Fort Constantine, mid-2280
Paladin Esposito’s legs gave out as she collapsed into a sitting position. To her left the only other survivor lowered her plasma rifle. “Holy crap, we did it,” she stated, looking around at the mass of Talon Company bodies.
“Yeah, but we lost Initiate Jenkins,” she replied, panting for breath, looking around at the broken, scorched bodies of the forty Talon Company mercs.
“Leeroy was an idiot,” the Initiate stated as she glanced at his mangled body. Despite how effective the T-45d was, it just wasn’t capable of withstanding a few hundred bullets. He’d gone down without any actual bullet wounds, the impacts instead breaking and fracturing almost all his bones. The missile that finished him had just been overkill. “Not to mention he was a sexist pig.”
Dom just sat there for a moment, trying to ignore the dull pain coursing through her entire body. “Come on, Initiate Day. We... we have to get back to the Citadel. Paradise Falls is the closest settlement. We can get help from there.” The Paladin forced herself up, using her rifle as an aid. “We need to move, don’t want to run into a Deathclaw out here.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
They had barely moved ten feet when there was a tremendous explosion from above them. They both looked up to see several somethings bearing down on them. “What the fuuuOH SHIT!” Dom exclaimed. “Run! Fucking run!”
The Initiate didn’t have to be told twice. True, she didn’t know just what she was running from, but the fact that something was threatening to land on them was enough motivation.
Not that there was much point. There are few things that can be outrun. The only ones the average Wastelander had to worry about were the wild animals.
There were several more sonic booms as the rest of the missile satellite’s payload entered the atmosphere. Then, a few seconds later, the sky burned.
Twilight rushed after the angry Paladin, but as she reached the door she paused. Should she follow? Would it be best to leave the ghoul alone?
“What was that for?” She heard Veronica ask loudly. “I told you she was sensitive about her appearance!”
“Just what in tarnation was that thing!?” Applejack asked loudly.
“She is a ghoul,” Veronica replied calmly. “She’s just like any normal person.”
“Normal!?” Rainbow yelled out as she took to the air. “How is she normal!?” she questioned, pointing a hoof at the door.
“Because she has tears. She has feelings. She has a soul.” Each point was punctuated by a step forwards, making the ponies realise just how tall and threatening she was. “She has suffered more than you can ever dream. Just because she looks different does not give you a reason to treat her any differently. Or should I start treating you like Brahmin, hm?” she finished, now nose-to-nose with Rainbow Dash.
The pony could only gulp as the Scribe’s gaze bored into her. Up until this point, she’d seen her as kind of funny, not really that dangerous. But now? This close, she could not only smell the sweat and blood that had become ingrained in the armour, she could feel the sheer power this woman possessed. Rainbow had no doubt that, if this armoured stranger wanted it, she would be dead before she hit the floor.
“I’m going to go get her. By the time I come back, I expect you and your friends to have gotten your shit together. You are going to apologise to her. Okay?” The colourful mare nodded furiously. “Good.”
Dom was simply staring at a wall when Veronica found her. If anything, it was even more unnerving than if she’d been lashing out violently at something. “Uhh, Dom?” she asked carefully as she approached.
“Leave me alone.” The ghoul’s voice was barely audible, nearly unintelligible because of how gravelly it was.
“Look, Dom,” Veronica started, trailing off as she tried to think of what to say.
“I don’t like repeating myself, Scribe. Leave. Me. Alone,” Dom growled forcefully.
“Give them another chance,” she pleaded. “They were shocked, how did you expect them to react?”
“The first time I saw a ghoul, I at least had the decency to hear them out first,” Dom explained, scowling at the Scribe. “I may have freaked out a bit, yeah, but at least I didn’t go straight to insults.”
“She didn’t know she was insulting you!” Veronica said loudly. “I bet she’s tearing herself apart because of this!” The Scribe had absolutely no idea just how right she was. “Just give them one more chance. Please?”
Before either of them could say anything, they were interrupted by something tapping Veronica’s power armour. They both looked down to see the three fillies looking up at them with wide, bright eyes.
“What the hell are they doing here?” Dom asked quietly, her anger momentarily forgotten.
“They wanted to meet you.” Both women looked up again to see Twilight Sparkle approach them.
“Really?” the Paladin asked unbelievingly. “You didn’t just drag them along?”
“No, they really wanted to come with me.” Twilight looked down at the fillies, who had crowded around Veronica’s legs. “I’m really sorry for my friends. I don’t know why they reacted so badly.”
“Well, I’m used to idiot bigots, it’s no big deal,” Dom said airily, waving the unicorn away with a hand.
“My friends aren’t bigots!” Twilight exclaimed loudly. “You just caught them off guard,” she added much more timidly.
“Right,” Dom said flatly. “Maybe the nuke I took to the face caused some major brain damage, or maybe they really are just as bigoted as I say they are.”
Before Twilight could say anything in retaliation, she was interrupted by a high-pitched squeaking. Both unicorn and ghoul turned to see Veronica wearing a huge grin as she held all three Crusaders in her arms.
“How did this even happen?” Apple Bloom asked.
“Miss Dominica, don’t be sad,” Sweetie Belle said. “Pinkie Pie didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.”
“Put me down!” Scootaloo said angrily as she failed to squirm from the Scribe’s iron grip.
“I didn’t get a single word of that,” Dom muttered.
“Let me put up a translation field.” Twilight’s horn glowed briefly and the Paladin’s Pip-Boy ticked for a split second. “Veronica, you might want to take some Radaway later.”
“I’ll grab some off Thomas...? How do you know about Radaway?” the Scribe asked.
“Okay, girls, she should be able to understand you now.”
“Pinkie Pie hates hurting anypony’s feeling.”
“Yeah! She’s all about makin’ ya smile.”
“Let me go!”
Dom looked at the three. “Right.”
“And ya came with Mister Thomas!” Apple Bloom exclaimed loudly. “Ya must be nice!”
For some reason the ghoul burst into laughter. “Nice? Oh, god no. I’m not nice.”
“Huh?”
“There is a big difference between a good person and a nice person. I’ve met plenty of nice people who were so evil it didn’t make sense. The other way around, too,” she explained. “Where I’m from, being a good person means doing a lot of evil things.”
“What do you mean?” Sweetie asked, her head tilted in a way that only made Veronica squee some more.
“You don’t think this armour is all scratched because I fell over, right?” The three fillies all shook their head simultaneously. “Exactly. I’ve done horrible things, all in the name of survival.”
“Uh, Dom? I really don’t think the girls should hear this,” Twilight said worriedly.
The ghoul looked at her for a moment. “Fine. Just remember that I am not always nice.”
As the six made their way back, the fillies still in the Scribe’s firm grasp, they were intercepted by Luna. “Things did not go well, I take it.”
“I’m giving them one more chance,” the ghoul replied. “Honestly, I prefer the griffons. I can relate better to soldiers than you pacifists. No offence,” she hastily added.
“Equestria has grown quite complacent during my absence,” Luna said unhappily. “Had the Changeling attack happened before the Nightmare Wars, they would have been nothing but a footnote in a history book.”
“What happened to him?” Veronica asked, looking around the Princess to Thomas’ unconcsious form, draped over an unfortunate Night Guard pegasus.
“Turns out that making jokes about being pregnant are quite unwelcome.”
Twilight gaped at that. “What!? But that means... Argh!” she screamed, clutching her head as she put two and two together. “The images!”
“Trust me, that’s not the weirdest thing Thomas has done,” the Scribe muttered.
“Really?” Dom asked unbelievingly. “Like what?”
“Fisto.”
“Really?” the ghoul asked. When the power-armoured woman nodded, she shook her head. “That hypocrite.”
“Do I want to know?” Twilight asked, still cringing from her aunt’s revelation.
“Nope,” Veronica replied cheerfully. “Want me to wake him up?” she asked, pointing at the black man.
“I was going to give him a small electric shock,” Luna replied, sounding a little disappointed. “You can try if you want.”
In response, she received a giggle as the three fillies hit the ground. “Finally,” Scootaloo muttered.
“She’s nice,” Sweetie Belle mumbled back.
“Strong, too,” Apple Bloom added, the little farmgirl watching as the metal-clad giant pulled the Courier’s form onto the ground.
Veronica pulled off one of her gloves and stuck her pinkie finger in her mouth. She then plunged it into Thomas’s left ear, twisting it around for a few seconds. Much to everyone else’s surprise, it worked.
“Aaaah ahh!” He shot upright, arms flailing like a madman. He shot a glare at the Scribe, who had managed to extricate her finger and was wiping it against her armour. “I hate it when you do that!”
“Hey, it works,” she replied. “Besides, it was that or let Luna electrocute you.”
At the mention of Luna, his head swivelled around so fast it was almost funny. “What was you said true?” he asked, sounding desperate. “I can’t be a dad, I don’t know the first thing about raising a child!”
At his panicked outburst, Luna let out a loud, hearty laugh. “I still can’t believe you fell for such a joke!” she answered, wiping at her face with a hoof. “No, you will not be a father,” she said. “If it weren’t for your biology’s fatal allergy to magic, then there would be the possibility, but alas, it is impossible. A shame too, for I am sure you would have sired such fantastic foals,” she added wistfully.
“That was a joke?” Thomas asked, sounding hurt. “You sick twisted - ” he stopped himself when he caught sight of the three wide-eyed fillies. “I won’t finish that sentence,” he mumbled, shooting a venomous glare at the midnight alicorn.
“What’s ‘sired’ mean?” Scootaloo asked, head tilted in confusion.
At that, Twilight Sparkle grabbed all three with her magic and rushed back inside the throne room. “That’s not important right now, Scootaloo!” they heard her say as the door shut behind them.
“So, did something happen?” Thomas asked, still unhappy with Luna’s prank.
“One of them called me ‘zombie’,” Dom growled.
“No, she got half the word out before you lost your shit,” Veronica clarified. “You’re really sensitive about this.”
“Why wouldn’t I be?” the ghoul asked back. “Look at me.”
“I get the feeling Rarity’s gonna pass out when she get’s a good look at you,” Thomas added with a dark chuckle.
Dominica
SPECIAL
Strength: 10
Perception: 9
Endurance: 9
Charisma: 4
Intelligence: 8
Agility: 6
Luck: 9
Author’s Notes:
Veronica can be scary when she wants to be.
Yep, just Trolluna.
Dom’s Charisma and Agility both took hits because of ghoulification. Her really high Luck is the reason she didn’t drop dead.
Apologies for the delay. I got a little stuck with what to do here. Next chapter will see the proper talk with the Mane Six. Should be good.
Also, I've got a new story that could use some loving. Feel free to ignore this link, I could just use some constructive criticism.
Right as soon as I finished the new Light Wanderings chapter, this updates. STOP UPDATING AT THE SAME TIME I FINISH!
1676344
NO.
WE WILL MONOPOLIZE YOUR TIME.
Wait... You didnt.
He did.
Did he like Chicken?
1676360
Chickens are extinct. He wouldn't have a clue.
1676367 I was joking you dimwit.
SIN!
my lone wanderer is better everything is 10 almost perfect perk and bobbleheads hahaha
Now if you'll kindly ignore this link
And criticism regarding what exactly
I can't believe I didn't pick up already that the flashback sequences were most likely the story of how she became a ghoul. I am stupid as hell.
1676367 So, Brahmin?
1676434
I... do believe I said that at some point. I may be wrong and just imagining things, though.
I'm not sure if I should be disappointed that Luna is not pregnant or be pleased with her new found trolling skills...
Either way, it was a great update
Fisto. I don't remember what it stands for anymore, so...
Fun Instigating Sex Toy - 'Owjob
he-manreviewed.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/2-Sexy-Laugh-Gif1.gif
Does it not matter that they're a completely different species, then?
So your courier does it with just about anything.
1676646
Not in the slightest.
1676584
Fully Integrated Security Technotronic Officer.
1676657
How does that work?
1676666
th06.deviantart.net/fs70/200H/i/2011/236/1/0/littlepip_shrug_by_darksaber64x-d47ni3c.png
I'll get back to you when I figure it out.
Good chapter, just wish Dom wouldn't take ponies reactions so personally, it is starting to grate on my nerves.
Y'know, I remember almost NOTHING about the Fallout universe (curse you school!), but I still remembered and managed to face-desk when I read that.
1676699
areyoufuckingcoding.me/img/meme-magic-1.jpg
Can we get the statsheet for Thomas or was it somewhere else in this story or the one before that?
More Trolluna!
jannigogo.com/dealmac/make-it-so.jpg
Brilliant as always.
Hmm... interesting...go on...
lol fisto
dom is a very bad ass character i always liked bad ass females and the fact shes a ghoul makes her even more cool
As long as it's not an uppercut. She wouldn't hit the ground, she'd enter orbit.
just to be honest ive used Fisto and i had a feeling it feels like this some changes could be as always make Thomas a badass cause we all know that the courier could destroy the lonesome wanderer or whatever its called and why wasnt Luna pregers that would of just been funny i was expecting that thing from the PETA episode of south park were theres that half man half ostrich just in this story there would be a half pony man. Yep all i got to say and good job on the story hopefully as good as the last one
1678264
Punctuation. Commas and periods. USE THEM! Then I might be able to decipher that gobbledegook you have the audacity to call a comment!
1676646
As a D&D buff, I can say that, at least in the realms of fiction, when it comes to magical creatures, nothing is impossible, especially when it comes to crossbreeding.
1678646 Flutteryays do not count as periods well I don't know were you learned grammar.
1678655
There is at least three sentences worth of stuff there. There is nothing separating it. I know you want to say something, and I appreciate that, but can you make it so I can understand at first glance?
Now I know how my parents feel about me and my speech impediment.
“Thing did not go well, I take it.”
*Things
1678772
Yeah, I wrote that part after having been up for over 24 hours and fueled by nothing but caffeine and the pizza I had eaten the night before. Thanks.
1678779 Anytime.
Dat reference to waywarf courier
Hah, fantastic.
Although somewhat disappointed Luna isn't pregnant, but epic trollness for the win Celestia would be proud.
Mixed feelings about Dom. On one hoof, I feel sorry for her. On the other, I want to tell her to stop getting so fucking butt hurt and get over it. Purely because she's dealt with so much already and should, maybe, put her concerns elsewhere than on what others think.
Ahhhh love Veronica and CMC hugging . Best part, hooves down... I SAID HOOVES DOWN!!!
Reading this makes me think I need to put more editing into my own story, "Love and Tolerance". Haven't been as happy with it for some reason... Also, Fimfiction needs a *shrug* icon...
Yeah Veronica! sticken up for Dom and Dom specials makes her a powerhouse of death.
im hoping tom and luna get it on again. id find funny
Leroy survived the apocalypse JUST TO DIE LIKE THAT? ......Not entirely unexpected to be honest...did he yell his traditional Last words of LEROOOOOY JENNNKIIIIIINS'?
1676718 Gecko
Nicely done, I was almost about to start making CourNa─Ugh, that sounds awful─centaur crap. I wonder if it would have been adorable or just incredibly creepy. Probably creepy. Keep up the good work, I'm loving it.
1676344
World's. Greatest. Avatar.
1679963
It's good because Butt Stallion is best pony
1680268
Butt Stallion says hi.
That sounded like scout on TF2 MEET THE MEDIC
[youtube=tf2 meet the medic]
1678779 How do you put a Youtube video?
>Yep, just Trolluna.
That's bad. It could be fucking hilarious. But hey! We have ghouls that are not allergic to magic.
Thank you ceiling cat, thank you . I would hate to see their children bleh.
t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSW-TLVC-mSs8E0FqHZro92sTlHAcU-wvJL2TQi1Hq2N_ZZkcusgs-jWhOJ
Yes Pinkie also thought it would be a great idea to troll Luna, and make her seem like a monster on nightmare night, so I vote anyone who hurts Dom's feelings to get a displacer glove to the face. Anyone?