//------------------------------// // This is bandit country! Let's have fun! // Story: Fallout Equestria New Horizons: Lacunae and Rampage's vacation in paradise. // by starwars90001 //------------------------------// Just the two of us, we can make if we try. The calming flow of rushing air blew through the red knotted ponytail mane, flapping freely in the wind. The mare it was attached to loved the sensation, it was the best thing to come from restoring this old wagon. It was a pleasure few could experience in the Wasteland, driving the open road. As Rampage sped along the ruined empty roadway, the red striped mare spared a glance at her chilling passenger. Sitting next to her was a dark blue alicorn with a similar colored mane, dressed in a fancy dark dress that sparkled with gems. To complete the overly classy look she sipped from a glass of wine held in her magic while a feather hat blocked out the sun. “Yo, Luu you sure it’s a good idea to wear that get up around the wasteland?” Usually dressing like that made you an easy target in the wastes, might as well paint a target on yourself saying shoot me. “We can deal with a few troublemakers Arloste. Or you're finally not looking for a fight?” “Nope, I just don’t want to ruin my wagon in a good scrap.” There were very few threats in the Wasteland the two couldn’t deal with. The combined force of a mutant alicorn and an immortal zony death commando was a fight many didn’t choose to have. Yes, the sight of the two alone sent many galloping for the hills. Hell, that alone allowed them to wander the Wasteland unopposed even in settlements where their kind was not welcome. It was under that idea they planned their next vacation, the shining jewel of the South, Dise. “Think we should have brought Blackjack?” The alicorn said after sipping on the last drop of red wine. She floated a red bottle from the backseat and poured more of the red liquid into the glass. “That ankle-biter gotta mess to up clean after that last job, Charity ain’t letting her off the hook mate. That fool ain’t getting a break for a year.” “That mare ain’t right sometimes but I try my best to train her.” Lacunae let out a tired breath. “howse the training going anyway?” Lacunae sighed. “She has potential but lacks focus, her magic is slowly coming back but she lacks the knowhow to connect with her spiritual side.” Rampage shrugged, turning her attention back to the road. “Give her time, she’s a problem kid you know, especially with what happened.” With a tired ‘yeah’ the Alicorn looked at her long-time friend. “Let’s play some tunes to get our minds off work.” Rampage lit up at that. “Time to play some MH Boom in this bitch.” The sounds of smooth rhyming followed the wagon as it sped across the dusty landscape. ------------------ Silver Storm sighed, being the only mare in Marefort that took guard duty seriously didn’t come with a few drawbacks, Mainly staring at empty wasteland for hours on end. Her attention was focused on a Boat Sprite that was fighting a Radrat in the distance, she couldn’t figure out who was the predator or prey. Her eyes slowly moved away from the fight towards the soft hum that could be heard in the distance. Her gaze fell on a dot that was speeding towards the valley at a breakneck paste.  Grabbing her Binoculars with a hoof she looked out the window from her post atop a cliffside.  What she saw she couldn’t be put into words, a stripe cream-colored mare drove a strange device Silver never saw before. Silver's heart stopped at what she saw sitting next to her. One of the goddesses. “Luna?” Silver stared in shock as they approached with blinding speed. A thought suddenly hit her. They had no flag, they didn’t have permission to be on this land. The Crimson Hoof, the raiders that owned this land would tear them apart before they could reach the valley’s end. unholstering her sniper rifle off her back, Silver Storm looked down the scope at the coming vehicle. Aiming at the front of the device she hoped her warning shot would send a message ‘stay away.’ “Come on Silver don’t let another group of ponies get slaughtered.” She couldn’t live seeing a goddess killed by these raiders. Biting on the mouth grip of the rifle it let out a loud bang as her shot flew true. She was the best shot around Marefort, never missed a shot, until now. Her bullet struck but not the vehicle or its passengers, it bounced harmlessly off thin air as a blue glow flicked around the vehicle in the shape of a bubble. The light blue fading out along with the shape in moments as the passengers barely cared about the attack. Silver stared in utter shock, checking the weapon to see if it missed fired, her attention was torn back to the valley as the sound of shouts and gunfire ringed out. Looking from her bird’s eye view of the valley, she saw scores of Crimson Hoof raiders appearing along the cliffsides. Armed with battle saddles equipped with hunting and sniper rifles, a loud thunderous roar followed as they fired upon the incoming vehicle. All were met with the same resists Silver’s bullet brought, they bounced off the invisible shield, creating a chorus of impacts that sounded as if it was raining.  Silver couldn’t wrap her head around what was happening, were the goddesses playing tricks on her? Was she daydreaming again? Whatever was happening she could only watch as the strange device sped through the valley’s trench, its occupants seeming to have a calm conversation in the wake of being fired upon. The Crimson Hoof raiders were equally taken back by these strange invaders and began switching to more extreme measures. Certain ponies on the ridges began removing their rifles and replacing them with Rocket Launchers. The loud bang followed by the screening sound of rockets flying through the air gave Silver pause. She’d seen it before. When the Crimson Hoof wanted a large carven or troublesome intruders dealt with they went for their ace in the hole, heavy bombardment. Whoever these strange ponies were, they'd join the list of the Hoof’s victims soon enough. The rockets flew towards their targets with murderous intent. The strange striped mare swung the will of the vehicle making the wagon bank out of the way of incoming death, explosions followed the wagon as it zagza around impacting rockets. Finally, a light blue field surrounded the vehicle, and to Silver’s shock, it began lifting off the ground. Slowly it rose to the sky, ignoring the rockets as they impacted where the vehicle was. Silver fell back on her haunches, every thought leaving her mind as she watched. “WHAT THE FUCK!” By silence that followed the wagon’s ascent, it seemed like every pony in the valley was stuck by what they were watching. The wagon piloting itself became higher and higher, until, finally reaching close enough to smash into Silver’s little shack. The realization hit the mare like a sack of bricks, out of fear she fell to the floor and braced for impact. The crash never came through, instead, a loud scraping sound came from the metal scrap she called a roof. It sounded like the roof was torn off. A few seconds later the scraping was gone, replaced by an audible roar that got quieter and quieter. When Silver Storm looked up she wasn’t surprised to see half her roof was gone. All she could do was just sit there wondering what just happened. The sound of Galloping hooves could be heard outside but Silver didn’t care to meet them, finally, a bright red mare with a similar colored mane galloped in. Fear and confusion on her face. “Silver, what in Celestia’s name happened?” All the grey mare did was turn to her old friend. “I think Luna just came through.” ---------- Zooming across the hilly valley the two mares laid back and took in the Southern Wasteland. Caledonia, a country that broke off from its parent, Equestria. When the great war started to go south, it wasn’t spared the balefire hell that washed across the planet. Many of its great cities were burned away like most of the world’s, but one remained. It rose from the ashes the last shining jewel of the wasteland. Dise, the last great city. (At least in the south) “Arloste I think we should pull over.” Lacunae gave a Winny as she sipped on the last drop of red wine. Even with the dark shade covering her glowing eyes Rampage her best ‘really?’ look. “Luu, we’re getting drinks in the city, can’t you wait?” The alicorn shook her head. “Not that Arloste, one of the tires is losing air.” “Ah, shit.” the red stripe mare pulled over quicker than a bullet leaving a gun.”Told you we should have just flown over that valley.” Hitting a button on her left unhooked a belt around her waist. Flipping out of the open roof of the wagon, the cream-colored striped mare rushed to the back. “You wanted to go the short route, and I told you the wagon could get damage.” The smugness that radiant from Alicorn’s voice made the stripe mare grunt trying to block it out. Rampage opened the truck to look over its contents. Inside were basic essentials of traveling the wasteland: two Anti-material rifles, a minigun, 30 healing potions, 10 grenades, hardened steel armor with spikes that could tear into a pony, Rad X, and of course spare tires. “This gonna take a minute Luu, turn my playlist on.” Rampage said as she fished for the tools. “RnB tracks or Funk?” “I work better with RnB!” Lacunae's horn lit up, a second later a knob on the dashboard turned and a button label ‘Holo’ was pressed down. Seconds later a smooth voice of a mare along with calming music blared from the wagon.  Rampage shook her hips as she carried a tool in her mouth and a tire on her back towards the blowout. She hummed the songs as she set down and got to work. Lacunae on the other hoof looked at the back seat to see if any more wine remained. She was hit with the dark reality of being out of wine! “Always at the worst times.” slight annoyance showed in the Alicorn’s usually calm voice. All she could do now seat back and impatiently wait until they were in paradise to wet her lips again. “By the Elements, my vices know when to make me suffer.” The next ten minutes were the Alicorn and striped mare humming along with the music as the desert winds blow around them. They were parked in an intersection surrounded by hills as far as the eye could see, usually in the Wasteland one tried to avoid such inclosing spaces but for Rampage and Lacunae, they welcomed it. Wiping sweat from her brown the striped mare looked up at the cloud-covered sky. “Even out here the clouds never end. At least it ain’t raining.” She said with a huff as she looked over her work. There was a sense of pride she felt in being one of the few ponies able to repair a vehicle in minutes, sometimes she wondered if she should open a dealership, sell wagons of the old world. She shook her head at the thought. “Luu it’s done, we can get moving again!” Lacunae was in a meditative state, her eyes closed as she listened to the sounds of the wind blowing. “Good. We have company coming though.” Her eyes slowly looking eastward with an annoyed expression. “Oh I know, I just was waiting until they got the balls to attack.” A shout screamed throughout the hills as dozens of ponies charged from the east, carrying weapons in battle saddles or in their mouths, all bearing the signs of raiders. Strap-together armor showing off their previous victories was labeled across them. Their stampede towards the wagon sounded like thunder as they screamed death threats at the pair. Rampage chuckled. “Yo Luu give me and my horseshoes a lift.” Lacunae shrugged, none plus about the whole affair. “Make it quick, I will shield the wagon as usual.” Her horn glowed light blue as Rampage and a pair of steel spiked horseshoes in the cup holder were engulfed in a magical field.  A second later both were launched into the air at blinding speeds, then falling eastward like a raindrop. The stripe mare caught up with her trusty horseshoes one by one as she fell like a rock towards the approaching raider horde. The raiders saw her approach and some began firing up at her, SMGs and rifles fired into the air hoping to hit their target. Bullets met their mark as pieces of the mare’s flesh were blown off, but to the raiders' horror, the wounds just seemed to heal up as if nothing happened.  Each piece lost would grow back quickly as pink sickly light spread over each wound. Rampage laughed, a crazy laugh as she brought her forehooves forth ready for a landing. Raiders quickly realizing what was about to happen quickly scattered as an unkillable demon fell upon them, only a light blue unicorn mare who was too busy reloading to notice stayed. Once she was done it was too late, Rampage’s forehooves smashed into her head like a truck into a child, the head becoming pasta as the striped mare’s legs broke. The two smashed into the ground creating a small dust cloud. The raiders not taking any chances that killed the demon mare began firing into the cloud madly. From all sides, the field became a hailstorm of bullets, with some raiders accidentally hitting each other. After a minute all firing ceased as the dust settled, but standing on her hind legs was the demon mare with an evil smile. Her forehooves were bent along with her neck, which she properly got snapping back into place, each crack of bone making the raiders flinch a little. Finally, when she cracked her neck back into place she stared at them. “Aye mates, time to Chop Chop.” Before any pony could fire she darted towards them like a bullet, the first victim a red stallion who had his eyes pushed in by hoof spikes. In a second she was on another, tearing out the eyes as she went, the next fool had her rib cage smashed in as Rampage bucked through the raider’s poorly designed armor.  The other raiders started firing at her, but their attacks were as useless as before. The smarter ones took their chance to run, knowing full well this was a lost cause. Only to be stopped as a wall of magical energy surrounded them on all sides. They screamed and yelled, pleading to Celestia and Luna to save them as behind them rampage was a whirlwind of death. Rampage was fast and brutal, she tore off one mare’s leg then smashed her head in, then proceeded to bite a unicorn's horn off. Within minutes a dozen ponies were dead or dying.  The few that were left had given up fighting or fleeing, they were crowding or swearing at the demon mare in defiance of the killing spree. All were sheep to the slaughter, finally when the killing's done all who stood was the blood-soaked striped mare and one last raider. She was a deep grey unicorn mare with a spiked crimson mane, she held a knife in a red magical field as she stared at Rampage. “Come on bitch, end it.” she knew she was dead but she would die on her hooves. Rampage, facing away from the last raider on her hind hooves, staring down at her carnage. All was silent until she spoke, “So what’s your name?” The raider didn’t understand, she readied herself for an attack but it never came. “Your name lady,” Rampage asked again. “What is it?” “Pin- Pinprick.” The deep grey mare was at a loss for words at what was happening. Was the demon mare just getting the name of her last victim, making a list of the lives she'd taken? “What ya waiting cun-” “Shut up already.” Rampage turned her head, that smile of hers sending chills down Pinpick’s spine. “Ms. Pinprick, do you have a family?” “I ..I” “Do, you, have, a family?” The words were getting colder and colder. “I have a daughter.” Pinprick’s gutter her words as they came out, the raider spirit slowly dying in her. “Oh well, your daughter is lucky ms. Pinprick.” Rampage turned and started trotting up to the mare. “You see me and my friend are here on vacation, decide to see Dise since we never have been there. And being our vacation we’re taking a break from our day jobs, and do you know what those are?” she was standing face to face with the grey mare. “Well do you?” Pinprick just shook her head, she was cowardly now. “Termination. See we’re the mares who get sent when a problem needs dealing with. A hellhound pack, a bloodwing nest, a raider clan. It’s our job to cleanse them from the Wasteland, and we’re very good at it.” Rampage chuckled a bit as Pinkpick coward back even more. “Now since this is our time off we don’t feel like doing that, so I’m giving you a proposal” Rampage put a spiked claw under her chin and looked her dead in the eyes. “I want you to go and spread the word of what I did here. Tell every raider, trader, ganger, and pony you come across what I just did, tell them that was just me working alone, you don’t want to see what my Alicorn friend is like when she gets to work. Tell them that two Demon Mares are walking the Caledonian Wastes for the whole week and they better watch out, understand?” Pinprick slowly nodded. “Good.” Suddenly the striped mare’s expression turned from a cruel smile to a cold unfeeling frown. “Oh and if I see you being a raider again. I’m not going to kill you, I'll rip out your teeth one by one, then your tongue, then your eyes, then your horn. Do you understand?” Another nod. “Great, we understand each other.” Her expression turned cherry as a filly, her tone not even in the slightest matching the death mare before. “Now scram you, troublemaker, you.” The deep grey mare didn’t need to be told twice, she bolted away from the striped mare like a bat out of hell. Meanwhile, Rampage just put her forehooves on her side and shook her head like a disapproving mother. “Fillies these days, being raiders instead of parenting their foals. Ponies need to spank their fillies more.” “Are you done scaring straight the youth?” Lacunae trotting up, a bored mannerism to her steps. Somehow she had found another bottle of wine. “Found this little blessing under the seat, must have rolled there.” “Hey! That’s my secret sash!” Rampage protested. “Don’t worry I’m not drinking it all!” She said as she floated two glasses filled with red wine around her. “I was thinking you needed a drink after that hard maintenance you did, I even added chems for your liking.” Rampage’s face lit up like a foal on Heart’s warming “Ah, Luu you always thinking of me. I promise when we get to Dise I’m buying you a case of 30 year old wine.” “Ah, Artslote you don’t have to do that for me.” “Nope, you getting spoiled when we get to the city. Girl, I’m treating you.” The pair made their way back to the wagon as they spoke of the joy they would have in the city. Their joyous wants contrast the piles of dead left behind them. “This is going to be a good week.” They both shouted as they drove off to the shadow of a city in the distance.