Every week, it's mystery meat, seaweed stewed_MF DOOM
“I want to rock with you! All Night! Dance you into day! Sunlight! I wanna rock with you! all night! We're gonna rock the night away!” Rampage swayed, tapped, and sang to the beat as she dropped a plate of meat onto a sizzling pan.
As the meat fizzled and cooked she grabbed a bowl of vegetables and then poured them atop a cutting board. Reaching under the island counter she slipped her trusty Hoof claws onto her forehooves then stared down the veggies with a sharp grin.
“I wanna rock with you. I wanna groove with you” She sliced and dice the veggies into pieces as she kept singing to the smooth melody of RnB. Each verse a perfect timed cut, each break a perfect smash until she had made the perfect salad.
Scooping some off into a bowl, she poured the rest into the sizzling pan of meats. The smell of a freshly cooked meal always brought her pride, being a good chef in the Wasteland was a rarity, especially with the lack of decent materials, but Rampage had turned it into a craft.
“Hoofington stir-fried is on the way my Zebs!” The Striped mare shouted from the small room one could barely call a kitchen.
Charity barely look back from the couch, too fixated on a pre-wasteland show to even catch most of what the Zony said. “I will have mine with sweet potatoes.” Charity uncaringly muttered while taking a bite of a candy bar.
“Charity your ass don’t need no more sweets, it already weighs a ton. Any more and we're gonna have Blackjack wheeling you around in a cart.” The Striped mare said with enough snark to make the filly blush. “Your ass getting extra greens young lady.”
“Okay, okay fine I’ll lay off the sweets.” The filly rolled her eyes before rewrapping her candy bar up and placing it on the living room table.
Blackjack yawned as she sluggishly walked into the confined room, stretching off an afternoon of sleep while sniffing the smells in the air. “Yo Ramp, what’s cooking?” The Cybermare asked before flipping onto the couch making Charity jump in annoyance.
“Wasteland stir-fried with extra meat and veggies.”
Blackjack’s face just cringed at that. even after all these years the thought of eating meat still didn’t sit right with her. “Eh, not sure if I’m feeling meat today. Can you take out the meat and add some gems to mine, pretty please.” The Cybermare gave the most pleading sad smile she could.
The red stripe white mare stopped her cooking and placed her forehooves on the counter in a triangle formation, leading on to her hooves she smiled with a smuggish expression. “So I growing, gathering, prepping, and cleaning this Fresh Food in the Wasteland! Only for you to whine, whine, whine about not liking meat? But if you don’t like my cooking we can go back to the good old days.” Her grin turned crueler. “You eating rusted scrap metal and bricks, Luu Luu drinking Rads, and only Charity will get food.”
Blackjack protested as quickly as she could. “Ah, no thank you Rampage your meat cooking is great I’m just being a picky eater that’s all.” She laughed nervously. Thought of returning to eating metal that tasted like mud mixed with salt gave her stomach pains. All the tasty metals Blackjack could eat were off-limits, only to be used in the repair or crafting of weapons.
A smile of victory crept onto the Zony’s face. “See Blackjack I knew you would see reason.” Rampage chuckled as she placed the pot down and went back to cooking. “Besides meat’s good for you, it builds muscles and keeps you healthy.”
“Healthy if you don’t mind vomiting.” Lacunae walked out of the hallway Blackjack entered from carrying a glass filled with red wine in her magic, her blue flowing mane magically sailed gracefully behind her. She wore a dark dress that had stars that shimmered as she trotted. “Arloste in all the 40 years I’ve known you I’ve never gotten used to your.” She paused for a moment. “Refined tastes.”
Rampage just huffed at that. “That’s because you got an elitist diet, Luu Luu. You were spoiled by those Canterlot 5 star restaurants.” Standing up straight and taking a high brown posture Rampage put on her best high society voice. “Oh I only eat my carrots if they're cooked to 250 degrees, with only the finest spice from Griffin lands and Canterlot sauces, added on all that Bullshit!” the alicorn just giggled at her friend’s mocking. “Luu Luu we live in the Wasteland now! Ain’t no time to be a pretentious eater, gotta eat what you kill! Eat what you steal! And most importantly old shit from a 200 year old supermarket like a pony raised by the streets!”
“I don’t agree with the streets part but you are a little too hard to please Lacunae.” Blackjack wasn’t fully in the conversation, instead, her glowing eyes fell on the viewscreen where turtles fought ninjas to the death. “Remember when we went to Flank and you wouldn’t buy a drink unless it was fresh blueberries mixed with 7 month old liquor.” Blackjack stared back at her with a smug face. “Me and P-21 had to tell you how uptight you were being.”
Lacunae just looked between both of them, giving them her best ‘really?’ look. “Ah yes, I’m getting food advice from Mare who eats her own flesh, and Stable pony who ate chips made from recycled shit and body parts. Truly my tastes are too 'Uptight' for mares of such good tastes.” That got both of them to shut up while Lacunae took a sip of her red wine in victory.
When the food was ready, the four mares took their seats at the table nestled in the corner. Lacunae politely ate her plate of only vegetables, Rampage and Charity on the other hoof chewed like monsters on the food before them.
Blackjack simply poked an uncaring talon at a carrot, hoping to take her mind off the unapptizing meal she looked to her boss with a pressing question. “Say boss mind if I borrow some caps? I want to buy some new parts for my bike, he needs more spark mileage.” Blackjack put on her widest grin, the grin that any filly would do when begging their parents for something.
The actual Filly just gave her a look any parent would give that begging. “Do I look like I’m made of money? no, go sell that trash you horde in storage.” She said barely taking her attention away from her plate.
“What! I can’t sell my stuff off! Some of that was hard fought!” Blackjack protests fell on Charity’s deaf ears.
“Oh, you mean like that sniper rifle you never use?” She said in an angrier mocking tone. “Or that collection of old porn you barely watch?”
Blackjack looked away, her face turning red at the claim. “I wasn’t finished watching all of them, I was just halfway through.”
If Charity groaned any louder they would hear it in the heavens. She closed her eyes and she muttered angrily. “Luna damn it Blackjack, why are you such a pervert.”
“You let Lacunae keep her wine.” The cybermare pointed an accusing talon at the alicorn. “That takes up 2/4 of storage.”
Charity finally gave Blackjack a look that made the Cybermare go even whiter. “Lacunae makes, buys, and sells her wine. Half her profits go to helping Crusaders.INC, her storage is a legit business. Yours.” Charity pointed a bone at the Cybermare. “Is there because your too lazy to throw things away!” The Cybermare relented, when Charity put her hoof down that was the end of the discussion.
“If you wish for more capital Blackjack simply make it your own.” Lacunae interjected with words of wisdom. “Think of your skills and think of the ways you can make money from them. Your talents can be put to such good use in so many ways. Take Arloste for example, she use to run a successful potion and food stand. All from her years of being a survivor in the wastes and her knowledge of her Zebra heritage.'' The admiration for which the Alicorn spoke highly of the Striped mare made the Zony blush a bit. “Take what you know and make it profitable.”
Blackjack gave it thought for a minute, she never had her own business. For most of her life, she had always been somepony’s little worker, when she lived in her Stable she was barely good at her security job. When she got out into the Wasteland she was a merc a few times but nothing important. Really, being the Demon Mare was the longest and best job she had. “So..what about being a model?”
Lacunae gave that response a deriding look. “Excuse me what?”
“Yeah, I got the looks, the style, was the sexiest security mare in 99. Being a model is right up my alley, and with my cybernetics ponies will be dying to see an exotic mare like me!” The confidence Blackjack showed over this made Lacunae reconsider the brains of her student. “It's easy money.”
Lacunae inhaled deeply. “Elements help me.”
“What? I’ll be fine Lacunae. It’s not like I’m doing porn.” Blackjack put on her best smile but it fell under the weight of Lacunae's deadpan stare.
“Blackjack listen. If you mess up my company’s reputation by getting us known as a porn company I will fucking kill you.” The Cybermare couldn’t tell if Charity was half joking half serious. “Besides you don’t need a second job. A week from now we’re going to have everything we need and want, a big company, an entire city of assets at our command, not living in a small bunker! And more importantly, Dawn’s head on a plate.”
The mood went from casual table talk to dead serious as they all pondered what was going to happen in a week. Come rain or clouds they would either have their revenge or be just a bunch of dead fools. “Do you guys think we’re ready for this?” the tone of fear and uncertainty in the cyber mare's voice gave pause to the others. “Dawn and her Harbingers are going to throw everything they have at us, this is going to be the biggest battle since we fought Sanguine and his mutants.”
Rampage and Charity had expressions of longing and desire written all over them. Rampage spoke up first in a cold tone. “For what those fools did to Chapel, did to the Crusaders, to my husband.” Now her voice was becoming more threatening. “We’re gonna buried those fuckers.”
“We didn’t prepare for a year just to back out now.” Charity interjected. “Remember what Dawn did to P-21? Remember how he died?” Blackjack shrunk back at that. “Remember who has your wife locked up in their tower. Or have you gone back to the merciful little saint?”
Blackjack glared with red burning hate. “The only mercy their getting is the barrels of my shotgun.”
Lacunae was the only one silent, her thoughts about the subject as unreadable to everypony except Rampage. “So it shall be. Guide us Elements of Conflict and Death.” Was her only recourse.
“Well, I hope ya’ll don’t go and get yourself broke before I can finish the upgrades Sugarcubes.” A robotic voice with a strange accent made the mares turn to look at the large view screen. On it, a light yellow mare with a light red mane done into a bow stared back excitedly at the mares. “Y'all gals already saddling up for the final battle, and I still have several upgrades to test out.”
Charity huff at the view screen mare, she gave her best ‘not this again’ face as she spoke. “Listen Apple Bloom. I told you that we don’t need any more upgrades to our gear, we’re literally about to have the big final battle. We don’t have time to waste getting more upgrades.”
The image of the yellow mare’s ears lowered, disappointment showing as if Charity had taken away her favorite toy. Blackjack sensing the awkward mood that had spur up got out of her seat, a good idea coming to mind. “Apple Bloom hows' about I test some of those new limbs and SATS mods. I’m sure they can help in the upcoming battle.”
The cute looking mare shot up at that, the vigor she just had a moment ago returning in full force. “Thanks Blackjack, I’ve been dying to try out the new SATS mods!” The joy at which the view screen pony shouted made Blackjack cringe back a little but she kept her smile. “Come to the lab, I can do the tests now.”
Blackjack nodded, this was the perfect escape from the dinner. “Sorry, Rampage can’t finish dinner today, put it in the fridge okay? Apple Bloom needs me.” Rampage raised an eyebrow at that but before the mare could protest Blackjack was already running down the hall.
“Blackjack remember you have magic training today! This is your last lesson!” Lacunae exhaled as her student disappeared down the dark tunnels of their hideout. “Ah, what will I do with that girl.” she shook her head exasperatingly.
“You need to beat her ass more Luu Luu” Rampage advised through bites of meat.
“I’m not her mother, I’m her teacher.”
“Shittt! Girl the way you talk to her sounds like your are one day away from grounding her! I haven’t seen you talk to another like that since your last student.” Rampage caught the glimpse of Lacunae's saddening expression, she had been around the Alicorn enough to spot the subtle changes in her deadpan stare. “But she isn’t Luu Luu, she’s much different.” the striped mare added.
“Yes. She’s different in so many ways, yet so like her. I hope when the time comes Blackjack doesn't falter as she did.” A critical moment was approaching, Blackjack was going to face her toughest challenge yet. All Lacunae could do was hope her faithful student was ready for what was ahead because if she wasn’t she too would be either destroyed or become broken.
The lair the mares now called ‘home' was a repurposed underground bunker, one of many created around the Hoof, with enough amenities for an entire platoon. During the war, Hoofington was the main target for the enemy, this led to Equestria’s government deciding it was a safer option to construct a lot of important assets in a vast series of tunnels that ran hundreds of miles deep, and the demon mares found the perfect one.
Nestled on the northwest of the city’s tunnels, their lair was connected to only a few other tunnels and whose only entrance from the surface was a destroyed listening post. The bunker wasn't anything to write home about, two barracks rooms, a locker room, a radio office turned Charity’s office, a gym turned training room and a kitchen/rack room.
The room Apple Bloom called her lab was an old medical area that had been converted into a more general sciences room, there were still signs of the old medical center with med beds and scanning equipment scattered around, but the area clearly had been redesigned. A set of workbenches and metal forges lined the front wall, and piles of scrap metal, and robot parts lay in an eastern corner of the room, in the center of the room a silver metal table stood. From the ceiling, several spider-like arms extended toward the table below, with various devices such as a saw blade and injection needle on them.
“Alright Sugarcube, let’s get this business on the road.” The gleeful accent of the mare’s voice boomed from speakers in the corners of the room.
Placing herself on the table and turning to look up at the spider-like limbs, a sense of unease hit Blackjack. She had been in this position before, going through several of these operations, but no matter how many times she did the feeling that those arms would rip her apart never went away. But she fought to keep that unease to herself, never allowing Apple Bloom to know it.
“So Bloomie, what’s the mods your installing?” Blackjack hoped some small talk would take her mind off the limbs of death above her.
“Oh! I decide to redo SATS to make it faster to activate, and it can now target more specific parts of a target like say the Cutie Mark or the eye pupil. I’ve also added a system that will tell you how hurt ponies around you are, for letting yall know who to shoot more.” An arm with a wire at the end lowered itself down toward Blackjack’s left forehoof, a compartment on the hoof opened showing a collection of ports embedded into it.
The wire connected with a small blue port and in an instant Blackjack’s vision was filled with numbers that she seldom understood. “The mods should take 30 minutes to install, but the limb upgrades will take an hour.”
“What are the limb upgrades anyway?”
“Oh, it’s a new Stealth Buck system along with grappling hooves for ya. Should make getting out of a spot easy for ya honeypie.”
Another limb extended down, this one having a drill that lower to blackjack’s left forehoof. The cyber mare simply laid back and tried to relax as the drill undid bolts in her arm. “So do you think this will help me beat Dawn?” The thought hung on the mare’s mind. She had given her remaining eye, limbs, and some organs to become this cybernetic creature, all in hopes that it could beat the Angel of the Harbingers.
Apple Bloom took note of the mare’s doubtfulness and tried to reassure her the best she could. “ those cyber pony addons are my best work, I used both Deus and Dawn’s model for yours. Your gonna do fine sugarcube, You’re the Deomh, Demon?”
“Daemon stellarum.” Blackjack corrected her, laughing a bit. “Sorry I got a hard Zebra name.”
“Well, hon you're the deadliest thing outside of Rampage. Y’all will do just fine when the brawling starts and you will kick that Prophet's can while saving your wife.” Blackjack smiled at that, the happy upbeatness of the A.I. always brought up the mood no matter what. “Plus I got a score to settle with a certain A.I., got something cooking for her when the fighting starts.”
She didn’t quite know what that last part meant but Blackjack just relaxed and let the arms from the ceiling do their work “For all of this I’m going to make it worth it.
Mods:
Underground Bunker: New player home! An Underground bunker that lets you store weapons, supplies, and companions when needed.
Apple Bot: A friendly loveable new companion, Apple Bot! Comes along with several implants and upgrades!