The mystery woman hurtled into the room and slammed her weapon down on the flamer-wielding man’s right shoulder. His armor crumpled, bones shattered, and the man fell to the ground in a screaming heap. He wasn't in pain for much longer though as the woman drew her hammer back and crushed his skull against the ground in a single titanic slam.
Utilizing the moment of terror and confusion that had fallen over them, Twilight surged forward and bisected the incinerator-wielding soldier with a crackling, lightning-wreathed claw. She took a shot to the side from the sole remaining recruit before grabbing the human in her magic and dragging him over to her. The deathclaw met him halfway, and sliced him from shoulder to hip, cutting off his arms and digging deep bloody trenches in his torso.
The riflemen flanking Vulpes fell back alongside their commander, firing shots at Twilight and the new arrival. Both simply shrugged off the attacks, with Twilight ignoring the pain that bloomed in her side while the stranger got lucky and was only hit on her heavily armored chest. Seeing an opening, Janey dropped the collar, and drew her pistol, emptying it into the rifleman attacking Twilight.
Though almost every single shot was absorbed by the heavy armor he wore, one lucky round punched through his cheek and out the back of his throat. With blood pouring into his lungs, the rifleman dropped his weapon and clutched at his neck, desperately trying to stem the flow. Though he had lost almost all of his soldiers in a matter of seconds, Vulpes remained collected, firing his automatic ten millimeter pistol at Janey.
The courier threw herself to the side the moment she saw the gun aimed at her, though she was too late to avoid all of the incoming fire. Three rounds dug into her legs, a fourth into her gut and a fifth caught her in the shoulder though the rest went wide or bounced off her armor. Landing in a heap, Janey bit her lip and muffled the cry of agony that was so desperate to spill from her.
A loud bang dropped the final rifleman to his knees, the shot blowing through one of his kneecaps. The moment he hit the ground, the mystery woman struck him with a sideways two-handed strike, nearly taking his head clean from his shoulders. Dead before he even hit the ground, the legionnaire released one final gurgle before falling still.
Vulpes growled and turned his gun on the hammer-wielding woman only to have the weapon wrenched from his grip by a strange glowing field. Twilight took the submachine gun from her magic and crushed it in one mighty, clawed hand.
“Give up,” Twilight ordered. “There is no point in resisting.”
“Hmmm, I suppose there isn't,” Vulpes mused.
“What are you doin'?” demanded the new arrival. “Scum like him don't deserve to live.”
“But scum like her, do,” Twilight replied, gesturing to Janey. “Help her while I tie up our new prisoner.”
“And if I don't surrender?” Vulpes asked.
“I’ll rip off your arms and beat you to death with them,” Twilight growled back.
For once, the legion soldier lost his usual bravado, as well as his seemingly permanent cocky smile
“Fine,” he muttered, raising his hands. “I know when I am bested.”
Boone strolled into the room, rifle on his shoulder, and a frown on his face.
“I would be disappointed you took him prisoner if I wasn't unsurprised,” Boone remarked. “This one ain't like those other legion fucks though. He’s a real ideologue, not just some brainwashed kid with a machete.”
“We can lecture Princess here later. For now, help me staunch the bleeding,” interrupted the woman.
Boone threw his rifle over his back and crouched down next to Janey.
Seeing that her courier friend was in good hands. Twilight used her magic to retrieve the collar from the other side of the room. She then tossed it at the feet of Vulpes.
“Put it on,” Twilight ordered.
“You can't be serious,” Vulpes retorted.
“I am, but first now that I’m thinking about it. Hold still,” Twilight pressed.
Vulpes stood there, too confused to do anything.
A moment later everything he was wearing above his waist was removed, torn into a million pieces by a glowing aura.
“Now put it on,” Twilight ordered.
“How did you do that?” Vulpes muttered in confusion, glancing down at his now naked arms.
“Because I’m a princess, bitch,” Twilight retorted. “Now put it on!”
Vulpes reluctantly did as he was told, the man standing there, stripped to his waist with a slave collar fastened around his throat.
“Ha, good one Princess,” Janey muttered.
“Please don't talk. You have been shot. Repeatedly I might add,” Twilight pointed out.
“This might just be the med-ex talking but I’m pretty sure I’ll be fine,” Janey replied.
“She will be,” Boone stated. “The stim packs are doing their work, but she should still see a real doctor unless she wants to end up with a limp. Or worse.”
“That's good,” Twilight exclaimed, glancing expectantly at the dark-skinned woman.
“I can tell you wanna talk,” the sledgehammer wielder replied, gesturing to Vulpes. “But now ain't the time. ‘Specially if we’re gonna be takin that shit heap with us.”
“Right,” Twilight agreed.
Boone grabbed Janey by the shoulders and lifted her back up. Once on her own two feet, the courier swayed briefly before seemingly stabilizing herself. Giving them a thumbs up and a goofy smile, Janey stumbled back towards the exit.
“I’ll come back to loot these fuckers later. For now, let's just go get that drink I mentioned,” Janey exclaimed.
“So we’re doing this. We’re really bringing Vulpes in, alive,” Boone half asked half stated.
“I don't like it any more than you do,” stated the dark-skinned woman. “But I know better than to argue when the princess gets a bee in her bonnet.”
Twilight grinned from ear to ear.
“How revolting,” Vulpes muttered bitterly.
“Don't mean we can't rough him up a little though,” added the mystery woman, punching Vulpes in the bread basket with enough force to briefly lift him into the air.
Twilight rolled her eyes, and though she wanted to admonish Applejack for her wanton act of violence, the deathclaw resisted. She also resisted her own urge to do worse to him, her mind already imagining what it would be like to tear him limb from bloody limb while he was still alive. The strange, animalistic part of Twilight reveled in this idea and pressed her to imagine how he may taste.
A firm shake of her head dismissed those thoughts from Twilight's mind and she glanced down at the dry heaving man lying face down on the ground.
“Alright, get up. We’re bringing you to…” Twilight paused. “Wait, where would we be bringing him to? We can't leave him in Novac.”
“Ranger Station Charlie is the closest and most secure location in the area,” Boone replied, stooping low and grabbing a small electronic device from the ground. “Good. He kept the detonator.”
“I’ll trust you not to accidentally sit on it,” Twilight remarked.
“I’ll try not to, but no promises,” Boone shot back with a smirk.
“Wonderful,” Vulpes muttered between gasps. “Now my executioner is some weakling profligate and not a sapient monster.”
“At least he got the sapient part right,” Twilight murmured to herself.
“Get moving ya varmint,” growled the strange woman.
“And keep in front of me where I can see you,” Boone ordered, gesturing towards the exit “One wrong step out of line and I will turn that neck of yours into a smoking crater.”
Vulpes grumbled but reluctantly did as he was ordered, leaving Twilight alone with who she assumed was a dear friend.
“You are Applejack, right?” Twilight asked somewhat hesitantly.
“I go by Jack these days, but yeah. I’m her,” Applejack replied, opening her arms. “Bring it in, princess.”
Twilight surged forward and picked the smaller female right off the ground and gave her a bone-crushing hug. Jack gave one right back, the pair nearly squeezing the life out of each other before Twilight finally relented and put the woman back down.
“Stars above am I happy to hear that. I was beginning to lose hope of finding any of the girls!” Twilight exclaimed.
“The feeling’s mutual, but how about we continue this conversation after we’re outta this blasted vault and on the road?” Jack asked. “I’d feel a might bit better if I could keep an eye on that snake in the grass Vulpes and I ain't a fan of enclosed spaces.”
“Agreed,” Twilight stated.
The pair set off, making their way back through the vault and to the entrance, where they found the other three waiting for them. Vulpes stood in front, the man sporting a shiny new black eye, and several broken fingers.
“He tried to grab a gun,” Boone remarked flatly.
“I still say we should just amputate his hands,” Janey added. “Let's see him do much of anything without any goddamn fingers.”
Vulpes glared bitterly at the pair but remained silent.
“That's a bit much much… well actually,” Twilight thought only to shake her head. “No. He's no threat now.”
“Get moving, scum,” Boone spat.
Vulpes trudged angrily out of the vault and towards the distant exit, Boone and Janey hot on his heels. Twilight and Jack took up the rear, following the other trio closely until they emerged out into the world once more, and began to make their way towards the road. By then the sun had begun its descent towards the west, passing over the highest point in the sky and marking the time as mid-afternoon.
“So,” Twilight eagerly began. “Tell me everything about what happened since you got here!”
“Everything? That's gonna take a while,” Jack muttered.
“Oh? I’m assuming you’ve been on a fair number of adventures as well then,” Twilight exclaimed.
“I wouldn't call what I went through a bloody adventure,” Jack spat, with a scowl.
“Sorry. I didn't mean to imply it was easy or anything it's just well, you know,” Twilight replied with a shrug.
“I get ya,” Jack murmured. “Before getting dropped here all we knew was adventure. Saving Equestria from Discord, Sombra, never mind the pony who started it all, Nightmare Moon.”
Twilight smiled.
“Weird to think it ended with us in a place like this,” Jack murmured.
Twilight nodded her agreement.
The deathclaw was about to press her friend to continue the story, only for a thought to occur to her.
“Wait, why didn't you seek me out sooner? From what I understand our broadcast was sent across the wasteland,” Twilight asked somewhat hesitantly. “I know you don't have a pip boy but well…”
“To start with, yes I heard it,” Jack began.
Twilight had to physically bite her tongue to stop herself from pressing Applejack any harder. The strained expression on the dark-skinned woman’s face told of an inner conflict, one that Twilight didn't want to rush.
“It came over the radio once when I stopped in at Freeside,” Jack remarked. “I knew right then and there that it was you. Nobody else would challenge the whole damn Mojave to a fight and mean every last word.”
“Then why didn't you search for me? You must have known we’d be headed towards Novac,” Twilight pressed.
“I’ve had my own damn problems thank you very much,” Jack shot back, only to sigh. “It was just nice knowin' you were out there somewhere, rightin' wrongs, and beatin' the bad guys like the old days.”
“But-”
“I’m getting there,” Jack shot back, holding up a hand. “I didn't seek you out cus yer a goddamn magic deathclaw Twilight. You may not be an alicorn anymore but you're still the toughest bastard this side of the colorado.”
“I’ll have you know I was born in wedlock,” Twilight stated. “Shining Armor though… not so much.”
“I.. really?” Jack stopped and chuckled. “Well, now you done knocked the wind right outa my sails.”
“If you want I can pretend I didn't say that,” Twilight offered.
“Nah,” Jack dismissed. “I’m just gonna cut right to the heart of the matter.”
The woman sighed deeply.
“Frankly, I was mad at you,” Jack admitted.
“What?” Twilight asked, confused.
“I don't see hide nor hair of you after all this time, and then you just pop up outta nowhere like nothing ever happened. I thought you were dead. I thought all the girls were dead and then I found out you were alive this whole time and you never sought me out?” Jack exclaimed, arms wrapping about her midsection. “It was devastating.”
“What are you talking about? I started looking for you the moment I got here,” Twilight shot back.
“What? How could you lie to my face like that? We both know that isn't true!” Jack yelled, stopping and facing the deathclaw.
“Appleja-”
“Just Jack,” Jack Interrupted.
“Jack,” Twilight exclaimed in a soft tone. “I know you don't have the element anymore but I also know you can see right through me when I try to lie.”
“Where ya going with this, pardner?” Jack demanded.
“Just trust me okay, trust me when I say that I started searching the second I escaped that bunker and found out where I was,” Twilight stated.
“I believe you, but what is this about a bunker?” Jack asked.
“I was trapped in some kind of underground facility, I woke up there,” Twilight explained. “I couldn't get out on my own at first but thankfully I was able to talk Janey into helping me escape.”
“The courier. She helped you of her own free will,” Jack asked, incredulously.
“Yeah. She let me out and we’ve been traveling ever since,” Twilight pressed. “I know I haven't made the best time getting here from Goodsprings but I couldn't just, not help those folks. You know me, it isn't in my nature.”
“Wait wait wait,” Jack interrupted, waving her hands. “How long were you stuck down there?”
“I don't know. A few hours, I think. But I was in this big machine before that, so I’m not sure,” Twilight muttered.
“Twilight, I’ve been here for years,” Jack stated.
“What?” Twilight murmured, her shoulders falling slack.
“You’ve been in some kinda stasis thing or something,” Jack replied. “I’ve been fightin’ to survive out here for going on… shoot. Two, two and a half years?”
“N-no. That can't be true,” Twilight muttered. “We’ve only been here a month or two.”
Jack shook her head.
“Think back to that machine, what did it look like?” Jack asked.
“There were six tubes, two against each of the three walls,” Twilight murmured, eyes closed. “They were big enough to hold a manticore and in the middle of them there was this operating table thing.”
“You were in some kind of cryo whatever,” Jack remarked with a shrug. “I don't know the specifics or whatever but it musta kept you asleep until something failed. If I’m gettin the jist of things, it seems like this Janey girlie drew power away from whatever was keepin' ya under.”
“Which would explain why I woke up right before she showed up,” Twilight reasoned.
“Eeyup, that's what I’m thinkin',” Jack declared.
“Two years,” Twilight muttered. “I can't believe it's been that long. The girls could be anywhere by now.”
“Hey, we survived, didn't we? I’m sure they’re out there, somewhere,” Jack exclaimed.
“Right, and now we can search for them together!” Twilight proclaimed excitedly.
“No can do pardner,” Jack replied. “I’m looking for somethin’ even more important.”
“More important than our friends?” Twilight pressed.
“I’m looking for my daughters Twilight,” Jack answered grimly. “They got taken from me after I escaped the legion. Sick fucks welded this thing on before I left.”
Jack tapped her collar twice in emphasis.
“But you didn't have a special somepony when we were in Equestria… oh no,” Twilight whispered.
“I didn't much have a choice in the matter of me having kids or not,” Jack retorted. “But I’ll be damned if I don't give those two girls a choice.”
“I’ll help you,” Twilight immediately offered. “I’m sure with Janey and I, we could find them in no time!”
“Look I appreciate seein' ya again. Really, I do. And I appreciate the offer to help but yer about as conspicuous as a pissed-off hydra,” Jack shot back. “I can't have you helpin’ me.”
“But I’ve got my magic back. Maybe I could figure out how to cast some kind of divination spell or something,” Twilight urged.
“Twi. Do you really think you could do that?” Jack pressed back.
“Well, maybe I could… I mean if I…” Twilight sighed. “No, I can't. I’m basically back to magic kindergarten. I can barely cast anything stronger than telekinesis.”
“It's sure as heck more than what most folk can muster,” Jack remarked. “And I don't mean to poke ya, I ain't mad. Not anymore, anyway. It's just that you’d spook ‘em and if they went to ground again I may not get a lead like this again.”
“I know,” Twilight murmured. “I just… I can't believe we’re splitting up so soon.”
“Oh come on. We ain't splittin' up that quick,” Jack replied, punching Twilight in the shoulder. “We got a few hours to kill. Plenty of time to catch up.”
“I suppose. I just wish it didn't have to be this way,” Twilight added with a soft huff.
“Hey, look at this way. We each got our missions. You’ve gotta find our friends, I gotta find my girls and when we get it done, we can start tryin' to figure out a way home,” Jack offered.
“True,” Twilight admitted. “Say, you don't happen to remember anything about right after we arrived do you?” Twilight asked, the deathclaw turning and starting to walk again.
Jack followed after her.
“There wasn't much. Just these weird machines, some kinda great big crater, and what looked like a floating TV with these long spindly arms,” Jack answered with a shrug. “Honestly I ain't so sure I didn't dream up the whole damn thing.”
“And after that?” Twilight inquired.
“After that, I woke up on the wrong side of the Colorado River. Ran for a bit, fought for a bit, and then… I lost,” Jack murmured. “But in the end, I got out. Lost all the friends I made along the way but me and the girls, we got outta that hell hole in one piece.”
“What happened to them, your girls that is, after that?” Twilight pressed.
“We trusted the wrong folk, and my girls and I nearly got sold back,” Jack murmured wistfully, her gaze distant and unfocused. “I didn't have much of a choice but to trust them snake in a grass assholes, but it still does irk me to know that they took advantage of me like that.”
“The legion… then me hanging that slaver may have ruined everything,” Twilight whispered in shock.
“Nah. If anything you helped. They’re gonna think twice before they try to contact the legion and they’ll be avoidin’ the major settlements,” Jack remarked. “You may not have helped much on that one, but you sure didn't hurt us none either.”
“Oh, okay,” Twilight muttered.
“Buck up Twi,” Jack declared, gently slapping Twilight on the shoulder. “This Boone fella seems like a real stand-up guy, and he hates the legion somethin' fierce. He’ll be good help.”
“I have no doubt he will. He’s quite the shot,” Twilight replied.
“No kidding. Took that legion fuck’s brain pan clear outta his head,” Jack added with a chuckle. “Better than that shit deserved, but at least he ain't out there making the world a worse place anymore.”
“Y-yeah,” Twilight murmured, only to perk up. “Wait, we could meet back up at Goodsprings when this is all over! I own the old school house there and you could stay for as long as you want. It's a great little community. It reminds me a bit of Ponyville, in a strange way.”
“Goodsprings eh?” Jack mused. “I only ever passed through that place. Didn't even stay long enough to see the inside of the local watering hole. I’ll make sure to stop a little longer this time.”
“Oh wait, how will you get in contact with me though?” Twilight asked.
“You’re a ten-foot tall talkin', magic usin deathclaw. It's hard not to know where yer at,” Jack retorted. “Now enough of all this serious talk. I want you to tell me all about this Janey girl. Something about her just don't sit quite right.”
“Well…” Twilight began.