Fallout Equestria: "Best Laid Plans"

Chapter Four: Of Mice and Manticores.

"We are authorized to restore order and civility, by any means necessary. Just stay out of the way and let us do our job. Interfere with the Enclave’s mission, and you will be dealt with. Harshly."

Hungry. Death is hungry and walks on four legs. Click, click. The hammer goes. Notifying its wielder that he needs to reload and that his choice of weapon will do poorly against the approaching pack of savage beasts intent on feasting upon his flesh. You could barely see them in the distance, naked pink rats, with glistening radioactive muscles roaring their defiance against a natural death.

The closest ones stopped as if suddenly now realising that the two of them where here. Shock over this discovery quickly turned to a gleeful hungry roar, and sensing prey the herd charged forward.

“Scorch!” Dawn bravely risked a quick glance over to his situational body guard, and noticed her fiddling with the shotgun she had taped to her battle-saddle, she gives him an upset grunt in return. Panicked he levitated up the nearest spare gun from one of the recent dead, and emptied the clip before throwing it towards the approaching herd of feral ponies. “We go.”

The two ponies ran, and the ghoul herd chased them across the large ruined city park. They raced past dead and blackened trees, rotten benches, a ruined sandbox with melted lumps of prewar toys, a small dragon on a spring for children to ride on. With the speed of these ghoul ponies, there was hardly time to reload, let alone stop to shoot, but the traders from inside the shelter had heard the commotion and began peppering the crowd of bloodthirsty zombies. Shortly after followed the howling sound of shells being fired from somewhere out of sight, and the pack of ghouls ended up significantly diminished.

Dawn was tired of running too. He stopped and thanked the heavens. “Wire.”

The doctor’s world was spinning from all the running, but that did not stop him from grabbing the biggest thing he could find, a ruined prewar bench, and magically pummelling the last of the ghouls to death. Even outnumbered two to one the beast kept going to Dawn with a terrifying hunger in its eyes. “Please.”

The bench crashes into the ghoul with a hard thud. “Please.” The ghoul moaned in pain and roared once again in hunger.

Dawn slammed the bench into the beast until there was only silence and goo.  “Please, just stay dead.”

Tired from running, and angry over the fact that his negotiations had failed this hard Dawn felt the need to cry on somepony’s shoulder, but there was nopony here except Scorch and she was busy looting the now dead ghouls. “Luna. Ugh and you sicken me. This is so gross.”

“What? You act like you’ve never looted a body before.” Scorch looked back at him from the slits of her heavy welding mask that was covering her face, and then she went back to rummaging trough backpacks of the recently deceased.

“I haven’t. It’s called respecting the dead, and I am a doctor. Not some common wastelander.” He looked to the clouds with a mournful expression, and then recalled how close to the leader ghoul he had been when shit had hit the fan. “Oh, Celestia. Do I have any of that gross green stuff on me?”

Scorch turned, and laughed while giving the doctor an inspection. “That green shit is all over you. Might wan'ta check a mirror.”

“What?” He checked his chest and sniffled with disgust, and then levitated down his bonnet, looking at the green crap that now stained it. Luckily the hat had protected most of his mane. “Oh my goddess.” He sent the corpse of the ghoul leader glares of death while Scorch laughed, and went back to digging through the dead ponies’ pockets.

“This wouldn’t have happened if you had a working flamer, or had magic worth a damn.” He had not forgotten that either, and Dawn felt like being angry at somepony. Scorch was just the only pony nearby.

“What the hell did you just say?” Scorch stood up from her looting position and turned to meet Dawn.

“You heard me.” He levitated out the large revolver and pulled out the magazine. Casually reloading it to intimidate, or maybe he just felt deep inside that Scorch could actually take offence, and seriously consider beating him up. “You are about as good in combat as I am with guns, and I am the doctor here.”

Scorch began walking towards him, obviously feeling insulted. “So you think I’m useless then?”

Dawn shuffled backwards, and had problems fitting the last bullets into the revolver magazine. Stupid bullet why wasn’t it going inside? “No. No. No. No. I’ve just seen better is all.”

“Then why are you hiding behind your little gun? Scared of the useless mare.” Her expression was hidden from sight by the welding mask, but the anger in her voice made it all apparent. Somepony was about to get beaten to a pulp.

“I dunno, maybe.” Dawn abandoned reloading, and tried clocking in the magazine into the revolver, but his last problematic bullet had not gone into the chamber all the way. the doctor quickly fell to his haunches in defeat.

“That’s what I thought.” Scorch leaned in close. “Don’t ever do that again, or you’ll see just how useless I can be.” She straightened herself up and turned away from him. Her hind-hoof struck his shoulder as she went back to loot the remaining bodies.

He looked at the large revolver and continued to reload in silence. Afterwards, he traded the gun for a piece of cloth and used some of that water. It wasn’t much of a plan, but washing the goo off the bonnet, and himself was a much better plan than going back to Scorch at this moment in time. The old him would have laughed her up in the face, but there wasn’t much to laugh about. All he could do was stare failure in the face while watching the shutters of the shelter go up.

The first to approach them was a pony with a coat of red that was offset by a braided black mane and bearing the scent of a well traveled mare. The overall look was made complete with a worn down battle-saddle that had rifles on the sides, and she also had a distinct scarring around her left front-leg. There was a brown hat too with a wide brim that hung around her neck. “You have our thanks wanderers. I’m Rose of the Crimson caravan trading company. My caravan has been stuck here for over a week. With most of our mercenaries dead along the road, those ghoul ponies tried to take advantage, but I knew better. We counted our food, and decided to wait for Friendship to send aid. You are welcome to spend the night at our fire so long as you keep your hooves clean.”

“Friendship city did sendsomething alright.” Dawn grimaced with embarrassment, but kept cleaning himself of the green goo. Fortunately it had not dried yet, so it was still relatively easy to work with.

She looked at him in surprise, and then with suspicion. “So you are with Friendship? It’s not like them to send random ponies out, or leave traders hanging for a week just a day’s trot from their own city. What the fuck are they doing?”

Dawn shrugged his shoulders and levitated out a bullet intended for his newly acquired revolver. “Have any of these? I have a limited supply of bullets.”

“Nope. The crimson caravan only carries rifle ammo, pistol ammo and shotgun shells. Easier to barter with. Most traders wouldn’t care to stock specialised rounds like those, and if they did they would probably charge you extra.”

“Speaking of bartering, could you maybe offer some monetary discounts on anything purchased by my party for saving you the inconvenience of staying in that shelter for a few more days? Say Twenty percent?”

She flexed her jaw muscles, and chewed on the argument while nodding in agreement. “Ten, and you better spend some caps.”

“You see this bonnet?” Dawn floated it forward, and revealed the green residue he had been unable to remove so far. “This was an untouched pre-war bonnet, and now it’s soiled because I tried to help you as best as I could. I think I would surely recall how Rose and the Crimson caravan gave me those 20 percent, and spread the word that they are fair traders who never deal with scum, and always meet their deals.”

She drew an irritable smile and drew closer. “Fifteen. Since you asked so nicely, but if you ask me again. I will go back to ten and you will sleep out in the cold.”

Dissatisfied the doctor quickly bid Rose farewell, and headed into the shelter, mostly to talk with the other traders, and the first he took notice off was a mare selling saddle bags. These seemed to be made of finer quality than his own. Purple colors, the equestrian symbol of Celestia rising the sun on a tear-proof fabric that could withstand the elements and..

“Really? A spell that enlarges the space in your bags?”

The doctor carefully examined the insides, and pressed his hoof inside to gauge the difference. This purple wonder was indeed bigger on the inside, and comforting too. He wanted this, so he could have more room for his growing wardrobe, but he had to downplay its significance to lower the price further. “Doesn’t look that much bigger to me.”

The reality was this saddepack he was examining had nearly twice the size of his own bags on the inside. “Lets say seven hundred and fifty caps.”

“Damn, that bag is way bigger on the inside! That’s gotta be really expensive.” Scorch appeared next to the two ponies, mask still on and bag filled with random weapons and miscellaneous items.

Attempting to salvage his barter the doctor looked towards Scorch’s hoard with disgust. “Why is there a ghoul hoof sticking out of the sides there?”

“What hoof?” Scorch looked back on her loot. “Oh that one. Had some jewelry stuck on it, I couldn’t get it off, so I just took the whole thing. Makes for a nice back-scratcher.”

“Go. Be gross elsewhere.” Giving her his best adults are talking expression Dawn turned back to the trader. “A thousand caps for the bag then.”

“You take weapons?” Scorch turned to the merchant mare and flipped up her heavy mask. “I’ve got some extra.”

“Did you talk to Rose? She is the one that deals with guns.” The trader responded. “Rose can be critical, but she is fair, and the bag is five thousand caps.”

“Um, Which one is Rose?” Scorch asked.

“She is up front, wearing a nice hat. You just went right past her?” He pointed her towards Rose. She was busy inspecting the aftermath of their battle. He seriously needed this bag, and now Scorch had fucked up the price to more than he was willing to pay. “Five thousand caps for the bag? We did help you get out of here, and Rose did promise us a discount.”

“You actually had those caps? I thought you were bluffin’ back there.” Scorch commented as she looked at the other traders, searching for Rose.

“Does it matter? We still ended up shooting him, and all of his ghoul friends.” The doctor drew a strained smile behind clenched teeth. Was she going to take away Bartering? His favourite past-time?

“Aha! There she is.” Scorch left Dawn to barter with the merchant and ran over to talk with Rose while this mare salespony pointed at several bright threads that lined the insides of the bag.

“These are Arcano-tech sewing lines that enhances and stabilises the enlarging effect. The cloth used is some kind of spell weaved cloth. Don’t know much else except that it is time consuming and a delicate process. There is a factory in Trottingham that sews these, and the owners did not care to explain the entire process to me.”

  A pile of caps exchanged hooves. Dawn still had plenty of caps left, but it still felt wrong to hand this much over. It went against his principles.

At least he could seek comfort in the fact that the “bottomless” bag was his. Dawn  began to transfer stuff from his old one into the purple saddlebag. The doctor had more than half the space left even after putting everything inside, and it even felt lighter. This was awesome.

  Wire approached them with the two foals, and carried Four Leaf on his back with Rabbit jumping around. Had something happened? Deciding to take the gentle approach Dawn  trotted forward to meet them. “Wire? Why is my brush stuck in your mane?”

The thief tried to look at the back of his head, but to no avail. “I almost forgot about that. This one is more than a hoof full.” Motioning at the colt on his back.

“Four Leaf? He is such a quiet little thing. Very brave too.” Dawn untangled the brush from Wire’s mane with magic, and then began roughhousing the thief's mane with it. Wielding it with a practiced hoof. “When was the last time you did something nice with your mane for a change? I haven’t seen this bad a mane since.” The doctor shuddered in horror but was interrupted by Rabbit.

“But, Leafy’s hoof is hurt.” Rabbit looked at the doctor with grim determination. “Stop brushing and help my bestest friend noaw.”

Four Leaf nodded in agreement with a heroic face. “It’s true. I was only walking, and now it hurts real bad with every step. Can you fix it Ma’am.”

The doctor snickered. “Naturally. I’ll just wave my magic horn, make everything alright, and then we shall get back to this rats-nest you call a mane.” Four Leaf presented his hind hoof and as soon as he had touched it radiant energies began to spread across the buck. Much to his amazement Leaf stomped a few times in the ground and cheered. “Thank you thousand times. You are the best princess Dawn, but don’t let Celestia hear it. She locks ponies in the moon. I haven’t seen this moon, but I hear it is a terrible place. Filled with teachers, and bananas, and this super evil thing called a magic kinder-garden.”

“I’ll make sure not to mention it to her.” Picking up the brush with his magic Dawn dragged the thief back into position and began inspecting. “I will shampoo you later mister. We don’t have the means to it now, but I will.”

“Can’t we just leave it as is? World’s not gonna end again if my mane is disheveled.” He rolled his eyes as the comb continued to fight its way through his mane.

“No. I have to do this.” He stated bluntly, but neglected to tell Wire the reason. How dared Scorch treat him like this? He had simply made an assessment of her usefulness's in combat, and she dares to flip out. Well I’ll show her one hair at the time. “Shame we don't have a water talisman or soap.”

“Uh, my mane was never this bad right?” Four Leaf stated with confidence. “Gross, is that an earthworm? Eew it’s a bit of dried food.”

“I knew we should have burned it.” Rabbit looked to Scorch, and nodded for herself. “No amount of hoof-strikes will clean this mane. We could ask her to burn it.”

Four Leaf disagreed and shook his head while blocking the route to Scorch. “No. We can’t burn his mane. We must salvage it. Right Wire? You can have some of mine. We just need some Wonderglue.”

“I get it. It’s not very nice and pretty like Doc over here.” He was becoming a bit irate with the spot light being held on him for far to long.

“Damn straight. Now sit tight and let us pretty your useless face up.” Rabbit looked up to Wire. The small framed thief was not that intimidating, and he was not that tall either especially now that Doc was making him bow his head down to get at the "hard to reach spot" on his mane. Worse she had a piece of rag that had been dipped in water. “It’s time bitch. Now close yer mouth. No bickering or you taste the hoof.” The white filly stated with intent as she began scrubbing Wire’s face with all her might.

Four leaf tried to help by stabilising the thief on the other side. Trying to provide him with some comfort while his partner in crime began raping his left cheek.

Between acts of violent cleaning, Wire managed a quick observation on the situation, “So I take it trying to appeal to the better side of them didn’t work out huh?”

“They decided to play highwayponies instead of taking the thousands of caps I offered them.” Dawn stated with a regretful sigh following shortly after. “This Ghoul leader mentioned wanting to get back into the good graces of somepony named Barker. Same guy those ponies back at the shop mentioned.”

The two foals looked back at their work with pride. “Now you look much better. Aren’t you happy. Aren’t you?” Rabbit halfway threatened, halfway patted the thief on his muzzle.

“Oh yes, I am truly ecstatic. Words cannot express how much pleasure I have derived from this.” He said as level and monotonously as he could muster. He reciprocated the muzzle patting to Rabbit, rolling his eyes a bit.

“You don’t sound very happy.” Rabbit pouted. “Didn’t we do a good enough job?”

“Oh you did.” Dawn said after a thorough inspection. “Though you should probably have found a brush too. His breath still stinks, and we need shampoo to make your mane any better.” He rid the brush of Wire’s leftover hair and let these vast remains float to the ground next to him.

“What am I now, your charity case?” He looked up at Dawn scratching his scalp with the edge of his worn hoof shoe.

“I. You. No.” Dawn turned away to hide his expression from the thief. “It’s just. Patient.” That did not sound right. That did not sound right at all. “It seemed as if you needed it.”

Come on you idiot. Dawn, whatever I just need to get this right. This had to sound perfect and as usual the poor doctor flounders about like some foal with his first attempt at handling a scalpel. If only the real Romeo. If only my brother was here. If only Scorch hadn’t. “I must look like a real idiot right now.” Dawn gave up trying to talk, and walked away from all the other ponies. Easily finding his own quiet spot.

 Here, he could open the floodgates. These stupid foals and that stupid dress. He should never have dressed up in the first place. This was bad. This was just a whole lot of useless. Even the sugar-bombs tasted sour. "Fuck." He threw it away half eaten with some of his drool probably lingering on it. Silently the doctor began suppressing Dawn. Trying to force himself back into the locked chest. He looked at the earrings. They were shimmering in a blue magical light, and upon further inspection, you could make out small patterns written on the sides. They where like a fleeting dream that had come real just to hound him.

”Dawn, what are you doing in Mommy’s clothes?” She was a  gray mare with a blood stained doctor's coat. Her mane was as crimson as his own coat. Staring at him with tired brown eyes filled with disappointment. “Your brother never gave me this kind of grief. Why cant you be more like him.”

Forcefully she magically undressed him and sat him down over her knees to spank him. “I. Will. Not. See. You. Here, Again.”

“Dawn? Dawn?” He looked up from the washed up name tag with Romeo inscribed on, and bathed in the feeling of dry wetness from already burning eyes. There was a taste of bitter salt lingering inside his mouth. Tears. Figures. Dawn always cries. Lets go guys, playing with Dawn always leads to crying. “What is it Four Leaf? Cant you see that I am busy?”

 “Mommy was busy too, but we hugged when she was sad." The idiot buck wouldn't listen to reason. Instead, the foal looked towards the name-tag."Who is Romeo?”

“He was my brother.” The two hugged, and Dawn used this opportunity to attach the earrings back on. There was just no deliberating with these foals. Romeo was just a name and he would have to wait his turn. He had often used it to keep acting as if he'd laugh in the face of death or be some kind of super pony. Dawn was just Dawn now. “Let’s go see what the other’s are up to.”

The two returned to find Scorch and Rose sitting at a table, exchanging shots of something that reeked of alcohol. Clearly from the attitude around the table, it was some sort of competition. Rose lifted up her third shot glass and downed it with ease. As she put it next to two other empty glasses, the seasoned caravan mare glared expectantly at Scorch. A drinking competition now? What kind of shitty timing was this?

Not wanting to cause a scene Dawn approached her with new-found determination and employed some more grace to his words. “Scorch dear. Not to interrupt, but we kinda have stuff to do after this.”

“It can wait.” Scorch downed a shot and dropped the glass next to two others like it.

Rose had filled her fourth glass and made sure it was to the brim, then she downed hers and looked to Scorch while grinning expectantly. “That it can. The booze is on me. If, this youngster thinks she can hold her liquor better than me.”

Dawn looked to Wire, and the thief seemed to regard this with a shrug. Apparently not caring much about what state Scorch would be in after this or at least not showing it. He sighed. Was this because he had decided to take a small break from the two and try to collect the scraps of his own sanity back? “You didn’t stop her?”

Scorch poured a fourth shot and downed it quickly, adding it to the small collection of glasses. “Don’t you worry, I’ll be fine.”

This earned her some laughs in the small crowd of traders that had now gathered around them. Rose poured herself a fifth drink and downed it with a smirk of confidence “More than fine.”

Scorch drank the next shot with a grimace. “You can take my word for it.”

Wire made his way towards Dawn in a gentle, and careful manner. “Um, Doc, do you uh, have um.” He began to trail off a bit.”

“Um, what?” The doctor looked to his patient with prejudice. It was mostly anger created out of fear. Fear for floundering with words again. “I am trying to deal with having shot a band of ghouls to bits, and now Scorch has decided to try alcohol poisoning on for size. What could you possibly need Wire?”

“Well, you kind of uh, well, you know. Um.” He was defiantly struggling with something.

Seriously? The doctor’s gaze hardened, but he looked to Four Leaf that was observing the drinking competition. “Stay here and watch with Rabbit. Okay?” The foal nodded in agreement, then Dawn shoved him forward and took some steps away from the crowd. “You want Med-X? Now? Do you have any idea what this will do to your system? Do you want to be addicted again?”

“I’ve had a long day. It’s not real fun for me to be around foals all day. Especially other pony’s foals. I just need one to keep me from going overboard is all.” He was acting rather fidgety, and looked like he was trying to hide something behind his back. Given his small statue, not much would be hidden by him.

“I’m uh, not good with these things.” His tone was almost as if he expected help to form a sentence, trying to figure out the correct things to say. “I uh, don’t want to.” Once again his voice began trailing off.

“Don’t want to what Wire?” Shaking his head Dawn just walked up to the thief and looked him in the eyes. “Just this once. Tell me.”

“I’m from the future, here to make sure certain event happen as they’re supposed to. You don’t want the future of pony kind to be undone?”

“Oh great and powerful time-pony. Is it a nice future? How many foals do I have? What happens when the muffin crust breaks?” Dawn cracked a smile. Not intending to accept any of his bullshit, but still sane enough to let it tempt him.

“It’s uh, a wonderful place with stuff and sunshine, and foals can run through the grass.” His tone was faux, full of wonder, very unlike his normal self. When it didn’t work Wire had a look of conflict on his face, but then he returned back to a more relaxed look, “How about uh. Chems for information. You give me med-X, I tell you things. Things that will, uh, help you unravel the reason I, um, need my chems.”

“You only need one. Ugh, fine, but first you tell me what you are hiding.” Dawn stopped trying to benchpress Wire’s hooves out and instead presented a vial of Wire’s favourite past time. Drugs. “We got a deal?”

“Yeah sure.” His attempt to get it was foiled by the magical field enveloping it. He shot Dawn a dirty look. “Not here, too many ponies around.”

“Alright. Then pick a spot. Then we talk” The two wandered out and behind the corner of the shelter. They were alone, and Wire seemed almost eager to start.

“Okay. I've been gallivanting around with those kids all damn day. Now it’s not that I hate kids, it’s just.” This obviously wasn’t easy for Wire, but Dawn wanted. Needed to understand why the thief was killing himself with drugs. “I don’t want to see them end up as my daughter did.”

“Please. Nopony would be fooled by this.” Dawn rolled his eyes at the thief and laid  the syringe with Med-X back into his saddlebag. “Looks like you didn’t want the drugs so bad that you’d tell the truth for once. Think I'll be keeping them then.”

“But...”

“No buts. You just told me whatever you felt would be convenient, and then thought you could get drugs from it. I don’t even know if it is the truth or lies, but I refuse to give drugs to you regardless.” Was this time to leave? Dawn stayed and listened as a cheer went on from the inside of the shelter. The crowd was trotting to something. “I do this because I actually care Wire. Now excuse me. I’m gonna go check on Scorch.”

“Whatever...” The thief replied to his back.

The doctor headed back in time to see two stubborn idiots at their tenth glass. Scorch was wavering, but still remained in the game while Rose had begun to sweat. The difference between them were quite clear. Rose would win. Dawn poked the coated mare in the shoulder and got no visible reaction. “Scorch. You don’t need to do this.”

“Yesh I doo.” She pounded through another shot and slammed it back down on the table. “I’m shtill in this!”

“I don’t know what this is, but it is really cool.” Rabbit jumped up and down. The two foals cheering her on. Meanwhile, Rose had downed her eleventh glass with professional ease. Scorch on the other hoof had to rely on her little cheerleader for help. “You can do it.”

Scorch tipped the little glass and grimaced again as she dropped it back on the table. “Shee? I told you I could doo it.” Scorch said in a drunk and slightly triumphant tone. Her head started to bob and weave backwards and forwards. “Shtop moovin’ aroound sho musch, yer makin’ me all diizzyyyy...” Her voice trailed off as her head came crashing down on the table with a loud thunk.

“Scorrchh. Ish yerr turrn.” Rose waved her empty glass at the mare, and when she did not respond Rabbit tried to wake her hero up.

The doctor shook her body with worry. Would he have to drain her of alcohol? Dawn did not have the means to do that here. “Oh bother. Let’s get you to bed.” With a combination of magic and some help from one of the spectators Scorch was heaved into one of the many beds within the shelter, and  the resident bucket was brought out from underneath one of those beds. It was a rusty thing barely good enough for vomit. “Scorch, Scorch? Can you hear me?” Forcefully opening one of her eyelids. Dawn began patting her on the back gently at first, but soon began adding force. “I’d rather you let out some of that liquid on your own.”

He could hear a distant cheer from the traders again, but was not going to abandon Scorch now just to satiate his curiosity. “Dammit..”

Scorch groaned faintly before her eyes opened and she heaved into the bucket. She stared at it for a few moments before speaking again. “Eeeeww, thatsh nashty. I’m gonna go ta shleeep now.” Scorch flopped back onto the bed and fell asleep almost instantly.

Great. She was going to be fine now. Dehydration and a headache laid in wait, but she would be fine. The doctor made sure Scorch truly was asleep before replacing the bucket, so she could wake up and puke again if necessary. “Good Night Scorch. Thanks for help with those ghoul ponies.”

Dawn drew a satisfied smile and headed back out. By now the traders would have calmed down, and things would finally be back to normal.. He was greeted by another cheer. They had apparently found somepony else to amuse themselves with. The doctor looked for Wire’s blond coat but didn’t see the thief anywhere. Worse Rabbit and Four leaf were not exactly visible either.

“One. More. One. More.” The small crowd chanted, and then exploded in a mixture of laughter and applause. What in the hay was this? That was when he saw the tiny form on top of the table. A white filly wiggling with some unstable movements as if the solid ground underneath her had become unstable ground and giggling uncontrollably. No, no. This was impossible. She was basking in the attention, but grimaced when the shot glass was presented to her. Gripping it with both her hooves in a hesitant manner and then she downed it while rocking backwards. Four Leaf caught her in time, and seemed hard at work trying to talk some sense into his best of friends.

“What the hell is this?!” In a fit of righteous fury, the doctor grabbed Rabbit by her neck, and proceeded to lift her away. “Scorch wasn’t enough? You had to go after the foals next?“ The little white ball of fur tried to resist, but she had drunk too much to make anything off it. The way her eyes went you would think she thought herself lost in some fantasy world and fighting imaginary demons. “She can’t even speak coherently anymore.”

He looked to Rose who looked pretty lousy too. Sweating profusely, and swaying in an unstable manner. “She started it. Damn fillies. No damn youngster beats Rose. Nopony.”

“How many?” Dawn asked the crowd with worry. “She’s a child. This.” He pointed at an empty bottle of that foul liquid. “Is not meant for her to drink. You should all be ashamed of yourselves.”

“Five. She drank five glasses.” The black colt looked to her with concern for his friend, but Dawn already had enough to deal with so he took the white hurricane away. She had calmed down considerably already, and looked near death exhausted. Luna give me patience. It was just a matter of getting her to puke. “Come on. Come on.” Applying some of his knowledge he got her to regurgitate most of the liquid out again, and with lots of water, she would be okay. Four Leaf was a delightful helper, and when they were done he emptied the bucket without protest.

“You need to be more firm.” Dawn yawned to the two now using him as a bed. Only Leaf was awake, and he nodded back. “I didn’t think she’d do it. We both said the juice tasted bad, but that didn’t stop her.” He could see the conflict. Not wanting to stop his friend from doing what she wanted.

Everypony had been pretty occupied when the drinking contest started. It was a decent distraction, enough that he could check a few ponies pack’s for Med-X. It was useless though. Thankfully Dawn was asleep, and Wire was able to slip a single syringe off him without getting noticed. He needed it. An entire day with those two foals was just too much, he couldn’t take it.

Too many unpleasant memories, too many good ones. It was all a distraction that would make him screw up just like he does every other time. He doesn’t get it. I need this. To shoot this thing without blowing myself up? He’s just greedy, wanting them all for himself.

He stuck the needle in his neck and slowly released the prewar medicine into his system. It felt fantastic. Like he was flying high above this horribly depressing world. He could do anything right now, no pony could stop him. Instead, he opted to sit and relax for the first time in a while. Stretching his legs out, trying not to look at the white that stained the tips of his forehooves. Like I’m running around in little socks.

He looked up, trying to catch a glimpse at the moon. But the sky wasn’t cooperating. Just stodgy old clouds filled with mundane, elderly ponies. Wait a minute.

He did a double take at this. Barely able to make it out from the cloud cover, but it was there. Oh great, what now? All those ghost stories from back home coming true? No, it was worse than ghosts, It was the teal pegasus from Friendship city. The one that had forced him into this situation in the first place. If I shot him dead, would anypony care? Would they know it was me? Ugh, too late now.

“What kind of snails pace did you lot keep from Friendship? This is almost half a day later than I expected.” Charger looked at the thief with a set of military grade goggles stuck on his face. He landed nearby and set about casually pretending that what amounted to something like a day’s journey on hoof had not made him tired at all, but Wire could see it.

The way Chargers chest moved and the amount of sweat from his red and blonde hair were clear signals to the perceptive thief. “I take it that the rest are inside, and enjoying some kind of reward?” Chargers voice was slightly muffled by the comfortable high collar vest he was wearing. The kind of thing with a lot of pockets, and it was thick. Probably layered with lightly armored plates.

“Well look who decided to join us. Not had to move that much since going to Friendship huh?”

Charger ignored that question, and instead looked towards the bodies of the dead ghouls that had now been ransacked by Scorch. “Dead?” He opened his collar only to spit with disgust on the ground, and then looked back to Wire. Those damn goggles made it impossible to see Charger’s full expression. “I’ll be helping you the rest of this Celestia forsaken quest.”

Fuck. Why the hell does fate keep adding to this disaster. “Great.” He rolled his eyes so hard, they almost flew out of his head.

“Did you know that there are a pack of manticores near the hospital entrance?” Charger seemed to delight in Wire’s apparent suffering, and had apparently decided to spoil everything awaiting them. “Oh you didn’t know? I guess you could offer praise the one pony with wings that scouted ahead, and figured shit out.”

“I would have walked around, or let others take em by force. But one more piece of fodder will do nicely.”

Charger pulled out a cigarette, and then lit it using a shiny silver lighter with some feathery insignia on it.

“Only one entrance sadly. These steel rangers were mighty crafty, and made use of the shudder protection system against well, larger scale warfare. Ensuring themselves that only the front entrance could be used to enter the building.

Figured I’d be the distraction and then you lot run inside while the pack hunts me down. Sadly you would be racing against a bunch of slavers, and only Luna knows what kind of tech or stupid plan they might have scrounged up while you lot wasted a ton of time meandering around. Sightseeing no doubt.”

“You wouldn’t happen to have another one of those?” One of those sure would hit the spot right now. Wire took a moment to briefly look over Chargers black outfit. He had seen the symbols on the battle saddle before on other pegasus on some kind of poster. They had all worn a full-body black armour with a scorpion tail though, and even if Charger merely had a battle saddle and a black utility vest with a high collar Wire’s nonexistent trust in the pegasus just got lower.

“Maybe. Here, take mine.” He handed Wire the cigarette from his mouth and brought out a full pack of smokes from one of many pockets lining hos pitch black utility vest. Soon Charger was puffing smoke from another fresh cigarette like a greedy foal. “Every-pony is entitled to a last one before they take on a mission that may or may not end up in them dying.”

“I wanted a smoke, not your high and mighty preachings.” Cocky bastard he is, he’ll be dead before sundown.

“Oh, my little earth-pony.” Charger smiled from ear to ear, and then puffed out a cloud of smoke that he had shaped into a circle. The smoke seemed to capture Wire’s face and framed it in. Afterwards, the pegasus began stretching his wings restlessly. “You should be thankful that I even bothered to come help a clumsy thief, and a tavern brawler that travels around with a junked battle saddle.” Flexing his wings again, Charger looked to Wire as if expecting something, and when nothing happened he headed on inside.

Wanting to keep tabs on the pony that was so much more than just a security guard, he eased up to the window, and let the reverberations of the voices inside make their way to his ears.

“Well, if it isn’t The crimson caravan. A bit reduced in size since last i saw you.” There was a muffled silence that he had brought with him from the outside, and then Rose’s voice broke it up. Slurred from having drunk goddess knows how much, but it was still possible to make sense out of. “If it isn’t Blueballs. My favourite security pony. Bringsh you out ‘ere?”

“Babysitting. Where are the rest of the ponies that saved your sorry flanks?” Then there was the sound of hoof steps as a pony showed him further into the shelter.

With light steps and some ducking Wire kept within the range, so he could  hear their conversation.

“Charger, what are you? Why are you here?” Dawn voiced his surprise, and probably did not appreciate being woken up.

“I could ask you the same things. I'll answer in time.” He muttered with disdain back at the doctor. “Ugh. Smells like somepony couldn't hold their liquor. Look. Just move out whenever you are ready to move Doctor.” There was a sound. The sound of Charger lifting of, and not soon after he was outside again while drinking some water and looking for him. It was easy to read that he loathed being stuck with them. “Looks like you slowpokes will be staying here for the night. I’ll scout ahead, and do something useful.”

The pegasus made his swift exit without waiting for a reply, and vanished into the horizon.

Eyup, not to be trusted in the least. Wire may not have been the most loyal of ponies, or reliable. Or for that matter, ever walked the line of  good karma, but he knew a trap when a saw one. The hospital was supposed to be the easy wrap up job as Charger put it when they left. Now that redheaded-blondie was showing up to give them assistance? He would hold his tongue for now, but he was going to sleep with one eye open for the time being.

A few hours had passed, the sun was creeping skyward. Light filtered through the could cover in small spots, it filled up to hide any sun beams. He had seen the full beauty of the sky once. The light blues and the crisp yellow of Celestia, of past’s magnificent sun.

The Med-X coursed through his small body. It’s always better when it isn’t yours. He hadn’t truly needed it, just a bit of escape to help pass the time when everypony else was sleeping. Save for being stabbed, this task had been a cakewalk. Sure, the thief wished to make it look like he was struggling and couldn’t handle even the smallest group of enemies, but that  was not exactly true. Wire liked to keep the expectations for him very, very low, that way he could skate by, or let the other two do most of the work for him. Easiest caps he would make for a long time, he imagined.

Might as well go give them a warm wakeup call. The other ponies were giving Wire looks, but he payed them no attention. He opened the door to the room with Scorch, Dawn and the foals. He pulled a chair up from the wall and laid down in it, letting time take its course.

“Wire? Wire.” Dawn’s voice and some poking woke up the thief. The doctor looked reluctant to wake Scorch on his own, but now that the two of them were awake. “We should probably get going sooner rather than later, and the small ones want food, so could you? Wake her up while I make some oats?”

With all the care and sensitivity in the world, Wire smushed his hoof into the side of Scorch’s face. “Hey, you, wake up.”

“I’ll go make those oats.” Doc pushed the fillies out of the room. “Lets go eat you two. That means you too Rabbit.”

“Hey, you, wake up.”

 Scorch could feel hooves jabbing her in the face.

“Fuck off!” She forcefully shoved away the hooves prodding her face and rolled over trying to cling on to what sleep shew could salvage. “I’m tryin’ to sleep.”

“Just wake up will you.” He was pushing on her side, “Nopony told you to drink yourself into a coma.”

“I told you, fuck off.” Scorch flailed a hoof  in the voice’s direction. She tried to ignore the voices and go back to sleep, but she was already awake.

Fuck.

“Fine, don’t get any food. Yeah, just try and do the job at hoof while barely coherent, and hungry.” Wire rolled his eyes and went back to his chair. “For somepony who likes liquor, you sure can’t handle it.”

“Fuck you pygmy.” Scorch sat up, and immediately an axe split through her head. She squinted to try and shut out the pain, only to have her stomach rise in revolt. She vomited into the bucket at the side of her bed. And fuck you too hangover.

“I don't feel so good either.” Rabbit looked up at her besides the bucket with a sickly expression. The white earth pony was carrying one of their bottles of water and was drinking from it greedily. After screwing the cork on the filly jumped up at the bed Scorch was lying on. Presenting the bottle to her with a smile. ”Here. Dawn said it helps against the hurt in the head.”

“Thanks.” Scorch accepted the bottle and drained it of what water was left. Her stomach rumbled demanding food. I’m hungry, where’s the food. “Food?”

“Dawn said to go get it.” The little foal grinned and plucked at the empty bottle with an impressed expression. “You want me to go get it for ya?”

“Dawn said it?” Fuck him. I’m not that hungry. He can shove it where the sun don’t shine. “Uh, no thanks.” Scorch didn't know what to say to Rabbit. “I can get it on my own.”

“I saw the competition with the lady. You drank a lot of adult juice. Did you puke too? I didn’t get to see cuz I was busy, an' I asked Leaf, but he always agrees.” The last part seemed to upset her somewhat. She stomped her hoof at the end, and then looked up on Scorch again. “Stupid Dawn pulled me away even if I was winning.”

“What do you mean?” How long ago did I pass out, what the hell did I miss?

She took Scorch’s silence as praise enough and nodded her head.

“Uhuh, I think it was four glasses, and I was like woozy and stuff. But the red pony was really bowing down and just maybe a few more. I think I could drink a few more, but Dawn was being all mommy and stuff. She didn’t let me drink the adult juice either.” Rabbit held a strange sense of pride through the entire thing. “I was going to pay you back for teaching us to make the fire bottle, and all the nice fire, and then Rose was being all meanie face. Rose said you were a pansy and a lightweight, and I know that’s  what slavers call good for nothin's. So I said to her I was gonna take over, and then she laughed. But I drank a glass of the adult juice and put it next to yours and then she was all kinds of silent. I called her a chicken and she said nopony drinks her under the table and IT. WAS. ON.” The filly gestured all over the place, trying to enact the scene from memory. Then she fell on her haunches. “The stupid Dawn ruined it all. I was feelin'  amazing, and I was winning but they wouldn't let me have more drink and then the competition was over, and I felt really bad in my tummy. Leaf said I vomited after, and tha’ ah’m no lightweight, but you drank ten whole glasses and I don’t know if you vomited too cuz if’n you didn’t I’d be a lightweight.”

“But why’d you do it?” I’m not still dreaming am I? This is probably a dream.

“Didn’t you listen at all? Dammit. I’ll go get some food maybe that will speed your brain up.” Rabbit sighed with disappointment. Then shejumped down with the empty bottle of water and spent a moment looking back up at the confused Scorch. “I told you. That Rose called you a Pansy, and said you were a lightweight. Ah said I’d make up the difference, so now you owe me more lessons. Okay?”

I remember that. I guess it isn’t a dream after all.  “You earned them but first what do you say we go and get a little somethin’ special.”

“Something special?” Rabbit repeated the words with a curious look and then nodded. “Kay, but that ain’t part of the deal.”

“Of course it ain’t. All heroes deserve treat's, don’t they?”

“The mares back at camp got sumthin special all the time. Not quite sure what bein’ a hero has to do with it.” There was some apparent confusion in Rabbit's face. “Ah’d never done sumthin’ special before, but I guessed you’d do the special better than...” Rabbit’s voice trailed off, and for a moment, the filly looked lost in thought. “Them other ponies.”

“What are you talk- oh...” That’s fucked up. What did those slaver fucks do to her? She forced the anger back down. There’s nothing you can do about it now. “I didn’t mean it like that. I was talkin’ about cake.”

“Cake?” Rabbit looked confused again. “I don’t know any cake. What is it?”

“You’ve never had cake before? It’s like, um...” She tried to find the right words. “Well, it’s cake.” Scorch looked around for her flamer and saw it leaned against the wall next to her bed. Reaching into the bag she pulled out a crumpled cardboard box. “This is cake.”

“Smells funny.” Attracted to the creamy pastry Rabbit nearly poked her muzzle into it, and then she looked to Scorch with youthful curiosity.. “So this is your special something? This is what a hero deserves?”

“Well, if she doesn’t, I will partake.” Wire grinned as he appeared behind the two.

“Ey. I was first, and Scorch said she was sharin’ with me.” Rabbit was obviously not happy with the intrusion. Blushing, she began stepping on the ground impatiently. Lifting her hooves one by one and putting them on the ground again with small, energetic clops. “Ah was first, and you are second. Ah didn’t even know what cake was. Ah still don’t so get in line cuntface. Ah beat Brick when he was sneakin’ and he was..- ah. Taller than you.” Her voice had begun rising into higher octaves, and then suddenly she stopped. Not just to catch her breath. Her shoulders relaxed realising she wasn’t somewhere else. “Oh.” Rabbit scratched her hoof on the floor with a hardened expression. “Uhm. Ah don’t like when ponies go sneakin’ in the line.”

“I wasn’t sneakin, I was just voicin my opinion is all.” He gave the sorriest excuse of an Innocent face while he looked at the dingy box of snack cakes.

“We should spit on the cake. That way he won’t sneak off with it.” Rabbit looked at the thief. Inspecting his innocent face. “Cuz we have cooties, and bucks don’t touch the stuff with cooties.”

“Piss off Wire, this isn’t for you.” Scorch waved a hoof at Wire to shoo him away. “Here, take it. I promise you’ll like it.” She offered the box to Rabbit that quickly accepted it. The filly proceeded to open it, and then she leaned on the box. Sticking a hoof out, before beginning to lick it. She made a pleasurable squeal at the taste and ripped out a piece. Gobbling it up hungrily, she looked to Scorch before taking another bite.

“Iwsh whririlyl gowd.” She muttered out with cake frosting coming out of her nose.

“I said. You’d like it.”

Rabbit nodded and took another bite. “I need to share some to Leafy. Can I take this part?” She waved her hoof at some of the remaining cake. “It really was sumthin special.  Ah still don’t see what heroe's have to do with delicious food-stuff.”

“You don’t know what a hero is?”

“I only know the bad-ponies don’t want no’pony ta play one. An’ Mommy just tell me that a hero is strong like Rex. I used to train super often to be just like Rex.” She took another bite of the cake and looked up to Scorch with cake crust still on her lips. “C’n you teach me to use that knife? I saw Rex use a blade once, but Graymane wouldn’t let me have one ta practice with.”

“Sure, I can teach you.” Fire and knife fighting lessons? I should start charging.

“Yay.” Rabbit took another piece of the cake, and then another. Beaming with joy while having the sugary food stuffed in her mouth. “It’s a promise.” The filly mumbled between her chewing. “I’ma share this part with Leaf.” Rabbit took another piece and ripped apart a piece of the box to keep it on. Then she carried it away and disappeared into the main hall of the shelter while shouting for her foal-friend.

“Well, well, well,” Wire began as he came up from behind Scorch, “Looks as if somepony has takin a likin to a certain little filly.”

“Fuck you. You were carryin’ one on your back.” Scorch’s head pulsed with pain. “Now piss off before you make my headache worse.”

“Or, I can make it better. Hell, even go away, if you’re willin to do me a favor.” .

“What kind of favor.” If It’ll get you out of my mane, I will go to the damn moon.

“If you haven't noticed, doc is havin this high and mighty "No chems for Wire" Idea in his head,” The thief began doing a terrible impression of Dawn. “I just need a third party pony, you, to take a few of my goods and trade for some items.” He rolled his eyes a bit, “Nopony here will trade with me, I’m pretty damn sure it’s his doin'.”

“Fine, what do you want?”

“Mostly Med-X, but I’m also good with Dash, Stampede, or Buck.”

“If I get some of that Stampede and a shot of Med-X you got yourself a deal.”

“Good, now, you’ll need this.” He pulled a satchel off of his pack, “Don’t drop this, it’s liable to explode. But it’s worth a good amount of caps.”

“Splittin’ with one of your precious bombs? You’re desperate aren’t you?”

“Uh, sure, bombs, yeah, I need some chems.” He did the most pitiful face he could muster, “Who knows how long I’ve got.”

“Just gimme the stuff and I’ll get the chems.” Scorch gabbed at the satchel with her hooves. “Gimme.”

“Okay then, hurry back. I guess you can get you something if you have any leftover caps. Maybe another present for your filly.” An assholeish smile on his face as he shoed Scorch off.

“Yeah sure, whatever.” Dick. After carelessly stuffing the pile of junk, she’d been given Scorch went off the find the traders. She found Rose by the side, gulping water from a soon to be empty can. The crimson trader looked up noticing her drinking buddy. Rose smiled and then nodded sagely.  “Good morning. Good timing too. We are heading out soon, and I wanted to give you a bottle before splitting ways. Said something I shouldn’t, and figured some more liquor would set things straight.”

“How could I say no to that.”

“Hehe. How can one say no to free booze? Depends on who hands it to you.” Rose snickered and handed Scorch a bottle of purest liquid from her satchel. “We best get going. There’s a job offer waiting for ponies like yourself. When the caravan heads back out after spending some time in Friendship of course.”

“Thanks, I’m looking forward to seein’ you back at friendship. You owe me a rematch.” Scorch swapped the bottle for the mess of junk that Wire gave her. “You got any chems that you could trade for... whatever this is?”

“Heh. Is the white one your's? That filly lives a few more years, and she would probably drink us both under the table.” Rose looked at the junk Scorch carried and took it all. “I’ll see if I can’t arrange for something. Friendship wasn’t much of a drug friendly city anyhow.”

With the stuff at hoof, Rose hailed a pony from the small herd of backpacker traders. A sleek scholarly type with a dark green coat. He looked from Rose to Scorch with tired magenta eyes. “What? This?” He managed to say during a sleepy gasp. Levitating the merchandise closer for a better look.

“This stuff for drugs Dennis. I know how much you enjoy conversing with Dawn. Sharing spells or whatnot, but be quick about this. Anything we can spare. Except Buck, and Mintals. Those actually sell.”

With a green glow on his telekinesis field, Dennis set about exchanging wares. Scorch soon had a small storage of assorted Dash inhalers, two syringes of med-X, and some Stampede lying next to her. Dennis yawned again, and claimed the deal done. “Anything else?” Rose looked to the crimson caravan and then back to the fire-mare. “We’d best be on our way if we want to reach friendship before it gets too dark.”

“Yes. You should get going.” A flash of teal and blue landed next to Scorch. Sporting his black battle saddle, and a fresh cigarette in his mouth. “A lot of rats crawling for survival, and the ant’s are hard at work building a nice ant-farm. Good luck to them, as for you, the doctor and the idiot. We got work to do and little time to do it.”

“Fine.” Scorch scooped up the chems and dumped them into her bag. “Where are they anyway.”

“Romeo is probably playing with those foals, and the thief had better be within earshot. You should probably go find them.” The teal pegasus lazily puffed on his cigarette. “Considering your average speed I’d be glad if we made it to the hospital before nightfall. I could speed you up, if I wanted.“

“I don’t like you.”

Wire’s head popped up from the entrance behind Charger, and he was waving a hoof around with the intent of getting her attention.

“What do you want?” Scorch removed one of the vials of Med-X from the little stash of chems in her bag and looked it over.  How do you use these? She looked back at Wire who was trying to avoid the gaze of the blue Friendship guard. Well, I watched him do it.. How hard could it be? Trying her best to copy Wire she pulled her foreleg out of her jacket and turned it over and stuck the needle in. A drop of blood spread itself around the little needle in her leg and pressed down on the plunger, letting the drug spread through her body and clear the foggy pain in her head. “Oh that feels sooo much better.”

Head finally clear of pain and doped up on painkillers Scorch walked over to Wire. “What is it?”

“You gotta help me get rid of them foals.” Wire looked towards the sky.

“Get rid of them?”

“You want to see that little filly you like so much blow away by a gunshot?” He questioned her. Wire's usual sarcastic tone was gone..

“Of course not, why the hell would I?”

“Good, now you just gotta convince the Doc to send em with them traders.” He hopped over the wall he was hiding behind.

Convince Doc? I’d rather try and tame a dragon. “Why don’t you just lie to him like you always do, you’d do that stuff better than me anyway.”

“Of course, but he’s caught on. I’m too fucked up on drugs to be a reasonable pony.” He rolled his eyes with the comment, “I just need another pony on my side is all. There’s luck in lots of things together.”

“I’ll come along, but you do the talkin’.” Better that way. If Doc finds out I took Med-X, he’ll go postal.

“Seriously? Oh well. You had your chance to send em off. I don’t care if two small midgets die out here. Just don’t blame me when a manticore snacks on one or a stray bullet catches the other.” Then he got close to the doctor, and he stated something with a lowered voice before turning to face Scorch and her companion. “Ah. If it isn't Useless and the mercenary with the mouth. Good timing. Already packed? We should get going.”

"Why don't you get a head start? Can’t go in blindly can we?” Wire said to the blue pony floating in front of him.

Charger rolled a fresh cigarette around in his mouth. After a moment of deliberation, he pulled out his lighter and puffed smoke at the thief. “I’ve already scouted ahead. You take me for an amateur, Mouse?”

“Yes, go do it again, unless you’re too out of shape.” Wire waved the pegasus goodbye.

“These constant delays are not making me happy Mouse. Not happy at all.” He blew a small cloud of smoke at the thief and presented his best grin. “Fine. I’ll do another run in ten seconds flat. Knowing that you lot will barely have gotten out of the door upon my return.” The pegasus picked up his pace and vanished outside again.

Wire moved his attention to Dawn and the two foals standing at attention besides him, “Okay Doc, time to say goodbye. To them. The kids.”

“I am not handing them over to those.” The doctor waved a hoof over towards Rose. “Ruffians. The lot of them. Besides Rabbit has not eaten anything properly since somepony gave her half a cake.”

What’s wrong with cake?

“Oh, so the plan is to take some foals you rescued from slavers into a place filled with monsters and ponies with guns? Guardian of the year is not what I’d call ya.” Wire said, pacing back and forward for a while.

“I have Hoofstrikes, an’ she promised to teach me to use a knife.” Rabbit looked up to the thief with an expression of calm violence. “We c’n sneak and stuff too.”

“See? They don’t want to go.” Dawn grabbed hold of Rabbit before either did something silly.

“Someplace safe? You’d rather take the risk that of seeing the life drain from their eyes while there is not a thing you can do about that. Obviously they don’t mean that much to you.” The thief pointed a hoof at the two foals.

“Instead of what? Send them off with Rose? Those ponies are not fit for parenting anything.” The doctor replied with cold reasoning taken from the past night.

Scorch couldn’t help herself, so what if Doc figured out she’s doped up. Fuck him. “Not parent, just watch after them for a day. Doctor What’s-His-Face can watch them once they all get to Friendship.” Like you’d do any better.

“A day or two can quickly turn to a week out here, and then what? I don’t like it, but this is the best option.” Dawn muttered in a moment of guilt.

“Oh, so you’ve got supplies for them and us for weeks on end? Nice, clean water for them, all the food stuffs growing ponies need? All I see is a selfish pony not wanting to give up his new play things.” Wire steadied a gaze of disgust on Dawn.

“I am a doctor. I do not play with life.” Dawn cringed knowing it was a lie. “It’ll be okay if we ration it like before. They have lived in worse conditions. It’ll be okay. It has to be okay.”

“I’m sorry Rabbit, there’s just not enough food to go around tonight. So you’ll go a little hungry. You’re used to that though.” Wire's voice began devolving into barely contained rage.

“It will work out. Somehow.” Dawn pleaded while looking down in defeat.

“Rabbit, I want you to go with Rose and keep an eye on her. Can’t have her badmouthin’ me again.” Please work, come on...

“When you come back. You teach me the knife okay?” Rabbit looked on Scorch with suspicion. “Not gonna’ wait forever for you to keep that promise.”

“I promise, as soon as we get back.” Scorch said with a smile. She couldn’t help it, Rabbit was growing on her.

“Leaf. You must look after your friend again. Just for a day. Or two.” Dawn hugged the black buck and then sent him on his way. Then he trotted after Rose to ensure the foals would arrive safely without trouble.

It’s all gone. They would find somepony else, and he would be alone again.

“You did the right thing.” Wire told him, and he knew it was right. It just felt wrong inside.

“I know.” Dawn muttered back and increased his pace. He needed to get away, and this pace was not fast enough.

“One less thing to worry about right?” Wire gave Dawn an almost sincere smile that he noticed upon looking back at the small party that was behind him. Without Leaf or even Rabbit It felt empty. He turned back to face the road and cringed. If this was doing the right thing why did it hurt so much?

“I know.” The words felt like ash in his mouth. No, this was ash and it lay thick in the air. Driving with the wind like an odd form of mist. He coughed and took a swig of water. Worse this mist reeked of death. Once they had left the playground and gone a few blocks south there was not much difference in sights, but this smell was surrounding them.

Only then did Dawn notice the subtle hints. Bullet holes, and broken boards. A pile of ashes with a surrounding burn mark nearly blown to the wind. A sawed off shotgun lay haphazardly on the middle of the road. Discarded by its wielder. “What the hell?” The doctor asked nopony in particular while levitating up the weapon. The weapon was in a slightly poor condition but was still heavy with slugs. Loaded and ready, but never used.

“You gonna take that?” Scorch looked expectantly at the shotgun Dawn was inspecting. “I want those slugs.”

“Take it.” Dawn levitates the weapon, cracks open the two chambers and hands the slugs to Scorch while taking the weapon for himself. The doctor shudders as a chilling wind passes by, sending more of  the ash rolling around the street. It is remarkably quiet. “Feels like a graveyard.” Who was he fooling? This was a graveyard. A graveyard of ponies reduced to dust.

“What I don’t get any thanks?” Charger appeared like a ghost out of a ruined window while clapping his hooves together in applause to himself. “Well. Not that I’m complaining. You gave me plenty of time to clean house. It was just very boring is all. You didn’t bring the foals?”

“Thanks for all the free stuff. Saved me the trouble of getting shot at.” Scorch commented while poking through what piles of ash had not been blown away by the wind.

“No problem. Just trinkets and ash left. Most of it gets incinerated.” Charger yawned, and then landed nearby. His black saddle humming with magical energies and there was still smoke reeking out of his beam rifles. “Ran into a patrol. The slavers are getting restless. Wouldn't have met any more rat patrols if you were 20% faster.”

“Could have just went by ‘em without all the... plasma shed.” Wire said as he kept making his way towards the hospital, paying as little attention as was equinely possible to Charger.

“Maybe. If you had been half a day faster.” Charger rubbed his own muzzle and wiped it on Wires flanks. “It’s because you move at a snails pace Mouse.”

“I never agreed to a timetable when I was forced into this.” He swatted the blue buck away.

“You mean when we caught you stealing and benevolently decided to grant you a way out that doesn't screw you over entirely? Do you have any idea how boring it is to watch a pack of snails, Mouse?”

“Then go back to Friendship, nopony wants you here!” Wire was losing his composure for only a small moment.

“Funny. They didn’t either.” He directed Wire’s face towards another burn mark in a forceful manner. The thief tried to push away but was stuck in this guided embrace. “Can Mouse do what a pack of rat’s could not? Didn’t think so.” Charger proceeded to rough Wire’s mane up while keeping the thief from doing much of anything besides continuing to walk.

Dawn could see the apparent dislike in the thief’s body language, and soon after smacked one of the novels he had picked up from before into Charger flanks. “That's not very nice. You should stop it before somepony gets hurt.” His voice felt dry and monotone, and the doctor quickly began wetting his lips and thirst for water. The bottle soon made its way into the thief’s sight as Charger let him go. “You should all drink while you can.”

Wire looked at the bottle for a moment, then took it, a small “Thanks.” Escaped his lips before drinking most of the water.

They arrived at a large clearing that had been fenced in before the war with several holes in it caused by grenade explosions. The hospital itself held a single entrance. You could see them easily. Large lumbering beasts. Mostly lion, with the tail of a scorpion, and the wings of a bat. “They probably just woke up.” Charger commented as he dug inside his pockets for another cigarette.

“They’re gonna smell that. Might as well just turn on a siren.” Wire said to the pegasus, not happy with standing next to him.

“That’s cuz i’m the bait.” The pegasus sighed. “Do you always need things spoon-fed. Can’t even comprehend the simplest of concepts even when told hours in advance. No matter. I’ll get their attention, and you all run inside that hospital building. Preferably before any slaverponies. Ready?”

“I got time for a game of solitaire?”

“You don’t even have cards for a game of solitaire.” He waved his hoof all excitedly to get the small crowd all worked up, and then lit his cigarette. After a few drafts of his cigarette, Charger flew inside the pen. Shooting a few beams of green laser at the biggest manticores he could find. Circling a few times to make sure he had em all and then vanishing due west in a crowd of roars. He made it seem easy.

“I hope they eat him. Maybe his sour mood will make them all sick.”

“We could only be so lucky,” Wire said as he began to venture across the parking lot, Dawn and Scorch following close behind. It wouldn’t be long until the scent of rotting corpses caught their noses. Bones and blood was sprayed across the parking lot. Blood and bones littered random locations alongside explosions. Enough death had taken place here to fill a small war, and this had attracted a pack of lethal predators.

The hospital itself looked like an over-sized bunker. Metal shutters had dropped into magnetic locks buried into the concrete. The bottom floor was impenetrable from all assaults, save for the entrance that was still kept open to crawl under by large chunks of concrete.

A loud unison cheer could be heard from their left. Opposite of where Charger had run off with the manticore pack several ponies appeared. A crowd clad in the dirtiest clothes layered in metal and wielding weapons. The most ragtag horde you could possibly imagine began flooding into the parking entrance and were heading for the hospital. Red rusty scooters squealed against the moist and bloody concrete while humming towards them.

“Run.”

The entrance was not far. They had a small lead on everypony that were running for the entrance, but the ponies on scooters were catching up. *Blam, blam blam. The fool ponies had taped guns to their bikes, and were using some form of contraption to shoot while driving. Several shot’s singed past them and made what was a small journey into a lethal experience. Judging by the amount of bullets flying past them the accuracy of those things were shit and worse than worthless. Good mostly for scaring anypony trying to run into submission or the occasional lucky shot.

It felt like running in slow motion. Dawn was quick to pull the Macintosh, and using magical S.A.T.S the doctor sent two of the ponies that had closed in on them the most to an early grave. The first one bore an expression of surprise mixed with awe and adrenaline. A bwhoompmmph later and half his head vanished into a spray of red liquid. Covering his mates in brain goo and sending the bike into an audible crash while Dawn reeled the barrel towards number two without hesitation or thought of mercy.

The second shot was safer, a loud bang later and another pony had a small, but noticeable hole in the chest. Spraying his blood backwards. His infernal buzzing scooter took a nosedive towards the concrete and crashed into one of his other mates.

Breathing out Dawn returned to the speed of reality, and then reeled backwards as a cold metal sensation struck several times. For a moment his body was trembling to the beat of bullets, and in the next the crimson pony fell into the hospital entrance. He stumbled and rolled even further inside. There was a set of loud bangs, then the shrieking sound of the entrance shudders crashing downwards instantly followed. It made his skull ring, echoing long after it was over, and then dust filled the air.

Things had gone from worse to clusterfuck. Doc was bleeding out, Scorch was yelling for the slaver ponies to bring it on. Wire didn’t know what to do. Usually he’d just run like hell, but now he was cornered, and the medic was down.

“Bring it Scooter humpin’ fuck face's, I’ll take you all on!” A clicking sounded from her direction quickly followed by the sound of a shell hitting the ground.

Okay, Scorch has this. It’ll give me enough time to figure out a pl-

The boom of Scorch’s shotgun sounded again, and another shell hit the ground followed quickly by a third. Then a tiny click and silence.

“Fuck!” Scorch sounded panicked as the shotgun shot clicked again and again before ceasing altogether. “Double fucks!”

And there goes that. Time was draining away, the armed ponies drawing closer, still firing. Can’t run away. Gotta go inside. Gotta shut doors. No time.

“Scorch! Inside now!” He shouted at the cursing mare while pulling out the C4 blocks off his back and tossed them at the pillars that held up the large shutter.

 Scorch yelled something intangible, and dove into the hospital entrance at full speed then she skidded across the floor.

Wire pulled the detonator out of from under his pack and waited until they slavers were as close as he could let them before pressing the button. Then there was a Screech as the metal shutter crashed down into the ground where it belonged. Dust was everywhere, and sounds from the outside were muffled versions of their former selves.

He caught sight of a black pile, with a hint of red. Scorch. He picked himself up and went over to her. “Scorch? You okay?” He shook her a few times, but it was to no avail. She was knocked out cold. He put a hoof to her head, it felt wet, but it was nothing that was gonna get her killed.

Well, she’ll be OK. Breathing at least. Unless she has brain dama-

Harking and coughing in the darkness that was the hospital the world suddenly lit up revealing Dawn as the source of light. The doctor moved his hoof to the chest while falling to his haunches. Blood. He caught Wire’s worried glance and grinned sickly back before jerking forward and vomiting blood.

The doctor fell to the floor while pressing his hooves desperately against a most critical wound on his neck. “Luna.” Dawn pleaded and began gurgling in his own fluids.

Oh no. Oh no. The crimson colt had blood pooling around his forehooves, gasping for air. Let him die. He took all your chems. Make him suffer as he made you suffer. But. There was something else, a thought at the back of his mind he couldn’t make out. He couldn’t just let him die. It would just be another pony dead by his inability to do anything right. Gotta make things right. She wouldn’t want this.

Wire bolted over towards Dawn, at a loss as to what to do. “Uh, how you holdin up Doc?”

“Three, six, eight bullet entry-wounds.” He responded, eyes parting in an uneven fashion. “Don`t worry, only one hit something vital. Its actually very hard to speak.” The doctor coughed up more blood. “My left leg and shoulder hurts.”

“Forget about those, tell me about the vital one.” He was rummaging through his pack.

“Throat.” He removed his hoof from the base of his neck, revealing a hole where blood was gushing from. The doctor quickly began coughing repeatedly afterwards. His shaking hoof then reached back towards the main artery to block the flow somewhat.

“Uh, what do I do?” Wire was lost, he never needed to do any emergency surgery before, just take some Med-X and hope it heals. Dawn would never go for it. He’d rather bleed out than stoop down to Wire’s level.

“Apply pressure to limit hemorrhage. Usually add a plastic tube to secure proper breath. Remove the bullet and then heal wound with magic.” Dawn listed it out easily enough. Then the doctor had another coughing fit.

“I don’t have any magic,” Pointing to his hornless forehead, “How do I skip that step?”

“Dip bandage in healing potion. The reduced potency should keep other wounds from closing.” He looked up with a grin and then went back to coughing.

“Great. Just great.” Wire pushed a hoof into the crimson pony’s neck. Then started to look for medical supplies. “Doc, where are the supplies?”

“In the purple saddlebag. Wrapped inside a green cloth” He wheezed out, while helping Wire keep pressure on the wound.

Keeping his hoof pressed  down where the doctor grasped, Wire reached into the saddlebag and nearly spilled all of its contents searching for the green cloth. Inside were bandages, the clatter of clean metal tools. A few scalpels and some other stuff for gripping or plucking inside wounds and small round bottles of red healing liquid. Wire looked at these small, delicate tools, then at his dirty, shaky hoof. How am I supposed to do this?

“I believe in you.” Dawn halfway spat out as he noticed the doubt and hesitation of his “doctor”.

Great, another red pony about to die in my hooves. What had he said to do? Push down on it. Got that, then it’s to, uh, come on. You can do this, no need for Med-X, no time either. Tube! Shove on in there. Ugh. Wire balanced the tube on his hoof, there was no way he could get this in. “How?” He shook it in the doctors view.

“Feed it to me, then remove the bullet and close the wound.” The crimson buck opened his mouth expectantly.

Wire shoved the tube down the colts throat, who gagged the whole way down. Okay, not that terrible. “Now what?” He looked at the semi conscious pony, tube down his gullet, bleeding from the neck. Had he had a third hoof, he would have smacked his forehead. He can’t talk now, guess I’m winging it.

Dawn pulled his spare hoof away from the wound and towards the green cloth. Remove the bullet you dense pony was what he wanted to say but all that came out was gargles and extremely muffled attempt at speech-craft now that his tongue was blocked by a massive plastic tube.

Even with the speech barrier, Wire could make it out. “Bullet? Oh, bullet.” He looked at the tools on the ground. Okay, just like pickin a lock, just a bit different. He grabbed the plires with his mouth and turned his head so he could see what he was doing, then removed his hoof from Dawn’s neck. Blood gushed forward, but it didn’t spray everywhere. Uh, either books have lied to me, or his heart is stopping. Great now I’m on a timetable. He shoved the tool into the wound and began grabbing for the bullet. He had no idea if he was helping, or causing more damage. Medicine was a foreign subject to the thief.

Resistance. There was a metallic resistance. He began to pull, and he saw lead. Ha! He pulled it out, and then the torrent of blood he had been expecting came out. “Agh!” He yelled as he drove his hoof hard onto the pony’s neck. Dawn squirmed but remained remarkably still and obedient. Using his healthy hoof the doctor guided Wire, so the thief could more easily stop the wound from bleeding.

“Bandaid. Bandaid. Bandaid.” With his free hoof, Wire tossed most of the supplies around and began looking for something to cover the wound with. All he found was gauze. “This?” The crimson buck nodded, but his guiding hoof was also pointed at the small round bottle filled with red liquid. “What do I do with that?”

"Combine it, Together." The battered doctor wheezed, but even that was pushing it, his hoof flailing about to match his words. "Put it on the wound."

Wire twisted off the top and poured it on the doctors neck, then proceeded to wrap the gauze around his neck, then poured the last bit on top of the bandage. “That was everything?”

“Mhmhm.” Dawn's voice came trough with more clarity. He was more focused now and not clawing to get trough a message. The wound giving off purple mist filled with sparks of vanishing energy spreading out from the blonde thief`s hooves.

“This stuff always did irk me.” He looked at his hooves, trying to wipe it off.

The crimson buck began pulling at the plastic tube. Making heaving motions as if he was about to throw up every time he stopped. After three pulls it was out and he was coughing madly, but fortunately there was not a lot of blood. He swallowed and panted in relief. “I knew I was in good hooves.”

“That makes one of us.” He sat back, undoing his pack. Feeling fresh air on his dirtied coat.

“There are still bullets stuck on my leg, flank and shoulder.” He pleaded, dragging out the bottle of liquor still lying about in his bags. With his weakened magic the bottle rolled towards him. Slowly being dragged forward.

“I’m gonna have to pull those out too?” He stood up and grabbed the bottle.

“You have something better to do?” Dawn grumpily retorted, wanting his bottle and preferably no bullets in his body.

Wire did not appreciate his tone, but if he wanted him to shut up, all it would take is one little needle. But he had a point, for right now, they were stuck. Wire sat down and gave him the bottle. “Just reach in and grab em?”

“That`s about the gist of it. Just let me take the sting out first.” The doctor sucked the bottle and drank greedily. Tilting it to the point where only a shallow layer was left and then burped. “Use the rest for disinfection if you have to.”

“Ah. I, uh, skipped that step with your neck.” Taking the bottle and putting in beside the tools.

“That's fine. The tools you used where disinfected from before you started. Unless you left the bullet inside. Then it would eventually have poisoned me to death.” He giggled but soon hugged his left shoulder in pain. Revealing four separate bullet-wounds on various parts of the same leg.

“You didn't even try to move, did you?” Wire sat down beside the wounded pony with the pliers, positioning Dawn so that he could get a decent angle on the holes, then set about pulling them free, one by one.

“Haven`t been shot in years. Nor do ponies tend to shoot the one pony out here wearing a Ministry of Peace healer uniform.” He muttered.

“Those were raiders. As soon as they-” He plucked another bullet out of the doctors crimson hide. “Were done shooting you, they would have tortured you, and seeing how soft your coat is, probably added a bit of rape on-” Tugging hard on the fourth bullet, “Top of that. Pony folk out here, doctor, aint nice.”

“I know. Shot two of them didn't I? Just wasn't. I just..” He gave the ground a mournful look. “I just decided to put my trust in you. Sorta felt like you would help me in time.”

He pulled out the last bullet in his shoulder and let some of the alcohol rinse the wounds. “What made you so sure?” Why the hell did I bother helping you? Finally Wire was able to think, and all it did was make him more confused.

“I was going to drink that healing potion and pluck out the bullets myself but then. I saw your eyes and knew I was safe.” The doctor replied in a nostalgic tune.

Wire looked at the liquor bottle for a second, then put it down. “Looks are deceiving.”

“I havent seen that kind of eyes in years.” Dawn stretched his hoof out, hitting the thief on the nose and dragging his face down towards his own.

“What are you doing.” Irritation in his voice. He’s drunk and shot up, just let it go over your head.

“Closer.” He rose to meet Wires face being dragged downwards. “It was there for just a moment. ” Their muzzles crashing into each others.

Wire pushed him away. “Stop. You didn’t see anything, it’s the booze and blood loss is all.” He got up and sat beside Dawn’s flank, and tried to start pulling the bullets out.

“I know what I saw.” He replied with a sweet drunkenness in his voice.

“Oh I bet.” Laying on the sarcasm as thick as frosting. He pulled out the rest of the bullets without anymore hassle from the pouting pony.

“Wire.” He moaned as the last bullets where removed. “Look at me.”

He didn’t want to. Not at all. Nope. He wasn’t gonna do it.Always the red ones.

He looked up at Dawn. “What?”

“Thank you.” He gave the thief a sweet, satisfied smile with tired, drunk eyes.

He was almost speechless for a moment. “Uh, am I done now?”

His horn began glowing yellow and the doctor giggled. “Unless there is something else you want to do with me.”

Trying to think got harder to do and Wire's vision was clouded. Wire should have decked the pony, but the words fell out like a waterfall. “What are you talking about I don’t want, to uh, do what?”

“Let me see your eyes again.” His head waggled drunkenly, and the magic spell broke.“You have nice eyes.” Dawn broke into a mighty yawn and began curling himself around Wire as if he was a blanket.

Wire pushed the clingy pony away. “Get off of me. Go to sleep before I punch you in your neck.” He clacked his hoof shoes on the ground loudly.

“Muuh?” He muttered, barely waking to the sounds surrounding him. “Patient`s need to be kept warm because of blood-loss.”

He’s a doctor he would know. Said the voice in his head. He’s also a drunken idiot. Said Wire back. But he knew if he did this, he could get his Med-X hassle free in the future. He was always one to plan ahead. “One time, you hear me.” His voice was slightly shaky, he didn’t want to do it very much and Dawn was already beyond talking about it. The poor buck had fallen asleep on the floor with nothing to protect him from the wasteland while the blood caked on his shoulder and flank was healing.

Wire laid down beside the crimson pony, wrapping the doctors leg around him. He was pretty cold and the concrete not helping. Why am I doing this? I need more drugs. He was about to get up and grab something when the crimson buck tugged him back with all of his might. Wire was stuck and unless he punched him off nothing would get done. The thief wasn’t in the mood to do anything like that. Stupid ponies and needing to be cared for when in pain. His coat is soft. Wire did a double take of his thoughts.

What? Did I just think that. No. No, no. I don’t care how pretty a red he- There! I just did it again. I do not like being sober. Not one bit. I should have taken some when I had a damn chance. But then I would be cold- I’m fine dammit! He was now arguing with himself over this matter.

The bottle of liquor was right there next to them. Wire stretched his neck out and grabbed the top, popping the top off with his tongue and then chugging the last bit down. It was sweet. Kinda like a sugar bom- “For Luna’s sake, can’t I get a break?”

The thief slumped down, tired, annoyed, and just a bit confused. “Always the red ones.” He muttered, and closed his eyes. The thief found himself stuck in this forced hug, and while it was warm a part of it still felt forced.

Level up:

New item: “Bottomless bag”: Generally thought of as not worth the price for the extra room it provides. It is an option for those who are squeezed for space, and have money to waste.

“Self Medication” 1 Rank Prerequisite: Chem Reliant, Survival 35: “Medicine of choice? Alcohol, of course.” Stress? Drink. Lacerations? Drink. Laser burns? Drink. Really, what problems can’t it solve? Add a minor DT/DR bonus to alcoholic beverages. Effect scales with Survival.

“Patch Job” Rank 1 Perquisites: PER 7, Med 40: Sloppy technique and wasteful application, but damn if you can’t perform effective triage in the middle of a firefight. When performing first aid in combat, healing potions take effect twice as fast, but are only half as effective.

All credits for the setting go to Kkat, author of the original story Fallout Equestria published on Equestria Daily. Please support the sidefic authors that continue to explore her universe: FO:E sidefic author homebase Gdoc.

Story is coauthored by Volk, Redundant and Damhoof.

Big hugs to DamnfoolBronyauthor of "Kiss Equestria Goodbye."