Chapter 8: Standing Back Up
Chapter 8
Standing Back Up
The cold breeze had died out and the air was still. Everything was calm and even the vegetation seemed to have relaxed, though I could hear what sounded like firearms discharging and mutants screaming in the distance.
This place never knows peace, does it?
Vano and Snag had arrived just on time to save us from dying at the claws of the mutants. After that, Snag had taken the high ground on the concrete structure behind us and was watching our surroundings, occasionally looking through the scope of his rifle.
Strider wasn’t laying on the ground anymore, Vano had helped him sit up against a nearby rock. It seemed like none of the bones in his body wasn't broken and he was covered in blood. He was still conscious though, his alert eyes gazing around attentively.
How can he be so calm and stay silent like that when he’s-
*crack*
I screamed in pain when Vano reset my wing in place. It hurt for a bit but the pain quickly numbed as Vano pressed his healing artifact against the wing.
And I thought the leg was painful...
“Are you OK?” asked the giant.
“Yes. Thanks for the help,” I replied, flexing my wing a few times. “How come Strider is so calm?” I asked, giving the bald stalker a worried glance.
“Perk of having been Monolith, I suppose,” Vano replied with a shrug.
Strider coughed violently. “I do not feel pain at all, both a blessing and a curse,” he explained in a raspy voice. “How many times have I almost died because I did not feel that something was wrong with me...”
“That’s... disturbing.”
I felt a lump of worry form in my throat as I examined the bald stalker closer. He had several bloody gashes running along his cheek and across his brow, a bloody bone was sticking out of his right leg and his left arm was bent at an awkward angle, seemingly dislocated. His armor was completely destroyed; some armored plates were missing or cracked in half, his vest was torn to shreds and was stained with blood and what looked like dried puke.
“Are you going to be alright?” I asked apprehensively.
Strider coughed a few times. “I do not *cough* I do not know. Given proper care, yes... maybe,” he croaked. “That *cough* that is... If I do not *cough* bleed out before,” he added grimly.
Vano stood up and silently examined the injured stalker, nodding a few times. I already knew what was going on in his mind.
“You can’t use a artifacts on him in his state,” I despaired. “That would kill him!”
The bearded stalker grunted. “Lady, who’s the expert here?”
“Not really,” I admitted.
“I thought so,” he added. “Using a healing artifact won’t kill him, just make him feel extremely tired, though his wounds need to be reduced before... and that I can’t do. I’m no medical expert,” he concluded. “We do something, fast. He’ll bleed out otherwise.”
“Can’t Snag-”
“No. He’s even worse than me at playing the doctor,” he replied, nervously pacing back and forth.
I closed my eyes and quickly assessed the situation: Strider was heavily wounded and would die if nothing was done and neither Vano or Snag could help him. Transporting a wounded is dangerous and he wouldn’t last long enough, considering the rate at which he was bleeding. That left... only me.
I took a deep breath. “I’ll do it,” I said. “You said I can use healing artifacts; my magic will make the task easier,” I affirmed.
The giant eyed me dubiously. “Really? You have learned in two days how to be a field surgeon or what?”
“I. Will. Do. It. We are losing precious time arguing. Just let me help him, okay?”
I wasn’t looking forward to play the doctor but it was necessary. I didn’t want to lose Strider, and Vano’s indecision was beginning to be unnerving.
“I will *cough* I will help her,” interrupted Strider. “With my help, I am sure she will be more than able to do it,” he affirmed, occasionally coughing, small blood streaks coming out of his nose. “I do not have until we get to Yanov between the blood loss, infection and embolism risks, you know it.”
Vano shook his head. “Go ahead. I’m no use here... so do your best. I’m going to see how Snag is doing,” he grumbled, standing up and walking off.
“So... what now?” I shakily asked, turning towards Strider. “I know it’s hard, but you’ll have to help me, I’m lost here.”
“Before we do anything you will need *cough* need to reduce my *cough* wounds, bandage them and completely treat the ones with the highest risk of infection. Then I will need food to before I will able to heal completely,” Strider explained. “Look in my bag. There should be *cough* food and some medical supplies.”
I sat down next to the bald stalker and opened his bag, quickly finding the needed supplies. I took half a dozen of bandages and sat down next to the bald staker, looking at the open fracture. The leg was caked in half-dried blood and mud, the bone was sticking out of the skin and blood was leaking out of the gaping wound. Shuddering in disgust, I approached my forehooves from the horrendous injury.
I looked at Strider hesitantly.
He gave me a small nod. "Go ahead. *cough* You have to put it back into place," he said, a calm look on his face, before unsheathing his knife with his valid hand. "Take *cough* take this. You will need to dissect the tissue to reset it."
My ears flopped down on my head. “T-tissue?”
Strider gave me a weak nod. “Skin, muscle, bone... anything *cough* anything that looks too damaged to heal properly must be removed. I will guide you if you need.”
I grabbed the knife and gulped both out of apprehension and revulsion before I poked the naked bone. I shuddered in disgust at the contact. Fighting an urge to throw up, I cut the torn jumpsuit of the armor and got his leg out of the clothing layer. Taking long, deep breaths I incised the already infected skin, drawing thin lines of blood. I took a clean bandage and wiped the excessive blood before slowly sliding the knife around the damaged skin, progressively separating it from the muscle and the injured calf.
It was not a pretty sight to behold. The muscle, instead of a normal red color, had become black and purple in the areas damaged by the broken bone; and what looked like pus was beginning to form in some places. Severed blood vessels were cut, freely dripping blood and mud had gotten in the wound.
“Irrigate it,” croaked Strider, snapping me out of my horrified trance.
I looked around and noticed a canteen lying on the ground. I opened it and slowly poured water over the skinned appendage, washing away the blood and dirt off the exposed muscle and hopefully preventing any serious infection.
“Mama’s Beads,” croaked the bald stalker.
I froze, staring at him. “What do you mean?” I asked, looking at him interrogatively.
“Artifact. *cough* Mama’s Beads. Sanitizes wounds.”
I gasped in comprehension and searched through Strider’s backpack. The only artifact I found looked like a double-helix of red, glassy pearls. I held it in the air and Strider nodded weakly. I then took the artifact and pressed it against his leg in my magic.
“Good. That should *cough* that should prevent any infection,” he weakly said. “Now take the *cough* the knife and remove any damaged muscle tissue,” he added. “It will grow back as you use the healing artifac- *cough* artifact.”
I paused, looking hesitantly at Strider. He gave me a small nod and closed his eyes, taking a deep, ragged breath. I carefully examined the naked flesh, deciding which part to remove and which part to keep. I took a deep breath and swallowed hard before I began to work. Slowly, I cut off parts of the muscle that were already necrotic, carefully making my way to the bone, trying not to do more damage.
It was revulsing. From time to time I would have to remove entire chunks of damaged or infected flesh, splattering more blood against my already stained coat. Some of it even got in my eye. I jerked my head back with a yelp, utterly disgusted by the offending liquid.
Strider took a deep breath and looked at me. “What happened?”
I flopped to the ground. “I can’t... I can’t do it,” I shakily said.
“Yes you can. You are doing wonderfully,” he assured. “Just hang on for a *cough* a little more, the most difficult part is almost done.”
“I-I... I can’t.”
Strider coughed. “You *cough* you can. I need you right now,” he said. “You can do it. Breathe. *cough* Slowly. Calmly.”
I took a deep, shaky breath and looked back at the leg with a shudder. I had removed almost half of the muscle mass and was almost at the bone.
I closed my eyes and sighed.
I can do it.
I lowered my head closer to the wound, grabbed the knife again and got back to work. Regularly, I stopped to take a breath, wipe the sweat off my forehead, irrigate the wound and remove some bone splinters damaging intact muscle tissue.
Once that was done, I tried to reset the bone it to reset it with magic but I realized I couldn’t manipulate the bandages, the canteen, the artifact, and the bone at the same time, even if I let go of the knife. I gulped and looked at my forehooves.
There goes nothing...
I gently picked up the broken bone fragment and examined the wound for any bone splinters. I removed the few there were and carefully reset the bone pieces into place, making sure they all were in what looked like their correct place.
Strider smiled weakly. "Excellent. Leave it *cough* leave it as it is, you can use the artifact now. This wound cannot wait. I am starting to feel... *cough* dizzy.”
I hastily took the Kolobok and examined it, remembering what I knew about the healing artifact.
Kolobok. Not as powerful as a Firefly but still an invaluable help to wounded stalkers. The scientists spread some rumors about it but nobody really knew why.
I gulped and pressed the healing artifact against the bald stalker’s calf. The bone started to mend, it was visible to the naked eye. Then, the muscles and tendons grew back, only to be covered by newly grown skin. The leg was bloodied and looked like it had recovered from a severe burn, but nothing showed that it had ever been cut wide open for emergency surgery.
"Very *cough* good. Now you will need to bandage the other wounds, they should be much easier to deal with," said Strider, giving me a small smile.
I took a few bandages and searched for any more wounds and thankfully most of them were superficial. One by one, I bandaged the cuts, gashes and lacerations, undressing Strider as I needed, until he was almost completely out of his armor. In some places, chunks of skin had been ripped off by the mutants’ claws, revealing the naked muscle or the bone underneath.
“Good. You will have to fix my shoulder now.”
I then gently took his dislocated shoulder in my bloodied forehooves.
“Now *cough* twist it clockwise and push,” he ordered.
Following his advice, I twisted the shoulder clockwise and pushed it into its normal place. At first it didn’t budge, so I applied more force.
*crack*
The shoulder suddenly reset into place with a sickening crunch. I felt a slight nausea overcome me as I let go of Strider’s shoulder. I ignored it and opened his bag again to take his canteen. I brought it to my lips and took a gulp from it, hoping to wash the disgusting taste of bile lingering in my mouth. I then gave it to Strider. He took it with his valid arm, gave me a nod and washed his mouth with it, spitting out a red tainted water almost instantly.
“Thanks,” said the stalker. “Could you *cough* hand me an energy drink?”
I searched through the bag again and popped open the one of the cylindrical, metallic cans, before giving it to him. Once again he grasped it with his only valid limb, avidly downing it in seconds. I eyed the rest of the supplies in the bag. There was quite a lot of food and a few more of these ‘energy drinks’ in it.
I opened one of the cans before taking a gulp from it, eyes closed. Almost instantly, a surge of energy coursed through my body. I felt fresher and most importantly, I had a better taste in my mouth. I needed it: playing the role of a surgeon was very tiring, both mentally and physically.
I let out a relieved sigh, the nausea I felt receding slowly.
I reopened my eyes and took a deep breath before I produced a can of food and a set of flatware wrapped in a piece of cloth from Strider's bag. I opened the can and held it in the air in my magic, unwrapped the flatware and took the fork.
Unfortunately, Strider couldn’t move his newly readjusted shoulder just yet since the edema and the inflammation had yet to be treated. I needed to use the Kolobok for that, which was inadvisable at the moment. He needed to eat first, but couldn't feed himself.
I sat down and let out a nervous chuckle before I stabbed the fork into the can's contents and approached it to his lips. Understanding my intent, the bald stalker meekly opened his mouth and hungrily took a bite out of it. With my help, he progressively emptied the can, mouthful after mouthful. I then gave him some bread and another energy drink.
I gave him a warm smile, which he returned.
“Thank *cough* thank you.”
Once we were done I grabbed the Kolobok again, examining the Strider’s bandaged wounds. Most of them were still bleeding and the cloths covering them were tainted red. Not losing time, pressed the healing artifact against the stalker’s chest and waited for it to do its thing.
I heard his ribs emit nasty crunches as they mended back together and healed. The cuts and lacerations all over his body started to close, each one leaving a gruesome scar as it healed. I repeated the operation in several areas of his body, slowly getting him back to a healthy condition.
The healing process was nearly done and I was about to move on to Strider’s face when the artifact suddenly exploded in a multitude of sharp splinters.
I yelped and let go of it as a few of the flying debris flew in all directions, a few of them embedding themselves in Strider's side.
What in name of Tartarus was that?
I used my magic to pull out the artifact fragments from the stalker's arm, wincing as more blood leaked out of the small injuries. Once I made sure I didn’t leave any, I examined the artifact. It had split in two parts and some of its jagged spikes had been blown off the core.
Strider took a deep breath and slowly turned his head towards me. “What was that?” he asked in a tired voice.
“I-I-I don’t know,” I stuttered. “It just exploded, just like...”
I stopped talking as I noticed something impossible: the cuts on Strider’s face were healing themselves! I looked at the Kolobok, lying out of range in several pieces, then back at the stalker. The gashes on his face had closed and now two nasty scars were running along his left cheek, accompanied by one more across his brow. I froze as I let the news sink in. The wounds had closed by themselves.
I shook my head in disbelief. “Wh-wh-wh-wha?”
“What happened?” he asked tiredly.
“You’re healing... by yourself!”
Strider sighed. “Too tired to care.”
I frowned and gathered the bits of the destroyed artifact before putting it in a pouch of the now scarred stalker’s backpack.
Is it dangerous? Oh dear, I hope not.
Strider was fully healed and his breathing wasn’t labored anymore, yet he hadn’t moved. He was sitting down, leaning against a rock and looking at me, his face showing relief and gratitude. He was still miserable to look at though: his armor was filthy and completely torn up, his face was smeared with half-clotted blood and, despite being completely healed, the rest of his body wasn’t pleasant to look at either.
An idea came to my mind. I took a fresh bandage, opened it and soaked it with water. I then carefully used it to carefully clean the stalker’s face of grime. I then got him out of his ruined armor and moved on to his injured appendages; slowly repeating the process, washing away the blood on his body. Once I was done, I took a blanket from his backpack -the same he had used to keep me warm- and gently covered him with it.
“Thank you,” he weakly said.
“You’re welcome,” I replied, nuzzling his good shoulder.
I arranged the used supplies on the ground and stowed away the rest in the bald stalker’s backpack before I laid down of the ground next to him. I took a relieved breath and casted a glance in his direction. He was looking at the sky, a blank expression on his face. He seemed physically fine, but very tired... and I could see he was thinking about something. I felt his hand slowly run down the back of my neck. I sighed contentedly and relaxed.
Hmmm... it never gets old.
I leaned against the rusted rail of the platform, which creaked in protest under my weight. I immediately took a step back, not wanting to fall head first to my death.
I’m stupid. I’m well over a hundred kilos, my exoskeleton weighs more than forty and the rest of my equipment is nearly sixty kilograms. Of course an an old, rusted Soviet-era rail can’t handle my weight.
I shook my head and sat down next to Snag, observing Celestia as she was patching up Strider. So far she had done a great job at it, better than anything I would have been able to do. A few minutes later, she was done. She had even cleaned him of most the blood Both of them were resting, nested against each other. I chuckled.
How cute. Dangerous and irresponsible, but cute.
“Hey Snag,” I called, giving him a nudge. “Look at them.”
He looked out of the scope of his rifle and in direction of the group tenderly cuddling and let out a hearty chuckle.
“Aww, they're adorable!”
I smiled. “Yeah.” I added, extending an arm behind his back.
Snag rolled his eyes. “You’re the big guy and you want to snuggle,” he said, smiling. “And you know what? That’s why I love you, you overgrown teddy bear,” he added. “But now is not the time. Get your gear, we’re taking off,” he ordered, standing up. “There are a few Bandits and Mercs passing by Southern side. Let's get the fuck out of here, shit’s gonna go down.”
I stared at him for a moment, taken aback at his sudden change of attitude but quickly shrugged it off and followed him down the ladder, which creaked and protested under my weight. Once I reached the ground, I approached Strider and Celestia. They were laying next to each other: Strider was covered in a blanket, looking up in the air and Celestia had laid down on the ground, snuggled against him.
“You OK?” I asked them.
“Mentally tired. This whole ordeal has taken a lot out of me,” replied the white alicorn. “But yes. I’m fine.”
Strider turned his head towards me. “Exhausted and slightly nauseous,” he announced.
Snag snorted. “Considering what you’ve been through, it’s not a surprise,” he replied. “I’m surprised you’re not in a coma right now.”
Strider gave him a weak smile. “I can only thank Celestia. She did a wonderful job at patching me up,” he said, affectionately stroking her mane.
Celestia’s expression suddenly darkened. “Something strange happened,” she began in a serious tone. “When used the Kolobok on Strider, it worked perfectly at first, but then... it exploded,” she explained, facing me.
“Exploded?”
“It’s in one of the pouches in Strider’s backpack, check it if you don’t believe me.”
Intrigued, I crouched next to my friend’s backpack and opened one of the side pouches. Of course, it wasn’t the good one, so I opened the other and discovered the what looked like long shards of blackened glass and what looked like the remnants of a Kolobok as if it had been curb-stomped by a pseudogiant.
“Well that’s new,” said Snag. “Maybe the scientists will learn something from that. They would also be very interested in studying you, Celly.”
Celestia shook her head. “No.”
“Beg pardon?” Snag asked, eyebrow raised.
“I don’t want to be studied like a lab rat,” affirmed the alicorn. “I just want to be treated like anybody, for once,” she added with a sigh.
“Fair enough,” said the hooded stalker with a nod. “I guess we’re going to Yanov station then-”
*BANG*
*BANG*
*BRATATATATATATATA*
We all perked up as the sounds of automatic gunfire could be heard.
“We need to move,” I announced. “Snag has located possible hostiles nearby, we don’t want to stay in the vicinity.”
“Yeah, I could recognize the sound of an Uzi anywhere,” said Snag. “A gun bandits affectionate,” he clarified, shrugging. “Means we should hurry the fuck up if we want to get out of here safely. I don’t know about you, but I for one fucking hate being caught in the crossfire between two heavily armed factions.”
I nodded. “Yeah. We should move out but I doubt Strider will be able to walk on his own.”
“I can, thank you very much,” grumbled Strider, shakily standing up.
He tried to take a step forwards but stumbled and fell face first to the ground with a heavy thud.
The now scarred stalker rolled on his back. “Shit. It appears that I cannot,” he said, panting. “I feel so tired...”
“Well. How are we going to do that?” asked Snag.
“I can carry him,” Celestia said after a beat, imperceptibly rocking left and right. “If you want me to, that is,” she added, her gaze alternating between Strider and me.
I cocked an eyebrow. “You wouldn’t let anyone else do it, would you?” I asked with a smirk.
She let out a grunt and blushed slightly, gazing way.
“I'd rather be carried around by her than you to be honest,” Strider chimed in.
“Oh, you too? I have to admit, you two look cute together,” I said with a grin. “Don’t worry, nobody’s gonna steal her from you,” I added with a wink, much to the annoyance of my boyfriend.
“Stop being a fucking jerk and do something useful for once,” scowled Snag, giving me a slap behind the head.
“How do we move Strider out of here?” Celestia asked, looking at me.
“Simple. I take his stuff and Snag takes yours while you carry him around,” he explained, picking up Strider’s gear.
So there I was, walking along two stalkers I knew for barely more than a couple of days, headed for a destination I did not know, and Strider literally riding on my back. I cared a lot about him, more than Vano or Snag... strangely. I found the idea... disturbing. Back home, I never really had a relationship with anypony, even friendly, which earned me a godlike reputation of ‘purity’.
I stifled a bitter laugh.
‘Forever alone’ would be a better suited expression.
I was pulled out of my thoughts by none other than Strider.
“Celestia?” he started.
“Mmmh?”
“You're comfy.”
I chuckled and looked towards him. He was laying face down down on my back and his eyes were closed, though he wasn’t sleeping. His armor had been removed and he was wrapped in the same blanket I covered him with earlier. His face was buried in my mane, his arms were wrapped around me and his legs were secured by my saddlebags. He was fairly heavy, nothing I couldn’t handle though.
“Are you feeling alright?” I asked.
“Yeah,” he replied. “Thanks to you. I am so tired though... thanks for carrying me around. Thanks for saving my life,” he added, machinally running his fingers through my fur.
“I... you’re welcome,” I replied with a smile.
“Does it not trouble you anymore?”
“Trouble?” I asked.
“The first time I carried you, you acted all ashamed and embarrassed,” he scarred stalker explained. “And now look at us, in the opposite situation,” he added with a light chuckle.
“I got over that,” I replied with a laugh. “I have more serious problems now, like surviving... and going back home,” I added, sighing.
“We will find a way,” he assured, hugging my neck tighter.
I looked back forwards and sighed contentedly. A light, freezing breeze had picked up and was ruffling my mane; steam was coming out of my nostrils as I breathed... I was thankful for the blanket covering both Strider, doing a good job at keeping the both of us warm.
The sky was completely covered in white wooly clouds too.
Looks like it’s going to snow.
We had been walking for a while now. I had given most of my things to Snag except for my PPSh-41 and my shotgun I kept along with some ammo so I could carry Strider. Vano had taken his weapons back and was leading the way. His machine gun was now hanging from a sling on his left shoulder and his Predator shotgun was slung across his back.
I noticed he had two weapons I hadn’t seen yet. He was currently holding a weapon that looked like an assault rifle, only it had a completely round magazine letting shotgun shells appear. On his thigh was what looked like a handgun but seemed too big to be one. The grip of the weapon was slightly curved, its body had a cylinder seemingly storing ammunition but most surprisingly, there was a scope atop of it. Upon closer examination, I noticed the inscription reading ‘460 S&W Magnum’ on the barrel of the weapon.
“Is that a handgun?” I asked, walking up to the giant’s side.
“This one?” he asked, patting the weapon on his thigh.
“Yes.”
“Yep. A big-ass revolver, useful for accurate shooting at medium ranges and very effective against mutants. I still kept my old Beretta though,” added the bearded stalker, showing the smaller handgun pistol holstered on his other thigh. “Trust me when I say that you wouldn’t want to use this huge revolver in close combat. Besides, you always need a backup,” he explained. “I also got this bad boy,” he said holding up the weapon he was holding in his hands. “Daewoo USAS-12. Twenty rounds of twelve gauge destruction in a rugged package modified for selective-fire. Kicks harder than an enraged mule, but nothing in the Zone has that much stopping power! I can control day and night with this thing!” he added with a grin.
“Why do you keep your other shotgun then?” I asked innocently.
“Predator you mean?” he asked, looking at the pump action shotgun. “Don’t need him anymore,” he added, a hint of sadness in his voice. “Such a shame. He’s been a good companion, but alas I must separate myself from him.”
Strider groaned. “Just give it to her already,” he said, staying immobile.
Vano recoiled as if his friend had insulted him. “Are you crazy? No! I’ll sell him; I’m in debt again, buying all this equipment. Besides, with his reputation, he ought to be worth a lot.”
“Reputation?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
The giant smirked. “Yeah. This shotgun, young lady, has been given to me by Trapper to thank me for killing dangerous mutants in the area. This is ultimate pump-action shotgun in the Zone,” he explained with a smug expression. “Of course, now I have this bad boy,” he added, patting his ‘USAS-12’. “Still, Predator here is a highly-valued item among mutant hunters, I should be able to get a substantial amount of money out of him... such a shame.”
Strider sighed. “Fine, I’ll buy it from you,” he grunted. “Take whatever you want from my loot and hand it over,” he added, rolling his eyes.
Vano’s eyes lit up. “Take care of him, and he’ll take care of you,” he said, handing me the weapon. With that he turned around and walked off, looking through Strider’s backpack.
The bald stalker shook his head. “I swear, that guy does not know the meaning of ‘generosity’,” he said with a sigh. “At least he’s a good friend.”
I looked at him, flabbergasted. “I-I-I did you just...”
“Yes I did,” he replied with a chuckle. “You direly needed a better shotgun anyway,” he added, slowly getting off my back.
I stirred. My whole body felt sore and numb, but at least I could stand upright now. I took a hesitant step, then another. It looked like I could walk now too. Satisfied, I draped the blanket around me like a cape and turned around.
I felt something on my side. When I lowered my gaze I noticed Celestia was there, nuzzling me.
“Thank you,” she said, a wide smile adorning her face.
“It is just a weapon you know,” I replied, affectionately scratching her behind the ear.
“I don’t care,” she whispered. “I’m happy.”
The alicorn broke away and began to examine her new weapon, turning it around and scrutinizing it under all angles.
“Celestia,” I called, switching my gaze to her.
“Hmm?”
“Let’s go. We should not let them take too much of an advance,” I said, gesturing towards Snag and Vano.
The alicorn shook her head and looked at me. “Yes, you’re quite right,” she admitted, standing on all fours. “Are you sure you can walk?”
“Yeah, I feel better now. I have got my boots and this blanket; give me a weapon and I will be good for now,” I replied. “Yanov station should not to be very far anyway.”
Without a word, Celestia took one of her messenger bags in her telekinesis and gave it to me. Intrigued, I opened it. Inside were my modified Beretta, my M1911 along with the AKS-74u I had looted from the Bandit warehouse.
“That’s very considerate of you. Thanks,” I said, smiling.
I equipped both pistols and loaded them. Both of them chambered a round with a satisfying click. I let out a content sigh. Celestia was fine, I was fine... I felt happy.
Strider and I were walking side by side through the forest behind Snag and Vano. The wind was as freezing as ever but the buzzed stalker didn’t seem to mind despite his lack of protection. He was only wearing the blanket from before as a cape draped over a muscle shirt riddled with holes; his old, dirty boots and the half torn, stained lower part of his old armor. Despite having a slight limp, he kept a steady, energetic pace as we walked through the small woods.
I sighed contentedly. Strider was fine, I was fine... I felt happy.
Finally I’ll have a decent suit, finally I’ll be able to rest and temporarily forget about my worries... maybe have some alone time with Strider.
For some reason the thought made me blush. The bald stalker had become my confident, I had opened myself to him more than I could have imagined, not that didn’t want it. I cared a lot about him, but... a romantic relationship would complicate things. By then he had gotten me out of many life-or-death situations, taken care of me, stayed at my side when I needed him... to me he was more than a friend already, but I didn’t want to attach myself too much to anyone here. After all, I had a kingdom to return to.
I don’t know if Strider feels about me the same way I feel about him... even then, I barely know how relationships work for ponies, so humans... I don’t know.
I sighed and shook my head, trying to sort out the thoughts in my head, and brought my attention back to my surroundings. I was still walking with my friends, Vano and Snag were opening the way, talking animatedly and occasionally giving each other a playful nudge while Strider and I were side by side, closing the march. The bald stalker seemed deep in thought, too.
Soon enough, the trees made themselves rarer and, after a few minutes the brush opened up on a plain, starkly contrasting with the previous scenery. In the distance, I could see a what looked like train tracks, and a bridge going over them. A few stalkers were walking along the tracks, slowly making their way to their destination, unknown to me.
Vano looked around. “So, where to?” he asked.
“Up North, to Yanov station,” said Strider, peaking up. “We should go see the scientists but I need to re-equip and to sell the loot I got from the Bandits first. I also have a surprise for you Celestia,” he added, giving me a small smile.
My ears perked up. “A surprise? What is it?”
Strider smiled. “You will like it.”
We resumed walking, following the train tracks leading North. These train tracks seemed fairly conventional, except they were noticeably wider than in Equestria. Something was strange though: on the sides of the tracks, tall posts were regularly placed; each of them seemingly supporting a horizontal structure maintaining a cable suspended high above the train tracks.
“What are these?” I asked out loud, looking at the cables.
“Overhead lines, or catenaries,” answered Snag before anyone could muster a word. “Nearly all trains around here are electric. These lines over our heads -hence the name- used to power up train engines,” he explained. “But now, they bring electricity to Yanov Station. The leaders there struck a deal so we could have some power from the solar panels of the scientists’ bunker. The guys back at the station made lot renovations a few months ago. Now there’s even showers there! With warm water of course,” he added with a smile.
Vano tilted his head. “Whaaaat?”
Strider raised an eyebrow. “Showers? Really?”
“Fuck yeah! I used them a few times,” replied Snag. “Of course, it’s not free, but I’ll be damned if that’s not convenient. At least most Stalkers smell better now,” he added with a laugh.
“So these train tracks lead to Yanov station?” I asked.
“Yeah. Yanov station was the last stop which serviced Pripyat for passenger trains. When the CNPP exploded, most of the population from Pripyat were evacuated from here,” he explained. “After that, they closed the lines and abandoned all the hardware here. You can’t believe how many times my uncle told me the story of the evacuation of Pripyat, it must have been something.”
Strider nodded. “Moving tens of thousands of people in a few days must have been hectic.”
We had been walking for a while now, and we had arrived at this famed ‘Yanov station’. Supposedly it was a base of operations where many stalkers stopped by to rest and re-equip. It looked like a big decrepit house built on the side of the train tracks with barricaded windows and big metal doors, which let the sound of discussions and laughter be heard from the inside. I followed Vano as he opened the rusted double doors and walked in.
The giant cleared his throat. “*Ahem*! Gentlemen? Can I have your attention please?”
Strider opened his mouth and raised a hand. “I don’t think that’s the-”
Instantly, all the conversations died out and all the heads turned towards him, then towards me.
“Yeah. That’s what I wanted to talk about. Her name’s Celestia and she won’t attack you or anything, she’s actually very friendly,” Vano announced out loud. “Come on, say something,” he added, leaning towards me.
“Uh, hi?” I hesitantly said, rubbing my fetlocks awkwardly.
The stalkers present stared at the me for a moment before they shrugged and went back to what they were doing before, whether it was talking, playing the guitar or fiddling with their equipment.
Vano scratched his beard, eyebrows raised. “Well that went better than expected.”
Strider blinked a few times. “I... how? How come none of them flipped out and pulled a gun or something?”
Snag shrugged. “Fucked if I know.”
Strider sighed and scratched the back of his head. “Whatever. At last we have arrived at destination without problems,” he said, scratching the back of his head.
“Yeah, what a fucking relief,” Snag added, stirring.
“Vano, could you please retrieve the supplies I bought for Celestia?” asked Strider.
I raised an eyebrow. “Wait. Supplies?”
The giant shrugged. “Some stuff he bought before your... kidnapping,” he explained. “I’ll do it. Gotta sell some loot anyway,” he added, turning around.
Looking around warily, I examined the main hall of the train station. On the left, there was a man sitting behind a counter with the words ‘KACCA’ written above it. Tables were placed along the walls with stalkers sitting around them, talking, laughing and drinking a clear liquid out of glass bottles. I could also hear the sound of music instruments coming from another room. The air was filled with the constant jabber of the present people and was saturated with an acrid smoke coming from little tubes some stalkers were occasionally taking puffs from.
Smells like if they were smoking pipes.
I followed Strider and Snag as they headed for a table in a corner while Vano walked off to a man behind the counter. After a short talk, he gave the man some items from Strider’s bag and the man gave the bearded stalker a large duffel bag filled to the brim. Vano saluted the man and walked back towards us.
“There you go,” he said.
Strider gave his friend a nod before turning towards me. “Everything a stalker needs apart from weapons and armor,” he added, patting the bag and giving me what looked like a few paper tickets. “Oh, and also, have this. This money is rightfully yours, I got it from selling your jewelry. 75000 roubles... not so worthless, as you can see.”
“I... don’t know what to say,” I stammered, staring at the bag. “You helped me, you gave me all my starting equipment... and now all of this? It’s too much! I can accept-”
“Rah shut up. You actually need this stuff,” affirmed Snag.
I glanced at Strider.
“He is right you know,” he said with a nod. “In the Zone, all of this is a part of any stalker’s survival. All you need now is decent armor.”
Vano smirked. “Speaking of which... look at what I got there!” he announced, producing something from his backpack. “Strider’s old SEVA suit!”
The scarred stalker froze at the sight of his old armor. “This is not a good idea. If anyone sees her wearing that, she will be shot on sight.”
Vano grunted. “Come on, we’ll tear off the Monolith symbols! It’s just splinter urban camouflage, I bet it would look good on her! Besides, it’s not like we have anything else to make a suit.”
“Well there are the two armors I looted,” Strider suggested.
“I already sold one of them to Hawaiian,” the giant replied sheepishly. “You know, you said I could take anything in your loot to compensate for Predator,” he added, seeing his friend’s interrogative glance. “It was a radiation suit anyway, very protective but heavy and impractical; totally not your style. Only stalkers that can’t afford an exoskeleton buy these things.”
Strider sighed. “Fine, you win. I will not wear Monolith armor, that is for sure... not again. I suppose Celestia can have it then,” he said, defeated. “But if anyone harms her because of it, I will hold you for responsible,” he berated.
“It will be alright,” assured Vano, rolling his eyes.
Strider sighed, defeated. “Where is the other suit I had then?”
Vano's eyes lit up and he handed him his backpack. “Oh, yeah. There. All your stuff is in it... well, minus what I sold. The other suit you looted should be in it.”
“Thanks for not selling this one,” Strider replied sarcastically.
“I think he's grumpy,” Vano whispered to Snag.
Snag snorted. “No shit Sherlock.”
Vano clapped his hands. “Anyway! Let's get you to the technician's,” he said. “I'm sure this suit will fit you perfectly once the tech heads get their hands on it.”
Strider stood up. “No. You guys stay here, I will go with her.” he affirmed. “Come with me Celestia, let’s get you some decent gear.”
The scarred stalker walked through an archway to the left, leaving the bar and the hall of the train station. I followed him as he entered a room with a lot of technical equipment. The air in the room smelled like oil, metal, sweat and gunpowder. There were two workbenches on the far side of the room with disassembled weapons lying around and full sets of tools hanging from the walls. Boxes filled to the brim with mechanical parts were sitting neatly arranged on shelves on the walls and a lot of weapons and pieces of equipment were sitting around on racks here and there.
Two men were sitting at a table in the middle of the room, playing what looked like a card game. One of them was fairly bulky and had long hair while the and was much thinner with very short hair and was sporting an earring. The first one was holding many more cars than the second, who was also grinning.
“Attack,” grumbled the long haired man.
“Okay... six of diamonds,” replied the other, putting a card on the table.
“Eight,” said the long-haired one, covering the ‘six of diamonds’ with a card of his own, ornamented with more similar symbols.
“Ten then.”
“Queen!”
The short man grinned. “And two Kings! Booyah!” he laughed, dropping his last two cards on the table.
“Damn it!” exclaimed the long haired man, throwing the rest of his cards in the air. “You win again! I knew I should have dropped the Aces!”
“You just can’t play, durak,” the other replied with a chuckle.
The long haired man shook his head and sighed. “Whatever, I believe we have a customer,” he said, turning towards us. “Strider? You look like shit dude, no offense. What brings you here- ohhh is this who I think it is?” he asked, suddenly noticing my presence.
“Celestia, this is Cardan and Nitro. Cardan, Nitro, this is Celestia.”
“Pleased to meet you,” I said with a nod.
“The pleasure is mine,” replied the technician. “So you are the famed alien who broke out of the Jack's camp.”
What? How does he know?
I backed off eyeing Nitro warily. “Alien? Famed? How do you know?” I asked.
Cardan shrugged. “Rumors spread like wildfire here,” he explained. “Nearly everybody knows that an unusual creature broke out of his HQ, killing every-.”
Strider cleared his throat, interrupting the technician. “To keep it short, she is not from this world and she is lost,” he added.
“Poor thing. Well at least if she’s with a guy like you she’ll be safe,” said Nitro.
“I wished,” muttered Strider. “She has been through a lot already,” he added, stroking my shoulder.
The short haired technician nodded. “Yeah, being held captive by bandits can’t be pleasant. I’ve heard how you went on a rampage after you learned she had been kidnapped. Did you really have to torture-” he said, only to be interrupted by a death glare from Strider.
The scarred stalker sat down on a chair. “Anyway, I am here for several things: These suit,” he began, producing a neatly folded suit of the armor and his old Monolith armor from his backpack, “my new carbine," he added, patting his AKS-74u, "and the rifle, the custom one.”
Cardan’s nodded. “The rifle... gimme a sec,” he said, turning around. “I had just finished the lightweight bolt assembly, you arrive just on time,” he mumbled.
“Show me these suits,” asked Nitro.
“I need your opinion on the green one and the Monolith one is for Celestia,” Strider explained, handing the technician the two armors. “Can you modify it?”
“Of course,” the technician replied with a nod, eyeing the green armor. “Looks like a heavily modified Wind of Freedom and a Bulat armor had a baby... weird idea, but seems balanced and effective.”
Cardan suddenly stood up from his workbench. “And there we go!” he finished, giving the bald stalker a package wrapped in brown paper.
Strider took the package and gave the technician a nod. “Thanks,” he said before whispering a few words and handing Cardan what looked like paper coupons. The bald stalker then crouched in front of me. “I am going to leave now, Cardan and Nitro will take care of your suit,” he explained, bringing a hand to my chin.
I pouted. “Aw, you’re going to leave me alone here?”
“I have got business to do. If you need me, I will be at the bar,” he replied with a small smile. “I will not be far away.”
“Okay,” I replied. “See you later then.”
I slammed my fists down on the counter. “HOW MUCH?” I yelled.
Hawaiian gave me an annoyed glance. “I already told you, 36000.”
“But I sold it to you for barely 16000!”
“And how am I supposed to make a profit? 36000.”
“Go fuck yourself then,” I calmly replied before turning around and walking towards the table Vano and Snag were occupying.
“What happened?” asked Vano. “You look frustrated.”
“Hawaiian wants 36000 roubles for a SVD rifle I sold him 16000,” I grumbled.
Snag snorted. “What a bitch. Lemme try,” he said, standing up.
The hooded stalker walked up to the trader’s counter and began talking to him. After a while he turned around and came back, shaking his head.
“So?” I asked.
Snag snorted. “26000.”
“Why didn’t you buy it then?” Vano asked.
Snag shrugged. “Well because I don’t have the money and Nimble sells better gear for the same price tag anyway,” he explained.
“Nimble?” I asked, casting him an interrogative glance.
“A trader specialized in high-end equipment who lives aboard the Skadovsk.”
“Oh. Guess we’re going to Zaton then,” Vano concluded.
This idea seemed better, but I was still without a sniper rifle for the travel.
“I need a shower,” I said with a grunt.
Strider had left for a while now, and I was in the workshop of the station, alone with the Cardan and Nitro. After the technicians had taken my measurements and studied how my anatomy worked, both of them had begun to adapt Strider’s old Monolith armor to me, leaving me to wait for it to be ready.
From time to time, one of the technicians would come up to me and make me try a piece of the armor, a sleeve here, an armor plate there... but I was bored.
I sat down on the floor and emptied the the duffel bag in front of me. There was a lot ammo, consumables and items, which use were lost to me. I counted five red first-aid kits, two blue ones and a yellow one, a around ten bandages, a few antirads, a little box with different drugs I didn’t know the effect; two cans of food and three loaves of bread, five energy drinks... there was also a bottle containing a clear liquid with several inscriptions and ‘водка’ written in big letters on it.
‘водка’? What is this?
The liquid seemed similar to water but seemed troubled, as there was something in it. Not knowing what it was, I put the bottle back with the rest of the consumables.
The most interesting part were the items I had. I had a toothbrush, toothpaste and all the hygiene supplies, even a hairbrush. I smiled.
Oh Strider... what a nice gesture.
One of the items looked like a bulky pair of goggles but I couldn’t see anything through them. I discarded them and picked up a rectangular object with rounded corners and a black rectangle on one face. It had a few buttons on the face and on the side, which I didn’t know the purpose. The next few items were basic: the anomaly detector Strider already gave me, a device producing light, a set of flatware, a knife, a blanket; everything I would ever need in this place.
I stuffed the medical items and the food in one of my saddlebags, the ammo and equipment in the other. All I had to do was to wait for the technicians to do their job. I laid down on the floor, resting my head on my forelegs, only one thought in my head.
Do I or don’t I?
I liked Strider. A lot. Just when I was around him I felt complete, happy...at peace. I just wanted him to feel the same way for once, if only for his sake. I also craved for an equal to equal relationship but I didn't want to have strong ties here, Equestria was my home. I just didn’t know what to do.
I stood still and relaxed, letting the warm water flow over me, washing away the frustration, tiredness and stress I had been through recently. I felt mentally exhausted, and I knew why... nearly dying twice in less than two days would do that even to the strongest man.
I sighed, scrubbing myself off the dirt and sweat, my mind assaulted by a train of thoughts foreign to me.
Despite having known Celestia for only a few days, I cared a lot for her; no, I was concerned about her. Everything she had been put through, from her sister's downfall to her... 'misadventures' with the bandits would have been enough to break any man. She was strong, and she was the nicest being I ever had the luck to know. That was something I really liked about her.
Whoa there, it almost sounds like you have a crush on her stalker!
I stepped out of the shower, chuckling at the thought. Of course, it was impossible. As long as I remembered, I had never felt remotely attracted to anyone even once, leading me to believe I was emotionally dead. Even my circle of friends was very restricted: Vano, the Major... and that was all. I did not consider Snag as a friend, merely an acquaintance. After all, I had met him only two days ago.
The same is true for Celestia, yet she is already much more than that to you.
I froze at the thought, almost dropping my towel. I had known her for a very short amount of time, that was true... yet I had flown to her rescue when she got kidnapped, without a second thought... and that was definitely not like me.
Hotheaded and reckless... not so ‘emotionally dead’, are we?
I sighed and scratched the back of my head, trying to make sense of my thoughts. I liked being around her. I liked her delicateness yet she was one of the strongest and most people I had ever met. We had been through so much already. I liked her... but not as a friend.
If not as friend, then what? Family? No.
I sighed. It was a strange feeling, really. I shook my head and grabbed my new armor before I put it on.
What is this feeling called? I will have to ask.
After a while, I had grown bored so I picked up a handgun lying around and examined it. the weapon was mostly made of a charcoal grey metal, shaped in a simple design and was fairly small. The slide had a lot of scratches on it and had a few inscriptions on the side: a few numbers and CHINA’... probably the place of manufacture.
I pressed a button on the side, which dropped the magazine. I pulled back the slide and let it go with a click. I pulled it back again and let it go again. And again. And again. Dear Goddess I was bored. I kept playing with the slide for a while and managed to disassemble the weapon in three main parts after fumbling with the trigger guard. The pistol was fairly simple, but very dirty; it looked like somebody had willingly put grease and ash inside of it. I grunted and used a brush lying around to clean the weapon. Some parts were rusty but there were other similar parts laying around, so I just replaced these.
I was about to reassemble the firearm when Cardan turned away from his workbench, a smile on his face. He was holding in his hands a suit, folded in a neat pile.
Nitro leaned back in his chair. “That was a challenge, but we did it! A four-legged, Zone-ready protective suit!” he announced proudly.
My ears perked up at the news. I tore my gaze away from my work, nearly jumped of excitement.
“Gimme gimme!” I impatiently asked.
Nitro handed me the suit. “Go ahead, try it!”
First, I put on what looked like an undergarment bodysuit. It was made of a black, stretchy material, hard to put on but somehow very comfy to wear. Then came the jumpsuit. It looked just like before, except it had been adapted to my anatomy and apparently reinforced with inserts of a hard material at each on my joints. Its camouflage composed of grey, light brown and black triangles and pointy geometric shapes on a white background, just as before. Instead of boots like any stalker, I had some sort of metallic shoes similar to the golden ones I had when I was a princess.
I stifled a bitter chuckle. I was already speaking of Equestria in the past tense, yet it had been only three days I had been in the Zone.
This place really makes you forget your past, it seems.
Once I was done putting on the jumpsuit and made sure every pouch, strap and armored plate was in place, I grabbed the ballistic vest in my magic. It had been extensively modified too: the pouches had been moved around and it covered most of my lower neck down to my upper stomach and even my sides. The whole suit was fairly heavy but didn’t hinder movement.
“So? How do you like it?” asked Cardan.
Did I like it? Yes! It was perfect. I was about to express my gratitude to the technician when I realized all this work could not be for free.
“How much?” I asked.
Cardan waved dismissively. “Heh, don’t worry, your friend already took care of that,” he explained.
Nitro clapped his hands. “Need anything else?”
“Yes, actually. I fumbled with this little pistol,” I began, showing them the handgun I had taken apart. “I quite like it. What is it?”
Cardan raised an eyebrow. “That?” he asked, picking up the slide of the gun. “It’s a just a Chinese made Makarov PMm, and improved version of the PM. So reliable you could fill it with sand and it would still fire, so cheap most rookie Stalkers get their first one for free; courtesy of traders or other stalkers,” he explained. “This one is broken, though. I can’t be arsed to repair it. If you repair it, it’s yours. Good luck with that,” he added with a laugh.
“Strider, you are an imbecile,” Vano said, holding his nose bridge.
“I... I do not understand,” I replied, scratching one of the new scars on my cheek.
Snag sighed. “So you met her like, three fucking days ago and you’re -I quote- not sure about the way you feel about her... I swear, it’s like I’m talking to a young teenager.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, ignoring his jab.
Vano grinned. “That means you looove herrr!” he sang.
“You think? What should I do then?”
Snag frowned. “Kid, this is the Zone.”
“I am aware. And?”
“And you could be fucking dead by tomorrow!” shouted the hooded stalker, throwing his arms in the air. “Hell, even today you almost got stomped to death by mutants! Jeez, take every opportunity you get!”
“Snag is right,” added Vano. “Life is short, you should totally go for it! Sure, it’s weird, given that you’re not the same species, but hey, it’s the Zone, everything is weird here,” he finished with a shrug.
I scratched my head. “So what do I do?”
“Well... you could wait and end up feeling sad and miserable, or you could tell her about your feelings,” Snag replied, shrugging.
Vano laughed. “OR you could french kiss her next time you see her.”
“French kiss her?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
The hooded stalker let out an exasperated sigh. “Let me show you.”
What followed next made me freeze in shock. Snag pulled Vano into a kiss.
The romantic kind. On the lips.
Despite what Cardan had said, I had managed to repair the pistol. It only needed cleaning and a few parts to be replaced, but there was a lot of spare parts in the workshop, making the job a piece of cake. In theory the weapon was fine now, all I had to do was to test fire it to make sure it worked as intended. The barrel had been replaced, I had converted it to handle high-pressure rounds and I had replaced the villainous black grips by much better looking wood panels.
I holstered the pistol, thanked the two technicians and walked out of their workshop before making my way back to the bar where the others were. There was less people than before at the bar and the sound of discussions had mostly died out. Only a guitar could be heard in the background until I heard two people laugh heartily.
What is going on?
I made my way to my friend’s table, only to discover that Strider was sporting a new suit with green camouflage, a bulky vest, pads and plating on the limbs and a hood. He was facing away from me and Vano and Snag were laughing at him. I approached him from behind and cleared my throat, making my presence known.
“What is so funny?” I asked.
Snag wiped a tear of laughter. “Let’s say that that our friend here is surprised to learn that Vano and I are together,” he said.
I raised an eyebrow. “Together? You mean you two are an item? I didn’t know... how did it happen?” I asked.
Vano shrugged. “Just a one-night stand that quickly evolved towards something less casual,” he explained.
I nodded in understanding. Their situation was something new to me but I gained valuable information out of it. It seemed humans were more casual than ponies when it came to relationships, something I found relieving. I looked at Strider. His face was frozen in an expression of shock and surprise and he wasn’t moving... he wasn’t even blinking or breathing.
“Strider?” I asked, waving a hoof in front of him.
The bald stalker snapped out of his trance and shook his head, before taking a gulp from the bottle in front of him and turning towards me.
“Follow me,” he said, standing up.
Strider led me to a quite small room apart from the rest of the station and sat down on one of the bunk beds disposed along the walls. I sat next to him and he produced the package Cardan had given him before.
“For me?” I asked.
The scarred stalker nodded, a slight smile on his lips. I hastily ripped the paper wrap, revealing a peculiar looking weapon. It looked fairly conventional, but what set it apart was its ornamentation: its wooden furniture was finely carved, imitating the lines that decorated my old regalia, the fresh wood revealed by the carvings slightly clearer than the old, darker surface of the furniture. It was frighteningly beautiful, I couldn't help but be transfixed by it. It was unique; a perverse yet exquisite mix between flawless craftsmanship and war engineering, thrown together to create this firearm.
“Cardan did the mechanical job and I did the engraving,” said Strider, pulling me out of my contemplative trance. “This is a fine rifle,” he added. “Take good care of it and it will take good care of you. I do tried to keep the artwork discrete, so it can be used in the field without revealing your position hundreds of meters away. Do you like it?”
“Do I... like it? I-I... You shouldn’t- I don’t deserve-”
“Shush. Stop saying you do not deserve what is given to you,” he replied, running his fingers through my mane, before bringing a hand to my cheek. “Of course you deserve it... you are amazing,” he added, slowly wrapping his arms around me before pulling me in a passionate kiss.
I instantly melted in his tight embrace and closed my eyes, abandoning myself to the warm touch of his lips against mine, to the wet embrace of his tongue and mine. There was something about this kiss, something that made me shiver in delight... he was pent up with energy but composed at the same time, almost commanding. His lips tingled, his movements were slow, serene, romantic. His breath was warm, yet had a cold, tingling aftertaste to it. One of his arms was caressing the back of my neck while his other hand was slowly tracing the contour of my face... it had been so long I didn't experience anything like this I couldn't even remember how the embrace of a lover felt like.
Suddenly, I realized what was going on and I opened my eyes, abruptly breaking the kiss.
“Wh-what are you doing?” I stuttered.
Strider brought a hand to my cheek. “I followed the advice of a friend, I am making the most of my life, for it is short,” he said with a smile, before he made a pause and looked away. “That was strange.”
I rubbed my forelegs, not unsure of what to do next.
Oh, scratch that.
I wasn't in Equestria. I had enough of having to restrain myself, I didn't have to maintain an image, it didn't matter.
I locked my gaze with his. “No it wasn't,” I replied, pulling him in another kiss.
This time I wasn't going to let him stay in control.
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Long chapter is long.
2551926
Indeed but still worth it in the end.
Well... so Strider and Celestia, well you've been hinting at it since the whole "Flaming Goddess of Death" incident. A bit fast in my opinion but romance isn't the main part of the story. Now I'm thinking what everyone's reaction be when Celestia heads back to Equestria, with Strider in tow. Luna will be dumbfounded, Cadence will squee, and Twilight will be horrified. Keep it up man, and remember don't let her loose what makes her Celestia.
Snag and Vano french kissing... well... Skadovsk is still the only ship I like.
any way. I really like this chapter (not a big surprise since the other ones are great as well) so keep up the good work.
P.s. Celestias new gun looks totally bad ass
gamesprays.com/images/icons/field-surgery-medic-2392_preview.jpg
YES!! IT HAPPENED!!! Stridestia XD!! Dude, That Was AWESOME!!
2552090
I'm trying. Building a badass out of her without going OOC is going to be hard, but I'm sure I can pull it off.
2552241
2552296
Whoa dude, calm down.
2552305 What do you mean? I`m calm enough to make a comment
2552305
And so far you've done damn good in that regard.
Long chapters are the best! Only annoying to wait for updates.
So much like, keep being awesome!
2552241
*USS Enterprise
ftfy
2551926
Now back to writing a new chapter in my Fallout-Metroid crossover.
Good chapter! I just might use some of your ideas to help with my own Celestia ship...
D'aww.
2552311
You're always hyper, I find that slightly unsettling at times tbh. But whatever, be who you are, I won't be an asshole over it.
2561036
Glad to know Stridestia (or is it Celestrider?) is d'aawwable
2576039
*is still perturbed by lack of Celestia fics where she gets in a relationship with a woman. Every time she falls for a dude. But that's me rambling*
2576042
I've noticed that, I read your SoaSE fic. While I have nothing against homosexual pairings, I'm even worse at writing these than straight ones. There are several issues with that fic though. Also I'm not a fan of clop.
2576078
I know what you mean. That story's going to get a facelift some day. Very amateurish...
2576039 XD Dude, i`m just messing with you)))))
I`m not hyper or anything like that))
Just wanted to see your reaction.
And your story is awesome.
Oh, if you found my comments unsetting, then i`m sorry.
2576155
Don't be.
2582305
Thanks! That's the goal! Stalker is quite an immersive game and I wanted to convey the feeling to my readers, but without making the story feel like a game.
(sits in evil chair, stroking evil cat.) I enjoy this.... go on.....
But really, in all seriousness I'm enjoying this fic. Sadly I, personally, haven't gotten to play the games. Though I have seen some playthroughs.
Can't wait for the next chapter!
Good chapter is guuud. I like the surgery scene, you captured that well and it's something not really explored in the games, other than 'apply artifacts till problems goes away'
Also, you put 'these' instead of 'this' and some confusing stuff about bandits 'have this gun affection' or something, where bandits have a lot of affection for that gun would work better.
That SnagxVano made me crack up so hard you have no idea.
Hmm...
I have one gripe with the story, but unfortunately it can't be considered minor: everyone sounds the exact same. Seriously, Celestia, Strider, Snag and Vano talk in the exact same way, with the exact same expressions (like 'alabaster alicorn' and 'bald stalker' - seriously, I canNOT see someone narrating a story from their own point of view and saying that. They all sound like clones of each other, to the point where I can't tell who is talking with each paragraph break. There's just no personality to it.
I suggest you change this narrative to third person, then the same-y writing won't hinder characterization.
2673985
I have to admit, this is one BIG FUCKING GRIPE that have been bothering me for a while. I'll change some stuff left and right so they don't all sound the same... can't really change the story to third person, it would be too extensive and too long to do. I got a life.
2551926 This was a very sweet chapter indeed.
Somehow the romance section caught me completely of guard but Im not complaining here, it felt good actually.
It was also the first time I read such a section I guess.
Anyway, there is however a problem with the link to the gun you used to design Celestias one. Its broken or something.
No romance tag?
I mean there's two relationships going on!
Wait what
Battlefield friends
I can control day and night with this thing!
uhm, not trying to judge or something, but i don't think there are gay people in the Zone. Ex-soviet countries doesn't like gay too much, and zone is cruel. And in all of those official side-books all stalkers love vajayjays.
wow, and here i thought that Saigas are only smooth-bore shottys. Probably because you don't want to call your normal rifle a Saiga, after 5 mandatory years of legally owning a smoothbore. And damn, AR-15 costs from 3k$ and up. Sure, .410 Saigas are around 400$, but they sucks/jams/other bullcrap, heavy as hell, and .410 costs 3x the 12ga price.
You mentioned it was chambered in 7.62X39mmR.
Have a doctor check it in case a nerve or vein is pinched by it.
HAHAHA, YES MY COMRADE, COME AND HAVE A DRINK!!!!