A Pony In The Wasteland

by Ribe_FireRain

Another Day Gone By - Finding Rainbow

Author's Note:

Just a shortie this time, people!

''Rainbow? Rainbow! Where are you? Can you hear me?'' I shouted as I walked along the dirty road, aimlessly wandering to my next location. I couldn't really tell you how long I've been calling for her, but now I was getting even more worried than before as my only response was silence or the occasional whisps of wind passing by me.

''Give it a rest will you? She would of answered you by now.'' The ghoul soldier said from beside me. I had talked him into tagging along with me on my travels, and so far the only things I knew of him is that he was a marine in the U.S military at one of the bases in the area and that his name was Curtis. Private Curtis Roland. He may be a bit of an arse in terms of attitude, but he was resourceful. I tried asking him why he was in the hospital in that room, but he seemed to just glare at me when I did so, that murderous glare within his cloudy eyes.

I had no idea where we were, but from my guess I would of said Chevy Chase. Curtis seemed to know the streets well, seeing as he is over two-hundred years old. I sighed as I looked down, recalling everything that happened while I was out of Rainbow's life. I was starting to think Billy was right - Rainbow has gotten fragile and she was avoiding me because I nearly killed her. Twice. Just knowing I nearly did so broke my heart. I could feel it thump against my ribcage as it filled with guilt. I loved her and she loved me, but after all that happened, I doubt she'd still feel the same as she used to about me. If she was there, scared out of her mind and she heard me calling, surely she'd acknowledge it.

''I guess you're right...'' I sank to the floor, my eyes glazing over a little. ''She probably isn't around.'' I felt his hand on my shoulder as he slowly raised me to my feet. He had a serious glare in his eyes.

''Look, Brady, I don't know how much she means to you, but you sure ain't gonna find her sobbing in your misery. Either man up and find her or just sit in the dirt and feel sorry for yourself! Now, hurry your arse up and get a move on! More you wait, the more chance she'd be getting herself in the way of danger.''

He walked off down the street, that classic marching-style in his walk, me just watching him silently as I stared at him. I sighed, feeling a slight smirk come to my lips before I walked after him, pacing myself as I caught up.

He's right. It's time to ante up!

*** *** ***

We walked for ages, those things he said to me still lingering in my mind. Maybe I was all mopey-dopey and drowning myself in my misery. Right now, I wanted to find my Rainbow Dash and help her, maybe even show her how much she means to me. I was looking through my duffel bag when we finally managed to set ourselves down in the street around a corner, and when I did, I found something I forgot about.

A tracker.

I'm such an idiot! All Pip-Boys come with trackers, and I was too bone-idol to realize I had mine on me all the time in case I lost it! If Rainbow still has it on, I could find her easily! Hurriedly, I activated the tracker, waiting for it to pick up my Pip-Boys signal, and BEEP, BEEP!

YES! The tracker picked up the signal at Galaxy News Radio!

*** *** ***

Rainbow Dash lay awake in bed, and even though it was morning, she didn't bother going anywhere. Instead, she laid there, looking at Brady's Pip-Boy, scanning through files of data and recordings, some from the holotapes she transferred to the device when she was in Megaton after Brady's death. Some files she didn't recognize were separated into a different folder, but she paid them no mind.

A red light flickered on and off rapidly on the top right side of the screen, a small icon next to it saying 'Tracker Device Activated' For a moment she lay there puzzled, and after a short matter of seconds, she knew what it meant. Brady had once told her that Pip-Boys come with trackers, and once activated, it will notify the user if they have it.

Rainbow's eyes went small as fear took over her being. She undid the lock on the Pip-Boy and took it off her arm, hiding it beneath the bed.

''Oh, no...he knows where I am! I-I-I gotta get outta here!''

*** *** ***

''I found her!'' I cheered in victory as excitement took over my mind, Curtis just staring at me like I was a looney, but I really didn't care! I found Rainbow! I have found my Dashie! Hopefully she was alright. GNR was meant to be a secure building, ran by a guy called Three Dog, the 'Voice of The People'.

''Jesus, shout a little louder, why don't ya?'' Curtis said, grunting a little. ''If you found her, go get her.''

Huh?

''What do you mean? Me? As in me on my own?'' He nodded slowly in response. ''You're not going with me? Why not?''

''Well, for starters, you don't exactly need me. I'm a soldier and I'm also a ghoul. Most people don't tolerate ghouls. Second, I'm not that kind of guy who sticks with someone for a long time, even if it is just a matter of hours or minutes. Rainbow is your girl, so it should be you who goes after her.''

''Wait, wait, wait! What will you do then? Just roam the Wastes? Where will you go?''

''I dunno. Maybe scavenge around her for a while? It doesn't really matter. You should just get going. Maybe we will see each other again, but for now, I'm parting ways. Don't follow me, alright, kid? We have our own things to do.''

And then Curtis walked off, not once looking back to me. Even though I barely knew him, it hurt a bit to know I lost a companion. I turned after he had disappeared from my vision and took my assault rifle from my duffel bag and continued towards where the tracker pointed me to.

Comments

[Chicken Mcnugget]

I would've at least given Curtis that pistol from that safe in the hospital, it'd be better than just a combat knife.