Fallout: the Return

Chapter 11: Ghosts

“It all makes sense!” Twilight proclaimed before looking to me. “Fluttershy!” She called out as she teleported away her helmet, armor, and laser rifle. Her eyes were as wide as saucers.

“Yes?” I answered slowly, backing away slightly from her crazed gaze. I hated when she got like that - super happy that she found an answer to a hard question and got in your face about it. But I would never tell Twilight that and hurt her feelings.Twilight got really, really close, making Leo and I both back up some more until we bumped into the table, tempting me to tell her she was getting too close, “Big Mountain created the Nightstalkers, so that explains Rattles. Christine also told me she had learned from Jamie that Big Mountain also had their hoof in the Sierra Madre.”“Those old world abominations had their hand in the Divide as well,” Ulysses proclaimed, stepping forward as he eyed Twilight warily. “The markings on the machine that awoke the nukes was from Big Mountain. I’ve been there myself. Seen how the scientists twisted and spliced so carelessly, then let their creations run amok.”“Then based on the facts, all evidence points to one conclusion!” Twilight shouted, catching all of our attention.“And that is...?” Celestia asked tilting her head slightly. Everypony in the room set their eyes from Twilight, to Celestia, then back to Twilight. We all were giving our friend expecting gazes, eager to hear what she had to say.Or at least I thought that was what everypony else was doing. I wasn’t really paying that much attention to how the others were reacting, except Leo and Jason. The former held a confused and fearful look at the current turn of events, while my husband seemed to be leaning forward in anticipation.“That the scientists at Big Mountain are indeed responsible,” Twilight explained with a firm nod. Then her crazed look was dropped as she stared at the floor in thought. “Though, I have to wonder why they would send a Nightstalker and two humans.”Celestia turned her gaze to Ulysses, “Whatever crimes you committed as a soldier of the Legion, keep them to yourself. We have a zero tolerance policy for the crimes the Legion is known to have committed.”That statement sent nearly everyone into shock, staring at Celestia like she had gone mad. Why would she set a Legionnaire free? I knew Princess Luna and Celestia knew what they’ve done! Many restless nights Luna was a shield to hide behind in a torrent of nightmares. Twilight and Luna were the only ones to respond to Celestia, and it was an appropriate response, “WHAT!?”The only ones who weren’t surprised at all were Raul, Christine, and Jason. They just raised their brows as they looked at us with mild confusion. Based on their reactions, it must have been somewhat common for a few Legionnaires to go free. It made a little bit of sense, considering Jason, but Ulysses was totally different!Celestia cast a glare at Twilight and Luna, not the least bit happy with their behavior. Both of them glanced away from her piercing gaze. “Though he may be Legion, Ulysses is a free stallion. Luna, you yourself know that whatever crimes he may have committed were outside of our jurisdiction, as we have no political contact with the New California Republic.” Celestia looked back to Ulysses, her glare intensified as Twilight and Luna sighed in defeat, “But if I hear that you so much as looked at a mare the wrong way…”Ulysses nodded, “Understood, Princess. I left that life behind me, but I still carry it in my history. There are meanings in symbols, which I see many decorating each of you.”Pinkie zipped over beside Ulysses, making him jump in surprise and reach for something in under his duster. “They're called cutie marks, silly,” Pinkie said, gesturing to his flank with a hoof, “Even you have a zebra glyph mark.”Keeping my eyes on Ulysses, I dropped my wings to my side and crouched to let Leo hop onto my back. Applejack did the same with Tigris, her eyes narrowing all the while. We both had realized it was a gun that Ulysses was reaching for, and if we needed a quick escape, we would have our children with us.Luckily, Ulysses tilted his head in curiosity and moved his hoof away from his gun. With his hooves, he carefully shedded his long leather coat and saddlebags with the air respirator, to the shirt, pants, and a few belt pouches underneath… along with a strange looking gun.He quickly stripped himself of his pants with some effort due to being unable to stand like a human. When Ulysses did manage to remove his pants, he already had a cutie mark, as did the humans that followed us through the portal.On Ulysses’ flank was a single large brown star shaped glyph, surrounded by eleven other star glyphs. Like the jacket he wore, his black and white zebra stripes formed perfect flag.“Would you look at that,” Ulysses said in surprise. His monotone breaking slightly to almost sound… happy?Celestia nodded before sweeping her eyes over the room as she addressed everybody. “With that settled, why don’t we all just go home,” She said, looking at each of us in turn, “I know this may be a lot to ask, but I would like to know who will shelter Ulysses, given his past.”There was a tense murmur from everypony as they quietly spoke with one another. I knew I couldn’t do it. I had to put Leo’s safety in front of my kindness. Jason may have been in the Legion, but I put my trust in him, not Ulysses.“Sorry, I live in the sky,” Rainbow Dash said. Nolan stood beside her and gave a nod. How he got up to the house with his still broken wing, I haven't the faintest clue. Well, Rainbow could carry him.“Spike’s going to move in with me,” was Rarity’s excuse, drawing an odd look from Twilight. I could see Rarity blush as she mouthed, ‘We’ll talk later.’Pinkie’s mane seemed to deflate slightly in disappointment as her tone sounded genuine, “Sorry Ulysses, but Raul and I have absoposilutely no space left.”Twilight groaned and shook her head, “I already have Christine staying with me.”“I’ll do it.”There was a collective gasp as we all turned our wide eyes to the source of the voice.“Applejack?” I questioned as her face was a stern glare, “He’s Legion. What about Tigris?”Applejack’s face softened to a smile, “He hasn’t met my brother yet.”Ulysses nodded, “Thank you, for allowing me into your home.”Applejack let out a laugh and smirked uncharacteristically evil, “Oh, not my home. I’ve got ah barn with haybales.”

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It was sevenish-eight o'clock when everypony decided to leave and go their separate ways. Due to the time when we left, it was night upon exiting Sugarcube Corner.I still couldn’t believe Applejack was letting a Legion soldier even near her home, and most notably, near her family.With Leo on my back and Jason at my side, we waded through the darkness, the streetlamps remaining unlit for the time being. A sudden bark from my left made me gasp and jump in fright. Leo jumped off my back before I could fully turn to face the dog, and when I did, I could faintly see Leo hugging his nightstalker friend around the neck. Wynona walking right up to my legs, wagging her tail happily.“Well, hello there,” I commented after my initial shock, taking a few deep breaths to calm my rapidly beating heart, “You two a thing now?”Wynona’s happy barks as Rattles ran up to her to playfully bite at her ear was all I needed to see.“That’s some good news out of today,” I said through a groan. My son’s cutie mark party was going great until Ulysses had shown up. I didn’t blame him for ruining it though, Ulysses was shot and disintegrated – how that brought him here I could only guess was a horrible experience under normal circumstances – and he most likely was in pain for a while after appearing here. A sheer twist of fate ruined my son’s special party.Whatever god that likes screwing over my life, please stop, I absentmindedly thought.“It’s okay, honey,” Jason said, kissing my neck, which made me blush and squeak, “We can have Pinkie throw another one. I’m sure she’ll be happy.”“Stop it, Jason, we’re in public,” I hissed, failing to hide the small smile on my lips as he kissed my neck again. I felt the burn of embarrassment on my cheeks as I playfully pushed him away from me. The little happiness that I had gotten suddenly left as I dipped my head low as I sighed, “And as for another party, it won’t be the same.”“Come on, it will,” He stated with a nonchalant wave of his hoof and a smile, “And what, I can’t show my lovely yellow mare I love her by giving her a kiss?” He questioned, wiggling his brows.I laughed, “Stop it, you goof,” I playfully pushed him again and smiled, but once again my happiness faded for a more somber mood, “Aren’t you the least bit worried Pinkie will invite Ulysses?”“I don’t know what to think of him,” he admitted, shrugging his shoulders, “But I will tell you that I was in the Legion, Graham was Legion, and Ulysses was Legion. We weren’t all bad, though I guess my NCR background did predispose me to not being a total jerk.”“Good point,” I said, agreeing with him.“Mr. Rattles!” Leo exclaimed in mock anger. I turned my head just in time to see a free-for-all between the unbreakable pair of owner and pet.Leo may be small, but he had one heck of an impact. I was frozen in shock as Leo flew backwards a few meters, then quickly forward to tackle Rattles, knocking him down. All the while, Rattles was letting out grunts and growls, thrashing playfully as Leo tried to pin him.“Do you think we should intervene?” Jason asked.“Let them tire each other out. I would rather not stay up all night chasing him when I could have let him burn out all that sugar he had earlier.” It looked like Rattles was nearly free, but Leo managed to keep his grip.“Oh, you don’t want to stay up all night?” Jason asked slyly.I failed to get the joke before I fell for the trap, “No.”“Well I can keep you up all. Night. Long,” Jason whispered seductively in my ear.Jason burst into peals of laughter as my face turned beet red.Jason, you are so dead for that one. I thought, trying to hide behind my mane as I felt trapped under a tidal wave of embarrassment.“Come on honey, let’s go,” Jason said, tempting out from behind my mane. We both looked down at the two fighting boys, but Jason was the one to speak up, “Leo, stop fighting with Rattles. Time to go.”The flurry of growls and childish laughs stopped suddenly as Rattles used his front paws to pin Leo down by his wings, keeping Leo stuck on the ground while on his back. The two looked towards Jason and I like a moth would stare at a light. Their ears were pointed up in surprise like I had caught them doing something they shouldn’t.I found the whole display too cute and began giggling as I shook my head slowly, “Come on, let’s get home. It’s been a long day.”

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“Wait, Celestia, what do you mean?” Twilight asked, making sure she had heard right. Spike had been sent to Rarity’s when Celestia and Luna arrived at the library via a quick teleport, shortly after everypony left from Sugarcube Corner. The occupants of the main room being Twilight, Christine, Princess Luna, and Princess Celestia.“What I mean, Twilight,” Celestia said “Is that I’m sending you on a special mission. The fate of Equestria may rest in your hooves, as well as Christine’s,” Celestia said, nodding towards the two mares.“But I don’t have any charts or maps,” Twilight sputtered out in shock as her eyes widened, “I don’t know much about the location. That place is one of the most dangerous areas I know of.”“I’ve explored Big Mountain and I know some of the terrain,” Christine said with confidence in her tone, “I think I even remember where I left my sniper rifle.”Luna nodded, “That’s why were sending Christine with you, Twilight. Frankly, as a former human, she has more experience. And even though we are asking a lot from you two, take comfort in the fact you shall not go alone.”“Luna is right,” Celestia said acknowledging her sister, “The other elements will not be going. It’s far too dangerous. Especially now that Applejack and Fluttershy are mothers. That’s why I’m sending a volunteer detachment of my guards with you. They will need training, but be swift, I do not like the idea of mad scientists having the power to send hostile creatures to our world. Mr. Rattles, I believe you said he was named, is an unusually docile specimen.”“He is,” Twilight said with a nod, “He also ran off with Wynona. And I know Applejack wasn’t telling a lie when she told me about it.”Celestia winced at the concept of the Nightstalker breeding. From Twilight’s letters, they could be quite dangerous, “Hopefully the pups, if the two are even compatible that is, are just as docile as their father.”Twilight was about to say something, but her ear twitched, swiveling to detect some far off sound, “Did you hear that?” Twilight asked in a whisper.It happened again, louder. A sudden, soft thump, followed by silence.“Tia,” Luna whispered, her body tense as she slowly lowered her frame in nervousness.Celestia’s face was a look of horror, “I feel it as well.”“What is it!?” Twilight answered in a panic as more thumps were heard. A sudden whooshing sound in the air.“There ar-” Celestia was cut off as something crashed through one of the library windows. Something brown. Something pony shaped. Something with a green eyed gas-mask and a bear trap on a hoof.The Ghost Trapper was confused. A yellow metal scorpion sent it here, away from the red mist of home which was nowhere to be found. Maybe the big creature with wings and a horn sent the scorpion to take it! It wore the same color of gold. He would have it’s head for stealing the comforting mist of home.He raised one of his new legs to level his weapon, a bear trap he placed there like many of his ghostkin, ready to take back the home mist from the tall menace.Crouching down slightly, the Ghost Trapper used his new back legs to leap towards Celestia.Slamming against the wood floor, it took a second for the Ghost Trapper to realize that he had been tackled out of the air.He began to resist, but stopped. Mother Ghost’s voice reached through his hood. His eyes recognized her face, even though it was changed like he was. He knew it was her. She was back, she was here in this strange place. He forgot the lost red mist.Mother Ghost spoke again, her voice soft as an angel as the Ghost stared into the beautiful brown eyes of the ghost from the fountain, admiring her long black hair that dangled over him.She was still pale blue, like he remembered her, though not standing silent and vigilant at the fountain as her voice echoed throughout the Madre. She had come down off her pedestal for some reason. Maybe it was to get the red mist back from the tall white creature who was staring at him strangely.Mother Ghost spoke once more, and he finally listened. She was speaking to the others, and he listened.“It’s okay, the Ghost People worship me, or at least avoid me when they can,” Christine said as she pinned the Ghost Trapper down onto the floor. Twilight, Celestia, and Luna were looking at the creature. It’s filthy hazmat suit a dirty brown, with a gasmask with baleful glowing green eyes. Every breath it took was a wet wheeze, and the air of the library was filled with the unbearable stench of decay.There was a scream from outside the library, as the sound of shattering glass could be heard. There were more. And if Celestia and Luna’s sense of magical disturbances were correct, a lot more.