Fallout Equestria: Our Will (rewrite)

by AngryPenguin

Chapter 12: In a Flash!

"I've dreamed of becoming the fastest flier in all of Equestria!"

By that afternoon, I was utterly exhausted. The bags under my eyes would probably even make Fleece jump. We only really came across a few radroaches or bloatsprites, but I let the stallions handle it. Nico had gotten his rifle back from Clockwork, who had planned to frame it in his memory. I just hoped he had taken down the mummified wings. I cringed when I thought about it. We stopped so Nico could scavenge a few times. He didn't find anything interesting except for some containers of purified water. Whenever we stopped, I'd read the letter to Sky. It was heartbreaking, but it also brought some comfort. I kept the poor stallion in my thoughts. Well, unless Redd and Nico argued like two old stallions bickering about the weather forecast.

I sighed as I walked in front of them.

"Pegasi are the superior race, when it comes to speed." Redd said, proudly.

"Not if you can teleport." Nico leered at him.

"Can you?"

"Not yet, but I am able to learn."

"Exactly. You have to learn. Pegasi are naturally fast."

"It's pretty easy when you have feather dusters attached to your sides."

The pegasus rounded on Nico. "Coming from someone with a dick on his forehead."

"Newsflash, airhead: It's bigger than yours." He smirked.

We had long stopped to let them finish their argument. While they quarreled, I went through my Pipbuck's inventory list out of boredom. I almost didn't notice when Redd shoved Nico, making him stumble a leg's distance away. Nico hurled several stones at him, hitting his flank and eye.

"Okay, that's enough." I backed out of my inventory list, putting my hoof down.

Both of their saddlebags went flying. Nico's rifle landed on the ground next to me. They kicked, punched, and headbutted each other.

I yelled a little louder. "Stop!"

Several hits later, I picked up the heavy rifle and pointed it at them. It was extremely difficult to hold it in my hooves, but it sent the right message. "I said, stop!" I screamed as loud as I could.

The brawlers paused, holding their hooves in the air.

"Watch it! That thing's loaded!" Nico warned.

"S-Sia..."

"Shut up! My goddesses, it's like traveling with wild animals!" I stomped up to them.

"I am not this prick." Nico pointed to Redd. "You aren't going to boss me around like I'm some kind of-"

CRACK!

Lucky for him, the bullet zoomed over his head instead of through it. Thankfully, it shut him up.

I looked between them. "You done?"

They nodded, both at once.

"Good. I'd do something about your wittle scwatches and boo-boos, but think of it as punishment. Besides, I'd like to save that stuff for real emergencies." I said, throwing Nico his gun.

"You should have looted those slavers' bodies. They probably had some medical supplies." Nico said, trotting up next to me as I walked off.

I glanced at him in disgust. "Good to see how respectful you are of the dead."

"Gotta do what you gotta do to survive." He said, flatly.

I rolled my eyes. No surprise, there.

"You know, I feel bad for your future offspring." He said, poking my shoulder.

"Why?"

"If you're going to point guns at them for bickering, that is considered abuse." He smirked.

I forced a laugh. "Good thing I don't plan to have any."

"Why am I not surprised?" He shook his head, then sighed, wishfully. "I plan to have a couple of kids. Maybe. If I find the right mare."

I coughed, awkwardly. "That's good. I mean, I like foals, I just wouldn't be that good of a mother, I think."

"Maybe you should try." Redd gave a toothy grin.

I blushed. "Not on your life!"

He chuckled, putting a wing around me. Did it just get hotter? Damn it, why'd he have to smell so masculine? "So, are we still looking for Flashbang? We aren't far from Shattered Hoof, according to your Pipbuck."

I glanced down, ignoring the burning in my cheeks. Sure enough, the blip of Shattered Hoof was getting closer to us as we walked.

"I guess if we don't find her, we just don't find her. There are more important things at stake, after all." Nico said.

"If she's as slick as Gladys says, we probably won't find her." I swallowed. "I kind of hope we don't."

"She can't be that dangerous."

"You'd better not get too cocky. Remember, you were almost killed by a weird... pig thing." I remarked, earning a snicker from Redd.

He groaned and kept walking, sullenly.

Sometime later, we came across a run down shack that was hidden by a pile of dead brush. Redd had spotted it from the air. Nico, of course, wanted to stop and investigate. The door was locked, but my unicorn companion managed to pick it open. Inside, was just a few small piles of junk. Nothing new. The floor had long rotted, leaving just a dirt floor. A fireplace sat in the corner, but it was filled with junk. I noticed a magazine sitting on an old refrigerator, so I went over to look at it while Nico and Redd dug around. "A Guide to the Scientific Aspects of Flight", read the title. Under that were the words, "Paid for by the Wonderbolt Academy". Once I picked it up and read through the first few pages, I instantly felt slightly lighter and faster. Strange.

"Hey, we could probably spend the night here. There's still daylight, but by the time we look through all this it will probably be late." I heard Nico call over.

I sighed, putting the book in my bag, my Pipbuck lighting up to let me know it was added to my inventory. I stood and walked over to him. "So, what have you found?"

He gestured to a very small pile in the middle of the floor. "Just a few trinkets to trade, mostly. Some fifty caliber bullets for my rifle. Oh, I also found a box of cookies."

My stomach growled. How long had I went without eating?

"Let's take a snack break. I found a whole crate of Sparkle Cola, yesterday." I said, digging out three bottles of the soda. Amazing how they all fit in my bag. Of course, I didn't exactly question the logic of a place that was destroyed by magical fire and glittery bombs.

Nico sat down, taking one of the bottles and opening it with his magic. I took out my trusty, rusty nail and opened another two. One for me and one for Redd. It took some persuasion, but I finally got him to try it. He drank it with no complaints. I opened the box of cookies and hesitantly sniffed one. It had no smell which was odd. I took a bite, chewing slowly. It wasn't bad. It wasn't good, but it wasn't bad. It was more or less just a stale, bland shortbread cookie.

"I wish I had cake." I mumbled.

"I wish I had my bed." Redd slumped. "My back has been killing me."

I looked at Nico. "So, what do you want?"

He shrugged. "Nothing. Well, nothing small. My life-long desires are pretty significant compared to a bed." He looked at Redd and smirked.

Redd crossed his hooves. "It's the small things that count."

"Sure it is."

Taking a bite of another stale cookie, I noticed movement behind Nico. I almost choked on my food as my eyes went wide. When my vision focused, the black, masked figure became clearer.

Nico saw me staring right past him. "What's wrong?"

"Don't move." I reached for my pistol.

He swallowed, then turned slowly, jumping back when he saw the figure.

Just what we need. Another ghost.

"Who are you?" Redd asked, getting ready to fire.

She stepped forward. I couldn't see through her, so I guessed she wasn't a phantom.

I twitched when she started to reach behind her head. She was reaching for a weapon! "Stop! I'll shoot!" My hoof stayed on my holster.

"Wait... I think that's... Flashbang?" Nico asked, eyeing the pony.

She nodded, once again, reaching up to her mask and finally peeling it off. Flashbang's violet mane sat in a messy bun atop her head. Her pale, green coat wrinkled around her eyes as she narrowed them, particularly at me.

"Sienna?" She stepped closer.

I planted my hoof on the ground. "Who..."

When she stepped into the light of the window, I gasped. I couldn't believe it. "Violet?"

She nodded and galloped to me, tears falling as she ran. I was suddenly tackled to the ground in a death grip. "Sia! Oh, my stars! I've missed you so much!"

I stared at the pegasus in shock. "Violet... It's you! It's really you!" After my stunned expression melted away, it turned into relief. I squeezed her.

"Violet Horizon." Redd spoke up. "I can't believe this."

Violet jumped up. "Redd? My favorite cousin!" She flew to him, wrapping her hooves around his neck. He didn't return the hug, but I think he was in so much shock he couldn't move.

I stood, wiping tears from my own eyes. "I can't believe this! Where have you been, Violet? I thought you were dead!"

She beamed. "I am more alive, now, than I've ever been! I got so sick of the Enclave. Their fucked up sense of 'loyalty and duty' had me gritting my teeth just to get through the day. I finally snapped when an officer started going off on me when I made a joke. I said, 'The only difference between you assholes and chickens is that you can fly.'" She laughed, but stopped and huffed when she saw nopony else sharing the giggles. "I thought it was funny."

I facehoofed. "Violet, you know-"

"Yeah, yeah. But I couldn't take it anymore, Sia. I just packed my little bag and dove through the clouds. I didn't even have to be branded!" She pointed to her covered flank. I knew there would be an image of a mountain and skyline sitting where she pointed.

She frowned. "Why are you here? I didn't think this would be your... style."

I avoided her gaze. "Recovery mission gone wrong. I was supposed to be with Wick and Chaser. They... didn't make it."

She looked at her hooves, sadly. "Those poor fools. I always figured something like this would happen." Violet put her hoof on mine. "But, you're okay. You're alive! I'm so happy to see my best friend, again!"

Redd cleared his throat. "I guess family doesn't get the same reunion."

Violet smiled and rolled her eyes. "You know I am happy to see you, too!" She put him in a head lock and ruffled his mane.

"Okay, okay. You all know each other. How did you get to be Flashbang? Do you know who's looking for you, right now?" Nico interrupted.

Violet put a hoof to her chin, inspecting the unicorn. "And, you are?"

"Violet, this is Nico." I gestured to him. "He's actually the one who found me half dead after I got to the wasteland. He helped save my life."

She took his hoof, enthusiastically shaking it. "Thank you for that! If something were to happen to Sia, I wouldn't know what to do!"

"How did you get to be... this?" I pointed to her all-black suit. She looked like a ninja!

"This old thing? I found it in some bunker and put it on. I wore it when I helped out a caravan being attacked by a hydra. A few locals heard about it and started calling me 'Flashbang'." She shrugged. "The name just stuck. I kind of like it, though. I'm like a superhero or something!"

I giggled as she flew around, punching and kicking the air. I missed her energy.

Nico rolled his eyes. "You didn't take out a hydra."

Violet stopped and stared at him.

"Oh, boy. I'm gonna go get some firewood, since it's getting late. This is not a fight I want to watch." Redd looked at me. "Good luck." With that, he walked out.

I sighed. Great.

"Do you act like that because you think it impresses all the mares?" She smirked, making sure Redd was out. "Or just Sia?"

Nico swallowed, his face turning pink. "What are you talking about?"

"You have a little crush on my girl, here." She nudged me.

I scoffed. "Come on, Vi. Don't joke like that. It's awkward enough when we do it."

"I'm not joking! Look at him. I mean, you have such an eye for detail and you can't see this?" She pointed to his face.

He fidgeted, nervously. "Y-you don't know me."

"No, but I know ponies. I waitressed in a cafe, for Celestia's sake. I've seen all kinds."

Violet broke him. He had finally met his match.

"Well, Sia is pretty difficult to read, right now. She's never even had a buckfriend." She snickered.

I blushed, that time. "Hey!"

"Anyway, what brings you around here?" She asked.

I looked to Nico, who didn't seem to want to look me in the eyes. I sighed and started explaining the situation with Hope, yet again.

"Wait, wait. You mean the Hope Coven?" She asked.

I perked my ears. "You know them?"

"I haven't met them face to face, but going by hearsay, they seem pretty dangerous. If they get those pearls you mentioned, there's no telling what might happen."

"I still don't even have a real plan. I'm basically just winging it as I go." My chest began to crawl, a little bit.

"At least you're doing something." She reassured me.

I smiled. "Thanks, Vi."

Silence.

She put her muzzle by my ear. "He is so into you."

I shook my head, seeing Nico watching us, intently. "S-Stop that!"

She snickered, again. "Would you look at the time?" She glanced at an imaginary watch. "It's getting dark, so I'm gonna go help Redd collect firewood. Why don't you two get the kindling started?"

I widened my eyes. "Wait! What about-"

"Toodle-oo!" She zoomed out the door.

The longest, most awkward silence in the history of Equestria came after the door shut. I kept my eyes in that direction, not wanting to look at the only other pony in the shack. Finally, I heard the crumpling of paper and removal of the nonflammable junk that was in the fireplace. I peeked over at Nico, who had his back to me, setting the junk next to it. When he was finished, he closed his eyes and waited for a spark from his horn to ignite the paper. A small flame appeared, then slowly grew to a reasonable size.

I gave a fake chuckle. "I'm sorry about Violet. She's always been like that."

He didn't answer, just watched the fire.

I moved to sit next to him, but not too close. "I'm sorry."

"Stop apologizing, Sia." He sighed.

I didn't reply.

"I'm..." He shook his head. "I feel- No, it's..." Nico breathed, frustrated. "I can't believe I'm saying this."

I cocked my head, curiously.

He turned to me. "I like you, Sia."

Relief flooded through me. "Oh, I like you, too." I smiled.

"No. I like you." He rubbed his temples.

"Oh. OH! Uh, I-I... You- You like me, huh?" So much for relief.

"I'm the one who is sorry. This is so wrong. I shouldn't be developing these feelings. Especially, for somepony like you." He held his hoof up, before I could be offended. "And I don't mean it like that. I mean, you are from a real society. In a lot of ways, you are too good for me. Goddesses, I hate myself. I just met you." He nodded towards the door. "Redd deserves you more than I do. And I hate that guy. But... But I hate him, not because of how he is, but because... I envy him."

I know my entire body was blushing. "W-why?"

"What do you mean, 'why'? Look at him. Not his looks, but... everything else." His dark blue eyes set on mine. There was a genuine look in them.

I shared his look, except I was trying not to be awkward. Too bad the whole conversation had been awkward. "I-"

"Please, do not say anything that is going to 'make me feel better'. I know the situation. I know what a mess this is. If you try to sugar coat it, it just makes it worse."

I hugged myself with my wings. "I wish you didn't feel that way about me. I... I think I'm the one who would hold you back."

He looked puzzled.

"When I thought you died in those tunnels. I had wished it was me. You have more to offer than I do. Just because the 'society' I come from is more put together, doesn't mean I am, as a pony."

He grabbed my shoulders. "You are, though! How many times must I tell you, you are trying help a lot of ponies. That speaks volumes. You're a kind, smart, determined..." He relaxed his grip. "Beautiful..." He shook his head, regaining focus. "You get it. I just want you to know that a little bit of fear or hesitation doesn't make you any less of a pony."

Nope. Not gonna cry.

I set my jaw, trying not to let any tears fall. "I have so many lives resting on my shoulders, Nico. I don't... know what to do."

Yep. I'm crying.

He grabbed me in a hug, squeezing me. "You're not alone. You won't be alone. We can do it."

I took a deep breath, letting it out, slowly. "I-I'll be okay." I pulled away, unwillingly. "I'm really trying not to lose it. I've been trying not to be a... cry baby." I flattened my ears.

"It's okay to cry."

"Don't tell me that, or I will cry and be inconsolable." I chuckled, lightly.

"If that's what it takes to make you feel better." He half-smiled.

I sniffed. "What, now?"

His smile dissipated. "You already know how I feel about you."

"I think-"

"No, no. It's okay. You don't have to tell me how you feel about me. Truthfully, I don't want to know. I just-"

I grabbed his face in my hooves and kissed him. For real, this time, I actually kissed a stallion for the first time. It was exactly how I imagined it would be: Miscalculated and unplanned. Because I was just that awkward.

I let go, quickly. His eyes were like plates as he stared at me.

I cleared my throat. "I'm sorry, I-"

These interruptions need to stop.

He smashed his lips against mine. I was shocked at first, but then I relaxed and let it happen. Shivers went down my spine. I felt his hooves wrap around my waist, gently. It wasn't steamy or anything, just loving and soft. After a few seconds, we pulled away. I felt his breath on my muzzle. Nico held my hoof in his as he put his nose to mine, closing his eyes. His scent entered my nostrils and I had to hold myself back.

Luna, I'm going to die.

"I'm sorry." He whispered.

"For what?"

"I know you feel something for me, but it's not as strong as what I feel for you. I can tell." He opened his eyes, pulling me closer.

"You're wrong." I said.

"No, Sia. You may not think so, but you would know if it was true. Maybe, in time we can figure this out. Right now, let's stay focused, okay?" He gave me a peck on my nose, then nuzzled me. "If you ever need anything, I don't care what it is or when you need it, just ask me."

I didn't know what else to say, so I just nodded, sadly.

A twig snapped just outside the window of the shack. Both Nico and I turned our heads. He quickly put a hoof's distance between us. I was slightly disappointed, but not surprised.

"Who's there?" He yelled to the window.

More twigs snapped as Violet peeked her head over the edge. "Sorry."

Nico huffed. "Seriously?"

"What? I'm nosy." She said matter-of-factly as she hopped through the opening.

I facehoofed. "Well, anyway. Where is Redd?"

Violet coughed. "I may have sent him for a 'special' kind of wood that burns forever."

I stared at her. "You're going to get him-"

The door burst open. "I. Hate. Everything!" Redd stumbled in, covered in large, brown bugs. They looked like ticks, except... huge. He was scratched and dirty, too. "Violet, I know you like to prank innocent ponies, but this is not the time for your foalish behavior!" He said through gritted teeth.

Violet laughed, nervously. "Sorry, cousin. It won't happen, again. Here, let me help you get the stump ticks off."

"Stump ticks?" I asked, kind of disgusted.

Violet pulled one of the nasty insects his rump, making him hiss in pain. The mark left behind was a small, raised bump with a flat top. "Yep. They are pretty common in this little stretch of woods. The bump they leave behind is harmless, but it looks like a stump. Hence, the name." She threw the thing on the ground. It landed on it's back, struggling to get up. It had six functional legs, but the other dozen legs that grew seemed to be more decorative than anything. It snapped its tiny jaws, searching for its next meal. I shuddered. Violet kicked it into the fireplace. A tiny screech could be heard as it burned.

Wasteland Surprise Count... I don't even know anymore. Twenty-five?

Dozens of stump ticks later, I finally snatched off the last of them and flung it into the fire. The chorus of small screams made me severely uncomfortable. Redd looked like his coat was painted with polka-dots. He scratched his skin, non-stop. "When does the itching stop?" He complained.

"Usually in a few hours. You'll sleep it off." She dismissed his groans.

"It's a good look for you, Redd." Nico snickered.

"If I wasn't... busy- augh- scratching myself... I would wipe that... smirk... off your... faaaace." Redd scratched, violently, leaving welts in some places.

"Try not to scratch so much." I said. "You'll make it worse."

He huffed, flopping down onto his side. "Good night." He looked back at Violet. "I will get my revenge!"

"In your dreams." Violet leaned back onto a pile of papers.

I folded my legs under me next to the fire. I watched Nico get as far away from the group as possible. He curled up on an old newspaper. The past couple of hours were awkward. Of course, I had been feeling a strange tension between us for a while. Same with Redd and me. I guess that's the con of traveling with stallions. All the testosterone and weird stuff that stallions do. I shook my head, then rested it on my hooves. The fire was warm. Too warm. I loved to be warm, but the shack was too small to be a comfortable temperature with a fire blazing. I had to turn away from the flames to even try sleep.

A minute (hour?) later, I felt tapping on my shoulder. "Sia."

I groaned, covering my head with my hooves. "Five more minutes, Grandma."

"Come on. I need to show you something."

I rubbed my eyes, realizing I wasn't being woken up for school. Violet stood over me. "W-whahh?"

She grabbed my hoof, before I was completely awake, and dragged me outside. I looked back at the stallions, who slept soundly. Redd moved a little, scratching his side.

As we flew in the night, I yawned, multiple times. The chilly air was doing nothing to wake me up. I was following behind my best friend, not listening to anything she was saying. I only responded between each of her pauses with an "uh-huh" or "yeah". She slowed down to fly next to me and crossed her hooves.

"Sia!"

I jerked up, fumbling in the air. "What?! I-I'm awake! Just... blinking." I yawned, again.

"Really? So, no sexy dream about Nico?"

I perked up, then. "N-no!"

She rolled her eyes, playfully. "I'm your best friend, you know. You can tell me these things."

"I-I..."

"Ah, so you do like him?"

"Wait-"

"You're traveling with two stallions, girl. Surely, you must..." She trailed off when she seen my panicked look.

"Love triangle. It's a damn love triangle, isn't it?" She grinned, evilly.

My faced burned. "Violet, it's not like that!"

"What's it like, then?" She interrogated.

"I... I don't know." I looked away.

She sighed, putting a foreleg around my shoulders. "Look, I'm not saying this because I'm nosy... Well, maybe a little, but it will help to say it out loud. It will help get your thoughts straight. I love you." She hugged me.

I smiled. "I know, I know. I just... It's all confusing." Then, I added, "You haven't changed a bit."

"I never will!" She chuckled. "Sometimes, I wanted to sneak back up there and drag you down here with me." A frown replaced the reminiscent smile. "I know you wouldn't have left, willingly, though."

"I'm going back when this is all over." I watched the ground pass below us as we flew.

"You don't sound too ecstatic about it."

I sighed. "I need to go back. It's my home. My grandparents are probably worried to death about me."

A pause. "Well, I'm not going back."

I turned, quickly setting my gaze on her. "Why not? You couldn't possibly choose this empty, dangerous place over our home!"

Her turn to let out a breath. "I'm sorry, but even if I had a choice, I wouldn't go back. Old Equestria may not seem like much, but it feels more like home than that 'society' ever did. There's freedom, here! No more assholes breathing down my neck about strict laws. No more dead-end job. Here, I can choose who I want to be or where I want to go." Violet drooped. "You were all I had up there, really. It's not like my family was happy to have me around. I disappointed them with every shitty choice I made." She shook her head. "I was only happy when I was hanging with the Shake Squad."

I smiled. The "Shake Squad" was our group. We called it that, because of how often we would go down to the cafe and buy shakes. Violet, Redd, Chaser, Wick and I would always stay there until closing, on the weekends.

"I forgot about that name. We had so much fun." I reminisced.

We laughed, but grew silent over time. Finally, Violet cleared her throat. "It was fun while it lasted. Of course, we all got to where we couldn't hang out as much. You four joined the Enclave and had different hours. I had to stay at my shitty job because Mom wouldn't let me join the military."

I looked at her, sadly.

She waved it off. "It doesn't matter. The past is the past. I respect your decision if you want to go home." She forced a smile. "It won't be the end of the world."

I nodded. I chose not to say anything else. The choices I already had to make were life changing, but lifesaving.

We landed between two dead trees. Violet made sure nopony was around before she kicked her back leg into the skeletal remains of a bush. Her hoof made contact with something, but I couldn't tell what it was. I started to think she had lost her mind, until I heard a click and the grinding of gears. I twisted my ears to the location of the sound. An opening had appeared in the ground next to us. Wearily, I followed her down the dozens of stairs. I felt bad for anyone who had to walk up all those steps. The bunker wasn't complex, just a large room with steel walls. You could tell someone had tried to divide the one large room into smaller rooms. The farthest corner looked to be a sleeping area, complete with an old mattress and a blanket. Another corner had pots and pans hanging over a burner. I assumed that was the "kitchen". The rest of the underground warehouse had junk everywhere. Gun parts, trinkets, and prewar tech were scattered on tables and shelves. Other than the clutter, it was pretty nice.

"Welcome to House of Violet!" She bowed, playfully. "We should have a sleepover like when we were fillies." She chuckled.

I tiptoed around, trying not to trip over anything. "How did you find this place?" I asked, turning a pistol over in my hooves. The barrel had been bent.

"Just exploring, really. I was taking a leak by that bush when I saw the lever. Before I sold most of the good stuff, it was a place where they stored materials and weapons. Mostly ammo, but I don't have much of that, now. Go look in those ammo boxes by my bed. I'm sure you guys need it. I think there is even some gem cartridges and explosives. Take anything you need! Mi casa es su casa." She trotted over to a gated area with a terminal. She began typing away as I walked over to her "bedroom".

My vision immediately landed on a magazine. "Playmare." On the cover was a mare in lingerie, wearing cat ears. She was posed in a sensual way. I cleared my throat, holding the magazine up and looking at Violet, flatly. She looked back, doing a double take.

"I-I... That is not mine!" She stammered.

I laughed, shaking my head and throwing the book on her bed. The ammo boxes were right next to it. Thankfully, they were unlocked. I ended up finding six gem cartridges. I decided to keep half for me and half for Redd. There was ammo for Nico's rifle, too. Oh, and a few grenades. I didn't mess with those, so I would give them to the unicorn, as well.

After closing the lid, a mechanical squeal filled the room as a door swung open. Violet had gotten the barred door open and motioned for me to come over. She ushered me to a large crate that was inside the space. Her hoof slapped the top of it like a salesman would hit the top of a carriage. "Here it is! The UF Missle Launcher 3.0, or as I like to call it: 'The Fucker'."

My hoof had long been on my face from the facehoof. "The Fucker." I deadpanned.

"Yep." She said, proudly. "It was a prototype before Gladys upgraded it. A weapon like this doesn't belong in the claws of someone like her."

I facehoofed, again. I'm sure there was a horseshoe print on my forehead, by now.

"What?"

"Violet, you know that 'town' they were going to attack?"

She nodded.

"Well, it's not a town. It's full of slavers. They took her base, so she needs the gun to take out the slavers and free the slaves so she has her base back!" I threw my hooves up.

Violet's eyes drifted from me to the weapon, back to me, then finally settling on the missile launcher. "Well, fuck."

"We have to get it back to her!" I shook her shoulders.

"She will kill me!"

"No, she has never seen your face. She only knows you by Flashbang." I pointed out.

She bit her bottom lip. "I... Fine. Let's get this thing back, right now. It's cluttering my bunker, anyway."

I propped my hooves on the side of the box. The barrel was as long as a stallion's torso. Anypony with eyes could tell this thing weighed a ton. I gulped as I looked from the hunk of metal to the opening of the bunker.

"How are we going to get it up those stairs?" I asked.

I immediately regretted asking when I saw her grinning, holding two industrial strength harnesses. "Time to hitch up."

The whole bunker echoed as I banged my head on the wall.

I need a vacation.

---

Level Up!
S- 3
P- 3
E- 4
C- 3 (+1)
I- 4
A- 4 (+1, item)
L- 2

New Perk!
Smooth - You're chances of positive conversations with strangers increases by 10%.

Author's Note:

Thanks to Kkat for this amazing world!

Quick note: I've been able to get a few chapters out over the past couple of days. The COVID-19 virus is impacting almost everyone, so I'm hoping to lift some spirits out there by giving you guys more reading material.
Anyway, stay safe, everyone! Prayers, all around!

Thank you for reading! As always, constructive criticism/error spotting is always welcome!
-AP

Comments

[Starlight Nova]

9973612
Was the original really that bad?

[AngryPenguin]

10138443
I dont think it was bad per se, but since it was my first fic i had a lot of things that needed changing. I think it needed a fresh start. I'm definitely happier with the newer version!