//------------------------------//
// Chapter 7: Regrets 
// Story: Fallout: Equestria - Remembrance 
// by Pwincess Twiwee 
//------------------------------//

I took a moment to gather my things and thoughts before I headed for the door that led to the atrium, pausing and looking through the window, I could see my friends on the other side, talking, laughing, just having a moment to relax.

About to open the door before Autumn had jumped to her hooves and rushed over to the door and to me. She had this bright brilliant smile as she called out. “Sweetie! Oh my gosh, I am so glad to see you’re okay!”

“I.. Yeah, I guess I am huh,” I said, chuckling a little and stepping through that door

“Midas was telling us what happened, it sounded so awful, how could anypony do that,” Autumn said, her smile turning to a frown. “I don’t understand raiders, why do they trick ponies, set up traps, and do these horrible things.” 

“I...” I said before I paused and let that thought sink in for a moment. She was right after all, why do raiders do that? Is it because of an illness, or maybe they endured something terrible that left them mentally and emotionally scarred. Chuckling a little and giving my head a shake before turning to face the now approaching Midas and Alabaster.

“Raiders don’t do anything that makes any sense,” Midas said with a shrug. “They are self-serving, careless, and ultimately pointless foe. They’d just as quickly kill each other as kill a passing trader, all that senseless violence, for no reason.”

“Indeed.” Alabaster said with a sigh. “I have had many a run in with these raiders, I am very impressed that you managed to handle yourself so well Sweetie, a skilled fighter you must be.” 

High praise that brought a flinch from me, the thought about what had happened still fresh in my mind. Giving a little bit of a nervous chuckle before I turned away and sighed.

“I’m not a skilled fighter, What happened in there was a fluke, a glitch in my programming, a bug somewhere in the code. It shouldn’t have ever happened.” I said coldly, backing away from the three.

“Or Sweetie, it was a ghost in the machine,” Autumn said, I could see the concern in her eyes. “If it was any other way around, I think we would have done much the same, I can’t blame you, or be angry at you - for just defending yourself and your friend.”

I went to say something before I saw Midas just quietly shaking her head, giving a sigh and looking away.

“Maybe you’re right.” I said, “Maybe I just did something that is natural and anypony in my position would have done it. But my moral coding says what I did was wrong, and says that i am guilty of a horrible crime.”

“It’s called a conscience Sweets,” Midas said. “Just tell me if you start to see a little singing dancing cricket or something,”

I stared at her for a few moments in disbelief, despite all that happened she could still find time to think up jokes, or even found them appropriate. Chuckling a little to myself and giving my head another shake, maybe I was overthinking this, maybe I’m just being far too serious, but I can’t help but feel my sin crawling up my back and reminding me at every turn what I had done.

“What happened down there, It’s hard to come to terms, I remember my first deployment. We got attacked by raiders, I was forced to kill one that was charging my position.” Autumn said with a sigh. “To be honest? I’m a medic more than a soldier, I don’t have the heart to kill, and I know how terrible it feels.” 

“Yeah…” I said, looking down at my hooves and taking a deep breath, about to speak before I heard the sound of hoof steps quickly approaching, turning to see Dusk approaching, followed by what appeared to be a small crew carrying a large black bag.

“The body is ready for transport,” Dusk said, giving a half-hearted smile, before he’d levitate forward what looked to be Mr. Sparkle’s rifle, sighing as he looked at it. “We don’t really have much use for weapons down here, maybe you can make better use of this, I’d hate to see it just, go to waste and be melted down for scrap.” 

Nodding slowly I reached out for the rifle, taking it into my hooves, the first time I could see it up close and personal. Carved into the wood was very delicate and intricate patterns, painted in with a mixture of purple and pink paints, all of them leading to the stock where a large six-pointed star had been carved and painted a brilliant white. Finding some lettering carved under the star, which read “Whisper’s Decline.”

“I don’t know if we can accept this… It’s so, personal.” I commented, looking back to Dusk who simply sighed and nodded.

“I can understand, it’s a tall request, maybe his family would like to use it,” Dusk said with a nervous chuckle, clearly trying to suggest something so we’d take the rifle off his hooves.

Taking a moment more, looking it over and taking in its delicate personalization, So much time and love went into carving each mark, this must of taken years of dedication to get it to such a professional level, no telling how many times he had to replace parts from screwing up. Turning and holding the rifle out to Midas so she could take a look, and much to my surprise she simply took it from my hooves and slung it over her shoulder before she turned and started towards the staircase out of this lower area.

“Leaving so soon?” Dusk called out, looking past us and to Midas, she froze in her tracks before she looked back with a sigh. 

“Look, it’s nothing personal but we’ve got a job to do,” Midas said, coming back over to us. “Transporting bodies, nearly being killed, all for a stupid journal, I really just - want to get this over and done with and put as much distance between me and Maripony as possible.”

“I can understand,” Dusk said with a chuckle. “I just, hoped you would stay for dinner.”

Midas looked a little dumbfounded at that, before she simply chuckled “Maybe another time, duty before pleasure right?” 

“Why can’t duty and pleasure be one and the same?” Dusk said with a joking grin. “Anyway, there’s always a place at the table for guests, feel free to drop by anytime.” 

“I look forward to it,” I said with a smile, looking back to Midas who had started to scowl at me. “What, it’s called being polite.” 

“Whatever. Let’s get out of here before you decide to be ‘polite’ to someone else.” Midas said with a groan before she headed to the door. We followed close behind to the elevator doors, calling for it and heading back up to the surface.

DING! Main Lobby

Stepping out into the main lobby, I could see a few guards across the room with the receptionist in cuffs. Midas simply started walking to the exit paying them no nevermind, but that’s when she called out to us.

“You Jerks!” She screamed. “You didn’t have to kill him!”

My ears folded back and I flinched at that, I looked over to her and could see how upset she was. Midas moved back to block my view and encourage me to continue to walk, but I couldn’t just walk away, stepping around her to address the irate receptionist.

“You knew why the databases were going down, you knew he was setting up a trap to catch an imposter. Yet you sent us down into it anyway, how else did you expect this to end.” I asked coldly.

“I think we both know the answer to that.” She said, her voice becoming suddenly calm and collected.

“With us dead, our corpses stripped of everything valuable, and discarded in some pile somewhere?” Midas said, stepping between me and the receptionist once more. “Come on Sweets, she isn’t worth our time.” 

It was silent for a few moments as I looked at Midas, giving a sigh before turning and starting for the exit once more before she called out again.

“Like you did to him I see.” She said, her voice so cold and calm, it sent chills through my body. “Taking his rifle for a trophy, who knows what else you’ve got stashed in your bags.”

“No, we’re returning it to his family,” I said, turning to face the receptionist once more, walking past Midas and over to her. “You sent us in there with the intent of us dying, and you want to treat us like the bad guys when we simply defend ourselves from an attack you knew was coming.”

“Welcome to the wasteland scavver,” The receptionist said, her lips curling into a demented smile. “There is no rule or justice out here, just the acts of ponies, and I know him well enough to know he would have run when he saw he was outmatched. You gunned down a fleeing pony.” 

I flinched again and looked away, which brought a twisted cackle from that mare.

“You did!” She said, cackle going into full out laughter. “I miss judged you scavver, you’re one of us aren’t you, ruthless and unforgiving.”

“That’s not how it happened at all,” I said meekly, not turning back to face her.

“Uh huh, whatever you say.” She said, the laughter suddenly disappearing and her voice returning to that chilling calmness. “Better take my rifle too then, they’re two of a set his and mine.”

I took a moment to look over at the other rifle leaning against the desk, the thought honestly crossed my mind to take it. Shaking my head and turning to walk away.

“You best take it, else it’ll be the last thing you’ll see when I get out of here, and trust me, I’ll get out.” She said, that cackle returning.

Midas simply looked at that twisted mare with a blank, uncaring stare. Walking over to the desk and snatching up that second rifle before she started to walk for the door. This time a Security pony coming over and taking that rifle back.

“Sorry ma’am, but we can’t let you take it.” He said, Midas glaring at him before she just let out a groan and threw up her arms, walking for that door either way.

Once we got outside I turned to that dragoness, her annoyance as plain as day.

“You just had to,” Midas said with a growl as she looked at me.

“What?” I said, ducking down and backing away a little. 

“You just had to instigate her, you couldn’t have just left well enough alone,” Midas said before she’d slump down a little. “Ponies like that, they’re twisted, they want to mess with you, get in your head, you should never ever in a million years openly talk to them.” 

“I didn’t know…” I said, ducking down all the more.

“Well… Now you do, don’t do it again.”

“Hey, why don’t you get down off your high horse scales for brains,” Autumn said, jumping to my defense.

“Excuse me?” Midas said, glaring at that Unicorn.

“You heard me, she was just trying to make things right, you don’t have to get on her case for it. She’s like a stable dweller, you gotta give her time to adjust, you can’t just bake her like she was just any other scavenger or trader of the wasteland.” Autumn said, glaring right back.

Midas just stood, staring at Autumn for a few moments more before she’d just give a groan and take off, presumably flying back to the ship.

“You didn’t need to do that,” I said, with a nervous smile.

“Yeah well. Dragons have an attitude problem, and sometimes you need to stand up to them in order for them to realize that they need to get it back in check.” Autumn said, smiling a little at me. “You alright?”

“Yeah, let’s just… get back to the ship before Midas does something we may all regret.” I said before we’d gather everything once more and head for where the ship had landed.


00000


As we headed for the ship, I could swear I heard the sound of wings overhead multiple times, but every time I looked I couldn’t see anyone or anything for that matter. As we reached the clearing where the ship had landed, I saw the usual complement of guards standing around, but there was this one pony who caught my attention, standing off to the side and entirely cloaked.

Walking over to her and giving as much of a warm welcoming smile. “Hey there,” I said warmly. “My name is Sweetie, can I do anything for you?”

“No.” She said at first before she stopped and looked back to me, and the now approaching group with that large black bag levitated beside them. “Is that him?”

“I… yes?” I said, looking to the group of ponies.

“Mr. Sparkle, the would-be assassin who was attempting to capture me,” She said before she looked back to me, for the first time I could see a bit of her light blue coat on her muzzle, poking out from the cloak.

“Yeah, that’s him,” Autumn said, stepping in and putting herself between me and the mystery mare. “What’s it to you?”

“So, the rumor is true, it is over.” She said, a sound of relief in her voice. “He believed me to be an imposter, he wished to murder me to prove he was correct.”

“Yeah, we stumbled into the trap he set for you. He attacked us, and I… I killed him.” I said, it still hurt to admit that.

“So I have you to thank then.” She said, dropping her hood. I could see her light blue coat and an even lighter shade of blue for her mane. “I suppose you know who I am then.” 

“I… yes,” I said, giving a sigh. “You’re Trixie Lulamoon.” 

“Precisely,” Trixie said with a smile. “Though, not the pony you may have been expecting.”

“What do you mean?” Autumn asked, looking at that mare curiously.

“There is a time and a place for every story, and I’m afraid this is neither of those.” Trixie said with a sigh. “Just, thank you for ending this threat to my life”

“You’re welcome.” I said, starting to relax. “But, Midas said there is a book that says Trixie was absorbed or made part of this creature called the Goddess, but the goddess was destroyed, how did you survive?”

“It’s a complicated story. However, I can say that the Trixie that was one with the Goddess and myself, are not one and the same. In fact, her death is what brought me here, I’m from… a mirror world, so to speak.” Trixie said with a sigh. “But I can’t say much more, please, no prying - it is a hard topic as is.”

“Understood, well uh… it was nice meeting you” I said, smiling awkwardly. “See you around?”

“More than you might think.” Trixie said with a smile, before she simply started to walk away before we could say much more, a set of wings unfurling from beneath her cloak and she took to the sky, watching as she flew to the NCC tower.

“Could this day get any weirder?” I said to myself, bringing a chuckle from both Alabaster and Autumn before we three would board Quetzal.

Once aboard we all went our separate ways, Autumn to her bunk Alabaster disappearing into the back, and I could hear Midas in her room, seemingly having an argument with herself, or, at least letting out her frustrations.

I, however, went to the dining area, slumping down into a chair and staring at the ceiling of the ship for a moment or two, taking a deep breath and letting out a sigh. I was exhausted, and I could feel as my eyes started to drift closed, I stopped trying to fight it after a little while and I let my mind wander as I drifted off to sleep.


00000


“Did you think it was over? That I was done?” A familiar sounding voice said, causing me to stir and nearly fall from the seat. Looking around I saw no one, not any of the crew, nor my friends - or the source of the voice.

“What do you mean?” I said back cautiously, slipping from the seat and getting to my hooves, still looking around for the source of the mysterious yet familiar voice.

“You sprang my little trap dear little unicorn, you didn’t really think I was going to let you get away, did you?” that voice said, becoming more clear and quite obviously male.

“Mr. Sparkle?” I called out, looking around all the more, I could hear hoofsteps on metal but I still couldn’t figure out where he was.

“What’s it to you.” He said back, stepping around a bulkhead and coming into full view. I could see the burn marks on his coat, his eyes staring at me, glossy and glazed over, unblinking.

“I’m sorry!” I said instinctively, starting to back away from him. I could feel a pounding in my chest, the sensation so odd and catching me off guard that I turned from him and looked to myself, where metal plates once were now stood flesh and fur, that pounding in my chest only getting stronger with each passing moment.

“You’re sorry? Do you think that’s going to fix it?” He said, his lips curling into a sadistic smirk. “You murdered me, you struck me down in cold blood when I was running away, and you know it. Now it’s my turn to return the favor.”

“I… No, that’s not how it happened at all!” I said, shaking and backing away even quicker.

“Think if you keep telling yourself that, it’ll make it come true?” He said, chuckling even more. “Stop running away, just accept it - it’ll all be over soon.” 

“Where’s the crew.” I shouted, backing up all the more till I felt cold metal against my backside, having backed into a bulkhead. “What did you do to my friends!” 

“Oh, they aren’t here anymore, they left you all alone, with me, how nice of them.” He said, that twisted grin getting all the wider. “Just you and me, and none of those fancy weapons of yours.”

“Please! I..I’m sorry” I started to plead. “I don’t know what came over me, I...I didn’t mean to!” Tears starting to well up in my eyes, standing up on my back legs as I quickly looked around trying to find any route of escape.

“You honestly expect me to believe that? You expect me to just forgive you after what you did to me. I was running, I wasn’t a threat to you anymore, you could've just left me alone and let me live, but you didn’t.” He said, grin turning to scowl. “You justify yourself by calling me a monster, but you’re the real monster, a true freak.”

“No! You Just… You don’t understand!” I yelled, panic starting to build as my fear started to get the better of me. “I wasn’t in control of my actions… it was… oh, goddesses! Somepony, anypony, Help me, please!” 

“No one is going to come for you, you’re mine now Sweetie, all mine.” He said, scowl turning back to that sadistic grin, I could hear the sound of a blade being drawn, which only made me panic all the more. “I’m going to slit that pretty little throat of yours, and well… what happens next is my little secret, no sense in ruining all my fun.”

“P-please… don’t do this…” I said as tears started to stream down my cheeks, the more I tried to pull myself from the bulkhead, the more I tried to get away from him, the more I felt like I couldn’t move at all, that sense of being trapped rising ever so quickly.

“Don’t do what? Exact my revenge on some worthless scavver with no heart worth a damn?” He said, shifting that knife upwards, I could feel the blade on my throat, the coldness of the steel pressing through my fur.

I looked at him, eyes pleading for mercy. He simply started to laugh as he dragged the knife lightly across my throat, letting me feel just how sharp his weapon was and how easily he could have taken my life right then and there. Panicking all the more, squirming and trying to push him away, the more I pushed the heavier he seemed to be.

“Oh look at you, squirming around like the worthless rat you are.” He said with a chuckle, pressing that blade more firmly against my flesh. “Any last words scavver.” 

“P-please… I-I’m so sorry… I never wanted to hurt anypony…” I said, closing my eyes and giving up the struggle, anticipating for the moment he’d finally do as he threatened. As the blade pushed harder to my flesh and I felt the bite of the blade as it started to dig in, tensing up all the more before suddenly I was jolted. Opening my eyes to see Midas and Autumn standing over me, I had fallen from the seat and was laying on the floor.

“You okay Sweets?” Midas asked, holding out a claw for me. “You were screaming for help in your sleep.”

I stared for a moment, wide-eyed before I finally came to, checking myself and feeling relief as I found metal where there was flesh, checking out the familiar scrapes and dents before I’d take her claw and let her help me back to my hooves. “I… I think I was having a nightmare?” I said, giving my head a shake. “How is that even possible?”

“What was it a nightmare about?” Autumn said, checking me over before she’d pull a chair over and urge me to sit. “I mean, I’ve never heard of a robot dreaming before, let alone having a nightmare.”

Midas, however, didn’t seem surprised at all, sitting in a chair beside mine and laying an arm across my shoulders. “Your father really did do a good job putting you together, didn’t he.” She said softly. “Maybe too good of a job, let me guess - It was about Mr. Sparkle?” 

“I… uh, yes… How’d you know?” I said, looking at that Dragoness.

“I still have nightmares about the first time I had to kill somepony.” Midas said with a sigh and a shrug. “It’s something you just, get used to. Just gotta keep reminding yourself, they’re dead and you’re not, they can’t hurt you anymore.” 

“But, this was different.” I said, giving a deep sigh. “I wasn’t me, or was I? I mean… I wasn’t like this anymore, I wasn’t metal, and… there was this pounding in my chest that just kept getting stronger and stronger like it was ‘bout to burst…” 

Midas recoiled at that, leaning back and looking at me for a moment or two before she’d chuckle some. “A robot that dreams about being organic, now that’s one I’ve never heard before.” 

“I… what?” I said, looking at her curiously and honestly confused as well. 

“The pounding in your chest Sweetie, It was your heart.” Autumn said with a warm relaxing smile. “Or… your dream heart, if that makes any sense, I mean, you dreamed like you were like me, or anypony else”

“Well… that does explain a few things.” I said with a nervous chuckle, before sitting back in my chair and giving a sigh as I started to relax some. “There has to be something I can do to make things better… else I’m never going to sleep again if all I have is nightmares like that.” 

“Maybe you’ll feel better once we get a little bit of closure?” Autumn said, rather obviously thinking out loud. “Maybe once he’s been laid to rest with his family, everything will be alright.”

“Yeah, it’s less than a day to get back to the Dayrunners, so with any luck, you’ll not really miss out on much sleep at all.” Midas said with a chuckle. “I suggest you get some rest, you don’t need to sleep but maybe you can take down systems one at a time instead of rebooting them all at the same time.”

“Maybe.” I said, giving a chuckle followed by a sigh. “Thank you, both of you… for saving me from myself.”

“Anytime Sweets, just - try and not dream of any more homicidal maniacs, alright?” Midas said with a chuckle before she’d head back to her cabin.

“Well, I’m not going to go anywhere. If you fall asleep and start having a nightmare, I’ll be right here to snap you out of it.” Autumn said with a smile.

“And what if you fall asleep?” I said, chuckling some. 

“Oh, I’ll be fine. Enclave training handles long sleepless periods, can’t really sleep in combat now can you?” Autumn said with a smile, reaching out and wrapping a leg around me, leaning in and laying her head against my shoulder. “Not to mention, this is just what friends do.” 

I just smiled, I didn’t want to say anything. It felt nice having somepony so close, her warmth and just, it was so relaxing. Leaning my head over and gently laying it atop hers. It wouldn’t be long till I heard her starting to lightly snore, having fallen asleep.

“So much for not sleeping.” I said to myself quietly, chuckling a little before the sound of a door caught my attention, looking up I saw a form sneaking out of Midas’ quarters and quickly moving down the hall and slipping into Alabaster’s. I simply shrugged it off and thought nothing much of it. Turning my attention back to the now sleeping Autumn, just, enjoying the moment.


00000


As morning game, I could hear the sound of ponies starting to stir all around the ship, Climbing from their bunks and beginning their day, but it wasn’t long till I could hear them all whispering things to each other.

Autumn started to stir, pulling herself up off my shoulder and yawning as she stretched some. Rubbing at her eyes for a moment before she realized that not only had she fallen asleep, she had quite literally fallen asleep on me and slept there the whole night.

Jumping to her hooves she’d stare at me for a moment. “Oh.. I am.. So… so so sorry Sweetie… I… this is so embarrassing.” She said, looking around and hearing the chuckles from the crew nearby.

I just smiled a little at her, I couldn’t help but find her embarrassment kind of cute. “It’s fine, It was actually kind of nice, having somepony close for once.” 

“You… w-wait, what?” Autumn said, her panic fading to confusion as she stared at me, clearly unsure of just what to think of this situation.

“Yeah, especially after that nightmare.” I said with a smile and light giggle. “Plus, it’s what friends do for each other, right?”

“...Right.” Autumn said, a light blush peering out across her cheeks as she looked away. “I...I should go and get ready.” 

“Really?” I heard Midas say from across the room, drawing both of our attention as she approached. “Come on, you two are so falling for each other. It’s about as obvious as the sky is blue.”

“Oh? And what’s it to you?” I asked, chuckling at that dragoness, watching as her smug expression shifted and she gave a nervous chuckle.

“Oh, It’s just uh… a bet that was going around.” Midas said, “I mean, with you two laying on each other like that, and everything else that has happened… I’m in trouble, aren’t I,” 

“Depends, what was the bet on.” I said, the playful tone slipping from my voice.

“Just… you and Autumn, you know… getting together.” Midas said, tapping two claw tips together. “After what happened last night, and how you two like that this morning, I kind of, thought it’d be today, right now actually.”

“... You bet, on us… getting into a relationship.” I said, letting that sink in for a moment before I facehooved. “That is… so wrong… on so many levels.” 

“Oh come on, Is it so wrong to make an educated guess on when somepony may decide to express how they feel?” Midas said with a huff, crossing her arms across her chest. “I mean, come on, it’s not like we were betting when you two would try sleeping together.”

“We?” Me and Autumn asked together. 

“I told you today wasn’t the day.” Cloud chaser said, coming back from the cockpit. “I give em a week, maybe two at most.”

“Oh come on, you too?” I said, looking at Cloud Chaser.

“Us, about half the ship, and half a dozen from the dayrunners.” Cloud Chaser said with a chuckle. “Anyway, for what it’s worth - we’re ready to cast off.”

“Alright… uh, well… I think I’m due for a shower.” Autumn said before she quickly slipped away and rushed to the back of the ship.

“Ugh… Alright, so get us underway.” I said, slipping from my seat finally and giving a sigh. “Midas, you and I need to have a little talk.”

“Alright, straight back to the dayrunners I presume?” Cloud Chaser asked as she turned and started to head back in the direction of the cockpit.

“Yeah, best speed.” I said before I shot Midas a glare.

“Oh boy, I know that look, someone’s ‘bout to get her scales baked,” Cloud Chaser said before she slipped out of view. 

“I’m in trouble.” Midas said to herself with a sigh. “Here, your quarters, or mine?” 

“Yours, Now.” I said sternly, walking past her and to the door that lead to her quarters.

Once inside, and the door sealed behind us, I simply kept glaring at that dragoness.

“Oh come on, you can’t be serious right now.” Midas said with a groan. “It’s just a bet, a harmless little playful bet, nothing more nothing less, what’s there to get your wires in a twist?”

“And what makes you think this is just about the bet.” I said, tapping a hoof.

Midas, looking even more worried now than before gave a sigh. “So what is it then?”

“I saw Alabaster leaving your quarters last night.” I said, smirking some as I saw her eyes go wide and her jaw drop.

“I… I can explain.” Midas said, for the first time ever stumbling over her words.

“Oh, as you said, it was so obvious, and I can tell just by how friendly you are with him that there is more going on here than just friends.” I said, sitting on the floor and watching Midas as she moved and sat on the bed.

“We… we never intended for things to get so serious so quickly,” Midas said after a few moments of silence. “At first… he heard what happened with the bat pony in the inn, and he had an itch he wanted scratched and asked me if I’d scratch it for him…”

“And?” I asked.

“What do you think?” Midas said, giving even more flustered and agitated. “The first night he spent on the ship, he was in here with me, but… after that, there was more going on, things just… clicked” 

“You sure you’re not just getting caught up in the moment?” I said, chuckling to myself some. 

“We just talked last night, he told me about his home, about how the mares there are like putty in his hooves. Doing as he tells them, when he tells them, with nothing more than a yes sire and rushing off to meet his every demand.” Midas said, sighing some. “He hates it, he really despises it. He wanted a mare that would speak her mind, isn’t afraid to get her hooves dirty, and just… is her own lady, y’know?”

“That’s why he’s attracted to you…” I said, smirk fading away and just listening to her. “What about the other way round? How about you to him?”

“He… he makes me feel special, okay?” Midas said, looking away “He makes me feel things that, I haven’t felt in forever, and thought I might never feel again… and, I really like it okay? Is that so wrong?”

“No, but if you’re going to make bets on other pony’s relationships that aren’t even real, you should be more open and direct with your relationship.” I said with a sigh. “It’s only what is fair.” 

“What does this have to do with being fair?” Midas said with a huff. “My relationship is my business, and it only happens in my quarters or his… or the showers when no one else is around, but only then!” 

“And that makes it alright to keep it a secret but make and take bets on others?” I asked, lightly tapping a hoof on the floor.

“If you’re going to do it where everypony can see it, then yes, absolutely. It’s just a little bit of friendly banter and teasing anyway, it’s not really a big deal.” Midas said with a groan, crossing her arms across her chest once more. “You don’t want us to take the piss out of you for things you do, then don’t do them where we can see them.” 

“Well, stop it.” I said, staring at her a bit. “I have a feeling you are more than just a contributor to this bet, I honestly believe you’re the one that started it. So give them back whatever they were betting and tell them that the betting is closed.” 

Midas sighed, nodding a little and going to talk, but as she opened her mouth a soft knock came on the door. It slid open and standing there was a shocked Alabaster, staring at the two of us before he’d set down what he had brought. A box of chocolates and a bouquet of roses just inside the door before he’d quickly make his escape.

Midas just stared at the gifts for a moment before the door slid shut, slipping from her bed and over to the gifts, picking them up with a soft smile.

“He uh… realizes those are probably irradiated, right?” I said, looking at the box of chocolates.

“Probably not, but it’s no big deal - I don’t eat chocolate.” Midas said with a smile, moving over and sitting on her bed, just hugging the box and flowers to her chest.

“And, where’d he get the flowers?” I said, standing and moving over, sitting next to her on the bed.

“Don’t know, they’re fake anyway, I don’t think real roses survived the wasteland.” Midas said, before she sighed and looked at me. “Look, I’m sorry about the betting, alright, but you can’t say a thing about this, if it got back to his home he’d be excommunicated… its one of the few things someone of his… title, could do to get permanently kicked out.”

“I… what?” I said, slightly shocked by this sudden information.

“Yeah… If word got back to his home, he’d be disowned immediately. It’s one of the few things the elites of his society can do that’ll get them such a bad punishment. He never intends to return home, but he doesn’t want them thinking less of him for his choices out here.” Midas said with a sigh, looking down at the flowers. “It’ll take some getting used to, not being able to talk about it or publicly display affection… but I think we’ll manage.” 

“I can only imagine how hard that must be.” I said, scooting a little closer. “I mean, I’m sure you two have urges to just, hold each other and stuff, and you gotta fight it and act like strangers when anyone can see you.”

“Yeah, it sucks.” Midas said, chuckling a little. “But it makes our private time together all the spicier. Like the saying says, distance makes the heart grow fonder.” 

“Even if that distance is only a couple feet?” I asked, chuckling some.

“Would seem that way, yeah.” Midas said, leaning back and smiling to herself. “Spending all day seeing something you want but you can’t have, it’s always right there at your fingertips but just outside your reach, just makes you want it all the more.” 

“Feel better?” I said, smiling at her. 

“Yeah… Yeah, I do, thank you, Sweets, I didn’t realize how much that was weighing on me.” Midas said, laughing to herself a little more.

“Hey, what are friends for?” I said, giving her a nudge. “Just, try and keep it under control - I don’t need to find out what a pregnant dragon is like.” 

“Oh, don’t worry, we take precautions.” Midas said, surprisingly candidly. “Honestly, I think we both know quite well what we’re doing.” 

“I hope so,” I said, slipping from her bed and getting to my hooves, walking to the door and stopping as it slid open once more. “Catch you later.”


00000


An hour or two passed, I just spent the time lazing around in the commons area, talking with a few crew members about nothing important. Deciding to go and pay our pilot a visit I stood and started to head for the cockpit, weaving between crew members as I made my way.

Reaching the cockpit, I saw a hammock strung from the back bulkhead to a support for the windscreen of the ship, Cloud Chaser laying in it just reading a book.

Tapping on the metal to get her attention, once she looked at me I simply smiled.

“What’s up buttercup.” Cloud Chaser said, sitting herself up some, looking at me curiously.

“Just, wondering something is all.” I said, sitting in the vacant pilot’s seat. “You’re from before the war, right? You were married and had a family and everything?” 

“Yeah, I did.” Cloud Chaser said, obvious sadness to her voice. “He was really a great guy overall, maybe a little too obsessed with books and old journals, he wanted to know everything there was to magic, to become the best wizard that ever lived.” 

“Sounds pretty ambitious.” I said, smiling a little more.

“Yep, pretty much how he was, even if he flunked from Celestia’s school.” Cloud Chaser said, chuckling to herself a bit more. “So, what bout it? Want the birds and the bees talk or something?” 

“What, no.” I said, laughing some. “Just, curious about what it was all like.” 

I saw as Cloud Chaser flinched and looked away. “That… was a very long time ago, and are a lot of very painful memories.”

“Oh… I, I didn’t mean to bring that up, I didn’t know.” I said, quickly trying to save face.

“Nah, it’s fine. Sure they’re painful, but you gotta tell the story eventually, right?” She said, laying herself back down into her hammock. “Back then, everything seemed perfect, even during the war back before either of us got deployed. I was young, lived in Ponyville. He kept coming round because his best friend was the pupil of the princess or something like that.” 

“Princess Twilight I presume?” I asked.

“Only Princess in Ponyville as far as I am concerned. Anyway, we met at a bookstore, he was looking for this old journal from this crazy unicorn. It was practically love at first sight.” Cloud Chaser said, frowning and looking down at herself. “Sunburst was an amazing stallion, he had such a big heart”

“What happened to him?” I asked, to which Cloud Chaser cringed and turned to stare at me for a moment before she looked away.

“He died in the war, early days, tried to use a healing spell on some pegasi that got shot up. Zebra didn’t care much for Medics.” Cloud Chaser said with a sigh. “But, let’s not talk bout that... “

“Oh, sorry.” I said, scooting away a little.

“Like I said… it’s fine.” Cloud chaser said, rolling onto her side facing me. “When I moved to Cloudsdale, he was so concerned that he’d never see me again. We talked to Maud and got him this rock that let him walk on clouds indefinitely and he moved there with me.” 

“Sounds nice.” I said, trying to pick my words carefully.

“It was.” She said, sighing again. “Hey, can I get a raincheck on this - We’re nearing the dayrunners and well, the ship doesn’t land itself.” 

“I… Alright.” I said, looking at the flight plan I could see we were more than an hour out, but I got the gist of what she was after, it was a painful topic she wanted to avoid right now. I just hoped maybe in the future she’d trust me to tell me the rest. 

I stood from the seat and went back to my Quarters, flopping down onto the bed and just staring at the ceiling for a while, before I looked out the window. Watching the clouds zip past as we flew it felt almost like counting sheep, and it wasn’t long before I felt myself drifting off.

I fought it for a short while, before I gave in, it’s the middle of the day and everypony is around, if I get into another nightmare I had more than enough help to get out, and admittedly a short nap sounded very nice right about now either way.

Letting myself drift to sleep, knowing it’d only be a short nap best - but it’s better than nothing.


00000


Startled awake by the crackling of the ship’s loudspeakers, Cloud Chaser’s voice coming through the static.

“We’re at the Dayrunners camp, though you might wanna get up here - I got something you’re going to want to hear.” She said, before the static suddenly stopped and the speakers shut off.

Slipping from my bed and stretching a little, hearing clicking and whirring as the metal plates and servos warmed up and realigned. I soon left my quarters and headed to the bridge, there was a bit of a stirring in the crew, they were whispering and mumbling things, none of them seemed to want to say what it was too loud. 

Reaching the cockpit, Cloud Chaser jumped up from the Pilot’s chair and turned to face me, she seemed concerned, perhaps even a little angry.

“So, want the good news or the bad news?” Cloud Chaser said, giving her head a shake and sighing. “Honestly, it’s bad news and worse news in my opinion.” 

“Well, start with the less bad news?” I said, trying to hide my nervousness.

“Some stupid farmer decided he’d let his livestock out into the landing area, we’re stuck up here till they get em all out so we don’t land on ‘em,” Cloud Chaser said with a chuckle, “That’s the bad news.” 

“And the worse news?” I asked, wanting to breathe a sigh of relief.

“The Enclave want their ship back.” She said rather candidly. “Seems the admiralty doesn’t like the president going around and giving away some of their most high tech ships to just random ponies.” 

“But we just got it, they can’t take it away already, that’s not fair.” I said, frowning.

“Yeah, well, the order is out, the ship stays here until the Enclave come and pick it up, and if we try and leave they have orders to blow us out of the sky at their next convenience.” Cloud Chaser said with a sigh. “That’s why the farmer is bad news, if he can’t get the livestock out before the Enclave shows up, those pigs and such are going to get a fireworks show.” 

“They’d do that? Even with us over the Dayrunners? What about all the debris?” I said, feeling a bit of anger starting to rise.

“Collateral damage.” I heard Autumn say as she walked up behind me. “The Enclave never really cared about civilian losses, it’s more about the importance of the ship. They can’t risk it falling into the hooves of a merc that’ll sell it to the highest bidder, this ship has some of the highest tech we have access to, and if it fell into the wrong hooves, that’d be bad for more then just us.”

“I get that but…” I said, shaking my head and sighing. I really didn’t like this but what do we do? Don’t give it back and they are going to hunt us down and kill us, but if we give it back what’ll we do then? We don’t have any other mode of transport other than walking… screwed if you do, screwed if you don’t…

“Well, that’s all I got.” Cloud Chaser said with a chuckle. “Unless you want to hear the good news.” 

“Good news? Why is this the first time I’m hearing about it?” I asked, turning to face that ghoul. “Out with it, I doubt how much it’s going to change but at least it’s something.” 

“Well, remember how I said I’m not allowed to be a captain when this thing came round?” Cloud Chaser said, lightly tapping at the console in front of her chair. “Well, It’s ‘cause of what I did when I was a captain, and part of my bargain to keep myself out of prison. Give them all my tech, and give my word to never captain another ship as long as I live.”

“How is this good news?” I said, impatiently tapping a hoof.

“I used to be captain, that means I had a crew, a crew of skilled and knowledgeable mechanics and engineers.” Cloud Chaser said, looking at me blankly. “Y’know, the kind of pony that longs for the sky and has an intense loyalty to their captain?”

“I still don’t get it.” I said, frowning a bit.

“Neither do I, can you please get to the point?” Autumn said, trying to be more polite.

“A ship.” Cloud Chaser said with a chuckle. “Ever Since Canticum Lunae went down, they’ve been scouring the wastes for another one. Turns out they found one, it’s in bad condition, will take a good amount of work to get her airworthy again.”

“Again - this is good news, how?” I said with a groan “We’re losing our ship, we have a junkheap that looks like a ship, and this is good news to you?”

“Don’t rock it yet.” Cloud Chaser said, smiling a bit more earnestly. “When I found the Thunderhead that would become my beloved Canticum Lunae she was nothing more than a burnt out husk and pile of scrap metal.”

“Okay, and?” Autumn added, clearly getting rather annoyed.

“And we made an airship that put the biggest, baddest, and toughest of Enclave Airships to shame, The Quetzal would never reach that potential, not because of her size - but because the Enclave insisted as a diplomatic ship she would never be armed.” Cloud Chaser said, her smile turning to a frown. “We have a ship, our own ship, we can put whatever we want into it, mold it to our own design, and you don’t see how this is good news?”

“That’s all fine and dandy, but what about transport.” Midas said as she joined us. “It took you the better part of a decade to get that old thunderhead up again, without transport we’re stuck hoofing it everywhere which can take days - weeks even.” 

Cloud Chaser paused, looking at Midas and then giving a sigh, turning back to face the controls and looking out the front window of the ship.

“She’s a lot smaller than a Thunderhead, and she wasn’t burnt out from stem to stern, a lot of usable parts and a lot less stuff we need to rebuild or design from the ground up.” Cloud Chaser said, leaning more heavily back into her chair. “It’ll take time, months most likely, but we can get her up and going, that’s a promise.” 

“Still doesn’t solve immediate transport concerns.” I pointed out, to which Midas and Autumn both nodded.

“The Enclave is unlikely to take everything away from us, honestly I wouldn’t be surprised if Spectra gave us a Vertibuck or Raptor to get us through.” Cloud chaser said with a sigh before a glint caught her eye, looking out the window she pulling our gazes with, there was a pony on the ground with a flashing glint up to us.

“What’s that?” I said, looking down at them.

“Just the signal we’re clear to land, the Dayrunner’s radio is on the fritz, maybe you can take a look at it after you deliver the book, I heard you’re close cousins.” Cloud Chaser said with a chuckle as I felt the ship dropping out from under my hooves as we started to descend.

“Was that a robot joke?” I said, tapping a hoof in annoyance.

Cloud Chaser simply chuckled and waved a hoof at us. Giving a sigh I’d turn and walk out with my companions by my side.

“Sometimes, I think she does these things to us on purpose.” I whispered, looking back to see if we were out of earshot.

“She’s got a twisted sense of humor, it comes from everything she’s been through for the past two hundred years.” Autumn said with a shake of her head. “It’s like those old stories, of how ponies during the war knowing they were going to die would adopt vulgar and gruesome songs to deal with it.”

“Except her death never came.” Midas added. “I’m willing to bet when she didn’t die, she tried other methods, anything that could possibly kill her. But she’s a ghoul, a Canterlot ghoul no less, notoriously hard to kill.”

“You can’t help but feel sorry for her, I mean - everything she’s been through, all that has happened to her... “ Autumn said, making me stop and turn to face the two. 

“What did she go through, what did happen to her?” I asked, frustration mounting.

“Sweets, it’s a story for another time, and probably best told by her when she is ready to tell.” Midas said, kneeling down and putting one of her claws on my shoulder. “We know what we do, because I worked closely with the Enclave, and she is Enclave.” 

Autumn sighed and nodded, looking back at Cloud Chaser in the cockpit. As she turned her head back there was a jolt as the ship touched the ground. “Her reports, everything that happened to her, was one of the things that really empowered the Enclave in the early days, a Cloudsdale mare who lost it all in one instant.” 

“The plight of the Enclave, in one single body - paying the price for a war they didn’t want,” Midas added, looking back. “She’s an inspiration in some senses, and a legend in others - and a pure nightmare to anyone who opposed the Enclave before President Winter and Spectra stepped in.”

We stayed quiet for a few moments, looking at that lone mare in the cockpit, slipping from her seat and gently moving around. She gently touched each panel in the cockpit, and I swear I hear her talking, or maybe singing. Was she singing the ship a song? Maybe her final goodbye to it - before it’s taken from her.

“Cloud Chaser?” I called out, pushing past my friends and approaching the cockpit, to which she suddenly stopped and turned to face me.

“What is it toaster?” She said with annoyance in her voice.

“Thank you.” I said, smiling. She just paused, looking at me confused for a couple moments before her features softened into a smile. 

“No Sweetie, thank you.” She said in reply, which caught me off guard.

“For what?” 

“You’ll find out.” 

Then she went back to moving around the cockpit, what was once gentle touches now took on more of a dance-like movement, as she moved I could catch glimpses of her face, she was frowning, and I could see the tears welling up in her eyes.

“You okay?” I said softly, interrupting her once more.

“I’m fine.” She said, coming to a halt. “I was there when this ship was first drawn up, I gave them a majority of the technology used in her, In a way - She’s like family to me.”

“But you’re crying?” I said, reaching a hoof out.

“Wouldn’t you cry too if-” She said before pausing. “Right, you’re a robot.” 

“I know what crying is.” I said, moving over next to her.

“This ship, everything about her from the ground up - is something that came from me, a part of me, a part of the technology I developed. I watched her blueprints be drawn, I was there when they laid the first pieces of her hull, I watched her take shape and I was aboard her when she was launched.” Cloud chaser said, turning to the pilot’s seat once more. “Then they said she was mine, I could take her where I wanted, do what I wanted, as long as I answered to somepony else - and now they’re taking her away.”

“It’s like losing your husband all over again isn’t it?” I said, looking at her, hearing her sigh and shake her head.

“It’s worse.” 

“Well, it isn’t really goodbye, right? They’re taking her back - but she isn’t going away forever, you’ll see her again, hear of the great things she is doing, the great ponies she is carrying.” I said, smiling a little. “It’s like when a foal grows up, and it’s time to let them go and be their own pony, You can still be proud of them and love them”

She flinched when I said that, and I started to back away as she turned to face me, a darkness looming in her eyes.

“I know you mean well Sweetie, but I am going to respectfully demand you get off my bridge, go back to your little friends, and never talk to me about children again.” with each word her voice becoming louder, making me back away faster and faster till I simply turned and ran.

I couldn’t help but wonder what did I do, how did that moment go so wrong so quick - my mind racing and when I got back to Midas and Autumn I simply hugged them both.

Suddenly, I feel like this voyage is about to get a whole heck of a lot longer…


LEVEL UP!


Perk Acquired: Cricket’s Song


You have discovered things about the world that surprise and scare you.


Learning when it is better to silence yourself, and instead listen to the sounds of crickets.



Additional Dialog options opened


Speechcraft +10