//------------------------------//
// Pip and Tia watch the world grow 
// Story: Fallout: Equestria - Pip and Tia 
// by starwars90001 
//------------------------------//

The sight was not uncommon one in the wasteland, a traveling cavern of ponies moved through the canyon with supreme caution, every few miles they would stop and send a few scouts to search the area. The carefulness that these ponies gave off showed they were no newcomers to traveling the wasteland, there were 30 in all and they were packing heat just in case the worst situation came to pass.


As they sat in wait for their scouts to return, their carven formed into a circle formation with patrols moving on all sides watching the canyon walls for trouble. When a pale-colored stallion came galloping from the north, yelling something that got the whole group’s attention, they sprang to life. Forming their wagons into a defensive wall, and taking up firing positions facing the north, the ponies waited with eagerness for their opponents to show themselves.


As minutes crawl by as the defender’s readiness only highen, only when the first sighs of movement showed did some fire warning shots at shadows. But from the other side of the canyon, a pony wearing pieces of metal armor looked more like scrap than anything, trotted out toward the defenders.

The defenders fired a few warning shots making the mare stop. She regarded them for a moment then reached into a saddle around her waist and pulled out a white flag. Weaving it around in her hoof while speaking something, whatever she said made the defenders look between them.

They motioned for her to come closer, when she entered their camp she was confronted by three ponies who seemed to question her. They spoke for a while until the white mare left, when she returned it was with a lot of ponies carrying wagons and saddles on their person. The two groups talked, traded, and even partied.

This scene was usually a rare sight in the wasteland but over the past three months, this had become common. “Puts a smile on your face doesn’t it Pip.”

Pip tore away from the sight and looked over to the white alicorn to her side. Her rainbow flowing mane seemed so angelic, her voice so gentle, if she hadn’t constantly told Pip he wasn’t a goddess she wouldn’t believe, hell Pip still believed Tia a goddess.

“It’s just so.” She searched for the words. “Good to see ponies and creatures helping each other for once.” she smiled at her. “Feels like the wasteland is changing for the better.

“I would say it’s because a certain little pony is a good influence on them.” Celestia had a cheapish smile that made the smaller unicorn bush a lot. She had a knack for getting under pip’s skin, for being a kind loving princess she knew how to press your buttons.

“I just help lead the way you know, I didn’t tell anyone to do this.” Pip looked down at the white void of nothingness below her.

“Oh I’m sorry, your right,” Celestia said mockingly. “You just saved them from a mutant goddess who wanted to absorb them into her hive mind, defeat a mad pony warlord, stop an invading army and reveal their lies to their ponies. Yes, I don’t see why the wasteland is taking after you Pip?”

“Celestia damn it.” Pip caught herself when Celestia raised an eye at that. “Eh, sorry I didn’t mean use your name that way.” She still wasn’t used to saying Tia’s name as a phrase. “It’s just that I didn’t tell them that they needed to do this, and yet.” She looked back at the video of the canyon. “I kind of feel so proud of them, like a mother you know.”

“Oh, I know.” Tia trotted to the side of the little mare and placed a wing around her. “I did rule this land for 1000 years you know.” She smiled warmly at Pip. “For over 1000 years I watched this land grow into a kingdom, seeing its ponies go from living in huts to modern houses. Seen the rise of technology, seen ponies created marvelous art and music.” Her expression darkened a bit. “Then watched it all burn away when the world ended.”

Pip knew that face, that was Tia’s “everything’s my fault face.” Pip would have none of that while she’s around.

“Yeah, and who kept that peace 1000 years?” Pip said carefully up to her ‘goddess’ “Last time I checked that’s a great track record, I don’t know anypony else who could say they lead for that long, and nothing went wrong. You're a role model to us Celestia, I wouldn’t have gotten through my little adventure if I wasn’t praying to you half the time.”

Tia took that in, she used to be annoyed at the fact that her subjects worshiped her to the point of turning her name into a calling. The fact that when she ‘died’ they had taken to worshipping her like a goddess made it more uncomfortable, but when she saw how good Pip had done when driven by faith in her she started rethinking that idea.

“I think ponies and creatures will start praying to you Little Pip in a given time.” That little unicorn tense up a bit, Tia laughed at the display. “You're more a role model for this new age than me. I’m just a relic of a bye-gone time, a failed ruler trapped inside a computer.”

Pip was about to say something but Tia cut her off. “See these ponies?” Tia pointed at the screen. “That tribe usually attacks any pony who wanders into their territory. But for the last few months, they’ve been openly trading with any creature that wanders through.”
Tia moved her hoof around and another screen appeared, this one the image of a building surrounded by griffins coming and going from it, it was three stories high and had a makeshift wall surrounding it. A billboard was strapped to the building’s side, it’s long since faded now the words, White TALON SERVICES printed on it. “These griffin mercenaries have been offering services to more towns and settlements for lower prices than what they use. Ponies have been safer around the smoky hills region because of it. All because they decide to take after certain little filly.”

Another image appeared, this one of a medical clinic set up in a carriage lot surrounded by tents. A line of ponies and creatures stood in wait for their turn to enter the building. “Because of you opening new trade routes places like this can support and help the communities around them instead of just caring for their own.”

Another image, this one Pip knew well. It was an old railroad junction surrounded by train carts and newly merited walls, like the others this one was filled with ponies and creatures coming and going, but there was something different about this place. There weren't hundreds of ponies here but thousands, all trading, talking and going about their day. An entire new part of this settlement was being created not from ruins and junk if the old world, but is being made with freshly created material. Caverns entered and left in drones, all guarded by ponies and griffins wearing newly made armor while wielding powerful caliber rifles. This wasn’t another town in the wasteland, no this was a city.

“You created this.” Celestia pointed acutely at the image. “Your actions help in the creation of one of the fastest-growing trading towns in the wastes, and the slow rebirth of civilization.” Celestia looked down at the unicorn if she wasn’t bushing before she was now. Pip almost felt like fading into the nothingness void they called home to get away from the praise. “You are their Lightbringer Pip, the one who showed them they could do better and now they are. Me, I’m just an old princess”

Pip just sighed in defeat, she couldn’t ignore the things she had done but the idea she was better a ‘goddess’ she looked up to seemed heretical. She just decided to drop it and change the subject. “Hey, you want some of those old games and caused a water sprout later?”

“Yes!” Tia said ith filly like glee. “Let’s play my favorite Space dragon 4, I get Mare Marine.”

“You always cheat with that sniper rifle when you play that class, play space alien.”

“Not my fault I got good after 200 years of playing it.” Tia turned away with a smug grin. “Get good Pip.”