//------------------------------// // The Voice Of The Good Fight // Story: A Pony In The Wasteland // by Ribe_FireRain //------------------------------// Day had turned to night, and Rainbow had been flying for a while, her body feeling cold and numb from the biting cold. Her eyes were bloodshot and she was tired from flying for so long. She looked below, able to see most of D.C. from the altitude at which she was flying. She saw a few fires, probably from weary travellers roaming the Wasteland, and even saw a few scavenge-patrol teams. Her eyes stung from crying and she was becoming more increasingly tired, needing a place to set herself down to sleep. She checked her Pip-Boy that was still strapped to her leg, seeing that her nearest location was GNR Radio Plaza. Not wanting to fly any longer, she directed herself in the direction of that specific location. As she drew nearer to it, she soon made out that it was a building of a big scale, A radio tower on top and a sign outside, reading 'Galaxy News Radio' . Outside was quiet, no sign of people or life. Though thankful for no hostility, she was still cautious. Carefully, she climbed the steps outside the complex, watching ever inch of vision she had. Still seeing nothing, she continued to the door. Rainbow tried the door, and finding that it was unlocked, she gently pushed it open, the creak sounding louder than she wanted it as she closed it behind her. Inside, there were some stairs, one either side of the room, both leading to a few doors, but only one remained unblocked by debris. A burning barrel was in the middle of the room, indicating someone may of been here recently. Slowly, Rainbow drew out her sword from beneath her wing. Looking around and finding nothing or no one, she gently made her way upstairs and through the remaining doorway. Placing an ear on the door at the end of the corridor it lead to, she could hear a voice, and what sounded like the soft hum of machinery. It was a man's voice, but none she recognised. As quietly as she could, she pushed open the door, sword in mouth. The room she found herself in was just a little bit bigger than the entrance, and it was full of various types of equipment, their uses unknown to Rainbow. Following the voice, she came soon found the source inside a room with the door open. A man with brown skin was sat at a ham-radio, speaking into the microphone. His voice was deep, but hat a hint of being jolly. He wore a black leather jacket with a white shirt underneath, and on his head he wore a pair of sunglasses and a head rap, concealing most of his black hair. He even had a short goatie. ''...Great news from Fort Bannister, children, those Talon Company mercs have finally been dealt with! 'Bout time some one put them in their place! But that's not all, kids, I've been getting reports of some Enclave soldiers in the area after the show went on with the Talons! The people involved in this act have not been identified, but if anyone out there knows the identity of the ones in the fight that transpired, I would appreciate it! Thanks for listening, chiiiildren! And now I leave you with some music, it seems as though I've got a visitor...'' Rainbow's eyes shrunk at that, and she nearly dropped the sword from her mouth as the man got from his chair and looked in her direction, smiling softly at her. ''I hope you're not intending to use that on me, be a real dumb move if you tried.'' He said, still smiling, but not being convinced he wasn't going to try anything, she kept the sword firm in her jaws. ''Who are you?'' She finally asked. ''Wait, you don't know me? Hell, and I thought everyone around here knew me. I'm Three Dog, the voice of the Wasteland! You're turn.'' ''I...I'm Rainbow Dash.'' He raised a brow. ''Rainbow Dash, huh? Think I heard that name some place before, but I don't recall...Anyway, where'd you come from? You sure as hell don't look like anything I ever seen.'' ''I'm a pony. I'm from a place called Equestria. I've been in the Wasteland for a couple years now.'' Rainbow said, taking the none-hostility from Three-Dog as a sign he wasn't going to attack her. ''So...you all alone here?'' ''Afraid so, Rainbow.I can't leave anyway. I have a tight schedule to keep on singin' into the radio, needing to bring the Voice to the people.'' Rainbow's ear perked. ''Wait, what? The Voice? What's that?'' Three Dog sighed, ''Me. I'm the Voice of Hope. The voice of the people. I keep the hopes of people up using the GNR broadcasting system. I bring news to them, keep them happy. Really, though? Do you ever even use the radio? You have a Pip-Boy, so I assume you do.'' ''This thing has a radio?'' Rainbow lifted her Pip-Boy, looking at the screen confusedly. ''I actually don't use it. I dunno how. See, this Pip-Boy isn't mine.It belongs to Brady. Took it after he died.'' This time, Three Dog seemed interested in something, judging from that twitch to his ear. ''What did you say? Brady? Oscar Brady, by chance? He died?'' Rainbow looked down, her eyes tearing up a little. ''Yes. But...now he's back alive. I don't even know how its possible!'' ''Brought back from the dead, eh? Neat. Wish we all could. Would make this Good Fight easier, knowing our numbers wouldn't go down.'' ''Good Fight? What's that? Some kind of war?'' ''I guess you could say that. Its the fight for reclaiming our freedom, Rainbow. The Enclave and Raiders and all the bad things as much as people with sadistic intentions have been pushing us around for too long, and using GNR's broadcasters, I keep morale up through the radio, guiding everybody to do better, though it would be better and easier if Super Mutants didn't exist. I swear, those things are a walking nightmare.'' Three Dog said as he shivered a bit. Rainbow tapped her chin, ''You keep morale up through radio? All the time, you're in here doing just that? Isn't that tiring?'' ''No, not really. I don't got nothing better to do, and I record most radio sessions so they air if I don't get any new news, or stuff that matters. Say, did you hear about Fort Bannister? Complete miracle! Talon Company finally got put in their place.'' This time, Rainbow looked down, a slight blush on her face as she pawed at the ground awkwardly. ''Well...about that...Fort Bannister happened because I went there with two friends of mine and we ended up in a bit of a fight on a scavenge run.'' She sighed again, looking anywhere but at Three Dog. ''Brady was one of those Enclave soldiers...he tried to kill me!'' ''Whoa, whoa! Simmer down, Rainbow. Just so ya know, you look terrified about it.'' He knelt down to her level, placing a hand to her shoulder, ''Now, come on, what's got you so scared? It seems more than it really is, and I'm guessing that its bad.'' She looked up to him, Three Dog noticing the tear in her eye. ''Come on, follow me to my room, you can tell me.'' Silently nodding, Three Dog led her to his room, sitting on his bed and motioning for her to take a place next to him, to which she agreed. Leaving out too horrific detail, Rainbow told Three Dog everything. About when and how Brady died and attacked her twice, excluding the fact she was pregnant with his child. She felt that she needed to trust him more before mentioning it. ''Jeez, that's some fucked up stuff right there, Rainbow. I guess that's understanding enough. But still, that is a pretty bizarre story. Coming back to the world of the living when he died of ghoulification? Must of been tough...'' ''Three Dog? I-Is it okay if I hang around for a while? Until morning, perhaps? Please? I don't wanna go back to Megaton...'' ''Sure thing, Rainbow. Whenever you want a place to crash, just duck on in here. I'll be glad for the company. Gets kinda lonely up here sometimes.'' ''Thanks, Three Dog. I owe you one for this.'' ''Heh, don't mention it. Just watch yourself around the radio equipment. Damn stuff is fragile. But hey, you should probably see this...'' Three Dog got up and walked to his desk, opening a drawer and taking some paper out before closing it and returning to Rainbow. ''Seen this? Guess it was damn lucky you and your friends took out the Talons at Fort Bannister earlier, otherwise they'd of been all over you by now.'' Confused at what he was talking about, she took the papers, eyes widening at what it was. It was a contract, giving specific orders to any type of mercenaries on Rainbow Dash's capture. It shocked her when she saw the signature at the bottom - Matt Ainsley, Enclave.Brady was dressed as Enclave when he came after me...could they of somehow done something to him? ''B-But how does that make sense? Brady was dressed up as an Enclave soldier when he tried to kill me! He was even acting different! Do you think they did something to him?'' Three Dog scratched his chin. ''I wouldn't really know. Enclave do all kinds of messed up scientific shit up at Raven Rock, but bringing the dead to life and modifying their minds? No idea, although, knowing the Enclave, it could be a possibility.'' ''I've gotta talk to him when I see him again. But right now, I wanna go to sleep. Flying for hours drains your body of its energy.'' ''Sure. Take my bed if you want, I've got some broadcasting to do. Oh, and don't worry, I won't mention any of this over the radio. Secrets stay locked with me. See you in the morning, Rainbow.'' ''Yeah. And Three Dog? Thanks again.''