The rogue colonel

Colonel Augustus autumn sat straight up in his bed. Despite several attempts over the past seven hours he had not a wink of sleep. He turned his head towards his back and groaned at the two appendages responsible for his current state. Seeing the morning light through his blinds he headed into the bathroom.

Walking in he couldn’t help but stare the Shure cleanness of the room itself. Unlike most rooms the tiles were not stained or eroded nor were the walls flaking and showing off rotted dry wall, in fact the whole place smelled as if it had been built no longer than a few year ago. He shook the idea out of his head. A new building. Really? There had been no new buildings created in almost over two hundred years. Still the novelty of a clean room left it impression on him. Turning on the water Augustus sorted through the various soup`s lining the shower wall. He was going to enjoy this even if it killed him.

Stepping out of the bathroom refreshed Autumn turned his attention to his wardrobe. Despite the over whelming urge to suit up in his overcoat and uniform, that was out of the question. From his current observations almost everything so far was new or heavily refurbished. To blend in he needed something less…worn. Sorting through the various jeans and plaid shirts he manage to form a full outfit. Looking in the mirror he admired the almost perfect disguise. The dress shirt was a dark black matching the tie and dress shoes. The pants and jacket were almost the same tan that matched his fur. The best part was that both the shirt and jacket had premade slits, perfect for his winged nature. Taking another look through his bag Autumn pocked his laser pistol along with a few extra energy cells. He also slipped in three stimpak’s and some med-x into his pockets, just in case.

Walking out of his room Autumn breezed down the hall towards the main desk. Stopping in front of the young woman he met earlier that day. She turned facing him with almost glowing attitude and complexion.

“Oo-hello!” Red Heart greeted absolutely giddy. “I suspect that you have had a wonderful recovery in ponyvill hospital!”

“Actually I came to discuss the trade from yesterday. You remember me Miss?” Autumn spoke clear and drawn out.

“Is that you? I thought..no. yes I do remember the trade, though I remain on the previous predicament of payment. We still don’t have the “caps” that you wanted but we can spare bits. To my knowledge they are still legal tender in most nations and surrounding countries. You may want to watch the exchange rates though.”

Drawn back by this Autumn sighed internally. He may have not gained the money he needed for the trip but money was money and he could always hold up a Brahmin caravan to resupply on his way home. Bring himself back to the situation Autumn smiled at Miss Red heart before leaning down over her desk his hands griping the sides. “Well I can do with that, but what exchange are we taking here? Back home I get sixteen or seventeen caps per syringe and that was at a clinic! What can you offer me that’ll keep me from selling elsewhere?” Autumn replied his voice coy as he made his gamble.

Red heart sat surprised by this conversation. She had heard him say he was a salvager but a haggler? she had not pinned him as one. Still he was open to reason over his prices and that could play out for her. She needed supplies he had, better yet he had enough to keep the hospital going for a couple of years at least.  Smiling at him, she returned his question. “Well I can provide a steady supply of funds to you during your stay. Best of all I will pay you extra if we have to take more than our agreed amount for the week.”

“Why I think I can live with that. what`s the pay out?”

“Seven hundred and twenty per week. I`ll bump it up a thousand and fifty if you find some were else to lay your head at night. That of course means that you turn over a substantial amount of morphine to the hospital for use. I’m sure both of us would be happier if we didn’t have to go snooping around each other stuff.”

“Yes I think those terms are…agreeable.” Autumn replied anxious to end the conversation with the mutant in front of him.

“Well…” Red Heart started before reaching down below the desk bring up a small metal basket. “… I would appreciate it by honoring our deal by handing over the specified item in question. Starting by filling up this basket with the syringes?” wordlessly colonel autumn took the basket in question and returned to his room. Dragging the half-forgotten bag out of the corner, he dug through the contents collecting and placing several in the basket. After filling the it with seventy med-x`s he returned to Red heart and traded the basket for a comically small cloth bag. Turing around he walked out the front door almost missing Red heart wish him a nice day.

Making headway into town, Autumn drunk in the sights and sounds of the bustling town. Had everyone been human he could have sworn this was what prewar America looked like. There were stands lined up each selling their own respective wears. In fact he would say that this looked like capitalism at its finest. He would remember this sight when he returned home and perhaps use this as a bases for examination.

Moving on from his staring he came insight several winged mutants hang around a corner by a two story building. They much to the colonel’s distain were a variety of colors ranging from blue to bright purple. One turned around on his approach alerting his friends to Autumns presence. “Hey looky here.” The blue one with red hair slurred to his friends. “We have our self a visitor. You guys know what that means.” He spurred at his friend gaining large grins from them in return.

Autumn was less than enthusiastic about their reaction to him. He however had little time to question what they meant when he felt someone take hold of him from behind. Despite his best attempts he could not get his arm around to reach his laser pistol. He could only sit back and watch as things unfolded. Much to his surprise and the enjoyment of the group behind him a pink female in a light pink skirt and top had grabbed him with abnormal amount of strength and flipped him around to face her. Still in her grasp Autumn stared shocked at the pink being holding him in front of her like a life sized doll. That is until she started yelling.

“HEY YOU’RE NEW RIGHT? I KNOW BECAUSE I KNOW EVER ONE IN THIS TOWN-YOU LIKE SOME DUDE THAT SCAVENGES STUFF RIGHT. I DO THAT TOO EVEN THOUGH THE CAKES DON’T WAN-“her relentless onslaught halted as Autumn brought his hand up silencing the one sided conversation.

“Miss I appreciate your enthusiasm but I must move on. Maybe we can converse at a later date.” Autumn was still struggling to get the laser pistol out of his suit pocket, in case she didn’t release him. He wouldnt put it past mutates to act all kind and caring one moment to go bat shit crazy the next. Still that really only mattered if he couldnt get his weapon out.

“Ooo Come on friend. It wouldn’t be right of me to not introduce you to town. Just give it a chance, everypony get a welcome party-non optional!” the pink girl squealed her hair bouncing with every syllable.  “Besides I still need your name!”

“How about this? You let me down and I tell you my name miss..?”

“Pinky pie!” she chirped.

“Yes…Miss-pinky pie. If you let me down like I said I will tell you my name. Deal?”

“Deal!” her grip lessened and Autumn felt a small thump as his heals landed on the ground.  He wore a surprised expression over the fact that he was held in the air for that long without noticing. “Well?” he lifted his head back up to find her staring patiently for him.

“Er..right (cough) I am Augustus autumn and thank you for the introduction. Now though. I must be on my way. Good day.” He turned trying to make a quick escape from the pink inquirer. That fell flat as she grabbed his arm holding him once again in place. “(sigh) What is it?” he snarled displeases by the needles contact with this being.

“You didn’t get the party info” she almost cried hanging loosely on his arm.

“Why does this matter? Your eagerness to throw a party only tells me you have thrown plenty before. Not like it would destroy you to miss one opportunity.” Autumn replied with his normal solemn tone. He walked past the pink girl kneeling on the cobbled road letting his arm slip from her grasp as he moved away.

He didn’t get five feet before he heard something crying. It was soft at first but grew by the passing second. He wasn’t the only one to notice as the higher crying got the less noise of town life he could make out. Turing his head he could see more and more town folk stopping and staring at the scene taking fold. Unnerved by the utter connectivity of the town, he walked back to Miss Pie picking her up from the ground. “Miss” he spoke trying to pretend he cared and this girl had some importance to him. “Despite my current distain for party’s. I can see you’re not going to let this go.” She nodded her head only sniffling at this moment. “so… I..heh..I guess that I will have to attend-though not for the entire deration of the party, but for part of. yes.” He could feel himself burning up inside. The very notion that Colonel Augustus autumn would bend his will over something crying infuriated him to no end. Still this was a learning experience. He could always wipe them out later after he reestablished contact with the enclave fleet.

His anger was violently snapped out of him as the Miss pie had picked him up in what most would say was a bear hug. “O-THANK YOU-THANK YOU. I KNOW YOU WON’T BE DISAPOINTED!” she blurted still hugging Autumn. “Meet me at sugar cube corner at three. See you there!” she spoke her voice still high pitched but at a more reasonable volume. Miss Pinky pie dropped him, disappearing in almost an instant. Looking around Autumn could not locate her point of exit. Lifting an eyebrow he back pedaled and moved on with his exploration of the town.

Sitting down on a park bench Autumn rested his tired legs. So far the town was even less developed than most parts of the waste land. The most advanced device he heard of was the computer at the public library and even that needed punch cards. No holotapes. No chems nor drug’s of any kind as far as he could tell. This place was a clean of societal diseases as it was in modern technology. Still though he had learned quite a bit about the part of the world he was in. The town was called ponyvill. The name though pathetic did spring several realizations from earlier and his eaves dropping. Every one used everypony in conversation along with describing the differences between them by race. The ones like him with wings were called Pegasuss and ones with horns (he noticed they were far and few between than the other types) were called unicorns. And thought’s without any were called earth ponys. Ponys. The very idea of the naming made him laugh. But why? Why would the culture here develop like this? Perhaps the FEV had mutated the people so much they didnt think of themselves as human any more. Perhaps the change had such a drastic affect the earlier generation covered it all up so they would never know. That was the only explanation he could think of. Silently he gave thanks that despite his appearance he didn`t have a tail to speak of, so for that was glad.

Lifting himself from the bench he made way to a small store on the other side of the green field. Walking up he made out the significant difference between this one and the rest of the buildings in town. For one it was a bright white with purple accents along its tiled roof. The design bulged with civilized taste with the gothic engraved designs. This and it said carousal banquet on the sign. Turning the handle Augustus stepped inside. Looking around he breezed over the stores selection of wear`s.

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Rarity sat comfortable in her chair reading her latest novel. Despite what her friends thought she didn’t read just romance, she consumed all manners of literature from poems and haiku to short takes on life in secluded book stores. Well yes they all were about love and meeting that special somepony but still she could enjoy what she wanted despite what others thought. Shifting her sights she placed the book down on her coffee table and turned her head intently listing for stray sounds. Finally a stray creak erupted in to the room. Sighing she pulled herself from her chair, straightening out her robe and walked into the other room.

“Sweetie bell. I know you strive to find out what you and your friends are destined to do but could you do it somewhere el-“ she paused at the sight standing in her main lobby. The stallion stood straight, his poster showing off his overall lanky build. His face was narrow like most, but his held some command almost as some authority stood waiting to give an order and take command of anything in his path. She pinned him as some executive or Canterlot pony on vacation. Looking back at him she noticed he had yet to spot her, engrossed in some suits and hats on display. Smiling she coughed trying to get his attention. Her actions bore fruit as the stallion before her turned around with a stiff expression on his face that softened as he focused on the source of the noise.

“Greetings” his introduction stern yet passively friendly. “I can assume you’re the owner of this establishment?”

She only smiled as she answered his question. “Yes I am. Welcome to my store. I am ponyvill`s main and only suppler of clothes and accessories in this region and anywhere in five hundred paces. I assume you’ve come for something special or just more down to earth threads?” she gestured to his suit

He flipped his head down covering up his face. Only a light chuckle indicated his mood.  Lifting his head revealing a half smile clinging to his face. “My dear I came here to get a quote on some clothes that require some…restoration. They are antiques as some might put it. Though I have pride in wearing something with history laced into it.” He spoke drawing out nature of the outfit in question.

She stood there taking in his request before asking him a question she had been dying to ask. “This antique I would be restoring. It would happen to be an old uniform would it?”

He seemed to stumble over his words as he gave a look of surprise.

“O-don’t look so surprised. All Pegasus have some family uniform or armor they just have to have fitted to them. You’re not my first customer and you won’t be my last to ask. So why don’t you just bring it here later today and then we can discuss price point of the restoration sir”

“Autumn. Augustus autumn Ma`m.” He spoke reclaiming some sense of composer. Smiling he gave a respectable nod and left the store. Turing back rarity returned to her chair. Her book still waiting on her table.