09
When I came to, I was in a cell. And they’d taken my helmet, my coat and my weapons. Even the Magnum tucked into the back of my pants. Oh, and all my chems and food. I also had a mild hangover and a massive headache from where I got kicked. According to my Pip-Boy, I had a concussion and I’d somehow taken 148 Rads.
As for the cell, well, it was definitely comfortable, as far as cells go. Something you could call a bed, except it was a bit short for me, was on one of the walls. A small bowl, I’m guessing it was so I could take a shit or something when I needed to. A small window, with bars of course. And they’d left me an apple on the ground, too. Nice of them.
So, I took the apple and took a look out the window. Don’t know what I expected to see, but what I did set me on edge. There were a bunch of ponies walking around in armour. I showed you the Legate’s Armour, right? The stuff I took off Lanius? Well, it looked a bit like that. Only a bit. It seemed a lot more... decorative, I s’pose. Also, the helmet was completely open, and the plume was blue and seemed to run along the body, if that makes sense.
Taking a closer look, though... I felt very stupid about what I did. Five seconds of closer inspection was enough to tell me that they looked nothing like Legion. And I had punched one of them in the throat. After I had cracked my bottle of absinthe over his head. I was especially upset about that. I’d only had half the bottle when I did that!
I was actually happy when the sound of someone clearing their throat behind me got my attention. Something to take my mind off what I had done, y’know?
Princess Celestia was old, there was no denying that. She had seen Equestria arise from three tribes squabbling over resources to a proud kingdom that spanned thousands of miles. She had fought the Avatar of Disharmony, countless demons, even her own sister after her unfortunate demonic possession. She had held talks with Griffons, Minotaurs, Buffalo, Diamond Dogs and even the elusive Sea Ponies.
So to say that there was something in the castle’s dungeons that had never been seen before anywhere in Equestria was strange. She was sure, at first, that it was simply something that had been lost to the mists of times and had only just resurfaced. Her first thought was that maybe it was a Flutterpony, she hadn’t seen one in centuries. Or perhaps a Grundel?
What was in the cell, though, wasn’t a Flutterpony or a Grundel. It was closer to a Minotaur, but the torso was much slimmer. Bipedal in nature, and wearing much clothing. What little hair she could see atop its head was a gentle brown, messy and unkempt. Its face had a number of scars, the most noticeable one that ran the from the bottom of the left eye to the top of its lip in a curve. What she noticed most, though, when it turned to face her, were the eyes.
They are called the windows to the soul, and for good reason. What she felt, in the depths of the dull green orbs, was something she had never truly expected. Immeasurable pain and suffering, both felt by the creature and inflicted upon others. Deep sorrow and hatred, directed at the same target. A burning desire to right any perceived wrongs. Perhaps the most significant, though, was hope, a shining beacon in his heart that guided his actions.
A simple look in his eyes told her that there was no-one on this world, Pony, Griffon or otherwise, who had the slightest idea what he had been through. Not even her.
This one... well, it was interesting. A perfectly white coat, a horn that could be used a weapon without resorting to flash-ghoulifying someone, and wings that actually seemed somewhat functional. I didn’t see the wings in use, but they certainly seemed that way. The mane and tail, though, they were the interesting parts. They seemed to move on their own, like there was a wind that I just couldn’t feel. Also, shiny. I’d also bet that if I were to stick my hand in there I’d immediately absorb a lethal dose of Rads. She was wearing a crown and lots of jewellery, and was a lot taller than all the others I’d seen before. I assumed that she was unique, which wasn’t exactly the case.
Oh, and we talked for a bit. I was in a cell, it’s not like I could go anywhere.
“Greetings,” Celestia said cautiously, subtly making her words understandable to all.
“Nice to meet you,” he replied, taking a bite of the apple.
Ah, Zebrican, Celestia thought. That makes things easier. “Nice to meet you too, the alicorn replied cordially. “I am Princess Celestia.”
“And I’m the Courier.”
The Princess rose an eyebrow. “That’s more a title than a name,” she said, an eyebrow raised. “But I’m sure you have your reasons” she added with a smile.
He shrugged as he chewed on his apple. “I used to be a courier, it kinda stuck. Not that I mind.” He swallowed his mouthful and wiped his mouth with his arm. “Besides, couriers are the backbone of the Mojave. We make or break towns.” He let out a chuckle as he took another bite. “You don’t mess with the guy who delivers your mail.”
Celestia decided that statement was far from important and decided to ask something that had worried her. “I understand you were brought here for attacking a member of my guard.” Before she could get any further, he raised a hand and interrupted her.
“And I want to apologise for that. I was drunk, and I thought they belonged to Caesar’s Legion.”
“Twilight mentioned that you were a soldier,” Celestia said quietly. “Is that who you were fighting, this ‘Legion’?”
“Technically, I’m a civilian contractor. I fought the Legion because they were a fanatic pack of rapists, slavers and murderers that had united under a single banner and gotten their hands on some powerful weapons.” Centuries of practice was the only thing that let Celestia stop herself from showing her horror. “They based their armour, structure and culture on an ancient civilisation. Right down to treating women as animals and nailing people to crosses.”
“If that is the case, then I am glad that you fought against them,” the alabaster alicorn replied, keeping her rage under control. For a matriarchal society like Equestria, the idea of females being treated as anything less than equal was one that had very nearly led to warfare in the past. “I’ve heard that you’re responsible for the deaths of two dozen Diamond Dogs?”
“That many?” he asked. “Thought it was less. Not that it matters, they got what they deserved,” he said with a shrug.
Celestia was taken back by his brutal honesty and disregard. “You do not care that you took the lives of those with families?” she asked. While the topic would have repulsed anypony else, having lived for who knows how long had the benefit of insulating one from the horrors that could be found in the world.
“The way I see it, they lost any rights they had to be called ‘people’ the moment they decided to enslave children,” he replied. The hate and anger in his voice was astounding, so much so that Celestia was tempted there and then to search his soul for any trace of a demon akin to the one responsible for the creation of Nightmare Moon. “They should be thankful I ended them swiftly.”
“How can you be so comfortable with murdering?” Celestia asked. In her long life, she had seen countless vigilantes, and was curious about his reasoning.
“Murder?” he asked. “It’s not murder when you kill someone so drugged up they don’t know what’s real, that’s mercy. It’s not murder when they attack you first, that’s self-defence. It’s not murder when you know they’ve killed innocents, that’s justice. And it’s definitely not murder when they’re slavers. That is a service to the world,” he finished, locking eyes with the Princess.
The passion and drive behind his words, as well as the experience she could feel, was more than enough to convince her that he honestly felt that way. “I see,” she said neutrally.
In a carriage of the Friendship Express to Canterlot, six mares shared a compartment.
“What do you mean, you told the Princess he was a psychopath!?”
“That’s because he is! You saw the way he killed them Diamond Dogs!”
“He did that to save Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo!”
“And he saved me from a pair of manticores! How could you betray him like that!?”
“You said yerself you thought he was gonna kill you!”
“Girls! I am trying to concentrate!”
“And he threatened me with one of his strange metal weapons things!”
“After you bucked him in his stallionhood!”
“What the hay, AJ!?”
“Ah thought he was gonna hurt Twi!”
“Will you keep it down!?” a male voice yelled out from the next compartment.
“Sorry!” Twilight yelled back. “Great, now look what you’ve done!” she hissed.
“Me? Oh, Ah’m sorry, didn’t realise it was me that brought a mass-murderer to Ponyville!” the farmer said.
“He is not a mass-murderer!”
“Will you keep quiet!?” exclaimed a mare that was pinker than any living thing had any right to be. “I am trying to plan a party!”
“Are ya serious, Pinkie? Ya’ll plannin’ a party for that monster?”
“Shut up or I will have you thrown off this train!” came the male voice again.
Author’s Notes:
Am I rubbing the whole “matriarchal society” thing in a bit too hard?
And that is my actual justification for what my Courier does in-game. Self-defence, mercy, justice and services to humanity. For the most part.
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All in a day's work for the world's best armed mailman.
Rain or Shine, Legion or Rads, no one stops the Courier.
I like your justifications for his actions. In the world of Fallout, he would seem far more mild and likeable than the other groups trotting about the wilderness. And gives a new reason for people to be happy that the mailman is here.
----
And now I wonder how things will be handled for him from now on in this story. With his allergy to magic, and the ponies aversion to the level of violence the Courier does in defense of both himself and for their sake, things are going to be ever so tense. I look forward to much much more of this story!
Good Arguments Strong Convictions, We Are Quite Pleased dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/Luna_lolface.png
I see nothing wrong with the Couriers way of life. I you would live in the Fallout universe you would probably do the same
Like this story and receive a Like
MOOOAAAARRR!!
I see the Courier has high speech to convince the Princess he is not a total mad man. Good work.
Dat NCR Ranger armor
I can't help but be reminded of the film "The Postman" with Kevin Costner. He fought for justice and hope against armed slavers. Not that I mention it, you could draw many parallels between it and New Vegas, thought that's undoubtedly due to genre. Anyway, your version of The Courier sounds like Kevin Costner.
wow I didnt know people could douches like that for saving those children
Good Karma Earned. Also awesome job.
His reasons, noble. His actions, less so. It is the ancient argument, "Do the ends justify the means?" This is the question of morals. What would your choice be? Stand, fight and become what you hate most? Or let them kill you and die as a martyr? This is the question you must ask.
576761
"To be, or not to be: that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them?"
Just seemed fitting.
And that's the thing. Do you sit back and hide as the world slowly destroys itself, or do you go out there and do what you can, even if means losing yourself? Do you try to make a better world, one you can never be a part of?
576768 That from the mouth of Shakespearicles himself. You do me honor, good sir
576768 Plus Ghandi kinda broke that problem. Let them make you a hero, or better yet a martyr, and in the words of Obi-wan Kenobi: "If you strike me down, I shall become more poreful that you could possibly imgine!"
Never fuck with the mailman.
AJ hatin' a bit too much on The Courier.
I am just saying, If you don't smack AJ around a little bit, I will be thoroughly disappointed.
Rain or shine, your ass is mine.
...Wait, was that how the proverb went? Whatever.
Oh, Courier. You lovable bastard.
[Speech 90] It’s not murder when you kill someone so drugged up they don’t know what’s real, that’s mercy. It’s not murder when they attack you first, that’s self-defence. It’s not murder when you know they’ve killed innocents, that’s justice. And it’s definitely not murder when they’re slavers. That is a service to the world.
[Barter 27/70] You know... a life for a life, right?
[Guns 75] A quick shot to the head is painless, unlike slavery.
I wanted to ask something.
I should go.
Dammit AJ even after he told you about what he has been though, even after he killed diamond dogs, even after he saved your sister, you're still so arrogant as to call the royal guard on him. Shame on you.
Fuckin' called it.
Rubbing in the Whole matriarchal society thing? I didn't notice.
That's a nice speech there from the courier. I hope he can manage to convince the the others as well.
More!
The Courier is a boss.
576889
I would've picked "I wanted to ask something". And now I have a vision in my head of a version of this story where the Courier behaves EXACTLY the way you do in the games, right down to the decidely odd conversations you can have if you try. Would confuse Celestia so much.
“How can you be so comfortable with murdering?”
"I wanted to ask something"
"...What? Did you not hear me, or are you deliberately avoiding the question?"
"You know... a life for a life, right?"
"That's... That doesn't even really apply here. They hadn't killed anypony."
"I should go."
The Courier resumes sitting in his cell, calmly staring at a bewildered Celestia. Then he crouches down, pulls out a screwdriver from nowhere and attempts to force the lock.
This just got more interesting.
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578836
And then, the lock breaks and nobody is able to open that fucking door anymore, not even Celestia.
The Courier proceeds to feed off of air and natural energy, because he didn't activate Hardcore mode.
The end.
578836
578970
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579511
Art.
576889 Noice. What would the success for Barter be, and the fails for Speech and Guns?
578836 YES.
576419 I still take Rad Absorption. It helps if you aren't one step from falling dead if you don't have RadAway or the caps to pay for it. There're only so many RadAways he can carry at once, you know. Though, doesn't the body slowly flush radiation from it anyways? (IRL)
589339
In response to your last point, Fallout physics.
High amounts of radiation will not result in giant ants, you can't splice together rattlesnake and coyote DNA, and you most certainly cannot have a wrist-mounted supercomputer that runs on a glorified version of MSDOS. 50s SCIENCE! my friend. 50s SCIENCE!
(And yes, fulls caps and exclamation mark are necessary)
589827
SCIENCE!
...I mean, 50s SCIENCE!
The way you described your courier reminded me a bit of Rorschach, just less insane.
576889 Ha, nice work with the dialogue choices.
577712
No. He's more than a boss. He's Chuck Norris' great great grandson, obviously.
You know, looking over this story again, the only problem i can think of right now in here is the damn chapters are too short for my liking.
Most of the time. Those killed and looted for the hell of it, that paradise falls job, the minor thievery(okay major thievery) and the "accidental" slaughter of Goodsprings are my most time.
even tho AJ is absurd with her "hes a murderer im never trusting it" schtik i find this suprisingly great to read, her behavior isnt cringing like other authors make her to be in these situations even her "back stab" is appropriate to read and no i havent noticed at all that you did, i accept couriers logic on his views on fighting overall im jizzing over this story everything is pleasently readable ^w^
Self-defence, mercy, justice and services to humanity? Must have been a goody. Bah, I helped get slaves for Paradise, nuked Megaton, and pretty much killed everything except shop keepers.
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You do it for good i do it for the luls
Well my justification is if it's red it's dead
I was on the fence about Fallout: New Vegas. But now that I know the enemies are the Nazi Westboro Baptist Church with a healthy dosage of KKK, I'm more inclined to play so I can bash their heads in.
Fanfiction, the ultimate advertising!
Good to see someone that has a common attribute to me when playing a fallout game.
Though I took that bit with slavers a little too seriously. Fallout 3, I took a hill and while I was still hidden I sniped the bastards one by one at paradise falls. When i had to go in the building I ripped the ones in charge and everyone inside a new asshole.
Fallout:NV I wiped out the legion. Every town, camp and even the main base all the way down to Caesar. And it felt good.
The time i killed hundreds of legends boy it was fun. And there stuff was sold to the gun runners for a good price.
no
Yeah my fallout characters wouldn't do well here XD my F3 character is a complete psychopath who blew up megaton because the sheriff didn't give me his hat and who blew up the citadel for an armory in F:NV I was a bit better less psychopathic but still really violent I massacred the majority of the people in the ultra-luxe cause dayum they is creepy :3
I don't think so.
In fact, considering the male/female balance in equestrian, that some people still try to deny as unbalanced, it would see ma princess who is this powerful would react quite appalled to a concept of a submissive wife.
It's almost the exact reverse of our society, with the difference that ours have balanced gender ratio's, not in job positions mind you, but general existence.
The worst cultures in human history would be horrified by the Legion. Do not compare them to the Roman Republic/Empire. Women in the Legion aren't even married, just left around for anyone who wants to "use" them and if they get pregnant then fine if not then fine. Come to think of it, they are basically the Caribou from Fall of Equestria. Minus the magic.
Where as patriarchal societies have no problem with the few matriarchal ones that treat males poorly (most don't). But, ponies aren't exactly tolerant of anyone who doesn't think as they do, in case anyone hasn't noticed. Celestia probably realized it would just result in resentment and hatred of females growing in the conquered nation (and hatred of ponies) instead of what she would have wanted.