Chapter 13: Worlds Apart
"Unit three, radioing in from the north end of Hope. Can you confirm you have visual, over!" The radio squeaked in my ear.
"Rodger dodger! I have visual on you unit three! Unit two, over."
"Unit three. Can you confirm that you see this super weird rock from your 20? over."
"That is affirmative unit three, I see the super weird rock. Moving in to take a closer look, over!"
"Copy that unit three, proceed with caution. I'm less than 1 mike from your position if you need assistance, over."
"Would you two shut the hell up. You are standing right next to one another!" I shouted over the coms.
"Sorry Chance." Click replied.
"Yeah-yeah, we are just excited, that's all." Clack affirmed.
"Look, there is nothing you should be excited about out here other than getting back to the Stable with some goods. You two need to keep an eye on one another while you are out here, not on the ground. Just because the world ended doesn't mean that accidents did too!"
"Yes, sir..." The two of them replied as if I had just shot their puppy.
"Look... If anypony understands coping mechanisms, it's me. If this is how you two blow off steam from all of this. That's fine. Just... please be careful. Can you confirm?" I said in a playful tone. I was being too hard on them, I need to lighten up my damn self if I was going to be out here too.
"Rodger dodge you old codger!" The two of them shouted in glee.
"HEY! I'm only three years older than you both!"
"Yeah, whatever you old fart!" Clack said with a laugh. I was going to leave them out here... all alone... tied to a tree. Yes, that sounds excellent. I should do that when I get back.
I set my nose upwards for the fifty meter mark and carefully acceded. From at this height, my pipbuck's clicking has began to slow astronomically from the lack of radiation and fallout. Thank heavens for that! I began the slow trip towards Fetlock, all the while thinking of reasons as to why I should just turn around. I didn't want to go against Cherry's wishes anymore than she wanted me too, but she did live on a farm. Chance of there being seeds there were better than good, not to mention I know for a fact that she will have something to eat laying around.
Rationing in the Stable had been mandatory since day one and for somepony who was on the mend from a traumatic experience, it did not bode well. Chances were that I might actually find something note worthy along the way as well, after all with a set of wings on my back, I was capable of covering far more ground than the other crews. Through my flight I took the time to listen in to Click and Clacks banter. If I could relax just right, I could swear it was like listening to a radio comedy back on my porch. I even had to stifle the odd chuckle from time to time.
"Unit three, I have first contact with the S.W.R. Over!"
"Copy that unit three. Deploying scientific poky stick. Over!"
"Unit two, please confirm that the S.W.R has moved slightly."
"Copy that unit three, the super weird rock has indeed moved."
"Unit two, please be advised, we wish to be referred to by our call sign, Burrito. Over!"
"Copy that unit three, we will take it under advisement. Uh... Yeah. Unit two will proceed with call sign Burrito. Over!"
"Rodger that unit two."
"Burrito, we are no longer acting under that call sign, please be advised. We will be proceeding under call sign Broken Wind. Over!"
"Rodger that, Broken Wind. Please preposition yourself to my left side, Broken Wind. We have a sudden change in wind direction."
I don't know if it was their perfect execution of deadpan or if it was their stupid names, but I was crying with laughter. So much so that I forgot to fly for a while and ended up nearly crashing into an Equestrian Military Vehicle that had been abandoned. I trotted to the driver side to retrieve the manifest, all the while praying that I would just find a abandoned vehicle and not... something more. I clutched the handle and gave it a yank.
"Oh thank Celestia... It's empty."
I fumbled with the clipboard with my wings. Hey, I got them back and I planed to make the most of it, get off me. According to the manifest, this was a shipment of nothing more than some standard service gear, armor and a few med kits. Well, if nothing else, the med kits might come useful to us if something bad were to happen and after hearing Click and Clack and how well they were taking to the outside, they will need all the armor they can get.
I pried the back gate on the EMV open with surprisingly little effort, oh, it was already open... That's not protocol at all. I looked at the lock and noticed a little bobby pin hanging out of the lock where it had been picked already. Who was here before me!? Even more, who had the time to pick a damn lock out here!? Sure the rad levels were fairly mild where I was standing, but taking the time to pick a damn lock in this mess was suicide!
I lifted the gate and saw that much of the inside had already been pillaged of useful items, save for one medic kit and a suit of armor. I snatched the armor and claimed it as my own and shut the door. Well, that was a let down... or was it? If this lock was picked then that can only mean that there were survivors out there somewhere! I had wagered that everypony had simply ran like hell for the horizon when the bombs fell, trying to put as much distance from the cloud as they could.
Maybe some of them found their way back to get their belongings or maybe even hunt for food. It had been several days now since the bombs fell, how long would an uneducated pony about radiation realistically stay away from the damage? I know I would want nothing to do with this place after what happened, but somepony else might think it was safe to come back. It was an unsettling thought that rang in my mind as I acceded once again.
"Click... Clack. Do you read?" Nothing. "You two better answer me..." Still nothing. After letting out a sigh, I tried one more time. "Burrito... Broken Wind... Do you copy?"
"Loud and clear Chance!" The two of them shouted. I really hated those two, they nearly gave me heart attack.
"You two numb skulls know how to paint?"
"Yes, sir!"
"Good... good... Find some paint, find some wood and I want you to paint a sign for me."
"Sir yes sir!" The two of them shouted back.
"Now listen... this isn't hoovsee's painting time... It needs to be legible. I want the sign to say 'Danger! Radioactive fallout present!' got it?"
"We got it. Want us to put a message on there as well? Something like... Radiation is dangerous and can hurt you?"
"Sure... whatever. Just make sure everypony can see it."
"Rodger dodger, old-"
"STOP CALLING ME OLD!" I shouted.
"Then what should we call you? We have call signs... You need one too sir!" I can't believe I'm dealing with this level of stupidity... I went to Quantihoof for fuck sake's!
"Fine! My call sign is Shithawk. As in, a shithawk that is going to shit on you both from up here if you don't stop talking and get back to work!"
"Rodge, Shithawk! We are on it!"
My head was now pounding... I couldn't tell if I was being exposed to more radiation or if i was nearing another nervous breakdown. With little to see from where I was and Fetlock, I set my mind to traveling as fast as I could while there was still some light out. Despite it being nearly a week since the bombs dropped, the Pegasi were keeping up the good work with the cloud cover to minimize the fallout's travel. Even the wind was clam, for as long as I could remember there had always been some kind of wind current when flying.
This was just alien to me. Things I that had come second nature to me when flying were all being relearned as I flew further from the Stable. But, by far the biggest set back about flying out here by far was the total lack of bearing I had now that everything was destroyed. Nothing was the same apart from the layout, if not for the road connecting Hope to Fetlock, I would be totally lost. With nothing but a few miles to go, I tuned into Radio ClickClack to see what new thing they had found to poke this time.
"Hey Burrito?"
"Yeah? Broken Wind."
"What's a shithawk?"
"I have no idea... but if I guessed... I think it's a big bird that swoops down and puts poop on you."
"I DON'T WANT POOP ON ME!"
"Contain yourself, Broken Wind! We have a mission to do! Now, pass me that can of pink paint."
Oh good, they found paint. Nothing says danger, keep out like a big pink sign... Somehow, I wasn't surprised in the smallest amount, but I was still curious as to how two mares could be so daft. I loved their cute humor and foalish antics, but they were out in a wasteland painting a big pink danger sign. Nothing could embody those two more than that. Whatever, words are still words, surely ponies would read the sign.
I looked down in time to see the barn on Cherry's farm. Without a thought I began to descend, all the while watching my rad meter slowly creepy higher. Thankfully it must have been a stray cloud that was passing by because by the time I landed the needle had found it's way back to the green. For a moment I was worried this whole place had been soaked.
"Burrito... Broken Wind... I made it to Fetlock. I'm at the cherry farm." I called out.
"Fetlock!?" The two shouted.
"Sir, you are in Fetlock already?" Clack asked.
"Yes. There is very little in the way of anything useful between here and Hope. Best note it in the logs."
"Sir, that's kind of far for an expedition, if something were to happen. Please be careful."
"This is commander Shithawk you are talking to... Pride of the Equestrian Airforce! I got this!" I said in my best snarky tone.
"Rodger that! Radio in every fifteen with your status." Was that Clack? Being serious!? I should have had my recorder going.
The farm had hardly been touched apart from some cherries that had fallen from the tremors. Radiation level were low, low enough that somepony could have stuck out the world ending if they needed too. It gave a little hope to a bleak outlook I had had towards the fate of the Cherry family. I carefully trotted towards the old farm house, looking for signs of movement as I went, but I was froze in my tracks by a familiar voice.
"I knew you would come." Cherry said from behind me. My heart leaped in my chest, sending me flying in her direction.
"CHERRY! YOU'RE ALIVE!" I shouted and I flew to hug her.
"Easy now big boy. Just because I'm standing here doesn't mean you can just tackle me like that." She said with a smile as she put up a hoof.
"Cherry, I've been worried sick about you! I'm so happy to see you!" I said as I dropped to a trot and skipped up to her.
"Keeping that promise I see." She said as she turned towards the end of the road and started walking.
"Cherry... What's going on here?" I said as run to catch up to her.
"Chance, come over here and have a seat next to me." She said as she turned down the road and began to climb the hillside by the tracks.
"You told me to not go near the track again... What is this, a joke?" I said as I sat down next to her.
"Chance. Do you know were we are sitting, right now?" She asked.
"Yeah... I do. This is where we first met. That's were you pushed me off the track and into a bed of wild flowers." I said flatly. If she wanted a trip down memory lane, this was the wrong way about going about it.
"Exactly. But look closer. Those are not wild flowers." She said, pointing a hoof. I had never really noticed before, truthfully, I had never really cared. But if being with Rose has taught me anything it was that those were not wild flowers but rare red Orchids. Rose hated selling them because they were a funeral flower as she called them.
"Did you plant those? After the crash?" I asked in confusion?
"No." She giggled. "Those flowers were not for the crash, Chance." She said with a sigh.
"Ok... Now I'm really lost. What are you driving at here? I flew all this way, nearly died finding Rose and now you are making me think about the one thing that I don't want to think about after the world has ended." I said in frustration.
"Chance... Those are my flowers. My mother planted them." I looked on in silence. I was still confused but was working the pieces back together when she spoke again.
"Chance, you are not the only pony to have stood on those tracks. I told you I was there once too, I was once that low. Dad had died, mom was sick and the farm was looking to me to pull up the slack. I had a little sister to think about who at the time I was practically raising by myself... All while missing my father like crazy. It took it's pound of flesh from me the same as it did you." She said as she trotted down the hillside.
"Cherry... I had no idea." I said as I followed.
"It's ok... I never told you. So, one afternoon I was looking at old pictures of dad and I and it finally hit home. I was exhausted and scared. It was all just... too much for me, you know? I couldn't take it anymore. So I packed my things away, put my album away and trotted down here to the tracks. I must have waited hours out here for a train to come..." She said as she picked a flower from the patch on the hillside and laid it back down a top stone.
"You tried to kill yourself here too, didn't you?" I said in disbelief. I had always assumed she had tried the same thin I had, but thinking and hearing are two different things.
"I didn't try, Chance. Three years ago I stood right here and ended my suffering. But had I known the consequences of what I had done, I never would have left the house."
"Cherry, you are standing right here, you can't be-" I said as I reached for her, but my hoof went right through her as if she were air."No... It can't be... I could feel you before!"
"Chance, I didn't have long here, but I would like to think that I helped you through the dark when nopony else could. I wanted you to have what nopony could give me. A second chance." I fell back on my haunches. I couldn't believe what I was hearing or seeing! Cherry... was a ghost!?
"All this time? You were a-"
"Ghost? Honestly, I have no clue what I am. All I know is that when that train hit me, I couldn't move. It was like my body had been thrown from my soul and I was glued in place. I watched the train crash, I watch you come back here month after month, I couldn't do anything but watch. I was my punishment. To see the consequences of my own selfish actions."
"You... Caused the accident? The train derailed because, of you!?" I was angry, I felt betrayed but what good was it now? I was hurting more by the second, but it was all for not. I had been told that the conductor had fallen asleep, but even still they story had never held water. Hand the Rail line covered up the story? Had they tried to avoid a lawsuit by making up something a bogus as that?
"Yes. Chance, I'm so sorry, but I couldn't tell you. I promised I wouldn't. I had to help you, when you stepped on those tracks, it was the first time I felt like I could move in years. I knew I had to make things as right as I could for your sake!"
"So what... This was all just in my head... I get it, i'm going insane." I said in frustration.
"See for yourself." She said as she pointed towards the patch of flowers.
I trotted to them where she had placed the one flower she had picked. It was atop a polished stone that had been placed there long ago, three years ago if the date read correctly. I brushed the flowers to the side and noticed the engravings that had been chiseled by hoof into the granite.
''Here lies Cherry Shortcake. Sister, daughter and forever loved and missed. Taken too soon from us, but forever in our hearts."
"I watch my mother place that there. I don't think I ever really stopped crying."
"All this time..." I said in disbelief. "Why? Why help me like this?"
"Chance. I kept my promise. I wanted to do right for once. Did I do right?" She asked with a smile.
I stood shocked. Cherry had done the very thing I had tried to do, but succeed. She caused the crash that I was in that claimed my family in her attempt. I should be mad, but I had been there myself. I knew what it was like to hurt like that, I knew what I would do to stop the pain and screaming in my head. The only thing I didn't know, was just how bad it could be on the other side of those tracks. I had sorrow for what happened, she had guild on top of that.
In a way, she might have been the only pony who truly knew what it would take to save me from myself. Maybe it was fate tying up a loose end, maybe it was all just in my head, but whatever it was I was at a cross roads. I could feel it in my chest, I was letting go of that pain for the last time, it was the final puzzle piece to my recovery. Even with the world around me gone, I was finally... happy. I had made it back home from my long journey and who better to have shown me than somepony who had been there.
"Yes, Cherry. You did right. But, I have to know... What promise did you make? To who exactly?"
"See for yourself..." She said as she turned to trot away.
"Chance..." No... No here, not now... I turned and for the first time with my eyes open, I saw Lolly.
"L-Lolly!?" I shouted as I ran to her.
"Yes, dear."
"You sent her. didn't you?"
"She was the only one who could truly help you."
"Hunny, I'm so sorry I couldn't fin-"
"Shhh... None of that... You did everything you could." She said as she put a hoof to my lips. I could feel her. she was right here with me for the first time in years. Right there, on that spot, I broke. I was crying as hard as the day after I had woken up.
"I-I miss you. I dream about you and the boys almost every night."
"I know dear... But it's time to let go. We will always love you, no matter what world we are in. But don't miss us, we want you to be happy. You deserve to be happy, Chance. You gave us the best years of our lives, don't cry for us."
"Lolly, I don't want to forget you and the kids!"
"And you wont. We are always with you, right here." She said, pointing to my chest. "Everywhere you go, we are with you. Don't worry, we will meet again one day. The boys and I will be waiting for you until then." She said as she kissed my cheek and began to fade away from me.
"I-I love you, Lollygag." I said with a tear soaked grin.
"I love you too, Second Chance." She said with a smile before drifting off to nothing.
"I'll see you all soon..." I said through the tears. I turned to see Cherry standing right behind me.
"You know, you still have a promise to keep..."
"I know, but I still don't know what you meant by that."
"Chance... you big dumb idiot..." She laughing. "Do me a favor and watch over my little sister. She is going to need somepony very soon, think you can handle that?" She said, giving me a hug.
"I will. I promise. HEY WAIT! I have a question... Just one"
"Make it quick."
"That night, in the bathroom..."
"Yes, that was from Lolly. Freaking gross... She owes me BIG for that."
"I knew it." I said with a laugh. I couldn't let Lolly go without crying and I damn sure could not let Cherry go without picking on her, one last time. And with that, Cherry was gone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In hindsight I should have known she was a ghost, but who would have thought such a thing. It's been months since that day on the tracks, despite the profound impact that it had on me, I told nopony about it. Sure Click and Clack had their questions, mostly wanting to know why I was talking to myself and crying so much. But thankfully much of the conversation was muted due to radio static so I just rolled it all under stress and let them believe whatever they wanted to.
Things have been going amazing between Rose and I. We are expecting soon! In fact, very soon! I guess you can't have as much fun as we did without some sort of consequence, but in this case it was a consequence I was more than happy to deal with. The moment that Rose found out that we were having a filly, she knew the name to give her. Cherry Pop.
She is going to have a lot to live up to, but I'm not too worried, she had a big sister to take after! Cherry had been right in that her sister was safe as houses in the old farm house, if only. The poor filly was rad sick from eating raw cherries covered in fresh fallout. I had gotten there right after she had passed out by the looks of it. Talk about a stressful flight on new wings, shes only 13 but built like a tank! How can a mare so small be so heavy!?
But she's doing great now. Even with Cherry gone, her little sister Rainier is a wealth of stories to be told about her. some sad, but most of them funny. Click and Clack decided to appoint themselves as Godmares over the both of them. It's a little scary, but they get along great together. Click and Clack are on about the same mental level so I really should not be surprised. But all the same, I have to live as long as possible so those two don't corrupt my kids.
The Stable finally has found enough supplies and enough ponies to make things work. It was slow going but once the word got out to the settlements, they began to flock to the place in droves. Today we are at a healthy 291 ponies and growing stronger by the month. The added population had another benefit, much needed answers as to where everypony went.
According to them, some settled just outside of Fetlock in a small lake front community for a while. But once the fallout reached the water supply, many of them pushed deeper into the central Equestria. Canterlot was an utter loss to the world, being left as little more than a pink cloud of gas that melted everything it touched. It was a fate worse than death to have been caught inside the cloud, some even remarked that they rather have died of radiation. I wept for the lost kingdom, but there is little time for that down here.
It's been hell, too much for many of us, but with every passing breath things get better. Looking back I don't know how I survived it, honestly I have no clue how any of us did. But everyday we take one step closer to normal and one breath less sad. It was a hard traveling for me, but I guess that's how it goes when you take the long road home.
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I KNEW IT! But somewhere deep inside me whished I was wrong, damn it.
When Cherry was telling Chance her backstory and how she died, I was close to shedding a tear, actually no, I probably did, rather not think about it.
That last question to Cherry got me chuckling, good one Chance
I had such a mix of emotions in the last two chapters, but I can safely say that it was enjoyable.
I should more honest with you here, the reason I started reading this story was because I was looking for stories with the romance and OC tags in them. You also had Rose in the tags which is uncommon, you don't normally see her in many stories, so that definitely got my attention. I haven't read any fallout mlp fic just yet (aside from this one of course) since I normally read only romance so I had little knowledge of it (I did play Fallout New Vegas though) but even so, as I said before I enjoyed the story, the romance plus the plot going on, it was amazingly well executed, you have my congratulations.
You said the sequel was going to focus on Click and Clack, but I hope you mention Chance and Rose every now and then. It may not have romance as this one, but I'll still keep on eye on it. Until then, keep up the good work.
9558603
As always, thank's for the kind words! But yeah, since day one Cherry was slated to have both been a ghost and to have caused the very accident that cost Chance his family. I wanted to paint a full picture that nothing truly operates out of balance in some way or another, Cherry being the cause meant that she also had to be the cure. A life for a life so to speak. I pictured Chance as the most effected of the accident due to his analytical background and need to pick everything apart to the last detail. That being said, it set the stage for those two to connect and balance out the universe so to speak.
As with all stories, Chance is doomed to be the good guy, so he is needed to be kept alive as long as possible in something like this. Him succeeding in suicide would leave the world he is in unbalanced so to speak. Cherry is a polar opposite of Chance in a lot of ways, to me that made her the perfect pony to bring him back out of his shell and start to go on the mend. Chance will see her again, granted I guess you know what that means, but that being said, that is the fate of almost all Fo:E Characters.
As far as Chance and Rose... What are ya? Crazy!? Of course they will be seen together for MUCH of the Sequel! I worded thing wrong in that blog post I made... But It was like... 430am and I had just speed typed two chapters out and was basically typing my the side of my face at that point lol. what I actually meant in my sleep deprived stooper was that Chance and Rose will still be the stars of the show. I love writing romance, every story I have is romantic in nature, even The Wildest Dreams, so to take them out of the spotlight, just feels too wrong to do.
Click and Clack will play a bigger role, that's how I should have worded it. I just love their banter too much to pass it up lol. But Rose is still very much so the 'star mare' of the show here lol. So no worries! I also plan to re-hash some loose ends through investigation and 'dreams' but this is going to get complicated. I purposefully left what happened during the sting operation with Fluttershy up to the reader for a bit so I could really pick it apart. I tried to write it out, but the chapter was nearly 12k words long and needed A LOT of vetting. So, I will be going into detail about that as well.
Just as a heads up, because you have been so kind and all, My discord is Rocco Rocks #9605 if you ever want to shoot me a message and just talk or something. I have quite the revolving door policy when it comes to anyone who wants to chat with me for whatever reason. So feel free!
I have barely finished chapter one and I really like this.
It's poignant in a great way.
Okay, in no way does this say it's a FoE crossover. I didn't realize until he said MWT.
9603537
Yeah, about that... My bad. I have a terrible habit of writing Fallout stuff even when I try not to. This was set pre-war so I did not know if it actually qualified as a FoE fic or if there was some strange other annotation I needed to use. I got so caught up writing it that I totally forgot to even check if there was a pre-war genre, so I am very sorry about that.
9606748
Don't fret or be sorry. I was simply commenting, not criticizing, this is a fun fic and I really wonder if he'll ghoul up or just live in the moment until the end.
Perhaps a run in with scavengers or alpha version raiders.
So much can happen and I'm excited for it all.
😃