War.
War never changes.
Equestria knows this little fact best of all. All the way from the tyrannical rule of Queen Aurora and King Orion which led to the first Darkside war, to the Great War between the ponies and the zebras which led to the ultimate extermination of nearly all life on both sides. Back then, beauty and life was all around. Animals wandered peacefully, the great gardens of Canterlot flourished, and the Everfree forest was kept in check. The sun shone bright and the seasons were controlled by the benevolent Pegasi. Truly, those times were peaceful and wonderful.
But then, the war started. At first, it was a race to gather resources and advanced weapons. The southern nation, eager to gain power and influence, fueled the war as they provided a variety of dangerous weapons and cheap mercenaries to both nations. Then, came the massacre at Littlehorn. The powder keg that was the tense relation between the two nations erupted and full out war occurred. Pony against Zebra and the South Nation against their rival the North Nation. Much time passed before the final onslaught rang out. Megaspells, balefire bombs, and raids erupted all over the two major nations with the smaller nations being too weak to retaliate as their homes were also ravaged by the aftermath. In mere hours, it was over. Death was everywhere. The leftover energies from the bombs and spells, dubbed "The Taint" was everywhere.
The Equestrian wasteland was split into parts, designated territories. Each territory was different in its own way, but possessed a Stable or several more.
Ranging from The Badlands, The Capital Wasteland surrounding Canterlot, the cold frozen north of Winterhood and the Glass Fields all the way to New Pegasus, The Everfree Forest, and the Frozen Requiem mountains. Everywhere, there was the taint and death at first. As the years passed, slowly ponies came from the Stables or their sheltered homes and spread out to populate the world. Right from the beginning they knew it would be rough. Water and plantlife were scarce. They would have to search for alternative sources for both in order to sustain themselves. From these tribals, rose several factions: The Steel Rangers, The Enclave, The Raiders, numerous mercenaries, the New Equestrian Republic, Celestia's Legion, the Lunar Eclipses, Slavers and many more. As you could expect, sooner or later, they fought with each other over resources. Even with the old world dead and gone, the new world was still in conflict.
But now, something new...Something different will be added to this equation. A filly in a cabin with no memories. From a mere glance one would not think he's important, but those who think so did not know him at all. This, is his story.
Dusk looked around the cabin. Small, grey, and made of wood it was mostly empty except for a window on the wall, a bed in the back, and when Dusk looked under the bed, a small lockbox. Dusk peeked out the window and saw several ponies walking around. Each one of them with cruel look. Some of them wore different clothes and shackled up ponies and began carrying them to wagons where they shoved them inside cages. Dusk ducked as a raider took several potshots in the cabin. He grabbed the lockbox and opened it up. Inside was nothing more than a small satchel with a water bottle and canned fish, a revolver which appeared to be a .357 magnum, a holotape and a stimpack. Dusk hesitantly picked up the stimpack and gun and put them in the satchel. He then quietly opened the door and walked out and snuck out back. He began taking deep breaths. He didn't know who the ponies were, but they seemed dangerous. Dusk sucked his breath in as he heard one of them.
"Hey! Did you hear something?" Growled one raider to another.
"Just a door opening. Big deal." said the other in a bored tone.
"Yeah, but it could mean some possible slaves are trying to run out! We should check it out!" he growled. He cocked his rifle and slowly wandered out, searching for anypony who managed to get out the house. Dusk barely avoided him, his small stature lending aid as he hid under a hole below the house's bottom. The dark atmosphere blended in with his form and helped him hide.
The raider prowled close by, but to Dusk's fortune, the raider found nothing. "Fucking ponies" he growled as he walked away. Dusk peeked out from the cramped hole and barely slipped out. He put the satchel over his head and limped off. He tripped over a rock and tumbled into a ravine. He squeaked in pain a few times as he hit rock after rock and stone after bush. He landed in at the bottom and coughed out some dust. He heard the raiders moving toward the noise so he panicked. He scrambled to his feet and hoofed it up to the top of the ravine just barely and ran off. He heard them open fire and winced whenever a bullet sailed past him. A round struck him in the hind leg and he tumbled. He shakily pulled out the gun and aimed. He shuddered. but pulled the trigger and a single .357 bullet shot out with force and ripped through the air before landing squarely in one of the raider's foreheads. As soon as it struck home, the innate magical charge inside activated and red electricity crackled around the bullet as the Raider's head exploded in an orgy of bone, brain matter and blood. His ally next to him was so startled by the the attack that he did not have time to react before Dusk shot him too. The bullet landed in the Raider's chest and exploded with the same effect.
Dusk fell back on to the ground and breathed heavily. He didn't know exactly what just happened, but he took his first two kills. Without remorse. He shivered a bit and got up weakly and stumbled away. He wanted to get that sickening feel of what he just did away from him. No matter how right it felt, he still felt disturbed by it. He stumbled around and limped for a very long time until he found an abandoned cabin near some rocky ridges. He leaned on the door and fell inside with an *oomph*. He dragged himself over to a chair and examined his wound. It was bad as the bullet passed through, but would need medical attention. He placed the holotape on the table with the stimpack and water. He went off into the basement to find any supplies. What he didn't realize was that he unwittingly turned on the holotape which began playing.
"To my dear son...I'm sorry. I'm sorry I left behind, but they were closing in on us. If I tried to escape with you, we both would be caught and you probably would get shipped off to Fillydelphia. I can't let that happen. In my haste, I left you behind in your mother's house. Well, what remains of it anyways. I'm going to go collect some supplies and leave them here for you kiddo. Stay safe please and don't fret. Just...*Sigh* always remember what I will say next: I love you son. You probably will never remember me or your dear mum, but I want you to at least know we were there for you.
Always.
Perk gained: Survival Instinct. You instinctively know what to do to survive even if you don't remember how.
