> FOE: World In Pain > by NeverKnown > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Chapter 1:From one hell hole to another > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- FOE: World Of Pain Chapter 1:From one hell hole to another The first thing I saw was a white light so bright it rivaled the sun. All I could do was try to cover my eyes, only to find my hooves restrained by what felt like thick leather straps. Struggling only made them cut into my legs. All I could hear was what sounded like a younger mare and a grizzled stallion speaking above me. “Sir, subject is awake. What should be our action? Should we administer more sedatives?” “Na don't waste it on ‘em. Scum like him deserves pain for the death and destruction they've caused us. Remember Luna's school? They never showed mercy towards young files, so why should we?” The next few hours, I felt the worst white hot blinding pain anyone could ever experience. For my entire life, the first thing I could remember was screaming from the piercing pain in my back, which slowly snaked its way to the back of my skull. Then the world was filled with pain. All I could remember before the white void was muttering, “I can’t remember my name…... "Why can’t I remember my name!"” The light was blinding. “Sir, procedure was a complete success! the body has accepted the new limbs, and natural feather growth should start within forty-eight hours, but also it appears that there may have been some slight memory loss.” “Ah buck it. Doesn't really matter if he lives, we just needed to be sure that such an operation is possible. Anyways pod ‘em up and for CELESTIAS SAKE! Throw something different in his head, that zebra crap he’s talking is giving me a headache!!” “How about some southern coltish, sir?” “Heh, that ah girl. Lernin from the best, eh Sprinkles?” A sigh, “Only the best sir.” “Now get this sputtering idiot under the table and into a pod. I don't want it to forget how to breath or have him slobbering on the floor like the animal he is.” “Yes, sir.” After a few moments of silence and the sound of a door slamming, the mare’s voice returned. The next few words…I would remember for the rest of my life, “Your name is Red Stripe. I’m sorry for what we've done to you.” After a few moments, I heard her whisper “I’m so sorry, Celestia please forgive me.” After feeling a small shock of magic, the world burst into darkness. With the sound of a young mare crying, I drifted into a deep sleep. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- War, war never changes. Two hundred years ago, the world was a safer place graced by the ruling of two Princesses that kept us safe in a world filled with love and trust. That time is long gone. The once proud warring countries cast into a hellhole filled to brim with death and misery. It’s a life that no one wants, but they’re forced to live in. It isn't our decision. That was made long ago by those who are too long dead to see the pain they caused. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~Days became weeks and weeks became years. Slowly, the world outside the tube started to mold and die. With its inhabitant unaware of the horrors that occurred on a daily basis; the killing and maiming of generations to come. So is the way of the equestrian wasteland. The way of a dying world... I awoke in a groggy state, only to find myself unable to breathe normally. To say I was frightened at first it would be a lie, I was in full panic mode. After flailing about for what seemed to me like forever with no progress to speak of, I somehow calmed myself enough to finally take note (ok if you consider a mild panic calm, then it was definitely a vast improvement) of my surroundings. From what I could see through the... wait, was this slime or water? After waving my legs around a little in the substance it was clear that it was water. Really, really old and murky water. From what I could make out through the water, I was floating in what appeared to be a cylinder filled with green slimy water surrounded by tubes connecting to a full face mask. That was when the memories of my last waking moment came flooding back to me, the lights, pain and the crying of a mare. "Aph Haph ... G... .Uta.. Og Herph!!" I really meant to say, “I have to get out of here!” but still, I worked with what I had. After flailing around some more and cursing to myself, I felt the air to my mask start to lose pressure. Rather than drown in some tube filled with water, not knowing where I was, I started slamming my limbs against the walls around me. It was just then that I felt a rubbery round circle pressing against my hind leg. Rearing up with the last of my energy, I kicked it as hard as I could just before the darkness that had started to form around my eyes overtook me. Suddenly, the door to the tube jolted open slightly. It was just enough for the greenish water to start leaking out but the door stuck before getting half way open. Out of nowhere, the air was filled with a crackled computerized warning repeating, "Warning: pod six has just experienced a major door malfunction. Please stay calm until proper personal arrive. Have a nice day." "Repair-units four and ten. Pod personnel, report to pod bay four stasis bay six. Message Repeats. Repair-units fou-" "Dammit Hammer! What the fuck did you touch?! Raiders are going to be all over us! Where the fuck did you say that dam prewar tech was?" "Blade, calm da fuck down! It’s supposed to be in the next room!!" "Ya hear that sound?" "Hammer, smash that dam tube over there open, ah think something’s in it." "Ya, sure, that’s’ a great idea blade, remember wh-" "SHUT THE FUCK UP! FOR THE LAST TIME OPEN THAT DAM THING!!" "Sheesh, alright." The next thing I remembered before the tube in front of me exploded was being showered in glass. I could feel a stinging pain wash over my face and chest. And the bright light that followed blinded me. I tumbled out of the tube and slammed my muzzle into the steel floor. “Well, well, well, would ya look at what we have here? A good to Goddess tube pony and ah zebra at that." "Blade, ya ever see a zebra with a wings before?" "Nah never, bet he'll fetch a good price over there in Appleloosa for one as odd as him. Well, guess this trip wassent shit anyways, bag and tag that merchandise. Hammer, we have to keep moving." I could only get out a few words before hammer lived up to his name. "What the hell is going on here?!" > Chapter 2: Christened In Frost and Fire > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fallout Equestria: World In Pain By NeverKnown Chapter 2: Christened In Frost and Fire ~The first pony I killed with my own horn had been a raider.  Blackjack Fallout: PH I awoke to a kick and a sharp pain in the ribs. Gasping for air i jerked upright only to fall flat on my face to the sound of Hammer chuckling. "Git da fuck up freak, dam Blade you really know how to find a great product" Slowly my vision stopped swimming long enough to focus on a red buck talking to the blade pony. Confused and disoriented I decided to play it safe with these ponies. Moving myself up to a siting position I got the attention of the group “Hmm. Sleeping beauty awakens, looks like we don't have to throw you to the ghouls after all.” Apparently this disappointed a few others i hadn't seen yet. Blade walked up to me and just said. “You boy, are going to make me a lot of money. Start walking.” With that he gave me another kick causing me to jump onto my hoofs. “Whats the matter can’t keep your legs steady? MOVE!!!” I started walking only to fall again. “Hmm he’s a smart one, but you’d think he doesn't know whats going on, Hammer snorted. “Shut the fuck up Hammer” Blade slapped him on the back of the head. “Boy, This is how its going to go. You’re going to do what we tell you,When i tell you if you want to keep that head of yours on your shoulders GOT IT!!?” Gulping i nodded my head. “Umm, sirs if you wouldn't mind, what is going on here?” “Aww, would you look at that! The slave thinks he can talk to the master. Shut da fuck up,were on a time table!!” Blade nodded and one of the unnamed pony's pulled me down by something heavy strapped around my neck,and He forced a dusty rag which tasted of iron and salt into my mouth. “There you go that should keep you quiet.”     Then, with a kick to the rump, he ordered me to follow him as he dragged me along with a chain connected to something heavy strapped around my neck. (Did i mention it was heavy?) As we walked we approached what looked like a cage sitting on a wagon filled with emaciated ponies. After seeing this I started ( What Should i say backpedaled?) pulling back, trying to get away from the cage. every pony could clearly see the look of terror on my face. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but this wasn't it. Blade looked back at me He looked more and more pissed every second that  I wasn't moving. “Hammer, as much as i would love just to kill this little prick I’ve never come across anything like him before. Just rough him up and throw him in the back with the rest of the meat.” The way he kept mentioning me differently caused a thought to start forming in my head.“Whats going on here, don't all pony's look like me?” Then somewhere I remembered something. No wait, not a pony. A Zebra, that's it. Glancing around, Hammer grabbed me by the chain, opened the cage and threw me in. Just as my face was about to make contact with the inside of the cage, I’m pretty sure i mumbled: “Celestia damn it...” oooOOOooo Everything went black. “Oh Celestia am I dead?!” “No calm down, you’re not dead” “...” “Am I crazy then I'm hearing voices?” “No you may have just suffered some minor brain trauma.” “Aww, that doesn't sound as fun as being crazy” “You do know you’re talking to your subconscious right?” “Umm subwhatnow?” “Ugh its worse then you thought, just wake up. “We’ll sort this out next time” ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Ugh“   “Muat? mmm Phripht phegot”   Opening my eyes I noticed I was being stared at by at least four ponies who were sharing the cage with me. A yellow earth pony had a mark of a... What was it? A splotch of slime? She approached me when she noticed that I was staring at her cutie mark as i was still laying on my side.  “Howdy there stranger, that was a mighty hard hit to the head ya took there mate. “Mpph ap phnow Pight” She looked at me for a few minutes almost as if she were studying me. It started to feel uncomfortable chains and gag aside her eyes just seemed to look directly into my soul, then I thought again that it’d be crazy and then put away the thought. “Ya know I’ve seen a few zebras when I was traveling around but I’ve never seen a red one with wings before. Looking back I yelped. (In hind sight it might have been a muffled girlish scream but I wont say that... dang) After dragging myself to the far corner of the cage we started moving. (OK more like I'm surprised I didn't suffer more brain damage due to the potholes but still moving none the less) After sobbing in the corner for a couple minutes and wallowing in what ever it is that ponies and zebras wallow in, my tears started to dry. (OK it my have been hours. Really who expects to have wings when your entire species up to your knowledge has never had them?) After a short and *Ahem* manly cry one of the more emaciated ponies, a cute, pink earth pony with a cutiemark of two roses pulled her way closer to me and put one of her legs over my shoulder as i fell into a fit-full sleep the mare pulled me closer. As I dreamt a long lost memory's came to mind... oooOOOooo  I was sneaking across a narrow pink ledge, connected to what I would describe as a  beauty shop,  peaking into each window i passed, most of the rooms were filled with dresses and clothes (OK, maybe a dress shop?)  I wasn't sure exactly what I was doing as I slowly raised my right hoof to my chest waving it over the blue gem and disappearing. The hoof suddenly became invisible. Surprisingly it felt almost second nature, like walking and breathing. My body continued moving along the ledge on its own accord looking into any window that wasn't covered with a drape. Suddenly I came across one window that had been left uncovered. Looking in I saw a beautiful older unicorn with purple hair talking to another pony. I couldn't make out what they were saying but for some reason I couldn't help but think she looked very attractive from my point of view, for being not a zebra and all. “Ahh what a shame. To target such a beautiful mare fills my heart with shame.” “Shame?  Wait, Target? I didn't say that!” That made me think. it might be there is another reason rather then me just being a peeping tom.  Slowly and almost without emotion my hoof reached to my side pulling out a Jagged blade that sparked with electricity and death. Putting it in my mouth I slowly opened the window and slipped inside. Slowly I started sneaking up behind the unicorn with my blade drawn and my intent launched into my head. “Oh No... No! This isn't me! I don't kill ponies!!” Struggling I found I couldn't control my body. I wanted to scream and kick but no sound came out of my mouth and my legs moved on there own accord. Taking one more step I  Suddenly felt weightless. My legs left the ground refusing to move. This left  me floating behind her, as the unicorn turned around I noticed her horn was glowing a slight blue. I didn't know where I had landed but all I could feel was an intense pain coming from my back. I heard the unicorn speaking to somepony as two burly stallions covered in armor started dragging me. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- When I awoke I found the mare in the same position she had been when we had fallen asleep together. With one leg over my shoulder, comforting me. She had died in her sleep still hugging me. She took the brunt of the cold, in all fairness she probably saved my life. Even if it was unintentional. I could only mumble out a few words through the rag witch translated to: “My heart grieves for this one last act of random kindness, Celestia bless you” Finally, after what felt like an hour. I moved the mare off me as her body started to grow cold.. It felt like we were headed up a cliff and the air started getting colder. There was definitely a gradient. I found myself drifting towards the back over time. (I could mostly tell due to being able to see the steam coming from my nose) Another of the Sickly ponies died due to the cold last night, a light blue unicorn buck with a cutiemark of a feather quill dipped in ink. Poor bastard. He died alone, cold and frightened the only difference between me and him was market value. After losing another one of their slaves, the slavers finally stooped and threw in some rags so the rest of the "Merchandise" as they called us could survive the trip. They also opted to throw in their food scraps into the cage with us, they even took my gag off so I wouldn't starve. (how considerate of them, I would have chose to have starved and frozen to death)  Once we were near the edge of a cliff, they threw open the cage and tossed the now frozen bodies of the blue buck and the pink mare off the edge. They flung them unceremoniously off the side their frozen rigid  bodies banging off the cliff face.. As I heard the thump of them hitting the bottom, my stomach dropped, it had hit me. (I had never even knew their names.)   (I didn't eat the food, I gave it to the others. My tears were freezing to my muzzle) No pony spoke after that. No pony whimpered. No pony moved an inch. We all sat in silence, what else could we do? The only thing that wasn’t against us was time. It dragged on and on and on. Until the night came, we could find refuge in her or at least I thought so. As night crept up, I drifted off to sleep in a freezing steel cage with only rags too keep me warm. I awoke to an odd tingling in one of my ears. flicking it after I had been leaning against the cage. The tingling never really left. (Strange...) A couple minutes later one of the slavers, a yellow earth pony with a noose for a mark, banged her crowbar against the cage starling me and the other survivors. “Up and attoms meat! We’re almost to the gate, look lively!!”   Looking forward I got the first glimpse of my hell for the next year, and wow. Was it a hell hole. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Quest perk.. Wait you don't have a Pip-Buck what are you going to do about that? Quest completed: Survival -You don't Remember much about you past but you have skills you cant remember learning, in dire situations random things can happen, but this is still the wasteland, death has almost no meaning. Perk unlocked- Winged zebra... Wait how does this even happen? -Outside and in combat your red and black strips point you out and with wings, may Celestia help you. -You may get questioning looks from the random passerby. ------------------------------------------------------ special thanks to my proofreaders and others who have helped also sorry for the wait life's thrown me a curve ball and I’ve been out looking for a job. Freeflyingwolf                http://www.fimfiction.net/user/Freeflyingwolf  Has a story ~Aerondight~                http://www.fimfiction.net/user/~Aerondight~  Has a story Shadowstep                  http://www.fimfiction.net/user/Shadowstep AKA Shirley MacBadassface   DancingOnTheAshes   http://www.fimfiction.net/user/DancingOnTheAshes  Has a story albin205                         http://www.fimfiction.net/user/albin205 PistolWhip                   http://www.fimfiction.net/user/PistolWhip     Has a story                                   > Chapter 3: Ain't That A Buck In The Head? > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fallout Equestria: World In Pain By NeverKnown Chapter 3:  Ain't That A Buck In The Head? “If you think you're free there is no possible escape.” ~Ram Dass, Fallout Equestria : Project Respawn The rain felt wonderful, I was laying on the road in a pool of my own blood, during a torrential storm. Wet and freezing... But free, even as my collar pressed down on my throat. I was free. I thought back to my escape. I hadn't really cared whether or not I lived or died. Nothing mattered in there, when you’re seen as an object you act as heartless and inanimate as one. You become as the world sees you, it takes you to remind you of what you are. And the will to become yourself more than just a petty object once more.  I just wanted to be free of the pain, the eternal torment. Snapping the younger female guard’s neck as she lead me to another cage, avoiding the guards, once the alarm went up and yanking the bullet out of my forehoof after the guard at the gate had got in a lucky shot. I felt like I could fall asleep, drift off for an eternity. It just felt so peaceful and tranquil “NO, YOU DID NOT COME THIS FAR TO DIE” No Death, not just yet.  I could hear the angels calling my name, waiting for me with their golden voices. There they were. Waiting... Let ‘em wait I was too busy living to sing. Slowly I pulled myself up and started walking. My body swayed as I staggered on. I didn't care where I was headed, I just needed to live. I could feel myself losing blood, every drop that fell drained life from me, but the numbness of being free pushed me on. There was so much more to this world, it was too early to sleep, not yet. I stumbled down another hill while gazing upon the stars, they were beautiful things, shining and so far away. I felt a warmth on my flank as I sat there to watch them in their otherworldly beauty. Looking towards the horizon I saw an orange light coming from the bottom of the hill under an old overpass. I was drawn into its radiance like a fly to a lightbulb. I got myself off my haunches and started dragging my way towards the light, it felt warming to my heart, so warm.... As I neared it I felt my legs quake beneath me, I heard a gasp. As my legs gave out from under me, my face met with the warm coarse sand that made up the ground, it felt so warm...so welcoming. The sensation of my body being dragged along  felt great against my thin coat as the blackness started leaking into the center of my vision. oooOOOooo I gritted my teeth and pulled against my bindings that held me to the telephone pole as the whip bit into my hide for the fifth time “If I had only not gotten caught up in that barbwire, I was almost free.”   SLAP “SLAVE, YOU DON'T OWN YOURSELF, WE DO! THE FASTER YOU LEARN THIS THE LESS DAILY WHIPS YOU NEED TO GET. YOUR CHOICE!” SLAP The strikes were getting faster and the pain was overwhelming, the burning whip seared my flesh as it lashed through me. I could feel tears running down my muzzle even as I tried to hold them. SLAP I was clinging on to consciousness as they dragged me back to my cold iron cage while blood trickled from the gashes in my back and wings. It hurt so bad didn't it? SLAP oooOOOooo My eyes shot open only to make me wish I had kept them closed. Glancing around I noticed I was on a set up cot on the left side of a small dirty green military tent. At least I thought I was on the left side of a tent. It struck me that I couldn't see through my left eye. Some pain lingered from it so I guessed it was still there “Thank Celestia for small things.” I didn't feel like i could fight off a rabbit right now... Wait I think those might be extinct. When was the last time you saw a rabbit?  Trying to sit up I felt as though my bones were suddenly made from lead bowling balls and my head was full of rancid cotton wool and murky sawdust.   Ugggggggghhh my head. Suddenly I heard what sounded like a cross between somepony dropping steel bars and falling into a pile of scraps “HONEY I THINK HE'S AWAKE.” Suddenly a white unicorn opened the tent flap looking a little younger than I was (relatively) carrying a medical bag. I could only feel the dry, shrivelling sensation of thirst consume my body. I could remember flying but i couldn't remember landing i probably wouldn't want to. *cough* “Water please...” My mouth parched, every word felt like swallowing a nail lined with acid. Retching like an old sickly nag. The unicorn gawked at me for a while before registering what I pleaded for before hurriedly  digging around in the pink boxes around her flanks, floating out a clear glass bottle filled with water. As soon as it was within feasible reach I moved my left hoof to snatch it from the mare only to hiss as I felt a sharp pain in my leg. The mare was next to me in a second stopping me from moving my hoof “Shhh you've been through alot what can you remember?” Her graceful voice chimed maternally. After she floated to water to my mouth all I could rasp out was “Name... Red.. Str *cough*... slave.. escaped” She looked at me with saddened eyes “You’ll be able to move in a couple hours after you wake up, stay off that hoof and come and see the family, also how rude of me. Names Cherry Blossom she held out a hoof after i looked to her then my hoof she lowered it. “Heh heh almost forgot anyways after you’re up to it we can see about getting that collar off.” As she left the tent  my eyes began to slink  close. I hadn't noticed how tired I was, and for once I felt safer. ______________________________________________________________________________ ELSEWHERE: Slavers ______________________________________________________________________________ “Damn, the boss is going to be pissed we couldn't find that wiping trophy zebra of his. He’s going to fucking castrate us!”  “Shut your fucken mouth, we’ll just grab some bones, head back and tell him it got eaten by something.”  “Pfft, fine by me I hate it out here lets grab some bones and get the fuck out of here, this place gives me the creeps. Too quiet.” ______________________________________________________________________________ TWO HOURS AND MANY MANY MILES AWAY ______________________________________________________________________________ When I finally opened my eyes again the stuffiness of my head had started to dissipate, but it was still thick as that slimy slaver stew they fed me.  I decided after a moment's inner conflict between complacency and urgency to get myself standing on four legs. First I moved my front legs off the bed, taking care not to put too much strain on the left one. After a few, FEW missteps and tumbles I succeeded in getting myself to the flap of the tent. ______________________________________________________________________________ CURRENTLY OUTSIDE THE TENT ______________________________________________________________________________ “Cherry it was mighty kind for you to let that stranger into the camp, fix him up and such, but you used up most of our supplies, we won't be able to hire a new guard after the last one caught a bullet in the gullet, he hid his caps somewhere.” “Sorry dad, but you saw him dressed in those rags and covered in old scars and bleeding from a gunshot wound, not to mention that collar, who does that to  po...zebras?”  “Cherry...cherry there are ponies out there who make their living on the suffering of others. That buck probably has had a long hard and brutal life. No telling how he’s going to act once he gets back on his legs.” “He is a strange one though...Have you ever seen a zebra? Let alone one with wings for garnish sakes and...” All three of the ponies looked up to the tent as I the “zebra” limped out of the tent with a stupid grin forced on my face. “Eh you folks wouldn’t happen to have a bathroom would you?” All three of the ponies stared at me before the older male pointed a hoof towards a tent further away from the fire, as I trotted away the older mare said something as I got just outside of ear shot. “Wow, he is a strange one...” ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Physical perks unlocked Scarred: Due to your treatment you are covered in scars most healed but still visible. ???: You felt something when staring at those stars maybe you should look down No skill points added                        Level 2 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks everyone for waiting things get hectic around here wish i could have put in some more work but i needed to get this out Thanks goes out to: DancingOnTheAshes    Aka The One Shadowstep                  AKA Shirley Aka grammar nazi (editor/contributor) albin205            PistolWhip                    AKA The Badass (editor/contributor)  Has a Story. Stanwuuz                       A great friend hopefully if you check back later youll see Red Stripe’s mark ^^ > Commissions for a Cause(Questions for the next chapter ) > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alright ive got some news a brony and friend of of the community needs some help if your able please visit this page Help I know you all out there are a bunch of good folk i just cant stand seeing a brony out there that need help with out throwing in my part. I will be starting chapter four next week if time permits thanks for all my watchers ALSO QUESTION? How many of you would think it would be a good idea for Red follow the family to their bound location or going to the next town when hese sure their safe i have a good idea what im writing i just want to hear everyone's thoughts.