Fallout: Equestria: Scootaloo's Pre-War Blues

by oki_all_day

Chapter 3: But I Don't Have to Trust a Soul

Fallout: Equestria: Scootaloo’s Pre-War Blues

Chapter 3: But I Don't Have to Trust a Soul

By: oki_all_day

<)-------(>

Fear. We're all living in fear. Fear of war, fear of espionage, and overall, the fear of each other. When that wall ripped open, I feared that some attackers were trying to kill me. Looking back, I wondered why I would've thought of that. All I do is run a Scooter company. Maybe I thought it was somepony that I had to lay off coming back for revenge. I don't know, I don’t remember what I thought at the time, but I'm glad it turned out the way it did.

<)-------(>

"When will your schedule be open?" the pony with a country twang on the other end of the line asked.

"Well, hello to you too," I said with a hint of sarcasm.

"Ah'm sorry Scoots, Ah'm just a little excited and everything. It seems that we hit a good streak getting that funding from Princess Luna, and we need to make use of it as soon as we can."

"I agree with you. You know what they say, 'every day is a day closer to the end of the world'." I said with an odd amount of happiness in my voice. What the fuck is wrong with me, joking about the end of the world?

She chuckled. "Ah don't know who they are, but Ah'm pretty sure that's not what they say."

I laughed. I don't even know why, I just laughed about the end of the world, my possible demise, and the possible demise of many other ponies, and I just laughed at it. Just giggle at the apocalypse.

"But seriously, when can you meet up with us?" She asked. "It'll be at the same place as last time."

"I don't work on Sundays, so anytime then. Anytime after ten o'clock in the morning."

"Well that sounds good. Sweetie Belle doesn't need to be at her recording studio on the weekends either, so the time should be good for us to get together."

"Alright. Sounds good."

"Oh, and a bit saving trick, try riding the train into town. It's much cheaper than a taxi chariot. They just take a little longer depending on where y'all are coming from."

"Okay, I'll try it. Thank you."

"Goodbye, Scoots."

"Bye, Apple Bloom."

I hung up and slowly turned around, expecting my robot to be right behind me. To my surprise, he wasn't. How odd. Maybe I'll call his name, wait... I didn't name him. How the hell did I forget to name my robot? I felt so embarrassed, to a robot. I searched the house for him, and found him, dusting my Flight School Trophies.

"Good evening, ma'am. What can I do for you?"

"Can you tell me your name?"

He stopped dusting and turned to me. He lifted the mechanical arm holding the feather duster, and pointed to himself. "I am Unit Number Four-Seventeen, but you may program me to have a more equine name."

"Would you mind if I did?"

"Ma'am, I am a robot, I wouldn't mind if you dismantled me, and melted me for scrap metal."

"We'll, that's one way to say; 'I don't give a fuck'” I muttered. After a few moments of thinking, I told him, “Umm... I'll call you... umm... LittleBlip!”

“Okay, just give me a moment to change my settings and...” He suddenly turned off, and fell to the ground in a limp mechanical heap.

What am I supposed to do now? I asked myself.

Before I could decide to do anything, he popped right back into the air, as if he'd never turned off.

“Good evening ma’am! What can I do for you?”

“What’s your name?”

“I am Unit Number Four-Seventeen, but you may call me LittleBlip.”

“Sure thing!” I smiled at my little success at properly naming my robot, even though all I had to do was ask it its name. Now it was time for sleep.

<)-------(>

I became fascinated with the world traveling around me. I watched as the cacti, steep hills, and plateaus passed by at a ludicrous speed. There was an occasional tumbleweed flying through the empty desert. I lost myself in my thoughts, and pretty soon my eyes stopped looking through window, and I found myself staring at myself. After some deep thinking, I started making silly faces to myself. I am such a child at heart. I’m stuck in the middle of a war-time Equestria, and I’m just making silly faces like a little filly would. But now the last of my innocence is going to leave me. I’m going to go from a simple business mare to what I guessed as an important figure in whatever we’re going to do here, and it doesn’t seem like it’s going to be all too innocent. We’re being funded by the ones who basically own the war, for the love of Celestia, how could I get caught up in this?

<)-------(>

Damn. These trains take forever. No wonder they’re so cheap. Four hours didn’t seem like too much when I read the timetable at the Ponyville station, but I couldn’t stand it anymore. A sky chariot could make this run in maybe one to two hours. Not that I’m complaining about the amount of bits I’ve saved with this form of transport. This is just taking forever, and I still have two hours left.

<)-------(>

“WELCOME TO APPLELOOSA!” The cheery older stallion startled me as I got off of the train.

“Who are you?”

“I’m Braeburn, Apple Bloom's cousin. Since I didn’t have work today, and Apple Bloom knew I was in town, she wanted me to greet you. Would you like a tour of Appleloosa!?”

“No thanks, Braeburn. I’m already running a little late.”

“Well alrighty then!” He muttered under his breath about how nopony appreciates the town as he walked with me to the watering hole. It was nearing dusk, and I hadn't gotten any sleep on the train. I yawned, and thanked him.

“Well, it’s no problem.” He turned off and walked towards the apple orchard.

I walked into the saloon, which was filled with loud, drunken ponies of all (legal) ages, sexes, and races.

I wasn’t even three full steps in, before some male earth pony offered me a drink.

I brushed him off, and scanned for Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. Behind me, I heard Apple Bloom’s voice above all the noise.

“HEY SCOOTS! BEHIND YOU!”

I turned around, and found her and Sweetie Belle in a booth. I sat down with them, next to Sweetie Belle, and put my “pissed off” face on.

“YEAH, AH KNOW IT’S A LITTLE LOUD IN HERE!” Apple Bloom had read my face.

“NO SHIT, HUH?” I retorted, barely able to hear myself.

“NOW LET’S ALL CALM DOWN, NO NEED TO MAKE OURSELVES LOOK DRUNK!” Sweetie Belle said loudly, yet elegantly.

“NO OFFENSE, BUT WHY THE HELL IS APPLELOOSA EVEN SO POPULAR?” I asked, directed towards Apple Bloom.

“BUSINESS!” She replied.

“NOW LET’S GET DOWN TO OUR OWN!” Sweetie Belle said.

“NOT UNTIL WE GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE! I CAN BARELY HEAR EITHER OF YOU, LET ALONE MYSELF.” I retorted.

We all got up and when we got outside, and I could hear myself again. “So where are we going to talk at?” I asked.

“Ah know a cool little place, not too many people go there.” Apple Bloom suggested, “Follow me.”

Apple Bloom led us to a small little cliff overlooking the amazing apple orchard.

Out in the apple orchard, I could see ponies in suits, exchanging suitcases, and realized what was going on. A sudden look of fear came onto Apple Bloom’s face, as she told us that we needed to leave.

“Why? What’s going on?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Business,” I said, as we turned around to leave.

<)-------(>

“So what you’re telling me, is that you want to go and talk to the Ministry Mare for the Ministry of Magic?” I asked.

“Uhh... Well, they are the ones who designed the megaspell systems in the first place,” Sweetie Belle retorted.

“And plus, our sisters can always talk to Twilight, and see if she has the time, They’ve known her for, like, forever.” Applebloom added.

“Well, that sounds cool then. Are we done then?” I asked.

“Yeah,” Apple Bloom said, “You enjoy the train ride?”

“Nope. Some damn filly behind me wouldn’t stop kicking my seat,” I told her.

They both laughed. “Why do you hate foals so much when you own a company to make their damned toys?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Yeah, what are you going to do, make a dangerous scooter that can really hurt some little filly, but not give them a recall?” Sweetie Belle jokingly asked.

“You all are messed up in the head. I swear, what’s up with you? I don’t even hate fillies, I hate the parents that can’t control them” I said as I tussled both of their manes. “That’s child’s play, anyways. I’d rather create a simple scooter, and make it seem so appealing, and then raise the prices. The perfect way to ruin a parents day is making them spend money.” I said sarcastically.

“You know, Scoots, that ain’t half a bad idea.” Apple Bloom told me, “You actually ought to do that.”

“Aww, get outta here. I wouldn’t do that. Red Racer is an honest company.” I told her.

Sweetie Belle jumped in between us, “Scootaloo? Is that you?” She jokingly asked as the knocked on my head.

“What are you trying to say?” I asked.

“All I’m saying is that I’m pretty sure ‘Honesty’ isn’t your middle name.”

Apple Bloom laughed, “Look who’s talking!”

“What have I done?” Sweetie Belle’s voice was now much louder.

“Don’t act like nopony remembers that nice earth pony who you dated until he ran outta money.” Apple Bloom laughed.

“Who?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Yer bein’ disohnest right now. You couldn’t have forgotten. You dated him for at least seven months.”

“It’s not ringing a bell,” Sweetie Belle said as she looked away from Apple Bloom.

“Ah know you know. He was Big Mac’s replacement in Sweet Apple Acres. He left for the city. Isn’t he like pulling trains now or something?” Apple Bloom answered.

"Are you talking about that tall one who was taller than Big Mac?" I asked, although I knew, I just wanted to be a part of the conversation.

"Yeah, the really muscular one. Ah know you remember, Sweetie," said Apple Bloom.

"I would not do such a thing. I just couldn't stay with him. He had... financial problems." Sweetie Belle said as she turned her snout away from us and into the air. She sounded so similar to Rarity when we used to get in trouble at the boutique.

"Like sister, like sister," I said.

Apple Bloom started laughing.

"That doesn't even make any sense!" Sweetie Bell said.

"What she's saying is that you are just like Rarity," said Apple Bloom, still laughing.

"Rarity is a great sister!" Sweetie Belle was obviously pissed at us.

"We never said she wasn't, but I think you might have been taking advantage of that guy," I said.

"Since we're back on the subject of that guy, did y'all ever... Uhh... Get to know each other? Like really get to know each other? Like really really really get to know each other?" Apple Bloom was on the brink of laughing again.

"This. Conversation. Is. Over." Sweetie Belle’s voice was not sounding like the beautiful singer’s that we knew so well on the radio.

"Welp, I gotta go and get on a train. I'm saving my money." I said, knowing that too much fun leads to no fun, and making Sweetie Belle any more pissed off could possibly result in a homicide.

"Now hold up Scoots. The last train of the night goes to Olneigh. That's like eight hours in the opposite direction of where you want to be. You can spend the night with me an Sweetie. We're riding to Ponyville tomorrow, and that train is the one you came here on. You can just fly yourself to Cloudsdale from there." Apple Bloom is such a life saver.

"You just saved me so many bits, and so much time. Thank you. I'll totally crash at your place here." I said. I then turned to Sweetie Belle, "You know we're just playing right? It's okay if you only dated him for the money and the sex."

I gave off the most innocent smile as Apple Bloom started to laugh. Sweetie Belle screamed, and chased me. I took flight, while laughing my flank off. Sweetie Belle then telekinetically grabbed my tail and pulled me down. As she looked me in the eye, pissed off more than I had ever seen anyone pissed off, I couldn't help but laugh. As she stood above me, threatening to hit me in the face with her hooves, I just laid back and laughed. Apple Bloom had caught up to us, and fell to the ground and laughed too.

As she noticed us, her two oldest childhood friends, laughing their flanks off, her face of anger melted into a smile as she started to laugh herself. As we walked through the dirty, unpaved streets of Appleloosa, we laughed and talked about what we might do with all the funding, and our ideas of a Stable.

<)-------(>

“Here we are! This is the place!” Apple Bloom said.

I looked in front of me, and saw a large two story building with many doors which all faced towards the unpaved street. All of which were numbered starting from ‘101’ on the first floor, and ‘201’ on the second.

“I thought you meant you had a place here,” I said, dissapointed with the motel that she had taken me to.

“Oh, get over it Scootaloo,” Sweetie Belle said, “You can still either fly home, or pay for a ride.”

“Either of those aren’t bad ideas,” I said.

“It’s really not that bad, Ah mean, There’s a little living room with a TV, and there’s two beds in the bedroom.” Apple Bloom seemed to be trying to sell me the chance to stay.

I looked at her with a face of dissaproval, “Two beds...”

“But you can sleep on the couch! Come on Scoot, it’ll be like when we spent the night with Miss Fluttershy, ‘cept we don’t break the table.”

“Okay, okay. I’ll sleep on the couch then.”

Apple Bloom jumped into the air, “YES!”

After buying some junk food for dinner at the vending machines, and putting some tap water into a cup for a drink, I sat on the slightly torn loveseat, which was a lot smaller than Apple Bloom made it seem. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were already asleep in the two small beds that were in the bedroom.

I decided I'd turn on the television to pass the time. As the screen flickered on, I saw some white text on a black screen that read,

OUR DEDICATED BUCKS KEEP THE PEACE ON THE FRONTLINES

The title card was pulled away, and the screen showed two Steel Rangers who seemed to be talking as a zebra soldier to their left was tied up, and struggling to move. One of the Steel Rangers walked over, and leaned forward, with one of his oversized rifles on his back pointed at the zebra’s head. The shot rang out, and the zebra fell to the floor, with most of his head gone. As the Steel Ranger turned around, his buddy pointed out that one of his hind legs was still twitching. The Steel Ranger turned back to the body, and leaned forward further. He sent another bullet into his spine. His buddy and him noticed the camera. He casually waved a hoof at the camera, and his buddy did the same. The screen switched to an advertisement for the Steel Rangers.

I instantly switched off the television, as I pulled the hole filled blanket over myself. As I lay in the worn out loveseat, I shuddered.

“What horrible thoughts could lie behind that buck’s helmet? What cruelty did he have to endure to make him kill all while holding what I guessed was a smile beneath that cold steel visor? What did he see from their perspective? What did his buddy see? Did they think they were doing good? Did either of them worry about the zebra? What did he feel besides the recoil? Was it a mental burden to kill? Was there any psychological damage to them for all that they must’ve seen? What did they think about when they weren’t killing defenseless prisoners? What if they saw their killing as if it was just... business? What if... what if killing is only business?” All these questions I wanted an answer to, but staring at the ceiling wouldn’t get me them. Come to think of it, I don’t really want the answers to those questions anymore.

I tried my best to put the bad thoughts thoughts behind me as I made an attempt to find a comfortable position to sleep in on the small loveseat.

<)-------(>

A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:

Hello everyone! You may be wondering why this chapter took so damned long, and is shorter than the other two. The answer to that is Laziness! Don’t worry, it shouldn’t take too long for Chapter 4, but then again, I’m not making any promises. Thanks to Kkat for creating the FO:E Universe, and thanks to sargecadet who is my editor. Without him, this fiction would be horrible. If you were waiting for this chapter, I apologize, and thank you. I really appreciate it. I’m glad you could enjoy it. More to come soon... Okay, maybe not soon, but more to come Trust me.

And in case you were wondering, the chapter title "But I Don't Have to Trust a Soul" was based off of the song Afraid Of Everyone by The National.

Comments

[Jon Hoof]

I'm quite curious about this, it's fairly well written and all that jabber that makes me sound smrat.

[oki_all_day]

1107929

Thank you, I'm glad you think that. Trust me, if it weren't for my editor, sargecadet, this story would be a complete mess.