Fallout Equestria: Towards the Future

I stood in the doorway scared and hurt. ‘Why did my mommy have to leave me?’ was all a colt that didn’t even have his cutie mark could ask himself. For a long time I would cry myself to sleep asking that very question never understanding that she didn’t mean to leave me, but that she had a very weak heart that didn’t have the ability to support her anymore.

I woke up one morning pulling myself out of the ragged blankets. I left my teddiursa sitting on my bed to go down and get some breakfast. As I walked a purple filly ran up next to me smiling, “Hey Split, good morning,” she said with a bright smile on her face.

I looked at her with a sad frown before looking away nervously, “Oh… hi Setting Sun.”

She lowered her head to try and look at my face better, “What’s wrong Split?”

I turned my head so that I was looking more the wall that what was in front of me, “Nothing… I just…”

I ran into something big and unmoving, “Hey, watch where you’re going Spit… Stream,” the larger gray Pegasus said with a glare.

I looked at the floor, “Sorry Thunder Blitz,” I said feeling every bit as pathetic as I was.

The Pegasus pulled his head back and smirked, “If you aren’t careful, you will be shrimp,” he gave a short sharp laugh which his two lackeys stupidly followed suit as they walked away.

Setting Sun walked over to me, “Splitstream? Are you ok?”

I stood up and started to walk away keeping my head to the floor. I wish she would have just left me alone.

She ran up in front of me causing me to stop but I didn’t look at her, “Split we can go talk to Miss. Lilly, she will tell Thunder to leave you alone and…”

“LEAVE ME ALONE!” I shouted as I glared at her. She took a step back as she lowered herself cowering away from me, “I DON’T NEED YOUR HELP SO JUST LEAVE ME ALONE,” She looked at me like she was about to cry before turning around and running away from me.

I sat down hard looking down at my hooves, ‘I had a pony who wanted to be my friend and help me but I scared her away’ I thought to myself. I lie down in the middle of the hall and put my hooves over my head, “Why am I such a bad pony?” I asked myself as got up and ran back to my room jumping into my bed and pulled my blankets over my head, “I’m never coming out again,” I said as I curled up into a ball and slowly started to drift back into a dreamless sleep.

******

I slowly opened my eyes feeling a bit stiff but a lot better. I lifted my head up and looked around the room lazily before realizing that something was next to me. I looked down to see Bubble Gum curled up in a tight ball using my wing as a blanket. I gave a slight grin but the little pony in the back of my head was running around yelling, ‘AWW, SO CUTE.’

I lifted my wing off her thinking it might be a better idea to find her a blanket than letting her use my wings that still had the bladed armor on them. I pulled the must ragged blanket off me and tucked it under her smiling.

“I guess I was wrong, you are a big softy…” came a voice from behind me.

I jumped into the air and took a battle stance allowing my wings to snap open which caused the hidden blades to pop out. I glared at the gray Pegasus buck with a short black mane and tail put his front hooves up with a goofy smile, “Who are you…” was all I needed to ask.

He continued to smile, “I was just passing by and…”

I flicked my wings a little and made one of the rolling chairs near me a stool as I cut the metal spine on it holding the back of the chair up, Last chance…” I growled.

His smile twitched, “I came with another pegasus that had to get something to help a foal. After I saw that you were in no condition to keep an eye on your little one, I decided to stay and keep her safe until you were strong enough to...”

I lowered my wings making the hidden blade retract before folding them back up, “Why didn’t you just say that the first time?” I asked with a raised eyebrow.

He waved a wing out to an old musty looking sofa that was next to a larger looking one. I walked over to it jumped up onto it and made myself comfortable. He then dug in a saddle bag and pulled out two Sparkle Colas. I licked my lips realizing how thirsty I really was just then. He popped the tops off in his mouth and spit them into his saddle bag. As he turned around to head back to the sofa I got a look at his cutie mark that was a hammer and sickle. My mind had so many questions at that moment but I decided to wait.

He handed one of the Cola’s to me which I was more that welcome to accept. He jumped up onto the other sofa leaned back and took a sip, “Well to be honest… I had to make sure that you wouldn’t just kill me before I could say anything.”

I rubbed my head with a hoof and sighed, “Do you have a name?”

“Cool Coat,” he said smiling, “you?”

I took a sip of my Sparkle Cola letting the flat somewhat cool liquid wet my dried throat, “Splitstream…”

I turned as something caught my attention out of the corner of my eye. I smiled as Bubble Gum sat up and started to look around still half asleep, “Morning sleepy,” she looked over at me for a second before getting up and adjusting the blanket over her shoulders. She bit the corners of the blanket to keep it on her and starts to walk towards me. The pony in my head jumped around like an idiot when she stumbled a bit as she stepped on the corner of the blanket. When she reached me she climbed up on to the couch making me lie down and she curled up onto my front hooves and fell back to sleep.

Cool Coat smiled at me with a warm smile, “Isn’t that cute?”

The pony in my head was dying of cuteness overload as I tucked the blanket around her, “Yes, yes she is.”

After a few minutes Bubble Gum sat up again with a long yawn rubbing her eyes with a hoof. She looked up at me with a raised eyebrow, “Did you get something to drink?”

I smiled at her, “Yes, Cool Coat gave me a Sparkle Cola.”

She rubbed her eyes again, “Good, idiot…”

I leaned my face close to hers, “Are you crying?” I asked slyly.

She turned away, “No… I just… you almost died and,” she started to shake a little bit.

I smiled as I pulled her close to me, “Yes, but if not for you I would have,” she tries to push me away but gives up after a few feeble attempts.

“It’s because of me that you almost died,” she said as I let her go and slid off the sofa.

I turned to her with a grin, “No, it’s because I got shot remember? Or did you shoot me?” I gave her a smirk.

She folds her front legs, “I don’t need to, everypony else will do that for me anyhow.”

I poked her in the side causing her to squirm and let out a small squeak, “You would miss me.”

She tried to cover her sides from me, “No, I just don’t want you to leave me alone here.”

Cool Coat grabs his side as he couldn’t hold back the laughter anymore. Bubble Gum glares at him, “What are you laughing at?”

Cool Coat wipes a tear away, “Are you sure that he isn’t your father?”

Bubble gum and I look at each other then turn back to him pointing at each other, “Me? Related to that?”

His confident smile and raised eyebrow caused me to put a hoof up to my mouth to try and keep down a laugh. She stood up on the sofa and walked over to him glaring, “Why would you think I was related to that?”

Cool Coat took a small sip of his cola before answering, “Because, no matter what I said or did you never left his side.”

She flushed, “I… I didn’t want him to die and…”

Cool Coat waved a hoof, “You don’t need to explain it to me, but maybe you should explain it to him,” he said with a nod to me.

I looked at her and she glanced at me quickly and looked down at her hooves, “Split… I don’t want to be alone again, and… I’m happy you are alright.”

I placed a hoof on her head, “Was that so hard?” I teased.

She smiled a little, “You have no idea.”

Cool Coat slid off his sofa, “Well should we be underway then?”

“Did I miss something? When did you join us?” I asked as I glanced from him to Bubble Gum who just shrugged.

Cool Coat pulled on his saddle bag and picked up a gun that I have never seen… now that I thought about it I have never seen any kind of firearms except energy guns, so I walked over to him looking at the gun with curiosity.

Cool Coat glanced up at me then to his gun, “Nice huh?” he grinned widely.

“I have only ever seen energy weapons, I mean the Enclave has other weapons available to them but…” goddesses I felt like an idiot.

Cool Coat held out the weapon to let me get a better look at it. I didn’t want to touch it in fear of breaking it somehow. I wanted to try and use it when something ran into the room. I turned around and tried to get at Bubble Gum when the… thing leaped onto the sofa and landed on her making her scream.

“BUBBLE GUM!!!” I felt a horrible feeling in my gut as I tried to move to her. I stopped instantly when she started to giggle and laugh, “Bubble Gum?” I asked a little more confused now.

I wanted to hit Cool Coat as he started laughing when the small gray and white dog looked up at me with an expression that told me I was next. I glared at Cool Coat causing him to swallow hard with his smile fading a bit and call the dog over to his side.

Bubble Gum sat up and wiped her face with the blanket still giggling. I turned to Cool Coat pointing one of my bladed wings at the dog, “What is this?”

Cool Coat patted the dog’s head, “This is Jack, he’s my best friend and he has a soft spot for foals,” he scratched the dog behind the ear with a hoof, “He isn’t much in combat but he is a great watch dog, or at least a great alarm.”

I facehoofed hard enough to see stars, “Is there anything else I should know about before I try to kill something else that’s friendly?”

Cool Coat put a hoof to his chin as he thought, No… no I think that covers everything,” his eyes lit up, “Oh yeah!”

I rolled my eye’s, of course there was something else, “Let me guess, The Enclave knows where I am and they plan on destroying the building in a few minutes? Or I was contracted with an incurable disease that is slowly going to eat the flesh off my face destroying my good looks? Or….”

Cool Coat gave a sharp laugh, “There’s a safe up one floor that I couldn’t get into and was wondering if you might know a way?”

I felt a little stupid that I decided to jump to the craziest problems first, “Yeah well that was my next guess,” I glanced at Bubble Gum and noticed that she was staring at me with a hoof over her mouth trying not to laugh, ‘what’s so funny?’ the pony in my head asked a bit annoyed.

Cool Coat slung the rifle over his back, “Well do you want to go and take a look at it?”

Honestly what was the worst…, “Yeah sure, why not?” I was about to ask myself the one question that was bound to get me into trouble. I walked over to the saddle bag that Silver gave me and slipped it on. I looked at it for a second before glancing up at Bubble Gum who was slipping her saddle bag on.

She looked over at me and frowned, “What?” sounding more like an annoyed friend than a filly who just curled up next to me to fall back to sleep.

I walked over to her and crouched down, “How are you doing?”… Smooth Split real smooth, why not ask her how the weather is while I’m at it?

She frowned and looked at my hooves, “Why are you being so nice to me? You don’t even know me yet?”

I lifted her chin to make her look into my eyes, “So I can’t care about somepony just because I don’t know them very well?” she looked around for a minute like she was trying to find the answer to the question someplace. I just placed my hoof on her head, “I promised I would look after you, and I intend to keep it…”

She looked up at me as her eyes started to become wet with tears, “But you almost didn’t keep your promise…”

I poked her on the tip of her nose, “That’s why you’re still here… to make sure I keep it,” I grinned from ear to ear.

She walked forward and pushed her face into my chest which made my smile fade a bit. I could barely hear her as she said, “Please don’t leave me alone again,” in a shaky voice that really pulled at my heart.

I wrapped my hooves around her, “Not while I am alive and kicking, you will never be alone.”

She gave a wet sniff as she smiled up at me with a couple of tears falling down her cheeks, “Then I will make sure you stay that way.”

I put my face close to hers and smiled back, “Good because I’m not great with the whole making myself better thing,” I thought for a moment, “Would you mind dumbing down the whole idiot thing?”

She gave me an evil smirk, “Now you’re pushing it,” she turned around and walked over to Jack and was bowled over while the dog tried to lick her face off.

I watched in stunned amazement before getting to my hooves and walking by her looking straight ahead, “Ready?”

Cool Coat glanced at me then to Bubble Gum who was still trying to save her face from the slobber machine then back to me, “Did you two just have a family moment?”

Bubble Gum yelled out, “Save me!” between the dogs attempts at trying to get her face completely soaked.

I shrugged, “Sorry, an Idiot like me might get hurt tying.”

She shrieks with laughter, “Then I will fix you, just stop him.”

I gave a small chuckle, “Sorry can’t take that chance.”

Jack gave her a huge wet lick right up the middle of her face before backing off and walking over to Cool Coat who was once again trying not to fall to the floor laughing. She stood up and gave me a glare that told me I was going to be in big trouble but with the front of her mane sticking up because of the drool it just made her look adorable.

I put a hoof up to my mouth, “Ain’t that cute?”

She rubbed her face with the back of her hoof, “Idiot…” was all she could say.

I gave Cool Coat a nod which he returned before we walked out the door into the hall. I looked down at the blood stains on the floor and wall where the two Enclave soldiers were, “What happened to the bodies?” I asked as I gave Cool Coat a sideways glance.

He rubbed the back of his head, “I took them outside… didn’t feel right leaving them there with Bubble Gum right on the other side of the door to see them.”

Bubble Gum walked up between us and looked at the spots, “I’ve seen plenty of ponies die so why should this bother me?”

I felt a little bit of worry build up inside of my gut at how cold her tone was. Was she really already that broken inside that death didn’t bother her? Cool Coat must be a mind reader because he managed to get the question out, “Doesn’t it bother you a little to see somepony die or dead?”

Bubble Gum looked up at him sadly, “Uncle Silver tried to do surgery on plenty of ponies but he lacked the required materials and sometimes they wouldn’t survive the operation.” She looked back down at the blood stains.

This little filly has experienced so much death that it kind of made me worry for her, but on the other hoof she hasn’t experience a pony being killed or killing another because they were ordered to or for fun or even survival. I also allowed myself to fully believe that she still hasn’t experienced taking a life yet herself as just looking at the blood stains seemed to still make her uncomfortable. I placed a hoof on her head causing her to look up at me, “Come on Bubble Gum, we don’t need to stay here any longer.”

She looked back down at the stains and nodded. I let Cool Coat take the lead Bubble Gum next and I took up the rear. We walked for a few moments before we came to a flight of stairs. Cool Coat looked back at me, “I haven’t fully explored this area but I didn’t see anything that required us to take extreme caution, but we should be cautious just in case.”

I felt like this was going to be very bad as we climbed the stairs, and the only thing I hate more than being right is about something like this is…, “DUCK!” I yelled as I scooped up Bubble Gum and jumped back around the corner of the hallway we turned down. The turret on the ceiling sprayed the wall at the end with enough bullets I wondered how we didn’t get hit, But then I realized as I glanced across the hall that just because Bubble Gum and I were fine, that Cool Coat wasn’t so great. He gritted his teeth as he held a hoof over a bullet hole in his shoulder.

He pulled a bandage out of his saddlebag and started to try and wrap the wound, “Didn’t I just mention that just because I didn’t see anything doesn’t mean that nothing was here?” Jack looked at his owner and darted across the hall to him. Luckily the little dog was faster and more agile that the sluggish machine. He grabbed the dog with a smile, “You dumb dog...” he said as he rubbed the dog’s head.

I peeked around the corner trying to get a layout of the hall. It was wide with doors on either side and… I pulled my head back as the turret tore apart the corner where my head was, “THIS IS HOPELESS!” I yelled as I glanced back at Cool Coat. He needed Bubble Gum to get over to him and help with the bandages. I continued to stare at the dog as the gears in my head started to turn.

I turned to Bubble Gum who was watching Cool Coat with a mixture of worry and sadness, “Bubble Gum when I make my move I need you to run over to Cool Coat got it?”

She focused on me immediately, “What? Wait… what are you doing? Where are you going?”

The worry in her tone felt like I was just kicked in the heart. I placed my hooves on her cheeks smiling at her, “I’m going to take out that turret,” her eyes dilated into pinpricks, but before she could say anything I grinned widely, “If that mutt can make it I should be just fine,” no if only my brain believed me…

Bubble Gum couldn’t argue as she glanced at Cool Coat who was watching us like what I was planning was the stupidest thing I could possibly think of… and to be honest it probably was. She finally looked back at me and nodded, “Be careful Split,”

I hugged her and kissed her on the forehead, “Like I said, I’m not going any place.”

She turned from me and got ready to sprint across when the turret started to shoot at me. I took a deep breath and jumped into the hall. The turret started to swing slowly to me, and I grinned as I started to run towards it careful as to let Bubble Gum get across without being a target. I gave my wings a small flap and jumped onto the wall. I continued to run along the wall, using my wings to keep me glued to it as I ran. The turret tried to follow me but I was keeping myself just in front of the part that I didn’t like, and with another quick flap I was running on the ceiling right at the turret. I imagined the turret having a face and it looking at me in horror as I closed the rest of the gap in a few seconds and made a leap for the turret.

My wing cut the gun in half diagonally as I turned in midair and landed without a sound back onto the dirty tiled floor. I looked up at the turret and gave a confident smile as it sparked a few time then powered down.

From the other end of the hall I heard, “Yeah… well I could have done that…” as Cool Coat came limping around the corner with Bubble Gum looking pleased with herself.

I rolled my eyes as the pony in my head was dancing around yelling, ‘awe yeah I am so awesome,’ I just gave him a cocky smile, “Sure you could tough guy,” I spun around took two steps and my back legs slipped out from under me as I stepped on the turrets barrel.

Bubble Gum fell over laughing as Cool Coat just grinned at me. He reached to the floor with his hoof and held it out to me, “I think you dropped this?”

Not quite sure what was going I looked at his empty hoof then back to his face, “What?” I asked genuinely confused.

He snickered, “Your pride…” Bubble Gum howled louder as she kicked her back legs.

I felt my face burn, “Yeah…well… you got shot…” I stuttered.

He had to sit down as he tried not to join Bubble Gum, “I was shot by an active turret… you were dropped to you flank by broken piece of a turret.”

I stood up and turned away from them walking into a large office. The pony in my head pouted in a dark corner, ‘I still was awesome,’ I nodded to myself, “Yes I was awesome.”

Bubble Gum walked in a few seconds later rubbing a few tears out of her eyes and a huge grin still on her face. Cool Coat walked in right after and pointed to the corner of the office, “That’s the safe.”

I was already poking at a terminal that was nearby. The terminal was locked and just as he pointed out the safe I cracked the password… Juicy… right.

I found a way to open the safe from the terminal which I was more than happy to do. I pulled away from the terminal when the safe made a mechanical CLICK. I trotted over to the safe, pulled it open, and glanced inside; with Cool Coat looking over my shoulder and Bubble Gum poking her head between my front legs to get a better look.

Inside was a small black box that was barely longer than my leg from knee to hoof, a few bits, some sort of computer thingy and some kind of statue. The statue was on a base the was smaller than my hoof but had a white unicorn on it that was wearing a nurses hat and had a large syringe in her mouth. The bottom said, “Be Healthy,” I looked at it and shrugged.

Bubble Gum was staring at it intensely so I scooped the figure up and handed it to her. She looked at the statue then to me, “But…”

I smiled, “Why would I want it? You’re the one who wants everyone to stay healthy so you take it. You can use it as a goal or something.”

Her eyes lit up and she jumped up wrapping her hooves around my neck, “Thank You Split!” she cried.

She let go and took the figure and walked away to look at her new idol in detail. I smiled as she walked away then looked at Cool Coat who was smiling at me warmly. I glared at him, “Don’t think I haven’t forgotten that pride comment yet,” his smile shrank a bit.

I turned back to the safe and pulled out the computer thingy. Cool Coat glanced at it, “If I think that is what I think it is… Then this is a pipbuck.”

I looked at him in confusion, “You mean like the ones ponies got while living inside a Stable?” he nodded. I looked back at it, “But this is… I don’t know… different?”

He took it from me, “I agree, I have never seen this before either it looks like it might be a new model that never got out in time.”

I shrugged again, “Well let’s keep it for now I’m sure somepony will pay good money for something like this,” and I scooped the bits into my saddle bag. I paused as I looked at the black box then reached in and pulled it out. I hit a small button on the front of it and the lid popped open.

I heard Cool Coat let out a whistle at the three slightly glowing orbs, “Mmory orbs…”

I gave him a look that made him roll his eyes, “They are memories of ponies that are either something important or…”

I closed the lid, “Don’t care!” Cool Coat looked at me like I crazy or something. I just slid the box into my saddle bag and gave a confident smile, “Why would I care about some dead ponies for?”

I walked over to Bubble Gum who slid her figure into her saddle bag, “Ready to go kiddo?”

She nodded to me, “Are you?”

I shrugged. “Not really sure where we’re going from here but…”

“There is a small settlement not far from here. We can get some supplies and a nice place to crash… well safe anyhow,” he said as he put a hoof to his chin.

Bubble Gum looked at him, “And maybe some better medical supplies to get you fixed up better,”

He looked at her and smiled, “If this doesn’t do the trick. I never knew you were so good with things like this.”

She flushed and I ruffled her mane with my hoof, “Well let’s get underway,” as I stood up and headed to the door with Bubble Gum and Cool Coat right behind me and Jack running circles between the three of us.