Fallout Equestria: The Ink, and The Cherry

      I opened my eyes hoping to be back on the train, but to no avail. I was still in Flaming Bullets shack. I sighed, and rose to my hooves Cherry was fast asleep curled up holding her plushie for dear life. I took a look around the small one room shack. One bed where Flaming Bullet was sound asleep, a cabinet that was as you guessed locked, a fridge, a first aid box locked, and a battle saddle way to big for FB...Don't give him a nickname you'll grow attached to him, and you need to get as far away as possible! I kept telling myself that, but an hour later I hadn't taken anything, and I'd stayed sitting on the floor next to the door.

      By my Pip-bucks logic it was twenty minuets later when my companions awoke. "Morning...looks like you didn't rob me so that's good." replied Flaming with a stretch "Who's hungry?" the colt asked. I raised my hoof as did Cherry "How does a can of Pea, and Beans sound?" I was fine with it so I accepted a can, but Cherry got a box of Fancy Pants Snack Cakes. I used to love those before those bombs hit. I levitated a can opener over, and quickly removed the lid. Using the discarded lid as a spoon I began to eat the 200 year old peas, and beans they were rather...weird, but apparently they were popular out in the wastes.

      "So can you tell me a little about yourself?" I asked Flaming. He just shrugged, and took a sip of Sparkle Cola to wash down his Big Mac 'n' Cheese.

"Not much to tell. My brother was killed by raiders three years back, I never knew my parents, and I'm a damn good shot." he stated taking another bite out of his breakfast. "What can you tell me about you two? Aside from the other time thing."

      I told him the summary of my life (excluding a few...personal things and the boring junk) about how my mother died when I was three, how my dad became an alcoholic shortly afterwards, some funny stories from my old school in Trottingham. My life was rather boring. "What about you Cherry? Care to join the bonding session?" I asked the pink, and white speckled mare.

"I...I don't really talk about my past much if that's okay with you..." she answered, and I pressed no further not wanting to push away the only pony I truly trusted.

After the meal was done I mostly just sat around trying to make small talk with my new companions while Flaming tinkered with a few guns out of boredom. When I got tired of what I had been doing I looked at my Pip-buck turning the knob to the radio I was surprised to see a station labeled 'DJ-Pon3' that was Vynls old title well it's good to know she was remembered at least. I clicked the edge of my right hoof against a button, and selected the radio station. "Hey there everypony this is DJ-Pon3, and I'm here to make a very special announcement. Apparently Somepony has riled up the ghouls in the area near Canterlot. These ghouls are feral mind you, and will eat you the first chance they got. Apparently a trio of ponies alerted them by what seemed to be accident. Hopefully they are still kicking cause I'd like to say hi." said the stallion on the radio "This is DJ-Pon3 saying goodbye...for now." As soon as his message ended some old song started playing I couldn't make out the name. I was a little shocked. This man wanted to congratulate them for nearly dying? At least he warned other ponies not to come here that was nice of him.

      Still in my thoughts I didn't notice Flaming drop a pistol in front of me until he poked me with his hoof. I clicked the radio off. "Yes?" I asked.

"Grab that gun your gonna learn to shoot." Flaming said more of an order than an request. I was hesitant obviously, but I had to come to terms someday that this wasn't my Equestria. This was the Equestrian Wasteland now, and everything wanted to rob, kill, eat, and rape you in that order. I used my magic to levitate the gun. I knew guns very well this model was a Ironshod Bonecracker model 2.5. They only fired armor peircing rounds so that was a downside, but it would be delt with easily. "Go out back your friend is waiting for you." You know for a colt he seemed to be the adult of the group.

      Outside was pretty bad. The clouds completely covered the sky blocking out the sun, and the ground was brown and cracked. Behind the house (shack) was a bunch of crates with empty Sunrise Saspirilla bottles lined up on them in a neat line. "Lemme guess target practice?" I asked Flaming nodded in reply, and I just levitated the gun in front of me. Cherry on the other hoof wasn't. She was sitting on a homemade stool off on the sidelines holding her plushie to her chest.

      I will say it I sucked at aiming that pistol. I either missed, or hit one of the crates. I only managed to hit three bottles total. "Man you suck." Thanks for stating the obvious Flaming! "I would say it was hard for me at the start, but that'd be a lie." I mentally groaned and reloaded the special 10mm hoof-gun when I noticed a rifle of sorts propped up against one of the crates. Taking a closer look I discovered it was a 'Ironshod arms 5.56 assault rifle model 7' a bit basic, but I was willing to try.

      "Mind if I shoot this a few times?" I asked. Flaming thought for a second then shrugged. Good enough for me.  I lined up the sights on one of the bottles, breathed in, and fired. The shot sailed true, and the bottle erupted in a explosion of glass. "Ding ding ding we have a winner!"

Footnote

Perk gained- Soldier at heart- When using military hard ware (Assault rifles, mini guns, combat pistols, etc.) accuracy, and damage double.

      Turns out the only reason he wanted to see how good we fought was so he could actually scavenge Ponyville. To bad he wasted so much time when we got there the raiders were already dead and Flaming found a revolver just sitting on the ground. "Well let's see what we can find." announced my young companion. Cherry was holding down the fort. Well shack while we were out even though she refused to pick up a gun.

      We split up Flaming would check the northern side of town, and I got to check the south. My trip was rather boring to say the least up until I reached the school. Ghouls everywhere was all I could think as I looked inside the school house I went to every weekday before shit hit the fan. My anger boiled as I saw the fresh corpses inside of not only children, but a few ponies my age. Those ghouls had butchered them...and now I was going to kill them. I loaded my assault rifle, and prepared to buck down the door. I breathed in, and reared my hind hooves before lashing them out, and bucking the door open.

      Any doubts about killing were erased when fighting these creatures they were insane, flesh hungry, murderers. They were like rabid animals, and rabid animals needed to be put down. My rifle spat an entire magazine of lead death into the horde. When I ran out I mearly levitated a new mag from my saddlebags and reloaded then continued my attack. In record time (well I just made my own record) I had cleared out the schoolhouse of ghouls, and was reloading my rifle when I heard the clopping of hooves behind me. I activated the Eyes Forward Sparkle (E.F.S for short) and checked if the noise was hostile. It's blip was green that meant it was safe.

      "I don't want to hurt you...but I will if I have to!" said a female voice with a hint of a Manehattan accent. I slowly turned around to face my captor she looked a full two years younger than me, but far more experianced. Her fur was dark purple, and her mane, and eyes were a light turquoise. She was wearing a dark black battle saddle with a...assault rifle that put mine to shame. It was modified with an ACOG scope, a drum mag, a long barrel, and a laser sight. It's body was painted with an forest camoflouge design.

      "Calm down" I asked "I'm not going to hurt you..." I was shut up by a bullet hitting the floor boards in between my two front legs. I gulped loudly.

"Yes you are all stallions are the same! They hurt you, take what they want, and leave...I'm not going to let you do that to me!" she yelled aiming the rifle at my heart. She was physically trembling I went to reach out with my hoof and comfort her, but when I did she just tensed up, and steadied her rifle again this time aimed at my forehead. Nervous sweat ran down my face stinging my eyes.

      "Well most stallions around the wasteland might. I'm not from this wasteland or this time. I was put in suspended animation when the bombs dropped...I woke up a day ago." I told the mare. She raised an eyebrow no longer quite as angry she was actually curious.

"How do I know your not lieing?" she asked calmly as she slowly backed up until she was in the doorway.

      "You don't, but I can assure you I'm telling the truth...Flaming can you please not shoot the lady in the doorway?" I asked seeing Flaming Bullet down the dirt path that connected to the schoolyard holding his unique .44 magnum in his levitation. The mare spun around and saw my ally holstering his gun. "See were all friends here..."

"My friends are dead." she said bitterly then I remembered the corpses behind me mangled, and bloodied by ghouls "Those rotten bastards got them..." she sighed, and then moved her muzzle away from the mouth trigger "Can you promise me that you, and no one else in your group will violate, harm, or kill me? If you can...I'll accompany you my friends are dead, and I'd rather not die too."

      I made that promise, and I swore to Celestia that it would never be broken! "What's your name?"

"Redemption...Redemption 4 ex slave, and now survivor of the wastes." she answered, and with that we were off back to the shack. This family just got bigger, and bigger...

Footnote

Follower Perk Gained- Redemption- When you have negative karma you gain twice as much good karma from good tasks with Redemption in the party.