Pandora's Box

You clear your throat. You’ve got sand on your hooves, and dirt in your mane, but you’re lucky that this bus came by when it did. You and your three best friends were all about to be killed by a group of bandits when the rusty automobile pulled around and introduced it’s bumper to the savages. The old brown earth pony driving it offered to take you to the nearest town, free of charge. Not being one to look a gift horse in the mouth, you accepted the offer.

You’re recalling this as you shuffle your hooves on the floorboard, taking a seat near the front of the bus. The gun you had taken with you when you first left off on your quest to find treasure in the Pandorian wastes was still more or less in one piece, but you notice the painted emblem chipping off as you slide it onto the seat you plan to take. After a few minutes, the driver makes sure that the passengers- you and your friends, are situated, and he takes off.

After another few minutes, you break the silence.

“So, where are we headed?”

“I’ll take you to the closest town over,” the driver said, his accent reflecting heritage from Moskhoof, one of Equestria’s northernmost regions. “But if you want to go any further you’ll have to pay. 5 bucks a mile.”

You can only sigh and try to relax, but you’re intrigued as the bus driver begins to speak again...

Would you like to hear a story? One in which the very fate of Equestria hangs in the balance? If not, too bad- I’m telling you anyway. First, there was the Vault, a magical prison opened with a mystical key. To those who opened it, the Vault was just a container of monsters and disappointment. They vanished into the wastelands, certain that this Vault held no power at all. They were wrong. The Vault’s opening triggered the growth of Eridium, a valuable magical element. Soon, this rare mineral began to appear all throughout the continent of Pandora, It’s appearance attracted many, including the Hyperion Corporation.

They came to mine Eridium, and claim the Pandorian Wasteland for themselves. They soon discovered the presence of an even greater Vault. Their leader vowed to find it, and use it’s power to bring order to the wastes of Pandora once and for all. But Hyperion weren’t the only ones searching for the next Vault’s magical power. The call of danger and loot is not so easily resisted. Certain warriors came to Pandora in search of its hidden secrets. Some would call them adventurers. Some would call them fools. But I... I call them Vault Hunters.

These Vault Hunters scoured the wastes, searching for the Vault, only to be tricked by Handsome Jack, the leader of Hyperion. Handsome Jack knew that this new Vault was not a ancient prison, or a source of magical energy, but a creature, a warrior powerful enough to wipe out the entire continent, perhaps even move into the Princess’s more secured lands. All he needed to do was wake the Warrior, and it would be his to control. This plan did not go as he hoped, as the Vault Hunters that he tricked learned of his plans and put an end to them.

Sacrifices were made, and many were lost, but at the end of the day, Jack was defeated and his Warrior was slain. These now legendary Vault Hunters learned that more Vaults existed throughout the many continents of Equestria, as well as further, unexplored areas of their planet. With the help of friends they made along the way, they worked to ensure that no Vault could ever be opened again.

Princess Celestia never once paid a glance to Pandora, its violent state not worth her efforts. What did get her attention, though, was the knowledge that the Crystal Empire was a Vault, and its connection to the last Vault’s opening. She sent her six most trusted subjects, one a princess herself, to the Crystal Empire.

With their leader gone, Hyperion slowly turned to ash. From it’s ashes, however, the Helios Syndicate rose. They were the last of the Hyperion who hoped to open the Vault and use it’s power to restore Hyperion to it’s former glory. They went to the Crystal Empire, hoping to unlock the Vault there, but were met with no way to open it. The Vault Hunters, with help from Celestia’s six, drove off Helios, but they eventually returned with a new key, and were able to raise the Warrior from its slumber. This marked the Crystal Empire’s collapse. Celestia’s six and the Vault Hunters retreated to Canterlot, where they defeated the second Warrior.

Things were stirred up for the longest time, but like everything, it died down. The Vault Hunters disappeared into history, as well as Celestia’s six. They are said to wander the world, making sure that the Vaults are not being disturbed. With the Vaults safe, you might think that Equestria is safe. That’s where you’d be wrong. The sudden increase of Eridium has poisoned certain parts of the world, Pandora specifically. Unfortunately Eridium is a radioactive element, and has caused many areas to be inaccessible. One such place, perhaps the most poisoned place in Equestria is Pandora’s Box, an island to the north of Equestria. Nopony knows how or why it got to be so uncontrolled, but some say that there’s a special Vault there, one that holds something more than a Warrior.

Our story begins with four Vault Hunters, and a mare named Solf Blues....

It was cold in the wasteland, as the weather there is wild as an untamed beast. Ponies there didn’t have the time to move clouds and summon rainstorms, for they were preoccupied with other things. As a lone truck sped across the snow covered dirt, the four ponies that rode in the truck bed looked out into the flat land, wishing they had more than salvaged material to come home with. They were Vault Hunters, looking for some way to keep the Vaults of Pandora and the rest of Equestria safe. Although they didn’t seek out the Vaults for loot anymore, the name ‘Vault Hunter’ still stuck. Vault Hunters were more like protectors than anything, venturing out to keep the world safe, instead of only helping themselves.

The driver called to them, letting them know that they’d need to stop for gas soon. Shortly enough they came upon a small gas station, and in the distance they could make out a small town. Hopefully they were friendly to passerbys. So far, they would have no such luck. The gas station had several broken windows, and a destroyed fuel tank. It was obvious that something attacked the station, either bandits or some monster. Hopefully it was the former. The Vault Hunters hopped off the back of the truck, and began searching for some fuel for the truck.

As the driver waited patiently, gentling tapping his front hooves together, a sudden gunshot rang out. Not a moment later the driver was dead, a bullet entering his body through face. The sudden noise got the Vault Hunters’ attention, the first to react being the purple coated mare. She quickly pulled her hoodie up onto her head and made her way out to the truck, spotting another truck in the distance. This one was occupied by several tough looking, dark colored stallions, all with guns, and driving straight towards them. Bandits.

A unicorn stallion pushed her aside from behind, and thrust his foreleg out. This Vault Hunter had a red coat, and a medium length black mane. He wore a grey long coat, and each of his forelegs had a shackle on them. A large shield extended from a device attached to one of the shackles, and he used it to deflect incoming fire from the bandits. The truck came closer, but it suddenly crashed into a stone wall, conjured from the stallion’s magic.

Check Mate, as the Vanguard

The savage bandits that survived the crash jumped from their wrecked vehicle, assaulting the gas station on hoof. One stopped to aim his weapon with two hooves, but the hooded purple mare appeared behind him, and thrust two daggers into his back. The mare grabbed his weapon and shot one of his comrades dead before he hit the ground.

Blood Rain, as the Recon

On the other side of the wrecked truck, a dark grey mare lay on her back, injured from three bullet wounds. She wore a hoodie as well, but had a gas mask covering her face. Two bandits stood over her, until a sudden burst of magic hit one of them. His body began to falter, his life force absorbing into the caster. The caster himself stood behind him, a black changeling wearing a simple bandolier around his chest. His crooked horn glowed blue, and the spell fired again, sucking the life from the other bandit. He then focused on casting a spell toward the injured earth pony, and her wounds were healed.

Virtuous Love, as the Medic

He helped the mare up, who pushed him aside as she noticed another bandit behind him. She reached into her hoodie and produced a small device, which she tossed at the bandit’s hooves. Instead of exploding like he thought it would, the device released a sharp sonic pulse that made him drop his weapon and cover his ears. It lasted only a moment, but the mare who tossed the weapon was already on him, taking him out with a switchblade.

And White Noise, as the Machinist

The four Vault Hunters surrounded the last bandit, backing him against their truck. In an act of desperation he rolled a grenade under the vehicle, killing himself and scattering the four Vault Hunters. They righted themselves, wondering what they were going to do now that their only ride was destroyed. On top of that, the bandits seemed to have came from the direction of the town, which could only mean that there were more where that had came from.

Their questions would be answered by a small yellow robot who just happened to be in the area...