“Agh... What the buck?” I said, looking around.
It was obviously a Sandstorm that was brewing up. I pulled myself upwards, slightly limping. I had thrown myself down a sand dune, onto a pile of Bark scorpions. It was a stupid idea, thinking they’re stingers would go through my armor. Only one even got a lucky shot, going through my fore hoof armor. It didn’t even have the lethal poison I was hoping for. I looked around, sighing loudly.
I healed myself, using what little healing magic I knew, and I walked along. The Gas mask was helpful, making sure I could see through the sandstorm, and marking live subjects through the HUD. I walked along, my boots sliding into the sand, as I walked towards the NCR encampment up the road. Then, something caught my eye. It was a little glowing motion on my HUD. It wasn’t some lost pony wondering through the wasteland. Perhaps a mutant. I took my high powered rifle from my back, using my magic to steady my hooves, and I looked through the scope. From what I could see, an old Teleportation station was starting up, and it was obviously getting some attention from some Powder-Ponies. They surrounded the portal, guns in hooves, and they aimed at it.
Then, 6 ponies stepped out of the portal, none of them dirty, or grizzled like the rest of the waste landers. I could tell that they were startled when the Powder-Ponies told them to get down. While a couple of them got down, the rest asked what for, from the looks of it. A single shot was fired, and the remainder of the standing ponies lay down. They were obviously from another time and place, perhaps from before the spells were released.
I breathed out, steadying my rifle once again. It was a semi-auto, so I could fire off rounds quickly, killing all the Powder-Ponies before they could react. I breathed in, and locked onto one of the Powder-Ponies head. I pulled the trigger, letting the bullet fly. I saw the spatter of blood, as the pony dropped, and I immediately locked to another ponies head. I fired, killing another Powder-Pony, his head splattering blood. I killed each of the Powder-Ponies before they had a chance to see my glowing red gas mask eyes. The other ponies, which had now looked around, seeing their captor’s dead, stood up, dumb founded. I put my rifle back into its position on my back, and I trotted over to the 6 ponies.
“Are you six okay?” I asked as soon as I got over there, pulling off my gas mask, so they could see my face.
They looked at me like I was a monster. I guess I looked like one, seeing as how I had multiple scars across my face, and a couple open cuts. They stood out on my Dirt brown coat as white cuts. It had been a while since I looked at myself in a mirror. I knew I had a sand colored mane, and glowing blue eyes, but not much else I had remembered. They just stared at me in fear, until one with pink hair and yellow fur spoke up.
“Um, we’re okay sir. Thank you for saving us.” She said her voice barely a coo in the loud wind of the Sandstorm.
“You’re very welcome, miss. What’re you doin’ out here in the middle of a sandstorm? Shouldn’t you girls be inside?” I asked, having a quizzical look on my face.
“We don’t exactly know, sir. We just came from Ponyville, and now we’re here.” Said one of them, who had 3 Apples for a cutie mark.
“Well, that explains a lot. Ponyville’s ruins and it’s been a ruin for about 200 years at this point.” I said, looking around.
“Well, this is a retched place. I can’t stand to have my mane out in these elements” Said the white one, who had a purple mane.
“Well, have fun, because there isn’t any way to clean it within about 50 miles.” I said, putting my mask back on to protect my eyes from the sandstorm.
“That’s terrible! How will we keep clean?” Shouted one of them, probably the purple one, since the voice suited her.
“Well, I can’t exactly tell you that, but I can give you two options. I can either get you out of this sandstorm, give you a chance to survive, and bring you to New Canterlot, or I can leave you here, so the sand rips off your skin. Your choice.” I said. I had never been really one to be polite, but that’s what years of the brutal wasteland do to you.
“Gal’s, I suggest we go with the guy with the creepy gas mask.” Said the one with the Appleoosa accent. I nodded, and I gestured them to follow me to the APC which was about a mile away.
“Um, excuse me sir? How far is wherever we are going?” Asked the one who had a bunch of butterflies for a cutie mark.
“Only about a mile. But then we’ll have to drive about 20 miles to the tram station.” I said, turning behind me. While it had been brief, I had a good idea who these ponies were. They were the ones who had once wielded the elements of the Harmony, but they weren’t there for us 200 years ago. I didn’t care much for that fact, but when it came to that, someone was going to have to confront them.
We reached the APC in about 10 minutes, and it was just sitting there, like I had left it. I opened the back, and the ponies piled in.
“What is this thing?” Asked the Blue one with the rainbow colored hair.
“Armored personnel carrier. APC. They’re real handy for situations like this.” I said, turning on the engine.
“Why not just fly over this sandstorm?” she retorted, smiling smugly in the back.
“Well, the logical answer for that is some of us aren’t Pegasi.” I said, and she hoof pumped.
“But, the other reason is that some of us don’t like to be turned into atmosphere by the clouds.” I said, and her smug looked turned into surprise.
“Wait, what happened here?” Asked the purple one, walking up to the driver’s seat.
“Well, it would seem if you really want to know, just look around you.” I said, opening the window slots.
I heard them yelp, as we passed massive craters, where drooping dragons and other disgusting creatures roamed around blast craters. I heard a ticking, and then Gas masks dropped from the Cabin of the Amtrak.
“Put ‘em on.” I said, pointing towards the gasmasks.
“Why? They are extremely unfashionably, and they will ruin my mane!” Shouted the white one in fury.
“What’s more important, your mane, or your life?” I asked, turning to face them in the driver’s seat.
They all obliged, and put on the gasmasks. The rest of the ride was quiet, except from the constant bickering between the pink one and the white one.
When we finally reached the Tram station, I stopped, and opened the cabin door, leaving the keys in the front.
“Masks off. Let’s get going, times ‘a wastin’.” I said, walking out. NCR troops surrounded the small Amtrak as I walked out, the mares in tow.
“Well, if it isn’t dust! Always picking up mares!”
“Get some flank dust!”
“Danm dust, want to lend me some of ‘em once you’re done?”
I gritted my teeth angrily, and I raised my helmet, showing them my scarred and burned face.
“Shut the hell up, you stupid colts!” I shouted, and they all backed away.
“Why do you even got ‘em, eh Dusty?” One of the NCR troopers asked, punching me in the shoulder. The mares all curled up together, facing away from the NCR colts.
“Government business.” I said, slowly waving the mares into the tram.
“Oh, so the old geezers are gonna plug ‘em, eh?” asked one of them, laughing hard. The rest of the group of soldiers started to laugh, and I snapped.
I used my telekinesis to bring the soldier who cracked the joke over to me. He just hung there in fear, gazing into my purple eyes. I then slammed my metal toed hoof into his face, breaking his snout. I dropped him, and he screamed in agony, as he held his nose. God, how I abused these men. I walked up to the tram, closed the door, and set us off.
“I’m sorry about how my men are acting. They have been driven insane by this post.” I said, putting my saddle bags down.
“It’s okay. Better than the way those colts treated us when we came through the portal. What is this place?” Asked the purple one, looking at the barren wasteland.
“You are looking at the Equestrian wasteland. Smack dad in the middle of nowhere. 1000 miles north of normal, and about 5000 miles east of safe.” I said, pulling a syringe from my saddle bags, and rolling up the sleeve on my forehoof.
“Well, let us introduce ourselves. I’m Twilight, this is Applejack, Rainbowdash, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy.” Said Twilight, pointing to the mares. They all waved their hooves at me, except Fluttershy. I guess her name matched her description.
“I’m Captain Dust of the Canterlot Stallions. I would welcome you, but I’m guessing that where ever you came from was a much better place than here.” I said, injecting the syringe into my arm. I grimaced in agony, taking in the powerful medicine. I immediately felt better, letting all the radiation leave my blood stream.
I rolled down my sleeve, and put the syringe back into the saddle. I sighed.
“Well, I guess that Ponyville was a better place, but about at this time, it’s gone, I guess.” Said Rainbowdash, her eyes lowered. I then realized that they had left before they were even part of they were ministry mares. This just got a whole lot more complicated.
“I guess not even the elements of harmony could stop this crap from happening.” I said, lighting a smoke.
They all looked at me, slack jawed.
“Just because I may be a military pony, doesn’t mean that I don’t do my studying. I know who you six a- .” I was cut off by an explosion, and then I blacked out.
Footnotes: Level up! You have reached Level 7
Perks (From all 7 levels):
Quick shot: Able to fire guns faster then anypony else!
Recon: You are extremely gifted in the art of recon. 20+ points for guns and sneaking
Intimidation: You intimidate your enemies! 20% more chance of enemies fleeing!
Big Mac' attack!: You inherit your strength from the one and only "Big Mac'". While in combat, your strength is doubled!
Escape artist: You need your stealth for you missions, don't you? 20+ points to sneak, lock pick, and speech
Field Medic: You can heal yourself and anypony else on the field without stimpacks with this perk!
Riflecolt: Whenever using rifles (Sniper rifle, Anti-material rifle, ect.) Your damage, chance for critical hit, and speed is doubled!
Much thanks to Kkat, Somber, and No-one