Jade sat in front of a fire at the small enclave in front of the robotics shop. She was eating a stew that was made with, from what the others said, radroach meat, corn, and some sort of gourd. She didn’t like the clicking sound from her Pipbuck, but she hadn’t eaten in awhile and she needed food. For the most part it tasted good, even if it was the bug meat.
It had been an hour since she woke up from her nap. She felt better. Now, that she had some sleep that wasn’t caused by her passing out or bonking her head on something hard. It wasn’t really good for her health, she had to admit, rubbing a bump that had formed without her knowing it. The filly hoped it wasn’t a sign of a concussion, though. The Cure told her she would be fine. The group she were with, Children of the Moon, were all enjoying the meal while exchanging tales about their time in this…Wasteland.
The world she had been born into, the world she had loved was now just a brown, blackened, clouded, almost lifeless husk of a shadow of what it was one before. The green grass she had played in was gone along as well as the great trees. Many animals she had enjoyed to watch from afar died a horrible death or mutated and became savage. The blue sky, beautiful nights, and shining sun were gone, replaced by grey clouds as far as the eye could see. And it had been the nations of old that had caused this.
It wasn’t hard for her to figure it out; the colts and fillies didn’t really keep it hidden. The Pony-Zebra War, the war she had been born into, had escalated to the point where each side decided that they didn’t want the other side to win at any cost. Both sides had used spells of magnitudes more powerful than had been ever seen before. Megaspells, arcane constructs that could enhance a smaller spell to be immensely more powerful, or be used to create new spells that had only been theory before. The usage of weapon grade Megaspells called Balefire, and rouge storms had done the unthinkable. They destroyed the civilizations they had worked so hard to protect in one day, and the world had come… to this.
Life, though, found a way to persevere. It adapted to its new environment or hid in Stables that were of a different design from hers. This had led to many surviving the bombs, but they now lived in a dangerous world. Ponies, Zebras, Monitors, Donkeys, Yaks, Bovines, Goats, and Dragons now live in a way that mirrored the Griffons when their government collapsed at the loss of a relic that was important to the national heritage. Though back then the Griffons at least had some semblance to their old culture and some form of government in the making compared to what the Wasteland was like.
To the filly this world was a horrible nightmare that she wished Luna would wake her from. It wasn’t a dream though, she knew it. The Wasteland was a product of greed and uncontrolled advancement the likes of which no civilization had been prepared for. A nightmare that even in her worst dreams she couldn’t imagine. How had nopony seen this coming? How could they just sit by while their government played a game of death with the world?
“Hey, Jade, you alright?” Paper Bind asked the filly, shaking her from her thoughts.
“Um, yeah,” Jade replied looking to the filly across the fire. “Just thinking of the past.”
“How much of a past can a filly your age have.” asked Epic between slurps of stew.
“I’ve read a lot of history books. A lot of books in general actually.” Jade answered.
“How, many, three, four history books?” Shelest ask with a smile.
“Um, one book on programming and computer design, half a book on guns, thirteen on history of varying cultures and species, about a hundred on technology and science, half a book on biology, four hundred on arcane science in general, and three coloring books.” Jade explained not really thinking much of it till she looked around and notice everypony had stopped eating was staring at her. “That’s not normal for a filly my age, I know. I read really fast compared to other ponies, and…”
The reaction was mixed. Paper Bind stared at her with disbelief, while Sehlest merely smiled, trying to hide her shocked expression. Epic spat out a mouthful of stew and started to cough. Grumpy began to hop around the small group singing something along the lines of, “It’s awesome, it’s awesome, IT’S AWESOME,” Dim Lantern and her foal kept to themselves, Cure looked pleasantly surprised, and Night Light only nodded, staying calm.
“You’re, like, the super-duper-smartest filly I’ve ever saw! And I have seen a lot of fillies!” Grumpy said while hugging her to death.
“You’re freaking LYING!” Epic said after catching his breath. “It’s like, more books than I’ve seen in my whole life! What the actual FU…”
“Temperance is a virtue.” Night Light said, silencing her protégé. “You’re a… unique child, Jade, I must give you that, and, unlike the others, I don’t doubt you.”
“Elder, really, how the HELL could she have…” Epic exclaimed.
“She is from times long past, Epic, many of her action tell of this.” The Paladin replied. “I’ve heard stories of both the beauties and horrors of the world before. I have wandered the Wasteland and have seen what there is… and judged them. You could say that I’m out here to purify the world. But that is of no concern for the moment. Paper, that filly could help our small group immensely with her knowledge, which rivals even mine and I, too, have read many books. My hometown had a good library.”
“I see your point,” Paper agreed, some tension in her voice. “But it is up to Jade to decide. We’re planning on sticking here for now, isn’t it? And, of course, we owe her.” The filly turned to Jade, blushing as Shelest nuzzled her. “Hush, love. Jade, what are you going to do now? I think I remember something about a Mister… Wiggles, was it?”
“Yeah, my friend, Mr. Wiggles, is a robot I knew before I went to sleep in that pod in Stable 092. Night Light is right about me being alive before the Wasteland. I need parts for either a Mr. Hoovesy, or an Xk-77 Mk.3.” Jade explained looking to the shop. “I’ll take a look of what there is in the back and see if there are any of those parts or intact models I could use.”
“You opened that place; it should be you who take the first pick.” Shelest agreed.
“Thanks, and I need help getting the parts to him too.” Jade said put her stew down before getting up and walking to the shop and going to the back garage.
The room was really messing now that Jade took time to notice, not focus on reprogramming some robots. The mess wasn’t much of a problem as it was mainly on the floor and out of the way. And there was a small hole in the ceiling where it looked like rain had gotten through, if the puddle was any indicator. There were also a lot of boxes strewn about. As for the robots in the shop, there were no parts for a Mr. Hoovesy, but there was a complete set of parts for Xk-78 Mk.1 that was only missing the frame. The Xk-77 Mk.3 that was near Mr. Wiggles had a frame, but was missing several parts. Jade could just take the parts she need but the Xk-78 was a police, more durable model than the Xk-77 and was used for security instead of a family guard dog.
“But the problem is I still need a power cell… and those parts are way too heavy.” Jade said, looking around, trying to solve the problem. “If I only take what I need my load will be lighter, but if I take all of them then Mr. Wiggles will have much more armor. Or I could go back get the frame which is the lightest part, get Mr. Wiggles and use the equipment here to make the work easier.”
“I believe you will choose the right course of action, Jade, and whatever route you take in this case, I will be by your side.” Night Light said from behind the young filly, scaring her.
“It…um, alright, um, sure.” Jade said trying to form her sentence. The filly found it hard talk when she was excited or scared, and she would usually not be able to talk coherently if it was bad enough. “It would be easier to just bring the frame and Mr. Wiggles here so I could use the equipment.”
“I’ll just get the wagon and then we can head out.” The older filly said before walking out.
Sometime later, they informed the group of their intentions and walked out of the improvised fortress into the recent battlefield. It was eerily quiet. Somehow Jade got reminded of some old radio drama she had heard while reading another exciting about the how Arcane Magic reacted to Bale Fire to produce most of the energy used in technology. It was a small miracle that some of the show even managed to stay in her memory despite the book being her main focus. There was something about a cowpony with a dark past, a loner, and she thought she remembered something about a…ghost town? The filly scrunched her nose, a little bit frustrated at the lack of context.
Unless you count the Pip-Buck, the filly barely knew a thing of, let alone had one; there was no way of telling time in the Wasteland. The uneven road bumping the cart around, Night Light being completely silent, the creepy silence of the buildings around them as they moved through the streets, freaked Jade out. At first she tried humming some song or another, but got tired of it pretty easily. For the most part Jade was bored, and little scared by the silence, and the paladin wasn’t really the best companion.
“If you have something to ask, go on.” Night Light said without turning her head. “I am accustomed to long days and nights without a word, it is you who is scared of it.”
“I…I’m not scared!” Jade protested, “But…yes…. I think there is something I wanted to ask. You said earlier that you will not…uh… force you cause on me or something. What t did you mean by that?”
“It is rather rude to try and force faith on those who do not need to be corrected in their ways.” The Paladin shrugged making the creaking cart groan a little with the sounds of old wood. “To put it simply, I have not found fault with you…at least for now. But, from what I saw of you, there is no need to introduce you to our faith. There is no need of it for one that is already pure of heart, and you have not sinned before my eyes. Though, believe me when I say it, that if you ever do, judgment for your actions on this earth will be swift.”
Night Light stopped and pulled out her gun from her side holster and pointed it at Jade faster than the young filly could blink. The world froze for what felt like an eternity as the filly stared at barrel. The image of her being killed passed through her mind again for what felt like the hundredth time since Sentential Sky been slaughtered. Meal started rise from stomach.
“Bang!”
With the same fluid motion the gun was returned to its holster and paladin resumed her walk as if nothing happened.
“If you’re wondering, the safety was on.”
Jade nervously gulped down the vomit. The Paladin seemed scarier now that she had done that.
“W-w-why did you do that?!”
“A small test. I wanted to see your purity once more, before it is snuffed out like so many things in this world. You’re young, clean of the sins so many have waded in even at your age. You have suffered, but you have also retained your integrity, which I find rare. It is also rare to see a filly who regrets the loss of all life, even those of raiders, who, as many feel, are beyond salvation, myself included. So, yes, I’m guilty of wanting to see your reaction on a threat, and apologize.”Night Light said before glancing back. “Do you know why I’ve offered to come?”
“Um…” Jade said while looking back towards the robotics shop. “You were the best candidate?”
“In a sense yes, as the others have their own duties. Epic was the only other choice, and he’s a bit too hot headed. And, frankly, it was better that me and Paper Bind had some distance, if only for a little bit. We… are not on talking terms most of the time.”
“Why?” Jade asked as her curiosity grew.
Night Light slowed a bit as she thought of how to explain her point. “She’s the leader of the Children of the Moon, what is left of them anyway. I’m of another group who believe a slightly different faith than what the Children of the Moon had, so when I came I clashed with the others. She is also a nonbeliever of both faiths which complicate things even more. She was tolerant of her parents’ faith, but not so much mine. Maybe she has gleamed something of me she just doesn’t like, maybe she feels unwell that two of her own, ponies she had group up with, had believed that faith, has listened to my words, and joined. Who knows, but you could say, we… have a ceasefire at the moment.”
“Ohh…”
Night Light stopped and looked back at Jade with a remorseful expression. “You know, I’m willing to talk if you want, I don’t mind. Epic and Cure have confide with me many times and have found my advice useful. I’d understand if you would like to talk to Paper in any case, of course you could end up walking in on them…blowing off some steam, as it were.” Night Light chuckled. “I did it once, the looks on their faces.” She shook her head. “Now hush, I’d prefer to keep calm and quiet from now on. Abandoned houses could hold many troubles, if one is not careful. It best we pick up the pace.”
It wasn’t long till a group of some sort of creatures attacked them. Jade wasn’t sure if it was it was a fly in the shape of a ball with wings and eyes with a growth for something else.
“Bloatsprites. Despicable creatures.” Night Light said as she took out her pistol and started to fire on the creatures as it fired something back, Jade didn’t want to find out what it was. The small skirmish was over quickly as it seemed the bugs weren’t that tough.
“What were those?” The filly asked.
“As I said, bloatsprites, a mutated parasprite. Nasty things that more annoying in small numbers than dangerous. But don’t get caught by a large group, that’s when you can get hurt.” Night Light explained.
“Oh, they look disgusting.” Jade commented as they started to move into her old neighborhood. The filly watched for the Xk-77 Mk.3 while on the lookout for more bloatsprites. There wasn’t much in the old decrypted buildings that seemed to be alive, so the travel returned to an uneventful trek on a almost nonexistent road. Jade felt a nostalgia for her old life creep onto her.
She really hoped that all this was a horrible dream that she could wake up from. Something Sable Tech had put in the Stasis Pod to test the occupants, some kind of psychoactive gas, but she didn’t knew why they would do that. She didn’t knew if this horrible world was real or something her mind was making up to confront some stupid fear. Jade really didn’t like the thought that she was in a dream more than if being reality.
The broken robot dog was right where Jade had left it, though some real dogs were wandering around but they fled after Night Light started yelling waving her gun. Then it was just a matter of getting the parts she didn’t need off the frame and the frame on the cart. It took about fifteen minutes in all as she and Night Light used makeshift ramp to shove the frame onto the cart. It was about two hundred and thirty pounds, so it was quite the task.
“You could have help with your magic, you know.” Night Light said between breaths.
“I can barely lift a block of wood.” Jade explained, shaking. It was the first time she had lift or even pushed anything that heavy and the young filly was about fall over, her legs feeling weak.
“Get on the cart. You can barely walk in that state.” Night Light said while getting back in the harness.
The filly, complied, climbing next to the Xk-Frame and collapsing onto the floor of the cart, breathing heavily. Jade knew she was not in the best shape, but she didn’t think the frame would be that heavy. It had been like that time she had tried to push the family cart when Daddy had some bots inside and had sprained her front legs. Except now all her legs hurt, but it was just exhaustion, not an injury.
“Mr. Wiggle is in my old home t…” breathe, “two houses down from here.” Jade said pointing at her old home. When they reached the house Jade was still too weak to get up from the cart so the two sat outside to get their energy back while eating some preserved food that Night Light found on one of the skeletons that had surrounding the Xk model. Jade вшв know how healthy they could been after two hundred years, but they were better than nothing.
“Well, let’s hope your friend is easier to move than that frame was.” Night said as she got up and walked into the house. “Where would he be?”
“My parent’s room.” Jade answered. She looked up and noticed Night Light giving her a deadpan look. “Right…”
The filly got up, wincing at the protest her muscle gave her. She walked past Night Light and to her parent’s room where Mr. Wiggles was still laying. The robot’s eye stock lifted as Jade came back letting out a happy exclamation that she was still alive.
“Yes, Mr. Wiggles, I’m alive. Now I’ve found a work shop with XK-78 Mk.1 parts and I’m take the frame from the XK-77 Mk.3 and so I’ll just need to move you.” Jade explained her exhaustion still evident in her voice.
“Well, if you tip me over you could roll me where you need to, Little Miss. I won’t mind.” Mr. Wiggles said with pride, though Jade gave him a confused looked at the term Little Miss. “I am your Butler, and you are my Mistress, I am at your command, your beck and call, Miss Jade. I may be a robot and programed to be this, but I will do everything in power to protect you as your parents would have wanted. And if I need a new body to do that than I will assist you however I can.”
“Okay, Mr. Wiggles.” Jade said as she and Night Light tipped the robot over and to roll him over to the cart. It was easy because of the lack of limbs that his model had and he fit through the doors. It was not long before they got Mr. Wiggles onto the cart and started hauling him off to the shop. The walk back wasn’t as eventful as the walk there, though Mr. Wiggles did try lightening the mood with a song till Night Light had politely asked him to stop. When they reached the Shop, Jade told Night Light to move to the door at the side down an alleyway so that they wouldn’t have to haul the frame through the store and roll Mr. Wiggles. The Paladin happily agreed.
“Okay so the platform should be good and the hooks to hold the frame up” Jade said as she walked past the ladder upstairs barely, noting that the hole to the second floor was covered. “And then I’ll need to get the parts from their place and the shop and THEN move Mr. Wiggles to the frame’s operating systems.”
“Oh, so some hadn’t scurried away.” A multiple tone voice said from behind Jade. “And the Goddess seems to recognize you too.”
Jade froze as she looked back seeing three Alicorns behind her, all blue. Her first thought was of Princess Luna, but then Luna’s coat was a bit darker blue and there wasn’t three of her. The Filly began to back up as the Alicorns started to move forward some talk all at once and without using their mouths.
“And while the others aren’t worthy of becoming a part of the Goddess, and this may not have been my original reason for being here, you seemed to have been of Great interest to the Goddess before the Bombs.” The Alicorns said lowering their heads to be level with Jade’s “Why is it that YOU would be of interest then? You don’t seem powerful in the ways of magic, you haven’t even have a Cutie Mark,” They paused lifting their heads. “So in the mind the Goddess had found interest in; fast learner, exceptional knowledge of robotics even at the age of six, and We had taking an interest in your education.”
“Wasted potential on what is essentially a dead horn. Maybe if you had more Magical capability you would be a better candidate, but as of now you are more a risk to yourself and those around you than an asset. We shall ignore you for now, as you are a waste of our time and conflict is not needed to take what We need so step aside.” The Alicorns said while magically moving Jade before grabbing some Arcane Cores and leaving.
Jade just stared at the Alicorns as they left, unsure of what just happened. On one hoof she just saw three Alicorns, weird as it was, and they just called her a waste of potential and seemed to know her past. On the other hoof, she noticed that they seemed…wrong, not biological in nature. They were sentient and made of flesh, but they also seemed designed, crafted to be what they were instead of born from almost random genetic code. Like they came from a template.
“Something for another time.” Jade said as she opened the door to the garage before getting bombarded with question from Paper Bind when the leader came down after the Alicorns departure. For the most part Jade didn’t know how to answer besides they didn’t think I was worth their time. That stunned some of the Night Children and she notice a few suspicious looks, but she surged them off to work on Mr. Wiggles, entering what her friends called Jade Mode. Where the world around her faded as she worked on a blueprint, schematic, read a new science or history book, or worked on a robot with her father. In this state Jade Charge was in her domain, her sanctuary, the place where she was at the most peace. And she said in this state for a few hours ignoring the other as she worked.