Six Years Ago, Everfree Forest

"Quick, Sweets, Apple Bloom, this way!" a young Pegasus filly named Scootaloo yelled to her two friends, an earth pony and a unicorn came running after her as explosions from Ponyville rang out, shaking the very earth and scaring the three into yelping.

"What do we do?!" Apple Bloom screamed, the three galloping side by side as they ran deep into the forest. Luna's moon was high in the sky as they ran, a chilling wind cascading over their bodies like a cold blanket as the Elements of Harmony fought against the creature of darkness.

"We run you doofus!" Scootaloo screamed back at her, not taking her eyes off of the path. Well, it wasn't so much as a path as it was a hosh posh of broken twigs, leaves and tree limbs scattered about that no one has walked through in years. The howling winds only grew louder as Sweetie lagged behind, not used to running so far so fast in such a short time.

When the youngest of the three looked behind her, she shrieked as her eyes caught sight of the creature "Its coming this way!" she pushed her tiny legs faster and faster until she was running faster than the other two. Screaming in fear all the while.

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo both did the same once they looked behind them. The swirling mass of darkness snaking past trees and over holes and broken limbs as if they weren't there at all. it bellowed a call that sounded like a banshee shriek, causing the three fillies' hearts to skip a beat. The Voidling was closing in on them and Scootaloo could feel it beating down on them with each gallop, its rancid breath causing her nose to crinkle in disgust, the bellowing laughter sending chills down her spine and jagged claws snaking around her neck.

Little did the Pegasus know she had her eyes closed the entire time, once she opened them she saw her two friends stopped in a clearing, both clearly tired and greedily inhaling air. Scootaloo stopped near them, startling the older filly as she gasped for air. "I think we lost it." she said, sweating dripping down her brow.as her eyes darted around the forest surrounding them. She saw nothing except darkness, and the faint outline of trees and bushes.

A part of her wondered if they would run into Timberwolves, that would be our luck wouldn't it? she thought humorously. Anytime they entered this blasted forest it seemed trouble was always waiting for them around every turn.

Sweetie Belle gasped as the sight of the ghoulish purple eyes glared at her, stumbling back into Scootaloo who barely caught her in time, Apple Bloom stood in front of the two taking a stance as the orange filly got in front of Sweetie. "Just stay behind me, okay, Sweets?" Scootaloo asked her younger friend, looking her in the eye. She got a teary eyed nod as Sweetie ducked down, covering her head with her hooves as Scootaloo stood beside Apple Bloom. "What's the plan, AB?" she whispered.

"Ah don't know." Apple Bloom shivered, her eyes darting around the enclosure they had unknowingly trapped themselves in. "We're trapped trapped in 'er." the pony muttered, pupils turning to pinpricks as the Voidling chuckled, something told her it knew what she was thinking.

"That'ssssss right, dear Apple Bloom~" The creature hissed. To Apple Bloom it sounded like a thousand voices all talking at once, distorted, stallion and mare, colt and filly all at once. She ducked down, covering her ears as it continued. "There issssss no essssscape~ Only darknesssssssss!" it shrieked.

The last thing they all managed before darkness engulfed them... was a collective scream.

Undetermined Amount of Time Later

The morning sun crept over the hills, its hot rays piercing through the thick clouds and scorching the desert landscape and roadways. Then an explosion rang out not too far from a small farm. Of course explosions were commonplace along with gunfire laser blasts and screaming, so no one gave a shit and went about their day. Assuming there was anyone in the farm to begin with but the farm ain't the focus.

No no no, the explosion is the focus. The smoke from said explosion dissipated rapidly, with only a few scant trees having caught fire. Their two century old bark quickly being consumed by the dark blackened flames of the excess Void magic. Lying on the ground and covered in soot were three fillies, but you already know who they are.

Scootaloo cracked open an eyelid, the bright rays of sunshine burning and making her wince. "Turn out the light, Apple Bloom." she muttered, going back to sleep before she felt of her bed... which wasn't a bed, but instead was dirt. Her eyes shot open, and she immediately regretted it as the sun burned her retinas, she covered her vision with a foreleg squinting as she got a good look around to get her bearings. She saw a barren landscape all around her save for a few dead trees lacking leaves, and dead grass. Looking to her right she saw Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom lying on the ground, both still knocked out from whatever it was that happened.

What did happen? she wondered, thinking back she remembered the Ponyville being attacked by something... then her and the other CMC took refuge inside a building belonging to Lyra Heartstrings and Bon Bon, hiding under one of the tables as the beast rampaged through the streets. Then it attacked their hiding place, prompting Rainbow to come and rescue them (once again from some creature they had no knowledge about) and then they fled deep into the Everfree... then... It attacked us... are we, dead? she looked at her hoof, then smacked herself in the head.

She stumbled a bit before shaking her head, wincing at her new injury. "Dang it," she muttered as she looked to Apple Bloom. Walking over she nudged her friend gently, "Hey, AB get up." she said, getting a light moan in response. Scoots sighed then nudged her again, this time not so gently. "Hey, get up!" Scootaloo demanded, frowning as her friend turned over, biting her lower lip and squinting at her.

"I said get up!" she enunciated with a kick to the older filly's side. "We got a problem!"

Apple wiped at her eyes rubbing away the crust as she stood up, popping her joints and shaking her head as her eyes opened, she first saw Scootaloo waking up Sweetie Belle, then saw the area around her. Barren of any life far as she could see... which was a good long way. Her eyes cleared up and she swiveled her ears, trying to catch any sounds that wasn't her two small friends. A stale warm breeze could be heard whistling around them, the trees creaked under the duress from the wind, far off somewhere to the south she heard cracks of what sounded like lightning but a look into the sky showed no storm was nearing.

Something... ain't right here. The filly thought to herself as a slightly angry Scootaloo and still half asleep Sweetie Belle trotted over to her. "Hey girls, something don't seem right here."

"What do you mean?" Scootaloo asked, tilting her head as Sweetie leaned against her, eyes struggling to stay open.

She sniffed the air, lightly shuddering. "The air don't smell right." she stated, her senses told her something was wrong, screamed at her that everything with this was just wrong. "Can't ya smell it?"

Scootaloo smelled the air as a breeze washed over her. "You're right... it's not... clean? It smells bad, like a swamp but worse." she choked, nudging Sweetie Belle to get her awake.

Scootaloo nodded, and started forward letting Sweetie Belle fall over, jostling her awake. Then she stopped, "uh... do you guys know which way it is?"

Apple Bloom thought for a moment. Then the three shared a look, one they always shared when they thought about something like this.

When the explosion went off an hour prior, someone was walking along the highways. A tall biped with tanned skin, and donning a suit of armor crafted out of leather with several armored plates over his chest underneath a worn black duster. A belt with pouches was strapped around his waist, and a small backpack was on his back. The biped, known as a human was male watched the pillar of smoke before it disappeared. "Hmm..." he hummed, reaching into his duster he pulled out a small pair of binoculars. Looking through them he guesstimated it to be a good distance away.

"General Lee, Sir!" a robotic voice called out. The human named Lee looked away from the smoke and turned his binoculars over to the right, staring at what looked like a black floating ball with several long arms, one with a small flame on the tip of what resembled a flame thrower, another with a green protrusion and another with a pair of clamps. This robot was the Mr Gutsy Model Military Bot, or as Lee called him. Private Forrest.

The robot saluted crisply and sharp. "Scanners indicate the area is clear of hostiles for now, but the explosion might draw some unwanted attention from the commies!" Private Forrest growled in his robot voice.

Lee made a tut tut noise as he brought down his specs. "I don't think there will be any commies out here, after all I kicked their asses left and right and up and down and every other direction..." Lee said, turning back towards the smoke which had disappeared. "Come on, I wanna see what went boom." Without waiting for an answer he jogged off towards the area where he saw the explosion.

Private Forrest sighed before hovering off after him. "If you weren't my general I would have left a long time ago." he muttered to himself as he kicked his hover boosters into full gear.

Lee ran up a steep incline, his right hand on his hip holster as he stopped and started crawling. "Private, go into stealth mode." he whispered. The sound of a hiss could be heard as the robot disappeared from sight. Gotta love those Stealth Boy Bots. He mused. Remembering when he found the Private in a military robotics testing facility back east, needless to say Forrest became a lovable companion. Crawling up the incline he peered over the top, seeing the battered trees and the small craters pock marking the ground. "Whoa, something went crazy here." he murmured as he pulled out a black pistol, with the words Sorrow etched onto the side in gold with a pearl grip. He checked it before looking around with his binoculars.

Looking around he saw the trees were on fire.. but the fire was, Black fire, what the fuck? Was that an effect of the nuclear holocaust? or was this something else? He shook his head. Probably just some weird flamethrower or something someone jury rigged.

His thoughts were interrupted when he felt his Pipboy vibrated, looking down at it he read the message that came from the Forrest. "-Sir! Private Forrest reporting in, I've seemed to have discovered three strange creatures resembling Pre-War equines, of course they are unconscious.-"

Lee rose an eyebrow and typed in his reply. "-So what? Horses, what does that have to do with the blast?-"

A minute passed before another message rolled across the screen. "-These particular Equines are... colorful, and strange, Nothing like the pre-war records of equines I have on record.-"

The human hummed in thought. Colorful and Strange? he thought as he scratched the stubble on his chin. Might as well see. he decided as he crawled over the incline and typed up another message. "-Alright, I'll come over and check it out. Stay in stealth mode for now.-"

A light chuckle escaped him. The private was energetic for a robot, and he useful. once he made it down he jogged through the burning trees making sure to stay away from the 'devil fire' as he called it until he came to another small hill. He dropped down and slowly crawled up, his pipboy picking up three green dots, (there would be four but Forrest was hidden) once he crested the top he saw them... and his eyes widened.

"... well shit, you weren't kiddin' Forrest." he whispered as he looked at the three fillies. All three of them standing around, looking at their surroundings. He could hear the voices coming from the three, and that made his eyebrows shoot up. They can fuckin' talk?! What is this shit! He grabbed his pipboy and hastily typed in. "-Forrest! Did you spice my whiskey with Jet?!-"

Lee shook his head, smacking his forehead a few times to see if he was hallucinating. He still heard them talking, and saw their mouths moving. I must be going crazy... but then again I am walking around a post-apocalyptic wasteland with a robot who thinks I'm a General in the United States Army. He titled his head at that, the world sure has changed a lot. Lee shook his head once again before staring at the three Fillies again. He saw one had small wings, that looked liked they couldn't hold up shit, and another with a horn. I think, the one with wings is a... what did Lucy call em? Pegasi and the horned one, a Unicorn? Yeah that was it, what Lucy called them from her old Pre-War fairy tale books he bought her.

"Ahm tellin ya we should go this a way!" The olive colored one with the bright pink bow said, her voice reminding Lee of a southern girl he met a while back.

"Why that way? There might be something dangerous that way, I say this way!" The orange Pegasus gestured to the opposite direction, pointing north.

Well, this is annoying... but also kinda funny! Lee laughed silently to himself, watching them bicker back and forth was humorous. The Unicorn seemed to mirror his thoughts, sitting on her rump with a hoof on her face in what he assumed was something akin to a facepalm. Facehoof?

The unicorn then spoke up. "Why don't we settle this with a bit toss!" she suggested, smiling at her two friends.

Both fillies looked at her. "That's a stu-" orange one started before the olive one cut her off.

"That's a great idea Sweetie Belle!" the bow wearing one beamed, reaching behind her mane she pulled out a small golden coin with her teeth... much to Lee's extreme confusion and horror.

What what? How'd she do that?! Just pulled out- he looked closer, seeing the gold gleam from the sun's rays. -a fuckin' gold coin out of thin air... I am flipping my shit right now.

The unicorn named Sweetie Belle took the coin, acting as a neutral party for the toss. She took the coin in her hoof and held it, again making Lee do a double take and wondering who spiked his whiskey this morning. Sweets held it up and said. "Heads, we go with Apple Bloom's plan, tails we go with Scootaloo's plan."

They may be weird, but goddamn it they have some fucking adorable names. He giggled in a totally unmanly way. Then again they are pretty cute horses? Ponies? What's the acceptable term here...

Sweetie tossed the coin up, all three had their eyes on it as it flipped through the air.

"-Five caps on the one called, Apple Bloom.-" Forrest messaged over, Lee chuckled quietly and messaged him back.

The coin flipped through the air several more times before making its way back down to earth, it hit the ground with a soft *Plink* noise as all three gathered around.

Apple Bloom shot up into the air, somehow suspended for several seconds and yelling out a triumphant "YES!" before falling back down. Lee facepalmed.

The wastelander shook his head once more as he watched the fillies began leaving the area. Okay, they're heading south. He looked up from his position and looked southward. I was headed that way anyway, not for any reason though... might as well keep an eye on these three... something tells me they might need my help at some point. Lee concluded as he holstered his pistol and backed away from the hill and slowly made his way back to the road. Down south is that abandoned town, Axton I think it was called. Assuming there aren't any raiders camping out there, they'll be alright for now.

"-What is our current objective, General?-" Forrest questioned over the Text Message Rely System.

Lee thought for a moment, thumping his fingers against the hilt of his sword he had on his left side, sighing he typed in. "-Current objective is to ghost these three creatures, do not fire on them, that's an ORDER, they're innocents. I want to see what they're up to, as well as why and how they're here. They don't strike me as some kind of mutants.-" he told his faithful companion.

With a nod and a determined expression, he set out! Strutting across the wastes like the king he was.

Apple Bloom, along with Sweetie and Scootaloo had left the crater they awoke in and headed north as per Apple Bloom's instructions. The sky above was still covered in clouds and the air still smelled strange, but it didn't stop our three little friends from wanting to find a way home. The area around them remained the same, barren of any life save for the occasional gnat that insisted on hovering around Scootaloo's form, prompting her to swat at it, missing every time and grumbling afterwards.

The oldest of the three, Apple Bloom had decided to think about their current situation. Okay, we're in some weird desert like place, th' air smells weird, weirder than that time me and the girls ventured inta th' Swamp lands to git our Swamp Monster Hunter Cutie Marks, and Ah haven't seen hide nor hair of any other pony round. Apple Bloom shook her head. Ah hope we find something soon, or some place to hunker down. Looking out ahead she could make out several small buildings, and a smile broke out. "Guys, Ah see a buildin' up ahead!" she reported happily.

Scootaloo looked up ahead, and sure enough there sat a few small buildings. "Great! Maybe somepony there can help us out!" she said, buzzing her wings in excitement.

Sweetie cheered along with the other two and began running, followed closely by her friends. The three fillies galloped as fast as they could towards what they hoped was salvation.

Sweetie was closing in on the town's entrance when her eyes took in the sights of the buildings, and their dilapidated nature. her gallop slowed and her smile faltered as the burned skeletons of the structures came into view, looming over her small stature like towers of darkness. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo both slowed behind her, the three of them eyeing the town with cautious gazes. The streets were paved with concrete almost like Canterlot, but it felt different and had small yellow lines down the middle. Light poles jutted out of the ground, most of which were broken or bent. And the majority of stores Apple Bloom saw were boarded up or burned out, their windows blown out or melted.

The light gray filly gulped, shaking as she trotted along. "W-what happened here?" she asked, her question fell on deaf ears as she saw some strange looking metal carriages sitting on the streets. Burned out shells, their wheels gone and windows blasted open. The shape of them was all wrong, and didn't have a hitch for anypony to pull it. That's weird, why are they like that?

Scootaloo, being the daring filly she was walked up to one of the stores and pushed on it. It didn't give, "Think somepony might be in here?" she asked, pointing to the store with a sign overhead that read Radiation King Televisions. The store's windows were intact but it was hard to see through them, as a multitude of soot and disrepair have caked onto it.

"Ah don't know." Apple Bloom shrugged her shoulders and moved over to the windows. She lifted up a foreleg and tried to wipe away at it but all she did was smug it and get it all over herself. "Yuck!" she cursed, shaking her leg.

Scootaloo chuckled and pushed on the door again, "Dang thing won't budge! Sweets, Bloom, help me out will ya?" the Pegasus asked, trying in vain to push to door open. Bloom and Sweets walked over to the door, taking up a position on either side of Scoots. "Okay, on three." She stedied herself, putting both forelegs on the door as the other two did the same. "One..." She looked to Bloom.

With a collective grunt of effort all three fillies pushed on the door with all their might, and the door gave way. Swinging open with a creak as the hinges squeaked and years of flaky rust fell off, the three fillies fell forward in a heap as several smells escaped bombarding their senses. Iron was one of the, and stale food. Apple Bloom shook her head from the cobwebs before looking up, this store was pretty big! Inside she saw several television sets sitting on shelves, most were cracked or broken with a few intact ones sitting around. Posters with a strange creature on them called the Radiation King was advertising the TV's along with radios and other electronic equipment.

She got up from the heap and walked inside as her two friends followed. The shelves were up pretty high, the top shelves too high for them to reach, or anypony for that matter unless you got on your hind legs and reached up. The counter had a register sitting on it along with a lamp, some pencils and clipboards.

"Hello?" Sweetie called out, her voice sounding almost amplified in the empty store. "Is anypony in here?"

"Doesn't look like anypony's in here, Sweets." Scoots said, walking forward and deciding to look around. She stopped in front of one of the televisions and looked at it. The dials and nodes on it looked broken and rusted, the screen was spider-webbed with cracks and the antenna was broken off. "Why would anypony try to sell a broken TV?" she wondered aloud.

Apple Bloom shrugged. "Maybe this shop sells broken stuff and ya can buy it and fix it up." she suggested, looking around behind the counter. She found several bottle caps lying on the floor, along with some old papers and a tin can. "This place needs ta be cleaned up." she muttered, sticking out her tongue in disgust as she found a spoon with some caked food on it, the smell old and rotten. Looking closer at the counter she found a small sliding door, and grabbing it (don't ask how) she slid it open and inside the filly found more of those bottle caps, heck she found a small bag filled with them.

Why would anypony want so many bottle caps? Pushing those thoughts aside for a later time Apple Bloom continued rooting around inside. Pushing aside the caps and small booklets.

The youngest of the three decided to venture deeper into the store. Most of the television sets didn't seem to work nor did they look like they would anytime soon. The ceiling was falling apart, judging from the loose tiles and several pipes and dangling wires. The wallpaper was peeling and the wooden frame was burned in places and rotted, and the smell of rot and mold seemed to get stronger the closer she got to what looked like a restroom. She shivered a she felt a cold draft coming from it.

Sweetie took the time to think about what they were going to do. After all, they were in an unknown place far from home, or so it appeared. In a big town where nopony was around, with stores and carriages that were burned by what Sweetie thought was dragon's fire. Then it hit her... what if nopony was around, because whatever attacked this place... ate them? She shook her head, there was no sign of any bones or anything of the sort. Maybe they ju-

Sweetie wasn't paying attention to where she was looking and stumbled into a room. It was dark to, no windows for any light. She shivered again, that draft... cold stale air washing over her like a musty blanket. Sweetie closed her eyes and concentrated on her magic, focusing her power into her horn to light it up. Sweetie recalled a simple light spell her sister taught her, it was fairly easy to utilize. She felt a tingling sensation on the tip and smiled, it worked! Opening her eyes she saw the shelves lining the walls, the boxes scattered about and surprisingly enough barrels, tools and other random junk. When the young filly looked down at what she nearly stumbled over, her eyes widened, pupils shrinking into pinpricks as she choked out a breathless gasp.

Both Scootaloo and Apple Bloom shot up from their friend's scream, dropping what they were doing they galloped to the back of the store and skidded to a stop as Sweetie bolted out of the back room. The filly ran past the other two and slid into a shelf, knocking over some small boxes and cartons. Scootaloo ran up to her friend and grabbed her, "Sweets, what's wrong?!"

The light gray filly looked up at the orange Pegasus, terror stricken. "T-t-t-t-there's b-b-b-bones in there!" she squealed in fright, huddling up and cowering under her friend.

Apple Bloom looked back at the room Sweetie fled from, the light from her horn was still alight and she could see the outline of said bones. Gulping down a knot in her throat she started for the room, "Sweetie, could ya make yer light brighter?" she asked, still moving towards the bones.

Sweetie cowered behind Scootaloo but did as she said, scrunching up her face and focusing on making her horn light grow stronger. Scootaloo gasped at the sight of the bones, Apple Bloom just stared.

Lying on the ground was a skeleton of sorts, blackened bones of a creature they've never see before. The skull was roundish, and had an almost demonic appearance to it only adding onto the horror of what used to be a living creature. Apple Bloom saw the teeth, and could make out several canines and flat teeth. She recalled a class she went to with the CMC regarding different species, one of which had both sets of teeth called an Omnivore, meaning it ate both meat and vegetables. This was one of them. It had long legs, and forelegs as well, and on the forelegs Bloom saw it had several digits, five on each like a Minotaur.

"W-what is it?" Sweetie asked, trembling behind a similarly terrified Scootaloo.

Apple Bloom knelt down, examining the bones further. She couldn't tell what it was. "Ah don't know... but whatever it was... its been dead fer a looooong time." she gulped. Apple Bloom had no idea what it was... but she had a feeling.

The Pegasus moved up a little closer, her eyes taking in the sight of the digits. "Hey wait... those look familiar." she said, looking at the paws. "Remember that crazy mare back in Ponyville?"

Scootaloo chuckled, "the green one, what's her name? Lyra Heartstrings? Ya know the one that Rarity said was a lesbion."

"A lesbion? What's that?" Apple Bloom asked, something told her Scootaloo was saying the word wrong.

"Uh... I heard Rarity saying its when a mare likes another mare in a special somepony way?"

"Uhhhhh... okay..." Apple Bloom shook her head. "Anyway, what did ya mean bout Lyra?"

"Yeah! I remember when me and Dash were visiting her for something, and I was... uh... investigating-"

"Pfft! Same thing! Anyway, when I went in there I saw one of those skeletons inside!" the Pegasus spoke, gesturing wildly with her forehooves. "Lyra caught me though but she wasn't mad. But she said she found it a while back and said it was something called a 'hoo-man' or something like that, they were a bunch of weird monkey things she kept going on and on about."

"Huh," Bloom hummed, looking back at the bones. Studying them further. Wait a goshdarn minute... Her eyes shot open before she bolted out of the room and past her two friends before galloping outside.

"Hey! Wait a second!" Scootaloo called out, chasing after her with an eager Sweetie in tow.

Apple Bloom didn't listen, she ran outside of the building and started looking around. For what she wasn't sure, but something, no everything seemed off to her. The carriages, those bones, the buildings. Everything! She turned tail and ran for the way they came in, followed closely by Scootaloo and Sweetie. Apple Boom saw the posters hanging up on the walls, some showing more of those hoo-man's wearing strange armor and clothing, others depicting something called a Vault with more of those same creatures. Nothing added up.

Suddenly she tripped over something with a *CLANK-CLATTER* she tumbled headfirst into some bottles before skidding to a stop. craning her head behind her she saw a sign, and getting up she shook her head as a headache set in as she looked at the sign. It was old and faded but she could still make out what it said. "Welcome ta Axton, Texas. Home of th' Axton Brawlers." Texas?

"Hey Apple Bloom? What the hay's gotten into you?" Scootaloo questioend as she stopped near the sign, looking down and reading off what the apple farmer read. "Axton, Texas? What's Axton? or Texas?"

"Girls..." Sweetie spoke up, shaking from her encounter from the bones still. "I... I don't think we're in Equestria anymore... everything looks too funny, the carriages, the posters..."

"She's right Scoots," Apple Bloom agreed grimly, looking around the town and the sky. "Ah don't think we're anywhere near Ponyville... or in Equestria..."

Scootaloo's eyebrows arched up, "what, you mean... we're like, in another country?"

Bloom shook her head, her mane bobbing left and right. "No, Ah mean... we're not on our own planet anymore. Look around Scoots-" she told her friend, gesturing wildly to their current position, "-we ain't home anymore!"

Standing in town was Lee, in his hands he held his binoculars and a small device with a radar dish on it pointed at the three fillies. He was hiding on top of a billboard behind a blowup doll... because its the best cover possible in his opinion. He hummed to himself as he overheard their conversation with his Voice Capture 6000. "Ponyville, Equestria... oh god the puns are giving me the runs..." he smacked his forehead. "I just fuckin' rhymed didn't I?"

Lee Pfft'd in reply. "Well anyway, did you hear what they said? They're aliens! They're straight up, aliens, private. Do you have any idea what this means?!" he asked, his eyes locked on where he thought the robot was, to the right... when Forrest was on the left.

"It means that the possibility of alien dangers do indeed exist and there is a possibility of aliens coming here to enslave the human race and probe you all while studying them?"

"...What? No, that's insane! What are the possibilities of aliens coming here to enslave the remnants of a broken world and probe them for the sake of study?"

Meanwhile, somewhere in the Capital Wasteland stood a lone small yellowish-green creature wearing a spacesuit with a large round helmet made of special glass. Carrying in his arms was a small weapon that its race carried, its large black eyes scanned the landscape for a new subject... it saw a lone figure, a human donning a duster walking the land with a small horned purple creature by its side.

"No! That means that I was right!" Lee declared, standing up. "Aliens do exist! I was right Private Forrest!" he cackled to himself, hiding his mouth behind his hands. "Hee hee hee, I was right all along! Take that Brotherhood of Steel, I have proof!" Lee growled, laughing quietly to himself as Forrest did the robot version of a sweatdrop...

"Sir," Forrest started, hovering near Lee who looked on the verge of a mental breakdown. "Do you require medical assistance?"

"Pfft!" Lee shot up, his blow up doll deflating as he pointed at the three fillies. "Nope! Objective is still the same. Let's ghost them, and see if we can't learn a little more about them."

The Mister Gutsy nodded. "Roger sir," he then saluted. "Permission to speak freely, sir."

The human hummed in thought, closing his eyes in thought. "Hmm... not sure, we'll hang back for now, I'm hungry and I don't think they'll be doing much. They know they're in Axton, but as for what world... maybe not, I'm not sure the last bit got fuzzy." Lee sighed and sat down, putting his gear back into his duster and pulling out a small tin box and opening it revealing some food. "Good ol apples." Picking it up he bit into it, savoring the juicy fruit. "Those caravans sure did have some good food on them, damn."

The robot nodded once again as it set its optics to focus on the three fillies, not really knowing what food tasted like because he lacked any sort of mouth and digestive tract, as well as not needing food or any kind of sustenance to begin with aside from fuel if that could count, he just went along with it. To pass the time, Forrest silently hummed the lyrics to an old song he and like many of his other patriotic brothers, were given to play during fighting against the commies.

Let martial note in triumph float
And liberty extend its mighty hand
A flag appears 'mid thunderous,
The banner of the Western land...

Lee could hear Forrest humming anyway despite his wanting to be quiet. But instead of reprimanding him, he hummed along with him, the faint outline of a smile on his face.

Back with the CMC, the three residents from Ponyville all sat in the middle of the road. Their adorable faces scrunched up in annoyance as a tumbleweed blew by propelled by a whistling gust of wind from the north. Apple Bloom was pushing her brain to the limit, trying to figure out what exactly happened back in the Everfree. All she could remember were those chilling words it spoke to her before everything went black.

Flashback

"That'ssssss right, dear Apple Bloom~" The creature hissed. To Apple Bloom it sounded like a thousand voices all talking at once, distorted, stallion and mare, colt and filly all at once. She ducked down, covering her ears as it continued. "There issssss no essssscape~ Only darknesssssssss!" it shrieked.

Flashback End

Why did this happen to her and her friends? What did they do to deserve this? Being brought to a strange place none of them have any knowledge about, or any clue where they are, or what dangers might be lurking around. All they had to go on was the sign, and those posters they saw, along with some junk. Not exactly good enough ta help us out, that's fer sure.

Heaving a sigh, the flyer (not really) of the group looked around from where she was sitting, unsure of what to do. Usually when they were lost someone (mostly Twilight or Applejack) would come get them and bring them home after a stern talking to about why it was dangerous to do whatever it was they did. But now, there was no one coming to save them this time... Scootaloo breathed out and stood up, walking over to one of the posters depicting a strange character advertising something called a Vault. She didn't have any idea what a Vault was, but judging from what the poster said, they were some kind of safe havens for the humans. I wonder how many of those there are? She thought to herself, they sounded interesting.

"Girls." Sweetie asked, rubbing her foreleg with the other and looking down. Her eyes were misty and she looked depressed. "What do we do now?"

Scootaloo and Apple Bloom looked at one another, both sharing a look before coming to the same conclusion.

In the ruins of a the town sat a nearby hotel. Its sign advertising it as the finest Texas has to offer in terms of good food and hospitality. Its windows were boarded up, the glass shattered or melted. The front doors were left wide open as a result of them being blown off from the Great War. Fires had burned the outside of the building giving it a blackened exterior, whilst the interior was damaged from similar fires and gunfire after the ensuing war that consumed the entire world.

Standing on the rooftop armed with a scoped hunting rifle stood a man clad in dark clothing with a black apron draped over the front of his pants, splotches of red and brown stained it from years of use. Around his chest and belt were several knives of varying sizes, some as small as a pocket knife to some as big as a cleaver. A psychotic grin was on his face when he spotted the three fillies milling around in the middle of the street.

With the thought of getting some meat, he holstered his rifle and made his way downstairs, drawing his combat knives and cackling just loud enough for him alone to hear.

How will our three adorably small and cuddly fillies deal with this new threat? Find out next time on Vault-Tec Channel 6!

*FLICKS OFF*

*STATIC*

Return: Tales of the Lost

by Dustchu

Tales of the Lost I: A Strange New Land