Fallout: Equestria - War Does Change

by tom117z

36 - Family

Chapter Thirty-Six: Family

“I love you, BBBFF…”

---

Well, this had to be the most dangerous thing we’ve done in, well… the last few hours, at least.

Night had fallen, and as planned we had spent the intermittent hours slowly and silently going through each building surrounding Platinum Plaza and taking out the snipers who, otherwise, probably would have made our lives a living hell. A very short one at that.

From there we just had to hope that they wouldn’t be expecting a replacement to swap them out before we’d gone in. Otherwise, things were going to get complicated very fast.

Still, so far so good. Nopony, or zebra for that matter, had given a shout of alarm as we’d waited the remaining time away. And once the cityscape had darkened, we began to make out way down from the building we were cooped up in and back into the streets below.

Step one? Walking up to the front door and knocking.

Or, at least, Xena was.

Oh, I did not like this. But it was a plan, better than none at all…

We were currently crouched around the corner from where the road ended and where the entrance to the plaza began. Passing through the interior space between us and it would have us run right into one of their barricades. Now we just had to hope Xena still knew her brother as well as she hoped she did.

“Last chance to back out,” I said to her, retrieving the StealthBuck and getting ready to slot it into my PipBuck. “I’d understand.”

“But I wouldn’t,” she refuted. “And what of you?”

“As I said, I go where you do. So, how do you plan on getting them to not shoot on sight again?”

“Hopefully, my identity and claims of surrender will be enough,” she said uncertainly. “I imagine he has a few things he would like to say to me if possible. I assure you that I do.”

“Well… I’ll be right behind you. Just keep them busy while I do my thing.”

“And you must try not to get caught. All of this… it would not be worth a second if I lost you tonight.”

“Hey, we’ve made it this far,” I pointed out. “Ever since I met you, I’ve done all kinds of crazy shit.”

“True. Now, let us go before one of them finds us.”

I glanced down at the StealthBuck, hoping to Celestia that I had set it up right. But then, with nothing else to do but get on with it, I plugged the device in and watched as my PipBuck’s screen momentarily switched to a whole bunch of text as it booted it up.

And then the weirdest experience of my life happened, which is quite a feat after everything else the past month had thrown at me. That being… my hoof just vanished. ‘Poof’, just like that. Well, kinda. There was a strange distortion in the air if I focused enough…

Let’s hope the Remnant don’t notice that too, huh?

Xena stared at where I was, or at least had been… Let’s not think on the technicalities, the point being that she looked right at me for a moment before looking around the corner at the building directly ahead.

And then she started to walk.

I followed on, keeping a healthy distance behind the mare I love as she nervously made her way to the end of the street and through the large doorway leading into the structure.

The interior was little more than a tunnel into the plaza. A couple of vending machines and benches sat along the walls, along with a small desk which read ‘tourist information’. A couple of doors led back into the rest of the structure where’d we’d been hiding out up until now, but we ignored all of that. Rather, we just continued on out of the next set of doors and into Platinum Plaza itself.

And, as expected, we ran right into a fortification upon which stood a couple of Zebra Remnant soldiers.

“I am Xena, sister of Xaro,” she announced as the guards started to reach for their weapons, and much to my relief they stopped in their tracks. “I believe your commander has been looking for me?”

The two zebras glanced towards each other, and then one reached for a radio while the other trained his rifle squarely onto Xena, cautiously eying the sniper rifle slung across her back.

For the moment, I hung back by the doorway. I couldn’t hear what the zebra was saying over the radio, but I hoped it was good for us, whatever it was…

Eventually, the zebra looked up from the radio and gave Xena a suspicious glare.

“You have been causing our legion quite a great amount of trouble,” the guard stated. “Where are those ponies of whom you dishonour yourself travelling with?”

“My friends are safely far from here,” she responded, ‘technically’ not lying. “They need not be harmed for trials that are mine alone. I give myself freely to you, for I wish to speak with my brother.”

“A traitor to the Remnant should be executed on the spot,” the second guard spat.

“But that would displease Xaro, would it not?” Xena questioned with a raised eyebrow. “I am in a position where he could deal with me himself, which I believe he would relish to opportunity to do so. Do you believe me so foolish to believe you would ignore the wishes of the one who holds your life in his hooves?”

The guard in question flinched, but he didn’t say another word.

“You are correct,” the first confirmed, trotting down from the fortification while his buddy didn’t lower his weapon for a moment. “He has long spoken of this as a… desired outcome, rather than you dying to a bullet far from his presence.”

“But that does beg the question…” Xena started, standing perfectly still as the zebra stallion ripped away her rifle and searched her for further weapons. “Why was he not with those who have pursued me before?”

“His duty overrules his personal feelings, as is only right for those serving the glory of the Legate and the memory of the Caesar,” he said, finishing his search and sliding Xena’s rifle onto his back. Oh, I was so getting that back later. “You are to die, of course. And yet, here you are surrendering to us. So please, do play nice. We wouldn’t want to disappoint Xaro by giving us a reason to kill you now, would we?”

“I wouldn’t give you the satisfaction,” she replied bluntly. “Now, take me to him.”

“In due time.” My blood started to boil as he roughly grabbed onto her mane and started to drag her further into the camp.

But I couldn’t do anything… not yet. I just had to bear it and follow on, moving slowly and trying to avoid the Remnant as much as possible.

He ‘led’ her past the fortification and into the camp itself, passing by many zebras of all builds and stripe configuration. All of them wore the same legionnaire uniform, and all of them regarded Xena with an infuriating amount of disdain.

Finally, we arrived at the centre of the camp where the guard violently threw her to the dirt with a satisfied smirk. From around the camp and out of each tent many more of them started to emerge, all gathering around to see what was with the commotion.

And then, out from the largest tent of them all, he finally emerged. Xaro stood before his fallen sister, each having their eyes bore into that of the other. All went silent, only the crackle of a nearby fire commentating on the reunion between the two siblings.

There was an open pit in my stomach, a feeling of utter dread at seeing my marefriend so helpless against these fuckers. So much of me wanted to act now, to bring out my assault rifle and just spray into the crowd.

But I had a job to do, and suicide wasn’t part of it.

I moved away while they were occupied, keeping my ears trained in and half an eye on what was happening as I carefully made my way to the tent they were using as an armoury and started to stock up on their own plastic explosives.

And then the silence was broken.

“Xaro,” Xena spoke first, attempting to rise only to be kicked back to the dirt by one of the soldiers. “Ugh, is this necessary? We are still siblings, after all.”

“As my sibling, I already provide more courtesy than a traitor should receive,” he responded in a growl. “Any other zebra I would leave for my legionnaires to do with as they pleased, they are starved for relaxation in this unholy city of ponies.”

“You have truly fallen that far?” she asked incredulously. “Has simple sense left you?”

“I have all the sense I need, and if you had any you would not have abandoned us as you did,” he retorted. “You have killed all those I sent to eliminate you with the help of those ponies. But perhaps it was for the best, as it has led you to me.”

I finished collecting the explosives, and with one placed under a table of ammunition, I started to make my way around the camp to do the same with the rest. My PipBuck’s sorting spell made that easy enough, it even seemed to arm them for me, and they were rigged to be detonated all at once from the device. Apparently, the PipBuck screen would somehow materialise whenever I wanted to use it, part of the spell I’d guess. More than a little risky, seeing as that created a noticeable green glow that bypassed the camouflage. But they all seemed sufficiently occupied…

“Keep her here until I have finished my business. It will take but a moment,” Xaro said to another one of his zebra. “Then, dear sister, we will talk one final time.”

He turned, returning into the tent as Xena cautiously looked around at the mob around her. If they tried anything, I was going to detonate these fucking things right now and start the party. But, luckily, they seemed to respect their commander enough to follow his wishes.

I continued my work, getting a little concerned as the charge on the StealthBuck started to get a little low. Still, I had enough time to go around a few more of the tents and the barricades at each entrance, getting each one ready for the big boom.

It came down to the point where I had but one plastic explosive left in my inventory, one destined for Xaro’s tent maybe…

But before I got the chance to do so, the stallion in question emerged from the tent once more.

“Legionnaire!” he shouted at a young mare, holding out a bound scroll for her. “Put that Roamani stamina to use and run this message to the Legate. Take an escort if you wish but return to Hoofington post-haste.”

“At once,” the mare confirmed, taking the scroll dutifully and moving to prepare herself.

“Why not deliver it to him yourself?” Xena scoffed.

“I am not done with this city. I do not leave my work unfinished.” He must be talking about Crossroads… and our friends. “Bring her. I will deal with this filth, and then we prepare for battle.”

Xena was hauled up to her hooves before being roughly shoved into the large tent after her brother. I made sure to slip in as this was happening, bypassing two large zebra stallions who then proceeded to stand outside to guard the entrance.

The interior of the tent was… lavish, to say the least. There was a desk set up in the far left former, the right end being home to a bed that had what looked like a Yao Gui pelt for covers. There was also a small dining table, one devoid of any kind of meal for the moment. There was a pre-war bottle of wine, however.

“It appears you have been greatly rewarded for your loyalty,” Xena mused, also examining the tent. “Loyalty to an insane individual with a craving for blood.”

“The benefits of falling into line,” Xaro said, retrieving a couple of chipped mugs and pouring some of the wine into them. “You could have shared in such prospers, but instead you threw your future away for the sake of demons.”

“Ponies are not demons. No more than we are ourselves to them,” Xena retorted before she then gave a humourless chuckle. “How many times have we had this argument, brother? Only I remember a time where it wasn’t quite so… heated.”

“As do I,” he confirmed, holding out one of the mugs to his sister. “It’s an Atori-made beverage, but quite decent.”

“You have changed your tune,” she deadpanned.

“Hardly,” he responded, placing the mug on the table for her to consume should she want it, taking a sip from his own while sitting down in one of the chairs. “I have to kill you for what you did, there is no changing that. But you are still family, there is no reason we can’t be civil one last time. In private, at least.”

“Away from the ears of the Legate,” she dryly noted, sighing. “I would imagine there is no convincing you away from this terrible path you’ve chosen.”

“I would ask the same, but it wouldn’t matter even if you did,” he stated. “You are cursed, Xena. Or is it ‘Stripe’ now?”

“Not to you,” Xena rebuked. “And cursed, brother? How have I done such a thing to myself, exactly?”

“Abandoning a cause as righteous as burning the city of Nightmare Moon herself was a start,” he remarked. “Avoiding retribution was another. But not only befriending and travelling with ponies but fucking one of them. I never took you for a whore, sister.”

My nostrils flared, and I once again had that intense desire to reveal myself. But not yet, I still had a bit of charge left in the StealthBuck. Besides, I’m sure Xena still had a few things to say.

“How do you know so much?” Xena asked, her eyes narrowing.

“The Frumentarii have pursued you since Manehatten. Unseen as we prepared our next step, and they have seen how you look at him. That scavenger the pony DJ speaks of. Tell me, was he comforting? Was it ‘good’ selling out your own body to a creature like him?”

“I love him, you fool!” she shouted, slamming her hooves into the desk and spilling the wine. “He has bettered himself and done so much to simply help people. Just helping, as we always should have done. Saving those who would only want to live in peace and fighting monsters like the Goddess. Like the slavers. Like you.”

“Ponies are beasts to be culled,” he growled back, rising from his seat. “They would sooner offer themselves before the stars than help anything!”

“And here we go, fearing little motes of light many lightyears away,” she mocked, backing away incredulously. “There is great evil in this world, it is true. But it isn’t a species only trying to survive as we are. It isn’t a long-dead princess. It certainly isn’t a damned light in the sky! It’s people who give in to fear and superstition to the point of murder. Brother, just let the past die! It’s the now that matters, who will save now.”

“As naïve as always,” Xaro dismissed. “The world shall only be saved from this existence when ponies are but a memory. That is something you fail to grasp, and now have cursed yourself into forever being forfeit from our destiny. A curse you spread to our mother and father!”

Xena froze. “What did just say?”

Xaro grit his teeth, standing up and slowly reaching for his rifle. I prepared to jump in at a moment’s notice. “After you left, they had second thoughts. They started to think you were right, that the Legate was mad. Blasphemy. I tried to talk to them, but after we cleansed that pony caravan… They too tried to leave, and I had to stop them.”

“What did you do…?” Xena whispered in horror, her eyes going wide. “What. Did. You. DO!?”

“My duty,” he replied simply. “I executed them before the Legate himself, and he awarded me with this command, charging me with all future attempts on your life. I am rewarded by staying true in our fight against the darkness of the moon and stars, and I shall bring judgement on all beings created in their light! That means the ponies. And that means you, little sister.”

Xena seethed, tears rolling down her cheeks. I couldn’t even imagine what she had to be feeling at the news of how her parents had died… “You are such a disappointment, brother.”

Welp, that’s my cue!

I disengaged the already pretty much drained StealthBuck and offered that bastard a smug grin as he did a surprised doubletake.

I then hit the option in my PipBuck, taking no small amount of satisfaction at the subsequent sound of explosions and panicked shouts around the camp.

“Wha…?” Xaro said, dumbfounded.

My pistol pulled free, I opened up on Xaro who was suddenly knocked from his stupor by a bullet or two to his barding. He fell back over the table, though I wasn’t sure if they’d broken through his armour as the two guards outside came barging in.

I entered S.A.T.S., targeting a few shots at the one aiming his zebra rifle at me while the final shot was reserved for the second. Releasing the spell, I pumped the first zebra full of holes and let him drop before I turned to the second. My bullet flew, hitting him painfully in the shoulder before Xena barged into him. I realised it was the same zebra who’d ‘escorted’ her inside when she pulled her sniper rifle free from his back and cracked him over the head with it.

“Let us finish this!” she shouted, and I gave no argument as we burst from the tent and into the chaos outside.

And chaos it was.

Much of the camp was on fire, any zebra not caught in the initial blasts were either trying to stop the flames from further spreading or attempting to recover the ones who were. And from the looks of it, a very sizable chunk of them had been. Bodies, and parts thereof, were strewn all around the area. Those who had not been killed were severely wounded and not in any shape for a fight.

The number of red bars on my Eyes Forward Sparkle suddenly seemed a lot more manageable.

One of the Remnant saw us, and they brought up their weapon with a shout of alarm. Xena was fast, downing the zebra with her sniper even as more turned to face us. Even if the plan had worked, there were still a number of soldiers up against us, and we were vulnerable just standing out in the open as we were. So, firing a couple of stray shots to cover our movements, we moved back by the flames of what was probably the ammo pile I’d blown up.

The flames were scorching, I could just feel the ends of my fur being singed from proximity. We definitely didn’t want to get any closer!

It did provide a buffer between us and them, though.

We moved around, the red bars in my vision scurrying around in their panic. We moved from the flames and towards the relatively intact stone gazebo containing the Queen Platinum statue, though there was a piece of charred metal lodged into one of the mare’s eyes. Still, we hopped up as more gunfire followed us, using the Queen for cover as the Remnant did their utmost to kill us.

There was another explosion. More ammunition? Well, whatever it was, it had just wiped out several more red bars.

I looked around, swapping out for my assault rifle and firing at a couple of Remnant out in the open. One of them was hit and injured, the second retreated backwards and returning fire, forcing me to duck back as a bullet chipped away at the stone not far from my head!

“I believe all of their guard posts have been dismantled,” Xena noted, glancing around us quickly. “How many remain?”

“A couple dozen, if that. Less, actually,” I informed her. “Those blasts did a number, they’re not doing much else in this city.”

“Xaro would have survived your bullets, I am certain,” she said, looking around our cover and letting off a shot that failed to kill anyone. “He will return if he can. He won’t let me go.”

“What’s your plan now?”

“Give me cover, I wish to better position myself.”

Cover. Right. Covering!

I jumped out from behind and wildly sprayed at any and all zebras I happened to see! Well, the not-Xena zebras anyway! Not sure if I hit any, but I’m pretty sure I gave her the time she needed to- Shit!

I dropped down to the ground with thankfully metaphorical fire burning across my face! Crawling behind the statue again, I let my PipBuck grab a healing potion before I took hold and gulped it down rapidly. The bloody streak along my face quickly sealed up, and I was left feeling a little thankful it hadn’t been an inch to the left. Even with the wound closed up, blood still matted my face from where the bullet had grazed me.

“Fucking… Gah!”

A Moon Blossom would be really useful about now!

I heard that classic CRACK from somewhere to my right, a red bar blinking out. Since Xena seemed to have found her spot, I decided that I should also probably move. Ol’ Platinum wasn’t looking so hot…

I moved out, using S.A.T.S. to target the between them, a couple of bullets biting into each of their skulls and turning the insides to mulch. From there, I kept moving away from the centre of all the commotion, using some of the old pre-war benches dotted around the plaza for cover. Not the most useful barrier in the world, but it was something!

The Remnant moved to follow as I finally settled on using an old hay burger stand for hiding purposes, the metal doing far better against their fire than the wood of any old bench.

CRACK.

CRACK.

Two more soldiers fell, the rest scrambling to try and get cover. I couldn’t be sure how many had actually survived the booms, how many were alive but wounded or if any had decided to cut their losses and get out. One thing I was certain of, however, was that only seven zebras were still actively trying to kill us.

Beats fifty!

I fired at the Remnant, only getting a couple of shots off before I was forced to duck again from their counter-attack. Another shot from Xena rang out, but none of the Remnant seemed to fall as they kept trying to stay ahead of their unseen assailant. One made the mistake and fanning out too far, and I was able to get a good shot on the stallion before he could react.

Six.

Six… and a very familiar feral screech!

There was a shout from one of the Remnant that was followed by horrific gurgling as the feral ghouls bit out his throat, another running over to join in the feast. Another group of about three followed in after that, probably attracted by all the noise!

Something I hadn’t considered: All of Vanhoover probably heard those explosions! The smoke was certainly going to be carrying for miles, and the fire was still spreading!

Two more zebras were pounced upon and mauled by the ghouls, the remaining three catching the charging zombie ponies going for them in time to gun them down. They then went to deal with other ferals, and I emerged from behind the stand to finish them in turn.

I heard a window smashing, and a thump as Xena was thrown from one floor up and into some dead bushes.

Dammit!

I left cover and ran to her side, relieved to see her stirring, if a little groggy.

“You okay!?” I shouted, extracting a healing potion and moving to her lips.

All breath left me, along with most other feeling actually, when I felt something punt me in the barrel and send me to the dirt. The world swam, little funny lights danced at the edges of my vision. Thinking was… kinda a struggle… But I think I was-

Something picked me up, and I was turned to face the enraged eyes of Xaro.

Oh.

He raised a hoof, but I felt myself get dropped as another arriving feral pounced on top of the stallion. I felt feeling starting to return to my body, and fuck did my ribs hurt. Yeah, he definitely fractured a couple of them.

Unsteadily getting to my hooves, I watched Xaro throw the feral off and kick the rotting creature’s head straight from his body!

Well, fuck everything!

More and more ferals were arriving, and I would be surprised if other mutants hadn’t been attracted by the smell of freshly cooked corpses. We had to leave, but Xaro was between us and any escape.

I cut into S.A.T.S., finding two zebra targets right by me. Aside from Xaro, the spell was quick to inform me of another zebra charging in from the side! Bite marks pocketed his body, and it seemed like the others hadn’t fared so well against the ghouls, but his rifle was nevertheless primed aimed right at me.

I targeted him first and Xaro second, the probabilities for the latter oddly in the lower percentages, but I engaged the spell in an instant!

My rifle whipped around and unloaded into the already wounded soldier, the zebra dropped and grinding to a dead halt in the dirt.

Xaro was next!

I automatically turned and fired several rounds, but to my ultimate amazement, that zebra fuck just fucking did a summersault towards me and avoided the lot of them! I tried to fire manually, but he just kicked out with a hind leg and sent my gun flying from my magical grip!

I really hate hoof-to-hoof fighting.

Still, with him right in my face to the point of even reaching for my pistol would be too slow, I had no other choice but to try and go for a punch to the face!

My hoof met thin air.

I attempted to buck where I saw him dodge to, but the bastard just ducked beneath the strike and moved back in front of me! I tried to intercept him again with a left hook, but my heart sank when not only did he sidestep but he also took hold of my limb!

There was a crack, and I could only shout in so much pain as my front leg was snapped in two!

“The gifts of the Legate,” he hissed into my ear. “I may be a novice in comparison to many other practitioners of Fallen Caesar, but it’s more than enough to kill the pathetic pony who took my sister’s dignity.”

CRACK.

I dropped again, even more pain tunnelling throughout my leg and into the rest of my body as I landed with the limb at a very wrong angle.

It was worse for Xaro, though, given the large seeping hole that had appeared through his chest. The round had ripped straight through his barding, and he slowly turned to face his sister in shock, an empty healing potion bottle by her hooves.

She moved forward, and so did he despite his lethal wound. Far slower and sluggish than he had been, in obvious mortal pain, he got up onto his hind legs as he got close and attempted a kick akin to what he’d done with the ghouls.

It was sloppy, and easily avoided as he quickly lost balance and fell back onto all fours.

Xena pressed the front of her sniper against his chest, and she pulled the trigger.

Xaro dropped to the ground.

I managed to get myself up into a sitting position, cradling my broken leg as I looked towards the sight. Xaro still appeared to be breathing, and Xena was crouched down beside him while she cupped his cheek.

I caught movement in the corner of my eyes, drawing my pistol quickly I opened up on the two ghouls rushing towards us. The first one I dropped with a bullet to the head, the second took several and dropped to the ground a little too close to me.

“Xena…” I said over to her gently, trying to point out the other ghouls still flooding into the area from Luna knew where. There must have been a den of them nearby, maybe in one of the buildings…?

But Xena didn’t respond, looking into her barely alive brother’s still open eyes.

“Despite it all, what we became…” I heard her whisper. “I still love you, brother.”

He could only gurgle blood in response, though he did try to move his hoof up to Xena almost as if to mirror her own action. But then the hoof fell limp, and that last red bar belonging to a zebra blinked out.

I let her have a moment, even if my instincts were screaming for us to get out right this moment. I kept an eye out, reaching out with my magic for my discarded assault rifle and holding it up with my pistol. Most of the ghouls seemed to be distracted by the fire and corpses for the moment, but sooner or later they’d decide we were a good meal.

I looked back at my marefriend, seeing her slowly rise up from her brother’s corpse with tears dotting her beautiful blue eyes.

And yet, as if finally seeing my screwed up leg, her eyes widened as she rushed to my side.

“Scrap Heap, your leg…” she muttered, examining it. “I-I’m no Altrix, but if we set it and have you drink a healing potion…”

“We can sort that out later,” I said to her. “We need to go, there are ferals everywhere. Attracted by the fighting.”

I glanced past her at Xaro’s corpse, softening my gaze despite the extreme physical pain I was in.

“Xena, I’m sorry about… how it all turned out.”

Her eyes turned downcast. “I know he loved me too, in his own demented way. And our parents. But love never stayed his hoof from monstrosities. I… I wish…”

“I know…” I whispered, accepting her help in getting to my hooves. I held my broken leg up to my chest, wincing at the pain even micromovements sent through the limb. “Let’s get out of here.”

With Xena’s help, moving on my three remaining legs, we left the fire and death behind us. Leaving it, and Xaro’s madness, to the decay of the wasteland and the teeth of the ferals.

---

Footnote: Max Level

Comments

[Malcolm129]

That there is one hell of a chapter

[Somuchforaname]

Daaaamn another great chapter but sadly I’m all caught up can’t wait to see what ya come up with next time

[LionelCorp315]

“Abandoning a cause as righteous as burning the city of Nightmare Moon herself was a start,” he remarked. “Avoiding retribution was another. But not only befriending and travelling with ponies but fucking one of them. I never took you for a whore, sister.”

Speaking of which I’m surprised nobody has made a clopfic of Scrapheap and Xena yet.

[tom117z]

10296937
Caeser's Legion expy.

[Shadowstorm15]

10296937
not in the normal sence i believe they are a kind of mixture of roman and african army types roman rankings with african fighting styles...thats just my theory though if we were going off off actual Fallout new vages then they are definitly following the roman style even thier currancy is roman being denarus

[Revluc_The_Pony]

Xaro is dead...even though he was bad I still feel bad he died.