Lonely Roads

Hey, I'm Dusty Night. I am a pegasus stallion. My coat is dusty brown and I have light blue eyes. I live happily and safely with my mate and a few friends. But I'm not here to talk about myself. No, no I'm here to tell you the story of a unicorn mare who lived through hell, don't worry though, she still lives. Now she just brings hell to the ones who deserve it. She does have a few partners in "crime". Everyone who knows of her, calls her Kor. She is the silent and mysterious catalyst of the Mojave desert. Kor's story needs to be told before it is forgotten.

I remember the day so clearly. I was twenty five and still my father's apprentice. He was the doctor of our small town, Goodsprings. And one day I was going to be a doctor to, I was going to follow in his hoof steps. My dad was once a spry, young, navy blue stallion and age has only made him experienced, smooth, but faded. His black mane and tail now had streaks of grey and his coat was ticked with growing white and grey hairs. His eyes though, they never changed. They were always this light blue color that never faded. I shared his eyes, and his large structure. Besides that, we have nothing else in common. We looked nothing alike. He was a unicorn and I was a pegasus, he hated being a doctor but I loved being a doctor.

Name: Dark River

Cutie Mark: Three golden bits on a black clipboard

I look a lot like my mother. She was a light dusty pink with crimson red eyes. Her mane was mostly white with thin red stripes to match her eyes. Her carefully braided tail matched her mane. She was small in size and her wings were soft to the touch and comforting. She was soft spoken and understanding, but if anyone lays a hoof on either my brother, my father, or I then she would turn into a bull. She would literally plow down the enemy. I shared my mother's downy feathers.

Name: Crimson Dust

Cutie Mark: Red Teddy Bear with Bull Horns

My little brother wasn't really little. He was taller then me and he was a unicorn. He's five years younger then I. He's blue like our father and shares the same red eyes as our mother.  His mane and tail were shaggy and the black of his mane was constantly mixed with the red. He was always the comedic in my family but he was very intimidating when he wanted. He was still a bachelor but I saw the way he looked at Nuka Rose.

Name: Crimson River

Cutie Mark: A Black Knife with Red Dripping from the Blade with a Red Trickling Puddle at the Bottom

Nuka Rose helps... err... helped Sunny Smiles kill geckos over at the wells. Nuka was a bright green unicorn/zebra mare with bright pink stripes. Her eyes and mane matched her stripes as well as her hooves. Her body structure, the way she carried herself, her type of skills in fighting matched the ways of a Zebra. The only thing that separated her from other Zebras, was the horn that sat on her head.

Name: Nuka Rose

Cutie Mark: A Pink Rose with Thorns Dripping Green Liquid

Sunny Smiles is a bright, yellow earth pony. Her mane and tail are tan with a few white stripes. She has a small, but lean body type. She is a skilled gun mare and is still waiting for the perfect stallion to come along.

Name: Sunny Smiles

Cutie Mark: A White Sun Wearing Aviators with a Shot Gun

I, for one, am not single. I have a beautiful mate. Her white coat is usually pristine and rarely looks dusty. Her mane and tail are a luxurious, bright blue and her eyes look like large, pink crystals. Her muzzle is dainty and her horn is sharp. It was said that she was related to one of the Ministry Mares, and I have no doubt about that.

Name: Crystal Creek

Cutie Mark: Three Pink Diamonds

She gave birth to a dark grey colt, whom also has downy wings like his grandmother and I. His mane and tail are silver with cool, blue streaks that match my eyes. His eyes also match mine. On this day, he was two years old.

Name: Stirling Rain

Cutie Mark: Three Silver Rain Drops with Light Blue Outlines and a Shadow of a Knife and a Handgun

As I said before, I can remember the day clearly. A small breeze blew dust and entered into the immaculate wooden house through the broken window. A framed landscape of a sparkling blue creek hidden deep within a dark green forest hung on the wall. A freshly dusted rug decorated the floor. Labored breaths came from a slightly smaller room. Also wooden but without a rug to cover the bare wooden floor. A nightstand adjourned each side of the bed. A panting, aqua unicorn struggling to not scream out. A large, male, earth pony held unto his mate's light purple and aqua hoof. The mare's short, light purple mane, the same as the tips of her hooves, hung limply around her face. The pale pink headband failing at its job. Her bright green eyes closed tightly as another spasm went through her lower body. My father clenched his teeth, Kor's birth was taking a toll on both him and the mare. I waited alongside him. Warm water, scissors, and clean towels waiting by me, ready to be used.  "Push Brook, push. The foal's almost out." The mare, also known as Lavender Brook, let out one elongated scream as her back arched and the foal safely slid into Dark River's hooves. A sigh escaped her lips, as she let out slight pants. Hours of labor, finally paid off. The doctor cut the umbilical cord and handed me the foal. Brook's afterbirth would come out a bit later but that has nothing, whatsoever to do with the story.

Lavender Brook stared up at the dark brown and white stallion. Happiness practically glowed in his brown eyes. His name was Fertile Ashes. "I'm so proud of you hun." They touched muzzles. His well portioned out head and muzzle and her soft yet sharp looking muzzle, nuzzled together. The sunlight coming through the high window, swirls of dust softly trying to settle. After that, Ash put his forehead against hers. His short black mane mixing in with her purple mane. It was a beautiful sight to watch. It reminded me of when Crystal gave birth to Stirling Rain.

I gently washed the filly and took the mucus out of her mouth so that she could have her first breath of life. I finally dried her and she looked at me with this giant, dark green eyes. Curiosity and wonder filling them as she reached her hoof up to touch my face. Long, beautiful eyelashes adding to her beauty. A horn protruded from her forehead. It was already hardening, the sign of a healthy, unicorn foal. The first words I said to her were, "You are the most beautiful filly that I have ever seen born." The words still ring true. My father gave me the look that he was leaving and I was left to clean up the mess. I didn't mind though. I stretched out my wing and I allowed the foal, Kor, to grab unto it with both of her hooves. She tried to rub the side of her face against one of the feathers. I let out a small chuckle and brought the couple their first foal.

"Congratulations," I whispered, "It's a girl." I careful hoofed over Kor. Lavender Brook lifted the baby away from me and looked into her foal's eyes. Ash climbed into the bed with her and put his forearm around her. All they could do was stare in amazement. They couldn't believe that they created this gorgeous foal.

The little filly was bright pink/red. A bit of faded silver covered her muzzle, giving her a wise appearance. Her hooves were the same silver and had slight feathering. I have no doubt that the feathering would grown out like Kor's father's feathering.  Her rump was also covered with silver markings. Very common for a pony with Mustang and Appaloosian bloodlines. Her ears looked sharp, with tufts at the top. I'm very sure that they were super soft. Her mane and tail were the same dark green as her eyes, except they had red stripes.

"She's so perfect," the aqua mare finally shuddered.

"That she is, my dash of Lavender flavored honey," the stallion whispered. They nuzzled again as the mare slightly rocked her foal back and forth, failing to notice that the afterbirth had left her.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but I have to clean up your bedroom of this mess. I also recommend that you take a shower as soon as possible. You do understand the dangers if a predator was to smell a fresh birthing," I gave them a concerned look.

"Of course Dusty," the mare hesitantly gave Kor to her husband and walked into the bathroom to take a shower. I quietly started cleaning up and disinfecting the room. Kor let out a small sneeze, a reaction quite normal due to the strong smell.  "I never thought I'd be a father," he looked at me with tears in his eyes.

"Neither did I," I smiled back at him. Brook came back before I was finished, I sniffed her and deemed her thoroughly clean. Ash gave her the foal as he went to take his turn in the shower. By the time he finished his shower, I had the room spick and span, the same with any sheets or towels used. Kor was already be nursed by her mother.

"What do you want to name her," I asked the couple.

"She's so beautiful, like a rose," the aqua blue mare answered.

"I bet she's gonna be a knock out when she grows up," chuckled Ash. The married couple looked at each other, "So lets name her Knock Out Rose," the earth stallion answered. "Knock Out Rose," whispered the mare, "Welcome to Fallout: Equestria."