Luna whirled around to see rotting fleshed ghoul wearing a dark leather outfit and carrying a laser rifle on its back walking towards them. The mare acted without thinking and brought Daybreaker swinging sideways at the zombie. To her considerable surprise, the zombie dodged, rolling to the side and coming up with its rifle pointing it at Luna’s head.

“Get control of your pet before I roast it’s fucking brain, tourist,” the zombie growled to Sarah. In response, Sarah slapped the side of Luna’s neck with her palm. Luna’s eyes widened and she turned to Sarah in surprise.

She has turned on us in favor of one of the undead! Nightmare’s voice filled her mind. We warned you this would happen!

“Sarah, what is the meaning of this?” Luna growled. “How can you be siding with this undead abomination over us?”

“Because,” Sarah began, looking straight into Luna’s vivid eyes. “Not all ghouls are like the ones we saw down in the tunnels,” she continued and then nodded to the ghoul. “That one is intelligent.”

Luna scoffed. “The undead are not creatures who have real intelligence, especially not the common zombie. Whatever intelligence they once possessed quickly burns away after they turn!” she exclaimed. “We should end its miserable life now, its spirit would be thankful!”

“Excuse me,” the ghoul said from off to the side, her face a mask of annoyance.

“Speak not in our tongue, zombie!” Luna shouted, turning back to the ghoul, raising Daybreaker again, preparing for another slash.

“I’m not a zombie you smooth-skinned blue furred idiot!” the ghoul shouted at her. “If I was going to go feral any time soon then I would have done it already! Now put down your sword before I melt your face!”

A low growl rumbled out of Luna’s throat and she was about to bring Daybreaker down at the ghoul when Sarah slapped her neck again. The mare turned back to face Sarah, anger in her eyes.

“Stop interfering Sarah, this zombie is lying to us in an attempt to escape its demise!” Luna snarled.

“No it’s not!” Sarah retorted angrily. “It’s not a zombie, it’s a ghoul, I told you this earlier!”

“You told us that they are creatures being animated by the ‘radiation’ and like to eat hapless travelers, nothing more!” Luna replied, her eyes narrowing dangerously at Sarah.

“Yes, that’s true, but that doesn’t mean that they’re all flesh-hungry cannibals!” Sarah exclaimed.

“How can they not be? They’re zombies!” Luna growled. “Their one purpose is to kill the living and do the bidding of their infernal masters!”

“Ghoul, not zombie,” Sarah told her, grinding her teeth together. “They have just as much of a right to live as we do dammit!”

“HOW CAN YOU BE SO BLIND?” Luna roared.

“LOOK IN A FUCKING MIRROR!” Sarah roared back.

The two glared at each other angrily, neither looking away. Sarah found herself looking into a pair of eyes that were far more catlike and predatory then she was expecting... they were the same eyes as the Luna who had entered her dream had possessed. Regardless, she held the stare.

Luna’s heart was beating rapidly, her face beginning to flush with heat as she stared into Sarah’s intense blue eyes. The alicorn was suddenly reminded of her dream, and she was forced to look away else her mind would take her further to that dream.

Focus on the now, Nightmare’s voice suddenly snapped. There is an undead creature standing a scant few feet from us and it most likely using this time to plan on how to separate and eat u-

“Are you two done yet?” the ghoul’s voice suddenly asked, interrupting Nightmare’s warning. Luna turned to regard the ghoul, her eyes narrowing. “Because I have more important things to do then listen to two smooth skins argue.”

“Sarah...” Luna said softly, looking back at the woman.

“Trust me, Luna,” Sarah replied with a sigh before she turned to the ghoul. “Yes, we’re done. Sorry, my friend is a bit... jumpy when it comes to ghouls.”

“Yeah, I can see that,” the ghoul replied, giving Luna a glare. “What the hell is she anyways? She reminds me of a horse, but those all died when the bombs fell.”

“She’s an alicorn,” Sarah replied. “And please, don’t ask how I met her, it’s a long story.”

The ghoul shrugged. “Alicorn huh? Like out of Grognak?”

There is that name again, Nightmare pointed out. It needs investigation when we have the time.

“Yeah, like that,” Sarah agreed with a nod.

“My name is Luna,” the mare added, speaking up. “I... apologize for my... rudeness.”

To her considerable surprise, the ghoul shrugged. “Meh, you’re not the first tourist to stumble across me and try and kill me... though you are the first one to use a levitating sword.” She shrugged again. “The name’s Willow by the way.”

“Sarah,” Sarah replied as she let out a long breath, it looked like she wasn’t going to need to worry about Luna attacking the ghoul any longer. “So, what are you doing out here Willow?”

“I’m the sentry for Underworld, city of ghouls,” Willow replied.

“Did you say City of Ghouls?” Luna inquired with a raised eyebrow.

“Sure did. Underworld. It’s right inside the Museum of History, through the skull,” she answered with a slight shrug. ”We’re not all crazy about smooth skins like you two walking around, but we’ll feed, trade, and repair stuff for ya if you’ve got the caps. So long as you’re not a ghoul hater,” she finished, sending a glare at Luna.

Luna suddenly felt... ashamed of herself. “I really am sorry... where I come from there is no such thing as a good zombie...”

“Yeah, and I’m a ghoul so stop calling me a zombie,” Willow replied before shaking her head and turning back to Sarah. “So what are you two tourists looking for anyways?”

“Well, we’re not tourists.” Sarah said

“Come on, here you are in the Mall of our nation’s fine capital, taking in the sights, Visiting the monuments,” Willow said with a slight roll of her eyes. “Face it. You’re a tourist.”

“Alright... so we’re a couple of tourists,” Sarah chuckled a little.

“Yeah, and tourists don’t come to the Mall for no reason, so what are you here looking for?” Willow asked.

“The Museum of Technology, we’re on a mission from Three Dog to repair his dish,” Sarah answered. Willow let out a whistle through her decaying lips.

“Wow, good luck, that place is crawling with the muties,” she said. “And to get there you’ve got to cross the trenches,” she added, pointing out at the warzone where Sarah could dimly see the large figures of the super mutants walking around in the light provided by the setting sun.

“Well... that’s... great,” Sarah groaned.

“Do not despair Sarah,” Luna said with a small frown as she looked out over the trenches. “Night is falling.”

“And?”

“And the night belongs to me,” Luna replied, giving the woman a strange smile.

“You... ever wonder why we’re here?” a supermutant armed with a minigun asked, looking at his companion with a frown as they stood alone atop their section of the trenches.

“Umm... to eat humans and turn them into us?” the second similarly armed mutant replied, confusion splitting his brow.

The first super mutant’s frown thickened. “Well duh... I meant beyond that.”

“What’s beyond that?” the second asked.

“Well... there must be more to life than just eating, fighting, and turning,” the first mutant replied. “I mean... entire Wasteland wide open for us.”

His companion gave him a confused look. “What that mean?”

“I... I don’t know... just a weird thought,” the first mutant replied with a sigh. “I... me... just thought that there more to life.”

The second mutant looked at his companion and frowned. “Have you been trying to read those STUPID book thingies again?”

The first mutant shook his head. “NO books STUPID! I was just thinking.”

“Don’t! Thinking is dangerous!” the second mutant replied.

“Yeah, you probably rig-” the first mutant was interrupted in mid sentence as a large silver blade stabbed through his back in a spray of blood.

The second mutant was about to let out an enraged roar when there was a painful CRACK as something slammed into his back. He tumbled forward and Sarah brought the butt of her rifle down on his head. The mutant struggled on so she bashed its head again and again until the skull split and the mutant lay dead.

“Well done,” Luna commented from where she was standing over the first mutant, grabbing up its ammunition while Sarah did the same. The woman flashed her a fierce smile.

“Feels good to be doing this to them instead of the other way around,” Sarah replied. Then she looked over the two miniguns. “Hey Luna... these are probably worth a lot... I hate to just leave them out here for the next batch of muties.”

Luna frowned and looked down at the miniguns. “True...”

Oh no, we are not a beast of burden! Nightmare exclaimed angrily in her head.

I am not suggesting that we become one... but Sarah does make a valid point, Luna pointed out.

“I mean, I don’t want to use you like a pack mule or anything... but I’m not sure if I can carry another thirty pounds... especially if they’re that bulky,” Sarah added with a frown. Then she smiled. “I’ve got it,” she said as she reached out for the miniguns and before Luna had truly grasped what she was doing, both miniguns were reduced to several much smaller piles of metal which Sarah then scooped into her ever expanding duffle bag.

Luna smiled. “That is a good solution my friend,” she said.

“Thanks,” Sarah replied, slinging the bag over her shoulder and standing back up. Unfortunately the weight was too much and she would have toppled over if not for Luna moving to catch her across her back. “Whoops...” Sarah said with a blush. “Guess it’s still too heavy for me.”

Luna was blushing a little as well, for a slightly different reason. “Don’t worry about it Sarah,” she said as her magic reached out and grabbed onto the duffle bag, removing it from the woman’s shoulder and attaching it to one of the hooks she’d added to the armor on her back. The bag rested heavily on her back, but Luna had long grown used to the weight of armor, so another few pounds was not entirely noticeable.

Sarah let out a relieved breath as she straightened up. “You didn’t have to do that Luna,” she said, though she was clearly happy that she had.

“Nonsense,” Luna replied. “You were obviously straining yourself and there was no need for you to.”

“Well... thanks,” Sarah said with a smile. “Now we should keep moving before the next round of idiots gets here,” she added.

Luna noded in agreement and the two set off at a crouch. As they moved Sarah looked over at Luna who was stealthing her way forward with surprising smoothness. The last time she’d seen the mare try and sneak it had been in the Super Duper Mart... and it had been for the most part unsuccessful thanks to her hooves. Out in the open like this, Luna was truly a master of stealth.

Her pale blue coat had taken on a darker appearance and made her hard to distinguish from the air in front of her and she moved in smooth graceful strides that ate up ground at an incredible rate. Sarah found herself unconsciously tracking the mare’s steps, doing her best to put her feet down where the mare had.

They made quick progress and arrived at the entrance to the Museum of Technology. Luna eyed the building for a moment. The large stone faces stared down at them uncaringly and despite the wear and tear of it, the building still looked very sturdy.

Well I must say, these humans are good at making buildings stand for centuries of disuse, Nightmare commented. It is rare to see an Equestrian ruin in such good conditions after two hundred years.

Though that could be blamed upon Discord, Luna commented. He did enjoy breaking things when he threw a ‘tantrum’.

True enough, Nightmare replied.

“So, are we here to stand around staring at this place all day?” Sarah asked from beside her, making Luna look over at her, a small embarrassed smile on her face.

“Sorry... I was just thinking,” Luna said.

“Oh, alright,” Sarah said while giving the mare a slightly raised eyebrow. “Let’s get going okay? I want to get this done quick.”

Luna nodded and pushed the doors open.

“THIS IS SO YOUR FAULT!” Sarah shouted to Luna as they crouched behind the pillar.

“My fault? You were the one who blew our cover!” Luna retorted angrily from where she was crouched behind the opposite pillar. Bullets flew at them in a continuous stream from the upper balcony in front of them and from behind the desk.

“I just wanted to get a layout of the room!” Sarah shot back. “How was I supposed to know that there would be ten of them out there?”

“You should have let the one of us with stealth experience do it!” Luna replied, looking out from behind the pillar and firing a blast of crimson laser at one of the mutants. It missed completely and the alicorn withdrew back to cover with a muffled curse.

Aim better! Nightmare scolded her.

I would like to see you try! Luna growled back.

“You would have done just as badly Ms. Noisy McCloppyhooves!” Sarah shouted back dismissively as the bullets drilled into the pillar. The woman leaned out and locked her sniper rifle on one of the mutant’s heads, firing. The bullet streaked out of the gun and... missed. “Shit,” the woman grunted.

Apparently, one of the mutants got bored shooting at the pillar, and charged towards Sarah. As he reached her he made a punch for her head. Sarah ducked away and responded by giving him a solid punch to the chest, resulting in bruised knuckles. Luckily, he punch was enough to make the mutant stagger backwards and gave Sarah time to draw her 10mm and fire three shots into its face; dropping the bastard and partially destroying its head in the process.

Sarah rubbed her bruised knuckles with a painful wince as the ache spread through her hand. Note to self... find some brass knuckles, she mentally muttered to herself as she went back to hugging the pillar.

Meanwhile Luna took the time to look out of cover again, and sent two blasts of crimson laser at one of the mutants taking cover behind the desk. Much to her elation, the mare’s lasers flew true and the mutant fell to the floor with a scream, two holes in its chest.

Better! Nightmare encouraged her. Now just do that a few more times!

Thank you for those wise words Luna snarked.

We do not know how to properly advise you in the process of using this device, take our praise and be grateful for it, Nightmare replied dryly. Now be careful, the one on the right is getting clever.

Luna frowned and saw the super mutant farthest to the right was trying to get into a better position to shoot her. In response the mare pointed her laser rifle at him and magically pulled the trigger down as many times as she could, expecting a matching number of beams to shoot out. She turned out to be mistaken. Instead of beams of hot death, the rifle did nothing. Luna frowned.

“Work you piece of metal!” she exclaimed.

“Reload! You’ve got to reload Luna!” Sarah shouted over to her above the ongoing roar before she leaned out of cover and fired a round at one of the mutants in the balcony, the bullet slamming through his forehead, dropping him to the floor in a pile of limbs.

Luna frowned, and ejected the spent microfusion cell, throwing it away, and replaced it with a new one. She brought it up to fire on the mutant just in time to stop him from pulling down the trigger, and the fiery beam of death lanced out, glossing over his face. The mutant fell back screaming in pain as his facial features melted.

“Thank you,” she shouted to Sarah. See, she is once more keeping us safe, Luna mentally added to Nightmare.

I still say she will betray us given the proper chance, Nightmare replied.

Meanwhile Sarah crouched down and took another look out of cover, the mutant’s numbers were beginning to thin. There were only four or so left alive, all of whom were on the balcony above them. The woman pulled her head back behind cover in time to avoid a cluster of bullets and frowned.

“Luna,” she shouted.

“Yes?” Luna shouted back.

“We’re going to rush for that door behind the desk!” Sarah shouted.

“Understood!” Luna replied as she eyed the open doorway.

“In 3. 2. 1. now!” Sarah yelled, rolling out from behind the pillar and coming up in at a run as she sprinted for the doorway. Luna mirrored her without the roll and the two burst for the doorway, gunfire clattering off of the floor behind them with a loud ratatatatatat.

They reached the doorless doorway at a sprint and stumbled as they reached their destination. Sarah leaned against the doorframe, her breath coming out in swift intakes and outakes, her heart racing.

Once she calmed herself she turned to Luna and began, “Okay we’re safe from here I don’t think they can get to us from in her-”

The door to her left burst open and a super mutant with an assault rifle charged out, roaring.

“PUNY HUMANS!” he shouted at the top of his lungs, pulling down the trigger. The weapon jerked in his hand, but no bullet shot out. The mutant looked down at the gun in his hands, a confused and almost childlike expression on his face, as if to say ‘why gun no shoot?’. Sarah responded by calmly shooting him in the face with her 10mm.

“Okay, now they can’t get us,” Sarah said with a small pant.

Luna let out a small chuckle. “Well that’s good...” she looked around, there were only three doorways that branched off from the one they’d taken, two of which led to bathroom. “So... I take it we’re taking that one?” she asked, nodding towards the last door.

“Yep,” Sarah replied, nodding and leading the way towards it.

Sarah opened the door, expecting another mutant to charge at her from behind it, luckily, none did. Instead, she was rewarded by a set of stairs. “Between the sprinting, crouching, and climbing, I’m certainly getting my cardio for the day,” she muttered as she began to lead Luna up the stairs.

“What?” Luna asked her.

“Nothing,” Sarah said, shaking her head and running an arm over her forehead, brushing her black hair out of the way. Once they reached the first landing, the pair was confronted by a truly noxious smell. Sarah gagged, as did Luna, as the smell of blood and internal organs washed over their senses. On the ground before them was a... bag full of gore... there was no other way to describe it.

Is that what they do to those they capture? Nightmare asked, clearly disgusted by the atrocity.

Well... that one earlier did mention eating their enemies... I guess that is the form they prefer their meat in, Luna replied slowly, fighting down her breakfast. It wasn’t that she’d never smelt burnt or dead bodies before, especially after they’d been left out in the sun too long and began to split open... but there was something inherently wrong with turning your enemy into a literal bag of organs.

Sarah meanwhile was also having trouble keeping her lunch down, and her vision kept on getting drawn back to the bag of gore along with the pool of blood slowly spreading out from it. This is fresh! she thought to herself. It can’t be more than half an hour old... The woman shook her head, she didn’t have time for this.

“Come on, let’s see what’s at the top of these stairs,” she grunted, tapping Luna on the side of the neck.

Luna blinked twice and shook her head. “Right, lead the way.”

The woman did so and they soon arrived at a metal door which Sarah slowly eased open, luckily, the room was empty, unluckily it was also a dead end. In front of them was a windowed room looking out at the balcony along with a pair of terminals. Even worse, the mutants on the other side of the balcony could see them and responded to their presence by shooting at the glass. Sarah dove to the ground, expecting bullets and broken glass to be showering down on her within the next few seconds, but much to the mutant’s obvious disappointment, the glass held.

“COWARDLY HUMAN!” one them roared before it began beating on the glass.

Luna looked over at Sarah. “I do hope that you have a reason for bringing us here,” she said with a frown. “Because as much as I enjoy four on one fights... in these quarters it will not be fun.”

“Shush,” Sarah replied as she walked up to one of the terminals and pulled down the keyboard. Luna continued to watch the mutants pound on the glass, getting ready to unleash Daybreaker on them if they managed to get through. After a minute Sarah pulled away from the terminal and there was a sudden commotion from the other side of the glass. The sound of bullets impacting off of the supermutants filled the air and blood stained the glass.

Luna jumped in surprise at the sudden racket but calmed down once she realized that they were safe within the booth.

“I wonder who chose for the password to be ‘travelers’,” Sarah mused.

“Sarah... how did you do that?” Luna asked, gesturing towards the dead supermutants.

“Oh, well, I was a security officer back in the vault,” Sarah answered. “You’ve got to know how to hack in case some kid decides to pull a prank and gets himself or someone else locked somewhere.”

“That... doesn’t answer my question,” Luna said slowly.

“It’s... complicated and I’ll explain later, okay?” Sarah asked as she went back to the terminal and her fingers danced over it for a few seconds before she pressed a red button on the side. “Let’s keep moving.”

Luna nodded, and followed her out of the room heading deeper into the museum and closer to their prize.

Author's Note

So, this was a fun chapter to write. I'm hoping that you guys are enjoying it, and I'd particularly like to know what you thought of the Luna/Sarah argument up at the top which is what I spent the most time on.

-ed2481