Chapter 6 A Room Full of Trouble
“Flag Waver can we rest. We’ve been walking for five hours.”

I looked at Fire Bolt and sighed in annoyance.

“Uhh damn it.” I then sighed with annoyance at this plea.

“Rose, where the hell are we?”

“It looks like there’s a pre-war town about ten miles out. There’s bound to be shelter.”

“Ok then.” I responded in a bland manor.

Through the trekking I was humming some random country tune while I noticed the others idle a bit fidgeting with their weapons. Fire Bolt was floating constantly inspecting her rifle to the point of near obsession. Something that suddenly came to my mind was Steam Belt. He was carrying some weird revolver that looks like the Overmare’s.

“Steam Belt?”

“Eyup.” He responded with a gleeful look

“How the hell did you get that pistol?”

“The Overmare gave it to me.” Steam Belt said smiling while twirling the pistol around his hoof.

“She didn’t need it so I got this bad boy. Plus I’m not armed.” He said followed with an assholish grin.

“So can we rest Flag Waver? Because my hooves are killing me.” Whined Fire Bolt trotting along side me.

I then a drizzle started as the ground and started to feel the droplets onto me.

“Now can we find cover Flag Waver!”

I sighed in agreement seeing an old semi ruined house looking mostly intact. Opening the surprisingly intact door it the smell was of mold and death. There was a couch in front of an old TV with dust piled in a thin layer against the broken screen. A look came into Steam Belt with the look of that somewhat beat up couch. He quickly jumped onto it creating a large cloud of dust and goddesses knows what else was in that couch. Everypony then coughed violently from the stupid sofa.

“Damn it Steam Belt there’s others that like to breathe in this already stuffy ruined home!”

Thunderhoof then did what we were a thinking by smacking him with his shotgun sending him to unconsciousness. Fire Bolt giggled at the violence seeing Steam Belt’s unconscious body lay on the couch.

“Is he OK?” Rose asked with concern for Steam Belt.

He looked at her and responded with a shrug followed by fidgeting with his shotgun. I didn’t care as long as he ain’t dead I’m fine.

Through the night the rain poured harder every hour creating a harsh thumping against the ceiling. This tapping of the rain made it difficult to sleep knowing what's out there clenching my .45 for comfort. The only other sound was an occasional gun shot out miles away.

I was able to sleep through the night with little issue seeing the others stretching from sleeping on a hard floor. I looked through my saddle bag for a nutrition bar unwrapping it and biting into the chewy Peanutty bar. I then looked through the dusty window seeing the rain subsided. When I came outside it was relatively cool with the smell of rain against rock and asphalt. looking out I saw an old tower structure about 10 miles out north. Seeing Fire Bolt I looked at her with a creepy grin.

“Um Flag Waver what’s going on?” She asked with pessimism.

“You see that tower?”

“Um yah.”

“That’s where we’re going.”

I then pointed towards the tower. She looked with worry.

“What the hell is even there.”

“Dunno maybe good stuff.” I responded with a lack of clarity.

“It may have info on the old world. Who knows maybe even good weapons.”

She looked at me for a second looking at the tower followed my shaking her head in acceptance.

“Meh, why not. I’ll go get T-hoof and the others.”

The mare had an annoyed look in her eyes seeing my curiosity stupid and dangerous. The other three trotted out with a pessimistic look.

“There better be good shit.” T-Hoof stated annoyed with this stupid curiosity.

About thirty minutes later we made it to a entrance to the place having a tan color with deteriorating walls and crumbling balconies. Around the entrance there were crudely written graffiti saying things from “Stay away,” and “Zombie hole.”

“Any chance we’re not going into this creepy building.” Rose said observantly at the daunting graffiti.

“Really! How bad could it be Rose.”

I then opened the door with my .45 in hoof with a slow deliberate pace. The only noise I hear is the tapping of our hoofsteps. So far nothing scary or these damn Zombie ponies. The hall was empty other than the trash on the floors. Taking a sniff of the area it reeked of mold and death. I looked through a desk in the lobby. There I found nothing good, just old papers and some old magazines that were still mostly intact. I then slipped the magazines into my saddle bag after skimming their cover coated in dust.

Next I see a door with a number 104 and opened it slowly once again readying my pistol. The door frame creaked as I slowly open it. Inside the room there was nothing alive as far as I could tell. I looked through the drawers and desk for anything. All I found was a broken pistol that doesn’t even share any parts with my gun. It did however had ammo with a mag of 9mm. I shoved them into my saddle bag with the rest of the crap I found. I thought about having Steambelt fix the gun up and give it to Rose.

The next dozen or so rooms were shown to hold very little. As we reach the 6th floor we started to hear some sick sounding groan that stings through the air. looking at Rose she was shaking nervously at the sound coming through the air. Each step we took was followed by a moan that stirs fear in us. The next room I repeated the same thing as the last 50 or so clinging to my .45 expected to have something jump me. Opening the door I felt something against my back. It was cold but I turned to see some old rack that got me to jump in fear. This followed by another blood curdling scream that got me to turn around.

“Damn it Flag Waver I told you this was a bad idea!” I heard from an angry Fire Bolts seeing the paranoia that's seeping through me.

I sighed in frustration understanding her anger with me.

“Bitching about it isn’t going to make anything! Just have your damn gun ready.”

We continued up the tower for 3 floors. through the halls I kept on hearing a gruning and blood curdling screams that got louder as we climbed up the tower. as we went up I noticed blood smeared around the walls some it writing like get out and stay away. The floors creaked with a worn sound that was coming from multiple sources.

“And why aren’t we out of here yet Flag Waver?” Fire Bolt asked looking at me shaking a bit.

Right after that comment we heard another sound of Celestia knows what ever the hell it is. This was followed by a creek in the structure above us. We then heard a Sheek coming above us with the sounds of hoof steps that fall in erratic patterns. A creaking increased in its sound shows the weakening strength of the centuries old structure. This brought me and T-hoof to pull out our weapons with caution of some nasty thing jumping from the ceiling.

The next floor brought further curiosity of what the hell is here hearing something right above us. The screeching got louder to the point where I can almost feel the creatures breath. There the sound came through a worn door with scratching of hooves against the wood. I took a few steps back then charged at the door bucking it open seeing splashes of blood. Right there I saw a face that was grotesque and horribly disfigured with skin flaking off with splinters scaring its face. The thing looked at me with the eyes of hunger. I drew my pistol and fired two shots into its legs creating a screeching howl. The beast stumbled to me with rage then I put another round into the monster’s skull spewing brain and bone fragments on my face. The sound of the gunshots brought out many more screeching monsters comes through the halls. There was a then the sound of hoof steps charging the hall. T-Hoof racked his shottie while Fire Bolt and I really are weapons for more things coming.

“There better some good shit to want deal with this Flag Waver!” Fire Bolt yelled taking burst shots at the monstrous things.

This was followed by two more falling dead tumbling on the now blood soaked floor. The casings fall to the floor as bursts of lead rips through the horde creating ear screeching sounds that I could not describe

Loading a fresh mag I charged to the stairwell with my rifle in hoof into the mob. The mob of zombie ponies fell leaving the others to finish the job with a barrage of lead as I took cover behind the wall next to the doorway.

“Clear!” Fire Bolt shouted to me.

They charged through the hall of dead corpses littering the floor.

“If we don’t get any got shit then I’m out.” Fire Bolt stated in frustration with the lack of goodies in the building.

We went through the next room with similar results. This floor had an active terminal projecting a warm green glow. Approaching it I took a few seconds to check any goodies still locked away.

Starting….
Loading….
Log in needed

“Fuck! What is the damn password?” I looked to Steam Belt thinking he can crack to terminal.

“Hay Steam Belt! How good are you with computers?”

“I’m OK I guess.” He said followed quickly shoving him to the terminal hearing him tap on the keypad.

I looked around the apartment looking at anything else good. The apartment was filled with memorabilia from the Equestrian armed forces. On the walls were worn posters with quick snappy phrases like, “Stop the Striped Menace,” and, “To Victory We Fly! Join the Shadowbolts.” There were photos of ponies during the war signed by their respective depiction. Taking a quick look at Steam belt with his progress, I continued through to apartment. there was a old but legible newspaper clippings from before the war. Looking at the clipping the articles vary from victories from something called the littlehorn massacre.

“Any progress on that computer?” I asked Steam Belt still working on hacking the terminal.

“Um give me another minute OK.” He responded taping on the keypad.

Waiting I fiddle started fiddling with my pistol pulling the slide constantly.

“Done! Go do whatever the hell you want with this.” Steam Belt walked away scanning the room.

“OK lets take a look here.”

Loading……..
Insert password *****
Welcome back Clover Leaf

Next looked through the journal entries

March 20th
I heard something horrible the other day. The Zebras’ attacked and killed all the children at Luna’s academy of Magic. There is now rumors of Celestia stepping down. How can things get this bad

April 12th
The news keeps saying how evil zebras are. From how they conjure black magic to using blood of fillies in their potions. I just don’t know. Yesterday I talked to my zebra friend about this claiming all the hatred is unjustified and propaganda. Celestia help us.

May 9th
I’ve gone through great consideration over the few weeks. I keep seeing flyers all over town with some promise of 1,000 bits from the Ministry of Magic. I wonder if it’s worth it. Or maybe just join the Equestrian army.

June 19th
Air raid sirens keep calling. Haycago. how those bastards get here. I know what I have to do now. Equestria needs me. After this raid is over I’m coming you striped bastards. Leaving tomorrow and won’t be back for some time.

After reading the last one I lost interest seeing in the info, but did download the files to my Pipbuck for later. I turned to Steam Belt taking out that old pistol I found.

“Steam Belt, fix this buddy up for Rose.”

I then tossed it to him followed by a quick inspection of it.

“Ok then.” the said in a sarcastic tone that I couldn’t but giggle at.

“So then got what you want out of that computer?” Steam belt asked putting the old pistol in his saddle bag.

“As much as needed. Now lets get going.”

After reaching the next few floors I still found nothing. Everypony looking annoyed with the waste of time. Other than a few zombie ponies there wasn’t anything worth the time.

“Can we get out of here?” Complained Fire Bolt seeing little progress in the search.

I then gave it a few seconds of thought looking at her with truth in her words. I then nodded in agreement.

“Fine Fire Bolt. Don’t think there’s any more shit in here worth looting.”

She then gave a look of satisfaction with an obnoxious smile on her face.

After exiting the abandoned building about 10 minutes later Fire Bolt then took an annoyed look smashing her hoof against my face falling unconscious. But before blacking out I heard something out of her.

“Don’t do this shit again Flag Waver!”

I was sitting in a trench with three other ponies clenching their rifles tightly in their hooves. Others Smoking with their rifles at side. Sounds of bombardment shakes the air and everypony around it. Looking down I was wearing similar barding as mine but not as worn. A Pegasus mare with a rainbow colored mane in some weird bug like armor with a scorpion tail flew with several others. Everypony then cheers with moral rising at her sight.

“Everypony attack! Stop these striped bastards!”

Her cry to battle followed by a Rainbow trail as she swoops with Energy weapons mounted to her side. Everypony climbed out of the trench several falling with bullets rattling the bodies. Some of them cower back in the trench. Another blue pegasi trotted through my sight. He looked at them with disgust. Getting a better look I recognized the buck. It was Polski! Is this a dream or something?

“What the fuck is wrong with you! The ministry mare is going out there. Why aren’t you foals going out there.” The buck commanded with frustration.

He walked up to me with having sentiment to me.

“Red Wing what the hell’s going on?” He asked

I then unconsciously responded with certainty.

“Dad these fucking zebras are well dug in. Moral is low and not even the shadowbolts can get these asshats in gear.”

“Wait I’m Polski’s son! How, this is a dream and this ain’t a memory orb. “

I regained consciousness in the old house from the other night inspecting to area to find everypony else. The first thing that came to my mind is wanting to get back at Fire Bolt. In the next room she was standing there with a sadistic looking grin.

“Fuck you Fire Bolt!” I yelled seeing her.

“Flag Waver don’t send us to a death trap again.”

Everyone else rolled their eyes with seeing my response.

“Lets just get back to moving towards Haycago.”

Footnote-Lvl up
New perk-Tag
Adds another tag skill