at each other.
"我.....。。」他开始的时候，有人敲门。我们互相无知地看着对方。
“Yes? Who is it?” I shouted.
"什么事？是谁?"我喊道。
“Room service. We have a gift for Security from Caprice,” a young mare said brightly from the other side of the door.
"客房服务。我们有一个安全的礼物从Caprice,"一个年轻的母马明亮地说，从门的另一边。
I sighed and shook my head, scratching my mane vigorously in annoyance.
我叹了口气，摇了摇头，在烦恼中大力抓挠着我的鬃毛。
“Probably a fruit basket full of Dash,” I muttered as I stood.
"可能是一个装满Dash的水果篮,"我站在那里喃喃自语。
“Wait. It might be Deus’s ponies. We left them outside town,” U-21 said as he walked to the door. I stepped aside, levitating out the twelve gauge and loading it as I stepped back. Why hadn’t I picked up more ammo at the Exchange, or fresh healing potions from Scalpel? The brown unicorn glanced at me and then slowly pulled the door open, peeking through. He relaxed and opened the door fully. Two young white unicorns stood behind a food cart loaded with fresh, delectable treats. It must have cost a few hundred caps at least. “Wow, that looks good,” U-21 muttered.
"等等。可能是天王的小马。我们把他们留在了城外,"U-21一边走向门口一边说。我走到一边，升起十二口径的测量仪，往后退一步，把它装上。为什么我没有在交易所买更多的弹药，或者从解剖刀上买新的治疗药剂？那只棕色的独角兽看了我一眼，然后慢慢地把门拉开，从里面偷看。他放松下来，完全打开了门。两只年轻的白色独角兽站在一辆装满新鲜美味食物的食品车后面。它至少要花费几百顶帽子。"哇，看起来不错,"U-21喃喃自语。
The unicorns were identical twins, brilliant white with deep red eyes; they had
这两只独角兽是同卵双胞胎，亮白色，深红色的眼睛
the absolute cutest smiles and wore the faded hotel uniform I’d seen below.
绝对可爱的笑容，穿着我在下面看到的褪色的旅馆制服。
Their horns glowed as they pushed the cart in. “Courtesy of Caprice,” they said.
他们把车推进去时，喇叭发出刺眼的响声。"这是Caprice的好意,"他们说。
U-21 was looking at the fresh apples. I was looking at the mares’ eyes. Those weren’t the eyes of innocents, and the cart wasn’t glowing.
U-21正在看新鲜的苹果。我看着母马的眼睛。那些不是无辜者的眼睛，车子也没有发光。
“Get down!” I shouted as two SMGs floated up from behind the food cart and strafed the room in a full storm of automatic fire. I jumped forward, sliding across the carpet and slamming my hooves into the food cart. It hurtled towards the twins... as their uniforms dropped through them? What? I watched in amazement as the cart passed right through the unicorns and back into the hallway, slamming against a green stallion who was readying a large rifle. He carried a large duffel bag draped across his back.
"趴下!"我喊道，两枚自动步枪从食品车后面漂上来，在一阵自动步枪的全面扫射中扫射了整个房间。我向前一跳，滑过地毯，把蹄子狠狠地摔进了餐车。它冲向双胞胎......当他们的制服从他们身上掉下来的时候？什么？我惊奇地看着马车穿过独角兽群，回到走廊，猛烈地撞击着一匹正在准备使用大步枪的绿色种马。他背着一个大行李袋。
“Surprise,” said one of the ghostly mares as the two brought their guns back to bear. Guns I couldn’t see through. The frayed uniforms had been caught by the cart and dragged part of the way into the hall.
"出乎意料,"其中一匹鬼魅般的母马说，这时两匹母马的枪又响了起来。我看不见的枪。磨损的制服已经被马车抓住，拖了一段路进入大厅。
I slammed the door closed, knocking the twins’ SMGs into the hallway. The mares might be intangible, but their weapons weren’t! “No fair,” they said, stepping--literally--back through the door.
我砰的一声关上门，把双胞胎的冲锋枪撞到了走廊上。母马可能是无形的，但它们的武器不是！"这不公平,"他们一边说着，一边从门里走了出来。
“Is everypony alright?” I asked, looking at P-21 getting out from behind the bed. U-21… oh no…
"每匹小马都好吗?"我看着P-21从床后走出来，问道。U-21...哦，不..。
He slumped, a line of red holes running between his neck and chest. “You… do have… a lot… of enemies…” He hiccupped and choked, blood dripping out of his mouth as I knelt and held him upright.
他摔倒了，脖子和胸口之间有一排红洞。"你......的确......有......很多......敌人......"当我跪下把他扶直时，他打着嗝，哽咽着，鲜血从嘴里滴出来。
“Yeah, I do…” I said lamely, wishing that I could trade my bullet spell for something actually worth a damn.
"是的，我知道......"我一瘸一拐地说，希望我可以用我的子弹咒语换些真正有价值的东西。
His eyes stared at me as his chest bubbled with horrible sucking sounds. “Not… me… right?”
他的眼睛盯着我，胸口冒着可怕的吸气声。"不是...我...对吧?"
“No. Not you. I’m sorry, U-21.”
"没有。不是你。对不起，U-21。"
“Not... your…” he began to say, then gritted his teeth as a spasm rocked his body. He looked sad, then his eyes went wide with panic. "He wants..." He opened his mouth, coughed a great deluge of blood, and drew a raspy breath.
"不是......你的......"他开始说，然后一阵痉挛震动了他的身体，他咬紧了牙关。他看上去很悲伤，然后他的眼睛因为恐慌而睁得大大的。"他想......"他张开嘴，咳了一大口血，呼出一口沙哑的气。
“Pro…ject… Chi…mer…a…” And with that his body began to relax.
"亲......亲......亲......亲......亲......亲.....。。」说着，他的身体开始放松。
Project Chimera?
奇美拉计划？
Huh?
什么？
“What did he say?” P-21 asked as looked over at the unicorn’s limp form.
"他说了什么?"P-21看着独角兽软弱无力的身躯问道。
“Something mysterious that will probably nag at me for days,” I said with a sigh.
"一些神秘的东西，可能会纠缠我好几天,"我叹了口气说。
Then I looked at P-21 with a smile. “Assuming I live that long,” I added.
然后我微笑着看着P-21。"假设我能活那么久,"我补充说。
A white mare’s face poked through the wall! Her bright red eyes narrowed in glee as she grinned at me like a ghost. “Hi. Don’t suppose you could hold still a second?” I raised the shotgun and blasted her smirking features. The wall behind her peppered with holes. She looked at me indolently. “Thanks.”
一匹白色的母马的脸戳穿了墙壁！当她像鬼一样对我咧嘴笑时，她明亮的红眼睛高兴地眯了起来。"嗨。你就不能等一会儿吗?"我举起猎枪，打她那傻笑的脸。她身后的墙上布满了洞。她懒洋洋地看着我。"谢谢。"
P-21 charged at me and knocked me to the side as a hoof-sized hole appeared in the wall and a thunderous detonation came from the far side of the door. The little ghost head started trying to find a better firing position. “Ugh, stop moving around, please! It’s actually very hard to aim through walls!”
P-21向我冲过来，把我撞到一边，这时墙上出现了一个蹄子大小的洞，一阵雷鸣般的爆炸从门的另一边传来。小鬼头开始试图找到一个更好的射击位置。"啊，请不要乱动！其实穿墙很难瞄准!"
“Who are these ponies?” P-21 asked as I tried shooting her in the face again. I hoped that I was at least distracting her, a hope that grew a bit when the next blast was not accompanied by me or P-21 exploding.
"这些小马是谁?"P-21在我试图再次朝她脸上开枪时问道。我希望我至少分散了她的注意力，当下一次爆炸没有伴随着我或P-21爆炸的时候，这种希望就会有所增长。
“Who are you? Are you with Deus? Enclave? Is there somepony else after my head?!” I shouted as another round cut through the wall, missing me by inches.
"你是谁？你和天王在一起吗？飞地？还有别的小马在追我吗?"我喊道，另一个子弹穿过墙壁，离我只有几英寸远。
“Gemini Zodiac, at your service. I’m Gem. That’s my sister Mini.” There was another shot through the wall; another near miss. She rolled her eyes. “And that is our brother Taurus. Pleased to meet you.” She gave me an apologetic look. “I’m very sorry about all this, but please stop moving around. This’ll be much more pleasant for everypony involved if you stop.”
"双子星座，为您服务。我是Gem。那是我的妹妹米妮。"又有一发子弹穿过墙壁，又一次险些击中。她翻了翻白眼。"那是我们的兄弟金牛座。很高兴见到你。"她抱歉地看了我一眼。"我对这一切感到非常抱歉，但请不要到处走动。如果你停下来的话，对于每个参与的小马来说，这会更加令人愉快。"
The other unicorn stepped halfway through the wall as well. “Will you hurry up? Flank’s security is already on its way.” She looked at me, wearing an expression identical to that on her sister’s face. “Sorry about killing you, but really, you should have just given your PipBuck to Leo.”
另一只独角兽也跨过了半道墙。""你能快点吗？弗兰克的警卫已经在路上了。"她看着我，脸上的表情和她姐姐一模一样。"很抱歉杀了你，但说真的，你应该把你的PipBuck给Leo。"
“Should have… he ambushed me! And shot through me! And set a small army
"他应该......他伏击了我！射穿了我！组建一支小型军队
on me!” I shouted as the second intangible pony proved as bullet-immune as the first. Two more high-powered rounds punched through the faces of the ponies as they kept following my movements with their heads.
在我身上第二匹无形的小马证明和第一匹一样有子弹免疫力，我高声喊道。两枚高能子弹打穿了小马的脸，它们一直用头跟着我的动作。
“This is taking way too long.” The second stepped back through the wall. “Taurus. Plan Boom.” The other sister’s eyes opened wide, and she too disappeared.
"这花的时间太长了。"第二个人从墙后退了几步。"金牛座。繁荣计划。"另一个姐姐的眼睛睁得大大的，她也消失了。
“Did she say Plan B or plan Boom?” I asked P-21. His look confirmed my fears. We grabbed our bags. We ran to the bathroom. The cast iron tub was half full of tepid water. We jumped in the large basin and pulled our bags atop us.
"她说的是b计划还是Boom计划?"我问了P-21。他的表情证实了我的担心。我们抓起我们的包。我们跑向洗手间。铸铁浴缸里有一半是温水。我们跳进大盆里，把袋子拉在身上。
Plan Boom went boom as a missile punched through the hole that one of the shots had blasted through the door. The boarded-over windows blew out as shrapnel and debris tore through the small suite. The shockwave made the tub break free of its fittings, and the busted pipes began to spray water. I looked down at P-21 and muttered, “You know, when I imagined this reunion, there were a lot more tears and a lot fewer explosions.”
随着一枚导弹穿过其中一发子弹打穿的门洞,"砰"计划轰然爆炸。木板挡住的窗户被弹片和碎片炸开，碎片撕碎了这个小房间。冲击波使浴缸的配件脱落，破裂的管道开始喷水。我低头看着P-21，喃喃自语道:"你知道，当我想象着这次团聚时，泪水和爆炸声都少了很多。"
“I’ll bet. Is there a plan?”
"我敢打赌。有计划吗?"
“I’m not sure,” I muttered, then rocked the tub. “You got grenades, right?”
"我不确定,"我喃喃自语，然后摇了摇浴缸。"你有手榴弹，对吧?"
“U-21 and the others didn’t exactly trust me enough to let me walk around with a lot of high explosives,” he replied. Then he reached under his brushy tail and pulled out a metal apple with a bright green stripe around it.
他回答说:"U-21和其他人并不完全信任我，让我带着许多烈性炸药到处走。"。然后他把手伸到毛茸茸的尾巴下面，掏出一个金属苹果，苹果周围有一道亮绿色的条纹。
“I don’t want to know how you hide stuff back there,” I said, but at this point I wasn’t complaining.
"我不想知道你是怎么把东西藏在后面的,"我说，但在这一点上，我没有抱怨。
A mare poked her head through the door. “Oh. Shoot. Sorry about that. Thought we’d get you with one shot. Hold on a second.” And she disappeared again. “Taurus, hit the bathroom,” she called out. I grabbed the edge of the tub and flipped it over, pulling P-21 underneath and pulling down with as much magic as I could manage. The entire tub rang like a bell, a dent bending the middle of it. I had no idea what green meant. “Think we got ‘em? I sure hope the PipBuck’s intact,” she said from outside.
一匹母马从门里探出头来。"哦。该死。不好意思。我想我们可以给你一次机会。等一下。"然后她又消失了。"金牛座，去洗手间,"她喊道。我抓住浴盆的边缘，把它翻过来，把P-21拉到下面，然后用尽我所能的魔法把它拉下来。整个浴缸响得像个铃铛，中间有一个凹痕。我不知道绿色是什么意思。"你觉得我们抓到他们了吗？我当然希望PipBuck是完好无损的,"她在外面说。
“Yeah. Those things are indestructible…” the other replied, her voice trailing off. “Are they hiding under the tub?”
"是的。那些东西是坚不可摧的......"另一个女孩回答道，声音渐渐变小了。"他们藏在浴缸底下吗?"
P-21 lifted the edge as I looked out at two pairs of ghostly hooves and tossed out the grenade.
P-21提起边缘，我看着两对幽灵般的蹄子，扔出了手榴弹。
“She doesn’t learn--” one began to comment before both screamed. There was a bright green flash, and then nothing.
"她从不学习——"其中一个人在两个人尖叫之前开始发表评论。有一道亮绿色的闪光，然后就什么也没有了。
“What’d I do?” I asked as I lifted the tub to see the smoldering room. Suddenly the entire floor began to groan and tilt. As stout as its construction had been, clearly it had drawn the line. With a groan and pop the side of the floor facing the door gave way. As it collapsed, the tub tilted upright again, thanks to having lost its legs, and started to slide along its curved bottom as it picked up speed. We went speeding down the slope as the large green stallion standing near the door just watched, the missile launcher in his jaw. The tub rocketed through the door of the room a floor below, sliding along the hallway and then down a flight of stairs as we held on for dear life!
"我做了什么?"我边问边把浴盆举起来，看看闷烧的房间。突然，整个地板开始呻吟和倾斜。尽管它的结构很坚固，但显然它已经划定了界限。随着一声呻吟和砰的一声，地板朝向门的一侧塌了下来。当它倒塌的时候，由于失去了腿，浴缸又倾斜直立起来，随着速度的加快，它开始沿着弯曲的底部滑动。我们加速下坡，站在门边的绿色大种马看着，导弹发射器在他的下巴上。浴缸迅速穿过楼下房间的门，沿着走廊滑动，然后滑下一段楼梯，我们拼命地抓住它！
The cast iron squealed across the cracked foyer tile as scrambling security ponies froze in their tracks, watching as we slid past and out the front door of Rooms. We juddered down the front steps and into the rainy street before the tub came to a rest.
铁铸的声音穿过裂开的门厅瓷砖，惊慌失措的保安小马在路上冻僵了，看着我们从房间的前门溜过。我们迅速走下前面的台阶，来到雨水充沛的街道上，浴缸才停了下来。
I panted in time with my blue friend, our eyes staring into each other’s, before he swallowed and demanded, “How did you just do that?”
我和我的蓝色朋友及时喘了口气，我们的眼睛互相凝视着对方的眼睛，然后他咽了口唾沫，问道:"你怎么做到的?"
“I’m pretty sure if I knew how I did it, it couldn’t be done,” I said with a chuckle. As he tried to stand, the cast iron tub tipped over, spilling us on to the cracked asphalt. I couldn’t help myself; I knew I had three Zodiac killers after me, but for a moment I just lay there and laughed.
"我敢肯定，如果我知道自己是怎么做到的，就不可能做到了,"我咯咯地笑着说。当他试图站起来的时候，那个铸铁浴缸翻倒了，把我们洒在了裂开的沥青路面上。我控制不住自己，我知道有三个黄道杀手在追杀我，但有那么一瞬间，我只是躺在那里大笑。
Then somepony started shooting at us. Make that someponies. A lot of someponies! The rounds pinged off the bottom of the tub, dimpling it as we ducked down behind the cover. I felt a sinking in my gut as I looked towards the north gate through the rain. At least three dozen bandits were filing through, shouting and hollering as they overran the few guards watching that end. Most important to me, however, was the one in the rear. Nopony else in Hoofington had guns quite like that!
然后有匹小马开始朝我们开枪。把它做成小马。有很多人！轮子砰的一声从浴缸底部掉了下来，我们躲在盖子后面的时候，轮子把浴缸弄得凹凸不平。当我穿过雨水朝北门望去时，我感到心里一沉。至少有三十几个强盗列队而过，他们大喊大叫，冲过看守那头的几个守卫。然而，对我来说最重要的是后面的那个。Hoofington的小马驹也有这样的枪！
Either seeing me or sensing me, Deus shouted out across Flank, his voice seeming to echo off the rain, “CUNNNT!” Yup. No other psychopath could holler vulgar terms for mare genitalia with that kind of eloquence!
不管是看见我还是感觉到我，天王隔着弗兰克大声喊道，他的声音仿佛在雨中回响,"CUNNNT!"是的。没有任何一个精神病患者可以用这样的口才对马的生殖器大喊粗俗的字眼！
“Running now!” I shouted, keeping my head low as we wove around the various rusting wagons and crates left in the middle of the four lane street towards the exit to the south.
"现在就跑!"我喊道，低着头，我们绕过那些生锈的马车和板条箱，它们留在四车道的街道中间，通往南边的出口。
We ran into the barpony from 69 crouching behind some wagons with two more security mares. I had to admit, I never thought body armor could be both stylish and effective. She holstered a delicate looking needle pistol as she looked at me. “What the heck is going on?!”
我们遇到了69号车上的那辆马车，它蜷缩在一些马车后面，后面还有两匹安全的母马。我不得不承认，我从没想过防弹衣可以既时尚又有效。当她看着我的时候，她把一把看起来很精致的针状手枪装进了枪套里。"这到底是怎么回事?!"
“Deus the Reaper is after me,” I said, looking over my shoulder. “He’s pushing through the north gate and as soon as I’m out the south gate…”
"死神天王在追我,"我说，回头看了看。"他正从北门推进，我一出南门......"
Wait, why were the security mares pointing their guns south?
等等，为什么那些保安母马把枪指向南方？
“Find her! Find that varmint now!” hollered Sidewinder as an even larger horde of Pecos ponies pushed through the southern gate, shooting wildly and randomly. I saw a flood of local ponies rushing for Stable 69.
"找到她！现在就去找那个恶棍!"一大群佩科斯小马从南门冲了进来，疯狂而随意地射击着。我看到一大群当地的小马奔向Stable69。
“We need to get to the stable, right now!” the barpony said as she looked to the north. Fortunately, it looked like Deus was more interested in checking the hotel than the occupants of projectile bathtubs, but that wouldn’t last. He’d tear Flank apart looking for me.
"我们得马上去马厩!"小马望着北方说。幸运的是，相对于投射式浴缸的主人，天王似乎对检查酒店更感兴趣，但这种兴趣不会持续太久。他会把弗兰克撕成碎片来找我。
Glory ran from the Exchange, ducking and yipping as bullets pinged around her. “Blackjack, I…” She stared at P-21. “You! You’re…” Then she looked at the collar around my neck. “Blackjack… what...” She sat down hard, looking on the verge of tears. “What’s going on here?”
晨辉从交易所里跑了出来，当子弹在她周围飞来飞去的时候，她躲闪着，尖叫着。"黑杰克，我.....。。」她盯着P-21。"你！你是......"然后她看了看我脖子上的项圈。"黑杰克......什么......"她重重地坐了下来，眼含热泪。"这是怎么回事?"
“We’ll get to that in a second, Glory.” Like when I didn’t have two small armies and three Zodiacs after me! “I want you and P-21 to get in the stable,” I said briskly.
"我们马上就会知道的，晨辉。"就像我没有两支小型军队和三艘黄道带追杀我一样！"我要你和P-21到马厩里去,"我轻快地说。
“No,” P-21 said firmly.
"不,"P-21坚定地说。
“I’m not leaving, either,” Glory replied, equally adamant. I gritted my teeth and smacked my head against the side of the rusted wagon frame. Of course. I didn’t listen to sense or sanity. Why should they? “Not unless you come too,” Glory added quickly.
"我也不走,"晨辉回答，同样坚决。我咬紧牙关，把头撞在生锈的车架上。当然。我没有听从理智或理智。他们为什么要这么做呢？"除非你也来,"晨辉很快补充道。
For a moment the thought of being in a stable, especially one that wasn’t a
有那么一会儿，想到自己在一个马厩里，尤其是在一个不是马厩的马厩里
formalized rape factory, was immediately appealing. There was just one problem: I’d be trapped there. And given that the Zodiacs had unicorns who could walk through walls, I wondered just how long Stable 69 would stay sealed. “I can’t. Deus managed to get into one stable. I doubt he’d sit out here and wait. If we’re lucky, Deus and the Pecos will just kill each other. I need to keep moving till we can get out and run.”
正式的强奸工厂，立即上诉。只有一个问题:我会被困在那里。考虑到黄道带上有能穿墙而过的独角兽，我想知道稳定69会保持密封状态多久。"我不能。天王设法进入了一个马厩。我怀疑他会坐在外面等。如果我们幸运的话，上帝和佩科斯河会互相残杀。我需要继续前进，直到我们能够出去逃跑。"
“Always with the running,” P-21 muttered softly.
"总是跑来跑去,"P-21轻声咕哝着。
“Or hide,” I amended quickly. “Either way, not trapped where Deus knows where I am.”
"或者躲起来,"我迅速地修正道。"无论如何，不要被困在上帝知道我在哪里的地方。"
“Right,” the barpony said with a nod as she chewed her lip. “If you can get to the top floor of the Exchange, there’s a group of pipes that lead over the wall. You might get out that way. I’m sorry I can’t be of more help.”
"是的,"酒吧小马点头说，同时咬着嘴唇。"如果你能到达Exchange的顶层，那里有一组管道通向墙的另一边。你可以从那里出去。很抱歉，我帮不上什么忙。"
“Thanks. And tell Caprice I’m sorry for bringing her this trouble,” I said as I peeked out at all the Pecos and the broken rooftops of the Exchange. The doors had been sealed up tight and, it being a former bank, I doubted I could just knock on them to get them to open.
"谢谢。并告诉凯普莱斯，我很抱歉给她带来了这样的麻烦。"我一边说，一边窥视着整个佩科斯河和交易所破损的屋顶。这家银行以前是一家银行，所以我怀疑自己是否能敲开它们。
The barpony just blinked at me, then smiled. “Sure. No problem.” And with that the three of them ran quickly towards the parking garage.
那匹矮种马刚刚对我眨了眨眼，然后笑了。"当然。没问题。"说完，他们三个迅速跑向停车场。
“So, where to now?” Glory asked as she suddenly scowled, “And where is that psychopath when we need her?”
"那么，现在去哪儿?"晨辉突然皱起眉头，问道:"当我们需要她的时候，那个精神病患者在哪里?"
I wondered that myself, but it wasn’t as if I could do anything about it. I could only really see one direction to take, and nodded to Mixers. “In there!” We raced into the building adjacent to the Exchange. I could only hope there’d be a way upstairs. We just had to get clear of this mob!
我自己也在想这个问题，但我似乎也无能为力。我真的只能看到一个方向，向混合者点点头。"在那儿!"我们冲进了交易所旁边的大楼。我只希望能有办法上楼。我们必须离开这群暴徒！
Mixers had evidently been a club even before the war. Despite the cracks in the walls and floor and an occasional busted light, the place was in somewhat decent repair. A long bar ran along one wall, a hovering spiderbot patrolling back and forth overhead. It turned and focused its camera on me. “Good evening, madam. What is your chem of choice? We have the house special, Rainboom, for a mere 100 caps.”
显然，即使在战前，联谊会就已经是一个俱乐部了。尽管墙壁和地板上有裂缝，偶尔还有破碎的灯光，这个地方还是得到了不错的修缮。一根长长的横杆沿着一堵墙延伸，一只盘旋的蜘蛛机器人在头顶上来回巡逻。它转过身来，把镜头对准了我。"晚上好，夫人。你的化学选择是什么？我们有特价门票Rainboom，只需出场100次。"
I glanced at Glory, but she just pressed her lips together, pretending not to be
我瞥了晨辉一眼，但她只是紧闭双唇，装作没看见
paying attention. I could really use the edge at this point, but the thought of the drugs reacting with the taint in my body and the memory of crashing on the Quik-Kare floor won out in the end. For now, at least.
注意。在这一点上，我真的可以利用边缘，但药物与我体内的污染产生反应的想法，以及在Quik-Kare地板上撞击的记忆，最终还是胜出了。至少现在是这样。
“P-21, find us a way upstairs.” He frowned, but nodded once as I turned to the light gray pegasus. “Glory, get your beam guns ready.” She nodded as well. I noticed P-21 hadn’t moved yet, his eyes lingering on Glory’s brands; I gave him a nudge. Looking a little abashed, he trotted off to check the rest of the club. I scanned for something else that might help, then noted two yellow bars on the display.
"P-21，给我们找条上楼的路。"他皱起了眉头，但当我转向浅灰色的飞马时，他点了点头。"晨辉，准备好你们的光束炮。"她也点了点头。我注意到P-21还没有动，他的眼睛盯着晨辉的牌子，我轻轻推了他一下。他看起来有点不好意思，小跑着去检查俱乐部的其他人。我扫描了一下其他可能有帮助的东西，然后在显示器上注明了两个黄色的条。
There was a strange glass booth near the ceiling, and I was stunned to see two earth ponies sitting behind a counter of controls and looking down at us through their thick shades and strange metallic helmets studded with rainbow LEDs. I heard the shouts approaching the club doors and looked up at the pair. “Can you help us get to the roof?” I yelled up at them. They looked at each other. “Hello? Can you help?”
天花板附近有一个奇怪的玻璃展台，我惊讶地看到两只土地小马坐在控制台后面，透过它们厚厚的遮光罩和镶嵌着彩虹led灯的奇怪的金属头盔向下看着我们。我听到呼喊声越来越近俱乐部的大门，抬头看着这两个人。"你能帮我们上屋顶吗?"我冲他们大喊大叫。他们面面相觑。"喂？你能帮忙吗?"
They looked back down at me and then nodded in unison as Pecos started to flood into Mixers. Suddenly, the speakers began to blast a blaring beat that stunned both the Pecos and me. The bizarre, rapid-fire music pumped into the club like some sort of sonic weapon; it sure wasn’t Sweetie Belle! Neon bars of light rose and fell in rainbow cascades behind their plastic casings, and beam talismans began to fill the space with flickering bars of dancing color. I looked up at the box, giving it a withering glare. This was help? The pair just grinned from ear to ear.
他们回头看了看我，然后异口同声地点了点头，这时佩科斯河开始涌入搅拌机。突然，喇叭开始发出刺耳的节奏，把佩科斯河和我都震惊了。奇异的，快速射击的音乐像某种声波武器一样被灌入俱乐部;它肯定不是甜心贝尔！霓虹灯的光条在它们的塑料外壳后面升起又落下，形成彩虹级联，光束的护身符开始用闪烁的舞动色彩的光条填满整个空间。我抬头看着盒子，狠狠地瞪了它一眼。这是帮助吗？这对情侣只是咧着嘴笑。
Then it was fighting time. Out came my favorite weapon as I charged the milling Pecos balking at the sudden display. The twelve gauge shot fanned into the crowd in a deadly spray as the music beat in tune with my heart. I had no idea which beams were Glory’s and which were decoration, but neither did the Pecos. And I had to admit, despite myself, that Mixers was starting to grow on me. Then my gun clicked on an empty shell just as a bloody Pecos charged me with a rusty axe clenched in his jaws.
然后就是战斗时间。出来的是我最喜欢的武器，因为我充电铣佩科斯在突然显示阻碍。随着音乐与我的心跳协调一致，十二口径的子弹像致命的喷雾一样扇进人群。我不知道哪些横梁是晨辉的，哪些是装饰的，但是佩科斯河也不知道。我不得不承认，不管我自己怎么想，我已经开始喜欢上混合酒了。然后我的枪咔嗒一声打在空弹壳上，就在这时，一个该死的佩科斯河咬紧牙关，拿着一把生锈的斧头向我冲来。
I blocked the swing with my PipBuck, looking him in the eyes as my horn flashed and sent two glowing magical bullets into his face. As he went down, I took his fire axe in my magic’s grip and swung it at the next closest Pecos just as he brought a sawed-off shotgun to bear. My barding took the slugs with a
我用我的皮布克挡住秋千，我的号角一闪一闪地向他的脸上射出两颗发光的魔法子弹，我看着他的眼睛。当他倒下的时候，我用魔法握住了他的火斧，向离他最近的佩科斯挥舞着，就像他带着一把削短型猎枪一样。我用手指把子弹取了出来
crackling that probably heralded another trip to Scalpel’s, but I didn’t lose my focus on the axe. One low swing and the blade of the axe knocked his legs completely out from under him, then the axe whirled, reversed, and drove the spiked end through his cowboy hat and into his skull.
噼里啪啦的声音可能预示着另一次去外科手术刀店的旅程，但我并没有把注意力放在斧头上。一次低低的挥动，斧头的刀刃把他的双腿从身下完全砍断，然后斧头旋转，反转，把尖尖的一端刺穿了他的牛仔帽，刺进了他的头骨。
A mare screamed around the automatic pistol in her mouth as she charged, firing. I pulled the axe free as her rounds started to chew through my barding, then jumped into S.A.T.S. and queued up my attack. Time resumed, and the head of my fire axe flashed out to ram into the weapon jammed between her teeth and shove the gun’s handle all the way into the back of her throat. She gagged, struggling to pull it out. The fire axe came around and its spike punched a hole through her temple.
一匹母马在她嘴里的自动手枪周围尖叫着冲锋，开火。我拔出斧子，她的子弹开始咬穿我的剑，然后跳进S.A.T.S.，排队等待我的进攻。时间又过去了，我的消防斧头闪了出来，猛地插进她牙缝里的武器，把枪柄一直插进她的喉咙后面。她被堵住了嘴，挣扎着想把它拔出来。消防斧来了，它的钉子穿过她的太阳穴打了一个洞。
There were more Pecos coming in, but now they were hanging back near the door, keeping their distance from me as they brought automatic rifles in battle saddles to bear. I started to switch to my automatic carbine, but I still had ponies pressing in on all sides. From the look of it, the ponies at the door were just waiting for their fellows to fall before opening up on me.
有更多的佩科斯进来，但现在他们挂在后面靠近门口，保持距离，因为他们带来了自动步枪在战斗马鞍承担。我开始换上我的自动卡宾枪，但我仍然有小马在各个方面的压力。从表面上看，门口的小马只是在等它们的同伴摔倒，然后才向我开口。
From the balcony overhead fell glittering death. Plunging twenty feet, Rampage landed on two of the Pecos standing by the doorway. Her heavy armor crushed both stallions beneath her hoofclaws as she drove them into the dance floor. A mare stepping in had one moment to regret her mistake before Rampage’s tail lashed around her throat, the razor wire digging in as the Reaper charged two ponies pressing Glory, who had taken cover behind an overturned table and had been darting out with shots of her disintegration and beam pistols. The mare was dragged along behind the Reaper till the razor wire tore through her neck and sent her head bouncing across the floor.
从头顶的阳台上跌落下来，闪耀着死亡的光芒。跳下二十英尺，横冲直撞的暴徒落在站在门口的佩科斯河上。当她把两匹种马赶进舞池的时候，她的厚重盔甲在她的蹄爪下碾碎了它们。一头母马走了进来，正在为自己的错误后悔，然后狂暴的尾巴猛烈地缠绕在她的喉咙上，铁丝网扎进去，死神冲向两匹小马，向晨辉施压，晨辉躲在一张翻倒的桌子后面，一直用手枪射击她。这匹母马被死神拖在身后，直到铁丝网穿过她的脖子，把她的头弹到地板上。
The first stallion she ducked right beneath, letting the serrated blades along her back saw him almost in half. The other stallion shot her in the head at point blank range with a shotgun. I stared as I watched her eyes liquefy at the impact. Still, blind or not, she reared up and slammed her hooves down so hard that he didn’t just crumple from the impact; he bounced. She reared again, dropping her hooves to slam him for a second and final time. Still, with a head wound like that…
第一匹种马，她弯下身子，让她背上的锯齿状刀片几乎把它锯成两半。另一匹种马近距离用猎枪射中了她的头部。我盯着她，看着她的眼睛因为撞击而液化。尽管如此，不管是不是瞎子，她还是直立起来，用力猛击她的蹄子，以至于他不仅在撞击中倒下了，而且还弹了起来。她再次用后蹄猛击它，这是她第二次也是最后一次猛击它。尽管如此，头部受了那样的伤..。
I used S.A.T.S. to help guide my last axe swing into the head of the pony I was fighting and was rewarded with a lucky hit that took his head almost completely
我用s.a.t.s帮助引导我最后一次挥舞斧头砍向我正在战斗的小马的头部，幸运的一击击中了它的头部几乎完全
off. Unfortunately, the luck ended when the edge of the fire axe caught in his spine and I couldn’t pull it free. No time for that now. I didn’t even wait for his body to drop as I rushed to where Rampage stood, head bowed as she breathed deeply. Her face looked as if it’d been covered with synthetic strawberry jam, only red. “Rampage?”
关闭。不幸的是，当火斧的边缘卡在他的脊椎上，我无法把它拔出来时，运气就结束了。现在没时间了。我甚至没有等到他的尸体掉下来，就冲到了狂暴站着的地方，深深地低着头，深深地呼吸着。她的脸看起来好像被人造草莓酱覆盖了，只是红了。"横冲直撞?"
Then I saw one ruined eye pop free of its socket, and then the other. Two pale pink eyes focused on me, blinking before she wiped the bloody gore away with her hoof. “Ugh, I hate regrowing eyes,” she muttered and blinked, looking around. “Aw, none left?”
然后我看到一只眼睛从眼窝里弹出来，然后是另一只眼睛。两只淡粉色的眼睛盯着我，眨着眼睛，然后她用蹄子把血迹擦去。"啊，我讨厌再生的眼睛,"她喃喃自语，眨着眼睛，环顾四周。"啊，没有了?"
The pumping music had covered the noise of our fight, and for the moment we were clear. The ponies in the booth bobbed their heads to the music, but also thankfully turned it down a bit. “There’s lots more. How did you… ugh… no time right now,” I groaned as I looked at her. “Are you going to be okay?”
音乐声掩盖了我们吵架的声音，这一刻我们都清醒了。摊位里的小马们随着音乐摇头晃脑，不过谢天谢地把音量调低了一点。"还有很多。你怎么......呃......现在没时间,"我看着她，呻吟着。"你不会有事吧?"
For whatever reason my question made her look sad. “Trust me. I’m really hard to kill,” she said in a slurred voice before spitting out a mouthful of buckshot. “How are you?”
不管出于什么原因，我的问题使她看起来很伤心。"相信我。我真的很难杀死,"她含糊不清地说，然后吐出一口大号铅弹。"你好吗?"
“Battered, but intact,” I said as I looked at Glory. The small pegasus didn’t look too much the worse for wear, simply drinking a healing potion and then passing me one. Figures that she would think to buy fresh potions from Scalpel while I just took a nap! She was starting to get good in a fight, too... and why did that make me feel bad? “P-21?” I asked, looking around and spotting him looting the dead, picking out bullets and shells and the occasional chem potion. Or weak healing potion. Better yet, most of the Pecos had a few sticks of dynamite! “Did you find a way out of here?”
"虽然破旧，但完好无损,"我看着晨辉说。小飞马看起来没有太多的损坏，只是喝了一个治疗药水，然后递给我一个。我猜她可能会在我打盹的时候从解剖刀那里买新鲜的药水！她在打架的时候也开始变好了......为什么这让我感觉很糟糕？"P-21?"我问道，环顾四周，看到他正在抢劫死者，拣出子弹和炮弹，偶尔还喝了化学药剂。或者是治疗能力差的药水。更妙的是，佩科斯河大部分地区都有几根炸药！"你找到出去的路了吗?"
“Stairs behind the robot. They only go to the third floor, though,” he replied coolly.
"机器人后面的楼梯。不过他们只上三楼,"他冷淡地回答。
“Good. Now can you take that collar off and--” Glory began.
"很好。现在你可以把项圈拿下来了吗?"晨辉开始了。
“No,” he said just as calmly as before, his blue eyes hard as glass as he looked at me.
"不,"他像以前一样平静地说，他的蓝眼睛像玻璃一样坚硬，他看着我。
“You can’t…” Glory started to say in disappointment.
"你不能......"格洛里失望地说。
“I won’t.”
"我不会的。"
The gray pegasus just stared at him, her lavender eyes wide. “You… won’t? What… P-21! What are you talking about? Stop messing around.”
灰色的飞马只是盯着他，淡紫色的眼睛睁得很大。"你......不会吗？什么...P-21！你在说什么？别浪费时间了。"
“I’m not messing around,” he replied without the slightest raise of his voice.
"我不是在开玩笑,"他回答道，声音没有丝毫提高。
Glory’s jaw dropped. “You bastard! How could you do this? How? Do you know what she’s gone through for you? To help you! You… I’ll blow your head off right now if you don’t take it off!” she shouted as she started to cry.
晨辉惊讶得目瞪口呆。"你这个混蛋！你怎么能这么做？怎么做？你知道她为你经历了什么吗？来帮助你！你......如果你不把它拿下来，我现在就打爆你的头!"她边哭边喊。
“Glory!” I said as I stepped between them. She started to shake as I put my hoof on her shoulder. “You heard the recording. You know what I did to him.”
"晨辉!"我一边说，一边走到他们中间。当我把蹄子放在她的肩上时，她开始颤抖。"你听到录音了。你知道我对他做了什么。"
She gave a tiny hiccup as her mouth worked. “But… Blackjack…” she whimpered.
她嘴张得大大的，打了一个小嗝。"但是......黑杰克......"她呜咽着说。
“I wronged him, Glory. You know that.” She shook even more as she clenched her eyes shut and I gave her a hug. “I’m sorry, Glory.”
"我冤枉了他，晨辉。你知道的。"她双眼紧闭，颤抖得更厉害了，我紧紧地拥抱了她。"对不起，晨辉。"
Rampage let out a long sigh. “Oh, what kind of party is this when you’re being all dramatic? I mean, duh, bo-ring!” she said as she flicked a hoofful of blood at Glory, making her jump aside and scowl at the striped mare. “You three get out of here and take the angst with you, and I’ll hang around and slaughter anypony that comes in!”
狂暴发出一声长叹。"哦，你这么戏剧化，这是什么派对啊？我的意思是，废话!"她一边说着，一边在格洛里轻轻地抽了一只蹄子的血，让她跳到一边，对着那匹斑马皱起了眉头。"你们三个离开这里，带着你们的焦虑，我会留在这里，屠杀任何进来的小马!"
“But what about Deus?”
"那天王怎么办?"
“Pfffft. Who’s afraid of that doofus?” she said with a snort, looking over her shoulder as she walked to the spider robot. “Now you crazy kids get going. I’m pretty sure there’s more on the way and I’m in a mood to do something… Reaperish.”
"切。谁会怕那个白痴?"她哼着鼻子说，走向蜘蛛机器人时回头看了看。"现在你们这些疯狂的孩子该走了。我非常肯定还会有更多，我有心情做点什么......Reaperish。"
“Hello, madam. What is your chem potion of choice?” the spider robot asked as Rampage put both hooves on the bar top. Her grin definitely made my mane crawl.
"你好，夫人。你的化学药剂是什么?"当狂暴把两只蹄子都放在吧台上时，蜘蛛机器人问道。她的笑容让我毛骨悚然。
“Everything,” she said with chilling eagerness.
"一切,"她说，带着一种令人不寒而栗的渴望。
Okay. This little revelation into the nature of one of my… companions… certainly upped the creepiness factor, but I had to admit that she’d cut off Glory and P-21’s argument. Even if they were pissed with each other, nopony wanted
好吧。对我的一个......同伴的性格的小小揭露......当然增加了令人毛骨悚然的因素，但我不得不承认，她打断了晨辉和P-21的争论。即使他们互相生气，也不会有人想要
to hang around Rampage as the robot pushed its needles into her limbs and she started giggling wildly. P-21 led the way up the stairs as her giggles became hysterical laughter.
当机器人把针刺进她的四肢时，她开始疯狂地咯咯地笑起来。P-21带路上楼，她的笑声变成了歇斯底里的笑声。
The stairs led up to the third floor, which was apparently a flophouse for ponies looking to sleep off the aftereffects of their benders. A few of the rooms were still occupied by ponies too unconscious or uncomprehending to be aware of the danger; I couldn’t see them as being a risk to anything but themselves as we moved along the hall. Unfortunately, rubble blocked any further progress up.
楼梯通向三楼，那显然是一个矮种马的廉价旅馆，它们想借助睡眠来消除汽车发动机的后遗症。有几个房间里还住着几匹小马，它们太不省人事，或者太难以理解，以至于没有意识到危险的存在;当我们沿着大厅移动时，除了它们自己，我看不出它们对其他任何东西构成威胁。不幸的是，瓦砾阻碍了进一步的发展。
“How are we supposed to get to the fourth floor?” I asked, more to stave off the fight brewing between the two over my bomb collar.
"我们怎么上四楼?"我问道，更多的是为了避免两个人因为我的炸弹项圈而发生争执。
“Hey,” a blue mare asked in a long, strung out voice as she stepped into the hall. Her pupils were huge, and she blinked in the meager light of the hall like it startled her. “Hey… are you moon ponies?”
"嘿,"一匹蓝色的母马走进大厅时，用长长的、拉长的声音问道。她的瞳孔很大，在大厅微弱的灯光下眨着眼睛，好像吓了她一跳。"嘿......你们是月亮马吗?"
“Excuse me?” Glory asked nervously as the mare reached out a hoof to touch something that wasn’t there. “Are you all right?”
"你说什么?"晨辉紧张地问，当母马伸出一只蹄子去触摸不存在的东西。"你没事吧?"
“Ponies from the moon are coming to take me away. I’ll be with Luuuuunaaaa,” she crooned as she swayed. “Are you moon ponies?”
"月亮上来的小马要把我带走。我会和Luuuuunaaaa在一起,"她边摇摆边哼着小曲。"你们是月亮小马吗?"
“Er… yes. Yes I am,” I said quickly with a smile. “But I need to get to the roof so I can use my… um… moon communicator!” I raised my PipBuck and grinned as sincerely as I could. “Do you know the way up?”
"呃......是的。是的，我是,"我快速地笑着说。"但我需要到屋顶上去，这样我就可以用我的......嗯......月球通讯器了!"我举起我的皮布克，尽可能真诚地笑了。"你知道上去的路吗?"
“Oh sure. Princess Celestia will send you. Straight to the moon. And we’ll all be with Luna.” She had, I noted with a pang, a crescent moon cutie mark. No wonder she was strung out on drugs.
"哦，当然。塞莱斯蒂亚公主会派你去。直奔月球。我们都会和露娜在一起。"我心里一阵剧痛，注意到她身上有一个可爱的月牙儿。难怪她吸毒成瘾。
I wanted to shake her, but doubted it would do much good. “Ah, no. The roof. We need to get up.”
我想摇摇她，但是我怀疑这样做是否有用。"啊，不。屋顶。我们需要站起来。"
“Up to Luuuuunaaaaaa…” she crooned as she walked back into the room where another mare waved a hoof at the air above her. Then the blue mare looked at us with her dreamy smile. “Are you coming?”
"到luuuunaaaaaa......"当她走回房间时，另一匹母马在她头顶的空中挥舞着蹄子。然后蓝色的母马用她梦幻般的微笑看着我们。"你来吗?"
Hesitantly, we walked in and saw a portion of the ceiling had caved in. A treacherous ramp of debris led up to the hole. “I… thanks…” I said as I smiled
我们犹豫地走了进去，看到一部分天花板塌了下来。一条危险的碎片斜坡通向洞口。"我.....。.谢谢......"我笑着说
with a little guilt for misleading the high mare.
因为误导了那头母马而有点内疚。
“Give my love to Luna and come and get me soon. I really don’t like being here,” she said as she fell back on a mattress, waving her hooves in the air above her. “Luuuunaaa… I’m gonna go see Luuuunaaa… and live on the moon with the moon poooo-nieeeees.”
"替我向露娜问好，尽快来接我。我真的不喜欢呆在这里,"她一边说，一边倒在床垫上，在空中挥舞着蹄子。"Luuuunaaa......我要去看Luuuunaaa......然后和月亮一起住在月亮上。"
“Yeah. We’d all love to go live on the moon,” I muttered as we carefully pulled ourselves up the slope, leaving the mare to her visions.
"是的。我们都想去月球上生活,"我咕哝着，小心翼翼地把自己拉上斜坡，把母马留给她去幻想。
“What was that all about?” P-21 asked softly once we were all up on the fourth floor.
"这是怎么回事?"当我们都上到四楼时，P-21轻声问道。
“Moon Dust,” Glory replied in a far more snippy tone. “Scalpel was telling me about it. It’s a hallucinogen. It’s also very addictive,” she added, giving me a sharp look as well. She glanced back down at the mares lying on their backs, waving their hooves aimlessly in the air. “Who doesn’t want to escape the Wasteland whenever they can?”
"月尘,"晨辉用更尖酸刻薄的语气回答。"手术刀告诉我的。是一种迷幻剂。这也很容易让人上瘾,"她补充道，也给了我一个犀利的眼神。她回头看了一眼躺在地上的母马，它们漫无目的地在空中挥舞着蹄子。"谁不想一有机会就逃离这片荒原呢?"
I couldn’t blame the mares at all. Still… “I hope Rampage didn’t include that when she asked the robot to give her ‘everything’.” Glory couldn’t hide her smile at that one as she started to crawl up through the hole.
我完全不能责怪母马。不过......"我希望当她要求机器人给她'一切'时，狂暴没有包括在内。"晨辉无法掩饰她的微笑，因为她开始通过洞爬上来。
The fourth floor had been neglected for some time. The rooms were filled with heaps of junk, rusting boxes, barrels, littered Dash inhalers and empty bottles of booze. The shag carpet under our hooves squished with every step, and a tangy, coppery smell clung to everything. So much debris filled the hall that I could barely navigate through the narrow space. In many places, the plaster had all but liquefied from the moisture, showing the rusting steel and crumbling cinder block underneath.
四楼已经荒废了一段时间了。房间里堆满了成堆的垃圾、生锈的盒子、桶、乱丢的Dash吸入器和空酒瓶。我们的蹄子下面的粗毛地毯每走一步都发出吱吱嘎嘎的声音，到处都弥漫着一股浓烈的铜味。大厅里堆满了碎片，我几乎无法穿过这狭窄的空间。在许多地方，石膏几乎被湿气液化了，显示出下面生锈的钢筋和破碎的煤渣块。
The hallway came to an abrupt end at two heavy cabinets and desks jammed between the walls. I frowned as I pushed and shoved, but, aside from squealing with a terrible racket, they weren’t budging. “Maybe we can get through one of these doors?” Glory suggested as she looked behind us. Unfortunately, the first door was locked. Fortunately, P-21 was back. In, twist, and click. I could have screamed at how effortlessly he did it!
走廊戛然而止，只剩下两个沉重的柜子和夹在墙中间的桌子。我推推搡搡，皱起了眉头，但是，除了发出可怕的尖叫声外，他们没有移动。"也许我们可以穿过其中一扇门?"晨辉向我们身后望去，暗示道。不幸的是，第一扇门是锁着的。幸运的是，P-21回来了。进入，旋转，然后点击。他轻而易举地做到了，我都能尖叫起来！
The room inside hadn’t been filled with unwanted junk and was still relatively intact, if you could ignore a section of collapsed wall that had been half covered
里面的房间并没有装满不需要的垃圾，如果你可以忽略一段已经半遮半掩的倒塌的墙壁，它仍然是相对完整的
with junk. A terminal on the table cast a sickly green glow over the interior of the room. A few decayed posters still covered the surviving wall, their surfaces warped and faded by the constant exposure to moisture and spotty, hardy mold. They showed four ponies standing before a large audience on a magnificent stage.
用垃圾。桌子上的一个终端机在房间内部投下了令人作呕的绿光。一些腐烂的海报仍然覆盖在残存的墙壁上，它们的表面由于持续暴露在潮湿和斑点、耐寒的霉菌中而弯曲和褪色。他们在一个宏伟的舞台上展示了四匹小马站在一大群观众面前。
P-21 had gravitated to the terminal while I tried to shift the steel crates choking the hole in the wall. Water splashed and dripped through the hole, so I hoped we’d be able to get up another floor. Glory searched the rest of the room. She pointedly avoided disturbing a pile of bones piled before a large, rust-pitted cabinet.
P-21已被吸引到码头，而我试图移动堵塞墙洞的钢铁箱。水从洞里飞溅而下，所以我希望我们能爬上另一层楼。晨辉搜遍了整个房间。她刻意避免打扰堆在一个锈迹斑斑的大柜子前的一堆骨头。
From the terminal came a buzz and crackle, followed by a mare’s voice. “… made it to Flankfurt. It’s a big step down from Canterlot… and Manehattan… and Hoofington.” The speaker gave a frustrated sigh I knew only too well. “Nopony seems willing to promote us after that charity concert last year. You were right; I should have just played nice with the Ministry of Morale, but I can’t shake that what they’re doing is wrong. The proceeds of that concert were supposed to go to victims of the war, both pony families and zebra refugees. It wasn’t as if we were trying to help the enemy!
从终点站传来嗡嗡声和噼啪声，接着是母马的声音。"...到达了Flankfurt。这与坎特罗、曼哈顿、胡芬顿相比是一个很大的差距。"演讲者沮丧地叹了一口气，我再熟悉不过了。"去年那场慈善演唱会之后，小马似乎愿意为我们宣传。你是对的，我应该对士气部好一点，但是我不能动摇他们所做的是错的。演唱会的收入本应捐给战争的受害者，包括小马家庭和斑马难民。我们并不是要帮助敌人！
“I’ve found a place over a club. You should come see it; I’d really like it if you could see it. I’d like it if anypony would see it. I know I’ve never been...
"我在一家俱乐部上面找到了一个地方。你应该来看看，如果你能看到的话，我真的很喜欢。如果有小马看到的话，我会很高兴的。我知道我从来没有..。
sociable... but I would dearly like it if somepony would visit me. Even write to me. It feels like I’ve been exiled from Equestria without a formal decree. All four of us have been blacklisted. They don’t even need me at the M.o.I. anymore.
但是我非常希望有小马来拜访我。甚至写信给我。感觉就像我没有得到正式命令就被流放出了Equestria。我们四个都被列入了黑名单。他们甚至不再需要我去军事指挥部了。
“I can only hope that I can land a job with one of the aristoponies out here. They’ve got estates all over and are fans of our music. It’s like they’re either running for the hills or circling the wagons in Canterlot. I don’t know which is a safer bet. I can’t see the zebras wasting a balefire bomb on Flankfurt. There’ve got to be better things to bomb.” Through the cracked window I could make out the glowing red crater to the north. Apparently not.
"我只能希望能在这里的一个反叛分子那里找到一份工作。他们到处都有庄园，而且是我们音乐的粉丝。就好像他们要么跑到山上去，要么在Canterlot严阵以待。我不知道哪个更安全。我不能看到斑马在Flankfurt身上浪费火焰炸弹。肯定还有更好的东西需要轰炸。"透过裂开的窗户，我可以看到北边炽热的红色火山口。显然不是。
“Anyway. I know it’s not your kind of music, but I’ve got some recordings of our last concert together. I hope you’ll accept them with my apologies. Your once, and hopefully future...” But the recording fuzzed out at the end.
"不管怎么说。我知道这不是你喜欢的音乐，但是我有一些我们上次演唱会的录音。我希望你能接受我的道歉。你曾经的，也希望是未来的......"但是最后录音模糊了。
We shared a glance, and I looked at the cabinet. Carefully shifting the bones to
我们对视了一眼，我看了看橱柜。小心翼翼地把骨头移到
lie on the bed, I opened the doors of the cabinet. The passage of the years had not marred the finish of the burnished brown wood nor rusted the strings of the beautiful instrument. The cello -- or maybe it was a double bass, I couldn’t tell -- rested comfortably in its frame while the interior of the doors were covered with pictures of a somber gray mare performing before a crowd of thousands. Pictures showed her cool and aloof, a bit like P-21, I had to admit. But there was one large photograph that stood out from the rest.
我躺在床上，打开橱柜的门。岁月的流逝并没有损坏这件光亮的棕色木制品的表面，也没有使这件美丽的乐器的琴弦生锈。大提琴----或者可能是低音提琴，我不知道----舒适地安放在它的框架里，而门的内部则布满了一匹阴郁的灰色母马在成千上万的人群前表演的图片。我不得不承认，照片上的她冷淡而疏远，有点像P-21。但是有一张大照片从其他照片中脱颖而出。
The charcoal-maned pony sat beside a white unicorn mare with electric blue hair and opaque glasses. She was licking the gray pony’s cheek, and, from the shocked and blushing expression on the gray mare’s face, it was a gesture that hadn’t been anticipated. A note was written at the bottom: ’Hey Octavia. Lighten up, chill out, and have some fun, girl! Take care of yourself. Pon3.’ “Were there music files still on the terminal?” I asked P-21 quietly. He nodded, and I trotted over to the device. There wasn’t a way to take the instrument with us, but I could at least take the music. He transferred the files to my PipBuck. I looked at the cabinet and bones, hoping that I would remember to return and move the instrument someplace safe rather than leaving it to eventually rot. There were a few books of sheet music as well, but I couldn’t see much reason for bringing them. Tragically, my PipBuck couldn’t even assign a value beyond one cap for a ‘pre-war book’.
木炭色鬃毛的小马坐在一匹白色的独角马旁边，独角马的头发是电蓝色的，戴着不透明的眼镜。她正在舔那匹灰色小马的脸颊，从那匹灰色母马脸上震惊和羞红的表情来看，这是一个出乎意料的动作。下面写着一个便条:"嗨，奥克塔维亚。放轻松，冷静下来，找点乐子，姑娘！照顾好自己。Pon3.'"终端上还有音乐文件吗?"我平静地问P-21。他点点头，我小跑着走向那个装置。没有办法把乐器带走，但我至少可以把音乐带走。他把文件传到我的PipBuck上。我看了看橱柜和骨头，希望自己能记得回去把乐器搬到安全的地方，而不是让它最终腐烂。还有几本活页乐谱，但我看不出有什么理由带上它们。不幸的是，我的PipBuck甚至不能为一本"战前书"指定超过一个上限的价值。
It didn’t take long for me to clear out the rest of the hole. Water sloshed across the rusty, debris-littered floor as rain poured through a large hole overhead. We were barely able to scramble up the slippery slope to reach the fifth floor, and then only with me shoving P-21’s rump up towards the top. We emerged into a twisted tangle of broken concrete, rebar, and shattered glass. Whatever floors had once stood above the fifth were long gone now. And worse, from the shouts coming from the wagon parking garage next door, we hadn’t found the only way up here.
我用不了多久就把洞里剩下的地方清理干净了。雨水从头上的一个大洞里倾泻而下，水流过锈迹斑斑、散落一地的地板。我们几乎无法爬上光滑的斜坡到达五楼，然后只有我把P-21的屁股推到顶上。我们走进了一片扭曲的混凝土、钢筋和破碎的玻璃。曾经高于第五层的那些楼层现在早就不见了。更糟糕的是，从隔壁停车场传来的叫喊声中，我们还没有找到唯一上来的路。
Lightning flashed overhead. Okay, now it was officially worse. Thank you, Luna, but this is as exciting as I need it to get right now. Thank you. A white bolt snapped across the sky.
闪电在头顶上方闪过。好吧，现在情况更糟了。谢谢你，露娜，但是这正是我现在需要的激动人心的东西。谢谢你。一个白色的螺栓啪的一声划过天空。
“We need to move. Now!” I urged as we picked our way through the tangle towards the Exchange. Bullets began to zing and whiz though the pouring rain to plink off concrete. I couldn’t tell if the shooters were Pecos or Deus’s ponies; I
"我们需要行动。现在!"当我们选择通往交易所的道路时，我极力主张。子弹开始在倾盆大雨中呼啸而过，溅落在水泥地上。我不知道枪手是佩科斯还是天王的小马
supposed it didn’t matter. Fortunately, their night vision was as crap as ours in this rain, but they were making up for lack in accuracy with quantity of bullets. When possible, we crawled behind cover as they fought to catch up to us.
我以为没关系。幸运的是，在这场雨中，他们的夜视能力和我们的一样糟糕，但是他们用子弹的数量弥补了精度的不足。只要有可能，我们就爬到掩体后面，他们拼命追赶我们。
The Exchange rose six stories, and the gap between the two buildings was bridged by a narrow slab of concrete. Worse, it had no cover. Even worse (again), the slippery uphill climb would be dangerous all on its own. “Get up there, Glory,” I shouted as I swapped out for the carbine. There weren’t many bullets left for it, so I switched to antipersonnel flechettes and picked my shots carefully. The miniature darts punched right through the flesh of our pursuers and fragmented into dozens of razor-sharp lengths inside the body. I could only assume that, aside from being highly injurious, it was painful as hell too. Right now, I’d take all I could get.
交易所上升了六层，两栋建筑之间的空隙被一块狭窄的混凝土板连接起来。更糟糕的是，它没有掩护。更糟糕的是，滑溜溜的上坡路本身就很危险。"站起来，晨辉,"我一边喊一边换上卡宾枪。没有多少子弹留给它，所以我切换到杀伤人员箭头和精心挑选我的射击。这些微型飞镖正好穿过我们追捕者的肉体，在身体里分裂成几十个像剃刀一样锋利的长度。我只能猜想，除了伤害性很强以外，这件事也非常痛苦。现在，我会尽我所能。
Once Glory was up, P-21 was next. After he’d ascended the slippery slab, I turned and ran as quickly as I could, hooves slipping and scraping as I kicked my way up to the top of the Exchange building. A missile hissed past my head, blowing a chunk out of the concrete wall past me. I stared across the street at the large green pony standing atop the Trough and calmly lining up another shot with his missile launcher. Worse (I was really starting to hate that word), he’d gotten to the highest corner piece of the crumbling building and could fire down at us with ease.
一旦晨辉升起，P-21就是下一个。他走上那块湿滑的石板之后，我转身尽快地跑着，一边踢着脚，一边蹄子打滑，刮擦着，爬上了Exchange大楼的顶层。一枚导弹从我头顶发出嘶嘶声，把混凝土墙上的一大块炸掉，从我身边经过。我盯着街对面那匹站在水槽顶上的绿色矮种马，平静地用他的导弹发射器准备再次发射。更糟糕的是(我真的开始讨厌这个词了)，他已经走到了摇摇欲坠的建筑物的最高一个角落，可以轻松地向我们开火。
I froze on the slope, wincing at the rounds that bit into my flank as I swapped magazines and aimed my carbine as carefully as possible. We fired almost as one, but the missile detonated only twenty feet away, knocking him from his perch and sending the launcher flying down into the street. I could only hope it was a really long fall inside the building... now all I needed was...
我僵在斜坡上，对着咬进我侧腹的子弹畏缩着，我调换了弹夹，尽可能小心地瞄准我的卡宾枪。我们差不多一个人开火，但是导弹在二十英尺外爆炸了，把他从高处撞了下来，发射器飞到了街上。我只能希望在大楼里摔了很久...现在我所需要的是..。
Sweet Celestia, why is it never easy? The top of the Exchange was a hollowed-out disaster. A drop of two to three stories plunged down beneath us into a jagged mess filling the shell of the building. While floors were missing, parts of the walls were still intact and created fragile and thin bridges like a jigsaw puzzle. Debris and beams also bridged the voids. Looking down, though… oh fuck, why did I look down? I quickly closed my eyes and focused on the horizontal plane. I didn’t see how anypony could survive that fall. Bullets pinged off some rusty barrels stacked near the ramp; from the sound of it, trying to roll the barrels down the ramp would at best be only a temporary distraction, and it would probably just let somepony shoot us while we were trying to shift them.
甜蜜的天堂，为什么从来都不容易？交易所的顶部是一个被掏空的灾难。一个两到三层楼高的岩石从我们脚下跌落，形成一个锯齿状的混乱，填满了整个建筑物的外壳。虽然没有地板，但部分墙壁仍然完好无损，形成了像拼图游戏一样脆弱而细小的桥梁。碎片和光束也架起了桥梁。往下看，虽然...哦，妈的，我为什么往下看？我迅速闭上眼睛，注视着水平面。我不知道怎么会有小马摔下来还能活下来。子弹从斜坡附近堆放着的一些生锈的桶上发出砰砰的声音，试图把桶滚下斜坡充其量只是暂时的分散注意力，当我们试图移动它们的时候，它可能只会让一些小马朝我们开枪。
Fortunately, I could see the pipe bridge coming in the side of the building… three stories down. A nearby concrete stairwell looked almost intact enough for us to get down, though, and, better yet, it’d protect us from Taurus’s... damn, why had he stopped shooting? My eyes scanned the blown-out windows of the Trough, but I could see neither hide nor hoof of him. Or the two ghosts. My mane felt like it was trying to crawl clear off my neck!
幸运的是，我可以看到管道桥从大楼下面三层的地方通过来。附近的一个混凝土楼梯井看起来几乎完好无损，我们可以下去，更好的是，它可以保护我们不受金牛座的伤害...该死，为什么他停止了射击？我的眼睛扫视着水槽被炸开的窗户，但是我既看不见他的影子也看不见他的蹄子。或者两个鬼魂。我的鬃毛感觉像是要从我的脖子上爬走！
Though Glory might not have been able to fly, she was still by far the most agile of us. She hopped nimbly from beam to beam and reached the stairs before us. “Come on. It’s clear all the way--”
尽管晨辉可能不会飞，但她仍然是我们中最敏捷的。她敏捷地从一根梁跳到另一根梁，走到我们前面的楼梯。"来吧。一路上都很清楚——"
Two bolts of energy lanced out from the underside of a beam below me. One struck her in the chest, a shocked expression crossing her face as she tumbled slowly down the stair, landing limply at the first landing. I looked straight down at the black armored carapace of Enclave power armor sitting on the underside of the beam. It looked back up at me.
两个能量螺栓从我下面的一根横梁底部射出。其中一枪击中了她的胸部，当她慢慢地从楼梯上跌落下来时，一种震惊的表情掠过她的脸庞。我直直地低头看着光束底部的黑色电源装甲甲壳。它抬起头来看着我。
And that’s about the point I lost it. With a scream, I launched myself over the edge, grabbing the armor mid plummet and wrapping my hooves around its neck. Whatever spells allowed it to fly and stick to things weren’t strong enough for two ponies. Gray armored wings tried to fly as we tumbled end over end down towards the debris below. I jumped into S.A.T.S. in mid fall and sent two telekinetic bullets into the pegasus’s head, but the magic was ineffective against its helmet.
这就是我失去它的原因。随着一声尖叫，我把自己从边缘扔了下去，抓住盔甲的中间部分，用我的蹄子绕住它的脖子。不管什么魔法能让它飞起来，粘住什么东西，对两匹小马来说都不够强大。灰色盔甲翅膀试图飞行，因为我们跌倒了一端结束向下面的碎片。我在秋天的时候跳进了s.a.t.s.，向飞马的头部发射了两颗遥控子弹，但是这种魔法对飞马的头盔是无效的。
Apparently some goddess was looking out for me still, because when we hit the ground, I was on top. Even shaken to my hooves, I didn’t waste any time. I felt like I’d just injected a dose of Stampede. “Me!” I screamed as my magic pulled over a chunk of rebar-studded concrete and, with my forehooves helping, brought it smashing down on the power armor’s helmet. “Me! You kill me first! You got it? Not Glory. Not P-21. Not anypony till you kill me!” I screamed as I brought it down again and again on her… yeah, I was pretty sure it was a her...
显然某个女神还在照顾我，因为当我们着陆的时候，我在上面。甚至连蹄子都发抖了，我也没有浪费任何时间。我觉得自己好像注射了一剂惊恐恐惧症。"我!"我尖叫起来，因为我的魔法拉过了一大块嵌有钢筋的混凝土，在我前蹄的帮助下，它砸碎了动力盔甲的头盔。"我！你先杀了我！明白了吗？不是晨辉。非P-21。除非你杀了我，否则不许碰任何小马!"我尖叫着，一次又一次地把它放倒在她身上......是的，我非常肯定那是一个她.....。
head. I paid little heed to the pain in my back and haunches as I smashed in her visor.
头。当我猛击她的护目镜时，我几乎没有注意到背部和臀部的疼痛。
“Blackjack! Stop!” Glory begged from the stairs.
"黑杰克！住手!"晨辉从楼梯上乞求。
I wanted to ignore her. The stupid tail kept beating at me, so I pinned it beneath some rubble. Here was one of the Enclave that had taken her cutie mark and
我想无视她。愚蠢的尾巴不停地打我，所以我把它压在一堆碎石下面。这里有一块昂科雷，带着她可爱的标记
disgraced her. I wanted to send my magic bullet right down the pony’s throat! One thing alone stopped me: Glory’s plea. She was wrong. I should kill this soldier. It was like in Miramare. I was right. I knew better.
让她蒙羞。我真想把我的魔法子弹送进小马的喉咙！只有一件事阻止了我:晨辉的请求。她错了。我应该杀了这个士兵。就像在米拉马雷一样。我是对的。我更清楚。
“Blackjack, stop,” P-21 said calmly beside me. “Trust me. Please.”
"黑杰克，停下,"P-21在我旁边平静地说。"相信我。求你了。"
I stopped my attack and looked down at… Glory? Yes, the gray coat was a little darker, the lavender eyes a more purplish shade, and the face a touch more mature, but it was the spitting image of Glory staring up at me. Glory limped down, drinking a fresh healing potion to close some of the burns on her chest. It was then that I realized my barding was soaked in blood. The bladed stinger had been ripping into me and I hadn’t even noticed.
我停止了我的攻击，低头看着......晨辉？是的，灰色的外套稍微暗了一点，淡紫色的眼睛略带紫色，脸部略显成熟，但是它就像格洛里一样盯着我。晨辉一瘸一拐地走了下来，喝了一瓶新鲜的治疗药水来止住她胸部的一些烧伤。就在那时，我意识到我的剑已经浸透了鲜血。带刃的刺已经刺入我的身体，我甚至没有注意到。
Glory passed me a restoration potion, and I noted with distaste that it was already turning a paler shade of purple. Still, it closed most of my injuries well enough. Glory was looking down at the Enclave soldier with an expression of sadness. “Hello, Dusk. How are you, Sister?”
晨辉递给我一瓶复原药水，我厌恶地注意到它已经变成了一种更苍白的紫色。尽管如此，我的大部分伤口还是愈合得很好。晨辉低头看着这个昂科雷士兵，脸上露出悲伤的表情。"你好，黄昏。你好吗，修女?"
Oh shit. Why, Celestia? Just… why? Deus, Pecos, Zodiac, rain and lightning, and NOW you’re throwing a family reunion at me?
哦，该死。为什么，塞莱斯蒂亚？只是...为什么？上帝，佩科斯河，十二宫杀手，雨水和闪电，现在你却把一个家庭聚会扔给我？
“You don’t have any sisters, Morning. You left your family, just like her. You’ve destroyed Father. My career! Everything!” Dusk hissed up at her. “We’ll be lucky if we’re not exiled from Thunderhead for this, you dodo!” She glared at me.
""你没有姐妹，早上好。你离开了你的家人，就像她一样。你毁了父亲。我的事业！所有的一切!"黄昏对她嘶嘶作响。"如果我们没有因此被驱逐出Thunderhead，我们就很幸运了，你这只渡渡鸟!"她怒视着我。
“I didn’t fall, Sister. I’m not a Dashite. I’m still Enclave. There are things going on…” Glory began in a brittle, heartbroken voice.
"我没有摔倒，修女。我不是达什派的。我还是飞地。有些事情正在发生......"晨辉以一种脆弱、伤心的声音开始了。
“I know all about it, Morning. You’ve taken up with this surfacer terrorist.” With a great mechanical heave she threw me off and rolled to her hooves. That impact had really done a number on her shiny black armor. I really hoped I’d taken those lethal energy guns out of commission. “Off on your own selfish crusade to save the surface. Just like her!”
"早上好，我都知道了。你已经接受了这个地面恐怖分子。"她用力一推，把我甩了下去，然后滚到了她的蹄子上。这种冲击确实对她闪亮的黑色盔甲造成了不小的影响。我真希望那些致命的能量枪已经停用了。"离开你自私的十字军去拯救地面。就像她一样!"
“No!” Glory shouted back. “Operative Lighthooves! He’s making a disease! A bioweapon.”
"不!"晨辉回应了他。"特工号驳船！他在制造疾病！生化武器。"
“Lighthooves was studying the surfacer plague, you featherbrain!” Dusk roared. “He was sent to determine if it was a threat! And you two killed nine Enclave
"轻舟正在研究陆地上的瘟疫，你这个笨蛋!"黄昏咆哮着。"他被派来确定这是否是一个威胁！你们两个杀了九个昂科雷
soldiers for that!”
为此而战的士兵!"
“What?” Glory sat hard, her eyes wide.
"什么?"晨辉坐在那里，眼睛睁得大大的。
“You two destroyed an operations base. Why? Because we weren’t clearing away the clouds fast enough? Because we weren’t showering the surfacers with enough food? They don’t deserve the sun!” Dusk shouted, pointing a hoof at P-21 and me. “And neither do you.” Those energy rifles pointed right at both of us.
"你们两个摧毁了一个行动基地。为什么？因为我们没有及时清理乌云？因为我们没有把足够的食物洒在地面上？他们不配得到阳光!"黄昏喊道，用蹄子指着P-21和我。"你也一样。"那些能量步枪正对着我们俩。
“I met a pony, vegetarian, who contracted the raider disease,” I said sharply as I stepped between her and Glory. “And I’m pretty sure she got it after eating your food. And I was sent with Enclave soldiers to an isolated farm that had turned raider. Again, your food was given to them. So unless the Enclave is fine with using innocent ponies to test a plague, there’s more going on here.” While fury still burned in her eyes, there was a moment of hesitation. “They manipulated her speech magically and branded her. Don’t believe me if you want, but that’s what happened.” Still, I doubted that my word would sway her.
"我遇到了一匹小马，它是个素食主义者，染上了袭击者的疾病,"当我走到她和晨辉之间时，我厉声说道。"我敢肯定，她是吃了你的食物后得的。我和昂科雷的士兵被送到一个偏僻的农场，那里已经变成了袭击者。再说一次，你的食物是给他们的。因此，除非昂科雷允许使用无辜的小马来测试瘟疫，否则还会有更多的事情发生。"当愤怒还在她眼中燃烧的时候，她犹豫了片刻。"他们奇迹般地操纵了她的演讲，给她烙上了烙印。你可以不相信我，但事实就是如此。"尽管如此，我还是怀疑我的话能否动摇她。
Her dark purple eyes glared at me. “The Enclave doesn’t turn against its own. Ever.”
她深紫色的眼睛瞪着我。"昂科雷不会背叛自己的国家。永远不会。"
I chuckled. “Yeah. You are definitely her sister.” Now she was about to shoot me. Good. Bad as it might be for Glory, I could live with defending myself to her death. “I’m also going to say... you try and shoot me or my friends again and I’m going to make it ten Enclave soldiers dead.” Red eyes stared into purple, neither of us blinking as we waited for the other to twitch.
我咯咯地笑了。"是的。你绝对是她的姐姐。"现在她差点杀了我。很好。为了晨辉，这可能很糟糕，但我可以忍受为了保护自己而死去。"我还要说......如果你再试图向我或我的朋友开枪，我会让它变成十个士兵的尸体。"红色的眼睛凝视着紫色，在等待对方抽搐的时候，我们都没有眨眼。
“Mare pissing matches aside,” P-21 said dryly as he stepped between us, looking at the older pegasus, “You’ve got something to say?” I fought the urge to snort; only P-21 could come up with that.
"胡闹的比赛放在一边,"P-21一边走到我们中间，一边干巴巴地说，一边看着那匹老马,"你有什么要说的吗?"我克制住自己不打鼾的冲动，只有P-21才能想出这种办法。
“What… do you want… Sister?” Glory begged the question between her tears.
"什么......你想要......姐姐?"晨辉在泪水中央央求着这个问题。
Dusk’s eyes now showed some doubt, but that doubt didn’t stop what came next. “You’re dead now, Morning Glory. That’s the only way any of our family will survive. Father’s ruined, but he’s not totally shamed. I am going to report you as dead. Maybe they won’t believe it, but that’s what I’ll report. Lose your name and the uniform and stop pretending to be one of us. Because if so much as a rumor gets out that you’re still alive, I will bring my entire wing down on you.” Her eyes swapped to me and she added in a hiss, “And I’ll be sure to kill you
黄昏的眼睛现在显示出一些怀疑，但这种怀疑并没有阻止接下来发生的事情。"你死定了，牵牛花。这是我们家族生存下去的唯一办法。父亲破产了，但他并没有完全感到羞愧。我要报告你已经死了。也许他们不会相信，但这就是我要报道的。丢掉你的名字和制服，不要再假装是我们中的一员。因为如果有任何关于你还活着的谣言传出去，我会把我的整个翅膀都放在你身上。"她的目光交换到我身上，嘶嘶地补充道:"我一定会杀了你
first.”
首先。"
Only the fact that it would devastate Glory if I killed her sister stopped me from putting a magic bullet through her eye.
事实上，如果我杀了她姐姐就会毁了晨辉，这阻止了我对她的眼睛开一枪。
With that she leaped into the air, past the broken crossbeams, and hesitated only long enough to blow the ponies who had made it up the ramp into ash. She scooped some into a pocket on her armor and then without a second look back flew up into the stormy sky. Glory slowly curled up and collapsed into a sobbing heap.
说着，她跳到空中，经过那些断掉的横梁，犹豫了一会儿，直到把爬上斜坡的小马吹成灰烬。她在盔甲上的口袋里舀了一些，然后不加思索地飞向了暴风雨的天空。晨辉慢慢地蜷缩起来，瘫倒在一堆哭泣的人群中。
“We’ll have to carry her. We can’t stay here,” I muttered as I knelt down to scoop her over my back.
"我们得抬着她。我们不能呆在这里,"我一边跪下用手把她从背上抱起来，一边喃喃自语。
A chunk of concrete whirled around and smacked me upside the head, sending me staggering to the side. A length of rusty rebar followed it and was barely deflected by my PipBuck. Both levitating up anything heavy or jagged, the two ghostly unicorns had the audacity to look sad. “Sorry about this,” the first said softly with an apologetic smile as she stabbed at me with another piece of rebar.
一大块混凝土旋转起来，砸在我的头上，我摇摇晃晃地走到一边。一段生锈的钢筋跟着它，几乎没有偏离我的皮布克。这两只幽灵般的独角兽都漂浮起任何沉重或锯齿状的东西，它们竟然厚颜无耻地装出悲伤的样子。"对不起,"第一个女孩用另一根钢筋刺向我，带着歉意的微笑轻声说道。
“But Deus is already up here and on his way, and we really need to finish you off quickly,” the second said as she floated towards me. I pulled out my shotgun, but the shot was just as ineffective now as it had been earlier.
"但是上帝已经在这里了，而且正在来的路上，我们真的需要尽快结束你的生命,"第二个女孩边说边向我走来。我拿出我的猎枪，但是那一枪现在和以前一样没有效果了。
“If it’s any consolation, we’re sorry about your friend,” the first said as she moved around to the side. “I can’t imagine how bad it’d hurt to lose family.”
"如果能安慰你的话，我们为你的朋友感到遗憾,"第一个女孩边说边挪到一边。"我无法想象失去家人会有多痛苦。"
“Wait! Didn’t Rampage kill Leo?” I asked as I watched one float above me with her rebar weapon.
"等等！雷格不是杀了利奥吗?"当我看到一个人拿着钢筋武器漂浮在我头顶的时候，我问道。
They glanced at each other and giggled. “Oh, she did worse than kill him,” said one as she flew at me and solidified just fast enough to kick me upside my head with her full weight. I tried to blast her, but she went ghost too fast. Then the rusted steel hit the side of my head. She wasn’t very strong, but grabbing the weapon with my magic just made her pick out something new to hit me with.
他们互相瞟了一眼，咯咯地笑了起来。"哦，她做的比杀死他还糟糕,"一个女孩说，她朝我飞过来，硬化得刚好足够快，用她全部的体重把我的头往上踢。我试图炸死她，但她死得太快了。然后生锈的钢铁碰到了我的头部一侧。她不是很强壮，但是用我的魔法抓住武器只是让她挑出一些新的东西来打我。
The second came flying out of the floor, solidified, and gave my chin a rear leg buck that knocked me to the ground. “She broke his gun!”
第二个东西从地板上飞了出来，固定住了，把我的下巴撞到了地上。"她弄坏了他的枪!"
“And his legs, Mini,” Gem giggled as she resumed beating on me with her rebar
"还有他的腿，米妮,"杰姆继续用钢筋打我时咯咯地笑起来
while her sister kept flanking me. “And his face.”
而她的姐姐一直在我身边。"还有他的脸"
“His poor, poor face,” Mini said as she kicked out at my rear legs; it didn’t knock me down, but every hit was wearing at me. I kept trying to shoot them, but they kept using that damned intangibility spell! The cheaters!
"他可怜，可怜的脸,"米妮踢我的后腿时说;它没有击倒我，但每一次击打都在磨损我。我一直想射死他们，但他们一直在用那该死的无形咒语！骗子！
Then I looked over at P-21 next to Glory. They’d screamed at the grenade he’d thrown. Why? “P-21! What was that grenade you used?”
然后我看了看晨辉旁边的P-21。他们对着他扔出的手榴弹尖叫。为什么？"P-21！你用的是什么手榴弹?"
He looked at me, his eyes widening in comprehension. “Magic!”
他看着我，眼睛睁得大大的。"魔法!"
I dropped the shotgun and raced towards Glory. “No!” shouted the one with the rebar as she speared it into Glory’s beam pistol. The casing cracked open with a sparkle of rainbow light. I rolled her over, yanking the disintegration pistol from her battle saddle with my teeth. I had no clue how to use it. I just had to get them. If I couldn’t, then they’d bludgeon me to death.
我扔下猎枪，冲向晨辉。"不!"拿着钢筋的那个女孩大声喊道，她把钢筋刺进了晨辉的平衡手枪。外壳裂开了，发出彩虹般的光芒。我把她翻了个身，用牙齿从她的战斗马鞍上猛地拔下一把瓦解手枪。我不知道如何使用它。我只是想得到它们。如果我做不到，他们就会把我打死。
I wasn't exactly a good shot with the disintegration pistol, but I could at least point it in the right general direction and fire. The deadly pink bolts raced through the air, forcing the translucent mares to keep dodging. A bolt struck finally struck one of them and she screamed, solidifying in midair and dropping toward the jagged debris. At the last second, she ghosted again and disappeared through the floor.
我不是一个很好的射击与解体手枪，但我至少可以指出正确的方向和火力。致命的粉红色螺栓在空中疾驰，迫使半透明的母马继续躲闪。最后一道闪电击中了其中一个，她尖叫起来，在半空中凝固，朝着参差不齐的碎片掉下去。在最后一秒钟，她又消失了，穿过地板消失了。
So, a hit from the disintegration pistol would disrupt whatever it was that let them fly and pass through things. If I could disrupt them with one shot, I could take them out with a second. Of course, that would mean I’d have to hit them twice... but it was the only thing I could do. I kept my focus as I fired pink bolt after pink bolt.
所以，一个来自解体手枪的撞击会破坏任何让它们飞行和通过物体的东西。如果我能一枪干掉他们，我也能一枪干掉他们。当然，这意味着我必须击中他们两次......但这是我唯一能做的事。我集中注意力，一个接一个地射出粉红色的箭栓。
Then the gun died. I stared at the cartridge and tried to figure out how to eject it. For that matter, what was I going to reload it with? And at that moment, one of the mares launched herself at me through a collapsed wall. “Now, Gem! Finish--”
然后枪就死了。我盯着弹药筒，想弄明白怎么弹出来。就此而言，我用什么来重新装弹呢？就在这时，一匹母马穿过倒塌的墙向我扑来。"现在，宝石！完成——"
My telekinetic, magical bullet fired, striking Mini in the torso. And just like that she stopped, staring at me with a horrified look on her face. Her very solid face. She hung there like a decoration, half her body on one side of the wall. Half her body on the other side. “Oh,” she whispered softly. “That’s… not good.”
我的心灵遥控魔法子弹射出击中迷你身体。就这样，她停了下来，惊恐地看着我。她的脸很结实。她像个装饰品一样挂在那里，半个身子挂在墙的一边。她的半个身体在另一边。"哦,"她轻轻地低声说。"这......不太好。"
“Mini!” screamed Gem, hovering in front of her sister. “Go ghosty! Do it!”
"米妮!"宝石尖叫着，在她姐姐面前徘徊。"去做鬼吧！动手吧!"
“I… can’t. I don’t think the spell works inside something,” she said softly. “I can’t feel my legs.”
"我.....。.不行。我不认为这个咒语在什么东西里面起作用,"她轻轻地说。"我的腿没有知觉了。"
Gem solidified before my eyes, the three of us forgotten as she held her sister. “No, do it. Do it!” she begged as she changed ghostly and passed her hooves through her sister. “Mini! Go ghosty. Please!” Again and again she solidified and desolidified, trying to get her sister to do the same. I looked on, wishing that Mini could somehow free herself.
宝石凝固在我的眼前，我们三个忘记了她抱着她的妹妹。"不，去做吧。动手吧!"她一边求着，一边鬼鬼祟祟地换衣服，用蹄子踢她姐姐。"米妮！变成幽灵。求你了!"她一次又一次地固化和去固化，试图让她的妹妹也这样做。我看着，希望米妮能够以某种方式解脱自己。
Gem finally threw her forelegs around her twin sister, sobbing brokenly.
杰姆终于用前腿抱住她的双胞胎姐姐，断断续续地啜泣起来。
“I’m sorry… I mean…” I said lamely. I’d meant to kill her, but I hadn’t meant for… this.
"对不起......我是说......"我一瘸一拐地说。我本想杀了她但我不是故意的。
Mini looked at me with a small smile. “It’s okay. We were trying to kill you. I mean, it’s only fair.” Somehow that made me feel even worse as the trapped mare gently stroked her sibling’s mane. “It’s okay, Gem. It doesn’t hurt at all.”
米妮微笑着看着我。"没关系。我们想杀了你。我是说，这样才公平。"不知怎么的，当这匹被困的母马轻轻地抚摸着她兄弟的鬃毛时，我感觉更糟了。"没关系，宝石。一点也不疼。"
“Gem? Mini?” a male said from behind us. Standing on the pipes leading to safety was the green stallion. He must have started moving the second we were out of sight. If Gemini hadn’t slowed us down he wouldn’t have had the time to head us off. I whirled, looking at the stallion as he panted for breath, his sides gleaming with sweat. His gun was slung across his neck, though. Something about him reminded me of Big Macintosh. His dying sister seemed worth infinitely more to him than caps. “Ah no… Mini…” he whispered as he walked past us without a second glance.
"宝石？米妮?"一个男人在我们后面说。那匹绿色的种马站在通往安全地带的水管上。我们一离开他的视线，他就开始移动了。如果双子座没有减慢我们的速度，他不会有时间来阻止我们。我旋转着，看着这匹种马喘息着，他的身体两侧闪着汗光。但他的枪却挂在脖子上。他身上的某些东西让我想起了大麦金托什。对他来说，垂死的妹妹似乎比帽子更有价值。"啊，不......米妮......"他低声说着，从我们身边走过，没有多看我们一眼。
“We should go. Now,” P-21 said softly as he gestured to the now-vacant pipe bridge that passed over the fence and into another ruin just outside the south gate. Looking around and venturing a cautious check of the street, I couldn’t see a lot of Pecos. In fact, I couldn’t see much of anything moving except us, the three Zodiacs, and the rain. Then I heard a soft mechanical click overhead.
"我们该走了。"现在,"P-21一边温柔地说着，一边指着那座现在空空如也的管道桥。这座桥穿过围墙，通向南门外的另一处废墟。环顾四周，冒险小心地检查了一下街道，我看不到太多的佩科斯河。事实上，我看不到任何东西在移动，除了我们，三个黄道带，和雨。然后我听到头顶上传来一阵轻微的机械咔嗒声。
The pipe bridge exploded. Of course it exploded… not from a bomb, of course, but from the two massive cannons that sent a heavy boom thumping through the building. With a rusty squeal and a spray of fetid, stinking water, the remains of the old pipes tore free of the building and tumbled down into the gap below. Standing at the top of the ramp, the rain sheeting off him as his cannons smoked,
管桥爆炸了。当然，它爆炸了......当然，不是来自炸弹，而是来自两门巨大的大炮，它们发出沉重的爆炸声，轰击着整个建筑物。随着一声生锈的尖叫和一阵恶臭的、发臭的水花，旧管道的残骸挣脱了建筑物，滚落到下面的缺口里。他站在坡道顶上，他的大炮冒着烟，雨点落在他身上,
loomed Deus. The pony who had made my life a living hell for the last two weeks or so. “Done. This running is finished,” he growled as he looked down at the three of us, then over at the three Zodiacs. His red eyes widened and he chuckled, “Is that little cunt stuck in the wall?”
天王隐约出现。这匹小马在过去的两个星期左右让我的生活像地狱一样。"成交。这次跑步结束了,"他低头看着我们三个，然后看着黄道带上的三个。他的红眼睛睁大了，笑着说:"那个小婊子卡在墙上了吗?"
I started to move, but P-21 got in my way. “Hold the fuck still, I need this,” he growled as he reached up with his hooves and did something to the front of my collar. To my amazement, it fell right off. I blinked at him, feeling overwhelmed. Too much shit was happening right now, and it felt like my brain had gotten whiplash trying to determine what to feel. He looked right into my eyes, though, and said softly, “We still need a talk. So live long enough for that.” Then he smiled at me. “Plan Boom.”
我开始行动，但P-21挡住了我的去路。"他妈的别动，我需要这个,"他咆哮着伸出蹄子，在我的衣领前面做了些什么。令我惊讶的是，它竟然掉了下来。我对着他眨了眨眼，感到不知所措。现在发生了太多糟糕的事情，我感觉我的大脑在试图决定什么是感觉的过程中受了很大的刺激。不过，他直视着我的眼睛，温柔地说:"我们还需要谈谈。所以要活得够久。"然后他对我笑了笑。"计划爆炸。"
So, there was a plan? “Um, yeah,” I muttered, looking up at Deus, wondering how the hell I was going to beat him.
这么说有计划了？"嗯，是的,"我喃喃自语，抬头看着天王，不知道该怎么打败他。
“Well this is just too pathetic for words, so…” He swung the barrels down towards the two pale unicorns. “First, the distractions!”
"好吧，这实在是太悲哀了，所以......"他挥动木桶朝两只苍白的独角兽走去。"首先，分散注意力!"
“Stay away from my sisters, you metal son of a bitch!” Taurus shouted as he backed away, then gritted his teeth around his rifle’s handle and, kicking through the rubble, expertly fired shot after shot at the massive Reaper above us. Our eyes met, both of us mirroring the other’s apology. This was his way to make it up to me. This was my chance to make it up to him; I’d killed his sister, the least I could do was see to it that she wasn’t blasted for the sadist’s amusement. The rifle was loaded with some kind of armor piercing rounds, and, as I scrambled up the concrete steps, I was glad to see them punching holes in the cyberpony’s side.
"离我的姐妹们远点，你这个金属婊子养的!"金牛座一边后退一边大叫，然后咬紧牙关绕着步枪把手，在废墟中踢来踢去，熟练地朝我们头顶上巨大的收割机开了一枪又一枪。我们的目光相遇，我们两个都在模仿对方的道歉。这是他补偿我的方式。这是我补偿他的机会;我杀了他的妹妹，至少我能做的就是确保她不会因为虐待狂的娱乐而受到伤害。步枪里装满了某种穿甲弹，当我爬上水泥台阶时，我很高兴看到他们在赛博马的侧面打洞。
What I hated was how those holes didn’t seem like more than annoyances to him. He shifted his stance and swung the two cannons over to point down at the green pony. The shots echoed like thunder pouring into the remains of the building. The structure began to groan and sway as his cannons blasted Taurus with explosive shells. The large green pony couldn’t run in the debris. He couldn’t hide from the blasting explosions. So, he died.
我讨厌的是那些漏洞对他来说只不过是烦恼而已。他改变了立场，挥动两门大炮指向绿色的小马。枪声像雷声一样回荡在建筑物的废墟中。当他的金牛座大炮被炮弹轰击时，这座建筑开始呻吟和摇摆。那匹绿色的矮种马不能在废墟中奔跑。他无法躲避爆炸声。所以，他死了。
“One done,” Deus said as I reached the level he was on, my shotgun loaded with slugs. I had no clue how I was going to stop him. I just knew I’d either do it or die trying. His eyes narrowed as he smirked. “Are you finally done running,
"完成了,"天王说，当我达到他的水平，我的猎枪装满子弹。我不知道怎样才能阻止他。我只知道我要么做到，要么为此付出生命。他得意地笑时眯起了眼睛。"你终于跑完了吗
cunt?”
婊子?"
“Yeah,” I muttered as I looked back at him across the beams and walls that crossed the void beneath us. “You’re not afraid you’re going to blow this up?” I asked, lifting my PipBuck as I glanced down at P-21 working on something. Glad one of us had a plan.
"是啊,"我隔着横梁和墙壁回头看着他，喃喃自语道。"你不怕你会把这事搞砸吗?"我问道，一边举起我的PipBuck，一边低头看着P-21正在做些什么。很高兴我们中有人有个计划。
“Nah. See, when you have guns like these, I don’t have to hit you. I just have to hit near you.” And triggered by a thought, the firing mechanism gave a loud metal click before the guns roared, and I was running as the blast took off the top of the steps in a shower of rubble. I am not the nimblest of ponies, but right now I kept my focus on blasting him with slugs and moving ahead of the clockwork explosions ripping the ruin apart behind me. I could only hope that nopony below was buried in falling rubble.
"没有。如果你有这样的枪，我就不用打你了。我只要靠近你就行了。"一个念头触发了发射装置，在枪声响起之前，发出了一声巨大的金属咔嗒声，我正在奔跑，爆炸在一片瓦砾中冲下了台阶的顶端。我不是一匹灵活的小马，但是现在我的注意力集中在用鼻涕虫攻击它，并且在我身后的废墟被时钟装置般的爆炸撕裂之前移动。我只能希望下面那匹小马被埋在瓦砾中。
I didn’t aim, I simply fired as fast as my shotgun allowed. He didn’t run or dodge. The lead pancaked and fractured off his armored hide and all I could do was keep moving and keep firing and keep praying that whatever P-21 was doing would work. When I tried to sprint to point blank range, he blew the beams out ahead of me, grinning and saying something that was lost in the ringing in my ears. Worse, my legs were starting to go numb from the constant battering concussion. One misstep and he wouldn’t have to shoot me.
我没有瞄准，只是用我的猎枪开了最快的速度。他既没有逃跑，也没有躲闪。铅弹砸碎了他的装甲掩体，我所能做的就是继续前进，继续开火，继续祈祷P-21能起作用。当我试图冲向近距离射击时，他在我前面吹出了光束，他咧嘴笑着说了些什么，但在我耳边的嗡嗡声中完全消失了。更糟糕的是，我的双腿因为持续的撞击而开始麻木。只要走错一步，他就不会向我开枪。
I wasn’t fast enough. I wasn’t strong enough. I had to be more. I slipped into S.A.T.S. and tried to think of something. Nothing around me would be very useful, so... my inventory. I lacked explosives (and knowledge of how to use them). My shotgun was my strongest weapon, and it wasn’t doing anything to Deus except amusing him. I needed... what I shouldn’t use. I had them; Glory hadn’t taken them from me. I could use them. I knew it was wrong and stupid. It was going to get me killed... but then, so was Mr. Cyberpony’s shooting spree. I had to do better. I had to talk to P-21. I had to make this better for Glory. I had to give Mini some peace before she died. I had to.
我不够快。我不够坚强。我必须更进一步。我悄悄地进入sat考试，试着想一些事情。我周围的东西都没什么用所以...我的存货。我缺乏炸药(以及如何使用它们的知识)。我的猎枪是我最有力的武器，除了逗天王开心，它对他没有任何作用。我需要...我不该用的东西。我拥有它们，晨辉并没有把它们从我身边夺走。我可以用它们。我知道这是错误和愚蠢的。这会让我送命的......不过，赛博马先生的疯狂枪击也会让我送命。我必须做得更好。我得和P-21谈谈。为了晨辉，我必须让这一切变得更好。我得在米妮死前给她一些安慰。我必须这么做。
Buck. Rage. Med-X. Flash. I dropped S.A.T.S., then pulled open my pack as I kept dodging. I chewed and injected like a fiend, trying to close the distance at the same time. Damn me... it felt good. When the Flash hit my system, the world crawled to a halt. It was almost like I was back in S.A.T.S., but I could still move. When the drug wore off, Deus found me in his face. Or rather, my shotgun in his face. I fired four S.A.T.S.-guided rounds at point blank range...
巴克。愤怒。Med-x.闪光。我放下了s.a.t.s，然后打开我的背包，继续躲避。我像一个恶魔一样咀嚼并注射，试图同时拉近距离。该死的...感觉真好。当闪光灯击中我的系统时，整个世界陷入了停顿。就像回到了S.A.T.S.，但我还能动。当药效过去后，天王发现我在他的脸上。或者更确切地说，是我的猎枪对着他的脸。我在近距离开了4枪。
and a little shield popped up on my E.F.S. with each. Even now, he was too tough for my weapons to touch.
我的爆炸装置上突然出现了一个小盾牌。即使是现在，他也太强硬了，我的武器碰不到他。
I didn’t give a shit. For all his pistons and steel, he was still a pony and I forced my way underneath him. “Gonna give me a blow job?” he laughed as he smashed my shotgun with one hoof. It would be his last laugh.
我才不在乎呢。尽管他有如钢铁般的活力，但他仍然是一匹小马，我在他身下勉强前行。"要给我吹箫吗?"他边笑边用一只蹄子砸我的猎枪。这将是他最后的笑声。
Then he screamed. I had a feeling that he had never screamed like that before. I prayed to the Goddesses that this was one injury, no matter how superficial, that he couldn’t regenerate or heal. With my final, extremely satisfying magic shot, I gelded God.
然后他尖叫起来。我有一种感觉，他以前从来没有像那样尖叫过。我向女神祈祷，这是一个伤口，无论多么浅薄，他都不能再生或治愈。用我最后的，非常令人满意的魔术镜头，我阉割了上帝。
All sadistic banter went away as he stomped and kicked wildly. To stay underneath him was to be rendered into bloody paste. I hooked my hooves around the ammo feed to one of his guns and was jerked out from under him, flipping onto his back. All I could do was hang on for dear life, biting into his mane to keep from slipping off as he reared and kicked in a frenzy of his own. One swing would have tossed me out over the edge if not for my hoof being caught in his ammo feed. Finally, he managed to get his teeth on my mane and pull. I felt my flesh tear, but more terrifying was that I was yanked off his back and thrown into the interior of the groaning building.
他跺着脚，疯狂地踢着，所有的虐待性玩笑都烟消云散了。待在他下面就会变成血糊。我把我的蹄子钩在他的一把枪上，然后猛地从他身下抽了出来，翻到了他的背上。我所能做的就是紧紧抓住他的生命，咬住他的鬃毛，以防他在狂暴中用后腿站立和踢打时滑落。如果不是因为我的蹄子被他的弹药卡住了，一下秋千就会把我扔下悬崖。最后，他设法让他的牙齿在我的鬃毛和拉。我感到自己的肌肉撕裂了，但更可怕的是我从他的背上被猛拉下来，扔进了呻吟着的建筑物的内部。
By pure luck I slammed into a metal pipe and wrapped my hooves around it desperately, dangling over the jagged floor two stories down. I looked up at Deus, my neck throbbing despite the painkillers, as he stared at me with maddened eyes. He wasn’t going to shoot near me. He was going to render me into bloody vapor and fuck EC-1101. Looking at the ruin between his hindquarters, I couldn’t blame him.
纯粹是运气好，我猛地撞上了一根金属管子，拼命地用蹄子把它缠住，悬挂在两层楼下参差不齐的地板上。我抬头看着天王，尽管吃了止痛药，我的脖子还是在抽搐，他用发狂的眼神盯着我。他不会在我附近开枪的。他要把我变成该死的蒸汽然后操EC-1101。看着他两腿之间的废墟，我不能责怪他。
Then a white unicorn ghost floated in front of him with a slave collar stuffed with dynamite on her left and a detonator on her right. “Gem! No!” I screamed as she went solid, bit the end of the duct tape, and pulled it off the glowing detonator as she began to fall.
然后一个白色的独角兽鬼在他面前漂浮，她的左边有一个奴隶项圈，里面塞满了炸药，右边有一个引爆器。"宝石！不!"她站稳了，我尖叫起来，咬住胶带的末端，在她开始坠落的时候把发光的雷管扯下来。
The explosion blew me right off the pipe. I hit a landing on the concrete stairs, then flopped down the steps limply like a doll.
爆炸把我从管子上炸飞了。我在水泥楼梯上摔了一跤，然后像个洋娃娃一样软绵绵地跌下台阶。
I had thought that I’d heard Deus scream before. I was wrong. Rearing up on his hind legs, the flayed Reaper’s mechanical mouth gaped, forcing a shattered jaw to stretch impossibly wide. An articulated metal windpipe released that horrible
我以为我以前听到过上帝的尖叫。我错了。收割者用后腿直立起来，机械般的嘴张得大大的，使得粉碎的下巴张得不可思议的大。一根铰接的金属气管释放出那么可怕的东西
noise as flaps of skin dangled from him. Broken pieces of skull clung to an armored sphere that was still horribly attached to his mechanical spine. The bilious fluids pouring from the tubes along his throat and chest oozed and steamed in the rain. And he still wasn’t dead.
当他的皮肤垂下来的时候，他发出了噪音。破碎的头骨粘附在一个装甲球上，这个装甲球仍然可怕地附着在他的机械脊椎上。从喉咙和胸部的管子里流出的胆汁在雨中渗出来。而且他还没死。
One red eye-camera focused right on me, and he pointed his cannons at my prostrate form. “Cunnnnntzzzzzz…” an electronic speaker crackled. The cannons’ firing mechanism clicked... the cannons, the barrels of which were now fouled from the blast and his mad thrashing, backfired.
一架红眼摄像机正对着我，他用大炮对准我俯卧的身体。一个电子扬声器噼里啪啦地响着。大炮的发射装置咔嗒一声响了起来......大炮的炮管已经被爆炸和他的疯狂抽打弄脏了，事与愿违。
The explosion of the shells tore his cybernetic body in two. The magazines went off a second later, and with that the exterior corner of the wall gave way, tumbling outward as the ruined stone collapsed like a house of cards. Sections of the other walls followed it down, and it was only by luck that we weren’t crushed.
炮弹的爆炸将他的控制论身体一分为二。一秒钟后，弹匣就爆炸了，墙壁的外角也随之坍塌，像纸牌搭成的房子一样向外翻滚。其他的一些墙也跟着倒了下来，幸运的是我们没有被压垮。
Good and bad luck.
好运和厄运。
I looked to P-21 and the still trembling Glory. Both alright… No. Not alright.
我看着P-21和仍在颤抖的晨辉。都很好...不。不太好。
None of us were alright. But we were alive.
我们没有一个是好的。但我们还活着。
And so was Mini.
米妮也是。
Slowly, I made my way towards where she was still breathing shallow little gulps. I floated out Cupcake’s revolver. “Mini…” I said quietly, though with the ringing in my ears everything felt quiet. I was numb from horn to hoof.
慢慢地，我朝她还在呼吸的地方走去。我拿出了纸托蛋糕的左轮手枪。"迷你......"我平静地说，尽管耳朵里嗡嗡作响，一切都感觉很安静。我从牛角到蹄子都麻木了。
“Hey.” She gave a shaky smile. “It’s the Security pony…” she said quietly as she hung there. “Where’re Gem and Taurus? She had to go...”
"嘿。"她摇摇晃晃地笑了笑。"是警卫的小马......"挂在那儿的时候，她平静地说。"宝石和金牛座在哪里？她必须离开......"
I looked over at one of the rubble heaps and the motionless green head poking out of it. “They… they left. They got away.” Please, if there is any goddess in all of Equestria, let her believe me. “They’re both… just fine…”
我看着其中一个瓦砾堆，绿色的脑袋从里面探出来，一动不动。"他们...他们离开了。他们逃走了。"如果全Equestria有女神的话请让她相信我。"它们都......很好......"
“That’s good. Gem does silly things without me,” she said quietly as she looked at me, red eyes just like my own, crying just like my own, as her lips trembled. I wasn’t that good a liar. Were it not for the mane, I might have been looking into a mirror as she asked, “Are… are you going to finish it?”
"那很好。"宝石没有我做傻事,"她看着我平静地说，红红的眼睛就像我自己，哭泣就像我自己，她的嘴唇颤抖着。我没那么会撒谎。如果不是因为我的鬃毛，我可能会看着一面镜子，她问,"你...你打算完成它吗?"
I couldn’t say it. I could only nod as my eyes blurred with tears.
我说不出口。当我的眼睛被泪水模糊时，我只能点头。
Her lips smiled as she whispered, “Thank you.”
她的嘴唇微笑着低声说:"谢谢。"
I wrapped my hooves around her, hugging her as I levitated the gun up under her chin.
我用蹄子围住她，拥抱着她，把枪悬浮在她的下巴下面。
‘Pull the trigger. Pull the trigger. Pull the Goddesses-damned trigger. Damn it, you bony son of a bitch, let me be able to do this!’ I sobbed as I held her, shaking as I poured everything I could into this. Five pounds of pressure was all I needed. ‘Pull the motherfucking trigger, Blackjack. Do it! Do it! Please, for the love of Celestia, do it!’ I begged myself.
扣动扳机。扣动扳机。扣动女神该死的扳机。该死的，你这个瘦骨嶙峋的狗娘养的，让我能做到这一点我一边抱着她一边抽泣，把所有的东西都倒进去的时候浑身发抖。五磅的压力就足够了。开枪啊Blackjack。动手吧！动手吧！求求你，为了塞莱斯蒂亚的爱，就这么做吧我苦苦哀求自己。
“I’m sorry.” I sobbed, gritting my teeth together. Clenching my eyes closed.
"对不起。"我抽泣着，咬紧牙关。紧闭双眼。
Wishing it was my head that the gun was pressed against.
希望那把枪顶着的是我的头。
Mini just laughed softly. “You’re a good pony, Miss Blackjack.” I felt a second unicorn’s magic on the gun.
米妮只是轻轻地笑了笑。"你是匹好马，Blackjack小姐。"我感觉到枪上有第二个独角兽的魔法。
One last gunshot sounded out across Flank.
最后一声枪响响彻了弗兰克。
* * *
* * *
The mournful tones of a cello came from my PipBuck and filled the rainy night alongside the slow, heavy notes of a piano. The hushing sigh of rain pattering over the rubble around us complemented the sorrowful music. Looking at the clouds, I was too dead within to care about that sensation of being swallowed by the sky. I wanted it to swallow me. Send me to the stars.
我的皮布克大提琴传来忧伤的音调，伴随着钢琴缓慢而沉重的音符，充满了雨夜。雨点拍打在我们周围瓦砾上的寂静叹息，与悲伤的音乐相得益彰。看着云彩，我的内心已经死去，无法关心被天空吞噬的感觉。我想让它吞噬我。把我送到星星上。
It was over. If there was anypony still after me, they were dead or had fled. I couldn’t care which. I felt hollow inside, and the only hint that I wasn’t just another corpse littering the Wasteland was my Buck-withdrawn heart thudding in my chest. I sat under an overhang on the edge of the Exchange, looking out at the pouring rain. I was alive. Deus was dead. Another fucking win…
一切都结束了。如果还有小马跟着我，它们要么已经死了，要么已经逃走了。我不在乎是哪一个。我感到内心空虚，唯一暗示我不只是一具在荒原上乱扔的尸体的是我那沉默寡言的心脏在我的胸腔里砰砰跳动。我坐在交易所边缘的一个悬挑下面，望着外面瓢泼大雨。我还活着。天王死了。又一场他妈的胜利..。
Yay.
耶。
Glory only pulled herself together enough to take off the black Enclave uniform and toss it over the edge. She looked like she wanted to follow it. Instead, she just curled up out of the rain beside me, staring into the gray downpour.
晨辉只是把自己拉到一起，脱下了黑色的昂科雷制服，把它扔到了边缘。她看起来像是要跟着它走。相反，她只是蜷缩在我身边躲避雨水，凝视着灰色的倾盆大雨。
Rampage had jumped up to us. I was so numb, I didn’t care how she did it.
暴跳如雷的冲向我们。我已经麻木了，我不在乎她是怎么做到的。
“Congratulations. You’re a Reaper now. If you want it.” Even with the rain, the striped pony looked like she’d been put through a meat grinder. I couldn’t think of how many she’d killed below. I didn’t want to care about ponies trying to kill me anymore. I just wanted to burn that part out of me.
"祝贺你。你现在是个收魂者了。如果你想的话。"即使下着雨，这匹条纹小马看起来也像是被绞肉机绞死的。我无法想象她在下面杀了多少人。我不想再关心那些想杀我的小马了。我只是想把那部分燃烧掉。
It’d be easier to rip out my own heart. “Is it worth it?” I asked as the cold water dripped into my eyes.
把自己的心挖出来比较容易。"这值得吗?"当冷水滴进我的眼睛时，我问道。
She didn’t answer right away. “Not really, but it’s better than being alone,” she said as she gazed out at the rain with a distant, sad expression. Finally she sighed and muttered, “Fuck, I hate this maudlin shit.” She stood. “I’m going to go wait for 69 to open. I need... something... bad.” She hopped down from three stories, then walked down a road strewn with dismembered corpses.
她没有马上回答。"不算是，但总比一个人好,"她一边说，一边用一种遥远而悲伤的表情凝视着外面的雨。最后她叹了口气，喃喃自语道:"妈的，我讨厌这种伤感的狗屎。"她站起来。"我要去等69号房开门。我需要......一些......坏东西。"她从三层楼上跳下来，然后沿着一条布满肢解尸体的路走下去。
P-21 slowly trotted over and lay down beside me. I floated Cupcake’s revolver to him and laid it at his hooves. “Here. You deserve this,” I muttered quietly as the rain poured over me.
P-21慢慢地小跑过来，在我旁边躺下。我把纸杯蛋糕的左轮手枪放在他的蹄子上。"这儿。"这是你应得的,"我低声咕哝着，一边听着大雨倾盆而下。
“What’s this for?” he asked softly, nudging it with his hoof.
"这是干什么的?"他轻轻地问，用蹄子轻轻地推着它。
“Justice,” was all I said. He looked at me and then nodded once. He reached down and took it into his mouth, teeth tightening on the handle. Slowly, he pointed it at me. Smears of Mini’s blood still glistened on the end. I wondered if it would hurt. I hoped so. I deserved for it to hurt.
"正义,"我只说了这么一句。他看着我，然后点了点头。他伸手把它叼进嘴里，把柄上的牙齿咬得紧紧的。慢慢地，他用枪指着我。米妮的血迹还在末端闪闪发光。我不知道会不会痛。我希望如此。我活该受伤。
Then he tossed the gun out into the street below.
然后他把枪扔到下面的街上。
I looked down after it, seeing the dull metal flickering in the remaining neon lights. “Why?” was all I could ask. “After what I did to you…”
我低头看了看，只见昏暗的金属在残存的霓虹灯中闪烁。"为什么?"这是我唯一的要求。"在我对你做了那些事之后......"
“I don’t blame you for Stable 99,” he said softly. “Not anymore. For a while I did… but… if we were there right now, would you put yourself on the breeding queue?” I shook my head dumbly. “Would you blow away the Overmare and anypony that tried to keep that sick place going?” I nodded and he let out a breath.
"我不会因为《稳定99》而责怪你,"他温柔地说。"不再是了。有一段时间我是这么想的......但是......如果我们现在就在那里，你会把自己放在繁殖队列上吗?"我默默地摇了摇头。"你会把那些试图让这个病态地方继续下去的Overmare和anypony赶走吗?"我点点头，他松了口气。
“Then for Stable 99, I can forgive you,” he said simply.
"那么为了稳定的99，我可以原谅你,"他简单地说。
I closed my eyes. “And for U-20?” I felt him stiffen beside me, sucking in a breath. “You loved him. You loved him and I beat him to death in front of you.”
我闭上了眼睛。"那U-20呢?"我感觉到他在我身边僵硬地吸了一口气。"你爱他。你爱他，我当着你的面把他打死了。"
The longest silence yet was followed by a quiet, “No. Not for that.” I closed my eyes, imagining that the dead weight in my chest was whatever was left of my heart.
最长的沉默之后是一声安静的说:"不。不是为了这个。"我闭上眼睛，想象着我胸口的沉重是我心脏的残骸。
“Then why not kill me? Why didn’t you kill me when we first escaped? Or after I killed Scoodle? Or… or any of the other times?” I asked at I stared at him.
""那么为什么不杀了我呢？我们第一次逃跑的时候你为什么不杀了我？还是在我杀了史酷德之后？或者......或者其他任何时候?"我盯着他问。
“I wanted to. I still want to… a little. And I don’t think that will ever go away. I still see it. Still feel it. And no matter what, that murder and Stable 99 are part of me,” he said as he bowed his head. Then he looked at me. “But for as long as I’ve known you, I’ve known you’re something special. You could have killed both of us out of spite. Out of sadistic glee; I know Daisy would have. You could have let Daisy take me. You could have left me for Deus when we fled 99. You could have killed Scoodle and blamed her for her death. You could have left the killing of forty psychotic foals up to me or Glory. You just fought the scariest fucking monster in the Wasteland while trying to defend three ponies that were out to kill you, Blackjack!
"我想。我还是想...有一点。我不认为这种感觉会消失。我仍然能看到它。还能感觉到。无论如何，谋杀和《稳定99》都是我的一部分,"他低下头说。然后他看着我。"但是自从我认识你以来，我就知道你很特别。你可以出于怨恨把我们俩都杀了。我知道黛西会的。你本可以让黛西带我去的。你可以在我们逃离99号公路的时候离开我去找上帝。你本可以杀了史酷德然后把她的死怪到她头上。你完全可以把杀死四十匹精神病小马驹的任务留给我或者晨辉。你刚和荒原上最可怕的怪物打了一架还要保护三匹要杀你的小马，Blackjack！
“Time and time again the Wasteland gives you the easier path and you refuse to take it. You could have just given EC-1101 over. You could have not cared about
"一次又一次，荒原给了你更容易的道路，而你拒绝走它。你可以直接给EC-1101。你根本就不会在乎
You could have just left me to die. Or the Crusaders. Or Glory. You take the hard road no matter how damn much it hurts you, and I can only watch in awe that you keep walking it. And every time I think you’re going to do what’s wrong and easy, you surprise me. I couldn’t do it. I would have cut a deal the second I was alone outside 99. But you’re sticking it out, trying to find out what makes the damned thing so important.
你本可以让我等死的。或者十字军战士。或者晨辉。不管你受到多大的伤害，你都坚持走这条艰难的道路，我只能敬畏地看着你继续走下去。每次我以为你会轻而易举地做出错误的决定，你总是让我大吃一惊。我做不到。当我独自一人在99号公路外面的时候，我就会和他们达成协议。但是你坚持到底，试图找出是什么让这件该死的事情如此重要。
“You walk the hard road, Blackjack. And sorry, but you deserve this.” I clenched my eyes shut.
"你走的是一条艰难的路，Blackjack。对不起，但这是你应得的。"我紧闭双眼。
He hugged me. He actually hugged me. At that point, everything fell apart in broken sobbing as the assorted fucked up emotions filled up that great big hollowness within me and poured forth. And I felt Glory silently lay down beside me as well, holding me in her hooves. I pressed my face into the wet concrete. I may not have been forgiven, but I was at least cared for.
他拥抱了我。他真的拥抱了我。在那一刻，一切都支离破碎，哭泣着，各种混乱的情绪填满了我内心巨大的空虚，倾泻而出。我感到晨辉也静静地躺在我身边，用她的蹄子抓着我。我把脸压在湿漉漉的水泥地上。我可能没有被原谅，但是我至少得到了关心。
I wasn’t alone on this hard road…
在这艰难的道路上我并不孤单..。
Footnote: Level Up.
脚注:水平上升。
New perk added: Action Mare (rank 1) - +15 Action Points
新补充:行动母马(等级1)-+15行动点数
Skill Note: Melee (100)
技能说明:近战(100)
Author's Notes:
作者笔记:
(Thanks to Kkat for creating Fo:E, thanks to Hinds and Bronode for making it worth reading, thank you to all my readers and commenters, and thanks to everypony who helped me through that tough patch earlier.)
(感谢Kkat创造了Fo:e，感谢Hinds和Bronode让这本书值得一读，感谢我所有的读者和评论者，也感谢所有帮助我度过那段艰难时期的小马。)
Chapter 15: Flank
第十五章:侧翼
Fallout Equestria: Project Horizons
小马国:地平线计划
By Somber
作者:Somber
Chapter 15: Flank
第十五章:侧翼
“That wasn’t the doozy? How could that not be the doozy?!”
""那不是最奇怪的吗？这怎么可能不是重点呢?"
Once upon a time, when I was just a filly, my flank was blank, and then one day it wasn’t anymore. Rivets had inherited a deck of cards from her mother, and we were playing blackjack, the only card game my feeble math skills could handle. Rivets, Daisy, Marmalade, Hatches, and I were sitting around a table in a storeroom, drinking synthetic apple juice and betting impossible sums with nuts, bolts, screws, and the occasional actual old bit. We were having a great time.
很久很久以前，当我还是一匹小母马的时候，我的身体一片空白，然后有一天它不再是了。铆钉们从她母亲那里继承了一副扑克牌，我们在玩黑杰克，这是我数学能力有限的唯一能玩的牌局。铆钉、黛西、玛玛莱德、哈奇斯和我坐在储藏室的一张桌子旁，喝着合成苹果汁，用螺母、螺栓、螺丝，偶尔还用一点真正的旧东西来赌一把不可能的钱。我们玩得很开心。
Then Hatches had to go. The door of the storeroom was like most: a pair of metal plates slid up and down by an electric motor connected to a button. She’d pressed that and started through. There had been a short, and the door had closed on her, the large, heavy slab falling from above and the smaller sheet being pushed up from below, with her body in the middle. A horrible snapping sound, then the mechanism had caught and the door opened again. Over in a second. We’d just watched, stunned, as she kept walking on shaking limbs. She’d reached the stairs before she crumpled and died two minutes later. We still just watched, too shocked to even move.
然后哈奇斯不得不离开。储藏室的门和大多数的门一样:一对金属板通过一个连接在按钮上的电动机上下滑动。她按下按钮，然后开始了。门突然关上了，一块又大又重的板子从上面掉了下来，一块较小的板子从下面被推了上来，她的身体在中间。一声可怕的响声，然后机械装置卡住了，门又开了。马上就好。我们只是目瞪口呆地看着她用颤抖的肢体继续走着。她走到楼梯口时，突然瘫倒在地，两分钟后就死了。我们仍然只是看着，震惊得动弹不得。
Did I mention that we only started calling her Hatches after she was crushed?
我有没有提到我们是在她被碾碎后才开始叫她Hatches的？
I couldn’t even remember her real name. I wished I could remember her name, because I now knew exactly how she felt walking down that long metal tunnel. My heart continued its rapid staccato as every step made my organs feel as if they were sloshing around inside me. Only the Buck kept me walking; we’d run out of Steady, and I was forced to walk between Glory and the curious Reaper that had saved our lives.
我甚至不记得她的真名。我希望我能记得她的名字，因为我现在清楚地知道她走过那条长长的金属隧道时的感受。我的心脏继续快速的断奏，每一步都让我的器官感觉它们在我体内晃动。只有巴克让我继续前行，我们已经没有了稳定，我不得不在晨辉和好奇的收割者之间行走，这个收割者救了我们的命。
“I need a Fixer. Why can’t I have a Fixer again?” I asked as I slumped against
"我需要一个修理工。为什么我不能再有一个修理工呢?"我靠在椅背上问道
Rampage’s polished metal armor. The articulated plates shifted under my thrashed barding.
横冲直撞的抛光金属盔甲。铰接的盘子在我的重击下移动。
“Fixer is not a cure. Fixer is an even worse drug than most of what you’ve been swallowing while my back was turned.” Glory was decidedly snippy and had retracted her previous statement about my intelligence. Instead of lecturing me about how I’d screwed up so badly, she had decided to try and fix the problem by educating me about it. “Fixer’s a psychoactive like Dash and Mint-als. It doesn’t do anything for your actual symptoms but make them ignorable. You have been trotting around with your heart rate at over a hundred beats a minute when you should have been lying down, trying to metabolize the chemicals and recover.”
"修理工不是解药。修复者是一种甚至比你在我转身的时候吞下的大多数东西还要糟糕的毒品。"晨辉显然是个傲慢的人，她收回了之前对我智商的说法。她没有教训我怎么把事情搞得这么糟糕，而是决定通过教育我来解决这个问题。"修理工就像Dash和Mint-als一样是个精神病患者。它对你的实际症状没有任何帮助，反而让它们变得可以忽略。你一直以每分钟超过100次的心率跑来跑去，而你本应该躺下来，试图利用这些化学物质进行新陈代谢，恢复健康。"
“Besides, you ate the last tablet an hour ago,” Rampage added with an amused snicker. In the few hours we’d been travelling together, I’d learned little from the strange pony with shining armor, who was still smeared with darkening gore. Her hoofclaws tapped the asphalt with a persistent metallic beat as we walked. I had, though, been able to see that her armor wasn't part of her body or something, like Deus's; it was just really good metal armor, and the pony under its bulk seemed not much larger than me. I'd also noticed that the few bits of coat the armor left exposed bore strange bright red markings in a pattern that looked almost like zebra stripes.
"而且，你一个小时前就吃完了最后一块平板电脑,"狂暴笑着补充道。在我们一起旅行的几个小时里，我几乎没有从那匹穿着闪亮盔甲的小马身上学到什么，那匹小马身上仍然涂满了暗黑的血迹。我们走着，她的蹄爪敲打着沥青路面，发出持续不断的金属敲击声。尽管如此，我还是能够看出她的盔甲并不是她身体的一部分或者其他什么东西，就像上帝的盔甲一样;它只是非常好的金属盔甲，而且那匹小马在它的身体下面看起来并不比我大多少。我还注意到盔甲露出的少量外套上有奇怪的鲜红色斑纹，看起来几乎像斑马条纹。
She also ate Mint-als like clockwork, taking out the white tablets and popping them in her mouth one by one. But did Glory give her a fifteen-minute lecture on the properties and perils of Mint-als? Nooo. Instead, I learned more about pharmacology than I ever cared to.
她还像上了发条一样吃薄荷糖，取出白色的药片，一片一片地放进嘴里。但是晨辉是否给了她一个十五分钟的关于薄荷糖的特性和危险的演讲？不。相反，我学到了比我以前更多的药理学知识。
Steady, I discovered, caused nerve damage if used too frequently. Med-X could cause the mind to experience phantom pains. Buck was damaging my joints and muscles and doing a number on my reproductive system. But the real monster, apparently, was Hydra.
稳定，我发现，如果使用过于频繁，会造成神经损伤。Med-x可能会导致大脑产生幻觉性疼痛。巴克损伤了我的关节和肌肉，还在我的生殖系统上做了一些动作。但是很明显，真正的怪物是九头蛇。
“Only unicorns can perform magical healing, and there are few who can perform the service. As a result, pegasi and earth ponies found a way to regenerate injuries using a hormonal extract of certain glands from hydras, hence the name. The harvesting is difficult enough, but the real peril is that the chemical suppresses normal recovery long after it wears off. Your body’s natural healing processes fail, and you die cell by cell.” She looked scared. “One Hydra is bad
"只有独角兽才能进行神奇的治疗，很少有人能进行这种仪式。因此，飞马座和地球矮种马找到了一种方法，通过从水螅中提取某些腺体的激素来再生损伤，因此得名。收获是相当困难的，但真正的危险是化学物质在失效很久之后仍会抑制正常的恢复。你身体的自然愈合过程失败了，你就会一个细胞一个细胞地死去。"她看起来很害怕。"一个九头蛇是坏蛋
enough, but two or three… you can drop dead on your hooves.”
够了，但是两三个...你可能会死在你的蹄子上"
“And that’s not counting taking a stroll through some nice quiet E-fields,” interjected Rampage. “I’ve seen ponies liquefy from a combination of Hydra and a strong enough Enervation field. Kinda cool to watch, actually,” she said brightly, grinning at the sick look Glory and I shared. “Oh, what? You think that’s the worst way to die?”
"这还不包括在一些美丽安静的e字段中漫步,"狂暴插话道。"我见过小马融化的情况，是由于长蛇怪和足够强大的能量场的结合。看起来挺酷的，真的,"她笑着说，看着我和晨辉病态的面容。"哦，什么？你认为这是最糟糕的死法吗?"
“No,” I muttered. “I’ve seen worse.”
"不,"我喃喃自语。"我见过更糟的。"
“Like what?” she asked with a mocking little smirk.
"比如什么?"她带着嘲笑的微笑问道。
I really wasn’t in the mood for Reaper taunting. I looked at her flatly. “I fed a pony through a rock crusher once.” She blinked, looking speculative. “Tail first,” I added, and was rewarded with a small look of shock on her face. Now her pink eyes looked skeptical. “It’s true. It was the only way I could kill a pony monster named Gorgon.”
我真的没心情听收魂者的嘲弄。我直截了当地看着她。"我曾经用碎石机喂过一匹小马。"她眨了眨眼睛，看起来像是在猜测。"尾巴先来,"我补充道，她脸上露出一丝惊讶的表情。现在她那双粉红色的眼睛看起来很怀疑。"这是真的。这是我唯一能杀死一个叫戈耳贡的小怪兽的方法。"
Rampage stopped in her tracks, and I slid off her side and fell flat on my face. “You really killed Gorgon?”
狂暴停止在她的轨道上，我从她身边滑下来，脸朝下倒在地上。"你真的杀了戈耳贡?"
“At Brimstone’s Fall,” I answered as I tried to get my hooves to support me. “He was trying to kill me. He’d taken over the mine and I had to take him out.” Her wording hit me. "How did you…" I nervously started to ask.
"在宾斯通瀑布,"我回答说，我试图用我的蹄子来支撑我。"他想杀了我。他接管了矿井，我不得不把他干掉。"她的措辞打动了我。"你是怎么......"我紧张地开始问。
Rampage gave me an even stare. “Gorgon is… was… I knew him.” I felt dread creep up my spine. If she decided to attack and avenge him, what could I do to stop it? My only chance was three magic bullets to the face, and even then I wasn’t sure I could pull it off. “And he was a friend,” she added, and I almost switched to S.A.T.S. right then. But instead of looking angry or upset… I couldn’t tell what that expression was. Was it happiness? “Lucky bastard.”
狂暴的暴怒瞪了我一眼。"戈耳工是...曾是...我认识他"我感到恐惧爬上了我的脊背。如果她决定攻击他并为他报仇，我能做些什么来阻止他呢？我唯一的机会是三颗魔法子弹打在脸上，即使那时我也不确定我能否成功。"他是我的朋友,"她补充道，那时我几乎就要转去攻读sat了。但是我并没有表现出生气或者沮丧的样子......我不知道那是什么表情。是幸福吗？"幸运的混蛋"
She bit the neck of my barding and hauled me to my hooves. “You aren’t mad?” I asked.
她咬住我的脖子，把我拽到蹄子上。"你不生气吗?"我问道。
“Should I be?” she asked in return once I was standing.
"我应该担心吗?"我一站起来，她就问我。
Glory looked at her, as confused and wary as me. “He was your friend.”
晨辉看着她，和我一样困惑，一样警惕。"他是你的朋友。"
She sighed. “There are worse things you could have done to him.”
她叹了口气。"你可以对他做出更糟糕的事情。"
“But… who was he? What was he?” Glory asked.
""可是......他是谁？他是什么?"晨辉问道。
“My friend the monster,” was all she answered, and after a look at the scowl that accompanied it I nudged Glory and shook my head. Rampage was not a safe pony to press right now. Not till we knew more about her. She certainly wasn’t the psychopath I’d envisioned... but that didn’t mean she wasn’t a psychopath I hadn’t envisioned.
"我的朋友，那个怪物,"她只回答了一句，看了看它的怒容，我用肘轻轻推了一下晨辉，摇了摇头。狂暴现在可不是一匹安全的小马。直到我们对她有更多的了解。她当然不是我想象中的心理变态者......但这并不意味着她不是我想象中的心理变态者。
We walked along together for a bit in welcome silence. We were entering a small valley where the Sunset Highway crossed over another road from Hoofington before heading off to the southwest towards Fillydelphia. We’d been hit by raiders twice. Fortunately, I simply sat my butt down, floated the carbine over my head, and played gun turret while Rampage eagerly dismembered them. The white and red pony’s serrated armor tore our attackers in half, and each kick of her hoofclaws shredded hide and armor alike. Watching her moves, I realized two things: I did not want to fight her, and I appreciated just how tough Reapers had to be.
我们一起走了一会儿，保持着欢迎的沉默。我们进入一个小山谷，日落高速公路从Hoofington穿过另一条公路，然后向西南方向驶向Fillydelphia。我们被突袭机袭击了两次。幸运的是，我只是坐下来，把卡宾枪举过头顶，玩起了枪塔，同时狂暴急切地肢解了他们。白色和红色小马的锯齿状盔甲把我们的攻击者撕成了两半，每踢一脚她的蹄爪都同样撕碎了兽皮和盔甲。看着她的动作，我意识到两件事:我不想和她战斗，而且我很欣赏死神是多么的强悍。
Reapers... just like Deus.
死神...就像上帝一样。
“Have you ever heard of somepony named Sanguine?” I asked as we finished looting the second band of raiders. I wasn’t finding any links to the Enclave on them, but paranoia was nibbling at my mane.
"你听说过一种叫三古尼的小马吗?"当我们把第二队入侵者洗劫一空的时候，我问道。我没有在他们身上找到任何与昂科雷有关的联系，但偏执狂一点一点地咬着我的鬃毛。
“Sure,” Rampage replied. “He’s a unicorn ghoul. Real nutcase too: drinks blood. Lots of business deals and a surprisingly snappy dresser. Used to be a doctor before the war, or so I heard.” She looked down at me with a smirk. “And no, personally I don’t do much business with him. He works out of Paradise, though; he’s hoof in frigging hoof with Usury.”
"当然,"狂暴回答。"他是独角兽食尸鬼。真正的疯子也是:喝血。许多商业交易和一个令人惊讶的时髦着装。我听说战前是个医生。"她低头看着我，得意地笑了笑。"不，就我个人而言，我和他没有多少生意往来。不过，他在《天堂》里工作，他的蹄子沾满了高利贷。"
“Is there a way I can get in contact with him?”
"有什么办法能让我联系上他吗?"
“Why would you want to?”
"你为什么要这么做?"
I lifted my PipBuck. “He wants a file on this. He sent Deus to my stable, and I’m pretty sure he’s why Deus is after me.”
我举起了我的皮伯克。"他想要一份这方面的文件。他把天王送到我的马厩，我很肯定他就是天王追杀我的原因。"
“Uh… no. Having a vagina and having shot at him with artillery is why Deus’s after you. But yeah, he works a lot with Sanguine.” She took a deep breath. “If you really want to hand the file over, he’d probably pay you and smooth things
"呃......没有。拥有一个阴道，并用大炮向他射击是为什么上帝追求你。但是，是的，他和桑吉尼一起工作。"她深吸了一口气。"如果你真的想把文件交给他，他可能会付你钱，然后安抚你
over with Deus and Usury. Maybe get you out of the Hoof. But if he wants that file, it’s because somepony else wants it. Somepony with a lot of pull in the Hoof. I can only think of two or three with that kind of swing… four, if you throw in the Enclave,” she added with a glance at Glory. “Big Daddy Reaper, Elder Crunchy Carrots, and King Awesome.”
和Deus还有高利贷的关系。也许能让你摆脱蹄子。但是如果他想要那份文件，那是因为其他人想要它。有些小马的蹄子很有拉力。我只能想到两三个这样的秋千...四个，如果你把昂科雷也算进去的话,"她瞥了一眼晨辉，补充道。"大老爹收割者，脆胡萝卜，棒极了的国王。"
I couldn’t have heard that right. “King… Awesome?” And here I thought calling myself Security was pretentious.
我没听错吧。"国王......太棒了?"我还以为自称安保是自命不凡呢。
“He’s the head of the Society,” Rampage said and then snorted. “Hey, don’t look at me. I didn’t name him.”
"他是这个协会的头头,"兰帕德说，然后哼了一声。"嘿，别看我。我没有给他起名字。"
“And is he?” I asked with a wan grin. “Awesome, I mean?”
"他是吗?"我带着苍白的笑容问道。"我是说，太棒了?"
Rampage shrugged. “The Society is the biggest source of real food in the Hoof. King Awesome managed to get the plantations working, screwing over the Eggheads in the process. They charge a premium, but food is food.” She glanced at me. “Of course, they use slaves to farm it.”
狂暴耸了耸肩。"协会是霍夫最大的食物来源。国王设法让种植园运转起来，在这个过程中压榨了理论家们。他们收取额外费用，但食物就是食物。"她瞥了我一眼。"当然，他们用奴隶来耕种。"
Any affinity I had for Prince Splendid withered on the vine. “They what?” Rampage seemed amused by my anger.
我对辉煌王子的一切好感都消失在葡萄藤上了。"他们什么?"暴怒似乎被我的愤怒逗乐了。
“Sure. You don’t expect aristocrats to get their hooves dirty, do you? Until Red Eye came along, they were the premier slaveholders in the Hoof… heck, maybe in all of Equestria.” She frowned and rubbed her chin. “You know… I always wondered where Red Eye got the caps to pay for all those slaves he’s been funneling into Fillydelphia. Hmm.” She shrugged and looked at me again. “Anyway, the Society prefers to call them ‘serfs’ and ‘servants’, but it’s one pony wearing an explosive collar and another pony with their hoof on the trigger. So it sounds like slaves to me.”
"当然。你不会希望贵族们把蹄子弄脏吧？在红眼出现之前，他们是霍夫最重要的奴隶主......见鬼，也许是整个小马国。"她皱了皱眉，揉了揉下巴。"你知道......我一直想知道红眼从哪儿弄来的帽子，用来支付他偷偷进入Fillydelphia的那些奴隶的钱。嗯。"她耸耸肩，又看了我一眼。"无论如何，协会更喜欢称他们为'农奴'和'仆人'，但这只是一匹戴着爆炸项圈的小马和另一匹蹄子踩在扳机上的小马。所以我觉得这听起来像是奴隶。"
Even feeling as lousy as I did and with everything churning in my brain, I somehow managed some fresh, smoldering anger. It was refreshing to have something wrong to focus against. I might not be able to do anything right now, but it was something to think about. I added it to my mental ‘things to do’ list somewhere underneath ‘Survive’ and above ‘Save Equestria’.
即使感觉像我一样糟糕，所有的事情都在我的脑海里翻腾，我还是忍住了一些新鲜的，闷烧的愤怒。有什么不对劲的地方需要关注，这让人耳目一新。我现在可能什么也做不了，但是这是值得考虑的事情。我把它添加到我脑子里的"要做的事"列表中，在"生存"和"拯救Equestria"之后。
We arrived. The town filling most of the valley had evidently once been a major suburb of Hoofington. Several five and six-story buildings hunched sullenly together in the center of the ruins like brooding mares. We passed by a sign that
我们到了。占据大部分山谷的城镇显然曾经是Hoofington的一个主要郊区。几幢五层和六层的楼房闷闷不乐地蜷缩在废墟的中央，就像正在沉思的母马。我们路过一个标志，上面写着:
read ‘Welcome to Flankfurt. Hope you like your stay.’ That warm greeting was marred by less charming messages like ‘DASH: 20% more fucked!’, ‘STELLA!’, ‘Fuck Caprice: 50 caps’, ‘Fried in ten seconds flat’, and ‘DIE ZEBRA DIE!’ There was a balefire crater to the north, but most of Flank appeared burned rather than blasted. A morass of ponds and muck lingered in and around the roofless remains of the houses, but I didn’t see one strand of swamp grass. Nothing grew in Flank.
阅读:欢迎来到Flankfurt。希望你喜欢这里这种温暖的问候被一些不那么有魅力的信息破坏了，比如"DASH:性交增加20%!"斯特拉'去他妈的随心所欲:50杯','10秒钟就煎熟了'，还有'死斑马!'在北面有一个火山口，但弗兰克的大部分看起来是被烧毁的，而不是被炸毁的。一片沼泽，池塘和淤泥徘徊在屋顶的残骸周围，但我没有看到一丝沼泽草。弗兰克什么也没长出来。
Then I felt it. My heartbeat was becoming irregular and I staggered, my hooves falling out from under me. Blood was trickling down my nose and out of my ears. Tears much too thick to be simple salt water ran down my cheeks. I couldn’t seem to breathe as I feel flat on my face.
然后我感觉到了。我的心跳开始变得不规则，我踉踉跄跄，我的蹄子从我身下掉了下来。血从我的鼻子流出来，从我的耳朵流出来。泪水太浓了，不可能是纯粹的盐水从我的脸颊上流下来。我似乎无法呼吸，因为我觉得我的脸是平的。
“Blackjack? Blackjack! What’s wrong?” Glory yelled as she turned me on my side.
"黑杰克？黑杰克！怎么了?"当她把我翻过身来的时候，我的晨辉大叫起来。
“Enervation, probably. Flank is full of E-fields,” Rampage said in mild irritation. “Guess the Hydra weakened her body enough that she’s crashing.”
"可能是衰弱吧。"侧翼充满了电磁场,"狂暴带着轻微的愤怒说道。"大概是九头蛇把她的身体削弱到了崩溃的地步。"
“Do something!” Glory said as she looked up at the Reaper, “Please!”
"做点什么!"晨辉抬头看着死神说,"求你了!"
Rampage rolled her eyes and gave a dismissive snort, grabbed me, and dragged me several feet back. My heartbeat steadied as I lay there. Now, more than ever, I suddenly realized just how fucked up I was. I could have died! I could have liquefied… I…
狂暴转动着她的眼睛，不屑地哼了一声，抓住我，把我拖回几英尺远。我躺在那里，心跳已经稳定下来。现在，比以往任何时候，我突然意识到我是多么的糟糕。我差点就死了！我可以液化...我..。.
It finally happened: I was afraid of dying. Not of dying personally; that was sort of a ‘well, it would suck if I did’ kind of concern. No, it was thinking about not resolving things with P-21. It was wondering what would happen to Glory if I died. Thinking of that, for the first time ever, I realized I was scared shitless that I’d kick it and leave them to go on without me.
终于发生了:我害怕死亡。而不是亲自死去;这是一种'好吧，如果我死了就糟糕了'的关心。不，它是在考虑不与P-21解决问题。它想知道如果我死了，晨辉会怎么样。想到这一点，我第一次意识到我非常害怕我会踢它，让他们自己继续生活下去。
I was such a stupid pony that I had to bleed from my tear ducts before I could see that.
我是一匹愚蠢的小马，在我看到这一切之前，我的泪腺不得不流血。
I don’t know what Glory was doing; injecting me with the very chems that had deteriorated my body, I supposed. She gave me a healing potion that tasted like ass, but I couldn’t even throw it up. “We have to get her to Flank’s doctor now,” Glory said desperately as she looked down the highway at the distant gates. It was at least a mile or two. Maybe more.
我不知道晨辉在做什么;我猜想，正是这些药物让我的身体每况愈下。她给了我一种治疗药水，尝起来像屁股，但我甚至不能把它吐出来。"我们现在必须把她送到弗拉克的医生那里去,"晨辉绝望地说，她顺着高速公路望向远处的大门。至少有一两英里。也许更多。
“Give her some Dash,” Rampage said as she eyed the ruins around us.
"给她点颜色瞧瞧,"狂暴看着我们周围的废墟说。
“Oh, pop another Mint-al!” Glory snapped back.
"哦，再来一杯Mint-al!"晨辉又回来了。
“She’s this close to dying anyway,” Rampage said as she took out the tin and licked up one of the tablets, chewing. “If she can make the run, maybe Scalpel can get her in the auto-doc fast enough to do something. Otherwise, she’s a corpse.” She frowned. “And in case you missed it… we got scavengers coming.”
"反正她也快死了,"拉皮特一边说，一边拿出罐子，舔着其中一片药片，咀嚼着。"如果她能逃走，也许手术刀能让她尽快进入汽车医生系统做些什么。否则，她就是一具尸体。"她皱起了眉头。"如果你没注意到的话......我们有拾荒者要来了。"
I saw them creeping out of the burned-out ruins. Naked and emaciated or wearing the thinnest rags. Bloodshot and yellowed eyes. Slat-sided ponies, poor and desperate, crept slowly closer and closer. They all looked just as wrecked as I was, but there were a lot more of them than of me. “Give it to me,” I wheezed.
我看见他们从烧毁的废墟中爬出来。赤裸、消瘦或穿着最薄的破布。充血和泛黄的眼睛。贫穷而绝望的小马慢慢地向我靠近。他们看起来和我一样糟糕，但是他们比我多得多。"给我,"我气喘吁吁地说。
“Oh dear Luna, I can’t believe I’m doing this,” Glory groaned and took out a red cartridge with a mouth tube attached. She put it to my lips. “Breathe in a deeply as you can…” she muttered as her hooves compressed the cartridge and I felt a hot, stinging gas fill my lungs.
"哦，亲爱的露娜，我真不敢相信我会这么做,"晨辉呻吟着，拿出一个红色的墨盒，上面连着一根口管。她把它放在我的嘴唇上。"尽可能地深呼吸......"她咕哝着，用蹄子压紧了弹药筒，我感到一股灼热刺痛的气体充满了我的肺部。
Funny. I didn’t notice much difference. What was the big deal? I stood up and shook myself off as I grinned at all the gaunt ponies starting to surround us. Heh. They were all staring at me, which made sense. I’m Security. The bad ass. The mare with the hundred thousand cap bounty! In one puff I’d gone from dying to amazing in ten seconds flat. Glory just looked at me like she was going to cry; why? I felt great! I was great! I think I just felt an orgasm, yeah!
有意思。我没有注意到多大的不同。有什么大不了的？我站起来，对着围绕在我们周围的那些憔悴的小马咧嘴一笑，把自己抖了抖。呵呵。他们都盯着我，这就说得通了。我是保安。那个坏蛋。赏金十万的母马！一口气，我就在十秒钟之内从垂死变得惊人。晨辉只是看着我，好像她要哭了;为什么？我感觉棒极了！我太棒了！我想我刚刚感受到了高潮，耶！
“Hey, Blackjack, bet you can’t beat me to the gate!” Rampage taunted as she started to run. Oh, miss Reaper thought she could beat me? Nothing could beat me! I could fly right now. And I was going to prove it as I started to run. I was so badass I was drooling! Yeah! Badass! As we ran I felt all sickly, but freaky freaky magical fields can’t touch Blackjack!
"嘿，黑杰克，我打赌你不可能比我先到登机口!"当她开始奔跑时，狂暴被嘲弄了一番。死神小姐以为她能打败我？没有什么能打败我！我现在就能飞了。当我开始奔跑的时候，我要证明这一点。我太坏了，我都流口水了！耶！坏蛋！当我们跑着的时候，我感到一切都是病态的，但是奇怪的魔法场不能碰黑杰克！
Everypony at the gates of Flank was staring and stepping aside. You bet they would. ‘Cause Blackjack was in town! Look out Flank, I’m bringing the gun and the fun and the funktastica! I didn’t even know what that word meant, but I was bringing it, because I’m Blackjack! The Security Mare. Awwwww yeah!
每一匹小马都站在弗兰克的大门口凝视着，退到一边去了。他们当然会。因为黑杰克在城里！小心，弗兰克，我带了枪，还有好玩的东西和滑稽的东西！我甚至不知道那个词是什么意思，但是我把它带来了，因为我是Blackjack！安全的噩梦。啊，耶！
“We’re walking!” Rampage said as she walked ahead of me. Oh, miss armored pony thought she was going to win? No way! ‘Cause I am Blackjack, made of awesome. Bleeding awesome! Yeah! I couldn’t really pay much attention
"我们在走路!"当她走在我前面时，狂暴说道。装甲小马小姐以为自己会赢？不可能！因为我是黑杰克，由令人敬畏的。流血太可怕了！耶！我真的不能集中注意力
because my eyes weren’t working. That’s ‘cause I got freaky freaky mutant eyes. ‘Cause I’m cool… and stuff…
因为我的眼睛不工作了。那是因为我有一双奇怪的变异眼睛。因为我很酷...还有..。
It was getting kinda hard to walk. Rampage bit me by the neck of my barding and dragged me the last few feet into a building that smelled of blood. And piss. And shit. And blood. Oh, that must be me. Because I smell awesome. Once inside, she dropped me to the floor.
走起路来有点困难。狂暴的暴徒咬住了我的脖子，把我拖进了一个充满血腥味的建筑物。还有尿。还有狗屎。还有血。肯定是我。因为我闻起来棒极了。一进去，她就把我摔倒在地。
“Mom!” Rampage roared. “Warm up the autodoc, now!” It looked like some sort of doctor’s office, like medical back in 99. A long counter ran across the middle of the room and four armored guards were rising to their hooves.
"妈妈!"狂暴咆哮着。"立刻预热自动生成器!"它看起来像某种医生的办公室，就像99年的医务室。一个长长的柜台横跨在房间中央，四个装甲警卫正站起来。
“Rampage?” An older lavender unicorn poked her head into the foyer and looked at me through thick, black-framed glasses. She wore a profound expression of disappointment. Her white labcoat was smeared with numerous stains. “Not another one, Rampage. I can’t keep treating every poor thing you bring in. Just give it some Dash and let it die in peace.”
"横冲直撞?"一只年长的薰衣草独角兽把头探进门厅，戴着厚厚的黑框眼镜看着我。她脸上流露出深深的失望。她的白色工作服上有许多污渍。"不要再来一个，狂暴。我不能一直治疗你带来的每一个可怜的病人。给它点颜色瞧瞧，让它安静地死去吧。"
“It’s Security, Mom,” Rampage said. Everything began to tumble away. “And I think her heart’s stopped…”
"妈妈，这是安全问题。"。所有的东西都开始倒塌。"我想她的心脏停止跳动了......"
* * *
* * *
“So, who can name the six ministries established by Princess Luna to combat zebra aggression and save Equestria?” our teacher, Textbook, asked as she looked over all the attentive fillies and colts as we sat together in Stable 99’s classroom. The projector showed cartoony pictures of six mares arranged around Princess Luna. A gray circle looped around them. The red mare lowered her glasses. “Blue?”
"那么，谁能说出卢娜公主为了对抗斑马侵略和拯救马术国而设立的六个部门的名字呢?"当我们一起坐在Stable99的教室里时，我们的教科书老师问道，她环顾了一下所有专心听讲的小雌马和小马。放映机播放了六匹母马围绕着卢娜公主的卡通画。一个灰色的圆圈环绕着他们。红色的母马放下了她的眼镜。"蓝色?"
The young blue colt sitting ahead of me cleared his throat as he stood. “The six ministries were Awesome, Arcane Sciences, Wartime Technology, Image, Morale, and… Peace!”
坐在我前面的小蓝马站起来，清了清嗓子。"这六个部分是真棒，奥术科学，战时技术，形象，士气，还有...和平!"
“Very good, Blue,” she praised the young colt.
"很好，蓝色,"她夸奖这匹小马。
“Wasn’t there a seventh ministry?” Daisy asked, the shy little earth pony jumping when a colt glanced her way.
"不是有第七个牧师吗?"小雏菊问道，一匹小马朝她这边瞥了一眼，害羞的小马就跳了起来。
“That’s a good question,” Textbook said as she changed to the next slide, a flow
"这是一个很好的问题,"教科书说，她改变到下一张幻灯片，一个流
chart. “There certainly was more to Equestria than just the ministries, though the ministries did revolutionize Equestria in a very short time. There was Luna’s government, which was responsible for enforcing Luna’s decrees and laws with the common pony. There was the military, which operated independently of the ministries, but worked with all of them. There were also private businesses, many of which worked with the ministries.”
图表。"Equestria肯定不仅仅是有关部委的问题，尽管有关部委确实在很短的时间内为马术国带来了革命。有卢娜的政府，负责执行卢娜的法令和法律与普通的小马。还有军队，他们独立于政府各部门运作，但与所有政府部门合作。还有私营企业，其中许多与政府部门合作。"
I kept dozing off, and my eyes were drawn to the gaps between the bubbles on the flow chart.
我一直在打瞌睡，眼睛被流程图上的气泡间隙吸引着。
“So can you tell me the responsibilities of the O.I.A., Go Fish?” Textbook asked.
"那么你能告诉我o.i.a.的职责吗，钓鱼去吧?"教科书上的问题。
I shot upright in my seat and shouted, “Blackjack! My name is Blackjack!”
我在座位上直立起来喊道:"Blackjack！我叫黑杰克!"
Giggles filled the classroom. Blue looked back at me with a warm smile. He was my best friend and…
教室里充满了笑声。蓝色带着温暖的微笑回头看着我。他是我最好的朋友。
The sound of cards being shuffled filled the room like static. Everything turned gray and fuzzy. When focus returned, the colts were gone, as were all the bright colors. Everything was now mixed with gray. Daisy smirked back at me; she was my best friend… if that was what a friend was. Duct Tape cringed from the snide smirk of Marmalade. Only Rivets didn’t put up with our shit. Textbook no longer smiled, instead talking with the apathetic boredom that came with rote instruction. “Go Fish. Blackjack. Whatever.”
洗牌的声音像静电一样充满了整个房间。一切都变得灰暗模糊。当注意力回来的时候，小马和所有明亮的颜色都消失了。现在一切都混杂着灰色。黛西也朝我傻笑着，她是我最好的朋友......如果这就是朋友的话。胶带从橘子酱的冷笑中退缩了。只有铆钉没有容忍我们的狗屎。教科书不再笑了，取而代之的是死记硬背带来的枯燥乏味。"去钓鱼吧。黑杰克。随便了。"
“The O.I.A.… I don’t think this was in the book, teacher,” I protested.
"o.i.a.......我不认为书里有这个，老师,"我抗议道。
“Nevertheless, it’s something you should know,” she said with a bored, disinterested sigh. “So can you answer or… ugh… nevermind.”
"不过，你应该知道这件事,"她无聊地、无私地叹了口气说。"那么你能回答或者......呃......算了。"
I snorted as I folded my hooves on the desk and rested my chin atop them. Who cared who some dumb O.I.A. was, anyway? The ministries were the ones who ran Equestria. And Luna. They were all blown up centuries ago. I raised my hoof. “Teacher, I need to take a leak.”
我把蹄子放在桌子上，把下巴搁在上面，鼻子里发出哼哼声。谁会在乎那些愚蠢的o.i.a.是谁呢？是这些部门管理着小马国。还有露娜。它们几个世纪前就被炸毁了。我抬起了蹄子。"老师，我要上厕所。"
“Uh-huh…” She waved her hoof at me and I stepped out of my desk and trotted to the door. I was in security. It didn’t matter if I knew history, just so long as I could shoot a gun or swing a baton.
"啊哈......"她朝我挥了挥蹄子，我走出办公桌，小跑到门口。我是保安。我懂不懂历史并不重要，只要我会开枪或者挥舞指挥棒就行。
Outside the classroom, the colors were bright and cheery. Stallions and mares
教室外面，色彩明亮而欢快。种马和母马
talked as they strolled along, discussing their jobs and what was needed in the stable. Blue sat outside the classroom, the young colt listening in. “Oh hey, Go--” he began when he caught my look and gave me a sheepish grin. “Blackjack! Much better name.”
他们边走边聊，讨论着自己的工作和马厩里需要什么。小蓝坐在教室外面，小马在听课。"哦，嘿，走吧——"当他看到我的表情，给了我一个腼腆的微笑时，他开始说道。"黑杰克！更好的名字。"
“Hey Blue. I had to get out of there.” I smiled brightly at him. “Say, wanna sneak down to maintenance? I can help you with your reading and we can…”
"嗨，布鲁。我必须离开那里。"我朝他灿烂地笑了笑。"嘿，想不想溜到维修部去？我可以帮你读书，我们可以......"
The purr of cards plunged the world into gray hues. Mares walked along in isolation and talked in low, soft voices. The colt cowered behind metal crates, listening in. “…take you back to medical. You’re not supposed to be out here. You’re a colt.”
扑克牌发出的咕噜声使世界变成了灰色。母马孤零零地走着，低声地说着话。小马蜷缩在金属箱子后面，听着。"...带你回医务室。你不该出来的。你是一匹小马驹。"
“Please,” he stammered. “I was just listening.”
"请,"他结结巴巴地说。"我只是在听。"
“You’re a colt. That means you have to stay with the colts till a filly wants you.” Why a filly would want a colt for anything was beyond me. Colts didn’t actually do anything in the stable. They didn’t work. They didn’t study. They just ate food and did… whatever they did.
"你是一匹小马。这意味着你必须和小马呆在一起，直到小母马需要你。"我不明白为什么一匹小母马什么都要买一匹小马。事实上小马在马厩里什么也没做。它们不起作用。他们没有学习。他们只是吃东西，做他们该做的。
“I don’t want to go back…” he said quietly as he peeked through the crack at the teacher droning on and on about how wonderful the ministries were. “Can’t I listen? I want to find out about all this stuff.”
"我不想回去......"他一边说，一边透过裂缝偷看老师，喋喋不休地说着牧师的工作有多么出色。""我不能听吗？我想知道所有这些东西。"
“No. You’re a boy. You should go to boy school. This is a school for fillies,” I said and stomped my hoof. “Anyway I’m in security. So I gots to take you back. That’s what Momma would want.” I kicked his flank. “Now march.”
"没有。你是个男孩。你应该去上男校。这是一所小母马的学校,"我跺着蹄子说。"不管怎样，我是安全人员。所以我要带你回去。那才是妈妈想要的。"我踢了他的侧腹。"现在向前走。"
A flicker of color. Maybe I was going to kiss his booboo. Maybe I was going to ask him his name. But the purr of the shuffling cards kept all the colors dull.
一种闪烁的颜色。也许我会吻他的屁股。也许我该问问他的名字。但是洗牌时发出的咕噜声使所有的颜色都变得暗淡。
We got to medical and instantly the colors returned. The nurses and doctor were very thankful to me for finding Blue and gave us each a peppermint stick. I watched as he was escorted through to the colts’ school, where two dozen foals and colts sat in desks listening to a much better lesson on rainbows and why rainbows were awesome. I wanted to ask if I could be allowed to stay, even if I was a filly.
我们赶到医务室，马上恢复了状态。护士和医生非常感谢我找到布鲁，并给了我们每人一支薄荷棒。我看着他被护送到小马的学校，那里有24只小马驹和小马驹坐在课桌旁听着更好的关于彩虹的课程，以及彩虹为什么那么棒。我想问是否可以允许我留下来，即使我是一匹小母马。
A sigh. A shuffle of the cards. The colors drained away. There was no school. No rainbows. No lesson. Just rows and rows of bunk beds on which curled the colts
一声叹息。洗牌。颜色渐渐消失了。没有学校。没有彩虹。没有教训。只有一排排的双层床，上面蜷曲着小马
of Stable 99. Their toys were broken things, things that fillies didn’t want any more. They were all so… small. Such a little space to live in. The nurses kicked him back into the room, demanding to know how he’d gotten out. The head doctor scowled at me and suggested I go back to class.
稳定的99。他们的玩具都是破烂的东西，小姑娘们再也不想要了。它们都是那么的...小。这么小的地方住。护士把他踢回房间，要求知道他是怎么出来的。主治医生怒视着我，建议我回去上课。
Then Big Macintosh strode in through the doors with all the Marauders in a burst of pure awesome! “Alright. We’re shutting you down. This has gone on long enough.”
然后大麦金托什和所有的掠夺者一起迈着惊人的步伐穿过大门！"好吧。我们要关闭你的公司。这种情况已经持续得够久了。"
“May Celestia forgive you for what you have done here,” Psalm intoned gravely.
"愿天国原谅你在这里所做的一切,"诗篇郑重地吟诵道。
Fluttershy flew in and guided the colts out, with Pinkie Pie giving them all a cake and Rainbow Dash making them grin just by being Rainbow Dash.
Fluttershy飞了进来，把小马带了出来，小手指派给它们一块蛋糕，彩虹冲刺让它们咧着嘴笑，就像彩虹冲刺一样。
A sigh. A shuffle. Macintosh’s Marauders were long gone; Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash too. Everything that had once been glorious and good and bright was just a dream. Nopony stopped the screams coming from the colt as he was shocked again and again as they demanded he tell them how he’d escaped.
一声叹息。洗牌。麦金托什的掠夺者早就不见了，还有Fluttershy，PinkiePie和RainbowDash。曾经辉煌、美好、光明的一切都只是一场梦。小马阻止了小马发出的尖叫，小马一次又一次地被电击，他们要求小马说出自己是怎么逃出来的。
* * *
* * *
So, still not dead. I was lying on a bed next to a machine full of strange glowing tubes, jars of fluid, and glowing magical gems. I felt… better. Not like I had after Priest had finished with me, but definitely better. My legs were only a little twitchy. My heartbeat had dropped to rates below ‘running for my life’. I had a brand new pair of puckered scars, one to the left of the middle of my chest and the other halfway down my left side; entry and exit wounds for a beam of energy.
所以，还是没死。我躺在床上，旁边是一台机器，里面装满了奇怪的发光的管子、液体罐子和发光的魔法宝石。我感觉...好多了。不像我之后牧师已经完成了我，但肯定更好。我的腿只是有点抽搐。我的心跳速度已经降到了"逃命"以下。我身上有一对全新的凹凸不平的伤疤，一个在我胸部中间的左侧，另一个在我左侧的中间。
The dingy room had a glass-fronted cabinet full of chems. I looked at the red Dash inhalers with surprising longing, remembering just how great I’d felt. Still, if it wouldn’t help me help Glory, I didn’t care. The injectors of Stampede were a much larger draw.
昏暗的房间里有一个玻璃面的柜子，里面装满了药品。我带着令人惊讶的渴望望看着那个红色的Dash吸入器，想起我当时感觉有多棒。尽管如此，如果它不能帮助我帮助晨辉，我不在乎。Stampede的注射器要大得多。
“Don’t even think about it,” the middle-aged lavender pony said gruffly as she walked in, her tired purple eyes watching me sharply. “I’ve developed a sixth sense for when a patient is up and eying my stocks.” Her mane had gone prematurely white; I could still see hints of purple. A pair of crossed scalpels decorated her flank. “You’re lucky. If it hadn’t been for that friend of yours, I wouldn’t have even bothered. She knows how to use an auto-doc as well as I do.
"想都别想,"中年的淡紫色小马驹粗声粗气地走进来，用她疲惫的紫色眼睛锐利地看着我。"当一个病人起床盯着我的股票时，我已经形成了第六感。"她的鬃毛过早地变成了白色，我还能看到一丝紫色。一对交叉的手术刀装饰着她的侧腹。"你很幸运。如果不是因为你的那个朋友，我根本不会费心。她和我一样懂得如何使用自动文档。
In case introductions weren’t made while you were choking on your own bloody froth, I’m Scalpel.”
万一你被自己的血淋淋的泡沫噎住了，我就是手术刀。"
“Blackjack,” I replied, trying not to eye the chems. “Sorry about that… nearly dying thing. Thanks for patching me up.”
"黑杰克,"我回答，尽量不去看那些药。"很抱歉......差点死掉的事情。谢谢你帮我包扎。"
"Oh, you’re not out of the woods yet,” she replied as she walked over to the auto-doc. “This is a machine that, with enough time, skill, and healing magic, can restore almost any injury. It can analyze, diagnose, repair, and regenerate just short of a megaspell-level super restoration. There’s only two things it can’t cure or heal. One’s death, the other’s taint,” she said as she worked the controls and a cartoon image of a frowning pony appeared on the machine’s screen. There were all kinds of cute icons showing bloody lungs, a leaking heart, black guts, and broken bones.
"哦，你还没有完全脱离危险,"她一边回答一边走向汽车医生。"这是一台机器，只要有足够的时间、技能和治疗魔法，它几乎可以修复任何损伤。它可以分析、诊断、修复和再生，只是缺少一个巨大的超级恢复。只有两件事是无法治愈的。一个人的死亡，另一个人的污点,"她一边说，一边操作着控制器，一个皱眉的小马的卡通形象出现在机器的屏幕上。有各种可爱的图标显示血腥的肺，泄漏的心脏，黑色的内脏，和骨折。
“And since I’m not dead,” I said, closing my eyes. “Let me guess…”
"既然我没死,"我闭上眼睛说。"让我猜猜......"
“Mhmmm,” Scalpel said with a little sigh. “Sometime in the last few days, you were exposed to it. I already checked your friend; she’s clean,” she added at once as I opened my mouth and closed it again. “If it hadn’t been for the taint, I think you probably would have pulled through on your own, at least well enough to reach here without your heart exploding. That taint interacted with the chems, making for a doozy of a mess. You’re going to need at least two more treatments to reverse most of the damage.”
"嗯......"手术刀轻轻叹了口气说。"在过去几天的某个时候，你接触到了它。我已经检查过你的朋友了，她是干净的。"我一张开嘴，又闭上了，她立刻补充道。"如果不是因为这个污点，我想你可能已经自己挺过来了，至少挺过来的时候没有心脏爆炸。这种污点与药品之间的相互作用，造成了一团糟。你至少还需要两种治疗方法，才能扭转大部分损害。"
“Radiation, Enervation, and now taint. Is there any other mysterious and lethal aspect of Hoofington I should know about? Ghosts, maybe? Death beams from the clouds?” I said as I rubbed my head between my hooves. I’d read the entry on taint in the Wasteland Survival Guide. Nopony knew what it was or what caused it, but if it got inside you then it would slowly mutate and corrupt your mind and body. A lot of the wildlife had been horribly mutated by just a little of it. Knowing my luck, I’d gotten a lot more than a little. “So, am I going to grow tentacles? A third eye? A penis? Eye tentacle penises?”
"辐射，衰弱，现在污染。胡芬顿还有什么神秘而致命的地方我应该知道吗？也许是鬼魂？死亡之光从云端照射下来?"我边说边用蹄子摩擦着头。我读过《荒原生存指南》中关于污染的条目。Nopony知道它是什么或是什么导致了它，但是如果它进入了你的身体，那么它会慢慢变异并腐蚀你的思想和身体。很多野生动物仅仅因为一点点的变异就已经变得非常可怕。根据我的运气，我得到的远不止一点点。"那么，我会长出触手吗？第三只眼？阴茎？眼睛有触手的小弟弟?"
“Probably not. There’s no surefire way to measure just how much you were exposed to.” She pointed at the display with her hoof. “Major trauma to the heart. Some damage to your lungs. Your brain… eh, who knows?” She looked at me with a little tilt of her head. “You seem to be taking this pretty well, all things considered.”
"可能不会。没有万无一失的方法来衡量你接触了多少。"她用蹄子指着陈列品。"心脏受到重创。你的肺部有些损伤。你的大脑...呃，谁知道呢?"她微微歪着头看着我。"从各方面考虑，你似乎都接受得很好。"
I laughed; I couldn’t help it. “I’ve got a doozy of a bounty on my head. I’ve got the Reaper Deus after me. My one friend thinks I’m a drug fiend, my other…” I felt the shakes starting and took a deep breath. “I don’t suppose you moonlight as a therapist, do you?”
我忍不住笑了起来。"有人悬赏我的人头。死神在追我。我的一个朋友认为我是个瘾君子，我的另一个......"我感到身体开始发抖，深深地吸了一口气。"我想你不会是兼职治疗师吧?"
She sighed and lifted her scratched glasses off the end of her muzzle. “Well, I am charging you thirty times my normal price, so I’m probably in the therapist ballpark. What’s on your mind?”
她叹了口气，摘下了她的眼镜。"好吧，我向你收取的费用是正常价格的三十倍，所以我大概可以接受治疗师的估计。你在想什么?"
I took a deep breath, wondering how I could admit it… “I raped somepony.” There. I said it. Just like that. I’d expected I’d have to fight it. Choke it out. Dance around the confession. Instead it slipped out of me as easily as bleeding. “I raped a stallion in my stable.”
我深吸了一口气，不知道怎么才能承认......"我强奸了一匹小马。"好了。我说了。就这样。我本以为我会与之抗争。咽下去。在忏悔中翩翩起舞。相反，它却像流血一样轻易地从我身上溜走了。"我在马厩里强奸了一匹种马。"
She looked at me oddly. “Okay. And?”
她奇怪地看着我。"好吧。然后呢?"
‘And?’ What the fuck did she mean, ‘and?’ “And it was fucking wrong!”
然后呢她到底是什么意思"这是他妈的错误!"
She just sat on her haunches, looking at me as if mildly baffled. “Huh… well that’s novel.”
她只是坐在她的腰上，看着我，似乎有点困惑。"嗯......这很新奇。"
“What is?”
"是什么?"
“Guilt,” she replied as she walked over to the locker and lifted a key from her pocket. She brought out a bottle of Wild Pegasus and two shot glasses. Locking the door again, she trotted to a little table beside the auto-doc. “It’s a pretty rare condition in the wastelands. Results from either an overabundance of morality or getting kicked in the head too often,” she said quietly as she poured two shots.
"内疚,"她边说边走向储物柜，从口袋里拿出一把钥匙。她拿出一瓶野飞马酒和两个酒杯。她再次锁上门，小跑到汽车文件旁边的一张小桌旁。"这种情况在荒地里非常罕见。结果要么是道德过剩，要么就是头上挨了太多的一脚,"她一边倒了两杯酒，一边平静地说道。
I looked at the nearest shot skeptically, licking my lips. “You’re treating me for chem damage; are you really supposed to be giving me alcohol?”
我怀疑地看着最近的一颗子弹，舔着嘴唇。"你在治疗我的化学损伤，你真的要给我喝酒吗?"
“I can drink both if you’d prefer?” she asked with a lazy smile as she lifted a shot.
"如果你愿意的话，我可以两杯都喝?"她举起枪，懒洋洋地笑着问道。
“Well, I don’t want my doctor too drunk,” I rationalized, and took my shot with glee.
"好吧，我不想让我的医生喝得太醉,"我给自己找了个借口，然后高兴地打了针。
She chuckled. “Oh trust me, it’d take far more than two little shots to get me drunk,” she said, smiling mirthlessly as she looked at me. “In the great hierarchy
她咯咯地笑了。"哦，相信我，要灌醉我可不止两杯酒那么简单,"她说，一边看着我，一边苦笑着。"在伟大的等级制度中
of the shit messed up in your life, the booze is pretty low.” She downed her own drink, gave a shiver and smiled. “If you’re feeling guilty about this rape you did, then there’s a reason for it.”
你的生活一团糟的时候，酒精含量很低"她喝了一口自己的饮料，打了个寒颤，笑了。"如果你对自己的强奸行为感到内疚，那么这是有原因的。"
“Because it was wrong,” I muttered.
"因为这是错误的,"我喃喃自语。
“Why?” she asked, and she was still smiling!
"为什么?"她问，而且她还在笑！
“What do you mean why? Are you telling me rape is okay?!”
""为什么？你是在告诉我强奸可以吗?"
“Considering the number of mares I’ve treated over the years, apparently,” she said with a small shrug. “I’ve heard males brag about raping mares, mares brag about ‘seducing’ stallions, stallions crowin’ about buggering colts and fillies laughing about breaking fillies. You say it’s wrong and I’m not disagreeing with you. I’m asking you why.”
"考虑到这些年来我治疗的母马的数量，显然,"她微微耸了耸肩说。"我听过雄性夸耀强奸母马，母马夸耀'引诱'雄马，雄马夸耀着小马和雌马大笑着打败雌马。你说这是错误的，我并不反对你。我在问你为什么。"
I clenched my eyes shut. “Because I wouldn’t want that to happen to me. If our places had been swapped then I would have… I don’t think I would have survived.”
我紧闭双眼。"因为我不希望这种事情发生在我身上。如果我们的位置互换的话，我会......我不认为我会活下来。"
“Oh, well, that’s the easy bullshit answer,” she said as she poured two more shots. “Do unto others as I’d have them do unto me. Till you have to kill. Till you kill somepony who deserves it. Till you fuck somepony that doesn’t want it. Take what isn’t yours. If I accept that other people will rape me, does that make it okay and right for me to rape others?” She put the cap on the bottle.
"哦，好吧，这是个简单的狗屁答案,"她说着又倒了两杯酒。"我希望别人怎么对待我，你就怎么对待别人。直到你不得不杀人。直到你杀了一个罪有应得的人。直到你上了不想要的小马。拿走不属于你的东西。如果我接受别人会强奸我，那么我强奸别人就可以了吗?"她把瓶盖盖上。
Was that true? It was, but only up to a point. If I was okay with somepony putting me down, was it right for me to kill everypony I wanted? No.
那是真的吗？是的，但只是在一定程度上。如果我可以接受一匹小马把我放倒，那么我杀掉每一匹我想要的小马是正确的吗？没有。
“He… he’s my friend. Though I can’t be sure of that anymore.”
"他...他是我的朋友。虽然我不能再确定这一点了。"
“So, when he wasn’t your friend it was sex, but when you cared about him suddenly it was rape? Simple solution. Shoot him in the leg and it’ll be sex again,” Scalpel said with a chuckle as she took off her glasses and rubbed a hoof across her bloodshot eyes. “That’s an even lamer excuse than the previous one. Why is this problem for you, Blackjack?”
"所以，当他不是你的朋友的时候，那就是性，但是当你关心他的时候，那就是强奸？简单的解决方案。手术刀摘下眼镜，用蹄子蹭了蹭布满血丝的眼睛，咯咯地笑着说。"这个借口比上一个更蹩脚。为什么这是你的问题，黑杰克?"
“Because I want to be good, all right?” I yelled at her, glad I had recovered enough to shout. “I don’t want to be fucked up! Everything is fucked up. You’re fucked up! Everything I see is one pile of shit after the other and it’s looking
"因为我想做个好人，好吗?"我冲她大喊，很高兴我已经恢复过来可以喊了。"我可不想搞砸了！一切都乱套了。你完蛋了！我看到的一切都是一堆狗屎，一堆接着一堆，而且它在看
more and more like the only way to be good is to die!” I shouted at her, knocking the shot glasses and bottle of whiskey away with a sweep of my hoof. “I’m sick of seeing everything fucked up and wrong. I was happy when I didn’t have a clue how fucked up the world is. That I was making it more fucked up! That I am still fucking it up, even after the shit I’ve gone through,” I said as I sat back down. “I raped P-21 and didn’t even realize it was wrong. I couldn’t save Glory from fuckers I knew were bad news. And it seems like the only way for anypony to survive is to become like Deus and kill everypony and anypony that they want.”
越来越像是唯一好的方法就是去死!"我冲她大喊，蹄子一踢，把酒杯和威士忌酒瓶都碰掉了。"我讨厌看到一切都搞砸了，都是错的。当我不知道这个世界有多糟糕的时候，我很高兴。我把事情搞得更糟了！即使我经历了那么多糟糕的事情，我还是把事情搞砸了。"我坐下来说。"我强奸了P-21，甚至没有意识到这是错误的。我无法从那些我知道是坏消息的混蛋手中拯救晨辉。而且似乎任何小马要想生存下去，唯一的办法就是变得像上帝一样，杀掉他们想杀的每一匹小马和任何小马。"
Shit. Here I was, crying again. My stupid tainted brain and wicked tainted heart throbbed as I lay down on the ground, hiding my face under my hooves. There. I’d finally thought about it. The Wasteland was fucked up, and so was I. Strip away my good intentions and I was just as sick as the raiders and slavers I’d killed. Was it too much to simply want to be good?
该死。我又哭了。当我躺在地上，把脸藏在蹄子下面时，我愚蠢的受污染的大脑和邪恶的受污染的心在悸动。好了。我终于想到了。荒原被搞得一团糟，我也是，剥夺了我的良好意图，我就像被我杀死的掠夺者和奴隶贩子一样变态。仅仅想做个好人是不是太过分了？
“I want to be good too,” Scalpel said quietly. I peeked up at her tired smile and sad eyes. “Some days more than others. Month after month I see ponies chewed up by addiction, injury, and hopelessness. More than any other part of Equestria. I deliver stillborn foals because their mothers can’t get out of the Enervation fields. I try to keep Dash addicts from huffing brahmin dung because the act of living hurts. I sew them up, heal their hurts, numb their pain, and send them back out into this fucked up world. And I’m usually the last one who sees them before they kick it. And damn me, I still care, even knowing that they’re destroying their lives. Because I can. Because I don’t want to be another heartless doctor handing out healing like I’m an auto-doc. Because that’s the only difference between me and the fuckers that cause the hurt. I care. And caring hurts, no matter how you fucking slice it.”
"我也想做个好人,"解剖刀平静地说。我抬头看了看她疲倦的笑容和忧伤的眼神。"有些时候比其他时候多。月复一月，我看到小马被上瘾、受伤和绝望折磨得支离破碎。比Equestria其他任何地方都多。我接生死产的小马驹，因为它们的母亲无法离开能量场。我尽量不让Dash成瘾者吸婆罗门的粪便，因为生活的行为会伤害他们。我给他们缝合伤口，治愈他们的伤痛，麻木他们的痛苦，然后把他们送回这个该死的世界。我通常是最后一个见到他们的人。该死的，我仍然在乎，即使知道他们正在毁掉他们的生活。因为我可以。因为我不想成为另一个无情的医生，把自己当成自动医生一样分发治疗药品。因为这是我和那些造成伤害的混蛋之间唯一的区别。我在乎。无论你他妈怎么切，关心都是伤人的。"
“Blackjack?” Glory said from the doorway. I stared at her in horror and saw the expression mirrored back at me. I clenched my eyes shut, feeling the shakes start. “Did… is what you said… did you really…” she asked in a tiny voice. I’d been so focused on Scalpel that I hadn’t heard the door open.
"黑杰克?"晨辉在门口说。我惊恐地盯着她，看到她的表情也反映在我身上。我紧闭双眼，感到身体开始颤抖。"你......你是这么说的......你真的......"她小声问道。我一直专注于手术刀，没有听到门开的声音。
“Yes!” I said, unable to look at her. “Stable 99 is nothing more than just one great big rape factory. And I was a part of it. I didn’t know better… I should have… I’m sorry, Glory.” And now she knew who I really was. I wasn’t strong. I wasn’t good. I certainly wasn’t smart. And if she had sense at all, she’d leave me before I did the same or worse to her. Trying and wanting to be good wasn’t
"是的!"我说，无法看着她。"稳定的99只不过是一个巨大的强奸工厂。我也是其中的一部分。我不知道更好的...我应该...对不起，晨辉。"现在她知道我是谁了。我不够坚强。我表现不好。我当然不够聪明。如果她还有点理智的话，她会在我对她做出同样或更糟糕的事情之前离开我。尝试和想要成为好人并不是
enough.
够了。
“Blackjack,” she started as I shook more and more. “How…”
"黑杰克,"当我越来越抖的时候，她开始说。"怎么......"
“Because I’m not a good pony. So just leave, Glory. Staying with me cost you your cutie mark. It’s just going to cost you more and more.” And now I was tainted, too. Contaminated. Would it drive me crazy, like the raider sickness? Twist my body till I was grotesque and mutated beyond recognition? I suddenly had an image of Gorgon. Would that be me, eventually? Would Glory someday smile when she heard I’d been fed through a rock crusher? “So just go and find somepony better than…”
"因为我不是一匹好马。所以请离开吧，晨辉。和我在一起让你失去了可爱的印记。这只会让你付出越来越多的代价。"现在我也被污染了。受污染的。它会让我发疯吗，就像突袭者病一样？扭曲我的身体，直到我变得奇形怪状，面目全非？我突然想到了戈耳贡。最终会是我吗？当晨辉有一天听到我被碎石机喂食时，她会微笑吗？"那就去找个比......更好的......"
Then I felt her hooves gently reach around me and hold me as she pressed her face underneath my jaw. I couldn’t move. I could only shake as I returned the gesture. “I’ve spent my whole life working for ponies that betrayed me and branded me a traitor. For all I know, I could have helped them with their plans against the surface and not had a clue,” she whispered softly. “I think about every raider we’ve run across and wonder ‘did I have a part in that?’ No matter how remote that possibility may be, I still can’t help but feel like I am to blame. You’re a good pony, Blackjack. You keep trying and you never give up, no matter what you have to do.”
然后我感觉到她的蹄子轻轻地伸向我，把我抱在怀里，她的脸紧贴在我的下巴下面。我动弹不得。当我回应这个手势时，我只能颤抖。"我一辈子都在为那些背叛我、给我贴上叛徒标签的小马卖命。就我所知，我本可以帮助他们完成他们在地面上的计划，而且毫无头绪,"她轻声说。"我想起我们遇到的每一架突袭机，都在想'我是不是参与其中了?'不管这种可能性有多么遥远，我还是忍不住觉得自己应该受到谴责。你是匹好马Blackjack。不管你做什么，你都要坚持尝试，永不放弃。"
I fell apart at that point, and Glory did too. I think we both needed to just give in a little and hurt.
那时我崩溃了，晨辉也崩溃了。我觉得我们都需要做出一点让步，让自己受点伤。
Because caring hurts, no matter how you slice it.
因为关心会伤害你，不管你怎么切它。
* * *
* * *
Two hours later, I was back in the auto-doc frame. Scalpel’s horn glowed as the machine whirred and chirped and did whatever it did to put me back together again. There were tubes of nasty gray, maroon, and yellow feeding into collection jars as she tried to remove as much damaged tissue, and hopefully the taint along with it, as possible. I spent most of the time explaining the fine nuances of Stable 99’s fucked up society to Glory.
两个小时后，我又回到了自动文档框架中。手术刀的号角在机器的嗡嗡声中闪闪发光，它竭尽全力让我重新振作起来。当她试图移除尽可能多的受损组织，并希望随之而来的是污染时，她把一些令人讨厌的灰色、褐红色和黄色的管子装进收集罐里。我大部分时间都在向光荣解释Stable99的混乱社会的细微差别。
Glory listened as she fiddled with Leo’s broken beam rifle. I personally thought it was a lost cause, but right now I wasn’t going to begrudge her. Still, just standing here was boring, and I certainly didn’t want to pay attention to what was being removed from me by the auto-doc. “Glory. Could you come here and
晨辉听着她摆弄着利奥的破枪。我个人认为这是注定要失败的，但是现在我不会嫉妒她。尽管如此，仅仅站在这里还是很无聊，我当然也不想去关注那些被自动文档从我身上移除的东西。"晨辉。你能过来一下吗
play an audio file on my PipBuck?”
在我的PipBuck上播放音频文件?"
I glanced at Scalpel, who returned the look with an indifferent shrug. Glory trotted over and sat down. With my limb restrained by the auto-doc, she had to operate my PipBuck for me. “Which one?”
我瞥了一眼解剖刀，解剖刀耸了耸肩回以冷漠的目光。晨辉小跑过来坐了下来。由于我的肢体被汽车文件束缚着，她不得不帮我操作PipBuck。"哪一个?"
“P-21’s auto-files. You need BJ#3.” I sighed as I looked at her. “I may as well. It’s not like it can get worse than raping him and neglecting him, right?” Glory gave me a troubled look. Yes, I was going to keep beating myself up with that till we resolved things with P-21. She worked the controls deftly and then there was a crackle.
"P-21的自动文件。你需要BJ#3。"我看着她，叹了口气。"我也可以。又不会比强奸他，忽视他更糟糕，对吧?"晨辉给了我一个不安的眼神。是的，我打算一直这样折磨自己，直到我们解决了P-21的问题。她熟练地操纵着控制器，然后发出劈啪声。
“We’re safe here, U-20. They can’t track us down here. A security mare told me so.” P-21’s voice was soft and rushed. Panting desperately.
"我们在这里很安全，U-20。他们追踪不到我们。一只保安母马告诉我的。"P-21的声音柔和而急促。绝望地喘息着。
“P-17… we can’t stay down here forever. This is a stable. There’s nowhere we can go. Eventually they’ll come down here and check all the places they can’t track.” Soft noises of nuzzlings and quiet little sobs.
"P-17...我们不能永远呆在这里。这是马厩。我们无处可去。最终他们会来到这里，检查所有他们无法追踪的地方。"轻柔的爱抚声和安静的啜泣声。
“You stay here, then. I’ll find whoever’s going to be the next U-1 and kill them. I just need a little more time!” P-21 said desperately. “I’ve got a mare teaching me how to access the Overmare’s terminals and get her override commands. We can sneak out together.”
"那么，你就呆在这儿吧。我会找到下一个U-1的人然后杀了他们。我只是需要多一点时间!"P-21绝望地说。"有一匹母马正在教我如何访问Overmare的终端并获得她的超驰命令。我们可以一起溜出去。"
“No, P-17. No. You’re not going to kill a colt for me.”
"不，P-17。没有。你不能为了我杀一匹小马。"
“I’ve done it before,” P-21 whispered. “You’ve done it before.”
"我以前做过,"P-21小声说。"你以前做过。"
“And you’ll never do it again. Even if I have to turn myself in right now,” the soft voice of U-20 said firmly, bringing more tears from P-21. “Us killing our own is what the mares want. Takes the blood off their hooves and puts it on ours.”
"你再也不会这样做了。即使我现在不得不去自首,"U-20轻柔的声音坚定地说，让P-21流下了更多的眼泪。"我们杀死我们自己的母马是想要的。把它们蹄子上的血抹在我们的上面。"
“I love you. I don’t want to lose you,” P-21 whispered.
"我爱你。我不想失去你,"P-21小声说。
“You knew you would,” U-20 said quietly. Soft noises of kisses and quiet strangled sobs.
"你知道你会的,"U-20轻声说。轻柔的亲吻声和窒息的抽泣声。
Then I heard my voice echoing in the tunnels. “They’ve got to be down here. Somewhere near the spark generators, I think.”
然后我听到我的声音在隧道里回响。"他们一定在这里。我想，就在火花发生器附近。"
“See? That didn’t take them long.” U-20’s voice was quiet and resigned. “You stay here. Keep out of sight. They just want me.”
""看见了吗？这没花他们多少时间。"U-20的声音平静而顺从。"你呆在这儿。别让人看见。他们只是想要我。"
“No! Please, no!” P-21 sobbed.
"不！求你了，不要!"P-21抽泣着。
“I think I hear them,” I said. Then a pause. “There you are. U-20, as per Stable 99’s bylaws, you are required to come with me to security for your removal from the unicorn breeding population.” I’d never realized how bored I sounded when telling a pony they were about to die.
"我想我听到了,"我说。然后是停顿。"你在这儿啊。U-20，根据马厩99的规章制度，你必须和我一起去安全部门，因为你要从独角兽繁殖群中清除出去。"当我告诉一匹小马他们将要死去的时候，我从来没有意识到我听起来是多么的无聊。
“I understand. I’m ready,” U-20 said.
"我明白。我准备好了,"U-20说。
“No!” yelled P-21. A thump, and then the sharp crack of a baton striking skull.
"不!"P-21大喊。砰的一声，接着是警棍敲击头骨时发出的尖锐的劈啪声。
“What the heck has gotten into you, P-17?” A thump. Another thump. I could hear my heart rate increase on the auto-doc monitor.
"你到底怎么了，P-17?"砰的一声。又是一声重击。我可以听到我的心率在自动医生监测器上加快。
“Please, stop!” yelled U-20. And there was the sound of a shove. Another sharp crack. Deeper. Wetter. A yell from me and another crack. And another. And another. Another. And then the thud of a body hitting the floor of the concrete tunnel. Another. Another… then a sickening quiet, punctuated by P-21 sobbing brokenly as I cursed about stupid crazy males.
"求你了，住手!"U-20大喊道。然后传来了推搡的声音。又一个尖锐的裂缝。更深层次。女名女子名。我的一声喊叫和另一个裂缝。再来一杯。再来一杯。另一个。然后是一个身体撞击混凝土隧道地面的砰的一声。另一个。接着是一阵令人作呕的寂静，不时夹杂着P-21的断断续续的啜泣声，我咒骂着愚蠢的疯狂的男人。
“Don’t cry.” I heard U-20’s softest whisper. It could have only been caught if P-21’s microphone had been at his mouth by cradling his head.
"别哭。"我听到U-20最温柔的耳语。只有当P-21的麦克风放在他的嘴边，摇着他的头时，才能抓住它。
“I love you. I love you.”
"我爱你。我爱你。"
More hooves echoing in the tunnel. “Whoa, Blackjack? Is he dead?” Daisy’s voice, sounding impressed. I wanted to puke.
更多的蹄声在隧道里回响。"哇，黑杰克？他死了吗?"黛西的声音听起来很动听。我想吐。
“Yeah. I think so. Fuck, I’m going to get in so much trouble for breaking procedure.”
"是的。我想是的。操，我会因为破坏程序而惹上大麻烦的。"
“You okay? Going to off the blue one too? Can I watch?”
"你没事吧？蓝色的也要去吗？我能看吗?"
“I already fucked up once today. I’m not going to make it twice. Can you girls haul the body up to security? Go through the motions?”
"我今天已经搞砸过一次了。我不会再犯第二次。你们能把尸体拖到安全的地方吗？走过场?"
“Yeah, sure. Come on, Marmalade, lift your end.” The sound of a dead unicorn
"是的，当然。来吧，橘子酱，抬起你的尾巴。"死去的独角兽的声音
being hefted on to Daisy’s back followed, and then hoofsteps receding.
被重重地压在黛西的背上，然后是后退的步子。
P-21 wept with horrified little sobs.
P-21战机惊恐地啜泣起来。
“So. Here’s the plan, P-17. We’re going up to medical and they can give you a shot to calm the fuck down or something. Okay? Okay.”
"所以。计划是这样的P-17。我们要去医务室，他们可以给你打一针让你冷静下来什么的。好吗？好吧。"
“Kill me,” P-21 said between shaky, gasping breaths.
"杀了我吧,"P-21在颤抖的喘息声中说。
“What was that?”
"那是什么?"
“Kill me right the fuck now. Or I swear by Celestia and Luna, I will end you.”
"现在就他妈的杀了我吧。否则我以塞莱斯蒂亚和露娜的名义发誓，我会杀了你。"
“Right. You’re upset. I can see that. Males are always so overemotional. But those are the rules. Take it up with the Overmare if you want, but I’m not your executioner.”
"对。你生气了。看得出来。男人总是过于情绪化。但这就是规则。如果你愿意的话，你可以去找奥弗梅尔，但我不是你的刽子手。"
“Why?” He broke down sobbing again. “Why kill him and not me?”
"为什么?"他崩溃了，又哭了起来。"为什么杀他而不杀我?"
“That was an accident…” Yeah. My baton accidentally beat him to death.
"那是个意外..."是的。我的警棍不小心把他打死了。
“Not that! You’re going to kill me anyway in a few months. A year at the most. So get it over with!”
"不是那个！再过几个月你就会杀了我。最多一年。那就快点结束吧!"
“I can’t. It’d be wrong.” The sounds of me making him stand. “Come on... don’t think about it.”
"我不能。这是错误的。"我让他站起来的声音。"别这样......别想了。"
The tape cut out.
磁带被剪断了。
‘I mean that if I have a weapon I might kill you.’
我的意思是如果我有武器我可能会杀了你
Not because I was a mare, but because I murdered the stallion he’d loved.
不是因为我是匹母马，而是因为我杀了他爱的那匹种马。
‘Do you know what fucking justice is? It’s giving to others as is given to you.’
"你知道什么是他妈的正义吗？它是给予别人，就像给予你一样
I’d remembered that; tracking down U-20. He was a good male. Give you a rutting and then you could talk and he’d listen and nod like he really cared. I’d been honestly bummed that he was being taken out of rotation. Only he’d disappeared from tracking. That had been unusual because most males never went down to maintenance, so how could he know where tracking was scrambled? But I knew. I knew all the spots. And I’d found him together with a
我想起来了追踪U-20。他是个好男人。给你一个发情，然后你可以说话，他会听，点头，好像他真的关心。他被停职了，我真的很失望。只是他从追踪中消失了。这是不寻常的，因为大多数雄性从来没有去维修，所以他怎么可能知道哪里的跟踪被扰乱了？但我知道。我知道所有的地点。我发现他和一个男人在一起
blue earth pony that was only barely familiar.
蓝色地球上的小马，它们几乎不怎么熟悉。
He’d been upset and I’d assumed it was ‘normal’ male hysteria. He’d attacked me with my guard down and I’d used my baton. I admit, I was a little panicked. I’d never been attacked by a male pony before. U-20 had come to his rescue, shoving me away with his magic. I’d thought they were both going to attack me.
他很沮丧，我以为这是正常的男性歇斯底里。他放松了警惕攻击了我，我用了警棍。我承认，我有点惊慌失措。我以前从来没有被雄性小马攻击过。U-20来救他了，用他的魔法把我推开。我以为他们都会攻击我。
I beat him to death.
我把他打死了。
At the time, I thought I’d caught hell. Double work shifts. My position on the breeding queue was revoked. I was even under lockdown for a month. But the rule of 99 was ‘don’t think about it’, and eventually everything went back to normal.
当时，我以为自己陷入了困境。两班倒工作。我在繁殖队列中的地位被撤销了。我甚至被关了一个月。但是99的规则是'不要去想它'，最终一切都回归正常。
I felt strangely calm. My limbs weren’t shaking. My heart was beating steadily.
我感到异常的平静。我的四肢没有颤抖。我的心在不停地跳动。
“Blackjack?” Glory asked as she looked up at me. “Are you… are you okay?”
"黑杰克?"晨辉抬头看着我，问道。"你...你还好吗?"
“Yeah. Sure. Don’t worry about it.” I wasn’t. Because I knew exactly what I needed to do.
"是的。当然。别担心。"我没有。因为我很清楚自己需要做什么。
I needed to give P-21 a gun.
我需要给P-21一把枪。
* * *
* * *
Three hours later, Scalpel had restored me as much as the taint allowed. The old lavender pony simply scowled at a display that refused to change any further for the better. When I would get worse and how I would get worse remained to be seen. Scalpel had been surprisingly mute on the subject of magical chems. “Some folks handle them just fine. Some folks don’t. If I were you, I’d avoid ‘em, but I’m not you.” That was much better than Glory, who seemed ready to bludgeon me into senselessness with big egghead words.
三个小时后，手术刀已经尽可能地修复了我身上的污点。那匹老的淡紫色的小马只是对一场拒绝向好的方向发展的表演皱起了眉头。我什么时候会变得更糟，我会怎样变得更糟，还有待观察。令人惊讶的是，手术刀在魔法药剂这个问题上竟然一言不发。"有些人处理得很好。有些人则不然。如果我是你，我会避开他们，但我不是你。"这比晨辉好多了，他似乎已经准备好用那些大大的书呆子词汇把我打得昏昏沉沉。
My barding was far less effective since the sniper beam had punched a hole clear through the front and left side. The thought of the cost of repairs made my withers quake. That was after the fifteen hundred cap fee paid out to Scalpel. I didn’t even try and haggle with her. I could see just how badly she needed the caps. With my barding rolled up, I felt decidedly exposed stepping out into Flank.
由于狙击手的光束已经在前面和左边打出了一个洞，我的防守就没那么有效了。一想到修理费用，我的马肩隆就发抖。那是在支付给斯科弗手术刀的一千五百美元的最高限额费用之后。我甚至没有和她讨价还价。我知道她是多么需要这些帽子。随着帐篷的卷起，我感到毫无防备地走进弗兰克。
I needn’t have been concerned. Flank was the first true pony town I’d seen in the Wasteland. Little villages like Chapel and Stockyard, and, I hated to admit, Megamart, had nothing on Flank. Six large buildings filled a block of four-lane street. While the top floors were uninhabitable, light still glowed in the bottom floors. Strings of lights stretched back and forth across the street, and flashing neon signs constantly bathed the visitors in their colorful glow. The bland sign of ‘Helpinghoof Qwik-Kare’ was hardly helped by the addicts lingering about outside the doors.
我根本不需要担心。弗兰克是我在荒原见到的第一个真正的小马镇。像小教堂和牲畜围场这样的小村庄，我不得不承认，麦加玛特镇上没有弗兰克。六座大楼占据了一个四车道的街区。尽管顶层已经不适合居住，但是底层的光线仍然在闪烁。一串串的灯光在街道上来回穿梭，闪烁的霓虹灯招牌不断地为参观者沐浴在五颜六色的光辉中。在门外徘徊的瘾君子们几乎没有帮助到"帮手Qwik-Kare"这个平淡无奇的标志。
Across from the clinic was the Exchange, a bank partially converted into a market. Quality vendors had booths set up, and while I saw lots of weapons and chems for sale, there wasn’t a lot of the extra material stacked on pallets like in Megamart. After selling our salvage, I’d inquired about getting my barding repaired. The price the vendor quoted made a liar of Bottlecap: the simple patching of holes in armor was apparently infinitely more expensive than data analysis. I bought a Stable 89 utility harness; hopefully Glory would work some of her repair magic.
诊所对面是交易所，一家部分转换成市场的银行。高质量的摊贩都设立了摊位，我看到有很多武器和药品在出售，但没有多少额外的材料像Megamart那样堆放在货盘上。在卖掉我们的打捞船之后，我询问了关于修理船桅的事情。供应商所报的价格让Bottlecap成了一个骗子:修补装甲上的洞显然比数据分析昂贵得多。我买了一套稳定的89式多功能马具，希望晨辉能施展一些修复魔法。
Outside the Exchange, we saw Mixers and the Trough. Mixers was a shop, one that peddled chems exclusively. It was also a club of sorts, but the music was certainly nothing like I’d heard on DJ Pon3. It was all beat, and so fast that I supposed you’d have to be high on Dash to really enjoy it. Mixers seemed to take chems to a whole new level; Stampede was one thing, but what was Rainboom? Or Filly Flash?
在交易所外面，我们看到了混合器和槽。混频器是一家专门兜售化妆品的商店。这也算是一个俱乐部，但音乐肯定不像我在DJPon3上听到的那样。这一切都是节奏，如此之快，以至于我认为你必须在Dash上兴奋才能真正享受它。搅拌机似乎把化妆品提升到了一个全新的水平;踩踏是一回事，但Rainboom是什么？还是小母马闪电侠？
The Trough surprised me; I hadn’t ever seen a place devoted solely to food. In the first floor of an office building were a half-dozen little shops and restaurants catering to the inhabitants and visitors of Flank. I had to admit, I choked up a little at the sight a store named ‘200 Years Fresh’ that seemed devoted to salvaged food. The sight of box after box of Sugar Apple Bombs made my mouth water. There was a butcher shop that definitely had me a bit nervous; all meat looked the same chopped up.
水槽使我吃惊，我从来没有见过一个地方专门用来放食物。在一幢办公楼的一楼有六个小商店和餐馆，为弗兰克的居民和游客服务。我不得不承认，看到一家名为"200年新鲜"的商店似乎专门从事回收食品，我有点哽咽。一箱又一箱的糖苹果炸弹让我流口水。那里有一家肉店，让我有点紧张，所有的肉看起来都是一样的碎块。
And there was an Enclave shop in the Trough. It was called ‘Cloud Fresh’; outside were two pegasus mares in less severe looking uniforms than what I was familiar with. In fact, with the amount of flank they showed, it was hard to determine if they were wearing clothes or lingerie. There were bright, colorful banners showing apple trees growing amidst the clouds. ‘Volunteer Corps: Let Us Help!’ Their produce was certainly fresh, packed on ice or in trays, and
在海槽里有一个昂科雷商店。外面有两匹母马，穿着比我熟悉的不那么严肃的制服。事实上，根据他们侧翼的数量，很难确定他们是穿着衣服还是内衣。有明亮的，五颜六色的横幅显示苹果树生长在云层中。志愿兵团:让我们帮忙他们的产品当然是新鲜的，用冰块或托盘包装，还有
cheaper than the produce being offered by the Society ponies.
比小马协会提供的农产品便宜。
‘Wonder how much of it will turn you into a raider?’ I could still see Tumbleweed’s head coming apart from my telekinetic bullet spell.
不知道有多少会把你变成一个突袭者我仍然可以看到Tumbleweed的脑袋从我的遥控子弹咒语中分离出来。
The two mares took one look at Glory and immediately closed for cleaning. They didn’t even bother to hide their expressions of contempt for her fresh pink Dashite brands. Scalpel had healed the injury, but the scars from the chemicals used to burn away her cutie mark were permanent, even with magic. I supposed it would take a megaspell to restore her cutie mark.
两匹母马看了晨辉一眼，立刻停下来打扫。他们甚至毫不掩饰他们对她新鲜的粉红色达什牌子的蔑视。手术刀治愈了她的伤口，但是用来烧掉她可爱标记的化学药品留下的疤痕是永久性的，即使用了魔法。我想要恢复她的可爱标记需要巨大的努力。
Gee; slave-grown produce from the Society, or Enclave produce that could turn you into a cannibalistic psychopath? I chewed my two-century-old apple cereal with a bit more satisfaction.
哎呀，是来自社会的奴隶生产的产品，还是来自昂科雷的产品，会把你变成一个吃人的精神病患者？我满意地嚼着两个世纪前的苹果麦片。
‘Rooms’ was simply that: a hotel with rooms ranging from a mattress in the lobby to private suites.
"房间"就是这么简单:酒店的房间从大堂的床垫到私人套房不等。
That left Stable 69.
剩下Stable69。
The parking garage was certainly nothing impressive on its own, but it had been draped in neon lights that proclaimed ‘Finest Flank in Equestria’. A two-story-high pink neon mare winked suggestively out at the street next to a ridiculously endowed blue stallion. “Oh my…” I muttered, going a touch pink myself.
停车场本身当然没有什么令人印象深刻的，但它上面布满了霓虹灯，上面写着"Equestria最好的弗兰克"。一匹两层楼高的粉红色霓虹母马在街上暗示性地眨着眼睛，旁边是一匹天赋异禀的蓝色种马。"哦，我的......"我咕哝着，自己也染上了淡淡的粉红色。
“Eh, I’ve seen bigger,” Rampage snorted as she squinted up at the stallion, chewing another Mint-al.
"呃，我见过更大的,"狂暴的狂暴哼着鼻子，眯起眼睛看着那匹种马，嘴里还嚼着另一块薄荷糖。
“Aren’t you eating a lot of those?” Glory asked, tapping her hooves together nervously. Rampage’s pink eyes glared at her and she gave a little squeak, jumping behind me.
"你不是吃了很多吗?"晨辉紧张地用蹄子敲打着问道。狂暴的粉红色眼睛瞪着她，她在我身后发出一声尖叫。
“They calm me down and keep me from killing ponies that criticize my choice of mood improving chemicals,” she growled softly. “So aren’t you glad I’ve got a lot of them?”
"它们让我平静下来，让我不去杀那些批评我选择的改善情绪的化学品的小马,"她轻声咆哮着。"所以你不高兴我有很多这样的朋友吗?"
“So aren’t you eating a lot of those?” I asked now, coolly. I wasn’t going to jump, no matter how she glared. “Don’t threaten her, Rampage. She’s just concerned.”
"你不是吃了很多吗?"我现在冷静地问道。不管她怎么瞪着我，我都不会跳的。"别威胁她，狂暴。她只是有点担心。"
“She doesn’t have to bother,” she said with a little snort. “I’ve survived a lot worse than Mint-als.”
"她不必费心,"她轻轻地哼了一声说。"我经历过比Mint-als更糟糕的情况。"
I took a deep breath. “All right. Well we need to keep an eye open for P-21 or U-
我深吸了一口气。"好吧。我们需要密切关注P-21或u-
It took us two days to get here, so we might have gotten here first. I also need to cash in these contracts for the Finders.” I looked at the entrance to Stable “Which means I need to go in there.”
我们花了两天才到这里，所以我们可能会先到这里。我还需要为Finders兑现这些合同。"我看着马厩的入口,"这意味着我需要进去。"
“I need to find parts for this beam rifle,” Glory said as she twisted and pulled out Leo’s magical beam weapon, setting it between her hooves. The internal workings tinkled ominously as she turned it upright. The barrel had an obvious bend in the middle.
"我需要找到这支横梁步枪的零件,"晨辉一边说，一边把利奥的神奇横梁武器拧了出来，放在她的蹄子之间。当她把它翻正的时候，内部的运作发出丁当的不祥的响声。枪管中间有一个明显的弯曲处。
“You’re seriously going to try and fix that piece of junk?” Rampage asked as she tapped her hoofclaws against the metal housing. Was it just me, or did something new break just from that contact?
"你真的要去修那个破玩意儿?"当她用蹄爪敲击金属外壳时，狂暴问道。是我的错觉，还是这种联系产生了什么新的变化？
“Junk?” Glory bristled. “Do you have any idea what this is?”
"垃圾?"晨辉已经竖立起来。"你知道这是什么吗?"
“Do you have any idea how little I care?” Rampage replied dully as she leaned back.
"你知道我有多不在乎吗?"狂暴女子向后靠着，无精打采地回答。
“This was an AER-14 prototype, one of a limited run that was developed to replace the Novasurge rifle! Only twenty were produced before research was cancelled due to… well… the balefire megaspells.” She lifted it in her hooves. “And look! It has an emerald refocusing crystal instead of the standard ruby. And a type D spark capacitor! A type D! I’ve only seen them in books.” She glared at Rampage. “And you broke it…”
"这是一个AER-14原型，一个有限的运行之一，是开发取代Novasurge步枪！在研究被取消之前，只有二十部电影被制作出来，原因是......嗯......balebiremegaspells。"她用蹄子把它举起来。""你看！它有一个祖母绿再聚焦水晶而不是标准的红宝石。和一个d型火花电容器！一个d型！我只在书里见过。"她怒视着暴怒。"你把它弄坏了......"
Rampage just sat there a moment and then smacked the wrecked weapon once more with her hoof, denting the casing. Glory hugged the barrel to her chest with a whimper. “You… you… barbarian!” she gasped as the striped Reaper grinned at her.
狂暴只是在那里坐了一会儿，然后又用她的蹄子敲击了一下撞坏的武器，击中了弹壳。格洛里呜咽着把枪管抱在胸前。"你......你......野蛮人!"当条纹收割者朝她咧嘴笑时，她倒抽了一口冷气。
“Why, thank you!” she replied with a grin. “Well since you two have your plans, I’m gonna go get ploughed. Mmmm… see you later,” she said as she trotted away eagerly, swaying her hips and making her metal plates rattle as she danced her way into Stable 69.
"哦，谢谢!"她咧嘴笑着回答。"好吧，既然你们两个有自己的计划，我要去犁地了。嗯......待会儿见,"她一边说着，一边急切地小跑着离开，摇晃着她的臀部，让她的金属盘子咯咯作响，一边跳着舞进入了Stable69。
“She’s terrible. Why don’t we just leave her once we have P-21?” Glory asked
"她太可怕了。我们为什么不在得到P-21后就离开她呢?"晨辉问道
with a little frown.
皱着眉头。
“We owe her,” I said with a shrug. “She’s also one of the few ponies I can think of that really doesn’t care about the bounty on my head. Plus, I’d rather not have her prowling around behind me.”
"我们欠她的,"我耸耸肩说。"她也是我能想到的少数几匹不在乎悬赏我人头的小马之一。另外，我也不想让她在我身后徘徊。"
“She’s still terrible. And she’s always eating those Mint-als. I have to wonder how bad she is when she's off them,” she said as she stowed the ruined rifle between her wings. “I’ll head over to the Exchange and see if I can find anything out about P-21.”
"她还是很糟糕。她总是吃那些薄荷糖。我不得不想知道她离开他们的时候情况有多糟糕,"她一边说，一边把毁掉的步枪塞进两翼之间。"我去交易所看看能不能找到关于P-21的线索。"
“Are you sure you’ll be okay?”
"你确定你没事吗?"
“Are you sure you’ll be?” Glory countered, looking at the brothel behind me. “I know you’re not in uniform and that Flank has a neutral ground policy, but what if somepony tries something?”
"你确定你会吗?"晨辉反驳道，看着我身后的妓院。"我知道你没有穿制服，而且弗兰克有一个中立的政策，但是如果有人想干什么怎么办?"
“Well, then I’ll do something stupid,” I replied with a smile. “I’m good at that.” Glory winced.
"好吧，那我就干点蠢事,"我微笑着回答。"我很擅长这个。"晨辉退缩了。
The wrecked wagons inside the parking garage were stacked up in a corridor that funneled down towards an open service hatch. Pink lights gave the service tunnel a vaguely organic feel that made my limbs creep. Posters with mares on one side and stallions on the other advertised the selection to the clientele. Had I not been preoccupied by P-21 and what I’d done to him, I might have been in the mood for some enjoyment as well.
停车场里的残破货车被堆放在一条通向一个开着的服务舱口的走廊里。粉红色的灯光给服务通道一种模糊的有机感觉，使我的四肢蠕动。海报的一边是母马，另一边是种马，用广告的形式向顾客宣传选择。如果我没有全神贯注于P-21和我对他所做的事情，我可能也有心情享受一些乐趣。
I reached the round door to the stable, surprised to see that instead of rolling, it was mounted on a swing arm. A huge pink 69 seemed to greet us, as did the handsome stallion and cute mare standing in the entryway. I looked a little closer at the numbers, and saw the actual number of the stable had been 89, with part of the 8 painted over to resemble a 6.
我走到马厩的圆门前，惊奇地发现门没有滚动，而是安装在一个摇臂上。一匹巨大的粉色69似乎在迎接我们，就像站在门口的英俊的种马和可爱的母马一样。我仔细看了看这些数字，发现马厩的实际数字是89,8的一部分被涂成了6。
After seeing Stable 90, I’d expected to walk into an atrium like in 99. Instead, we were threaded past a utility storage area. The doors were all locked, and it’d be a little conspicuous to fiddle with them with patrons passing me by. Finally, the hallway split with three arrows: ‘Finders’, ‘Fun’, and ‘Future Employment’. As tempting as the second was, caps came first. The Finders office was also the overmare’s. I had to admit, I wasn’t too happy about that.
在看了Stable90之后，我希望走进一个像99那样的中庭。相反，我们穿过了一个公共设施存储区域。所有的门都锁上了，如果有顾客从我身边经过，摆弄这些门会显得有些显眼。最后，走廊分成了三个箭头:"Finders"、"Fun"和"FutureEmployment"。尽管第二条很有诱惑力，但帽子是第一条。芬德公司的办公室也是超越母马的。我不得不承认，我对此很不高兴。
Something else I found unnerving: no guards. No turrets. I couldn’t believe that nothing was protecting the stable. I walked to the overmare’s door with a sigh and a frown. I guessed it was time to do business with Bottlecap’s sister…
我还发现了另一件令人不安的事情:没有守卫。没有炮塔。我简直不敢相信没有东西在保护马厩。我叹了口气，皱了皱眉，走到母马的门前。我猜是时候和Bottlecap的姐姐做生意了..。
‘Out to Lunch. Be back whenever.’
出去吃午饭。随时回来
…or not. Great. I hate waiting.
或者不是。太好了。我讨厌等待。
Since ‘Future Employment’ was not interesting to me, I followed the majority of the ponies in the direction of ‘Fun’. Finally, we reached the atrium, and I found myself surrounded by a pinkgasm. The color was everywhere! Couches and pillows were arranged around little tables as stallions and mares circulated with suggestive smiles and strange, elaborate and kinky outfits. Given that ponies have no problem trotting around naked, covering up in feathers, lace, furs, or in strange outfits was one of the kinkier things I’d seen. In fact, I couldn’t see the goods of a single mare or stallion.
因为"未来工作"对我来说不是很有趣，所以我跟着大多数的小马朝着"有趣"的方向走。最后，我们到了中庭，我发现自己被一个粉红色高斯包围着。到处都是颜色！小桌子周围摆放着长沙发和枕头，种马和母马带着暗示性的微笑，穿着奇怪、精致、扭曲的服装。考虑到小马可以裸奔，穿上羽毛、蕾丝、毛皮或者奇怪的衣服是我见过的最古怪的事情之一。事实上，我看不到一匹母马或种马的货物。
Rampage was nowhere in sight, so I figured she’d already snagged her victim. I had visions of orgiastic excess, which showed just how off my mind was. There were a number of stallions who seemed drugged out of their skulls as they sat around smiling pleasantly at everyone. Dash inhalers were everywhere. Me, I stuck with Wild Pegasus.
横冲直撞不见踪影，所以我认为她已经抓住了受害者。我脑海中浮现出狂欢过度的画面，这表明我的思绪有多么离经叛道。有一些种马谁似乎麻醉了他们的头骨，因为他们坐在周围愉快地微笑对每个人。到处都是冲量吸入器。而我，我只能和野生飞马在一起。
“You don’t look like you’re having fun,” a peach-colored mare observed from behind the bar as she poured my second shot. Purple hair fell across her eyes a little as she gave me a friendly smile. “Is it the drinks? The company? Do you need a hit?”
"你看起来一点都不开心,"一匹桃红色的母马在吧台后面给我倒第二杯酒的时候说。紫色的头发有点遮住了她的眼睛，她给了我一个友好的微笑。""是饮料的问题吗？公司？你需要来一口吗?"
“I’m just waiting for Caprice to get back to her office.” The little earth pony gave me a worried little frown. “It’s not you or this place. The whiskey’s good, and I don’t mind the decoration. It’s just that there’s a lot on my mind right now.”
"我只是在等凯普莱斯回到她的办公室。"那匹小地球马忧心忡忡地皱了皱眉。"不是你，也不是这个地方。威士忌不错，装饰也不错。只是我现在脑子里有很多事情。"
“Oooh, a lot on the mind. Yeah, I hear that a lot,” the barpony said with a sympathetic nod. “Still, if you can have fun, you should. Sitting there all sour doesn’t do you any good.” She immediately perked up. “I know. Let me make you something special.”
"哦，脑子里有很多事情。"是的，我经常听到这样的话,"酒鬼同情地点了点头说。"不过，如果你能玩得开心，你就应该玩得开心。坐在那儿发酸对你没有任何好处。"她立刻振作起来。"我知道。让我给你做点特别的东西。"
“You don’t have to…” I started, but she was already diving into the refrigerator and pulling out various bottles. I wasn’t sure if she was doing cooking or
"你不必......"我开始说，但她已经潜入冰箱，拿出了各种各样的瓶子。我不确定她是在做饭还是
chemistry with what was going in that shaker. She sat up, shaking the metal cups briskly, and then poured something yellow into a glass.
摇床里的化学反应。她坐了起来，轻快地摇晃着金属杯子，然后往杯子里倒了些黄色的东西。
“Here. This should make you smile,” she said as she pushed the glass to me. I glanced at it skeptically, but she seemed too earnest for me not to try it. ‘Well, here’s hoping it’s not drugged or something,’ I thought, and took a drink.
"这儿。这应该会让你微笑,"她一边说，一边把玻璃杯递给我。我怀疑地瞥了她一眼，但她似乎太认真了，我不得不试一试。"好吧，希望它不是被下了药什么的,"我想着，喝了一口水。
Instantly, sweet tartness splashed across my tongue, and I swallowed in surprise. The sour tang lingered for just a bit, and then it was replaced by a slight alcoholic burn that made quick friends with the whiskey I’d drunk before. I smiled, despite my mood, and drank the other half.
立刻，甜蜜的辛辣泼在我的舌头上，我吃惊地咽了下去。酸酸的味道持续了一会儿，然后被一种轻微的酒精灼伤所取代，这种灼伤很快就和我以前喝过的威士忌交上了朋友。尽管心情不好，我还是笑了，喝了另一半。
“That’s… really good. Thank you,” I said as I looked her up and down. “I’m Blackjack.”
"那真是......太好了。谢谢你,"我上下打量着她说。"我是黑杰克。"
“I figured. That one’s on the house. You looked like you needed it,” she said as she looked at my cutie mark. “You know, there’s gambling over at Rooms. Cards. Dice. Roulette. You might have some fun there.”
"我猜到了。那杯是免费的。你看起来需要它,"她说，她看着我的可爱的马克。"你知道，在Rooms有赌博活动。卡片。骰子。轮盘赌。你在那里可能会玩得很开心。"
“You seem to be a bit fixated on my entertainment,” I observed with a smile.
"你似乎有点迷恋我的娱乐,"我笑着说。
“Is that so bad?” she said as she took off her apron and handed it to one of the other mares behind the bar. “I mean, everything in the Hoof is so terrible, so why not a place you can enjoy yourself? We have ponies from all over come here to unwind. Dance. Get high. Have sex. Pay for the pleasure and go home with a smile,” she said as she trotted out from behind the counter.
"有那么糟糕吗?"她一边说，一边脱下围裙，递给吧台后面的另一匹母马。"我的意思是，霍夫的一切都那么糟糕，为什么不找个地方让你享受一下呢？我们有来自世界各地的小马来这里放松。跳舞。嗨起来。做爱。付钱买乐趣，然后微笑着回家,"她说着从柜台后面小跑出来。
“Yeah. Sounds great in theory. But then you look at all the blasted ponies hanging out around the Quik-Kare and the price gets a little steep. Caprice makes money off misery.”
"是的。理论上听起来不错。但是当你看到所有被炸毁的小马在Quik-Kare附近游荡的时候，价格就有点高了。Caprice从痛苦中赚钱。"
She cocked her head and looked at me sadly. “You really think so?”
她抬起头，悲伤地看着我。"你真的这么认为?"
“I don’t know. I don’t understand it. How does she live with making money off selling chems to addicts?”
"我不知道。我不明白。她是如何靠向瘾君子兜售药品赚钱的呢?"
“Believe it or not, Flank isn’t in the policy of stringing ponies out till they’re falling apart. The original stable was a chemist’s dream come true. There were chemicals stored here that had names so long you’d have to take a breath, or two, to name them. Unfortunately, the place was also lacking in entertainment, so some enterprising pony mixed up something fun. Then another did. Then
"信不信由你，弗兰克的政策不是把小马绑起来，直到它们散架。最初的马厩是一个化学家梦想成真的地方。这里储存着一些化学物质，它们的名字长到你得喘口气，或者两口气，才能说出它们的名字。不幸的是，这个地方也缺乏娱乐，所以一些有进取心的小马混合了一些有趣的东西。然后又有一个人这样做了。然后
another.” The peach mare sighed, rolling her eyes a little. “Eventually, the party ran out because somepony mixed up a nerve gas and released it into the ventilation systems.”
另一个。"桃色的母马叹了口气，眼珠转了一下。"最终，聚会结束了，因为有人混合了一种神经毒气，把它释放到了通风系统中。"
“Whoops,” I muttered. Had the stables been designed to self-destruct? Had Stable-Tec been some sick experimental dream?
"哎呀,"我咕哝着。马厩的设计是否为自毁？稳定科技是某种病态的实验梦想吗？
“Pretty much. The survivors got out and fortunately ran into Keeper. The original Flank was a mess of drug dens and brothels. It’s only been cleaned up in the last couple years. Still, there’s all kinds of secondary dealers who couldn’t care less who they sell to. They keep the scavengers picking over for anything valuable in the ruins. The secondary dealers sell that in the exchange, buy more Dash, and the cycle continues.”
"差不多吧。幸存者们逃了出来，幸运地遇到了守护者。最初的弗兰克是一堆毒窟和妓院。最近几年才清理干净。尽管如此，还是有各种各样的二级交易商，他们根本不在乎卖给谁。它们让拾荒者在废墟中寻找任何有价值的东西。二级交易商在交易所出售这些股票，再买入更多Dash，周期就会继续。"
“So why doesn’t Caprice stop it?”
"那么，为什么Caprice不阻止这一切呢?"
“How? Dash is easy to make and there’re caches of materials all across Flank. If it were banned, then the buyers with real money would just go straight to the dealers and all control would be lost. It’s better for some wealthy Society aristopony to get high than a starving addict looking for a fix.”
"怎么回事？破折号很容易制造，而且整个侧翼都有各种各样的材料储藏室。如果它被禁止，那么真正有钱的买家将直接去交易商和所有的控制将失去。对于一些富裕的社会阶层来说，与其让一个饥饿的瘾君子寻求安慰，还不如让他自己嗨起来。"
“So if somepony took out these dealers, what would happen?”
"那么，如果有人干掉了这些毒贩，会发生什么呢?"
“Well, I know Flank would be grateful. Since Mixers doesn’t sell samples, the addicts would have more incentive to go to Qwik-Care. It would raise prices, making treatment easier than another high. Of course, Scalpel would probably complain about all the extra work…”
"嗯，我知道弗兰克会很感激的。由于Mixers不出售样品，瘾君子们会有更多的动机去Qwik-Care。这将提高价格，使治疗比另一个高点更容易。当然，手术刀可能会抱怨所有额外的工作......"
I frowned. I knew I should be looking for Caprice and P-21. I knew I shouldn’t be looking for trouble. But I also remembered how I had felt, my body dying, craving more Buck, more Steady, more Hydra. How much it’d hurt. Maybe it was the drinks, or maybe it was thinking about what I’d said to Scalpel. I looked at the peach pony and then smiled, “And where would a pony find these dealers?”
我皱起了眉头。我知道我应该去找Caprice和P-21。我知道我不该自找麻烦。但我也记得我的感觉，我的身体死亡，渴望更多的巴克，更多的稳定，更多的九头蛇。那会有多痛。也许是因为喝了酒，也许是因为它在想我对解剖刀说的话。我看了看那匹桃色的小马，然后微笑着说:"那么一匹小马到哪里去找这些商人呢?"
* * *
* * *
“Are you sure about this idea?” Glory whispered as we looked at the factory and storage tanks a mile north or so of Flank. Once I’d found her and explained my plan, she’d been skeptical, but she came with me after using the 89 barding to
"你确定这个想法吗?"当我们看着弗兰克北面一英里左右的工厂和储油罐时，晨辉低声说道。当我找到她并向她解释我的计划时，她一直表示怀疑，但在使用了89条之后，她还是跟我走了
patch up my security gear. It might not be much right now, but I just felt better with it on.
修好我的安全设备。现在看起来可能不是很多，但是戴着它我感觉好多了。
“Of course. It’s my idea. I’m sure all my ideas are bad,” I replied, as we looked over the warehouse.
"当然。这是我的主意。我确信我所有的想法都是错误的,"我回答，同时我们检查了仓库。
“Well then why--” she began and then she saw my smile and flushed. “Blackjack humor. Sorry.”
"那么为什么——"她开始说，然后她看到了我的笑容，脸红了。"黑杰克的幽默。对不起。"
The first dealer had been a simple affair: one mare working out of the back of a wagon with two stallions guarding her. All it had taken was the look and a suggestion that she sell me her entire stock of Dash and get out of Flank now. I suggested Brimstone’s Fall. I only hoped that she’d make the trip.
第一个经销商是一个简单的事情:一匹母马工作的马车后面有两匹公马看守她。所有这一切都是因为她的眼神和一个建议，她卖给我她的所有存货的Dash和离开弗兰克现在。我建议去看《宾斯通之坠落》。我只希望她能来。
The second dealer had been a larger operation: a half-dozen ponies working out of a gas station. That fight had been messy but not particularly difficult. I’d used the pump action shotgun loaded with flechette rounds; only one pony had enough armor to require the heavy revolver from the airbase. Not only did we secure their drug stash, we also greatly improved our own goods with their weapons and stockpiled wares.
第二个经销商的规模更大:六匹小马在一个加油站工作。这场斗争很混乱，但并不是特别困难。我用的是装满箭弹的泵动式;只有一匹小马有足够的装甲，可以在空军基地使用重型左轮手枪。我们不仅保护了他们的毒品库存，还用他们的武器和货物大大改善了我们自己的货物。
This dealer was different. I wasn’t looking forward to fighting off two dozen guards. On top of the two-story building was a large sign that read ‘BOOM Inc’ in letters surrounded by fireworks. From all the empty barrels outside, I suspected they weren’t just reselling drugs from Flank; they were manufacturing their own, too. There were wagons just waiting to be loaded; this wasn’t just some little side operation. This was a full-on competitor.
这个毒贩与众不同。我可不想跟二十几个警卫打架。在这座两层建筑的顶部，有一个巨大的招牌，上面用字母写着"BOOMInc"，周围放着烟花。从外面所有的空桶里，我怀疑他们不只是从弗兰克转售毒品，他们也在制造自己的毒品。那里有等待装载的马车，这不仅仅是一些小规模的操作。这是一个全面的竞争对手。
Rampage gave a great yawn as she shook herself. “So you want me to just go over there and kill them all?” she asked as she narrowed her eyes at the building.
狂暴在摇晃自己的时候打了个大哈欠。"所以你想让我过去把他们全杀了?"她一边问，一边眯起眼睛看着大楼。
“No,” I replied with a frown. My mane was itching like mad as I watched them roll a barrel of magical waste into the building. What the hell were they putting in these drugs? “First, because I don’t know if you can.” She looked vaguely insulted. “Secondly, I don’t want to kill the guards and let whoever’s running the show slip out the back.”
"不,"我皱着眉头回答。看着他们把一桶魔法垃圾滚进大楼，我的鬃毛痒得要命。他们到底在这些药里放了什么？"首先，我不知道你能不能做到。"她模模糊糊地看上去受到了侮辱。"其次，我不想杀了警卫，让幕后操纵者从后门溜走。"
“Ugh. Fine. So if we’re not going to just charge in all nice and sensible, then what?”
"呃。好吧。所以，如果我们不打算好好地、明智地收费，那又怎么样呢?"
I admitted I wasn’t entirely sure. We circled around to the side, but the back of the warehouse was completely sealed up. A large, round water tank rose up behind the building with a bridge of pipes connecting one to the other. I couldn’t exactly see how we could get up on the water tank. I looked at Glory. “Are you sure you can’t fly?”
我承认我并不完全确定。我们在旁边绕了一圈，但是仓库的后面已经完全封闭了。一个巨大的圆形水箱从建筑物后面升起，水管桥连接着一个又一个。我不知道我们怎么爬上水箱。我看着晨辉。"你确定你不会飞吗?"
The gray pegasus looked pained as she looked back at her wings. She bit her lip and started to flap, clenching her eyes shut. Her hooves rose from the ground, but then she jerked and flopped over on her back. She sniffed and rubbed her eyes. “Sorry, Blackjack.”
灰色的飞马回头看着自己的翅膀，显得很痛苦。她咬着嘴唇，开始扇动，紧闭着眼睛。她的蹄子从地上升起，但是随后她猛地一跳，扑通一声倒在地上。她嗅了嗅，揉了揉眼睛。"对不起，黑杰克。"
“Don’t worry about it.” It looked like we were going to have to go in shooting. Then I noticed the metal stairs going up to a second story door. They looked pretty rickety, but it was them or go in guns blazing and hope for the best. After getting a hole punched through me by Leo, I wanted to save that for a plan B. Ugh, I must be getting old.
"别担心。"看起来我们不得不进行拍摄了。然后我注意到金属楼梯通向二楼的一扇门。他们看起来相当虚弱，但这是他们或进入枪火和最好的希望。在被狮子座打穿了一个洞之后，我想把这个留到后备计划里。啊，我一定是老了。
We picked our way around to the side of the warehouse and then made our way up step after step. I made sure Rampage waited till we were up. The door was locked, but I thought I might get lucky. I screwed my face up, sticking my tongue to the side as I lamented yet again P-21’s absence. Two pins later, I found the sweet spot and twisted. There had to be an easier way to open locks...
我们小心翼翼地绕到仓库的一边，然后一步一步地向上走。我确保狂暴一直等到我们起床。门是锁着的，但我想我可能会走运。当我又一次为P-21的缺席感到惋惜时，我皱起了眉头，把舌头伸到一边。两个瓶子之后，我找到了最佳位置，扭曲了。肯定有更简单的方法打开锁..。
Moving inside the second floor of the BOOM fireworks factory, I was struck by the cobwebs and debris strewn across the floor. Clearly, this wasn’t a part of the factory that was in use. I made my way through a few offices, but aside from a dozen or so caps in a drawer, there wasn’t much of interest. Faded pictures decorated the halls, many showing elaborate fireworks over a shining white palace. Pinkie Pie danced with a sparkler in each hoof under a sky filled with fireworks, underneath a caption that read ‘Explosions are fun… in the sky! Safety first!’ We found one room loaded with boxes and boxes of fireworks and rockets.
在BOOM烟花厂的二楼，我被散落在地板上的蜘蛛网和碎片击中了。显然，这不是工厂正在使用的部分。我穿过了几间办公室，但除了抽屉里的一打左右的帽子外，没有什么有趣的东西。褪色的图画装饰着大厅，许多图画展示了白色宫殿上方精心制作的烟花。小手指派在满是烟花的天空下，每个蹄子上都带着烟花跳舞，下面的标题写着'天空中的爆炸很有趣！安全第一我们发现了一个房间，里面装满了成箱的烟火和火箭。
Yes, Pinkie Pie. Explosions are fun…
是的，平奇派。爆炸很有趣..。
We found another office with a large poster of Pinkie Pie shaking hooves with a black pegasus with, of course, a firework explosion cutie mark. Carefully nudging aside the rag-wearing bones behind the desk, I noticed his terminal was still on and logged in. I wiped away the dust on the screen.
我们找到了另一间办公室，里面贴着一张海报，海报上有一个小手指派摇晃的蹄子，上面还有一匹黑色的飞马，当然，上面还有一个烟花爆炸的可爱标记。我小心翼翼地推开桌子后面那些衣衫褴褛的骨头，注意到他的终端还开着，登陆了电脑。我擦去了屏幕上的灰尘。
Memo #34: Hey, Sparkler! I couldn’t help but notice that the latest batch of fireworks was a lot less fwoosh and woosh and a lot more fizzle and pizzle. It’s just not a party if folks see a little pop and then nothing. So could you please do me an itsy bitzy teeny weenie favor and up the bang a little? Pretty please with sprinkles on top? P.P.
备忘录#34:嘿，Sparkler！我情不自禁地注意到，最新的一批烟花没有那么哗啦哗啦的声音，而是更加失败和潇洒。如果人们看到一点流行音乐，然后什么都没有，这就不是一个派对了。所以你能不能帮我一个小小的忙，把爆炸稍微提高一点？求你了，上面有糖屑吗？P.p.
Memo #35: Howdy Sparkler. Got to say I’m a mite distressed. I got folks wondering where our whole shipment of ammonium perchlorate went and I’m a mite curious myself. So I’d be one grateful pony if you could make sure your next batch of the stuff gets to my munitions plants. Can’t fight zebras without the stuff what goes boom! Braeburn.
备忘录#35:HowdySparkler。不得不说我有点痛苦。我让人们想知道我们整船的高氯酸铵去哪儿了，我自己也有点好奇。所以如果你能确保你的下一批货物运到我的军火工厂，我会非常感激的。没有那玩意就打不了斑马！布雷伯恩。
Memo#38: Ugh, Sparkler! Where did that AP go? I got MoM and MWT up in my mane and I don’t know what to tell them. I’m sending you some more materials so try and catch up. Who’s our liaison with the O.I.A.? Onyx? Or is it Emerald? Do THEY know where it went? Prez Boomer.
备忘录#38:啊，Sparkler！那个美联社去哪儿了？我把妈妈和MWT弄得晕头转向，不知道该怎么跟他们说。我会寄给你更多的资料，所以尽量赶上进度。谁是我们和o.i.a.的联络人？玛瑙？还是祖母绿？他们知道它去哪儿了吗？PrezBoomer.
Unfortunately, the rest of the terminal was corrupted gibberish. I looked at the indolent expression on Rampage’s face as she asked sardonically, “Find anything useful?”
不幸的是，终端的其余部分都是胡言乱语。我看着她脸上懒洋洋的表情，讽刺地问道:"找到什么有用的东西了吗?"
“Nope, but you never know,” I replied as we returned back into the hall. A few more bobby pins later and the door at the end of the hall was unlocked as well. Pulling open the door, I saw a long catwalk stretching out over a production floor. Hundreds of barrels were stacked on pallets, and many of them had fallen over and spilled heaps of white powder. In the middle were a dozen chemistry sets and a trio of cooks busy making… something. Dash? Yes, I saw the empty inhalers in a bin next to one workstation, but they were also making something else. Those ampules were familiar.
"没有，但你永远不会知道,"当我们回到大厅时，我回答。几个发夹过后，走廊尽头的门也开了。拉开门，我看到一条长长的通道伸展到生产车间。数以百计的桶堆放在托盘上，其中许多都倒在地上，散落成堆的白色粉末。中间是一打化学设备，三个厨师正忙着做......什么东西。达什？是的，我看到一个工作站旁边的垃圾桶里有空的吸入器，但是他们也在生产别的东西。那些壶腹很熟悉。
What was glaringly out of place was a pen near a hatch on the second story; it was full of filthy and destitute scavengers. Were these dealers accepting slaves as payment? There were also a lot of guards… and automatic turrets watching the doors. I looked at Rampage and all that noisy, clangy metal. Even with the radio blaring Redbeard’s bluster down by the cooks, I couldn’t imagine that the ponies below would miss that racket.
在二楼的一个舱口附近有一个围栏，里面挤满了肮脏的、穷困的拾荒者，显得格格不入。这些商人是否接受奴隶作为报酬？还有很多警卫......还有自动炮塔监视着门口。我看着狂暴和那些嘈杂的叮当作响的金属。即使厨师们大声播放着红胡子的咆哮，我也无法想象下面的小马会想念那喧闹的声音。
The radio host’s rusty voice boomed in the cavernous production space over the hiss of hotplates and bubbling equipment. “Now, I like to keep my ears open.
电台主持人生锈的声音在海绵状的制作空间里响起，伴随着电热板和气泡设备发出的嘶嘶声。"现在，我喜欢竖起耳朵。
Like to be a pony of the people. So eventually I’m going to hear some kind of brahmin shit about Security. Well guess what, folks? Looks like Security is a tried and true devotee of the Slut of Flank after all. I heard it on very good authority that Security charged into Flank this afternoon foaming at the mouth and grinning like a Dash-head in heat. So you heard it here first, folks. Security: big tweaker.”
喜欢成为人民的小马驹。所以最终我会听到一些关于安全的婆罗门式的废话。伙计们，你们猜怎么着？看起来安全公司终究是弗兰克荡妇的忠实拥护者。我听到非常可靠的消息，今天下午安全人员冲进弗兰克，口吐白沫，咧嘴笑得像个发情的猛男。各位，你们是第一个听到的。安全:大毒枭。"
Rampage snickered softly, and I gave her a look. “What?” she asked defensively. Then my lips curled as I glanced at her hoofclaws. “What...” she muttered, now worried. A minute later she sulked out of the office with strips of Sparkler’s rags wrapped around each hoof like booties. “This is humiliating.”
狂暴轻轻地窃笑着，我看了她一眼。"什么?"她辩护地问道。然后，当我瞥了她的蹄爪一眼时，我的嘴唇微微翘了起来。"什么......"她喃喃自语，现在很担心。一分钟后，她生气地离开了办公室，每只蹄子上都缠着烟花的破布条。"这太丢脸了。"
“Shhhh…” I warned her, and Glory, bringing up the rear, struggled to not laugh at the sight.
"嘘......"我警告她，晨辉从后面上来，努力忍住不笑出声来。
“Hey! We need more juice! Crowbar!” one of the cooks shouted up to the balcony.
"嘿！我们需要更多的果汁！撬棍!"其中一个厨师对着阳台喊道。
“Yeah! On it!” a unicorn stallion in leather barding yelled back as he walked to a crate and lifted some Dash inhalers. Another guard opened the doors of the pen and let out a slow stream of ponies. “Come on, folks. We promised you Dash, and you’re gonna get Dash...” There was something decidedly creepy in his tone and grin as he bobbed the inhalers above their heads, leading them out the door. When fourteen or fifteen were out, the doors were closed in the face of the next pony and the other guard brought up the rear of the addicts.
"是的！马上去!"一匹穿皮衣的独角兽在走向一个板条箱并拿起Dash的吸入器时大声回应。另一个警卫打开围栏的门，慢慢地放出一群小马。"来吧，伙计们。我们答应过你，你会得到达什......"当他点着他们头上的吸入器，领着他们出门时，他的语气和笑容中有些明显的令人毛骨悚然的东西。当十四十五个人出来时，门在下一个小马面前关上了，另一个警卫从后面带来了瘾君子们。
I raised a hoof to my lips as we followed the catwalk towards the balcony. There were still two guards remaining, and right now I found myself really wishing that I had Minty Fresh’s silenced pistol. Fortunately, Luna does provide the occasional blessing, such as a wooden baseball bat lying on a table next to some very dated copies of Playmare and Ponylife.
当我们沿着狭窄的通道向阳台走去时，我抬起一只蹄子。还有两个保安，现在我发现自己真的希望我有薄荷新鲜的消音手枪。幸运的是，露娜偶尔也会给我们带来祝福，比如在桌子上放着一根木制棒球棒，旁边放着一些过时的《Playmare》和《Ponylife》。
“Dash… ya gonna gimme Dash?” one of the prisoners mumbled.
"Dash...你要给我Dash吗?"其中一个犯人喃喃自语。
The guard turned, spotted me and my barding, and took a deep breath. That was as far as his shout got as I swung with all my horn’s strength and crushed his windpipe with a meaty thud. His mouth worked, forehooves scrabbling at the indentation in his throat. The bat came around and knocked his rear hooves out from under him. As his face blackened and I kept him pinned, I heard a crack and thump from the direction of where the other guard wa--had been.
卫兵转过身来，看到了我和我的手下，深深地吸了一口气。我使尽全身力气挥舞着号角，发出砰的一声，压碎了他的气管，他的喊声也就到此为止了。他的嘴在动，前蹄在他喉咙里的凹痕上挣扎着。蝙蝠飞过来，把他的后蹄从身下打掉了。他的脸变黑了，我按住他不放，我听到从另一个警卫所在的方向传来一声爆裂和砰的一声。
Apparently cloth booties were little protection against a mare that could kick your head so hard that it’d flop around like a horn puppet.
很显然，布靴对于母马来说没有什么保护作用，因为母马会用力踢你的头，以至于你的头会像角质木偶一样四处乱撞。
“Come on,” I whispered as we moved along the balcony towards the open door. A few of the ponies in the cage looked at me dully. One called out to ask if I had any Dash, but the ponies below ignored the noise. The door led to the bridge connecting to the large, cracked concrete water tank outside. From above, we could see that the dome atop the tank was busted and four large cages were bolted to the top of the tank around the rim. Yellow hazardous waste containers were strewn around the edges. For the moment, though, I was focused on the ponies loading the cages with addicts.
"来吧,"当我们沿着阳台走向开着的门时，我低声说。笼子里的几匹小马呆呆地看着我。其中一个大声问我有没有Dash，但是下面的小马忽略了这个声音。门通向桥梁，桥梁连接着外面巨大的、裂开的混凝土水箱。从上面，我们可以看到坦克顶部的圆顶被打破，四个大笼子周围的边缘螺栓在坦克顶部。黄色的危险废物集装箱散落在边缘。不过，那一刻，我的注意力集中在那些装满瘾君子的笼子里的小马上。
“What are they doing?” Glory asked softly.
"他们在干什么?"格洛里轻声问道。
“Can we just kill them all and not care?” Rampage replied, munching down another Mint-al.
"我们能不能把他们都杀了，而不在乎?"狂暴回答道，又吃了一块薄荷糖。
“Not yet.” I glanced at the box of Dash inhalers and lifted it to us. “I want you two to get those prisoners out through the offices. Get them clear and make sure they’re quiet.”
"还没有。"我瞥了一眼Dash的吸入器，把它递给我们。"我要你们两个把那些囚犯从办公室里弄出来。让他们清楚，确保他们安静。"
“You’re saving Dash-heads?”
"你在拯救冲浪头?"
“I’m saving ponies, Rampage. You can leave if you don’t like it.”
"我在拯救小马，狂暴。如果你不喜欢，你可以离开。"
She looked at me levelly, then sighed and shook her head with a smile. “Fine. I can play white hat. Best have her do the talking, though.” I was surprised by that.
她平静地看着我，叹了口气，微笑着摇了摇头。"好吧。我可以扮演白帽子。不过最好还是让她来说吧。"我对此感到惊讶。
“When the rest are clear, I’m going to start lighting up crates. I dunno if they’ll explode, but there’s got to be enough fireworks around here for something to go up. If not… well… do something smarter than what I’d do. Now get them out of here quietly,” I said as I nodded to the cage. Glory approached with soothing words as Rampage brought the box of Dash inhalers.
"等其余的都清理干净了，我就要开始点火了。我不知道它们会不会爆炸，但是这里肯定有足够的烟火可以点燃。如果没有...那么...做些比我更聪明的事情。现在把他们安静地带出去,"我对笼子点点头说。当狂暴带来一箱仪表板吸入器时，晨辉随着安慰的话语而降临。
That left me with the other prisoners. Carefully I stepped out onto the bridge that ran atop pipes stretching from the fireworks factory to the water storage tank. Fortunately my luck seemed to be changing. Everypony with a gun was loading the addicts into the heavy-duty cages running around the edge of the collapsed roof of the water tank. I moved as nonchalantly as possible, carbine loaded with
剩下我和其他囚犯在一起。我小心翼翼地走上一座桥，桥上的管道从烟花工厂一直延伸到储水罐。幸运的是，我的运气似乎正在改变。每个小马都拿着枪把瘾君子们装进重型笼子里，笼子围着倒塌的水箱顶部。我尽可能漫不经心地移动，卡宾枪装满了弹药
standard rounds. Of course, one look at me and the party would start. There were lots of crates and empty waste barrels stacked along the bridge that I hung close to as I approached.
标准子弹。当然，只要看我一眼，派对就开始了。我走近桥时，桥边堆着许多板条箱和空桶，我把它们挂在身边。
“It’s getting too big, Domino. Too damn big!” I caught the voice of the unicorn stallion that had led the addicts out onto the water tank. Crowbar watched as the addled unicorns were loaded up. “We keep putting the barrels down there like he said but it’s not working.”
"它变得太大了，多米诺。太他妈大了!"我听到了那匹独角兽种马的声音，它把瘾君子们带到了水箱上。撬棍看着那些昏昏沉沉的独角兽被装上车。"我们像他说的那样，一直把桶放在那里，但没有用。"
“Bigger is better. We’re making caps horn over hoof. All we need is a few dozen more lab rats and we’ll have product better than anything Mixers can offer,” said a unicorn with the strangest mottled black and white coat. She had an odd white mask for her cutie mark. “Ring the bell.”
"越大越好。我们正在生产马蹄盖牛角。我们所需要的只是几十只实验室小白鼠，我们的产品将比混合器提供的任何产品都要好,"身穿最奇怪的斑驳黑白外套的独角兽说。她有一个奇怪的白色面具为她的可爱的标志。"按门铃。"
Crowbar levitated a crowbar from his belt and rapped it hard against an empty barrel. The guards shoved one pony into the tank with a yell that cut off with a splash. Then a deep growl filled the air.
撬棍从他的腰带上提起一根撬棍，用力敲打着一个空桶。守卫们把一匹小马猛推进坦克，一声喊叫随着溅起的水花声而停止。然后一声低沉的咆哮弥漫在空气中。
A serpentine head rose slowly above the edge of the hole and opened its mouth to let out a shriek. Even in severe Dash withdrawal, the prisoners began to scream. A chain opened a door on the far side of one of the cages, and the head slipped into the hole and started to munch. The chain dropped and the heavy door closed, trapping it inside with its meal. A unicorn plunged a sharpened pipe into a pink, pulsating knot of flesh on the neck, and brownish-red sludge poured out into a barrel.
一个蜿蜒的头慢慢地从洞口上升起来，张开嘴发出一声尖叫。即使在猛烈的达什撤退中，囚犯们也开始尖叫起来。一条铁链打开了一个笼子远处的一扇门，笼子的头钻进了洞里，开始咀嚼。铁链掉了下来，沉重的门关上了，把它和它的食物一起困在里面。一只独角兽把一根锋利的管子插进脖子上一个粉红色的、有节奏的肉疙瘩里，棕红色的淤泥倒进一个桶里。
Suddenly I knew exactly where Hydra came from. Just as suddenly, I knew I never, ever, wanted to take Hydra again.
突然间，我知道了九头蛇的确切来源。就像突然之间，我知道我再也不会想要夺走九头蛇了。
“Show is fucking over! Let them out!” I yelled as I stepped around a stack of pipes. The trapped hydra head began to jerk at its bonds now that there were no pony treats within to savor.
"演出他妈的结束了！让他们出去!"我一边大声喊着，一边绕过一堆管子。受困的九头蛇的头开始抽搐它的债券，现在有没有小马的款待内欣赏。
“You!” the dapple-coated mare exclaimed as she backed away. “Kill her quickly! Before the others arrive!”
"你!"那头裹着斑纹的母马一边后退一边叫道。"快杀了她！在其他人来之前!"
Ante up. Crowbar wasted no time swinging his length of steel at my head, and I had little time to waste as I danced back and hit S.A.T.S. just as he jammed something into his thigh. Then, to my amazement, he started to actually move! The potion he’d injected accelerated him to the point that he crept closer in my
下注吧。克劳巴立刻挥舞着他那长长的铁棍砸向我的头，我没有多少时间可以浪费，就在他往大腿里塞东西的时候，我跳了回去，击中了s.a.t.s。然后，让我惊讶的是，他竟然开始动了！他注射的药水加速了他的速度，让他慢慢靠近我的身体
vision. I toggled for four shots to his head, and released the spell.
视觉。我向他的头部开了四枪，解除了咒语。
This time, S.A.T.S. wasn’t fast enough. Crowbar moved inside the range of my carbine barrel and slammed into me as the guards left their positions near the cages and ran around the edge of the water tank. As I came out of the S.A.T.S. spell I found myself on my back with the rust-colored pony atop me. Then his horn glowed as the crowbar smashed across my face with such force that my next shots with the carbine went wide. I just needed a few seconds to focus. Just a few seconds.
这一次，s.a.t.s不够快。撬棍在我的卡宾枪枪管范围内移动，当警卫离开他们在笼子附近的位置，绕着水箱边缘跑的时候，撬棍猛地撞上了我。当我结束sat考试时，我发现自己躺在地上，身上骑着一匹铁锈色的小马。然后他的角闪闪发光，撬棍猛烈地砸在我的脸上，我接下来用卡宾枪射击的时候打偏了。我只需要几秒钟集中注意力。就几秒钟。
“Pity to smash such a pretty face,” he taunted, bringing the bar down right at my face as I struggled to control the gun. Then I opened my mouth wide, and the steel bar slammed right between my jaws. I felt enamel crack under the impact, but living in a stable had given me an unexpected advantage: healthy teeth. My jaws clenched down, and I grinned around the bar as he tried to yank it free. The carbine steadied and unloaded six rounds into his back. Screaming in pain, he rolled off me to get away.
"真可惜，把这么漂亮的脸蛋打得稀巴烂,"他嘲弄地说，在我努力控制枪的时候，酒吧正好砸在我的脸上。然后我张大嘴巴，钢条在我的嘴里砰的一声。我感受到了牙釉质裂缝的影响，但是住在马厩里给了我一个意想不到的优势:健康的牙齿。我咬紧牙关，笑嘻嘻地看着他试图把它拉开。卡宾枪稳住了，向他的背部开了六枪。他痛苦地尖叫着，从我身上滚了下去，想逃走。
Then I realized why there were four cages as a second head rose above the edge of the tank, dripping rainbow-tinted water. And a third. And a fourth. Smaller vestigial heads snapped at the air like hungry pustules. Clearly, it had risen in the anticipation of a meal and was not happy to find the cages closed. Brown and twisted teeth snapped at the heavy metal bars ironically now protecting the addicts inside. The practical beast began to strike at the guards instead.
然后我意识到为什么有四个笼子作为第二个头上升到水箱的边缘，滴水彩虹色的水。还有第三个。还有第四个。退化的小脑袋像饥饿的脓疱一样在空中啪啪作响。很明显，它在期待一顿饭的时候上升了，发现笼子关上了，它很不高兴。具有讽刺意味的是，这些重金属棒现在正保护着里面的瘾君子们，而他们那棕色扭曲的牙齿正在咬断这些重金属棒。这只实际的野兽反而开始攻击卫兵。
“Kill her! Kill it! Kill something!” Domino shrieked as she levitated a sleek black automatic from her holster and began to fire. I rolled to my feet, feeling the impact on my plates. I ran for the nearest cage, narrowing my eyes to cut down the nearest guard with some well-placed headshots. I slid behind the heavy metal just as one head snapped at me, moments too late. My horn flipped the carbine and emptied the remainder of the clip into the head. Annoying to the mutated behemoth, no doubt, but satisfying.
"杀了她！杀了它！杀点什么!"多米诺尖叫着从枪套里拿出一把黑色的自动手枪，开始射击。我翻滚着站起来，感受着对盘子的冲击。我跑向最近的一个笼子，眯起眼睛，准确地向最近的看守开了几枪。我滑到沉重的金属后面，就在这时，一个头朝我猛击过来，已经太晚了。我的号角弹响了卡宾枪，把剩下的子弹打进了头部。毫无疑问，这个突变的庞然大物很讨厌，但是很令人满意。
Domino and the guards were for the moment occupied with the other angry heads. The trapped head was now jerking with such force that I could hear the metal groaning and twisting. I looked at the lock. No time for bobby pins! I grabbed it with my magic and twisted. Slowly, the tumbler rotated bit by bit. Almost… almost…
多米诺和卫兵暂时被其他愤怒的人头占据了。那个被困住的脑袋现在剧烈地抽搐着，以至于我能听到那金属在呻吟和扭动。我看了看锁。没时间玩发夹了！我用魔法抓住它，扭动着。慢慢地，不倒翁一点一点地旋转。差不多...差不多..。
Snap, and the lock broke. Really, Celestia? I mean, really? I looked at the old padlock. Well, I may not have been able to open the lock, but I still had a crowbar. I jammed the prybar in and put all my weight upon it. I even tried to bounce a little. Then the lock snapped open and I fell flat on my face. Oh, that was a tooth missing, all right.
锁突然断了。真的吗，塞莱斯蒂娅？我是说真的吗？我看着那把旧挂锁。我可能没法打开锁但我手里还有根撬棍。我用力把棒塞进去，把全身的重量都压在上面。我甚至试着反弹一下。然后锁啪的一声打开了，我脸朝下倒在地上。哦，那是少了一颗牙，好吧。
Getting to my hooves, I swapped out for the twelve gauge pump action. “Get ready to run!” I shouted at them. “Follow the catwalk through the offices! You’ll find Dash outside!” Okay, drug craving plus survival instinct trumped their brain addled wits. “Go!” I shouted as I jumped out from behind the cover of the cage, firing as fast as I could and screaming like a maniac.
说到我的蹄子，我换上了十二口径的泵。"准备跑!"我对他们大喊大叫。"穿过办公室沿着t型台走！你会在外面找到达什的!"好吧，对毒品的渴望加上生存本能战胜了他们的大脑混乱的智慧。"走!"我一边喊着，一边从笼子后面跳出来，以最快的速度开火，像个疯子一样尖叫着。
One hydra head looked over at a portion of its buffet out in the open; three of the ponies were sickly and easy targets, but I was the one dancing around like an idiot with a shotgun. It snapped as I dove to the side. My shotgun blasted three solid hits to its skull as its deformed jaws snapped where I’d stood a second ago. Scrambling, I kept running as Domino backed around behind the cage with the trapped head.
一个九头蛇头俯视着露天自助餐的一部分;其中三匹小马体弱多病，容易成为攻击目标，但我却像个拿着猎枪的傻瓜一样在周围跳来跳去。当我向一边俯冲时，它啪地一声响了起来。我的猎枪向它的头骨发出了三次猛烈的撞击，因为它那畸形的下巴在我刚才站的地方突然折断了。当多米诺带着被困住的头在笼子后面转来转去的时候，我慌乱地跑着。
A guard charged towards me… or maybe he was running for his life, I dunno which. I hooked my front hooves into the bars and swung my entire body around, slamming him back. He staggered, staring at me in fury as he drew a machete from his belt. Then a hydra mouth grabbed him and yanked him upwards. The mouth released him, flinging him screaming into the air. Another mouth grabbed his head, a third his haunches, and together they tore him in two.
一个警卫向我冲过来......或者他在逃命，我不知道是哪个。我用前蹄钩住栏杆，把整个身体甩了过去，狠狠地把他甩了回去。他摇摇晃晃，愤怒地盯着我，从腰带上抽出一把砍刀。然后一只九头蛇的嘴抓住了他，把他向上猛拉。那张嘴松开了他，把他尖叫着抛向空中。另一张嘴抓住了他的头，第三张嘴抓住了他的屁股，把他撕成了两半。
Don’t start! I warned my brain, smacking my forehead against the steel. For once my subconscious seemed to be cutting me some slack. I looked at the lock. Focused. Twisted… and… snap!
别说了！我警告我的大脑，用我的前额敲击着钢铁。这一次，我的潜意识似乎放了我一马。我看了看锁。专注。扭曲...然后...啪的一声！
“Luna piss on you and all locks, you rusty piece of shit!” I screamed at the indifferent inanimate object. I jammed the crowbar in and put my weight on it again. I even tried to use my horn to add the last little bits of force. The crowbar bent… then the lock broke. “Through the…” I started, but the three ponies inside bolted as soon as the door opened. One hydra head snapped out, catching the leg of a mare.
"卢娜在你身上撒尿，还有所有的锁，你这个生锈的垃圾!"我对着这个无生命的物体尖叫。我用力把撬棍塞了进去，又把重心放在上面。我甚至试图用我的号角来增加最后一点力量。撬棍弯了......然后锁坏了。"穿过......"我开始了，但是门一开，里面的三匹小马就跑掉了。一只九头蛇的头突然弹了出来，咬住了一只母马的腿。
I screamed, running towards the head before it could get a better bite. I blew out one of the five eyes with one shot, and then jammed the barrel into the oozing
我尖叫着，跑向它的头部，它还没来得及咬我一口。我一枪打爆了五只眼睛中的一只，然后把枪管塞进了渗出的液体里
cavity for a second shot. Gore splattered me. For all I knew I was adding to my taint total, but that didn’t matter right now. My shots worked; I managed to get its attention in a big way. The mare limped for her life as the wounded head reared back.
开第二枪。血溅了我一身。就我所知，我正在增加我的污染总量，但这并不重要。我的照片起作用了，我设法引起了它的注意。当受伤的马后腿直立时，那匹母马一瘸一拐地逃命。
The trapped head twisted and thrashed, pulling and pulling, and the whole wall of the water tank began to crumple. I ran around towards where the last cage perched, and suddenly the ledge gave way. The cage fell into the scummy rainbow-slicked water along with the cage holding the hydra head. Water began to pour out of the breach as the trapped head worked itself free. The edge of the water tank crumbled under the dapple-hided unicorn, and with a scream Domino tumbled into the water and disappeared from sight. Small favors...
被卡住的水头扭曲、猛烈地抽打、拉扯，整个水箱壁开始起皱。我跑到最后一个笼子停放的地方，突然窗台塌了下来。笼子掉进了漂亮的水里，笼子里装着水螅的头。水开始从裂口涌出，被困住的头自由地工作着。水箱的边缘在斑驳的独角兽下面崩塌了，随着多米诺骨牌一声尖叫，跌入水中，消失在人们的视线中。小恩小惠..。
That was it, then. No more reason for me to stay here. I stood and started back for the bridge when Crowbar slammed into me like a rabid dragon. We went rolling, my shotgun skittering out of range. He laughed hysterically as he kicked and stomped like a maniac. The bullet holes weren’t slowing him down at all, and I could see why. From all the empty ampules and needles scattered about, he’d dosed himself with the entire medicine cabinet.
那就这样吧。我没有理由再留在这里了。当撬棍像一条狂暴的龙一样向我猛扑过来的时候，我站起身往桥那边走去。我们开始行动，我的猎枪突然飞出了射程。他歇斯底里地大笑，像个疯子一样又踢又跺脚。弹孔根本没有减慢他的速度，我知道为什么。散落在各处的空壶和针头里，他把整个药柜都给自己下了药。
The hydra began to pull itself free, but Crowbar had only eyes for me as he grabbed my ear in his teeth and pulled me over off my hooves. “Gonna smash you! Gonna smash you good!” he screamed. I struggled to push him off, but it was no good. I raised my rear hoof and slammed his nuts with all my might. He didn’t even feel it. I hit S.A.T.S and toggled three telekinetic blasts to his face. The first smashed his eye like a hammer, but he jerked his head and the last two did far less damage. In fact, as I watched, his eye was regenerating!
九头蛇开始挣脱，但是克劳巴只有眼睛看着我，他用牙齿咬住我的耳朵，把我从蹄子上拉下来。"我要打碎你！我要好好揍你一顿!"他尖叫着。我挣扎着想把他推开，但是没有用。我抬起后蹄，用尽全力猛踢他的蛋蛋。他甚至都没有感觉到。我打中了S.A.T.S，向他脸上发射了三次心灵遥控爆炸。第一个像锤子一样砸碎了他的眼睛，但是他猛地抬起头，最后两个造成的伤害要小得多。事实上，正如我所看到的，他的眼睛正在再生！
“Gonna kill you! ‘Cause I’m stronger! I’m stronger!” he screamed as he pressed his hooves to my skull and started to squeeze. I felt ominous noises. The chems had made him stronger… tougher… regenerating... but then I looked at the oozing gray flesh. It was time to raise or fold.
"我要杀了你！""因为我更强壮！我更强壮了!"他一边尖叫，一边用蹄子顶着我的头，开始挤压。我感到不祥的噪音。药物让他变得更强壮......更坚强......再生......但是接着我看到了渗出的灰色皮肤。是时候提高或者放弃了。
“Yeah! But you’re not… heavier!” I shouted as I braced my limbs and lifted for all I was worth.
"是的！但你并没有......更重!"我一边大声喊着，一边绷紧我的四肢，竭尽全力地把自己举起来。
The hydra’s head came down, bit into his back, and lifted him into the air. His death grip on my head was so tight that it yanked me into the air after him. Another head lunged for me, a tasty helpless snack, when I slipped free and fell
九头蛇的头低下来，咬住他的背，把他举到空中。他死死地抓住我的头，紧紧地把我拽到空中跟在他后面。另一个脑袋向我扑来，一个美味无助的点心，当我挣脱时摔倒了
to the metal planking. Two bites and Crowbar was gone. I prayed it was just my imagination that I was hearing him scream as he slid down the monster’s gullet.
到金属板。咬了两口撬棍就不见了。我祈祷那只是我的想象，当他从怪物的食道滑下时，我听到了他的尖叫。
I got on my hooves and ran for my life. The entire bridge shook and suddenly slanted up as it crumpled under the hydra’s weight. My hooves scrambled for purchase on the metal as the monster crawled out of its tank after the next morsel in sight; me. For once, I’d gotten lucky; the garbage stacked on the leaning bridge thumped into the hydra more than it did me, and I pulled myself up, firing blindly behind me. When the shotgun was empty, I swapped to the carbine again.
我骑上马，拼命地跑。整座桥摇晃着，突然倾斜起来，在九头蛇的重压下倒塌了。下一口食物出现之后，怪物爬出了水箱，我的蹄子在金属上挣扎着寻找食物。这一次，我很幸运;堆在斜桥上的垃圾比我更重地砸进了海德拉，我把自己拉了起来，在身后乱开枪。枪里没子弹了，我又换上了卡宾枪。
Inside the factory, Glory stood on the catwalk strafing enemies while Rampage engaged half a dozen as a screaming, thrashing madmare. The turrets were smoking wrecks, but there were more than a dozen cooks and guards firing at the pair. I ran to the rail and screamed at the top of my lungs, “Run!”
在工厂里，晨辉站在t型台上扫射敌人，而狂暴与半打疯狂的母马交火。炮塔烟雾弥漫，但还是有十几个厨师和卫兵在向这对夫妇开火。我跑到栏杆边，用最大的声音喊道:"快跑!"
Glory stopped raining magical beams on the enemy. The guards stared up at me in shock. Rampage clutched a pony in her hooves, mindlessly chewing on one ear. For a second I was sure that they would all flee…
晨辉停止了向敌人倾泻魔法的光束。卫兵们震惊地盯着我。狂暴骑着一匹小马，无意识地咬着一只耳朵。有那么一瞬间我以为他们都会逃跑。
Then, “Kill her!” And now they were firing at me and Glory, and had resumed dogpiling on Rampage. I screamed in frustration as I ducked for cover.
然后,"杀了她!"现在他们向我和晨辉开火，又开始了狗咬狗的暴行。我沮丧地尖叫着，一边低下头寻找掩护。
Then four hydra heads roared with hunger and once more the shooting stopped. The four heads slammed through the open door behind me, snapping at me as the monster’s incredible bulk tore the wall apart. The balcony collapsed with the wall behind me, slumping down into the floor below as the catwalks collapsed. Glory yelped as she scrambled back into the offices. Rampage snapped the neck of her pony, then looked at the hydra with a whoop.
接着四个九头蛇的脑袋饥饿地咆哮着，枪声再一次停止了。那四个脑袋砰地一声穿过我身后敞开的门，猛地朝我扑来，怪物不可思议的庞然大物撕碎了墙壁。阳台倒塌了，我身后的墙也倒塌了，随着人行道的倒塌，阳台也塌到了地板上。当她爬回办公室时，晨辉尖叫起来。狂暴折断了她的小马的脖子，然后高呼一声看着九头蛇。
“All right! Now that’s something to fight!” she said as she tossed the body aside and leaped to her hooves.
"好吧！这才是值得战斗的东西!"她一边说，一边把尸体扔到一边，跳到她的蹄子上。
“Run, you idiot!” I said as I picked myself up, facing the monster as it crawled through the hole after its lunch.
"快跑，你这个白痴!"我一边说着，一边站起身来，面对着刚吃完午饭爬进洞里的怪物。
“Run?” She looked positively incensed. “Run?! I’m a Reaper. We don’t do run!” she yelled as she charged at the hydra. One mouth bit down on her steel-plated ass, another grabbed her head and lifted her into the air, pulling and twisting. Rampage laughed in glee, twisting and kicking whatever she could as her bladed armor cut into the monster’s mouths. “Yeah! You like that?! I’ll tear you apart
"跑?"她看起来非常生气。"跑?！我是个收魂者。我们不跑!"她冲向九头蛇号时喊道。一只嘴咬住了她镀钢的屁股，另一只抓住了她的头，把她举到空中，一边拉一边扭。狂暴的狂怒大笑着，随着她锋利的盔甲被切到怪物的嘴里，她不停地扭动和踢来踢去。"是的！你喜欢吗?！我要把你撕成碎片
from the inside out!”
从里到外!"
She might be psychotic, but she did give everypony a chance to get out of there. Unfortunately, I couldn’t imagine that even she’d be enough to stop the thing! For not the first time, I lamented my lack of heavy weaponry. Even a grenade would be… wait. Boxes of strange and hazardous chemicals? Drums of older strange and hazardous chemicals? More boxes thrown off to the sides and full of fireworks? And me with lots of incendiary bullets.
她可能有精神病，但她确实给了每个小马一个离开那里的机会。不幸的是，我无法想象即使是她也无法阻止这件事！这不是我第一次为自己缺乏重型武器而感到惋惜。即使是手榴弹也会...等等。一箱箱奇怪而危险的化学物质？古老的奇怪和危险的化学物质的桶？更多的箱子被扔到边上，装满了烟火？我还有很多燃烧弹。
Stupid, crazy, and liable to get me killed. What was I waiting for? My telekinesis loaded the carbine with red incendiary rifle rounds and I raced across the factory, shooting anything that looked remotely flammable. The beakers and chemistry sets in the middle of the room started burning quite readily, but they didn’t have the force I needed. The two free heads of the hydra continued snapping after me as the other pair continued to break their teeth on Rampage’s armor.
愚蠢，疯狂，可能会害死我。我还在等什么？我的心灵遥感装满了红色的燃烧来福枪子弹，我跑过工厂，射击任何看起来有点点燃的东西。房间中间的烧杯和化学设备开始很容易地燃烧起来，但是它们没有我所需要的力量。九头蛇的两个自由的头继续咬着我，另一对继续在狂暴的盔甲上咬断他们的牙齿。
I focused on any crate marked ‘BOOM’, guessing the fireworks were my best bet. One crate started to smoke… fizzle… and then there was a pop. That was it. “Oh come on! What kind of fireworks don’t explode?”
我把注意力集中在任何一个写着"BOOM"的箱子上，猜测烟火是我最好的赌注。一个板条箱开始冒烟...嘶嘶作响...然后砰的一声。就是这样。"哦，得了吧！什么样的烟火不会爆炸?"
The hydra had had enough of the Reaper. With a snap of its heads, it threw her with such force that she shattered the reinforced glass in a window and went flying out. Now there was just one edible morsel and four hungry heads. And after it ate me, would it eventually wander to Flank? I backed towards the door behind me and took aim at the metal barrels across the room marked Ammonium something or other. Three burning rounds punched through the metal.
九头蛇受够了死神。随着它的头的一声啪的一声，它以如此强大的力量把她扔了出去，以至于她打碎了一扇窗户上的加固玻璃，飞了出去。现在只剩下一块可食用的食物和四个饥饿的脑袋。在它吃了我之后，它会最终游荡到弗兰克吗？我退向身后的门，瞄准房间另一头的金属桶，上面写着铵什么的。三发正在燃烧的子弹穿透了金属。
There was a hiss. A pop. Then a flame so bright it nearly blinded me jetted out from the metal drum and sprayed across the back of the hydra. The fire spread to the rest of the stack…
有一阵嘶嘶声。砰的一声。然后一团火焰如此明亮，几乎把我的眼睛都烧瞎了，它从金属桶里喷出来，溅到九头蛇的背上。火势蔓延到烟囱的其余部分..。
I really wished I had one of Crowbar’s acceleration potions as I ran for the door.
我真希望在我跑向门口的时候能有一个撬棍的加速剂。
There wasn’t a boom so much as a roar that built and built. A great wind lifted me up and threw me through the door like a bullet as a chemical sun dawned in the Wasteland. I rolled across the parking lot and landed sitting in a heap.
与其说是繁荣，不如说是兴建和建造的轰鸣声。一阵大风把我掀了起来，像一颗子弹一样把我扔进了大荒地的化学太阳。我翻滚着穿过停车场，坐成一堆。
Then the factory exploded.
然后工厂爆炸了。
The BOOM Inc. factory lived up to its namesake as the walls disintegrated in a
公司的工厂没有辜负其同名的墙壁瓦解在一个
detonation that slammed me flat on my back. Any Hydra that might have remained inside was vaporized, and the shockwave drained what remained in the water tank. The deluge put out most of the fire; though not much remained after that explosion.
爆炸把我的背摔得粉碎。任何可能留在里面的九头蛇都蒸发了，冲击波把水箱里剩下的水抽干了。大洪水扑灭了大部分的火，虽然爆炸后剩下的不多了。
I picked myself up, slung the carbine around my neck, and walked to where the remaining guards and freed ponies watched in amazement. I looked at them, grinned at the lot -- minus one tooth, damn it -- and said, “Pinkie Pie was right. Explosions are fun.” Then my eyes rolled up in my sockets as I crashed face first into the ground.
我站起来，把卡宾枪挂在脖子上，走到其他警卫和被放出来的小马惊奇地看着的地方。我看着他们，咧嘴一笑——少了一颗牙，该死的——然后说,"小指派说得对。爆炸很有趣。"然后我的眼珠子翻了起来，脸先撞到了地上。
* * *
* * *
Apparently me blowing up a factory and monster in one go was enough of a spectacle that none of the survivors thought to cut my head off while I was out. Glory, who’d had the common sense to flee, and Rampage, who’d been ejected for being indigestible, had reinforced how that would be a bad idea, and so I came to once again in the auto-doc. Apparently shockwaves are bad for the brain, particularly when you just recovered from a near death experience less than a day prior.
显然，我一口气炸掉一家工厂和一个怪物已经够壮观的了，没有一个幸存者想到在我出去的时候把我的头砍下来。晨辉有常识逃跑了，而狂暴则因为难以消化而被驱逐了，这让我更加确信这是个坏主意，所以我又一次坐上了自动文档。显然，冲击波对大脑有害，尤其是当你刚从不到一天前的濒死体验中恢复过来时。
“You stay here another week and I’ll be able to retire to Tenpony Tower,” Scalpel said with a dry chuckle as I emerged from the machine a fourth time. Then she shook her head a bit sadly. “Never seen a pony so set on getting herself blown up.” Her eyes peered up at me, as if searching for something. “So, you did good?”
"你在这里再待一个星期，我就可以退休去天马大厦了,"当我第四次从机器里出来时，手术刀干巴巴地笑着说。然后她伤心地摇了摇头。"从没见过一匹小马如此执意要把自己炸飞。"她的眼睛凝视着我，好像在寻找什么东西。"这么说，你干得不错?"
I stretched and shook myself, then brushed my black and red hair out of my face. “You tell me.”
我伸了个懒腰，抖了抖身子，然后把我那黑红相间的头发从脸上拂了下去。"你告诉我。"
The mature lavender mare shrugged. “I got thirty or so ponies lining up to start detox. It’s a lot harder for scavengers to get cheap Dash. And I heard that Caprice is plenty happy somepony finally took care of that operation over in the fireworks factory. So yeah, I’d say you done good.”
成熟的淡紫色母马耸耸肩。"我有三十匹左右的小马排队等着排毒。对于拾荒者来说，要得到便宜的Dash要难得多。我还听说Caprice很高兴终于有人在烟花工厂搞定了那个手术。所以，是的，我会说你做得很好。"
I sighed as I sat. “Still not enough, though.”
我坐着叹了口气。"不过还是不够。"
Scalpel shook her head. “You’ve done more in a night for folks than anypony ever did. How can you not be square after that?”
手术刀摇了摇头。"你一个晚上为人们做的比任何小马都多。在那之后，你怎么还不老实呢?"
I sighed as I closed my eyes. “You do everything you can to make up for it, knowing that you’ll never succeed in getting rid of the guilt. You devote yourself to spending every second trying to do better despite the fact that it will never be enough. And you pray with every single good act you do that somehow, when your life is over, that your lifetime will come close to making up for the wrongs you committed.”
我闭上眼睛，叹了口气。"你想尽一切办法去弥补，因为你知道你永远不可能摆脱内疚。你把自己全身心地投入到每一分每一秒去努力做得更好，尽管事实上这永远都不够。当你的生命结束的时候，你祈祷你做的每一件好事都能够弥补你犯下的错误。"
Scalpel stared in shock. “What was all that?”
手术刀吓呆了。"那是怎么回事?"
“Something somepony told me to make up for a wrong I did. I thought it was my first. It wasn’t. It wasn’t even my worst wrong,” I said quietly, still smiling. “It’s why it’ll never be square. It’s why I’ve always got to keep trying to make it square. And I’ll always lose.” I sighed. “There were three ponies who died in a cage… maybe I could have saved them if I’d tried harder. I don’t know…”
"有人告诉我要弥补我犯下的错误。我以为这是我的第一次。其实不是。这甚至不是我最大的错误,"我静静地说，仍然微笑着。"这就是为什么它永远不会是正方形的。这就是为什么我总是试图让事情变得公平。我永远都会输。"我叹了口气。"有三匹小马死在笼子里......如果我再努力一点，也许我能救它们。我不知道......"
Scalpel looked at me for one more moment then grumbled, “You’re an idiot.” Then she put her hooves around me in a brief, tight hug before releasing me. “Bravest, boldest damn idiot in the Wasteland, but still an idiot,” she muttered as she stood and walked to the door. “Now if you don’t mind, I’ve got a whole waiting room of Dash-heads wanting to try and kick their fix. So if you’ll excuse me, I’m pretty sure Caprice got you a place to stay at Rooms.”
手术刀又看了我一会儿，然后嘟囔道:"你是个白痴。"然后，在放开我之前，她用蹄子紧紧地抱了我一下。"荒原上最勇敢、最大胆的白痴，但还是个白痴,"她站起来走向门口，喃喃自语道。"现在，如果你不介意的话，我已经安排了一整个等候室的冲浪头，他们都想尝试一下。所以如果你不介意的话，我很确定Caprice给你在Rooms找了个住的地方。"
To be honest, I was pretty tired. Glory was looking for P-21 again. Rampage was… doing whatever it was she did. I just wanted to buy something to eat at the Trough and sleep till I woke naturally. No explosions. No horrors. Nothing. I passed on some fresh apples from the Society, even though they were offered at a discount. I’d take two-century-old food over the product of slave labor. Then I trotted to the hotel to find that a room had been booked for me. Very nice. Quiet. Third floor.
说实话，我很累了。晨辉又在寻找P-21。狂暴在做她该做的事。我只是想买点东西在波谷吃点东西，然后睡到自然醒。没有爆炸。没有恐怖。没什么。我把学会送来的一些新鲜苹果给了他们，尽管这些苹果有折扣。我宁愿选择两个世纪以前的食物，而不是奴隶劳动的产物。然后我小跑到旅馆，发现已经为我预定了一个房间。非常好。安静。三楼。
I had to admit, of all the places in Equestria, the suite sure fit the bill. The room smelled only a little bit of mold and the water stains on the ceiling weren’t super huge. I locked the door and sat back to read the hoof to hoof book that I’d found in Miramare’s locker room. Thank Celestia for the big pictures. I read about a style of fighting called ‘Fallen Caeser’ that reminded me of the zebras in No Pony’s Land charging the Marauders. It looked… terrifying, to be honest. Doombunny technique sounded even worse; martial arts with Stampede could not be pretty. The entry marked ‘Fool’s Gambit’ made me chuckle. Who ever heard of a fighting style based entirely on moment to moment improvisation?
我不得不承认，在Equestria所有的地方中，这间套房肯定符合要求。房间里只有一点霉味，天花板上的水渍也不是特别大。我锁上门，坐回去读在米拉马雷更衣室里找到的那本蹄对蹄的书。谢谢Celestia的大图片。我读到一种叫做"堕落的凯撒"的战斗方式，这让我想起了《无马之地》中的斑马向掠夺者冲锋。说实话，这看起来...很可怕。末日兔的技巧听起来更糟糕，用惊跑的武术可不好玩。标有"傻瓜开局"的条目让我忍俊不禁。有谁听说过完全基于瞬间即兴的战斗风格？
Unfortunately, while I could really use a nap, my brain still wasn’t making it any easier for me to get one. I kept playing back the fight with the hydra. I kept looking at that cage full of ponies falling into the rainbow water. Could I have jumped in and saved them? Had that been an option I missed?
不幸的是，虽然我真的需要小睡一会儿，但我的大脑还是不能让我更容易地小睡一会儿。我一直在回放与九头蛇的战斗。我一直看着那笼子里的小马掉进彩虹的水里。我能跳进去救他们吗？这是我错过的一个选择吗？
Ugh, why did my stupid brain never make anything easy?
为什么我那愚蠢的大脑从来不让事情变得简单？
Not being able to sleep bordered on boredom for me, and boredom was intolerable. I considered reading one of Glory’s Scientific Equestrias, but half a paragraph about magical crystal reactors had me feeling stupid, not sleepy. I needed something else to do.
对我来说，无法入睡几乎就是无聊，无聊让人无法忍受。我曾考虑过读一本晨辉的科学骑士杂志，但有半段关于神奇水晶反应器的文章让我感到愚蠢，而不是困倦。我需要做点别的事情。
Well, I still had those two memory orbs from Miramare, the ones I’d found in Colonel Cupcake’s office…
我还留着那两个从米拉马雷来的记忆球那是我在卡帕特上校办公室找到的。
“No! No no no! The last time I was inside one of those things, I was captured by the Enclave. Before that, a magical trap in one shut my brain down,” I muttered, but I dug out the orbs anyway. The door was locked; I was perfectly safe, right? It wasn’t like I needed a guard while I was out. I looked skeptically at the two orbs and lifted one with my magic.
"不！不，不，不！上一次我在那些东西里面的时候，我被昂科雷抓住了。在那之前，一个魔法陷阱让我的大脑停止了工作,"我喃喃自语，但我还是把球体挖了出来。门是锁着的，我是绝对安全的，对吧？我不在的时候也不需要保安。我怀疑地看着这两个球体，用魔法举起了一个。
I felt the magical connection form. Then… nothing. Clearly this orb had been locked as well. Maybe it was some classified secret of Colonel Cupcake’s? Maybe it was about the Marauders, or Vanity’s little memory extraction of Jetstream? I wished that I could have another peek at Macintosh’s Maripony and the stars--
我感觉到了那种神奇的联系。然后...什么都没了。很明显这个球也被锁住了。也许是纸杯蛋糕上校的机密？也许是关于掠夺者，或者是虚荣对于Jetstream的记忆提取？我真希望能再看一眼麦金托什的《马里波尼和星星》
oooOOOooo
噢噢噢
Okay. Warning next time please! This memory seemed to have little to do with stars, however, as I found myself surrounded by a cacophony of noise and activity. Dust and smoke filled my lungs as I walked… no, not walked. I loomed. I rose above the milling crowd with slow, sure steps. Careful steps. A sprig of wheat dangled out my mouth. Big. Chewing on grass. Glimpses of red hide and brown mane? I had an inkling whose memory this was!
好吧。请下次注意！然而，这段记忆似乎与星星没有什么关系，因为我发现自己周围充满了嘈杂的声音和活动。当我走路的时候，灰尘和烟雾充满了我的肺...不，不是走路。我问道。我迈着缓慢而稳健的步伐从人群中站了起来。谨慎的步骤。一枝小麦在我的嘴里摇曳着。很大。吃草。一瞥红色的皮毛和棕色的鬃毛？我就知道这是谁的记忆！
All around me I saw the reconstruction of Hoofington. A massive open pit in the north end of the island connected to train tunnels. As the train cars pulled through, teams of pegasi would fly down and attach hooks to the I-beams or sacks of concrete or whatever else they were unloading and lift them with cranes
在我的周围我看到了Hoofington的重建。在岛的北端有一个巨大的露天矿坑，连接着火车隧道。当火车驶过时，飞马座的人组成的队伍会飞下来，把挂钩挂在工字梁上，或者混凝土袋子上，或者卸下的任何东西上，然后用起重机吊起
out of the pit and onto rail cars that ran along the city streets. Teams of earth ponies stood by, hauling their loads out into the city in a constant stream of activity. Everywhere I looked, ponies worked. Everywhere I looked, Hoofington rose.
从坑里爬出来，上了沿着城市街道行驶的火车。一队队的土地小马站在一旁，拖着它们的负载进入城市在不断的活动。我看到的每个地方，小马都在工作。无论我看到哪里，胡芬顿都站了起来。
Unfortunately, all the construction around the pit made it more than a little bit hazardous. Big Macintosh kept his eyes open, but the same could not be said about a light blue unicorn trotting along with her face in a map! “Now if this is north and that is east then I think I need to head this way…” she muttered as she peered at the map in her face.
不幸的是，这个坑周围的所有建筑都使它有点危险。大麦金托什一直睁着眼睛，但一只浅蓝色的独角兽沿着她的脸在地图上小跑就不一样了！"现在，如果这里是北方，那里是东方，那么我想我需要朝这边走......"她低声说着，眼睛盯着地图。
“Miss?” Big Macintosh warned as she approached one of the rails. Six tough earth ponies were hauling a stack of metal rods along the rails down the middle of the street. The locals stopped well back of the supply line, but the blue unicorn didn’t seem aware of how close she was to the rails.
"小姐?"大麦金托什在靠近一根栏杆时发出警告。六匹结实的土马拖着一堆金属棒沿着轨道走到街中央。当地人停在补给线后面很远的地方，但是蓝独角兽似乎并没有意识到她离铁路有多近。
“But I already went that way. Oh, confound it! Why can’t anypony label anything in this city! It’s crazy!”
"但我已经走过那条路了。哦，该死！为什么在这个城市里没有任何商标！这太疯狂了!"
“Miss!” Big Macintosh raised his voice a touch higher in concern as more ponies started to shove in behind her.
"小姐!"大麦金托什提高了他的声音略高一点的关注，因为更多的小马开始挤在她的身后。
“Ugh, why can’t this place be more like Manehattan? I can at least see the Statue of Friendship in the harbor and…” There was a hard shove as three arguing ponies rammed into the blue unicorn, knocking her onto the rails.
"唉，为什么这个地方不能更像曼哈顿呢？我至少可以看到港口里的友谊雕像......"三匹争论不休的小马撞上了蓝色独角兽，把她撞到了铁轨上。
“Get outta the way!” the pony leading the cart shouted in alarm. “We can’t stop!”
"让开!"牵着马车的小马惊叫起来。"我们停不下来!"
Big Macintosh didn’t hesitate. He dove towards the fallen unicorn as the lead ponies almost stomped her. “Don’t worry, miss! I got--”
大麦金托什机没有犹豫。他朝着倒下的独角兽扑去，那匹领头的小马差点把她踩死。"别担心，小姐！我有——"
She disappeared in a flash of purple magic.
她在一阵紫色魔法的闪光中消失了。
“You?” Macintosh staggered forward onto the tracks. He looked at the oncoming train and jumped clear just in time. The pulling team shouted for him to go back to Ponyville. He sat down hard as the supply train passed, looking around. “Miss? Miss! You all right?”
"你?"麦金托什蹒跚地向前走上铁轨。他看着迎面而来的火车，及时地跳了下去。救援队喊着让他回Ponyville。补给列车经过时，他使劲地坐下，环顾四周。""小姐？小姐！你没事吧?"
“Over here,” the light blue unicorn said as she adjusted her thick glasses and
"在这里,"淡蓝色的独角兽说，她调整她的厚眼镜和
then blinked. “Big Macintosh?” Her mane was a darker navy with a streak of electric blue in her tail and mane. I couldn’t make out her cutie mark; her saddlebags covered it up too well.
然后眨了眨眼。"大麦金塔?"它的鬃毛是深蓝色的，尾巴和鬃毛上有一条铁蓝色的条纹。我看不清她那可爱的印记，她的鞍囊把它遮得太严实了。
“Ayep. You know me, miss?” he said as he stood and walked towards her. As the supply train passed the crowd resumed their motions around the city.
"是的。你认识我吗，小姐?"他边说边站起来朝她走过去。补给列车经过时，人群恢复了他们在城市里的活动。
“Ah…” Her blue eyes widened behind her glasses. “Um… Applejack! The Ministry Mare mentioned you. You’re her older brother.”
"啊......"她眼镜后面的蓝眼睛睁大了。"嗯...苹果白兰地！魔法部提到过你。你是她的哥哥。"
“Oh. You work for AJ, huh?” She smiled nervously and gave a hesitant little nod.
"哦。你为AJ工作，是吗?"她紧张地笑了笑，犹豫地点了点头。
“Kind of. I’m actually with the Ministry of Arcane Sciences, though.”
"算是吧。事实上，我是奥术科学部的。"
“New to the Hoof?” he asked, his very presence making the crowd break around him like a river. I wondered if she appreciated it; she was kinda puny.
"新来的蹄子?"他问道，他的存在让他周围的人群像河流一样崩溃。我不知道她是否喜欢，她有点瘦小。
“Does it show that much?”
"有那么明显吗?"
He chuckled softly. “Ayep. What’s your name, miss?” he asked with an easygoing smile. More impressive, he wasn’t checking her out. She had the cute librarian look down perfectly but his eyes stayed off her butt and on her face.
他轻轻地笑了。"是的。小姐，你叫什么名字?"他带着平易近人的微笑问道。更令人印象深刻的是，他并没有盯着她看。她让可爱的图书管理员完美地向下看，但是他的眼睛没有盯着她的屁股和她的脸。
“Ah… my name? Is… ah… Mari…pony,” she stammered as she blushed and forced a grin. Oooh… somepony definitely liked Big Red. “Maripony. And actually I have an appointment at the Ministry of Arcane Sciences hub. Only…” She looked around. “I’m not really sure where that is. I have a map… had a… oh dear.” She found her map, ground and mangled to pulp between the tracks.
"啊......我的名字？"是......啊......玛丽......小马驹,"她脸红了，勉强笑了笑，结结巴巴地说。哦...有些小马肯定喜欢大红。"马里波尼。事实上我在奥术科学中心有个约会。只是......"她环顾四周。"我真的不知道它在哪里。我有一张地图...有一张..。.哦，亲爱的"她在铁轨之间找到了她的地图，地上一片狼藉，血肉模糊。
“Ministries are around the plaza pit. Gotta go towards Mt. Hoof,” he said, pointing up the street at the knot of granite rising from the south end of the island. “I’ll walk you,” he offered with a casual smile.
"政府部门在广场坑周围。"我们得去Mt.Hoof,"他指着街道上从岛的南端升起的花岗岩结说。"我陪你走走,"他不经意地笑了笑。
“Oh no, you don’t have to do that,” she said with a blush.
"哦，不，你不必这样做,"她脸红地说。
“Ayup, don’t have to, but I will anyway.” Take him on his offer, Maripony! You won’t regret it! Of course I guessed she probably accepted, given what I’d seen before. Though… maybe she did regret it… arrgh! Why did I have to think that? It was like I’d come across a juicy novel but had already read the last chapter!
"阿尤普，不需要，但无论如何我会的。"接受他的提议吧，马里波尼！你不会后悔的！当然，考虑到我以前看到的情况，我猜她可能接受了。不过......也许她真的后悔了......啊！我为什么要这么想？这就好像我看到了一本有趣的小说，但是已经读完了最后一章！
Such a spoiler...
这样的破坏者..。
Still, she finally accepted his offer and seemed to relax a bit. “So what’s your business in the Hoof, if I may ask, Miss Maripony?” he asked as they walked along the busy streets. Many of the buildings were already ten stories tall and growing.
尽管如此，她最终还是接受了他的提议，似乎有点放松了。"请问您在霍夫有什么事，玛丽波妮小姐?"当他们沿着繁忙的街道行走时，他问道。许多建筑物已经有十层楼高，而且还在增长。
“Organizing this mess. Since the ministries were established, we’ve been running our tails off trying to get things organized. Pinkie Pie has it easy; it really doesn’t matter if ponies are arranged in a department of amusement parks or the birthday cake corps. And Fluttershy’s ministry is organizing itself for her, I think. But the M.A.S. and M.W.T. are a lot more complicated. The Office of Interministry Affairs is trying to sort it all out, but with the reconstruction and all, things in Hoofington are a little fuzzy.”
"组织这场混乱。自从这些部门成立以来，我们一直在忙着把事情组织起来。小马派很容易得到;不管是在游乐园的部门还是在生日蛋糕公司，小马是否被安排好真的不重要。我想，小萤火虫的事工正在为她组织起来。但是m.a.s.和m.w.t.要复杂得多。部际事务办公室(OfficeofInterministryAffairs)正在努力解决这一问题，但随着重建工作的展开，Hoofington的情况有些模糊。"
“I see. So you’re here for Twilight Sparkle trying to get this hub situated?”
"我明白了。所以你来这里是为了紫悦，想把这个中心安顿下来?"
She glanced at him and then gave a little nod. “Mhmm. Something like that. The Manehattan and Canterlot… and other hubs… are already well organized, but since Hoofington is all about interministry cooperation, this hub needs to be established from the ground up. So here I am.”
她瞥了他一眼，然后点了点头。"嗯。差不多吧。曼哈顿和坎特罗特...以及其他枢纽...已经组织良好，但由于胡芬顿完全是部际合作，这个枢纽需要从头建立起来。所以我来了。"
“Surprised Twilight Sparkle didn’t come herself,” Big Macintosh said as they stepped aside for a wagon loaded with crates and boxes.
"惊讶的紫悦没有自己来,"大麦金托什说，他们退到一边，让一辆装满板条箱和箱子的货车通过。
“Oh, she wanted to,” Maripony replied with a grunt. “But one of the things about being a ministry mare is that you can’t take two steps without everypony falling all over themselves trying to either suck up to you or trying to be genuinely helpful and doing everything for you.”
"哦，她想要,"玛丽波尼咕哝着回答。"但是作为一个事奉母马的一件事就是，你不可能迈出两步，而不让每一匹小马都倒在地上，要么试图讨好你，要么试图真诚地帮助你，为你做任何事。"
They reached the edge of an enormous pit in the earth. Here the rails didn’t just enter the bottom of the pit; they were actually on bridges spanning the gulf. More infrastructure was being built even further down in the pit. Maripony’s eyes popped wide. “How in Equestria did something like this get dug out?”
他们到达了地球上一个巨大坑洞的边缘。在这里，铁轨不仅进入坑底，而且实际上是在跨越墨西哥湾的桥梁上。更多的基础设施正在建设，甚至更深的坑。玛丽波妮的眼睛睁得大大的。"在Equestria，这样的事情是怎么被发现的?"
Big Macintosh chuckled. “Sand dogs.”
大苹果机咯咯地笑了起来。"沙滩狗。"
“Sand dogs?” Big Macintosh walked to the fence surrounding the pit and pointed a hoof down towards where several teams of canines were working. Their claws seemed to magically tear away the rock before them.
"沙滩狗?"大麦金托什走到坑周围的栅栏，把蹄子指向几组犬科动物正在工作的地方。它们的爪子似乎魔法般地把面前的岩石撕开了。
“Well, they used to call themselves diamond dogs. Then the war got started and their home was mined for gems for the war effort. Threw ‘em out on their tails. So when reconstruction started, Gold went out and offered them all a job to dig out the tunnels under the city. They get paid in gems, have a place to live, and Hoofington rises. Most of ‘em hope to return home someday.”
"嗯，他们过去叫自己钻石狗。然后战争开始了，他们的家园被开采成为战争的宝石。用尾巴把它们扔出去。所以当重建工作开始的时候，戈尔德走了出来，给他们提供了一份挖掘城市地下隧道的工作。他们用宝石换取报酬，有地方住，Hoofington崛起。他们中的大多数人都希望有一天能回家。"
“Oh. Well, I hope that’ll be possible, one day,” Maripony said softly. “Still, I’m glad somepony found a place for them.”
"哦。嗯，我希望有一天这会成为可能,"马里波尼轻声说。"尽管如此，我还是很高兴有人为它们找到了栖身之处。"
“Hoof has a place for everypony, long as you’re willing to work and you’re not striped. Folks around here have a particularly powerful dislike of the zebra folks.”
"霍夫给每匹小马都留了一席之地，只要你愿意工作，而且你不是条纹马。这里的人特别讨厌斑马。"
Maripony sighed. “But there’s not any evidence that the zebras even caused the fire!” The comment drew a lot of angry glances. If it hadn’t been for Big Macintosh, I suspected somepony might have tried something.
马里波尼叹了口气。"但是没有任何证据证明是斑马引起的火灾!"这条评论招致了许多愤怒的目光。如果不是因为大麦金托什，我怀疑一些小马可能已经尝试了一些东西。
“Maybe. Maybe not. Hoofington rises all the same,” he replied, eyeing the crowd. “Anywho, this is Ministry Plaza. You want the purple one.”
"也许吧。也许不是。胡芬顿还是站了起来,"他回答，眼睛盯着人群。"不管怎样，这里是文化部广场。你想要紫色的。"
Maripony seemed to balk at the sight of the buildings. “It’s… purple? Why purple?”
玛丽波妮似乎对这些建筑物望而却步。"它是...紫色的？为什么是紫色?"
“Matches Twilight Sparkle.” Maripony gaped at him and he chuckled. “What? All the buildings are standardized. Gotta do something to make ‘em stand out. Blue for Awesome. White for Image. Pink for Morale. Orange for Tech. Yellow for Peace. Purple for Arcane Sciences.”
"匹配紫悦。"马里波尼目瞪口呆地看着他，他咯咯地笑起来。"什么？所有的建筑都是标准化的。总得做点什么让他们脱颖而出。蓝色代表了不起。白色代表图像。粉色代表士气。橙色代表技术。黄色代表和平。紫色代表奥术科学。"
“I guess it does make sense,” she said with a sigh, looking over at the rising skyscraper covered in purple-colored stone. Even half finished, it was clear that it was already quite busy. Each ministry building filled up an entire face of the six-sided block around the pit, and they were built with bridges connecting each ministry to the ministry next to it. “That’s still a lot of purple…”
"我想这是有道理的,"她叹了口气，看着那座被紫色石头覆盖的摩天大楼。虽然只完成了一半，但很明显已经很忙了。每一座政府大楼都占据了这个坑周围六边形建筑的整个表面，它们都用桥梁连接着每一个政府部门和旁边的政府部门。"还是有很多紫色......"
“Well, Miss Maripony. There’s your stop. I guess I’d best leave you to it.”
""好吧，玛丽波尼小姐。你到站了。我想我最好还是不打扰你了。"
“I… yes. Thank you, Big Macintosh,” she stammered. He looked back at her with that easy, confident smile.
"我.....。.是的。谢谢你，大麦金托什,"她结结巴巴地说。他回头看着她，脸上露出自信的笑容。
“No worries, miss. If you’re ever in Hoofington, let me know. I’m stationed over
""别担心，小姐。如果你来Hoofington，告诉我一声。我驻扎在这里
at Miramare. We can meet in a little town I know named Withers if you’d rather get away from all the noise. Got some kin that live up that way too.”
在米拉马雷。我们可以在一个叫威瑟斯的小镇见面如果你想远离这些噪音的话。有些亲戚也是这样生活的。"
“I’d like that. Very much,” she said with a happy bob of her head. She was reluctant to turn away, but did so with notable awkwardness as she trotted towards the ministry building.
"我很乐意。非常喜欢,"她高兴地摇了摇头说。她不愿意转身离开，但是当她快步走向政府大楼时，却显得很尴尬。
Big Macintosh chuckled as he turned as well. “Hmmm… Maripony, huh…?”
大麦金托什在转身时也咯咯地笑了起来。"嗯......马里波尼，嗯......?"
oooOOOooo
噢噢噢
Coming out of the memory, I felt that familiar sense of disorientation; though really not as bad as leaving Stonewing’s memory.
走出记忆，我感到熟悉的迷失方向的感觉，虽然真的没有离开斯通温的记忆那么糟糕。
So that was Macintosh’s first memory of Maripony. I wonder why he’d saved it. Maybe he’d planned to give it to her as a present, entrusting it to Colonel Cupcake… no. I sat up in the bed, looking at the little glowing orb with a small frown. “No… not for when he got back. He saved it in case he didn’t come home from Shattered Hoof Ridge.”
这就是麦金托什对Maripony的第一个记忆。我想知道他为什么要保存它。也许他打算把它作为礼物送给她，委托给卡皮特上校...不。我坐在床上，皱着眉头看着那个发光的小球体。"不......不是为了他回来的时候。他留着它，以防他从粉碎蹄脊回不来。"
Maybe Maripony hadn’t wanted it. Maybe Colonel Cupcake hadn’t been able to find the blue unicorn.
也许马里波尼并不想这样。也许卡帕特上校没能找到蓝色独角兽。
Maybe I was wearing an explosive slave collar.
也许我戴着一个易爆的奴隶项圈。
I rolled to my hooves, seeing the gray band tight against my throat in the cracked mirror. U-21 sat next to the door, a floated detonator beside him. “Ah ah ah… none of that now.”
我翻滚到我的蹄子上，看到破裂的镜子里那条灰色的带子紧紧地勒着我的喉咙。U-21就坐在门边，一个引爆器浮在他身边。"啊，啊，啊......现在没有了。"
“Told you. Takes her forever to snap out of those things,” a stallion at the table said as he flipped through Glory’s copy of Scientific Equestria. P-21 set the magazine aside, his blue eyes hard and dark as the deepest holes of Stable 99 as he smiled at me. “Evening, Blackjack. Miss me?”
""告诉你了。桌边的一匹种马一边翻阅晨辉出版社的《科学骑士》一边说。P-21把杂志放在一边，他蓝色的眼睛坚硬而黑暗，就像马厩99最深的洞一样，对我微笑。"晚上好，黑杰克。想我吗?"
Footnote: Level Up.
脚注:水平上升。
New Perk Added: Hit the Deck -- You’ve been hit by one too many explosions. Perhaps it’s time to consider a new career? +25 Damage Threshold against explosives.
新帕金斯补充:卧倒----你被太多的爆炸击中了。也许是时候考虑换个职业了？+25对爆炸物的破坏阈值。
Author's Notes:
作者笔记:
(Always thanks for Kkat for creating FoE, and huge thanks to Hinds and Bronode for helping me edit this monster.)
(总是感谢Kkat创建了FoE，也非常感谢Hinds和Bronode帮助我编辑这个怪物。)