Fallout Equestria : Lineage

by SunsetSpecter

Chapter Two: "Who uses the Front Door Anyway- oh."

Fallout Equestria: Lineage
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Chapter 2: Who uses the front door anyway- oh.

What? Noooo. Mr. Sherly doesn't just kill people. He kills them, revives them, kills them a second time, re-animates them, separates their energy from their body, then reverses time. Not sure how all this works, but it seems to... or maybe I've taken too many shocks to the brain and I just imagined it all. WHO KNOWS!

Sheets, different from the ones I had grown accustomed to. Not the dank mildew-smelling tattered old rags sewn haphazardly together stained in Luna knows what. No, fresh, clean sheets, smelling of the finest lavender cleaning magic like those back before all the hell. In the brief moment before full awareness I felt happy, safe, and content with the world. Then I felt the lack of barding on my hide, the usual weight of my battle saddle and its twin 5.56mm rifles, and the troubling feeling of the anesthetic wearing off.

"Well this is a fine way to start my... let's just go with 'morning' for simplicity's sake," I muttered to myself, acutely aware that "Tes" was almost certainly listening to my thoughts.

A speaker crackled to life somewhere above my head.

"Ah, good morning Sir. I'm afraid that the master is a bit busy at the moment, care for some breakfast?"

Before I could even form a response with my sleep addled mind, my attention was drawn to a bowl lowering itself from the ceiling held in a familiar looking pair of metal claws. As the bowl reached the small table next to my bed I inspected its contents; oats, judging by the smell of them.

"I'm afraid that this will have to suffice, our food stores are running a bit low at the moment. After breakfast, you can find a shower on the south side of the room. Once finished, please report to the main chamber, you can find it out the east corridor, take a right, then take the lift to floor fifteen. If you need any more assistance, please call."

Fresh sheets, actual oats, robotic voices, this reeks of Enclave... Or Steel Rangers.

"T-thanks mister?" Nothing but the sounds of far away machinery answered my question. "Right, I'm just call you Mr. Oats." Wearing a dumb smile, I looked over at the bowl now sitting on a table just next to the bed.

At least until I'm corrected, I'm going to at least get some humor out of a mechanical voice in the ceiling.

“Name configuration activated, setting designated name to Mr.Oats.”

Oh... that... was unexpected.

I munched on the tasty grain and took a look around the room I’d been deposited in wondering if the robotic voice in the ceiling let whomever talked to it designate their own name, or if I’d been the first ever to talk to it like a pony. Thankfully I spotted my gear hanging on hooks near the door that Mr. Oats said the shower was.

"Well," talking to no one in particular this time, "Think I'll take advantage of clean water while ah can.”

Taking the first few steps towards the bathroom reminded me that I had in fact fallen down a very long ventilation shaft and my right fore-hoof was kind enough to point this out by sending a bolt of white-hot agony into my brain.

Could use more of those painkillers...

The bathroom was compact but not small, just efficient in its design. Simple stainless fixtures and all white porcelain didn’t help detract from the clinical feel of the decor. The shower stall was roomy enough even given my larger than normal build, though there was no way I was going to be able to spread my wings and give them a proper wash. Ground ponies never built bathrooms big enough for pegasi. Still, I relaxed when the water emanating from the nozzle was, in fact, warm as I let it flow down my green mane. The clean filtered, hopefully non irradiated water played over the surface of my flanks seeming to sizzle on my cutie mark of a half setting sun illuminating a bolt shaped strip of land.

How long had it been since my last proper wash? Flying through the rain does not count either.

Using a brush meant for a pony of a much smaller size to lather the parts of me I couldn’t reach, I wondered where in the Wastes would there be another shower with hot running water apart from Tenpony Tower. After spending twice as long as a decent pony would letting the warm water wash the amalgamated grime and dried ichor out of my coat, I crushed the absurd feeling of guilt that arose as I did so.

Hey I said I'm taking advantage of this didn't I? Least I can be honest about it.

I stepped out into the empty room my coat still dripping wet and looked around for some form of a towel to dry myself. Not seeing an obvious location in the compact quarters did the best I could to shake myself dry, using my wings to provide extra assistance. I plucked my singed barding off of the hook it was resting on and began threading my hooves through the armor when the overhead speaker crackled to life again.

"Feeling better S..." The robotic voice of Mr. Oats paused in the middle of the word, as if it was thinking about something. "You know, I can provide you with a... cleaner, outfit if you like. Comes with the added bonus of being shock resistant."

There was a mechanical whirring sound like when bowles filled with food appeared in mechanical claws. However, this time a long vertical panel opened up in the wall and a single robotic arm extended forth holding what looked like a shiny metallic bodysuit. It even had rubber insulated hoof covers. Before I could say anything about the garment, the overhead speaker crackled to life this time the deeper voice of Tes filled the small room.

"Glad to see you’re finally awake. If you could please make your way here, there are a few things I'd like to discuss. N-no Mr. Sherly, you cannot shock him... because he's our guest! Manners! Don't talk to me like that yo-..."

The audio cut out filling the room with silence. I stood staring up at the speaker for a moment before the audio crackled once more, this time the voice of Mr. Oats returned.

“I’m sorry about that, Master has been under a lot of stress lately. will that garment suffice?”

"Wing holes?" I instinctively flexed my feathery appendages, "Ah don't think sacrificing the ability for me to fly is worth-" I paused remembering Tes' last words. "Ya know, ah have an idea".

After a few moments to dig through my packs for my utility knife.

- Yes it's a sharpened length of rebar, what? You show me to the nearest centre of manufacturing and I'll show you the largest crater in the wasteland. -

I roughly cut two wing holes in the well preserved suit, much to the oddly audible chagrin of the robotic voice from above. Slipping on the clean, metallic material, I continued my normal routine of replacing the rest of my barding over the stretchy undergarment. While I did enjoy the feeling of fresh clothes that had not been caked with months of Wasteland grime. The garment Mr. Oats had given me seemed to reflect light off of its interwoven metal fibers and that would not do. Nothing says 'Hey, shoot me' to a raider like a flying shiny pegasus soaring overhead. Besides I'd be a idiot to not wear my armor, thin though it was.

"Where is, 'here' Mr. Oats? I feel like I'm being a bad, erm, houseguest by keeping Tes waiting... shortest route please?" I said, glancing down at my leg that was already protesting having been stood on for this long.

“Shortest route?” The robotic voice pauses for a moment. “Hm... That would be...”

My fur started to stand on end as I felt the buildup of energy surround my body. everything in my vision started to tint itself green.

“A secret... Now please try not to cut anything else up.”

There was a blinding flash of light green light and, had I not clamped my eyelids shut, it likely would have caused some damage to my vision. As the residual magic dissipated from around my body I fought the urge not to evacuate my stomach for the third time in as many days. I slowly opened my eyes and found myself standing back in the laboratory with the skylight. However there was no evidence of my burnt and bloodied body ever having been there before.

Does that mean that maintenance is still working in this facility? That could explain why everything is so clean down here.

Just as my eyes started to look about for maintenance bots, the door on the far end opened up and Tes’ green flickering metallic form walked into the room.

"No, you need to understand common curtesy first," talking to himself. The shiny metal cylinder in his muzzle seemed to hum in response. "Well he can't be here quite yet, that leg of his seems to slow him down somewhat." The cylinder hummed again. "I'd refuse him- oh, hello.” Tes’ eyes finally catching sight of me.

“Now, Mr. Set, how about a game? It would seem that you're just as confused as I am about our current situation, so we'll take turns asking questions, sound fair? And since that was a question, you get to go first.” The metallic cylinder in the cyberponies mouth began to hum as small arcs of energy radiated from its end.

Oh crap oh crap oh crap! My mind raced suddenly hoping that this ‘shock suit’ actually did what Mr. Oats told me it did. Wait, electricity jumps to uninsulated parts first, like my head or my exposed wings.

Mind reading powers, the ability to be a walking Balefire bomb, and now teleportation. Luna help me even if I could fly fast enou-

My train of thought derailed as I caught a glimpse of 'Tes' looking at me unamused, small flickers of green magical death licking out of his eyes.

"Well, that sounds fair, ah 'spose," spoken with as much courage as I could. "Ah haven't been the best houseguest, what with making a mess on your floor, and uh," looking at my rubber insulated hoof, "Ripping your clothes."

Oh happy days. Ok, I’ve got my battle saddle fitted, yay! Having it loaded and the firing bit in my muzzle, not so much... I wonder if I can get that done without Tes noticing?

"Hm... I suppose you might be able to get that done without me noticing, but I doubt that the newly named Mr. Oats will let that slide; and I am not a walking ‘bomb’ as you keep putting it. There's not a single part of me with the ability to explode." The blackened cyberpony walked over to the nearest wall and began to tap on it in small, random taps. "That counts as a question, so now it's my turn again."

Oh that is not even remotely fair...

Tes let out what sounded like a sigh and turned back to face me.

"Alright, I'll start with a simple one. What happened to that leg of yours? Being linked by the Grid means I feel any pain you feel. Incidentally, this is why you don't have to worry about me frying you."

Time to be a clever pony... crap, time to stop thinking... crap...

"Look I'm going ta level with you,” I said flatly, “I've no idea how much you know about me, and since you're asking pretty 'common knowledge' questions about the end of Equestria, I'm going to assume that you can't read my deeper thoughts."

Now is not the time to think about that romp in the hay that one time wit- Shut UP brain... Luna protect me it's hard to not think about things when I know he can hear this.

"So I'll answer your question, as clearly as ah can.” I walked over to a floor pillow in front of a set of instruments and sat down. “Seven years ago ah was evading a particularly determined squad of Enclave and ah had ta make a rather, ‘quick’ landing which shattered most of the bones in my front leg... Hydra was about the only option ah had to restore ground mobility so ah could continue to -run away-." Shrugging my shoulders. "Ah guess it just never really healed right.” I got up from where I was sitting and made a show of trying to stand with just my right foreleg, only to have it collapse under my weight splaying myself onto the floor, conveniently bringing my Battle Saddles control bit under my chin.

"I see." Tes said as he walked over and extended a hoof to help me up. "I'm terribly sorry for the pain you went through. Now, it is now your turn to ask me a question and I swear I'll answer it completely honestly." The cyberpony smiled, tilted his head and closed his eyes. Aside from being constructed out of metal plates, it almost resembled that of a normal pony.

"Don't worry about it," Pausing a moment to lower my gaze from Tes’ face to look at the floor. "Ah really only have one question, well two, but one more to the point."

Right switch click and yank. A satisfying click of an ammo feed connecting and the resounding thud of a bolt slamming home added emphasis to my next statement.

"Luna banish you to the sun if you lie! Enclave, yes, or no?"

Please don't call my bluff, I don't think I like electricity, or captivity.

The armored mechanical face of Tes just looked at the source of the sound. "No, I am not Enclave... At least, I don't think I am. I guess my next question then should be what is the Enclave? Also, it'd be much appreciated if you could point that elsewhere." The metal cylinder still held in Tes’ metal teeth started to arc bolts of energy once more. "My...friend, doesn’t take kindly to hostility. Of course he won't harm you until you actually harm me.”

How does he talk around that thing- NO that is not a question...

"I-I'm sorry, it's just..." Looking away whilst shifting my weight to lower my guns. "Look, I'm a hunted stallion, the Enclave are the self proclaimed last bastion of 'civilized Equestria' left in the wasteland. To be honest, you reek of it; the prosthetics, the fresh food, clean water, high level of tech. That or the Steel Rangers." I looked towards the ground, looking anywhere but Tes’ eyes.

One floor tile, two floor tile, three, four, fi- maybe I'm not going to die.

"Thing of it is, the Enclave don't take too kindly to Pegasi that don't see eye ta eye with their policies. As you most likely saw before, ah still have my cutie mark rather than a Dashite brand... They... mean to change that, or worse. Ah don't get along with ‘em because they are sitting up there in the clouds letting good ponyfolk down here get butchered.”

Judging by the blank stare the metallic pony standing in front of me in the spacious laboratory had on his face, he had no idea what I was talking about.

"...I see... you're being hunted then. Not sure what all you're talking about. Wasteland and Dashites? I've really have lost a lot of time, haven't I?" What had been a constant barrage of green energy spewing from the end of the rod in Tes’ mouth died down to a mere flicker. "Actually...now that I think about it, a few things have been a bit...off around here... So you have only two questions, one was if I was Enclave, and the other one was?"

"Well now that one’s a bit complicated."

Part of it I can figure out on my own. I took a calculated step forward actually putting my full weight on my lame leg rather than the carefully practiced move I used earlier. Nopony ever suspects the lame pony falling over ‘oh look I'm actually arming my weapons’ routine.

"You see," I continued looking for any visible pain in the metallic face, "I'm wondering just how permanent this mind reading business is and whether or not I'm going to have to continually censor my mind whenever it turns towards a particularly delicate subject."

Like fine flank. My mind finished for me, remembering the last bit of bar booty I enjoyed back East.

Oh Luna I just actually thought that didn't I...

"Ah yes. Well..." I thought I saw the cybernetic face turn a slight shade of red. "It's not entirely intrusive. The most I can do without permission from the secondary link is see emotions and immediate thoughts. Oh, that’s you,” Tes added after seeing the ‘not a clever pony’ look on my face. “Also, remember how I said that I can feel your pain, and that if you died, I die? Well, same works in reverse. So if you were to actually shoot me with those rifles then you would feel the bullets piercing me, followed by the shock of electricity going through my body frying my brain, and yours.” The cyberpony let a small flash of green electro-flame lick out from the joints in his armor as if to reinforce his point. “I'm not stupid, so you know, just confused." A smile slowly spread across his face.

Sometime when I’m not scared out of my skin, I’m going to have to ask him how metal can be so animated.

"Say, it's almost lunch time, what say we talk while we eat?" Either Tes didn’t hear that particular thought, or chose to ignore it as he started to walk towards me. As he passed on his way to what I assumed was a kitchen, or dinning hall, he paused and with his voice just above a whisper said;

"Indeed, that was a fine flank." Before busting out laughing and heading for the hallway.

“Ah..." Was all I got out before my face turned the most wonderful shade of 'oh Luna he did see that' under my orange coat. I turned around to head in the direction that Tes had walked.

Well I did just eat breakfast, and accidentally named his, house pet? But I'm not going to turn down food that isn't centuries old.

"Ya never answered how long." I called after as I followed along as fast as my leg cou- screw this I've got wings for a reason and there's plenty of overhead. "Wait up!"

_____~~~~~~~_____

Little in the way of actual conversation happened during lunch. After hovering into a room loosely resembling a kitchen, if a kitchens here came with wires and pipes scattered over every square hoof of free space as standard. I landed on another floor pillow which I suspected was some form of scientific instrument cleverly disguised as a cushion. Mr. Oats lowered another bowl of his namesake down in front of me as I shucked off my Battle Saddle.

No point now, I thought to myself, if he was going to turn me into fine murder dust he'd have done it in the lab back there. The easy to clean lab, with the convenient floor drains, where the water can just rinse the 'me ash' down no prob- wow I have a knack for imagining myself dying right before a meal.

After an awkward pause and a mental shuffle urging me to think of things less related to my flesh being rendered apart atom by atom, which was quickly climbing the charts of 'ways I don't want to die', I noticed that there was a lack of anything food related infront of Tes.

"You're not..." I clammed up as I was met with the steady gaze of mechanical eyes twitching with hints of green. As if to answer my unspoken or unthought question a metal snake descended from the ceiling to come to rest between his shoulder blades at the base of his neck.

"This might hurt." Tes said with an apologetic look.

With a sickening crunch the mechanical snake drove itself into his spine. It sunk so deep that almost its entire length was lost below the blackened armour plates.

Sweet Celestia herself is burning me alive!

The pain was so intense, I was so sure someone had just driven my rebar-knife into my spine that I whipped my head around to check. It was all I could do to curl up and try not to shudder from the blinding pain. Eventually I was able to get my hooves back onto the table and remain upright. Several minutes passed, I think, could have been a few seconds for all I know, before I attempted to say anything.

"Whaaa..." Brain and mouth failing to work in tandem again. The best I could bring myself to do was idly chew on a few oats which fell out of the bowl, when presumably I knocked it over in my wild flailing. I could feel the connector pull out of my back. If I wasn’t so distracted by the absurd levels of pain my body was tolerateing, I would have been asking the cyberpony if this was a normal occurrence for him. As I looked towards Tes he was just standing motionless across the table from me. Then however, Tes answered that question for me as the cable sparked and the tip finally cleared the mechanical Stallion’s body.

"Sorry about that. Used to be a time that I had a working stomach, but not now." His eyes sparkled as he looked over at my collapsed form, half chewed oats dribbling past my muzzle.

No wonder he didn't flinch when I stood on my lame leg, that is nothing compared to what he goes through to... feed? Sure, feed, for my sanity let's keep this as pony related as possible.

"Oh dear, was afraid this would happen. Otus, bring me ‘the Mix’."

There was a slight pop as the speaker above protested being activated. This place may have been well maintained, but little signs like that betrayed the facilities true age.

"Yes Sir." Chirped the robotic voice of Mr. Oats as a small vial lowered down from the ceiling, filled with a neon orange liquid. I couldn’t tell with my blurred vision but it seemed like it had a faint glow about it.

"Okay, this'll help you feel better. Should also help with your leg." As the vial slid into a slot on Tes’ cybernetic leg it activated a small needle to protrude from the tip of his hoof. I was slowly regaining my faculties.

Oh hello hooves, nice of you to start responding again.

Looking up at the sound of what could have been a voice, only one thing brought me back to reality. That was seeing a needle heading towards me.

"W-w-wait!" Stammering wildly.

Needles filled with glowing orange fluid heading towards my flank, quick lie, hard! Shit he heard that. I... I started to think the sentence before my words caught up with my muzzle.

"-don't think you should be wasting your time on me, or resources. Besides, ah don't like needles."

Much less so when filled with goo. I mentally kicking myself for thinking that last part. Right, never playing anything card related for money with Tes, ever. My mind was a jumble of ways to talk myself out of a needle to the rump filled with Goddess only knows what. I simply started to roll away from the incoming syringe in vain hope that Tes would get the message that ‘no, I'm not a pincushion!’ That seemed to give the looming metal form pause as his advance was, at least for the moment, halted.

"Time and resources are all I have left now. You have knowledge. Seems like a fair trade to me, now hold still and stop being a colt."

Tes was stronger than me, much stronger than me, as I found out when his hooves pressed me against the cushion preventing any further retreat away from the needle. Sterilized steel met my flank as the injection drove home and I could feel quite a hefty dose being pushed into my body. My fears subsided somewhat over the orange goop now running through my bloodstream as a strange feeling of warmth started to boil in my gut, slowly spreading down my limbs till even my hooves felt like they were aglow.

"See, not that bad was it? Now, I do still have a few more questions for you, although one more so than any other, if you don't mind. Also, I will still answer any new questions you may have with complete honesty and to the best of my ability."

Something clicked, now I've never claimed to be a clever pony-

- okay that's a lie, once, to get in bed with this one... nevermind. -

But at that moment I understood something. The sheets, the shower, the oats, the barding, pain, fear, calm, emotions especially the pain.

Someone slap this colt back to stallionhood please... I'm thinking again, loudly. I looked back up at Tes seeing the somewhat bemused expression.

"Let me guess, and no," I said carefully whilst trying to figure out what this mystery goo was doing to me, "This doesn't count as a question, since ah know you already know ah know the answer.”

Okay, maybe a clever pony at times.

I shrugged myself back onto my haunches and sat more upright at the table eyeing the now neglected oats.

"This link, you could drop it at any time, couldn't you, but you won't. You know damn well how long it's been since you resembled anything pony-ish". I added that last bit carefully in hopes to not anger the walking Hellfire lest he sever the link and decide that 'you know what, I can clean the kitchen easily'. "You're usin’ me to experience 'life' again. Sure you can experience pain, sadness, anger, or whatever vestiges of life you can, but you can no longer ‘feel’ them can you!"

Gotcha! I thought with a smug internal grin, looking for any betraying change of emotion from across the table.

"Re-experience life? Huh, you are clever...sometimes. I do suppose that I have been taking some pleasure in these feelings again... But no, that's not correct, you're not really even a prisoner here. The only reason you've stuck around is because of your fear... fears to be more precise." The look on Tes’ face shifted slightly, becoming curious. "Before, you mentioned you were being 'hunted' by some group called the Enclave? You said they were trying to brand you as a, a... dash bright? Well, my question is, what are the chances that they would track you down to here?"

Yeah well I tend to fear things that go boom... After a brief mental kick to the rump, I continued aloud.

"Ermm... Ah mean well, boom, is a relative term, I'd certainly call it one, and damn straight so would the Enclave. That fireworks display you pulled off... yesterday?"

How long was I out?

"Sure as hell would have triggered all sorts of fancy bells and whistles above the cloudline. Ah guess it all depends on how far away we are from any of the sensors, and how well hidden the entrance to here is."

I started to munch on the oats, feeling my appetite returning. Which wasn't really all that graceful of actions, seeing as my head was starting to swim with that 'oh this is the good stuff' feeling you only can receive from hard narcotics and painkillers.

"Ah, the... tantrum from two days ago.” The metal face seemed to go blank for a moment. “Well, to be honest with you, I've only been awake for about... two weeks now. Last thing I remember was sitting in the lab working, I had just finished having supper with my family, then closing my eyes..." I could physically feel the sadness radiating from the cybernetic pony across the round table. Feel it like it was my own. Wasn’t sure if it was the drugs manipulating my reality, or the link was now interchanging emotions between the two of us. Before I could figure out what exactly was going on Tes continued;

"And then, I woke up. The lab was flooded with radiation, and my fire was burning wildly, green, not orange. I vented the room and... I... Dust, how long does it take to turn bones to dust?"

I blinked, slowly trying to work out what exactly this pony sitting before me was. On one hoof he was clearly the product of advanced cyberpony technology developed by the MoP in the later parts of the war, or by other organizations after the bombs fell. On the other hoof he clearly has no idea about the most basic of Equestrian history which could be the result of memory loss or living in isolation since the dawn of time.

Okay none of this makes sense, this place is spotless aside from the mechanical clutter, he has advanced cyber limb technology that was only invented in the later parts of the war. There aren't even the obligatory corpses everywhere that come part and parcel in the wastela-

- Dust -

... Easy clean floors.

"I'm..." I looked down at the half empty bowl trying to figure out how to shove a hoof down my mind's mouth.

“... War? Advanced technology? But... these were mass produced for any pony who needed them, well, any pony that could afford them, and it was Utopia, it was..." I could almost feel the confusion from Tes. His eyes flickering around the room as if trying to find visual cues to support the memories held within his mind.

"Are you suggesting to me that my past is impossible? That I never had a family? That I'm... I'm..." The confusion began to fade. "What am I then? Either I come from a past that your mind would suggest is impossible, or I don't have a past, that it was made up..." A grin began to spread across the face of the animated armor as his eyes flickered back to life to stare back at me.

"I'm suggesting nothing," I said as calmly as I could trying to focus on the few remaining oats and not the screaming part of my brain saying 'you're going to die if you keep pissing off the nice mechano-pony'. "All ah ‘am’ saying is what ah know, and about all that amounts to is about a cup of water in the sea. However ah have seen things out in the wastes stranger than you, so you can’t be that bad."

Like that one time where that Alicorn ripped a pony in half screaming 'The Goddess is pleased by this'. My inner voice chimed up. Or that one time raiders strung your caravan mates up by their entrail- Shut UP brain!

I shuddered in remembrance.

"Look, from what I've seen of you, you're a nice pony," I said through a forced grin, "With many resources that could help a lot of good ponyfolk up there on the surface, only problem with that is, well, no offence-"

Clearly marked now as offence, good jo- SHUT IT!

"You're kinda nutty."

I wonder how good this table is at deflecting angry green laser death-rays.

There was a pause, I couldn’t tell if the crackle in the air was nothing more than my drug clouded mind playing tricks on me or if I should be ducking below the table in a vain attempt to survive a point blank blast from the walking fireball. A slow chuckle begins to leak out of Tes’ throat which did nothing to ease my growing panic.

"I see... a nut am I?" Proper laughter echoed off the cable encrusted walls as I started to slump myself below the top of the table. "Well then that's perfect! Now that I know what this new world is like, I can't spend my time worrying about my past! You know, I'm surprised you never asked me what this place was used for."

I pondered for a moment halfway below the table now, trying to remember details from my pre, post, and currently medicated brain.

Lab, check. Plush living dorms, check. Some form of food processor or farm still active over 200 years, check. As I ate the last oat. Biomedical and weaponized balefire, check-ish?

"You're right, ah haven't asked; merely how well hidden it was, which you've not answered yet."

There was an itch in my hoof telling me that there was likely to be be running soon, well that or rain, but I feared it was going to be my first guess.

"You’re a clever stallion, I can sense that you have a few ideas formulating in that brain of yours. But only one is right. It's-"

The speaker above our heads popped again as the robotic voice of Mr. Oats called down to Tes.

"Sir..."

"Not now Otus, I'm trying to explain something to our guest. Anyways as I was.."

"Please, Sir.” The robotic voice insisted.

"What! What is it!" Tes’ head snapped upwards to look directly at the speaker cone.

“Hostiles detected above the cloud lining.”

Guns! First thought. Right behind me, barding? On me, flight pat- I looked up remembering, right, bunker, thing.

"Have you any means of internal defence Mr. Oats?"

Without waiting for a reply from either mechanical voice I started towards the door which led back to the larger laboratory.

If anyplace is likely to be the front door it's going to be the skylight, Power Armor is fully insulated after a- A bolt of searing lightning rode up my right fore-hoof straight to my brain as I stumbled over the doorframe. Tes actually winced.

"Hydra," I panted, "It's, not nice stuff.”

I grabbed my battle saddle which I had left sitting by the entrance to the kitchen and started refitting it over my singed barding.

Wonder how many rounds I actually have left?

"Hmm... interesting. Never thought I'd have to use these things inside a hospital, never was sure why they installed them in the first place. Otus, turn on the defence system in all sections, also, send up the ES ammo." Tes quickly trotted up behind me and began to adjust different components on his body. The thicker plates that made up his shoulders slid towards the center of his chest effectively doubling the thickness of his armor over his center mass. His legs followed suit as the rear armor plating disconnected and swiveled forward over the existing metallic armor. If I had blinked I would have missed it, but the cyberpony standing next to me now looked like a highly articulated shield.

Well now isn’t that a neat trick. Looking over the scorched remains of what once was a mostly intact suit of combat armor.

"Before we start shooting, I would like a chance to talk with them. I want you to stay hidden until they make a move. Anything I should know about them? Weapons, armor? Also, Otus, prepare the RPWS and link it to mine and Sunny’s vitals."

Hiding, now that’s a novel thought.

Another speaker close by crackled to life.

“Very well Sir. Hostiles should arrive in seven minutes.”

"Well let's see, most likely they'll be in standard Enclave Power Armor, a good 5.56mm AP round will punch throu- just a sec, could you flip that yellow tab on the gun closest to you down for me?"

Tes deftly complied with a precise swipe of a mechanical hoof.

Envy.

"Thanks!" I said as the sound of the current ammo belt popped off the light machine gun. A few instinctive clicks of the tongue and a yank on the control bit brought what I knew was only six AP rounds into my right gun. The bolt slammed home with the reassuring sound of smooth machined parts sliding cleanly against one another.

Someone’s oiled this... or was that me? Can't remember. I shook my head trying to clear the fog from the pain and drugs still swirling around my head.

"Right, anyways nothin’ some good ordinance can't punch though. Most of ‘em will be armed with beam weapons, they might have some heavy ordinance with them if they think they're in for a fight; judgin’ by your light show, they think they’re in for a fight."

I looked up at the skylight brimming with current.

"And since they're here, they've either tracked me down..."

Which is bad.

"Or they've tracked you down..."

Also bad.

"Either way they're looking for somepony to bring back to HQ to explain what just lit up the sky near one of their bases."

A few more clicks of the tongue and another yank, my left gun was loaded with every other remaining round I had.

Going to be a bitch to shoot airborne off kilter, but Luna stomp me herself if I'm going to spray AP rounds like candy.

"Soooo..." I smiled at Tes, "How much of an explosion do you think that skylight of yours can take?" As I bucked five frag mines out of my saddlebags onto my lightly armored rump.

Tes looked up at the skylight and tapped a rear hoof rhythmically on the decking.

"Well, it managed to survive all those years of torment I put it through, definitely sturdy... although...” Once again, the mechanical face was grinning. “Try to keep the fighting inside the base... If things turn to worse I have a little trick up my steam engine."

And do try and stay connected through the Grid, things might get, loud.

"So how many should we be expecting?" Tes speaking this time rather than projecting his voice directly into my mind. There was a buzz and a pop from further ahead within the domed laboratory itself.

“Sir, preparations have been completed, shall I access Sub-Bunker A-1?”

"Aye! Bring out everything we have! And hurry!" The flickering eyes of Tes looked back over to me. "So, any weaknesses the armor has that I should know about? I suppose that they're rather shock resistance, having to move between cloud layers."

"Visors, weakest part, and yes -very- shock resistant." I said hastily "No idea on numbers, but groups of three are common."

I took flight balancing the frag mines on my rump up towards the arcing electrics surrounding the only point of natural light. A few deft tosses of my head while dodging the errant bolts of green energy and all five landed where I wanted them to. Which was good since I don’t think getting closer to the sides was going to be beneficial to my welfare. The centuries old ordinance were nestled between a bundle of conduits and a large crossbeam, unarmed. I figured that if I needed to prevent reinforcements, or the odd fleeing pegasus I could just shoot the general area and hope that they all detonated.

I hope those things are shock proof. An arc of green fire lanced past my head towards the scaffolding. With the taste of two hundred year old landmines still in my mouth, I flew back down and hovered near Tes who was busy fiddling with some containers. I settled down next to him and watched him rummaging around forelegs buried deep within their contents.

"So, where should I hide?"

That brought a pause, as the metallic form seemed to find what he was looking for.

"Why, in the best hiding spot ever, the open!" Tes tossed me a small vial of semi-transparent white liquid. "Drink that, the energy here should refract the light around you, turning you mostly invisible. Will warn you though, it is a bit bitter tasting."

A small blimp of red suddenly appeared in the upper portion of my vision. "Eyes Forward Sparkle, can only be seen by those connected to the Grid." The red blimp was suddenly joined by two more. "Hurry up Otus, they're nearly here."

“Very well Sir.”

Alright, I am removing the barrier blocking my thoughts from yours. Please try not to panic too much. I already know you don’t handle being linked to another ponies mind well, let alone sharing the physical emotions. But... please try.

Before I could even think a response, multiple speakers lining the laboratory crackled to life. Could be that Mr. Oats was broadcasting directly into my mind.

“Here you are Sir.”

A small box was lifted out of the crate by my hoof-

Okay no, that’s not my hoof.

I picked it up and opened it with a very smooth motion of my right foreleg using my artificial magic to slide it into a small slot located within my mechanical appendage.

Okay, that was not me, I’m standing still, right? I’m not... but that... magic, I can’t do magic...

They are almost here, please, try and get a hold of yourself.

My head hurt, I was starting to confuse just which one of our eyes I was looking though. I wasn’t even sure it was my head that was hurting. It shouldn’t hurt, I had obscene levels of dihydromorphinone and morphine-3-glucuronide augmented with the standard class A-Two healing spell running through my bloodstrea-

I don’t even know what any of that means!

I could see Tes looking at me just as I could see myself looking back at Tes.

“Arrgh... This is just all sorts of weird!” Giving myself a mental smack I remembered the small vial I had caught instinctively in my mouth.

Orange, now white. I thought, my head was still spinning from looking at myself through the eyes of another pony. Well... whatever let's see if thi-

"Bleggghhh..." My tongue rolled out in disgust.

And I thought centuries old metal and explosives tasted bad. I wonder if?

There was as sickly creeping feeling that rose up from the very tips of my hooves to envelop my entire body. My vision distorted momentarily as the feeling crossed over my eyes and finished at the very tip of my muzzle. I waved a hoof in front of my eyes, ‘not’ trying to touch the shiny red blips floating up at the top of my eyesight, I swear. I know my leg moved across my vision, but I only saw the faintest shimmer flicker past. Looking through Tes’ eyes all I saw was a now empty room where I once stood.

"Okay, that is going to take some getting used to." I muttered knowing that Tes could still hear me.

Ayup.

I took up position between the cyberpony and the door to the kitchen, not knowing how exactly how the red blips in front of me were going to enter the facility. Whatever magic controlled the fluttering indicators in the top of my vision it didn't seem to take into account elevation. A loud bang from overhead echoed throughout the facility.

At least they didn't blow it up. I always leave the front doors unlocked. I wasn’t even sure who had thought that. The red blimps continued to move back and forth, weaving through walls and other solid objects.

One more floor and they'll be here. If I don't like the way things are heading, I'll signal you.

I knew who I was. Either Tes toned down the link connecting the two of us, or I was starting to figure out how to separate my mind from his. I was about to ask what the ‘signal’ was when three fully armored Enclave Pegasi burst through the doorway in front of us shattering it with a burst of heavy caliber fire. The two soldiers flanking the one in the lead took a step back seeing the green flamed blackened metal pony standing before them. The one in the center recovered faster and readied what looked like a cannon. I could feel the smile spread across Tes’ muzzle. I knew what he was about to do, and swiveled my ears as flat as I could against my skull.

"WELCOME TO THE HOSPITAL!"

__________________________________________________________________________

Footnote: Maximum Level Reached

(( Authors note: Woo the words just racked up fast in this chapter. I would normally try and keep to around 5k however there just didn’t seem like anywhere else was appropriate to break. Sorry about the delay, editing took a long time due to everyone having school obligations these past few weeks. Once again Kkat and Somber have my thanks for forging this universe {at least to me} and bringing two things I adore together. I would like to thank my co-writer The Wiseless Stallion again as we continue to shape the story ahead. Many thanks to my editors and pre-readers; frozenpyro71, Dawn-Fade, Istalir, KaraSkakalac, and That Awesome Brony Guy for taking the time to help this poor writer make this as polished as it can be. I owe most of them many cookies. Once again thank you very much for reading! ))

Comments

[Deathpony]

new chapter yay this one was good