//------------------------------// // Act 1 - Part 10: Entropy // Story: Fallout Equestria: Souls // by JustMoth //------------------------------// Fallout Equestria: Souls Act 1 - Part 10: Entropy Waste Land Survival Lesson 2: “NEVER GO TO CANTERLOT!” “Hey, Colt, we’re going to take one of the only pegasi in the entire wasteland and bring her to the most deadly place in all of Equestria.” Colt mumbled to herself in a mocking impression of Star Mane’s voice while she purified another bottle of water. It’d only been about eight minutes since the rest of them left, but the young mare had been getting more and more agitated with each bottle she purified. It was clear that she was regretting allowing Lemon to go off without her. “Oh, no, you don’t need to come with her, even though you’re more skilled in fighting than all of us combined.” Colt continued her impression as she started on the last bottle. “You just wait here, and get ready for when we bring her back horribly injured and contaminated with pink cloud!” With a frustrated growl, Colt telekinetically threw the bottle at the ground. It hit with enough force to split the 100 year old plastic, and the water inside quickly drain into the dry soil. “Brilliant.” The blue unicorn said with a face-hoof as she lifted up the nearly empty bottle with her magic. She then wiped the sweat off her forehead with the same hoof and trotted towards Second’s saddle bags. Actually, her whole body was covered in a light sweat. It didn’t look like purifying took that much effort and it wasn’t that hot… Oh, her mane, tail, and cutie mark took on a slight purple tint. I guess there was a virus or something in that water after all. Hopefully, the immune system that she keeps bragging about can handle whatever it is she caught. “You got any water left, Piezo?” Colt mumbled to herself as she sorted through the stallion’s bags with her magic. With a frustrated sigh, she floated out her barding and Zest’s jumpsuit. “Way to go keeping these safe.” She then rolled her eyes. “Of all the ponies Lemon could fall-” A blinding flash of gold cut her short, causing her to drop the clothes in surprise. They were back already? That was faster than I… Ahhhhggg! A horrible pain quickly spread through my sphere of perception, feeling like dark acidic fire! I’m dead, I shouldn’t feel pain! Struggling to focus, all I could perceive was a ball of pink mist dispersing from where the golden flash appeared. Celly must have brought back some of the cloud with her. Was it really strong enough to hurt the dead?! A breeze blew away the pink cloud, and I could focus on the ponies that just reappeared. Celly was standing stock still, with a shocked look of horror on her face. Beside her was Second. He had blood spattered along the left side of his head down to his chest, but he wasn’t cut or injured anywhere that I could see. A short distance in front of them was Zest, kneeling down next to… oh no! Brass lay on his side, barely breathing. His tan skin was dripping with a pink liquid that burned my perception stronger than the cloud. A horrible gash ran along his barrel, spilling his insides onto the ground. No, He wasn’t directly on the ground of the clearing. There was a jagged slab of pavement under him, and… Oh fuck no… His skin was fused with the cement he was lying on. The intestines that had fallen out of him were now indistinguishable from surface of the pavement. Even the iron shackle that he wore was partially melted into his skin and the concrete below it. It was like that horrible hoof that Thundering had under glass, but this was a whole pony… and he was still alive! …And where was Star Mane? “Mistress!” Colt screamed out, galloping towards the yellow pegasus. Lemon didn’t react to Colt’s yell. She continued to kneel next to Brass with her head down, tears streaming from her eyes, repeatedly sobbing “No, please no, please…” It wasn’t until Colt gently put a hoof on Lemon’s shoulder that the yellow mare noticed she was there. She turned looked at the younger mare with an expression of terrible saddens, but then her eyes suddenly widened. “Colt!” Zest sprang to her hooves and faced her with a desperate look. “You can fix this! You can heal him!” “What?” Colt backed away in shock. “Use your magic to heal him! Quick!” Lemon screamed. “Zest…” Hoof said in a calming tone as he stepped towards them. “Colt doesn’t have that kind of magic. Even a super healing potion couldn’t save-“ “No, she does!” Zest cut Second off and waved a hoof franticly at Colt. “Her special talent is taking toxins away from somepony and into herself! She can get rid of the pink cloud in him!” You promised to keep that a secret! Colt staggered back, looking devastated. “Mistress…” “You are my slave.” Zest stepped closer to Colt, her voice rising. “I order you to use your magic to save Brass!” No, don’t do this Lemon… “You can’t tell her to do that!” Hoof said angrily as he placed himself between the two mares. “If she uses a power like you described, that much pink cloud would kill her!” “Better her than Brass!” Zest screamed hysterically. Whack! Second slapped a hoof hard across Lemons’ face, knocking the mare over. “You do not get to choose that!” Hoof screamed in an outraged voice. “You were meant to be the best equestrian had to offer! Not some petty slaver who would sacrifice somepony else for her own stupid and misguided feelings! You’re supposed to be a hero!” Colt stood there shaking, tears welling up in her wide eyes. The look on her face when Lemon made her outburst was like if somepony had just stabbed her in the heart. She then said is a weak and barely audible voice “I’ll do it.” You don’t have to follow that command Colt! Zest is not thinking straight… “I’ll do what Mistress orders.” The young mare repeated, slightly louder, and started to walk towards where Brass lay. The small figure of Celly was now crouching down beside him, her ear pressed close to his mouth. “What? No!” Second objected. He moved to intercept him, but Zest got up and tackled the stallion to the ground. “Celly, stop her!” Hoof called to the little alicorn as he struggled to get free of Lemon. Celly wasn’t paying any attention to the commotion. She moved her ear away from Brass’ mouth and nodded her head. “I understand.” She said in a quiet voice as tears rolled down her cheeks. With a golden flash they were gone. “No!” Zest screamed, releasing Hoof and running to the spot they just were. A moment later Celly returned with another puff of pink cloud. Alone. “What did you do with him!?” Zest screamed, kicking over the 50 year old filly. Celly was invincible, so I knew that Lemon’s kick didn’t hurt her, but that’s still wrong! “I brought him to be with Star.” Celly replied sadly, not even getting up. “Why would you do that?!” Lemon demanded. “He’ll die back there!” “He has the right to be with his husband.” The little alicorn looked up towards the distant mountains, at Canterlot. “As his friend, I had to honour his last wish.” Lemon staggered back in confusion. “Husba… What are you talking about?” Second face-hoofed. “You stupid, ignorant, mare. Brass and Star were gay!” “The block ring and shackle they wore were symbolic of the traditional hoof and horn rings that married ponies would to wear.” Celly explained. “But Brass was… I thought that… We were going to…” Lemon sputtered in confusing, sounding like she was on the verge of crying. She then looked up at the three other ponies around her. “You all knew. The whole time you all knew about this, didn’t you?” “Of course I knew, they were my friends.” Celly replied. “It was pretty damn obvious.” Hoof said, rolling his eyes. Colt didn’t even respond. She was looking off towards nothing with a shell-shocked expression. Lemon let out a sigh and her face went expressionless. Trotting over to where her jumpsuit lay, she silently put it on and, without a word, started heading back towards Ponyville. Hoof and Celly followed her, leaving Colt behind. It wasn’t until she was nearly out of my perception that she finally noticed that the others have left. As if in a trance, she slowly shuffled after them. ~~~***~~~ Nopony said a word all the way back to the Shout Outt. “Glad to see you’ve changed your minds.” Thundering Shout called from behind the bar, relief clear on his large face. “Wish more ponies would follow your… lead.” His  words trailed off when he saw the grim faces everypony wore. Hoof was still half coated in, what was most likely, Star Mane’s blood, and he looked frustrated and annoyed. Celly looked weary, and somehow even older than she actually was. Colt looked devastated and troubled, understandable for what she just went through. While Lemon looked… emotionless, which worried me the most. Hoof and Lemon made their way up the stairs to the second floor and headed to their respective rooms while Celly floated herself up to one of the stools by the bar and sat down. She wasn’t wearing her ‘alicorn costume’ any more, but fortunately the only other patron in the main room at the moment was that hooded blind zebra that Zest met the other day. To Shout’s credit, he didn’t even react to seeing a filly alicorn in person. Lemon didn’t enter her room right away though. She stood by the door until Colt made her way up the stairs too. “Give me Mulberry.” Lemon said flatly to the young raider. Colt looked at her confused for a moment, and then said resignedly. “Yes Mistress.” There was no affection or joy when she said ‘Mistress’ this time, only heartache. She then floated the large knife out of its sheath and carefully placed it, as much as could fit, in one of Zest’s front leg pockets. Look Lemon. I know what happened to Brass, and finding out that he wasn’t into mares, left you feeling gutted… Sorry, poor choice of words. But stop taking it out on Colt! She may be your slave, but she’s also your friend. Not only have you betrayed her trust, and even told her to sacrifice herself, but now you’re taking her only personal possession?! What do you even need a big knife for any… Oh no. “Wait outside.” Lemon said in a monotone as she entered the room and locking the door behind her. No, no, no, no. Don’t do anything rash Lemon! Zest stopped next to the room’s large bed and carefully pulled Mulberry out of her pocket with her mouth by its spiked handle. I know how much it hurts losing somepony you love, I’ve been there, but you have to keep going! Why can’t you hear me!? She then placed it down on the bedside table. Good. Don’t worry me like that! Next to the knife was her Four Hooves amulet. I guess she put it there when I was trying not to watch her undress last night. Zest proceeded to remove from another pocket the red gun I was bound to and place it also on the small table. She then took out her notepad and pens, there wasn’t any room left on the bedside table, so she placed them on the interestingly patterned rug. With all her possessions on display, the yellow pegasus started to remove her Stable jumpsuit. Normally I would try to avert my eyes, so to speak, but I’m too puzzled by her behaviour to look away. She then folded it neatly and placed it on the bed. What she going to take a shower? No, Lemon is afraid of showers for some reason. Only wearing the Pip-Buck on her left leg, which she couldn’t remove, Zest trotted over to the full length mirror in the room. For a while she just stood there, staring at herself expressionlessly, opening and closing her wings every now and then. “Who were you?” Lemon asked her reflection in a quiet voice. “Was it like this back there?” She didn’t answer herself. She couldn’t, not with her memories gone. Lemon, I don’t know what your past was like, and I know the wasteland can be a horrible and brutal place, but at least here you have friends. There’s Colt, and Celly, and even Second, sort of. They can help you get through this, just go to them. She rubbed her right front leg with her left hoof absently, then she stopped and looked at her right leg more closely. “Heh, third time’s the charm I guess.” She said with a mirthless whinny. Hidden under her bright yellow coat was what I only glimpsed last night. Two long, jagged, scars running up the inside of her leg. Please no… The young mare trotted over to when she dropped her notepad and kneeled down in front of it. Picking up a pen in her mouth, she began to write. Please be writing some angst ridden poetry, or making a list of the good things in your life, or anything other than what I think you’re writing! “…another life after this one. One not so cruel. Or, at least, one that will take my memories…” No! Don’t do this Lemon! There’s more to this life than the pain! Finishing the note with her name, Lemon pushed the pen aside, stood up, and stepped over to the small table. She grabbed the knife handle in her mouth, spikes facing out, and lifted her right hoof. STOP! Don’t kill yourself! Closing her eyes, she gritted her teeth and mumbled something I couldn’t understand around the handle in her mouth. Get in here Colt! Lemon took a long deep breath and slowly exhaled, pressing the knife tip to her knee. Think what Brass would say to this! He wouldn’t want you to throw your- The blade sliced quickly and deeply from the knee to the hoof with a sudden flick of Lemon’s neck. NO!! With a gasp of pain, Zest dropped the knife to the ground. Blood quickly flowed out of the massive cut. NO! HELP! SOMEPONY!! ANY ONE!! Lemon watched with a numb expression, already growing paler, as her blood soaked onto the rug below her. SNAP OUT OF IT! You can still take a healing potion and be fine! She stood there bleeding for what felt like an eternity, and then her head began to sway. Call out to Colt, she can help you! Her eyes lost focus as she dropped to her knees. COLT! ANY ONE! PLEASE HELP! Lemon lowered her head and closed her eyes as the expanding pool of blood flowed over her notebook, she then whispered softly “Maybe next time I might…” before slumping over onto her side. Luna, Celestia, if you are goddesses like some believe, PLEASE DON’T LET LEMON DIE! There was the sound of arguing outside of the room, and then with a crash of splintering wood, the door flew open. Standing in an apple-bucking stance in the doorway was the hooded blind zebra. Beside him was Colt, looking like she was about to kill the intruder with her own hooves. That look changed the moment she saw Lemon. “MISTRESS!!” I just had to check the timing of this sequence, and no way was this coincidental! The blue raider galloped to where Zest lay, her eyes going wide at the all the blood flowing from the unconscious pegasus’ leg. “Mistress! Wake up!” Colt pleaded as her horn glowed. A silver glow surrounded one of the discarded towels that the mares wore to the spa the night before and it flew across the room, wrapping itself tightly around Lemon’s leg. “Quick, get-” Colt began to call out to the zebra, but he had already run off. The teenage unicorn knelt down, getting blood all over her legs, and pressed her ear to Lemon’s shoulder to listen for her heartbeat. From the slight moving of her sides, she was at least still breathing, but only barely. “Not good… not good!” Colt mumbled, looking around the room frantically. Suddenly the old zebra galloped back into the room, Second Hoof followed close behind with healing potions and bandages floating in his magical aura. I never thought I would be so glad to see that long-winded egghead! Colt’s eyes lit up at the sight of the healing items, and with a bright glow of her horn she yanked them out of Second’s magical grasp with her own telekinesis. She deftly unwrapped the blood soaked towel from Lemon’s leg and splashed one of the healing potions over the wound. The massive cut began to close before it disappeared under swiftly applied layers of magical bandages. Colt then pulled the stopper out of another healing potion and brought it to Lemon’s lips, cradling the older mare’s head in her hooves as she forced her to drink. For a heart stopping moment, that is if I still had a heart, nothing happened. Then Lemon Zest gave a cough, and the bright yellow colour returned to her coat as the magic of the potion replaced her lost blood. Her eyes opened weakly, and she looked up at Colt. “I… I thought I told you… to wait outside.” “I’m sorry Mistress.” Colt said while hugging Lemon close as tears streamed down her cheeks. “I’m never leaving your side again!” Now that the emergency was over, I got a better look at the stallions. Second must have been just out of the shower when the zebra got him. He wasn’t covered in Star Mane’s blood anymore and his mane was still wet. Some ponies look really good with the wet mane look, one of the only advantages of the wasteland’s constant rain, but Hoof was not one of them… The zebra’s hood must have been pulled back during his argument with Colt while trying to get in, giving me a better view at his head. He looked to be about my age, not old enough for his blindness to be natural causes. Then again, ‘death by bullet’ is pretty much a natural cause in the wasteland, so who knows what happened to his sight. Second let out a sigh and turned to the zebra. “Thank you for saving our foalish companion.” “The one you should thank is your captured spirit.” The zebra said, not looking towards Hoof. “It was just luck that I happened to be near it.” “What do you mean by captured spirit?” Second said puzzled. He means me you egghead! The blind zebra tilted his head and said in a curious tone “Do you not know the company you share? A soul is bound to an item that is there.” He lifted a hoof and pointed it in the direction of the nightstand where the red gun rested. But it wasn’t red. The gun was a yellowish orange and gradually becoming redder, like a hot metal cooling. “Pick it up, and to another room we will go.” The zebra said in a serious tone. “It seems that there is much that you need to know.” ~~~***~~~ “Another zebra we met said its name was Soldier, according to the markings on it, and that it was a powerful weapon.” Hoof looked down at the wooden gun, now red again, on the table in his room. “But then he wasn’t the most reliable of sorts…” “This is the problem with the new generation. They cannot even do a simple translation.” The zebra, who said his name was Zingaro, sighed. “It pains me to think how the young, may never learn their mother tongue.” “Indeed it is a powerful tool. In this regard he was no fool.” Zingaro waved a hoof in the direction of the gun. “Yet the word ‘Soldier’ is not what these markings are. I believe that they would actually translate as ‘Soul Jar’.” “A soul jar?” Hoof asked. “An ancient zebra spell that has long been forbidden. All writings on it were destroyed or well hidden.” Zingaro sighed and closed his opaque eyes. “It is terrible and dark magic. The result of its use has always been tragic.” You mean that this isn’t normal when you die? I’m stuck to this gun because of some spell?! “The incantation cuts out the victim’s soul, with binding it to an object as the final goal.” The blind zebra explained. “A soul is powerful and hard to destroy. These traits are what soul jars employ. I know of them from legend, yet have never encountered one before. This may have been a mad zebra’s creation, in order to win the war.” “You’re telling me that a hundred year old zebra soul is trapped in this gun?” Hoof backed away from the table. “Such a thing you are right to dread, but fortunately that is not what I said.” Zingaro waved a hoof dismissively. “A soul is trapped in this bind, but I sense that it is of pony kind. And while the jar was made for the war, the soul has only been trapped a week or more.” “That’s about when Zest found it…” Second face hooded. “That stupid mare must have set it off and trapped somepony in it.” Considering all that Lemon is going through, please don’t tell her that she killed me, Hoof. She doesn’t need guilt on top of depression and heartache. “So how do we get this pony’s soul out of the gun?” Hoof asked. “I am not sure if you even can, and I do not think that is a good plan.” Zingaro shook his head. “You say this looks like a gun, a tool made to kill. Then releasing the soul may destroy all of Ponyville.” I’m all for getting free of this thing, but not at the cost of a whole town! “Ok… not an option.” Hoof grimaced. “Then if it’s so dangerous, we should get rid of it. Toss it into the river or something.” How about I toss you into the river, Second! “That would be most unwise. It could bring about all our demise.” The blind zebra shook a hoof at the idea. “A feral ghoul is one that has gone mad, like how your raider ponies have also went bad. It is the same with a soul that loses all hope, it could kill us all if it is unable to cope.” What?! So I really could become a zombie ghost? A zombie ghost that could go off like a mega-spell! “With you I think this soul should stay, until you can free it in a safe way.” Zingaro continued. “It would be good to be among others of its kind, to stave off madness and losing its mind.” “Great.” Hoof rolled his eyes. “So I have to babysit a gun so it doesn’t go crazy and kill everyone.” I can hear what you’re saying you know, even if you can’t hear me. I’m not too thrilled about spending more time with you either. Give the gun back to Lemon when she recovers. I’d rather watch over her anyways, like some kind of guardian spirit. At least my afterlife could be useful. “Can you speak to it? Find out what it wants at least?” Second asked the zebra. “I can strongly sense the presence of this spirit, yet my skills are not such that I can also hear it.” Zingaro shook his head. “When your friend was dying I sensed the soul’s fear, yet what it was saying I could not exactly hear.” “Well at least it means we don’t have to do anything with it other than carry it around with us.” Hoof grasped the gun in his blue-gray magic and deposited it in his saddle bag. “At least it’s light, so it doesn’t take up much space.” I always found it strange how that worked. A pony could fit in their bags 10 inflated hoofballs in the same space as one brick. More cheater unicorn magic at work I bet. As the two stallions walked out of the room, Hoof turned to face Zingaro. “Could you hang around for a bit longer? I’m sure Colt would like to thank you too, if she can pry herself away from Zest’s bedside long enough.” “I will wait while her master does rest.” The zebra replied with a nod. “I believe this may well be part of my quest.” Hoof looked from the second floor railing, down at the main floor of the in. Celly was still at the bar, and it didn’t look like she’d moved since we returned. “Now I have to go deal with the alicorn in the room.” Hoof said with a sigh and trotted down the stairs. Celly sat on her haunches on one of the wooden stools by the bar. I guess they were for the bipedal residents of the town, since Thundering probably didn’t get many foals in here. A glass of some purple liquid sat in front of her. “What are you drinking?” Second asked as he walked up to the bar and glanced at the odd looking cocktail. Celly didn’t say anything and just kept staring blankly. “Do I have to slap you out of it again?” Hoof said jokingly. “That was really dangerous of you to do.” Celly replied flatly, not looking at him. “Sometimes I lose control and blow up ponies when I’m startled.” “Well considering what was going on at the time, I didn’t have much of a choice.” Hoof shrugged. “How is Lemon holding up?” The little alicorn floated up the purple drink and took a sip, all without taking her eyes off the same blank spot in front of her. “She’ll live. But not from lack of trying.” Hoof looked around the bar. Thundering wasn’t there anymore, maybe gone to clean up the blood in Zest’s room, and neither was the drink serving robot. Rolling his eyes, Hoof’s horn glowed and a bottle of Sparkle Cola floated over to him. He then floated out a few caps from his saddlebag and placed them where he took the bottle from. “That’s good. More ponies shouldn’t die today because of me.” Celly’s voice was hollow and distant. “About that…” Hoof took a sip of his soda. “What the hay happened to you back there?” Celly closed her eyes and sighed. “I don’t know. I just shut down like that sometimes, like my mind overloads or is disconnected.” She then gave a small mirthless laugh. “The irony is that it tends to be around places closely linked to twilight sparkle. So the closer I get to my goal, the more difficult it becomes.” “This visit to Ponyville was sort of a test run for me.  When it didn’t affect me like the last time I was here, I thought that I had it under control and that I could handle Canterlot.” The little alicorn opened her eyes and took another sip of her odd drink. “Yet Canterlot wound up being just like when I tried to visit Maripony…” “The M.A.S. lab in Splendid Valley?” Second asked. Splendid Valley? Yikes! I wouldn’t set hoof near there even if I was an indestructible alicorn. It’s not Canterlot level deadly, but it’s up there on places you do not want to visit. Celly nodded. “Twilight worked there late in the war and there were even rumors of alicorn research going on. I thought it was the perfect place to look for information, but before I even got close enough to see it, I blacked out. I only came to when Star and Brass found me and took me farther away from it. Turns out I was stuck out there like that for over 3 years.” “And you traveled with them ever since?” Hoof asked. “Yeah… They actually survived longer than any of my other friends.” Celly’s cold voice took on a hint of sadness. “The worst part of being invulnerable in a deadly wasteland, is that you’re guaranteed to outlive your friends.” She took another sip of her drink. “The second worst part is being unable to get drunk when they die.” “So then what is that stuff you’re drinking?” Hoof sniffed at it and scrunched up his muzzle. “It smells horrible!” “Tastes even worse, but then that’s the point.” Celly swirled the glass of slick sludge with her magic. “It’s a concoction I came up with, designed to taste as bad as I feel. Thundering had to run off to be sick after mixing it up for me. I drink it every time someone I care about is taken by the wasteland.” She then downed the rest of the drink. “I think I’m getting used to the taste though…” Hoof took a deep breath, and suddenly had a determined look on his face. “Then why don’t you change it?” The filly alicorn shrugged and set the glass down on the counter. “I don’t think I could make it taste any worse, short of adding taint to it.” “Not the drink.” Hoof shook his head. “I mean change the wasteland. You’re a super powered invincible alicorn, there is so much good you can do.” “I tried doing the ‘great hero’ thing once.” Celly sighed. “It got five of the bravest ponies I ever knew killed in an exploding volcano. It also got me trapped under a lava flow for three months, until I learned I could teleport. Equestria needs more than a hero in order to change.” “You’re right.” Hoof said confidently. “It doesn’t need a hero, it just needs civilization.” The dark olive stallion pointed a hoof towards the door leading out to Ponyville. “Just look at all that this town has done, just by adding clean water and power. The residents here are living together and not worrying if their next day would be their last.” He then turned back to Celly. “Now imagine a place where instead of being protected by a band of slavers, it’s protected by a caring alicorn. A place where that alicorn’s friends can live long and happy lives. Over the years it could grow with more and more friends, serving as an example to all the wasteland of how ponies should be living!” Wow, where did that all come from? By the end of his speech, Hoof was practically beaming with excitement. Celly looked at the unicorn in surprise, and then gave a little laugh. “Jeez, Second, you sure don’t dream small.” Hoof blushed a little. “Well it would start off small of course. Just a little settlement, built from the ground up. A safe place to call home.” “Brass and Star used to talk about settling down somewhere, once I was done with my quest to find out about my past.” Celly’s face darkened. “The same quest that ended the dreams of all the ponies that followed me…” “There are other things more important than the past.” Second put a consoling hoof on Celly’s little shoulder. “Just look at Zest, she knows less of her past than you do of yours, and she’s fine.” Celly looked incredulously at the stallion. “She just tried to kill herself.” “Ok, bad example.” Hoof rolled his eyes. “My point is that I think you should look more toward the future, and not chasing the past. There’s only war and death in that direction.” “Maybe you’re right.” Celly sighed. “But it would take more than my powers and your big ideas to start a news settlement.” “Well, you can count me in!” A voice called from the second floor. Hoof and Celly looked up to see Tribute leaning over the railing outside of her room. How long had she been there? I was so wrapped up in the conversation that I didn’t even notice her. “I’ve been thinking since last night that it was about time for me to move on, and this seems like the perfect opportunity.” The orange earth pony explained as she trotted down the steps. “I already helped to bring one town back from the dead. It would be a new challenge to help bring one to life.” Tribute walked over to Second. “Sorry about eavesdropping, but I couldn’t help but overhear your little speech.” She then nuzzled her head against the side of his neck. “You’re cute when you’re idealistic.” Celly raised an eyebrow in curiosity as the stallion blushed in embarrassment. “Second, who is this?” “Tribute, meet Celly, indestructible alicorn filly.” Hoof said by way of awkward introduction. “Celly, meet Tribute, second best engineer in the-” Tribute jabbed him in the side with her hoof. “Fine. The best earth pony engineer in the wasteland.” Tribute rolled her eyes at the qualifier and then extended a hoof to Celly. “Pleased to meet you.” Celly tapped the mare’s hoof with her own little hoof. “Hi.” “We… uh… met last night.” Hoof cleared his throat nervously. “Tribute runs the hydro dam that gives power and water to the town” He then turned to the short mare. “Speaking of which, won’t they still need you there?” “The trio that I’ve been training can keep it running without me.” Tribute waved a hoof dismissively. “It sounds like your plan will need me more than they will. Especially if you have to get something larger than a toaster working.” Oh please, don’t start this ‘micro versus macro’ argument again! “I wish to join you as well, and help build a new place to dwell.” Zingaro spoke up, and the others turned in surprise to look at him, they must have just noticed that he’d been there since Hoof asked him to wait for Colt. “I feel I should study more this soul jar, which means also going to where you are.” Celly looked puzzled at Hoof again. “There’s a pony’s soul trapped in Zest’s wooden gun.” Second explained dismissively. “Glad to have you aboard, Zing.” Tribute said with a smile, and then turned to Hoof and Celly. “His skills with potions and charms will be a big help. He’s knows more about botany and magic than any pony I’ve ever met.” “Oh, do not praise me in such a rush. You’ll make this old stallion blush.” Zingaro smiled. “You’re not going anywhere without us.” Colt announced as she descended the stairs. She was followed close behind by Lemon. The yellow pegasus walked slowly, not setting her bandaged leg down, and had a deeply sad look on her face. While Colt trotted over to join the other ponies and zebra talking, she silently staggered over to a window and just stared out of it. “Celly still owes Mistress flying lessons, and wherever Mistress goes, I go.” The teen raider said in a tone that left no room for discussion. “Besides, you’ll need more than just Celly to keep you eggheads safe. You’ll need somepony who can show you how to fight when your town needs defending.” Hoof glared are the blue mare’s intrusion on his plan. I get the feeling that he would rather not have anything more to do with the slave and master duo. “Fine.” He said with annoyance, and then announce to the empty Inn. “Anyone else want to join up?” A door to the back of the inn creaked open and Thundering stuck his large head out, looking a little greener than normal. “Nope. I’m… *Urp* I’m good here.” And then he darted back in again. “Well then.” Hoof said, raising his Sparkle Cola bottle with his magic. “Here’s to the start of a new-” “The sky is crying.” Lemon’s weak voice cut off the impromptu toast. Puzzled, the other ponies went over to the window to see what Zest was talking about. Zingaro, of course, didn’t go to look. “It’s just raining.” Celly said, sounding a little confused. “Oh! There hasn’t been any rain in weeks, not since before Mistress left her stable.” Colt said in realization, and turned to Zest. “You’ve never seen rain before, have you?” The stable pony just shook her head sombrely as she watched the water drops fall from the sky. The positive feeling in the room slowly turned melancholic as everypony watched the rain come down. Only Second Hoof still had a sly smile on his face… - End of Act 1 -