//------------------------------// // Radiation Poisoning // Story: A Pony In The Wasteland // by Ribe_FireRain //------------------------------// ''So, let me get this straight: You want me to risk my life and travel into a town full of mines and come out alive with a defused mine?'' ''Yes!'' Moira exclaimed in a squeak. ''I know it sounds really risky, but if we are gonna get this chapter done, we need to know how to avoid and defuse mines!'' She gasped. ''Oh, and maybe create some of our own, too!'' ''Moira, seriously.'' I narrowed my eyes at her still joyous face. ''You better make this worth it. I'm not going to be happy if I lose a limb for this chapter of your book! And don't even dare say it was a ''natural cause!'' '' ''Hey, cool it, Brady, okay? Look, Minefield is only a couple days hike from here. I'm sure you'll be fine.'' She tried to reassure me, but I could clearly sense this wasn't worth the assurance, nor the risk of getting my legs blown off by an armed landmine. ''Fine. But let me make this clear: I'm never, I repeat, never going to do something as stupid and risky as this for you again. I'll do it. And by the way, that money I needed to give you for that suit for Rainbow? Here.'' I tossed her a bag of caps. ''Cheers. Where is Rainbow anyway? Shouldn't she be by your side?'' ''No, shes at my house. She seemed a little tired this morning, and I hope it wasn't the iguana last night, either. That 200 year old food has quite the ache the next day.'' ''Ha, ha! Yeah. It sure does.'' We both chuckled together and then I returned to my house on the opposite side of the crater. ''Rainbow? Rainbow? Where are you?'' I called out, but got no response. I walked up the metallic stairs and into my room and saw Rainbow lying on the bed asleep and looking quite woozy. Her mane was frazzled and messed up as if she'd been sleeping all day long and her eyes were deeply black underneath. That really concerned me. ''Rainbow?'' I whispered, but she still lay there, not showing any signs of response. I looked at her chest and saw her breathing lightly, making my concern rise. I placed my index and middle finger to her neck for a pulse and once I found it, it was very weak and beating rapidly. Then I felt her head, it was over her original temperature. At this point I was starting to panic and started shaking Rainbow softly, in hope of awakening her. ''Rainbow! Rainbow?! Do you hear me?! RAINBOW?!'' Silence. ''Oh, fuck, no!'' I screamed in moral shock as I picked her up and carried her in my arms to the Megaton clinic. I barged hurriedly through the door and into the clinic, where an annoyed Doc Church immediately grumbled in frustration and annoyance. ''Oscar Brady.'' He stated dully. ''This had better be good. What do you want this time?'' ''I-It's her!'' I motioned my eyes to Rainbow Dash who was in my arms, still lifeless. For a few moments, Church seamed to stare at her, probably thinking I'm crazy for thinking that I brought a mutated animal that was sick for treatment. ''You can't be serious...'' He grumbled. ''Doc! Please, just help her! I think she's got a form of radiation poisoning! Please! I don't want her to die!'' I begged, and unexpectedly, he gave in to it. Seeing her face and current condition must of moved his heart somehow. ''Alright, alright! Don't get your panties in a twist! I'll see what I can do. Bring her over here.'' He then took me into the back room, just in front of the entrance where there was three beds with one person occupying one while the other two was empty. He led me to the last bed and told me to place Rainbow down, so I did. He pulled up a rotten, wooden chair and began looking at her for any clues of why she's like this. He too noticed her eyes were deep black underneath and that her pulse was weak and rapid. I filled him in on what I could, but I don't think he listened to me. He placed his black hand over her forehead and felt she was over the original temperature. Far too high to call her well. Something was indeed wrong with her. could it of been the iguana? ''Brady? How long's she been like this? Was she acting strange lately?'' ''No, she was fine the day before, and I think she must of been like this for an hour and a half since I was at crater side supply getting a few things.'' ''Oscar, I don't know how I can help her out. What is she anyway?'' He glanced a confused look to her body. ''She's a pony. Her name's Rainbow Dash, Element of Loyalty.'' ''Well, hang on, I need to write this stuff down to keep track of her.'' Doc Church walked out of the clinics bedroom and came back after a brief moment with a clipboard and pencil. He scribbled down her name and details and ticked a few various boxes relating to her condition. He looked up after a short time had passed and looked back at Rainbow, this time he drew out her hoof with his hand and injected a clear blue liquid into her blood stream. ''What did you inject her with?'' I asked worriedly. ''A shot of Med-X.'' He spoke quietly. ''You were right, by the way. She does indeed have radiation poisoning. But don't worry, she'll be fine. We'll give her a small dosage of RadAway tomorrow morning and see if she's alright.'' I waited by Rainbow's bedside all night in the clinic, not once falling asleep as I never wanted to leave reality so I could always be there for her in case something went wrong with the Med-X. I looked at her with tears starting to form in my eyes as I stroked her silky rainbow mane gently with my hand. I caressed her back, moving my hand up and down slowly, feeling her deep, cyan fur overlap around my hand. ''Please be okay, Rainbow...I don't wanna lose you...'' I moped as I looked miserably at her slowly moving body as she breathes in and out in short breaths. As I watched her lay there motionless, I recollected our memories together when we first met. The day I taught her how to shoot and how to carefully aim a gun, when I taught her how to fight with her hooves and melee weapons. Then the time I brought her to the Brass Lantern and introduced her to Leo Stahl and his brother and sister. I smiled weakly as I felt my tears flow down my cold cheeks. ''S-She's Lucky to h-have someone like y-you.'' a croaky, old voice spoke quietly behind me, causing me to turn my head to whomever was talking. I saw it was an old lady. She had wrinkles covering her entire face and had a bruise or two on the side of her face and neck. She wore a pair worn-out makeshift clothes with various holes in different places and her grey hair was combed into a sweet fashion. She must of been about 87. ''What makes you say that?'' I asked softly through my own cracked and sad voice. ''Well, l-look a-a-at you. You stay b-by her s-side and never l-leave her alone. I'm on my o-own. My idiot husband r-ran off to Raven Rock to find the E-Enclave and n-never came b-back. Rest his soul..'' She croaked, a single tear drop rolling down her face and onto her sheets. ''Oh, l-look at my manners! I'm M-Mother Manya. Longtime Magaton resident.'' ''Hey, Manya. Sorry to hear that about your husband.'' ''That's alright, d-deary.'' ''Mother Manya, this is Rainbow Dash.'' ''My,my! She looks in pretty bad shape. Is she a-alright?'' She asked, concerned. ''I sure hope so. I don't want to lose her. She's the only thing in my life that I've actually become attached to.'' I said as I again stroked her beautifully soft mane. ''I've never seen anything so pretty in my life. Where did she come from?'' ''She's not from here, is what she says. She's from a place called Equestria. She told me Equestria is a place of harmony and friendship. We could sure do with that here than all the people turning on each other nowadays.'' ''Don't we all wish we could? I know I wish it was true.'' Manya chuckled. At the moment we stopped laughing, I heard a soft groan come from Rainbow's mouth like a sigh. When I turned, I saw her eyes flicker weakly as she tried to open them, but they soon dropped seeing she barely had any strength left in her. ''Dashie!'' I exclaimed in joy as I leaned down and hugged her, being careful not to squeeze too tight. ''You're alive!'' ''O-O-Osca-r-r?'' Rainbow asked very softly in a whisper as she again tried opening her eyes. ''Hey, hey! Take it easy, now, Dashie. Don't use your energy.'' I hushed her as I snuggled my cheek into her side, gently stroking her mane. ''Wh...W-What...H-H-Happened..?'' ''You had radiation poisoning, Rainbow! I thought you were going to die! You're in the clinic.'' ''R-Radiation poisoning?'' She half opened her eyes, looking at me and Manya. ''Rainbow, you scared the living hell out of me! I went upstairs and you weren't responding to me when I tried to see if you were alright. Your pulse was weak and you were too hot on your head. But your alright now!'' I hugged her close and gave her a peck on the cheek, causing her to blush a pale pink. ''Oh, I missed you, Dashie. I never left your side. I was so worried you'd never wake up.'' I explained as I rubbed my cheek on hers in a friendly embrace. ''Oscar?'' ''Yeah?'' ''You called me ''Dashie'' .'' Dash blushed again, this time a brighter hue or red. ''That's what my friends used to call me back home.'' ''Dashie, huh? Really?'' Dash looked down, slightly embarrassed from hearing her old name. ''Hey, Oscar?'' ''Yeah, Rainbow?'' ''I want to tell you something.'' She motioned for me to come closer and she whispered in my ear. ''I want you to know that I love you.'' I didn't know what to say or even think the moment she said those words. I myself was blushing at this point, even Dashie noticed it and giggled softly. I leaned back down and hugged her lovingly with my bedraggled goldy hair brushing against her mane and whispered back. ''I love you too, Dashie.''