What hours in the aftermath of this atrocity felt like centuries. Centuries of pain, cruel mental and emotional agony erupted within me. I couldn't take it. The streets lay with burnt and molested corpses of ponies I knew. Stallions, mares, fillies, and colts all dead, charred, burnt, ravaged and flayed. It was too much to bear. I had to look away, trot back to my shack and pretend this never happened. Only, it had, and I wasn't going to escape it.

A thought came into my mind. It was of Felix. Something else took hold of me, a smile. Felix was my only family left. I couldn't just leave him behind. I had to keep fighting. For my brother. I trotted back into the forest and found Aurora laying recumbent next to Felix who was using her flank as a pillow. I couldn't hold back the tears in my eyes.

“...It's...” I began, but grimaced in mental agony, “New Trotakomai... Is gone... As far as I know, we are the only survivors. Felix, I need you right now buddy.”

I came up to him embracing the dragon and my only family member I had left. I couldn't look back at the smoke. My eyes flowing freely of tears and mucus. Felix was reassured me.

“You still have me... Brother,” he patted my back and held me tight. It was then I noticed that Aurora also joined in our group hug.

“And,” she began and stammered as well, “Thank you for saving my life. I was lucky enough to land into your caring hooves.”

That meant a lot to me, coming from a stranger. We took the long way home, away from the town. It was well hidden in the woods with camouflage netting I salvaged from an old world destroyed tank. When I entered I found the wardrobe knocked over and my clothes were all chewed up. The giant rats came back and ate them all. I didn't care all that much, I got some threads off Aurora's copilot and it matched well with the jacket Felix bought. I was quite skilled at multiple crafts. I had a workbench as well as an ammo bench in my house off to the side for easy access.

I remembered my fathers dying wish: for me to move on. It meant a lot of things right now and I was trying my hardest to put my past behind me. I shall move on. I can't stay here with all the death and decay still lingering from the raider attack. Felix kept silent as we entered my house. Aurora trotted up to me and patted my back.

“Hey, cheer up dude, I know it's harsh. I've been there too,” I needed that. It was a welcomed gesture, “Pardon me Ranger, but may I have some food?”

I had forgotten about that. I honestly needed a distraction. I gathered my senses and smiled to her.

“Sure thing. It's the least I can do,” I walked to my sink and washed my hooves to prepare the food.

“If there is anything I can do for you, please do ask,” Aurora offered, looking at her wing, “I'm kinda stuck with you until my wing heals. But pegasi are fast healers so I should be okay.”

A thought entertained my mind. A thought of wasteland justice.

“Actually. There is one thing I can think of that you could help with,” I glanced back as Felix dried my hooves with a heated puff of air, “I'd like to ask you to bomb the living shit out of that raider nest. If you can. I mean, I'm not sure how planes work and all.”

“Consider it done,” she smirked, enjoying the idea, “Just like that.”

“Just like that?” I repeated, surprised.

“Just like that. I can pull a few strings. Besides, I'm a mercenary. I'll just list that target as a cleared helicopter LZ,” she made no sense but from her expression it sounded lovely.

Felix came up to her and pulled one of my maps on the wall, “During a recent scouting mission our recon team found the camp of the raiders right here in this abandoned water park on the coastline to the west.”

“That I can level. I work under a private military contractor allied with the NFR. I can pilot anything they issue me and I'm quite the ace pilot, six air to air kill. Because of my record I can do anything I want so long as it doesn't harm the NFR or its allies," Aurora boasted in a cocky smirk, "Consider that camp razed! Now we just need to find a working plane or enchanted flight saddle. Not really going anywhere with my bum wing."

I looked inside my magic powered refrigerator to find the many food items still fresh from the wasteland, "So Aurora, what are you up for? Do you need a menu?"

"A menu?" she cocked her head back as Felix came up to her with a crude cardboard menu.

"My house is also a cafe whenever the trade caravans or tourists come to visit. I keep that handy in case they wanna spend a few caps," I explained.

“What will it be madam?” Felix looked to her and smiled. She browsed through the menu intently.

“Ooo! The mirelurk cakes sound good. So does the crispy squirrel bits. Although I've never tried fresh abalones before. Surprise me,” she slid a few bottle caps on the table. I started to prepare the food I had.

A few hours later she had fallen asleep next to the masses of empty plates that were once meals, now polished off by the hungry pegasus mare drooling into them. My wallet felt rather heavy and my fridge was left destitute. While she ate I had time to sort through my inventory for the road ahead. I had my trusty G3 battle rifle, a PSG-1 semiautomatic sniper rifle, my mom's customized .44 magnum, 120 rounds of .308 ammo, 72 rounds of the .44 magnum, food, water, a survival kit, and the stuff I got from Aurora's co-pilot. Felix strapped on his Kevlar vest and filled his pockets with 9mm rounds, leaving the broken G36 rifle in the corner. Aurora jumped awake.

“Ba! Huh? Weird dream. I thought I was human and you were there,” Aurora yawned and pointed a hoof to Felix, “But you were a Pokemon.”

“What's a Pokemon?” I glanced back as she startled me.

“It's nothing. Just an old world thing. What are you doing?”

“I'm packing up to hit the road. Felix and I will have to find a new home. You can stay here if you like, I left some supplies handy until you get better and fly off. That is, unless you want to come with us?”

She looked to me and shook her head, “Me, stay here? You crazy dude? I owe you one so I'm sticking by your side.”

That was a little surprising to me. She was a lot safer here in the shack, but thinking about it now I understand why she wanted to come along. She was a mercenary and adventure was in her blood.

“So what do you say? You all set?” I eyed her. She was mobile and had recovered from her blood loss. Her left wing was still broken and wrapped by bandages. I guessed she could hold her own, judging by the odd weapon on her side, “Also, did you happen to loot any ammo off my copilot?”

I remembered that I picked up a box of mini rifle rounds from one of the pouches of the dead pony pilot. I floated them up, “Well, I found this weird ammo off your copilot. These are some tiny ass rifle rounds. Here you go.”

I examined the box. On the side it read the caliber: 4.6mm AP. They were tiny armor piercing bullets.

“Thanks. And second, did you happen to grab a watch from him as well?”

“This thing?” I glanced at my loot sack. The watch was odd for sure but it didn't really scream like it would be anything special, “Looks like a normal watch to me. I was gonna sell it for, I'd say thirty caps I guess.”

“That thing is not a normal watch!” she smiled, “Put it on, I'll show you what it does.”

As soon as I put the watch on my left wrist it immediately latched on. I panicked at first trying to pry it off, but Aurora stopped me.

DNA ANALYSIS COMPLETE. NEW USER REGISTERED, PLEASE INPUT YOUR NAME.

The machine read aloud in a mechanical voice. I stood in awe.

“Cooool! What is this?”

“That's a Pipwatch. It's a wrist mounted computer powered by a magic gem,” Aurora explained.

“Now that is kick ass! Damn!” I eagerly typed in my name on the touch screen with magic. The watch spoke again.

WELCOME RIFLE RANGER. NEW INTERFACE DETECTED: DNA ANALYSIS COMFIRMED. YOUR COUSIN: AURORA STARSTREAK IS RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU.

“Wait! What?” her and I dropped our jaws, “How are we cousins?!”

She fiddled with her watch, telling it to interface with mine in the DNA tests.

DNA ANALYSIS IS CONFRIMED. YOU ARE COUSINS WITH RIFLE RANGER. PROBABLITY: 100 PERCENT.

We both stood with blank stares. I was the first to talk, “ Well ain't that the luckiest thing that ever happened in my life. What was your grandfather's name?”

“Ar-Arctic Wind,” she stroked her chin with a hoof. I jumped with joy.

“He was mine too! We are cousins!”

“Yay!” she squeed, “Can I have a hug?”

“Huh, sure I guess. I haven't had a bath in a while.”

“Oh shut up stinky and give your cousin a hug!”

Aurora jumped me and gave me a firm squeeze. Suddenly a flood of joy overcame me. I realized I had a family once again and that I wasn't alone. I smiled and hugged her back, “So who else is in our family from where you're from?”

“Well, we've got two other cousins back home. Two aunts and an uncle,” Aurora paused, “I think that's everypony still alive.”

“Mind if I ask what happened to the others?”

“Dead...” she sighed heavily. I was about to say sorry before she continused, “Neo Stallionrad Legion.”

“Neo Stallionrad Legion?”

“They're a vast nation at with with the NFR and our allies: The Austrotian Coalition. Those Commie bastards enslave and kill innocents and torch their land, taking anything and everything not bolted down. Food, water, metals, everything. As far as I'm concerned it's just a unified faction of wasteland raiders. Only...” she left a pregnant pause, “Millions strong.”

“Celestia solarshit,” I gasped.

“The Legion almost overran the NFR but we've pushed them back. We were planning to invade their mainland but they shut it off with a giant megaspell barrier. Nothing goes in or out besides their military.”

“Let's get off the subject,” I saw her rage building up. She sighed again, “Can you tell me more about my new Pipwatch?”

"Oh, yes, sorry about that cous," Aurora fiddled around with my watch telling me everything I needed to know to work it. Following her instructions I learned quickly and got the hang of it, "Great! Now that you know how it works I'll show you what it can do!"

She pointed to my sniper rifle on the table, "Pick up your rifle real quick."

“Okay,” I did as she told and floated it up with magic.

“Now look at your watch. It will keep track of everything you are carrying with its sorting spell. It will also monitor an items condition, value in bottlecaps, and ammo count if it's a weapon. Unlike the more common Pipbuck, this can also store files, movies, music, pictures, games, and other applications onto it. It also monitors more important stuff like vital signs, fatigue, dehydration, skills, which kinds of ammo you have, and more! Take a look at your weapon screen real quick,” she twisted my forehoof gently to show me all the menus and buttons I could push on the touch screen. This was to be used by the wings of a pegasus or the magic of a unicorn and would have been utterly useless for a simple earth pony with no dexterity.

“My PSG is in 70 percent condition and my battle rifle is at 76,” I smiled as I looked to my watch, “Felix, hand me your M9. Oh geez that could use a bit of work. I'll have to fix it up later.”

“Couple that with a Geiger counter and a bioscanner to detect any positive or negative effects of food and consumables and you're good to go! Not to mention the ever so helpful Eyes Forward Sparkle,” she still kept fiddling with my watch. She backed off and I noticed her weapon again, having no mouth grip and strapped to her side in a holster on her flight jacket.

“By the way, speaking of guns, what kind of weapon is that?” I cocked my head to get a better look.

“Oh this thing? It's my own customized MP-7A2. Once the megaspells hit H&K of Germaneigh moved all their important employees with the help of our national hero to the Fillypines. He often did business with them and kept their legacy alive. This gun has a red dot sight, a folding ammo counter on the side rail, adjustable stock, and I even got a detachable suppressor for it! Pretty cool huh?” she grasped it in her right wing, wrapping it around the weapon, “I like to shoot with my wings. I don't have good aim while flying and mouth fired guns hurt my neck. Unless it's a battle saddle.”

Felix poked me in the side, “You guys ready yet?”

“Where do we go from here Aurora?”

“Well, I really need to get back to the NFR. Tell you what, I saw an old airbase on my way over here to the west. If we're lucky I can salvage enough parts to fix or find a working radio in one of the control towers,” she thought it over, “Then I could use that to contact a rescue party. Even better would be a working plane or enchanted flight saddle, but that's doubtful. The hangars would have to have been preserved with a magical stasis field.”

“You've got to be shitting me. We have to go through the Noboribetsu Ruins for that,” I shook my head.

“Something wrong I'm guessing?” she cocked her head again to one side, curious.

“Deathclaws... Lost too many friends in those ruins and I still remember where their bones are,” I flashed back to my dead fillyfriend, Rose Tint. She was eaten alive by one of those things and I had a front row seat at her death. I remember her screams, her maroon coat stained darker with blood, her dark blue mane pulled from her head with bits of scalp, and her brilliant blue eyes she had inherited from her long dead ancestor as they looked at me for help. I froze.

“Ranger! Ranger! Snap out of it!” I was thrust back to reality as Aurora was clapping her hooves in front of my face. I shook my head vigorously and purged the thoughts from my brain.

“Sorry! We got no choice though. Watch my back okay? It's nice to have some extra eyes and ears,” I opened the door with magic and crossed my left hoof over my right that was planted on the ground, “You first cousin.”

“Thanks,” we trotted outside into the light, setting foot on our way.

Author's Note

Footnote: Level Up!

New Perk: Egghead

You will add +2 skill points each time you gain a new experience level.