//------------------------------// // Seventeen // Story: Fallout Equestria: Wasteland's Beauty. // by D1scordant //------------------------------// Chapter Seventeen “You do realize the reception's been canceled, don't you?” We had left the city a while ago, and we were scaling the rocky hills below the Applewood sign. Winter had spotted a narrow switch back snaking up to a small shed built near the ‘w’. I glanced back down the hill; we had made it about half way up. No pony had said anything since Lead shot that raider, it kind of didn’t sit well with all of us. I spotted a small glint of metal nearby, and cautiously trotted over to it. It was a orange disk half buried in the gravely soil. It had been freshly buried, and it wasn’t the only one. Chip walked up next to me. “Those are mines, Diamon’. Step on one, an’ your dead.” “Look at all of them,” Winter said worriedly “they’re everywhere. Just how are we going to get past them?” I heard Lead nicker, I turned seeing him grinning smugly. “Whoever buried these things was either damn stupid, or a genius, the mines are so close together, if you set one off, they all go off, and the whole side of the mountain comes crashing down.” “Well, that's fine and all,” I said, “ But it still doesn’t tell us how to get past them.” “True, but if you look, you’ll see all the ones in the path are spaced further apart, and who ever buried them was real sloppy. I think if we’re just a little cautious, we can sneak past them” Lead replied. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ I felt my heart pounding as I stepped out of the mine field. Thank Celestia I didn’t get blown up. I sighed. The minefield stopped about fifty yards from the entrance to the stable. We made it! “Lets go” I said, levitating my rifles, and cautiously trotting towards the old shed. The old shed had for the most part collapsed, but the tunnel going to the stable had been recently excavated. Once inside the tunnel, I activated the lamp on my Pipbuck. Lead was right behind me. I stopped suddenly. Lying right in front of me was a dead pony. He had been dismembered. Chit pushed past me and Lead. “Definitely Assahld’s work.” He said “He was an acquaintance of mine, back when I still worked for Chrysalis. He was renowned for his blood lust. A psychopathic bastard, if you ask me.” Well that was good news. “He sounds like a wonderful fellow.” Winter deadpanned. When we reached the doorway, I noticed the door had been ripped off, and tossed aside like trash. Inside, several eyes peered back at us, Changelings. “Put down your weapons, and come with us.” one of them called. Chip stepped forward “Sorry, bug boy. That jus’ ain’t gonna happen. He spun up his minigun, and began firing into the tunnel shredding anything inside. Winter rolled her eyes. “We could have tried diplomacy.” “You can reason with them.” Chit replied “ We need to keep going.” ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This stable was different, not just the webby goop all over the walls, but it seemed more militaristic. And the general layout wasn’t the same as my former home. I was lost. I didn’t want to admit it, so I kept quiet “Hey, Diamond, are we lost?” Lead asked. I sighed. “Maybe.” I answered. Parts of the stable seemed similar. It was kind of eerie, And we hadn’t seen any more changelings. I had a bad feeling about this “Quiet!” Chit commanded suddenly. “It’s a trap!” Without warning, half a dozen heavily armored changelings emerged from the shadows. “Come with us, Queen Chrysalis wishes to speak with you” One of the changelings spoke “ Before she executes you.” “And if we say no?” I retaliated. The changeling chuckled “ Do you really think you have a choice?” “Five of us against six of ya’ll , I think I like those odds.” Lead replied. The stable lights grew brighter revealing hundreds of heavily armed changelings. I hadn’t expected this many. We had no choice ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ We were being escorted trough the dimly lit halls of the stable. Our weapons had been taken away, and we were being led to the queen’s chamber. The entrance was covered by a large steel door marked with an inscription. Cerberus Inc. Armory Vault 117 Authorized Military personnel only Lethal force IS authorized Sounds inviting. At our approach the door split into fourths and slid into the walls. The Bug-like creature behind me shoved all of us through the doorway. The other side was furnished surprisingly well, It had all the fancy decor the wasteland could give, every thing a bug queen could need. Sitting in a metal throne on a raised dais, was the queen of the changelings. She was twice as large as a normal pony, and was covered in a black carapace. The queen had both a twisted horn and insect wings. Oh, and her legs looked like Swiss cheese! “Oh, Chithalin,” She started.” I had hoped your silly delusions of freedom wouldn’t have caused you to betray. Pity.” Chit cleared his throat “My queen, I have not betray you, I brought you the chosen one. Please pardon my past crimes.” What. The. Hell!? “CHIT!? WHAT ARE YOU SAYING!?” I screamed. The changeling smirked “I’m saying you lose, and I get away Scott-free. I’m sorry, Diamond.” I had trusted him. We had all trusted him! And he... Betrayed us! I was shocked. As shock as I was when I had walked into that room at the hospital. But this time my shock turned to rage. “YOU... YOU BASTARD! YOU WERE OUR FRIEND! DOES THAT EVEN MEAN A FUCKING THING TO YOU!? “I am sorry Diamond, its either me or you.” He winked “Just like I let those slavers get away with those unicorn mares.” Wait... Chit had killed that slaver. Was this just a part of his plan. “I am truly sorry Chit, but that is not possible. You must pay for your crimes.” Chrysalis spoke “You must die.” “No!” Chit said hopelessly. He was going to die. “Diamond, Im sorry” Those where his last words as the queen burned his flesh from his body. He didn’t even scream. “Chit!”