Fallout: Equestria - Red 36

by ElDee

Chapter 1: Sunshine and Rainbows

Chapter 1 -

Sunshine and Rainbows

“Alright, alright so it’s been a little while since we’ve seen the sun”

I remember that day.

“Ugh. It’s bright,” I groaned, squinting bitterly at the bright ball of light in the sky. A glare from the sun bounced off one of the numerous SPP towers that dotted the horizon, stinging my eyes. Recalling that I’d heard something about those towers before, I fruitlessly tried to block out the blinding relics of the old world. Their size alone dwarfing my hoof as they pierced into the now clear skies with their mind-numbing height.

Pieces of old world machinery built in the back when times is what they were, stretching across the skyline in every direction. Those towers were the source of the overcast that kept us under permanent darkened skies for two hundred years. Most ponies in the wasteland learned to live with it. We didn’t give them much a second thought until they actually started doing something, on “The Day of Sunshine and Rainbows”, when they all lit up together simultaneously and blew away the cloud cover, allowing sunlight to finally return to Equestria.

We had the Stable Dweller to thank for that.

I looked to the east, where the light shined directly into my face, further souring my mood. I pressed onward already not looking forward to today. Admittedly, I was still a little bit nervous about my destination.

Sunlight was still a new sensation for most of us. The new scheduled weather took some getting used to, but then living your life under nothing but an eternally roiling blanket of stormy weather has a tendency to do that. To me though, they were just a constant reminder of what happened that day.

It had been like this since the fighting died down. I was just your average wasteland mare in her prime. A lone pony caught up in the chaos of events I had no control over. The Enclave Wars took everything from me, so I turned to any job I could find. A lot of the times my fortunes were left up to chance whether I’d be able to find a pony who’d give me work.

"Maybe I should’ve thought about buying a pair of shades first," I griped, continuing to shield my eyes from the blinding light with my one hoof. They hadn’t fully adjusted yet, even several months later. Or maybe I just hadn’t gotten used to the idea.

If there’s one thing I learned in the wasteland, it was backbone. Even after something tragic we were forced to keep moving. Wasteland ponies were hardy, that was to our credit. “You have to be strong, otherwise the wasteland will just leave you behind.” I repeated the old mantra in my head, as much as I’d rather have dropped dead at that moment. The pony who told me that long ago surfaced in my thoughts, leaving me wondering what he’d make of all this.

I scoffed at my own effort in futility. That pony was probably long gone, like everything else. If I had been able to find that old pony years ago, I wouldn’t be here now.

‘Delinquent’. ‘Newcomer’. ‘Outsider’. It was no different than before the Enclave Wars. They all had their own to look after, with their own problems to deal with. Not enough to go around. That’s the way it always goes. The influx of displaced ponies made things even more difficult in recent months. On top of that, the news cycle had become so depressing that I hadn’t listened to the radio in months. I caught bits and pieces of current events occasionally though whenever I stopped in towns during my travels.

As I kept pace along the road, it felt like I was making good time towards my destination. The scenery here was different from up in the North-East. It was hard to remember how many towns I’d been through on the way. Everything in the last half a year went by like a blur looking back on it.

Mercenaries were in high market demand lately, luckily for me, but if this didn’t work out, I’d consider heading somewhere else to make a fresh start. It didn’t matter where. Scavenging pre-war junk was already becoming less and less profitable before the Enclave Wars, and I didn’t want to go back to it if I could help it, but it didn’t matter that it hurt my pride doing it either. Just so long as I could get somewhere as far away as possible and forget about everything.

“You already tried forgetting, you idiot,” my brain reminded me. “If you could, you wouldn’t be here in the first place.”

I caught a brief glimpse of a road sign advertising “The Outpost 52”, causing me to let out a weary sigh as I came to the sudden realization of what I was about to do.

All that mattered to me was that I had proven in these last months. Some small bit of positivity I could fall back on. That I didn’t need anypony else to make it on my own, was enough to keep me going. At least that’s what I continued to repeat over and over inside my head.

You could say I wasn’t exactly looking forward to this reunion, all things considered. We didn’t part ways on the best of terms. When his name came up in a sleazy backwater wasteland joint, I asked if they were talking about “that Fair Trade?” From his bald head to his bottlecap cutie mark, they all but confirmed it and told me he had gotten himself involved in some big righteous cause. “Fighting the Good Fight,” as ponies liked to say. That initially piqued my interest because the old stallion had been against joining up with big moral crusades for as long as I knew him.

After hearing one too many reports over the radio of brave ponies and heroic wasteland adventures, I became fed up enough that I made up my mind to go see him. He was already middle aged when I was was a filly, so probably old and geriatric by now. I assumed he would’ve retired long ago. It might be a miracle if he even remembered me. Make no mistakes though, for me to come crawling back to ask him for another favor again after all these years was the last thing I wanted to do.

The odd mechanical spritebot passed me on my way. Despite all the new trade running back and forth between settlements, the roads seemed oddly empty today. Worst of all, my mind kept returning to that day again. It was like the annoying bloatsprite that wouldn’t leave me alone. I shook my head vigorously while doing my best to ignore it.

I looked up. Finally, I had arrived at the crossroads on the edge of the Canterlot Valley, albeit still in a bitter mood. The Canterlot Castle that had survived for so long had been blasted off the side of the mountain, and a big salvage operation had formed around the ruins. There were some changes brought about by Operation Cauterize and the subsequent Day of Sunshine and Rainbows that felt only surface deep, but then there were the scars that weren’t so easy to forget. Proof that things could never go back to the way they were. The wasteland was a constantly changing place with a long sordid history, but this strange new Equestria felt alien to me.

Up ahead, was my destination. The Outpost 52. “Looks like I’m in the right place” I nickered.

From far away, it already looked like an impressive operation, but up close even more so. The outpost was built on top of an old stone bridge that had been scaled up to accommodate for increased traffic entering the royal city during the war. Traders and mercs from Junction Town set up shop not long after the fighting died down and built further on top of what was already there. Together they formed the groundwork for what would become a prosperous trade post.

Centered near the crossroads where all cities in Equestria converged, it stood near to the North West of the Canterlot Valley monitoring all travel that passed through the territory. It also oversaw the nearby salvage operations going on at the ruins. Once before the war, this was probably one of the most important places in Equestria. Now the top portion of the tallest tower of the castle stood out amidst the wreckage. Yet another casualty of the Enclave.

Spotters were posted inside a pair of security stations on either side of the bridge to keep an eye on the roads. Another one was stationed up on a watch tower, surveying the situation in the outpost itself. They were armed with some pretty fancy looking scoped rifles and high quality combat armor.

Upon a second initial inspection, I noticed that the outpost also had working electricity! Impressive. Maybe they’d have a barracks where I could rest up. A place where I could get myself restocked and resupplied, along with some much needed rest and relaxation. Despite only having been set up in recent months, it looked like the geezer was doing pretty well for himself. I only hoped that he’d be happy to see me. As I got closer the Outpost it sounded like there was some sort of commotion.

The beige blonde-maned guardmare stopped me at her security station on the way to the outpost. She barked at me from atop her own personal barstool. “Hold it right there, ma'am! Who are you and what’s your business here?”

She kept her rifle trained on me the entire time. It looked to be freshly Ironshod Firearms manufactured, unlike a lot of the recycled models circulating throughout the wasteland. The other watchponies were carrying similar weapons, each of them wearing a “52” patch on their shoulders to mark themselves apart from the normal civies.

“Roulette.” I answered, “Is this Outpost 52?”

She groaned. “Great, just what we need.” I could hear her muttering under her breath. The mare made little effort to hide her annoyance at having to actually do her job. There was a slight country twang in her voice.

“Yeah, this is Outpost 52. What’s your business here, ma'am?” she sounded like she’d already asked that same question a thousand times that day, “Are you another refugee? You hiding wings underneath that jacket of yours, pegasus? I haven’t seen anypony travelling from along that road in weeks! So answer me!” she demanded, pointing back the way I came.

“Um...no. I’m a pony for hire,” I corrected, answering steadily, “and I’m one hundred percent earth pony. No wings, see?” I looked no different than any other wastelander. All I had to my name was my special jacket, which I’ve kept with me since I was a filly, my trusty ten millimeter pistol, along with ammunition to go with it, a hoofful of bottlecaps, and provisions for the road. Nothing special.

She rolled her eyes back at me, “You ought to head back the way you came and find a different route to Junction Town. The roads here are closed off due to reports of raider attacks along the highway. Bastards must be getting desperate.” She chuckled slightly. I almost lost my temper right there. Like hell, was I about to be turned away at the gate by some lazy for-hire after coming all the way here. “Prove it,” she spat, and I screwed my face in annoyance.

“Are you kidding me?” I began getting slightly annoyed. “What’s with the security detail?”

“We can’t be too careful, you could be a raider for all I know! This outpost is under Gawd’s protection! So don’t try anything funny! I won’t hesitate to smear your brains across the pavement.” The earth pony asserted her position, waving her rifle in order to get across to me fully where we both stood. It almost seemed like she was getting some enjoyment out of it.

“Who?” I asked, returning her a confused look.

She tilted her head back to let out a grunt in frustration. “You ain’t too smart, are ya?” she asked. “ Gawdyna Grimfeathers of New Canterlot, and the coalition forces! She’s the one in charge of this whole damned territory! Haven’t you listened to a radio at all in the last five months?”

“I don’t listen to the news,” I admitted, feeling foolish. My ears folded back in embarrassment.

“Well, unless you got business here I can’t let you through.” The guard mare kept her rifle trained on me the whole time, a welcomed and familiar hospitality in the Equestrian Wasteland. I didn’t flinch, because I was well used to it by now. Instead we both exchanged dirty looks. She wasn’t going to let me through after all...

“Look, I’m here to see Fair Trade. It’s important.” I huffed.

The guard mare seemed satisfied with that answer, “Oh, the boss? Why didn’t you just say so? If you’re here for work, I suppose you check out but you’ll have to take it up with him in his office. Listen here, this is a New Canterlot Operation so any contract you sign is going through them. Payment included. Understand?” I nodded, and she plopped back down onto the barstool. “We got another one coming through!” she called, and the rest of the outpost's security signalled to each other to let me pass.

She let me be on my way, on the stipulation that I didn’t cause any trouble for her. “I wouldn’t want to have to leave my post to go deal with you.” she cautioned as a kind of half hearted threat, while giving me the stink eye. Bitch.

“What’s your name by the way? So I can report your sorry flank.” I scoffed as I passed her security station.

“It’s Mags. Good luck getting me fired. His office is over there.” she taunted, and let me though to the outpost.

As I climbed up onto the crowded bridge, it was like a bazaar of the wastes, complete with every type of wasteland pony you could imagine, with everypony too busy to notice me. Traders, mercenaries, and refugees. Some were salvagers from the nearby Canterlot ruins. A few griffons were playing cards amongst themselves. All of them waiting for the all clear signal that’d let everyone know it was safe for caravans to move out. A few ponies were whispering amongst themselves. Mistaking me for one of them?

“Some things never change.” I muttered.

I tugged on my Special Jacket which had always been just a size too small for me, and put on my best rough mercenary face. Keeping my eyes straight ahead of me, I ignored the ponies giving me glares. They went back to ignoring me shortly.

The clamor up top sharply contrasted the lonely quiet I was feeling earlier. This whole place was practically filled to the brim with ponies! I hoofed my way through the crowded outpost in the direction of Fair Trade’s office. I managed to take a quick glance inside the barracks, and saw several traders playing a game of cards atop a wooden crate that was serving as a table. The game was called “Caravan”, played by traders and mercenaries to pass the time. Its rules were sometimes considered dubious by non traders, but it was also one of the few popular wasteland games that wasn’t entirely based on luck.

I turned my ears to listen, and caught some details on a nearby dispatch radio blaring updates on the local news and events as I passed by. Several rough looking ponies were crowded around it. The music stopped, and I heard the clutter of a small studio …

Good morning, Equestria! This is Daily Day coming to you with the daily trade and reports, straight from Junction Town! It’s a lovely morning in Equestria, not a cloud in the sky! Raiders are dead and trade is up, all thanks to recent efforts of the New Canterlot Army! -Aw shoot! Now it’s all over the desk...Sorry give me a minute…

The clatter of something ceramic breaking across the floor interrupted the broadcast. I could hear ponies around me groaning. Clutter being moved, and the sounds of papers shuffling were all picked up by his microphone.

“As I was saying... This just in! Reports of recent raider attacks along the highways have been coming in and we’re still waiting on an all clear signal for Outpost 52. Likely to also cause problems for some of the nearby trade posts. Things look clear along the road from Manehattan to Junction Town, but travelling caravans should be wary of raider ambushes and take proper precautions. Gawdyna Grimfeathers has also vowed to ramp up efforts to deal with the Raider Threat. In other news, major victory in Fillydelphia today for the Coalition. We’ve been notified that Miss Grimfeathers is planning to give a speech later today...”

“Gawdyna Grimfeathers...” I repeated. The name of that Griffon mentioned by the mare sitting at the security station. She was apparently a very big deal. As I continued on, I tuned out the parts about the price of ammunition rising, along with a bunch of extra boring details that I didn’t care about. His reporting was bland to me, and his voice was annoying. “Did they just get some colt to read the reports?” I wondered to myself. He was no DJ Pon3, that was for sure.

I pushed through a group of ponies. It was so crowded on top of the bridge that it was difficult to get by in some places. With all the traders and mercenaries just standing around, I noticed it odd how few of them were actually trying to make a sale.They were just standing, baking in the hot sun with nothing to do. Enough to make any wasteland pony crazy. Then of course, there were the pegasi.

They arrived shortly after Sunshine and Rainbows, and more only followed during the coming Enclave Wars. Combined with the wave of refugees those conflicts created, they found little love down here. I took a chance look over some of the pegasi as I passed them, and was forced to acknowledge how many of them appeared to be normal ponies. Hardly what you’d think of former Enclave. Some of them were refugees with families trying to find a new home. That’s what I would’ve expected though. They turned to avoid eye contact and I took note how most of them appeared to act this way. It gave me a weird feeling.

I felt my gut wretch thinking about it, and that annoying bloatsprite buzzed a little louder. All it would take was one pegasus looking the wrong way, and there wasn’t enough security to go around. It seemed like recipe for disaster. Some of them crowded together amongst themselves while others glared at me. A small voice in the back of my head told me that this didn’t feel right, but fell silent before the memories of the bitter horrors they committed during Operation Cauterize.

Making friends with the Pegasi wasn't on my current agenda, however. Or making friends in general for that matter. I had too many of my own problems to deal with to put up with some pegasus trying to make friends with me. That was in part why I had come to see Fair Trade. He was the only one I could turn to about this problem. Make no mistake, he was the last pony I wanted to come crawling back to. If it was for any other reason, that wouldn’t have been the case.

A pony in the crowd backed into me, and I fell on my haunches. I rubbed my throbbing skull, expecting an apology. “Excuse me?” I asked, What I got was a mouthful.

“Excuse me?!” came the annoying voice of a pony that sounded as though he was at wits end. “Excuse yourself!” He turned up his nose with an air of unearned superiority that just pissed me off. The grumpy ice blue pegasus didn’t seem to understand what an apology was.

I found it a bit hard to believe this pegasus could have such an attitude, considering everything that happened. Another thing I noticed was how he ever-so-annoyingly hovered just barely off the ground. His mane was white and well groomed along with his coat, which possessed a notable shine. My eye flicked over to his hindquarters, bearing a cutie mark that depicted a modest group of three snowflakes. Something struck a nerve, as the pegasus rambled on about how he was trying to get back to his home in the clouds and that it was all our fault somehow. A whole bunch of entitled nonsense.

“Only living your whole life above the clouds would give a pony hooves that soft.” I thought silently to myself as he spoke, “I wonder what else is soft?”

“You may have forced me to come down to this muck coated disease ridden place you call a wasteland, but there’s no excuse for such uncouth behaviour! It’s not my fault I’m here! Now would you kindly direct me to the one in charge, so I can sort out this mess you surfacers caused?” he asked hoitily. I felt my anger simmering just below a boil. There was something about his smug tone of voice and mannerisms that made me want to punch this pegasus square in the jaw.

Before I could open my mouth to speak, Snowflake turned up his nose and flew off with little more than a few parting words. Leaving me with a hoofful of ponies staring. “What do you think you’re looking at?” I scoffed, and motioned them away with a wave of my hoof. They all returned to their own business acting as though nothing had happened. Mags who had been observing me from her security station, went back to watching the roads. I glared back in her direction and continued on to Fair Trade’s office.

As I came to the makeshift metal structure at the edge of the outpost, I stood there for a moment mentally processing everything. Finally, I was here. The door was unguarded. Nothing but a piece of rusty sheet metal between us. Thinking about what I should say, but nothing came to mind. “So, I’m really going to do this?” I asked myself.

I tried to dust off my special jacket just to make myself look a little more presentable. The double chevron patches were sewn onto each shoulder neatly, even though the sleeves were torn off at the knee. My hoof wraps were sweaty and dirty from use. Trying my best serious mercenary face, I looked like a properly experienced veteran. “Perfect.”

With a deep breath, I pushed open the door and stepped into the shack that served as a headquarters for the entire Outpost 52.

I was greeted by a dingy and run down looking excuse for an office. The place was hot and stuffy, scarce of luxuries but it got the job done. There was a desk at the center of the room where he sat in front of a typewriter, various papers strewn across his desk along and a lone bottle of hooch. The floor was stained with liquor and bits of broken glass. A H.A.M. radio was set up in the corner on its own table, where he could listen in on the various reports coming in. The tinny sound of decayed speakers echoing throughout the tiny shack that served as an office. An oscillating fan was the only source of air circulation in the room.

Fair Trade was a real looker, bearded and balding with a metal plate in his head. Clothed in old ragged leather that was too tight for his flabby aging body. Right down to his lucky star bottlecap cutie mark. His “first bottlecap,” he always made sure to clarify that. It was him alright. The years hadn’t been kind to him.

He was so caught up in his work and listening to the reports that he barely even noticed me come in. He just grunted at the sound of the door opening and shutting and continued working. I stood there awkwardly for a while waiting for him to notice me until I got bored of waiting.

“Hey you old goat.” I said at last. He stopped typing and looked up.

He just sat there silently for a minute behind is desk, upon making eye contact. The silence lasted a bit longer than I was comfortable with. I turned my gaze sideways, not sure if he knew who I was.

“I’d recognize that auburn, white-striped mane anywhere. That tan coat. It’s you... So… You’re all grown up now?” He offered a feeble attempt at conversation, finally breaking the silence. So he did remember me.

A half hearted, “Yeah... ” was all I could manage.

The old stallion seemed more than a little shocked to see me after all these years.

“Well, how about that?” His eyes milled about the room and he smacked his lips together trying to figure out how to make small talk. "Running around with any stallions I should know about?”

I rolled my eyes, "That's none of your business.”

It had never been his strong suit.

"Well excuse me, just wondering. Enough with the chit chat I suppose.” he must’ve gotten tired of the silence too, because he just up and hit me point blank with the one thing I was most not looking forward to. “I didn’t think I'd ever see you kids again."

I didn’t say anything, finding myself unable to think of the right words. So instead I just stared at the makeshift whiskey stained floor, like a moody teenager. He stepped out from behind his desk and walked to the far side of his office, where there was a small window revealed the rest of the junction. He pulled the curtains shut and turned to me, “So why'd you come back? You never struck me for the sentimental type." His voice was harsh and dismissive.

I raised an eyebrow, "What's that supposed to mean?"

He sat back down at his desk and gave me an eyeball. "Sentiments just make you emotional and reckless. You make mistakes when you should know better. Don't you remember what I taught you all those years ago?”

"Yeah, I remember." I replied, already able to tell where he was going with this. The whiskey glass nearly spilled over as he slammed his hoof down on the table. “When I found you kids, you didn't know a radroach's ass about the wasteland! From the looks of it not much has changed."

I scoffed, and was subtly reminded of why I had left in the first place. “We were just kids back then!” I countered.

“The only pony you can truly rely on out in the wasteland is yourself. Like I told you, there’s only one rule worth following in the Wasteland: survive. You do what you have to in order to get by, and that means the only pony you can really trust is yourself. If you get too attached, you'll just end up tied down to one place. And if you lose that one thing that's precious to you, it might break you.“

“Yeah, yeah... and you'll end up lying in a ditch somewhere with a bullet in your head,” I finished his sentence for him. I didn’t come back for a lecture, but I knew he was going to give me one anyways. “I know, I’ve heard it a million times.”

Fair had given me this spiel before when I was a kid, so I made my impatience pretty obvious. He wasn’t too keen on that, and I knew it. The bitter old mercenary had made sure to drill his set of rules into our heads we were younger, so I couldn’t forget them even if I wanted to. Rules to follow for surviving in the wasteland as a kind of weird post-apocalyptic manifesto he concocted for himself from years of experience. I rolled my eyes.

“When you left all those years ago, I always thought you had taken that advice to heart. Took solace in the fact that maybe I’d done right by you kids. So I take it the only reason you’re back here is because you broke one of my rules. So, which one was it? And If you roll your eyes at me again, I’ll smack em right outta your skull” he threatened.

I didn’t answer him, I was already breaking a rule by getting emotional right now. So what was a few more?

“You’re gonna make me guess aren’t you?” he pried further, “Are you in debt to the Dodge City Gang? You came back for money! I told you not to get involved with them!” The old stallion rattled off a bunch of outlandish scenarios going through his set of rules, trying to guess how I had broken each one without giving me much room to breathe. He was way off mark…. “Did you get your heart broken by some stallion or whatever, and then come crying to me about it? I don’t have time for your garbage right now!”

I didn’t have patience for this either. “No! Nothing like that!” I shouted.

“Why are you here then? Are those other brats here with you? You could’ve at least sent a letter first!” He raised his voice to the point I wondered if anyone standing outside could overhear us. I struggled to keep it together and find the right words. He wasn’t making it any easier.

“No, it's just me…” I said, “I was hoping you had some work for me?”

“You come back after all these years and that's all you have to say to me? Y'know I figured at least I could do right by you kids, after I found the lot of you struggling in the wasteland. Apparently that wasn't the case. After you had the nerve to try and steal from me too, ya ungrateful brat!" He was almost shouting now.

“Wh- you’re still gonna hold that over my head? We were kids! I thought you were supposed to be the adult here!” Good old Fair Trade, leave it to him to hold onto a grudge for that long.

“Well, get used to it!” he fired back. "I'm not your dad. This isn't how this relationship works! You can't just show up after all these years and ask me to stick my neck out for you again!"

“I’m not sure what I was expecting when I got the bright idea to come back here! You’re as stubborn as an old mule!” I huffed.

“Then go for all I care! I’ve got plenty of work to be doing to be helping the effort! We’re busy tryin’ to fight the good fight here! We need all hooves present here!” he waved his hoof dismissively towards the door, and went back to typing.

After the back and forth between the two of us that was it I couldn’t take anymore. It all came pouring out at once. "Help the effort? Sounds rich, coming from you! That’s not even the reason I came back!" I shouted back at him with a stamp of my hoof. He stopped typing.

"What do you want from me then? Spit it out you dumb kid!"

The emotion welled up inside of me, and I finally just said it, “They're gone, okay?”

He gave me a confused look. "What? The hell are you talking about kid?"

Crying was pointless, I knew that. But this was different. I was willing to break one rule for this occasion. I could feel something welling up inside me. The weight of everything coming down on me hit me like a rush all at once. I was still trying to admit to myself what happened. This was the first time saying it out loud.

“Didn't you hear me? I said they're gone…” I repeated, as my eyes began to water up “It's just me! I didn't have anywhere else to go.”

The pony fell back in his chair with a loud thud, and rubbed his eyes. He sighed, “You're bad for my heart condition… What was it? Ghouls? Raiders? Hellhounds...?”

“No, none of that. It was the Enclave. Operation Cauterize. It doesn't matter anyways, they're gone now. You’re the only other pony who knew them.” I lost everything that day. Everyone I loved and called family. The only reason I had came back to see Fair Trade was because there was nobody else left alive who knew them. There was nothing left for me in the wasteland. I just wanted to put it all behind me.

I wiped away the tears with one hoof.

“Celestia damned cloudfucking flying turkeys!” Fair Trade growled, and threw his cheap bottle of hooch against the side of his shack. He regretted the mess almost immediately. “Fuck.” He said flatly, the walls and floors now dripping with inexpensive liquor and bits of broken glass. “I should clean that up.” he sighed a ragged breath.

“Don’t start crying, kiddo. I wouldn’t know what to do if some poor filly started sobbing tears all over my office... Damn, I should've known. As if those damned featherfucks weren't causing me enough problems already.” the old stallion sounded exasperated. I sniffed, managing to collect my emotions.

“Oh!” he said pointing his hoof at me, gesticulating wildly like he had to spit something. “What about that one older feller you were always going on about? Sonar, or whatever? You ever find out what happened to him?”

“Wha- you mean Radar?! That was just me being a dumb starry-eyed filly...” I’d have spat myself if I had anything to drink. Hell, I was surprised he even remembered! Feeling slightly embarrassed, I turned my head away to try and hide the fact that I still admired my foalhood hero after all these years. I was still trying give off the appearance that I’d become a matured mare since we last saw each other. Somehow, I felt like admitting that would make Fair Trade think less of me.

“Don’t lie! I can see right through you!” he wasn’t buying any of it. I blushed.

“N-no it’s not like that! He was my foalhood hero and all, but that was a long time ago. Hell, I don’t even know if he’s still alive. I’ve also basically given up on the idea of ever finding him again. Who knows if he’d even remember me anyways?” I hung my head and stared at the floor for a moment before I finally decided, “No, he’s probably long gone.”

“Well he sounds like a deadbeat to me, if he just up and left you like that.” Fair Trade offered. I guess it was his way of trying to make me feel better. He spat on the ground and shook his head. Then his facial expression changed and he spoke to me softly “Well, I'm sorry about what happened to you kid, really, you have my condolences. But I can't drop everything to help you. All that was years ago, and I have too much going on right now to help you again. This Outpost. What we’re doing here is too important to the Effort.”

“But that’s why I came back! I’m tired of feeling sorry for myself! I’ve had almost five months to feel sad! I want to finally make something of myself!”

“I told ya already, I can’t help ya!” he repeated.

“You’re talking about the Stable Dweller’s Coalition, right?” I asked. “You were always the one who told me never to get involved in big moral crusades like this. What’s so special about this one that you’re willing to break your own rules?”

“This is an exception! It has to do with the natural order of things!” He asserted himself sternly. It was almost like when I was a filly arguing with him, the stubborn geezer never relented once he’d made up his mind about something. Though there was something off about him this particular time. It seemed like he was being for real. It almost didn’t feel like I was talking to the same pony.

I could feel the anger swelling up inside me again. “And Operation Cauterize?” I fired back. “Are black clad soldiers raining out of the sky, slaughtering ponies with magical energy weapons from the back when times all part of your natural order too?!”

Fair Trade looked a bit shocked by my sudden outburst, but he quickly regained his composure. He spoke in a soft but dead serious tone, “Kid, ain’t nothing about what’s been going on lately is anything I’d call natural. Something much bigger than you and me is going on here.”

There was a short silence between the two of us, as we both came to the realization that the string of events that had rocked the wasteland in recent months was way above our paygrade. “Okay,” I relented, “but, the coalition? “Fight the Good Fight”? That doesn’t sound like you at all...”

“I know what I said! Times change though, and I’m old enough now that I can break my own rules.”

“Tch, ain’t that crock of shit?” I scoffed.

“Like I said, this is different...” he insisted with a dismissive gesture. “I’ve been around for a long time. I’ve seen the wasteland and what it does to ponies. I’ve had bullets graze past me while I wasn’t looking, and seen ponies get killed over a hoofful of bottlecaps. The wasteland is hell, kid. I ain’t never been no great good in this world, but this is a chance for me to finally do right.”

His words resonated with me a little. Back then, we lived day to day like a dream. Maybe it was a nightmare to some, but we all knew that we’d pull through somehow. How completely and utterly naive I was. I thought back to all my time in the wasteland, and what that day of losing my family had done to me. Deep down I knew he was right, but what good was stating the obvious?

“It’s been a long time coming. What we’re doing ain’t never been done before! Not in two hundred years! Youngin’s like you deserve a second chance to live in a better world.”

“And what’s that?” I asked.

“We’re going to civilize the Wasteland...”

I felt my jaw hit the floor, having to pause for a minute to take it all in. Civilize the wasteland? Is that even possible?

Everything seemed so much simpler back then. Black and white. It just seemed so obvious to me. It just made so much sense. Sometimes we’d talk about the back when times, but it all only ever seemed like a storybook. Things were different now. That much was clear.

The sun had already come back to Equestria, and now they were already talking about bringing back law and order. Just like things were before the war. It felt like the chance I’d been waiting for. Although something else was there too. A chance to get back at the Enclave for taking everything from me. It was a really satisfying thought. They were still out there somewhere, right? Fair Trade didn’t need to know about that little detail though...

I couldn’t help but ask, “So do you go around fighting the Enclave and stuff alongside the Stable Dweller? Maybe I could join up? You always needs more ponies to help the effort, right?”

“Don’t be daft kid! The Enclave is long gone. Disappeared. Stable Dweller is up in them dern towers watching over the weather! We’re just doing our part down here.” He pointed to the window and motioned his hoof around in circles, “Er- Lightbringer. Whatever. Gawdyna is hiring a lot of mercs right now for her army. Anypony who’s willing and able. Oh yeah, and that thing about helping you mentioned? Don’t even think about it!”

Damn.

“Aw, c’mon! You know I can do it!” I protested.

“It’s specifically ‘cus I know you, kid! You’re too dangerous for your own good. You hardly knew the meaning of the word restraint. That was back when you were just a filly, and I don’t even want to think about what you can do now!

“I’m not a filly anymore, and I can take care of myself.” I asserted.

“I won’t have you making a mess of things for me and the New Canterlot folks!” he said. While his concerns weren’t entirely unfounded, I couldn’t help but feel a bit offended. He continued on with his tirade, “Talon contracts aren’t something you want to be involved with! Once you're locked into one, there’s no backing out! Griffons don’t joke around!”

I sulked, glancing off to the side in irritation and crossed my hooves. It didn’t take a genius to read me.

He exhaled, “Look, just forget about the Enclave, kid. Move on with your life.”

“Well, the Enclave Remnants could still be out there, right?!” I argued, and he let out a weary sigh in response.

“The group that called themselves The Grand Pegasus Enclave are gone now. They ain’t coming back. You should get that idea out of your head. The closest thing to Enclavers we have now are those Pegasi outside my office, and those are just civilians. It’s up to us to help them relocate.” I hung my head a bit and stared at the floor, contemplating the hard reality of the situation.

“How could I?! With everything they’ve taken from me, how could you expect me to just forget about it and move on?” I asked, knowing full well he wouldn’t provide me with a satisfying answer.

“Why don’t you head to Junction Town?” He suggested, “Start a new life for yourself there? Second chances are rare to come by in the wasteland. Something most ponies would kill for. You're still young, and you don’t want to be involved in this whole Talon business.”

I thought that his aversion to letting me join was his weird way of looking out for me, but even then I didn’t give much thought to the idea. In his head he was probably trying to protect me, but once I was set on a decision I never gave up on it easily. I was stubborn like that. “I don’t need you looking out for me,” I said.

Looking back, I was rushing into things like I always did, but something he said gave me pause. “Think about what your family would've wanted for you...” he said.

For a minute I stood there, deep in thought as I pictured each and every one of them standing there with me. It was unfair of him to bring them up at a time like this. I already knew in my head what they would’ve told me. Though for that same reason, it didn’t take long for me to decide.

I took a long deep breath before I gave my reply. But instead of a soft acquiescence like he was expecting, I reared backwards onto my hind legs and slammed my hooves onto his desk causing him to start. I looked the old mercenary straight in the eyes. The truth was, I had already made up my mind five minutes ago.

“I want to join up!” I said, brimming with determination.

He stared back at me with a look of intensity, as though measuring up every ounce of my resolve. I didn’t blink once. After a solid minute, he let out a deep sigh and relented. “Alright, you’ve convinced me. I can see that you won’t take “no” for an answer. So, would you please get your hooves off my desk...?”

I did as he asked and stood there, beaming with excitement. Doing my best not prance around the room, as my mind was suddenly filled with images of heroism and all the kinds of romantics in Sword Mare, Power Ponies Comics, and Daring Do novels I’d dreamed about as a young filly. Fighting off raiders and wasteland baddies in order to make Equestria a better place! “If I joined up with Gawd’s Army, I could finally be somepony!“ I thought. More than that though, it was something that they would be proud of if they were still around. But the most important thing was that I wanted it for myself.

Fair Trade stumbled out of his chair and over to his locked wall safe behind him. He carefully entered the combination, and the metal door latched open. It began emitting a strange yet brilliant blue light from inside as he stood in front of it. I tried to get a peek over his shoulder to see what it was, but couldn’t get a clear view. Shortly after, he pulled something out and quickly slammed the safe shut. He spun the lock, and approached me holding a sealed envelope.

He tossed the simple parcel on the desk. “Deliver this.”

I felt a bit deflated, my dreams of heroic grandeur suddenly dashed. My brow furrowed, getting slightly annoyed. “What do I look like, a courier? ” I questioned.

“Do you really think I’d trust you with anything valuable? You wanted a job, so you start small. If you perform this contract well, I’ll send you a letter of recommendation to Gawdyna Grimfeathers herself.”

“Really? You will?!” I asked.

“Yeah, but lemme make myself absolutely clear! Don’t go overboard with this. You always had a tendency to cause trouble back when you were a kid. It’s just trade reports, so not even you could fuck this up too bad. Hoof it on over to Junction Town and find the New Canterlot headquarters there. Give it over Major Silver Spur with the envelope sealed, and he’ll handle your pay.

“Thank you!” I beamed, but then I furrowed my brow in confusion. “Wait, why can’t you just get one of the Pegasi outside or a Griffon to deliver this...?”

“Do you want the job, or not...?” he ached.

I quickly signed the contract before he could change his mind, and stuffed both that and the envelope into my saddlebags.

“Just remember what I taught you back then and you should be fine. You remember all the rules, right?”

“I’ll be fine…” I said, dismissing his concerns. He didn’t look entirely convinced.

---

It was just about noon as I stepped outside of Fair Trade’s shack and the sun was shining brightly. I squinted while my eyes readjusted to the outside.

Now I was filled with new purpose. The idea that I’d finally be able to make something of myself excited me greatly. I would finally be be like the hero I admired, all those years ago. “Whatever happened to him, anyways?” I wondered to myself aloud.

I hadn’t thought this much about him in a while. The memory was refreshing, but I felt it was time for me to leave my past behind me. If the wasteland was really going to become more than all this, then I should probably leave that behind as well.

Ironically, it seemed that I would be headed to Junction Town after all. I hoped my family would still be proud of me. Deciding to hitch a ride with one of the caravans headed that way, I’d see about getting an official contract with New Canterlot after finishing this job. Then, hopefully after all was said and done, Miss Grimfeathers would allow me to enlist.

Over the hustle and bustle of the 52 Outpost, I overheard the sound of the old radio broadcasting across the camp. Gawdyna seemed to be on all the stations. No doubt giving some sort of speech. Curious, I listened in.

“Today marks a major victory for us. We have a tough task ahead of us! First it was Sunshine and Rainbows with Neighvarro, soon the city of Fillydelphia will be brought under our control! We’ve all heard the reports over the radio! Now is the time to act! And we need all the help we can get to bring Equestria back to what it once was. That means ponies like you who volunteer to join our Army. With the annexation of the Cloud Cities, we’re slowly beginning the process of reintroducing Pegasi back to the wasteland. It’s time for a unified Effort between all races in order to move forward!

“Sure sounds impressive,” I listened in awe to her voice on the radio.

Now you might wonder, why a Griffon might be concerned about the state of Equestria when this isn’t even her homeland? Well, Equestria is my home too! And I’m sick of watching my ponies and fellow griffons throw their lives away in this twisted hellhole! I’d say: “It’s high time for a change!””

I remembered hearing the words “backbone” and “responsibility” a whole lot in my foalhood. “Fighting for what you believe in”, and all that. Radar echoed those sentiments in everything that he did, with every story I heard about him. He was the greatest hero ever. After a while though, I stopped trying to follow in his hoofsteps and forgot about everything.

I’d heard rhetoric like this before... It sounded hollow back then to a young filly’s ears, but something about hearing it this time made it resonate with me. The difference was, now I was actually doing it. I was going to help make the dream of a better Equestria a reality.

This would be a new start for me once I reached my destination. I just had this one letter to deliver. Thinking back one last time to the pony from my memories, I thought to myself and wished him goodbye. “So long, I guess?” I whispered.

That was when I heard his name. Another pony shouted it from the other side of the Outpost 52, and I froze in place.

A small scuffle in the camp had escalated into an argument between the Pegasus that I had run into earlier and a survivor of the Enclave’s attack on Friendship City. It was one of the major settlements that was hit particularly hard during Operation Cauterize. His friend tried desperately to keep him from tearing the pegasus limb-from-limb.

“You dirty featherfucks took all those innocent lives at Friendship City over one old relic of a pony! He hadn’t hurt nobody in years! What’d Radar ever do to you anyways?!” The pony shouted. Apparently Snowflake’s attitude had rubbed him the wrong way.

All at once, the memories came rushing back to me.

Radar? Was it that Radar? The Radar? No, it had to be somepony else. Somepony with the same name maybe? It couldn’t be him, after all these years. I had to get over there! The broadcast continued playing in the background, as I shoved my way through the crowds. “Excuse me! Pardon me!” I said, trying to force my way past. There were gripes and curses, as I stepped on hooves and pushed ponies over.

Snowflake flicked up his nose, appearing completely oblivious to the situation he had thrust himself into. “I don’t know what you’re on about, but if he was a Dashite, then that means he was a traitor.” It was hard for me to believe that this Pegasus had managed to last more than a day down here. At least he had the presence of mind to try and diffuse an already volatile situation, hastily adding, “er- regardless of whether he was a traitor to a ‘less than stellar’ organization, a traitor’s a traitor!”

“This could get ugly,” was my immediate thought.

Snowflake wasn’t helping his case much either. “Besides, I had nothing to do with that! I only supported the Enclave military as a civilian from afar, I would never dream of getting involved in combat myself! That lifestyle isn't for me, no thank you!” I nearly facehoofed.

There were already other ponies gathering around that had probably been wronged in some way by the Enclave, just itching to get in on the action. Security for the Outpost was moving in to surround us.

I immediately decided to involve myself before the other pony actually killed him. It left a bad taste in my mouth to help an Enclaver, but I had to know. That turned out to be a mistake.

“Hold up!” I forced myself between the two of them, and pushed them both apart with my hooves. “Did you just say Radar?” I interjected, forcing myself into the conversation “As in Radar, the Dashite?”

“Who the hell are you?” He began, but he closed his mouth as soon as I gave him a dirty look.

“Answer the damn question!” I growled, nearly losing my temper. The earth pony stuttered a bit trying to get it out, clearly taken aback by the sudden interrogation from a mare he’d never met before.

“Y-yeah! That’s him! Why, do you know him?”

“Well, sort of...” I began, but was cut off by a grating voice.

“Radar? Pfft! What would anypony want with a traitorous Dashite?! Rainbow Dash and her Ministry were responsible for the Great War that destroyed Equestria! So blame her for your problems not us! Anypony following in her hoofsteps is just as trash as she is!” Snowflake interrupted with a line that made me immediately lose my cool. I grabbed him by the neck, ready to snap him like a twig.

“You want to say that to me again, molerat breath?” I snarled.

“Get your filthy hooves off of me...! B-but I’m just a civilian!” he began to plead. I liked that I could see the fear in his eyes now, when he was so chatty just a minute or so prior. The anger bubbling up inside my body was telling me how easy it would be to just break his neck. It was a sweet burning feeling, like eighty proof liquor.

I snapped myself out of it looking up. The tension of the crowd gathered around me threw a wrench in my train of thought. I was surrounded by nervous security ponies from the outpost, all giving me nervous looks. One of them had a hoof on her rifle hovering closeby to the trigger. Just one wrong move would’ve caused a whole lot of extra problems for Fair Trade. Soon realizing my situation, I reminded myself that I was a pony of the Coalition now and released the scared pegasus.

Snowflake scrambled away terrified flying to the opposite end of the Outpost before I could attempt an apology. It made me feel slightly guilty. Also that I’d allowed my anger to get the better of me. “They’re not Enclave anymore…” I repeated internally. Fair Trade was probably dealing with enough as it is, and I didn’t want to cause any more problems for him.

Griffons came by to break up the remaining crowds, with each of the guilty parties returning to their respective sides. We were lucky that the whole camp didn’t get involved in that mess. Mags, the security mare from earlier blamed me for “causin’ a ruckus” and then scolded me for making her leave her post. Only a small group of ponies were left staring at me after things had died down.

I was left alone with the Friendship City survivor. Thankfully he was nice enough to answer my questions, but that didn’t give me much to go off of. He was a rough looking stallion travelling west with a pair of binoculars for a cutie mark, though I never got his name. “Did you know Radar? Is he alive?” I begged him to tell me everything he knew.

The stallion shook his head. “Radar was hiding out from the Enclave in Friendship City for years. Never spoke with him really, so I didn’t know him too well. Just know that when he was younger he helped out the local settlements, so a lot of the older folks felt like they owed him.”

“Is he still there? Please tell me everything!” I asked desperately.

He shook his head again. “I was just a town guard on watch when the Enclave besieged Manehattan. As soon as the Raptors began bombarding our defenses, I high tailed it out of there. No idea if he made it out as well, but I can tell you that he was at least living a few months ago. I apologize that I don’t have more info for you.”

“I see. Thanks anyways.” I hung my head, deep in thought.

“Sorry I couldn’t be of more help.” he nodded, and disappeared into the crowded outpost.

“Radar was in Manehattan all this time?” I repeated the newfound knowledge, not entirely sure if I could believe it. My mind repeatedly told me that he was probably dead, but my gut wanted to believe otherwise. What were the chances of a hundred-some year old pony escaping a warzone like that? If it were any other pony I’d have discounted that less than a percentage chance, but this was Radar we were talking about. He had to be alive.

“So what? Am I supposed to abandon my contract, and go to Manehattan on the off chance that he’s alive? I’d never be allowed to enlist as a soldier. On the other hoof, I may never get this chance again.” My hooves and the back of my mane itched, as this new information cast a shadow of doubt over my resolve.

I wished I had all the answers, but life’s questions never come easy. Especially in the Wasteland. It was like the past had come calling back to me at the worst possible time. “Dammit, why now?” I cursed, pausing for a moment to try and think while I listened to the remainder of Gawd’s speech.

The Stable Dweller set a precedent for all of us. We’ve all sacrificed something to get here today… It’s up to all of us, to move forward to a brighter tomorrow! Let us to set an example for future generations, so that they can look back and say “this is the day we brought change to Equestria!”

That means bringing back rule of law to the wasteland, and that starts right here in New Canterlot. The world as we once knew it will never be the same, but together we’ll move towards progress! Mark my words ponies! It’s been a long time coming, but this nightmare is coming to an end. And let me make one thing clear. I intend to do everything in my power to make this land more than just a Wasteland. So to all the raiders out there, and those who would call themselves enemies of the Stable Dweller just know this: We’re New Canterlot, and we make Equestria a better place.

A lot of things crossed my mind at that moment. The rhetoric sounded familiar, but something felt different this time. If there was anypony who could do it, it was the Stable Dweller. A part of me wanted to believe in it. I also wondered what this would mean for the rest of the Wasteland?

Griffons circled the skies, with orders to shoot raiders and slavers on sight. Some of us were left wondering what was making these raiders in particular so difficult to pin down, and they informed us that there were too many small gangs to deal with on an individual basis. Not being able to do anything about it made my hooves itchy. As I watched along the roads from the side of the bridge they seemed clear at a glance. You wouldn’t think that this area was having trouble with raiders, as the reports would indicate.

From the looks of things, we were more in danger here standing in the middle of a crowded outpost than being hit by a rogue raider attack. Everypony was still on edge after the incident. The sun beat down on the Outpost 52 with oppressive heat. Ponies glared at each other with eyes like knives. It felt as if things could boil over if just one pony gave another the wrong look, or said the wrong thing. It’s sometimes said that the heat of the sun can make a pony lose themselves. We had been trapped under the cloud cover for so long that we’d forgotten.

The radio gave us the all clear signal, as if to ease tensions at just the last possible moment. Griffon patrols from the outpost didn’t report anything out of the ordinary either. Many were left disgruntled and confused, as if we had just wasted all that time for nothing. Traders were given the go ahead to hoof it towards Junction Town, with the small caveat to watch for raider ambushes. Then one by one, they began to move out into the Wasteland.

I hitched a ride with one of the independent caravans headed to Junction Town, that had been contracted out by Fair Trade. Most of them were traders and caravan guards, with the odd Brahmin accompanying us. They had agreed to escort a hoofful of pegasi as well. Snowflake was among them. “Lucky me.” I thought. He caught me staring, and glared back with contempt. I had this one job to do, and that was it. I’d be a member of the New Canterlot Army.

Though I still desperately wanted to head back to Manehattan to see if anyone knew what happened to Radar. Maybe I could finally get some answers to the burning questions I’ve held onto all these years? His name popping up again after all these years definitely... complicated things. As I left the Outpost, I looked back one last time and wondered if I had made a mistake.

My decision was already made, and I had a contract to complete. Sometimes it’s best to leave the past behind you....

---

Author's Note:

Prereaders: Dumbhat, Belmor, Warbalist, Brisineo

Edit: Updated 4/27/18

Comments

[Beegee]

Time for this grumpy neighing horsey to turn her life around.

We shall see how she pulls it together soon, hopefully!

[Belmor15]

Nice start! Well written and engaging look forward to seeing more!

[ElDee]

8649877
Thanks! I appreciate the feedback!

8631047
Indeed we shall!

[Ravenpuff]

Good beginning. It introduces us well to what kind of pony we are about to learn about and what her upcoming mission might be.

Also points for the choice of timeline spot. I don't see many stories handling the time AFTER Littlepip's adventure. Showing us it wasn't all happily ever after right after her big adventure. Ponies will still be struggling, the Wasteland is still harsh and the Wasteland life still stuck with the ponies.
The struggles with the pegasi now having to live on ground along with the tension between fractions is a good element too. Not too in your face, just a mood setter of what kind of world this story will be exploring.

Looking forward to more.

[Midderp]

Ooooh~! Can't wait for Chapter two! Well I mean, I can but, y'know what I mean! I hope this goes uberly well and I'm giving it my support! Awesome so far!

[Wildfiretiremile]

Crying was pointless, I knew that. But this was different. I was willing to break one rule for this occasion. I could feel something welling up inside me. The weight of everything coming down on me hit me like a rush all at once. I was still trying to admit to myself what happened. This was the first time saying it out loud.

This is almost sad enough to make a grown man cry

[RDDash]

I hope this story is interesting.

[AJ Aficionado]

Pieces of old world machinery built in the back when times is what they were, stretching across the skyline in every direction.

Come again?

[FOXTrot2]

This is beginning to remind me of The Courier. What a bright eye'd filly this mare still is, dreaming the big dreams. I get the feeling her hopes are going to be dashed against the rocks soon, and she's going to be forced to wander all over the place