Fallout Equestria: Weak Wings

by Unknown_Email

Rating: teen
Tags: Tragedy, Dark, Adventure, Crossover
Length: 19869

Bittersweet is a Pegasus pony in Stable 34 but her peaceful life is destroyed. And slowly she realizes that she must pay her tax to the Equestrian wasteland.

Inspired by the magnificent piece of work by KKhat: Fallout Equestria

Bittersweet Is a Pegasus Pony from Stable 34 The only of her kind she knows of. But things happen and she ends up suffering for things she didnt even know about. Following a mysterious cult and trying to not be a coward…. Oh and there are lasers and all sorts of stuff!

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2013-12-29 08:18:52 UTC

Intro and Chapter 1: Steel Doors

Once upon a time in the magical land of Equestria, All Ponies  Unicorns, Pegasi, And Earth Ponies. Lived in harmony lead by Princess Celestia. They enjoyed Happiness, Peace, Love, and Most of all Friendship. But all good things must end. All  apples no matter how sweet must sour, All Corn Kernels must pop, All Stars must die. "But how?" you ask. How did the sweet blossom of happiness that was Equestria wither and die. How?. Three seeds, Three lemons in the bowl of apples. The three things the corrupt all. Greed, Lust , Fear. Although harmless at first glance, These factors would fracture the world. The three seeds waited idle for a thousand years before they took root, One thing became another. Then the flowers opened, Became Trees and bore Fruit. The fruit was one thing that Nopony thought possible. War...

War: War never changes, The zebras waged war and gained an Empire, Equestria waged war and gained its infrastructure. And the griffins waged war on both sides and gained fuel to feed their thirst for money. But war never changes. A thousand years after the founding of equestria, The first Luna conflict, And the first Discordian war, the banners of war was razed again, But this time the spoils of war were also its weapons, Gemstones and coal.

For this reason The zebra empire attacked Little Horn, Equestria would annex the buffalo lands and what was left of the dragons were hunted by the Pegasus Cloudships to the brink of extinction. All in the name of collecting the last remaining resources in the known world. 1019 years after the Founding of Equestria  the storm of total annihilation had come again. In a few brief hours the entire world was reduced to cinders and from the ashes a new civilization would struggle to arise.

A few were able to reach the relative safety of the large underground Stables. Your family was part of that group that entered Stable 34. Imprisoned safely behind the large Stable door, under a mountain of sand, many a generation has lived without knowledge of the outside world.

Life in the stable is about to change… Life… life will be lost and death will reclaim what belongs to the wasteland, The tax of doing good. It comes to all who think they can be heroes,  Some heroes pay their tax with their sanity. Others with their morals. But many with their lives… You are now a pawn in the crewel game of death the equestrian wasteland plays.

Because war… War never changes

FALLOUT EQUESTRIA: WEAK WINGS.

Written By Scholar Fillisari, Co-Written and conceived by theobscene.

Foreword

Sins. They wrap around all they find. Leach off the spirit and cause the innocent to kill others. It causes greed to poison all. Yet very few break from the sins and gain victory. My sins are many and the redemption books say I would need to have never happened to me. Ultimately it was all in the name of entertainment for one and torture for me.

Chapter 1: Steel Doors.

" I see a little silhouetto of a man"

My office, Dull with a shade of boring. Lights flickering in the background. In the middle sat my polished oak desk, To the left of me the only thing that interrupted the grey of the walls a single poster from the ministry of peace, They sure fucked that up in the end if it wasn't for them then this stable wouldn't have been needed. The only place of interest was behind in my desk draws, Two Magazines that were not safe for work provided some entertainment the first thirty reads but then they became as dull as the wall , thirteen empty bottles of vodka and other random clutter like broken pencils.

The steel door opened.

"Yes?" I said from behind my desk.

"Bittersweet I feel depressed again" said the blue stallion

"For Celestia's sake Book Worm, Have you been taking you pills?" I said to Book Worm opened his mouth and closed.

"No… I don’t see the point in taking a medication that contains a known psychotic" I took off the lid from my bottle of Vodka that sat beside my Terminal. And poured it into my glass now empty.

"The pills may contain a trace of fury from when it was manufactured but it isn't enough to change your brain chemistry or give you violent behavior". I gave the stallion a stern look. He opened his mouth again. My stern look changed to a glare. He backed down and left the room. The steel door closing behind him.

I drank some of the vodka. The sensation of the alcohol tingled my body. And caused my wings to stretch out, Admittedly not very far. But that’s what made me truly special in the stable, Not my cutie mark of a reclining couch or the fact I was second only to the Overmare. But  the fact I was the only Pegasus in the entire stable. Its good that we have a large stockpile of spare jumpsuits because every time I grown out of one a new one must be made with holes to allow my wings.

My life felt horrid.  Okay being a psychologist is also kind of nice, But it is a double edged sword. On one hand since I was the second most intelligent in the stable I got extra ration chits and a larger room. But the fact my parents are of low IQ they have to work in the maintenance wing. In cramp conditions with no chance of ever living in the higher sections of the stable.   I cant see them outside the designated times of visitors to the higher sections of the stable.

I am lonely. I took out a pen and some paper and wrote up this encounter with Book Worm. Damn, paperwork unwanted but I had to keep a good detail of the inhabitants of  the stable. I finished the vodka in my glass. The same tingle traveled down my spine. My wings extended. I sighed  I reached for the bottle. It was light, Too light… DAMMIT out of vodka again. Three bottles this Week. I pressed my personal intercom on my desk and called my servant. A miserable looking servant entered.

"Yes Madame Bittersweet?" I thought for a second.

" I would like you to get me another bottle of vodka… and a Sparkle" I handed the servant three ration chits. He looked at me. "Your treat" He looked happy for a moment but it faded. Kindness towards our leasers wasn't looked up upon in the higher levels of the stable it was almost a taboo.

The servant returned a few minutes later. "Madame your Sparkle and vodka" He placed down the two bottles he had been hovering thanks to his horn. With that my servant  left the grey walled room. The steel door closing as he exited. Opening both bottles I poured the Sparkle-Cola™ and the Vodka into the glass. I took a sip. The soft carroty taste of the Sparkle-Cola™ contrasted with the hard feel of the Vodka it was always my favorite beverage. I looked at my Pip-Buck, My personal wrist mounted computer given to my when first got my Cutie Mark.

My cutie mark, the image on my flank. It reminds me of who I am, what I am good at, And how much of a slave I felt like in that stable. Once you got your Cutie Mark that was what you did for the rest of your life. Well that’s if you passed the IQ test.

The society of the Stable was simple. The higher you score on your IQ test, The higher in the hierarchy of the Stable you are. It’s a crewel system but at least its better than the opposite end of the spectrum. Imagine a load of rich pompous idiots ruling over those with better cognitive function. Ugh revolting.

The steel door opened. "Yes?". I looked up from my terminal and I saw the Overmare. "Oh sorry Queen Bee I didn't see you there". Queen Bee had honey yellow fur and a Orange mane with streaks of black through it she was young, she overthrew the previous Overmare when her IQ test results surpassed that of the previous Overmare, It was three months ago. But then she is still only came out of the stable school three months ago too!. I looked upon Queen Bee waiting for her to talk.

"Bittersweet…I… No… Never mind" I razed an eyebrow

"What is it Queen Bee?". Queen Bee just lowered her head and exited the room the Steel door closing behind her.

Queen Bee was one of the few in the stable whom I admired, Not loved, Just watched.

"For Celestia's sake I cant hold a conversation today"

The next few hours contained me doing paperwork, Drinking my Sparkle and Vodka, and running an update on my terminals Operating Software. Oh and did I mention being slightly drunk at that point My alarm clock buzzed at 5 O'clock. "Well" I hiccuped. "time to shut up shop". I took the bottle of vodka and slowly stumbled to my room. Luckily the fillies and foals were all in their studies. As I stumbled into my room I saw my bed. Most rooms have a floor space of 30M Squared mine has a total floor space of 75M Squared. Plus a personal bathroom. But that’s never enough room for the crap I have all over it, Like that broken terminal that the pip buck technician "Fixed and updated" thanks to a bottle of wine and some whiskey .

I put the vodka onto my dresser and lay on my bed. After an hour of looking up at the ceiling lights I activated my personal intercom to my servant. "Can you please get me a packet of potato crisps and some oatmeal?" It took a few seconds but the unicorn replied.

"Yes Madame Bittersweet".

Curious my servant who's name always lost me had a delay. Never in recent memory did he have a delay. I shrugged myself and just laid on my bed.  My servant entered my room a minute later and laid down the tray containing my food on my bed.

"The cost is 4 chits Madame Bittersweet".

"Here" I gave the servant 6 chits "Your choice". He smiled then frowned… That was the last time I saw him alive.

I Finished the vodka. I was no party pony. Where the other fillies and foals drank soda at parties and even at my own birthdays I drank water. Where the others ate sweeties and cakes I just got myself some lettuce some hay and a muffin. I was boring, My life was boring, Every inch of my soul was a boredom sponge. The most exiting thing I ever did in that damned stable was break one of my legs. And even that turned out to be a sprain. Most of the ponies had some heirloom to inherit. I did not apart from a deck of cards my father won in a bar fight. We had to go hungry that month.

I finished the oatmeal at midnight. Starting to loose the drunken top note and gain the sharp pain of the hangover. 'Uuuggh" I scratched my back. That’s when I heard it. Clop, Clop, Clop, Clop. The noise was getting louder. Clop, Clop, Clop, Clop. It suddenly stopped. At first I thought it was just a guard pony. No not a guard it was midnight they didn’t patrol until 1:30 in the morning. Then the Clop, Clop, Clop, Clop, Clop, Clop, Clop continued. It was heading down the hallway in the same direction. If it were really a guard pony then why did he stop to sneak past my door still open. Curiosity overtook me, I slowly got off my bed and crawled my way out. I took a look outside. That’s when I saw it. What sealed my fate, I saw a little silhouette of a mare, Going to the Overmare's office.

But there would be a guard pony at the door 24/7 if it were a trouble maker then he would be caught doing his little prank. What was he going to do? Put a pin on the Overmare's chair? Put salt in her coffee cup?. But curiosity caused me to shadow this mysterious pony. This was one of the few times I attempted to fly in the stable. Oh and did I forget to mention I was Aviophobic?. So I was flying slowly through the hallways. I passed the point of no return giving my servant those two extra chits. Eventually after a few minutes of going through other sections of the stable the pony I was following turned down the corridor to the Overmare's office. I turned my ear around the corner trying to make sense of the confrontation.

"Halt, Who goes there" I instantly recognized the voice of Honeycomb, Chief of stable security lower decks. The mysterious pony said in a slightly hush tone

"Cloud and storm". What the hell were they talking about?. Expecting the alarm to be razed I was shocked to hear Honeycomb say

"Thunderbolt and lightning." Was this some cooperative joke?. "You got the chits?" Wait… WHAT? Honeycomb was taking a bribe? On the loyalty test he beat everyone, even two previous Overmares. I whispered under my breath

"For Celestia's sake Honeycomb what are you doing?" The mysterious pony replied in a male voice. It was odd given he had the build of a female.

The mysterious pony in a black robe made of... Sacks? replied in a male voice. It was odd given he had the build of a female. "Yeh got the 1000 chits… You'll never guess this, Bittersweets servant got us the final three chits thanks to some tips. Feel kinda sad she has to have it done to her too, Now will you let me in and let me set the time?" My heart sank, Of all the stupid things Honeycomb did like asking me out on a date or accidentally shooting that foal this was beyond all those this was treason a crime punishable by the death of your family then you.

"Your clear" I heard him open the door through scanning eye on the retinal scanner. I slowly hovered back to my room trying to (and barely succeeding) remain undetected. By the time I managed to return to my room my wings seared with pain. I couldn’t fight off the urges to fall asleep. It was far from dreamless however. I thought how many ways could setting a time doom us? Could it corrupt the water talisman?, Cause the reactor to explode?, Vent plasma into the entire stable?, Activate a massive army of giant robotic zebras who would enslave what may be left of pony kind as their sex slaves and meat bags to be used to build massive monuments The last idea least likely. Then I thought what if it were a simple prank or just turning off the lights for a surprise party. No why that much ration chits?.

The next day I woke covered in sweat, my mane in a mess no time to brush it. I ran to the Overmares office. I glanced at a clock as I ran along the hallway. It was 9:31, I turned the corner to see Honeycomb with two pistols one holstered the other in his mouth. He put it in its holster and barred access to the Overmares office . Crap.

"Who goes there?". The voice of Honeycomb was more cheery than usual.

"Its me Honeycomb I need to see the Overmare".

"I cant allow you to do that bittersweet, you'll just need to make an appointment and wait your tu-" I yelled at the top of my lungs.

"QUEEN BEE I KNOW YOUR IN THERE LET ME IN, HONEYCOMB IS A TRAITOR". The word traitor made Honeycomb take a battle stance.

The steel door opened behind him. Queen bee came out

"What's going on here?"

Honeycomb immediately responded.

"She is accusing me of treason, Permission to use fo-" I interrupted Honeycomb.

"SOMEPONY BRIBED HONEYCOMB WITH A THOUSAND CHITS TO LET SOMEPONY INTO YOUR OFFICE AND HACK INTO YOUR TERMINAL, I KNOW BECAUSE I FOLLOWED THE PONY WHO BRIBED HONEYCOMB".

By now there was quite a racket, and some of the guards came to see what was happening. Even a young filly with her mama was there. Honeycomb got out his pistol. "iphh gunnr khil yiou nowf" It was hard to understand what Honeycomb had just said thanks to the gun in his mouth. I mentally questioned what he meant. It was answered a split second later BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM. That fucking traitor shot me, well at me somepony pushed him so only one shot hit me and that was just a graze near my left hind leg. The pain was like somepony had brushed my mane, Then it felt like somepony got some hot barbed wire and pressed it hard onto my leg.

"AAAAAGHHH". I screamed with agony. I fell to the ground. Honeycomb was taken down by the other guards that were near. That’s when I blacked out.

I woke half an hour later. "uuugh".

My eyes opened and was met with the illuminated dust that always kept in the medical bay.

"You are one lucky pony" I knew that voice, Sugary spoon! One of my few friends and doctor pony of the stable. "The bullet grazed your leg… there were four shots but Overmare Queen Bee pushed Honeycomb so only his last shot hit. I do however have some weird news, The klaxon in the door room for the stable is sounding, it seems like a software malfunction but I am not sure. You mentioned that a pony bribed Honeycomb, Do you remember anything in particular." Sugary Spoon looked at me with a worried expression.

"They mentioned something about setting a time I don’t know what however" I sat up, Thank celestia for healing potions and Med-X, "I want to have a look at the Overmares terminal, If I convince Queen Bee that is". Sugary Spoon looked at me with a smile.

"I am sure she would be okay with that, now try to put some weight on your leg".

I put my hooves on the floor. The pain almost none. Well thanks to the morphine like Med-X. As Sugar spoon and I trotted towards the Overmares office we saw there was nopony walking along the corridors. The Medical bay was close to the maintenance deck. The few times I had been there it always had somepony (or six) cleaning the floor or checking the lights or something. Even the ever present sounds of the cameras were gone the musty air often moved by maintenance ponies was still the only sound being that of the ever present reactors as they sung their everlasting song. Something was wrong, But what. I thought back to my dreams last night. What if it was really about a plot to activate the massive army of giant robotic zebras who would enslave what may be left of pony kind as their sex slaves and meat bags to be used to build massive monuments I thought about last night. Or what if this was just some massive practical joke?  The latter seemed more likely but still highly improbable… If it were a surprise party or a practical joke then why would Honeycomb take a bribe? Or shoot me over it? This was just wrong. As we turned the corner to where last night I spotted that pony bribing Honeycomb.

The Overmares office door. The steel door opened. Queen Bee wasn't inside, Good I was going to attempt to hack the terminal. And so for an hour the Mainframe technician later I managed to get the password. Strange the password was called "Opening" I saw a vast amount of data mainly logs of previous Overmares the continuous register of the current and former inhabitants of the stable, Server logs, Incidents, Supply count, Armory. Hey fun fact there was approximately 20 10MM Pistols two Riot Shotguns, 60 Police Batons, and a Tear Gas launcher in the armory at the bottom of the list in big friendly letters were the words 'Don't panic, Stable oversupplied with weapons'. And for some reason half of the pistols were missing and one of the shotguns too!. It took about six minutes to download the whole terminal. That’s when the Mainframe technician found something in the source code.

"Hrmmmm… wait, oh fuck". The Technician eyes wide took three steps back. "THIS CANT BE HAPPENING THIS CANT BE HAPPENING".I razed an eyebrow. "Those maniacs they're opening it up THEY'RE OPENING IT UP"

Okay this had to mean something,

"What's opening up and who?". The technician trembled.

"THOSE IDIOTS BELOW ARE OPENING UP THE STABLE". There was an eerie silence for a second, Then queen bee came in.

"Overmare queen bee!" I said starting to hyperventilate. "I KNOW WHATS BEEN GOING ON". Queen bee looked scared. "THE PONIES BELOW IN MAINTENANCE ARE OPENING THE STABLE UP". I stopped talking. Sugary Spoon levitated a paper bag to my muzzle. Queen bee was just, Shocked. First one of her officers had turned traitor. Now somepony is opening the stable. It was beyond her. Without thinking I ran around the stable yelling, "THE'RE OPENING THE STABLE UP THEY'RE OPEINING THE STABLE UP" The guards were already informed by the Overmare and were running to the armory, we only had 6 guards, That zebra robot army would waste them, As I ran to the lower parts of the stable there was nopony around, only a few times in my life did I want to throw myself into my mother and let her say everything was okay,

What degenerate Fuck would gain from this? I turned to the maintenance deck door, It was shut, I tried to open it through pressing the control panel it gave an angry BBBHHRRRRR, It was locked. Why was it locked?, I tried with my override, BBBHHRRRR, A small screen above stated. "Your permission for access has been revoked". Great just perfect I wanted to see my mother but NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO some dirtbag instead decided to bribe Honeycomb lock off the essential areas of the stable and open the door. Damn that motherfucking and… quite sexy looking… Oh fuck. It was a unicorn mare with some voice changing spell, If this was some punishment for me looking too much in the communal showers in the mares room before my IQ test then why not just kill me?. That’s when I heard it,

SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECCCCCCCCCCCCCHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

The stable door had opened. The stable intercom came on. "tap tap tap Is this thing on?, Residents of the stable. A traitor has opened the door and sealed the lower decks of the stable, Anypony who can must get to the safe rooms. Oh celestia help us, I am sorry I have failed to be your Overmare," She stopped talking and started crying, ignoring the intercom I started crying too, It seemed like we were about to die in the Corse of a few minutes from the extreme amounts of radiation we were told lurks outside the stable walls. I cried for an hour I think.

I stopped when I heard gunfire. Gunfire? I thought everypony was dead from radiation, Why wasn’t I dead?, The Geiger counter on my Pip-Buck was silent like it was for the hour the stable was open, Rattattattattattattattat, That was no pistol too loud and quick, BOOFH BOOFH. I got up, Ratattattattattattattat, BOOFH, BOOFH. Then I heard that voice. "GET THOSE FUCKERS, ANYPONY WHO RESISTS GETS THEIR GUTS PULLED OUT THEIR FUCKING ASSES". BOOFH BOOFH BOOFH, RATTATA---, BLAM BLAM BOOFH BLAM BOOFH, BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM… BOOOOOMMMMM. The noises got louder, and louder. BOOFH, BOOFH, BOOFH, It seemed like the noises were a room away,

Then the scream came "AAAAAAGGGGHHHHHHH",

BLAM BLAM BLAM… BLAM

The same voice from before yelled.  "LET THAT FUCKER BLEED OUT, HE KILLED SIX OF US, LET HIM DIE ALONE AND IN PAIN" . I was quiet.  A minute later a security pony dragged himself through the door. And I mean dragged literally his hind legs and his front left leg with his Pip-Buck were shot off, I couldn’t identify him, The only thing I could identify was that he was a unicorn, Thanks to a shattered horn, I screamed, Then vomited the sweet taste of bile was followed by the strong acidic aftertaste on my tongue  , Another voice came out.

"THERES ANOTHER HERE". A dirty looking pony in blood stained clothing with many old wounds ran into the room with a shotgun in his mouth, "heph heph heph diff on ish hopf" he spat out his shotgun onto the ground "This will be fun" he was approaching me, Then he uttered his last words "Prepare for the fuck of yo- BLAM"

His head once on his neck battle scarred became nothing more than a cluster of read meaty projectiles and a red haze where his head once was. The voice that yelled before yelled again "THAT’S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN  YOU TRY TO DEFILE THE PRODUCT, TOMAHAWK'S HEAD IS AN EXAMPLE TO THOSE WHO DISOBAY MY ORDERS". I wiped some gore from my eyes. Then I saw him. A unicorn with a red mane and Dark grey fur, several dozen scars all over his face, neck, and legs, he had gore splattered armour, and three blood red tear's tattooed underneath the eyelids. Oh and his horn was cracked in a dozen places. He looked at me angrily and saw me looking at the guard now drowning in his own blood,

He finally spoke "Ooohhh you want him to live? He your husband?".

"N….NNN...NO".I weakly replied. The unicorn smiled.

"Ooooohhh aint that sad you have to watch one of your protectors die… You want to help him? Well FUCK YOU He killed six good pony's SIX FUCKING PONIES. WITH THAT FUCKING SHOTGUN… HE IS MY BITCH HIS FATE IS MY DECISION." The sadistic unicorn was interrupted by another pony

"Boss, we swept the stable nothing more. The rest of the place is sealed off and we used all the thermite last week". The "boss" looked disappointed and angry.

"Well if we didn’t go after that BULLSHIT BANK VAULT WE COULD HAVE SOME MORE PRODUCT". I sobbed as the security mare gave his last breath of life. "AND SOMEPONY KNOCK THIS BITCH OUT". Another pony with a cattle prod entered the room and hit my head, My vision blacked out, My eyes opened a while later as I was dragged past a heap of about six bodies. I blacked out again. This time for more than a few minutes.

Note added:

Starting traits:

Qualified Psychologist: your knowledge of the pony mind means you can calm many ponies or use mind games in your speech to gain your way, You also gain the effects of the Filly at heart perk allowing you have special communication options with fillies.

More than your average nerd: Your ability to process information and your general knowledge including explosives guns and medical training is more than your average sewer bum

Level up:

New Perk: Brainsmarts: Because you're so brainsmart YES THAT IS NOW A WORD you can choose to confuse robots and certain  low level hostiles with big long contradictory sentences.

Chapter 2: Breakthrough

Chapter 2: Breakthrough

“Mama. Just killed a man. Put a gun against his head pulled my trigger now he’s dead. Mama life had just begun but now I’ve gone and thrown it all away”

"BOSS THERE ISNT ROOM FOR THE PEGASUS WHERE ARE WE GOING TO PUT HER?" an anonymous voice yelled

"IN THAT CAGE WITH BREAKTHROUGH"

I hit the ground, THUD, I woke to see a steel roof, It however was low, about a head higher than me. A gruff and voice alerted me.

"I have to sleep with her?". This wasn’t a voice I knew, and why… wait why was there a collar around my neck. I looked at my Pip-Buck. It said it was tomorrow at 5:30 PM the next day. Sweet celestia what happened in the stable wasn’t some bad dream. The voice of the leader who attacked the stable spoke,

"Yes, This little bitch, Heheh, She is fresh meat, and don’t you go ruffle her mane, She is worth a lot of money, More than you, Fuck more than most of the stock". I groaned. "Oh she is awake, Hello there, Can you hear me? Can you?". I groaned again, "OI WAKE THE FUCK UP". I sat up, "Hello and welcome to my little slice of paradise Chain Town, Built in a week thanks to about fifty slaves being threatened by the fact if they didn’t put up some walls the monsters of the night would kill them, That was fucking funny…. Hey. I like that Pip-Buck, That’s a fucking nice looking Pip-Buck". The leader's horn glowed pulling my front left leg towards him. "Yep that’s one nice fucking Pip-Buck. OI GET COMBAT KNIFE HERE".

A red eyed earth pony with a strap over his mussel and a knife in his mouth was moved with a log towards my cage, Fuck he is going to chop my leg off!. I watched as the stump was placed down and my Pip-buck leg was placed on the stump. "alright… I will ask you once you be a smart little pony you may not get it chopped off, Now, can you survive without your Pip-Buck?. Tell me honestly,"

I immediately replied. "Y...Ye…..YYY.Y. Yes, I can live W,w.w...w…...w without it." The boss chuckled and ushered the possible executioner of my leg away.

"You’re a smart little pony, Oh you are going to need to live without A lot of things… Heh even your own self" He looked at the other prisoner in my cage. "You fucking lay a hoof on her, YOUR FUCKING DEAD, YOU HEAR ME BRAHMIN SHIT? FUCKING DEAD"

The Unicorn in my cage just grunted. Then a kind of staring contest began between the two, Both grinning before the boss got bored. "Now you are good at staring, Any of your fucking dead friends ever tell you that?", The unicorn in my cage just grunted,

I looked at the Unicorn. He was Quite buff. Not as in he exercised in the gymnasium but like from actually getting his hooves dirty. He had a cutie mark of a baseball bat, A metal baseball bat.

"Well since there is nothing to discuss I'm out,." The insane unicorn walked off to another cage, Bookworms cage. I saw the psychotic pony and the boss place the stump on the ground, place his, Pip-Buck leg on the log and ask, "Can you live… Can you live without that shiny looking Pip-Buck?, Eh stable boy. Can you?" I wanted to yell to book worm to say he can live without it, then he sealed his fate,

"No… I cant live without it." Then the blood stained knife came down, It didn’t cut the leg off just broke the flesh, "AAAAGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH… NO, NO, PLEASE PLEASE STOP AAAAAAGGGGHHHH," The knife came down again cutting the bone. Blood spurting everywhere. The boss licked his lips. "NOOOO KILL ME, KILL MEEEEEE". The boss smiled.

"Oh so you think that hurts? THAT FUCKING HURTS?, YOU HEAR ME MOTHERFUCKER? DO YOU?. YOU WANT TO DIE? Well I shall give you your final request."

The slaver boss's horn glowed as a wicked looking pistol painted with lines of blood and decorated with the claws of, Well I don’t know what. Decorated the barrel and grip. Then the noise came.

BLAM.

In that instant I felt like I died, Bookworm although useless at everything apart from the Stable archives was one of the few ponies in the stable I had any real conversation with, My Pip-Buck gave a flash, It said that Book worm had died, I looked back towards his former cage, His headless body being dragged out, That fucking pistol shot his WHOLE HEAD OFF.

I pressed my Pip-Buck The tag I had put on Bookworm, one of the three that I had programed into my Pip-Buck  to check vital signs in case of suicide or other dangers. His specific vitals data ran from the regularly interrupted line of the heartbeat was nothing more, Just a long never ending line, I sobbed tears ran down my cheeks Some of the quite warm liquid made its way onto my tongue. Mucus ran liberally down out of my nose.  The pony in my cage banged the bars with a stick.

"Hey now I'm not alone maybe we can start a jailhouse rock band?" What in the name of celestia?, He was dead silent like he was clinically insane, Unmoving, silent, Cold, Logical until he just banged a stick on the bars. Now he just seems like a retard. I spoke up after half an hour of him making weird tunes, The sun was going down, Well if I could see it, Everywhere I saw clouds, no break just clouds, the night fast approached. The unicorn spoke up, "My name is breakthrough."

Three hours passed and ‘Breakthrough’ became less strange and more, Logical. He spoke up "Got any snack cakes? I Fucking love snack cakes". I replied with a no. "Dammit, anyway I think you would agree with me, we must escape. Slave collar, The slaver boss just keeps me in here." a tear ran down ‘Breakthrough's’ cheek. “My friends and I used to raid his camps and free the slaves. Can’t do it now they're dead, yet he keeps me so I can watch, So I can watch good ponies die." He looked Unmoved. "Now we may have a chance" I interrupted

"Wait wait wait what do you mean by us or WE? For all I know you could just be putting it all on so you will lead me to a dozen guns pointed at my head". Breakthrough looked slightly disappointed.

"If you think that then why say that? I could have just called the guards and you would have been put in a solitary cage. Give me the benefit of the doubt."  I. I couldn’t argue with that "I know what I need to get us out. It will take two nights but we could manage it, Celestia be willing. That’s if you want us to". I thought long an hard for a few minutes.

"I guess". The eyes of breakthrough lit up a bit and he smiled.

"First step can be the longest, Wait for the bulk of their forces to leave. Hopefully with Slave collar." I looked concerned.

"Why not all?" I said regretting asking a few seconds later.

"Because you idiot don’t you think they wouldn’t have some guards to you know GUARD this place?" Feeling quite stupid I let breakthrough continue. " That’s the first night, When they go they go out in force, They go for up to a week. Second night we break out," I stopped Breakthrough

"What would we need? And do we have a plan for night two"

Breakthrough chuckled "I have a plan, I need an axe, a grenade, some drugs, and access to their stockpile of ammo." I looked a bit surprised

" And you have those in this cage how?". Breakthrough chuckled

"No no no no no no I don’t have it you silly pony, We need to get that stuff when slave collar leaves though. He knows when you escape. And then makes a game out of it" The scream of somepony in the camp interrupted Then Slave Collars voice came

"YOU FUCKING UNICORN PRICK, LETS SEE YOU USE YOUR MAGICS NOW, FUCKING DAMNIT, YOU ARE MY GUEST OF HONOUR AND YET YOU TRY TO ESCAPE". BOOM. I whispered to breakthrough,

"What was that?" Breakthrough lowered his head and said

"Slave Collar. No not the slaver but the collars around all our necks, Explode when activated" I just looked down for an hour, Then a whistle

"Whats up?" Slave collar, "You two not being friends? Not playing nice? Well boohoo… Looks like you two are bored, Fucking bored. I don’t like that, you shouldn’t be bored. Here is some entertainment. OI GET THAT SMART ASS, NO NOT THE UNICORN THE EARTH PONY" I was slightly scared, "Between you two and me, You lot should be happy, Happy I give you mercy, Happy I give you Food, Happy I don’t just shoot you lot in the fucking Head" I was trembling, "Its because you two are valuable, You little Pegasus are worth almost my weight. And you over there Breakthrough you have to watch the tortures I commit on ponies you vowed to protect and free. Heh, This is fucking funny, and so you will find, OI GET THE SMARTASS UP HERE WITH COMBAT KNIFE." Breakthrough looked angered when Slave Collar mentioned Combat Knife. The stump that sealed the fate of Book Worm was rolled up, and Combat knife came with it. I saw a grey stallion with a loaf of bread for a Cutie-Mark yelling and screaming as he was dragged towards my cage

"NO NOO NOOOOOOOOO PLEASE PLEASE JUST PUT ME BACK IN MY CAGE NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO,"  Slave collar Yelled back

" OI SHUT THE FUCK UP BREADCRUMB YOU TRIED TO ESCAPE AND NOW YOU PAY THE PRICE". This  ‘Breadcrumbs’ head was forced onto the log. "Combat knife, An eye for a fucking eye". I knew what was just about to happen, The knife came slowly down, hovering centimetres away from the soft ball. Then it went in, Those screams still haunt me to this day, the point came slowly in then out, Then it went into the socket. Breadcrumb screaming all the way, Blood gushing out to the screams, the eye after a minute became like strawberry jelly red as blood. Then the other eye, Slave collar's grin was from ear to ear, He danced in the screams, Jumped with the moans, stomped his hoof in glee with the begs for mercy.

By the end a massive pool of blood was formed on the log. If it wasn’t covered soon  he would die from an infection, Wait, That’s what Slave Collar wanted. A slow painful death after massive trauma. It was horrid. My first of many experiences  that would scar me. I simply sobbed the first few minutes I couldn’t stop watching but I finally snapped and couldn’t watch. When Slave Collar left after giving a speech I do not recall Breakthrough held me,  He had watched it all. Yet he did not cry, Did not shed a tear, just held me, Making me feel safe-ish. Overcome by tiredness from watching a traumatic experience and the fact I hadn't any food since the night Honeycomb went rouge.   I dozed off to sleep. I later found to Breakthrough's dismay. My dream was like always, Dreamless, Cold, Unreal. Then I woke, to the scream of somepony, Well in my mind. It was light and breakthrough was like the previous day, Unmoving, Cold,

"Breakthrough?"

Breakthrough just looked at me. Why did his personality turn around, He was perfectly able to communicate and act like a real pony at night but in the day… He looked like a… Retard gnawing at his mane drooling a bit, but Looking aggressive, ready to pounce and tear a pony from limb to limb. Slave collar approached the cage and dropped a bowl.

"Your treat bitch. Today I am feeling generous so you can have some nice radhog meat."

I looked at the bowl, Meat, He expects me to eat MEAT?. We ponies don’t eat meat. It's unnatural. I took a sniff. The scent was fowl. It stayed in my nose. It was at the time the worst smell I ever smelt. Yet I wanted to try it. I sniffed it again. The fowl smell greeted me. I wanted to vomit. I wanted to just escape. But Breakthrough looked like anything would set him off into a massive killing spree. Some hours passed. I tried to sleep. But my stomach protested.

I needed food I looked again at the meat. I moved back to it. Looking at it. It was brown with bits of black. The smell less sick and more. Appetising. I muttered to myself

"oh celestia I am about to do the unnatural". I nibbled the meat. It tasted. It tasted, Nice. I guess. My mind protested but it wasn’t killing me, Not yet anyway. I backed away.

"Ohhhh YOU DON’T LIKE MEAT BITCH?" Slave collar. "You know, many ponies would give their left leg for that nice chop of meat".

"This isnt natural." I replied "This is some sick torture and for what?. A laugh?. Some stupid game?".

"Well." Slave collar chuckled. "I am desensitising you. And its fucking funny too but that matters not." He looked at breakthrough. "Now this guy right there is fucking crazy, Killed fucking tons of my ponies before he was taken down, That unlucky bastard lost the right of a quick death. So He is going to be in here till he died, Watching the daily show" Celestia dammit this buck is sadistic, How was Breakthrough able to retain his sanity?.

A few more hours passed, It involved a bottle of Sparkle Cola being given to me, and just watching Breakthrough. As light faded Breakthrough started acting less crazy and more like last night. As light faded Slave collar came over to, I dunno tease me or something. He was just about to talk when one of his slavers ran up to him,

"BOSS, The auction house is ready, We are ready to head off now."

Slave collar chuckled and looked at me.

"Well Im going to head off now, For a few days to sell off your stable friends, Don’t worry we will still have guards, But your friend Combat knife has to come with me, Bye Bye. Adios," and with that slave collar walked to a hut I know not where. Then headed out to a place I knew not where, With most of the stable with him. Another hour passed before I whispered

"B… Breakthrough?"

"Im here Bittersweet," . Wait how did he know my name? "Oh and before you ask you talk a lot in your sleep." Great

"Breakthrough, Why were you kinda retarded today?."

" That is for when we escape, There are only about ten guards. Shouldn’t Be too much of a hassle if we do it right." I turned my head. "First we need to get out of this cage. I need you to get the attention of the guard. He has the keys. I wont kill him ill just levitate the keys.  That I will take the keys to the armoury and our slave collars then put is back, Ask for something like food or what he did before he became a slaver or something.". I face hooved

"And you expect them to be social?"

"Nope, Just keep asking, He will keep on telling you shut up. If it were any other pony he would just shoot you and have it deducted through his pay, You on the other hoof, You are worth lots. And I think he would prefer his life." I looked slightly relived. But this still seemed like a bad plan, For all I know this buck was just using me for his own escape only to leave me to my fate. FUCK.

"Guard?... Guard?" I said catching the attention of the guard.

"What the fuck are you doing?, Shut the fuck up" The guard scowled

"Why did you become a slaver?" I replied

"I said shut the fuck up," Looking into the corner of the cage where breakthrough was I saw his horn just softly glowing, Not enough to get any notice

"I want to know why. Why did such a strong smart buck become the mere pawn of some slaver obviously ripping you off?" Sweet celestia let this work.

"Are you trying to make me shoot you BITCH?" He said getting out his gun.

"No no no no no no no no no" I replied "I just want to know why you are just being paid for less than your boss?"

Breakthrough started tapping the ground with one of his hooves, He did it.

"BAH Shut the fuck up. Im just doing this shit for the caps"

The guard walked off. Muttering to himself

I looked at breakthrough. He looked back with a friendly smile. First time since the opening I saw a smile that wasn’t sadistic. It was warm.

"One step closer" said Breakthrough. "One step closer"

The next few hours included talking to breakthrough about what life in the stable was like, He was amazed that there were no slavers or "Raiders" or "Parasprites". Half way through telling him about the hierarchy I gave into the urges to sleep.

The next day I woke.

"Alright you, Pegasus get up" Slavers , Still not a dream. I got up "You’re gunna have a little fresh air bitch." Well at least it wasn’t slave collar. I saw Breakthrough in the corner, Sleeping. As I got up I walked to the door of the cage. Wait didn’t Breakthrough take the keys?. I looked at Breakthrough. Yep under his left hoof. "OI STOP LOOKING AT THAT PSYCO."  The door opened. I took a step outside and looked up. Oh fuck. Just looking up made me vomit. Bile  constantly flowing up my throat and out my mouth for three minutes. The experience more vile through severe by heavy nausea. I was for once no longer confined to three metre wide walls and the hum of the reactor, and the flickering of the lights. I suddenly felt homesick. Then I was bucked back into the cage. Pain seared in there area of my flanks where I was bucked. "That’s your air for the week you stupid fuck" It was at that point I blacked out.

"Bittersweet, Bittersweet." I was out cold for, Celestia know how long. "Wake up Bittersweet, Bittersweet" I waved up my hoof. "Oh good you are awake" I sat up "Bittersweet, The guards don’t suspect a thing, We can escape when they change their posts, From there we must get to the armoury get some stuff, and blow up the armoury. The explosion may kill one or two of them, and from there we fight our way out. "

"Wait, FIGHT?"

"Yes bittersweet we will fight our way out, Unless you think you can just ask them to look the other way while we escape. " I felt bad, maiming ponies was one thing but KILLING THEM? That’s just, Wrong, we ponies despite a few bad apples are supposed to be friends tolerate and love each other,   Not murderers and Torturers. What happened to pony kind? Oh my naiveté. My ally talks about killing like its just the regular day at the office. "...Ttersweet, Bittersweet, Snap out of it" I looked at breakthrough. "They are changing their posts soon. Get ready to run out to the armoury when I say go." I moved to the cage door.

"OI YOU LOT CHANGE POSTS" The guard spat out a cigarette and crushed it below his hoof

Breakthrough whispered into my ear "Let him turn the corner then run for it, If you fall or anything else I will help you up" . The few seconds as the guard approached and turned a corner was excruciatingly long. Every passing second meant the next guard was that close. The dry draught flowed against my feathers. "Go Go Go Go" That repetition of the same word gave me strength and I ran, It felt like I was running a mile where I ran about ten metres. As the wall of the makeshift shack that Breakthrough identified as the Armoury  approached me I slowed down . Coming to a stop. Breakthrough pushed me down behind a dead log. "I'll pick the lock, Will only take a few seconds then we go in and arm ourselves." I simply nodded. A few seconds passed, Click. The door opened. Breakthrough and I entered the shack, Inside was, Clean, Gore free. With Several boxes of Ammunition.  A dozen or so guns, Including: A revolver, Two shotguns, And several assault rifles. To my left there was a box with a symbol of three punk butterflies. Ministry of Peace. I opened it up and found a few healing potions, Some rad-X, Radaway, and Med-X.

To my right there was a table with amongst other things: Some notes of sale, Spent ammunition and a large pile of bottle caps. I guessed at the time that it was just a hobby. I shrugged off any notion on any of that stuff being of use.

Click

"Aha, Breakthrough you got it." I looked at Breakthrough now talking to himself. Creeekkk He opened a safe, And inside there was amongst more bottle caps was a Reinforced Titanium Baseball bat with a logo down the side "We will bat You out of the Park" In small bold letters. The bat was covered in dried blood with several large dents where some of the dried blood was concentrated. I wanted to Vomit. The stench was vile, The look was horrendous, But I kept myself from releasing bile. I saw Breakthrough with a small smile.

"I've missed you" The bat was some testament to death. Disgusting. Barbaric. Wrong, Yet it was the only weapon that Breakthrough somepony who looked like he would fight his way out. Breakthrough then started to pick the lock of his collar  Click, His collar fell to the ground. It took another minute or so before he got mine off Click. The collar's around

"OI THEY ESCAPED, SPREAD OUT"

It was just a matter of time, Our escape was going to be found, Just how long it would be was the question. I guess one of the guards was drunk. "Bittersweet, Get a gun and follow me, Ill kill you just shoot when necessary". The guard walked up to the door "I think they’re in here" Breakthrough ran to the side of the door. Creeeeekkkk. The door opened. I will never forget that slaver's eyes as he saw the bat come down. Pink Ping Pink Ping Ping Ping. The bat came down back up and down again, And again, And again until the slaver's head was nothing more than a bloody mess. I puked putting my hoof over my mouth to stop it from coming out and me screaming. Bile ran down my leg. Pooling on the edge of my Pip-Buck. The smell was rancid. "Bittersweet, Get some saddle bags, We're raiding the kitchen.".

"Wait Breakthrough, What about that crate of Ammunition you mentioned?" Breakthrough just looked at me with a lit cigarette in his mouth. "Oh your going to blow it up aren’t you?"

Breakthrough nodded, Grinning a bit. Breakthrough opened the door stuffing a spark battery and a grenade into his saddlebags. "When I say Run to that building" Breakthrough pointed at an similarly built Rusted corrugated iron shack across one of the many Hoofstep Hardened pathways that are found all over the camp.

"Go Bittersweet, Run" Breakthrough whispered.

I whispered to myself  "I hope you aren't going to get me killed." I galloped across the pathway, Should a guard have been looking for why one of the slavers wasn’t yelling they would have seen me. The blood stained track was hard, But it didn’t stop me from running. I got to the door, Opened it.

Pop, Pop, Bang, Bang Bang BangPOBANPOBANBOOPOPWHZZZZZPOPOPBOOFPOPCRAKLE.

The armoury started producing the noise of hundreds of bullets firing and dozens of explosives exploding in an ever increasing Chain reaction. I opened the door, Then a heavy weight came upon my back, Breakthrough. I landed inside the kitchen Breakthrough closing the metal door behind. I was about to complain when I saw bullets rip through the metal and wood. Splinters and sparks filled the room. The explosions continued for a few minutes and ended with a whistle and then an explosion somewhere closer to the gate. By the end I was unsure why the kitchen was still standing. Almost every wall was covered in bullet holes. The dust was still settling   The multiple refrigerators inside survived most of the bullets but some penetrated. Probably filled with food

I heard a slaver talking “My stash better be okay” I saw breakthrough drop his bat and run towards a knife, One word and the guards would come. Knife in mouth breakthrough got ready to where the door would swing when open, He also pointed me to hide behind a Refrigerator Knocked down by all the bullets. I took cover peeking around the corner

Creeeeek

"Ah its still ther---"  The slavers last words just as the door closed and a knife wrapped in magical energy ran across his throat. The blood stained floor was fed more red wine, Blood,

Thud

Breakthroughs knife went strait across the slavers throat, Blood gushing from the slit as he fell. The light in his eyes died.

  "Get some of the food and stuff it in your saddle bags , The San Palomino Desert Don’t give only takes" Wait we were in a Desert?, Oh Yippy Fuck me. "Think practical, Don’t stuff your bags with Salty shit like Chips, Get stuff like Muffins because they are moist. And tell me if you find any Fancy Snack Cakes, I love those little things" I started to rummage through the refrigerators. There was some water that made my Pip-Buck go Tick Tick Tick. Radioactive. Some Sparkle-Cola. And lots of food made before the war. Over 5000 Times your daily intake of Preservatives. Yeah not good in the long run for your body. I also found some canteens. One with a Stable-Tech Logo on one side and a 34 on the other side. My Pip-buck still with bile pooled in places didn’t give the bird that was the Geiger counter encouragement to sing its distorted song. Still fill of clean water. Clack I saw a pistol hit the ground. Breakthrough was looking at it then moving his eyes encouragingly at me.

I picked up the Pistol. It had a marble grip. My Pip-Buck lit up what I considered at the time the most useless part of the Pip-Buck, The EFS, Eyes Forward Sparkle. A display that security used. It could track your health for physical condition give warnings and provide aiming assistance. It also had a compass, An IFF (Identify Friend or Foe) and an inventory management application. A little notice on the top left corner said, Picked up a 10MM pistol. My EFS compass showed  five red marks. All in different locations. I guessed Five down and five to go. "Bittersweet, Follow me and stay behind cover, We need to get out and by your reactions, You aren't really the fighting' type" I simply nodded. "Oh and don’t hide behind any red barrels, Or any with explosives marks,  Or anything on fire." I nodded once more.

Creeeeekkkk

Breakthrough opened the door. Nopony was outside the door. Good. Breakthrough walked down one of the Hoofstep hardened paths, Passing the now collapsed and burning armoury. There were three dead slavers. Filled with bullet holes. My body went though the motions of Vomiting but nothing was left in my stomach to liberate. We continued down the road. A slaver turned a corner.

"OH FUCK ME".

Before the slaver could say anything else Breakthrough was on him Ping Ping Pink Ping Pink Pingk. What was left of the slavers head was just a greyish pink ooze soaking the ground littered with fragments of skull.

"THEY'RE OVER THERE, GET THOSE FUCKERS"

Another two slavers turned another corner of one of the other shacks to me left. Both with Assault Rifles. Immediately taking a battle stance they fired, Two bullets went through Breakthrough now charging at them. The first slaver was on my left. A Earth Pony with yellow fur and  a spiked green mane with masses of dried blood keeping many strands of mane stuck together. As Breakthrough came down with the bat I heard a loud crack. That pony never moved again. The other slaver with a black coat and a blue mane with orange streaks. Jammed his horn into breakthroughs side. Breakthrough fell to the ground. Bleeding heavily.  Still alive but not In a few minutes.

"OI YOU FUCKER GET BACK INTO YOUR CAGE" The now lone slaver yelled pointing his assault rifle at me with his telepathy.  I got out the pistol and entered, S.A.T.S, Stable-Tech Assisted Targeting System. A neat feature that basically stops time and helps you aim, It even calculates your chances to hit TOO!. Anyway. The pistol with its mouth grip in mine came up. And it fired three times. First two missed, The third got the slaver in the throat. Blood gushed from the wound.  The final expression on his face was one of Fear.

OH sweet celestia I ha… I had just…. i…. Had...just killed somepony. My gag reflex kicked in but nothing came up, Not even some bile. I looked at Breakthrough now on the ground blood pooling near him, I rushed to him. And force fed him one of the Restoration Potions. Through the power of Magic and Science Breakthroughs wounds closed. Breakthrough smiled.

"T,Tt, Thanks Bittersweet," Breakthrough got back up. "I guess I owe you one."  Weakly. That’s when I realized there were still two Slavers left. I looked around, They were west. "We need to get to the gate, Follow me" Breakthrough started galloping west. To where the other two guards were.

"HAHA THOSE FUCKERS WILL BE NICE AND CRISPY WHEN IM DONE WITH THEM"

Breakthrough and I Turned around the largest shack and found two Earth Ponies, The one on the ground had (What I would come to know as a) a Flamethrower, The second Pony was on the roof with some weird saddle with an attached rifle.

"BURN MOTHAFUKERS"

WHOOOSH

Liquid fire poured at high velocity through the nozzle of the weapon. Breakthrough whom was still in front of me dodged the attack of purifying heat. His tail however was slightly lit but the rest his tail remained untouched. I ran to the closest shack, Only a few metres from where I was standing.

"YOU"RE A FAST LITTLE SHIT" The Flamethrower pony yelled at Breakthrough.

WHOOOSH

"HAHAHAHAHA ILL GET YOU SOON YOU LITTLE BITCH"

I felt a sting in my hind but I didn’t give it any attention. I peaked around the corner of the shack.  And I saw an impressive feat of killing as the moon light became most intense that night. The only way to describe it is in slow motion. Breakthrough Jumped on the Flamethrower pony's back, Waited for a second then jumped off onto the shack where the other pony was located, Then Boom, The tank of Flamethrower propellant exploded as Breakthrough was jumping from. Blinded by the explosion I didn’t see Breakthrough slit the last slavers throat. I started walking to the gate where Breakthrough just trotted to. The world started to spin as I lost my balance. Then I fell to the ground with a thud.

Note Added:

Level Up, New Perk added: Split second comprehension, While with a follower your perception is increased by 1 but you suffer a penalty to luck

Chapter 3: A needed cure

Chapter 3: A needed cure.

”There’s no time for us… There’s no place for us. What is this thing that builds our dreams yet slips away from us.”

Bittersweet fell to the ground.

"BITTERSWEET"

Breakthrough saw the Rad-Scorpion and pummelled it multiple times. Its sting was in Bittersweets chest. Slowly leaching its poison into Bittersweets bloodstream. The pony whom had just a minute ago saved Breakthroughs life was now dying .   Breakthrough knew that, Bittersweet wouldn't make the night if he didn’t find some form of an Antidote. But leaving Bittersweet in this Now abandoned camp of sadism. But then it would be the only place she would have relative safety should the wildlife try to attack Breakthrough. It took Breakthrough some time before he made his decision to carry Bittersweet through the San palomino dessert.

Unknowing of what would await him Breakthrough Bat in mouth and Bittersweet on back. Breakthroughs freedom was met with a face full of sand, It stung Yet Breakthrough pushed forward. He had just found somepony to care about, And he wasn’t about to let Bittersweet go. It was still night and it would for a few hours but when day comes, He needed something to make himself more like he was at night. like. Like. Like…. DASH.

For the first hour it was relatively smooth sailing, If there was any water around. The sand swept against his fur, his mane already knotted and scruffy now infested with sand. Yet Breakthrough pushed onwards, From Rumour and tale he knew there was a witch doctor somewhere near one of the sandstone mountains  that dotted this region of the desert, Safe Harbours in a sea of death. It didn’t matter however if breakthrough didn’t find this Witch Doctor soon then Bittersweet would die.

Another hour passed and Breakthrough was beginning to worry. Bittersweet was getting worse. Then he saw it, A small shack on a Sandstone Mountain, Decaying but still standing defiant of ages. It would be a long climb to the top however. The path to the Shack was decaying, littered with the corpse of many dead Rad-Scorpions, All in different states of decay. That smell Uuugh. Yet this place was familiar. He may have came here before.

The corrugated iron sheet that was the door swung inwards and an elderly looking Unicorn covered in dried Rad-Scorpion blood dried mud and many burns along her flank walked out.

"Greetings Breakthrough. It has been Two years since I last caught wind of you. And last time Gunslinger was leading you and your noble gang. What has happened them, Do they holiday? Or did they die that day?"

Breakthrough simply grunted. Simple rhymes were not due at this time.

"I see a young Pegasus on your back. How did she arrive from a stable to my shack?. Why did you bring her here. But then her condition looks dear. Come into my shack and close the door behind your back."

The old Unicorn walked back inside exposing a large piece of metal coming out of the unicorns head. Breakthrough Bittersweet on back followed Gently bucking the door shut as he entered.  The shack itself was covered in shelves full of pots with many ingredients for many a brew. In the centre a long aged and rusting cauldron, Inside a Brew frothing in anticipation of use. The only areas not covered in shelves was a single long aged Bed, A single table with half eaten food and a set of Combat Armour standing on a mannequin.

"What is the ailment for this young one, I suspect It is a bad one. Ah I see the sting that has made this Pegasus incapable of wing. I know a cure for the poison for sure, Yet I require a single ingredient to turn my stew into an Antidote Brew." The Unicorn looked at Breakthrough loosing the Rhyming in her voice to a more serious one. "There ingredient you require is also one I desire, It shall be challenge for you, You must find the Nectar of a Tikket bug"

Not amused Breakthrough replied

"Why not get it yourself Witch Doctor? And why must you speak in rhymes?"

"I am not a Witch Doctor young one that is not what it is called where I am from, You ask why I cannot collect? My bones are frail and I fret, I would die on the trek. And so I require you to go along, Three miles south lies a river without a mouth, Move down the river and find a town where not a ghost disturbs the calm, Go to the store and find a long forgotten cave once more, inside the cave you must explore but don’t go through the metal doors. Inside you will soon find, Your prize waiting in all its glory. Now you must go while I keep your companion from going.”

Breakthrough simply nodded.

"And if I don’t return?" asked Breakthrough

"Then the Pegasus will expire, Now go so I may turn my stew into the curing brew"

Breakthrough opened the door and asked

"Do you have any Dash?."

The Unicorn pointed to a pot, Inside was thirteen Dash inhalers, Breakthrough took one for when he left the shack and three more for the trip, And with that the unicorn left the shack. The door closing behind him.

"Breakthrough, Dammit you stupid little pony you swore to get off Dash" Said Breakthrough as he stared at the Dash in his hoof. "But if it means Bittersweet would live…. FUCK " Breakthrough levitated the inhaler to his mouth and took a deep breath in. The red gas inside worked its way down his throat and into his lungs the gas then was absorbed into his blood as his heart began to accelerate. His field of view increased by about 20 degrees and he could not perceive a few colours. Yet breakthrough felt faster.

"Here we go breakthrough"

Breakthrough started running towards the river to the south. From what he could see it was clean. Worse than the dirty irradiated waters. So many lost their lives thinking they found fresh water Near Los Pegasus. Breakthrough continued to run. Over dunes and through the small valleys between. The winds kicked up yet Breakthrough was unphased. In the distance he heard automatic weapon fire, not worth stopping for.

It took half an hour before Breakthrough made it to the river. Bones littered the shore of the clean see through water. Breakthrough simply muttered to himself.

"Luna rest your souls"

Looking down the river breakthrough was the town the Witch Doctor spoke of. Blanketed with darkness of Luna's night. Breakthrough's thinking was interrupted by the sound of a gunshot and a bullet hitting the nearby waters of the river. Turning around breakthrough heard the battle cry of those not worth anything

"LETS PULL THIS ONES GUTS OUT AND SEE IF HE BLEEDS. HAHA"

A gang of raiders. Fucking drug addicts. Not worth anything.

"YOU'RE IN FOR IT SCAB" said one

"THIS ONE WILL BLEED HAHA THIS ONE WILL BLEED" Another cried

Breakthroughs horn glowed telekinetically holding His beloved baseball bat. And started Galloping  towards the raiders, Only four of them. His fast tot became a gallop as breakthrough under a hail of bullets. As he came closer and closer to the raiders they started to fire more rapidly, Out of fear? , Out of anger?. Breakthrough knew not but now wasn't the time.

Then breakthrough jumped. Landed on the First Raider All his force centred on the raiders neck. CRACK. The raiders neck was broken from the sheer force. Another raider ran towards Breakthrough with a rusted switch blade knife. Lunging towards Breakthrough head first. The raider then was introduced to Breakthroughs bat. Pingk. The raiders neck didn’t snap like the previous one but that raider wont survive when the other two were done.

The other two were reloading their pistols. And so Breakthrough charged at them. Gaining more speed than his first strike because he was now running downhill. He leapt up, Spun in mid air, and struck a female raider, Her head with her spiked white hair was smashed off her body. The skin ripped and flesh tore and finally the neck snapped in three places. This combination resulted in the head flying a good 25 feet. The now decapitated raider's body slumped onto her knees and fell sideways blood gushing out of the neck as the legs spasemed.

Disheartened the other raider ran into the distance not wanting to share the same fate. Breakthrough didn’t give chase though, He knew every minute wasted would mean another minute that Bittersweet would be without an kind of antidote.  Totting towards the wounded raider Breakthrough took his goggles. Picked up the raider by its mane and threw him into the river.

"I think you need to find your bullet scum"

A crewel death but then… Raider's aren’t ponies, They're scum. Then the raider came back up

"NO NO NO I WAS JUST PLAYING WITH YOU…."

Breakthrough continued to trot away.

"YOU FUCKING BASTARD"

Breakthrough trotted away at a quicker pace.

Eventually the curses of the raider died away. When Breakthrough reached the edge of the town he sought. Breakthrough liked the goggles that he confiscated from that raider he threw into the river. It kept the dust out of his eyes. A good move. As the winds picked up he saw the outlines of several land mines scattered around the closest buildings. A trap. So that’s what the witch doctor meant by  a town where not a ghost disturbs the calm. Too keep intruders out? What the traps were for was the least of Breakthroughs concerns. This would take a while. Carefully he lowered himself darted occasionally. He almost got to the edge when he felt some of the weight on his hind left leg. Swif . Something that moment wisped by his caught leg. Not enough time to look. Finally making his way through of the maze of ropes breakthrough looked back at what had happened when he got caught on that rope. A spring mounted spear. No blood on it, Who knows what toxins would be covering it?.

Looking back towards the rest of the town Breakthrough saw a scene of death a dozen or so bleach white and cracking from long passed sand. No armour, No weapons, just burned clothing. Breakthrough  felt uneasy by this sight, He knew that many ponies died in the wasteland, But these ponies seemed… Too easily dead. A nearby sign fell from its long rusted hinges over what looked like a bar. The name on the sign confirmed his suspicions.

=======THE RUSTY SADDLE SALOON=======

=======Best drinks in all of Equestria======

Breakthrough looked around. There was only a few buildings that stood out, Including the "Rusty Saddle General Store". So this was what this place was before the war. Could be better, Fixed windows for a start. A lick of paint. Replace some of the wood. Okay all the wood. He walked inside, Dusty. Rows of alcoholic drinks. Nothing here though. Not of his liking. He walked back out. Back on the sand.  The  roof of the Rusty Saddle veranda collapsed. Dust long undisturbed was thrown up by the collapsing . Well no searching in there.

Creeeeekk

Breakthrough opened the door of the General Store. Dust was thrown up yet he saw there was more dust in areas around what looked like  hoof prints. It lead up to a curled up skeleton. Then to a door behind the counter… Wait what was that on the counter. SNACK CAKES. Breakthrough didn't have Snack Cakes for four years. Just before he was captured. Taking the box in hoof Breakthrough opened the cardboard box. Then levitated a Snack Cake out. Then took a bite.

"Sweet Luna I've missed you" Breakthrough said with his mouth full of this sugary, Moist, And soft treat. Breakthrough after chewing it all looked into the box for another, Yet he found none inside. You cant have everything in the wastes.

Looking up again Breakthrough saw the door to the back room was Damaged, Somepony bucked it till the door gave. Pushing the remains of the door that were still on the hinges. Walking forward Breakthrough dropped down a good few metres revealing a cave witch was surprisingly lit. Looking back Breakthrough saw a ladder from where the floor of the general store ended. Breakthrough was flanked by two rust free yet corroded? Steel pillars. With mounted floodlights flickering from age and electrical cables that obviously saw better days. Their light giving off a Buzz as an mechanical song. The Pillars joined in by making a creak as it protested from the sandstone ceiling. Some sand fell in a small cloud. Looking around and only finding a corroded metal staircase going down. Breakthrough muttered to himself

"Breakthrough what are you walking yourself into?"

Not even an echo replied. Just the Buzz of the floodlights remained.

"This will be like a maze won't it Breakthrough?" Breakthrough muttered to himself again.

Breakthrough took some wool out of his saddle bags, Some crap he didn’t even remember putting in the saddle bag. Putting a rock on the loose end of the wool. And threading it through a hole in the saddlebag. Wont need to keep a hold on it. It would just run. Allowing Breakthrough to levitate his bat. And with that Breakthrough took another bite of the Snack Cake. And began to Trot into the cave.

Down the first flight of stairs Breakthrough saw a repetition of damage to the pillars and the metal walkways. Bleached white skeletons littered the stairs. Turning Breakthrough continued to see the same corroded scene.

Wait! What was that?. That shadow just moved. Running to where the shadow just was. Round the corner  an- Wait nothings there… It was just a dead end. With a Vent. That was it

Moving back to the stairs Breakthrough continued to walk down. Checking that the line of wool he had placed didn’t snag. Breakthrough took a sniff. Gas?. Opening his saddlebags Breakthrough retrieved some of an old sack and attempted to make a crude mask. It would work… For a time.

Down another flight of stairs. To his left was a corridor with about a dozen or so doors. All welded shut. Walking too them Breakthrough saw signs over them emitting a red light from each so one could clearly see the "CONTAMINATION BREACH" written on them. All of them.  At the end of the hallway stood a single terminal. Trotting up to it Breakthrough saw the slightly flickering light of the display read.

SYSTEM LOCKED. CONTAMINATION BREACH IN TEST CHAMBERS 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12 CAUSE UNKNOWN, DOORS LOCKED AND WELDED AS PER CONTAMINATION PROTOCOL 4534-3-445D. RESULT OF LOCKDOWN OF LABS: UNKNOWN.  LAST SUCSESSFUL COMMUNICATION WITH MINISTRY OF ARCANE  SCIENCES  200 YEARS 3 MONTHS 2 WEEKS 5 DAYS 2 HOURS. MOAS PERSONNEL PRESENT… 0. UNIDENTIFIED TRESSPASSERS: 2 DEPLOYING SECURITY DRONES… NOT RESPONDING. REQUESTING ENGENEERS… NO COMMUNICATION WITH CANTERLOT HUB… CONTACT WITH LHPARC… NO CONTACT. LOCATING NEARBY FACILITIES. CONTACT WITH STABLE 34… NO REPLY…… WARNING METHANE LEVELS IN FACILITY AT 56%. DO NOT PRODUCE ANY SPARKS OR A NAKED FLAME. WARNING GENERATORS FAILING. ESTEMATED TIME TILL FAILIURE 6 WEEKS 2 HOURS 31 MINUTES. WARNING UNKNOWN TEST SUBJECTS DETECTED WARNING UNKNOWN SPECIES IN FACILITY. NUMBERS: 300.

Well this was… an information dump and a half. Leaving the terminal Breakthrough trotted back to the stairway.

Another shadow made Breakthrough jump. He could also hear faint chittering

"What the fuck is wrong with you Breakthrough. They're nothing"

Breakthrough wandered down to the last level

Turning a corner Breakthrough found a still living pony and a collection of eggs. The pony looked at Breakthrough.

"Y..Y..Y...You, You there little colt. What do you want?" Said the strange Pony. Breakthrough putting his bat away, levitated a jar out of his saddle bags . Taking the plastic lid off.

"Look old stallion I just need some of the stuff in those eg-" The strange pony interrupted Breakthrough.

"YOU WONT GET MY NECTAR" Yelled the pony "YOU WONT GET IT" Yelled the old stallion shaking furiously.

The ground rumbled slightly.

"What was that?" Said Breakthrough slightly loosing his breath.  "What just happened?"

"Ohhh those are the guardians of my precious nectar…. Them critters  bite alright. KEEP AWAY FROM MY NECTAR" The ground beneath Breakthrough rumbled a bit. "YOU WONT GET IT" The rumbling was getting more intense . The hard rocks cracking. Breakthrough jumped forward. "YOU WONT GET IT"

The ground where Breakthrough was just standing   gave way to what looked like a giant spider with giant bone legs. Hoping to have caught Breakthrough. It took the giant Spider a few seconds to regain its balance. By then Breakthrough was already in action. Jumping on the old stallion. And smashing into the eggs, A slightly sticky yellow fluid gushed from the egg clutches. A large amount of the 'Nectar' entered the jar.

Capping the jar thanks to his telekinesis Breakthrough jumped back upon his hooves and ran past the Stallion staring at the spider.  Picking up  speed Breakthrough commenced one of him many to come feats of acrobatics. Jumping over the spider. The jar wrapped in telekinesis remained untouched. Landing on his hooves Breakthrough continued running. Following the trail of wool he left behind himself when he descended. Breakthrough managed to run up two flights of stairs when he heard a blood curtailing scream. That of the old man. Looking behind himself Breakthrough saw the creature that had just dismembered the old stallion. His limbs on its legs. It turned to Breakthrough producing a ticking sound.

Breakthrough not looking back ran towards the store. Breakthrough heard the Tapping of the creatures legs get louder . But as he passed corners it would delay. The creature was big, Makes sense it would need to manuver its way around to face Breakthrough. This kept it away from Breakthrough but unless he lost it the escape would be a futile effort. The air  was getting more breathable yet it still stan...GAS!. Breakthrough you're a genius…. Uhh what's your plan again?

Breakthrough turned a corner seeing the exposed floodlight cable on one of the pillars. Breakthrough Turned a few corners immediately after climbing another flight. With a few seconds to spare Breakthrough took out the spark battery from  Chain town came out of the saddlebags and the 'nectar' Went into one of the saddlebags . Breakthrough then with his telekinesis striped the spark battery of its outer metal casing to find the battery itself filled with an unstable magic liquid inside. Weakening a small part of the battery wall. Levitating the two items breakthrough ran up another level of stairs. Turning one corner then the next. Another-- Crap.

The solid bone, Blood-stained legs greeted Breakthrough. The monsters eyes meeting Breakthroughs.  It sprang into action shoving one of its hind legs into the metal walkway. Another few inches it would have impaled Breakthroughs head ending his quest early. Jumping back Breakthrough Turned around Turning two corners. Waiting for a second. And when the spider came into his view Breakthrough then ran underneath it. And ran back onto the path back towards the store. The spider trying to turn around to peruse. Breakthrough running up the flight of stairs to where the store entrance was. The gas was thicker than when he first entered.

Finally reaching the first pillar of the cave. Breakthrough  broke one of the wires and made the fault in the battery into a hole. Then shoved the loose wire in the hole. It started to fizzle and pop. The sound of death came up the stairs. The spider came up the stairs. Breakthrough ran only a few seconds and the thing would explode. Jumping up into the store Breakthrough ran through only for an explosion to rip through the store. Fire chased Breakthrough for a millisecond. Then the Pressure wave caught up.

BOOOOOOMMM

Time: Unknown Location: Unknown.

"Wake up Breakthrough" Said the pony. "Wake up". Looking up Breakthrough saw a dark blue pony with a flowing mane of black yet it had dots of white. And a cutie mark of a crescent shaped moon on a black backdrop. What is happening?

"W...Who are you?" Breakthrough foolishly asked

"I Breakthrough am luna… Princess Luna. I am disappointed in you Breakthrough. You Swore your soul the night you were captured that you would never take dash again. You failed. Right now I'm wondering what I should do with you. Should you not accept my offer to redeem yourself… You listening?"

Half an hour after the Rusty saddle explosions.

Breakthrough woke up covered in sand. Where the general store once stood was now scattered ruins and a massive sinkhole. A mess of industrial equipment and twisted metal.

A pool of blood surrounded Breakthrough. Yet there was no wounds. Only a few scratches. Getting up Breakthrough searched his saddlebags looking for the 'nectar' he had just fought to acquire. He found it in the same spot as where he put it in the caves. Looking around again breakthrough saw all the ropes at the entrance were severed. Shrapnel most likely.  Well at least the traps have gone off.

Looking down Breakthrough muttered to himself "What have you just agreed to?"

Next to what was the saloon laid a steel door with the symbol  of the ministry of arcane sciences.

Now was the time to get out of here before something else happens.

The trek to where the raiders attacked breakthrough felt like it took forever. But eventually he found the site. The location of where Breakthrough last saw the raider who took a swim was nothing but a bloodied mess of torn apart flesh and a skeleton. Several streaks of Red blood trailed off into the river. Breakthrough just wondered to himself at the moment he saw it if that raider deserved such a slow painful death?. No It was a raider that thing wasn't worthy of death.

The trek took longer that Breakthrough anticipated. Yet Breakthrough took some calm in the sound of flowing water by the river. It gave him calm after the storm.

It was nearly daybreak when Breakthrough entered the Unicorn's hut.

"Witch Doctor I have the fucking nectar. Is Bittersweet okay?"

"Bittersweet is fine, You have come in time. Now give me the nectar so I can help her. " Replied the Unicorn

Levitating the nectar out of his saddlebag Breakthrough gave the jar of the honey looking liquid to the Unicorn. Whom then threw the contents and a few roots and herbs into the massive cauldron. It started to bubble changing colours. Then FWOOSH. A small flame of balefire green shot from the cauldron.

"My Stew is now an anti-dote Brew"

Bottling some of the liquid the unicorn then took a ladle full and poured it into Bittersweets mouth.

"She will wake at daybreak"

Note added: Level Up

New Perk added: Poison tolerance. That weird voodoo potion made you slightly more resistant to poisons. You get a + 15% poison resistance and the effects of poisons are  slightly reduced. This includes a tiny amount of taint. You can still die from Poison however

Chapter 4: Great Wastes (short chapter)

Chapter 4: Great Wastes

“Because we're easy come easy go. Little high little low”

I Suddenly woke up on a sweat soaked mattress.

"You are lucky little one, Thanks to what Breakthrough has done."

I looked at Breakthrough. He looked at me slightly chewing his mane but he looked different than back in that cage. He was also munching on something, A snack cake? And he had goggles on. Curious was it some guilt or something or just an act?. A sudden pain in my brain made itself present. I felt like somepony just jabbed a knife into my brain. Damn I needed Vodka not a fucking hangover. Wait when did I last drink Vodka? In the Stable… I tried to look around and like Celestia herself was trying to mock me to my left on a bench lay a few bottles of whiskey with some residue still inside. “Uuugh where’s Breakthrough?”

"Breakthrough is here my dear, As you can see he has lost his sanity. Well Partially" I looked to where the voice was coming from. A Unicorn with some large piece of jagged metal sticking out of her head. With all sorts of tattoos and other shit you would see on a Zebra Witch doctor in the many Movies I watched in the Stable. Oh yes the cinematography room in the stable with over five hundred movies one of the only non-alcohol ways I was entertained in the stable. The Unicorn started to chant gibberish as she put something into the Cauldron and mixed it. Great two insane Unicorns. Dammit I don’t need more insanity. The Cauldron seemed to boil over a frothing liquid of many colours spewed over the Cauldron before being sucked back into the pot of brew that was the Cauldron

"If it wasn't for your friend you would be dead" Breakthrough was looking at a large cauldron in the middle of the room.

"Uhhh… Where am I?" I asked

"You are in my humble home, Its here because of this tome." The Unicorn pointed towards an old looking book. However I could easily read its title. "THE WASTELAND SURVIVAL GUIDE. By Ditzy Doo"

"Who is Ditzy Doo?" I asked foolishly

"Ditzy doo is a ghoul." said the Unicorn almost sadly

"A..A Ghoul?" I asked weakly. Hoping that the answer wouldn’t cause my stomach to wretch.

Breakthrough spoke instead of the other Unicorn. "They are ponies from before the war. Blasted by radiation. So unlucky. They didn’t die so instead they must suffer for hundreds of years, Their flesh rots yet… They still live."

"I Once met Ditzy Doo when my home was new . She gave me supplies at a dire time. This tome was her gift not some thrift."

Looking around I saw Breakthrough put something in his mouth.

"So Breakthrough what, what happened?" I asked.

"You were stung by a rad-Scorpion. I thought of leaving you behind, But then you're worth a damn" Said Breakthrough.  Seeming slightly less… Crazy. "Then I took you to this witch doctor-" The Unicorn stopped breakthrough mid sentence

"That is not my name."

"Anyway I took you here and this here… Unicorn made an antidote." Said Breakthrough looking at the Unicorn

"What now Breakthrough?" said thinking of what I should do. I know nothing of this place nothing of what is happening. And nothing of how my tale will end.

"I have no idea…. All I know is that I must follow"

I looked around. I felt like fresh air. I wanted to get out. Trying to get up I felt some pain in my hind leg. Not the one that was shot. I guess I was stung there.

"Now little one, You need a gun. To survive in the wasteland so crewel you need an effective tool."

"I don’t see why Bittersweet needs a gun. Just give her a bat" Replied Breakthrough

"Have you not seen her state? Giving her a bat would shorten her fate. Take my gun. Note it isn't a toy of fun" Said the Unicorn pointing towards a dark blue pistol with a chamber that could hold 8 bullets. "This has served me well, time for it to serve you as well. You will also need  ammunition."  The Unicorn walked over picked up the admittedly well-crafted pistol with a fleur de lis on the barrel  I was also given a few boxes of bullets . Then placed them on the bed I was on. Picking the gun it my EFS kicked in and noted me saying that I had just picked up The "Rangers Sequoia"

"Now friends I fear my end is near, I must ask you leave so I may in peace."

Breakthrough helped me up off the old most likely bug infested mattress.

"One last thing I can do for you is to give the book by Ditzy Doo" the Unicorn pointed at the wasteland survival guide. Taking it I placed it  in my saddlebag. Then walked to the door telling the Unicorn my first and final farewell.

I opened the door. Light flooded in, To an extent. Should have been brighter I may have been blinded. No more noise like the stable lights buzz or the sounds of slavers talking. Cutting meat or having sex. Just the wind. In the distance gunfire interrupted nature's silence.

"Ponies kill and die for even the most essential of things we need to live. We will find many along our path." Breakthrough muttered. He seemed less crazy than when we were back in the slaver town. Almost like it was just some mockery of a show. An act. I distrusted Breakthrough. This would be a long journey. "The trip will take two and a half days. Two days if we go through one night. We will see Los Pegasus at the end of day two."  Looking at Breakthrough I simply nodded. "The walls are at least thirty metres high and there are snipers with weaponry that earn their reputation"

I wished I knew I could fly. That would make the trip shorter. Admittedly leaving Breakthrough behind at this moment in time wasn’t a sound idea.

"I think Los Pegasus radio is still on. damn those show tunes are good."

"Breakthrough I think my Pip-Buck may pick it up. Just tell me what station?" I idiotically asked. "Oh it already picked it up" I pushed a button  on my Pip-buck. It buzzed static as it tuned in and the last part of a really swingy song played.

"Aint love a buck… In the Head?"

Then a smooth accented voice

"Howdy folks its Mr Los Pegasus here we got some news coming right up" News. Could be useful. "As of three days ago  the old world facility known as stable 34 opened up. And was then raided by the criminal Slave Collar. As of yet it is not known how many were enslaved or what their condition is." Well that failed to inform me of anything.

"In other news, The los Pegasus area is being plagued by a gang of raiders called the Rotten Apples. A gang of well armed Drug addicts whom engage with security forces have caused the death of an entire patrol. Steel Nerves. Owner of the Ravens nest casino and creator of the Los Pegasus security released a press statement on the issue. He quote: Is saddened by this latest attack of security but given the other casinos position on the security deal not enough resources can be allotted to this problem.

This news just to hand. The ghost town of Rusty saddle was the site of an explosion that caused what appears to be an underground facility to collapse in on itself. Los Pegasus? Los o Problems

"Now this is a really special song just for you!. "

The stallion's voice was replaces with a heavy double bass  tune.

Listening to the radio Breakthrough and I trotted through this dessert. Bones occasionally were found as we crossed this sand swept sea. The radio played turning minutes into hours. Only interrupted by the occasional gunfire. I guess this is what life is like now. A life of constant fighting for survival under the guise of laughing Warlords. More weapon fire. Automatic weaponry. Yet Breakthrough and I continued. The day became night. Finding wood was hard but we eventually found an old tree Blackened and withered. From who knows where. Lighting the bits of branch we cut off was hard but eventually worked.

"Bittersweet… I am really tired I haven't slept in a while. Wake me in three hours. Ill watch over you after. You still are weak but you can survive three hours." I opened my mouth to object but closed when I saw him just collapse on the ground from exhaustion.

I looked up upon the sky. The endless sky cover obscured the night sky I was sold in the stable.

Eventually after three hours I woke Breakthrough and he took his shift. My sleep however was far from pleasant. It was one of the few times I actually dreamt. I was just thinking what vile things Queen Bee was going through. It was a nightmare. Was she being molested? Somepony cutting off her ears or cutting her tongue out? I couldn't escape. "ttersweet" I couldn’t escape "Bittersweet" I couldn’t celestia help me "BITTERSWEET" I woke. Breakthrough night next to me. "Thank luna I thought you were in some weird coma"

"What?" I replied.

"You know, A coma it isnt that unlikely you weren't waking up… Anywho I got some old cereal and opened a Sparkle Cola for you." Those words were welcoming. And at that same second my stomach rumbled.

"Thanks Breakthrough" I replied. Reaching over for the cereal and the sparkle cola.

"Bittersweet. I must ask… Can you fly?" I immediately sighed.

"No… I've never needed them. I have Weak Wings" I sighed again "I'm also afraid of… Heights"  Breakthrough's ears shooting up.

"Well… That’s interesting" I munched on the cereal. Then took a sip of the sparkle.

I ate for about ten minutes without speaking another word. The Sparkle Cola washing the cereal down. Admittedly the cereal was stale and the cola was flat. But I cant complain. After Breakfast we continued to wander through the dessert.  Up and down sand dunes. The radio the only other companion we had. After another two hours I entered into my Pip-Buck's inventory management system trying to find something that would calm me. Although I didn’t look like it my nightmare was just taking a toll.

"Sparkle no, Rangers Sequoia  no, Baked beans no, Aha, Vodka." The inventory management system somehow ( Hey I said I don’t understand these magical matrix jargon) Made my vodka appear at the top of all my stuff in my saddlebags. Taking it out I let the liquid touch my lips. Ohh Vodka I don’t want to leave you again.

A part of me thought that I shouldn't indulge in such…. Uhhh… Sinful pleasures. Looking at Breakthrough I saw a canister of some red gas inside an inhaler. Taking a deep breath in the gas was gone. I simply shrugged and took another swig, Ohh damn I missed that feel of hard alcohol as my wings extended. And another Damn I missed you . Anot- No more?. I dropped the bottle. My migraine left me

It was about three PM when we came across it.

Breakthrough whom was in front of me ran up the next sand dune. And stopped. Dead still. Walking up beside him I saw what it was. A massive field of Bones, Tattered tents all along a river. The bones weren’t recent. They were bleached white. No Pony was here. An undisturbed Graveyard. Breakthrough spoke up.

"We need to walk through this graveyard of old"  This disturbed me. Yet only Breakthrough knew where we were going.

We walked through this undisturbed graveyard. I noticed there was no weaponry.  Like Everypony just died. The place made me vomit on more than one occasion. The damned taste of bile stayed on my tongue.

"Uhh Breakthrough. Do you know what happened" I eventually asked near the edge of this massive graveyard.

"Parasites in the water." Breakthrough replied. He then added "Worms that enter the victim through the mouth, ears, nostrils… Anus. From there they feed on the victim and multiply like mad, Size matters. Large ones that can only enter through the mouth or anus generally multiply faster, Takes a hour or so to multiply enough to cause the victim literally explode as they all bore out of every point in the body, Bringing the flesh with them. Smaller ones that you cant see take a few days to kill. You NEVER drink out of these rivers or water holes around Los Pegasus all of them have these little buggers in them"

I puked again. What was left of my Breakfast was regurgitated.

When we finally got out we kept going. Not looking back.

We continued to walk. As day became night we kept walking. We needed to get to los Pegasus. Eventually on the horizon we saw a bright haze in the sky. Then the top of a building. It was in the distance but that was what Breakthrough claimed. I just imagined. Some kind of civilization in this sea of Anarchy and Barbarianism. Yet it was poisoned apple. The profits gained were mainly by casinos the Rich become richer while the poor are lead into crime too pay off debts.

As we came closer I could make out a large wall around Los Pegasus. It got larger as we came closer. I could make out spotlights constantly waving. We found many waterholes. Many long dead skeletons. Many long dead victims.

As we approached we found many destroyed houses. Made long before Balefire apocalypse.  Breakthrough advised that we then stick to the main road into Los Pegasus just in case stationed snipers thought we were raiders or other undesirables.

We got closer and I saw to my surprise  there were two walls. The first was  about 10 Ponies tall the second about 30 or 40. Ponies tall.  With equally spaced sniper towers. Covering all major angles of approach. We waked closer. It was about ten PM, We made it in good time. Right up to the gates, reinforced with metal signs and concrete.

We were here… Civilization at last. Standing at the gates of outer Los Pegasus I wondered what we would find… The gates opened

Note added: Level Up

New Perk added: Rare one, You are from a stable, That’s rare. You’re a Pegasus from a stable… Even more rare. As your reputation with different factions grows the percentage of having friendly random encounters increases with that faction and vica versa. So if a faction hates you with a passion you will see a hell of a lot more than before.

Chapter 5: Vengeance of a Sniper

Chapter 5: Revenge of a sniper.

“Steve walks Warily down the street, with the brim pulled way down low Ain’t no sound but the sound of his feet machine guns ready to go.”

Los Pegasus, Outer Los Pegasus… A stinking slum, Great. I guessed this was where those whom lost it all now lived. The second taller wall to Los Pegasus proper was only a hundred metres or so away. There were so many alleyways and side streets it would be easy to accommodate thousands. The best way to describe that place? A massive shithole.

A filly knife in mouth ran past. Chasing a rat, Breakthrough got out his bat. The sight of it made my cringe. As the rat ran past he smashed it on the head. The sheer force caused the skull to crumple and the eyes to shoot out.

"Thanks Mister" came from the fillies mouth as the filly kneeled over the rat and began to eat. That made me cringe again.

"We should find a place for the night" Breakthrough whispered. We don’t want to be mugged in our sleep don't we?" I simply nodded.

Walking around the hardly lit streets was a less plesant experience and I was eager to find safe harbour from the dozens of ponies looking greedily upon my flanks we eventually found a crier.

"COME TO THE NEIGHTROPOLITAN BAR AND CASINO THE FOOD IS HOT THE TABLES ARE FRIENDLY AND THE MARES ARE LIKE THE FOOD"

Sounded interesting. We walked up to the crier. Breakthrough spoke first.

"How much a night?"

"Ten caps a head"  So my guess earlier in the slave camp was right. Bottle caps were a currency is the ghost of the once mighty equestria.

"Where?" Replied Breakthrough

"Down that street third on your left, It has the sign you cant miss it" Looking down the street the crier was talking about I saw the sign. "Neightropolitan Casino and Bar. Foods hot, Tables friendly and the Mares are like the food!" Oh so the crier was just rehearsing the motto.

"Come on Bittersweet, Guess this is where we sleep tonight." Ugh the place looked run down. Most of the windows were boarded up, The paint couldn’t get any worse than its current state. But I had to just take it like it is. Great

When we approached the door the guard simply looked up then opened the door, a small cloud of smoke came out. With… Smooth jazz in the background. And the sounds of an orgasms from more than two mares.

"Welcome in" said the guard in full combat armour.

As I walked in the thing that caught my attention first was a mare clad in quite… Sexy looking barding, massaging her… NO! now wasn’t the time. The second thing was  sitting on a barstool next to a table a dark blue maneless pony with a purple goatee in similar combat armour as the guard outside . But he was equipped with an expertly maintained hunting rifle plus a powerful looking scope. He looked up from his Vodka? No… Wine!.  He turned his head and shouted

"OI BOSS. BARMAT WE GOT CUSTOMERS" For a bald pony he sounded young. Another voice came back from behind the Bar door

"YOU FUCKING TAKE CARE OF IT!"

"BUT IM ON MY BREAK"

"DO I SOUND LIKE I GIVE A SHIT?"

Looking down at his wine the Blue pony took a deep Breath in, Got off his bar stool and came over to Me and Breakthrough.

"Hello and welcome to the Neightropolitan bar and casino. The win limit is six rounds of black jack and four games of Poker." He leaned close "Look ill cut out all the bullcrap, You're from Stable 34 and you escaped Slave Collar, Right?" Thank you Sargent No Shit. "Look you'll stick out like a sore hoof. And that’s something that isnt something you want especially since Slave Collar doesn't let go of his Slaves easy. And well I never met a Pegasus. That just means your in for trouble. You’re too easy to recognise. Given how my… Position on slavery is ill take you to the general store. Nick's and Nack's. They’ll set you two up and then ill escort you back here for the night. " The pony stopped for a second. "Not like I don’t mean you two cant handle yourselves"

"OI PINPOINT WHO IS IT?" Yelled the voice from behind the counter door well over the mares orgasms.

"Just wait a sec, ITS AN ESCAPEE FROM THAT STABLE. I WAS GOING TO SET THEM UP WITH NICK AND NACK THEN ILL RETURN"

"THINK THIS AS A EXTENDED BREAK, IT WILL COME OUT OF YOUR PAY"

"YEAH ILL LET THEM GO WHEN I COME BACK" This 'Pinpoint' Yelled back.

"Hello Pinpoint is it?" I asked "Im Bittersweet and this is Breakthrough"

This Pinpoint stallion replied in a softer tone. "Pleasure, Look my boss has no opinion on slavers although I am bound by a contract not to put in my two bits... Anyway Ill show you to Nick and Nacks bring you back then set you up with somepony who can give you lot some… Information"

"Sure, Whatever you can do" I replied.

Pinpoint opened the door and opened it, Softly smiling at the guard stationed outside. Breakthrough and I followed back into the cold night air.

As Breakthrough and I followed Pinpoint we saw more of the poor and barbaric. Looking up towards the higher second wall I could see a sniper training his sights on me. Before moving his rifle away. Then two loud cracks as I saw the sniper whom had just been following my movements fired his rifle out beyond the walls. Another shot just a second later. I turned my head to look back at Pinpoint

BLAM

The first thing I saw was a scruffy pony's head exploding like… Like somepony had just fallen head first from a thousand mile drop. Gore covered my face. I puked while trying to wipe from my eyes, When I finally wiped the gore of my face I saw Breakthrough brutalizing a dead body and Pinpoint looting another. I puked again.

"Come on Bittersweet, We cant get to Nick and Nacks if you just keep puking here." Pinpoint informed me

"Sure, I I I. Im okay" I said looking down

"Look Bittersweet, Take one of these" Breakthrough held a pill in front of me. "It will help you with a bit of your… Gore problem". I took the pill. Nope nothing meh

We continued to walk the broken asphalt for another few minutes.

BLAM

Another poor mare's head exploded and fell to the ground on the account of Pinpoints smoking gun. Yet my gag reflex remained calm. I just watched horrified.

We continued walking without incident until we were outside "Nick and Nacks"  And as we entered I saw what I expected, Shit everywhere, Terminal casings, empty bottles, and other assorted junk.

"Welcome to Nick and Nacks, I'm Nick and yeah what do you want?" Said a orange Unicorn behind a counter. "Oh Pinpoint, What do you want?" He said acknowledging Pinpoint.

"Armour for this Stable pony and… a few boxes of my ammo" Pinpoint replied

"Right, 130" Said Pinpoint as a bag full of something hit the counter, I was then taken behind a dressing screen as the Unicorn floated some leather Barding, Metal plates and some string behind it with me. In the distance as he was reinforcing the Barding I heard continuous automatic fire for about three minutes. May be some battle outside, None of my concern. It took another three minutes before my Barding was done, A perfect fit with extra armour around the neck and at the kneecaps along with a thick breastplate.

“Nick, Thanks. Its time for us to return to the Bar. Ill set you up with my contact in the morning" Pinpoint said as he opened the door. The cool night air filled the room.

"Thanks for the business and Good Luck" Nick said as I followed Pinpoint. With Breakthrough following suit. Then I smelt something. Smoke?. We continued to walk back to the bar. The smell got stronger and the stronger  Pinpoint started galloping faster towards the bar until we were in a full gallop. I looked up and saw a ploom of smoke rising from where the bar was. We got to the corner where the crier was. The crier was lying on the ground blood pooling underneath her head. Pinpoint ran around the corner. Breakthrough and I turned the corner and saw him simply watching the Bar in flames as three ponies in sharp suits with fedoras and menacing looking sub machineguns. I looked at Pinpoint his eyes wide as ash trays.

"You. Bastards… You Bastards…" He looked at me tears forming at the bottom of his eye lids

"HEY YOU! YOU'RE THE OTHER GUARD. KILL HIM" Said one of the sharp suited ponies.

Breakthrough shoved both Me and Pinpoint behind a wagon as a hail of bullets tore through his hind quarters as he pushed us. I immediately took out the Rangers Sequoia. Breakthrough took out some small bag of powder from his saddlebag. He scattered the contents all over his wound.

Pinpoint looked around the corner of the cart and fired his rifle, One of the Sub Machine guns fell silent. Yet that was not enough to stem the flow of hot lead flying towards our not so reliable cover. How was it not so reliable? Because of the bullets that flew through our cover like it was butter. Pinpoint turned around the corner again A hail of bullets greeted him. At that moment I moved out of cover and entered S.A.T.S. Time froze as it calculated the likelihood of hitting the closest assailent. Aiming at the head I pulled the trigger, The knockback sent my head flying yet I somehow was able to see the pony's head explode in a shower of gore.  My gun jammed and so I dived back into cover. I looked at Breakthrough as he tore the stalk from a metal apple and threw it towards our final assailant. A few seconds later the apple exploded and with a scream the last Sub Machine gun fell silent.

"Well that was quick" said Breakthrough

I looked at Pinpoint. Tears flowing down his face. Breakthrough and I fell silent.

"All I owned apart from my rifle and my armour is… Gone. Burned in the fires of whatever the fucking motive for this. All whom I cared for are dead. Anvil, Barmat, Poker chip. All gone." I placed my hoof on Pinpoints back hoping to convey sympathy. "Look, I know somepony who can help you. Shady guy who owes me a debt. He… Knows stuff he shouldn’t. If anypony can help you find your fellow Stable Ponies he will. I was going to set you two up with him tomorrow but. What’s the point not doing it now?"

HALF AN HOUR LATER

We trotted down an alleyway filled with old dumpsters and rat skeletons. Breakthrough was levitating his bat ready for an ambush. Pinpoint suddenly turned to face a metal door.

"We're here" He knocked on the door six times in a pattern. An eye slit opened and two eyes peered out.

"Who is it?" came from the door in a hush tone.

"It’s Pinpoint. Its time for that favour". The eye slit closed and the sound of a dozen bolts retracting came just before the door

opened. And a pony covered completely in black leather and a hood that hid all but his eyes and muzzle.

"Pinpoint, What services do you require?" Said this pony making sure to remain in a hush tone.

"This Pegasus here lived in that Stable Slave Collar just captured. She wants to where the enslaved Stable ponies are." Pinpoint replied.

The pony muttered to himself for a few minutes before finally speaking. "The Resources required to make such a request happen is beyond my level of debt I owe you. For this favour anyway. I can make it happen. It however will require some action on your half: The casinos feud for more profits. There is a Brewery not far from here. Destroy it. Fret not it is only in partial sniper cover, Fight or sneak your way into the main office and the basement where the fermentation vats are located and place these explosive devices." A saddlebag fill of explosives floated out of the door by a third party.

"These passes will allow you three to enter the casino district once. When the Brewery is destroyed enter the casino district and make your way to the Ravens Nest casino. Ask for a drink at ten thirty in the morning, Balefire cocktail on ice. You will be given the drink  plus a note of where the slaves may be and where to attack the slavers." With that three pieces of paper floated out of the building with the words DAY PASS in big friendly letters. Taking the saddlebag and the day passes Pinpoint loaded his rifle. With a satisfying crunch as the clip was locked into place.

Looking back at the door I was met with it locked. "Lets go" Said Pinpoint. At that moment I encountered a moral problem. I was going to kill my fellow pony for this one stallion. But then it would mean saving all I cared for.

Half an hour passed

I looked at my Pip-Buck 1:59AM…2:00 AM

"Pinpoint are you ready?" I said inside the opposite building to the Brewery

"Ready  as I'll ever be"

Pinpoint's rifle fired killing the first sentry. Before the second could react Breakthrough and I charged to the entrance as Pinpoint gave us covering fire from the opposite building. The second sentry fell to the ground but managed to get two shots off in the direction of Me and Breakthrough. Well there goes the option to sneak in as Immediately shouts inside the building of the alerted guards waking their comrades up from their slumber. Pinpoint claimed he saw about fifteen guards through his scope mere minutes ago.

It seemed like several minutes had passed during our five second run across the street. I was first to reach the door. Only a second later Breakthrough jumped into the door breaking the lock and allowing us to make our attack. We found ourselves in a storage area. Above us a spider web of catwalks loomed. On all sides of this area of the building were massive glass panes. The two that Pinpoint was facing shattered raining glass down upon a poor guard. The force of the glass falling in large chunks ontop of the guards head making him to stumble around dazed.  Not waiting for a second Breakthrough charged up to the stunned guard and caved his skull in with his titanium bat.

PINGK.

"THEY'RE IN HERE" a voice yelled just as six guards charged into the room via the catwalks with mean looking Shotguns and Sub Machine Guns. Not the first time tonight Breakthrough and I had to take cover this time behind massive steel shipping containers. But this time our cover kept the spray of lead from our flesh. I thanked Celestia there were no catwalks directly above us.

A crack could only just be herd over the roar of automatic weapon fire. A body fell to the ground. I turned to face one of the guards and entered S.A.T.S. Whispering to myself "Im so sorry" I fired at another guard. Hitting him in the front left leg. That pill Pinpoint gave me didn’t make me Puke but I still felt absolute guilt for killing these ponies. Another crack and another pony fell to the ground. I entered S.A.T.S again taking another shot square between the eyes of the previously wounded pony. By this time the guards had realised we had sniper support and ran out of the loading bay. Out of Pinpoints reach. Another crack and another pony bit the dust. Breakthrough and I waited for a minute waiting for Pinpoint to get into the brewery. Pinpoint came through the same entrance as Me and Breakthrough.

"Shall we continue?" He said.  Breakthrough and I nodded in agreement.

"Through there" Breakthrough said pointing towards a double door. I shrugged. Pinpoint gave a small nod. We walked towards the door when it opened and two guards with shotguns pointed their weapons at us. A few seconds passed as they yelled at us  as something produced a clink. A moment later an explosion ripped through their backsides.  They fell with short screams of agony as large chunks of flesh flew off in almost every direction. I looked at Breakthrough as a piece of metal that looked like a apple stalk hit the ground. Pinpoint looked saddened while I was simply horrified by the almost tribal like death of my fellow pony.

We were now in a tight corridor. The guards however had the advantage of knowing how this place was lain out. We turned another corner. Nopony. Just as we were going to turn the next a guard ran strait into Breakthrough whom promptly returned the favour by introducing the guards head to fast moving Titanium.

Turning the corner we saw two stairs: One leading up the other down. We chose to go up. Running up the staircase we found the main office. Quickly getting to work Breakthrough was trusted with actually setting the explosives. Attaching the bundles here and there.

"GET PSYCO OUT AND GIVE HIM STAMPEEDE" came from where I assumed the basement was located. Whatever Psyco was we knew he wouldn’t be offering a picnic.

"Lets move" said Breakthrough a he laid down the fifth bundle of explosives.

Cautiously Pinpoint took point as we walked down the stairs. When suddenly a massive pony with seemingly more muscle than actual skin with mane blood-stained while frothing at the mouth charged at Pinpoint. Charging him into a wall and started beating him and tearing massive gashes in his flesh. I slipped into S.A.T.S again. Only enough energy spell matrix thingy for one more shot. This time I took no hesitation to shoot. He was so hyped up on whatever drugs the guards had just administered he wasn’t worth mercy. The hammer in the firing mechanism of the Rangers Sequoia hit the firing cap of the bullet and it fired. The bullet burrowing through the skull and into this maniac's brain. I got out our last healing potion and gave it to Pinpoint as the beast fell to the ground.

"Many thanks Bittersweet. Only a few more left. I think we need to attach the rest of the explosives to the main brewing vat then we should get the fuck out of dodge." The tears in Pinpoints flesh through witch you could see to the bone slowly closed. As Pinpoint got up so did the drug hyped pony the wound in its head only seeming to infuriate it more. And so It charged Me and Pinpoint smashing us against the wall. My gun fell to the floor and fired in the direction of the pony’s gentles not like he would have any with all those Steroids.

BLAM

The mouth foaming pony screamed with pain and moved back a few steps. Just enough for Breakthrough to introduce the pony to a high speed bat to the face. At that time I had a thought: What was more frightening? Breakthroughs brutality or the conditions that… Animal went through?

“I hope you two still got some fight in you because if you two die then who can I start a jailhouse rock band with?” Pinpoint just facehooved. “Well coming?”

Getting up we continued to run down the stairs. Another massive hail of bullets met us as we reached the basement. I had no more charge in S.A.T.S and there was no way Pinpoint or I would survive an attempt to take a shot. Hiding behind a defunct Sparkle-Cola vending machine Breakthrough set all the charges to arm and mouthed 'run' to me and Pinpoint. I didn’t question as Pinpoint and I ran up the stairs. Turning the corner I saw Breakthrough throw the bag and running behind us. The detonator for the explosives wrapped in the soft glow of Breakthroughs telekinesis was set to detonate the explosives as we ran out of the loading bay.

Click. The detonator was activated. At first I thought something was wrong. Then the earth shattering explosion came as the alcohol exploded with the explosives consuming the brewery in a massive fireball. Rushing back inside the opposite building where we began our assault Pinpoint and I crashed on the quite dirty Mattresses we found inside .

Location: Unknown Time: 2:07

The screen displayed the last security footage from inside the brewery right up to the explosion. Leaning back the stallion with a greying mane simply smiled. "Looks like I have found my new plaything " He said in his pompous voice as he weakly levitated an inhaler of Dash up to his mouth. He took a Breath the red gas flowing into his lungs. "NOW PLAY" He yelled towards an orchestra with an excess of baritone saxophones. The conductor in a sharp Pre-War Suit and Bowtie yelled a number and made a cross motion in the air. The orchestra started playing one of the mysterious ponies own musical works he lovingly called Mars, The bringer of war. It started with the double base ,cello, Oboes, The bassoon and timpani’s with the Violins faintly playing. Then the Trombones. Then the strings and the first trumpets "inform Slave Collar the second stage begins". Slowly slouching back into his chair as THEN the whole orchestra began playing at full forte. the greying pony closed his eyes waving his hoof to the flow of the piece. The plan began.

Note added: Level up

New perk added: Awareness: While in S.A.T.S you can see what your opponents HP, DT, And ammo count.