Fallout Equestria: The Ranger of Seamane

Chapter 20 – Street Fighter

“But for me, it was Tuesday.”

        I had made it about an hour before Rampage caught up with me. The first time I simply impaled her head on my sword and left her flaming corpse in the middle of the street. The second time I gutted her and strung her organs across a block leaving the place smelling of roasted meat. The third time? I just gave up.

        “Third time's the charm, as they say.” Rampage laughed as I followed her away from Chapel towards the sports arena.

        “Just shut up, I was hoping you would take a hint after I left your internal organs decorating a entire block.” I sighed as I hung my head in defeat. The only good thing coming out of all this was I was working off any weight I had put on during my down time, thanks to lugging around the unreasonable amount of gold that Ruby had shoved in my saddlebags back at Megamart.

        “What, are sore that you lost, miss mighty Ranger of Seamane?” Rampage teased.

        “I'm tired, and I don't want you following me into Chapel making a mess of things. Plus, I figure I would have to keep killing you until I found a way to make it stick long enough for me to leave the hoof if I didn't give up. That or put you down for good.” I muttered, still weighing if I could just toss Rampage into the Core defenses instead, though her armor made her heavier than I would want to work with while being so exhausted...

        “If you do find a way to put me down for good, let me know.” Rampage called back to me as I realized I had been steadily falling behind.

        “I think... I may have used too many drugs.” I whimpered as my body started to ache as the Med-X and Buck wore off at the same time. I didn't enjoy the additional feelings I had been having since I took the Hydra's either.

        “Why do you say that?” Rampage asked as she stopped and waited for me to catch up.

        “Because, I took two doses of Hydra at once, a Med-X, and a dose of Buck all to just get on my hooves again. Hay, I was planning on taking a hit of Dash or whatever this variant that they make in mixers is properly called.” I explained as I caught up with her. We still had a few blocks left to go to get to the arena.

        “Sounds like you had one hell of a landing then. Because I don’t think I beat you up that badly.” Rampage laughed as she took another Mint-al like it was candy, then again, if she could regenerate from all I had done to her, it probably was candy for her.

        “I should have checked for a building before I leapt, as it is, I am glad I landed in it, instead of becoming paste against it.” I sighed as I rubbed a hoof against my ribs which were still tender despite everything.

        “You know, you might just make a fine Reaper.” Rampage laughed again as we continued on.

        “Too bad I am not staying in Hoofington any longer than I have to. This trip was for caps and weapons, only one of which I have gotten.” I bemoaned, feeling frustration rise as I remembered the disappointment of not getting what I wanted at Megamart. I also knew that caps soon would be worthless as majority of my time back in Seamane would likely be in places that wanted to kill me or worse, instead of bartering with me. “The caps are turning out to be not worth the trouble as well.”

        “Well, either way, you're coming with me. Its that or probably get Deus on your tail if I fail to get you to come in. Trust me, you don't want Deus on your tail.” Rampage explained her tone darkening.

        “If they are anything like you, yeah, no, I don't want that.” I confessed.

        “He’s worse than me, big old Cyberpony, giant guns, loves to rape mares.” Rampage explained, almost jovially.

        “Great, just keep him away from me when we get to the Arena. Actually, keep everypony away from me while we are there. I might snap someponies neck if you don't.” I muttered, feeling a seed of anger start to grow within me.

        “Perfect, because knowing Big Daddy, you are going to have a fight or two on your hooves. Even if you don't want to be a Reaper, he probably will make you an honorary one or something like that.” Rampage laughed again as she popped another Mint-al.

        “I swear, if I don't get some sleep first I am going to see if I can just become a pony of pure fire.” I muttered to myself feeling my anger continuing to grow and spark.

        “We’ll see about that. Follow me, and keep your mouth shut, or somepony might shut it for you.” Rampage commanded, her voice having dropped the joviality that I had just been experiencing. I just simply nodded as I knew I had lost control of the situation long ago.

        Not long after we arrived I was, indeed, set up with a fight, with no sleep. Apparently it was a test me as well as to test another potential Reaper, though this one being a local instead of a wandering mare like myself. I was not amused, and was practically smoldering in frustration, scratch that I was actually smoldering with frustration to the point my vision was slightly obscured and the buck who put the noose on me worried about it catching fire. As it was I had to keep myself from biting the buck who put the noose around my neck at the start of the fight. I felt sorry for whoever the poor mare was that I was about to fight. Mainly due to I didn't need my pipbuck to do combat magic, or fight. I had been trained the old fashion way of being a brutal nasty bitch by the wasteland. Then again, she was trying to be a Reaper, which meant, so had she, in Hoofington. My feelings of sympathy for the mare in front of me washed away as I realized, really this was going to be an even fight.

        As the fight began I took my time removing the noose on my neck, the rules were simple, a fight until knock out or surrender. We started with the nooses on so that way neither of us would attack until the fight started. Containers ringed the cage we were in, and they needed keys to be opened, or magical talent. Right now though, I wanted to just be over with this. But, I had to put on a show before it could end.

        “I felt sorry for you initially. But, thinking about it now, I don't so, I am sorry.” I said to the mare as she charged me. I hit S.A.T.S. and received a tackle instead.

        'Right, no pipbucks...' I mentally muttered to myself, hating that I apparently had become reliant on having a pipbuck to some degree.

        The mare, to her credit, managed to bruise or crack a few ribs of my with her tackle. However, she didn't know how to properly pin me, and I was feeling particularly rude tonight. As such I kicked her where nopony ever wished to be kicked, then with her hind raised, I bucked her solidly in the stomach sending her up. I rolled to my hooves and bucked again as she came down, using my magic to give it a bit of extra punch. She went flying as I smiled.

        “If you are going to grapple somepony, know how to grapple first.” I chided as I stretched and readied for the next round.

        “I see you aren't just a frail unicorn then. Well lets have some fun!” The mare shouted as she charged again, the crowd cheering as she did. Of course they cheered for her, she was a local favorite, I was something exotic for the fight of the night. I tripped her with my magic only to have her roll and hit my legs.

        'Right, she is a Reaper, so she would be better at close quarter combat.' I mentally berated myself as I felt her roll on top of me and break my right fore leg. 'Well, damn.'

        I bite back tears as the pain washed over me from my suddenly broken leg. I hit her with my free left fore leg as she let go of my now broken right. I caught the hint of red and yellowed white as I pulled my broken leg to me. As I did she broke my other fore leg. I bite back my cry of pain and frustration as I jabbed her with my warped horn. I was rewarded with a scream and something wet dripping down my horn.

        “Okay, you know your hoof to hoof combat far better than I. But, I am not going down without putting on a show.” I cursed up to my opponent as I kicked her off of me again with my hind legs.

        I knew the announcer was saying something as my opponent circled me then went to one of the boxes. I made a guess that she had been awarded a key for her skill and now was going for her reward. I instead of taking a break to gather myself or check for a key threw a fireball and melted the container she was going for, taking the key with it.

        “Now it is MY TURN!” I shouted as I started creating more orbs of fire around me as I stood on my hind legs laughing. The mare looked at me with a mix of frustration and blood lust. “Kneel before the great and talented Moonlight!”

        I think the Goddess' showboating and other eccentricities had rubbed off on me from when she had sat in my head. To the mare's credit, she charged me and dodged my fireballs. I then realized my mistake as she began to move to tackle my two remaining, not broken legs.

        “Well, this is going to suck.” I muttered to myself as I brought down my two broken legs to slam into her back. Thankfully my rear legs didn't shatter from the tackle, not so thankfully I further pushed the splinters of bone that made up my forelegs out of my flesh. They also stuck into the mare who I was fighting like some horrific mace. She did scream as I hit something vital and we landed upon one another.

        “Listen, we're both getting pretty fucked up here, one of us should throw in the towel.” I whispered to the mare. “Probably best for the both of us if I do, since you have a reputation here, and I don't.”

        “Go for it, I won't hold it against you. Don't think I ever had somepony use their own bones as a weapon.” She muttered from under me as I pulled my left fore leg free from the mess that was us and tapped it on the ground.

        “Thanks for agreeing, I don't think I would be alive much longer if we kept that up.” I whispered back feeling the black ink of unconsciousness pulling at my vision. I looked at my broken leg again and watched as the bones slowly pulled themselves back into my flesh, much too slow to be of use, but, still they were slowly healing on their own. “Goddesses I am such a freak.”

        I woke up later to the familiar ceiling of a clinic.

        “Well, that is good news.” I muttered to myself, seeing that I was alive for one, and two, somepony took me to a clinic instead of just letting me take a ten hour nap and heal 'naturally'.

        I lifted both of my forelegs to see they had healed for the most part and my pipbuck was returned. My right foreleg I noticed had some patches of thinner coat from where the bone had come out.

        “How the fuck did that not make me pass out on its own.” I muttered to myself thinking back to my unfortunately high amount of damage that I received. I activated my E.F.S. and checked the time to see it was rather early in the morning, before anypony would likely be up. I then scrolled through my medical information to see if there were any lingering issues. Disturbingly enough, all previous issues were labeled as 'naturally healed'. That meant my regenerative traits had taken care of me over something external. Still it was surprising that my pipbuck could tell when somepony used a healing potion on me over when I just recovered naturally, as much as normally still applied to me.

        With a sigh I got up and saw my stuff was laying next to my bed on the floor.

        “Well, at least I don't have to hunt this down.” I whispered as I pulled on my equipment again, as well as the unfortunate cargo of gold. I frowned at the gold itself. “You have brought me nothing except for horrible luck, maybe that is just payback for greed.”

        With a shrug I strolled out of the clinic and through the arena. This place, now that I was more awake and not frustrated, was a lot better than I had expected. Majority of its inhabitants were sleeping on the bleachers, there were some training, and the field itself was living, edible grass. Like Chapel it seemed the proximity to the Core didn't have any influence on the habitability of this place.

        “Is it something along the lines concentric rings for the lay out of enervation?” I muttered to myself, trying to figure out the puzzle of Hoofington again. My eyes fell on to where my fire magic had scorched away some of the precious grass and I grimaced. “I should have noticed this little miracle...”

        “So, you finally woke up. Glad to see you're as tough as your bounty makes you out to be.” Said a stallion, he was wearing sunglasses for some odd reason.

        “Nice shades, and I guess.” I shrugged as I went back to staring at the grass. “So, what is going to happen now. One of your Reapers beat me, I think that means I failed your initiation rites, and I'm not sticking around in the Hoof for much longer either, if I can help it.”

        “You're right, you did lose, but, you put on a half decent show.” The stallion replied. “Question is, what do we do with you. I am not for turning you in, as any Reaper worth her weight should have a price on her head. Maybe next time you come by you will pass the initiation, what do you think of that?”

        “A generous offer, and seeing as it is the only one given, I will take it. Don't have much to barter with on this deal.” I said turning a hoof up to the air.

        “Alright then, well as a Reaper in training, lets give you a lesson.” The stallion grinned as he grabbed my hoof and tried to throw me. Instead he dislocated my hoof.

        “Ow...” I whimpered as I sank to the ground putting my hoof back in place. “You could have warned me so I could take off these fucking bags of mine.”

        All I got was a grin and a shrug. I pulled off my bags and offered my hoof to the stallion.

        “First, what is your name.” I demanded as he moved to grab my hoof.

        “I would have figured you would know it by now, I’m Big Daddy.” He said with smile, no puffing up, no over absorbed pride in saying his name.

        “Leader of the Reapers about to give me a lesson on hoof to hoof combat. Well, lets see how my luck is today.” I said as he grabbed my hoof and tossed me. I landed on my hooves, against the nearby wall and stood there looking at him.

        “Doesn't work when somepony is expecting it, or is skilled with her magic.” I laughed as I stepped onto the ground. “However, I do suck at hoof to hoof combat, so I don't mind a lesson or two.”

        I got my lesson or two, though really I got more of a schooling for my comment, and I did manage to learn a few things about hoof to hoof combat. I had to admit, Big Daddy, who wasn't as tall as I expected, but he was a damn fine fighter. I could see why he was respected and even revered by the Reapers. In the end though I did have to leave.

        “So, since I failed to become a Reaper, are the gangs going to be after my hide, or is that just bounty hunters now?” I asked as I stood at the gate leading out of the arena.

        “They should leave you alone, your company, well that is more up to them. I can only make suggestions on who they leave alone.” Big Daddy said still smiling.

        “Wouldn't be a day in the wasteland without somepony trying to kill me or worse.” I sighed as I stepped out into the light snow. “Guess I better get to Flank.”

        The day went slowly, more snow had fallen overnight and I was having to retread ground I had passed over now three times trying to get back to Flank. As it was I made a direct line for Flank instead of trying any sort of side community. Rose's tag was also situated in Flank itself so thankfully they knew not to try to find me, I would find them. Just like last time. I had to admit though with the lack of gangs after my head things were a bit more peaceful. I say a bit, because from time to time a lone pony with too much sense of the dramatic would try to stop me and try to make me turn myself in. Or just shoot at me, those ponies I preferred as I had no issue of removing them from this world. Still, I was getting tired from the loneliness as well as the cold again.

        Of course this is when I just had to bump into a group of ponies who don't know what trying to hard means.

        “We have you surrounded, Ranger, give up and at least you get to live. After all, we have heard how you will do anything to stay alive.” Their leader said, everypony in this party were wearing the same outfit of dusters and desperado hats.

        “You really should also know that applies to me murdering the ever living hell out of ponies who threaten my life and freedom.” I flatly stated as I took count of their numbers. Seven in total, three up front, two in the back, two on either side of the road on the roof tops. They had me decently surrounded, they had planned this out quite reasonably. Admirable, but, still foolish.

        “Listen, this is your last chance, Ranger. Give up or we are going to put you down.” Their leader said again. “You are very much a wanted mare, just as much Ranger as Thief of the night.”

        I lowered my head as I smiled, remembering the song I had sung while running through Manehattan weeks ago, taunting the Goddess and her alicorns.

        “Too bad for you, this mare has no interest in being caught today.” I laughed as I flung snow in every direction and rushed the leader, my sword diligently following me as I lunged. “I will not be stopped here!”

        I slammed into their leader head first, as he reared I grabbed his neck with my mouth and crushed his throat, my teeth digging deep into his bare neck. As I did the snow cleared enough that his two friends saw me bring an end to their leaders life with impaling him on my sword as he bleed over my muzzle and I landed atop of him.

        “Who's next!” I shouted as the shooting began. I missed my helmet, but, right now my blood lust boiled, as did the water around me as fire spell after fire spell was tossed from my horn in place of the use of my guns. My sword made quick work of the other two near me, the heat itself was causing the others to withdrawal while firing upon me.

        A minute later the five living members of the crew had fled, as I threw fire after them.

        I sat down next to their leader and checked him over, I took his hat and duster, replacing my now ruined duster and destroyed helmet.

        “Sorry, but, you chose the wrong mare to go after.” I said as I finished looting the bodies then cremated them. “You also picked the wrong words.”

        I stood to go as I licked my lips.

        “I really am slowly becoming nothing more than a nomatic raider, aren't I?” I asked aloud as I moved down the block. I cleaned my muzzle of blood as I continued to move south, a nagging worry in my head of the fact that I had decided to attack in such a manner.

        “Maybe it would be best to get a enemy strong enough to put me down for if I do go bad. At least then, I wouldn't be a threat to anypony if I go rogue.” I sighed as a flake of snow landed on my nose.

        'Maybe, or maybe this is what happens to everypony, they fight the wasteland and get to this point, the point where they pick their route.' Doubt said as we came to a Y-intersection.

        “One road goes the way I want, and how I want to go.” I said looking at the road that had a posting of the miles to Flank.

        'The other leads to what we are fighting from being, but, ends in the same place.' Doubt finished as we looked at the road that lead to the Core.

        “Lets hope there isn't another branch to this choice.” I muttered as I began walking down the road to Flank.

        'Lets hope we’re strong enough.' Doubt said before fading away into my mind again.

        “Lets hope that we are strong enough for everypony, I hate to see what I would become if turned like Red Eye or worse.” I muttered as I created a orb of fire to keep myself warm.

        A while later I heard a beep, followed by more beeps that came faster, from all around me.

        “Oh fuck me...” I muttered as I realized I was in the dead center of a remote minefield that had just come to life. “Alright, whoever set this up, you caught me.”

        I heard from somewhere somepony talking to one another.

        “Seriously, that’s all it took?” One asked.

        “Guess she isn't as stupid as she seems.” Another responded.

        “I would have thought she try to force her way out. I mean you saw what she did to bro back there.” The first said, now I knew they were the squad from earlier who tried to take me down, I gave them credit for a much better plan this time.

        “She still could, even when we go to take her. You saw how she could throw fire like it was nothing.” The second replied.

        “So what, we just shoot her now? Guess it is enough caps, and we get revenge for bro.” The first said.

        “Sounds like a plan, want me to do it, you're still shaking from blood loss.” The second said, now I could tell that the second was a she.

        “Yeah, and you are the better shot with rifles.” The first said. “Or we could just blow her up.”

        I heard the sound of a switch being flipped and gulped. I knew I was tough, but, with this much explosives and the fact I could never get a shield spell to work properly meant I was probably about to be very dead.

        “I am willing to just be enslaved, that sound much more fun than dying.” I offered, hoping that maybe I could figure a way out of being in the middle of a remote triggered minefield with at least one sniper aiming for my head.

        “Shut up, you killed my bro and a good friend of ours! You fucking stabbed me with that sword of yours. I don't care about the caps anymore!” The first shouted, and I knew I had just hit the wrong button.

        “Well if talking isn't the smart option...” I muttered to myself as I hit S.A.T.S. to try to buy myself some more time to think of a way out.

        S.A.T.S. was helpful in highlighting each of the packages of high explosives laying under the snow around me. Suffice to say, there were no breaks in the pattern, it was a damn solid network of explosives, and they had waited for me to get to the middle before turning them on. I would have swallowed at the realization that I was well and truly fucked, again, and I was going to put the blame for it on this damned city.

        After careful analysis, my only option was up, which was not going to be easy. I sighed mentally as I knew the only way I could possibly do it was with leaving behind my saddlebags, which likely meant I would be owing Ruby a lot of caps when and if I got to Flank. But, just making it to Flank was better than dying. I let S.A.T.S. drop and hit the quick release on my saddlebags as I gathered my magic to make me practically weightless and jumped. As I did a shot rang out and hit me in the hindquarters, then as always, the ground exploded below me. I threw up a weak barrier to keep the fire from engulfing me as I rose with them.

        I opened my eyes to find myself crumpled on the roof of one of the buildings next to the street I had been on. My E.F.S. usefully told me that I had managed to get majorly fucked up in every regard, as if I couldn't tell that by how my body hurt everywhere. I checked for blue or red bars to find none, just like when I had been in the street. I would wager what was left of my belongings that they had some sort of radio to communicate with me while they sat a long ways away. I couldn't blame them after remembering what I could do, and did to them.

        So I just lay there, letting the snow fall over my broken form as my body slowly repaired itself. I didn't really have a option of moving until I knew my attackers had left, if I did move before then I would likely receive a lethal shot from their sniper. I also knew that I needed to remove the various foreign objects from my body as soon as I could, and that would be a lot harder if my body healed over them.

        I did find solace in the silence of the falling snow. The quiet and stillness of the world now, as well as having my day explosively derailed left my mind blank beyond wonder of the winter landscape around me.

        Night had fallen and nothing had ever shown up on my E.F.S. I pulled myself upright and crawled through the hole on the roof falling a story down into the building I had lay upon. Once inside I drew my knife and went to the painful and bloody work of pulling out the various bits of debris that had embedded itself within me. While the riot armor had taken most of the damage, it was beyond repair now, leaving me with just a badly singed duster, the hat had vanished in the explosion.

        “So much for lasting me longer than combat armor.” I muttered to myself remembering what Aegis had said to me when he sold me the riot armor. “Oh well, it did it's job, my insides are, some how, still inside.”

        I forced myself up once more to move back to the street and see if my belongings still remained in any form. Once on the street I found that my saddlebags were long gone, most of the contents ruined except for the damn gold bars. I had lost majority of my ammo, all of my medical supplies, food, water, and caps, but, I still had the fucking gold bars.

        “This is some kind of fucking joke.” I muttered to myself as I lugged the gold back into the building I had landed on and went about finding something to store them in beyond my magic. Eventually I gave up on that and ended up moving the bars to the second floor and laid them out as a bed before curling up on top of them like some sort of draconic equine.

        I was rudely woken up with a jab. I opened my eyes to see who the intruder to my sleep was. To my surprise it was Rose.

        “Didn't expect you to come for me.” I yawned, sleeping on gold was worse than just the bare floor.

        “After you stopped moving for a long time we decided to find you. Looking at how cut up you are, I am guessing you almost got killed, again.” Rose sighed as she pulled out some of the medical supplies I had insisted she hang onto, and now I was very glad we had split the medical supplies.

        “Pissed a group of folks off, bounty hunters of some sort, they blew up the street trying to kill me. I think I might have been dead for a little while.” I replied with my own sigh.

        “Considering they cut a bit of your tail off, I would guess so. Glad they didn't take your head instead.” Rose grimaced as she finished treating my wounds. “Though, looks like you are about out of luck.”

        “And just about out of everything else. I am glad I gave you most of the caps to hang on to back at Megamart, hell if it wasn't for the gold taking up so much space as they do I would have lost more than I did. As it is, yeah, not much left, and I need something to carry the gold in as well since my saddlebags are nothing but cinders.”  I explained as I stood up, getting the stiffness out of me as well as producing another orb of fire to begin warming myself up with. “Any sporting goods stores around? One might have a duffel bag to fill with these gold bars.”

        “Since when could you do that?” Rose asked as she looked at the orb of blue flame.

        “Since Canterlot.” I flatly answered as I shivered, the gold had sapped away more of my body heat than I had expected, that or my affinity for fire some how made me more susceptible to the cold. “Now while I warm up, can you go look for a bag for me to toss the gold in. I want to get moving before somepony finds out I didn't die, or stayed dead, whichever it is.”

        “Alright, just stay put, Ruby and Foresight are making certain everything is locked down while Topaz has the front door covered.” Rose explained as she started going back down.

        “Will do, I have nothing else to do really, well except for healing and warming up.” I replied as I yawned again. “Got something I can eat, been a while since I had something to eat.”

        Rose stopped and tossed me a box of snack cakes, while not the best thing for me, I would take it over a empty stomach. So I laid back down on the small hoard of gold, which while it wasn't actually mine, it was my charge for now. I also knew Ruby would be happy that at least I was alive and she hadn't lost her caps on them. Still though, this trip could have gone far better, as it was, at least I was still alive, and for now, hopefully everypony else thought I was dead. Because if you were believed to be dead, then, well nopony will come after you. Maybe I could get looked at for keeping myself from descending into a wrathful state again, I really didn't like the taste of blood.

        I heard some shuffling down stairs before I heard Ruby start to talk with Topaz.

        “How does she look, Topaz?” Ruby asked, I wasn't certain if she knew I was awake, or simply just didn't care. I sat still, wanting to hear a assessment of my status without bias of my presence, well hopefully Topaz wouldn't be bias about it.

        “Well from the sounds of it she got pretty beat up and is sleeping it off some more. From what I saw she managed to keep all the gold, but, lost everything else of hers.” Topaz answered, not answering the question I had.

        “Well at least we aren't losing caps on this. Do you think what we heard was true?” Ruby asked, an edge of worry in her voice. “I don't want us traveling with somepony who might turn on us.”

        “I would have had to talk to her to know that. Only pony who did that was Rose, and that was a quick talk.” Topaz answered, and I still didn't have a assessment of myself. Maybe I would talk to Helping Hoof when we returned to Tenpony, as it was, I both felt like moving soon, as well as staying put due to exhaustion.

        “I am going to check on her then, hopefully we can get going before anypony figures out she is still alive.” Ruby said as I heard her approach the stairs.

        I moved myself upright again as Ruby walked up the stairs to the second floor. To be honest I was really wanting to get moving again, and soon. The exhaustion was leaving my body quickly as I ate and woke up. Sitting around was starting to get me antsy as well as now that my mind was wound up again about the fact I was sitting in a city that seemed to be actively seeking my death. Not just the ponies within it, but, the city itself, which reminded me all too much of stable twenty three, thankfully for now there were no signs of heavy enervation around me.

        “You look good for getting blown up.” Ruby chuckled, catching me off guard as she sat down next to me on the floor.

        “Apparently after getting blown up a few times you manage to weather it better.” I retorted, honestly, I just always found a way to get further from the explosion in the last moment. “I think I need to just start running away from any danger I sense, might work out better instead of charging blindly into it.”

        “Well, how are you feeling?” Ruby asked, this time with concern.

        “Hurt, tired, scared of myself to a degree. I feel spent over all.” I said with a sigh. “Getting tired of constantly sighing.”

        Ruby let out a chuckle at that and nodded. “At least you're still alive, sorry about your gear.”

        “I didn't expect to even find the gold honestly, there was a lot of explosives down on the street. Guess that those bars are tougher than expected.” I frowned wondering if I could make armor of gold, though it was a soft metal so that would be impractical without somepony to enchant it, and stupidly heavy as well.

        “So why are you afraid of yourself?” Ruby asked, I knew what she was looking for.

        “Because, last fight I got into, well last several fights, I just descended into rage far quicker than I should have and I was far more reckless than I should have been. I don't think as much as I used to in fights. I enjoy the fighting, and a bit of the pain as well.” I explained, fighting back another sigh. “I think I am going to ask Helping Hoof for some help when we return to Tenpony Tower.”

        “I see, so you heard me talking to Topaz then.” Ruby sighed. “Well, at least for now you are scared of it, and maybe being around others on your side will help.”

        “Hopefully, I seem to do far stupider things when alone, than with other ponies.” I shrugged.

        “Once we find you something to carry the gold in, will you be ready to go?” Ruby asked as she stood.

        “Yeah, I should be, sooner we are out of here and put a fair bit of distance to where I was last seen the better. I rather make it harder not easier to get me.” I stated as I stood as well, now working on warming up my mostly healed body.

        “Alright then, just if anypony starts shooting at us, let the rest of us handle it. You are kind of lacking when it comes to a fight now.” Ruby said before going down stairs.

        She was right, I didn't have any armor anymore, I had almost no ammunition to speak of, and my main method of attack was spells and a sword. I was at a sore disadvantage when it came to combat, since usually that involved guns, which made having no armor a horrible option. Though, in Flank I probably could pick up some stable barding from the likely surplus that stable sixty nine had.

        My thoughts were broken when Rose tossed down a blue duffel bag at my hooves.

        “Hey Moony, lets get moving.” Rose simply said before tossing me a mask of some sort, it reminded me of those four masked ponies I had seen back in Fillydelphia.

        I nodded and pulled on the mask as well as packed the duffel bag. One thing that surprised me with the mask was one it was warm. The other thing that surprised me was somepony had reinforced this mask to the point I probably could take a bit of a pounding.

        “Well, at least my face is now covered so I shouldn't look the part anymore.” I said, my voice muffled by the mask. “Alright, lets get to Flank, faster we are out the hoof the better.”

        With that we left the ruined and charred street that hopefully many marked as my end. For now I had anonymity again, a great asset when being hunted, as well as accidentally faking my own death.

        “Just let me do all the talking and we should be to Tenpony without issue.” Ruby stated as I eyed the destruction that had been wrought.

        “Will do, you are the mastermind here, I am just a ghost and technician.” I replied, and it was fitting, I had a fair bit of technical knowledge, and as of right now, I was among the walking dead, sort of.

        “What does that make me, a necrophiliac?” Rose teased.

        “No, just mean right now I am supposedly dead, I want that to be the way everypony sees it for a while. Though... I get the feeling DJ Pon3 might not allow that.” I stated with a sigh.

        “Maybe, or maybe the DJ will cut you some slack, after all you haven't had the most fun time while here in the Hoof.” Foresight said, making me jump a little as I hadn't noticed him falling back to walk beside me.

        “Foresight, mind telling us why you came out here with us? I thought you just needed to go to Manehattan, why risk your neck to come out with us to Hoofington as well.” Rose asked as we continued on.

        “Well, I have some friends here that I hadn't talked to in a while, thankfully they frequent Megamart so I met them there.” Foresight replied with an annoying lack of actual information.

        “These wouldn't happen to be more friends like the ones in Manehattan, would they?” Rose asked.

        “If they were?” Foresight asked, turning to give Rose a look, one I didn't find that friendly.

        “I just want to know who might all know where we are in case some pony decides we are worth attacking again. I also don't trust your friends, they probably would see our Pipbuck's and try to kill us for them.” Rose replied and I put the pieces together.

        “You're friends with Steel Rangers?” I asked, and the look I got from both Rose and Foresight told me to shut up. I looked down at the ground and lagging a bit behind so I would stop being between them.

        “Really though, you think your being with us will stop them? I know we got lucky with Megamart and that Gun they have there, as well as in Manehattan due to Moonlight making friends with their Star Paladin, but, seriously our luck is going to run out.” Rose fumed.

        “Then it is best we quickly return to Seamane, the Steel Rangers down there disbanded years ago. Too few left after an ill conceived venture into the Unbound.” Foresight retorted raising his voice as well.

        “Quiet you two, I want to keep an ear open for if somepony is nearby.” I ordered, they fell silent and ended the conversation. “Good, now then, lets get to Flank, because unlike the rest of you I only have a duster to keep me warm.”

        We managed half an hour before I spotted red bars. In no time flat we were up to our chins in raiders. As I had a lack of ammo I had to practice my melee combat. It was enjoyable using the Reaper Toss that Big Daddy had taught me, and with my additional mass it made it a lot easier to be a unmoving brick when getting hit. Though, sometimes you really just want to roll with the blows. Still though, it was entertaining to be tossing around raiders like they were nothing. I also got my fair share of practice with my sword on them. I found that yes, my sword sets things on fire, but, only sometimes, it was unreliable and that was likely due to age.

        I sat atop a mound of raider bodies in the corner of a building as I caught my breath.

        “You really should stop posing like that, it isn't helping anypony from thinking you are going raider on us.” Rose teased staring at me.

        I blinked realizing where I was, and what I was doing.

        “Sorry, got tired while looting. That was a damn hard fight, seriously why did we take this path, I thought Ruby's info was good.” I bemoaned as I climbed down and began to wash off the blood.

        “Because information goes bad after some time. I thought a smart mare like you would know this.” Rose retorted before giving me a hug.

        “You're right, ugh, just I feel like I am getting dumber because of proximity to this gold.” I sighed. “I wonder if we could just sell it to the Society, they aren't that far away.”

        “Let me get Ruby, that sounds like a better idea than having our lightest armored and armed pony carrying all the goods. Even if you are fast and light on your hooves, rather not have you get eaten by the ground again. Nothing eats you, except for me.” Rose said with a huff as I blushed at her words.

        “Think you could have worded that last part a bit differently?” I sheepishly asked, trying to hide my embarrassment.

        “No, because that is exactly what I meant. You also need to stop getting separated from me. It is getting annoying.” Rose huffed again with a dangerous look in her eyes. “I am going to have dig out that collar and leash I found for you.”

        “Oh, may Celestia and Luna have mercy on me...” I whimpered. “You aren't making this any easier, you know that Rose. Go find Ruby so we can be done with the Hoof and get back somewhere safe and warm.”

        “Right, once out of the Hoof, the only hoof you will be worried about is mine.” Rose chuckled as she left the room.

        “Dammit Rose, what the hay is wrong with you.” I muttered as I stood there, horny and surrounded by corpses. “And now I am very conscious about where I am and how this looks.”

        A few minutes later Rose returned and I had thankfully calmed down, and finished looting the corpses. Now I was eating some preserved chips that I had found. At least the chips looked like how the should when packaged, though, that told me that they were even worse for me than the usual two hundred year fresh food I found.

        “We’re going to swing by the Society and sell the gold off to them, after we go to Flank. The reason for it being this way is because it is too late to make the trip to the Society then back to Flank and not get stuck out in the cold of night.” Rose explained.

        “Alright, lets get to Flank then, I wouldn't mind getting warmed up.” I simply responded tossing the now empty box of chips. “I really could use a proper meal and a place to get a good night sleep instead of getting knocked out again.

        “I think we can manage that, just keep close, it is getting darker already.” Rose said as we returned to the rest and headed out.

Footnote: Level Up!

New Perk Added: Weapon Handling: Through your training, and continuing to carry around a vaults worth of gold, you are now better at handling weapons in battle saddles, mouth, hooves, or your magic. As it is, strength requirements are now two lower for properly handling weapons, this makes a lot more weapons accessible to you. However it doesn't mean you can single hoofedly wield a turret so don't get any wild ideas! And get rid of that stupid gold!