Moonless Introduction
Moonless Introduction
Scream.
Voices of terror exhaled from five men. Directed to the little pony in front of them.
The beige little pony had seen many things on her journey of scavenging these part of the Equestrian Wasteland. Alicorns, Hellhounds, Raiders, Slavers, she met them all, and most of them ended lifeless via the guns her escort and herself. But ten years ago her prospecting life had become easier. Everybody called it 'The Day of Sunshine and Rainbows', a day where the land she lived in finally cleansed from Taint and radiation, but that day didn't purged the existence of Raiders, Bandits, Alicorns and other hazards posed by the Wasteland that she can't mention one by one. Then there was these things.
Her ears were down, shielding her fragile eardrums from the vocal assault done by the screaming creature and its companions, that had convinced her to exit the temporary haven of her caravan trailer.
With eardrums near bursting, the beige unicorn mare counter-assaulted, "Would you please SHUT UP !"
The five men, excluding the Soldier who had been cursing Merasmus, halted their self exhaustion of their vocal chords.
"You....uhm... things looked like you've just seen a ghost !" yelled the unicorn mare in frustation.
The five men looked onto each other. They've seen ghosts.
Not getting answers she tried again, "What ?! You never seen a pony before !"
"Vell we've never encounter a talking vun' before..." claimed the lab coated man with a newfound calm demeanor .
"Yeah, and we've met ghosts before," said the Scout.
Demoman unsheathed his Eyelander and point it towards the beige pony, "IT'S THE DEVIL'S WORK !"
The screaming continued. The beige mare put a hoof on to her face.
--- --- ---
The scream-fest ended after the beige pony yelled at the men once more. She trotted back to her caravan trailer, intent on salvaging what was left of her two day scavenging hunt. She picked up a sensory module with her telekinesis. Engraved on its side was the manufacturer name. Stable-Tech.
"Made by the company that build the Stables, extinct some 200 years ago along with the ponies who used to run it," she muttered to herself.
There was a knock on the door. She spun around to face the ten gallon wearing Texan.
"S'cuse me uhm.... ma'am..." said the Texan with a hint of fear in his voice.
"Oh it's you," answered the pony, "what's up ?"
"Uhm.... me an' the guys are settin' up camp," the Engineer explained, "Uhm.... I thought ya should join us...ah'm mean daylight gonna be gon' soon."
"I'll be there soon," the beige unicorn replied.
The short Texan disembarked from the trailer, leaving the beige unicorn to herself. The Engineer walked slowly back to the camp, his mind still fogged by the fact he just talked to an animal, an animal he had encountered before in his early years. Arriving at the newly made camp, he took a seat near the campfire made by the Soldier.
"So... what the talking horse said ?" asked the Boston youth.
"She said she'll be here soon," answered the Texan.
"She ?" again the Scout asked.
"Well it sounded like a she," the Engineer answered again.
"Vell ve can't be sure that thing really is a talking pony," Medic said, "and myself can't verified wether it is a female until further examination."
Confused, the Scout threw a question, "What'ca mean it ain't a talkin' pony ?"
"Vell, for the last few month our metal adversaries seem to launch attacks more frequent," Medic explained, "I'm beginning to think that they had sent somebody or something to spy on us."
"If I see that good for nothing wizard I'm going to make sure my boot is anchored to his frilly ASS !" exclaimed Soldier, "first a talking book now a talking horse !"
"Herr Soldier, I doubt your roommate is responsible for zis," Medic continued, "you do know he's in a cell, correct ?"
Soldier said nothing, it had been months since he killed Merasmus' new roommate, and still no words from him. There was a clip-clop of hooves coming from the direction of the road. The beige unicorn mare emerged from the shadows. She approached the Engineer and took a seat beside him, everybody dragged themselves opposite to the Texan.
The sound of the Wastelands night surrounded their camp.
The beige pony placed her packed saddlebag on to the ground. and still there was silence.
She decided it was time to break it, "So what's for dinner ?"
None of the creatures she just met answered, except the one beside her, "Well we're havin' beans."
The builder took out one of the can of beans from the fire with his gloved arm. His other arm reached for the screwdriver within his pocket. The Texan pierced and opened the can of beans, and offered it to their guest. The mare sniffed the can, then she took her first mouthful of Earth's beans.
Her somber expression turned to ecstasy, she said with beans in her mouth, "Wow, dis is really good !"
As she continue to devour the can content, it wasn't only her expression that changed. The Texan smile returned as he watched the talking pony ate the beans. It was things like these that always brought smile to the builders face. The rest of the team looked at each other and began to consume their ration.
--- --- ---
Night had fallen in the Equestrian Wasteland.
After their dinner by the fire, silence returned to the camp. With the unicorn present everybody was reluctant to speak. But silence didn't bring answers, only questions.
"Uhm....thank you ?"said the beige pony, breaking silence.
"Fer what ?" the Texan asked.
"Well... for saving my flank of course," the pony continued, "and for the food."
"Don't mention' it" the builder replied.
"But I have to ask what are you guys ?" questioned the little pony.
"Lass, we ken ask ye the same thing," Demoman said.
The beige pony gave the cyclops a quizzical look, "You mean you haven't seen a pony before ?"
The Heavy answered, "Team had seen pony before."
"But ain't a talking one 'specially one with horn," reinforced the Scout, " we ain't got none o' that back home."
"So.... where did you guys come from ?" another question from the pony.
Everybody, excluding Soldier, answered in unison, "New Mexico."
The beige pony gave another quizzical look. The name 'New Mexico' was alien to her. She decided not to pursue further the information about where these creatures came from. But decided to go after the identity to of her saviors.
"Again thank you all for saving me," the pony asked, "but I haven't got your names."
Once more silence filled the camp.
"Well ma'h name Dell, Dell Conagher miss," said the Texan.
The rest of the team face was locked in shock. Their ten gallon wearing friend had just expose one of the most sensitive information on their contract. Silence hung around the camp once more. The Texan caught wind of this and looked toward his team.
He explained, "We ain't bound to a contract no more boys."
The first to followed was the Scotsman, "Me name's Tavish DeGroot."
"I am Ivan," introduced the burly Russian.
"Viktor, mein fraulien," said the German.
"I'm Jarvis," said the Scout.
Lastly, their helmet wearing member of their group exclaimed, "JANE DOE !"
The beige unicorn made another questioning look at hearing the last name. The voice told her the creature was male, but the name convinced her otherwise. Then it was time for her to introduce herself.
Before she could start, the Texan builder asked her politely, "So what'ca yer name lil' miss ?"
"My name's Past Tale," said the beige little pony.
--- --- ---
The Wastelands had left behind midnight hours ago. The campfire extinguished and snores echoed through out the camp. Men and mare dwell deep within the chamber of dreams, with the exception of one. The self-proclaimed veteran stood guard near the dispenser, shotgun by his side. Soldier looked at his watch, a possession of his that had survive years of brutal conflict, the timepiece told him it was almost over. It ended.
Soldier stood up and walked to where the stetson wearing builder was sleeping. He poked him several time. As the Texan arose from his slumber, his vision met the figure of the veteran combatant, who was tapping his vintage timepiece. It was his time. The time for him to exit the realm of dreams. The Engineer stood up from where he slept, and made his way to the dispenser. He sat on top of it. Replacing Soldier on guard duty.
Accompanied only by the sound of his dispenser, the builder watched the void that is the night. From there things went bland and boring for the Texan. He brought up his Pip-Boy once more and began exploring its mysterious and undiscovered content. As he twisted knob and pressed buttons, more and more question came up to the builders mind, as the tiny screen displayed function and information never before seen.
The exploration of his Pip-Boy didn't go unnoticed. The sound of the armband processor being operated reached the little pony's ears. Curious and unable to slumber, Past Tale left the comfort of Luna's realm and approached the Texan.
While the Texan was in the middle of exploring the items assortment section of his Pip-Boy, the familiar clip-clop of hooves arrived at his ear. He spun around to see the talking beige mare awake.
"Y' aint asleep yet ?" asked the Texan.
"Can't sleep with you playing with that thing." said the Past Tale.
With a tone of guilt the Engineer said, "Sorry 'bout that ma'am."
"No worries I've stayed up longer than this," the mare asked, "So you people are Stable folk ?"
"Wha' now ?" asked the Engineer.
"Which Stable did you came from ?" asked the little pony once more.
The Engineer was baffled at the question, "What'ca makes you think ah' came from a stable ?"
The mare pointed her hoof to the Pip-Boy.
She explained, "Anyone who got one of those have to came out of a Stable somewhere."
"Ah' still don't get 'cha," the Engineer confessed.
Now both of them were in a state of confusion. Past Tale knew that the Pip-Buck on the creature arm was a piece of technology that came about two-hundred years ago. A piece of technology that had help the famed Stable Dweller in achieving 'The Day of Sunshine and Rainbows', she knew this from eavesdropping conversation between Applejack's Rangers that had spend their time in the local bar of Junction Town.
On the contrary, the Engineer lack any knowledge concerning 'Stables'. All he knew was the processor bound to his arm was sold in the Mann Co. store within a limited period of time. And stables were where his kind sheltered equines alike, including ponies.
"Then where did you get that Pip-Buck ?" asked the mare.
"Well ah' bought this ma'h self," the Engineer explained, "there was a limited time offer on tha' store fer these things so I bought it."
The practice of buying something as important, as old and as rare as a Pip-Buck was alien for the little mare. She tried to complete the puzzle of explanation on how the creature clad in red had gained a Pip-Buck from a store. She struck a concrete wall.
The Engineer asked in realization, "Wait, you know what this thing is ?"
"Well sure," the pony told him, "I know 'em from a bunch of Rangers and stories from some of the older town folks."
"So yer tellin' me ponies like you wear one o' these ?" asked the Engineer.
She explained, "Well yeah, I mean not ponies like me but those who came out of a Stable."
The short Texan gave a quizzical expression at the last word.
"You didn't came out of a Stable did ya ?" questioned the beige mare.
The Engineer simply answered by saying, "Nope."
Past Tale tried wrapping her mind again on the situation. She now knew that these creatures weren't from a Stable, despite the Pip-Buck attached to the stetson wearing creature. She wanted to ask about their true origin, but accusing them of lying would mean putting trust aside embedded to her saviors.
"Say what is this 'Stable' you mentioned ?" asked the Texan.
With nothing to do she began explaining Stables. Her explanation was simple and short at first. Then questions followed. She began answering what was asked to her surrounding the Stables, their purpose, their builder, their residents. All her answers came from books and tales of others. Although it wasn't down to detail, she felt proud sharing these knowledge to others.
Under the moonless night, two very different creatures bond. One tell, the other listened. After the conversation related to Stables, she began to tell her alien rescuer about her home. Speaking about it wasn't easy, stories about death, destruction and chaos surround it, but it was necessary to explain Stables. Painful at heart it maybe, still she took proud in telling it. It was the thing that made her feel special.
--- --- ---
"So yer sayin' these Stables are huge, super-strong, nuclear fallout bunker," the Engineer continued, "that are able to sustain' lives o' thousands of people fer centuries ?"
"Uhmm....yeah," she continued, "what's nuclear ?"
Before the Texan could answer a shot rang out and round planted it self on his dispenser. The Engineer jumped down and took cover behind the ammunition dispensing contraption.The mare followed. As more fire were shot, five more men woke up. They scattered into cover around their camp. Their assailant shots were replied by their own, but both side were firing without the aid of moonlight, thus the bullets they fired wasted on nothing.
"Damn, Raiders !" cursed the mare.
Suddenly a gust of wind and the blurry shade of red passed the Dispenser. The young man from Boston was under the influence of his Bonk! Atomic Punch. Running towards the only visible part of their attackers, muzzle flashes. The Scout made it to where the Raiders were hiding. With his sawed-off double barrel shotgun, he sprayed two shell worth of led balls into one Raider. He suddenly received unwanted attention from the unruly bunch. The youth ran back and took refuge behind the damaged dispenser.
With the Raiders position exposed, Demoman took aim and fire two grenades from his Loch-n-Load. The explosive projectile soared through the night sky unnoticed by their assailant. One round landed on one of the Raiders and turn him into nothing but pieces of meat. While the other member of their group were injured by the explosion and shrapnel, another struck the belly of a different Raider.
The gunshots faded, and the Wasteland was once more voiceless.
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wait scout's name is Jarvis?
3920019 well the comic or wiki don't mention anything about his name, gotta come up with something
3920027
why not his voice actor?
Nathan kinda fits scout
Bonk! The atomic cola, good memories of using it whilst playing on Harvest and Hightower. But I really didn't expect his name to be Jarvis.
Now I'm going to imagine his voice like the one off Iron Man
Anyways, I love the names you came up for the mercenaries. Soldier was actually surprising, unless he still thought they were still under contract....
3920130
Scout does look like a Nathan.
Nothing can stand to these mercanaries
Is Merasmus going to appear? I hope so
Where is spy?