Rarity and the Pip-Boy

by Zubric

Discovery

In the gem caves near Ponyville, a soft rhythmic smack of a pickaxe filled the mostly quiet cavern as Rarity chipped away into a wall to dislodge the precious gemstones within. Each one that was knocked free was promptly placed into a large basket. Spike, of course, had been invited to come along being a great help in carrying the cargo, but also for being good company as Rarity worked. As another few gems were loaded, Rarity turned back to look at Spike. “So, you were saying something about Big Mac and a critical roll?”

Spike’s smile couldn’t be any wider as he spoke. “Well, I’d set up this massive final battle,” he started staring around the cave with just Rarity's horn light to provide illumination. He thrust his fists side to side. “There we are rolling kill after kill cutting down the army like a scythe to a wheat field. “

Rarity nodded as she listened chipping away another patch of rock revealing the cluster to sparkle in her light. “Ooh, that sounds like quite an exciting adventure.”

Spike snapped his claws. “Yeah. Well near the end Mac had beaten the boss down to his last few hit points. He swings his axe and you’ll never guess what happened.”

Rarity swung her pick against the wall once more with a small dust cloud falling around her as some small cracks spread up the wall like spiderwebs. “Hmm, perhaps he missed?”

“Nope, he hit already, but the boss was left with just one point left.,” Spike said with a chuckle.

“Oh h-'' Rarity was cut off as the dust caused her to build up a sneeze. The glow around her horn intensified rapidly just as she unleashed her sneeze. Her pickaxe propelled by the burst of magic went flying impacting the wall with a loud thud causing a strong reverberation to rock the cavern. The two backed up to the other side of the cave as the spider web cracks rapidly spread, the crackles seeming as loud as thunder in their ears. Within seconds a title wave of dust was launched into the air as the wall collapsed. Spike and Rarity coughed blinded by the dust cloud until Rarity’s horn lit up and broke through the haze. Once the dust settled and the two caught their breath, they noticed the collapse had revealed a small chamber beyond.

Rarity wiped her brow, her eyes staring peering into the hole with relief. “Goodness, it’s a good thing only one wall came down.”

Spike nodded his claw held to his chest feeling his heart still racing. “Yeah, that was close.” Curiously the two wandered closer to the opening catching sight of light pouring down from above. Upon a closer look, they saw it was coming from a shaft that rose upwards to the surface with vegetation coiling around the walls on its way down. The chamber’s ceiling resembled the shape of a large upside-down bowl with the hightest point about three ponies lengths high.

After only a few steps inside, Rarity suddenly shrieked as she spotted a skeleton covered partly by some leaves. The stallion’s head was cracked and glancing up the shaft gave a pretty clear idea of how the earth pony had died. The mare winced back. “Oh, Celestia. I didn’t expect to see a corpse today.” Despite the haunting sight before her, her eyes couldn’t help but stare at the faded blue jumpsuit with yellow highlights that had once adorned the body but was now in tatters. She squinted as she spotted something that looked like a number printed on the back, but with how decayed it had become, it was impossible to tell what it had once been.

“Oh, poor guy,” Spike remarked, shocked by what was before him. Seeing a corpse was much different in person than in a tabletop game. His eyes were soon drawn to something reflecting light off the stallion’s left foreleg. “Hey, what’s that?” He moved closer to investigate lifting the leg upwards to look.

Rarity's face scrunched being appalled. “Spike it’s rather uncouth to mess with somepony’s remains. This isn’t one of your games.”

“But look! There’s something around his leg,” Spike said as he carefully pulled the device off the skeletal remains. “Wonder what it is.”

Spike returned to Rarity’s side holding up the device so she could see it properly. Her fine eye for detail noticed it was about the size of a large envelope and a little clunky. The outer metal frame was a light brown with a single electron tube sticking out one side. On its left were a few knobs with small markings. A glassey black screen occupied the center, surprisingly still in good shape even after the long fall it had taken. “Well, whatever it is, it looks well built. Perhaps Twilight’s expertise will know what this is. She’s good with artifacts, after all.” As the fashionista grasped the device in her magic the tube began to sputter before fully coming to life with a soft orange glow. A small fan could be heard turning on alongside the screen flickering alive as text soon appeared. “My, I’ve never seen anything like this. I wonder what no signal means?”

Spike shrugged, glancing at the corpse once more and winced. “Let’s get out of here, it’s starting to creep me out.”

---

After having buried the body under some rocks, the two made their way back to town with their spoils. “I wonder how that stallion ended up in that cave. Wish I could have seen his attire when it wasn’t so faded. Blue and yellow do complement each other. “Rarity remarked looking back at her saddlebag where the device was tucked away. “I’ve never seen an outfit like it before.”

“Maybe that thing will tell us somehow?” Spike replied between bites of a gemstone.

Rarity nodded as they entered the castle Spike hurrying along down the hallway to get Twilight. It was only mere moments before the two cand back to the lobby.

“Hey Rarity, Spike said you found something?” Twilight asked as she watched her friend open her saddlebag.

“Indeed,” Rarity levitated out the device in her magic once more making it turn on. “Perhaps you could help us?”

Twilight moved closer staring at the metal frame. “Hmm doesn’t look like anything I’ve seen before. Let’s take a closer look “ Gesturing with her hoof, she led the two along to a large side room full of the many science gizmos Twilight had re-acquired after the library had blown up. Books and other assorted things were placed about the room as well. The group swiftly moved to the long main table on the back wall Rarity setting the device upon it.

Spike was the first to speak. “We found it around the stallion’s leg.”

“Ah, that explains the leather strap on the bottom.” Twilight observed staring at the faintly glowing screen. “I suppose one of us should try it on to see what happens. I think you should wear it Rarity., it already has your magic signature on it.”

Rarity looked at the machine hesitantly being apprehensive. After all, it had been on a corpse not long ago. “I suppose that makes sense. Very well.” Adjusting the straps, she slowly brought the device up to her left foreleg before looping the Buckle around to the other side and clipping the latch in place. The two others had their eyes on her as the screen flickered before coming to life the fan spinning as it awoke. After a few clicking sounds from the magic tech inside, the screen showed off the silhouette of a mare. Rarity soon realized it was supposed to be her as she easily recognized the stats that appeared on the side including heart rate and weight. “Oh, is it one of those fancy medical devices?”

Twilight rubbed her chin. “Perhaps but what could the dials be for. There are even little words at the top in boxes.”

Half an hour flew on by as Rarity and Twilight slowly figured out how to navigate on the strange device soon finding a section with notes and found one entry that seemed important. Rarity raised an eyebrow. “I guess this thing is called a Pip-Boy? What an odd name for it.”

“Doesn’t sound like an acronym. “ Spike added in watching as Rarity scrolled using the knobs.

“If nothing else, I can use it as an Audio journal at the least.”

Author's Note:

All for the sake of a few jokes. Also no, Inever explained how the stallion got there just convenient for the plot is all.

if you want to know ahead of time. : Fast Travel, inventory clothing change. Maybe VATS if I figure out how.

Comments

[Herald of Opera]

Without reading the story just yet, I'm going to comment that the Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System plus carrying a zillion needles with you everywhere equals bad times to assailants. (Don't ask me why the show consistently portrays her dirtying her hooves with melee combat...)

[Auram Potentia]

i'll track this so far but it sounds like a good read

[reader238]

With the CMC involved VATS would be a very useful tool

[Xanderfox]

So is the stallion there due to Post-Post-Apocalypse or Dimenshional Travel?

[ChAoS pOnY]

I'm thinking something involving Pinkie Pie, the CMC, and a snowball fight would be perfect for V.A.T.S.

[HB_DS2013]

Rarity’s gonna be trotting armory with this!

[Zubric]

10418096
Hadn't really thought of ever bringing up how the stallion got there, but yeah pretty much dimensional travel probably.
10418109
huh that's a neat idea actually.

[Randablitz]

I’m fascinated with this.

[Prysmkitsune]

you go out of your way to say this isnt an Fo:E crossover, Call it a pip-boy and thus not a pip buck

so this is an original Fallout crossover then indipendent from the Fo:E mythos?

[Not so New Brony]

Well, VATS is literally a targeting system but it doesn't mean her target has to be living things. Maybe precision sewing made easy?

[Diokno44]

10418793
Yeah, or precision mining when searching for gems

[FIM Fiction]

Yes.

[ComradeCheese]

Well, this looks promising :).

Although I do think Rarity should have informed the mayor so that they can give the remains a proper burial.

[Vaguely Demented]

Be funny if she used VATS to pelt Blueblood with apples out of a sense of vengeance.

Also Rarity’s dialogue could do with a bit more ostentatious verbosity. Instead of “Wish I” it would be more in character if it was “Oh, I do wish I” when she is talking about the vaultsuit.

[Jphyper]

The existence of magic makes explaining VATS much easier.

[ThatGuyTookMyUserName]

She squirts a bit seeing something that looked like a number on the back of it but was unable to make it out.

... That should probably be 'squints'.

[Zubric]

10423004
fixed, thanks.

[ThinkTank]

Fun fact: pip-boy is actually half acronym, PIP stands for Personal Information Processor, as far as I know boy is just there because.

[FridayPie]

10421427
That's what FO:E did. VATS (SATS) of PipBuck was essentially haste + precise strike + targeting spells.

PIP is actually a retro scifi acronim, personal information processor

[FridayPie]

10449111
Boy was styling for 50s trademarks and naming. Boy, buck, ranger, crew...