Ain't that a kick in the head!!!

CHAPTER ONE: Ain't that a kick in the head!!!

I don't see the promise of a lay-in, all your doing is delaying the inevitable, lying there a bit longer, simply because you can.
You should be getting up quicker so you can get more done, and have less to do tomorrow, not pass it up today. It is slightly ironic then, that it was 6pm when I woke up. My eyes slowly dragged themselves out of their eyelids, and I saw where I was.
The ceiling was made of scrap metal, peals of rust stretching across it like zebra stripes, the floor was cracked stone with blood splatter and viscera on the floor, mostly surrounding me. My tired mind couldn't be bothered to address this, and turned instead to look on the bed which I lay. My concern grew rapidly when I saw that it was a blood covered blue operating table, and my coat was crisscrossed with sutures, stitches and bloody stains. My first instinct was to shoot up but when I lifted myself up, all of my wounds ached and screamed at me, telling me to lay back down, I winced slightly but still held myself upright on the table breathing calmly.

It was then that a securitron with bloody claws rolled into the room, a cartoon wolf smiling on its screen.

"Brilliant you're awake, I was wondering when you were finally come back from the grip of Princess Lunas dreams, or if you would at all."
It said, pleased as it rubbed it claws together, like someone who just had something go really really right for them. It was at this point I launched at him holding him against the wall. My bubbling anger coming to a head.

"What did you do to me!" I screamed at him, noticing that my voice now sounded more digitized than the robots' that I was pinning.

"I saved your life that's what I did, you had been shot around, seventy-six times it's a miracle that your even alive! I did sadly have to remove a lot of tissue and bones and some organs that didn't make it, but at least you alive, and your face looks fine like that." He replied sardonically, changing tones at the end to consoling.

"What's wrong with my face?" I asked harshly, hearing again the digitized ring of my voice accentuated by my dark tone.

It was at this point the robot went silent for a moment and then fearfully said "nothing...nothing at all." In a weak voice, his screen displaying a sheepish looking version of the wolf. I stared at him deeply, somehow making the metal thing wince under my harsh gaze.

"Mirror, where?" I asked simply yet the robot looked like I had just put a pistol on his screen, pressing him against the wall slightly harder with my foreleg.

"T-the room b-b-behind you with the red door." He replied stuttering slightly pointing with a spare claw. I let him flop down to the floor where he sat again on his tire, I walked to the red door and swung it open and walked to the mirror then froze.
The side of my face was all metal; a lens covered orb to replace my eye that glowed red along with a light inside my jaw, the bottom half of my jaw was all metal with sharp-blade like teeth going along it , and most of the top part of my jaw was metal as well stopping just before my right nostril adored with silver sharp teeth. The remaining flesh part of my jaw had no organic teeth left all pulled and replaced with the same silver stalactites as the rest of my upper jaw, my left ear was a cream coloured plastic over some sort of flexible gel with thin metal rings making the solid shape. The side of my head was solid plate metal with small slots going in and a hum coming silently from it, connected most likely to my brain.

On my throat was a particularly large scar, roaming across where my vocal cords would be, 'explains the digitized voice' I thought bitterly. My wings remained intact thankfully, but I could barely face my own reflection now, it was so different from what I knew it was like looking at someone else, granted I was the most attractive mare out their with hair like a blue flame, pushed into a tall buzzcut, and a white coat with cream-ish coloured socks, but it was my bloody face!

I snapped myself out of my reverie quickly, and returned to reality, I was a soldier, grated not really anymore but still, I was a fighter, not a beauty pageant contender! I walked back to the securitron keeping a straight face, which if anything made the robot even more twitchy his drawn face flickering to a sweating caricature.

"So," I asked calmly, "Is this what I look like now or do you have something left to add?" I asked a slight smile tickling the corners of my mouth, most likely a terrifying sight with all the metal. At this the robot jerked and piped up,

"Oh, I've got something for that, I found this old bracelet that acted as a synthetic imitation of Changeling transformation. I modified it so it would cover up your face and mask your voice." He, is it right to call it a he?, said pleased with his work. I regarded him and the device with, what I hoped at least, was a look of skepticism. The bracelet itself was cream with thick black stripes surrounded by thin green stripes it had a green glowing crystal set in the center, it was as about 11cm in length and a centimeter thick. I clicked it on my left fetlock just above my hoof.

"So, how do I turn it on?" I asked curiously as I stared at the odd device moving my hoof around, subconsciously noticing the whirring of hydraulics as I moved my foreleg, grimacing slightly at it.

"Oh, you just click down the green crystal when it doesn't glow it works, cause the spell is being used on you see." He explained quickly pointing to the crystal with a metallic claw his face looking happy.

"Ok." I replied and pressed down on the crystal, till it gave a satisfying click and stopped glowing and I heard a rush of magic like a gust of wind had quickly blown over me.

"So, did it work?" I replied calmly, I didn't mind if it didn't at this point, but it would be nice if it did.

"See for yourself," he replied cheerily as he handed me a silver hand mirror. I took it in my wing and looked at my face, it was now as it was before. Both electric blue eyes looked back at me, surrounded in a sea of white fur. A two toned electric and navy blue mane swept back from them, wrapping my ear which had had returned to its' pure white coat and my teeth appeared to be back to normal my scars were now gone. I looked like I had not been injured in the slightest.

"Successful, I believe." Replied the securitron "But I do think that you looked cooler just with the robotic enhancements." He added quickly. I stuck my tongue out at him with idle irritation but noticed that that was robotic as well, with metal plates flexing over wires, I could still taste though.

"Why is my tongue, robotic?" I asked sardonically, irritation cutting my question. The securitron looked at me for a second then replied with,

"Oh when I found you your tongue was already torn off, and I didn't think you would want a living transplant. Who knows where its' been out here: so I just gave you a synthetic one, I connected it up to your nerves so it could still taste mind you. Oh and I couldn't get the spell to cover it well, for that its a bit finicky, something with the metal sensors messes with it sometimes." He replied casually as he moved into the room he had came from, I followed him in and then stood in the center of the room with the him.

"How much of me did you actually replace?" I asked curiously as I watched him ,he picked up a sparkle cola and passed it to me. He thought about it for a second, his face looking considering, flickering about rapidly before settling down, and then started.

"Well your face and jaw for one, along with your left eye, left ear, parts of your brain that got damaged I replaced with a storage device, your vocal cords, all of your legs, your left shoulder and right hip, various ribs, right kidney, gall bladder, heart, several vertebrae, and right lung their were some other things that I fixed but those are the main ones." He replied casually, I sat down hard on a blue and yellow overstuffed chair, slowly processing this new information, literary most likely considering what I had just been told. But my robotic surgeon quickly moved the conversation along.

"Well, this has been fun but, I must ask what is your name, I know I haven't given mine so I will now, call me Digit, what do I call you?" He asked kindly, I was glad that I knew his name it's much easier to refer to him them, though the irony of the name was not lost on me.

"Pilot Light, but most people used to call me Pilot." I replied automatically my brain still trying to catch up with all the new information. The robot appeared to nod then he said,

"Well might as well give you your stuff back," And he went over to a decently sized safe set into the wall and pulled out a suit of barding and a pistol that sat on top of it.

"Thanks, I forgot about that in all of the craziness," I replied casually as I took the pistol in my wing grip, staring at it for a moment, then responded.

"This isn't mine." I said quickly as I continued to look at it. Digit looked round at that then said matter-o-factly

"That was all that was on you when I found you, though I guess it would explain how so-many of the bullets I found in you were the same type it used. Well anyway, it's all you've got now there are some boxes of .45 in the table in front of you, I repaired your barding as well. I'll let you get dressed." He walked into a third room and left me to get dressed.

I looked at the pistol again and studied it closer, the handle was ivory with a painting or a sail ship on the waves, the slide of the gun was decorated with engravings to resemble the sea, and on the sides was written 'Sail together against the storm, face it with bravado and pride'. I took the ammunition form the table and began loading the pistol, feeding rounds into the magazine with a wing, it took eleven rounds and one in the camber.

I pulled on my barding and placed the pistol in my holster, after fiddling with it so it would hold the pistol, not my laser pistol. I had long ditched my Enclave barding, it wasn't a good idea to advertise yourself as something that people hate, and wore a SWAT vest from the 'New Marexico City Police Dept.' with armoured and trousers and white shirt with guards on my fore and hind legs, my rifle had been taken as well apparently. Fixing everything in its' proper place one last time, I walked into the the room Digit went into. I saw that he had a large sack on his back and had a sub machine gun protruding from his claw that he was checking over, the metal claws having folded backwards onto the gauntlet like thing his hand acted as.

"What are you doing?" I asked curiously. He turned so his screen faced me the vertical hold shifting the screen for half a second.

"I'm going to Goodwater, a town near here, if you didn't know, I was going to bring you with me. Up to it?" He asked kindly. Great, ponies I thought, but I couldn't really refuse, he had brought me back from the brink of death, and those robotics and the bracelet could NOT be cheap. I owed him. So I stowed away my objections and responded.

"Sure, why not, you helped me after all."

We left after that, I was glad I still had my canteen, the Enclave symbol covered by a wrapped cloth as not to raise suspicion. It was scorching out in the Dusts, as it so often was, wind picking up the wisps of sand that were not permanently stuck to the ground like concrete, you would occasionally find old water pumps still pulling up water from the ground, their steel blades rusted and bent, often missing blades but still turning 240 years after they were first placed, during the first proper settlements of this region. History was drilled into us at school.

You would occasionally find some creatures to give you trouble, like Radscorpians, or mutated geckos, the most dangerous one you could commonly run into were the sun burned ghouls, red raw and blackened. It was a peaceful place, fucking near impossible to live in, but peaceful all things considered, death and disaster were more scheduled, though more aggressive that other places. I filled up my canteen up at the fifth windmill we passed, near a ruined frame house, where I snagged a few .45 rounds and some 20g shotgun shells, double-aught buckshot, Digit refilled up his cooling system, must be in overdrive right now I thought.

It became dark soon, and with the darkness came the cold, I didn't mind the cold, after spending hours in searing 38 degree heat, cool was good but when it suddenly dropped to negative 18 it makes it a bit annoying, I had lost my sleeping bag when I had got shot, someone had looted it from me obviously, which was to be expected out here, this is still the wastes after all. Thankfully we were still not that interesting to the ponies up North for them to come down here and 'sort things out' for everyone, by dumping loads of people out of their homes and making them pay tax to live in smaller ones. I put up a tent that Digit had packed and crawled into it, switching off the spell so there was no risk of it breaking over night, as Digit had advised me to do. Digit had volunteered to do watch duty for tonight, as he didn't need sleep, and the night air would help cool his circuitry.

We continued to the town and eventually found a sun bleached road to wander down, it was easier to follow to the town that the bare sand but, dammit it felt like it was twice as hot. We had occasionally struck up conversation but had remained mostly quiet, it was too hot most of the time to talk, and today was even hotter that usual, 48 degrees at the moment Digit told me, and it wasn't even midday!

"It's too FUCKING HOT!" I moaned arching my head to the sky, thankful for the bracelet, I did not want to know how well my face conducted heat. My sweaty mane flopped down on my forehead and draped over my eyes, I swept it away with a wing and kept on trotting next to Digit. He turned to me and looked down at me curiously.

"Why are you wearing black then, if your so hot just take your armour off." He replied confounded. I looked at him like he had just spat at me.

"And risk being shot at, or being eaten by some beast, no thanks, sides, it would just give me more to carry." I replied with a bit of bite then calmed and said.

"Sorry heats getting to me I'm going to fly up and check how much further we have left to go." I launched into the air after I said it before he had a chance to reply and flew ahead quickly. There was still no sign of it, but then I noticed a blur in the distance West of us, in the direction we were going.

I flew down quickly to Digit to tell him, but then I saw their were some people around him guns aimed straight at him, wearing bleached metal armour dried blood and spikes adorning them. I silently drew my pistol and aimed at the closest ones head and squeezed of a shot, feeling the recoil in my teeth as I gripped it, the pistol made a sound like none I had ever heard, unique, the round ripped though the stallions head spraying the rest with the blood and brains of their ally and splashing some on Digits screen, they all then turned and began looking around for me I fired two more shots and blew out two heads a pair of blue coated raiders mares, before one of them finally looked up and called me out to his remaining party.

Unfortunately for him, they had all ignored Digit and he lifted up his arm and popped out his SMG and started peppering the remaining five raiders with 10mm rounds, killing the one that looked up quickly and wounding two of the rest, leaving them heaving on the road squirming in pain. I fired three more shots as I darted about in the air and dropped a lime-green unicorn mare that held a shotgun in her sickly green magic who was trying to shoot me down like a clay pigeon, she couldn't lead, the shot gun falling dully to the sandy ground as her magic petered out. I descended to the ground to clear up the rest of them and a large red earth pony stallion charged at me, I dodged out of his way before he swung down a saw at me, the heavy tool clanging loudly into the tarmac as he couldn't stop it. I fired four shots into his side quickly making him fall down his teeth getting pulled out by the saw's grip as he fell. Digit killed a yellow stallion that had been wounded earlier, and that left us with the white and purple stallion that he also shot.

Then I heard him, hooves thumbing on the hot tarmac. He charged at me healed by a healing potion, his bullet wounds knitting as he charged a mad smile on his face, he managed to sock me on the jaw, forcing him to wince as he hit it, a plus to having a steel jaw I suppose, and I returned with a harsher punch to his Adam's apple making him choke for air as he struggled to breathe. I pulled him down to the ground and kicked and punched at his gut and head, gutter fighting, I was good at close combat. But he wasn't going down easy, he grabbed the mares' shotgun in his mouth and fired it at me. It hit my leg on the armour guard, and pinged off in every direction causing a bruise but not wound. He tired to fire again but landed on an empty chamber, dread filling his eyes as pulled my pistol up and fired a round into his shin, making him drop the shot gun and fall to his knees and struggle to lift up his muzzle, which was met with my pistol barrel when he raised it squarely between his eyes, I fired, the round blowing out of the back of his head pulling his brains with it. I breathed heavily for a few minutes and then looked at Digit, he just looked at me impressed, though it was hard to tell consider he didn't have an expressive face.

"Well, that's that, the towns in sight, probably only a few miles left, lets loot these guys, see if we can't sell some stuff." I finished gulping down air and moved to the white and purple stallion.

We got three pipe pistols from the raiders, along with some ammo for them, we also took the mares shotgun and her ammo along with a healing potion she had on her, the shotgun was in poor nic, but still usable. we took the saw from the large stallion and five other healing potions from the rest of them. They had some caps on them that we relieved them of, totaling around 356 altogether, giving me some good funds, as all mine were gone. I reloaded my pistol and placed some rounds in the shotgun, then realizing that I didn't have a battle saddle unloaded it and stowed it away in my pack.

We walked for another few hours only bothered by some bloat sprites that crawled from a ruined house. Until we were about 2 miles from the town.

Then we saw a group of traders going up in a caravan. I suppose their reaction was understandable, after all seeing a Pegasus in full armour and armed with a 6' tall securitron must be unnerving but really, why? Why a fucking flash bang?
-BANG-

"Who are you and what do you want?!" Yelled a voice as a paw was held to my neck and the small of my back, honestly you just defended and blinded me, how in the fuck am I supposed to answer. Thankfully it was at this point that I realized that my left side was not rendered useless by the flash bang, again another annoying plus my robotic side gave me, and I turned to look at the source of the voice. It was a Fennec of course, but one of the bi-pedal ones. Ah at least they aren't a pony.

"I'm here to sell at the bloody town you idiot now g'errof before I make you." I said with a bit too much anger. My quick response surprised him, I guess he expected he would have to repeat himself, but he snapped out of it quickly.

"Then why do you have a bloody securitron with you, there is only one for miles and that's-"

"Uh, Sam," a voice came from the left said cutting him off "its yeah, well it's Digit she was with, he was just too far away for us to see his screen." A copper unicorn mare with a oxidized copper mane looked between us sheepishly. The fennecs' expression changed quickly to blank then to embarrassment he slowly got off me noticing that their was a blade that I easily could have gutted him with and then sheepishly said,

"Well,uh...sorry, there appears to have been a bit of a misunderstanding, no hard feelins'" he weakly spat out wincing under my gaze. I floated up to be eye-level with him and jabbed a hoof in his chest and very quietly told him,

"You are very lucky you are not a pony, otherwise I would have sliced you open like a Radchick!" He looked both terrified and confused at the same time.

Apparently Digit was well known around here and well liked, well I had not met him before two days ago, and I already liked him so their opinions were fully justified. We were walking back to the town with them, when after a little while they started talking to me. Great

"So what's your name miss?" The copper one asked, her name was Oxide, guess her parents had a bit of a head on them.

"Pilot Light, call me Pilot." I said quickly irritated by her question, and her. She sadly did not pick up on my want to be left out of the conversation.

"So what did you do before you met Digit, anything interesting, he won't mention exactly how you met?" Oxide further questioned

"Nothing interesting." I replied flat toned, I didn't like to reflect, I knew what happened and that's all that matters, no-one else need to know.

"Really, I thought the Enclave would be interesting, all that mystery and law and living in a cloud, were you and officer, some sort of General? *Gasp* were you the President?!" She further questioned prodding at me, it was then I rounded on her she wilted under my gaze.

"Nothing Interesting!" I stressed "And who said I was in the Enclave." They looked at me for as second and flicked their necks to their backs, of course, there were not that many other things I could have been I suppose "Just standard special forces." I replied, thinking she would not shut up otherwise. Sadly this roused the attention of Sam and a brown and gold stallion with a Assault Rifle cutiemark.

"Wait, wait, wait! Special Forces! Celestia dammed, you were really fucking serious!" Sam said sweat beading on his brow as he pushed his hair back.

"Hey Pilot, if you were special forces, don't that mean you should be at the Enclave base near Old Neller, not down here?" A Brown stallion questioned. I hated this question, why did ponies have to ask, why did it always have to be their business.

"I quit after the cloud cover went, no reason to stay, just sort of became a Nomad after." I replied exhaustedly.
Thankfully that seemed to satisfy them mostly, but sadly Oxide wanted to ask another question.

"So how did you meet Digit then?" She asked curiously cocking her head at me. Ah so this now, fuckin' brilliant

"He played doctor for me, and I thought I owed him." I replied truthfully enough, I didn't really want to tell them I was a cyborg, might freak them out.

"What happened to you, that would make you need a doctor that badly Miss Special Forces? No offence Digit." Sam said jovially

"None taken." He yelled over.

"Bad bullet wound." I replied simply keeping my eyes forward.

"What did-" Oxide began but I interrupted her with,

"No more questions, I'm going to check how far we are." Before they could protest I shot up and looked around, were were about a mile from Goodwater. A massive water tower, stood proud over everything, the towns namesake I guessed, shack houses and frame houses huddled around it in a ring leaving a open centre, the roofs were painted a Lemon yellow and the higher buildings adorned with solar panes that looked like they were pulled from an old power plant, waste-not-want-not I guess.

I flew back down and hovered just above them all, so they couldn't ask me anything more, though both Oxide and the brown stallion stared up at me and my wings observing my electric blue and navy feathers on my wings as I flew. As I flew above them it occurred to me that I really needed to get some sunglasses, mine had been nicked, and I had only now remembered as the sun levied it's glare at me as I flew. I would see if there was any in the town, couldn't be that hard after all they were made really god dammed well for some reason, how a pair of sunglasses survives a balefire blast and around 200 years of neglect but not a bloody TANK, is beyond me.

We made it to Goodwater half an hour later and I landed beside the rest of them, the brahmin that were pulling the caravans were led to some water troughs left of the main gate by a scrawny yellow stallion with a mop of green streaked hair, soot permanently crusting his mane. The two guards were decked in police uniform, the navy blue jackets were lined with white and a steel star displayed their name and rank.

"Halt, Oxide, who is this?" the one on the left questioned jerking his head towards me. Guess Oxide was reputable. Eh, better than me having to find a way to show I didn't have any ill will to them.No more than traditionally anyway

"Don't worry Cobble, she's a friend, not just mine but Digits as well, sides from what I heard if she wanted to kill us she would have done so already." Oxide said reassuringly more likely giving the opposite effect. The grey speckled stallion look hard at me, trying to sus-out any ulterior-motives, I just kept a blank face and looked boredly back at him.

"A'ight, come on in just don't piss about, too fucking hot to do any police work." He responded bitterly, though I suspected it was because of the heat. He pushed open the steel door which swung in silently,guess they've got a lot of oil, and let us walk in. The streets of Goodwater were unique, they were bordered by sun bleached wood on each side, with diamond grated metal in the center that covered large pipes, tussling over each other underneath underneath, that you could hear the water flowing through.

I followed the rest of them as they weaved through the streets, the days' light slowly began to drag itself down now, midday and the peak of the heat now beginning to pass, the day became more manageable and as we reached the centre of the town, I saw that the vendors set up there were now setting up their stalls, the populace wandering around the towns centre the water tower standing above everything, and emblazoned on its side in faded red text surrounded by and orange ring it proclaimed,
'Goodwater'

"Well, everyone I got some business to attend to now, but I'll see you later, I'd love it if you let me treat you to some food later. Sam, Nut Butter you can mooch about for a bit.
See you all later." Oxide yelled as she walked away. I then looked curiously at Nut.

"Nut Butter? Really, I thought it would be something like, shooter, or bullseye." I questioned slightly confounded. At this Nut sighed and said apathetically,

"Yeah, mum had a craving for nuts when she named be and my dad had the nickname 'butter' so that's my name. But most people just call me 'Gun Nut' which I prefer." He finished, blush ringing his cheeks. I nodded and wandered away from them and found a empty bench to sit at, their was thankfully some non-ponies around here so their were at least some people that I could stand. I suppose this could be worse.

"Yeah, twenty fucking feet it flew, all in gory chunks it was-Hey wait is that...Pilot!"
Somebody fucking KILL me! And properly this time! I turned my head to see the source of the familiar voice, and their he was, the lavender buck dressed all in his Enclave barding, his gold mane still with that speckled pattern a grin splitting clean across his face, Moon Shot.

"It is you! How are you? Never thought I'd see you here you sourpuss." Moon's yelling was drawing eyes, including those of Sam and Digit as well as a few other vendors.

"Your making a scene Moon, keep your voice down." I replied bitterly looking at him from the corners of my eyes. It was at this point a mare that was with him decided to pipe up.

"You can't talk to Moon like that he is a Lieutenant!" She yelled angrily at me, not bothering to hide her affections.

"Woah Fizz, don't worry, when Pilot was in the Enclave she was a Captain, my superior." He put in, it was at this point that Sam's' jaw dropped along with some of the vendors. I didn't want that information spread around, it was something that didn't need to be known as it didn't matter, and yet in the first few moments of seeing me again he practically shouted it to the whole town. Typical. Fucking typical. I got up and started walking away. Moon the tried to call me back.

"Pilot, come back, we can have a chat, catch up. You have mis-" It was then he shut up and stood still, as I levelled a glare at him, it was the same one I had given to the new recruits for the Special forces unit so long ago, including Moon Shot himself, it always scared them stiff. Wilting under my glare he looked back weakly.

"I quit the Enclave. That means I don't want to talk about it, and leave it be." I said darkly "I don't like ponies, you know that, if you want companionship look to a brothel. Or that little one behind you that seems to like the look of you." I spat out at him then left. He stood still for a few seconds then hanged his head and trotted slowly away the mare behind him blushing slightly.

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I wandered around for another hour or so, though I couldn't really find a vendor to sell anything to, but Digit had most of my stuff so there really was no point to it. I spotted Digit along with Oxide, Sam and Nut sitting around a metal table, the white paint peeling and replaced with rust. I debated in my head on weather to join them not wanting to have a chat but not opposed to a free meal and water. I approached them and Oxide saw me first.

"Pilot, you came, have a nice time?" She questioned. I regarded her flatly and sat down and said boredly,

"Eh, wasn't complete shit, got left mostly well-alone." I levelled my gaze at each of them, Sam and Nut looked nervous and were avoiding my gaze looking everywhere but at me, Digit was staring at a order form.

"So about your little, *ahem* outburst earlier, you said that you don't like ponies, was that an exaggeration or..." She left the sentence open wishing me to answer.

"It wasn't." I replied quickly her face fell slightly but then restored to a degree.

"Well anyway, I wanted to as if you have anywhere to stay tonight?" She asked curiously concern in her voice.

"No." I replied already sensing where she was taking this, and getting agitated to match it.

"Oh well then I can get you a-" I cut her off.

"You don't understand. I don't want you to give me a spare bed, or place on your sofa or anything. Don't give me anything I'm going to sleep outside, I don't want your charity." I said flatly. I turned to Digit and asked
"Could I have my stuff, I can carry the rest." I said calmly, he handed my the rest of my stuff, I strapped it on my back and started walking back to the gate, but Oxide rushed out of her chair and stood in front of me.

"I wasn't going to offer that, I was going to give you a house." She pleaded with me worry present in her copper eyes.

"How exactly can you do that, I get that your reputable here but that I doubt that you can get me a house with just that." I replied critically

"I'm the Mayor, you twit, I literally can just give you a house." She replied anger now getting to her.

"That still doesn't change the fact that I don't want your charity, give it to someone who needs it and or wants it, cuz I don't tick either box." I replied backhandedly. I then flew above her and whizzed down a street and went straight to the door, I heard the three of them run after me as I got to the door, it was opened for me by a green coated guard, I was five meters away from the door when the three of them burst through

"Wait, please." Oxide yelled. "I know you don't want it but why, it's a free home, stability, water, food. Friends." She pleaded
I stood silently and said casually,

"Last time I had that was before the cloud cover was taken away. You all know what happened with that, I much prefer the nomadic lifestyle. There's less to loose and fewer annoying ponies you have to deal with." I sprang into the air and flew away from them leaving then standing on the ground.

I landed a mile away from the town and set up my tent, I'd have to go back and sell some of my stuff, but then I could get back to wandering. I switched off the spell the crystal's glow returning once again.

"Well today was not the best, wish I didn't have to deal with other ponies so much, and why did it have to be fucking Moon Shot! If it was Arch he would have known that I didn't want something like that known. The fucking idiot, now everyone knows that, going to make selling this stuff harder." My digitized voice rang out over the Dusts as I expressed my frustrations.

"I fucking hate ponies." I mumbled under my breath as I crawled into my tent.

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I woke up at three am and packed up the tent and started flying to the Gate of Goodwater. The guards saw me and quickly opened the gate for me, I nodded to him and walked in I quickly migrated to the centre of the town and searched for a vendor, I spotted a dragon sitting at a wooden counter under a yellow sign that had 'weapons-ammo, medicine, food, junk' written in black paint, his stall was empty and it seemed people tried to avoid it. I walked over calmly and tapped on the counter, rising the dragon from his stupor, he was scarlet red with golden spines traced with orange styled like a perm. His underbelly was a pinkish colour and his snout was speckled with light red like freckles.

"Huh,oh... let me guess you want directions, well sorry not today." He finished bored and slightly irritated.

"No I came to sell some stuff and buy." I replied flatly. I looked at him dead on, and then he seemed to perk up.

"Wait, your actually going to buy from me not just ask directions and avoid me?" He asked incredulously.

"Yes, why do you need to ask. Anyway I wanted to sell these." I said as I pulled out the three pipe pistols and the shotgun.
He looked over each weapon in turn and turned to me.

"I'll give you 54 caps for the shot gun and 15 caps for all three pistols, I ain't goin' any higher than that so deal or git." He said calmly jerking a claw as he finished the last part.

"Eh, that's fair, what have you got for sale then?" I asked curiously. He looked pleased at this and handed me my caps.

"I got a decent amount for sale have a look." He said cheerily he placed some stuff on the counter and rummaged through his back room.

None of the weapons were particularly my style, but the pistol would do for now. I managed to snag a pair of sunglasses for 7 caps, they were wireframe and silver. I got a decent amount of ammo from him as well, his name turned out to be Gold Rush, and managed to sell of any ammo that I didn't use. But the most interesting thing I managed to get was a black plastic radio, broken mind you, but not unrepairable. I got it for 73 caps and some scrap for 12 caps and started fiddling with it.
It took me about an hour and a half to get it working, and when it did it opened up right onto static at full volume. I searched around for a station for a sec then found one pealing out some pre-war songs that sounded like pop.

I left it on that station for a little while the started to pack up my stuff when I heard a yell. I looked at where it had come from and saw that from the entrance to the centre from the gate about twenty raiders, their barding bleached like the rest but they all had a distinctive emblem emblazoned on their chests, a Red Cross of two bullets. Everyone who lived in the Dusts and around it knew what it meant. The Red Chaos raiders had come to Goodwater, and that meant there was going to be either a deal, or a massacre.

A red mare who was wearing a white,really, suit under her raider barding stepped forward and began to speak.

"Hello, everybody, we all know how this is going to go down, oh and don't think the guards are gonna save yah, we took care o' them first. Now here's the deal, you work for us now. Y'all can continue livin' your lives here, but, we want half o' your water each week, we'll come and collect. But we also want all your weapons and your medicine and ammo and I believe a weekly tax o' ohh, lets say 10,000 caps per month should cover it." At this ponies started protesting saying it was too much and things like that, Gold Rush looked furious. The red mare took on a pleased expression, her eyes viscous, then shouted out.

"An' if'n y'all don't play along like good ponies, we'll just come in and take what we want anyway and a few ponies too and leave this place a fucking bloodbath!" She laughed maniacally at the last part. I started walking across the centre to get to the entrance to the door, but then Oxide turned up and started talking to the suited raider.

"We can't afford that, especially if we can't trade our stock. We'll go bankrupt before long, we can only pay once or twice!" She pleaded looking desperate. I started walking away not wanting to have to deal with it, it wasn't my problem. The suited mare was just about to retort when a thin pale cream stallion with a green mane pointed at me and shouted.

"Oi, where the fuck do you think your going bitch!" This annoyingly brought all of their focus onto me, Oxide and the others were the most surprised but, the raiders were just agitated.

"I'm leaving, there isn't a reason for me to get involved, this isn't my war." I said simply, Oxides face fell heavily and tears struck her eyes. How the fuck did she survive the wasteland this long?. This ticked off the raiders, the cream one the most.

"Get back in the centre cunt, now!" He said growling jerking to the centre with a pipe pistol he had in his teeth, making him look like he had a twitch in his neck.

"No, I'm going. This ain't my concern." I said flatly, everyone started backing away, locking their stalls and homes or hiding in the alleys.

"Do what I say!" He screamed madly, the pistol rattling in his mouth as he spoke muffling him slightly.

"No." I turned and started walking away, but then the buck fired at me, I ducked out of the way surprising the stallion but then that meant the fight had started.

I pulled out my pistol and fired of five shots, dropping four of them before they could get their weapons up, all falling to the ground in the square, but the rest were quicker and rained fire in my direction I got hit one or twice, but they were light rounds and thudded dully into my barding. I flew quickly behind a turned over table for cover and fired off another three shots dropping two, my third shot missing and pinging into the water tower's supports, ringing out like a gong. One of them yelled out grenade, and I dashed to another bit of cover as I heard the thud of a grenade and then it's blast a second later shrapnel being sent high. I fired off two shots while I was dodging knocking two down, a buck slammed into me and dragged me out of cover and we tussled for a sec before I punched him hard in the gut making him dry retch and threw him off me then unloaded two rounds into his head, my pistols magazine now depleted.

I ducked behind cover and began re-loading it but a yellow mare drenched in blood charged me and socked me in the face making the pistol skid over to a corner. I quickly punched her throat making her choke and drew my knife with a wing and slashed her throat with it, and plunged it into her gut , making her drop to the floor before I stomped her head with a fore hoof. I didn't have time to get my pistol, so I charged while flying managing to get the cream one off guard, he had ducked right after I turned. I slit his neck leaving him to drown in his own blood gargling as he lay in the street.

I then turned but heard a round crack into the bracelet, a raider stood with six others, including the suited mare, had fired into it. The glow returned and the sound of the spell stopping blew through the centre. The raiders took steps back, some looking absolutely terrified. I growled, my digitized voice making it sound like a monster, annoyed thoroughly not only at starting the fight but making me look like this in front of all these people. I launched at one of them, grabbing his neck in my teeth and tearing at it, ripping out his throat, I stormed through them, rounds bouncing off me, red tinting my vision and glowing on my targets. After a few seconds only a blue stallion with a white mane was left, the suited mare who started draped between the rungs of the water tower, he was shaking like a leaf as I stood three meters from him, lowed close to the ground ready to charge, wings out, my face and hooves coated in blood.

"Run." I said darkly staring right at him with the same glare I gave Moon yesterday. The little buck nodded and started backing away from me like I was wild beast about to pounce, afraid to take his eyes off me, then he ran.

I raised myself up and walked over and first retrieved my knife which I wiped in the red mare's, now not so white, suit I then walked over and picked my pistol off the ground, it hadn't taken any damage and wasn't dirty, I reloaded it and placed it firmly back in its holster. I pulled out a healing potion from a side pocket and downed a third of it, saving the rest for later. Oxide then walked out to me, taking a second, or another most likely, to look at my face and then said.

"Thanks for saving my town, now you have to take the house, cause we owe you now." She said pleased with herself a grin present on her face but not hiding her nervousness, keeping a bit of distance from me.

"Fine, but only cause I need Digit to fix this." I said concededly pointing to my bracelet with a hoof.

"Still counts." Sam, could you take Pilot to the North House, the one that's facing north, big one. I got to sort... all of this. And I need to check how the guards out front are. Nut, Digit you can go with Sam, you can help the traders loot the raiders your choice!" She yelled over as she walked to the gate, the vendors were already rifling through my aftermath, though were hesitant to loot the last seven I had killed. Sam, Nut, Digit and me were walking down the alleys to my new house when Nut piped up nervously.

"So those Enclave robotics or did your mom have a bit of a kink?" He chucked at his own joke, but I kept a straight face.

"I got shot a few times while I was out a few days ago, face got blown off, and a lot of other things got ruined, Digit here played doctor for me and gave me some robot pieces and some other bits and bobs. If it weren't for him I'd be smelling brimstone right now." I said flatly, my voice making Sam jump ever-so-slightly. This seemed to satisfy Nut, but Sam had a question, I didn't mind him though.

"Wait so how did you look normal when we first met?" Sam asked, putting his paw to his jaw and rubbing. Leaning over me and studying me, towering over everyone bar digit. I gave him a look and he turned back forward nervously.

"Digit gave me a bracelet that's supposed to be a synthetic imitation of Changeling magic, covers my voice and appearance, guess the delivery system got damaged or something like that." That answer seemed to make him understand, and they started asking Digit questions now.

They questioned Digit the rest of the way, but it only took us about ten more minutes before we reached my new house. It was brick based with steel walls, with glass still in the windows, though dirty. The door was a wooden affair with a brass handle. It was covered by a veranda so it wouldn't be boiling, I opened the door swinging it inwards, dust swirling as I did so. The floor was pale wood and pipes could be seen on the left wall but only for about half a meter, with at tap on either one.

It had two floors, a living room to the left with overstuffed couches and chairs, with a coffee table in the middle and a TV in the corner still connected, but not on. A kitchen to the right with a electric stove and sink, the fridge still humming away, wasn't stocked though. And a bathroom in the back corner with a shower and toilet and all that, their also was a washing machine. Their were two bedrooms, picked the biggest one, that had a queen sized bed and a box safe with a lamp on top, there were some dressers and other stuff but nothing really anymore interesting, their was a empty back room with a window out onto the street that I would probably use as a workshop for my gun and barding.

I walked down stairs and found Sam sitting on the couch reading a comic book, Nut was in the kitchen and Digit was staring at a painting in the hall. When Sam saw me he cringed slightly then said.

"Uh, um... So Oxide is coming back in a bit and I thought it would be a good idea if you wash the blood of your face, Digit said it'll take him a day or so to fix the bracelet, and it would be a bit less gruesome if we didn't have to spend the whole evening waiting for a drop of blood to fall of your chin." He chuckled weakly after. I looked at him flatly and responded in mock kindness making him nervous.

"No, prob'. Hey Digit!" I yelled poking my head out the door. He turned to my voice. "Is my, face and that water proof?" I asked

"Yeah! Perfectly fine, how do you think you can drink otherwise?" He yelled back. I took his answer, slightly annoyed at his sass and walked to the bath room. Just before I closed the door I yelled,

"If any of you come in here, their will be problems." I then closed the door and locked it.

I took of my barding and placed the shirt in the washing machine, the trousers would go in next, I polished the guards a bit and wiped the SWAT vest with a damp cloth then left it all to dry. I then turned on the shower and climbed in. It was warm of course at first, after all 'cold' in a desert only really happen at night, but it eventually cooled. The blood from my muzzle and hooves flowed off me turning the water red, it eventually cleared and I sought about washing the sweat from my mane and coat. I felt better after, it was much more comfortable that before. My two toned mane, was draped over me draped over me sopping wet, but it puffed back into place after I dried it, all my clothes were dry by the time I got out and were clean as well. A luxury, I sorely missed from living in the cloud cover.

I put everything back on and opened the door to the bathroom. I was halfway to the living room when my hoof caught on something and I tripped before I could catch myself with my wings. I landed flat on my muzzle which gave a resounding clang when it hit the floorboards. This alerted everyone that I had fallen and roused them up from the living room to come and check on me. It was also apparent that Oxide had come back as she was standing with them when I raised myself up.

"What happened." She asked worriedly looking me over.

"I tripped on a floorboard back there." I said gesturing to the board that tripped me but I noticed as I pointed that it had sprung up like a switch but was only half pulled, I walked over to it and pulled it back till I heard a click, the others moving to help but too slow to do anything.

The floor just before the stairs opened up and slid down and I heard hydraulic stairs pop into place. The rest of them look at it amazed, well for Digit I could only assume. I looked down the stair and saw lights going down it. I turned to the rest and said.

"Well, guess I got a basement, care to go and have a look?" I asked, knowing I wouldn't hear the end of it if we didn't go down. She had given me a house so I had to treat her with a bit of kindness, not much though. She still really got on my nerves. We walked down the stairs, the lights making it really easy to see. When Oxide pushed in.

"I had no idea this existed! What could be down here, treasure, a secret Ministry project, CATACOMBS?!" She exclaimed excitedly squealing. We continued down the stairs for another second before we got to a small vaulted room, their were crates every where and nearly twenty ammunition boxes but what was most interesting was on the far wall, with near spotless paint stood a gear shaped door with the number '115'.

Nut was the first to speak.

"There's a STABLE under Goodwater, and Pilot owns it now?!" Quick, Sam, your not a pony, she likes you more! Ask for some of the barding and ammunition!" He asked panicked. I rolled my eyes at him and said,

"You can have most of it I don't need it all, sides you were all here in this town first. Besides," I said boredly, I then walked up to the large gear door and pointed.

"Most of the good stuff 'll be in there." I said nonchalantly "And sadly we don't have a master hacker." I finished.

"That can be changed, however." Digit said from behind me, I began to turn my head and said.

"What are you talking abo-". Static, just static. I couldn't see, hear or breathe I was there for a few seconds before everything came back. I jumped up and got into a charging stance and yelled,

"Who the fuck did that?! What the blood Tartarus was that! Explain, it, to, me!" I yelled, staring at them fury in my eyes, the two ponies flinching back away from me panickily and Sam practically jumping back, flinging his arms up in surrender. Digit stepped forward, a slightly nervous face on his screen.

"You know how part of your brain is robotic now. Well I also put in a holotape reader slot connected to the storage unit so I could add data quickly, in essence making you learn a skill quickly. But to do that I have to disconnect the storage unit first, and since it is so integrally linked to your brain now, when it's not connected you brain just sort of, buffers, and you see static. It won't kill you! Or cause damage, just make you see static." He finished tapping his claws together nervously. "But hey look on the bright side, now your a master hacker, and know programming, granted only in termlink, but still!" He consoled trying very hard to make it seem less like a bad thing, displaying again the rare sight of a robot attempting to cower. I stared at him deeply, noticing a slight beam of red from my robotic eye, and said,

"I'm getting some more stuff for this." And turned to the Stables control panel I fiddled with it for a second, entering some code into a small screen underneath the panel, and then got it to open the plastic case over the button and slam it down. Klaxons rang through the room and lights swirled around. We heard a muffled screeching noise from inside the stable as the door was slowly opened and pulled itself from its frame and rolled to the side. The room was made of plate steel and girders with grating on the floor, it was very noticeable however that it did not look finished, walls were bare in certain places, wiring still hung loose in walls and ceilings and work lights were dotted around, still glowing, but it all looked new.

"Well, guess Goodwater's a bit better off now." I said flatly. All four of them turned to me and I looked back at them.

"What?" I asked, their expressions happy, then Oxides' turned ecstatic as mine fell, realizing what they intended to do.

"No, no, stay back!" I said backing away. They jumped on my and hugged me tight.

"Let go of me!" I screamed, they didn't listen. "I will literally fucking kill you if you don't let go!"

----------------------------

The next few days went well, the Stable had been stocked but not finished and the building supplied and tools were still there. Oxide div'ed up the loot that I didn't keep, granted it was still going to be a bloody lot even without the extra for that, holotape moment. But in there they also found parts for a radio transmitter and some recording equipment. Turns out that this Stable was supposed to act as a radio communications hub after the bombs. Thanks to that they started to build a radio station here, it went up quickly and they found some records for it as well, it was odd to say the least that there was now three radio stations out here in the Dusts.

Goodwater spread out after that, the pipes they found got worked into new streets and houses sprung up from the plate steel from the Stable. They were stronger than most of the inner houses so they were well liked, people spread out to the new houses quickly. New business sprung up due to the new space, the most notable would be Sam's new bar, he asked Oxide for one of the larger houses, he set it up right after, he managed to pull of the Stable door and put it on the back wall.

A group of traders came after all the construction and were completely amazed, at least Oxide said they were. I spent most of the construction waiting for the bracelet to be fixed, I got lots of food and weapons and other stuff from the vault, but not much that I could use myself. A lot I sold to Gold Rush, earning me some caps. Apparently Goodwater was now more of a city than a town now. But all in all it wasn't that much fun for me, mainly cause ponies had to walk in and out of my house every five bloody minutes! But at least they had finally stopped now.

Oxide and the rest came and visited me after everything settled. I stayed quiet for the most part of the visit, sitting apart from the rest, really just waiting for them to leave, though I did thank Digit for fixing the bracelet and handing it back to me at the start, halfway through however Nut struck in with.

"So hey, if you can have new skills and knowledge added to your brain instantly with your brain thing, does that mean if I had a holotape with, I don't know Sam's native language, you could instantly learn it?" He questioned a curious look on his face. I didn't have a chance to answer before Digit said,

"Yeah, but you would have to disconnect the storage unit first and the data would be erased form the holotape. Oh and she can't have her bracelet running." He finished looking pleased, I shot him a withering glare. Nut had a sly smile grow on his face, my ears dropped. He launched himself at me body tackling me before I could move because of the table and grabbing all my hooves, he was surprisingly strong, or just heavy , I tussled with him, nearly throwing him off and yelled,

"No! I fucking hate it so No!" He managed to slam down on my bracelets' crystal but I pushed him off me and threw him at the wall, but his hoof caught me slightly on the side of my hea-.Static, again, it wasn't bad now just fucking annoying, similar to an out of body experience. I was out for a few more seconds before I returned, stuck in a throwing position, Nut coughing hard on the floor, looking slightly dizzy. I turned to butter and said.

"You are a hairs width away from me killing you boy, and I'm really not fucking kidding, and you know that." I said jabbing him hard in the chest in the chest with my steel leg, him flinching hard. I then turned to Sam and said, in his language mind you, so it did work. Annoyingly.

"If I find out that you put him up to this. I will have a new fennec skin bedroom rug." And turned away. Sam, miraculously went even more pale and sat down. I looked at Digit and just shook my head, he took the message and sat down, amazed he'd survived, flinching slightly whenever I moved, if he was a pony he wouldn't be alive right now and his qualifications as someone who could fix me also helped. I switched my bracelet back on and sat down. Oxide looked like she was about to start a conversation when we heard propellers above us.

"The hells that?" I asked, the remaining Enclave in the area didn't even have vertibucks before we lost the cloud cover, let alone after, so what was it. Oxide looked around confounded then stood up.

"I need to see what it is, this is my town, and I don't want trouble from someone with that kind of firepower." She then raced out of the door, the rest got up to follow, I went after to satisfy my curiosity, 'sides, my house was here, I'd prefer it not to be destroyed, even if I didn't really need it.

We raced to the front gate and went through, their were some new guards now that were aiming their weapons at the landing vertibuck. It landed on the hard ground, loose sand billowing around it, when it opened a white stallion wearing a blue business suit and white tie, ponies in full armour flanked him. He looked out on us and announced.

"Hello, my little ponies, my name is Good Bill, but you can call me a friend. I am here to offer you the wonderous opportunity to join Equestria again, now while Little Pip might have fixed the sky's for you, we still need to put some work in for the rest." He finished looking pleased. "Now what do you say, ready to come back and rebuild our nation?" He finished a great smile on his face.

Great now I got to find a different area of the Dusts to get away from this, or maybe leave the Dusts entirely. Fucking fantastic. I new that they would take the offer so I started to turn to leave and get my stuff.

"No." That stopped me. Oxide had given a simple one word answer, but the effect of it was insurmountable. The stallion faltered and he stuttered out.

"W-why, we have so much to offer you, we could rebuild this place make it a beacon for-" he tried to get out but Oxide yelled in with,

"No! You don't get to ignore us for two centuries, leave us to suffer and crawl by in this fucking inhospitable dust pile, but the fucking bloody instant we have something worth having, you swoop in and offer help, like you were always fucking there, just to get something good from it and make our lives harder when you make off with it!" She had gone red in the face now and was inches from the stallions face, making him duck back.

"Everyone fucking living in this Celestia dammed hellhole, has earned the right to live and be here, even the fucking raiders! You bloody well haven't, no one here will buy what your selling so you can just get back on that little tin carrion there, and tell your bosses that if they wanted us to be part of their little 'union' they should have come and helped when we were fucking dying in the dirt!" She finally screamed at him. She had flushed red and looked like she could kill that stallion if he pushed her anymore. The stallion then regarded her like a insect crawling up his hooves,

"Well then I suppose we shall just have to take this region by force. If you don't sign up with us now we will bring an army down here and take everything! I very much dobt you have the ability to stop us." He said looking calmly at us believing that his threat had caused us to fold.

I then stepped for ward to him, this made him flinch a margin more that when Oxide did so, even causing his guards to reset their footing to face at me, I looked at him with a cold regard and simply said,

"We have survived two centuries of sandstorms, ghouls, raider armies, monsters and other hardships, you believe you can waltz in here and survive that let alone us? You insult us all, and I don't like to be insulted, especially by pencil pushing, fat chewing, calf centered, fucking bureaucrats!" I advanced with each word making him retreat further to his vertibuck.

"I spent twenty fucking years fighting in special forces and three nomading across the Dusts, I could kill you all right here and now if it suited me, and that option is getting more and more better looking every second." I ended darkly.

It was then Nut came up beside be and tapped my bracelet, stopping the spell. This caused the guards to jump and even one them to yell. I turned to Nut and yelled

"What did you do that for!" He simply smiled and me and responded with,

"Shock effect," he then turned to the soldiers "she got shot seventy fucking six times in one session and is still ticking and she killed nineteen raiders in one sitting a few days ago, tore them fucking apart, for the last ones literally. She may be one of the best of us but you got to think, if she is one of the best, how good are the rest of us? We could kill an entire bloody battalion of your soldiers and barley have to try. And that's not even considering what the Dusts'll do to you first before you got to us. You all talk about your heroes and saviors killing thirty or so ponies in one sitting and that being amazing and unheard of. But it's pretty ballpark standard here." He ended looking pleased.

"So if you want to take us down, we welcome the fucking challenge, but it won't be a war. It'll be a massacre, and I'm pretty sure we know who will be the one being massacred. Or, you could respect our independence and we can brush this matter away. Your choice." He finished, drawing his sub machine pistol in his magic. I hopped into the air growling the sound of it making the closest guard flinch backwards. Bill looked before him, seeing Nut with is Sub machine pistol, me ready to launch down onto them, couldn't waste time pulling out my pistol and I doubted it would do well against that thick armour, Oxide with a SA revolver in her teeth and Sam with the drum shotgun I had sold to Gold, though now much better maintained, sitting calmly in his paws and finally the twelve guards stood around Goodwater all armoured up and with guns galore, the rest of the town slowly fling out armed to join them or climbing up onto the walls aiming rifles at them.

He finally turned back to us and responded, "Very well, you have proven your point, but know this. I'm going back to my superiors to tell them about this, you will hear what's happening then, and most likely see it too. Good day." He nodded to Oxide and walked onto his vertibuck and began to take off. Right at the last second Oxide yelled,

"Don't fucking come back without a goddess dammed army or you will have no bloody negotiation rights!" She shook her fore hoof at the vertibuck as it flew north. We stood still for a moment till Digit chimed in with,

"Well... that went well!" They all went back inside chattering about what to do, I just stood outside staring at the speck still lingering on the horizon. If they come back, and I'm here, I will fucking kill them all.

Note: New attribute gained- Cyber Flyer
You have been augmented with robotics, adding strength and defence to a large portion of your body at the cost of your face, ponies are 20% less likely to trust you when un-covered but will be more easily intimidated by you.

New skill learned: Master Hacker
You can now hack any terminal of any shape or complexity, and also understand the fundamental processes of Robronco termlink code

New skill learned: Linguist(Fennec tribe)
You can now speak the native Fennec tribes language, this opens up new dialogue conversation options, and also gives a basic history and culture lesson about them

Praise the princesses and pass the ammunition!

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'Diplomacy is what you use when you have to work with someone you hate.', that is the phrase I learned as a cadet, when having to talk to the higher-ups, and it still rings true to this day. I had a natural loathing of politicians, but not so much of politics, I liked the idea of how it worked. I simply hated the type of politicians I often encountered, the Enclave bureaucrats and aristocrats, and that stallion that came by yesterday.

Oxide it seemed was an exception, she had gained some ground on how I saw her to say the least. That was harmed a bit when I saw her pacing in my living room fretting the instant we had gotten back inside.

"What do I do, what do I do, how do we know that we can fight them, we have some defenses but they have an army! No matter how we downplay their skill they still managed to be soldiers and they can throw more at this than we can supply. What, do, we, do!?" she exclaimed pulling down her cheeks with her fore hooves then letting them slap back into place like rubber.

"Don't worry," Nut replied trying to calm her down "there may be more of them but they have to get here first and the amount of land they have to cover to get here will thin them out." he ended off with smiling smugly. Sam then looked back at him and said,

"It took them about two days to hear about us and what was happening and then fly over. They probably could just do strafing runs on us then storm in and we wouldn't be able to stop it." he added glumly. This caused Nut to deflate a little, I then decided to chime in to console their fears.

"They won't invade." I said simply drawing their attention "It would cost them too much, both in terms of morale and the actual physical cost of an invasion. How would they sell it to their citizens, that risking their livelihoods and families would be worth fighting a region of ponies, their own kind, mostly, because they wouldn't 'join up' with their party. They will try and they will show force, possibly an embargo, though what they could stop sending I dont know, or border patrols, but I very much doubt they will invade. Try to make life harder to live without them? Oh yes but not invade." I said calmly laying on my couch stretching. "What we must do now is appear docile, tame, like we aren't a threat to them, still keep order yes, but not cause panic or a crisis, the last thing we need now is some idiot to rock the boat. We bared fangs to the tiger, now we must keep them fearful, but not so much that they lash out and end us." I ended and looked at them all, they looked at me curiously and then Sam put in,

"I keep forgetting you were part of the Enclave, high up as well, a captain! Guess you were involved a bit in politics, eh, your superior let you come to the board meetings?" He asked curiously trying to drive away from the recent subject. This caused my ear to twitch in irritation, he had just hit a nerve and he had no clue.

"Captain was the highest rank in the New Marexico hub, the only ones who were my superior were the Major and the President." I growled irritably. This caused everyone in the room to start however.

"You were the highest rank?" Sam asked bewildered, Nut taking on a considering expression, like he jus solved a conspiracy.

"You said you left because the cloud cover went, but was there any other you left?" Nut pushed, suspecting something along the lines of, 'I was next in line for command, but I didn't want the responsibility. Or some pithy cliched excuse like that.

"No, it wasn't as complex as a reason like that, I just left because I did, I'd spent twenty years there, I'd done my duty, so I could leave when I liked, I left because there was no more work to do." I replied dismissively. This caused them to quieten down. We sat in silence for a moment when Digit struck in with,

"Wait, if you were high in Enclave command, doesn't that mean you had some political power, you could represent the region along with Oxide! Everyone has some respect for the Enclave down here, and Oxide has good connections with the other settlements and the tribes, hell even the raiders will probably listen to you now since you killed all those other ones in the square, they should respect you a bit, or be terrified of you, but it works either way." He put in ecstatically, his monitor flickering with excitement.

"I quit the Enclave, I don't hold any real power any more, I may be respected by the older members because of my service, but the rest won't even know who I am." I replied flat toned, trying to dismiss him "It won't work, 'sides not a good idea to have the mare who hates ponies be the one of the main communicators of an entire region." I replied sardonically, this put a hamper on his spirit. They dropped the conversation and I fiddled about with my pistol, changing some of the parts for the ones from a similar pistol, they only had one oddly, guess it was special issue, or a custom order.

They left a while after to tend to their various jobs and chores. I got up from the couch and stretched, hearing my bones pop and click.

"Goddesses, I'm getting old." I mumbled under my breath as I stretched out a bit more, slightly agitated at the advance of age. I trotted upstairs and went to my room, I had placed some of my stuff around but it was still near empty. I had gained a terminal however so that was a plus, and thanks to Digits holotape I knew how to code, so I had ended up spending time programming random functions into the terminal, one of them just made my name Appear on the screen in random fonts and animations, which was running now.

I sat down at my chair and thought of something to do to pass the time, it was midday now so I wasn't keen to go out, I would prefer to, but it was one of those days were the temperatures were extreme, so I decided to stay and mess with the terminal. I was writing some code that I couldn't remember the function of when the terminal suddenly sprung to the main screen and text started appearing, receiving something from somewhere.

'This can't be good. What if they actually go to war?! There will be chaos! I know we could probably win but you can't be sure, if what Good Bill said was true they had an previous Enclave Captain on their side, and one from the Special Forces no less. What to do?!' was displayed on the screen I looked at it for a second before entering,

"Hello, I believe you are unknowingly transmitting to me through the terminal, it could have been me messing with mine but I believe your terminal had the transmitter on." The terminal didn't do anything for a while and I assumed I had just intercepted a radio message when it beeped, displaying more text.

'Who are you? How did you get this com-line?' The text questioned.

"The retired Enclave captain you were talking about, I was messing about with some Termlink code and this suddenly popped up." The line was silent for longer this time till it beeped again,

'Could you pretend that you didn't hear that?' It was silent for a moment then came more

'Also why do you not want to join up, Good Bill said you just wanted to keep continuing with how it was, with raiders and slavers and no order.' Of course he would say that, that slimy little creature, I should have killed him then.

"He lied. We didn't want to be part of it because you all only came down here when we had something worth having. Something to be gained. We told him that if you wanted us to join you, you should have helped when we were dying down here when you were all happy and glad after the 'Light bringer' tore down the cloud cover. We were barely surviving, everything that lives here has earned the right to be here, everything and everypony. We didn't think you had earned it. We have order, society and culture, and we aren't just ponies down here you have the tribes, griffons, dragons, I once met a Kirin who gave me lunch, all of you would sweep them under the rug, like second class citizens, we didn't want a part of that."

'No we wouldn't! Well I'd try to make sure we wouldn't anyway. But what did we do to you to make you hate us?

"I don't like ponies, that's how it has always been, I just happened to like most politicians less. I was in politics, I was the head of the Special forces for the New Marexico hub, my only superiors were the Major and the President. You seem to be more trustworthy than Good Bill, tell your superiors this: we won't wage war, nor will we massacre, but only unprovoked. "

"We will be docile, we won't attack but we will retaliate, I doubt we will be able to organize a single government any time in this decade, but if we do we will remain separate from you, we have that right. We are a region made from the tough ones who survived, no matter how soft we look. Don't fight the dragon, when you only see the face."

'OK, I will tell them, but I must ask, what is your name, Good Bill never said.'

"I never gave it. Pilot Light, you can call me Pilot."

'Nice to meet you pilot. My names Ember, Ember Light.'

---------------------------

The next day I was roused from my sleep from a knocking at my door, the clock read One AM so I raised from my bed to go and ask why thebloody hell they decided to wake me up. I was well used to early hours but I was expecting a lay-in, it was a Sunday privilege. I trotted down the stairs my clothes pulled on,should I buy PJ's?, and my sunglasses tucked in a front pouch. I pulled open the door to see a small, for them at least, canine tribal he was still a few centimeters taller than me, white Dalmatian stood at the door with a copper oxide blue uniform and cap with red trim.

"Miss Pilot Light, I am sorry to raise you at this early hour, but you are required at City hall, please follow me." He said in a strong but young voice. Dammit she is learning how I operate! I sighed under my breath and said,

"Guess she's learning that I don't like ponies. Come on then, take me there." I said flat toned putting on my sunglasses to avoid the early morning glare. He began leading me to the east side of Goodwater, where I had not been, The sun was just looming over the horizon. As we got to City hall, a brick building with oxidized roofs, guess she either got named after the roofs, or she found this after and liked it, the sun was looming just behind it making the outline blurred, and the front pitch black.

"Well that's fucking ominous! Why did Oxide want me again?" I questioned the Dalmatian. He looked back at me and shrugged, a clueless expression on his face. He opened the door and led me inside. The room was vaulted and had a balcony go over it making the room seem smaller. He led me to a hall with a pair of wooden oak doors, scratched and splintered the stain, well stained, and the glass cracked and stretched.

He walked back and I pushed open the doors with my wings and walked forward. Oxide was sitting around a table with Sam and Nut flanking her on either side, but their were also other people at the table, Gold Rush sat next to Sam, A Kirin next to butter, A griffon opposite Sam next to a larger Dalmatian wearing a suit, that he kept tugging the collar of uncomfortably and across from Oxide stood Moon Shot, Digit standing beside him.

"You, called?" I asked dead toned. Removing my sunglasses from my muzzle, tucking them back into the front pouch with my left wing. Oxide looked up and said happily,

"Oh, Pilot your here, we can get started." She said happily tapping her hooves together.

"Why is he here?" I questioned gesturing to Moon with a wing, making him wilt slightly. Oxide looked back at me and responded,

"Doesn't matter, you should just get along, I doubt he meant to get you mad, or tell people about you, he was just happy to see you after so long." She said kindly looking at me happily. I regarded her for a second before looking back at Moon.

"Two strikes Rookie, you remember what happens at three, I still got to keep that right when I left." I said darkly, causing him to shudder them spit out saluting, jerking to attention.

"Y-yes Ma'am, sorry ma'am." I looked at him for a second inspecting him.

"Good soldier, at ease." He then relaxed and slouched down "Your name-tag is upside down soldier, fix it before inspection." This caused him to start and frantically fix it before re-settling down. I took an empty seat just behind a covered window, between them all. Oxide coughed to draw our attention then began,

"Now some of you know why your here but I will now state it for the majority. We have all organized here to form a coalition government, with representative parties from all citizens of the Dusts, that does include the raiders , but I could not get a hold of them, as well as other parties not currently here." She said taking in their reactions, mostly culminating in surprise and agitation "This has been brought about due to the recent arrival, and subsequent departure, of Mr Good Bill, a representative of the Equestrian union. Who, according to his words, was an ambassador trying to get us to join their union after we discovered the stable under Goodwater. They are here now because they believe that they can gain something from controlling and 'aiding' us, and the Dusts as a whole instead of being their when we need them." She finished her address and looked between them again, this time the griffon spoke up, he was deep blue with white spotted plumage and a dulled beak with scars on his face and dust worn Armour.

"How do we know they won't just attack when we from this government. They could see us as no better than an organized raider gang. I'm not saying we would lose but, what could be lost by our people, all of our citizens, friends, family. How can we protect them." He questioned worry in his town, the other members at the table agreeing.

"And what would this government really be for, we've not needed anything like this before and there might not be a need for it now, after all, we aren't involved with you at the moment so there is no reason for them to attack us after they deal with you." the Kirin added, slightly callously. Causing some nervous looks from the other creature, and agitation form Oxide.

"They aren't just striking out at us but the Dusts as a whole. They want to unify Equestria, by diplomacy or force, and that includes your territories, and chances are they'll all be treated as resource nodes for them, and you non-ponies might be treated as second-class like before." Her voice slightly fiery as she spoke.

"An', w'at, guarantee 'o you offer t'at t'e same won' be true here, w'ile t'ings are fine now, any time there 'as been a pony administration, we have not fared well." Oxide taking on a slightly saddened expression and quickly pleaded.

"I promise you that won't happen, that's why I wanted to make it a coalition government, so everyone is represented." He still regarded her with a skeptical look as did the rest of the table members aside from Moon and Sam and Nut.

"In any case, there is still the fact they could invade us when we from a unified government." The griffon added, crossing his forearms over his chest and flicking his talons idly.

"They won't attack." I replied simply, causing them all to look to me.

"'Ow can you be sure?" Asked the Dalmatian a heavy Prench accent ringing in his words.

"I had a chat with someone in their government, a miss Ember Light. I managed to connect to her terminal by accident, apparently they don't really want war, and are uncertain whether they would win. Their Emissary, Good Bill, apparently lied about what we told him, but I relayed the truth to her. She should have told them the truth, she seemed trustworthy. I doubt they will have as much reason to attack now as with the lies Bill told them." I replied calmly observing their reaction, the rest of them looked shocked and surprised but Moon just looked smug and pleased.

"In terms of forming the government, it is probably in our interest as if we from it it will be harder for them ta take over settlements by their border and claim they were uninhabited or full of bandits and the like. After all, I can't say they won't try it." They kept silent for a moment, stuck in thought. The Kirin then looked at Moon who was still wearing his smug expression, she was a turquoise green with darkish carapace and white,'mane'?, and brass eyes.

"Why are you lookin' so pleased?" She asked suspiciously, Moon turned to look at her and responded full grin.

"Nothing, I'm just used to it at this point. There is a crisis and someone's worried, then she says her part and everyone's silent and ready to listen and move on." Chuckling slight as he spoke. "I call it the 'Captain's Call', able to make anyone listen to her and be terrified to the bone of her with one look, or word. Goddess she was the best drill Sargent ever, hell she once got pulled up to discipline the main branch 'cause 'they lacked discipline', they were scared stiff for weeks!" he finished a grin still plastered on his face.

"And with that new robotic face of yours, you'll be able to terrify a sand serpent easily, granted if you were mad you probably could have done it before." He said looking even more pleased, tough his look turning thoughtful at the end.
The effect of this, was one of nervousness and mumbling from the crowd and nervous looks towards me, and Moon realizing his mistake after, where he heard about my face I could guess, shooting a hit glance at Oxide, causing her to give a weak smile.

"Don't worry," Sam butted in "she likes non-ponies more that she likes ponies, if anything, we are probable the safer ones here." he said trying to raise the spirit, but sadly no breaking the Ice.

"I don't want to sound rude, well I don't care really. But could we move this along. I agree with Pilot, I think it's a good idea, even if they don't attack. we have got some sort of organization and can start spreading out to each other. I would much prefer a way to get between Grave Mark and here without spending three or four days out in the bleedin' desert. 'Sides, why are you worried about Pilot here, cause the way I see it if she wanted something or something gone, it would not exist for very long. Take the raiders a few days ago. She seems to like us all, at least most of us, not sure about Moon." Gold Rush put in, Moon looking hurt for a moment but quickly getting over it. They looked between each other and slowly nodded.

"Guess we're doin' this then." Moon said stretching his wings, acting a bit more professional, more fitting to a lieutenant.

"We mon allié " the Dalmatian replied to him

"Guess I got some more paper work ta' file, ah well." The Kirin shrugged her shoulders and looked before her.

"Aye," the griffon announced, popping a bit of jerky in his mouth, where did he get that? "we do."

"Well then, let's make this official. Michael, come here." at this the uniformed Dalmatian walked into the room and took out a piece of parchment, "Take this down, the coalition government of the Dusts region, formed of the Tribes and all those included in that group, the pony settlements, including all raider settlements, the Griffons, Kirins, the Enclave remnants and the Dragons, and to include other groups at meeting, is now established and in charge of the region, a representative has been chosen to present themselves to the other governments when they do not come here, this being Mrs Pilot Light, due to her being a respected individual by all parties, despite her dislike of ponies." She finished looking around the room. "I now bring this meeting to a close this decree will be broadcasted over the Dusts, and directed to the leaders of the new Equestrian government, whatever they call themselves." She added and then rose from her seat before I could come after her for naming me the ambassador.

Discussion arose between the representatives and the mood calmed. I returned my glasses to my muzzle and left through the door and out into the streets silently fuming and waiting to find that little pony to chew her out.

------------------------

The effect of this was delayed slightly then came full force, flags made, trade organized and settlements and towns started linking together ties and forming trade and communication between them. The raiders didn't really attend or involve themselves, but they still said that they were part of the Coalition, and would abide by the new rules. I chewed Oxide out for giving me the job, but she wouldn't budge about giving it to me especially since the other coalition members had already agreed to it, so I was stuck with it. Why did I have to make myself look good?

A few days after was when it really got interesting, vertibucks could be seen on the border of the Dusts and were closing in on Goodwater within the hour, all of the coalition members were present at this time as they were in a meeting and I was trying to make a basic rifle from some of the stable scrap on my workbench. I stood in front of the rest of them, saying up at the landing vertibuks. From them came Good Bill, a ember and deep red coloured mare with a cutie mark like a pile of embers, most likely Ember Light, to his left and finally a older stallion with a brandy yellow coat and grey coloured mane, a red and green stamp in a cross bare on his flank.

"Afternoon, just missed the temperature spike." I replied calmly looking them over, "Plan that or was it a fluke and you didn't know that happened?" I questioned flat toned. Good Bill looked like he was about to make a smarmy comment when the older stallion put a fore hoof in front of him and spoke.

"No we didn't know, just luck, and me oversleeping. Names' Double Check, we wanted to talk about this coalition of yours, now while we understand that you don't want to attack and you want freedom, we simply wanted to make a peace agreement. You can't sell things to a force that wishes to cause us harm, and you cannot attack us, a break of this treaty could be considered an act of war and it also covers a few more finer detail but those are the broad strokes." He finished solemnly.

"That seems civil enough of an agreement, very well, but I guess this treaty works both ways, am I correct?" I questioned looking at him flatly. A grin worked its way on his wrinkled face, and he chuckled.

"Ah, finally someone who gets treaties, see this Good Bill, you should learn from this." He said turning to him causing the stallion to grumble but keep quiet. "But yes it does. Now I wanted to ask Mrs Light, I know you don't like ponies, and I'm fine with that, they can be near impossible sometimes. But why do you, I understand if it's a private matter, I simply wanted to ask." He said kindly his face warm and friendly.

"He spent the last forty minutes of the journey debating over weather he should ask you." Ember yelled from the back looking pleased, making Good Bill start and go into giggling fits. Check went red and then turned to us.

"Well yes, I did, but that doesn't matter. So may I know?" He asked holding his hoof out in question. The others looked curiously at me out of the corner of their eyes, just as eager as him to hear the answer.

"Another time maybe, when I know you a bit better. Ask Moon Shot, it took Arch, an old friend of mine, three and a half years for me to tell him, and I was drunk at the time, granted so was he, so it took him a bit to remember." I said looking at them calmly.

"Well this has gone well. Mr Check, Ember, Good Bill." I said nodding to them. "It has been a pleasure, but I must be going, I'm going out for a while tomorrow, I'm sure that the other members of the Gov will be able to go over the details of the treaty with you. I'll be back in a few days, need to prepare." This caused Oxide and the others to turn to me confounded.

"We hadn't heard of this. Where are you going?" She asked as I began walking away, I turned my head to her and responded.

"Wasn't any of your business, you aren't my guardian I'm at least ten years older than you. I can decide when I go somewhere. And it isn't anything majestic, just a bit of a trek, get some of the wandering out of my system, see what's "over yonder" as they say." She went a bit red at this, and yelled

"How old are you then?" As I walked into town. Honestly you're never supposed to ask a mare her age.

"Forty-six!" I called back just before I ducked into the alleys leaving them to deal with the treaty.

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I had everything packed and done in my saddle bags and on my back and my clothes on by two. Check and his party had left shortly after I did to discuss everything with their superiors while the coalition members went over the treaty and prepared to send their response to the union. I was just about to leave when Sam came in.

"Hey Pilot. Say uh, could you do me a favour?" He asked tapping his fingers together tentatively and squirming on the spot his tail twitching wildly.

"What's the favour?" I asked calmly as I pulled out a piece of Dry Cash, region produced food, basically dried sugar and syrup along with oats and hay, dried out and made as bars in tins.

"I was wonderin' if on your trip if you pass by the Fennec tribe, you could collect some stuff from my tent?" He asked tentatively looking at me through the corner of his eye. I studied him for a moment before saying,

"Sure why not, thanks to Nut I understand your language and your culture so that won't be a problem, what kind of stuff nothing too big I hope?" I asked eyeing him.

"No, just some trinkets and other things. Nothing too large, thank you for doing this really." He said gratefully as he looked at me.

"Think nothing of it, I'm heading out now, see you later, and give everyone else my regards." I finished as we walked out, locking the door behind me. I waved to him and then started from Goodwater. He then had the cheek to yell.

"You're really fourty-six?" I threw a cleaver next to him, embedding it deep into the wall, him having jumped to the side, and chucked nervously and ducked out through the door. It was a decent temperature to travel in being early morning the sun lazily globing over the horizon like a foal dragging themselves out of bed. I set myself in the direction of the Fennec camp, what was it called again? Malakiet Sahar or something like that, how it's said at least, not how it's written.

It was a boring journey, the only things I encountered were some Claprabbits, nasty little things, used to be jack rabbits but got mixed with some kind of reptile and an insect, gave them horrific teeth, and bare exoskeleton legs meshing badly with their fur. I dealt with them quickly, a round in the left leg first then the head, their left leg was always the weakest for some reason. I got there an hour after midday, it was just the normal desert heat today, and walked to the front gate.

"Who goes there?" A voice yelled form above I looked up to him, he was wearing a suit of leather barding painted a purple colour, bleached by the sun to be more of a pink. I cocked my head at him and shouted,

"Bit of a clichéd line isn't it?" I asked curiously, he turned red before shouting back irritably, his hands shaking.

"It's not! It's cool and traditional! Now tell me who you are before I kick you off this property." he growled out the last part pouting ever so slightly, thinking most likely that I couldn't see it.

"Pilot Light." I said calmly. This caused him to go quiet but hen he said back.

"Why are you here?" As he looked at me, a slight edge f worry in his eyes.

"Just to pick up some of Sam's stuff, he asked me to since I was going out on a bit of a wander." This calmed him down and he yelled back,

"Oh Okay, I'll call his sister and you can come inside. I've opened the gate." He retreated from the watch tower and I pushed open the small gate, it was made of an old army wire fence that had been fortified with concrete and scrap. The hinges groaned under the stress of the extra weight added to the door, before I got it fully open and closed it behind me.

Malakiet was made from an old Ministry Of Arcane Science hub, but from when they were named the Ministry of Magic, when the name was changed they couldn't be bothered to re-do the sign so it stayed I guess. Guess it wasn't that important.

There were cloth houses and frame houses dotting the streets, some building up, others just going about their lives, the actual main part of the hub was mostly destroyed, cracked and crumbled on the rear side of the building, the façade still holding its face looking happy and good. I swear this is a fucking metaphor for them and all the ministries. They look good on the outside but they are corrupt and dark on the inside. Or is that just ponies in general? Eh, probably both.

A female fennec was walking towards me in a red suit, miraculously clean, she looked a bit uncomfortable and wishing to be out of it, tugging at the collar. She smiled at me and held out her paw and said,

"Hello, my name is, how do you say it....Alya. Nice to meet you." I reached out with my wing and shook her paw.

"Good to meet you as well,call me Pilot, I understand your language so we can talk like this if you prefer." She looked surprised at this but please none the less.

"Thank you, speaking your language is... difficult, this is easier, I suppose Sam taught you?" She asked curiously as she began walking gesturing for me to follow.

"No, it was from a holotape, don't ask. Also, what kind of stuff is it that I'm taking, Sam said it wasn't anything too large." I asked cocking my head to her.

"No he took the big stuff when he left. Granted he didn't actually leave anything, dad just died and left Sam some of his stuff." She replied sadly, hanging her head slightly.

"I'm sorry for your loss." I replied consolidating, she smiled at me then continued to lead me down the path. We came to a large tent house that connected to an old frame house. Books were strewn about and silver and gold trinkets glittered in the sun.

"Well, guess this is it, I'll start packing it, do you want to go or would you prefer to stay?" I asked turning to her. She looked at me curiously then replied,

"I'll stay, I want to make sure that you don't break anything." She said cheekily and layed down in the hammock on the west side. I pulled off my saddle bags and started packing the items in, there was about five books all around A5 sized, and a dozen lighters and six pocket watches, and a few wrist watches, but there also was this really odd looking pistol it had a block of metal on the top, a barrel in the middle, a light on the back and a four round cylinder, with a wooden grip, it was platinum plated with a light wood for the grip. I turned it around then placed it into my bags, it was Sam's after all.

"So where are you going after this?" Alya asked from the hammock, I turned my head to her and responded,

"Not sure, probably Astock, you know the town made from that old pump jack field, all frame houses left from when ponies settled there pre-war?" I asked looking at her, I put the final item in my bag and swung it onto my back.

"The bar town? Yeah I know it." she looked at me slightly sheepishly as she rose from the hammock and asked "Hey would you mind if I came with you, i'd like a bit of a break from here." I looked at her and responded

"Sure why not, get your things." She squealed excitedly and grabbed her stuff, while she was gone I noticed one of those holotapes that gave me new abilities and stowed it away. I'd prefer that be lost, It was not nice having those done. We were outside the gate shortly after and walking our way to Astock.

Note: Quest completed// Political Paradigm, it is now easier to speak to people in power in your region, and those out of it, you gain a speech bonus per rank in government.

Pistol Packing Mamma

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Astock was referred by many as 'the drunkards ditch', as it was built out of a large mining ditch that was as converted into an oil field for a few years before it ran dry and they abandoned it pre-war. It was where people went to conduct shady business and be blind both in soul, and actually blind due to alcohol poisoning. There was a street of frame houses on the northern side of the town, that had been turned in to homes and businesses, casino's, saloons, all the poisons of the soul as Kale put it, you would never think a reverend would pass the special forces enlistment but you never know.

"Well, it has it's charms," I said to Alya as she looked grimacing over the town. "deep down, somewhere in the muck I'm sure." I added seeing a working mare pull a stallion behind an alley. I walked froward and went into the westernmost saloon, the only one that seemed somewhat reputable in my previous visits. It was whitewashed and splintering on the front, the glass lose in the windows, Though still miraculously there. And emblazoned on the buildings aged facade it said:
'Goldstar Saloon & Hotel'

I pushed open the doors to Goldstar and walked in, I was ignored by the patrons, unlike in the western stories Arch used to read. I walked to a table at the back with Alya and sat down, she had changed out of her suit and was now in some Molerat hide trousers and a Radstag skin jacket over an old flannel shirt. A stallion came round dressed in a old butler uniform that fit him badly on the shoulders.

"A bottle of Gin please, and what do you want Alya?" I asked casually looking at her she jumped slightly and replied,

"Just black tea please." and looked back around as the stallion left, He came back a minute later and placed both drinks before us.

"Twenty caps." He grumbled out looking tired. Tea's gone up again I thought quietly as i pulled some caps from my saddlebags giving him ten extra as a tip. I may not like ponies, but a tip is common courtesy. I grabbed the blue bottle that held my gin and poured it into my a metal flask I found in my house in Goodwater and began drinking what remained in the bottle tucking away the flask in my other pocket, opposite my sunglasses.

We were sitting in silence for about seven minutes when I heard a stallion's conversation that peeked my interest,

"Yeah, shot her seventy-six times before she fell down. Guess the rumors were true about her being tough, I took most of her stuff then left her out near where that robot lives. I left my pistol with her body as a calling card, I wish I kept it though, I loved that pistol." I rose from my chair and walked over to the stallions table and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hello again, I believe you and I, have unfinished business." I said darkly, he shuddered as he hear my voice and slowly turned around, his eyes becoming pinpricks as he layed his eyes on me.

"Hello d-doll, h-how you been?" He asked weakly. I smiled at him slightly causing him to relax then frowned and slammed him against the wall and pulled out my pistol pressing it against his forehead. Everyone in the saloon stopped and some rose from their chairs, the ones at the stallions table stayed sat down, fear in their eyes.

"Give me a good bloody reason why I shouldn't kill you right fucking now!" I screamed at him making him wince.

"W-well you don't look any worse-for-wear, so how about we just call this as a little mishap and forget no harm do-" I pressed down the crystal on my bracelet and he stopped and quietly went '*meep*'.

"I lost my face, vocal cords, organs, ribs and bones and had them all replaced, all because of you. So, where's that reason. Cause I need a reason not to give the wall behind you a new coat of paint." I asked my digitized voice echoing through the saloon.

"It was Eisca! She wanted the chip you had the one for the missile system! She paid us to get it from you, i'm sorry please don't kill me, I want to live!" He cried pulling himself into a ball covering himself with his fetlocks, or at least trying to. I dropped him to the floor and walked back from him looking at him like a piece of muck on my hoof. He looked flabbergast and smiled widely.

I shot him in his back leg and walked away, Alya following.

"Seventy-Five!" I yelled back to him as I left letting him know what was going to happen.

We went through the doors and into the main street, I pressed down the crystal again, activating the spell. We continued down the main street until we got to the entrance of the town, and I turned to Alya.

"Sorry, about that. That wasn't planned sort of just happened, didn't know he would be here, what do you want to do then?" I asked her calmly. She looked at me curiously then said.

"You are not like Sam described you, your not harsh, and angry and irritable your actually, at least now when your talking to me, but when with ponies, your like how he described you." She said, placing a paw under he jaw.

"I just don't like ponies. Nothing more." I said honestly. She studied me for a moment then nodded,

"OK."

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We spent roughly ten minuets looking for a different place to have a drink, believing that we should avoid Goldstar for the moment, when we found an empty building with chairs out front under a veranda with a fan, long broken. We sat under it and I pulled out the bottle of gin and resumed drinking it. Alya pulled out a worn flask and began sipping it the aroma of black tea wisping from it in the breeze.

"So," she asked tapping her flask awkwardly "Who's Eisca?" She asked curiously.

"Small time crime boss. Wants to control the region and tried multiple times to attack the Enclave and take it over." I said calmly swigging my gin. "Really odd mare, she acts like one of the villains from the old Silver Shroud broadcasts. You ever heard those? We used to pick them up from the, oh what's it called now, the Commonwealth? Yeah that's it. But yeah she is quite insane tried to take over a nuclear power facility a year ago, didn't work of course but she tried, it went into meltdown and one of the reactors blew and she got caught in it, I saw her running away from it though, guess she must have has some powerful RAD-X." I responded calmly as I finished my drink and chucked away the empty bottle into the mining pit, hearing a satisfying 'CLINK' as it hit the bottom. Alya looked bewildered at m and asked,

"How did you see that she left the power plant?" I looked back her casually and said,

"Who do you you think caused the meltdown, I tampered with it when she wasn't looking and she thought that no-one had been there and that it had been left preserved after the war and didn't check. To be fair to her though, it was untouched when I found it." She looked incredulously at me then shouted,

"You blew up a Nuclear Power Plant?! How!"

"I just broke the emergency shutdown terminal and tore out the cooling systems. Not that hard, I left after that and sealed the door to that room behind me so she couldn't fix it." I replied calmly waving my wing dismissively. She looked at be blank faced then sighed.

"So, this mare, Eisca and you are in this grand pissing match of nearly killing each other horribly for some reason that I doubt you will explain, so why did she want the chip, really?" She asked rubbing her forehead with a paw as she gulped from her flask.

"No clue, can't remember the week before I got shot, total blank. Sides it'll be someone else's problem soon enough, let them 'be the hero' oh, maybe they can have a conference with Security and The Lightbringer about heroism and causing almost as many problems as they fix." I replied finishing bitterly.

She stayed silent for a bit and then said looking like something had dawned on her.

"Oh, your Enclave aren't you. I see why you don't like the Stable Dweller." I looked sourly at her then replied,

"That isn't the only reason. I abore the idea of heroes, I believe more in community service to a greater good. Not some crazy idea that a great task should be taken by one person and leave it up to that, it's idiotic!" I pulled out a piece of dust weed from my pocket and rolled it, lighting it with my decorated zippo lighter, They are nearly impossible to find now.

"Smoking's really bad for you you know." She chided and I responded exasperatedly with,

"It's dust weed, it creates oxygen when burned, and a powerful antiseptic, used for infections, it also helps for when you have lung cancer or stuff like that, it is sort of like taking a multivitamin tablet with some antibiotics. Burning it makes it so it is taken in faster than when you chew it." She stopped her herself from further chiding and went silent then said,

"So that's why dad smoked those when he was i'll. I just thought he was idiotic. I fell bad now." She added curling up slightly, I patted her back with my wing as I breathed in the dust weed, feeling my lungs lift and my throat stop being aching, old wounds will I guess, and they technically are.

------------------------------

We left Astock shortly after, we were walking down to Malakiet when we saw a mare in the middle of the road, she had a white coat with a red and salmon mane and white eyes, only slightly different from her scleras.

"Dammit," I said tiredly. Looking ahead at the mare, she hadn't noticed us yet thankfully.

"What?" Alya asked curiously, seeing the mare before us.

"Doesn't matter, hide behind those rocks don't come out, I mean it." She ran quickly behind the rocks and looked slightly from the farthermost edge, where there was a break in the rocks. I approached the mare ans he quickly saw me and ran to me and shouted,

"Aha! My great enemy we meet again, you have not fallen I see, good! I doubted you would die but it's good that I am assured that my intellect is once again proven correct." Eisca shouted holding a hoof in the air as she looked at the sky.

"Hello Eisca." I replied flatly

"It looks like we shall have a great conflict today the land here will forever be scorched by our Monumentous struggle our battle will be le- hey is that dust weed?" Her tone shifted entirely as she saw the dust weed in my mouth

"Yep. Want a bit?" I asked boredly

"Oh, yes please." She replied happily. I pulled out some of it from a satchel and she took it in her white coloured magic, and rolled it lighting it with using a spell. She had a draw of it and said. "Thanks, I got an lung infection a few weeks ago when I fell on a rusty guider at the BLU corp building, I tried to get it treated at Falsespkarks, but they refused for some reason." Ending her statement with a curious tone.

"Did you attack them before that?" I asked flatly.

"Yes, I nearly won too, but then the tank ran out of petrol and we had to retreat." She said dismissively, slightly bitterly.

"Why would they help you then? Also it's gas, or gasoline, not petrol." I said groaning.

"Fair point, well the moods out so how about next time. We shall soon face my dear foe, and our battle will be remembered for millennia to come, fire will rain from above, the ground will be torn apart and scorched the world forever changed!" She then looked around and added. "Even more than how it is now!" and walked of, laughing maniacally.

"See you then." I yelled after her. Alya walked up beside me after she had seen Eisca leave, and looked curiously at me and asked.

"Why didn't you fight? You could probably beat her without trying." I looked at her for a moment then looked forward again then replied,

"She wasn't exaggerating about what would happen when we fought," To this she looked at me shocked and worried but I quickly replied with, "we aren't superheroes we just wouldn't go down, we would keep getting back up, plus we have some heavy weaponry at out disposal so that is something as well." I finished ending the conversation.

"Heavy weaponry like what?" She asked as we started to Malakiet again.

"Well I can't show all my cards to you can I? But I can tell you I have access to the ponymedes orbital later system. Horrible name for it though, I'd have called it the Pythagoriam Beam. Much cooler, by about 20% at least."

--------------------------

We got to Malakiet again shortly after. Alya thanked me for the drink, and the journey, I nodded and smiled back to her. I'm slightly amazed she didn't asked about my face, but I guess she didn't really care. I walked back to good water after that, I was a mile or two away from Malakiet however when I saw an odd sight there was a dragon, likely a dragoness, pinkish coloured with light blue spikes, dressed in a Stable-Tec salesman jacket, one of my ancestors was one apparently, they kept the jacket. and a stallion with a aquamarine mane and lemon coloured coat with white socks, making him look like a unwrapped sherbet lemon and a red mare with a black and grey mane.

As, I continued to walk towards them the dragoness ran towards me looking aggravated.

"You, please I need you to tell these two that this region doesn't need their help." She said exasperatedly pointing to the other two who were walking up to us now. I regarded them coolly and responded.

"We don't need help." This made a look of superiority appear on the stallions face.

"Ah, but you do madam! We must help this region to rebuild and restore order and government! We must join it with Equestria once agai-"

"We already formed a government, and organised a peace treaty with northern Equestria." I cut him off, this response stopped all of them.

"How do you know?" The red mare asked confoundedly, a Hoofington accent clear on her voice.

"'Cause I'm part of it." I replied simply. I looked them flat on as their expressions shifted.

"Well, I doubt that all listened to this order, you probably need help clearing out the tribals, for which we will take on as our ta-" I stopped him again by responding,

"They all agreed and joined the government, same for the Kirin, Griffons and the Dragons, we also got a note from a zebra settlement they accept being members of the co-coalition." This caused more surprise on the ponies faces but smug knowing on the dragoness,

"See, I told you that they wouldn't need your help, we shouldn't have come here but no Sherbet Treat and Old Coals just had to try and play hero, and drag me along to-boot." She face palmed and groaned "I swear, why do hang around you ponies." I looked at them squinting slightly and said.

"The time for heroes is done." This caused them to start and looked to me confounded "Now is the time for community and working together." The stallion looked at me like I was an idiot then took on a look of pity.

"Ah, you poor soul. So wounded by this treacherous place you don't even realise it, never fear I shall help you." He at this moment held his hoof on the crystal on my fetlock, causing the spell to disable. He jumped back terrified, same for the mare. The dragoness just looked impressed.

"We don't need your help. Everything that lives here, pony or otherwise has earned the right to. You however haven't!" I yelled at him advancing making him back from me till his flank hit a rock and he pressed himself against the rock wincing away from me. "You don't learn all of you do you? You cause problems when you mess with something that isn't you thing to worry about! So I shall give you this great word of advice, from an old Captain. Leave it the FUCK ALONE!" When I finished my rant the stallion was laying down like a puppy trying to get away from me.

The dragoness then put herself between us and announced,

"Alright break it up, break it up. We know what you just said it true Mrs, but Sherbet here was just caught in a delusion, so let him off please." She asked kindly, I looked sourly at the stallion and sneered.

"Fine." I started to walk away when the dragoness called out to me,

"Hey, uh... would you happen to know a place we can rest, Coals here thought we wouldn't need a camp, so we are sort of left high and dry, literally really, so uh... help a gal' out here?" She asked pleadingly. I looked at her scrutinily before arching my head back sighing, and gesturing them to follow.

------------------------------

They followed behind me arguing over where it would be that I was taking them, apparently the dragonnes was called Shortcake, there was something else before it but she refused to tell it and the other two new not to tell. They eventually settled on that I was taking them to some secret Enclave facility and they were going to be ambushed and transported there so that they wouldn't know the location. They had guessed I was Enclave quickly but it didn't seem to bother them, ah a godsend, less talking with those two fucktards, Shortcake was fine but the other two, nah.

We were a mile from Goodwater when the stallion yelled forward,

"Are we there yet?! My hooves are sore!" exasperatedly he sat on his rump rubbing his hooves and fetlocks. I rolled my eyes.

"Another mile left! Sides what are you complaining about, this is a short walk comparatively." I called back. His eyes widened at this and he shouted,

"Short! How?!"

"Big region." I returned. I then noticed something glinting off in the distance, and a dust could buffeting behind it.

"Ah, fuckin' hell." I groaned.

"What is it?" They yelled to me panicked.

"SandWinder, get your weapons out, this will be tricky!" I yelled back pulling my pistol out of it's holster and checking the magazine. I retreated to the other three, weapons drawn, Coals had some sort of combat shotgun with a napalm tank on the front, Sherbet had a sub-machine gun , that was covered in memorabilia, stamps, postcards, and other things and painted like it was a candy jar,in his magical grip. And Shortcake had a long barrelled rifle with bulky recon scope on it, a rum magazine affixed to the bottom.

"So what's a SandWinder?" Shortcake asked as she looked out to the sand cloud. I looked at them deadpan, honestly learn a bit about a region before you come.

"Mutated snakes, can grow up to double size of a skyscraper and as thick as four buses, thankfully this ones a little one, should be easier, can swallow you whole, but the venom is what you need to really watch for. Also don't let it get hold of you, they can crush you in half a second." I said as I steadied myself looking ahead, waiting.

Sherbet turned pale at this and shouted,

"WHY DO YOU LIVE HERE!"

"We have learned to deal with it, the tactics called called "avoid them unless necessary", and we don't want to lead this one to Goodwater."
I yelled back as the clod got closer, we had a minute of silence before we heard it screech, it rose up in our vision, white with a purple underbelly, two foot long fangs from it's mouth.

Gunfire instantly tore out at it wounding it slightly but still not leaving wounds, the three of them ran for cover while I flew up into the air and placed shots at it's head, a round went into it's eye hurting it badly, but not killing it. It lashed out at me more snapping after me, trying to swallow me whole. I continued to fire at it, the others now placing shots at the rest of it distracting it when it lurched forward and snapped me up in it's jaws.

"No! Come on, we need t-" Sherbet began but stopped. I was stood in the SandWinder's mouth, legs stretched holding it's moth open, it's fangs twitching. I loaded my pistol and aimed down it's through and fired, putting round-after-round- after-round into the back of it's throat, it cried agonisingly making my ears ring, and a gurgle came from it as blood poured into its' lungs. It gave out it's death rattle as it collapsed to the ground. I crawled out of its' mouth, taking care to avoid the fangs and walked over to Shortcake and the others.

"Well, that went well." I said looking over their faces, "Well no sense leaving it all for the vultures, come on give me a hoof."
I walked over to the snake and pulled out the fangs, wrapping them in cloth and affixing them to my back. Coals then decided to shout out,

"How the fuck are you alive?!" I looked at her boredly before responding,

"It takes more than that to kill me. Hell getting shot seventy-six times at point blank range didn't kill me, and Digit, Eisca and Duke can vouch that." I looked thoughtfully at the sky for a moment before adding. "Though Duke would refer that wasn't remembered." This only heightened her confusion. She looked overwhelmed for a second before stating,

"You weren't joking. Holy shit" She said whispering the last part. I managed to get them to strip some of the meat of the SandWinder and the venom glands before they couldn't manage anymore. I wiped my sunglasses on a piece of cloth, removing the blood before cleaning the barrel of my pistol and moving on. I was whistling the tune to an opera I saw as a filly when we made it to Goodwater. It was all a flurry with activity, guards moving around, creates running about moving stuff in metal boxes.

"Pilot! There you are!" Oxide yelled to me as we continued closer. "Someone spotted a SandWinder a mile from town we're preparing an attack party and we need you he-"

"Already killed it." I said flatly, this caused everyone to stop still.

"Beg-pardon?" Oxide asked.

"I killed it already with these three, it was around south-east wasn't it? Killed it took some meat and the fangs and venom sacs, left the rest for the vultures and other scavengers. It'll make a good landmark in a few days, the skeletons of those hings are full of resources, iron, steel, crystal. That sort of thing, they got fused to the things when the bombs hit, we might soon have a mining town near here. Well, guess i'll have to deal with m,ore ponies but at least other creatures will turn up as well. Anyway, I promised Sam i'd get his stuff from Malakiet, and I need to return them to him." I finished and started walking of into town before shouting back "Oh and could you deal with these ones, Shortcake, Sherbet, Coals, meet the Mayor of Goodwater, and the pony representative in the coalition government. Bye!"

I had just managed to get into the city when I heard her shout,

"WHAT?!" It echoed through the city as everyone stared moving again, going about their daily business.

--------------------------------

I found Sam going near Gold's vendor stall and tapped him on the shoulder with a wing.

"What is it? I told you I'm not paying yo-" He stopped when he saw me and a smile parted his muzzle. "Pilot! Your back!" He said happily taking me up in his arms hugging me to his chest, muffling any reply I could offer. "So how was Alya? What did you do on your trip? How did you kill that SandWinder? What do you think suits me better, Red Orange or Lemon Yellow?" I pushed my muzzle out of his chest with my forehooves and gulped down air before looking at him flatly, he smiled awkwardly before setting me down.

"Okay Fist of, fine seemed happy. I went to Astock with Alya accidentally found the guy that shot me seventy-six times, shot him one in the leg, he still owes me another seventy five, had a chat with Eisca, the crime boss who i'm in a feud with, met some nuts from Equestria who wanted to be this regions heroes, killed a SandWinder came here. Shot it in the neck from it's mouth. Lemon, duh." I finished looking him dead on.

He smiled at me before hugging me again but softer this time.

"No hugging." I said slightly out of breath as he squeezed me. He left me down as we walked to my house, him leaving an orange suit jacket laying on the counter of Gold's stall, Gold himself counting the caps delicately into an old cash register that slammed shut after he put the money in nearly taking of his claws.

We got into my house and I unwrapped the fangs hung on my back affixing them on the mantle crossed against one another. Their were already some mounts so I just locked them in those and walked back to look at it.

"That looks cool." Sam said from behind me.

"Eyup." I responded. I took of my saddle bags and started to remove all of Sam's belongings. When they were all neatly placed on the table, and all the meat placed in the fridge, I pulled out a roll of dust weed and lit it. Allowing myself to calm down. Sam was looking through his stuff after thanking me when he called out.

"Oh hey, it's one of those tapes that Digit said to look out for, ooh what's it for?" He questioned as he rose from the pile, tape in hand.

"No." I said simply causing a disappointed expression to come upon his face.

"Ah why not?" He asked sadly, looking like a puppy that had it's toy taken away.

"Because I said so, now leave it be." I said with a finality, Sam adopted a sly look then said leering at me.

"You're scared aren't you?" My eye twitched and I adopted a furious expression. "Don't worry I'll protect you my little dam-"

"SHUT IT!" I yelled at him blushing, we scuffled on the ground shouting at each other in tribal before we heard a click from the door and we both turned to it. Oxide, Shortcake, Sherbet and Coals stood in the doorway, Nut standing just behind.

"Uhh..." Oxide said from the doorway. Sam decided then to give me a kiss on the nose, throwing me out off it for a sec before he reached behind my head.

Fucking static. Just dull now, suffocating but dull.

I opened my eyes to the sound of a beep, the rest of them standing around me relief on the faces of the Northern bunch. I turned to Sam and said,

"That was dirty." pointing at him with a hoof.

"But effective, 'sides you didn't look displeased." I ignored him and went and sat down.

"So what was the tape for?" Nut asked curiously from the other side of the living room, though he looked more interested in the SandWinder fangs. I looked at him thoughtfully taking a seat away from the rest of them then responding.

"Advanced magical spell trivia and knowledge." I said boredly. Then added smiling slightly. "And some baby pictures of Sam and his sister Alya." To this he turned red then looked at me abject horror in his eyes, as I looked at him maliciously

"Please... no." He pleaded whimpering slightly, his ears drooping.

"You should have expected this." I responded to him, not understood to the others, he then went quiet and we returned our focus to the room.

"So..." Interjected Shortcake, whom instantly looked overwhelmed and stuttered out, "Uh, hah, um.... Sherbet has something he would like to say." Cowardly, smart, but cowardly. Nut's, Oxide's and Sam's eyes then turned to Sherbet who looked panicked but fared better with the pressure.

"W-we would like to thank you for your hospitality. It is greatly appreciated but we must ask why. We didn't do anything to help, we didn't save your tow or do the region a great service why would you help us without condition?" He questioned honestly. I groaned from the corner drawing his attention and responded.

"Honestly what do they do up there, just fill you heads with nonsense from the 'Lighbringers' book? You don't need to do something like that to be treated nice, we are just good people here." I looked over at him making sure he was listening.
"Cut the hero act, it doesn't work anymore. The day of heroes and villains is done." To this his face lit up and he quickly responded with,

"What about that mare who tried to attack that town, what was it called again Falsesparks, came at with an full scale assault but her tank ran out of fuel. She apparently survived a nuclear meltdown, she is like a villain!" He finished looking like he thought he won.

"You mean Eisca, she isn't a big problem, she is too obsessed with me to cause any real problems." This perked the ears of all three of the northerners, and Sam.

"Wait, Eisca is the mare who attacked Falsesparks? You just said she was a crime boss!" Sam yelled out looking slightly stressed.This reaction was quickly overshadowed by Coals shout as she yelled over all of them,

"Your the mare she is in a feud with!?" I simply nodded to this unfazed by her reaction, though everyone else had jumped at this. "So, your the one who has been shot at by missiles, shot seventy six times point blank, killed a hundred mercenaries at cracklin' pass, and all of the other things that happened to her enemy during the feud?!"

"Yep." I responded simply looking at the ceiling as I lay in the sofa, this caused er to go red and she shouted.

"How are you alive?!" exasperation and shock on her face. I turned to her, blank faced and said,

"The same reason why Captain is the highest rank in the Enclave special forces," I then added on, "I am very good at what I do. Why do you think people like Moonshot get nervous when I threaten to reprimand him even though I don't hold any power of them anymore?" They all went silent over this then I added "Also I killed about seventy of them with a small magical warhead under craklin' pass, not a dirty bomb, just something powerful, I just moped up the others."

"....Guess this is what you meant to Alya about how your hardware makes you two fighting dangerous." Oh yeah, guess thy must be able to talk long distance. Probably should have been more secretive, why is it flannel makes someone seem so trustworthy?

"Wait, how did that topic come up between Pilot and your sister?" Oxide asked quizzically. Ah fuck, now this.

"Oh, they met her when they were walking back to Malakiet, apparently Pilot had a chat with her, avoided conflict cause she did't want to cause any destruction, Eisca was apparently quite odd, like a comic book villain mixed with a pre-war business mare when she and Pilot were talking together." He finished happily not knowing the doom he brought.

"You saw her!?" Coals yelled again, looking both exited but terrified.

"Oy vey."

--------------------------------------

The argument with Coals, her yelling at me, lasted near an hour before she ran out of steam, I tuned most of it out. She stood nearby breathing heavily, looking like she was on fire, ironic given her name.

"Well, guess that's one way to break the ice." Sherbet said a slight bite of worry on his voice. "Oh, and sorry for the nervousness earlier, it's just, we are kinda surrounded by the ponies, uh, creatures who run our country's ally's politics, we don't want to be the cause of a conflict because of what we say." He said innocently. Oxide smiled kindly then put a hoof over his shoulder and said,

"Don't worry, when we come to Pilots house, this is sort of the place we can say whatever we like and not face consequences, sides if Pilot helped you, you must be at least half decent." She then looked at Shortcake then added "Though it might have just been because you were there." This brought on confusion on the faces of the northerners.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Shortcake asked sharply sounding slightly insulted. Oxide took on a worried expression and quickly and nervously stated.

"Nothing! It is just that Pilot hates ponies, and she only really wanted to help you not your companions." This made the three of them look extremely confused. Sherbet was the first to respond.

"I'm sure that isn't true. You would have still helped us right Miss Light?" He asked confidently.

"No, Oxide was right I would have just left you there I said flatly from behind a book I had pulled from a drawer in the coffee table. "And don't call me 'Miss Light' makes me feel old." I added slight irritation in my voice.

"But your forty." Nut called to me drawing the attention of the trio.

"Your forty?" Coals asked bemused a slight gin on her muzzle. I pulled the book from my face and responded,

"Have you killed a Hydra in the last year?" I asked cruelly looking down on her muzzle raised. This caused her snark to dispel and to look away embarrassed. "I thought so."I said squinting my eyes and returning to my book.

They all stayed quit for a while until Shortcake asked,

"So what was that thing when her eyes went blank and the red on went all static'y?" Sam looked at her and responded with,

"It's a buffer mode when we put and information cassette in the enter port on the robotic part of her brain. Se when she got shot by the goons Eisca hired, our friend Digit gave her some robotic parts as transplant, makes her voice all digitised too. You can't see it regularly because of a spell on that bracelet she wears on her hoof." Shortcake nodded slowly taking all this information in. "Also she has a robotic tongue that can extend." This made some of the mares in the room turn slightly red. I glared at Sam and he realised he had lept into more trouble.

"Well, uh, moving on from that... Interesting information. I wanted to ask how you intended to return to Equestria." Oxide asked still blushing. The trio went to a dumbfounded expression and in perfect harmony uttered,

"Uhhhhhh." all slowly looking to the left then biting their lower lip. Oxide looked at them slightly exasperated then returned to a happy expression and said,

"Well, I would suggest going north from here, if you hug the western mountains you should be able to avoid New Marexico city." She looked over them and gauged their expressions looking pleased.

"Why should we avoid the city, wouldn't it be faster to go through?" Asked Sherbet. Nut quickly responded harshly with,

"Faster to death yeah. There is a universal rule in the Dusts, don't go to NMC." He levelled gaze with them then looked at them sadly lowering his head and sighing.

"Sorry just don't like that place." he added sounding wounded. Coals looked at him and kindly asked,

"But what's so bad about it?"

"It's the Hoffington of the Dusts, but worse." I responded sharply, causing her to quickly understand as well as the other two.

"So, are we going on our own or?" Shortcake asked curiously, the other too looking up for the response. This perked the attention of all of us,

"Fuck no!" We all yelled in unison, causing them all to be bowled back slightly.

"We cannot have Equestrian citizens come and perish because of our negligence when we could have helped you, we have to escort you until certain measures are put into place with the leaders up north, we will just have to have someone escort you and since our Guards are a bit caught up at the moment I think Pilot will have to escort you, oh Sam you go too." Oxide said worriedly, then calmed quickly as she gave us orders.

"Pardon?" I asked harshly as I looked over them.

"Uhhh, Oxide I don't think that's the best idea." Sam added quickly looking worriedly over at me. I grinned at him maliciously making him flinch. Our objections were ignored by Oxide, that or she couldn't tell that there would be problems due to the pair-up.

"Nonsense! Come on you two get sorted, oh and you three get some supplies from town, you'll leave at night, you want to avoid the heat spike as much as possible." She then looked over at me then said. "Though I guess that's what you were going to do anyway."

"Yep." I agreed looking at her tiredly, I rose up from the sofa and flapped upright and glided to the kitchen grabbing one of the venom sacs from the fridge and tossing it into a pot on the stove, along with some vodka, whiskey and a Sparkle-Cola Rainbow Crash, I can never bloody find these! and started boiling it, pulling a Sunrise Sarsaparilla from the fridge to sip on while I waited.

"What are you making?" Coals asked from behind me, as she peered curiously in the pot, jumping back as it gave a pop and hopped into the air.

"Home-brew, something I learned when I was nomadding. I make it when I have all the materials, good for a travel drink." I took out a metal spoon from a drawer and stirred the pot, making the pot turn a luxurious gold colour, still fizzing as it boiled.

"Oh, so this is for all of us?" She asked innocently.

"No." I said harshly making her flinch then return to her original pose. She then began to try to avoid eye contact inspecting everything in the room. "Sides," I added after a short while, "takes a little while for some ponies to get used to the SandWinder venom." This made her recoil and shout at me.

"You're drinking that?!" I looked back at her flatly and responded,

"It's quite common, it can be used for lots of things, especially pre-preparing anti-venom." I said using my other wing to gesture to some red needle with black duct tape on the middle and a plastic cap on the end with a picture of creatures on it to symbolise the respective anti-venom. Coals just looked at me oddly then walked away to go and get her supplies sorted out.

----------------------------

They came back an hour before midnight, Sam had got all of the essential and some other stuff to prepare for the journey north, and I had done the same then we turned to look over the other thre-

"What's all this bullshit?!" We both yelled in unison upon seeing the pile of items that they had with them. This startled all three of them making them focus their attention on us.

"You told us to get supplies." Sherbet said simply. My eye twitched slightly and Sam face pawed, dragging his paw slowly over his face in exhaustion.

"We are walking through a desert, you should pack light!" Sam said exasperatedly as he jerked both paws at them while hunched to his sides.

"This is packing light! We have water weapons, ammo, barding, different clothes, medicine, food, reading materiel-" I cur Coals off shouting at her,

"You only need a third of what you have for all three of you!" I quickly sorted through some of the stuff and placed it in three piles. "That is all you need and all you get. Are we clear?" I said agitatedly giving them a looming glare.

"But-" Shortcake began.

"Rhetorical question soldier, do, I, make, myself, clear?!" I shouted in her face making her wilt then fall backwards, but quickly return to upright.

"OK," she then replied, "first of, we're not soldiers. Second, crystal." I nodded to her then left them to their packing. It took them about ten minutes before they had their packs sorted. They came out of the other room to find us sat there with some clothes laid out for them.

"What are these?" Sherbet asked as he looked over the thin white fabric barding and the wide brimmed white hat, cloth draped from the back to protect the neck.

"Your bardings." Sam replied simply from a sofa, his bag sat next to his left leg. This caused the three of them to turn to use surprised and question,

"These? They would hardly stop a breeze let alone a bullet! How come you get some decent protection?" Shortcake asked accusingly.

"Cause we can stand the heat, you would die of exposure without those." I replied sardonically. This stopped their arguments. "We added some leather pads in certain areas that go over the cloth, should be a decent protector, we won't really come up against anything with guns, no-one likes going up north, treacherous terrain, only the toughest creatures inhabit it because the others can't survive, makes it even tougher. " I replied tiredly as they slowly pulled on the barding.

We left twenty minutes later and started from the gate north west we walked for hours without interest, aside from Shortcake and the others complaining every few minutes. I was at my wits end after an hour, they just kept on complaining about the heat and why we didn't just get a sky chariot like the 'Lightbringer' and blah, blah, blah. Honestly how could they talk so much?

Sam was beginning to show that he was sharing my impatience as we continued along, the sun was no beginning to drag itself from the northeast, the trio behind us was now discussing among themselves unconcerning topics and other drivel. I couldn't deal with them anymore when I shouted out to them, though mostly Sam,

"Going to do some scouting from above, bye!" I then launched into the air Sam yelling up to me in tribal,

"Don't leave me with them!" To which I responded from above,

"This is payback!"

I rolled in the air and looked out over the Dusts. It stretched from me like worn leather, brown and sandy scorched by the sun, life struggling to stay, but still very much staying, a great wall of mountains and cliffs stood striped in colours of red, blue, green, and grey. That was one f the greatest sights of the Dusts, the mountains that looked like the evening sky. I looked down to check up on Sam and the others, they were walking as they were before, though Sam looked slightly agitated, Too right! but aside from that all was normal.

A short while later I noticed a group of Claprabbits, I glided down to Sam, just above him.

"Claprabbits ahead." I said flat toned. He nodded and gave me a thumbs up. He held out an arm to stop the trio and silencing them. Both me and Sam then went forward and checked over the foul little creatures, he pulled out a bolt action rifle, the stock made from a ash coloured wood and with silver trimmings, a black boxy recon scope sat proudly on the top.

I drew my pistol and aimed on the head of one of the twitchy little things, raising my win just so he could see it. I slapped it back to my side quickly to signal and we both began firing, Both of our rounds tore into the skulls of our targets, our next few rounds ripping through the others immobilising them, the rest scattered and began running towards us from multiple directions, we didn't falter. We killed of the ones that were out of cover for to long before Sam needed to reload, I quickly slammed in another magazine and flew out over the valley, I fired into the Clap rabbits that were still moving, killing all the ones that remained.

The trio walked out to us in the middle of the small valley as we reloaded and sorted through the bodies of the Claprabbits, looking for some scrap that they had picked up. They looked at the ones spread around the ground and grimaced and Sherbet asked firmly,

"How do is it that you have much more horrific stuff as a commonality?" I turned to him and shouted to him mockingly,

"'Cause the creatures here pre-war were bloody horrific anyway!" I then added on slightly happily "Besides what are you complaining about, you have hardly seen anything yet, there are more things that you don't find up north down here than SandWinders and Claprabbits! And the stuff that you find up north is tougher down here anyway, gets sun scorched and the skin and carapace harden, and they become more viscous if not insane due to heat exposure, much more violent to say the least." This made them wince and look over the Clap rabbits one again.

We got some caps form the Claprabbits, though only a minuscule amount and I managed to get a Sunrise Sarsaparilla star bottle cap. I lost four when that twat at the bar shot me. I liked them, had them set into the stock of my RMCW, a special magical energy weapon that was only developed in the Dusts. Hope I can find it again, this pistol is nice but I have had that since training.

We stopped when it got around midway to rest, Sam called first watch and I pulled our a tarp and set up a small cover connect to a rock, I just got some sticks that were bone dry and used them as posts and helped the tarp on the rock with some small stones. Sherbets' group however just pulled out a small package from their pack and pulled a cord throwing it a few meters away from him. It then bellowed out into a castle of a tent to which they all went inside chatting. Me and Sam looked at each other and rolled our eyes. I layed down, removed my sunglasses and fell into sleeps co- actually not cool, lukewarm maybe, embrace. Sam woke me up a short while after, I rose quickly and nodded to him offering him my bed to which he thanked me. I walked to the shade to look over the site as we waited for the temperature to cool.

We left a few hours later well after the heat spike. I replaced my sunglasses on the muzzle, and walked over to Sam and poked him just above the ribs, stirring him.

"I don't want to go hunting today dad....I'm marrying my pillow." He mumbled out incoherently plagued by sleep.

"Rise and shine, sleepy head, before the sand turn to glass under you." He opened his eyes properly and blushed cutely, what? I see when somethings cute. He quickly got up and I went to the 'Castle of the North' as I have donned it. I tapped on the flap, or would it be door?, of the thing and I heard stirring inside followed by a shout and three thuds. and the sound of groaning.

"Were going, get your stuff sorted then we leave." I shouted in.

"Okay..." A voice groaned out weakly from inside.

The three of then crawled out of their 'tent' looking bedraggled and half dead, their manes matted and sweaty and generally looking like they hadn't slept in days.

I pulled of the tarp that made the roof of my shelter and folded it into my saddle bags. Sam stood watch while the trio pulled down tier tent, it was surprisingly quick, they simply uprooted the metal spikes in the ground and pressed the front of it and it folded back entirely to a small package the side of hoof luggage. We started walking after they had it affixed on Sherbet's back, I pulled out and drank down some of my Home Brew, relishing the taste. I then pulled out a empty Sunrise Sarsaparilla bottle and passed it to Sam with my wing, to which he accepted and drank some down then turreted on it's cap and placed it into his satchel, don't call them purses, they aren't, argued that with Kale and Arch for two days.

We walked on for ages after that, till we came across a blurred skyline to the east scorched both ash black and a pale sun bleached white. Towers rose powerfully then crumbled their crowns smashed in and broken, and other entirely broken away a sickly glow emanating from it, the lights of streets and homes warped by age and balefire.

"Shit...I always forget what it looks like, you wouldn't think you could but..." Sam said looking over at the distant horror that sat patently on the horizon waiting fro prey.

"Best to forget the things that terrify us the most, if we didn't, how could we move on to do something else for fear. There are somethings that you simply cannot overcome." I responded dead-toned. The trio looked over at the horizon nervously, sweat beading on their foreheads, a bead actually formed on Sherbets horn rather comical.

"So," Coals broke in trying to break the ice. "I heard that a long time ago there was a Enclave expedition into New Marexico City, you know anything about it Pilot?" She asked curiously, cocking her head as we walked to look at my expression, I regarded here coolly through my sunglasses, studying her face before responding.

"Should do, I was part of it, before I was captain." This pulled the attention of all of them.

"Seriously? Tell us!" Shortcake asked eagerly and Sam nodded along with her.

"Ve'ra. It was before I got my cutiemark, I was on an expeditionary mission with the previous special forces head and their second in command, we were searching NMC for supplies, the other two got torn up by some maticore looking thing. Died a few minutes after. My barding got ruined and my pistol got it's barrel bitten off, so I holed up in the police station. It's were I got this barding in-fact, I was looking through it for a while and I found a RMCW, a rapid fire magical weapon, only made here, I used it to survive getting through the back and across a block into this rocket facility, I jury rigged it so it would work so that it would explode after being activated."

"Lured most of the creatures there with some choice explosives and a few shots to certain areas, they all ganged up around there and I activated the rocket, and hid in a fridge that was bolted down, like in that one 'Daring Do' book, it went off killed or wounded the creatures and I flew off, took the dog-tags of the other two, I ended up getting a cutimark in the shape of a rocket engine zoomed on the pilot light. It left an impression on the higher ups about who should get the promotion." I said looking at them flatly. "You should feel lucky by the way it cost my squad-mate years and multiple drinks to find that out."

"Why are you telling us then?" Coals asked confusedly happiness edging on higher voice.

"Cause no one will believe you, someone else maybe but not you, after all you spent at least a week in a desert completely unprepared." I answered flatly, causing them to look crushed.

"What about that pistol though I'm pretty sure that holster is for a magic pistol, what happened to it?" Shortcake asked as she looked at the holster on my side.

"It was for the one that got broken at NMC I got it fixed after that, the colours didn't match but that didn't really matter it shot this lemon yellow beam because of it. But that prat from the bar who shot me took it and sold it, bloody idiot, now I need to find it again, same for my RMCW." I answered irritatdely.

-----------------------

We got to the checkpoint a few days after, the trio looked haggard but a look of joy came over each of their faces as they came up to the border. As we came to the checkpoint though we saw a scene going on between a few ponies, as we got closer I realized it was Ember, Bill and Double Check looking panicked as they argued with a stallion in security barding.

"We need to get them they could cause a problem who knows how they will act!" Check yelled frantically as he paced.

"They acted fine." I yelled to him causing them to turn to us. Relief bloomed in their faces, though that did turn quickly into irritation when Ember yelled at the three of them,

"Why did you bloody run off! We hadn't sorted out a deal yet!" She looked at them furiously bonfires blaring in her eyes.

"Ember! They are back, we can scold them when we are not in front to the foreign delegacy." Bill quickly said calming her, guess he wasn't such a piece of shit as I first thought then. Nah.

"They wanted to play the hero, I gave them a sorting out in how that would work, they don't want to now to say the least." I responded smirking slightly at their display.

"Again? Honestly Sherbet. You think after last time you would have learned." Double Check groaned as he looked over at the yellow unicorn in question.

"Heh,heh...uh, yeah...Sorry." He chuckled out nervously.

"Well if that is done," Interjected the border guard "I would like to return to my job." I looked over his weapon and noticed something familiar, some star bottle caps set into the stock on a RMCW.

"Where did you get that weapon?" I asked curiously as everyone talked behind me. He looked to me an smiled as he rose it up in his magic looking over it happily.

"Buet isn't it got it from a trader that came through here, pistol too. They apparently came from this guy who killed a Enclave Captain. Good riddance I say leave us down here, they got what they deserved dying down here like us." He responded as he looked over it drawing my pistol as well.

"Funny, cause those look a lot like mine, and a short while ago this scrawny little idiot from a pub shot me and, thinking that he killed me, took my gear selling them to this trader, and those sure do look...familiar." His eyes turned to pin-pricks as he turned to me noticing the wings on my back and looked at me panickedly, he looked like he was about to shout but I put a wing over his mouth and shushed him.

"Ah,ah,ah! None of that now! After all you know very well what I could do to you, so lets make this nice and easy, for the both of us now." He nodded panickedly dread filling his features.

"Good lad. Now just give me both of those and i'll give you a decent number of caps, fifty or so," He began to protest at first but I just gave him a look and he shut up instantly going rigid "be glad you are getting anything at all lad, this is my property I just want this to be a clean break, to make it easier for later. So, are you going to do the right thing and hand them over to me or are we going to need to have a more intense chat involving a fire, a knife and you strapped down on that crate with a steel bar in you screaming muzzle, as I make you less of a stallion that you are now." Tears started to peak on his eyes as he nodded and floated the weapons to me. "Nice doing business." I thanked him as I let him drop to the floor, he sat there shaking as he watched the floor looking at me as I walked away.

"Where did you find them?!" Sam asked astounded as I walked back to the group.

"The guard had them, got them when a caravan came through, he was happy enough to return them, I gave him a tip for his troubles." I responded casually, pleased to no end as I fixed them to me, the pistol on my other side and the RMCW on my back, I didn't have a battle saddle for it at the moment.

"That's nice of him well. We have to go now, see you all later and thanks for visiting, even if getting you back was a chore." Sam responded as he waved back to them, I gave them a small salute with my wing then followed after Sam, looking forward to a quit journey back.

Quest Completed: Just Around The Coroner:
Obtain Sam's belongings and take both Alya and the trio to their destinations, traveling time is further reduced by 10% and you gain a higher chance for random encounters while traveling.

New skill earned: Magic Mastery(Blackmail material)
You have learned how to complete complex unicorn spells, not very useful unless you want to take up teaching though. (You also now have a large amount of blackmail material against a certain Fennec)

Unique Item found: Crowd Control;
A unique RMCW found in New Marexico City by Pilot Light on her first mission.

Unique item found: Juggernaut;
A magic pistol that Pilot owned since training, it has been modified heavily since them and is much more powerful than the standard magic pistol.

Hall of the Mountain King

View Online

We walked in silence for a while, relishing the lack of chatter from the trio, but eventually Sam switched on a little radio hitched on his belt, and let it blare out music from the Goodwater station, it gave a nice filler to the empty space that we walked, this sounds really fucking mystical and ominous in my head for some reason. We switched it off after we got a decent way from the border, the creatures were to scared to live to close to that line, after all, shooting rodents and other things is a good way to pass the time on guard duty.

The air now silent, aside from the sound of our walking, it made the journey both relaxing, and fucking tense. Nothing happened for a good long while, which was both good and bad, but then we hear a small click from behind us as we were walking, Sam looked out in front of us while I darted into the air and looked behind us, we didn't see anything but we heard it, both me and Sam looked at each other in the yes knowing what was coming but hoping to celestia that it wasn't and we were hearing things.

We weren't.

It launched at us from under the sand it's mouth opening into a blender of revolving jaws curling, horrifically making the sound of a ticking clock. I dived away and took Sam under his arms to pull him out of it's path, It turned to us quickly it's spindly legs looking like tarp drawn taught over bone, pale and rotting, It screeched horrifically like a thousand souls falling to their deaths in a void of blades. It launched at us again we barely doged it coming next to it's gangrenous eyes, blood pouring from them as I ran after us. It turned quicker and slashed down at us with a bloody claw slashing us both down the side, causing me to falter in the air and fall.

We pulled out our pistols, me taking one in my mouth and the other in the crook of my wing ready to swap out for when I ran out of ammunition. The bullets and beams of magic glanced of its' blotchy pale skin, tearing off pieces that hung loose like old tarp, I was concerned now, where that tarp I used exactly came from. I launched at us a final time and we were to slow to respond it caught us in it jaws and dragged us under the sand trying to suffocate us. I blindly fired both pistols into its' mouth, rounds glancing off its' teeth and magic turning sand to glass when it missed the mouth.

It then gave another screech and turned away, we fell through the sand into and open casm I pulled open my wings, ignoring the lancing pain across my side and Caught Sam just before he was plated hard on the ground. The casm was tall and wide old excavation lights lay scattered powered by an old whining generator holding on by it's teeth and planted jaggedly in the centre was a grand church, it's facade stained with sand and blood marks, and marks of the Bouncer, the horrific creature who planted us her had left on its' once respected walls.

"Well, were one step away from being fucked Sam groaned out as he felt his side grimacing, though mostly at the fact there was another hole in his shirt probably. I passed him a healing potion with my wing as I downed one myself. Reloading both of my pistols we walked forward to the great carved oak door that stood arched like a turned shield. Sam walked forward and pushed down the oxides copper handles, wincing slightly as the screamed from disuse and age. They opened slowly giving the sound of an old ship in a storm, creaking as they opened wide.

"Sanctuary." I said ironically under my breath. We walked forward into the church, it was black as the night, ironic considering who it was for. I walked to a small cabinet that managed to still be lit by the excavation light outside. Hundreds of candles sat inside waiting it seems for the next mass, tough I felt that would ne'er come to this place. I pulled out a few of them and pulled out my lighter lighting a few into the stands on the walls, Sam doing the same for the centre and the back and front wall. Lit up we looked over the grand hall of the church.

Dark oak pews sat slowly rotting row on row like ribs along the sine like path, whose sandstone floors once polished beautiful now lay dulled and cracked. Great stained glass windows, depicting beautiful and brave scenes say backed by sand and rock, small piles of sand forming below the corners were it wore through the ancient putty, cluttering up the sides of the church. A metal bordered door stood proudly at the back of the room red wood carved depicting a beautiful scene, entirely ruined by the feverish rot that has worked its' way from the centre out tearing it away and ruining the masterpiece.

I walked to the rotten door, looking right to the centre of the back room where the sermons were given the gold pedestal covered in an unknown grease and blood, caked by age into a disgusting film over the once 'holy' thing. Pushing open the old door it groaned then crumbled, the wood falling out leaving only meal bracers and pegs, making it look like a jail door.

"How fitting." Sam yelled from the back as he looked over at the door. I nodded in agreement that walked forward up the old stairs behind it. The stairwell was wide and tall leading up to an over hand in the church were decking lay above the floor below, patchy through age and worn through time. On the back wall above the sermon rotunda, sat a large organ, silver and Ivory sat proud and somehow clean an new, but rust looked like it was now beginning to lick its' lips and it gained its' first bites on the giant instrument.

"Hey Sam how about you play us a song, make it something loud and ominous, after all this is a death march." I said as he turned his head up to look at me. "After all, I doubt we could survive this." He nodded sadly as he returned to looking through the ruins on the floor occasionally picking up something and inspecting it but quickly dropping it again.

I turned back to the stairs and looked up at it, it continued on for a longer while before coming to a large vaulted tower cap and sat proudly in the belfry still safe from sand and debris was a heavy and proud bell a stamp placed proudly on the side displaying:
'New Oreins Metalwork's with the date of manufacture worn away.
Funny I didn't know they had metal works there for the longest time, guess this was an early contender, or they replaced the bell, probably the latter.

I turned out to the roof of the church, it was covered in sand, the old slate roof holding strong though. Probably the only thing other than the roof that faired well was the organ. Well this is where I die, in an old Celestial church, trapped under a desert with Sam, to be killed by a Bouncer, at least I can tell when they are coming cause of that sound, clicks like a Bouncing Betty from pre-war, honestly did well to even survive to here, we are quite close to NMC after all, one of them would have caught our sent, guess it waited till there was only two of us to reduce the risk of us getting away and warning others of its' hunting grounds.

I walked back down the stairs watching them closely as I continued down, Sam was sat near the opposite the opposite side of the church looking hard at a large device in his hands.

"What's that?" I asked as I came up next to him drawing his attention as I stood next to him, eye level.

"Just some broken old energy weapon, think it was a old shotgun type thing pre-war, it's busted up but I wanted to see what I could do with it." He responded slightly cheerfully but despondency and sadness edged on his voice.

"Capacitors cracked, it won't be able to fire properly, best you could do with it without a new capacitor would be to make it a charge weapon, connect a few cells to it pull the trigger and it releases a super powerful blast." I responded darkly as I looked over the church floor planning in my head slowly trying to piece things together. Sam looked down at the broken rifle and bundle of wires and cells and cores and smiled, he started connecting and bolting wires together fusing them with candle heat, he bolted candle holders to the side as connectors and holders for cells. Wires danced over the thing like spider webs held down by wax, electrical tape and metal braces.

As he loaded in the cells the weapon began giving off a evil hum and the cells jittered in their holders. It wobbled slightly in his paws but he held it steady. He pulled it to his shoulder and looked sown the makeshift sight he made out of and old camera lens and a coin he filed down.

"That looks like it could explode at any moment." I said as he held it in his hand inspecting it.

"Doesn't matter, as long as it does some damage, it will do." He said solemnly as he looked over the malicious device again.

"Well I have an idea of how we can kill this thing, you want in?" I asked Sam as he rose from the floor and wiped dust of his knees.

"Don't really have a choice do I now?" He said as he looked out through the door to the open chasm. The excavation light flickering as he did so.

"Not really, but I thought i'd humour my manners by asking." I responded sardonically as I smiled at him.

-----------------------------

We spent half an hour preparing, we set up the excavation lights around the church making the light focus on it. I stood out in the centre of the chasm pistol drawn and loaded waiting. I heard it shortly after, the small spring and clink that it made when it lept, raised my pistol and fired as I jumped from the floor out to me, I jumped backwards and flew into the church, it followed me in and tore though the rotten pews, I rained down fire at it swapping to my magic pistol when the first ran dry, reloading it with my wing as I did so.

"Now!" I yelled through the grip of my pistol, Sam took the que and slammed his paws down on the organ keys blaring sound through the church and the chamber. The Bouncer screamed and writhed but quickly got up and tore after me again, slashing after me desperately, disorganised. It struck up at the ceiling and tore down the southern side of the veranda, leaving the east side of it to slope down like a stair. The roof began to rattle and sand began slipping through the gaps falling on the Bouncer making it more confused.

It finally locked itself on me and sprinted to me I darted up the old stairs firing down to it, trying to draw it up. It followed after me tearing up the stair after me destroying the stair after it climbed the stone tumbling to the floor. I reached the belfry and lept to the top of the grand bell at the top of the tower, my impact causing the knocker to wobble and ring the bell, the Bouncer ripped though the old wooden floor and clasped at the bell scratching at it leaving deep heavy gashes, its' tunnelled mouth trying to reach at me, it's white skin bursting in places.

"Well then beastie, let's have a crescendo!" I shouted to it as I pulled up my magic pistol and shot the chain holding the bell, Just as the organ stopped.

It fell instantly hitting what remained of the wooden floor quickly then falling again landing on broken stair still remaining before landing on the ground trapping the beast underneath it, causing it to let out the highest wail yet, the organ then gave out it's highest wail yet causing the roof and the tower to shake above and the chasm outside rumble.

"How's this for a four gun send off!!" am shouted from the banister as he fired the makeshift rifle at the Bouncer, it hit just in the mouth blowing out the back of his head splattering the bell, and me with gore. The decking beneath him then began to groan and creak before it all fell down the organ falling fast to the empty space below and crumpling slightly but still standing proud. Was is with that organ is it possessed?!. Sam rose from the rubble smiling at me, then the chasm outside clumped in on itself and the sand on the roof stopped pouring, sunlight now seeping in.

Sam looked sheepishly at me and asked nervously,

"Overkill?"

"Nah, prepared caution." I responded dismissively waving a hood at him from on top of the bell, gurgling coming from the bouncer.

"Also it's four gun salute, not sendoff. And really, one-liners honestly I didn't think you would sink that low." I responded with mock disappointment. He looked at me insulted and shouted back,

"You did one!"

"Ah, but that is because I am good at them. You? Ehhh." I said waving my wing in a 'so-so' gesture. He went red in the face then slumped down smiling at me happily. I glided down from the bell and next to Sam watching him grimace at the gore spattered of over my face, I pulled out a cloth from my saddlebags and wiped down my face and barrel, throwing the now bloodstained cloth over the bouncers head.

Ole

I grabbed Sam under the arms and flew up the now ruined stairwell, more now a tower than a stair. We reached the empty belfry and looked out, the sand had fallen into the pit leaving a empty bowl of sand still unstable and rocky, the tower looking out in all directions over it and the roof bare, sand only just covering the windows. The copper wind vein the shape of a sun now turning in the light wind glinting in the strong sunlight.

"Valhalla in Hel verlassen" I uttered under my breath as I looked over the ridges and dips before me.

------------------------

We got out of the pit a little while later and started walking back. Sam was going o about the stories he could tell to Oxide and the patrons at his bar, he had someone else running it at the moment while he was out apparently. And other tiff and tat about how this would be brilliant. I was mainly happy that I could say I have killed two bouncers in my lifetime, most ponies who are still alive have only ever seen one, let alone killed one.

"Hey Pilot!" Yelled a voice from the left. I turned my head and I saw Eisca walking towards me happily.

"Business mare, or comic book villain?" I asked flatly as she approached.

"The former today. Just looking for something to inspire me, saw you take down that Bouncer, well heard it and saw the sand flump down." She said smiling widely as she looked over to the site in question. She then turned to Sam, seeing his confused and nervous expression. "Oh, don't worry I'm not here to fight just to chat, we do this some times, there is a reason why we are like we are and that is because of the fact we both know what could happen each time we meant and whether we can be bothered today, this is a cold feud, filled with violence yes, but not much really progresses." She consoled him making his face become even more confused.

"Well it was lovely to chat, see you later dear, ta!" She said as she waved her hoof in goodbye and teleported quickly away. Sam turned to me said firmly;

"Everyone who you have know for awhile is absolutely fucking nuts!"

"Yup, it's a requirement for the position." I said as I rolled out some smoke weed and placing one in my mouth and holding one out in a wing. It was quickly zapped out of my wing and replaced by a note with: 'Thanks, love!' written in looped horn writing. I lit my roll-up an breathed it in as we returned to walking.

"I feel like I should be concerned, but in reality I'm not, rather pleased actually." I said calmly as we looked over a empty camp a few miles from NMC, filled with Steel Rangers littered about torn through by gunfire and claw marks. The camp was set to be able to serve at least twenty five soldiers, and here they all are slaughtered like rabid dogs. "Pitiful display soldiers, pitiful."

"Who are you to judge?" Asked a voice weakly from a tent, quickly followed by a hacking cough. II walked into the tent and looked at the speaker, he was a gangly stallion but proud faced, with iron set eyes, though weak through blood loss. He was laying down in steel ranger barding, a torn suit of power armour sat crippled in the westernmost corner.

"An old soldier, one who you should have heard of considering your squad emblem. I never thought I would see a Switchboard Ranger out here." I replied simply sneering at him. This caused him to start and look up at me nervously.

"How do you know that name? They changed it years ago, the only ones who ever knew it were the Ecla-" He stopped upon noticing my wings, he gulped and I smirked at him, allowing my teeth to show in a malicious grin.

"You're that Special Forces leader aren't you?" He asked nervously as he shook, both from blood loss and fear. I nodded to him.

"I resigned after the Lightbringer had her little, 'justified genocide' moment, but yes, speaking." Our little chat was cut short however when Sam burst in and saw the colt, more fitting in my opinion, and pulled out a healing potion.

"What are you doing?" I asked irritated as he knelt beside the ranger.

"Helping him; obviously, why wouldn't I?!" I responded sarcastically.

"No good will come of it." I said flatly as he poured the potion down the rangers throat. "Should have just gave him a bandage and left him be." I added bitterly. The ranger gasped as his wounds slowly healed I grimaced at his twitching and writhing at the pain, honestly boy. You are a soldier! Act like it! Ignore the pain unless it will kill you.

He rose up after groaning as he did so, a final crack coming from his spine as it reset into place.

"Ahaaa." He whimpered out a tear pricking his eye. He looked over at us and smiled at Sam.

"Thanks, I might have died if not for you." He thanked kindly.

"I'm sure Pilot would have helped... eventually." He returned awkwardly "So don't give me too much credit."

"I wouldn't have." I said darkly looking deeply at the young colt causing him to flinch under my gaze. "Anyway, soldier, field report: who attacked you, when, and how can I send them a gift basket and the business card for a funeral planner." The coffee coloured stallion looked at me irritated by my joke but responded nonetheless.

"Group called the Two Stars, they cornered us and gunned us down with ballistic weapons letting these further mutated hellhounds on us, tore us all to shreds." He recounted morn-fully.

"Those nuts? Well what were they here for?" Sam asked as he looked over the tent looking for something for the coffee stain.

"They were going on about how they were going to take over territory from some mare named 'Eisca' they thought we were hired guns." He finished hatefully.

"Well, they won't be around much longer, we just saw Eisca a little walk away. So that little meeting will happen soon and I already know the winner, and just when she said she was bored too." I replied to him as I sat down in a bullet riddled armchair. "Lucky girl." I added as I pulled out my hip flask and took a long draught of it. The ranger took on a shocked expression and yelled out;

"What?! We need to help we sho-" As he was doing this I was counting down with my wing, holding up three pinions, two, one:

BOOM

Both the SR and Sam both jumped at that and looked in the direction of it, seeing a rising pillar of smoke through a tear in the tent.

"Told you, wouldn't be around much longer." I said to them as I swigged down the last of my gin. "Well, we're done here, Sam come on." I shouted to him as I left the tent

"But what about him, we should hel-" Sam yelled pleadingly. I rounded on him and shouted;

"They murdered foals SAM!"

"_What"

"They murdered foals at New Pegasus, I was on an expeditionary and they were butchering foals in lines, and the ones that they didn't had to watch their friends and family get killed as well." I responded furiously. Sam looked down in concentration, conflicted, he looked at the colt who looked away shamefully, not even daring to attempt a response.

"We should still help, I doubt he was there, and we should be better than them." He insisted still conflicted but looking like he thought this would be better. I looked deadly at him and responded darkly;

"You'll get no help from me, I will stay by you but I will not help him, even if you do, I will simply watch." He looked at me firmly but nodded.

"Okay, that's fine." I sneered at the colt again and turned away from him. I walked out of the tent and looked over the decimation of the Rangers, I walked for a step then my hoof hit a helmet from one of them, I looked at it, shattered visor, torn side and bullet marks decorating the relic. I looked at it distantly and stamped down on it causing it to crinkle up like a beer can.

"I hope you find the hell you deserved you fucking monsters."

We left the camp after the Ranger pulled together some armour from all the stray pieces that were left around, the result was a mishmash of power armour pieces of different versions mixed together, all different colours and modifications making him look like a deformed monster, the latter certain in all cases.

He lagged behind us like a wounded puppy, staying close to Sam but far from me, all the better in my opinion. He tried soon after we were a few miles from the camp to talk to Sam.

"I wasn't there when that happened by the way." He said weekly, but still matter-o-factly. Sam turned to him and said calmly,

"I didn't think that you were."

"And everyone told me that there was a good reason why that happened, why they did what they did," He said now more confident "they were all against the BoS they wanted to destroy us and take everything we worked for, to destroy us." He said pleadingly as he looked at Sam.

"All the more reason why I side with them." I said flatly drawing their attention. "You were tyrants in that area, same as everywhere else, you deserve to fall."

"But we changed we care about people now! We are Applejacks Ra-"

"DON'T FEED ME THAT BULLSHIT!" I shouted to him from the front. "A name change and a lick of paint doesn't change your nature, you are monsters who murder, maim and control without thought. You are just as bad if not worse than us, you don't have the moral high ground. If anything you are in a valley." I finished still looking ahead.

"We shouldn't fight, we need to get back then we can go our separate ways." Sam said putting himself between us. I looked at him coolly then responded sourly;

"Ve'ra." I looked over at the colt and watched him flinch under my gaze. "I will never forgive you or anyone in the Brotherhood of Steel, and neither will you understand that I am right to do so." He simply stayed silent at that, we continued walking on the sun flying weakly over the horizon, like a broken plane holding on but failing.

Quest completed: Peer Gynt, suite No. 1:
Survive the Bouncer with Sam and kill it, making sure to escape, damage resistance increased by 10 when underground or in buildings, crafting makeshift weapons is 50% faster and costs less.

Unique Item Crafted: MG W^atts rifle
A homemade rifle made from capacitors, church candle holders and an old magic shotgun supplied to construction crews in hazardous areas.

I don't want to set the World on Fire!

View Online

There have been immeasurable casualties in war. And just as many travesties. From poison gas to concentration camps, from civilian bombing to balefire bombs, no one is innocent of every horrible act possible in war, no matter how they may page themselves as saints or 'the good guys' we are all monsters, and have done monstrous things, even the Ministry of Peace committed experiments on ponies and invented megaspells, delivering them to the zebra's pre-war, I found that on an old memo, but I doubt she intended war, she was naive after all, most of the ministry mares were.

But enough deferring from my point. While war may change it's reasons, it's tools, it's very participants. One thing never will; the travesties committed by both side of the conflict. That does not mean however, that they should be ignored.

This monologue I constructed while we were continuing to walk back to Goodwater the colt tagging along now further away from me after my reprimand of him earlier. Sam wore a worried look on his face as we walked in silence, a small wind whistled across the canyon walls the multicoloured stone making it look like an ancient sea.

"I didn't want to come here." The colt said weakly as he looked up at the canyon walls. "I heard how there was an Enclave base here before and I though this region would be entirely against us but when we got past the border there was just a small town built out of this huge skeleton, they said it was from a SandWinder, a big monster that got killed by the Enclave on a patrol a while ago." He looked forward at us again. "They said they were happy with that, that creatures like that were commonplace and that could still live here, we thought they must be really weak to make it so that normal ponies could be fine down here. Our hubris was our downfall, as it nearly always is." He looked down at the floor as stayed silent for a while before saying weakly:

"We were rejected form Applejacks Rangers at first you know." He paused for a second then followed with, "They had heard about what we did in New Pegasus, didn't want anything to do with us. But we got in eventually, but we were always shunned, after all, how could the group who wants to protect people, fully accept those that were contempt to butcher stallions, mares, colts and fillies just to hold onto some bloody computers at a stupid casino!" He stomped hard on the ground tears beginning to prick on his eyes now.

He turned to me quietly keeping his head low.

"Did they at least have a good reason, was their some good tech there, was it in anyway justified?" He asked, begging.

"No, three terminals, one version 2000 MK IV pip-buck with a damaged screen, and two dozen spark batteries." I looked at him hard "Same as at a dump, less than at a robotics shop." He slumped down further as we continued to walk and I called out to him.

"You were there, weren't you. Not as a soldier, but as a victim. I remember you now, the sickly looking coffee coloured colt, cracked half moon spectacles on your muzzle connected by a rusted gold chain screaming for help. Dragged away by the fleeing Switchboard Rangers, your mother on the ground, gutted and raped, the order uncertain, traces of forced overdose present in many ponies and creatures around her and bullet wounds on those who didn't have them. " I looked up at the sky seeing a outline of a carrion flying overhead, the cockroach of the sky, "Ironic, kidnapped by those who killed and destroyed all you knew and when someone says they were wrong to do so you disagree. " I chuckled quietly and added "Sounds like a corny sitcom plot."

"You shouldn't laugh at that." Sam said chidingly as he looked at me. I turned my head to him boredly and responded;

"I was there, and I wasn't laughing then, it wasn't funny." I looked forward again and started walking "Still isn't"

--------------------------------

We continued on walking after this little discussion, the colt hanging back still but his head now hung to the ground, near dragging it along.

"Why is it that up North it is a lot wetter in most places yet here it is arid?" Sam asked, trying to break the silence, he looked a bit overwhelmed.

"The rain collects up in the mountains then falls as rain but it only happens on one side, since we are on the other side there is low moisture and little rain occurs, that happens in some areas for northern equestria, but not always." I quickly responded.

"How do you know that?" The, you know what, it's boring calling him that, takes too much time, Coffee, as that is his name now: asked. I looked at him with a 'really mate' expression and unfurled my wings and gestured to them.

"Pegasus mate, kinda used to control the weather. Till little miss Rash decisions up there decided she would become a giant fucking thorn in our side, and not accept a pip of complaint." I looked back to him and added: "And yes, that was a pun. Shh."

"Oh, yeah. What was that about the Lightbringer? You sound like you don't like her very much." Coffee asked.

"I simply find it ridiculous how a mare can destroy and entire culture dooming thousands to death, then not even considering that she should guide them about what they should do, or morals, she just takes their responsibility away from them, like a bad mother with a struggling child." I was silent for a moment before adding on. "And the fact I hate the idea of heroes and villains. I don't believe in the idea, of 'All good', 'All bad'." I finished finally.

"Eh, makes sense, I appreciate what she did but, really, Lightbringer, sounds like something out of a kids comic book or a old religious text." Coffee agreed.

"I saw her once." Sam put in as we walked.

"Really?" I asked curious as we walked.

"Yeah, when I was out exploring the North, a few years ago, I was bored and wanted to taste some adventure. I saw here at that slaver camp she fought at near New Applaosa, where she fought the alicorn thing. Can't remember the colour though."

"Did you talk with her?" Coffee asked looking at Sam wonderingly.

"Nah, thought she was not long for the world, whoo boy was I wrong." He responded casually.

"Think she died once and then came back to life, or was that Security? They are quite similar sometimes." Coffee asked as we walked now parallel with us, I'll let him have it.

"Security. See I can respect her a little more, but mainly cause she worked as a public servant in her vault and how she acted, plus she had to deal with some hardships a lot worse that that priss up in the tower." I responded.

"Oh yeah, how many times did she die? Four? Five?" Coffee returned.

"Yeah around that." Sam responded.

"Seems a bit gratuitous, you know dying so many times, like a plot in a hero story where the hero never dies no matter what, and come back to life if they do." Coffee said analytically.

"Yeah, but you could say that about us. Always moving from one adventure to the next, no filler, it's like our world is being written by some un-experienced author who has trouble with writing simple casual and slice of life moments." I added.

"STOP CRITICISING ME AND GET ON WITH THE STORY!"

"What was that?!" Sam shouted

"But Sir, how are we supposed to do th-"
"Don't worry about it, I'll deal with it."

We looked down and saw the voices were coming from and old sand blasted intercom, the speaker still crackling waiting for something to announce.

"Oh...well that is...awkward." Sam said as he looked down at the speaker.

"Yup."

"Well let's move on." I broke in, striding forward. Coffee once again began to shuffle behind us.

"It's more annoying when your behind me, just stand up here yah' wuss." I called back to him and he smiled slightly and trotted up to walk beside us.

"Anyway," Sam pushed in "I didn't know that you served outside of the Dusts." He said curiously putting his paw under his chin and adopting a mockingly over-dramatic inquisitive expression.

"Of course, I served lots of places but mainly over the edges of Equestrian borders really never much inland. Though I did once fly over the Zebra lands. Looked like there was some sort of civil war happening over there." I responded flat toned.

"I served up in Hoffington for two weeks before we joined Applejack's Rangers, well they didn't exist then. It was a resource run, but we left quickly, our main Paladin went insane after a short while so we abandoned the site." Coffee said nervously.

"Look at me, surrounded by former Militia members, I feel like a pre-war executive." Sam said loftily a great smirk on his face.

"Not that good." I said quickly,
"Yes quite bad." Coffee added.

"Hey!" Sam yelled to us but we just laughed and he eventually joined in.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We were near a settlement East of GoodWater when we decided to get some supplies. The settlements name was Oil-Cat named after a pre-war biker gang that used to hang around the area, though I am fairly sure it used to say 'Rat' but faded so much it became 'Cat'. It was built out from an old rest stop, old coolant pumps standing rusted in the centre. Vendors cluttered around the edges of the town in ramshackle buildings, made from old skywagon and tank parts and assorted scrap.

It was the last stop for most wanting to be forgotten so lots of their stuff wound up here, though some of it it more questionably obtained. Everyone here was strong enough to not be killed by the others, that is how you survived at Oil-Cat.

"Howdy there strangers!" Yelled a kind southern accented voice. We turned over and saw a white dragon with blonde scales styled in a short haircut, I don't know what it would be called, wearing a clean navy jacket and waistcoat over a clean shirt with similar colored trousers a green belt and white and black leather boots, spurs on the back. A white stetson with scorch marks on one side on his head.

"What brings y'all here ta' Oil-Cat, pleasure, business or are you after someone?" He asked cheerily waving his arms around as he spoke.

"Supplies, that's all." I responded and walked over to a stall. Don't engage he looks like a nutter but if we leave him be-

"Who's askin'?" Sam asked harshly. Noooo! You, idiot!

"Oh, I am the new mayor of this beautiful town." He responded quickly a smile spread across his muzzle showing his ridiculously white teeth, though there were a lot of silver ones.

"No your not! You just came in one day and said you are!" Yelled one of the stalls the others agreeing.

"Tamato, tomato. Anyway, you seem a bit defensive there friend, somethin' botherin' you?" He asked Sam leaning on him a slightly curious look on his face.

"I'm not defensive, I just don't trust random strangers with my business that is the way out here or did you not know that?" Sam replied jerking away from the white dragon casing him to nearly fall over before restoring his balance.

"Can I have some water and food?" I asked the teller as the three stooges decided to continue their discussion.

"Sure, 40 caps for all we have for sale, or you can have it for free if you get rid of 'im." He responded jerking his head to The dragon.

"Get rid of him how?" I asked. He took the hint.

"Just take him with you, he is your problem after that. He's driving us up the wall and he unnerves some of the customers. Bad for business." I nodded and looked back over to him.

"Fine, we'll take him. But I want the food now, not later."

"O'course, here." He dumped some boxed goods and hardtack on the counter and I stored it in my saddlebags.

"So, what is his name then? Never got it." I asked as I arched my head backwards to look at them. They were still arguing among themselves, it was like looking a puppies fight. Deadly survival trained, and military trained in one case, puppies but puppies nonetheless.

"Flowers, odd name I know but most of us just call him 'Vic' saw him wearing a shirt with a tag that red as that so we just kept that." I looked at him flatly.

"That's stupid, he could have took that from a corpse."

"We know, but still." He returned weakly. I sighed and placed a hoof over my face groaning slightly.

"Best to get this over-with." I turned my head to Flowers and yelled; "Hey Flowers, you have been voted out of office, want to come with us? We are politicians, well technically." He looked at me and lit up his eyes basically becoming stars.

"Really?!" He said happily as a huge smile dawned over his muzzle. He lept at me.

"No,no,no,no,no-Argh!" I yelled as he tackled me and hugged me dearly in a bea- dragon hug, dragon hug not bear.

"He,he,hee." He chuckled.

"I regret this immediately, not even a minute in, and I regret it."

--------------------------------------------------------

"Why are you taking him with us again?" Coffee asked as we walked Sam agreeing with;

"Yeah, I thought you didn't like anyone."

"Just ponies, and we are taking him because it made it so I didn't have to pay for the supplies." I responded matter-o-factly as we walked.

"So I was a coupon?" Flowers asked.

"Yep, but you have been removed as mayor, apparently you disturbed the customers." I responded

"You shouldn't be so blatant with stuff like that!" Sam chided as we walked. I looked at him satarenly and he sighed and dropped it.

"Well, now that that is done, nice to meet you Flowers, or would you prefer Vic as everyone back there did?" I questioned looking to him.

"I don't rightly mind, long as you don't call me Petal. Last jackass 'did that found himself deeper than the worms 'if-fin y'all know what I mean." He responded calmly. I nodded and we continued walking for a bit Sam and Coffee going into a discussion with Flowers over something. Any second now, there will be something any second now, there always fucking is.

I gazed out over the surroundings, it was empty, no stirring of dusts no rumbling of ground. Huh. Guess there isn't anyth-
Now! I internally yelled and whipped my head around. There was nothing I turned my head back around grumbling. We kept on walking for a while the three behind chattering away like housewives.

-------------------

"So, Sam, what is Miss Light like?" Flowers asked me looking curiously at me occasionally sneaking a look ahead to observe the old pegasus mare in question who twitched when I thought that and succinctly muttered i'm not old. I ignored that abnormality and turned to Flowers to respond.

"I don't know everything, but she is tough, and good at public speaking and quite frightening when she so desires. She openly admits she doesn't like ponies, preferring any other species to them." I returned my gaze to looking ahead from Flowers and continued walking.

"I wonder why that is." Flowers questioned arching his head up and staring up the sky his hat loosening from his head as he did so, threatening to fall off.

"I think I know," replied Scrap, I bet Pilot refused to call him by his name, probably just calling him by his coat colour.

"Really, what do you think is the reason?" I asked Flower nodding with me curious.

"The New Pegasus massacre, as she was telling you about Sam, before Flowers came along. The Switchboard rangers came and slaughtered everyone there, including my mother apparently, and kidnapped me, she watched me get taken away but was told she was not allowed to assist any of the survivors by her superior, I think that is where her loathing comes from."
Scrap finished on looking morbidly towards the leading mare ahead.

"I heard about that whole thing," Flowers said in a level tone "Enclave got blamed for years before AppleJack's rangers admitted it was some of their ranks a few years ago when the formed, they said the Switchboard did it as well." He finished declaratively "Must have been hard, getting blamed for something for so long even though you came there to stop it, turned into a symbol of monstrosity even though you came to help, guess that prob'ly is the reason why she is as she is."
Flowers finished his vice thoughtful. We all looked forward at the mysterious mare ahead, she had her cards so close to her chest you could say they were sewn into her skin, or maybe welded into her metal ribs.

"She is still tough as coffin nails despite all that." Scrap commented as we walked. I chuckled and responded;

"You never know she might be made of them." I replied cheekily. This drew odd looks from the other two.

"What do y'all mean by that?" Flowers asked incredulously. I looked back to him a little play of realisation and mirth playing on my face.

"Ah, you have yet to see that area of bad assery she holds, you see a little while ago one of her enemies ordered someone to kill her, she was shot 76 times point-blank almost died so one of our friends Digit replaced most of her organ with mechanical parts and then gave her some magic projection thing to make it so she looks normal." I replied dramatically, leaning over the each of them.

"Shit." Flowers said aghast looking over at Pilot a speck of fear and awe in his eyes.

"I kind of expect it from her." Scrap said monotonely. This drew mine and Flowrs attention.

"What do you mean?" I asked him, after all he had only just properly met her today.

"Well anyone you ask around here in the Enclave or most of the members of AppleJacks Rangers who worked near the edges of Equestrias borders have probably met her and she was the highest authority of the New Marexico Enclave Specail forces, she was second only to the President after all." He admonished calmly.

"Huh guess your right." I responded satisfied.
----------------------------------------
"Sing my praises some more why don't you" I yelled back to the three of them making them all flinch.

Fallout equestria: Wounded

by RealDigital dynamit

Ain't that a kick in the head!!!

Praise the princesses and pass the ammunition!

Pistol Packing Mamma

Hall of the Mountain King

I don't want to set the World on Fire!