Princess Luna is one night outside when she encounters an strange orb of energy. When touching it, she is sent to a strange new world, battle-scarred and barren. The last remains of the once-grand people now lives in underground tunnels, called the Metro. Here, danger lurks behind every corner, mutated beasts and unknown phenonomenons.
And so, Luna must learn to adapt to the harsh Metro and if nessecary, to kill in order to survive.
Luna glanced to her sister. "Sister." she said with a sigh.
"Is something wrong?" Celestia sat down with her sibling. "You have been standing on this porch for such a long time..."
Luna turned her head away not to get eye contact with Tia. She was too upset to do it.
"Lunaaa..." her sister moaned and rubbed her cheek on Luna's head. "If something is wrong, you know you can talk to me about it..."
I give up Luna groaned. "I am lonley sis."
Celestia seemed confused.
"I work all night, work work and no time to enjoy all the things out there!" she pointed her hoof over the rail and the kingdom. "Nightmare Night opened my eyes! I there is so much I want to see, so many ponies to meet..."
She lowered her head, "...but they don't see me as ME..."
Now Celestia understood. "You want them to see you as Luna, and not Nightmare Moon."
Luna nodded. "They are still afraid of me. Even after Nightmare Night they give us scared glances and terrified whispers. They will never want to befriend me."
"Don't say that!" Celestia suddenly blurted out. "What about Twilight and her friends, and the young colt Pip?"
Luna didn't have an answer. She did have some friends in Ponyville.
"But what does it matter, they sleep during the night!" she finally said.
Celestia put her foreleg over Luna's shoulder and pressed herself close to her sister. "Twilight welcomed you with open forelegs, and I am certain she would like to meet you again. We'll send a letter first thing in the morning, okay?"
"Okay." Luna sighed, admitting defeat.
Celestia smiled. "I love you Luna."
"Love you too."
As the older alicorn trotted in the castle, Luna took another look over the region. Far in the distance she could see Ponyville, a small colourfull dot next to the huge Everfree Forest.
Just as she thought about it, she noticed a bright light comming from the forest. It was small, but bright as star. And it caught Luna's curiosity.
"Tia, do you see that?"
No answer.
Her sister had already gone to her chambers, probably sound asleep by now. She's had a long day, she needed a good nights restLuna thought. But that light was so intriguing and needed to be investigated.
Looking over her shoulder, then back to the light, she made a decision.
I won't be gone for long. Just a quick investigation. Whith that she spread out her wings and took off.
With a soft thud as Luna landed, she scouted her surroundings. This is where the light came from... but where is it now?
She stood in a small glade, the ground oddly burnt and scorched. The only thing that seemed ordinary was the crystal-clear pond in the middle of the glade. She trotted around the glade and looked at the scorched ground.
Scorchmarks pointed outward, as if a fireball had hit the ground.
"Odd." she said to herself. "What could leave such an odd track..."
Her thoughts were interrupted when something glimmered in the pond. A weak, white light...
Hypnotized, she walked towards the light. Soon, an orb raised out of the water. It crackled and pulsaded. It was as if it was alive.
Luna smiled and reached out to it, wanting to touch it.
A faint tingle went through her as a thin thread of electricity danced on her hoof. Giggling, she reached further, wanting to touch the orb itself.
But suddenly the tingle turned to a sting, and Luna retracted her hoof with a yelp. Suddenly the orb started to pulsate faster, and growing rapidly.
Frozen by fear, Luna watched as the orb grew from the size of a tennisball to a pumpkin, and only keeping to grow.
A large arc of lightning hit her, making her vision go blank for a second, before suddenly go black and falling down to the ground.
"No." Grig chuckled behind the thick beard. "Perhaps it was ghosts of the metro!"
"Not funny man..." Vasili snorted loudly. "I swear I heard someone sceam..."
"Naah, probably just sound traveling through the pipes. I can bet 20 rounds that's what keeps spooking out everyine back at Polis." Grig waved his hand with annoyance.
Vasili shook his head. "Polyanka is abandoned, but if sound is traveling from there, someone, or someTHING is making that sound huh?"
"Stalkers probably. They like the solitude."
"And if it is mutants?"
Grig grined and stroked his Ithaca M-37, while giving his companion a funny look.
"Okay okay, stupid question." Vasili chuckled. "Let's just go in, out and back to the bar."
"That was probably the best thing I've heard today!" Grig laughed, it echoing through the tunnel. --------------------------------------------------------
Why is it so cold?
Luna woke up, feeling extremely cold. Slowly she got up, and soon realized she was no longer was in the glade.
She was in a huge hall made of white marble, the floor, the roof and beautiful pillars of white, red and blue mosaics. But where was she?
"Hello?" Hello hello hello...
The echo made Luna uneasy inside. The place seemed abandoned.
With a slow trot she started to walk in the halls of what-this-place-was-named, her hooves making a loud clop-clop echo. Her attention went to the strange light sources in the roof. Long, glowing sticks emitted a yellow-ish light, but no warmth.
Was it magic? She thought.
Suddenly the sticks went out with a pop, and further away another went out. Like a domino-effect the hall was engulfed in darkness. "Calm down Luna... the dark is not dangerous." she said herself, trying to comfort herself. SHe breathed in and used her magic to lit her horn, casting a light blue aura around her.
That was when her blood froze.
Around her, shadows where moving around her. They where not hers, that was for sure. These shadows had no casters, and they did not look anything like ponies. They walked on two legs, their forelegs high up from the ground.
Suddenly the clop-clop echo returned, but it wasn't Luna making those.
It was the shadows!
As she heard low, whipers around her she thought she'd snapped. Gone insane. All she wanted now was to get away from this place, she wanted to be back at Canterlot!
She started running in blidness, dodging the shadows and desperatly hoping for a way out.
The chatter around her changed to horrified screams, young and old, mares and colts weeping.
Tears ran down her cheeks, the surroundings became too much for her to handle.
A low growl caused her to slip, falling face first to the floor. Shaking the confusion off her, she saw three long shadows, more misformed than the others. They had talons, wide jaws filled with fangs.
Screaming in terror, Luna managed to scramble back up on all four and ran even faster. Behind her snarls of her invisible monsters closed in.
Hope was renewed when she saw a single open door. Using her final boost of energy she rushed in the room and kicked the door shut. Not convinced of thinking a door would hold them out, she spotted metal cabinets she could climb on. Awkwardly jumping up, she wobbled on the completely loose cabinets.
She slipped and fell down. Even more unfortune came, as a cabinet fell over her.
Luna cried out in pain as the metal hunk almost crushed her. Paniced she tried to push it off, but it was too heavy. When she tried to use her magics, the aching pain from her side made it too hard to focus.
Soon, her illumination spell started to fadem leaving her in complete darkness. ---------------------------------------------------
Grig jumped up on the station platform of Polyanka. The station had not fallen completely to ruin, the white marble had turned gray of dust and dirt, and there was barely any damage to the mosaics.
But he did agree with Vasili. There was something foul about this station. A hauntingly feeling, looming in the air like a bad cigar.
Grig shuddered.
Polyanka was known as "Destiny Station" by the Polis Council, and said by many to be a ghost station. Fires lit, people actually living here. The council dismissed this, saying the station was uninhabitable. no water, no soil for mushroom farming.
Grig snapped back to the real world and sharpened his ears.
"I don't-"
"Schhhh!" Vasili hushed him down. "Listen!"
This time Grig heard something. A faint sobbing.
"Duuude..." Grig said nervosly.
"You heard it! And now we're gonna invesigate!" the younger man grinned and started pulling Grig's suit.
They followed the sound through the platform towards what looked like the station office. Grig took notice of some strange tracks in the dusts leading to their destination. Hooves?
At the door, Vasili let his grip of Grig go, and took out his modified Bastard. On cue Grig readied his trusted shotgun.
"You ready man?" Grig looked on his compainion.
"Da, Open it."
Grig pushed up the door and stormed in, searching the corners for mutants, bandits or whatever the hell lurked in the dark. "Clear!" he shouted out when he finished scanning the room, Nothing in here.
"Cl-" Vasili started, but suddenly paused. His flashlight went to the floor, over some fallen steel file cabinets.
That's when Grig saw it too.
An animal was pinned under it, a navy-blue... horse? With a horn on it's head?
"Whaaat the fuu-" Greg weezed. "What-what is that?"
Vasili didn't answer, he was slowly sneaking toward the pastel-coloured horse. "Poor thing..." It twitched and moaned, clearly in pain.
Vasili suddenly sprang to action. "It's stuck beneath this, gimme a hand will you?"
Grig blinked, on the animal, then the cabinet. He snapped back too and grabbed the steel monster. The two men had no issue lifting it off the horse and throwing it aside. Again Vasili kneeled over it and gently examined for any wounds or such.
"Goodness, she's shivering!" he started to rummage through his backpac and folded out an old blanked. "Get a fire starting, take paper from the cabinets, and the old chairs and tables for wood!"
Greg had no intentions of arguing with his friend, but he did halt in the tracks for a second.
"She?"
"I just know this, okay?" his friend ignored to make eye contact, instead focusing on wrapping the horse with his blanket. --------------------------------------------------------
What a remarkable creature Vasili though as he let his hand run though the small horse's fur. It felt smooth like silk. And the colour was off too, dark blue. But the most interesting was the mane and tail. Not hair, but a purple mist-looking cloud, dancing as if wind ripped it. He touched it, feeling it was solid, but soft like... like...
"How's it going?"
"Uh..." Vasili stuttered, " She's getting warmer. Nice going on the fire."
Grig leaned over him and carefully grabbed her mane. "Woah... feels like boobies."
"WHAT?"
"Yeah, like boobs. Squishy and soft." the beaded man shrugged.
"You are messed up." Vasili grunted. "And don't touch her again. And don't say that again."
"Pff." Grig just shook his head. --------------------------------------------------- Luna started comming to it when she felt hungy claws on her side. The beasts got her!
But I will not perish without a fight. ---------------------------------------------------- "She doesn't seem to have broken any ribs... bruised sure, but otherwise fine." Vasili nodded. "Just this hind leg I'd like to-"
Suddenly the mare raised her hind leg and delivered a kick straight to the man's face. The hoof smushed his nose, breaking the bone instantly.
Rolling backwards with blood gushing from his nose, the mare rolled the other way, up against the wall.
"Stay back! I will teach you to anger a mare of the night!" the mare thundered, it's horn glowing in a cyan glow.
Grig and Vasili just stared at the shivering, wobbling mare with eyes wide in surprise and fear.
"Uh... we are sorry..." Grig sputtered. "We just tried to help you..."
The mare frowned. "Help? Thou was not preparing a feast out of us?"
"No no no!" Vasili shot in. "We heard you in here and wanted to help you, I swear on my mother's name!"
The mare seemed to calm down, the horn-glow faded and it sank down on the floor.
A long awkward silence fell in, broken when Vasili took out a towel and pressed under his nose.
"I think we got off in a wrong way here... let's try it again."
Luna peered at the odd-looking creature, it now reaching a bowl out to her.
"Shrooms. Yum yum!" he said while making a wide smile.
Luna was too hungry to deny his offer. Magically she took the bowl and gobbled all of the "shrooms" up. They tasted very earthy and bitter, but did silence her growling stomach.
"Thank you." she bowed gracefully her head when whe was finished. "May I have a napkin?"
"Napkin?" the other creature said with a raised brow.
Now Luna took notice of the difference on these creatures. The nice one who gave her "shrooms" seemed younger, barely no facial hair compared to the other one with a thin beard.
Their apparel was strange too, dirty, old clothes that seemed to have never seen a propper cleaning. More oddly, someone had strapped pieces of metal on arms, legs and chests with belts and buckles.
Improvised armor?
The bearded one also had something resting on his lap, a weapon of some sort Luna guessed, a long metal clump with parts in oiled wood. The metal had some kind of engravings on it, peeking her interest in the object.
"Here, it's not a napkin exactly, but eeh..." the not-bearded one reached out a dirty piece of cloth.
It smelled bad, but Luna sucked it up and viped her mouth clean.
"So," he said again, "My names is Vasili Bagrov of Polis, and this here is my buddy Grigory Petrenko from same station, but everyone just calls him Grig." Grig only snorted.
"I am Princess Luna" she started, feeling somewhat convinced they did not have the intentions of hurting her. "ruler of Equestria."
"E-que-sss-tria?" Vasili scratched the side of his head. "I have... never head of it before..."
"Princess horses... there has to a be gas leak in the station." Grig grumbled.
Luna titled her head. "Is this not Equestria?"
"Noo..." Vasili shrugged, "This is the metro... beneath the city of Moscow."
Now Luna started to feel panic rising again. She was in a unknown place, surrounded by creatures she'd never seen before.
"Ey Vasili, can I have a word?" Grig pulled his friend's collar.
The two went out the door, leaving Luna alone by the fire.
------------------------------------------------
"We should just go back."
"But what about Luna?" Vasili almost whimpered. "We can't just abandon her here!"
"Dude, a blue unicorn, with WINGS. That so happends to be a princess of a land that doesn't exist on the maps?" Grig said with sarcasm in his voice. "It sounds like a bad shroom trip!"
"You touched her, we both did. Did it feel like a trip to you?"
Grig seemed to be searching for the right words, biting his lip. He wanted to leave and never speak of this ever again. But Vasili was not gonna let this slide.
"So what do we do then, take her back to Polis?" he finally said. "They'll never let her inside!"
"We can try... they won't shoot if she's with us." said Vasili with confidence.
"They'll just shoot us too..." Grig groaned. "Fuck man, what is it with you and this damn horse?"
Vasili rubbed his neck at the question. "I... I think she is adorable."
Grig rolled his eyes and sighed loudly. "Seriously?"
"C'mon man... she's so lonely and lost... and in the fucking metro? I don't want her to be eaten by mutants... or other hungry things!" Vasili pleaded. "Can't we bring her, pleeeease?"
Grig cringed. He wasn't convinced of Luna's presence. But his friends constant whining started to grow onto him. Leaving the poor animal would defenetly be the death of her.
"T-the life in the metro is harsh. We... we can't-" Grig stuttered.
"Okay." Vasili suddenly grabbed Grig and dragged him back into the room. "Then say that to her."
"Say what?" Luna meeped.
Grig tried to talk, but his lips only quivered as Luna's big cyan eyes stared into his. When she lowered her head and shuddered from the cold air of Polyanka station his heart melted.
"Chyort voz'mi!" Grig cursed out. "We'll take her with us."
"See Grig," Vasili laughed when he hugged his friend, "you got a soft spot for her too!"
"Yea yeah... but if you decide to adopt a nosalis, I'll fucking beat you senseless."
The two bursted out in a laughter, while Luna looked at the two grown up men hugging eachother.
Awkwardly they finished the moment of bromance.
"Hrm. We should probably get some kind of clothes for you Luna. You'll freeze to death without propper clothing." Grig scratched his beard.
"We could fix something propper back at Polis... but for now we have to improvise." Vasili walked up to Luna. "The blanket could be sewed into a coat..."
"Nah nah, it's not gonna protect from drafts." Grig went to his backpack and held up a roll of cloth. "Use my sleeping bag. That will do."
Luna blinked. "You would ruin your sleeping bag... to keep me warm?"
Another warn feeling rolled up Grig's stomach. With a forced smile he patted the pony on the head. "No need to thank me."
"Thank you, Girgory." Luna cooed and gave him a warm smile.
Vasili studied his work. Grig's sleeping bag had been re-used into a cozy jacket, and a pair of trousers. He didn't make any holes for her wings, flying would be too hard and dangerous in the narrow, dark tunnels anyway. "Not bad, I have to admit." he said, feeling rather cocky.
"Mhm, you are quite the artisan. The other old ladies must be so jealous." Grig laughed.
Ignoring the insult, Vasili turned his attention to the wearer herself. "What do you think?"
"They fit perfectly!" Luna cheered. "And they are so warm and comfortable. I...I want to repay you in some way!"
"Aah, we dwellers of the metro gotta look out for eachother." Grig scratched behind her ear like a dog. Much like one, she closed her eyes and made a low mmm in satisfaction.
So they put out the fire and started the long walk back to Polis. Grig took the lead, Luna behind him, and Vasili covering the rear.
After a minute of silence, Luna looked around the dark tunnel. "What happened here?"
"War" Vasili muttered bitterly. "It got so out of hand millions, if not hundred of millions of humanity died in the first week."
Luna gasped. "Whom were you fighting?"
"Nobody but the oldest remembers anymore," Grig shot in. "I was just five years when I saw the nukes launch... and to see them rain down at us, obliterating anyone who was unfortunate enough not be in bunkers."
"I'm so sorry." Luna whispered. "I did not intend to tear up or wounds."
They didn't answer her, clearly not wanting to talk any further about the subject.
Ten minutes passed, and finally light could be seen at the end of the tunnel. "Here's the 700 meter post. Luna, stay close to us and don't speak to them. You might spook them." Vasili whispered in her ear. "Let's cross out fingers they aren't trigger-happy today."
A strong spotlight was pointed at them, followed by an order of standing still.
From the post came a chubby soldier clad in olive, full heavy armor. As the man folded up the visor, Vasili cursed.
Not this fucking guy.
"Ooh look at this, here comes the hope of the metro!" Brody shouted and raised his hands. "Ey guys, Shroom-boys are back!"
A roll of laugher from the post was heard from the posting. "How can the farm manage without you guys?!" someone shouted.
Brody laughed more, starting to become red. "So, did you guys have a fun little trip then? Did you...*heh* eliminate any potentional threats? And what happened to your nose son?"
"No threats found, but we did find someone." Grig stepped to the side, revealing Luna.
Brody instantly stopped laughing and stared at the pony. "W...w... what the hell is that?"
"Her name; is Luna." Vasili said with a smirk. "Princess Luna. From Equestria."
Brody's mouth went on, forming soundless words. His red face suddenly turned white, and his arms reached for a pistol in his belt.
"Hold on." Grig put his hand on the man's arm. "She's not a mutant. We found her in Polyanka, confused and cold."
"We want to take to colonel Miller, he probably want to know about this. And maybe shed some light on how she came here."
Brody looked on the three, now sweating. "If the council gets a whiff about this-"
"They won't." Grig shot in. "Let the Rangers handle this."
Brody nodded and wiped sweat from his face. "I'll radio the colonel, and getting a crate for that-her. If someone in the station sees her, it will be fucked for ALL of us!"
-------------------------------------------------------- Luna didn't undertand the point in squeezing herself into a tight crate. Because the, human council would disaprove of her?
Luna groaned displeased. Execpt for the lack of swing-room, the crate smelled like something rotten. "Everyhing here seems to smell."
"Quiet in there!" the man named Brody hissed on the outside of the crate. "people will get suspicious if a box talks!"
"You don't think they'll be more suspicious, when YOU are talking to the CRATE??" Vasili huffed.
Brody did not reply, but Luna could hear how his steps got a faster pace and how he cursed under his breath.
A small beam of light peeked in the crate from a small knot hole. Curious, Luna peeked out and was amazed.
Outside was like an underground city, with railway carriages, humans, dozens walking around. It was so much life going on! A vehicle caught her attention, a four-wheeled steel cart that rolled on the train tracks making a put-put-put sound as it went away.
The crate started to slant upwards, and Luna guessed they were going up some stairs. Soon the heavenly light of Polis faded into a much weaker orange light. Peeking out, Luna could only see the wall of a small room.
"Colonel sir!" Brody suddenly shouted. "It's the mushroom farmers Vasili and Grigory that-"
"I know who they are." a raspy voice cut Brody off. "You are dismissed private."
A door slammed shut, and again the colonel spoke. "Let her out."
The walls of the crate fell over, and Luna now could see the room she was in clearly. A small office with one lone lamp was the only source of light.
"When I first heard the call, I thought that idiot had hit the vodka again... but wow..."
Luna turned to the voice, and faced an old human, his face filled with wrinkles and his mane and beard gray of old age.
"It's nice to meet you Colonel Miller. My name is Princess Luna." she raised her head and extended her hoof.
Miller seemed surprised when she spoke, but the wrinkled face quickly cracked into a smile. "The honor is mine, your highness." he said with a firendly tone and took her hoof gently and smooched it.
Luna blushed. She was thinking on shaking hooves, or hand with Miller, but the gesture was sweet, and she was not going to complain.
"Now, " Miller started, taking a seat in a chair, "I would like to hear how, and why you are here."
"I wish I knew either." Luna moped.
"Okay. Then why don't you start with where you come from?" -------------------------------------------------------- So Luna told Miller, Vasili and Grig about Equestria, of how she and Celestia raised the moon and the sun. She even told them about Nightmare Moon, and how she was banished, and finally freed from her long prison by the hooves of the Twlilight Sparkle and her friends.
The three men listened with awe, and completely silent as they absorbed every single word she said. Finally she finished her story with how she was in the glade, then on Polyanka station.
Miller leaned back in his chair. "How amazing your kingdom must be... you think one could move in there?"
"I would not mind, but I still do not know how I can get home."
Miller scratched his thick beard for a while, deep in thoughts. "This orb you described... it sounds alot like an anomaly."
"Anomaly?" Luna tilted her head.
"They're...to be honest I have no clue what exactly what they are, but from what I've seen myself, they are energy, usually deadly that sometimes pop up in the metro. It can be in this case, an anomaly could have acted as a doorway somehow..." Miller shook his head. "I am terribly sorry princess, but I don't know anything about these anomalies, less about how to find one that sends you back, not one that instantly fries you."
Luna's heart sank. He meant he didn't know if she would ever get home.
"I promise to do some research on the matter, when I have time." the old man assured her. "Now, one last thing I have to ask..."
-"what the HELL where you two idiots doing out at Polyanka?!"
The two men had been standing silently at the side, but now they were dragged into the frying pan. "Uh, we heard how the guards were talking about noices from the station, but nobody was going to check..." Grig stammered.
"We just said to the posts we were searching for more shrooms, and well... they bought it... didn't question we brought guns..." Vasili added.
"You are farmers." Miller sighed, "What kind of madness did make you going out there?"
... "We want to become Rangers, sir." the two said simultaneously.
"Rangers." Miller sighed. "Farmboys wanting to be Rangers..." He rubbed his face with both hands for a moment before standing up.
"I must get back to work, you two can go back to yours. Princess Luna, there's a couch in the back of the room if you wish to rest."
Vasili and Grig waved to Luna before leaving her and Miller alone in the office, their dreams slipping away even further.
No matter how much she twisted and turned, Luna couldn't relax in Colonel Miller's couch. There was something bothering her.
Getting up, she trotted silently into the office. Miller sat by his desk, writing on some papers. She cleared her throat, hoping the colonel wasn't too busy.
"Your highness!" Miller peeked up from the paperwork. "Something you need?"
"Please, just call me Luna," she walked in and sat up on a chair. "Colonel... are Grigory and Vasili in trouble?"
The old man leaned forward. "There are certain rules here in Polis, today they broke several. It's important we know where our people are, soldiers OR farmers. These boys were lucky today to only find you, and not a squadron of fascists."
Luna didn't know what *fascists* were, but assumed they were bad.
"Had they been captured, they would be tortured until they would spill every little nasty secret of Polis, and we can't afford having the Reich on our doorstep when most of our men have been relocated."
"Where to?" Luna curiously looked on Miller.
"Classified." he just shot in. "My point, the shroom farmers broke the rules, and they'll have to take the consequences like men."
Luna grimaced. "They said they wanted to become Rangers. What are they?"
"We, are an group of stalkers that has gained somewhat of an repopulation." Miller smiled. "Like any stalker, we venture up to the surface to scavenge whatever you can find up there, ammo stocks, food or machinery. We are neural however, so we aren't on anyone’s *side*, so Reds, Reich and bandits alike knows we are a force to be reckoned with."
"So you are an independent elite group?"
"You could say that. And we don't just pick anyone from the gutters, just because they want to be some action man taken from some Hollywood movie because their everyday is too dull for them."
"I see... but may I recommend them to the Rangers? I think they could be a great addition to them." Luna smiled, starting to shape a plan in her head.
"Eh... how?"
"When they found me, they showed how resourceful they were. Grig made a fire to keep me warm from trash. And Vasili made my outfit from a sleeping bag."
Miller looked on the jacket with a frown.
"I can tell you colonel, they might look like ordinary farmers on the outside, but they have the hearts of loyal soldiers. I can tell. Just give them one chance to prove themselves, as a favor for me?"
Miller thought about it for a long time, his lower jaw going from side to side. Suddenly he reached over his desk and picked up an odd clump and pressed it to his hear.
"Notify the lieutenant I'm sending two more men on the mission. They might be a little rough around the edges, but he can take care about that." ---------------------------------------------------- Grig and Vasili had gone back to the farm with their heads low. Old Natacha was furious when they'd left without a notice and not taken care of their supposed delivery to the market. After a scolding, they were forced to run not one, but FIVE mushroom deliveries as punishment.
Just one crate of shrooms was at least one hundred kilos, and they had to run back and fourth five times?
"This is your fault you know?" Grig panted.
"MY fault?" Vasili spat. "You wanted to be a Ranger just as much as me!"
Grig grunted. "You wanted to bring Luna here."
"And you wanted to check out the station!"
Grig sighed. "It was equally both our fault, alright?"
"Yea..."
When they reached the farm, they were met by an unusual sight. A man in full heavy armor stood in their way.
"Grigory, Vasili, grab your stuff and come with me."
"Uh, we have deliveries to make-"
"We got someone else to do that for you. Now move it, davai davai!"
They scrambled, grabbing bags and guns with haste. As they heard the angry shouts of Natacha behind them, they only got more motivated to jog.
"Hey man thanks for saving us," Vasili panted to the armored man in front, "you saved us from certain death by boredom!"
"Who are you anyway, and where are you taking us?" Grig shot in.
"Sergeant Dima. And you have been chosen for this mission by the colonel." Dima said, "Your pony friend apparently vouched for you."
Vasili and Grig looked on each other with open jaws. Luna got us on a Ranger mission?
"And YOU wanted to leave her at Polyanka!" Vasili punched his friend on the arm. "You fucking owe me now!"
The trio walked through Polis, passing many postings. As they took a sharp turn into a narrow tunnel, they were met by a surprise.
"Luna?" Grig and Vasili said together.
The pony stood next to a motorized railcar with two more Rangers, one man and one woman, both busy strapping pieces of customized armor on Luna.
"Hi!" She cheered. "It's so good to see you two again!"
They didn't have time to return the warm greeting before a bald man jumped down from the railcar. "About time you showed up. I'm Lieutenant Valentin." he gave a curt nod. "Misha, Naum, give the recruits their new gear."
"Recruits?" Grig shined up. "Are we Rangers?!"
"Not yet." Valentin spat. "You two shroom-shits are only here because your royal highness made a good impression with the colonel." Valentin pointed with his thumb at Luna. "You will have to earn the right to be called Ranger. You will sweat and bleed for it! Do I make myself clear?!"
"Yes sir."
"DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEEEAR?!" He roared.
"SIR, YES SIR!" the two straightened and saluted.
"Now get your gear on, we're moving out in ten!"
"Sir, yes sir!" the two made another salute before scurrying off.
The lieutenant made a tssk as he watched after the rookies. Then he walked up to Luna.
"And you, I have a few things to make clear." the bald man peered his hazel eyes at her. "I don't care if you are of royalty, the moment you volunteered for this, you became a scrub like those two. You are on the bottom, and I am on the top."
"I understand."
The lieutenant’s face turned dark, and he leaned even closer to her. "You have a lot more to prove then them though. I am entrusted to train you, but I won't carry you like a porcelain teacup. You want my respect, you better get some blood on your clean, clean hooves. And that is sir to you, recruit Luna."
The group was now on their way, the railcar taking them to an unknown position. In the meantime, Misha had given Luna a weapon, a modified revolver with a eight round-chamber. Misha was very thorough on how you aimed, reloaded and maintained it, saying this was now Luna's number one tool for survival. While the weapon fascinated Luna, she still had a rock in her stomach thinking about using it.
The railcar stopped finally in front of an enormous, red metal door. Dima jumped off first and hit a button on a wall. A loud alarm went off, and the gate slowly opened with a terrible screeching.
Only opening it half-way, he gave a gesture to the lieutenant.
"Alright, you three. Get in there." he ordered. Not arguing, the two men and pony jumped down the railcar and crouched under the door.
That was when Dima hit the button again, the door closing behind them.
"Hey hey, what the hell!" Vasili shouted with panic.
"Some of our guys managed to trap a pack of mutants between two locks a few days ago." Valentin shouted, trying to outmatch the noise of the door. "The idea was to let them starve in there, or eat each other... but what better training is there, than to fend off a pack of starving beasts to survive?"
"Holy fuck, the guy is insane!" Grig whimpered.
"Keep your minds sharp, and cover each other. We'll open when the gunshots dies out." The lieutenant managed to relay before the door slammed shut.
"Celestia, protect us..." Luna whimpered with tear in her throat.
"She fucking better." Grig sniffed.
A blood-icing howl was now heard from the pitch-black tunnel. The mutants were approaching.
"C'mon guys!" Vasili tried to sound confident. "Watch eachothers sides and cover when reloading!"
He readied his new Kalash and aimed at the tunnel. Grig cocked his shotgun and did the same. Luna used her magic to aim her revolver, but she was so scared her concentration was thin, making the gun shake slightly.
"Wait for it..." Vasili gulped.
The howling became louder, and now there was more of it. The sound of fast paws on soil made a rhythmical thump-thump-thump.
Grig mumbled something, repeating it over and over.
Vasili unleashed a salvo from his rifle, lighting up the tunnel with each muzzle flash. Howls and squeals were heard from the dark as the rounds hit their invisible enemy.
When the globes of their flashlights finally hit the mutants, Grig shot, causing the head of a nosalis to burst into a gory mess.
But Luna was frozen by fear. The beasts hideous, deformed heads looked like they'd come from the darkest of nightmares. Their jaws wide and filled with yellow fangs, foam running down and unnatural growls were the most horrifying she'd ever seen.
"Shit I'm out!" Grig suddenly shouted. "Cover my right Luna!"
Luna swallowed hard, taking aim on one beast ahead.
Baam
The bullet hit it's shoulder, but it kept coming at her.
Baam Baam
The beast squealed and toppled, dead before hitting the ground.
The trio worked together like a clockwork, one reloading while the others covered that one, picking the nosalises one by one. Not one of them got closer than five meters to them.
Suddenly silence filled the tunnel. Not an echo.
"Is...Is it over?" Vasili whispered, the whole man shaking.
"I think so..." Grig panted. "Heh... we made it!"
Luna exhaled heavily and sat right down on the ground. "I never, ever want to do that again."
Finally the steel door opened, and the four Rangers walked in the tunnel. Dima made a whistle as he saw the pile of nosalises.
"Not bad, for rookies." Naum said and clapped Vasili on the shoulder. His very high-pitched voice was shock, considering how buff the man was.
Valentin had been walking around the pile of dead meat, a satisfied smirk appeared on his face. "A small pack on 27 nosalises, and you didn't even get bit. There are some promising results here."
That was a SMALL pack? Luna winced.
"So... are we Rangers NOW then?" Grig groaned.
"No... but you are about halfway there." Valentin laughed. "C'mon, we rest now and move out in seven hours." --------------------------------------------------
Most of the team had fallen asleep, not bothering taking of armor or rolling out any sleeping bags and just snoozed sitting up, or leaning at a wall. The only ones awake was the lieutenant who took watch, and Vasili. He had worries about Luna. She hadn't said a thing after being locked in. Poor thing must have been traumatized.
He got up and sat down with Luna. Her eyes were still open.
"Hey. Can't sleep?"
"No." she raised her head. "I... I... I killed those things."
Vasili put a firm hand on the side of her neck. "Those things are soulless monsters. There's nothing good inside. It was either them or you."
"But they breathe and think, just like you and me, so they are living beings!" Luna almost shouted, tears on the verge of rolling down.
She really had been shaken from this Vasili thought. He gently stoked her neck as he thought of some fitting words.
"See, to them, life is like a long, narrow tunnel. They can only go forward, they can't choose what to do. It's their primal instincts. But for us..." he started to draw in the dirt with one finger, "...our tunnel has intersections. These intersections are the choices we make in life. It's what separates us from them. They can't show kindness, but you can."
Luna sniffed and stared at the drawing. "Intersections..."
"Keep that in mind. Now try getting some rest. It's a long day tomorrow."
She laid down, her head resting in his lap. "Good night Vasili."
"Night." he cooed and scratched behind her ear. When her eyes finally closed, he sighed.
This isn't a good place for her. She needed to get home.
The team had time for a short breakfast before they moved out. Meanwhile they ate; the lieutenant now told what their secret mission was.
"Scouts have spotted people up on the surface. They're setting up camp waaay to close to Polis in an old motel. Our mission is to identify them, and kick the bastards out from our lawn."
"The surface?" Vasili said with his eyes big as saucers. "I've never been to the surface."
"Few have." Misha joined the conversation. "Three things you need to remember. One; stay together, don't wander off like scared chickens. Two; keep your gasmasks on at ALL times. The air is toxic to breathe in. And remember, one filter equals fifteen minutes of air. And thirdly; Do NOT! Stay out in the open."
"Why not?" Luna asked. She wasn't in a good mood today. And she didn't care if the lieutenant would be a thorn in her side for being nosey.
"One word;" Valentin answered, "Demons."
Shudders seemed to roll over the humans just by hearing that name.
"Demons are always a risk, but today you will learn to fight the second most deadly threat out there."
"And this threat carry rifles." -----------------------------------------------------
"What is taking so long back there?" Valentin grunted, starting to lose his temper.
"We're trying to get Luna's helmet on, but her horn is in the way." Vasili explained, "So we are just gonna make a hole for it!"
"Idiot!" the lieutenant spat. "If you make a hole, it's not properly sealed. Just give her a regular mask."
"But sir!" Vasili protested. "If there's a chance of firefight, she needs to protect her head from bullets!"
"For crying out loud-" the lieutenant pulled out a long knife, "We're wasting time. She can take the fucking mask, or I'll cut off the fucking horn off if she wants a helmet!"
Luna reeled terrified back. "I need my horn! It's the source of-"
"There, it's decided!" Valentin shouted. "Help her with the mask so we can move out sometime TODAY!"
The only female of the Rangers, Misha, walked over to Luna and kneeled down to her level. "Don't take it personally." She whispered, "He just want this to be over with, so we all can go home."
Luna winced. "Would... would he really..."
"Cut off your horn? No, I don't think so." Misha shook her head. "He can say nasty things but not mean it, and he would never ever hurt a fellow Ranger. Not even a non-human member."
Luna smiled weakly. She would still keep her distance from him.
"Now," Misha took the gasmask and pulled it over Luna's head. "It needs to sit tightly around your face. So if you breathe out, I'll see if we need to tighten it more."
The mask was very uncomfortable and tight, her muzzle feeling cramped. She breathed in and out while Misha ran her finger around the edges of the mask, looking for gaps.
"Seems fine." She patted Luna's neck. "Remember to breathe normally, and if it's getting harder to breathe, change filters."
"Finally." Valentin grunted. "Move out."
So the team started their ascent, walking up some old stairs. Once up they came into a big hall, reminding Luna of Canterlot throne room. The windows had been smashed, but still a weak light came through.
Valentin pushed up an old door and revealed their world. Luna was struck by awe.
It was night outside, but the ruins of Moscow were so clear, and illuminated by the moon. Luna glanced up to the moon, overjoyed to see it again. All she wanted was to tear of her mask and armor, to fly high in the sky and feel the breeze on her face.
But she had to put the thought aside as Dima gave her a tap on the back. "Stay in formation."
Disappointed, Luna started walking again. They seemed to walk forever, and the city never seemed to have an end. Tall buildings reached high in the sky, roads wide and covered by metal wagons. It was hard to imagine how this city had once been full of life, now so silent and still.
The team moved silently, avoiding packs of mutants, *watchers* they were called. But everyone and then, the Ranger's glance aimed upwards, worried if something was watching them from the rooftops.
Finally they stopped. Ahead was a ruined building, campfires burning giving it a somewhat welcomming look.
"Who are they?" Vasili whispered.
Naum folded down a set of nightvision googles and looked down the sights of his Tihar. "Looks like old hammer and sickle. Not the fascists for a change."
"Reds?" Valentin said surprised. "Now that's a surprise. But it changes nothing."
The lieutenant ordered out positions to the team. Luna stayed with Naum and Dima, while the others advanced forward.
"It's a little windy today Naum," Dima chuckled behind his helm, "think today's gonna be my lucky day."
"Right right... fifty says I win, as I always do." Naum laughed.
Luna watched as the two crack jokes and readied their strange rifles. "What am I supposed to do, I don't think I'm that accurate on such a range..."
"You're gonna keep an eye open in case something would sneak up on us." Dima said while oddly enough, pumped a handle on his rifle. "And remember to look up once and a while."
"For... demons?" Luna asked with a raised brow. "What are they?"
"Flying fuckers. Nothing you'd wanna cuddle with." Naum kept chuckling. "you see one, shout and run like hell."
Luna gulped and kept her head, scaning the tall buildings.
Suddenly silent Poof-poofs came from behind her, Dima and Naum had started shooting.
"One for me!" Dima said triumphantly.
"Me too." Naum scoffed.
In the distance the other had started shooting, the blazes of their guns lighting up the night.
Luna turned away from the disgusting sight. It was one thing to kill a mutant, in self-defence, but when humans started to shoot humans, something was terribly wrong.
Dima and Naum had a blast apperently, laughing and anouncing each time they ended the life of their fellow humans, each time Luna started to hate them.
Suddenly a movement caught her attention. Something scurried in the distance between the ruins, and in large numbers.
"Dima, Naum." Luna whispered without looking away from the growing mass of creatures.
Dima cursed and got up. When he too saw it, he cursed much, much more out loud. "It's a fucking horde of watchers! Let's get the hell outta here before we get trampled!"
The three rushed to the motel and the rest of the group, their guns had silenced at last. "Watchers!" Naum shouted. "Lots and lots of them!"
Misha came out of the ruins and gasped loudly, even hearable behind her helm. "Put out the fires, lamps and everything else that shines!" Everyone was quickly doing just that, the building soon dark again. The horde was coming closer by the second, and the others lined up behind walls and windows, arms at ready.
Except for Luna. She heard something further in the building and decided to investigate. As she trotted in, she came upon the lifeless bodies of the previous tenants. Did they really have to die? She wondered. By what right did Lieutenant Valentin have do decide the fate of these men?
...was this what Vasili and Grig wanted to become?
A noise caught Luna's attention. Something was moving in the corner, behind a counter. Carefully approaching, she peeked around it. Time slowed down as she stared down the barrel of a revolver.
The man holding it shot, but missed even on less than two meters away.
Luna magically snatched the gun from him and now SHE aimed at HIM.
The man, clad in a green uniform and dark spots, presumably blood, crawled further back. Behind his gasmask his eyes were large by fear, and hyperventilated. "Please, don't kill me don't kill me!" he gargled with tears in his throat.
Luna blinked, first at the man, then the gun and again back at him.
He tried to kill me. I act in self-defense. It was either him or you. She blinked. "Intersections..." It's what separates us from them. They can't show kindness... "...but I can."
"Luna!" suddenly a familiar voice shouted. "We heard a gunshot!"
Luna looked to the door, Grigory and Valentin standing there.
She then looked back at the injured man. Then she made her decision.
"I... it was a rat... a big one." Luna lied and trotted to the door, pushing the two men out from the room. "It looked like a mutant at first."
"Ugh" Grig snorted, "I hate rats, hope you got it!"
"No it got away." Luna said flaty and glanced over her shoulder. The man had taken the chance she gave him, and climbed out a window and vanished into the night.
------------------------------------------ The horde had passed on, but a few dozen of the creatures had broken off, now skulking a hundred meters away from the old motel. The beasts would at times stand straight up on their hind legs, sniffing the air.
Valentin had ordered not to open fire however. It could attract more watchers, or other things if they were unlucky. Instead they were now searching for enemy "intelligence" on why the Reds had made an outpost on the surface so close to Polis. It was half scary Vasili thought, the lieutenant was very obsessed with it. When he asked, Valentin only mumbled anything about *Kievskaya* was priority intel.
Vasili just got spooked around that guy and decided to go down to bottom floor. The others, Naum, Dima had taken position by a window and watched the - watchers -. Misha was nowhere to be seen, probably up with Valentin. Grig had been going on to collect ammo of the dead communists. They wouldn't have any use of it anymore. Luna had taken a seat in a corner, giving a very disgusted look at him.
"Hey man," Vasili suddenly said to Grig. "Show some respect for the dead."
Grig looked up at his friend with an confused look, then noticed Luna's piercing gaze. "Right. Sorry." Grig mumbled and stepped away from the body. Luna didn't say a word, only keep staring at him with a frown.
Grig shuddered and walked over to Vasili. "What's with her?"
"What do you think?" Vasili nodded at the bodies. "That is a major issue for her."
"Well... it's how it works, they're our enemy, we shoot them and the other way around."
"I know." Vasili sighed. "But this is just gonna get worse. If we can find a calm station while we find a way home for her-"
"DEMON!"
Suddenly an AK went off on the second floor, followed by screams, human and beast.
"Lieutenant!" Misha shouted from upsfairs.
Heavy, leathery flaps was heard from outside the ruin, and the team watched in horror as the monster flew away with the lieutenant in its claws.
"Take the fucker out!" Dima barked and unloaded his Tihar. The others followed, pumping the demon full of led.
It growled loudly, starting to fall from the sky. Plummeting down twenty meters and crashed on the street with a wet crunch. The demon was still, hopefully dead from the fall. But so could Valentin be.
"Christ!" Naum shouted. "Lieutenant! Can you hear me?!"
No response.
"Fuck!" Dima rushed up the stairs. "I'll check in Misha, go get Valentin!"
Grig and Vasili followed Naum, who suddenly halted in his tracks, his eyes up. Bellowing roars almost made Vasili piss his pants, and when looked up to see five more beasts swooping down at them, he let out a loud scream of horror.
"Back! Back in the motel!" Naum spun around and pushed the others on, narrowly dodging one demon that landed with a thud. It chased the Rangers on all four back into the building.
Luna, now standing by the door, let the men run past her before she exhaled and lit her horn. The demon yelped when a ball of blue energy hit it like a truck, sending it out flyng back on the street.
"Holy-" Naum gasped. "That was badass!"
"Guys!" Dima came down from the stairs with Misha over his shoulder. She was bleeding much from her abdomen, large claw marks torn through her armor and cloth. "We have to get the hell out of here, or Misha bleeds out!"
"What about the LT?" Grig said with a hint of panic in his voice.
"Nothing we can do for him anymore. He can only distract the demons so we can get away." Dima sighed.
"WHAT?!" Luna blurted out. "You can't just leave your leader behind! He can still be alive!"
"...she's right..." Misha moaned. "...help..."
"It's too late for him. Get over it."
It was true. In a situation like this, you should only think about yourself, or in this case help the one who would have more than a 50% chance to survive. But this was not the way for a good-hearted pony like Luna. She ignored the fact Valentin could already be dead, or close to it. She dropped her guns, threw off her bags and rushed out of the ruin.
"What the fuck!" Dima barked. "What is that dumb animal doing?!"
"Showing more balls than we all have put togheter." Vasili slapped a fresh magazine in his rifle. "Covering fire; keep the bitches away from her!" --------------------------------------------------
The demons above circled like vultures and roaring like chimeras. But Luna had to ignore them and focus her attention to the man.
"Valentin, can you hear me?" She used her hoof to roll him over. "Lieutenant do you-"
The helmets visor had cracked upon impact, exposing the man to the toxic air. His face had turned white and stained with blood. It was too late. Luna couldn't help to feel the tears coming. Valentin didn't like her, and his methods cruel, but he was still a living being. He just did his duty, and what he thought was right and best for his team.
"Rest peacefully Valentin." she sniffed. "May the Moon guide you through dark journeys."
"Lunaaa!" Grig shouted and made a sudden halt next to her. "Is he okay?!"
She shook her head. He looked at Valentine and cursed. "You tried, that's what matters. Now move, back to the motel!"
They two ran, Grig even shooting while doing so hit one demon, the hail of pellets only aggravated it. Even more demons came flying, all to join the party.
"That was fucking idiotic!" Dima cursed when they came back in. "And pointless! Now our escape has been cut off, and closest doctor is back in fucking Polis!"
"...Kutuzovskaya..." Misha murmured.
The Rangers seemed surprised. "Kutuzovskaya?" Naum repeated. "Isn't that place abandoned?
"...no... Settlers..." the woman groaned.
"Rest Misha" Dima whispered. "Kutuzovskaya it is then. It's not far,but we won't get far with the demons blocking our way."
"We can't go through a window on the back?" Luna asked. An awkward silence rose. Nobody thought about that.
"Alright, out the back. Good thinking Luna." Dima admitted. --------------------------------------------------
The team, now one man less had managed to sneak out unnoticed by the demons. They had nearly crossed one last big plaza before they got to their goal, a building with a big red M on it, when they heard howls from behind.
It was watchers. The horde from before had now caught up with them.
"Seal the fucking doors!" Naum shouted when the team had gotten in. Vasili helped the Ranger and stacked old bits of wood against the door. It wouldn't hold them forever, but better than nothing.
Once down the old escalators they were met by an rusty old steel door, Dima banged vigorously on it with one free hand. "HEEEY, THERE'S WOUNDED OUT HERE!"
Up top, the mutants started banging against the door.
"OPEN FOR FUCKING OUT LOOOUD!" Dima roared.
To everyone's surprise, the door started to shriek. Dust started to fall off, and it started to slid open.
They were welcomed by two men in bulky armors and massive guns. "Get in, davai davai!" Not arguing with them, everyone dived in, relived to be back in the metro. As the doors closed shut, Dima wasted no time to boss the men.
"My friend is wounded and needs surgery, can you do that?"
"Oleg can fix 'er up." One of the armored said. "Follow me."
"Like a stroll through the park huh?" Grig panted as Dima and Misha walked deeper into the station.
Vasili and Naum chuckled at the joke. "Hey, for shroom-farmers, you handled yourselves out there pretty well out there. I can't give you a big ceremony or anything, but you've earned it. Welcome to the Rangers, privates!" Naum reached out his hand to each man. "Congratulations."
Vasili and Grig cheered and hugged each other in delight.
"Oh, and Princess Luna," Naum turned to her, "I can gladly say you've proven yourself too, and I'd love to call you the first Alicorn Ranger!"
"I never asked for such a position," Luna scoffed, "because I do not desire one. And based on today’s events… the very thought of being in your order disgusts me."
With that she trotted away, not caring what the station inhabitants would think of her. Vasili, Grig and Naum stared at her with eyes wide and jaws open, speechless of her outburst.
”Psst… what is that?” One skinny guard whispered to another. “Is it a mutant?”
“Rangers say it’s an alicorn.” The other replied. “It’s not a mutant, and it comes from some other world or something like that.”
“What bullshit.” The other huffed. “It’s just a more fancy way of calling it mutant. The Rangers says its friendly, but I tell you…”
“…yeah, I’m keeping an eye on it too.”
Luna sighed. The citizens of Kutuzovskaya reminded her much about Ponyvilles during Nightmare Night. The humans ogled her with big eyes, whispering to one another. As she walked between through the station, the humans conveniently moved aside with mixed yelps and gasps.
Luna was not prepared to bump into a pair of legs. Looking up, she saw Grig’s bearded face.
“Hey. Nice to ‘bump’ into you” he chuckled.
Luna rolled her eyes. “Hello Grig.”
“I just wanted to let you know, me and Vasili are staying on the station to escort Misha when she’s back up on her legs. Dima and Naum are heading back to Polis for a full report. Meanwhile, we heard the neighbor station has a lurker problem… you wanna come with us?”
“No. I have had my share of firearms and mutants for one day.” She tried walking past him, but he put a hand in front of her.
“Luna, I’m getting a tad worried about you. We both do.” The man leaned down, coming down to her eye level. “I get it. You don’t like what the Ranger stand for, and I agree their methods was-“
He stopped and rubbed his eyes. “I don’t think the LT made the right choice up there. I honestly thought we were just gonna shoot mutants. But other humans…”
Luna started to smile slightly. “You wanted a life of adventure, I understand. Tales of bravado inspired you two.”
“Yeah! But I guess there was another part of that bravado that we didn’t sign up for.” He shrugged. “but can you see past that? See us as Grigory and Vasili, and not Rangers?”
Luna smiled even more. “You helped me from the very first day I arrived here… how can I not consider you as my friends?”
“Naaaaw Luna come here!” Grig suddenly cooed and wrapped his arms around her neck, hugging her tight. “You are amazing, you know that right?”
Luna started to laugh nervously. “Grig… people are staring…”
“Like I care!”Grig laughed and stood up. “HEY LISTEN UP! LUNA HERE IS HERE TO HELP YOU. TREAT HER WITH THE SAME RESPECT YOU’D SHOW TO ANY OTHER PERSON!”
The crowd absorbed the message in silence, and then went on their usual routines.
“Hah. That was cool.” Grig chuckled. “Anyway, Vasili is probably tired of waiting for me. I should go. But we’ll be back in time for third grub.”
“Third grub?” Luna cocked her head.
“Yeah you know… dinner if that sounds more normal. It’s just hard to keep track of time in here so lunch, dinner and breakfast is…” he shrugged, trying to find the right word.
“I understand. When you don’t know what the time is, it does not matter what you call it.”
He smiled and reached his hand behind her ear and scratched. Luna loved him doing that.
“You’re a bright one.” He smiled. “But I really should get going. Vasili will be butt hurt if I dawdle too much. You should ask around the station if you can help them with anything.”
“I wish I could share your enthusiasm, but I’m not so sure they’ll accept my help…” Luna frowned.
“Metro-dwellers can be slow and hard to trust, but use your killer smile and those adorable eyes, and you’ll be part of the station in no time! I promise.”
Luna felt her cheeks getting warm by his comment. “…thank you.”
Grig turned around and strode away.
Luna took a moment to take a deep breath before she got up and started trotting through the station. The humans gave her funny looks, but Luna was not going to be demoralized by that anymore.
She came into a crowded room that seemed to be a market. Humans by stands shouted out all kind of things;
“Coats! Warm boots, I got gloves too, best leather in the metro!”
“Guns, filters and medkits, everything for the adventurers!”
“Hot soups! Salt pork, freshly cut!”
A slight rumble in Luna’s belly came as she heard soup. It felt like she hadn’t eaten in ages… some warm food would do her good.
Then she realized; she didn’t have any money to make such purchases.
She pondered, how could she get money? Working for it could take time… maybe if she sold something. She turned her saddlebags upside down, pouring out all of her packing on the ground. Some humans stood and watched curiously.
“Let’s see…” Luna grumbled. Sleeping bag… no, I need that… mask filters… best saving them just in case, same for the gasmask… She had a plethora of ammunition. She could absolutely sell those… or…
She placed her hoof under her chin. Maybe the human guards could use it. If the defenders of the station ran out of, things could be most unpleasant.
Perhaps it would help her get along better with the guards too! She thought with a smile.
So what’s left… she looked on her silver shoes and tiara. It was the only things left.
She sighed. The tiara had been with her for as long as she could remember, and she had no intention of parting with it. The shoes were beautiful, but served no practical use in the metro.
Sighing, she looked at one of the stands with pots, pans and other miscellaneous. She approached it and cleared her throat, making her presence clear to everyone. Two humans that had been browsing slid away, leaving the stand all for Luna. The man behind the stand, a chubby fellow with rounded glasses stiffened when the alicorn used her magic to put her shoes up on the counter.
“I would like to sell these.” Luna said with a smooth tone and a big smile.
The man snorted, casting a long glance on her, then on the shoes. Carefully like a suspicious squirrel he snatched one shoe and examined it. He made a low hmm as he held the shoe up in the light, and then tapped on it with a fat finger.
“It’s made in silver… if that means anything…” Luna shot in, still smiling.
He had his vision still fixed on the shoes. With a sigh he turned to her, seemingly nervous.
“I… dunno what to do with it… might be able to smelt them to something… but honestly I just see ashtrays…” he snorted once, then leaned forward. “I’d say fifteen bullets for each.”
Luna squinted. “Fifteen bullets?”
The man casted nervous glances to the sides. “Err… yeah… how much were you expecting?”
They use bullets as currency? Luna thought. It didn’t make sense to her, but if that is how it is…
“Well?” The man said slightly annoyed, “I’d like a quick answer… and you’re scaring the customers!”
“Mm… It’s a deal.” Luna sighed. Quickly the shoes want down a box and the man put up two magazines up on the counter.
“Thank you. Have a nice day.” Luna smiled and trotted away.
“Whatever.” The man grumbled after her.
Well that went well Luna smirked. At least he didn’t treat me horribly or called me any names. Satisfied, she went to the food stand. Again all humans steered clear of her, and the owner stammered and handed the bowl of hot soup to her slowly, only to retract his hand as if he’d burned it.
She ate in peace, enjoying the warm mushroom soup. She did have spectators however, four small creatures with wide eyes. Human foals, or children she corrected herself.
They didn’t say anything, just looked at her with curiosity. One picked his finger up his nostril and then stuck it in his mouth. Shuddering, Luna got up and trotted to the guard postings, her followers still with her, keeping their distance.
Luna took notice of one human leaned against the station platform, cursing and holding his ankle. “Erhm… excuse me, is something wrong?”
The human turned to her, revealing a young female with a short, cotty mane. She was so startled by Luna; the woman fell backwards on her rump, causing her to spit out more inappropriate curses.
“I am so sorry!” Luna cried. “I didn’t mean – please, can I help you up?”
The woman spat in anger and casted some concerned glances around her. When she didn’t see any other human, she nodded to Luna. Luna walked over to her and lowered down, letting the human grab her around the neck to haul herself up.
“Thanks.” She said in a low and flat tone.
Luna smiled. “What happened? You looked like you were in pain…”
“I did a dumb jump down from the platform,” the woman winced. “landed wrong and twisted my ankle. I was going to make a delivery to the three postings. But I won’t be able to do that now...”
“Oh, I can do it, if you would like some help!” Luna saw her opportunity to prove herself.
The woman grimaced, unsure if she really wanted the alicorns help. After a little while she lightened up and nodded. “If you really want to… take these and give two for each post.” She handed over a brown bag.
Luna opened the bag and peered down on six bottles with a clear liquid inside. “What is it?”
“Vodka. Keeps the spirit and mood up, and warms the body.” She replied and closed the bag again. “Don’t even think about taking a sip yourself. This is for the men and women protecting our station!”
“I won’t, I swear!” Luna nodded and hung the bag around her neck. “Is there anything else I can do?”
“No just go, I’ll limp to Oleg and fix my ankle.” The woman waved her hand dismissively and turned. “Thank you Alicorn.” She said while hobbling away.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Luna had delivered the bottles of “vodka” to each posting and was now walking back. When she approached the first post, the three men made a surprisingly warm welcoming for her.
“Hey, thanks for the vodka Alicorn!” One gleeful man said with a wide grin. “You look like a strange, strange thing… but if you bring vodka… you can’t be all bad!”
“Why, thank you.” Luna blushed. Was it really so easy to earn their trust?
“Hey you should have drink with uss…” Another guard slurred and offered a small cup.
Eager to befriend them, she took the cup with her magic, causing the guards to gasp loudly.
“Woooaah how you – how’d – you’d how…” the second guard kept slurring, trying to comprehend what he just witnessed.
“Magic.” Luna giggled. “I understand you humans can’t use it.”
The three men suddenly burst into laughter. And they did so for a good whole minute, only stopping when they were red in the face and wheezing for air.
“Magic… ooh that’s a good one.” The third guard wiped the tears away. “I like you Alicorn, you’re funny.”
“By all means, call me Luna.”
Vodka was poured into all four cups, and the three men raised theirs high. “A toast to Luna then, the magic vodka-bringer!”
“Na zdorovyeh!” the two other let out before sweeping the cups.
Luna looked into hers, and then followed their example.
A bitter fire burned in her throat as the liquid ran down. Luna coughed and spat, tears running down her cheeks.
“HAH, looks like someone just had their first vodka!”
More laughter came, and someone clapped Luna on the back. “Have some more, it will go down easier this time!” a man pulled in Luna and filled her cup.
Luna hesitated at first, not wanting to feel that burning sensation again. But as she saw the anticipating faces of the men, she started to smile.
“…maybe one more then.”
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Vasili and Grig had finally returned from their mission in the neighbor station Fili. The station had been infested with lurkers and even after killing over a dozen of them, there were still more. Much more. They had now run out of ammo, and their armors had been damaged from the sharp fangs of the ugly bastards. Not to mention how much medkits and bandages that had been consumed.
“We need grenades next time.” Vasili muttered.
“And rope.” Grig nodded. “I don’t want to fall into one of those holes without any rope nearby!”
“I hear you-“ Vasili suddenly interrupted himself and pointed forward. “What’s going on over there?”
Grig looked, seeing a large crowd standing in a circle. What they were gawking about couldn’t be seen. As they got closer, they could hear a guitar playing a happy, rhythmic tune. There was snickering in the crowd, and low whispers; look at that… what is this… looks so silly…
When the duo of friends pushed their way through the crowd, they stunned to see the sight.
Luna was in the middle of the shebang, preforming an odd, awkward dance up on her hind legs. The music came from a very young man with a guitar, the boy playing with a big smile.
“Luna?” Grig barely could believe his eyes. “What the heck are you doing?!”
The alicorn fell over on her back with a thud, and then looked at her friends, still on her back. “Grig… Vasililiiiihehehee…” Luna slurred. “Hi.”
”Luna… what… ” Vasili shook his head, he too being confused of her state.
“I’m making friendsss…” she rolled on her belly and got up on wobbly legs. “Have you heard how beautiful Nikolai plays on his gui… guy…” she blinked, trying to find the word.
The boy with the guitar waved.
Grig walked up to Luna and held her head with two hands. He sniffed her muzzle, and then shot his head back. “Holy shit, you reek of vodka!”
Luna giggled in his hands. “I had some with my friends… Ivan… eeh Dimitri and uuh Mark!”
”How much is some?” Grig sighed and looked into the intoxicated pony’s eyes.
“…seven cups…” Luna snickered.
“Jeez… Vasili, help me with her. She’s going back to the tent.” Grig groaned. His friend came and picked up Luna by her hind legs, while Grig held up her head and chest. Luna squirmed and protested when they picked her up at first, but soon giggled and let out a WHEEEEE when her human carriers rushed away.
“Thank you so much Luna!” Nikolai shouted behind after them, holding up a full magazine. Luna had been very generous with the tipping.
Back at the tent, Grig and Vasili had lots of trouble with the drunken alicorn. She refused to lie down on her mattress, she wanted dance some more – rather demanded to dance or else they would be sent to the deepest and darkest of dungeons. An hour later she fell into a more depressed state, starting to whine and cry. “I’m sorry I don’t even know what’s gotten into me…” she wept with a quivering lower lip. Vasili and Grig took turns in comforting her, while the other cooked up some food. She ate with a grand appetite, and then Grig and Vasili decided it was time to get some shut-eye. Again Luna started to moan and complain. She didn’t want to be sleeping alone. She wanted to sleep next to BOTH of her friends to feel better. So they pushed their three mattresses together, Luna in the middle and them on the outside. Luna finally relaxed and nuzzled both on the face and purred satisfied. “Good night… I love you two…”
Love you Vasili. Love you Grig. Love you Tia…
Tia…
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Luna groaned loudly. Her head was pounding like a hammer on an anvil. She sat up, seeing herself in a tent. Grig and Vasili was nowhere to be seen. Slowly she crawled up from her mattress and walked out. That was when she noticed something stuck on her horn. It was a piece of yellowed paper with some scribbling on it.
Luna Gone to Fili station to clear out some lurkers. We’ll be back in six – seven hours (depends on number of problems). You should take it easy today. Hangovers are not fun. Remember to eat and drink plenty of water.
-G, V
Hangover? Luna groaned. Had she been intoxicated? Small fragments of yesterday came back to her, remembering her very un-princess-like behavior at the guard posting. Most of it was a blur at the moment.
Deciding for some breakfast, she trotted onward to the market. On her way she noticed how people would chuckle and smile after her.
They probably remembered her charade from yesterday. She cringed. On the positive side, they weren’t afraid of her. The owner of the food stand greeted her with a smirk. “You did one hellova' preformance yesterday. My kid laughed for hours, and so did me and my wife!”
“Heh… glad you were entertained…” Luna stammered, feeling the urge to bury her head under something.
He laughed and reached out a bowl of soup. “Here, this one’s on me. And take this too,” he gave her a small silvery plastic bag. “Mix it with some water if you get any headache.”
Thanking for the supplies, Luna hobbled back to the tent to eat. There, she had some familiar faces waiting for her; the four children from yesterday.
“Hello younglings.” Luna forced on a smile, even if the headache still pounded her head.
“Hi… are you a mutant?” a boy with emerald eyes asked bluntly.
“No, I am an alicorn, Luna is my name.”
“My dad says you have wings, do you have wings?” Another boy asked.
Luna smiled. She took off her jacket with magic and spread her majestic wings. The children made a wooow and rushed forward. “Can we touch them?” A girl asked, the only one of the group.
Luna nodded, and let the children tug her wings. They were very gentle about it, not wanting to hurt the wings. “They are pretty…” the emerald-eyed boy said with awe.
“Can you really fly?” the girl asked. “What’s it like? Can we fly with you? OH CAN WE, PLEASE PLEASE?” Her eyes got big, and so did her friend's
The thought went through Luna’s mind. While the children might have liked it, cheering in delight, their parents would probably scream in fear if they ever witnessed it.
“I’m sorry but umm… my wings haven’t been used for a while… I won’t be able to carry anyone for some time.” She did in fact have her wings tucked under jackets and armor for some time, and they felt slightly numb. It would go away in a few hours, but it was better to tell a white lie for the children.
“But don’t fret children…” Luna tried to cheer them up. “Would you like to hear about my home, Equestria?” The children nodded. “Well then. Once upon a time, in a magical land rule two regal sisters…”
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Luna had been telling stories so long, Grig and Vasili had returned from Fili station. The children, named Petir, Stepan, Yuri and Tana had been so captivated about Equestria they never interrupted Luna, just letting her go on and on.
“Nannying huh?” Vasili chuckled as he and Grig approached the tent. “That’s always a good start.”
“Alright children, you should get to your parent before they start to worry.” Grig sat down by the fireplace started to place firewood.
The children muttered in discontent. Before they left they waved bye to Luna, promising her they would come back the next day. A warm feeling welled up in Luna, and her smile felt like it had stuck permanently on her face. She eventually joined Grig and Vasili by the fireplace and discussed their day over some mushroom stew.
It was enjoyable to hear how Grig had fallen into a lurker nest, and fallen on top on a lurker. It sounded very comical, how the mutant had died instantly when the armored man fell on it, and Grig had been screaming like a little girl, as Vasili described it. Grig turned red and buried his face in his hands when hearing this.
“I think it’s about time to sleep now.” He tried to push the subject away. “I’ll hit the sack.”
Luna and Vasili snickered at him, but they too felt it could be nice with some rest. The two asked Luna if she wanted to have her mattress by herself, or wanting to sleep next to them again. Luna blushed when they explained how she’d been acting in her drunken state.
“Nothing happened, mind you!” Vasili was quick to calm her down. “We’d never take advantage over you.” Grig nodded with him.
“Then… you didn’t mind sleeping next to me?”
“Not really, no.” they shook their heads.
“…so you won’t mind if…” Luna almost whispered and dug in the dirt with a hoof.
She didn’t have to finish her sentence before the men crashed into their mattresses, leaving a large spot for her to lie in. Overjoyed she curled up between them, enjoying the closure of her human friends.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The dark tunnel stretched out before her, the darkness embracing her. The shrill laughter of a child echoed from the dark, bouncing off the rounded walls. Suddenly the laughter ended abruptly and was changed into the weeping of a woman.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Luna shot up, hearing screaming.
Stepan! Stepan!
Something was not right. Luna got up and started running into the station. There was people running about, shouting for Stepan. This was not a good sign.
“What’s happening?” Luna asked a guardsman.
“A kid is missing. He just vanished into the thin air, not passing any postings.” The guard scratched his head. “This is some weird shit going on here…”
Stepan was missing. Luna’s heart dropped. She barely knew the boy, but the thought of a child of six-seven years, alone in some dark tunnel with monsters in every corner…
A sharp whistle traveled through the metro. “I found a hole!” someone shouted.
Luna followed the crowd to pile of stacked boxes. Behind them was a small hole in the wall, sloping downwards. “It’s too tight for us!” A man barked angrily. “We need sledgehammers and pickaxes over here!”
“What! What is that is a baring wall?” a woman shot in. “We need to check if we even can dig without the metro coming down on us!”
“My son can be down there!” a woman cried desperately. “He can be hurt!”
The crowd started to argue, some wanted to leave it be, saying the child was probably dead. Others insisted they had to dig, willing to risk the roof falling down.
“I will search for Stepan.” Luna said out loud. The crowd got silent instantly and stared at her.
“A grown human may not be able to fit through that hole, but I could.” Luna said confidently. “If the boy is lost in darkness, each second is crucial and should not be wasted on arguments.”
The humans blinked, not sure what to say. An alicorn, a being they did not know or have seen before, now offering her help to save a child in potential danger.
“I agree with her.” The food stand owner nodded. “She’s not one of us. But if she’s willing to go after one of ours… man, I can respect that. And I wouldn’t turn her help down.”
The crowd mumbled and nodded slightly.
The mother came out from the crowd, turning to Luna.
“You would do that for my son? Why?”
Luna took a deep breath before talking. “I am a princess where I come from. All of my subjects, young as old and in between, are equally important to me. And true, I am no human, and you are no ponies. But I will unhesitatingly risk my coat for an innocent life like a child. No matter being a subject of mine or not.”
The crowd had heard Luna’s unselfishness, and they seemed to be impressed by her inspirational speech.
“I’ll give you enough rations and water to survive a week down there.” The food stand man nodded respectfully to her before he ran off.
“Coming with filters and medkits.” Another stand owner said before he ran off too.
Luna felt relived the humans had accepted her help. They didn’t see her as a freak anymore.
A hand came behind her ear and scratched gently. “You never seize to surprise us.”
Luna turned to Grig and Vasili. She could see in their eyes what they were thinking. We’re damned impressed.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Alright, supplies are down.” The man gave a thumb up.
As Luna prepared herself to dive into the hole, her friends came up to her.
“Wish we could go with you.” Grig said with a sigh. “But I wish you luck. And one more thing… I know you’re not fond of guns but… take this with you.”
He held out his beautifully engraved shotgun to her. “Just in case.”
Luna bowed her head. “Thank you. I know you value this gun highly. I won’t lose it.” Grig nodded.
“Good luck down there.” Vasili patted her head. “Come back in one peace. And bring back the kid with you.” “I will do everything I can.” Luna reassured.
She tooka deep breath and started to crawl. It was tight and uncomfortable, but her strong will kept pushing her forward. Finally the hole ended, and she jumped down. With a short fall she landed on all four on damp soil.
She lit her horn, observing the enormous tunnel before her. It seemed worse than the tunnels she’d become familiar with, noting but earth held up by wooden support beams, and moss hanging down like ghostly drapes.
Collecting all her supplies, she looked back to see the tunnel had collapsed behind her. She could only move forward.
