Fallout: Equestria - Of Wings and Stripes

Chapters

Chapter 1: Grounded
Chapter 2: A Strange New World
Chapter 3: A True, True Friend
Chapter 4: Secret
Chapter 5: News

Chapter 1: Grounded

By Peppermint Sparkle (AKA Betsy Walker)

Chapter 1: Grounded

Once upon a time, in the magical land of Equestria...

War fell over the world, Balefire Bombs destroyed the landscape and poisoned everything. Nopony who stayed on the surface was safe, but there were the ponies that were put into the Stables, put in the only place they could be safe.

I'm a 7th generation Stable pony. My name? Peppermint Sparkle. From Stable Two. Now, your thinking that it's cool that my family got to be saved and all by being put into the stables... No. That we've had seven generations of ponies in this Stable, that means that the surface is still a poisoned, radioactive wasteland that could kill us on the spot. So we're stuck here, for our entire lives. Soooo boring.

And another thing... I'm the only Pegasus in this Stable. And only because of somepony being a Pegasus down my mother's line. That makes me different... And that makes this pony have a very small amount of ponies I can call friends. And as if that's not enough... I'm also the only zebra in Two. Well... Kinda. I'm a hybrid. In my red pelt are white stripes, covering my whole body. That's where my name came from, the Peppermint part at least. I kinda look like a Candy Cane. The Sparkle part, well, my mom says that's because my eyes were sparkling when she first picked me up. But the way she says it... Sometimes I was sure she was hiding something. She acted like she cared... But in reality, whenever I looked into that Unicorn's eyes, I saw fear. So as soon as I could, I moved out. She hasn't even tried to contact me since... As for my father... There's no way to determine what buck he is. Could be multiple. If you catch my drift...

Anyways... My life here is kinda shitty. But I deal. I make Candy Canes and other candies, mints and candies. I do other stuff at the Fudge's Haus of Sweet Delites where I work but... Peppermint is my specialty. Everything else just... Isn't as good.

"Hey, Peppermint!" I heard a familiar voice call down the hall as I flapped back to my room from work. Turning around, I saw that it was one of the only ponies that was truly my friend, and not just using me for a Stable Service project... LittlePip. The mare who had gotten her Cutie Mark last in our class. She was like me: a loner. We only had each other most of the time.

"Oh, hey Pip. What's up?"

"Other than you?" She smirked.

"Long day, so no Pegasus jokes, okay?" I sighed a little, strain in my voice from holding in my tears all day...

"What happened?" She asked, sensing my sadness.

I hovered in the air for a moment, pondering telling her or not. Finally, I gave in, letting out another sigh. "A couple jerk bucks had pushed me earlier and..." I took a deep breath and said the next part as fast as I could, trying to be inaudible. Tried to bend my wings off and cut off my stripes. Look, it's not-"

She cut me off, turning around to face me with a blazing anger in her eyes. "Not a big deal??? Peppermint!!! It IS a big deal!!! You should tell somepony at Security or, Goddesses, go to the Overmare!!!" She stamped a hoof. "I am tired of my friend getting... Bullied because of the way she looks!!! It's outrageous!!!"

I smiled, seeing someone get mad over a wrongdoing done to me was a really good feeling when nopony cared for you. She looked up at me after a moment, and laughed a little.

"Yeah, you do have people who care, Peppermint Sparkle." She said, and poked me with a hoof. "And don't you ever forget it." I gave her another smile, and we hoofbumped. With that, we went our separate ways.

I arrived back at my quarters about a minute later. Closing the door behind me, I slumped into a ball, leaning my head up against the door. Even with Pip's friendliness towards me, I still was a total wreck. I closed my eyes, and tears flowed from them. I sniffled, wiping my face dry every few seconds with my hoof. Sputteringly, I was wailing as quietly as I could. And... as much as I didn't want to, I was instantly reliving the entire ordeal over in my mind.

Work had just gotten off, and I was carrying a box of my own freshly made Candy Canes in my hooves as I started flying home. One dark, alleyway like hallway was on the way that I always went, and I pulled out a Candy Cane and popped it in my mouth, licking at the sweet taste of the mint.

In that brief moment, I was distracted as I savored my treat. Next thing I knew a dark grey hoof was flying across my muzzle and covering my mouth, and dragging me into the alley. The pony threw me down, and I scrambled up against the wall in fear. I stared into the deep yellow eyes of what I realized to be an Earth Pony, which were sticking out like a sore hoof in his near black coat, and knew that I was in trouble.

"Oh look, it's ShittyMint ZebraFlyer. What a joy it'll be beating her to a pulp!" He grinned.

"L-leave me alone..." I muttered quietly, wanting to beat my wings in his face and fly off but... That would only draw attention to myself.

"What the buck did you just say, bitch?!?" Another one, a blood red coated unicorn buck yelled at me, slapping me across the face with his hoof.

"Nothing!!!" I screamed as loud as I could, trying to catch somepony, anypony's attention.

"That's what I fucking thought! Midnight, hold her down. It's time to show this little bitch mare why there haven't been any Pegasi in Stable Two in over a century."

Two strong hooves from the Earth Pony came down on my shoulders, slamming me face first into the cement. I tried to wiggle free, but the buck was too strong and I wasn't going anywhere.

"Flap your Celestia damned wings, you little bitch! Flap them!!!!" The red one yelled at me as he turned around and bucked hard at my flank. "Do it now or I fucking swear to Luna I will let every one of my gang rape you so hard your fucking pussy will break! And then we'll just all stick our dicks in and rape you some more!!! We'll see if you really smell minty all the time!!!!" He laughed, bringing his front hooves down on my back. "FLAP YOUR FUCKING WINGS YOU WHORE!!!!"

Crying now, I did as they asked, flapping hard, wishing they could carry me away. I felt hooves on one side of each wing, pushing them together like a sandwich.

"That's a good little bitch. Now, we're gonna do something I'd like to call... Dewinging the Bitchy Little Pegasus." He grinned, and slammed my wings down towards the ground, past the point they well... Went.

I screamed, and with a huge burst of energy, kicked out my back hooves, pushing my wings upwards, and slamming my hoof in the face of the pony that had been holding me down. I shot upwards, and flapped to get away.

Then a strange feeling came over me, and the realization flooded in like... Maybe real sunlight? Anyways, I realized that I was in a grey levitation field.

"You know what? Fuck breaking your wings. You ain't just a fucking Pegasus. You're a GODDESS-DAMNED ZEBRA." He glared at me. "It's time for the little Pegasus Zebra BITCH to learn why my fucking name is Blade!!!" He stretched his magic out and pulled out a knife... A switch blade, and suddenly I knew who he was.

Switch Blade. One of the first ponies in our class to get his Cutie Mark. At this point, I knew I was screwed. He was a fighter in school and came near killing a few ponies. I mean COME ON. When somepony's Cutie Mark is a knife... Good Celestia, help me! I might as well have been dead already, because I WAS TOTALLY DEAD!

Hooves hit my shoulders again, pushing me down as he let me go from his magic. "Do whatever you want to creep the little bitch out, Midnight. No fucking her though. You'll get her later, after we cut the fucking stripes off of her."

NOO!!! I screamed in my head. NONONONONONONOOOO!!! THEY ARE MY STRIPES MINE THEY'RE MINE!!! DAMMIT YOU CANT HAVE THEM YOU-

A scream flew out of my mouth again, cutting off my thoughts as his blade was thrusted in at least a half an inch deep my leg where I knew one of my stripes was. Again I felt a rush of enegry and pushed up, even stronger than before. My wings ached, and the jump dragged the knife through farther, making it hurt worse. I didn't waste even a second to dash off, powerfully flapping my wings, away from my potential rapists and murderers.

Hooves followed behind me, thundering through the ground with each hoof beat. I sped up, my contrail stretching out as I flew for my life. Suddenly the hooves stopped as I heard Switch Blade's voice call out to his thug. "Forget it, Midnight! We ever see the little bitch again, we won't even waste a second to fuck her so hard she dies!!!"

With a shudder, I pushed my wings and myself further away.

My tear soaked eyes flew open as I felt a hoof rapping against the door.I lifted my head up, and the knocking confined to be persistent. Standing up, I pushed the lever and opened my door.

To see Velvet Remedy standing in my doorway.

She smiled warmly at me. "Hi, Peppermint. I heard crying so... I figured I should check in on somepony... Goddesses, your leg!!! You're bleeding!!!"

I looked down, and saw the stripe where Blade had stabbed me, and it was dripping in blood. Dammit.

"Let me in, I can help!" She squeaked, and I moved aside. She came in and shut the door with her magic, instructing me to sit down on the bed. Before I knew what was happening, she was cleaning the blood off with antiseptic wipes and wrapping it up in bandages, tying them tight to stop the blood.

"Wow... I didn't know you were good with medic stuff... Velvet." I said, trying to use her name like I was actually her friend. Yeah, right! She was a singer who was on the radio!!!! I mean... I sing too. But nopony wanted to admit that the winged and striped mare was actually talented.

"It's... A hobby." She said, sounding like she didn't want to talk about it. Not wanting to seem pushy, I decided to drop it.

"Cool... Umm... Thanks for dropping by. I..." Celestia dammit! Another tear rolled down my cheek.

"Peppermint, what happened?" She asked, staring up at me with deep blue eyes that seemed even bluer than I felt inside.

And that's when I broke down. That's when I started bawling, and told her every single detail of what had happened. By the end of it, I was curled up into a ball like a filly, tears flowing out of my eyes like faucets, and Velvet was hugging me tight as I rocked back and forth miserably.

"You should tell somepony in security!" She told me, reiterating Pip's earlier statement.

"I can't! Blade's thug... Midnight... I swear remembering that he's in Security!" I sniffled. It was all way too much to handle and keep balled up, and was past the point of caring if somepony saw me crying my eyes out.

We sat there in silence for what seemed like ages, me wondering what Velvet was thinking about, until out of nowhere, she started singing.

"Don't cry, Peppermint
Fear not, Peppermint
Don't you know you're not alone?

For there is one who is watching you
Don't you understand?
You're special in the eyes of Celestia
Don't let those ponies bend

Who you are
You can't let them
Eat through your soul
Oh, no
You can't let them
Take control..."

Having her singing to me... There was something about it that really did make me feel better. Her honey sweet voice... It was healing. Feeling incredibly brave, I suddenly wrapped my hooves around her in a hug. "T-thanks... That was beautiful..."

I looked over to see her smile at me. "No problem. If I can help anypony, I'm more than willing to do it. And... That would make a really good song. I'd like to record it... Oh but I used your name... Would you rather me change it?"

Thinking back to Blade and Midnight, I nodded. "It'd be way too obvious that I'd told if you put my name in... But that would be awesome if you recorded it..." I let go of her and sat up.

"Alright... Well, it's getting late. I've got a show in about an hour. If you want to come down, it might make you feel better. You could even come backstage if you'd like." She gave me another smile, and stoop up, trotting over to the door. "See you around. Hopefully in about an hour!" And with that, she left.

And I knew where I was going in an hour.

☁︎☀︎☁︎

45 minutes later, I was flapping happily towards the Stable Two Saloon, wearing only my PipBuck and my stripes. And I was confident, too. Confident that I would soon be having the time of my life. Confident that I could be happy for a while. Confident that if Velevt accepted me, maybe everypony else would too. And, Confident that my stripes and wings were gifts from the Godesses.

And, when I got there, I found the Saloon empty. Completely empty. Something had to be up. Maybe the show had been cancelled? With that thought, I spun out of the Saloon and flew down the hallway as fast as I could. Maybe something had happened to Velevt?!? I'd know if I went to her room, so that's where I headed.

Turning a corner, I almost ran into somepony as I found Velvet's room completely surrounded by ponies. At the front of the door stood the Overmare. What was going on?!?

"Now, now, everypony. I know this is unbelievable but... Velvet Remedy has left Stable Two. She... Went outside."

WHAT?!?! I thought as my reaction was echoed throughout the crowd. But it's toxic outside, radioactive... Right???!?

Spinning around, I heard a loud thud. Looking around, I found that the sound had come from a PipBuck dropping to the ground. It was etched, and.... Sweet Celestia, it had Velvet's Cutie Mark on it! It was Velvet's!!! Looking from the ground up, I found that it had been dropped by... LittlePip!

"Little... Pip? W...why do you have Velvet's PipBuck???" I whispered to her.

"N-no..." She said, backing up.

Right into the Overmare.

“What. Is. This?” The Overmare spoke slowly, dangerously.

Everypony looked at Pip, and she looked like she was past freaked out. Then even the Overmare looked down at her.

The Overmare’s voice was low and surprisingly gentle. “Take it and go to your room. Swiftly.”

Lifting it into her levitation field, LittlePip slowly backed away, then darted.

"Pip, wait!!!" I yelled, jumping up and pushing my wings to fly after her. The Overmare put a hoof up, catching me with it and stopping me in my tracks.

"Let her go. She needs to be alone right now."

☁︎☀︎☁︎

Minutes later, I was back in my room, heartbroke once more. Right when I make a friend, they leave the Stable!

My heart was sinking, heavier than lead. Velvet was gone. Pip was freaking out, same as me. What more was there to live for? What more to do?

Plugging in my earbloom, I turned on the Stable radio.

“We are all feeling this loss. But I want to remind everypony that Velvet Remedy chose to do this. She chose to leave her home. To abandon us, her family. She betrayed my trust and she betrayed yours, just as she betrayed the trust of the pony who she tricked into removing her PipBuck, ensuring we could not find her. I know many of you are angry or hurt. I urge you to direct that anger where it truly belongs…” The Overmare spoke through the waves. Like that was going to help anything. Everypony wouldn't like Pip any more than they liked me after this. I felt really bad for her.

Velvet had influenced me since I was a Filly. Seeing another pony in the Stable actually get to be a real singer... It made me feel like maybe I could, too.

Then I flapped my wings, saw my stripes in the mirror.

Really, without Velvet, and with Pip so depressed... Nopony in this Stable cared about me. Nopony! Not a single hoof would be lifted for the mare who's ancestor was a Zebra somewhere down the line... Not a ear would be twitched if the mare who could fly got on the mic... Nothing could change these Stable ponies' idealology about what's acceptable. So what was there here for me?

Nothing.

And that's when it hit me. If Velvet had been able to open the door and not poison us all... It couldn't be that bad on the surface. Down here I was weird, unacceptable. But maybe... Just maybe... It would be different up there?

My mind was made up in that single moment. I was following in Velvet's hoofsteps. I was leaving this shitty Stable.

☁︎☀︎☁︎

Saddlebags loaded up with everything in my small room that I thought might be of any use, I started walking towards the door. A hood pulled over my head for cover, I felt a little safer doing what I was about to do.

That's when I saw the eerie green light emanating from the hallway on my left, heading towards the door. The light from a PipBuck! Oh goddesses, no! I was so dead!

Flying to the ceiling, I watched the floor below. Stepping out, saddlebags and all... Was LittlePip! What a relief! She didn't see me but... She must have planned on leaving, too!Looking at the guards in front of the door, her horn glowed. They didn't move an inch, unimpressed, and a metal footlocker crashed down on their heads. She quickly stepped up to the door. I realized there was a code right then, and that without her, I was screwed. Guess today was my lucky day!

She typed something in, from my perspective it looked like CMC3BFF. Whatever that meant. As soon as she hit enter, though, four security ponies galloped out from the hallways as the Overmare's voice boomed through the load speakers for them to get her. Now even I was freaking out!!!

LittlePip practically flew as she threw a switch, and the door started to his as it began to open. “You don’t have to do this… LittlePip, isn’t it?” The Overmare boomed.

“Don’t worry. I’ll bring her back.” LittlePip told the voice of the Overmare as she took a step towards the door. Silently, I dashed across the roof through the rafters, getting closer to the door.

“No you won’t! If you leave here, you’ll never be let back in!” Okay, that stung for a second... But then I realized that nothing that mattered to me was here anyways, so why worry bout coming back?!? LittlePip stood for a minute, pondering that, before stepping out the door.

Without a second glance, I dashed out, past LittlePip, through a dark corridor, and with a push of a cellar door, into the most blinding and beautiful thing I had ever seen: Sunlight.

Footnote: Level Up.

New Perk: Speed +10% -- Larger areas have now opened up to explore, your wings can now stretch out fully and give you a better boost of speed.

Chapter 2: A Strange New World

My eyes were sore. The pouring in of sunlight, although astounding was also very painful to the corneas of a pony who’d never encountered something so bright before!

As my pupils started to adjust, I noticed that it was nearly night time. It was really cloudy, too. Like the clouds were covering the whole sky! Even if they were, the little sunlight that passed through them would be more than enough to blind anypony who’d grown up in a dimly lighted Stable like I had.

Looking at my surroundings, I could see a poorly maintained barn. I didn’t want to risk it collapsing or something, so I decided I might as well do a flyover, and see if there was anyplace… better to stay.

Just as I lifted my wings, my PipBuck beeped at me. Curious, I checked it.

You are at Sweet Apple Acres.
Radioactivity Detected. Check Meter?

Tapping the second message, I selected ‘Yes’. It brought up the Radioactivity Meter, which showed the needle being being inbetween the green and yellow.

“Well, looks like I’m not staying here…” I muttered to myself, lifting into the air and heading away from whatever place Sweet Apple Acres had once been.

Finding a road, I began following it’s path from the air… this place must have been hit really hard, or just abandoned. It looked like crap!

Suddenly, the second option wasn’t looking like it was the right one. Below me, I spotted four ponies around a fire! Squinting, I tried to see if one of them was Velvet.

I couldn’t tell from the height I was at though, so I dived a little closer. Soon, I saw that none of them had a black pelt.

And… one of them was tied up!

Before I even knew what I was doing, I yelled down at the ponies. “Hey! What do you think you’re doing??? Tying up a pony?!? Celestia would be ashamed!”

“What the- It’s one o’dem Pegasuses!” One yelled to the others.

“Shoot it!” Another yelled back.

Shoot?? They have guns here??? I was so dumbfounded, I hovered there, jaw dropped open.

The first one to talk pulled out a shotgun, shooting up at me but missing me by a long shot, his aim way off to the right.

“No, wait! We could capture it!” The third yelled desperately to the other two, all the while the one that was tied up staring at me and them, eyes wide in fear.

“How? We ain’t got no wings! Kill it!”

That was all this mare needed to hear! With a huge, powerful flap, I flew off, my contrail stretching out as I left them in the dust, the red and white colors hopefully the last glimpse of me they’d get!

When I was what I deemed far enough away from them, I slowed down. Looking down, I saw a bridge, and ahead of it… a Town! I zoomed ahead, anxious to find, somepony, anypony to be friends with!

Then, another beep from my PipBuck.

Now Entering Ponyville.

Ponyville. Sounds nice enough…

I thought, and looked around the town, seeing nothing but destructing building that looked totally wrecked.

… but it looks almost worse than Sweet Apple Acres!

The whiz of a bullet flying past me stopped my train of though dead in it’s tracks. Startled, I looked around, until finally I found the culprit: A yellow unicorn mare with a spiked red mane, shooting at me from a rooftop!

“What is it with EVERYPONY shooting at me???” I complained, and sped off, following the road once more.

So much for Ponyville…

☁︎☀︎☁︎

Now it was dark, and night had completely blanketed this… place. As if it wasn’t freaky enough, I kept seeing little glowing red eyes poking out of trees and STARING at me as I flew! Had this really once been the glorious Equestria we’d learned about in school???

Seeing it this way made me hate the Zebra half of myself a little.

Yet, I flapped on, slowly, more cautiously now. This wasn’t seeming as great as I’d thought it would be…

But at least I was free of Blade, his thugs, and all the ponies who had hated me in the Stable.

If not being hated for being ME means being shot at… I guess I can deal.

A yawn escaped from my muzzle.

But maybe sleep would help me avoid actually taking a bullet…

With that thought, I turned off the road, and into the woods. I flew over the treetops, looking for a decent tree to sleep in. One that I could make a little comfortable, but still be off the ground and safe from anypony without wings.

Soon, I’d found a tall tree in a nice clearing. Swooping down into it, I found it had sturdy boughs, too!

Turning on my PipBuck’s PipLight, I pulled up a bunch of the tall grass surrounding the clearing. Sitting down on my haunches, I weaved the pieces together until I had a piece of Canvas-like grass that was big enough for me to lay down and stretch out on. Pulling up a few more pieces of grass and twisting them into strong grass-ropes, I flew back into the tree.

Towards the top of the tree, I found a large ‘Y’ branch in the tree. Taking the canvas grass and the ‘ropes’, I placed the canvas between the two branches. Wrapping the ropes tight and tugging them into a sturdy knot, I slowly lowered myself onto my makeshift bed. It gave, but only a little, not enough for me to think it would break. I yawned again and hug my saddlebags over one of the branches.

Closing my eyes, I let my exhausted body drift off to sleep

Footnote: Level Up.

New Perks: Crafty -- You’ve shown your creativity can aid you in survival. +15% Evasiveness.

Life Altering Experience – Your being shot at has taught you to be more wary of stranger ponies. Your chances of avoiding death have increas

Chapter 3: A True, True Friend

My PipBuck’s alarm went off at 7 AM, telling me to get up and go to work.

I just touched the OK option and groaned. I’d have to turn that off. I wasn’t going to work, I couldn’t! I sat up, and stretched my wings and hooves, yawning. My little bed had been surprisingly comfy!

I slipped on my saddlebags, and opened up my PipBuck’s Map. Marking this spot, I looked for the nearest town on the map.

New Appleloosa. Let’s see if there are any decent ponies there!

And so, I flew back towards the road, and towards New Appleloosa. In about 5 minutes, I had found the road, and was heading towards what I hoped to be a good, nice town, full of good, nice ponies!

And imagine my surprise when, as I neared the town, I found… A PEGASUS GUARDING IT!

I jetted ahead as fast as I could, flying right up to the buck.

“Hi,MyNameIsPeppermintSparkleAndIWasTheOnlyPegasusInMyStableWellTheOnlyZebraTooButYOU’RE APEGASUSAnd-” I sputtered incredibly fast, as he stared at me in shock… before pulling on a bit in his mouth, loading two guns in a saddlebag on his back.

“Umm… I’m… Unarmed…Please don’t shoot…” I whispered, getting quieter as his brown eyes bored into me like drills.

“Are ooh from bee uncave??” He said, bit still in his mouth.

I blinked, confused. “What was that?”

He spit out the bit. “Ah said, are ya from da Enclave??”

“The what-now?” I stared back at him blankly.

“Don’t play dumb, mare!”

I lifted up my PipBuck. “I-I’m from Stable 2. No idea what this Enclave thing is…”

He grabbed my hoof, twisting it, and looking at the latch on the back. “Ah ain’t never heard o’ no Pegasus Stable ponies before… Sorry bout’that. A pony can’t be too cautious… Ah’m Calamity. What’d ya say yer name was?”

“Peppermint Sparkle.”

“Well… It’s nice to meet ‘cha, Peppermint. But don’t be flyin’up like that on anypony! Ya act like ya ain’t never seen another Pegasus in yer life!”

“Well… I kinda haven’t.” I told him awkwardly.

“Whaddya mean ya haven’t? What ‘bout yer parents?”

“Mom’s a Unicorn… Dad’s an Earth Pony. I was the only Pegasus in my Stable…”

“Uh… Okay then… and da only Zebra, too, I’m guessin’?” He asked, sounding a little bitter as he looked at my striped face.

“Yeah… I frowned a little, then changed the subject. “Were you born here?”

“Nah… Up there.” Calamity replied, and pointed a hoof upwards.

“Past the clouds??” I was astonished.

He laughed. “Ya really don’t know nuttin, do ya? All the Pegasi live up there.”

“Then why are you down here?”

“Look, Ah don’t wanna talk ‘bout it. Plus, Ah got a job ta do. Ya go on inta town. Go to da store… er somethin’. We can talk more… later.”

“Okay… thanks, Calamity. See ya later.” With that I flew into the town, and noticed the Pegasus’ eyes staring at me for a moment, before he shook his head and looked back to the road.

☁︎☀︎☁︎

“Mommy, does she have stripes??” A colt asked his mother as I flapped past, smiling.

“Yes, I think so… Don’t talk to her.”

Well. I guess not everypony can be decent.

Soon, I’d found what was apparently was apparently the town’s store, Absolutely Everything. Taking a deep breath and putting on a smile, I pushed open the door and stepped inside.

I scanned the room for the storekeeper. First thing I noticed was a Pegasus… that looked very, very dead. Was this some kind of sick joke?? I looked around, trying to see a foolish colt or filly who was twisted enough to do this.

AND.THEN.IT.MOVED.

Stay calm. Stay calm. STAY CALM! DAMMIT, PEPPERMINT, STAY CALM! I thought to myself as I smiled as best I could at… it.

As hard as I tried not to freak out, I could feel the hairs in my mane were still standing up on edge, hopefully unnoticeably.

“Umm… Hi?” I finally managed to spit out. It picked up a piece of chalk in it’s mouth and wrote on a chalkboard, turning it to me.

‘Hi. I’m Ditzy Doo. How can I help you?’

“Uhh… Hi, Ditzy. I’m Peppermint Sparkle.” I was pretty sure it was actually a mare now. Ï just got out here from a stable… What do I need… Hmm. Supplies? Stuff to survive? Planks and Nails, maybe? To build a house?”

‘Oh, okay!’ She wrote, and erased. ‘I’ll get you my book, and bunch of stuff you’ll need out here in the Wasteland.’

“Is that what it’s called now?”

She nodded, writing on the chalkboard again. ‘The Equestrian Wasteland.’

“Okay.” I smiled, noting that. She walked into the other room, and returned with a wagon full of stuff.

She pulled a bigger chalkboard out from under the counter, and started laying out all the stuff in the wagon.

‘First, my book. The Wasteland Survival Guide. Read it. Know how to stay alive. Next, a Battle Saddle. The double sub-machine gun equipped for Pegasi. It’ll take some getting used to, but I’ll throw in a bunch of ammo so you can practice. You wouldn’t want to miss a shot - that could cost you your life!’

Erase.

‘We all need to eat, so here’s some food: pastas, canned soups, apples, and canned veggies. For desert, some sugar cubes and everything you’d need to make muffins! A cookstove with it all, too. And a mini-oven! You’ll have to build a fire for them to work, so here’s a lighter. Its powered through Arcane Sciences so if it stops working, take it to a Unicorn. One touch to their horn, and it’s fully charged! Oh, and a six-pack of Sparkle Cola. Some cookpots and pans, and a little icebox. Bury it and your foods will stay cold.’

Erase.

‘A bedroll, pillow, some straw, and, as you asked, planks and nails. And a hammer, saw, and some rope. And barding!’

“Thanks… but how much will this cost?” I asked, a little scared of the answer.

Erase.

‘Nothing.’

“What?! But this is so much stuff!!!” Once again, my jaw was dropped open in shock.

‘And you are new to the Wasteland. You’ll die without this stuff. And that blood is not gonna be on my hooves!’

I was seriously about to cry. With all the bad out here in The Wasteland that I’d encountered… I was not expecting this. Not even in Stable 2 would anypony had been this kind to me! “But… I’ll feel guilty if I don’t give you something…”

‘Can you make anything?’

“Candies. Peppermint is the best thing I can make. Candy Canes, stuff like that.”

‘I’ll give you stuff to make them later on, once your house is built. Then you can pay my off in candies! Maybe you could try to make Candy Cane Muffins!!!’

Erase.

‘If you insist.’

I smiled.

“Thanks, Ditzy! You are so awesome! Umm… would you mind if I asked what you are? If you don’t mind me asking…” Suddenly I felt very awkward asking that.

‘Not at all. You don’t know, you’re new here. I’m a Ghoul-Pony. When the Balefire Bombs dropped, I was caught in Canterlot. The radiation mutated me… and now here I am. Alive. But a Ghoul.’

“So… how old are you then?”

‘Probably over 300 now.’

“Ah. Well… that’s… interesting, actually! You’re awesome! And… super nice! This is more than any of my Stablemates probably would have ever done. Except maybe two… or my brother or sister… maybe. Probably not. Anyways, you’re a good pony, Ditzy!” I smiled at her.

She smiled brightly at me.

‘Thank you, Peppermint!’

“No problem!” I reached my hoof over the counter. “Hoofbump?”

She smiled again, and bumped my hoof.

‘I’ll bring all this stuff out to… wherever you’re staying. Whenever you want.’

“Thanks again!”

‘Anything for a friend!’

At that, I smiled, and gave the ghoul-pony a hug.

☁︎☀︎☁︎

Later, I saw Calamity flying around, looking disheveled.

“Hey, Calamity!” I called to him, and he looked at me. “You look upset. What’s wrong?”

I flew up to him, and he sighed. “Peppermint…” He sighed again. “Ah shot a pony. A mare… Thought she was a raider, she was wearin’ raider barding, all bloodied up and all… she’s awake now, though. But Ah still feel bad…”

“Aww, Calamity… You catch the mare’s name?”

“Yeah. LittlePip. Why?”

My heart dropped when I heard that. “L-littlePip…? She’s from my Stable! She’s my friend! Where is she??”

“Well, geez… Hospital. You know her?? Dayum! That’s crazy!!” He lifted his wings and leaped into the air. “Follow me!” He flew down a street.

I flapped my wings and sped up, catching him in an instant, and grinned at him.

“Yer a fast one, huh? Race?”

My grin got huge. “You’re on!”

“Alright, go!”He flew ahead of me for a few seconds before I shot ahead.

“Ah’ll tell ya when ta turn!”

“Kay!”

Within a few seconds, he was yelling up to me “Now! Right!”

Angling my wings, I flew down another street.

“Big building up ahead, Peppermint!”

I flapped my wings powerfully again, feeling the channels of wind against them. This was SO much better than any time I’d ever flew through the Stable! The open areas, the maneuverability I had here… In this moment, I had no regrets about leaving that dumb Stable! Here… I was happy! I could fly around! I could actually be accepted! I didn’t have to hear a whole bunch of the popular mares giggling about me as I fluttered around school, or the bucks laughing about how I looked, saying I was the ugliest mare they’d ever seen… Here, in The Wasteland, I could be loved! I twirled around before stretching out my hooves and coming to a landing with a skid.

“And… yer from a Stable???” Calamity asked as I stood there, stretching my wings out and smiling widely.

“I flew… around… at night. Practicing… improving.” I panted.

“I bet ya could… do a Sonic Rainboom!”

“A… what?”

“Where… ya fly so fast, ya break da sound barrier, an’ the colors of yer mane and tail are da colors… of da explosion! It’s… really cool!”

I smiled. It sounded awesome! “Wow!!! I could call mine… A Sparkling Mintboom!”

Calamity laughed. “Eeyup!” He walked up to the door of the Hospital. “Let’s go see yer friend now, huh?”

“Yeah! Pip is gonna FREAK!”

☁︎☀︎☁︎

We walked into the room while Pip was talking to a nurse.

“Yes, I fell fi- SOLAR FLARING CELESTIA, PEPPERMINT??? WHA- How did you get here???”

“I flew out when you opened the door.” I laughed, and walked over to her, giving my PipBuck Repair Pony friend a huge hug.

“This is awesome!” I said, hoofbumping her.

“Oh yeah it is, pegasister!” She replied, smiling. “I see you’ve meant… what was you’re name again?”

“Calamity.” He told her. “Ah’m Calamity.”

I laughed again. “Yeah. Yeah, I have.”

Footnote: Level Up.

New Perks: Friendship Is Magic – You’ve got friends here in The Wasteland. Having Allies gives you a 20% boost in Defense. For every new friend you make, receive a 2% boost on Defense.

Chapter 4: Secret

Chapter 4:

*Blade*
Meanwhile, Back In Stable 2...

"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME??? She fucking LEFT??? What the fuck! That...That Pega-BITCH! That Zebra-WHORE!" I screamed as Midnight told me of Peppermint's disappearance.

"Umm... Yeah, the bitch left! Following Velvet and that retarted LittlePip! What we gonna do 'bout it, boss?" He replied.
I sighed. "I don't know quite fucking yet! Let me think!"

"But what about the plan?? What about payback??" Midnight asked me, startled that I didnt have an idea as fast as I usually did. Usually, I'd 'figure out how to torture' anypony who screwed with me... But this? This had thrown me off balance.
"Midnight... GET THE FUCK OUT! I need to think, dammit!"

"Right, boss, right! I'm gone!" He backpeddled and galloped out, bucking my door shut behind me.

I slumped in my chair. Grabbing our last yearbook in my magic, I levitated it to me. Flipping through the pages, I found my class' page. I sighed, pointing my hoof at Peppermint's picture. Stretching my magic to my doorknob, I locked it. Nopony neded to hear what I was about to say. I needed to say the truth for once. Staring into her deep red, beautiful eyes, I let the words I'd been dying to say out loud for so long fall out of my mouth.

"Oh, Peppermint... Don't you see? I'm the only buck who pays any attention to you, the only buck who talks to you! The only buck with eyes for you! But, you don't care for me, do you? In school, I'd be the one to try to get you to like me! You mares are supposed to love being pushed around! You're supposed to love being called names! If mares didn't like that stuff, why would Mom stay with Dad?? It makes no sense! I've tried for so long, but while everypony was trying to find a Special Somepony... you weren't even putting yourself out there! The Gang, they like how violent I am, but they don't see how much I love you! I cut you, I give you pain, and what do you do to thank me? Run away! Not just away from me..." I held back a stupid tear, bucks DO NOT CRY. "But away from the Stable! Are you dead?? I DON'T KNOW!! DAMMIT!" I screamed, hurling the book across the room and slamming my hooves against the chair.

"Boss? You okay in there?'' Midnight yelled worriedly through the door.

"I'm just pissed off, okay! GO THE FUCK AWAY!"

"Uh... okay Boss! I will!"

Fuckin' liar. He'll stay right there...

I let out another sigh. Might as well think of a plan.

And so I sat there. And thought.

And thought.

And thought, until finally, I knew what to do.

"We'll leave. Get the fuck out of here...

...And find Peppermint.

Chapter 5: News

*Sharpie Sparkle – Peppermint’s Sister*
Meanwhile, elsewhere in Stable 2…

“She just… left? Screen, you’re crazy! Nopony can open the Stable door!” I told my brother.

“Yeah, we all thought that! Until… until Velvet Remedy left! Celestia and Luna, Sharpie, do you ever play anything other than that dumb band on your PipBuck?” He yelled at me, looking exasperated.

Equestria Underground is NOT dumb! Just because you don’t like Hard Rock or Metal like I do, it doesn’t mean you have to…” He gave me a look that told me that I needed to listen to my eldest sibling for once. “Ugh! I’ll turn on the Stable Radio! Jerk!” My horn was surrounded in a glow of purple as I used my magic to make my PipBuck play the Stable’s radio broadcast.

“… And in recent news, two more mares have followed Velvet Remedy out the Stable Door! A unicorn, the PipBuck Repair Pony who had Velvet’s PipBuck, and the PegaZebra. Peppermint Sparkle! You think leaving is some kind of crazy, taboo trend, Mic?”A female voice boomed through my PipBuck’s speaker.

“Oh no, Discy! But I will tell you what it is… Suicide!” The two radio ponies started laughing at that.

I didn’t find it funny. At all.

“She… she left???”I felt pale, lightheaded. My blood felt like it had frozen solid as I didn’t move a muscle, heard my heart skip a beat. The world had stopped. THIS WAS NUTS!

“Yeah, li’l sis… she did…” He grimaced.

Now, I don’t cry much. Most of the time, I have other ways of dealing with my feelings. But at that moment, I wrapped my hooves around my brother, Screen Sparkle, the popular buck of Stable 2… and bawled.

My eyes out.

Growing up, Peppermint was always there for me. No matter what, if somepony said anything bad about me, she was on their tail. She was bullied and, I guess, she couldn’t stand for the same fate to fall upon her sister. I could confide in her, trust her to keep her word, trust her to keep secrets. She was the pony I talked to about ‘mare problems’, the best friend I could have!

But when I became a third year… everything changed. Ponies realized that we were sisters, and instantaneously decided that they hated me. The sisters and brother of Peppermint’s bullies were my bullies now, hating me just because I was related to her! Just because their siblings hated her! I was upset, hated at school and wherever my classmates saw me, and in a bitter attempt to regain some kind of love from the ponies who hated me, tried to separate myself from Pepper. I just… stopped talking to her. If she was around, I wasn’t. Being seen with her meant endless torment… and I couldn’t take it anymore.

I saw it, I saw as she started to become even more depressed than ever before. She started hiding things, not talking to Pip or any other pony. She became a loner, and most of her Upperclassman year, she just went to class, did her work, and went to the next class. She’d have small conversations, maybe participate in class, but that was it. And Blade… he never stopped. He never stopped beating her up, never stopped being the biggest bully in Peppermint’s life. He just got worse.

The only thing good in her life was that she was one of the smartest ponies in her class. Because of that, she’d be getting extra schooling, a higher level of learning. Without Blade, without any of the ponies who hated her! For another two years! She came home with that news, ecstatic with joy, telling the whole family over dinner.

Our Father asked her if he would have to pay for it.

She told him no.

Our mother asked if she’d be moving out.

She told her yes.

Screen, he patted her on the back, being the good big brother he was… at home.

Me… I regret what I said. “So what, big deal… you get to go through more school, without all the jerks… meanwhile next year, I’ll probably get stuck with some dead-end job, working for some buck who thinks he’s all that because he’s climbed the stupid social ladder of this Stable, just to support this Celestia-damned family. Con-bucking-gratulations.”

I was nearly slapped for my language, but that’s not what got to me. It was the look on Peppermint’s face. She looked broken, horribly. But regardless of how much I had hurt her, I could still see love in my sister’s eyes.

“I’ll take my dinner to my room.” She said, got up, and silently flew into her room, shutting the door behind her.

For 5 years, that’s sat on my soul. For five years, I’ve been eaten alive by guilt.

But if I say sorry, I’ll be hated even more than I already am. So I keep to myself, miserably rotting away inside.

About 10 minutes after I started bawling, I was all cried out.

“What are we gonna do?” Screen asked me, not crying, but sounding like he was about to.

“I… I don’t know... what can we do?”

He frowned. He didn’t know either.

“Well… I guess we have to go tell… Mom and Dad…” I muttered, starting to walk in the direction of their room. I hung my head. This was going to SUCK.

***
We decided that I’d tell Mom, and that he’d tell Dad. It’d be easier that way.

Hopefully.

Walking towards room B-109, Mom and Dad’s, I took a deep breath. Dad was at work right now, so Mom would be doing her… Mom stuff right about now. Wrapping the door handle in my magic, I twisted it, opening the light gray painted door that separated them from this even grayer hallway. She’d never let me paint anything on it, in fear Dad wouldn’t like it, but I really wished I could. A little bit of color would really brighten up the door, setting them apart from the other doors, making them look special, cared for.

But nooo… light gray is the only thing Dad wants… he doesn’t want to stick out…

Jerk.

Pulling myself out of my thoughts, I stepped in, shutting the door behind me. “Mom?” I called, and saw her head stick up, coming from under the kitchen sink.

“Sharpie, darling! I was just polishing all the cabinet lights!”

“Don’t you polish enough lights at work?” I asked.

“I do polish quite a few, but every light deserves to be in tip-top shape, the epitome of lighting perfection! And I insist that this house receive the same treatment I would give a light in the Atrium, Orchard, or anywhere else in the Stable! Heavens, somepony has to keep this place looking the finery as it deserves, and Celestia knows that–“

“My Father won’t do it, I know Mom. You tell me… a lot.” I laughed once.

“Quite right, Sharpie! Now, I’ll make tea. You go ahead and sit down. Oh, and there is a tray of muffins in the oven. Remind me of them, Darling?”

“I won’t let you forget. But umm…” I started to say, trying to tell her about Peppermint, but then had a second thought that it would be something better to discuss over tea and muffins.

Soon, I had reminded Mom about the muffins, and the tea was in cups, one for each of us, along with the pot sitting on the coffee table.

Now or Never…

“So… I have something to tell you…”

“Oh, goodie, news! What is it, Sharpie?”

“Well… umm…” I took a deep breath. “Peppermint left the Stable.”

“I’m sorry, my hearing has begun to falter, Darling. What did you say?”

“Peppermint… left. She left the Stable.”

The muffin tray in Mom’s magic crashed to the floor, the hot glass shattering all across the kitchen.

“M-my… Peppermint…” Tears swelled up in her eyes.

Oh shit. “Mom… two other mares were with her… she… she’s not alone…”

Now her tears fell. “W-who…?”

“Velvet Remedy and LittlePip.”

“I… Darling, I need to sit down…”

My throat closing up a little, I nodded, grabbing the chair in my magic and bringing it beside her. She plopped into it.

“Thank you… I need to be alone…” She closed her eyes, holding back tears.

“O-okay Mom, I’ll-” The door burst open, slamming against the wall.

“SHARPIE!!!!!” Dad stormed in, Screen following behind, trying to calm him down but obviously failing.

“Dad?!?” He looked PISSED. But how could he be pissed at me?? I wasn’t the mare who left the Stable!!

He galloped up to me, ears flat, and grabbed me in his magic. With a squeal I was lifted off the ground and thrown up against the wall! Dad galloped up and pinned me there with his hooves. “I ASKED YOU TO WATCH OUT FOR HER! SHE NEEDED YOU! SHE NEEDED SOMEPONY TO GO TO IN THIS FAMILY! SHE NEEDED A MARE HER AGE TO TRY TO HELP HER! SHE NEEDED HER SISTER! AND NOW LOOK WHAT YOUR SELFISHNESS HAS DONE!!!!” He slammed me up against the wall again, harder this time.

“How is this my fault?? How can you place the blame on me??? I didn’t tell her to leave or anything… and you’re her Dad! Why can’t you watch out for her??? I’m younger, shouldn’t she look out for…” He stared at me, a stare that held a death wish in it, a stare that was like he was looked at the cause of all evil! A tear streamed down my cheek.

“DON’T YOU DARE TALK TO ME LIKE THAT YOU-“”

“CRYPTIC CODE PUT OUR DAUGTHER DOWN AND STOP THIS NONSENSE THIS INSTANT!!!!!!!” Mom screamed at him, up out of the chair now, her ears laid flat, and as she did, his eyes got big, like even he was scared of Mom (of all ponies!) screaming.

He dropped me out of his magic, and collapsed onto the floor, sobbing.

Without a look back, I darted out the door, Screen running after me.

Once I realized I was nearing the Atrium, I stopped running, and Screen caught up to me.

“Sharpie, I don’t what got into Dad back there but-”

“No, it’s okay… Mom and Dad are just freaking out right now…” I told him, and he hugged me.

But in my head, I just wanted to go back to my room, grab one of my blades, and drag it across the backside of my hoof as hard as I could.

It’s the only way I can let go of the pain I have inside…