Dashed Hopes
Chapter 1
'So come pull the sheet over my eyes, so i can sleep tonight, despite what I've seen today'
The straps dug tightly into my fore-hooves, the searing pain in my abdomen dulled to a painful throb as the med-x did its job. The Pony responsible for all the anguish and pain was next to me in an instant, his whispering voice fell upon me like a sledgehammer;
“You can make it end Dew Cloud, you know what i want.”
He was a liar! I didn't know, I would never know if he kept cutting me open and fucking with my insides! I felt the hot tears rolling down my cheeks and onto the cold steel table. The Buck leaned in, sniffing and giggling at me.
“Please, leave me alone! I don't know what you want from me! JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!!
The Buck roared with laughter at my fear, suddenly he stopped, turned and raced 'till he was parallel with my eyes. He smelt of antibiotics and death, he snorted at me with a look of pure rage.
“You fucking nag! You know what i want! AND I WILL GET IT FROM YOU, one way OR another...”
This pony was insane! I had to get out of here somehow! I had to- oh goddess no!
The Buck had climbed onto the table until he was towering over me, starring down with black eyes. He leaned in closer until he was almost touching my nose and whispered
“The first time always the hardest Ms. Cloud, but I will enjoy this, I WILL enjoy YOU.”
The buck slammed into me, spearing me with his member. I screamed in anguish as he showed no mercy to my virginity. He started laughing,Thrusting harder, leaning in closer until his eyes met my tear-streaked ones.
“beep”
What the fuck? Wha-
“BEEPBEEP”
Please just sto-
“BEEPBEEPBEEPBEEP”
I awoke with a cry, and slammed the snooze button on my alarm clock. I fell back sobbing onto my already tear soaked pillow, curled into a tight ball as I whimpered to my self.
It took me ten minutes to get my sobbing under control, I rose to my hooves and trotted to the small bathroom in my apartment. In the mirror was a pitiful sight, but one i was used to; An orange pegasus mare with a messy black mane, puffy red eyes, all cried out. Eyes that should be a pale blue. I turned the taps and splashed the ice cold water on my face, trying to drown the demons of my sleep-terrors for the 3 time this week.
After washing my face and combing my mane, i started to change into my overalls and utility barding so i could head to work.
“Dangit I'm gonna be late again! Buzzsaw will kill me if I miss the start of my shift!”
I gobbled down some half cooked toast and raced out the door, slipping and skidding over the mail that had accumulated at my door, I'd check it when i got home from work.
I exited my home, straight into the crowded streets of Thunderhead. I started due west in a quick trot, last time i tried to run, well it didn't end well. A group of enclave soldiers were lazing around the local cafe, probably hoping to score with one of the waitresses.
One of the looked up long enough to see my approach.
“Hey Dew Cloud! Come here for a sec!”
Shit. It was Black Rain, one of my old classmates from flight school, Of all the assholes i could have run into on my way to work, it had to be him.
“I'm late as it is Rain! Can it wait?” I silently pleaded that he'd let me walk past without incident.
“ Aw come on babe! Me an' the boys want your company, you wouldn't want to make me angry now would you?”
“Come on Rain, leave me alone.”
Some of the other soldier sneered at me, predatory looks in their eyes, one of them actually licked his lips! Celestia please just kill me now.
Black Rain obviously wasn't in the waiting mood, he lifted himself from the table and flew over to me, blocking my desired route.
“What, you think you can just walk away from me Dew? If you're done blowing up military equipment, maybe you can blow something else?”
His friends seemed to like that idea, as another two of his lackeys moved to block my rear.
“Oh please Rain, like you have anything worth mention down there.”
Shit, Me and my big mouth. Black Rain was pissed, he most definitely had compensation issues, and now he was going to take them out on me. Shit.
“ Come on Rain, show her who we are!”
His friends were goading him along, not that he needed the help. He was taller and bulkier than me, he was also wearing armour, as were all his friends. They could easily over power me.
Over Black Rains shoulder i spotted an military police officer headed in our direction.
I pushed past Rain, trying to wave down the officer, the officer looked at me, his eyes narrowed as he promptly turned and trotted off in the other direction. Well fuck you to Mr. MP.
“What you thought that anyone give a shit about a dashite bitch like you? We're doing Thunderhead a favour teaching you some manners. Ain't that right boys?”
His friends jeered at me, obviously in agreement as they encircled me AGAIN.
“Well then, lets take you somewhere more priva-”
“You Boys best be leavin' her alone ya hear?”
At the sound of that glorious accent I knew that the cavalry was here! I looked at the owner of the deep Neighvarro accent to see My supervisor and legal guardian Buzzsaw. I pushed past Rain to reach Saws side, I turned to look at the three armoured soldiers, which were quite angry towards the two of us.
“Listen here you old fuck, this dashite is coming with us, and i don't think you're stopping all three of us. Now why don't you just turn your old ass around and walk away before we break you!”
“Please Saw i just want to get out of here!”
“Don't worry about them sparky, me an' my friend were just about to straighten them out.”
“ATTENTION!”
Black Rain and his lackeys eyes went big, the look of fear and hatred frozen onto their faces as they snapped to attention. A Large Mare landed next to Buzzsaw, she was in full power armour and didn't look happy.
“NOW, WOULD YOU FEATHERBRAIN SHIT HEADS LIKE TO EXPLAIN TO ME WHY YOU AREN'T ON GUARD DUTY!?”
The voice amplification talisman was obviously working to full capacity as Drill sergeant Whip Crack went up one side and down the other of the gang of young soldiers.
“NOW GET A MOVE ON! OR ALL OF YOU WILL BE CLEANING LATRINES WITH YOUR TONGUES! MOVE IT MOVE IT!”
After the Bucks had turned tail and fled towards the barracks, the boisterous sergeant turned to us and cracked open her visor, to my surprise she wore a big grin on her sharp face.
“Buzzsaw you old shit disturber, It's been too long!”
Whip and Saw shared in a quick hug before Saw spoke.
“ It's been to long Whip, But I'm glad yall showed up when ya' did, those bucks were out of control.”
“ Yes, I apologize for their behaviour towards the both of you, but trust me when i say this: they won't be hearing the end of it for a long time.”
Whip Crack looked at me, a look of sadness quickly crossed her face, but in a flash, it was gone.
“You alright Dew? I hope they didn't hurt you.”
“No, I'm alright Whip, I've been through worse. I just wish ponies would stop calling me a Dashite, I've never even been to the surface!”
“ I know dear, But you know how some pegasi get with family members of a dashite, they don't seem to understand, that ponies family are still working members of our society. And that they have very little to do with the flight of that one dashie. Idiots.”
The Dashite in question was my sister, Trueheart. She had fled to the surface after our fathers death, leaving me for the orphanage.
“I understand Whip, It just hurts to be reminded everywhere that she's gone.”
Buzzsaw quickly reminded me of my previous need to get to work and broke off the conversation.
“Whip it was good to see you again, we should meet at Sidewinders for a drink,
Dew, you're late for work, lets get a move on.”
“ Alright, see you around Whip!”
The armoured mare nodded with a smile, taking to the skies in the direction the gang had taken off too minutes ago.
“Thank you Saw, I don't know what i would have down if you hadn't shown up.”
In all honesty, I had a pretty good idea of what would have happened, but i didn't want to dwell on it, lest my nightmare come back up.
“ Well someones gotta' look after y'all sparky, Might as well be me.”
We continued towards our place of work, the Thunderhead Maintenance compound. It was a small collection of buildings where anything and everything was either repaired or salvaged. The centre builder was where the teams were coordinated and sent out to do the repairs that couldn't just be brought in.
“ We're working at the waterworks today Sparky, clock in and grab your gear”
Upon my return we set off for the waterworks for another day of dirty work. We weaved through the tight corridors and airspace of Thunderhead, My brain struggling to cope with it all.
When we entered the waterworks i was assailed by crushing claustrophobia, the works were much smaller than i remembered. But the job needed to be done, not to mention I'd been here countless times. I remember the first time I was in my apartment, the effects had been so bad i could barely open my eyes. It had taken me nearly a month to gt used to my own home. But something more terrifying was on my mind than my claustrophobia.
“I had that same dream again Saw. The one with the table and the buck.”
Buzzsaw stopped his welder and sighed, turning to me.
“The exact same one as the others?”
“Yea, that one.”
I was on the verge of tears upon remembering the horrible nightmare, but talking with saw always helped me get over my fears.
“Then those bucks Started with their bullshit.”
I nodded, the tears were flowing now, i couldn't stop them any longer. Saw let out a sigh and flapped over to me, Putting one of his light blue wings over me, he tried his best to calm me down.
“I just miss her so much, and mom and dad! I want these stupid dreams to stop and everyone to stop treating me like shit! I want friends who don't laugh at me behind my back and abandon me!”
I wanted a lot of things, but in Thunderhead, not every ponies dreams come true.
It was dark when I dragged myself through my apartment door, Work had been hard, but with Saw, nothing was impossible. I was lucky to have Buzzsaw on my side, Without him, I would be a basket-case. I threw my clothes onto the bed, turning to the small pile of mail on the floor.
Bill, Bill, Bill, Spam, Letter- Wait what? A letter? I never get mail !
Something about this letter, well it was a parcel really, was strange. I looked over it, much to my chagrin i found the official stamp and seal of the enclave high command sealing the back.
I really didn't know if i wanted to open it, but something compelled me to do so.
They were pictures, aerial photos really, but that's not what got my attention. It was a dossier, on my dashite sister. Who was dead. Or so i was told, the photos and papers made a compelling argument towards her survival of the surface.
The photos were only dated to last week! She was in an area called 'Stalliongrad Ruins' It looked like she was entering a tunnel of some sort, with a few other ponies trailing behind her.
“HOLY SHIT.”
Trueheart was alive! I... I had to get to her, somehow. I spent the entire night packing my bags with my meagre provisions and some spare clothes. I would have to tell Buzzsaw. Of all the pegasi in Thunderhead, he was the only one who had looked out for me when my life had fallen apart.
It was well past midnight when i knocked on Saws door, and from the sounds of things, he was home and not happy that he was being disturbed. The door was pulled open to reveal a tired Saw, who i quickly brushed past to get inside.
“Sparky what are you doing here in the middle of the night? Is-”
I could Barely contain myself, I don't think I'd smiled like this since i was just a filly.
“She's alive Saw!”
“Who's alive and-”
“Trueheart! Saw, my sister is alive!”
He looked at me for a moment, the look of confusion and surprise etched into his face
“How do-”
“I got these photos in the mail! I don't know who sent them, but they're from Enclave high command! It's a complete file on her, the last photo was taken only a week ago!”
I was practically shaking when i hoofed the parcel over from my side to Saws table, where he began to sort through the photos.
“What are you planning Dew.”
It was just then that i realized that, I didn't have a plan, not really. It consisted of; get things, go to surface, find Trueheart. Only then did i realize that i didn't know a damn thing about the surface. I was helpless.
“I-I'm going to the surface, I'm going to find her Saw, I need to.”
Saw just sat there, looking over the dossier of my sister.
“You'll never be able to come back. They'll kill you.”
I hadn't thought of that. But he was right, If i ran to the surface, I'd never be able to come back to Thunderhead. EVER.
“I need to do this Saw, She's the only family I've got left...”
I wish Saw would move more, say something smart, come up with a plan. Anything would be better than the silence that clung to the room.
“ I got a call a few hours ago, Lightning rod 46d went offline today, If you could head out there and assess the damage, I would meet you with my tools. We would get the next day off.”
That's it... did he even listen to me? Doesn't he- wait...
“S-Sure Saw, I'll Get right on it...”
Minutes later i was flying towards 46d, hoping Saw actually had something planned, but when i got there, I wasn't so sure.
The Lightning Rod was sparking and vibrating in ways it shouldn't have been, Buzzsaw wasn't joking about the equipment malfunction, and i could easily see the culprit.
Black carapace armour that was half fused, half blown apart littered the cloud, a pegasus body was wedged into the Arc capacitors, effectively killing the pony and damaging the device. I scanned the cloud in disgust, But the soft thump-thump of hooves drew my attention.
I turned to see Buzzsaw wearing an old red Sweater and a heavy vest, his bags and tool box were strapped to his stocky body. Saw looked over the accident site, trotted forward and grabbed a small grey boxy shape off the cloud. It was a laser pistol, I'd used one in Basic training before the incident, but it had been years since i'd fired one.
“Take it Dew, We'll need it down there.”
“Wait, you're coming with me? I didn't think that-”
Saw lifted a hoof to silence me, he hoofed the pistol over to me, along with a plastic leg holster.
He then trotted over to the Lightning rod, easily deactivating it with a pull on the gem cluster.
“You won't survive down there Dew, the surface isn't a safe place for someone like you.”
How did he...
“I'm going after her Saw and you can't stop me, please just-
“I'm coming with ya' little one, Someones gotta look after y'all down there.”
I starred at him in shock, He was throwing away his life to keep me safe. I couldn't let him do that.
“Offers not up for debate, I'm going with you, if not, you aren't going at all. We should go, before the actual repair crew gets here”
“But what about the body? Should we-”
“Leave it, we're going down now.”