//------------------------------// // Beginnings // Story: Lost in the Dust // by makofreelancer //------------------------------// We all know how this began....Ponies waging war on Zebras....resources on the brink of exhaustion...The aftermath, we live it. Radiation, monsters, basically hell itself. All thanks to an issue nopony thought to solve...well, here's my story in all this... Beep.....beep....beep...The alarm in my room sounded off, stirring me from my sleep. 6:00 AM stable time. The start of my shift. "Ugh....too early...." I moaned as I rolled out of bed and onto the floor. My blue and white mane covering my face like a fuzzy veil. "No wanna work....." I forced myself up and over to my sink, splashing water across my face. My reflection smiling faintly back at me. "Hey sexy. Come here often ?" I chuckled at my own stupid joke and began getting my stable ten security barding on. Only the slightest twinge of stink coming home from it, meaning it was still clean. What? Oh like you never wore day old clothes before. Once it was on, and my baton in place, I headed down to the cafeteria for some good olé recycled food chips. See the sarcasm means...eh you get it. Not many ponies were up and about yet, which was both a blessing and a curse. I took my time eating, only seeing one other security pony. A short buck I never bothered to get to know. After the oh so filling meal (sarcasm again!) I started my usual patrol for the crime nopony even committed. I decided to stop by Emerald Breeze's room, the stable entertainer, but noticed her door was sealed. "Meh. Sure she's fine." I kept going on my merry way, eventually coming across a technician buck, my friend Metal Head. What was so odd about him, was that he was a pegasus. And seeing as how all them flyboys and gals holed up above the clouds, seeing one here was a bit odd. Anyways, he was struggling with a door that just wouldn't close. "Need some help Metal?" I was beside him now, head tilted. "Uhhh...yeah sure, Ice. Grab the red wires, and connect em." He was holding white ones. I reached out with my magic and did as instructed. The door hissed closed. "Yes! Thanks Ice!" "Anytime Metal. See ya." I turned and headed down the hall, going past Emerald's room. Normally she's up by now.... "Emerald?" Three knocks and no answer. "Hey Emerald. You okay?" -the door slid open. I couldn't see her. Now I was worried. I walked around a bit in the room, hoping I was just blind and couldn't see her. Then a note. It read "To anypony who sees, don't come after me. Please." That's when I saw her pipbuck. "Oh no...nononono!" I took the note and bolted right then, heading for the over mare's office. Metal happened to pass me "Oh hey Ice!" "No time gotta tell overmare bye!" I sped by him, leaving him confused. Once I got there, she was surprised. "Oh hello miss Shard. What's the issue?" "Emerald left....gotta find...phew! " she looked shocked and took a moment to react. "Well....that's...shocking. We have to find her." "Obviously. Sorry I'm just stressed. But we do have to find her. And fast" She nodded, and both of us started planning. After some time, and several failed ideas, we had come up with something. Now the overmare had called Metal to her office. "Mister Metal, I called you up here in order to discuss a plan of action. Our dear Emerald has left the stable. Your skill set is unique, and I believe it can aid Ice Shard in her mission. Will you please help her?" "Um....yeah, sure." His lip curled slightly in anger. "Great! You both have 24 hours to prepare. Good luck". After that we both stepped out. "Metal....you sure ya wanna help me?" "Yes." Just one word....something wasn't right. We both just headed our ways, me to the security station, him to his room. I got the sound of his door slamming just as I gathered up my gear. Enough food, ammo, and medical supplies to last a week. My 10mm pistol was strapped to my side, helmet down, and I met up with Metal, who still seemed....off. "Ready Metal...?" He just nodded. I sighed and activated the door controls. The grinding ceased eventually, and we slowly worked our way to the wooden door. The light was blinding once it hit us, causing us to take a few seconds to adjust. "Oh my Celestia...." Metal's words were barely a whisper. The landscape was blasted and ruined. "This is hell...." I was in pure shock...until my EFS lit up and a compass marker appeared. "C'mon, we got work to do." Metal nodded and we started walking. We saw a burned out storefront, so naturally that was our first destination. My EFS read clear, and we slipped in. "It's dark." Metal stated. "No shit dude." He chuckled at that. Sweet, a reaction! We started searching for any sign of Emerald and I activated my pipbuck's light to help our search. "Anything?" I kicked a can. "Nope. Unless you count dust and wrappers." My groan made him roll his eyes. We kept looking I stumbled across some bedrolls. Okay...someone did stay here. "Metal, wanna hole up here?" I was already folding them out. "Um su-" He was cut off by a large round piercing the wall just by his head. "Get down!" I got my pistol out just as two ponies...or what was just barely ponies, started breaking in. The first one caught a round between the eyes. "AHAHAHAHAHA! FRESH MEAT!" The first raider's buddy yelled at us. "Metal! Little help?!" He managed to grab a shovel and repeatedly beat the second psychopath. Another sniper round sailed by his ear. "I gotta end this!" I rush out, Metal right behind me. "Hey! You distract him, I'll slip in behind and drop em!" I nodded and bolted out, running zig zags to be a hard target. Little bit later, the sniper fell from his position in an old balcony adjacent to us. "Ice, I- oh no." I had taken a shot to the leg. My helmet was thrown a side by now. "I'm here Ice. Uhhh...." "Med-x....then tie it off....then healing potion." He nodded and did as instructed. "Easy up...c'mon...." with his help we slowly walked back into the store and laid down. First day out....already getting attacked....gonna be a long journey....