An Equestrian Metroby MrAwesome343ChaptersChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4Chapter 5Chapter 1Chapter 1 Dressed in his basic outfit, the lonely stalker walked down the tunnels of the underground Metro system. Between a Lunar Republic camp and his destination: Trotvitskaya. The station was often overlooked, due to its own size. Too small to be a station, too large for a camp. Taro switched on his head light and cautiously raised his Bastard machine gun. The tunnels of the Metro were dangerous. You would be lucky to make it through the tunnels without using at least one full clip. Taro had used many getting through the camp of Lunar activists. After an eternity of walking in the dark, save for his head light, Taro came to a door. The door that closed off the station from the rest of the tunnels. He banged loudly on the door and waited for a response. The door opened slowly and a guard greeted him. “Passport?” he asked. Taro showed him wordlessly. After doing this for two years, he had come accustomed to it. Two long years of fighting and killing in those tunnels. “Go on in, Taro.” Taro nodded and continued through the door. He looked at his watch. It stated twelve o’clock. Most people of the Metro didn’t mind much about time, sticking to their own schedule of whatever they were used to. Taro did generally the same, only he kept a watch set to his time, which doubled as a timer. Walking around for a minute, Taro found a nice place to stop and eat. He ordered a small pig roast for himself and some tea. Seven military-grade bullets, the currency of the old tunnels. He removed his rucksack and set it on the chair next to his. He took the time of waiting for his food to examine the station he was in. Small crowds of people wandered the station, living without a care. There were so few, Taro could easily make out the grey floor, as well as the multicolored walls behind them that were filthy, barely recognizable as a color. It was in desperate need of a scrubbing. He raised his head to the high ceiling, thinking “I’d hate to be the guy who has to clean all the way up there.” The waiter dropped his plate onto the table and Taro dug in, his stomach rumbling. Being a stalker had some disadvantages, although, these were a little too extreme. Constantly hungry, constantly hunted, always looking over your shoulder. Going to the radioactive surface alone to scavenge was never fun. Taro never had a friend to go with. Not that he cared. He was always into adventure. Sometimes he thought it would be nice to have someone to talk to, but more importantly, to fight off the watchers and nosalises. “Um... ‘scuse me?” asked a girl. Taro lost his train of thought. A woman, not over the age of nineteen or twenty, dressed in a small black coat with the hood up was standing next to him. “Yes?” “I couldn’t help but notice your outfit and gear. Are you, by any chance, a stalker?” the girl asked. “Yes, why?” The girl pulled down her small hood, letting her colored hair fall to her shoulders. “Because... mm... I want to...” “Let me guess, you want to get out of this station?” Taro finished. “Yes. Please. It’s not that I don’t like it here, it’s just that, the scenery is all the same. Nothing changes, ever. I’ve asked half a dozen stalkers if I can go with them to see the other stations or the go up to the surface, but... well, none of them say yes. I just want to go on an adventure.” “Alright.” “Wait, huh?” “Sure, you can come if you want. I could use someone to talk to.” “Really? I’ll go get my stuff!” “Hey, before you leave, I’ll meet you at the trading center. I still need supplies.” The woman smiled. “Okay.” Taro stood and walked off to the booth. “Medkits, filters, knives. Everything you need when traveling in dangerous areas,” shouted the tender. Taro examined his stock. “Bang. All problems gone,” the trader said when Taro looked at the grenade. “I’m sure...” he replied. “I need some knives.” “Of course. Four bullets.” Taro handed him the money and turned around to examine the rest of the trading post. There were men advertising their guns, shouting about bullets exchange, and others were trying to sell a different set of clothes for the tunnels. The clothing was always ridiculously expensive, but no one ever seemed to raise the price over ninety-eight bullets. He looked around the guns. He could replace the bastard he had with him. The gun, that is. “Okay, so I got my revolver and all of my pistol ammo, a gas mask, I only have one filter, my backpack, and all of the military ammo I have... well... ten bullets.” The girl jumped in front of Taro. “By the way, I’m Rainbow Dash.” She stuck out her hand to Taro, who shook it, replying with his name. “So, where are we going?” Taro lead the way to the tunnel they were taking. “Well our first stop is Alandraskaya, and from there, we’re going to climb out into the surface of Stalliongrad to take a shortcut to get to Venice. Once there, we’ll go underground for a few uninhabited stations to avoid the factions at war here, although we will need to deal with bandits. Once we make it to the next station, we’re going back up to the top to walk to the Ponyville station and walk underground to Canterlot. That’s the plan so far, anyway.” “Wow, you’ve got this all figured out, huh?” Rainbow Dash replied, walking through the exit after Taro. “The plan isn’t reality. No telling what will happen along the tracks and surface,” Taro replied. “So all you’ve got for guns is a pistol?” “Yes, but I have plenty of ammo for it.” “Alright, I don’t really expect anything big. It will take us about a day to get to Alandraskaya, so sleeping in the tunnels is almost mandatory.” Taro raised his machine gun. Taro and Rainbow Dash walked quietly at first, letting the only sound be that of their footsteps and the occasional rattle of a pistol or machine gun. Rainbow Dash often looked over her shoulder to inspect the tunnels behind them. “What is it?” Taro would ask. “Nothing, I just thought I saw something.” “This tunnel plays tricks on you.” And the journey would continue. After a few metres, a curve came into sight, with a faint glow beyond it like that of a fire. Taro looked at Rainbow Dash. “Maybe they’re friendly?” asked Rainbow Dash. “Not in the metro,” Taro replied. “Stay back here.” Taro quietly walked toward the curve and looked around it, quickly returning to Rainbow Dash. “No one is there. Not at the moment anyway. I couldn’t see over the sandbags though. I think we can pass, but be quiet.” Rainbow Dash nodded and followed Taro. They kept their back to the wall, making sure to make as little noise as possible. Rainbow raised her gun to her chest. Taro could see the pot on the fire, with something furry in front of it. A back of a creature. A mutant of the tunnels. Taro made a face and turned toward Rainbow Dash. He tapped his gun, silently telling Rainbow to prepare hers. Taro took a small step closer and raised his bastard gun. In retrospect, reloading it at the station would have been a smart move. Five of thirty bullets were left in the clip. He fired at the beast, hitting its back with two of the shots, waking it up. And angering it. “Fire!” Taro shouted, ducking. Without a second to spare, Rainbow Dash fired five bullets into her target. The mutant fell to the ground, growling quietly. Rainbow walked up to it and released her final bullet into it. Taro stood, reloading his gun. “Nicely done.” “Thanks,” Rainbow Dash replied, reloading her own weapon. “What was that?” “One of the mutants of the tunnel. A regular tunnel trash nosalis.” Taro nudged the black beast. “They usually live in packs, which means we should be on our guard for more.” Taro walked to the other side of the sandbags that lined the small camp. “Well, there was a camp here.” Rainbow Dash followed him around the barricade, her face darkening. Three people lay on the ground, dead. One man’s torso was ripped open, but he was the lucky one. Another was ripped completely in half. The last of them exploded blood from his stomach and lungs, his hand shoved into the stomach of a nosalis that he stabbed with a trench knife. “Compensation for finishing what you started,” Taro said, taking the supplies off the men. “How could you do that? You’re just going to take all of their stuff without even feeling sorry for them? What kind of a heartless person are you?” Rainbow Dash asked. “We live in the metro, Rainbow Dash. The word ‘sorry’ doesn’t have meaning anymore. Not only are people fighting the mutants, they’re also obsessed with killing each other. If I could change the world, I would, but I can’t. This is how people live in the metro,” Taro explained. “...Okay... I understand...” “Do you want to go back?” “No. Let’s keep moving.” “Hold on.” Taro grabbed a shotgun and some shells. “Take this.” Rainbow Dash took the gun. A uboinik. A revolving, automatic shotgun. She placed her revolver in its holster and loaded the uboinik with the blue shotgun shells Taro grabbed. “Now we can go.” Author's Note My first attempt at a serious story, as well as a story after my favorite game "Metro 2033" I have somewhat of a plan as to how this will go, but for the most part, I'm winging it. I have thought of a plot up to entering the library. Wish me luck and give feedback. Chapter 2Chapter 2 Walking in the tunnel, Taro checked his watch. “We should stop soon. There should be a refugee camp up here somewhere.” “Sounds good to me,” replied his companion, Rainbow Dash. They soon came up to a faint glow, made obvious by the moving shadows and constant shouting. “I am tired of her continuously laughing and making those stupid noises and pranks!” shouted one man. “Calm down,” replied another. A girl’s laugh was heard. “I am trying to help you!” “Sorry,” she said back to the man. “I will calm down when she does!” “Okay, okay,” the woman said, “here, I apologize, and to prove it, a flower.” Taro and Rainbow Dash rounded the corner slowly. “Flower? Where did you manage...” The man was cut off by a squirt in the face from the middle of the flower. A girl with pink hair fell to the ground, laughing hysterically. The man did not take kindly to the prank. He pulled out a small revolver. “Uh-oh. Better end this,” Taro whispered, pulling out his gun. “Don’t...” Rainbow Dash started. She was interrupted by a shot from Taro. The gun in the geezer's hand flew far down the tunnel. “Ah! Hey!” shouted the same man. He shook his hand and held it from the sudden and powerful jolt. “Be happy, I could’ve moved my sight,” Taro replied walking up to the three people. “He could’ve hit you in the head, chuvak,” said the second man. “Shut up, Braeburn, I know what I’m doing.” “I was actually thinking of going a little lower than the head,” Taro replied. “Oooh... You mean...” asked the pink haired girl. “Ouch. You could've had a really bad stomach ache, and not a good stomach ache like when you laugh so hard you can barely breathe stomach ache, I mean a ‘I just won grand prize in the shooting gallery and now I’m going to get the biggest pig roast bullets can buy in the whole wide metro and stuff my face alone’ stomach ache. Those really hurt.” “Don’t you see what we have to deal with! We could be free of this!” shouted the first man. “Alexander, she’s only trying to boost morale,” replied Braeburn. “I would love to have someone like her with us, wouldn’t you Taro?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Then take her! Let’s get out of here, Brae! Now where’s my gun,” Alexander shouted sourly. “Come on Pinkie, we’re leaving,” Braeburn said calmly. “No thanks, I’ll stay here for a while,” she replied. She sat down and watched them leave. “Now that they're gone, nice shot Taro. Very impressive. I didn’t think anyone could do that,” Rainbow Dash complemented, sitting down on a small bench made of old, rotting wood. “I was more thinking of shooting his hands. I missed, though,” Taro replied, sitting next to Rainbow. “So, what brings you to the metro tunnels, miss?” “Pinkie Pie, and I was just going to see one of my friends,” replied Pinkie. “What about you?” “Well I’m just tagging along with Taro here. I came for the adventure and danger of the dark metro tunnels,” Rainbow Dash answered. “Ooh, sounds fun. What about you Mister Taro?” “Well I’m on my way to Canterlot for some supplies from the surface. I’m a stalker you see. I collect things from the surface and bring them down here to sell to other people.” “Ooh, sounds adventurous!” “You’re easily amused aren’t you?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Well there isn’t much to be amused by down here, so I try to think as positively as I can, hoping to spread happiness throughout the metro. Well, to anyone willing to listen to any of the things I have to say,” Pinkie Pies stated. “Yeah, good luck on convincing the Lunar Republic, they hate pretty much everything,” Taro replied. “Oh I know, I tried my best at making them laugh, but they wouldn’t budge.” Silence ensued for only a second. “So what station are you going to next?” Rainbow Dash asked. “I’m going to Alandraskaya, and from there, there’s a little short cut across the surface to get into Venice in less than a day. Even a half day if the Watchers find you. They can get you there in an hour if there’s a REALLY big pack.” Taro and Rainbow Dash laughed. “Great means of transportation, Pinkie Pie,” Taro choked out. “Hey, wait. That’s the same path we’re going, isn’t it?” Rainbow asked. “Oh yeah, it is.” Rainbow Dash waited. “Well?” “Well what?” “Hey, would you mind if I went along? I mean, I suppose if you said no, all I have to do is leave at the same time and we would be going together anyway, so there’s really no need to ask, but I would rather get permission so it isn’t quite as weird incase...” “Yes, you can come with us,” Taro interrupted. Pinkie Pie gasped. “Really? Oh that’s just great! I was afraid you would say no, making the walk there together but not ‘together’ together would be really awkward and that you wouldn’t like me enough to even let me go with you. I would have had...” “Yeah, we get it Pinkie Pie,” Rainbow Dash said. “I think we might have made a mistake...” Taro whispered to Rainbow. “Well at least we got someone else to watch our backs. I’ve never been to the surface, but from what I’ve heard, the higher the number, the better.” “In most cases, I suppose,” Taro agreed. “But in any case, everyone needs to sleep. I’ll take the first watch, Rainbow Dash, I’ll wake you in an hour, and then Pinkie Pie will take her turn.” “Okie dokie lokie,” Pinkie Pie replied, promptly falling face first onto the sandbag, snoring loudly. Chapter 3Chapter 3 Rainbow Dash sat on the decaying bench, Taro snoring lightly beside her. Her heart pounded slightly in her chest at the thought of being out in the dangerous tunnels. She held her revolver and took out a small piece of cloth. Opening it up, she wiped clean the gun, caressing the rainbow colored lightning bolt on the side of it. Taro’s watch beeped quietly. It was Pinkie Pie’s shift. Taro woke up the next morning to see his pink haired friend leaning over a sandbag and jumping from side to side with her bastard gun. “What are you doing? Why didn’t you wake me?” he asked, shaking Rainbow Dash awake. “You didn’t tell me to wake you up,” Pinkie replied, putting down her gun. “I said we were taking hour long shifts,” Taro yawned. “No, you said ‘I’ll take the first watch, Rainbow Dash, I’ll wake you in an hour, and then Pinkie Pie will take her turn.’” “So you only got two hours of sleep last night?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Well DUH! What did you think?” “Whatever, come on. Let’s get moving,” Taro commanded. Rainbow grabbed her rucksack and pulled out her shotgun, making sure every shell was in its slot. Pinkie Pie flicked off the safety on her machine gun and hoisted it over her shoulder, the barrel shoved into Rainbow Dash’s face, to which she promptly pushed it aside. Taro threw on his rucksack and loaded his own machine gun and they were off, switching on their headlights and leaving the fire for other travelers. Taro pulled out a small cardboard pad and lit a bullet-shaped lighter to view the map he had on it. “Won’t be long. Just a half-day to make it to Alandra, then it’s up to the surface,” he said, flipping the journal cover back over and closing the lighter. “Good, I want to see people again, this is really starting to get lonely,” Rainbow Dash complained. “Do you want to stay at Alandraskaya?” Taro asked. “And do what? Miss out on the rest of this adventure with you? I don’t care about being lonely, I just want to go places,” Rainbow Dash replied excitedly. “Aw, I wish I didn’t have stuff to do in Venice or I would TOTALLY come with you two!” Pinkie Pie interjected. Taro laughed lightly, continuing to lead on. “So, Rainbow Dash, I’ve been meaning to ask you, what’s the story behind that gun of yours?” Rainbow Dash looked up at him. “Oh, right. My pistol. My mother gave it to me when I was young. Well, sort of. She had a shift at the stall where they make the guns in Trotvitskaya. She said she heard of other people talking about how they wanted their children to always have a means of protection with them, you know, things parents worry about. So she decided to get me a gun for when I was older. She put a little lightning bolt on it because I liked to collect pictures of lightning, for the reason, I still don’t know. Then she added a rainbow color scheme to mark my name, since I still couldn’t read.” “Wow. Does she know you left?” Taro asked. “She died when I was six. Her and my dad went to travel to a next door station. A trader told my uncle who I was staying with that they were killed by soldiers of the Solar Republic,” Rainbow answered, tear welling up in her eyes. “Now all I have is the gun she made for me. I still remember the words she said to me when my uncle gave it to me for her. ‘Now this is for protection, Dashie. Don’t go shooting anyone for no reason... That’s what your ma would’ve said.’” Rainbow Dash curled into Taro’s arms. “I never thought I would actually use it.” “It’s okay...” Taro was interrupted by a loud sob from Pinkie Pie. “It’s so sad!” she screamed. “Pinkie, could you do that a little quieter?” Taro asked. “But... it’s... wahh!!!” she continued. “Pinkie, what if...” Taro was cut off again by a loud growl from a small entry hole in the wall. “Uh-oh. A nest of nosalises. Pinkie!” Rainbow Dash turned to face the hole where a nosalis was crawling out of. “What do you think they want?” “Well, one of four options: one, they want to know why they were disturbed,” Taro answered. “That’s an easy one,” Pinkie said innocently. “Two, they were getting kind of hungry anyway.” “I don’t like that idea,” Rainbow said, watching a third nosalis exit the hole. “Three, they also notice the smell of their dead brother from yesterday.” “And what’s the fourth?” Pinkie asked, a little worry in her voice. “Well... all of the above.” Taro released a clip from his gun into the chest of two monsters, causing them to fall to the floor. The pack attacked. One lunged at Rainbow Dash. An action it quickly regretted after being shot in the chest on purpose with a shotgun, and then again in the face out of panic. Pinkie Pie dropped her gun into her hand shot furiously. A futile attempt after noticing she never took off the safety. “Watch where you swing that thing!” Taro shouted. After reloading, Taro shot a few bullets into another nosalis, using the recoil of the gun to punch another one in the face several times. Rainbow Dash finished the rest of the bullets in her magazine and,not having the time to reload, moved straight to her revolver. Shooting dead-eye shots straight into the heads, all while Pinkie Pie was still fidgeting with her machine gun, unknowingly shooting several nosalises. Rainbow Dash took a sigh of relief as the last nosalis fell with the last bullet in her gun. “Got it!” Pinkie Pie shouted, whipping up her bastard gun. “Hey, where’d they all go?” Rainbow Dash shoved shotgun shells into her uboinik, shaking her head. “They’re gone, Pinkie Pie. You missed it.” Taro reloaded his gun. “Even when you didn’t know what was going on, you shot like five of them.” The team emerged from the battle with only minor scratches. “Anyone need a syringe?” Taro asked, pulling out an orange case from inside his coat. Opening it up, he grabbed one of five medicine filled shots and injected himself. He hit his arm a few times to get the blood circulating with the medicine. “Numbs the pain and helps the wound fight infection.” “I think I’ll let my body do it’s thing for now,” Rainbow Dash replied. “Suit yourself,” Taro said, putting the medkit away. “It’s no big deal, though. I can buy more when we arrive in Alandraskaya.” “No it’s okay,” Rainbow Dash insisted, continuing to walk. Chapter 4Chapter 4 “The gate is just up ahead,” Taro informed his traveling companions. Upon arrival to the door, four guards stood on their post with a small sun signifying the station was owned by the Solar Republic. When they walked up to them, they asked for passports. Pinkie showed hers, and Taro his. “What about hers?” asked a guard, looking at Rainbow Dash. “She’s with us,” Taro replied. The guard looked at them suspiciously, but let them through anyway. After clearing the gate, Taro turned to Pinkie. “Find out where you can get Rainbow Dash a passport while I go get some supplies. We need more ammo.” “Okie dokie lokie,” Pinkie Pie replied, dragging Rainbow Dash by the arm. Taro walked to the station’s trading center. Merchants shouted information about their wares. “Special offers, discounts, best guns from the forgemasters!” He came to a stop at a gun rack. “Oh, now that’s what I want,” Taro said, staring at a camouflage gun with an orange clip at the bottom. “Well with a trade in with a bastard gun, the total would come around to about 37 bullets,” said the merchant. “Hmm... that would leave me with only 21 left. Oh well, I’m sure Pinkie Pie has at least a few, I’ll take it.” Taro switched out his weapon, took it’s ammo and reloaded into his new kalash machine gun. He then paid the merchant and left for a different table. “Medkits... filters, er, knives! Everything you need for traveling in dangerous areas!” “I need two medkits and fifteen filters,” he asked the vendor. “Geez, plan on living on the surface?” the vendor teased, grabbing two orange packages and a handful of round tins. “I have two other friends coming with me. I’m sure we’ll find the rest of the filters on the surface,” Taro replied. “Sure, sure. Forty-eight bullets.” “Well, I’m not into haggling or anything, but that vendor a little ways down this path was offering special discounts if you buy ten or more items. Now I was thinking of going to him instead, but then I noticed you. You would easily put that guy out of business if you offered something better,” Taro lied. “Oh, goodness. I need to work harder, you’re right. Special discounts after you purchase SEVEN items!” the salesmen shouted. “Come on, you can do better than that!” “FIVE items!” “Keep going!” “Everything is half price!” “That’s the spirit! And since you’re so kind, I’ll give you a gracious tip! My total should be fifteen bullets, but I’ll give 21 instead.” “What a nice gentlemen, I wish you luck on the surface,” the vendor said as Taro walked away. “That was much easier than I thought it would be,” Taro smirked, putting his new gear into his rucksack. “Look what we got! Look what we got!” Pinkie Pie shouted, jumping, quite literally JUMPING in front of Taro. She was still holding Rainbow Dash’s arm, forcing her to be tugged up and down with Pinkie. “Look what I got,” Taro said, lowering his new gun. “By the way, you two have some money, right?” “Ooh, shiny!” Pinkie said, ignoring his question. “Yeah.” Rainbow Dash managed to tug her arm out of Pinkie Pie’s grasp. “I told you, I have ten round with me.” “And I have three, what do you need them for?” Pinkie asked. “Well I just spent all of mine getting this gun and scamming a guy for fifteen filters and medkits for you two.” Taro handed them there cases. “Everything you need for survival in a stylish orange case.” “Cool, so are we leaving soon?” Rainbow Dash asked, putting her medkit in her pocket. “Yeah, get all of your gear on, it’s going to be a little cold.” “Didn’t you say you were buying ammo?” Pinkie Pie pointed out, tossing a big coat over her dulled pink sweatshirt. “I did, but I thought we’ll have plenty of ammo after ten minutes on the surface. All the inexperienced stalkers head up and are eaten alive by mutants and the cold weather,” Taro answered, walking toward the large gate that led to the exit of the station into the surface. “We would like to leave please.” A guard looked at him and his friends. “I don’t know if I should.” “Here, have some bullets!” Pinkie Pie said, handing him her three. He looked down at the bullets in her hand. “Okay, I know I should now.” He pocketed the rounds and turned the wheel on the gate to open it. “Don’t forget your gas masks.” “Good plan, put them on now,” Taro said, throwing his over his face and putting on an air filter. He twisted a ring around his watch to set a five minute timer. “Let’s go!” he said after everyone elses were on. The team left the destroyed building into the morning sky, the sun shining slightly as to not blind them too much. “Welcome to Stalliongrad, twenty years after the attack,” Taro said through the radio in their gas masks. “Wow... it’s...” Rainbow Dash stuttered. She looked up into the sky. “Wow... no roof over my head... Trees... Real trees...” “I know. Pretty amazing, huh?” Taro asked, putting his arm around her. “A sky that goes on forever, old, dead plantation. Brings a tear to your eye. So busy holding your breath at the beauty of this place, you gain an extra minute on that filter.” Pinkie Pie looked at him and then took in a deep breath. “I didn’t actually mean it, you’re switching that filter after five minutes anyway,” Taro said, causing Pinkie to release her big breath. “Well, let’s get walking, shall we? I want to see more of this place,” Rainbow Dash suggested. They walked on for a few minutes before Taro started to slow down. Then he stopped all together, as if listening. “Are you okay, Taro?” Rainbow Dash asked. “... ... ... Run!” Taro shouted, just as gunfire was heard. A bullet shot straight into the snow where Taro was standing, barely missing him. “What’s happening?” Rainbow asked. “Sniper! Don’t know why, just keep running!” Taro shouted. Another bullet was fired, hitting Taro in the leg. He collapsed. “Taro!” Rainbow Dash shouted. “Keep going, I’ll meet you guys at Venice!” he shouted back. “I am NOT leaving you behind!” Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie ran toward Taro. Before she made it, someone dressed in a bulky black outfit grabbed her. She elbowed him in the chest. Seeing an open moment, she pointed her revolver and fired into the stranger’s face. Out of the spur of the moment, she noticed there were others who looked about the same. Rainbow Dash shot one of them, who was trying to grab Taro while Pinkie Pie was dealing with another her own way. “You’re mine!” one of them said. “What? I can’t hear you,” replied Pinkie Pie. “I said ‘you’re mine!’” the stranger repeated. “It’s hard to hear through that gas mask,” Pinkie said. Sighing and taking off the mask to repeat himself again, he choked on the radioactive air, causing his own death and Pinkie Pie to point and laugh. “No! Get off him!” Rainbow Dash shouted, shooting another person. Someone tackled her to the ground. “ENOUGH!” shouted someone else. “You all heard the order from Luna. Do NOT kill them. It doesn’t matter how many they killed, we take them as prisoners!” Chapter 5Chapter 5 Taro woke up in a small jail to a pair of voices. It slowly came to him what the two were saying. They were talking about him and a cellmate that he apparently had. “...believe that this one is from the Solar Republic. The one over there may just be a stalker or of neutral party,” said one of them. Taro sat up. His hands were tied behind his back tight with a thick rope. “What were you doing crossing the tundra, Solar?” asked the second man. “I wouldn’t reveal my secrets to the likes of you! Not for a million bullets!” defended the alleged Solar soldier. “Well I suppose we have no business with you.” The second guard held up a shiny pistol. “Wait, can’t we...” The first guard was interrupted by a loud shot. “No, we can’t.” The man moved on to Taro. “And what of you?” “I was crossing with my friends. Where are they?” Taro replied. “Who?” asked the guard with the pistol. “Rainbow Dash first of all, and I know you have her because I recognize that gun anywhere.” Taro answered, looking down at the gun, which barred the symbol of his daring friend. “I grabbed this gun from the weapon room this morning. It is a coincidence that you know it. I think you'll find that WE are the ones asking questions. Now, did the Order of the Crystal Empire send you?” “Of course they didn’t,” answered the first guard. “They sent me.” The guard pulled out a trench knife and cut the guard’s neck. “That ought to teach you to send spies of your own.” The guard cut Taro’s hands free. “There you go. Ignore the blood.” “Why are you helping me?” Taro asked, grabbing the pistol the interrogator had, as well as all of his pistol ammo. “I’m from the Order of the Crystal Empire. We do not hurt stalkers. My name is Sombra, by the way.” “Taro.” They shook hands. “Now, where are my friends?” “Rainbow Dash? Sounds like a woman, which may mean some trouble,” Sombra replied, opening the door. “Why’s that?” Taro asked, walking out and reloading Rainbow Dash’s pistol. “This is a ruthless military base. Why do you think?” Taro and Sombra snuck through the halls of the base, killing the guards that got in their way. “It shouldn’t be too much farther.” The duo turned down a long empty hall. “Get off of me!” shouted a familiar voice. “What, you too good for me?” a man’s voice screamed back. “I’ve earned this, now sit back you bitch and let me...” “Phthew!” “Aw! Disgusting! You just spit in my mouth!” the guard yelled. “Yeah, that’s Rainbow in there,” Taro whispered. “Now you’re really gonna pay!” A small tear was heard through the door. “My turn,” Taro said. He shot the lock on the door and kicked it open, promptly shooting the abusive guard in the head. “Oh thank God,” Rainbow Dash sighed, wrapping her arms around Taro. “You okay, Dash?” Taro asked, examining her. The collar of her T-shirt was ripped from her neck to her armpit, curving toward her chest. “I can’t say I’ve had a worse experience,” she replied, sighing again. “What about this guard, you expect a promotion too?” “No, he’s from the Order, he helped me escape and rescue you. Oh, and I believe this is yours.” Taro handed Rainbow Dash her gun. “The guard was about to shoot me with it.” “Keep it until we get out of here, where’s Pinkie Pie?” Rainbow replied. “Pinkie Pie? Your other friend is named Pinkie Pie?” Sombra asked, worried. “Yeah, why?” Taro answered. “That wanted poster might answer your question.” Sombra pointed to a picture of Pinkie Pie in the back of the room. “What? Wanted: Pinkamina Pie for mutiny and insubordination?” Taro read. “How did you not notice that?” “I was a little busy at the time!” Rainbow Dash answered. “Who cares, let’s go, she’s most likely in the gallows. Follow me!” Sombra interrupted them. Passing a few guards and taking several short cuts through some vents, the three of them dropped into a small room. “Alright, gallow is only a little further.” “Who’s there?” asked a guard, entering the room. Sombra quickly grabbed Taro and Rainbow Dash and put their arms behind their backs. “Just got a few more prisoners for the noose,” Sombra said, taking the two out of the room. “Oh, don’t worry about this one,” the Lunar guard said, dragging Rainbow Dash aside. “I can deal with her really quick.” “Ugh, not again...” Rainbow Dash sighed, getting taken off to the side. Taro swiped Sombra’s knife from his belt and stabbed the guard through the back, letting him fall to the floor, limp. “I’m getting really tired of being the damsel in distress,” Rainbow Dash complained. “How do you think Pinkie Pie feels?” Taro replied. “Pinkamina Pie, you are charged with mutiny and insubordination. Sentence, hanging. Any final words?” the guard asked. Pinkie already had her noose around her neck. “A couple. Let’s see which work. Can’t you take a joke?” The guard didn’t budge. “Okay, um... It was two years ago?” Nothing. “Well that’s all I’ve got.” The door burst open. “Hold the noose, I’ve got a couple more,” the man said, throwing in two people. Taro and Rainbow Dash. Pinkie Pie looked at them with concern, but the two of them looked back at her, smirking. “What two new hangings, I heard nothing about such a thing,” Pinkie Pie’s executioner replied. “Well explain why I have a notice from Commander Luna herself?” asked Sombra. “Where?” “It’s right here.” Sombra showed the guard a clipboard with several sheets of paper on it. “Where?” the executioner asked again. “It’s right THERE!” Sombra smacked the executioners head down onto the clipboard, with Taro shooting a bullet through his head. Rainbow Dash jumped up and cut Pinkie free of her leash. “You okay?” Rainbow Dash asked her, Taro walking up next to Rainbow. “I’m fine. What happened to you? Why’s your shirt torn?” Pinkie Pie asked. “I don’t want to talk about,” Rainbow Dash responded. “It doesn’t matter anyway, Sombra, lead us to the weapons cache and out of here,” Taro instructed. “Can do.” A short walk later, the three of them had their equipment loaded up and stood at the exit to the base. “To get to Ponyville from here, take this tunnel through Octobreskaya. Go up to the surface for about a half, maybe quarter day and continue north until you find the entrance to Dodge Station. Go through the tunnel on the other side of the trolley and you’ll make it there in less than three hours. As for Venice, go out the tunnel near the trading post and take the first branch to the left. Take a long walk through there and you’ll make it. You’ll pass some camps of other people along the way, so sleeping arrangements shouldn’t be too much of an issue. Good luck.” Sombra shut the door and the three of them started their trek once again.
Chapter 1Chapter 1 Dressed in his basic outfit, the lonely stalker walked down the tunnels of the underground Metro system. Between a Lunar Republic camp and his destination: Trotvitskaya. The station was often overlooked, due to its own size. Too small to be a station, too large for a camp. Taro switched on his head light and cautiously raised his Bastard machine gun. The tunnels of the Metro were dangerous. You would be lucky to make it through the tunnels without using at least one full clip. Taro had used many getting through the camp of Lunar activists. After an eternity of walking in the dark, save for his head light, Taro came to a door. The door that closed off the station from the rest of the tunnels. He banged loudly on the door and waited for a response. The door opened slowly and a guard greeted him. “Passport?” he asked. Taro showed him wordlessly. After doing this for two years, he had come accustomed to it. Two long years of fighting and killing in those tunnels. “Go on in, Taro.” Taro nodded and continued through the door. He looked at his watch. It stated twelve o’clock. Most people of the Metro didn’t mind much about time, sticking to their own schedule of whatever they were used to. Taro did generally the same, only he kept a watch set to his time, which doubled as a timer. Walking around for a minute, Taro found a nice place to stop and eat. He ordered a small pig roast for himself and some tea. Seven military-grade bullets, the currency of the old tunnels. He removed his rucksack and set it on the chair next to his. He took the time of waiting for his food to examine the station he was in. Small crowds of people wandered the station, living without a care. There were so few, Taro could easily make out the grey floor, as well as the multicolored walls behind them that were filthy, barely recognizable as a color. It was in desperate need of a scrubbing. He raised his head to the high ceiling, thinking “I’d hate to be the guy who has to clean all the way up there.” The waiter dropped his plate onto the table and Taro dug in, his stomach rumbling. Being a stalker had some disadvantages, although, these were a little too extreme. Constantly hungry, constantly hunted, always looking over your shoulder. Going to the radioactive surface alone to scavenge was never fun. Taro never had a friend to go with. Not that he cared. He was always into adventure. Sometimes he thought it would be nice to have someone to talk to, but more importantly, to fight off the watchers and nosalises. “Um... ‘scuse me?” asked a girl. Taro lost his train of thought. A woman, not over the age of nineteen or twenty, dressed in a small black coat with the hood up was standing next to him. “Yes?” “I couldn’t help but notice your outfit and gear. Are you, by any chance, a stalker?” the girl asked. “Yes, why?” The girl pulled down her small hood, letting her colored hair fall to her shoulders. “Because... mm... I want to...” “Let me guess, you want to get out of this station?” Taro finished. “Yes. Please. It’s not that I don’t like it here, it’s just that, the scenery is all the same. Nothing changes, ever. I’ve asked half a dozen stalkers if I can go with them to see the other stations or the go up to the surface, but... well, none of them say yes. I just want to go on an adventure.” “Alright.” “Wait, huh?” “Sure, you can come if you want. I could use someone to talk to.” “Really? I’ll go get my stuff!” “Hey, before you leave, I’ll meet you at the trading center. I still need supplies.” The woman smiled. “Okay.” Taro stood and walked off to the booth. “Medkits, filters, knives. Everything you need when traveling in dangerous areas,” shouted the tender. Taro examined his stock. “Bang. All problems gone,” the trader said when Taro looked at the grenade. “I’m sure...” he replied. “I need some knives.” “Of course. Four bullets.” Taro handed him the money and turned around to examine the rest of the trading post. There were men advertising their guns, shouting about bullets exchange, and others were trying to sell a different set of clothes for the tunnels. The clothing was always ridiculously expensive, but no one ever seemed to raise the price over ninety-eight bullets. He looked around the guns. He could replace the bastard he had with him. The gun, that is. “Okay, so I got my revolver and all of my pistol ammo, a gas mask, I only have one filter, my backpack, and all of the military ammo I have... well... ten bullets.” The girl jumped in front of Taro. “By the way, I’m Rainbow Dash.” She stuck out her hand to Taro, who shook it, replying with his name. “So, where are we going?” Taro lead the way to the tunnel they were taking. “Well our first stop is Alandraskaya, and from there, we’re going to climb out into the surface of Stalliongrad to take a shortcut to get to Venice. Once there, we’ll go underground for a few uninhabited stations to avoid the factions at war here, although we will need to deal with bandits. Once we make it to the next station, we’re going back up to the top to walk to the Ponyville station and walk underground to Canterlot. That’s the plan so far, anyway.” “Wow, you’ve got this all figured out, huh?” Rainbow Dash replied, walking through the exit after Taro. “The plan isn’t reality. No telling what will happen along the tracks and surface,” Taro replied. “So all you’ve got for guns is a pistol?” “Yes, but I have plenty of ammo for it.” “Alright, I don’t really expect anything big. It will take us about a day to get to Alandraskaya, so sleeping in the tunnels is almost mandatory.” Taro raised his machine gun. Taro and Rainbow Dash walked quietly at first, letting the only sound be that of their footsteps and the occasional rattle of a pistol or machine gun. Rainbow Dash often looked over her shoulder to inspect the tunnels behind them. “What is it?” Taro would ask. “Nothing, I just thought I saw something.” “This tunnel plays tricks on you.” And the journey would continue. After a few metres, a curve came into sight, with a faint glow beyond it like that of a fire. Taro looked at Rainbow Dash. “Maybe they’re friendly?” asked Rainbow Dash. “Not in the metro,” Taro replied. “Stay back here.” Taro quietly walked toward the curve and looked around it, quickly returning to Rainbow Dash. “No one is there. Not at the moment anyway. I couldn’t see over the sandbags though. I think we can pass, but be quiet.” Rainbow Dash nodded and followed Taro. They kept their back to the wall, making sure to make as little noise as possible. Rainbow raised her gun to her chest. Taro could see the pot on the fire, with something furry in front of it. A back of a creature. A mutant of the tunnels. Taro made a face and turned toward Rainbow Dash. He tapped his gun, silently telling Rainbow to prepare hers. Taro took a small step closer and raised his bastard gun. In retrospect, reloading it at the station would have been a smart move. Five of thirty bullets were left in the clip. He fired at the beast, hitting its back with two of the shots, waking it up. And angering it. “Fire!” Taro shouted, ducking. Without a second to spare, Rainbow Dash fired five bullets into her target. The mutant fell to the ground, growling quietly. Rainbow walked up to it and released her final bullet into it. Taro stood, reloading his gun. “Nicely done.” “Thanks,” Rainbow Dash replied, reloading her own weapon. “What was that?” “One of the mutants of the tunnel. A regular tunnel trash nosalis.” Taro nudged the black beast. “They usually live in packs, which means we should be on our guard for more.” Taro walked to the other side of the sandbags that lined the small camp. “Well, there was a camp here.” Rainbow Dash followed him around the barricade, her face darkening. Three people lay on the ground, dead. One man’s torso was ripped open, but he was the lucky one. Another was ripped completely in half. The last of them exploded blood from his stomach and lungs, his hand shoved into the stomach of a nosalis that he stabbed with a trench knife. “Compensation for finishing what you started,” Taro said, taking the supplies off the men. “How could you do that? You’re just going to take all of their stuff without even feeling sorry for them? What kind of a heartless person are you?” Rainbow Dash asked. “We live in the metro, Rainbow Dash. The word ‘sorry’ doesn’t have meaning anymore. Not only are people fighting the mutants, they’re also obsessed with killing each other. If I could change the world, I would, but I can’t. This is how people live in the metro,” Taro explained. “...Okay... I understand...” “Do you want to go back?” “No. Let’s keep moving.” “Hold on.” Taro grabbed a shotgun and some shells. “Take this.” Rainbow Dash took the gun. A uboinik. A revolving, automatic shotgun. She placed her revolver in its holster and loaded the uboinik with the blue shotgun shells Taro grabbed. “Now we can go.” Author's Note My first attempt at a serious story, as well as a story after my favorite game "Metro 2033" I have somewhat of a plan as to how this will go, but for the most part, I'm winging it. I have thought of a plot up to entering the library. Wish me luck and give feedback.
Chapter 2Chapter 2 Walking in the tunnel, Taro checked his watch. “We should stop soon. There should be a refugee camp up here somewhere.” “Sounds good to me,” replied his companion, Rainbow Dash. They soon came up to a faint glow, made obvious by the moving shadows and constant shouting. “I am tired of her continuously laughing and making those stupid noises and pranks!” shouted one man. “Calm down,” replied another. A girl’s laugh was heard. “I am trying to help you!” “Sorry,” she said back to the man. “I will calm down when she does!” “Okay, okay,” the woman said, “here, I apologize, and to prove it, a flower.” Taro and Rainbow Dash rounded the corner slowly. “Flower? Where did you manage...” The man was cut off by a squirt in the face from the middle of the flower. A girl with pink hair fell to the ground, laughing hysterically. The man did not take kindly to the prank. He pulled out a small revolver. “Uh-oh. Better end this,” Taro whispered, pulling out his gun. “Don’t...” Rainbow Dash started. She was interrupted by a shot from Taro. The gun in the geezer's hand flew far down the tunnel. “Ah! Hey!” shouted the same man. He shook his hand and held it from the sudden and powerful jolt. “Be happy, I could’ve moved my sight,” Taro replied walking up to the three people. “He could’ve hit you in the head, chuvak,” said the second man. “Shut up, Braeburn, I know what I’m doing.” “I was actually thinking of going a little lower than the head,” Taro replied. “Oooh... You mean...” asked the pink haired girl. “Ouch. You could've had a really bad stomach ache, and not a good stomach ache like when you laugh so hard you can barely breathe stomach ache, I mean a ‘I just won grand prize in the shooting gallery and now I’m going to get the biggest pig roast bullets can buy in the whole wide metro and stuff my face alone’ stomach ache. Those really hurt.” “Don’t you see what we have to deal with! We could be free of this!” shouted the first man. “Alexander, she’s only trying to boost morale,” replied Braeburn. “I would love to have someone like her with us, wouldn’t you Taro?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Then take her! Let’s get out of here, Brae! Now where’s my gun,” Alexander shouted sourly. “Come on Pinkie, we’re leaving,” Braeburn said calmly. “No thanks, I’ll stay here for a while,” she replied. She sat down and watched them leave. “Now that they're gone, nice shot Taro. Very impressive. I didn’t think anyone could do that,” Rainbow Dash complemented, sitting down on a small bench made of old, rotting wood. “I was more thinking of shooting his hands. I missed, though,” Taro replied, sitting next to Rainbow. “So, what brings you to the metro tunnels, miss?” “Pinkie Pie, and I was just going to see one of my friends,” replied Pinkie. “What about you?” “Well I’m just tagging along with Taro here. I came for the adventure and danger of the dark metro tunnels,” Rainbow Dash answered. “Ooh, sounds fun. What about you Mister Taro?” “Well I’m on my way to Canterlot for some supplies from the surface. I’m a stalker you see. I collect things from the surface and bring them down here to sell to other people.” “Ooh, sounds adventurous!” “You’re easily amused aren’t you?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Well there isn’t much to be amused by down here, so I try to think as positively as I can, hoping to spread happiness throughout the metro. Well, to anyone willing to listen to any of the things I have to say,” Pinkie Pies stated. “Yeah, good luck on convincing the Lunar Republic, they hate pretty much everything,” Taro replied. “Oh I know, I tried my best at making them laugh, but they wouldn’t budge.” Silence ensued for only a second. “So what station are you going to next?” Rainbow Dash asked. “I’m going to Alandraskaya, and from there, there’s a little short cut across the surface to get into Venice in less than a day. Even a half day if the Watchers find you. They can get you there in an hour if there’s a REALLY big pack.” Taro and Rainbow Dash laughed. “Great means of transportation, Pinkie Pie,” Taro choked out. “Hey, wait. That’s the same path we’re going, isn’t it?” Rainbow asked. “Oh yeah, it is.” Rainbow Dash waited. “Well?” “Well what?” “Hey, would you mind if I went along? I mean, I suppose if you said no, all I have to do is leave at the same time and we would be going together anyway, so there’s really no need to ask, but I would rather get permission so it isn’t quite as weird incase...” “Yes, you can come with us,” Taro interrupted. Pinkie Pie gasped. “Really? Oh that’s just great! I was afraid you would say no, making the walk there together but not ‘together’ together would be really awkward and that you wouldn’t like me enough to even let me go with you. I would have had...” “Yeah, we get it Pinkie Pie,” Rainbow Dash said. “I think we might have made a mistake...” Taro whispered to Rainbow. “Well at least we got someone else to watch our backs. I’ve never been to the surface, but from what I’ve heard, the higher the number, the better.” “In most cases, I suppose,” Taro agreed. “But in any case, everyone needs to sleep. I’ll take the first watch, Rainbow Dash, I’ll wake you in an hour, and then Pinkie Pie will take her turn.” “Okie dokie lokie,” Pinkie Pie replied, promptly falling face first onto the sandbag, snoring loudly.
Chapter 3Chapter 3 Rainbow Dash sat on the decaying bench, Taro snoring lightly beside her. Her heart pounded slightly in her chest at the thought of being out in the dangerous tunnels. She held her revolver and took out a small piece of cloth. Opening it up, she wiped clean the gun, caressing the rainbow colored lightning bolt on the side of it. Taro’s watch beeped quietly. It was Pinkie Pie’s shift. Taro woke up the next morning to see his pink haired friend leaning over a sandbag and jumping from side to side with her bastard gun. “What are you doing? Why didn’t you wake me?” he asked, shaking Rainbow Dash awake. “You didn’t tell me to wake you up,” Pinkie replied, putting down her gun. “I said we were taking hour long shifts,” Taro yawned. “No, you said ‘I’ll take the first watch, Rainbow Dash, I’ll wake you in an hour, and then Pinkie Pie will take her turn.’” “So you only got two hours of sleep last night?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Well DUH! What did you think?” “Whatever, come on. Let’s get moving,” Taro commanded. Rainbow grabbed her rucksack and pulled out her shotgun, making sure every shell was in its slot. Pinkie Pie flicked off the safety on her machine gun and hoisted it over her shoulder, the barrel shoved into Rainbow Dash’s face, to which she promptly pushed it aside. Taro threw on his rucksack and loaded his own machine gun and they were off, switching on their headlights and leaving the fire for other travelers. Taro pulled out a small cardboard pad and lit a bullet-shaped lighter to view the map he had on it. “Won’t be long. Just a half-day to make it to Alandra, then it’s up to the surface,” he said, flipping the journal cover back over and closing the lighter. “Good, I want to see people again, this is really starting to get lonely,” Rainbow Dash complained. “Do you want to stay at Alandraskaya?” Taro asked. “And do what? Miss out on the rest of this adventure with you? I don’t care about being lonely, I just want to go places,” Rainbow Dash replied excitedly. “Aw, I wish I didn’t have stuff to do in Venice or I would TOTALLY come with you two!” Pinkie Pie interjected. Taro laughed lightly, continuing to lead on. “So, Rainbow Dash, I’ve been meaning to ask you, what’s the story behind that gun of yours?” Rainbow Dash looked up at him. “Oh, right. My pistol. My mother gave it to me when I was young. Well, sort of. She had a shift at the stall where they make the guns in Trotvitskaya. She said she heard of other people talking about how they wanted their children to always have a means of protection with them, you know, things parents worry about. So she decided to get me a gun for when I was older. She put a little lightning bolt on it because I liked to collect pictures of lightning, for the reason, I still don’t know. Then she added a rainbow color scheme to mark my name, since I still couldn’t read.” “Wow. Does she know you left?” Taro asked. “She died when I was six. Her and my dad went to travel to a next door station. A trader told my uncle who I was staying with that they were killed by soldiers of the Solar Republic,” Rainbow answered, tear welling up in her eyes. “Now all I have is the gun she made for me. I still remember the words she said to me when my uncle gave it to me for her. ‘Now this is for protection, Dashie. Don’t go shooting anyone for no reason... That’s what your ma would’ve said.’” Rainbow Dash curled into Taro’s arms. “I never thought I would actually use it.” “It’s okay...” Taro was interrupted by a loud sob from Pinkie Pie. “It’s so sad!” she screamed. “Pinkie, could you do that a little quieter?” Taro asked. “But... it’s... wahh!!!” she continued. “Pinkie, what if...” Taro was cut off again by a loud growl from a small entry hole in the wall. “Uh-oh. A nest of nosalises. Pinkie!” Rainbow Dash turned to face the hole where a nosalis was crawling out of. “What do you think they want?” “Well, one of four options: one, they want to know why they were disturbed,” Taro answered. “That’s an easy one,” Pinkie said innocently. “Two, they were getting kind of hungry anyway.” “I don’t like that idea,” Rainbow said, watching a third nosalis exit the hole. “Three, they also notice the smell of their dead brother from yesterday.” “And what’s the fourth?” Pinkie asked, a little worry in her voice. “Well... all of the above.” Taro released a clip from his gun into the chest of two monsters, causing them to fall to the floor. The pack attacked. One lunged at Rainbow Dash. An action it quickly regretted after being shot in the chest on purpose with a shotgun, and then again in the face out of panic. Pinkie Pie dropped her gun into her hand shot furiously. A futile attempt after noticing she never took off the safety. “Watch where you swing that thing!” Taro shouted. After reloading, Taro shot a few bullets into another nosalis, using the recoil of the gun to punch another one in the face several times. Rainbow Dash finished the rest of the bullets in her magazine and,not having the time to reload, moved straight to her revolver. Shooting dead-eye shots straight into the heads, all while Pinkie Pie was still fidgeting with her machine gun, unknowingly shooting several nosalises. Rainbow Dash took a sigh of relief as the last nosalis fell with the last bullet in her gun. “Got it!” Pinkie Pie shouted, whipping up her bastard gun. “Hey, where’d they all go?” Rainbow Dash shoved shotgun shells into her uboinik, shaking her head. “They’re gone, Pinkie Pie. You missed it.” Taro reloaded his gun. “Even when you didn’t know what was going on, you shot like five of them.” The team emerged from the battle with only minor scratches. “Anyone need a syringe?” Taro asked, pulling out an orange case from inside his coat. Opening it up, he grabbed one of five medicine filled shots and injected himself. He hit his arm a few times to get the blood circulating with the medicine. “Numbs the pain and helps the wound fight infection.” “I think I’ll let my body do it’s thing for now,” Rainbow Dash replied. “Suit yourself,” Taro said, putting the medkit away. “It’s no big deal, though. I can buy more when we arrive in Alandraskaya.” “No it’s okay,” Rainbow Dash insisted, continuing to walk.
Chapter 4Chapter 4 “The gate is just up ahead,” Taro informed his traveling companions. Upon arrival to the door, four guards stood on their post with a small sun signifying the station was owned by the Solar Republic. When they walked up to them, they asked for passports. Pinkie showed hers, and Taro his. “What about hers?” asked a guard, looking at Rainbow Dash. “She’s with us,” Taro replied. The guard looked at them suspiciously, but let them through anyway. After clearing the gate, Taro turned to Pinkie. “Find out where you can get Rainbow Dash a passport while I go get some supplies. We need more ammo.” “Okie dokie lokie,” Pinkie Pie replied, dragging Rainbow Dash by the arm. Taro walked to the station’s trading center. Merchants shouted information about their wares. “Special offers, discounts, best guns from the forgemasters!” He came to a stop at a gun rack. “Oh, now that’s what I want,” Taro said, staring at a camouflage gun with an orange clip at the bottom. “Well with a trade in with a bastard gun, the total would come around to about 37 bullets,” said the merchant. “Hmm... that would leave me with only 21 left. Oh well, I’m sure Pinkie Pie has at least a few, I’ll take it.” Taro switched out his weapon, took it’s ammo and reloaded into his new kalash machine gun. He then paid the merchant and left for a different table. “Medkits... filters, er, knives! Everything you need for traveling in dangerous areas!” “I need two medkits and fifteen filters,” he asked the vendor. “Geez, plan on living on the surface?” the vendor teased, grabbing two orange packages and a handful of round tins. “I have two other friends coming with me. I’m sure we’ll find the rest of the filters on the surface,” Taro replied. “Sure, sure. Forty-eight bullets.” “Well, I’m not into haggling or anything, but that vendor a little ways down this path was offering special discounts if you buy ten or more items. Now I was thinking of going to him instead, but then I noticed you. You would easily put that guy out of business if you offered something better,” Taro lied. “Oh, goodness. I need to work harder, you’re right. Special discounts after you purchase SEVEN items!” the salesmen shouted. “Come on, you can do better than that!” “FIVE items!” “Keep going!” “Everything is half price!” “That’s the spirit! And since you’re so kind, I’ll give you a gracious tip! My total should be fifteen bullets, but I’ll give 21 instead.” “What a nice gentlemen, I wish you luck on the surface,” the vendor said as Taro walked away. “That was much easier than I thought it would be,” Taro smirked, putting his new gear into his rucksack. “Look what we got! Look what we got!” Pinkie Pie shouted, jumping, quite literally JUMPING in front of Taro. She was still holding Rainbow Dash’s arm, forcing her to be tugged up and down with Pinkie. “Look what I got,” Taro said, lowering his new gun. “By the way, you two have some money, right?” “Ooh, shiny!” Pinkie said, ignoring his question. “Yeah.” Rainbow Dash managed to tug her arm out of Pinkie Pie’s grasp. “I told you, I have ten round with me.” “And I have three, what do you need them for?” Pinkie asked. “Well I just spent all of mine getting this gun and scamming a guy for fifteen filters and medkits for you two.” Taro handed them there cases. “Everything you need for survival in a stylish orange case.” “Cool, so are we leaving soon?” Rainbow Dash asked, putting her medkit in her pocket. “Yeah, get all of your gear on, it’s going to be a little cold.” “Didn’t you say you were buying ammo?” Pinkie Pie pointed out, tossing a big coat over her dulled pink sweatshirt. “I did, but I thought we’ll have plenty of ammo after ten minutes on the surface. All the inexperienced stalkers head up and are eaten alive by mutants and the cold weather,” Taro answered, walking toward the large gate that led to the exit of the station into the surface. “We would like to leave please.” A guard looked at him and his friends. “I don’t know if I should.” “Here, have some bullets!” Pinkie Pie said, handing him her three. He looked down at the bullets in her hand. “Okay, I know I should now.” He pocketed the rounds and turned the wheel on the gate to open it. “Don’t forget your gas masks.” “Good plan, put them on now,” Taro said, throwing his over his face and putting on an air filter. He twisted a ring around his watch to set a five minute timer. “Let’s go!” he said after everyone elses were on. The team left the destroyed building into the morning sky, the sun shining slightly as to not blind them too much. “Welcome to Stalliongrad, twenty years after the attack,” Taro said through the radio in their gas masks. “Wow... it’s...” Rainbow Dash stuttered. She looked up into the sky. “Wow... no roof over my head... Trees... Real trees...” “I know. Pretty amazing, huh?” Taro asked, putting his arm around her. “A sky that goes on forever, old, dead plantation. Brings a tear to your eye. So busy holding your breath at the beauty of this place, you gain an extra minute on that filter.” Pinkie Pie looked at him and then took in a deep breath. “I didn’t actually mean it, you’re switching that filter after five minutes anyway,” Taro said, causing Pinkie to release her big breath. “Well, let’s get walking, shall we? I want to see more of this place,” Rainbow Dash suggested. They walked on for a few minutes before Taro started to slow down. Then he stopped all together, as if listening. “Are you okay, Taro?” Rainbow Dash asked. “... ... ... Run!” Taro shouted, just as gunfire was heard. A bullet shot straight into the snow where Taro was standing, barely missing him. “What’s happening?” Rainbow asked. “Sniper! Don’t know why, just keep running!” Taro shouted. Another bullet was fired, hitting Taro in the leg. He collapsed. “Taro!” Rainbow Dash shouted. “Keep going, I’ll meet you guys at Venice!” he shouted back. “I am NOT leaving you behind!” Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie ran toward Taro. Before she made it, someone dressed in a bulky black outfit grabbed her. She elbowed him in the chest. Seeing an open moment, she pointed her revolver and fired into the stranger’s face. Out of the spur of the moment, she noticed there were others who looked about the same. Rainbow Dash shot one of them, who was trying to grab Taro while Pinkie Pie was dealing with another her own way. “You’re mine!” one of them said. “What? I can’t hear you,” replied Pinkie Pie. “I said ‘you’re mine!’” the stranger repeated. “It’s hard to hear through that gas mask,” Pinkie said. Sighing and taking off the mask to repeat himself again, he choked on the radioactive air, causing his own death and Pinkie Pie to point and laugh. “No! Get off him!” Rainbow Dash shouted, shooting another person. Someone tackled her to the ground. “ENOUGH!” shouted someone else. “You all heard the order from Luna. Do NOT kill them. It doesn’t matter how many they killed, we take them as prisoners!”
Chapter 5Chapter 5 Taro woke up in a small jail to a pair of voices. It slowly came to him what the two were saying. They were talking about him and a cellmate that he apparently had. “...believe that this one is from the Solar Republic. The one over there may just be a stalker or of neutral party,” said one of them. Taro sat up. His hands were tied behind his back tight with a thick rope. “What were you doing crossing the tundra, Solar?” asked the second man. “I wouldn’t reveal my secrets to the likes of you! Not for a million bullets!” defended the alleged Solar soldier. “Well I suppose we have no business with you.” The second guard held up a shiny pistol. “Wait, can’t we...” The first guard was interrupted by a loud shot. “No, we can’t.” The man moved on to Taro. “And what of you?” “I was crossing with my friends. Where are they?” Taro replied. “Who?” asked the guard with the pistol. “Rainbow Dash first of all, and I know you have her because I recognize that gun anywhere.” Taro answered, looking down at the gun, which barred the symbol of his daring friend. “I grabbed this gun from the weapon room this morning. It is a coincidence that you know it. I think you'll find that WE are the ones asking questions. Now, did the Order of the Crystal Empire send you?” “Of course they didn’t,” answered the first guard. “They sent me.” The guard pulled out a trench knife and cut the guard’s neck. “That ought to teach you to send spies of your own.” The guard cut Taro’s hands free. “There you go. Ignore the blood.” “Why are you helping me?” Taro asked, grabbing the pistol the interrogator had, as well as all of his pistol ammo. “I’m from the Order of the Crystal Empire. We do not hurt stalkers. My name is Sombra, by the way.” “Taro.” They shook hands. “Now, where are my friends?” “Rainbow Dash? Sounds like a woman, which may mean some trouble,” Sombra replied, opening the door. “Why’s that?” Taro asked, walking out and reloading Rainbow Dash’s pistol. “This is a ruthless military base. Why do you think?” Taro and Sombra snuck through the halls of the base, killing the guards that got in their way. “It shouldn’t be too much farther.” The duo turned down a long empty hall. “Get off of me!” shouted a familiar voice. “What, you too good for me?” a man’s voice screamed back. “I’ve earned this, now sit back you bitch and let me...” “Phthew!” “Aw! Disgusting! You just spit in my mouth!” the guard yelled. “Yeah, that’s Rainbow in there,” Taro whispered. “Now you’re really gonna pay!” A small tear was heard through the door. “My turn,” Taro said. He shot the lock on the door and kicked it open, promptly shooting the abusive guard in the head. “Oh thank God,” Rainbow Dash sighed, wrapping her arms around Taro. “You okay, Dash?” Taro asked, examining her. The collar of her T-shirt was ripped from her neck to her armpit, curving toward her chest. “I can’t say I’ve had a worse experience,” she replied, sighing again. “What about this guard, you expect a promotion too?” “No, he’s from the Order, he helped me escape and rescue you. Oh, and I believe this is yours.” Taro handed Rainbow Dash her gun. “The guard was about to shoot me with it.” “Keep it until we get out of here, where’s Pinkie Pie?” Rainbow replied. “Pinkie Pie? Your other friend is named Pinkie Pie?” Sombra asked, worried. “Yeah, why?” Taro answered. “That wanted poster might answer your question.” Sombra pointed to a picture of Pinkie Pie in the back of the room. “What? Wanted: Pinkamina Pie for mutiny and insubordination?” Taro read. “How did you not notice that?” “I was a little busy at the time!” Rainbow Dash answered. “Who cares, let’s go, she’s most likely in the gallows. Follow me!” Sombra interrupted them. Passing a few guards and taking several short cuts through some vents, the three of them dropped into a small room. “Alright, gallow is only a little further.” “Who’s there?” asked a guard, entering the room. Sombra quickly grabbed Taro and Rainbow Dash and put their arms behind their backs. “Just got a few more prisoners for the noose,” Sombra said, taking the two out of the room. “Oh, don’t worry about this one,” the Lunar guard said, dragging Rainbow Dash aside. “I can deal with her really quick.” “Ugh, not again...” Rainbow Dash sighed, getting taken off to the side. Taro swiped Sombra’s knife from his belt and stabbed the guard through the back, letting him fall to the floor, limp. “I’m getting really tired of being the damsel in distress,” Rainbow Dash complained. “How do you think Pinkie Pie feels?” Taro replied. “Pinkamina Pie, you are charged with mutiny and insubordination. Sentence, hanging. Any final words?” the guard asked. Pinkie already had her noose around her neck. “A couple. Let’s see which work. Can’t you take a joke?” The guard didn’t budge. “Okay, um... It was two years ago?” Nothing. “Well that’s all I’ve got.” The door burst open. “Hold the noose, I’ve got a couple more,” the man said, throwing in two people. Taro and Rainbow Dash. Pinkie Pie looked at them with concern, but the two of them looked back at her, smirking. “What two new hangings, I heard nothing about such a thing,” Pinkie Pie’s executioner replied. “Well explain why I have a notice from Commander Luna herself?” asked Sombra. “Where?” “It’s right here.” Sombra showed the guard a clipboard with several sheets of paper on it. “Where?” the executioner asked again. “It’s right THERE!” Sombra smacked the executioners head down onto the clipboard, with Taro shooting a bullet through his head. Rainbow Dash jumped up and cut Pinkie free of her leash. “You okay?” Rainbow Dash asked her, Taro walking up next to Rainbow. “I’m fine. What happened to you? Why’s your shirt torn?” Pinkie Pie asked. “I don’t want to talk about,” Rainbow Dash responded. “It doesn’t matter anyway, Sombra, lead us to the weapons cache and out of here,” Taro instructed. “Can do.” A short walk later, the three of them had their equipment loaded up and stood at the exit to the base. “To get to Ponyville from here, take this tunnel through Octobreskaya. Go up to the surface for about a half, maybe quarter day and continue north until you find the entrance to Dodge Station. Go through the tunnel on the other side of the trolley and you’ll make it there in less than three hours. As for Venice, go out the tunnel near the trading post and take the first branch to the left. Take a long walk through there and you’ll make it. You’ll pass some camps of other people along the way, so sleeping arrangements shouldn’t be too much of an issue. Good luck.” Sombra shut the door and the three of them started their trek once again.
