It has been 150 years since the bombs ended the world. One stallion that entered the stables was Even heart, son of an insane serial killer that was publicly executed. Our story from the Equestrian Wasteland follows his direct descendant, and leader of a secret cult devoted to the serial killer mare. Can the Order of Belldam hold fast in the wastes? Only time and pray can tell.
It had been one hundred and fifty years since the sealing. Stable twenty-four had barely managed to be sealed before the smoke and radiation of the Manehatten balefire bomb was set off. In the mayhem of those ponies that would become ancestors of the new ponies of the Equestria Wasteland was one red unicorn stallion with strange eyes. Even Heart had somehow earned access to the Stable program even with his history of being the son of serial killers. From this one crazed stallion among many other fearful ponies, The Order of Belldam was born.
Scythe wandered the halls of Stable 24 with his usual morose expression. Scythe was blessed with the red hide and fringe brown mane of his family’s most beloved ancestor. Scythe looked from room to room as he made his rounds. He was tasked with being one of the Stable’s guards. A job he only did just for the access to areas it granted him. The atrium was in full swing with another cutie mark celebration. Tiny colts and fillies frolicked around their friend who had just come of age by stable law. Scythe stopped a moment to take in the event. This was one of the few things that eased his mind, many among the adult and foal ponies where some form of relation of his. Being in isolation for a century and a half and really began to saturate the gene pool. Two ponies stuck out to him though. The first was a young earth pony colt with medium buckskin hide and orangey red hair. This was Scythe’s orphaned cousin. He hadn’t received his cutie mark yet, and frolicked without worry like any other foal. The other was a mint green unicorn mare with pink and white short hair. She was serving confections to everyone, her lollipop cutie mark apparent as she passed ponies with a levitating plate of treats.
Scythe could feel warmth growing within his own horn. It was no question to those within Scythe’s inner circle that he had a fondness for the mare. Lollimint was a pretty and ever optimistic mare. She was a gem among Stable 24’s herd. She was pursued by many stallions, but she always found more interest in her confections than their affection. Scythe had tried his hand at catching her attention many times over the years. They had become good friends, but nothing more. He wished she would accept his affection, or at least join his family’s cause. But, the cause was strictly a family secret never to be shared with the common pony. His family had even taken strict records of their genealogy over the years to keep track who was family and who wasn't. At least half the stable was in some way part of the family line.
Scythe moved on from the party without a word to any pony there. He had worked to do. Tonight would be the end of Stable 24, and he had to make sure everything was in order for the event. The time had finally come to finish what Even Heart started soon after he entered the stable over a century ago. Scythe placed the ear piece in his ear and switched to a data file downloaded into his pipbuck when he came of age.
A familiar stallion’s voice began his soothing lecture that had been passed down for generations. It was Even Heart’s voice that said, “My mother was an amazing mare. She had once spread happiness throughout Equestria with her flights of fantasy. At least…this is what many ponies had said she was like. The mare I knew was quiet and cunning. She kept me close and whispered dark fantasies in my ears since I was a foal. My mother was a killer. She would take ponies that had wronged her or those around her off the streets. Deep in her secret workshop she slowly destroyed them and remade them as living dolls, ponies that could not scream or tell their horrible tale. They could only wait in the shell she trapped their souls in. This eventually caught up with her. In my fifteenth year of life, she was finally found out by the royal guard. My mother, father, and her friend were all executed publicly as a cautionary tale of sadistic ponies. I was forced to eke out a living with every pony seeing me as the son of an insane mare. Her insanity was beautiful. Luckily, I was not alone. Her friend that had been executed had a daughter. Wild and headstrong, we combined our efforts to live among the prejudice.”
Scythe felt his coat bristle as the tale soaked in. He had heard it countless times over. This was part of the motivation of his family still today. He relaxed as the pause in the recording began the second half of the tale. Even Heart’s voice spoke again to continue with, “It was a miracle Sick Moves and I gained access in to the stable program. When the time came for us to retreat with the other ponies of Paintburg, we found ourselves sealed for our entire lives among many of the ponies that hated us. It was then Sick Moves and I began to rally our few friends left and began this order. We made a pact to stick together as a family and one day make all those ponies that couldn’t understand the chaotic justice of my mad mother’s art pay. That was the founding of The Order of Belldam. One day our numbers will surpass that of the common ponies in this stable. When the conditions are right to break free of the stable, and our numbers are at its strongest, we will destroy all that are not of our order. The foals of our Order’s all-mother, Belldam, will inherit all the stable has to offer and the ruined Equestria beyond. We will sing her praises higher than the princesses. May those that serve her be blessed with her insightful madness, and powers no earth mare should ever have had!”
As the recording ended, Scythe was smiling as he made his rounds. The time had come to make Father Even Heart’s dream a reality. Scythe took pride in being born as the direct descendant of this stallion and to wear the likeness of Belldam as his natural looks. He was born with the madness, and the destiny to lead the order. The overmare had called a meeting merely nights ago that the outside was deemed as good as it was gonna get for life outside the stable. The time had come to strike. The Order of Belldam would wipe out ponies who wear the ideals of their ancestors with pride, ancestors that had celebrated the death of the all mother. Well, tonight the foals of the all mother will celebrate their deaths! This managed to keep the back laying thought from creeping back into Scythe’s mind. Lollimint was one of the ponies that would die in the assault. He knew time had run out to have her join the order. She was too pure for it anyways. She would reject their purpose and just ruin carefully laden plans. Maybe even blow the lid off of how many ponies over the generations had died mysteriously had all been murders of the order. Just a month ago Scythe and two of the other stallions of the order had deftly silenced a fellow guard that had stumbled over the meeting of the order.
The recording had eased the dull ache of losing Lollimint tonight. He wasn't completely broken up because he was consumed by his duty to the order, and a fantasy of getting the order to take her captive during the slaughter. She would hate him for the rest of her life. But, he could delight in the fact she still lived, a slave to the leader of The Order of Belldam, but alive nonetheless. Yes, he would have to check with the rest of the adult members of the order. Maybe some preemptive pony napping was in order. Just to keep the gene pool from going stale after their take over. He couldn't be the only pony that had a fancy for a pony that would soon be a casualty.
It was evening when Scythe managed to gather many of his warriors. Many delighted in the idea of capturing some stallions and mares for later. They could even use them as hostages to get an advantage in the purge. Seven ponies were marked for abduction. Three stallions and four mares would disappear without a trace tonight, and the rest of the stable will die before they are even missed. Systematically teams of three were sent to retrieve each pony. It was easy enough. Many of the ponies marked for capture was on a good basis with the order member that had requested their capture. After administering a sedative without detection, the other two ponies in each team would help their comrade collect the unaware captive.
Ginger Snap and Steel Yoke accompanied Scythe to collect Lollimint. The two stallions hung back a few doors from Lollimint’s quarters. Scythe tapped on the door of the unicorn mare’s home. Lollimint was drowsy with a messy mane when she answered. The evening was well underway, and she had obviously been asleep until he knocked.
“Scythe? What are you doing at this hour?” She asked drowsily.
“Just thought I would check on you while on my night patrol. You doing well tonight?” he asked tenderly. With a meek yawn she replied, “Besides a usually very brooding unicorn waking me up to ask me how I am doing, sleeping blissfully.”
Scythe laughed softly before he continued, “Well, you will be sleeping blissfully again very soon.”
With that said, Scythe slowly leaned closer to Lollimint’s muzzle. He had laced his with a sedative and taken a reversal to stop himself from falling prey to it. As he leaned in, Lollimint looked at him with drowsy confusion before leaning towards him. A jolt of ecstasy surged at the kiss, and a pang of guilt hit Scythe. She was willing to kiss him only to be betrayed. But, he would quell his guilt later. He had to focus on what mattered more than his feelings. The kiss seemed to end more quickly than he would have liked. Scythe would have preferred making this act of affection better before Lollimint’s life was turned upside down. The sedative was already showing its effect.
Lollimint swayed slightly as her eyes crossed and uncrossed several times. She wobbled trying to keep standing as she looked at Scythe questioningly. Scythe could see understanding beginning to sink in. She was beginning to understand he had drugged her. She opened her mouth to shout, but the sedative caught her cry before she could shriek. An aura of smoky grey magic surrounded her before she fell hard on the floor. Lollimint was gently levitated on Scythe’s back. He eased the aura of his magic as she was placed on his back. With Ginger Snap and Steel Yoke on either side, he began his trek to where the captives would be kept until after the assault.
Scythe placed a blanket over Lollimint as he took more time than necessary to get her sleeping form nestled into her spot in the secret lock down room. Over the years, the order had gradually broken open panels in the deeper parts of the stable to create somewhat habitual hidden safe rooms. The dark and dank room wasn’t the best they had, but it would serve well to conceal several sleeping captives. Scythe nuzzled his captive as she slept before he left to address his warriors. The room was sealed, locked down, and hidden behind a panel behind him.
Scythe looked over his fellow order members. Young and old, stallion and mare, they all stood before him with weapons raided from the meager armory of the stable. If they could walk and hold a gun, an order member was armed for battle. Scythe even saw his young cousin from the party looking upon Scythe with pride. The young colt held a beautiful steel and silver blade in his tiny muzzle. It was the only thing he could hold, and it was ceremonious with their mission. The blade had belonged to the all mother. Father Even Heart had somehow smuggled it in with him, and it was a precious heirloom for the order. The look of pure admiration on the young colt’s face as he gazed up at Scythe was the same as any young foal that looked up to another pony. It would have terrified a common pony to see this innocent feeling exchanged between a colt ready to kill for the stallion who led him into battle.
“The time has come brothers and sisters. We have trained and sang the praises of Belldam for generations to keep ourselves prepared for this moment. Our hearts, minds, and bodies have been hardened to be able to commit this act of ultimate madness. Tonight we rise to the dream of many followers before us. Fight until you die or not a soul outside the order is left. Spare no pony beyond this point. May they be stallion, mare, or foal, kill them all. It’s time to make their nightmares real. The time for madness and shadows to reign is now! Now, go forth and kill! Once we have killed them beyond a chance of winning, any leftovers are yours to delight in!” Scythe addressed his troops to be answered by hoof stomps and whoops.
The Order of Belldam struck swiftly after the followers split into their squadrons and began to systematically slaughter from all direction and corral frightened ponies further to the heart of the stable. Stable guards returned fire with the remainder of the armory blazing at the order as ponies stampeded to safe ground. No place was safe. It was only safer than the last place they were. Screams ringed through the halls as the halls many stable guards were defending was bathed in blood from the safer corridors. Ponies ran in a deadlock between the armored squadron the stable guards were shooting at and the safe room turned massacre by a group if the order’s melee forces. Hovered menacingly over his head with a smoky grey aura was a farming sickle Scythe wielded with proficiency. The stable guards that were trying to fend off the gun laden followers split ranks to fire on the blade wielding followers behind them. A few of Scythe’s best warriors wailed as they were torn apart before they could duck into a room for safety. Scythe stayed close to the doorway of the room he ducked in. One opening. That is what he needed. One opening to led a rush on the stable guards. Once they were killed, this hall would be another victory.
A neigh of panic answered his prayers to the all mother. The moment of confusion was enough to give the call for his remaining squadron members to rush the guards. Common ponies were knocked out of the way as the guards took priority. Among the hooves of the guards was Scythe’s little cousin wielding the heirloom blade. He managed to sneak through the ponies to cut deep just above the hoof of a guard pony. The guard ponies were jostled by the attack. The ones that weren’t killed by Scythe’s squadron ran right into the bullets of the other squadron.
In a matter of hours, Stable 24 was locked down in the atrium. Plated blinds were pulled down the windows and doors locked. A third of the ponies in the stable had died in the assault. Overmare Shining Heart and the majority of the stable guard surrounded the rest of the civilian ponies closed tight ranks as the doors rang loudly from The Order of Belldam’s attempts to bust in. Victory was merely a room away. Scythe couldn’t wait for victory to be declared, to wash down the grime of battle, and take his minty prize.
The door began to grind as the force of the followers collective attempts to bust the heavy metal door down. The groan of metal on metal, slowly scraping against each other, was followed by metal shaving littering the doorway. Shining Heart stood firm in front of what was left of her herd. All had seemed lost. This was their final stand, and she very much doubted the ponies she was protecting would make it. She raised her voice to proclaim, “My dear ponies, all I can say to you now is pray. Pray to the princesses for our safety. Whether that safety is from these cultists or a safe journey to our final resting place, pray my little ponies.”
It was then, in this dark hour, that light fell on the stable ponies. Security Engaged. It was then the metal slid from the ceilings above the atrium’s surrounding corridors. Turrets slung down and began peppering the followers with ammunition. Scythe and his followers barely scrambled away. The halls were filling with bullets and the children of Belldam. Scythe screamed for a retreat. All was lost. Somehow a pony had made it to the security bay. Scythe could have sworn they had cleared and blocked that area off firstly. As he continued to flee with bullets barely missing him, he saw an injured stallion run up to him.
The stallion gurgled out, “Hostages….escaped.”
Those dying words were all he needed to know what happened. The captive ponies escaped their hidden prison and ruined everything! Lollimint had returned his betrayal tenfold. Scythe bit back the bitter taste of his just desserts. He had to keep going. His family needed to get to their safe houses. He could already hear the stable guards charging with the cover of turret fire. The nightmares of the stable ponies have become the nightmare of The Followers of Belldam.
By the time Scythe reached the deepest depths of the stable only six of his followers were still with him, one of those six being his orphan cousin. The colt was frightened beyond belief. This night had started as the beginning of the new world order the colt was raised on. It was ending in being hunted down for following his family into battle. The guards were heard getting closer. The other five followers sensed the gravity of their situation. Most would be killed or captured for interrogation.
“Go on, Brother Scythe. Take Brother Crisp Coat, and head for safety,” Steel Yoke said.
Crisp Coat flinched as he heard his name. Scythe looked to the colt with the bloody heirloom knife. This was all they had left. Scythe gave a hard nod as him swooped down to grab Crispy Coat by his scruff. The other five followers turned to face the ever closer approaching guards as Scythe fled. They would die. They would most certainly die so he could make it to safety with Crisp Coat.
Three days. It had been three days since The Order of Belldam crumbled to next to nothing after the failed massacre. Three days since Scythe can only confirm safe guarding Crisp Coat from death or imprisonment. The safe room was too deep to be found if hidden in enough time. The last five followers had bought enough time for that to happen. There was enough smuggled food to keep them going for at least a month, and a line from the water talisman led right through the safe house. All in all, it was the best out of a terrible situation. Crisp Coat was still shell shocked from the whole ordeal. Poor foal was too young to cope with the loss of everything they knew. Scythe was only faring better because he had to do his best at staying strong in appearance. Well hidden or not, the cries of a distraught foal would be enough for any pony to investigate closer than they should. What time he didn’t spend watching for signs of them being discovered, Scythe spent consoling Crisp Coat.
Crisp Coat wept quietly into Scythe’s jacket. The colt was beside himself with grief. The warm, soft, body of his elder cousin was the only relief he had. Gone. All the little colt knew was gone in one night. He had been raised to praise the all mother and carry out her revenge. Now, his family was gone for living by their faith. Scythe nuzzled Crisp Coat as they lay in the back of the safe house. This was what they had done for three days.
“Scythe,” Crisp Coat said quietly.
“Yes?” Scythe replied.
“Did we do something wrong? Why did Belldam not protect us?” The little colt asked.
It was a difficult question to answer. Crisp had yet to come of age and hear the message of Even Heart. Even if they treated her like a deity, the all mother was never more than a mare. But, to the wide eyed colt, a highly revered mare of the past that his whole family held faith in for generations was a deity. How could Scythe explain to this little colt that his goddess did nothing to save them because she never could? Her only gift to her children was the madness. A beautiful and strange gift as it was, especially in unicorn descendants, but it was nothing that could stop bullets.
Scythe swallowed a hard lump in his throat before he answered, “Sometimes, not even All-Mother Belldam can guard her children from everything. When those ponies managed to get the security system on, Belldam was aiding us in opening the atrium door. I am sure she weeps for her lost children as they join her in the eternal madness.”
Crisp took this answer, and seemed to mull it over in his mind. It was acceptable. A pony could not be in two places at once, and that door was very strong. But, Belldam was very powerful. Surely she could have helped stop the ponies in the security room. The will of the all-mother was not Crisp’s duty to decipher. All he knew was he was alive. Belldam had seen to it that Scythe and he made it through it all. Crisp only hoped she could guide them to safety.
It had almost been a month now. A month since Scythe and Crisp Coat had fled to this safe house. Food was running low, and Scythe was faced with a grim decision to make. It was coming close to the time when the stable would open to reconnect with Equestria. Best case scenario was when the stable opened up he could sneak them out in the confusion. Worst case was they might die in some foal-hardy scheme. There was a medium plan. His tag made it possible for the remaining guard ponies to get a fix where he might be. Since they couldn’t find him, they patrolled these lower areas a lot. Most talked about him being dead by now, and giving up the search for some corpse attached to a pipbuck. Other times he heard what happened to the foals of the followers. The very young were sent into foster care by any stable pony that would take them. Most of the foals were either out of control or were old enough to be acolytes of The Order. These foals were set in detention and watched by anypony that could be spared to watch them. The Overmare still didn’t have a clue what to do with the foals of an extinguished cult. Most were milked for all the information they could on The Order of Belldam. What intrigued Scythe the most was what they said of Lollimint.
Turns out Lollimint had testified that she and the six other hostages had escaped because one of the hostage stallions was a maintenance pony. He had managed to override the system built to hide the safe house, and they escaped. The same buck had managed to work them a way to the security bay, and was manning the turrets against The Order. Lollimint had confirmed that it was indeed Scythe missing from the captured or dead. She had also spoken of Crisp Coat, and how she would take him in if found. She didn’t care if he was deemed too out of control. She wanted to ensure Crisp Coat could be led back down the “right and true” path. If she knew why we did this, if she could truly understand why we did this, maybe she wouldn’t believe we were as warped and crooked as the others thought.
But, this seemed to be the best option. When their food supply finally ran out, Scythe would wipe Crisp’s mind of this place and place him out in the corridor. It would zap Scythe of all his strength to destroy over a month of memories, but it was better Crisp Coat had a chance to live his life. He was a foal that hadn’t even received his cutie mark. To die in some literal hole in the wall for a failed vendetta was not his destiny. Death alone was better than the guilt of wasting away with Crisp starving in his hooves. The dawn of tomorrow would be the beginning of Crisp’s new life.
Lollimint rolled lazily in her sleep. Drool hung on her pillow and made a delicate tightrope of spittle from her mouth to the pillow. It had been a month since the attempted coup of the stable. Lollimint had finally got to a point where she could sleep peacefully again. She still had dreams that troubled her. But, these were dreams that once brought her comfort, and spurred on desire while she was deep in the illogic throw of her heat cycle. She had felt desire for the brooding stallion Scythe. She had just been too obsessed with her work to take the time to acknowledge him. When you are the first pony since the stable was sealed to be able to create mundane food stores into something new and exciting, you get caught up in the wonder of your own work.
Over this month though, Lollimint had been rethinking a lot of her decisions. She had heard the audio message recorded on all the pipbuck’s of the followers of Belldam. Their mission in life since the stable had been sealed. The meticulously kept archive of the family tree since the sealing was also disturbing. So many ponies over the years had held this secret, and Scythe was their leader. Had that been why he was always wearing that brooding look? He had been shouldering a cult on his withers. If she had approached him about how she felt, would that have changed his mind? No, if he was willing to launch mass murder on the stable, what would her love change about that?
BOOM! Lollimint bolted up in bed. BOOM! She squeaked as she scrambled with her blankets, which ended with her falling out of bed in a bundle of blankets and pony. BOOOOOOOOM! The security breach sirens began to ring out. Lollimint scrambled to her hooves. She grabbed her stable shirt and scrambled to put it on with her magic. The door slid open as she ran out of her quarters. Ponies were running in a panic. The air stunk with the smell of perspiration and panic.
“Metal ponies! Metal ponies are attacking!” some ponies were screaming through the living quarters.
That was when Lollimint heard the first shots. Flashbacks to the sight of slain ponies in the corridors came to her mind. Frightened for her life, Lollimint bolted down the corridor that led deeper into the stable. The stable ponies clamored all over the place. The cultists’ assault had lessened the population, but the shear panic still had the main areas clogged with ponies. Lollimint galloped through corridors and weaved through hordes of ponies. Any normal stable pony would be heading for the atrium or another safe area. But, Lollimint knew there was one place safer. Actually, as she made it to a deserted hallway that had the access stairs to the lower maintenance tunnels, she expected the other hostages to head this way.
Did they…Did they not make it this far? Lollimint shook her head as she banished those thoughts from her mind. The gunfire was getting closer, and so were the screams of panic. Lollimint bolted down the stairs in sheer panic. She had to find one of those safe houses. The lighting was drastically dimmer here. She couldn’t remember exactly where the safe house she was in was. Then she remembered it was dismantled to discourage anyone from using it again. If there was a time she wished one of the followers were still alive, it was now. But that wish died with Scythe’s disappearance. None of the pipbuck’s from the followers had a map of the safe houses. That information conveniently was considered to be on a mental basis only.
Lollimint ducked behind a machine as she took a moment to catch her breathe. It was then a little idea hatched. A bit of hope lighted her path as she searched for the tag of a lost cultist. There it was! Scythe’s pipbuck tag! It was a longshot, but maybe she could somehow find where Scythe was. She scrambled as quietly as she could through the underbelly of the stable. Her hooves softly clicked on the metal grates on the floor. Her adrenaline making minutes of tracking his tag seem like ages. The screams and gunfire above were lost to her when she reached a snag. The same snag that kept Scythe hidden or his corpse undiscovered. His tag stopped in the middle of a corridor. The walls had been searched for another safe house, but to no avail. Countless followers had been interrogated to no avail about the anomaly. The only answer could be there was some way in the walls elsewhere and Scythe was in the walls. Personally, the Overmare would rather he rotted in the walls than waste time hunting for him.
Lollimint walked up to the wall farthest from the stable. She was desperate. If Scythe was somehow living in the walls, she prayed he could hear her. She hoped hee would have atleast enough goodness in his black heart to save her. She shook as she got close to the wall, her muzzle almost touching the cold steel. She took a hard gulp as she collected her thoughts. This was her only shot. What was the worst that could happen? If she was wrong the metal ponies would eventually find and kill her. If she was right, Scythe might take his only chance to kill her for ruining his homicidal rampage. Lose lose situation. Time to try and choose her fate.
“S-scythe? Scythe! Please, if you can hear me, show yourself,” she begged the wall,” I know you must hate me for what I did. But, I couldn’t let you kill all those ponies! It doesn’t matter now. The stable has been attacked. Everyone is fighting or dying above us. I-I don’t want to die yet.”
Lollimint stood there with only the hum of machinery to stave off the silence. It bothered her that she might have failed. Her whole body shook with anxiety. It wouldn’t take too long for the invaders to explore this far. They would kill her, or maybe worse. Her pupils dilated as she slowly raised her head.
“PLEASE I AM BEGGIN YOU!” she screamed, “I know I have messed up our friendship. But, we will all die soon. I will do anything to not let it end like this. Even if you help me just to kill me yourself! Please, just keep them from finding me.”
Lollimint crumbled to the full in a fit of tears. It was pointless. The walls would not move for her as they did for The Order of Belldam. She wasn’t a half-crazed pony that knew hiding places within the very walls of the stable. Her fate would be sealed by the metal ponies. She was sobbing so much she was shaking. Lost in the anguish of her fate, she didn’t hear the panel of wall before her click and slid from its seamless disguise.
“You will do anything to not let it end this way?” a hauntingly familiar stallion’s voice spoke to her.
Lollimint quelled her sobs as she slowly looked up. As her head rose, Crisp popped his head out between Scythe’s legs. They looked like a mess from hiding in the walls for a month. But, they were the most beautiful stallion and colt Lollimint had ever seen at that moment! Slowly she started and soon erratically began shaking her head in agreement; Lollimint rose back on her hooves.
“Get in, and for the all-mother’s sake keep quiet,” Scythe implored, as he moved aside.
Lollimint scrambled into the safe house as quickly as her hooves would allow her. Crisp frolicked behind her. With one last look around, Scythe sealed the panel again. It took him the better part of an hour to get it sealed tightly without detection. It was just in the nick of time as two pairs of heavy hoofsteps filled the corridor, the odd sound of metal hitting metal with every step was…unnerving.
Lollimint lay in the back of the room clutching tightly to Crisp Coat. She was shaking as she heard them pass the entrance of the safe room. Scythe stayed at the door. He was so still Lollimint could have sworn he was holding his breathe in fear of discovery. As the metal ponies passed, Scythe heard them exchange words like they could sense their presence. Thank Belldam they assumed they were just vermin in the walls. He slowly turned to face his small herd. Lollimint looked on the verge of a complete breakdown. Crisp was nestled in her forelegs, and looking right at him for direction. Metal ponies. Scythe didn’t have a clue what to do about metal ponies. An access monitor was in the corner of the ceiling. The faint glow of Scythe’s smoky grey magic brought it to life. He began to have it flick through the feed of stable cameras.
Death. All Scythe saw was death on the video feeds. Giant ponies of steel were milling about corpses of the slain stable ponies. Many were ransacking the stable for technology. Subtitles were crossing where a pair were close enough for the camera to pick up audio. The muted monitor scrolled the text by as they spoke. The water talisman? They want the water talisman, and all the technology of the stable they can carry? This wasn’t good. Even if they survived this raid, fresh water was a must for survival. Scythe clicked off the monitor and levitated some tools from a discarded tool box.
“What are you doing?” Lollimint whispered.
“Saving our lives,” Scythe whispered back as he motions Crisp to come to him.
The young colt eagerly comes to his cousin. He stares up at him for direction with a smile as Scythe works with a vent close to the floor.
“Crisp, this is very important. This vent shaft leads to the water talisman. I am gonna open it up. You have to sneak through it quietly, get the talisman, and sneak back in here in enough time for me to close the vents before the bad ponies come for it. Can you do that for me?” Scythe explained in a low voice as he removed the first vent and began the harder work of trying to remove the screws for the second vent with just magic.
Crisp was eagerly shaking his head in confirmation and dancing on his hooftips in anticipation. The second grate came off less easily, and Crisp wasted no time scrambling through the foal-sized shaft. The tiny foal looked at the mechanism holding the water talisman in place. It was high up, for a foal, but this was his mission. Crisp scrambled up the machine. He began jimmying the talisman free when he heard strange voices heading closer. He fumbled with the talisman for a few moments longer than necessary before it popped off. Crisp jumped down and barely scrambled through the shaft opening before the voices reached the door.
It was a miracle Scythe got the vent opening on in time before they hacked the lock on the door. A bigger one they didn’t hear him screwing the second in place while they were shouting about the missing talisman. Scythe had to force himself to not pant with exhaustion as much as possible while they were close. This was an exhaustion of his power. He began to feel his eyes get heavy as the arguing escalated in the other room. He could see the fear and worry on both his companions’ faces. This was the closest to death they have come yet. The sapphire of the talisman glimmered in his heavily-lidded eyes before they closed.
It was dark when Scythe awoke. At first, he thought he had met his maker. The steel ponies had found them in his sleep, and soon Belldam would emerge from the gloom to lead him away. Where do ponies that commit mass murder in the name of justice go? Probably Hell. The princesses didn’t seem the type of goddesses to allow that to pass for “good pony”. Any second now Belldam will meander into view, in a blissfully mad way, and lead him to the place in pony Hell reserved for their family. Oh, there she is coming out of the gloom now. Funny, Scythe didn’t think Belldam looked like Lollimint at all. Wait…was Lollimint wandering dead too? But she was a good pony. Were her pony princesses so cruel to forsake her soul for one deal with him? That was just not fair!
“Scythe? You’re finally up. I’m so glad. Crisp and I were getting worried,” Lollimint said.
“Don’t worry. It seems we have all been sent to await our escort to Hell. Belldam should be along shortly to fetch us,” Scythe replied matter of factly.
“Scythe? W-what? We’re alive. The stable is on its reserve power protocol. We made it! The metal ponies are gone. But, we are…out of food,” Lollimint explained.
“Oh,” Scythe said as he paused for a moment, “Forget what I just said then.”
Lollimint giggled and patted his withers before saying, “Thank you, Scythe. You saved me from dying out there. You could’ve left me to die, but you didn’t.”
“Don’t forget your pact, Lollimint,” Scythe said, still as a stone, as she pranced to the door.
“Huh?” she replied as she looked back.
“You said you would give anything to not die at their hooves. You really think I will open that door and let you prance away just like that?” Scythe elaborated as a sickening grin was on his face as he turned to look at her. Lollimint felt a cold lump in the pit of her stomach all of a sudden.
“Oh, my dear Lollimint,” Scythe said as he got up and circled her, “Your life is indebted to me now. I already know how you will repay me for giving you a chance to live another day. Would you like to know how you will be keeping your end of the bargain?”
Lollimint felt sick to her stomach. Her head lowered in defeat. She had all but forgotten she was in debt to Scythe. She owed her life to a homicidal cult pony! With a sigh of defeat she mumbled, “What do you want, Scythe?”
“That is Master to you, my pet. I will be taking in return what I would have had if you little hostage ponies hadn’t destroyed my coup de ta. Lollimint, as long as we live, you are bound to me as my mare. This is how you will repay me for giving you a chance to live again. You will be my mare, and mine alone. If you wish to join The Order of Belldam, you may, but, only if you choose to follow her ways. If you choose to deviate from your pact and leave me, well…you have seen my handy work on ponies I deem no longer fit to live. Do I make myself clear?!” Scythe explained to his pet.
Lollimint glared at him with hot tears in her eyes. Scythe only smirked and flicked his ears dismissively. Her fury became her. If Crisp wasn’t in the room, he may have even made a pass at his new mare. He could only laugh with dark mirth as she said, “You’re an absolute bastard.”
“Mind your tongue, Lollimint. Crisp is still in the room. Do you accept these terms?” he replied with a smooth smile.
“I don’t think I have a choice anymore, do I?” she barked at him.
“No, my dear, the moment you accepted sanctuary from the steel ponies, your life was forfeit to my whims. And here I thought I would have to wipe Crisp of his memories of this whole ordeal, leave him out for you to take in, and die in this hole. If I didn’t know any better I would say I must have been a very good pony to get this instead,” he whinnied as she sighed in defeat.
“I can’t believe I used to be attracted to you!” Lollimint shouted. That stopped him in his gloating.
Scythe turned slowly with a quizzical look on his face. He stalked until he was barely touching his muzzle to her’s and asked, “What did you just say.”
“I…I said I WAS attracted to you. If you had been a good pony, and not a homicidal lunatic, maybe we could have been together without this dumb pact!” she shouted.
“If I was a good pony, I would have died not knowing that or had little time to enjoy it,” Scythe responded as he turned to fiddle with the door.
“En-enjoy it?!” Lollimint stammered.
“Filly, have you looked at yourself. If you gave me half the chance, I would’ve tried what every adolescent colt and stallion has fantasies of,” he replied off-hoofedly.
“Excuse you!?” she continued.
“Oh, don’t act like you didn’t just admit you thought about me tapping your flank. Geez, if you’re that flustered, I can send Crisp out to scavenge while I find out what I about missed out on!” Scythe shouted at her.
“You most certainly will not! I might be forced to be your marefriend, but this tail. You see this tail of mine?! It is not lifting up that quick for you!” Lollimint rounded on him, her short charge catching Scythe off guard and fumbling on his back. The two glared at each other until a little voice spoke up.
“What does tapping flanks and raising tails have to do with being a couple?” Crisp piped up. The little colt was completely lost at what was going on around him.
Scythe sighed before saying, “Nothing, Crisp. It is just dirty things grown up ponies say. Lollimint is just mad at me, and is grumpy with herself.”
“Why?” Crisp asked.
“She hates me because I did bad things, but secretly still wants me to go do grown up stuff with her,” he told the little colt.
“Just! Just open the door already. We need to find out what is left of the stable we can survive with,” Lollimint said, deflating in defeat of ever winning this verbal assault with Crisp present.
The stable was left a ramshackle mess and a tomb of ponies born into a world of misfortune. The blood streaks of the main floor showed the steel ponies had dragged every corpse out of the stable. The trio dared not even voice their thoughts of what became of them. The congealed blood made Crisp quake in his hooves as he hung a bit closer to Scythe as they searched for food or anything to help them survive. What was left of the meager stable supported farm was barley a saddlebag of apples. The orchard was torn to pieces, and would surely wither away in days. The armory was picked clean of weapons and armor. Even maintenance was ransacked.
“Scythe! Scythe, I found something!” Crisp said before scrambling under a table in the maintenance room. The colt crawled out to reveal a pipbuck in his mouth.
“Well, atleast you can have one too. Anything else we can use?” Scythe said as he sorted through old screws and wires.
“No… Scythe, are we doomed now?” Crisp replied with doubt in his voice.
Scythe sighed before turning to face the young colt. This was a delicate situation. If everything went the way it should have, he would be ruling a stable that would establish itself as a trade post. He would be assigning ponies to explore and set up trade routes. That was if other ponies were outside the stable doors. Well, they were. Atleast metal ponies were out there. It was clear the wasteland above was not a perfect world. The metal ponies had left very little to work with, and no option but to leave into the unknown.
“Crisp, things are gonna be tough for us from now on, tougher than hiding in the wall. But, if we work together…We will be just fine. Belldam will guide us, and I will look out for us every step of the way,” Scythe said, his eyes welling up with warmth as he placed a hoof on Crisp’s tiny withers.
Crisp smiled. It was a smile of pity as he said, “Stop acting like that, Scythe. You don’t have to make things sound good because I am a foal.”
“I…Damnit, Crisp, I am not sugar coating it or anything! Our stable has been torn to pieces and has nothing to support us anymore. Faith and each other is all we have now!” Scythe shouted.
The little colt ducked his head and responded quietly, “I’m sorry, Scythe. I know it’s bad. But, I don’t think it will be that easy. I doubt Belldam even cares, for instance.”
“You stop with that right now! That is blasphemers’ talk. Belldam does care. We’re alive aren’t we? She could have let the enemy find us. In a way, this is a blessing in disguise. Those metal ponies have killed all those terrible ponies, tore this place of bad memories apart, and left the stable wide open to a new world. A new life where our views maybe celebrated, a life we can live free of these stifling walls! Belldam has a funny way of showing her influence, young Crisp,” Scythe ranted.
Crisp sighed and said as evenly as his little voice could, “Is Belldam even real? Maybe the all-mother is just a story. Is there any proof she even existed?”
Scythe looked down at his cousin in shock. Most of his family accepted Belldam without much question. She filled their veins with her blood; she brought insight to her truest children with the gift of madness. Her redemption was their soul quest as her followers. Of course she existed! Father Even Heart even spoke of….that was it!
“Crisp, hand me that pipbuck. I need to show you something,” Scythe said.
“What?” Crisp asked.
“You wanted to know if she was real. I have proof you need a pipbuck to see. So, hand me the pipbuck and your foreleg. You’re getting a pipbuck early,” Scythe explained.
Crisp’s muzzle slowly broke into a smile as he nodded frantically. The all-mother aside, the idea of being given a pipbuck was amazing. It was the best thing that had happened in a month! Scythe took great care using the tools left in the room to open the pipbuck. He placed it gently on Crisp’s foreleg. Crisp was close enough to ten. His foreleg was already big enough for his pipbuck. Scythe may need to keep the adjustment tools just in case he needs it to be bigger in the future. For now, he would make due with fitting it to Crisp’s little leg. He found the link cable and transferred the files every Order of Belldam member received with their pipbuck.
“Watch the introductory recording. It was made by Father Even Heart, the son of Belldam. Enough proof for you?” Scythe instructed before he left Crisp to listen to the recording.
Scythe did not stay with Crisp Coat. The colt would be enthralled by the wonders of a pipbuck and all the files of their order at his hooves. He chose to look for the last member of his herd. The stable was eerily silent. The lights were flickering now as he headed down to the living quarters. The crusted blood was starting to flake from the walls and floor. A soft scrapping was heard the closer to Lollimint’s home he wandered. He found her there staring in her broken mirror blankly. Her horn had a soft pink glow as she brushed her mane repeatedly.
This was when Scythe remembered this was the first she had seen of her world torn apart. To Scythe, the stable was just a stepping stone on his destiny of a great leader. To Lollimint, it was the only home she knew and cared about. Scythe stood there quietly. He watched her continue brushing her mane long after it was perfectly groomed. Her tail was still a mess of her curly pink and white hair. Taking gentle steps, he moved closer. She started when she felt his smoky grey aura enclose her pink one, and tug for control of the brush. Lollimint looked at him questioningly as he pulled the brush to her tail and brushed it.
“If you’re going to have a mental breakdown while grooming, atleast groom your tail too,” he grumbled. Lollimint only nodded numbly.
She just stared in the broken mirror as Scythe worked and eventually finished grooming her tail. When he placed the brush back on the vanity she just stared at it. This was getting to Scythe. The worst of their journey was yet to come, if the metal ponies were still around.
“Lollimint, it is going to be fine. We survived. But, we need to keep ourselves together to stay alive. Can you pull yourself back together?” he said softly.
“I thought you were crazy when the found all those things on pipbucks. Yes, I know what you all were planning now. The irony of it all is…the crazy pony is telling me to pull it together,” she replied.
Scythe sighed before looking her in the eye. He told her, “If you know why we did what we did, then you can understand why I am who I am. I was born from the all-mother’s direct line. I have been spending my whole adult life acting as the overstallion of my family. Our main purpose is complete. I am standing here without a purpose, a colt, and a mare that thinks she is saner than me, a mare who is currently acting like she is waiting for the world to continue to end around us. I can’t allow that. Crisp, you, and I are all that is left. Belldam may guide me to keep her name alive, but you have nothing. Please come with us. We are better together”
Lollimint turned to look at him. She looked like a broken mare. Her eyes were more dull than normal as she shook her head.
“No. Please, don’t make me leave. I want to die here,” she replied . “That’s enough!” Scythe shouted as he grabbed the collar of her shirt and threw her on her bed.
The bed was barely changed from how Lollimint left it. The soft mattress broke her fall as she gasped at the sudden attack. She cowered as he stamped his forelegs on either side of her and stared in her eyes. Frustration and rage coated his expression as he looked down at her. Lollimint screamed in fright. She didn't care if anypony heard her. Most likely anypony that heard her would kill her along with him.
“Stop moping! So our stable failed. You made mistakes, and I made mistakes. Things happen!” he shouted,” None of it matters now. All that matters is we need to try and survive another day, week, month, or even year.”
Lollimint screamed,” Get off me! Don’t you dare start preaching about your cult either!”
“Atleast I have something I still believe in. Hell, I could never admit it to Crisp, but I even doubt All-Mother Belldam at this point. She safeguarded us this long, didn’t she? But, if I gave up believing she will guide us, I am no better than you were in front of that mirror!” he explained,” Crisp still needs me too much for that.”
“Y-you really care about him, don’t you?” Lollimint asked.
“Crisp lost his parents early on in his foalhood. I practically raised him. You might call us insane, but I still care about my kin,” Scythe replied.
Scythe lifted his forelegs from her sides and placed them back on the floor with his hind legs. He began leaving the room as Lollimint shuffled behind him on the bed. Scythe was wearing that brooding expression he was always wearing before. It suits him. The red unicorn with his brown mane and tail, his bangs fringed almost symmetrically if he didn’t have a tuft of wild hair above his right bang, and his grey scythe cutie mark with mirror burgundy wavy shapes over the staff of it. Pair it all with his bright green eyes, disheveled stable shirt, and his boots that go to the hocks of his hind legs he…he was quite a handsome stallion. He might be insane, but a handsome stallion.
“Why are you sulking? We have a whole wasteland to conquer,” Lollimint teased as she hopped off the bed and trotted up to Scythe.
He smiled as he replied, “Yes, we have a whole wasteland ahead of us.”
The wasteland was home to many things of good and ill-repute. Our trio peeked up the inclined earthen tunnel that led to the Equestrian Wasteland. They didn’t have a lot to their names. Lollimint had the apples that would be their food rations, some armored vest Scythe had found in an Order cache, and a 10mm pistol. She also had an extra pistol and 24 rounds packed. Scythe had the other armored vest on, his handheld agriculture scythe, a 10mm pistol, 24 rounds, and a few scraps of parts they might be able to barter with. Crisp had only a fashioned together holster for the heirloom knife of Belldam; and the water talisman around his neck, which was tucked under his shirt collar. Crisp was currently…digging in the dirt.
“What are you doing?” Lollimint whispered.
“Burying our numbers,” Crisp replied. Scythe had asked Lollimint for a seam ripper and took the 24 from all their clothing. He was all too wary of the metal ponies still lurking around.
Crisp Coat bounced back to them saying, “You are born in the stable, and you die in the stable. We aren’t stable ponies anymore. So, I buried the numbers of our stable.”
As Scythe and Crisp nuzzled for a moment, Lollimint stopped there stunned. She didn’t know what surprised her more. The symbolism of burying the numbers, or the fact Crisp was intelligent enough at his age to completely understand and formulate that symbolism! True, he was almost ten, but Crisp Coat had never shown to be this astute before. He had been a mostly carefree and goofy colt in the stable.
The trio began their trek slowly up the incline. The ground was smoothed with a large indention, like a large gator had come out of the stable before them. This was, of course, impossible. It did seem odd to have this. The smell of the wasteland air was terrible. It was like something had been being burned right in front of the stable. As they reached the crest of the tunnel, Lollimint barely choked back a scream in horror.
Bodies. They had noticed the metal ponies had dragged the corpses of the stable ponies away by blood streaks in the stable. That had been all but escaped their minds until now. Every stallion, mare, and foal of Stable 24 was stacked in a large pony pile. Their bodies were black and smoldering. Smoke of the freshly extinguished fire was still trailing off the pile. Whitish grey ash clung to bodies as orange embers still burned deep inside the pile. Though the bodies no longer had a voice, the trio were frozen starring at the pile, as if they were hearing their screams. These ponies had been their neighbors, their enemies, their friends, and their whole life.
“G-get down and go left,” Scythe finally said as he nudged Lollimint towards the left. The mare was frozen in place.
“Lollimint, get moving!” he grunted at her with another nudge. This time she began trotting off with Crisp Coat. Scythe followed close behind, watching for any sign of the metal ponies.
Scythe urged them further up the hillside until they reached the crest. As they walked along the hillside, they could see the path leading from the stable outwards. It looked as if a primitive wide dirt road swooped to the right of the stable entrance. It must have been sheer luck wasteland ponies had a road that close to their stable. It was so low light the atmosphere was grey. It had to be evening by now. The air was full of dust and the land was just dirt. Choked skeletons of plant life were sparsely dotting the landscape. Blip!
Scythe looked at his pipbuck to see a place strike up a name of a location not far up the road. Paintburg? Paintburg! This was the town rumor said Father Even Heart and All-Mother Belldam were said to live before the bombs! A smile crossed Scythe’s face. He knew stables had to be close enough for emergency evacuation, but he never thought he lived this close to the birthplace of the all-mother! Scythe began to push to the front of the group as he led the way. His faster trot was matched by Lollimint, and Crisp happily bounced quickly behind them. They kept at this until not even the dusty air could hide the outline of Paintburg on the very near horizon.
“Scythe, what’s an EFS?” Crisp piped up.
“It’s an Eyes Forward Sparkle. Why?” Scythe replied.
“I see two red dots on it,” Crisp replied. Scythe stopped dead in his tracks, causing Lollimint to bump into his flanks.
Scythe looked to his own EFS now. There were two red dots on the EFS. They seemed to be coming closer at a casual pace. Scythe used his magic to unlatch his saddlebags from him. He gently levitated his bags unto Lollimint’s back. Judging by her grunt of protest and pink glow on her horn, it was a bit too much weight added to her own load.
“Take Crisp and hide behind that large sheet of metal,” Scythe ordered as he pointed to a large discarded piece of metal. It looked to be part of a destroyed water tower.
“What about you?” Lollimint asked.
“I am gonna pay a visit to our “red dots”, “he replied. A smirk came across his face as she seemed to pale at his decision. Lollimint did comply as she coaxed Crisp to follow her to their hiding spot.
The road was an abysmal place. Dirt and stone was in an overabundance. Dust was making visibility low. Scythe kept well hidden behind another giant sheet of metal. He watched as EFS grew a bit brighter as the red dots walked closer. Wait, did EFS cause blips to get brighter when closer? Scythe regarded this as just his imagination. The metal hooves crunched the earth as they walked closer. The hiss of their respirators made Scythe’s coat stand on end. Steel ponies. Were they robotic? No. Robots wouldn’t need a breathing apparatus. These ponies were alive, and most likely involved in the devastation of Stable 24.
As Scythe watched them pass, he was fascinated by the metal murder ponies. Sure, his cultists had been efficient; but these ponies looked as if built for war. He stiffened when they came to a halt. Slowly they turned to face him, and just stared in his direction. Scythe felt uncomfortable under their gaze. Somehow, they knew he was there. The headlights flashed to life as suddenly as they had stopped.
“Gah!” Scythe involuntarily exclaimed as the lights blinded him so suddenly.
He furiously began rubbing his eyes with his hooves, like something had flown into his eyes. The steel ponies only watched him fidget under their light. Scythe could’ve sworn they were enjoying this.
“State your name and business,” one of the damnable metal ponies ordered in its metal voice.
“Buck you! Blinding me and asking me shit,” Scythe snapped back at the ponies he could barely see.
“I repeat. State your name and business, “it ordered once again.
“My name is Scythe, and I am just passing through,” Scythe replied, hoping the metal ponies would be satisfied now. The steel ponies dimmed their lights now. They had no need to use them. They knew now it was just a pony lurking behind the steel sheet. They stood silent for a while, taking in Scythe. Even without the numbers, his stable uniform was a dead giveaway where he came from. The other steel pony gave a raspy chuckle at this. A stable pony lost and ignorant to the ways of the wasteland was bumbling before them.
“Well…Well…Well…Looks like we have ourselves a stable pony, Powdered Sugar,” the other steel pony said. Scythe stiffened as he watched them closely, his horn itching to summon his scythe to aid him.
Powdered Sugar glanced over at the other pony as he said, “It does not matter. The stable has been neutralized and technology acquired.”
“Besides the missing water talisman. I think this runt may know what became of it,” the other pony replied, looking over Scythe’s body.
“He doesn’t have anything on him but that scythe, Journey Knight Sharp Stone,” Powdered Sugar stated.
Sharp Stone began to walk around Scythe slowly, as if appraising the younger stallion’s condition. Scythe swiveled his head to try and keep an eye on Sharp Stone and Powdered Sugar. If he could see through Sharp Stone’s mask, Scythe would have been unnerved by the look in his eyes. Sharp Stone was tightening his circle around Scythe, and it was getting to where there was barely space between red hide and metal pony.
“Pretty little colt, isn’t he? Wonder what he is like on his back,” Sharp Stone said as he sweeped his foreleg under Scythe’s. Caught off guard, Scythe found himself flat on his back.
“Hahahaha! Flipped like a flimsy stick! Nice piece between those hind legs. Bet, you were quite the mare killer back in the stable,” Sharp Stone mocked before stepping to stand right over Scythe, “ How about I show you a trick or two from a wasteland pony. Eh, stable colt?”
Scythe’s horn glowed as he reflexively levitated his scythe up to strike the metal pony above him. The scythe made a loud ting noise as it hit and ricocheted away from him. Sharp Stone was shaking with laughter at his act to defend himself. Scythe glared up at him as he began trying to get back up. A steel hoof slammed into his shoulder squelched that plan quickly. Steam hissed as it came out. Sharp Stone removed his mouth piece, and placed it on a hook on his chest plate.
“Save your energy, stable colt. I am offering you one Hell of a deal compared to what your fellow stable ponies got,” Sharp Stone said before restraining Scythe enough to lick up his throat. Sharp Stone delighted in feeling Scythe struggle to get away, Scythe’s hind legs were kicking furiously to try and get a strike on him.
“Hey. Hey hey hey hey HEY! Get the buck off, you sick bastard!” Scythe shouted at his aggressor, as Sharp Stone’s muzzle started to travel downwards.
“Say what you want. Shouting is just gonna help me get off from this more,” Sharp Stone sneered.
Sharp Stone paused before lifting his head to reply with, “Oh come on, Powdered! Nopony cares about this stable runt. If you want, I can let you have some fun with him once I get done with him.”
Powdered Sugar sneered in disgust under his mask. He and Sharp Stone and joined the Steel Rangers at the same time. It was becoming clearer everyday though Sharp Stone may have chosen the wrong profession. He saw Scythe struggling under Sharp Stone with all his might. The stable pony didn’t want this. He could see it in Scythe’s green eyes that he hated that Sharp Stone’s dusty brown muzzle had touched his hide at all.
“Let him go, Sharp Stone. We do not do this to ponies. It is not our mission to take advantage of the weak,” Powdered Sugar replied.
Scythe screamed as Sharp Stone purposely slammed his hind quarters down on him before he addressed his colleague again with, “What do you call what happened in the stable then? It looked like to me that we took advantage of weak stable ponies for what they had. Way I see it. This stable colt is mine to take, if I chose to take him. Dumb stable runt wouldn’t last out here anyways.”
Scythe spat at Sharp Stone’s exposed muzzle. That only managed to enrage Sharp Stone further than being colt blocked by Powdered Sugar. He slammed a metal hoof down on Scythe’s throat, delighting in the choked gasps for air Scythe responded with.
“See. The little runt doesn’t have any respect. Just give me a few moments to show him some respect. No need to tell the Elder or Paladins about it. You can even keep walking if you aren’t comfortable with watching,” Sharp Stone said as he began rubbing Scythe’s haunches, “Look! He is shaking. You like that don’t you, stable colt.”
“This is your last warning, Sharp Stone,” Powdered Sugar said, punctuating his point with revealing his hidden gun hatches. Sharp Stone stopped and appraised his comrade’s action. He kept sitting on Scythe a moment longer before returning to his hooves. Moving to step away from Scythe he placed his mouthpiece back on his muzzle.
“Gotta take the fun out of everything, don’t ya? Stable pony probably isn’t any good in bed anyways,” Sharp Stone grumbled as he continued their original path on the road.
Powdered Sugar closed his gun hatches and proceeded to follow Sharp Stone. The two steel ponies didn’t even glance back at Scythe. He was left on the side of the road to care for himself. Scythe fell over twice before he got back on his hooves. His whole body was shaking in protest. Scythe was wheezing heavily from being hit in the throat. His headquarters ached from the heavy steel pony using him as a cushion. With the steel ponies far enough away to not register on EFS, Scythe began limping back up the hill to Crisp Coat and Lollimint.
It was slow going up the hill. He staggered and limped up the hill that took a matter of seconds to slide down a few moments ago. As he made it to the crest of the hill, Crisp immediately came to his side and looked about to cry. Lollimint looked livid as tears were in her eyes. Scythe’s ears flopped limply on his forelock. Lollimint wasted no time coming right up to him and…smacking him upside the face with her hoof.
“Wha…What was that for?!” Scythe shouted at her after taking a tumble from her smack.
“For being an idiot! We could’ve kept walking AWAY from the red dots. But, nooooooooooooooo… you had to be the courageous leader and check it out. You truly are crazy, aren’t you? The only good thing was you got a taste of your own medicine from those murder machines!” Lollimint ranted at him.
“Got…Got a taste of my own medicine?! I have never forced myself on any pony!” Scythe barked at her as Crisp tries to help him up.
“No, but you have acted like you deserve to decide what happens to every pony around you. You wanted the stable dead and to make me your mare. That..thing wanted to do unspeakable things to you! The reason why? You both had power over weaker ponies and used it for the wrong reasons!” she continued.
Scythe glared at her for a long time. He never stopped, even when he stumbled to his hooves again. He limped up to her and said, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry you hate the pony I am, and can compare me to some pony willing to rape others. I fight for my all-mother. She would never wish what happened to me on any pony.”
“I…I think that is the first time you have apologized,” Lollimint said while mildly stunned.
A sly smirk crossed his face as he replied, “I am not freeing you from our pact. You’re my mare for life.” Lollimint made a morose face.
Scythe laughed as he began limping the way he was going before the steel ponies came up on the EFS. Crisp hung close to his side, in case Scythe fell again. Lollimint watched them slowly leave. Her horn glowed as she levitated Scythe’s saddlebags unto her back. She didn’t like being the pack mule, but Scythe couldn’t possibly lift it right now.
“Scythe?” she asked.
“What?” he sighed.
Lollimint’s horn glowed brighter before a bulb of magic appeared and popped. Scythe’s scythe clattered to the dusty ground where it disappeared.
“You might need that,” she said.
Scythe managed a fait glow to levitate his scythe back its strap on his hip. He looked very tired now.
“Thank you,” he wheezed before limping along ahead of her.
Lollimint trotted up to his side and kept pace with him. Wherever Scythe was dead set on going before he rested, she hoped some stray medical equipment was nearby. He looked like he wouldn’t stand a chance if the steel ponies changed their minds about letting him go.
Lollimint giggled before she said, “Five minutes out here and you get spotted by a colt-cuddler.”
“I swear to the all-mother, shut your muzzle, Lollimint,” Scythe grumbled back.
Scythe limped along as they reached the haze filled town. Most the buildings were brick, and were worn to dilapidation from the balefire bombings and centuries of abandonment. The worn stone roads seemed to be mostly intact. The weathered stones led them through the long since forgotten town. Doors hang off their hinges, roofs sagged, cottages were barely more than skeletons of a home, and remnants of pony life lay all over the streets. Skeletons of every size were strewn throughout the streets of Paintburg’s past civilization. It looked as if the ponies not admitted to Stable 24 scrambled across Paintburg in a frenzy before the blast from Manehatten hit the nearby town.
As they walked through the town, a shop sat on the outer road they were on. The windows were boarded up and the door was smashed in. The circular building had a large sign above the store.
“Ruby Mox Gemology?” Lollimint read the sign aloud.
“An old, broken down, jewelry store? Not any use out here,” Scythe remarked.
The trio continued through the broken down town. It was beginning to rub them the wrong way how deserted this place was. These buildings seemed to be holding up well. Why weren’t there more wasteland ponies here? Scythe would not stop. Even with his injuries, he was dead set on wandering Paintburg all night.
Working up some nerve, Lollimint whispers, “Where are we going?”
“This may be my only chance to see the final home of my ancestors. If only this place wasn’t so destroyed,” Scythe replied.
“If memory serves, we learned in school our stable was located near a town outside Manehatten, which was the epicenter of a balefire bomb,” Lollimint commented.
“Then we should count our blessings the radiation of that bomb isn’t even making this town do more than give a faint click now and again,” Scythe said, with a click from the pipbuck to drive his words home.
Lollimint held back any further questions. This town was very unsettling. Why didn’t they see more ponies? Was there so few wasteland ponies, or is there something here she isn’t seeing? Whatever is holding this town as a deserted shell of its past, it didn’t seem to bother Scythe. All that crazed stallion cares about is his ancestor he idolizes like a goddess. Lollimint was so into her internal grumbling; she didn’t notice Scythe stop at a blackened brick building.
They had walked to the far side of town. Paintburg surely was a small town when it was alive. Scythe stared up at this brick house with awe. The house looked almost forlornly down at them, as if it was beginning to fall into disrepair before the war. Scythe gingerly pushed the door open. It creaked and shook on its hinges as he moved it. Scythe smiled wide as he flicked on an illumination spell from his horn.
“This is it. We will stay here for the night. We have Belldam’s protection as we rest here,” Scythe said as he barely held back prancing in onto the cracked linoleum floor.
Lollimint cautiously followed his lead as she asked, “Why do you feel she will protect us here?”
“Because, this was her home,” Scythe replied as he walked into the adjoining living room.
The trio slowly eased into the home of the long since dead goddess. Lollimint gently closed the weakened wood door. The living room floor was covered in tattered carpet. The patches intact were matted and mildewing. The couches sagged with age and were terribly dirty. The smoky grey light of Scythe’s horn set a depressing mood. Crisp bounced from couch to couch, making dust clouds puff to life. The couches creaked under the pressure of the colt repeatedly bouncing on them. Crisp them stopped on the middle couch and rested on the sagging cushion. As they stood in the room, an odd noise became faintly more acute to their ears.
Scythe and Lollimint crept into the inner hallway in search of the source. On the back wall was a door just barely visible in the darkness. Two heavy wooden rafters from the ceiling above had fallen in an intersecting pattern over the door. The noise was coming from behind this door. It was a very strange noise. It sounded like the thud of wood hitting wood in a hoof stepping pattern, a slightly off kilter hoofstep pattern. The mechanical whine of old machinery was heard with the sound of wood rubbing against itself. Lollimint shivered as one mechanical whine sounded almost like a whinny. Scythe’s ear twitched at the noise. His horn burned a bit at the same instance. His horn had been faintly burning ever since they emerged from the stable. At first, he thought it was just the air; this proved his sneaking suspicion. The burning in his horn had increased as they moved through the town. More than half the reason he was able to locate this house was the burning.
“Scythe, what is making that awful noise?” Lollimint whispered.
Scythe looked to her and whispered, “I can’t be sure what it is. But, I have heard rumors of why the All-Mother was executed. They say she would kidnap ponies and making living dolls out of them. Somehow, these dolls were rumored to trap the pony’s soul within it.”
“Wait, are you saying there might be a bunch of living pony dolls down there?!” Lollimint whispered in a slight panic.
“I couldn’t say for sure. Maybe there is, or maybe that is some other horror of the wasteland. Personally, I think whatever it is should be kept behind that blocked door,” Scythe replied.
Lollimint nodded and the two began checking the rest of the house. The kitchen was the only room left on the ground level, aside from wherever the blocked door led. Lollimint searched the ancient wooden cupboard for anything they could salvage. Aside from some cereal and heavily preserved instant foods, not much of the food supplies were salvageable. The long since malfunctioned fridge held a couple of Sunrise Saspirellas inside.
Scythe, testing each aged step, ascended to the second floor. This floor was small on rooms. To the south of the staircase was a bathroom. It was moderately sized. Being the only bathroom in the house, it was large enough to house atleast two full grown ponies comfortably. The years in the wasteland’s care had turned most of the white porcelain to a dingy or almost blackened complexion. Ticks of radiation came from the water still dripping from the sink in a melancholy-like fashion. Scythe pondered, if he could find the water access, if he could use the stable’s talisman to purify the water enough to make it usable for a short time. He mulled this thought in his mind as he left to check the other rooms.
The room to the far right was a bedroom. By the looks of it, it was mostly a guest room, or a room reserved for an older foal. Wallpaper peeled from the brick walls. The carpet suffered a similar fate as the living room one. A dresser sat in the right corner, in almost utter disrepair. The bed at the far wall sagged with age. The linens and pillow were mildly tattered from the elements, but were mostly intact and dusty. This, though a good sign to see, was concerning. If there were other ponies in the wasteland, why hadn't they come here? This town wasn't that far away from that road. You would think this house would show more signs of scavenging; or at least Scythe thought it should. He dismissed this with the fact the sounds from the blocked door might make ponies poking around less appealed with searching the home.
The last room faced the exit of the stairs. It was a massive room that had a window overlooking the main street. The walls were lined with bookshelves. The books themselves were mostly mildewed or rotted away with age. A desk with scattered papers and a monitor sat along one of the walls. Scythe looked a moment more at the monitor that was emitting a green glow before he turned to the large window. Under it was a fairly decent sized bed, with room for two ponies to rest comfortable without worrying about disturbing their sleeping partner. These linens and pillows looked only slightly better kept than the last bedroom. Knowing who had lived here before, Scythe shook with glee at knowing who had once rested here. This had been where the All-Mother had resided during her life. This is where Belldam rested her weary head after she had practiced her craft on ponies she felt had deserved punishment above the standards of Equestrian law.
Scythe limped enthusiastically to the monitor now. This had been her computer. Thinking back to his history classes in the stable, it felt strange for it to be here. Computers were only just beginning to reach commercial use for the common pony populace when the bombing occurred. Why did Belldam have one? Had it belonged to her son, Even Heart, before he entered the stable? How did ponies with no ties to a government office obtain one? Scythe had to know why! He began ticking away at a keyboard he found under some strewn papers. It took four times to get into the main system. It would have been longer or not possible at all, if he didn’t know so much about the possible previous owners.
“Dandy Spark…” Scythe said, reflecting on the password.
That name…He had only seen it in one place. When he was gathering things to leave the stable, Scythe had found one of the few items Father Even Heart had brought with him. It was a picture of his parents before his birth, before their minds had been swallowed by the madness all those devote in The Order of Belldam have. A shyly smiling blue grey unicorn stallion that looked like he needed sleep, sitting next to a smaller red earth pony mare, wearing a smile as vibrant as her tri-color hair. These two would come to be known in the order as Hollow Husk and Belldam, the dark masters of justice born through madness. On the back of the photo held their true names, the names they were given as foals by loving mothers. Hollow Husk being known as Lunar Dusk, and Belldam being known as Dandy Spark, these names had been abandoned once madness had swallowed their minds.
Not questioning the silliness of making your name a password, Scythe began combing the computer for something about his goddess ancestor. His eyes lit up at a folder label, “Important stuff.” He soon realized the “important stuff” was a large amount of files on stories written by Dandy Spark and notes on when deadlines were. His enthusiasm sank as he flicked though story after story. The parts he skimmed over were decently written. It was safe to say Dandy Spark had applied her talents as an author by trade. It was interesting that an author became a pony capable of murdering ponies and making living dolls from their remains and other materials. How did an earth pony accomplish that? That was a question Scythe would love the answer to.
A few more hours of shuffling through files, and Scythe was almost bored with the silly video footage of adventures Dandy had apparently recorded as a form of video diary. A few entries involving Princess Luna were confusing. She had a surprising amount of close encounters with the moon princess, some good and some bad. He did find the computer had been a gift from a family member working in the Manehatten division of the Ministry of Arcane Science. He had only kept watching them because, as the entries went on, some video recordings were of Belldam talking to Hollow Husk and beginning to emerge from Dandy’s psyche.
He barely nodded in response to Lollimint popping her head in to check on him. He must have had a facial expression that explained he wasn’t ready to be disturbed quite yet; because she merely left some apples and a bit of the ancient cereal in a surprisingly clean bowl next to him before retreating elsewhere. He idly picked at his meal as he gave the computer a final once over. That was when he found something he almost missed.
Hidden in a jumble of different files, was another diary log. Why had these logs been separated? Scythe opened the log to find a series of written accounts of what he really wanted. The file had many written accounts of Belldam after she rose to the dominant psyche, demise, and even some from Even Heart after her death. He cherished every reading. Some logs were more disturbing than others. Three stuck out the most.
Entry 345:
I have been in permanent control of my body for several months now. It has been a struggle that becomes easier each passing day. Dandy is lost to this world now. I still act like her in public, to sway suspicion, but it is good to not actually forfeit control to that weak mare. I had to make many sacrifices along the way, I will admit. I only finished one that I took great care to take time on. I always loved Dandy’s cat, Cowtaloo. The poor beast had his best years behind him. But, a creature that full of hate for other creatures, but loved purring while watching me work deserved better. Right? I do feel guilty for doing my craft on an innocent soul. But, I put a lot of love into it. I gave him so much free will in his new form. He is the first animal besides a pony I made into a living doll. He seems to be adjusting well. I even used a hardwood that had spots in it, to mimic his natural coat. I feel more at ease that my feline companion will not leave my side now.
Entry 1500:
I sense my days are numbered. Luna, the blasted moon princess, has been skulking the skies more often. She was always hard to fool. How that bumbling twit Dandy, made an ally out of her I will never know. One thing is for sure, she was never easy to fool with pretending to be Dandy. I do have to admit, between Even Heart and I both practicing our craft, she has had plenty of reason to snoop around Paintburg. I won’t try to run. She will find me. I am not ashamed of what I have done. I only fear for Even Heart. Hollow will follow me to the grave, but our son does not need to follow us. He was born for this! He must be protected to carry on this craft, our form of justice. I don’t know how yet; but I must find a way to throw the night princess off his trail. I got to make her believe he is just a scared foal from a troubled home. Those princesses have always been soft-hearted.
Entry: 1501:
Mother…is gone. I don’t know how they did it, but The Ministry of Morale busted in a month ago and took my parents. I can’t believe I managed to survive their interrogations without revealing I had involvement in their acts. Probably were distracted by the uproar from mother’s interrogations next door. There was a lot of screaming out of nowhere, a loud bang, and gurgled laughter from my mother. Judging by the shuffling and shouts to pull somepony back, the gurgling was mother laughing through blood from being assaulted. Her madness truly numbed her through the whole affair. She held a smug smile even as they hanged her in the village square. She…she was proud of what she was. They called her a monster! But, she was amazing and awe-inspiring. It’s just me now. Well, Cowtaloo and myself. The mechanical cat managed to be away during the time of the raid. He is all I have left. A mechanical living doll with the spirit of my mother’s cat is all I have left of my family.
Scythe paused after reading the last entry. Something was making noise in the room. It was soft, but it had been there while he was reading the last few entries. It sounded like the paddles of a pin wheel when you blew upon it. But, this was a consistent noise. There wasn’t enough wind passing through this building for it to be this consistent. Scythe turned from his spot to look about the dark room. A rustle of the linens near the floor caught his eye.
“Mrrooow?” a soft noise came afterwards. Scythe almost soiled himself at that sound.
Slowly, a small, wooden, head poked out from under the bed, a pair of feline mechanical ears twitching from side to side. The mechanized parts moved silently, as if the work of a master craftspony. Indeed, what did emerge slowly from under the bed was made by a master of her craft. The spotted wood of Cowtaloo’s body slowly slinked out from under the bed. The joints that allowed his tail to swish freely swayed as he scanned the room. The joints of the different parts mirror major joints of feline anatomy, proving to give the cat optimal mobility. Cowtaloo made a head motion like he was sniffing the air. But, Scythe felt no matter the phenomenon, a wooden cat couldn’t really have a sense of smell.
“Mrrrrrow,” Cowtaloo called again as he scampered to Scythe’s side and profusely rubbed against his leg.
Scythe couldn’t begin to fathom why this creature was being so friendly to him. He had just read this cat hated everypony it met. A sinking feeling filled his chest as a thought did hit him. He had been praised for resembling Belldam. This…was her cat. In this darkness, and no sense of smell, he might as well be Cowtaloo’s long dead mistress. Scythe now pitied the small wonder of his ancestor. This creature came out because it thought its owner had finally returned. A cat locked in an eternal body couldn’t understand that years have long since passed since he was a mortal cat. Cowtaloo was beyond understanding he had outlived his owner, and had waited in this house for her to come home. He waited for her to take him away from this ruined house and town. Poor thing probably didn’t remember that much by now and was just happy to see a pony that resembled his owner, let alone another living soul.
Scythe sat down and embraced the feline. It meowed and purred as it twisted about at the attention it sorely missed. Scythe felt horrible for the cat. It was alone in the world. Cowtaloo didn’t have anypony like Crisp or Lollimint. This cat had lived a solitary existence, in a shattered house, millions of cat lifespans longer than he was ever meant to live. Belldam must weep wherever her spirit may be for her lost companion. Cowtaloo deserved better, but there probably wasn’t anything better than prowling his ruined domain for eternity.
After a few moments, Cowtaloo grew bored with the affection. In true feline fashion, once he had an endless supply of what he was after, it no longer mattered to him at all. Cowtaloo bounced out of Scythe grasp and went to patrol his house. “EEEK!” came from just outside the door. Scythe sighed as he got up to check on Lollimint. No doubt the cat doll had scared her as it left the room.
Judging by the horrified expression she had, Cowtaloo had indeed sufficiently scared her. Scythe didn’t bother with that. He was more curious about her appearance. She looked…clean. She was walking about without her stable shirt with a freshly washed hide. Her usually full curls were slumped down from water. Scythe didn’t recall hearing it rain at all.
“What was that?!” she shouted . “Don’t worry about it,” Scythe replied.
“Don’t worry about it?!” Lollimint exclaimed.
“Don’t worry about it,” Scythe repeated before commenting, “You look like you just walked out of the shower. Why?”
Lollimint flinched at the derailed train of thought and smiled before replying, “Oh, that’s because I did just walked out of the shower. While you were fiddling with that computer for hours, Crisp and I managed to get the talisman to hook up to the water supply. After some time, the shower was able to recycle the water to a pure source.”
“You made a clean water supply?” Scythe asked.
“Well, Crisp mostly. He has quite a knack for mechanical stuff, might be his talent in the future. But, yes, we did. Crisp is using it right now,” Lollimint explained.
Scythe smiled and said, “Good work to you two. We could use a clean water source; since we are gonna hold up here for a while.”
“When you say a while, how long is that? This place isn’t exactly an ideal permanent home,” Lollimint asked.
“The rest of the night. We need sleep. That room over there will do nicely,” Scythe said as he pointed to the guest bedroom.
“But, the room you have been in is a better room,” Lollimint grumbled.
“It is also the room of Belldam. I will not have ponies sleeping in the All-Mother’s bed,” Scythe replied.
“UGH! You and your family religion,” Lollimint groaned.
Lollimint didn’t want to argue the point farther. She had learned by now that Scythe was a very stubborn pony in his crazy beliefs. She turned from him and headed to the guest room. She might as well try and divide the linens between them equally. Scythe took the time to watch her freshly clean flanks pass him. He then limped towards the bathroom, with a yelp from Lollimint as he smacked her rump with his tail.
Darkness. All Scythe saw was a dark, clammy, dungeon. The corridor and cells stretched on for what seemed like forever. His horn burned more feverishly than ever before. His body felt terrible. The stinging, burning, pain was gnawing at every pain receptor he had. As he walked, the air seemed to have a tinge to it. It was hard to tell in this dark dungeon, but was this air pink? The burning pain soon added a melting sensation, like he was a stick of heated up butter. Whatever was going on, this place was no good for anypony.
Scythe continued through the dungeon of, what he only could assume to be, noxious pink air. This place was saturated in it. He could feel his insides churning as the melting sensation made him feel like being sick. He fought it, due to fear the melting may have loosened an organ or two. He hated this place, but his body just seemed to keep moving at a casual pace.
Slowly, he moved deeper into the dungeon. Rumble from above had fallen down into cells this far in. Rays of light shone the brilliant pink gas as it swirled through the air. The mostly shadowed cells were now revealing their contents. Most of them only held discarded chains and shackles. A few cells had long dead and half melted ponies in them. His feet then stopped at a large cell that had towering walls. It seemed to have off to have such a large cell in this dungeon. Lights from lost rumble above bathed the middle in pink sunlight.
The light could not permeate the entirety of the cell, but it dulled the darkness’ hold upon it. Scythe could see a pony-like shape on the far wall. It looked like a pony had been forced to stand on its hind legs against the wall. The pony’s head lay slack upon its chest. Scythe did not know why he was looking upon this pony. It was mostly just the remains of a long dead pony anyways. A raspy hiss filled the dungeon. It sent chills down Scythe’s spine. Wait. Did that pony just shift a bit?! Before Scythe could notice further, he felt himself lifted up and pulled fast towards the pony. His body passed through the cell bars like they were not even real as he was rushed headlong towards the far wall. One thing was clear about the pony his was being thrust towards at break neck speed. She was dead. Yes, though she was in terrible condition, her body was discernibly female. Her hide was red, or was her pelt that rotted and raw? She had hair styled like him, just…longer. Her mane and tail was a mess of parts full of hair and awkward spots where it was horribly thinned out. Her pelt was covered in splotches of flesh peeling away from her, some of it had peeled away to reveal bones. Her stomach made him queasy as he looked upon it. The flesh looked rotten and melted away into a loosely made net to hold puss filled innards in place. If she did move, those innards would mostly spill out everywhere!
He stopped on a dime face to face with this mare as she raised her decayed head simultaneously. Her face was just as splotched with rotting flesh as her entire body was. That didn’t stick out to Scythe as much as seeing her mane was actually tri-color and she had bright illuminating green eyes. The crazed face of a mad pony only hissed out, “BOO!”
Scythe woke with a start as his head bolted upright. His ears were perked up at attention as he looked around him fearfully. He was panting and covered in sweat. He began to try regaining his senses at the sight of Lollimint and Crisp Coat resting soundly next to him. Whatever he just saw, was his own personal hell of a dream. Scythe gulped a hard lump in his throat as he began to regain composure. It was just a nightmare, a very twisted and disturbing nightmare, but nothing to get worked up about. Scythe eased out of bed and headed out of the room.
After a moment to rinse the sweat off him in the bathroom, Scythe entered the master bedroom. He needed comfort. He needed guidance. Our young stallion cultist wiped his hooves on the molted carpet before easing into his goddess’ bed. He sat there for so long, just staring out the window at the ruined Paintburg. Would Belldam hear his prayer if he prayed to her now? Did she know the purpose of his dream? What purpose did she have for her two remaining followers? Scythe sighed as he closed his eyes. He tucked his fore legs beneath him as he meditated on what his purpose was in the great scheme of things.
He prayed to himself,” Dearest All-Mother, I am lost. In your infinite wisdom you have left me virtually alone and our purpose gone. Is it your will I do something more? What should I do? I could try to spread your greatness to all ponies I meet. You might be more well received in these troubled times. A pony that murders all ponies common law lets slid; a pony that took it upon herself to become a great punisher and tormentor of evil. Thus, making you evil in the eyes of all the ponies that came to know your secret. Would you want me to spread your beliefs? In the stable we had an enemy to target. This…wasteland…I am not sure. Please, I need your guidance. …I-I had a dream though. Was that a sign already? If so, you must like to torment me with cryptic messages.”
“Scythe?” The soft voice of Lollimint touched his ears, and he turned his head hastily toward her.
She walked slowly to him as she asked, “Talking to your goddess?”
“Y-yes, I was seeking her guidance. This wasteland will be a very different animal than I am used to facing,” Scythe confessed.
“I am sure your apparent ability to act like a good pony while planning destruction will fit in nicely,” she teased, much to the response of a scowling Scythe.
“Lollimint, I do what I must for the good of the All-Mother and to survive. It is not your place to decide where I morally lay on the metaphorical opposing sides of good and evil,” Scythe told her.
“Be that as it may, did she manage to give you any insight?” Lollimint asked as she stood next to the bed.
Scythe looked out on Paintburg as he slowly replied, “No, the All-Mother is still silent to me. It is funny. I feel her presence stronger than ever, but she still does not speak to me”
“I will refrain from the obvious reason for that,” she added sarcasticly.
“Just because you have no faith in my religion, does not mean it is not real,” Scythe groaned.
Lollimint smiled slyly as she rose to her hind legs and landed her fore legs on either side of Scythe’s body. She never saw a pony whip their head around that quickly. She deftly nipped his ear before he moved his head out of her grasp. Scythe clenched his teeth as he rolled away from her. She wasn’t sure if he was more anger she bit him, or flustered by it. With a smile on her face she leapt into the bed and pounced on him. Scythe didn’t move as she landed on him. This took some of her fun away. She then lounged along the length of his body, her fore legs around his neck, and proceeded to snap at his ever moving ears.
Scythe grunted as he rolled with the mare while he tried to be gentle with her and protect his ears. Lollimint even gave her tail a shake with pleasure having the upper hand for once. She knew Scythe was probably allowing her to get this much of a drop on him. A trained soldier like him could knock a confectionary making mare like her off in a moment. Scythe had chosen to allow this as he rolled onto his back. He kept dodging her nips as he lay under her. Lollimint feebly bolts at an ear and back to her place laying on him felt nice. Lollimint absently had her hind legs slide slowly out from their controlled hop posture. Her sprawled hind legs kept her body lower onto Scythe. He could get use to keep away for this.
“Scythe!” Lollimint snapped at him, spoiling his mood with her obviously angry tone . “What noooow?” he replied with a groan.
Her hind legs batted back in forth a bit as she made her muzzle into a pout and said, “You making things a very bad touch while I am on top of you.
Scythe stared at her mystified. She was pouting because he was getting excited about her bumbling about on top of him. How could he not when the mare of his dreams is bouncing right on top of him?! He found the whole thing odd and very attractive. Who would have guessed pouting was a turn on for him. Lollimint’s whine at him proved she noticed too.
“I swear I while get off right now if you keep this up,” she declared.
By the All-Mother she was being very cute without trying too hard. Scythe lay still a moment just looking in her eyes. This began to make Lollimint uncomfortable after a short time. She began getting up as her cheeks were flushing a faint pink. This was borderline all out tormenting if she just walked away now! Before she could get up, Scythe hooked a foreleg behind her neck and pulled her hastily closer.
Lollimint froze in shock when their lips locked. She couldn’t return it. All she could think of was how he did this to drug her before. Scythe had his eyes closed as he began to stroke her mane with his other hoof. His tongue was trying its damn best to get her to let him in her muzzle. Scythe effortlessly rolled them over, so she was the one lying flat on her back. Lollimint was shouting in her head how stupid she had been for allowing this. Scythe broke his one-sided kiss with a lonely look upon his face. It suited his features. It reminded Lollimint of the old Scythe, the one she knew before he led a stable-wide slaughter. He just laid on her awhile, just staring into her eyes.
“Scythe…What are you doing?” she gave a shaky whisper.
“Thinking,” he replied, “Thinking about us.”
She squirmed under him a bit at this statement. It had still barely been a month since he killed so many ponies. She couldn’t trust him. Yes, if he had come to her that night just to confess his feelings, maybe there would have been a them. He wanted that. It was the only leverage she had. She had the one thing he wouldn’t try to take by force. He wanted her to choose him whether she had a choice or not.
“Scythe, maybe it is best you get off me,” Lollimint commented.
Scythe wore a sullen expression as he struggled with her comment. He wanted to ignore her. She could see he was weighing the choice to let her up, of not let her up for some fun. Scythe wanted her right now. His choice was made by the calling of his name outside. Suddenly, Lollimint wasn’t first priority on his to do list. Scythe swore under his breath as he went to the window.
Lollimint could only blush at his whispered comment of, “She better taste minty when I do get some.”
Scythe looked out the window and stiffened at what he saw. Lollimint came to his side out of curiosity. He was looking down into the gloom at the entrance of the house. It took Lollimint a few moments to see it. The outline of a crate and a pony…a steel pony. Lollimint shied away from the window. The last thing they needed was another run in with those steel death ponies. The pony called for Scythe again. Scythe was visibly displeased with this. With a hard gulp, he turned to walk out the door.
“You’re not seriously going out there!” Lollimint exclaimed.
“Lolli, if I don’t, who’s to say he won’t blast in here and harm us all?” Scythe shot back over his shoulder, “Atleast I can try to keep you two safe by going to him.”
“Scythe, let me come with you,” Lollimint argued.
“What about Crisp then?” he retorted as he continued out the door.
“Scythe, Crisp is still sound asleep. Please, let me come to make sure you will be okay,” she pleaded.
Scythe stopped and glared back at her. He knew she meant well. But, was he willing to risk the steel pony doing worse to her than what he faced? If he was considered cute, she was positively smoking to anypony. With a defeated sigh at her large worried eyes, Lollimint quickly melded to his side. She kept as close to him as possible as he descended the stairs and headed to the front door. The hard knocks meant the steel pony was still there.
When he opened the door, the all too familiar steel pony stood before them. By the fact he wasn’t jumped immediately and molested, he tried to remember the name of the steel pony that saved his flanks. The steel pony’s respirator hissed as he looked from Scythe to Lollimint.
“I saw there were numerous tracks, but I did not think you had a young mare with you,” the steel pony commented, while Lollimint blushed.
“What do you want, steel pony?” Scythe replied flatly.
The steel pony chuckled before saying, “I am Journey Knight Powdered Sugar, the steel ranger you met last evening with my…unsavory colleague.”
“Thanks for that. Now, what do you want?” Scythe almost growled back.
“I would like it if you acted with a bit more decorum when addressing a pony that has come to help. The fact I covered your tracks here is help enough without these supplies,” Powdered Sugar replied.
“Oh, thank you for that, Sir Knight,” Lollimint said with a voice like tinkling bells.
Powdered Sugar bowed before taking her hoof and said, “My apologies for any grief the Steel Rangers have caused you, dear miss. I am sure harming your husband made your evening more stressful.”
“Oh hohohohoho, you’re so kind…Wait, husband?!” Lollimint exclaimed from a reply that was meant to flirt with this Steel Ranger. Scythe was having a good laugh out of it next to her.
Powdered Sugar retracted his hoof as he replied, “Am I wrong to assume you are a couple?”
“No, you hit it right on the head. This is my little mare. Not exactly my wife though,” Scythe managed to say before he burst into laughter again.
“No, I am not!” Lollimint said with a hoof stomp before she cozied up to Powdered Sugar saying, “Sir Knight, surely a brave pony like you would not oppose taking a fair damsel like myself away from this brute.”
Scythe bristled at her blatant flirting in front of him. She was his mare! His and his alone forever! The part that got his fur standing on end was the way Powdered Sugar responds. He doesn’t say a word. From where Scythe was standing, Powdered Sugar didn’t need to say anything to express his opinion. The bastard was casually looking over Lollimint. Scythe was fuming at how obvious it was this Steel Ranger was entertaining the idea of running off with her. Even if he didn’t feel it, Scythe wanted to buck him. He wanted to buck this stallion so very hard.
“I am afraid, dear miss, I must decline your offer. Your best bet for a safe haven is Tenpony Tower of Manehatten. It is a much safer hub to survive than this place,” Powdered Sugar replied.
Lollimint rushed until her muzzle touched his steel one and said sultry, “Call me Lollimint, Sir Powdered Sugar. If you ever change your mind about taking me away somewhere, you can even address me as your little Minty.”
“Is…Is she always this…friendly?” Powdered Sugar stammered as he backed off closer to Scythe.
“No,” Scythe replied sullenly . “May I come in with this care package? It is better if we finish our discussion out of this exposed terrain,” Powdered Sugar asked.
Scythe grumbled as he moved aside. He hated this. He was being given a hand out by Steel Rangers. Worse part being, Lollimint was acting like she was two hoof beats from letting Powdered Sugar be more “friendly” with her than she was willing to allow Scythe. All Lollimint hadn’t done was place her front hooves on a counter, lift her tail, and bat her beautiful green eyes at him. Gah! Now she was practically glued to his side as he heaved the crate in without ease. Her tail was even twisting around his metal one!
“Lollimint, you forget your place. Stop treating our guest in that way,” Scythe growled at her as he motioned for her to report to the couch.
She blew him a raspberry as she trotted past. Powdered Sugar followed slowly to match Scythe’s pace. Powdered was less enthused about Lollimint’s treatment than she was. He coughed awkwardly before removed his helmet. The hiss of steam from the removed helmet blocked his features. When it did clear, Powdered Sugar was a fairly decent looking stallion. He was maybe a year or so older than them. His coat was snow white, nearly cut-off straw colored mane, and bright blue eyes.
“I apologize if I have upset some group dynamic. I came to reimburse you for your troubles earlier. My elder does not know I am here. Sharp Stone and our whole company would be here as well, if he did,” Powdered apologized. Scythe stiffened at the name of his harasser.
“Well, you brought us your crate of supplies. Say your peace and leave,” Scythe barked back.
“Barely a day in the wasteland and your already hardening yourself from the kindness of others. Haha, funny how it does that to ponies. Look, I came here to give you a hoof of help. I lived my whole life as a wasteland pony. While I am still here, I would advise not to waste that assest,” Powdered said.
“Sir Powdered Sugar, why are there so few ponies around here?” Lollimint was all too eagered to ask as she sprawled seductively on the middle couch.
After a noticeable twinge at the sight of such a…willing…mare Powdered replied, “That is simply because the wasteland is not fit for many pony settlements. It has been almost fifty years since most towns were created. Many do not travel the wasteland without reason.”
“So, this Tenpony Tower is one of those few large settlements?” Scythe asked.
“One of the oldest too. It is said the tower survived the bombs and ponies have been living there this whole time. A little uppity at times, but good ponies none the less,” Powdered explained.
“After spending so much time alone with Scythe, a dose of time with good ponies would be great,” Lollimint said with a wink at Powdered Sugar.
“Miss, you do know my company was involved with the destruction of your stable, don't you?” Powdered asked.
Lollimint rolled onto her tummy and replied, “Oh, I’m sure you didn’t like it one bit. Scythe here loves harming others. He even refused to help me until I made a deal with him to be his love slave.”
“You lying little..!” Scythe exclaimed as Powdered turned his head quickly towards him. The Steel Ranger looked like he was fuming with rage. Damn Lollimint and her big mouth. She had managed to strike some kind of noble cord in Powdered Sugar’s heart.
“It seems I was wrong to save the likes of you from Sharp Stone,” Powdered Sugar growled as he advanced on Scythe . “She is lying! I never once said love slave. She made a pact with me to be my mare and mine alone! You don’t see any sign that she has been treated with any less than upmost respect! I could make her that, but I don’t!” Scythe shouted at the steel ranger as he advanced on him.
“You sound like some disillusioned maniac. You can’t enslave others, you sick fuck!” Powdered Sugar exclaimed as he pounced on Scythe.
Learning his lesson on steel pony armor, Scythe rolled out of the way and smacked into a couch. He scrambled to his hooves as he prepared to fight the steel pony unarmed. Powdered Sugar whinnied as he rose to charge him. Scythe’s horn glowed as he charged back. Lollimint stared at her handy work as Scythe was slammed into the brick wall right above her and fell into her lap. The crazy stallion moaned as he began bleeding profusely from a head injury and didn’t bother to get up. Lollimint stared at him as she moved his forelock out of his face.
A straggled voice whispered, “Damnit, Lolli, don’t you understand….I love you.”
Lollimint struggled with tears. This had been what she wanted. She wanted to be free from the murderous pony. This stupid pony she grew up alongside, and at one time cared about. It wasn’t fair! Why do ponies still look the same when they were good even when you know they are evil?! That answer was simple. Scythe was never a good wholesome pony. He hid who he was. Only thing he never hid was how he felt about her. He never said it until now, but she saw the way he looked at her in the stable. This crazy, murdering, pony was Scythe. Even in his madden state; he had tried to protect her from his mission. Atleast twice her life was his to save or let die, and he chose to save her both times.
“Step aside, M’lady. Once I have finished this ruffian, you can collect your friend and I will take you to Tenpony Tower,” Powdered Sugar said as he advanced.
“Please…stop,” she mumbled.
“Pardon, Miss Lollimint?” Powdered asked.
“Thank you for sticking up for me, but please stop. Scythe…Scythe has been a bad pony, but…I used to love him. I…I can’t bear to watch him die. Not just yet. I want to try and make him the good pony I remember. Besides, my friend is Scythe’s foal cousin. How could I explain to him I just let a steel pony kill Scythe. Please, don’t make me do that,” Lollimint said through shaking breathes as she wept. Scythe wasn’t moving anymore. He lost consciousness after he said he loved her. She could let him die, and he could be killed mercifully without a fuss.
“Is that what you truly want, Miss Mint?” Powdered Sugar asked.
“Yes. I want to try and make him good. He needed to be punished, but I… I can’t watch him die,” Lollimint wept as she held Scythe close now.
“…Then we need to dress his wound. Any form of weakness will be your death in the wasteland. But, you are naïve, Miss Mint,” Powdered Sugar said as he opened the supply crate.
“Naïve?” Lollimint asked him.
Powdered Sugar took out a roll of bandages and began wrapping the skull he took the time to crack open as he replied, “You will find there is no good or bad in the wasteland. All there is are better and worse ponies than you. Scythe will have an easy time fitting in here. You, Miss, will become the target of any pony thinking they can get an advantage on you.”
Scythe's haggard breathing seemed to calm after the bandage was secured. Lollimint held him close as he slept soundly in her hooves. Scythe seemed very content with his resting place when she noticed Powdered looking at them with a distant smile.
“You two are very lucky to have each other. Working together is all we really have to survive the wasteland. That’s a bit of advice from a pony that knows. Make a lot of allies, get good at fighting, and collect as many caps as you can. Strength to survive comes in numbers,” Powdered said as he shuffled to place his helmet back on.
“Come with us, “ Lollimint said softly.
Powdered Sugar stopped a moment before he looked at her. She was the picture of kindness as she cradled her captor in her hooves wearing a sincere smile. Powdered Sugar gazed upon the sight a moment more before he said, “No, Miss Mint, my place is with the Steel Rangers. I thank you for the offer, but I have ponies I want to fight for. I can’t just let ponies like Sharp Stone be the only rangers walking about.”
Lollimint only smiled warmly at him as he turned to leave. She felt she had a friend in Journey Knight Powdered Sugar. He was a kind and brave soul. If a pony like him was created by this wasteland, why couldn’t she help Scythe become that way too? Things would be better if he was a strong and just pony. She wouldn’t have so much guilt for still having latent feelings for him if he was. The house seemed so much quieter as Powdered Sugar said good-bye. That was...He almost left. Then the strange noises from the blocked door started up. Powdered Sugar turned to Lollimint on a dime. She knew his facial expression was well obscured by his helmet, but she also knew he probably wanted a very good explanation for the noises.
The noises of wood and mechanized parts at the blocked door grew louder and louder. Lollimint gripped Scythe closer as she began to shake. Powdered Sugar took stance as he watched the beams before the door creak from increased banging on the door. The whirs of cogs and clanks of wood on wood grew louder as the door began to crack and groan from incessant pounding. Lollimint quivered as her eyes grew as huge as dinner plates. Powdered Sugar gritted his teeth as he slowly advanced a bit further.
“Lolli, what is all that sound?” a sleepy foal voice said from the staircase close to the door.
Lollimint was horrified as Crisp Coat began to sleepily trot down the stairs. The door was now barely keeping the mechanized horrors at bay. She jumped from the couch and pelted towards him as fast as her hooves could carry her. Crisp cried in horror as the door exploded when Lollimint reached him. Adult-sized wooden ponies swarmed out of the previously blocked off room. Their vacant eye sockets pointed forwards as the stampeded out of their prison into a hail of machine gun fire. The peppering of Powdered Sugar’s guns began tearing many of the first wave to splintered parts. Eerily, the parts kept moving until their heads were busted wide open in the bullet spray.
The nightmarish whir of gears for whinnies erupted from the second wave as they kept coming. Lollimint held Crisp tightly as she watched them. Mixtures of wood and steel, these ponies were mechanical monsters. The more frightening sight was the array of pony body parts intermingled with their designs. Bones and hair from their pony life were secured to their mechanical forms. Unicorns had their true horns popping and fizzing to attempt to conjure spells. Pegasi had stubby wings bones mounted on steel framework, that flapped vainly to catch the air. All their manes and tail were pony hair of various shades and colors.
Powdered Sugar was forced to begin striking out with his hooves to keep the herd at bay. The living puppet ponies were returning his blows and trying to bite into his armor with their wooden jaws. One of the last ponies to leave, what they now assumed to be, the basement swiveled its sightless head towards Lollimint and Crisp. Its unearthly screech summoned a few others as it raced for Lollimint as she screamed bloody murder from the stairs.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scythe found himself somewhere far from his home. The village he was in was run down. The buildings weren't more than shacks on the verge of falling over in one strong gust of wind. Shapes of ponies milled around the fog. Scythe walked closer to find these were no ponies. They were zebras. Zebras that were barely as old as him, and looked battered and broken; as he looked from one another one raised its head to look up at the mountainside. Scythe was shocked when he followed its gaze to see a medieval city covered in pink smog. That smog was so familiar to him. It was if he had seen it somewhere.
He then heard the clop of hooves trotting along towards the village and the sound of something large being dragged along the dirt and muck. The zebra from before began shuffling towards a large gap in the shacks. Many of the other older zebra followed this one to the gap. When Scythe reached it, he saw a shape begin to emerge from the fog. He sucked in the foul air as he saw a small adult pony mare casually dragging a huge fallen tree with the help of a yoke. Tendrils of the pink smog radiated from the tree and mare. The sound of flesh tearing came when she stopped to remove the yoke from her neck. The sickly green glow from rotten flesh regenerating her neck flesh made Scythe’s stomach churn as she casually pranced closer to her awaiting striped crowd.
The mare came closer into Scythe’s view as she approached them. Her red pelt was covered in rotten flesh patches. Bandages were wrapped and seemed to be fused to her barrel. The ends of the bandages flapped in the air as she pranced forward. The clink of old chains clattered as her hooves moved. These too were fused to her front hooves. Her cutie mark was scarred and patchy. Her long mane and tail was patchy and bedraggled. Then it hit Scythe when he saw her mane was tri-color and had glowing green eyes. This was All-mother Belldam.
One of the zebra spoke up, “Welcome back, Bell. It is so good to have someone around willing to scrounge the wasteland for us.”
“It is my pleasure, dear Angavu. I want to be part of this little town. It is only natural to try and help when I can,” Belldam said in a gentle voiced mixed with a light rasping.
The zebras parted their crowd for her as she walked past them, pink tendrils of smoke still came off her in a more faint amount. She smiled as she gave a side long glance to watch the zebras inch closer to the tree. A few braved the smog around it to toss out items she had placed in hollows. Scythe followed his goddess as she continued on down the road to the outskirts of town.
With the village occupied with braving the toxins of the smoke to get at her scavenged goods, she went unnoticed moving a large plank of wood up from a hidden pony-sized burrow. Scythe phased through the plank as it fell down behind Belldam entering the burrow. The glow of radioactive objects left a yellowish green glow to dimly light the burrow. Various bits of wood and discarded junk littered the earthen floor. The deepest part of the burrow had a small workstation and a bed of rags. On the bed was a wooden life-sized zebra. It even had stripes on its wooden body. The shine of the wood stain and lacquer made it a masterpiece. The Mohawk and tail of real zebra hair was a nice touch, along with the craved details for an emotionless face. The craved eyes were beautiful, even if they didn’t have any pupils or iris. It took Scythe’s breathe away at its beauty of craftsmanship.
Scythe jumped as the wooden zebra lifted its head. Belldam chuckled as she eyed the living doll. This was her first creation in a long time. Scythe was giddy at the idea his goddess was out there still practicing her craft on ponies.
“Well, Zordic the Thief, how do you like your new body? It took so very long to make you. Not a lot of good parts left in this wasteland. I had to risk going into the Canterlot ruins every few days to gather supplies and find enough strong wood to create your body. Well, worth the trouble though. It is time you began you penance for being a robber, let alone a robber foolish enough to enter my inner sanctum. From now on you serve me. Seeing as I have control on all those I craft, you have no choice in the matter. I didn’t give you a mechanized muzzle, so nopony can hear your words besides me. You. Are. Mine!” Belldam said as she lorded over the zebra.
Zordic merely hung his head in despair. Scythe felt his grin grow as he watched Belldam deal out her brand of justice. She had changed this thief into her personal servant. He would spend all eternity assisting her for choosing to steal from ponies that had very little. Belldam turns slowly to where Scythe was. There was no way she could see him, could she?
“My very name used to be able to stop even my son’s creations alongside mine. My will controls all of them,” Belldam said in a reminiscent voice, which rasped with strain.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scythe bolted upright as he shouted, “Belldam!”
The living dolls froze in their assaults. One was frozen in place inches from Lollimint and Crisp, the herd on Powdered Sugar didn’t even resist against his efforts to escape their masses. Scythe soaked this in as he began to realize he had just received another vision from Belldam. This one gave him control of the current situation. He got to his hooves, placed the most authoritative gaze he could on the dolls.
“I am Scythe, direct descendant of Belldam. Look upon me and see the visage of your mistress!” he called out to the dolls.
The dolls began to inch away from their prey and approach him. They stared with their unseeing eyes at him, as if taking in every part of him that Belldam’s genetics had shown through. He made a silent prayer to the All-mother these creatures could see enough of her in him to obey his cease fire.
The whirs of gears and clank of wood slowed as they all stood in attention before him. The living doll herd took their time to look upon Scythe with their unseeing eyes. They did not move. They did not make a noise. They only looked upon him expectantly. Scythe felt a rush at having these nightmare creatures looking to him for guidance. He then cleared his throat before addressing them again.
“Belldam lives. As her descendant, she would not be pleased with harm coming to me or my companions. She will know what you did if you do. Leave us. Go about your lives as you wish, but leave us now,” Scythe said in a commanding voice.
The cogs and gears of the living doll herd began to sound as they turned to leave. Powdered Sugar tensed as they approached him again. This time, they did not look at him. They all just walked out of the house calmly. It was as if they no longer cared or saw them as they milled out into the ruins of Paintburg. Powdered Sugar looked to Scythe with a darken gaze. Scythe stood tall until the last living doll left, and deflated in front of him.
“What…was that,” Powdered Sugar asked.
“Living dolls. My ancestor and All-mother of my religion made them before the bombs fell. She was said to be executed back then too,” Scythe replied as he lay on the couch.
“You just said she lived. How can a pony that died then be alive now?” Powdered Sugar pressed.
“That. That was mostly a bluff. But, I have been having visions since we left the stable. The one I had before I woke up had her in it. She told me how to stop them. But, she looked like a rotting corpse. Her flesh ripped off and just regenerated. She was in a wasteland town…I think,” Scythe explained. He was more saying it aloud remembering his vision than really caring about telling Powdered Sugar.
“Sounds like she is a ghoul,” Powdered Sugar said offhandedly.
“A what,” Lollimint asked as she came out with Crisp Coat.
“Living dead pony. Ghouls mostly come from ponies that didn't exactly die during the bombings. Their bodies are dead, but they are still very much alive in some way. Most have gone crazy due to the longtime of isolation from other ponies, and being the living dead. Sounds like this Belldam mare did not die by execution. She must have lived until the bombs fell and became a ghoul. That is, unless your friend isn't just having some nightmares,” Powdered Sugar explained.
“Trust me. When it comes to his All-mother, Scythe doesn't count anything with her as a nightmare,” Lollimint grumbled.
They stood in silence for a moment before Lollimint asked, “Sir Sugar, why did your steel ranger group attack our stable? You seem so nice, for a pony that helped destroy all I knew.”
Powdered Sugar stood in silence as the stable ponies all looked at him. They all wanted to know why the steel ponies had attacked their stable. How could Powdered Sugar go on about being a good steel ranger and not address the huge moral hole in the whole situation.
“I…I don’t remember that night. Many of us don’t in my group. If it wasn't for the new technology and members of our group singing of the spoils of the battle, we probably never would have known. I feel so much guilt for my part in it. Our elder keep saying it was good to take from the stable. If that was true, why do so many of us rangers not recall ever being there? I would deny it, but Sharp Stone keeps praising me about my part in it. Part of why I am helping you is repentance for what happened in that stable,” Powdered Sugar explained.
“Then why won’t you leave them? Couldn't you just start a new group with the others that feel bad about what happened,” Lollimint pressed.
“No, I took an oath when I joined the rangers. I rather find out why my group has become corrupt and fix it. I can’t run away and pretend I never did anything wrong. It is my duty to my fellow rangers to at least try and make it right,” Powdered Sugar said as he turned to leave, “I am sorry if you dislike this answer, but I have my own priorities in life. One of those is my duties as a steel ranger.
“If you come to a point you can’t be with them any longer, look us up. I’m sure Scythe can take the stick out of his rump to allow another ally among us,” Lollimint said as he walked out the door.
Powdered Sugar turned his head and gave a short nod as he replied, “Thank you, Miss Mint. I will remember that.”
He was gone with the rest of the morning easing into being. The stable ponies watched from the window as he galloped out of the town. The living doll herd milling through the town was still paying him no mind. It was beginning to sink in what kind of world they now faced. They had made an ally, but it would take more than one steel ranger off doing his duty for them to survive around here. Slowly they all began to ready their things to travel from her on out.
