//------------------------------// // Chapter One: The Blurry Room and The Bloody Fight // Story: Fallout Equestria: Broken Hourglass // by EquestrianAlchemist //------------------------------// ~ Chapter One ~ The Blurry Room and The Bloody Fight ~~Prologue~~ My story... isn't a hard one too understand. With how the Equestrian Wasteland is, things just like too get in your way, whether it was buckshot, energy bolt, or grenade. Hell, you where lucky to live past 18. I was lucky many many times over, why I am alive right now is beyond me The Wasteland took its toll on me, I had heard of few others who actually had been through much much worse and I don’t pride myself for surviving while these others didn’t. I came from an old tribal settlement outside of Trottingham. Stable 601 was there and had opened its doors to any survivors six years before I born. It was easy living, our biggest problems where Alicorn stragglers other then that it was your usual bandits and creatures of the wasteland. Trottingham wasn't one of those high military Targets during the war, allowing those who lived at the time actually survive in bunkers, Stable 601 was a precaution if the Zebra-Caesar thought it would be a good idea too bomb any city larger then Ponyville. Stable 601 was closed when the bombs fell like any other Stable, no bombs where any particular threat, but we weren’t exactly “safe”, radiation still poured and buildings where destroyed. Being one of the LESS irradiated cites north of what is left of Canterlot, Trottingham became a hub for the northern tribals despite differences they came together and formed New Trottingham. Stable 601 became the central zone of trade and commerce as well as Government or at least what we called a Government. The surrounding buildings had been cleared and scantily rebuilt for settlers. Any family living in the stable was kicked out and forced to live in the buildings, it sucked for them I had been used to it as well as any other tribals that lived outside of stables. The good news about having a stable in the city where pipbucks, when I was of age I was offered one but I didn’t take it. They give them to you when you find your cutie mark, and I hated mine anyways. New Trottingham was a lucky break for the north, hardly any radiation and the Stable supplied fresh water. With that came problems like raiders and Steel Rangers who by the name became glorified raiders. No one ever really opened the doors for Steel Rangers, course north of canterlot they weren’t a problem. I could swear the last place I remembered being was at home, asleep and safe in my bed. Time however likes to throw you for a loop as my story begins with a Blurry room and a Bloody fight. ~~~~~~~~~1~~~~~~~~ Blurry... colors dripped into one another, bright and vibrant but almost demented as if it was painted that way. I could feel the hard rusted metal against my side, I was laying down my legs curled up close to my underbelly which felt warm and surprisingly relaxing. Laying in this disgusting cage dripping with water. My captives had just given us all a hose bath of irradiated water. Good thing too, it was starting too smell like a ponies hind-quarters in here, which didn’t change much now it just smelt like wet-pony hind-quarters. My eyes lazily peaked out around through the bars, my captives had me high on almost every single drug they could muster up. I was not an easy stallion too keep down, I had killed two of there new recruits during initiations. Young colt and an adult mare, the mare wasn’t bad looking before she dove are me with double bladed knife in her mouth. I hit on her, she didn’t think it was so noble of me, leaving me with scar across shoulder of my left fore-leg. I honestly felt no remorse for killing them, kill or be killed that's how it is in the wasteland (coming from a sheltered mamma’s boy who hadn’t killed anything till now!). The fighting ring they had us kill each other in was surrounded by crude wooden spikes jutting inward, pushed too far out during your fight you’re impaled, blood and sand covered the ground and pony heads covering some spikes. I would have nightmares of the gruesome faces left on those skulls. One that stuck with me after the first fight was of a filly, spike obliterating her skull jutting out from the top of her scalp, brain oozing out of the cracks, her tongue bloated and hanging out like some ripe red and green fruit. Some skulls varied in age from decay and age at death. The youngest was that filly, I imagined her life before she was killed so someone could join these ponies if they could be called that anymore. I shifted gently the world spinning more then it should have, I tried to concentrate on the cages lock and yet in vain not a single twitch. One extra special drug they cooked up kept unicorns from using magic. Magic needs some kind of concentration, I couldn’t even focus on my own breathing. If I was completely healthy I could have escaped, I had a few extra tricks in my mane other then the normal magic shield and telekinesis. Yet in my current status, I was about as magically inclined as a new born earth pony. I heard a whistle from the other side of the room, my captors where talking over a bar, around six of them, the usual raider armor, left over tires, leather and anything they could find that could suit for them. Four mares and two stallions, each with his or her own weapon, two had combat shotguns, one had an assault carbine, the rest had double sided blades. The pony who whistled was walking towards the our rusty little cages, an ugly look in her eyes and missing a few teeth at that. I certainly wont be hitting on that one. “Hey, I’m fucken bored how about we pit our favorite little unicorn against.... him!”, she pointed a fore hoof at a lump of an earth pony, Bronzer was his name and he was my friend from my caravan days before we where captured. A fellow guard we watched over Golden Glows Caravan until the day she died and we where captured. Its no surprise he survived the attack though. Bronzer stood up, he was thick broad and could kick my ass till I wasn’t anything but a bloody stain. Lucky for me, I was there favorite unicorn and I was screwed. “Fuck..” I breathed out still unable to fully move. *~* They had released Bronzer at gun point, and dragged me by the hooves into the little sand arena they had outside. I could barley stand, drugs where at there worst at night that's when they really shove it into my system just to keep me asleep. I knew if I ever got out of this alive, I would need immediate medical attention,I was forcefully addicted to the atomic cocktails they feed me with the refuse food they didn’t serve. “Alright you two! Were short a few members, and we need more then just one of ya. Seeing that your both the more able fit and killed more of our own then most do in a day we are going to need fuckers like you” A purple earth pony with what looked like an end table on his flank. I felt sorry for him, the raider look didn’t suit, I stressed a snicker and started coughing. The pony began talking again, “As you have guessed only one of you lives the other gets to join, and if you don’t want too, hell we blow your head off” he spit at us, Bronzer flinched but reared back giving them a spiteful sneer. “My money is on the big one!” “Ya kidding? That unicorn looks like a fruit, but he sure as hell is deadly with the magic” “Oh he’s so high he probably can’t tell where up is! Besides the big one could buck a tree in half. It would take a fucken miracle for that sorry unicorn to win.” It was sport to them, I looked at Bronzer. I quickly realized I was coming off my high, I would need more if I was going to survive the night, IF I survived this. My body shook, as I lifted my heavy head. Bronzer just looked at me, sad but he knew what he had to do and I didn’t blame him. Godesses have mercy on my soul, I knew this was going to be a painful night. Before I could realize what had happened, Bronzer bull rushed me towards the spikes, I fell back feeling something strain in my body and the breath escape my lungs. It was easy too kill someone like me and I almost let him. I stabbed at him with my horn, I was a young adult and my blood line allowed for an extra pointy horn. The only thing I was glad my family gave me other then life. My breathing shuddered as I tumbled over barley missing the spikes that waited to taste pony flesh. I stood before Bronzer could rush again, my head low and my horn pointed towards him. We circled each other, pacing hoping for the opportune moment to strike. I could feel my lungs shudder with each inhale. I winced, I couldn’t stand coming off the drugs they pumped into me, I wished for death and I felt like my wish was coming true. He looked down I could swear I saw he didn’t want to do this like he didn’t want to kill me. We worked with Golden Glow for about a year before this happened, I believed we had become good friends. I stopped and lifted my head I didn’t want to fight and the drugs wouldn’t let me fight properly even if I could. I tried to speak I genuinely cared and wanted us to live. Bronzer took my sympathy as as a sign too strike, the bronze pony bolted towards me I stumbled as he swiveled on his fore-legs and bucked me square into chest. The last time I ever let my guard down for any pony I would ever sympathize for, setting me down the path of the raider. As I flew back, my rib cage felt like it had caved in, my lungs lost every gasp of air it struggled too take in. I hit the hard sand and slid against a spike, my breathing coarse, my chest heaved back and forth. This pain surged my body to seize up and allow death too take me, “dad.... help me.” I hadn’t even realized I was speaking out loud. I curled up around myself, Bronzer stood over me a look in his eyes I had never seen before. My previous thoughts bashed, he wanted me dead and I had no idea why. Bronzer was never the kind of pony to just go around killing senselessly, in fact out of the three of us Me, Bronzer and Golden Glow he had the most compassion for ponies. Golden Glow and him had a thing, she was a very beautiful mare, yellow of course with a small smiling sun on her flank. When we where attacked and Glow had been killed he was a changed pony. We hadn’t spoken since, why they kept us alive is beyond me. I miss that yellow pony as much as he does, she had a way about her that made caravaning in the Equestrian Wasteland a little less bleak. Now Golden Glow is gone, and Bronzer is a shell of himself, allowing the raider mentality to leak in and corrupt his soul. I was brought out of my thoughts as the rip roaring noise of raider ponies arguing, shouting curses and wanting my death painful. Some talked about how they wasted caps for betting on me. I felt a swift kick against my jaw, my old friend had begun kicking me while I lay helplessly in agonizing pain. It was unbearable and worth some heartache too see an old friend beating me to death with his hooves. Suddenly a sharp pain; the feeling of injection seared my flank, I hadn’t been given this drug before, I twitched as it began working too numbing the pain as I began seeing red. I reacted to Bronzer in a way I hadn’t before, I jumped up at him slicing his breast with my horn, a fine line of red appeared as he jumped back, his face changing from triumph into fear. My breathing became heavy, all over I felt a tingling sensation reaching from my hooves to the ends of my mane. My eyes tunneled in on Bronzer, I let out a cry of pain and hate as I flew at him. “Hey! Who's the dumb-fuck that gave Unicorn Rage?!... That's cheating and you sure as shit know it Dragon Tongue” The voice of the purple Pony yelled, more ponies began yelling back and forth as I rushed Bronzer to the ground. *~* “Wait!... please I beg you!.. don’t hurt me, we can figure out a way too escape .. I..I was only playing along, You know I didn’t mean anything by it I swear”. I had picked up a spike with my magic and impaled one of Bronzers back legs into the ground. My magic forced the wooden splinter so far down into the sand and dirt below, Bronzer couldn’t escape no matter how he trashed. My mind raced of ways to end his life, I could feel drool drip from my gaping mouth warm and sweet dripping I wanted the taste of blood. I didn’t want him alive, he turned his back on Golden Glow and if she could see him now she would do what I am doing. I didn’t care if my mind raced with these thoughts, my rage induced thought process. I only wanted him dead. My muzzle twitched, as tears entered Bronzers eyes, “pp..please... ” I stopped shaking, I stopped breathing and drooling, I only stared at him I looked deep into his eyes letting him know his time had come instead of mine. I let out another roar of pain and brought my head down quickly grasping Bronzers neck, he gasped trying too breathe or scream. I bit harder letting my teeth sink below his coat, I could feel my teeth rip into his flesh, I tasted his metallic but sweet blood and ripped my teeth from his neck I could feel his skin and throat in my mouth dripping with his blood. I watched as a pool of blood spread under his neck, a gaping hole spraying the blood at me, I heard him gurgle and squeak in pain, his eyes looking up at me in shock and fear. I had killed him and I would never know if he was telling the truth, but honestly Golden Glow would never had let this happen if she was still with us. The rage began wearing off and Bronzer was still dying slowly. I didn’t hear the pony approach from behind “Lights out for you psycho!” Kraack! I fell over to my side as if my legs gave out, the blunt end of a bat smacked the back of my head being held in the mouth of a raider mare, I passed out almost instantly. *~* I tasted bile as I regained conscious, it felt like my whole body suddenly materialized where I was laying. My chest was sore and the majority of my torso was wrapped in healing bandages, a few crusted blood spots from the looks of it I had been out for at least a day. I rested my head back down realizing the surface I was laying on was warm, I jumped up seeing the small sofa beneath me. Old, crusted and springs jutting out in places but, none the less a sofa and not the bottom of a cage covered in chicken wire. I looked around in the room in front of me, the floors linoleum was cracked and uprooted in places, the walls where charred in areas and large pony head sized holes where scattered around on the walls. Near the back there were groups of stalls torn down with a drape covering a small room, I could swear something moved behind it. I sighed and shifted in the sofa too face the other way, only too stare down the dark metallic tunnels that was a double barrelled shotgun straight at my head. My face dropped and I peaked around too see a mare clutching the shotgun in her mouth, her eyes scanning me, staring me down. I gulped hard, before I could speak the curtain threw itself open, the mare and I looked down at the small creature. A ghoul pony and a colt at that, I had seen ghouls before as customers, raiders, and even mindless zombies bent on eating pony flesh. Judging by his small lab coat and glasses he wasn’t the later ghoul. “Confound it! Dragon Tongue! put down that blasted gun, I just cleaned the floors and I’m not looking too have MORE blood too clean up!” Another thing that was also common, young colt ghouls usually ended up being many many years older then you. He looked about 10 or 7, but was probably around 50 years old? Sure sounded like some old grandpa, and the rotting flesh wasn’t a pleasant sight on such a small body. With how the Equestrian Wasteland is though you get used to the fucked up sights. My mind flashed back to the bloated tongue hanging out of the decapitated filly, I shook my mane and banished the thought from my mind. Dragon Tongue put the shotgun down and just stared at me, her eyes where red along with a few stripes through her mane and tail, she wore a headband to keep her hair back behind her ears. Her skin was spotted, other then the brown dominant color the other color was a white that covered areas like half her right muzzle, and her flank. She had a small orb of flame as a cutie mark, other then the raider armor, dirt and blood she would be a very good looking mare. She just stared at me, and I was beginning too wonder if she was mute up until she spoke, spiting her words at the ghoul colt. “Just making sure fresh meat here didn’t decide too do anything he would regret, goddesses know I try so hard to keep them from leaving”. She moved from one end of the room by trotting around my little sofa bed, her eyes made me feel like fresh meat and she was hungry. The colt sighed and turned to me, “anyways, everyone calls me Doc! I am well the doctor for these sorry excuses of pony life. I healed you after your little fight with that yellow pony, I also cured you of the drugs we stuffed into your system, godesses knows we need able fighters more fit then Lemon Twist and Animal, every single day almost, coming in here like they owned the damn place asking me to get rid of their addiction. So I will tell you what I tell them, don’t take any drugs or you may just kill yourself on the wrong dosage”. He circled me and found the beginning of the bandages and unwrapped me. “Too much of anything can kill you ya’know? Some ponies don’t understand.. but I digress”. After the bandages where gone he noticed my flank, “That's mark where have I seen it before... old hat if you ask me I think I may be going senile”. I looked down at my cutie mark, I cared little for that mark, and I only wished it would go away like my previous life in New Trottingham. “Also that horn of yours will be usable in about a week, so rest it up and then your out on the field like every other asshole who lives here under bosses rule. Now then your total for health care and rehabilitation comes too about... 300 caps!”. The Ghoul smiled at me, ugh oh goddesses what a smile, damn thing could make a manticore hide in fear. I gaped at them both and stood up, “So y’all raiders capture me, steal every last fucken bottle cap I owned keep me drugged for days on goddesses know what! In a chicken-wire-floored rusty-to-all-hell cage, have me fight three other ponies, one I knew from before my capture, fix me up to become another bloody no-good raider, THEN fix me up only to be a greedy little bugger and swindle me into paying ya for it”? I bore down on the colt ghoul, he looked up at me surprised he staggered back “you have a northern accent?”. It was like he hadn’t listened to a word I said, I plunged back down against the sofa, soft cloud of dust rose up around me. Dragon Tongue spoke up soon afterwards, “hes got a point there Doc, one you won’t be able too use the caps anyways, hint: we don’t buy things we can steal and you never leave the building anyways, so lay off. But it was nice to see you get chewed out like that, specially with that accent made it all the hotter”. I groaned, loud and turned away from the two of them, again the fuck with my accent. Doc sighed “it was worth a shot, that's fine anyways no one pays, as long as I get medical supplies every time you go out I don’t have a problem”. The little ghoul trotted to the drape, and looked at me again, “that cutie mark... how did you get it?”. I shot a dark look at it, “for me to know and you too shut the fuck up about it”. He grunted like an old stallion, “just asking, shit.... kids these days” Doc closed the drape behind him and disappeared, I was alone as alone could get with Dragon Tongue. I laid my head down on my forehooves right before I felt Dragon smack my flank with her hoof. “Giddyup fresh meat!, Boss said she wanted to see you once you woke up, so follow me”. Dragon took off, trotting down and out into the corridor. I stood up suddenly my joints feeling sore again after skipping a beat when I verbally assaulted Doc. I didn’t feel sorry for it, and why should I, hes a no good raider doctor. I headed for the door when I saw myself in the cracked mirror, my brown coat was matted in areas covered in blood mixed with sand and other assorted ground textures. I could tell it had been at least a day since I woke up, my mane and tail weren’t groomed properly and it looked like my hair was fading in some areas into a sort of light green from the usual black I was born with. I noticed near my muzzle the blood from Bronzers neck hadn’t been wiped off yet, I felt disgusting I felt like another no good raider. “I want too go home, I want a bath, I want my bed, I want my...” I stopped myself glaring at my cutie mark as I slammed my hoof against the shattered glass. My cutie mark was an hourglass and I loathed it just for being mine. I stepped out and trotted after Dragon Tongue. *~* I had finally caught up with Dragon Tongue, I trotted up along side her as we walked through the dark corridor past old damaged office rooms filled with broken terminals, and cubicles. Some rooms had been cleared out and housed a few ponies, all of which where raiders. One room had at least four of them surrounding a pot of something cooking, I wasn’t real certain what it was, and I honestly I didn’t care to know but the rabbit pelt near the fire gave it away. There was a cool breeze as we past a few broken windows, covered in dust and calcium residue from water damage. I looked out and saw the arena a floor below, it was once a courtyard surrounded in a square by the building that housed it in the middle. What had once been an area for ponies to eat lunch, plan dates, and (I’m sure) commit acts of indecency was now a large arena for raiders and slaves to fight till the death. I turned away only too find Dragon Tongue looking down as well, they had cleaned the arena, Bronzers body was most likely in a hole somewhere or his head ran through with a spike. I watched her looking down at the arena, with melancholy eyes she turned to me and spoke. “Quite a show you put on, had everyone on pins and needles. Up until I injected you with Rage and then the fight turned better for My Favorite Little Unicorn”. Her voice not carrying the same pain her eyes seemed to tell me, I could almost look into her past and see whatever had been done to her made her this indifferent way. I looked back down at the pit my ears dropping, I was being thanked for killing a pony, no not just any pony a dear friend I had spent a year with almost around Equestria trading and fending off raiders like the ones who held me captive here in this building. My eyes glanced over the filly head that haunted my dreams for nights on end in that chicken wire cage. I could feel my chest heave, and my guts squirm against each other I was glad I hadn’t eaten breakfast let alone food. Dragon Tongue continued to look at me, expecting me to talk or say something other then nothing. She tilted her head, “You where talking like a tick in Doc’s Clinic,what changed from there to here?” I looked over at her and realized I hadn’t talked as much as I had back at Golden Glows Caravan, I also tended too ramble a lot about stuff then as well, now I felt like saying anything was a leisure I wasn’t allowed to have until I was free, however I spoke up “what would you have me say?”. Dragon smacked my shoulder with her hoof again “fuck I don’t care strike up a conversation say something!” I didn’t feel like talking, but I did however feel like I was being forced too, “nice weather were having?...” not my best ice breaker and not even a good one at that the Equestrian Wasteland was 20% rain and 100% chance cloud cover, Dragon also knew this and gave me a disgusted look. “What you mean this cloud cover? That shits 24/7 and not getting any better, where are you from a Stable ya’ momma’s boy. Hell you sure fight like you where trained too fight for your life, so as far as I know when it comes to Stables they are a mystery” she huffed back at me. I was glaring the second I heard her insults of where I came from, my body flooded with heat and I was at my peak. “I aint none of those sissy little Stable children! All they did was piss and moan about how they had to share schools with Tribals like my family and I I have had a years worth’a Caravaning under my saddle until you and your little gang of raiders and punks KILLED GOLDEN GLOW AND HAD ME KILL BRONZER!”. I was stepping towards her, she backed up slightly 3 hooves distance from where she was first standing. My body moved on its own and I hated this feeling, hate and rage didn’t feel natural to be expressed through me. “So tell me why talking would make me feel better or why you even want to talk in the first place. You and your stupid bloody group killed the only ponies I cared about. Other then that! I think we are done here” I glared daggers through her face, her stupid beautiful face. She blinked then smiled again, it was that hungry smile she gave me earlier. “Well if you must know big boy, its that accent of yours. Never heard any pony with it before that sounded quite like yours, and honestly its a turn on. Other then that can you blame a mare? So you know, big whoop! I like hearing your voice, and its even better when your angry”. She giggled and my back legs gave out, I was nothing more then her toy, she didn’t care so why should I? I was also comprehending her approach to my backlash. I wasn’t so sure she wasn’t above poisoning my sparkle-cola if I ever had one again... I tasted carrots for some odd reason. “On another note, you got a name Caravan-Stallion?” I blushed hard but then stood up and glared at her. “Yes ah do, and no I ain't going to tell you or anyone, I hated that name then! and I hate it now! So call me whatever you would like, I don’t give two horse Apples”! I trotted past her trying to play off an indifferent approach to her question, and it wasn’t working she saw through it like a bad disguise. I wasn’t sure where I was going but I was going there intently, lost wasn’t such a bad thing to be in. She trotted after me, “okay then, I will think of a name for you hows that?”. I shook my mane and headed down a corridor, I felt teeth clamp onto my tail and pull hard. I whinnied and turned glaring back at her. She gave me a stern look, “Bosses room is this way” Dragon Tongue pointed a hoof down the other way. I trotted after her lead, “Boss hates it when we are late to any meetings”. *~* The bosses room was old like any others, any paint was peeling and any light was filtered through the grossly green colored windows that survived the test of time as best as they could. Her room however lacked a certain quality that other raider homes had, no splayed bodies, and no blood soaked floors and was even organized to boot. The mare near her desk was looking straight at me, she was broad and strong looking. Her slate gray coat could only been seen from her neck up, after that she was wearing what looked like Steel Ranger armor. I had seen many along my travels, but a raider in Steel Ranger Armor was never a likely scene around where our caravan traded through. Although back in New Trottingham the Police Force had three Steel Ranger suits equipped with heavy battle saddles and the New Trottingham Insignia on it. (which by the way was an archers bow in front of what looked like a stain glass window circle) Those from what my father told me didn’t require power armor training. So it was very possible she was once a steel ranger however unlikely, or stole it and had some pony refit it for her, then could have killed that pony afterwards. She spoke finally after what I believe was a staring contest to no end, “So new meat you woke up and I see your looking healthy! I was afraid Doc used the wrong dosage... again... for the third time. Anyways! You have quite the little wrap sheet here!” She picked up papers with her teeth and threw them at me, landing inches away from my hooves. I looked down at them, three where my Caravan registration papers then last two where reports about me along with a few pictures. I gaped, how the hell did this mare get my papers! I wanted answers but I wasn’t sure it was right for me to ask, her machine grenade launcher wasn’t in its offline state. “Ever since you came here to me, you have been like a hellhound claw against my side. For one your the most magically inclined unicorn we have ever had problems with, we had to shove atomic cocktails worth of drugs to keep you out of commission. Not only that; you killed two recruits despite being under the influence of said drugs. Lets not forget that strong Yellow Stallion two nights ago. Your either going to be a great assets or I blow your sorry hide to the moon.” The mare was trotting around her desk. I was beginning to feel like I wasn’t going to get out of here with out some kind of problem. She sighed and returned to her chair, I could hear the steel plated shoes she wore clank against the hard wood floor as she moved, I didn’t feel so good about where I was going to end up after this meeting. “However, I cannot decide to kill you and I cannot ask you to leave. Only she can do those things, cause shes the one who saved you in the first place from ending up like your caravan leader, a bloody mess shot full of holes”. I had a flash back of Golden Glows body laying in the grass in a pool of her own blood, she looked like raw meat, shot full of holes, and dying slowly and painfully until one pony from the raider party shot her in the head, at least he had the decency to end her life quickly. I came back to the now and turned to Dragon Tongue, my care taker and savior from certain death. “Oh yeah I see where this is going” I said to myself, knowing I was fucked, literally! She knew I was her little Unicorn toy and she enjoyed playing with her toy. The mare before me sighed, “but where are my manners, I know quite a bit about you and you know nothing of me. My name is Butterscotch Rum, but the last fool to call me that is six feet under and in tiny little pieces. You and every other shit smeared raider out there calls me boss, you catch my drift...” She looked down at the papers and found the one holding my information as well as the name I went by. I sighed relief when I remember just what I used to call myself after I left home and joined up with the cravaners as a guard. She brought up her head and lifted a brow, “Martyr? that's your name? One word... yet it says you came from... New Trottingham!”. Butterscotch was taken aback and then smiled. “Martyrs not your real name is it? you’re running from something or somepony”. I swallowed hard looking intent and hoping she wouldn’t ask my real name, or why I was so far away from home for. I didn’t like being interrogated and whether or not she was I wasn’t so sure, so I retaliated like I had done moments ago with Dragon Tongue. I swear as I continued talking she would kill me on the spot. “Its none of your business Boss, and what about you? Steel Ranger armor ain't exactly easy to come by in these parts. Something tells me your running away from somepony, or how about .. someponies. I see through you Boss, you did something your elders weren’t too happy about. You probably killed a few before leaving, maybe even all of your fellow Rangers in your outfit. Now your wanted, and being a raider with all your little minions protecting you like this, they can’t get to you. So what if I’m running away from something, isn’t everypony always running away from something in this ruined world the governments before us caused. So don’t question me about why I’m running Butterscotch Rum, my secret and my own.” I glared until my eyes where sore, I immediately regretted calling her by her real name. She looked at me baffled. “Well... shit... smart ass! I don’t know whether to kill you or take you for my own, too bad Dragon Tongue called dibs.” Not the reaction I was looking for in fact its the second that put me to my haunches, I looked at Dragon Tongue, then Butterscotch. “THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH THESE MARES!!” I screamed to myself, “one I ain't that good looking, two I’m wearing rags! Maybe there are just sexually frustrated... and see me as a prime example to set it out on. There are plenty of stallions here!, why go out, kill some ponies looking for one like me”. I shook my mane, “I will be honest, never met anypony as weird as you two”. Butterscotch and Dragon Tongue chuckled in unison, I swear I was being teased for a reason like this. “Besides that kid your right, I left that whole Steel Rangers scene. Saving technology was fine and all but I never got anything cool, nothing tangible for my own use. I told them I wanted out and they said no”. The Ex-Steel Ranger shrugged, “the rest is history and I am here now, with my fellow raiders. I am the leader because I organized them into what they are now, why these where so hard too defeat back at your old caravan raid”. I looked down at my hooves, “you keep bringing up that attack like your proud of it? I’m standing right here, and those two where my friends. Whats too stop me from killing you and your raiders or leaving and getting the Steel Rangers on your ass?” This mare tried my Patience with vigor. “You wont, I know that. Your desperate for some kind of company, who knows when you may be able to find a family or friends after this. Your hurt we know, but we are giving you a chance for another life that you craved since you left home”. She seemed so genuinely compassionate for what happened to me, but she was a raider, no raider I have ever met actually took the time too talk to anypony they could shoot first. I guessed not all raiders where evil, but none the less I was now a raider and so was everypony here but the remaining captives. “As you know the Equestrian Wasteland is a horrible place, and the only thing you or I can do is adapt with it. That's why you see raiders the way they are now, soon not everyone will be able to with hold those old morals. Places like Friendship City or even New Trottingham will fall and be no better then you and I”. She paced back and forth letting me listen to her little speech, as she talked I could feel deep down she was wrong. I could tell she was wrong, but I didn’t get angry or argue against her, I was done with it now all I wanted to do was get a move on and forget my old life. I eventually spoke up,“Boss ma’am, I don’t need to hear this anymore. I understand where your coming from and that's all that matters for now. I am ready to move on with my life, what I once had no longer exists but my name. Martyr reporting in Ma’am”. The mare nodded, “good, now Dragon Tongue will show you the ropes for the remainder of the day, we will have you out of those rags and give you some choice weapons, we had just raided a Gun Runners caravan. It wasn’t easy lost some good ponies (good ponies?) in the whole ordeal, but we came up strong in the end thanks to a EMP grenade for those robots they have following them”. She moved back to her desk and sat down, “you may leave now, we have no further bussiness, I expect you ready for a job in week being since you can’t use your horn and we need more unicorns”. Dragon Tounge lead me out of the room and closed Butterscotch’s door behind us. “Your doing that thing again with your eyes, its making me uncomfortable... in a good way I guess” I turned to see Dragon Tongue doing exactly what I said she was, staring at me with those hungry eyes. “Martyr? That's your name ... doesn’t fit you, but I guess its a name none the less. Before I forget”, she hit me again harder then the last few times. “You got some nerve talking to her like that! I swear I’m not even allowed to call her that and I’m basically like a daughter to that tight assed mare”. We walked down the hallway together heading for the stairs ahead of us, before I could continue past the stairs Dragon Tongue grabbed my rags and pulled me back. She looked at me instead a sadness glistened in her eyes. “I never asked you why did you leave home, I know you said you didn’t want to think about it anymore but I want to know. Is that okay?”, I winced hoping she would remain the brutal kind of raider mare she let me believe she was, these mood swings she kept having where throwing me for a loop. I let out a deep sigh and pulled my self from her grasp, “My father died six months before I left home. My mother wasn’t anymore supportive after his death and I never liked her anyways. I left that place knowing there wasn’t anything more for me at New Trottingham so I became a caravan guard for Golden Glow”. I looked out the broken window behind me, I could see the sky get darker. Behind those clouds Celestias sun was setting, and Luna was rising her moon for the night to begin, I never looked out to the fields of what was left of Equestria. “How did your father... die?” her voice sounded different, softer and .. well cute! I turned back towards Dragon Tongue, “he was the police chief of The New Trottingham Task Force. He was killed in an explosion and saved many ponies before he sacrificed himself for them”. I breathed in, feeling my emotions rise just talking about my fathers death. I fought back tears and calmed my soul from the hurt. “Now, show me the armory Dragon Tongue, please”, she nodded and took off down the stairs, I followed suit, focusing in on her flank allowing my mind wander about how nice it looked forgetting my old life once again. *~* The armory took up the basement of the old office building, Butterscotch wasn’t kidding when she said they had a lot of new little toys. Guns of a large variety scaled the walls from pistols, to a minigun on the far end, it looked broken and old I guessed it didn’t come with the Gun Runner Raid. “What would you normally prefer as a weapon?” Dragon Tongue called from the far end, she had been tending to a large flamer refueling the canisters and wiping of residue near its mouth. I could tell that one was hers, her name also suggested she enjoyed lighting things on fire as much as I enjoyed breathing. “Back at the Guard course I enjoyed the use of sniper rifles, pistols and an energy weapon in case I’m dealing with something bigger then an average raider... no offense”. “None taken” she called back, her eyes still glued to the flamer she babied. I found a nice Anti-Materiel Rifle, it had a white carbon finish, as well as a lighter barrel. The lighter the weapon didn’t matter once my magic came back up. The heaviest I have picked up was a cement block about a foot thick, that was three years ago after I graduated from school. Now something like this shouldn’t be a problem. I found some 50.cal ammo and loaded a saddle bag Dragon Tongue had given me before I entered. I wasn’t much for conversation as I shopped for my new toys, my new mare friend was even way too busy with her flamer so I knew it would be better to leave her be for now. I found twin magnum pistols, and a magical energy pistol to go along with my list of toys. Next on my list was some kind of armor, through the list of things I needed I didn’t want any kind of raider armor. Instead I found something I didn’t suspect. I found some old Veteran Mercenary armor and it fit like a glove for the most part. I quickly got used to wearing anything else but a rag, I hated that rag. My only problem with the armor was that it showed my cutie mark, that stupid hourglass just made me think of my father and his sacrifice for the ponies from that building. I fought myself again and quickly found something else to think about. I turned to Dragon Tongue who had finished cleaning the flamer and waited for me at the door. I trotted up to her and took a pose “looking good no?” I smiled and realized how stupid I may look. All she did was smile and turn towards the door and leave, I put on my saddle bags and followed after her. I hadn’t realized how long we where down in the basement until I looked out the window of the main building, it was dark outside. Small glowing lights across the wasteland, more closer however I could see dark shapes outside guarding the building we where in. Those raiders out there where the ones who would shoot first ask questions later while they split your caps amongst themselves. Then again no raider was any better, soon I would be just like them nothing more then a raider. Dragon Tongue and I moved through the building and stopped in what was once the lunch area for ponies to grab some food. She turned to me, “go get yourself some food alright I know you haven’t eaten in two days so go eat. Not a lot I need you fit for tonight”, I squinted at her the hell she mean by “Fit for tonight”. “Second floor, after you leave the stairs turn left second door on the right”. She trotted off towards the stairs and disappeared behind the corner after the first eight steps. I didn’t hear the pony sneak up on me, “shes an odd mare aint she boyo”. I jumped turning to see the new pony behind me. He was older much older, no raider armor and missing an eye under an eye patch. “Well kid I would suggest eaten fast, she doesn’t like t’wait specially when shes in the mood like this”. The pony walked off leaving me to think about what the fuck just happened. Besides the point these ponies where good at sneaking up on me! I just didn’t understand this, raider ponies weren’t supposed to be this way. Had I seen them as animals rather then ponies like I was, they sure didn’t act compassionate like others. I was ready to scream out as my conflicted beliefs clashed against each other until they where dust. I was suddenly tired as I ate my food, a delicious Rabbit stew and some 200 year old cakes. I ate quickly, but savored having been able to actually eat food since my incarceration as a prisoner. I looked around and found my old cell, as well as the surviving captives, I felt every single one of there eyes on me and my food. I glared back at them that only made me feel hallow, “fucking shit!!” I got up carrying the try of food in my mouth towards the ponies. The backed up scared whimpering and crying, to them I was just another raider and I didn’t blame them. I dropped the plate, “enjoy it cause ya’ll made me loose my appetite”. I ran for the stairs, letting the remaining captive fight for the scraps of food I had given them. I found Dragon Tongues room and opened the door slowly, “oh good your here now close the door behind you like a good pony”. I felt my jaw dislocate and hit the ground from the view I had, did I know this would happen, no actually I am rather stupid when it comes to these things. Dragon Tongue looked up at me from that exposed position and winked, “close the fucking door and get in here!” I quickly complied as the door shut behind me for the night. ** * ** Unknown Level ~ Pipbuck not connected re-trying in 1...2...3..... could not connect re-trying in 1...2...3.....