//------------------------------// // Discovery // Story: Rarity and the Pip-Boy // by Zubric //------------------------------// A soft rhythmic clacking echoed around the large gem cave as Rarity swung her pickaxe into the wall dislodging more of the precious gemstones which were promptly placed into a large basket. Spike, of course, had been invited along being great help not just for carrying but for the company as well. As another few gems were loaded, Rarity turned back to look at Spike. “So, you were saying something about Big Mac and a critical roll?” Spike’s smile couldn’t be any wider as he spoke. “Well, I’d set up this massive final battle,” he started staring around the cave with just Rarity horn light providing illumination. He thrust his fists side to side. “There we are rolling kill after kill cutting down the army like a scythe to a wheat field. “ Rarity smacked the wall causing chunks of rock to fall down revealing a few more precious gems. “Oh, sound exciting.” Spike snapped his claws. “Yeah, well near the end Mac had beaten the boss down to his last few hit points. He swings his axe and you’ll never guess what happened.” Dust drifts down as Rarity swung the pick some more small cracks running along the wall like spiderwebs. “Hmm did he miss perhaps?” “Oh, he hit already, but the boss was left with just one point left.,” Spike said with a chuckle. “Oh h-'' Rarity was cut off as dust caused her to build up a sneeze. The glow around her horn intensified before she let out a hard sneeze. A loud thud followed as the pickaxe was propelled by a burst of magic into the wall. The two seeing the rapidly spreading spider web of cracks quickly backed up to the other side. Moments later, a title wave of dust was launched into the air as the wall collapsed. Both Spike and Rarity cough blinded by the dust cloud until Rarity’s horn light broke through. As the dust settled and the two caught their breath, they noticed that the collapse had revealed a small chamber beyond. Rarity wiped her brow, her eyes staring peering into the hole with relief. “Phew, it’s a good thing only one wall came down.” Spike nodded his claw held to his chest still feeling his heart racing. “Yeah, that was close.” The two wonder closer to the opening seeing light pouring down from above. Upon closer look, they saw the light was coming from a shaft that rose upwards to the surface with vegetation coiling around the walls on its way down. The chamber itself was in the shape of a large upside-down bowl with the ceiling about three ponies lengths high. Just as they took a few steps in, Rarity suddenly let out a shriek as she soon spotted a skeleton covered partly by some leaves. The stallion’s head was cracked and glancing up the shaft gave a pretty clear idea of how the earth pony had died. The mare winced back. “Oh goodness.” Despite the bones, she kept staring at the faded blue jumpsuit with yellow highlights upon the bones now in tatters. She squinted seeing something that looked like a number printed on the back of it. But due to it, decay was unable to make out what it was. “Oh, poor guy,” Spike remarked, in shock a bit himself. Seeing a corpse was much different in person than a tabletop game. His eyes were soon drawn to something affecting light off the stallion’s left foreleg. “Hey what’s that?” He moved closer to look, lifting up said leg. Rarity's face scrunched being appalled. “Spike it’s rather uncouth to mess with somepony’s remains. This isn’t one of your games.” “But look there’s something around his leg,” Spike said as he carefully pulled the device off the boney remains. “Wonder what it is.” As Spike brought it closer, she could see it was about the size of a large envelope and a little clunky. The outer metal frame was a light brown with a single electron tube sticking out one side. On its left were a few knobs with small markings. The center was taken up by a black screen surprisingly still in good shape despite the long fall it had taken. “Perhaps Twilight would know. She is always good with artifacts.” As her magic took hold of it, the tube began to sputter before fully coming to life with a soft orange glow. A small fan turned on as well as the screen flickered and soon text appeared on it. “My, I’ve never seen anything like this. I wonder what no signal means?” Spike shrugged glancing at the corpse once more and winced. “Let’s get out of here, it’s starting to creep me out.” After having buried the body under some rocks, the two made their way back to town with their spoils. “I wonder how that stallion ended up in that cave. Wish I could have seen his attire when it wasn’t so faded. Blue and yellow do complement each other. “Rarity remarked looking back at her saddlebag where the device was tucked away. “I’ve never seen an outfit like it before.” “Maybe that thing will tell us somehow?” Spike replied between bites of a gemstone. Rarity nodded as they entered the castle Spike hurrying along down the hallway to get Twilight. It was only mere moments before the two cand back to the lobby. “Hey Rarity, Spike said you found something?” Twilight asked as she watched her friend open her saddlebag. “Indeed,” Rarity levitated out the device in her magic once more making it turn on. “Perhaps you could help us?” Twilight moved closer staring at the metal frame. “Hmm doesn’t look like anything I’ve seen before. Let’s take a closer look “ Gesturing with her hoof, she led the two along to a large side room full of the many science gizmos Twilight had re-acquired after the library had blown up. Books and other assorted things were placed about the room as well. The group swiftly moved to the long main table on the back wall Rarity setting the device upon it. Spike was the first to speak. “We found it around the stallion’s leg.” “Ah, that explains the leather strap on the bottom.” Twilight observed staring at the faintly glowing screen. “I suppose one of us should try it on to see what happens. I think you should wear it Rarity., it already has your magic signature on it.” Rarity looked at the machine hesitantly being apprehensive. After all, it had been on a corpse not long ago. “I suppose that makes sense. Very well.” Adjusting the straps, she slowly brought the device up to her left foreleg before looping the Buckle around to the other side and clipping the latch in place. The two others had their eyes on her as the screen flickered before coming to life the fan spinning as it awoke. After a few clicking sounds from the magic tech inside, the screen showed off the silhouette of a mare. Rarity soon realized it was supposed to be her as she easily recognized the stats that appeared on the side including heart rate and weight. “Oh, is it one of those fancy medical devices?” Twilight rubbed her chin. “Perhaps but what could the dials be for. There are even little words at the top in boxes.” Half an hour flew on by as Rarity and Twilight slowly figured out how to navigate on the strange device soon finding a section with notes and found one entry that seemed important. Rarity raised an eyebrow. “I guess this thing is called a Pip-Boy? What an odd name for it.” “Doesn’t sound like an acronym. “ Spike added in watching as Rarity scrolled using the knobs. “If nothing else, I can use it as an Audio journal at the least.”