Fallout Equestria: "Best Laid Plans"

Chapter Five: Fortunate

“Smell that air! Couldn’t ya’ just drink it like booze?”

Scorch woke to darkness, dust and a splitting pain in the back of her head. The firemare rose from the collection of rubble that was scattered on her, and pieces of debris fell off her: creating small streams of smoke and dust that whirled around her inside this great darkness. Somepony had pulled the blinds down and no light was getting trough.

One day. Can’t I go for just one fucking day without getting a damn headache?

“Wire. Doc. You two alright?” Scorch asked the darkness, putting a hoof to the back of her head and rubbing it to try and clear the pain. “Hello?”

No response came.

I need a light. Scorch pulled her lighter out of front jacket pocket. Sparking it to life, a small flame was created. With the soft globe of light around her, Scorch could make out the shimmer of a lone Sparkle~Cola resting on a beautifully carved mahogany table that had miraculously survived both age and fallout.

It’s not whiskey, but it’ll do.

She approached the table and picked up the Sparkle~Cola. Holding the bottle down with a hoof, Scorch pulled the stained combat knife from her bag, the soft blue of her magic enveloping it. She popped off the cap with a satisfying hiss and added it into her stash. At first she was intent on devouring its carrot tasting liquid, but quickly changed her mind.

Scorch used the cola as a poor distraction from the throbbing in her head, and began looking for her partners. She found Doc huddled together on the floor with the thief; both were sound asleep.

“Hey lovebirds. Wake up.” She prodded the two of them with a hoof.

“Ugh,” the smaller of the two groaned, the empty bottle of alcohol lying next to them had probably not done the two any good. “Whats? Scorch?” He looked down at the crimson pony. “Ugh. Fuck.”

“You gettin’ all cozy with Lady Dawn?” Scorch tried to laugh, but the pain in her head spiked as she tried, replacing the smile with a slight grimace.

He struggled a bit, then stopped in defeat. “... I’m stuck.”

“Aww. A prisoner of love?” She tried laughing again, only to succeed at making her headache worse.Fuck.

“It’s dark in here.” Dawn’s horn lit up: The two scooted apart, and both struggled to get on their legs. Dawn’s magical light began to fade, but then increased in intensity with a white layer of over-glow. He moaned with the effort, and for a moment locked in time the doctor became a beacon in the darkness or a warm star spreading it’s lights trough the darkest corners and recesses of the building. His flesh and spirit both regenerated at a brisk pace, and then darkness once again reigned.

The thief started blinking to regain what little vision he had, and focused his attention at the light offered by Scorch’s lighter. A source of light that barely extended beyond her. The flickering flame danced next to her muzzle. “Why don’t you turn on that light on your PipBuck? My lighter’s runnin’ out of juice.”

“Uhu.” The doctor fiddled with his PipBuck..

“Those ponies outside were not exactly frien- Aah!” The doctor screamed, and began pointing. Resulting in his PipBuck illumination spell going everywhere. Revealing shadows of ponies. The bodies of many different ponies littered the floor and the first few steps of the staircase. Ruined turrets and death were all that remained. After taking in the scene, Dawn’s eyes eventually fixed themselves on the ruined body of a Steel Ranger. He still stood tall, impaled by five armor piercing harpoons but left an impression of dread non the less.

“That’s not foreboding at all.” Wire said, his small frame almost blending into the background of death.

“Who kills Steel Rangers?” Dawn inquired awestruck, and then began poking at one of the spears that had pierced his metal cover. The light from his PipBuck shed more detail on the body, and revealed prewar emblems that had been welded onto the suit. “This pony was no ordinary Ranger.” The doctor whispered in respect.

“Must’ve hit ‘em by surprise. These guys have big blind spots.” The thief was quick to begin looting.

“With only one entrance? I doubt surprise was much of a factor at all.” The doctor shed light further along the sides of the hospital. Revealing countless of bodies mutilated by turret fire and explosives as they moved along. “Ugh. This is macabre.”

“It’s so damn heavy though. If it wasn’t so hard to get around in those tin cans they wear, I’d snatch it all up.” Wire said as he brushed a hoof along the bent barrel of the grenade machine gun saddle on the dead ranger’s corpse.

“We just survived by the skin of our teeth, have a wondrous hospital to explore, and the first thing you two think of is looting.” The doctor sighed, moaned in anguish, and began chewing on a sugar-bomb.

“It’s free shit, how could I say no?” Scorch popped the latch on a dead Ranger’s ammo box and peered inside. Damn, no flamer fuel.

“Ugh. I look ghastly.” Dawn moaned as he looked down at his dirtied coat, and the sight of his bag. “I just bought that.” Chewing on a sugar-bomb the doctor headed for the reception area. Taking his light with him.

“Quit your whinin’.-” Scorch was interrupted by a large metal clump slamming into the ground next to Wire, and you could hear the thief whelp in surprise as the wielder of this blunt weapon try to lift it back up again. Wheezing from exhaustion.

Her weapon was a glowing power sledge. The mare herself was wearing a blood smeared and decimated metal barding. Looking at it from afar it seemed almost like an ancestor to the steel ranger power armor. The mare wheezed her frustration over not having made a killing blow, and dropped the hammer once it was clear it would not get off the floor with her current strength.

“Come at me.. And, and face..- death inc...”

Whoever it was her voice trailed off, and she looked unstable. Blood flowed from her helmet, and the mare begun cantering off-balance. Hardly a threat to anypony but herself.

“Damn, you bastards just refuse to die.” Scorch stood up from the corpse she was looting and sized up the mare. You got fucked up. “Hey doc, we got a live one.”

“Looks like it, yes.” Dawn rushed forward and grasped the wounded mare. Gently lowering the ranger into the ground and slowly removing her gear. He let the magic work thoroughly. Taking his time with the wounds. “She won’t be awake for some time. Lost a ton of blood, but luckily nothing has hit anything vital thanks to the reinforced barding. Except for the blunt damage to her skull.” The doctor shifted his attention to her weapon. “Maybe she got hit by that on accident.”

“She hit herself in the head with her own damn hammer. Yep, that’s definitely what happened.” Scorch rolled her eyes and turned back to the body on the floor.

“Should have let her die.” Wire looked at the large dent in the concrete where he was almost reduced to broken bones.

“Probably thought you were one of those ponies we ran into outside. Not that I blame her. We look like shit. Especially after that improvised healing.” Dawn let the mare lie where she had fallen, and put the blunt hammer next to her with some admiration. “That hammer is a neat work of art. Good thing it was out of battery. It probably even has a name.”

“Breaky McSmashsmash?” Scorch began digging through the dead Rangers ammo pouch. More minigun ammo? Dammit, where was all the flamer juice?

“I don’t think desecration of honorable steel-ranger corpses is the cleverest thing you can do. We have no idea who’s still alive inside here besides this mare.” He sighed and shed his PipBuck light further down the hallway towards the reception area. “Loot the wrong corpse and you might find yourself stabbed to death by a half dead raider.”

“That’s why you check first.” Scorch kicked at one of the bodies, and it sat there just as dead as before. “See? Nopony’s still alive around here. They’re all dead.”

Wire stood over the injured, now unconscious, mare. “I don’t like rangers. Not one bit. And now were trapped in here with them.”

“I’m sure they will be grateful for not being attacked by more of those ponies we locked out.” Dawn replied while gently making his way towards the reception area. Avoiding bodies, and bigger pools of blood. “This is macabre. Give it a few days more, and it will stink like no tomorrow.”

“So, how do we get out? You seem to know a lot about these hospitals.” Wire trudged straight through the middle of the bodies. His movements were seemingly random, but the small buck got though without so much as bumping into a body.

“That's easy. I just gotta convince the hospital to open the shutters, but I don’t think I want to do that yet.” Dawn levitated out a sugar-bomb and began crunching on it with audible sounds. Eventually the doctor reached the reception area. Looking over the counter he sighed. “Seems like the power is off. Though there should be a running terminal at the end here. Probably something the steel rangers might have used. Before whatever happened. Happened.”

“Well it’s not like that shutter is ever going back up, we just open another and slip out unnoticed.” Wire took a cursory glance at the terminal. “That say how to get the power back on? Use that PipBuck to access the server from here?”

Dawn frowned and headed for the live terminal while unwrapping a piece of paper from the bags for him to read. “I don’t know how yet. Give me some time and I’ll figure it out.”

Wire gave out a sigh, “How long’s it gonna take you to decipher that little scarp of paper?”

“I have a patient lying still over there. I’ve got time. Do you have a. A screwdriver?” Doc looked up from the paper, and began chewing on his second sugar bomb.

“I have this,” Wire pulled the hoof file he used to pick open locks, “I’m sure your fancy little horn can work with this.”

“What a crude instrument.” He levitated it from Wire’s grasp and fiddled loose some screws off the terminals back. Pretty soon after Dawn was looked into connecting his PipBuck to one of several outlets, and he seemed to have other things on his mind. The doctor began chewing on another sugar-bomb and soon after had inserted his PipBuck connection into the machine. “Didn’t blow anything up yet. So far so good.” He began typing on the terminal, and rummaged trough the manual again. Lingering on a page, and studying the computer.

“I was never any good at this,” Wire pressed a few nobs on the PipBuck and brought up a new screen. There were rows of illegible numbers, letter, and symbols, broken up every once in a while by a full word. “Guessin games were never my favorite. Maybe you’re better at em.”

“What? Guessing game.” Dawn pulled the PipBuck and the thief towards him for a better look, and then began rummaging trough the manual. “What guessing game?”

“It’s some damn loop hole in every system in the wasteland. Who ever thought that was a good idea. But yeah, a damn guessing game. The password is one of those,” Pointing at a few of the complete words on the screen. “You got to figure it out.” He held up his hooves beside him in a shrugging manner.

“How come you know this?” Dawn casually remarked while trying his hoof at the guessing game.

“I’m an earth pony. My kind made these things. I’m born with the knowledge.” He had a smug look at he pressed the white capped hoof into his chest.

“Yes. An earth pony from the future if I recall correctly.” He sighed, and then grimaced as he lost the minigame again. “Wire. The truth is not gonna hurt. You should try to tell it some time.”

“I read a book on it as a colt. It was either that or hoe some plants.” He deadpanned to Dawn.

“You read a book, about a guessing game loop hole that is in every wasteland system? Instead of gardening?” Dawns face broke up in several different shades of red. Twisted in confusion. Then he sighed and pouted his lips in sadness. “You told me that you couldn’t read.”

“Since when do you believe anything I say? All I ever do is shoot up, steal and lie.” Doing his slightly improving terrible impersonation of Romeo.

“Because one day, you will tell the truth, and somepony still believe in you.” Romeo’s glare grew distant as he looked on the thief.

“One day all of this charity work is gonna get you killed.”

“Then follow me, and make sure I don’t get killed.” He mused, and then smiled. The minigame had solved itself. “It all works out in the end. When down to the last option. Perseverance and some faith will win out.”

“Just turn on the damn power.” Wire said, fed up with Dawn once more.

“Let’s see if this system does respond to Doctor Romeo shall we?” There was the sound of terminal-buttons being pushed and a ghastly giggle. “Let there be light.”

A bright flash ran trough the room. Strategically placed nodes began glowing. Some of them simply exploded right there, and others instantly faded to a much smaller glow because of dust or other obstructions.

*Welcome to the Ministry of Peace. Please wait in line and be patient. Uhm, if you don’t mind that is.*

A kind familiar voice the pair had heard before sparked from the speakers.

*There is a lockdown. Please do not panic, and follow the emergency instructions. We wouldn’t want security to shoot somepony. Because that would be bad, and we wouldn’t want bad things to happen during a lockdown.*

“Seems like only the entrance area was powered from here, and barely at that. Elevators are still down. Backup generators aren’t working, and nothing works except the lighting, the daily message, and some of the security. Though most if not all of that has been destroyed already.” Dawn looked out at them from the reception area and scouted the now lit area. “Will you please stop that? You can loot the rest later Scorch.”

“I’m done anyways.” Scorch stood up from the corpse of a dead ranger and kicked it. “They’ve all got shit, there’s nothin’ I want.”

There was over sixty corpses in this room. No way she’d have looked trough them all. Dawn didn’t want to think much past that. The idea of Scorch rummaging trough bloodied and soon to be rotting corpses was not what he wanted to think about. Birds and trees. He thought about them as he devoured another sugar-bomb.

“Oh my. Goddess Celestia willing. Scorch dear, could you please help me move my unconscious patient?” Dawn tried to make himself seem hot and bothered by the fact that his patient was still lying on what was primarily a battlefield. Now that he could see it properly it was worse than he had expected. This was the easy part. The next part entailed actually getting her to play along. “I wouldn’t want her to wake up in the middle of all this ghastly death. Please help me move her to a place with no bodies. Not far. Just over here. I’ll help with the lifting of course.”

“No. Your patient, you do it.” The stoic firemare said.

“There are fifty caps in it for you. If you help me.” Dawn gave her a pleading smile, and tried not to think too hard on lost money. fifty caps what a mercenary bitch. That’s half a healing potion. She’d better say yes, and be bloody happy for it too.

“Fifty caps?” Scorch stood there for a moment looking pensive. “Seventy-five and it’s a deal.”

He could feel his insides burn for meat. Devouring another set of sugar-bombs helped him keep calm. “Listen. This is fifty caps for just moving her fifty hoof-steps, so she does not wake up in the middle of a Luna damned war-zone. How about I owe you seventy-five and repay you the next time you get injured? Because discussing the price of common decency is sickening to me.” He wiped his face with his hooves, and hid his expression from sight under the pretence of being genuinely upset. “I. I only want to be a good pony.” He sniffled, and wiped his eyes without blinking to make it seem like he actually was tearing up.

“I’ll take the fifty if you’ll just shut the hell up.”

“Thank you. Scorch. I’ll shut up. Sorry.” Dawn wiped his eyes on the inside of his coat and trotted towards his patient. The two lifted her into the reception area with ease.

“Caps.” Scorch had seemed angry for some time now, but the doctor knew a cure.

“Thank you so much. I could never have done it without you.” Dawns smile widened, and caps traded hooves. “I knew you were a kind and dependable pony.”

This only seemed to make Scorch angrier. “I hate you, so very much.”

Dawn sighed and wiped his brow with elaborate gestures. “I need to rest from my traumatic experiences, and regain some strength. The generator should be in the basement and might restore power to the facility.” He reclined behind his patent and gave the two a lazy expression while bringing out a tin can of oats. “Try not to get shot.”

“I ain’t going in the basement.” Wire said as he looked at Scorch, “That’s a job for the big mare with a big gun. You’re comin’ with me Doc.”

Dawn felt his face twitch in surprise. Great. What now? The doctor wondered while increasing the strain on his voice. Making positively sure that the thief noticed it. “Can’t you see I’m absolutely exhausted from being shot, and curing a patient?”

“How should I put this.” He pondered for a moment. “I’m goin to raid this hospital for all it’s worth. Now I would think my doctor would want to keep me from downing every chem I come across, would he?”

The doctor brought out a sugar-bomb to go with the mouth-full of oats, and did not speak for a moment in time. Wire had him right in the mousetrap.Damn that silly pony. What was he thinking? Did he know about the cannibalism? NO. He couldn’t know. If he did, somepony would have already been dead. Dawn gave Wire his best smile. “Thank you for the reminder. I’d almost forgotten, and Scorch. Don’t hesitate to retreat the way you came if things get out of hoof down there.”

“I can handle myself.” Scorch pulled the lighter out her bag and started flicking the ignitor.

“Good, cause I found a map,” Wire pulled a metal plate from behind the desk. Before the war, it would have been hung on the wall, so ponies could find their way around. The top part had been blasted by a shotgun shell, the only part left was a smaller section showing that the generators were on the section furthest down. “Subsection B. That’s where you have to go. All the way down.”

The lighter caught the sparks and the little flame came to life. “Just my luck.” Scorch turned and started walking into the darkness when she stopped suddenly and turned back to Wire. “You wouldn’t happen to have a rope, would you?”

“I’ve got this really long thread.” He pulled a spool of thread out of his pack and made Dawn deadpan. “Does it look as if  we have rope? Is this the latest sequel to Ponyana and the lost diaries?”

“How the hell was I supposed to know? Just gimme the thread.” Scorch closed the distance between her and Wire and grabbing the spool, walked to the desk and picked up the plaque.

“What are you doin' with my thread?” Wire asked as he realised just what the firemare was doing.

“You’re takin... You’re takin the plaque with you? You’ve got to be kidding.” The thief looked to the spool with a great longing.

“Yep.” Scorch stopped wrapping string around the plaque and began twisting several string pieces together, making a little rope of her own. Using her makeshift rope, she tied one end to the wrapped plaque and the other to her battlesaddle.

Dawn had been casually eating from his oat’s, and simply enjoyed the show. “It’s just a piece of string Wire. We can get you more later.”

“That stuff is hard to get a hold of. Worse than ammo.” Wire said more to himself than anypony.

“The mare who sold me this bag, said it was made in Trottingham. Probably has some spare sewing equipment you could buy.” Dawn continued to chew on his oat’s. “Might need some for my dress too, it’s a bit tight around the neckline.”

“Oh no, Celestia forbid the neck is too tight!” Scorch said in a dramatic voice. “Why don’t you two go fuck around while I do the all the work.” She pushed the plaque off the desk and started down one of the dark hallways. Her lighter was doing little to battle the darkness, and the plaque made horrible sounds, as it was dragged along the floor.

Once she was gone Dawn fell to his haunches, and let loose all the tension that had been building up. “You sure you don’t just want to go to sleep? I’m tired, and sorta need my rest for when Scorch switches on the generator.”

“You get fifteen minutes. Then we get goin, don’t want to get caught off guard.” Wire took a seat, pulling out a cigarette and placing it in his mouth, then he laughed a bit to himself. Not long after shutting his eyes Dawn’s world became dark, and he fell into a restless sleep filled with blood and darkness.

Well, it’s official. I’m lost.

The corridor had not taken Scorch where she wanted to go, and neither had any of the others. They all looked exactly the same, each one identical to the one before. The pain in her head had died down somewhat, though not entirely gone.

A feint static was in the air now. The fur on the edges of her coat was beginning to stand on end, the longer bits of her mane were moving away from her head, the smell of burnt ozone was all about.

Somethin' was not right. This corridor was just the same as the others, but it didn’t feel right. Something was off, and Scorch did not like it.

“...let me go...” A small voice echoed through the hallway, the sound bouncing off the tile and linoleum of the walls and floor. The darkness was reaching for her at every step, her lighter slowly giving it’s last amount of life to keep Scorch brave.

“Uh, hello?” It’s nothing. Yeah, nothing. You’re just imagining things-

The lighter gave up the ghost. A loud metallic crash was heard.

“Can’t escape me!” The voice was closer, but Scorch still couldn't figure out it’s source.

“Who’s there, don’t fuck with me!” She tried to sound brave, but the fear still bled into her voice.

The crashing grew louder. The sound of broken glass grew nearer. The voice more angry.

“I will find you!” Something brushed against her mane.

“Fuck off!” Scorch swatted at the air behind her with a hoof, the darkness was getting to her, it was almost tangible. She was panting, the sound of her heart was pounding through her head, the pain was spiking with every beat. “I’ll fuckin’ kill you, I swear I will!”

Far off down the long hallway was the smallest of red glows. Only now that her eyes had adjusted could she see it. The glass breaking had stopped, but the sound of the building shifting had become more noticeable. The C4 from before was probably not agreeing with it.

“You messed wrong pony.” Lowering her head, Scorch kicked at the ground and charged at the angry glow at the end of the hall.

A laser blast went wildly down the hall. “Stay back! Don’t make me use thi- oh shit.” The sound of metal clattering to the floor rattled down to Scorch.

He did not just shoot at me. “You’re fuckin’ dead!” Scorch tucked her head in and readied herself to slam into the red light, only she never hit anything. Surprised and caught off guard, she slammed into the cold floor and skidded across it before crashing into a wall, sending a fresh spike of pain driving through her head.

“Stay away you dirty raider! Sprinkles, help!” Beeping and whizzing came from the dark, a sentry bot rolled towards her. But something was off. It was the same shape, but almost an eight of the actual size of the normal wasteland variety. It slowly bumped into Scorch’s flank several times, then fell over in defeat.

“Uuugh, my head...” Scorch groaned with the pain that had spread to the rest of her body. I was not meant to fly.

“You killed him. Monster!” The glow coming from the unicorn that was yelling allowed Scorch to see he was pinned under rubble, far from a threat to her life. “Now, I’ll kill you.” A shakily held laser pistol was aimed at Scorch, the glow making the room even brighter. Lots of broken glass from over head lights, blocks from the walls and ceiling strewn about.

“Get that fuckin’ toy out of my face!” Scorch tried to lift a hoof and swat at the pistol, but only succeed in making her leg flop a few inches. Fuck you noodle legs!

A weight shifted on her side, and something fell with a clatter to the dark floor. The little energy pistol now lay a few inches away from her mouth. I got you now you little shit. She stretched out and chomped down on the pistol’s grip and swung her head around so that the barrel was pointed at the red glow. “Fffkn drppvv iss!” Double fuck.

“I couldn’t quite catch that. Wait, no don’t try and use your mind tricks on me waster! I’m in control here! Pie help!” He screamed at the top of his lungs.

Fuck this, I need to get the hell out of here. Scorch bit down on the pistol. She had managed to get two hooves steady before a sharp spike of pain exploded in her chest and head. She fell back to the floor with a thud, dropping the pistol as she hissed in pain. Oh fuck me with a skyscraper, I think I broke something. Shit shit shit. What the hell am I gonna do?

The pony cast in a red glow laid on the ground, unmoving for a moment or so, he seamed to be studying her. Moments passed in this standstill until he finally spoke up. “You’re not here to kill me?”

“What the fuck? You’re the one that shot at me first!” Scorch grimaced as another wave of pain pulsed through her body.Oh fuck, now it hurts even worse. Where’s Wire when you need him.

“It’s not like you don’t look like one of the outside savages. I don't want to get killed like my other squad mates.” He slowly lowered his laser pistol, his magic still gripping it though.

“You don’t happen to have any-” Another pulse of pain. Whatever she had done to herself was steadily getting more painful. “Chems, do you? I can trade you for them.”

“No, and I wouldn’t be passing any out either. If you couldn't tell, whatever idiot make that explosion upstairs trapped me under this roofing. If you can find my initiate, I might be inclined to help you.”

“Why can’t you go.” Come on, get up you lazy ass, let’s try this again... With a grunt, and a grimace Scorch pulled herself into a standing posture. Thatta girl!

“Just like an outsider. I. Am. Trapped.” He glowed his horn as bright as possible. His left rear leg was trapped under a large section of concrete, apparently fallen from the room. Save for how much he could bend, he was very much immobile. “If you help me, I’ll compensate you. Tattered hats, or fur dirt, whatever it is you wastelanders enjoy.”

“Alright, but you owe me one.” Scorch pressed her front hooves and chest against the large piece of rubble. Here we go. One. Two. Three! Pushing the pain to the back of her mind Scorch pressed her weight into the concrete slab. Feeling the slab shifting as she pushed.

“Agh!” The unicorn screamed out. “Use your telekinesis with me, so you don’t rip my skin off!”

I can’t. “Kinda busy here.” Scorch managed to squeeze out between the weight of the stone and the rapidly growing pain in the back of her mind.

The trapped pony let out another yell as the rubble shifted again. Then the sound of a minigun spooling up rang through the room. “What the fuck do you think your doing!”

Oh you have got to be fuckin’ kiddin’ me...

“What the fuck does it look like I’m doin’?” Scorch’s mental dam was close to breaking, she didn’t know how much longer she could hold the slab. “Will you stop standin’ there like a fuckin’ statue and help!”

“I don’t know who the fuck yo-”

“Initiate Pie! Had you been following orders I wouldn’t be stuck like this, now shut up and help the mare!” The robed pony yelled out. The minigun went silent, as did the power armoured buck, or at least sounded like a buck. He then stood next to Scorch and gave a push: the rubble slid away easily. Show off.

“If you’ve got any meds now would be a really good time to speak up.” Scorch stared coughing. Everything was hurting at this point. I could really use Wire right about now.

The pony stood up from the ground, not bothering to put any weight on his hind leg, “I appreciate you help and all. Unfortunately, All I’ve got left is this bottle of Buck. You are welcome to take it. Once I can regroup, I will see that you are given something for your help. As for you Pie.” The pony turned towards the imposing power armoured pony. “Where were you when I needed you? I could have been killed. You are of less use that Sprinkles.” He pointed a hoof towards the sadly beeping miniature sentry bot.

“I was lost, and it was dark.”

“You have a Celestia damned flashlight on your helmet.” The pony gave him a look and anger and disdain. He turned back to Scorch, “Apologize to the waster that actually did something.”

Waster, don’t call me fuckin’ Waster. “My name’s not “Waster”, it’s Scorch.”

“Ah yes, I guess introductions are in order. I am Scribe Haggis, and this is Initiate Pumpkin Pie.” He was quiet for a moment. “Any day now Pie.”

“Yes, um, sorry for the yelling?” His helmet turned to the scribe, who nodded, “Yes, the yelling.”

And for almost shooting me. Tin can dick. “You’re welcome. Or do you forget that i saved your friend’s sorry flanks.” The stories are true. Rangers are assholes in shining armour.

“Yes, now, do you want this?” He held the bottle out with his magic, a red glow enveloping it.

“Yes I very much do.”  Scorch grabbed the bottle and greedily popped the cap and swallowed quite a few of little pills. I need a fuckin’ drink.

Haggis lifted the small robot off the ground via magic, and placed him in a satchel across his back, contrasting with his light blue robe. The room began to become more visible as the ranger lit up the lamp atop his helmet.

“You wouldn’t have happened to see a master control room whist you were down here, um, Scorch?” He asked her as he lifted his laser pistol and several magical energy ammo packs off the ground he was on.

“Nope, just you and empty rooms. I was lookin’ for the generators.” The pain in her chest and head slowly numbed as she dug a bottle of whiskey out of her bag and popping the cap she took a deep drink. That’s goood.

“Well, then you can be of more use. At least somepony down here can be competent.” Still shooting looks at the ranger. “What do you say? We help each other?”

“I don’t see why not, you’d do better than the other ponies I’ve been workin’ with.”

“Good, maybe you, an outsider, can teach this greenhoof a thing or two.”

“Scribe, this is far outside of proto.-” Pie piped up.

“I know all about protocol, far more than you ever will. I’m well within my authority. I’m sure Star Paladin Clementine would have supported me on this if he was alive.”

“Yes Scribe Haggis, I understand.”

The trio was quiet, walking into and out of room, many had generators, but no visible way to operate them. A glint caught Scorch’s eye. A silver and blue workbench, a nice set of almost complete tools hung over it.

“Jackpot.” Not even bothering to announce her intent Scorch turned toward the workbench and started inspecting the tools.

“Scorch?” Haggis made his way over, giving a cursory inspection of the area, “It’s just a workbench.”

“No, it’s just what I need.” Scorch undid the straps and buckles on her flamer. Once it was free she pulled it onto the workbench.

“Oh, I see. Maybe I can help you out. As a scribe, it is my duty to understand the inner workings of all things mechanical, scientific, and magical.”

Scorch turned the flamer around until the shotgun covered in duct tape was facing her. Useless fuckin’ thing. She drew the black knife and started cutting the tape, sawing at it until the shotgun fell onto the table. “Yeah, you could help me with somethin’. What do you know about modifyin’ one of those laser weapons?”

“Why, I would say that the reason I’m down here is because I’m very familiar with the arcane weapons and machinery.”

Charger leaned in. Making sure he would not be heard by anypony around. “Friendship City needs this. Look I scouted some Tin-ponies breaking into the hospital, and got some of the locals to try helping things along. Dunno how it turned out. Make sure to open those shutters and remain alive. I’ll take care of everything once I am inside.”

His mind was blending things, and the doctor stared into eyes mirroring that of his own. The mist around them was leaking blood. “I’ll take care of everything.” The alluring voice suggested unspeakable thing’s. “Everything.” The world began floating, his bed had become a boat lost in a sea of blood. Wonderful. Ponies truly are magnificent. To those words a giant wave washed over his bed, and he drowned in the crimson darkness.

“Wha?”

Wire’s hoof was on his shoulder. The buck was pushing him awake. “You moan and squeal in your sleep. Time’s up. Let’s go.”

Dawn licked his lips and yawned. He was still feeling tired, but the thief pushed at him again. “Fine. But if you nearly die, my magic alone won’t be able to save you.”

“Let’s not forget who the wold class medical pony is.” He gave Dawn a half-assed smile.

“I’d never hear the end of that one will I?” The doctor chugged water from a flask and felt refreshed by it. “Alright lets get going.” He pushed for the reception entrance, and then looked at the stairs leading towards the second floor. “Guess we are heading up.”

“Eyup. You uh, you go first.” Wire said as he dug a hoof into the grime of the floor, as he looked towards the somewhat lit staircase.

“Okay.” The doctor crunched down on a sugar-bomb and began moving up the stairs without any trouble. His shoulder felt better, and things were the same dead as before. He reached the top and looked at the balcony. It had a giant crater in the middle of it with burn marks. Some kind of missile had been shot up here. “There should have been banners hanging from this place.”

“Yeah, they could say things like corpse city.” Wire said as he jiggled a fire hose box on the wall, nothing inside of it but an empty bottle.

Dawn looked into one of the long dark hallways, but it was easy to notice the small stains on the floor. “No bodies littering these parts. Must have all died out in the entrance area, and some of the injured made it up here. Some of them must have stood on the balcony there. Picking off slavers one by one until eventually somepony looked up.”

“Well, good thing I brought you along. You can just talk anypony we come across out of killin us.” The was a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

Dawn smiled. “You know, that’s not a bad idea. I could use a shower.” The doctor strolled off. Taking a turn to go one floor higher. Then as if running by memory, he took a right, and a left arriving at a large sign called. Administrative, and from there on out was a sign like a door handle with drops of water coming out of it. He shivered with delight. “Home sweet home. Please have the water talismans work. Please” Dawn prayed as he walked towards the door. Opening it revealed a large row or closets. Then he checked the next room filled with shower-heads and hit the water button.

“YESSSS.” The trickling of water began, and as luck would have it the thing would only cause a mild radiation poisoning once he was done. This was a hospital. It had plenty of Rad-away. “Yes, yes, yes.” Dawn could not get rid of his barding and doctor’s coat fast enough, and he had even brought soap.

He stopped for a moment, and looked back to Wire who he had ignored for what seemed like a minute at tops. “You gonna come too?”

Wire looked perplexed, maybe even a bit disgusted. “In the shower? With you?”

“I brought the soap. Won’t drop it. Promise.” He levitated the piece of soap towards the thief as if trying to prove a point. “Your mane needs this. You need this. It’s basic hygiene.”

Wire started to back out towards the locker room, “Yeah, I’ll pass.”

“Meeh, figures. Not gonna try to force you into it.” His horn glowed with further intensity. Lighting up the room with near sunlight quality. “Look at my horn Wire. Dad always said, I have an alluring glow to my magic, and this was one of my first spells. Mastered it easily. Can you guess what it is?”

“What are you talking about?” Wire was blinking a few times, “I’m not.” His eyes not able to keep focused, he fell over, “So tired all of a sudden.” His neck went limp in a small puddle of water, snoring quietly.

“Exactly.” Wire’s body was a lot easier to manage than the ranger. It was almost like having a teenager around. The doctor set about washing his patient with swift and professional care. Washing him behind the ears, and taking his time to make the thief clean while also taking care of himself. There was still a bundle of unused washing cloth from before the war. A bit dusty on top, but the lower ones were acceptable.

Dawn sighed and let stress be blown to the wind. Letting the clean cloth wrap around his forelegs and offer the comfort of home for just a moment in time. Then he looked to the shot up doctors coat with blood on it and mused. Perhaps even a coat. Using his magic the doctor easily rummaged trough every open closet. A few were locked, and the open ones had little to no value inside of them. He looked to Wire, the pony was still resting on top of the blankets he had left him at.

The doctor brushed his mane, added some of that honeyed perfume to his own stunning looks, and placed gentle hoof planted on the thief’s cheek. “Wire you can wake up now.”

Wire mumbled a bit, then rolled over, a smile on his face. He took a slow look around him, ending on Dawn. The smile evaporated. Replaced with  a scowl. “What the hell happened?”

“You passed out. Must have been from all the traumatic events so far.” Dawn nodded with a worry in his eyes. “Are you sure you are okay?”

Wire looked utterly confused, “Why does my fur feel weird?”

Dawn removed his hoof from Wire’s face and planted it on his own instead. Giving the thief his most innocent and well meaning expression yet. “Well. I. Thought you wouldn’t mind a bit of cleaning since you were asleep. I washed everything, so you could get a taste of how a warm and nice a bath can be. So that, maybe next time you won't be so scared of water or soap. ”

Wire was silent for a while, then spoke softly, “Why do you keep doing these things?”

“Because a floating severed head told me to.” The doctor nodded to make it true.

“You’re not even a convincing liar.” He said as he started to scratch at his body.

Dawn simply shook his head and sighed, then he pointed his hoof towards some closet doors. He was not going to tell Wire why because that would be a death sentence. Or maybe he could give him the short version. Yea. “Because I’ve promised a lot of other ponies that I would be a good pony. Now can you pick the locks on these doors pretty please?”

“Uh huh.” Wire went to reach for his pack, then panicked, “Where’s my stuff?”

“Right over there next to my stuff.” Dawn nodded in the other direction close to the showers.

Wire got up slowly, apparently still woozy, walked over to his bags grabbing his tools out of the top pocket. “Are You paying me to?” He asked as he sat down beside the locker and put the strip of metal wrapped around his hoof into the lock.

“Wire darling. You do these things out of the kindness in your heart, and probably a bit of curiosity. Scorch is a different animal. She runs on avarice.” The doctor sat down with one of the books he had salvaged from Evergreen’s grocery store while casually brushing his mane.

 Wire struggled in his attempt to open the lock, even going so far as to try and jam the hoof file into the lock and nearly breaking his own tool in the progress. “I’m really close, but ever since I collapsed I can’t keep a steady hand.

“Then wait for the spell to go away. Takes an hour tops. I can brush your mane while you’re waiting, or we can search for a new medical coat elsewhere.” The doctor mumbled as he shuffled trough the fifth page of “The black Stallion".

“Just give it to me Doc. I can be done here If you give me what I need.” He was almost pleading with the crimson buck.

“I think you can make do without.” Dawn flipped another page, and began thinking back at the addicts he had tried to cure back in Friendship. Somepony with a blonde coat came to mind. Probably influenced by Wire’s own coloration. Romeo at the time had been extremely lenient on the idiots dash abuse until one day the poor soul had flown off Friendship city’s roof with a comforting splat to end his life.

“C’mon Dawn, just one. It’s all I need.”  Almost pleasing for it.

“You’re not desperate enough.” Dawn let the book linger, and looked as if he inspected the writing.

“I wont ask again. I want to be able to keep my cool.” Wire was inching closer to Dawn. Trying to give a convincing smile.

“Heard it before.” He crunched a sugar-bomb between his teeth and flipped to the next page.

“It’s not gonna kill me. I can’t do this without it!” He hurled his tools at the locker.

“Thinking back you probably set out with that mindset, so you haven’t really tried yet.” Dawn flipped the book to page nine.

Wire just sat and seethed, for a long time. Eventually he spoke, “What do I have to do? I’ll do it.”

“You have to open that lock.” Dawn casually looked up from the book with a smile, and then began sucking on a second sugar-bomb. “Without Med-X.”

“So, I open this, and you’ll give me a shot?”

“No explosives either. Open it like you normally do. With the tools.” He flipped the book to page ten. “Just think of how good you were during the improvised surgery. I’m sure you’ll manage.”

Wire mouthed the work fuck. He picked up his tools and set about trying to open the lock. Grunting every once in a while as his metal tool became deformed. Jimmying the lock with precise movements. A few times he thew the tools away and told Dawn to go fuck off, but he always picked them back up and tried again. His breathing was getting short and curt as he was slowly becoming more and more angry. At one point, he placed his forehoof on the locker door and cursed to himself. Something about no explosives. If Dawn looked closely enough, he could almost see tears forming from frustration. Suddenly, in the silence of the room they were in, there was a tiny click. Wire was motionless.

Dawn clapped his hooves slowly together in appreciation. “Way to go. Wooh-hoo.”

“Yeah! Fuck you! Now give me my stuff!” He yelled as he did a small jump in place.

“Here. Fetch.” Dawn levitated out a vial of Med-X and levitated it towards the thief with a sickly grin. “All clean and ready to get shot into your veins. Now. Let’s see what’s in the closet.”

Wire hesitantly looked at the vial, then at Dawn. He started to speak, but then stopped, and took the dose of drugs that had been given him. The thief then trotted up to the locker and opened the door. “Ah, my size.” Dawn threw his old and bloodied doctors coat in the trash. Nabbing the new one from it’s place the doctor put it on with a smile. “One size fits all you see. Oh.” Dawn could feel that the pocket’s had contents. A half used package of cigarettes.

“I wasted all that time... For this?!” Wire said as he picked up a notebook and hurled it across the room. Dawn was quick to catch it. “Fool. Writing from our lost era is a treasure, not something you throw about.”

“Thirteenth of August, year twelve of this sodding war. Diary of Aphrodisiac. Heart surgeon of the thirthy-fifth Ministry of Peace medical corps.” He flipped the page and was greeted by a sketched symbol at the back of the page. It was sharp, and crooked with tribal flames surrounding it, and a vast amount of lead had been spent to get the proper feeling emanating from it. Sketched with fervor.

Zohm the zebra glyph of pain. The Zebra shaman have various remedies impossible from a pony perspective. Med-X is a joke compared to the complete and utter removal of pain itself. To the ponies I have attempted these experimental treatments along with medical science..

 There was more. Detailed descriptions on just what his experiments had been based around, but Dawn closed the book. He knew history alright. This book was contraband. This book was treason. “I ah. Uhm.” Already he felt drawn to read more, he hungered too, and the combination was beginning to gnaw at his sanity. The doctor switched the book with a sugar bomb. Crunching down on it with a smile.

“What was in tha-” Wire was cut off as a hum engulfed the hospital, lights slowly powering on, machines starting up for the first time in centuries. “Huh, didn’t expect her to do it.”

“Me neither.” Somepony cried out with a metallic voice in the distance, and loud echoing booms from something repeatedly exploding began to drum their way trough the hospital walls while chain machine-guns rippled, and spat bullets that clang onto metal. It was not particularly far from here. Dawn cringed, and then part of the wall swung out nearby. A large mechanical construct on wheels with red eyes, and a large humming laser-barrel drove out, and then turned to hail them.

*Lockdown order issued. All patients have been evacuated. Prepare for elimination of all lifeforms remaining. Stand your ground Zebra scum and face Eraser the Bathroom scourge!”

Wire grabbed Dawn’s tail and flung him around the corner, into a back closet. The only way in or out blocked by the large robot. “It’s always fuckin’ something.” He took a quick peek back into the room, then began fiddling with his launcher.

Dawn smacked his head into the closet, and looked to the thief expecting an apology while the robot sentinel rolled towards the corner.

*You cannot escape. The mighty Eraser shall exterminate you faster than he cleans toilets, and washes clothes!*

Wire paused at the comment, about to say something, then continued to load black tipped shells into his launcher. “Plug your ears,” He whispered to Dawn.

“What about my fears?” Dawn looked to him confused, and shook his head again to try to regain some semblance of balance. The robot sentinel passed the corner and turned half his metal body to face them.

*Pissed yourself yet, Zebra scum? Prayed to your sick gods? Begged for mercy? Eraser shall afford you no quarter! You are lower than the lowest bacteria; barely worth the dust my weapon, which has been, specially polished for this occ.-*

Wire cut off the robots monologue with a shell to its chest, sending it backwards a few feet, it began to send streams of lasers down into the room. Wire wasted no time in cycling a new round and shooting him twice more.

“By the goddess Celestia.” Dawn fell to his haunches and covered his ears. “What is that thing.” He yelled at the robot that had begun repairing itself almost immediately after Wire’s bombardment.

*Auto-repair engaged. Eraser cannot be destroyed by your pathetic weapons! Make no mistake, Zebra scum, here you face your execution.*

Wire sent the last shell into the robots vaguely pony shaped head. A shower of sparks began covering the tile flooring, and smoke started pouring from the robots frame. *Eraser cannot be erased, pathethic Zebra infiltrator. Who dares invade the wardrobes of our priced staff? Make no mistake. The punishment is death. Eraser’s weapon fell off with a clang. Only barely remaining attached to him via a giant blue power cord.

“Luna dammed thing is invincible.” Wire began to load more shells into his gun, but Dawn interfered. “We need to go. Might be more security on the way.” He had already started to clip his doctors barding and bag on himself. “We can shut this down. Just follow me.”

Wire stuffed the the launcher back in his pack, shooting Eraser a dirty look. “Okay.”

*You cannot escape the wrath of Eraser. For the defiling, of these sacred hallways with your Zebra filth, you shall be exterminated. The robot taunted as the two vanished out, and began running towards the stairs leading further up to the audible sounds of something metallic getting smashed. Somepony was fighting above them, but they had to go upstairs anyhow.

Dawn pressed on, marching up the stairs with determination, and what met him up there was a mishmash of laser and robot’s facing down a genuine steel ranger, and some more initiates were at his side. Trying to maintain a blockade out of desks and other assorted office wares while the ranger bombarded the robots with explosives. He couldn’t reach the most vital part to end the siege of his blockade. A Mister Handy was fueling the bots with repair-spells and kept the sentinels standing.

“Oh bollocks.” There was no way past this without violence. “Can you kill that thing?”

Wire took a look past the crimson colt towards the multi-armed robot keeping the rangers pinned down. With a nod, the thief  sent four shells of high explosive carnage into the fray. The first one took out the repair-bot, the rest made sure the rangers could mop up the mess without worry. He sent Dawn a smug smile.

“What?” Dawn looked back at the thief. The aftermath was brief. Though he could hear the sound of something distinct clanging to the bottom of the stairs. *Curses. Horizontal climbing device malfunction. Eraser shall locate alternate means of crossing elevated plateau.

The doctor cringed with fear. “We need to end this lockdown.” Dawn trotted towards the smoldering wreckage's of robot sentinels, and towards the rangers themselves. “Medic coming through. Clear the  path, my little ponies.” They seemed surprised at this development, up until a rifle was shoved into his crimson muzzle.

“Who da fuck do you think you are sweetheart?” An unhelmeted ranger asked with a large scowl on his face.

“This is lockdown stage one where use of force intends to seal pockets of resistance. What do you think happens at stage two? Look I can offer you some healing before moving on, but I really need to get going.” Dawn began clearing their barricade. He kept a level calm and sought to invade or override the authority already there while his inner pony was trembling with fear. Certainly it was a step up from ghouls. These rangers would probably see reason so long as he didn't brandish his firearm.

“Get a load of this. This pony thinks they can come up here and tell us how to do our jobs. Right load of crap that is.” He looked back at the hallway devoid of robots. “Hmm, well, you did clear up them buckets a bit, so we’ll just take you to Scribe Butterfly instead of killin ya. Try not to be a snippy bitch.” He waved over two of the lesser equipped ponies, who proceeded to push both Dawn and Wire up the hallway.

“Alright.” Thank Celestia for small favours. They probably believe me. The doctor couldn’t do much about the situation, but at least he wasn’t dead. “No need to get rough. Just show me to your scribe, and I’ll be on my way.”

“Ha, fat chance love. You’re armed. You go nowhere without these colts watchin' you.” The Ranger turned, and hollered to his companions to assume battlepositions and remain vigilant.

“Its for protection in the wastes. You think the clean Ministry coat was just for show?” Dawn did not like the idea of being watched.

“Shut your face. Or I’ll do it meself.” He said as he opened a set of large double doors. “Have a seat, Butterfly will be with you when she can be bothered to give a fuck.”

“What? I need to override the lockdown now before it escalates, and we all die.” Surely the ranger could be reasoned with. Surely Dawn had come across as knowing more than he should know, and thusly an asset right? The fuck was this faffing about. “There isn’t much time. Just take me to your scribe.”

A steel encased hoof struck Dawn on the cheek, sending him to the floor, “I said not to be a snippy bitch. Open your mouth again and it’ll be the last time.” He walked to the door, shutting him and the thief inside. Dawn rubbed his jaw and felt more wounded than when slavers had shot him up.

Wire stood beside him, “Are you, uh, okay?”

Dawn sighed and moaned to vent his frustration. Once the ranger was gone he pulled out the stealth-buck Charger had given him. “I will be.”

“Doc, it’s no fun of somepony else kills you before I can.”Dawn pounced the thief shortly after, and pressed himself against Wire with a desperate expression. “What else can I do? Sit here and wait?” There isn't a stage two. The doctor mouthed while harshly grabbing the thief's head.

“...what?”

Haggis flipped a switch on the wall. A low humming began to grow as a large cylinder on the floor rocked back and forth slightly. A light in the room sprang to life. “Ah ha!” the robbed pony shouted as more lights began to turn on the service hallway. He lifted up the sleeve on his arm, reveling a PipBuck similar to Dawns’. He plugged it into a terminal on the wall that had opened up when the power was restored. “The backup generators are operating at sixty-seven percent efficiency.”

“Finally some real damn lights.” Scorch snapped the freshly filled lighter shut extinguishing the flame and placed it in her breast pocket. A faint clicking sounded from behind a thin metal door to her left. Pushing it open with a hoof, she saw a single lone radroach flapping its wings in a tiny storage closet.

Scorch felt a smile spread across her face as a tiny pop, and a feint familiar hiss sounded from her side. It’s good to have you back. Scorch lifted a hoof and pulled the heavy welding mask over her face. A soft blue glow wrapped around her horn and the little switch on the flamer tank.

A cone of orange flame erupted from the flamer nozzle, lighting up the tiny closet and torching the little roach. Scorch flipped the off switch and lifted her mask again, grinning ear to ear. Her stomach rumbled violently, she hadn’t eaten anything that day. She was hungry. “Anypony up for barbeque?”

Haggis coughed as smoke made its way into the hallway, “Um, no, I’ve already eaten today. You just have at it.” He said as he shooed Pie back out of the room.

“Pitty.” Scorch poked at the roach with a hoof, it made satisfyingly crackling sounds. “You’ve never had a radroast like mine.” And it’s well done, just the way I like it.

“I’m sure I’m missing out on everything. You finish up here, we shall wait for you at the stairs, Scorch.” Haggis said before walking down the hallway with Pie in tow, his minigun spooling up every once in a while.

“More for me.” I’m hungry as fuck. Scorch made quick work of the roasted bug. the shell roasted to a crunchy black and the meat slightly overcooked. It wasn’t the best, but Scorch has had worse. Munching on a leg she left the closet for Haggis and Pie. She found the two not long after at the foot of the stairs, talking in hushed voices.

“-in the back, never see that comin'.” Pie said through the helmet of the armour.

“No, that’s not right. I’ll do what’s neede- Oh, Scorch, didn’t see you down there.” Haggis said in a shaky tone, a jagged smile on his muzzle.

“What’re you two talkin’ about?” Scorch was still crunching on the charred leg. She was still hungry, but the roach was a tasty snack. Maybe Wire’s got another can of stuff.

“Mundane Ranger protocols. Nothing you need worry about.” Haggis said before the minigun wielding ranger could speak.

“Sure.” Scorch finished the leg with a final crunch and wiped off her muzzle. “So where you off to next?”

Haggis began to speak, but was interrupted by Pie, “We will see the head scribe for debriefing. Please go up the stairs ma’am.” The door stood open in front of the group of ponies, light tinkling down the dirty steps.

“I’ll pass, I’ve got to meet with my team.” Scorch turned and started walking the way she had come, hopefully it would be easier finding her way now that the lights were on.

The minigun began to spin to life. Haggis spoke somberly, “I am truly sorry Scorch, you need to come with us.” He put a hoof on Pie’s back, “I promise you wont get hurt.”

“No I don’t. I did my job, and I saved your sorry ass.” Scorch turned back around to face the two ponies and flipped the mask back down. “If you think threatenin’ me’s gonna work, you’re gonna end up like that roach.” The flamer pilot light popped to life. “Make a move. I fuckin’ dare you.”

“Scorch,” Haggis pleaded, “Please, listen to reason. Nopony will lay a hoof on you so long as I have a say.”

This went to shit fast. “Listen to reason? You’ve got a fuckin’ gun in my face.” Her voice was ringing in the mask. I hate Rangers.

“Pie, please stop.” Haggis said sternly to the initiate. “He’s just following orders. A mare such as yourself can understand that.”

“Why do your orders need me? I’m no raider. Just let me leave, and I won’t cook you alive.” Just let me go already, I don’t fuckin’ need this!

“Will you trust me?” Haggis said extending a hoof to her.

“Why should I, I helped you and now your threatenin’ me.” Scorch kicked at the floor. You little shit, you’re just gonna kill me if I go up there.

“When I was trapped you helped me, I do not forget things like that. This is only to make sure you are still safe when you leave this building.”

“Safe? What the hell do you mean?”

“So none of the other Rangers will get any ideas about shooting your pr- your head off when you try to leave.” He gave Pie a stern look as the ranger tried to move back closer to the two.

“What?” I am so fuckin’ confused.

“If you will come with me, it will all make sense.” He gave a smile, a bit awkward looking, but it was a smile.

“Alright, I’ll go.” Scorch snuffed out the pilot light. “But if I see anything I don’t like, I’m out.”

“I’ll be sure to compensate you for the time.” The scribe said as he told initiate Pie to keep watch ahead of them.

I don’t like rangers, but this scribe is alright. Scorch pulled a bottle from her bag and took a swig and let a little grin creep across her muzzle. He was alright.

*Unauthorised lifeforms detected. Initiating extermination protocol.

A dark metallic voice rose from the darkness behind them. You could hear metal clank and shift, as an intense white  light bathed them. It looked like a pony except it had a glowing dome shaped head. The robot pony staggered with rusty limbs and the glow from its head intensified.

“I got this!” Pie yelled as his minigun spewed fire and lead for the first time, peppering the approaching robot pony, and began denting the frame. It was not enough. His fur flaked into ashes in a loud *Frtzht* as a beam from the robopony head lit him up like a christmas tree. Pie had barely had time to scream.

*Surrender, and be exterminated in an orderly fashion Zebra scum. The cold, metallic voice of the robopony stated as Haggis ran towards the ashes of his former comrade.

“He’s dead, leave him!” Scorch grabbed Haggis’ robe and yanked him back. “We’ve gotta run!” She shoved the scribe away from the robopony’s beam of death and pushed him to run towards the emergency-exit. Haggis was limping, and keeping a terrible pace. At this rate, he would only slow Scorch down.

*Resistance is futile. Surrender now and be granted a swift death.

The metallic reaper was relentless in its rusted pursuit, crushing decades old trash under its iron hooves, but with a stroke of luck, it’s laser targeting systems were still covered in years of dust. Making even the slightest semblance of a moving target extremely difficult to kill.

The robopony hit the emergency stairs with a thud. Unable to chase them further. *Get back here you cowardly dogs. This unit does not possess vertical climbing systems.

The two ponies hid behind a railing, out of view of any threats. Haggis was panting, trying to catch his breath. They where safe. “He’s gone. He laid his life down to protect me, and look what it got him. How am I going to tell his mother.”

Perfect fuckin’ time to have a breakdown Haggis. “I, uh...” What am I supposed to do? Scorch patted Haggis lightly on he back. This has never happened before, what the fuck did she do now? “It’s, um, it’s okay...”

“No, we simply die now. I’m hurt, and you are..” The scribe looked down at his forehooves and began to sob.

“Like hell we are.” Scorch jabbed Haggis hard in the shoulder. I’m not gonna get killed by some ancient robot fuck because some little pony’s got the case of the fuckin’ blues.  “Get the fuck up. We’re gonna end up like your friend if we stay. Let’s move!”

“I can’t run. I need some help.” He only had three usable legs and they were all shaking under his weight.

“...and then she kissed ‘im full on the mouth, the little guy took off like a rocket.” The small ring of ponies around the table burst into laughter from the dark orange pony’s joke.

“She wasn’t even that good lookin’.” A large sand coloured buck said from his beer glass.

“Hey Scorchy,” a light blue buck called out from opposite Scorch. “With your looks, you’d get any stallion with just a little peck on the cheek.”

The whole table roared with laughter again.

Well, here goes nothin’. “Yes you can.”  Scorch leaned forward and gave Haggis a light kiss on the cheek. This better fuckin’ work or I’m gonna finish what that bot started.

“I uh, uh.” The pony was speechless, completely blindsided, but at least his legs weren't shakin.

The scribe blinked back at her with a somber expression. “We should get help. Go somewhere safe.” He stuttered out and looked back down for the robopony. “The rest of us should be on the third floor.”

Static. This blasted defensive mechanism was preventing things from getting in, but it was also preventing everything of importance from getting out too. Charger had said to find a way to open this  radio channel, and the only way would be to open the damn shutters. Worse these steel rangers were not exactly nice, and who knows what this Scribe Butterfly knew or didn’t. Too many variables.

Time began to crawl forward. Seconds he stood there, pressing himself against Wire, and the buck had not changed his surprised expression either. Yes. I lied, and I’ll feel terrible about it but this would have to be done one way or the other. What else was i supposed to say? Hello I’m a doctor. Mind opening the shutters keeping us all alive for a bit so i can see if a pegasus friend of mine who may or may not be enclave is ready to help us? Trust me its for a good cause. He said Friendship City was relying on me, but the only proof i have of that is his word.

Wire’s hooves slapped him on the cheek. Dawn blinked, and nodded in embarrassment. Leting the thief go. “Right. Stealthbuck. Any advice?” He grimaced. This plan was not the best he had ever laid.

“Oh Luna have mercy, please let me have misheard that.” Wire pushed the crimson buck off of him as he shook his head.

“Misheard what? I usually don’t spout nonsense. Unlike somepony else.” He let his fears be devoured by curiosity, and anger. How did I even let myself be lead by the muzzle into this. Charger had better be ready once i get the shutters up. Then Dawn recalled the PipBuck he had longed for. “Right. So back to the topic of stealth.” He said with a smile. Cheerfully pretending that nothing was going to go wrong. This plan was not going to get them killed or anything. Not at all. In fact the risk of dying just increases exponentially once steel rangers find out you are out to disrupt their actions. He would probably be better off waiting for this Scribe to bother calling.

Wire was quiet for a moment, lost in thought, “Let me see it.”

“See it? No. Advice. Then you open the door, and I leave. Its just a stealtbuck. There is nothing more or less with it.” Dawn slotted it into the PipBuck. It was only a matter of activating it, and then he would be invisible.

“How many you got?” He cringed slightly as the device turned on.

“Charger only gave me the one.” He hesitated for a moment. “Is that bad?”

He let out a sigh, “Well you kinda just wasted some of it. They short out quicker than you want.” Wire dug around in his pack for a few moment, producing a more polished looking device. “Emergency only, got it?”

“Ask me later. Times tickin for ya. Don’t get near nothin, or sensors will find you. Move fast and stay in the dark. Now the real question, how you gettin out of here?”

“You open the door naturally, and distract whoever is outside. If they even bothered to guard us. They seemed rather understaffed. Just ask for a toilet break or whatever, and leave some space for me to slip out.” That sounded promising, yes.

“If they hit me, you’re gonna get it twice as hard.” Wire looked displeased as he walked up to the door, “Don’t take any uh, unneeded risks.” He pulled on the handle and flung open the doors, walking out in the hallway, “I require a bathro-” A baton hit him over the head.

“Get the fuck back in there, or we’ll treat you as hostile.” One of the rangers said as he flung Wire back into the room. “Is that so hard for you to understand?” Dawn slipped by them unnoticed, and followed the arrow. Fortunately having a PipBuck meant near clairvoyance when it comes to where there are ponies. Only a few green dots. Less than twenty in total now that he was counting, and nothing beyond the initial defences.

He looked into the managers office. Fuck. Why was Butterfly here? Did she know something? What was that scribe pony thinking right now as she plodded on the terminal Dawn needed to open the shutters, and he was out of stealthbucks with very little time left to. Okay, here goes nothing. “Hello.” Dawn gave his best smile, and entered the room as if it was natural. “I’m the doctor. You might’ve heard of me. Pretty sure I sent word.”

“Ah yes, the bumbling colt with medical saddlebags. Some inane babble about a level 2 security. I was just going to blast you. Saved me the trouble of getting up.” The mare had a calm and even tone, her horn glowed, but anything in it’s grasp wasn’t immediately apparent.

“Well. Stopped your guys from shooting. Good enough I suppose.” Dawn sighed with relief. He had counted on her figuring out that lie. In fact he had hoped she would. The doctor took a few trying steps and looked around the Head managers office. “I’m with Friendship you see, and I could prove my friendly intentions if there was a way to get contact with the outside from within this bunker.”

“Why would I care what pretenses you are here under. All I, I, where did you acquire that?” She moved her head slightly around the screen of the terminal, “On your leg there. Where did you get it?”

“Same place I came from. Friendship city of course.” Dawn grimaced. Oh no. She’s gonna? Yea. Turns out Butterfly is a bastard Dawn. “It’s pretty dark in here. Sitting in front of a terminal like that is gonna make your eyes turn into squares. Here let me help you.” The doctor let his yellow horn glow dimly. “It’s really strange how everypony forgets these small things. Better now? You feel calmer? Relaxed? You could really use a nice spa, or one of those prewar massages. Just imagine how it would feel. And. Loosen. Up. Don’t you think you deserve some well earned rest?”

“What is this? You think I. I do need a break. Just for,” She blinked hard several times, her horn slowly going dim, “I’ll kill you, you bitch.” She muttered out as her head fell forward on the keyboard of the terminal, horn going dark.

Dawn suppressed a victory cheer, but his mind was throwing mental hoops for minutes afterwards while he struggled to put her in a proper sleeping posture. “Sleep tight.” It felt like cheating or something, but it was fun when it worked. I’ll just wave my magic horn and make everything alright. Everything. Dawn began browsing the screen and looked for a way to open just the top level shutters, but to no avail. Everything or nothing. Why did he have to make these decisions? Well technically it was Chargers, but it was still his hooves on the trigger.

Hopefully Charger wouldn’t kill the sleeping mare. Giggling he initiated the shutter opening sequence, and took a sugar-bomb to celebrate. Immediately his PipBuck sparkled to life, and the radio channel Charger had mentioned opened up.

*Finally. I’ve been waiting for almost two hours. You guys moved at a snails pace as expected.* It was Charger and ten seconds afterwards that yellow and purple streak flew past him. Charger stopped looking mildly confused. “Others?”

“Around. There are steel rangers inside, and there is still some security around, so we got separated.”

The pegasus nodded thoughtfully. “Yea. I was prepared for that. Though Steel Rangers you say. Huh. I take it she’s one of them.” He jumped on the sleeping mare, and pushed at her. “Not dead? Did you drug her or something?”

“Something like that.” The doctor agreed. Quickly stopping Charger from continuously slapping her cheeks to try and wake her. “She’s not gonna wake for a while.” The doctor pleaded, and the goggled pegasi looked up. His battlesaddle giving off a satisfying hum. “Let’s go then, and use these on the tin can’s.”

Dawn stared at the dusin blue marked grenades. “EMP’s.” He felt a surge of happiness. Charger was going to disable the few rangers that were left. Limiting causalities. Yay~ “There are so few of them inside metal armors though. Don’t you have some riot gas or something?”

Charger shook his head. “Now remember to toss the grenades fast. Because these foals have the same advantages as you. Namely SATS, EFS, and they won’t hesitate to kill you.”

“Ehehehe.” Gulping his fears down the doctor accepted these grenades. Charger nodded for him to go first. What kind of idiot sends the doctor first? This was going to end so badly. Grenades have two safeties. The pin is the first, twist and pull. The second is a clip, a forged handle for hoof-throwing purposes.

The blue grenade rolled forward, aided by Dawns magic to ensure a hit, then the ranger turned to face him, and lifted his grenade-machinegun barrel, but it was already too late. There was a loud crackle as energy rippled trough the air, and disabled the ranger’s spell matrix and trapped the pony inside. Red light flared up on his compass. Eight dots beamed towards him, with loaded weapons. Dawn prepared a second grenade, but these where initiates: Their armor while protecting vitals, and weighing them down significantly, did not have any spell matrix that could be disrupted.

Macintosh roared, but without SATS to guide his shots Dawns only hope was that the gun itself intimidated them. It took four rounds just to hobble a pony. The three other shots hit the concrete wall. Charger pulled him into cover patting him on the shoulder as you would a pet. “You really are useless in combat. Just wait for the next real Tin-pony before throwing that next grenade.”

“Fuck you.” Dawn felt his body shake with adrenaline and a strange cold sensation. He didn’t want to look beyond the wall for another Ranger. He didn’t want to see any of them anymore.

“Well. Let’s see how Rangers train their initiates these days.” Charger stepped into the hallway with relaxed care. His saddle was humming brightly with arcane energies, and then the security pony unleashed barrages of green light towards the rangers.

Because of the high neckline on his black uniform Charger’s expression was hidden from sight: Giving him the apperance of looking unfazed by the hail of bullets coming his way. Meanwhile the sounds of ranger initiates melting, and screaming in pain began to hound the poor doctors mind. He couldn’t see the massacre but then again you don’t need to see when you hear somepony scream in agony as his body melts into a sickening green goo. Please Charger, don’t do this. How can this be something Friendship City needs. It was too late to beg, nor did Charger seem to care.

The pegasi turned his head towards Dawn as if giving a signal of sorts, and then the world in front of Dawn blackened in a series of explosions. It was too late to say, “Oh right. I’m supposed to throw these grenades whenever a real Steel Ranger appears. I forgot.” Charger vanished in a hail of grenade machine-gun fire.

It stopped and there was only silence, and the mechanical clatter of a steel ranger approaching. Coming for Dawn no doubt. Coming to end it. Was this what he had been waiting for? Two years inside Friendship city. Merely maintaining the status quo so he can get a bullet to the head. No. “No.”

He swallowed dry spit, and felt the skin on his muzzle rip, it stung, and then he thew the grenades around the corner. There was a crackle, and then Dawn threw more grenades around the corner. Chucking every last one of them using different altitudes until the world was silenced.

Carefully he looked around the corner to the sound of two very frustrated pony Steel Rangers trapped in their suits, and a last initiate. “Just run back home. Please.” Dawn cried out. “I don’t want any more ponies to die!”

*No.*

Dawn’s attention was drawn back at the blackened pile of coal that was Charger, and to his surprise the pegasi rose from his grave in an act that made the doctor’s skin crawl. The teal skin was blackened and fuming with the heat of repeated explosions. Most of the skin on his chest and neck had been torn away revealing thick layers of metal. The nice black coat had been torn apart, and the tacky flyer goggles lay at Chargers feet: crushed.

Chargers metallic voice was like a tear in a radio: Loud and piercing every eardrum in the vincinity. *Toss your gun over here. I’ll deal with this myself if you can’t do it.*

“You. You’re a robopony?”

The surprise made it easy for the blackened pegasi to tear Macintosh away from Dawns magical grasp. Emptying the remaining bullets towards the last initiate, he discarded the gun. Opting to walk towards his goal.

*Fuck. If you want something done you always gotta do it yourself. Just stay still. I’ll be right over and solve this matter in ten seco.-* His metallic breathing sounded strained and damaged as the pegasi trotted forwards. The initiate screamed in fear at the approaching menace, and discharged his weapon, once twice, thrice to no avail. The bullets were shrugged off his metallic hide with small thunderous cracks.

*Just spare me the trouble and shoot yourself already.*

It was as if he had been shut down. The initiate began laughing, unable to believe his own luck.

Dawn trotted forward and quickly embraced the pegasi. The doctor silently wished Charger had died, but his unnatural metallic breath was still there: Faint, but present while the Ranger finished celebrating.

“Heheh, and now you die too.”

Bang.

The initiate fell over shot with his own gun. “Goddess Celestia!”

Dawn knew the ranger was dead before checking him. A bullet to the head tends to do that. The disabled ranger behind him gave a grunt, and Dawn barely managed to look in the direction before the two rangers exploded into metal shrapnel and gore as if they were overripe cans of food.

“Everypony’s dead.” Fuck. Dawn weakly gave Charger one of the healing potions. The robopony opened his eyes and rose. He observed the mess with a calm mind, and looked to Dawn

*How long was I out?* His metallic voice made the doctor cringe. “Just a moment.”

*Wait here.* The pegasus pony tested his wings, and gave Dawn a smile of ash and death. His entire lower jaw was metal. The paint on his lower teeth flaked and utterly revealing. “How..” Charger was gone before anything more could be said. He had the look as if he needed to do something important.

“Wait.” The doctor ignored his hunger, and followed Charger back into the office Butterfly was in. Charger was shaking the scribe. “What?”

Butterfly shrieked when she woke to Chargers face. The pegasi promptly shut her up with a hoof to the face. *Did you send word out? Do you have an emergency beacon or a vox radio with you?*

“I’m. not. betraying..” Butterfly managed to stutter out before Charger shut her up by shoving his Battle-saddle weapon muzzle into her mouth.

*The weapon you are sucking on is the twin Novasurge standard issue plasma rifle. It was just recently heated for this very occasion, and it will be used on every friend you have left in this place until you tell me what I know.* Buttefly moaned with pain, and began pushing at Charger to make him stop.

“Charger.. I..Uh.” Dawn didn’t want to speak. No. This was wrong. “She can’t fight back or anything...”

*What?* Charger huffed angrily back at the doctor and turned. Momentarily pausing his act of torture he looked to the doctor. The smell of roasting flesh began to fill the air.

“You..” The doctor was stunned: Charger was a blackened enraged mess. Something had snapped inside of the pegasus. “It’s been five minutes. They probably haven’t radioed or whatev-”

*It could be an emergency beacon. Operatives used them all the time during the war.* Chargers maddening grin gave the world a grim shear to it. *Who knows what these thieves have acquired during years of hoarding tech for themselves? I scouted them moving out from Bucklyn Cross. They definitely had a tech savvy scribe with a bag full of tricks. Where is he?* He threw Butterfly into the wall. *Where is he!*

Dawn needed a shoulder to cry on, so he bolted. He couldn’t stay. He was such an idiot, and worse he knew he was. The doors where he had last seen Wire were forced open by telekinetic magic. “Wire.” Dawn bolted for the thief with tears in his eyes.

Wire slammed the door and grabbed Dawn by the neck while holding up his other hoof to hit him. The fur around his mane was stained pink and red (Most likely from the hit over the head). Dawn waited for the strike, but it never came.

“Why the fuck would you let him in?” He dropped his striking hoof, but still held onto Dawn’s collar.

“What else could I have done? I needed a pipbuck. He said this was for Friendship City.” Dawn wiped his tears and muzzle on Wire’s clean coat. Sobbing, and clinging to the thief as if Wire was a plushie. “Steel ranger’s are bad ponies, right?” He whimpered.

“And that pegasus is any better?” Wire looked uncomfortable, he began to push the buck away.

“No.” Dawn shook his head, and looked the thief in the eyes. “We. We need to save the scribe. He. He is torturing her, and all the others are dead. I can’t stop him alone.”

“How...” He said through clenched teeth. His eyes were different sizes, he didn’t look like a healthy pony, let alone one that could stop the terror the was Charger.

“I don’t know. He was shot with grenades, and when he woke up it was like he was a different pony.” Dawn clinged himself tighter to Wire. Trying to calm himself, the doctor focused on Wire’s bruises. “Oh goddess Celestia. That ranger. He beat you, and it’s my fault.” He plucked out a healing potion. “It’s all my fault.”

“Yes it is. Now you’ve got to deal with it.” He batted the health potion away from his face.

The doctor vanished into a dark corner of his mind, his spirit dragged back screaming into a lonely, and dark wasteland. “Oath breaker.” A ghost looked at him with eyes of hate. The wind shook his newborn muscles. There was blood and he was hungry, so very hungry.

A hoof hit his cheek, not with much force, but enough to snap him out of his dream. “Come on, wake up. I can’t deal with this right now.”

Dawn shivered but had stopped crying. “I don’t want to go back out. He’s worse than Scorch.”

An orange gout of flame tore through the doorway, igniting the wooden bookcase and the books in a contained inferno. A black mare strutted though the doorway, her grinning face outlined by the fire. “Miss me?”

“By the moon! Scorch?” Wire said as he jumped back on top of the desk, breathing a sigh of relief.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” Scorch was still grinning from ear to ear. “Got anymore cans of food? I’m fuckin’ hungry.”

Dawn stifled a sniffle and held a fake smile. “I have oats, some sugar bombs , and I see you got the power back on.”

“Yeah, yeah, what about those oats?” The rumble from her belly was audible over the crackling fire.

Dawn levitated a tin filled with oats towards her. “Do you want water too? It can get a bit dry without it.”

“Sure, just gimme the bottle.” Scorch grabbed the can and dropped it front of her, a hoof still held out expectantly.

The radio crackled to life after Dawn had given her water. He needed a proper distraction.

*In other news it looks like the Crimson Caravan was ambushed just a few hours trot from the Friendship City ferry station. For all their words it appears like the City council cannot guarantee safe passage or provide any help guarding caravans these days. Their pegasi watchmen seem to have more important things to do. Like playing tag with manticores. This was DJ-Pon3. Telling you that Friendship City has a problem with the friendship part of their city, and here’s Sapphire Shores with some music.

“No. No wait.” Dawn began scratching the PipBuck with his hooves switching off the tunes of Sapphire shores telling the world that “Tears are for the past.” It’s not true. The voice on the radio is lying. Its not true. “This can’t be happening. No.” The doctor rose, feeling numb and dying inside. “I need to go.”

“What was that all about Doc? Doc?” Biting Dawn’s tail as he tried to trot away.

“Let me go. They need me.” Dawn had nearly bucked the thief in the face, and then all the anger dissapated. He didn’t even know where to look. Nor if they lived. If they where hurt, or dying. The doctor let his tears flow freely, and he couldn’t help but start sobbing. Reduced to an incoherent rambling mess of crying pony he tried to explain but the words didn’t flow right.

“It’s just an exaggeration. They must have just gotten turned around. You know how tired they were.” Wire turned to Scorch, his voice barely audible, “Something hit the kids caravan.”

Dawn began walking again, and then a loud crash made him turn. He was dizzy from all the crying, and felt worse than ever, but he could still make out the black and red pony destroying everything inside the room. “You can’t.. We need to..” He gave up. Telling her to come with him was a foals errand. What a child. So was he though. Clinging to a foals hope that they were still alive. Captives or escaped. Whatever, so long as they where not dead he could save them.

“Doc, you’re just gonna run out there like a chicken in a rainstorm?” Wire said, easily catching up to Dawn.

“What?” The doctor shook his head, and kept walking until he got to the stairs. He felt off-balance so he took a rest to wipe his eyes, and then perked his ears. There were sounds. Large thuds, on the ground way below them, and crackles of electricity as if large wire’s were being torn apart.

“Look, I can go calm down Scorch, and we can all get out of here before Charger gets wise to us. But you go out there alone, you’re just gonna get fucked up.” Wire was twitching with each smash and bolt that sounded.

“Celestia damn robot. Spray me with soap again. Just you fucking dare.” Charger popped back at the third floor moments later, coated in a white foam that seemed to shed the blackness and make his exposed metallic chest and neck rather shiny. “What are you two up to? Not done here yet.”

Wire shoved a hoof into Dawn’s mouth, “We were simply getting our things together, and he wanted some fresh air is all.”

“Well. Now that the Steel Rangers are dealt with and the entrance is secured with a bunch of mines we can get started, Doctor.” Charger clopped his hooves together. “What?” The pegasus perked his head forward now that he could see clearly. “It’s just a bunch of tin canned rats. They would have torn you apart for your PipBuck, and I needed to make sure they had not contacted anypony. Not worth crying about.”

Dawn looked to Wire for help with expressing himself. The doctor simply couldn’t think of anything other than the foals.

“Yeah, we’re glad you got em, but Doc here is feelin’ ill and wants some fresh air is all. He gonna be useless if he keeps

“Then go up on the roof or open a window. I just mined the entrance. First floor is off limits.” Charger removed Wire’s hoof from Dawns muzzle and got up uncomfortably close. “I need you intact, and you will do what I need you to do or the ponies you care about here will start dying.”

Dawn simply fell limply to the ground once Chargers hoof was gone from his face, and began taking in the truly fascinating floor tiles. It’s not fair.

Wire slinked under him and stood up, wearing Dawn like a blanket, “Eyup, we’ll get right on that. Gotta make sure he’s in tip-top shape though,” Wire began to head towards Scorch who had walked out of the room, apparently killed all the furniture contained within, “Trot with me.” He said through clenched teeth and a quiet tone.

“They are probably dead anyhow.” Dawn’s head hung low. He took dead steps, and slowed the thief down considerably. “The wasteland does that stuff to ponies all the time.”

“Will you just shut the fuck up.” Scorch’s mask was down, but the anger in her voice still betrayed her expression. “They ain’t dead. They’re probably hidin’ somewhere. So stop your fuckin’ mopin’.”

“Doc’s done checked out, ain’t no use. Are there stairs back this way? Need to get to the roof.” Everystep the blond pony made was hard, the pony on his back struggling to make sure no progress was made.

“Whats the use of going up on the roof?” Dawn threw himself off the thief and landed near a pile of ash. “I killed these ponies, and now the foals are dead.”

“Get the fuck up.” Scorch grabbed Romeo by the shoulder and threw him against the wall, pinning him there. “They’re dead. All of them. Well so fucking what.” Scorch pushed her mask into Romeo’s face. “They all died and you can’t change that. So get of your fuckin’ ass and stop being a whiny little bitch!”

“Scorch.” Wire put a hoof on her shoulder. “Yell later, you’ll need your energy.”

Scorch violently shrugged off the hoof on her shoulder and was still for a moment. “I’ll give you somethin’ to whine about.” She pulled her head back and smashed her mask straight into Romeo’s face. She pulled back from Romeo and let him slump to the floor.

“What the fuck Scorch?” Wire said as he pushed the larger mare back, “If you want to see them foals again, I suggest we stick together.” Wire pulled the limp buck back on top of him, “Just help me get to the fuckin’ roof.”

“Give him here.” Scorch pointed a hoof at Romeo. “It’ll go faster if I take him.”

Wire pushed the door to the roof open, bits of rust fell from where it had closed nearly two hundred years ago. He had been the one that needed the fresh air to think, the stuffy hospital fogging his already withdrawal-clogged head. He hadn’t taken a hit of Med-X, and now wasn’t the time.

“Scorch, just put him down there.” He sighed, mad that he had no idea how to go about this. “Do you have a plan to get us out of here?”

Scorch unceremoniously dropped Romeo and let him lay where he fell. “Other than jump off the roof we’re stuck.” She sat and pulled a bottle of whiskey out of her bag. “Unless you feel like facing down robo-fuck and a whole minefield.”

A minefield Wire could deal with, just disarming and going would be no trouble at all. Charger, on the other hoof, that was the real problem.

Cyberponies. It just hadto be cyberponies.

The air felt nice, a cool breeze on his face distracting him a moment from the throbbing in his head. “Had they build this place a bit more like a triangle box maybe.” Words like pyramid were slowly becoming lost to his vocabulary.

“Just do what he wants. Less chance of being reduced to dust..” The Doctor shot Scorch a hurt glance while rubbing his cheek.

“Fuck him. Ain’t that hard to pull the wool over his ears. We just gotta sneak out nice and quiet like.” Scorch is gonna be a hastle, like tryin to make a tank quiet. Wire sighed. Dawn is about as useful as a sack of flour, too.

“Quiet?” Scorch laughed as she flipped up her mask. “This drama queen would give us away in seconds.”

That’s when he heard it. The telltale sound of a stealthbuck being switched on, “Doc, why the hell would you wast-” He turned to see the crimson colt in plain view, no device on his PipBuck. He’s not invisible. “You’re not invisible.”

“I’m not invisible.” Dawn looked back at the thief with confusion.

Something ain’t right here. Invisible ponies is what Wire was now searching for. Had he been in better mind, less scared, more prepared, he would have found humor in it. He just had to find the object that didn’t fit in, then he would find the Stealth Buck’s user. “Now, nopony panic.”

“Panic? Why the fuck would I panic?” Scorch had the bottle in her hooves almost pressed against her lips.

Then she exploded. A familiar black-green smoke oozed from Wire’s riot-grenade that had mysteriously found its way next to the firemare.

The outline of the firemare was barely visible, she fell to the ground forehooves covering her face. The coughs were quick and forced. “I’ll kill you!” Scorch managed to scream from inside the cloud. Pure anger forced the words out of her muzzle, but it only served to make her swallow more as she ghasped for air later.

“Scorch! Just don’t move!” Wire yelled to the mare, no way to know if it would get through. He checked the roof. Nothing. Come out. Wire flipped the blade out of his holster, ready to cut down any sneaking ponies.

“You’re-” *Cough cough* “You’re dead!” Scorch’s voice was strained. Her coughing intensified.

The gas seemed to have a mind of its own. With a bright shimmer the riot-gas was wrapped around her head. Choking Scorch until the mare surrendered.

Wire drew his pistol and fired around Scorch’s head, trying to hit anypony standing behind her. Look for the broken lines, Wire. There was a shimmer in the corner of his eye, and then gravity turned on him. His hoof twisted in an unfair manner, and with a thud the thief fell to the ground. Wire’s own blade stuck into his chest. The pain signaled his brain in waves of force. Crafty bitch. Wire pulled the blade out, and blood flowed freely..

A hoof struck him in the mouth. Disarming him of his gun as the stealthbuck faded. She was a glowing purple ghost. Her fur sucking greedily at whatever light there was in the wasteland, and spitting it out in a twisted nighttime overglow. He looked at the ghost in surprise of seeing his own blood turn neon. She seemed to get really angry. Brandishing her teeth in a scowl.

“Not so hard to find without that tech huh?” Wire’s breathing was laboured, he had surely lost a tooth. The thief drew back and swung his hoof at her with little accuracy. One good shot and your face is gone. Gravity betrayed the thief again, and pain wracked his body. Wire could see the endless cloud cover to the tune of his ringing ears.

Wire rose, his back flaring in pain. The monster was gone again. But he could find her. He hoped at least. Dawn had gotten up from his pity pile and removed the cloud surrounding the firemare, making sure she was okay. Wire drew his knife out again. He made it his new purpose the stare at her, make her feel the pain of his sight on her. Make her alien fur crawl. Make your move. Do it.

It was quiet for a moment, nothing was sticking out in front of him. That’s when it hit him. You fuckin’ useless idiot, Wire. You neverattack from the front. She’s behind you. Waiting. ‘Cause that’s what you’d do. Wire undid the strap on his knife, taking it into his mouth. Now lie like you always do. “I give. You’re better than me.” He knelt down and felt the lack of a breeze assaulting his damaged back. Drawing from his inner pool of strength, he twirled and hurled the knife as hard as he could behind him.

The air shimmered, and a mare moaned in pain. The stealthbuck began to shimmer revealing her for the second time, and then his assailant jumped on him with rage in her eyes. Striking him repeatedly until the darkness of sleep began to loom in the horizon. Trying to defend himself in his weakened state was impossible, and his foe did not relent.

*Blacklight,* Chargers metallic voice rippled trough the air; a sharp needle of reality in Wire’s hazy, pain-filled existence, though he hardly felt much anymore. The glowing pony stopped her ferocious beating, and perked her ears in attention. *That’s enough. We need them alive.* Wire turned his head to see Charger and Dawn.

“Please.” Dawn squirmed. Held in place by the cyberpony. “I’ll do anything.” He sniffled half crying.

*Perfect. Because I need your medical expertise for some impromptu surgery.*

Level up:

“Mighty Restoration” Rank 1 Prerequisites: INT 7, Medicine 100: Ah, the old Ministry of Peace; beloved throughout Equestria for their ability to snatch ponies from the jaws of death. To most, healing other ponies is a draining affair, requiring intense focus and significant amounts of magical energy. To you? Old hat. Reduced casting time, magical drain and focus threshold for healing spells.

“Iron Constitution” 1 Rank Prerequisites: END 7: Born and bred in the Wastes, your ability to endure the ever-present hazards of the Equestrian Wasteland has increased noticeably. Your resistance to the damaging effects of poison and radiation has been improved by 30%.

“Weakness Leaving the Body” Rank 2 Prerequisites: Chem Reliant, END 5 Medicine 35: Holy shit! You can still stand after that? Wow. You must be a wizard or something. When under the effects of painkillers, add an extra 10% DR to their effects.

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."