Fallout Equestria: Price of Paradise

by DiceArt

Science Fiction - double-feature

Fallout Equestria: Price of Paradise
Chapter 3
Science Fiction - double-feature
“Pi-ty? .....I have no such word registered in my vocabulary banks.”

“That rotten, rat bastard lied to us!” Patch wheezed as we ran towards a seemingly abandoned research station. “Eggs unguarded? My hindquarters! The next time we see that griffin I’m bucking him where Celestia's sun don’t shine!”

“If you’ve got time to complain then you’ve got time to run!” I shouted looking back just in time to see more of those large eight legged freaks descend from near by trees. “Now shut up and help me get this door open or we’ll both be dead!”

"Faster!” I screamed nearly tripping as I ran. “Run faster!”.

Suddenly a bright, red beam of magically energy streamed past my head. I watched in abject horror as it struck one of the spiders turning it into a smoldering pile of ash.

“New plan! Run somewhere else!” I shrieked as more magical energy beams flashed past both Patch and I striking down the spiders behind us. “Anywhere else!” A few of them cottoned on and skittered back up the trees from whence they came, others that weren't so bright were taken out by what appeared to by the stations automatic defense turrets. Not once did they turn to fire on us. I should have found that strange but adrenaline clouded my judgement. Fortunately Patch was a far more level headed pony.

“Wait!” He called to me before I could bolt away from the research stations firing range. “I...” ~pant~ “Don’t...” ~wheeze~ “Think...” ~hack~ “That...” ~cough~ “It's...” ~gasp~ “Firing...” ~wobble~ “at...” ~wobble~ “Us...” The Stable pony fell over. ~Thud~

“Patch!” I quickly made my way to him. My fears of being evaporated by magical death rays were quickly replaced by new ones. “Patch! Are you okay? Did one of the spiders bite you? Oh please sweet Celestia be okay! Don’t die on me!” Tears started to well up in my eyes...

“Silvia,” Patch moaned, “I’m all right. Just a little winded is all.” His breathing was still labored. “Y-you can stop hugging me now. It’s making it hard for me to breathe.”

“I-I...” When had I started hugging him? Was that before or after I checked his pulse? Wait did I check his pulse? “Oh! Uh oh! S-sorry!” My face went beat red. Then I hit him square in the face.
“Don’t you dare do that to me again. You scared the apples out of me.”

Patch rubbed his eye before looking at me “Well EXCUSE me Princess. Sorry I’m not as physically fit as you, your highness. I’m only used to stretching my eye mussels. There wasn't much of a need for running in the Stable.”

Sarcasm much?

“You’re just a wimp!” I laughed feeling suddenly relieved, my embarrassment fading as quickly my worries had. “Huh, you’re right they’re not firing at us.” Curiosity quickly vying for the highest priority on my list of things to satiate. “Maybe we should check it out there could be clues to Dewdrops whereabouts.”

"That’s a negative.” The light blue buck said, rubbing his still bright red muzzle. “My Pipbuck’s tag system is pointing us further into the jungle not into the Research station.”

“B-but I wanna go see what’s inside!” I pleaded with the biggest puppy dog eyes I could manage. “There might be stuff. Useful like stuff, or stuff we can sell to get useful stuff, or just cool stuff. There could also be clue stuff too! Please?!”

“I said no.” Patch was apparently immune to my feminine wiles. “We don’t need to risk any more danger. Who knows what’s inside there. We could both very likely die in there and never be heard from again,”

And magically as if just to rebuke his claims the door which had previously been electronically locked swung open. A haggard looking buck with a ragged blond mane poked his head out.

“I think you had better both come inside.” The look on his face was that of utter boredom and his voice was monotone.

“Uh Silvia I don’t think this is a good idea, maybe we should just leave...” But before Patch could finish his sentence one of the defense turrets fired a shot off into the jungle making some unseen creature howl so loud that the ground shook beneath our feet.

* * *

“I don’t like this one bit.” Patch grumbled as we moved through the corridor of the main entrance. “Something is wrong here.”

“I dunno,” I said, looking around the hall. Most of the walls were covered with cobwebs, and grimy, mildewy wallpaper that peeled in some areas revealing the metal hidden underneath. The marble floor was littered with assorted trash. “Seems pretty ‘neat’, although our host doesn't seem up for much conversation... I’m almost sure nothing is wrong here. Heck he did save us from those spiders.” Despite my reassurance Patch still looked on guard. Oh well what can you do someponies don’t know when to relax. “Don’t worry so much. I’m here.”

The entrance sealed shut behind us. There was no turning back now.

The ragged maned pony leading the way had said nothing since we entered the research station. A stairwell off to the right was too dimly lit to make anything out beyond a few feet and as we approached a grandfather clock the behavior of our guide slow began to change.

“This way.” He motioned towards two large, double doors, music and talking could be heard from beyond.

Patch’s ears perked up at the sound “Are you throwing a party?” He asked.

“No.” His voice still monotone, but his body began to show signs of more... Life? Movement? I dunno he just seemed a little more animated. “You've arrived on a rather special night. It's one of the master's affairs.”

“Um it’s still day outside.” I interjected.

No response from raggedy mane.

Patch chuckled “Lucky him.”

A mares voice came from behind surprising the two of us “He’s lucky!” The magenta mare was dressed in some sort of maids outfit she continued to move towards us obviously more animated than the other strange pony we met. “You're lucky, I'm lucky, we're all lucky.”

The buck had moved to stand in front of a broken mirror “It's astounding.~ Time is fleeting.~” He started singing

“Tell me he isn’t,” Patch said morosely.

“Madness takes its toll.~ But listen closely~,” the raged buck continued.”

“He is,” I replied.

“Not for very much longer.~ I've got to keep control.” He started to become much more animated than previously. Eventually bursting into dance.

Patch and I moved out of the way as he continued to sing and dance the mare joining in with him.

"I remember doing the Time Warp." His voice now filled with long absent emotion “Drinking those moments when ~ the blackness would hit me.~”

The mare was suddenly at our backs pushing us towards the double doors.

“And the void would be calling.~” The buck was still singing as he kicked the doors open revealing a ballroom filled with skeletons dressed for a party and one other pony wearing a sparkling vest and top hat.

Speakers from the corners of the room blasted the songs ghostly chorus.

“~Let's do the Time Warp again.~”

The two ponies that led us to the macabre party started to make there way towards the center of the ball room. Joining in sing with the speakers.

“~Let’s do the Time Warp again.~”

A buck’s voice cut in over the loud speakers.

“It’s just a jump to the left.”

The ghostly chorus immediately replied in song.

“~And step to the right~ right~ right~ right~ right~.”

I looked over to Patch giving him a worried look “Maybe you were ri...”

The loud speakers cut me off as the other buck’s voice cut in once again.

“With your hooves on your hips.”

“ght. We should probably get out of here.”

The ghostly chorus continued to sing “~You bring your knees in tight!~ But it’s the pelvic thrusts they really drive you insa~ane~!” We started to inch our back out to the corridor “~Let’s do the time warp again!~”

Patch looked at me and nodded sheepishly as we prepared to make a break for it.

Speaker chorus still singing “~Let’s do the time warp again!~”

As we turned to make our dashing escape only to find our path had been intercepted by the mad, magenta, maid pony. Walking towards us she ushered us back in the room with a levitating shotgun at her side. She too began to sing.

“It's so dreamy~! Oh, fantasy free me!~ So you can't see me, no not at all.~”

“Well, buck me.” I swore as both Path and I were forced back into the ball room.

She continued to sing her voice sounding like nails on a chalk board. “In another dimen~sion. With voyeuristic inten~tion.”

She pushed us further while brushing flanks with Patch causing him to gag slightly bring to light the most awful, foul, smelling scent I have ever had the displeasure to notice. The smell of rotting flesh. She continued to sing.

“Well secluded I see all. With a bit of a mind flip~! You're into the time slip~! Nothing will ever seem the same!” Once we were in the ball room again she magicked the doors behind us shut and continued her shrill singing. “You're spaced out on sensa~tion!”

Her buck friend had managed his way over to my side singing directly into my ear. “~Like you’re under seda~tion!” His breath was enough to make me want to vomit. I wavered using Patch’s other side to steady myself.

The ghostly chorus didn't miss their cue as the speaker chimed in. “~Let’s do the time warp again!~ Let’s do the time warp again~”

The young glittery mare who had been sitting awkwardly on stool near the end of the room came to life and began to sing and dance “Well I was walking down the street~ just having a think~ when a bear of a buck gave me an emo wink.~ well it shook me up,~ it took me by surprise,~ he had an apple cart,~ and big kind eyes,~ he stared at me,~ and I felt a change,~ time meant nothing~ never would again.” And then she tripped. For a moment she looked up fearful at the other two weird ponies. They hadn't seemed to notice so she picked herself up and made her way back to the stool.

The chorus continued much to our dismay. “~Let’s do the time warp again!~ Let’s do the time warp again!~”

The buck on the speaker cut into the song again. “It’s just a jump to the left!” The chorus following along sing their part...

“~And step to the right~ right~ right~ right~ right.”

“Put your hoofs on your hips!”

“~You bring your knees in tight!~ But it’s the pelvic thrusts they really drive you insa~ane~!”

“~Let’s do the time warp again!~ Let’s do the time warp again!~”

As the music faded away the three living ponies collapsed in apparent exhaustion.

“Right I think we’ll be going... No need to stick around right Patch? Patch?” I said looking at him. Their was a strangely vacant look on his face.

“Do any of you guy’s know how to do the Pony Pokey?” He asked like a derp so I smacked him
hard across the of back his head breaking whatever spell had taken grasp of him.

“Owe! Why'd you do that for Jan- I mean Silvia?” He gave me confused look.

“Let’s go already dingus. You were right this place is weird and probably dangerous too. Quickly while they’re still too tired to chase us.”

I started towards the door. Patch looked at the still collapsed ponies for a second before following me.

“Yeah... Let’s leave before something even stranger starts happening.”

The sound of ponies rising to the hooves behind us hurried our pace. We rushed past an elevator that we’d some how managed not to see when we first entered the ball room. We didn’t even stop to see why it was lowering. Mid way through the hallway we broke into a full on gallop reaching the main entrance only to find that the door was electronically locked and the panel to open it no where to be seen. That meant one thing. The panel was hidden somewhere else.

“Don’t tell me we’re going to have to look for another way out. I don’t want to run into anymore creepy song a dance routines.” I moaned. Not looking forward to this one bit.

“Maybe the controls are on another level.” Patch suggested pointing a hoof towards the elevator.

“Yeah, let’s go.”

We galloped to the lift cadge only to find that it was as well locked.

“How do you do?” Came a strangle electronic baritone voice from the elevator.

The air rippled and a robotic pony face in a billowing black taffeta cape appeared out of thin air.

A tuba, and harmonica tune began to play from the cloaked metallic pony “I ~ See you've met my ~ Faithful handy buck.” Its voice flowed into a song. “He’s just a little brought down ~ Because when you screamed~ He thought you were the~ Candy buck.”

“Not again...” I whispered to Patch.

“Don’t be strung out~ By the way I look!~ “ The Robo-pony sung as it strutted from the elevator to a throne that some how appeared in the ball room while we were distracted.

“Don’t judge a book by its cover~, I’m not much of a mare~ By the light of day~ But by night I’m one hell of a lover~!” The cloak around it slid off revealing what the pony was wearing underneath... Needless to say it was very... Kinky is the only word I can come up with, but still doesn't fit.

It slowly made its way back to us taking plenty of opportunity flash us its nether regions singing all the while.

“Let me show you around,~ Maybe play you a sound?~ You both look like your pretty groovy.” It Circled around us and began nudging us back towards the center of the ballroom.

“Or if you want something visual~ Not to abysmal~ We could taking an old Pinkie movie.”

I’m getting really tired of all this bad music. . . It’s time to let these crazy ponies know who’s the boss.

“Hey can you open the door~ Cause we've got to go~ We’re both in a bit of a hurry~” For reasons unknown to me I was singing too now.

“Right.” Patch chimed in beside me.

“So you got stuck in my flat~ well how bout that~ well fillies, there's no need to panic~ By the light of the night~ it’ll all seem all right~ I’ll get you a satanic mechanic.~”

The robot turned around marched back towards the center of the room as confetti rained down the ceiling.

“I’m just a sweet prancevestite.~ From prancesexual~ Pranceylvania!” The metallic pony sang as it sit down in the throne. Whatever it was looked at us with its cold metallic glare. The three other pony started taking up position around the throne.

“Why don’t you stay for a night? Or maybe a a bite? I could show you my favorite obsession. I’ve been making a buck with a blond mane and a plot of steel. He’s good for relieving my, tension.” Getting up from the throne it trotted towards us again

“I’m just a sweet prancevestite.~ From pransexual~ Pranceylvania! I’m just a sweet prancevestite ~ From pransexual~ Pranceylvania!” It sang walking past us and into the lift.

“So come up to the lab.” The gates closed the robopony looking at us with its cold eyes.

“And see whats on the slab.” The other ponies got up from the throne and started to make their way over to us..

“I see shiver with antici~pation. But maybe the fear is what’s really to blame. So I’ll remove the cause, but not the symptom.” And with that lift rose taking the strange talking robot along with it.

“So what do we do now Ms. Smartypants?” Patch moaned.

“Now we plan our escape.” Replied the Raggedy buck.

* * *

Footnote: Level Up!
New Trait: Wild Wasteland: You've seen some strange things in your days, but the wasteland is the strangest of them all. You are far more likely to encounter the weirder aspects of what the wasteland has to offer.
New Perk: Daddies Lil’ Filly (rank 3):You take after your dad +5 repair +5 science.

Author's Note:

(Thanks to Kkat and Somber for their stories inspiring me to write this.Thanks also to Twitch, Tyler, Kashin, and Umbra for helping me organize my thoughts into something coherent and solid.)

Comments

[Rainedash]

This seems pretty interesting so far. Loved the references to Legend of Zelda cartoon and Rocky Horror Picture Show.

[DiceArt]

70117
Thank you! I'm currently working on the fourth chapter.

You really, really need to improve your spelling. Automatic spellchecker doesn't cut it.

Stare well off to the right
ushering us pack in the room
We galloped to the lift cadges.
whose the boss...
Sitting down in the thrown
getting up from the thrown
The other ponies got up from the thrown (aaaargh!)

And total mess concerning there/they're/their, its/it's, your/you're plus a very liberal approach to s/'s
This is really breaking the immersion. Previous chapters weren't as bad but this one was making me groan.

[DiceArt]

116768
I'm not seeing the problem concerning its and it's. Its is possessive, and it's is the contraction of it is I used both properly. Concerning the other errors I will reread the chapter to find any grammar and spelling errors I missed the first time around. Thank you for the comment.