Fallout Equestria: Memento Mori

by Dainty Blaze

Rating: mature
Tags: Main 6, Gore, Dark, Alternate Universe, Other, Nightmare Moon, Romance, Original Character, Spike, Tragedy, Adventure, Crossover, Sex
Length: 47237

A season after the False End when the Nightmare rises from a silent ruin and the Stars return to this plain for a final time, the very gates of Damnation will be flung open.

"Heed my words ye fools for it will be the only warning ye shall receive. A season after the False End when the Nightmare rises from a silent ruin and the Stars return to this plain for a final time, the very gates of Damnation will be burst open. Fear will reign. The blood of the Wise will run like water. And all will know true horror at what comes. Know this when the sky is split open and the Sun returned unto us by a Lightbringer, the beginning of an age of True Darkness will be marked, heralded by the descendant of those you have seemed fit to forsake this day and the Nightmare will decide the Fate of all."

-Final words of Azura, last shaman of the Starkattarri.

Something sleeps within the ruins of Baltimare, a relic of the past. Its awakening will signal the beginning of a dark journey. Follow Masquerade, a lone thief, as she unravels a mystery from the war and long before. What she discovers will not only make her question who she is but also her place in the cogs of Fate. All the while a dark group led by one touched by the stars will seek to open the already cracked doors of Tartarus and unleash every evil and vile thing the ancient prison once kept under curse and rune.

Darkness comes for the Equestrian Wasteland unlike any it has ever witnessed and on its foul breath is a single lesson. Memento Mori, you too must die.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A thanks to KKat for the brilliant crossover and world of Fallout Equestria and a thanks to Somber for the gripping story that is Project Horizons.

Published 2014-08-16 01:10:03 UTC
Last updated 2014-10-15 22:09:06 UTC

1st Star (Modified)

”And the stars shall aid in her escape.”

Okay this either really good or really bad. I woke up and found myself tied to a bed. I glanced around the old hospital room. The paint was a fading pink and chipping in several places. All four of my hooves were tied down by heavy duty gauze. Ok so this might be bad. I craned my neck to get a better look at a surgical tray that sat against the wall. Inside sat a few dulled tools. I focused my mind’s eye and…yes I still had my talisman’s. I picked one up in my telekinesis and started to cut through the gauze. I looked up at the door as it opened and the ghoul from before walked in. I quickly hid the two blades.

“Zom-“I started but he rushed forward and clopped a hoof over my mouth. Ewwww I could taste the dirt on his hoof. I glared up at him with a particularly annoyed expression.

“If you say zombie one more time or any variation thereof I’m sewing your mouth shut,” he hissed,” Capishe?”

I nodded and he removed his hoof. I gagged slightly before glaring back up at him,” So why am I tied to the bed?”

“So you wouldn’t do anything stupid,” he grunted,” I’ll let you out if you promise to behave.”

“Hmmm that is a good idea,” I pulled the blades up and pointed them both at him. He jerked back surprised by the blades that now floated in front of him,” But how about you back off.” I felt myself calm down now that the tables were turned. He reacted like a normal pony would so he could just be a pony with horrible skin issues but fate favors the cautious.

“How are you doing this?” He asked, wonder in his voice.

“Zebra talismans,” I stated as I pulled a blade back and took to sawing through the gauze,” Now stay right-“Suddenly he rushed forward. I squeaked from surprise at the sudden movement. Oh Goddesses this is it…I braced myself for my fate…Huh?

“Fascinating,” he gushed as he eyed my earrings;” I had thought they were only cheap jewelry.” Cheap jewelry?! “But they are honest to goodness telekinesis talismans. Such fine work.”

“Umm thanks?” I inched away and he only got closer,” Personal space would be really good right now.”

“Oh,” he gave me a sheepish grin,” Sorry I tend to get excited at such finds. I haven’t seen such a talisman in a long time. Where did you get them?”

“A guy,” I said with a shrug much to his chagrin. I screwed my face up in concentration as I sawed through the gauze. Damn it couldn’t hurt them to sharpen these things once in…oh right two hundred years. Duh! There was a greenish silver flash and the gauze was ripped away. I looked at the stallion who was still inching toward me, his eyes focused solely on my earrings. Huh that’s the first time a buck was solely focused on my jewelry and not my plot.

“So what’s your name?” I asked as I pulled the gauze off my limbs.

“Hmm?” The ghoul blinked, as if he’d been pulled out of a trance,” Oh sorry my name is Silverlux.”

I perked my ears up at that name. Silverlux? Wait that name is so familiar…hold up. “You’re the pony from the train!” I pointed a hoof at him. He gave me a blank expression. “You know you showed me a picture of your sister and niece.” Realization sparked through his eyes.

“Nightingale,” he said,” Right?"

“Uh yeah,” I scratched the back of my head,” Nightingale. Damn dude you aged badly.”

He chuckled,” And you not at all. But I have to ask how did you end up in that pod?”

The lie came quick and easy," I was asked to help with a friend's work on cryogenesis chambers and their effects. Must have been the same time the facility went haywire."

He nodded," Looks like you got lucky then," his ears went flat," Sorry about your friend."

The part asked for sorrow and any professional actress delivers. "I am too," I cast my eyes down and blinked them enough that tears showed on the edges. "She didn't deserve the fate she was given."

Silverlux placed a comforting hoof on my shoulder. Hook, line and sinker. " I'm sorry."

I sniffed, nodded, and gave him a small smile," Thank you." I rubbed my nose," So what now?"

"We work together to get out of here," Silverlux stood up," You with me?"

I considered my obtions. As mush as I loathed the fact I would have to put up with someone there stood the fact that I needed another body, in the very least to throw at the robots should I get overwhelmed. I smirked, "Sure but the second you slow me down it’s the curb buddy.”

“Oh please,” he rolled his cloudy eyes;” If anyone slows anyone down you’ll slow me down.”

“Uh huh,” I snorted,” So how do we get out of here?”

“There should be a kill switch for the megabarrier in the comms room and the only way to get there is from the top floor.”

“Well then let’s go,” I said and pushed past him. I gave him a flick of my tail as I passed,” And as I said do keep up.”

“Mares,” he grumbled before following me out. As I rounded the corner I spotted one of the psycho robots floating down the hall and it hadn’t seen us. Silverlux bumped into my ass. I gasped at the touch and turned a glare at him.

He glared back,” What’d you stop for?”

Rude buck. I flicked my tail and looked back at the robot. Still unawares. “There’s a psychotic robot down the hall.”

“Oh I see,” he trotted out into the hall just as more green blips showed up on the E.F.S. A lot more.

“No wait-“ I started but he pulled out a pair of magic energy pistols from his foreleg holsters with his magic. The crystals hummed to life and he shot two beams of pink energy at the robot. It whined loudly before exploding. He smirked back at me,” Don’t see why you’re worried.”

Green became red and surgicalbots rushed around the corners and out of rooms. I glared at the dumb buck. You’d think two hundred years would make you smarter but nope apparently it doesn’t.” That’s why you damn idiot.” I started down the hallway in a gallop away from the murderous robots. “Come on dumbass this way!” I shouted back at Silverlux.

“Right following the mare who’s been here a while now,” he said with wide eyes at the sure number of robots before running after me, his pistols cracking energy beams at the robots as he went.

I came to a door that marked ‘Stairwell’. Damn locked. I pulled out my screwdriver and a hairpin and set to work.

Silverlux skidded to a halt and unleashed a flurry of beams at the robots as they rounded the corner. He swore as they clicked empty and he ejected the smoking dead crystals. “Hurry up!” He shouted as he reloaded his pistols.

Then the hairpin snapped. Fuck! I growled and pulled out another one,” Shut up and let me work!” I stuck my tongue out in concentration. I was rewarded with a click and the door unlocked. Success! I rushed inside. “Come on you idiot!”

He fired a few more shots before ducking inside as well. He shut the door and tore a length of iron from the railing. I looked at him like he was crazy.

“What are you-“I started before he rammed the metal rod between the door handle and the wall. Oh okay that makes sense then. The door started to jiggle and rattle as the robots tried to push the door open.

“Come on,” he grunted as he started up the stairs,” That won’t hold them long.”

“Good idea,” I said stating the absolute obvious. I started after him and we walked in silence for a while. Shit this place has a lot of stairs. Before long the silence became annoying,” So what did you do during the war?” He turned to look at me,” I mean what did you really do?”

He sighed,” I was an undercover agent of Image.” I knew it! “I was assigned to keep an eye on a few questionable members of M.o.M.” Wow that was surprisingly easy didn’t have to pry or anything.

“You’re surprisingly truthful.”

“It happened a long time ago so I’m pretty sure the ponies that would care are died.”

“Valid point.”

We climbed in silence before he spoke up,” So where did you learn how pick locks." He cast a searching glance my way. Shit.

I shrugged," As a scout we had to learn basic infiltration." I remembered that Nightingale had a history of B and Es. "Besides I've done some things I'm not entirely proud of," Ain't that the truth," So I learned the skill through practice when I was younger."

Silevrlux nodded in understanding and dropped the conversation. Eventually we came to the fourth floor. I pushed the door open and peered out carefully. No robots in either direction, good. I trotted out and Silverlux followed close behind me, his pistols floating loosely at his sides.

“Alright there should be bridge connecting the building to the comms tower,” He said as he walked ahead of me.

“You seem to know a bit about this place,” I stated as we walked down the hall. I kept my eye on the E.F.S. and he cleared a corner before trotting down the hall.

“Yeah my team and I were sent to see if we could get inside and deactivate it. Once inside we could scavenge it for medicine, chems and other supplies. We went through the sewers, hoping to find the underground entrance.” His tone soured. “Turns out we were walking right into a Screecher nest. Most of us were able to get away from the main pack but we came to a dead end. We held our ground for a bit but they just kept coming. Eventually they took most of my squad down. That was when you opened the door.”

“You’re welcome by the way,” I said with a smug grin.

He chuckled and gave his eyes a roll,” Either way the mission was a bust.”

“How? You’re inside right?” Ok seriously confused now. Didn’t you say you needed to get in here in the first place?

“Yeah but I lost a lot of good ponies,” he grunted,” Many of them had families. Doesn’t seem fair when the one who’s been around for longer than he should survived.”

“The past cannot be changed,” he looked at me like I was crazy,” And the future will take care of itself. Worry only of the present.” He continued to stare at me like I’d grown a third eye before smiling gently. At least I think he was. “What?”

“Nothing,” he said before turning back,” That sounds like a zebra saying.”

“It is,” I said simply. I almost stopped in mid-stride. Stupid! You're revealing too much. Silverlux arched an eyebrow at me," They were the last words this zebra scout told me. He said they would curve fate's cruelty on me."

We came to a large Steel door. Saved by the fucking bell. There was a terminal beside it attached to the wall. The keyboard was locked though and it was too small to pick the lock. Damn.

Silverlux stomped a hoof,” Damn it. Now how do we get in?”

“We find the key,” I continued down the hall. Silverlux gave me an ‘are you nuts’ look.

“How?”

Thieving 101, Look for the biggest and most luxurious room and you’re sure to find your prize. I kept a neutral expression and shrugged," A hunch."

You now these M.o.P. characters have a real penitent for cute fuzzy things. The Director’s main office was easy enough to find on the fourth floor. Inside there were bookshelves filled with dozens of cutesy animal figurines and other trinkets, though they were dusty as hell. The thing that caught my attention was the weird red and blue spiral in the room’s center. It looked partially built and some pieces were lying around the base. There was a unicorn skeleton slumped on the big oak desk at the far end of the room. As we got closer I saw a hole in the skull and a 9mm pistol on the floor with a bunch on bullets strewn across the red carpet.

Silverlux sneered,” Coward.”

Something we agreed on. I pushed the bones out of the chair and started searching the desk. Just found a couple of bottle caps, hairpins and papers. I slipped the hairpins into my hair and tossed the caps behind me. Quick as a whip Silverlux pocketed them. Huh must be a collector, weird. I looked behind me at the painting of Fluttershy surrounded by rabbits. Aww how adorable just makes me want to violently rip the heads off small animals. I guess Silverlux felt the same way because he scowled at the painting.

“What the hell.”

On a hunch I pulled the painting back and it opened on a hinge revealing a safe. I smirked and took to unlocking the safe. This guy must not have believed in buying a quality safe because it opened in a synch. Inside was a few files, the key, (called it!) a large bag of bits, (Fucking score!) and a box of 9mm bullets. I pocketed the bullets and bits. Why the hell was Silverlux chuckling? I shrugged it off as him being odd, old, and possibly senile.

I pulled the old files out carefully and set them on the desk. On top the first file was a black butterfly pin. It read ‘Curiositas’ on the back. Huh Latmane. Wait this was Dr. Strand's. The second I picked it up I felt almost obligated to find out any and all secrets I could. I glanced at the files; across the top in black, faded letters was A.R.C. I scowled at the file and Silverlux froze.

"What?" I asked feeling a little annoyed.

"Nothing," he said quickly and trotted around the desk.

I shrugged and opened it. There was sheet after sheet of astronomical data, moon phases, positions of the sun and moon at certain times and dates, locations of constellations at certain times of the years. Most of this data had no place in a hospital. Had to admit the next set of papers I came across made absolutely no sense to me.

I opened the next file and 'Flux Properties' was written across the top of most of the papers.

Flux properties? “What the hell is Flux?”

“It’s a substance that was made at Hippocratic Research in Hoofington,” he said as he stared at the papers,” But it never left the testing phase.” He pulled a sheet up that looked like a patient report and just stared at it. I had a feeling he knew more about this stuff than he let on.

On this page the writing was too faded to read but I was able to catch ‘Deceased’ stamped in big red letters across it. I scanned the other papers and the writing had degraded to the point it couldn’t be read. Can’t worry about this later. I closed the file and made some notes on my pipbuck. I glanced at the tattered clothes the skeleton had on. Curiosity. I did a quick search of the clothes and found a small audio file. I inserted into my pipbuck and lent an ear.

"Gene Strand I need you to keep a hold on these files for me I was almost found out. Shadow Status has been activated in the mane labs. Someone's onto us. Be careful.

"This pony was murdered."

I looked up at Silverlux. He was glaring at the skull. "How do you figure?"

He turned to me," Cause the entry is off by about a centimeter," He turned the skull a little," As well there would have been cracks in the skull from the 9mm round. This hole shows a lower caliber, maybe silenced too. The damage would have been greater from a 9mm. In short-"

"She was trying to defend herself," I finished then scowled," Bitch got what she deserved then." Time to stop pondering on dead ghosts. I pulled the key up and tossed it to Silverlux. “You know how to hack a computer right?” I asked as I grabbed the pistol and placed it in my bag along with the scattered bullets. He froze and looked like he was going to say something but instead smiled smugly.

“Please,” he said with a little more attitude than necessary,” Can I hack a computer she asks.” He trotted out of the room with a scoff. Wise ass. I followed after him contemplating testing out this gun on his flank.
---------------------------------------------------

We backtracked to the massive door. Silverlux unlocked the terminal and started working his magic on the terminal. Suddenly red blaring lights started to flash and a shrill alarm sounded. Fucking fantastic.

“What the fuck did you do!?” I growled at the buck as he moved his hooves across the keyboard.

“It’s built into the system,” he said, not taking his eyes off the screen,” Someone was inside when the lockdown started.” Damn it. Surgical robots and sentries came rushing out into the hall. “Keep them off me while I shut down the alarm.”

Great. I braced myself as a pair of surgicalbots flew at me. I flipped through the air and charged up the tasers. I hit one right in its motor but only glanced the other. It whined but stayed in the air. I landed and slipped into S.A.T.S. and targeted its motor and the sensory array of another. Both got a good shock and went down. A beam of hot pink magic surged into me, knocking me off balance but my riot armor kept me from taking any real damage. I jumped out of the way as another energy beam lanced past me.

“Hey watch it!” I heard Silverlux whine behind me.

“Well I’m not gonna let them hit me,” I screamed back. I rushed the sentry, weaving in and out of its beams with graceful ease. I slammed a sparking hoof against its chest casing but it just brushed it off and tried to slam me with its arms. I jumped back. Damn not enough charge. I pulled the gun out of my bag and racked a round. I slipped into S.A.T.S and fired a single round into its head before S.A.T.S. deactivated.

I ducked another flurry of beams but some hit my wings. I yelped at the pain and felt sick as the smell of burnt feathers reached my nose. Luna's cosmic cheeks that stings! I grimaced as I launched myself into the air and over the sentry. I emptied the clip into its combat inhibitor. It went still and the other sentry whirled around on me. I slammed a second clip home and got two lucky shots into its arm fitted magic arm-rifle. Its arm exploded and I wasted no time to slam a taser into the exposed wires. It let out a deep whine before slumping.

I aimed the gun with a cold eye as the last surgicalbot rushed me. I fired a shot right at the sensory orb and it veered off to the right just before it hit me and skidded on the floor. I calmly trotted up to it as it started to rise and tased it with extreme prejudice right in its motor. The alarms stopped and not a moment too soon. The steel door opened and I trotted over to Silverlux. I fell back on my haunches as I reached the ghoul, panting. Damn that was a workout.

“You alright?” he asked me clearly worried. His eyes traveled to my smoking feathers.

“Yeah,” I glanced at my wing,” But this is gonna take forever to preen.” I gave my wing a flap and winced as the dead feathers were shaken loose.

Silverlux rolled his eyes and bowed,” Ladies first.”

“Oh such a gentlecolt,” I said with a little sarcasm,” Even let me fight off the murderous robots.”

“Yeah but I did get the door for you,” he grinned.

“Pfft,” I trotted down the encased bridge of metal and glass,” Come on let’s see who locked their dumb ass in the comms array.”

As we walked along I noted the sandbags and the bone piles huddled behind them. Strange thing was they were arranged facing the door to the comms array. They were trying to get in or hold something back. I glanced at my tasers’ power levels, both red. I quickly swapped spark batteries and even loaded a gas canister into the launcher.

Silverlux cast a glance at me and smirked,” Paraniod?”

Xea’s words echoed through my mind,’Fate favors the cautious my moja kidogo,’

Yes mshauri. I shouldered the launcher and nodded,” Something like that.”

I trotted ahead to the door. Another card slot. I pulled the cardkey out and slid it home. It beeped and the door opened. Silverlux and I both balked at what we saw. Standing with its back to us was what looked like an earth pony but its skin was oil black and looked to be pulled taut over its bones. It turned slowly toward us yellow piercing eyes staring back at us. In the center of its forehead is what caught my attention though. A red gleaming gem in the shape of a star. A growl rumbled from its throat as it faced us.

“What the fuck is that?” the ghoul beside me breathed. Like I would know, you’re the one with over two hundred years of experience. It charged without warning and I braced myself. We both jumped out of his path. The beast burst through a stack of sandbags like nothing. Crap if we dual it out here we’ll destroy the equipment.

“You get that barrier down,” I shouted at Silverlux,” I’ll draw it off.” I didn’t even wait for his answer as I launched myself into the air. I glided over the black beast and hit it upside the head with a back hoof. I landed in front of it, a smug smirk on my muzzle.

“Nya, nya,” I flagged my jet black tail at it,” Can’t catch me. ~” It snorted and charged. Ha sucker. ”Alright ugly name of the game is tag and you’re it!”

I ran down the bridge and to the right. The Director’s office will be a good place to hash this out. I rounded a corner and pulled the gas mask from the riot armor’s belt. I clamped it on and pulled the breather ring. I bucked the director’s door open and ducked behind one of the couches by the wall. The black beast burst into the room a moment later and looked around confused. I pulled the launcher out and aimed it at the ceiling.

With a *Pffphm* it fired the canister and white smoke filled the room. The beast roared in fury and started to thrash around the room. The smoke made visibility limited but I still had E.F.S. I clicked both tasers on just as a red blip passed before me. I jumped into he air and landed right on the beast’s back. It screeched, setting my teeth on edge. Sounded like nails on a bloody chalkboard. I slammed both tasers into the side of its neck but that seemed to just piss it off more cause it reared and threw me off.

I landed hard on a wing. Fuck it hurt. Okay so bull rider I’m not. I sat up slightly dazed and shook my head. Okay ugly round two. It rushed me once I came into its line of sight.

I tried to roll out of the way but it slammed both fore hooves on my chest. A sickening *crack* reached my ears and I felt my chest flare up in pain. It reared up a second time but I upped the charge on the tasers and slammed both into its belly. It stumbled and snorted. The knockout gas and taser strikes were taking its toll. Don’t give him an inch. I entered S.A.T.S. and targeted his head with three strikes. I pounced aided by the targeting spell and landed three shocking hoof strikes into the side of its head. On the third strike I felt bone give way and it went down.

I waited a moment ready for it to get back up. Yep it stayed down.

I plopped on my flank and white hot pain lanced through my chest. Damn it the fucker broke some ribs. Pulled the pistol out and fire two shots at the window, shattering it. I waited a grueling couple of minutes for the gas to vent out. Once the room was clear I pulled my gas mask of, pulled out a health potion out and downed it.

Fuck! It hurts even more when they mend back together. After the health potion did its work I trotted up to the beast. The red star in its skull dulled some, it looked like a gem. I reached out and touched the gem. My world went black.

I was strapped to a table; my bones felt brittle, weak. My flesh seared and blackened from the magic they had worked into my body but that is not why I screamed. Over me stood two ghastly figures, their muzzles were long, full of razor sharp teeth, their fur, translucent and grey. The eyes…Oh Celestia the eyes…pale yellow and piercing, like a demon’s from the depths of Tartartus. They worked strange instruments in their knurled hands. I flinched as their wickedly curved claws neared my flesh.

There was no light save for the red gleaming gem above me, it called to me and promised to take all that I was away and replace it with something else…something sinister. One of the beasts looked at me as it grabbed the jewel. It pressed it to my forehead and a blinding pain ripped through my already pain stricken body. I unleashed a scream unequine as I was unmade but over my ragged brays I still heard my mind whisper-'Your soul is forfeit.'-then darkness.

I stumbled back, my chest heaving. The voice of that…Thing had been sinister and chilled me to my core. I felt that had been me but it wasn’t. I looked at the gem, now dull and cracked. It was like a memory orb. I curled up and started shaking like a new born foal. What the fuck was that?!

“Hey,” I heard Silverlux shout,” Where you at Nightingale? You alright!?”

“I-in h-here,” I stammered. My mouth was horribly dry and I couldn’t keep the tremble out of my voice. Silverlux ran into the room and gasped when he saw the state I was in. He rushed over to me.

“Hey are you alright!? Anything broken?”

I shook my head,” N-no I-I’m fine,” My trembling started to subside.

“I wouldn’t call this fine,” he pursed his lips together.

I rose to my hooves, only trembling slightly as I did so. Silverlux rushed to help me up but I pushed him back. I don’t need help getting up, I’m not a foal. ”I saw something when I touched that gem in the beast’s head,” I explained,” I wouldn’t recommend it.” I gave my head a shake,” Did you get the barrier down?”

He shook his head,” Apparently it takes two shut off keys to get the barrier to shut off. The protocol needs to be initiated from a terminal in the tower and one in the generator shed. They need to be sent at the same time or it won’t shut off.”

“Alright then I’ll go to the sheds-“I started but Silverlux stopped me.

“No I’ll go to the generators you go back to the tower and wait for my signal. I grabbed one of the radios from there,” he went through the door and shouted back,” I’ll be on channel two!”

I gave my head another shake and stepped forward. I stumbeld as my chest pulsed with a dull ache. Ooh ribs still tender. Okay yeah he can go to the sheds. I made my way back to the tower. The inside was just dusty but looked like everything still worked. Hmmm probably ran off the excess form the megaspell foci. I found the radios. They ran off spark batteries and there was a charger for them. I pocketed all eight of the fully charged one, swapped out my tasers’ batteries and put them on the chargers along with my other drained batteries.

I clicked the radio on, put it to channel two. “Testing, testing,” I spoke into the receiver,” You hear me Silver?”

The radio crackled before he came in loud and clear,” Yep, just got to the stairwell. Met some resistance via robot but I got through.” A pause,” You alright?”

“Yeah I’ll be fine,” I replied,” Radio if you need anything,”

“Roger.”

I clipped the radio to the clip on my riot armor and started up one of the terminals. No password was needed. Huh that’s odd. The command for a search was running…for the last two hundred years! Celestia. Odd. I brought up the search focus. A.R.C.? Maybe that thing I fought was searching for it but it didn’t seem to act intelligent at all, more like a mindless and very pissed off beast. Weird. The terminal beeped.

-Object not found-

I scratched my chin with a hoof. The creature had been searching for this but why. Curiosity. I pushed it to the back of my mind. It would have to wait for another time. I pulled up the tower commands and found the barrier shut off. Looks like Silverlux had to route power through the S.O.S. signal to get the emergency shutoff working. Suddenly a terminal flashed beside me.

’Hello.’

Okay this day is getting stranger and stranger. I clicked the receiver,” Hey Silver position?”

The radio crackled,” Worried mother hen?” He chuckled,” I took a detour through the chem labs even picked up some supplies. Why? What’s up?”

“Nothing.” The screen flashed again.

’Anyone there?’

“Just curious.” I put the radio down, my eyes focused on the screen.

“Okay. I’ll let you know when I’m at the generators.” The radio crackled before going silent. I pulled my chair over to the terminal and started tapping away at the key board.

’Yes. Who is this?’

Watcher. And you?’

Watcher? Highly doubt that’s your real name.

’Listener. Where are you at?’

’A place.’

Smart-ass. I snorted. I wonder? I pulled up another screen. Now then how did Codekey do that phantom search? I pulled up a signal tracer but placed it under a searching object listing.

I looked over at the other screen.

’Why did you contact this tower?’

’That tower and Baltimare in general have been completely dark for the last two hundred years. When I saw the signal suddenly powering up I decided to investigate. I have to ask. What is your real name?’

’Tell me your real name first and maybe I’ll tell you.’

The phantom trace was finally set up. -Routing signal trace- I smirked and turned back to my conversation.

’What if Watcher is my real name?’

I rolled my eyes. How stupid does this joker think I am? I tapped the keys a little harder than necessary.

’I hope you realize you are using the moniker for an operations control advisor.’ I glanced over at the screen that was searching. It had narrowed the signal east of Manehatten in the mountains. I pulled my attention back to the conversation.

You’re familiar with military operations?’

Well you do learn a thing a two when you infiltrate the Ministries. All kind of juicy protocols just float around. Though I will admit there was a protocol in the M.o.M. for cupcake shortage. Weird as hell if you ask me but then again I heard that Ministry Mare Pinkie Pie was a strange egg.

’You could say that.’ The search found the location. It looked to be coming from inside a mountain, maybe a cave. Suddenly the connection cut off. Damn it he found the search.

’You ran a search on me.’

’Sorry one tends to get curious about mysterious people talking to you from undisclosed locations.’

’Impressive. But I wouldn’t make a house call if I were you.’ The connection cut completely. Okay then added to my list of things to do find out who the hell this Watcher was. He’s familiar with military protocol so that means he’s either a ghoul or just recently unfrozen like me. The unfrozen thing is a little farfetched so I’m thinking ghoul. The crackling of my radio brought me out of my thoughts.

“Nightingale, I’m in the generator room.”

Wow that was fast. I clicked my receiver,” You move quickly. Give me the word when.” I pulled the search down and started up the emergency shutdown.

“Okay now.”

I clicked the shutdown and the comms interface hummed to life. All manner of beeps and pings filled the air. Outside the barrier fluxed before cutting off completely. I pulled my radio up,” Alright its down.”

“Good now come and get me,” the reply sounded more annoyed than anything,” Got a bunch of Screechers banging on the door and they won’t get the idea that no one’s home.”

I chuckled at that,” Alright one ass saving coming up.”

“Oh har hardy har har.”

I trotted out of the comms tower giggling. What? I thought it was funny.

Footnote: Level up!

New Perk added! Calm Nerves: You are cool, calm, and collected in tight spots. You are 10% more likely to hit an enemy when being attacked.

Quest Perk added! Otherworldly Visage : You saw something that is not of this world, and others will see it in your eyes. Low level enemies will hesitate to attack you first and Intimidation attempts are 10% more likely to succeed.

Welcome to the Wasteland (Modified)

"Barren, unforgiving, cruel, and wrought with psycho ponies, mutated abominations, then there's the taint. Yeah...wouldn't have it any other way."

Okay so here’s the plan. Lead a mob of undead horrors to a bunker and lock them inside. Easy right? I glanced at the Screechers that clambered to get inside the generator shed. There was well over twenty of the things. I swallowed the lump in my throat as I ducked back behind one of the many wilted oak trees that dotted the courtyard. You know I could just leave him in there. Then the rational part of my mind reminded me that I was a good two hundred years behind the times. Besides he’s proven useful, might even make a decent meat shield.

I took a deep breath. Here goes nothing. I jumped out from behind the tree,” Hey!” The ghouls all turned to look at me in an almost comical fashion. I flashed a cocky grin,” Come to Mama!”

I darted off toward the bunker. A cacophony of screeches told me they’d token the bait. My lungs and legs started to burn as I neared the bunker but I ignored the discomfort. I pulled out the cardkey and clamped my jaws around it. I skidded to a stop inside the dusty bunker. It looked like a utility room. I whirled around just as the Screechers flooded into the room. I levitated the 9mm out and slammed my last clip home just as one broke free of the gaggle. Two shots rang out and struck home. It went down with a set of holes blasted into its chest. I fired a third shot at another that came rushing at me but a screeching twang reached my ears.

I stared in disbelief as the gun’s slide went flying behind me. I heard a thud and cast a glance behind me to find a Screecher with the slide buried a third of the way into its skull. Black ichor oozed from around the grey metal protrusion. I blinked, completely lost on how to react. Okay so that happened. Shit. That’s when I noticed the pack of flesh mongering horrors at my back. Right running now!

I snapped my wings open and flew over the ghouls to the doorway. My wings threatened to give but I willed them to stay straight. I was able to clear the doorway and I ripped the cardkey out of my mouth and slid it home. The metal door slid shut but not before a ghoul tried to slip a leg through. Bile rose in my throat as the limb was cut clean off and a sickening scream erupted form the ghoul’s throat. I shuddered and turned away from the scene. Then fatigue hit me like a freight train. I fell back on the grass, chest heaving from the exertion. Okay seriously if gyms still exist I am so starting up a membership. I eyed my gaudy yellow armor. And I am so gonna see if my stuff's still in the Moonbeam Hotel.

I stared up at the sky, oddly annoyed at the white sheet of clouds that covered it. Felt freaking unnatural. Suddenly static reached my ears from the radio on my armor.

“Hey,” Silver said,” You still alive?”

I wonder if he realizes if I wasn’t I wouldn’t be able to answer. I gave my ice blue eyes a roll and clicked the receiver,” Tired and a bit sore but yes.”

“Good. Coming to you then.”

I let my hoof fall back on the wilted grass and sighed. Man a couple of hours out a cryopod and I find myself two hundred years later with the world blown half to hell, in the company of a pony with wicked skin issues and staving off screeching zombies (calling them what they are don't like it; don't care) and homicidal silent robots. Never did find out why they went nuts. Besides that there was that freaky creature in the comms array. I rubbed my chin with a hoof. What was that thing and that…I stifled a shudder…that vision I had received? It still chilled me to the bone to think about it.

I pulled my pipbuck up. The question was though what to do with the audio file I'd 'acquired', I'm pretty sure anyone who cared about what was on it was died, including my employer, which still annoyed me to no end. I groaned and let my leg drop as I heard the sound of approaching hooves on the wilted grass.

"Thanks," Silverlux rasped with a grin. At least I'm pretty sure it was a grin.

"You are quite welcome," I pulled myself to my hooves then spotted a rusty tan cube held in his magic. Its surface was dotted with strange runes. “What is that?”

“This, I believe is the reason for the robots going haywire,” he turned it over and gave it a scrutinizing eye,” When I found it, it was emitting some sort of signal. Inside the room there were a few robots in generator shed when I arrived. I spotted the cube and how they were so fiercely guarding it and swiped it. I pushed this rune here,” he pointed to a large symbol on the cube’s top,” And the signal stopped and the robots just shut off.” He continued to examine it,” It was fascinating really.” He pushed the rune he had pointed out.” Here turn your pipbuck’s radio on, any frequency will do.”

May as well humor him. I rolled my eyes and turned the radio on. When I tried to get a frequency all I got was an eerie hum.

“Turn it up.”

I did just that and froze at what I heard, a cacophony of voices, low, sinister, and yet so familiar. I’d heard this before but where? My jaw clenched as a scowl slowly formed on my brow. And why did it piss me off so much?

“Umm Nightingale?”

I snapped up to look at Silverlux. The ghoul had a worried expression on his face.

“What!?” I snarled. He took a step back and a greenish silver glow wrapped around the handle of one of his magic pistols. He slowly pressed the rune on the cube and the offending sound was replaced by radio static. I blinked; the anger suddenly vanishing as I swayed slightly before slumping onto my flank. I was more exhausted than before. .

“What was that?” Silverlux inquired with a cautious tone. Wish I knew. I must have been that damn cube.

I looked up at the ghoul with an accusing glare,” You’re the one who brought that damn thing,” I looked down,” You tell me.”

“Your eyes changed,” he whispered,” A pony’s eyes don’t do that by natural means. Not like that.”

I looked at him like he was crazy. My eyes? There’s no way my eyes could have changed. “You were probably seeing things.” I stood up but immediately found myself stumbling forward. Silverlux rushed to my side to steady me. The second I felt his squishy flesh I pushed him away,” I’m fine!” He backed off and after a minute I was able to steady myself. I felt my wings twitch at my sides and my legs begged to give but miraculously I was able to stay standing. I snorted,” See I’m fi-“ Then everything went black.

oooOOOooo

I woke up screaming, my body drenched in cold sweat and tears forming in my eyes. I flung my covers off me and was met with a chilling air. I raggedly gulped air. I was back in my room, I was home. The moon illuminated the room with pale light, only making my fear stronger. There was the sound of hooves hitting the hard wooden floor before Xea burst into the room.

“Little one are you alright?!” Her long black, white mane was disheveled and a shawl haphazardly thrown around her shoulders. When she saw the state I was in she gasped and rushed to my side.

I felt strong hooves and warm arms wrap around me. I pressed my face into her warm chest and began sobbing loudly, my salty tears soaking her white fur. She began running a hoof through my messy black mane as she held me close,” Shh, little one I’m here. I’m here.”

“Th-there wa-was so m-much blood!” I choked out between sobs,” A-and a light. It hurt s-so mu-much! It…it…” I descended into incoherent sobs.

“Shh, my little one it was only a nightmare,” she cooed, tightening her embrace around me,” Only a nightmare.”

I looked up at her, tears still running like rivers down my cheeks. She looked down at me, her hazel eyes loving. They told me I was safe, that no horror that lurked in the back of my mind could touch me so long as she was here. I buried my muzzle into her tear-drenched chest as all feelings of fear ebbed away. I was safe. I wrapped my hooves around her.

“Will you stay with me,” I whimpered through her fur.

“Of course,” she whispered in a warm tone. We laid down, still in each other’s embrace. Xea started to hum a slow melody. As she did so I felt my eyes start to droop as I faded off to a blissful, dreamless sleep.

”I will be here for you always, my little one.”

oooOOOooo

I groaned groggily and sat up in a dusty, old mattress. Okay this fainting crap can’t be good for my brain. At least I’m not tied down this time. I rubbed my eyes and got a good look at my surroundings. I was in what looked like a foal’s room. Old toys scattered the floor and a poster of the Wonderbolts hung on the wall above the bed. To complete it all there was even a small Rainbow Dash plushy sitting on the nightstand. I spotted my saddle bag on the desk. I slid off the bed silently and grabbed my bag.

From down below I could make out music. I slowly opened the door, wincing as it creaked on its rusted hinges. I hate it when you try to be stealthy and every little sound is like a gunshot. I crept to the stair case and down the stairs. I spotted Silverlux with his back to me. He had a hoof wrapped around a Sparkle-Cola and was leaning back in an old chair. The ghoul was tapping his hoof to the song on the radio on the table.

“Just say I’m your mane squeeze”

“I've gotta stop this shakin’

"In my four poor knees”

”Please say I’m your maaaaane squeeeeeeeeze”

”Or just get packin’ Suger.”

“Good song," I said, "Though the mare singing it is different.”

“Gaah!” Silverlux yelped and fell backwards. His soda spilled all over his squishy skin. I giggled at the sight as he shot me an unamused glare.

“That was a cold Sparkle-Cola you just made me spill,” he grumbled as he stood up. He shook the soda from his body.

“Good to know they're still in business,” I said with a smirk.

He gave me a funny look,” They’re not.”

My smirk faded and I blinked,” What?”

“They’re not in business,” he said as-a-matter-of-factly,” You can find Sparkle-Cola in most vending machines around but they’re all from before the bombs fell.”

Okay so…Ewwwww! I took a step away from him and the cola bottle with its cutesy label of Fluttershy and some rabbits (Why always rabbits?!) under the logo. I gaped at him,” And you’re drinking it!?” He just nodded dumbly with a look that screamed ‘Why wouldn’t I?’

I shivered and stuck my tongue out,” Officially grossed out.”

“And that was Velvet Remedy with Mane Squeeze. You are all hoping for some good news I’m guessin’ especially after that bit of dark news about the Stable Dweller. Well you’re in luck children so listen up! This morning our broadcasting signal gained some major range. A reliable source tells me that it was someone that is aptly named Listener, catchy if I do say so myself, ventured into the ruins of Baltimarre and cleared away those static tunes for some real radio. That’s right children, Baltimare the one thing even raiders shiver at when hearing its name. Wouldn’t mind meeting this pony myself, hell I’d buy them a drink. So from all of us to you thanks for bringin’ the sweet, sweet words of this humble broadcaster’s voice to the silent ruins of Baltimare. That’s all I got today children. This is DJ Pon-3 bringing you the truth no matter how bad it hurts.”

Wait, isn’t DJ Pon-3 a mare. That sounded like a guy, and a hot one I might add. I turned to Silverlux who was mourning his fallen drink. Oh suck it up you big foal, its two hundred year old soda, which is bad for you in the first place.

“It was so young,” the deranged ghoul moaned as he cradled the bottle in his hooves.

I rolled my eyes and clicked the radio off,” Hey if you’re done being an idiot. Is DJ Pon-3 a ghoul too?” It would certainly explain the voice.

“Hell no,” he grumbled, still cradling the bottle,” He lives in Tenpony Tower, bigot capital of the world in my opinion. They don’t allow ghouls in their walls.” My eyes widened at that. Now that is just messed up. I mean yeah the skin issues were off-putting but still Silverlux seems alright...another heartbroken moan left his muzzle at the bottle...sorta. Silverlux snorted and continued,” As for DJ Pon-3 it’s a title that’s been passed down from broadcaster to broadcaster. Every forty years or so the voice changes a little, it’s always male though.”

Hmm I see. It would also seem that Watcher and this DJ are in league with each other…interesting. I gave my wings a flap,” So where are we?”

“An old house,” I gave him a ‘no really’ look and he continued,” We’re just outside the facility grounds. After you passed out, again, I dragged you here and figured it’ll be a while before you’d wake up so I raided the house, found a cold Sparkle-cola, some caps and a working radio, so I settled down for a spell.” He leveled a glare at me,” Of course then you show up out of nowhere, scare me half to life and spill my drink. Thanks for that by the way.”

I grinned,” You are again quite welcome.So what are the chances that a certain bag full of unmentionables would be at the Moonbeam Hotel after two hundred years?” It was a long shot but hey a filly can hope.

“I’m guessing you left them in the Hotel?” I nodded. He tapped his chin with a hoof,” I’d say your chances are decent. There haven’t been many ponies who wanted to scavenge in the city so many of the ruins are left untouched. After all the stories of this place even keep raiders at bay.”

Okay adding raiders to my long list of questions. “What kind of stories?” I asked, quirking an eyebrow at him.

His expression became one of dead seriousness,” Of things that lurk in the dark. Screams that come out of nowhere and phantoms of a malevolent sort dragging ponies into dark corners where they are never heard from again. It’s nice and quiet during the day if you avoid the Screechers but at night,” he shivered,” Unnatural things lurk between these cold dead streets.”

“Oooohhh~.” I smirked at the ghoul’s sour look.

“I’m serious,” he huffed.

“Well whatever ghostie we come across I’m sure we’ll handle it,” I started toward the door,” Now then to the Moonbeam Hotel.”

Silverlux gave me an incredulous look,” What makes you think I’m going with you. I need to head back to Stable 46 to show my findings and set up another expedition for the things we left behind.”

Okay so that’s the way it is. I pooched my lower lip and began The Look. “You would leave a poor, defenseless mare to fend for herself?”

“You are far from defenseless,” the ghoul deadpanned. Que eye glisten. His face twitched as he tried to keep his neutral façade. Finally he gave a frustrated groan,” Fine. I’ll go with you. It’s not too terribly out of the way.”

I perked up instantly,” I knew you’d see it my way.” I trotted happily out of the door with a grumbling Silverlux following close behind.

To say that Baltimare had changed was an understatement. The once very well cared for cobblestone streets were pot marked with small craters and sickly weeds sprouting from several cracks. Buildings were either completely demolished or in the beginning of crumbling. To top it all off some of the bigger craters had low levels of magical radiation surrounding them. Every time my pipbuck started to click I felt a crawling dread while Silverlux looked just peachy in the radiation. We traveled in silence due to Silverlux’s warning. Didn’t bother me as I needed time to think, particularly on that blasted cube the ghoul had found. I felt my fur bristle just thinking about it.

Questions buzzed through my head. Why was the cube put there? Why had it affected the robots so much? More importantly why did it piss me off so much when I heard those voices when the thing was on? I don’t remember coming across any weird cubes that made robots homicidal. I shook my head of the unanswered inquiries. I could ponder on them later. We came to the Hotel within an hour’s walk. The old inn looked none the worse for wear just older. Silverlux pulled one of his pistols out while I turned the tasers on high power. I gave him a nod and he carefully opened the old wooden door. It creaked open and he scanned the room. When he lowered his pistol slightly I took it as the all clear and walked into the sunlit room. Light poured in through the broken window panes and dust covered the floor and counters. The receptionist’s counter looked just the same as it’d really only been a day or two since I was here last.

Silverlux gave me a funny look as I rang the bell,” You do realize that no one will be coming right?”

I ignored the buck and eyed my E.F.S. After I was sure no one would come running I searched the receptionist’s desk. The keys to the hotel’s rooms were easy enough to find, even scored another small bag of bits. Okay seriously why the fuck does Silverlux laugh each and every time I grab some bits?!

I tossed the keys at the chuckling fool and gave an annoyed snort,” Search the rooms upstairs. I’ll search the ones down here. You’ll be looking for a brown duffle bag.”

“Yes ma’am,” he gave me a lazy salute with a damned cocky smirk. Even with his face looking like someone took a cheese grater to it I could make that damn smirk out plain as bucking day. I glared after hi m as he ascended the stares with another chuckle. Luna please keep me from snapping his neck. I trudged over to the door behind the receptionist’s desk. It was locked and someone had even managed to snap the damn key off in the lock. Fuck. I glanced up at the exposed hinges and felt a smirk crawl across my muzzle.

“More than one way to skin a cat,” I said and pulled out my screwdriver.

Two popped hinges later and the door fell down stirring up a cloud of dust. I went into a sneezing fit before it settled. Inside was what I could only tell were the owner’s living quarters. There was a small kitchenette in the back a set of bookshelves on either side of a small bed. The hard wood floor was covered in a beautifully quilted rug, though its colors were faded from two hundred years of dust buildup. I also spotted an old timey records desk and a really big safe with a turn dial beside it. It looked positively ancient. An almost manic grin broke on my muzzle as I rushed toward it.

Oh these things were only cracked by quick hooves and quicker ears. Oh man this set me back. I clopped my forehooves together in glee at the idea of popping one of these bad boys open. For sure gonna save the best for last. I glanced over to the desk. On its top was a large book with ‘Hotel Registry’ on its cover. I opened it and went to the date I arrived at the hotel. Sure enough I found the alias I had been using.

’Ms. Nightingale Aria.’
’Four day reservation in the Constantine suite paid full in advance.’
Note: Patron disappeared. Tried to use spare key to get inside room but the bloody thing snapped off in the keyhole. Gonna have to ask Ms. Screws to fix it.

Suddenly a sound like a gunshot or firecracker ripped the silence to shreds. I jumped back and looked up. The sound had origi9nated somewhere upstairs. I clicked the receiver with a little more force than necessary,” Silver the fuck was that?!”

Some static crackled before he replied,” Ran into a stubborn door so I had to use persuasive methods.” Silence. “Blew the thing open.”

Hold up he’s got explosives. “You mean to tell me you have bombs too?”

“That is indeed the case ma’am.” Oh dear sweet Celestia. I put a hoof to my chest to, in some futile way, calm my heart rate which was possibly breaking world records right now.

I gave my head a shake before bringing the radio to my mouth a final time,” Give a mare some warning next time. My heart nearly flew out of my throat.”

“Sorry.” Geez I’m gonna end up killing that senile old ghoul.

Let’s see he just entered the room. I hid my bag under the bed so I should have just enough time for a little safe cracking. I knelt in front of the ancient Lock an’ Dial safe and pressed my ear just beside the dial. Carefully turning the dial, I listened for faint, distinct clicks. After a few minutes my patience was rewarded with a dull *chunk* and the safe opened. Mama still got the skills. I opened the safe and beheld…letters!? Are you kidding me!? I want my fucking bits back! I growled low and grabbed the safe door with a hoof. They didn’t look worth my time and I was about to slam the safe shut in anger.

Curiosity.

Then again why would someone lock a few letters in a safe like this. I mean let’s face it Lock an’ Dail safes haven’t been in circulation in a long time but these things could take a pounding. I’m talking a grenade launcher could blast this safe open. Not only that but they were damned expensive. I rifled through the letters. Most were just love letters and the like but one in particular caught my attention. It looked no different than the others but was at the very bottom of the pile, even had a weird twin lock key inside the envelope.

’Ms. Poise,

I thank you for your cooperation again with this matter. As you well know things have not been going well. What with the Ministries of Image and Morale closing in on our little operation respectively. Soon though we and all our contacts will be able to rest easy. I have come under the unique position to find out the Ministry of Peace harbors a traitor, and a high ranking one at that. I have a thief to acquire proof sent out to your quaint little spot. She will go by the name Nightingale Aria. You will know her when she asks for a room with a view and you shall give her the Constance suite in turn. From there she will stay a grand total of four days.

When you are sure she has acquired the information needed and if you go through that pipbuck we gave her, and you will know what it is when you see it, then do be a dear and ‘take care’ of her for me. The following Sunday Zoot Suit will arrive to pick up the package. Be careful though old friend she has a level six capture protocol with the Ministry of Morale meaning she is highly dangerous. As well the key inside will allow you access to a safe house under the wine cellar in Dragontooth Tavern. I have it from good sources that Equestria is in for a surprise soon so I wish you good luck my old friend.

With Highest Regards,

P.S.

I brow furred into a sickened scowl and I shook as I read the letter. They were going to fucking off me! Whoever this P.S. is is gonna pay and if he's dead then someone will I don't give a flying feather who! “Those double-crossing bastards,” I growled through clenched teeth. I ripped the offending letter to shreds. On a whim I checked the letter’s return address on the envelope.

‘1385 E. Rose Lane, Manehatten Apt 17.’

I made a note of it in my pipbuck and pocketed the key before slamming the safe shut with a surprising amount of force. I seethed there for a moment before I heard approaching hooves. I donned a familiar mask and smiled as Silverlux trotted in with my duffle bag in magic. He set it down.

“Took some searching,” he rasped,” Found it under the bed.”

“Excellent,” I said as I opened the zipper,” Thanks.” I started to pull my armor off but stopped as I saw the ghoul still standing there. “You mind?” I asked with a fair amount of attitude as I indicated to the door. The last thing I needed was questions about my cutie mark. Silverlux rolled his eyes and obliged.

“Mares,” he mumbled before going through the doorway. I took to pulling what I needed out of my bag. Time for a wardrobe change, stage right.

“About time,” Silverlux groaned as I stepped into the hotel lobby,” I thought you had keeled over in there.” His annoyed glare turned to a surprised gape as he got a good look at me.

I had traded the gaudy yellow riot armor for a soft brown zebra scout’s barding that covered me head to hoof comfortably. I had my jet black mane pulled into a loose ponytail and I was able to salvage enough makeup to make myself at least presentable. Over half of my makeup was ruined by the passage of time. That was well over three hundred bits wasted!

I had to throw out what I couldn’t use. I kept the foreleg guards and even carved out a section of the pipbuck screen with a ceremonial dagger that rested in a small scabbard on my chest. The dagger had been a gift from Xea and wasn't really meant as a weapon but a symbol of my training being ended. The look was complete by a white longcoat with red trimming that covered my wings and saddlebags. I had decided to pin the black butterfly I had gotten from the Facility to the coat’s high collar. The canister launcher was slung snuggly to the saddlebags with a fresh canister loaded. I also put what little possessions were salvageable from my duffle bag into the maintenance saddlebags, including my makeup box, a few dresses and an old photo of me and Xea. My pipbuck’s inventory organizer had already kicked in as well.

“Like what you see?” I said flashing a sultry grin at the stallion. He sputtered slightly before replaying with a meek ‘you look alright.’ Heh two hundred years didn’t change the buck’s habit to stumble around a beautiful mare, a habit I had picked up on pretty early on.

“Here,” he handed me a small yellow box with a pink butterfly on the lid. Inside were five health potions, a few syringes of Med X and a clear liquid that were unmarked, a couple rolls of gauze, a small bottle of rubbing alcohol and finally surgical glue and tape. I pulled up one of the clear syringes with my telekinesis.

“What’s this?” I asked as I rolled it over to in my telekinesis.

“Adrenaline,” he pointed to the syringe,” Trust me in a pinch that stuff will help more than Dash, Buck, and any other chem out there put together.”

Huh I glanced at the buck then back at the syringe. After a moment I put it back and snapped the case shut. I placed it inside my saddlebags,” Thanks.”

“No problem,” he pulled his saddlebags up and that’s when I’d noticed he had that damn cube out. My fur bristled as he picked it up with a hoof. He eyed me cautiously,” You alright?”

I shook my head,” Yeah. Sorry about earlier with that little episode.”

“It’s alright,” he said with a shrug and put the cube in his saddlebags,” I know a guy that might be able to tell me more about it. So what are you going to do now?”

I hadn’t thought of that. Obviously I was going to go back to Manehatten and salvage what I could from my apartment, or give any squatters that decided to take up residency there. Not to mention the address from the letter was a definite local I wanted to visit. In all truth there wasn’t much rush though.

“You could join me,” Silverlux suggested, breaking me from my thoughts,” I’m headed back to Stable 46 and we could use a capable set of hooves like yours. What do you say?” He brought up a hoof.

I would be lying if I didn’t think it was tempting. After all things were way different now if this guy was any indication so I needed to learn all I could. I met his hoof with mine and returned his smile,” Sure why not.”

His smile widened to a grin,” Awesome.” We packed up, checked our respective weapons and set out into the silent ruins of Baltimare.

“Do these things ever fucking quit?!” I screamed over the din of screeches. Silverlux and I ran down a narrow alley way from a gaggle of screechers intent on making us a meal. We had been minding our own business when we spotted a whole group of them shuffling around on 52nd Street. One saw us, screamed and then the chase was on. You know what this sucks I want off this ride.

“Gotta respect their tenacity,” he grunted as he struggled to keep up. Tenacity my pert plothole. I spotted a lowered fire escape ladder and with a flap of my wings, launched myself toward it. I climbed up and offered a hoof to the ghoul.

“Hurry up and grab my hoof.”

He latched on and I pulled him up with a grunt. Celestia he was heavy. We looked down as the screechers started to climb on top of each other. Oh come on!

“Climb!” Silverlux said harshly as he started up the rickety metal stairs I followed after. Then once we were a good ways up the ghoul pulled a couple of flat metal disks with glowing green crystals in their centers. He pushed the crystals down and dropped both off the edge. What the fu- My line of thought was interrupted by a deafening explosion down below. The metal stair case groaned before the sound of metal rivets snapping entered my ringing ears. I was pulled bodily through a window by Silverluix as the stair case gave way.

I laid there in a daze. Okay that’s it next chance I get I’m burying this psycho. I sat up albeit with a little effort,” I told to warn me next time damn it!”

“Would you have rather they chew on your ankles as I explained it to you,” he grunted.

We both froze when we heard a clicking sound. We slowly looked up as red beady eyes glared down at us. Very big and very pissed bats with razor sharp; drool dripping fangs were hanging from the ceiling. Out of the fucking firepan and into the bloody fire. Out of my peripheral vision I spotted a door. I nudged Silverlux and motioned to the door ever so slightly. One of the bats screeched and the lot of them launched themselves at us.

I sparked the tasers on and slammed a S.A.T.S. guided strike into one’s torso. I dodged a pair of slashing claws and gave their owner a a few well-placed electric hoof strikes. It fell to the ground with a pained screech and I ended its pain with a swipe of my dagger. Silverlux fared as well as I as he unleashed precisioned shots of magic energy beams. His two hundred years of skill showed as he fired beam after beam, even managing to keep firing with one pistol as he reloaded the other, repeating the process when one fizzled out. What bats weren’t turned to ash were relieved of their ability to fly. I jumped to his side and kept one from getting a lucky claw strike in. I slammed an old fashioned buck into its torso, relishing the tell-tell feeling of bones giving under my back hooves. I slipped into S.A.T.S. and ended the lives of the bats that Silverlux had felled with the flash of my dagger.

One of the retched creatures landed on my back and I felt razor sharp dig into my back and wings. I winced from the hot pain as I bucked the fowl thing off. Luna’s plot these things stink. Hell it took all my focus not to throw up from its foul stench and the smell of these things burning by Silverlux’s magic pistols. I spotted an opening and broke to the door,” Come on!”

Silverlux flowed close behind as I barreled through the door. Normally I wouldn’t have the strength to break a door down but two hundred years of aging mixed with sure fucking panic were on my side. We broke into a hallway and wouldn’t you know it there were more of the damn bats.

“Fuck me!” I screeched as I dodged a set of razor sharp jaws. I slammed an electrified hoof into the damn thing’s chin and sent it tumbling. Damn I love these tasers! I whipped my dagger out and slashed its throat. Blood spewed from its trachea and onto my coat further turning the material red.

“The stairwell!” Silverlux shouted.

We galloped toward the stairs and luckily they were intact as we rushed down them. We came into a barroom with a mural of a massive purple dragon. A small part of my mind chuckled at the ironic situation. Five bits says this is the Dragontooth Tavern. Stools, tables and, chairs were upturned and in complete disarray. Oh crap more clicking. We both blanched as we looked up to see well over twenty more of the damn bats clinging to the ceiling and looked a particular mix of pissed and hungry. One break! One bucking break that’s all I fucking ask!

Silverlux spotted a door to the left of the bar and bolted inside with me close behind. I almost stumbled down the surprise set of stairs but we bolted through the massive oak door that led to the cellar. Once I was through the ghoul unicorn slammed the door shut and slid the metal bolts shut. A few resounded thuds could be heard through the thick door. We both plopped down on our flanks, panting.

“What the fuck were those things?” I said between pants.

“Bloodwings,” the ghoul said with more of a rasp than usual,” Luckily it was only a small pack.”

I couldn’t help but gape at him like he was crazy. That was a small pack!? Silverlux stood up and started looking around the cellar. Other than a few wine racks and big barrels the room was empty. Not to mention dusty. Starting to see a pattern here.

“Fuck there’s no way out of here,” Silverlux groaned, a scowl visible on his brow. I pulled my longcoat off and check the material. It had already repaired itself but I pulled out a pair off small circular mirrors. Angiling them I got a good look at my back. I sighed in relief that tat the damage was only a few small cuts. I pulled the med-kit out and took to dabbing the cuts with rubbing alcohol. I winced at the burning sensation but kept at the task. Good don’t want to get them infected. Once the med-kit was packed back up and my cuts were dealt with I stood up as well and pulled out the twin lock key.

“Look for a key hole with slots for a twin pronged key,” I said as I went to the back wall and began examining it.

“Where’d you get that?”

“At the hotel,” I said simply with a shrug.

Silverlux gave me a suspicious look before doing as I asked. I glanced up at the coat rack on the wall. No it can’t be that easy. I tested each hook until the one at the end gave way and the stone slab slid away revealing a grey steel door. Silverlux walked over as I put the key into the lock and twisted. I smirked as the door unlatched with a *thunk* and swung open. Darkness was all I could see in the room and I clicked the pipbuck’s lamp on, flooding the room with a bright green light.

It was sparse with a cot and small table and kitchenette. A mini bunker from the looks of it. We carefully walked inside, eyes searching. There were a set of trunks in the back next to another large steel door. I trotted over to the trunks and flung one open. I grinned widely at what I saw. It was lined with military grade rations and bottles of water. Oh hells yeah score. I started packing the rations and water away in my saddle bag.

“Hey Silverlux,” I said once I was sure I had half of the contents,” There’s some food and water here.”

“Who are you?” the ghoul said with an edge to his voice. I turned to look at him. He looked really creepy in the green glow of the pipbuck. His stance was cautious, ready to defend…or attack.

“Nightingale,” I said, feigning confusion. The stage is set Masquerade time for your part.

“No,” he shook his head and his eyes hardened,” That’s an alias. Take your style of fighting for example. You have an excellent amount of grace in your style; a grace I might add is seen in zebra martial artists. At first I took this as skills you might have picked up on the front lines and shrugged it off. Then I looked at your pipbuck to make sure your vitals were okay when you fainted earlier today. I stumbled across some interesting things. Then I catch you opening that safe like a pro and the signs, small and well hidden they are started to surface. Now I’ll ask again and this time I want the truth,” He took a step forward,” Who are you?”

I kept a neutral expression all through his little speech. So he was able to sneak up on me huh? I hadn’t taken into account he was that good. Kudos Masque for underestimating the ghoul. After all he had been part of Image for a reason. They don’t just hire any Joe off the street. I was more than a little pissed that he had looked through my pipbuck but I quickly put a cap on that anger. One wrong move and I could end up with a hole burned through my skull. I stay silent for a moment my cutie mark twitched as my mask was being forced off.

“Why should I tell you?” I asked. It was a valid question. “A rose by any other name is a rose.”

“Because I’ve been honest with you up to this point,” he growled and took another stepped forward. “ Now be honest with me.”

“You really want to know?” I quirked an eyebrow,” Cause trust me sometimes its best not to know a pony’s secrets.”

“How is your fucking name a secret?”

It is when it can get you killed. My eyes narrowed at the buck but his resolve never wavered. I sighed. Fine this fucker wants the truth, not like it really mattered anymore anyway. “Fine my name’s Masquerade. Happy?”

“Were you a spy?”

Oh for the love of…a spy?! Seriously that’s what he pulled from all that. I burst into laghter at the buck. His serious expression became confusion. I looked up at him after my laugh subsided and broke down again into giggles,” A spy seriously! Oh Celestisa that’s priceless. You honestly thought I was a spy?! Oh Luna’s sweet strap-on that’s hilarious.” When I was finally able to stand I smirked at the seriously confused ghoul,” Wow dude you are thick as they come. I’m a fucking thief dumbass.”

“You’re a criminal,” his eyes narrowed.

“Only if you get caught,” I said as-a-matter-of-factly,” And I never get caught.”

“I caught you,” the ghoul countered.

“Well two hundred years in a Cryo pod, two fainting sessions, and being chased by flesh hungry mutant ponies will throw a filly off her game,” I shrugged,” So I call a freebee on that.” My smirk disappeared, replaced by a deadly serious expression,” Won’t happen again.”

“So all those years ago,” he began,” Why were you in that Cryo pod, hell in that facility in the first place?”

I racked my brain for an answer but came up with nothing. It was futile anyway, jig was up and I’d been bested. I gave a defeated sigh,” Alright you want the whole truth here it is. I was sent to that Medical Center to find information for a very generous benefactor. It was easy. Get in, get out with a simple file. Didn’t really care that my employer wouldn’t reveal himself.”

“Fool,” Silverlux grunted through clenched teeth,” For all you know you could have been working for a zebra.” Oh goddesses a fucking zeolite. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and failed...horribly.

“He could have been the fucking Ceaser himself for all I care,” I scoffed with a level glare,” They payed me a hundred thousand bits just to listen to the proposal.” I gave a frustrated sigh,” Doesn’t really matter, fuckers were gonna off me when I had the info anyway.”

“That explains your anger when you read that one note form the safe,” Silverlux quried an eyebrow at me,” What kind of information did they want?”

“He suspected that M.o.P. was harboring a traitor,”

“That’s ridiculous,” the ghoul snorted. I chuckled mirthlessly, “I’m guessing you didn’t go through all my files did you?” A slow nod. Okay guy time for a news flash. “Well then would you like to know what I found? It will blow your mind.”

I didn’t wait for an answer as I played the recordings of Dr. Strand's confession. I watched with mild amusement as the ghoul’s face contorted from confusion to shock to anger in the green light. When the audio logs clicked off silence reigned. The ghoul across from me visibly shook. His face was down cast.

“So you mean to tell me Fluttershy,” he seethed,” the Ministry Head of Peace and the Element of Kindness. Is responsible for this mess. For all those balefire bombs,” He looked up at me with a look of pure, unadulterated rage,” For the death of my family.”

“It looks that way.”

“I see,” he looked back down. Suddenly Silverlux whirled on his hooves and unleashed enough radiated magical energy to roast a pony alive. “THAT FUCKING BITCH!!!”

My pipbuck went crazy as he blasted a crater into the wall. I jumped back with wide eyes. Holy shit how much magic power does this guy have?!

Silverlux stood there panting. "And she fucking helped,' he whispered much to my confusion. Wait did he know Strand? He looked at me over his shoulder. “So should I kill you?” Okay so now questions for the pissed off ghoul.

“Hey don’t shoot the messenger,” I crossed my hooves over my chest and masked my telekinetic glow as it wrapped around my dagger’s handle,” I was asked to grab that file and then they wanted to snuff me out. To be honest I’m just as pissed. When you make a contract you don’t backstab the pony doing the job.”

He started to sober up and started mumbling to himself,” Calm down Silver don’t go to that dark place.” He looked up at me,” Shit I’m sorry. You probably lost ponies to those bombs too huh?”

I didn’t meet his eyes for the briefest of moments but he caught my hesitation. His eyes softened even further. “Celestia you didn’t have any one did you?”

“Let’s get the fuck out of here,” I said, breaking the line of questioning there,” Get the supplies out of that trunk,” I pointed to the food trunk,” I’ll get the other one.”

I tried the second trunk and found it locked. The ghoul wordlessly started putting rations and water in his bag, all the while casting a glance at me. I ignored it and worked on picking the lock. It popped open within a minute and revealed some survival gear. A folding tent, a few spark batteries and even a pair of hunting knives. I put the spark batteries in my saddlebags and replaced my taser’s already red spark batteries. I slid the sheathed hunting knives into a pocket in my longcoat. I slammed the trunk shut and went to the door. It unlocked lime the other one and opened out to a large tunnel. The sewer systems from the smell. I wrinkled my nose and started down the dark, dank tunnel. I never looked at Silverlux cause I knew all I would see in his eyes was pity.

Footnote: Speech-25
Unarmed-25
Level up!
New Perk added! Intense Training: +1 to your Luck.
Companion Perk added! Keeneye: When traveling with Silverlux you get a +5% chance to score a critical hit.

Author's Note

Phew had work around the clock to get this one out. Anyway fourth chapter so yay. Oh Mane Squeeze inspired by the actual song. By the Wasteland Wailers check them out its good stuff

Services Rendered

"How am I supposed to get any research done with these crazy ponies wanting to make friends all the time?!”

As a rule pegasi are normally rendered catatonic at the idea of venturing underground. The tight spaces, lack of fresh are and more often than not darkness are not things we tend to prefer. Makes sense considering our kind are used to wide open skies and an abundance of fresh air. Oddly enough I was never bothered by this. I had on more than one occasion ventured below ground and felt perfectly comfortable. The tight spaces never even crossed my mind. I even found the lack of light comforting. Guess that just makes me an oddity among my race as Silverlux and I traversed down the seemingly never ending corridor.

I lead the way at Silverlux’s ‘suggestion’ since I had a powerful l lamp in my pipbuck. Honestly he just wanted to make sure I wouldn’t try to stab him in the back. I could almost feel his cloudy eyes boring into the back of my head. The tension in the air was palpable as we gauged each other. I had underestimated the damned ghoul and I wasn’t ashamed to admi9t I was more than a little irked that he had figured out that, to some degree, I wasn’t what I seemed. Still can’t believe he thought I was a freaking spy. Heh I almost laughed out loud at the idea of it all. As for him he was angry that I’d liead to him about my identity. Couldn’t really blame him hell in his position I’d be pissed too. Especially if said pony brought the world as they knew it crashing down around their ears.

My eyes flicked to the ghoul and locked with his stone cold gave. He was definitely looking for a reason to shoot me. Still don’t know why he’s holding back but I’m not complaining. A hole through the skull wouldn’t be comfortable. I had the horse sense to know when I was beat. The best idea was to wait for the perfect opportunity to ditch this guy. Silence reigned save for the click of our hooves against stone. My mind had the audacity to remind me that for the first time since I was sixteen that I was completely and hopelessly exposed. My very existence weighed on keeping up my aliases for the last, in my point of view, seven years. Hell my talent was wearing masks for pony’s sake. Since I had gained my cutie mark I had to hide who I really was. Watch, listen and learn from outside of society until I was ready to delve into ocean that was Equestria. After all, my real name was that of a wanted mare.

My motto, my mantra was, conceal yourself and you shall be safe. Hide who you truly are. It kept me alive. I trusted no one but plenty trusted me and that was my saving grace, my bread and butter. My masks were my livelihood. Now I had been ripped of my mask and left exposed to the world like a newborn filly. It was chilling to have someone know what I truly was and ironically my life had hinged on my revealing who I was. I glanced back again at the ghoul, my eyes matching his in cold hardness. Damn him to Tartarus. Him and his suspicions. I snorted a stream of hot air and glared back at the darkness ahead.

My ears perked at the sound of rushing water. It was faint but there and it came from further down the hall. Finally something to keep my mind off my current position. As we went the sound readily became louder until it was a deafening roar. We came to a large circular stone room. High above us a pipe, easily several yards across, spewed white rushing water into a basin down below. A rusted rail that looked ready to turn to dust with but a touch surrounded the edge. My pipbuck started a symphony of clicks as we entered. I peered over the edge at the water below. The water roiled and churned from the flow but just below the surface the water was black and murky. I shivered as if something was staring back.

“The sewers huh,” Silverlux plodded up beside me and clicked his tongue. He gazed around the basin,” This is an outflow basin I believe.” He pointed a hoof at the corridor across from us,” That should lead to a maintenance shed just outside the city by the outflow pipes.”

“Alright let’s get cracking,” I nodded,” All this radiation can’t be good for my complexion.” My lips curled slightly at the edges at the off joke I had cracked at the unicorn's expense. I glanced out of the corner of my eye at him as he turned to me with a deadpan look.

“Ha ha,” he snorted. I was about to smirk back at him when a massive serpentine head rocketed out of the water. I screamed as its fanged jaws latched onto the ancient rail. The rail groaned as the serpent pulled back until the metal snapped and it threw the section of rail away. A second head came out of the water aimed right at me its jaws open seeking an easy meal. Silverlux pushed me out of the way and it got a mouth full of slippery stone.

“Run!” Silverlux shouted as the head roared in pain and rage. That is a surprisingly good idea. I pulled myself to my hooves and we booked it around the platform to the corridor. Two more heads rose out of the water and one tried to snap at us. We ducked under its razor sharp fangs, hot drool dripping onto the stone floor. I suddenly felt very woozy and stumbled. I tried to get up and my pipbuck screen flashed a radiation poisoning warning. Wonderful timing.

The world became starkly clear and the hydra’s roars went from loud to deafening. Mixed with the roar of the water and my insides feeling like they were on fire I wasn’t even able to scream as I felt fangs dig into my leg and drag me backwards inot the water. A bright pink beam lanced past me and struck the head’s eye. It let me go and roared in pain. I was surrounded in a greenish telekinetic glow that sent my pipbuck into alpha levels of annoyance with its clicks. I groggily brought it to my face.

“Shut up,” I slurred at the annoying super computer fully thinking it would do so. But alas it did no such thing.

I flew through the corridor at breakneck speeds...wheee...until we came to a greyish door. It looked metal or like cheese. I squinted at the gibberish on the surface until it became clear.

'Maintenance'

Huzzah the zombie was right. Yay!

“Well wadda ya know,” I reached out and gave his smooshy noggin a rubbing,” You bucking called it.”

The door opened to his expert hoof skills and we flew in, well I did. I felt cold stone floor under me and I stared at the ceiling. How do they make stone boxes I wonder? I looked at Silverlux to ask him. He pulled a very big needle out and my poor foreleg was stuck by it. Didn't hurt but the buzzing in my head was getting right annoying. The buzzing in my head slowly faded and after a bit he replaced the bag. Thankfully my brain started to reboot. I started to sit up but he eased me back down with a hoof.

“Easy,” he said, his voice hinting on concern,” You need to rest.”

My legs burned and I started to feel extremely tired. Stupid stubbornness wouldn’t do anyone any favors so I complied.

“Not that I’m complaining,” I croaked, my throat feeling really dry,” But why did you save me?”

“We I couldn’t just let you die could I?” He sighed,” That’d be just wrong. Sides I owed you.”

True. He pulled a bottle from his bag and uncapped it. He brought it to my lips,” Drink slowly.” I did just that. I was incredibly thankful for the drink despite the fact that it was lukewarm. He pulled it from my lips.

“Thanks,” I mumbled.

“To quote a certain cocky mare,” he said, the ghost of a smile on his decayed lips,” You are quite welcome.”

Holy crap he even got the look right. I collapsed into giggles at his facial expression. Okay yeah he got me there. I wiped a tear from my eye and yawned.

“I think it’s time you got some rest,” he said as he stood up,” I’ll take the watch.”

I shook my head, trying to stay awake. Unbidden my eyes started to close and before I could stop it I nodded off into a deep sleep.

oooOOOooo

“Man,” Codekey grumbled from behind me,” This damp is gonna fry my equipment.”

I snorted and slowed down a bit. My trademark light zebra barding clung to all the right curves which I knew the earth pony stallion was staring at. “Quit your bitching we’re almost under the point.”

He sighed and swore under his breath. I smirked at the buck. He had come into my employ some months ago and had even proven to be somewhat useful. We traveled down a dank smelly sewer to a mark’s house. The security system of the house we were going to ‘liberate’ some stuff from was beyond anything I could get past and the only way to get in without having the Royal Guard on my tail was go under the system. Codekey had found an old sewer tunnel that ran under the foal’s house. I insisted we use that route and well here we were.

I stopped abruptly as his pipbuck chimed. The devise was jury-rigged with several other accessories and gadgets that covered his foreleg. “Here we are,” he said as he tapped the screen. A small blowtorch sprouted from his armored foreleg and he started burning a circle above us. We stepped back as a red hot circle dropped. I jumped with ease through and found myself in our mark’s cellar. Codekey was pulled himself through moment later after he waited for the stone to cool.

“Pussy,” I smirked.

“Well excuse me for not having wings,” he snorted.

“Oh you know you like ‘em,” I giggled as I ran a primary up his back. He was more on edge than I thought cause he scooted away.

“C-come on,” he said, not looking at me,” Let’s get this over with.” I shrugged it off; the earth pony had a tendency to be nervous in the field. We climbed the stairs and carefully opened the door. Soft blue light hung above the floor. Codekey handed me a small grey disk and pointed to a small red box with a yellow lock emblem.

“Think you got enough wing-power to attach this to that Sercurum modem?”

“Yeah,” I grabbed the disk and took wing. I’d never been a very good flier so I could only stay airborn for a few minutes at the most. I hovered as I placed the disk on the box. A second later the disk emitted a spark and the blue light disappeared from the floor. I smiled at the cute buck and sidled up to him once my four hooves were on hard wood floor.

“You know I love it when you know what you’re doing,” I said with a sultry tone. He gave me nervous grin as I batted my eyelashes at him.

“T-thanks,” he muttered,” C-come on.” He started toward the stairs and I followed. Soon we came to the master bedroom and I started pulling jewelry from the dressers. My stars this stallion’s wife loves her rubies. Once I was stocked up with every bit of priceless jewel I spotted Codekey in the next room in front of a terminal tapping away at the keys. I trotted into the room.

“You were right to set this job up,” I giggled,” We are so rich. We can take that trip to the Baahamas and you can take me out on a real date.” He looked over at me, his eyes tired. I blinked,” You alright?”

“I’m sorry.” He pushed a key on the side of the keyboard and an alarm sounded.

“What are you doing?!” I screeched. What is going through his thick head?!

“My dirty work,” a voice chuckled. A grey coated unicorn stallion with an auburn mane walked into the room. His black suit was in flawless condition and he had a tiny balloon pin on his lapel. A fucking M.o.M. agent! My jaw clenched as I glared at Codekey. My face showed anger but all I felt was pain. He…he used me…

“I’m sorry,” he pleaded,” They needed me to get close to you so they could find out what you knew about-“

“That is quite enough Mr. Key,” the unicorn chuckled, a hoof raised to stop Codekey from saying anything more,” Your payment and your records are hereby expunged.”

“You double-crossed me,” I hissed, my eyes narrowed. Didn't the last few months count for anything...

“They had me over a barrel,” he sighed,” What was I supposed to do?”

“Maybe drown in a pool of your own blood?” I sneered and turned a glare at the M.o.M. agent,” Your precious Ministry Mare still after my head? Thought she would have keeled over by now from all those illegal chems she snorts.” I was double-crossed by the one pony I had come to trust…I liked him and he…

The buck turned a glare of his own at me,” You will watch your mouth. Though it is strange you say he’s a back stabber when you yourself are a traitor as well.” Oh wow they still believed that. I resisted the urge to groan. Didn’t they get the fact that I was only sixteen when they…you know what I don’t have time for this.

I glanced at the window from my peripheral vision then at the terminal and a plan formed in my head. I relaxed, much to both stallions’ surprise, and smirked, “So I’m guessing you have a team on the way hmmm?”

“Coming into the house as we speak,” he matched my smirk, thinking he had won.

I tapped a hoof against my chin,” So that would be 17, no 26 seconds.” I smiled and glanced at the now very confused buck,” Yeah that’s plenty of time.”

He arched an eyebrow,” 26 seconds? What are you-“He didn’t get to finish due to my hoof colliding with his throat. He stumbled back from a mix of shock, pain and complete lack of air. I slammed my hoof against the side of his head then slid under his guard. With a tight flip my back hoof slammed him under his chin and launched him into the bookcase at his back. He was out cold before he hit the ground. I whirled on Codekey, a look of pure shock on his face.

My eyes felt the unfamiliar sting of tears as I rushed forward. He cowered with a yelp but I just grabbed the terminal and threw it through the window. I put my forehooves against the windowpane ready to launch myself through. Like a fool I looked back at Codekey. He looked at me with a sorry look. A single tear ran down my cheek. I-I loved you…

“I-I’m sorry I-“A team of ponies clad in black S.W.A.T. armor burst through the door. My eyes hardened and I launched myself out of the window into the night sky. I had never flown so fast and so far before but all I wanted was to get away.

Why...

oooOOOooo

I sat up in a rush my chest heaving and feeling like someone had set an anvil on it. I found Silverlux at my side in an instant.

“You alright?!” He said a little too loudly.

I pushed him away,” I’m fine!” I stopped myself before my emotions ran too high. Damn it Masque that’s in the past. I put a hoof to my throbbing skull,” Sorry. Bad dream.” Yeah you could say that. Why the fuck had I dreamed that?

The ghoul backed off. “It’s okay,” he gave me an understanding look,” I’ve had my fair share of those.”

I bet. I stood up with only a little shaking in my legs,” How long was I out?”

“Most of the night and well into the morning,” he chuckled,” It’s around noon. You have a hell of a kick by the way.”

“Huh?”

“You started mumbling then tossing and turning in your sleep,” he explained, “I tried to wake you up,” he gave his check a rub,” But you kicked the living crap out of me for my trouble.”

I chuckled weakly,” Well don’t try to wake me next time.” My smile faded at the still sore memory. Can’t believe I’m still hurting from that. Its been what three years?

“Do you want to talk about it?”

I glanced at the ghoul and shook my head,” It’s not worth the trouble. It’s in the past.” I started to the front door,” Let’s get outa here.”

I was grateful that the ghoul chose to drop the subject as he picked his bag up and followed after me. Outside I was greeted by a river of foul looking water, a barren dirt wasteland, burnt trees here and there and grey overcast skies. Man when Silverlux called it a wasteland he wasn't exaggerating. And what the hell is with the clouds?

“Hey Silver,” I pointed to the sky,” Why is it still cloudy?”

“Oh the pegasi or Enclave as they call themselves closed up the sky when the bombings started. Haven’t started coming down to our level until recently.” He said all that like it was normal. I gaped at the stallion. This is officially fucked up.

“You kidding,” I said with a shake of my head,” Tell me your pulling my leg here.”

“Nope,” he looked at the clouds,” We haven’t seen the sun in over two hundred years.”

Okay they have officially given pegasi everywhere a bad name. I mean you can’t just up and leave everyone behind like that. It was cowardess plain and simple. “Great to add to the list having wings will probably get me killed alone.”

He gave me a look like I was crazy.

“Well people are probably pissed at the pegasi being complete fucking cowards so it stands to reason they’d get a kick out of killing one,” I clarified.

“The only ponies that really remember those days are we ghouls and the Enclave,” he chuckled,’” No one’s gonna kill you because you have wings.” Oh good. “They’ll kill you because you have a pulse.” Oh okay...wait what? I looked at the ghoul in confusion as he trotted away humming a very catchy song.

“What do you mean they’ll kill me because I have a pulse!?” I shouted after him.

I really didn’t want a bucking example. I ducked behind a burnt up tree just as another shot whizzed past me. Silverlux and I had come across a group of ponies that looked like punk rockers with the way they styled their manes. They wore spiked armor and brandished weapons that looked ready to fall apart. On top of all that they had a serious disregard for any semblance of hygiene. I mean look at those teeth so gross. I was thanking Celestia we were upwind of them so I wouldn’t have to smell them. One of the unwashed bastards even got a few shots in thank fully it was only buckshot. Still stung like fuck though.

Okay so plan time. I looked over at Silverlux who was taking shots at them from his tree a few feet away from me. There were a grand total of six of the unhygienic ponies. They stayed close together. Time to divide and conquer. I pulled my hunting knives out,” Think you can get them to scatter?”

He looked at me as I started to scale the tree then got what I was gonna do. He jumped out from behind the tree and sent a flurry of shots at them. They scattered laughing as they did so.

“Fucking retard!” one with a shotgun shouted.

“Yeah,” a mare with a 9mm pistol in her magic grinned," Can’t wait to cut your dick off fucker!” Okay ewww on so many levels.

I launched myself into to the sky and slipped into S.A.T.S. Now I have never taken a life before but when you have a bunch of psychos shooting at you one tends to throw morals to the wind. I targeted Shotgun and 9mm and let loose the hunting knives. The unicorn mare got a second horn while Shotgun took the other knife to the side. He looked up a moment too late as I was all he saw, that and the dagger in my muzzle. I slashed a gash across his face, blood spraying form the wound. He dropped the sawed off with a yell.

I picked the gun up with my telekinesis. I painted the dirt with his brains but the shotgun flew out of my telekinesis from the recoil. The mental backlash was more than a little painful. Okay so guns are a nono got it. The remaining three ponies turned on me. I glanced at the weapons in their grips. A pool que (seriously?), another shotgun, and a machete huh? Well lets get this over with. Machete took a few shots from Silverlux’s pistols and was transformed into a pile of ash. Not a fun way to go I gather.

The unhygienic ones had to have had a low attention span cause they whirled on the ghoul completely forgetting about little ole me. I took my chance and jumped onto Shotgun the 2nd’s back and slid the dagger in my mouth into the side of his throat. A gurgle later, another red blip disappeared from my sight.

Pool Que snarled at me, her teeth a gross mix of yellow and black,” Bitch I’m gonna fuck yer skull!”

With what penis? I quirked an eyebrow and pointed left with a hoof. She actually fucking looked! A hunting knife held in my telekinesis landed smack dab in her center of her skull. She fell to the ground with a shocked expression. Jenga! I sat down and pulled my hunting knives to me. I wiped them off and placed them in my coat. Silverlux trotted up to me.

“Not bad for your first encounter with raiders,” he said as he holstered his pistols.

“Well I did have the advantage of you running away from them screaming ‘Run you fool!’” I chuckled. I looked at the bodies and grimaced,” Haven’t these guys ever heard of soap?” Not a ‘why did I have to kill them?’ or a ‘oh why oh why did I kill them!?’ nope I ask if they ever heard of soap. Aren’t my priorities in order? I sheathed my dagger and took a seat.

“You’re taking this surprisingly well,” he quirked an eyebrow at me.

“Well in the course of two days I’ve been set upon by silent psycho robots, been told the world basically ended two hundred years ago, been poisoned by radiation which I might end up with a third eye for the trouble and almost eaten by a sewer hydra. And that's only a few things,” I crossed my hooves over my chest,” The ‘I just killed a pony!’ thing is pretty low on my ‘What the Fuck?!’ list right now. And let me tell you honey it’s a long damn list.”

“Fair enough,” Silverlux shrugged,” Come on lets go see to those ponies that were with them.”

We back tracked to the group the raiders had been escorting. There was a dirty looking unicorn stallion, a wizen old earth mare, and a small teary eyed filly chained to a post. They all looked like they had been through hell in the past few days. When we came closer I saw streaks of red on the fillies flank. Okay officially never gonna feel sorry for killing those bastards. They shied away from us and the stallion puffed his chest out in an attempt to look threatening. I rolled my eyes at that. A stiff wind could knock this guy over.

“We’re not gonna hurt you,” Silverlux aid slowly,” We only want to help.”

“Yeah,” I piped up,” Give us all your cash and we’ll let you go.”

Silverlux flashed a glare at me and the filly started crying,” Shut up!”

“Hey I was just kidding,” I flashed the dagger out and turned the robe that held them to string. The filly started to run but tripped on her own hooves. The stallion and old mare tried to stop me from getting to her but I just jumped over them. What do they think I’m gonna do kill her? I’m not that fucked in the head. I pulled the crying light blue filly up in my hooves.

“Hey it’s ok,” I cooed,” No one’s gonna hurt you. The bad ponies are all gone.” I pulled a hoofkerchef from my longcoat and put it to her running nose,” Blow.”

She did and hiccupped cutely. Copious amount of cuteness..well except for the fact she needed a bath ASAP,” You’re not gonna sell us?”

What kind of question is that? I smiled down at the filly,” No we’re not sweety.”

“Yeah,” Silverlux said as he walked up,” No one is gonna sell you.” The filly shrieked and shoved her face into my shoulder, fresh tears flowing from her eyes. I glared at the ghoul and mouthed,’ Smooth.’

“Hey,” I cooed,” It’s okay the zombie pony’s friendly. He won’t hurt you.”

He gave me a glare and mouthed,’ Zombie?!’ I rolled my eyes and swatted him with my tail. My smile widened as he yelped. The filly looked up as the ghoul rubbed his flank and giggled.

“He looks funny.”

I’m starting to like this kid. I chuckled much to the ghoul in question’s chagrin,” Yes he does honey.”
The stallion and mare walked up to us.

“Thank you,” the stallion gave us a tried smile;” I thought we would be sold into slavery for sure.” Hold up now I get to add slavery actually being a thing now in my list of ‘What the Fuck!?’ I slumped visibly. Just keeps getting better and better. Man Equestria really went down the shitter.

“You’re welcome,” Silverlux said,” I’m Silverlux and this is Masquerade.” I looked up from the filly I was holding and glared knives at the ghoul. Yeah just blurt out my name to anyone willing to here. Just shout it to the bloody world while you’re at or better yet paint it on my fucking skull.

The stallion nodded and nickered lightly,” I’m Dusty Case,” he pointed to the old tan mare who looked lost in the first place (no I mean really her eyes were freaking blank) ,” This is Maud and the filly is Cascade."

"Well we're headed to Colton," Silverlux said," You're welcome to join us."

"We might just do that," Dusty smiled," Again thank you."

"It's okay," I smirked," I'll add it to your tab."

Silverlux turned a slow scowl at me. What?! A mare's gotta get her bits somehow and I am not selling my body out. I stared back at him while Dusty glanced between us.

"Wait we really have to pay you?"

"She's kidding," Silverlux growled," Right?"

I shrugged," I don't know. I mean we did just save them from bloodthirsty psycho's. Nothings free in this world."

Silverlux looked ready to throttle me. Alright fine I'm feeling generous. I sighed," Okay here's the deal. We'll escort you to Colton and from there you'll just owe us or me in this case." The buck stared at me in disbelief. The filly just looked confused. The mare stared at the dirt.

"They will not pay us," Silverlux seethed," We did a good deed that was all."

"Classic Image huh," I scoffed and set the filly down. I wrapped a wing around his barrel and started pulling him away. I glanced back at the now crestfallen trio," Be right back. Don't go anywhere if you please."

"Okay Silver here's the deal," I said my voice low and serious," We're in a position to make an investment. I'm above slavery but there's nothing wrong with debts." Silverlux growled. "Okay how about this. We escort them and they carry our shit and anything those raiders were carrying. Deal?"

"Why would I agree to that?" His tone became very cold," You're starting to sound like a slaver. I kill slavers."

I laughed," Please. I have no intention of slapping a collar and leash on any of them." My smile faded," But I do expect payment for services rendered." I smirked darkly," Don't get me wrong Silver I am grateful for your saving my curvaceous flank but I will go through you if I have to get my due."

"Real cut throat attitude," he scoffed," Must have made you popular in the sandbox."

I shrugged," I got by. The point I'm trying to make if you really want to be some sorta savior then why not cash in on it."

"Greedy bitch," he hissed.

"Bitch yes," I grinned," But greedy never. I'm practical that's all." I put a hoof aver his shoulder," I'm not asking them to pay me right now I mean look at them-" I turned to look at the trio and saw they were gone. Now that is rude! They fucking left when I had asked them to stay in such a polite way.

Silverlux started laughing," Welp it looks like your not getting your payday."

I scowled at the buck," Next time I'm getting my due."

"You're really making me regret saving your ass," Silverlux grumbled. I rolled my eyes.

"Want some free advise. Do that which is right but there is a price to pay for every deed done. The short and the long of it is I don't do charity."

"What your mother tell you that?"

"The closest thing I had to one did yes," I said simply and walked away from him. I knew he thought my attitude was cruel but that's the way it was. I pulled up the auto map and tracked Colton down. We were a good twenty miles form the town. That would be some walking. I glanced at my wings in annoyance. I really wish you girls worked for longer than a few minutes. Oh well no use bitching.

"Lets go." I started walking with Silverlux close behind.

It was nightfall when we stopped. We decided to take up camp in an old rest stop. The picnick tables were filthy with all manner of graffiti on them. Trash littered the ground in disarray and I even spotted a few really big crows here and there. they squawked when they saw us but otherwise just flew off. There was even a spritebot floating around, thankfully it was quiet. I remember in Manehatten these things would broadcast radio broadcasts and war propaganda damned annoying.

Silverlux still looked pissed but I guess that was to be expected. I settled down with a ration and a bottle of water. Not quite fine Prench cuisine but I've had worse. The ghoul just stared at me while I ate. I was halfway through my dehydrated peaches when I finally got fed up with it.

"What?!" I growled as I slammed the fork down.

"Were you an orphan?"

I was taken aback by his question. It was random to be sure. I blinked," Why do you ask?"

"You said earlier today that you were told that little bit of dark advise from the closest thing you had to a mother," he inquired," So I assumed-"

"That I was a bastard that my mother didn't want," I hissed," Is that it?"

He stammered," N-no I-I-"

"Why do you care in the first place?"

"Listen I was just curious geez," he stood up and started walking away," No need to be a bitch about it."

"Well since you're so bloody curious," I stamped a hoof on the now empty can of peaches," I was raised by a zebra named Xea. She taught me the cruel truth of the world and how to defend myself in it. She took me in at thirteen and then was taken from me by Morale agents." I stood up and scowled darkly at the infuriating ghoul," Then their leader the Wonderful Ms. Pinkamena Diane Pie decided to brand me as an accomplice to her quote 'Meany spying ways'."

"I'm sure if they took her in they were in the-" Oh you will not finish saying what I think you're gonna say!

I slammed the buck against one of the metal garbage cans. Amazing it stayed in place. "She wasn't a spy," I growled through clenched teeth," She was the only family I had and they took her away from me just because she was a zebra." I laughed mirthlessly," And for the record I hope that pink furred zealot burned slowly."

"Hey that's not-"

"Fair," I finished. I chuckled," My dear misguided colt. Life isn't fair. Take today for instant. They could have been sold into slavery by those psychos. Along the way the raiders would have continued to rape that filly." He blanched," I saw her flanks they were streaked with dried blood. If we hadn't come along that's what would have happened if they hadn't died of starvation. I wasn't gonna just kill them for not paying right away but I would have expected repayment when they were able. That makes me practical, not greedy or cruel. Wanna be a hero fine but in the end you still need to eat. You can't buy food and water with gratitude."

"A cruel way to look at life." A tinny metal voice spoke up. I turned to look at the source, the spritebot.

"Who the hell are you/" I spat, letting Silverlux go as I did so.

"I am Watcher." I froze," Because well all I do is watch the wasteland and from what I see you're thinking like a slaver." So Watcher's a goody four hooves huh? Impressive that he can band jack a spritebot.

I quirked an eyebrow," I have no intention of enslaving anyone," I shrugged," Gotta pay the bills somehow." I gave an annoyed grunt, "Look I'm not gonna sit here and explain myself to either of you. Particularly a pathetic ghoul, or whatever you are, that's too scared to crawl out of their cave in the mountains."

"Listener." If robots could hiss it would have. And we have a winner!

I bowed," A pleasure to meet your cowardessness." I wasn't really concerned with him knowing what I looked like. Call it a cocky streak.

"Wait how do you know this thing/" Silverlux looked lost. And he was but that was another matter entirely.

"While you were headed to the generator shed" I explained," A random transmission came to the comms tower. He was investigating why the signal came back on. Besides that I think this observer is the reason Dj-Pon3 has such spot on information." I smirked at the spritebot," Am I right?"

It stayed silent and that's all the answer I needed.

"That's what I thought,' I said with a little more cockiness than required but oh well.

The spritebot wandered off. Heh I think I found a soft spot. Siulverlux looked at me with a still lost look," Okay What the hell was that?"

"That my friend was a sore loser," I yawned," Come on lets get some sleep."

After a dreamless sleep and a bland breakfast we continued on to Colton. I had the radio up to a very generous amount, greatly enjoying the music. Whoever this Velvet Remedy was had a set of pipes. As well I was able to learn who the Stable Dweller was and the security Mare were. They sounded like a pair of goody fou8r hooves. Silverlux smiled at each mention of heroism. I just rolled my eyes.

"So what's the big deal with these two huh?" I asked the ghoul as we plodded through a section of deserted suburb that marked Colton's outskirts.

"They're two of the most selfless ponies in the wasteland," I explained," They dedicate their time to making the wasteland better."

"And they don't even ask for a thank you do they?" I asked with a hint of sarcasm.

"Nope," he gave a chuckle," Its really quite something."

"Uh huh," I scoffed," Well I have no intention of being a hero. At least not without the right incentive."

He was about to respond when suddenly the dirt erupted a few inches from my hoof due to a sniper round. Fuck! We scrambled behind a halfway demolished house. A few more shots rang through the air and I heard cackling in the distance. Oh great more raiders. I sighed as a few red blips started coming closer. I edged to the corner and peered out. There were three raiders moving along the wagons and totaled air-carriages. One had a baseball bat while his two companions were holding a 9mm SMG in their magic and mouth respectively. In the distance crouched on the top of a large cargo wagon was another one with a sniper rifle aimed at us. Another shot rang out and the wooden planks were blasted where my head had been scant seconds before. Whew that was close.

"Stay here and keep them occupied," I told the ghoul as I rounded the opposite corner.

"Where are you going?!" he rasped.

I smirked," Gonna do some hunting."

I vaulted over the wooden fence and snuck through the backyards to the sniper's position. Shots broke out mixed with the sound of magic beams ripping through the air. I knew Silver'd come in handy. I peeked over the fence gate and saw the sniper a little ways over, none the wiser he was being snuck up on. I grinned and slowly made my way to the unicorn buck. By pure chance I looked down and spotted a few frag mines. Well then they're not completely brain dead. I jumped onto the roof of one of the air-carriages with a muffled clang. Thank Celestia the shots were covering up the sound. A few of the carriages and wagons were arraigned like a set of walls. I cleared it with a few flaps of my wings.

Empty bottles and dash inhalers littered the ground around dirty mattresses. There were even a few tables with ammo boxes stacked on them. My stiomach churned at the sight of ripped open torsos of ponies that hung on the makeshift walls. These guys are some sick fucks! Imagine my surprise though when I spot the ponies Silverlux and I had saved the day before bound and gagged. The filly was bound to one of the mattresses with fresh blood tracks on her flank. My eyes went hard and cold as I stared at the buck. I do believe it was his stupidity at running that brought this upon her. I sidled up as the buck recognized me and started trying to speak through the gag.

I frowned and pulled the gag down. He made to scream out but I placed a hoof over his muzzle and spoke in a whisper," Quiet or I'll kill you here. Understand?" He nodded frantically. "Good colt. Now then I have some business to attend to. When I get back we'll be discussing the meaning of good manners. Don't move this time okay?"

I pulled the gag back up and patted the fool on the cheek.

Turning on a hoof, I started sneaking up the ramp to the cargo wagon's roof. The sniper whirled on me having heard the sound of hooves on flimsy metal. I flashed my dagger out of its sheath and drove it into his leg. He tried to cry out but I rushed forward and clopped a hoof over his mouth. I pulled him into a head lock and with a savage twist snapped his neck. Unicorns had notoriously fragile bones you know. I slowly laid him on the floor and picked the sniper rifle up in my telekinesis.

Peeking through the scope I saw Silverlux had changed position to behind one of the upended wagons and had driven the three raiders back some. A shot through the head wasn't a fitting end for these guys. I set my face with a grim expression and gave my neck a crack. Time for some fun. I laid the rifle down and glided to the ground. I snuck up behind the three unwashed peons. The nearest one peered over a wagon and fired a few shots. I rushed him and drove my dagger into her throat. I placed a hoof over her mouth and she died silently.

I placed her down and trotted toward the other two, their backs to me.

"Why the fuck isn't Blitz firin' at this fucker?!" SMG shouted to Baseball Bat.

The hunting knives floated up on either side of me," Cause he's dead."

They whirled on me, both with surprised looks. I slipped right into S.A.T.S. as SMG raised his gun at me. I targeted his leg and horn and let the knives fly. He screamed in agony as his horn went flying and the other knife buried itself hilt deep in his knee. He went down and Baseball Bat rushed me. I whirled, pushing him into a wagon with the flick of a wing. I rushed forward, batting the bat out of his mouth as I did so and pinned him against the cool metal.

" Who fucked the filly?" I said my voice chillingly even.

"Fuck you bitch!" He spat in my eye. I wiped the spittle from my eye and turned to his companion with the same question. All I got in reply was a wail of profanities. Okay then they both did I guess. I smiled gently and drove my hoof into the buck's jewels. He screamed and I pushed him onto his belly. I pulled his tail up.

"Turn about fair play," I hissed and drove a hunting knife right up his plothole. He screamed in agony. I silenced his wails a moment later with a flick of my dagger, spilling his pathetic lifeblood all over the cracked cement. I turned to the other who was looking at me with wide eyes fear filled eyes. He tried to back away from me but I rushed forward.

"Ah ah ah," I scolded,' We wouldn't want to miss out on some character building punishment."

I'd be lying if I didn't admit his look of pure unadulterated fear didn't arouse me. I patted his cheek with a hoof before dispatching him in the same way I did his friend. I wiped my blades clean on their already filthy clothes and sheathed them. I would defiantly need to disinfect them later. I looked up at Silverlux who had a look of horror on his face.

"Why did you do that?" he asked with an tone. Hold up wasn't killing raiders a good thing? Even if it felt really good giving these fuckers what they deserved.

"Retribution," I shrugged," I found the rude ponies from yesterday bound in the raiders' little camp. The filly had fresh blood on her flank." Rapists sickened me to my core and the way I saw it they didn't deserve to die painlessly.

"That was beyond unnecessary," the ghoul growled.

"Listen we can argue ethics later," I scowled," We have a filly to see to and I've a dumb buck to kill."

"Why?!" Silverlux screeched.

I started walking away, my eyes hard as ice," Cause the way I see it he's as much to blame."

He galloped in front of me and pulled a magic pistol on me," Don't make me put you down. He 's innocent!"

I glared at the offending pistol in my face," He ran away without a second thought and ended up getting that filly raped. May as well have raped her himself."

"I should have let you die in that tunnel," he hissed.

"Listen to yourself," I said my tone even, calm," You think they would have done any different. If they had gotten the better of us they would have killed you in sick ways and raped me to their leisure before killing me too. They got their due. Don't sit there and tell me that you didn't feel any satisfaction in the way they went. You've been around for two hundred years witnessing shit like this day in and day out." I almost grinned as he lowered his weapon slightly.

" You know better than I the sick things ponies like these have done." I carefully raised a hoof and lowered the pistol further. He allowed me as he was trying desperately to disagree. I smirked slightly and pressed forward," You know you want to kill them the way they kill. They deserve it. Judgment in its finest. You know what why don't you kill the buck that had run off. You know he deserves it. If he hadn't run off then would have enjoyed a meal with us and a good nights sleep not get taken by more raiders. All he would need to do is repay me with a favor like carrying our stuff for us until we get to Colton. That would have been the end of it."

He stammered," N-no its wrong. I-I-"

"I'm right," I whispered," You know I am. I'll even let you make it painless." I don't know why I was so hell bent on him agreeing but it just felt...right to do so.

I grinned and handed my dagger to him," Do it."

Wordlessly the ghoul took the blade in his magic and stared at it. His eyes betrayed an inner conflict and an old one at that. After a few minutes he turned and walked slowly to the raider camp. I followed feeling particularly gratified. He entered the camp and neared the gagged pair. The buck's eyes widened and he tried to get away. Didn't work so well as he was incredibly hindered by his bonds. Yes kill him, a drak part of my mind whispered, give him what he deserves.

Silverlux slashed the bonds and pulled the buck up in his magic and hissed," Get out of here. We're taking the filly and mare with us but if I ever see you again I'll let her kill you." He motioned over to me then scowled," Now go before I change my mind." The buck was dropped with a grunt and he turned tail and ran. I watched him go, slightly irked but I couldn't do anything about it now. I hope hunger kills the dumbass. I trotted over to the filly and removed the ropes holding her. I grabbed a health potion from my bag and slowly drip fed it to her.

Silverlux pushed my dagger to me," I couldn't take his life." He shook his head, his eyes resolute," But next time I won't stop you." He turned and saw to the white mare. She was just staring straight ahead, even drooled a little. She was far gone. Silver saw it too and snapped her neck. The mare didn't even stop him. Well good to know he knows when to take a life when its necessary.

The filly snuggled against me and I smiled down at the filly. I caught the ghoul looking at me weird.

"What?"

"It's strange," he said as he started going through the ammo boxes," One minute you on a retribution spree and the next you look like a loving mother. What gives?"

"I like foals," I shrugged.

I've always had a way with 'em and I would be lying if I said I didn't adore them. And now that I wasn't seeing red I had a moment to come to terms with what I'd done. Why had I been so hell bent on all that? I wasn't bloodthirsty in any way...was I? Then again I'd seen death plenty in my time. Not to mention having to fend off the occasional drunken bastard or agent hell bent on bringing me in. Xea's words floated through my head. The wicked deserve their fates my little one and sometimes you must deal with them so that they may never hurt another. She believed that people must own up to their mistakes through the 'old way' as she put it. The old way being an execution.

Even if I had been taught that I wondered what had come over me and why the hell wasn't I bothered now? I mean yeah those guys were scum but...no. I shook my head. They got what they deserved no ifs, ands or buts about it. I pulled the filly onto my back as Silverlux completed his scavenging.

"Lets get out of here." He nodded sagely and we started toward Colton.

Footnote: Speech: 50

Melee: 25

Level up!
New Perk added! Grim Negotiations: Your silver tongue can persuade even the most stubborn to rethink their position. You get a 10% bonus when Persuading anyone with a high level of any Karma type to do something Good or Evil.
Quest Perk added! Rad-ical Perception: To most Radiation hinders but to the lucky few it helps. You get a +1 to your Perception when exposed to low level radiation.

Author's Note

Okay so this chapter even rubbed me the wrong way but the hell with it. Sometimes you just gotta push your limits and take the bloody plunge. Oh and be thankful to your editors...I'm serious it is annoying as hell to go through and reread every little line for mistakes. Seriously send them a thank you. Like right now.

Of Contracts and Merchant Mares

"Unbelievable..."

Colton was not what I expected. To be honest I expected a decent sized town with minimal damage. Nope the supposed settlement, as Silverlux so eloquently put it, composed of a stripmall across from a police station, the town hall building, a row of, what used to be small shops and (get this) part of a middle school. This wasn’t a town. No this was a collection of hovels. The roads were worse, few as they were, pot marked with craters and sickly weeds. And don’t even get me started on the ponies. Most of the ones we saw coming in were slumped against walls of businesses and even a few in the middle of the road. Looked like a fucking dash alley I mean seriously no attempt at all to hide the addicts. What happened to the time when addicts would go above and beyond to hide the fact they were a druggy but nope that era got shot in the face.

Cascade was still out when we walked into the pathetic excuse of a town. Silverlux was quiet from our little escapade on the way here but didn’t blame him on that. I had the feeling I opened up a whole flank load of regret in the stallion. He’d been down the retribution kick before I could just feel it. He wanted to kill those raiders in the same way I had and did. I could see it in his eyes but the best course of action was letting him come to terms with it.

Silverlux took the lead and we started heading to the strip mall. I looked up at the sky. Celestia I’m never gonna get used to…

I was broken from my thought by a wall. I landed on my flank with a grunt and Cascade slid off my back. Thankfully Silverlux caught her. I looked up to see I had run into a really big griffin with brown and tan feathers. Well it felt like a wall. He was wearing black combat armor and had a really well cared for rifle slung over his shoulder. His piercing grey eyes stared at me like I was his next meal.

“Watch it!” He grunted.

“Oh sorry,” I murmured my ears splayed back. I’d heard of griffins but this was the first time I’d seen one. My stars the size of those wings. Mmmmm I think I’m in love.

“You’re drooling,” Silverlux deadpanned then turned to the griffin as he placed the filly on his back,” Sorry about that she wasn’t paying attention.”

“Never would have guessed,” the griffin grunted his eyes flicking between the ghoul and me. I won’t lie I was still ogling this massive wings. Celestia he can take me right now because of those things. Thank Celestia my longcoat hid my wings form view. They were well on their way from being primary out.

The griffin relaxed,” Don’t cause any trouble. Oh and tell your friend to quit oglin’ my wings. I ain’t inta frail crows.”

Frail crow!? I got right in his face,” Hey! Watch who your callin’ a crow you pigeon!”

He took a step forward,” Keep steppin’ limp feathers.” He pulled his rifle down.

Oh hell no! I pressed my nose to his beak,” You’re gonna be picking up pieces of that beak if you don’t watch it.”

Silverlux pulled me back with his magic,” Masque quit.”

“This guy started it,” I growled my ice blue eyes still locked on his grey. I could make out the small smirk on his blasted beak too.

“And I’m finishing it,” the ghoul said with a firm tone,” Come on we need to get to the shops. I need more ammo and you need a decent weapon.” He nodded to the griffin,” Sorry we bothered you.”

He pushed me away from the griffin and the flashed me his middle talon before walking off to the police station. My mare’s intuition told me it wasn’t a polite gesture in the least.

“What the fuck was his problem?” I grumbled as Silverlux led me into through the strip mall’s doors.

“Hell if I know,” the ghoul admitted with a shrug,” But I don’t really want to tangle with a Talon right now so...”

“Talon?” I quirked a eyebrow.

“Mercenaries,” he snorted,” Supposedly they’re the best in the Wasteland and they’re all griffins. They have a few offices here and there. Colton just happens to be one of their bases of operations but they allow ponies to set up shop here to bring in supplies and caps.”

“Caps?” Again queue raised eyebrow.

He chuckled for the first time in I think a whole twenty four hours,” You’ll see what I mean.”

I frowned. That was needlessly cryptic. I followed the buck to a one of the gutted out shops. Above the door was a flickering sign that read ‘Weevil’s Weapons ’. Inside the walls were lined with all manner rifles, pistols, and shotguns. Ammo boxes lined the shelves and it looked like a legit business. Even had a dull yellow unicorn mare with a peppermint striped mane.

“Hello and welcome to Weevil’s Weapons where you get quality merchandise,” she beamed,” How can I help you?”

I wandered off as Silverlux started pawning off the crap from the raiders. I went over to the sparse knives section. There were a set of throwing knives, a few old police batons, and a Royal Guard officer's short sword. Its blade was four hooves long and looked wcked shard. The hilt fit the mouth and was black. It was so light too. Oh hell yeah score! I glanced at the mare tending the counter. She was focused on Silverlux but still kept an eye on me. I eyed the gunrack behind her. With a tiny push I sent one clattering to the ground. She bent to pick it up and I quickly slid the blade, scabbard and all under a wing. I’ve never used a sword before but if it was anything like a Tsire then I should have it covered.

I picked the throwing daggers up and went to the counter. "What happened?" I asked with all the innocence in the world when I set the knives down on the counter.

"Gun fell off the rack,' the mare said as she put it back," So strange I replaced the pegs not two days ago."

Silverlux gave me a scrutinizing look which I promptly ignor4ed. "Okay," I swept a hoof over the throwing knives," How much?"

Silverlux stood back and his suspicious look became almost amused one.

"Hmmm," she tapped her chin,” I'd say about thirty."

"Deal.” We bumped hooves and I pulled a bag of bits out of my bag and started counting.

“Whoa what are you doing?” the yellow mare asked. She looked at me like I was insane, a look which I gladly shot back.

“Umm I’m paying for my purchase,” I said stating the completely fucking obvious. This mare strung out on something?

“I only take purchases in bottle caps,” she stated. Are you fucking serious?

“Are you high on your own supply?” I asked. Out of the corner of my eye Silverlux was barely holding a laugh in. I gave the ghoul a look,” Okay smart ass what’s the joke?”

He snickered,” Well let’s just say that bits are sorta worthless. Most transactions are done with bottle caps these days.”

I gaped at the ghoul. Was he serious? I glanced at the mare behind the counter. She looked dead serious. “Is he serious?”

“Umm yeah,” she frowned,” Sure you’re not high on your supply?”

I slowly turned to the buck as he collapsed on the floor in a fit of laughter. Are you kidding me!? At the tip top of my ‘What the Fuck?!’ in big bold red letters was bits are fucking useless. All my savings are now useless. The cases of bits in my apartment that I painstakingly saved up are useless. And the bastard rolling on the floor like a bucking idiot finds it hilarious. You know what fuck you universe! Fuck you!

I gave him a swift kick in the side, “You couldn’t have told me sooner you jackass like when I started picking up those bits in the hospital!”

“Not really,” He continued laughing despite his wince,” Wouldn’t have been as funny.”

Silverlux continued to chuckle as he pulled a bag of caps out," Here this will suffice."

"Thanks,” the vender said," She been living under a rock?" The mare pinted a hoof at me.

"NO,' I snorted,' I've been in a cryopod for the last two hundred bucking years and while I was apparently Equestria has become one conundrum after another." I turned on my heel and stomped out of the shop.

"Sad thing is she's serious," Silverlux said to the vender and trotted after me. When he caught up with me he started chuckling again.

"I'm not talking to you," I huffed.

"Aw c-mon," he teased," You gotta admit it was funny."

"Well congrats," I gave my eyes the roll of the century," Your skin issues pale in comparison to your bad humor."

"Oh lighten up," he laughed," Oh yeah got you something."

He handed me a 10mm SMG. It even had a silencer talisman on the barrel. I quirked an eyebrow at him and tried to hand it back,” Nah I’m good I don’t really trust guns.” Especially after one fell apart on me and the other recoiled right out my telekinesis.

He pushed it back and shook his head,” Nope you’re gonna need it trust me. Sometimes you’re gonna need something a little stronger than a few daggers. Even silenced for your stealth preference. Oh and here's your half of the caps.”

I accepted the bag of caps but pushed the gun back at him. There were about a hundred in the bag. Not bad. When he was about to protest I grinned and pulled the short sword out,” Don’t worry I got the defense thing covered.”

“Where did you-“ he started before realization sparked in his eyes,” You stole it!?”

“Lower your fucking voice moron,” I scolded,” Yes I stole it, and no I’m not giving it back. Just chill out.”

“What do you mean you won’t honor the bloody contract?!”

Silverlux and I looked over at the police station at the source of the screech. A ruby red mare with a beautifully coiffed light pink mane was staring down one of the griffins. She was in a black dress that looked brand new. And I think…it is! It was Coco Pommel Original. Now where the hell did she get one of those? They were near impossible to get ahold of two hundred years ago. The griffin she was staring down, and doing a damn good job at it despite her short stature, was apparently a high ranking Talon. He wore a uniform with captain’s bars. Possibly swiped form the police station. We both stopped and watched the scene, our previous line of conversation ceased. Thank Celestia for that too.

“I didn’t say that,” he huffed,” As I ‘m sure you’re aware that way is highly dangerous and I don’t have the griffin power to escort you there. At least not right away.”

“I have until the day after tomorrow before my visa expires you bloody twit,” she growled. Her accent was heavy on the Trottingham persuasion. “And I paid good caps for a contract with you and I expect my caps worth!”

The griffin shook his head,” I will not send my crew out on a suicide mission.” He turned to walk away,” I’m sorry.”

He went back into the station and the red earth pony tried to follow after him. A pair of griffins blocked her path,” Out of my bloody way you wankers I’m not done yet!”

“Yes you are,” one grunted and lowered his rifle,” Now leave.”

“This isn’t the end of it you twits,” she looked to the doors,” You hear me you git I’ll have your bloody primaries for this!” She turned with a huff. She looked right at us and trotted forward,” You there do you want to make a lot of caps?”

“We’re not mercenaries,” Silverlux said a little too quickly. As far as I’m concerned I’m all ears.

“But you both look like you can handle a beating deal out just as god,” she offered me a hoof,” I’m Pearl. I’m a merchant on my way to Stable 46 and I won’t lie when I say I need a bit of assistance.”

“We’re heading there too,” I said. Silverlux glared at me from his peripheral but I ignored it.

“Bully!” she exclaimed,” Then luck is on my side.” She nodded to the police station,” Those gits have seen fit to deny my contract. I need to get to Stable 46 by Tuesday or I stand to lose quite the profit. So that means-“

“You need someone to escort you through the Graveyard,” Silverlux finished,” Are you crazy?” I quirked an eyebrow at the ghoul for possibly the umpteenth time. The hell’s the Graveyard?

“As a fox,” she grinned,” There aren’t any raiders out that way.”

“Yeah there’s something much worse out there that’s why.” The ghoul frowned.

I raised a hoof,” Okay so question what the hell’s the Graveyard?”

“It’s a strip of forest that runs between here and Stable 46,” Silverlux shivered,” It’s rarely traveled because something keeps travelers away. Whole caravans go in and end up disappearing. If you want to get to the Stable you need to go out through Highway 49 around the Graveyard. It takes about three more days but its loads safer.”

“Well three days isn’t something I have,” she looked back at me,” I’ll pay you generously. Three hundred caps right now and a share of my supplies along the way. When we get there I’ll sell off the rest of my goods and pay you two thousand.” Okay I am seriously thinking about taking this mare up on her offer. Wait no. I got frozen the last time the job sounded easy and the pay was really good. But the amount I’d be receiving I whined at the rational part of my brain. Curse our like of monetary gain.

I raised a hoof,” I’ll escort you.”

“Fantastic,” she exclaimed as she bumped my hoof, her violet eyes sparkling,” I’ll meet you lot outside the town in two hours.” She trotted off with a grin on her face.

Silverlux jabbed me with a hoof,” Are you touched in the head? She’s gonna get you fucking killed!”

“What’s the big deal?” I huffed," We just need to be careful is all.”

“Whole caravans with armed guards just up and disappeared in there!” He shouted at which I flinched. Okay loud much.

“We survived a hospital with horror story quality atmosphere and a flock of bloodwings,” I scoffed," I think I can handle a strip of forest.”

Silverlux growled,” I-you-urhg! You’re impossible!” He started off toward the town hall," You go ahead and get yourself killed."

"Where are you going?" I called after him.

"To give this filly to someone I know will take care of her," he yelled back," Then I'm getting a stiff drink!"

Wow he is pissy sometimes. I shrugged it off and started toward the gates. Oh well time to start out toward...carp medical supplies. I would definitely need more than a few potions if I'm going back out there. Sides a quick visit to the doctor wasn't a bad idea.

I was able to track down a medical ward easily enough. It was situated in a small office that had been law firm at one time. Now it looked like a legit doctor's office...well as legit as you can get in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. It was run by a grizzled earth pony buck that went by the name Dr. Hemorrhage. Yeah not very comforting if you ask me. He gave me a quick check up.

"Well over all you're quite healthy," he said with a dull tone, as he eyed his clipboard" Healthier than anyone I've seen any one in a long time. You didn't suffer any negative damage from the radiation poison you earlier sustained. So that's good." He glanced up at me than back at his clipboard," I'd say you're damn lucky if anything."

"Well thank you doc," I started pulling my armor and coat back on.

"You're welcome filly," he grunted," Just try to stay away from magical radiation to keep that lucky streak up." He went into the next room and I took that chance to raid the medical box I'd been eyeing for the last thirty minutes. Scored some radaway and health potions. Only took three of each to avoid suspicion. He came back into the room just as I sat back on the examining table.

"Alright that's twenty caps for the checkup," he said. None the wiser.

"Thank you," I pulled the caps out and laid them on the counter. With a nod of thanks I trotted out of the office and ducked into an alley. Man that was almost too easy. I grinned and continued down until I came across a couple of dirty unicorn stallions, barely colts really, leaning against a dumpster.

"Hey good lookin'," the dark blue one smirked," Wanna make a few caps?"

I rolled my eyes and sneered," Not on your life." They were very dirty and if those track marks on their legs were any indication they were druggies too. They blocked my path as I tried to pass them.

"Aw c'mon," the piss yellow one smirked," You look like you need it anyway."

Excuse me!? I glared at the brat," Get out of my way before I show you what you need."

Blue boy put a hoof on my flank," Don't be like that. Just bend over and we'll-"

I clubbed him right in the muzzle. He stumbled back into a set of garbage cans. His friend whipped out a switchblade but froze when he felt cold steel against his throat. I smiled sweetly," Go ahead and move I just got this wonderful blade and I just want to test it out." I pressed it a little harder and grinned as a trickle of blood slid down the blade's edge. Well that's good the blade is indeed wicked sharp.

Blue boy stood up, blood running from his nose like a river," You fucking bitch." He pulled a revolver out of his dirty rags and aimed it at me. I slipped into S.A.T.S., pulled my dagger out and sent it flying at the insolent colt. I deactivated the targeting spell and watched with intense satisfaction as the blade sunk hilt deep into his foreleg. Did I ever mention I absolutely love zebra talismans? The gun fell away with a clatter and quick as a flash I pulled another knife out and held it a centimeter from Blue Boy's throat silencing his screams.

"Oi Stagger, Glint. Knock it off!" I looked up to see an impeccably dressed grey earth stallion at the end of the alley. His bright green eyes betrayed disappointment at the two stallions who for the time being were both too afraid to move. "Can't you see the filly is out of your league? Hell she's not even in your universe." Finally someone with class. He walked up and bowed slightly,” Please forgive my subordinates' rude behavior they tend to be rather touched In the heads from time to time."

"I noticed," I said with a small smile as I pulled the blades away. I ripped the knife out of Blue Boy's foreleg and sheathed them save for the shortsword. Blue Boy yelled out in pain and a slew of curses broke from his cracked lips. Aww poor foal. "So who are you?"

"I am Planned Point and these two clods are Stagger and Blink," he tipped his fedora to me," And what might your name be my lady?"

A gentlecolt in this day and age hmmm? I bet he's still a sleaze though. "Nightingale," I gave a nod.

“Well now that we’re introduced I would like to make a proposal,” he said with a suave smile,” I saw how you were able to ‘acquire that blade there and I was wondering if you could do a job for. I can assure you it would be well worth your time.”

I see what’s going on here. Theses too loons were waiting for me. Possibly to see if I can handle myself. Clever, annoyingly a=manipulative but clever. I tapped my chin with a hoof,” Hmmm depends on the job and the amount of bits, I mean caps you’re willing to spend.” Damn it another fact I’m gonna need to get used to. Again fuck you universe!

“I need someone to sneak into the Talon Headquarters and get their hooves on the movement manifest for their mercenaries. It should be in the Captain’s office. I won’t lie this will be a difficult task but I believe a mare of your talents will easily get inside,” he gave me serious look,” I’ll pay you five hundred caps for the job.”

Five hundred huh. Hmmm I don’t know. I clicked my tongue,” How about six hundred and we call it a deal?”

Planned chuckled,” Very well six hundred but not a cap more. I’ll be inside the middle school just outside the principal’s office. Come my boys lets go.” He turned to leave and his lackeys followed suit both with a glare fixed on me. I winked at them and sheathed my sword as they rounded the corner. I trotted out of the alley as well and went to the police station. Now this had been the first time I’ve broken into a police station so this would prove to be an unusual experience considering I’ve broken out of plenty. The windows were all boarded up so there went that idea. I looked up and saw a few fly onto the roof so that means there are a few guards up there too. The front entrance was a no go either.

Wait a second. I looked at the road and saw buckhole covers. Every police station I’ve been in had a sewer entrance just in case of evacuation so it stands to reason...

I went a ways down the road and into one of the alleys. After a good deal of searching I found one of the sewer entrances. I pulled it open and my nose was assaulted by an unearthly stench. Oh sweet Celestia. I almost lost my lunch. “Tally ho,” I muttered as I steeled myself and jumped in. My pipbuck started a monotonous clicking and I clicked its light on. Green flooded the circular tunnel and I traced my steps to where I assumed the police station was. Sure enough a ladder came into view. I claimed it and lo-and-behold a metal door with ‘Authorized Personnel Only’ stamped in chipped red paint stared at me. Bingo!

I pulled myself up. A small Securum box was beside the door. I popped it open and found a numbered keypad. Hmmmm…I got it! I pulled out my makeup kit and pulled out my concealer. With a flick of a brush I coated the keypad then pulled out a thin strip of masking paper. With a careful hoof I peeled the paper back and squeeed as hoof prints appeared on the paper. I punched in the code and moment later the door clicked open. I slid inside and silently shut the door.

I found myself in a small hallway with a large sliding door. Okay then we’re inside now where is that Captain’s office. I pulled up my pipbuck’s automap. Okay need to go up five floors through a lot of armed griffins. Goody. I trotted over to the door and it slid open. I ducked to a wall and peered around the corner. A pair of doors was on the right side of the hall. One marked morgue while the other was marked janitor’s closet. At the end of the hall I saw an elevator shaft.

Hmmm…I rubbed my chin in contemplation and looked up. An air duct stared right back. Well, well time for the old fashioned way. I flew up and pulled the vent cover off. My wings almost gave way as I pulled myself inside. The metal never so much as groaned as I continued on. Thank the Sisters pegasi are so freaking light. The vents connected to the elevator and the elevator itself was a pile of scrap at the bottom of the shaft.

Lucky me.

I started to climb. Within a span of ten minutes I found the right floor and used the manual override beside the door to open it. I hovered beside the door and peered out. I sighed in relief when I saw not a soul and ducked into the hall. I eyed my E.F.S. for any blips as I tracked the captain’s office down. I found said office with ease. After a bit of lock picking I ducked inside just as a pair of green blips appeared. The office was small with a desk, a few bookcases and even a small gun rack with three very nice rifles on the pegs. I searched the desk and found the manifest. With a grin I bagged the folder and rifles. Might sell for a pretty bit-er-cap.

“Why did you decide to decline that contract sir?” Shit! The green blips were coming right at me. I jumped behind one of the bookcases just as two griffins came inside the office. One was the griffin form before who had declined Pearl’s contract and the other was a female with ruby feathers and golden fur.

“You’re new here aren’t you?” the captain said as he sat behind his desk. The female nodded. I preyed to any kind god that existed that she wouldn’t look a few degrees to the right. I wouldn’t get out of this without a fight. I quickly started loading the gas launcher as they continued their conversation.

“The way she wanted to go was directly south through the Graveyard. I’ve lost quite a few griffins that way and I won’t lose anymore.” he clicked his beak,” I’m all for honoring the contract but I won’t risk my boys fer some crazy fools caps.”

“I see.” She looked unsure.

“You’re from Gawd’s company ain’t ya.” She nodded.” Good girl but right stubborn especial
1a4da
ly when it comes to honoring the contract. I’m-“He didn’t’ finish his sentence due to the room filling up with gas. Both birds started squawking and sputtering as they took a beak full of gas. I zoomed out of the office like a dragon was on my tail and bolted for the elevator.

“Get her!” I looked behind me at the particularly pissed griffin flying after me. Oh buck me! I galloped down the halls with the griffin vowing to eat me. Not a nice thought in truth. I ducked into the elevator shaft as it came into view. I grabbed the cables and used the manual override to close the door. I sighed in relief as I heard some very pissed squawks.

I wiped the sweat from my brow sand started down. Well that was easy. I heard a screech and looked up to spot a pair of talons pulling the door open. Spoke way too soon. I opened my wings and preyed they wouldn’t fail me. Just as a very big and very pissed griffin ripped the door open I flew down the shaft. A shot rang out and clipped one of my wings. I struggle to stay airborne but found myself tumbling. Shit, shit, shit! I reached a hoof out and barely stopped myself from being skewered on the wreckage below. I pulled myself into the air duct as the griffin slammed his talons where I had just been now two seconds before.

It squawked and fired more shots into the duct after me. I felt rounds bury themselves into my flesh right through my barding. I grimaced from the pain and kept going. I fell through the duck as it gave way and tumbled with several pained grunts to the hard tiled floor. The elevator door opened with a screech and the griffin sailed through. I swore as his red eyes promised a death most painful. I whipped out the shortsword and swiped at his outstretched talons. The griffin tore the blade out of my grip and I rolled out the way as it tried to plunge it into my chest. I sparked my tasers on full and slammed one into his side.

He let out a roar of pain as electricity lit his senses on fire. A well placed hind hoof to his head ended his cries. I looked up to see more griffins flooding into the hall. Bloody wonderful. Once my shortsword was secure in its sheath under my wing I keyed in the code to the sewer door. I tore out of the door, bucked it closed and fried the Securem box. A blaring alarm sounded and a pair of steel bars locked into place, barring any entrance or escape. I sighed in relief, pulled my gas mask off and sat down.

The adrenaline faded and I winced as my injuries made themselves known. A health potion later and I was making my way through the sewers to my point of entry. I pulled my coat off and stuffed it into my bag. Above ground There was chaos. The police station was on lockdown and the griffins were searching every buckhole cover. I ducked into a trash bin as a pair of griffins flew into the alley I was in. When one squawked “clear” I pulled myself out and trotted into the street without a care in the world. Without my coat and without having seen my face they wouldn’t be able to recognize me. I still steered clear of anything with talons as I went straight to the middle school. Just like he said, Planned Point was outside the principal’s office, his tow goons weren’t in sight though. I pulled the folder out and threw it at his hooves.

“Punctual and skilled,” he chuckled as he picked the file up. He gave it a once over and set it in his saddle bags,” I was right to give you this job. Even if there is chaos in the streets now but that will all settle down before long.” He pulled out a sizeable bag of caps and tossed them at me. I caught them and peered inside. Satisfied I had the right amount I stuffed them in my bag. I looked up at the buck as he started speaking again,” As well I believe you’ve earned a bonus,” He handed me a small card with a stylized UG on it and nothing else,” This will get inside a small bar known as the Clipped Cur inside ask for mare that goes by the name Mirror. Tell her PP sent you.” With that he trotted off. I didn’t know what he planned to do with the manifest but I really didn’t care.

I looked at the pipbuck clock. I had about twenty minutes before the meet up time. I trotted out of the building and made my way to the front gate…in a roundabout way.

As I waited for my charge I decided to do some maintenance on my coat, sewing up any tears with some skill, even arranged my weapons comfortably on my person. I looked up and spotted Pearl heading my way. She had shed her dress for security riot armor. Pink stripes were painted down the sides and two hot pink rifles sat on a custom battle saddle. Wow this mare likes pink. I did a double take at the…thing behind her with its back loaded down with packs. It was cow with two freaking heads! I gaped at the beast as they came up to me.

“What never seen a Brahmin before?” Pearl asked.

“No,” I said with a teensy bit of sarcasm,” I was just surprised at the amount of pink you…of course I’ve never seen one! It’s got two heads for pony’s sake.”

“We’re a he,” the freak of nature grumbled.

“I-it spoke!” I pointed a hoof at it. Quick kill it. Kill it before it multiplies and eats us!

“Bloody crazy cad,” Pearl under her breath before speaking up,” Will ya calm down!?”

Calm?! I ‘m looking at the epitome of mutation and she wants me to be calm!? I started hyperventilating and continue to point a hoof at it.

“Forgive her she’s a spaz at the best of times,” I heard Silverlux say over to my right. Pearl turned a curious glance at the approaching ghoul while I kept my eye on the freak of nature not three feet away.

Wait a second he’s not freaking out. I turned a particularly chilling glare at the chuckling bastard,” You knew about…” I gestured to the two headed cow,” this?!”

“We’re a he for the last time,” the freak frowned, both did,” And we have a name. I’m Jack and the quiet one’s Moorice.” The quiet head nodded.

Silverlux chuckled and shook his head,” Another oddity to the world of the wasteland.” He gave the Brahmin a sheepish smile,” No offence and sorry if she insulted you.”

The two headed cow just shrugged which looked really weird,” Meh at least she’s not trying to kill us. Oh and none taken my dear boy.”

Okay so two headed cows are a thing too…that's it my 'What the Fuck?!' list is broken and I'm going home. Sayanora suckers Masquerade is done. D-O-N-E. Done. Good night and good bloody riddance folks. I slumped down, my brain officially too fried to process information. I looked up at the ghoul,” So what are you doing here? I thought I was impossible.”

“You are,” he sagely nodded,” But I can’t just let you get yourself killed. So I’m coming too. Anyway I’m Silverlux by the way and the mentally impaired pegasus is Masquerade.” He ignored my glare.

“Aww ain’t that sweet Jack,” Pearl cooed before walking away,” Now let’s move ya cads, daylight’s awastin’”

I glanced at the Brahmin,” Stay no more than five feet away got it?”

I didn’t wait for an answer as I trotted away after the merchant mare.

When sundown came the forest came into view. We decided to make camp under the cover of a massive outcrop of rock. We got a fire going and Pearl started cooking up some sort of meat with what looked like a can of grey slush. Looked horrible but smelled delicious. When dinner was ready the red mare served it. The Brahmin was a ways away grazing on some weeds. I kept my eyes on it just in case.

“So tell me,” Pearl said as she set down a plate beside me,” What’s wrong with your noggin’?”

I blinked,” Excuse me?”

“Well you were right shocked by a Brahmin and not only that but more often than not you had to catch yourself in calling caps bits.” She sat down and spooned some of the eal inot her muzzle.

I looked down at the meal. Damn it I hate explaining the past. I sighed,” Well I guess you could say I’m not form this time. I was well…”

“She was frozen in a cryopod for the better part of two hundred years,” Silverlux shrugged and began his dinner,” Mmmm this is quite good.”

“You’re pulling my leg,” she chuckled. When she saw nary a smile on mine or Silverlux’s faces her eyes widened,” Wait you lot are serious.” She gave me skeptical look.

“He’s correct,’ I sighed and angrily spooned some mush into my muzzle. Mmm this is good. I swallowed and continued,” And it’s been a pain in the flank. Raiders, slavers, bits being useless, and two headed cows, you can keep it all!” I spooned up more delicious mush,” What next giant mutant alicorns?!”

Cloudy silver met violet as Pearl and Silverlux glanced at each other. I spooned another dollop of the delicious mush into my muzzle before I noticed their hesitation. I pulled my spoon out of my mouth savagely,” You’re fucking kidding me!”

“Fraid not,” Pearl shrugged,” But the big bloaks tend to stay away from here.”

I sat up and politely excused myself. My bewildered companions watched as I trotted right over to the rock outcrop that served as our shelter. They both gave me confused looks as I started knocking n the rock.

“What are you doing?“Silverlux asked as I stepped back with a satisfied nod. His answer was given in the form of me slamming my forehead against the stone. Repeatedly.

“Wake up, wake up, wake up,” I chanted as my skull met stone. I sat back after my head started to throb. I looked back at the shocked pair,” I’m still awake aren’t I?” They nodded blankly. I was afraid of that. I made to start up my attempt to wake myself up but was stopped by a green glow.

“Alright,” Silverlux grumbled,” Stop before you give yourself brain damage.”

“I do believe that is quite impossible as it seems I have descended into a dreamlike state of insane proportions,” I drawled back,” I am simply trying to wake myself up or knock myself out cold if by some chance this is reality.”

“Bloody drama queen,” Pearl said from her spot.

I glared daggers at the earth pony,” Excuse me am I disturbing your meal? I am so sorry let me have my mental breakdown quietly.” I sighed,” I’m going to bed.” I walked away from the pair and secured a spot to rest. I pulled my coat off and folded it up into a makeshift pillow before settling down. A few minutes later I was out cold.

My pipbuck alarm woke me up the next morning. I sat up with a groan and turned it off. I made my way to where Silverlux and Pearl had their backs to me as they packed up the last of the supplies. I was about to greet them when I caught their conversation.

“So tell me mate,” Pearl said,” Is she right in the head?”

“Well sometimes I wonder,” Silverux sighed,” But I will admit she’s crafty. Even saved my flank but she doesn’t trust others not even me.”

“Who does in this day and age?” Pearl quipped.

“No,” the ghoul shook his head,” She doesn’t even trust others with her real name. I had to drag it out of her and if I hadn’t told you her real name she would have given you an alias.”

“There a reason for that?” Pearl asked.

“None that I know of,” he shrugged,” I figured she'll tell me when she’s ready.”

“Which is never I’m afraid,” I snarked startling both ponies,” Now let’s move.” I walked away from the pair as they glanced at each other before following suit. I will admit that the strip of forest looked much thicker up close despite the dead trees. It was deadly quiet too. I pulled my shortsword out and started inside.

“Stay close and don’t wander off,” I said, my voice low,” We’re gonna go straight all the way through.”

No arguments save for a glance form the ghoul that screamed ‘You’re insane’. Pearl took on a grim look as she walked up beside me I nodded and we started into the forest. I kept my ears perked for the smallest noise as we entered the maze of black trees. The ground was an unhealthy yellow. I hoped to catch any normal sound but none came to my ears. Suddenly I spotted something in the distance. A scaled head with cold yellow eyes stared right at me. It was partially covered by the bunched together tree trunks. It was unmoving and it sent a chill down my spine.

I wonder if it knows it’s been seen. Suddenly two more of the beasts burst out at use with a roar ripping out of their fanged maws. I had barely enough time to slip into S.A.T.S. as they tore at us. I gauged my position and got a good look at our assailants. Both were grey scaled and very large standing a foot higher than me. They each had large wings attached and folded against their powerful clawed forelimbs. They stood on equally powerful legs with wickedly curved claws. Pound for pound they looked like the most vicious killers I’d ever seen.

I targeted both lizards’ legs and let fly two throwing daggers each. Both blades met their mark. Pearl gave each a taste of her bullets when they stumbled. The lizards looked like bloody scale mats when she was through. A third lizard burst out of the dead brush and was coming right out at me. My eyes widened. Damn it S.A.T.S. isn’t ready!

A pair of pink beams slammed into the beast and knocked it back. A serpentine hiss escaped its maw as it stared at the ghoul, unharmed. I didn’t waste a moment. I ripped my shortsword out and plunged it straight into the ugly beast’s eye. It screeched and threw me off blade and all as it fell on its side. I sat up, my heart threatening to burst out of my chest. I barely made out more roars and screeches.

“Run,” I yelled at my companions,” Run!” I took off and they followed close behind, catching my obvious hint. I could hear the lizards coming after us and when I eyed the E.F.S. they were catching up, fast. I looked to my right and spotted an old cabin in the distance. I veered off toward it. “This way,” I shouted back. We galloped into the grove the cabin sat in the center of. When we burst inside I slammed the door shut and felt something very mean hit the door. Pearl helped me keep it closed while Silverlux grabbed a large bookcase. When the door was blocked we caught our breath.

“Okay what the hell were those things?” I asked from my spot of dusty wooden floor.

“Wyverns,” the ghoul in our company rasped,” They were docile before the bombs fell but well I guess not so much anymore. Fucking pack hunters and damn clever too.”

“I don’t bloody care what they are,” Pearl grunted as she sat up and started rummaging through the pack on the Brahmin’s back. She pulled out a bag of metal apples and started handing them out,” They’re in between me and my payday. So that makes em slag.”

I am beginning to like this mare. I took the three grenades offered;” Okay then I’ll lead the charge as it were.” I pulled myself up and slid the metal orbs into my longcoat’s pockets,” Once the path is clear run like hell south got it?” Overhead we could hear the tell-tell signs of wyverns on the roof. The cabin began to shake.

We all looked at each other and nodded as we pulled the desk back. I pulled a grenade out and ripped the door open. A pair of fanged jaws entered my vision. I smirked. So the bustard’s hungry. I popped the grenade pin and shoved it clear down its throat. It gagged as I pushed it back, sending it sprawling on the ground. A moment later its torso exploded in a shower of blood and gore. Its ‘friends’ started ripping at the still twitching corpse. Wow that’s fucked up.

I pulled another out and threw it at the feasting wyverns. Blood dripped from their jaws as they looked at it curiously before all they knew was fiery ear shattering death. I galloped through the grove another grenade in telekinesis. Pearl and Silverlux were close behind both firing off shots at the wyverns that tried to impede our progress. We burst through the trees. We came to a river and bounded across it. We looked behind us and the wyverns stopped at the water’s edge. I skidded to a halt and surveyed the scene before me. Not one of the wyverns would come across.

“Are you insane? Run!” Silverlux yelled as he passed me.

“No look,” I said pointing a hoof at the retreating lizards,” They won’t pass the river.”

Pearl, the two headed freak and Silverlux all glanced back the curious scene. The wyverns, one by one, started to go back into the forest. The last one hissed before going back in as well. I couldn’t believe it they stopped because of a little water. Pearl sat back and started fanning herself.

I followed suit,” If that isn’t irony then I don’t know what is.” I laughed,” Afraid of water but not of a grenade huh? That’s got to be the irony of the century.” I looked up to see Pearl and Silverlux staring at me with open mouths. “Hey you guys alright? I know it’s a little weird but geez-“Something wet splashed on my head. I looked at the slippery liquid that dripped from my mane and nose with curiosity. What the fuck? When I looked up my vision was monopolized by a big purple luminously furred bear. It was staring right down at me. I blinked. A fucking Ursa Major and it drooled on me. Just perfect.

I then looked at my companions,” I’m gonna be the first to say we should run. Who's with me?” It roared. They agreed. We ran.

“Throw me a grenade,” I yelled over the bone chilling roars. Pearl obliged and threw one of the apple shaped orbs at me. I flew up grabbed it, pulled the pin and faced the charging bear. I waited a few moments and then chucked it. I pumped a hoof as the frag exploded in its eyes. it gave a pained and enraged roar as it plowed into the ground. I turned tail and started running cause that thing is gonna be pissed when it gets back up. The universe proved me right as I heard another roar behind me. It somehow sounded more pissed than before.

I smirked as the wondrous sight that was open wasteland. We bowled through the trees and kept running. I looked back and the Ursa came barreling out after us. Fuck me! As I galloped faster my legs started bitching at me but I ignored them. We were running right into to a large quarry. I glanced at the cranes and an idea formed in my fear tapped skull.

“Pearl,” I shouted after the red mare,” Think you got anything with enough power to shoot its eyes out!?”

“Maybe,” she shouted back,” But I’ll need a clear shot and a few minutes to set Burtha set up.”

“You get two,” I shouted back,” Set up shop on the one of the cranes overlooking the pit in the middle. Silverlux, you’re with me, throw her your radio and let’s give him a chase.”

Silverlux and I veered off and the ghoul started cracking shots at the massive bear. Like the stupid beast it was it took the bait. I jumped off the edge and slid down the slope. Silverlux tripped and rolled down right into me. We hit the bottom in a tangle. I pulled myself out,” Perfect time to get clumsily you think.”

“Excuse me for feeling panic,” he grunted,” It tends to make one a bit clumsy.” The bear jumped off the edge and landed with an earth shaking thud. It turned to us and roared. Right running for lives now, banter later.

We took off and rounded the dirt slope. I looked up to the cranes as we came into the center of the quarry. Just as I suspected it opened up to a pit and a big one at that. Cranes and other heavy equipment were around the massive pit. I skidded to a stop and whirled around. Silverlux followed suit.

“If we die I’m killing you,” he grumbled.

“Well hopefully my plan works so you won’t have to,” I pointed to one of the cranes,” Think you can work one of them.”

“It’s earth pony built so it more than likely still works,” he said with a thoughtful look,” Yeah I think I can work it. Why?”

“Cause when I give you the signal you push the big bastard into the pit,” I smirked,” Then I’ll go I for the kill.”

Silverlux nodded and took off toward one of the cranes just as the Ursa round the corner. I took a battle stance and it charged at me. It skidded to a stop and swiped a massive paw at me. Its claws gouged out a foot of stone. I gulped and pawed my radio,” Hey Pearl you ready?”

My radio crackled, “Not yet keep it busy.”

Keep it busy she says. I dodged another swipe, the claws barely grazed me but it still opened three long gashes along my side. “Fuck!” I yelled out in pain as I stumbled. My blood splashed on the ground as I dodged another swipe of life ending claws. I ripped a health potion form my bag and downed it. I ducked under its paw again and pulled the receiver up.

“Now would be nice,” I said into the radio. I ducked under another swipe of deadly claws. My flesh started to slowly knit back together as the potion took effect.

“Just a second,” came the annoyed reply. It slammed the back of it paw and sent me careening into the dirt. I sat up more than a little dazed and spat out a glob of blood. I swear if I lose a fucking tooth...its jaws clamp down on my longcoat as it hoisted me in the air. I grabbed my radio with all the gentleness of a pissed off dragon and yelled into the mike,” Pearl!”

Not a second later an ear shattering shot ripped through the air. The Ursa let me loose in favor of squalling over its now ruined eye. Another shot rang out and its other eye exploded in a spray of blood. Silverlux caught the sign as one of the cranes started up a moment later and swung its crane at the luminous bear. It was pushed off the edge and landed at the bottom with a crash. I looked down at the beast. It rose up its maw just barely over the pit’s edge.

Time to finish this.

I galloped over to one of the massive bulldozers. I ignored the pain in my side as I climbed the metal behemoth. I laughed manically as I spotted the key still in the ignition. He’ll never know what hit him. I pulled the levers down and took the steering wheel. It powered up, smoke billowing from its smokestack. I drove it the pit edge just as the Ursa’s nose came into view. I jumped off the bulldozer just as it toppled over the edge and onto the bear. After a deafening crash and a roar the quarry went quiet.

I chanced a look and saw that the bear’s skull had been crushed by the bulldover. It laid on its side twitching as dark red blood pooled around it, staining the pit floor. I slumped onto my flank and cast a weary glance at my ruined coat and barding. The wounds were closed up but it still hurt like hell. Silverlux came running up and looked over the edge.

“In all my years I’ve never seen anyone kill one of those behemoths,” he said in stark amazement.

“I give it an eight,” my radio crackled.

I picked the receiver up,” I come up with a plan to kill one of the most dangerous beasts in Equestria and you give me an eight?”

Another crackle,” Yes. Comin’ down.” The radio went silent and I glared at the offending black bundle of wires. Everyone’s a critic.

I put the radio down with a frustrated sigh and looked over at the ghoul,” Please tell me there aren’t any more horrible surprises between here and Stable 46.”

He chuckled and shrugged,” Who knows? But I gotta say good job with the plan and all.” I have them quite often and yet ponies are so surprised. Well hopefully the worst is behind us.

Footnote: Melee: 50

Level Up!

New Perk added! Hunter's Instincts: You are one with the forest. You now do 15% more damage to animals of all shapes and sizes.

Author's Note

Ah yes a new chapter so much this is. Oh and soon we will also have a new cover art. Brings me much joy it does.

Stable Propositions

Author's Note

Finally! Let me tell you this chapter gave me hell. But it is finished and we can all move on...well I can at least. You all enjoy this chapter. Oh and no the quote is not from the show. I will start doing this often. Though be warned the next chapter's quote is a Discord quote for good reasons. Muhahahahaha! Stay tuned!

Stable Propositions

"Coincidence or destiny work in tandem more often than not."

Rain.

I like it. Dare say I even love it. It relaxes me. When we left the quarry after tending to our-well my- wounds we heard thunder above and I was thinking,’Hey a light shower to relax my fried nerves.’ But nope right off the bat it poured and I don’t mean the on and off crap. No, I mean a full on HOURS long drenching! We had been walking for three hours and the rain hadn’t fucking let up. I was cold, soaked, and furiously annoyed with only one question making a nuisance of itself in my mind.

“Out of all of us,” I grumbled as we trudged through the mud,” Why the fuck does the freak of nature get a Celestia-damned umbrella?”

The two headed cow glared at me, both of ‘em. I just glared right back.

“Because,” Pearl shouted back at us over the rain,” They have my merchandise and I’ll be damned if it all gets bloody water logged!”

Both of the heads smirked at me from under their nice umbrella. Smug dry bastards. I was about to reply with a slew of swears when Silverlux nudged me and pointed a hoof ahead of us. I followed it and spotted a wall of rusted steel in the distance. I eyed my pipbuck. ‘Stable 46.’ Hot damn bout time! Another half a mile and I’ll be out of the fucking rain.

I sighed in relief,” Oh thank Celestia.”

Silverlux chuckled,” Aww what’s wrong don’t like a little water?”

I turned a venomous glare at him,” Don’t make me hit you.”

His laugh told me how well my threat went over so I punched him in the shoulder.

Hard.

“Ow,” he hissed as he rubbed his shoulder,” The buck was that for?”

”Next time take my threats seriously,” I said as-a-matter-of-factly.

He mumbled something under his breath along the lines of ‘fucking bitch’ but I ignored it. I got my point across. When we came to the gates of Stable 46 two ponies in Stable Tech black security armor greeted us. Man they looked more water logged than us. They gave us a quick once over before the one on the right whistled and the gate slid open with a metallic whine.

Inside I was greeted with the sight of ponies moving to and from building built from metal scraps. There were a few legit buildings but they were few and clustered near the center of the settlement. Despite its wastelandish look it resembled a real community though everyone- and I do mean everyone- had a weapon on them. Silverlux just told me it was a habit and that no one had really been killed here in quite some time. Didn’t keep me from keeping the short sword at the ready.

“Well I’ve got to see the boss about the facility,” Silverlux said as we neared the central cluster of buildings,” I bid you ladies au revoir.”

He trotted off and Pearl slung a hoof over my shoulder,” Come on mate I’ve some merchandise ta sell and you’ve a bill ta collect.”

Oh yeah my bi-er caps- Damn it I need to get used to that. I followed her and the freak of nature into a large cluster of shacks. A sign outside this little district read ‘Merchant Row, Thieves shot on sight.’ Wow okay so hooves off the merchandise unless intent to buy- I gulped- got it. Above the shacks a tent of sorts had been set up. Once out f the rain I gladly shook of most of the water. We came to a particular large vender with a greasy looking earth stallion manning it, though I didn’t see any merchandise only a book in front of him.

“Oi Stick,” Pearl shouted at the buck as we approached,” I see your still kicking’.”

The buck looked up at us, one of his eyes was seriously off kilter and I swear it was staring at me. He gave us a gap toothed grin- seriously ponies need to discover the wonders of dentistry in this hell hole- and waved with a hoof.

“Weel now I hadn’t thought you’d make it gel,” he coughed into a hoof,” Got it all huh?”

“Yep,” Pearl said with a grin and patted the massive pack on the Brahmin,” It’s all there.”

Sticky pulled his book open and scanned the pages before stopping. He wrote something down and slammed it shut. “Alright transfer is done. Just need to get a gander at yer shit.” I stood up with a grunt and ambled over. He did quick search of the packs and with a satisfied nod went back to his seat. He pulled out a big suitcase that rattled. “Five thousand caps with a two hundred bonus. Don’t spend it all in one place gel.” He added with lopsided grin.

My eyes bulged at that. You mean to tell me that freak of nature was carrying five thousand worth of merchandise. Holy Fuck!

Pearl giggled at my open mouthed gape,” Most of the payment is a finder’s fee, transporting, and even a slice for the contract with the Talon’s.” She counted out my payment and handed it to me in a large bag,” Two thousand for your services.” I took the cash and placed it in my bag with all the tender loving care of a mother with her foal. “So what do you plan to do now?” She asked as she pulled a few things off the Brahmin.

I shrugged,” No clue.” Wait a second. I pulled the card I’d gotten from Planned Point and grinned,” I think I’m gonna go get a drink.”

“Don’t drown yourself,” she secured her bag gave a nod to the freak of nature as it meandered off at Sticky’s direction,” And again thanks for your help. My goose would have been cooked without you and that other bloak.”

“No prob,” I said with a grin of my own,” Thanks for the cash.”

“For services rendered, anytime,” she started off deeper into the shacks,” Good luck in your future mate.”

I waved after her before taking off to find the Clipped Cur. Hmm where oh where would it be…? I asked around and soon found myself ignored at best. One poshly dressed mare looked me up and down and just laughed before walking away. Yeah I swiped her cap purse and scored an even sixty. Serves you right bitch.

I wandered aimlessly for a bit until Silverlux tracked me down near the Merchant Row.

“Hey Masque!”

I looked up at the approaching ghoul,” What’s up? I thought you had to report to your boss.”

“I did but when I told him about you he insisted he meet you.”

Fantastic. I resisted the urge to grumble. I raised an eyebrow instead,” Why?”

“He finds it interesting that you were in that Cryo pod for over two hundred years,” he gave a sigh,’ He thinks you might have some pre-war knowledge that will give an advantage in getting supplies. I told him otherwise but…”

“What’s in it for me?” A mare’s gotta have her priorities.

Your own room complete with hot shower and a warm bed.”

My ears perked at that,” A warm bed and hot shower eh?” I tapped my chin with a hoof,” What’s the catch?”
“More than likely he’ll want you to do an odd job,” Silverlux shrugged and we began walking toward the bunker near the back of the settlement. “And don’t worry he’ll pay well. He’s one of the most generous employers I’ve had in a long time.” Won’t lie had me sold at hot shower.

The bunker that housed the Stable entrance was embedded into a rock face. The town, I realized, was in a prime position if it was ever attacked. A natural barrier of rock shielded them form attack from behind and the sturdy walls offered even better protection. Nearer the bunker though I noticed ponies walking around in Stable Tech Security armor brandishing 10MM pistols and police batons. They kept stoic aces and even seemed professional. Silverlux told me they acted as the ‘law’ around here but only for the elite that lived in the Stable and buildings nearer the Bunker.

We walked inside and a massive Stable door greeted us. Two Security ponies stood at attention on either side of the door. These guys looked plum mean too. Like you even give them a wrong look and they’ll put a hole through your head. These guys even had different equipment, both with a pair of assault rifles attached on custom battlesaddles.

Silverlux flashed a small blue keycard and they nodded him along. We walked up the ramp into the Stable. We traversed the hals and I kept close. I couldn’t even imagine having to spend day in and day out in here. So much grey. I’d blow my brains out the first week guaranteed. We passed a few ponies in the halls, some offering Silverlux a nod in greeting but otherwise we were ignored. Though more than a few stallions, even a mare or two, gave me a once over. Even when I look like shit I still turn a few heads. Tell me that isn’t a Eventually we came to a large office this one guarded by a single guard.

Inside it was comfortable. A large rug took up most of the metal floor and paintings of all kinds hung from the walls. The back of the room was occupied by a tan earth pony stallion sitting behind a big desk that looked ancient. At his back was…no it can’t be…it is! A paint8ing of none other than Pipsqueak himself. He was leaning against a bar with a smirk that melted one’s heart.

“That’s my great-great-great-great Grandfather,” I looked at the stallion that sat behind the desk. He was every bit as handsome as his ancestor! ” He was quite the pony back in the day. He’s the reason we’re as prosperous as we are today.” He stood up and walked over to us. He offered his hoof,” Façade at your service.” He took my hoof and kissed it with a small smirk.

Oh sweet Celestia if this is a dream woe to the poor bastard that wakes me up. A giggle unbidden escaped my mouth,” Masquerade.” I chose to ignore the ‘Are you kidding me!’ look from Silverlux.

“Please have a seat.” Façade gestured to one of the plush chairs before his desk.

I took a seat followed shortly by Silverlux.

“So I’m told you were in a Cryo pod,” he started as he set in his own chair,” INtersting. Tell me how did you end up in that predicament.”

Silverlux answered for me,” She was in it for experimental purposes. They were a new type of pod and weeks into development so they needed volunteers to see if there would be any adverse side effects.”

I refrained from glancing at Silverlux. What the hell is he doing?

“Really,’ Façade said his tone a bit cold,” How have you adjusted to the way things are?”

I shrugged,” I’ll adapt one way or another. Though some things will get on my bloody nerves. Like caps for instance. I mane seriously who’s idea was it you use bottlecaps as currency.”

Façade chuckled,” I’ve yet to figure that out myself. I believe its best to just roll with it.” He stood up,” Well I believe you are more than a little tired form the looks of things. Silverlux can show you to your room.”

Hold up. Just like that?

He must have caught my shocked look cause he continued,” From what I’ve been told you’ve more than earned it. If it hadn’t been for you Silverlux here wouldn’t have gotten into the Medical facility in the first place.” He yawned and stretched a little,” It has been quite the day and I am ready for a long nights sleep. Good Night Ms. Masquerade.”

Silverlux led me out of the room and down the halls. I still needed to track down this Clipped Cur but the idea of an actual bed and shower called to me in horrible ways. We stopped in front of the door and he handed me a small card key.

“Here you go,” he said with an emotionless tone,” Have a nice night.” He checked this way and that before leaning close,” Let no one know the reason you were in that pod. Trust me on this.” With that he walked away. What the hell was that? I stared after him more than a little confused. I sighed and shook my head. Senile, definitely senile.

I slid the card key in the slot beside the door and it slid open with beep. The inside was sparse with a small love seat and couple of tables. I checked out the room and it only had a bookshelf, a twin size bed and a dresser. The bathroom was small too but had a shower so that was nice. I dumped all my stuff in my room and started the shower up. It had hot water! Yes!

I walked out a blissful hour later, clean, refreshed, and positively giddy. I dried myself off and hopped into the bed, relishing the soft covers. Before long sleep ensued. Dreamless, blissful sleep.

The next morning I found the Clipped Cur…inside the Stable. That explained the looks I got when I asked about it.
A nicely dressed green unicorn buck stood beside the door. I flashed the card I’d received from Planned and he nodded to the door before looking back out into the street.

Inside it was legit bar and it was nice, very nice. Clean, carpet floors and the bar was dark wood and polished to a shine. A few tables dotted the cozy room with a few patrons here and there. A small fire crackled in the back giving the bar a homey feeling. The patrons all looked up at me before turning back to their drinks and quiet conversations. The bar was tended by a large earth pony mare with a greying black mane. Most of her yellow fur was covered by a dark green apron.

“What’ll it be?” she asked as I trotted up to the stools and gladly took a seat.

“One shot of scotch,” I said with a tried smile,” The best you got.”

She nodded and pulled a bottle off the top shelf. I almost purred as I heard the cork pop and the dark liquid flow into a glass full of ice. Actual fucking ice! She pushed the drink to me and I picked it up and downed it in one go. With a satisfied smack of my lips I set the glass down. Damn this makes me almost forget its two hundred years into a fucked up future.

“Thanks,” I said,” I’m looking for Mirror.” The mare bristled and the quiet bar went dead fucking silent. Undeterred, I continued,” PP sent me.” The patrons started their conversations back up and the mare relaxed.

She opened her mouth to respond but was interrupted form a voice in the back.

“And who might you be hmmm?”

I looked back at a lone unicorn mare enjoying a glass of wine. Even I had to admit she was hot. Her magenta fur seemed to shine and her cerulean mane was glossy and in a style not unlike the one Ministry Mare Rarity had favored. She wore a black velvet dress and had enough makeup to draw attention to her grey eyes styled again like rarity. She was focused on a small book in her grey magic.

I trotted over to the table,” Nightingale.”

“Strike one,” she said as she turned a page, not even bothering to look up at me,” Your real name if you please.”

I raised an eyebrow,” Why would I lie?”

“Strike two,” she sighed and again turned the page,” Get strike three and you’re gonna paint these walls.” I heard several clicks and turned to see everyone, even the bar-mare holding a gun aimed right at me. I glanced back at the mare with a bored expression, barely containing my look of rage. How the fuck could she tell I was lying?!

“Fine,” I sighed in defeat,” Masquerade.”

She set her book down with a smile,” See? Now was that so hard.” With a flick of her hoof everyone went back to their business. Why do I have the sinking feeling they’re all her bodyguards? “I’m Mirror. Have a seat,” Mirror said as she refilled her glass,” I believe we’ve business to discuss.”

I took the seat across from her,” Business?”

“That is why Planned sent you, is it not?” she said with raised eyebrow.

I shrugged,” I guess.” This is supposed to be a bonus not a damn conversation with a Rarity look-a-like with a stick up her plot.

She smiled,”Wunderbar. Now then do you know what the Underground is?”

“No clue.” And I’ve a feeling you’re gonna tell me, though the name sounded damn familiar.

“Well, let me tell you dear.” Called it. “We are a group of well scroungers. Ponies come to us with a destination and an item they wish to acquire and we go and get said item or items. For a fee of course. We’ve been in business since before the war but back then we did corporate espionage and the like.”

Now I know where I’d heard that name before. I’d crossed paths with one of their operatives. Skilled sonuvabitch if I had to be honest. So they survived the war huh?

She continued,” So I would like to recruit you into our services.” Okay you have my curiosity,” A certain customer wants any kind of information we can dig up in the Ministry of Morale Hub in Manehatten. There are three in that city. I want you to visit each and every one. Look for anything pertaining to A.R.C.” I resisted the urge to perk my ears at that. You now have my attention.

“A.R.C?” I asked,” What’s that?” Maybe this mare knows a thing or two about it.

“Our patron refused to divulge any information on it but has paid generously for our services,” she sipped her wine and set the glass back down.

“How much?” In truth the price didn’t matter. This A.R.C. had warranted some freak abomination to search a database for two hundred years and I wanted to know why.

“A hundred now,” she said with a wave of her hoof,” And a thousand and a full partnership into the Underground with all its perks when you return with what our patron wants.”

“Why doesn’t he go himself?” I asked.

“Because,” she said as she took another sip of her glass,” Two of these Hubs are in highly dangerous areas in the city. Reaching them alone will be no small feat.” She set her glass down,” I won’t blame you for bowing out now.”

I made it look like I was weighing my options but my mind was already made up. “I’ll do it.” I extended my hoof.

“Grand,” she said as she met my outstretch hoof with her own. She then pushed a bag of caps my way,” Good luck.”

On the way out I pay my tab and make for my room. A few ponies acknowledge me in the hall with a nod or hello while others regard me cautiously like they would a rabid dog. It’s unsettling some of the looks I got but I brushed it off. Once in my room I packed up my stuff neatly in my saddlebags and through them one as well as my light armor and longcoat. I need to get those tears mended.

As I stepped out into the hall I nearly ran right into Silverlux.

“Whoa in a hurry much,” he teased. I had a schedule to keep. What the hell did he want?

“What’s up Silver?” I asked with a hurried tone.

“Just coming to say good morning,” he looked at my bags,” Headed out so soon?”

“Yeah,” I said,” I’m gonna head to Manehatten. I’ve an apartment there and I want to see if it at least survived the last two hundred years.” Technically wasn’t a lie.

“Dangerous road between here and there,” Silverlux tapped his chin,” You know I could come along if you want. I know the road between here and there pretty well and I’ve nothing better to do so…”

I resist the urge to raise an eyebrow. What was this guy getting onto? I know he saved my life a couple of times but still I had a nagging feeling in the back of my head. Instead I smile,” Sure just don’t slow me down. I’ll meet you by the front gate. With that I trot down the hall to the Stable Entrance.

The town outside is a little busier now that it isn’t raining like crazy. Reminded me of how some of the smaller towns were with their market districts. I made for the gate entrance. To my surprise I see Pearl at the entrance as well. She was decked out in her combat armor and battlesaddle. She was looking through her bags and taking stock of her supplies. He looked up and saw me when she was done.

“Oh hey Masquerade,” she said as she pulled the saddlebags onto her back and secured them there,” Headed out as well?”

“Yeah,” I took a lookmaround,” Where’s your freak-of-nature?”

She roll her eyes at me,” He’s not mine. He works for the Chartered Company. I was transporting my good for them. Oh and he’s a brahmin.”

“Same thing,” I shrugged.

“So where you headin’?”

“To Manehatten,” I said as I sat down,” I had an apartment in the city before the bombs fell.”

“You do realize it’s either rubble or some squatter’s home now right?”

“I know if it’s the former I’ll deal with it,” I grinned wickedly,” And it’s the latter their getting evicted.”

“Well I’m headed that way myself. You certainly know what you’re doing so what say we travel together?”

This mare does know how to handle herself. Hell if it wasn’t for her we might not have gotten out of that forest. I tapped my chin in thought, considering the tempting offer. Oh what the hell, two meat shields. “Sure why not? Just waiting for Silverlux.”

“The ghoul right?” Pearl asked with a raised eyebrow. I nodded. “He’s an interesting sort.”

“Not a fan of ghouls?” I asked.

“Not that,” Pearl said,” In fact I find them increasing useful in old ruins. The older ones have a plethora of knowledge of old world culture.”

“So…”

“The only problem is you never know when they’re going to go feral on you.”

“Silverlux said something about that when we meet,” I looked at the mare with a scrutinizing eye,” Trust me Silverlux is able to keep his mind right and not go feral.” Wait...why the hell was I defending him?

“If you’re sure,” Pearl looked down the path,” Here he comes.”

Sure enough the ghoul was walking our way with his bags and armor in tow. He looked really chipper this morning but I could have sworn I saw something glint in his cloudy eyes. May I was just being paranoid.

“Good morning ladies,” he said as he trotted up,” Shall we Masque?”

“You remember Pearl,” I gestured to said mare with a hoof,” Well she’s headed to Manehatten so she’s joining us.”

“Really,” his smile faltered slightly and I barely caught it,” Well then the more the merrier. Strength in numbers.”

“Great,” I start out of the gate with a nod to the guard,” Now then I’ve a schedule to keep so let’s head out.”

As I soon found out the way to Manehatten was blocked thanks to a massive rockslide when the bombs feel that knocked the bridge that allowed travelers to cross Bluestrip Canyon out I was m ore than a little annoyed. The way down was a few hundred feet at least and a small river flowed through the narrow canyon. The canyon was well over a hundred feet across too so this was a bust. We had to circle around the canyon and make for Moonlit Highway. The only problem was, as Silverlux explained to me, was that way was thick with a raider gang known as the Rockets. They were crazier than your usual raiders he had explained because they liked blowing themselves up just as much as blowing up others.

Soon enough by nightfall we came to a small encampment of them in an old fair grounds that my pipbuck dictated as ‘Smileland’. There wasn’t any fence to speak off but posts with the heads of ponies skewered on them made the perimeter. A few campfires could be seen from our position atop a rock outcrop. Pearl had a pair of binoculars out, scanning the fair grounds.

“Not much to tell with this group,” she clicked her tongue,” The only thing is there are a few cages with ponies inside. Probably captured earlier today from what I can tell. Not much to say really. I say we sneak around and make for the highway.”

As much as I liked that plan I felt the urge to kick some raider flank. I gave my head a shake,” No I say we raid their camp. Pearl stay here and provice cover fire if a fight breaks out. Silver with me.”

“You sure,” Pearl asked as she put her binoculars back,” There’s little profit in raider supplies and weapons. They don’t exactly know how to take care of their weapons.”

“I’m sure,” I grinned,” I’ve a need to kick some raider tail.”

The pink mare shrugged and pulled a case out of her saddlebag. It looked like it took up most of the bag. I watched in shick as she started putting together a massive sniper rifle. On the side in big pink letters was ‘Burtha’. She smirked as I gaped at the weapon.

“Never seen an anti-machine rifle eh?” she asked.

Silverlux whistled,” Those are rare as hell.”

“That they are mate,” she slotted a case of bullets into the chamber slot and racked a round,” Trust me, Burtha here will rip though even the toughest armor. Even ripped through Steel Ranger power armor.”

So that was the gun that blinded the Ursa Major. Don’t mess with Pearl. Noted. I clamped my mouth shut. Let’s get to it then. I climbed down the rock shelf with Silverlux close behind. I kept crouched as we neared the fair grounds and repressed a shiver as we passed the posts with pony heads on them. Won't even start on how unsanitary that is.

“Come on bitch scream!”

We ducked behind one of the carnival game stations and peeked around. A little ways off there was a raider crouched over a prone mare. Her face was tear-stained but she clamped her mouth and eyes shut as the stallion…assaulted her. I felt a familiar chill come over me. I pulled my shortsword out slowly and crept up on the raider. In one fluid motion I slid the blade across his throat and pushed him off the mare. She looked up at me in fear and backed away.

“Shh,” I put a hoof to my lips to emphasize my command. She nodded and I motioned Silverlux over. “Keep an eye on her.” I started pulling the dead raider’s armor off.

“What are you gonna do?” he asked to which I grinned.

“Just a little infiltration,” I pulled my coat and armor off and pulled the raider armor off. I smeared his blood on my fur here and there. “Still have your radio?”

He pulled his radio up in the greenish hold of his magic,” Yeah, be careful.”

I nodded and set off deeper into the fair grounds. I passed few campfires and the raiders sat around them drinking and laughing to their hearts content. They never even gave me a second look as I passed. I made round and counted forty seven raiders around the eleven campfires. There were cages near the center with a lot of ponies inside. The raiders that stood guard poked fun at the cowering ponies inside, threating all sorts of messed up things they were going to do to them.

“Hey you!” One of the raiders shouted at me, a crusty brown mare with black teeth and a greasy red mane. Seriously am I the only one who’s heard of a bath, or toothpaste for that matter. I stopped and looked at her.

“The fuck you want?!” I shouted back. That’s it, act crude, dumb. Such an easy part to play.

“Ain’t seen you before,” she sneered at me,” An’ I know everyone.”

“I’m new bitch,” I growled at her,” Got a problem with it?”

“Hold up you from Motor’s group,” she asked suddenly stepping back. Interesting.

I grinned inwardly but scowled fiercely at her. “Yeah an’ if ya don’t back the fuck off I’m shoving a frag down your throat.”

“My bad,” she said,” My bad.”

“Yeah,” I spat and looked to the cages. I noted that they kept the foals in a different cage. The raider mare backed off and went back to jeering the captive ponies with the other raiders. So this Motor could be the gang’s boss.

Near the southern border of the Fairgrounds there was a shed with a few raiders standing guard. When I say standing guard I mean snoring with a bottle in hoof. Idiots.

I ducked inside one of the windows and was greeted with an armory of explosives. RPG’s, grenades of all kinds, missiles. You name it, it was there.I gaped at the impressive armory. Sweet Celestia these guys are fucking packing. A plan started to form in my brain and I rooted around the armory. I came up with a couple of C-4 packets, a detonator and an RPG with some rockets. I armed a C-4 packet in the center of the floor and escaped through the window I came in.

I ducked inside one of the carnival game booth and pulled my radio out. “Silverlux come in.” I turned the volume down.

“I’m here,” the radio crackled.

“There are almost fifty raiders here,” I replied,” Get that mare out of here quietly. There’s a shed near the center with tons of explosives. I’ve got some C-4 armed inside and I’m about to set it off. Once the raiders come running to see what going on I’ve got a surprise for them. Once you hear a second explosion make for the cages and free the captives.”

“Will do-“Suddenly an explosion rocked the fairgrounds. I looked at the detonator that I had yet to use. I look out from behind my cover and saw a bunch of ponies in grey combat armor rushing into the fair grounds, slaughtering raiders as they went.A shot rang out and clipped my ear. I ducked behind my cover with a grunt. One of the grey armored ponies rushed past and skidded to a stop as she saw me. She quickly pulled an assault rifle out. Oh crap she's in the red. I quickly rushed her as she trained the barrel on me. A flash of steel later and she went down with a wicked laceration running from ear to jaw.

"Filth," she hissed between clenched teeth as she looked up at me. Fire erupted in my flank as several more shots ripped through the air. I launched myself into a backflip, driven by pure instinct and landed behind my assailant, another grey armored pony. Who the hell are these guys? I slammed a hard buck into his side and ran for it.

I noted the bodies of the raiders as I went. I pulled my radio out," Silver what's your position?!"

"I'm pinned down near the food stands," came the reply. Food sands got it. Out of my peripheral I saw a pony rushing me but the deafening roar of a heavy caliber rifle rang out and his head exploded in a shower of gore. Thank you Pearl. I grinned as I ducked and weaved between stands. The high ground will be much better tactical position. I Jumped onto a raider's back and launched myself onto the roof of one of the carnival game stations and ran along the roofs. Below the raiders were thick in battle with the grey armored ponies.

I found Silverlux pinned behind a cotton candy stand and two of the grey armored ones taking shots at him. I pulled my throwing knives out, slipped into S.A.T.S. and targeted the one on the left with a shotgun strapped to his side. Both blades found their mark in the back of his skull. The other whirled just in time to see me ram my short sword into her throat with the aid of gravity. She stumbled back as I ripped the blade free of the mortal wound. She fell to the ground, her dying breath wasted on a pathetic whimper. Silverlux jumped out and sent two shots lancing past me. That fucking idiot nearly- I spotted a pile of ash behind me-oh well ok then.

"Lets get out of here," he shouted as he turned tail. Good idea. I ran after the ghoul.

I was then blindsided by a massive grey bulk as we cleared the food stands. I yelled out in surprise but quickly pushed the grey bulk off of me. I flipped to my hooves and assumed a two legged combat stance. No more fucking nice mare.

My attacker rose to her hooves and dear Celestia was she massive. easily two heads taller than me the earth pony mare was decked out in the same grey armor as the other ponies but it was hard to tell where the armor ended and fur began. Her dark blue mane was pulled back into a tight ponytail and her eyes was the same shade of light blue as mine. I got a serious feeling of déjà vu as I gazed at that bored expression she wore.

"Not bad," she drawled with a dull tone," Good response and even better reflexes. I see you favor the Rising Star style as well." This caught me off guard. She knew the Rising Star? How was that even- oh shit. I ducked to the side as she rushed me. She then whirled on me and pointed the twin barrels of her hunting shotguns at me. I had to roll out of the way to avoid becoming pumped full of hot lead. I closed the distance between us with a twirling flip and slammed a back hoof the side of her skull. A grunt of pain met my ears and I followed with a right cross.

The massive mare stumbled back and I flashed a blade out only to have her catch it with he teeth- her fucking teeth. I mean come on! Oddly enough I found myself noting the pristine condition of her teeth as she threw me to the ground like a rag doll. She began to advance toward me but a pair of pink magic beams lanced out catching her in the side. She tsked in annoyance and took cover behind one of the stands.

"Come on," Silverlux grunted as he helped me to my hooves.

"What happened? You stop for take out while I was being tackled?" I grumbled as we ran.

"One of the raiders tried to kill me and I defended myself," he yelled back," Fucking sue me!"

Oh I would if I could ghoul. A shame the legal system here is seriously simplified. All crimes pretty much result in a death penalty. We cleared the fair grounds without incident and made for the rock out cropping.

"Who the blazes are those guys?" Pearl yelled out to us, her scope focused solely on the now smoking fairgrounds. That would be the million bit question. Silverlux pushed my bags and armor to me. I gratefully accepted my belongings and slipped out of the spiked armor. When my armor was secure I turned to my companions.

"Don't know! Don't care!" I yelled back," Lets put some trail between us and that." I pointing a hoof toward the burning, blood-spattered fair grounds. Pearl looked at us and nodded. We packed up and headed east as fats as our legs could carry us.

"So no one knows who those guys are?" I asked as we weaved through air-carriages and wagons.

"I haven't seen 'em before,' Silverlux said from the back of the pack.

"Same here," Pearl clicked her tongue and a pensive look crossed her face," Though I've heard rumors of a group that's been clearing out raider dens. Heard they believed in purity." She snorted," Could be the same group we saw back there."

I was more concerned who that massive grey mare was. I mean she moved like a master despite her bulk. And that voice was so fucking familiar. Why did everything seem so damned familiar these last few days?! First A.R.C. then the pin and now this amazon that trying to kill me. I needed a drink, preferably vodka. Lots of vodka.

We traveled in silence, well ran really, till sundown. Wanted to put as much distance between us and those grey psychos as possible. We made camp in the shelter of a rest stop shop. While Silverlux and Pearl made camp I searched the sop for supplies. Inside it had been nearly picked clean save for a couple tins of mentats and Mysterious Mare-Do-Well comic. Not a bad read really. I would have raided the cash register but bits were no longer any good. Pissed me off too. There was well over five hundred of the glittering gold coins in the damn thing. Its not fair I tell you, not fair at all!

I trotted outside and was greeted with a mouth watering aroma. Pearl sat stirring a thick brown stew with a ladle while Silverlux sat back with Sparkle-Cola in hoof, utterly content as he tapped a hoof to the music playing. I took a seat beside the relaxed ghoul and pulled a bottle of water out of my bags as I set them to the side.

"Mmmm that smells good," I eyed the soup," What is it?" Smelled like portabella mushroom and onion. Trust me mouth watering goodness.

"Trail stew," the pink mare said as she pulled the ladle back and set it tot eh side," At least that's what my dad used to call it, though its had major modifications since I learned it. Don't ask what's in it trust me you don't want to know." I blanched at that and took a step back. Pearl laughed," It still tastes good don't worry." She took a whiff of the bubbling stew and hummed," Yep almost done." She sat back down," So what was Equestria like before-"

"Before it became a post-apocalyptic wasteland filled with ponies who only want to rape and kill you then possibly eat you?" I cut in, a small smirk gracing my lips.

"Well I was going to say burned by bale fire bombs," Pearl said," But that works too."

I shrugged," Not much to tell other than there was clean water and food and normally ponies didn't go days without a bath. Oh and there was a bigger variety of music. I like Sweetie Belle's stuff just fine but if I here another Sapphire Shores song I'm going to get violent."

The ghoul in our company perked up," Hey Sapphire Shores is a great singer!" Oh sweet Celestia he's a groupie.

"Please," I scoffed," Her choreography is lazy and most of her songs aren't even that good. Can't even begin to conceive an idea on how she got popular in the first place." Not entirely rue though. Had a theory a couple of years ago- my perspective; going to completely ignore the two hundred year gap- that she slept with most of the big music producers. Its a valid theory!

"Them's fightin' words filly," Silverlux said his mushy features going serious," You sure you wanna go this route?"

"Pfft," I almost laughed," Please. If you wanna hear a real singer then get an ear full of Sweetie Belle's stuff. She set a trend with old timie music. Sapphire just rode the social forum. Sapphire compromised like any coward looking to make a quick buck. Sweetie Belle on the other hoof set a whole new trend and even brought jazz back." As if it needed to be brought back but sadly the idiot masses needed a reminder of what real music was like.

"Heathen," Silverlux shouted and pointed a hoof at me," Resend those blasphemous words and maybe I shall dispense mercy. Sapphire Shores can do no wrong."

"Two words," I said with narrowed eyes at the ghoul," Step. Around."

"Four more," the ghoul growled, his snout pushing against mine," At the. Carriage. Wash."

"Geez get a room you two," Pearl scoffed from her corner. Excuse me but I believe you weren't invited to this spat.

We turned to look at the pink mare," This is a private argument!" Uncanny how we said it at the exact same time. We turned back to continue bickering on the finer levels of which singer was superior. The obviouse answer was Sweetie Belle but I had to convince the ghoul. Poor, pathetic groupie.

"Orders up love birds." I broke off crushing Silverlux's defense as a bowl of thick brown soup was pushed toward me.

"Quick break?" I asked, turning to my opponent.

He nodded," Court adjourned for lunch."

When I put the first spoon full of soup in my mouth I felt my taste buds enter Nieghvana. Seriously I nearly cried...twice, it was so good. Beside me the ghoul uttered a maon. He agreed. After collecting myself from the force of nature that was the soup I spoke up.

"How?" I asked. A simple question and at the moment I was only able to speak in one word intervals.

Pearl chuckled around a spoonful," Trade secret. Lets just say my talent is useful in most every aspect."

"And what is your talent?" Silverlux asked. Hey, how come he gets to form full sentences?

She pulled the edge of her armor up to reveal a single flawless pink pearl adorning her flank," I can look at something and tell its worth in a matter of moments. Be it monetary or otherwise. Its about one-third the reason I came to you two for help back in Colton."

Oh sweet ego boost.

"And the other two thirds?" Silverlux asked with a raised eyebrow.

She shrugged," Desperation." And then my ego crashed and burned. Really, it was spectacular.

"Gee thanks," Silverlux said with a roll of his eyes. Took the words right out of my mouth. I took another mouthful of the Soup. Oh Celestia this is straight from the Goddesses I swear it on Luna's gravestone. Well its safe to assume she's died. Just saying.

"You asked," she drained her bowl and with smack of her lips ladled another serving into her bowl.

"She has a point," I said. Holy crap four words at once!

"Oh hush," the ghoul grumbled," You do realize that was a jab at you too."

"True," I said then gave him a smug smirk," But by now I've more than proven myself. You on the other hoof..."

"Meh," Pearl shrugged," The ghoul's got more points than you honestly. I recall us having to safe your flank more than once."

Silverlux burst out laughing at that. I really wanted to fling my bowl at him. He's lucky this soup is so fucking good.

"Don't make me hit you again," I warned the rolling ghoul," And this time will be much harder."

"You now you two bicker like an old married couple," Pearl asked," Did you date before...you know?"

"Oh please," I scoffed," He couldn't handle me in any lifetime."

"Hey," the ghoul in question protested," I seem to recall a certain flirt who made the first move. Besides I was quick the looker back then. Hell still am."

"Uh huh yeah sure," I chuckled," Dude you were a charity case and I had you eating out of my hoof the first couple of minutes, motion sickness aside. Though you did go the cutest shade of pink."

That earned me a sputtering shamble of a response, or lack there of, from Silverlux. Round one goes to me I believe.

"Alright guys," I said as Silverlux again tried, and failed, to form a rebuttal," Lets get some sleep."

Pearl yawned," Not a bad idea." We all settled into our designated areas. Silverlux tried burring a hole in the back of my head as I laid down I could feel it. I'm pretty sure I was still smiling in triumph as sleep took me.
____________________________________
Level up!

New Perk added! Be the Blade: Your training in hoof-to-hoof combat has crossed over to your skill with melee weapons. You now do 10% damage when wielding melee weapons when you're in the Rising Star stance.

Companion Perk added! For What It's Worth Pearl's talent is at your disposal now. You get 15% more for sold items and pay 15% less for all bought goods.

On Ice (Modified)

Author's Note

Again thanks to KKat for the wonderful crossover that is Fallout Equestria. I have decided to change up the beginning so please enjoy. I had a rush of inspiration besides its a bit lazy to use another person's OC anyway.

On Ice (Modified)

“You should see the looks on your faces. Priceless!”

Whoever thought a coal powered machine going over 60 miles per hour on flimsy metal tracks was a good idea needs to be put in front of a firing squad, them and the pony that agreed. The dark green floor boards of the train car had my rapt attention as I fought to keep the contents of my stomach where they belonged. My silver wings twitched madly behind me as I grabbed the vomit bag from the seat beside me and dry heaved into it.

“Don’t like trains huh?”

I glanced up at a cyan unicorn buck with a combed back silver mane that sat across from me. His cheeky grin made me want to throttle him. Didn’t know if that was him or the nausea talking…nghhn…didn’t quite care either. “No just the color blue makes me sick to my stomach.” 'That and cocky bastards,' I added mentally.

“Ouch sarcasm,” he gave me a mock hurt look. No shit Shercolp. Nghhhg. I dry heaved some more into the bag as the train bounced on the tracks. By Luna’s glistening plot I hated trains. “Silverlux.”

I looked up at the cyan hoof in front of me like it was a tentacle. Oh right. Damn it Masquerade get it together! I met his hoof with mine,” Nightingale.”

“So you on leave?” he asked as he leaned back in his seat. Heh you could say that.

“Yeah,” I looked down at the officer’s uniform I’d ‘borrowed’ in Manehatten. I wonder if she ever figured out she'd been robbed blind. “From the 501st Battalion. 1st Recon."

He nodded,” Good unit I hear. They were on the front lines right?”

Hmm this guy knows his shit. My pale blue eyes flashed over his person as I gave him a once over. A neat clean white suit, well groomed coat, and….yep a little black diamond shaped pin on the lapel. This guy’s a Ministry of Image agent to be sure. “They were last week but had to pull back. That was when I got my orders to rotate home and not a minute too soon.” That was true…for her at least.

“So like what you see?” He caught me giving him a once over. Time to up the charm.

I brushed a strand of my jet black mane being an ear and fluttered my eyelashes,” Maybe…”

“Quite the firecracker aren’t you?”

Oh you have no idea. “Sometimes,” I giggled,” What do you do?”

“I’m into fashion if you can believe it,” Oh I bet,” But I’m coming to Baltimare to visit family.” His grin became a small genuine smile. Huh I’d thought people forgot how to that. “Are you from Baltimare?”

I found myself glancing out of the window. The low granite and marble buildings of Baltimare came into view as the train surged toward it. The City of Secrets was its most common nickname. Every back alley, every low granite building, every cobblestone street had a story to tell. The only thing that the war seemed to change about it was the radio and comms towers that dotted the city. The towers of wire and metal looked out of place with the rest of Baltimare’s grim architecture. I looked Silverlux square in the eye and smiled,” No my first time actually. You?”

The train pulled into Baltimare Central Station with a screech and a hiss. Silverlux and I had made small talk for several minutes as the train entered the city. I found out he was born in Canterlot and spent most of his life there but had recently laid roots here to be closer to his twin sister and niece. He even showed me pictures, even ‘dawwed’ at his niece. Cutest little thing I’d ever seen…well except for every time I looked in a mirror. Silverlux sat up when the doors opened and started toward them,” Well I hope you like the city. Oh and be careful it has a tendency to capture your heart.”

“Thanks,” I pulled my duffle bag from the carry-on above me and pulled it over my shoulder. I pecked his cheek and watched in amusement as his blue fur turned pink,” Give that little niece of yours a kiss for me, handsome.” I gave him a wink and trotted out the door with a sultry sway to my hips. Alright now that we have todays flirt out of the way…I pulled a note from my duffle bag.

‘Moonbeam Hotel. 3:00 PM.’

Moonbeam Hotel it is then. Once I got out of the Central Station, which was quite the chore let me tell you, ponies everywhere. Someone even stepped on my beautiful tail. I mean how rude can you get!

Where was I? Oh yeah.

Anyway traversing the streets of Baltimare was like a walk down memory lane really, the same old shops, restaurants, and offices. The only difference was the…ugh…war paraphernalia. It was everywhere. Posters that sported ‘Better Wiped than Striped’ and ‘Pinkie Pie is Watching you Forever!’. By Celestia that one was creepy. That was a face that swore to slit your throat in your sleep with a butcher’s knife. If you think I’m crazy for thinking that I’m not!

There were dozens of other posters too each bearing a Ministry Mare except for Rarity of course. Mare was notoriously camera shy and this is coming from me! After a nice leisurely stroll the Moonbeam Hotel came into view. It was small but old, I mean really old. Then again most buildings in Baltimare were a couple of centuries old and would probably last even longer. Gotta respect anything built by earth ponies.

The Hotel’s front desk was manned by a red mousy looking unicorn mare who looked old enough to be my grandmother. I wonder if she knew the old bag. When she saw me her winkled muzzle formed a bright grin.

“Welcome to the Moonbeam Hotel deary,” she beamed,” Would you like a room?”

A well-practiced line, the stage is set and the lead actress begins her lines. I smiled,” Why yes, one with a view please.” I slid a small bag of bits onto the counter with a wing.

Realization flashed across her amber eyes,” I believe I have a room for you. The Constantine Suite should do nicely.” She slid a key onto the counter and I swept it up with a wing.” Enjoy your stay here.”

“Thank you,” I gave a small curtsy and started up the stairs beside the counter. The parts played to the letter, the stage goes dark, exit stage left. Got to love an employer with a flair for the theatrical like me.

My room was at the far end of the hall. I slid the key in with a nimble primary feather and entered the room. I felt like I was taking a trip back in time. The furniture was Pre-Diamond era and kept in mint condition. The dark wood vanity and dresser was polished to near perfection and the mahogany frame bed was complete with a curtain. I dropped my bag on the floor, discarded the uniform with practiced ease and swiftness and jumped on the bed with a giggle. Mhmm so soft. I looked over at the duffle bag and sighed, time to get ready. With a flutter of my wings I jumped off the bed and opened the bag. A smooth wooden case stared back at me.

I grinned and opened the box. It was like a tackle box but instead of lures and hooks it held masqueras, blushes, lipsticks. Every color imaginable was held in the powders and paints. I pressed a hoof on one of the lipsticks. A compartment popped out from the bottom with a click revealing sparkling jewelry. Lace chokers with onyx, gold necklaces set with ruby and sapphire but what my eyes focused on were a pair of white diamond earrings. A small rune was carved into each flawless gem. Compared to the other pieces of jewelry they appeared plane but looks can be deceiving. I put the studs in my ears and instantly felt the magic go to work. I focused on the handle of my hoof mirror that was sticking out of the duffle bag. A moment later it floated up into the air surrounded in a pale blue aura. Celestia I love zebra talismans. Shame most of them have such a hard-on for killing ponies.

I set to work with the paints and powders as if I was creating art. Who was I kidding I was! The talismans made the work so much more precise and efficient. Once I was done I looked myself over in the mirror on the vanity. Hmmm perfection. I cast a glance at my cutie mark, an elegant and intricate black lace masquerade mask; my pride and joy. I pulled a few powders and an eyeliner pen from my makeup box and set to work covering up my cutie marks. When I was done an hourglass stared back at me. I pulled a simple dress suit from the bag and put it on. My features were as plain as the suit, it even covered my wings. I was easy to pass by without another thought like this. Even my alias was common, Clockwork. Common, plain and without suspicion. Only one thing left to put on and this costume was complete.

I pulled another little case from the bottom of my duffle bag. What it’s a big bag? Inside was a bland grey pipbuck. Pipbucks were a super computer that fit snuggly on the foreleg. The thing had targeting systems, could tell you who was friend or foe, organize your saddlebags, and even the price of items. The only thing it needed was a mirror and it’d be perfect. I pulled it on and it started up a minute later, the screen flashing a dull puke green. Okay they really need to change the color. I mean at least lighten it to teal.

‘Thank you for choosing Stable-Tec.’

You are quite welcome super computer. Once the loading sequence was done the Eyes Forward Sparkle function, a health bar and Stable-Tec Assisted Targeting Spell or S.A.T.S. option appeared in my vision. The little green bars just above my line of sight were still nerve-racking but I’d get used to it. I pulled up the pipbuck’s files and found a single audio log there.

“Go to the Ministry of Peace Hub in Baltimare. Your employer has reason to believe the zebras got ahold of the Megaspell tech through a traitorous source. When you have the proof we need take it to Joe’s Donut Shop in Coltsburg. A represented will be waiting for you there and you will receive the other half of your payment.”

The deeply male voice clicked off. ‘The other half of my payment,’’ I squealed in delight while dancing in place. Well over a hundred thousand bits. Oh Goddesses I’m rich. I can bucking retire after this and all it will take is infiltrating one of the easiest targets in Equestria. I don’t care if my employer is more cloak and dagger than me this venture has made me. Hell I’ve never even met the guy face to face but who the hell cares I’m set for life. Whooo! After dancing around the room like a fool I trotted merrily to the door and slipped out the hotel.

__________________________________________________________________

The Ministry of Peace Hub was easy to find. It was a massive hospital complex easily taking up a dozen blocks. The weird thing was the towers that circled the grounds though. Hmm oh well. I went straight ofr the front entrance where a statue for Ministry Mare Fluttershy stood. She was surrounded by all manner of small woodland creatures. The cuteness of the ststue almost made me gag. Goddesses these Ministry Mares had big egos. I swear I think that shy cutesy attitude is a front, no pony is that bloody kind. Ponies passed me by without a second look as I went through the glass doors. I nodded to the receptionist and continued through the double doors like I belonged…. “Umm excuse me?” Almost. I faced her with a small forced smile.

“Yes?”

“Umm do you have an identification card,” the receptionist mare was defiantly new. Good better that is for me.

I made a show of patting myself down,” Oh my I seemed to have left it at my house. I’m so sorry I’m not usually this scatter brained. My name is Clockwork, I should be one the manifest.”

She tapped a few keys on her terminal. “Here it is.” Heh knew it was on there somewhere.” You’re on the janitor list correct?” It took all my strength to not grimace. Masquerade does NOT do floors. Not in this life or any other.

“Yes.” Oh Goddesses my pride...

“Why the suit if I may ask?”

Crap. ”Its formal attire today. A big-to-do is coming today and they want everyone to look their best.”

She gasped,” I had no idea.” She cast a worried glance at the blue dress she was wearing,” Do you think I’ll get in trouble. Is my dress too plain?”

Oh thank Celestia she bought that, totally pulled that out of my plot. I shook my head,” Nah you’ll be fine. Anyway got windows and floors to clean.” Will. Not. Break. Character! “Tootles.”

I trotted off through the double doors and let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. Damn that was fucking close. Alright now then where would I find the data base? I pulled my pipbuck up and turned the map function on. Alright so the director’s office would be here in the center of the facility so it stands to reason if I’m gonna find any dirt it’s there. With my destination marked I made my way to it.

I was able to avoid security ponies with relative ease and the doctors and nurses didn’t even give me a second look as I tracked down the Director’s office. It was relatively easy truthfully. Once I got to the door however it was locked. Damn. Time to improvise. I pulled a hairpin from my mane and snagged a screwdriver from the nearby janitor’s closet and set to work. It opened after some quick moves. Easy peasy. Did I mention I love zebra talismans?

I slid inside the dark office and quietly closed the door behind me. I put the screw driver in the suit’s pocket and put the hairpin back in my hair. The office was dusty at first glance and had its blinds closed. A terminal sat tuned off on the desk at the far end. This is the part I hate, can’t stand machines in any form or fashion. The only exception being the Pipbuck because let’s face it, they’re convenient as all hell and a simpleton can use one. Welp here we go. I trotted over and clicked it on. Luna’s glorious plot this is my lucky day. No password was needed and…Sonovabitch!

The terminal was wiped clean of all data and recently too. Thankfully it’s been routed to one of the lower levels. Somewhere called the Cryochamber. Alright time for some hunting. I had an itching feeling this job was gonna get difficult. I grinned widely as I left the office. I love a challenge. I went spotted an elevator down the hall. It pinged open and I stepped inside. There were six floors but a small glass box sat over the button to the basement level. Lucky me with a key. Took two of my six hairpins but I got it open. The elevator lurched and descended.

It opened back up to bright white halls. Why am I getting a mad scientist lab vibe from this place? I shook my head of the creepy thoughts and started down the hall carefully. I ducked inside one of the many open rooms as a pair of security ponies rounded the hall. As they passed I listened in on their conversation.

“What do you think has Dr. Strand so mad?” one said a buck.

“No clue but I'd steer clear.” This one was a mare.

“But seriously she never snaps like that. Maybe something wrong at home?”

“Hell if I know,” the mare shivered,” Either way I'm staying out of her way and you should too.”

“I'll take your advise on that. Oh hey did you check out Danger's new...”

Their voices trailed off as they rounded another corner. Dr. Strand huh? Why did that sound so familiar? I shrugged to myself, ‘Meh oh well onward.’ A few doors down I found the Cryochamber. It was sealed shut by a metal door and the only way to open it was a clearance card.

“You there!” a voice said sternly behind me,” You shouldn’t be here.” Damn it!

I chuckled nervously," Would you believe I got lost on the way to the bathroom?"

He pulled a baton form his belt with his magic. Nope. Oh well hard way it is.I rushed forward and planted a hoof-strike right into his esophagus. He stumbled back, gagging. I whirled onto my forehooves and gave him a solid buck in the jaw. He went down like a sack of potatoes. Mhmm I’m thinking hayfries after this with potato wedges. Hey a filly needs to spoil herself once in a while.

I pulled the I.D. card from his belt and slid it through the card slot. Bingo! I smirked as it flashed green and the door opened. I dragged the unconscious security guard through the door. The room was circular with six empty pods in a circle around a big terminal. I pocketed the card and went up to it. I’d heard of these things, they’d put ponies with terminal incurable illnesses in them and they’d go into a stasis of some sort. Talk about being put on ice.

The screen flashed on and required a password. Damn. I cracked my hooves and pulled up the data stream. After what felt like hours…it’d only been ten minutes at the most…I was able to find the password which had been ‘Angelbunny’ oddly enough. A set of files as well as commands for the Cryopods came up. I found the data that had been routed to this one and clicked on it. It was a few audio files. I punched the first one.

“I can't believe this. I helped that little charlatan and she stabs me in the back. Don't let Ministry mare Fluttershy's gentle exterior fool you she's a damn snake in the grass. I stick my neck out to set up that meeting with the zebras so she can hand over the Megaspells design. Then when I put The Genesis Project forward she denies it! Says it is cruel experimentation. The laughable thing is she thinks its for the war. Ha! Well lest see what kind of tune she wants to sing when I threaten to expose her.”

Genesis Project? The hell is that? What's more Fluttershy handed the Megaspells to the zebras! I mean seriously!? I thought she was supposed to want to end this war not make it worse, not that I care but damn. And apparently whoever this mare is helped out in a big way. I clicked the next one

"I was visited by Ministry Mare Rarity today...she fucking threatened me. Said I would be put in front of the Night Court for treason if I didn't keep my mouth shut. She was so sweet about it too. That's not the worst part. She started asking questions about A.R.C. How dd she even find out about this? There was a sigh then she continued."She didn't get anything out of me and after she left I wiped the Comms Array's memory of everything that could lead back to A.R.C. I need to contact the others because I don't think the Ministry Mares are the ones on our tails. Something doesn't feel right.”

I stepped back. A.R.C.? Okay seriously getting more questions than answers here but oh well. Alright the files are loaded into the pipbuck. Now then to high tail it out of…

“And who would you be?”

Shit! Another pony I need to dr…pain erupted in my neck as a needle was jabbed in me. I swatted the syringe away and whirled to face my assailant. A golden furred unicorn mare stood before me. Her blue, red swirled mane was in a tight bun and her bright green eyes were focused on me. What really caught my eye was her lab coat and the small black butterfly pin on the lapel. She regarded me as if I was below her. “I’ll ask one more time,” She said, her voice growing colder,” Who are you?”

I could already feel what she’d injected into me start to take effect. Her voice was defiantly familiar. I think she's the pony form the audio files. “ Oh just digging up some secrets.” I glanced at the door. I could only make it...

She giggled, a small cruel smile appearing on her lips," Yes and I believe you found something you shouldn't have."

"Well I guess-" I started and chunked a clipboard that was laying beside me at her and made a mad dash for the door. I didn’t get too far as a blast of magic forced me off my hooves. Fuck! I struggled to get up but was pulled up by my neck in his magic hold. The mare stared right into my eyes, smug victory laden in her bright green pupils. I struggled in vain against the magic hold, gagging, choking. Come on body work damn it!

“You'll pay for that bitch," she whispered into my ear. This fucking...she looked to the pods,” It seems that I will need to deal with you later. After all I am on a tight schedule." She dragged me to a pod and slammed me inside.

“Bitch,” I grunted. My tongue was thick and clumsy in my mouth.

“Indeed I am but that is beside the point." I tried to move my traitorous body as he started punching commands into the pods tiny terminal. “Sit tight my little spy I will be back to collect you and effectively silence you much later.”

The pod started to close shut as I tried to move. The only movement I could manage was a twitch or two from my wings. “Stop damn it!” I screeched and raged as the door sealed shut.

“Tootles,” she giggled. Who was this bitch?!

“Fuck you!” I screeched as my limps started to go cold. “Let me out of here you crazy git! Fight me like a real mare you bucking coward! FUCK YOU!!!” My threats and swears fell on deaf ears as he walked to the chamber’s door. My body went numb and my vision became cloudy. My mouth refused to form words and I could only scream as my world went dark.
____________________________________________________________________________

Footnote: Level 1 reached!

Character Perk added! Skilled: You are gifted with skillz girl. You get a +10 bonus to your Guns, Melee, and Sneak skills but suffer a -5 penalty to your Energy Weapon skill.

Quest Perk added! Talisman Telekinesis: You have a grasp at how to use zebra talismans. You can now levitate small and light items.

S: 5
P: 6
E: 4
C: 6
I: 7
A: 7
L: 5

Silent Halls and Psycho Robots. Yay.... (Modified)

"Giggle at the ghosty, guffaw at the ghouly."

Ok so recap for possibly the hundredth thousandth time. Sneak into a hospital research facility, grab a simple file, get out, get paid big bits and retire. Simple, easy to remember right? Well apparently it’s a little well…WRONG!!!!

Note to self, next time you get an ‘easy’ job for big bits. Refuse! I mean seriously tell whoever’s selling it to shove it up their two-bit flank and just walk away. Goddesses I feel like a friggin fool. Got snuck up on by a bloody psychopath and put into one of these pods, which is bloody freezing mind you, so she can dispose of me at his fucking leisure. And to top it all off my makeup is probably ruined.

“Cryogenesis sequence halted. Powercell corrupted. Beginning patient reanimation sequence.”

An electronic and vaguely feminine voice broke through the silence and for the first time in what felt like an eternity warmth flooded through my body. Slowly I could feel my limbs start to respond to commands they refused to respond to before I was placed in this damn pod. So the bitch was back to settle things huh? Well bring it on! The pod opened with a slow hiss and with all the strength I could muster I blindly began flailing my limbs in an attempt to hit something, anything. Didn’t do much cause I just managed to fall out of the pod like I was having a seizer.

Ugh real graceful filly, real graceful.

I slowly opened my eyes and all I could make out were blurs in the low light. I tried to sit up but just managed to roll on my side. Stubborn, stupid body. The air was musty and warm to the point it was suffocating, like the air was stagnant or something. My vision started to clear and I could make out definite objects, like the other pods and the terminal. The only light was a few flickering bulbs above me. Wow what the hell happened? There wasn’t a single pony in the room other than me and that was a little creepy. And to add to the already ominous atmosphere the terminal’s screen was busted. Unbidden a shiver ran down my spine and not just form the fact that I was freezing my tail off.

Okay there’s a perfectly logical explanation for this. Though I failed to see it. Okay let’s try this again. I slowly rose to my hooves, only shaking a little. I laughed in triumph when I was successfully on my hooves. Now then let’s see if we can get some answers. I made my way to the door, shaking more than I’d like along the way. The door was open and looked rusted open. I looked down the both directions in the dark hallway. Alright back the way I came. With a little less shake to my gait I traced my steps back to the elevator. I pushed the call button and waited. And waited some more. I started to tap my forehoof. Come on you damn thing! After a while a ping sounded and the doors opened.

Finally I…Holy Shit! I fell back with a scream.

In the elevator piles of bones littered the floor; some even managed to roll out. The tattered remains of yellow and pink nurse uniforms and doctor’s coats were among the bones, the colors faded drastically. My heart was going a mile a minute and my chest heaved. What the fuck!? I could feel myself start to tremble as I rose to my hooves and stared at the bones with wide eyes. How did this happen? These look like they’ve been here for decades, and from the fading in the tattered clothes probably longer. How long had I been in that pod and even more so what happened here? I needed answers ASAP.

Alright filly you can do this. I swallowed the lump in my throat and pushed some of the bones away as I stepped into the elevator. I pushed the first floor button and the doors shut. There was a lurch as it started to ascended. After a minute I could hear the sound of metal groaning and then there was another lurch as if the elevator cables had snagged on something.

That’s not good.

As the sound of more groaning became louder I frantically looked around. Above me was a way into the shaft. Alright then plan B. I quickly wormed my way out of my slightly damp suit jacket and swung it over my shoulder. I grimaced as I ripped my wings though he blouse’s fabric. Aw man this ensemble cost me three hundred bits. With a snap I spread my wings and jumped through the hatch. The cord snapped just as I cleared the metal death trap. It plummeted with a metallic screech tat set my teeth on edge until it hit bottom with a deafening crash.Fuck that was close.

Suddenly my wings started to shake. Uh oh…

I grabbed the dangling metal cable just as my wings gave out. Okay so flying is out of the question for a while. I pressed my wings to my sides and started to climb. I made it to the first floor door. A box had ‘Emergency door override’ painted in fading red letters on its casing. I opened to box and pulled the leaver down. The door slowly opened and I jumped through.

“By the Sisters,” I muttered under my breath as I walked along the first floor. The hospital’s halls were in complete disarray. Papers, clipboards, and bones littered the stained white floors. Upended gurneys lined the hallway, some blocking doorways. I felt sick to my stomach as I passed one gurney in particular with a foal’s skeleton on it. It had to have been maybe five or six when it’d died. I felt dizzy and my stomach started to churn.

On the top of my vision a small green blip appeared and a multi-tentacled robot rounded the corner. The array of scalpels and needles attached to its many arms suggested it was used for surgery. It simply floated slowly toward me before stopping. It was kinda chilling; these things weren’t usually this quiet. Suddenly the blip became red and it rushed me with blades raised. I ducked to the side with a yelp as it passed by. One of the blades nicked my side and I hissed in pain.

Fucking hell!

I ducked into a room and slammed the door shut. Okay safe for now, a pair of blades broke through the old wooden door…Or not. I pushed off the door as I heard a drill power up. A saw blade ripped through the door and started to cut the door in half. Oh great it has a bloody bonesaw. Perfect. I frantically looked around for something, anything I could use to defend myself with. I spotted a metal folded chair.

It'll have to do. I picked it up with a defeated sigh and braced myself. The robot ripped through the door in a spray of splinters and surged forward. With a flap of my wings I jumped up and slammed the chair down on its metal casing. It let out a whine as it hit the smooth linoleum floor. It hovered up one more time and I brought the chair down a second time. The lights in its ocular apparatus flickered and died.

I plopped down on my haunches, my chest heaving. What the hell made it go nuts? Slowly a possible answer surfaced as to what happened here. Maybe the robots went haywire and…killed everyone. I felt bile rise from the back of my throat at that thought. That’s when I caught a glimpse of outside. A dark blue dome hung over the research facility. Beyond the sky was really cloudy with the pale yellow moon barely peeking through. The city itself from what I could tell was heavily demolished. It looked like nopony had been here for decades. I gaped at the scene. I looked up at the towers that surrounded the facility. They gave off a faint light at their tips.

“Megaspell foci,” I whispered.

That would mean the facility went on lockdown. Meaning only one thing, a massive attack on the city. I shook my head and stood up. Pain lanced through my side and I looked at the razor thin cut in my side. I looked around the room and spotted a small yellow box with pink butterflies on it. I glared at the case and opened it. Two health potions and some Med X stared back at me. I downed one potion and only gagged slightly at the taste. While my wound closed up I fashioned my suit jacket into a makeshift bag and dumped my screwdriver, health potion and Med X into it. Time to get some answers. The security hub is my best bet. And last I checked it was on the fourth floor. I trotted out into the hallway and saw three more surgicalbots rounded the corner. Fuck...they rushed toward me and I turned tail.

“I FUCKING HATE MACHINES!” I screamed as I ran down the hall.

I skidded to a halt as I came to a metal door that marked the stairwells. I bucked it open and ducked inside. Slamming it shut I looked over to the fire hose hatch just as one of the robots slammed a mechanical arm burst through the glass causing shards to rain down on me. That will do. I ripped the fire hose box open and pulled a length of the hose out.The door swung open just as I slammed the hose on and whirled around. Water surged through the hose’s length and hit the trio of robots full blast. I heard the robots sizzle and die as they hit the adjacent wall with a metallic crunch. I turned the faucet off and slumped against the wall.

Despite myself I smirked and cooed, “Aww poor robots didums get a wittle wet”. What the...?

My ears perked to a clicking noise. I looked around confused before glancing at my Pipbuck. Great the fucking water was irradiated. Fucking perfect. First the quiet robots and now irradiated water. What next, giant mutant alicorns?! I glanced at my pipbuck again. Good only a minor amount of radiation. Magical radiation was nasty stuff that was sure; it would either kill you slowly and painfully or mutate you. Nasty business really. Alright then onward and upward. I met very little resistance up the stairs save for the occasional pile of bones here and there. I couldn’t help but blanch each time but I continued on.

The door to the fourth floor was locked but with a hairpin and a practiced hoof I unlatched it. Ok now then where would the security hub be? I opened up the automap function of the pipbuck. Great it’s just down the hall. With my destination set I went to the door while keeping a wary eye on my E.F.S. The door to the security hub had a dully glowing yellow sign above the door and it was sealed shut with no means to pick a lock.

Hmm…oh yeah!

I pulled the security card from my breast pocket. Bingo! I slid the card through the slot and the door slid open. Inside it was filled with lockers and yellow riot armor hung from hooks as well as a massive peg board filled with flashlights, knockout gas canisters, and tasers. Non-lethal all of it but the tasers would come in handy. I made a mental note to grab some supplies but I had something else I needed to do in here. I trotted over to the cluster of terminals and security camera screens. They should have a record of what happened. I clicked one on.

-Password-

Ugh well my luck had to run out sometime. After a grueling hacking session I was able to get through. A series of logs that led up to about…a month after I was frozen. Celestia damned it. My jaw clenched as I opened the entry listed under that date I was frozen.

‘Mar, 6, XXXX.
Security had to be tightened today, hectic day what with Dr. Strand going off the deep end. She was in a mood let me tell you. It was strange really we found one of our Node unconscious in the Cryolabs. Dr. Strand asked to speak with him personally first when he woke up. When the Doc was done Node looked like he had seen a ghost. Don’t blame him though Dr. Strand can be intimidating, hell even downright creepy when it comes to the new boots. Things went smooth after that but the Doc did ask me for any footage we had of the day. Strange enough our cameras on the lower level had decided to malfunction that day. I got a bad feeling something happened down there. I’ll ask Node in the morning. Flash Point’

Dr. Strand that was her name. As for this Node I was pretty sure he was the one I dropped. This Strand probably threatened him into silence. I clicked on the next entry.

‘Mar. 7, XXXX.

Quiet day. The only thing that happened that was out of the ordinary was Node resigned. Just put in his resignation, no explanation, nothing. Just handed me a slip up paper with his resignation and left without a word. He looked scared for some reason. I’ll stop by his apartment tomorrow and get some answers. Flash Point’

I clicked on the next entry.

’Mar. 10, XXXX.

My first day on as on-duty-captain. It’s so weird Captain Point is anal about missing days. Hell I missed once and he was on my ass for a week. Any way things are alright today nothing to really report. The techies were finally able to set up the Megaspell barrier apparatus in the courtyard. Let me tell you they’re damned big, made me dizzy just looking up at them. Okay time to head home. Peppermint’

The rest of the entries after that were just mundane things, a fried card slot here, a defective robot there. The only bit of news was a patient going nuts and ended up killing one of the nurses. I noted the name of the patient, Starry Skies. They shipped her off to Elysium Asylum where she could be treated. I went to the entries just before they cut out.

‘Mar. 21, XXXX.
Strange day today. A nationwide alert was initiated and Stable-Tech started urging ponies into Stable. We started packing the patients up and started shipping some of them out by sky-carriage. Another thing some of the robots went haywire. The sentries shut down and the surgicalbots and pinkiebots went silent before just shutting down completely. Monkeywrench and her team couldn’t explain it but she said they’d get to the bottom of it soon. Peppermint’

The entries cut off there. That was really unhelpful. Not a damn question answered…well except I found out who it was that froze me. Bastard. My curiosity screamed for answers that and I kinda want to know why robots without combat functions are trying to kill me. That would be extremely helpful. Hmm? Why is there a red blip…? Holy shit! I moved out of the way just as a mechanical arm slammed down on the terminal. One of the robots had snuck up on me. It actually fucking snuck up on me. I shivered as it ripped the array of scalpels that had been meant for me out of the destroyed terminal.

I ducked as it whirled its bonesaw at me. I activated S.A.T.S. and time slowed down as the targeting spell took effect. I cast a glance at the tasers and pulled one to me with my talisman’s telekinesis. I then targeted the robots sensory array with it and fried it. I slipped out of S.A.T.S. as the surgicalbot started to whirl its arms frantically. Just as its back was to me I slipped into S.A.T.S a final time and used the taser to fry its motor. The robot let out a shrill whine then fell to the floor. Fuck I hate machines. I glanced over at the gaudy yellow riot armor and sighed.

Welp time to suit up. I slipped out of my skirt and blouse and pulled one of the riot armors off its hook. Slipping it on I only grimaced slightly at the color. Ugh yellow but it would have to do. Once it was on I pulled a flashlight and a pair of tasers off the peg board. Both had a full charge and could attach to the armor’s forelegs. The riot armor was snug around my pipbuck but the one-size-fits-all enchantment took effect and it formed to my supple curves. Yes they are supple, quite so in fact thank you very much.

Okay enough ego stroking. I eyed the gas canisters and spotted a black case at the far end of the peg board. I pulled it down and popped it open. Inside a canister launcher sat snug in foam. I pulled the light barrel up and looked over the sights, fairly straight. You never know, I slipped the strap over my shoulder and grabbed as many canisters as I could and put them in my makeshift bag. I gave my wings a flap, making sure I could move them comfortably and took a look at the automap. The maintenance room would shed some light on what happened here and hell might even find a way out of this madhouse.

I really hated my curiosity sometimes. I ducked another sawblade and slammed one of my tasers into the robots side. It hit the floor with a whine as electricity fried its circuits. The maintenance room had been easy enough to get to but it was filled, bloody FILLED, with psychotic robots. Did I ever mention that I hated machines? No? Cause I bloody well do!

Another bot rushed me and I flipped over it and gave it a taste of taser in its motor. Another one bites the dust. I sat down and caught my breath as I surveyed the now quiet room. Robots lay on the floor in disarray most fried by my tasers , while some were there to begin. I checked the charge on my tasers. Damn both were in the red. I started searching the worktables in the room and was able to find six spark batteries. I replaced the tasers’ batteries and pocketed the rest in the maintenance saddlebags I’d found. I was even able to grab a bag of bits that had been hidden in one of the lunchboxes. Score!

With my looting complete I trotted over to the terminal at the far end of the room, pushed the bones out of my way, and turned it on. Oh thank Celestia no password was needed. Alright there were a few audio logs and a tech synapses. I clicked on the first audio log.

”Monkeywrench reporting in. Gotta say I’m gonna have to send an angry letter to Stable-Tech. These machines just up and quit, no warning no nothin’. And we can’t even find out what wrong with em. The mechanics are all fine and nothing needs to be replaced, just stopped working. Ugh so frustrating! I got the medical staff breathing down my neck and the janitorial staff is pissing me off. Thank Celestia for Peppermint and her team or I would have stabbed somepony by now. Oh and a damn shame about Flash Point. He was found the other morning with a few bullet wounds. Apparently it was a mugging gone wrong. Fucked up really. Alright gotta go, Nurse Crutches is here to whine…again.”

I clicked the next one

”Alright I am officially pissed. One of the robots started working. That’s a good thing right? WRONG!!! The thing started attacking us, even sliced poor Lucky up pretty good. We had to all but destroy the damned thing before it quit. Now the medical staff is bitchin’ at me for, and get this, ‘destroying delicate equipment.’ Delicate equipment my ass the thing damn near tore Lucky’s leg off. Celestia this is day is so fucked. Hell heard from Peppermint this morning that a nationwide alert just went into effect today. Alright better get the shop all closed up. I’m thirsty as hell and the Sungleam Bar is the destined watering hole. “

And the next one.

Fuck. I just…fuck. We’re locked in here, the facility I mean. Went on high alert the second we heard about the missile attack on Canterlot the citywide barriers were activated. They took two hits and went down. Ours stayed up though. It’s a new barrier spell, damn near impenetrable. But that’s the bad thing. The robots they all…Celestia….they just started slaughtering ponies. Staff, patients, everyone. Goddesses even the foals. I…I don’t know what to do. I could get to the bunker in the courtyard. I heard some of the doctors talking about it. There’s supposed to be an escape route through the sewers there. Maybe I… ” A crash sounded in the background. “No n-no p-please! NOOO!” There was a shrill scream, the sound of a sawblade slicing through flesh and gurgling before the log clicked off.

I stepped away from the terminal like it had come alive, my eyes wide. Canterlot being bombed, missiles hitting Baltimare. The zebra’s must have launched them. Then what happened to the rest of the country? I gasped. Oh fuck! My apartment in Manehatten better be intact or someone’s gonna pay big time.

I shook my head, focus filly! Okay so there's a bunker in the courtyard that should be my way out. I went to a nearby window and spotted it out near the generator sheds. The glass had been shattered so I could easily glide over. I snapped my wings out and gave them a few test flaps. Okay girls don’t fail me now. I murmured a prayer to any god or goddess that was listening before jumping out.

I flew straight to the bunker before my wings gave out again. Luckily I was able to perform a somewhat graceful impromptu landing before crashing horribly. Damned wings work for more than a few minutes please! The dark grey metal building had a sealed armorplated door with a card slot beside it. I smirked and slid the cardkey into the slot. The door opened and I stepped through…just to get slammed into by a pony in dark brawn barding that covered him head to hoof. His head was covered in a dome shaped helmet and a gas mask with bright orange lenses.

We both groaned and I glared at him,” Well that was fucking rude.”

He stood up and ran away. Wow it is true what they said the age of chivalry is dead. He looked over his shoulder,” You might want to run!”

Why would I…? I scowled before turning and coming face to face with a snarling zombie pony. Its flesh was heavily decayed and it had patches of fur here and there. Its teeth were rancid, yellow and worst of all, razor fucking sharp. And its eyes seemed to glow with a white light. Oh that’s why. I chuckled nervously and my ears went flat against my skull,” Umm hi?” It screeched in my face, a rancid smell hitting my poor nose.

Right run.

I screamed, turned tail, and ran after the rude pony. A shiver ran down my spine as I heard an unequine screech behind me. I was able to catch up to him and we burst through one of the entrance doors. We ducked and weaved through hallways until we came to one of the patient rooms. We ran inside and the rude one slammed the door behind us. I slumped to the floor panting. From what I could hear the rude one was as well.

“As…I…was…saying…that…was…rude,” I said between pants.

“Well excuse me for running for my life,” he rasped before standing up,” How’d you get through the barrier?”

“Give me minute out of breath,” I waved a hoof,” Celestia I need to go to the gym more often.” I stood up with a grunt and faced the rude stallion. At least I assumed he was a stallion, sure as hell sounded like one even if he sounded like he gargled with razors on a regular basis,” I was in one of those fucking Cryopods down below thank you very much. What the hell were those things?”

“Screechers,” he said simply, as if I automatically knew what the hell those are. He must have caught my blank expression because he explained,” They’re feral ghouls that were morphed by the energy that runs through northern Baltimare. Quick, cunning, and damn mean.”

“Okay then question number the second,” I drawled,” The fuck’s a ghoul?”

“Wait you said you were in a cryopod right,” I nodded,” So that means you slept through the bombs.” I blinked and he sighed,” Hate to be the bearer of bad news but Equestria burned from balefire bombs some two hundred years ago.”

“Wait what?! Two hundred years!” I screeched,” You mean I’ve been in that damn pod for two hundred years!”

“Two hundred and fifty three to be exact,” he said as-a-matter-of-factly.

“Really? Well thank you that makes me so much better,” I said with enough sarcasm dripping from my voice to curl the linoleum. Fuck that explains the decayed state of the skeletons but…fuck. Two hundred years…

I felt a hoof on my shoulder,” I’m sorry.”

I pushed his hoof off and glared at him before sighing. I slumped onto the floor,” Damn it. That fucking bitch…”

“Look on the bright side you survived the bombs,” he tried reconciling me.

I snorted a stream of hot air through my nose and scoffed,” Yeah woopedy-frigging-do. Rejoice for not burning." I gave a frustrated sigh before glancing back at the stallion. "So how much of Equestria was lost?”

“All of it,” he looked away from me,” It started with Canterlot, then Manehatten, Hoofington, Las Pegasus, here. Not one city was spared. Most ponies made it into the Stables while others were left in the wake of the blast. That’s how ghouls came along. Those of us that weren’t killed by the massive amounts of magical radiation slowly had their fur and hair fall off. We become immune to radiation and can even see in the dark somewhat but our overall vision sucks but that we have unnaturally long lives so I guess that’s a plus.”

I rolled my eyes dramatically. Sounds fun. Wait we, us? “You're one of them?”

He nodded and pulled his gas mask and helmet off. He looked like someone took a meat grinder to his face. Patches of cyan fur were here and there and the only indication he had a mane was a single strip of silver hair next to his bone white horn. I stared at him for a moment before doing what any rational, sane pony would have done in this circumstance; I stumbled back screaming like an idiot.

“Z-z-zombie!” I shrieked.

“Ghoul, ghoul,” he groaned with a shake of his head,” Why does everyone always automatically think zombie when they see a ghoul for the first time? I don’t have a taste for the flesh of stupid ponies or any ponies for that matter. I mean seriously you know how just wrong that is and besides I bet the taste is terrible!” He ranted and took a step forward.

I felt something touch my hoof and grabbed it. Not even bothering to look at what I’d grabbed I chucked it at him,” Stay back!”

He ducked and took another step forward, “Hey watch it! And lower your damn voice. You’re gonna let those the Screechers know where…”

I picked up another object to throw but this time managed to see what I had in my hoof. The eyeless sockets of a pony’s skull stared back at me. You’d think I’m used to skeletons by now but nope: my brain officially fried then and there. The skull rolled out of my hoof as I fainted. I could have sworn I heard it scream “Wheeee!” before I blacked out.

Footnote: Level up!
New Perk added! Fry Those Circuits: You do 10% more damage to all robots and cyberponies.

Author's Note

I have decided to cancel this piece of work. Its not a simple matter of giving up though, it a matter of wanting to stand on my own as an author not standing the shoulders of another. I won't lie Fallout Equestria itself is really awesome but lets face it there are way too many of these stories out there already.

I know I will be looked down upon for not finishing something I started and it pulls me at my core not to be able to finish this story because I'll be the first to admit I'm a perfectionist but my pride as an author is just as important. So I'm striking out on my own. If any one wants to continue this story on their own then just let me know. I'll give you the entire story structure, after all I have it all planned out to the end result. But for now, I will definitely be continuing Diamond's Eyes and I have already started the planning f another project. Until next time.