Fallout Equestria: Salvation

War and violence, fear and hatred, paranoia and deceit, there many things are in the Wasteland that us ponies are used to. I haven’t seen much in the brief time I’ve been alive, but I know there are other things too. I've heard from others and the nice DJ on the radio, he was always going on about hope and the good fight, warning other ponies about the scary things out there trying to keep them alive to see another day.

    I didn't understand why the Wasteland scares so many ponies, nor was I sure about a lot of the bad things that are in it. I didn't understand sure because my Mama and Papa made me go hide whenever something happened. They said I shouldn’t have to see whatever it was they made me go hide from, but I obeyed because they are my parents and know what’s right, right?

    Was it right for them to shield me from the truth even though it was inevitable that I would learn it? Ponies that live in the wasteland of Equestria are scared with good reason. When I learned why was a day that changed me forever...

* * *

Fallout Equestria: Salvation

Prologue One

“Any moment now, you'll be dead! Are you excited to see what that's like? “

    Garbage cans. Why on Equestria do so many ponies put valuable things in the garbage cans? I’ve always wondered that since you find so many good things in the abandoned garbage cans that are around, such as the one I was currently flank deep in. My papa says it’s a good thing I’m still small enough to fit inside the big ones to scavenge what’s inside them. The melted stuff of whatever the ponies before the war put in here was turned to green and brown sludge that felt oddly warm... yuck, that is so disgusting. I got up from sitting in the waste and tried to climb out the hole in the top of the standalone bin, but barely made it halfway before it tipped over with me hanging out of it, forcing me face first into the grimy tile floor.

    “Mama, there ain’t no val... valu... things worth it in this can!” I shouted from the corner of the small grocery shop we were currently searching around in. The sludge from the bottom of the tilted-over bin creeping toward me as I was still halfway through it. When it covered my hind legs was when I overstayed my welcome in it. I climbed the rest of the way out, the back of the metal hole chafing my back as I did. Why would anypony hide things in the garbage? I guess because nopony wants to or would think to look in there, I know I sure wouldn’t. Doesn’t that mean you have to go through it just to get your stuff back? It makes no sense whatsoever!

    My Mama poked her head out from above a shelf with her purple mane frazzled in today’s heat. “Silent, why don’t you try in the back room? Your papa is lookin’ over there,” she said nodding over to the shelves behind her. “And please, use your inside voice. We don’t want anypony to hear us, now do we?” Her head popped down and I heard her moving stuff around.

    I stood up with a gloop sound and shook my whole body with only satisfying sploshing noises of the sludge being flung from my coat, but you never know if you really get it all off with one try. I turned my head looking myself over. Dark blue coat? Check. Long purple mane and tail, both with a black stripe through the middle? Check. Completely free of any nasty stuff that probably would have made my coat fall off? Check.

    I took a good look around, this grocery shop seemed to be already looted even though it was just a small store in a small outlet mall in the middle of nowhere. The door was behind me and the register and counter to my right. I raised my head up a bit higher, looked across the saddlebaskets laying around here and there, and saw a lot of shelves stretching further on back with long dead freezers and shattered glass doors. I saw Papa’s black tail swishing out from the side of a shelf. I wondered if he found anything useful or something to eat.  Well that wasn't my job, Mama told me my job was to go check out that one room.

    One hoof in front of the other I skipped across the tile floor before turning around behind the counter. I liked looking for stuff since we would find stuff we don’t have! Well I guess that was obvious, but I still enjoyed it a lot. Looking around beneath the counters, I spotted an old worn down ammo box. Now my parents won’t let me have a gun of my own because they think I’d hurt myself with it. I laughed at that, you can’t hurt yourself with your own gun because it hurts other bad ponies.  I opened the top of the metal box, and found a bunch of red boxes. They looked like ammo for a shotgun, but I wasn't sure which type.

    “Mama, I found some shotgun ammo over here, but I dunno what kinda type of shotgun it’s to!” I said. I picked the boxes up with my teeth and put them in my brown saddlebags. I wondered what it was like to be a unicorn, and move stuff with your mind, not that I needed any of that fancy magic because earth ponies get things done reliably, even if we are slow to do it!

    I heard my Mama’s voice a bit muffled by something. “That’s great honey, just hold on to that ‘til we're done.”

    Hah, victory for me! I trotted up to the back room door and tried to push it open only to hear a metallic clank. Locked, everything good is locked, and that means stuff is always in there. “Papa, this here door is locked! Can ya come over here and get it open?” I said.

    Metal clanged from the back of the store, I saw Papa rush out of the aisle with empty cans and bottles smashing together at his hooves as he ran. “Well done mah boy, we might just find somethin’ yet,” he said. It only took him a moment to reach the door. He dusted off his brown coat and short black mane.

    “Now let us see here now if I can’t get this open, shall we?” He smiled as he pushed on the door with his front right leg, only to receive the same sound had I gotten. Again, with more force that time, to the same effect.

    “Well now, this thing here is locked up somethin’ fierce.” He turned around, gently moved me back a bit, and backtracked up to the door. I couldn’t even see him buck the door until I heard the noise of metal breaking whatever latch or something that had held the door locked. The sound carried through the store, and maybe even out of it. “There, good ol’ earth pony lockpicking. One day I’ll teach ya my secret Silent, and then you’ll be able to find al-”

    “What in Goddesses’ name was that?!” Mama poked her head back up over the shelf. She wore her fiercest glare on her dark blue face. “Were you tryin’ to tell everypony we’re here?”

    “Now now Storm, this here door refused my polite request to be opened and I just couldn’t take no for an answer. I tried bein’ the reasonable pony, I really did.” He put on his pouty face, I just giggled when I saw it.

    “That’s no excuse and you know it, that was a really loud noise and-” Mama quieted down and perked her ears up, and when Papa saw that, he did the same. I quieted down from my giggling and moved closer to the counter as Papa started to crouch down behind it.

    “Now Ah know Ah heard somethin’ over here guys, I don’t see how y’all could uh missed it!” The stallion’s rough voice carried through the door from the outside.

    “Naw, you just bein’ that idjit again like you always are” This pony was a mare, but her voice sounded like she was talking through sandpaper.

    “I ain’t no idjit and I is tellin’ ya, I heard somethin’ from over here”

    “Really now, ya idjit? Which one, go on then.”

    “Uhh.... eeny meeny miny... that one!” I heard hoofsteps as a shadow came inside through the window of the door.

    “Yeah, whatever. HEY GUYS THE IDJIT SAID HE HEARD SOMETHIN’!” The yell was like sandpaper through a megaphone. I had to shake my head just to get rid of the sound.

    “Pfft, I know I heard somethin’ and I’ma get it before any of yous gets a chance.” Papa crouched down low behind the counter and pulled me close. His face was full of, I’m not sure but I think it was panic. We scooted to the corner of the counter, closer to Mama and the back shelves when the door opened up. I looked up but couldn’t see who came in, but I did see a rusted sawed off shotgun floating in an orange magic field. My ears droop back, and I started to shiver.

    “Fine, we’ll indulge your mind playin tricks on you, but if there ain’t nothin’ here... Well we’ll come to that when we do,” the rough sounding mare said. I could hear the crooked smile in her oice.. I heard a gulp on the other side of the counter.

    The hoofsteps on the other side moved forward as more sets of them came inside, more than just that mare from before. I looked to Papa, only to see him take his revolver in his mouth, and look into my eyes. He gave me a feeling that everything was going to be okay.

    We waited as they all entered the store, the door didn't close behind what I guessed was the last pony who walked inside. Minutes passed by as I became more nervous, and Papa looked really scared for what I guessed was Mama. We didn’t hear the ponies act like they had seen her, just the sound of shelves moving and empty bottles and cans rattling together. At one point the stallion who first entered yelped in pain before the moving about continued. I felt sweaty, my fur sticking together and my saddlebags chafing me as I shifted silently Papa’s forelegs.

    “Ah know I sure heard somethin’, but I gotta take a whiz real quick like,” he complained as I heard a door open. A couple seconds pass before I heard a scream that sounded like Mama, and a yell from the previous stallion. A voice came from the very back, “I KNEW there was somethin’ in here!”

    Immediately there were a bunch of hoofsteps as ponies raced to the back as Papa got up, revolver still in mouth, and jumped over the counter to chase after them. I scrambled to my hooves and dashed out under the open-up countertop after Papa. A dark red stained yellow tail disappear around the corner of where we were running to. I heard both muffled cries and the sound of cheering as we got closer.

    Papa got to the end before I did, and stopped at the opened door before he got this awful look on his face. He looked to me, and then back through the door before he scowled. There was a brief flash from the barrel of his revolver, and I heard a scream of pain, before it turned into a gurgling noise that overpowered all other sounds besides the muffled crying.

    “wi... Wire... run!” It sounded like Mama, but her tone was really sad. Papa started crying as he fired one more bullet before he dropped his revolver, and ran back toward me. I think I didn't hear the crying anymore.

    “You idjits, he just killed Sunflower! GO GET HIM!” the scratchy voiced mare yelled as Papa picked me up by the back of my neck, and ran toward the door. He jumped over some broken shelves, and rounded the counter corner before a loud blast sounded out, and I hit the open door with my face, and fell onto my back.

    “Ow.. Papa?” I turned around and saw Papa laying on the floor. He must have tripped after being scared from that noise. “Papa, come on. We have to go get Mama.”

    His breathing sounded ragged, and a pool of red beneath him seemed to get bigger, “I’m sorry Silent Step, no-” he coughed, blood flying out of his mouth onto the floor, "now... run away!” He sounded so weak.

    “I think I got him boss!” one of the bad ponies said.

    I ran over to Papa and shook him before seeing that half his left hindleg was torn apart, a lot of small holes peppered into his leg and flank. “Papa...? C’mon Papa, we gotta go...”

    “Si.... Silent. Run! Now!” I saw an orange stallion and the same shotgun I saw from before floating in the same orange magic. The orange stallion had a horn from his forehead; a unicorn! I shook Papa another time but he didn’t move. “Papa...” I cried and turned around, running straight out the door. My vision was blurry and I couldn’t breathe.

    “Go get that colt before I beat you with your shotgun!” the sandpaper mare said.

    Hoofsteps followed my own, but I was a good distance ahead of him. I’ve always been proud of my speed, Mama said that it was my special talent, but I don’t think so. Sure I’m good at it, but I didn't want that for a cutie mark. I heard some more loud blasts, and the ground ahead of me kicked up dust while a few rocks shattered. I turned the opposite direction of the dust, but spun too quick and tripped over myself. I tasted dirt while I think my mouth was bleeding, as it was warm and full of stuff, besides the dirt and rocks I mean.  I looked up to see the orange stallion looking back at the grocery shop, squinting to get a clear look through my tear-filled eyes. I swear I would make sure he would pay for what he did to Papa!

    “Look boss, I got that lil’ colt! Ah did!” He started to turn back towards me, but a long wooden spear struck him through his back straight into the ground. His scream was silenced when another spear flew through the edge of my sight and pierced his throat. His body went still while staying upright from being impaled.

    I blinked a couple times to clear my eyes, getting a good look at the orange pony. Blood flowed from his body and crawled along the spear shaft into the ground, the other just having his blood drip off the metal head. There were three more ponies in front of the grocery shop, all wearing horrible red-stained armor cobbled together with scraps they found. I didn’t get to see anything more of them, a series of loud gunshots from multiple sources came from behind me, and I saw nothing but blood explode everywhere in the doorway.

    I just laid there for a minute, or an hour, I’m not sure which. I stared the entire time at the blood painted wall, doorway, and ground. Hoofsteps came up from behind me, and then more as two ponies, one white and the other grey, passed in front of me. How odd they were wearing nothing but a one big black necklace each.

    A hoarse male voice came from behind me, “Kid, are you alright? Where are your parents?” I didn’t even turn around to see who got my revenge for me, and just closed my eyes and cried more. I let my sobs be heard, not bothering to try and stop. I raised a hoof to the grocery shop, and just held it there. “Are they alive?” I just cried more.

    “Alright you ponies, loot the raiders and go inside to see if you can find his parents. If you do and they aren’t alive, take what you can and come back. You have your orders.”

    I lowered my hoof and curled up into a ball, just crying away the world as I let whoever found and saved me try and do the same for Mama and Papa. I stayed there crying, until my eyes found no more water to leak, and my breathing stopped coming in sobs. I just continued to lay there, never hearing that pony move away from me.

    The white pony, who I now noticed is a mare with a short light green mane, appeared in the doorway and stepped over the bodies on her way back over here. “Master, we found the colt’s parents.... I regret to inform you that they are no longer alive. The father died from a shotgun to the back and the mother from one bullet to the head. We gathered their belongings and found some medical supplies in a back room behind the counter.”

    “Good work Snow, where's Cup?”

    “He is gathering what else he can find in the place, shall I retrieve him?”

    “Do so, we have already wasted enough time with this incident.”

    Snow turned and trotted back to the store. I rolled over and looked up at my saviour, at least that’s what he did, save me. A very muscular pink stallion with a long cyan mane spiked in five spikes extending over three hoofs long. He looked down at me with angry cyan eyes, meeting my sight. “What’s your name.” It didn’t sound like a question.

    “Sil... Silent Step.”

    “Step, your parents are dead and you are coming with me. Follow.” He turned around and started walking. I looked around his large figure to see two wagons. One empty except for supplies and items, the other had two more ponies harnessed to the front and two armored ponies sitting in the back, each with an rifle of some kind. I got to my hooves and walked faster to catch up, still looking past him. The two pulling the wagon also had big black necklaces and wore nothing else. I didn’t have anything else to do, so I followed the pink stallion, keeping my sniffles to a minimum. I just looked down at the ground and trudged on.

* * *

    The two ponies that went into the store had come back and loaded up what they could find next to me, having stashed it all in Papa and Mama’s saddlebags. They hooked up to the front of the pink stallion’s wagon, and we set off with the other one. I just now noticed that it was no longer light out, though there is only so much light when there only clouds above. It was probably when that thing Mama said gave light to all of Equestria rested, but I’ve never seen such a thing.

    Ahh, my eyes itch really bad, I rubbed them with my left foreleg. I tried to cry some more but I couldn’t get any more tears to come out. I sniffed back some snot, only to realize I was really thirsty. I looked to my right to see the muscular pink stallion just sitting there, looking forward over the ponies that I had heard were called Snow and Cup as they pulled the wagon. They had put the stuff they got from my parents and the store in their saddlebags to my left. I scooted further back in the wagon to get a good wide space in front of me, before I pulled off my own saddlebags with some work, stupid buckles and straps.

    After a couple minutes I set my bags in front of me and glanced to the pink stallion. He was staring at me with a glare, but I was not sure if he was angry, or that was just how his face was. I started rifling through my bags to find any water.

    “What’s your name mister?” my voice came out raspy and sad. Did I really sound like that? My vision started to blur again as I remembered why I would.

    “Name is Blue Rose, I prefer Blue. What were you and your folks doing out there? Nevermind, what everypony does out in the wastes. Scavenging is the only way to live out here.”

    I counted out the things I had in my saddlebags, though it wasn’t much. Three bottles of purified water since my parents said the dirty stuff was very unhealthy, a pair of healing potions in case I got hurt and they weren’t near me, my sleeping blanket and a very hoofy pre-war multitool. The multitool was a bit bigger than my hoof, and had a bunch of things like a screwdriver, a little saw, a knife, a bottle cap and can opener, tweezers, scissors and a metal hoof file. I took out a bottle of water and unscrewed the cap before gulping half the bottle down.

    “Why did you save me?” my voice still sounding sad but the raspiness was mostly gone.

    “Raiders are bad news, even for us folk. Most are just too evil and crazy to even negotiate with, so when I saw you, I made a call. Was hoping for your parents too, but can not win them all.”

He turned away to look ahead again as I took another drink from the bottle, this time more slowly. I screwed the lid back on and put it back before putting my bags back on. I looked left a bit to my parents bags. I scooted towards them before getting a look from Blue. I looked from him to the saddlebags then back at him. He glanced at them, gave a grunt, and turned back forward.

    I pulled Mama’s bag to me first before opening it. I never knew what either of my parents carried with them, only that it was pretty much everything they could find of value. Some food and water along with a bunch of scraps and a long purple and black scarf. What the hay? I pulled the scarf out and unbundled it neatly. It was a scarf that was meant for an adult pony, a deep purple with a solid black stripe running lengthwise through the middle stopping just before bright silver initials ‘S.S.’

    My vision blurred really bad and my eyes started to sting. I slammed my eyes shut as I felt the tears roll down my cheeks. Was this meant for me soon, or when I became a grown up pony? I peeked out at the scarf only to shut my eyes again. Why did they have to leave me alone? So many questions I could never answer, or hear them call my name again. I wrapped the scarf around my neck three times so as to not let it drag on the ground. I felt the warmth of the cloth as I thought about how I wouldn't feel theirs again. My neck was a little stiff from it but that was a minor thing compared to wearing it.

    I wiped my eyes before closing the bags and pushing them back to Papa’s. I looked at Blue and saw him staring at me with his usual scowl, but slightly lessened. I wasn't sure of what to think about it as I scooted to the front of the wagon, and stared out into the empty wasteland full of trees that couldn’t get any deader and rocks and dirt that filled every other spot the trees didn’t.

* * *

    An hour, or what I thought was an hour, passed. The dim light that was there before completely vanished, leaving only dark night and cold air. I thought that traveling at night was a reckless and dangerous thing to do.

    “Alright ponies, this is tonight’s camp ground. Snow and Cup will make the fire and food while Shine and Bang will make the tents.” Blue ordered. I guess he thought it was stupid to continue further. He turned to me, “Step, go wait at the campfire for dinner.” and walked over to his two friends in the other wagon. At least I thought they were friends, why else would they travel together?

    I hopped down off the wagon and walked over to where Snow was placing some dry blackened wood in the middle of a ring of rocks she gathered for a campfire. She blew her light green mane out of her face and looked at me with a smile, and then suddenly looked very sad. A couple of hoofs to her left was a grey stallion with a long dirty yellow mane unpacking a couple of unlabeled metal cans, I think Blue called him Cup.

    I sat down near the not yet on fire campfire and watched Snow work. Every piece of wood or two she would glance at me before returning to her work. I looked around the camp, flanking the wagons were two blue tents on each side. A red stallion with a short yellow mane on the left, and a green stallion with a buzz-cut brown mane on the right. Both were setting up their own pair of tents.

    Blue was talking with his two friends who looked very much alike, each a tan coat and blue mane on one side of their face but opposite sides than each other. They wore black leather barding with some insignia I couldn’t see clearly on the chest. They didn’t seem to wear those black metal necklaces everypony else was wearing.

    “Sorry about the loss of your parents. Being orphaned is never an easy thing”

    I turned back to see Snow talking to me. She picked up the lighter that was at her hooves and lit the black wood, it came to life in an instant. I tried to speak but my throat choked. After a moment I cleared my throat to try again.

    “It’s hard to believe they’re dead... it doesn’t seem all too real. I was with Mama and Papa just this morning and now...” my throat choked up again as I stared at the ground hard enough to burn holes with sheer willpower.

    I felt a hoof on my shoulder as the clang of cans that were set down. I looked up to see a grey face with yellow eyes looking at me.

     “It’s alright little guy, at least you ain’t dead right?”

    Snow walked over and jabbed who I believe to be named Cup in the side. “Why would you think to say that to a recently orphaned child?”

    “Because,” Cup looked over at Snow, “Reality is harsh and ain’t no use lyin’ or softenin’ up the truth to the kid.” He turned his gaze back at me, “Name’s Suction Cup, but I prefer Cup.”

    “Suction... Cup?”

    “Haha, yeah well, my folks always said they done borned me with a toilet plunger. Not sure if that’s true or not, but they died before they ever told me so.”

    “My name’s Silent Step. It’s a pleasure to meet y’all.”

    Snow and Cup glanced at each other before both looking at me with warm smiles. I’m not sure why they did but it made me feel a bit happier inside.

    “Pleasure to meet you too, Silent. This here is Snow Leaf,” he pointed his hoof at the white earth pony, “and those two making the tents are Bang and Shine. Red stallion the former, and green stallion is the latter. This whole camp here seems to be earth ponies. Where’s a unicorn when ya need one?”

    I looked around slowly, realizing what he said was true. Where are the unicorns? There was always a unicorn here or there, at least as much as earth ponies are.

    “Just prepare the food before Master decides you are being forgetful, or worse, lazy.” Snow walked over and sat down next to me with her job finished. Cup sat down and started to use a can opener attached to his hoof with a black strap to open the cans of food. The question seemed to eat at me for some reason now that I was talking to them.

    “Why does everypony except those over there,” I nodded over to Blue Rose and the twins, “have those big metal necklaces?”

    Both Snow and Cup seem to freeze as soon as I finished asking. Cup just slowly turned his head and looked at me with a really sad looking face. I looked up to Snow and she shared his expression. There was an awkward moment of silence before Snow broke it.

    “You don’t know? About who we are and what these are?” she tapped the collar lightly as Cup winced when her hoof connected with the metal. I just shook my head. She looked in Cup’s direction and then met my eyes with a serious look.

    “Do not ask Master Blue about these collars or about us, understand? It’s very important that you understand this.”

    “Uhh... yes ma'am, I understand.” I started to look at the ground again, feeling like I just asked a bad question. A old can of beans was pushed out in front of my face by a grey hoof. I looked up to see Cup smiling at me.

    “Eat up, kid. After today, you must be starving!”

    My stomach suddenly felt like an empty pit and flies were buzzing around inside, making the sounds coming from my gut. I momentarily forgot my manners as I picked up the can with both hooves and shoved my muzzle in the can, devouring all the contents. Cup chuckled as he resumed his job.

    After a minute of various gurgling noises, and nearly choking on my food, I finished eating. The can clanked on the ground as I dropped it, contents consumed by my feeding frenzy.

    “Step, over here.” I looked over to the leftmost tent where Blue was standing. I got to my hooves and trotted over to him. He towered over me by, I think, five times my height. He opened the tent flap with a hoof and gestured inside.

    “You will go to sleep inside, then I will wake you in the morning when we leave for town. We will arrive there tomorrow.”

    I looked back to the campfire to see my new friends watching me, then walked into the tent. Blue let the tent close up, darkness invading what had been the small light from the fire outside. I reached into my saddlebags and pulled out my thick brown blanket with my mouth, setting it down on the ground. My body got very heavy as my vision swayed, making a dull thump as I impacted the cushioned ground. Curling up into a ball, I pulled my scarf over my face to hide more tears that came from my eyes, and to muffle my sobs. As I had done all day, I remembered my parent’s smiles and love as I cried until my throat burned and my eyes felt crusty. I drifted off into a dreamful sleep, where maybe I would meet Mama and Papa again. I’m not sure what I had dreamed that night, but I remember it made me happy.

* * *

    “Silent... Silent...” the voice in a controlled whisper from above me. “Silent...”

    My eyes slowly opened as feeling in my body returned traveling from my chest to my hooves. I looked around groggily, but didn’t see anypony. I closed my eyes again ready to drift back to sleep.

    “Silent... get up. You have to leave at once.”

    Why would somepony wake me up after the day I just had? I sighed, opened my eyes, and took a good look around after my eyes adjusted to the darkness of the tent. I was met with a very big pair of lime green eyes.

    “Ahh! ...Snow? Wha-”

    “Silent, you have to leave. This is not a safe place, nor is it a good one. Pack your things and go. Do not let anypony see which direction you go. Hurry” Snow looked as calm as she normally was, but her voice was a panicked whisper.

    I gathered up my blanket, stuffed it into my saddlebags, strapped them on, and tightened my scarf around my neck ready to go. “What do you mean? You ponies saved me, how can that not be good?”

    “No, this is not a good place, and these are not good ponies. At least the ponies who are not wearing these,” Snow tapped her right forehoof on the bulky black metal collar.

    “Why?” I started walking toward the tent entrance.

    “Because th-”

    Blue’s voice outside barreled  through the blue cloth entrance, “Because the ponies wearing them are slaves, and they have no freedom.” Snow shrank into the corner as Blue walked into the tent.

    I looked up at Blue and something struck me as odd.  I looked at Snow, she was cowering in the corner while looking straight at Blue. I turned back and realized what it was, Blue wasn’t scowlingm instead he looked slightly pleased.

    “Snow, why are you trying to make Step leave, even though I saved his life?”

    Snow’s calm was broken and she started looking for a way past Blue. “Master, I.. I am truly sorry. I, um, I have to-”

    “That was not an answer, Snow.” Blue smiled at her like Mama did when she caught me snacking secretly.

    “Please forgive me! Please...” Snow collapsed onto the ground and covered her face with her forelegs, shivering. Blue looked back at me. I was really confused, what was going on? What does he mean by no freedom?

    “Uh, Mister Blue? What do you mean by no freedom? What are those collars?” I saw Snow start to really shake after I asked that.

    “Why, Step, these collars,” Blue walked over to Snow slowly before tapping his hoof on the collar, “are bombs that will explode if anypony that is wearing them get a certain distance away from me. Why, let me give you an example. Snow, would you walk outside.” It wasn’t a question.

    Snow’s eyes started to water as she stood up and walked out of the tent. Blue and I followed, walking to the edge of the camp. Snow looked back, her face soaked with tears but not a sound came from her.

    “Snow, continue walking straight ahead until I say to stop. Now Step, there is a meaning to the collars and what they symbolize to other ponies.” Snow took a couple of steps forward, spots on the ground darkened even more as she passed them.

    “Mister Blue, what is she doing? What’s goin’ on?” I looked from him to Snow walking further away.

    “Step, listen to me. What she did, asking you to leave, was not her place nor was it her right. There is an order and she failed to follow it.” When Snow was what I think is fifty hoofs away, I heard a beep.

    “Master Blue?” Snow stopped in her tracks as another beep came from her direction. Her voice sounded worried.

    “Keep going forward, my dear. I have not told you to stop.” Snow started walking again as the beeping got louder and faster paced.

    “What’s happenin’ Mister Blue? Why is it beeping?” I felt like I knew the answer but I didn’t want to think about it.

    “Step, is it not obvious?” Snow was roughly a hundred hoofs away, almost the entire length of our camp. “Well then, Snow? Continue”

    Snow continued walking, I could no longer see her face clearly and all I heard was that beeping. I looked to Blue and he was smiling wildly with a pleased look on his face. I turned back to Snow. I knew what was happening, but it couldn’t really be true!

beepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeBANG

    A flash of light and an explosion that wasn’t all that loud sounded out from Snow as her head disappeared. Small chunks of meat with white and green hair littered the area around her as her once white body now stained with dark red. Her corpse took another step, as if she didn’t realize she was dead, before falling forward with a sick wet thud.

    “Snow, stop. See there, Step, that is what happens when you do not obey the rules. The beeping is a warning, and it is all you get. Now go back to sleep.” Blue said with finality as he turned around and headed back to his tent next to mine.

    I just stared ahead as Snow’s headless corpse, dyed red with her blood, a pool starting beneath her. I started to cry without making a sound, as she did. Not once did she make a noise to give her murderer any more joy than what he was getting. My stomach tightened, my head got dizzy, and I vomited all of the beans I had previously onto my forehooves. The last thing I remember before passing out on the spot was how beans are pretty tasteless on the way back up.

* * *

    Sounds of ponies moving around and wood and metal shifting ended my rather poor sleep. My fur around my chest felt grimy with a rather nasty smell. I still didn’t want to open my eyes to get up, but a sharp pain of somepony stepping on my tail decided otherwise. I yelped and looked up through blurry dry eyes to see the Cup looming over me.

    “Get up runt, and go take down your tent.” he hissed.

    “Whuh, Cup? Why di.. what’s goin’ on?” my brain decided not to fully function this morning. I couldn’t blame it, the previous day really sucked. He stepped down on my tail again as to prove a point I didn’t get.

    “Goddesses, do you even realize what happened? Snow died! DIED, because she decided to try and help the poor foal who had his parents killed.”

    The haze around my reality lifted, and crashed into me at top speed. My eyes snapped open as I looked around in a circle before spotting a red and white mound in the distance. Oh Celestia, they couldn’t even get her body without ending up like that themselves.

    “But Cup, I didn’t cause...” I took a moment to take in what he said. Why Snow was dead was clear, Blue had made it so. I looked down averting Cup’s eyes. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know that would happen.”

    “That doesn’t bring back my marefriend, now does it? She was here the longest of all of us. It’s a simple slave life under Blue as long as you don’t fuck him over. I... I just don’t know why she did it, the wasteland ain’t easy on nopony. It isn’t something new.”

    He lifted his hoof off my tail and just walked away, to resume whatever he was doing before this I guess. I watched him leave, feeling sorry for him and Snow, but it still wasn’t my fault. I didn’t ask for help because I didn’t even know I needed it. Stupid ponies and their emotions. I stood up and looked at my legs and chest. Ugh, I was covered with my own dried vomit. I brushed most of it off my chest, but couldn’t scrape it good enough off of my legs. Whatever, a bit of grime wasn’t as bad as the ache my body was feeling because I slept on hard rock and dirt.

    I trotted my way back over to my tent, scraping whatever dried vomit I could against large rocks on my way while stretching my aching muscles, and arrived at my blue tent. Now how did this thing even stand up? I took a peek inside and saw a familiar looking pair on metal rods on each side in the middle. So those hold it up, huh, well that’s easily fixed. I backed out, faced my rear to the entrance-side metal pole, and bucked. The pole tilted as the shock came back into my legs, forcing me to fall to the ground with a thud. I stood up and looked at it. It still stood firm even at an angle, oh wait, it’s stuck into the ground. No wonder!

    I climbed to the top end of the tilted pole, and start to shift my weight up and down to make it fall, succeeding after a few tries. Hooray! I went ahead and did the same thing to the other pole, and soon had my tent down. I walked to the corners, pulled the stakes out of the ground, packed the tent in a bundle with the stuff set by it, and walked to find Blue.

    Even though I knew Blue killed Snow, and it was his fault, I still had to think it was mostly Snow’s fault for even trying. She must’ve known what would happen. Best put that out of my mind, it wasn’t helping me at all. I glanced back to my tent to see Bang gather up the stuff and continue on. I wonder if he and Shine hated me for it, I didn’t really talk to them at all.  I found Blue sitting down sharpening his javelins while talking to one of the armored twins next to side of one of the wagons. I stopped just as I started to hear them talking.

    “...the wagon now? What was the oh so important reason you had to go and kill one of the slaves Blue? GAH! What are we going to do, rather what are YOU going to do about this?”  He looked really angry, so much I thought he was foaming at the mouth.

    “Apricot, she disobeyed my rules and I have a no tolerance policy for this. I don’t abuse or mistreat my merchandise and they don’t have to starve as long as they remember who is in charge. I liked Snow, I did, but if I just waved this incident by it wouldn’t be good for my reputation.” Blue continued sharpening his javelins metal head without looking at Apricot.

    “That does NOT solve th-” Blue interrupted him.

    “The wagon problem is easily fixed. Either you or your brother can pull it with Cup. I’ll pay whichever one a bonus on top of your share for the supplies profits. Sounds fair, no?”

    Apricot just looked disgusted as if the thought of pulling a wagon next to a slave was just unbelievable. “Us? Why don’t you pull it, since you went and killed the slave for some petty reason.”

    Blue froze in place as soon as the last word entered his ears. His scowl darkened as he stood up to his impressive full height, which was a head taller than the tan earth pony next to him. Apricot seemed to regret his statement just a bit, or he was just scared with good reason.

    “Petty? I’ll let that slide for now, but are you really suggesting that I do something that you wouldn’t? No, these are my wagons and my slaves, and you do not tell me what to do. I like to believe I’m fair, so suggest your price for either of you to pull the wagon.”

    Apricot backed up a couple steps before erasing the cowardice on his face, and met Blue’s look with his own blue eyes. “200 caps, and I’ll pull it. No less, because we should get going soon. Non-negotiable.”

    “Alright,” Blue walked over to a couple of large bags in the back of the wagon, and pulled out two small brown cloth bags that jingled as he carried them. With a fling of his head they landed right at Apricot’s hooves. “I’ll give it upfront just so we can move on.”

    Apricot grabbed the bags in his mouth, and quickly trotted back to his brother who was in the other wagon. Blue walked over to me, and yelled, “We are leaving in ONE minute, so get ready.” He hopped up onto the wagon and motioned for me to climb up, so I did.

    I didn’t even think about how Snow’s death would affect everything like this. Had Blue known or was he just not concerned at the time? Bang and Shine hooked up to the other wagon with, I think, Apricot’s brother sitting in it. I can’t tell them apart, but the other twin hooked up to our wagon with Cup, and we set off.

    I looked up to Blue who was just staring out ahead like he always did. I just had to ask, it just itched my mind to think about it. I needed an answer even if I didn’t like it.

    “Mister Blue... why did you have Snow walk out there? No, I know why you did, it’s because she broke them rules. Did you know stuff would go badly because of it? I don’t understand.”

    He just turned his head and looked at me with his usual scowl, and sighed. “I was not thinking about it, I’ll admit,” he shot a glance at the twin pulling our wagon, "It was a waste of caps, but that doesn’t mean I regret it.”

    He turned back ahead and we sat in silence. It was a waste of caps? I guess he means he bought her, or was she worth caps to sell, I don’t know. This was all confusing, why do ponies hurt each other? I bundled my scarf up tighter and just sat there looking over the dead land and cloudy skies. Mama, Papa and now Snow. I would like to think today would be better, that it can’t be any worse than yesterday. I fought back the tears that were coming up. No! I had to be strong, now that nopony was there to be strong for me. I didn't know much about the wasteland other than the basics of what my parents taught me. They always did the scary stuff, but now I wish they hadn’t hid me from it. I... I was just so lost. The sound of wagon wheels and pony hooves treading dirt and rocks filled the air as time passed on.

* * *

    The light of day changed from the dim orange haze of the morning to the bright glory of the early afternoon as we traveled across the wasteland. I stayed silent for the rest of the trip, not wanting to bother anypony pulling the wagons. The twin who was pulling my wagon seemed far more exhausted than Cup did. I doubted he did that kind of thing often, but didn’t dare laugh or it might be my turn to pull. I gulped at the thought of even trying to move Blue, let alone him and a wagon full of stuff.

    “I can see it from here, it is only a short ways now.” Blue informed everypony else. I looked to ahead in the distance to see what looked like a town. It looked like somepony took a whole yard of old train cars and made a barricade, and then built walls and buildings behind that barricade with even more train cars. I could only imagine what it took to move one of those, probably some fancy magic or a team of earth ponies. I’ve never been to this town before, so I started to ask Blue what it was.

    “We should be at New Appleloosa in an hour,” Blue answered before I even opened my mouth. I stared at the town in the distance. I wondered how many ponies lived there, was it a nice place? Did it have another kids around my age? My sadness got swept away by these thoughts of excitement and curiosity of a place I had never been. Adjusting my posture into one more comfortable, we marched onward. Figuratively speaking, of course, since I was sitting in the wagon.

* * *

    “State your business in New Appleloosa.”

    Three leather barded sentries stood at the entrance gate of the town. The pony speaking was a brown unicorn mare with a red tail, as her mane was hidden under a leather cap. Both wagons stood side by side in front of a large fenced gate between two stacks of rusted colored train cars three cars high. You would have to be able to fly to get over it without going through the gate. Blue turned toward the guard.

    “We wish to sell our wares and purchase any supplies we require. Is that all?” He didn’t change his normal angry sounding voice at all. I was almost glad, seeing him out out of his usual personality was not something I wanted to be around for.

    The guard looked over our wagons, at the necklaces of the slaves, and waved us through. I thought slavery was a bad thing, why were they ignoring it? I didn’t even think what kind of town this would've been, though looking back it was the type of town that Blue and his friends were willingly going to.

    As the wagons were pulled into the town I was greeted with a view of civilization. Ponies were walking around the street and talking up merchants at their own carts and such. It didn’t have the look of an evil town at all, so maybe it wasn’t? Blue hopped off the wagon as the slaves unharnessed themselves and the twin struggled to, looking like he was about to pass out. His brother, who I was still not sure which one was which, went over to help him.

    “Step, I am going to give you a choice almost nopony else would,” Blue appeared in front of me. Hadn’t he just been on the other side? ”You can stay here in this town and try to live, or you can come with me. I won’t be your parent, or a guardian. You will take care of yourself and earn your place. You will do that in anyway here, but would you rather do it alone or with me? I’ll give you until we leave to make a decision, I am going to go do my business around town.”

    He took some bags from the cart, more than I could've even dragged. “Shine, watch the carts. Bang, you’re with me,” and they walked off. A group of four ponies stared at Blue from a corner of a building, all armed and with armor. I dug into my saddlebags and pulled out the half-empty purified water bottle, unscrewing the top and drinking the rest. I put the empty bottle back in my bags and hopped off the cart.

    Blue’s offer was a solid one. I could try and make it on my own, but that sounded a lot harder than just working for Blue. I don’t think he would make me wear a collar if he was giving me this choice now. I wonder why he was even offering? I couldn’t see him in an evil way, even if he was a slaver and got Snow killed. I walked over to the green stallion with shortly cut mane.

    “Um... hey, Shine, right?” He nodded, “My parents just kinda died, and I’m really confused. Blue said I could stay here or work for him, but I’m not really that sure what to do. I know you might not care, but could you tell me what you think?”

    Shine just stared at me for a minute, thinking I guess, or maybe he just didn’t talk. “I’m not sure, kid. You saw what happened to Snow, not that I blame you for it. Blue is pretty good to us slaves, unlike... well, just about every other slaver. However, if you break his rules, there is no second chance. I have worked for him for what I can count as seven months. If you decide to go your own way, you could probably make it. Do some odd jobs around town or try it out in the wastes. That’s my advice.”

    “Oh, okay...” As much as that helped, it still didn’t seem like I had a good choice. “Why would Blue even give me a choice? Not that I don’t appreciate it, ya know?”

    Shine just shrugged, “I guess he isn’t the most vicious bastard in the wasteland or has a soft spot for kids, either way you should think about it. Don’t think your life is at the bottom of the barrel. It can always get worse, so take what you can.”

    “Thanks for listening, Shine. I really appreciate it.” I tightened my scarf so it didn’t drag on the ground much, and walked over to a random building on the left side of the street. It was a large box train car with railing extending from both sides to show the entrance side. It was faded blue and brown, covered in rust and other various stuff I couldn’t identify or even want to know. I walked up to the wooden door that was put in a spot where metal was cut out with a torch or magic, and opened up to walk through.

    A big sign in the back read ‘Blossom’s Brutal Weaponry’ behind a counter where a purple and red maned mare stood. Weapons of all kind were stacked and pinned to the sides of the store, hanging in various manners. Boxes of bullets were by the counter side, organized by what kind they were. I walked around the store, inspecting different items. My parents never let me have a weapon before, always choosing to just tell me to go and hide. Well they weren’t here anymore and it was up to me to keep myself safe.

    “Hey runt, not that I wouldn’t sell you a weapon, but do ya even have any caps?” the mare who I would guess is Blossom asked from behind her register.

    “I have a couple, how much does a weapon cost?”

    She facehoofed. I guess it was way more than I had. “Okay, whatever. Just don’t be touchin’ anythin’ or I’ll go over there and brand your blank flank a thief.”

    I nodded and went back to looking around. Assault rifles of different kinds and conditions were next to a stack of boxy black pistols. Scopes of different sizes were over by the counter on a table. Everything that seemed that you could probably steal quickly was all placed by the owner herself. I walked to the mouthheld weaponry, eyeing this very large hammer. The card on the crushed my hopes of ever owning it.

Super Sledge

320 caps

“One hit to end your troubles”

    I spent another hour or so browsing the shop, asking Blossom every so often about the weapons. She seemed pleased to inform me about how they work, what kind of ammo types they can use, and especially the details of what happens when you use them. After she went into great detail about this time she used the super sledge on a raider, I had a mix of awe and disgust for the weapon, not that I could've hoped to lift it.

    I waved goodbye to Blossom as I exited her store since I couldn’t buy anything. Blue was outside putting bags into his wagon, with everypony returned except the twins. I approached the wagon to tell Blue I was going to work for him. He did save my life and didn’t seem that bad, at least he wasn’t worse. I got up to him and opened my mouth to speak.

    A thunderous bang exploded from somewhere, echoing throughout the town. My vision went red as Blue’s head was ripped apart by an unseen force, sending his blood into my eyes. I had a wet bitter taste in my mouth, and spat it out to see even more red. Eww, I had Blue in my mouth. With another echoing bang Blue’s stomach ruptured and his guts were sent everywhere, including all over me. The smell was foul and fresh, as sick at that sounds. I relieved my stomach of what little contents it had all over my forehooves, again.

    Why is everypony dying around me? I wiped my eyes with my puke-covered hoof only to get clearer vision with a bad stinging sensation, making them tear up. I looked around, and saw both the twins on top of a train car building further down the street, and could see a big black rifle with a long barrel pointed in our direction. Why did they shoot him? Revenge for pulling the wagon, or some other reason I probably didn't know.. Shine and Bang both hid behind their wagon as Cup ran toward me.

    “Get out of the way!” he ran to Blue’s headless and destroyed corpse, rummaging around in his saddlebags and barding. I turned to run when another explosive bang rang out, a spot of earth becoming a small hoof-sized crater next to Cup. I looked back to where I saw the twins and saw the four armored ponies from before with their weapons in mouth and magic, firing upon the brothers on top the building.

    My mind was racing in confusion and terror, and I think I wet myself at some point as I climbed on top the wagon Blue put some bags on. They were big for me, normal for an adult pony, but I was confident I could carry them. Don’t let it be said an earth pony couldn’t pull his own weight, and many times more. Before I picked them up I spotted my parents pair of saddlebags still sitting on top of each other in a bundle. More emotions entered my already fragile state of mind, why did this have to happen? I ran to them, grabbed them with my mouth and tossed them on my back, and hopped off the wagon.

    I looked over to see two of the armored ponies lying in pools of their own blood, the other two behind some carts and boxes firing back. Only one twin seemed to still be alive on the roof, but it was only a guess. Who were those ponies and why did they fight? Argh, this wasn’t the time for my questioning mind! More ponies were coming out into the street to see the spectacle, even though a stray bullet would be the last thing they see. What was it about violence that ponies seemed to be drawn to? I weaved between the legs of taller and older ponies before reaching the tall fenced gate.

    The gate was open, letting a cart of random stuff I didn’t get a good look at pulled by a single unicorn. I ran through the opening and turned to my right sharply, sliding on the grounding as I took off into the wasteland. I didn’t care if I was on my own, or anything else. So much bad things have happened in such a short time, I just wanted to be away from it. My run turned into a sprint as I pumped all my strength into my legs. Running was fun, it was easy, and it cleared my mind and didn’t make me think about the past days or the future. I closed my eyes, which is normally dangerous when sprinting with all your strength, but I didn’t care.

    The light of the day disappeared, letting the darkness overtake the land. I kept running until my legs gave out and my body ached. I slowed down to a crawl before dropping on the spot. I smelled rotten and my whole body shivered. My scarf felt so very wrong, my mind screamed to clean it. I opened my eyes a crack to see a flash of light from behind me. I glanced back and saw what I would have never thought I would’ve saw. My cutie mark! A brilliant silver horseshoe with with a single bright white wing on my tail's side on my dark blue flank. Happiness overpowered my sad and horror leaving me in a blissful state as I closed my eyes again, to let my mind have a rest from an awful couple days.

Footnote: Level Up

Skill Note: Sneak 50

New Perk: Silent Running: Your speed of movement and armor/item weight do not affect your sneaking.

Strength - 8

Perception - 5

Endurance - 7

Charisma - 5

Intelligence - 6

Agility - 6

Luck - 3

((A/N: Huge thanks to Kkat for creating the Fallout Equestria universe, and shout out to all other side-fics of FoE. You folks are awesome! Any and all feedback is welcome and wanted.))