Fallout Equestria: Newborn

I flailed wildly as the cliff raced past my head desperately trying to slow my fall. In the dim light cast by my lantern i saw vines running along the cliff Desperately I reached out for them with my right paw feeling them brush against the tip of my fingers when my paw finally snagged on a vine jerking me around, my head hit the side of the cliff I and blacked out.

~ ~ ~ ~

The dream starts the same way every time with pure empty darkness. Then strange characters in white scroll across the darkness like the text on a computer screen. But something was off this time around the dream changed. When the white text finished scrolling at the bottom was a single sentence in Equish.

“Hardware adapted......Downloading information and integrating possible software updates”.

~ ~ ~ ~

Pain....A dull throbbing pain all over was the first thing to register as I slowly awoke. Next was light, accompanied by a bit of warmth across my face. Slowly I opened my eyes and stared at the large hole above me; the glorious light of dawn shone through the hole dust motes swaying gently in its rays. For several minutes I just stared at the dancing motes of dust wondering how I was alive. Deciding to attempt moving I began sitting up. A decision I regretted instantly as pain shot through my body causing me to shout and almost lose my strength as I forced myself to sit up my arms wobbling. Tears ran down my face, my eyes watering from the pain as I examined my body. First thing to grab my attention was the fact that my left arm was bending off to the side at a very unnatural angle the bone straining against the skin. Closing my eye’s I breathed deeply in then out as I attempted to control the rising panic and bile.

Turning my head away from the sight of my arm my eyes still closed; I opened them and began to examine the rest of my body. My mid section hurt, probably due to several broken ribs. My legs seemed beat up and badly bruised but functional. Feeling my head I felt a fairly large gash now scabbed over blood matting the hair on the back of my head. My cloak and the pack on my back where destroyed their remains scattered about the rubble I was laying in.

Carefully I stood up looking around I saw that I was in a large ruined building of some sort. Judging from the damage and the fact that it was the wall that I crashed through and not the roof it seemed that the building had sank tilting on its side as it did. Some windows still had bits of stained glass in the frame. From what little of the building that I could see was intact I guessed this was some sort of temple or chapel at some point.

Searching around me in the rubble I managed to find bottle of painkillers that had been in the pack still mostly intact one large crack running down the side of the plastic bottle. Opening the bottle I shook a couple of tablets into my mouth and began to chew, grimacing at the bitter chalky taste. Pocketing the bottle I searched for a suitable piece of wood or metal I could use as a makeshift splint for my arm for when I set it. After a couple minuets I managed to find what I assumed was a broken piece of a window frame nearby that looked like it would work. Grabbing it I gathered the scraps of my cloak then walking over to two large pieces of a fallen stone pillar I firmly wedged my left paw between them. The renewed pain brought more water to my eyes as I moved my arm. Breathing deeply and gritting my teeth I jerked back forcing my arm to straighten out.

The pain hit me like a tidal wave of sledge hammers causing me to scream loudly and throw up. My vision swimming I quickly managed to strap the piece of window frame to my arm with the tattered strips of my cloak almost passing out in the process. Leaning back against a large stone I sank down tears streaking my dirty face. Digging around in my pocket I pulled out the painkillers and took several more slowly chewing the chalky tablets as I tried to remain conscious.

I sat there for a few minutes mind blank as I focused on fighting back the pain as I waited for the painkillers to kick in; Crying silently as I stared back up at the hole I fell through. A dark sense of hopelessness swelled inside of me as I thought about my situation.

“NO!” I shouted in defiance my voice echoing. I couldn’t afford to sit here and cry when Sandy was dying I needed to find something or somepony that could help her. I had already lost Dog knows how much time while I was unconscious.

First I quickly took stock of what was left of my supplies. All I had left was the cracked bottle of pain killers and a canteen, everything else had been destroyed in the fall. Sighing I attempted to tie the canteen to my belt fumbling with only one paw. After a few failed attempts I managed to succeed in getting it caught on my belt buckle and gave up, letting it hang awkwardly. Standing I looked around for some sort of exit I could use to get out of here and figure out where I was. Spotting a partially collapsed doorway at the back of the large room I began walking toward it when my boot caught on something. Looking down I saw a red piece of fabric partially buried under a thin layer of rubble and dust. Bending down I grabbed it giving it a firm tug I pulled it out from under everything dust flying everywhere in the process. Taking a look, it turned out it was a tapestry of a regal brown earth pony with a red cybernetic eye.

My eyes widened as the realization dawned on me. I was standing in Red Eye’s chapel. Now destroyed and sunken into the earth. Looking back at the passage in the back of the room I realized that it lead farther underground and possibly to what remained of the cybernetic labs. I quickly made my way to the passage and looked in. It got far too dark, way too fast for me to explore it without a light. Looking around I tried to think of something I could use. My little lamp had been destroyed in the fall so that was out of the equation. Looking down at the tapestry I had in my hand an idea occurred to me. Grabbing a long thin chunk of splintered wood I wrapped the tapestry around the end of it creating a makeshift torch.

Now the only problem was lighting it. Walking around I I tried to figure out how I was going to go about the task when I stepped on something and got a nasty little shock. Jumping I yelped in pain looking down i saw what it was I had stepped on. My plasma pistol sparking as the blue energy field around the tip sputtered to life for a second before going out. Smiling, I now knew how I was going to light the torch. After a minute or two of tinkering and a couple more nasty shocks later the torch was lit and I was taking my first tentative step into the dark partially collapsed passage.

****

As I made my way further into the bowls of the earth my only company the sputtering light of my makeshift torch; time began to lose all meaning as every second blended into each other with nothing to distinguish it from the last. It went on like this for Luna knows how long my steps echoing lightly the light of my torch slowly fading as it burned down.

After what felt like hours of pain induced mindless trudging, doubts began to creep back into my mind weighing down each step. What if this tunnel leads nowhere? What if it is a dead end? You’re deluding yourself, you can’t help sandy, you can barely help yourself. It was foalish to leave her alone. You killed her you truly are a monster...I staggered stopping leaning against a wall; my head throbbing as pain and doubt weighed down on me like a physical force. Old memories began to resurface and images flashed through my mind pulling me into the past.

~ ~ ~ ~

I looked through the slats of the small wagon that I crouched in hidden as Elder Bark pulled it toward the ramshackle town, sandy walked next to it one paw on the side of wagon a small laser pistol at her side. The other dogs not that far behind us in the caravan. Elder Bark looked over his shoulder his golden eyes looking straight at me ears rotating back as he spoke.

“Now remember Pup you must stay in the wagon hidden at all times while we are in the town. Me and Sandy will be talking to the village leader while the other dogs restock so you will be alone. We may be a while but there are snacks and some things for you to tinker with back there as long as you stay under the tarp everything should be ok. If anything messes with the wagons leave it alone and stay quiet unless it comes to your wagon and if it does you know what to do” As he finished his sentence I grasped the handle of the combat knife I had strapped to my belt.

As we pulled up the dog caravan began to split up heading to different parts of the town looking to sell some wares and restock on supplies. My wagon was wheeled of to the side of the town gate and deposited with the rest of the personal wagons. Once the wagon was parked Sandy let go of the side and quickly climbed up Elder barks back clinging to it as was the norm for young pups. Checking the wagon one more time to make sure I was safe and comfortable in the wagon elder bark left to go talk with the leader of the town. I waited a few minutes tinkering with the random bits of cybernetics he left me before I got bored and decided to take a nap.

****

A loud crash followed by some nickering laughter woke me from my nap with a start. Sitting up quickly I pulled out my knife and holding it in a reversed grip I peered through the side slats of the cart looking for the source of the noises. I saw a group of colts six in total all rummaging through the carts stealing anything of value smashing anything that was breakable and not valuable enough to sell. Three of them had .9mm Submachine guns and stood keeping watch as the others looted. The one I assumed was the leader seeing how he was the only one with a bandanna tied around his head had sawed off double barrel .20 gauge shotgun. The other two had knives.

I could hear my heart beat in my ears as I hid gripping my knife tightly watching them slowly approach my wagon. Elder Bark's past lesson rose in my mind his words echoing in my head as I watched them approach.
“If any one messes with the wagon you are in and discovers you, take your knife and slash for the eyes. The moment you blind them or they flinch away run and try to hide. But never run in a straight line and try to go from cover to cover. That way if they have a gun they can't hit you."

It wasn't long before they reached my wagon the leader talking to the two following him as they came near.

“Stupid dogs leaving this stuff unguarded it's like they wanted to be robbed."

“Yeah they sure are stupid they didn't even have any traps set."

“I don't know I've had a bad feeling about this since the beginning I feel like something has been watching us." The leader sneered as the colt said this.

“Shut up your just being an idiot there is nothing here but easy loot and us." He stopped next to the wagon and turned to face my wagon and focused. Suddenly the tarp glowed with an aura of red and was sent flying off the top off the wagon I was crouched in. He looked in and I sprang all of Elder Bark's lessons being thrown out the window as my adrenaline surged and my instincts kicked in. I brought the combat knife straight down burying it in his skull with a loud CRUNCH! His horn that had been hidden by his bandanna cutting a gash along the back of my hand. The others stood there in shock as they stared at me for all about two seconds before the two nearest turned and fled screaming.

“MONSTER!"

The three guards started to shoot at me, ducking I let go of the knife that was stuck in the leaders skull and scrambled over the back of the wagon fleeing straight through the center of town as they gave chase. As I ran ponies took one look at me and screamed and either running away or joining the colts in shooting and chasing me as I weaved through the buildings blind panic controlling my movements. Bullets whizzed past me as I ran until eventually I felt something hit my leg. Searing red hot pain filled my mind as my leg was jerked out from underneath me and I collapsed rolling a couple times before I came to a stop screaming in pain. Curling into a ball and holding my leg I cried as the mob of ponies surrounded me.

A unicorn mare walked out from the circle of ponies that surrounded me as I lied on the ground and pressed a gun wrapped in a pink glow to my skull tears streaked the fur under her eyes as she sneered saying.

“Die monster."

I closed my eyes as the trigger began to move and waited for the bang. Suddenly I heard a loud roar and felt the gun drop next to my face. I opened my eyes. Blood sprayed my face as I watched the Mare's head fly spinning through the air Elder Bark standing in front of me his cybernetic arm covered in blood.

~ ~ ~ ~

Shaking my head I pulled myself back to the present and the endless dark tunnel. I bought my paw to may face only to stop as I realized two things. The first of witch being I couldn’t see my paw right in front of my face. The second being I had dropped the torch. Placing my back against the wall I was leaning against I sank down in darkness so complete I couldn’t even tell if my eyes were closed. My head pounded and I felt weak my energy fading and soon without realizing it I soon fell unconscious.