Whole New World
Chapter 21
Fallout

Dano shifted anxiously in his seat as he drove. Despite moving much faster than they were on the way to Fort Security the survivor couldn’t wait to get home despite a growing despair in the back of his head. He was going to have to break the news of Carrot’s death to his wife as well as show Fluttershy the pendant. Dano tried his best to formulate what he would tell the shy woman, but he wasn’t getting anywhere fast. A little nervous about the coming meeting the survivor moved his eyes off of the road to check himself in the rear view mirror.

Much to his relief Dano’s hair and eyes had returned to normal, but his cuts still remained. The survivor wondered how he would be greeted with the four thick red lines on his face, but he couldn’t delve too deep into the many scenarios. Soarin was shouting for some reason.

“Eyes on the road!”

Dano quickly returned his eyes forward to see that he had drifted quite a bit off of the asphalt and was dangerously close to falling into the drainage ditch. The survivor righted the truck with a quick turn of the wheel as he let out a sigh. He needed to actually get home before worrying about what he was going to do there.

The rest of the trip home was in silence as Dano found himself spending most of the time in his head while Soarin would shift as the pain in his leg and arm constantly throbbed. To both of the soldier’s relief the convoy turned down the last piece of road before home, a simple stretch of dirt the split a rolling plain in half.

The group of trucks sped down the road, kicking up dirt as it went, and before long the sight of an orchard on the left side of the road came into view. Sweet Apple Acres bathed in the morning sun, and as they passed Braeburn unleashed his truck’s air horn to signal their return. Dano could only imagine the smile on the farmer’s face when he saw his home in its splendor.

Minutes after passing the front gate of Sweet Apple Acres the convoy passed the first buildings of the town proper. The sound of the air horn had garnered the attention of the town’s people, but as the trucks sped through the town Dano could see fear and confusion in their eyes. They saw the vehicles of the enemy as well as the large guns attached to the top before they saw the occupants. Searching to find answers the town’s folk began to follow the convoy until it came to a stop in the town center.

As a crowd began to form Dano turned off the engine, opened the heavy armored door of his Humvee and took a step out. Hushed voices traveled through the crowd as they tried to figure out if the man standing in front of them was friend or foe, but the survivor didn’t move to put their curiosity to rest. He instead moved to get his team fixed up.

“Braeburn!” Dano called as he walked up to the soldier who was clambering down from his truck.

“Yeah?”

Dano stopped walking as Braeburn hopped off of the running boards.

“Take Soarin to the Doctor’s house. You both need treatment.”

Braeburn looked skeptical.

“I don’t need anything.”

Dano sighed as he saw the classic Apple Family stubbornness shine through.

“You have three chunks of lead in your chest, and you’re going to need to get them removed. Don’t make me have to kick your ass.”

Braeburn chuckled before nodding.

“Fine.”

Dano smiled.

“Now get going, Soarin won’t wait forever.”

Braeburn nodded once again before walking past Dano, moved between the lead Humvee and the transport truck and tried to get to the passenger side door of the troop transport. He didn’t get far.

“BRAEBURN!”

“Slow down Pinkie! AHH! That hurts!”

Dano took a few steps backward so he could see around the front of the transport truck, and the sight of Braeburn being squeezed by Pinkie Pie brought a smile to his face. The rest of the girls made their way across the town center, splitting up as the rounded the statue that dominated the center of the open space. Each of them held a smile on their face as Braeburn tried his best to escape Pinkie Pie’s embrace, and all of their outfits consisted of sweatpants, t-shirts and flat soled shoes that all held their usual color choice. The survivor guessed they had just woken up from a slumber party of sorts before making their way here. Dano was about to join them when the sound of massed footstep drew his attention back to the side of the truck.

The occupants of the last Humvee made their way toward Dano with the Doctor carrying Bon Bon and Berry Punch holding Echo. In the light of day the survivor could see that the only item of clothing on the abused woman was a pair dirty panties, and that Berry was wearing ripped jeans with no shoes. All of the happiness in Dano’s mind melted away has he put a straight face on.

“How is she Doctor?”

The Doctor gave Dano a grave look.

“I don’t know how much longer she will last.”

Dano nodded.

“Take her to your house and do your best to help her. Soarin and Braeburn are on their way there. As soon as you can fix them up.”

The Doctor nodded as he was given his orders.

“I’m going to need an assistant in case I have to perform surgery.”

Dano waved a hand toward Big Mac.

“Tell Big Mac where to find your assistant and he will get her.”

Without another word to Dano the Doctor moved passed the survivor while telling Big Mac where to find a woman named Redheart. With that out of the way Dano moved his focus to Berry Punch and Echo.

“How are you feeling Berry?”

Berry smiled a bit.

“It’s nice to finally be home.”

Dano returned the smile before asking her to follow him.

With Berry Punch in tow the survivor made his way around the front of the transport truck to see that Braeburn had finally broken out of Pinkie’s embrace and was helping Soarin out of the Humvee. The six girls had expressions of worry as they watched the two men begin to slowly make their way toward the Doctor’s house, a few feet behind the physician and his patient. The sound of Dano walking around the truck brought their attention to him, and they all smiled before they saw his face. Their expression returned to worry again as they followed the scars on his features, and the survivor noticed a slight fear in their eyes as well.

“What happened to you Dano?” Twilight spoke, her voice full of concern.

“Nothing fun.” Dano retorted. He didn’t want to talk about the battle much.

As Dano stopped to talk to the women Berry had moved out from behind the survivor, and once to girls had gotten over Dano’s face their attention moved to the former hostage.

“Berry Punch!”

Pinkie’s smile grew, and she made an attempt to jump on the woman but Dano stopped her.

“Slow down Pinkie.”

The party girl’s smile drooped.

“What’s wrong?”

Dano looked Pinkie in the eye.

“Berry has been through a lot, and she may not be comfortable with getting jumped. I want you to keep calm around her Pinkie No pranks, no surprises.”

Pinkie’s hair seemed to deflate at the order, but she nodded. Satisfied that he had quelled the pink ball of energy Dano move on.

The survivor turned his head so he could address Berry Punch directly.

“Why don’t you give Echo to Fluttershy and have Rarity take you to her house so you can clean up a bit.”

Berry nodded slowly before moving passed Dano to hand Fluttershy the wounded wolf.

Fluttershy had been hiding behind her hair nervously the entire time, but at the sight of Echo she immediately burst forth from her shell.

“What happened to him?” Fluttershy asked as the wolf changed hands.

“He was thrown at a wall.” Dano responded, his voice flat as that particular scene re-ran through his brain.

“Oh the poor thing.”

Fluttershy seemed to push the rest of the world out of her mind as she quickly turned and began to walk in the direction of home. Not wanting to break her concentration Dano let her go, and turned his attention to Rarity as she gingerly placed an arm over Berry Punch’s shoulder.

“Come now darling. Let’s see if we can’t find something clean to put on.”

Berry nodded sheepishly as the fashionista began to lead her away.

“Berry. I want you to go to the Doctor’s house after you clean up.”

Berry looked over her shoulder to nod at Dano before letting Rarity lead her away.

Dano now, suddenly, realized that most of Ponyville had gathered in the square and was watching the survivor’s team move away from the convoy. As the survivor scanned the crowd his eyes fell on a short woman with light crimson hair, a streak of greyish light crimson running through it, push her way out of the crowd. Her clothes consisted of a cerulean blue dress that ended below the knee, and was covered with a yellow apron with pink, frilly trim. Short heals covered her feet while light crimson socks covered her ankles. She had a look of desperation and confusion on her face, and Dano felt his heart drop as he eyed the woman known as Mrs. Cake.

Dano pushed his way through the remaining girls and made his way quickly across the open gap between the convoy and the crowd. Mrs. Cake took short steps toward Dano, and they met after a few moments.

“Where is Carrot?”

Mrs. Cake’s voice cracked as her eyes tried to find a glimpse of her husband somewhere on the convoy.

“Please come with me Mrs. Cake. I will explain.”

Dano wrapped an arm around the baker’s shoulders, and began to lead her toward the last Humvee in the convoy.

“Is my husband okay?”

Dano simply continued to lead the woman toward the truck.

“I will tell you when we are in a more private setting.”

Dano knew that there was nothing private about being in the middle of the town center, but he needed to keep her calm until they got to the body.

It didn’t take the couple long to cross the open area, and Dano could feel every pair of eyes bore into his back when he rounded Humvee. The survivor released Mrs. Cake and turned to face her.

“Mrs. Cake, I regret to inform you that your husband, Carrot Cake, died last night while fighting against the raiders who assaulted Ponyville.”

Dano’s voice was as sincere as he could make it, and it was very hard to keep eye contact with Mrs. Cake as she began to break down.

“Where… where is his body.”

Dano indicated the trunk of the Humvee.

“We brought him home for a proper burial.”

Mrs. Cake was trying her best to keep control, but tears began to force their way out of her eyes.

“I want to see him.”

Dano frowned a bit.

“I don’t think that is the best thing Mrs. Cake.”

Mrs. Cake took a shuddering breath before speaking more forcefully.

“I want to see the body.”

Dano sighed before he nodded, turned to his left and lifted the truck’s trunk open. Lying with his head facing the back of the truck was Carrot, completely covered in as clean a white sheet as Big Mac could find. The survivor lifted and pushed the sheet off just far enough to expose the body’s shoulders and head. Mrs. Cake inhaled quickly at the sight of her husband, charred black with his eyes welded shut.

The dams broke in the baker, and she began to wail as she fell forward onto her husband. Dano had to restrain the distraught woman, for if she touched her deceased husband’s skin it would simply peel off and further damage the body.

For what felt like hours Dano held on to Mrs. Cake as grief racked her body. She balled and wailed into the air as tears ran down her features. The survivor simply held a straight face as he watched the baker morn, and when she showed no signs of letting up he waved the girls over.

“Take her home and watch her.” Dano ordered to Twilight, Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie.

Twilight and Pinkie wrapped their arms around Mrs. Cake once Dano had let go, and began to gently move her away. Rainbow Dash and Applejack chose to stay behind and they watched the baker go with the two women. Big Mac returned as Mrs. Cake was led away, and passed her by quickly in order to get to Dano.

“You got Redheart?” Dano asked without looking away from Mrs. Cake.

Big Mac nodded.

“Go find the coroner or whoever takes care of bodies around here. I don’t want to leave Carrot in the trunk too long.”

Big Mac nodded again before leaving.

Dano sighed. His list of things to do was drawing ever closer to its conclusion. He just had two more things to do.

After covering Carrot back up and closing the Humvee’s trunk Dano excused himself from the two women and made his way across the town center, pushed through the crowd and made his way across town to a boarded up pink and navy colored shop. Without hesitation he walked up to the front door and knocked on the threshold. The sound of a window opening above the survivor caused him to step back and look up to see Lyra leaning out on the window sill, her skin pale from lack of sunshine and hair a mess from lack of care.

“Hello?”

Dano kept a straight face as he addressed the musician.

“We found Bon Bon Lyra, but you need to come with me.”

Lyra’s usual sad frown was replaced with a huge smile before she ducked back into her house. The musical neglected to close the window as she bolted through the abode, down the back stairs and through the shop before bursting out of the front door. Lyra looked around the street, trying to find her lost fiancé, but once it was clear that she wasn’t there the musician’s frown returned.

“Where is she?”

Dano motioned for her to follow.

“Please, follow me.”

Lyra’s expression grew to one of worry as she slowly nodded. Taking the queue Dano turned and began to lead Lyra back through town toward the Doctor’s house.

By the time Dano and Lyra got back to the town square the crowd had dissipated leaving the open area devoid of life, the convoy being the only thing resting in the square. The survivor ignored the crushing silence as he moved to the Doctor’s stoop and pushed his way into the building.

Dano found himself standing in the Doctor’s living room. Applejack sat with Braeburn and Big Mac on the only couch in the room while Soarin and Rainbow Dash sat across from them with their backs against the wall. As Dano entered the Doctor also entered the room with Redheart right behind him. Everybody in the space looked at the physician, and he simply shook his head. Bon Bon’s struggle was over.

Lyra looked over the blank expressions with confusion and worry.

“Where is Bon Bon?”

No one wanted to answer, and the question hung in the air.

“Where is Bon Bon?!”

Lyra’s voice was filled with worry as she began to panic.

“Please come with me Lyra.”

The Doctor spoke up over the sad silence, and the panicked musician reluctantly followed.

Dano couldn’t take it anymore. He needed to escape the coming sorrow before it destroyed him. Without saying another word the survivor turned and left the Doctor’s abode, but as he closed the door he could hear Lyra begin to cry loudly.

Without anywhere else to go Dano began to walk to Fluttershy’s home, his heart heavy and mind silent. He had one more thing to do before the day ended, and he had been dreading it. As if on cue a weight began to grow in the survivor chest, and it emanated from the small pendant in his breast pocket. He would have to come clean with Fluttershy, but he had no way to explain himself. Brainwashing came to mind as Dano walked, but he dismissed it quickly. The excuse, all though partially true, would sound like a lie he came up to save his ass. He would have to take the fall and hope that Fluttershy wouldn’t hate him.

The walk to Fluttershy’s home dragged on forever to Dano, each step bringing dread, until he finally arrived at the footbridge in front of the small abode. The survivor looked around the clearing dominated by the shy woman’s house to see nothing. All of her animals seemed to have disappeared, and it created an eerie feeling in Dano as if the lack of life was a bad omen. Dano ignored the ominous feeling, and forced himself to cross the bridge, walk up to Fluttershy’s front door and enter the house.

The survivor found himself in the familiar setting of Fluttershy’s home, and he felt a bit of his mind calm to the fact that he was in a safe place. Hearing someone enter her home Fluttershy walked out of the kitchen wearing a white apron over the same clothes the survivor had seen her wearing earlier. The shy woman smiled a bit at the sight of Dano, and she quickly crossed the room to embrace him. The survivor returned the embrace halfheartedly, but Fluttershy didn’t seem to notice.

“I’m happy you came back.”

Fluttershy’s voice was muffled as she pressed her face into Dano’s neck.

“So am I.” Dano replied just as weakly as he was hugging the shy woman.

Fluttershy looked up at Dano without releasing her embrace a look of worry on her face.

“What’s wrong?”

Dano pushed himself out of Fluttershy’s embrace, and she reluctantly let him go. Once free from the shy woman the survivor reached up to his right breast pocket, opened it and pulled out the necklace. Fluttershy’s eyes widened when she saw the pendant, and Dano extended his hand to give it to the shy woman. She took it gingerly, her eyes never leaving the half butterfly.

“Where did you find this?”

Dano took a quick breath before he answered.

“On your father.”

Fluttershy’s eyes darted from the necklace to Dano.

“My father?”

Dano nodded.

“Where is he?”

Dano could hear a slight tone in Fluttershy’s voice, a tone of hope, and it crushed his spirits. The survivor could no longer look the shy woman in the face, and his gaze dropped to his feet.

“He was a raider.”

Dano heard Fluttershy whimper a bit as he continued.

“I had to kill him.”

The sound of the shy woman crying reached Dano’s ears, and out of concern his gaze rose to see Fluttershy staring right through him.

“You… you killed him?”

Dano took a step forward and tried to hug Fluttershy, but she took a step back, her eyes suddenly focused on Dano’s.

“Fluttershy…”

Dano voice was filled with the hurt he was feeling in his heart.

“You killed him.”

Tears streamed from angry eyes.

“You killed him!”

Fluttershy unleashed a right handed slap, and Dano took the blow, barely acknowledging the pain.

“Get out.”

Fluttershy’s voice had dropped to a dangerous low.

“Fluttershy, please…”

“GET OUT!”

Dano stared into the deep cyan eyes that had saved his life, but instead the soft, caring glow they usually emanated a rage filled them to the brim. The survivor knew he had failed his last objective of the day, and without saying another word turned and left the house behind him.

Dano lost track of time. All he remembered was walking back into town and finding a seat on one of the hard wooden benches that sat in the town square. The survivor couldn’t think. A haze had descended upon his mind, and an ache had made a home in his gut. Before he knew it Dano found himself sitting in the cool dark of night. Exhaustion began to pull on the survivor’s mind, and while sitting on his bench Dano fell asleep.

Dano found himself in utter darkness, and after a few seconds believed he was at another meeting. The survivor closed his eyes only to open them again and see neither hide nor hair of Celestia or Luna. Confused, Dano repeated the process, but as his eyes were closed the sound of a deep laugh echoed through the dream scape. The laugh made the hairs on the back of Dano’s neck stick up while a single word bounced around his brain. Discord.

Dano opened his eyes to the sudden feeling of holding his rifle and wearing his armor, and he looked down to confirm the sensations. A voice to Dano’s right caused the survivor to jump and raise his rifle.

“Why did you let me die Dano?”

The voice was Discord’s, but the mouth it came from belonged to a horribly burned Carrot. Another voice behind him made Dano turn once again.

“Why didn’t you save me Dano?”

Again Discord’s voice, but from a bruised Bon Bon. Her light blue eyes were covered in a film, and Dano guessed she was dead from the unblinking stare he received. Yet another voice sounded to Dano’s right, and again the survivor turned.

“Why did you take me away from my daughter Dano?”

Like the first two Discord spoke for the man known as Fluttershy’s father, and the survivor saw another pair of glazed eyes staring at him as well as a constantly bleeding hole in the man’s head.

“You let them down Daniel.”

Dano spun around for the fourth time to see Discord standing with his arms behind his back, his sadistic smile ever present on his face.

“They needed you, but you let them down.”

Discord laughed his dark laugh, and Dano could feel it down to his bones.

“I.. I didn’t let them down, I did the best I could.”

Dano’s voice lacked any sort of confidence as it echoed in the black nothing around him.

“Your best wasn’t enough Daniel, you failed.”

Dano dropped his rifle and fell to his knees.

“No.”

Discord laughed again.

“Yes.”

The three corpses began to repeat their question in unison in an never ending chorus, and Dano covered his ears with his hands in an attempt to block out the chant. The chorus continued on into Dano’s ear unabated, and the survivor could feel his sanity slipping.

“NO!”

Discord’s laugh joined the chorus, and the deep, booming chuckle rose in volume ever so slowly until it was all that Dano could hear. Eventually it dissipated, and the only sound in the black miasma was the sound of the survivor crying quietly.

“No.”

wow, i know fluttershy could be mean, but that was intense
Dano killed her father, how do you think you would act?
i guess your right
im just happy i got all of the dark stuff done, i could have sworn i was growing horns and turning red
whats so bad about horns?
nothing! your horn is beautiful.
kiss ass
shut up pinkie

you guys have worked me to the bone
i hope you enjoy
don't forget to rate and comment
that is all
kthanxbai