Fallout Equestria: Fly Away

by Freeflyingwolf

Chapter 14: Roaming

Fallout Equestria: Fly Away

By Freeflyingwolf

Chapter 14: Roaming

“A great empire, like a great cake, is most easily diminished at the edges.”-- Benjamin Franklin

“Discord, I’m starting to get the feeling you’re just very lonely.” Royal Lace proclaimed as she trotted forward, followed by the two bucks.

“I’m certainly not that lonely.” Discord stated as he floated down and actually touched the ground.

“Ugh!” Lacey appeared taken aback and insulted. “Well! I certainly was even insinuating having a relationship of any sort with a…a…fr—“

Sunshy quickly flew forward and shoved his hoof on Royal Lace’s mouth, preventing her from saying anything insulting. Good thing, too, as Discord’s form had begun shimmering as the air does above a fire. “Freak” was a taboo word around Discord. No words had to be shared for them all to come to that conclusion. Celly had her fur bristled and was staring at her straps, tail up. The spirit coughed into his eagle claw as his form solidified once more. The equines silently breathed in relief while Celly calmed, her tail and fur lowering.

“I came here to tell you not to bother with Baston and go straight to Roaming. I think I’ve located a bearer in the big city.” Discord may have calmed, but he still sounded grumpy. Sunshy dearly wished for his strange-humored nature; at least then they did not have to worry about dying terribly.

“But there might be people in need of Sunshy’s help in Baston.” Zen argued.

“You obviously don’t listen to the radio.”

Discord conjured a microphone in his lion paw. From it came the song of welcoming, one of the repeated songs on the radio. Of course the radio would come from a microphone. Why would they expect anything different?

”Hello everyone, this is your friend Red Stripes, who likes to have some fun. Good news is followed by the bad. I shall tell them in that order, so we’re not all too sad.

Tribal brother Tall Soft Heart has been found; turns out that he had been bound. If you’ve all forgotten, let me make sure your brains are not rotten. This is the little yellow doctor, who was found by his zebra protector. With them are a manticore and a unicorn, neither sound like a bore.

Chief Fluffy Doom’s rage has been quelled, so no one else must be felled. That is the end of the happy, for we cannot get too sappy.

Some of you may know of Baston, the only inhabited little city under the sun. No longer is it a home, not matter how much you roam. The invisible fighters have struck, and every citizen they decided to buck. Taken their things and fled, I hope none had to have bled.

That is all for now, little ones. Seek out my couriers so they do not have to hold guns.”

“Who are Red Stripes’ couriers?” Sunshy asked, remembering hearing about them before.

“Just some zebras with their black stripes dyed red. Kinda like Zen here, only I don’t think they dyed it with their blood.” Discord answered after making the radio/microphone vanish. He was frowning a bit at Zen’s terrible fashion statement.

“Well, pardon me for being unable to keep my coat clean fighting off zombies.” Zen rolled his eyes, though he did glace over at his body and grimace a little.

“His terrible fashion sense aside, may we get into our terribly named carriage, please?” Royal Lace questioned, moving forward to the Alicorns’ Bane.

“After you.” Discord vanished in a flash of light.

Lacey walked to the sky carriage, pulled open the door, and jumped inside. Zen followed after her while Sunshy went to Celly. The pegasus nuzzled his sister in a silent ‘thank you’ for doing as they had asked. In response, she licked him lovingly and then nudged him away, telling him to get in the carriage. Once he was inside, seated next to Zen as always, and the door was closed, Celly took off.

“First things first, if we’re going to Roaming, then we’ll all need a bath before we get anywhere near Mrahaba. I do not want my family’s good name spoiled by the dirty company I keep. Along with that, I think a nice spa day is in order. You’re lucky to be with me, as I’m sure that if not for free, then I can get you two a heavily discounted spa treatment.” Royal Lace had finally slipped into her old skin of being a true Mrahaban. She was a princess through and through.

“Should we start calling you Miss Prissy now or when we get there?” Zen sarcastically remarked.

“Behind my back is fine. Just don’t let me know, or I’ll shoot your damn head off.”

Conversation decided to cease after that wonderful point. During which, Sunshy put away his gun in his enchanted saddle box and then decided to kill time by taking a nap, using Zen’s side as a pillow. The zebra decided to read Pony Sutra and Royal Lace pointedly stared outside and away from that book. Of course, Celly just flew them along without complaint. Truthfully, she was happy to be flying, feeling the wind in her fur and without a screaming zebra on her back.

The Alicorns’ Bane flew well until Celestia’s sun began to dip into the west. The aesthetic view was magnificent. The once-blue sky turned purple in the cloudless sky, giving way to red and pink, finally turning yellow towards the orange circle on the horizon. Zen nudged Sunshy awake to experience the sunset. It was not the beauty so much as the memories it brought forth that had the yellow doctor shedding tears of happiness. Even Royal Lace was too captured by the simple beauty to make a remark as the tears slid down Sunshy’s face.

Then they were able to notice the slowly-growing blot on the horizon on the opposite direction. Surely it was an eye-catcher if they’d ever seen one. Roaming was a strangely built city, even for pre-war. The city was a mess of an oval, with the obvious transitions from high-society to poverty. All in all, it took up at least five miles from north to south and perhaps three from east to west.

In the middle were skyscrapers, so high even Sunshy was impressed and oddly reminded of some fuzzy memory. It was something tall and white that he associated with crops. Huh, he’d think on it later. Said skyscrapers were fairly intact, impressively intact, even. Suspicious, Sunshy took out the binoculars and zoomed in on one building. As he thought, they were not perfectly intact from pre-war, but they had many large chunks of concrete from various sources covering what would be gaping holes.

Moving out from the skyscrapers were variously smaller buildings. They were still large enough to be considered apartment complexes or office buildings, but no comparison to the skyscrapers. Those buildings were actually painted and some had large neon signs. Sunshy remembered Lacey mentioning casinos were housed in the middle-class section. He wondered what counted for middle-class in this pre-war wasteland. Adventurers? Guards? Adventurers turned guards after taking an arrow to the knee?

Sunshy paused to wonder where the frick that thought came from. He promptly blamed Discord and Zen for that burst of insanity. And any others after that, he would do the same.

Going further from the middle-class, were the tiny huts, tipi-style buildings, and rather destroyed everything. That section was the worst lit, with only a few specks of light here and there. Surrounding the city was a wall with large gates at every compass direction. Roads led outward to the gates, on which a few caravans were still traveling. One thing caught his eye and Sunshy pointed it out. It was a large gathering of white tents with what appeared to be a flag.

“Those are the Watchers, a bunch of kinda-sorta-doctors. I bet you’d fit right in. They’re actually looking to help the wasteland everywhere and in any way they can.” Royal Lace answered with a smile.

Sunshy was suddenly excited to go to Roaming. Oh sure, a bath and spa day sounded great, but this was the first he had ever heard about any group actually going out of their way to help. He wanted to meet these kind people and shake their hooves. Or maybe join them. It would be nice to have a constant stream of items to use from a stable source. The thought of finding all his supplies out in the wasteland did not sound appealing.

Alicorns’ Bane touched down just outside of Kutisha Mahali. Royal Lace quickly unstrapped Celly, and then ran to a guard at the gate; after a few moments of talking, the guard led her somewhere. All the while, she had been moving slightly awkwardly, obviously needing to use the little filly’s room. The bucks were glad they had slipped off to go back at King’s Warehouse.

The group of two bucks and a manticore walked up to the west entrance. Standing there at attention was a zebra stallion in power armor. Unlike Borderlands’ guards, this was not stolen and painted Steel Ranger armor. This armor was sleek, form fitting, and the color of sand.

The armor coated his tail all the way to his head. However, the helmet was made so that the jaw could be opened with ease, in case the wearer wanted to use a mouth weapon. There were also openings on the eyes, allowing bright green orbs to stare out at them. The zebra’s dyed red mane grew out through a blocky slot on the top, giving it the appearance of a strange plumage.

Painted on the flank was the picture of a zebra standing on his hind hooves. He was holding a shield in his right fore-hoof, a lance in his left hoof, and a spear in his mouth. Adorned on his head was a warrior’s helmet much like the one the soldier in the armor wore, except that it only covered the head and had flaps on the sides, leaving most of the face exposed.

“Is that Mars the god of war?” Sunshy questioned as he pointed to the picture.

“Ah, uhm, yes, indeed he is. I am a Child of Mars. Forgive me; I am rather shocked that a pony would be so cultured of Zebra religion and language. Most are so stuck up that they expect us to learn Equestrian when they won’t bother learning our language.”

“Yeah, he’s great like that. Don’t bother making a move, he’s mine.” Zen turned greed-mode and slung his front hooves around Sunshy’s neck.

“One of those types, eh? Don’t worry about that, I prefer the company of those under Diana.”

“Who?”

“She’s the Goddess of nature, fertility, childbirth, woods, the moon, forests, animals, mountains, hunting, and mares. It’s a way of saying I prefer mares to bucks. You’re a zebra, you should know this.”

“Forgive me for having little interest in the crutch called religion.”

“I’ve heard that belief before. Whether you believe in them or not, you should at least enlighten yourself. That way, you can at least have a pleasant conversation with someone and not look like an unintelligent ass.”

“No need to bring donkeys into this.”

The guard facehoofed and then stamped his hoof down and muttered something under his breath. At that point, Lacey returned with the mare guard wearing the same armor as the buck before the other two. She trotted over to the two and bowed politely to the male Child of Mars, who dipped his head in return. Zen decided to release Sunshy at her appearance.

“Please forgive my companions if they have been bothering you.”

“No real bother at all, madam. Though the zebra’s lack of intelligence of his own culture disappoints me.

“He disappoints everyone, I’m sure.”

Zen harrumphed and made to say something, but Sunshy quickly placed a hoof on his shoulder, pointedly looking away. The zebra frowned, but held his tongue. Sunshy gave him a tiny smile in thanks, making the zebra mutter into the dirt while a small bit of red blossomed on his face.

“Pleasantries aside, madam, we need to know your names, mode of income, reason for business, and…the tag on his PipBuck.”

“Why should I?”

“In case you get lost or cause trouble, trouble like getting your face on a wanted poster, perhaps. Most stabledwellers are well-mannered enough, but if you’ve got a PipBuck, we need your tag. Nothing personal, just part of the procedure.”

“Perfectly reasonable." Lacey interjected.

Though Zen frowned at the unicorn making the decisions, he nonetheless held out his right leg. The blue zebra stallion on the screen was making a frowning face, saying that, while nothing was crippled, he was still injured. Apparently, one healing potion was not enough to have brought Zen to full health. The pegasus frowned at that while Zen had the decency to look sheepish.

A port on the guard’s knee opened and a cord snake out. It connected with a plug on the side of Zen’s PipBuck. The screen fizzled into snow for a bit before it showed nothing but a convoluted screen of numbers and letters. Meanwhile, the guard had two small visors lower over his eyes and was showing the same sort of mass of numbers and some letters thrown in. After a few minutes of silence, in which Zen’s leg began to cramp, both the guard’s armor and the PipBuck sent out a nice “Bing!”

The cord went back inside the knee port, which closed directly after. Zen set his leg down and checked it. The screen went back to showing a slightly unhappy zebra stallion.

“It should be running smoother than it has in years. Take it as a show of goodwill, mister Zen. Don’t be a bother to this city, alright?”

“I’d love to promise, but I’m also looking to make some caps doing odd jobs around here. I’d be lying if I said that hasn’t gotten me into some trouble with the law.”

“Promise that you’ll at least try to be good?”

“That I can do.”

“Now that that is out of the way, I am Royal Lace, a member of the esteemed Lace family. My mode of income has recently been bartering, so I suppose you would classify me, not to mention Zen here, wasteland adventurers. Sunshy, the pegasus, is a doctor, as his rather roughed-up coat should tell you. We’re here looking for someone, but we’re not quite sure who. No name or anything, but I do doubt we will require any help.”

For all the trust he had lost in her, Sunshy was impressed and pleased to find Royal Lace was not lying about living in Roaming. She knew what the guard wanted to hear and preempted any questions he would have asked.

“Lace? Ah, yes, I see the necklace. The way to Royalty should be clear so long as you show that. Some might require your cutie mark as further proof, but you speak like you’re a true Royalty. It is in your damn name, after all. I would recommend getting there as fast as possible, but night is settling in quickly. Terrible Place gets even worse after dark and getting to Royalty is a few hours from here. The Watchers would be your best bet for free, if not cheap, beds.”

“Thank you very kindly, sir.”

“May Epona watch over you, and may Pax keep the way clear. In the unlikely event that Pax fails, may Victoria help you win any fight you get in. And considering the time, may Somnus bless you all with good dreams and restful sleep.”

“May Virtus guide your fights and Salus keep you able to do your job.” Sunshy bowed his head politely to the guard. He snorted in a pleased way and bowed his head to the ground, holding one hoof out.

“If you’re done trying to out-praise each other, I think I would like that bed now. A bath can wait until the morning.” Royal Lace stated as the guard mare walked over to the large wooden doors.

“You mean when Aurora graces us with her presence.” Sunshy stated which got the buck guard to snort.

“When Sol rises above Terra.” The Child of Mars replied with a grin. The smile on Sunshy’s face slowly turned to a sad frown. That made the guard sad; he thought they were having fun. “I’m sorry, did I say something wrong?”

“What, no god of apologies?” Zen snapped with more anger than was called for.

“Nothing, sir, it’s not your fault. I just…had a sort of foster father named Sol.” Sunshy explained, trying to smile again.

“My apologies. Please, let me not waste any more of your time. But this makes it a lot more awkward to ask you to have your manticore leave.”

“Celly? Why?” Sunshy asked, rather taken aback.

“A manticore will undoubtedly cause quite a ruckus. I’d rather like to avoid having to throw her out of the city. Does she have anywhere to go?”

Celly walked forward, which made the guard step back and pose in preparation for a fight, thankfully not yet drawing a weapon. The manticore merely nuzzled the side of Sunshy’s face before turning and walking back to the sky carriage. She strapped herself in quite expertly, ascended into the air, waved at the group, and then made a large turn and soared back to Nchi Kavu.

“As a representative of Roaming, I welcome you, Royal Lace and friends.” The mare guard stated before she pulled open one of the doors.

The group coughed heavily as the stench from inside assaulted their olfactory senses, bringing tears to their eyes. The two Children of Mars offered condolences and assurance that they would get used to the smell. The unicorn floated out a doily and covered her nose with it. Only then did she step into the city, with her friends following behind.

Kutisha Mahali lived up to its name, as it was just as terrible as their lowered expectations led them to believe. Mud, shit, blood, and other disgusting things fouled the air and the dirt. Emancipated zebras, buffalo, ponies, donkeys, and just about everything else under the sun were sleeping in piles of excrement or wherever they fell. A few Children of Mars were walking around, dragging away bodies indistinguishable from the sleeping.

“I see the tents. Let’s make a dash for it before we all break down.” Zen told them.

“Good idea.” Sunshy took to the air and zoomed off, hovering just above the disgusting ground.

Zen and Royal Lace followed after him at a gallop, trying to avoid the nastier patches and terribly failing. The entire ground was a nasty patch. What would have taken twenty minutes walking took only about six at their speedy gallop. This left everyone, even the pegasus, panting heavily as they arrived at the front of the collection of tents.

“Oh goodness, my hooves, my legs, my chest, my dress! They’re all filthy!!” Royal Lace squealed in disgust.

“Side effect of running at top speed through shit.” Zen told her flatly. He too was coated in disgusting flecks all over his legs and underbelly.

“Pardon me.” Sunshy trotted over to a pony walking past.

The earth pony stopped and turned towards the pegasus. He was cream colored with a light yellow short-cropped mane and tail. Sitting on his nose were a pair of black-rimmed glasses. Coating his body and covering his cutie mark was a doctor’s coat. Upon seeing the pegasus, he twitched his ears in annoyance. However, he didn’t show that annoyance on his face.

“Hi. If you’re looking for medical help, try the other doctors. I’m just a researcher. Not even a particularly good one.” The earth pony told them.

“Actually, we’re looking for a place to sleep so we can get to Mrahaba in the morning.” Zen interjected.

“Oh, if that’s all, just find a bed and fall asleep. Well, one not inhabited at least.” The pony swept his hoof to indicate the tents.

“I’m sorry, what’s your name?” Sunshy questioned.

“Utopia, but I prefer Arcade.”

“Because Arcade means utopia?”

“Yes, and because most aren’t smart enough to know. They just take it at face-value and leave. Your friends are gone, by the way.”

“I took a nap on the way over. So, what kind of research?” Sunshy smiled at his first conversation with another doctor of sorts.

“Oh, you know. Finding alternative treatments for common illnesses and injuries. Healing potions out of barrel cacti and other fantastic improbabilities. As far as fruitless wastes of time go, it’s quite noble in its aims.”

“What’s the goal, then?”

“For the past hundred years or so, the Watchers have managed to get by using salvaged medical supplies from the Old World. But the side effect of medical success is that more people live longer. Funny how that works.” Arcade couldn’t help but smile at Sunshy snorting at his little joke. “Eventually, we’ll run out of hospitals to loot. We need new ways to produce those supplies. Or maybe old ways, if this research goes anywhere.”

“For all the good it’ll do, you don’t sound too enthusiastic about it.”

“I’m enthusiastic about helping people, but nihil novi sub sole.”

“Nothing new under the sun. My foster father used to tell me that. Where did you learn it?”

“Impressive someone else in this gaping hole of knowledge knows Latin. Not from the Legion, if that’s what you’re getting at. Books, sheet music, gladiator movie holotapes, bits and pieces here and there. The Watchers have extensive libraries, but we all draw water from the same old well. Even the Legion.”

“So, why do you do research instead of helping medically?”

“Not all Watchers are “people ponies.” Besides, someone needs to do the research. I don’t mind Jewels sticking me back here. Out of sight, out of mind. There are worse things one can be, though I do admit, it is a bit boring. Though it has a noble goal, I don’t think this research will yield much fruit. No pun intended.”

“If you’re looking for adventure, there’s a whole world turned into a Raider-infested Wasteland to explore. Trust me, even after living twenty years in the Everfree Forest this wasteland sure has a few surprises to throw your way.”

“Everfree Forest? No offense, but how in the world did you survive twenty years in that?”

“I certainly wasn’t alone. I have an adopted manticore sister and a foster dragon father.”

“That certainly is quite the background story. I think I’ve never heard anything quite like it. Good job.”

“What about you? Where did you come from?”

“I’m really very boring. You’d get better stories out of a Bora Zaidi junkie.”

“You can do better than that.” Sunshy admonished.

“No, really. Have you ever snorted a ground up parador venom sac? Neither have I, but I can guarantee you that a Bora Zaidi junkie has.” Arcade argued.

“I’m asking because I’m truly interested. You’re the first other doctor I’ve ever met. Don’t put yourself down.”

“Oh, all right. I’m thirty-ish. Well, late thirties. I was born…west of here. I was an only child and spent most of my time with my mother. My father died when I was young and I never got over it. Oh…and I like medicine and reading books about failed Pre-War socioeconomic politics. Right now, I’m sure you’re asking yourself “Why hasn’t some lucky buck scooped this bachelor off his hooves?” Like I said, I’m boring.”

“Well, I was born over the clouds, my parents both worked for the Enclave, but my dad died in a working accident and my mom had to work extra hard to compensate. Then I fell through above the Everfree Forest and found a couple manticores, one a baby and one a large adult. A lot of things happened and I was taken in by a dragon that guarded a stable full of books on both ponies and zebra…everything. Religion, culture, speech, politics, and especially medical books.”

“Ah, we seem to have some things in common, then. But a lot more not in common.”

“Why don’t you like talking about yourself?”

“Some people do. I just…don’t. Look, appreciate that you’re trying to be friendly, by I’d rather just not discuss it.” Arcade dug a hoof in the dirt.

“Do you always deflect personal questions?”

“Only to obfuscate my past association with a fascist paramilitary organization. I’m joking, of course. I will deflect personal questions at any opportunity.”

“The Great Pegasi Enclave. I noticed it the first time I saw you walking by. Your wings, you hide them, but I saw them move under your coat.” Sunshy stated with his head turned to the side a little.

Arcade’s fur bristled a bit and his blue eyes widened. His head turned from side to side and then he stepped closer to Sunshy.

“Don’t tell anyone about this. If they find I’m here, I will be branded a Dashite, just like you.” Arcade whispered angrily.

“But I’m not.”

Sunshy smiled as he grabbed the end of his doctor’s coat and ripped it off. This allowed his cutie mark to show as he tossed the ripped bits down. The pegasus turned enough for Arcade to see it in the dim light cast by the waxing moon and the lights from the larger part of the city. There, still on his flank was the icon of a small lion’s head holding a roll of bandage in its smiling mouth, two small bat wings, and a scorpion tail.

“Impossible.” Arcade breathed in disbelief.

“What about you?” Sunshy questioned.

“Uh…”

Arcade scanned left and right awkwardly, making sure no one was around. The pony took off his coat and let his wings stretch out. The pegasus let a smile grow as his wings flapped in the air, even though he did not lift up even an inch. Apparently he kept his wings hidden almost twenty-four seven. Then Arcade moved to show off his own cutie mark, a bottle of healing potion and a scalpel crossed over it.

Just as quickly, the pegasus put his doctor’s coat back on, hiding his wings under the white coat. He stared at Sunshy with a spark of hope in his eyes hidden behind the glasses. The other pegasus smiled as he walked forward and wrapped his front hooves around him in a hug.

“That zebra is a lucky buck to have you.” Arcade said as Sunshy released him.

“Thank you, Arcade, for everything. It was real nice talking to you and I’m glad I met you.” Sunshy smiled back at him.

“Thank you…and I’m glad I met you too.” Arcade hugged the other pegasus. “Thank you…for the hope.”

“It’s the least I can do for a fellow pegasi. Don’t ever give up hope.”

Releasing him, Arcade nodded and gave him a smile. “Your buck went that way,” Arcade pointed to a tent before walking away.

Sunshy smiled as Arcade walked into a tent and went his own way, towards the tent pointed out to him. Slipping inside, he smiled as he found Zen lying down on a blanket thrown over a mattress. He had a pencil in his mouth and a book opened before him. From the light of the pale blue light of the werelight, Sunshy could see he was filling in a crossword puzzle.

“Having fun?” Sunshy asked as he stood next to his buckfriend.

“Oodles.” Zen spit out his pencil and closed the book with a hoof.

The zebra scooted over on the mattress, allowing enough room for Sunshy to lie down next to him. Once he was settled, Zen placed a hoof around the pegasus’s neck and nuzzled against him.

“I saw you were talking to that pony. What’s his story?”

“Nothing worth mentioning. Although I do think you’d like his sense of humor.”

“So long as I don’t have to get jealous.” Zen sighed as he rested his head on the pony’s legs.

Sunshy smiled as he lied his head atop Zen’s head and slowly fell into the abyss of sleep.

No Level Gained

Companion Perk Lost: Goddess Celestia, It’s a Manticore, Get in the Car!

Comments

[NeverKnown]

He wondered what counted for middle-class in this pre-war wasteland. Adventurers? Guards? Adventurers turned guards after taking an arrow to the knee? ..................
Also when i first heard ”Hello everyone, this is your friend Red Stripes, all i could think was this Red Sripes then again i thought Eh never going to happen in a million years

[Freeflyingwolf]

81438 HOW COULD I NOT
I feel bad for doing such a terrible Skyrim reference. But it had to be done.
Sorry, but Red Stripes is a mare...

[NeverKnown]

81519 Hehe still my mind just skipped when i read it My knee Arnald goes

[Freeflyingwolf]

81796 I love my little bronies website!!

[NeverKnown]

84003 Amen to that........looks at clock its 4:53 Am nope to early for skyrim

[Freeflyingwolf]

85079 IT'S NEVER TOO EARLY OR TOO LATE FOR SKYRIM
THE DRAGONBORN NEVER SLEEPS
UNTIL HE OR SHE DOES