//------------------------------// // 14 // Story: Wayward Courier // by Speven Dillberg //------------------------------// I shot a pony! I wouldn’t have cared if he’d been a rapist or something, then he would have had it coming. But no, she was a new recruit, and had only just gotten her armour. And I’d gone and put a huge dent in it with a rifle round. It’s a good thing a lot of the momentum was killed by the wall and the target they’d set up, though. From what I was told, it would’ve hit her lung. Instead she just had a bruised rib and they needed to hammer out her armour. I still felt really bad, though. Still, I guess it was nothing compared to how horrified the other ponies were. The Sequoia wasn’t even the most powerful thing I had with me, let alone actually have. You ever seen an Anti-Materiel Rifle? The Courier stood before the two sisters, who were sitting in their thrones in the grand throne room where Rarity had fainted less than an hour ago. “In light of what happened,” Celestia said calmly, “I think it would be best to decline your request to remain armed while within the castle.” Luna nodded. “They will be kept in our rooms, under tight security. You will not be able to access them, as will nopony else.” It was clear to them that the Courier was far from happy with the turn of events. What he said, though, came as a surprise. “Fine,” he said, the bitterness in his voice clear. “I can’t see any point in trying to argue.” There was a short silence. “At least let me keep my Displacer Glove and knuckle dusters,” he pleaded. “Your... glove, unfortunately, is too dangerous for us to consider that.” The Courier didn’t know it, but Twilight had told them of the damage it had done to that Diamond Dog. “What are knuckle dusters?” Luna asked. The human reached into a pocket sewn into his duster and pulled out a strange golden metal things. He slid them over the fingers of each hand and held up his fists for the ponies to see, revealing to them the spikes and words they couldn’t read that adorned the plates covering his knuckles. Comprehension dawned on Luna. “I see. Like the horseshoes our guard wears into combat.” Celestia raised a wing slightly, signalling to her sister to remain quiet. “As long as you do not use them, you can keep them with you.” The man let out a sigh of relief, running a hand through his hair. “You’re more paranoid than the casinos on the Strip,” he muttered as he put his beret back on and removed Love and Hate from his hands. He replaced them into the inner pocket and straightened his duster. “Are we done?” The sisters nodded. “Are you sure it’s a good idea to let him remain armed?” Luna asked quietly. “They do little more than enhance his capabilities, Luna. Taking them away would not have done much,” the alabaster alicorn replied calmly. “He willingly tackled a manticore. No being does that without believing in their own abilities, regardless of how well-armed they are.” “The Guard would not fight one unless they greatly outnumbered the beast,” Luna mused. She turned to see the Courier had already left the room. I had my weapons confiscated. I can understand why, but come on! Do I look like I’d wave a gun around like an idiot? Actually, don’t answer that. Anyway, when I got out the room, I was greeted by Twilight. I was thankful for that, she’s the only one who wasn’t completely terrified of me after I accidentally shot someone. There was, apart from the creepy guards, another unicorn wearing purple armour. Those ponies were a lot like the Legion, at least in some ways. The shinier the armour, the higher up they were in the chain of command. And those who were higher up actually had a damn good reason for being there, not like what can happen in the NCR. Goddamn nepotism, it’s a wonder they held the Dam for four whole years. “So you’re the one responsible for injuring my newest recruit,” Shining Armor said coldly. He had been the first to hear about what had happened, mainly because the bullet had come close to hitting him instead. “Consider yourself lucky that her injuries were minor.” “Uh, Shiny?” Twilight said timidly. “He can’t understand you.” The armoured stallion’s face fell. “You mean I used my “Angry Guard Face” for nothing?” he asked. “Again, I’m sorry!” the Courier exclaimed. “I didn’t know it would over-penetrate that far, really. In all honesty, it shouldn’t have.” “Courier, this is my brother Shining Armor. He’s a captain in the Royal Guard.” “A pleasure,” Shining said stiffly, saluting. “Likewise,” the human said politely, saluting in return. “I suppose I should tell you that my more powerful weapons have been confiscated,” he said unhappily. “Good,” the stallion said. “I don’t want anypony else getting injured.” There was a short silence as the two ponies and the human tried to find something to say. “Oh shit!” The Courier turned around and pushed the doors to the throne room open. “The Transportalponder!” Twilight and Shining looked at each other. I honestly can’t believe that it took me that long to remember that I had to get back to the Mojave. Wait, no, I wanted to. Still so much to do around here, and the NCR is too focused on pushing back what’s left of the Legion. The Jackals have taken over Red Rock Canyon, did you know that? Why’d I run back into the throne room? Because they’d thrown the Transportalponder in with the rest of my guns, and I had to get it back. Even if it was broken. “Wait!” the Courier yelled out, seeing Luna’s tail poke out of a doorway off to the side of the room. “Hm?” The Princess of the Night turned around, puzzled at the calm man’s suddenly panicky behaviour. “Is something the matter?” “There was something that got mixed with my guns, something important. Where are they?” he asked, looking around frantically. “In my room,” the princess answered carefully. “Is it truly that important?” she asked. “It’s probably my only way home,” he said, forcing himself to stay calm. “Now please, take me to my weapons.” It wasn’t long before they were both in Princess Luna’s room. She had offered to teleport them there, but the Courier had to explain that it would likely kill him instantly. There wasn’t much light, the nocturnal alicorn having little need for such when blessed with incredible low-light vision. The Courier set the backlight of his Pip-Boy to maximum brightness and used it to illuminate his path. He quickly found the chest she had said his things would be in. As he knelt down, the lock was enveloped in a strange glow and it sprung open with a snap. As the human looked inside, he began muttering to himself. “No no no...” “What?” Luna asked. “It’s not there, he said as he turned around. “Are you sure this is everything?” he asked desperately. “It was everything we could find,” the indigo alicorn said cautiously. “It’s gone,” he said, unable to believe what he was saying. “It’s fucking gone.” Author’s Notes: Oh hey, I didn’t shoot Shining Armor or Blueblood. U mad? And oh boy. Is this actual plot all of a sudden?