//------------------------------//
// Chapter 2: Welcome to Hell 
// Story: Fallout Equestria: Dust 
// by Mr Foster 
//------------------------------//

“Buck! This is the second time today!” I yelled, putting on my saddle bags, and my helmet quickly, crawling out of the rubble. 
I grabbed my high powered rifle from my back, and quickly yanked off the scope. It was much better suited for close combat now. I looked around, seeing that 5 ponies had recovered. 5? There was someone missing. I then realized who it was.

“Where’s Fluttershy?!” Screamed Rainbowdash, ripping through the rubble.

“I’ll deal with that!” Shouted Twilight, who then turned to me.

“I’ll help, but first we got to deal with these Powder-Ponies!” I shouted aiming down the sights at the handful of figures on the horizon.

I fired a shot, and it rang through the air. The Mares covered their ears, seeing as how they hadn’t got used to the shot of a gun yet. I kept on popping rounds at the figures, the bullets whizzing around me as I reloaded my rifle. I slapped the action, and fired another round through the air. Then, it was silent. They were all dead. All of them. I stood up, putting my rifle on my back, and I trotted over to the bodies of the Powder-Ponies. I raided their bodies of ammunition, and grabbed what I could in medicinal supplies off of them. Some purified water, a couple stimps, and even a whole hit of rad away.

“Alright, let’s find Fluttershy.” I said, turning on the HUD on my helmet.
We started scanning the rubble, when I found a slight blood trail from where she was sitting on the tram. While it was a tiny one, I could only hope it was hers. I followed it, not telling the others about it, until I reached the end of the rubble. There, I saw that the blood trail had gotten larger, and there was a bloody bullet on the ground.

“God damn.” I said, further tracking the blood trail. 

I had gotten about 200 yards away from the crash, when I was attacked from behind. I screamed in agony as I felt a blade puncture through my coat, glancing off the side of my rib. I threw of the attacker, and I drew my machine pistol from my holster on the side, using my magic to aim it, and fired on him. While magic wasn’t usually used for combat, except for steadying your gun, it was good for spraying people with lead. The assailant fell to his knees, and two more attacked me. I kicked one in the face with my hind legs, smashing his nose, and I reloaded my machine pistol quickly, using my magic for a quicker reload. I unloaded on the two, and they dropped as well. I then turned, just to see a Powder-Pony holding a handgun to Fluttershy’s head.

“Put the gun down, kid.” I said, glaring at the Powder-Pony.

“If you even so much as lift that gun, I will blow her brains out.” Said the Colt, who was obviously nervous. 

You see, the only reason I had survived this long is because I was one of the few ponies to master combat magic. I could disarm opponents, stun them, cuff them, and even launch them. Most of the time, unicorns viewed their horn as not a receptacle for magic, but as a useless tool, except for impaling people. Oh how I wish that was the case. 

“Kid, I’m going to give you a chance. Put the gun down, and walk away, or I will destroy you.” I said, my mask glowing bright red.

“Buck you!” He shouted, and I sighed.
“Alright, if that’s the way you want it, that’s the way you get it.” I said, my horn glowing inside my gas mask.

The gun launched out of his hand, and he took another gun from his secondary holster. He fired a single shot, hitting Fluttershy on the hind leg, and fired the second one at me. I moved the bullet using my magic, so that it wouldn’t hit me, and I raised my own weapon, using my hoof this time for accuracy, and I let the bullets fly, killing the colt. But not before he fired another shot, straight at Fluttershy’s head. I jumped in the way, the bullet flying into my stomach. I groaned, and I hit the ground with a thud. I stood up, bleeding everywhere. I coughed, and I looked over to Fluttershy. She was trying to stand up, but the bullet in her right hind leg was keeping her from doing that.

“Don’t worry about it, Fluttershy. I’ll get you out of here.” I said, walking over to her.

“Oh, please sir, I’m fine. I’ll get blood all over you, and we don’t want that.” She said. It was true, she was covered in blood, but I didn’t care.

“It’s okay. C’mon, up you go.” I said, standing on my hind legs, picking her up. She groaned, and we walked over to where we had crashed. She was bleeding everywhere, and it was kinda obvious that she was screwed if we didn’t stop the bleeding, and clean out the wound.

“Fluttershy! What happened?” Yelled Rarity, trotting over to see her friend, who was now slowly going into coma due to blood loss. She had been hit in the waist with a small .22, but it bounced off, only leaving torn skin. The .45 had done the most damage, getting lodged into her leg.

“Everyone stand back. She needs medical attention.” I said, as an Amtrak pulled up, filled with more Stallion Rangers.

The door opened up, and the rangers piled out, clearing the area, when a lone female unicorn walked out. Her name was Sophia, and she was the only pony to ever be accepted into NCR from a stable. She was white, with a blueberry colored mane. She was pretty much one of my only friends, seeing as how we were trained together.

“Afternoon, Sophia.” I said, walking over to her. She saluted, and I laughed.

“Anyone hurt?” Asked Sophia, her eyes scanning the area.

“Yeah, we need emergency surgery on a mare. Bullet lodged in leg, probably a couple broken bones.” I said, pointing over to Fluttershy, where she laid on a soft patch of ground.

“Okay, I’ll get right on it. Men! You stay here.” Shouted Sophia, and the Stallion rangers groaned.

I ushered the Ponies onto the Amtrak, and I helped Sophia with Fluttershy, pulling her onto the fold out bed. Sophia pulled out her medical tray, and then tapped something on her Pipbuck. She then turned to Fluttershy, putting a mask across her face. She breathed in a couple times, than fell asleep. Her friends didn’t take to kindly to that.

“You monster! You killed her!” Twilight screamed, charging at Sophia with her horn down. I held her back, using my magic to make a barrier.

“Non-sense, you silly filly.” Said Sophia in her usual cheery voice. She had been out of the stable for about 8 years now, but she still maintained her cheery repertoire. 

“I simply put her to sleep, so she won’t feel pain while I do surgery.” Said Sophia, smiling, and putting on her medical mask.

“Oh Celestia. It’s been an hour here, and one of us is already in a near death situation.” Said Applejack, who was face-hoofing. I sighed, and I took off my gas mask, and put on a medical mask.

“Scalpel.” Said Sophia, and I levitated the scalpel over to her levitation reach.

She cut into the muscle of Fluttershy’s thigh, slowly going below her cutie mark. She then made a symmetrical cut to the right of the first cut, and lifted the skin and muscle. I heard Pinkie Pie gag in disgust. I continued to watch, bringing tweezers over to Sophia, so that she could pull the bullet out. She then cut away the muscle around the bullet wound, showing the silver bullet embedded in her inner muscle. I brought the tweezers over, and pulled the bullet away, tearing some muscle, and slipping it out of the cracked bone.

I had seen this before, seeing as how I was mostly a medic, not a sharpshooter (Didn’t explain that, huh? I started my career as a medic. Not an actual combatant.) I put the bullet on a tray, and then I got out the healing equipment. I injected a stimpack into her lower leg, and then we used our combined magic to repair a little bit of bone and muscle. While we had adapted to healing magic, it was a practice. A little bit drained us, so we mostly used it for bruises and cuts. Repairing a bullet wound is like a death sentence if you try to do it all with healing magic. Instead we made things like healing potions and stimpacks, using them to heal instead of actual magic. 

I put the flesh back in place, and started to sew away, as Sophia magically tapped on her Pipbuck. I then took out another Stimpack, and injected it into the lower leg again. By now, both Rarity and Pinkie Pie were throwing up, Twilight and Rainbowdash holding the bags for them. I looked over, shaking my head in pity. They had entered this world, a world without friendship, happiness, and families. Just hate, greed, death, and many other nasty things. I finished stitching the wound, and then burned the stitches closed. I saw Fluttershy’s sleeping face grimace in pain, and I sighed.

“Should we give her some healing potions and Rad potions?” I asked, turning towards Sophia. She nodded, still tapping on her Pipbuck. I sighed, putting some Medical potion inside a vial, and then connecting a needle to it. I put the needle inside, and injected, watching Fluttershy’s face go peaceful once again. I then took a pack of Rad-away, also known as Rad-apple extract, and hooked it up to a needle as well.

At this point, I was straining, my magic going on restlessly. Beads of sweat ran down my fore head, making it that much harder to see. I injected the needle into her lower thigh, and pumped some Rad-away into her legs, letting the sweet orange extract flow through her veins. I groaned in agony, setting the Rad-away down on the table, and pulling off my mask with my hoof. I slouched in the chair next to Fluttershy’s operating table, and I injected a shot of Rad-Apple extract mixed with Bloat sprite poison. It immediately perked me up, making me hyper aware.
“You know, Dust, you won’t be able to last much longer without getting addicted to Spell juice.” Said Sophia, turning towards me, sadly sighing. It was true, I was almost addicted to the stuff, but it was so useful for regenerating your magic.
I looked outside the window slots, and I saw we were approaching the magnificent city of new canterlot. 

“Girls, I suggest you look out the windows. This is the city of New Canterlot.” I said, pointing out the window.

They gazed in awe at the towering buildings. Canterlot had been completely rebuilt, now with neon lights, massive casinos, and other such things. While we weren’t actually able to go inside the city without passports, we passed the old-side whore houses and weapons shops. Colts and mares lined the streets, brandishing either holsters for those carrying smaller weapons, and the ones with larger weapons, brandishing battle saddle’s. I didn’t mention that, did I? Most of us used battle saddles, being able to shoot without using levitation, but some of us (Like myself) were skilled enough to steady the rifle with our hooves (hard to do.) and pull the trigger with our tongues or magic. I sighed, as we pulled into Camp Alicorn. Pretty corny name, seeing as how there only a single Alicorn left, that was being Princess Luna. But we’ll get to that when the time comes. The back of the Amtrak opened, and the 5 conscience ponies of harmony stumble out, carsick. I helped Sophia pull Fluttershy out of the Amtrak, rolling her out on the collapsible bed. A primary surgery team was waiting for Fluttershy, and they immediately took her, wheeling her away into the gleaming white hospital.

“What are they going to do?” asked Pinkie Pie, who had recovered from her sickness due to the surgery.

“Make sure she heals right. They’ll release her in a few days, but for now, she needs to rest.” Said Sophia, who was again tapping on her Pipbuck magically.

“Well, that’s good. Fluttershy’s a strong mare, she’ll pull through.” Said Twilight, looking around.

“Alright. I suggest that we get you checked in at one of the stable hotels they have.” I said, gesturing at the stable 57 sign across the clearing in the base. We walked along towards the towering hotel, as a moving picture flashed across one of the recruitment billboards.

“Courage. Strength. Honor. These are things you will get if you join the NCR, the most powerful military force in all of Equestria!” Said the metallic voice from the billboard, showing stills of Stallion Rangers. I identified the voice as Princess Luna’s royal canterlot voice, and I groaned. She was always telling us to join, even though our corps was extremely over populated. I lead the 5 over to the hotel, and opened the door.

“Just check in, and I’ll be back shortly with some food.” I said, and they all obliged, walking in.

“Getting more and more mares every single day, huh?” I heard a voice from behind me say.

“Danmit, Darin’! I already broke a colt’s nose today or that joke! I don’t want to have to break my best friend’s nose too!” I said, turning around, punching his shoulder.

Darin’s real name was Rose, but his last name was Daring. So we called him Darin’, seeing as how he enjoyed that much more than Rose.

“Man, Dust. I don’t see why you don’t want to get in a relationship with a nice mare.” Said Darin’ flapping his rose colored wings. He had a black mane, but everything else on him was rose colored. 

“It’s because every time I do, they end up being killed, or I get pulled into a different position.” I said, walking towards the medical cabin. While the bullet wound I had sustained had been mostly healed with some Medical potion, and a couple stimpacks, I needed to make sure I was going to heal up okay.

I walked in, Darin’ following behind me. I looked around looking for Sophia, but she was obviously not there.

“Well, I’ll see you tomorrow, Dust. We got lotsa’ work to do, my friend.” Said Darin’, as he walked out the front door. I sighed, and leaned back in my chair, drifting off to sleep.


Footnotes: 45% level up!

Thanks to Kkat, Somber, and No One