Fallout Equestria: Towards the Future

The first time since I got my cutie mark no pony was giving me a second glance. To be fair I had a educated guess that the other pegasi that were conducting the physical exams on the other recruits really didn’t care about a stupid picture on someponies flank. Their job was to make sure that everypony who was about to go into training to become part of the Enclave is healthy enough to survive the training.

I managed to get by long enough with a saddlebag that I placed lower on my flank to cover my cutie mark. The pony who is conducting my physical pushed his glasses up onto his nose, “please drop the saddle bags,” he looked down at my chart as I lifted the saddlebag off and set it on the floor with the tip of my wing.

I closed my eyes as he turned around and looked at me his eyes going wide, “yeah go ahead and get it out.”

“Are you a strong flier?”

I looked at the doctor dumbfounded. He didn’t ask me the obvious question or make snide remarks about the obvious, “um… yeah, I got this because I am a good flier.”

“Interesting,” was all he could say through a pen in his teeth as he jotted something down on my chart, “now what happened exactly when you got your cutie mark?”

I couldn’t believe that he didn’t care, “are you going too…” I hinted at my cutie mark with a wing.

He looked up and with a bored expression he flatly said, “I’m married and I don’t swing that way.”

I shook my head, “No, I mean aren’t you going to call me on my cutie mark?”

He set the chart down and gave me a hard stare, “first, do you think I am that stupid that I would think that some young buck with a different cutie mark that looks like it might be a dashite brand, would be stupid enough to sign up to become a soldier and possibly more in the Enclave?”

I took a step back stunned, “I didn’t mean…”

He picked the chart back up, “clearly, but I am not as black and white as most of the ponies who fly around up here. I noticed that your what your cutie mark looked like and I also knew that it was a unique mark not a brand.”

I sat down and hung my head, “sorry, I’m just used to ponies taking one look at my cutie mark and instantly jumping down my throat.”

He looked up from the chart and looked directly into my eyes, “don’t get me wrong though, with that cutie mark you are in for a tough time, but don’t let that drag you down. Keep your head held high and prove to everypony that you are anything but what they think you are.”

I felt my mouth curl into a smile, “hasn’t stopped me this far.”

He returned my smirk, “now let’s talk about how you got that cutie mark.”

******

I started to feel the myself wake up and when I tried to roll over my head told me that it wasn’t a good idea to move right now. I put my hooves up to my temples and tried to close my eyes more when I felt a movement next to me. I waited for a second when I heard a small but deep breath being drawn in.

“you would be surprised how short life is already before trying something like this,” I opened my eye and looked up at Bubble Gum who was now holding her breath with wide shocked eyes. I reached out and poked her and she let out the breath she was holding along with a giggle.

“no fair,” she said with a slight glare up at me as she rubbed her side.

I sat up slowly feeling a few sonic rainbooms going off in my head, “what happened to me last night?”

“Well we were having a good heart to heart talk, mostly about what happened to me and my past, when we got on the topic of father’s. that is when you decided to show me what you would do to your father if you seen him again straight up till you spun around tripped and slammed the side of your head into the side of the skycart hard enough to wake up poor Bubble Gum.”

I turned my head slowly to see Cool Coat smiling at me as he walked back into the skycart. I put a hoof up to my lips, “shhh, lower the volume please. My head feels like I was at the wrong place during a sonic rainboom.”

Bubble Gum held up a healing potion, “I don’t know if it will help but here,” I took the potion from her and drank it down when she looked up at me with cocking her head a little to the side, “what’s a sonic rainboom?”

The potion did start to make my head feel a little better, the part that I hurt due to slamming my head against something harder than it was and not the alcohol. I gave her a smile, “well some pegasi can fly really fast. Fast enough to create a wave of color that spread off in all directions.”

Cool’s face became hard, “don’t forget the devastation they can cause.”

I looked at him then to Bubble Gum who was now looking away with stars in her eyes. I glance back Cool, “I don’t think she needs to know that much about it.”

He gave a shrug, “your call boss.”

I was just about comment on that when I heard someone talking. I put a hoof up to my lips and signaled for Cool to close the skycart doors. He hurried over and with a little effort managed to get them closed with little to no sound. I shot a prayer to Celestia for making this a pillow transport skycart as I silently moved over to the side and looked out a rusted hole. I also decided to curse Celestia in my head as about ten raiders started to walk by.

“Wait… You were beaten by some little mare armed with a bookcase?” I looked to see a large black stallion dragging by a chain. The other made a choking noise and the other’s laughed, “yeah thats what I thought you said.”

He gave the chain a strong jerk and a popping sound that could have been mistaken for a gunshot came from the smaller stallion and he instantly went limp. The other raiders howled with laughter and I heard a small whimper behind me. I looked back to see Bubble Gum looking like she was ready to cry. I moved over to her and pulled her close to my hugging her face into me as she tried her hardest to not cry. I stroked her mane as I tried to look out the hole to see what they were doing.

That was answered with a wet meaty sound as somepony started to hack at the body with something. Every hit made Bubble Gum flinch and whimper, I tried to do everything in my power to comfort her as they mutilated the body just outside the skycart.

“What was that?” the large buck said evenly.

Bubble Gum started shaking into me as she couldn’t hold it back any longer. I leaned down and wrapped my head over her and did the only thing i could think of. I started to hum a soft quiet tune. She started to calm down a little but didn’t try to move away.

The buck out side said again, “what was that?”

A wicked mare laughed, “I… I… had a bookshelf dropped on me so I had to run… she would have killed me if I stayed.”

The buck let out a loud wicked laugh, “running like a little filly can get you killed too,” he stopped laughing, “now let’s go see if we can find out who this bookshelf killer is and giver her a proper greeting,” they all started to cheer happily as they moved away.

I continued to hold Bubble Gum humming softly to her until Cool peaked out, “I think they're gone now,” he pushed the door open and looked around, “yeah all clear.”

I held Bubble Gum out and looked at her as she tried to wipe her eyes dry, “are you ok?”

She gave a small nod, “I… I’m sorry.”

I pushed her hooves down so she looked into my eyes and smiled warmly at her, “you were scared sweet heart. In fact I would be a lot more worried for you if you didn’t act like that when they did what they did.”

She wiped her eyes again then smiled up at me, “thank you Split.”

I gave her my warmest smile, “just don’t get any older yet, ok?”

She gave me an enthusiastic nod, “yup”

Cool looked up at me as he slipped his saddlebags back on, “where did you get the idea to hum to her like that?”

I stopped for a brief second as I was about to pull my saddlebags on, “my mother…” I looked down to see Bubble Gum placing a hoof on my fore leg slightly looking up at me with big innocent eyes and i gave her a smile which she returned. She walked over to her saddlebags and began to stuff her blanket back into it. I looked up at Cool who was giving me a look of both curiosity and sadness and I let out a sigh, “I was very young when she died and it was one of the few things I remember her doing for me.”

Cool lifted his rifle up and slung it over his back, “Split from buck to buck I want to be honest with you,” I looked at him and he turned and gave me a hard but even stare, “I don’t think its a good idea to be taking her along… I know how you feel about and for her, what you did just now really puts that into picture but I’m afraid of what could happen to her.”

I finished slipping my saddlebags on, “I’m not just going to dump her on somepony else or trust her to anypony who isn’t willing to risk their life to keep her safe,” I shot him a hard glare.

He put his hooves up in defence, “I would willingly jump into anything to save that filly but what will happen to you if something happened to her? or worse yet what would happen to her if something happened to you?”

I started to slip my pieces of wing armor back on and gave my wing a quick snap making the blade extend, “well I better make sure nothing happens to her then.”

Cool gave a long sigh, “don’t think you will have to do that on your own,” he shot me a cocky smirk and I returned it when Bubble Gum walked up next to me.

when we climbed out of the skycart Bubble Gum’s eyes locked onto what was left of the mutilated corpse of the pony that was killed. She took a step back and gave another whimper, I jumped in front of her and bent down making her look at me instead of the mutilated corpse, “Bubble Gum look at me.” she focused on me still a little scared that what happened to that stallion was only about a yard away from her, “listen, you remember what I did for you?” she nodded, “I want you to hum something to yourself but I also want to close your eyes and put you hooves over your ears, ok?”

She gave a slight nod, “when will I know when to do it?”

I nudged her to start walking away from the mess behind me and kept myself between her and the gruesome scene, “when I want you to do that I will say…” I put a hoof up to my chin thinking then it hit me and with a smile I turned to her, “ear muffs…”

She cocked an eyebrow at me, “really?”

I frowned, “got one better?”

She gave me a wide smile, “we can call it Bubble Gum time.”

“Gum time, I want to keep it short so you can do it quick.” I felt the name was a little lacking but if it made her happy I was willing to go with it.

I could see the gears turning in her head, “I guess that could work,” she finally said after a couple minutes.

I rolled my eyes but gave her a smile when Cool stopped suddenly causing both me and Bubble Gum to run into him, “nice…” I gave small smirk to Bubble Gum who was rubbing her nose after running into the back of his leg. I looked over his shoulder, “so what has you…” I felt my insides drop. I knew that we were late in saving Cool Coat’s friends but this, this was a slaughter, “Bubble Gum… Gum time.”

She cocked her head to the side then her eyes went wide. She closed her eyes tightly covered her ears and started humming a upbeat tune. I lifted her up a set her lightly on my back and walked up next to Cool who was looking at the scene, “Cool?”

He started towards the cranage. There were pony parts hanging from a tree that was near where the group had set up a camp. One pony was tied to the trunk of the tree both his front and back legs broken around it. One mare was nailed to the ground and from my guess her dying was the best thing that happened to her.

Cool walked quietly up to a older but strong looking buck who looks like he died either from the multiple gunshots or the giant gash in side of his neck. Whatever the case was he didn’t go down quietly judging by all of the dead raiders around him. I opened my wings to make sure Bubble Gum didn’t see any of this. Cool Coat gave a wet sniff but started to pull at the corpses of his fallen friends, “Cool? are you ok?”

Cool pulled on a green hoodie and slipped a black fur hat with a star on it that matched his cutie mark pulled up a large looking rifle with a scope to match. He popped out the magazine and cursed under his breath, “no ammo.”

“Cool?”

“Ok maybe we can head to New Appleloosa and we can trade for some.”

“COOL!” I was starting to really worry for my friend.

“I don’t know if they would have rounds of that would fit this…”

I took a step back, “COOL COAT!” I looked back to see Bubble Gum looking up at me. She closed her eyes tightly and pressed down on her ears and almost started singing.

Cool lowered the gun down, “what the fuck am I supposed to do now?” he turned to me and glared at me, “What The Fuck Am I Supposed To Do huh?” the tears rolling down his face soaked the side of his face.

I stomped the ground and he took a step back but I wasn't backing down my best friend was hurting and I was pissed, “Cool… we are going to the raider nest right now. You can take out whatever you are holding inside out on them.”

He closed his eyes, “Split… They took something from me that…”

“Tell me after we take care of them,” the force from that statement surprised me when it came from my mouth, but I wasn’t going to take it back. Not when I promised to help him out.

I took Bubble Gum away from the area and slid her off my back. She looked up at me curiously, “What happened?”

I sat down keeping myself between her and Cool while he took time to properly bury his friends. “Cool found out that his friends where killed, and from what we can tell, they were killed by raiders.” Bubble Gum put her hooves up to her mouth.

She sat there for a couple seconds before she put her hooves back down, “Was it bad?”

I nodded slowly and she moved like she wanted to see but stopped herself and sat there putting her head down. I placed my hoof on her head, “you can talk to Cool when he is done, ok?”

She gave a tiny nod then looked up, “why is he doing it alone?”

I turned to look back at Cool, “I’m giving him a few minutes alone, but I needed to make sure you stay in where I can see you.”

She put her front hooves on me and gave a small push, “go help Cool you idiot. All you had to do is tell me to to keep out of sight until you were done.”

I had to admit she had a point, so I smiled and walked back to Cool who was using a makeshift pick to hit at the ground. I sat down hard I knew this was a losing battle so I walked over to a cart full of bits of scrap and crates full of junk. I pulled out out a found a couple lead pipes and using bits of scrap metal and other bits of scrap to make a really crappy shovel or at least something I could use to scoop out dirt.

I walked back to Cool and dug the shovel into the ground and started to clear out the loose dirt. He stopped and looked at me for a second but gave a weak smile behind the pick and continued to loosen the dirt for me. After a few hours we managed to get through the wet ground and made four  small graves.

I Started to walk over to the ponies with him but he turned in front of me, “Split, please let me do this alone… I… I want to use this time to say my goodbye’s.”

“Cool, are you sure? I want to help you…” I didn’t feel quite right about just leaving him to do this alone.

He gave a small laugh, “Thank you Split, really but I you should go to Bubble Gum and make sure she is ok,” he gave one last half-hearted grin before turning around, “I’ll be fine split I just need a minute.”

He walked slowly back to the camp and I walked back to Bubble Gum who was waiting for me with a open Sparkle Cola next to her. I didn’t realize how thirsty I was until I saw that bottle. She nudged the bottle to me and I lifted it to my lips savoring the carroty flavor. She looked at me as if waiting for something and I was starting to feel a little guilty and I didn’t know why.

I sighed and set the bottle down, “ok, what is it?”

She frowned, “why are you over where again and not helping Cool?” she crossed her hooves over her chest.

I drank the rest of the Sparkle Cola down in a large swig and set the down, “he told me he wanted a minute to put his friends into the graves and say his goodbyes,” she cocked an eyebrow, “I wouldn’t leave him hanging like that Bubble Gum, but do you have another one of those Sparkle Colas?”

She smiled and pulled one out and rolled it to me. I scooped it up and trotted back to Cool who was placing the mare gently into her grave. He looked back his eyes and cheeks still wet. he turned back and rubbed his face as I approached, “she… she always told me that I would have a chance with her even if i knew I never did,” I set the bottle down and sat next to him as he continued on, “her name was Raspberry Parfait and she was a real sweet heart unless you made her angry then she would rip your head off,” he gave me a soft nudge, “she would have like you.”

I was starting to feel a little bad and I didn’t even know who she was, “she sounds like a real winner in my book,” it was kinda weak but I didn’t have anything else. I never had any friends that I could miss like this.

He gave a couple snotty sniffs and pointed to the stallion who was ties to the tree, “this was Edge, he was a quick witten bastard, but everypony loved him,” he closed his eyes and smiled, “I remember a time when me and him got into a bar fight and he stopped in the middle of the fight to get a drink then took the glass and smashed it over another bucks head.”

I placed a hoof on Cools shoulder, “I bet you two were a terrible duo in a drunken brawl.”

Cool nodded and pointed to the other body with was almost unrecognisable as a pony, “that was Tank, he was the strong quiet type but he knew his way around explosives. I think Raspberry and him had a thing going and she just kept telling me I had a chance just so not to hurt my feelings,” he was starting to shake, “I would have been happy for the two of them if they had just told me.”

I slid my hoof over to his other shoulder and he pointed a shaky hoof at the last stallion, “Silver Bullet, he was my mentor, more like a father that I never had. He taught me how to shoot, to control my breathing and lead my target and how to pick my targets,” the tears were flowing down his face again, “I always thought he would live forever after my father had him put up for execution and he fought his way out taking out most of my fathers guards. He… he asked me to go with him and he would teach me how to be a real pony not a glammed up little prick,” he turned his head and put his head into my shoulder and sobbed, “I... I never told him thank you for that…”

I comforted my friend until he pushed himself back. I slid my hoof back on to his shoulder, “you ok?”

Cool shook his head, “no, but I will be…” he walked over to the graves and started pushing dirt back into the holes. I didn’t wait for him to tell me to leave or to help I just walked over and started to help him fill in the holes. After a few moments the graves were filled and Bubble Gum walked up with a couple little trinket that looked like ponies made from paper with a bottle cap for a head colored with crayons. She held them up and he looked at her in surprise for a moment then scooped her up into a tight hug, “thank you Bubble Gum,” was all he could say.

She hugged him back not saying a word. She placed a trinket on each of the of the graves and Cool pulled out his alcoholic drink and poured a small amount onto each grave before taking a swig himself. He handed the bottle to me and I took a swig and handed it back. He gave a final silent prayer adjusted his hat and picked up his weapons, “let’s go return the favor.”

I scooped up Bubble Gum and followed behind him giving one last look back at the graves, ‘what would you do if you lost Cool or worst yet Bubble Gum?’ was the question that went through my head, and I felt my stomach tighten at the thought and shook my head to get rid of the thought.

The walk didn’t take us long but by the time we reach a large sign that read “Welcome to Ponyville” it was already getting rather dark. The sign was horribly bloody and had pieces of ponies hanging off it, and I was glad Bubble Gum was sleeping on my back when we got to it. Cool tapped me with a wing and when i looked at him he put a hoof up to his lips and then pointed to a nearby bridge where I could make out two raiders standing a pole up with a freshly decapitated pony head on it. Cool tapped me again then pointed to a nearby building that might have looked rather fancy back in the day. I nodded and took off into the air with Cool right behind me and we found a window close to the top which we entered from.

once inside I frowned at the mess of badly damaged fabric around and pony sized mannequins the looked like ghosts in the room. I walked over to a desk which caught my attention rather quickly at it had another little statue on it. The statue was a dark colored pegasus with yellow eyes. He was wearing a purpley silver armor and he was crouched low and looking like he was ready to pounce onto the cup full of pencils and pens. The bottom read “Be Cautious” and for some reason I liked this one so I picked it up and slipped it into my saddle bag. I felt a weird sensation pass over me like walking into a shadow during a hot day. I shrugged a little and continued to look.

I looked at the clean circular spot on the desk and noticed carved into wood was a number. I shook my head at the number and walked away from the desk.

Cool was on the other side of the room when I heard him call, “hey Split, come here.”

I walked over to him and he walk poking at a safe that was behind a dresser. Who ever was the last pony here forgot to push it back and now the safe was readily exposed, “well open it, not like who ever owned this place is going to need it now,” I felt a little crooked at that but what ever was in it we could probably use.

She shook his head, “no way we are going to get through that lock,” he said with a huff, “maybe if we found the numbers to unlock it we could…” I turned and ran back to the desk and looked back at the numbers then trotted back to the safe and started to turn the dial, six, sixteen, thirteen, twenty, thirteen, and then I turned the handle and the safe popped open. I grinned as I opened it I saw two black boxes in it and a small pouch. I pulled out one of the black boxes and opened it to see three memory orbs in it. I closed the lid and slid it into my saddle bag with a small frown. I grabbed the pouch and looked inside and was surprised to see it filled with bits. I dropped it into my saddle bag and grabbed the last box out. my first thought was, ‘yay more memory orbs,’ but when I picked it my curiosity peaked as it was rather heavy. I looked at it and found a little button which I pressed causing the lid to fling open. My jaw hit the floor as I looked at the most beautiful necklace I had ever seen. It was a large ruby in the shape of a heart it was placed in a very decorative gold choker which i guess made it more of a color than a necklace but I was awestruck. I closed the box and slid into my saddlebag and figuring nothing else remained in the room that was useable we went to the door and found out that it was locked.

“Well I guess that is why no pony has come in here,” I said as i unlocked the door and walked into a small hall. I walked over to a door on the other side and opened it, “or maybe ponies just don’t know what stairs are?” I suggested as the room looked like it was left like that two hundred years ago, I mean the bed was even made still. I walked over to it and laid Bubble Gum on it and covered her with her blanket. Cool was looking at different things in the room and then looks out the window. I walked up next to him, “so how many are we looking at?”

He looked around, “from what i can see… around ten or so, but that is what I can see,” he walks over and pulls an old wooden chair and sets it up next to the window. He pulled out his rifle and starts pull out random things, “why don’t you go down and introduce yourself?”

I turned and started for the door, “keep an eye on Bubble Gum,” my expression hardened this wont take long,”

I made my way down stairs and into the what looked like the sales floor. I looked around for a second but the voices outside snapped my attention at the task at hand. I made my way outside and towards the group of raider ponies. One of them stopped and looked up at me, “oh look fresh meat.”

I continued to walk towards them not blinking as one start to walk towards me, “are you lost because if so we…” I stopped him short by snapping a bladed wing across his throat.

The other raiders laugh gleefully and charge at me as I took up a battle stance. The first one reached me and levitated up a lead pipe but he falls to the ground with a hole in his head. Whatever Cool was doing when I left I was kinda glad that it made his gun silent but the others were still coming after me. I brought one of my wings up and with a metallic THUNK  a bat bounced off the armor. I spun and snapped my wing open and drove the hidden blade into the back of the raiders head. He dropped the bat which fell to the ground. Two other raiders dropped due to Cools rifle and a third took a fire axe and swung it in an arch which I used the body of the raider I just killed to take the hit. I pulled out the blade and dropped my wing low and jumped forward driving the edge of my wing through the dead raiders neck through the axe handle and and out the other side of the other raider. I continued running and skidded to a halt as two more raiders dropped dead on either side of me. I looked up at the large black Stallion with an even larger hammer.

He gave a low laugh, “I am going to wear you like a coat,” he took a step towards me but the mare that was left jumped past him holding a energy pistol.

“where did you get…” I had to jump out of the way as she shot a beam of energy at me. Luckily she didn’t know how to shoot that very well but the dodge threw me off as the stallion ran up to me swinging his hammer. I couldn’t dodge and he knew it so I put up a wing and twisted my body just enough so that the swing didn’t do as much damage as I knew it was going to do. The hammer slammed against my armor which made most of the impact slam into my side. The force of the hit from a strong earth pony like him and a light weight pegasus like me meant I saw some air time without opening my wings. I stood up and almost got sick as the pain in my side told me that hit broke a couple of my ribs. The mare ran forward again and I readied myself for what was starting to feel like the same tactic but three holes appeared in the side of her neck dropping her to the ground. The gun slid towards me stopping just in front of me which I picked up holding it in my mouth hoping for at least one more shot.

The stallion walked up next to the mare who reached out to him with a hoof. She tried to say something but the hole in her lungs made only blood come out of her mouth but that quickly became less of a concern as he swung the hammer down hard on her head smashing it like an over ripe piece of fruit.

I glared at him, “she was reaching out for you to help her,” the pain in my ribs was starting to fade as I felt rage build up inside me.

He looked down at the mare then up to me and gave shrug as he gave a smug smile behind the hammer in his mouth. I nodded and took a step forward, he brought the hammer up but I wasn't going to let him get another hit in, mostly because I don’t think I could take another hit like that. I shot forward faster than I thought I could go giving my injuries, but I couldn't feel anything. He took a step back in surprise and tried to swing the hammer. I dropped low and put my wings up allowing the hammer to scrape along the the armor on my back. I put the energy pistol up to his chin and grinded.

He dropped the hammer, “please…”

I felt my smile stretch across my face, “what was that?” his face dropped and I pressed the trigger sending a beam of energy up into his brain which made a sick popping sound followed by burning smell with a bright flash of light and I was standing next to a big pile of ash. I dropped the pistol and started back to the clothing store. Cool was at the bottom of the stairs with a healing potion. I took it from him, “thanks,” and took the potion in one gulp.

Cool walked over to the door that was blown off its hinges, “go get some rest Split. I will lock this place down and get some later.” he started to lift the door up.

I dragged myself up to the room where Bubble Gum was clearly acting like she was asleep. I climbed onto the bed and had to admit that whoever owned this place had good taste in beds. I was starting to drift off when I felt Bubble Gum nuzzle up next to me. I felt my face break into a smile and put a wing over the top of her and let sleep take me over.