Some days just fuck ya over

“Yea, and though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…”

I slowly sat up in the hundred year old bed that supported me during the night. My mouth stretched wide in a morning yawn. Strands of mane filled my view of the shack that I had taken shelter in the night before. I took in a deep breath, smelling stale and musty air; it made me cough before, I shook my head. Twisting my body out of the bed and onto my hooves, a few locks of my jet-black mane hung in front of my face; with a huff of breath they fled to the side of my head. After a quick stretch that resulted in a few satisfying pops; a wave of silence fell over me for a moment. My eyes diverted themselves to a pile of leather that was my barding, which lay at the foot of the bed. Flaring my horn with a subtle blue glow, I lifted my leather armor a couple inches away from my body. With a hoof, I swept away the thin coat of dirt that it had gathered the night before. I let out a small yawn, before I began strapping the pieces of armor to my body. Once I finished fastening the last straps, I trotted over to the old desk where I’d set my equipment. An old 9mm pistol rested on top of my saddlebags. I’d found it some time ago, next to some poor bastard’s corpse. It wasn’t in the greatest of shape, but it was all I had. The wood grip was cracked and worn with the checkering nearly gone. Steel was showing through where the black finish was worn. The sights were bent to hell, but usable. It had saved my hide more than once, especially from those damned molerats, the little ass pains.

Picking up the pistol’s holster with a practiced ease, I strapped it to my left shoulder. The fact that I could use my mouth to pull this thing was a big plus. Not many unicorns in the wasteland actually used their mouth, as magic was a mite more convenient, but this way, I had a faster draw, which came in handy on more than one occasion. The buckle snapped into place with an audible click, and I lifted the pistol, bringing with it a magazine of 9mm ammo. With a soft sigh I slipped it in the grip of the pistol before pressing down on the slide release, chambering a round. I took the 2 extra magazines and dropped them into the little chest pockets I’d sewn onto my vest and tossed the saddlebags over my flanks.They were devoid of anything of value -- just a low amount of caps, an extra box of ammo, a couple cans of food, a few bottles of water and a small first-aid kit. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to get by from day to day. I glanced over at what remained of a shattered old mirror to double check everything. I stared briefly at the blue eyed, grey coated figure looking back at me before heading out the door.

I looked around the shack one more time to see nothing except for the old bed which I slept in the night before and a few pieces of trash scattered about the cramped interior With everything checked and strapped in; I walked to the door,taking a deep breath before opening it. “Here’s to another day in hell,” I muttered before opening the door. The sudden flood of light that came through the open door blinded; making me thrust my left leg into the air shielding my eyes for a moment; allowing them to adjust to the filtered sunlight. “Celestia’s fat ass, that’s bright.” I muttered, lowering my hoof down to the hard ground below. I blinked a few times, looking around the ruined remains of the once bustling city of Baltimare. The sound of the howling wind carried distant gunfire to my ears. I sighed softly before trotting over to the road next to me. I looked to the south and my right towards the ruins, turned left and began walking towards the silhouette of a small cluster of buildings. The campfire smoke rising up from it almost making it inviting…for raiders, that is.

I shifted my eyes back and forth looking for anything dangerous…well for anything that was dangerous near me; everything in this hellhole is dangerous. It didn’t take me more than an hour to reach the town. I stopped at the gate with four armed guards patrolling around the top of the steel and wood wall looking out for raiders. I looked up at the name that was painted on the large banner that was flapping in the wind. ‘Welcome to Resort’ From what I remember from the last time I was here, you could find anything that you need for the short term, weapons, ammo, maintenance for gear and other supplies that you would need to survive.Plus all the food, sleep, and chems you could ever want. If you had the caps that is. Maybe that’s why they named it Resort; because it gave you the time to relax and heal. I waited a moment before a single guard saw me. She peeked over the wall with a small glare in her green eyes. Her dark purple mane was tied back in a ponytail. A scar ran from her left cheek to her chin making a pink stripe through her egg white coat. She had a frown on her face with a raised eyebrow. “What do you want?” she asked, her voice a bit on edge and cold. A professional type.

I cleared my throat and looked up at the mare. “My name's Jack Rabbit. I’m just here to trade and look for some work.” I responded, my voice a bit rough from the lack of water.

She narrowed her eyes and began looking me over as if she was studying me. The mare continued this for a moment before snickering. “Alright, if you cause any trouble, you’ll be dealing with me. Got that?” She retorted. I nodded silently. “Alright, open the gate!” She yelled moving away from the edge of the wall. A few moments later, a large section of metal slab screeched as it was moved to the side by the three heavily built Earth bucks with ease. The thought of getting punched by one of them almost made me flinch. But, I just shook it off before entering Resort. As I trotted through the town I noticed that everypony was carrying various weapons from a few tiny pistols that my 9mm could beat in a gunfight to bigger, nastier weapons.. I could spot a few assault rifles, hunting rifles, and even a missile launcher battle saddle! I definitely didn’t want to piss anyone off around here. Suddenly, I heard a loud crash to my left. Turning my head, I saw a brown earth pony getting thrown out of a bar. I stopped to see what was going on. The pony got on his hooves to reveal his face was bloody and bruised badly; his breathing was heavy and labored like he was ready to blackout at anytime.

A moment later, two large ponies both clad in combat armor came out of the bar, looming over the brown pony. The one on the right, an orange unicorn buck a bit taller then me with a slicked back light green mane spoke up. His voice seemed deeper than it should. It looked like it should have belonged to the blue monster that stood right next to him. “You think you can get away with stealin’ caps?” The buck shook his head slightly like he was mockingly disappointed at the injured buck. “Tsk, Tsk, Tsk. You know what the punishment for stealin’ is right?” The injured back stood there silently; his legs wobbling as they struggled to hold his weight. Then, like the crack of a whip; the orange guard pulled a pistol and fired. The sudden gunshot made me flinch as they looked upon the corpse of the now-dead buck. The bullet had gone through his left eye, tearing apart the upper left part of his skull and spraying brain matter across the ground. Blood was rushing away from his body as if it was eager to be absorbed by the earth. I felt sick, but I didn’t have any breakfast, so I couldn’t lose anything. I looked back towards the orange guard who had his smoking 10mm pistol pointed at the corpse. He smiled and turned to the monster-sized buck next to him, “River, please give me the caps that he stole and dispose of the body.”

River blew a strand of yellow mane out of his face before grunting. “Yes, sir.” His voice seemed disgruntled towards his partner.

The orange guard chuckled with a smirk before turning around and going back inside the bar. I continued looking at the body of the buck whose name that nopony would ever know. That’s the wasteland for ya. One moment you could be alive, and the next a bullet could end it like it was nothing. I shook my head getting rid of that thought, even though it will always be there. I turned away from the body as River slung it onto his back and carried off to Luna knows where. Hopefully I wouldn't find out anytime soon. I looked back and forth at the small buildings before I made my way towards a small one with a few Brahmin out front with a few ponies strapping supply packs to them. I stopped at the door and looked up at the name of the building. ‘Hay’s Caravan Company’. I sighed a bit and looked down at my depressingly low supply of caps.

I looked back at the door before slowly opening it to reveal a room that looked bigger on the inside than it did outside. There was a receptionist at her desk typing away at a beaten old terminal that had seen better days. I looked around before I slowly walked in. The door closed behind me. I looked around the room to see a few ponies sitting around in leather and metal armor, conversing with each other while they prepared their weapons. What caught my eye was that each of them were wearing large, softly glowing greenly, metallic bands around their forelegs. They seemed familiar but, I couldn’t place my hoof on it. I stood there thinking about it for a moment before shrugging and walking the rest of the way to the receptionist.

I stood there for a moment as she tapped away on the terminal; her shiny black mane moving side to side in time with her typing. Her green eyes had bags under them and as if to make sure everypony got the memo, she let out an enormous yawn.. I cleared my throat which got her attention and she looked up with a raised eyebrow. She coughed and looked me in the eye. “May I help you?”

I scratched the back of my head nervously before speaking. “Um, I’m just here to see if there is a job opening available. Is there one that I could fill, ma’am?” I asked with a nervous smile.

She considered me for a moment with a raised eyebrow before silently tapping away at the terminal with a sigh. “We have a recent opening for a caravan security position attached to a caravan leaving for Friendship City at noon sharp.moving her glasses and wiping her face. “You seem like a nice, guy so, I’ll give it to you straight. This job isn’t for everypony.” She paused a moment before she looked me over before speaking again. “This will be difficult, you know that right? Raiders everywhere, dangerous plants and animals, and robots? Not to mention the long distance you have to travel.” She peeled her eyes from the screen to me. “Are you sure that you want to do this job?”

I nodded. “Yes, Ma’am”

She sighed before removing her glasses and wiping her face. “You seem like a nice, guy. So i’ll ask again. Are you sure that you want to do this job?” her voice was filled with a little concern but, I had a feeling she didn’t really care.

I nodded again, feeling a little unsure if I should do this. “Yes, ma’am.”

She looked at me again and sighed before taking out a clipboard. “First, I have to ask you a few questions. Depending on your answers, I’ll determine whether or not you become a guard. You ready?” I nodded in response.

She looked me dead in the eye. “What’s your name, son?” her voice seemed practiced and tuned right, probably from using the same lines over and over again day in and day out.

“Name’s Jack Rabbit, Ma’am.” I said with a little pride behind my name.

“Alright, Jack. My name is Files. What race are you? This is for records.”

I raised an eyebrow before speaking. “I’m a unicorn, ma’am.”

She nodded again before checking something off on a clipboard. “Next question, have you had any past experience with Brahmin?”

I shook my head. “No, ma’am”

She checked something off on the clipboard. “Have you traveled at all? If so with a group or alone? And for how long?”

“Yes, ma’am. I traveled with a group for a while but, we were attacked by raiders during a scavenging run; during which we got separated… I haven’t seen any of them since. Since then, I’ve traveled alone for about a year ‘til this point.” I said feeling a pang of guilt at the mention of the group.

She wrote down some things; the pencil in her mouth having deep bite marks. She spat it out and looked at me again. “Have you ever used a Pip-Buck? If so, for how long?” she asked in the same practiced tone.

I shook my head. Oh hell yeah! That’s what those bands were. I’m an idiot! “No, ma’am. I haven’t ever used a Pip-Buck. Haven’t come across any, but I‘m willing to learn if necessary.” Yeah, they’re rare as hell. Usually, the only ponies that have Pip-Bucks are Stable ponies that just left their stables for some odd reason or some lost pony that is looking for a love she knows she’ll never have. But, to even find a working Pip-Buck in the wasteland is a miracle itself but, finding it isn’t the hardest part the real trick is getting the damn thing on. From what I’ve heard you have to have a special tool built specifically for that purpose. That was next to impossible to find. This is just common sense really. I’m no expert.

She sighed again before writing down again on the clipboard. “Ok, last question. Have you ever killed somepony? If so, for what reason?” she asked again in the same tone but, this time there was a little…curiosity? I don’t know but, it felt a little more like she was asking a personal question.

I sighed and looked at her in the eyes. “Yes, ma’am,I’ve killed once. For one
reason. Survival. I’ve killed several animals during my time as a small time hunter so I can hold my own.

She looked a little relieved to hear what I just said. “Ok, from this I can tell that you are qualified for being a caravan guard for Hay’s Caravan Company. Congratulations.” I smiled a bit as she continued. “You’ll be paid three hundred caps one way and three hundred on the way back. The pay will come after you delivered the shipment to Friendship City and the rest when you return.” She paused before getting up and going to a safe that sat adjacent to a series of filing cabinets that were probably filled with paper work. When she came to the safe she turned her head to me. “Come on, Jack. I’m going to need to have you over here.” I nodded silently, before making my way to her. When I got to her; she had gotten the safe open that had a Pip-Buck sitting on one of its ends. With her hoof she scooped it up with practiced ease; ease that I envied of earth ponies. She closed the safe before, she turned to me. “Are you lefty or a righty?”

I dangled my right leg. “I’m a ‘righty’, ma’am.”

She giggled a bit. “I thought so.” She nodded, before taking out a small key from a little pocket on her left shoulder. “Give me your left leg then, this will only take a second.” She said kindly. This time it was less of a practiced, professional tone but, more of a…how you say sisterly or motherly kind. I did as she told me and let her take control of my left leg for the time being. With a little hum; she placed the Pip-Buck on my foreleg and closed it like a shackle. I looked down at the device; it felt heavy and bulky. Before I knew it she turned the key, which made a mechanical sound and sealed the Pip-Buck onto my foreleg. She let go of my leg then, the weight of the pip-buck suddenly became apparent. The thing must’ve weighed at least 5 pounds!

Files with a slight hoof motion placed the Pip-Buck key back into her pocket. How they did that was a mystery to me. I placed my hoof on the ground, letting my leg get used to the weight. She spoke again, which broke my train of thought. “That there is a Pip-Buck 3000 on your leg, if you were wondering. I’ll give ya a brief explanation on what it does.” She cleared her throat, before she spoke once more in the same practiced tone. “This Pip-Buck is a masterpiece made by Stable-Tec. This device does a number of marvelous things. It can tell you where you are via topographical map and tells you the location of another Pip-Buck so long as you have the other Pip-Buck’s tag. The Pip-Buck also tells you how healthy you are physically, such as your limbs and how much blood you have left in your body, etc.” She coughed a little, before she continued with her lecture. “Then, there is a special spell matrix that automatically surrounds your saddle bags. The spell matrix scans each and every item that is on your person. Which means it keeps track of your stuff. Anyways, when you need an item just scroll in the items menu and click it with the little orange button. The spell matrix from there will move the item to the top of your bags for easier access."

I nodded slowly, kinda impressed at what this little thing could do. “What else can this thing do?” I asked just out of curiosity.

She smiled a bit. “How about this. Instead of me telling you,why don’t I show you?”

I raised an eyebrow at the question. “Um, sure, why not?”

She nodded a bit before pointing at a row of lockers behind me next to the sitting area. “Inside those lockers are standard caravan weapons. You supply your secondary arms while we supply the ammo for the primary. Now, go pick a weapon and a bandolier of ammo and meet me out back.” She said, her voice going back to the soft, motherly tones. After she finished speaking with me, she trotted out the door next to the lockers.

I stood there for a moment; looking around the room again. The ponies that were sitting in the waiting area talking amongst themselves. I looked at the row of seven lockers. Shrugging I went to a middle one and opened it. The door screamed as metal scraped against itself. I scanned the contents of the locker to see that the weapon and ammo were already taken. Sighing a bit, I went to the one on my left and opened it. The same result, nothing. I did this with four other lockers. Each one just as empty as the last. I got to the last locker at the end of the row furthest from the door. I sighed a bit. “If this last one is empty, might as well give my balls to a hellhound now.” I muttered opening it, revealing the weapon and ammo belt within.. I flared my horn taking the bandolier; its ten pouches all well worn and with more than a few holes. Thinking this is the best that I’m going to get; I lifted my right leg and letting the bandolier pass it without snagging. I wrapped the other end of the bandolier strapping it in place with a fastener making it snug across my chest.

I looked at the small caliber rifle that still sat in the locker before flaring my horn. Taking it out of its little prison. I rotated the bolt and pulled it back to reveal it was already loaded, a 5.56x45 round sitting right below the bolt. I pushed the bolt forward, chambering the round with a small clink. When was the last time this thing even saw the word oil? I studied the entire length of the rifle. The bluing on the barrel and receiver was fading, just like my pistol. There were a few dents and dings on the wooden stock, but somehow its finish is outlasting the barrel’s. I aimed down the sights, which weren’t all that great considering it’s a really beaten up rifle overall. No telling if the word, “zeroing” had ever even been spoken around them. Taking a breath, I put the rifle’s sling over my neck letting it set on top of my saddle bags. I looked to my right to where the door was before sighing. I trotted over to the door and opened it. The same damn sun blinded me again. “Luna’s forsaken asshole, that’s the second time that’s happened today.” I cursed, rubbing my eyes again before blinking to reveal a giggling Files. “It ain’t funny.” I hissed

She giggled again. “Oh, come on now. You would do the same if I were blinded by the filtered sunlight twice in one day.”

I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, yeah. You said you wanted to show me the last part of the Pip-Buck?” I asked my curiosity getting over the slight embarrassment.

She smiled again before walking around the corner and up a small hill. “Come on, Jack.” I silently followed her to the top of the hill. She was sitting down on her haunches when I got to her. She looked at the weapon I had dragged out of the ass end of the barrel. “So you got stuck with that crappy old thing, huh?”

I nodded in agreement. “Yeah but, hey I’m a good shot; so, I’ll make due with what I got,” I responded with a bit of confidence.

She raised an eyebrow before smiling a bit. “Alright, if you are so cocky then, shoot those Sparkle-Cola bottles.” She said indicating that bottles by pointing her hoof to a neat row of five empty Sparkle-Cola bottles that sat perched on a wooden fence. One round, one bottle. She watched me as I brought the rifle to my shoulder. I took a deep breath and let it out but before I could get a shot off, she tapped my shoulder. I turned to her with a raised eyebrow. “How about a little wager?”

I kept my eyebrow raised. “A wager?”

A smirk grew across her face. “Yes, a wager. If you can hit those bottles without missing a single shot, then the rifle is yours to keep and maybe if you're nice, you'll get a few extra rounds.” She replied, in with slight chuckle.

I nodded my head at the proposal. “Alrighty, that sounds good but, what’s the catch?”

“Oh, that’s the good part. If you miss a single shot. You’ll owe me a favor of my choosing. You’ll still get to keep the rifle, though, just for being polite, Jack.” She said, smiling softly; which put me kinda at ease. That favor part still bothered me though.. “So? Do we have a deal?” She asked, sticking out her hoof.

I sighed, thinking about it for a bit before speaking up. “Why the hell not. You’re on.” I shook her hoof with mine before aiming down the sights at the first bottle. I took aim at the first bottle, slowing my breathing as I concentrated. Inhale; line up the shot. Exhale; squeeze the trigger. Bap! The bullet sped out of the barrel and hit the Sparkle-Cola bottle, shattering it into hundreds of sharp pieces. I rotated the bolt and pulled back in one fluid motion; ejecting the empty shell before I slammed the bolt back home, chambering another round. My ears ringing a bit from the shot of the round. I aimed at the next bottle; firing again with the same result.

I ejected the empty case again and reloaded. I fired once more, getting the another hit. I reloaded; the sound of shells hitting each other reached my ears. I aimed again at the fourth bottle and fired once more. The bullet pulverized it, making the last bottle the last one standing.. I aimed at the last one and took a slow and steady breath before I pulled the trigger. But as I fired, a sudden gust of wind blew my aim a little to the right; making me miss the shot. I stared at the last bottle with an open jaw.

I kept staring at the bottle while a smiling Files went down to it. “Well, looks like you owe me a favor.” She smirked. “But, that will be for a later date.” She turned around to face me before, her face turned sour. She galloped to me at full speed before, making me turn around. What I saw was a few Molerats attacking some Brahmin. She took my left leg, almost making me fall over. She tapped away at something before; my vision became blurry and brighter. I blinked once to see that something was in my vision. I looked at it and I could see something that resembled a HUD of a helmet. “Use your SATS and lock on to those Molerats before they hurt the Brahmin even more!” she exclaimed, pointing at the three Molerats.

I looked at her concerned. “What is SATS!?” I asked my voice filled with panic.

“Just concentrate hard on the Celestia damn Molerat! The Pip-Buck will take care of the rest!” She irritably explained. I took dropped the magazine, making a small rattle before I opened one of the bandolier pouches and took out another magazine. I inserted it and reloaded. I took a hard breath. I could feel my heart pounding hard, just before I concentrated hard. What happened next amazed me. Everything slowed from a sprint to a dead stop. My vision then zoomed into the Molerats. I could see three of them. They were in a semicircle around one Brahmin as they clawed away at it. I didn’t really know what to do, so I focused on the Molerat closest to me; it had percentages all around its limbs, probably the chances of me hitting the damned thing. I had a 78% chance at hitting the torso of the Molerat. I made a mental sigh before I tried to pull the trigger.

A indicator came in the corner of my E.F.S that said Molerat: Torso. I looked at the bar below it to see that a third of it was taken up. I queued two more times before the bar was empty, but when I tried it a fourth time it wouldn’t let me.”Fucking hell!” I thought while looking at the molerats frozen in mid-attack against the brahmin. I released SATS and fired, the spell augmenting my speed and accuracy to far beyond my own admittedly impressive ability. The first shot was a little high, but the bullet hit the Molerat standing behind the one I was aiming for. The bullet went through the Molerat’s thick skull and into its brain, spraying gore behind it and onto the ground. The next two rounds hit home in the center of the beast’s chest. It went down and didn’t get back up. The last one reared up on its hind legs, looked at me, and snarled. It tried to charge at me, forgetting the brahmin until a raised hoof pulverized the Molerat’s head.

I flinched a little when the sound of the Brahmin’s heavy hooves smashing the Molerat’s skull. “That doesn’t sound pleasant.” I muttered to myself but, Files’ ears perked up as if she heard it.

“Yeah, it ain’t pleasant, and neither is the wasteland. You’re a good shot, I'll give ya that, but you could do better.” She looked back at me with a smile. “Also, when you return i want the Pip-Buck back along with the gear you are borrowing. But, enough of that." She cleared her throat So, you wanna meet with the rest of the team?” She asked.

I shrugged. “Alright, if its gonna be a long walk might as well get myself acquainted.”

She nodded walked past me towards the door. I guess the ponies waiting in the seating area were the rest of the team. I followed closely behind her. As we walked it in could feel the eyes on me. I wanted to freeze or run away like a feral ghoul from bright light. The door closed behind me with a soft click. Files stood next to me and tapped my shoulder. I turned my head looking at her in the eyes. “Come on, I’ll introduce you.” Her voice seemed confident about something, but I didn’t know about what. That I would make new friends? Doubtful.

I followed her back to the seating area where the others were They were all armed with various weapons -- probably the choice ones from the lockers. Some of them didn’t really pay me much mind, but two of them looked like they were studying me. Were they sizing me up -- were they looking for weaknesses to exploit? The black buck sitting alone and keeping to himself; who wore a cloak which covered the majority of him; why he was wearing it, I don’t know. Probably for the wind and rain, but whatever. The black and white mane that shielded most of his face hid part of his brown eyes. I couldn’t tell more, other than the fact that he looked small for an earth pony; a bit shorter then me. A small caliber lever action leaned against the wall next to him; definitely one of the weapons from the lockers.

I turned my attention to the buck who looked like wet sand, which was the second one observing me. He was more open about his appearance, such as color of his mane, coat and eyes. He struck me as an intelligent type by the way he methodically studied me, intently eyeing my equipment piece by piece from head to hoof.. His dark red eyes shifted back and forth, dashing between strands of a mane the color of dried blood. I hoped that wasn’t his natural mane color. He was definitely an Earth pony from the way he was built, although not as big as River from earlier, but still about a good four inches taller then me if not more. He wore what looked like a scraped together leather jacket with a bandolier of 20 gauge shotgun shells stretching across his chest. I could see his cutie mark or bits of it. It had to do something with wiring or something like that. Maybe a technician? What finished his look was the fact that he was loading shells into his bandolier and into his caravan shotgun. Nice choice. Not my style, but still. The shotgun itself seemed to be in better condition than my shitty varmint rifle. What can ya do?

I stood there for a moment silent; not knowing what to say before Files spoke up. “Alright, you slackers. We got the final member of our latest caravan. His name is Jack Rabbit. I expect that you would treat him like you would the rest of the guards.”

Just as she said that a random guard commented, “What? Like a piece of shit? Got ya sugar tits.” I turned to the source of the comment to see that it belonged to the brown buck who was studying me a moment ago.

Files pinched the bridge of her nose with her hoof. “I don’t get paid enough for this job.” She hissed under her breath. Standing next to her, only I heard it. She looked up and deadpanned, “Tracer, I know that you don’t like new blood but don’t scare this one off because we're short hoofed as it is, and the janitors keep saying that they could use some extra help... or I’ll have Mr. Hay either fire you or take you off the next several caravans. Got it?” She said the last part with a bit of venom as if it wasn’t a threat but a promise.

I was the only one to get this, when Tracer nodded and sighed. “Sorry, ma’am. It won’t happen again.” He said, his voice sounded hollow at the ‘won’t happen again’ part. Something tells me this guy is gonna be a pain in the ass. He looked at me with a bit of a smirk, like I was food to him. Eeyup, this guy has ‘douche’ written all over him. The one at the end of the row though, seemed distant; he was avoiding all eye contact with anyone. He felt off, looked it, too. He seemed cleaner than most ponies in the wasteland. Not as being filthy but, as in scars. Usually, if anypony is out for the wasteland for long enough; they always get a collection of scars. Somehow, this one didn’t seem to have all that many.

I looked at Files. “When are we leavin’, ma’am?” I asked, hoping to get this thing in high gear, whatever that meant.

She looked at me with a raised eyebrow before looking at her own Pip-Buck. “Oh, shit. If you don’t leave in ten minutes, then y’all’re going to be late.” She looked at the rest of the group. “You all get your asses up and movin’ before I give them a kick start!” Files barked, making everypony, including Tracer, jump up, grab their gear, and go. They were all scared of her and I could see why. One moment she can be the sweet receptionist, and the next she is the mare you don’t wanna mess with. She looked at me with a glare. “That means your ass too, Jack.”

Getting the message loud and clear; I followed the group of guards outside in a speedy trot towards the Brahmin pens. There was a group of four Brahmin all fully packed by their handlers and merchants. The merchants looked at us just before we got to them. “Took your sweet ass time getting here.” The mare merchant said while she tightened a strap on the heavily burdened animal. Her merchant clothes and barding hid any sense of color to her coat and mane. “Next time, I’m just going to leave you all and have you catch up.” She turned to us before she looked at each one of us. Now I could see that she was a light purple Earth pony but, all of her mane was hidden by her hat. She raised her hoof and pointed at me. “You, the one with the varmint rifle.”

I looked side to side and pointed to myself. “Me?” I asked.

The merchant face hoofed. “Yes, you idiot. You’re the only one with a varmint rifle.” She muttered something under her breath; most likely that I’m an idiot even though she just said it. She took a deep breath. She trotted to me and stared me eye to eye. She was maybe an inch shorter than me but, she kinda scared me. “What’s your name?” Her voice was calm but, firm. She looked me up and down from my horn to my hooves.

I looked at her as she looked back up. I responded, “My name is Jack Rabbit.”

She looked at me again. “How good of a shot are you?” She asked looking at the rifle on my back.

I just shrugged a little. “I say I’m ok shot maybe two hundred yards without trying maybe three hundred if I try. Why?” I asked truly curious.

She smirked. “Good, then that means you are gonna keep a bit of distance from the caravan and holler if you see any sign of trouble.” She handed me a pair of the most abused binoculars I had ever seen. “Raiders, mercs, animals, even your own mother. If they pose a threat to the caravan, you shoot to kill! You got that?” She said, poking my chest at the last part.

I nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”

She smiled. “Great, I’m glad we got that sorted out.” She turned to the rest of the group. “You all know your positions -- get to ‘em!” She shouted to the rest of guards. Something told me I was the only rookie here; joy to the world! The merchant went to the front of the caravan train. I stayed back next to the one who had been keeping to himself the entire time. I looked at him. His face still hidden by the cloak. Even the holster to hold his cowboy repeater was over his cloak along with his bandolier of .357 magnum rounds. He was hiding something. I didn‘t know what and I wanted to find out. I was about to say something to the buck next to me when the mare merchant whistled, getting everypony‘s attention. “Everypony, listen up! We are leaving now! If you want to back out, now’s your chance! If not, quit your bitching and let’s do this!” She hollered before turning around and heading for the gate,he lead Brahmin following closely behind and the one behind it was pulled in the same direction and so on and so forth until all four Brahmin were all in motion.

I stuck close to the third Brahmin while we walked to the gate. It was already being opened by the same three large bucks from earlier. When they got it fully opened, the bucks fell on the ground exhausted. I looked at the slab when I trotted by it and out of the town. The damn thing must be heavy. I turned my head from the gate to straight ahead of me. There they were again; the ruins of Baltimare. Thank Celestia that we aren’t going in that hellhole -- city of death, lies and chaos; so much for the city of commerce. I’d heard about how bad Hoofington was and I’d rather go there then into Baltimare. Good thing we were going to Friendship City. I raised an eyebrow and pondered on how far we have to go before I stopped for a moment to look at the map of my Pip-Buck. I scrolled around a bit seeing nothing but Resort and the other seven Pip-Buck Tags. I followed the road that we were following to see that it went at an interchange before we had to make a turn towards Manehattan then, Friendship City. That’s all I know.

I looked back and forth to see who I can talk to, because if I estimated correctly, it was a five day walk from here to Friendship City. From all the things we had and the long road ahead, I guessed that we would have to re-supply sometime in the next few days. Deciding to use that to break the ice; I turned to the cloaked guard that was trotting right next to me. Even though he looked smaller in town, he was at least a foot taller than me. “Hey, name’s Jack. Nice to meet ya.” I spoke as friendly as I possibly could. The guard shifted his eyes toward me and grunted in acknowledgment before looking back at the empty road ahead. I raised an eyebrow. “Can I get your name?” I asked trying not to sound like a creeper.

He looked at me once more before, speaking. “My name is Bright Night.” He muttered, just barely audible.

I smiled and stuck out my hoof while I kept walking. Hard but manageable. Hey, if I lose a leg in this hellhole at least I know I can manage. “It’s nice to meet you, Bright Night.”

He looked at the hoof for a moment before raising his own and shaking mine. He looked nervous for some reason. “It’s nice to meet you too, Jack.” He looked back at the road again.

Mentally shrugging, deciding to press on with the conversation, I asked, “Bright, are there any stops along the way?”

Bright grunted and slightly nodded his head. “Yes, there are two stops on the way for any supplies that we might need.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Can ya explain some of this to me? I’m kinda new to this caravan thing,” I asked him.

Bright looked at me like I was crazy. “And you decided to take a job in the one of the most dangerous caravan routes?”

I suddenly feel really stupid at what I was about to say. “Yeah, I needed the caps.” I responded.

Bright sighed before chuckling a bit. “You know…you remind me of me when I first started out in this business. So, yeah I’ll tell you everything about this trip. We got a long walk so might as well pass the time.” He chuckled a little.

For the next few hours we made our way past the outskirts of Baltimare and onto the highway system. Most of it, even after the bombs and two hundred years of decay and neglect, still held. Bright told me everything about the trip itself, like the towns that we were stopping in for rest and supplies. One was a small re-supply station owned by Mr. Hay, and the next was a town called Arbu. The re-supply station is where the guards and caravaners can use the caps they made from the jobs to spend for what they need or want. It’s actually a good system if you think about it. It keeps the caps in the business allowing the chances of loss to shrink. When I get there I’m gonna see if I can get something better than my varmint rifle. Oh, wait, I know. I'm complaining because my rifle is a complete piece of shit. He told me a little about Arbu, but not much. He said that they are known for their Radigator farming but, he also told me that he feels something is wrong with those ponies. They seemed too friendly for Bright’s taste; he said they gave him the creeps as they were all too welcoming. Like the kind of ponies that had something to hide but, he just shrugged and moved off that subject. Everypony has a skeleton in their closet.

For the next few hours, literally nothing happened. We walked, took a rest , and walked some fucking more. Nothing but road, road, and did I mention more road? But, there was some dust swirling about in the wind which caught my attention for a bit before it died. When the light began to dim and turn orange from the sunset, the merchant mare at the head of the pack stopped. She halted the lead Brahmin, making the entire caravan stop in its tracks. She turned around and cleared her throat. “Everypony listen up! We are stopping for the night! Get yourselves some rest cause we leave at first light!” She hollered, getting everypony’s attention and a few grunts and nods of acknowledgement. “Now, you all know your watch times and don’t pull that ‘My Pip-Buck’s clock is busted’ bullshit!” she shouted again in a semi-mocking tone.

She loves to yell, doesn’t she? With that,the Brahmin caretakers untied the ropes from each of the Brahmin before leading them to places where they were tied down. Meanwhile, the guards went into two separate groups each making their own little fires. I stood at the edge of the road; wondering which group to go to before I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned my head to see to that it was Bright with a big ol’ smile on his face, which I could barely see through the quickly darkening sky. “Howdy, Jack.”

I smiled and coughed. “Hey, Bright. What’s goin on?” I asked before looking at the two groups again.

He looked at the two groups each had their own fire ablaze before, looking back at me. “I’m about to go sit with the guards, I think you should do the same, Jack.” He looked at the Merchants that were eyeing me while they ate. “The merchants like to keep to themselves, so you might wanna sit with us” He said jokingly, before walking towards the fire with the guards sitting around. “Come on, Jack, it’s time for you to meet the other guards.” He motioned me to follow. But, as he motioned I saw something fall. I began following him to the small group of guards before, Bright just stopped right out of their earshot. He turned his head back to me; his face illuminated by the fire as he stared at me. When he spoke, all playfulness has vanished like water in the sand, and was replaced with the seriousness of a Steel Ranger with a laser rifle. “Whatever you do. Do not mention the Cult of Hakai. Ponies around here don’t like them at all.”

I raised an eyebrow at this, but before I could ask what that was, one of the guards spoke up. “Who’s the fresh meat?” I turned my head to see that it was Tracer. From afar Tracer looked shorter than he actually was. When he stood up to meet Bright; he turned to me and looked down. He asked with a sharp tone.

Bright sighed a little before, pinching the bridge of his nose. “It’s Jack Tracer. I know you don’t like remembering names but, he is new to the caravanning business so give him some slack before I kick your sorry ass.”

Tracer glared at Bright for a moment before, looking down at me. He stared at me for a moment. “Small little bastard, isn’t he? Why are you wasting your time on him?” He asked, again the word ‘Douche’ was coming off of him in droves.

I raised an eyebrow. “What crawled up your ass and died?” I retorted before, Bright could respond.

Tracer looked at me , this time with a bit of anger in his eyes. “What did you say you little piece of shit?” He barked, getting the attention of the other guards; some of them looked a little confused while others were tensing up, getting ready for the fight that might happen.

I opened my mouth but, before I could respond, Bright stepped in between us; shoving both away from each other. “Enough, you two. We don’t need a fight, save that for the raiders and bugs.” He said looking between both of us; shadows from the fire dancing across his face.

Tracer glared at me for a moment before he shoved his blood red mane from his face with a hoof before, huffing. “Fine, but when you aren’t around,” he said, looking at Bright before poking his chest. “That little fuck is mine,” he said looking at me with a grin.

Bright glared at Tracer back before, knocking away his hoof. “What the hell did he do to you?” Bright snapped.

Tracer chuckled. “Nothing, really. I just love messing with the fresh meat. Since when do you care about fresh meat, Bright?” Tracer asked when his chuckle died. “Don’t tell me you’re going soft on me.”

Just when I was going to burst out and say something that most ponies shouldn’t hear, Bright took a deep breath. “No, I’m not. I’m just giving him a chance. More to the point, it’s his job to make sure nothing gets the jump on us, and given the frankly shit retention rate, just be thankful that we even found a scout. . Now turn your ass around and sit by the fire before I beat your ass so bad the others have to carry you back.” Bright responded with as a calm of a voice as I ever heard.

Tracer raised an eyebrow at this. “Since when did you care about ‘Giving him a chance’? This is the first time I heard you like this, Bright.” Tracer’s voice seemed oddly surprised.

Bright glared at him again. “Well, maybe I have before, but you can’t see anything ten feet past your hoof. Maybe if you didn’t have your face in those comics that you always read you’d notice things.” Bright stepped forward; making Tracer back up for a moment. “Now. Back. The fuck. Off.”

Tracer growled low. “Alright, I'll back off for now, but the moment that you aren't around, I'm going to kick his ass.” Tracer growled. His entire upper body that wasn’t covered by the leather jacket tensed. He huffed before turning around and going back to his spot next to the fire.

Bright took a deep breath, helping him calm down; he turned to me with a smile. “That’s Tracer. As you can tell, he doesn’t like you.”

I snickered at that. “Yeah, no shit.” I looked at Tracer just as he angrily munched on a kebob of unknown food. “What’s up with him, anyways?” I asked, just out of curiosity.

I turned to Bright just as he shrugged. “Hell if I know. He’s always been an ass to the new ponies. But, he’ll warm up to you…if you don’t die that is. Now, come on it’s time to eat; I bet you’re hungry after walking for ten straight hours with only a few breaks inbetween.” He said with a slight chuckle, before trotting to the fire and sitting in an empty spot. I followed suit sitting next to him along with the rest of the guards. I made sure that Tracer was on the other side of the fire. He makes me wanna hug a raider…ok, maybe not that drastic, but still.

My ass grew a bit numb from the cold ground below me, but my front half was kept warm thanks to the fire. The guards began talking to one another, leaving me out of any conversation. Sighing a bit, I flared my horn, taking my saddle bags off and plopping them right in front of me with a dull thud. I open my right one which held all of my food and water. I began digging through it before, I found a can of corn and a bottle of dirty water. Popping the can open with my magic; I began shoveling the corn into my mouth. The hundred eighty five year old corn tasted bland and nasty, but my stomach didn’t care. I kept shoveling the corn in until the can was empty and I tossed it to the side. I made a soft sigh as I felt only half full before, I looked at the murky bottle of water.

“Well…shit.” I muttered before I unscrewed the cap and I levitated it to my mouth. Just before I could get any water down my gullet, Bright knocked the water out of my magic, spilling it. I watched the only water I had be absorbed by the ground, turning it into wet mud. I looked at Bright, a glare beaming from my face. “What the fuck was that for!?” I hissed.

He looked at me with deadpanned face. “I don’t want you to get Rad poisoning.” He said, his voice filled with all seriousness; just before he dug around in his own bag and took out a bottle of purified water. “Take this, ok?” He said just as he threw it to me. Flaring my horn I grabbed it in mid air and in one fluid motion I unscrewed the cap and chugged down half the bottle. “Whoa whoa whoa don’t drink it all.” He chuckled almost taking the bottle from me. I stopped and panted for breath.

“Thanks…I needed that.” I said screwing the cap back on and putting it in my bag.

Bright chuckled and patted my back hard. “It’s alright buddy. Don’t mention it.” His smile vanished a little as he looked toward the wasteland beyond the horizon. “What do you think is going to happen tomorrow, Jack?” He asked his voice seemed…ominous? Maybe, I couldn’t tell at the time.

I didn’t know how to answer that question because anything could happen tomorrow. I scratched the back of my head; wondering how I should answer. I looked up at Bright. “I don’t know, anything could happen. Why do ya ask?” I responded a bit of confusion echoing in my voice.

Bright looked at me and sighed. “I don’t know why but, I feel like something big is going to happen. Maybe not tomorrow, maybe not next week, or month or next year but, something…something is going to happen..”

I raised an eyebrow at this. Where did this come from? What was with his sudden shift in mood? “Is something wrong?” I asked, concerned about my only friend. Friend…I thought about that word for a moment. I never had many friends…either they died or left for something…I made a mental sigh before, focusing on Bright. “You can tell me, Bright.”

Bright shook his head slowly and looked away before sighing. “Nothing is wrong. Just a feeling, that’s all.” He responded softly before, looking down at his Pip-Buck. “Well, I say its time to go to sleep. We have a long road ahead of us and we need all the rest we can get.” Just as if they had rehearsed it, all the guards, including Bright, took out blankets and sleep rolls; each of them laying down or sitting down until Tracer and I were the only ones still awake.

Tracer was smoking a cigarette silently while he stared at the dying fire; the dark slowly starting to win the battle. I looked at him before I took out my nearly broken 9mm pistol and sat it on the ground. Flaring my horn, I began the tedious process of disassembling my pistol. While I began cleaning each little part of the simple pistol, Tracer looked up at me seeing how crummy my pistol is before he spoke up. “You call that a pistol?” He asked, getting up and walking around the fire. I tensed as he loomed over me. I slowly turned my head towards him and looked up, before nodding. “Hmmm…you need a new recoil spring and slide.” He sat down and lowered his head to study the parts. “Yeah, not only that, but the rifling in the barrel is nearly gone; so it's pretty much a shotgun.” I was dumbfounded at what he was saying and how expertly he was inspecting each part. How did he know all of this stuff? “The last and most important thing you need is a new firing pin. The damn thing is cracked and after a few more shots it will break and cause the entire gun to become nothing but a paper weight. Get a new gun that takes your ammo, if not mags, as soon as fucking possible.” He said before going back to his bag and scrounging around for something.

I was really confused by this as I looked down at the parts which I had laid out on a small piece of cloth. “What are you doing?” I asked, still dumbfounded at this turn of events.

Tracer came back with a pistol of the same model as my own, only in better condition. “I’m giving you a hoof, that’s what. Now be quiet or I’ll kick your ass.” With that I stayed silent as he worked on my pistol. I didn't even know why he was doing this; that’s what confused me the most. After about five or ten minutes, I didn’t bother keeping track of time, he pushed a repaired 9mm pistol towards me. I looked at it before looking up at him with a raised eyebrow. Tracer just got up and began moving around the fire to his spot. “Even if I don’t like you all that much; I want everypony to come back safe and sound, which means that everypony’s weapons have to be in good condition. Buy me some smokes and we’ll call it even.” He said bluntly before sitting down. Tracer sat there for a moment before laying down on his side. “You got first watch. Wake Bright up in two hours.” he said before softly snoring.

I sighed and holstered my 9mm pistol and looked at the cloud cover. The ever looming clouds were the wasteland’s constant companion. As I was looking up, I saw a flash of light. My jaw slowly hung open as I realized what the light was. It…it was the stars!. The last time that I saw them was as a colt. But before I could say anything the clouds were quickly and unnaturally moved back into place. I sighed at the fact that something would want to hide something so beautiful; but then shook my head to rid myself of the thought. I looked around to see I was the only one awake.

As fast as the day went, so did the night. After my two hour watch, I woke up Bright and told him it was his turn. When he was fully awake I took his spot and went out like a light. As dawn broke, I was awakened by a light kick to my back, startling me a bit. I sat up and yawned before looking behind me to see that it was Bright; all set and ready to go. “Come on, Jack. Ms. Merchant is almost ready, so get your ass up and into high gear.”

I stretched, cracking a few joints and providing some slight relief to the crick in my neck. “Alright, give me a minute.” I sluggishly got up and shook myself off. I flared my horn, getting my varmint rifle slung over my back. Double checking my gear through the pip-buck inventory, I noticed that my pistol was in much better condition than the night before. I guess Tracer really did know what he was doing. I kinda liked him a bit more now, but he was still an ass for no reason. I scrolled down to see that everything was in check. I looked back at Bright. “Ready.” Bright just shook his head and chuckled, then pointed at my mane. I felt my mane and found that it was everywhere. “Great, bed head. Just lovely.” I muttered before I licking my hoof and flattening my mane down. I looked at Bright once more. “Now, I’m ready.”

Bright chuckled before turning and trotting back onto the road next to the waiting caravan. I trotted around him to the other side of the caravan, where nothing separated us but the rope that tied the Brahmin; so we could still talk. “Now, Jack, we are going up to the first stop to do some trading, which should take about an hour. After that it’s a straight shot towards Arbu, then Friendship City.” I nodded in response with a smile. This job ain’t so bad, really; what could possibly go wrong?

I heard a whistle, which drew my attention to the head of the caravan to see that it was none other than the Merchant Mare. “Alright everypony, we're ready to go! If you forgot anything, get it now or kiss it goodbye!” She hollered, before turning around and spinning her hoof in the air. “Let’s move!” she yelled before moving forward.

I sighed. “Here we go.” I muttered before moving along with the caravan.

Bright chuckled. “That’s the spirit!”

I rolled my eyes. “Oh har har har.” I muttered sarcastically.

We walked for about a good four hours before we came upon a small little trading post. There was a small pen where the Brahmin were kept and taken care of along with a small shack made of scrap metal and wood. How the traders held together such a crappy building was a mystery. It seemed to be a one room shack. After the caretakers took the Brahmin into the pens, the Merchant Mare told all of us that we had one hour to shop. do shopping

******

After that I made sure that I got everything I needed for the trip ahead. Ammo, two bottles of purified water, and a healing potion. I looked at a few rifles that were hanging from the wall, but the dealer said that they were a few too many caps that I didn’t have; and selling my varmint rifle wasn’t an option unless I wanted my ass being chewed out. How about no. I walked outside to see that Bright was sitting on a bench enjoying a Sparkle-Cola. I sat down next to him, looking a bit disappointed about my rifle. He saw me and raised an eyebrow. “What’s wrong, bud?”

I sighed again before looking at the path that we were about to embark on. It goes through a road surrounded by hills, which made me uncomfortable. “Nothing, just upset that I couldn’t get a new rifle to replace this piece of shit. Not to mention we are going through an area controlled by raiders and a valley known for ambushes according to what i heard from the others.”

Bright chuckled a bit before he took a swig of the Sparkle-Cola. “There isn’t anything to worry about, bud. There's a reason that there are eight guards on this caravan. It’s mainly for this area, so don’t worry; we got your back.”

I forced a smile and nodded. Still feeling unsure about this, I nodded. “Yeah, thanks; same from me.”

After a few minutes of silence, the Merchant Mare came up and whistled yet again. “Saddle up boys, we're leaving in five minutes!” She hollered before, going back to the Brahmin pen.

I sighed, before getting up and shaking myself. I stood there for a moment, gazing at the valley that we are about to pass through. It was giving me a bad feeling. I don’t know why, but I felt like running. I shook my head a little and moved towards the Brahmin being lead into the road. I got to my post, third Brahmin left side, before anypony else did. I unslung my varmint rifle and made sure that it was loaded. When I was happy with what I saw I pulled out my moderatly crappy pistol; pulling back the slide and chambering a round with a satisfying clank. I holstered the pistol back into its little home before drawing the rifle again and getting ready to go. Bright got on his side of the Brahmin train, but I was confused as to why someone new stood in front of me. Last time, there was a green pony with a white mane in front of me. Now it's Tracer, his caravan shotgun in a battle holster where he could just turn his head and grab it with his mouth.

I wondered about that for a moment, but just shrugged before the caravan began to move once more. I moved along with it as usual but, now…we were going into the valley. There was a reason that the supply station had more ammo to sell than it needed. As we walked into the valley, the hills began to grow higher. It was making me uncomfortable and I wasn’t the only one. Everypony was tense and looked worried while they scanned the hills; looking for something out of the norm or anything that would pose an immediate threat to the caravan. I believe the technical term was “head on a swivel”, or something of that kind. This was an uneasy travel. We kept walking as fast as we could with the Brahmin being as slow as they are. After about an hour of uneasy silent walking, I saw begin to appear red indicators on my EFS.

I turned to Bright and he turned to me. “It’s not just you There is a reason we are employing the Pip-Bucks this time around.” He muttered.

I looked at him with concern but before I could respond, a voice yelled out “MISSILE LAUNCHER!” I turned to the direction of the voice just in time to see the missile fly through the air; its exhaust trail making a clean line behind it. The missile flew to the head of the caravan, exploding on impact. The resulting explosion hit the Merchant Mare, another guard, and the lead Brahmin, sending them flying in different directions and showering the immediate area in blood and gore. I braced myself against the crumbling road and raised my hoof, shielding my face from the gore splatter. Before I knew what was happening, I heard a loud collection of hollers, yells, and battle cries from every side. I lowered my hoof to see raiders of all kinds charging towards us. They all had psychotic smiles on their faces, some even foaming from their mouths from apparent recent chem use. The laughter could be heard from here while they are still coming down the hills in droves.

The sounds of gunfire began to ring out from both sides; the bullets hitting everywhere..One hit me in the shoulder, knocking me down to the ground. I yelped in pain. “Celestia’s shining cunt, that hurts!” I breathed hard before I felt someone help me up.

I turned to see that it was Bright; he was blasting off rounds from his cowboy repeater as fast as it would let him. “Come on! You’re a caravan guard! Suck it up and fight!!” He exclaimed throwing me onto my hooves. “Got it?"

“Got it!” I exclaimed getting my varmint rifle to my shoulder and I begin shooting as much as I can. Each shot ringing my ears as it left the barrel. I fired all five shots; three of them missed but, I managed to put two shots in one raider taking him down. But, I couldn’t put that many shots out with the crummy varmint rifle. Most of the raiders were already on us and attacking the guards and caravanners. A group of four raiders saw me and began to fire at me. I jumped and rolled to the right behind the body of a dead Brahmin that was shot in the initial attack. I ditched the rifle; knowing that it would be useless and drew my 9mm pistol with my magic. When I heard that my band of raiders were reloading; I surged up and began firing off as many shots as I could into the raiders. The first few shots only bounced off the cobbled together armor that protected their bodies. The fourth round hit a raider in the neck; the bullet went through her throat and she fell to the ground with a tumble. The other three saw her fall and began to fire at me more aggressively. I ducked behind the dead Brahmin once more and checked my EFS, only to see that I had eight rounds left in my magazine. I took a deep breath, and when I heard the sounds of magazines hitting the pavement. I jumped up, once more firing several times. I got lucky with a headshot, downing one more Raider. The other two rounds struck the raider in the center of the chest; from the way that the raider just dropped; one of the bullets made it through the armor and into his heart. If they even have one. The last raider hit the deck as she heard return fire. She fired once again with a 10mm pistol; the shells clattering around her while she fired. The bullets kept getting absorbed by the dead brahmin. A bullet grazed my left cheek, sending a sharp sting through my face. I grunted through it and fired the remainder of my magazine into her. The first bullet hit the raider’s right knee; making her basically fall into the rest of my bullets. I breathed heavily, my empty gun smoking while it shook in my magic.

I slumped down behind the Brahmin; my chest thumping and my heart racing with all its might. I still felt the burning sensation from being shot in the shoulder. I could feel the hot stickiness of the crimson liquid that ran down my leg while I sat there; thinking of what to do next. I held my shoulder with my other hoof; keeping pressure on the wound while I hoped that the bleeding would stop. I took a deep breath before peeking over the dead Brahmin to see that a majority of the raiders were dead. Some were still fighting with a couple of the surviving guards. I slowly stood up; just barely able to walk with the bullet still lodged inside my shoulder. I looked at the last remaining guards and caravanners. The sound of Bright’s cowboy repeater along with Tracer’s shotgun reached my ears. I turned toward the source to see that they were being attacked by a larger group of raiders. Most of them wielded melee weapons like combat knives, lead pipes and even a sledge hammer. They stood on their hind hooves and had their backs pressed together. The raiders had stopped paying attention to me and had focused on Tracer and Bright, who were barely holding off the raiders while they circled them like radsharks.

I pressed my back against the Brahmin once again; I saw that my way down the valley was clear. I felt something in the back of my mind nagging at me that my only friend and the somewhat douchebag friend would be fine without my help. It told me that I could only survive if I ran. I turned around again, looking at them. I could see they weren’t gonna last any longer before; the feeling of running was replaced by a fire. I looked down at the fallen raider’s 10mm pistol. Jumping over the Brahmin’s corpse, I scooped up the 10mm pistol and two loaded magazines. Charging towards my friends, I reloaded and roared a battle cry. “GET SOME!” I shouted, drawing the raiders attention, along with Tracer’s and Bright’s. I began firing both the 9mm and the 10mm pistols as fast as my magic could. The bullets left the barrels one right after the other; traveling into different parts of raiders. When I got to Tracer and Bright, I had taken out three different raiders; making a big enough gap for me to run through to Tracer and Bright. I skid to a stop, my hoof kicking up rubble. I reared up on my hind legs, pressing my back against Tracer’s and Bright’s backs. The constant sound of gunfire was making my ears thump in pain but I had to keep shooting. I went from raider to raider, blasting each pistol, in a rough dual wield, into several raiders; just barely keeping them at bay.

I’ve made a horrible mistake…The thought ran through my head a million times while I fired my pistols. As I took out the sixth raider the slides on both pistols locked open. Dropping both magazines; I reloaded both guns with the last of my ammo. I jammed a magazine into the grips of the pistols and racked the slides; but before I could begin firing again, I heard something metal roll under me. I looked down, distracted for a second, only to see a blue and silver cylinder when it stopped. “Flash-bang!” Tracer exclaimed, before any of us could react it went off, exploding in a loud, bright blue light. The world turned white, and in a panic I began to fire blindly with both pistols. I heard a few dull thuds on the ground behind me; I turned around to see but the white was barely fading. As my vision began to clear, I turned around seeing five shadows looming over two fallen lumps on the road. I slowly began to realize what they were before I felt something hard hit the back of my head; turning the white to black.

********

I felt…cold. Colder than the wasteland’s harshest winter. I blinked a few times, trying to figure out where I was, but I could only see black. I looked down at my hooves, able to see those plain as day. I breathed and shivered as my breath steamed in the cold. I looked around once more, before seeing small white dots flutter down, one right after the other. I raised an eyebrow before one of the white dots landed on my muzzle; burning with the cold of snow. I looked at it while it melted, before looking forward to see that the snow was starting to make a path. The path wandered towards a little wood and metal shack, with tiny hoof prints leading to the ramshackle metal door. Getting colder, I began following the snowy path to the door; the snow crunching while I walked. When I got to the door, I heard voices…they were familiar. I slowly pushed the door open. I winced as it opened with the loudest creak imaginable. As I walked into the shack, the door slammed shut behind me with a loud bang, startling me. I looked around the shack once more to see that there was a single princess sized bed, a cabinet, a stove and a fridge. My ears perked at the sound of laughter and glee; which drew my attention to a small table.

What I saw next nearly made me want to run away into the ever increasing snow that howled behind me. I saw a colt, a buck, and a mare, all sitting around the table. The mare and buck…they backs were to me so I couldn’t see their faces but, their body language said that they were smiling. With the brush of her hoof; the mare moved her teal mane behind her shoulder. The lavender coat made the mane seem to pop from her head. The buck that sat next to her turned his head showing the side of his head; his black mane and emerald green eyes stood against his yellow coat. He pecked the side of the mare’s cheek making her giggle and peck him back. The sound of a small squeaky voice drew my attention to the colt; whose face I could see. It scared me to my very soul, his eyes the same crystal blue as mine, his mane the same black and his coat the same silverish gray. He raised his leg to block the view of what looked like his parent’s kiss. “Ewwww! That’s nasty!”

The mare giggled, before replying. “Come on sweetie, this is how big ponies show affection. You’ll learn this one day when you’re older.”

The colt ducked under the table out of my line of sight. “I don’t wanna be old! I don’t want filly germs!” he said, failing at hiding with his blank flank sticking up in the air.

I could tell the buck rolled his eyes, before chuckling. “Now come on, Jack. Open your present or I’ll take it back to the merchant.” The moment the buck said that every part of my body tensed. I know this place. I remember it clearly.

The younger me got up from his little hiding spot and sat in his chair. “Alrighty, dad.” He said with a big smile on his face. He looked at the empty table in confusion, then looked up at…dad. “Dad, where is it?” he asked the buck.

Dad chuckled, before flaring his own horn and levitating a large rectangular box wrapped in brown paper onto the table; taking up most of the table’s space. The younger me looked at it wide eyed and smiling, before looking at dad. “Go ahead, open it.”

The younger me gleefully tore apart the paper faster than a starving ghoul at a fresh kill. When all the paper was ripped away, the younger me opened the top of the box but, instead of the object I expected, a bright light emanated from the box. A moment later I was standing face to face to a buck in a white room. His entire body was a copy of mine, the way his mane flowed, the way his body curved to his flanks and legs. Everything was the same, except for his face. It was scared, burnt and covered in grime; almost as if he lived through the great war. Everything was the same, except for his eyes. When I looked into his eyes, they were a rich meadow green. He spoke five simple words, “Wake up, it ain’t over.” His voice sounded cold as the ice of the northern wasteland. When he spoke those words the world turned from white to black.

********

I sat up gasping for breath; the mattress and hole ridden blanket that I laid in soaked with sweat. I took heavy breaths, before I looked around to see where I was. From the dim light that illuminated the room I was in, I could make out rust covered bars that enclosed me and a damp cement floor that supported me and the mattress. My head was pounding and felt sore. I slowly reached a hoof to the back of my head only to feel blood soaked bandages. “The hell?” I muttered to myself, before I brought back my hoof to see it covered in blood. When i went to wipe it on my armor, I noticed I had been stripped down. I looked myself over to see everything was gone except my Pip-Buck. I looked at its hard casing and saw that the area around the key slot was scratched up. Apparently, who ever took me and all my shit tried to take this as well but failed. I rolled onto my hooves, before I stumbled and fell to my knees. I struggled to get up, finding most of my strength drained.

I plopped down feeling labored just to breathe; my mouth became more dry and parched with each shaky breath I drew. I looked around the dimly lit room once more to see two prone figures shivering next to the dying embers of a small fire. I limped towards them; pain lancing up and down my right leg, making me remember the ambush. “Damn…” I muttered to myself, before I stopped next to the fire and perked my ears, hearing something faint. I strained myself while I tried to figure out what the noise was and where it was coming from. I hobbled to the bars and poked my head through and looked up; the noise getting louder. We were underground from what I can tell, but I knew I wasn’t alone here; my EFS showed multiple friendly indicators that surrounded us, there had to be at least a good hundred to one hundred fifty others here. I looked back and forth down the corridor which seemed to go on for at least a couple hundred yards. The walkway which hung above us had shiny round things with barrels sticking out of them; they made up the majority of the hostile indicators that filled my EFS. ‘Those shiny round things filled with bullets are called turrets, and they don’t like you.’ A sudden voice popped out of nowhere making me jump back and fall onto one of the figures laying next to the smoldering fire.

He woke up with a startled yelp and surged to his feet, rounding on me with a left hook. The blow knocked me to the ground, where my attacker pinned me with a hoof to my chest. As he raised a hoof for the final blow, I saw it was none other than the douche himself, Tracer; his hoof raised as if he was ready to paint the concrete with my face. His entire body weight was on my chest, crushing my ribs. Then, before he smashed my face in a million pieces he saw my face in the dim light. “Jack!” he looked surprised, before getting off of me; relieving the pressure on my chest. He helped me up and studied me before getting to my head. “That’s a nasty bump on your head, kid” He said while he pointed his hoof at my bandages. I reached my hoof around to touch the bandages again, wincing, before Tracer slapped my hoof away. “Quit that, dipshit!” he barked, glaring at me before he sighed. “Well, at least you’re awake. The assholes around here were talking of just killing you.” He said with an edge of anger in his voice.

I raised an eyebrow, before I sat down. “Who?” I asked honestly confused about what he is talking about.

He sat next to me, before blowing on the smoldering ember, making them flare up again. The little warmth they provided felt good. He sat there for a moment staring at the flames while they crackled and popped. “In case you haven't noticed, we're kinda prisoners at the moment, dumbass.” he muttered, just barely audible.

“Again, to who?” I repeated once again, feeling a little scared at what I’m about to hear.

He looked me straight in the eye, his face showing naked fear. “We are prisoners of the Gladiators.” He said, his voice filled with nothing but dread and fear.

The moment he said that my blood ran cold. The Gladiators… a well known gang of raiders who go out and hunt for wastelanders, dragging them off across the wastes to an underground arena. No one knows who they work for. The odd thing was that they were known to have their arena in Manehattan …wait… I quickly went onto my Pip-Buck and went to the map function. What I saw shocked me; we were in Manehattan, one of the most raider and creature infested cities in the wasteland. 'We are so fucked.' I slowly looked from my Pip-Buck and stared into the fire. “Tracer?” I muttered softly.

He looked at me with a cocked eyebrow. “What?”

I took a deep slow breath, before letting it out. “What’s going to happen to us?” I asked, my voice weak from the lack of food and water.

He looked at the other figure; which thanks to the fire I was able to see that it was Bright…wait. Since when did Bright have wings? His back was to us, showing his glossy black wings that sat folded neatly on his back. Tracer looked at Bright and his wings which somehow were intact and uninjured. Tracer sighed, before he muttered. “The bastards…”

I looked over at Bright and studied his wings. “I always thought that Bright was an earth pony all this time. I have never seen a pegasus; let alone talked to one....” I was in utter disbelief.

Tracer looked back to Bright then, back to me. “He never told anyone. He barely told me and that’s only after i saw him grooming his wings. He said that he was born in the wasteland but, was always told to hide his wings.”

I looked at Bright for a moment thinking of what to say. He was my only friend...who wasn’t a douchebag. “Why did they beat him?” I asked, concern filled my voice.

Tracer sighed. “Just because he is different and couldn’t fight back. If he did, they would have killed you and me.” Tracer looked down and made a low growl. “They are going to pay for this.”

I tried to reach my hoof to pat his back but, the movement made me flinch. I took a deep breath; the pain subside for the moment, before I looked at my injured right shoulder. It was healing, but it stank, which probably meant it was getting infected. ‘Just fucking great. Why doesn’t Luna come down from the heavens, bend me over, and fuck me with her horn while she’s at it?’ I looked back at Tracer. “I got a question, Tracer.” I said trying not to pass out from the lack of food and water.

He looked slowly at me and nodded. “What?” he said sounding a little more like himself.

“How in the fucking hell did we get here?” I asked.

He shrugged. “Well…after all three of us got blinded by the Flash-Bang, we all go knocked out. I got hit with a knockout spell along with Bright while you got a baseball bat to the head.” He said indicating to my bandages with a nod of his head. “After a day or so, Bright and I woke up but, you were still out like a light. We were stripped of all our possessions except for food and water. Bright nearly got beaten to death for reasons you already know” When he said that he looked down at Bright; who was still snoring softly. “Poor bastard. He was forced to carry you the entire way here. Only stopping when they wanted to have a break. We had to force feed you water and some food to survive the trip.” He sighed a bit staying silent for a moment. “The bastards who threw us in here told us you had one day to recover or you’d take a bullet to the side of the head. I nearly jumped on them for that.” he said with venom in his voice. “You never kill a pony who can’t fight back.” He continued to make me wonder if he actually does care about me. He took a deep breath, before looking up at the ceiling where the noise was beginning to die down. He stayed silent for a moment, before he looked down at me. “We are the only survivors of the ambush, Jack. You, Bright and Me. The rest got raped and killed.” he said bluntly, before throwing a small plank of wood in the fire.

I was about to say something before the noise above us went silent; it made me raise an eyebrow and look up. I perked my ears again straining to hear, before I heard a single muffled gunshot then, the entire cell section was filled with the sounds of muffled cheers. I looked at Tracer who gave me another fear filled face. I spoke up, before he could. “We are going to be fighting for our lives up there, aren’t we?” I asked, already knowing the answer. He nodded in silence, just a moment later the sound of metal scraping against metal filled the cell block.

Tracer and I went to the rust covered bars and looked to our left where the noise came from. I could see the soft green glow of a terminal; most likely for the turrets above or for the door. I would have to keep that thing in mind. My attention was drawn to the gaping hole where the door is. A few moments after staring through, the sound of chains rattling came from it. Then, a large Earth pony about the size of River from Resort, came through the door; his legs were shackled together and were making the rattling noise from a few moments ago. Four heavily armed ponies with assault rifle battle saddles surrounded him; all of which were staying silent and were wearing masks. He was breathing heavily while he walked past the cells, blood was dripping from his mane and his face was bruised badly; similar to the buck in Resort whose brains were splattered on the ground. While he walked up to our cell, I could see more in the dim light. He was still bleeding from fresh wounds, some of them a bullet was definitely the cause, while others were caused by either a blunt or sharp object. When he came past us, his silver mane was soaked in his blood and maybe others; the same goes for his pink coat. Kinda odd for a buck, but what can ya do? He looked worn out and from the amount of blood he was losing, he was going to black out pretty soon. The guards stopped him about two cells right us and across the alley but, what surprised me the most was that before the guards left him in his cell, they threw in a small bag of sorts.

They quickly closed the cell and marched back towards the door but, before they made it all the way; they stopped at ours and one of them looked at me dead in the eyes. My blood ran cold while he spoke in his dry voice. “Looks like you’re up.” He turned his head to his buddies, which of whom nodded their heads, before he turned back to me. “You are going to be fighting in the arena tomorrow morning.” he said, his mask not hiding the big smile that was growing on his face. “Something tells me you’ll put on a good show.” He chuckled, before drawing his 10mm pistol and showing it off. “If not, I’m going to enjoy painting your brains on the floor. It makes the room…pop.” He said, before holstering his pistol and walking off with his buddies to the door.

My eyes were wide with fear and despair; I could hear Tracer sit down next to me. “You’re going to do fine, Kid.” he said, with a somewhat caring voice but, it had a hint of the doucheness that resides in him.

I turned to him with a cocked eyebrow. “How am I going to do ‘Fine’?” I held the sides of my head with my hooves. “I’m going to die up there!” I exclaimed, panic nearly taking over.

A moment later, I was forced to turned to Tracer, before getting punched in the face. I fell to the ground, grunting in pain. I looked up to see Tracer looming over me; his eyes were filled with rage. “You are going to make it! You are going to fight and survive! You are going to get your ass up and then, fight back!” he exclaimed, pressing his hoof on my chest. “We would have died in the ambush if you didn’t come charging in like the idiot you are!” Ok, that was hurtful. “If you can survive that ambush then, I sure as fucking hell know that you can survive a few fights with some more captives!” The moment he said that, I froze. I…I was going to have to kill innocent ponies, they weren’t raiders but, regular wastelanders who had the bad luck of getting captured alive. Tracer must have noticed the pause, before speaking. “You don’t want to kill other captives do you?” he asked, his entire tone changed from a hard instructor to a…friend? I shook my head. He said, before making a chuckled. “You know…Jack. I’m beginning to like you more. You only kill if you need to and that’s what I look for in a friend.” he looked out of the cell one last time. Without looking at me he spoke once more. “You need to get some rest. Tomorrow is going to be a big fight and you need all the energy you can get.”

I nodded once, before I got up onto my hooves. My strength, even if it isn’t much, was coming back and I just limped to the mattress which I woke up on. With a soft sigh, I laid down on the mattress and looked at the dying fire; my vision sideways from laying down. My attention was drawn to Tracer who was staring into the fire; his coat flickering in the dying light. I softly closed my eyes with a deep breath. As I was drifting into sleep, a familiar cold voice sounded. ‘If you’re going to survive, you need my help.’
_____________________________
Chapter one end.
Jack Rabbit: Level Up!
Tracer: Level Up!
Brightnight: Level Up!
New companion perks!
Rough Wrench: As long as Tracer is in your party, all armor and weapon repairs he does restore 10% more durability. All weapons and armor for all members of your party degrade at a slower rate than normal. If you do a repair that he isn’t satisfied with then, he will rip you a new one.
Feathered Inspiration: While Brightnight is in your party, Weapon spread is reduced and the fire rate is increased by 5%. Outside of combat, your speech is increased by 5.
New Perks!
Gunslinger: You know your way around pistols; now when using any type of pistol, you gain a 5% weapon spread reduction and you accuracy in S.A.T.S is increased by 15%
Companions have gained new perks!
Tracer- Kick Start: If combat occurs within an hour of Tracer waking up, He gains a temporary +10% attack speed boost.
Brightnight- Back to Back: When Bright and a companion are surrounded by four or more enemies in combat, his guns, energy weapons and explosive skills are increased by 5 until combat has ended.

Let The Thunder Roll

View Online

Chapter two: The Thunder Rolls

Chapter two: Let the Thunder Roll

“Pain, among other things, is in the mind. It’s when they reach the body, that's when the real fun begins.”

I sighed while I looked at the field, where I saw the view of Baltimare was clear and true. The light breeze hitting my face brought the smell of radioactive rain along with it. I looked up to see the cloud cover that loomed over me, day in and day out. It made me feel small and helpless; knowing that I’d never see the things beyond those clouds. The sound of dead earth being moved around in a small trotting pattern reached my ears. I turned around to see something that was completely obscured by a cloak. It stopped just a few feet from me; I heard the breathing that came from underneath the cloak. It was heavy and ragged as if he had been running for a long time. After a few moments he lifted his hood from his face; what I saw next sent a flood of memories into my mind. His face was patchy and leathery, with some pieces of striped skin that were falling off. Both of his eyes were clouded and shined; one of which had a trio of scars that seemed to have taken out his right eye. The same scars went through his eyes to the place where his right ear should have been. It was a scarred ghoul; one that I knew.

With a cough into his hoof he spoke. “Jack.” he paused for a moment, before he spoke again as if thinking about what to say next. “Sometimes, the monsters that are the most dangerous are the ones that lie inside you.”

I cocked an eyebrow, “What do you mean, Dröm? What monsters?”

Dröm flicked his hood up to hide his face once more, before he turned around and began trotting away. “All words of wisdom will come to light, even in the darkest of pits” With that he disappeared over the hill. When I lost sight of him the world suddenly became dark and dim, I felt a water drop hit me on the forehead. I blinked for a moment and I looked around; it took me a moment to realize where I was. Tracer sat silently next to the small fire from last night, like he hadn‘t even gone to sleep. With a yawn I slowly sat up; supporting myself with a single hoof and rubbing my head, still sore and hurting from whatever hit me during the ambush. I pushed the blanket away and continued to sit down; my movement caught the of Bright and Tracer. Bright, who I guess had laid down in the corner, was barely with his black coat blending in with the darkness. Though from where I sat I could see the multiple injuries that surrounded his body and head.

With a cough, I steadily rose to my hooves walking to the fire that resided in the center of the cell. The heat of the fire brought some relief from the cold cell that surrounded us. I looked at the flames as they danced around ,before I moved my gaze to Bright. His injuries were still bad but, not as bad as they seemed from afar. He sat silently for a moment, before he met my gaze smiling a bit, which was obviously forced from the way he tried to keep from frowning. “Jack…” He spoke, his voice was grainy and rough, unlike the smooth and comforting one he had before the ambush. “I’m glad to see that you’re awake.”

I smiled a bit, before I coughed. “Yeah, woke up last night and talked to Tracer a bit.”

Bright sighed a bit and looked down at the fire for a moment. “He told me you were going to fight in the arena in a bit.” I nodded in response without making a single sound; remembering last night. “Yeah…I haven’t been in there yet, for some odd reason. They wanted you to be the first of our group to go in, even if they wanted to put a bullet in you.” he paused a moment and looked at Tracer, who nodded.

I cocked an eyebrow and looked at Tracer, before I looked back at Bright. “What are y’all doin?” I asked, a throbbing pain was beginning to make itself known where the blunt object hit me.

Tracer sighed, before he spoke. “From the time we have been here, we could hear that some of the prisoners are going to start a ri-” Just before he could finish his sentence, a large racket came from outside our cell.

I turned my head to see what was going on. I saw four guards, all of them look similar to the ones from the night before. I looked at the one nearest to our cell door to see that even under his mask, he was smirking. It was the same one that had an odd sense of decor. “Well, looks like it’s time to see if you can even fight like a real stallion.” With a sinister chuckle he flared his horn, which made a sickly green aura, and took out a rust covered set of keys. He inserted the keys and turned them inside the lock. The two pieces of rusted metal screeched as the tumblers were moved inside the sockets, unlocking the door. One of the other guards stepped to the side and in one fluid motion opened the cell for the head guard. The head guard trotted in his 10mm pistol almost bouncing out of his holster as he came to me. He looked down and huffed. “Get your ass up now, or I’m going to make the fight a whole lot harder for you.”

With a soft sigh I brought myself up onto my hooves and trotted to him, before I turned my head to Tracer and Bright. “Wish me luck…” I said with a hollow chuckle.

Tracer and Bright nodded, but did nothing. I knew they didn’t want me to go out there, but if they fought back the guards would have shot them down like they were just common Brahmin. The head guard chuckled before he moved behind me and gave me a big shove, knocking me out of the cell, off my hooves, and onto the rust covered grating that was the floor. It was cold to the touch and scraped my leg a little during the fall, which stung like a motherfucker. I got up on my hooves, yet again, to find myself surrounded by all four guards, each of them blank faced thanks to the masks that they wore. One of them spoke, and from the way he spoke, he wasn‘t the head guard. His voice was monotone and practiced, but it was cold as well. “Prisoner, you are to proceed to the door at the end of the walkway. From there you will remain in the middle of the group. Any attempt of escape or resistance will be met with deadly force. Do you understand?” I nodded, quickly understanding every single word. “Good, now move.”

As one, the guards boxed me in and began moving towards the door at the end of the walkway. In order not to be smashed like a bug, I scrambled onto my hooves and tried to keep up with their fast pace. From their heads and structures, they were definitely all earth except for the one that seemed to lead the group. While I limped to the end of walkway, my attention was caught by the hopeless looks of others who were unfortunate to be captured like me. Their eyes said it all. Dread, hopelessness, and despair. What scared me the most weren’t the ones who were dreading every second they had left in this hell hole. There were some who…who were just down right feral. Deciding not to dwell on it too much, I faced forward to the door way which I almost walked right into. After a moment the head guard flared his horn, he took out a small key card and swiped it on the terminal.

The metal door fell in its little slot making a gaping hole of darkness. There was no light on the inside of this room, making me fear what’s inside. The guards began moving in unison inside the room making me have to keep up to stay in the middle, I’d rather not have my balls shot off when I’m just nineteen. We walked for a minute or so in total darkness; the only light came from my Pip-Buck’s screen with its eerie blue glow. From the way we walked and never took any turns we must have been in another cell block. The constant red indicators that filled my EFS confirmed that theory. We walked for a few more moments before the soft glow of another terminal was visible. Due to the darkness though I felt the coldness of the steel door with a bit of a walking face plant. That resulted in the guards chuckling along with an icy chuckle that echoed in the back of my head. ‘Smooth move.’

The sound of an icy voice shocked me for a moment while the guard repeated the key swipe from earlier. “What the fuck was that?” I softly muttered to myself, confused about where the voice came from. The door slid down making light flood into my eyes which caused me to go blind…again. “Celestia’s fat ass that fucking hurts!” I cursed, rubbing my eyes. A second later, after a kick to my ass, I was in the well lit room. I stood there letting my eyes adjust to the brightness of the room. It took me a second to realize that there were two sets of flood lights pointed at the door. Why were there flood lights pointed at the door? Weird. Gonna take a mental note of those. I looked away from the lights to see that I’m in some kind of locker room. Old showers and toilets were on my left and the smell alone told me not to go in there. I was pushed along once more going towards a table with another guard sitting there with a set of weapons on a table in front of him. The guards escorted me to the table where an empty chair sat in front of the desk.

The guard at the table look up from a book called ‘Twilight and you! The miracles of science await!’ read on the cover. “This is the next fighter?” The guards voice was definitely female rather than male. Whoopsy. The mask definitely hides features, doesn’t it? ‘You really are an idiot, aren’t you?’ Once again, the icy voice commented out of nowhere. It nearly made me jump out of my coat.

The head guard nodded. “Yes, ma’am. From his friends, his name is Jack Rabbit.”

She smiled from the way the masked moved. “Ah, this must be the caravan guard from Silver Valley.” She looked from the head guard to me. “He doesn’t look too bad.” She said turning her attention to the head guard. ”You and the rest of your team are dismissed. I’ll call you when I need you.” She said waving her hoof at them.

The guards looked at each other, confused for a moment, before the head guard spoke up. “Ma’am, are you sure? We do-”

She raised her hoof in the air cutting him off. “You don’t, what? You don’t think that I can handle an unarmed unicorn? He has the inhibitor ring on so he can’t do shit.” I raised an eyebrow. “Now, I’m ordering you to leave me with him so we can discuss his match.” He didn’t say a word. And from the way he stood, he was scared. He stood there for a moment before doing a swift one-eighty and marched out of the room, followed closely by the guards. Once the door closed she cleared her throat before she spoke. “Mr. Rabbit please take a seat. We got some things to discuss before your first match.” She gestured with a hoof towards the seat. I sat down and faced her. She took off her mask revealing a soft pair of yellow eyes. She had a soft lime green mane and light blue coat. Kinda cute. She took a sip of what looks like a Sparkle-Cola that sat on her desk, before she took a duffle bag from underneath the table. Again with a practiced hoof that still eluded me how earth ponies did that. She opened the bag to show that there were three sets of armor and three weapons. All of which were different.

She drug each one out and sat them side by side with a weapon beside each one. She gave me a sadistic smile. “Ok, Jack, the rule of this arena is survive by any means necessary. Since you aren’t a slave you’ll have a better chance at surviving this.” She pushed a set of ragged leather armor (which seemed to be more reinforced than my old set) with a combat knife. “You get to choose your set of armor. Once that is decided you get the matching weapon.” I arched an eyebrow at her without saying a word. Her smile went down a bit. “The system of armor and weapons in the arena is. Heavy armor means weak weapon. Medium armor means slightly stronger weapon than the strong armor‘s weapon. And light armor means the strongest weapon that you don’t find in the arena. Say heavy armor and you get a blunt machete. Note that your opponents have this same opportunity and have chosen already.” She said with a practiced finesse. Damn, she got some lungs on her.

I looked at the three sets of weapons. Metal armor being the heavy armor and not really all my style. The second set seemed to be reinforced leather armor with a combat knife underneath it. Then, the last set was basically my old set of leather armor. Wait, by Luna’s perky nipples, it is my old set. Still has the shitty stitching and everything. I looked up at the mare in front of me. “I’ll pick the reinforced leather armor and combat knife.” I said while putting on a straight face; while my mind wanted to run and hide.

The mare smiled. “Good, the first fight will be a one on one with a fellow prisoner. Survive at any cost. At the end of the fight any loot you find on your opponent is yours along with a care package.”

The care package caught my attention. “A care package?” I asked, a bit of confusion and curiosity

She smirked at this. “Yes, a care package. It’s a small assortment of items you get so you can fight the next time you’re in the arena. It has everything you need. Some ammo, maybe some food and water and, if you’re lucky, some healing potions.” With her hoof she slid the armor and knife towards me. “Get your ass in this and head into that elevator behind me.”

I did as I was told and placed the armor on me piece by piece. Once I was done I picked up the knife and placed it in a sheath on my right shoulder, I flinched from the wound that has been festering. The mare looked at me when I flinched. “Oh yeah. I heard you got wounded during the hunt. Well...” She paused for a moment seeing the pain I was in which was quite a lot for a matter of fact. “The rules state that both opponents have to be both fit to fight. ” With that she took out a small syringe of Med-X from one of the drawers in the desk and slid it across the table. “Just to take the edge off the pain. Don’t want that cute face getting shot now.” The mare smiled before getting up from her chair and walking to the elevator door.

I smiled before, grabbing it with my mouth. “Thank you.” I replied, before my mind clicked on that last part. ‘Cute?’

She nodded. “Don’t mention it.” With a click of a button the door opened revealing the cart up. I walked to into the elevator alone. I turned around facing the mare, she hit the button and looked at my horn. “Wait, we need to get that thing off.” She said using her hoof to take something off my horn which clattered on the floor in front of me. It was like she said. An inhibitor ring. If you’re a unicorn and don’t know what a inhibitor ring is, then you’re mentally retarded. She looked up and pressed the button again. As the doors slowly closed a thought hit me. “What’s your name?” I asked.

“Survive and I’ll tell you.” The door closed, enveloping me in darkness with a nice bit of music. It was nice. Comforting yet ominous. The elevator jostled and strained as it went up. It seemed like hours and hours went by as it went up, but according to my Pip-Buck it was only thirty seconds. The doors fell open revealing a huge stadium. The light shined bright, but, instead of being blinded for once, I felt the cool spray of drizzle against my face. the edge of the arena itself was lined with old advertisements for Sparkle-Cola, Sunset Sarsaparilla and several of the Ministrie, the supports on some of them were hanging on for dear life. Then, the noise of a humongous crowd reached my ears. I looked at the stands that have weathered the elements and radiation. They screamed for blood, some were even foaming at the mouth. Their screams even drowned out the dull thunder in the distance. Then, a single voice came over them all. “HELLOOOOOO, GLADIATORS! WELCOME TO THE MANEHATTAN STADIUM; WHERE THE TOUGH SURVIVE AND THE WEAK… DON’T! IT’S ME YOUR FRIENDLY ANNOUNCER, VOCAL STRUMMER! Ok, that’s enough of the yelling, that was really hurting my throat.” He coughed away from the mic. “Anyways, we got a new one for you ungrateful sons of bitches! We got a one on one fight between a new comer…shit what was his name? uh…” It’s Jack Rabbit. “Fuck it. He was in the caravan heading towards Friendship City. We’ll just call him the Caravan Guard! Now, he managed to kill about seven of our best collectors during the ambush of his caravan; all just with two pistols along with one shot from a varmint rifle. One of three to survive it. It wasn’t until last night that he woke up from his coma with his cell mates, who will also be fighting later today! He appears to be able to endure more than most, so this will be a good fight! He has chosen the reinforced leather armor and combat knife. For all that don’t know, this is the medium category and will face another class.”

Strummer sighed. “Unfortunately for him, somepony picked the light category.” I gulped at that moment seeing the door about a hundred yards away from me open up. Even though all the concrete slabs and fallen weapons that scattered the dirt floor arena. I could see a young mare with what looks like a 10mm pistol. She was prepping her pistol from what I could tell. I injected the needle of the Med-X into my shoulder; the cool rush of relief washed away most of the pain. I rotated my shoulder a bit, the pain was more dull than sharp now. “This is Liquid Rose! An ex-Tenpony security guard! She has the training to take on most raiders and is skilled in all things guns! We found her around the outskirts of the Manehatten ruins by herself. She still took out four of our collectors and it took five to restrain her. Ever since then, she has racked up ten kills in the arena and has only suffered two bullet wounds and four stabbings. She is a force to be reckoned with!” She looked at me with a wicked grin. Just as she gave me that a bell rang out across the entire arena. With that Rose fired two shots, both going wide, hitting a couple of the concrete pillars. I made a dash through the mud hearing a few bullets whiz by my head. The rain began to come down steadily harder almost making it impossible to see ten feet in front of me. I bobbed and weaved between the debris like well...a rabbit. I shook off the thought and kept dodging the shots that came.

I was getting closer and closer to Rose. She fired when she had a clear view of me; a few times the bullets got closer to me than I liked. My luck ran out for a moment as I tripped on a stray metal rod. Fuck you metal rod. It sent me tumbling into the mud and skidding to a stop. Rose definitely took advantage of that tumble. I felt the impact of several bullets me in the side. They didn’t penetrate, but by Celestia’s steaming flanks it hurt! I mean, damn! I would have rather have been kicked in the balls…well…maybe. I got up with seemingly no strength left in me while I got behind cover.

My heart was pounding in my chest, making the pain in my side hurt worse with each thump. I felt like dying right there, but there was a nagging in the back of my head. Get your ass up! NOW! I did just that, before Rose came around the corner. I did a tuck and roll, just hearing the shots behind me. ‘How is she so fast!?’ I climbed onto my hooves and began running as quick as my legs would allow. I bobbed and weaved between several slabs of concrete; after a moment I thought I might of lost her. I pressed my back against a column of concrete and rebar. I looked down at my EFS to see that her hostile indicator was going back and forth. I couldn’t tell how far she was away from me, but she was in front of me. With my magic still wrapped around the combat knife; I peaked around to see that she was about ten yards away from me; she was soaking wet from the rain and was getting more pissed by the second.

“Come out you coward! You are really starting to piss me the fuck off!” She shouted over the roaring thunder. I looked down at my knife and back up at her. I had the element of surprise but, I couldn’t do it…Then, the voice in the back of my head nagged once more. Do it! It’s either her or us! Now do it! I took a deep breath, before I dove from my cover and charged her. I was on her just as she turned around. “Fuck!”

She brought the pistol to bear, but I knocked the barrel away just before she could get off a shot. The tackle sent us tumbling on the ground covering us in mud. The pistol went flying with a kick of my hoof; when I did that though, Rose brought a hoof and jabbed me several times in the ribs and stomach; the blows took all the air out of me and made my lungs burn. I couldn’t move for a moment which she took full advantage kicking me off of her with her strong legs; sending me flying across the mud. She jumped on top of me and tried to plunge the knife into my skull. I kept the point of the knife from entering my eye with my magic on the handle. I looked into Rose’s eyes while she tried to stab me. They were small and her smile seemed like a raiders. All rage and no brains.

Clenching my teeth I slowly brought the knife from above my eye, and with a swift force of magic I got the knife to side and let it fall. The tip of the blade scraped across my cheek, drawing some blood. I immediately headbutted Rose in the face making her back peddle. I scrambling to my hooves feeling something underneath it. Instead of looking down to see what it was; something made me flare my horn picking it up from the mud. An indicator on my EFS said I had something with two rounds in it. Hell yeah, a fucking gun! I raised it up to see it was some kind of shotgun. It was too covered in mud to tell what it was at first. I hoped that the barrels weren’t filled with mud, but I didn’t hesitate in pulling the trigger. A stream of buckshot left the barrel at high speeds impacting the recovering Rose. She fell with a loud scream. I limped my way to Rose aiming my shotgun. “Don’t fucking get up!” I shouted. “Give up so I don’t have to kill you!” The moment I said that the voice nagged once more. Fucking idiot! Kill her now! I growled at that. ‘Shut the fuck up whoever the fuck you are! I fucking got this!’ that’s when it started laughing. We can talk about this later. Kill the bitch now or I’ll do it! Well Rose made that decision easy for me as I got a bit too close to her. Her back was to me, before she rolled revealing the mud covered 10mm pistol in her mouth. She got a shot off hitting my left shoulder, the pauldron taking the brunt of the hit. I jammed the end of the gun to Rose’s muzzle and fired.

From the top of her muzzle up was just gore that was mixing into the watery mud. I panted, trying to catch my breath. That’s when I noticed that the crowd wasn’t cheering it was just silence. They just looked at me. Surprised that a small ass unicorn took on an ex-Tenpony Security guard. One of the best fighters in Manehatten and hadn’t been killed in several fights, some two on one, Rose being the latter. I panted hard as the gun shook in my magic. My legs felt weak. I could barely stand where I was. I looked at Rose’s body seeing two magazines of 10mm ammo on her leather armor. I took those along with the holster for the 10mm pistol. There wasn’t anything else on her, but another combat knife and bottle of Buck. I holstered the pistol and slung the empty shotgun on my back. I limped to the middle of the cluster of concrete columns and turned to my gate. I felt the ground move a bit and looked down to see that there was a metal grate, big enough even for Tracer to fit down; it felt loose enough that if somepony wanted to, and had the time, they could get it off. I made a mental note of that while I made my way to the gate. I stopped just short of it and saw the silent crowd. Even Strummer was silent.

I cleared my throat and spoke up. “Are you not entertained!? This is what you wanted! Why not cheer for two ponies fighting to death for your entertainment!?” Without another word I entered the elevator and pressed the button. The doors closed once again enveloping me in darkness and catchy music. That’s when the adrenaline began to wind down and the pain of the fight started to set in. I nearly keeled over and began vomiting right there, but all I did was dry heave. I had just killed a pony, and for once, it wasn’t a raider…it was a sane pony who got captured just like me. It wasn’t a monster. It was a pony. It was a pony, it was a pony. I kept repeating it over and over in my head. I felt horrible. Nothing else, just…horrible. The door opened again to reveal the mare with the same four guards from earlier. She smiled to see that I was alive. “That was a good show, Caravan guard.” She joked a bit, but I was in no mood.

I forced a smile and nodded. “Thanks, she was tough.”

She giggled. “Yeah, ten kills in the ring and four during capture. She was very tough.” She tossed me a small bag that that was filled with an assortment of items. “These are your winnings. Your next fight is in a couple hours. Rest up. You’re going to need it.” She said with a soft smile.

I walked up to her to get four guards in my way. One of them spoke up. “Its time to go back to your cell, prisoner.” The voice was different from the head guard from earlier.

I nodded, before letting them box me in. Then, a thought hit me like a raider in heat. I looked back at the mare. “What’s your name?” I asked while I was at the door.

She sat at her desk and smiled while I walked through it. “It’s Lemon Pepper.”

That was the last thing I heard, before the door closed and we made our way through the dark room. We went through the same couple rooms as before until we got to my cell. From Bright and Tracer’s faces I could tell they didn’t expect me to survive. Way to have faith y’all. The head guard silently opened the door and I walked in for them to close it behind me. Bright and Tracer looked at me with awe at the me wearing my gear and with the weapons that I got.

Tracer is the first one to come to me followed by Bright. “You are one lucky son of a bitch.” His voice seem shocked a bit. I chuckled at that because it was true. If I didn’t find that caravan shotgun I would be probably dead right now.

I smiled a bit. “Yeah, I know I’m a lucky son of a bitch. That‘s how I survived the ambush, remember?” That got a chuckle out of Tracer. Don’t see many of those.

Bright smiled and limped to me. “It’s good to see you alive. Let’s hope we have the same luck as you do.” he chuckled a bit. His eyes seemed filled with fear and despair but…determined a bit maybe? I don’t know.

I cleared my throat a bit and took a breath. “Thanks. I’m gonna see what I got in my goodie bag.” I said as I sat next to my little bed and opened the small bag. Bright and Tracer nodded going back to their little fire whispering to each other. Whatever they were planning they didn’t want anypony to listen in.

I slowly took out what was inside to be relieved to see some food and water. Aside from that I got a box of 20 gauge shotgun shells; which was good for the shotgun I got. I shrugged a bit putting the box next to the shotgun. I know I was just gonna give it to Tracer. What came next surprised me a bit. It was another box of ammo but, I didn’t have any weapons that fired it. I read the box to see that it was .45 Auto. I placed it back inside the bag as I simultaneously took out a full magazine of, 24 rounds, 5.56 ammo. I smiled a bit taking out a roll of what looked like regular bandages then, I found a single healing potion. So, basically I couldn’t use half of this. “Damn it. Half this stuff I can’t use.” I muttered. I sighed a bit, before I stuck my hoof in the bag blindly, feeling a piece of paper. Slightly confused I took it out to see that it was folded. I unfolded it to see it was a hoof written letter. It read:

Congratulations, You have survived your first match in the arena. This is a care package that is filled with random supplies. Some helpful, some not, all worth something. Here are the rules while under the protection of the gladiators.

1. You are allowed to have any weapons and ammo you have acquired through the arena and care packages.

2. If you attempt to use any weapons and ammo you have on any guards or fellow gladiators, without cause outside the arena, all turrets will target you and eliminate you. The guards will be put on high alert and will kill you, if the turrets haven’t already.

3. First attempt to escape will be met with a severe beating. Second attempt will be met with execution via fighting against extreme odds. Third attempt, if you survive the fight, will be met with execution on the spot.

4.You are allowed to let any fellow gladiators use any supplies you have acquired in the arena.

5. You must listen to any guard as long as the order is reasonable. Examples of reasonable orders: Directions to and from an area or to get something. Non acceptable orders: ordered to kill another gladiator or to have any sexual favors.

6. If you try to steal, mug, or kill a fellow gladiator outside the arena. The pony that is being attacked has the right to kill you without consequence.

I shrugged as I read the rules until I saw the signature at the bottom.

Thank you for understanding the rules and regulations, signed Fancy Pants.

I arched an eyebrow once more at the name. “Fancy Pants? Why does that name sound so familiar?” I asked myself. The name sounded so familiar, but I just shrugged it off. I got up onto my hooves, the pain of the fight was becoming more and more apparent. My sides hurt and it was hard to breath. Even more so with the musty air. I groaned a bit as I made my way to Bright and Tracer with the shotgun and bag close behind me. I sat down next to Bright and brought up the shotgun which caught Tracer’s attention.

“Where did you get the shotty?” he asked with general curiosity.

I chuckled a bit. “Yeah, it’s reason that I even survived the arena.” I said before handing it to him.

He looked confused a bit at the still mud covered shotgun. “If you want me to clean this then you’re shit out of luck kid.”

I chuckled, before I tossed him the box of 20 gauge rounds. “It’s called a gift, ya son of a bitch.”

“What?” he asked baffled, his face matched that description quite well.

Bright chuckled too. “Yeah, that’s what friends do. So take it or I will.” Bright interjected.

Tracer smiled as he wiped away some of the mud. “Thanks, Jack. I didn’t expect this.”

I smiled. “Don’t mention it. Like Bright said that’s what friends do.”

Bright looked at me and smiled. “So what now?”

I sighed and looked at both of them. “We wait for the next fight.”

***OoooOoooOoooO***

After the next several hours both Bright and Tracer did their first fights. Both of them won theirs and got their care packages. We agreed that we all split our supplies equally depending on the weapons and wounds we have. So far Bright picked a set of regular leather armor and a .357 revolver as his weapon. Guess Bright wanted mobility over protection. Tracer picked the same set I did and got some better armor than I did. Well, fuck then. Ain’t that just a kick to the balls. The supplies that we have gathered wasn’t bad for us. A total of three healing potions, one of which we used for my infected shoulder. Got one more magazine for my pistol, Tracer found a break action rifle that took the 5.56 ammo that I already had. Hey, at least it was accurate at longer ranges. I don’t like being up close, more likely to get stabbed with somepony’s stinkin’ knife. The rest was either additional useless ammo and shit or some food that we needed.

It was nerve racking knowing that my next fight was close. But, from what I heard from other prisoners is that the second fight is a two on two or a two on one depending on behavior. I waited for about thirty minutes until the guards walked up to my cell door. They looked at all of us, before speaking up. “Caravan guard and Bright Night. You two are going to be fighting in the next match.” He said as he opened the door. “Better make it good. Mister Fancy Pants is going to be watching.”

That name again, sounds so familiar. I know I’ve heard it before. Never mind that damn name. We got a fight to do. Get up and out of the cell before those guards do it for you. That voice again nagged at me, but this time it was right. I had to get up. I stood up on my hooves and got out of the cell along side Bright. We were surrounded by six guards this time instead of the usual four. The healing potion that I drank down about an hour ago has done wonders. The pain in my shoulder was almost gone, but like with the Med-X it was more dull. Bright and I were silent the entire walk through the cell blocks and dark room. We got to the locker room and entered the elevator all without a word. I looked at Bright, who looked a bit nervous.

He wasn’t the only one that had his heart beating out his chest. I took a deep breath trying to keep myself calm, not knowing what we’ll fight in the arena. More likely since the pony named Fancy Pants was gonna be there it was gonna be a fight for life. Just as the doors fell open I spoke up to Bright. “Bright…we’re going to be alright. You hear?” I said forcing a smile on my face as I looked at him.

That seemed to calm Bright a bit as he placed a smile on his face. He loaded his revolver. “Alright, Jack.” he took a deep breath as we walked into the little gate.

Both of us looked up to see a single…ghoul standing on a small platform surrounded by at least fifteen different guards. The ghoul look down at us; I couldn’t tell who he was looking at, but I felt his eyes on me. I don’t know why, but I felt it. The cold eyes of madness. A moment later the sounds of Strummer’s voice echoed through the arena. “HELLLOOOO, GLADIATORS! It’s me, your announcer Vocal Strummer once again announcing for your bloody fight in the arena. Today, we got a special guest! The one that has managed to keep this joint running and our pockets filled with caps for fifty years has decided to watch this spectacular two on two fight! As always I’ll read you ponies the stats. Once again we got The Caravan Guard, whose name I learned to be Jack Rabbit. I’ll stick with The Caravan Guard. More catchy. One kill in the arena and seven kills of collectors. His teammate and fellow ambush survivor, Bright Night, has one kill in the arena and five kills of collectors. They both seem to fight with distance, but aren’t afraid to get up close and personal! Now for their opponents! From the rumors they are the sisters to Liquid Rose! She may have been by herself when we captured her, but these two got captured looking for her! Both Solid Rose and Golden Rose killed fifteen collectors during their capture! Along with twenty more kills in this very arena! Looks like it’s Friends vs. Family! Also, those sisters want revenge for their sister! Watch out Guard! That is all for now! Fancy Pants, start the fight when ready!”

Without another word the bell rang out opening the gates. The two sisters both began firing with what sounded like SMGs. Both Bright and I dove for cover behind the columns; bullets chipping away at our cover. Most of the bullets, though, were aimed at me, which Bright commented on. “They are so pissed at you!”

I drew my pistol and fired blindly around the corner. “No shit!” I shouted back. Then, a moment of silence as I could hear the click of magazines dropping. “GO!” I yelled, running to another column. But before Bright could move the bullets began raining on my old position and some on his current. Guess they couldn’t see where I was. I got down on my stomach and began crawling to my right, away from the center of the cluster. I could hear Bright returning fire when he could, but he was pinned. They made the mistake of just concentrating on him.

The rain had lessened since I was last here a few hours ago. I crawled for what seemed like hours my single shot rifle in my hoofs as I made my way from a fallen column. From there I could get a clear shot at one of the other sisters. Both of whom were still firing their guns without mercy; both of their eyes were filled with rage from this angle. I got to a kneeling position and rested the fore end of the rifle on the concrete slab; water collecting on the now mud covered rifle. It’s kinda amazing that even in the dying light I could tell that one of the sisters, I guess to be Solid Rose, was getting a bit tired. I pressed the butt of the rifle to my shoulder and made a snug fit.

Breath, stay calm and breath. When you are ready to fire, release half of the air in your lungs and fire in-between heartbeats.

The voice didn’t yell this time. I was starting to think I was going crazy, but I couldn’t think of that now. I took a deep breath and let loose all the air in my lungs. Everything went quiet and slow, but I didn’t go into SATS. I could see the individual droplets of rain running off my mane. I closed my left eye aiming down the iron sights. I felt my heart beating and during an interval I pulled the trigger. With the bark that roared above the others and the thunder, I could see a white trail left behind by the bullet through the rain, straight into Solid’s head. The bullet went clean through, painting the concrete slab behind her with blood and brain.

I could hear the screaming of the last Rose sister. “You motherfuckers!” As she grabbed her fallen sister’s SMG with her magic, I ejected the casing and placed in a new round. The last sister couldn’t tell where I was, but I didn’t have a good shot on her either. Grabbing my rifle I made a dead on sprint jumping through concrete slabs and columns. The bullets from one of the SMGs smacked against concrete and a few actually hit my barding, but I still kept going. I had no idea where this energy was coming from and I wasn’t going to stop to see. I stopped and turned towards the center of the cluster. When I went around a blind corner I felt a sudden force hit me; it sent me flying into a slab. I was being crushed by whatever hit me. I looked down to see a chunk of concrete about my size pinning me to the slab.

Golden Rose was aiming both her SMGs at me, her eyes filled with tears and anger. She limped towards me; one of her legs looks like they took a few rounds, but she kept coming. My rifle and pistol were both pinned underneath the slab with me. I struggled to get out, but the slab wouldn’t budge at all. I was utterly defenseless as Golden got to me. “You are going to pay for what you did!” She tried to pull the trigger of an SMG, but it just went click. It was empty. Thank Celestia. She ditched the empty SMG and pressed the last one to my forehead; anger is definitely in her eyes. “You are going to die for killing my sisters!” She yelled, but before she could pull the trigger; a click of a hammer was heard behind her.

“You wish, bitch.” Bright muttered before he pulled the trigger spraying her blood across me and the concrete slab that pinned me. I am going to really need a good long soak after this, just to even begin getting this shit out of my coat.

I tried to chuckle, but the slab was slowly crushing the life out of me. “Little help here.” I said, flaring my horn. I moved the slab a bit and along with my hoof I could breath, but wasn’t enough to get me out.

Bright used his hind hoofs to help me move the slab just enough for me to wiggle out. I got out just before Bright lost his strength and it fell. I coughed a bit once I was out. I tasted copper in my mouth and spat it out. Oh, it was definitely blood.

“You gonna be okay?” Bright asked, concern riddled his voice.

I looked back at him seeing a few bullet grazes and one direct hit on his side. “Me? You got a fuckin’ bullet in your ass!”

“I’ll be fine. I‘ve had worse.” He said, chuckling to hide the pain that he was in. I sighed as I made my way to the corpse that was once Golden Rose. She had emptied all her pockets of any ammo or anything of value. Solid had a magazine of 10mm ammo for her SMG. So, to replace the rifle I lost I took her SMG; had to get closer than I could with the rifle. Oh well, that‘s just the wasteland. One fuck over after another. Bright took the empty SMG and studied it for a second. This one was in 9mm, which we had some ammo for back in the cell.

Just as we were about to go to our gate a voice came over the intercom. “Guard! Bright Night! Stay where you are! You aren’t done yet! You still got another fight to win!” The voice wasn’t Strummer‘s; it was more raspy, as if he was chewing on sand. I looked up to see what I guessed was Fancy Pants with a microphone floating in front of him. “If you and your friend survive. I want both of you to be escorted with your friend Tracer to my office! Now, fight!” he exclaimed through the microphone. Another bell rang out, and Bright and I turned to face our next opponents. What I saw scared me. There were four other ponies. Couple of them were carrying assault rifles, while the other two were carrying an SMG and a lever action rifle. The moment the gate opened a hail of bullets rained down on us.

I pulled Bright with me behind cover, bullets making quick work of the concrete that protected us. I shoved the 10mm SMG into Bright’s grasp. “Take this!” I shouted before, I pulled out a combat knife and my pistol in my magical aurora.

He looked at me bewildered. “This is yours!” he shouted.

I glared at him. “It’s yours now, damnit!” I barked back before, I dashed across the clearing and fired a few shots one seemed to hit a gladiator in the eye; dropping him. Hopefully my luck will keep going, it hasn’t failed me yet. You aren’t going to survive this you idiot! You are going to get you and your friend slaughtered! the voice exclaimed out of nowhere. “Shut up!” I yelled, loud enough to be heard over the gunfire. “I got this.” I said as I left my cover, firing my pistol a few times hitting a pony with the heavy armor only for the bullets to ricochet off towards somewhere else. “Fuck!”

The gladiators who are left are still firing. They are skilled, but they just charged. I fired once again along with the fire from Bright we managed to break through one of the heavy armored ponies. Then, a sudden burst of fire came from an assault rifle hitting Bright. I saw him fall, everything slowing to a crawl; I could even seen the blood droplets that came from his body. He hit the ground, breathing hard. A sudden anger built up before I jumped from my cover, taking the SMG and firing both them. This sudden charge surprised the gladiators. The SMG and pistol fire ripped apart the last non heavy. I ditched both the SMG and the pistol charging the last heavy with the combat knife.

My lungs were burning from the yelling I did as I tackled the pony heavy armor and began stabbing him over, and over, and over, and over until there was a hoof size hole in his chest plate. When I finally stopped I was covered in the gladiators blood; I panted harder than I ever have before. My heart was pounding so fast I felt like it was going to explode. It took me a moment to actually feel the pain of the gunshots that riddled the left side of my body. My breathing became labored and hard just standing there; it became worse as I moved closer to Bright. The strength was leaving my body with each step; I was just barely able to hold onto my single healing potion. When I got to Bright, he was still breathing, but blood was still pooling. Taking the cork out of the potion with my mouth; I force fed it into Bright’s mouth. It didn’t do much, but it stopped the bleeding. I chuckled as I saw Bright open his eyes. “I’m alive…”

I laughed more as I hugged him trying to keep from blacking out. “Yes, you’re alive. You son of a bitch.” I broke the hug and looked at him. “I told you we were going to be alright.” I said patting him on the cheek.

Just then, two groups of five guards in top of the line combat armor came running out with assault rifles. They pointed their weapons at us, but didn’t fire. It was as if they were waiting on us to make the first move. It wasn’t like we could fight right now anyway. I flared my horn so I could levitate my pistol; they aimed all their weapons on me; a few were relieved to see that all I did was holster it. They didn’t see the assault rifle that I dragged with me, but I wasn’t going to use it since I knew that I would be cut down. They still had their rifles trained on us as the blackness enveloped me. “Fuuuuuuuu…” Luna damn it, this isn’t my week.

***OoooOoooOoooO***

I slowly opened my eyes to reveal that i was in some kind of med bay. I looked around before I sat up in my bed. It was clean compared to my cell, but still not as sanitary as it should be. I had some kind of machine that beeped every so often, hooked up to my leg. My barding was gone and the faint scars of bullet holes made their way up my left side. I pressed my hoof against it and I winced a bit. Guess it was still tender from the healing potions. I looked to my left and saw a few more beds and a wall. To my right was a different story; Bright…he’s sleeping, I think. His breathing wasn’t shallow enough to be in a coma. I rolled myself off the bed; I had to kneel a bit just trying to keep myself from falling. My weapons were no where to be seen so I decided to look on Bright. Four bullet wounds went up the length body from his stomach to his shoulder.

“Bastards, making a surprise fight like that…”I muttered to myself. I rested my hoof on his shoulder. “I’ll be back, bro. Count on it.” I said before I limped my way past the four other beds to a door. I clicked the button and it opened to reveal two guards and what appears to be a medic.

The medic was talking to the guards with the word ‘pissed’ all over her face. “Let me in! I’ve got orders from Fancy Pants himself to make sure they survive their injuries!”

One of the guards snorted. “Fancy Pants caring about these worthless pieces of shit? That’s a good joke. How about you come with me to my room and we can ‘talk’ about letting you in.” He said with a chuckle.

The mare looked at him with a glare, with light purple eyes, that could turn a hellhound into stone; hell might even make Tracer less of a douche, both unlikely. “You sick son of a bitch!” She got right up to him. Once again I’m invisible to everypony around me, great. “I’d rather get fucked by a hellhound with a chainsaw cock than sleep with a so called guard with a microdick.” She poked his chest with her hoof; a bit of crème yellow showed from her doctors coat. “So listen to me and let me in.”

The guard growled. “You bitch. I’ll show ya who to listen to.” He said as drew his hoof back for a slap.

He looked surprised by the fact that he couldn’t move his hoof to slap the medic. “The fuck?” he muttered before, he noticed the yellow magic around his hoof. “Who the hell.”

Than, the raspy voice that I assumed belonged to Fancy Pants came out of the darkness of the hallway. “Tsk, tsk, tsk Iron Ear. I thought you were better than to hit a mare unprovoked.”

Iron looked surprised…no scared at the fact that Fancy Pants was here. “S-Sir…I-I” he tried to speak, but Fancy raised his hoof in the air, silencing him.

“You know the rules Iron. I’m sorry, but I have to let you go.” He said as he drew a slick black pistol and fired into Iron’s forehead. The wall behind him was rained with gore and brain matter. Talk about ending a contract.

I nearly ran for my bed, but the medic noticed me standing there. “How long have you been standing there!?” she exclaimed pushing me back into the room followed by Fancy Pants. Even with the medic pushing me I couldn’t keep my eyes off the ghoul…who had a mane that consisted of a few strands of hair and his coat, which I would think was once a white coat, was just a few patches among a sea of flaking skin. The medic pushed me, with a sense of urgency, back to my bed and began to examine me. She moved her mane out of her face which brought my attention away from Fancy Pants. Her mane had a single line of black running down a sea of white that shifted back and forth with each move of her head.

“You’re an idiot you know that?” She scolded me.

I looked at her with a confused look. “What did I do?” I asked.

She looked at me like I was stupid; which half the time was true, but oh well. “You were moving around when you should be resting, numbnuts.” she replied with an annoyed tone as she checked me. After a moment of silence I looked up at Fancy Pants as he just…stared at me.

Another moment went by before he spoke up. “Canvas, I need to talk with Mr. Rabbit, or Caravan Guard which ever he prefers.”

“It’s Jack Rabbit.” I interjected.

He looked at me and chuckled. “Yes, Jack Rabbit. I need to talk to you in my office.”

Canvas glared at him. “Sir, I highly suggest he doesn’t move from his bed. That little stroll he did just to the door nearly broke the stitching I did.”

Fancy Pants studied me for a moment, before replying. “Alright, then I need you to leave the room for now. When I’m done you’ll be allowed back in. You understand me?” He said in a commanding, yet soft tone. Behind the raspy voice I could tell that there was some finesse in his voice. Where is he from?

Canvas sighed a bit out of annoyance before she nodded. “Alright, but if you move him at all. I’m going to kick your ghoul ass back to Baltimare.”

Fancy Pants looked at her like her threat was all bark. “You and me both know that you’re nothing without me. Now get, before I send you in the arena against Thunder Brawl.” Her eyes widen in fear of whoever that was, before she moved away from the bed and walked out closing the door, all without a word.

Fancy Pants smiled. “Good.” he looked at me, before he walked to a chair next to my bed and sat down. Damn, when was the last time this guy took a bath? “So, Mr. Rabbit. I’m sorry you had to see what you did from earlier. As you know the rules state you can’t assault anypony here unless attacked first. He was about to hit defenseless Canvas, poor dear.” He said looking at the door. “Found her wandering out of a stable. Nearly got raped and killed by raiders who got to her before me. They didn’t do any of that thank goodness. She has had enough trouble living out here for the ten years she has. But, anyways back to you Mr. Rabbit.” He said with a calm voice, but something felt off. The edges of his mouth were twitching a bit almost into a smile, but he was fighting it a bit.

I began to wonder what’s going through his mind. “Yes?”

He smiled, before he cleared his throat. “You were part of the caravan going to Friendship City weren’t you?” He asked.

I nodded. “Yes, I was. Then, we got ambushed by your collectors.” I said.

“Exactly, my collectors. You know how I pick them?” he asked. The continuing smile made me more nervous than it should have.

“How?”

“Thought you would never ask. Well, all of my collectors as you know go out into the wasteland to find more gladiators for the fights. What you don’t know though, is that all of our collectors were gladiators themselves.” He said with a smile.

I raised an eyebrow. “What?”

“Yes, all of my collectors were gladiators themselves who fought for their freedom and now work for me. They are free to leave as well, but, being in this part of Manehatten, it would be suicide to go out by yourself. With the Bloodwings and all.” He chuckled a bit. “Sorry, that was off subject. All the gladiators who have come out of the ring automatically become collectors. If they wish to choose otherwise we send them on their merry way. But…but the only way to do this is by surviving five fights without any behavioral problems. One means ten. A second one is one fight with unlikely odds. Like ten on one or a berserker with explosives against you and a 10mm pistol.” he paused as he looked at my expression which said, ‘get on with it’.

“Sorry, I’m here with a proposal for you and your friends. Not many ponies kill more than two collectors during capture let alone seven, six and five. So, if you and your friends survive an impossible odds fight next time you three are able to fight again, which should be soon, you'll become fellow collectors and maybe even my personal guards, if you survive that is. We got a deal?” He said with a chuckle.

"I'll think about it." I said. I felt something more to this deal. I kept my eyebrow up. “What do you mean by ‘if you survive’?” I asked, dreading the answer.

He chuckled once more. “You will be fed five healing potions then sent straight into the arena. If you aren’t feeling well enough to fight then you’ll die in the arena.” he said patting my back. I sat there gawking dumbstruck as he continued. “You and your friends will be fighting fifteen of our best gladiators all of whom have one more fight for freedom. So it will be a fierce fight.” The entire time he was talking I was starting to notice the twitch in his eye…wait not the twitch itself, but his eyes…they were filled with nothing but pure madness. It sent fear into me. He isn’t going to let me go…I know it…he is just going to keep me fighting until I fall down dead. I looked at Bright as he kept talking not noticing my attention change. Bright looked better than he did in the arena but…he was in rough condition.

I turned my head back to Fancy Pants as he was mumbling something under his breath. I touched his shoulder and something must have snapped because he immediately drew his pistol. He pressed the cold muzzle against my forehead, but he didn’t pull the trigger. “What do you want?!” he barked pressing the gun harder against my head.

“Nothing!” I said putting my hoofs in the air. “You were mumbling something and I was wondering if you were alright!” I exclaimed.

Fancy Pants looked confused for a moment before he slowly withdrew the pistol from my head and into his holster. He got up and shook his head. “Sorry, I must return to my quarters and rest. You have two days to get ready for your fight.” with that he left the room to be replaced by Canvas.

She looked tired. I guess she heard what we said. “He is going to kill you know.”

I chuckled which made me wince. “Yeah, I figured that he would. Something tells me the becoming a collector thing is a lie to keep us fighting?”

She nodded. “Yeah, he just tells the gladiators that to give you all false hope. Like a placebo pill for some patients.”

I sighed before I fell onto my pillow staring up on the ceiling. “So, I got two days before my fight. What do I do till then?” I asked.

She shrugged. “I don’t know. We got some books that are just laying around. You could do some reading…” She looked at me for a moment. “You do know how to read right?” She asked.

I nodded. “Yes, I know how to read. What do you got?”

She trotted over to a small shelf across my bed. How in the hell did I not notice that? Damn, I’m a fucking idiot. You’re telling me. ‘Shut up you.’ I replied to the voice. Ok, what the hell just happened? Well, one you are in a damn medical bed in a gladiatorial arena ran by a psychotic mad pony- ghoul…. whatever the fuck Fancy Pants is. Two, you’re talking to a voice in your head that has a fucking name by the way thank you. Three, we need to figure out a way out of here. ‘Thank you, captain obvious.’ You’re welcome. Also, the name is Cheddar.

I felt a touch on my shoulder which snapped me out of my thought. I looked up to see Canvas who gave me an odd look. “Oh, sorry. I was thinking.” I said out of habit.

She just shrugged as he dropped three books on my lap. I flared my horn to levitate all three books into the air. “Guns and Bullets, Tumblers today, and The Wasteland Survival Guide: Manehattan/ Baltimare edition?” I said a bit skeptical.

“Yeah, that’s all we got unless you want to read old hoofball playbooks.” Canvas replied with a tired yawn.

I smiled and nodded. “Thanks Canvas.” I said opening up the Guns and Bullets.

She smiled a bit too. “Anything else before I go back to my room and pass out?”

Knowing where the hell our shit is would be helpful thank you. ‘Shut it, I was just about to ask that.’ Sure, you were. Says the pony who took a caravan job without knowing the route and only started asking questions halfway down the road. ‘Fine, you made your point, but still, shut up.’

“Yeah, there is something that I need to know.” I asked closing the book. She perked up her ears a bit. “Do you know where my weapons and armor is? Along with my friend Bright’s too.” Pleasssse, please please please know where they are.

She nodded. “Of course. They are in the footlockers at the foot of both your beds. Also, that reminds me. Both of you have several care packages to open.” She answered which took off a large amount of stress that were on my shoulders.

“Alright, thanks. I’ll open them tomorrow. Hopefully Bright will be up by then.” I said putting a smile on my face.

Canvas nodded. “Alright, just press the button if you need me.” With that she left me alone with an unconscious Bright.

***OoooOoooOoooO***

The rest of the night I read both Guns and Bullets and Tumblers Today. I learned a great deal about both guns and locks. I never knew you could pick locks with just a screwdriver and a bobby pin, that would have came in handy several times over the years. There was a nice segment on long range shooting in the Guns and Bullets. I memorized most of what I could since I would like to keep the scary creepy things away while I kill them. From what I learned from it, 5.56 is mostly an urban sniping round, but can be use in longer ranges. Out of all the calibers, even the .50 BMG round (which was a beast), I liked the .308 the best. Had nice knockdown power and range, not too expensive either. There were several rifles that are listed in this book that used the round; the only problem was, that they were hard to find.

Once I was done with the books for the night I went to bed and had a dreamless sleep. With a yawn I woke up to find Tracer, who sat between a still sleeping Bright and me. Tracer was reading a book, the cover said ‘Twilight Sparkle and You’, that read egghead all over.

“It’s nice to see that one of you is awake.” he said as he kept his eyes on the book in front of him.

I chuckled a bit, sitting up a tad; the pain wasn’t as bad, but was still there. “It’s good to see you too, Tracer.”

He sighed, before he closed his book. “Well, from what I hear we are going to be in for a big fight tomorrow.” I nodded. “Shit, good thing I still got my shotty and from what I can tell. You got an assault rifle with two magazines. Bright has an SMG. I say we are well rounded.” He looked at me. “Can I trust you, Jack?”

I froze. “W-What d-”

He looked me straight in the eye. “Can. I. Trust. You?” He said, the entire sentence sounded like…he never trusted me at all. How could he not trust me!? I stayed with them during the ambush! I protected Bright from the gladiators during the surprise fight! How could he not fucking trust me that fucking douchebag!

I kept a clam face as I replied. “Yes, you can trust me.”

He looked me straight in the eyes as if he was trying to see if I was lying. “Alright. From what I hear there is a way to escape the arena.” Now, that caught my attention. “You remember the grate in the middle of the arena some kind of drain tunnel?”

I nodded. “Yeah, I remember it. It was pretty loose and with some force it could probably be freed.”

He smiled. “Good, you are good at doing something other than being a bullet magnet.” Well, that was just cold. “Well, I got a plan.”

Over the next hour or so, in a hush whisper, Tracer told me about a plan to escape. I guess this is what he and Bright tried to tell me before my first fight. He said that during our next fight with the 15-3 odds there is another chance of heavy rains. How he knew that, I don’t know and I don’t wanna know. From what I could tell he has been planning this ever since he got here. He filled me in about how that something is gonna happen soon. He truly didn’t know what, but it was gonna be big. After a while, Tracer had to go back to his cell.

I sighed as I slumped down on my mattress; staring up into the ceiling. I looked at Bright who was still comatose. I stared at him for a moment before I shook my head. We are in a world of shit and we had to take a bite; Bright took the biggest. I turned my head to Canvas who was checking Bright’s monitoring equipment.

I cleared my throat to get her attention; She looked up with a look that said ‘what the hell do you want?’ Well, that was putting it lightly. “Canvas, can you place my care package on my lap so I can see what I got?” I asked kindly.

She sighed and looked down at Bright. “Alright. I’m just gonna hope that Fancy Pants put something good in there.” She said as she walked over to the foot of my bed and opened the foot locker. She took out two care packages; one I was guessing to be Bright’s. She placed them in my lap and I looked at her. She looked back for a moment; her eyes seemed tired and worn. Her mane seemed be frizzing in a few places and by the way the bags under her eyes drooped she hasn’t slept since Bright and I got in here. “There ya go.” She yawned a bit. “Just push the button if ya need me. I’m going to take a nap.” With that she left me alone with my packages and Bright.

With a soft sigh, I used my magic to open the first of the two packages; revealing a bit more than I expected. There were four healing potions and several rolls of bandages; two syringes of med-x and a small bottle of something that looks like it has to be inhaled. It was a bottle with some stuff inside with what appears to be a small hose or something. My Pip-Buck said it was something called steady; I placed it back in the bag to search the rest of the bag. A few more rounds for my assault rifle if I still have it, some 10mm ammo for my pistol and Bright’s SMG. I got a box of 12 gauge for a weapon that I don’t have, but I’ll keep for later. After finding a few more boxes of ammo for weapons I just don’t have I felt something at the bottom. With my magic I took it out to see that it was a crowbar. The metal was rusted and dented from years of neglect. I almost threw it away thinking it was useless, but cheddar popped off.

“Don’t throw that away you dumbass. How else are we going to pry off the fucking grete.”

“No need for the language.”i muttered in reply as I placed it back into bag and began opening the second one. It was almost the same thing as the first. A few more rounds and medical supplies that would be vital for the fight; what surprised me the most was the last thing I pulled out. I looked at it; the small cylindrical item had a green band around it with some spikes at the ends. I looked at my Pip-Buck to see that it was called a ‘Magic Grenade’ “Not all that original of a name, but oh well.” I said to myself putting it up along with the rest of the supplies.

I sighed as I looked up at the ceiling; bored and have already read the books that Canvas gave me last night. I had nothing to do, but think. I looked back at the attack of the caravan, how so many ponies died, but not me and now I’m in this hell. The merchant mare was always screaming, but she cared, at least I think so. Never found out her true name and that’ll stay with me. The buck at Resort who was killed over stealing a few caps which were probably less valuable than the bullet that killed him. They both died without a name; both their deaths would stay with me.

I yawned a bit as I laid there; I slept just a bit last night so might as well take a snooze. “I yawned once more before, I closed my eyes.

***0ooo0ooo0***

I didn’t know how long I slept but, apparently long enough to have Canvas wake me up with major concern. “Jack! Wake up!” I shot up and nearly hit her in the head, but she backed up just in time.

I looked back and forth before my vision stopped on Canvas. “What?” I asked in a somewhat concerned tone.

She sighed a bit relieved before, she answered. “I thought you were dying, because your heart monitor was saying you were under 50 BPM and dropping.”

I was a bit confused since I’m not a doctor or anything, but that still sounded bad. “Well, I’m glad I’m not dead.” I said with a relieved smile scratched onto my face.

I looked over past her to see that Bright’s bed was empty; I looked at Canvas, who had a big smile on her face. “He has been up for about an hour. He seemed to have made a full recovery and was taken back to his cell. Just in time too; the fight is in a half hour. So, you might want to get ready.” When she uttered those words my blood went cold.

I nodded, before I rolled out of the bed onto my hooves; which felt good to be on them. I stretched getting a few pops. I turned around and walked to the foot locker to see that all my items were in check; the assault rifle, my 10mm pistol, the crowbar and my barding. The ammo was in check, as was the medical supplies.

I threw it all on and placed the weapons in their proper places; I turned my head to Canvas and nodded. She went to the door and knocked. The steel door fell to reveal four heavily armored guards. I walked to the door and stopped just short of exiting. I looked at Canvas and smiled. “Thanks for patching me up. I owe ya.” I said and I left before giving her a chance to reply.

The guards escorted me down to the holding cell that Bright and Tracer were held in; it was a cleaner one compared to the one we were held in before. Bright seemed to be healthy, but the wetness around his mouth says that he was force fed healing potions just like Fancy Pants said he would.

Just as I walked into the cell the door slammed shut behind me. Bright and Tracer, both clad in their armor of choice, sat next to a small fire with their stuff ready to go. They looked at me as I sat down and nodded. “We good to go?” I asked.

Tracer nodded slightly. “Yes we are. I just filled Bright in on what we are going to do.” he responded. “The only problem though is getting the grate off during the fight. We need something that can pry them off.” Tracer looked at me and noticed something that made him smile a bit. “Your crowbar is just what we need. Give it to me.” He said holding out his hoof.

I shook my head. “I’ll give it to you during the fight.”

He seemed to be annoyed by this. “I said give it to me. I can work on the grate while you and Bright keep those bastards off of me.” I thought about it for a moment and nodded. I had thought of that, but it seemed like a stupid idea. I flared my horn giving him the crowbar.

I looked at Bright who was fidgeting with his SMG a bit. I put my hoof on his shoulder. “You alright?” I asked.

He looked at me. “I’m fine. I’m just scared that we aren’t gonna get out of here.”

I smiled and patted him on the back. “We are going to get out of here.” I chuckled a bit. “Hey, I tell you what. When we get to the nearest bar, how about I buy you a drink.”

Bright looked at me with a soft smile. “Alright.” he looked at Tracer. “You got everything ready?”

Tracer looked at Bright. “Ready as I’m going to get. This is going to some heavy fighting; we need to make a small circle making sure to keep tabs on everypony that enters that ring while we are in there.”

I kept silent, knowing that I’m ready and I don’t need to say it. I looked at my assault rifle and took a deep breath. It was beaten all to hell, but seemed to work for now. I loaded the magazines that came with it until I ran out of ammo and only got my last mag half full. All together I had only 135 rounds total; going to have to conserve as much as possible.

It may have seemed like just a while, but the walk down here was kind of a long one so I didn’t expect to stay in here for long.

The guards came as they always do and escorted us and made us start the long walk to the locker room elevator. Once again, Lemon Pepper was gone; they probably found out about the Med-X. I hope that she is alright. The guards pushed us into the elevator and pressed the button with a grunt.

The three of us were alone in the dimly lit elevator; I look at Bright and he nodded. I turned my head to Tracer and he nodded. I looked at the door as it slowly opened and nodded. They could smell the same thing I can. Freedom.

We just had one more obstacle in front of us and it might be the fight of our lives. The doors slowly opened all the way and we walked into the gated area.

It was still raining but, not as hard as it was; just a faint drizzle. I took a deep breath as the speakers went off. “HELLOOOOOOOOOOO GLADIATORS! WELCOME TO THE FIGHT OF THE MONTH! A FIGHT BETWEEN THE RISING STARS. BRIGHT NIGHT! TRACER! AND THE MOST IMPRESSIVE OF ALL! THE CARAVAN GUARD! EACH HAS STACKED UP AN IMPRESSIVE NUMBER OF KILLS DURING THEIR TIME IN THE ARENA! NOW THEY ARE FACING THE FIGHT OF THEIR LIVES! A FIFTEEN AGAINST THREE MATCH UP! RUMORS HAVE SPREAD OF THIS FIGHT AND NOW ITS FACT!” Strummer exclaimed from his booth. “Now that is enough yelling. We got a special guest too! The pony that has made this all possible and set this match up himself! Fancy Pants! He says if all three of the newcomers survive the fight then they can become collectors or the best of all become free!”

You could smell the bullshit that was coming out of that. I made me sick; making ponies believe they have a chance at freedom, but its just a ruse. “Lets get this show on the road!” Strummer exclaimed using the horn. The gate opened and all three of us made a dash for the center.

The rounds were already flying when we left the gate. Surprisingly, I didn’t get hit; Bright and Tracer got a few rounds, but their armor seemed to protect them. I slide behind a concrete slab before I popped up and fired my assault rifle in short bursts; the bursts managed to drop two ponies with a fire axe and a machine pistol. Tracer was charging each pony that was in his way with the shotgun; blasting each one away seemingly to shrug off any shots that managed to penetrate his heavy armor.

I ran behind him and fired on a pony that was about to chop his head off with an rusty zebra sword; the pony just went limp in mid air and just flew into one of his buddies. I could hear Bright’s SMG work its magic and cut down anypony that was in its way.

By then we got into the center of the arena where the grate was. My EFS said that all around us were other enemies; smarter than the ones that just charged in at us. I saw a flash of lime green and I fired; after the second round it went click. My ammo indicator was 00. “Cover me!” I exclaimed dropping the old magazine and grabbing a new one. I looked up just in time to see a large lime green pony in front of me with a sawed off shotgun. Just before he could press the trigger; a burst of SMG fire made his head non-existent.

I looked back at the source to see Bright reloading his SMG. “I hope me having to save your ass doesn’t become a habit.” He said with a chuckle.

I smiled as I got the fresh magazine into the rifle. My ears perked at the squeal of metal against metal. I turned around to see that Tracer had already pried off one of the bars which was causing a panic in the stands. “Keep them off my back!” he shouted.

“Behind you!”

I took that sudden inner shout as a warning and turned around before, firing. It was a pony with another shotgun. My bullets ripped through him and sent him to the ground. I heard shouting at the stand as the audience was scrambling for their weapons and making their way down to the arena. The snipers taking shots at us but, their weapons weren’t all that accurate. The amount of fire was starting to get overwhelming; shots were coming from all sides and I almost didn’t know where to fire.

I took a deep breath and everything slowed down to crawl; SATS was activated and I could see bullets slowly inching their way through the air. I looked around and counted as many enemies as I could; at least ten on my side and more are flooding in. I couldn’t fire on all of them plus from what I experienced before in SATS; you stand still for the shots no matter how fast they are.

I couldn’t do that or I’ll be ripped to shreds. Letting go of SATS I dove down before a missile struck the concrete slab I was using as cover. The blast shattered the slab sending me flying into the air; I landed and slid through the mud. I was kneeling trying to recover from the blast. My ears were ringing to no end and my vision was blurred.

I looked to my side where my former cover was and saw laying in the mud my disfigured rifle. The barrel was bent and dented and the receiver was caved in making it useless. I could still hear Bright’s SMG and Tracer’s shotgun firing without remorse. I steadily got to my hooves as I drew my pistol; getting behind Tracer. I fired on any pony that came near him as he worked. Bullets were either grazing me or bouncing off my armor. A few managed to penetrate, but I couldn’t give less fucks at that moment as I focused on protecting Tracer.

I turned my head to see that he was almost there. Seven rust covered bars laid in the mud with four more to go. “Tracer you need to hurry!” I exclaimed firing off the rest of my magazine of 10mm rounds into a gladiator with a sharpened shovel.

Tracer managed to get a eighth bar off with a metallic snap. “Yeah! Just give me thirty seconds!” he shouted back in response. He then dropped the crowbar and brought up the shotgun; blowing away a collector that was about to jump up on Bright’s back while he was reloading.

I looked at Bright; his face was filled with determination. He wasn’t going to give up easily, but his body seem to have taken a beating. Blood was running down through holes in armor while there were several glass bottles of empty healing potions surrounded by 10mm casings. I brought out a fresh magazine of 10mm ammo and slammed it home. I shot at anything that moved with such a fire that I didn’t know I had.

Just as I was about to fire on a pony that was charging me a missile flew just a few inches above my head; the exhaust burning a few hairs. The missile hit the ground in front of the pony that was charging me. I whipped my head following the exhaust trail to see a large pony with a missile launcher battle saddle on his back. He was surrounded by several other ponies who were firing with their weapons; sending hot lead bullets of death.

I heard a shout behind me before I could do anything. I turned my head to see that Tracer had all the bars off and was shouting for us. “COME ON!” he shouted letting Bright back up towards the grate.

Tracer jumped up into the air and disappeared into the pipe. Bright was about to do the same before a string of bullets strafed his side sending him onto the ground. “Bright!” I shouted as I turned around and ran to him. I stopped and slid in the mud; picking up any dropped weapons that I could. I just fired in random directions hoping to cover us enough for Bright to get up. I could feel more and more rain coming down just like the casings from the guns.

“Bright get up!” I shouted at the top of my lungs. Before I could move a muscle; I heard the sound of a missile leaving a launcher.

I felt my horn flare involuntarily and a small blue shield formed between us and the missile. I could feel the pressure that the missile created on my horn nearly sending me straight into the ground; the concussion of the blast send any loose debris flying in random directions. Once the missile exploded; my shield shattered like breaking glass. I could hear nothing but the pitter patter of rain. The soft smell of water filled my nostrils as I stood there in silence and shaking; my magic spent. Unable to even pick up my pistol and fight. I panted hard as I looked around to see that everywhere there were weapons aimed at Bright and me.

I couldn’t fight anymore…I was tired…I was hurting…I was bleeding in every which way…I was smiling… I looked back up at the ponies who surrounded us with heavy weapons while some were dragging off their dead friends. I chuckled a bit before, I looked down at a Bright who was looking at me with amazement. “At least one of us got out…That’s all that counts.” I muttered, the last of my available energy spent with that last sentence, I collapsed onto my side; the moment I hit the mud I saw the ponies coming at us, just before they did the world went into black.

***0ooo0ooo0***

I don’t know how long I was out, but it was long enough for me to have all of my gear taken and me getting shackled onto a wall. I looked down to see that I was at least a good foot off the ground and my forelegs stinging from the biting metal that held me up. I looked up at my fore hooves to see that dried blood was staining my grey coat.

“Celestia damn it.” I muttered as I looked toward the entrance of the cell. My EFS said that there were a few non-hostile indicators just outside the view I had from my cell; most likely guards with orders to kill me the moment I tried to escape. I took a deep breath and looked around one more time trying to figure out what can I do from here.

It took me a moment to realize that I couldn’t do anything; I tried to levitate a small bobby pin that was laying on the ground, but my magic wouldn’t pick it up. I could feel the inhibitor ring around my horn, making me curse Fancy Pants for that. I waited for what seemed like hours, but according to my Pip-Buck for which I had to strain my neck just to see the screen; it’d had only been four minutes.

The cell door opened to reveal a very familiar ghoul; he didn’t seem all to happy about Tracer escaping. Without a word he walked all the way to me, before he stopped. The word ‘Pissed’ came off of him and I knew that I was going to be hurting in a bit.

He then began chuckling. “You think you got the better of ol’ Fancy Pants!? HA! Nopony can outsmart this old ghoul! I knew you’d go after the drainage pipe so that’s why I have guards posted at the exit at all times!” he said getting a wide smile going from pissed to bat shit crazy in ten seconds flat.

His eyes were twitching with pinprick pupils as if he was jacked up on chems, but he didn’t seem to show any other sign of chem abuse. The old suit of barding his was wearing was almost falling apart; it looked like more for show than use. I chuckled for some odd reason; for which I didn’t know. “Oh yeah? Something tells me you still haven’t heard back from them since the fight?” I asked with a bit of a smirk.

“Well I…uh…” he stuttered looking for the words. He hasn’t heard from them; which meant one thing. Tracer, you bastard you did it.

I chuckled a bit more. “What’s the matter? I may not be a genius, but I can tell that you didn’t expect any of this to happen.”

That seemed to get to him as he drew his pistol and fired. The pain that shot through my side flooded my senses; the bullet going all the way through my unarmored hide. That made him laugh. “You didn’t expect that you little fuck, did ya?!” he said, the sanity was starting to leave his voice.

“This is all a set back. That’s all! This is all a set back. All I have to do is get your little friend Tracer back and everything will be back to normal! Hehehe!” he said with a crazed giggle. Yes, I said giggle. He trotted back and forth in front of me with a huge grin on his face. “Yes! I’ve got perfect idea! Oh, how I love it when I get a good idea like this!” He looked at me once again. “You’re gonna have one last fight! But, this time there isn’t gonna be any chance of you surviving this!”

The next few things were kinda hard to recall since I was losing more blood than a ghoul lost skin. He turned to me and looked at the wound. “Oh you won’t be able to fight if you’re already dead.” he turned his head and whistled. “Canvas get your fucking ass in here. He’s bleeding again!”

I heard a tired sigh. “Alright!” I saw one of the non-hostile indicators on the left side of the cell door move and made her way to the door. I saw a tired Canvas who is covered in surgical blood around her hooves; most likely from the amount of ponies that were injured during the break.

She got to me and sighed. “This’ll take a moment.” She took off her saddlebags and dug out a few items. Some healing bandages, med-x and one purple healing potion. She took the med-x into her mouth and injected it into my flank. She wrapped the bandages around my side with her mouth and hooves before putting the lip of the potion against my mouth. “Drink. It’s a regeneration potion. It’ll heal a majority of any internal injuries.” I nodded before I began drinking. I began feeling a lot better; the relief flooded through my body as fast as the pain from the bullet did.

The bleeding stopped and was being absorbed by the bandages. I looked over at Fancy Pants to see his wide grin which seemed to be the only expression that he was able to wear. “Good, now you’re able to fight! This’ll teach you better than to try to escape! You’re friend Bright took quite the beating when he woke up. I was planning on doing the same to you, but then a thought came to my head. No…more of a shout. ’Make him an example!’ Yes, you are going to be made an example! You’re gonna fight the gladiator that has refused to leave because he enjoys the fighting so much!”

He turned to Canvas with crazed glee. “He is gonna be facing the one that makes you tremble.”

Canvas’ eyes widen with fear and shock. “You mean…”

Fancy Pants turned me with the same crazed grin. “He going to be fighting Thunder Brawl!”

***0ooo0ooo0***

Fuck fuck fuck fuck. Fuck this, fuck that, fuck everything and everyone with a fucking rusty spoon! Celestia fucking damn it! I’m going to be fighting the most dangerous pony in this fucking arena other than Fancy himself! Thunder Brawl…

I’ve heard bits and pieces about him in my time here from guards and other captives. He hasn’t ever lost a fight; he may have been wounded, but never lost. A total of over a hundred fucking kills in the arena! I was left alone in a solitary cell deep down in the bottom the arena where even the rats didn’t want to come down to. It was complete silence other than the occasional dripping water and the heavy breathing I suspected to belong to Bright. Using SATS, I saw I was correct; he was bandaged severely and looked like some of the wounds were left to fester and looked several days old. I could smell him from here and it wasn’t BO.

I sighed as I sat there. My forehooves still hurt from the biting that the shackles did; Canvas some how managed to talk Fancy from his crazy lane and let me down from the shackles plus giving me the freedom to take off the inhibitor ring; blasted things, even more annoying than molerats. “What the fuck am I going to do?” I muttered to myself not actually intending to get a response.

“well, you could always shut up, be calm and think?” the voice that had named himself ‘Cheddar’ from the med bay echoed through my head making me nearly jump out of my own skin.

“What the hell?” I asked.

I heard the voice chuckle a bit. “Scared you didn’t I? I thought you knew I was still here.”

I scratched my head. “um…no. I completely forgot.” I said a bit ashamed to forget the voice that was in my head.

I could imagine a shrug. “oh well, anyways. We need to get ourselves and Bright out of this mess.”

“No shit.” I replied.

“Well, what do we know?” He asked with a tone that seemed like he knew the answer.

I shrugged. “Well, most likely the grate is welded shut with a heavy steel plate that would take hours to get off, where there aren’t guards posted there are turrets scanning for anypony without a guard escort or isn’t Fancy or Canvas. There are terminals at every doorway leading up to the arena and I think there is a staircase in the locker room incase of fires.”

“What would make you say there is a working staircase?”

“Well, in all common sense most likely the elevator didn’t work when they first got here so they had to come down here some how.”

“So turrets, Guards and need to find another way of escaping that isn’t the grate which is most likely been sealed.”

“Basically.”

“We’re fucked.”

I sighed as I nodded. “Yes…yes we are. let’s just hope that we don’t get a oiled up shotgun barrel in the ass”

I heard Cheddar chuckle a bit. “That wouldn’t be very pleasant now would it?”

I chuckled a bit as I looked out in the other cell. Bright still not moving…he already got the beating and I was going to get the execution, but I couldn’t shake the feeling to smile. “Well, we do know one thing.”

“What would that be?”

“We know that there is a way to escape this hell. If my dumbass knows this then others know that.”

“Which makes a spark of hope.”

“With a spark of hope…”

“Comes a will to fight.”

I smile as I lay on the ground in a small ball. I smiled more as I closed my eyes. “We are getting out of here; just how injured is the question.”

It felt like I just slept for a few moments before my cell door slide open with a rusted screech. I opened my eyes to see not a guard, but Canvas. I raised an eyebrow before she threw a ragged duster at me which landed on my face. “Put this on.” She said with a firm tone. I did as she said and when I did, I noticed a small leather holster on the inside that was sewn into the seem. I looked at the holster before I turned to her to see her kick a single action .357 magnum across the floor towards me. “There’s six bullets in there. That’s all you have so make them count. They won’t do much to the monster that is Thunder Brawl; so aim for the bandoleer of grenades that he wears on his chest. Be careful, though. He may just stick one up your ass.”

She turned around as I picked it up and made her way to the door. She stopped just as she exited before, turning her head towards me. “Good luck, Jack. What ever you do…just don’t stand still.” With that she closed the door.

I sat there speechless as I looked at her as she left. ‘Why did she just do this?’ I thought to myself as I checked each chamber. She wasn’t lying (What reason does she have to?) as every chamber had an unfired .357 round. I placed it into the holster where it fit nice and snug. I let the duster fall and it completely concealed the pistol. I looked down at the tattered old duster. It was old and faded brown as if it was taken off from a drifter; I looked at my Pip-Buck to see that it was called ‘Sheriff’s duster’. While I was looking at the Pip-Buck I glanced at the time before... I sighed. I had a few minutes before the fight.

“Celestia damn it, what’s with all the waiting?” I said outloud.

“Hell if I know.” Cheddar popped off.

“Shush you.” I muttered.

I was about to say something else, but the opening of the door stopped me. I looked up to see that it wasn’t Luna coming to give me a suit of impenetrable armor, but a guard that looked like she woke up on the wrong side of bed. “Get your ass up. It’s time for you to die.” I didn’t say a word as we walked up the steps to the mains cell blocks.

The whoops and hollers of the captives weren’t out of lost sanity, they were cheering. Though there are a few in there who have no mind left inside them just went with what the others were doing. I made note of the turrets that were homed in on me.

Fancy was definitely afraid of me…the spark. That’s what he is afraid of. We made our way through the cell blocks including the dark one which had fewer hostile indicators, but still a ton. We made it to the locker room and I glanced to my left. I was right on my hunch about the stairwell. It was kinda blocked off, but I noticed a small opening that I could probably fit through, maybe even Bright if he had some help.

Lemon Pepper was still gone; I feared I was correct on that… that gave me another reason to fight this one. The female guard looked at me through her mask before nodding. “Good luck, hope your death is quick.” She pressed the button closing the door; sending me up.

The long ride up in the dim elevator gave me a chance just to sit in silence; Cheddar seemed to be gone for the moment, most likely picking through my brain if a voice could do that. As I crept closer and closer to the surface I could hear the cheers of the audience.

I closed my eyes as I took a deep breath, getting a bit more relaxed. I repeated several times, managing to keep my heart rate down. The elevator stopped and I heard the doors open, flooding my ears with cries for my blood. I opened my eyes to see that a good half of the seats were filled with spectators; most of which were captives held within large cages with armed guards.

I looked straight ahead towards the other end of the arena and my eyes went wide with what I saw. He was a monster, at least a good head taller than me; his jet black mane spiked up that went across his head like a Mohawk with white lines going through each. His body was covered in what appeared to be cobbled up armor that had spikes poking out in every which way; a row of grenades inside a bandoleer was strapped across his chest.

“We’re fucked.”

“No shit.”

I stepped into the caged area where the door behind me closed. As before the speakers turned on, but this time Vocal Strummer wasn’t the announcer. “Hello, my gladiators!” Of course, he had to be the one that hosted the execution of the pony that made him look like a fool. “This is Fancy Pants taking the place of Vocal Strummer who had a sore throat from the last fight and during the ruckus that transpired which happened soon after. Speaking of which, that is the reason for today’s surprise fight between Jack Rabbit and the Amazing Thuuuunder Brawl!”

I gulped as he began reading the stats; the .357 was itching inside my duster. “Everypony knows what Jack did three days ago! The incredible fights! The number of kills racked up and if he didn’t try to fuck me over; he would’ve gotten set free!” I could smell the bullshit off that sentence. He cleared his throat as he continued. “Now, for Thunder Brawl! A monster in size, he has racked up about one hundred twenty seven kills in the arena and it took twenty two of my best collectors just to get him here alive! Now! Let’s get this show on the road!” I could hear him smashing the buzzer which unlocked the gate.

‘Don’t stand still’ Canvas’ words went through my head and I galloped as fast as my legs could carry me towards the cluster of concrete columns. I could hear the loud thud of heavy hooves against mud as he ran to me.

“Come on! Let’s get this over with!” he hollered at me as he charged me. I kept running until I got to the edge of the arena.

I looked up at the wall and stopped then, my ears perked up at the sounds of something metallic landing next to me. “Move your fucking ass!” I heard Cheddar scream in my head, making me dive. When I was in mid-air the grenade went off peppering everything within its radius; which included me! I felt some hot pieces of shrapnel dot themselves in the left side of my ass; which stung like a son of a bitch.

When I hit the ground I kept running, hearing the laughter of Thunder Brawl bellow out. “Oh, now this is getting fun!”

I began jumping between columns and slabs of concrete getting nicked by shrapnel from the grenades and getting bruised from the flying concrete! I didn’t know how long I could keep dodging the fucking grenades!

“One right under your ass!” Cheddar shouted making me jump up deploying the shield between me and the grenade before it exploded. The shrapnel was blocked by the shield, but the blast shattered my only means of protection; no matter how weak it was. The blast sent me sprawling onto the ground, but before I could get up a giant ass pony named Thunder Brawl was standing above me. “Oh nice trick squirt, but its time for you to go bye bye.”

Just as he raised his hoof to stomp on my head; I flared my horn putting my magic on all of the pins of his exposed grenades. I counted to be at least seven; that should be enough to catch his attention. “Stop! I got seven of your fucking grenade pins ready to be popped out and blow us both straight to hell!” I sounded desperate and in fact I fucking. “I know that you don’t want to be here either so I got an idea that’ll benefit both of us!”

He didn’t seem to be phased by the grenades, but he stopped his hoof and looked me in the eyes. “Go on.”

I got a smile that must have seemed crazy. “Let’s start a riot.” He raised an eyebrow. “One grenade in the right place could release the captives in the pens.”

He chuckled. “Some may get hurt because of that ya know.”

I froze thinking about that for a moment before, sighing. “The guards may be disciplined, but they are idiots. Throw a grenade at them and they’ll scatter; some will run into the pen using the captives as shields. That’ll leave the doors open. Sound like a good plan?” I said as fast as my mouth could let me.

He thought about it for a moment. “If this doesn’t work I’m gonna make sure you’re just a smear on the pavement.” He said before letting me get up. I nodded understanding that it wasn’t a threat, but a promise. Without a word from Thunder he took off his entire bandoleer and pulled a single cord. A last resort. “Throw it!” he shouted at me.

I quickly flared my horn, helping the bandoleer go over the fence and into the crowd of panicked guards. As I predicted the cell doors opened just before the grenades exploded sending a shockwave through the stands. That was definitely more than seven grenades. The first couple captives that ran out of the cages were either wounded by the shrapnel or killed. The rest began flooding out of the cages and into the stands.

I could hear Fancy over the speakers. “What! How in the hell!?!? Guards kill every single last one of them! All turrets are active so keep your keys on you!” With that the shooting began. The guards began cutting down pony after pony; blood flying everywhere, but the problem was the same as in most prisons. The prisoners outnumbered the guards. The captives overwhelmed the guards rather quickly taking their weapons and barding. I turned to Thunder who was calmly walking to his side of the arena; which ponies were beginning to flood also, like my last fight.

I looked at Thunder Brawl as ponies began trying to take him down for his barding or just to kill him for him killing their friends. I don’t know, but they weren’t getting far. He was crushing each of them with calmness, but I could tell that he was enjoying the chaos. I got free from the cluster before an Earth mare tackled me and tried to stab me with a rusty knife with a psychotic glee. “I’m gonna wear your face as a mask!”

“How about, no!” I shouted drawing the pistol from its hidden holster and firing twice.

The mare looked shocked and looked down at the two holes in her chest. “you…you weren’t supposed to have a gun…” She said before collapsing into a heap on top of me.

“Fuck!” I exclaimed as I shoved the mare off of me just before another insane captive charged me with a rusty piece of rebar in his magic. Then, like a wagon running over a dog; a slab of concrete rammed into him with such force I could hear the bones breaking. I looked at the blood covered slab with shock before I turned to a smiling Thunder. “Watch out for speeding debris!” he shouted at the now crushed and very dead captive. He looked at me with a crazed smile. “You owe me now, Jack! I know you’ll pay it so get the fuck out of here before I rip you from the inside out!” he said before he began tearing ponies apart like they were nothing, not so much tearing as smashing.

I took that as a sign and I ran for my end of the arena. I got to the elevator and opened it; thank Celestia it was empty! I went inside and pressed the button; I went down. The sounds of pure chaos were erupting on every floor. The constant gunfire and screaming seemed like the great war was happening all over again! Then, a enormous explosion rocked the elevator shaft making the cart rock back and forth.

The doors opened and I dove out just before another explosion erupted at the top of the elevator shaft sending the elevator down in the unknown depths. “Damn!” I shouted as I darted straight for the pile of junk. The explosions that have began all around the arena shook some of it loose allowing me to get past it. I ran up the stairs; the rusted struts seeming to just barely holding my own weight as I ran.

Another close explosion that basically destroyed the floor below me which took out the supports of the stairs. “Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck!” I shouted as I ran as fast as my legs would carry me up the falling stairs. I was near the top level when they finally gave out from under me!

“Jump!”

I jumped as hard as I could feeling like I was going to make it. I leapt through the air with an outstretched hoof going for the door’s edge. Shock went across my face when I realized that…I wasn’t going to make it. Everything when slow as I began to fall but, before gravity could fuck me in the ass with a world of hurt a hoof grabbed mine. I swung down and hit the wall hard. I flinched a bit as I looked up to see that Bright was there pulling me up with all his strength. “Oh hell no!”

He pulled me up over the edge. I couldn’t say a word before he began spraying a 9mm SMG at a pair of armed guards who were coming around the corner. They both dropped; with that Bright spat out his SMG and looked at me. “What took you so long?” Bright asked with a chuckle; his sides still bandaged, but he was fighting and straining himself like he wasn’t hurt at all.

I was speechless as I looked at the dead guards. “Where’s Fancy Pants?!” I exclaimed as an explosion rocked the floor again nearly sending me tumbling into the abyss below.

Bright pointed to the corner where the guards came from. “I was just going after the bastard myself!” He said with a smirk before, he dashed the corner scooping up another SMG from a dead guard and checking the magazine.

I followed getting an assault rifle from the other dead guard. I managed to find a spare magazine which I stuffed in the side pocket of my duster. I peered around the corner to see that there was one large double office door with the glass still intact. The other doors along the hallway were either boarded up or burnt from ancient flames.

I looked at Bright and he nodded before taking point and I followed him, taking up the rear. We got to the door and saw that the other rooms were pretty much untouched since the bombs, all except for the double door.

Then, as Bright opened the door eight shots barked from within; all of them striking Bright in the chest, legs and neck. I saw his indicator flicker in and out for a moment then, I turned my attention to see Fancy Pants reloading his pistol. “You thought you could fuck with Fancy Pants! One of the best known ponies of Canterlot! Friends with the ministry mare Twilight Sparkle!” I didn’t hear much else as everything went to red and I charged him.

He aimed his pistol at me and fired; the bullet just grazed my cheek making blood ooze down my cheek. He couldn’t get another shot off as I tackled him to the ground knocking the pistol out of his magical grasp; I swung my rifle butt against his jaw almost tearing it off. I kept my rifle butt against his skull as I smashed the butt against it again and again and again…again. Tears were streaming off my cheeks cutting a channel through all the grim as I keep pounding his now mush head; just splattering the blood (if you’d call it blood) and gore everywhere, but I couldn’t stop. I kept going until I made sure there was nothing left of a head.

I finally stopped as I drew my .357 revolver and fired the remaining four shots into his heart; which I doubt he had…anymore. I trembled and dropped the pistol in the gore that had begun soaking into the carpeting. I looked at the pistol that laid next to Bright’s corpse. I slowly walked over to him to see that his indicator was still there. I went over to him tears still flowing as I held him in my hooves. Blood pooling all around him and staining his coat and mouth.

He looked at me with a soft smile; the life in his eyes slowly fading in and out. “Jack…I told you not to make a habit out me saving your ass…” He chuckled before he went into a coughing fit, blood spilling out the side of his mouth.

“Bright! Hold on! I’ll get you out of here!” I exclaimed trying to pick him but, he shook his head.

“No…” He said softly pushing me away a bit. “You know that’ll just get us both killed…” Bright placed his hoof on my shoulder; it was growing cold. “Th…” he struggled to breath other the blood in his lungs. “Thank you…”

I looked at him baffled. “What are you thanking me for!?” I said nearly wanting to scream; I couldn’t control the tears that were flowing, but I couldn’t care less.

“You…” he went into a coughing fit, a large amount of blood spewed out. “You gave me someone I could count on…a brother in arms…” I sat there with him speechless. “But, I want you to have something…” With a trembling hoof he pull out a set of holotags from the inside of his left ear. How he fit that in there I don’t know. “I was always deaf in this ear and I knew it would be the perfect place to hide it…” He looked at the tags in his hoof with a soft smile. “I wish I got to know my dad better than I did. Even if he was Enclave… That’s all I knew and that’s my regret…Never knowing…” he turned to me and pushed the tags to my chest. “They’re yours now…” He kept smiling, blood flowing out of his neck even more steadily.

“W-wh…I-” I stumbled for words; confused, baffled and shocked. I couldn’t speak….

“Take them…My honor… My Dreams…they’re yours now…” I flared my horn taking them from his grasp and laid his head down on the ground softly with the same smile. “Thank you…” his chest rose once more in silence and fell…fell to never rise again.

I sat there for what seemed to be hours…my eyes burned from the tears as I began screaming till my lungs were in an inferno. The explosions drowning them out so only I could hear them. I looked down at the tags and placed them against my chest. Taking the bead necklace I placed the tags around my neck.

I sat there for a moment, just silently letting the explosions get louder and louder to the point my ears began ringing. I took a deep breath as I got up and looked around the office. My eyes scanning until they landed on the pistol.

I picked it up and got a closer look at it than I did before. I studied the slide to see that it was refinished recently, but the area around two diamond shaped cuts on each side of slide right after an engraving that read ‘Shattered Harmony’ I chuckled at the name a bit. “How fitting…” I said as I looked at the rest of the .45. On the grip were four of the same diamond shaped cuts like the ones on the slide; two on each side. When I finished studying it; I placed it in my holster with a sniffle. I went to the desk to find a single key in a small drawer with a small note that read ‘For the one who bested me, Fancy Pants’ Right under the desk was a floor safe which the key did the job.

Inside was a number of moldy papers, two healing potions, bandages, a bottle of purified water and a pair of saddle bags. I grabbed the supplies, but during the grabbing the moldy papers moved to reveal five pristine holotapes and a glowing orb. I raised an eyebrow at the orb having read about memory orbs and used my hoof to place it in the bag along with the holotapes.

I went to Fancy’s corpse getting any ammo I could off of him only getting two more magazines for Shattered Harmony. I looked at a logged in terminal seeing that there was one option. ‘Open Escape hatch’ I was hesitant to press it, but I looked at Bright’s corpse. Even with the arena exploding around me I still went to another room and grabbed a curtain. I draped it across Bright’s body, as a last sign of thanks and respect.

I went back to the terminal and pressed the button. A soft hiss sounded as a hatch popped up from underneath the carpeting and opened to reveal a ladder going to down. I went over to it and began climbing down until only my head was out of the hatch as I stared at Bright‘s body. “Bright…I’ll never forget ya…” I said closing the hatch and began sliding down the rails just as an explosion sounded from what I think was the office itself. I just slide down in the darkness for a while going who knows how fast, I didn’t care. One of my only friends was dead and I basically left him…when I hit the ground I bounced off my hooves and landed hard on my ass. There were murky puddles pooling around the ladder itself, but that was most likely from the ‘Storm drain’ that was the exit. I slowly walked to it and opened it to reveal a Manehattan in dying light.

I didn’t take the time to enjoy the calm lighting as I climbed down next to the river; the statue of friendship just a speck in the fading light. When I got down I heard one more major explosion and I looked up to see a giant plume of smoke rose above; the arena with one more heavy breath finally gave way sending dust, debris, and fire into the sky. I could hear the arena burning and even a few screams of agony. My attention was drawn at the sound of hovering behind me; my indicator said it was friendly so I didn’t bother drawing Shattered Harmony or using my rifle.

The indicator belonged to a spritebot. One of those annoying propaganda bots that flew around belching out two hundred year old marching music, you know what they’re like, but this one was just staring at me as if it was studying.

Without warning I heard a soft sigh. “Your friend went to Friendship City. Your original destination. Follow the river and you’ll find it; can’t miss it.” the bot turned to the setting light. “I’d hurry if I were you, Jack. Bloodwings are coming out.” without even letting me respond it began playing the music and flew off around the corner.

“Bloodwings…” I couldn’t fathom why the bot was saying these things or how it knew my name. But, I knew one thing…It was right...I had to get to Friendship City and fast...

_________________________________
Chapter end.
Jack Rabbit: Level UP!
Tracer: unavailable
Bright Night: K.I.A.

New Perk!
Quick Shield: Level 6, A6, P6 (Rank 1 of 2) This perk allows the use of a quick response shield that can be used to dampen the effects of bullets and explosives by 40%, but can only be used when health is below 40%

Quest Perk!
Cheddar: The voice inside your head may be the result of that knot on the back of your head, but he can be useful! He acts like a second pair of eyes and ears when you aren’t paying attention which adds +1 Perception, but due to the fact that you could be seen talking to yourself results in a -1 Charisma.

Skill Note: Small Guns 50

One Hell Of a Night

View Online

“Ponies are not truly afraid of the dark. Rather, we fear what the dark can conceal.”

The darkness has already sunk in as the sun had set about an half hour ago and I still haven’t managed to get that far down the river. Swimming was out of the question cause of two reasons. One, I don’t want to be fish bait. Two, I don’t want to be a raider’s reactive target. The main highway wasn’t an option due the fact that again out in the open and a raider could take a few cracks at me.

I didn’t know the metro system at all so I’d just get lost even with the Pip-Buck. I could make it to Tenpony Tower if I booked it but, I needed to find Tracer. I had to stick by the river as closely as I could; otherwise I’d get lost and killed.

I crept along the side of a building that was almost completely made of rubble; keeping my head low and my assault rifle in a low ready. My EFS was clear for the moment as I dashed across the street to the next building. I crept around the side to the front of some kinda store; the shop windows blasted in and the displays long ago scorched by ancient fire.

I turned down a narrow alley that was cluttered with garbage; I could only imagine how the ponies before, the bombs must have felt like walking around in their own trash like this. I went down the length of the ally stopping just short of the corner.

“Do you know where you’re going?”

I stopped and turned my head to the side as if I had somepony next to me. “Shut it.” I hissed. “I don’t want to be something’s dinner.” I turned my head back to see a raider with a rusty pickaxe in his mouth. His eyes were twitching from the unknown concoction of chems that he has been injecting himself with. I could see a smile beginning to form around his lips; not being able to get into a full smile cause of the pick axe.

My eyes widened as I took a step back; the raider matching my movement keeping the distance between us the same. My EFS flicked on his indicator from friendly to hostile and back to friendly again. It repeated this several times as the raider slowly came towards me. I wanted to shoot him but, I didn’t want to waste the ammo on one raider. My eyes dart from side to side scanning trying to see what I could use.

All I found was a tin can. ‘Damnit!’ I mentally screamed as I picked it up before, chucking it to my right. He followed and pounced on it like he it was his lunch (He probably thought it was). He swung the pick axe piercing through the can and into the ground making a loud twang.

“Run!”

I dashed to my left going down the street towards the river; I took a sharp right into another alley to another street. I turned my head back slightly to see what was behind me; I saw the raider with the pick axe in his mouth. The tin can impaled on one end; the raiders eyes were hungry for the meat that was my ass.

I kept running going through several alleys but, I couldn’t shake the bastard off my tail.

“Just shoot him!” cheddar shouted at me as I turned around another corner.

“Fine!” I exclaimed drawing Shattered Harmony and doing a hundred eighty degree turn. The raider was close enough behind me that I was able to jam the barrel under his chin; when his chin contacted the barrel I pulled the trigger. The shot echoed through the dead city; which I knew would draw attention to me but, he kept coming.

I looked around as I caught my breath trying to make where I was. I was in some kinda apartment district with a small park at the end of the long street. It seemed like it’d be a good place to go to but, the sounds of voices flowed with the wind.

My eyes widened in utter fear as I could tell what they were. ‘FUCK!’ I internally screamed before, making my way into the nearest door. I ran up to it hoping it was open. Well actually the moment I touched it; it just fell like a limp piece of meat. It made a loud thump as it fell on the hardwood floor; it was slightly dark from what I could see but, I could make out a set of stairs, which I was happy to use. I ran up stairs as the voices of the raiders came closer and closer.

Eventually, I could make out what they were saying. “Hey, honey badger! Where the fuck are you!? Did you get shot again!?” A female raider called out; her voice seemed…a bit worried? Seemed weird for a raider but, raider none the less. I snuck up the blown out window careful to avoid the shattered glass that littered the floor. My eyes peered over the edge to see that there were more raiders than, I thought. I counted at least a good seven raiders; most of them didn’t even have guns, then again half of them looked like they weren’t completely there at all.

The ones in the front of the pack were the ones with the fire power and seemingly the only ones to have their brains not totally liquefied by the chems they ingest. I glanced at the rear of the pack to see that they were carrying more of the blunt weapons and things that wouldn’t be fun to be poked with; their expressions were from anger to utter insanity, hell one was foaming at the mouth like the one from earlier.

I looked at them a bit, before a few of them stopped in front of the apartment I’m in. “Radar, Sleeve come with me.” A raider shouted, getting two of the feral raiders’ attention; the lead raider had what I think was a double barrel shotgun.

I backed away from the window slowly hoping that the growing darkness would hide me; as I backed up my hoof stepped on a box of busted cereal. It may just be a small crumble but, it may have been a gunshot.

From the commotion downstairs, they heard it too. “What was that? Radar, go see what the fuck it is.”

I heard a growl as Radar snapped back. “Why do I have to do this shit?” he said disheartened.

The sounds of hooves reached my ears as Radar made his way up the stairs. My heart began to beat faster and faster as I looked around in the darkness to find a place to hide. I see a cracked closet that I could get into. I slide the door open but, I fell down on my back; internally screaming as a body fell down on top of me with a rotted rope around it’s neck. I felt a sharp pain in my back as glass was puncturing through my skin.

I grunted in pain before, tossing the body to the side, in a moldy heap. I looked to my left to see a raider that happened to be named Radar, was smiling at me. The rusty axe in his mustard yellow magic hovered next to him before, he made a downward swing. “I found dinner!” he said with such an eagerness in his voice that it made me internally cringe.

I rolled to the side just narrowly missing the jagged edge of the axe. It made a loud thump into the hardwood floor. Before, he could pull the axe out of the wood, I scrambled to my hooves tackling him. I just barely knocked him off his hooves and onto the glass covered floor. He let out a sharp yelp; giving me enough time to pin him down with all my weight. I took a large piece of charred glass with my magic but, the Radar made short work of my pin as he used the force of his hind legs to kick me off and send me skidding across the floor on my back; glass ripping and tearing through my back as I came to an abrupt stop against a brick fireplace.

By the time I got to my hooves, radar had gotten the axe out and was in another swing. Grunting I flared my horn focusing on the axe head; slowing it down just enough for me to dodge the blow. I was losing enough blood; I didn’t need to lose any more. The axe once again struck the floor but, this time it hit the fire place resulting in a moment of sparks and a broken axe handle. The head fell to the floor leaving the raider in momentary shock; which gave me enough time to blindside him with a hoof full of glass.

He screamed bloody murder stumbling back with his left eye filled with glass shards and blood; he scratched at his eye trying to get it out, only making it worse. He flailed around the room for a moment getting his blood everywhere. I couldn’t do anything but, just watch as I saw his blood begin to darker and darker as more glass impaled him. A few seconds later he laid in the center of the room blood smears everywhere he thrashed; his breathing has staggered to a stop and the blood seem to slow down but, continues to spread.

I breathed heavily as the pain began creep back into my body before, I realized I heard hushed voices. I had forgotten that he had friends. ’Celestia, why do you have to fuck me with a cactus?’

“She doesn’t like to do that. I heard she liked cake though.” cheddar commented on my internal swear.

“Not helping.” I say looking down at my fallen gear and the rotten corpse; I trotted over to my assault rifle ejecting the magazine seeing that it was still filled. “We need to save these for an emergency, I’d hope that the axe would survive the fight but, looks like the wasteland just said ‘fuck no’.” I muttered under my breath.

“Well, we don’t got that much ammo and we pretty much both agree that this is an emergency, am I right?” he replied back

My face deadpans. “I‘m starting to hate the fact you‘re always right.” I mutter to myself; taking the assault rifle into my magic. ‘Gotta make the rounds count.’

My counter in the corner of my vision had a 24/24 count on it. “Short controlled bursts; mainly three.”

I nod, seeing two hostile indicators from what I think was the bottom of the staircase. The filtered moonlight (which was basically nothing) adding little to no lighting, but just gave my surroundings a faint outline. At least it was enough to keep me from hitting my face against a wall. I went into a crouch going to the stairwell getting close enough to hear hushed whispers. “I think that bastard killed Radar.” A raider spoke, from the sound of his voice he sounded off. He wasn’t the lead raider.

“No, he was just giving Radar a blowjob.” The lead raider said in annoyed sarcastic voice.

I peered over the stairwell to see that they were on both sides, one with what long blunt object and the lead one carrying the double barrel from before. Going to take that if I could. I took a long deep breath before, turning on the wall to face down the stairwell with the feral in my view. I slipped into SATS to see him. I placed three tags on him. One on his chest, right leg and head all of them with a 55%.

I let the spell go and my body felt under the control of something else; the trigger pulling sending a salvo of bullets towards the Raider’s chest. Two of the shots went wide sending debris into his face from the wall most of his body was hiding from; the third bullet went a bit high grazing his neck, sending some blood splattering to the side. The second volley missed completely; not even getting close to his head. The third volley was true, all three rounds hitting his right leg sending him sprawling onto the ground with a loud scream.

When time sped back up to normal I jumped back just barely missing a shotgun blast to the chest. I backpedaled having my ass touch the wall aiming at the stairwell; just waiting for the raider to charge up. He didn’t. This raider was smart unlike the last two. My ears perked up at the sound of an empty shotgun hull hitting the ground.

Before, I knew it I felt my legs spring forward; i don’t exactly remember telling my legs to do so. I was in mid air, half way down the stairs looking at the lead raider with a shotgun shell in his mouth. His eyes wide as he saw me coming down. I closed my eyes firing my rifle wildly in his direction. I land on the floor with a loud thud and a sharp pain in my left shoulder as I skid to a stop. I opened my eyes to see that my shots hit him several times. Most in his chest and legs but, a stray bullet hit the top of his skull spraying gore across the wall behind him; his shotgun laying open with a shell halfway in. “Don’t know why I did that but, I’m glad I did it.”

I looked at the large pool of blood that the other raider had formed from my shots; he managed to drag himself to the corner with his weapon laying next to him. He wasn’t breathing from what I could tell but, I didn’t bother to check. I got up on my hooves, a shooting pain coming from my left shoulder; the pain from my back wasn’t helping either. I looked around to see that the other raiders had gone somewhere else, leaving my EFS clear of anything.

I limped to the blood soaked shotgun before, I picked it up with my magic. I took out both of the shell and studied them both. The one that was already in there, crumbled in my magic the moment it left the chamber. Somepony needs to teach them how to handle their ammo, it’d probably kill him the moment he fired it; would’ve saved me bullets.

I searched the corpse to find several more 20 gauge shotgun shells, a pack of cigarettes, and what I thought was a miracle. A healing potion. I stuffed the extra gear including the shotgun into my bags and placed the shotgun on my back. I went to the door frame hugging the wall as I peered out; still seeing nothing. My heart was pounding as I felt my blood cake my back and some of the glass grind against my muscles every time I moved which sent a large wave of pain through my entire body. I slowly moved out of the apartment door and made a quick walk to the end of the street which lead to a T.

I looked at my Pip-Buck to see that the river was on my left. The air felt still even if I could hear the flowing river and my blood dripping; it felt still. I needed to move. I went down another alleyway but, this time a bit slower. The faint lighting was almost non-existent even on the outside; I could faintly see some objects here and there, mostly trash but, still. I kept my rifle in a low ready as I crept forward, I saw nothing but, buildings and rubble. Some seeming to be on the verge of collapse as I walked by.

For being dangerous ruins this places was empty; absolutely empty… I walked through a small intersection; at that moment the hairs on my neck began to stand as I felt like something was watching me. My eyes darted back and forth as I walked into a playground; rusted equipment was spread out. Skeletons of small fillies and colts still laid where they were the day the bombs dropped. Some were still going down the slide, the top portion on the bottom while the bottom…was fused to the slide itself. The sight sent a chill down my spine as I looked around at the scene. I looked around once more before, I saw larger skeleton in a corner between a brick wall and a blown out chain link fence. I walked over to it with a raised eyebrow; seeing it curled up.

When I got to it; I saw that the skeleton was holding something. Not a weapon or something of the sort but…a smaller skeleton. A foal. I stared at it for a moment, before bowing my head and closing my eyes; paying respect. After a second has passed I opened my eyes and nodded. “May you rest in peace for what’s it worth.” I muttered, as I turned around and began walking past the yard.

Then, I could feel the sense of something staring at me. “Don’t move a fucking muscle.” Cheddar pronounced in the back of my skull. Hope he is making himself at home.

I blinked once more to see a bright flash of light. For a moment I was surrounded by laughing fillies and colts as they played all around me. A multitude of colors came with them; not tainted by the horrors of the wasteland. I looked around to see that the sky was clear and bright. A large bright object in the sky was the source; which made me smile. Than, I blinked again and was rushed back into reality.

I shook my head and scanned the area once more; everything was the same, but this time. All the skeletons’ heads were facing me; even the one at the bottom of the slide. I turned to the curled up on to see that his or her head was looking at me with its at an odd angle. My forehead began to sweat as I took a step back; then, I saw them begin to move. I heard a voice emitting from all of them in unison. “Come and play with us, we need new friends.”

“Running sounds like a good idea right now!” Cheddar exclaimed in my head.

“I couldn’t agree more!” I replied, before I reared up and bolted out of the playground with the crackling of old bones hitting one another behind me. I ignored the pain in my shoulder as I kept running; not even bothering to look back as I began to feel the soft patter of rain against my cheeks. I made a few turns in several alleys, before stopping to catch my breath. I couldn’t tell what was the craziest thing about that playground. The vision or the moving skeletons. Seems pretty even to me.

I sighed as I walked forward; the rain beginning to come down harder once more, but I couldn’t wait it out; it sure did feel nice that the rain was getting any dried blood off my duster.

After a few minutes of walking, the rain was just now beating down on me and making me miserable. I look up to see the sky begin to lighten up, not from clearing of clouds but, from the gathering of lightning to strike. The sounds of thunder echoed through the dead city making me begin to hurry through the next couple of alleys; not paying attention to what was in front of me. The rain made it almost impossible to see anyways. I kept going until my face hit something solid; not like brick but, something hard yet soft like…a body. I stepped back to see trio of large leathery winged creatures feasting on something in the middle of them all of them; not noticing me…except the one I bumped into. “Well this is a big shit sandwich isn’t it?” Cheddar pronounced.

“Not helping.” I muttered as I took another step back to see what was at their feet. The bodies of several raiders all of them dried up and shriveled as if everything was sucked out of them. My gaze went to the creature in front of me and I froze from the way it was looking at me. Its eyes staring into my very soul, it slightly opened its mouth, revealing rows of razor sharp teeth and fangs. Before, it could do anything, I turned tail and bolted, ignoring the pain in both my shoulder and my back. I heard a screech behind me which made my head feel like it was going to explode.

I just turned a corner before, one of the creatures slammed into the side of a brick wall, putting a small crater in the wall. I kept running as fast of my legs could carry me feeling them burning even in the cold rain. I made another turn down an alley faintly hearing the sound of thunder in the distance; the creature that was on my tail over shoot me and continued down the back alley.

When I got half way through the alley I could hear the wing beats of more than, three of the things. As I got to the end I turned my head to see that the numbers quadrupled in size to around a dozen of the damn things; just as I was about to become food the sound of automatic machinegun fire roared down the street. I slide across the wet pavement scrapping up my side even more as some of the bullets tore through the mutant beasts; momentarily pushing them back into the alley.

I slide into the next alley as the machine gun fire continued to roar, even though the beasts were dead. I heard a massive roar of screams and gunfire as both ends of the street were lighting up with bullets. I couldn’t tell if they were raiders or not. Fucking rain. All I could see were the dead creatures and the tracers flying through the air going both ways. I was about to turn around before, a massive collection of screams ripped through the air as I could see ponies coming from both sides charging each other.

Each side were being ripped apart by gunfire or by the blunt objects that they had in their possession. I ducked my head as I watched from my corner not able to take my eyes off the carnage. Blood flowing through the streets like the rain with floating debris made of body parts.

My ears then, perked up at the familiar sound of something hinging closed. “Shit.” I muttered as I saw something fly through the air with a exhaust trail. The missile impacted in the middle of ponies from the other side of the street; sending gore and blood flying just like what happened during the caravan ambush. I looked around to see that I wasn’t noticed by the groups of ponies who were killing themselves over something.

I slowly began backing away from the fighting before, I heard the familiar screeching of the creatures that chased me. Being the idiot that I am, I went back up to the corner and peered over. What I saw nearly made me shit a brick as the creatures were beginning to attack the raiders with no mercy. Even in the heavy rain the horror was clear. The creatures were sucking the blood out of any raider they got their fangs on. The bullets seeming only to piss them off more; only a few were falling but, more were coming to replace them overwhelming the raiders. The machinegun that was on the opposite side of the street seem to either be out of ammo or out of operators as it went quiet.

The raiders didn’t last long as the street went quiet all except for the pounding rain and the gurgling sounds of the creatures. I could count at least ten of them roaming around like they are looking for something. Than, I felt the blood begin to run down underneath my duster which made my eyes go wide. They could smell it.

I began to backup once more, drawing Shattered Harmony with my magic as I hoped it’d be any use against those beasts. I slowly turned and went into a low crouch going as fast as I could. I managed to get to the other side of the alley before, I heard the loud screech. I whipped my head towards the other side to see a small blood wing; its red eyes staring into my soul as it leapt forward.

As if by reflex I swung around Shattered Harmony and fired around three or four times. The 45 caliber bullets tore through the beast’s flesh, spraying blood across the wall behind it; only to get quickly washed off by the rain. It’s indicator disappeared as it died, but its momentum wasn’t. The corpse was still flying through the air limp. I rolled to the side but, not quick enough. Its tail end smacked my side making me roll down the street where the ground seemed to vanish from under me.

I reached out with a hoof trying to catch the ledge but…I missed. I looked up as I fell; the rain seemed to stop. I felt like I didn’t weight anything; I felt like I was flying. It was interrupted by the sudden engulfment of water. The impact sent another sharp pain through my body; knocking the breath out of my body and filling my lungs with radioactive water. My lungs burned for the air that they needed as the current of the water drug me under barely being able to get out long enough for a short breath, before I get drug back under.

I began swirling in circles as the current did what it pleased. One moment I felt my head above water, the next the current drug me under and slamming my chest against a rock making the rush out making me begin . I didn’t know how long I could last like this but, my luck held as I began sliding down a draining pipe into some sludge. I felt a hard metal object fall on top of my head before, landing next to me in the muck. I got above the muck and began hacking up water while I rubbed my head as i hacked up water and muttered. “Ow…”

I staggered up from the pain that covered my body; the smell I couldn’t begin to describe as it flooded my nostrils and made my eyes begin to water. I swear that some of the toilets are still being used as I heard what sounded like a flushing. I looked to my side and picked up the object with my magic to see that it was Shattered Harmony. I shook the pistol trying to get off as much of the muck as possible before, I holstered it.

I looked up to see that surprisingly that the service lights of what I think are the sewers. I wiped off the screen of my Pip-Buck to check if I have everything. I let out a sigh as I realized that I lost a majority of my supplies mainly my rifle and shotgun. “Fucking hell. Why does Luna have to continually shove her horn in my ass?” I swore at myself as I got onto the walking platform of the dimly lit tunnels. I walked halfway down the first tunnel before, turning back to the way I came in.

With the light I could see a few more things; there were markings on the walls that looked like claws. I traced them down to where I was; placing my muck covered hoof onto the wall feeling the marks. They were shallow but, were made with ease. What ever made them was strong and dangerous, is what I got from that. I looked down the tunnel keeping Shattered Harmony ready inside my holster, before I began to walk down the tunnel. At the end of it was another T; both of them covered with the claw marks making me wonder how many dangerous things were down here.

I took a deep breath as I looked at my left. “Follow my heart and it will lead me true.” I muttered as I went down the left tunnel. It was as dimly lit as the last tunnel but, it was longer and a bit more small in size. A few skeletons here and there of old maintenance crews; not wanting to experience another thing like the playground with walking skeletons, I kept walking not paying attention to them. I shivered at the thought of being eaten by the skeletons. I shook the thought out of my head as I moved forward.

It felt cold in here, not just from the muck that covered me and my wounds (Which are probably being infected by that point) but, just that it was dark and nothing was alive from what I could see. The marks were covering the tunnels everywhere I went; still no other sign that what made them that said they were alive. It gave me a bit of comfort but, not as much as it should have.

“Is it me or is this place seem…”

“Dead?”

“Yeah, but these marks…” I stop to study them yet again. “It seems like either they were fighting a lot, running or something…”

“A swarm…” Cheddar finished my sentence making me freeze.

I looked at them once more to see a faint blood spot from where a claw was rubbed off or something. I touched it to feel…that it was still fresh. “Fucking hell. This isn’t fucking good at all!” I exclaimed looking at the tunnel. Just twists and turns of sewage tunnels surround me; making me feel like I was a rat myself. I thought for a moment, before I looked at my Pip-Buck. An idea hit me. I brought it up and went to the map section.

“What are you doing?” Cheddar asked if he really didn’t know.

“You’re inside my head; you should know. I’m gonna try to use the local map to see if I can find a way out of this hell, so we don’t get lost and starve to death.” I replied as I looked through the blue map. I scrolled as far out as I could than, I saw it. A blue marker saying that it was the exit I needed to take. It didn’t say how far or how to get there but, as long as I knew there was a way out, it’ll be alright.

As I walked down the tunnels as the adrenaline wore off; making the pain throughout my body begin to rise up and became more apparent as I went. I could feel the grinding of glass against my muscle and bone yet again sending a chill down my spine; not to mention the stinging sensation from what I think is the muck infecting my wounds but, I couldn’t do much about that at the moment.

I took a left towards the indicator only to see that the tunnel has collapsed on itself. My face deadpanned as I looked at the rubble. “You gotta be shitting me.” I sighed before, I turned around to see something move just out of the light. My eyes tried to follow it, but it was too fast as it slipped into the shadows. I was left staring at the spot where I last saw it for a moment, before I shook my head.

I walked back to the main tunnel hoping that I could make my way around the collapse. I walked for Celestia knows how long just thinking about that movement. As I walked deeper and deeper into the sewer the claw marks began to make the brown wall turn white from the number of marks that covered the walls. “What made these?” Cheddar asked, his icy voice echoing through my skull which I’ve gotten used to.

“Hell if I know and I don’t aim to find out.” I muttered in response as I continued walking down the tunnel; which a few moments later, I began to kick into some empty brass casings. I raised an eyebrow picking up with my magic and studying it. The brass seemed to be old (as most pre-war ammo is) but, it seemed to have been used recently maybe a week or two at the most. I tossed the case aside to see that a trail of scattered casings littered the walkway.

I began to follow them; curious by the origin. I followed them to a corner where another tunnel collapsed but, this one had the fresh pair skeletons from mercs. I looked at horror as their bones were stripped clean of any tissue even gnawed on and chewed; getting any marrow that was in them. Their gear was thrown about as if in a wild frenzy. Bullet casings and empty magazines covered the walk away, I could only imagine the horror that killed them.

I tried to pick up one of the bones to make sure they weren’t going to be walking anytime soon. The bones that i picked up was riddled with teeth marks and it broke in half the moment, i lifted it into the air. I peered inside the bone to see that it was hollow; void of any marrow that was once inside.

My ears perked up at the sound of skittering behind me as i dropped the bone. I quickly turned my head and movement in the shadows once again drew my attention. “This place is giving me a bad feeling…”

“You think?”

“Point taken.” I turn back to the skeletons than, to the weapons next to them. I trotted over to them and picked up what seems to be an SMG of some caliber. I couldn’t tell what it was though. Had no ammo in the magazine and the gun was too scratched to tell what the stamp said. I tossed it to the side and looked at bolt action rifle; just as scratched up as the SMG but, I could actually tell what it was. My old friend the Varmint Rifle.

I levitated it up to my eye level to see that it was scratched up all to hell; it was even worse condition than, the one that Files gave me. My EFS blinked a moment drawing my attention to the ammo indicator. Well, more to the bar next to it. It showed that it was nearly on the verge of breaking. Which I would have known the moment I took to look at it further.

The weapon had a full magazine in it; which I thought was a plus but, it had one extra feature that my last Varmint Rifle didn’t. It had a scope mounted on the receiver; still scratched to hell and probably off zero but, still it was better than, the iron sights at distance. “Well, this is nice isn’t it?” I asked myself hoping that Cheddar didn’t respond with a smartass comment.

“It’s a piece of shit what are you talking about?” Damn it.

“Better than nothing and the best part about it is that I got ammo for the damn thing.” I snapped back, which seemed to silence the disembodied voice for a bit.

I searched the remains some more only to find some rage, a few more rounds for the Varmint Rifle and a couple of caps. With a grunt I slung the varmint rifle on my back and went back to the main tunnel where the sounds of skittering reached my ears came from my left. “What the hell?” I muttered looking to where I had came from. I saw a few shadows across the walls from something that looked like rats. That’s when the thought hit me. Rats… I looked at the claw marks then, at the bones. They had teeth marks on them, everything was flooding towards me. “Shit!” I exclaimed as I turned on my hind legs and began galloping as hard as I could.

I turned my head slightly to see a flood of rats coming across the turn, red eyes staring at me as they chased their next meal. I ignored the pain that was coursing throughout my entire body as I ran; well limped but, I kept at a fast pace. I didn’t bother shooting at them as I knew there were too many of them to kill. “Fucking hell!” I exclaimed once more, as I turned around another corner seeing it fork. I stopped for a moment before looking at my EFS again seeing that the indicator was telling me to go right.

I did just that as I ran with a rat chomping at my tail; pulling a few hairs out of it. I yelped in sudden pain; making me kick the rat in the face. I could feel the crushing of bone in its face from the force of the kick. I heard a simultaneous screech from the rats the moment I kicked the rat. They began getting more aggressive and running faster; they could taste my blood.

I made several turns that the main tunnel followed; the rats slowly gaining as I slowed from exhaustion. Feeling even more drained as I kept running. I couldn’t stay in one place and get eaten, but I can’t keep running. I need to find somewhere out of this place. I began to wheeze as I came to what looked like a ladder. The bottom rungs had broken off leaving only a few rungs within jumping distance. It was a straight away so I gave it my all, pumping all the energy I had left into my hind leg as I got closer. With one last sudden burst of energy, I jumped into the air reaching my hooves up; just barely catching the lowest intact rung. I swung a bit nearly losing my grip but, I placed both of my hooves on it. The wave of rats flooded under me enough to make a powerful gust; they all stopped a bit and began trying to climbing one another trying to get at me.

As they chomped at the bit, I used to pull myself up on the ladder only managing to get up one more rung before, having to stop for a moment; the pain from my shoulder forcing me to stop for a moment. The rats chomping on my tail once more; making me kick them again. The rats kept trying to climb as I tried myself; the rats having more success.

“Come on you son of bitch! Do you want to be a meal for fucking rodents!?” I heard Cheddar yell inside my head.

“Fuck no!” I replied as I grabbed the next rung and pulled up; than the next and the next; all the way until I got to the ponyhole cover. I used my magic to push it to the side letting me get a way out. I climbed out of the hole just as a rat took a bite on my leg, making me scream loud as I kicked it off. “Little fucker!” I rolled on my back and drew Shattered Harmony, before I fired into the rodent; red mist took its place along with a few chucks of flesh.

With my magic I slid the cover back into place just before those bastards could on the street. I laid out on the street; rain still pounding on me as I held my hoof to my chest. “Fuck me with a damn Sparkle-cola bottle and call it even.” I said catching my breath.

“Ummm…I don’t want to though.” a voice said behind me; making my eyes snap open. I rolled on my stomach and aimed Shattered Harmony at the owner of the voice. My surprise to see that it was an Earth mare with a rather surprised look on her face. She dropped down and help her hooves up. “Don’t shoot! I mean no harm!” she exclaimed in a frantic voice. “I just heard the gunshot and your weird swearing. I saw that you were hurt and wanted to help!” I stayed silent for a moment studying her. I couldn’t see much due to the heavy rain but, I could make out the faint colors of gold and dark blue.

I cocked an eyebrow, before slowly lowering the pistol and sighed. “Sorry…” I said sticking out a shaky hoof with an exhausted smile.She looked at my hoof hesitantly for a moment, before shaking it.

I smiled once more, stumbling a bit; I’m surprised that I didn’t fall but, I think what was more surprising was the fact that she was one my side before, I could fall. I looked at her with surprise, before she spoke with a soft voice. “Don’t worry I got you.” By the sudden change in her expression I guess she saw the wounds on my back. “We need to get you out of the rain.”

I looked at her with a coy smile. “I’m fine. I need to get going, miss…?” Ok, I’m a big liar.

“The name is Ink Pad and no this isn’t an option.” She said nudging me towards an open door.

I looked at the door and sighed. I didn‘t have the strength to resist but, me being a stubborn jackass; I kept trying to leave. “I really need to get go.”

“Not until I get a look at your wounds.” She said with another push with even more emphasizes.

Sighing, I moved towards the door nearly making her stumble on the ground. “Alright, but after you’re done I need to get going.” I responded, rather weakly.

She didn’t say anything else until we got inside the apartment store. She guided me towards a stained mattress which has seen better days, next to it was a small lit fire which gave the room a creepy feeling to it but, with some warmth. “Lay down with your back to the fire and take off your duster.”

I looked at her with a cocked eyebrow, before I took off my duster and laid it next to the mattress showing that my entire back was covered in muck and dried blood. Her expression was of true shock and horror at what she saw. “How in the living fuck are you still alive with that much blood loss!?” she exclaimed almost pushing me down onto the mattress. I got on it and laid with my back to the small fire. Sighing in exhaustion as i felt the warmth of the fire.

I heard her gag in disgust and began to cough a bit. “Damn, you smell like shit.” I didn’t say a word as i let her think on that. “Oh…” She chuckled sheepishly. “Sorry.”

I chuckled a bit painfully. “Its fine don’t worry.”I winched as I felt her take a pair of tweezers and began plucking out the pieces of glass. “Can you do that a bit less painful?” I asked.

She deadpanned. “You want me to do this or not?”

I sighed looking at the wall, before a thought ran through my head. “Why are you helping me, Ink?” I asked.

She sighed as she took out another piece of glass. “I saw you exit the sewers that both my brothers went down in a couple of weeks ago. I was wondering if you saw them at all?” I froze a moment tensing up, guessing from her next sigh she knew. “They’re dead aren’t they? Eaten by those damn Sewer Rats?” she asked. I nodded. “I figured since you have my brother’s Varmint Rifle.” she plucked out another large piece of glass.

I winched again. “Ow.”

I could imagine her rolling her eyes. “Oh don’t be a big foal. You’re gonna be alright for the time being.” After another moment, she took out a small piece of glass. “Well, thanks for the information. At least I can make some peace of this hell.” She began wiping some of muck that covered my back with a wet rag. When she got to my flanks she stopped and from what I could tell was staring at something. “What’s up with your cutie mark?” She asked.

I raised an eyebrow before, looking back at her. “What do you mean?” I asked.

“Well…it seems odd to me.” her voice seems a bit…confused.

“How so?”

“Well, they’re bits I get that but, what’s on them is what confuses me.”

I cocked an eyebrow, before looking at my right flank. There were two large golden coins with the side view of a unicorns head with the eyes closed. I shifted a bit to get a better view of my left to see that the eyes were open and the pupils were shrunken. “OK? They’ve always been like that.”

She just shrugged a bit. “I don’t know, just seems really odd. But, anyways there isn’t much I can do for your wounds, so you are gonna have to find a real doctor. Your wounds are getting infected if you didn’t already know that. Plus it seems like you crashed through several windows and bashed around in a river or something.” she said with a bit of a dark chuckle.

“You’d be right on both accounts.” I replied with a sore chuckle. I looked at the wall to see a faint picture of the Statue of Friendship. “hey, I got a question for ya.” I asked.

“Shoot.”

“How far away is Friendship City?”

The sound of confusion in her voice said it all. “Friendship City? That’s about an hour walk from here. But, that’s not counting the raiders, mutants and Celestia knows what else.” She said as she applied some regular bandages on my back with a sigh. “Well, that the best I could patch you up. Fifty caps?” She asked as if it was just a suggestion.

I smiled a bit before, slowly sitting up and taking out the small bag of caps I got from Fancy Pants’ safe. “here take these. I think there is a hundred caps in here. I’m sure you could find a better use for them.” I said feeling a heated glare inside my head.

“You’re a fucking idiot. Giving away a hundred caps like it’s nothing. We could use those to buy supplies you dumbfuck!” Cheddar raged inside my head but, I quickly tuned him out as I saw Ink’s shocked face.

“I-I…”She stuttered not knowing what to say.

I chuckled a bit feeling a soft pain in my ribs. “Don’t worry about it. Just being nice.” Smiles a bit more. I looked at her a bit more; she looked worn and like hammered shit. There were blood stains all over her coat and her mane was frizzed; some spots matted down with sweat and more blood. I narrowed my eyes. I noticed how her cutie mark was still covered a bit; so I couldn’t make out what I was. I looked back at her before, gently smiling. “You seem like you’ve been through hell. You should keep it.”

Before, she could mutter out another word some shouting came from right outside the door. She turned to it and her face said fear as it opened. When it did three ponies rushed in and basically tackled us. Basically really isn’t the word. More like, using the butt of his assault rifle to uppercut my chin sending a sharp pain coursing through my head. Before I could react, another strike hit me across the face, sending me into the ground.

I couldn’t get up fast enough before a large unicorn buck held the barrel of his assault rifle against my muzzle. He looked straight into my eyes; his were filled with cold hearted intent. They weren’t raiders. I heard a struggle behind me but, I couldn’t do anything to help as the muzzle of the gun was pressed down harder. “Move, a fucking muscle and your brain will be another stain in the carpet.” He spoke in a rough ragged voice but, damn was it deep. Like somepony had injected some kind of chem straight into his vocal cords.

I couldn’t tell much about him or his partners as they were all covered in matching uniforms of combat armor and masks; all except for the color of their coats. Mine had a black coat, while the other two had a brown and a pink. After a moment of struggling, it stopped and I guess that Ink Pad finally submitted.

I continued to looked at my captor; who was looking at his partners more than, me. An idea popped in my mind. “Oh shit, you got an idea didn’t you?” Cheddar commented as I looked at the barrel of the rifle as the black merc as was looking at his partners. He didn’t have me pined on the chest with his hoof like most would have, he was a rookie.

I swept my hoof across my face grabbing the barrel and dragging it away from my face; the moment I did that, he fired. Bullets hit the ground right next to my head digging into the floor but, the report of the burst made my left ear being to ring immensely. I ignored it as much as possible as I brought up my leg and kicked into his stomach. I heard an oof as the wind was knocked out of him, I grabbed the rifle with my own magic and pushed it towards his face; the butt stock smashing against his muzzle and making an audible crack.

He fell to the ground holding his now broken muzzle with blood seeping out; dropping his only weapon. I scrambled to my hooves taking the rifle into my magic and aimed it at him. He stared at me with open eyes, they were filled with nothing but, pure uncut fear. His pupils were small as his face was beginning to sweat. I shifted my eyes towards the door as Ink Pad was being dragged out.

The mercs didn’t seem to realize that I held one of their own captive. I backed off a bit keeping the muzzle trained on the black merc. “Get up.” I spoke firmly as I drew Shattered Harmony with my magic placing the sling from the assault rifle around my neck, letting it dangle. “Move now.” I said pushing him slightly through the door. I could barely budge him but, a flash of the large caliber pistol made up for the lack of strength. I turned my head for a moment, taking my gear out with me. Stuffing my bloody duster inside the saddle bag.

We moved into the pounding rain, soaking the bandages as we walked. The other two mercs didn’t realize that I had their friend. “Hey, dumbfucks!” I yelled out. “I got something of yours!” I aimed my pistol at the black merc.

They turned around stunned at the fact that I had their friend. “Muscle!” one of them cried out in anger. She looked at me. “You bastard! Let him go or the bitch gets it!” She exclaimed putting a 9mm pistol to Ink’s head. I couldn’t see her face but, I could see some fresh blood dripping off. “We have already had enough shit trying to get this, bitch!”

I had the feeling of anger begin to boil up as she said that. “Why are you trying to capture her!?” I barked. “Huh!? It isn’t like she has had enough shit going on too!!” I glared, the glare seemed to be make the merc flinch.

She tried to speak but, was falling over her words. “T-t-this bitch h-has a b-b-b-bounty on her head for theft.”

I looked at the black merc. “All of this for pity theft!? Pity fucking theft!” I felt I reached the point of no return. My magic slowly pulling the trigger of Shattered Harmony, before I did I looked at the merc. “YOU CAN TAKE THAT BOUNTY AND SHOVE IT UP YOUR TIGHT LITTLE FUCKING ASSHOLE, YOU FUCKING BITCH!!!” I screamed as I went into SATS.

Time slowed to a crawl once more, even the raindrops stopped in their plummet. I looked at the merc that had Ink at gun point. Her head only had a twenty three percent chance of hitting but, her legs however were a different story. Her right legs had a fifty-five percent chance and I decided to take it. I qued two shots on her legs and decided to que on one her pistol; from what SATS was telling me was in horrible condition.

I took a mental breath as I released the spell and soon the shots rang out. One of the bullets went wide on her legs grazing Ink; I’m gonna have to apologize for that one. The second shot found its mark, making the mare drop onto the ground screaming, what was odd is that the third bullet went wide but, it made a better shot. The pistol dropped out of the mare’s magic and onto the ground. SATS being a spell, followed it and fired Shattered Harmony. The bullet ricocheted off the pavement and went into the mare’s chest.

The black merc roared as time went to normal, I felt like Celestia herself was trying to rape me by the force that the merc used to tackle me onto the ground. My magic faltered and gave out, sending Shattered Harmony skidding across the pavement. I felt another crack on my side as his body squished mine into the pavement, my lungs burned from the air that was knocked out of them. I looked at Shattered Harmony as it laid on the ground.

The merc began to pound against my chest, making several more cracks. I still felt some of the anger remain from the first volley. I got my hind legs against his stomach and just barely managed to get him off of me. He quickly got up, before he pulled out a large knife and began to charge. I scrambled to Shattered Harmony and just got ahold of it in my mouth when I felt the cold blade of a combat knife plunge into my shoulder.

I let out a loud grunt as I quickly turned my head presenting the barrel of the black .45 Auto into view; his face was pulverized by the single bullet before, I could get a look at it. All that was least was the skull bits and grey matter that covered not only the street but me. The rain quickly did away with most of it but, I could feel some in my mane. I steadily rose to my hooves, even if they are shaking uncontrollably.

I could feel the warm crimson flow down my shoulder and onto the flooded streets. I looked the knife and saw that it stopped just before it could use the serrated part of the blade. It didn’t help the pain though. Using my magic and with a low grunt I yanked out the blade, letting it clatter onto the pavement. I panted; out of breath I looked over at Ink Pad, she was alright. The body of the second merc was on the ground and an SMG was her hooves.

“Don’t do anything stupid, she has the drop on us. Even with the assault rifle, she can spit out more rounds.” Cheddar commented once more, again being right. Fucking hell.

‘Did I say I was starting to hate the fact you’re right?’

“I believe so but, I’d like to hear it again.”

‘Don’t get so full of yourself.’

While I was having my internal conversation with Cheddar, Ink came up to me with a wiry smile. “Thanks for saving me.”

I didn’t say a word as I looked at the locked slide of Shattered Harmony. I took out the empty magazine and placed it into my bag. I wiggled out my last magazine for Shattered Harmony. I brought up the magazine and sighed as I placed it into the magazine well slamming it home. “Consider us even for you patching me up.” I said as I pulled the slide release, chambering a round.

She raised an eyebrow. “I thought the caps were for patching you up?” The confusion was riddled all through out her voice.

I made a weary smile. “No, you need them more than, I do along with this.” I muttered taking the assault rifle in my magical grip and placing the sling around her neck letting it dangle. “Need the extra firepower.” I muttered softly. “Now…Just go and get somewhere safe.” My smile becoming slightly bigger as I push my mane out of my face.

She was hesitant for a moment before, nodding. “I hope we meet up again. I’ll buy you a drink.” She said with a giggle. After a moment of silence she began to walk away into the darkness and rain.

After she was gone it took all of my strength not to fall on my ass. I sighed as I looked at my map, the marker saying that Friendship City was still a ways away. I looked in the direction of Friendship city, my long mane finally drooping down smacking me in face. “Well…can’t get there just standing around…”

“hopefully we don’t run into anything else while we are out here, since you basically gave her our best weapon.”

I looked at Shattered Harmony, my blue magic illuminating enough for me to see. “No…it isn’t. All it did was spray and waste bullets. She isn’t a strong fighter as of right now but, I have the feeling she’ll get stronger.”

I heard Cheddar’s cold chuckle. “Yeah, she has fight in her but, we need to go.” I nodded slightly, before I began to walk towards another alley; feeling a bit heavy from killing the mercs without reason. But, I’d dwell on it later as I made my way past the garbage riddled alleyway. My EFS clear for the moment, but keeping my eye on it as anything could jump out and rip my face off.

After a few moments of walking the rain was beginning to lighten up which lighten my spirits as well. I felt better walking especially with most of the glass shards out but, it still hurts like a bitch. I look up as I entered a street, the rain drops hitting me as they fall. I took a deep breath ignoring any pain the resided inside my body. I adjusted my Varmint Rifle on my back as I looked forward and began to move once more. I didn’t know what the time was but, I didn’t care. It felt like forever yet, like a second.

I rubbed my eyes as the exhaustion was beginning to get to me, than it felt like the idea hit me in the head. I looked at my Pip-Buck and flipped it to the radio section. I surveyed the selection, wasn’t really much on there. Baltimare news radio, which was out of range. The Enclave radio which was total garbage, no wonder raiders listened to it. I scrolled all the way down until I saw the only one that was within range. DJ-PON3.

I smiled a bit as I selected it to hear the voice of Sapphire Shores ending a song, before the sound of a stallion came over the speakers. “Good evening wasteland! This is DJ-PON3 with the one am report. This is what I have for you kiddies. I’ve told you all about the mysterious explosions in the Manehattan Stadium, right? Well, kiddies ol PON3 has got a treat for you. With me is my special guest, one of the only survivors that happened to be inside the stadium.”

Another voice came over the speaker this time it was very familiar. “Yes, I did and I wasn’t the only one.”

“Ah, yes. That reminds me kiddies, it turns out those nasty Gladiators who roamed the wastes for their fighters, had their arena inside the stadium! I couldn’t make this shit up.” There was a slight pause and the shifting of chairs. “So, Canvas, you worked as the medic there am I correct?”

“Yes, I did. It wasn’t easy at all, especially when somepony couldn’t stop getting shot.” She coughed a bit. I had a feeling who she is talking about.

“For my fellow listeners, was it true that somepony killed Fancy Pants?” I nodded a bit, before sighing remembering Bright’s last moments.

“Yes, I do believe he is dead. He was on the top floor and the explosions that HE rigged himself were detonating from bottom up. Idiot. I nearly didn’t make it out from the medical station.”

I heard PON3 chuckle. “Yeah, I heard that he wasn’t the brightest with explosives. But, please tell us how you did escape.”

I heard a sigh from Canvas. “It was a friend of one of the recent captures. His name was Bright Night I think. Saved me from several of the Gladiators and told me where to go. He then dashed off to go find his friend, who probably was going after Fancy Pants. I have no idea if they are alive or not. Hell, I don’t even know if their other friend even made it out.”

“Other friend?”

“Yes, a large buck with a short temper towards those he doesn’t like. I was able to talk to him for a while as both of his friends were laying unconscious in the medical beds. His name was Tracer, even though he did come off as some what of a douche at first, I looked past it and saw big softy.” She giggles a bit as I rolled my eyes. Softy my ass. “When he was asked to leave to his cell, he almost got into a fight as the guards tried to move his friends. With a little help from yours truly, we made them leave his friends alone. He soon escaped through a drainage pipe in the middle of the arena with the help of his friends, who stayed behind so he could have time to escape.”

I heard PON3 chuckle. “Well, that’s a show of true friendship there. See there ponies! There is still something like friendship out in the wastes, you got to find it and fight for it.” I heard the DJ clear his throat as I made it past another alley, seeming like there wasn’t any danger for a good while. “So, Canvas you talked about Bright Night and Tracer. What about the third one? I presume it was the one that who killed Fancy Pants?”

“Yes, his name is Jack I believe but, I can’t exactly remember the rest of his name though; I see so many names and faces its hard to remember. Most of the security guards called him The Caravan Guard or The Guard for short.”

I heard the DJ chuckle once more. “Well, until we figure out his real name, we will call him The Caravan Guard or The Guard. But, please tell me what was special about this buck?”

She sighed a bit. “He some how couldn’t stop getting shot and getting back up. Hell, he tried to defend Bright when he was on the ground bleeding to death. Luckily for them the fight was over and the ponies around them were just their escort.” I could see her shaking her head. “For some odd reason, Fancy Pants took a liking to him. Offered him a job that was too good to be true. So, I decided to warn him of Fancy Pants tricks. From then on…it was mostly chaos and bullet wounds.” After that she began to speak of her point of view before, during and after the fight between Thunder Brawl and me.

Soon after she was done, PON3 spoke up. “Wow, that’s an amazing story, Canvas. So what do you think happened Bright and The Guard?”

“Well, PON3 I don’t know. I know Tracer is out there some where but, certainly not here. For Bright and The Guard? Hmmmm, well I don’t even know if they survived Fancy Pants, let alone the explosions, but the guard being the way he is, took a lot of bullets and got back up. I won’t exactly know until we meet again or you interview him like you did me.”

“Yes, indeed. Caravan Guard if you’re listening to this than, you got an invitation for an exclusive interview with DJ-PON3 himself. Now, this is all for now kiddies. I’ll have more of your wasteland news in a few hours. Now, for some music.”

As the interview ended, I slowed down to a stop to see where I was, I could see a faint light in the rain that drizzled me. I continued down until I exited a narrow ally way to hear the faint sounds of water washing up on the shore and the pitter patter of rain smacking against water. As I looked up to see that the faint light was starting to get stronger; I could see the buildings beginning to grow smaller compared to their neighbors. As I made my way closer to the shore line, the smell of salt reached my nose which made my nostrils burn a little. I kept going straight until a nearly destroyed metal fence line stopped me in my path. I looked down to see that there were several drainage pipes flowing sewage and what else was in that death trap of a sewage system into the ocean.

I looked out to see not only one or two lights but, close to around a good hundred that dotted the small island that had the famous Statue of Friendship perched in the middle. I smiled wearily as that is all I could at the moment. “I made it.” I muttered as I hobbled down the stone pathway and up a case of destroyed cement stairs. It led me to a small desolate intersection that led to a long and neglected bridge with a large portion of it missing.

I cocked an eyebrow at this until I stepped onto the bridge itself. A faint crackling from my left, made my focus go to a small intercom on the support of the bridge. I barely heard it from the constant ringing in my ear but, I heard it anyways.

“Hey, idiot in the duster. Can you hear me?”

My ears fell back and my face deadpanned as I walked over to the intercom pressing the button. “Yes, I can hear ya.”

There was a slight pause. “Good, why are you here? Especially, during the night with the bloodwings out.” The voice sounded female, but I couldn’t really tell.

I let out an exhausted sigh, before I spoke up. “Its not like I had a choice. I had to head here to find my friend.”

I heard a something that sounded like a chuckle of some sort. “Oh? And what would that friend’s name be?”

“His name is Tracer. He came here after escaping the Gladiatorial Arena deep within the city.”

After a long pause, I heard a different voice come from the intercom. “This is Security Chief Deep Water. Who is this?” the voice defiantly sounded female this time around.

“Name’s Jack Rabbit.” I said, stumbling a bit as I tried to keep balance.

“Jack? As in the same Jack who DJ-PON3 was talking about?” I could hear the excitement in Water’s voice from here.

I cocked an eyebrow. “I guess so? I was called The Caravan Guard in the arena.”

“Ah! So it is you!” After a short pause and some muffled talk, Water came back on. “We are extending the bridge for you. After that, you can enter than, we got some questions for you.”

I sighed a bit, before I subconsciously nodded. “Alright…but can I see y’alls doc? Maybe a bath? I kinda need both.” I asked with an almost pleading voice.

The sound of rust covered steel screeching met my ears drawing my attention to the bridge. What I saw amazed me for a moment. It was swinging from left to right in a small circle, before slowly stopping to a halt filling in the gap. “You can do all of that after the questions. You got a bounty to collect.” Water replied, before turning off the intercom.

I was taken back at those words, as I turned towards the bridge. “Bounty?” I muttered as I hobbled across the bridge. I couldn’t see much until a gate begin to slide open revealing a small little bazaar that lead to the doors of the statue.

The moment I touched solid ground, the bridge began to swing back into place as did the gates behind me. “Wow, security here is tight as hell.” cheddar commented as a trio of guards walked my way; all glad in combat armor and security helmets, masking all of their faces.

They stopped in front of me, just one of them is shorter then me and I’m pretty sure she is a mare. She had a small horn protruding out of the top of her helmet while the two massive bucks on both of her sides had nothing. The mare spoke up. “Guard, come with us. We need to ask you a few questions before, we can give you the bounty.”

I didn’t say anything but, nod as they two bucks striped me of my weapons; including Shattered Harmony. They then escorted me to the doors of the city and opened them. The light that flooded into my eyes and once again I was blinded. “Luna’s buttery breast milk! Why the fuck does that keep happening!?” I exclaimed rubbing my eyes again.

All three of the guards gave me a weird look, before shrugging and moving on. The place was mostly quite due to the time of night. We walked up I don’t know how many stairs and it was a pain to walk up. The guards had to stop numerous times just for me to catch up to them. After a few flights we reached what I think used to be the staff lounge of the Statue.

The guards opened it to reveal a single pony who was sitting at an old fashion wooden desk with some papers in small stacks and some in a trash bin right next to it. The mare who was sitting in the chair was a very light blue with a soft pink mane, that was up in a bun. She like the others were clad in black combat armor, but she wasn’t wearing the helmet like the others. Hers was sitting on the edge of the desk right next to a large caliber SMG, a 10mm I think from the looks of it.

She looked at me like she has been waiting for me, before she sniffed and her eyes had a disgusted look on them, yet her face kept straight. “you weren’t kidding when you said you needed a bath, you reek.”

I chuckled soft before, immediately regretting it as I sat down in a chair in front of the desk. “Yeah, I know. Falling in hundred and eighty five year old sewage does that.” I said forcing a small smile.

She chuckled at that a bit. “Ah, well at least your humor doesn’t stink as bad.”

I nodded a bit, exhaustion starting to take over. “So, you must be deep water I presume?”

She nodded. “Yes, I am. Just call me Water, that’s what everypony else calls me. You must be the famous Caravan Guard that PON3 was talking all about earlier.”

I made a half hearted shrug in response. “I guess, but my real name is Jack Rabbit. Most ponies just call me Jack.”

She studied me a bit as she looked up and down my body. “Tonight must have been hell for you, huh?” she said.

I nodded. “Yes, and I’m beyond exhausted. It’s taking all my strength not to collapse on the floor right now and pass out.”

She sighed and rubbed her face a bit. “you and me both. So, I’ll cut the chit chat. You were in the arena when it was going down correct?”

“Yes, I was.” I replied with a slight nod.

“Did you fight in the arena?”

“Mhm, yes as did my two friends.”

“Who were they?” she asked with a slightly raised eyebrow.

“Tracer and…Bright Night.” I said, feeling a ping of guilt saying his name.

Her eyes lit up when I said Tracer’s name. “Tracer? The large brown buck with a blood red mane and a major attitude?”

I nod. “Eeyup, the very one.” I said cracking a small smile.

She shook her head with a slight chuckle. “Yeah, he said that there was a fifty-fifty chance that there would be a scrawny buck that is probably covered in wounds looking for him.” She looked over me once more. “You don’t seem as scrawny as he said you’d be. The injuries he got right on the money.”

She stared at me for moment, before she cocked her eyebrow once more. “Wait…Tracer said that there would be two of you. Where is the other?”

I leaned back into the chair, my face somber at the question. “He’s dead. Cut down by the same pistol that I carried with me, but was used by that bastard, Fancy Pants.”

Water fell silent for a moment listening intently. “What happened to Fancy Pants?”

I looked her dead in the eye with a mixture of fear and anger. “I killed that son of a bitch.” When I muttered those six words, her face broke into a smile. “What’s with the smile?”

She began to clap her hoofs. “You, Jack. Killed the most wanted pony in Manehattan. He has been fucking with our caravans and kidnapping citizens of settlements all around the Manehattan islands.” She paused a moment, before taking out a medium sized burlap sack which jingled when it hit the desk. “Having the arena blow up along with the interview between PON3 and that Canvas mare is proof enough that you killed Fancy Pants. Your bo-”

She was interrupted by a knocking on the door. The still masked security mare turned and opened it to reveal a very familiar buck. “I heard some weird ass cussing so I figured I’d see if it is him or not.” The deep tone of voice that belonged to Tracer.

I turned my head, wearily stretching a smile across my face while I raised a weak hoof, waving; which was still covered in blood and gunk. “Hey, Tracer. Nice to see you.”

He looked at me from the door in full surprise, seeing the condition that I was in. “How in the living hell are you still alive?” He said, walking in as he shoved the security mare out of the way with a heavy hoof.

My ears fell as my face flattened. “I’m good, thank you for asking.” I said with a bit of annoyance, seeing that the douchiness hasn’t left.

He rolled his eyes as he stood next to me. “Don’t be a filly.” Tracer turned his attention to Water, who was quietly waiting to say something. “Please, don’t tell me he already pissed you guys off.”

She shook her head a little. “No, he hasn’t. He just arrived and we were discussing the terms of the bounty he is collecting.” Water replied with a tired sigh.

Once again, the face of surprise was written all across his face. “Wait, Jack…as in this Jack Rabbit? This scrawny little fuck, got a bounty?” The mixture of surprise and impression with a dash of asshole, filled his voice.

“Talk about douche with a capital bag.” Cheddar commented in the back of my skull.

Water sighed and nodded. “Yes, he is getting the bounty that was placed on the head of Fancy Pants.”

Tracer cocked his head, before looking at me, which by the look on his face. I wasn’t looking too good. “Umm, well. We can discuss the amount later, I think Jack needs a doctor.” he said while pointing at me. I was losing my balance slightly for a while but, now I was on the floor with black surrounded the edges of my vision.

I raised a shaking hoof into the air. “Yes, please.” When I muttered those words, the world faded into black.

___________________________
Chapter End.
Jack Rabbit: Level UP!
Tracer: Level UP!

New Perk! Toughness! (Rank 1 of 3)- With each rank of this perk, it brings an addition +3 Damage Threshold!

Quest Completed!

Skill Note: Sneak 50

Author’s note: I really need to stop procrastinating on this.

High Seas

View Online

Chapter Four: High Seas

“Madness…cannot be understood unless one walks in its shoes.”

Well…wasn’t the best rest I’ve had but, it was better than what I’ve been having for the last couple weeks. I awoke in a makeshift room made out of scrap metal and wood. (Had to make it out of something.) I was alone in the bare room, all that accompanied me was the single bed with a footlocker at the end of it, and a nightstand with a note on it. Cocking an eyebrow, I flared my horn grabbing the note with my magic. I laid my head back down on the thin pillow as I began to read.

“Jack, if you’re reading this. Then your ass is finally awake. It’s been two days since you blacked out in Chief Deep Water’s office. She told me everything you told her. The time after I escaped and…what happened to Bright. When we brought you to the doc, he was surprised that you haven’t died from infection or loss of blood. Nearly lost you during surgery, speaking of which. The cost took a third of the bounty you got from killing fancy pants. When you’re ready to come out of that room, meet me in the market place. Your gear is in the footlocker next to the door.

- Tracer."

When I read about the doc, I looked at my back to see that I was wrapped in fresh bandages and that it didn’t feel like constant grinding of glass and bone. I tossed the note in the corner then I rolled off my back, tensing up as a sore pain responded.

“Ow.” I muttered as I got onto my hooves, stretching them out and got a few satisfying pops as a result.

I popped my neck a bit then I rubbed my eyes. I walked over to the footlocker and opened it with my magic. A small smile crept across my face as I saw all my gear as well as my weapons. I draped the duster over me, placing Shattered Harmony into its holster. I placed my saddle bags over my back with my Varmint rifle laying on top. I checked my Pip-Buck to see that everything was in its place. Though the low amount of ammo that I had for Shattered Harmony and my Varmint rifle made me sigh.

I turned my head towards the door stopping for a moment. A thought running through my head as I opened the wooden door. ‘Well, lets see if I can try to make it one day without getting nearly killed.’

When I walked through the door, I closed my eyes before the flood of light could hit me. A slight chuckle escaped my lips as I opened my eyes, letting them get adjusted. “Didn’t get me this time.” I blinked a few times looking around at the bustling crowds that filled the large statue.

The noise of hooves against metal and constant chatter made my ears fold down a bit as I began to push through. I followed the signs that were hanging everywhere until I came upon the market place filled with stall that sold a number of different things. I walked down the aisles, the smell of oil, gun powder, and ozone made me think that there was a repair shop or a weapons dealer near by.

Then, I was stopped dead in my tracks as the smell of cooking food reached my nose. When it did, my stomach didn’t growl. It roared. It was loud enough for a few ponies nearby to give me a look. I chuckled internally as I kept walking down until I came to an area with a few tables, all of them filled except for the lone tan buck with a blood red mane.

As I got closer, I could see that he had a dinged up double barrel shotgun leaning against the table. He was dressed in a hole ridden leather jacket, but I could see some reinforced sections on the joints and the shoulders along with two on the sides. Though as I got closer I could see that the ones on the sides were recent as the stitching material made out of large straps of leather.

I walked over and stood beside the table, getting his attention away from the comic book that was laying next to the plate of food that he had. He swallowed what he had in his mouth before speaking. “You just going to stand there and stare at me or you going to sit down and grab a bite?”

I rolled my eyes as I sat down, putting down my rifle and bags on the end of the table. I looked at Tracer as he turned the page of the comic. “I think you have some caps of mine.”

He nodded in response. “Ah, yeah. Well…” He said with a slight pause.

I cocked an eyebrow. “You said in your letter that the medical costs took a third of the bounty I got for Fancy Pants. How much was the bounty anyways?”

He took a drink of Sarsaparilla. “Fifteen hundred caps. Doc took five hundred, spent three hundred on supplies like food and ammo, then to top it off I got your rifle repaired along with your duster for another hundred. We got six hundred left in the bag. If you’re hungry, there is some food in your bag, too.”

I was a bit taken back at the amount that was earned, then spent. “How much ammo did we-” my sentence was stop dead when I opened my bag to see where the ‘food’ was. What I saw a good seven boxes of Sugar Apple Bombs. I levitated one of the boxes out and stared at it for a moment. “Why do I have a shit ton of cereal in my bags?”

Tracer chuckled as he took another bite of his kebab. “It’s food isn’t it? Enjoy it.”

My face deadpanned them I gave him a steady shake of my head. “You just love being an asshole, huh?”

He bit into the last piece of his food, his speech mumbled by the chewing. “No, I just like messing with you.” With a somewhat loud swallow, he got up grabbing his gear. “Come on. We got a boat to catch.”

My face deadpanned once again, before I sighed and began to get my gear ready. “Really, right when I sat down?” I muttered as I got my gear on. I looked over at Tracer, who was loading his double barrel shotgun with two red shells into the chamber.

“I know you just got up and all but, hurry your ass up.” Tracer commented as he placed the shotgun into a holster that was right behind his shoulder; where he could get a quick grasp on it with his teeth.

When I got my varmint rifle on my back, we began to move. I galloped a bit just to catch up, to which Tracer snorted a suppressed chuckle. I rolled my eyes as we traversed the crowds and made our way down the statue. Getting a few stares and whispers of the crowd as we walked by, Shattered Harmony burning in its holster every time I hear the name PON3 gave me. The Caravan Guard. The Guard. Etc.

The two guards at the door opened it for us, nodding as we passed them. The filtered sunlight making me squint my eyes a bit as I followed Tracer. The outside wasn’t as busy as the inside, but it was still pretty active. Ponies tending to gardens, wells, and I think a few were fishing with makeshift poles on the edge of some docks.

As we got closer to the docks, a large brown vessel with a giant faded red wheel behind it caught my attention. The words ‘Vidi, Vici, Veni’ were in big bold letters in white paint. The words got me curious as I read them. I continued to look at the words when Tracer stopped in front of me, nearly causing me to collide with his ass; which he wouldn’t let me live down.

I cocked an eyebrow as looked around Tracer to see two ponies loading supplies onto the ship. One clad in heavy duty leather armor (which I kinda envy) with a clipboard in his hooves, marking things off as they are loaded. “Is this the boat we are getting on?” I asked with a bit of surprise.

“Yeah, it was the quickest and safest way we can get back to Baltimare.” He replied, a bit of his confidence fading from his voice when his eyes saw pony on the deck of the ship shouting orders at the ones on the dock telling them to hurry their asses up. The only thing I could make of the pony was that he was an earth pony and male. That’s it. The rest of him was covered in armor or clothing. I looked at Tracer a bit and nudged him. “Come on.” I said walking past him.

I went up to the buck with the clipboard and touched his shoulder with my hoof. “Sir?” I asked, trying to get his attention.

He turned to me with a raised eyebrow. “Yes, lad?” he responded in a weird accent, one I certainly haven’t heard before. He had an bright red beard that matched his mane, which had numerous strands of white that intermingled with the red, that stood out against his pale brown coat. The wrinkles that adorned on his face told me he has been around for quite a while. “What can I do ya for? And make it quick, I’m mighty busy.”

I looked at Tracer, then I looked back at the pony and cleared my throat. “I was told that you guys take ponies up and down the coast?”

He nodded. “Yes we do, lad. But, you are going to have to talk to the Captain. He makes all final decisions. Name is Old Arn, but you can just call me Arn. I‘m the cook and part time quartermaster if you were wonderin’.”

I nodded back. “Nice to meet you Arn. Where is the Captain?”

Arn pointed with a hoof to the buck in full gear. From here I could tell that every inch of his body was covered. Some heavy duty combat armor and a face mask with a round metal helmet on the top, his hooves were covered by some heavy rubber boots that laced up underneath the sleeves of the combat armor. “That’s Captain Prod. I think he is expecting you.” Arn said going back to his clipboard checking off items here and there.

I looked back at Tracer who was staring at Prod. I nudged him, taking him out of his little trance and turned his attention to me. “Huh?”

I raised an eyebrow. “You ok?” I asked out of mild concern.

He looked at the Prod for a moment again before, coming back to me. “Yeah, yeah…I’m fine.” He reached around his side and took out a large sized pack that seemed about a third of the way full. “Here are the caps that we are going to use. Go talk to the Captain while I help the others load the supplies.” He said. He set them down on the dock and I quickly grabbed it with my magic.

I sighed as he walked past me and began to talk to Arn about helping out. “Why do I gotta do this shit?” I muttered as I got up and climbed up the ramp onto the ship.

“Because, you’re the guinea pig?” Cheddar once again making a smart ass remark.

“Shush, you.” I muttered under my breath in response.

I heard his icy chuckle. “oh, come on don’t be a spoil sport. I’m just answering your question is all.”

I sighed and shook my head as I got onto the deck. The captain turning his head towards me, an emotionless stare faced me as I walked to him. He stood a good few inches above me, but that wasn’t much.

“Captain Prod?” I asked in hope that this wasn’t a mistake.

He nodded, before replying with a gritty and crackling voice as it passed through the helmet that covered his face. “Yes, I’m Captain Prod. I assume you are here for a passage on my ship?”

“Yes, sir. My friend Tracer and I would like to take passage on your ship.”

He just stared at me for a moment thinking, I assumed.. “Alright, the fare will be six hundred caps.”

My eyes widened slightly in shock. If I was drinking something I would’ve spat it in his face mask. “Four hundred.”

“Five hundred fifty.”

“Four hundred seventy five.”

I heard him sigh underneath his mask. “Fine, five hundred and we got a deal.”

I smirked. “Five hundred sounds good.” Sticking out my hoof expecting a hoofshake.

He looked at it for a moment before, hesitantly shaking it with his own. He had to turn to do it revealing a large box with a long metal pole protruding out of it with a sharp edge, which caught my eye as I shook his hoof. He noticed it with a gritty chuckle. “Ah, noticed my heat spear huh? Well, I can tell you about it during the evening meal.” He turned to the crew that were on the deck, especially a short one who seems to be running the show on the dock.

“Buzzy! Arn! Do we have everything we need?” Prod exclaimed, getting both of their attention.

‘Buzzy? Who the hell is Buzzy?’ I thought as looked down as one of them replied.

The accent of Arn reached my ears in his response. “Yes, Captain. Everything is accounted and paid for. Buzzsaw! Where is Flipside?”

A short stumpy unicorn buck replied with some irritation. “Hell, if I know. The bastard probably got split again and is having a hissy fit with himself in the barracks.” I could hear Arn sigh a bit and I saw him shake his head. “Captain, Flipside disappeared again.”

Prod looked at me and sighed. “I know you are just a guest here but, can you check the barracks? They are just below deck. If you see two unicorn bucks that look like twins bickering at each other, don’t bother them, just come back and tell me.”

I nodded and went to the middle of the deck, looking around. A stairwell nearby caught my attention and I went to it. When I got to it, a unicorn buck who’s black mane nearly blends in with his dark purple coat came up and coughed a bit. When he reached the top and looked at me with a deadpan expression. A small bandana with the equestrian flag on it was wrapped around his head, it was old and faded unlike his black flak jacket. A large pistol sat snugly in its holster on his shoulder.

I walked up to him at the top of the stairwell. “Hey, is Flipside in there?” The buck just nodded his head and pointed down to the barracks where the sounds of bickering could be heard. I cocked an eyebrow. “What’s your name?” I asked with a slight curiosity. He just grunted in response before going back up to the top with what I think is the steering wheel.

“He seems like the talkative type.” Cheddar again commented with the sarcastic tone that I have come to know and love.

I rolled my eyes as I made my way downstairs to see two bucks yelling at each other for something I couldn’t quite understand. They looked exactly the same, the same white coat, the same shocking blue mane and tail. Kind of reminds me of the old royal guard posters I see in buildings sometimes. But, what struck me odd was the their horns were in half. One had a left side of the horn and the other had a right side.

I slowly backed up the stairs from the barracks just in time to see that everyone was boarding. I counted four of the crew members gathered with Tracer, who seemed like he wasn’t comfortable being around Prod. Or maybe it was the giant ass ‘Heat Spear’ that looked like it was going to poke something that should not be poked (unless he is into that kind of thing.).

Out of the group I noticed two of them I haven’t met yet. The short stumpy unicorn with swamp colors of dark green and black and the cutie mark that was basically an ammo belt curled up. I think was the one that went by the name Buzzsaw or Buzzy.

Though I noticed that out of the entire crew there was only one ghoul. He wasn’t wearing anything but a nearly toothless smile. His coat was nearly gone all I could tell as I walked over to the group was whatever remained of it had lost its original color. He was just dirty brown along with the few remaining strands of his grey mane.

When I got over to the group Prod looked at me. “So is Flipside in the barracks?”

“Yeah, I think so. But, I couldn’t tell which one was Flipside. He was arguing with his brother over something, I dunno.” I replied slightly confused at the snicker I got from Buzzsaw and the ghoul.

Prod, deadpan spoke with that gritty crackling voice as it went through whatever it did in that helmet of his. “Well, they are both Flipside. He will be excited to explain it once again but, it will be at the evening meal.” When Prod finished speaking he looked at the cloud covered sky. After a moment he turned to the pony that was at the steering wheel thing. “Helmsman! Lets set sail!” Prod proclaimed reminding me of the pony; who was now beginning to use a series of levers and a pulley.

“Prod, who is that?” I said pointing at the Helmsman with my hoof.

“That’s the Helmsman. He steers the ship.” Prod said with a practiced voice, similar to that of Files from Resort.

“Yeah, I get that. But, what’s his name?” I asked, curiosity getting the best of me.

Prod shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine.”

I cocked an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

I felt the push of a short buck next to me turning my attention to the short unicorn who had been shouting orders at everyone on the dock. He had to be a staggering five inches shorter than me. “What the captain means idiot is that we don’t know.”

“Hey, nopony calls jack an idiot besides me!” Cheddar said with slight irritation.

“Hey, nopony calls Jack an idiot besides me!” Tracer proclaimed with a slight irritation, nearly getting in the short buck’s face, but quickly being stopped by the outstretched leg of Prod.

The short buck just snorted in response and mumbled something before turning back to me as I spoke up. “What do you mean you don’t know? He is part of y’alls crew isn’t he?”

I heard the ghoul coughed a bit. “Well, he just showed up one day after our old helmsmen kicked the bucket. The same bucket that Buzzsaw here uses when he feels seasick.” The ghoul said with a wheezy chuckle as he looked at the irritated Buzzsaw who in fact was the small little shit that was standing next to me.

“Watch it, Plank! At least I don’t try to make ponies try to walk the plank when we don’t even have one!” Buzzsaw retorted.

I turned to Prod who was just shaking his head as if a headache was coming on. “We don’t know where he came from. He just showed up and began to steer us where we needed to go. We just call him Helms since he hasn’t said anything, including his name.” Prod said as the ghoul and Buzzsaw bickered a bit.

I looked at Tracer and, from the looks of his fidgeting, he looked like he wanted to get away from Prod. Which reminds me. “Prod, the fare was five hundred caps am I correct?” I asked flaring my horn as I grabbed the bag of caps out of my pack and laying them on the ground before, steadily counting until I got to one hundred before sliding the bag to Prod.

Prod nodded, before scooping them up and placing them in a pouch of his own returning my small little pack; which I placed the remaining caps in. “Alright! We will get to Baltimare in three days! In the mean time, get yourself comfortable and acquainted with the crew.” With a whistle from Prod, the ship lurched backwards, making its way out of the docks. The sounds of the large paddle wheel groaning against the water and weight of the ship could be heard all around.

Once we were far enough, we turned south. We lurched forward once more,, getting a steady course. With that the group dispersed to their stations or duties. Arn and the ghoul, who’s name I think is Plank according to Buzzsaw, disappeared somewhere. Buzzsaw just began to mumble to himself as he went down to the barracks below deck.

I turned my attention back to Tracer and right as I was about to say something. I began to feel something in my stomach drop as the boat was rocking back and forth with a soft sway. I felt something begin to climb up my throat the moment I tried to open my mouth. “Sweet celestia…” I muttered as I pushed Tracer to the side before I began to let loose what ever was in my stomach over the railing.

I felt a hoof on my shoulder to see that it was Tracer with, for a lack of the better term, a concerned look. “Feel a little seasick, huh?” I could tell that he was suppressing a chuckle.

I looked back at him with some bile on the edges of my mouth. “No, I’m just peachy.” I said with a sarcastic tone causing him to let out that chuckle.

He patted my back. “Alright, just wanted to make sure you are alright.” He said before picking up his stuff and heading towards the stairs that go down to the barracks.

I sighed then I felt another wave of vomit make its up to say hello. After a few moments of spewing what ever contents of my stomach remained over the railing, I just began to dry heave. The taste of bile covered the entire inside of my mouth. “Ugh…this is gonna be a long three days.” I muttered as I felt another hoof on my shoulder.

I turned to see that it was Prod looking at me with his emotionless mask. “This your first time on a boat?” I nodded a bit, keeping my head mainly over the railing just incase I got another surprise visit from my ‘Breakfast’. “Well, lying down helps. I’ll show you to your hammock.” he said, making his way to the stairs.

I groaned as I got onto all of my legs and began to follow. I dreaded the walk as the rocking nearly made me begin to dry heave once more, but I swallowed a bit to keep the sensation down. When I reached the stairs I heard Prod speaking again. “Flipside! Get yourself together and clean up the vomit on the side of the ship!”

As I got down the steps I saw a bright purple flash. I only saw one of the twins when my vision cleared, but this time he had a whole horn. Well, one if you would call it that since it’s split right down the middle.

“Yes, sir!” he exclaimed before running past me and up to the deck. I looked at Flipside as he did and once he was out of sight I turned back to Prod who was next to two hammocks; one was currently occupied by the lord of douche Tracer himself. He had taken the top one which was perfectly fine with me.

When I reached Prod, he was gesturing to the bottom hammock. “This is where you’ll be sleeping until we reach Baltimare. Before you settle in, here are the rules. No discharging or use of your weapons unless we are being attacked. No fights unless it’s sparring. No going into the engine room unless you want to be cooked from the inside out by the steam. Last, but not least, don’t complain about Arn’s food. Even if you don’t like it. And definitely don’t try to improve it unless you want to be chased around the ship by an old cook with a sharp knife.” He said with a bit humor, but I didn’t find it as humorous. The thought made me want to run.

“Alright, I think I got everything. When is dinner?” I asked as I placed down my things, feeling the three memory orbs bulge out against the sides of my bag.

“In about three hours. So, might as well get comfortable.” He said, turning around and walking down the barracks towards the stairs.

I sat down on the thick clothed hammock, sighing quietly. I wiped my mouth clean of any remaining vomit with my hoof. I looked up to see that Tracer was deep within his comics again. Though he did look a little shaken, I couldn't care less at the moment. I felt weak and tired from the vomiting and the lack of breakfast. Another thing I have Tracer to thank for. I looked at my bag to see that the memory orbs were still protruding out.

I slumped over my bags and opened it up with my magic. Reading a bit about them before, I grabbed them with my hooves unless I want to fall on the floor unconscious while I’m in the memory. I laid down with the orange orb in between my hooves as I stared at it. I was about connect with it when I saw Tracer shifting in his hammock. A moment later his head popped down with a cocked eyebrow. “You aren’t seriously going to go into that nut job’s memory, are you?” He said with a lot of skepticism.

“Well, what other way can I do to pass the time, huh?”

He shrugged bit. “You could masturbate. That always helps pass the time.” He said sounding like this was a daily topic for him.

My face deadpanned as I looked at him. “No, I’m not going to masturbate here.” I responded with a bit irritation.

He shifted back on the hammock and chuckled. “Alright, don’t say I didn’t give an idea or anything.”

I sighed as I shook my head, the orb still in my hooves. “Here goes nothing.” I pressed my horn against the orb and everything faded to black.

***o0O0o0O0o0O0o***

It felt weird to say the least, I could tell that I was a unicorn. Sighing in mental relief as I could feel the parts that made my host male. At least I was familiar with the type of body structure, though I don’t feel as clean as my host did. The smell of musty air filled my senses. My host blinked a few times as he sat up in an actually quite comfortable bed.

As my host got onto his hooves, a mare in makeshift combat armor; which was just a few spare plates of Kevlar or similar material duct taped on her jacket that looked like that it came from the lost and found, came into view. “Finally, you’re awake! I’m surprised that the blast didn’t wake you up!” She exclaimed nearly throwing a 10mm pistol at my host’s chest. “I know you’re a special snowflake and all for being Fancy Pants’ body double, but we got some real shit on our hooves!” Body double? So that means…

My host sighed as he took the pistol and racked the slide. “Now, no need to yell. What happened?” My host was relatively calm and level headed as he looked at the dark green mare.

“The shit hit the fan is what happened! The zebra’s finally did what we thought they were too chicken to do!” She said, opening the blinds to a shattered window to reveal fires raging in a town of an unknown name.

My host spat a bit and sighed. “Shit…Where’s Fancy Pants and the others?” My host isn’t fancy…

The mare nodded to a door that was embedded with shards of glass. “They are all going down to the basement. Vanity is telling everyone who are willing to stay to protect those who are leaving.”

My host cocked an eyebrow. “To protect them from what?”

She shrugged. “The eventual mob that is out for blood and desperation in the hopes there is some kind of safety here.” The way she said it ran a chill up my mental spine. Just the calmness compared to the others made me wonder if she knew that they were ponies who were going to attack.

My host turned around and looked at a black vest that was on a coat rack next to the door, the vest was covered with pouches big and small. What got me was the bold white letters. PVPD SWAT.

“While the thought of nearly dying for those autocrats a second time is appealing, I’m going to have to decline that offer.” He took the vest and placed it over his upper body; it was a tight fitting vest, but the feeling of protection was massive.

The mare sighed. “Pond Water, you are some kinda stupid aren’t you?”

Pond shrugged as he placed the pistol in a holster in the vest itself. “Maybe, why do you say that?”

“Isn’t it fucking obvious? You look exactly like Fancy Pants! You’re going to be a fucking target!” She yelled, concern riddling her voice.

Pond looked at her and nodded. “I know. But remember, Fancy Pants has a good reputation with the lower classes a bit more than others and certainly more so than Blueblood.” Without another word, my host walked to the door and opened it.

What was behind it was a long hallway, every so often was some kind of makeshift fortification or barrier. Ponies with rifles and machineguns at each one, waiting on the mob that was to come. A few were running while the sounds of shouting could be heard at the end of hall.

Pond nodded at the ponies at the fortifications as he turned to the opposite direction and began to gallop at full speed following the ponies who were running. His chest beating hard and fast as he kept going, towards the unknown direction. It didn’t take long before the sounds of gunfire and screaming to sound as my host got to the back of the large building he was in.

Bullets began to strike the walls all around as my host turned the corner, out of reflex my host pulled his pistol with his magic and began to fire at will. A bullet striking my host in the side, a rush of hot pain coursed through me. Pond grunted in pain as he backed up and pressed his back against the corner looking at the 10mm pistol. He took out the magazine to see that he only had half of the bullets left. Reinserting it, Pond peaked around the corner to see a large number of ponies fighting; mostly hoof to hoof but some had firearms.

Pond breathed heavily looking down at where he was struck. There wasn’t any blood pouring but, that would be one nasty bruise later on. Pond looked through a still intact window, I couldn’t tell if it was an earthquake or not but, the ground began to rumble. The fighting seized for a silent moment as a large balloon rose out of the ground, cords of reinforced steel holding a large boat type vessel to the balloon.

Pond’s eyes widen as he muttered. “No…they can’t leave yet…” Without another word and I think without a single thought, Pond began charge a window. ‘This is gonna hurt.’ I thought as my host, braced himself as jumped at the window. His body colliding against the window, his body weight effectively shattered the glass. I could feel the familiar pain of glass embedding itself into my hosts muscles as he went into freefall.

It was a fucking two story drop. Pond fell on the flat earth with a sharp crack but, his shoulder took most of the impact. From the amount of pain that followed, it was utterly shattered. Pond groaned looking up half blind by the blood and tears that covered his eyes. The blurry image of the ship becoming smaller and smaller as it left. Pond screaming out as he drug himself, leaving a small trail of blood behind. “Wait! Don’t leave me! I don’t want to die!” Pond exclaimed as he got just barely got onto his hooves, his breath heavy as he watched it disappear into the haze.

Pond limped to the edge of the hole where the ship was stored just find that the gunfire behind him was getting closer before, somepony tackled Pond onto the ground. My host looked to see that it was the mare from earlier, covered in fresh blood that may not be hers. “There you are!” She looked back at the large house before, she turned her battle saddle and fired away until her magazine was spent. “Come on! We need to ge-” She couldn’t even finish her sentence as buckshot ripped across her face; shredding it to pieces.

The blood and gore spraying my host in the face nearly blinding him with the bone shrapnel. The sounds of yelling, one of which I could hear. “One of them is over here!” I didn’t know who it belonged to but, my host did. He looked at the pony with a pump action shotgun, a crazed smile that reeked of desperation and vengeance. The pony slowly making his way while he loaded the shells one by one. The large unicorn buck smiled wide as he pressed the shotgun against my host’s head. “This is for my brother!” As the buck tried to press the trigger, a confused and panicked look came upon his face. “Why won’t it fire!?”

My senses being overloaded with the pain that Pond was enduring, that I didn’t notice his horn holding the trigger in place. “Because, I’m not going to die today!” He exclaimed as he took his pistol from the ground next to him and fired the remainder of the magazine into the shotgunner. The shotgunner stumbled a bit as his own magic failed, dropping the shotgun.

Pond’s magic caught it and quickly turned it around pressing it against the shot gunner’s temple, a scowl was worn on my host’s face. “First Sergeant Pond Water doesn’t die without a fucking fight!” My host screamed as he pressed the trigger, unloading the buckshot into the shot gunner’s skull; making it nothing, but red paste on the ground.

Pond breathed heavily as he used the shotgun as a makeshift crutch to shakily got up. He looked back at the large house to see the flashing of gunfire along with the screams of agony. Pond paused for a moment before, turning his back on the large house and limping into the dying foliage. “Goodbye, Pepper…I‘ll see you again one day…” Pond muttered before, the world went to black again.

***0ooo0ooo0***

I opened my eyes to see that I was holding my shoulder as if I was still in pain, I turned my head to see Tracer giving me a raised eyebrow. “You ok? You look like shit, even more than usual.” For the first time he actually seemed concerned about what happened.

I sighed as I rolled off the hammock and looked up at him. “Yeah…It was something.” I realized that as I stood, my heart was pounding. I took in a deep slow breath, feeling it begin to slow down.

Tracer continued to give me the raised eyebrow. “What the hell are you doing?”

I just shrugged as I looked at my Pip-Buck to see that it was nearly 9PM. I cocked an eyebrow at it before, looking at Tracer. “When’s dinner?”

He gave me a shrug as he replied. “In about ten minutes. You were out cold for a good three hours and I was starting to wonder if you were going to come out of that thing.” He pointed with his hoof at the memory orb that sat in my hammock. “Also, what the hell happened while you were in there?”

I sighed, remembering everything that I saw in that orb. “Well, it turns out that Fancy Pants wasn’t really Fancy Pants.”

That made Tracer have a confused and shocked look on his face. “What you talking bout?” he said in a rapid voice full of curiosity.

“I’ll explain during dinner. Where do we eat again?” I asked having no clue what so ever.

Tracer gave me a deadpan look and sighed. “Follow me.” He said as he turned around and began to make his way down the lower deck. Lanterns were lit giving the lower deck a soft easy glow that let me see what I hadn’t before. There were covers on the hull where I think cannons used to be positioned but, the cannons themselves were long gone. Most likely used as scrap somewhere.

We got onto the deck and went straight forward towards a door where light and sound seeped from underneath. The boat lurched to the side from a wave which nearly sent me tumbling across the deck. I didn’t fall due to the fact that Tracer on my left side which was the direction I was falling towards. He gave me another deadpan look and shook his head before, opening the door with his hoof. He pushed it in to reveal that everyone including the weird ghoul named Plank who happened to be giving me the weirdest look ever. I didn’t like it.

The room was cozy and warm, filled with the soft light of candle lit lanterns and the sounds of merry laughter. The smell of cooked food reached my nostrils which sounded my stomach. I guess it was loud enough to make everyone stop and look at me. My eyes widened in embarrassment as I looked around the room. Then, I heard a scratchy whistle come from the end of the table where everyone sat. I

It was Prod. “Arn, get Jack and Tracer something to eat. I know Jack is starving.” He said waving for us to come sit at the table. “Come on sit you two.” He said with a soft chuckle even though it sounded hardly like it was soft.

Tracer and me trotted over to the table where there were two unoccupied spots; which both of us gladly took. Arn nodded before, going behind a swinging door and coming back out with two plates of steaming hot food. The moment I saw that my mouth dropped and I could feel the drool flowing off. The moment the food hit the table, I placed a cloth around my neck then, I chowed down on the food before me. I felt the looks the others gave me when I ate over half of the food in less then a second. I looked up all of them including Tracer were giving me looks.

“Somepony is hungry.” Arn chuckled as he went back to his spot on the table.

“Ayy! He be eating all the food! He needs to slow down or he walks the plank!” The ghoul shouted pointing a spoon at me. I’d be afraid if it was a knife or a fork but, a spoon?

I saw Buzzsaw face hoof and sigh. “Plank, why don’t you just shut the hell up!? We don’t even have a plank!”

Plank whipped his head at Buzzsaw. “We don’t!? How can we be a pirate ship without a bloody plank! We need to get one! At most haste!”

I heard a hoof slam on the table making it rattle. “Why don’t you two shut up!?” I jumped a bit and turned my head to see that it was Prod. “You two have this argument every damn day! We have guests, once of which did us a favor by killing that lunatic Fancy Pants! I’m sure he has some questions for us since he was stuck in that memory orb for the last three hours. So kindly shut your fucking yaps!” Prod, boldly exclaimed making everyone go quiet and looking attentively. Prod cleared his throat as he looked at me. “Now, Jack. Tracer has gotten to know some of the crew while you were out.”

I looked at Tracer as he just kept eating his food, looking like he couldn’t find a fuck to give. Hearing the name made my mind jump away from the food to the memory orb. “Oh, turns out Fancy Pants wasn’t Fancy Pants.” I commented as I took another bite, tasting the tangy taste of mutfruit.

Everyone looked at me with a cocked eyebrow. “What do you mean he isn’t Fancy Pants?” Plank spoke up with a voice filled with confusion. “I’ve seen the ghoulified bastard myself!”

I raised up a hoof. “Hold on. I’ll tell what I know.” I said as I began to tell them what happened in the memory orb. The giant house, the airship, turning out that our Fancy Pants was a body double. Even Tracer seemed surprised by this as he paid attention. “So, yeah. His real name was Pond Water. Being a body double, I guess he thought he was Fancy Pants or something. I got two more memory orbs to go.” I said taking bit of food into my mouth and chewing.

Prod chuckled. “Well, ain’t that something. I guessed it was something of the sort.”

I raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

Prod looked at me, I could feel the smirk that was underneath. “Oh, just table talk at a blackjack table is all. But, anyways. I’ll introduce you to the crew or at least some of them. Prod pointed at Buzzsaw. “That’s Buzzy right there.”

Buzzsaw glared at Prod. “It’s Buzzsaw, Captain.”

Prod waved him off with his hoof. “What ever Buzzy.”

I looked at Buzzsaw and raised an eyebrow. “I saw your cutie mark earlier and I didn’t think you had anything to do with lumber.”

Buzzsaw chuckled. “Well, Buzzsaw is more of an adopted name. When the need comes, you’ll find out why they call me Buzzsaw. Its a real rip.” He said just before he took a gulp of his drink.

Arn rolled his eyes before, turning to me. “He calls himself Buzzsaw because he has a giant machinegun that’s longer then he his tall and has a high cyclic rate of fire just to compensate for something we all know.”

Buzzsaw gave Arn a big glare. “I’ll fucking kill you, you old washed up bastard!” I could see that Buzzsaw was about to jump over the table, but he stopped dead all by a look of the helmsman. Buzzsaw took a deep and sat back down. “This isn’t over gramps.”

I looked at Prod. “Um, does this happen every night?”

Prod sighed. “Unfortunately, but its our entertainment for the evening so we enjoy when we can. So, are there anymore questions from you?” he asked, his face still blank from the mask. I wondered how he even ate with that thing on.

“Please don’t tell me you’re gonna ask him that.”

I rolled my eyes, before I looked down whispering. “Of course not.” I looked back at Prod with a bit of a smile, my stomach feeling nice and full for the first time in days. “Why do you have that mask on Prod?” I asked.

Any conversation that was going on seized when the question reached everyponies ears. Prod stayed silent as I felt Tracer tugging at my leg. He leaned down and whispered into my ear. “Let’s go.”

I raised an eyebrow. “What why?” I didn’t get an answer as I felt tracer biting into the collar of my duster.

“Sorry about him. He is still loopy from the memory orb.” He said as he drug me out of the dining hall and threw me out onto the deck. “You’re a fucking idiot you know that!?” He exclaimed as shook his head. “Of course you don’t. Otherwise we wouldn’t be in this situation.” he sighed as he placed his face into his hoof.

I got up and dusted myself off looking at Tracer. “Well, you seemed like you were gonna shit yourself this morning when we first got onto this floating deathtrap. So, please. Explain to me what the fuck is going on?”

Tracer tensed up for a moment not saying anything. “Fine. Want to know? I’ll tell you a little story you fucking idiot. Lets go back into the barracks and I’ll tell.” he said with a monotone voice that had the edge of irritation on it. He went down to the barracks and I followed up until we got to our hammocks.

He climbed up on his and sighed. “Get comfortable. You’re gonna have a history lesson.”

I rolled my eyes as I laid in my hammock and looked up. “Fire away nerd.”

He began to spiel about the history of Captain Prod. I learned (unfortunately) that nopony has ever seen his face, as it has always been behind that metal mask. He seems to never grow old or die as it has been rumored that he has been shot, stabbed, burnt and apparently is over hundred twenty years old. Never has the same crew twice, always shares the loot with the crew the time is up and abandons the crew before getting a new shortly there after. I zoned out about halfway through it as I felt myself falling asleep.

I sighed as I rubbed my eyes and yawned a bit. I guess that he wasn’t noticing as he kept going on about him using that heat spear of his to take down ten enemies that surrounded him or something. I dunno. I flared my horn grabbing my bag and opening it up to reveal the two other orbs I have yet to watch. ‘Might as I well’ I thought as I took out the second one and placed into my hooves; staring at the blue orb. I closed my eyes as I lowered my head, contacting the cold smooth surface with my horn. I felt the magic work as everything fell away and went to black.

***0oo0oo0***

I felt the bitter cold biting at my skin the moment I fell into Pond’s body once again. Pond’s lungs were burning from the icy cold as he trudged through…Green snow? What the hell? The lower half of Pond’s legs were numb enough that I could barely feel them as he walked. His eyes were darting from side to side, scanning the area around him. Looking for danger.

He stopped for a moment and surveyed the area in the patch of woods that he was walking in. He turned his head and whistled. “Hey, guys the coast is clear for now.” When he said that, a few ponies walked out from the dying brush. I could see four in total.

The sound of a young shivering filly came to Pond’s ear. “M-Mister Water. A-Are you s-sure that it’s safe?”

I felt pond smile as he looked at a filly with small amounts of grime covering her yellow coat and light pink mane. She was shaking and shivering under a torn up sheet as she tried to keep warm in the snow. “It’s fine darling.” Pond’s magic came to life as he took something from his back and placed it in between him and the filly. It was the same shotgun from the last orb. “Nopony is going to mess with us as long as we have my friend here. Just stay close to me and you’ll be fine.” he nodded his head towards a field in the distance. “Come on, everyone. We need to keep moving south, we will set up camp when we find good shelter.”

He looked at the filly and frowned a bit seeing her shiver. “Hey, buttercup. Get on my back and rest a bit.” Pond said as he lowered himself making his stomach crunch the snow below him. It wasn’t until I felt the filly climb on top of him, on how weak he was compared to earlier. The pain on his shoulder spiked when he lifted the filly up.

Buttercup laid on Pond’s back with two legs on each side of his back, helping her stay on. “T-Thank you mister Water.”

I felt Pond smiling. “You’re welcome Buttercup. If you need anything just tell me alright?”

She nodded. “Yes, sir.”

“Alright.” He began to trudge through the snow once again leaving a trench in his wake for the others to follow in. I could hardly feel his legs as he went, all I felt in them were the icy bites of the snow. He felt weak and sick, keeping his composer for the rest to follow. He needed to be strong for what he is doing.

He kept trudging through the snow until he came to the crest of the hill. A burning city in the distance giving off a tall column of smoke as it rose into the grey clouds. Pond stood for a moment watching the city burn, shocked that it was spewing green flames. The filly poked his ear. “Mister Water, why is Manehattan still burning?” Buttercup ask with a faint sliver of dread in her voice.

Pond shrugged as he walked. “I don’t know. Everything is burning or dying. The bombs do a lot in that regard. But, we need to be qui-” Pond couldn’t finish his response, we both felt something hard hit us in the side. It took a moment for the sound for the shot to reach his ears.

Pond collapsed into the green snow with a crunch, making Buttercup tumble off as well. I could feel the burning in Pond’s side where the bullet had penetrated his ragged body armor. Screams could be heard from behind where the others were followed by a salvo of fire. Pond moving through the pain turned back to see numerous ponies firing on the unarmed refugees who were following him. The ponies were giving the refugees no mercy as they were cut down like animals; the hot red blood and guts mixing with the ice cold green snow and turning it into a yellowish slush.

Pond looked to Buttercup who was curled up in a shivering ball, tears streaming down her face as the slaughter goes on. Pond’s eyes found hers. “Buttercup!” She looked at him with fear riddling her face. “I need you to run. Run to the sound until you find someplace safe. Keep running no matter what you hear. Ok?”

She looked at him with wide eyes before, slowly nodding. “Yes, sir.”

He smiled softly as he grabbed the shotgun that had fallen next to him with his magic. “Now go!”

Without another word Buttercup wobbled up onto her hooves and began to move but, she didn’t make it far as another bullet snapped by Pond’s ear, grazing it which caused him to flinch. I could feel the time slow as the bullet found Buttercup’s frail body, the impact of it sprayed her blood across the surface of the snow. Time sped up as her body began tumbling down the hill leaving behind blood and what ever guts were being freed by the motion.

Pond snapped his head toward the shot to see that there was somepony sitting in a cluster of dying trees with a scoped rifle. The expression felt on his face was one of unadulterated rage. He didn’t even look at the others as they tried to fight how ever they could. Pond let out a humongous scream of rage as he charged, pumping shell after shell of 12 gauge into any near by raiders; blood spraying every which way as they fell. A raider nearly brought down an axe on Pond’s head, Pond flared his horn slowing the axe long enough for Pond to bring the shotgun’s muzzle to chest. With a shout, Pond unloaded two rounds of buckshot.

The rounds made the raider fall back into the green snow, blood flowing freely out of the gaping hole in his chest. The raider’s axe fell into the magical grasp of Pond as he charged the sniper with all his might. He fired once more with the shotgun before, hearing the click. “Shit!” he exclaimed as he threw the shotgun at a raider’s face, causing the raider to flinch in pain. Another bullet snapped by Pond’s ear, the shot coming from the sniper that killed Buttercup. I couldn’t imagine what rage dwelled within in his mind when he saw the sniper.

He let out another scream, but couldn’t move any further as something from behind struck the back of Pond’s head. Everything went black, but the memory didn’t end. It felt like hours sitting in the darkness the cold itching its way in. I couldn’t really tell how long he was out but, soon his eyes began to flutter open. A pounding pain echoing through his entire skull. He rubbed the back of his head feeling the frozen blood that matted the back of his head.

Pond looked around a bit seeing the snow has began to pick up, I could feel his lung burning as they breathed in the icy cold air. He looked over at the scene to see that everyone that was still there were frozen corpses. The shock and horror of the slaughter was apparent on Pond’s face as he rose onto his hoofs. I wandered about the area to see if he could find anything of use; careful not to look into the eyes of the ponies he tried to protect. He saw that the place was picked clean, all for an assault rifle that was buried underneath a body of a raider.

Pond sighed as he struggled to take the magazine from the frozen firearm. After a moment of struggling and massive swearing; the magazine came loose. He looked at the rounds and began to take them out, counting to himself seeing there was eighteen rounds of 5.56.

He inserted the rounds into the magazine and slammed the magazine home; racking a round into the chamber. He looked in the direction where the massacre took place. He let out a grim sigh, before turning away. Pond in somber silence trudged through the green snow, blood splatter scattered around until he got to the hill where Buttercup was slain. He stared at the frozen body of the small filly for a moment longer as I could guess he was replaying the memory over and over in his mind.

I felt a small drop begin to flow down his cheek as he made his way down the steep decline. He didn’t say anything for the most part as he went through the snow, getting ever colder as the cloaked sun went down. It wasn’t until it was almost dark when he saw the light of the aid station that was headed by the Ministry of Peace. This one as Pond got closer didn’t seem to be raided like many others that dotted the landscape.

First came the light than, came the sound. I could hear the sounds of urgency and concern as they worked late into the night. When Pond stumbled into the tent, a wave of relaxing warmth swept over him like the blanket that he needed. At the same moment though, all of the sound in the station stopped for a brief moment as they occupants looked at the worn Pond Water. Some had fear in that he would attack while others didn’t seem to care, but one of the nurses. A blue unicorn with a light tan mane approached Pond. She looked sleep deprived and on the verge of passing out before, taking a few Zs

She took a moment to patted down her matted mane to make herself somewhat presentable. She coughed and looked up at Pond who had to be a good six inches taller than her. “Mr. Fancy Pants! You‘re alive…and covered in blood.” She said before stepping in slight horror.

Pond sighed before, shaking his head. “I‘m not Fancy Pants…I was his double.” He said with a grim tone.

The Nurse looked at the blood stains that covered his shredded armor. “T-Then who are you and why are you covered in blood…” She said, the fear growing even more than before.

“I‘m First Sergeant Pond Water, Ma‘am. As for the blood…I-I rather not say…” Pond said, grief riddling his voice as the memory of the fight would still be fresh.

The nurse nodded in empathy as she looked at his legs making a confused expression across her face. “How don’t you have any radiation burns on your exposed legs?”

Pond’s eyebrow shot up like a small rocket as he replied. “Radiation burns? Where would I get those?”

“The snow.” She said as she hovered her hoof over her mouth to keep the yawn contained.

Pond kept up the eyebrow. “How do you get Radiation burns from the snow?”

The nurse coughed a bit before, starting what seemed like a lecture. “The dust brought up from the bombs was large enough to block out the sun causing a large drop in temperature. The fallout mixing in with the atmosphere also got mixed in with the clouds thus making the snow that’s coming down radioactive.” She paused to look out into the snow once more, seeming like she couldn’t believe this was happening. She turned her head back to Pond. “I’m sorry, I just. If anypony is caught out in that for more than an hour than they would be dead or unable to move.”

The nurse looked back at the patients that laid in the beds that took up a majority of the space in the tents, her eyes were beginning to swell and water up as she was on verge of crying. But, before she could Pond jumped forward a tad bit and wrapped her in a tight hug. “It’s alright. Ok? It will be ok. Everything will get better and everything is going to get easier as the days go on.”

The nurse said nothing for a moment as she hugged back, but something on her face said something of fear. A moment later she muttered out. “Y-you’re cold…”

Pond let go of the nurse before, replying. “Well, I was just out in the snow…” He paused for a moment trying to figure out what to say next. “I also was unconscious for a few hours I think…” Pond rubbed his head in slight confusion. He looked down at the nurse, she seemed flabbergasted at what pond had just said. She was about to say something before, Pond spoke. “Where is the closest bathroom? I need to take care of some ‘business’.”

She looked at him before, pointing with her hoof towards an open door. “Over there. Umm, I need to get one of the doctors real quick. I’ll meet you when you’re done.” She turned around and dashed off around a corner of beds and out of sight.

Pond raised an eyebrow, I bet out of confusion mostly, before he made his way to the bathroom. Just before he got inside, he looked down to see an overturned ammo box that had spilled what was inside. All that was in there was a single magazine for his assault rifle. Pond looking around just before, slipping it into his pocket and going inside the bathroom.

He closed the door with a soft kick of his hind leg, him facing the mirror that laid before him. Something must of caught his eye as he got closer to the mirror. “The hell?” he muttered as he looked at something on his face. He pulled on his face as if he was getting a piece of food off. When he did, something fell into the sink.

Pond didn’t look down to see what it was as he already knew what it was. His eyes filled with overwhelming fright that he jumped back with a sudden scream. “Holy fuck!” He stumbled back and fell against the door holding his chest, noticing something different. He stopped his breath as he pressed down on his chest some more. His eyes widened even more, not from what he felt. From what he didn’t. He didn’t have a heart beat…

He scrambled up to his hoofs and looked himself in the mirror, the chuck of his cheek missing that allowed the sight of his jaw to come into view. His eyes shrunk as I thought began with crying but, went into laughter, sickening laughter.

He flared his horn, taking out the magazine of his assault rifle and placing in the fresh magazine. Fully loaded and ready to go. He did a quick 180 kicking open the door, startling the awaiting nurse and doctor. Both horrified as Pond smiled and pulled the trigger of his assault rifle with an horrible laugh.

The memory was beginning to fade but, just before the image of the nurse losing the life out of her eyes.

He truly was a monster.

***oooOOOooo***

I shot up violently as I hyperventilating before, looking around to see that I was on the deck with my stuff and a grinning Buzzsaw firing his large ass machinegun into scaly freak of nature; his grin says he looks like he is gonna do something slightly bat shit crazy. “Well, hello there sunshine, welcome back to the world of the living. I’m sorry to say but, your trip has to be cut short to unexpected technical difficulties. You have received a 20% refund for 50% of your trip.”

I raised an eyebrow. “What!? Where did the rest of it go!?” I exclaimed with utter confusion.

Buzzsaw gave me a shrug. “Because pirates. Yarr.” With a roar the beast behind me struck the boat with it’s tentacle. “Now…” With that one word, I felt Buzzsaw grab me in my armpit and a not so happy place before, being chucked into air. “Try not to get eaten! We like repeat customers!”

At which point chedder decided to chime in. “Like hell i’m gonna be on a boat again.”

Well, I can’t exactly say I took the flight well but, what I do remember is a lot of screaming and flailing around before, skipping off the water like a pebble. Each hit felt something in between hard gel and concrete. On the final skip I landed in the water, my body overflowing with pain; but, just able to tread water. I didn’t know what to think but, all I could feel is my muscling burning from the pain and the constant swimming. Not knowing which way is the shore, I just followed the way I was tossed.

___________
Chapter End.
Jack Rabbit: Level Up!
Tracer: MIA

New Perk!
Pond’s Riptide: After observing Sgt. Pond Water’s memories you learned a technique that allows you to fight for your life. When your health drops below 20% your agility is raised to 10 and your action points are doubled.

Skill note: Barter 25

Fallout: Equestria- Regret

by BlastingCap

Prolouge

Some days just fuck ya over

Let The Thunder Roll

One Hell Of a Night

High Seas