[Chapter Title Pending]
The group stumbled, limped, and otherwise made their way uneasily into the new room. They just wanted to rest and lick their wounds. Lucky for them the room was bare of anything, giving them some mild relief.
Scarlet, covered in scratches and bruises, flopped down in utter exhaustion. “Was it just me, or was Kata really wanting to kill us that time?”
“She did seem rather more vicious than before,” Twilight agreed as she sat down and placed Ethan beside her. “Do you have something I could clean him off with?” she asked Scarlet.
Scarlet was breathing heavily in slightly strained breaths. “I have some whiskey in my bag...” Her eyes were getting heavy.
“Gimme,” Thomas mumbled, doing his best to ignore the burning pain in his wing.
Scarlet was about to correct Thomas on something, but didn’t have the time. Celestia jabbed a stimpak into her neck before she could reply. “Just rest,” Celestia told the mare.
Scarlet’s face winced in pain for one second only for it turn into a relaxed state. “For once, Cele, I’m not going to complain.” Scarlet closed her eyes and rested her head down on the ground.
Celestia tossed the empty stimpak aside and reached back inside Scarlet’s bag, pulling out a half empty bottle of whisky. “I believe she was talking about cleaning the cuts on Ethan with this.”
“This really hurts, okay?” Thomas replied, doing his best to keep his voice calm. “I need something to kill the pain!” he added, his voice rising several octaves.
“I know.” Celestia walked over and handed the bottle to Thomas. He made to down the contents of the bottle, but Luna snatched it from him moments before his lips made contact.
“Actually I was talking about some sort of rag to clean him with,” Twilight deadpanned, gesturing towards Ethan’s gore covered form.
“I’ll check Scarlet’s bag to see if she has any,” Celestia replied as she went back rummaging through the bag.
“Yahahaargh!” Thomas let out several more pained screams as Luna dripped the alcohol onto his injuries.
Celestia came back with several pieces of folded cloth. “These were in her doctor’s bag, they should be clean enough.”
“Soak them in a little of the whisky,” Twilight told Luna. “It’s not soap, but it’s better than nothing, I guess.”
Thomas held up a hoof at Luna. “Just hit me with some Med-X first, okay?”
“Were you always this sensitive?” the woman asked unhappily.
“My pain tolerance is lower than I’m used to.” The pegasus scooted away from the whiskey-soaked rag. “Just—” He started screaming again when Luna prodded him a little too hard with the rag out of spite.
“There’s some Med-x in the doctor’s bag,” Celestia told Twilight as she handed her some rags. “I’m going to check on Aeron and Dash.”
“Have fun with that,” Twilight replied as she began to wash Ethan with the rag.
Celestia walked over to Aeron and Dash. Aeron was still unconscious and Dash had a worried expression on her face. “Is he faring well?” Celestia asked.
“He’s still breathing, so that’s a good sign,” Dash replied. “Right?”
“Yes,” the Sun Princess replied. She knelt down to check Aeron’s injuries. His horn was slightly swollen and blood was seeping out. “Though his horn doesn’t look well. I’m afraid it’s broken.”
“What does that mean?” Dash asked.
“He won’t be able to use his magic any time soon, and we might have to take it off for his safety.”
From where she was sitting, Twilight winced at the thought.
“Why!?” Dash exclaimed.
“Because one wrong move might send a fragment of his horn down into his brain, or even fracture his skull even more. It could kill him, or leave him severely paralyzed,” Celestia explained.
“We can’t let that happen!” Dash exclaimed.
“No we can’t.” Celestia left, walking back to the others. to get some supplies ready.
“We don’t know how long we will remain in these forms,” Luna said calmly as she held Thomas down. “For all we know, we could wake up tomorrow and be in our own bodies.”
“True, but that is still unknown,” Celestia replied. “I’m not willing to risk leaving Aeron in a vulnerable state that could instantly kill him. I can set it to heal, but it’s up to Dash to make the decision.”
Dash placed a hand under her chin, contemplating her thoughts.
“I’m naked, and I smell like whiskey. Cassie, did it happen again?” Ethan muttered as his eyes fluttered open slowly.
“You killed a giant wyvern by diving into its mouth and cutting your way through its stomach,” Twilight answered.
“Oh, okay then. Sounds like something I’d do,” Ethan mumbled.
“Quite a foolish move, too. I could’ve taken care of it without letting Kata resurrect it as an undead.”
“Oh, hi there, Bob. I forgot that you existed. What were you saying about undead somethings or other?” Ethan asked.
”Bob?” the voice asked as if he was intrigued by the name.
“Kata brought the wyvern back to life,” Twilight replied simply
“Ah, sounds like something she’d do. And you never told me your name so I’m just going to call you Bob in the meantime,” Ethan said.
“My true name is only for my bonded to know, but at least this name is not as insulting as some of the others I have been called.”
“Excellent,” Ethan said with a smile as he rose to his hooves, before promptly falling back to his knees. “So, Bob, I’ve been out for a little while so fill me in on why you’re here please.”
“To find my Luna’s Celestia,” he simply replied.
“Nothing else?” Luna asked with a narrowed glance.
“Oh yes of course, but they are not the main reasons why I’m here in this realm.”
“Cool, nice to have you with us Bob,” Ethan said with a smile. Then he let out a shout of pain as Twilight wiped the wet rag over one of the larger cuts on his back.
“Then why are you still here?” Celestia questioned. “You’ve found me.”
“Because Luna won’t like for me to say I found her sister to only watch her as she died. She’s already mad at me as it is for things I haven’t done.”
“Yes of course, her turning into Nightmare Moon had nothing to do with you I’m sure,” Twilight said sarcastically.
“The appearance of Nightmare Moon was a side effect of our merge, yes. However, her actions were not caused by me, but by Luna’s own heart. I had nothing to do with that,” ‘Bob’ stated.
Luna rolled her eyes, but said nothing.
“Whatever, you’re here, so are you going to help us, Bob?” Ethan asked, moving past the awkward subject.
”No, once you’re all rested up I’ll be on my way back to my Luna to deliver my message to her,” Bob stated flatly .
“Hmm... do you think you could deliver more than one message?” Twilight asked.
“If you mean carry a letter to each of your home realms, yes I can, but at a price.”
“And what would that price be?” Twilight asked, narrowing her eyes.
“Normally, a small part of your life energy, but I’m willing to ask for a favor of my desire instead.”
“I really hope I’m reading too deeply into the word desire,” Ethan said with a chuckle.
”Oh please, I am not a mortal. I have no need of bodily pleasure. No, the favor will be a single deed that you will have to carry out at any given moment of your life when I need it.”
“As long as it doesn’t involve killing my family or friends then I’m fine with that,” Ethan replied.
“Be careful on what you’re agreeing with Ethan,” Celestia warned him. “Favors with the Void are never ‘small’.”
“Well the way I see it I already kind of owe him one for what he did earlier and I don’t like owning people debt, so a single favor to take care of both that and the message sounds like a good deal to me,” The unicorn said with a shrug.
“I like his way of thinking.”
“Thanks, Bob. I mean, if it wasn’t for our current situation I might try to make a better deal, but at the moment, well I’ll take what I can get...” Ethan said with a slight sigh.
“And you, Twilight?”
“As long as your favor doesn’t require me to harm either the innocent or the people and ponies I love then fine. Tia’s worth it,” Twilight said.
“Then both of you hold out a forelimb.”
They both did so. Then something sharp jabbed into them. It didn’t cause much them pain, but it still hurt. Slowly, a black mark formed where they were jabbed. A circle contained inside a square, and inside the circle were four triangles sharing the same corners.
“Wow, this is both ominous and slightly cliched, no offense,” Ethan told the Voidling.
“I know, but it just serves a reminder of our payment. Don’t worry, it will transfer to your original bodies.”
“Can I get it in white?” Twilight asked.
“No.” The marks slowly started to fade away.
“That’s better than nothing I suppose,” Twilight said with a slightly annoyed sigh.
“Eh, relax Sparky. He seems nice enough,” Ethan said with another shrug.
“Yes, but his motives always have a catch to them,” Celestia said.
“Oh please Celestia, you’re giving me too much credit.”
“Besides Sunny, I’ve beaten the Nightmare before, even if it was a different one than this,” Ethan replied with a shrug.
“While I don’t agree with him on this, if it’s the only way to get word to my Tia then well... meh, I’ll deal with it. And if he goes back on his word, well I’ve faced down a chaos lord and won,” Twilight said.
“Oh bravo, I’m so scared,” Bob sarcastically said. “Also, a reminder to you that if you don’t do the favor that mark will disintegrate into nothing along with what it is attach to.”
“Taking my foreleg with it?” Twilight asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Your entire body actually. Thus your life energy will be mine.”
“The energy of a goddess, you sure you can handle that?” Twilight asked with a chuckle.
“I am part of the Void. I can hold an infinite amount of energy. And you are no god.”
“On my plane I am,” Twilight replied. “Although I’m fairly young at the moment,” She added with a mutter.
“Thus proving my point.”
“Would you two stop metaphysically comparing your dicks please?” Ethan asked. “Seriously Sparky you already agreed to it, there’s no point in arguing with him.”
“Yes little mortal, you’ve already made your covenant with me. There’s no point in trying to prove anything to me.”
Twilight rolled her eyes and snorted but said nothing more. Instead she resumed cleaning Ethan’s still bloodsoaked fur with the whisky soaked rag.
“I hope you two know what you’ve gotten yourselves into,” Celestia said.
“Well Sunny I want my family to know that I’m relatively safe. Aren’t you going to write to your Luna?” Ethan asked her with a raised eyebrow.
“I already know what favor he would ask of me. And my answer is no.” Celestia firmly stated.
“Suit yourself then,” Ethan shrugged.
“Actually my dear Celestia, I’m already going to your world. So I can deliver yours for free. No favors asked.”
Celestia scoffed at that and didn’t respond.
“I’ll need help with this wing,” Luna called. “I’ve never seen somepony with a wing injury this severe.”
“How comforting,” Thomas growled.
“Let me clarify: I’ve never seen somepony with a wing injury this severe that was still breathing.” Luna stared at him intensely. “Your humerus is severely fractured and both the radius and ulna are completely shattered. I don’t know the first thing to do. Do we force the bone back in, or do we stop the bleeding first?”
“Put the bone back in. You want to make sure it mends itself back together properly and it’ll stop most of the blood...” Aeron grunted as he sat on his haunches, waking up from his recent unconsciousness.
“Once you’re finished with that, I suggest wrapping his wing tightly in bandages and not letting him fly.” Aeron slowly put a hoof to the base of his horn, lightly feeling the small cracks leading up to the massive crack at the horn’s tip.
“I know how to wrap an injury,” Luna pointed out unhappily.
“Don’t touch that!” Dash pulled Aeron’s hoof away from his horn. “Last thing I need is you hurting yourself.”
“Good idea.” Aeron nodded, cringing in pain. “But, about his wing - I suggest coating the damaged area in alcohol or giving him anesthetics so he doesn’t feel it as much. That, or hit him over the head and knock him out. Last thing I need to hear is his screaming.”
“Med-X. Lots of it. Now!” Thomas demanded.
“Only one dose Soldier Boy,” Scarlet muttered out. “We need to conserve my supplies.”
“One won’t be enough,” the pegasus argued. “I have bone poking out of my wing! I am in incredible pain!”
“Well if I kick you in the head so you won’t feel it anymore and save the usage of Med-X.” Scarlet suggested with a smirk.
“Just watch out for the brain damage, brain damage, brain damage, brain damage,” Ethan joked.
“Shut up,” Thomas snapped.
“Sorry, Captain. Just trying to lighten the mood a bit,” Ethan said, his face suddenly sobering significantly. “Guess I’m failing at that too,” he muttered, looking away with a frown.
Scarlet opened her eyes and lifted her head looking towards Ethan. “Wow, never thought I’d see a frown on your face.”
“Yeah, well Kata brought up an old failure of mine. I’ll be fine in a little while,” he replied with a shake of his head.
“Sure you will, but no matter what Vault Boy, the memory always hurts. No matter what you tell yourself.”
“No shit Katherine. but I’ve moved on and I don’t let it haunt me, or define me,” Ethan told her. “It just springs up sometimes.”
“Hey! A little help ove - ” the stallion was cut off by a sudden thunk. His eyes rolled up into his head before he fell over limply. Luna holstered her Sequoia.
“I hope he forgives me for that,” she muttered.
“He’s been shot in the head, he should be fine,” Scarlet said as she got up.
“Yeah, time to play amuatur surgeon,” Ethan said as he got to his hooves.
“That won’t be necessary Ethan. I can help fix Thomas’s wing,” Celestia stated.
“Without your magic?” Ethan asked her with a raised eyebrow.
“I was taught how to tend to injures without the aid of healing spells. Scarlet has plenty of medical supplies for me to reset Thomas’s wing.”
“I’d recommend working fast, I doubt that he’ll be out for long,” Twilight said dubiously.
“I’ll just give him a strong dose of Luna’s medicine if he wakes up,” Scarlet said with a grin.
“That won’t be necessary Scarlet.” Celestia picked up an assortment of medical tools and supplies, and walked over to Thomas’s unconscious form. She quickly began to work on his wing.
“While she’s doing that, who was that mysterious pony from earlier?” Scarlet asked.
“That’s Bob,” Ethan replied.
“Bob?”
“Yeah, Bob,” Ethan said with a slight chuckle. Scarlet looked over at Twilight for a better explanation.
“He’s a Voidling. That means that he’s from a place between everything. It also gives him a superiority complex close to the size of a planet. Although he’s powerful enough to back it up so...” Twilight replied before trailing off with a shrug.
“I might be small, but I pack a powerful punch, especially since I’m bonded to someone.”
“Yes, you’re very impressive,” Twilight said with a dismissive roll of her eyes before she turned to Luna. “Are you okay?” She asked the other woman.
“Don’t worry about me, Twilight Sparkle. I’m more concerned about him,” she replied sadly with a nod towards the unconscious form of Thomas.
“I’m sure he’ll be fine. Thomas strikes me as the type to bounce back from injuries,” Twilight replied with a hopeful smile.
“In his own body, yes. But now?” she asked, gesturing at the unconscious pegasus. “I am not so sure.”
“Y’know Luna, once he’s better I’d take the opportunity to really talk to him,” Ethan told her seriously. “There’s no point in having regrets because you couldn’t open your mouth and tell him about how you feel. Life’s too short not to.”
“I am near immortal, life will go on for far too long for me,” she responded.
“And that’s a lot of time to live in regret,” Ethan replied.
“You speak as though I don’t already know that,” Luna said.
“Then act like it,” the stallion shrugged.
“I have to agree. I never told my father how I felt about him before he died.” Aeron added. Ethan looked over at him and raised an eyebrow.
“What?” Aeron looked at him with the same response.
“That meant continue,” Ethan said with a shrug.
“Well, what would you like to know, Ethan?” Aeron asked.
“I don’t know, it just seemed like you were going to add to that,” Ethan told him.
“Well, I never told my father how much I hated him for not being there during my birth, how much of a sellout he was to the Brotherhood and how much I despised him for downgrading my actions when he himself just left me to deal with the Overseer in the Vault.” Aeron sighed harshly, “is that better?”
“I s’pose so; he sounds like a dick,” Ethan said.
“But he wasn’t.” Aeron said softly.
“Hmm?” Ethan asked.
“My father was an amazing man. I’m sure our fathers were still very similar. He did things that showed the Wasteland true compassion and he was praised by everyone for providing free and clean - yet FEV filled - water. I was just a parasite to him and I only downgrade him because of that.” Aeron answered sincerely.
“Ah, I see,” Ethan said. “I can’t exactly relate.”
“No one can. That’s only one problem I have with people in general. That, and how they use violence and destruction to claim who is ‘good’ and ‘bad’.” Aeron added.
“Well that part’s simple,” Twilight said. “Those who are trying to hurt the ones who are innocent are bad, they deserve punishment.”
“But who is defined as ‘innocent’? People in the past looked ‘innocent’, yet, they rose to power and destroyed everything around them. Not sure about Equestria, but, that happened back on Earth.”
“To be fair Aeron, there’s no such thing as an innocent politician,” Ethan interjected.
“No. There isn’t. People lie and people cheat. That’s human nature. What shouldn’t be human nature is violently attacking the people who are ‘bad’ than bringing them to trial in front of a judge.” Aeron sighed, “of course, there’s no constitution and I’m labelled ‘evil’ for doing much the same thing. So, whatever.”
“You aren’t just given a label, you earn it through your actions,” Twilight told him.
“Yes, yes. Actions speak louder than words and what-not. But, people like the Brotherhood have committed greater atrocities in the past. That includes their Outcast friends.” Aeron grunted.
“Yes they have. And Sarah and Rothchild have been doing their best to make up for it,” Ethan said with a shrug. “The past happened in the past, that’s why it’s called the past. It’s what you do with the future that’s important.”
“People don't let go. Myself included. I destroyed Megaton a long time ago. People are still pissed about that.”
“Well what do you expect? If you destroy a town then there are going to be people who were connected to that town, friends, lovers, family. It’s human nature to hold a grudge,” Ethan replied. “You’ve just gotta find a way to make them see you differently, if you feel like it anyways.”
“Well, it’s too late to change now. My best bet is to either become a reclusive old man and die, bite the proverbial bullet, or leave the Capital Wasteland forever. Or all three.”
“That’s a decision for you to make,” Ethan said with a slight sigh.
“Well, you’re not all that bad, Aeron.” Dash interrupted.
“What do you mean by that?” Aeron looked over at Dash with a raised brow.
“Well, you saved my life, you didn’t kill the children of Lamplight and actually returned their friends, you helped out the Gary’s, you saved that one mom’s daughter...” Dash rolled her hand to show the list was going on.
“Just small things.” Aeron grunted.
“But they were big things to those people, weren’t they? I would’ve been killed, raped, and eaten in that order. You said that yourself.” Dash laughed nervously.
“Maybe. Doesn’t change people’s views. Three Dog has them all set on that one.” Aeron sighed.
“Then change his opinion. He might be a loud mouthed bastard, but Three Dog’s actually pretty smart once you get to know him. I’m sure that if you did a little good then he’d start reporting it,” Ethan told him.
“Like what? Stop a war between the Enclave and the Brotherhood?” Aeron chuckled.
“That’s a good place to start,” Ethan told him with a smile.
“Yeah. We’ll see about that one. It’s likely, the Enclave will kill themselves before I get to do anything. Idiots.” Aeron smirked at the thought.
“Tell me about it, I don’t call them the Fucking Enclave for no reason,” Ethan said.
“I thought we were discussing my relationship with Thomas,” Luna said, slightly confused by the sudden change of topic.
“I was giving you time to come up with a good response,” Ethan said with a slight smirk.
“Yeah. Feel free to take the conversation. I have things to think about.” Aeron stated.
“I will need a few more minutes to think about it,” Luna said.
“Alright Lulu, take your time,” Ethan said.
“So Vault Boy, what happened up there on the last tower?” Scarlet asked.
“Kata brought up a promise that I failed to keep,” Ethan said, with a sigh.
“I was talking about with the incident where all of the wyverns were dragged up in the air,” Scarlet deadpan.
“Oh, that was just my magnetic personality,” Ethan said with a chuckle and a grin.
Scarlet rolled her eyes. “Sure it was.”
“You don’t believe me?” he asked her. “I’m hurt Katherine!” Ethan exclaimed while holding his hooves to his chest.
“The story of how the Chosen One went back in time is more believable than what you said.”
“Fine,” Ethan replied with a roll of his eyes. “It was Bob.”
“Okay, Bob, what happened?” she asked staring up in the air.
“The last crystal made a special black hole to suck all of the wyverns into oblivion.” Bob simply answered.
“That seems impossible,” Scarlet said.
“Yes it does. Oblivion was sealed off from all mortal realms centuries ago with only a select few being capable of reopening the gate,” Twilight agreed.
“I was talking about the wyverns’ demise, and I’m just using the term ‘black hole’ because it’s the closest you mortals have to what it actually was. It’s made through use of powers of the Void, which this being Kata seems to have. But she is not a being of the Void or has one bonded to her.
“That worries me,” Twilight murmured. “She already has the full abilities of a chaos lord, the last thing we need to deal with are Void powers.”
“Well she’s already limited with her Void powers. If she used them too much she will attract the attention of an Apocalypse Lord, and no mortal wants that.”
“I just remembered something!” Ethan exclaimed.
“What?” Scarlet asked.
“When ‘Bob’ first started helping Thomas and I, Kata reacted in an odd way. She said something about a brother, and how she’d ‘got him’,” Ethan replied with a thoughtful look on his face as he thought about it.
“So that’s who she’s afraid of? Her brother?” Scarlet stated a deep thoughtful look crossed her face. “Sibling rivalry huh? I wonder what would make her so afraid of him?”
“Well it stands to reason that her brother would be just as, if not more, powerful than she is,” Twilight replied.
“Yeah, but she has the home advantage for being in this realm. So why hide?” Scarlet question.
“I’m beginning to suspect that we don’t have all the pieces to this puzzle,” Twilight said.
“I agree,” Celestia said as she rejoin the others. Thomas was still passed out, but his wing was wrapped in a brace cover cloth that was strapped to his side. “Battles like this are more complex than any of you can imagine. Lose just one small step of your footing and it could be all over for you.”
“Yep, fun times eh Sunny?” Ethan asked.
“You have no idea,” Bob agreed with an amused chuckle.
“Oh Bob, how little you know,” Ethan said with a chuckle of his own.
“Don’t misjudge me mortal. I’ve been battle the likes you’ve never seen, or will. I’m far older than all the added age of Celestia and Luna, from all of your realms."
“Neat,” Ethan told him with a grin. “Betcha haven’t been kidnapped by aliens.”
“And I bet you haven’t fought a lord of order.”
“Na, they’re too jiggly for me, I’ll stick with cheese,” the man replied with a smirk.
“So how do we find Kata’s brother?” Scarlet said to change the conversation that was going on.
“We start looking where she doesn’t want us too,” Twilight replied.
“Hard to do when she’s corralling us to where she wants us to be.” Scarlet pointed out.
“Well someone has been subtly helping us, so if we just keep our eyes open we should be able to find him eventually,” Twilight said before turning to Celestia for her opinion.
“True, or if he feels the time is right to show himself. He’s clearly our friend at the moment.” Celestia said while placing a hand under her chin.
“Indeed, hopefully if we can find him we can find a way out of this maze,” Luna said, breaking her silence, she then walked over to where Thomas’s still form was lying and sat down next to it and began gently stroking his mane.
“If we survive that long. These puzzles are getting harder and more life threatening the deeper we go.” Scarlet added.
“If things keep getting worse at this rate then we’re going to be hitting ice pretty soon,” Ethan agreed, rolling his eyes.
“Well, skating is always a thing I’ve wanted to try...” Aeron added with a smirk.
“I’ve had experience, It’s actually pretty fun once you stop falling on your ass,” Ethan replied with a chuckle.
“Well, maybe we can dance on ice together, hmm?” Aeron started to chuckle softly.
“Na, I’ve only got eyes for the Captain over there,” Ethan said with another chuckle.
“Aww, you break my petty little heart. Perhaps dinner with the two of you later?” Aeron laughed loudly.
“Maybe, I’ll cook,” Ethan replied with a grin as he shared in the laughter.
“I don’t understand humans sometimes,” Twilight whispered to Dash.
“Aeron jokes when he’s nervous. A lot. That, or he just becomes reclusive.” Dash giggled softly.
“Ah, Ethan just becomes less serious,” Twilight said with a shrug.
“Anyways. Enough with being all homosexual and what-not. What’s the game plan?” Aeron brushed his hoof through his shaved mane briskly.
“I’d say that we’ve earned a rest for a little while. I’ll take first watch with Dash, if she’s up to it of course, and then we’ll switch in four hours, y’know the routine,” Ethan replied.
“Yeah, sure. Just don’t grab me in weird places.” Dash joked mildly.
“Guess I’m with Twilight.” Aeron waved a hoof at Twilight for a moment.
“Sounds fine,” the woman said with a shrug.
“What about the others?” Dash asked Ethan.
“Well Lulu seems to be busy watching the Captain, and I’m not going to risk prying her away from him just yet. As for Sunny and Scarlet, that’s up to them,” Ethan replied with a shrug.
“Well, wanna get started while they figure that out, then?” The rainbow haired girl questioned.
“Sure, sounds good to me,” Ethan said with a smile, he got up and walked over towards one of the walls before sitting down and leaning his back against it.
Dash got up and followed, sitting right next to him and stretching her arms before coming to a complete rest.
Eventually the others figured out sleeping and watch arrangements and went to sleep.
“So, how’re you handling all this?” Ethan asked Dash as he cleaned his sword with one of the rags conveniently borrowed from Scarlet’s bag.
“Well... Y’know.” Dash sighed, “badly. Yourself?”
“To tell you the truth Dash this is only the third weirdest kidnapping attempt I’ve been through,” Ethan confessed.
“I’m not surprised. All you do is gloat about it. So, it has to be true.” Dash shrugged.
“I don’t gloat...” Ethan began indignantly before trailing off. “...that much,” he finished lamely.
“You gloat more than me when I do something awesome. That’s saying something, Ethan.” Dash giggled.
“Yeah, well I’ve been through enough shit that I should be proud of it,” Ethan replied with a chuckle.
“Yeah, but, even I know when enough is enough. People probably don’t want to hear the same story told a million times. By then, you should’ve wrote a book about it.”
“I’ll let you in on a little secret,” Ethan told her conspiratorially.
“And that is?” The woman raised a brow.
“I talk a lot, but I don’t say anything,” The unicorn told her with a wink.
“So, Three Dog?”
“Nope, that’s not what I meant Dash,” Ethan replied with a chuckle. “Three Dog just fills the silence, it’s his job as a DJ in the Wasteland. I just talk without saying anything.”
“Elaborate?”
“Think about it Dash, how much do you really know about me?” Ethan asked her.
“You’re an idiot, you act on impulse, you’re a pervert, you’re insane, you say you’ve been kidnapped on multiple occasions by random people...” Dash was counting on her fingers for a moment before she stopped, “enough.”
“Hmm... that’s quite the list you’ve got there Dash,” Ethan said with a chuckle. “But if I’m really all of those things, how in the hell have I survived in a place like the Wasteland?”
“Because, you’re an idiot, you act on impulse, you’re a pervert...” Dash laughed as she started to restate what she said before. “Honestly, Ethan, if Aeron can survive with being tactical, and you can survive with brute force, does it really matter?”
“You’d think that traveling with someone like Aeron would make you a little more analytical Dash,” Ethan told her with a roll of his eyes. “Come on, look a little deeper, have you noticed anything wrong with me? And don’t say the easy answer please.”
“Yeah. You keep everything to yourself. That’s what’s wrong with you.” Dash frowned.
“Is it now?” Ethan inquired with a raised eyebrow.
“You and Aeron are the same. You keep all your emotions inside of you, or you just laugh it off like it’s nothing. Aeron lost his mind because of it, and when he told me what he did in the Wastes, he felt relieved.” Dash looked over at Aeron, who was laying on his back and kicking his hooves in the air.
“I’ve already got a secret keeper Dash. Anyways you’re partially right, I do keep my emotions to myself or just laugh things off,” Ethan told her with a good hearted chuckle.
“Which is stupid.” Dash frowned again, looking back at him.
“I’ve got to agree with that as far as some things go. Hell something happened to me that sent me into an alcoholic spiral and I just laughed and smiled the whole time until Twilight Sparkle, the best friend I’ve ever had by the way, saw through my bullshit,” Ethan replied with a small smile. “Of course, you’re still only half right about me.”
“Then, what’s the other ‘half’? Drug abuse?” Dash laughed softly. Ethan let out a laugh of his own before his good humor disappeared from his voice.
“It’s an act, Dash,” He said quietly.
“Oh?” She raised a brow in curiousity.
“Or most of it is anyways, I’m very good at staying in character,” Ethan told her with a chuckle.
“So, you just lie to yourself every moment of your life? Because that’s really stupid.”
“Not to myself Dash, just to strangers,” Ethan replied with a shrug.
“I’ve made some pretty big lies for good reasons. But, lying about who you really are? That’s honestly the worst thing a person can do to themselves.” She crossed her arms for a moment, “it’s like taking the yolk out of the egg. It’s not delicious without the yolk.”
“Well, personally, I disagree. The people I care about know who I really am. As for the rest, it’s better to see the insane, impulsive perverted, fool than it is for them to see me for me. It keeps them underestimating me and it’s saved my ass more than once,” Ethan replied with a shrug.
“Isn’t that bad Karma?”
“The goddess of Karma owes me more favours than you’d believe for all the people I’ve rescued and saved over the years,” Ethan told her with a chuckle.
“I don’t think she owes you shit.” Dash stated bluntly.
“I’m not sure if she’s real. But she hasn’t done anything to bad to me if she is does,” Ethan shrugged. “I help people Rainbow Dash, that’s my job. And if I have to act like an idiot to save someone then I’m going to act like an idiot!”
“Usually, the hero helps people through intelligence and leadership. Do you ever notice how bad your situation ends up?”
“I’m plenty smart when I really need to be, as for leadership, well that’s not my style. As for my situations, name one time that I’ve died when you’ve been around.”
“Well, you endanger everyone around you if you act wildly like you do here.” Dash muttered.
“Oh, such as when?” Ethan asked her.
“You know, running into a mine, thinking you're invincible? That’s a great one.”
“The thanks I get for keeping you from running head on into a nearly invisible mine is to be criticized for saving you from losing a leg?” Ethan asked her.
“Still would’ve got us killed. Shrapnel, y’know?”
“And yet miraculously you didn’t die, and I’m still alive. Rainbow Dash I do the things I do because I know that I can take it,” Ethan told her flatly.
“But, you’re not immortal. You’ll die eventually. Especially if you abuse your body as much as you do now.”
“If I die protecting someone who would’ve died without my help then it’s completely worth it,” Ethan told her. “As for my body, it heals completely in the fucking sun from almost any damage.”
“And what if that person died after you did? Or you watched them die as you were dying yourself? What would you do then?” She asked with a solemn tone.
“Well, in that case I’d probably beat myself up internally and then die. Or I’d heal and spend the next month, or however long it takes for me to find them, tracking the person who killed them down and killing them. Then I’d take another month long break in Equestria so that Sparky could keep me from drinking myself to death,” Ethan told her with a sigh.
“Hrm.” Was all Dash responded with, before stretching her arms again. “So, how’s your sex life?”
“That’s my line,” Ethan said with a chuckle. “And it’s amazing, when the kids aren’t around at least. What about yours?”
“Well, when Spike isn’t bugging Twilight and I...” Dash giggled softly, “we usually pull out The Paddle and have some fun.”
“Kinky,” Ethan said with a grin.
“Far more than that when magic is involved.” Dash added.
“I wouldn’t know, Sparky and Tia keep on refusing my offers of a foursome,” Ethan said with a pout.
“Well, if it’s any consolation, I’m sure Big Mac, Braeburn and Caramel would appreciate it.”
“Gah!” Ethan exclaimed. “Trust me Dash, I’m only interested in my wife, or other women that I have her approval to be interested in.”
“Just think about Mac, Brae and Caramel riding you. That’d be a fun little show.” Dash held back a laugh.
“Yeah, and you, Twilight, and Discord would make a fun group too. Imagine all the new positions you’d learn,” Ethan shot back.
“Not a bad idea...” She began to tap her chin in thought.
“All that frosting and chocolate milk would probably give you an infection,” Ethan told her with a chuckle.
“Yeah, but, if Pinkie was in on it, it’d be real fun.”
“I’m sure, what about Gilda?” the unicorn asked.
“I haven’t really talked to her in a while. Probably wouldn’t want to do anything with her in that manner. I know she can be cool and all, when not being a total featherbrain, but she’s not someone I’d ‘get to know.’”
“My Dash didn’t share your opinion for some reason. They’ve been married for a while now,” Ethan said with a shrug.
“Well, good for her. Hope that works out well.” Dash added her own shrug before shaking her head for a moment, “why are we talking about this again?”
“Because it was a neutral topic that both of us had an interest in,” Ethan suggested.
“Interest in having a three- and four-way?”
“Sure, I’ll ask Cassie next time I’m home and if we can get to your version of Equestria then we’ll make a night of it”
“Well, I’m not one for penises, but, I’m sure us girls could make an exception.” Dash laughed softly.
“Great, it’s a fuck date,” Ethan said.
“Perfect! Although, I’d rather you be a pony. I doubt you’re hung like one.”
“We’ll see about that later,” Ethan said with a wink.
“I’m sure. Well, enough about sex and stuff. What else is there to talk about to take up time and energy?”
“Tell me a little about Aeron if you don’t mind, I’m not going to judge him. I’m just curious about another me is all,” He told her.
“Well... If you’re a bit more specific, I can... Try and tell you about him.” Dash answered politely.
“You’ve both mentioned his insanity, what type is it?” Ethan inquired.
“There’s types now?” Dash joked.
Ethan regarded her for a second before replying. “How did he get it, what does it make him do, how often does it spring up, how does he act when under its effects, et cetera, et cetera.”
“That’s better.” Dash smiled softly, before it faded into a placid expression. “Well... He just goes blank. He stares at nothing, he thinks of nothing and he just... Does nothing. It’s like he’s doing his best to keep whatever is haunting him away somewhere in the back of his mind. It has only happened once in the middle of a fight... I don’t ever want to see it again.”
“Do you know what causes it?”
“Well, we were fighting... What were those yellow giants called?”
“Super mutants?” Ethan asked.
“Yeah. We were fighting some off, just outside of the Vault where the Gary clones were. It wasn’t that big of a deal. Only a few of them. Then, we were just ambushed by a horde of them and he just... He did nothing but stare at them.” Dash sighed deeply before continuing, “Jericho and I just kept asking him what to do. I was afraid to fly away and get shot, Jericho didn’t want to fire at them and get cornered, so we were basically screwed without his help.”
“When the mutants finally reached us, they immediately went for Aeron... That’s when I had to close my eyes. Everything got really, really bloody.” Dash looked down at the ground, put a finger in some accumulated dust and started playing with it.
“I see,” Ethan said. “Go on.”
“Well... After it was safe to open my eyes, all I saw were mangled corpses of every mutant there was. At least a hundred of them died or were limping away. Aeron said they’d never back down from a fight.” Dash shook the thought out of her head for a moment, “I... I asked him about it a lot. He wouldn’t answer me directly or just brushed it off. Saying that he was ‘doing what was right for a change.’”
“Hmm... That doesn’t exactly tell me much. Maybe he entered a temporary battle trance and killed them. I just don’t know,” Ethan said with a shrug.
“No. That’s not it. He mentioned the same thing before when he decided to destroy Megaton. He said he had horrible nightmares that persisted to no end. He wouldn’t go into too much detail, but, I think I can connect the dots on how much of his mind can ‘go’ at times.”
“Damn, still not enough for me to form any kind of prognosis,” Ethan muttered. “I’m not much good at it in the first place but, well you know, I try to help.”
“I’ve already tried to understand him. He’s like a puzzle piece that’s in the wrong box. It’s impossible to solve anything with it.”
“Guess he’s just another that I can’t help,” Ethan said with a dark chuckle. “I feel like there’s a joke here about not being able to help myself.”
“Aeron may joke sometimes, but, y’know. It’s because he’s nervous. That’s what I get from him, anyways.”
“Yeah, that’s one of the reasons that I haven’t given him nearly as much shit as I have with Katherine,” Ethan replied.
“Well, some people would rather not share certain things. Aeron shares private matters, but, not that often. I mostly think it’s because he’s lonely.”
“That’ll do it alright,” Ethan replied before he yawned. “I think it’s been close to four hours Dash, let’s wake up Twilight and Aeron.”
“Alrighty.” Dash stood up, brushing some built up dust from her armour and then making her way over to Aeron, waking him up. Ethan just went over and nudged Twilight awake.
Aeron and Twilight were now up for their shift. An awkward silence lasted for the first half an hour of the shift. Twilight was examining the man-now-pony, looking him over and seeing that he was just staring off into random space. Every now and then, his eyes would move over to a different part of the room or he’d shift his body completely. Not enjoying the silence anymore, she broke the silence.
“So Aeron... how did you meet Dash?” The woman asked as she gently played with a strand of her purple hair, it was odd having fingers instead of hooves.
“Well, I just stumbled upon her. Was an odd chance to see an actual Pegasus just lounging about. Thought it was some sort of FEV freak. Glad I was wrong.” Aeron clasped his hooves together in thought. “Why do you ask?”
“I’m just curious is all. You’re interesting to me,” Twilight replied.
“Interesting in what manner?” Aeron raised a brow at the woman, “because I’m not one for sex, Twilight.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it Aeron,” Twilight told him flatly. “You’re interesting because you’re so like Ethan.”
“So, I’m an idiot? That’s nice.” Aeron looked at her placidly.
“Heh, not quite. Ethan’s not an idiot, no matter how much like one he acts,” Twilight replied with a slight chuckle.
“Then, be my guest and elaborate, dear.” Aeron gave a slight smirk before he held a small frown.
“He acts like an idiot, he really isn’t,” Twilight told him.
“That’s not what I’m asking,” Aeron stated quickly, “I meant to elaborate on why I’m so like Ethan.”
“Oh,” Twilight said looking slightly embarrassed. “Well... I suppose the obvious is your background, although that’s rather different now that I’ve heard more about it. I guess what I meant to say is that you’re interesting because of how you’re both similar and different from one another at a basic level. You’re kind of like Ethan, and at the same time you’re different,” Twilight replied after a moment of thought.
“Well, Ethan only compares to me on a very basic level. He’s a man and I’m a man. That’s about it.” Aeron grunted softly.
“There’s more to it then that, Aeron. For example you both prefer to keep your real thoughts to yourself,” Twilight told him.
“And how do you know of that? Perhaps I see a therapist every day?” Aeron interrupted her.
“Because I know what it looks like when someone is thinking, and you’re always thinking, Aeron,” Twilight replied.
“I have a lot to think about. But, now we’re both men with thoughts. Care to try some more?” Aeron chuckled softly.
Twilight snorted. “Well you’re both difficult when it comes to answering personal questions and you both deflect things away from yourselves.”
“Some things aren’t meant to be shared. They’re called ‘secrets’ for a reason.” Aeron replied, “besides, why would I answer personal questions to someone I don’t care about?”
Twilight sighed, she wasn’t getting anywhere with this so she shrugged and simply let the topic die.
“You give up too easily, Twilight. That’s what’s wrong with you in this group.” Aeron let out a laugh and laid down, looking around the room once more.
“No, I just know which battles are worth fighting,” Twilight replied with a shrug.
“Who said it was a battle? I’m not fighting you.” Aeron let off a smirk at his own literalism.
“So the man who claims to be the smartest person in the group can’t recognize a figure of speech?” Twilight asked with a chuckle. “I’ll have to remember to be careful in the future, it could be dangerous.”
“I wouldn’t talk so much. You can’t handle Scarlet digging at your sex life, let alone your own personal power.” Aeron held a placid look once more, “your ‘royal ascension’ is probably the worst thing to ever happen back where you come from. You’d be an awful leader if you let people get to you.”
“Well I’ve restructured the bureaucracy so that it runs 35.5 percent more efficiently, did away with exuberant taxes on the poor while giving the nobles a way to supplement those by increasing their production, and I’ve cut down on the number ponies petitioning Tia so that she can focus on the more important parts of running a kingdom,” Twilight answered smartly.
“Doesn’t matter what you did. People, or ponies in your case, tend to forget and bitch about something else. You’ll never make anyone happy, ponies will constantly attack you for being a ‘bad’ pony and you’ll continue to deal with this until your life decides to end. Which isn’t for... Ten thousands years, per say?” Aeron chuckled softly.
“Give or take an aeon and you might be in the right ballpark. As for the other part, I think that you’re projecting a little bit of your problems onto me,” Twilight replied.
“Much like the people I’ve met who haven’t attacked me, I don’t tell anyone my problems. But, if you look at all political leaders, they never did anything right.” Aeron shrugged, “of course, if they did everything the citizen’s wanted, it’d be anarchy, but, they still screwed up one way or another.”
“No one’s perfect Aeron, but I do my best to serve the kingdom, and that’s all that I can do. Ponies who have a problem with the way I do things are welcome to petition to me about changing my policies. If they have good ideas then I take them into account and try to work them into what I do,” Twilight told him.
“Perhaps it’s the Wasteland ideals getting to me. But, this once, I’ll believe you. However, you still let people get to you too easily and you give up too easily.” Aeron shrugged. “hell, I could’ve picked at you for hours until you told me something. You barely lasted ten minutes.”
“You think I’m like this when I’m in my politics mode?” Twilight asked with a shake of her head. “We’re in the field of battle against an opponent who we literally know next to nothing about, I’m not going to treat you like an opposing politician. I’ve been treating you like a companion who could become a friend!” Twilight replied with a hint of annoyance entering into her voice.
“A friend?” Aeron stood up and glared at her, “you think you have the audacity to even think I’d consider you, of all people, a friend?!”
“Sure, why not?” Twilight asked with a raised eyebrow. “Friendship is one of the strongest forces in the universe, besides having friends on the battlefield means that you’re more likely to help them in the long run and it increases battle chemistry,” Twilight informed him.
“Friendship is a pollutant to all relationships. All it ever does is cause manipulation, lies, defamation and slander. The last thing I need is some priss and pompous four year old telling me how wonderful she is while I try to figure out where I’m going to stash her body for being so naive!” Aeron was pacing back and forth momentarily, pointing at his horn, “your idea of ‘friendship’ caused me to do something very, very fucking stupid: nearly have this stupid ass horn ripped off my head.”
“That is no one’s fault but your own Aeron! You’re the one who chose to charge that deathclaw rather than find some other way to deal with it!” Twilight exclaimed. “And as for the other part about friendship, well if that’s the world you live in then you must be a very, very sad little man!” Twilight told him severely.
Aeron took in a deep breath, calming himself down before speaking again. “You’re right. I am a ‘sad little man’, Twilight. But knowing I don’t need to deal with those who I’ll lose anyways is less of a burden on my mind.”
Twilight started to laugh. “Aeron I’m going to outlive all of my friends. All of them. That doesn’t mean that I want to stop being their friend; if anything it makes it more important to me that I spend as much time with them as possible!” She told him.
“The difference between you and I is that I have no friends.” Aeron stated bluntly, laying back down, “what point is there to try and do anything for a friend you don’t have?”
“I bet that you had a friend before now, and I know Ethan well enough to have a good guess who it was,” Twilight said. “So what happened between you and Amata to make you hate her so much?”
Aeron looked down at the ground for a moment, picking his hooves into the accumulated dust. He said nothing for a good three minutes and remained that way.
“I’m right then,” Twilight said with a nod to herself.
“I don’t hate her.” Aeron said softly and almost with an inaudible tone.
“Oh?” Twilight asked softly. “Because with the way you talk about friendship you seem to.”
“She was the only one who cared about me. She was the only one who tried to understand, or held any of the qualities of what I consider a ‘friend’...” Aeron looked at the ground continuing to pick away at dirt, “...and she was the first one to make me an outcast.”
“So you’ve taken her betrayal to mean that friendship is something to be spat on and aVoided?” Twilight asked archly.
“If you want to dumb it down to that, I guess so.” Aeron held somewhat of a frown on his face, holding back the urge to cry.
“Well then you’re stupid,” Twilight told him frankly. “If you don’t have any friends then you’re life’s not worth living.”
“That’s a bit extreme. Friends aren’t entirely necessary to living. I still enjoy whatever little pleasures I find in doing... Whatever it is I do. Then the rest of the time is spent thinking.”
“They’re necessary to truly live Aeron. Trust me, I would know.” Twilight told him.
“I just didn’t want it to happen again. I even tried coming back to help the Vault when the Overseer really lost his mind. I was just booted out of there like a radroach in a scorpion den.”
“So that’s it, you gave up. I’m not sure whether that’s more sad, or more pathetic,” Twilight replied.
“Most likely both. I tried to reason, but, apparently Wasteland news reaches Vaults faster than locusts and crops.” Aeron sighed.
“Well then I suppose you don’t give a damn about Rainbow Dash. I mean if friendship is stupid, then why bother keeping her safe? Why put up with an arrogant loud mouthed pegasus who you could probably stick a slave collar on and sell for a few thousand caps?” Twilight asked him.
“She’s... She was different. I wanted to do something with her - use her before I just killed her outright. But, when I obtained the opportunity to end her life... I just couldn’t. I didn’t want to.”
“So she’s more than just a tool to you, but you don’t give enough of a damn about her to call her your friend?” Twilight asked him angrily.
“Fear gets the better of me. A lot.” Aeron stated bluntly.
“Oh, so you were afraid of a 150 pound pegasus when you had an assault rifle?” Twilight asked sarcastically.
“Afraid of losing the friendship again. Knowing my chances, it’d happen.”
“If you killed her then she probably would stop being your friend,” Twilight replied dryly.
“Uhg, not that you imbecile.” Aeron grunted, “if you’re going to be this much of a dick, then I won’t bother talking anymore.”
“Sorry,” Twilight apologized. “Regardless of anything that I’ve said, or anything that you’ve said apparently, Rainbow Dash is your friend. No matter how hard you deny it or try and push her away; she’ll always be your friend. She’s the Element of Loyalty for a reason.”
“I have nothing to add to that. Whatever I say, I know I may or may not regret it.”
“Hrmph,” Twilight grumbled. “Friendship’s not about whether or not you regret it later, it’s about what you do while it’s there.”
“I’ll let time and my own thoughts decide that one.”
“Trust me Aeron, friendship is worth it,” Twilight said quietly.
“The last time I trusted a politician, it ended up with me destroying my father’s work.” Aeron laughed at his own, personal, joke.
“I’m only a Princess as long as I’m helping people Aeron. If I stop doing that then I’m just a tyrant.”
“Everyone needs a break once in awhile. Can’t be expected to help forever.”
“You’re right, which is why there are three of us not counting Cadence,” Twilight said with a shrug.
“Mrm.” Aeron sighed, brushing a hoof lightly against his horn, wincing slightly.
“Don’t touch that. If you’re not careful you’ll send a fragment into your brain,” Twilight told him.
“It’s just annoying me right now, knowing I have an open wound and can’t do anything.” Aeron growled at himself.
“I’m sure it is, just try not to alright, Dash would be a wreck if you died.”
“What makes you say that?” Aeron raised a brow, placing his hooves on the floor.
“Because she cares about you, you moron,” Twilight replied.
“Hrmph.” Aeron lowered his brow and held another placid look on his face.
“Hell, even someone as apparently dence as you should be able to figure that out,” The woman added.
“Continue.” Aeron continued to stare at her, waiting for more.
“She’s your friend Aeron. If you died because of something stupid then she’d feel awful about it. And don’t you dare try to tell me that’s why you don’t have friends!” Twilight growled.
“I don’t see the point in mourning someone’s death. It happens a lot, it’s bad, but why would you cry about it?”
Twilight pinched the bridge of her nose, closed her eyes for a second, and let out a sigh. “Because Aeron, that’s what people do when they lose someone that they care about,” she told him.
“In some cultures, people celebrate death. I can see people celebrating my death.” Aeron tapped a hoof on his chin for a moment, thinking about people ripping his dead corpse to shreds, “in a bad way.”
“Do you think that Rainbow Dash would do that?” She asked him harshly.
“I’d want her to. I don’t want her crying when I’m ‘gone forever’.” Aeron stated calmly.
“Aeron...” Twilight began before she trailed off. “I think our watch is over, let’s go wake up Luna and Scarlet.” The woman got to her feet and walked over to Luna, who was lying beside Thomas’s still form, and nudged her awake.
Aeron did much the same, only walking over to Scarlet and pushing her tough, earth pony, form. “Wakey, wakey, hands off snak--... Well, that can’t be applied.”
“Plus I’m not a child.” The mare added as she got up.
“Right.” Aeron walked over to Twilight for a moment, looking up at her. A very faint smile crossed his lips.
“Thanks.” Aeron told her.
“It’s my job, and my pleasure,” Twilight replied, a wry smile on her lips.
“If I knew more emotions, than I’d probably hug you. But, I’m dirty currently.” Aeron chuckled softly.
“Yeah, we wouldn’t want to stain Ethan’s duster would we?” Twilight asked with a chuckle of her own.
Neither said anything else, instead they just lay down next to their companions and closed their eyes.
Scarlet was dragging a hoof along the dirt, trying to help pass the time. Luna sat nearby, constantly glancing at Thomas as though taking her eyes off him would make him disappear.
“You know he’s going to be fine. He’s been through a lot worse if he has been through the same shit as me,” Scarlet stated.
“Should I not be worried? His current body is weaker than the one he normally inhabits. He lost quite a lot of blood,” she replied worriedly.
“Anyone who survived two shots in the head is not going to die from a fractured bone. Plus Celestia is a good physician, I’m sure he’ll wake up soon.” Scarlet got up and bent her neck to the side to try to get out a crick in it. “Besides if you’re so worried about him, why not enter his dreams to make sure he’s alright?”
Luna gave the mare a flat glare. “You think I would, but I respect his privacy. That, and this body lacks magic of any kind. ‘Tis quite frustrating.”
“Then you will just have to trust that Thomas will make it. He’s an NCR Ranger, they’re tough to take down in the first place.”
“He is not a member of this ‘NCR’,” Luna retorted angrily. “He may have sided with them, but it was to further his own agenda. He saw them as an asset.”
“Yeah well, that’s close enough for my books. I’m just glad he wasn’t part of the Legion, otherwise I really would’ve hated him.”
“He claims to have killed their leader as he sat on his throne, and beaten their most savage warrior to death with his helmet.”
“Ah, Caesar and Lanius.” Scarlet used a hard ‘c’ as she said the name Caesar. “I killed Caesar with a giant laser beam from space and Lanius...well it took two explosive rounds in his face to take him down.” Scarlet smiled at the memory.
Luna raised an eyebrow. “Do you not mean Caesar?” she asked, pronouncing it ‘See-zar’.
“‘Kai-zar’ is the correct way to pronounce it in Latin. Though only members of the Legion and a few people out in the waste ever say it like that.” Scarlet pointed out to the alicorn-turned-human. “So everyone else pronounce it the way they see it in English. ‘See-zar’.”
The woman pondered that for a moment, letting the silence fall between the two.
“So how is my Celestia different from yours?” Scarlet asked.
Luna raised an eyebrow. “Well, she’s much more of a... pacifist, I suppose that would be the right word.”
“So was mine, ‘til Cadbury launched his attack on Equestria. Anything else?”
“Incredibly patient, caring to a fault and a bit... I’m not sure I should say this...” Luna muttered, trailing off uncomfortably.
“Sex driven?” Scarlet guessed.
“Not exactly. Just... she has no real interest in other ponies.”
Scarlet rolled her eyes still. “Well other than the sex, both of our Celestia’s seem to be the same.”
“Actually, my sister prefers to use words as her weapon of choice. The last time she wielded a weapon was... well, against me.” Luna cleared her throat. “Rather, Nightmare Moon.”
“I see, I don’t fully know what happened when you were this ‘Nightmare Moon’, nor do I wish to know. I just know enough that you weren’t truly yourself, that was someone else.” Scarlet sorrowfully looked down as she said the last part of her sentence.
“Much like the facade you maintain?” Luna asked sharply. “What did Ethan call it earlier, a ‘layer of bitch’?”
“That Vault Boy doesn't understand my situation and thinks he can fix it. He’s just making it worse thinking that there was another way or it wasn’t my fault, but the truth is it was. I chose to kill that NCR messenger and it ended up being... being...” She couldn’t finish her sentence.
“I knew your situation was comparable to Thomas’s, but I must be missing something. Why did you - ”
“Because I wanted the NCR to get out of the bloody Divide! Everything was going just fine ‘til they showed up. So I made a deal with the Legion that if I help them to kick the NCR out, they would leave and never re-enter the Divide again.” The mare blundered out.
Luna was confused at that. “You made a deal with a group of slavers, rapists and murderers and expected them to keep to their word?” she asked carefully.
“I didn’t know that back then. Five years ago was the first time I ever even heard of the Legion. For all I knew they were just another tribe, and I let my past experience in dealing with tribes blind me.” Scarlet let out a sad sigh. “And I paid in full for my foolish mistake.”
Luna sighed as well. “We all make mistakes, Scarlet, some much worse than others. But in the end, you cannot be blamed for the actions of the Legion, no matter how terrible.”
“That’s not true. I was the one who came up with plans that lead so many NCR soldiers to their death, I was the one that made them desperate in trying to unlock the technological secrets of the Divide. There’s no one to blame but me. The actions came from my heart, not the Legion’s. This is a sin that cannot be forgiven.”
Luna sat there, putting a hand to her mouth in contemplation. “If it cannot be forgiven, then why haven’t you done what any other would in your situation?”
Scarlet remain quiet for quite some time. “Because...I couldn’t at the time. I didn’t want to take my life while also taking another’s.”
“I’m... not sure I understand,” the woman said hesitant
“I was pregnant, only for about month, but....I just couldn’t kill myself knowing I took another innocent life with me. I had to at least give my daughter a chance to live.” Scarlet head’s lowered as the memory slowly entered back into her mind. “I made a journey to Arroyo, his tribal village, to returned what belonged to them.”
“You left your daughter an orphan?” Luna was shocked. How could a mother do such a thing?
“I gave her a chance to live a better life than I had. A family that would love her, care for her, unlike my ‘family’.” Scarlet said, trying not to snap at Luna. She then let out a reluctant sigh. “I was doing it in order to protect her from me. From the chaos I always seemed to brew up wherever I go.”
Luna couldn’t think of a suitable response. Part of her wanted to strike the mare, another wanted to hug her, and a third wanted to yell until her voice was hoarse.
“After I gave birth, I left Arroyo, despite the Elder’s offer of letting me stay, become a member of the tribe. I wandered out into the Waste, pulled a gun... and... I couldn’t do it. I don’t know why I couldn’t pull the trigger, but I felt if I still had something else to do. What that something is, I still don’t know.”
“You wanted to redeem yourself,” Luna replied. “A part of you refused to believe that taking your own life was the best thing to do.”
Scarlet remained quiet. She then closed her eyes. “Maybe, but how is one supposed to forgive one’s own sin?” She opened her eyes and got up. “It’s time for last shift.” She started to walked back towards the group. She briefly stopped to looked back at Luna. “Thanks...” She never finished her sentence, but looked away and resumed walking.
“Still can’t believe Luna did that...” Thomas muttered angrily.
“She was just trying to make sure your condition didn’t get any worse,” Celestia calmly stated.
“Because brain injuries are a good thing,” he quipped sarcastically.
“Well it was either that or leave you awake as I tended to your wounds, causing more pain as you struggled to get away.” Celestia replied. “Beside, Med-X doesn’t have enough strength to fully numb your pain. Plus if we pumped enough in you to do that, more damage than a brain injury would’ve happened. Like stopping your heart.”
Thomas sat there, his bandaged wing twitching. Eventually, he said something. “Uhh...” Unfortunately for him, it wasn’t anything intelligent.
Celestia just shook her head. “So, you are the same person as Scarlet?”
“Did I suddenly grow a vagina?” Thomas asked. He quickly peaked between his legs. “Nope, still got a penis.”
“I meant you must share some of the same history as her. The road you two have walked must be similar in some ways.”
“We both killed the Divide, we were both couriers and we both decided who got control of Vegas.”
“Expect you went with the NCR, and she went for Independance. Tell me, what are the NCR like?”
“Their military structure is fucked. Too much nepotism. But I reckon I can get a few photos to the NCR proper of General Wait-and-See doing something so fucked up he commits suicide,” he added, laughing to himself. “Fucker needs to be taken down.”
“Why do you want him gone?”
“He’s in it for personal glory, doesn’t seem to understand that he does not have millions of soldiers to throw at the enemy, wouldn’t know strategy if it threw him off Hoover Dam and in general is such a total dick that his funeral would get crashed by every drunk soldier in the country so they could abuse his corpse.”
Celestia was shocked by such allegations. “That’s...” she couldn’t find the right word to tell how surprised she was that a nation could let a person lead if they were so hated. “Why did they let him lead the army then?”
“Because he’s related to the president, who’s an actual war hero. And he was only responsible for the NCR forces in the Mojave,” he added. “General Hsu, on the other hand, is actually sensible. He was a colonel back then.”
“Still, letting someone have power for their glory seeking never ends well. As the Old Man put it, a person seeking for glory will find none, they will only find devastation.”
“There’s only one way to fix stupid,” Thomas said sagely. “A bullet between the eyes.”
“You didn’t murder him did you?” Celestia concerning asked.
“Not yet. And I’d bet my spine that I’d be the hero of every soldier unfortunate enough to serve under him if I did.”
“That might be true but it’s not the right way.”
“In Equestria, maybe. The Wasteland... we call it Wasteland Justice for a reason.” The pegasus grimaced. “Then again, the other Celestia wasn’t happy when Dom demonstrated some of that to a pony...”
“I know that...still everyone always has a right to a second chance to do the right thing. I did so with my Luna, even though she caused more destruction than what this General could ever do.”
“Don’t know how it worked in your Equestria, but my Luna was possessed by a demon. She had no control,” he explained.
“Well...my Luna...” Celestia became hesitant to explain.
“Luna made a deal with me letting us become bonded and merge. The darkness in her heart soon overtook her and Nightmare Moon was born.” Bob explained. “So every action my Luna did came from her heart, not mine.”
Celestia gave a hard glare up in the air but let out a sigh. “What he said is true. I let anger grow in Luna and did little to stop it, even though I should have. So she made a deal with this Voidling in order to make the night last forever. I couldn’t kill her for something I caused.”
“Sounds like you’re both to blame. You for not doing anything, and her for doing something so stupid.”
“You’d think so, but no, blame it on the Voidling, who was only used as a power source for the whole ordeal.”
Celestia ignored Bob’s statement. “It was a hard time back then, it was our first years as rulers of Equestria and we still had many problems to fix since we overthrew Discord’s control of the land. The stress was too much for me back then.”
“Sounds a bit like the early days of the NCR. Raiders, Super Mutants, the Enclave, droughts. Can’t forget the radiation, either,” Thomas mused.
“Yes, the Old Man told me some of that when he first helped them when he was younger, but I should’ve done better with Luna.” Celestia lowered her head, taking in a deep breath and slowly letting it out. “She worked so hard in making the night beautiful to help ease the mind of the ponies of their troubles, but they were too exhausted during the day to even notice.”
“Sounds like what Luna told me. My Luna,” he hastily clarified.
“Then there’s no reason for me to explain what happens next. Thankfully after she returned and Twilight was able to bring her back to normal, she forgave me, and was forgiven by the ponies as well.”
“I just wish that I’d gotten the same result,” Bob muttered sourly.
“And there’s good reason for that,” Celestia harshly stated.
“Your Luna went mad with power,” Thomas answered calmly. “Bob’s a victim too. Sort of.”
“Hey, someone who’s actually supporting me.”
“I know that Thomas, still...,” she trailed off lost in a thought or in a memory. “It’s all in the past now,” she finished cutting herself off earlier. “So I can see Luna has some affection towards you.”
“Yeah,” Thomas replied uneasily. He rubbed the back of his head with a hoof before continuing. “I don’t really know. Is it because she actually likes me for me, though? Or is it only because we’ve got enough in common that she can share her problems with me?”
“Can’t it be both?” Celestia asked the stallion.
“I don’t know. Never been one for, well, romance. Never really had time, what with always travelling.”
“I bet your Luna has the same issues, if she’s as busy as my Luna makes herself out to be, yet it didn’t stop one from forming between the two of you,” the woman said.
“Maybe I should just take the chance. No telling when I’ll die...” Thomas muttered.
“Then make the best of what you can, for it’s true, there is no hint of when our time comes to an end.”
“I meant that I have to take care of raiders around Vegas,” the pegasus said with a chuckle.“They don’t care about NCR law, only shotgun justice.”
“If an old man could live to the age of eighty while still fighting the dangers of the Wastes, I see no problem for you to also reach that age,” Celestia stated.
“All is takes is one mistake, one misstep, and I’m dead. Big Empty tech won’t save me if I can’t get to it,” he mused.
“That can be said to everyone Thomas, but the answer is still the same. Make use of what you have and don’t let it go to waste. Otherwise, the scarring it leaves will never cease to hurt,” Celestia said, her voice full with what should like personal experience beneath her words.
Thomas sighed and glanced at his sleeping princess. “Later. When we get out of this, we’ll talk.
“That’s all I ask.” Celestia got up and stretched her arms out. “Come, we should start waking the others to prepare for the challenges ahead.” She grabbed hold of her spear that was resting against the wall and began to walk towards the group.
I’d say that it’s time for you to get back to your natural forms, this has grown boring, Kata suddenly announced.
Celestia’s mind got foggy as her vision got blurry. The last thing she knew as falling towards the ground and hearing the bouncing of her spear against the floor.
“Oh you fucking...” Thomas hit the ground and rolled over as a wave of exhaustion assaulted him.