//------------------------------// // Day 2 Part 1 // Story: Dark Wanderings // by ed2481 //------------------------------// Day 2 part 1 Twilight awoke to the smell of a deathclaw egg omelet hitting the frying pan and let out a satisfied sigh as the smell assaulted her nostrils with its rich scent. She got out of her bed and slowly stretched her back and each of her legs taking the time to make sure that she’d worked out all the kinks. Then she put on her armor carefully attaching all of the different straps and buckles the way that Ethan had taught her the night before. Twilight strapped on her plasma rifle and quickly checked it to see if anything was broken. With that done her new mental checklist was complete and she decided to take a few minutes to scan the room for anything interesting. Much to her surprise she found something that attracted her attention immediately. Sitting on the desk behind her bed was a small clear jar with the words Ethan Smith written on a label tapped to the side. She peered into it and to her fascinated revulsion found that it was a large piece of gray matter. “Sparky the omelet’s done.” Ethan called up to her and Twilight slowly forced her gaze away from the hunk of brain. She quickly made her way downstairs and found Ethan once again wearing his apron and chef’s hat, oblivious to just how ridiculous he looked (or maybe he did know and was just enjoying himself). “Good morning Madame Twilight, I hope that you are recovered from your brief bout of insanity.” Wadsworth said as he floated past Twilight heading towards the stairs. “Thank you Wadsworth, I’m feeling much better now.” Twilight replied giving the robot a smile. “That’s very good to hear, I must be going now.” Wadsworth said, Twilight thought that she heard a smile in his voice but it was hard to tell. “You’re certainly looking chipper this morning Sparky.” Ethan told her with a grin as he set a steaming half of omelet down in front of the purple unicorn. “Thanks Ethan, what’s the plan for the day?” Twilight asked before taking a bite of the omelet and letting the amazing taste wash over her senses. “First we’re heading to Moria’s to pick up a surprise that I have planned for you, and then my friend is picking us up in her ride.” Ethan told her with a smile as he took his own bite of omelet. “I’m guessing you won’t tell me what my surprise is.” Twilight said. “Otherwise it wouldn’t be a surprise would it?” Ethan replied with a grin. “Alright then; so who’s your friend?” Twilight asked. “A woman by the name of Sarah, I think you’ll like her.” Ethan replied with an enigmatic smile. “What makes you say that?” Twilight asked but Ethan just chuckled and took another bite. They finished their breakfast in relative silence and then set off for Moria’s, on their way Twilight noticed how few people cared about the fact that a talking purple unicorn was walking by. “Ethan why doesn’t anyone care that I’m a unicorn?” Twilight asked. “Trust me Sparky you’re far from the weirdest person I’ve brought to town.” Ethan answered with a grin. “Alright, by the way why is there a piece of your brain in a jar in your room?” Twilight asked as they made their way up the slope to Moria’s store. “Oh that, well you see that’s how I learned the very important lesson that I shouldn’t trust tribals.” Ethan replied with a shrug. “What?” Twilight asked in confusion. “They drugged me and then cut my head open, I’m just lucky that they didn’t get anything important when they did it.” Ethan clarified with a shrug. “So you’re completely fine with them cutting you open?” Twilight asked. “Oh no I killed them all once I found out about it.” Ethan replied nonchalantly. “They were trying to kill someone I was protecting anyways and they weren’t what you’d call right in the head in the first place.” He added to mollify the frown that he saw beginning to spread across her face. “I mean they believed that cutting a hole in your head helped you tap into the magical energies of the universe.” “That’s completely false, if you were going to be doing that then you would need a horn.” Twilight said her eyes narrowing. “Besides cutting a hole in your head would open you up to all kinds of harmful bacteria not to mention that removing part of someone’s brain is extremely dangerous.” She added. “Tell me about it Sparky.” Ethan told her tapping his head. “Right I guess you would know.” Twilight said feeling a little sheepish. They walked into the shop and found Moria tinkering with something at her work table; she hadn’t noticed them come in yet so Ethan used the time to nod to the guard who nodded back with a smile. “Morning Moria, is it ready?” Ethan asked. “Oh I didn’t hear you two come in, and yes it’s ready.” Moria said with a grin. “I’d like to do the honors if you don’t mind.” Ethan told Moria with a grin, she passed him an object underneath a thin black cloth. “Sparky there comes a time in every man’s life when he must say something very important.” Ethan said bending down on one knee. “Aren’t you already married?” Twilight asked with a smirk. “Do you want your surprise or should I just hold onto it?” Ethan asked her, Twilight rolled her eyes and nodded for him to keep going. “Sparky you’ve faced the horrors and trials of the wasteland by my side at my request, for this great personal sacrifice I believe that you deserve.” Ethan told her with a smile and then with a flourish he drew the black cloth off of the object to reveal a small purple pipboy that was just the right size for Twilight. “You got me a pipboy?” Excitedly as she looked at the object in Ethan’s hands (she’d taken the time to read about them in the Survival Guide and immediately thought that one would be extremely useful) “Yep, now hold out your leg, this may sting a bit as it adjusts to your nervous system.” He warned her, Twilight simply nodded and held out her right foreleg. With an expert’s hand Ethan snapped the pipboy closed and Twilight felt a slight tingle run through her body. Then the screen lit up and glowed a cheery green. A small pony appeared with a grin on its face, it reminded Twilight of the man on Ethan’s apron. “Thank you so much Ethan!” Twilight said before she wrapped him in a hug. “Anytime Sparky, I’ll teach you how to use it while we wait for our ride to get here.” Ethan told her with a smile. “Thanks again Moria, here’s ten thousand caps.” Ethan told the shopkeeper before tossing her a small bag. Moria stared at him. “I’m rich remember?” He told her with a smirk. “Still this is a lot of money Ethan.” Moria said looking at the bag. “Moria if anyone in this town besides Spencer deserves to have a little extra spending money it’s you, besides I’m sure Spencer wouldn’t mind a raise.” Ethan said with a nod towards the mercenary who let the ghost of a smile flick across his face. “Well I suppose that’s a good point, besides it’s hardly dirty money.” Moria said with a smile. “Exactly, now we’ve got to be outside before Sarah gets here so I’ll see you in a week or maybe more, who knows with me?” He told her with a chuckle before he started out the door, which is when he noticed that Twilight was in the middle of messing with her pipboy. “Come on Twilight you’ll have plenty of time to learn how to use that on the ride.” He told her patting her on the shoulder to get her attention away from pipboy. “What?” Twilight asked looking up from the screen, Ethan sighed before repeating himself. “Oh alright let’s go then.” Twilight said and she followed him out the door with a ridiculously happy grin plastered across her face. On their to the gate Ethan noticed Lucas and walked towards the sheriff. “Morning Lucas, I just thought I’d tell you that Sarah is dropping by to pick us up.” Ethan told Lucas. “Thanks for the warning Ethan.” Lucas said with a nod before he walked away. “Are you two not friends?” Twilight asked, it was something that had puzzled her since she’d met the sheriff. “It’s not that we aren’t friends, it’s that I’ve made his job much more complicated than it ever used to be.” Ethan replied with a chuckle as they walked out the great gates of Megaton. “How so?” Twilight asked. “Well for starters there’s the fact that I’m always brining my weird group of friends to town. Then there’s the fact that he now has to worry about protecting the water caravans. Oh and to top it off the Brotherhood of Steel set up an office in town and he’s not that big of a fan.” Ethan said listing a few reasons off the top of his head. “From what the Survival Guide had to say they seem like alright people.” Twilight said thoughtfully. “Yeah I like them, and I think you will too, anyways we’re still friends it’s just that we have a few differences of opinion.” Ethan said with a chuckle. “Wait am I meeting them?” Twilight asked. “Damn, oh well…” Ethan said realizing what he’d just done. Before he could say anything else the sound of propeller blades cutting through the air forced him into silence, Twilight looked up in open mouth amazement as the giant metal dragonfly descended from the sky throwing up a massive amount of dust as it came. “That’s Sarah.” Ethan shouted over the noise. “Oh and shut your mouth or a botfly might fly in.” He added with a grin. “What is that thing?” Twilight shouted over the sound of the rapidly descending vehicle. “It’s called a vertibird.” Ethan shouted back as the vertibird landed gently. They waited a few seconds before the side of the vertibird opened up to reveal a blond woman wearing large silver gray armor standing in the doorway. “You know there must be a mistake, here I am to pick up Ethan, and all I find is an idiot in a duster and some small horse.” The woman said after surveying Ethan and Twilight for a few seconds. “I was thinking the same thing; here I was expecting Sentinel Sarah Lyons proud member of the Brotherhood of Steel, and all I got was some idiot flight jockey.” Ethan replied with a wide grin before he walked up and gave the woman a hug. “I see you haven’t changed since you’ve been away.” Sarah told him archly. “I never do.” Ethan replied with a wide smile. “Sarah this is Sparky, Sparky this is Sentinel Sarah Lyons.” Ethan said introducing them. “Call me Twilight.” Twilight said with a grin as she held out her hoof for Sarah to shake which Sarah did, her armored grip was strong yet gentle and Twilight got the impression that if she’d wanted to Sarah could’ve broken every bone in her leg with a single squeeze. “It’s a pleasure to meet you Twilight.” Sarah told Twilight before turning to Ethan. “If anyone else had introduced me to a talking purple unicorn I’d have assumed that I was high out of my mind, because it is you I’m going to assume that it’s Tuesday.” Sarah told Ethan who chuckled. “Sarah you have no idea how much I get that.” He told her before stepping into the vertibird. Twilight followed looking slightly nervous but she relaxed once she saw that the majority of the interior was just sheet metal and that only the cockpit itself unusual to her. Sarah took the pilot’s seat and the propellers began to beat outside but the noise was muffled by the walls of the cabin. Then Twilight’s stomach lurched as the vertibird suddenly leapt into the air, she’d been in airships before, but nothing on this scale. The vertibird seemed to laugh at gravity’s puny attempts to keep them land locked as it flew through the air cutting right through the wind. Ethan had taken the copilot’s seat and he was flicking a few switches absently. “So how’s the Pride?” Ethan asked. “Good as ever. Gallows said that he had a present for you, something about a modification on your anti material rifle.” Sarah replied, a large smile spread across Ethan’s face. “Hell yes!” He said with a grin. “So what did he do exactly, because he wouldn’t tell me and it’s really been bugging me?” Sarah asked. “He’s attaching a silencer that won’t halve the power along with a thermal scope powered by alien power modules.” He told her with a wide grin. “You’re joking right; that should be impossible…” Sarah said trailing off. “Not anymore, now I can snipe Enclave in the middle of the night without them having a clue.” Ethan told her. “Of course you’re not…” She said with a sigh. “So Twilight what brings you to the ever beautiful Capital Wasteland, vacation?” Sarah asked turning to Twilight who was fiddling with her pipboy again. “To be honest I have no idea, one minute I was testing a new spell with Princess Celestia, the next I had four raiders looming over me planning to eat me.” Twilight replied. “Tough break, well I’m sure we can find you some way back.” Sarah told her compassionately. “No offense Sarah, but shouldn’t you be focusing on flying?” Twilight asked causing Sarah to chuckle. “Nope, I’ve already locked in the landing coordinates and we’ll be there in fifteen minutes. I only really have to do anything when we’re landing, taking off, or avoiding enemy fire.” Sarah replied offhandedly. “Which leaves the three of us with nothing to do but talk.” “So Sarah, gotten laid recently?” Ethan asked, to Twilight’s surprise Sarah’s fist almost seemed to leap forward with its own energy as it smashed into Ethan’s face, there was a loud snap, the sound of a neck breaking. Twilight gapped at Sarah in utter astonishment. Then to her further astonishment Ethan’s neck snapped back into place and he fixed Sarah with a smile. “I’ll take that as a no.” *** “You know sister I’ve just had a thought.” Luna said from where she lay next Celestia on the sun goddess’s bed. “What’s that Lulu?” Celestia asked looking up from her book; she was finding it just as distasteful as the last one (the title had drawn her attention) but if her Twilight was anything like the character in the book she’d have thrown her off a cliff just to grant her the sweat relief of death. “Well I was thinking that we could try a calling ritual.” Luna said but Celestia just shook her head. “Luna we both know that that wouldn’t work, a calling requires one to call back an object that they possess, it doesn’t work on sentient beings.” Celestia told Luna with a sigh. “I’m aware of that Tia; I meant why don’t we try a calling spell on an object that she was wearing or some such?” Luna replied with a grin. “Because Twilight was stark naked at the time.” Celestia replied with a sigh. “Dammit Tia if you sigh one more time I swear by all that is holy I’ll send you to the sun!” Luna cried in annoyance, she’d never liked mopey ponies and seeing her sister like this annoyed her more than anything else. “Then I’ll send you to the moon and we’ll both rot.” Celestia replied with a smirk. “You know what sister, we’re sparring.” Luna said her silver battle regalia suddenly appearing on her body. “Luna now is hardly the time for this.” Celestia said with another sigh, Luna formed a magic glove into existence and slapped Celestia across the face with a resounding smack. “I Luna Princess of the Moon do hereby challenge Princess Celestia Princess of the Sun to a duel of honor, the fight shall continue until one of us can no longer fight without having to tap into our reserves!” Luna cried loud enough for the entire castle to hear. There was a great cheer of celebration (ponies love to see a good cat fight, especially when the cats in question are actually their gods). “Luna, you’re going to regret that!” Celestia said with a wide smile. “Damn right I am; now come to the arena and make me sister, unless you really are as virginal as the masses seem to think!” Luna said with a wider smile. *** “How? Is? That? Possible?” Twilight asked pausing between words. “Oh that it’s something that I got from working with Moria. Whenever my body is at a certain radiation level my bones automatically become unbreakable.” Ethan said with a shrug. “But she broke your neck!” Twilight all but shouted. “Actually she dislocated it.” Ethan replied. “But that’s not how it works!” Twilight actually did shout that. “Twilight take a page from my book and don’t question things like this, trust me you’ll be happier.” Ethan told Twilight with a grin, Twilight began to gently hit her head against the bulkhead of the aircraft. “She is new isn’t she?” Sarah asked as she looked on in pity. “So have you gotten laid recently?” She asked turning back to Ethan. “Hell yeah, what did you think I was doing in Vegas with my wife?” Ethan asked with a grin. “I assumed you were off fighting mutant ninja turtle aliens.” Sarah replied with a shrug. “Those exists?” Ethan asked excitedly. “Not anymore I heard they were killed by the leprechauns.” Sarah replied dryly. “You know I’ve never seen a leprechaun before, do you think if I shot it with a gun it’d bleed Lucky Charms?” Ethan asked and received an odd look from Sarah for his trouble. “What’re Lucky Charms?” Sarah asked. “They’re a cereal that we found at Big Mt.” Ethan replied. “Sorry I forgot that you weren’t there, anyways their mascot was a leprechaun.” Ethan continued with a shrug. “Ah I get it.” Sarah told him dryly. “Forget I mentioned it, so how’s the rest of the pride?” *** “So the Celestia and Luna are goin ta fight?” Applejack asked from their position in the bleachers. “Not fight darling, it’s a duel. They’re completely different.” Rarity corrected her. “Oh and refer to them as Princesses, titles are important.” Rarity added, for some reason Pinkie chuckled at that. “What’s funny Pinkie?” Dash asked from where she was holding her bag of popcorn. “Oh nothing Dashie.” Pinkie said with a grin. “Hey look it’s Cloudkicker.” Pinkie said pointing at the blue pegasus. “Hi Cloudkicker!” Pinkie called and waved at the mare. “Hey Pinkie, what’re you and the five of you doing here boss?” Cloudkicker asked turning to Dash. “Watching the show while we take a break from looking for Twilight, what are you doing here?” Dash asked. “Oh you know, I’m just here looking for somepony to bang.” Cloudkicker replied with a wide smile. “For some reason I’m not surprised.” Dash said with a grin. “Well it was good seeing you boss.” Cloudkicker told Dash giving her a salute before she flew off towards another section of the grandstands. “I still don’t know how you can stand to be around that horrid slut.” Rarity said. “Cloudkicker has been my friend for years; you just don’t know her well.” Dash replied with a shrug. “Oh I’m sure you know her very well.” Rarity said with a smirk causing Dash to blush. “Not that way Rarity, geez she’s just my friend.” Dash told Rarity before they could get any farther a stallion in golden armor stepped into the center of the packed dueling ring. “Ladies and gentlecolts we are here to witness a duel between two gods, please do not worry about your safety there are extremely strong wards guarding your seats.” The stallion said into a microphone. “Also remember that this duel is merely a stress relief exercise and that the Princesses are not actually trying to kill each other.” “Thank you Artos.” Celestia told the stallion from her side of the sandy pit. “Well Celly are we doing this or are you a big white chicken?” Luna called from across the pit. “Oh it is on!” Celestia shouted.