//------------------------------//
// Fallout Equestria: Old Souls - Chapter 8: A Welcome Distraction 
// Story: Fallout Equestria: Old Souls 
// by Pillbug 
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Chapter 8: A Welcome Distraction

[I haven’t shown my hand - I’ve shown one card.]

The cold bit at my cheeks, painfully tightening them, as the bitter winds and snow swirled all around me. My Stable goggles kept the worse out of my eyes, but they still stung in the howling blizzard. I stood on the northern barricade in Cefar, facing the snowfields where I’d fought a beast, an unnatural product of Old Equestria, who had immediately introduced me to the harshness of Wasteland life: The Molar Bear.

The monster had chased me over rocks, through the trees and across the snow, all the way to this very wall I stood on. I had only survived because of the timely intervention of the townspeople of Cefar. They included Bosco, the young charcoal colt who had become a trusted companion.

Nobody was around now though, as far as my searching eyes could see into the white. If another of the creatures appeared, then I would be facing it on my own. I knew more existed in the snowfields, thanks to Bosco’s ill-advised participation in an organised hunt of the predators, at the behest of Schwarzwald.

She was another acquaintance I had acquired in my brief stay in the Wasteland. I was not as close to her as I was to Bosco, but I still felt that she was, in her one-of-a-kind way, still a trustworthy pony. She made no claim to be a saint, just showed exactly who she was in everything she did.

Vulnerable as I was, the threat of a Molar Bear attack was not foremost on my mind when staring at the Snowfield. Somewhere in there, hidden by the never-ending storm, was Stable 61. My home.

Without knowing the way, reaching it through the maelstrom was impossible. Even the hardiest of ponies would succumb to the blizzard or the creatures before even getting close. They’d never know if they were either, as the white would blind them.

Still, I thought as my body tilted forward, dropping me from the hard cement wall into the soft white snow beyond the town limits, landing with a crunch, what harm is there in trying anyway?

Tugging my Molar leather clothing tighter around me, and wrapping my heavy white cloak as close as possible to protect against the elements and their penetrating chill, I set off. Almost instantly, the white swallowed Cefar behind me, essentially leaving me with no choice but to continue forward.

It was slow going. I walked for what felt like days, trudging knee deep through snow that never seemed to give until the very last moment. The cold wetness of the frozen rain soaked into my clothing, weighing me down and stealing my heat. I had no markers beyond my own hoofprints behind me to tell me whether I was even still travelling in the same direction as when I started, which I wasn’t even sure was the right direction in the first place, but I doggedly stuck to the line I’d chosen. I passed by trees and rocks at such a slow pace that I might as well have been walking in syrup rather than snow. Still, I continued anyway, willing myself to ignore the cold, the wind, the wetness in my mane that froze and melted and refroze, again and again. One hoof in front of the other, that was all I needed keep going.

About all I can do too.

“Geez, Snow, you’re only this far? It took us like five minutes to get here. You gotta try harder.”

Shut up Wings, you can fly. I’m stuck with my hooves.

“Indeed, Red Ice, you do seem to be struggling. Would you us to show you the way?”

You won’t find it, not even with your eyes, Venatici.

Through my goggles, I could just barely make out the two fliers before me, reclining in the air, their wings somehow utterly untroubled by the sub-zero gales around us. They each bore bright smiles and an utter lack of protective clothing, looking for all the world like they didn’t even notice the blizzard around us.

“Why are you here?” Their presence, and especially those smiles, left me less than pleased. I was somewhat glad for the contact with other people, but did it have to be these two?

Incredulously, the sapphire-eyed griffon performed a few carefree flips in the air, not at all weighed down by the wind and snow as I was. “Cassie just told ya, we’re gonna show you the way!”

The Pegasus with the neat black-and-red mane gave a graceful floating bow. “Happy to be of assistance.”

You’re kidding, right? “You’re kidding, right?”

The pair looked at each other and grinned mischievously. “Well,” they spoke in unison, “we are slightly better equipped than you, after all.”

I stood gaping as the two produced some very familiar items, though from where I couldn’t tell, considering their lack of apparel.

“My Pipbuck! My Memory Orb!”

Wings canted her head to the side, Pipbuck hanging loosely from a claw, while Cassie mirrored the action with the Memory Orb held in her mouth.

“Yours?” Wings’ tone was strange, halfway between a question and a whisper, “If they were yours, you’d know the way.”

Cassie spat the Orb out into her hooves. “Indeed, but don’t worry. We can show you where to go. Please follow us.”

Without another word, the two began flying backwards, away from me. Adrenaline shot through my body in alarm, allowing me to drag my soaking limbs out of the deep snow and stumble after them. “Wait! Come back!”

The two didn’t respond with words. Instead, as their forms began to lose focus within the white, I could hear them giggling.

The sound both worried and angered me. I was worried that I might lose this chance to retrieve my possessions, which reminded me that they’d taken them in the first place, allowing the resulting anger to spur me onwards. “CASSIE! WINGS! GET BACK HERE!” I railed against the storm, trying to force my voice through the whistling of the wind.

I tried, really tried to keep up, but even with anger burning through me, I just couldn’t match the speed of the fliers in the energy-sapping snow. Through the swirl, the two receded, until I couldn’t see who was who, they just appeared as ever-darkening blurs in the distance.

Before I could lose track entirely, happy snippets drifted back along the currents.
“Come on, Snow, not far now.”

“You are almost there.”

“You’re so close!”

“Follow us.”

“Snow.”

“Snowflake.”

My hooves became tangled. I couldn’t help it. I fell. Slamming into the cold, wet snow face-first. Battling my own fatigue, I desperately raised my head, searching frantically for any sign of the disappearing thieves. “N-no! Wait for me!”

Nothing.

The blizzard, as it always had been for two hundred years, continued. The natural world was totally unconcerned with the trials and troubles of one lost little filly chasing after two giggling girls.

Still, I couldn’t give up, even if it was just the barest of sounds now, I could still hear something of the two above the noise. With quaking limbs, I forced myself upright yet again, taking one shambling step after the other. Snowblind, I couldn’t even see the two anymore, I just had to hope that I was still heading in the right direction.

It felt like forever, and perhaps it was, but after two frozen tracks of tears had formed down my cheeks, I was rewarded with the slightest of breaks.

“…’re crazy, Cass!”

That was Wings’ voice! I was sure of it. She was close! Laughing through my ragged gasps, I found some deep, deep store of energy and pushed my tired muscles onwards.

“…te sure I don’t know what you are talking about, Wings.”

Cassie too! I was getting closer. “Wait where you are! I’m almost there!”

“I know for a fact that that ain’t the way to go, Cassie.”

“Do you now? Well I do not intend to get lost just to say ‘I told you so’!”

Were they arguing? Whatever, I didn’t care, so long as they stayed where I could find them.

Mercifully, they did. I finally broke through the worst of the blizzard into a relative calm. There was still a wicked squall, but I could see much more clearly. Or maybe my snow blindness had dampened a little, I couldn’t be sure.

Either way, I beheld the two before me, still floating effortlessly in the chilly havoc. Laughing even as one of my knees gave out, and I crashed down into the snow, my body tensing at the extreme temperature. I kept my eyes on them, though. “F… found you.”

My raspy, almost-silent proclamation nonetheless distracted them from their argument. Blinking together, they turned to face me, still mirroring each other.

“Snowflake! You found us. Great job.”

“Most certainly. Such a relief to see you safe.”

“But you can’t rest now, Snow. We’re almost there.”

“Yes, just a little more and you will be home,” Cassie momentarily paused to roll her eyes at the chocolate-and-cream griffon. “That is, if you follow me. Like this one should be doing.”

Wings dismissively waved away the cyan pegasus’ words. “Ah, ignore her. She’s nuts. Follow me, I know the way.”

“You do not!”

“I totally do!”

“I won’t let you lead Snowflake astray!”

“Well if she goes with you, she’ll be stuck in this storm forever!”

“IS THAT A FACT?!”

“DAMN RIGHT IT IS!”

“WE SHALL SEE!”

“OH YEAH?!”

As the happy smiles morphed into frightful glares, all I could do was lie there in the snow, breathing heavily as my exhaustion slowly built.

As if moving to an unheard cue, Wings and Cassie both whipped their heads around at the same time, to face me. I made no motion, too tired to do anything even as the wind increased and snow began to build around my fallen form.

The fliers didn’t seem to notice my worsening situation. Both made a ‘follow me’ motion with hoof and claw respectively. “This way!” They echoed, before taking off in opposite directions.

Even with the snow piling on and the cold piercing right down to my marrow, I was still driven to panicked action, flailing wildly after each, as if trying to catch them. All I succeeded in doing was flopping over onto my back, one hoof outstretched after each of them. I couldn’t do anything more. My strength was gone. Short, shallow, shuddering breaths were all that I had left in me. Staring up at the sky, too exhausted to even tilt my head, eventually even my goggles were taken by the white.

As I drew closer and closer to a snowy burial, I struggled and tore up my vocal chords just to croak out a few words.

“P-please… don’t leave me… ”

~~~~~~

I opened my eyes. An unfamiliar ceiling lay before me, though I couldn’t focus on it. My terror sweat was drenching the covers of the bed I was lying in. Utterly confused, my eyes darted backwards and forth for a few seconds while I searched for Wings, Cassie, or any signs of the blizzard.

There was nothing. The breath I didn’t know I’d been holding escaped all in one go as the realisation that it was all just a dream began to leach away the fear and panic.

Itchy and damp, I tried to lift my left hoof to wipe my brow… but found it numb and pinned. The unease was back immediately as I feared the frostbitey worst for my leg. Steeling myself, I risked a quick glance down at the damage… except I couldn’t see the thing because there was a grey pony in the way.

“Bosco?”

The lump stirred momentarily, but didn’t wake up, instead simply repositioning himself, still snuggled up to my side and lying on my limb.

I couldn’t help the smile that this brought to my face. At one of us was having an easy sleep. Bosco probably deserved it more than most. He hadn’t been greatly happy to find out about my daring escape from Neighlway after we went through all the trouble of luring Wings and Cassie to us. He’d made it a point to stick close ever since.

I couldn’t tell whether it was because he was afraid for me… or he just didn’t trust me not to get into trouble without him there. I didn’t greatly care either way, it was just nice having him around.

A lock of Bosco’s grey mane, which was longer than I remembered, drifted down onto his face. Since I couldn’t lift the hoof he was lying on to move it, I tried to get it with my other side. No luck there either, as something else had hold of that limb too, keeping it dangling from the side of the bed.

Rolling my eyes in mock frustration, I tiredly rolled my head over to that edge of the bed. The sight I saw there definitely raised an eyebrow.

Bosco… again? This second charcoal pony was not on the bed, instead he was sleeping propped up against the high mattress, my limb draped over his shoulder and grasped in a tight hug, like a precious stuffed animal.

Aww, I cooed internally, Bosco… you’re so sweet. But why are there two of you?

I went back to staring at the ceiling, which for some reason boasted an elaborate oil painting of a beech-furred buffalo with artistically perfect proportions. The buffalo was dressed in gleaming armour and wielding a veritable arsenal in what could only be described as a heroic manner. Artistic interpretation aside, I felt like I knew that buffalo.

He’s definitely familiar, even with the burn marks around the edges… Ah, I remember.

And it all came back. After broadcasting my sorta secret identity as Red Ice to the Wasteland, with help from Fedexi Lexi at Sprinkles Supplies, Naiara and I had gone to find Bosco in Lethbridle.

That’s why there’re two Boscos. Naiara blended her black and white stripes into grey-all-over so we wouldn’t have any trouble at the gate.

It had gone even further than that. Naiara was naturally beautiful anyway and, without the fear of zebras to distract them, the stallions of Lethbridle, including the gate guards, had not hesitated to throw glances aplenty her way. She’d tried to brush it off as nothing at first, but eventually the flattery had turned to embarrassment and she’d sheepish half-hid behind me the rest of the way. I hadn’t complained… mostly because it was really funny.

In Lethbridle proper, we’d surreptitiously arranged a meeting with the leader of the guards, Chief Rockhaunch, through Esto, the remaining science unicorn of the trio who’d agreed to fix my missing Memory Orb. Esto was still hospitalised after her former workmate, Latvi, had sent the griffon assassin, McCoy, after Rockhaunch’s deputy, a beech-furred buffalo called Dent. This had led to a shootout between Dent, McCoy, and later myself, in an apartment block where Dent was visiting his marefriend, Esto’s other science colleague, Lithu.

Who’s apartment we were currently inhabiting since she had gone with into hiding at Grindstone with Dent, to protect them from McCoy.

Esto still isn’t happy that I got Lithu OR Dent involved, but at least she gave us a roof over our heads while we’re in town. Rockhaunch wanted us to avoid public places after my revelation. It’s as good a place as any, even if it is a little worse for wear after all the trouble. I’ll be sure to apologise again later.

I gave an experimental tug on my front legs. All that it produced was a synchronised murmur of protest from Bosco and Bosco-ra, who then snuggled even closer and tighter into me. Their chorus halted me for a moment as I remembered the unsettling dream fliers who had spoken together as well. This soon faded as I smiled again at the two adorable ponies sleeping so peacefully.

My attempt to rise defeated, there was no real reason to stay awake, so I closed my eyes and allowed myself to drift off again, this time quite sure my slumber would be pleasant.

~~~~~~

“So… what now?”

It was a good question. The three of us were sat around a breakfast table, enjoying some pastries. Earlier, I’d awoken to find Bosco gone from the bed and my hoof free, so I’d used it to rouse Naiara. The colt had apparently woken up peckish, as he’d returned with the food just as I was helping Naiara reapply her makeup after bathing.

Lithu’s apartment, aside from the ceiling art, was quite utilitarian. I guessed she spent a lot of time at the lab, or perhaps at Dent’s place. There was, unfortunately, no spacious bath like at Hoofshine Harlots, which I would need to take Naiara to sometime soon, but the shower did the job and left us feeling refreshed for the day.

As Naiara and I chewed and pondered, Bosco continued. “We’ve all got stuff to take care of, I think. I kinda want to find out more about these Orbs of mine…”

I nodded, not arguing with his goal. It wasn’t fair to expect him to drop everything to help me find my one Orb while he had just had a breakthrough with the three he’d been struggling with for years. I’d help him out in any way I could, too.

Even if it meant taking me away from going after Wings and Cassie.

Naiara gulped down the last of her fruit juice, somehow managing to do it without marking the glass with her body paint. “That sounds like fun. I might get called away on zebra business at some point but I’m basically free right now. I can help you out, Bosco.”

I agreed, shooting him a reassuring smile. “I’m in too. It’s the least I can do after all your help.”

The Boscos shared a quick look. “Are you sure, Snowflake? I mean, you’ve got a lot on your plate right now.”

Don’t I know it. But it’s not all about me, Bosco. “Yeah maybe, but you heard Rockhaunch. He wants me to lay low until some of the excitement dies down. Red Ice can wait a little while. I want to help, Bosco, not just get helped. Do you not want me to?”

“N-no, of course I do! I’d love your help, Snow!”

His brief lack of composure had Naiara smirking behind her glass, for which I gave her a gentle-ish kick under the table.

The matter decided, we were lapsing back into an easy silence Naiara jumped back in. “Speaking of helping, Snow, you think you might want to help me out if I get some zebra work? Having a unicorn around could be useful. ‘specially one that doesn’t hate zebras.”

I felt honoured. “Absolutely. Would it mean I got to meet more of your tribe?” At her nod, my enthusiasm grew again, “Great! I’ve only met Cept so far, can’t wait to meet the others!”

“Eheheh… yeah…” For some reason that wasn’t welcome news to the filly. She’d looked away and her smile had shrunk.

Confused, I was about to follow up when Bosco interrupted. “Yeah, what’s up with that guy? He your brother?”

She blinked. “Cept? No, he’s not my brother. Well, he sorta is. I mean, I’ve known him my whole life but we aren’t the same blood.”

She’d apparently expected much more resistance to the idea, as she was pretty surprised when Bosco just nodded in understanding. “Right, like Snow and her brothers.”

Her interest piqued, Naiara swung the topic back to me, scooting closer and leaning in. “You’ve got brothers? How many? Bigger or smaller? Are they cute? Any sisters?”

“Whoa, easy!” As I leaned back to avoid her, I held my hooves out in front as a halting gesture… which meant they weren’t keeping me steady at the table and, unbalanced, I slipped off my chair and hit the ground.

“You okay?”

Stifling a curse, I rubbed the back of my head as Naiara hopped off her chair to help me up. “Sorry, svara.”

I waved away her concern. “I’m okay. Anyway, to answer at least one of your questions, I have three brothers. They’re all bigger than me but, well… they’re still my little brothers.”

Bemused, the painted zebra looked between the two of us. “What the heck does that mean?”

“Get this,” Bosco chuckled, “Snow’s brothers are buffalo.”

“NO WAY!”

I nodded “It’s true, their names are Buff, Al and Lo Doublehorn.”

She scoffed, echoing the reaction I’d gotten from Wings when I told her this back in Vanchoofer. “Oh come on, how do you keep finding these people? Buffalo brothers named Buff, Al, and Lo. A griffon called Wings, and some random who calls himself Watcher.”

“Don’t forget Snowflake with the cutie mark of a snowflake.”

“Shaddup Bosco.” I could at least defend myself on that front. I liked my cutie mark.

“Three buffalo brothers… “ Naiara was musing to herself, “I wonder if they’re cute.”

All I could give was a slightly queasy shrug. “Wouldn’t know, I mean Lo got looks from the buffalo girls in the Stable but, come on, they’re my brothers. I can’t see them like that.”

“Yeah, I can understand that, I guess. I feel the same about Cept. He’s family.”

“Plus I think Breeze has a thing for him.”

“Oh she totally does. Would not stop staring the first time she met him.”

Bosco was totally lost by now. “Um… didn’t Breeze try to kill Snow a few times, why are you so chummy with her, Naiara?”

The zebra just gave him a helpless smile. “I felt the same way at first, but Snow said I couldn’t kill her. Messed her up good though, filly can’t fight hoof-to-hoof worth a damn. She might even be worse than Snowflake!”

“HEY!”

“Suck it up, it’s true.”

I pouted. “Still, cheap shot.”

Naiara waved me off and continued. “Anyway, Breeze went after Snow when she and her sister Cassie, who I believe you’ve met, got separated. Breeze really loves her sister. I think that’s why Snow forgave her so easily.”

“Basically.” What could I say? I had a soft spot for family.

“So me, Snow and Breeze went looking for Cassie in Grindstone, got in a heap of trouble with Plottawa slavers and Molar Bears, then Snow kicked us out of the cave we were taking shelter in.”

“I said I was sor-“

“Lemme finish the story! Anyway, after that, Breeze and I went straight to Cept and asked for his help in tracking her down. Well, after the love hearts stopped anyway. We were a little late at Whinniepeg, but we got to Neighlway and busted her out. You know the rest.”

He took it all in and mulled it over before responding. I could understand. Things kinda went chaotic after the cave at Crystal Point. “Well… glad she found her sister again.”

“Speaking of which,” Naiara was having all the fun she could, “what do you think Bosco?”

“Huh?”

“Well, you saw Cassie. Breeze looks just like her, except for a blue’n’white mane rather than red’n’black. Oh, and her feathers change colour along the wingtips. Think she sounds cute?”

Looking slightly trapped, Bosco shot a glance my way before meekly responding. “I… uh…”

A thick, heavy rapping on the door saved him from answering. Naiara shot to the mirror to double check that she was properly concealed. Wary of Red Ice’s enemies, Bosco was instantly serious, drawing his pistol and waving me back. I stepped over with Naiara as he carefully approached the door and looked through the eyehole. His shoulder relaxed as he saw who it was. Holstering his gun, he opened the door to reveal the chief standing there, wooden faced and oaken-furred.

“Something’s come up. You need to come with me.”

~~~~~~

“And they’re just standing there?”

From atop the monolithic wall surrounding Lethbridle, Chief Rockhaunch,, Naiara, Bosco and I stood with the guards and surveyed the scene outside the west gate of the city.

Two dozen Raiders loitered outside, under the watchful eye of the guards. They seemed to wear whatever they could get their hooves on, mostly dirty leather barding that covered varying amounts of their bodies. Most all of the Raiders had a wild, unkempt look to them, with unruly manes and garish tattoos. Even as they waited, three squabbles broke out which almost instantly descended into hoof-and-teeth scrapping. It didn’t seem to matter to either Raider who they were fighting, mares and stallions went at it regardless of size or build. It was chaotic to look upon.

Still, one Raider stood apart from the others, his attention away from his brethren, casually cycling between the gate itself and those staring down from the wall’s summit. He was a massive stallion, easily outmassing any of the others by a good margin. It was all muscle too, he radiated strength as he stood tall. His fur was a bright orange, and his muttonchop whiskers extended up into his wild locks. His mane looked green at first, but on a closer examination it was a checkered mix of watery green and blue. He wore only a thick bandolier, from which hung an enormous shotgun and a truly intimidating axe. It gleamed in the sunshine, it’s sharpness apparent even from up here.

“What do they want?” Being around more Raiders had Bosco, and myself, feeling less than thrilled.

Sighing wearily, but still wearing his concern on his horns, the Chief pointed a hoof at me. “They want her.”

“Me?” Raiders wanted me? What for?

The buffalo hadn’t smiled in the entire time we’d been with him today. “Yeah. They showed up hours ago. Didn’t do anything to the ponies trying to get through the gate, just waited until it was clear, then the bigger one there said… something. Seriously I couldn’t understand him, he sounds pretty drunk. Though we definitely caught ‘Snowflake’ and ‘Red Ice’ in there somewhere.”

“That’s… probably not good.” I was struggling mightily to find a way to see this as anything but terrible. My one experience with Raiders had been altogether negative. They’d all tried to kill me, forcing me to wound several and cause the deaths of at least two of them.

Naiara had been lying down with her chin hanging over the edge of the wall, watching the show. The individual fights were in danger of sparking an all-out brawl. “That’s all they said? Drunken ramblings about Snow? Couldn’t you have just fired a few warning shots to get them to leave?”

“We did. A few of them went to leave but stopped as soon as they saw the one in front hadn’t moved.”

So he’s the boss then. It says a lot when a drunk can lead a group of this size. Not exactly sure what it says a lot for, but a lot is being said.

The bearded stallion cocked his head to the side slightly, taking in the growing discord behind him. A frustrated look crossed his face. Raising a single hoof, he slammed it down into the ground, sending up a small dust cloud and sounding like a gunshot.

The effect was immediate and profound. Instantly the brawling Raiders disengaged and backed off from each other. They didn’t exactly get themselves into regimental formation but all their eyes were now on the obvious leader’s next move.

He turned back to Lethbridle, craning his head upwards to look at us. “Ho, yous fellas up top there. We’ll be here all day if we hav’tae, but ahm no wantin’ t’be. Can we see Red Ice now? Promise we’ll be on our best behaviour an’ all.”

His thick, guttural accent certainly gave the impression of severe inebriation, but his actions were a clear indicator that he was possessed of sobriety, and that he was no mindless savage. This pony knew what he was doing.

My three friends looked at me as we tried to piece together all of what he’d said. The stallion noticed who their attention was focused on. His voice, still hard and heavily accented, took on a more cheerful tone. “Is that her? Oi, Red Ice, can ah get a wee word wi’ yeh?”

Rockhaunch throat rumbled, disgruntled. “What are we gonna do about this? They’ve been true to their word so far. They plan on staying until they see Red Ice. We can’t have them keeping traffic away from one of our gates. Still, I’m not just gonna hand Snowflake over to a bunch of Raiders. They probably just want the bounty. It’s gone up, by the way.”

“No kidding?” Bosco looked amused and impressed, “How much?”

“A lot,” he deadpanned, “more than enough to make a lot of ponies think about going for it themselves. You need to watch yourself, even around ponies you think are safe.”

I gulped as the Raider gave a jaunty wave. He clearly knew enough to cash in the bounty. A smart Raider with a decent war chest and two dozen reasonably well-equipped followers could be very dangerous indeed.

“Why don’t you just shoot him?” Naiara had apparently seen enough.

She got a look in return that told her she should know better. “We do that and then we’ve got over twenty nutcases charging the gate, hungry for revenge. They can’t come inside.”

He had a point. There was no guarantee that, even with all the authority he clearly had over the Raiders, killing the sane one would cause anything but a firefight as the rest fought back. The orange Earth pony might have an ounce of civility somewhere under all that mane, but the others didn’t seem possessed of the same level of impulse control. It was a disaster waiting to happen. Rockhaunch’s guards shouldn’t have to deal with problems I caused.

“I think I should go talk to him.”

Instantly, I was dragged away from the edge. Bosco had a vice-like bite on my tail. “Bosco! Stop that.”

Spitting out the last few hairs, his grey eyes were hard as he addressed me. “Don’t even bother getting angry at me! I told you what happens to ponies who try talking to Raiders. Dead to the last one! I told you this. I’m not gonna let you do something this fucking stupid just after all the trouble you’ve been through. Not again. You’re not gonna get lucky forever, Snow!”

Wow. That’s… more forceful than I’m used to from Bosco. I was both happy that he cared as much as he did, and a little annoyed at his attitude. Hadn’t I proven yet that I could handle myself even a little bit? I mean, I did survive all that stuff he was talking about, too. Didn’t that count for something?

Looking to Naiara and Rockhaunch for support, I found none. There was concern there, just like Bosco, but they too seemed to think my track record made this a mistake.

Things were so much simpler when they were asleep. Cuter too. “Rockhaunch does need the gate cleared guys. We can’t just sit here waiting all day, just hoping they wander off. They’ll get bored fairly soon. Do you thinkthat will end well?”

It took all three of them a few seconds to respond. Bosco’s constantly shifting facial expressions were the most obvious indicator, but they all seemed to be trying to find the holes in what I said. Rockhaunch looked most unhappy, torn between his duty to the city and the safety of a pony who he thought well of.

I hope he likes me anyway.

Thoroughly frustrated, the chief eventually nodded. “Urgh, fine. But you’re not going by yourself. We’re gonna do this right. This is my town, you listen to what I say.”

Naiara and Bosco seemed happier with somebody talking what they thought of as sense, and stepped closer to listen to the plan.

“Right, well I’m gonna have guards along the wall the entire time. They see anything that doesn’t look right and they’ll open fire. Snowflake… ”

“Yeah?” Rockhaunch was back in chief mode, not taking any chances and doing all he could to keep everybody safe. It wasn’t the time to talk back. This was, as he said, his town.

“If you’re gonna go down there, see if you can get the guy in front to send the others away. He shouldn’t be able to disagree if he’s really here to talk. Bosco will back you up from the gate-”

“Aaactually, I think I’m better up here, chief.” The charcoal colt had been nodding until that last part.

“Excuse me?” Rockhaunch looked like he was expecting another stupid suggestion, similar to my earlier one.

The colt drew his pistol. “I’m a pretty good shot. If I stay up here, and if Snow can get the Raider to take off his weapons, then even if he makes a run for the gate or Snow, Naiara’s our best unarmed fighter, she can deal with him while I help with the rest of the Raiders.”

The zebra didn’t disagree, in fact she looked impressed. “Aw shucks, Bosco. You’ll make me blush. Still, you’re good at this.”

“Yeah, well… “

“HELLO? YOU STILL AROOND? AH’M GETTING’ A WEE BIT BORED O’ WAITIN’!” The other Raiders struggled to stay still too. It seemed like what I’d said about bored Raiders was accurate.

Rockhaunch still wasn’t exactly satisfied, but he liked this plan better than my basic outline. “Okay, if you say so. Naiara will go with Snowflake. We’ll keep watch from up here. If the Raider doesn’t send the others away AND drop his gear, you don’t let Snowflake get one step outside of that gate, understand?”

We all saluted. It just seemed like the thing to do. Rockhaunch’s calm strength brought it out of us.

As we dropped the salutes, he quietly moaned to himself. “We’re gonna regret this.”

~~~~~~

Making my way down the wall, I passed plenty of ponies and buffalo heading the other way, all wielding heavy guns. The glances they shot me varied greatly. I had to wonder how they felt about me.

To them, was I Li’l Stronghead? The funny little filly who screams at ghouls and then headbutts the chief? Strange, but basically a harmless pseudo-mascot and friend to Lethbridle’s guards.

Or, was I Red Ice? Who strolled into Lethbridle and Neighlway and poked the Molar Bears within, leading to strife in and around the streets of Lethbridle? McCoy’s attack no doubt caused a lot of double shifts and injuries, perhaps deaths, and could easily be laid at my hooves. I got enough glares to know that this was at least the way that some of them felt.

I didn’t blame them. They had every right to be upset that I was doing all this. Bringing Raiders to Lethbridle’s city steps was not the best way to make amends. Owning up to being Red Ice was supposed to be a way to steal some power away from the threats around me, but so far it was looking like it’d just make more blood bubble up through the cracks.

The guards at the gate, at least, were too busy watching the Raiders to pay me much attention. They knew what was going to happen but wouldn’t try to help me if they thought it would put the gate in jeopardy.

With Bosco up on the wall, Naiara was really my only support here.

She still managed to get a smile from me, nudging me reassuringly as the gate rattled open. As per Rockhaunch’s plan, I made no move to leave the gateway.

The Raider had noticed the gate opening and was curiously peering into the shade. “That you, Red Ice? Wee touch on the gloomy side in there.”

Naiara was slowly and surreptitiously loosening up her muscles as I cleared my throat to respond. “Yes, I’m Red Ice. Nice to meet you…”

Suddenly, the stallion began belting out a hearty laugh and holding his stomach. “Ahahaha! I didnae e’en gi’ mah name, did ah? Well nae wunner this was takin’ ages. Oh dearie me. I’m Caber Toss. Pleasure t’meet yeh.” He continued his mirthful mock-despair, and his jostling gave me a chance to look at his cutie mark, two crossed, branchless tree trunks.

I heard snickering behind me as Naiara failed to hide her amusement at the strange Raider. Not wanting to inadvertently offend him, which could lead to trouble, I tried to move the conversation along. “Uh… Caber? I’d like to talk more, but there are a lot of people with guns up top who want you to get rid of your Raiders first.”

He stopped cavorting. “Aye? Well the problem wi’ that is, ah’m all by my lonesome wi’, as yeh just pointed oot, a whole bunch o’ guns pointed at me.”

He was definitely not the same class of Raider as those Bosco and I had fought when I was only a day or so outside of the Stable.

Wow, that seems like a long time ago.

Still, he had a point. Any thinking being would consider this a bad deal. “The guards promise you won’t be harmed if you send your friends away.” Hoping to smooth things over, I spread my hooves to indicate that I was unarmed. Behind me, I heard Naiara doing the same.

He took a brief moment to greet her, “How you doin’, hen? Ah’m Caber,” before turning back to me with a very strange smile on his face. “Well, y’know that’d make me feel a whole lot better an’ all, but ah’m no talking tae the guards, am I? I’m talking to Red Ice.”

“… okay?”

His grin, still somehow off-putting, didn’t waver. “Well ah’m gonnae need the word o’ Red Ice on that. You gimme your word an’ ah’ll believe yeh.”

Naiara just shrugged when I looked back at her, no more sure of how to take that than I was. Still, I said I’d talk to him, so…

“Alright then. I give you my word. You won’t be harmed while we talk and will be allowed to walk away unharmed when we’re done, weapons and all. Oh, you’ll also need to remove your weapons while we talk.”

He sucked some breath in through his teeth. “ ’m afraid that’s nae good, doll. Sayin’ it all quiet-like. Ah’m gonnae need yeh t’say it nice an’ loud, enough so that all mah pals back there an’ your lot on the wall will hear. Ah’ll drop mah gear soon as y’do.”

Why did that matter? Still, it wasn’t an unreasonable request given what he was agreeing to. Taking a deep breath, I began to shout.

“I, RED ICE, GIVE MY WORD THAT THIS RAIDER WILL NOT BE HARMED AND WILL BE ALLOWED TO WALK AWAY WITHOUT ISSUE.”

Instantly chatter burst out from everywhere; the guards behind me in the gate, those on top of the wall, and the Raiders behind Caber Toss all were talking amongst themselves.

The orange and tartan stallion’s smile turned honest. Supremely satisfied, he immediately tossed the bandolier aside. “Couldnae ask for more,” turning to his followers, he stamped his trunk-like hoof three times, “go on, yeh maddies, away wi’ yeh. I’ll be along later on.”

The Raider throng didn’t need to be told twice. They bolted as soon as they could, followed by the guns of the wall guards, and Bosco.

After they’d disappeared, Caber took a few steps away from the gate, and his gear, and turned back around, an expectant look in his eyes.

“Now or never.” Whispered Naiara as she trotted past me into the daylight, acting the part of dutiful bodyguard. She made sure to keep the distance between herself and Caber Toss shorter than the distance between him and his weaponry.

Taking a final deep breath, I followed her. In one way, we were as unarmed as Caber Toss now was. In another way, she was Naiara. Even with Caber Toss’ impressive strength, I didn’t doubt for a moment that he was no match for my svara’s Stompeii Emboli training.

Still, if he put so much stock in Red Ice’s word then it wouldn’t hurt to play up the part a little bit, right? “So, Caber Toss, what can Red Ice do for you?”

His response was as loaded as it was simple.

“Unite us.”

Blank stares were all he got in response, so he continued. “Y’know, the Raiders. Unite us. Unite the clans!”

Not one suitable word came to mind. “Uh… unite you?”

He nodded emphatically. “Aye. Truth be tol’, ah’ve been after this for a wee while now. See, raidin’ isnae ‘xactly an easy life. Specially wi’ mah lot. Ah’m spendin’ most o’ mah time tryin’ tae find ways o’ keepin’ mah lot from starvin’ or being feckin’ eedjits. It’s getting’ on mah tits, frankly.

But then ah heard the broadcasts o’er the radio, ‘bout a filly who was snubbin’ her snoot at them slavers in Plottawa, an’ that mess in Grindstone. The more ah asked aroun’, the more ah was hearin’ the name. Yeh’re no one o’ them goodie-goodies either, but yeh’re tough. Perfect for a Raider queen!”

“A Raider… queen?” I was being asked to take over the most dangerous ponies in the Wasteland. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Yet this bright orange buck was sitting there telling me this as if it was to be expected! What the hell?!

“Oh aye, perfect for it. A few days ago, when yeh made that speech on your own, ‘bout no’ bein’ friends wi’ Plottawa OR them bloody Rangers, an’ talkin’ about huntin’ down that Blue Fire, who’s went an’ killed a fair few Raiders in her time? Oh, it was enough to have me greetin’ intae me porridge!”

Oh no. Oh, I am a stupid, stupid girl. I had totally forgotten that Wings had killed an entire Raider camp as Blue Fire, and probably more that I hadn’t heard about. By setting my sights on her over the airwaves, I’d inadvertently set myself up as saviour of the Raiders.

Bosco’s never gonna let me hear the end of this. And I dread to think about what Breeze’ll say. Cassie hates Raiders with a passion, Breeze wouldn’t disagree with her sister about this. It’s gonna be just so much fun the next time I see either of them.

“You want me to lead your Raiders?” What kind of answer was this crazy stallion expecting me to give?

He wasn’t even done surprising me. “Oh, no, no’ just mah lot. All the Raiders around here. See, there’s basically four big groups; there’s mah Haylanders, yeh just met them. Then in the northeast, on the other side o’ Lethbridle, y’got the Barnstormers, mostly they raid farms an’ such. The leader’s a fella by the name o’ Four Fields. Cannae tell yeh much about him. Mostly the Haylanders stay aroond Whinniepeg, which is another reason ah wanted tae meet yeh so badly. Couldnae believe yeh were so close when yeh told the whole Wasteland who yeh were.”

It just got worse and worse. It was all I could do to keep from smacking myself in the face.

Blissfully aware of my inner turmoil, Caber Toss continued his sales pitch. “After the Barnstormers, there’s the Deep Divers southwest o’ Lethbridle. Dunno why but they don’t hurt from radiation so much, so they’ve taken t’diving in lakes lookin’ for stuff tae pull back up. Lass called Undertow’s in charge. She’s no’ so bad, always smells o’ wet pony though, even days after.”

Lovely.

“An’ last but no’ least, there’s the Woodpeckers, no’ far from Vanchoofer. Ever been round that way?”

“Aye, I mean, yes.” I was NOT going to start talking like that.

“Well Ballbuster’s the boss o’ the Woodpeckers,” he shuddered momentarily before collecting himself, “frankly, yeh can find oot ‘bout her all by yehrself.”

Oh great, a Raider who scares Raiders. Why me?

“So yeh want the job, Red Ice? All yeh gotta do is talk those three round and the Raiders’ll be set for life, wi’ you on top.” He took a step towards me in his excitement.

Instantly Naiara was between us. “HEY! Back off!”

Without a word, he did. “Whoa, hol’ on there, hen. Didnae mean anythin’ by it. Just got a wee bit carried away ‘s all,” he clapped his hooves together eagerly, “tell yeh what, ah’ll come back ‘n th’morrow. Gives Red Ice a chance to think it over. Sound fair?”

As I was still somewhat rocked by the whole thing, Naiara dismissed him for me. “Yeah, fine. Grab your things and be on your way.”

The most-unRaiderly-Raider gave a mock salute as he slipped the bandolier back over his shoulder. “Nae danger.”

~~~~~~

“What. The. Fuck?”

“I know, right?”

I said nothing, content to let Naiara retell the story as I chugged down a cider. I needed the steadying alcohol after seeing just exactly how much I’d screwed myself over with what I’d done.

Predictably, and very understandably, Bosco hated the idea. “This is a joke! He’s not even really offering anything! Just because one particular gang of Raiders decided NOT to try to kill anypony doesn’t mean the other three will be anything close that accommodating.”

We were sat in the same tavern where I’d seen the guard lounging around outside, just after I’d escaped from Latvi. It was even more of a dump than Nightcap’s place, and the drinks were terrible, but Bosco and I were banned from drinking in Nightcap’s thanks to my crying and almost starting a fight.

Still, alcohol was alcohol, so I dug a few more caps out from my bags, which Bosco had thankfully held onto after I was taken during the fight with Wings and Cassie, and strolled over to the bar, returning with two more ciders and whatever concoction Naiara, still disguised as a female double of Bosco, had asked the barkeep pony to mix up for her. Setting the new round down, I held my cider bottle up to my horn and gave it a little chill.

I found that I could only use my ice magic on something that my horn was touching. I hoped to find a way to extend the range someday, though I had absolutely no idea how. There weren’t many unicorns around that I trusted enough to ask about this stuff.

Maybe Lexi? She’s always been a friend to me. Yeah, I think that’s my best bet. I’ll try to get a quiet few minutes with her the next time I see her.

Naiara sipped happily from a straw, satisfied at how the drink came out. The barkeep must have some talent… or some history with zebra drinks. “So are we agreed that we’re not doing this?”

Surprisingly, Bosco wasn’t sure. “I dunno. I mean, it’s a bad idea. So bad. But I just can’t stop thinking about what might happen if Snow says no.”

That was a sobering thought. I didn’t like it. “Right, right, Raiders don’t get their queen, take it out on Lethbridle.” I put my head down on the table, covered it with my hooves, and commenced groaning.

Naiara and Bosco continued the discussion over my head. “What’d Rockhaunch say?”

“He was pissed because Snow promised not to hurt the guy. Some of the guards there had lost friends to Raiders. They were itching to take the shot. The chief had his hooves full keeping them in line.”

“What else could I do?” I mumbled from the tabletop, “He wasn’t exactly asking. It was that or he kept his weapons on. You think it wouldn’t have gone to hell when he stepped towards us at the end with a freaking shotgun close to hoof?”

“Today was the only time though. Rockhaunch says Lethbridle really can’t afford to look soft on Raiders. Or soft at all. With Neighlway and Plottawa causing trouble, and Red Ice suddenly in the public eye.”

“Sorry again.” I hadn’t looked up from the table.

Bosco just continued, not interested in tossing around blame right now. “Basically if the citizens in Lethbridle get too worried they’d up and leave to head south. Not so good for the economy of the place.”

“Oh come now,” Naiara tried to put a cheery spin on things, “can’t we say it’s a tourist attraction? ‘The Amazing Red Ice and her Educated Raiders’?”

I stiffened under my hooves. Wait… educated Raiders?

“Yeah,” deadpanned Bosco, “I’m sure ponies will just flock to see the nutjobs who raped and killed half their families.”

Nobody wants to see a Raider… nobody tries to understand them anymore…

Naiara drained her drink and started on the next one I’d brought her. “Alright, fair enough. So then, how do we get out of it without a lot of ponies dying?”

…because hate is all they have left!

I lifted my head off the table, ignoring the headrush that accompanied the action. “I’m gonna do it.”

I got a face full of sticky drink for my trouble, courtesy of my zebra friend. “YOU’RE WHAT?!”

The other grey body at the table began banging his head with his bottle of cider. “No, no, no. Why? Why? Why? How many fucking times?”

My excitement levels were rising as I rounded on him. “Remember what I asked about Raiders after the first time we met them, Bosco? About why they existed? Now we can find out?”

“Remember what I responded with?” He sounded as if he was losing hope by the second, trying desperately to get out of this.

“Yeah. You said they’d kill us. But they didn’t!”

“ONE TIME! One time they didn’t kill us! That’s not a big enough sample size! Oh, don’t do this to me again, please?”

“Bosco,” I gave him a quick hug around the shoulders, “I’ve been listening, you know. Even if I’m doing this, I won’t let myself be put into a situation where I can’t get out, and I’ll cut and run if things get too crazy.”

“… you promise?”

I hugged him a little tighter. “I promise. I don’t actually want to die, even if it seems like I do. Red Ic-no, Snowflake’s honour.”

Naiara soon joined our hug, to mutters of “lucky colt” from the stallions drinking alone around us.

~~~~~~

Caber Toss was waiting outside the gate the next day, still wearing his bandolier but without any weaponry, just some papers stuffed awkwardly into the holsters.

He brightened up as the three of us emerged from the gate mid-morning, though Bosco’s guns did draw his attention for a few moments. “So? Whaddaya think, lass? Leadin’ the Raiders startin’ tae sound alreet?”

I had to take a few seconds to readjust to his accent before responding. “I’ll agree to talk to the other Raider groups, but I have thoughts of my own about the Raiders.”

This was brushed off with an utter lack of concern. “Aye, nae bother. You’ll be top mare at the end o’ the day. What you say goes, hey?”

The grey pony and grey ‘pony’ flanking me stepped forwards now. They wanted to have their say with this stallion and wouldn’t have let me through the gate if I hadn’t agreed.

Naiara went first. “What sort of guarantee do we have that the other groups won’t just shoot us on sight? You don’t have any pull outside of the Haylanders.”

“Aye, it’s a fair point,” he dug into the bandolier and removed the papers, “these’ve got mah marks on ‘em, an’ a few words tae the other leaders. Says ah’m wantin’ some banter wi’ ‘em. Ah’m already puttin’ the word out that yeh’re no’ t’be touched on the way.”

With a clenched jaw, Bosco let his frustration show at the stallion’s casual arrogance in assuming we’d say yes before we did. “Well that’s just lovely, Raider, but what happens when they ignore those flimsy papers and just gun us down, or worse?”

The younger male spat into the ground. “I don’t trust you and I don’t like your kind. We’re far more likely to be attacked for no reason than we are to get an audience with the clan leaders. If this goes badly for us, I’m gonna put a bullet in your head.”

The two boys held each other’s stare for a few moments, before Caber Toss broke off, shrugging. “Ah’m no’ makin’ any promises about safety. Yeh’re no’ wrong, there’ll be violence afore this is all over. Ah’m just tryin’ to get away from me and mah Haylanders always gettin’ those kinda reactions. ‘s no’ always nice tae have ponies runnin’ away from yeh, y’know?”

“Oh, poor you,” My colt friend scoffed, “the Raider’s upset he can’t make any friends. Please.”

Thunder flushed through Caber’s eyes, and his legs tensed up. Naiara took a step forward in response. “Try it, and I’ll kill you.”

I decided now was the time to break my silence. “Caber Toss, thank you for the papers. I’ll do my best to help everybody out, Raiders included. Just leave the marks on the ground and head back to your clan. We’ll head off soon.” My reassuring smile drew a disgusted look from Bosco, while Naiara just kept her focus on the stallion with the tartan mane.

Calming himself, Caber Toss brushed away some light snow on the ground before laying the papers down. I looked to the sky for a moment. A sparse sprinkling of my namesakes were gently swirling in the breeze, more often than not disappearing before they reach the cold ground. The weather seemed to be coming down from the northern mountains, reaching further with each passing day.

Good thing I’ll be heading south for a little while, I guess.

Stepping away from the documents, the Raider chief ignored the others and looked me straight in the eye. “Yeh got mah thanks, Red Ice. Ah’ll do whatever ah can tae help yeh out.”

Giving me a final nod, he turned and began stalking away to the northwest, perhaps returning to Whinniepeg.

~~~~~~

“Have you seen these papers? All they have on them is his cutie mark and some barely legible hoofwriting asking them to meet. This is pathetic.”

We’d barely been travelling an hour before Bosco resumed his complaining about this whole enterprise. It was getting dangerously close to whining. I wished he’d just let it go. It was happening, and that was that.

Luckily, Naiara was in a far better mood after we found a patch of snow which she’d rolled around in for a while, turning it black as her body paint was washed off. She’d had to pop a Radaway right after but maintained it was worth it. She’d donned her cloak in case we came across anybody before we found the Raiders. Having to explain away a zebra would be less than optimal. It’d take too much time and could cause us problems down the line. Still, she was revelling in having her natural coat again. Even the convenience of passing through Lethbridle without trouble, though plenty of male attention, was not an even trade off to feeling like herself.

I liked that about her. It was such a shame that even two hundred years later, such precautions were necessary for zebras in Equestria.

I’d love to introduce her to all the zebras in Stable 61. She’s friendlier than they were. Though, after what happened with the Memory Orb, they don’t want anything to do with me. I’m mua leija to them.

“Stop staring at them so much then, Bosco,” the friendly, pretty zebra was using any natural object she could find, rocks, trees, snow, etc, to change up her motion constantly. Her joy in the freedom of movement was clear for all to see, “why don’t we swap stories while we walk? I’d love to hear more about what happened to you guys while I was away.”

“That sounds like a great idea!” I took the opportunity to snatch the papers away from the colt and stuff them into my gear. If he couldn’t see them then he might let it go a little, “You first, Bosco.”

Having had his grumble-fodder stolen, the Colt sighed and collected his thoughts. “Alright, fine. Now, Snow already knows this, but I think it’s probably a good idea to tell you about Schwarzwald now, since you’ll probably meet her later.”

I burst out laughing, startling and confusing the bouncy zebra. He’s got a point. It’d be almost cruel to let Naiara meet Schwarzwald without knowing the basics.

“Fittingly enough, we first met Schwarzwald and her partner Wings…” he shot an apologetic glance in my direction at the mention of the blue-eyed griffon, “…on the way to Lethbridle the first time. Before we met you, actually. Snow and I got jumped by some Raiders and we passed them as we ran. Between the four of us, we killed them all.”

“Uh… probably best not to bring this up closer to the Raider camp.”

“That’s for sure. Anyway, Schwarz and Wings left right after that, and I caught up with Schwarzwald after we split up to look for this crazy runaway here.”

I coloured at that.

“Schwarzwald took me monster hunting. Have you ever seen a Molar Bear, Naiara?”

She thought for a second before shaking her head. “No, don’t think so.”

“Actually, you have,” I interjected, “remember when we left Grindstone with Breeze, and rolled down that hill in the forest?”

“Yeah but… oh! Those things?” Instant recognition blossomed over her face. One Molar Bear was not something you forgot, let alone the four we’d seen that day.

“Yeah, those things. Which means, technically,” I had to smile at the insanity of it, “you’ve seen more of them than Bosco has and didn’t even know it!”

“Ha! Sorry, Bosco.”

The colt crossed his front legs and sulked. “ ‘least I’ve seen more Tarantubaas.”

“Ta-what-u-whats?”

Bosco let a little smugness through as he explained. “Snowflake-sized woolly spiders.”

“Binn tusaa!”

That made my eyebrows shoot up. That was strong language for any zebra. I hadn’t expected it from Naiara.

“Riiiight. So back to Schwarzwald. Who, by the way, has expressed great interest in meeting you, Naiara.” Bosco’s face was a mix of sympathy and amusement.

“Me? Why?”

“Because you’re a zebra, and she wants to find out what kind of… tricks you’ve learned from zebra culture.”

“Tricks?” Naiara didn’t look too impressed that her culture was being reduced to something so simple.

“All kinds. Especially… private ones.”

“Oh.” I think everybody present flushed at the thoughts this generated. Naiara and I knew what zebras could do. Bosco and I knew what Schwarzwald was capable of. The combination was… intimidating.

“Veery interested in new tricks, that one. And that’s just the start…”

~~~~~~

The three of us watched from a nearby bluff as the Raiders prowled around our campsite. All three of them wore the same style of battered leather clothing, in various states of disrepair and all wielding rusty farming tools. These were the Barnstormers, it would seem.

“Told you there were ponies following us.” Naiara whispered from the other end of the line.

“We believed you!” I shot back, in equally hushed tones.

“I know, I’m just bragging.”

“…”

“So, when they get bored, we track them back to their boss?” Bosco was all business. He’d been against starting the campfire in the first place, even as a lure. He’d stopped complaining though. He wasn’t dour by nature, just a practical pony. Now that we were committed, he’d shifted from trying to talk us out of it and was focused on getting the job done and getting us out of here without trouble.

He’s really bad at saying no when asked, too. Fine when chewing a pony out after the fact, but beforehoof? Not so much.

Lying in between Naiara and I, Bosco was ignoring our conversation and watching the Raiders as they went about their rudimentary dismantling of our campsite. Well, two of them anyway. The third seemed rather out of it. He’d simply walked through the fire twice now and didn’t seem to feel it. Whatever he was putting into his body, it was strong.

The other two Barnstormers gave up the search and made to leave, pausing briefly to pat out some embers on the junkie colt’s barding, then whap him about the skull with a rake, indicating that he should follow them. All three then turned to travel back the way they came.

Naiara waited a few seconds in case they looked back, then hopped up excitedly. “We’re on! Follow me you two, and try to keep up. Don’t talk if you can help it.”

Bosco and I scrambled to our hooves with a fraction of her grace and trotted after her, trying to mimic how she moved and avoided causing unnecessary noise.

It wasn’t easy, the girl was an artist. Her pace was swift but uncertain. She didn’t travel at the same speed all the time. She’d stop and duck every time some new sound threatened to give us away, only continuing when she judged it to be safe. Her hard-hitting hooves seemed to be wrapped in silk as I couldn’t hear a sound when she took a step, even as close as I was. It made me all the more conscious of just how much noise I was making. I could train all my life and never be as good as she was.

Still, I’d be damned if I was gonna mess up her hard work, so I did what I could to reduce my own sound. We’d all synched our clothes and packs as tight as they would go so they wouldn’t shift or clatter or put us off balance. Bosco suffered with that the most. He was the only one among us who carried a firearm. All I had in my bags were a few medicines and the papers from Caber Toss. Naiara carried no bags but had stashed her jewelry somewhere in her cloak. That left Bosco as the only one to lug ammo and whatever else he’d picked up.

Has he got the rifle I was given in the Stable? I haven’t seen it in a while. Maybe he sold it? Eh, he can do what he likes with it, I’ll never use the thing. Best it gets some use, either as a weapon or sold for caps.

Despite my shortcomings and Bosco’s load, Naiara kept us from being discovered as we followed the meandering path that the Raiders took to reach their home. As we were swiftly running out of convenient high ground to observe from, which had my heartbeat on the rise, the Raiders reached their home.

Following them along the remaining ridge, we saw the two sober Barnstormers dragging and kicking the doped up colt through a bottleneck gap between some rocks. It took us a few minutes to scramble our way to a new vantage point that gave us a view of what was beyond.

Ensconced in the small clearing, with the natural protection of the bottleneck gap and the high rock walls around it, sat the Barnstormer base. It was a ramshackle collection of barely standing almost-buildings, mostly just sheet metal hastily tied or welded together to give the barest of protection against the elements. Ponies lounged under their tin roofs on filthy blankets or prepared nasty looking stews out of… whatever they could get, it looked like, dirty oil fires warmed the warped and rusted cauldrons where they cooked their meagre sustenance.

No wonder they all have that hungry look in their eyes. Bosco was right. This IS pathetic.

“How can they live like this?” We had nothing to say in response, agreeing completely with the revolted tone of his inquiry. I couldn’t vouch for Naiara, but I was revolted because I felt bad for them. If this was the harshness of Raider life that Caber Toss spoke of, maybe they did need someone to guide them to a better way. There were undoubtedly people around who’d simply argue that they should be ‘put out of their misery’, or whatever other justification they’d use to slaughter them all.

Did Raiders use their lack of resources as justification for their despicable actions? Did they bother to justify themselves at all?

Naiara ruefully shook her head, a lock of her flowing mane falling out of the opening in her hood. She tucked it in distractedly. “Such a waste.”

“I know. I kinda feel sorry for them.”

She just looked at me funny. “What? No, not that. I meant the food. I see three different ingredients lying around that’d double the amount they could make without much drop-off in quality. It’s just wasteful. Don’t they have mothers?”

“You wanna ask ‘em?” Bosco quipped, but his grey cheeks were curved up in a smile as he did.

The joke seemed to snap us out of our reverie. We withdrew from the edge and sat down for a moment, trying to determine the best way to do this. Bosco kept one eye on the camp, but it didn’t seem like there was much activity during breakfast time.

“Okay,” I began, “so now we really do have to decide how we’re doing this. Walk straight in? Try to sneak around and find Four Fields? Yell to get their attention? What’s your poison?” I hadn’t used that term since I worked in Whiskey Sour’s bar, safe in the Stable. Now I was trying to figure out how to approach some possibly homicidal strangers. An interesting before-and-after, to be sure.

“We shouldn’t make ourselves known until we see Four Fields, who I am only now realising was never described to us by that useless Caber Toss. Wonderful.”

“I’m with Bosco. There’s too many of them. Stay up here and watch until we figure out who he is. Shouldn’t be impossible, he’ll be one of the biggest, better fed than the others, and acts like he owns the place.”

I just nodded to agree with them, not trusting myself to speak and reveal that I’d never have thought up how to look for Four Fields without them.

It’s nice to have friends. Even nicer to have smart friends to patch the holes in my crazy ideas.

Creeping back to the edge, we began our survey of the village.

“Look for a nicer living space too.” Bosco provided.

“Maybe a bunch of fillies under the same roof.” Naiara’s contribution was a sad thought, though probably accurate.

During our vigil, I worked on the living space angle first, checking out all the biggest shacks to start with. Over the next hour, I saw a stallion emerge from each one, though none of them struck me as particularly leader-y. Half of them were scrawny, and the big ones didn’t seem to have any more authority than anybody else in the village.

I kept looking. There were plenty of foals around, racing between homes and fighting in the dust, occasionally being kicked out of the way by a passing mare or stallion. One chancy little filly tried to swipe some of the food from the pot, but got caught and received what I thought was an overly severe beating for her actions. Eventually she was let go to limp away, crying.

A short while later she returned, flanked by a mare who could only be her mother. Said mother cracked the cook pony who’d administered the beating around the face with a dented pistol, and the two mares went down in a tangle, biting and kicking and wrestling with each other. More Raiders flocked to the action and several other fights broke out, with the gathered foals cheering and egging them on.

“If this is anything like at Lethbridle,” I whispered to my compatriots, “the big boss’ll be along soon to break it up.”

“Mm, you could be right. Check out this guy coming now.”

We followed Naiara’s pointing hoof to a stallion emerging from one of the largest structures, with two others flanking him. At first glance, the unicorn didn’t look like anything special. He wasn’t a giant or a midget, bore no particularly lethal-looking weaponry, and seemed almost utterly bored with the proceedings. His moss-green coat and harvest-gold mane barely registered among the chaos.

I began to wonder whether he was just a bodyguard and one of the bigger stallions following was, in fact, the boss, when his horn began glowing. We watched in silence as a metal ball emerged from his barding and was casually tossed into the middle of the melee, right at the still-scrapping mares who’d started the whole thing. When the grenade rolled near them, everypony in range began yelling and scattering, desperate to get away from the explosive. The mares jostled and shoved each other to get away, but soon found themselves being dragged back, held in the golden glow of his horn.

After he dropped them, in quaking heaps before him, Four Fields began to demonstrate why he was, undoubtedly, leader of the Barnstormers. The grenade, now obviously a dud, leapt off the ground and rocketed towards the two petrified ponies. Back and forth it dashed, slamming into shoulders, knees, faces, eyes, bodies, leaving harsh welts and torn flesh as Four Fields executed as savage a beating as I’d ever seen.

“…fuck.” That was all Bosco managed to get out. Naiara and I were stunned to silence.

Four Fields was no Caber Toss, ruling through physical force. Instead, his unparalleled cruelty kept his Raiders in line. Even now, beaten and broken, the two mares prostrated themselves before him, awaiting his command. Wordlessly, he cocked his head back towards his domicile. Painfully, the two dragged themselves towards it.

I really hope he’s gonna heal them up in there. They’re not in any shape for anything else. I kinda doubt that’s what he has planned, though.

The brawl was definitely over. Four Fields and his entourage turned and followed the crawling mares. Activity in the camp returned to normal, though much more subdued than before. The three of us backed away from the edge and sat in a circle.

Nobody said anything at first, then Naiara spoke up. “Did you see his face during all that?”

Bosco shook his head, then shook it again, as if trying to dislodge the images we’d just seen. “I wasn’t really looking at him, more at the two on the receiving end. They looked like half their bones were broken.”

The zebra’s stare was harsh. “Well I was looking at him. He didn’t even care! His expression didn’t change the entire time. Just walked up, broke up a village-wide brawl, beat two mares half to death, and walked away, all the while looking like he couldn’t give a single damn about the whole thing!”

“That was… horrible. How are we supposed to get close to him without getting on the receiving end ourselves?” I looked to the other two for answers, but none came. They were just as lost as I was.

“Well, I’ve got an idea,” Bosco said, standing up, “how about we don’t go down there? We get their attention from up here, and if they start getting Raidery on us, we just get out of here. If they’re not gonna listen anyway then we wouldn’t have a chance even if we did go down there.”

“So we get to yell at Raiders and they’re too far away to do anything about it? I like that idea.” She and Bosco shared a conspiratory grin before they both turned to me with stern faces.

“What?”

“We’re waiting for you to say you still wanna go down there anyway.”

“That is the Snowflake-approach in this situation.”

“I don’t wanna go down there! He’s got telekinesis and something heavy to hit me with. I wanna stay up here too!”

Why do you two look so surprised right now?!

“What do you know? She’s learning.”

Naiara clapped her hooves together like a mother whose foal just learned something knew. “I’m so proud.”

Oh come on! Fuming, I stalked back over to the edge, taking another look down at the milling Raiders. “So how do we do this? Just yell out that we want to talk and hope they don’t kill us?”

I was joined by the others. “All together we yell out ‘Four Fields’. Better to let them know we want his attention specifically rather than just the entire village. After what just happened, they might wait for him to move first. If we can show me mean no harm, maybe he’ll come talk with us.”

The jade-eyed zebra nudged the charcoal Earth colt. “Better put your guns away then, Bosco.”

“Yeah, I guess…” he took a few seconds to holster his weaponry, then rejoined us, “On three. One… two… three!”

“FOUR FIELDS!”
“FOUR FIELDS!”
“FOUR FIELDS!”

Our voices echoed around the canyon. Raiders looked up in panic, searching for the source of the sound bouncing around them. A few fired randomly in the air, somehow hoping to hit what they couldn’t find.

Four Fields came rushing out of his home, half a dozen grenades held aloft by his glowing horn. Somehow, his face was still impassive. He cast about, this way and that, until one Raider spotted us and yelled out, pointing a hoof in our direction.

Keeping our eyes on Four Fields, Naiara and I waved jauntily, while Bosco watched in stony silence. I decided it was best to play this similar to how it was with Caber. Taking a deep breath, I hoped what I said next would get his attention. “RED ICE WANTS TO TALK!”

Even from this distance, he, and half the camp, started at the name. The grenades swirling above his head ever-so-gradually lowered to the ground. The green-and-gold Raider turned his head, speaking to his unseen guards, who soon emerged, half-dressed. Clearly, they’d been ‘enjoying’ the two near-crippled mares. That didn’t improve my opinion of the Barnstormers at all.

We stayed there until we saw that Four Fields and his guards were making their way up the incline without bringing the entire village with them. Still, we made sure to back off plenty before they reached our level, giving us room to manoeuvre, fight, or run, as the situation might dictate.

Still wearing his unconcerned expression and flanked by the pair of guards, Four Fields came to a stop 10 meters from us. While he himself looked to be in the prime of life, his guards were clearly seasoned. Toughened by years of raiding and fighting, they would put up a ferocious fight if provoked. More evidence that Four Fields was someone to watch carefully.

Raising his chin slightly, he began speaking in a short, flat intonation. “I wasn’t expecting you so soon.”

All three of us tensed up slightly, but Red Ice couldn’t afford to show weakness. I stood tall, matching his stance with a raised chin of my own, looking at him out of half-lidded eyes. “You know why we are here?” I tried to make it sound like it wasn’t really a question.

“I do.”

“And what do you have to say for Caber Toss’ proposal?”

The barest flash of… something shot passed behind his eyes. “…I feel that there is some value to what he says. A united Raider alliance would be a formidable force indeed. Still, I cannot simply accept on the possibility. Show me what is being offered to aid the Barnstormers.”

Oh dang. What can I tell him? Something small. What would help his village? Oh, I know! I turned my head slightly, still keeping my eyes on Four Fields as I spoke to Naiara. “Tell him about the food.”

Beneath the hood she’d donned as Four Fields ascended to meet up, Naiara nodded. “Your stew is weak, which makes your bodies weak,” she pulled back the hood, drawing a gasp from one of the guards, “I can show you how to improve it, to strengthen your village and your warriors. Do you see those roots you have around your village, the yellow-orange kind? If you add those in, the brew will be more potent.”

“A zebra slave? How surprising,” Whatever surprise he felt didn’t register on his face, “and impressive.”

I couldn’t let that go, regardless of the circumstances. “She is no slave. She is my bodyguard, and you will address her as such. This is not up for debate. Do not use that word in my presence again.” The posturing was for the sake of the Red Ice mystique, but Snowflake really meant the outrage. How dare he call Naiara that? It was worse than stripe!

Four Fields gave a slight bow. “I understand, I won’t say it again. But do not for a moment think you can dictate the terms of this conversation by yourself. This is my land and I will not bow to anypony here. If you want the Barnstormers to join you, then you must prove yourself capable of leading us.”

A familiar sigh came from behind me. “What do you want?”

The question was ignored for the moment, though not the questioner. “And this one? Also a bodyguard, or is he a plaything?”

“STOP WASTING MY TIME, FOUR FIELDS!”

That did the trick. Four Fields’ mask slipped for a moment, his eyes showing danger as his head whipped back to me.

I made no attempt to placate him, simply continuing with the objective. “Tell me your terms. I am not here to have my associates insulted.”

The mask slipped back into place, and the Raider boss motioned for his followers, both crouched in ready stances, to stand down. “Very well, Red Ice, you have my attention. There is a building not far from here that I want to explore. It is filled with dangerous creatures. Clear them out, and the Barnstormers will meet with the others. I will not promise more than that.”

“And we won’t promise you full rights to what’s inside. If it is as dangerous as you say, we will take compensation for our troubles first.” Bosco was on a roll. That was exactly the kind of hard-nosed but fair stance we needed. If he conceded to that, we’d know the deal was on.

There were a tense few moments as the Barnstormer mentally weighed up the offer. Finally, Four Fields repeated his earlier bow, only deeper this time, and dug some paper out of his pocket. “Done. This map will show you the way to the facility. Return when the creatures have been dealt with. I will ensure you are not harmed within my territory.”

Without another word, he left the map on the ground, turned, and walked back down the hill, past his guards, who fell in behind him.

Once we were sure he was out of hearing range, three held breaths were let out.

~~~~~~

I trotted along behind my friends as they studied the map we’d been given. Looking at it had made me a little sad for my missing Pipbuck so I’d let them handle it as I mulled things over.

One thing in particular was eating at me. “Hey… uh… guys?”

They didn’t respond and continued their conversation. “Have we passed that river yet?”

“Yeah, 15 minutes ago.”

“Guys?” Were they ignoring me? Oh please tell me they weren’t upset. “Y-you guys know I was just for show before, right? I don’t think of you like bodyguards or… slaves. Right guys?”

“I never saw any river.”

“This map’s 200 years old. The river filled in. Trust me, we passed it”.

“Oh no, I knew it. I went too far! Guys, I swear that was all just an act for Four Fields. I’ve always thought of you as my friends and nothing else, I swear! I’ll do better from now on, I promise! Oh, please don’t hate me.”

“If we passed the river, then where’s this clump of trees, smarty-filly?”

“It’s right over there!”

My head dropped, eyes watering, as it hit home just how bad I’d messed up. I’d totally alienated my friends, and all for a stupid Raider alliance that only I cared about. “Okay, I’ll be quiet from now on. I’m so sorry. Should we just call the whole thing off? Guys?”

“That’s not the clump of trees, that’s those fallen spires!”

“We haven’t reached them yet!”

“O-okay… whatever you want is good. S-sorry.” What have I done?

“What are you so upset about, Red Ice? You’re safe, aren’t you? That’s a bodyguard’s duty.”

My heart jumped terribly. I’m a monster!

“Yeah, I mean it looks bad for a slave like me if her mistress is unhappy. Please try to cheer up.”

Tears were pouring down my cheeks. I sat down heavily and burst out crying. “UWAAH!!! I’m so sorry you guys! I didn’t mean it, I swear! You’re not my slave and my bodyguard, you’re my friends! Can you ever forgive me? I’m the worst! I’ll never be a bad pony again!”

Bosco was right. This whole Raider thing was a bad idea. Look at how I’ve acted! I’ll give it up now and we can go see the zebras and go look for Bosco’s Memory Orbs. No more Red Ice! From now on, I’ll just be-

“Snowflake, lighten up, we’re just playing.”

Eh?

“Yeah, c’mon svara, we know you’re like that.”

My wails faded to sniffles. “You… you’re not mad at me?”

I felt hooves encircling me and holding me close. “Over this? Nah. We know you.”

A second pair joined the first. “We were just having a little bit of fun with you. Kinda went overboard. We’re not mad at all.”

“…you promise?”

“Heh. We promise.” That made me feel a little better, but the thought still stuck in the back of my mind. Since the first second I’d left the Stable, and even when under arrest inside, I’d been fighting the influence of the Wasteland and Old Equestria. I had to keep myself in check. If I even let myself, for one moment, become Red Ice for real, I would have failed Stable 61. Everything it stood for, everything I’d grown up to believe in, would be lost forever. If that happened, then the chasm between Stable 61 and myself would be even wider than it was now, without my Pipbuck.

It would be impassable.

~~~~~~

“There are what in there?” This day just kept getting worse. We’d arrived at the facility Four Fields wanted cleaned out. I’d expected some sort of animal that could be herded out, instead, we’d heard spine-chilling screams that Bosco had instantly recognised as…

“Ghouls. Feral ones.” Nobody looked happy about that. Feral was never a good adjective.

“You mean like that thieving demon back in Lethbridle, not not even sane? Oh forget this!” I wanted no part of this. If Caber Toss wanted this alliance so badly, he could come and clear the place out himself!

“It gets worse,” Oh please, Naiara. Don’t tell me that!, “some of them could be glowing ghouls. They put out tons of radiation. I can’t get close to them to fight hoof-to-hoof without getting a massive dose of the stuff point blank.” She wasn’t as open about it as me, but the way she was wringing her hooves had me thinking that maybe she was not confident either.

I couldn’t help but whimper. The facility was maybe 200 meters away. We didn’t dare get any closer in case the ghouls sniffed us out and came after us in force. If Naiara was right and they had radioactive ghouls in there, only Bosco could fight them with his guns, and even then not for long.

I tentatively held up a hoof. “Can we… maybe not fight the killer demons?”

“Actually… maybe.”

“Bosco, I will kiss you. I will kiss you full on the lips right now if you can give us a way to do this without fighting ghouls.”

He flushed, and Naiara laughed, when I said this, but shook his head. “Hold the kiss for now. We’ll still have to fight at some point…”

“Aw.”

“…maybe there’s a way we can sneak in without the ghouls seeing us. We might be able to find something that could help us out.”

Me and the other filly crowded in, looking over the charcoal colt’s shoulders. “How do you know this?”

Half-crushed and half-embarassed by the closeness of our bodies, Bosco scowled and stuck a hoof on a point on the map. “See this layout here? The Operations room is at the top. If we can get to a window on the second floor from the outside, we’ll bypass the main area. That’s probably where most of the ghouls are. If we’re lucky we can get to the top without any of them seeing us, or just a few, which we’ll take out quick.”

I deflated. “So we still might run into some ghouls?”

“You can always back out, Red Ice.”

They smirked at that, but I just cringed, the altercation from earlier was still fresh in my mind. “…please don’t call me that, not you two.”

~~~~~~

The facility turned out to be a Ministry of Wartime Technology building, ringed by a dilapidated chain fence and abandoned loading crates, which made for effective stepping stones to reach the lower roof. Unclimbable, it was not. Only a few ghouls were stumbling around outside, and thankfully no glowy versions. Just your basic shambling undead ponies who we managed to slip past without-

HOWISITPOSSIBLETHATICANFAKEBEINGTHISCALMONTHEOUTSIDEJUSTLOOKATTHOSETHINGSTHEY’REROTTINGCORPSESWALKINGAROUNDFOR200YEARSOHHELPMEBOSCOHELPMENAIARAIDON’TLIKEITNONOTONEBIT!!!

-trouble.

We found a window pane on the second floor with the glass missing, probably busted out by the ghouls sometime in the last two centuries, and flattened ourselves along the wall underneath.

I felt a tap on my shoulder. “Snow, take a look with your goggles, see if there are any ghouls on the other side.”

“Why me?” I whisper-whined back.

Naiara slugged me in the shoulder, hard. “Because we can’t have you freezing up on us if a ghoul shows up later. You need to get over it now!”

“Yeah, that.”

Democracy is scary. Rubbing my soon-to-be-bruise, I slipped the goggles on and eased myself up, millimetre by millimetre, doing all that I could keep myself out of sight until the very last moment. When the tip of my eyeball crossed the window ledge, I froze.

After a few seconds of not being viciously mauled, I went a little bit further. Then a little further. A little more, until I was far enough into the window that I could turn my head in both directions.

Okay, all clear on the left. And the righ-nopenopenopenopenope! I whipped my head back as fast as I could without making noise, so as not to alert the ghoul who stood 5 meters inside the window, on the right, poking at the floor with its back to us. Unfortunately my haste left me unable to halt my momentum, so I unbalanced myself and began to fall backwards. If I slammed down on the corrugated roof, not only would it bring the demons running, I’d probably go straight through and fall into the main nest of the things.

Help! I mouthed as I flailed my front legs desperately. With speed born of terror, Bosco and Naiara dashed forward and grabbed a hoof each. We hung there precariously, like a living abstract art piece, before it clicked that I would not, in fact, be falling backwards and causing all our deaths today. Inch by inch, my friends dragged me back to equilibrium, keeping hold of me until we were all safely back against the wall.

Miming my eternal gratitude, it took a while for them to stop my wild motions and get me to explain what I saw. “One ghoul in the corridor,” I didn’t dare raise my voice above a hiss, “on the right side, five meters from the window. It wasn’t looking this way.”

With a shrug to loosen her shoulders, and a crick of the neck, Naiara uttered one, completely welcome and satisfactory syllable.

“Mine.” No others were needed.

I offered her my one remaining Power Hoof, thankfully collected by Bosco after our fight with Wings and Cassie, the other being taken from me at Neighlway and therefore lost forever, but she shook her head. Frankly I’d have been surprised if she took it. Natural was the general feel of zebra fighting arts. Having one armoured hoof and the other three bare would do little more than throw her balance off.

Rising like a black-and-white wraith, she risked a lightning quick in-and-out look at the corridor, her wavy mane whipping back and forth a fraction of a second behind the rest of her. Satisfied that the ghoul was still preoccupied with whatever it was exploring on the floor, she vanished over the windowsill and into the building. Holding our breath, Bosco and I strained our hearing to pick up what she was doing.

We both jumped after a few seconds of apparent silence, when she stuck her head back out of the window with a gleaming smile, looking down at us. “All done.”

Bosco matched my incredulity. Even for a zebra that was impressive. Not wanting to waste any more time, we hopped inside and took a moment to see just what in the hell Naiara had done.

The results were impressively gruesome. What was left of the ghoul lay spread out on the floor, several broken bones in its limbs, and its head had been twisted 180 degrees around, so it was starting up at us with its now fully-dead eyes. I found I couldn’t look at the sight for more than a few seconds before I lost my nerve.

Bumping me with his hip as he went past, Bosco indicated for us to move on. He had the map in one hoof and was pointing down the corridor. He’d apparently figured out where the stairs up were. We moved down the corridor with as much stealth as we could muster. An effortless clinic was put on by our hoof-fighting zebra, Bosco managed to hold his own, and I didn’t too much. Not counting Naiara, it wasn’t pretty, but we also didn’t end up with ghouls bearing down on us either.

Note to self: Get training from Naiara soon. In everything.

Reaching the stairwell, we hugged the wall again. I couldn’t keep my heart rate under control with the almost rhythmic screams and snarls floating through the corridors from unseen terrors. So far we’d just seen the one ghoul, but we’d been hearing its brethren the entire time and it was wearing on my psyche.

At least the ghoul in Lethbridle could be threatened into not eating my skin. These ones are basically animals! I might as well try to teach a tarantubaa to pour drinks!

Bosco and Naiara didn’t seem to have my problems, being a born Wastelander and a traveller in a foreign land, they must’ve seen worse. Even if I couldn’t fathom anything worse than cannibalistic former ponies who may or may not poison us just by getting close enough to our tender, delectable bodies.

“Please tell me we can hurry, guys.”

Imitating Naiara’s earlier motion, Bosco bobbed out and back into cover. “Stairs are clear. We should head up.” He blinked as something caught his eye. “Hold on, see over there? ‘First Aid Station’. If we’re facing radioactive ghouls we may need a few more Radaways and Rad-Xs. Can one of you check it out? My bags are full.”

“I don’t have a free pocket left.”

That left me. “I have to go by myself?”

Damn that reassuring smile of his. “Just get in and get out, Snow. It’ll be ten seconds, tops. Find the drugs, stash ‘em away, then come meet us in the Operations Room upstairs. According to the map, we’ll be right above you. If you get into any trouble, start yelling and we’ll be right there.”

“A-alright. You can count on me.”

“Course we can. Now get going. Sooner you’re gone, the sooner you’re back with us, right?”

“…right.”

As they vanished up the stairs, I gulped down the fear and looked up at the sign Bosco had seen. The First Aid Station was just around the next corner. Keeping myself pressed to the wall, I slid along until I reached the end of the corridor. Putting my ears to work, I willed them to be better at picking up ghoul hoofsteps than they were with zebra hoofsteps.

One second of silence.

Two.

Three.

At seven, I felt confident enough to back-and-forth like the others had done. Sweet mercy had smiled on Snowflake, as the corridor beyond was empty. Even better, the wall I was leaning against had the First Aid Station on the other side of it.

Best of all? No ghouls here either! Still, I couldn’t be complacent, and I couldn’t be noisy in my search. I might not be able to hear any ghouls around but that was no guarantee that they wouldn’t hear me if I tore the place apart for a few healing potions.

A thick layer of dust lay over all the equipment in the Station. Some of it was still in protective wrapping. Either they regularly replaced items in here, very unlikely considering how far out of the way this facility was, or most of it never got used. Was it a new facility built just before the end? Were the ponies really safety conscious? Or were the accidents just too severe to bother with any of this stuff? What did this place even do?

As I pondered, I was glancing around the room, looking for anything that just screamed out ‘Here be healing’ or the like. In the far corner of the room, on the other side of the dusty bed, I spotted a dash of colour in the otherwise grey-white attempt at sterility. A yellow box with three pink and blue butterflies on the cover.

Intrigued, I reached over and snagged it. Luckily, even though it had a keyhole on the top, the box was not locked. I doubted I’d have time to find the key and I had no ability with picking a lock. Breaking it would have brought the ghouls running, which was the last thing I wanted.

GROAN.

“Huh?” Some dust was trickling onto my mane. I foalishly looked up and staggered back as the falling debris got into my eyes.

CREAK.

“What is going on?” Rapidly blinking some moisture back into my eyes, I returned my attention to the butterfly box. After a second of fumbling, the clasp yielded and let me get at what was inside.

Two Radsafes and a Health Potion. Not bad at all.

CRACK! I dove aside just in time as a chunk of the ceiling collapsed onto the bed…

…along with a very surprised colt.

Bosco hit the bed and bounced off, unwillingly backflipping in the air and slamming down hard onto his back at first, with his head snapping back to strike the floor a fraction of a second later.

He didn’t utter a sound. The first contact had driven all the air out of his lungs just before the heavy THUD of the back of his head landing. Wordlessly, eyes wide in pain, the charcoal colt instinctively grabbed his head and rolled around on the floor, automatically sucking in air, and dust, which brought on a bout of sputtering as the powder stuck in his already-oxygen-deprived lungs.

“Bosco!” Naiara was calling down from above, “Snowflake, is he okay?”

“I don’t know!” I reached out to try to stop his wild scrambling. I briefly got a hoof on his head before he broke away again, and it came back bloody. That blow to the head had split the skin. Worse, he was panicking about it all. His breathing was improving but still not normal, while the pain and the dust were tricking his body into thinking it was in worse shape than it is. A possible concussion couldn’t have helped.

“Bosco!” I tried again, but he batted my hoof away, “Come on, Bosco. You can’t do that here. The ghouls’ll hear you.”

“Snow, do something quick!”

Grabbing the healing potion in my teeth, I waiting for my chance. It came when he stopped rolling, holding himself slightly off the floor as he spit up some dust. I dove in, wrapping myself around him from behind. He immediately resisted but I got my mouth to his ear, and the health potion to his lips.

“Bosco! Calm down, it’s just me, Snow. I’m right here. Everything’s going to be just fine. Drink this, it’ll help.”

His panicked strength was still impressive but with each breath he brought himself a little more under control. I kept up my diatribe to give him something other than the pain and lack of air to focus on. “That’s the way, Bosco. Just take a little drink of this. It’ll help your headache and make you feel better. You’ll be on your hooves again in no time.”

Coughing out a little more dust, his eyes managed to focus on the health potion under his nose at last. Grabbing it out of my hooves, he up-ended a swig straight into his gullet, almost instantly retching it up again.

Happy to be getting through to him, I rubbed his back comfortingly. “Easy there, take it slow. Just a little at a time.... there you go. Much better. It’s already working, the cut back here’s closing. You’re doing great Bosco.”

“Naiara,” I called up, “what happened?”

“I dunno!” She called back, looking frazzled, “We thought we found what we were looking for up here, and I was checking it out. Next thing I know, the floor’s giving way under him and he’s down there with you. Snow, I think I hear the ghouls coming. You gotta get out of there.”

Bosco still needs time to recover. “Get what you need from up there. We’ll manage down here until you’re ready. I’ll sort him out.”

“Alright, just be careful.”

“You too.” Then she was gone, back to her task.

I focused on mine. Bosco was calmer now, sucking regularly on the health potion, as fast and as much as his sensitive throat would allow. His eyes were still a little glazed but he was following my hoof as I guided the drink to his mouth. “Not long now, Bosco. You’ll be right as rain and then we can finish our work here.”

It was kinda like back when my brothers got themselves banged up in the Stable, back when they were small enough to hold. Having somebody with them always helped, and they liked me there the best.

I can’t take care of my brothers right now, Bosco, but I can take care of you.

Oh damn, she was right. They are coming.

I could hear them. A slowly growing wave of noise.

I pushed a little harder with the potion. “A little more Bosco, quick as you can. There’s a good boy. Come on, you need to drink the whole thing.”

The last of the potion disappeared down into his mouth and he dropped the empty container. Bosco coughed a few times and wiped his mouth with the back of his hoof, before looking up at me vacantly. “S-Snow?”

I gave him the same smile I’d give to my brothers when they took their medicine, but when I opened my mouth there was an entirely different sound.

“SKREE!!!!”

Still open-mouthed, I took in the apparition hulking in the doorway. The ghoul was staring at the two of us, taking in our heaving chests, and the drops of potion on Bosco’s lips. A primal growl came from deep down within the beast, and it bore rotting fangs as it charged.

In desperation, sibling protectiveness overrode my terror and I jumped in front of Bosco, hurling the butterfly box straight at the ghoul’s face. It struck the fiend between the eyes, sending it staggering back, with the two Radsafes exploding all over it in an auburn cascade.

Now dripping wet, the demon charged again, faster than I could get at the Power Hoof, slamming into me and sending us both flying onto the bed. I was pinned underneath the thing as he battered and bit at me.

I fought back with everything I had, but my combat skills were never strong, and my hooves kept slipping off the slick Radsafe covering the ghoul’s face and legs.

Howling, the ghoul batted aside my flailing hooves and sank its broken, jagged teeth into my shoulder.

“Aargh!”

The demon tugged this way and that, trying to tear the limb off at the socket, the pain nearly causing me to black out then snap back into sharp contrast as it tugged in another direction.

“GET OFF!” I couldn’t move, my lower legs pinned by the creatures undead bulk. More and more medicine dripped off the monster, landing in my eyes, mouth, nose, and on my horn.

MY HORN! Something to travel along! Fighting through the distraction of the teeth in my shoulder, I wordlessly begged whatever guiding body allowed me to use my magic in the first place for just enough concentration to trigger the one spell I could do, my Cryo Serpent.

Thinking the name seemed to help the process along, because the next thing I knew, I was feeling my horn buzz with energy.

Thanks for the name, Breeze. Now then, you horrible. Fucking. Demon…

I pulled with all my might, tearing my shoulder up even worse, before finally bringing my horn into contact with the solution covering the ghoul’s upper body,

Get the hell off me!

I fired off the spell. At point-blank range, I didn’t need to aim, which was good because I still couldn’t control it. The ice trail spread across the Radsafe medium, freezing it solid and trapping the ghoul underneath. The rotten half-corpse noticed just in time to let go of my shoulder and howl in pain…

…before freezing stiff in that pose, its front legs, torso, and head all utterly still.

I stared for a second at the grotesque ice sculpture straddling me on the centuries-unused medical bed.

It was an abomination.

An abomination which then exploded when Bosco hit it with the Butterfly Box. Chunks of frozen blood went everywhere.

There was no red ice this time, though. Whatever ran through the ghoul’s veins had long since lost the scarlet sheen that Bosco’s head wound had spotted along the floor.

The owner of said head shoved the lower half of the thing off me. I could only stare, too wired and scared to make a sound.

Then more growls came. The rest of the ghouls had shown up. We heard them pass the stairwell.

“OVER HERE, YOU ZOMBIES!” Something heavy thumped down the stairs as Naiara got the attention of the monsters. The howls intensified and we heard them thunder up the stairs after her.

A second later, Naiara dropped through the hole in the ceiling, landing with grace next to me on the bed, her eyes grimly focused. “Time to go now.”

We didn’t need to be told twice. Snatching up our things, we headed out the door, heading the far less graceful ghouls begin falling through the now-widening hole in the floor above. Their suddenly-interrupted short yelps would have been humorous if they weren’t trying to murder us.

“Naiara, where to?”

“You two take the next left, then a straight shot across the courtyard into the other building. It’s secure. That’s where they keep the vehicles. You need to get there and get ready to close the door behind me. Like as soon as I’m through.”

“Where are you going?” Splitting up here would be suicide. There wasn’t nearly enough room to move to shake the ghouls.

“I found a way to get rid of the ghouls. They’re all locked in this main building, along with all the farming chemicals in here.” She indicated a floorplan on the wall, which I barely got a look at before we were past it.

“Farming chemicals?” What good would they do us now?

She couldn’t answer for a moment as a side door opened and a ghoul, up until this point utterly unaware that it had guests, trotted out. Naiara leapt over it and we heard the pursuers slam right into it, all of them going down in a tangle. That would give us a few seconds at least.

“Nitrates! Really flammable farming chemicals. Get the point?”

“You’re gonna burn them?” That sounded like a plan, but the sticking point was how we would avoid joining them in the blaze.

“Oh yeah. I’ve used these tons of time in zebra concoctions. I just need to set up a spark.”

“We’ll come with you!” I wasn’t gonna leave my friend to burn with a bunch of undead monsters!

“Hell no! Your shoulder needs treating and Bosco’s still half out of it.”

“…’m alright.” He struggled to say that, dividing his attention from running seemed like a challenge until the fog in his brain cleared.

My svara noticed too. “No you’re not. Go with Snow, look after each other, and keep the door ready, because it’s gonna get hot! I gotta go. Remember, keep straight!” With a quick grin, she dove to the side in the next corridor junction.

“Naiara!” Please don’t die!

“Get to the Storage room!” She hollered back, as loudly as possible. It seemed to work as I heard the majority of the ghouls turn off after her. Only a few stragglers, including the new guy, seemed to be following us.

Ahead, we were fast coming up on an external fire exit. Bursting through it, without slowing down, we saw the equipment bunker Naiara mentioned across the tarmac. Tearing across the hard stone, we managed to get in and drag the heavy door shut with a ghoul halfway in and halfway out. We kept pulling, and soon there was half a ghoul in and its other half out. Only one more remained outside.

I turned to the still injured Bosco. “Just one more. We need to have the door open and ready for Naiara. You up for taking this last one with me?”

He nodded, putting his gun in his mouth. My should was starting to burn as the adrenaline wore off, but I slipped the Power Hoof on and triggered the charge.

Just this once, be useful.

I nodded to the colt, who kicked the door open. It caught the ghoul in the face, sending it flopping onto its back. Bosco took the precious few seconds it flopped around there to aim his weapon, while I stood guard at the door in case he missed.

Just as he fired, the ghoul shot up. The bullets caught it in the stomach, but weren’t enough to down it. It ran straight towards Bosco, who kept his gun shooting, only for my electric hook to catch it in the eye and send it spinning and spasming to the floor.

With adrenaline and worry over my friends overriding my terror at being this close to a ghoul, I got even closer, pouncing onto the ghoul like the other one had done to me. Yelling frantically, I slammed the Power Hoof into its skull, chest, stomach, its everywhere basically. I didn’t really care how many times I’d have to hit it, just that it stopped moving by the time I was done.

I only stopped after Bosco pulled me off, the ghoul having long since given up the ghost.

Breathing heavily, I sat back on my haunches. “We… phew… huff… did it.”

He didn’t agree. “Wait for Naiara.”

“Right, right.” I used my good leg to push myself up to a standing position, joining Bosco at the door as we looked out for the enactor of this insane plan.

CRASH!

Startled, we both looked up as a mass of fabric broke through a second floor window. Throwing off the cover mid-leap, Naiara found her balance, rolling as she landed, and was instantly up and running towards us. “DOORDOORDOOR!”

“COME ON!” I frantically grabbed the handle alongside Bosco as the milliseconds passed. Just as Naiara dove in behind us, an expanding orange glow lit up the facility.

The smallest edge of the flames got through before the door shut tight.

~~~~~~

“And so, if you decide to join the alliance, which will be Caber Toss’ word, not yours, we will supply the access code to the equipment storage bunker. All of the equipment held within is in pristine condition.”

We were back on the hill overlooking the village. Four Fields and his Barnstormer guards had been true to their word thus far. We’d encountered no trouble from the other Raiders around.

The boss himself had listened to our recounting of the events at the Ministry of Wartime Technology facility in silence. Now that we’d finished, he leaned forward, smiling for the first time since I’d met him. “What a fascinating tale. Tell me again. How did you deal with those nigh-unkillable ghouls?”

Having used up all our medicine healing my shoulder, Bosco was still slightly below his best, though far more lucid than he had been. Naiara had debated long and hard on whether or not to reveal this part of the story to the Raiders on the way back, not wanting to reveal even a fraction of zebra secrets. We agreed to give the simplest form of the truth.

“We burned them.”

Four Fields raised an eyebrow. “Burned them? How interesting. Perhaps their flesh could yet be further destroyed after all.” He barely seemed to care about the cache of equipment at all, seemingly far more interested in how the ghouls had been defeated.

It had me on edge. There was no way that giving Raiders combat tips could be considered a good idea, especially where fire was involved, but thankfully almost all of the chemicals at the facility would have been consumed in the blaze. What little there was left would barely equal a grenade.

We were all tired, and not particularly in the mood for another round of barely concealed mutual distaste. “We have completed our part of the bargain. I take it you will be keeping up your end?”

He waved a hoof dismissively. “Oh, of course. How could I not after that? The tale will soon travel. Even this far out, there are other observers. It shall soon be known what Red Ice has done here. If it comes to light that the Barnstormers betrayed her… well then, I believe we would find ourselves with several new enemies and far more attention than I care for. Have no concern over this matter, Red Ice. For self-interest, at the very least, I will honour my word.”

Finally. “Excellent. We’re leaving.”

All three of us turned to go, but Four Fields spoke up before we could take a step. “A moment? You must be tired from your ordeal. Will you not allow us to give you shelter to rest your weary selves?”

Turning back, I gave him the flattest stare I could. “I’ve seen the way your stallions looked at Naiara, and the way they talked about her. I wish neither those smiles nor those glares to come any closer. The same with your mares and my other bodyguard. My people and I will take our leave now, Four Fields. We have other business to attend to.”

His face morphing back into the disinterested visage that was his preferred appearance, he simply shrugged. “Then do not let us delay you.”

~~~~~~

Level Up!

Perks gained:
Healing Hooves – Snowflake’s big-sisterly leanings up the effectiveness of any medicine that she herself gives to an ally.

~~~~~~

Author's Note:
I wonder if nitrates actually work like that?

If not, then a zebra did it.

Also, I don’t believe we ever had a description of Radsafe, or even the Rad-X it is based on. Still, there’s a picture on the Fallout Wiki which looks reasonably auburn in hue, so that’s what I used. If I’m wrong then feel free to correct me.

Actions scenes are still tricky for me. I was hoping for a somewhat frantic atmosphere with this one. We’ll see how it goes.

Thanks to Kkat, Hasbro, Y1 (who has an awesome story called Conviction that definitely deserves a read), and the other writers for doing all the good stuff they do. Another thank you for Cascadejackal for the title artwork. Click on the links to see more from these lovely people.

Thanks to all my readers too. If you like the story, feel free to spread the word. I could always use the publicity.

Bye for now.