Fallout Equestria: Moon's Blood

We followed a road of stone, and approached of this town underground.

As I walked, my gaze was looking all around. The city was on a hill-like rock formation, a giant black cathedral enthroned on it and overlooking on the rest of the town. A bit of the houses was builded into the walls of the giant cave. Some crystals were coming out from the stone, slowly glowing in a pale blue, orange or white light. We descended the road before stopping at a stone bridge with two guards.

They stood in front of us, their black hallebardes pointed to our group. These ponies were strange... Something was wrong.

I tried to focus on them. They were tall as us, unless for Miss Mercy and Windigo, their eyes were amber irises, splitted wards, bat wings. I understood what was wrong. They were Windigo-bat-pegasus-like. Our bat buck approached them, making the guards growling a bit.

"Oh, calm down guys." said prudently the pale stallion. "We're not going to attack you either."

The first guard looked at my shotgun and shook his head in my direction. I immediately used the safety on the rifle and put it at the pegasus's hooves, who reacted by looking at Windigo then threw another look at his teammate. They both opened the way and we continued forward, entering the city.

The streets were narrow, with large black tiled roofs timbered buildings at each side. Between these houses, above the streets we were walking, lamp post were weakly lighting around them. Some bat ponies were looking at us, like we were something strange...

I looked around, searching for somepony, and my gaze stopped on a stallion at the entrance of a cabaret-like building. I though it was a cabaret at the lively music which was coming out. The stallion was a unicorn with bandages, sitting near to the door with a riot shotgun and a badly damaged body armor. He shook his hoof at us and we approached him.

"Who are you?" Miss Mercy  asked the buck.

"Guard Mc Copper, ma'am." he answered as he tried to make a military salute. "We brought the survivors here, the bat-beasts have accepted, they looked to know some engineers."

"Excellent, Guard, and about the survivors, how many?" she continued.

"I could say... two dozens."

"You've done well, Copper." Miss Mercy conforted the stallion. "Red Sky, enter in the inn and see how are our ponies, I need to talk with the bat-boss, if there's one..."

I entered, followed by Windigo, who was still carrying my mother on his back.

The inn was spacious and more or less lighted by candles and lamps , with a bar and a scene with three bat mares who were singing in a same calm relaxing voice.

The most of ponies here were bat pegasi, drinking and eating, there were also some stable dwellers, harmed and covered of bandages

In a corner, a group of young bat mare was trying unsuccessfully to comfort some stable foals who were more afraid than in confidence. We approached the bar-mare, who was wiping beer mugs with a cloth.

"Hum? Excuse me?" I asked her.

She rose her eyes to me, revealing a heterochromia blue left iris and a amber at the right one. She looked surprised, observing my face with an extreme attention, her eyes moving quickly from my check to my horn then to my ears.

"D-Do you understand me?" I continued, pretty uncertain of what I was doing.

The mare was still observing me, then shook her head slowly, doubtless to allow me to understand too.

"C-Can you talk?"

She placed the mug on the bar and put her right hoof on her throat.

"Your...voice?"

She shook her head another time, then moved her hoof from right to left several times.

"Oh! I see, you're mute!"

She made a smile, pointed Windigo, covered her eyes with her hoof, pointed the gray buck again and shook her shoulder.

"You don't know him?"

The bat mare answered with a negatively shook of her head. She continued by drawing a question mark in the air before pointing my companion.

"His name?"

She only smiled.

"He's Windigo."

She looked surprised, then blew air, mimed being cold and drew another question mark.

"I guess that's it..."

She smiled and stopped, looking at my mother. She gasped and jump over the bar, landing next to Windigo. The bar-mare approached my mother, trying to touch her but she didn't, looking very pained and confused.

"Hi *cough* Blue Eye...*whispered mom.

The mare grabbed Windigo's hoof and dragged him to the stairs, with my mother on the buck's back.

The mare continued to drag my companion and my mother to the first floor, climbing stairs almost trotting quickly while I followed them. She stooped Windigo near to a white couverture and made a movement to a stallion in white coat.

The bat pony looked at my mother then at me and Windigo and pointed the coverture. Windigo laid mom on it and the stallion pointed the stairs.

"You want me to go out? She's my mother! I won't go anywhere!" I said to the buck.

He growled a bit and windigo put his gauntlet on my shoulder.

"Let it be..." He said.

We walked to the stairs and I looked a last time over my shoulder to see my mother as I lowered the stairs.

When we arrived at the bar, I sat and Blue Eye prepared me something to eat. The white plate was filled with a sort of sweet fruits salad. I slowly levitated it in my mouth and began to chew and  looked around, recognizing some ponies: some engineers, farmers, but my eyes were attracted by somepony special...

A complete white and slender unicorn was sitting alone.

She was Killstreak, a kind and shy mare... Everypony at the Stable's school was mocking her when she was a filly, because of her color and her eyepatch that she was always wearing on her right eye... My mother told me she was something like 'albinos' and the doc said she got a 'degeneracy of crystalline lens'.

Killstreak was having a noble body with long legs, soft and long mane, a ruby-like eye, she looked so beautiful, so shinny... Her fur was so pure, always clean. Then I must talk you about of her cutie mark : a stick counter showing five vertical lines scratched by a single diagonal she got when the stable was infested by radroaches and when she killed more than two dozens of them in less than a minute . Her cutie mark was red as her eyes. Yes, she was very beautiful... and I don't say that because she was my first flirt and marefriend… well… maybe...

She was shy, and my only friend with my mom. Her mother were engineer like mine... and our fathers where unknown...

Killstreak looked me and smiled.

"Oh! Dear Celestia, you're safe!" she cried as she hugged me. "Where were you all this time? ".

"It's a long story... but it include slavers, an arena, and the stallion here." I answered as I pointed Windigo.

She looked at Windigo then came back at me.

"I was so worried about you... What could happens to me without my only friend?..."

"Shh... Calm yourself..." I said as I looked in her red shinny eye.

"They're going to be out of healing potion for your injured friends... You're ready to come with me?" He asked.

I looked at him.

"Where?"

"Somewhere I need to go for personal purpose and for medical supplies..."

"I'm ok for medical, but I hope your personal won't divert us from our first objective..."

I looked at my pipbuck and save my new objective.

-New objective, found medical supplies-

"Ok... where do you think we could found that?" I asked at Windigo.

"I got an idea about that... we need to exit by the main cave entrance..."

"Can I come with you?" asked Killstreak "Staying here is just going to make me mad..."

"Why not..." answered Windigo.

We exited the tavern and followed Windigo.

"Do you know these caves?" asked Killstreak at the giant bat pony.

"Yeah, I've grow out of it... You'll see when we're gonna be outside..."

We trotted to the exit, the light of the day was blinding and when we were able to see again, the ruins of a village were receiving us. The buildings hadn't been destroyed, they looked abandoned, left to the vagaries of weather and time since decades. a large part of the tiled steep roofs were ruined or holding, almost at the wood breaking point from woodworks.

All around the dead village was a giant forest of silver and verdigris half-dead pines, some brambles around the streetlights. All plants were dark grey wooden, the sky covered by same grey colored massive clouds. This sky was more oppressing than usually, like this cloud malediction was increased by something.

Windigo was looking at the village, fear in his eyes.

"What happens? H-How long was I absent?" he said with a trembling tone.

"What do you mean?" I asked

"Do you know the date?" he demanded, fixing the ruins before us.

I looked at my Pipbuck.

"What event should I use?" I asked.

"The Canterlot's invasion by changeling army... please"

I looked at my pipbuck's school history file.

"It was... more than two hundreds years ago..." I said, confused.

He sat and breathed depthly.

"So long..." he murmured "Too long... And I saw it like a twinkle..."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

He began to walk slowly.

"It's a very long story, maybe I would recount you it when I'll have time."

I didn't understand.

"Do you know the concept of talisman?" he continued.

Of course we do, talismans were everywhere in a stable: water cleaning, air-cooling, repair and regenerative talismans...

"Yes" I replied

"Fine, because my business I told you is to find a talisman..."

"But how did you survive so long? A regeneration talisman work for less than seventy years..."

"That's why I want to find it, because it's more powerful... whatever, we need to find the medical supplies..."

A little rock fell before us and we looked above. A cliff with a giant stone building was right on the plateau.

"That's were we need to go." said Windigo.

"You're sure? I mean, what tell you this is the place we are looking for?" Killstreak asked the bat pony

"Yes, I came here long time ago, and we'll surely find what we are looking for."

"If you say so..." I replied.

We began to walk, in the abandoned and grim dead streets, no sounds unless the wind in these narrow passages, noises of our hooves on the paved ground and guttural croaks of crows. Sometimes, a shutter creaked in a metallic noise, slowly pushed by the wind.

As we continued to the castle, it's forms began to be more detailed. The part of the castle on the cliff was more a stone fort overlooking above the village in its imposant stature as the parts of the castle were moving away were more architectural and aesthetic as they were away from the cave's entrance.

There was minimum three different architecture styles. The first was the hold, the second style was still impressive with stylised ramparts but the third was certainly the most spectacular with flying buttresses, stained glasses and stone gargoyles.

The building didn't seems to have suffered of the time, the three fourths of the glasses were intact, stone walls weren't damaged. The only thing really affected by two hundreds years of abandoning was the massive wooden front door which was broken by decades of wind, rain and insects.

We entered inside the castle, passing under a giant steel harrow and arriving into a giant hall. The piece was decorated with a huge circular stained glass showing two profile viewed faces above a stair and a portrait, the first certainly of Princess Luna, the second  was dark blue, almost black coat, with misty night-blue mane, azur irises and splitted wards.

Big blue half moldy curtains where going from the ceiling, amongst the giants wooden frames structures, to te walls and falling along the stone walls.

"So... you know this place?"

"Yes, It was the biggest technology and medical development center of bat ponies and Luna's army..." said Windigo as whe were looking around us. "And also the place where my father and I learned medicine."

I looked around to admire the space another time.

"It seems they left in hurry" I said as I looked at a lot of old books and some student's stuff.

"No bones, no corpse... Nopony died here... or I hope so..."

We walked calmly inside this well good preserved pre-war castle... Windigo said the medical supplies could be in the North wing of the castle. As he remember, it was the wing of anatomy, first aid and chirurgical studies area.

But he wanted to go in the director's office, so Killstreak and I followed.

We walked in the long castle alleys, among exposed armors, portraits and statues, following the indications. After twenty minutes of wandering, we finally arrived at the director's office. The door was open, showing a desk full of paper.

I made some of them floating before me and I readed.

"A letter from Princess Luna...

Dear Überdirektor Sawbones,

We, Princess Luna, are authorizing and ordering you to prepare a wing of the Deathwing's Castle for:

- The new secret weapon-tool designed by the Ministry of Wartime Technologies, the blueprints and materials will be in   your possession in a week.

- New pegasi powers armors designed by the Ministry of Image, We are expecting you to upgrade them for thestrals and bat ponies, and if possible to upgrade some armor with runic magic.

- Preparing a very close collaboration with the Ministry of Awesome, this cooperation will use codename : Project Reaper and will include the projects above.

We encourage you to continue your relationship with the Ministry of Peace.

The project Reaper's theory part is in your hooves, Überdirektor, do not disappoint us

Sincerely and with my best regards, Princess Luna "

"Project Reaper?" Killstreak asked.

"I know that Reapers were elite thestral soldier under Nightmare Moon's rise... Using magic and runic blades..." Windigo said, "My gauntlet is a old Reaper's weapon... But why a project?"

"I've no idea..." I answered.

"Pfff... Another stupid thing from a stupid egghead from before the war." sighed Killstreak.

"I was going to say the same thing..." I dropped. "Whatever, let's go, I don't want to waste time here."

We exited and went to the north wing.

After something like twenty minutes, we stopped in front of a metal door with a control panel.

"Let's see..." said Killstreak as she magically removed the keyboard and took two electric wires.

The door opened after some sparkles, we entered and Windigo stopped in front of a room.

- Medical and experimental supplies-

The entrance was heavily protected by a steel reinforcement, looking like a bunker's door. I seems the bat pony scientist were wanting a real protection for these supplies.

"Can your friend short-circuit the electric lock?" asked Windigo to me.

Killstreak approached, involuntary shoving Windigo's chine a bit with her own.

"Ho, I'm sorry" she apologized as her face blushed.

"No worries..." he calmly said.

She shivered as her look crossed his but turned back to the electric lock and began to short-circuited it. Some sparkles later, the door produced loud sounds of unlocking and opened, showing a laboratory full of strange crates.

I looked on the boxes.

All of them were showing 'Med-X', 'Rad-Safe' and 'Rad-Away'.

"Jackpot!" I happily said.

There was mountains of medical supplies! And nopony never touched it!

We took everything we were able to take, charging Killstreak's inventory and mine to be almost in surcharge.

"Did you take everything?" Windigo asked.

"Yes, I'm almost unable to run." Said Killstreak

"Ok, stay close to me… I don't know what could be in there..."He calmly said.

We also walked out, going to the hall.

"Vho are you? Vhat are you *cough* doing in my university?" asked a rusty voice with a germane accent.

We looked behind us, an unicorn was standing in the dark, wearing a old white coat and red surgical gloves.

"Hey, I believe I know this voice…" said Windigo.

The unicorn exited from the shadows, showing himself and his physic. His skin was roasted, his white coat partially replaced by pieces of pink-red flesh, looking like a zombie, his mane black mane had fell in part since long time. Hairs which were still on his temples had turned ligh gray and he was having a strand falling on his front, before his horn.

"Are you .. Sawbones?" I asked him.

"Nopony called me like zis since a very long time, filly...*cough* Kan you explain why you are in zis damn place?" he told.

"We're looking for medical supplies, a bat pony's village need it..." said Windigo.

"Oh I see... hum... That not because I've became what I am that I'll forgot my promize… Do not harm and help ze injured. Can I help you? It would be a pleasure to help somepony after all zis time..."

"You must have a story? I guess you've not been here, alone, without some story to tell..." said Windigo.

"Yes… I guess too… I'll begin with zis place *cough*... Vhen I waz young, I came here to learn more about medicine… and, Luna, I've found what I wanted… batponies where having very good anatomic studies… zeir medizine waz only on it… no magic, only anatomy… after twenty yearz, I've became ze direktor of the university. Ze town at the hoof of the cliff was named Nachtburg , by Germane ponies but ze real name waz Hollow Shades… a beautifull town with gothics ornaments, full of life… and ze lord of the town was nothing more than my sister's husband. Vell... When ze war began, Luna asked me to prepare a place in ze castle to a new weapon created by ze Ministry of Wartime Technology and new suits for pegasi and bat ponies..."

"We seen it in your office…" I said.

"But zere was a problem… The suits never arrived, and ze weapon got hiz upgrades everywhere in Equestria… deep inside some Minister Applejack's technology developping bunkers or impenatrable facilitiez full of failed things from others projects..."

"And what about Project Reaper?" asked Windigo.

"Project Reaper? Just a kind of creating most lethal assassin-warrior with batponies in black ops of Ministry of Awesome… zhey are more bestials and more dangerous zhan usual pegasi in close combat, using teeths and clawz… Project Reaper was using the most dangerous of zhem : Thestrals. And you are one of zhem…" The ghoul answered." Look at you, you're bigger zhan an usual batpony by… two or three head taller."

He stopped.

"Some times ago, some mad ponies and a tall mare came here and take all Project Reaper's paperz but I can give you the files before zhey come back..."

"Come back? What do you mean by 'come back'?" I asked

"Well, zhey've take only the half of the paperz and zheir boss has said zhey'll need to come back, and-"

The sound of a lot of hooves on the stone stopped us on the Hall's stair.

A group of a dozen of raiders was between us and the exit. A tall pegasus mare entered, tall as Windigo, dominating the raiders by her size of giant.

"Hey! What the hell are these guys doing in there" asked a raider

"I don't care, I'm too fucking hungry! I want to eat one of those!" answered another raider

"Wait just a little time before kill the mares, I want a little time with them" said a third.

"You'll eat after you capture the big with the bat wings!" said the mare to the raiders

"Oh, c'mon!" said the second raider

"I said, capture the thestral first!" roared the mare.

"Fuck it! I'm too fucking hungry!" said the same raider as he charged us.

The mare jumped, landing righ before the raider and hitted him with something at her hoof and the raider's head rolled on the ground.

"Any other question?" asked the mare. "Bring me the thestral alive… I don't care about the three others... Second group, take the rest of the Project Reaper's papers."

Killstreak and I were unable to fight correctly, Windigo and Sawbones were going to protect us.

"Where is the secret weapon, Sawbones?"asked Windigo.

"In zhe east wing of zhe castle… why?"

"I think we're gonna need it, now!"

We turned and run, a dozen of raider wanting our asses, our flesh and one of us...

"Go right! Now left! Oh Celestia, zhese pony are mad? What happenned to zhem? " hurled Sawbones.

"Don't know, but if we'll survive, I promise to kill that bitch! She's the one who have attacked the village" answered Killstreak as she ran.

Sawbones opened a metal door with difficulties.

"Quick! Enter here!" he yelled.

We jumped into the room and closed the door, raiders continued to run forward.

They didn't expected us to hide.

"Where the fuck are they?" roared a raider.

"Do you think I know? I've no idea!"

The hooves sounded to go away.

Windigo looked something.

"What's that?"

"It's zhe weapon… Zhe MagicKraftWerk… It's a special magic weapon which launch magical orbs at the ennemy with primary fire and uses a beam to cut some thingz at close distance with the alternative fire... Never out of ammo, but long to reload .. It's zhe only one existing… A lot of upgrades are in Equestria, as I said…" answered the ghoul.

It was a massive metallic gray object attached to a strange machine. All the machinery was in a large box made of bulletproof glass with metallic vertices and edges. One of the faces was a hydraulic door with a heavy steel plate between it and the "MagicKraftWerk". On the side of the glass box was a button panel.

I approached the button, passing next to two desk filled with papers, prototypes and reports. My gaze scanned the panel: Electricity was operational.

"Let's see." I though.

I put my hoof on the button "Activate".

Some amber rotating beacon lighted up as the principal light of the room lowered.

"MagicKraftWerk test in progress." said a pre-recorded synthetic voice.

The machinery in the box began to work and make the weapon roll around a axis, face to the door. A yellow-amber laser appeared from the weapon as the machine was spinning, but the steel plate in front of the door didn't seemed affected by it.

The laser and the machine both stopped, as they were before I began the test.

"Test completed." said the synthetic voice another time.

Beacons stopped to spin and the light came back.

"Is there a way to open?" I asked.

"I have a terminal here." said Killstreak. "Let me just a second..."

The steel plate rose, letting the door free.

"Let me just another minute for the door." continued my ex-marefriend.

The door tried to open, but the hydraulic system was broken.

"Dammit!" spat the white unicorn.

I used the button another time and same thing happened.

"MagicKraftWerk test in progress"

The gun fired another continuous amber laser which cut the doorin a large circle. The cutted part of the door fell on the ground in a metallic noise.

"Test completed"

Windigo entered the box and took the weapon, releasing it from the machine. The bat pony put his gauntlet on the gun's crosier, grabbing it perfectly, placed his claws on the trigger. He looked the weapon, turning it again and again, slowly looking for the weight and forms of the thing.

"What a beautifull baby… It seems our raider problem won't survive so long." said the bat pony with a smile.

___________________

Footnote: Level Up.

New Perk: - Steel Hips – Bringing so much things increases your stamina, your inventory capacity and your speed when walk/run/trot/gallop...