Fallout Equestria: The Ranger of Seamane

Chapter 9 – Blackwood Campground

“A ranger is somepony who does the right thing, who can work on their own and knows the land. They do what they do for the sake of it must be done not for the sake that others appreciate what is done.”

         A few more hours had passed after having left Fillydelphia and I was looking for a place to sleep for the night when I saw an abandoned station. I began to move closer when two red bars showed up on my E.F.S. I laid down and looked in the direction indicated. I saw two bucks walking around and chatting as they headed for the station. One of them had shackles as a cutie mark, the other was a knife.

‘Wonderful.’ I thought to myself. ‘They are either slavers, or raiders.’

Either way, I needed to check to see if anymore were around. I crept after them as night fell on the wasteland. When they opened the doors into the station I saw three more inside, two playing some sort of card game and one laying on a bed, doing something. As I observed them two more red bars showed up and if it hadn't been for a well placed bush one of the two new hostiles would have spotted me. So there were seven targets in the main room, more maybe to the side since there was a closed door on the left inside the building.

I lay there watching them, listening to their banter as the minutes dragged on. They were just ponies trying to make a living, even if I was against their method they weren't frothing at the mouth irredeemable psychopaths. I quietly crept off into the night, sliding down the night vision monocular and clicking it on. After a few minutes of creeping away I saw the red lights blink out of my E.F.S. and I stood up and began walking normally. Tonight was going to be just straight walking, I popped in my ear bloom and turned on the good DJ to keep me company tonight. As time went on it got colder and colder, than white flakes started to fall from the sky. I blinked at the reflective things coming from the sky that messed with my monocular’s vision. Lifting it and staring into the sky it was brighter than I remember ever seeing it at night. I turned to look at Fillydelphia, it looked like a permanent sunset was there as the white flakes of ice fell. I gave a sigh and watched my breath show in the air before me. I needed to find some shelter soon to keep from freezing. I switched of the night vision of the monocular as it was now useless with so many reflective objects in the sky.

As I walked I watched as the snow began to stick in places around me. I was glad for having bought barding back in Saint Clover that covered me from the base of my neck to my rear hooves. Though now I wished I had boots as well, and a scarf for my neck. I had put on the respirator to help keep the chill out a bit more, the compartment where my muzzle and nose sat staying a bit warmer so the air I breathed was not so cold. However it did make it so there was a constant stream of my breath showing in the air from the two ventilators on it. The other thing I noticed was that the material of the pipbuck that touched my leg didn't seem to conduct heat all that well so I wasn't at risk of getting frostbite due to having that chunk of metal on my leg. Eventually I spotted a sign saying one mile until an exit that lead to camping grounds. With my current pace it took me only ten minutes to get to the exit.

I followed the road as it gently curved to the right and down. At the end of it was the site of a long forgotten crash between self drawn carriages. I picked over them, as the snow continued to fall in the cold night, it had readily begun sticking to the metal of the vehicles as well as the skeletons with in them where the glass that had once protected the occupants had shattered.

Picking over the vehicles I found a very thick sleeping bag rolled up and strapped it to my saddlebags, the next thing I found was a oversized thick winter coat. I looked it over marveling in the quality of the fabric, how tough it was as well as light. I pulled the sleeping bag off of myself then slipped into this coat and found while it was oversized for me it fit nicely over everything I had on. I buttoned it closed seeing the mouth grips of my two pistols as well as my knife just under the lip of the coat. I lifted up the sides of the long draping back to see I still had easy access to my saddlebags. I checked the trunk over some more to find a dark green scarf laying amongst other clothing, it reminded me of Rose, the same color as her mane when I first found her and just as soft as after we washed her. I lifted it with my magic and wrapped it around my neck as I examined the remaining supplies. A couple more sleeping bags lay in there as well as various camping equipment. Frowning I worked on finding a way to properly carry the single pony tent with me as well. The thing was too large for my saddlebags and would have to sit on my back as well. I let out a sigh as I closed the trunk and looked at the street sign saying which way to the camp grounds. I figured there would be some shelter for whoever had run the place. A street light was flickering about a hundred feet down the road and I saw somepony standing there watching me. I pulled down the monocular and began to zoom in on them as they vanished during a annoyingly well timed flicker before I could see who or what they were.

I stood there watching my E.F.S. as the seconds then the minutes ticked past. I walked to where the figure had been standing. I could feel the cold sucking the heat out of my hooves as I walked on the dusting of snow that sat upon the road. I wanted to go seek shelter as soon as I could, maybe make a fire, however, I wanted to be certain I was safe first. I looked around and saw the signs pointing to the campgrounds lead the way that the figure had gone.

I muttered under my breath, “of course they would be in the same direction.”

I continued on towards the campgrounds figuring one way or another I was going to have to go there tonight. I turned off the DJ as the snow on the ground thickened and I began hearing my own hoof steps in the crunching snow. I hoped whoever I was after was also having difficulty staying quiet in the snow. As I followed the signs it lead me into a dense forest, the trees long dead from the radioactive winter that had occurred after the bombs fell.

Not long down the road there was a toll booth, one side the gate was down, the other side was open for those leaving I guessed. I also saw on the window facing me a simple sign saying “Sorry closed for the season!” It had a rather cheerful mare in brown clothing waving at me. I started to move towards the booth and heard a muffled beep, then another, then one a bit faster than the second.

‘Mines?! With as Luna as my witness I will kill whoever laid mines in the snow here!’ I thought to myself as I pushed myself back and tossed up a barrier in front of me.

I misjudged where the mine had been placed as it exploded, ripping through the barrier I had erected on the opposite side of it, I felt a piece of shrapnel slice through the inside of my right hind leg. I listened to the ringing while I lay on the ground disoriented from the blast watching the snowflakes land on my goggles and slowly melt. After a minute the ringing subsided and I checked my leg. The injury was nothing a simple bandage and time would heal, but, it was a good chance to try a mending spell again. I focused my magic, remembering how the spell worked and cast it. I opened my eyes to see the last of the injury closing up. I wiped down where the blood had been making certain that at least I wouldn't smell of blood as I entered these woods with Luna knows what.

I pushed myself up and looked at where the mine had gone off and noticed other lumps in the snow. Of course it wouldn't be an effective minefield if you just had one mine. I frowned, there had to be a better way through it. I looked at the nearby trees and had a idea. They had stood strong and proud since the great war, they should take my weight with no problem. I proceeded to climb the nearest tree that had low enough branches for me to reach. In no time I was a dozen feet off the ground carefully eyeing for the next spot to move to. After a few failed attempts at moving from tree to tree I got a basic idea of what to look for in a branch that will support you, and support you moving or jumping on it.

I eventually picked my way across the trees and got to a area that looked like a parking lot and a lone administration building. I crouched in the tree with one hoof steadying me as I manually adjusted the zoom on my monocular. Looking in through the windows of the administration building I saw it was abandoned and its windows intact. I then scanned the parking lot for more mounds to indicate more mines. Thankfully I saw none, but, I didn't quite trust that, so I continued my tree hopping until I was next to the building itself. Normally all this jumping around would be hard, but, as a unicorn I had my telekinesis to aid me.

I looked over the administration building again, and eyed what looked to be some sort of tower that raised above the treeline, and there was a hatch below it connecting it to the building itself. I didn't quite feel like testing my luck with the doors accessible from the ground as if the minefield by the entrance of the place was any indication they were trapped as well. I drew back on my legs and sprang forward wrapping myself in my magic to make the leap from tree to roof top. With a soft crunch of snow under my hooves I landed deftly on the roof and slowly walked to the hatch.

    As I got to it I noticed there wasn't even a lock on the thing or even a latch of sorts. The only thing that had kept anything from entering this way was location. I took a breath as I shivered in the cold air and looked around. My E.F.S. was clear and I didn't see anything either. I then turned to the hatch itself and began to lift if with my magic, laying down where it opened the most to see if anything had been attached to the underside as a trap. I flicked on night vision and saw nothing, not even a hook for a trap. I lifted it the rest of the way and looked into the darkness of the building below me. I climbed down the ladder and closed the hatch as my hooves just touched the floor.

Looking around I was glad I had turned on the night vision, the building was dark, and, it was silent. No creaking of movement, no sounds of radroaches or rodents of annoyingly unusual size. The air in here felt a bit warmer, though, stale and dry. I heard a drip come from nearby and turned to look in the direction it had come from to only step in a tiny puddle of ice cold water. I looked around more to see where it came from and only to find it was from the snow melting off of me. I wrapped what moisture remained on my and fed it into one of the bottles from the carnival twisting a cap over it. As I did I made a mental note to myself to fill all my bottles with snow when I had a chance.

I moved out of the alcove I was in and looked around the hall it was a part of. I saw signs for the restrooms, I doubted the plumbing was still functional, and given the cold here at very least it broke due to the pipes freezing. As I quietly moved through the building it became abundantly clear that I was the first pony in here since it closed two hundred years ago. I guessed that whoever was here when it closed had probably moved further into the forest so not to be discovered by anyone who walked past the entrance of the campgrounds. I continued exploring the building and found a room full of bunk beds. To my dismay a few were occupied though E.F.S. showed no bars signaling they were all long since deceased. I walked up to them, two of them wore Equestrian Army uniforms that were still in good condition. The others I noted had no clothing. Upon examining the remains I saw the cause of death all four of the ponies who lay in this room died from radiation poisoning. I beat back tears as I walked out of the room. Even with all the death I had seen and the few times seeing it up close when I had killed others for some reason this hit me hardest.

“It is okay to cry, just let it all out.” A voice whispered from no direction in general.

I stood up blinking away the tears and looked around for the source of the voice. I saw nothing, E.F.S. was clear. I was the only one here, that and the skeletons of long dead ponies. I left the room that held the skeletons and finished checking the rest of the building. As well as worry for my sanity if it had been the bodies whispering to me. By the time I did it was after midnight, I was still cold, and I had found a fireplace. Looking at the fireplace I was happy to see it was all set to burn, I just had to start it. I stopped realizing I had nothing to start it with.

I rummaged through the building again and found a lighter with a engraved seal of a ornate depiction of the sun. I arrived back at the fireplace and lit the paper within it with the lighter. I flipped the cap closed on the lighter and slide it into a pocket inside the coat. Slowly the fire caught and I opened the vent to let the smoke out. I then closed the fireplace so no embers could escape and went back to the offices grabbing whatever books there were.

Returning to the fire it was burning slowly and warming the room to the point I had to strip. I lay my possessions in the corner where it would be hardest to see from the doorway leading into the room. I lay out the sleeping bag on the floor and climbed atop it pulling my bounty of books to me and began to examine each one. As I finished sorting the pre war books, many of them being novels, my stomach growled and reminded me that it had been half a day since I last ate. With that I pulled out my food and ate quietly watching the fire and feeling more at ease than I had in the past week. Here I was, with books to read, a warm fire, nice shelter though a few skeletons in the closet, and so far nothing trying to outright kill me. From what I was gathering with the bodies I saw and the little minefield was that whoever was here just wants to be left alone. Which, fine by me, just let me get out of the cold, sleep and eat a bit and there isn't anything else I want to do at the moment.

As I lay there I read book after book, I left the fiction to the side and focused on the more practical books about sales negotiations, speaking to others, how locks worked, as well as a few journals on medicine. I noticed a lot of books around here where on how to survive off of the land. I figured it made sense with a campground and all, but, at the same time not a whole lot of good when every plant had died thanks to radiation or the sudden nuclear winter after the bombs fell. There had been one curious thing though that I had found left here, a simple note by a pony I knew. A note from Meadows.

In his note he explained how he had come here after the nuclear winter had gone away while on his way to Seamane. How he had found a good number of folks had taken shelter here in this building and managed to live through it. Though a few of their number had died gathering supplies thanks to the radioactive green snow. Two of his own also had fallen to radiation sickness a few days after arriving due to their work on helping gather supplies and build a town deeper in the forest. Two more of his men had stayed behind to aid a few townsfolk who had gotten hurt as well and to set up the minefield when he left. He also makes mention of having taken four more ex-equestrian military troopers with him. I sat back on my haunches and frowned. It seemed I was going backwards with Meadows trip. I also wondered what they ended up doing since he had never mentioned the other four while at the other towers. Then again I had only been to two of them.

I let out a sigh and stared at the fire, it was just embers now and the time read four in the morning. It would be light out in three hours and all I could think of doing was sleeping. I climbed into the sleeping bag and closed the door to the room and set my stuff against it. Since it opened into the room it was the best way to keep myself safe while sleeping. I also put my revolver under the pillow that was stuffed inside of the sleeping bag. Six shots, point three five seven rounds, armor piercing load with a mouth grip directly below my mouth under the pillow. I maybe at ease here and have good reason to believe I will be left alone, but, I am not taking chances tonight. I let myself drift off to sleep, hoping that my dreams would be nice.

*                    *                    *

As I woke up I checked E.F.S. to find no bars once more. I climbed out of my sleeping bag to find the room had cooled off considerably while I slept. I noticed my stuff had been moved from the door, now instead of blocking it was sitting beside it. And someone had left me a box, damn it, I had been too exhausted to wake up when someone entered the room and made all the noise of pushing open the door. On the box there was a note as well. I levitated the note to myself, in front of me was a mouth written letter. The letter was by the figure I had seen last night. They apologized for spooking me last night when I had spotted them. They politely asked for me to leave a letter outside explaining my purpose here. I frowned as I pulled on the heavy coat and walked around the building. I saw outside that it had lightened on how hard it was snowing, after dumping a foot of snow onto the ground.

“Well,” I said aloud, “looks like my plans for a trip to the coast just got ruined.”

I now knew exactly what my purpose for being here was. I grabbed a clipboard, paper, and a pencil and wrote my note for this mysterious figure.

‘I was here initially just for a place to sleep out of the weather, now seeing how much snow has come down not certain if I want to try going out and headed out to the coast before going to Friendship City or just waiting it out.’

I took the note and opened a door, I and saw snow tracked onto the deck. Well at least I knew what side they had come in from. I stuck the note into the window seal of door on the outside and closed the door. I kept checking around with my E.F.S. for any bars and finding nothing at all. If it hadn't been for seeing red and blue bars yesterday when walking out here I would think that my pipbuck was not working right. As it was I pulled out the pipbuck technicians tools and went to work checking if it was working properly.  After half an hour of checking it over I was completely certain it was working properly. As the day wore on I put my barding back on as the building cooled once more. I even tried walking outside in the snow only to find it was very hard as it was as powdery as sand making me effectively trapped by dunes of ice. Some how that annoyed me more than my time walking the dunes around Seamane.

I heard hoof steps on the deck on the back of the building and stopped reading, listening for what they would do next. To my surprise I heard the door open and someone come inside. I sat up on the sleeping bag the book I was reading resting on the floor as I waited to see what the person who just entered the building would do next. I saw their blue bar start to move indicating they were coming towards me. I felt my heart start to beat faster as the blue bar came closer, my breaths deeper with the passing of each second, as I felt the coat strain against the holsters below it. Then I saw them walk into view, when our eyes met they stopped and drew back a bit. I mentally tried to make myself relax and waved with my left foreleg. They returned it then took a few steps closer.

She was young mare, younger than me from the looks of it. Her mane was a short and black, her coat a lighter gray than my own. She wore thick barding made of leather and fur. She didn't come closer than the outside of the doorway.

“It’s okay, I am the only one here, and as you can see no light on my horn, I am not setting a trap or anything.” I explained to her as the fire crackled.

She nodded and walked in, her eyes checking the corners as soon as she entered the room and I could see her horn under the hood of hers.

“So... What do you want to talk about?” I asked her as she sat down between the door, my bags, and myself. She was quiet for a few minutes as I listened to the fire crackle and pop.

“I could use your help if you aren't too busy,” she stated.

I raised an eyebrow, apparently she took my willingness to respond as well as wait out the snow as a sign of civility. Though I was wondering what help she wanted, and why my mind was thinking of Rose all of the sudden.

“Well I am stuck here until either I find a way to make myself float on the snow or the snow goes away. So ask away, all I have here is books to read and that won't take me long to do.” I mentally kicked myself for coming off so snarky and rude.

“Well, I was hoping you might be able to help fix a few things around here.” She stated, eyeing my books as she moved a bit close to the fireplace.

I blinked, fix things around here? I took a stab, “you mean the town further in?” The look of shock on her face was priceless. “I only know about it thanks to a note left by a stallion who helped set it up.”

She relaxed a bit, “we can go whenever, I will show you around and how to navigate the snow.”

I nodded and got off my sleeping bag and began to pack it up. When I was done I saw her levitating my saddlebags to me as I took off my long coat.

“Thank you,” I said as I shrugged the bags on and put back on the coat. “By the way, my name is Moonlight, do you have something you don't mind me calling you?”

“Snow,” she responded as she lay the sleeping bag and packed tent on my back.

“Well, Snow, we will be on our way in just a moment.” I said as I projected a shield around the fire snuffing it out. “Alright, take me to what needs fixing.”

*                    *                    *

After a few minutes of explaining how to walk through snow I tried my hoof at it and found it was far easier than I thought it would be. Though it would have been much easier if I had the boots that Snow did. She had some sort of large disk for each hoof to step on. She explained that it worked off of distributing her weight so the snow didn't shift as much. I frowned and decided to try making a barrier to do the same. Suffice to say it didn't and the rest of the walk to where we were going was quiet as I walked through the snow and disappointingly not on top of the snow.

“We are here Moonlight, see that shed, we have a water pump in it that broke over night, it supplies most of the water the town needs. Work on fixing that while I go take care of some other matters.” She briskly walked off in another direction as I headed to the pump house.

The forest was rather beautiful with the snow all around. I marveled at it as I walked up to the pump house itself. I opened the door to see the pump sitting in the middle of the room, the spark generator for it offline and the machine itself looked half taken apart. Guessed either the pony who could fix it was busy, or, they lacked somepony to fix it. I walked in and closed the door behind me as I floated out my tools and started to diagnose what was wrong with it. After a few minutes of fiddling with it I found the source of the problem. Time was the problem.  A lot of the mechanical parts had worn down as well as a lot of the electronics had failed over the years. I pulled out the various bits of scrap material that I had on me and began to find pieces that fit or interchangeable components. Half an hour or so later it was fixed and the pump began to push water again. I slowly had it increase the pressure in the pipes to make certain any ice that had formed would hopefully move, and so it wouldn't burst the pipes. As full pressure was achieved the door opened and I turned seeing a blue bar then Snow standing there.

“Alright, follow me, there is more work for us to do Moonlight.” Snow stated, I nodded and followed after her, shutting the door as we exited.

I followed after her as she led me north. I had to admit it was nice that E.F.S. had a built in compass, from just that I had a rough estimate where I was with regards to the administration building. As we walked she offered no words and I didn't try to broach the silence. Once more snow had begun to fall as it approached noon. I saw some red lights come into being on my E.F.S. and darted in front of Snow motioning with a hoof to stop and hide. I watched as two of the five lights winked out and the other three converged on where the two had been.

“Do you have any hunters out this way, Snow?” I asked as I pulled down the monocular and started to look for the sources of the red bars.

“No, why did you see something?” Asked Snow, sounding a bit worried.

I grumbled and began to move towards the three lights my magic already having a firm grip on my guns. I heard the soft sounds of Snow's steps behind me as she followed as closely as she dared. The red lights hadn't moved the entire time I had walked towards them. As I reached a clearing I saw three figures standing over the corpses of two geckos. Someone was hunting here I thought to myself. I zoomed in with the monocular, they were three earth ponies with spears and covered in furs. I frowned as Snow caught up with me. I pointed to the three and then looked at her expectantly.

“Those are others from the village, best we stay clear of them, Moonlight.” Snow said, for the first time I noticed her accent, it reminded me of the audio recordings that I had listened to as a foal. She reminded me in particular of somepony from Stalliongrad.

I gave her a nod, “alright then lead me to where we need to be.”

In silence once more we continued north before changing course at the site of a large downed tree and heading due west. We continued on for another half hour before stopping at a cave. Snow stopped and began to eat something.

“Is it safe to eat here, I mean there is a cave with who knows what in it right there.” I asked.

“Eat anything besides meat and you won't wake It up.” She retorted and resumed eating her food.

Won't wake It up? Whatever, I assumed it was something I was going to have to deal with once we had finished out meal. I pulled out some of the grass I had harvested and a few sugar bombs and ate. As we had stopped moving I noticed the cold creeping back in from my hooves and exposed muzzle. I finished eating before Snow did and covered my face back up. She was somepony used to the cold, I was not, nor did I much care for the cold.

“Alright, we need to clear this cave of bloodwings.” Snow stated.

I blinked at her, “what the hay is a blood wing?”

She looked like I had grown another leg, or third eye.

“No really, where I am from we don't have them, that or nopony ever told me about them.” I replied, honestly not every creature was in every region.

“They are a mutated vampire bat, not the type that turn you into vampires.” She said, then under her breath, “unlike what those idiots think.”

“So we need to go into the home of a vampire bat and murder it while it sleeps?” I asked, trying to clarify exactly what needed doing.

“It, and its friends.” Snow responded, giving me only a bit more information.

“Okay, it meaning there is a really nasty one down there?”

“Yes, big sharp pointy fangs. Probably punch through your barding, though, probably go for your neck like it does on the brahmin.” Snow answered with a hint of a laugh.

“Ah, how fun, am I going in alone or do you have something to kill flying monsters with?” I asked looking her over for weapons.

“No, and I can't see down there like you can.”

I blinked, how did she? “How did you know that?” I asked.

“Your gadget on your left eye glows like that of an animal at night. At first when I saw you I thought maybe you were some sort of mutant bat pony.” She answered, and under her breath continued, “thought that maybe those idiots were right about vampire bat ponies.”

I laughed and shook my head. “Okay, yeah I can see in the dark with it, how many do you think there are in here?”

“Probably six including the big one.” Snow supplied the last bit of information I needed.

As she said that a message showed up in my vision, 'Kill six blood wings in blood wing cave'. Then displayed 'You have located blood wing cave'. I mentally stammered, did it just recognize verbally given instructions from another pony? I hadn't read about this function before. Then a marker on my E.F.S. lit up for the mouth of the cave. Right, well lets do this, you weird arcano tech gadget.

“Alright, well see you if I still have enough blood in me to crawl out after this.” I said as I jumped onto the sharp slope down into the darkness flicking on the night vision as I went.

In the darkness of the cave I found it was only one direction along a gently sloping downward incline. I also found quickly that it was rather warm compared to outside. It took me all of five minutes of walking to get to the point where E.F.S. registered the six targets of my orders. I pulled out my revolver and hit S.A.T.S. when I had a visual on them.

Targeting each of the blood wings with a single shot to the head I let S.A.T.S. do its thing as time slowly begin four of the six shots struck home. The other two went wide, on the smaller blood wing it striped its wing from its body. As for the big blood wing it woke up as the shots rang out and the one for it dug its way into the cave wall.

I dodged to the side as it swooped down, the red bar on my E.F.S. moving quickly and erratically. I quickly holstered the revolver and drew This Gun, it still was funny that that was the name my pipbuck gave it. I kept dodging while S.A.T.S. recharged, the enraged massive blood wing. Unfortunately I couldn't keep a eye on it at all times as it flew back and forth, even with E.F.S. and night vision it would elude me just long enough to get a chance to dive at me. So far it had yet to actually hurt me, but, more than once I had seen its sharp claws and its huge teeth.

Luck wasn't on my side as it dug its teeth into my neck after a previous blow had caused my scarf to slide off exposing my neck. I cried out in pain as I felt it dig deep into me and start to suck. S.A.T.S. finished recharging and I hit the spell slipping into the frozen time of S.A.T.S. I put all five rounds into the heart of the damn blood wing and released the spell. I watched as the first two did the job, the other three making its chest explode in a blast of blood, much of it my own that it had just sucked out of me.

I started reloading with my magic as I tried to turn my neck. I then found that the teeth and head of the blood wing blocked me from moving my neck. I put the pistol away and then with my right hoof found the lower jaw of the blood wing, then with my left hoof found the rest of the head. I closed my eyes and slowly opened its jaw and felt the pain recede as I removed its teeth from my neck. Immediately I dropped the head and pulled out antibiotics and medical alcohol to clean the wounds and make certain I didn't catch anything from the damn blood sucker. The bite started to burn as I cleaned them I could feel that I was still bleeding from them as well. I moved my head and cast a examination spell to make certain nothing was left in the wounds, as I did I watched the last bits of the fangs wash out of me with a my blood mixed with the medical alcohol. I dropped the spell then grabbed two healing potions and downed them as fast as I could. A warm welcome rush came over me as I felt the holes close up. Gratefully the wounds had not removed my coat but simply displaced it so as the wounds closed up my coat found its rightful place again. Though I knew there would probably be small holes in my coat for a while where it had been torn away.

I turned my attention to the head of the massive blood wing, this would do as a sign that I had completed the job. I picked it up and lay it on my back under a strap holding the tent on my back. I then looked at my scarf laying on the ground, it had a small bit of blood on it, but, other than that it was clean. I smiled as I put it back on and left the cave to find Snow sitting there waiting, a look of worry was on her face until she saw me as I climbed out of the darkness. I tossed the head at her feet and she to her credit didn't flinch away.

“There, that blood sucking freak is dead, anything else you need me to do for your town?” I asked, my mood wasn't the greatest, it was cold, my neck hurt, I was still light headed.

Absentmindedly I began reloading the revolver and pistol in front of her, collecting the brass as always. I winced as I realized I had left the five shells from the pistol down in the cave when I had tried to reload. It wasn't worth the effort to get them again I told myself as I slide the two pistols back home under my long coat.

“Well if you wouldn't mind I think there is one last thing to do today for the town. Follow me.” She said as she got up and began marching eastward.

I sighed and watched the moisture in my breath freeze and drift away with me in the light breeze that had kicked up with the snow. As I followed her I couldn't stop myself from thinking about Rose and Ruby. I was hoping that they were still on track to Tenpony tower. If they were or even delayed a few days I could hopefully catch them. If anything this snow would slow them down more than me thanks to the carriage. I also hoped that Ruby was keeping Rose safe, while she was as old as me she was probably a bit more naïve than myself. She had yet to be twisted into either of the extremes the wasteland makes a person. Because either you resist the wasteland or you embrace it. If you embrace it you became either a hero or a raider. I didn't want to think about if maybe my 'death' had instead left Rose broken. I felt a twinge of anger at the thought that the gryphons lie might hurt my marefriend so deeply. We had saved Oakmare it was a time for celebration not for one of the closest people to me to get hurt.

My eye twitched as I suppressed the urge to throw something with my magic and vent a bit of anger. Not at Bryn who had been a major factor in why I wasn't enjoying the warm embrace of Rose now while we were traveling the area around Seamane. No it was at Red Eye for having staged the whole attack on Oakmare, for Slate on having to send his Hydra and wreck a third of the town. It was on Helgrim who didn't just shove a bag of caps in my hooves and tell me to shut up about everything I heard. My thoughts stopped, why was a bag of caps that valuable to me? Yes it could buy me better arms and armor, let me have supplies to keep a pony from dieing practically. But, all I could think about it was just the idea of having it made me happy. My hot anger had turned cold and upon myself. Why the buck should it matter to me that much, there are so many other things in this goddess forsaken wasteland than freaking bottle caps. Glanced up at Snow as she guided me to her town, I could see some buildings in the distance growing in size as we approached the settlement.

I pushed my self loathing to the back of my mind. ‘Lets sort out our issues with myself later when not in company. We have impressions to make that matter.’

 I took a deep breath and held it for a second, clearing my mind and then slowly let it out. I felt my anger slip out with my breath into the cold winter air and a calm come over me. ‘Much better. Now then lets make a good impression on these ponies.’

As we drew close to the town I saw ponies milling around under a large roof that covered the area between the biggest buildings. It looked like this had originally been an area where somepony would have a big group for a party or picnic but over time they had built log houses attached to it. The town itself consisted of eight buildings minus the pre war picnic structure. As we approached a single pony came up to us, I could tell from the build of his face that he was an older buck, and from the looks of him he was not pleased to see me.

Well first impressions are good and all, but, hard to make a good one when somepony decides to throw a spear at your face before you get a chance to talk. I rolled out of the way throwing my shield spell into its path where it bounced off away from me and Snow. I stood up out of the pile of snow I rolled into, the snow falling off of me and piling around my hooves as my heart went back into action of getting me ready for a fight. I stood there, watching the buck for further signs of aggression as Snow remembered she wasn't a statue.

“Father!” She shouted at the older buck, well great I thought, her father hates me and in all likelihood is probably someone important here. “She is the one who fixed the well and,” she dropped the head of the giant blood wing I had killed. “She killed the blood wings who had been killing the brahmin and the night guard.”

Our eyes locked as Snow's father stared me down. We stood there for a minute before he relaxed, I kept my aggressive stance just in case.

“Fine then, she may join us for dinner, but, tomorrow you must lead her out of the woods. Anyone of the outside brings the threat of others from the outside coming with them.” Snow's father said.

Now I understood, extreme and possibly hostile isolationism born out of fear of a already hurt group of ponies wanting to survive. I relaxed and assumed a neutral stance and walked up beside Snow.

“Thank you Father, and honestly I was planning on either leading her out or taking her back to the admin building up front.”

I quietly watched as the two slipped into a conversation about me. She stood on the principle of careful acceptance of outsiders, he stood on waiting until someone from a proper government came to get them. I frowned thinking on the subject as I was probably going to be used a political chip here. By the time we had gotten to the central plaza of the town the two were in a heated argument about opening up to the outside world or staying hidden. I had a answer that would more than likely sadden Snow. The hard fact of the wasteland would have to be told. Of course I would tell the truth, it in no way helped me to lie to them and get Red Eye's slavers in here to take them all away.

“Both of you be quiet.” I said, timidly. They continued to argue bringing what I suspected to be majority of the towns adult population out.

I took a deep breath and grabbed both of their muzzles and clamped them shut with my magic.

“Both of you listen, I can make your choice for you, both of you are arguing about this and just won't admit the quick way of solving this problem.” I let their muzzles go both of them were red in the face glaring daggers at me for daring to interrupt their conversation. I gave a small giggle, child like parent, right?

“Here is the thing, you live in proximity to the ruins of Fillydelphia, there is a massive army of slavers, people who take others as slaves. They take whoever they can and work them to death all for the goals of a single stallion named Red Eye. Until he and his forces are dead it is best to be unknown to the rest of the world. They have gryphons and ponies who can fly as well at his disposal. Do not think you can fight them or side with them. Most of those under his command are in it for wealth and twisted pleasure of harming others.” I looked at the two, Snow had a look of defeat on her face, her father not much better. “That is what you were talking about, right?”

I sudden feeling of I just messed up majorly came over me as everypony was silent. Even my mane started to itch furiously. Though I had long debunked that as just something that cropped up when my emotions were running high. I felt a hoof on my shoulder and I turned to see a elderly earth pony mare. She was smiling at me, honestly that just made things worse as I started to fight back tears.

“You were right and wrong in your assumption. Snow here wants to leave Black Wood and see the world, but, I think now she may be reconsidering it.” The elder mare said. “Come lets get you inside, you look like you need a hot meal and to take a load off your back.”

She guided me into the biggest building at in Black Wood, as she did my E.F.S. noted that I had discovered Black Wood Camping Grounds. As the door opened I saw three long tables pushed together forming a shape around a large fire pit. The ground itself was cobblestone and warm. I pulled off my respirator and was hit with the smell of fresh cooked meat and I saw actual fresh food. Of course they would have fresh food, they lived on a campground that had conversationalists tending to it.

The elder mare guided me to a seat near the center of the bridging table and helped me out of my clothing and bags. As I set down my pistol I noticed some strange stares coming from around the room as those who had been outside had joined us. I put the holster back on and turned to see the rest of my stuff had been carried away.

“Fear not, I had it taken away to be patched up and washed. We also have a tradition of no weapons in here, though,I can't see us reasonably being able to take it away from you. Plus I doubt you have enough ammo in that gun to hurt many of us if you were so inclined to.” Said the elder mare.

I blinked then nodded, then let out a sigh, feeling tension unwind itself from me that I didn't know was there. I felt the warm breeze coming off of the fires in front of me, it gently making my coat move and become fuzzy. It felt nice to get the warm air under my coat. Then with a blush I realized how badly I smelled. Sewage, gunpowder, blood, oil, dust, and a hint of bile from the blood wing I shot up. Then ponies started coming in with plates of food setting them down before everyone assembled.

“Duchess Borealis' Day court shall resume once lunch is over” said some pony as a bowl of hot stew was placed before me. I turned to the elder mare sitting next to me, at what I realized was effectively a throne.

As I did she began to eat, and I heard the sounds of everypony else digging into their lunches. I turned to mine and lifted the wooden spoon next to me with my magic and took a spoon full of the hearty looking stew. Taking the contents into my mouth I was greeted with the familiar taste of gecko meat as well as many herbs and plants. I held myself back from crying as I ate the food. Here in a tiny isolated community was fresh food from plants that they had carefully grown over the centuries. I continued to eat my hot meal until it the bowl was empty. When I finished it I sat back feeling better than I had in ages. I turned to Borealis to see her smiling having finished her meal before me.

“How do you like our cooking?” Borealis asked me.

“Duchess, it is the best food I have had in my entire life, up until now it was either prewar food or food made with sadly lacking in taste plants.” I said, as I wiped tears from my eyes.

“Very good then, now, we have something to discuss about the state of the outside world.” I nodded as she said this. “You see, I was going to let Snow go out and see the world so when she returned we would have a idea of how things were out there. Now that is no longer needed thanks to your attempts to solve the argument between Snow and her father.”

I looked down, that is why she was wanting to leave. It was both her chance to see the world and it was this town's chance to get information on the world at large. I looked up as a thought occurred to me. I could make this up to Snow and give the village something quite useful. Hell I could give them two useful things.

“I have something that I can give your village, as well as Snow to make up for my blundering into your politics.” I said and instinctively grabbed at the latch of my saddlebags that weren't there.

“And what might these gifts be?” Asked Borealis.

“I have a pipbuck as well as a leg mounted radio that I can give to you, I even can properly set somepony up with the pipbuck and leave instructions on how to work on it. Though beyond putting it onto new users you shouldn’t have to as it is a Gamma three thousand which are meant to last forever.” I said, with a slight beam of pride.

         “Well then, your gifts are accepted, would you mind if I took the leg mounted radio and you give Snow the pipbuck. And take your time on getting both of them ready for us, you are staying the night here.”

I nodded, “thank you for feeding me, and thank you for letting me correct my mistake.”

With that she dismissed me as a line had formed of ponies wanting to talk to her. I headed to a table on the side of the room. At first I questioned why they had been here, then I realized, there must be occasions when the entire town came in here, as well as ponies who wanted a bit of privacy at a meal. Or as I saw a few minutes after taking a table for myself, it was a place to eat a meal while court was in session.

Snow sat down across from me after she had talked to the duchess. I had gotten my saddlebags back, which were now cleaned and the ammo cans repainted, as well as I had been given my coat which was now for some reason white like the snow. I noticed that Snow's barding was white now as well. I thought back to lunch if it had been white then and couldn't remember.

“Did you mean it?” Snow asked as I wrote down notes on maintenance of my pipbuck zero as well as of the pipbuck gamma three thousand itself. “About giving me a pipbuck that is. We have some around here but most were dead when they got here with the soldiers who helped set up the place.” I looked up at her.

“If you have more I probably can fix them, or at least see if they are fixable at all.” I said, and as I did her eyes lit up and she rushed up to the Duchess then out the door. I caught a smile from the Duchess as Snow ran out.

When Snow returned with four more pipbucks I was surprised. I had expected the two from the soldiers bodies that I saw in the admin building. I pulled out my tools from my barding that had now been returned to me and started working on them. All four of them had crashed spell matrices, all four I was able to reboot from my own one after another. Seeing them flicker to life Snow went off to the now considerably shorter line to talk to the Duchess again. As they did I pulled out my old companion. Looking it over I saw where my blood had stained the leather that housed it. With a few tweaks it was almost a proper pipbuck. But, now it was to be a personal gift to royalty. Well, I assumed she was royalty due to her title. Maybe it was given to her out of a sense of they must have royalty rule them instead of a council.

After a few minutes Snow got her chance to talk with the Duchess who said something to her to cause her to go skipping off. As she did Borealis walked over to me.

“So then, it is true, you breathed fresh life into the pipbucks, and” her eyes fell on my creation. “Your leg mounted radio seems to be far more than just a radio, and it seems to be hoof made. A proper gift from a crafts-pony to royalty I would say.”

I felt my cheeks redden slightly at the compliment on my work. “Yes, so I can outfit five of your townspeople with pipbucks as for this,” I lifted my hoof crafted pipbuck. “It is as simple as putting it on. Nothing more, nothing less.”

“Then, in a tradition passed on down through my royal bloodlines I shall bestow a title upon you. In keeping with remembering those who aided us, you are dubbed Ranger Moonlight of the Equestrian irregulars.” She said as she produced a sword from under her robes that glittered in the fire light. I felt her gently tap it on either of my shoulders then she sheathed it. “Rise my friend, you have done good by me and my people. Even if the title means nothing beyond here, know that this place is home to you. So long as you don't bring a band of raiders or Red Eye's forces here.” She said with a smile.

“I promise nothing about that second part.” I said with a smile as I grabbed my pipbuck zero. “If you will allow me, and it will hurt just a little due to the Geiger Counter.”

She raised her hoof as I slide on the pipbuck and tightened it into place. To her credit she didn't even flinch. She did blink a few times when the E.F.S. came online.

“This is marvelous Moonlight, thank you, now can you show me how to operate the radio?”

I showed her how to manually turn the radio on, as well as how through E.F.S. to do it. I also showed her how the ear bloom worked. By the time I was done she was smiling like a filly who just got her cutie mark. I then noticed the five blue bars at the bottom of my vision in E.F.S. and saw Snow and four others who had arrived in the mean time.

“If you will excuse me Duchess, I must get these other pipbucks to their new owners.” I said with a bow.

Borealis nodded and continued to play with her new pipbuck zero as I levitated my tools and the five pipbucks towards their owners.

“Now then who wants theirs first?” I asked as I stood before them.

“I do,” said Snow, I smiled, having anticipated this.

“Alright sit your plot down and answer me this, right leg or left leg.”

“Left” they all said. Huh no left hoofed ponies in this town it seemed. Then again pipbucks weren’t ever designed for left side favoring ponies like myself.

I went to work equipping each of them with their pipbucks, once done and they had filled in their names for their pipbucks, with only minor problems. I gave them a tutorial on how they functioned, one of them turned out to be the resident barding maker and I left him with the instructions on how to maintain the pipbucks. We then did a practice run with S.A.T.S., since there were no dummies we could hit I had them attack me. Suffice to say, three of the other ponies were skilled hoof to hoof specialists who also were the trio of hunters we saw earlier that day.

While they did cripple me for the time being I still stood there not letting on the pain they had inflicted. With a short bit of praise out of the way they all departed and I collapsed on the floor levitating my saddlebags to me pulling out my medical supplies. I caught the eye of Borealis as she chuckled knowingly of what had just happened. A few minutes later I had patched myself up with setting my legs with telekinesis since all of them were broken and fixed them with two more healing potions. I then noticed thanks to the medical readout on my pipbuck that I was down to five healing potions. As I put away the empty syringe of Med-X that I had just used on myself I looked over at the Duchess.

“You folks wouldn't happen to know how to make healing potions would you?” I asked, hoping that was something still known to them.

She raised an eyebrow, then shook her head. “I am sorry, we have lost the technique sadly a long time ago. We know how to make a healing powder that does a bit of the same, however it stings a fair bit.”

I nodded. ‘So my plan no was: don't get horrifically hurt enough between here and friendship city to use up my remaining healing potions. Guess that healing spell is going to get put to its full potential.’ I thought to myself.

I pulled out a book and began reading, this one about energy weapons. As I read it I took out my laser rifle, which my pipbuck had dubbed homemade laser cannon, and started to do some repairs and optimization. As I worked on it the pipbucks repair assist kicked in and aided me in finding and replacing the parts that I could with my spare electronics. After two hours of work I had repaired it to the point that my pipbuck considered it full condition and worth a lot of caps. I did a double take at the fact that my pipbuck knew the rough value of it, and the rest of my items. I baulked at the idea that my pipbuck could know this sort of information. I sighed and just left it to Stable Tec's amazing foresight and design. I stood and stretched as I heard Sweetie Belle's singing filling the room. I turned to see the Duchess listening to it as it played.

I waved down one of the servants, I had a few questions to ask and didn't feel they were important enough to pester the Duchess with. At least not when she was having fun instead of having to do work. As the servant approached me I saw him to be a male unicorn.

“I had two questions, first is,” I pulled my now snow white coat to me. “Do you know how they changed the color of my coat, because I would like to know.”

“And what is the second question, Ranger Moonlight?” Having a title was going to take a bit of getting used to.

“The second is when is dinner, oh and I guess a third one would be where am I sleeping tonight.”

“Both are simple,” he lifted my pipbuck and checked the time readout on it. “Dinner will be in an half hour, as for who you are staying with, I hope you do not mind bunking with mares as Snow is the only one currently with any spare room in her bed.”

I blinked, honestly I shouldn't be surprised that they would be short on beds. “Actually I don't need a bed, just a space big enough for my sleeping bag would do. Well that and I would rather to be indoors.”

“Then Snow's bedroom, we would have you sleep here, but, well this is the Duchess' home and we rather not have some pony, even a respected one, stay here.”

I nodded slowly, I couldn't fault them for wanting to keep her house to just her and her servants as it seemed to house all the food of the town.

“Alright then, I will just wait here for dinner then.” I said, as I did he walked off back into what I assumed to be the kitchen. I then pulled out the empty beer bottles from my saddlebags and carried them outside, I darted out and filled each one to the brim with snow then twisted on a cap with my magic. By the time I was done and back in all the heat I had built back up was gone.

I wasted the next half hour reading until I realized he hadn't told me how they changed my coats color. I grumbled and walked up to the Duchess, hating to bother her with such a trivial question. I then noticed her barding had also turned to white.

“Duchess, I had a simple question, why does it seem like every bit of barding I am seeing around here is turning white of its own accord and also how is it doing so.” I asked, feeling a little stupid for how I worded my question.

“Simple, one of the soldiers who came here had knowledge of how to enchant camouflage onto a item, and one of the civilians who was with them was originally a dressmaker and knew how to change the color of fabric with just a spell. Do you wish to learn them?” She said with a smile.

“Well, yes, do you have a book I could read on how to do it?” I asked.

“Oh it is simple let me show you.” She then called a servant who had what looked like the old equestrian military barding I had seen in the admin building in his magic. He then cast a spell on it turning the coloring from that of dirt or desert to that of woods. He cast it again and made it pure white, then again and made it black as night. I then asked him for how to do it and he explained. The spell was simple and I recorded it to my pipbuck of how to do it.

As my impromptu magic lesson ended ponies crowded the tables once more and I took my seat next to the Duchess. We ate a large meal this time around, it left me feeling warm to the core as well as stuffed. I listened to conversations around the table as I sat there having put on my white coat. I noticed that my white coat now also seemed to refit itself once I had closed the last button on it. I didn't bring it up to anyone but did check it for magic to find it indeed had a resizing magic on it as well as it had been re enforced internally. I figured the barding maker had been given it to reinforce.

Once dinner had ended everypony except for Snow had left. She walked up to me and waited as I gathered my things. Double checking it all I noticed my leather barding was gone, and now instead I had a Equestrian Army bandolier barding instead. I frowned but accepted the gift of better armor. I followed her to her home, it was one of the smaller buildings not attached to the central plaza. Upon my asking she explained the central plaza's four buildings was the Duchess' residence, the home for artisans, a clinic, and a school house. The next largest was community housing. It was where anypony who didn't leave town lived. As we entered her house I saw it was a single room, one bed that fit a single pony and a bit of area for one to sit in front of a fire place.

“You will be sleeping on the bed with me. As it is getting so cold during the snows it is best if we conserved what heat we have.” Snow stated as she stood by the bed.

I looked at my sleeping bag, it was big enough for two and it would fit on top of her bed.

“I have a idea, lets set my sleeping bag on your bed and sleep in that. It will keep us both warm and make your bed a bit more comfortable.” I suggested to her as I unrolled the sleeping bag.

“Good idea, come now we are to be off in the morning, the more rest you have the further you can go before needing to rest.” She stated as my sleeping bag was evened out with her magic.

“How far are you going with me?” I asked as I pulled off my barding, even if we both fit, it was better to not strain it with putting our barding in the bag with us.

“To the forests edge, but, as you want to go to the coast that is a ways away.”

I saw a marker on my E.F.S. pop into existence and words appear before me 'Go to the coast and pick up Sprite the spritebot'. Really had my pipbuck just named my spritebot? Whatever I would have a argument with the stupid device later.

“Um, you may want to take your barding off, with both of us in there it is going to get rather toasty.” I said to her, she nodded and took it off. I saw her flank as she moved to get into the sleeping bag, it was of a large snowflake.

“How did you get your cutie mark snow?” I asked her just as she finished getting into the sleeping bag and I started to climb into it. I had known it would be a tight fit, though how tight it was was a bit surprising. I honestly hadn't been this close to a mare since I was with Rose, and thinking of that brought up feelings that I fought hard to suppress as I could smell Snow right in front of me.

“I got mine before any other my age, I have a skill for predicting the first snow as well as getting around on snow.” She said with a smile. “How about you, why do you have a book on your flank?”

I blinked, I honestly hadn't thought about it since the morning of getting into Dune City.

“I honestly don't know what it means, it is a book, so something to either do with books, or something that books stand for. As for when it was a few days after I had rescued a bunch of ponies from a town full of raiders. In the process of saving them I kind of blew up the raider population there with a rocket launcher.” Wow, such a amazing story I thought at myself.

“Well, it does not matter what it is, you got it for doing the right thing.” She smiled at me, I had to push down urges that were rising within me. “But, now rest, Moonlight, tomorrow we have a long walk ahead of us. We will also be leaving as soon as we both are awake.”

I nodded and closed my eyes. I fought hard to keep my mind blank as I fell asleep pressed up against the attractive mare.

Footnote: Level Up!

New Perk Added: Rad Resistance, thanks to your time in the wasteland as well as some of the more radioactive areas of it you are now more resistant to radiation! You are now twenty five percent more resistant to radiation than the average mare!