//------------------------------// // Deathclaw Encounter // Story: The Queen of Changelings in the Wasteland // by Corvo Storm //------------------------------// Chrysalis and Krall walked through the badlands spotting the occasional giant fly and mosquito. They were easily dispatched by a few spells and bullets. They continued until they saw a tank half submerged in the ground. It didn't interest Chrysalis in the slightest since she knew from what Krall told her is that the power source in nuclear power, the reason for the wasteland. As they continued they ran into new creatures. They even ran into a small camp made by some ponies and griffons. There were too many to take on so they snuck around while the residents of the camp made target practice out of a group of bloatflies. They continued until the edge of the badlands came into view. "We made it," Krall said. "I know." "What will we do when we enter Equestria?" "See what's left." They entered Equestria after Chrysalis said that. Eventually they made a good distance in the remnants of Equestria and came across a gas station called Red Rocket. "We'll rest here for now," Chrysalis said feeling tired from the walking and still not being properly rested from what happened in the hive. She did want to know why there were military vehicles in the badlands and this gas station being rather close but she cared more about getting some sleep. "Shall I look around and find something for us to use as a blanket?" Krall asked. "No. I want you to look around for any food and water. I'll go around and see if there is anything that could be a threat," ordered the former queen. "My queen," his protest was silenced by a glare from her. "Very well. I'll go see what's around. Just be careful. You don't know what to expect." "I'll take my chances." She lifted her weapon and began to look around while Krall set to work on finding anything edible and clean water. After a quick look around he found a first aid kit with 3 stimpacks, 2 radaway, and 4 purified water, a cooler with cram and a carrot, and a nuka cola machine with 4 nuka colas, 2 nuka cherries, and a nuka cola quantum. It was a good find but it wasn't enough. He at least found something for them. Though he didn't understand why they needed the food. The only thing they eat is love. He'll ask once Chrysalis is done with any threats. The sounds of something bursting through the ground, gunfire, and spells being fired signaled that she had found something. After about 20 minutes or so of these noises they stopped. Then Chrysalis came in while reloading her gun. "Well?" "Mole rats were nesting here. Those were the only things to be worried about. Never did see a mole rat that large before, but then again they were affected by the radiation. Did you find anything?" "Yes but I need to ask, why would we need this pony food? We need love to survive," Krall said looking at the cram and carrot. "We need to adapt if we are to survive. Does this upset you Krall?" "No just curious is all. You should have the food and water because ghouls seem to last long even without anything to eat or drink." He pushed it over and she nodded to him in thanks. She ate the cram first. It had a small foul taste but was rather good. Then she moved onto the carrot and noticed the roots that had grown out of it. She couldn't help but think back to when she hid in Ponyville and watched Carrot Top grow the best carrots some say. Though she didn't just use them for food and a food to sell but 'other things.' After eating it she was about to grab some water only for the bite on her foreleg to start hurting. Her cringe didn't go unnoticed."My queen take this. I found it in a medkit," Krall said while giving her a stimpack. Chrysalis didn't argue at all and stuck the needle in her chest. It deposited the chemicals and healing magic it had into her as she felt herself getting better if a bit parched. While the stimpack went to work on healing her, she grabbed one of the purified waters and drank it greedily. After finishing it, she wiped her mouth of any water that didn't go in it. "Thirsty much?" Krall joked with a small chuckle which was silenced by a glare from her. "My apologies." She just rolled her eyes and began to lie down and as comfortable as she can. The gas station floor wasn't at all comfortable. From it being a hard floor and some debris and trash scattered here and there, there wasn't anywhere comfortable. Krall watched as Chrysalis tried to get some sleep. He decided to let her try to and went outside to look around. He saw the corpses of the mole rats Chrysalis killed and took some meat off of each one. He might be able to cook something edible out of them for Chrysalis. What's convenient is that there was an area to cook behind the station. There was even a chemistry station with what looked like an inhaler on it. Upon getting closer Krall noticed a note next to the inhaler. It read: The last order of Jet went bad. The buyer tricked us into letting her and her guards in only for them to gun down everyone who wasn't their own. I was the only one who survived and I can't think of anything better to do than head to that theme park. Can't remember what it was called but had something to do with a drink from before. I don't know but the place is run by ponies like me. I'll take what I can carry and let the mole rats have the bodies. No doubt the smell will attract them. I'm sure someone would be dumb enough to think that this place is deserted. At least I'll have some extra supplies when I deconstruct some things around here using the workshop in the garage. Krall looked from the note to the inhaler and guessed that it was jet. Though a workshop sounds promising. It could serve some use. Taking the jet, Krall went to the side of the station to find the garage. It was closed but that didn't prove to be a problem because he could get in from inside the station. Grabbing the jet, he went back inside, careful to not disturb Chrysalis who wasn't even asleep, and went into the garage. Krall saw what looked like some type of modification workbench near the door, a workbench that seems to be used for something big, and the workshop across from him. He went to and looked through to see that it has basic designs for structures, furniture, decorations, power, resources, defense, stores, crafting, and cages. Some designs were too complex for Krall but he was more interested in getting some beds made for him and Chrysalis. He went to work and in about an hour he had made to beds with some steel, springs, and cloth that was either found or scrapped from other things. Satisfied, he went to tell his queen of the beds he made. "My queen, I'm sorry to disturb you but I managed to find a workshop that has allowed me the tools and materials to make us some beds." Chrysalis looked at him with tired eyes but didn't say anything. He figured that she was fatigued so he led her to the garage. Upon seeing the beds she leaped onto one and got as comfortable as she could. Not much but something at least is what she thought before letting the darkness consume her. Krall did the same but didn't leap into his but walked over, lied down, and went to sleep. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The next morning Krall was the first to wake up. He looked over at the sleeping form of Chrysalis, wondering when she will wake. He looked from her to the workshop and thought about making some defenses just incase anything decides to take this place. While it seems very unlikely, it would be a good idea should ponies that can be trusted decide to live here. That recruitment beacon design might prove useful afterall. Krall heard Chrysalis stir and turned to see her starting to get up. She yawned as she got off the bed. She wobbled a little but managed to catch herself. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes she looked around wondering where she was before the memories came back. To say she was sad was the least. Furious is more like it, but luckily she managed to suppress it and not show it. There would be time to find the princesses later, but that has to wait. She looked to see Krall watching her and sent him glare that made him flinch back and look away. Stretching a bit to get the stiffness out, she looked around the garage, seeing the workbenches and workshop as well as a button. She went over to press it only for Krall to stop her. "My queen are you sure that's wise to just press a random button and not know what it does?" She just rolled her eyes and pressed it. The door to the garage began to open. Chrysalis gave him a smirk while he looked down in an attempt to hide the blush of embarrassment on his face. Once he was over it, he got off his bed and went over to the workshop to begin working on those defenses. "What are you doing Krall?" "Building some defenses. This workshop had some designs that could prove useful to us. One of them is a radio beacon that will attract wastelanders into wanting to settle here. If they are to live here then we need to build something to produce water, food, and a proper defense," Krall explained while looking through the designs for the cheapest turret to build. "Krall we can't trust ponies after what happened to us. The invasion a long time ago is a reason and what is now is another," she reasoned not liking the idea. He found what he was looking for and started to use his magic to levitate the tools and materials needed to begin. "Ok maybe we can't trust any ponies but they can at least have someplace to live. Heck we might be able to get more food if we let them farm here. That can help us greatly. Plus we'll be able to resupply on things if we build a store and other things as well." "Fine but that doesn't mean I have to like it." "Noted." Chrysalis went outside to leave Krall to do what he wishes. After a little bit of looking around the station, she felt like they were wasting time and should be on the road soon. They do need to get more food to survive or rather her to survive. A few more minutes of looking around she decided to walk a bit away from the station to see what else is around. A few minutes later she had found nothing nearby the station. Looking back she saw that she walked quite a bit of a distance and decided to head back. She didn't get one step when a loud roar was heard behind her. Chrysalis turned around quickly with her gun ready only to be taken aback at what she saw. Staring at her with hungry red eyes was a beast she has never seen. It was reptilian and had horns curving down the sides of its head and curving out a bit at the end. Its scales were a black mixed with brown, stood on two legs and had large claws on its hands. Its hunched over position shows that it can move on all fours if it needed to. It stared at her for a few seconds before letting out another roar and charged. Chrysalis snapped out of her awe and fired at the creature. It dodged most of the bullets but a few landed but only seemed to enrage it more. It was gaining ground fast and before she knew it, it was right on top of her. It swung at her with its claws and she barely managed to dodge it but the next swipe of the claws hit her and sent her a small bit to the side. She didn't even have to time to shoot at it before it grabbed her head and threw her behind it and onto the ground a few feet away. She managed to fire a few more shots before it picked her up again, roared in her face, and slammed her onto ground. The was knocked out of her when that happened. She teleported a few feet from the creature and ran to the station in hopes of making it back there when there were some defenses built. Looking behind her increased her fears when she saw that it was chasing her on all fours and catching up fast. When it caught up, it grabbed Chrysalis and lifted her above itself. It roared at her and went to stab her its claws only for her to quickly levitate her to its right eye and shoot it. It roared in pain and let her go while grasping the side of its face the eye was shot out of. This gave Chrysalis the time to reload and shoot more rounds into its arms, legs, and belly. It kept roaring in pain until a final bullet pierced through its hide and hit something vital. It kept roaring until it was enraged enough to ignore the pain. That didn't help it when Chrysalis shot another bullet that went into its remaining eye and into its brain ending its life. Its body fell and all Chrysalis could do was drop her weapon and breathe heavily while the adrenaline rush wore off. Looking back at her kill, she decided to take one of its hands and use it for some type of weapon. Using her magic to grasp one then cut it off she proceeded to cast a spell on her attire to hold specific amount of items in her pocket no matter big it was. She put the hand away and went back to the station. Upon arriving there was some turrets sitting on the edges of the station. Chrysalis went inside the garage to see Krall putting away the tools he got from the workshop. He heard her enter and to turned to greet her, "Ah my queen, I have finished putting the defenses up. I heard some noises was... that you?" "Give me a stimpack ugh and some water." "Right away my queen." "And quit calling me your queen. I told that I deserve that title." "Yes my- yes Chrysalis," he said while getting 1 purified water and a stimpack. When he gave them to her, she used the stimpack first before drinking the water in one go. "That's better," she said while sitting down to rest a bit. Krall let her rest for a minute before asking about the noises again. She glared at him before sighing and leaning against the wall and answering, "I encountered a different creature. It showed intellect but is enraged easily. It looked like a giant crocodile that stood on two legs and had very sharp claws and horns. Its eyes were red with hunger. It attacked me and I did my best to defend myself and it would have killed me. We may encounter more in the future but I hope we don't. One was just enough." He was intrigued by this creature but looking at how it almost killed her, he decided that they should avoid any they see and only any that they have to. The two sat in silence for awhile before Chrysalis' stomach growled. "Ugh I need something to eat. I wish I could find some love to feed on. That would make things easier for me. I'd feel better that's for sure." "Well I did take some meat off those mole rats you killed. We can cook it if you want." "Anything is better than nothing." Krall then went outside to cook some of the mole rat meat. When it was cooked just right, in his opinion, he cut it into small bite size pieces. He brought the mole rat chunks back inside and gave them to Chrysalis. She ate them greedily. Nodding him a thank you, she went over to the garage door and saw that the sun was setting. She pressed the button to close the garage and went over to her bed to sleep. Krall did the same. She sighed knowing what to call the creature she fought. "Damn deathclaws are going to be a problem should we run into more. I just hope we find someplace that doesn't have any," is all she said before letting sleep take her.