//------------------------------// // Chapter Thirteen: Proceeding // Story: Fallout: Equestria - Gaia Prevails // by John Colt //------------------------------// Charter Thirteen Proceeding "Aideen's Audiolog, February 18, 1247. So... Craft is not real. Well, she is real, but not really real. I'm the only one that can see her, and she is the entity that turned Luna into Nightmare Moon..." Although we had one less mouth to feed, we were still running low on our rations. While the stuff we have is nonperishable and usually only edible, I learned to cook it into something quite good. I have to thank all those confiscated zebra cooking books and the amazing kitchenware there is. I never had steamed... anything, before. Cirrus and Turbulence immediately stopped talking when I entered the dining room with our breakfast. I placed their plates in front of them gently, although I kinda wanted to slap it down. They are talking behind my back... of course they are... Nightmare Moon gestured me to smile, and I did. Smiling was a good course of action, no matter who gave me that advice. “Bon appétit.” I couldn’t stop thinking about Nightmare Moon, and how I possibly could wiggle my way out of this. There has to be a way. I could try to find the Elements of Harmony. Let’s see, Cirrus and Turbulence both ditched the Enclave, like Rainbow Dash did, can I slap ‘Loyalty’ on one of them? What about the other Elements? Generosity? Cirrus let me sleep at her place, but then she kinda had to, so no. Honesty..? No. Laughter? No. Kindness? Hmm... probably not. Laughter? No, definitely not. Magic? Hmm... would I be able to swing that? Nah, forget it, most of my magical power comes from Nightmare Moon herself now. Well, it’s not really Nightmare Moon, it’s Craft; I should start calling her that in my head. The problem is that I kinda liked Craft, and I don’t want her to be evil, so I unconsciously differentiated between them. She said she doesn’t want to use fear to get me to do what she wants, but truth is, she scares the shit out of me. “So... about yesterday.” Turbulence spoke up, and I was just getting used to the awkward silence that had followed after I entered the room. I had my mouth full so I only uttered a noise. “Hmm..?” “The... uhm... offer. You had time to think about it, I guess. So..?” I gulped down my food. “Offer?” What was he talking about? I had my head full of other thoughts at that moment. “Ahh...” He cleared his throat. “I... We...” He corrected himself, while looking shortly over to Cirrus. “We kinda offered to help you with... you konw... your problem.” I stared at him for way too long. “Oh, right! I totally forgot that. Ahh...” I figure that ‘Sorry, I forgot that I raped the two of you eight hours ago.’ wouldn’t get me out of this situation, I should start with ‘Sorry, I raped you in the first place.’, or something like that. “Can’t we just pretend yesterday never happened?” “NO!” Cirrus shouted, making me wince. “No we cannot! Aideen, you... I don’t know... You have issues. You went through whatever hell and you made it through, but you have some scars! And yesterday... it was an outburst of whatever. You can’t suppress your issues, or it will happen again.” “She’s right, you know.” Nightmare Moon- No, Craft said. “And I know you are a good pony. You don’t want to hurt anypony, but at this rate you will, and maybe somepony that wouldn’t forgive you, and... and...” Cirrus sighed. “You kinda did what happened to you to me, and I was... you know... What am I supposed to believe now? I can’t even go to sleep? You thought how I could carry away issues from that?” To be honest: No, I didn’t. “But you didn’t carry away any issues.” “Aideeeen...” My name was a groan out of her mouth, as I completely missed the point. “I’m sorry.” There it was; I apologized. Of course, I know what I’ve done is wrong, but... there is something really hard about apologizing. “I’m sorry.” An apology means I officially admit that I have done wrong. I’m not gonna cry. “I... I’m sorry.” Keep yourself together, Aideen. Keep it together. I pressed my lids together so no tear could escape my eyes. Ha, take that, body! “Aideen...” I heard Cirrus standing up from her chair and walking around the table. No, please don’t touch me... She stroked my back... She has got to notice me wincing away from her touch. I opened my eyes again to look at her, maybe I could convince her to stop. Her expression was so sad... “Don’t-” That was all I could muster before she embraced me. I couldn’t even move, I didn’t go limp like I usually do, but I froze. She’s hugging me... and it didn’t feel at all like a hug should feel like. The only pony who I ever allowed to hug me has been my brother. He was taller than me, and quite muscular. Cirrus is... soft, and... almost flimsy. My eyes trailed to Turbulence, would he..? No, he’s shorter than me, and only fairly muscular, he wouldn’t be an adequate substitute. Wait, no, I’m not in need of a hug. Turbulence had watched us at first, but when I faced him, he awkwardly looked away like he didn’t want to invade anything. Cirrus had followed my gaze and commanded him, “Come here.” I tensed up again. No, really I don’t need a hug. Hmm... doesn’t one have to be relaxed to tense up? I clearly remember I tensed up earlier already. Does that mean I relaxed in Cirrus’ hug? Then another pair of hooves was wrapped around me. He was... firm. Yes, this is what a hug should feel like, at least the hugs I know felt like. “Don’t fight it, let yourself go.” Craft advised. The embrace was a reminder of the only safe haven I’ve ever had in my time in the Crimson Company. And I let myself go; I cried. But it wasn’t the kind of crying where I was a quivering mess, just a kind of crying where I get something out of my system. I realized that the two of them are my friends, and that they accept me for the fucked up things that happened to me, and that I did to them. “Th- Thanks guys...” I sniffed. “You’re great... I- I...” I looked to Craft. “I accept your help, but I need to show you something first.” *** *** *** “This is...” Cirrus was too afraid to say it out loud. “Yes.” I confirmed her. Turbulence continued for her. “Nightmare Moon’s armor.” “Yes.” I confirmed again. “It... ahh... looks smaller than I imagined.” She tries to logic her way out of this. “Yeah, it’s not Luna-sized, it’s Aideen-sized.” How can I explain this properly? “Craft is not imaginary. Well, I’m the only one that can see her, but... she’s not imaginary.” There was silence for quite a while. How were they gonna take it? My guesses where from running around in circles, screaming their souls out in fear to trying to kill me. “I recognize this weapon.” Turbulence finally said. He was examining the strange energy weapon on the table next to the armor. “What?” “That weapon. Colonel Leeward and Colonel Foehn had similar ones, at least. Though theirs were blue, not greenish like this one.” He calmly explained, as if there is nothing else to worry about. “When I asked about them they told me it’s none of my business in a very unfriendly manner.” “This is not how you are supposed to react.” “Yes it is. My reaction is perfectly average, everypony you told so far reacted like this.” He looked to Cirrus. She hadn’t said a word so far, but felt “I think you are creating a problem bigger than those you have already to... to make them seem less intense.” She thought I was making this up. “Ahh... No.” I hoped that ‘no’ was persistent enough without shouting. “I’m not imagining this. In this last memory Princess Luna also explained how she got possessed. And... and Craft admitted she’s Theia.” I guess I have to explain further. “Theia is the pony that Luna imagined to see, that eventually turned her into Nightmare Moon.” Cirrus was very skeptical. “What memory? Like in a memory orb?” “No, but yes.... I mean... in the Memorhedron.” I lifted my hoof with said device plugged into my Pipbuck up, for her to see. “It stores multiple memories.” She looked at it, but of course couldn’t find proof of my story written on it. “I’ve never heard of such a device.” “Me neither.” Oh great, Turbulence was giving credit to her assumption I only imagine the whole thing. “It’s... ahh...” I begin to doubt my own story. “It’s one of a kind...” “Aideen...” Cirrus breathed in sharply; I could only interpret that gesture as her getting ready to tell me something unpleasant. “Look at the facts.” Yeah, facts can be rather unpleasant, but there are no facts to support her theory; none she could see to support mine either for that matter. “This armor isn’t Nightmare Moon sized, you already said that. This is some kind of lab, maybe someone just tried to recreate it or something, and it’s only by chance your size...” “No, it changed size when I touched it.” I tried to explain. “But you are also kinda seeing ponies that aren’t really there." Turbulence threw in a good point. As I said, I start to doubt my own story, after all I’ve been perfectly willing to take in that Craft isn’t real to begin with. And I’m also kinda okay with her being Nightmare Moon for some reason. Speaking of Craft, she was deep in thought, but when I looked at her she decided to talk. “Maybe... And I know that friendship is supposedly my weakness or something, Elements of Harmony and all... but maybe you should lie to them and pretend I’m not real. You know, like a good lie, one that makes your friend not worry.” “Is... Is she talking right now?” Cirrus had interrupted Craft. Of course she had noticed I stare into empty space and nod to an imaginary pony’s speech. “What is she saying?” “That I should pretend she’s not real to keep you from worrying.” I said, and Craft facehoofed, but I didn’t feel like that at all. Telling my friends the truth was actually a good thing. As I wasn’t sure how I would have proceeded I choose the opposite of what the ancient evil said I should, especially when it comes to ways of possibly defeating her. “Okay...” Cirrus seemed to think about what to say next and her gaze was going around the lab too. It finally fell on Turbulence. “What? I... ahh... I don’t know. This is all very... I don’t know. Uhm... Aideen, how about you simply tell us everything from the beginning?” That’s actually a good idea. I don’t have to hide anything anymore. I wouldn’t have to split the facility up with Craft anymore, so she kinda got no say in who gets what. *** *** *** “Crimson let me go... He gifted me to Craft. I remember that he said this in a very weird way, like he was objectifying ‘Aideen’ and emphasized ‘Craft’. Also, when I entered he said ‘Craft’ rather strange, like he felt weird calling me that. He knew I was Aideen, I mean he had to have known! But then, why would he have done that... and more importantly how would he have known such things if there weren’t some other party involved. It has to be Nightmare Moon, some kind of scheme... What kind of information did he have..? Did she make me forget stuff? Or completely planted that memory in my head and it all never happened..?” I have been rambling about that issue for half an hour now. Cirrus and Turbulence had been kind of convinced at the fact that I kind of knew for some reason how to walk on clouds, a very rare and specific spell a normal pony would never even pick up in prewar Equestria, much less in the Wastelands. Both were kinda digesting that fact while I was trying to figure out how Crimsons actions could have made sense. “He had the Memorhedron and lied about the memory’s contents. But what would it have been else? It’s not like as if... actually it is. Celestia can predict the future in some way, and she and Spellfield could have made a message recorded as a memory in the exact spot where Crimson would get a hold of me and the Memorhedron. And for some reason he would have convinced Crimson with that message to simply let a slave go, call her ‘Craft’ during the process and wish her the best of luck on the way...” I looked up as if somepony could tell me this is implausible... but it wasn’t. “That’s way too far fetched.” It IS way to far fetched, but I was certain of that’s how it must have gone down. I also got the memory with Luna at the right time to realize Craft is Nightmare Moon, at exactly the right point. There has to be a reason why the memories are refreshing so fast after each other in here. They are exactly timed for me to get the exactly right pieces of information I need at the exactly right time. And if I’m right then the next memory will tell me exactly that. > Memorhedron is charging. 47% > Not ready for use. > Next memory in queue: Failure, part 1 – May 17, 1002 > Length: 0 hours 27 minutes 12 seconds. ‘Failure’? Spellfield’s mocking me now. And the memory won’t be a message directly at me. Obviously not, because I’m going insane... Oh well. “You... ahh... stopped. Have you come to a conclusion of... whatever?” “Yeah,” I nodded. “I’ll stop wondering about it until I have more facts.” “That... is a good decision.” She nodded too, more information is always nice “So, about the offer...” I looked more in Turbulences direction, as he was the one to propose it to me, Cirrus just went along. “Offer..?” Is he serious? Now he forgot? “Oh, yeah ‘the offer’. I can see now how that could have slipped your mind when you had something else to deal with... So..?” “Yes.” “Yes?” “Yes, I will have sex with you.” I looked to Cirrus. “The both of you.” “Okay...” Turbulence bit his lip again. I know what he’s probably thinking, something along the lines of ‘to we get started?’ “This is all very weird.” Cirrus scratched her head. I had to agree with her. “Yeah...” Girl meets girl, girl meets boy, girl kidnaps boy, other girl chases first girl, girl rapes other girl, girl tries to rape boy too... This wasn’t your usual scenario. “What do normal ponies do when they agree to have sex with each other? I never had mutually consented sexual intercourse.” “You never..?” He stopped and kept chewing on his lip. “It’s usually not... a planned thing, you know, more like... in the heat of the moment either when you know and love somepony for a while, or when you get intoxicated and really think he or she is hot, whatever of the two scenarios you...” Cirrus was blushing furiously. “You start kissing and caressing one another a little... and things get more intense, and... and you get in the mood... and when you are alone and not on the dance floor or something... more happens.” “So kissing...” I just told them I wanted to have sex with them, how hard can confessing that be? “I never kissed anypony before either.” “Oh boy...” She looked to Turbulence but then quickly focused back on me and came near. “Come, kissing practice.” What just happened? Did she claim my first kiss before Turbulence got the chance? “It’s not the worst you ever done to me.” Her joking didn’t help. “No, it’s okay. I don’t think I like kissing. It’s a messy exchange of bodily fluids, and I don’t really think that I would...” “Shut up.” Cirrus interrupted me. “You have absolutely no idea.” She leaned forward; I leaned back. “Come on. Everypony kisses. And we work on making you normal, right?” “Right, but...” She kissed me. It lasted only about a second, and it wasn’t with tongue or anything. It wasn’t the disgusting way some ponies had slobbered over me, but Cirrus’ kiss wasn’t at all like that, but no, no no, I don’t want this... “So? Comments, questions, concerns?” She innocently asked as if there had been nothing wrong. “That ‘right’ wasn’t... wa-wasn’t a confirmation of my consent! I haa...” I was breathing heavily and noticed my heart rate increase. “I have to go.” More like ‘I have to run away.’ “Aideen.” They were shouting after me, but I was already gone. *** *** *** I run until I was in my room where I simply broke down on the floor. I was sweating, feeling dizzy, was shaking, and I was out of breath and my heart was racing, which I simply cannot account running for a short time. Somepony nuzzled me and I had to open my eyes; I don’t recall closing them... Of course I recognized the pony caressing me, but what was my brother doing here? This doesn’t make any sense... He hugged me. “That is you, Craft.” I concluded. After all she already told me once she can make herself look like anyone and anything. “Just go with it.” He, or she whispered. The hug grew more intense and I was squeezed that it was almost uncomfortable. “You are safe, Aideen.” “What’s happening?” “I believe you had a panic attack.” “A panic attack?” I went through my symptoms again. “Yeah... a panic attack... why?” “Because you’re fucked up.” The body that was holding me was getting smaller and changed color until she was Craft again. Although she had a frail female body I had no problem with her hug... “Why can you hug me like that? You’re some kind of ancient evil, so why do I panic with them and not with you?” “You don’t talk about a Lady’s age, Aideen. It’s unbecoming. And the reason’s I gave you comfort first before I Craft-hugged you. This body might not be as much to your liking as your brother, but you have to get used to other ponies touching you. Just because you consciously agreed on having sex with them doesn’t mean you are psychological capable of that in any way.” “Okay... Thank you, Craft. I’m feeling better now, you can let go of me again.” “No.” She squeezed me tighter. “Wha.. What no?” I tried to escape her but she was physically way stronger than that body looks like, but... “There is not actually anything hugging me, is there?” “Nope. I simulate it though. This can be a very powerful and real experience for you. You would have had the same reaction if there actually was someone disguising as your brother and then shrunk in size. Your mental capabilities don’t processing this kind of magic as magic at all.” This should probably scare me more, and shows how completely incapable of fighting her I would actually be, but for now she’s comforting me, and I felt a lot better already. Knock, knock, knock. “Aideen?” Turbulence’s voice. “If we want to reach that shack you told us about before dark we should get going soon, I guess.” I took a deep breath, and opened the door. “Sure, just like we agreed on.” I smiled. “Are you okay?” What kind of stupid question is that? I was just kissed by a cute mare, and had a panic attack because of it, of course I’m not okay. “Of course I am.” “If you say so...” That was probably the best answer he could have come up with. “Anyway, do you still need a moment?” “No, really I think I’m okay again. I’ll collect a few thing and meet you guys in the hangar, okay?” “Hangar?” “Yeah.” I explained him how to get there. “It’s more like an garage, really. There is a mobile home in there, like one that traveling merchants use. It’s perfect for our uses. See you soon.” “You’re the boss.” He bowed shortly and then walked away. “I- I’m the boss?” I looked after him as he went away. I’m their boss? When did that happen? *** *** *** It hurt me to leave this complex without discovering its secrets, but we more food, and I had no idea how to open the remaining locked doors anyway. The carriage was now quit full of items we could sell, and make a shitload of caps with. Thanks to some spark batteries I’ve repaired, the carriage it was hardly an inconvenience to pull at all. While it wasn’t motorized, it was almost weightless. There had been surprisingly little actually useful fancy stuff. I claimed the energy bow and the curved zebra sword Craft was running around with as I thought she was still real. Turbulence still had his Enclave-issue plasma pistol, but he would run out of ammunition soon unless we can buy some in Hufstein. Otherwise we only have the pistol Craft gave me ages ago. I found the weapons of the other members of the Crimson Companys group in my saddlebags too. I assume she simply took everything with us and made me not see them. She also took that energy weapon we found in the lab, but hid it from me in my own saddlebags. We were walking through an amazingly long escape tunnel until light finally came into view. This is it. The wastelands... again. Am I ready for it? It will never ask if I’m ready, it will strike whenever it wants to, so there was no point in stalling. This time... I even have a plan. *** *** *** Footnote: Level progress: 50%! Quest: Gaia Prevails [X] Investigate every available room of the facility. [ ] Manage to open the rest of the facility. Quest complete: Emergency room. [X] Mend Turbulence. [X] Mend Cirrus.