Fallout Equestria: True Skies

by Acespadez1134

Chapter 5

I couldn’t begin to describe the amount of fear I was feeling. I stood transfixed on the pony corpses that hung from the walls and ceiling, the graffiti in pony bodily fluids that were everywhere made my stomach lurch, while the smell made it so i had to swallow down the bile that was ready to erupt from my stomach . I turned, not wanting anything to do with this place anymore, but as I turned the pony that had screamed, causing me to run head first into this hell party, yelled at the top of her lungs again.

I swallowed hard and turned, only to step onto the mostly rotten intestines of one of the ponies hanging around me, causing my hoof to skid away from me a few inches. I thanked my stars that I was able to catch myself before I fell face first into the horrible mess that was the floor. I truly did not want to be here anymore, but I knew I was hoof deep in trouble, and however easily I could get out, I had already entered this wasteland by screwing everything up, I might as well see if I can help out something.

I straightened myself up and began down the hall, locking my eyes ahead, not wanting to get anymore detail of the deceased ponies hanging around me. So, I distracted myself with a thought of how much pride Enclave took in their armor designs. Well, at least for the Wonderbolts, anyhow, because every step I took was fairly, muffled which helped me at strolling around rather silently. Or, when I was trying to be stealthy, I could walk without making a sound. I mean, yes, it was harder than cloth in protection, but to keep a pegasus mobile, they had to cut its weight. And that in turn made it a little more than wearing small plates of metal over vital points.

As I moved down the hallway in this… well, what seemed to be an office of some kind, many of the doors I passed were closed, but some however were open -- if you call a half a door hanging off its hinges, “open”. I looked down the hall, stopping next to one of the half-doors. I closed my eyes, and held my breath to try and hear anything from down the hall like… well… anything. The halls were deadly quiet and I could feel, and hear, my heart quicken cause I knew the silence was either a good sign or a bad one.

“How long ago was that scream?” I asked myself trying to put a time limit to my walking. “Maybe about 5 minutes?” I looked to my right into the small office. I had to admit I felt a build up curiosity as I noticed a green glow on the wall on the other side of a terminal.

I pushed the door open with a hoof and stepped inside, ‘if they are still alive they can wait a little bit’, I told myself as I moved around the desk to see the terminal glowing on it. I have to admit that I was really surprised to see an operational terminal in a building this ransacked and defiled. Feeling my curiosity growing I reached a hoof out and pressed one of the keys. The screen jumped to life with a flurry of numbers, letters and random symbols. I guessed it was because of the lack of care was my guess before the screen went black with only one word on it asking for a password.

“locked,” I snorted but unhindered as I lifted my leg with the pip-buck built into it. It was not everyday I got to use this feature but it was part of training that we learned how to hack pre war tech. I pushed one of the buttons and waited as the pip-buck somehow connected to the monitor. The monitor screen flashed with the numbers, letters and symbols again before sliding neatly into 2 columns. I looked around the screen clicking on some of the words to see if one of them was the password. This was not easy because you only had a few chances before the security of the computer would lock you out of it, of course you could just back out of the hack attempt but that meant starting over. I however felt a little relieved when I got it on the second try.

I felt my eyes narrow at the password “Dash…” I muttered. “Dash the drug or Dash the traitor?”

Honestly it was very possible it could be another kind of Dash but the chances of that seemed slim. I figured it was the drug because who gave two flying shots about that back stabbing whore Rainbow Dash? It was poetic justice that she was killed soon after the Megaspells destroyed Equestria. Honestly I felt more remorse for the zebras than her. Anyone who could just turn their back on their friends in a desperate time of need deserved to die.

The screen sprang to life but to my disappointment it seemed to only be reports… lots of reports. I sighed, “well at least they are audio logs,” and randomly clicked on one a couple from the top as my pip-buck downloaded the rest.

“I caught those damn kids in the bathroom sucking on more of them Celestia damned inhalers. Don't they know that if they are caught by any higher ups the entire building would probably be either fired to help keep the image of the place or at least a drug test to see who is on the drugs?”

“I confiscated the contraband and locked them away into my desk. I probably should get rid of all of this so I don't seem like I'm holding onto all of the different drugs for myself. I don't know how someone came across Party Time Mentals, my only guess is that she was close enough to the big boss that she took her to one of the Ministry of Morales parties. I have to admit that going to one of them, even if it's set up for our department, does not make me feel very comfortable. Though… I do have to say I would like to see our Bosses Wife or even the big boss Rarity in something nice.”

Slam

“If anyone heard you talk about either mare like that you'd been out on your flank Cross Check… still… I'm not the only one who thinks Fancy Pants’ wife would look good in some nice-”

The audio cut off quickly and I found myself glancing back a little at my saddlebag. “Yes… I can definitely agree she would look good in anything but I suspect she'd look better wit-”

As I shifted my hoof stepped onto something hard… well something hard enough to make a loud snap when my hoof pressed down onto it. I looked down and my heart skipped a beat. The pony skeleton under the desk was curled up under the desk and one of his… hers? Its… hind legs stuck out from under the desk.

“Must have tried to be comfortable when he died.”

I felt myself nod both to calling it a he since the pony speaking into the terminal was a buck. Plus the empty inhalers around him suggested he was going to die anyhow so he was going to try out the drug so I felt confident that this was the pony from the terminal. I reached down with a hoof and grabbed one of the inhalers that was in his hoof. This one still seemed to have some of the drug left in it.

I turned it around looking it over my mind still only focusing on a memory from my basic training days when we learned about these drugs. “This here is called Dash,” my drill sergeant told my team, “this will give you a speed kick like you have never felt before.”

A mare raised her hoof, “Sir?” he turned to look at her and I face hoofed knowing the question, “If it makes us faster… why don't we use them?”

The drill sergeant smirked, “because…”

My thought of what the drill sergeant told us faded when I heard the disturbing giggle and hoof clops of what I could only assume was a mare. I froze mentally bucking myself for not paying attention to the moving red bar that gave a basic location of the threat on compass.

“Hello?” called the mare in a mocking sweet voice, “don't worry… if you come out I promise to kill you…” her head looking into the room at me and our eyes locked, “quick.” finally escaped her mouth as her mouth turned into a wicked smile.

I swallowed and lowered my head ready for anything… or so I though, “please stay where you are, or so help me i’ll…” when I went to open my wings my left smacked hard into the heavy metal desk and my other hit an old filing cabinet. I looked to both and swallowed hard with a rather loud Gulp

The mare whose mane was shaved off except a little on the sides of her head that she spiked out to look like wings smiled and what looked like some pony stuck something to her forehead. Her horrible yellow teeth were cracked and badly taken care of. “Or you will what exactly?” Her tone was like that of a predator ready to end it's prey. She gave that sadistic giggle again as she moved into the room fully. The… outfit she was wearing was nothing but some rags that may have been just tied to her with bits of tire swung over her shoulder. I felt a shudder when I noticed the 2 hooves dangling front her waist as she moved slowly closer.

“S… Stay back!” I half pleaded half demanded drawing more giggles from her as a soft amber light glowed from the top of her head.

My eyes widen at the realization… ‘a unicorn!’ I mentally called out then mentally kicked that pony in my head for not paying attention to my E F S which clearly showed that she was hostile by the red bar, but just in case I needed a little more proof of her intent she reached her muzzle to her shoulder and pulled a rusty looking knife from a sheath holding at first in her teeth then letting her magic envelope the blade so she could smile at me.

‘This… this isn't like last time Split… if you don't defend yourself...’

The blade drifted between us and she was close enough now that I could smell that she hasn't bathed in… scratch that… I don't think she's ever had a bath. She giggled again, “what's wrong fly buck? Never seen a mare as sexy as me? Tell you what,” The blade moved up next to my cheek resting against my face as she purred that made me want to gag, “I won't kill you right away. I will just take those wings off then keep you as my toy.” she licked her lips making me shut my eyes for a second, “If you can please me then I'll kill you quick. The last buck that tried just kept crying so I had him finish then let the boys tear him apart for fun.” She was now almost muzzle to muzzle with me and I was physically forcing myself to not puke for several reasons. She smiled at my expression, “you can't fight back… so what do you say?”

I took a deep breath not through my muzzle, “two things… first… I have standards for mares I buck and second…” My scorpion tail swung over my head and just before it slammed deep into her back the blade sliced a gash on the side of my face. Her eyes went wide as the poisoned tip dug into her spine.

My eyes also went wide when I saw the condition of my scorpion tail. A good chunk of my weapon was melted away, which I guess makes sense with all the beams of energy that was shot at me. However to my disappointment and shock, the force of the tail swinging over my head and hitting the mare caused the weakened metal to snap loudly breaking off just at the base of my tail.

“Well… shit,” I muttered as I touched a hoof to my bleeding cheek and pulled it back. From the blood on my hoof it was a nice cut but since the condition of the blade was questionable at best the most I'd have to worry about is some sort of disease from the blade.

A gurgle from the mare tore my attention away and caused my gaze to fall down to her. She was reaching a hoof to the knife as blood oozed from her mouth and back. This… this crazy bitch still wanted to fight me even though she was all but dead. I looked to her cutiemark and took a step back at the scars across it as if someone was trying to erase it with barbed wire. I looked to the mare who was now looking back up at me her teeth bared but… the tear rolling down her cheek… this…

‘This psycho doesn't deserve any kindness,’ the pony in my head growled.

“You don’t deserve a quick death,” my mouth echoed my mind.

The mare closed her eyes tightly sending more tears down. She opened her mouth but only blood come out. I closed my eyes and stepped over her stopping as she gurgle again. I turned and pointed my last good magical energy pistol at her stopping when I realized it was all but useless without my helmet on. I sighed and walked over opening my wing and resting the blade tip against her temple. She looked at me then closed her eyes and with the clean sharpened metal I drove it deep into her skull with little effort.

“What you deserve and what I choose to give however…” I said as I pulled the blade out and wiped it on her clothes, “are two very different things.”

My attention was snapped back to finding the ponies they captured. If this little bundle of giggles was a show of what those ponies were up against, then I needed to get there quick. I stepped back into the hallway and let out a long breath that I only just realized that I was holding. Breathing back in however was a mistake as the stench of rotting meat mixed with the stink of that mare made me reach a hoof out to the wall to steady myself.

“This is the dumbest decision I have… I should have taken Sunny’s offer… I would have…” I stopped before I could finish my sentence. ‘No,’ I, mentally argued, “these ponies need someone to step in and help,” I lowered my hoof and looked back into the room, “sure as shit won't be these ponies,” I turned lowering my head my game face on as I made my way towards the rest of the red bars on my E-F-S, “might as well be me… right?” I asked myself feeling a small turn in my stomach of nervousness.

As I drew closer I could hear the sobs of a couple ponies and the sadistic laughter of a few others. My E-F-S told me that there were four ponies who were ready to throw down with anything that came in. There was also three blue bars which indicated to me ponies that were being contained some how. Why else would they not be fighting back?

I crouched down and slowly made my way closer to the laughing. My heart sank when one of the ponies laughing stopped, “hey, hehe, why don't you see how many hooves you can stand on before his little head pops,” The buck laughed. The blood in my veins turned to ice and I peeked around the corner.

My heart wanted to stop both for the mare crying while reaching a hoof out through the cage, and the other by the very young foal rag dolling through the air between two of the stallions. I didn't need the mares cry or the stallions pulling her into a hug to know that the foal was dead… but… what the fuck…

“What… The… Fuck,” I said in a low voice as I stood up and moved into the room. A mare was off to my left but the shock of what I was watching was being overcome by rage and I was far from caring. The mare started to say something but my wing snapped open and her words were drowned in gurgle and gasps as she tried to cover her throat that was cut more than halfway into her neck. “WHAT… THE… FUCK!” I roared at her spinning to plan a hind kick to her chest. Even through the armor on my hooves I felt every rib crack like twigs.

I heard the small pop and felt a small burning in my right shoulder. I turned to see one of the stallions pointing a pistol at me as the other was fumbling with a shotgun. I knew what the weapon was by pictures and books only and I knew I didn't want to test it against my armor if a pistol found its way into my shoulder. I dove back through the door just in time for the shotgun to pepper the area I was standing and my now exploded tail.

I skidded to a stop and slid around the corner and bumped hard against it. My gun shot shoulder hit the wall harder than I expected and caused me to growl in pain. I heard them stallions laugh, “hey! Come out! We won't kill you,” he laughed again, “I promise.” I cursed under my breath as I watched their red bars slowly move to the door, and I knew I didn't have a lot of time.

I pulled up my pip-buck hoof and looked at its screen. I knew I had some healing potions or something I could… my eyes lingered on the little name Dash in my aid menu for a few seconds. I felt a smile spread across my face, “I guess I'll make me some time.”

With a click of a button I felt something shift in my saddlebags and was shocked to find the dash was right where I could reach it. I… I mean… I was the last item I put in there so made sense… right? I saw the barrel of the shotgun slowly move into view, “well… now or never,” I said before taking the inhalers into my mouth and pressing down while I took a deep breath. There was nothing at first but when I let the breath out.

“Whoa…” The stallions were now moving like they were stuck underwater and to my amazement my movement seemed unhindered. I ignored the pain in my shoulder for now and crouched low bracing myself then as the stallions very slowly turned to me, I sprang. My front hooves connected against his throat and I felt something crack as he flew back against the wall. I looked back to see a shocked expression spread across the last stallions face as he turned to point the pistol at me. I gave a chuckle and waited until he had the shot and dove to the side as he shot three rounds into his friend's head.

His eyes widened and I moved up behind him and placed the edge of my wing against his neck. I slowly pushed the blade against his flesh then with a quick jerk pulled it away just as the temporary effect of the Dash started to wear off. Almost like everything was held back until that moment the point whose windpipe I crushed, slumped against the wall half his face now missing from the pistol. Then the other stallions’ neck squirted some blood onto the faceless stallion. He gasped for air but I heard the gurgling of blood as it seeped into his lung. I bent down lifting up the pistol.

It was in horrible quality and as I took it the grip in my muzzle I instantly regretted it. I placed the barrel against his head and lightly pressed the trigger down with my tongue sending a shot through his head and into the wall next to him. I then dropped the pistol and whatever was left in my stomach. The smell and the taste were too much and I heaved, but not a lot came out because it was a while since I ate anything or drank anything.

“Goddesses… are you alright?” I looked up to see the stallion, hooves pressed against the cage to see me better. He looked dirty and worn out but apart from some minor cuts and bruises looked fairly ok. The filly who was now watching me with big wet eyes looked physically fine, and the mare… I sighed as she looked like she just wanted to run to the dead foal. She glanced at me pleadingly. I stood straight feeling awkward about the movement of everything again and nodded, “yeah… now how do I get you out?”

The stallion pointed to a small table close by where a screwdriver and a few bobby pins lay on it, “the Raiders didn't have a key so they used those,”

Lock picking… I sighed and moved over to the screwdriver and lifted it up. It was a simple one, flat head with a red plastic handle that had grooves so it would not slip in one's mouth. I took it in my teeth and a bobby pin in my hooves and using my wings gently hovered over to the lock. I pushed the bobby pin into the lock and the screwdriver under it. I listened carefully which, to my surprise, did not require a lot of concentration as I moved the bobby pin around adjusting all of the tumblers. I heard a few clicks from inside and turned my head. I smiled as the lock turned only to stop just before it would unlock. I relaxed letting the screwdriver back and adjust the bobby slightly and tried to turn my head again. My heart gave a leap of joy at the soft click of the lock.

I put the screwdriver and bobby pin into my saddlebag and took a step back before I grabbed the cage door and opened it with a high pitched metallic screech. “there you go.”

The mare pushed past to me and to the lifeless foal stopping next to it then gently, as if he was sleeping, lifted it in her forelegs cradling him. She shook with sobs a little before her heartbreak took over her, causing her to howl with grief. The stallion ran to the mare, pulling her into a comforting hug.

I cleared my throat and turned away because I really was not in the best condition to deal with somepony else's pain. I scanned the room hoping for something that could help with the burning pain in my shoulder and on my cheek. My eyes caught the tiny form of a red filly shivering in the back of the cage. She looked at me, terrified, cowering back into the cage.

I looked to the grieving couple, “hey… what about your little filly?”

The mare and stallion stopped for a moment, looking a little confused, “filly?”

The filly looked between them and me, shaking while tears fell from her deep blue eyes. She was dirty and very skinny and I realized that this filly was the one who fell outside. I moved to slowly reach a hoof out to her and she let out a cry that I could only assume she was holding just so she would not be targeted. “M… MOMMY… MOMMY… I… I WANT… I WANT MY… MY…” She yelled between sobs as she shook. She covered her face with her hooves and cried into them.

I felt the mare brush past me again as she entered the cage. She reached out a gently lifted the filly up and cradled her. I looked back to the stallion who was trying to hide his pain as he found a somewhat clean blanket of some kind and wrapped the foal in it. He looked up at me and making a sling with the blanket he had the foal cradled in front of him as he moved over to me.

“Thank you…” he said in a low voice that betrayed his attempt to hide his pain even more. “i… I wish you were just… just a few minutes faster… then… then maybe…” he looked down at the bundled foal a tear dropping from his nose to the blanket.

I felt my stomach seize and my heartbeat quicken, “w… when did they… you know…” I looked to the foal swallowing hard.

The stallion sighed, “only a minute or two before you showed up,” I felt my breath stop but he didn't seem to notice my reaction or misinterpreted it as he continued, “that mare took him from my wife saying that she always wanted a foal of her own.” he glared down at the mare's dead body. He looked away closing his eyes tightly, “she… she killed him because he wouldn't stop crying, then tossed him to those… stallions to do what they liked with him.” He gave a wet sniff rubbing a hoof across his muzzle before looking at me, “Then you showed up and ended them. I mean it was a bit late but you still saved us.”

The mare made her way back to us the filly still looked broken hearted but world's better. The mare smiled to me, a smile I note I didn't deserve, “she lost her parents to them back before they captured us. We will take her and hopefully… we can…”

I raised a hoof nodding, “Yes i… I understand… what will you do now?” I asked standing up as I spotted the small yellow medical box with small pink butterflies on it. I sighed as I opened it as was rewarded with two healing potions, a still clean bottle of water and a small tin of mintals. I looked down at my shoulder and saw the small hole which had some now dried blood that dripped down my leg. I took one of the healing potions and drank it down giving a sigh as the healing magic slowly started to work on my leg and face.

The stallion looked to the mare and I couldn't help but smile at them. She was a soft purple with a red mane and deep blue eyes. The buck was green with a dark brown mane and soft brown eyes. What made me smile however was their cutiemarks. Her cutiemark was a simple bottle of water while his was an open chest and for some reason i had to chuckle thinking how well that seemed to go together. The filly was a deep red with brilliant purple eyes and a soft blue mane with a pink streak through it. Her horn that I missed because of how she wore her mane stuck up when the mare ran a hoof through the filly's mane which told me she was a unicorn.

I watched her for a moment smiling at the thought of magic. I couldn’t do magic and the fact that I couldn't fascinated me so much. My eyes were torn away for a moment when the stallion took the bundled up foal and gave him to the mare and moved over to me. He smiled the best he could, “tell me… uh…” He cocked an eyebrow trying to think of a good way to address me.

“Splitstream,” I said as I stood up straight snapping my wing out and over my eyes with a salute, “Wonderbolt in training with the En-” I stopped more because since I knew that I was here I was no longer part of the Enclave.

The stallion chuckled, “My name is Ammo Crate and my wife is Clear Water.” I gave the mare a small nod. The stallion looked back, “the filly is…” The mare smiled up at us, “Sweet Cake,” she said putting a hoof on her back and turning her smile to her. Ammo turned back smiling, “as for what's next I really have to ask you that.”

I moved my shoulder around looking at the hole in my armor, “Me? Why's that?” I set my hoof down and looked at him curiously.

He sighed, “I don’t have to be the smartest buck in the wasteland to know that you stick out like a sore hoof,” I folded my ears back and looked away. He chuckled softly, “thought so… I can’t give you much advice other than check containers of all kinds. You’d be surprised what you could find in them. Many items will get you some good caps… caps are healing potions and ammo,” He looked me up and down then stopped a few moments on my wing blades, “though it seems you are good on weapons.” I shifted my wings a bit, “next there is a place where you can get some food and something to drink just up the road a ways called Lucky’s Bar. it… it's not what it used to be anymore but it’s still worth a stop by.”

A beep on my pip-buck caused me to lift my hoof up and look at it. I opened the map and noticed that it showed my location which was called “Lucky's Bar” sure enough only a few hours down the road. I looked up half contemplating if they knew of a place I could drop off an orphan filly, but stopped myself thinking that they had enough on their plate with the death of their foal, being kidnapped and the new unicorn filly.

I nodded, “I uh… thanks… let me look around then head outside to take care of those last few… uh…”

“Raiders…” he said flatly, “I can say that if you hadn't of come by at all… my son would have been the only one to get off lucky with those freaks around.” he looked both hurt and dare I say… angry? He looked to one of the bodies, “They take a sick pleasure in torture and killing ponies. Some even eat other ponies,” he said with a motion that made me think he was gonna vomit.

I looked towards the way I came, “from what I saw coming in… you were on the menu alright.”

He looked horrified and a bit shocked, “i… uh… well…” he stammered before giving his head a shake and stood up and walked over to a small container. He kicked the lid off and smiled, “still got it,” he bent down and grabbed a small pouch in his teeth and tossed it at my hooves, “I don't know how much is in it… but consider it thanks.”

I reached down grabbing the string in my teeth and pulled it open. The pouch contained… “s… soda bottle caps?” I looked to him in confusion.

He gave me a weird smile, “yeah, it's what most ponies use as currency nowadays.” He started to turn as I lifted the pouch and tossed it back. He looked at it then to me with a mixture of disbelief and concern.

“You need it more than I do… plus I have a few things I'm sure I can sell for a good price.” yeah right… I was the reason that foal was dead so you shouldn't reward me…

He looked at me for a few moments then smiled and lifted the pouch, “thanks… means more than you realize.” I gave a nod then turned and walked out of the room. I stopped just outside the room. I did it to look back because at that moment, I couldn't as I spoke, “give me a few minutes to take care of the raiders… then you're free to head out.” I didn't wait for an answer and headed back down the hall I came from.

I stopped for a moment and stood in front of the door that was now propped open by one of the dead raider mare's legs. I looked into the room and sighed, “that family lost their foal because you didn't think you needed to rush, “I said to the dead mare but was directing the question to myself. I looked in to the room and noticing something I must have missed before. A small locker just to the right of the desk.

I moved inside careful as to not step on the mare. I move up in front of the chest and using a wing I test the lid.

“locked…” I sucked air in through my teeth sharply and gave my tail a quick snap to one side. “of course it was locked,” I hissed. I sat down pulling out the screwdriver and one of the bobby pins again. I smiled as this lock opened without much fuss of any kind. Chuckling, I pushed the lid open and my jaw dropped. Inside was more Dash and unlike the one I took before… these were still quite full. There was also a small knife, a box of some caramel apple cereal a couple of Sparkle Colas and…

I reached inside and grabbed the small glowing ball. I turned it over in my hooves confused, “why would a random pony no-one would care about have a memory orb in a locked chest?” I asked the ball.

Memory orbs are pieces of a ponies past that were either recorded for viewing later or more often than not… ripped out of a pony's head. They took many ponies from before that destruction of Equestria that may of had any information about Zebras or any of their allies in hopes to keep one hoof ahead of them. I refer to the Ministries as they. The Ministry of Morales, the Ministry of Image, The Ministry of Wartime Technology, the Ministry of Peace, the Ministry of Arcane Sciences and finally… The Ministry of Awesome.

The Ministries were created not long after Princess Celestia stepped down from power and appointed her sister Princess Luna to take over as ruler of Equestria. I don't really know what Ministries did what other than Wartime Technology made weapons, Peace did everything they could to help injured ponies, Image was propaganda, Arcane Science was… well Science and Magic… stuff… Awesome created many things that helped the pegasi from being dragged down into the same fate as the rest of Equestria allowing us to stay strong so we could come down and help when we knew it was time to. Morale however… they specialized in parties and new ways to get information from ponies, and from the textbooks I read, they were quite good at it.

“Well… not good enough,” I countered my thought as i moved the contents of the locker into my saddlebags. Feeling I wasted enough time I made my way back up to the office with the hole in its wall.

I peered over the edge seeing the one buck who was eating the mystery meat while talking with another crazy looking mare. I calmed my breathing as I readied myself and with a leap I jumped from my little perch and dove down aiming between them. The stallion looked up just in time for my wing blades to hit him in the face which cause my blades to cut a clean line down the middle of his head and face and deep into his chest. The mare jumped back just in time but my blade managed to slice a deep gash in her cheek.

To my horror she started to laugh and pulled an old looking double barreled shotgun from a side holster. So I quickly moved towards her trying to close the gap which luckily wasn't that big. I brought my hoof back and swung it across her face knocking the gun from her jaws. I then swung my tail at her quickly realizing that the scorpion tail was stuck in another mare inside the building. She took the break as a golden opportunity and charged me. She hit me hard shoving me back and causing me to stumble over the dead buck.

I then… did something I never thought I could, as I fell back I opened my wings and threw a hoof down to catch myself. When most of my weight was on my hoof, i beat my wings and felt the world spin as I flipped my back legs over my head and landed them on the wall behind me. The mare looked to me with shock and awe but I just smirked and using the wall as I kick off, i charged into her. I wrapped my hooves around her and beat my wings taking us into the air. I felt her try and bite my leg but her teeth just cracked against the armor. When I became even with the building's roof I opened my hooves sending her back to the ground screaming. I didn't hear her hit with my heart beating in my ears loudly but I could see Ammo and his wife and new filly looking up at me in surprise. I smiled and gave a half hearted salute before I turned in the air and shot off back to find Bubble Gum.

When I landed next to the carriage I felt my heartbeat jump into my throat as the place I left her was empty. I turned frantically scanning the area around me, “Bubble Gum?” I called trying not to shout. When I heard nothing I started to panic, “BUBBLE GUM?”

I felt everything relax instantly when she poked her head out from under it, “Split? You… you came back!”

I sat down had with a long sigh, “yes…” I said hanging my head for a moment. I then looked at her with all the seriousness I could muster, “I told you to wait in the seat… don't scare me like that!”

She flinched back but recovered quick looking up to me with a small smile, “you were scared for me?”

“I… you… but…” I stammered making her giggle. That giggle, I don't know what it was, but it made a smile spread across my face. The pony in the back of my head smiled too, ‘I could easily listen to that little fillies giggle all day,’ I said to myself. I stood up tanking the nagging little negative pony asking what it has to do with me and telling me that she's nothing but a nuisance and pushed him into a closet. I then locked that closet and pushed a bookcase in front of the door.

She watched me stand up my back popping from the flip I pulled causing a groan, “are you ok? You have stuff on your face… did you save them?”

I nodded, “Yes Bubble… I'm fine I just got a small scratch, and yes I saved…” I swallowed at the negative pony called from that closet, ‘most of them!’ I shook my head, “Yes i saved them and they went on to their home.” her face brightened into a delightful smile and I felt myself smile a that.

I placed a hoof gently on her head, “Ok Bubble… let's go… we have a place that's close where we can get some food and hopefully some decent sleep.” I scooped her up onto my back glancing back to make sure she was all set. She gave a nod and another smile and I trotted of to find Lucky's Bar.