Big Macintosh has fallen hard for the pretty blond mare. When she is forced into a fight for her life, he sticks by her faithfully, but keeping the promises he's made will be an even tougher battle.

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Written for a sadfic contest (I won!); the plot is in honor of my mother-in-law, who wasn't so lucky, and I suspect wouldn't actually appreciate inspiring a story about ponies.

Hope is the faith of the young. Losing everything she holds dear, Puppysmiles embarks on the adventure of her life to find her mother, her hopes of meeting her again driving her through the horrors of a world not of her making. Too bad the Wastelands doesn't care about hope.