Fallout Equestria: Towards the Future

I slowly opened my eyes and stretched, as I sat up I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and looked around my room at all of the toys I left all over the floor. I gave a final yawn and slid out of my bed dropping to the floor and stretching again. I looked outside and frowned as the black clouds that were being pushed in by the storm ponies told my little mind that I wasn't going to be able to play outside today. I dropped my head to the floor and kicked a ball that was next to my hoof causing it to knock over the small pile of blocks that were made of clouds.

“Oh your awake now huh?” said a soothing voice from my door.

I looked up to see a blue delicate looking mare with the same bright Emerald green eyes that I inherited. Her dark blue white frosted mane was braided and hung to the side of her face. She gave a warm smile which I returned, “morning mommy.”

She walked in and bent down and kissed me on the head, “good morning sweetie, are you hungry?”

I was going to do what every colt my age did and make things difficult but my growing stomach gave me away before I could say anything. I smiled a little, “um… yeah.”

She stood up and walked back to the the door, “well ok then. Why don’t you go get cleaned up and I will have something ready for you when you get downstairs.”

She stopped by the door and stumbled a bit catching herself in the door frame before she fell over. I ran over to her feeling my heart race as this wasn’t the first time I had seen her collapse, “Mommy!”

She gave a weak smile and pushed herself back up, “I’m ok sweetie, I just got a little dizzy thats all, “ I was giving her a worried look and she nuzzled the top of my head and started to hum a small simple tune. I reached up and wrapped my hooves around her neck and smiled into her soft coat. She pulled back after a few seconds still smiling, “better?”

I nodded and trotted past her and into the bathroom. After I was cleaned up I trotted back down stairs stopping short when a loud crash came from the kitchen. I walked to the door and looked in and my heart dropped I ran to my mother's body as she laid on the floor breathing heavily her eyes closed tightly, “MOMMY!”

When I reached next to her she opened one of her eyes and tried to smile at me, “Splitstream…”

I turned around looking at the door that seemed so far away then back to my mother, “mommy I… I… don’t know what to do… I’m scared…” I started to feel tears build up in my eyes.

She reached a hoof up and stroked the side of my face, “honey… I want… you to… go to the neighbors and… tell them… what happened.”

I shook my head, “no mommy I’m not going to leave you,” tears started to roll down my cheeks.

She put a hoof around me and pulled me close to her and whispered softly, “honey… I need you… to be strong for me… okay?”

I shook my head into her, “no… I don’t want to be strong… I want you to get up… I want,” she started to hum again. I felt the vibrations from her voice against my head and she slowly stroked my head. I sat there pushing my head into her as the humming slowly started to become quieter. She took a deep breath and hummed another tune with it. I sat with my face un under her chin waiting for the last of the tune, but no tune came, “mommy? are you going to finish it for me?” she didn’t answer or move. I looked up, “mommy?” she laid there like she was sleeping. I nudged her with my face moving her head slightly starting to feel something building up inside of me, “mommy… you need to get me something to eat…” I felt the tears flowing down my face now. i sniffed loudly as i stood up and pushed her head with my head, “mommy… wake up… please…” She still didn’t move. I put my face against hers, “mommy… mommy…” I laid down without moving my face and started to cry.

I heard a knock at the door and a voice call in, “Summer Rain? are you ready to go?” as a yellow mare with a bright orange and pink mane opened the door. She walked into the kitchen and saw me crying into her, “Splitstream what happened?” her voice was filled with worry.

I looked up at her tears rolling down my face, “she… she won’t wake up.”

******

I jerked awake feeling the wetness on the sides of my face. I sat up and rubbed the tears out of my eyes. I held my hooves over my eyes trying to remember what the dream was about but it was like trying to hold water in my hooves. I looked up to see Bubble Gum playing with my new statue and her statue like dolls. I crouched down and quietly as I could made my way over to her. I put my face next to hers and whispered, “I don’t remember telling you that you could go through my things.”

She jumped sending both statues to the floor as she gave a high pitched shriek. I  sat down and wrapped my hooves around my ribs as I started to laugh. She glared at me, “You Idiot” She hopped off the chair and rammed her head into my stomach which caused me to double over, “serves you right, “she snarled.

I smiled, “but you went into my bags and too one of my things without asking.”

She gritted her teeth, “yeah but…” she frowned and looked at the statues, “you should have…” she stopped again and looked up at me as I sat back up and rubbed my stomach with a hoof. She drooped her head, “sorry Split…”

I put a hoof on her head, “just ask Bubble Gum, remember it never hurts to ask.”

She gives a little smile, “so can I go into you saddlebags to get the statue so I can play with it?”

I scooped up my statue and dropped it back into my saddlebag before I slid in back on, “I’ll think about it.”

Her face screwed up as she walked over to me, “but I said I was sorry.”

I put her statue back into her saddlebag and put it onto her and nudged her with a hoof, “and I said I will think about it, if you don’t like that answer then it will be no.”

She dug her hooves into the floor and turned herself around, “but…” I raised my eyebrows at her and she lowered her head, “ok… I’m sorry.”

“Good, now let’s go find Cool and get some breakfast.” she turned around and walked on still hanging her head. I sighed, “and maybe I will let you play with my statue when we find a place to camp out for the night.”

She looked back at me her face bright then twisted in confusion, “we aren’t staying here?”

I nudged her forward, “I don’t plan on it,” as we made our way down stairs I looked out the door and noticed Cool talking to a gray stallion with a dirty white suite on and a black hat. He was a little on the scrawny side but he was smiling as he talked. I held up a hoof, “Bubble Gum wait here.” She crouched down and crept over to a boarded up window and looked through it. I walked out glancing around as saw a few more ponies waiting near the bridge.

As I drew closer to Cool and the other stallion the stallion looked up and smiled widely, “so this is the Buck you told me about,” i stopped and glared at Cool who shrugged. The stallion turned and pulled his hat off and bowed his head. His mane was as greasy as his attitude, “the name is Payout, i’m a bit of a business…”

I shook my head, “I really don’t care who or what you are. Why are you here?” I didn’t care much about what he has to say but with a filly looking through a window only a few yards away was making me nervous. I looked at him with my eyes narrowing, “you do realize that this was swarming with raiders?”

He set his hat back onto his head, “yes I am aware and I have to thank you for cleaning this place up,” He turned around and signaled for the ponies to start walking.

I continued to stare at him, “why thank me?”

As the others started to get closer he glanced at me, “because when ever we come through here we always have to give them some of our product for safe passage.”

“What kind of…” I looked at the ponies walking walking in front of a cart being hauled by two ragged ponies. There were about fourteen ponies chained to the back of the cart. They all wore rags and were different ages. Some even didn’t have their cutie marks yet. I took a step, “you're a slaver?”

He walked over to one of the slaves and started looking at her carefully, “no I said I am a business pony,” he looked up at one on the ponies in the cart and pointed at the cream colored mare, “she should do.”

I felt anger building up inside of me. I looked back at Cool and he nodded at me and started walking back to the boutique. I looked back at the stallion and noticed that a unicorn was unlocking the mare, “what are you doing? what do you mean she will do?”

When the mare was unlocked he walked her over in front of me, “payment for helping us out,” a filly reached a hoof out a let out a small cry but the unicorn kicked the filly back into line. I was getting so angry I felt myself shaking. Payout looked the mare over, “she is one of the best we have and…” he smacks her flank causing her to give a small whinny and close her eyes tightly and making her face flush red, “she is only slightly used.”

He started to laugh but I shot forward and slammed him up against the cart. I held him up off the ground with my hooves, “give me one reason why I shouldn’t see how hi I can get your head to fly after I take it off.”

He gave a slight laugh, “because you are surrounded my friend.”

I felt something cold against the back of my head, “careful, I wouldn’t want to mess up his nice suite would I?”

I gave Payout a glare lifted him higher and let him go. I spun around and in a flash took the face of the stallion who was holding a shotgun with a large round drum under it causing it and the stallion to fall to the ground. I stuck a wing into the cart next to Payout and shot up splitting the unicorn leaning over up the middle. I kicked off the cart and shot toward the last stallion near me but as he brought up an assault rifle the side of his head exploded and he dropped making stop early and look up at the window to see Cool waving a hoof at me. I gave a quick wave and walked back to Payout.

He leaned against the cart holding his left front leg which the sleeve of the suite was a dark red and very wet, “oops, I guess I cut a little closer than I thought,” I sneered as I approached him. I looked back at the cream colored mare, “run inside that building and get the buck who was covering me please,” She nodded and ran off.

I glared at me for a second then his face broke into a hideous smile, “go ahead kill me,” he pointed a hoof at the ponies still chained up, “and you kill them as well.”

I raised an eyebrow, “oh?”

He pulled the collar of his suite down revealing a thick metal collar with a red blinking light, “see this? If I die all of their collars go off and boom… you have a whole lot of headless pony corpses,” he chuckled.

I pounded my hoof into his chest making him wince in pain, “oh, you thought I was going to kill you?” I gave a small dark laugh, “well to be honest I was but now I need you to help me get the collars off of them so they can be free.”

He gave a weak grin, “oh and I will help you right after you lick the sweat off my…”

I put my hoof around to the back of his head and slammed him into the ground face first. I then took my wing and brought the bladed edge across the top of his right ear taking the very tip of it off. He let out a scream that made the filly cower. I leaned over close to the bleeding ear, “I am not a very happy pony right now,” and brought the edge back up to his ear and slowly started to cut a thin layer, just under the last cut, with a small sawing motion. He screamed again but I put a hoof down on his muzzle and looked into his dilated eye, “and if I am not a happy pony, you won’t be a happy pony unless you let these ponies go.”

He nodded frantically and I lifted my hood off of his muzzle, “fine… will you let me live if I release them?”

I took a step back allowing him to stand up, “you have my word.”

He put a small handkerchief up to his bleeding ear, “ok then,” with his other hoof took out a small remote that had only two buttons on it.

Cool walked up next to me, “wow a little overkill on the ear don’t you think?” I turned and looked at him and he swallowed hard, “uh… never mind.”

I looked back at Payout as he went from pony to pony and undid their shackles then their collars. When he finished with the last one he looked up at me, “so… I’m free to go right?”

I got up and walked to him which made him shrink down and flatten his ears back, “I swear to Luna and Celestia both that if I find out you put a hoof into helping slavers again I will personally hunt you down take the rest of the ear off with a little extra,” I had to admit that sounded a little corny.

He gave a small nod, “yes… of course… my hooves will be cleaned as of right now… no more slave trade or anything of the sort.”

I pointed a wing, “get out of my sight,” I watched runoff for a few moments then turned back to all of the ponies.

One pony picked up one of the slavers guns and started to point it at me when a older but strong looking buck slapped him hard in the back of the head causing the gun to fall back to the ground. The younger stallion looked up at him, “are you crazy? he will try to kill us next.”

The buck glared at him making him take a step back, “if he wanted us dead we would be already you fool,” the young stallion hung his head and the older one came up to me with a warm smile, “thank you my friend.”

I sighed and smiled back up at him, “what kind of pony would I be if I let them take you away like that?”

He frowned and he glanced back. I followed his stare and noticed Cool talking to the cream colored mare who was holding the little filly close but smiling at Cool. The buck turned back to me, “you are a rarity my friend. Not many ponies take on slavers to help ponies like us,” he dropped his head, “not many care.”

I put a hoof on his shoulder, “but I did, and I would use that to your advantage.”

He looked up at me, “how?”

I waved my hoof in an arch at all of the old raider decorated buildings, “you could turn this into a small town again. Get some things to block off the bridge and keep guards on it. Send fast runners to nearby towns to establish trade and maybe help build up the population here.”

The buck looked around, “maybe…” he looked at me, “do you really think we can do something like that?”

I felt my face break into a wide smile, “it might take sometime and effort but yes I do.”

He smiled and looked at me with tears in his eyes, “thank you… you not only saved our lives but you gave us hope. That is something that most of us have almost forgotten about.”

I felt something brush against my side and looked down to see Bubble Gum smiling up at me.. I smiled back at her, “maybe a little hope is what this wasteland needs,” she hugged me and I put a hoof around her.

The buck looked at the town, “yeah I think you're right,” he brought a hoof up to his chest, “the name is Buck Brawn, but you can call me Buck.”

I beamed, “the name is Splitstream, but you can call me Split,” I couldn’t believe that I thought my life was so miserable before I came down here. I mean yeah it wasn’t that great but I meet some of the best that I have the pleasure of calling friend and now I have a few more to add to the growing tally.

He gave a small nod, “will you be staying?”

I stood up and stretched and gave a quick shake, “no, in fact we must be on our way, but if you ever need help send word and I will come running.”

He smiled, “I cannot thank you enough for this chance.”

I walked around him, “yeah you can, by not messing it up.”

I was a few yards away when Bubble Gum stopped, “um… I think we forgot somepony.”

I looked at her then face hoofed, “Cool Coat,” I moaned.

Bubble Gum turned around, “I’ll get him,” and she trotted away.

I sat down watching Bubble Gum trot away, “I have to thank you young buck,” I jumped and spun around bringing my wing around stopping just inches away from the metal flying ball, “oh… sorry, I guess I really need to let ponies know I’m coming.”

I sat down putting a hoof on my chest, “give a pony a heart attack why don’t ya,” I was breathing heavily and it felt like my heart was in my throat.

“Again, I am sorry for scaring you. It’s just that I like to speak to as few ponies as possible,” The voice sounded like it was coming from inside of a can.

I took a couple of deep breaths fighting the urge to slice the thing in half, “so… why?” I asked as I gained my composure.

“Why what?” the little robot buzzed back.

“Why the secrecy? Who or what are you anyhow? And why thank me?” I poked the robot with a hoof. It was really well made but at the same time looked so delicate.

The robot hovered out of my reach then back down, “please one question at a time. First, please call me Watcher. Second, I want to thank you for helping those ponies and giving Ponyville another chance. And third, for now let’s say I have a lot riding on somethings I have, so I talk to very few ponies.”

I sat down and frowned at the robot, “so… your secrecy prevented you from stepping in and giving me a hoof?”

“I um, I’m sorry but I can’t let anypony find out where I live or…”

I stood up and took a couple steps forward, “you came out of wherever you're from to talk to me after I did most of the hard work and instead of coming over and maybe helping me take care of the slavers or just helping the slaves you pat me on the back and tell me that you just sit there on the sidelines hoping that things just happen to work out for the best?”

“I… uh…”

I took a threatening step forward, “thanks, but I know what I did was a good thing and I don’t need a flying soccer ball to tell me that and then try to tell me that they wish they could do the same thing,” I turned around and sat down a little harder than I intended and winced as I think I sat on a stick, but I was facing away from the little robot, “now please get away from me and let me know when you actually do something to help somepony other than crossing your wires.”

The little robot sat hovering for a couple seconds before a crackling sound came from it and then music started playing. The robot turned around and bobbed away to the beat. I looked back at the robot and stood up and looked at the ground kicking the stick away as I rubbed my flank with a wing. Bubble Gum came trotting up with Cool fallowing her but walking backwards. When they got close enough I realized the Bubble Gum was leading Cool by his tail which was in her mouth.

“Bubble Gum spit that out, you have no idea where it’s been,” her face told me that wherever it was it wasn’t in a bathtub.

She spat it out and frowned at Cool, “I had to almost drag him away from that mare.”

Cool spun around and looked at her in shock, “that mare?” he walked over to me and wrapped a hoof around me and looked dreamily into my eyes, “her name is Sweet Tart, and she is the most beautiful and most kind hearted mare I have ever laid eyes on.”

I flattened my ears back and felt a little bit scared, “if you kiss me I am going to slug you…”

He looked back at me for a few seconds until a moment of recognition hit him and he realized how close he was to me. He push me back and took a step back, “oh Celestia why did you do that to me? One minute I was in beautiful mare land the next a horrible nightmare.”

I stumbled and rolled my eyes at him, “how do you think I felt? I never wanted to ever get that close to any stallion,” I scooped Bubble Gum up and started walking away. I glanced back to see Cool following but looking back sadly. I stopped and looked at him, “Cool, if you want to go back.”

I could see the gears turning in his head as he continued to look back. Then he shook his head suddenly and grinned at me, “No, I can wait for you too…” he stopped and cocked his head, “What are you trying to do?”

“I’m not sure yet,” I thought about it for a moment, “well first I still want to confront Peppermint,” the moan from Bubble Gum and the facehoof from Cool told me they thought I forgot about her. I pressed on, “but I really want to know why I was chased out of the sky blamed for a murder I didn’t commit.”

Cool looked at me raising an eyebrow, “Why would somepony try to pin a murder on you?” I rolled my eyes and made a gesture to my flank. He put a hoof behind his head and gave a small laugh, “Oh yeah, sorry.”

I let out a sigh, “Not like it matters much right now. I mean it’s not like I can just fly back up there and ask.” I glanced around as something just hit me, “Um, Cool?”

He turned to face me as he started walking backwards, “hmm?”

I looked at Bubble Gum and noticed something else and looked up at him genuinely concerned, “Where is Jack and where is Bubble Gum’s knife?”

Cool gave a wide smile though it was kinda forced, “I sent him back to where I found him,” he looked at me for a second then looked to the ground his smile shifting slightly, “it’s only for a little while. I can go back and get him anytime. I just figured he would get hurt or worse while traveling with us.”

I put a hoof put to my chin, “Fair enough,” I pointed at Bubble Gum, “what about her knife?”

She gave a shake hopped off my back then took a couple of bounds to catch back up, “I… I didn’t want to carry it,” I waited for her to finish before I said anything, “I left the knife back in the bathroom at the Megaspell saloon,”

Her tone was quiet and she was avoiding my gaze. I walked closer to her and she looked at me leg and looked back at the ground, “When I was in the bathroom I pulled the knife out and watched the door then… then the thought of me having to hurt somepony started to scare me more.”

“Oh Bubble Gum,” I stopped and lifted her head making her look at me. The hurt in her eyes made my heart drop a bit, “Why didn’t you tell me?”

She shifted her gaze away from mine, “I thought you would get mad at me.”

I ruffled her mane much to her displeasure but I grinned, “I have to admit I am surprised but I’m relieved that I get to keep you as a filly for a little longer.”

She cocked her head, “Huh?”

It felt like a small weight was lifted off me that I wasn't aware was there, “I was just worried that I would lose the innocent little filly that I love.”

She stumbled but looked up at me with hope, “What?” I just smiled at her and she had to stop for a second to rub her eyes. I looked ahead of me and after a couple of seconds heard, “HEY WAIT FOR ME!!”

I heard her gallop next to me and caught her out of the corner of my eye jump up on an overturned garbage can then onto my back wrapping her hooves around my neck. I couldn’t help but grin as she nuzzled into my mane.

We continued on fairly uneventfully only stopping for a few hours to eat some lunch but we continued on soon after. As the sky started to grow dark we kept an eye out for a place to crash for the night. As luck would have it in the distance we could see a large sign lit up brightly that read “The Pot” but as we drew closer I could hear the commotion coming from inside. I sighed but looked at Bubble Gum who looked as drained as I felt.

I glanced up at the building then back to Cool and Bubble Gum, “Okay this is what we are going to do.” I pointed a hoof at Bubble Gum, “You are my daughter,” her eyes went wide but she beamed at me and nodded. I pointed at Cool, “your my bodyguard,” he gave a small nod. I turned back around,”everything else will be off the top of my head.”

When we walked in Bubble Gum moved closer to me as the shouts that could be heard from outside almost drowned out my thoughts. I picked up Bubble Gum just as an incredibly drunk stallion wearing a black leather jacket stumbled from inside. He looked at me then at Bubble Gum and smiled, “Hey… if you're going to sell her I’ll take her off your…”

I slammed him into a wall and brought up my wings along the side of his head stopping short from shaving his coat. I tried to look him in the eye but his eye were so dilated due to fear that it was a little hard, “You will not ever talk about my daughter like that again. Am I being clear?”

The stallion nodded frantically, “Yes sir… very clear.”

I took a step back and let the stallion stumble out the door. Cool leaned close, “Smooth sir.”

I shrugged and continued into the bar. It was filled with smoke and drunk ponies. In the center of the bar was a large circular cage. The blood that caked the floor and some of the barbed wire wrapped on the cage told me that I was glad that no pony was getting killed right now. I made my way to the bar where a orange pony with a mug next to a shamrock was wiping a glass. He held a pipe in his teeth and when he looked up at me his bright blue eyes almost pierced me. I set Bubble Gum in a stool next to me and Cool sat on the other side of her.

He looked at Bubble Gum then at me, “What will ya have lad’s?”

It took me a second to figure out what he said through his thick accent. I looked around, “I’ll take a scotch.”

Cool grumbled keeping his eyes shifting around, “Vodka…”

He nodded and got us our drinks then looked down to Bubble Gum, “What about the wee lass?”

Bubble Gum put a hoof on the bar and smiled at him, “I’ll have a strawberry shake.”

The bartender looked at the filly in amazement then let out a hearty laugh, “Wow she has spunk,” I let out a breath as he fixed her up a drink. When he set it down he looked at me, “So who are ya and what are ya doing here and where did you find such a tough little girl?”

I gaped at the bartender, “How did you…”

“What? How did I know that she wasn’t your daughter?” He looked at her, “There are just some things you can see once you lose it yourself.”

I looked at Bubble Gum and ran a hoof over her head, “I’m sorry…”

He shook his head, “Ah it’s not yours to worry about,” He gave me a smirk, “the names Lucky Brew.”

I returned my smirk, “Splitstream, This is Bubble Gum and my best friend Cool Coat.”

Cool raised his glass to him and gave a slight nod. Lucky nodded back then looked back at me, “So what are two pegasi doing down here amongst the less fortunate?”

I sighed, “Long story pops.”

He picked up a glass and using magic from a horn under the buret he was wearing started wiping the glass, “Well I’m not going…”

He stopped as the room erupted into a loud cheer. I looked back at the cage and noticed a small unicorn walking around smiling. I grinned as he reminded me more of a rat than a pony, but I looked back at Lucky, “What’s going on?”

“It looks like you came at the perfect time, it’s been a while since the Cage King made an appearance,”  I noticed that his glare never left the rat pony.

I spun around as the pony in the ring spoke, “WELL, IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE A NEW VICTIM… I MEAN CHALLENGER,” the crowd roared with laughter. He pointed a hoof at one side of the cage, “FIRST OUR CHALLENGER. I WOULD TELL YOU HIS NAME BUT LET’S FACE IT EVERYPONY IT WON'T MATTER IN A FEW MINUTES,” another roar from the crowd as a lime green unicorn stallion walked into the ring. behind him was a mare that had a long brown cloak on covering most of her. I could see that she was a emerald green and she wasn’t happy. She whispered something to the stallion and he ignored her.

The rat pony pointed to the other side of the cage, NOW LETS GIVE IT UP FOR THE CAGE KING,” I nearly spit my drink out as a huge stallion covered in scars walked into the cage. He didn’t have a cutie mark anymore as it seemed to have been carved off. He also had a shackle on his left front leg with a long chain that was wrapped around his neck twice. His deep red eyes glared at the stallion then to the mare and he smiled gleefully. The rat pony pushed the mare over to the center of the cage where a smaller cage sat and locked her inside, “YOU ALL KNOW THE RULES WINNER TAKES ALL,” he walked out of the cage and turned around, “FIGHT!”

The unicorn dropped his cloak and pulled out a thin needle like sword. The huge stallion laughed as the unicorn charged. The Cage King used his shackle and deflected the point into the arena floor then he pushed down on the handle of the sword snapping like a twig. The unicorn looked at the weapon in terror. The mare screamed something but the crowd screamed higher. The Cage King used the chain like a whip and wrapped it around the unicorns neck, and with a yank from his massive hooves I could hear the pop of the unicorns neck from over the crowd.

I looked at Bubble Gum who was holding her ears with her eyes closed tightly. I looked back up as the rat pony pulled the mare out of the cage and pushed her towards the King. He said something to her then yelled out loud. I caught a glimpse of the needle swords handle sticking out of the shoulder of the King. He gritted his teeth and sent a massive hoof across the side of her head sending her to the floor a few feet away from the edge of the ring. He walked up behind her and two members of the crowd reached in and grabbed her front hooves.

I could barely see her face as the cloak still covered it and her mane covered half of it, but I could see she was crying and pleading for the other ponies to let her go. I clenched my eyes close but that lasted a few second as I heard her scream as the King grabbed her tail in his teeth and lifted her flank into the air. He placed a hoof on it smiling wickedly.

“I CHALLENGE THE CAGE KING…”

The room went quiet and all looked at me. I stood there dumbfounded at my outburst. The rat pony cocked his head, “Oh? what do you have to offer?”

I reached back and pulled out the black box. He walked over to me and I opened it. He took a deep breath and I closed it, “Do I get the challenge?”

He looked back and the King was holding still and except the soft sobs coming from the mare the room was quiet. He looked at me again, “Give the King a few hours with his new prize then…”

I cut him off, “No, now,” I pointed a hoof at the mare, “I want her as she is or this walks out… if he is as confident as you claim him to be he can wait till after our fight.”

The rat pony thought for a moment then grinned at me, “IT LOOKS LIKE A TWO FOR ONE SPECIAL TONIGHT EVERYPONY.”

The crowd roared and I walked back to the bar. Lucky looked at me like I just lost my mind, “Are you sure lad? He will smash you into the ground.”

I set my saddle bags next to Cool and looked at Bubble Gum. She looked back sternly, “Kick his ass daddy.”

My heart did a backflip, even though it was part of our act to hear her call me that it made me feel warm as I nodded. I walked back to the cage and the rat pony unhooked my wing armors, “sorry no weapons or armor.”

I made to argue but realized that the King wasn't using anything but a shackle. The rat pony took the necklace and walked into the cage and dragged the mare back to the center cage where he locked both thing inside. Once out of my armor I was shoved inside and the King glared at me, ‘I guess he doesn’t like ponies interrupting his fun time,’ I thought to. myself.

I heard the rat pony voice, “YOU ALL KNOW THE RULES WINNER TAKES ALL,” he waited a few moments then shouted, “FIGHT!!”

I  didn’t rush him like the unicorn before me, that just screamed stupid. The stallion didn’t seem to care as he whipped the chain at me anyhow. I ducked low letting the chain swish over my head and charged at the stallion. I had to close the distance and make him…

BAM

I felt his huge hoof slam into my ribs cracking and possibly breaking a couple. I also noticed that I slid/flew a few feet away. I gritted my teeth as I stood back up, “Okay I need to figure out a new plan,” I told myself.

The King however was already making things difficult for me as he whipped the chain at me again. Dodging wasn’t an option with my broken ribs, so I tried to block it with my hoof. Big mistake as the chain wrapped around my leg and with a strong yank I heard and felt my shoulder dislocate as I flew through the air again and slammed into the ground breaking my cracked ribs.

The King walked over the top of my and put a hoof on my head as he leaned down next to my head. His voice was cold and heavy, “Is that little filly your’s?” I opened my eyes and noticed Bubble Gum through the crowd holding both of her hooves over her mouth looking at me in horror. The King continued, “She will be a sweet little thing won’t she?” He pressed on the back of my head, “But don’t you worry. I will take care of her, in a couple more years she will be ripe for me to make her into a real mare.” he let out a cold laugh

Something inside of me snapped. I felt all of the pain leave almost instantly as I started to stand. The King stopped laughing as I adjusted myself enough to kick my back legs out and buck him right under the chin. He stumbled back and I jumped at him. When he tried to swing at me I dodged and circled around to his back then back to his front. I smiled at him and continued around as he tried to swing at me again. This time I jumped onto his back and reached around and grabbed the slack of the chain with a hoof and put it into my mouth and yanked. The King didn’t take long to realize what I was doing as he started to choke. He started bucking around trying to get me off his back but I held firm.

I felt him start to slow so I pulled with my injured leg and I tasted copper as I pulled on the chain as hard as I could. The King stopped and stood there for a few seconds then dropped to his knees. After what seemed like forever he fell over but I didn’t let go. This bastard wasn’t going to get up after that comment.

I felt a hoof on my shoulder, “Splitstream, lad he’s done,” I looked up to see Lucky looking down at me. I let the chain go and he helped me free my hoof. When I was standing he helped me out of the cage. I noticed that the whole room was dead silent. Lucky looked at the rat pony, “Bring the necklace and the rat pony up to my room. He will be there waiting,” and without another word he half walked half dragged me up to a large room. He set me on the couch, “Anything you need?”

I laid my head on the arm of the couch, “Bubble Gum…” was all i could muster as the pain started to build up inside of me.

Lucky turned and walked back to the door, “All right, don’t go anyplace till I get back,” I lifted my good hoof and gave a half hearted wave and he was out the door without another word.

I heard some pony talking which I assumed was Lucky then another pony answer. After a few moments the door opened and the mare that I stopped from being violated in front of everypony walked in flanked by two other ponies. I lifted my head and looked at the other ponies, “Kick rocks,”

The one on her right cocked his head, “But we just…”

“Get lost now,” The buck backed out of the room slowly as the other one closed the door leaving, only the mare standing there.

The mare glared at me from under her hood, “Now what?” she asked with venom dripping from every word.

My brain was having a fun time fighting the pain back as I smiled at her, “Could you take the cloak off?”

She flinched back a bit, “I’m not going to just let you do what you want.”

I rolled my eyes, “Just take it off…” I moaned. After i replayed what i said in my mind sighed, “Please…”

She took a breath and then a light purple aura engulfed her brooch releasing the cloak and making it fall to the floor at her hooves. I shot her a glance then looked away but my double take had me staring at her dumbfounded. This mare was nothing short of amazingly beautiful. Her light green coat made her light red mane stand out. She had a deep purple eye that I could see as the other one was hidden behind her long gorgeous mane. She had a rose cutie mark that looked like it was carved out of a ruby. I couldn’t take my eyes off of her but my mind reminded me that she might not be in the greatest moods right now.

She looked away from me, “Got a problem?” she tried to move so that I couldn’t see her but she staggered a bit almost falling to her knees. She pulled up one of her hooves and looked at it sadly.

I looked at it and groaned as I pulled myself into a standing position, “Get on the couch,” I said as I managed to stand up.

She shot me a dirty look, “Why, so you can…,”

“Knock it off and get on the couch,” I snapped. I really wasnt in the mood for games right now.

She flinched in surprise at my order but then slowly limped over to the couch. She avoided my gaze as she pulled herself onto the couch. She hung her head over the arm of the couch and I leaned against the couch and laid on the floor.

She jerked her head around at me raising her eyebrow, “What are you doing?”

I closed my eyes trying to fight for breath and the pain of getting the air into my chest through my broken ribs, “I think I am waiting for my girl to get up here and heal me.”

She sucked a breath through her teeth, “What? She not good enough for you?”

I shook my head and looked up at her, “What?”

She frowned at me, “Or are you going to take advantage of me with her to help?”

My mouth hung open for a couple of seconds, “First she’s like my daughter…” I felt a flutter in my stomach at that, “Second, what the fuck are you talking about?”

She cocked her head to the side, “Aren’t you going to have your way with me?” Her glare returned, “Isn’t that what you brutes do?”

I tried to straighten my injured leg out, “I didn’t save you so I could do what I pleased with you,” though I had to shake the image from my mind at first, “I just didn’t think anypony should go through what he was going to do to you.”

She continued to stare at me and when she opened her mouth to say something before the door burst open and Bubble Gum came bounding in, “Split! That was Awesome!” She ran up and wrapped up her hooves around my neck.

I fought back the pain and tried to smile, “Um Bubble Gum, heal now hugs later…”

She let go quickly, “Oh, right sorry,” she started to fiddle around in her bags and pulled out a healing potion as Cool walked in as well. Bubble Gum huffed, “This is the last one I have…” she looked up at Cool, “and you left both yours and Splits saddlebags at the bar didn’t you?”

Cool sighed, “Sorry,”

Bubble Gum popped the top off, “Oh well,” she held it up to me, “drink up Split.”

I looked at the potion, “Give it to her,” I said with a nod to the mare.

I was kind of surprised at the three simultaneous, “WHAT?!” coming from Cool, Bubble Gum and the mare.

I smiled at Bubble Gum, “Might as well help her heal now, Cool has to help me put my leg back in place before I can take any.”

Bubble Gum looked up at her then to me, “But…” when she saw my smile she sighed and walked the potion over to the mare, “Here…” Bubble Gum said flatly.

The mare looked at her then to me, “Are you sure?” I nodded.

She took the potion in a telekinetic arua and brought it to her lips and drank it. At the same time Cool walked over and after me letting out a scream that could be heard in Ponyville got my leg back in its proper place.

Bubble Gum walked out the door, “I will go get the other saddlebags.”

Cool jumped up, “I’m not going to let you go down there alone!” He yelled as he dashed after her.

There was a long silence between the mare and me when she finally spoke up, “So your name is Split?”

I rested my head on the side of the couch glad to have one problem dealt with, “Splitstream.”

She looked at her healing hoof, “Oh sorry,” she went silent for a second then looked up at me, “my name is Emerald Rose.”

“Nice to meet you,” I moaned.

She bit her lip as I looked up at her and I had to look away quickly as that only made her look incredibly cute. She closed her eyes, “I’m sorry for talking to you like that, but why?”

“Why what?”

“Why are you treating me like this? You don’t know me,” She spoke in a small tone that told me she wasn’t used to this.

I sighed, “I… well I have a weakness for the cute ones,” I felt my face get warm but i continued to look away.

I watched her flinch a bit, “I… oh um, well thank you.”

I calmed my emotions and looked back at her, “Plus I figured that once you were healed you could leave when you wanted.”

She looked at her hoof again, “Oh, right…” she went silent for a little while then looked at the wall away from me, “Could I um, ask for a favor?”

“Sure why not.”

She fiddle with her hooves, “Could I ask what your plans are after this?”

I shrugged, “Not sure at the moment,” I put a hoof to my chin, “I had planned to chase down this bitch who almost turned me and my friends into slaves but things seem to change around here often.”

She started to poke at a hole in the couch, “Could I maybe tag along?”

I looked up at her in surprise, “What? Why?”

She gave a little shrug, “Well, I’m not the strongest mare out there and you seem to be able to take care of yourself and a filly so I figured I would have a chance if I traveled along with you,” I thought for a moment and she turned to me, “I can be useful, I know some healing magic and I know some shield spells,” She hopped down off the couch and leaned down next to my chest and her horn light up. Instantly I felt my chest start to feel better. Her healing didn’t fully work on my ribs but I wasn’t struggling for breath and she looked at me beaming, “See? I can be a little helpful,” her face drooped a little bit, “Please…”

I sighed and put a hoof over my face, “Yeah sure,” in truth I was doing everything to hold back my excitement.

She wrapped her hooves around my neck, “Thank you…”

I felt my face start to burn, “Um yeah,” my heart nearly stopped when I heard somepony clear their throat. I looked at the door and saw Cool and Bubble Gum looking at me with flat expressions, “Um… Hi.”

Bubble Gum walked over and sat down in front of me, “Really?”

I sighed, “Look I did save her, would all of this been worth it if I left her to travel on her own?”

Bubble Gum shook her head, “I mean this…” she pulled out the necklace, “how come you never showed this to me?”

I frowned, “I nearly forgot I had it until I needed something to enter the ring,” She huffed and crossed her hooves and I pulled her close to me, “Aw come on, if i remembered do you really think I would keep something like that from you?”

She playfully pushed my face away, “You big idiot,” she dug out a healing potion from inside my saddlebag and I drank it down. She also dug out my statue, “I am going to play with this tonight as payment for you being an idiot.”

I stood up as the healing power started its work, “Fair enough.”

Emerald looked around, “What about sleeping arrangement?”

I looked to the one bedroom, “Well the girls can get the bed and we can camp out here,” I said as I looked back to Cool how nodded.

Bubble Gum whined, “Why do I have to sleep with her? So she is coming with us now but…”

I was going to say something but Emerald smiled down at her, “Come on Bubble Gum, we can have some girl time just me and you.”

Bubble Gum stopped for a second, “Can… can I brush your mane?”

I nearly doubled over, “I... wait... what happened to all of that complaining?”

Emerald Smiled at me, “It’s a girl thing, “sne she picked Bubble Gum up and levitated her onto her back, “Of course you can Bubble Gum,”

I sat down watching then walk into the room and close the door. I sat up straight, “Leave them,” I looked back at Cool as he was about to bite and pull the cushions off the couch, “Nice try…”

Lucky walked in, “Made yourselves right at home didn’t ya?”

I gave him a half smile, “Sorry..”

He waved a hoof, “You helped me get my bar back. This is the least I could do for ya.”

I jumped back onto the couch and Lucky levitated some extra blankets that he had stashed and gave Cool a few more of them to help him get comfortable. I looked up at the room as a massive amount of giggling poured through it and gave a small smile. I had to admit I was glad that she would have somepony to spend some time with other than Cool and me, but at the same time I was kinda hurt that I she was so willing to go with Emerald after just meeting her. I was hoping for her to fight to stay with me but I guess I was being a little selfish. I laid back against the couch and smiled a little, on the bright side Emerald was an incredibly beautiful mare and that was something to look forward to while we traveled the desolate wastelands. I felt the tug of sleep and the fight before hand close around me but before I fell into a deep sleep, I heard the door open and felt something small crawl up onto the couch and curl up next to me. I smiled as I pulled Bubble Gum closer and drifted off to sleep.