Fallout Equestria: Towards the Future

Miss Lilly decided to let all of us stretch our wings a little today. I wasn’t going to complain because it was the only time I got to be completely free from everything. The purple Pegasus with a light blue mane with streaks of gray swirling through it put her wings up, “On my mark!” all of us crouched down low, “get set!” we opened our wings, “GO!” she dropped her wings as she shouted.

I don’t know what everypony else was doing but I shot like a blue and white missile into the air. I closed my eyes letting the wind flatten my mane against my head. I climbed higher and higher until I couldn’t hear anypony so I set down on a nearby cloud and looked down. I grinned as everypony looked like little black dots buzzing around below me.

I flopped back against the cloud smiling. I was just starting to doze when something caught my attention, “What the..?” I looked over the cloud and noticed that the weather team was moving a storm system in quickly. I also noticed that Gentle Breeze, a new filly that was brought to the orphanage a couple of days ago, was flying right into the storm clouds.

I looked down and shouted, “MISS LILLY THE NEW FILLY IS…” a loud clap of thunder drowned out my call. I looked up and noticed the Gentle was trying to fix her course but she was not a very good flier and was still heading straight for the clouds.

I swallowed hard and jumped off the cloud and speed down to try and intercept her. I shot down faster and faster coming alongside the wall of white clouds being pushed by the storm. I gritted my teeth as I saw the terror on Gentles face as she finally managed to turn around but the speed of the storm was moving too fast for the novice flier to get away.

I pushed myself hard knowing that the storm could seriously hurt the filly. I felt a slight tingle in my wings and a small crackling sound. I looked under me and noticed small bolts of electricity bouncing back and forth between my wings and the clouds.

The fillies scream caused me to look up again and notice the filly disappear into the white clouds. I dove in through the clouds pushing myself as hard as I could when the filly came into view. I wasn’t a whole lot bigger than she was but I grabbed her and kicked out trying to get out of the clouds when a loud Crack told me the storm was almost over us. The tingling in my wings was driving me batty as it kind of tickled but I had to get the filly out. I saw a break in the white clouds and shot towards it.

I broke through the clouds with a loud CRACK-BOOM following me. I looked back to see a long white lightning bolt trailing behind me from my wings and bits of cloud. I also noticed that I was now sporting my new white lighting cutie mark. I was excited and overjoyed. If only I knew how much that cutie mark would make my life a living hell.

******

I popped the cap off of my Sparkle Cola and spit it to the ground where Cool Coat scooped it up and put it into his saddle bag. I leaned against the Sparkle Cola transport cart where I found the drink, “What are you doing?” I asked after taking a sip.

Cool Coat popped a cap of his drink and spit the cap into his saddlebag, “Oh… caps are considered currency in the wastelands.”

My brain stopped working for a second as I looked back into the cart at Bubble Gum who was scooping up about twelve colas into her saddle bags and trying to pull the cap off of one with her teeth. I reached in and took the bottle and popped it off and handed it back, “Really? Caps? Why caps?” I scooped up a couple of them with a wing.

Bubble Gum shrugged while she took a long sip, and I guess Cool did the same thing since I didn’t hear him say anything. I felt Cool put a hoof on my shoulder and spin me around holding a hoof up his mouth with a look that told me we were not alone. He looked at the Mini Schnauzer and gave him a small sharp whistle the dog looked up and backed up close to him.

The dog was crouched down low and growling at the edge of the road we were on. I leaned over to Bubble Gum who was trying to climb out, “No Bubble Gum stay put for now until we know what we are dealing with,” I said in a low voice.

She nodded and crouched low in the cart. I started walking to the edge of the road and looked down the hill to see what I could. Cool Coat tried to yell and whisper at me, “Split! What are you doing?”

I shook my head, ‘was it not obvious?’ I thought, “I’m going to see who or what it is. Stay close to Bubble Gum and keep an ear out for me just in case things go south,” I glanced back to see him shaking his head with a hoof over his face. I turned around smiling, ‘You can’t just expect everypony to be trying to kill you,” I said to the pony in my head. He just rolled his eyes.

I looked over and saw four earth ponies walking along talking. I wasn’t sure what they were talking about but I decided to go down and greet them. I lifted off the ground and glided silently to them. I landed down in front of them smiling, “Hello…”

The four of them stopped and looked at each other then smiled at each other. One of them stepped forward and pulled a shovel out that… was… very sharp… and serrated. I swallowed, ‘maybe this wasn’t such a great idea huh,” the pony in my head asked, “maybe… maybe they are just polite and…” The pony in my head faced hoofed, ‘DO THEY LOOK FRIENDLY?’ he yelled.

I had to admit… not many ponies looked like they got in a fight with a broken window and decided to wear what looked more like junk that clothes. I think what sealed the deal was the pony walking up to me with the shovel saying, “Play time…” with a crazy giggle.

I raised my hooves up in defense, “Um please sir can’t we just…” He swung the shovel around in a wide arch. I ducked the first blow and snapped my wing open to stop it from coming back and taking my face off.

He gave a sharp laugh as he pulled the shovel back and stabbed out at me like a spear, “I’m going to wear your wings like a cape.”

I was just about fed up with this nut. I dodged to the side and snapped the spade off the shovel and gave him a cocky smile, “Now let’s try this again I…” I was sorry mistaken when I thought he was defenseless as he swings the shovel handle into the side of my head. I stumbled to the side as the world spun around. He swung again but I was able to duck in time. Now I was pissed I dodged another that was a little high by dropping low. He tried to smile but I snapped a wing open cut the shovel handle in half… and his muzzle… and his face.

He dropped to the ground with a ghost of a smile still on his face as blood flowed freely from just under his mane in a line to his jugular. I stood up and glared at the other three and spit to the ground tasting copper in my mouth, “Now, for the last time… I do not want to fight. I want to…” a blue colored unicorn mare pulled out a small pistol, A brown earth pony mare pulled out a gun that had two large barrels, and the other orange earth pony buck had… a pipe.

The pony in my head started screaming, ‘REALLY? A PIPE? WHY NOT TRY AND COME AT ME WITH A MANE BRUSH,’ apparently he was telepathic because he put the pipe away and pulled out a small metallic apple. I swallowed hard, “Now let’s not do anything we might regret,” they all started laughing and I was starting to feel a little sick. I glanced around trying to figure out something to get out of this without getting my flank blown up.

I looked down at the shovels metal spade then to the laughing pony and grinned. I had to do this right and quickly, so I flicked a wing out and tossed the spade into the air and caught it in my mouth. I spun and sent the spade flying at the pony with the apple like a sharp deadly Frisbee. The buck didn’t take the distraction as well as I thought he would as he dodged if just enough to let it go by harmlessly and then dodge my bladed wing from slicing him in half.

He looked at his chest then to me, “Need some glasses little bird?” he smiled. I just looked at him and smiled myself as I brought the tip of my wing up between us showing him the little ring dangling off it. The color in his face drained instantly before the explosion tore him in half. I wasn’t going to complain as the unicorn mare was close enough to the buck that her face was ripped away and her pistol was planted deep into her skull from the force of the explosion.

I definitely didn’t think that grenade has that much punch as the shock wave knocked me to the ground, ‘that was smooth,’ the in my head said.

I climbed to my hooves, “I’m alive at least,” I put a hoof up to my head as it felt like I was standing on water. I looked up to see the brown earth pony mare already on her hooves and smiling wickedly, “Why can’t you just die for me?” I asked as she brought the double barreled gun up. Her eyes told me I was toast so I tried to move but my head wasn’t having it as I stumbled over. I braced for the pain clenching my eyes tightly.

BANG, BANG, BANG

I opened my eyes in confusion, “Three gunshots and no pain?” I looked up at the mare as she swayed for a few moments bleeding from two new holes in her head and one in her neck. The gun dropped to the ground and she fell to the side.

I looked at her still very puzzled when I heard Cool Coat yell, “HEY, SPLIT, YOU OK?”

I looked up the hill towards the road to see Cool Coat gliding down with Bubble Gum wrapped in his front legs. I didn’t want to move so I just smiled up at them, “Yeah… for the most part,”

When he landed he let go of Bubble Gum who immediately ran to my worry written all over her face, “Split? Are you hurt?”

I closed my eyes as my smile reached up to my ears, “No, not really that… OW!” I opened my eyes, tears building up in them, as a sharp pain shot up through my nose as she whacked me.

I looked at the filly through my blurred vision, and she wasn’t happy. She brought another hoof down onto my nose as she yelled at me, “YOU IDIOT! YOU SCARED ME!” she hit me again and again. She sat down and looked at the ground sadly.

I reached a hoof out to her the other still on my tender nose, “Bubble Gum, I didn’t mean to scare you,” she scooted back out of my reach, ‘great Split now you messed up big time,’ I pulled my hoof back and wiped my eyes, “Bubble Gum, I’m sorry,” she looked up at me with the eyes that hurt me. I put on the best begging face I could, “Pease forgive me this time… just this once.”

She rolled her eyes and reached in her saddle bag pulling out a healing potion. I reached out for it and she pulled it out of my reach, “Promise me that you will at least think before you go trying to make friends with everypony.”

I sighed, “Bubble Gum, I promise… I value my nose too much not to.”

She handed me the potion to me, “Next time I’ll rip it off…”

I drank the potion and sat up slowly as the healing took effect. I rubbed my nose at the pain started to subside, “Can you do that?” She gave me a crooked smile and turned around and walked away. I just watched her, “No seriously can you do that?”

I didn’t get an answer from Bubble Gum so I walked over to Cool Coat who was looking at what the ponies had. I glanced at the small pile of goodies that were not destroyed by the grenade. A combat knife, the double barreled gun, a grenade that has a diamond set in the center, which to my knowledge meant it has shocking properties. I snickered at the joke as I continued to take in the inventory, a healing potion, some ammo and, “Wait, wasn’t there a pistol here someplace?”

Cool Coat nodded, “yeah, when the explosion went off the pistol the unicorn had was blasted into her head which for some reason kept it in one piece,” he looked around at the items, “I know it was here…” he looked up and his eyes went wide as he pointed a hoof.

I followed his point to see Bubble Gum holding the pistol in her hooves looking it over. I felt something in my gut clench as I jumped over to her and took it from her. She looked up at me in surprise, “Split! I need to learn how to…”

“NO!” I snapped at her causing her to flinch, “You will learn how to use one but you’re still too young,” She started to pout while trying to use the I’m an adorable filly eyes. I wanted to hand it back to her but I took a breath, “I said no and that‘s final!”

I tossed the pistol to Cool with a quick twist of my head. He caught it easily with a hoof and gave me a look that said he was going to bring up a good point. He set the gun down, “Split, she is going to have to learn how to defend herself, and the sooner she does the better.”

She smiled at Cool then gave me a satisfying smirk. I gave both of them a glare, “I still said no…”

Bubble Gum looked like she wanted to cry. I took a breath, “I said no because I got to know she is going to take using one responsibly.”

She sniffed, “How do I do that if you won’t give me the chance?”

I Looked down at her then over to the pile of goodies and gave a small smile as I spotted the combat knife. I walked over and took the knife in my mouth, which was not the best idea I had as I had to do everything to keep my stomach from getting rid of everything inside. I walked back over to her as she looked at me curiously.

I bent down and started strapping it to her side so she could turn her head to the side and pull it out without any problem. She just fidgeted around, “What are you doing you idi…”

I stood up and took a step back to admire my handy work, “I am going to let you prove to me that you deserve to use a firearm by showing me first that you can be trusted with a weapon in general.”

She frowned at the knife handle, “I think this is a stupid idea and you should…”

I turned around but glanced at her out of the corner of my eye with a grin, “Of course I could just let you use the pipe that the other stallion was using.”

I had to stop myself from laughing as her eyes went wide for a second then turned into a smile, “Thank you Split for giving me a chance to prove myself.”

I looked at Cool Coat who gave a shrug but had to put a wing over his face to hind the snicker.

WE both felt it was a good idea for Bubble Gum to take the potion. I didn’t have a lot of experience with shock grenades but I still had more than Cool so I took it. Cool took the pistol and the ammo.

He reached for the double barrel gun as I looked at it still unsure what it exactly was. I cleared my throat, “What kind of gun is that?” Asking that made me feel a little bit like an…

“Idiot…” Bubble Gum finished my thought for me. I gave her a keep pushing it and see what kind of weapon you get next look. She gave a small smile and backed behind me.

Cool Coat broke the gun open and pulled out the shells to check and see if they were still in good condition, “It’s called a double-barreled shotgun… or it used to be anyhow,” he lowered the barrel to the ground, “It’s been cut to shorten its length and drop the weight..”

I nodded as I tried not to imagine what the gun would have done to me. I shot a look at Bubble Gum who was looking at the gun as well. I smiled, “You are still a long time from being able to use that one,” her eyes never left the gun but she gave me a nod.

Cool Coat slipped the shells back into the gun and slung it over his back, “I wanted to ask you a question ever since the turret incident but I wasn’t sure how to ask it,” he rubbed the back of his head nervously.

I sat down pulling out another Sparkle Cola and popping the cap off and dropping it into Bubble Gum’s saddle bag to her delight, “just ask then,” I took a long swig.

He took a deep breath, “Alright… When were you branded?”

I took the bottle from my mouth and slowly lowered it to the ground, “I was never branded…” I said trying to keep my temper in check. He wasn’t calling me a Dashite outright, and he really didn’t know my story so I couldn’t get angry with him.

He looked down at my cutie mark, “but… your cutie mark is…”

“I SAID I WASN’T BRANDED!” he took a step back and Bubble Gum ran behind him. I felt a little guilty, why was I so angry? He didn’t know anything yet, “I was labeled…” I sat down hard and tried to glare a hole through a rock on the ground, “This is not a brand, it’s my cutie mark…”

His eyes widened, “Your cutie mark is the mark of a dashite?”

I shook my head, “When I got my cutie I produced a lightning bolt. It was white but I produced it from being close to white clouds. So if you put a white lightning bolt with white clouds on a white pony you get… this” I said with a glance at my flank.

Bubble Gum walked and stood in front of me with a curiosity, “What’s a Dashite?”

Cool Coat sat down, “They are labeled traitors of the pegasi… or so they say. Personally I think they are the smart ones.”

Bubble Gum hugged my front leg, “Well he isn’t a traitor and she stops for a second and looked up at me, “What is a traitor?”

‘Don’t stop being adorable,’ the pony in my head said grinning.

I set a hoof on her head, “A pegasus who chooses to no longer be fed the lies that they try to fill your head with are considered traitors. I just got luck in that I was marked before I was forced to leave.”

She lowered her head, “But you can’t be a traitor because you never left me alone when you had the chance.”

I bent down close to her, “Well first I was unconscious for most of it. Second I could never leave a filly as cute as you alone.”

She glared at me, “I’m not cute…”

I smiled, “You're right, I would say adorable would be a better…”

I fell back allowing the light weight to tackle me over smiling as she screamed at me, “I’m not adorable you… idiot.”

The moment was stolen when an explosion from off in the distance caught my attention. It was far enough off that it sounded more like a close gunshot but I was well aware how explosions sounded. I slid Bubble Gum off me as we both looked in the direction of the explosion.

Cool Coat was still looking in that direction as he calmly took a couple steps back, “That is our signal to get the hell out of…”

He was just about turned around when I stood, “We need to check it out.”

Cool Coat dropped his head, “I should have guess that is what you were going to say that.”

Bubble Gum looked at him, “How could you guess what he was going to say?”

He sighed, “Because my luck isn’t good enough to think he would just say ‘yeah let’s go’.”

Bubble Gum walked over to my side still looking at Cool, “Well nopony said you had to stick with us.”

I looked at her in complete surprise, “Bubble Gum!”

She lowered her head to me and looked up at me with those big eyes, “But it’s true…” in such a sad voice that took all my willpower to not tell Cool to kick rocks.

Cool Coat gave a small laugh, “Be that as it may, we really should get going.”

I tore my eyes away from Bubble Gum, “Oh yeah,” I crouched down and let Bubble Gum climb onto my back, “Let’s go.”

I spread my wings and Bubble Gum wrapped her front legs around my neck, “Slow please?” she squeaked.

I rose off the ground a little and started flying in the direction of the explosion. She buried her face in my mane and said something that sounded more like a squeak. I turned my head a bit to try and see her, “But you were so good the first time I took you flying.”

“First, it was raining so I couldn’t see well. Second, I had a little more on my mind. Third, can we land now?” I tried not to smile.

At first I thought that everypony was dead already as I noticed that two carts were turned over and one was still on fire. There were also bodies in the road and it was quiet… too quiet. BANG

I dove down feeling another bullet pass through my tail. I had to get Bubble Gum out of the air quick despite how she felt about the sudden dive.

I looked for a place to take cover when I heard a mare voice call out, “Hey stupid! Over here!” I looked back to see a red mare with purple eyes waving at me. I didn’t wait long as I ran towards her using my wings for so added boost.

As I ducked around behind an overturned cart I was glad to see the Cool Coat was following my lead the whole time with Jack in his front legs. Bubble Gum slid off my back and started kissing the ground, “Oh sweet ground,” kisses it again, “I will never leave you again!”

I smiled, “Aw come on, it wasn’t that bad.” The glare I got could have turned me to stone.

“What the hay are you doing here in raider territory, with a filly to boot?” I looked up the mare that was talking to me was… gorgeous. Her long white mane curled slightly at the end and her tail was braided and tied of making the tip of her tail look like a paint brush. Her head was covered with a brown well beaten Stetson. She continued to glare at me for a second before getting real close to me, “Well?”

I jerked back, “I was making sure that everypony was all right,” that came out a little bit weaker than I intended.

She stomped a hoof, “Well congratulations because not only are we in over our heads in raiders, but now so are you…”

I gave Cool Coat a questioning look and he leaned back up against the cart, “The same ponies you just killed.”

I frowned, “Hey don’t talk to me in that tone of voice,” either I was crazy or maybe I was just getting excited.

Bubble Gum ran up to him, “Yeah, I bet Split already has a plan don’t you Split?” she looked back at me and I nodded smiling like an idiot. She brightened and gave Cool a cocky smile.

Cool looked at her for a moment then to me, “does this plan of yours involve you getting shot at by multiple ponies?”

I nodded and smiled like an idiot again. Bubble Gum glared at me, “What?”

The mare behind her looked at me like I was crazy, “I agree with her, what?”

I stood up still smiling, “Well they won’t be expecting a pony to run into melee right now, and I know I’m fast enough to get to them before I become an overused zeroing target,” like my zeroing targets I wanted to say.

Cool Coat shook his head holding a hoof up his eyes, “Not many ponies know what zeroing is Split…”

I perked up, “Great not properly having a zeroed weapon will make their chances of hitting me…”

Cool looked up at me, “They don’t need to with these weapons Split, most weapons down here are fixed Iron sights, which means line up the front to the back put it on its target and fire.”

I felt a little less confident but I stayed my course, “They still won’t expect somepony to charge into melee as fast as me.”

Cool sighed, “That’s… true…”

The mare looked between us in surprise then turning to Cool, “You can’t possibly think this idiot…”

Bubble Gum shot her a glare, “Hey, only I call him that…”

The mare cleared her throat, “This… psycho?” she looked at Bubble Gum for approval which I was starting to feel a little annoyed about. Bubble Gum shrugged before the mare continued,

“You can’t possibly think this is a good idea?”

Cool Coat sighed at her, “Got a better idea?”

The mare looked at all of the dead ponies and the few that were still alive that were helping the injured and dyeing. She hung her head, “No… I guess not.”

I jumped in the air a little and spun around landing crouched ready to take off. Cool looked over the cart getting a quick count before a bullet next to his head brought him back, “Ready Split?”

The mare walked up next to me, “Why are you doing this?”

I grinned, “Always had a weakness for the cute ones…” I put a hoof up to my mouth and I felt my face burn as her face turned red and she looked at me in surprise. I guess I needed a new brain to mouth filter. I cocked my head to the side, “Well I guess no use in denying it now.”

This made her flush brighter as Cool pulled up his rifle and put his mouth on the mouthpiece getting ready to pop up and take a few out.

I looked at Bubble Gum and gave her a confident smile, “On your mark.”

She brightened a bit, “Okay, ready… set…” I snapped my wings open allowing the hidden blades to pop open. I felt a little giddy as I heard the mare take in a breath of amazement. Bubble Gum was standing on her hind legs and she dropped to the ground hard, “GO!”

I took off into the air and as soon as I was clear of the cart I was fighting to not be shot. I climbed high before turning in the air and diving back down. I noticed that Cool was able to take out three before they realized he was there and ducked back down. They didn’t realize that I was coming back as I landed between two of them.

One gross looking green Stallion with a gun that had a huge clip but fired way to fast to be accurate was staring at me dumbfounded. The other stallion was light blue and he was using some kind of revolver turned to me yelling something but was cut short as I opened his throat with my wing. The other stallion started to shoot at me and I bucked the gun into his mouth. With a loud crack and blood the gun fell to the ground with some of the stallions teeth.

I felt a burning sensation in my back left leg but ignored it as I took the stallions side and split it open from the shoulder to his cutie mark. The insides rolled out onto the ground and I took off to find my next target. I found a yellow stallion with his back to me taking pot shots at the cart to keep Cool from poking his head out. I trotted up next to him with a smile and easily cut the already poor conditioned rifle in half.

I cocked my head to the side, “Its ok to run if you want to,” the raider jumped back tossed the butt of the rifle into the air and caught it with the other end in his mouth. I rolled my eyes, “How did I know that was going to be your answer?”

He charged at me bringing his head around trying to club me with the gun. I bent the front part of my wing down to expose the armor and stopped the gung from hitting me. I chuckled a bit as the gun dropped and he grabbed his jaw in pain. Apparently hitting your face into something hard… hurts.

I crouched down and dove at him. He looked up and caught the blade of my wing in his mouth. I looked at him, “Ready to give…” was he trying to bite my wing off? I looked at him in utter amazement, “re you crazy? I could kill you right now if I wanted,” he bit down hard and started to draw blood from inside his mouth.

“HEY KICKER? WHY HAVE YOU STOPPED FIRING?”

I cursed under my breath, what was I supposed to do? I wasn’t going to murder a helpless pony… no matter how messed up they are, but if I didn’t do something I was going to be stuck in a place I didn’t want to be.

The mare came around the corner and I shook my head and finished the stallion quickly and spun around to face the mare. I drooped my wing a little in shock, despite the look of pure crazy and the raider barding she was kind of cute. She looked at me gave a twisted smile and brought out a shotgun.

I didn’t know what to do, jump? No I would get my flank blasted off. Block? No that gun would do some serious damage at that range. Attack? I looked into her eyes and saw my death but I couldn’t bring myself to strike her down. I stood up tall, “Sorry Bubble Gum… I hope this doesn’t hurt that badly,” I closed my eyes ready for something that involved a lot of pain.

I heard someone yell and then I heard something hit the ground. I opened an eye and saw the red mare I was saving squaring off against the raider mare. The raider mare jumped at the red mare and all the red mare did was pulled out a revolver and blasted a hole through the raider’s chest.

She turned back to me slid the pistol in her holster, “You are and idiot you know that?”

I blinked at her, “When… wha… why?”

She walked up to me, “Well I have a weakness for the cute ones as well,” she looked up at me innocently.

I felt my face burn as she drew closer, “But… I…” my brain was cooking at this point. I never had a mare look at me like that without wanting something in return, “Is there… do you need something?” I felt all kinds of nervous as she drew closer to me.

I looked over her shoulder and noticed the other mare was still alive. In fact she had had her gun and was pointing it at the two of us. I took the mare in my front hooves she blushed red and closed her eyes for a second. I spun her around when the gun fired I covered the mare with my armored wings and took a spray of metal pellets to the side.

I dropped to the side and the raider mare dropped as well. The red mare turned back to me frantically, “Split? It’s Split right? Hold on I have a healing potion just wait, “she dug in a small saddle bag and pulled out a healing potion. She picked my head up and using her mouth brought it to mine.

I drank the potion and started to feel the pain in my side start to fade away. I smiled at her,

“Thanks…” I stood up, “and it’s Splitstream by the way.”

She smiled, “Peppermint,” she looked away as she blushed a bit, “or you can call me Pepper everypony else does.”

I sat down and tried to rub the blood off of my side to only smear it, “Great… Bubble Gum is going too…” I felt something warm on my cheek and looked to see Pepper pulling her head back smiling with her cheeks bright red, “What was that for? Saving your life?”

She shook her head, “No that was because it felt like the right thing to do,” she grabbed my face and pulled me into a deep kiss. I was startled but quickly felt myself melt as she kissed me. She pulled back, “That was for saving my life…,” she pushed me over onto my back and stood over me, “this is for… saving your life…”

She was leaning down close to me when I heard Cool Coat, “SPLIT! YOU OK?”

Bubble Gum’s voce came soon after, “SPLIT IF YOU'RE DEAD LET ME KNOW SO I CAN KILL YOU!”

Pepper giggled and I wanted her to stay there and giggle like that again, but she took a step off me and yelled, “HE’S FINE.”

I sat up in time for Bubble Gum to come running around a large rock. She stopped short looking at me in horror, probably because of the blood along my side. She ran over to me to get a closer look and sat down hard with a sigh when she saw that I wasn’t hurt.

She pointed at my side, “What happened?” her tone was flat.

As Cool came around the corner Pepper giggled again, “He was shot saving my life…” she cleared her throat upon seeing Bubble Gum glare at her, “but I was able to give him a healing potion to help.

Cool Coat cocked a brow at me, “We heard two gunshots… How was she in trouble that she needed to have her life saved?”

I thought for a moment, I didn’t think the moment we shared was his business so I thought of a good lie, “eh flabble moom…” ok brain and mouth were apparently not on speaking terms yet.

Pepper gave a cute laugh that made my face burn as I rubbed the back of my head with a sheepish grin.

Cool Coat looked at me with a confident smile, “Say no more Playbuck…” he turned around after giving me a wink.

Bubble Gum rolled her eyes and got up and walked away. I caught her say, “Idiot...” under her breath.

Pepper shot me a sideways glance with a smirk, “Come on, I have to check the damage,” I got up and followed her were Cool was getting ready to help another stallion pull the cart that was least damaged back onto its wheels. We walked by Bubble Gum helping a white mare wrap some bandages around the leg of a colt who couldn’t be much older than she was.

Pepper smiled at me, “Your little girl is some kind of pony,” we were heading over to the other overturned cart that was far too damaged to even bother wasting energy on flipping.

I shook my head, ok brain time to work properly, “She’s not mine…”

She waved a hoof at me, “I know, but you are her guardian right now right? So she’s yours now,”

She stopped next to the cart and looked up at it.

I poked myself in the head. It was true I was in charge of her so I guess I could say she was mine in a way. I stopped and turned my head slightly to the side, “How did you know she wasn’t mine?”

She gave that giggle again, “I have never seen a buck get so tongue tied after a simple kiss like that.”

She turned around and crouched down low on her front legs leaving her… flank… in… the… I felt my face just about catch fire as more than a few mental images danced around in my head. I brought my right hoof out and brought it hard against my right cheek. The hit made my eyes water and the images to subside… a bit.

Pepper pulled out some sort of black box with a satisfying sigh. She put the box in her saddle bag and walked up to me, “So are you going to escort me to a place where I can rest up?”

I put a hoof to my chin, “Well Bubble Gum could use a safe place to rest up so yeah I guess we can travel with ya for a bit.”

She pushed me down from behind and brought her muzzle close to my ear. The hat air on my ear send a shiver down my spine as she spoke softly, “Plus I think we have unfinished business.”

She let me up and ran her tail across my face with a seductive smile. I moved my head trying to keep in contact with that beautiful tail… right up until I fell on my face. The pony in my head just shook his head, ‘nice.’

Luckily there was a town that was close by, the welcoming town of, “Megaspell? Please tell me they just ran out of ironic names.” I said with a hoof up to my eyes.

Pepper nudged me with her hip, “Come on, it’s not active at least if it is it has one hell of a delay.”

I frowned at her, “I don’t think I like the thought of sleeping so close to one that’s all.”

Her eyes narrowed seductively as she mover close to my head again, “You act like I plan on letting you sleep…”

I swallowed my heart back down with some great difficulty. I thought I played it out cool but Bubble Gum cocked her head looking at me with a curious stare, “Why are you all red? Did your fever come back?”

I shook my head a little more fiercely than I intended and almost fell over. Pepper giggled and walked up to the gates. I steadied myself the best I could, “Damn me and my weakness…”

Cool Coat walked by me with a grin, “What weakness? The one where you become a colt in heat when you see a mare that might be a little on the cute side?”

I glared at him, it wasn’t that bad was it? Bubble Gum sat down next to me and watched Pepper as she talked to a Stallion who came out from inside the gate, “I don’t like her. Something doesn’t feel right about her.”

I poked her in the side causing her to squeak, “Are you sure you are not jealous that another pony is paying attention to me?”

Bubble Gum glared at me and took an angry stance, “Wha… you idiot. I don’t care about what you do. It’s just…” she shook her head and turned around and ran past Pepper who was walking back.

Cool Coat gave me a slight grin, “I’ll go find her and talk to her for you.”

I returned the grin even if I didn’t have any feeling in it, “Thanks Cool,” he gave a quick nod and walked past Pepper giving her a nod that didn’t have the same smile as he gave me.

She stopped and watched him walk by, “They don’t like me…”

I walked up next to her, “Cool, I don’t think he can outright hate anypony. Bubble Gum on the other hoof… I just don’t think she is used to having a mare around that’s all.”

She frowned and said something under her breath. I leaned close raising an eyebrow and she gave me a sideways smirk and kissed my cheek, “Are you prying mister?”

I sat back and put my hooves up now feeling a little guilty, “I was just trying to see if I could help or something.”

Her expression dropped a bit, “Why?”

I stopped and put my hooves down and gave her an even look, “Because it is the right thing to do…”

Her expression didn’t change but she cocked her head to the side a bit, “Even if you don’t get anything in return?”

I smiled, “I never expect anything when I do something, too much paperwork involved.”

She gawked at me then put a hoof up to her mouth giving a slight giggle that turned into a laugh. It took her a few moments to calm down before she walked up to me and grabbed my head pulling me into another deep kiss, “Go check on Bubble Gum, make sure she is alright, “she turned around and walked back towards the gate and looked over her shoulder, “I have a room at the Foaming Mug. Just ask for me when you walk in and they will show you the way,” and without another word she walked away.

I sat there for a few moments as the rest of her friends all started unloading their gear and started to head inside. I got to my hooves and followed them inside. My first impression was this place is a dump, but I had to beat that thought out of my head with a spiked baseball bat. I didn’t need my time in the sky to cloud my judgment on how ponies lived down here.

I made my way towards the center of town when I realized, “How am I going to find them?” I looked around and to my relief Cool and Bubble Gum were sitting at an open restaurant. It was small but the food smelled heavenly so I walked over and sat next to Bubble Gum.

She was poking at a sandwich with her hoof while holding her head up with the other. I felt a little bad now so I cleared my throat. She didn’t stop what she was doing but grumbled, “What?”

I sighed, “Bubble Gum, I didn’t mean to make you upset by what I said.”

She pushed her plate away and set her head on her front legs that she crossed on the counter in front of her, “Yeah? Well you did.”

I leaned close to her, “Please tell me why you are so upset about a mare spending time with me?”

She looked up at me with a frown, “It’s not that I mind you being with her it’s just that… I don’t think she is a good pony.”

I thought for a moment, “I don’t think she is going to try anything, I mean we did save her life twice.”

Cool took a sip of something in a glass, “But she saved yours once so she only owes you once.”

I sighed and slid the saddle bags off and set them on the counter and slid them to Cool, “Well I’m going to go talk to her, keep an eye on these for me.”

Cool pulled my saddle bags to him. He pointed at my wings, “What about those?”

I looked at them and gave a smile, “if Bubble Gum doesn’t trust her I’m not going in unarmed.”

This made Bubble Gum smile. She reached over and hugged me, “Be careful idiot.”

I hugged her back, “I will cutie.”

She glared at me but then smiled. I guess since she took to calling me idiot cutie wasn’t so bad. I stood up and walked off it didn’t take long for me to find the Foaming Mug. I walked in and a yellow mare walked up to me wearing some lacy skirt with some leggings. She put a hoof up to my cheek, “Hey handsome want me to come and keep your bed warm with you?”

I felt a shiver go through me. She wasn’t bad looking in fact she was kinda cute but something told me it was not a good idea. I just looked at her, “I’m looking for Peppermint.”

She pouted, “Lucky bitch…” her attitude did a one-eighty, “Go up the stairs last door on your left.” She turned around and whipped my cheek with her tail.

I walked up the stairs rubbing my cheek, “What’s her problem?” I said as I came to the door I was told about. I lifted a hoof up and knocked.

A voice from inside called, “Come in Split.”

I opened the door and walked in. I looked around but she was not in the room, “Pepper?”

I heard water sloshing around, “I’m coming give me a minute.” I walked around the room looking at all of the different things in her room when a door on the other side opened and she walked in. She smiled up at me with a wet mane and tail and I felt my heart melt. She walked over to a desk where her she pulled out the small black box she had earlier and tossed it to me.

I caught it and looked at it, “What is it?”

She took a towel and started drying her mane, “It’s a memory orb. I haven’t had the ability to see it yet but I figure it would be a good payment for…” I set it back on the desk, “What are you doing?”

I gave her a cocky smirk, “I don’t want to take something from you that you haven’t been able to see yourself.” She stood there dumbfounded for a second. I turned towards her not letting my smirk drop, “Plus I don’t really care about what has happened in the past…”

She sat down and hung her head, “What if the pony did something horrible?” Her voice sounded hurtful and her mane was covering her face so I couldn’t see her face.

I walked over to her and lifted her face to make her look into my face, “Not if they gave whatever they did up.”

She looked sadly at me for a second then leaned forward and pressed her lips to mine. This kiss was different than the last two I received. It had more feeling in it, more power. She pushed forward and made me stand up on my hind legs but our lips never parted and then I pushed back and we fell back onto her bed.

As I said before I never got the chance for a relationship, and I didn’t know if this was one. But the way she made me feel that night would never be forgotten.