Fallout Equestria: True Skies

by Acespadez1134

Chapter 6

The distance from the building where I saved those ponies and this so called bar we were heading to was a lot further than I thought. Then again I don't normally walk to all of my locations, this time however the little pink filly curled up in a ball on my back. Sleeping made it hard to fly since I was using my wings to keep her from falling off my back. She had been awake I realized for quite a while and only a few moments ago collapsed from exhaustion.

I glanced back at her feeling an uneasiness stir in my stomach, ‘what are you doing Split?’ I heard the pony in my head ask me. I looked over noticing a cargo carriage with a long trailer on its side and started towards it. The pony kept at it, ‘you are a soldier and you were on your way to glory and fame… now… you're a glorified foal sitter,’ he sneered.

I gave a chuckle kicking the thought from my head. Foal sitter or not, it was my fault she was alone and it will be my responsibility to get her somepony that she can trust. I glanced back at her with a sigh, “so… why do you trust me?” I said quietly.

I reached the trailer and checked the door to see it maybe it was still something I could open. It groaned but started to move as I gave it some force. The door creaked and shuddered loudly as it opened then crashed hard against the trailer with a bang. I winced as i looked back to see Bubble still asleep. I sighed again and looked inside and my ears drooped, “pillows?” boxes upon boxes of pillows lay scattered all over the trailer. I looked about at the ruined carriages, wagons, and chariots scattered across the road. Something caught my eye a few vehicles away that made me want to go explore. I looked into the trailer and back to Bubble and a smile spread across my face.

After I made sure Bubble was laying on a small mountain of the best conditioned pillows I could find I started to walk out of the trailer. I froze as I heard her yawn and looked back to see her looking up at me with tired eyes, “S… Split.”

I smiled and turned walking back to her, “awww… it's ok… I'm just gonna make sure everything is safe around us and I'll come right back,” did I just say aww? And… why was I running a hoof through her mane?

She laid her head back down with smile and was quickly back into a deep sleep. I stood watching her a cold stabbing pain in my chest. As I turned and walked back out I noticed that it was cooler and I felt a small tingling in my wings. I looked up, “rain?” no sooner had I said it a drop hit my nose. I backed up back into the truck and sat down as I watched the rain steadily become stronger. I looked at the ground as a small puddle started to form at my hooves.

“She didn't deserve any of this…” I said to the growing puddle that now had my reflection looking back at me. My eyes widened at the dried blood from the cut on my cheek was still there. I reached a hoof up and rubbed it the best I could. Eventually I gave up and looked back at the water, “I haven't even been down here a full day yet and I have ruined two families.”

‘Then fix one,’ a sensible part of my brain countered.

“Yes… but…” I slammed a hoof hard against my face, “and now I'm trying to make arguments with myself to solidify what I did was bad…” I let out a low groan, “what happened to me?”

My ear twitched and I turned to look back at Bubble Gum who was squirming around. I stood up and walked over to her noticing the pained expression on her face. She was having a nightmare… about what I couldn't be-

“M… Momma…” She she called in a whisper that made my heart sink. She was having a nightmare about losing her mother and I was the cause of it. “Momma… n… no… Split?.... Split… h… help…”

I stood stunned… she… she called for me? “But i…,” I watched as tears started to build up at the corner of her eyes. I watched for only a second before I sighed and reached a hoof out to her and gently ran it through her mane again, “shhhh… you're safe… I'm here,” almost at once she started to calm down.

I moved away from her once I felt she was peacefully sleeping again, and walked carefully back to the door. I reached over grabbing the strap on the door and pulled the door closed… well as far as it would go anyhow. When it was closed to a point where I felt a bit safer I moved som boxes in the way of the hole to block any view of us. I then took a step back and using the, accurately named, clothing menu turned the armor from on to off making it hiss open. I stepped out of it making sure to keep the Pip-buck on for quicker access to my armor if need be and the E.F.S was always helpful.

Once out, I gave my wings a stretch with a groan, “oh… that feels much better,” I smiled as the joints in my wings popped nicely. I then pushed my front legs forward to get feeling back in them. As I slowly stood up I looked at my leg where the bullet hit me. I reached my hoof up and gently touched the spot of skin frowning. Yes the coat would grow back slowly but still.

I gave myself a shake, “uhg… I was thinking it might be a part of me now,” I sighed before pulling a few more of the pillows out and making a soft spot to lay down. I flopped onto the pillows when I noticed a blue bar on my E.F.S. Standing up and walked to the door squeezing past my box blockade, lifting the door a bit.

“Hello?” I called out.

“What are you doing here and why are you dragging a filly around with you?” came a voice that sounded like it was coming from a cheap speaker inside a coffee can.

I continued to stare at the direction of the blue bar for a moment before giving a snort, “what do you care? You won't come out to talk to me face to face why should I tell you anything?”

The little metal ball with small buzzing wings and huge camera built into its huge bright eyes. I cocked an eyebrow as it growled at me… or maybe it was just weird static but whatever it was it stopped and spoke again.

“Listen here! If you plan on hurting that filly I'll…”

I rolled my eyes, “you caught me… oh no… what am I to do about my pink filly lunch with a FLYING TOASTER threatening me?” I narrowed my eyes at the bot as it floated there for a few moments letting the sarcasm of what I said work it's poison.

It gave a cough, “i… I can see you don't plan on hurting her… why are you with her?” it asked sounding a bit calmer now, “I saw you two walking for sometime now and I never suspected Enclave would help a filly that young without the promise of something.”

I turned my head away in disgust and glared at the wall, “who are you?” was all I could ask because my mind went to her screaming for her mother as she turned to ash at my hooves.

It bobbed for a few seconds before saying, “call me Watcher… now… why?”

I sighed still not looking at it, “i'm… looking after her because I… I killed her parents.” As I said that I looked back into the truck at her feeling a small pang of guilt drop into my gut like I swallowed an ice cube.

Watcher was silent for several seconds before he calmly, a bit too calmly, asked, “please… explain…”

So I told him everything that happened once I left the cloud curtain. I even told him my mess up with the foal which made me feel a bit better about it because I was able to tell somepony about it.

When I finished he said, “wow… i… uh… you… you are looking after her because you feel you should?”

I nodded, “it's obviously what I should do… I killed her parents following orders from my twisted command and I ran off to keep her from being next… I'm stuck down here anyway…” I looked back at her again, “plus…” I watched her sleep for a few moments.

“Plus?” Watcher asked waiting for an answer.

I shook my head, “never mind.” what was I supposed to say? Yeah I'm starting to enjoy her company or I am starting to care for the filly? I grabbed my head with my hooves, “what the hell is wrong with me?

“What are you talking about?” Watcher asked sounding a bit surprised. “are… are you upset that you have feeling?”

I looked up, “no… i-”

“I don't want to hear it! Do you know what ponies go through everyday?”

I growled as I put my hooves down and glared that the little bug bot, “yeah I do! If you recall I saved a family from being a main course. Sure as hell seems to be a lot more that what you're doing!”

“Why you son of a-” The bot broke off and started to bob away playing some kind of instrumental that was heavy on the tuba.

I watched it vanish into the rain feeling very confused and quite pissed now. When the music finally died down I took a step back and closed the trailer door again and headed back to my makeshift bed.

“No bastard-ass hovering metal egg is going to lecture me on what ponies are going through!” I hissed as I laid my head on my crossed hooves. I let out a long breath as my eyes traveled to the little pink ball curled up across from me. I was the ass and I knew it. How could I get so mad at myself for wanting to help her? Judging by Watchers reaction though, I'd guess that not many pegasi are helpful to anyone let alone an orphaned filly.

******

I woke with a start my head covered in sweat and my heart pounding in my chest. I looked around the trailer my eye darting around trying to find…

“What was that?” I grabbed my head and tried to hold onto the dream I had. There was some raiders, the foal and… “ugh!” I groaned. I looked up noticing the holes in the side of the trailer and many of the boxes I set up are soaked now. I looked to Bubble Gum and froze at the sight of the empty pillow, “Bubble?” I waited but no answer, and my heart went from pounding to thundering.

I put much hooves under me to stand and something stopped me. My left side had something against it just under my wing. It was warm and… and moving...

I slowly turned my head and looked down to see Bubble Gum curled up in a ball under my wing. Questions started to buzz through my head, like why was she sleeping next to me? Doesn't she hate me? How out of it was I for her to crawl next to me and fall asleep? Yet the biggest question was smothering all of them was, “what caused this filly to trust me that she could easily fall asleep right next to me?”

I lifted my wing and smiled which caused her to reached a hoof out, as the cooler air hit her, to pull my wing back down. She opened an eye and looked around then up to me lazily before she jumped up and shook her hooves at me frantically.

“S… Split! I… I was… it… i…” She stammered clearly thinking I was going to be upset but I just calmly sat watching her waiting for an explanation. Seeing that I was not getting upset she took a deep breath in and let it out slowly, “i… I got cold… i… didn't think you would mind,” as she said that she looked down and poked at the pillow she was sitting on with a hoof.

I shook my head which made her look up, “I don’t mind… just… please warn me next time.” She slowly smiled and I stood up stretching my fore hooves out in front of me and my wings out to their full length. Her eyes went wide as she looked at my wings, which when I caught her expression I lowered one of my wings so she could see it better, “what… never seen a pegasus wing before?”

She shook her head and reached a hoof out and gently touched some of the feathers which made me smile a bit. She looked to me her expression still full of awe, “can we go flying?”

I closed my eyes and tucked my wings back. I turned and headed to my armor stopping to look at the black metal then let out a sigh as my ears folded back, “probably… probably not anytime soon…”

Her drawn out, awww,” was followed up by the the question I was anticipating which was, “How come?”

I turned and look back at her and something in my expression made her head lower and her ears fold back. I looked down knowing full well that we would be a target the instant we got too high. I didn't mind so much if I was alone but I was not going to risk her life after sacrificing everything to make sure she was safe.

I didn’t realize right away that she managed to move right up in front of my face, however when I did she was looking me in the eye inches from my face. I took the surprise very well. By well I mean jumping back and tripping over a pillow and slamming my head against my armor with a loud Bang!

I grabbed the back of my head and sucked air in through my teeth, “that fucking hurt,” I hissed pulling my hoof from the back of my head to look at it.

“I'm sorry Split… I tried to call your name but you didn't say anything,” I heard her say as she moved up next to me, “you seemed sad for some reason… is it because you saved me that you can't fly?”

Her tone caused me to stop worrying about myself and look to her. She had her ears folded back and an expression had me feeling guilty, which was annoying with my head pounding like a drum.

I sat up slowly still holding my head, “I can fly Bubble Gum… but I don't feel safe bringing you with me.” As I expected her head started to lower down. I caught her chin with my hoof and lifted so she was looking me in the eye, “it's not your fault… I would love to show you the real skies beyond those clouds… but… right now a flying pony would be an easy target for the Enclave to find so we have to stay grounded for now. Or… at least you do…”

She nodded though her expression remained hurt which in turn caused me to sigh deeply. I felt guilty… me… I felt guilty that I could not take her flying, ‘why was she making you feel like you did something wrong?’ The pony in my head asked starting to get heated. I shook my head to get the pony to shut up.

“What's wrong?” Bubble asked looking up at me cocking her head to one side causing her ear to also flop over as her head turned.

I shook my head again stopping quickly, realizing my head still pounded even if slightly, “nothing Bubble… how about something to eat?” I asked rising to my hooves and opening the saddlebags that I claimed. I pulled out the box of cereal and looked at it cocking my head, “full apple flavor without the farm… Now with a caramel kick.” I looked to Bubble who was looking at the box as well, “well… ladies first.”

I held the box to her which she grabbed and opened with experienced hooves making the cardboard top pop open without a sound. She then grabbed the bag and pulled it out tossing the box to the floor. She took the top of the bag in her teeth and her hooves and pulled it open. She closed her eyes and smiled, “Mmmm… that smells so good.”

I was reaching into my saddlebags when the sweet smell hit my nostrils. I turned my head following the scent of apple with another sweet smell that I was not familiar with, but I was not disappointed with. I watched as she poked her head into the bag and began to eat which caused my stomach to growl with hunger. I turned and focused back on my saddlebags pulling out the 2 Sparkle Colas I found. I grabbed the cap in my teeth and with a quick twist of the bottle it popped open with a satisfying sound.

Bubble looked up from the bag at the sound sugar covering her muzzle, “you found Sparkle Cola?” A small smile spread across her face, “I love Sparkle Cola.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle as I slowly, and with practiced balance, set the bottle on the tip of my wing and spread it so that it sat in front of her. Her eyes widened with a small gasp. She temporarily dropped the bag of cereal and grabbed the bottle and popped the whole mouth of the bottle into her own mouth and began to chug. I cocked an eyebrow, “hey… slow down Bubble… or you'll-” to late. The filly dropped the bottle from her mouth and gave a rather deep burp which caused her to wrinkle her nose and lift a hoof to rub it.

“Ahhh it tickles… and not the fun kind!” She squeaked letting go of the bottle altogether and now rubbed her muzzle with both hooves tears forming in the corner of her eyes.

I popped open the other soda and smiled, “I told you to slow down didn't i?” I tilted my head back and took a swig. The delicious carrot flavor mixed well with the still quite carbonated tickle as it slid down my throat. As I continued to drink I found myself thinking that this was a drink I could get used to.

I stopped as something clicking caught my attention. I glanced around for a brief second then to my pip-buck which stopped clicking the moment I could see the screen. I cocked an eyebrow confused and lifted the bottle to my lips again. When the liquid hit my tongue the pip-buck clicked to life again. I put my hoof down again and looked at my bottle of Sparkle Cola, “radiation? In a drink?!” I shrugged and downed the rest of it.

“Don't forget to keep the caps,” Bubble said setting her bottle down and looking up at me.

“Say what now?”

She rolled her eyes, “even I know that ponies use bottle caps for trading,” she poked her head back into the bag of cereal.

I looked to the bottle caps I spit onto the pillow in front of me. I scooped them up and dropped them into my saddlebags, “well… alright then…,” I looked to my pip-buck again and was surprised that in the inventory there was a spot for currency and it now said caps with the number 2 next to it. I sat staring at it for several moments confused at how it did that, ‘Did they use caps before the war?’ I shook my head, “no… i have seen prewar bits.”

“Wha?” came the little voice of a filly whose mouth was quite full.

I shook my head and put my hoof down, “nothing…,” glancing down at her my stomach reminding me I was still hungry, “hey… can I have some yet?”

She looked down into the bag swallowing her mouth full then up to me with a nod as she held the bag to me. I silently thanked her and took the bag, watching as she picked up her soda and began to down the rest of it when I noticed something I haven't before, “haven't found your cutie mark yet huh?”

She stopped slowly lowering the bottle from her lips then glanced down at her flank and without a word slowly looked back up and shook her head no. I smiled, “don't worry kid, I didn't get mine until I was a bit older than you.” I grinned as a smile spread across her face.

My muzzle was just about in the bag of cereal when I heard her ask, “so… what is your cutie mark and… how did you get it?”

The question caught me off guard and I froze for a second. I was looking up at the ceiling of our makeshift room noticing light, dull as it was from the cloud cover, was shining through them. I lowered the bag from my face and looked to her. Her expression was one of curiosity and was quite innocent having not yet received hers.

I sighed, “well… it's quite a long story,” my gaze traveled to my flank sporting my lightning bolt arrow splitting a cloud in half. After a few moments of staring I slowly turned back to her, “well first… I have to explain how a pegasus colt or filly learn basics. I don't suppose you have been to a school have you?”

She thought a moment sticking her tongue out slightly and closing one eye as the she looked up in thought. She finally shook her head, “no… i have heard of them… slavers use many as traps.”

I took a mental note to remember that and pressed on, “well what a school is supposed to do is teach young Colts and fillies things like reading and writing… math and in my case flying.”

“Wait… you had to be taught how to fly?” She asked recoiling back in confusion, her face screwed up with an expression showing as much.

I couldn't help but smile, “well flying basics… how to turn and stop things of that sort.” She nodded a little finally catching on so I kept going, “more often than not pegasi get their cutie marks in school or before… a few sometimes get their cutie marks after schooling.”

“When did you get yours?” She asked interrupting me leaning forward on her fore hooves while still remaining in a seated position which I thought was rather odd.

“During school,” I said giving her a small smile.

“Awww,” she whined with disappointment, “I thought you were gonna be special and be one of the few who got it after.”

I didn't let my smile fade as I looked at her, “who said when I got mine it wasn't special?” that got her attention and quieted her. I looked up at the light pouring in through the holes again smiling, “it was my first day at school and I was supposed to be playing outside,” my smile faded a little, “but I was very shy and after my father left my mother and me to fend for ourselves. I didn’t get many chances to make friends before then. So during the play time I sat alone while the others played and chased each other around the small flight track we had.”

I started to realise I was not the best at stories but when I glanced at her to say as much her expression told me that she was hanging on my every word. I sighed knowing I had to finish now, “well… a few of the other Colts were challenging each other to races. One colt in particular got his cutie mark during the races.”

“Did he challenge you?” Her eyes were big and her growing smile suggested that she was putting together a story far better than me flying away from them to stop the teasing. She jumped up and leaned close, “I bet you got challenged and he was being cocky!” She swiped her hoof through the air, “and then you left him in your dust!”

My stomach twisted a little, “yeah… something like that…” She turned and sat back down watching intently, “as I flew I noticed I was able to push myself faster and faster until,” I turn to show her my cutie mark better, “the friction of me flying through a cloud caused me to create a streak of lightning behind me.” Her eyes widened more in awe and I gave her a winning smile, “because of that I was hoof picked for special training to become part of an elite Enclave group called the Wonderbolts!”

Her expression screwed up into one of confusion again, “the whats?”

I deflated with a sigh, “nothing… especially now,” I looked at my armor, “everything I worked for… everything I did to become what I am… it… it,” I glanced down at the small hoof gently touching my forelegs then to Bubbles face who looked back with those big purple eyes. I felt something in my chest as her touch, something that I almost forgot. I was going to say it was all for nothing but in truth it was to save her life. Yes I was down here in the Equestrian Wasteland now but I wasn't alone.

I nodded, “Ok Bubble Gum… let's go and see if we can find some trouble to get in,” she jumped up with a big grin and nodded. I stood up and with the use of my Pip-buck, stepped back into my armor. When the hydraulics hissed close I wiggled to get comfortable in it tapping my hooves on the floor and giving my wings some small flaps. Once I was done I opened my pipbuck checking my inventory noticing for the first time that there were some items I hadn't put in there. ‘Then again why wouldn't there be items from the pony that these belonged to before I found them,’ the pony in my head dead panned. The few prewar bits and a note that I was getting ready to read but the creak of the door cause me to look up and see that Bubble Gum was pushing it open… well… trying to. I sighed with a small grin and walked over and pushed it up letting her out into the street.

I was not sure about what was in store for me but I wanted to get her to someone more reliable than I, so that meant finding this bar so that maybe I could figure out a good place to take her.