Fallout Equestria: Finding Rainbow Dash

by CivilWarPony

Part Four: Shining Armor

Part Four: Shining Armor

The landscape of the Crystal Empire reflected the pain and suffering the War had caused. Where once beautiful flower covered fields stretched on towards the horizon now only frozen snowdrifts stretched as far as the eye could see in any direction. As the crags loomed in the distance, the frozen wastes fade behind the ponies as they entered a desolate forest. Airborne looking around at the gnarled trees remarks, “Doesn’t it seem strange there is absolutely no snow here?” Darkstar replies, “Come to think of it I hadn’t really noticed but now that you mention it, yeah it does seem strange given we have been wandering through snowdrifts since we arrived here.” Stopping in his tracks Airborne perks his ears up swiveling them from side to side; he can hear nothing not even the wind which seems to have stopped dead in this foreboding place. Turning to the ponies behind him Airborne says, “Let’s pick up the pace shall we.” The ponies nod and begin to trot quickly through the forest.

From within the depths of the forest Airborne could hear the ragged breathing and heavy footfalls of some creature as it made its way towards him and his friends. Airborne quickly turns around and shouts, “Everypony hide!” Just as Airborne ducked behind a tree, a large hairy creature emerged from the depths of the forest. The monster began to rake its claws against the bark of the tree Airborne had ducked behind. Airborne could feel cold sweat dripping down his forehead, inside his heart hammering at his ribcage. The creature was close enough he could smell its putrid breath it took every ounce of self-control to keep himself from vomiting, all of a sudden shots rang out. The creature howled in pain as it flailed around snapping trees in half like they were twigs. The creature’s claws barely missed decapitating Airborne who breathes a sigh of relief saying, “A little too close for comfort.” Peering round from behind the tree Airborne could see Celestial firing at point-blank range into the creature’s chest.

Getting up off the ground Airborne elevates the barrels of his battle-saddle at the creatures head and biting down hard on the trigger bit he fires at the creature. The bullets from Airborne’s battle-saddle crash into the creature’s head, one piercing its red eye and shattering its skull. The creature howls in the pain sinking to its knees turning its only good eye to Airborne he tries to avoid its angry gaze and he fires again. By this time Darkstar and Starshine had already opened fire with their own battle-saddles perforating the creature’s riddled hide with more bullet holes. Hot blood pooling around Airborne’s hooves, he continues to fire at the creature who with each shot becomes more angry, the barrels of Airborne’s battle-saddles glow cherry red from discharging so many shots.

Airborne jumps back as the creature swipes its paws at him, the creatures gnarled finger nail scrapping against Airborne’s chest armor sending up a shower of sparks into Airborne’s face. Darkstar yells over the gunfire, “How many damn shots is it going to take to put this damn thing down?!” Starshine yells back, “As many as it takes!” Unfurling her wings Starshine jumps into the air catching a breeze she soars high above the noise of the battle below. Swooping down onto the creature she lands on its back at the base of its neck and opens fire at the back of its head. Airborne looking up at her yells, “Get the hell down from there Starshine!” Starshine thinks to herself, “Shut up Airborne, can’t you see I am trying to save your miserable life. I don’t really care if I die here, I will follow Fluttershy’s orders even if it means losing my own life to protect Airborne.”

Lurching back the creature claws at its back leaving long bloody furrows in its skin. Starshine continues to fire, the creature slamming itself into the nearest tree snapping it in half sending jagged splinters in all directions. Airborne ducks as a large chunk of wood flies in his direction, he can still hear the others firing at the creature, once again training the barrels of his battle-saddle at the creature’s head he bites down hard onto the trigger bit sending a fury of gunfire into its face. The creature howls loudly then sinks to its knees falls forward onto the ground with a tremendous crash. As the dust settles Airborne cautiously approaches the creature, nudging it with his forehoof. The creature’s one good eye still looking at him raging burning deeply Airborne returns its gaze and watches as the fires of its soul slowly fade into embers then disappear as death glazes over its gaze.

The stillness of the forest creeps back in as the sounds of battle still ring in Airborne’s ears. Airborne looks around and yells, “Starshine, where are you?” his voice echoing through the forest. A moan answers his call, rushing towards the sound Airborne finds Starshine lying on her side, her wing bent and torn with pearly white bones jutting out from beneath the skin. Airborne looks down at his hooves and sees a large red pool slowly forming around Starshine. Darkstar rushes to Starshine’s side and pulls out a med kit from his utility barding. Airborne nuzzling Starshine says, “I didn’t ask for you to save me. Why risk your life like that?” slowly opening her eyes Starshine replies, “Come on Airborne is it so unusual for me to save your rump after all that we have been through together” Airborne chuckles and replies, “I guess not.” Turning Starshine over Darkstar can see a jagged gash on her side, blood still seeping out of the wound.

Looking to Airborne he says, “This isn’t good, that damn thing nearly disemboweled her” trotting around to have a look at the wound Airborne’s ears press flat against his head as he looks at the wound saying, “Is there anything you can do to fix it Darkstar?” Darkstar starts to pack gauze strips into the wound and presses down with his left forehoof turning to Airborne he says, “I can stitch the wound shut but there is no telling if her insides are bleeding plus she has lost a lot of blood already, it’s amazing she is still breathing after all that.” Darkstar gestures to Celestial who quickly runs to his side and he says, “I need you to hold her still while I do this. Airborne press down on the gauze pad to stem the flow of blood otherwise we are going to have a real problem.” Airborne presses his hooves down onto the pad and says to Starshine, “Hang in there alright.” She shakes her head and says, “As if I would let something like this kill me.”

Darkstar pulls out a needle and some surgical thread from the med kit, threading the needle he says, “Well let’s get started.” Pressing the needle through Starshine’s skin he begins to stitch her ragged flesh back together occasionally stopping to pour some cleansing solution into the wound to prevent it from getting infected. After a few minutes Darkstar pulls tightly on the threat and closes the wound shut. Airborne breathes a sigh of relief as he pulls the bloody pad away from the wound saying, “Let’s try not to make this a habit okay Starshine.” He waits for her sarcastically reply back but she doesn’t he looks at her and sees she has fallen asleep. Airborne says, “We better find some shelter and quickly I have had enough of smelling this nasty thing” Darkstar replies, “I guess Fractured was right about other things roaming the wastes that were far more dangerous than ghouls. I would rather not have to fight another of these yetis again” Airborne looks at the yeti corpse and nods in agreement, Celestial helps Darkstar place Starshine on Airborne’s back and they trot away leaving the yetis corpse behind them.

Darkstar finds a small shack in the woods where they can take shelter for the night. Standing by the doorway Darkstar says, “I will take first watch, you should get some rest Airborne we are going to make the final push towards the crags come sunrise.” Airborne gently slides Starshine off his back and lies down next to her saying; “Let me know if you need any help” Darkstar replies, “I will now get some rest” Airborne closes his eyes and lets the exhaustion from the day’s events sweep him into a deep slumber. The rays of the early morning beam onto Airborne’s face, squinting he opens his eyes blinded by the sunlight. Darkstar lay next to Airborne at his place by the door Celestial stands guard. He looks at her saying, “I thought I was going to take watch during the night” she looks at him and rolls her eyes the turns looking back outside at the forest.

Stretching himself in the warm morning glow absorbing the warmth into his wings he looks at Starshine and nuzzles her. She opens her eyes and says, “Where are we?” he replies, “We are in a shack but safe from any yetis or ghouls.” Starshine gets up off the wooden and stands wobbling a little, Airborne says, “I don’t think you should be moving around on your own yet Starshine” she looks at him and says, “I will decide that for myself Airborne.” Starshine walks around the room shaking out the numbness from her legs and stretching her wings but she winces as she looks at her hurt wing saying, “I guess I won’t be doing any flying for a while.” Airborne pulls out a bag of apples from his saddle bag and tosses a few to Starshine and Celestial saying, “I don’t think it would be a good idea to try and cook anything here. It might attract some unwanted attention that we don’t really need right now. So these apples will have to make due as breakfast.”

A few hours pass before Darkstar finally wakes up, as he opens his eyes he sees Airborne reloading his battle-saddle with Starshine and Celestial doing the same. He says, “Don’t tell me we are under attack from one of those things again” Airborne replies, “Nope just reloading my battle-saddle, after yesterday’s fight I was running low on ammo. I suggest when you’re ready that you do the same.” Airborne nudges an apple towards Darkstar who pounces onto it and quickly eats it saying, “Okay I am ready to go” Darkstar reloads his battle-saddle while Airborne and Celestial take stock of their remaining supplies. Starshine turns and looks at them saying, “What do you think caused Shining Armor to live all the way out here?” Airborne looks at her saying, “Dunno, maybe he went crazy after becoming a ghoul. If I was a ghoul I would go crazy too.” Starshine shrugs and says, “I wonder even if he knows that his wife’s soul still lingers in the palace?” Airborne replies, “Well then even if he doesn’t know he will find out regardless when we bring him back to the Crystal City to see her. Even if it means we have to drag him all the way there.”

Leaving the shack, the ponies headed towards the crags that seemed to loom ever closer. Occasionally they would hide as a yeti or a group of ghouls passed by but the forest seemed to give them a reprieve from fighting any of them. As they got closer to the crags the forest melted away behind them in a thick fog, stopping before a narrow ravine that provided the only entrance into the crags Airborne says, “No matter what we find in there our number one priority is to find Shining Armor.” All the ponies nod in agreement and they enter the rocky chasm. All along the sides of the ravine walls in small alcoves piles of decapitated heads line the walls. Looking up Airborne can see even more heads placed on pikes all along the top of the ravine walls. Perking his ears up he can hear faint whispers echoing through the ravine, behind him Darkstar places his mouth on his battle-saddle’s trigger bit just in case something reveals itself in this chasm of death.

The farther into the chasm they go the more grotesque it becomes, pony entrails draped across rock piles spattered in blood. Skulls with candle burning brightly on top, Airborne looks as wax drips down the sides of the skull in small rivulets like blood. He thinks to himself,“Please Goddesses Luna and Celestia don’t let my head and the heads of my friends be added to theses ghoul’s collection.” As they round the bend in the ravine Airborne stops before a metal wall, looking up he can see many ghoul ponies looking down at them, their jaws already beginning to slobber with the thought of consuming fresh pony flesh. The ghoul’s stop looking at the ponies below and back away with their heads bowed as their leader approaches, he says in a raspy voice, “What is it?” the nearest ghoul pony replies, “We have guests my lord. Four warmskins have volunteered to be our dinner.” The ghoul leader walks to the edge of the wall and stares down at the four ponies and says, “Well then what do we have here? Four very delicious ponies that have made a very foolish choice in coming here have now no choice but to become our next meal.”

Airborne yells up at the leader ghoul, “You should have killed me when you had the chance Shining Armor” the leader ghouls ears perk up at the name Shining Armor and he replies, “There is no Shining Armor here. There hasn’t been a pony with the name Shining Armor here in a very long time” Airborne replies, “Oh yeah then what’s your name?” the leader ghoul says, “I am called Blooddrinker and when I last saw you warmskins I warned you that next time we met I would not be so merciful. You have made a grave mistake in coming here and it shall be the last mistake you ever make.” The wall begins to open and ghoul ponies quickly surround Airborne and his friends.

Airborne looks back up at the ghoul leader saying, “So I take it that your honor died when you did what would your wife Princess Cadence think of you now if she could see you Shining Armor?” The ghoul winces at the mention of the name, the ghosts of old memories coming to life in his mind. He says, “Wait! Don’t kill them. I want to have the pleasure of that myself.” The surrounding group of ghouls back away from Airborne and his friends many of them disappointed that they could eat the ponies just yet. Blooddrinker trots up to Airborne and says, “You have a lot of courage I will grant you that but you are still foolish for coming here” Airborne replies, “I didn’t want to come here but that was until your wife order me too.” Blooddrinker bucks at Airborne saying, “I have no wife” Airborne dodges the blow and swipes his fore hooves at Blooddrinker saying, “You can deny who you really are Shining Armor but in the end it won’t change the fact that you are coming with me.”

Blooddrinker doesn’t wince as Airborne’s hooves cut his skin wide open; the wound starts to ooze with ancient ichor that was once blood. Airborne bucks at Blooddrinker’s head who falls to the ground, Airborne standing over him says, “What happened Shining Armor did your pride as a pony die when your wife did? Or did it leave you when you hid from the world out here while your people and your land’s suffered for centuries?” Blooddrinker starts to rise to his feet but Airborne knocks him back down again saying, “Stay down Shining Armor, only get back up when you have accepted the responsibility for your cowardice. Your wife would be ashamed of you if she could see you now, she has been waiting all these years for you and you can’t even work up the nerve to go and see her.”

Blooddrinker shakes his head as forgotten memories flood into his mind, the smell of flowers on his wedding day, the smiling face of his wife as they took their vows, the cheers of the joyous crowd as they stepped out of the castle. All these memories and more came rushing into Blooddrinker’s mind, he stumbles around and says, “Take them into custody and place them with the others” immediately the ghouls pin Airborne and his friends to the ground removing their battle-saddles, Airborne looks at Blooddrinker and says, “What others? Why bother locking us up just end this already.” Blooddrinker replies, “Because I am not done with you yet and you will see who I mean once you get into your new home in the cell blocks.”

The ghouls led Airborne to a row of cells deep within the mine the ghouls used as a compound, shoving him inside he sees a familiar face. Fractured Heart looks at Airborne and says, “I had a feeling we would meet again” Airborne smiles and replies, “How did you end up here Fractured?” Fractured lies down on a cell cot and replies, “After you left I knew that we couldn’t take on all those ghouls and hope to survive so I had the building rigged to explode. We opened the doors to the factory and let the ghouls inside after that I detonated the explosives and set many of those undead nightmares straight to hell. I had evacuated all of my people out of the factory before I blew it up. I took a small group with me to search for you and set the rest to another hideout we have, that’s when these ghouls ambushed us. They killed most of my men and I surrendered what was left, and then I ended up here.” Airborne sits down on another cot and asks, “What do you think they are going to do to us?” Fractured shrugs and replies, “I don’t know but what I do know is that when they come for me I am going to buck as many of them as I can into the afterlife before they bring me down, I suggest you do the same too.”

Blooddrinker splashes some cold water from a washbasin onto his face, looking at himself in the mirror he thinks, “Who am I?" Looking at the hoof marks on his face he says to himself, “Is it possible that I am Shining Armor? I remember nothing from when I was alive, I don’t even know if I ever was alive. The first thing I can remember was wandering the wastes and stumbling upon a group of other ghouls like me.” Lying down on his bed Blooddrinker falls asleep, but in his dreams the torrent of old memories doesn’t stop. He sees a small purple pony with pink highlights in her mane staring up at him then smiling saying, “How are you Shining Armor” reaching out with a fore hoof he ruffles the small foal on her head and she giggles saying, “Stop it you will ruin my mane.” Opening his eyes Blooddrinker says, “It’s true, I am Shining Armor” saying the name to himself felt right it made him feel like a piece of his soul had returned to him after all these years. Shining Armor thinks about what Airborne told him and he gets off his bed and trots out of the room making his way towards the cell blocks.

Airborne and Fractured Heart had already fallen asleep when he arrived after dismissing the ghoul guard to ensure that they would be alone he unlocks Airborne’s cell and says, “Wake up.” Airborne’s ear’s perk as he hears someone speaking, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and sees Blooddrinker standing before him and he says, “What is it you want? Did you come here for a late night snack?” Blooddrinker doesn’t reply and continues to stand in front of Airborne staring at him, looking into Blooddrinker’s eyes Airborne can see they have soften, no longer do they reflect an angry soul but one made whole again. Airborne realizing it is no longer Blooddrinker standing before him but instead is Shining Armor asks, “Are you okay?” Shining Armor replies, “I feel a lot better than I have in ages and it’s all because you finally knocked some sense into my head.” Airborne gets off the cot and says to Fractured, “Hey, wake up its time to go” Fractured wakes up and replies, “Unless one of the ghouls has a change of heart we aren’t going anywhere” looking at Airborne then to the open cell door then notices Shining Armor he says, “I guess one of them did and the leader of the pack of zombies no less, so what’s the plan?” Shining Armor replies, “I will let your other friends out and retrieve your battle-saddles that are in a storage room just around the corner from here after that I will meet you back here to discuss where we go from here.”

Pulling a lever that opens the cell doors Darkstar and Celestial run out of their cell with Darkstar saying, “What’s going on? Why is this ghoul helping us?” Airborne replies, “This ghoul is Shining Armor and show some respect for the Crystal Empires ruler” Shining Armor replies, “I don’t deserve that title, I haven’t done much ruling in all these years, a pony like Fractured Heart has done more for the ponies of the Crystal Empire than I could ever dream of doing in multiple lifetimes.” Fractured blushes slightly and says, “Let’s get going shall we I would rather keep my brains inside my head and not in a ghouls mouth as dinner” Shining Armor nods and runs out of the cell block and quickly returns with a large bag clasped in his mouth. Opening the bag Airborne pulls out his battle-saddle and tightens the straps saying, “Alright Shining Armor, what’s the plan?” Shining Armor replies, “There is a large tunnel that leads out into the forest, we can take it to escape from here but we must be careful the tunnel is filled with feral ghouls” Fractured replies, “Can you ask them to simply allow us to pass and make up an excuse for as to why you are letting us go?”

Shining Armor shakes his head and replies, “I cannot get the ferals to do anything, their minds have long since rotted away the only thing they respond to is force so we will have to fight our way out of here. Once the rest of the ghouls realize what I have done they won’t hesitate to kill me or any of you so we cannot afford a protracted fight with the ferals, just kill any that get in your way but keep moving until you make it outside. Once we are out I will collapse the tunnel behind us so they cannot pursue us into the forest.” Airborne says, “Alright let’s move out.” The ponies file out of the cell blocks with Celestial taking point, any ghoul patrol they run into she makes quick work of them with her sharp knife slitting their throats and watching as the black ichor pools around their limp forms just to make sure they stay dead.

As they enter the feral tunnel, they notice that most of them are asleep with only a few wandering aimlessly around. Airborne and Celestial quickly put them down before they can make any noise but one of the ferals hears a thud as it’s comrade’s body hits the group quickly opening its eyes it comes face to face with Airborne who stabs his knife into the creatures forehead feeling the sticky ichor splash into his face, the creature’s dying howls awake every sleeping feral. Shining Armor screams, “Everypony run!” he quickly starts to galloping dodging and weaving among the writhing mass of ghouls all of whom seem to want to take a bite out of his hide with their stinking maws. Celestial levels the barrels of her battle-saddle and blazes away into the foaming horde of undead with Darkstar at her side. The ponies leap frog their way through the tunnel one pony covering the next then quickly retreating as another takes their place. The tunnel quickly filling with piles of mangled corpses, Airborne’s battle-saddle jams just as he turns to fire at a quickly approaching ghoul, Starshine quickly turns and downs the ghoul at his feet saying, “What’s the problem Airborne?” he quickly replies with a hint of panic in his voice, “My saddle’s jammed! I cannot get it to fire!”

Starshine rushes to Airborne’s side and opens the cover to his battle-saddle and quickly spots the jam, a spent bullet casing had lodged itself in the breach of the weapon, Starshine clears the jam yelling over the gunfire, “You’re good to go!” Airborne’s battle-saddle whirs to life again spitting hot lead into the faces of the ghouls splattering their ancient blood on the cave walls. Darkstar takes Airborne’s place as they start to fall back towards the exit. Shining Armor rushes up a set of stairs and presses down on a button, an ancient metal door begins to open; falling debris pelts Shining Armor who looks at the hinges of the door as they shake loose decades of rust and dirt from themselves. The door jams halfway open, Shining Armor slamming his forehooves down onto the control panel desperately trying to get it to work again, he yells, “We have a problem! The door won’t open any further you will have to crawl underneath it to get out of here!” Airborne shouts back, “Hear that everypony let’s double time it! Move! Move! Move!” The ponies quickly dash up the stairs as the horde of angry ghouls closes in, at the top of the stairs Celestial lobs a few grenades down into the horde watching with delight as they burst sending ichor and body parts in all directions. The first one under the door is Fractured Heart followed by Shining Armor and Airborne who quickly grabs ahold of Starshine’s hooves and yanks her from under the door.

As Celestial and Darkstar roll under the door, Darkstar feels something grab onto his back legs dragging him back inside of the tunnel. He yells, “Get off me you maggot munchers!” He angles the barrels of his battle-saddle at the nearest ghoul holding onto his legs and fires feeling is rotten guts splash into his face, he tries to drag himself out from their clutches but the more he struggles the harder they pull on him. One of the ghouls bites into his legs tearing away the flesh and gnawing on his pearly white thigh bones, Darkstar whinnies in pain, Airborne wraps his hooves around Darkstars chest and tries pulling him away but Darkstar just cries out louder in pain, Airborne can see his life’s blood pooling under him. Darkstar says, “Let me go Airborne, better one of us dies than both of us” Airborne shakes his head and replies, “Not a chance Darkstar, we started this journey together and we are going to finish it together.” Darkstar head butts Airborne who falls backwards into the hooves of Starshine. Darkstar yells, “Get him out of here!” Starshine starts to pull Airborne away from Darkstar. Airborne struggles against Starshine’s grasp as he frantically whinnies, “Darkstar I can save you! Let me save you!” Darkstar looks at him and says, “Goodbye Airborne.” Darkstar rolls back under the door as Shining Armor collapses a pile of boulders onto the few ghouls that managed to crawl their way from under the door squashing them. Airborne watches in horror as the boulders tumble down sealing Darkstar into a ghoul infested tomb.

Darkstar drags himself back against the control panel, biting down on the trigger bit as hard as he can, the barrels of his battle-saddle begin to hiss as droplets of ghoul blood rain down onto him, and from his saddlebags he pulls out a grenade, yanking out the pin. He closes his eyes thinking of his friends as a flash of light and heat snuffs out the life of Darkstar. Outside Airborne can hear the boom as the grenade goes off; silvery tears begin to run down his gore splattered face. Shining Armor trots to his side and says, “That was one of the bravest things I have ever seen a pony do” Airborne angrily replies back, “He didn’t have to do it. I could have saved him.” Starshine looks at Airborne and says, “There was no way you could have saved him Airborne, and Darkstar knew the risks when volunteered for this mission. He took an oath as we all did that your safety was of the upmost importance, it has to be you who goes the distance to find Rainbow Dash” Airborne cries out, “I never asked for anypony to die for me. I don’t want nopony ever dying for me again” Airborne sinks to the ground wiping away the tears from his eyes, “I never wanted any of this, I am sorry Darkstar” Shining Armor says, “Darkstar showed you the true meaning of selflessness Airborne, he sacrificed his own life to save the lives of his friends. If that isn’t what friendship is all about then I don’t know what is.”

Celestial trots over to Airborne’s side and picks him off the ground, he sees that she too has been crying and is stunned when she embraces him in a tight hug. Airborne feels her tears soaking into his coat and feels her shudder as she cries, he says, “I am sorry to have put you through this Celestial. I never thought this could happen.” Starshine turns away from them saying, “We better get moving, I would rather not still be wandering through theses woods come nightfall. I am sure Princess Cadence is eager for us to return.” Airborne lets go of Celestial who quickly composes herself and turns to look at Fractured Heart saying, “So what will you do now?” Fractured replies, “If it’s alright with you I will tag along. Somepony has to watch your back after all since you seem to attract all sorts of trouble.” Airborne chuckles slightly and says, “I am glad to have you along” as the ponies enter the woods Airborne looks back at the pile of rocks that sealed up the tunnel saying, “Thank you Darkstar, for everything. I will never forget you.” He quickly gallops away from the pile to catch up with his friends as they journey back to reunite two long lost lovers of the Crystal Empire.

Author's Note:

Here's Part Four of the Series. Enjoy! And don't forget to fave and comment below on what you think!

Fallout copyrighted to Bethseda Softworks.

My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic copyrighted to Hasbro Inc.

Fallout Equestria copyrighted to Kkat.

All other characters copyrighted to me.

Comments

[CivilWarPony]

I am glad that so many have responded positively to this.

[M4Tiger4014]

2041331 Cuz it's AWESOME shit!!!!!!