Fallout Equestria: War Never Changes

by jarmari


Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I was almost sad to get out of that shower, but I was supposed to meet with this council to determine my usefulness to the organization and I was starting to feel guilty about Rosalea. I know she's long gone, but I hadn't even had a chance to mourn properly yet and I was already getting back in bed with another pony? That just didn't seem right.

I left Ruby in the shower with the promise she'd be the first pony I checked in with once I was finished with the council, and dried myself off with one of the pink towels that sat on a small bar beside the sink. I was officially irradiated by the wasteland so I was hoping I was useless to the medical staff now, of course knowing doctors, who's to say they wouldn't want to monitor me over days, or weeks, or months and see how I adapt to circumstances. I hate doctors...probably why I became one. Well that wasn't fair I suppose. I was a computer engineer, I had a doctorate in theoretical computational nanoscience, which was helpful to exactly ZERO ponies in the wasteland, unless somepony had cybernetic implants with regenerative capabilities. And the odds of that were probably about the same as getting nothing but Royal Flushes for a whole game of poker. “I'm probably better off sticking with blackjack...” I muttered to myself as I came out of the cramped hall and into the main foyer.

“What about blackjack?” Crackshot asked, coming up beside me as I wandered through the foyer.

“Better chance of having cybernetic implants with regenerative abilities in blackjack.” I summarized, though I was lost in thought and didn't even notice she'd walked up, and considering she was supposed to be escorting me to the council chamber I shouldn't have just kept wandering but I did until she yanked on my tail. I blinked in surprise and looked over at her. “Oh hi...” I smiled dumbly. “Didn't see you there.”

“You weren't seeing much of anything.” She chuckled. “You often fall into trances like that?” She asked, guiding me out of the foyer and into another identical hallway like all the others I'd seen so far.

“Yeah when I get to working problems out in my head I tend to lose myself in it and I can just wander aimlessly. I'm at my most energetic when my mind has a problem to work on. I'm like Sherclop Holmes like that I guess.”

Crackshot gave me a blank look.

“Sherclop Holmes?” I asked again. “A Stallion from Lundyon? Solves mysteries? Matches wits with the evil Professor Poniarty? Works with a Doctor Trotson? You're from the same time as me and you've never heard of the Sherclop Holmes books?” I stopped and looked at her in amazement. She shook her head and her face got more ashen, what I could only assume was the ghoul version of a blush.

“I wasn't much of a reader alright?” She sighed, looking at the ground and pawing idly at the floor plating.

“They made movies...dozens of movies and TV shows...There were some fairly popular ones made just before the war broke out? Starred Robert Pony Jr?”

“Was he in Iron Buck?” She asked, at least recognizing the name and brightening up a bit as we started down the hall again.

“Yeah and Iron Buck Two and Three...” I added, nodding. “He was in the Sherclop movies just after each Iron Mare movie...”

“And he was in the Neighvengers?” She asked.

“Yeah still as Pony Stark.” I said.

“Eh I preferred Thorse.” She shrugged. I face hoofed and just continued down the hall.

“The ladies always do...” I laughed. “Iron Buck appeals to nerds like me. A super cool, super genius that gets all the ladies, Thorse was the big blond muscle bound brute that made the ladies weak in the knees.” I said, rolling my eyes a little.

“Actually I found Loki really got my engines revved.” She grinned, again the haunting image filling my mind, along with a desire to maybe drink myself unconscious every night to ensure I didn't dream of that face.

“Well I understand he had a thing for being a mare himself sometimes. In ancient mythology he's actually supposed to have given birth to an eight legged foal that he named Sleipnir.”

“Geeze you're a hell of an egghead.” She laughed, patting my shoulder and shaking her head. “I'm glad you're here Cane. It's nice having somepony else to talk to about the past. It helps keep me grounded, and I find that's more and more important with each passing day.”

“Keeps you grounded? Why is that so important?”

“Oh, yeah I guess, once again, it's something you're not familiar with.” She sighed and smiled kind of sadly. “You see ghoul ponies come in two distinct flavors...” She began.

“Rotting flesh and 'dear Celestia kill me now I can't believe I got some of it in my mouth?” Brute Force asked, coming up the hall behind us and laughing loudly.

“Actually the first flavor is Cherry.” She said, rolling her eyes and looking back at me.

“See there's ghouls like me and Ditzy Doo, and the ones in Meatlocker, we're all ponies who have been irradiated and transformed into this zombie pony looking shambling pile of gross you see before you.” She explained. “Exposure to the radiation after the bombs fell. The plus side being that I can heal from radiation and I'm fucking immortal.” She said, thumping her chest proudly. “At least as long as you don't shoot my head off.” She added. “Anyway, then there are the FERAL ghouls...they've lost their minds, they really ARE just basically mindless wandering zombies who'd just as soon eat you as look at you. For ghoul ponies like me it's important to have things to keep you anchored to your senses. When the bombs fell I managed to save my family from ghoulification by sacrificing myself. Got them into a small fallout shelter we'd built under the back yard, I got pinned when part of the house collapsed on top of me. We weren't near enough to any of the bombs for the radiation to kill me, but it sure as hell mutated me something fierce, obviously. The only thing that kept me going was keeping an eye on the shelter entrance to make sure that nopony tried to disturb it. 15 years just me and my trusty repeater rifle keeping watch over their home. Imagine my surprise when the door opened again all those years later that my daughter and son-in-law would emerge with a grandfoal in tow, barely 3 years old. Their water purification talisman had broken and they needed a new one and rather than just one going out they decided it best to all go together. The first one to find me was the young foal. He wasn't scared of me, he'd never seen another real pony before so he didn't realize my looks were totally normal. 'Hi I'm Crackshot.' He'd said to me, how it warmed my heart to know they'd named their son after me. Of course when my daughter, Fallen Harp, so named because she was born in a music store and I broke a VERY expensive Harp when I went into labor, saw me she screamed and fainted dead away. My Son-in-law, thank goodness, had the good sense to keep a calm head and talk to me. It took very little for him to realize who I was and I have never been happier than when he freed me from my prison and took me into their home. After I'd rested, I went out and got a new water talisman, and I've stood as the protector of the family ever since. Grandfoal after grandfoal after grandfoal.” She finished, gesturing to Brute Force. “Of course my luck had to run out sooner or later and I end up with a Stallion stealer.” She said.

“I'm not gay Grandmare...” He grumbled, rolling his eyes like an embarrassed teenager. “I just haven't met the right mare yet.”

“When I was your age every Stallion on the block was trying plow any field they could find.” Crackshot countered.

“When you were my age you got food from a store and paid with bits, now we mostly get food from blown out buildings and usually pay with bullets. You also had condoms so pregnancy wasn't such a worry from a random hook up.” Brute Force looked at me with a coy smile and my heart sank at the thought.

“I don't think I could deal with a foal...” I choked out, looking at my hooves nervously.

Crackshot smacked Brute...you know what? I'm just going to start calling him Brutus, these are my memoirs and I don't feel like continuing to type Brute Force, I seriously doubt anypony else will ever find this book, let alone sit and read the whole thing, why waste the space?

Crackshot smacked Brutus upside the head and glared at him. “Don't tease the poor boy.” She turned back to me and put a hoof on my shoulder again. “We don't have condoms anymore, but we have implants that women or men can get to prevent pregnancy, and Ruby has had one since she was old enough to get it. So you don't need to worry about a foal any time soon.”

I sighed deeply in relief and glared death at Brutus. “Seriously that's not funny.” I growled at him, moving down the hall again.

“Funny is in the eye of the beholder.” Brutus countered with a smug smirk.

“Well maybe I'll cast Magic Missile on it.” I said, my mouth speaking before my brain could filter and I blushed.

“You can shoot magic missiles?” Crackshot asked. “I've heard of ponies using their horns to make magic bullets, but never something as complex as a Magic Missile.”

“Never mind.” I muttered, blushing worse. “Now where is this meeting? We've been wandering for like an hour.” I grumbled, trying to change topics.

“OH your meeting got pushed till this afternoon.” Crackshot said. “Another caravan arrived, about 20 minutes before we met back up, with some badly needed medical supplies so the council members postponed so they could receive the supplies and get them sorted and put away in the medical wing and see to aiding some desperate ponies as soon as possible.”

“Fair enough.” I sighed. I just really wanted this meeting to be over so that I could hopefully get to work with Crackshot and Brutus and Ruby on their scavenging team. Ruby had asked me earlier in the shower if I wanted to join their team. I told her I had assumed I'd have to apply or something, which had made her laugh hysterically.

“Oh Sugar...” She'd grinned, kissing my horn gently. “We WANT you on the team. Brutus is a good computer hacker but from what I've seen you're the best of the best and that's what we need. You help us get at the really really rare stuff and we get to be higher and higher ranked scavengers.”

“Higher ranked?” I'd asked.

“Yeah higher ranked scavengers get better quarters, better pay, better equipment. Did you notice that our sky wagon was the shittiest piece of shit in that hanger?”

“I guess I did yeah.”

“Well better rank, better wagon.” She explained. “More space, nicer benches, better turrets, though after the modifications you did to that one turret maybe we should call dibs on that one all the same.”

“Well with time I could modify the turrets to be able to fire a few different kinds of ammo depending on the need that arises.” I offered. “I know I'm not the best weapons tech, but those turrets are very computer heavy and THAT I'm good at...”

“So why is your cutie mark a DNA strand?” She asked, nudging my flank with hers.

“I...don't really know for sure. My brother and I created and programmed a computer capable of gene typing every pony race, when we were just kids, they called us prodigies.” I blushed madly, it wasn't a story I usually liked to tell, made me sound egotistical I thought. “It was a huge breakthrough in genetics and computational capabilities. I'd have figured on a computer or a keyboard or something, but no...DNA strand. My brother, Star Venture, he ran the whole company, didn't get to do as much engineering work, but he enjoyed the thrill of arguing with bureaucrats and negotiating with other companies. He and our father used to fight all the time, they were both pros. He got a cutie mark with three lines of binary code. The two of us, at the same time, and for computer work, our father couldn't have been prouder.” I sighed and shifted out of the water slowly. “I have to go to meet with the council now, Crackshot is meeting me in the foyer.”

“Alright see you later Apples.” She'd said. Wait...Apples? No she'd called me Sugar. Why did I think apples? Why can I taste apples?

I blinked and looked around in shock, realizing I had a half eaten apple floating in front of me, well it was small and a much darker red, almost black, wrapped in my own magic. I was sitting in the bar again, Crackshot across from me and Brutus in the chair between us on the right. “What happened?” I asked, swallowing the mouthful of fruit, which I found was radically different from the apples I was used to, bitter and tart, but still at least tasting like an apple somewhat.

Both of them burst out laughing and shook their heads. “You drifted off into your own world again in the hallway and we decided to go for breakfast so we sort of guided you along, you even ordered the three apples.”

I looked down at the plate, there was only an apple and a half left, I'd eaten an entire apple without noticing. Of course I'd eaten whole meals some times when I was really really deep in my work back home. I looked at Crackshot, who had a plate with something that looked like hay on it with some kind of green...syrup? Green something runny. Brutus had what looked like thin strips of meat?

“Are you eating MEAT?” I asked in amazement, looking from the plate to Brutus and back again.

“Eeyup.” He nodded, sliding the plate closer. It made my stomach turn a bit. “It's called bacon.” He said, grinning. “It is the greatest thing in all the wasteland. Try just one piece and if you hate it I'll buy you breakfast every day for a week, like it and I'll be content knowing I converted another to the church of bacon.”

“Church of bacon?” I asked, levitating a strip slowly and looking at it curiously. “It's just that good?”

He nodded and Crackshot shook her head. “You young'uns and eating meat, I just don't understand it.” She sighed.

“I'm at most a few years younger than you.” I chuckled, taking a tentative bite of the bacon and chewing it slowly.

Brutus watched quietly for a moment as my face broke in a slow grin and I popped the rest of the piece into my mouth.

“Best thing ever?” Brutus asked and I nodded happily.

“I can see how a church could be formed around this, it's the food of the heavens.” I sighed, licking my lips.

“Good because I didn't want to have to spend the caps to buy you breakfast every day.” He laughed.

“Ooo speaking of caps...” Crackshot said, smirking at me.

“Oh yeah...” I pulled out the small bag of bottlecaps and poured them out onto the table carefully. I scooped up 20 caps and put them back into the bag, then slid the rest over to her. “She didn't cry on my shoulder.” I said, sticking my tongue out as she pocketed the rest.

“Pleasure doing business with you.” She nodded.

“So what is bacon from?” I asked, looking at Brutus.

“Rad-hog.” He grinned. “Mutated pigs and boars and hogs roam the wasteland...they make for good eats.”

I grimaced a little and my stomach churned at the thought of what those must look like.

“Don't think about it and it gets easier.” Brutus smirked, seeing the look on my face.

I just nodded and sat back, sighing a little.

A green filly unicorn, too young to even have her cutie mark yet, came dashing into the bar and paused for a moment, looking around before coming over to our table. “Mommy asked me to come tell you they're ready for you.” She said.

“Thanks CB.” Brutus grinned. He floated three strips of bacon off the plate and slid the rest of the plate to her. “Don't tell your momma or she'll kill me.” He winked, the filly breaking into a big grin and nodding before starting in on the bacon without a moment of hesitation, starting off once Crackshot and I had gotten up from the table and I grabbed my last apple and followed quickly, the filly waving a happy goodbye as she flopped back in the chair and burped loudly and contently.

“CB?” I asked, looking at my two friends curiously.

“Concussive Blast.” Crackshot answered. “Her mom is EB. Explosive Blast. HER father was Baelfire Blast and the first one was actually Flavor Blast...she ran a bunch of juice stores and stands back before the war. When the war came along she changed her name to Fiery Blast after she lost her husband to one and started the tradition of naming their children after explosions.”

“I remember Flavor Blast...” I said, nodding slowly. “She opened her...fourth store in a mall by the office.”

Crackshot nodded and fell into silence as we started towards the end of the hallway.

I was starting to feel nervous again as we moved to the main foyer again and stopped in front of a large wooden door with the word 'council chamber' carved into the door itself. Now given it was well written, it was still very crude looking compared to if it had a plaque on it. I gulped nervously and looked to the other two. “Don't even worry about it, we got your back.” Brutus says, polishing off the last of the bacon as he opens the door. Inside sat a half dozen ponies, two earth ponies, two unicorns and two pegasi, sitting in a semi circle all facing the door. The doors closed behind me and Brutus and Crackshot stood on either side of the door inside, standing quietly.

“Hello Doctor Sugarcane.” One of the Earth ponies said, standing up and looking down at me. “I am Explosive Blast, the head of the council and your judge. Brute Force and his team have put you forward as a computer and robotics expert and after the stunt you pulled in Medical I must say I am already impressed with your work. However if it was that easy the whole wasteland would want to work for us.” She smirked. “So we have a few more tests for you to see if you are worthy of joining our esteemed ranks. We are going to try and keep this short as Brute Force's team is supposed to leave again in the morning for another scavenging operation and it's another robotics facility so your skills would be most appreciated by him I'm sure. Do you have any questions before we begin?”

“Umm, well I didn't want to pry I guess, but I don't even know what your organization is. What you do, what your policies are, your rules...I don't even know what your group is called...”

She sighs. “We're just The Collective...we collect, and there's a whole group of us...We're an organization without a cool acronym.”

“Oh yes.” I nodded. “An OWCA...I heard most of your members don't do much.” Crackshot snorted softly to suppress a laugh.

Explosive however seemed a little offended and I shook my head, in fact no pony else would clue in at all.

“I'm sorry it was a joke, but I think I'm 200 years late for making it.” I apologized.

“We're an organization mostly of scavengers, obviously. We go out and gather supplies, and sell them to trader caravans and ponies passing through. We won't deal with slavers or raiders or bandits but we won't hesitate to put them down if they become an issue. We are one of the best armed and defended groups in the wasteland.” She finished.

“Well you sound to be an admirable group and if the ponies I've met so far are an indication of the norm then I think I'll enjoy working with you.” I smiled.

“Good then we can begin.” She nodded. One of the pegasi reached back and threw a lever with his wing and the floor in front of the desks opened and another table rose up, on top of it sat a computer, a metal lock box with no visible access point, just a single pipbuck cable coming from the back of it, as well as a box that looked like it had been ripped from the control mechanism of a door, probably another locking system, and finally a pegasus cloud computer.

“If you can hack these four devices we will take you on into our organization.

I sighed and nodded, stepping up to the first basic computer I shook out my forelegs, this is what I did, I was in my element with this. I poked at the system for a moment, pulling up the command prompt showing the piles of junk code symbols, a few words popping up here and there. I set to work, looking at the words intently, none of them really striking me as a secure password, of course this was a test so who knows. The council shifted in their seats so they could see me working. I selected one word and the computer buzzed at me so I closed out the program and loaded back in, this time sifting through the junk code to locate a number of glitches I used to strip away some of the random words until finally. “BEEP” The computer chirped and a green light bathed my face as a simple smiley appeared.

“Good, next.” Explosive said, gesturing to the small box. I lifted it with my magic and turned it over slowly. “What's in it?” I asked curiously, looking up at them but they shrugged.

“We've had it in our possession a long time, no one has been able to open it.” Explosive said, smirking a little.

“Oh, well in that case I get to keep the contents.” I said seriously. “Obviously it can't be very important if nopony has been able to open the box the whole time you've had it.” I added before any of them could argue the point with me, however the glares spoke volumes. “How about this, if it's a weapon you keep it, if it's anything else I keep it?” I offered.

Explosive glared at me intently for a moment but finally nodded.

“Alright good.” I plugged the cable into my pipbuck and the display chirped, popping up with a puzzle. “Are you kidding?” I laughed. “This is what stumped your best minds?” I looked up at the worried faces in the group, only Explosive's again looking offended. “It's not dangerous...it's someone's personal safe, it's probably just got papers in it, it's not some demonic puzzle that's going to unleash horrible mutated ponies from hell.” I sighed and returned to the screen, spinning the small digital box on the screen and slowly twisting pieces until it slid apart in two pieces and the box snapped open. “See?” I picked up the box with my magic and flipped it open to reveal a small statuette with a familiar pink pony on it, grinning ear to ear. 'Awareness! It was under 'E'!' Written into the base. I felt a rush of energy course from my horn to my tail and my vision swam for a moment.
-------------------------------------------------------------------ooo-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I was standing in the warehouse, looking at the pod's master console, a clipboard floating beside me.

“So did she look like she was going to faint?” A voice asked. I broke into a big grin and looked over at Rosalea.

“I think she's so excited she might burst if this works. Which is saying something for Miss Fluttershy.”

“MISS Fluttershy? I don't think she likes such titles. Minister Fluttershy maybe...your grand ministerial Mareness Fluttershy?” Rosa laughed.

“Don't tease.” I said, looking back to her again. “I don't even know how she functions on a day to day basis, she's scared of everything, poor thing.”

“POOR THING?!” Rosa laughed all the harder, falling back in a heap. “Oh Cane...my sweet adorable Cane...She's one of the seven most powerful mares in Equestria, adored and probably even feared given her friendship with Pinkie Pie.” She rolled over and stood up, wrapping her wings around me and hugging me close. “I really think the only poor thing you need to think about is gonna be you if you're late again tonight, because I have some good news for you.” She nuzzled my mane and kissed it softly.

“If you're in the mood I'm sure I could just take you right here on the command console, or we could pop into one of the pods.” I teased, catching the faintest scent of her...desire. “Only Eagle Eye is here on security right now, and I've heard he likes to watch.”

She moved back and smacked my rump with her wing. “That's not funny. I'm a delicate lady and I deserve to be pampered and waited on by my loving fiancee Horn and Hoof.”

“Oh of course a proper lady how could I forget...” I rolled my eyes a little at her. “So I should just return that saddle and riding crop?” If it was possible for the Pink pegasus to blush she managed it somehow. “Aww aren't you cute.” I laughed, turning back to the console. “I just have to finish my work and I'll be home.”

“Well are you going to be much longer?” She asked.

“Half an hour?” I shrugged, going back to the diagnostic screen in front of me and writing on the clipboard as the information displayed from the test, slowly sinking into scientist mode again.

“Better be, or I'm coming back with a lasso and dragging your ass home.” She leaned over and kissed me before heading out of the warehouse. Things started to get fuzzy again and I heard a scream from somewhere. “ZEBRAS! BOMBING THE CITY!”

~The boss wants samples. HE. WILL. GET. THEM~ ZAP

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I screamed and leaped up, not realizing I'd collapsed at some point. Brutus and Crackshot stood over me looking very concerned, jumping back in surprise when I screamed, the other ponies around the room looking concerned as well.

“Are you okay?” Crackshot asked, looking worried while Brutus helped me steady myself.

“Yeah I'm fine...what's everypony looking at?” I muttered, trying to play it off casually. I looked at the little pink statue on the ground and lifted it up, turning it over slowly, inspecting it for any explanation for what had just happened, but it was just a statue, so I slid it into my pack. “How long was I out?” I asked Crackshot quietly.

“Out? You just sort of fell down and then hopped right back up a second later, I thought maybe you'd tripped or you were so nervous your legs gave out.”

I looked at Crackshot, trying to hide my surprise, then turned back to the council. “I'm really sorry. I have no idea what happened.” I sighed, shaking my head. “Alright lets do this.” I nodded, moving back to the table.

“You sure Sugarcube?” Crackshot asked.

“I'm sure we can recess this session until you have had a chance to go to medical...” “NO!” I snapped, feeling a wash of fear at the mere mention and shook my head furiously.

“I'm fine.” I held up my pipbuck health screen, which showed no serious issues. “See? I'm right as rain, lets keep going.” I said, bursting with nervous energy, probably coming off a little manic from the looks I got from everypony else.

“Sorry...” I said, taking a deep breath and taking a moment to gather myself. “I'm good to continue.” I moved back to the table and all the others returned to their previous positions.

I looked at the lock from the door, it was an audio lock. I tapped the pad and the machine chirped out a firm little tune. “It's an old war training song...” I said, smiling softly. “Lets get down to business, to defeat Zebras. Did they send me fillies, and not, stallions. You're the saddest bunch I ever met, and you can bet, before we're through, mister I'll make a buck, out of you.” The machine chirped again and the panel snapped loudly where the locks would normally disengage.

“Impressive.” One of the other unicorns commented, getting nods from the others. “And you have a beautiful singing voice.” Another complimented me, making me blush.

“Alright...last test.” Explosive said, looking at the cloud computer with a proud smirk again.

I nodded and looked at the computer a moment before closing my eyes. Seemed that a number of spells were lost over the centuries so this should impress. I focused my magic, blue light spilling out of my horn, then a burst of overcharge as the magic enveloped my body for a moment and I opened my eyes again as it faded before I stepped forward and started to type away on the cloud computer, watching the shocked looks of the ponies around me as I worked with ease, this one was barely encrypted and I had it hacked a moment later.

“How... How did you...?” Explosive stammered, coming into the central area and waving her hoof through the computer to make sure it was still just cloud.

“Cloud Walking Spell. Taught to me by Twilight Sparkle.” I grinned. Okay so I'd actually learned it from a BOOK she'd written about unique spells that had helped her over the years. I had also picked up teleportation and a magical energy bolt discharge I could probably use as a weapon in a pinch.

“Well.” Explosive said after a minute, her face finally softening. “Welcome to The Collective.” The pegasus flipped the switch again and the table lowered out of sight.

The council all rose and applauded, which just made me blush all the worse.

“Doctor Sugarcane, I hereby grant you the title of 'scavenger first class' along with the access and accommodations that affords you.” Explosive said. “Though I suspect that if you want access to something in the computers there is little we can do to stop you from accessing it. Brute Force, you can show him the way to his new accommodations?” Brutus nodded.

I grinned stupidly for a moment, looking at the other ponies. “That's great.” I said slowly. “Is that good? Scavenger First Class?” I looked back at my friends, both looking happy.

“It means you're the same rank as me.” Brutus said.

“As a founding member of The Collective the ranks don't apply to me.” Crackshot said. “Technically I'm the head of the council.” She added nonchalantly.

“Wait WHAT?!” I asked. “YOU'RE in charge of this group? Then what was the whole dog and pony show for? I thought I'd already proved myself to you guys.”

Crackshot smirks and shrugs. “Wouldn't have been anywhere near as fun if I hadn't gotten to watch you squirm under the pressure.”

“You suck.” I sighed, shaking my head and turning as Brutus opened the door, leading me back outside. Ruby sat on a bench across from the door. “How'd it go?!” She asked, leaping into the air and soaring across to us.

“I'm a Scavenger First Class.” I beamed proudly, but saw the look of horror on Brutus's face as Crackshot face palmed. “What?” I looked at them then back to Rose, who's face had fallen, and grown angry.

“She's only a Scavenger Second Class, you outrank her.” Brutus muttered. “She's gonna...” He was cut off as Ruby screamed.

“EXPLOSIVE BLAST YOU GET YOUR SORRY ASS OUT HERE!” She bellowed, flying past us into the council chamber, her wing clipping the door and slamming it shut behind her as she continued to scream.

“Should we stop her?” I asked in horror, looking from the door to my friends and back.

“Uh, no.” Brutus said simply, shaking his head vigorously. “We don't want her mad at US too. Geeze Cane you just had to go open your big mouth.”

“Well how was I supposed to know I outrank her? Scavenger First Class is the only rank I've even HEARD, how do I know that's not the base level?”

“I'm in CHARGE of the team.” Brutus said. “If I'm in charge that must mean I outrank Ruby.”

“And if we're equals that means...” I trailed off and groaned. “I'm so sorry.”

“It's okay Cane. She'll yell and scream and be mad when she comes out and we'll have to listen to her complain but by morning she'll be fine again.” Crackshot said.

“She won't be mad at you? Since you're in charge and all?” I asked Crackshot.

“Nah she knows I don't make any of those decisions anymore.” She shrugged.

The door opened and Ruby was ejected with a burst of green magical energy, the door slamming shut behind her.

“YOU ASSHOLES!” She roared, wheeling back on us, panting hard and shaking her head furiously. “I need a drink.” She grumbled, starting down the hallway in a huff.

Brutus sighed and just moved to follow her.

“I'll go.” Crackshot says, moving in front of us. “Show Cane to his quarters for now. You guys can join us in a bit.”

“Alright, don't let her get too weepy.” Brutus said. “She's no good in bed when she's drunk and weepy.” He said to me with a smirk.

I rolled my eyes and sighed. “Leave the poor thing alone.” I said.

“A little defensive aren't we?” Brutus asked. “You haven't even known her for 24 hours and you've already slept with her AND you're suddenly an expert?”

“I just. I feel bad for her. It must be tough getting passed up for a promotion by someone brand new. I mean I didn't even realize it was so complex. I sort of pictured the wasteland being more anarchy and struggling to survive. I didn't expect the whole business structure of the past to stick around.”

“Well for the most part it IS anarchy and struggling to survive. Between the Raiders and Bandits, Red Eye's Slavers and those fucking Alicorns of his you're damned lucky WE found you and not one of them.”

“Look this really isn't about the state of the wasteland, it's the fact that you keep talking about Ruby like she's a whore!” I snapped, suddenly feeling very angry, and very protective of the pink Pegasus. If there were a psychiatrist around they'd probably have pointed out that Ruby wasn't Rosalea and that I was most likely projecting my feelings for my lost fiancee onto Ruby since the two shared so many similarities and now I do know that was the case after...well I'm getting ahead of myself.

“Ruby is my best friend.” Brutus said flatly, his face clearly not impressed but somewhat understanding. “We have known each other since we were foals. We grew up together, we know each other better than most married couples, I could tell you when she learned to talk, I could tell you when she learned to fly, and she could tell you the magic I learned and the order I learned it in, I'm one of the few ponies who knows what her cutie mark used to be.”

“But I thought she was banished from the sky cities?” I asked. “Isn't that what the brand is for?”

“She was born down here, her parents were already Dashites.” He sighed and paused outside a door. “This is kind of a long story.”

I shrugged. “I don't have anything else to do.”

He opened the door and revealed the room beyond. It looked very much like Ruby's, only clean, and about triple the space. The bed sat at the back in the same position, but it was flanked by a bedside table on either side, a pair of couches in the right corner from the door, facing each other so ponies could sit and talk. The bathroom door was in the same place, obviously the rooms were all built from a basic uniform plan, which made sense for a military base. The bathroom I could see beyond the door was bigger than Ruby's too. There was a desk and two chairs opposite the couches with just some papers and pens and pencils. “I'm going to have to go back to the facility so I can clean out my office and move it here since I don't have anything to bring from a home anymore.”

“I'm sure we can arrange that yeah.” Brutus said, moving to the couch and sitting down. I followed suit and sat across from him. “So I'll try to explain as best I can without boring you.”

“I am so fascinated by this world I don't think I could be bored by anything you have to tell me.” I said, settling in.

“Alright, well, after the start of the end a Zebra Megaspell Missile destroyed Cloudsdayle. The Pegasi were beyond devastated. The decided to remove themselves from the equation. They recalled all the pegasus people that were on the ground, troops, civilians, everyone, and closed up the sky. A lot of them didn't want to go. They felt the war was their responsibility just as much as the Earth ponies and unicorns. Ponies like Rainbow Dash fought on down here, called the Pegasus council a bunch of cowards, turned away from them. They branded Rainbow Dash as their greatest traitor so now when a pegasus decides to leave the skies they are branded with a bastardized mockery of Rainbow Dash's cutie mark, destroying that pony's cutie mark in the process.” He paused and sighed. “They became the Enclave, probably the last true bastion of stable government on the planet. Ruby's parents disagreed with the Enclave and came down here to try to help ponies. They wanted to open the skies again, join those down here again. They were branded Dashites and cast out. They came here since this used to be a Pegasus airfield. They found the Collective and Crackshot gave them a home here in exchange for finally having fliers that could use the sky wagons. Since then about three dozen more Pegasi have found their way here. Ruby was born a few years later. They used to tell her all about the home they'd left, they wanted her to understand her heritage even if she didn't get to see it. One day when she was about 15 years old she decided that she wanted to go up there and try and convince them to let her parents come home. She could see how sad it made them that they weren't allowed to go home. Instead they humiliated her by imprisoning her, making her a spectacle in front of thousands of others, showing those that lived above how terrible things were below by making her up to look like some kind of homeless emaciated prostitute, then they branded her a Dashite too and threw her out too. Worse still when she got back she found out her parents had been killed in an attack by Red Eye's slavers. She sank into a hell of a depression. Became a mean alcoholic, really self destructive. I would stay with her constantly, terrified she'd go too far. But something happened and she seemed to snap out of it one day, Said she knew it was terrible, the wasteland was a terrible place but she couldn't let her whole world become her bed. She forced herself into action. I know deep down she hurts every day, but she covers it with her flirtation and her drinking. I know she acts more like a crazy teenager but it's all just a mask to hide how sad she is. Insane outbursts like what you saw earlier are just a coping mechanism, and the only reason I tease her the way I do is because when I do I can hear her laugh a little, or bat her eyes teasingly and I can know that she feels a little better knowing I'm here and that I understand her on the deepest level of friendship. I love her.” He paused and looked at me a moment. “Well I don't LOVE her LOVE her, I love her like a sister. I would give my life for her.” He corrected quickly.

“That's okay, I wasn't gonna say anything.” I smirked, getting up when there was a knock at the door. I felt really apprehensive for some reason but I opened the door, greeted by a stupidly grinning Ruby who was leaning against a very dour looking Crackshot. “Forget something?” She asked coldly.

“Oh geez I'm so sorry Crackshot.” I said, wrapping the drunk pegasus in my magic and levitating her over to the bed, setting her down.

“Aww come on Cane, at leasht wait until the party poopersh leave.” Ruby giggled, slurring pretty badly rolling to the side and trying to push herself up, holding her wings out to try and balance, only to fall forward into the pillows under her. “Seriously Ruby just try to relax.” I sighed.

“You're not drunk so you better not get any ideas.” Crackshot said seriously.

“I swear I never would.” I promised. “I am a perfect gentlebuck.” I sighed a little. “I think last night was most likely just a one time thing. I was scared, I was vulnerable, I was emotionally devastated and I was VERY drunk.” I admitted. “Besides, it's barely late afternoon...” I smiled. “It's not like I'm getting ready to crawl into bed. I'll let her sleep it off for a few hours and soak her down with a cold shower and she'll be right as rain for a late dinner.”

“Sure she will.” Brutus laughed, starting out into the hall. “I have to go prep the ship for our next mission. We're supposed to hit up an old munitions foundry a few miles from your old office, and it'll give us the chance to go back and get your things from there too so you can move in properly.”

I felt soft wings wrap around me as Ruby pulled herself over the edge of the bed to hug me from behind, then yelped when she bit my tail to pull herself further forward. “Seriously?” I sighed, lifting her up in my magic again and sliding her back up the bed.

Crackshot smirked and shook her head. “Alright well I'm going to go help Brutus... Please don't make me regret this.” She said, heading out after the orange Unicorn.

“I pro...ack!” I was cut off as the drunk red pegasus dropped on top of me like a lead weight, managing to fly all of 2 feet before collapsing. “Seriously Ruby?” I sighed, rolling over and pushing her off to lay on the ground beside me.

“I'm shorry.” She pouted, looking at me with big sad eyes.

“It's alright.” I said, lifting her up again and setting her back on the bed. “Why don't you try to sleep for a few hours while I arrange my meager possessions?”

“Aww but Shugar, doncha wanna play bucking bronco? Or pin the...” She paused and leaned over the edge of the bed and threw up on the floor. “On the pony?” She finished, wiping her mouth with a wing and trying to give me her best seductive smile, which was pretty terrible.

“No I really don't...and even if I had, throwing up on my new floor isn't the way to endear yourself to me.” I said, glad to be able to basically scoop up the mess with my magic and carry it well in front of me to dispose out the window in the next room. I found a mop in a small closet in the bathroom and washed the floor quickly.

“Now please...PLEASE just relax for a bit?” I asked once I put the mop away.

“Only if you'll come lie with me.” She pouted again, gesturing to the spot beside her with her wing.

I sighed and rubbed my eyes with my hoof. “If you promise to sleep I'll lie down with you until you do.” I said, getting up and laying down beside her. “Seriously we've only known each other for about 22 hours, how do I keep ending up in bed with you?”

“Cuz I'm sexy and willing, and cuz you have a weakness for pink and red pegasi.” She giggled.

“Yeah I suppose I do, now sleep.” I said, nudging her head down. She smiled softly, shifting and cuddling down on my side, falling asleep soon enough.

“Thank goodness...” I sighed, shifting to slide out of the bed again, only to find myself kind of pinned in place by the sleeping pegasus. “Aw come on!” I groaned, squirming to try and free myself but she was like a complete dead weight. I wrapped her in my magic and slid her carefully to the side, sliding free. I went back to emptying the random stuff from my saddlebags, keeping just my weapons, but I was interrupted by another knock at the door. “Wow that was fast.” I moved to the door, opening expecting to see Crackshot or Brutus, instead I found myself face to face with a black unicorn mare, her white mane pulled back and braided, I thought I vaguely recognized her from the medical bay, and for some reason I found myself starting to kind of panic. “Can I help you?” I asked.

“Boss wants to talk with you.” She says flatly, floating some weird looking gun up in my face, it looked like someone had taken an old spray paint gun and modified it with pieces from a crossbow.

“Hey now...” THUNK. I was cut off as a dart fired silently out of the device and embedded itself in my neck. “Wha...” I stumbled back a bit and blacked out in a matter of moments.

When I came to I was strapped to a chair, pressed back so my back was straight against the back of the chair, it was insanely uncomfortable. Clamps wrapped around all my legs holding me in place, as well as two around my torso and one around my neck. It was completely dark and I couldn't see or hear a thing. I felt weak, drained and miserable. I tried to generated a ball of light but it fizzled and only made my head pound.

“What's the matter Doctor Sugarcane?” A deep voice boomed. “I heard tell you were a great magic user, and you can't even make a simple light spell? Allow me.” Two holes opened in the roof about 50 feet in front of me and about 100 feet up, light cast down onto two cages sitting slightly sunk into the ground, about two dozen ponies were crammed into the cages, cowering in terror. Unfortunately my pipbuck also started chattering away with rad warnings when the holes in the ceiling opened. A moment later burning golden green ooze poured from the holes into the cages below, the terrified ponies crying out in what must have been the worst pain imaginable as the baelfire poured down onto them, transforming them into two massive burning pits of twisted light, the magical energy of the fire causing the ponies to burn slowly, writhing and screaming. The two hellish torches lit up a massive raised stage between them. A throne sat at the top, the twisted light flickering over it's occupant. It looked like a unicorn, but the way the stage sat caused shadows to flicker and dance, it didn't help that he had a hood pulled down.

“WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?!” I screamed, thrashing against the restraints. “HOW COULD YOU JUST KILL ALL THOSE PONIES?! If it's to scare me I'm already fairly terrified by the way my life has ended up, I don't need to see dozens of innocents killed just to make it worse.” I choked out, the smell of burning flesh reaching my nose and making me sick to my stomach and stinging my eyes.

“Oh poor naive Sugarcane.” He laughed darkly. “I just needed to see you for myself. To know it was really you. I have read so much about you. You're something of an inspiration to me. I have worked with computers and robotics my whole life, using your work as my muse. To know you are still alive, it fills me with hope for the future.” He said. “You made me the pony I am today.”

“I made you a murdering psychopath?” I cried, tears running down my cheeks from the burning stink, not to mention the soul shattering sight of the still screaming pits. “I don't think so. If you got that idea from MY work you were reading it wrong.”

“Oh Cane, don't be that way. I want to be your friend. We could rule the whole wasteland together. I could use a head scientist.” He said.

“Are you fucking insane?” I actually managed a bitter laugh. “Two days ago I was just a scientist in a M.O.P. Funded research facility. I had a fiancee and a normal stable life. Then I wake up yesterday and I find out 200 years have gone by, the whole world has gone to hell and the devil himself wants to offer me a job?!” I could feel my voice growing hysterical with rage. “I just want to be left alone to mourn my losses and try to make a life with my new friends and new job, if you're going to kill me get it over with so I can be with Rosalea again.”

“What? I thought you and Ruby were having so much fun together.” He cackled. “Of course that might be the magical manipulation of your emotions too. But I'm sorry to tell you that I'm not going to kill you. You're going to be important to me soon. And even in the Everafter you won't find peace. Your precious Rosalea was a weapons designer, if anypony is in hell it's her. Of course the world is full of surprises, so who knows where she might have ended up in her next life?”

I struggled fruitlessly against the restraints. “Let me out of here and face me like a Buck!” I demanded. “I'll fucking kill you for what you've done!”

“Oh tut tut my little pony, so angry.” He chuckled, coming down the stairs slowly. He walked up to me and I felt the fight drain out of me as I got a proper look at him. His face was mostly just skull, red robotic eyes stared out at me, his body still mostly covered by the cloak her wore. A horn with no more skin than the rest of his face stuck out, sharpened to a deadly point, it crackled with an aura of black magical energy. I had never seen a pony with a black aura. “A...Are you the slaver Red Eye?” I asked softly. “Am I Red Eye?” He laughed darkly. “That two bit hack WISHES he had my skills and resources.” He sighed and shook his head. “Don't worry about who I am. Just relax, we'll meet again and on much better terms than this...” The horn came down and touched mine. I screamed as pain burned from horn to tail, everything burned so badly, I felt like I was being torn apart in every direction at the same time. Every atom of my body screamed in pain. “Now you know how the ponies in the torch pits feel.” He growled darkly as the world goes black again.

//////////

I sat up and screamed, louder than I had ever screamed in my life. I was in my bedroom still. In the same spot I had been earlier. “What the hell was that?” Ruby's voice came from the bathroom and I looked over to see her emerging, a towel draped over her back and wings.

“I...I...I...” I stammered, fighting to hold back tears. I could still smell the stink of the burning flesh of the ponies in the torch pits, my body tingled from the pain it had just been in.

“Cane are you alright?” She came over and sat down beside me.

“I just had the worst nightmare.” I whispered, hugging her close and weeping into her neck.

“Oh Sugar it's okay...” She said, stroking my head gently, nuzzling me lovingly. “I'm here for you. Just deep breaths and it'll pass...” She shifted us back on the bed and laid me down again, laying against my back she wrapped her wings around both of us and hugged me close, rubbing my shoulders.

That unfortunately was interrupted by the door flying open and Brutus and Crackshot leaping into the room, Brutus had spiked shoes over his front hooves that sparked with electricity and Crackshot wore what looked like a very old battle saddle, a repeater rifle in one slot, a shotgun in the other. And both found themselves facing down Ebony and Ivory faster than they could react.

“OH SWEET CELESTIA CANE!” Brutus cried out, falling back a bit. I had rolled over on top of Ruby to shield her from the unknown ponies bursting into the room. Of course I had ended up with my back pressed to her with my guns floating in front of me, and I had been kind of enjoying her massage despite my emotional wreck so I was...stimulated...which was rather prominent when I rolled over to put myself between them and Ruby.

“Oh geeze you guys...” I sighed, lowering the guns and flopping back into my stomach on the bed.

“Come on man I don't wanna see that.” Brutus groaned, clanking his...power hooves I guess..? And they powered off.

“I could stand to see a little more.” Crackshot smirked.

“A passerby said they heard a scream like somepony was being tortured.” Brutus said, giving Crackshot a dirty look.

“Yeah I'm sorry.” I said softly, sliding the guns back into their holsters and sitting up slowly now that I had my body under control again. “I had the craziest nightmare and woke up kind of violently.”

Ruby kissed my horn and smiled. “It's okay now though.”

I nodded and smiled kind of lamely at the other two.

“Well we came to get you for dinner.” Crackshot said.

“Maybe we should take a walk outside for a bit first?” Ruby suggested. “Let Cane get some fresh air?”

Brutus sighed and his stomach growled loudly but he just nodded. “Sure.”

They lead me up the hallway and to a set of double doors opposite the main foyer. Again they were identical to all the other sets I'd seen, but these ones lead outside, such as it was.

We walked out onto what had once been an airfield. It had been cleared and cleaned a long time ago. Sentries walked the perimeter, some with battle saddles, some with guns wrapped in levitation fields. Pegasi flew overhead covering a much greater distance. A number of sentry turrets sat in watch towers spreading out around the building. Talk about heavily fortified. We wandered out just past the barriers, Brutus and Crackshot telling me about the town beyond and how it had survived well past the Apocalypse, only to be lost a hundred years later to raiders. We were just passing through the parking lot of a small strip mall when I paused. “Umm I hate to interrupt this lovely walk but I have to just pop into the little colts room.” I said, gesturing towards one of the shops.

Brutus snorted and shrugged. “You're better off just going around the corner.” He gestured towards the end of the strip. “ The rest rooms out here are VERY irradiated and if there's one place on your whole body you don't wanna be getting extra rads it's your junk.” He laughed.

“True enough.” I nodded, starting for the far side of the strip mall.

“Want me to come hold it for you?” Ruby called, giggling softly. “My wings are nice and soft.”

“I'll pass thanks.” I called back. “Maybe later, I bet your wings are better than hoofing it myself.”

This got a laugh from all of them as I vanished around the corner. I moved a little further back down the wall.

“Excuse me?” A metallic voice asked. I jumped and twisted in the air, Ebony and Ivory drawn and pointed at...a Spritebot?

“Hello little Spritebot.” I said, lowering the guns slowly. “They really made some advancements to your guys before the end. The last model I saw of you guys you only played music.”

“Oh they still do that.” The speaker crackled. “My name's Watcher. I've just learned to tap into the Spritebot network to monitor the Wasteland. You're Doctor Sugarcane right?” He asked, the little robot bobbing back and fourth slowly.

“Uhh yeah, how come everypony seems to know me?” I asked.

“Well you designed the computer system that most of the wasteland runs on, not to mention your work on the protectaponies and the robo-brain project.” I could almost hear the excitement in his voice despite the robotic filter.

“I'm really nothing special.” I blushed, shaking my head slowly. I also sucked at compliments it seemed, again something my brother had always taken for us, I was too shy and bashful to just take somepony's praise and leave well enough alone.

“I'm hoping you can help me with a problem.” Watcher said, skipping past any arguments about what I'd said.

“I'll try my best.” I nodded.

“There's a caravan about a mile out from here on their way to the collective base up the road.”

“That's where I just came from.” I said

“Okay well I'd like you to go meet up with them please?” He asked.

“They in trouble?”

“Not that I've seen but the area that far out of the base is a worrying location and I hate to see anypony getting hurt when I could reach out to help in some way.”

“Well I don't know about my companions but I'm always willing to help out a pony in need.” I said.

“Alright perfect, thanks so much.” He sounded very happy. My pipbuck chirped and a location marker appeared on my EFS. “And, uhh, I'd appreciate it if you didn't mention me for the time being?” He asked.

“Hey Sugar what's taking you so long?” Ruby called, coming around the corner behind me. The Spritebot let out a burst of static and started playing music again as it floated away. “Oh, you found one of the many entertainments of the Wasteland.” She chuckled.

“Yeah I remember when those first came into use...” I said softly, watching it go curiously. “People thought Pinkie Pie used them to monitor the whole country.”

“Well they do have some seriously sophisticated monitoring equipment on board yeah.” She nodded. “I've taken down a few in my time, kids usually use them as moving targets when they're first learning to use weapons. There seems to be a limitless supply of the damned things.” She said, watching it float off down the road.

“I saw a group of ponies off in the distance, a caravan heading this way.” I said nonchalantly. “Should we go out and meet them? It didn't look like there were many of them and from what you guys told me it can be pretty dangerous out there.”

“What do you mean you saw a group of ponies? From where?” She asked, looking at me like I was crazy. I gestured to a staircase going up the side of the building beside me. “I was gonna go up there and pee off it.” I said, blushing a little, what a strange lie, why not just curious to see further? “Because I thought it would be funny.” I added, seeing the insane look I was getting from Ruby. “And I wanted to see if I could hit the Spritebot...” This wasn't helping.

“Right...Anyway sure we'll go meet up with them.” She nodded, turning to head back.

“Umm I just have to finish.” I admitted sheepishly.

She rolled her eyes and started back.

I finished my business quickly and hurried to return.

“Seriously.” Brutus sighed, shaking his head. “Don't try to piss on a Spritebot when you've got other people waiting for you. Come out here some time when you have a few hours to kill.”

Crackshot just looked displeased as we started back to the main road. “Ruby says you saw a caravan coming in?” She asked after a minute of silence.

“Yeah about a mile out.” I said. “I'd hate to see anypony get hurt traveling through the more worrisome places out beyond our protection when we could go make sure they make it.”

“A good reason.” Brutus nodded, heading up the street, taking us further from our base.

Unfortunately as we closed the distance on the caravan we came upon a terrible sight, they were under attack! A unicorn mare was running full tilt up the street towards us, a shotgun levitated in her magic, firing backwards, two foals, probably barely a few weeks old sitting in baby saddles on either side of her, the backs of which had been reenforced against bullet fire, both in tears. There was a...a something...a two headed cow? That the unicorn was pushing along in front of her, pots and pans and boxes and all kinds of equipment strapped to it's back as it ran in terror. Just beyond them two Earth ponies were struggling against snarling snapping creatures that all too closely resembled Crackshot.

“The fuck?” I pulled out Ebony and Ivory, the two guns starting to spin in my magic field, the little indicators blinking on.

“Feral ghouls.” Crackshot said, turning slightly and firing her battle saddle, the carbine roaring as the projectile obliterated the head of the one of the attackers. “They really are zombie ponies, don't you worry none about taking them out.”

“HURRY UP!” Brutus yelled at the approaching group as we tore down the street towards them. Ruby soared into the air and grabbed at the top of the cow things cargo, lifting up to take some of the weight off the creature so it could hurry along.

“Much obliged deary.” One of the heads said to her as the rest of us hurried down the hill. I aimed and fired at one of the ghouls as it circled wide to try and come at the surrounded two from another angle, I wasn't a good shot though and even from this far S.A.T.S. would have been useless. However the bullet did get the creatures attention and it rushed us full on, forgetting the other two. However it met Brutus first and he planted himself on the ground, spinning and bucking the creature as hard as he could with his back legs, the power hooves sparking and hurling the creature backwards, though the body was torn apart from the discharge so it went a few different directions.

When we finally got close enough I slipped into S.A.T.S. and took a moment to assess the situation. The two Earth ponies were side to side, both with just simple weapons which did little more than annoy the creatures attacking them. Six ghouls still surrounded them, and I just realized that four more were registering on my EFS. I looked up and my S.A.T.S. locked onto the group about a hundred yards back, the setting sun had obscured my view of them. I switched back to the closer group for the moment and targeted their legs. My odds of hitting their torso's was my best bet, but I wanted to cripple them so they'd stop attacking the other two, and I had the feeling shots to their flanks would just piss them off more. I fired four times, two shots from each gun, but my aim really did suck because only one of them struck, hitting one of the ghouls on the right, however it must have been a hell of a hit because even as time began to speed up again the ghoul was consumed by flame and crumbled into ash.

“Nice shootin Tex.” Crackshot said, even as she casually dropped two more with barely a glance in their directions.

“There's four more on the horizon.” I said.

“MMPH!” Came Ruby's reply from above us. She had a grenade launcher in her mouth, where she'd gotten it I had no idea but with a quick succession of THUNK THUNK THUNK, followed by a timed series of explosions the four red marks on my EFS winked out.

Brutus jumped over the two Earth ponies, tackling two of the remaining three, his hooves discharging against their skulls even as he smashed the two of them together.

The last one leaped towards me and I smashed it in the side of the head with my pistols, unable to aim and fire quickly enough. It rolled a few times before it popped back up, hissing and spitting at me. I gasped softly when I saw the cutie mark on it's side, a computer keyboard with random keys missing. The ghoul I was staring down had been a research assistant for one of my university professors. His cutie mark had been very very distinct. He used to tell the new students that he'd smashed a keyboard over the head of one of the smart asses in the class that had just graduated. Course truth be told he'd actually repaired his father's computer when he was young after his sister had eaten some of the keys when she was a baby.

“Partition? It's me, Sugarcane!” I said to the snarling beast. “Come on dude you gotta snap out of this!” But he just charged me. I knocked him aside again and a blast from Crackshot dropped him hard and fast, blood and bits of Celestia knows what splattering my body.

“There's no reasoning with them when they get to this point.” Crackshot said sadly, patting my shoulder.

I felt queasy and sat down quickly, putting a hoof to my mouth and praying to keep myself composed.

“You okay?” Ruby asked, landing beside me and rubbing my back with her wing.

“I...I've never killed another pony before.” I whispered, feeling my stomach churn violently.

“And you still haven't.” Brutus said firmly, coming over and looking down at me. “Those aren't ponies anymore. Once they lose their minds they are just mindless monsters who'll kill any and all ponies they come across. Look.” He gestured to the caravan, the group had gotten back together and the Unicorn and one of the Earth ponies were hugging the foals tightly and crying together. The other Earth pony stood quietly with the cow thing, looking haggard but otherwise unhurt as he tucked a grenade launcher, oh that's where Ruby had gotten it from, back into a crate with a few more launchers and a pile of ammo for them. “Would you rather all of them dead, or some mindless killing machines?”

I just shook my head, finally losing my battle as I turned and threw up into the ditch beside me. “I just don't know what I'd do if push came to shove.” I sighed.

“Well come on, lets get you back to the base.” Ruby said, hugging me close. “It's getting late and we have a big day tomorrow.” She smiled warmly.

“You're right.” I said, pushing myself up slowly, managing to shake off the rest of my sick to my stomach feeling.

“Bullet Storm said he'll give us a good personal discount on their stuff before they unload at the base.” Ruby said. “Which is good because I saw the cutest saddle in one of those boxes when I was getting the grenade launcher. Though it's got these weird little hoops on the bottom I wasn't sure the purpose of.”

“Just what you need.” Brutus snorted. “More sexy clothes.”

I was about to tell him off again but I remembered what he'd said about the sex jokes.

“Well I DO look awesome in a saddle.” I grinned.

“Oh I bet you do.” Crackshot laughs. “I bet they make you at least 20% cooler.”

We all got to share a laugh at that as we moved back to the caravan to escort them the rest of the way to the base.


Footnote: Level up

New Perk: Gunslinger-- While using a pistol (or similar one-hoofed weapon), your chance to hit in S.A.T.S. is increased by 25%. As with all perks that increase your chance to hit in S.A.T.S., this bonus is multiplicative, not additive.


This fanfiction is based on Fallout Equestria by Kkat; a familiarity with the source material may aid your understanding.

You can read Fallout Equestria by Kkat on Equestria Daily

The Fallout: Equestria logo used above was designed by DotRook, who, according to the original deviantArt page, allows usage in supplementary materials created for and associated with the series. Images really do make a difference, so he has our eternal gratitude and respect.

If you enjoy Fallout Equestria Side Stories, you will want to check the Fallout Equestria Side Stories post on Equestria Daily and the Fallout Equestria Side Stories thread on Ponychan

The Ponychan group is also a hatching ground that you can join if you want to share your experience, writing or comments with us.