Fallout Equestria: Growing Darkness

by Merek123

Rating: mature
Tags: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Alternate Universe, Other, Original Character, Adventure, Crossover, Gore
Length: 33773

War, war never changes. After a search and rescue gone horribly wrong, Thunder Dasher must venture out into the Emadron wasteland in order to find his daughter, Star Shimmer.

War, war never changes. After a search and rescue gone horribly wrong, Thunder Dasher must venture out into the Emadron wasteland in order to find his daughter, Star Shimmer; but with a darkness falling upon the wasteland, it may be up to Thunder Dasher and his team to stop an ancient evil from taking over the entire world.

Published 2017-03-17 21:20:01 UTC
Last updated 2019-09-08 03:49:06 UTC

Chapter 1: The Eagle's Egg

Chapter 1: The Eagle's Egg
Destination: Fly me away headquarters, Trinity City
Device: twentieth story security camera
Time: 5:40 PM
Observer: unknown

The camera slowly swiveled from right to the left, endlessly surveying the wasteland of a city. Everything seemed to stand still in eternal slumber, like a dragon during its hundred year hibernation. There would be occasional movement, though most things were too far away to be recognizable. Sometimes there would be something that passes by the camera close enough to see; a scavenger looking for loot, a random piece of paper floating about, an enclave scouting party trying to escape the wretched place, raiders trying to get to vantage points around the city. Today, like many, there was no movement at all. Not even the swaying of the wind. The camera turned to the right. Everything stood still, forever frozen like a painting. The city stayed frozen in peaceful, irradiated bliss for a few moments more. From this vantage point, the pink wall that surrounded the center of the city was in plain sight. The camera swiveled left and caught a disturbance in the clouds, hardly recognizable to anything that hadn't memorized the city's landscape. The camera turned again, leaving the disturbance for a moment. When the camera returned, the disturbance was replaced by a large metallic object that sailed by. As the object disappeared from view, the entire building began to shake, and a large crashing could be heard. The camera turned again, and it caught sight of the metallic object as it came around the building.

As the object flew towards the ground, the camera attempted to follow. Then, with a deafening crash, the object slammed into the ground, causing tons of debris to fly in all directions. The object slid, carving a line of destruction for hundreds of feet before coming to a stop. The camera swiveled to the right, leaving the metal object to itself. When the camera stopped, it could see multiple figures below beginning to move from the rubble. The dragon known as Trinity City had awakened from its slumber. The camera returned to the wreck, picking up the image of dozens of figures swarming the metal object. The dragon had awoken, and it was hungry for blood.

/ / /

Two hours after Eagle crash

The Enclave is Truth,
It punishes the liars and false prophets that lead ponies astray
The Enclave is Strength,
Without it, the pony race would die off
The Enclave is Justice,
All criminals shall fall to the Enclave
The Enclave is your savior.

An Enclave soldier named Thunder Dasher read the Slogan again from the inside of his helmet. It reminded him of the reason he joined. It didn’t seem to help as he breathed heavily from anxiety. 'Goddesses, let them be safe.'

"Have the jitters?" Tornadowinds, Thunder Dasher's friend, said as he sat next to Thunder Dasher.

"Is it that obvious?" Thunder Dasher quieted his breathing, looking around at his fellow team members, their armor a rainbow of colors. Thunder Dasher’s was a traditional coal black, while Tornadowinds was a dark blue.

"Naw, I just assumed. I mean, you said Star Shimmer and Windshear were on the Eagle right?"

Thunder Dasher looked down at his hooves. With a ragged sigh he replied. "Yeah, they were going to visit Windshear's mother in Sunville, I was going to join them tomorrow."

"Damn." Tornadowinds mumbled, he looked to Thunder Dasher. "Don't worry Thunder; they'll be fine, we'll save them."

Thunder Dasher looked at Tornadowinds and nodded slightly. "Alright, thanks."

“Balefire squad Chimera,” Iron Wings, the commander of the squad bellowed as he stood up from his seat near the cabin. “Front and Center.”

“Yes commander!” The balefire squad called out as they rose from their seats.

"Alright, listen up Chimera!" Iron Wings shouted, everything fell silent as every pony stood Attentive. "The E.N.T. Eagle went down near the southern edge of the Trinity City ruins, raiders are trying to rip it open as we speak. Our mission will be to search for any survivors and lead them to the Nautilus, a Raptor that will be parked right above the Eagle. Once all surviving personnel are accounted for, you will board the Raptor and be debriefed. Reports are coming in from the area that there are hundreds of well-armed raiders, and in some parts, manticores. If contact with manticores is made and you are poisoned, then make your way to the Nautilus. They’ll have enough anti venom to put you back into tip top shape. As for the raiders, Keep a level head, you don’t want a face full of missile just because you were having a mid-air freak out.”

The speakers then turned on. "Eagle touchdown in twenty minutes." The pilot called out.

"That’s all soldiers, lock and load.”

"Yes sir!" the entirety of the bale-fire units shouted in unison.

/ / /

“Come on you rats, get that tin can open!” A raider chieftain barked as his lackeys prepared to break into the crashed Enclave ship with wicked metal saws. If all went according to plan, then they would be up to their necks in valuable Enclave equipment.

“Enclave inbound.” Someone called out, and everyone’s attention went skyward. There, flying in from the west, was a mass of enclave vehicles. Burley Skytanks, speedy bomber chariots, and versatile Vertibucks. All in varying battle formations.

Right on time. The chieftain thought with a devil of a smile. Cheers and shouts went out throughout the city as the raiders prepared their welcoming present.

/ / /

“Have visuals on The Eagle, E.T.A. five minutes.” The pilot called out over the intercom. “Numerous hostiles surrounding the area”

“Come on, please be alright.” Thunder Dasher mumbled to himself.

“Don’t worry,” Tornadowinds began. “It won't be long now, you’ll see, they’ll be waiting for us in the hanger and you guys can have a big hug out.”

Thunder Dasher placed a hoof on Tornadowinds shoulder, smiling weakly behind his helmet. “Anypony ever tell you you’re too optimistic?”

Tornadowinds nodded. “Yeah, punched the pony’n the face.”

Thunder Dasher chuckled. “Hah, I bet-”

KRABOOM!

The sky tank shook heavily, staggering the soldiers. Red lights flared to life, and the sky tank began to spin out of control. “What the hell?”

Iron wings appeared from the pilot’s cockpit; his armor was blackened and partially crumpled on one side. He rushed to the other end of the sky tank, pulling the gunner, a purple camo balefire soldier named High Voltage, out of his seat along the way and bucked the door to the tank open. “Every pony out of the tank!”

The balefire units didn’t waste time as they began jumping out of the sky tank two at a time. Soon enough, Thunder Dasher got to the edge, His wings and ignition thrusters hot. Another explosion ripped through the middle of the sky tank, and Thunder found himself shot out into the chaos. The hud on the inside of Thunder Dasher’s visor flashed warnings of severe damage to the backside of the armor. He didn’t pay heed to these warnings and looked through the hud to see the outside world that spun out of control as he plummeted to the ground far below. Most of it a blur of greys and browns, a flash of white here, and yellow there. Catching his thoughts, Thunder Dasher fought to right his body and gather air under his wings, though only succeeding in stopping himself from spinning. A shove from his back helped orient Thunder, his hooves facing the ground again. Without wasting another second, he outstretched his wings and activated his ignition thrusters. He slowed to a near halt; by his side was Tornadowinds, his dark blue armor scorched black.

Thunder Dasher gave him a nod, then looked around. He caught sight of an incoming missile, and pushed both of them out of the way as it flew past. Down below raiders had set up defensive bases and were now Launching heavy artillery at the incoming enclave ships. Enclave aircraft and wings of soldiers flew around, doing their best to return fire.The two Enclave members spotted a nearby friendly controlled roof and flew for it.

“Oh shit!” Tornadowinds shouted, Thunder Dasher began to look back, but he was shoved out of the way.

He recovered just in time to watch a Vertibuck plummet towards the ground in his previous position. Can’t stop now. He thought. Wing thrusters roared as the two nearly smashed into the roof. Once recovered, Thunder Dasher turned to Tornadowinds and nodded. “Thanks for the save.”

“Any time.” Tornadowinds replied.

“Thunder! Winds!” The two soldiers turned to the call of their name. CLANK. They were caught in a tight hug. “You’re alive!”

Thunder Dasher and Tornadowinds returned the gesture. Then took a step back to look at their orange clad companion. “Cloudy Storm, You’re alright.”Tornadowinds said.

Cloudy Storms nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine.” She turned around and motioned for them to follow. “I wish I could say the same for the rest of us.”

She led Thunder Dasher and Tornadowinds to a hastily made field hospital. There, they found a sand colored soldier watching over the corpse of a purple stallion pegasus and badly damaged soldier still in their white power armor. Thunder Dasher recognized the stallion as Hazy Mist, one of the team’s supports; while the white power armored soldier must’ve been Hurricane Blast. The side panel of her armor had been removed in order to bandage her up.

The sand colored soldier looked over to the approaching enclave, then returned his gaze to the fallen. 'Sky Snake'. Thunder thought.

Tornadowinds trotted over to Sky Snake and patted his shoulder. “It’s good to see you’re alive Sky.”

Sky Snake nodded.

Thunder Dasher gave everypony a once over, then turned to Cloudy Storm. “Do you know if the rest of the team is here?”

Cloudy Storm shook her head. “I saw Iron Wings get blown up inside the sky tank, and most of the team was shot down; so far it’s just us.”

Everypony stood in silence, a nearby explosion brought them back though. “We need to continue with the mission.” Thunder Dasher said as he looked out at the battlefield. More Enclave were flocking to the nearby buildings. If this kept up, they would be at a stand still.

A shadow fell over the city as an Enclave Raptor descended from the sky. Flanking the airship were dozens of pegasi with cloud dispensers. The COMM blasted to life “This is Captain Tsunami of the Nautilus. We are here to support operation Eagle Egg. All units are to resume their previous tasks ASAP.” The cloud ponies began creating a grid of clouds. The clouds formed into one mass, and darkened. Thunder boomed over the battlefield, and the lightning storm began. “May the holy plasma fire of the Enclave rain down upon these degenerates!”

Thunder Dasher turned to his other companions. “You all ready?”

The three nodded. “Let’s turn up the heat.” Tornadowinds added. Cloudystorm stifled a giggle.

Thunder Dasher smirked. “ Well then Chimera, let’s move out.”

The roar of ignition starter rockets blared over the fighting, and the four pegasi took off for the Eagle. In front of them, the Nautilus scorched the streets and lower buildings with walls of plasma, causing most of the raiders to run.

Lightning picked off individual targets here and there, and the darkened clouds kept the enclave hidden from the raiders. Rockets and bullets flew wildly into the air, little of it impacting connected to any pegasi, most just smashed against the Nautilus.

Bombs from Chariots and soldiers fell upon the raiders here and there, illuminating them in a hellish green glow. A group of soldiers decided that it was time to pick off the remainder of the raiders from up close. They were fatally wrong as they were lit up with rockets and armor piercing rounds.

The team could see the crashed Eagle now. A sleek, black stealth vessel turned civilian transport, one of the top models, newest equipment and expert personnel. It was supposed to be impossible to be seen during flight, let alone shot down. Even from here, Thunder Dasher could see hundreds of ant-sized ponies on the surface of the ship. “Please. For the love of the Goddesses, please be okay.” he muttered.

“The Eagle is covered in Raiders.” Captain Tsunami announced over the COMM. “I want all Balefire units to light up the outer shell, all other units provide cover fire.”

“You heard the captain. Let them try some home grown napalm, wedge arrow formation!” The group formed and dived towards the Eagle. A volley of missiles flew at them, and the group quickly dispersed. A few more bodies fell to the ground, but it wasn’t enough for anypony to retreat, so they reformed.

Thunder Dasher could see the terrified looks the raiders gave them as the Balefire Units drew near. A small click was heard, louder than anything else on the battlefield. Then the surface of the Eagle was bathed in hellish green fire. Soon enough, they were accompanied by the screams of the condemned.

/ / /

It took a good while, but the Enclave had made a perimeter around the hanger of the Eagle, it’s massive door had taken damage, but it held. Currently engineers worked on cutting a pony sized hole in the side. Raiders were merely a dozen yards away, so it would be a death sentence for everypony on the other side if they just dropped the hangar door.

After the seventh strafing run they made, Thunder Dasher and Team Chimera landed behind the front line. An officer with a white coat and black mane trotted up to the four. “Names, ranks, and team.”

“Thunder Dasher, Staff Sergeant Heavy Assault, Chimera”

“Tornadowinds, Staff Sergeant Tech Specialist, Chimera”

“Cloudy Storm, Staff Sergeant Medic, Chimera”

A clicking sound came from Sky Snake, and the pipbuck on the officer's hoof beeped. She checked it, and nodded. “Your team has two confirmed casualties and several MIA’s. Do you know where the rest of your team members are?”

“I watched a few of them get shot down.” Cloudy Storm said. “Master Sergeant Iron Wings was lost in our sky tank.”

The officer nodded. “That’s a shame. Hold on then.” The mare poked at her pipbuck a bit more. She looked up at Thunder Dasher. “Thunder Dasher, you’re promoted to Acting Field Sergeant of the Chimera squad until further notice.”

Thunder Dasher saluted. “Thank you ma’am.”

A stray bullet pinged off of a nearby rock. Cloudy Storm jumped. The officer motioned towards the Eagle. “Fall into position. You’ll go in after the first assault squad.” The officer turned and trotted back to the door, Chimera followed in pursuit. “You remember what you’re supposed to do soldier?”

“Ma’am, to search and rescue any passengers still in the ship.”

“Good.” They made it to the door, and the team fell in line. “How much longer on the opening?” The officer asked the engineers.

“Just, about,” The engineer stepped back as a second one attached suction cup-like items to the piece of metal and pulled it out of the newly made hole. “Done.”

The officer motioned for the assault squad. “Alright, Go!”

The squad ran in, there were no sounds of fire. 'Thank the goddesses'. Thunder Dasher thought.

“It’s clear.” The Assault squad said over local COMM.

The officer turned to Chimera. “Go!”

Thunder dasher charged through the opening, stopping in shortly after he cleared it. Around him, Civilians stood in scattered circles. The hallways leading deeper into the Eagle were guarded by what security force the ship had left.

“Finally.”

“We’re saved!”

Ponies began to swarm the soldiers.

“When can we get out of here?”

“Is it safe!?”

Pzzap! Pzzap!

The mob went silent as the officer put away her plasma pistol. “The LZ is still too hot to start evacuating you. I assure you though, we’ll keep you safe. If you all will line up against the wall. We need to record who is here, and cooperation will make this as speedy as possible.”

The ponies obeyed, and the assault soldiers began questioning the civilians. At this point Thunder Dasher noticed that there was a first aid set up against the left wall, and there were a dozen bodies lying next to it.

The officer trotted towards the middle, motioning for Thunder and team to follow. “Who’s in charge here?”

One of the guards flew forward, his barding showed signs of battles. “Ma’am, head officer Safe Flight.”

“Are all of those from the crash?” She gestured to the bodies.

“No ma’am, pack of raiders attacked from the starboard passageway. We dealt with them though.”

“Raiders?” The officer squinted. “How did they get in?”

“We don’t know, but they weren’t the only ones. Others have skirted around our perimeter, even taking pot shots here and there.”

The conversation continued, but Thunder Dasher didn’t listen. He searched from a distance, seeing if he could pick his family out of the bodies.

Most seemed to be male, something told him a few may have been guards. A unicorn horn stuck out of the pile of corpses.

“Alright Chimera.” The officer turned to the team. “We have dozens of ponies still stuck in the rest of the Eagle. Your first task is to retrieve the technicians holed up in the underbelly of the Eagle. Understood?”

“Yes ma’am!” Chimera replied.

“Good.” The officer fiddled with her pipbuck. “I’m sending you a map of the Eagle’s interior, Sergeant Tornadowinds don’t lose’em. Chimera, move out.”

Team Chimera marched off. Tornadowinds leading them towards the best exit. “Switch to personal COMM.” Thunder said. Harmonious clicks accompanied the team as they entered the Hallway.

“I didn’t see any openings on our strafing runs,” Cloudy Storm began. “Do you think they could’ve gotten through from the bottom?”

“Wouldn’t be impossible.” Tornadowinds chimed. “Cities like this have some vast underground systems. Hell, they could’ve just walked down the tail of the crash site and hopped in there.”

“They probably used unicorns too.” Thunder added. They came to an intersection, and Tornadowinds pointed left. “Plenty of line of sight if you go by the windows-” A clank sounded in the distance. The group stopped.

The seconds dragged on as nothing moved within the hallway. Eventually Thunder started to move again. “Keep the jets hot crew-” A distant explosion shook the Eagle, knocking out the main lights. “What the fuck?”

“Grahh!” The sound of raiders charging came from all around. Thunder Dasher smirked, Wrong move. He waited till the hoofsteps were nearly to him, then the hallway was engulfed in radioactive green fire. A pony-sized ball of flame ran around, screaming in agony. The rest of the team had similar success, Tornadowinds nabbing two more ponies. In return, gunfire erupted across the hall.

Thunder Dasher continued to move forward, the bullets doing little more than scratch his armor. “Chimera, Move up!”

“Shit! Grab the launcher!” One of the raiders shouted to her companion.

Emergency lights flickered on, and Thunder Dasher could make out his assailants now. One ran further down the hall. Thunder Dasher switched to Volley mode, and shot a fireball after the raider.

The once uncooked raider collapsed onto the ground, wailing. The rocket launcher he had picked up fell to the ground. The other raider watched in horror at her writhing companion. A moment later she regained her bearings, and quickly ran over to the rocket launcher. Thunder Dasher continued forward. The raider turned around, launcher grasped awkwardly in her hooves, and eyes wide with fear. Both were now face to face. The raider breathed heavily, her hooves shook under the weight of the rocket launcher.

“Run.” Thunder Dasher said quietly.

She froze, eyes wide. “Wh-what?”

Thunder Dasher brought his face down to eye level. “Run, and leave this ship. Now.” His tone was deep and methodic.

The raider looked down the hallway, the rest of the Enclave soldiers were walking towards her. Dropping the rocket launcher, the raider turned and ran off, her hoofsteps echoing in the darkness.

Thunder Dasher watched as she disappeared down the hallway. “You sure that was a good idea?” Tornadowinds Asked.

“She couldn’t hurt us even if she tried.” Thunder Dasher looked down at the Rocket launcher, then over at a small amount of rockets placed to the side. “Besides, we have extra firepower now. Mind giving me a hoof?”

Tornadowinds obliged and began to take off his helmet. “Give me cover guys.” Cloudy storm and Sky Snake took point at the front and back. With a click and a hiss, the helmet came off, and Tornadowinds placed it to the side. Dark grey and brown hair fell down his face, he ignored it as he gripped the launcher in his mouth. Turning to Thunder Dasher, Tornadowinds began to fiddle with the inventory pack. “Why la hell awe ese lot hooof frienly?”

“We’re too used to just using our mouths.” Thunder Dasher replied. He was rewarded with a snicker from Tornadowinds.

With a click, the pack finally popped off and dropped to the ground. Tornadowinds attached the launcher onto the side, then filled the pack with the rockets. Once done, he tossed the pack onto Thunder’s back, and the suite connected with it. “There ya go, now you’re all set to blow a hole in this ship.”

Thunder Dasher looked over to his friend, catching a quick glimpse of his white fur as Tornadowinds slid his helmet back on. “Alright, where to Winds?”

Tornadowinds looked around for a bit, his helmet still reconnecting. “Forward for a few hallways, then we hook a right.” The team then continued their march. 'Windshear, Star Shimmer', Thunder Dasher though, 'I’m coming.'

Starting Special
Thunder Dasher
S 6
P 7
E 7
C 4
I 5
A 6
L 5

Author's Note

A thanks to Kkat for the original Fallout Equestria; as well as No One, Mimezinga, Somber, and many other Fallout Equestria story writers for the their amazing stories. A MAJOR thanks to all my friends and family that supported my writing. An extra special thanks to Dugolroth for proof reading.
Hopefully you guys enjoy this story, please comment and tell me what you think? This is Merek123 over and out.

Chapter 2: Dark Eagle Down

Chapter 2: Dark Eagle Down

The E.N.T Eagle

One hour after crash

Darkness, that was all the mare saw. Numbing, mysterious darkness. She stood within the darkness for what seemed like an eternity, forever with her thoughts. Eventually, she began to pick out changes in the darkness. A tinge of color here, a faint whisper there. Nothing stayed though, instead just disappearing in a non existent wind. Something wasn’t right, the mare looked around frantically. Something happened, an accident?

'A crash’. She thought.

Light and Reality came rushing back as the mare woke up.

///

As Star Shimmer opened her eyes, she found herself lying in the aftermath of her room. An emergency light slowly flashed, periodically enveloping the room in a mass of red. Shattered glass and clothes covered the floor. A dresser had found itself lodged in the doorway at the far end of the room, while the bathroom door next to her seemed to have been busted open. Star Shimmer shifted around and yelped as pain wracked her body. Her head and foreleg throbbed. “Okay, ow.” Fighting past the pain, Star Shimmer moved her head to look at her foreleg.

Star Shimmer gasped. A large, deep gash went up her foreleg. “Ah hell.” She looked around, there had to be something to help her. The bathroom. Star Shimmer looked over to the bathroom. The interior was pitch black, but she knew that there was a medical kit somewhere in there.

Gritting her teeth, Star shimmer forced herself to stand. As soon as she did, the room began to spin, and she fell over. She cried out in pain as her injured foreleg smacked against the ground. ‘Okay, let’s just… crawl, crawling is good.’ Star shimmer got up onto her knees, her injured foreleg tucked to her chest. Slowly, she began to move towards the door. ‘See, we don’t get hurt while crawling.’

Eventually Star Shimmer made it to the doorway. At this time she noticed a red fluid on the ground. “What the hell?” Star Shimmer squinted her eyes, trying to make out any shape in the darkness. She couldn’t see anything. With a deep breath, she moved forward into the room. She soon skirted the edge of the darkness, and something brushed against her. Star Shimmer jumped back in surprise.

“What the-” She stopped as she saw a health potion slowly roll into the light. “Oh...Oh.” Star Shimmer hissed as she performed a double take of the room. The health potion had found it’s way out of the med-kit and spilled all over the floor. With a sigh, Star Shimmer wobbled over to the potion bottle and laid down next to it. She lifted the bottle in her teeth and examined it. Only about a fourth of the potion was left.

Star Shimmer gripped the mouth of the bottle, and tilted her head back. The potion splashed down her throat. The throbbing pain all but washed away. Star Shimmer looked down at her foreleg. The wound wasn’t closed, but it was considerably smaller. ‘Not perfect, but I think…’ Star Shimmer slowly Rose to her hooves. The dizziness was gone. Alright, moment of truth. She began to apply pressure on her foreleg. Pain danced along her leg, but it wasn’t as bad as it had been. “Yes!”

Being careful not to over exert the leg, Star Shimmer walked back into the room and over to the dresser blocked door. ‘Alright, how do I deal with yo-’ Star Shimmer’s thoughts were interrupted by the sound of hoofsteps coming from the other side of the door. “He-Hello?”

The hoofsteps stopped and a whirring began.

“Hey, I’m behind the door. I need some help getting out.”

The whirring stopped. “Ms. Star Shimmer, are you alright?” The voice sounded off to Star Shimmer, as if the pony was talking through a power helmet.

“Yeah, for the most part.”

“There is a dresser blocking the door, I will have to move it. Please stand back.”

Star Shimmer stepped back. For a moment there was nothing. Then, with a screech, the dresser popped out of the doorway.

BANG!

The dresser laid on the ground, and through the doorway came a ponytron. “Ms. Star Shimmer, it is good to see you are relatively well. I am Tc-76, personal bodyguard unit, at your service.”

Star Shimmer took a step back from the ponytron. “Um, alright?”

“Was that a question? Should I repeat myself Ms. Star Shimmer?.”

Star Shimmer held up a hoof. “No, no that’s fine.” She looked the ponytron up and down. Several pieces of the standard armor plating had been replaced with devices and wires. A small robotic arm extended from the back. Icing on the cake were the multicolored swirls painted on the mat black armor and visor. ‘You’re sure as hell not the standard issue.’“Who sent you?”

“One Mrs. Windshear. She had wished to make sure you were alright, but was restricted by her duties.”

‘Mom?’ “Is she okay?” Star Shimmer looked at her surroundings again. “We really did crash...”

“You’re mother was in a healthy condition when we last interacted with each other. Yes, that is correct, we did crash. Many were injured, and they needed additional medical staff in the hanger to treat them.”

“Thank the Goddesses.” Star shimmer sighed.

Tc-76 took a step forward. “Ms. Star Shimmer, we should proceed towards your mother as soon as possible.”

Star Shimmer nodded. “Yeah, yeah. You’re right,” She motioned for Tc-76 to start moving. “Lead the way.”

“As you wish.” Tc-76 spun around and walked out the door at a brisk pace, Star Shimmer in tow. The hallway was cluttered with junk from a few of the nearby passenger rooms. A fire had started in one of the rooms. A door to another room had closed down on a hoof, severing it from the pony inside.

Star Shimmer almost gagged at the sight of it. “Oh Goddesses. I-is she okay?”

Tc-76 looked at the hoof, then at the door. A red strip of light emitted from his visor, and scanned the door. “They are deceased, but they are better than when they initially lost the limb.”

Star Shimmer glared at the robot. “Wow, that’s reassuring.”

Tc-76 continued walking. “I do my best.” He chimed.

Star Shimmer rolled her eyes. The two continued on through winding hallways and stairs. As they neared the hangar, the two encountered more ponies. Bruises and cuts covered many. Some laid on stretchers with more severe injuries. Security guided the ponies towards the hangar. A few gave passing glances to Star Shimmer and her robot companion.

“For those of you with minor or no injuries, please line up on the starboard end of the room.” One of the guards called out. “Severely injured stay on the port side. Don’t block any of the doorways.” A distant rumbling could be heard from down the hall. “And stay away from the Hangar’s ramp.”

The two rounded the corner, the rumbling became louder and more distinct. Star Shimmer recognized it as the sound of gunfire and explosions. “Wait, what’s going on?” She turned to Tc-76.

“The E.N.T. Eagle is being shot at.” Tc-76 stated. “Most likely standard HEAP rounds. The hull is built to withstand large amounts of damage though, so we should be fine.” Another explosion rang out, this slightly shaking the hallway. “We have a ninety-six percent survival rate.” Star Shimmer didn’t respond, more explosions rang out.

Passing through another doorway, Star Shimmer and Tc-76 entered the hanger. Star Shimmer looked around, a hopeful smile on her face. Large groups of ponies sat everywhere, most spoke in hushed murmurs while others cried. Guards sat at every entrance, and medics ran around helping the wounded.

Star Shimmer’s smile began to wane, eventually disappearing altogether. “ Tc-76, I don’t see my mom.”

“Initiating scan.” Tc-76’s visor shot out it’s red light, slowly he began to scan the entire hanger. This brought some surprised and dirty looks from the other passengers.

“Uh, Tc. Maybe we shouldn’t be doing this.” Star Shimmer said as more ponies stared at the two.

“Hey!” Star Shimmer spun to see a security pony flying over to them. “Mind telling your robot to stop.”

“Tc-76, stop!” Star Shimmer smacked Tc-76.

Tc-76 powered down his scanner. “My apologies.”

The security pony squinted at Star Shimmer. “Who are you anyway? Where did you get this robot?”

“I-uh.” Star Shimmer looked around desperately. She paused when she spotted a familiar old, grumpy medical pony. She took on an authoritative posture and stared at the guard pony. “I am Star Shimmer, member of the Eagles medical team. I’ve come to aid my fellow companions. Now if you don’t mind, several of these ponies need marrow transfusions and class c-12 healing medications.”

The guards’ suspicion turned to confusion, and they took a step back. “Oh uh, my apologies Ms. Star Shimmer.” The guard turned around and flew back to their position.

Star Shimmer smirked. “Not bad Star.”

“Ms. Star Shimmer. You seem to be mistaken.” Tc-76 began. “You are not a part of the medical team, that is your mother.”

“She knows how to act like it though.” An old, grumpy looking pegasus by the name of Life Debt flew over to the two. His medical jacket swaying slightly. “Marrow transfusions huh? I don’t know whether your mother would be proud, or disappointed.” He smirked a little.

Star Shimmer looked over to Life Debt. “It’s the best I could come up with. By the way, where is she?”

Life Debt sighed. “She, and the rest of the medical team, left to get more medical supplies. It’s been an hour though, and it’s getting worse here.”

BOOM!

The entire hanger shook at the continued blasts.

“Which way did she go? I can bring her back.”

“If you can, help me first. I need to patch up the rest of these ponies as best I can, then we both can go.”

Star Shimmer looked around, and nodded. “Alright, let’s get started.”

///

Clank

A tin can rattled to a stop ahead of Star Shimmer. It had taken nearly an hour, but they had patched up the ponies. Thankfully a small group of medics had found their way to the hanger, giving her, Life Debt, and Tc-76 a chance to leave. “‘So my mom is fine?”

Life Debt nodded. “Yes, She’s perfectly fine.”

Clank

“But what about the crash, did none of you get hurt?” Star Shimmer asked.

Life Debt shook his head. “I never said that, but a room of doctors and medical equipment can do wonders.”

Star Shimmer blushed a bit. “Oh, yeah.” She looked up at Tc-76, who insisted on leading the way. “So, how were you guys able to get your hooves on him?”

Life Debt looked over to Tc-76. “The ponytron? He was boxed up in one of the nearby storage rooms. He’s supposed to be some sort of experimental new model, or something of the sorts made by the tech heads of the Enclave science division.”

“I am an advanced Combat program installed into a modified ponytron body.” Tc-76 announced. He did the closet thing to a prance he could. “It’s an excellent form as well, I’m excited to try the other bodies my creators have set up for me. This specific one comes with a spark blaster energy array, enhanced power hooves, advanced scanners, invisibility-”

Life Debt continued on, ignoring Tc-76's continued list of abilities. “The personality matrix is an interesting addon. Personally I prefer my bots without it.”

“I don’t know.” Star Shimmer smirked at the ponytron. “I kinda like it.”

“Thank you Star Shimmer” Tc-76 said as he trotted to the intersection, then turned left. “I’ll notify my creators of your-”

BANG!

Star Shimmer frantically looked around.“Shit, run!” Further down the left hallway, two security ponies rounded the corner. One of them saw the three. “Go to the hanger!”

Another group of ponies rounded the corner, this group dawning makeshift armor and weaponry. They opened fire, hitting one of the security ponies in the neck.

The pony collapsed, their companion pausing for a second. “Sure Shield!”

Tc-76 trotted forward, his visor turning a bright green. “Ms. Star Shimmer. Head down the pathway continuing on, take the third left.”

“Die you fuckers!” the security pony screamed as they fired back at the charging group. The attackers scattered for cover.

One peaked out, Tc-76 fired a plasma blast at them, they ducked back before it hit them, but their cover lost a good chunk.

Star Shimmer looked down the hallway, then back at Tc-76. “But-” A bullet hit the ground next to Star Shimmer. She jumped into the other hallway. Life Debt sprinted past her. “Come on!”

Star Shimmer followed. Soon enough they found the next hallway and ran down it.. The two ran for a few more hallways before stopping. The battle now sounded distant. “W-we should be safe.” Life Debt heaved.

Star Shimmer looked back down the hallway. “We… just left them.”

Life Debt placed a hoof on her shoulder. “There’s nothing we could’ve done.”

Star Shimmer stared for a little more. “I hope they’re alright.”

Life Debt nodded. “Tc-76 is a program, so long as the internal core system isn’t destroyed, he’ll be fine.” Life Debt looked around. “This is starting to look familiar. Come on.” Life Debt continued forward, Star Shimmer following slowly in tow.

Star Shimmer looked ahead and trotted up to Life Debt. “Those were raiders, weren’t they.”

Life Debt nodded. “Biggest group of psychopaths in the wasteland.”

“How did they get on the ship?” Star Shimmer looked around. There didn’t seem to be any signs of nearby raiders.

Life Debt shook his head. “Don’t know for sure, don’t want to find out.” The two came up to an intersection. Life Debt motioned down the left hallway. “Hopefully they were the only ones.”

“So long as we get back to the hanger, right?” The two stopped in front of a set of double doors, above was a sign that read.

MEDICAL RESEARCH

Life Debt nodded. “This should be the one.” Leaning in, Life Debt knocked lightly on the door. “It’s Dr. Life Debt, is anyone in there?” No one answered. Life Debt fiddled with the side panel and the door slid open.

On the other side was a medical lab devoid of life. Broken test equipment lay scattered amongst the floor, a pile of medical supplies lay on a nearby counter. At the far end of the room stood a door and a strange machine. Star Shimmer stepped into the room. “Are you sure this is the right room?”

“It doesn’t say broom closet, now does it.” Life Debt closed the door behind him, and began to fiddled with the controls. “There, we should be safe for now.”

Star Shimmer looked down at the medical supplies, most of it were bandages and chems, with a few healing potions here and there. She continued on to the machine. From the looks of it, the thing was some sort of chamber with a control panel inside. The machine was currently powered down, Star Shimmer left it alone and went towards the door. “Maybe they heard the raiders and ran to another room?”

“If that’s the case, then we’ll need to find them quickly.” Life Debt trotted over to the medical supply pile. “There should be some saddlebags in the closet, grab some for me.”

“Got it.” Star Shimmer opened up the door.

THWACK!

Star Shimmer collapsed to the ground, a massive welt on her head. Star Shimmer cradled her head as tears ran down her face.

“Wait!” Somepony trotted over Star Shimmer. “It’s Life Debt and Star Shimmer.”

Star Shimmer felt hooves gently hold her head. She looked up to see the light pink coat and white mane of Windshear. “Mom! I-” A throb of pain silenced Star Shimmer, and a nauseous feeling began to rise from her stomach. “Ow.”

“Sit tight sweetie, I’ll be right back.” Windshear trotted towards the medical supply pile and returned with a small case. “Here you go.”

Star Shimmer took the case. Looking it over, she saw the official Emadronean Enclave Seal. Popping open the case, she shook out a few pink cubes and popped them into her mouth. After a few seconds, the nausea and pain disappeared. “Thanks mom.”

“No problem.” Windshear took ahold of Star Shimmer’s face and stared at her. “Now why in Goddesses’ sake did you come here on your own!? It’s really dangerous right now, you should’ve gone and stayed at the hanger!”

Star Shimmer pulled out of Windshear’s grasp. “Hey, you were in trouble. I came to help.”

Sighing, Windshear hugged Star Shimmer. “So you came here with no bodyguards, no protection at all.”

“Well-” Star Shimmer was interrupted by a knock at the door. Everypony froze.

“Ms. Star Shimmer, are you in here?” Tc-76 called out from behind it. “I am unable to open the door with the terminal, I am gonna make a hole.”

“No, Wait!” Life Debt ran over to the door and opened it. There stood the ponytron, slightly damaged but still in one piece. “So the raiders are finished I take it.”

“All combatants were dealt with, though I would say we should hurry back. Chances are there will be more.” Tc-76 turned from Life Debt, and walked over to Star Shimmer. “You seem to have made it without any injury.”

“Yeah.” Star Shimmer stood up. “Thanks again for the help.”

“You are welcome.” Tc-76 turned to Windshear. “My apologies for not escorting your daughter the entire way. We were attacked by raiders.”

Windshear nodded. “It’s fine, you did well. Come on, you can help us with the supplies.”

Gathering up the supplies, the medical team started off. Life Debt and Tc-76 took point. “Alright everypony, the ponies of this ship are counting on us.” Life Debt began. “Keep close and keep fast, Goddesses only know how many raiders have found their way into this ship.”

“W-what if they catch us?” One of the scientists asked.

“Don’t think like that.” Another commented.

“We should stay quiet.” Tc-76 began. “There is a lower chance of encountering Raiders-” two small metal apples, each encircled with a blue stripe, rolled out in front of Tc-76. “Grenade!”

Arcane shockwaves blasted from the apples. Three rows of lights went out around the team. Tc-76 slumped over, The light of his visor dying. Life Debt brought his hoof to his chest and gasped, falling to the side.

“Heya!” Raiders charged forward, an assortment of nasty weaponry swinging around.

Running back, Star Shimmer heard gunfire behind her. Screams rang out around her. Star Shimmer began to look back, but a nearby bullet sent her jumping into a nearby doorway. Star Shimmer turned to see her mother jump into the room across from her.

Windshear hoisted herself against the wall, Star Shimmer could see her bleeding from her shoulder. Shrugging it off, Windshear readied herself for the sprint to the other door. Star Shimmer walked to the edge. “Come one mom!”

Before Windshear took a step, a small apple rolled to a stop in the middle of the hallway. Wide eyed, the two jumped away. A resounding explosion came a second later, followed by a sliding sound. Taking a breath, Star Shimmer looked back at the entrance. The door stood shut. Shakely standing on her hooves, Star Shimmer ran over to the door and tried to activate the terminal. The door held firm. “What the hell?” Star Shimmer began to fiddle with the terminal. She froze as she heard hoofsteps.

“Hey boss!” A scraggly voice came from the other side of the door. “The doors look like they locked on us, ya’wanna tear it open?” Star Shimmer’s Heart stopped. They started knocking.

It was only a few quick knocks, but they were deafening. “‘Ell nah, we’ave shit ta do.”

“But someone could be alive.”

“Let’em rot, the grenades’ fucked the door too much.” After another minute, the beings walked off.

Star Shimmer collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily. ‘Thank the Goddesses.’ A minute later, and Star Shimmer felt well enough to stand again. ‘Alright, time to open this damn thing.’

BEEP.

Star Shimmer jumped. ‘What the hell?’ She looked around, but didn’t see anything.

BEEP.

Star Shimmer walked further into the room. ‘Where are you?’ There weren’t many places to hide in the room. The machine in the corner was still off, leaving one other place.

BEEP.

Star Shimmer stopped at the closet. ‘Okay, here we go… please don’t be a surprise bomb.’

BEEP.

Throwing the door wide open, Star Shimmer stared into the dimly lit broom closet. Inside was a mop and a nearly empty cardboard box. Inside the box was a small device.

BEEP.

The beeping came from the device. Star Shimmer picked it up. There was a screen with buttons and dials on one side. On the screen was some neon green text.

INCOMING TRANSMISSION

ACCEPT?

YES / NO

‘H-how…. What?’ Star Shimmer sat there for a second, contemplating who it could be. Then, hesitantly, she pressed the button under yes.

The screen went to a radio frequency screen. “Star Shimmer?” It was Windshear, her voice tired but steady. “Star, are you there?”

“Yeah.” Star Shimmer said, bringing the device to the side of her head. “Mom, are you alright? I saw you bleeding.”

“I’m fine.” There was a sound of ruffling. “Listen Star, I need you to do something.”

“Y-yeah, what?”

There was a short pause. “Look. Right now we’re both fine, the doors will hold for now. We need to get out of here though. The device you have right now is called a pipbuck. This one is built for use on your left forehoof, just clamp it on and it should do the rest.”

Star Shimmer looked the thing over. It had some heft to it, and it seemed bulky enough to be a hindrance. “Are you sure I should do this?”

“Yes Star. Just put it on… carefully, it’s no use to you upside down.”

Huffing slightly, Star Shimmer carefully clamped the pipbuck down onto her forehoof. Once in place, the device tightened till it was a snug fit. Star Shimmer waved her hoof around. “I guess I can hit ponies harder now.”

“That’s my girl. Now, you know that machine in the main room right? The one in the corner.”

Star Shimmer looked out at the large machine. “Yeah?”

“Are you asking me, or telling me?”

Star Shimmer rolled her eyes. “Yes I see it.”

“That thing there is a teleporter. So long as you pop in the right coordinates, you’ll be fine.”

Star Shimmer trotted over to the machine. “O-kay… how do I get it running?”

“There should be a large switch in the back.”

Star Shimmer went around the back end, suffice to say, there was a large, red switch. Star Shimmer gripped the switch and pulled up, it didn’t budge. “Okay, hold on.” Taking both hooves, she pushed with all her might. “Gu-ni mu-mmmm Grrrrah!” The switch flew up, and Star Shimmer stumbled backwards. “Whewh, I got it.” The machine whirred to life. Trotting to the front, Star Shimmer noticed a few lights flashing, along with bits of electricity arcing in the middle. “Uh, is it supposed to shoot lightning?”

“Electrical currents, Star Shimmer, and I believe so. This was Swiss Cheeses’ project, he’d have known more.” There was a small pause.

POP!

The inside of the machine began to smoke. “What was that?” Windshear asked.

“Uh. Something… popped.” Star Shimmer looked inside. “Are you sure this is a good idea?”

“It’s our best shot.”

“Alright. Well, now it’s time to get the doors… How do I do that?”

“Don’t worry about the doors. I’ll take care of that, right now, I want you to get in the teleporter and get to the hanger. It should already be set for there from our previous tests.”

“Wait!” Star Shimmer looked over to the door. “You want me to get in this thing alone!?” She stomped her hoof. “I’m not going anywhere without you.”

“Star. I’ll be fine, I know this place better than you. Right now you can leave. I’ll be right behind you.”

“But, why not just have me stay. It’s not like I’m gonna wander out of the room. I can help you with the doors, then we can both leave.”

“Star Shimmer, the longer you are here, the more danger you’ll be in. As a mother I cannot allow you to stay here.”

“What am I five?” Star Shimmer sat down. “I’m not going anywhere.”

There was a short pause. ”If you go now, you can send a group of guards to help me. Then I’ll be free AND protected.”

Star Shimmer opened her mouth to respond, but froze. All she could think of saying now was. “Mom… I don’t want to go into this thing. I’m scared.”

There was a moment of silence. “Star Shimmer, It’s gonna be alright. The distress call has already gone out, and your father’s most likely on the first sky tank coming to the rescue. We’ll make it out safe and sound.”

Star Shimmer breathed heavily. “A-are you sure?”

“Do you really doubt it?”

Star Shimmer sighed. Looking at the teleporter, she stood up. “S-so, what do I press.” Star Shimmer slowly entered the machine. The panel on the inside was lit up with dozens of buttons, dials, and levers.

“There’s a small blue button on the bottom left. Press that when you’re ready.”

Star Shimmer spotted the button, and held her hoof over it. “Mom.”

“Yes?”

Star Shimmer gulped. “I love you.”

“I love you too Star.”

Starting SPECIAL!

Star Shimmer

S 4

P 5

E 7

C 8

I 6

A 6

L 4

Author's Note

Took a bit longer than expected, but I hope you guys enjoy this chapter.
A thanks to Kkat for the original Fallout Equestria; as well as No One, Mimezinga, Somber, and many other Fallout Equestria story writers for the their amazing stories. A MAJOR thanks to all my friends and family that supported my writing. An extra special thanks to Dugolroth for proof reading.
Hopefully you guys enjoy this story, please comment and tell me what you think? This is Merek123 over and out.

Chapter 3: Technical Difficulties

Chapter 3: Technical Difficulties

E.N.T Eagle

Two and a half hours after crash

“I love you.”

“I love you too, Star.”

Star Shimmer’s connection ended with a zapping sound. Sighing Whindshear looked over to her shoulder. The bleeding had slowed, but she was still in danger. “Okay Windshear, let’s do this.”

Windshear looked around her, she had landed in one of the ship’s utility storage rooms. Containers of all sorts sat in neat little rows. The containers with medical supplies had been already scavenged thanks to the science team earlier. Shuffling over to one of the containers, Whindshear searched as best as she could. In the end she only found a potion and a syringe of hydra. “Oh, fantastic.”

Windshear stood up and began to search the containers for a few other items. After a few minutes, she returned to the medicine with a pair of tweezers and some duct tape. Settling down, she tore off two pieces of the tape and applied them to both sides of the wound. Parting her coat, keeping it out of the wound. Pain flared up, and Windshear gritted her teeth. ‘Alright time for the hard part.’

Gripping the tweezers in her mouth, Windshear prepared herself. ‘It’s alright, you can do this, it’s not in far.’ A yelp escaped her mouth as she pushed the tweezers into the wound. Her shoulder felt on fire. ‘Just breath. In, out, in, out.’ Blood began to ooze heavily from the entry wound, the tweezers gripped the small bit of lead. Steeling herself, Windshear ripped the bullet out. Dropping the tweezers and bullet, she collapsed to the ground.

Taking a good long breath, Windshear turned to her shoulder gripping the tape, and ripped it off. She yelped from the renewed pain, and spat out the tape. Clumps of pink fur stuck to it. Stretching out a wing, Windshear carefully grasped the healing potion. Bringing it up to her mouth she ripped off the lid, and gingerly drank it.

The wound sealed up, and the pain vanished. Windshear sighed, sitting up. She lifted her pipbuck and flipped to her transmissions. “Star, if it makes you feel better, I’m no longer bleeding. Like I said, I’ll be fine for now.”

There was no response.

“Star Shimmer?” Windshear began switching to other channels. “Honey, you there?”

Still no response.

Windshear flipped to her map and pinged Star Shimmers’ pipbuck ID. Nothing. ‘Damn.’ Windshear adjusted her pipbuck to record. “This is Dr. Windshear from the E.N.T. Eagle. I’m currently trapped in the storage room of the medical wing. I’m in need of rescue as soon as possible. Raiders have attacked my group. This message repeats.” Pressing the end button, she sent the message out.

///

The belly of the Eagle was a labyrinth of pitch black tunnels and claustrophobic rooms. Sounds bounced off the walls from one end to the next. Two raiders walked through the unnerving place, a single flashlight between them.

“Where the fuck’s the rest of the party?” One of them said

“I’m telling you, they went this way.” The other replied

“The fuck do you know? You don’t know this place, they could be any fucking where.”

“Shut up Fire Breath!”

“Fuck you Bright. Don’t tell me to shut u-”

CLANK!

The sound reverberated all around the raiders. “What the fuck was that?” Bright asked. Swinging the flashlight all around grey walls and pipes were all they saw.

“I don’t know.” Fire Breath inched forward. “Shine the light over here.” The hallway was illuminated. It was empty, just like the rest of the hallways. “I guess it was nothing.” Fire Breath turned back to his companion. “Alright let’s-” He froze, eyes widening.

“What?” Bright asked.

“What’s that be-” Sickly green fire flew out and engulfed Fire Breath. His screams ringing out as he was burned to a crisp.

Shocked, Bright backed up. She hit something solid. Then she felt hooves hold her head.

A quick twist, and resounding snap ended the raiders’ life. The body slumped over, the flashlight she was holding clattered to the ground. Sky Snake moved the body to the side then signaled his team with a few flashes of his helmet light.

The other three Enclave soldiers trotted forward. “Good job, Sky Snake.” Thunder Dasher said as he nodded to Sky Snake. He turned to Tornadowinds, “How much farther?

“Not far,” Tornadowinds pointed down the hallway, “Just a few more hallways.”

“Alright, let’s check these guys and head on.” Their searching gifted them with medical bandages and a couple of frag grenades. Once done, the team continued forward with Tornadowinds on point. The team glanced through each corridor they passed, seeing nothing but a body here and there.

The team continued on, passing many empty corridors. There was a clank in the distance. Cloudy Storms jumped a bit, “I really wished the emergency lighting would kick on down here.”

Everypony nodded. ‘Reminds me of the forest.’ Thunder Dasher thought.

The group continued through the twisting corridors until they stopped short. Around the next corner they could hear other ponies. “Come on, put your backs into it.”

“It’s no fucking use. We need something that can blow the door open.”

“Fuck, where’s Fire Breath, he should have something for this.” Shuffling began around the corner. The team leaned as close to the wall as they could. The shuffling stopped. “Whatever, just keep at the door, we’ll get through sooner or later.”

The team relaxed. Thunder Dasher let go of a breath he had held onto. After a second of regaining their bearings, Thunder Dasher switched to personal coms. “Sky Snake, let’s toss a firecracker in the fishtank.” He held the grenades out to Sky Snake

A slight nod was all Thunder Dasher got before Sky Snake disappeared with the grenades. Thunder Dasher poked his head out a bit. Around the corner he could see a group of raiders set up in front of their destination. One of the raiders was using a sledgehammer to try and bash down one of the doors, a few other raiders watching him. Two raiders played cards. The ‘watch guard’ sat half asleep, a bottle of alcohol in his hoof. A small lamp sat in the middle of the corridor. A faint shimmer caught Thunder Dash’s eyes. A grenade appeared in between the card players, another next to the guard. Thunder Dasher ducked back.

“OH SHI-” The first grenade sent what was left of one of the raiders into the corridor. When the second grenade went off the team charged around the corner. The walls were covered in raider as a few intact bodies lay here and there.

A single raider crawled into a corner. His leg missing, “Oh fuck man!” His eyes widened as he saw the enclave. “P-please, just let me live. Just let me-” The raiders’ head smashed against the wall, a deep circular imprint on the visible side. Blood spouted out of the eyes and ears of the raider. Sky Snake materialized from the space next to the raider. He lifted his hoof from the raiders head, allowing the body to slouch.

“Good job.” Thunder Dasher said, Sky Snake nodded. The group moved over to the door the raiders were working on. It was an older door, closed by a wheel, They had done a good ammount of damage to it. Given another hour or so, the raiders would’ve gotten in. Thunder Dasher knocked, “Hello, anypony there?”

There was no response. Thunder Dasher looked over to his companions. Tornadowinds shrugged, “Maybe they didn’t hear you.”

Turning back to the door, Thunder Dasher reeled back his Hoof.

KLANK!

KLANK!

KLAN-BOOM!

The door swung open. Turning his visor lamp on, Thunder Dasher caught sight of a swinging wrench.

The wrench smacked meekly against Thunder Dasher’s power armor. On the other end of it was a now terrified engineer, who was flanked by other tool wielding engineers. “Oh, goddesses...” The wrench clattered to the ground. “A-I’m, I’m-”

Thunder Dasher raised his hoof. “Your team asked for evac, right?”

The engineer nodded shakily, “Th-th lead technician is-uh, over there.” He gestured to a corner of the room. A few small lanterns lit the section. From here, Thunder Dasher could see a group of technicians huddled around the light. Thunder Dasher walked over, Spying the few injured ponies laying on some makeshift cots next to the light.

One of the ponies, a brown coated, green maned mare, sat up. Large burn marks ran along the left side of her body. “So, you’re the cavalry.”

Thunder Dasher nodded, turning to his team. “Cloudy, get over here.” He returned his gaze to the head technician. “You alright?”

The lead technician smirked. “It’ll take more than engine burns to take me out.”

Cloudy Storm looked the technician over. Then pulled a sizable bandage from her pack and dabbed a light blue potion on it. “Here, this should help.” The technician hissed as Cloudy Storm pressed the bandage against her skin. Once completed, Cloudy Storm moved onto the other injured.

Wincing a bit, the technician raised her hoof in a salute. “I’m Sky Wrench. It’s about damn time you got here.”

Thunder Dasher looked at the other injured. “Can they walk?”

“Don't know about Banks.” Sky Wrench pointed to the furthest pony. "Got shot up by shrapnel"

Cloudy Storm inspected the pony. After a bit she turned to Thunder Dasher and shook her head, “It’s too bad for me to do right now. If we get her back to the hanger we may have a shot.”

Thunder Dasher nodded. “Let’s saddle her up, we’ll need to move fast.”

Cloudy Storm stretched. “You got it, mind giving me a hoof?”

A couple of minutes of detaching wing armor and tightening stretcher cloth The technician was strapped down to Cloudy Storm’s medical saddle. “Alright, technician’s on. You alright Cloudy?”

Cloudy Storm took a few steps around, technician groaning as she did. “It’s easier than dragging one of you guys around, but we’ll need to take it slow and steady.”

“We’ll do that.” Thunder Dasher turned to Sky Wrench. “Is your team ready?”

Standing up, Sky Wrench nodded. “We’re ready to leave this deathtrap whenever you tin soldiers are.”

Thunder Dasher smirked behind his mask. “Then let’s move ou-” A chilling roar echoed down the hallway.

“What was that?” A technician asked.

“Is it more raiders!?”

“Or a monster!?”

The four Enclave soldiers looked to each other. The roar all too familiar. Thunder Dasher raised his hoof. Then slammed it into the ground.

BANG!

The ponies went silent. “The sooner we make it to the hanger the less likely we’ll meet whatever it is.”

The technicians looked to each other then to Sky Wrench. She Shuffled towards the door. “Come on everypony. It’s time we get out of here.”

The group formed with Thunder Dasher in the front, Tornadowinds and Sky Snake in the back, Cloudy Storm and the ten technicians in the middle. They moved through the corridors slow and steady. The lamps of the technicians and soldiers lit the area nicely. Aside from a scrambling raider or two the corridors was empty.

Sky Wrench moved up next to Thunder Dasher. “So, what took you guys so long? The Eagle crashed almost three hours ago.”

“Had to plow through a wall of raiders.” Thunder Dasher said. He glanced over at Sky Wrench. “You wouldn’t happen to know why the Eagle crashed would you?”

Sky Wrench shook her head. “Everything was fine. Cloud engines purring like a kitten, power at a hundred percent, cooling systems properly functioning. Then BOOM the primary cloud port blew up, followed by the secondary cloud port, then the main engine.” Sky Wrench looked back at her technicians. “Entire area nearly fell down on us.”

“You think it could’ve been done by somepony shooting it?”

“A single shot from an asshole’s rifle wouldn’t cut it. Besides, we were invisible. How could they?”

Thunder Dasher looked down a nearby corridor, dark liquid pooled at the far end. “Let’s say somepony was able to. What do you think it was?”

Sky Wrench mulled it over. “Judging by the explosion, I’d say it would’ve had to be something real strong. Maybe a balefire egg or… something else.”

Thunder Dasher turned back to Sky Wrench. “A balefire e-” Another roar rang out through the corridor. Musky, rotting wind blew through the group. Thunder Dasher flashed the light down the corridor. Two glowing dots flashed back. ‘Shit.’

“What the fuck is that?” Sky Wrench took a step back.

“Sky Snake, up here! Lead them to another exit Tornadowinds!” Thunder Dasher jumped forward. The beast roared again, it was only second to the sound of Thunder Dasher’s heart beating.

From here, Thunder Dasher could see the faint outline of the beast. The large mane, massive claws, and sharp stinger. The beast charged forward, claws swinging wildly. Without a second thought Thunder Dasher doused the entire corridor in front of him in sickly green flame. The beast jumped back, its mane singed. Thunder Dasher could see the beast clearly now. He stared upon the face of a manticore. Its face contorted in a hideous snarl. Thunder Dasher’s heart skipped a beat, his hooves backing away from the beast. The Manticore growled as it reared back a claw.

Volleys of green fire balls splashed against the manticore. The beast let out cries of pain, jumping back into the darkness. It’s pawsteps could be heard as it ran off. Thunder Dasher took deep breaths as he stared down the corridor. A patting on his shoulder took his attention.

Sky Snake stood next to Thunder Dasher, hoof on shoulder. Thunder Dasher nodded. “Thanks.” Thunder Dasher took one last look down the corridor. “Let’s regroup. Time to get the hell out of here.”

///

“Here you go, safe and sound.” Tornadowinds said as their group trotted into the hanger. More ponies had filled the room, most were injured. Another hole had been cut into the hanger. This one large enough to fit the back end of a sky tank. Chimera parted ways with the technicians. Cloudy Storm flapped her wings, happy to have them free again.

The Enclave officer from before stood at the ramp of the tank. She talked to an armored officer, a yellow coated, white maned buck. Thunder Dasher scowled at the buck under his mask. He slowly trotted towards the two, his team falling in behind him.

“Is that… Lightning Strike?” Cloudy Storm asked.

“Yes.” Thunder Dasher growled.

Tornadowinds patted Thunder Dasher’s shoulder. “Try not to deck him, will’ya?”

“Now why would you say that?” Thunder Dasher smirked at the idea.

Lightning Strike noticed team Chimera. Smirking, he trotted forward. “Team Chimera, it’s good to see you’re alive. Especially you Thunder.”

With a click and hiss, Thunder Dasher took his helmet off. “Lightning, what brings you out of the sky?”

“Along with helping you ponies with the raiders,” Lightning said as he ruffled Thunder Dasher’s hair, who pulled back. “I’m here ship repairs.”

Thunder Dasher smirked. “Ship repairs sir?”

Lightning Strike nodded. “I have some teams trying to get the Eagle back in the sky. Best not to lose a ship like this to the raiders.”

The enclave Officer trotted up to the two. “My apologies Sir, I’ve gotten a distress signal for Chimera to deal with.”

Lightning Strike nodded. “Please, go on.”

The officer turned to Thunder Dasher. “We’ve picked up a distress signal from a medical scientist in the research wing. One Dr. Windshear”.

Thunder Dasher and Lightning Strike froze. “Windshear?” Lightning strike asked.

“She’s alive.” Thunder Dasher breathed slowly to calm his now racing heart. ‘Thank the goddesses.’ He stood at attention. “Yes ma’am. Where do we go?” ‘I’ll be there soon Windshear.’

“I’m sending the coordinates to Tornadowinds now. We weren’t able to message her back. From the sound of it though, you’ll be dealing with more raiders.”

“Thank you ma’am.” Thunder Dasher turned to his team.

“Hold it trooper.” Lightning Strike said. Thunder Dasher paused. “I will be joining you in this endeavor.”

Thunder Dasher turned around. “Why wo-” he took a deep breath. “Sir, may I ask why?”

Lightning Strike. “Dr. Windshear is a vitally important pony to ongoing research against Shuffling Death. The doctor and her team must be brought back in one piece.” Lightning Strike trotted forward. “Do not worry, you may stay in command of your team for the most part. You’ll have to help me afterwards though. Now, shall we leave?”

‘Wonderful.’ Thunder Dasher looked to his team. “You heard the general, let’s get moving.” Chimera fell in line behind Lightning Strike, marching at a brisk pace. Once out of sight of the hanger, Thunder Dasher trotted up next to Lightning Strike. “Why are you doing this?”

Lightning Strike stopped, the team doing likewise. “Is Star Shimmer here?”

Thunder lowered his head. “Yeah... they were heading down to Sunville.”

Lightning Strike looked over to the other team members, then continued further into the Eagle’s hallways. “Come on. Let’s not keep them waiting.”

///

Windshear paced back and forth in the storage room. “Star Shimmer where are you...” she looked around the room. Most of the containers had been opened, most of it had just been useless junk. The door still held shut. It didn’t help that she wasn’t too great with computers, that had been more of Life Debts thing. A small bag with food, drinks, and the hydra vial sat close to Windshear.

She checked her pipbuck map again for Star Shimmer’s ID. Nothing popped up. ’Dammit Windshear. Why did you tell her to use the teleporter?’

Windshear sat on her haunches. Taking slow breaths. “Don’t worry It’ll all be fine, she’ll just-”

Bang!

Windshear jumped back. Her wide eyes turning to the door. Her heart doing its best to rip itself from her chest.

“Ms. Windshear.” a robotic voice called out from behind the door. “It is I, Tc-76. Are you alright?”

Windshear smirked. “Yes, I’m fine. You scared me there Tc-76.”

“My apologies. I had not meant to do that. May I come in? I would like to know that you are fully okay.”

“If you can get the door open, then be my guest.”

“I suggest you stand back then.” Tc-76 said as he began to hit the door. Windshear grabbed her bag of supplies and sat down behind some boxes. A few minutes of banging and zapping later and Tc-76 was able to walk through a decent sized hole in the door. Windshear trotted out to him. The robot had taken some heavy damage, several panels of his armor plating had been shot off. Blood covered his visor. “Ms. Windshear, It is good to see you again.”

“Likewise.” she looked behind him. “How did you reactivate?”

“My programming allows me to restart any body that I currently reside in, given time.”

“Well, that must be quite helpful.”

“It is.” Tc-76 beamed. “Now, we must get you and Ms. Star Shimmer to safety.” Tc-76 looked around the room. “Where is Ms. Star Shimmer?”

Windshear looked down at the ground, her smile turning to a frown. “I had her use the teleporter in the other room to get to the hanger, but I think something went wrong.”

Tc-76 trotted out and began punching a hole in the other room. “I will find out what happened. Sit tight.”

Windshear followed, pausing as she entered the hallway. The corridor to her right held the dead remains of her co-workers, their blood splattering the walls and floor. The stench of death sitting still in the musky air of the airship. Windshear looked away, tears beginning to form in her eyes. “Did anypony else make it?”

“All other doctors were KIA.” Tc-76 said as he blasted the door with plasma. “You and Ms. Star Shimmer seem to be the only survivors.”

Windshear took a deep breath, her stomach churning. “Goddesses... may they be at peace.”

Tc-76 punched through the door. Windshear following close behind. In the other room, the teleporter sat on standby. Puffs of smoke flew out of it and up to the ceiling. Tc-76 trotted up to the teleporter and began diagnostics. After he was done, he turned to Windshear. “It appears that the teleporter malfunctioned, sending her outside of the ship.”

“Outside?” Windshear gasped. “We can’t leave her out there. We need to go get her.”

“Yes.” Tc-76 trotted behind the teleporter, deactivating it. “I have the coordinates, but for safety, we should go there on hoof. Chances of the teleporter malfunctioning are at Ninety Seven Percent.”

Windshear nodded. “Alright, give me a second.” Windshear trotted back to the other room. Checking a few of the containers, she found a single holotape. Slowly, she popped it into her pipbuck, and began to record.

“This is Dr. Windshear. I have been able to escape from my room, as you can tell.” She paused for a second. “Another passenger, my daughter, tried to escape as well. Now she’s somewhere outside of the Eagle. I’m going after her, I apologize to those who went through the trouble to save me. I’m gonna place the ID number for my pipbuck in this holotape. You should be able to find me fast enough with it.”

Ending the recording. Windshear recorded the ID number onto the Holo tape. Popping out the tape, she placed it on a container at the front of the room. ‘Don’t worry Thunder, I’ll get us to safety.’

Taking a deep breath, Windshear strode out of the room. Tc-76 waiting for her. “Alright, let’s go.”

Author's Note

thanks to my friends and family helping me out with writing through support. A special thanks to Dugolroth for help in editing.

Chapter 4: Escape from the Eagle

Chapter 4: Escape from the Eagle

E.N.T. Eagle

Over three hours after crash

“I’m gonna place the ID number for my pipbuck in this holotape. You should be able to find me with it.” The recording ended. Thunder Dasher and the rest of the group stood around inside a storage room. Lightning Strike playing the recording through his armor. Everypony looked to Thunder Dasher.

Helmet in hooves, Thunder Dasher looked up at Lightning Strike. “We need to go get them.”

Lightning Strike looked over to the room’s entrance. “I agree. Windshear and Star Shimmer need to be pulled out of this damned city. I can’t let you just run off though.”

The team looked to Lightning Strike. “I’m sorry sir?” Tornadowinds asked.

Thunder Dasher stepped forward. “Lightning, what are you saying?”

Lightning Strike stared Thunder Dasher in the eye. “Thunder, how much fuel do you have left in your tank?”

Thunder Dasher paused, raising an eyebrow. “What?” Thunder Dasher looks over his fuel tank. “Little under half a tank.”

Lightning Strike looked around at the rest of the team. “Does anypony else have backup tanks?” The team members shook their heads. “That’s what I thought. Even with the countless raiders you’ve already burned to a crisp, there’s still hundreds more waiting right outside. Do you really think you can fight through all of them?”

Thunder Dasher took a step forward. “I sure as hell can. Lightning, I’m not gonna just leave them out there.”

“I’m not saying to.” Lighting Strike stared Thunder Dasher down. “You’ll be of no use to them if you just run out and get blown up though.” Thunder Dasher lowered his eyes, the reality of the situation hitting him. “I would, however, be more than willing to send all of my forces to plow a path for you. All I need is to get to the control room. I have a team up there to see the current situation there. Once that’s dealt with, you’ll have an army to get your wife and daughter back.”

Thunder Dasher looked up at Lightning Strike, frowning. Walking towards the general, Thunder Dasher slapped on his helmet. “You better.”

Lightning nodded. “You have my word.” He looked to the rest of the team. “Is that understood?”

“Yes sir.” Tornadowinds and Cloudy Storm said in unison. Sky Snake nodded.

///

The Eagle had fallen silent since team Chimera started towards the bridge. The echo of their hoofsteps the only sound they could hear. Rounding the corner, they pause as a radio transmission is picked up on their armor. “To all remaining soldiers within the Eagle.” Captain Tsunami stated. “You are to return to the main hanger and enter a transport, we are finished here.”

Lighting Strike activated his transmitter. “Captain Tsunami. This is General Lightning Strike. I am currently being aided by a team originally tasked to with your operation.” He motions for the team to continue, he trots a few paces behind them. “The soldiers are the still active members of team Chimera. I will hold onto them until we return to New Hayven.”

There was a short pause before Tsunami replied on a private channel. “Understood Sir. We will see you at the base. Fly safe.”

“To you as well.” Deactivating his transmitter, Lightning Strike caught up with the team.

“Thank you for the ride sir.” Thunder Dasher said.

Lightning Strike smirked a bit. “Of course, why would I-” His smirk dropped. “Are you gonna be like this the entire time?”

Thunder Dasher turned his head to Lightning Strike. “I thank you for helping me save my family. I’d rather we just deal with the current situation at hoof though.”

Lightning Strike lowered his head. “It’s good to see you too.”

Silence fell upon the team for an uncomfortable length of time. Cloudy Storm decided to fix this. “Uh, so General Lightning Strike, sir. Why are you here? On the Eagle I mean.”

Lighting Strike perked up a bit. “As I have said to Thunder Dasher. My soldiers and I are working on repairing the Eagle. It would be best to not let it just sit here for the raiders to have. Currently we have my team in the control room and another one that was sent to the engine room.”

Cloudy Storm and Tornadowinds looked at each other. “Do you really think they can get it to fly?” Tornadowinds asked.

Lightning Strike nodded. “It is a possibility. It’s best we not find out.”

“And if you can’t get it airborne?” Cloudy Storm asked.

“My soldiers are equipped with high explosives. They’ll set them in key locations. Then we’ll scuttle the ship.”

“I see.” Cloudy Storm nodded.

Thunder Dasher turned to Tornadowinds. “How much further?”

Tornadowinds checked the map. “If we take the staircase around the next left, we’ll be right there.”

The group began to take the next turn. “Good, we can stop-” The loud crack of a rifle and resounding force against Thunder Dasher’s helmet silenced him. His head whipped to the side. Before Thunder Dasher could react, somepony pulled him backwards. A hail of gunfire erupted from around the corner.

“‘Hoo-wee, come get us ya’tin cans!” a gnarly mare’s voice called out.

Cloudy Storm crouched next to Thunder Dasher plugging into his armor, checking his vitals. She sighed. “You’re clear.” Cloudy Storm patted Thunder Dasher’s shoulder. “Lucky stallion.”

Shaking off the pain, Thunder Dasher stood up. Tornadowinds and Lightning Strike watched him as he got to his hooves, meanwhile Sky Snake stood at the edge of the intersection. Thunder Dasher smirked. “Don’t worry, I’m not dead yet. What are we dealing with?”

“All I could see was a blockade before we pulled your ass to safety.” Tornadowinds said.

Thunder Dasher looked over to Sky Snake. “Do some recon.”

Sky Snake nodded, and a second later he vanished.

“The fuck are they doing!?” The voice of a raider called out.

“Shut up, they might hear you.” Another one hissed.

Sky Snake appeared on the other side of the intersection. He began tapping his hoof in morse code.

‘Five.’

‘Mini.’

‘Sniper.’

‘Three Yards.’

Lightning Strike nodded. “Well, we need to get them out of here.” he looked around at the rest of the team. His eyes stopped on the missile launcher on Thunder Dasher’s side. “Thunder, that ordinance isn’t part of your original loadout. Does it work?”

Thunder Dasher smirked. “Only one way to find out.” Thunder Dasher trotted up to the edge of the hallway. “Chimera, give me coverfire.” Thunder Dasher jumped out into the intersection, his companions rounding the corners. Gun fire and incinerator bursts filled the hallway. Thunder Dasher planted his hooves firmly on the ground and aimed at the barricade.

The barricade was primarily made of beds and desks, most likely taken from the nearby rooms. One of the raiders looked out over the barricade at Thunder Dasher. It was a unicorn, and it held the minigun in it’s magical grasp. With a horrific smile, the raider unleashed a torrent of bullets.

Through the hail of bullets, Thunder Dasher let loose a missile. The missile soared true, hitting the center of the barricade.

KRABOOM!

The explosion ripped the barricade apart. Bodies and debris being thrown all about. The hallway fell silent after that. Thunder Dasher looked around at his team, stopping on Lightning Strike. Lightning Strike nodded. Thunder Dasher started forward. “Alright Chime-” A searing pain laced through the side of his torso, forcing Thunder Dasher to stop.

The rest of Chimera walked up to him. Tornadowinds looked Thunder Dasher up and down. “Y’alright Thunder?”

Thunder Dasher took another step. The pain lashed out again. He grunted and kneeled down. “I think I’ve been hit.”

Cloudy Storm sped over and plugged into Thunder Dasher’s armor again. “Oh dear.” She looked at the rest of the team. “A bullet got through. Nothing important was hit, but I need to pull the bullet out.”

Lightning Strike looked down the hallway. “Let’s get somewhere safe, this area’s too open. Saddle him and let’s get to the bridge.”

“Yes sir.” Cloudy storm nodded. She looked down to Thunder Dasher. “You ready for armor lock sir?”

Dealing with the pain Thunder Dasher laid down, folding his legs under him. “Yeah, I’m ready.” Before he finished his sentence, his armor became rigid.

Cloudy Storm unplugged herself. “We’ll get you.” She trotted behind Thunder and began to set up the saddle.

As this happened, Thunder Dasher’s eyes scanned the hallway ahead. The emergency lights extended vision for about a dozen yards before the hallway ended in complete darkness. Thunder Dasher looked to the hallways to the left and right. Empty.

A click sounded behind Thunder Dasher. “There we go, let’s head out.” Cloudy Storm said. Soon enough Thunder Dasher began to be dragged.

Thunder Dasher returned his attention to the hallways ahead of him, and froze. The darkness had filled in more of the hallway. Now it stood about ten or so feet away. From this distance Thunder Dasher watched as it rolled across the edges slowly, like water. He squinted. ‘What the...’

“Chimera.” Thunder called on the team’s comm. “We might have something on our six. Don’t look, just hoof it to the bridge.”

There was a short pause, then the dragging continued. “What exactly do you see?”

Thunder Dasher looked it up and down. “Some sort of wall of darkness. Possibly a spell of some sort.”

“Tell us if something changes.” Lighting Strike chimed in.

“I plan too.” The group continued onward. Heading up a maintenance stairwell to the hallway next to the bridge. The wall of darkness following close behind.

As the team entered the hallway, Lightning Strike called out on open coms. “Breach team Omega, come in. have you finished your task up here?”

There was no answer.

“Breach team Omega, are you there?” Silence.

Tornadowinds looked over to Lightning Strike. “Is our shadow still there Thunder?”

“Y-yeah.” Thunder Dasher huffed.

The team now made it to the door of the bridge. A terminal bathed the area in green light. “Five caps says it’s a trap.” Tornadowinds said.

Lightning Strike nodded, walking up to the terminal. “Once we’re on the other side I’ll lock the door. We take out any hostiles on the other side. Cloudy Storm will then operate on Thunder Dasher. The rest of us take guard. Understood.”

“Yes sir.” Everypony answered.

Lightning Strike tapped a few keys on the terminal, and the door slid open. “Go!”

The team charged in. The door slamming behind them. Lightning Strike fiddled with the terminal on the other side as the rest of the team checked the room. Still facing backwards. Thunder Dasher watched as the darkness that had been tailing them started to deform. Tendrils wriggled forward, grasping at the air.

“Clear.” Tornadowinds called out. The door slammed shut, cutting one of the tendrils off. Cloudy Storm dragged Thunder Dasher to one of the corners and detached him. With a resounding thud, Thunder could see the rest of the bridge. The main windows had been covered by thick blast shields, causing the dim light of terminals and emergency lighting to cast much of the room in shadows. The room itself appeared to be only slightly damaged. Thunder Dasher also noticed that the room was void of all life other than his team.

Lightning Strike turned around and looked around the room. “Where the hell are they?”

“You think the shadow thing got them?” Tornadowinds asked.

A hiss came from Thunder Dasher’s armor. He looked down to see a section of his chest plate pop off. Cloudy Storm sat down in front of him, her medical kit in hoof. “Companion suit, activate med-X.” A confirming beep came from Thunder Dasher’s armor before it injected him with the chem. Within seconds the pain disappeared into a cloud of numbness.

Cloudy Storm pulled off her helmet, letting a curly blue mane fall down the side of her head. Taking a pair of hemostats in mouth, she began prodding the bullet hole. The pain barely an annoyance to ThunderDasher.

A large BANG came from the bridge door. All except Cloudy Storm turned to the sound. “So, could we get those blast shields down?” Tornadowinds asked. His flamer lit up. “Or should we teach’em a lesson?”

Lightning Strike ran over to one of the bridge consoles. “Give me a few minutes, I’ll have them open soon.”

Tornadowinds and Sky Snake took positions, using nearby consoles for cover.

BANG!

The door bent inward, darkness beginning to spill through. Cloudy Storm pulled away from Thunder Dasher, the bullet hitting the ground with a small clank. “There.” Cloudy Storm spat out the hemostats and put on her helmet. “Companion suit, activate health potion.”

Thunder felt his strength return as the health potion sealed up his wounds. Cloudy Storm placed the chest plate section against the armor, the suit’s systems realigned the piece and connected it to the rest of the armor. Cloudy Storm stood up and moved to Thunder’s side. Soon enough his armor relaxed, and Thunder Dasher could move again.

BANG!

A sizable hole appeared in the middle of the door. All that could be seen was pitch blackness on the other side. Thunder Dasher and Cloudy Storm ran over to the others. “Light it up!” Tornadowinds shouted. Everypony sprayed the hole with green flame. The darkness evaporated, leaving nothing but bright green light.

“Cease fire.” Thunder Dasher called out. Everypony stopped. The green flames licked both sides of the hole. Thunder took a step forward, looking through the hole. The fire illuminated the area right outside of the door, but not much else. The darkness appeared further back.

Thunder Dasher looked over to Lightning Strike. “How much longer?”

“Just. About. Done.” Lightning Strike looked over to the blast shields. The shields slid downward, revealing murky darkness. Lightning Strike backed up against the console. “What the hell?”

Thunder Dasher stared up at the darkness. This kind wasn’t as pronounced as the other was. Through it he could see faint outlines of the nearby buildings outside, along with a tall figure standing on the hull of the ship. Two red eyes looked out through the darkness at the group, and the figure moved closer.

“W-what’s the plan Sergeant?” Cloudy Storm said, looking from the darkness, to Thunder.

Tornadowinds looked out through the hole in the door. “The darkness is moving up again.”

Sky Snake readied his flamer.

Thunder Dasher and Lightning Strike looked to each other. “Get ready for a fight.” Lightning strike said as he moved between two of the bridge consoles. Lowering his head, he produced a greenish blue energy pistol from his armor’s holster. Thunder Dasher ran over to a nearby console, preparing the missile launcher.

Cloudy Storm jumped into to one of the corners, switching to her incinerator mode. Tornadowinds and Sky Snake ducked into cover against the figure at the window, pointing their flamers at the door.

A rush of darkness slammed into the door, finally ripping it apart. The door broke into two parts, one of which flew through the bridge, barely missing Sky Snake and Tornadowinds. The two soldiers ignited the doorway with flame. The figure at the windows began to glow.

Darkness rushed into the room through the door, enveloping the green flame. Tornadowinds let off a volley of fireballs. From the darkness came a black blade sinking into his flamer. The blade lifted into the air, Tornadowinds hanging from it.

A hiss came from the flamer. “Oooh Shi-!” A large green explosion ripped apart the flamer, shooting Tornadowinds across the room.

Sky Snake trotted sideways. Coating the darkness in green flame. A pained roar came from the darkness and the blade slashed at Sky Snake. He nimbly dodged it. Cloudy Storm joined in on the other side.

“Tornado!” Thunder Dasher moved towards Tornadowinds, his body an unmoving husk.

The being behind the windows vanished in a flash of light, appearing in the middle of the room. Thunder Dasher turned to the being. It appeared to be a large, muscular pony in strange armor. Atop their head sat a large horn covered in a deep blue aura, a black blade floated by them in the same aura. The unicorn turned to Thunder Dasher.

Thunder Dasher launched a volley of fireballs at the unicorn, who caught them with their magical grasp. They threw the fireballs back at him. Thunder jumped out of the way. One of the fireballs caught him on the back, covering him in green flame. Thunder Dasher landed, his armor warmed but otherwise unaffected. Thunder Dasher looked up, catching sight of the blade as it flew at him.

The blade sunk into Thunder’s chest with ease, cutting through the armor like butter. Thunder Dasher reeled in pain. “Gaah!” The blade began to lift, raising Thunder up.

“No!” Lightning Strike unleashed a torrent of blue magical energy from his gun upon the unicorn
The unicorn stepped away, turning towards Lightning Strike. As they did, they let Thunder Dasher slide off the blade. He hit the ground with a hard CLANK! Blood spurting out of his chest wound. The new, gaping hole in his chest made the gunshot feel like a mild itch. Thunder gasped for air, but only managed a small puff each time.

A woosh of fire brought Thunder’s attention up. Scorched and busted, Tornadowinds stood facing the dark unicorn. His flamer launching a volley of fireballs at it as Lighting Strike shot it from the opposite side. A second later the fireballs were replaced with a faint clicking sound. Tornadowinds looked to his flamer. "Shit."

Gritting his teeth, Thunder Dasher tried to hoist himself up, though he only managed to get onto one hoof before he was stopped by a coughing fit. Blood speckled his visor. ‘Shit!’ Thunder Dasher looked over to the dark unicorn before him. The unicorn still focused on the other ponies attacking it, Thunder leveled the missile launcher as best as he could ‘Grab this you crazy fuck.’

The missile flew straight and true, slamming into the dark unicorn before exploding its bits onto the surrounding room. Thunder Dasher smiled at the sight.

“Komaa!” The other unicorn screamed out, catching everypony’s attention. Looking to Thunder Dasher, the unicorn gripped him in it’s magical grasp, and began to throw him around the room.

Every smash against the wall pulled Thunder further from consciousness, the speeding world darkening quickly. Intense, bodily pain being replaced by growing numbness. “Take it out, now!” Lightning called out in the distance. A low whooshing came from somewhere near Thunder. “Don’t let it leave!”

A horrific, gurgled, scream rang out in Thunder’s ears. At this time, all he could do was watch as the last bit of his blurry vision faded from a blurry light blue, to a deep, endless black.

“Thunder!”

Level up! +7 Battle saddles, +6 Speech

Perk: Leave'em Toasty: Your Enclave Balefire training has made you a deadly advisory with the flamethrower... well, deadlier than a normal lunatic with a flamethrower. +10% damage against foes when using incendiary weapons!

Author's Note

thanks to my friends and family helping me out with writing through support. A special thanks to Dugolroth for help in editing.

Chapter 5: A Helping Hoof

Chapter 5: A Helping Hoof

Platinum Hoof Bank main hub

Electricity consumed Star Shimmer, vaulting her through the empty space. Soon enough sight, sound, and consciousness all faded.

After what felt like eternity, Star Shimmer came back to reality. Feeling returned to her hooves, slowly creeping up to the rest of her body. then her legs. Soon Star Shimmer could think and see again. Her eyes fluttered open, peering on at the world around her. For a second it appeared to be an old hallway with rubble, items stuck to the ceiling. As Star Shimmer began to ponder why the hallway was like this, a force pulled her away from the ground below her.

Star Shimmer slammed into what turned out to be the ground. “A-ow.” Bruised, Star Shimmer slowly stood up. Shaking her head as she did so.

The hallway ahead was old and weathered. Cracks spidering out along the walls, and several doors stood on either side. Star Shimmer’s eyes widened, “Wait… Shit!” She ran over to one of the doors and flung it open.

A burst of wind blasted against her face as the door opened wide to the darkened cityscape. Explosions and lightning lit up the sky in the distance, splashing the clouds with flashes of fiery red and shocking white. The rapid pops of gunfire echoed through the city, giving it a deathly rhythm.

Star Shimmer backed away from the door, heart racing. “No...This can’t be happening.” Bumping into the wall behind her, Star Shimmer jumped away. She stared at the wall, horrified at the deterioration that covered it’s surface. She spun her vision from one side to the other. “C-come on Star, get a hold of yourself.” With big, slow breaths. Star Shimmer felt her heart begin to calm.

“I’m telling’ya, somethin’s here.” A weasley stallion’s voice echoed down the hallway.

Star Shimmer’s head focused on the voice’s direction.

“Bullshit, you always hear things.” Answered another voice, this one a mare’s.

Star Shimmer looked around, desperately trying to form her thoughts into a plan. ‘Uh, Rubble. Eh, room? Outside. Sta-Outside!’ Her eyes landed on the still open door to the outside. Running over, Star Shimmer looked around more closely. Most of the building had collapsed on this side, opening up over a hundred floors to the wasteland. Clouds covered the skyline, nearly a hundred yards away was freedom. ‘Here goes nothing.’ With a flap of her wings, she lifted off into the air. Wind rushed around her as she raced upwards, dodging the other levels as she did. Rain splashed against her face in waves and thunder boomed.

“GYAA!” An immense pain ripped through Star Shimmer’s right wing. Instinctively pulling it in, Star Shimmer began to fall. One of the skyscraper’s floors met her with a Smack! Air rushed from her lungs, leaving her gasping like a fish. Blood speckled the ground near her wing, a quick glance told her that there was a fresh bullet hole through it.

Regaining her breath, Star Shimmer shakily stood up. “Fuck!” She looked out towards the city, the old ruins swayed in the storm winds and lightning hitting a nearby building. There was too much of it, too many places for somepony to shoot and hide. She turned her attention towards the building she stood on. Part of the wall before her had fallen inward, leaving an opening. Hesitantly, she shuffled forward.

Inside, the room was caved in, only giving a few feet of space. A door stood shut on the right. Light flickered underneath the door, an unpleasant stench seeped from it.

Star Shimmer looked to her injured wing, which she held tightly to her side. ‘Please be old food. Only old, rotting food.’ Star Shimmer thought as she crept towards the door. Slowly she pushed it open.

The stench of sickeningly sweet rot and burning flesh hit her tenfold. On the other side was a large room made by knocking down the walls of the four adjacent rooms. A firepit with a small, brightly burning fire sat in the middle, a meat rotisserie setup above it. Around the pit were masses of cloth similar in shape of beds. Past them were dark, twisted cages, a few of which held small mounds. Lining the wall were half a dozen bodies, most appeared pony though it was difficult to say in their current condition.

Star Shimmer’s heart jumped up into her throat. She backpedaled out of the room. Her stomach twisted in repulsion, and she tumbled onto her haunches, retching on the ground. ‘By the Goddesses, I’m in hell.’

As her stomach emptied of its meager contents, her injured wing flared up in pain. Star Shimmer wiped the bit of bile sticking to her mouth and looked to the door with dread. The memory of the ponies back on the Eagle, clad in practically garbage, but psychotic and bloodthirsty. If she tried to fly, she was dead. If she went through the door, she could be captured by the monsters that created such a den. She might become the next wall ornament, or a meal for the evil beasts of this hellhole. Shuffling up to the door, she searched around again. This time she spotted a door at the far end, a small line of light came from below it.

Star Shimmer swallowed her sickness. Ever so slowly, she began to walk through the room. Making her way around the cages, Star Shimmer’s eyes wandered towards the mounds inside. The first cage was empty. Dark stains covered the the sides and bottom.

Passing by, Star Shimmer grimaced at the second cage. Inside laid the corpse of what she could only guess was a dog. The skin of the beast had been peeled back, leaving the muscle and tendons exposed. The muzzle had been smashed in, and the eyes skewered by metal spikes. Chunks of the dog had been cut away, and Star Shimmer thought again about the fire pit. Her eyes continued to focus on the dog as she moved forward. Eventually she felt something squished underneath her hoof. Staring down, Star Shimmer saw her hoof covered in a dark muck. As she lifted her hoof, some of it stuck to her. Bile began to rise up to the back of her throat. Star Shimmer looked away, continuing forward.

The last cage held the body of an earth pony stallion. Its dark green coat covered in lacerations, blood slowly flowing onto the floor. Chunks of its black mane were torn from the head. A knife protruding out of the flank. The chest slowly expanded, Star Shimmer froze. The chest contracted, then expanded again. Leaning in for a closer look, Star Shimmer saw that the stallion was breathing.

Star Shimmer glanced at the door, her hoof lifting into the air. The sounds of distant rain and gunfire still echoed in the distance. She looked back at the stallion, staring, wide eyed, at the wounds he had. Then she looked over to the dog corpse, then at the bodies lining the wall. With a shaking hoof, Star Shimmer tapped one of the bars of the cage. “H-hey.”

Dark brown eyes blinked open. The stallion glared up at Star Shimmer, making her take a step back. The stallion looked her up and down, his eyes widened. His eyes scanned the room.

Star Shimmer stepped forward. “Hey, do you know how to open this cage?”

The Stallion gazed over at the door. “Check the beds near the firepit. There should be a key there.” His voice was raspy and dry.

Star Shimmer nodded, turning towards the firepit. Dodging any disgusting waste left on the ground, she made her way over to the beds. A small hint of alcohol wafted as Star Shimmer shuffled through the rags. Vomit threatened to return, yet Star Shimmer continued. Through sweaty sheets and blood stained mattresses, she pulled out a rusty old key.

Star Shimmer gripped it with her teeth and trotted over to the cage. “I goth ith.”

“Okay, t-that’s good-ooh.” The stallion grimaced at the sight of Star Shimmer.

Star Shimmer’s eyebrow shot up. “Whah?”

“N-nothing, just unlock it.”

With a quick thrust and tilt, the cage door popped open. The stallion slumped out. “Oh, that was a bad idea.”

Star Shimmer moved in next to the stallion and hoisted him to his hooves with her good wing. “Okay, you’re out. I need your help.”

The Stallion sighed. “And what would that be?”

Star Shimmer and the stallion began for the door. “Could you help me get out of here?”

“Sure, why don’t you hop on my back and I’ll trot you right out onto the street.”

“I’m sorry, who’s flank did I just save?” Making it to the door, Star Shimmer pushed it open. The other side was a hallway decorated similarly to the room with bodies lining the walls, and garbage thrown all over the place. At one end was a massive wall of rubble, the other had a small barricade with a mounted gun. Several other doors stood evenly apart on each end of the hallway.

“Go through that door.” The stallion pointed to the door across from them.

Star Shimmer trudged them over and pushed the door open. Inside was a small, dimly lit room filled with piles of random items. Guns, saddles, and cans, all thrown about half hazardly. “Um, there’s no exit here.”

“No, but I have a knife in my ass.” The stallion looked around. “There.” He pointed to one of the piles. The two shuffled towards it, and Star Shimmer placed him against the pile. Gritting his teeth, the stallion shakily stood up and began to look through the pile, throwing random junk around.

Star Shimmer looked from the stallion to the door, her hoof tapping and her heart beginning to pound faster. As the seconds passed, Star Shimmer’s attention began to wander to the other piles in the room. Her eyes landed on one of the piles, sticking out the top was the sledgehammer of a madmare. On one end were two small rockets. On the other were four pink power crystals fused to it. Small bits of magical energy arced across each crystal. Several sections of the sledge had been reinforced with metal rods and plates as well.

“You think you can use it?” The stallion asked.

Star Shimmer turned to her new companion. The stallion held a saddle bag in his hooves. “Yeah, sure. I could spin it over my head no problem.” She said with a snide smirk.

The stallion stuck his head into the saddlebags and pulled out a bulky syringe, the insignia of a hydra head stamped on the side. Tearing off the rubber cover, the stallion injected himself in the forehoof. The deep gashes and bruises across his body sealed up, leaving only bare skin and blood stained fur. The knife clattered to the ground next to him. The stallion stood up, stretching his body. “That’s better.”

“Hydra?” Star Shimmer asked. “Couldn’t find a health potion or salve?”

The stallion rolled his eyes. “Just grab what you can and let’s get out of here.” The stallion stood up, tossing the saddlebags over his shoulders. He rummaged through the pile again, pulling out a dual barreled shotgun. Gun in mouth, he moved to the door and placed his ear against it.

Turning back to the pile, Star Shimmer rummaged through it. Smashed alcohol bottles, ruined books, busted weapons, nearly everything aside from the massive sledge was just junk. She turned to another pile. Right off the bat, a small box sat atop of the pile, opening it up revealed a grenade and a couple of health potions. Star Shimmer smirked. She turned to the stallion.

The stallion held up a hoof to his lips, then gestured Star Shimmer towards him.

Star Shimmer smirk dropped, heart beginning to pound. Quietly, she dragged the box over to the stallion, who looked into it. A smile grew on his face as he traded the gun for the grenade. “Puth tha pothens in my bathgs.” He whispered.

Star Shimmer nodded. As she took the potions into her grasp, Star Shimmer began to hear murmurs from outside the door.

“-fine, let’s just get some grub. Alright?”

The stallion rolled the grenade in his mouth.

“Whatever, I know I heard somethin.”

There was the click of a door, and a second later it slammed shut.

Using his hooves, the stallion creaked the door open. The grenade held tightly in his mouth. Faint voices mumbled, at first it was quite, then it got louder.

“Where the fuck is he!?” A door swung open.

The stallion tossed the grenade. Then, slamming the door behind him, he tackled Star Shimmer.

The explosion ripped the door apart, sending chunks and shards against the two. Rolling off of Star Shimmer, the stallion stood up and held out a hoof to her.

Star Shimmer glared at the stallion. “What the hell was that?”

The stallion rolled his eyes. “I’m sorry, you think we could’ve outrun them? In the city filled with raiders?”

Star Shimmer looked down at the hoof, then back at the stallion. Slowly, she took the hoof and was hoisted up. “Well thanks-” She froze at the side beyond the door. The floor and nearby walls had been destroyed, leaving a sizable hole. Gore bits speckled around the edge, and the upper half of a pony lay a couple of feet away, it’s entrails and purple mane a clumped mass dragging behind.

Bile began to rise up Star Shimmer’s throat. She turned away. “Okay, can we go?”

“By all means, let’s leave.” The stallion turned and trotted over to the hole. One quick look and he jumped down.

“W-wait!” Star Shimmer ran to the hole. Down below, the hallway was strewn with rubble. A couple of filing cabinets had toppled over, providing a small landing spot. The stallion stood next to the cabinets, combat knife in mouth. Star Shimmer readied herself, then jumped. Without her the use of her wings she hit the cabinets hard, nearly stumbling off of them.

“Majestic.” The stallion said with a small grin.

Star Shimmer glared at him. Her good wing flapping a bit.

The stallion looked at Star Shimmer’s injured wing. “I guess you already tried to fly out?”

Star Shimmer extended her wing, frowning at the bullet hole. “Yep… didn’t even hear the gunshot.”

The stallion shook his head. “Damn Headers.” Reaching into the his packs, he pulled out one of the health potions. “Youw luthy.” He placed the potion at Star Shimmer’s hoofs. “Only drink half of it.”

Star Shimmer looked to the stallion, a small thankful smile creeped up her face. “Thanks.” Star Shimmer took the health potion. Popping off the top, she chugged a bit of it. The nagging pain disappeared, and the hole closed up, leaving a small patch of missing feathers.

The stallion nodded. “Stay grounded.” The stallion turned and began for the stairs. “Your ass is dirt next time you’re nailed in the sky.”

Star Shimmer looked at the stallion with unease. “Good to know.” she continued following the stallion. As they walked, Star Shimmer took in her surroundings again. The building they walked through, for the most part, had been untouched, even just one level down it was just an old, dilapidated hallway. The roar of distant warfare continued on. Star shimmer remembered the raiders in the Eagle, and imagined Thunder Dasher running into them. ‘Please be careful dad, mom’s waiting on you.’ Star Shimmer looked over to the stallion. He was young, maybe a year or two older than herself. Along with that, Without the knife sticking out of his flank, his cutie mark was now visible. A brown and silver bottlecap bordered by small rays of sunshine.

The two made it to the emergency stairs and began to descend. “Um.” Star Shimmer began. “So what’s your name?”

The stallion focused forward, scanning the staircase and every open door they passed. “Rusty Bottlecap.” He glanced over at Star Shimmer. “What about you?”

“I’m Star Shimmer.”

Rusty Bottlecap nodded. “Well, not the worst name I’ve ever heard.” Rusty’s ears flicked. “So the fighting outside, is that your rescue team?”

Star Shimmer sighed. “Sorta. You wouldn’t have happened to see the giant black and green air ship fall from the sky.”

Rusty smirked. “Yeah, I saw it. Kinda why I’m here.”

Star Shimmer raised her eyebrow.

Rusty looked back at Star Shimmer. “Enclave scrap makes good caps.”

“Oh.” Star Shimmer’s eyebrows furrowed. ‘Vulture’

Rusty smirked, turning back to the staircase.

A couple of minutes later they made it to the bottom. Rusty trotted over to the emergency exit. “So you’re Enclave, but no power armor.” He cracked the door open and looked around. “So we’ll have to do this the old fashioned way.” glanced over to Star Shimmer. “You think you can handle cramped spaces?”

Star Shimmer tilted her head. “I’m in this crumbling heap of a building, aren’t I?”

Rusty looked back out. “Follow my lead, stay right behind me. Got it?” Before Star Shimmer could answer him, Rusty burst out of the door.

Star Shimmer rocketed through the door, her wings giving her a decent boost. Within a second she was right next to the galloping Rusty. Outside, the ruins extended around them. Crumbling buildings stood everywhere, while debris and trash piles scattered along the ground. The sky had darkened even more, coupled with the striking setting sun the world appeared to be burning in the distance.

A gunshot cracked in the air, and a nearby can flew high above Star Shimmer. “Marehole!” Rusty called out. Star Shimmer looked to Rusty, then followed his eyes. Down the street ahead of them was a half covered sewer entrance. “Go! Get inside!”

Star Shimmer gave a mighty flap, blasting the dust around her into the air. A second shot bit the surface of her flank. Star Shimmer bit her lip and pumped her wings faster.

As she neared the marehole, a raider stepped out from behind the nearby building. Shod with spiked powerhooves, and his tail capped in a spiked ball and chain. The raider charged towards Star Shimmer, a maniacal smile on his face.

‘Shit!’ Star Shimmer glanced down at the marehole, the cover to it had been removed and was leaning against a small pile of rubble. A small smile crept up her face. One final pump of the wings shot Star Shimmer to the marehole cover, and with the accuracy of a sniper’s bullet she reached out and hooked the cover with her hooves. Spinning her body, Star Shimmer lifted the cover using her momentum and hurled it at the raider. “HeYAAH!”

Shocked by the sight, the raider shrunk to the ground, covering their face. The cover flew straight and true, into the ground a couple of feet from Star Shimmer with a large Thunk!

The raider peeked over to the cover, then looked over to Star Shimmer.

Huffing, and forelegs screaming in painful protest. Star Shimmer looked at the marehole cover with despairing disappointment. “Oh, come on!”

A smile cracked along the raider’s face, and they began to stand up again. Star Shimmer, eyes wide, started to backstep away. ‘Oh, shit!’

A firm force clamped down on Star Shimmer’s tail. Startled, she jumped up into the air, but the force held strong. A second later, Star Shimmer found herself being ripped from the air.

BANG

The bullet whizzed past Star Shimmer as she plummeted into the ground. Her heart beat like a wardrum as the sky and clouds fell away. For a split second, Star Shimmer felt as if she had fallen out of reality, and into the never ending space of the unknown. She came back as she landed hard on the cold, wet ground. Next to her stood Rusty, her tail in his mouth. “Ow!” She ripped her tail from his mouth and held it in her hooves. “Grabby Asshole”

Rolling his eyes, Rusty Bottlecap pushed her up onto her hooves. “Come on, we need to keep moving.”

Star Shimmer looked around. Aside from the small spot of light the two found themselves in, the area was pitch black. From what little she could see, it appeared the two were on a small walkway, barely wide enough for two ponies to stand side by side. The walkway extended to the left and right into the darkness. Beside the walkway was a glimpse of murky sludge, an ever present, overwhelming stench wafting from it. Star Shimmer covered her nose with her hoof. “Uh-Where?”

Rusty look from one side to the other. “Th-this way.” He said, grabbing Star Shimmer’s hoof and dragging her into the darkness. Their hoofsteps echoing further into the abyss.

“W-wait, do you know where you’re going!?” Star Shimmer asked as she worked on keeping up with Rusty.

“Kinda. Just stick with me.” The two continued forward for a bit before rounding a corner. Rusty then pushed Star Shimmer against the wall.

Star Shimmer slapped his hooves away. “What the-”

“Shh!” There was a pause, then Rusty whispered. “Stay here.”

Anger swelled a bit in Star Shimmer’s gut, but she bit her tongue. She listened as Rusty slowly began to move away from her. Another pair of hoofsteps sounded in the distance. A few seconds later there was a voice nearby. “Come out lil’foals. Red Rocker isn’t gonna hurt’ya.”

Star Shimmer held her breath. Her heart thudded against her chest. The raider continued to move.

Clip-Clop

Clip-Clop

Clip-Clop

There was a sniffle, then a huff. “Eh, fuck it.” Hoofsteps echoed from the darkness, soon replaced with the sound of somepony climbing a ladder. “Say hi to the gators for me.”

The darkness went silent again. For a minute, all Star Shimmer did was sit in the darkness, her breath returning to normal. A gasp escaped Star Shimmer’s mouth as something rustled in the darkness.

small bluish-green glow filled the darkness. A couple of feet from her stood Rusty Bottlecap. A small glowing pouch in his mouth. He stood at the corner of the wall, staring down the path they had traveled from. Turning from it, he glanced over to Star Shimmer. His eyes were wide, and with the help of the ghastly illumination, he appeared almost terrified. “Alright, this way.” He motioned forward, trotting slowly.

Star Shimmer looked to him, then back to the darkness. It seemed to almost happily return to it’s space as the light left, erasing what had once been there. Star Shimmer followed, staying within the small bubble of reality revealed by the glowing light, the darkness waiting patiently to gobble them up just outside.

Chapter 6: Council of Gildersone

Chapter 6: Council of Gildersone

Hotel ruins

“WATCH OUT!” An explosion ripped the pony apart.
A canopy of charred wood and flames surrounded Thunder Dasher. The roar of flammer nozzles and screams of the damned echoed all around. Armorclad soldiers galloped to and fro. Tendrils wriggled from the darkness, grabbing and tearing soldiers apart.
One soldier crawled for the safety of a nearby rock, only for a tendril to wrap around them, pulling them into the flames.

Thunder Dasher looked up at the sky. The dark shadow of a warship sailed through the sea of dark grey clouds. Cannon barrels glowed a vibrant green. Slowly, flames ate away the sky. Engulfing it. Soon Thunder Dasher’s vision was filled with burning vegetation, its flaming tendrils wrapping around his armor.

/ / /

Thunder Dasher shot up from his slumber, his heart slamming against his chest. The sweet scent of cut pine filled his lungs. Thunder Dasher spun his head around, taking in his surroundings.

The room was dimly lit, giving Thunder Dasher only the faintest of outlines of his surroundings. He laid on a decrepit, saggy mattress. Before him lay a pony on a similarly uncomfortable looking mattress, bandages covered the pony’s side. Thunder Dasher squinted, ‘Tornadowinds?’ The pony let out a snore akin to a thunderclap. Thunder Dasher smirked, ‘Eyup.’
Returning to scanning of the room, he noticed a starry night sky through a window to his left. A thin curtain cut him off from the rest of the room on his right. A light, purple glow emitted from behind the curtain.

‘Where am I?’ Thunder Dasher closed his eyes. The memory of his last fight coming to bare. Looking down at himself, his armor had been removed and his chest wrapped in bandages. Several other parts were wrapped up as well. A slow ache vibrated with his heartbeat. Splints held his wings close to his side, ‘Hopefully, somewhere safe.’

Taking a deep breath, Thunder Dasher pushed himself up. Several pops rang out from his body forcing a grunt from Thunder Dasher.

A small gasp came from behind the curtain, followed by a Thud!

‘Welp, so much sneaking.’ Thunder Dasher’s legs wobbled as he shuffled forward. Pushing the curtain aside, Thunder looked around.

A glowing, purple orb sat in the middle of the room. Enveloping the room in its faint, warm light. A large bed sat against the right wall, its covers tucked tightly. A desk sat opposite of the bed. Atop of it was a scroll stand with a small, metal candle holder in the shape of a dragon’s head next to it. Several books were stacked next to it. Two doors sat on the left and far walls. Lastly, Thunder Dasher noticed the edge of a hoof sticking out from behind the bed.

Thunder Dasher cleared his throat, “Hello?” No one answered. Thunder gazed at the bed, “I know you’re there. I don’t want any trouble, just want to say thank you.” He sat on his haunches, his legs beginning to scream.

The room was silent for a minute, then the pony stood up and Thunder Dasher caught his breath. At first Thunder Dasher saw the horn, a swirling teal rod twice as long as the average unicorn’s. A dark charcoal mane pulled into a ponytail hid the base of the horn. Then came the wings, massive blue clouds of feathers that fanned out around the being. Finally the rest of the body, tall and slender, its movement slow and skittish. Large, glowing yellow eyes stared wide at him. Thunder Dasher had only seen an false alicorn once or twice before, the memory of a massive form twice the size of the one before him flashing in his mind.

The alicorn raised her hoof, and waved, “H-hey, ther-” Thunder Dasher launched himself at the alicorn, his limbs screaming in pain, “Oh dear!” The alicorn vanished from sight.
Remembering where the alicorn’s neck was, Thunder reached out. His hooves felt the soft hairs of a mane, and latched on.

“Oh, nononononononono!” A strong force gripped Thunderdasher from all around. The pain from his injuries spiking. Reflexively he let go of the mane, and soon enough he felt himself flying. With a jarring stop, Thunder Dasher froze several feet above the ground, covered in a dark blue aura.
Taking a second to breathe, Thunder kicked and struggled to tear himself from the magical grasp. In the end, only succeeded in flipping himself upside down. With injuries burning, energy fading, and his stomach turning over Thunder Dasher stopped squirming. With a ragged sigh, he looked up at the ground, ‘Well, this could’ve gone better.’

“Y-You know, that was mean!” Thunder Dasher was spun around to face the alicorn. Now visible, she glared at him, “I’ve been working so hard to make a good impression, to make sure I don’t get all excited, or afraid, when I meet someone new. And all you do is attack me.” The alicorn sat on her haunches, folded her hooves, and pouted.

All Thunder could do was cock an eyebrow, ‘Is… Is she.. Am I...’ Thunder Dasher’s thought trailed off as he watched the alicorn.

For a moment, there was silence as Thunder Dasher stared at the alicorn, and the alicorn glared at the ground. The silence was broken as the door on the far wall opened.
The walking corpse of a unicorn strode in. The old brittle skin, with patches of blue fur. The dusty grey locks of a mane that was only half there. The old, eternal gashes where flesh had fallen off a long time ago. The ghoul walked in, bowls of soup following in his magical grasp. Taking a second to look around, his eyes widened, “What in tartarus is…” The ghoul’s voice gargled like rocks smashing against each other. The ghoul turned to the alicorn, “Flatz!”
“H-He started it!” She pointed at Thunder Dasher.

The ghoul glanced at Thunder Dasher, “Flatz, put up your shield.” The alicorn did as instructed and a glowing sphere surrounded her. The ghoul lumbered over to Thunder, his eyes squinting at him, “I’m gonna tell you this once. You attack Flatz or I, and I will teleport you into the middle of the ocean without your wings. Understood?”

Returning the stare, Thunder Dasher slowly nodded.

The ghoul glanced back to the alicorn, “Let him go.”

A second later, Thunder Dasher fell out of the air. With a loud thud Thunder Dasher wailed out, “GYAHH!” He flipped onto his belly, checking his wings. Pain burned underneath the skin, but overall they seemed fine.

The ghoul loomed over Thunder, studying his injuries, “Hmm, another treatment or two and you should be fine.” As he spoke, the pain within Thunder began to recede, being replaced with a cool, refreshing feel, “So, how do you feel?” The ghoul grunted.

“Like I dragged myself out of a chariot wreck.” Thunder grunted.

The ghoul chuckled, “Good, good.” One of the soup bowls levitated over to the alicorn who took it in her hooves, “Flatz didn’t scare you much, did she?”
The alicorn stuck out her tongue at the ghoul, “The metal bird pony is the scary one.”

Thunder looked at the alicorn known as Flatz, “Not really, no.”

“Didn’t think so,” The ghoul stared Thunder in the eye. His green eyes almost glowing as he seemed to bore into the soldier’s head, “The enclave isn’t scared by anything, right?”

Thunder Squinted at the ghoul, “No, we’re not. Who are you?”

The ghoul lifted his hoof to his chest, “I’m Lone Wander,” Then he pointed to the alicorn, “And this is Miss Flatz.”

Thunder Dasher nodded, “I’m Thunder Dasher.” He gestured towards the curtain behind him, “That’s Tornado winds.”

Lone Wander smirked, “Well Thunder Dasher. Sit over here, talk with us.” Lone Wander walked over to the glowing orb and sat down. Flatz slid in next to him, her eyes fixated on Thunder as she slurped her soup.

Gritting his teeth, Thunder Dasher stood and trotted over to the orb, sitting across from Lone Wander, “So, Where are we, how did you find us?”

“The Sunny Side Grand Hotel.” Lone wander said as he swirled his soup around, “Nestled on the shore of Gildersone.”

“G-Gildersone?” Thunder Dasher said, taken aback.
Lone Wander nodded, “And to answer your other question. You fell out of the sky, splashed right into the ocean next to our boat.”

“Ten out of ten, best splash I’ve ever seen.” Flatz said with a wide smile.

“W-wait, the ocean?” Thunder thought back to the fight. A faint flash of blue crossed his mind, ‘How are we this far from Emadron?’

“Yep.” Lone Wander took a sip of soup, “There was a large ball of green fire, then you two hit the water. That was yesterday.” Looking over to the curtain he continued, “If you don’t mind me asking, what exactly happened?”

The events of the operation played back in Thunder’s head, “My squad was ambushed. Some sort of… power armored unicorns. I was injured during the fight, and I lost consciousness shortly after.” There was a short pause before Thunder Dasher looked at Lone Wander in worry, “Wait, you said two? Only two?”

Lone Wander nodded, “How many of you were there supposed to be?”

Thunder Dasher’s eyes dropped to his hooves, “There were five of us including me and an officer.”

Lone Wander stared down into the orb. Shaking his head, he stood up and began for the door, “I’ll go get you something to eat. When you and your friend are ready, we’ll go and meet with the locals.”

Thunder Dasher Continued staring down at his hooves, ‘Cloudy Storm, Sky Snake, Lightning Strike, Star Shimmer, Windshear.’ “Alright.”

A rustling came from behind, “Thunder, everything oka-AH!” Tornadowinds screamed out.

Thunder Dasher turned back to face his friend, “Tornado, wait!”

Tornadowinds was crouched, ready to jump. Tornadowinds looked from Flatz and Lone Wander to Thunder Dasher, “T-they’re fine?”

“Yes, they’re fine.” Thunder Dasher motioned to the other two, “This is Miss Flatz and Lone Wander.”

Tornadowinds looked at the others, “Oh.”

/ / /

“So, you’re an actual blue alicorn?” Tornadowinds asked as he eyed Miss Flatz up and down.

“Yeppidy yep!” Flatz pranced through the main foyer of the hotel, stopping right at the main doors. She turned to watch Thunder, Tornadowinds, and Lone Wander as they trotted toward her.
Thunder studied the room as they walked. Over the centuries the room’s once vibrant colors had been washed out and ruined by water damage. The smell of mildew sat heavily in the air. A massive chandelier had fallen a long time ago, now crumpled on the ground. Beyond the walls Thunder Dasher could hear the faint rushing of wind.

Lone Wander moved ahead of the two soldiers, “Now Flatz, we’re going into town for supplies. Mind yourself, alright?”

Flatz stuck out her tongue, “I know”

Tornadowinds leaned in to Thunder Dasher, “She’s a foal minded one if I’ve ever seen one.” He whispered.

Thunder Dasher snickered, “Only thing worse than a foal is a foal with the power to turn you inside out.”

“Gentlestallions.” Lone Wander called out as he made it to the door, “While you’re out and about, I request you be of your best behavior. You wouldn’t wish to anger these islanders with quippy comments and prolonged stares.”

Stopping a couple of feet away Thunder nodded, “Out of curiosity, should we be worried about our occupational status?”

Lone Wander paused for a moment, “Best not to gloat about it, but you won’t be surprising anypony about you being Enclave.”

Thunder Dasher and Tornadowinds glanced at each other as Lone Wander pushed the door open.

Strong ocean winds smacked everyone in the face. Outside, massive ocean waves splashed against the nearby docks. The ruins of the resort city seemed to sagg from constant rain and waves, some of the buildings even collapsed into the ocean. Storm clouds poured swaths of rain onto the ruins.

Stepping out into the rain, Lone Wander’s horn glowed a dim green. A transparent green cover appeared above him, blocking out the rain, “Come, best not to leave’em waiting.”

Glancing to one another, Thunder Dasher and Tornadowinds slowly walked under the cover. Flatz taking up the rear, “So, the townsfolk are expecting us?” Thunder Dasher asked as he scanned the nearby buildings. Most gave off the same old and empty feel, though on occasion, Thunder spotted small flares of colorful light from within. The four turned farther into the ruins, and soon enough, Thunder spotted what appeared to be a wall between two building ahead of them.

“Eyup, ” Lone Wander nodded towards the wall, “The tribe gets fidgety around most mainlanders.”

“Sister Screaming Star wasn’t happy.” Flatz stared at her hooves frowning.

“Sister Screaming Star?” Thunder asked, turning to Flatz.

Flatz looked up at Thunder Dasher and smiled nervously, waving one of her hooves, “Oh, it’s just a name. She’s nice, really.”

Thunder Dasher and Tornadowinds looked to Lone Wander, but he just continued forward, “Right, just a name.” Tornadowinds said, humoring Miss Flatz with a smile.

The four made it to the wall, an untextured slab of dark grey concrete. Lone Wander looked from one side to the other. The outline of two doors glowed, and a moment later, the doors ground open. Lone Wander glanced back at Thunder Dasher and Tornadowinds, “Stay close to me, and don’t stare.” With that, he trotted through the doorway.

Thunder Dasher walked through, then froze in his tracks. When he had heard about the town the idea of grizzled, enclave hating ponies, possibly even a pack of mutts entered his mind. Instead, he and Tornadowinds found the suspicious glances and glares of dozens of false alicorns.

Keeping an eye on beings, Thunder Dasher leaned in close to Lone Wander, “You forgot to mention the town was all mutants.” He whispered.

Lone Wander continued forward, “I didn’t think it important.” He gave Thunder Dasher a stoic look, “Remember that thing I said about staring.”
Warily, Thunder Dasher chose to study the town. Avoiding prolonged eye contact with the false alicorns. Inside, the town was covered by a canopy of tarps that angled into dug out waterways for the rain. Underneath the canopy was a main walkway, and built into the ruins on either side were cottages and huts. Small light posts with glowing orbs, similar to the one in Lone Wander’s home, lit the town. At the far end of the walkway sat a large yurt, the orbs around it glowing a dark red rather than the purple of the others.

Tornadowinds trotted up close to Thunder Dasher and began to whisper, “I’m seeing a lot of blue here, with a little green and purple as well.”

“Great.” Thunder mumbled.

Flatz hesitantly waved to each of the other alicorns. The alicorns only gave her cold stares, and she chose to focus on her hooves. Slowly, she began to shake.

The next minute stretched into eternity. Silence and cold stares barring down from all corners of the group. To top it off, an uncomfortable warmth radiated from the yurt.

As they reached the door of the yurt, Lone Wander turned to Flatz, motioning for her hoof. Legs wobbling, she held up her hoof, and Lone took held it in his, “Look, you’ve done nothing wrong. You’re not in trouble, and there’s no reason for them to be mad at you. Don’t be afraid, this is your family.” Patting her hoof, Lone stared her in the eye.

Slowly, Flatz was was able to control her shaking. She gulped, “O-Okay, you got it Lone.” A smile crept up on one side of her face.

Smirking, Lone placed Flatz’s hoof back on the ground and turned to Thunder Dasher and Tornadowinds, smirk gone, “Are you stallions ready?” Slowly, the two nodded, “Alright. Be polite, and hold your cards close to your chest.” Lone Wander’s horn glowed, and the yurt’s door crept open. A wall of heat and light smacked the group in the face, temporarily blinding the group.

Blinking away the blind spots. Thunder Dasher gazed into the yurt. The main room was round and spacious. Bright, yellow light orbs hung from the ceiling, illuminating the inside. Round tables speckled the room in a disorganized pattern with a short, wide table at the far end. Sitting at the table were a hoof full of alicorns. A green alicorn clad in patchwork armor and covered in scars sat at the far right. A purple alicorn in dirty, old robes sat on the far left. Next to both of them was a blue alicorn each. One wore a black, close fitting jumpsuit reinforced with combat plates, along with that her eyes were covered by a black cloth. The other blue alicorn wore rags of a wastelander, a few map tubes sat on her back. The final alicorn in the middle stole Thunder Dasher’s attention.

Her coat a haunting ghost white, and her mane a raging inferno. The alicorn wore a charcoal chestpiece. As Thunder Dasher stared at the chestpiece more, he recognized it as three Enclave power armor plates fused together. She towered over the other alicorns by a couple of feet. Her eyes burned into Thunder Dasher, seemingly searching his soul for some unholy truth. Unblinking, Thunder Dasher returned the stare.

The group stopped a couple of feet before the table. Lone Wander and Miss Flatz bowed their heads, “Sister Star, Sister Shade, Sister Sight, Sister Shield, Sister Light.”

The alicorns bowed back, “Brother Wander, Sister Flatz.” They said in unison. The alicorns turned to Thunder Dasher and Tornadowinds. This time the white alicorn spoke, “These are the visitors of our island?” She spat out the question like a bad taste in her mouth.

Lone Wander nodded, “Tornadowinds and Thunder Dasher.” Lone Wander motioned for the two to step forward.

Thunder Dasher walked forward, “I’m Sergeant Thunder Dasher. Leader of Chimera Squad.”

Tornado stopped next to Thunder, “I’m communications specialist Tornadowinds of Chimera Squad.”

The white alicorn looked the two up and down once more, “You are of the Enclave, yes?”

The two noded, “Yeah, that’s us.”

“Then, will you enlighten us as to how it was that one of our own found you two so close to our island?” The alicorn bared down on Thunder Dasher with fiery eyes.

Thunder Dasher simply stared back, “During an operation, we encountered powerful magical beings in black armor. When the tides turned against them, they tried to run through a portal. Tornadowinds and I followed them, afterwards we lost consciousness.”

“Where was it that you had been before the teleportation?” The white alicorn continued.

Thunder Dasher noticed Tornadowinds glancing at him, “Just outside of a city known as New Trinity City.”

“You fought mere unicorns, and then found yourself thousands of miles from your last location. Is that what we are meant to believe?” The other alicorns murmured to each other. Glancing at the enclave members every couple of seconds.

“You know, it just hit me. Thinking back on their abilities and height, I’d say they seemed closer to your kind.” Thunder Dasher retorted, “False alicorns in fucked up armor.”
The white alicorn narrowed her eyes, “Is that so. Tell me, who’s to say you aren’t a reconnaissance party?”

Tornadowinds and Thunder Dasher glanced at each other, “What exactly do you mean?” Tornadowinds asked.

The white alicorn placed her forehooves on the table, “You’re enclave, you know about what had happened a few decades prior.”

Tornadowinds’ eyes widened and Thunder shook his head, “Operation Goddess’ fall.”

The white alicorn nodded, “Enclave thought they had killed us off, and we didn’t wish to test their strength a second time. We’ve lived on this island in peace, but now two enclave soldiers stand in our gathering hut.” The white alicorn stared into Thunder’s eyes, unflinchingly, “How will we know that you won't simply tell your superiors.”

Thunder Dasher frowned, “Our word of silence wouldn’t be good enough?”

The white alicorn smirked, “You must think us fools. It would be simpler to just end you where you stand.”
Thunder Scowled, his hooves began to move forward, ”You… Don’t you dare threaten-” Thunder Dasher paused looking at the alicorns before him. The white alicorn held fast, merely watching him. The other alicorns leaned away, expressions of worry shown on all of them. Thunder Dasher lowered his head, “P-please, I am a father. My wife and daughter may be in danger. My friends could be dead. I need to find them, make sure they are safe.”

The white alicorn’s smile grew, “Well then. Perhaps that can be arranged. Tell me, what are you willing to give up for them? Your wings perhaps? Maybe your eyes, so that you may never look upon them. Would you be willing to return to them if it meant you were nothing more than a brain encased in steel and biogel?”

Memories flashed through Thunder Dasher’s head. Windshear in her wedding gown, Star Shimmer’s first steps, racing from air ship to air ship with Chimera team. The more the remembered, the easier it was to say, “Yes, I would.” Thunder Dasher’s eyes shot up to the white alicorn, burning hate filled his body, “If it meant I could never hold my daughter, never love my wife, never help my friends through the darkest of times. I would gladly give up myself, just to make sure they are safe.” Through throbbing pain, Thunder Dasher stretched his wings out as far as they could, “Go on, take’em. Tear them off, rip me to shreds. Just give me a single chance to go look for those I love!”
Snickering, the white alicorn held up a hoof, “You have spirit Thunder Dasher, I will give you that. That look in your eye says you may actually be serious as well. Perhaps, we can come to an agreement.”

Thunder Dasher’s gaze softened, “Wh-what do you mean?”

The alicorn’s smile slowly faded, and she soon became a stoic wall, “We will still require to sacrifice a small part of you, but it will not be any physical feature. Rather, I will simply demand that we remove your memory of this place.”

Thunder Dasher looked up in surprise, “Wh-what?”

Tornadowinds brought his hoof to his chin, pondering, “You mean the memory orb process?”

The white alicorn nodded, “We have the means of erasing, and even replacing memories of ponies. You will simply wake up on a fishing pony’s boat, believing yourselves to have been found there. Even if you did have the slightest bit of memory, it would simply be a small shadow at the back of your mind, the fading thoughts of a bad dream.” The white alicorn tilted her head, “That would suffice, your memories for your freedom.”
Thunder Dasher let go of a breath that he hadn’t realized he was holding. Slowly he nodded, “That’s fine, take them. Thank you.”

Tornadowinds bowed slightly, “Thank you for this, we can be out of your mane then, none the wiser.”

“Good.” The white alicorn stretched out her wings, “By the end of the day, you’ll be on a boat sailing towards Emadron.”

“Sister Star,” Lone Wander stepped forward, “I will be joining them back to Emadron.”

Thunder Dasher and Flatz glanced at Lone Wander. The white alicorn raised an eyebrow at him, “Really, why?”

“These beings that they talk about are unusual. I am going to look into what or who they might be.”

“L-Lone!?” Flatz Slid in next to Lone Wander, “But, what about me?”

“I would like you by my side,” Lone wander shook his head, “But that is not my decision.”

Flatz looked up to the alicorns behind the table. Fear laced in her eyes, “S-sisters?”

The white alicorn gave Flatz a stern look, “That is something we will have to discuss privately. Lone Wander, take the Enclave back to your home.”

Flatz’s eyes widened, “W-wait, Shouldn’t Lone be here?”

Lone Wander patted Flatz on the shoulder, “Flatz, look at me.” Flatz turned to Lone Wander, her chest heaving, “You’ll do fine, but you have to start doing things on your own. If you can convince your sisters to join me then you’ll be more than capable of journeying out.”

Flatz looked down at Lone Wander, “U-um...” Taking a few deep breaths, she tried to calm herself, “O-okay.”

“You’ll do fine.” Lone Wander smiled at Flatz, then turned to Thunder Dasher and Tornadowinds, “Good job, you two get to go home. Come on, I’ll get you two a drink.”

Tornadwinds smiled, “Well damn, lead the way.”

The three left, beginning the walk back to the hotel. As Tornadwinds and Lone Wander talked, Thunder Dasher simply followed, thoughts of his family running through his mind, ‘Windshear, Star Shimmer, where are you?’

Chapter 7: Welcome to New Trinity City

Chapter 7: Welcome to New Trinity City

Trinity City Ruins Sewers

The sewer system, though dark and unnerving, had been relatively empty. Most of what Star Shimmer and Rusty Bottlecap had encountered had been simply radroaches and radigators. The latter stayed in the center of the trough of sludge in the center of the sewers. A hard tick emitted every couple of seconds from Star’s pipbuck. Slowly but surely chipping at the two’s sanity.

“How much longer till we get there?” Star Shimmer asked, her eyes staying firmly on the edge of the sludge, the pipbuck’s light bobbing across the surface, ‘I’ll be damned if a mutated reptile is gonna kill me.’

“Not much.” Rusty Bottlecap trotted further and further, the sewer stretching endlessly before them.

“I mean I don’t mean to doubt you, but are you sure you know where you’re going?” Star Shimmer looked over to an intersection they were passing, “Are we sure we shouldn’t be going this way?”

Rusty glanced back at her, “Oh sure. You could go down there. Have fun with the mutants and pink wall.”

Star Shimmer was taken aback, “I was just asking.” Her eyes narrowed, as she looked down at her hooves.

“I know where I’m going. This isn’t the first time I’ve been down here.” Rusty’s ears started to twitch, “Perfect, you hear that?”

Star Shimmer tilted her head and concentrated on the sounds around her. Through the radigator gurgles and strange echoing noises, she heard the faint sound of music, “You sure that isn’t just raiders waiting to shoot us in the face?”

Rusty smirked, “It would be pretty moronic for them to give away their position like that.” A small snicker escaped his lips, “You know what? That wouldn’t be the dumbest thing I’ve seen them do.”

Star Shimmer sighed, “Fine, so long as they don’t shoot at us.”

“I don’t know about that. Silver has an itchy trigger mouth,” Rusty stopped and gestured for Star Shimmer to continue, “Mares first.”

Star Shimmer glared at Rusty, “Oh, you’re such a gentlestallion.”

Chuckling, Rusty trotted forward. The two continued on, and slowly the music grew louder. Turning at the next intersection, Star Shimmer could see light at the far end of the tunnel.

An amalgamation of sheet metal and train carts blocked the tunnel. Guard ponies sat at the top, their attention on something in between them. An insignia of a sword crossed with a gun and a pitchfork.

“That’s… the New Trinity Insignia, right?” Star Shimmer murmured as she trotted closer to to Rusty.

“Yeah, Welcome to New Trinity City. Home of the free pony.” Rusty stopped as they entered the light. Reaching into his saddlebag, he pulled out a small metallic item and held it up in his hoof, "Hey!” He called out.

The guards turned towards Rusty, looks of surprise flashed across their faces. Stumbling over to the edge of the wall, they trained their guns on Rusty and Star.

“Go back to the shit hut you crawled out of before we shoot your brains across the walkway.”

“Calm down, I’m a scavie. You see the pendant?” Rusty wriggled his forehoof holding the metallic item.

One of the guards leaned forward, “State your I.D. number.”

“11037-012,” Rusty tilted his head, his ears flipped up, “Tell Silver I said hi.”

The guards glanced at each other, eyebrows raised.

CLANK!

The sound echoed throughout the tunnel as a section of sheet metal pivoted away from the wall, revealing a hidden doorway. Two guards rushed out to either side of the door, guns aimed at Rusty and Star.

From behind them came a third guard, this one a unicorn wearing heavier armor and a helmet. The heavy guard casually trotted forward, "Well, look at the wasteland trash that has been dropped at my doorstep.” A mares voice called out from the guard.

Rusty Bottlecap gave the guard a cocky smile, "You know it’s always great to see your sorry, ugly mug.”

The guard’s helmet, enveloped in silver magic, lifted off of their head. Underneath, a mare with silver fur and mane smiled back to Rusty, "Well, you look like shit, you have fun?”

Rusty motioned for Star Shimmer to follow, and began to trot towards the mare, "Loads. I’ll tell you more about it inside.”

The mare glanced at Star Shimmer, then to the pipbuck, "And who might you be?”

Star Shimmer Stared at the mare, ‘Goddesses, even her eyes are silver.’ “A pony that found herself on the wrong side of town.” She mumbled.

The mare’s eyes narrowed, “That so. Then let me be the first to welcome you to The Shithole.”

Star Shimmer raised her eyebrow, “The… what?”

///

The Shithole turned out to be a section of the settlement known as New Trinity City. Officially called the Trinity Water Works, the guards and technicians that work in the area gave it the colorful name. Fresh, clean water spewed out of filtration gems in the sewer canals, guards trotted along the side. Doors to maintenance tunnels turned barracks lined either side. Within one such room, Rusty, Star, and Silver sat around a small table, small mugs of water sat before each of them.

“So Rusty needed saving? Why am I not surprised,” Silver said with a snide grin.

“Hey! We needed each other. She didn’t even have a gun, ” Rusty Bottlecap Complained.

“A mare’s always packing, Rusty.” Silver stretched, “So, you’re enclave?” She glanced back at Star Shimmer.

Star Shimmer nodded, “Yeah.”

Silver huffed, “I see why you didn’t say at first. Keep that to yourself while here. I’d rather not be put on water cleaning duty because your blood got in the system.”

“Understood.” Star Shimmer’s ears flipped back, “Do you know anyway for me to get to Safe Hayven?”

Silver nodded, “Well, yeah. Best way is to just walk there.”

Star Shimmer raised an eyebrow, "Is there no air ships here?”

Snickering, Silver shook her head, “You’re about three months too late. Enclave cut ties with us because of our standing with the Free Packs.” Her eyebrow raised at Star Shimmer, “Are you guys oppressed, or do you just not read the news?”

“U-uh,” Star Shimmer gave Silver a nervous smile, “What can I say, school and all that.”

Silver rolled her eyes, “Right. Well, an airship would take you the roundabout way, and a merchant may decide to sell you off for a quick cap. The road to Safe Hayven can be a warzone, but it’s a direct line.”

“And that’s better?” Star Shimmer tilted her head.

Silver turned towards Rusty, “With an official scavie escort, you’d be fine. Right Rusty?”

“Don’t worry, I’m gonna take her there.” Rusty waved away Silver’s stare as he took a swig of water.

“Is-s that all?” Star Shimmer asked, her ears folding back, “No offense to you Rusty, but I found you half dead. Are we sure we won’t just die?”

Rusty’s ears perked up, his eyes glared at Star Shimmer, "You think you’re gonna do better on your own? You had a bullet in your wing.”

Star Shimmer slowly tilted her glass in circles, "I mean, we have a knife between the two of us. Those maniacs took down ponies properly equipped.”

Rusty began to stand up from his spot, "I’ll have you know, I can kill a-”

“Enough!” Silver slammed her hoof on the table, causing Star Shimmer to accidentally spill her water, “Rusty, How much caps do you have right now?”

Rusty sat down, his face flinching from an unknown pain, “About fifty. The rest are back in Bastion.”

Silver Sighed. Her eyes flicking from Rusty, to Star, “Stay here. I’ll be back, I don’t want to see that knife of yours out.” Star Shimmer and Rusty Bottlecap glanced at each other, then stared at opposing walls, “By the goddesses.” Silver trotted out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

The room fell into a long silence, the rushing sound of water and shouts of guards echo from beyond the door. Star Shimmer glanced around the room, Focusing on everything but Rusty. The room itself appeared to be a private bedchambers, A single bed sat at the far end of the room, a small foot locker sitting against the foot of it. A desk sat against the right wall, the top a mess of papers and pencils. Above the desk hung a small, cracked mirror.

A few minutes later, The door screeched open again. Silver trotted in, a leather bag, ragged cloak, and several containers of water and food in her magical grasp, “Hundred fifty caps.” She tossed it to Rusty, who grasped it shakily with his hooves, “You pay me back in about a month. Got it?”

Sighing, Rusty nodded, “Y-yeah, you got it. Thanks.”

Silver turned to Star Shimmer, a warm smile on her muzzle, “You’ll be fine with Rusty, he’s a jackass, but he knows his stuff. Make sure he gets you something nice for the road.”

Star Shimmer smirked, “You got it.”

“Oh, and one more thing.” The ragged cloak floated over to Star Shimmer, “Here, wear this while you’re out there.”

Star Shimmer took the cloak in her hooves, “Uh-thanks.” Star Shimmer took a sniff, and her face scrunched up. The scent of the sewer wafted from the garb, “Do-uh, do you not have a lot of pegasi around or...”

Silver Shook her head, “They’re not uncommon, but it’s always good to have the element of surprise, if you know what I mean.”

Star Shimmer slowly nodded, looking the cloak over again, ‘It’s just an old cloak… an old, nasty smelling, questionably stained cloak.’

Silver looked from Star Shimmer to Rusty, “Alright, You guys should rest

///

A couple of hours underground wasn’t really enough to get Star Shimmer back to her best, but it helped. With her new found energy, she faced one of her biggest tasks yet.

“That’ll be 70 caps.” The stall pony said, his ears whipping a small fly away. His dingy brown coat the same shade as the fur garb he wore.

Rusty Bottlecap pushed the caps forward with one hoof, while scooting the battle saddle, a small box of shotgun shells, and metal parts he had just bought to him.

Star Shimmer eyed Rusty up and down, her eyebrow raised high. As Rusty placed the metal parts and shells in his saddlebags, he caught Star’s gaze, “What?”

“You sure about this?” She looked over to the battle saddle. It was an old setup,rust forming on a decent bit of the metal sections. The straps had been eaten away, leaving just an impromptu cord to hold it to the wearer. To top it off, the shopkeep said that the bite grip was faulty, saying Rusty may need to bite down a couple of times for a shot.

Rusty looked at her with an annoyed glare, “I’m sorry, not everything is as fancy and new as it is in Safe Hayven. We deal with what we got, and no we can’t get a brand new one cause that’s at least a thousand caps down the drain.” Rusty gripped the battle saddle and tossed it onto his back, “Come on, we need to get some more supplies before we’re off.”

“Um, Shouldn’t we get a gun?” Star gestured to one of the guns laying across the front of the stand.

“You know, the miss seems to have a point.” The stall pony leaned over the counter, a smile forming on his face, “It’s the best assortment for the traveler on a budget.”

“No, I got myself covered.” Rusty waved the two away.

“Then how about something for the miss,” The stall pony nudged Star, “You can never be too careful out in the wastes.”

“We don’t need her blowing her head off, alright.” Rusty stared deadpanned at the stall pony.

“I’m sorry, what?” Star Shimmer trotted up to Rusty, her eyes narrowing, and ears flipping back, “Blow my head off?”

Rusty straightened himself, staring Star Shimmer down, “Look, I don’t mean to offend you. Ponies from your town tend to be more on the ignorant fool side, I wouldn’t want to assume you’d-”

Star held her hoof up to Rusty’s mouth, “Silver said to get me something, right?”

Rusty leaned back. The pained expression returning to his face, "Yeah, yeah she did.”

Star Shimmer gave Rusty a sickly sweet smile, “You wouldn’t want word to get back that you decided to be cheap on a mare, would you?” Star Shimmer fluttered her eyes and her lips puckered up into a pout, “I mean I just want a little something to defend myself.”

Rusty looked away, a few choice words barely slipped past his lips. With a sigh, he trotted back to the stall.

“Well now, your little friend talked some sense into you.” The stall pony said with a taunting smile.

Rusty ignored him and looked around. His eyes glanced off of each weapon, from light machine guns to brass hooves, Pistols and shotguns. Slowly going from left to right, top to bottom, each weapon taking a small bit of his time. Rusty’s mouth moved slightly, and his eyes glanced over each weapon again, taking in their details. Finally his hoof pointed to one of the weapons, “How much for the BB gun and a hundred pellets?”

“What!?” Star Shimmer Stomped up to Rusty, her hoof waving at the stand, “Out of all of these, you choose the foal’s toy?”

Rusty leaned back, hoof shooing away Star Shimmer, “I’ve seen a pony shoot off the head of a tank roach with one of these, You’ll be fine.”

“A tank-what?” Star Shimmer shook her head, “No, step aside, my turn.” She pushed Rusty aside and looked around at the weapons. Most were old and rusty, though a small pistol seemed to shine from a nearby corner, “May I see the ten millimeter there?”

The Stall pony looked over to the pistol, “Ah, wonderful choice.” With a hoof, he swept the gun to the front of the stall’s counter, “A classic choice for upstarting wasteland adventurers.” The gun itself shined, the metal polished and rust free. A large cut mark wend down the side of the barrel, while small scratches and bite marks covered other parts of the pistol. The wooden grip had seen better days, being nawed and chipped down away till there was almost nothing left.

“How much would you like for it?” Star Shimmer asked.

“A beauty like this,” The stall pony spun the gun on the counter with his hoof, “Will run you fifty caps.”

“Hmm,” Star Shimmer looked down at the gun again, “I don’t know about that. Seems like it’s been used quite a bit. You use it to scare off shoplifters, or did the last owner find themselves at the bad end of a deal?” Star Shimmer took the gun in mouth. It was uncomfortable, and as she activated the reloading sequence, the gun got stuck midway. Star Shimmer looked to the stall pony, eyebrow raised.

“Heh-heh,” The stall pony rubbed the back of his neck, “Maybe we take off ten caps.”

“How about we take off twenty, and we’ll buy twenty caps worth of ammo.” Star Shimmer smiled sweetly at the stall pony.

The Stall pony chuckled, “Sounds like a deal.” He grabbed a small box of 10mm ammo and placed it on the counter, “One pistol and fifteen rounds of 10 millimeter bullets. All for fifty caps.”

Star Shimmer Turned to Rusty, who stared with widened eyes, “Well, pay the stallion.”

Hesitating, Rusty slowly reached into his cap pouch and pulled out fifty caps. As he slid the caps over, the stall pony winked at him, “You know, you should let her do the talking.”

Rusty took the pistol and ammo, and shoved them into his pouch, “I’ll think about it.” With equipment in hoof, Rusty turned and trotted away.

Star Shimmer waved to the stall pony, “You have a wonderful day.” She spun around and quickly trotted after Rusty. As she caught up, a smile from ear to ear plastered on her face, “Impressed?”

Rusty rolled his eyes, “Yeah, yeah. You’re a bit better than I thought you’d be.”

“Maybe you listen to me next time.” Star Shimmer tilted up her nose in triumph.

“Sure… You know he cheated you out of five bullets.” A wry smile grew on Rusty’s face.

“Wair, what?” Star Shimmer’s head tilted.

Rusty nodded, “Ten millimeter bullets are a cap a round, you paid him a good samaritan tax of five caps.”

“Motherfucker!” Star Shimmer began to turn back towards the stall.

“Woah, woah, woah there.” Rusty slapped his hoof onto Star’s shoulder, “I’ll deal with him next time I’m in town, right now we need to finish shopping.” Rusty motioned forward.

Star Shimmer Squinted at the Stall pony, who was currently dealing with another customer. Mental daggers shot out at him, but only seemed to vanish against his coat, “Ugh, fine!” Looking away, her eyes began to wander along the streets of the city.

New Trinity City sat at the edge of the city ruins, it’s crumbling buildings filled with an armored militia instead of psychopathic raiders. Ponies, and other creatures, around wore the city’s emblem in one form or another, though the most common was a shoulder pad with the emblem stamped on it. Passing by a diner, Star shimmer stared at a group that sat at an outside table. Ponies weren’t unusual, she’d even seen a griffon once or twice before, But the zebra was a new sight. The stark black and white of the coat and mane stuck out like a fly on a cake, Star Shimmer couldn’t get herself to look away.

One of the ponies noticed Star Shimmer, and they blinked. The once orange eyes transforming into solid, light blue disks that glared at her, “Keep walking.” the pony hissed, Did Star just see a forked tongue?

A hoof hooked Star Shimmer’s neck and pulled her forward, “You know, somepony isn’t gonna be happy if you die because you gave the wrong person a stupid look.” Rusty said as he dragged Star Shimmer towards a nearby building.

Star Shimmer shook Rusty off, “Alright, I’m sorry.” Looking up at the building before them, she noticed a sign showing two blue dragons encircling a purple horn hanging above the main doors. Star’s ears perked up and her eyes twinkling slightly at the recognition of the medical insignia, ‘A hospital… or a pharmacy, at least.’

Following Rusty inside, Star Shimmer took in the sight. The room itself had been cleaned of debris, and had even be refurbished with some sturdy furniture. A magazine rack with ancient clothing articles sat in a corner next to a radio. At the opposite end of the room, the white, floating spider form of a Ms. nanny hovered behind a counter, To the right was a stand and a sign with a single word

‘CHEMS’

A pony leaned back in a chair behind the stand, next to him sat a griffon that slowly sharpened a nasty looking machete. Both wore sickly green and orange bandana around their neck, the pony sported the same color scheme in her mane colors.

Rusty made a beeline for the chem stand, his pendant in mouth. The stand pony looked up at him, “Afternoon, what can we get for’ya?”

“Hydra.” Rusty said, slapping the pendant onto the counter.

The pony nodded. Tipping the chair forward, she hopped onto the ground. Ducking under the stand, she tossed up a Hydra syringe onto the counter, “Twenty caps.”

Rusty began to count out the caps, “Anything you heard on the 109?”

The pony nodded, “The War Hounds’ve been kicking up their patrols, and the Enclave has taken back the mountain range”

Rusty tossed an extra couple of caps onto the pile and pushed it forward, “Thanks.” Bagging the Hydra, Rusty turned towards the door, catching Star Shimmer’s disapproving glance, “Don’t start.”

“You don’t think we could just buy another potion?” Star Shimmer suggested.

Rusty trotted for the door, “A potion costs twice as much and I need as many things that can plug up the bullet holes as I can.”

As he pushed open the door, Star Shimmer jumped in front of him, “I think I’d prefer if we didn’t die in the wasteland as cancer blobs.”

Rusty’s eyes rolled so hard, they nearly fell out of his head, “They’re not for you. If you get hurt, you’ll use the health potions.”

“And what, you think you’ll just shake off the tumors?” Star Shimmer leaned in, her hoof poking Rusty’s chest, “You don’t exactly have the luck of the clover”

Taking his hooves, Rusty gripped Star Shimmer’s shoulders and moved her aside, “I’ll be fine, I won’t get cancer. By the goddesses, I CAN’T even get tumors!” a few nearby ponies glanced over at Rusty with curious and confused looks.

Star Shimmer stared at Rusty, frustration boiling up in her, “Wh-what?”

Rusty shook his head, “Oh unholy Tartarushell, do I have to spell it out for you. I have Dead Trotter’s Disease.”

A faint memory echoed in Star Shimmer’s head, ‘Ponies with DTD are incapable of replenishing their body’s cells. The afflicted only last about three days without some form of treatment.’ A small gasp left her mouth, “I-I’m sorry, I didn’t-”

“Hedabip-ip.” Rusty shuts Star’s mouth with his hoof, “I don’t care, it’s fine.” Gesturing for her to follow, he continued down the street, “Come on, we’re burning daylight here, I have a few more places to go.”

“B-but.” Star Shimmer started to reach out her hoof, a nagging feeling of guilt tugging at her heart. But Rusty just continued forward, unhindered by her attempts. Before he could get any further, Star Shimmer ran to catch up to him, Slowing down to a brisk trot once she was by his side, “Still, sorry about fighting with you on this so much.”

Rusty Shrugged, “It’s fine, you’re just a kid, you don’t know better.”

Star Shimmer stuck her tongue out at Rusty, “Oh yeah, how much older are you, a minute?” With a smile, she stuck her muzzle up in the air, “Besides, I am still right, you do still get tumors.”

Rusty snickered, “Yeah, I guess you’re right. Lucky for me, they just fall off.”

“So, what are we gonna get now?” Star Shimmer asked as she glanced at each shop they passed. Weapons, chems, armor, drugs, junk, medicine, ‘I think this city may have a problem.’

“I thought since we have a few caps left, I’d buy some trade goods.” A sly grin crept up his face as Rusty glanced at Star, “By the way, how are you with minerals?”

///

Clouds of red, gold and purple slowly passed across the sky as the blazing sun prepared to settle down in it’s domain beyond the horizon, The mountains reaching up as if to help cradle it during its journey. From the other side, the moon rose to take its place in the sky, its unseen eyes watching the inhabitants of the wasteland as they go about their lives.

Star Shimmer stared on at the clouds, her heart quickening. The cloak itched, and her wings flapped anxiously, ‘Just a few days, then I’m home free.’

“You wanting to test your luck again?” Rusty walked up next to Star Shimmer, “Who knows, maybe you can make it to cover before the snipers get you.”

Star Shimmer glanced over to Rusty, then to the several sacks on his back, “Nah, I already escaped death with my life. I’ll leave that for tomorrow maybe.”

Rusty nodded, “Alright, in it for the long haul. It’ll be good for you, stretch those scrawny legs of yours.”

“Hey!” Star Shimmer jabbed Rusty’s side with her wing, "I’ll do just fine, hope you can just keep up.”

“Please, I’ll trot circles around you.” Without falter, Rusty began down the broken and busted road ahead of him.

Star Shimmer looked over her shoulder. Behind them stood New Trinity City, a small section of the ruins that had been walled off and rebuilt. Winged beings fly high above, for protection or for leisure. Star didn’t know which, but her soul wished to do just that, fly high above anybody else, to just not worry about what the future holds. Turning back, she stared on at the sick and ruined wasteland. Most of it a flat, brown land, beyond them, mountains, Within them stood Safe Hayven, her home was a distance away, but with the mountains, it seemed like they would be there in no time.

With a deep sigh, and a still racing heart, Star Shimmer looked on at the mountains, and stepped onward.

Chapter 8: Sandy Storms and Starlit Movies

Chapter 8: Sandy Storms and Starlit Movies
Loosehoof, ninety miles from New Trinity City

Emadron’s nights above the clouds were beautiful. The deep blue sky filled with numerous stars as far as the eye could see. The clouds nice and cool, a soft pillow for stargazing. Night below the cloud cover was far worse, which Star Shimmer learned the hard way. Walls of sand tore into Star Shimmer as she fought to keep up with Rusty, and wind roared in her ears. The hood of the cloak was pulled as far over her head as she could, part of the bottom flap had been wrapped around her muzzle for protection. Her hoof clutched Rusty’s as he pulled her forward. Over the wind, Star Shimmer’s pipbuck clicked madly. Every step seeming to be worse than the last.

“Just a little further!” Rusty yelled.

“Which way?” Star Shimmer called back.

“F-forward!” Rusty called out. With a firm grip, he pulled Star forward with renewed effort. Soon enough, they smacked into something large and solid.

Peeking between her eyelids, Star Shimmer found herself before a door. Rusty fidgeting with the handle, the rag covering his mouth holding on for dear life,“C-come on, you son-of-a...” Rusty mumbled. The handle simply jiggled back at him. Finally the rag lost the battle and flew off into the dust. Rusty began to cough, “Fuck!” In one swift motion, Rusty spun around and gave the door a resounding buck.

BAM!

The door flew open, the hinges barely holding onto the slab of wood. Without a second thought, Rusty hooked the back of Star’s neck with his hoof and dragged her in.

Once inside, Star Shimmer flipped her hood up and looked around. The movie theater walls rose high above them, meeting up with a ceiling that cracked in every which direction. The velvet that traced the outline of everything had rotted away. Movie posters of dashing heroes and dreadful villains were stained yellow from time. The hallways leading further into building were filled with debris, or caved in entirely. Continuing her look around she caught Rusty slamming the door shut, to which it simply flew open again. A blast of dust smacked into his face.

“I hate sand.” Rusty sighed. Turning, he coughed as he trotted past Star Shimmer, “Come on, let’s get somewhere safe.”

The two trotted deeper into the movie theater, the winds howling in the distance. Going through one of the hallways, Rusty checked each door they passed, “No, no,” He listed off. one door blasted the two with dust as he opened it, “Shit!” he slammed the door shut. Huffing, he glanced around at the other doors, “The restroom, maybe?”

Star Shimmer nodded and turned towards the doorway with a mare insignia next to it. The door had been ripped off its hinges, laying flat across the floor. Large gash marks covering the surface. Stepping around the door, Star Shimmer peeked into the restroom.

The white tiled walls of the restroom were covered in dirt and grime. In one of the corners grew a small patch of fungus that Star Shimmer recognized to be a fungus known as Brain Fungus. The mirrors were in surprisingly good condition, only being slightly smudged. To top it off, though the floor was rather cold, it was also dry. Walking further in, Star Shimmer noticed one of the stall doors stood open. She looked back at the movie theater hallway, the door still laying on the ground.

‘Come on Star, Breath.’ Star Shimmer took a deep breath and peered into the stall. Sitting on the toilet, was the skeletal remains of a pony. The skull was covered in small scratches. Its jaw and a revolver lay scattered on the floor. Ribs were either broken or missing, and one of the forhooves were missing. Claw marks and dark stains covered the inside of the stall. Catching her breath in her throat, Star Shimmer began to back away from the scene, until she bumped into something solid.

“KYAAH!” Star Shimmer flew onto the stalls and spun around.

There, snickering at her, stood Rusty, “Damn, what a sight. A pegasus acting like a pansy.”

Star Shimmer glared at him, “screw you.” A quick flap of her wings, and she landed before Rusty, “It’s clear, just a pony that didn’t make it.”

Rusty glanced into the stall, “Huh.” Stepping around Star, he walked into the stall.

Star watched closely, her glare deepening, “What do you think you’re doing?”

Rusty didn’t respond. Moving over to the gun and jaw, Rusty bit down on the gun and stuffed it into his saddlebags. Then, taking the jaw bone in hooves, he placed it on the toilet next to skeleton. Trotting out, Rusty took one last look at the pony, then lowered his head before slowly closing the stall.

Star Shimmer’s glare softened, her teeth biting her cheek. She took a step back, “You had to take the pistol?” she mumbled.

Rusty walked over to the other side of the restroom and shook off his saddlebags, “Do you think the pony would really despair over a revolver with a few rounds now?” Rusty began to take the junk parts, along with a mechanism Star Shimmer hadn’t seen before, out of his saddlebag. Without a second to wait, he took a section of pipe in mouth and started screwing it onto the mechanism, “I donth thake joy inth ith, buth ith how we thurvive outh here.”

Star Shimmer looked over to the stalls. The doors all looked the same now. If she didn’t know before, she could just imagine that they were empty of any dead bodies or dark stains. A dark thought, the image of Windshear being the one eviscerated behind that door popped into her head, ‘Come on Star… she’s fine, she’s with dad. I promise.’

“Hey,” Rusty stared at Star Shimmer, “You alright?”

Star Shimmer tore her eyes away from the stall, her eyes beginning to water up, “Y-yeah, I’m fine.”

His mouth twisting into a small frown, Rusty reached into his saddle bags and pulled out two of the food rations they had. He tossed one towards Star Shimmer, “Come on, sit down, eat.”

Star Shimmer looked at the measly, vacuum sealed package. A small nod her only response. Slowly, she walked over and sat across from Rusty.

“So that pipbuck, do you know how to use it?” Rusty asked as he tore open the package.

Star Shimmer raised an eyebrow at Rusty, “Yeah, why?”

“Turn on the radio.” With the ration open, Rusty returned to his work on the mechanism, “Check for station 107.3, Twin Beats radio.”

Star Shimmer’s ears peaked up. Pulling the pipbuck up to her face, she began to poke and twist at the dials and buttons with her hoof. Pulling up the radio section, Star Shimmer continued to fiddle around. Eventually spinning the radio to 107.3. A burst of static filled the room before being replaced with upbeat, fast paced guitar, backed with speedy orchestra. Finally, came the voice of a mare.

I don’t want no high class colt
Too snooty and fake to keep me awake
I just want a goodo’le downtown buck

To hold me and keep me so my heart don’t break

Rusty nodded, a small smile creeping on his face, “Ah yeah. Here we go.”

Star Shimmer cocked her eyebrow, “You like Rock-a-Bye Queen.”

“Of course I do, who doesn’t. The mare had a voice that could soothe the heavens.” Rusty brought his hoof to his mouth, his smirk becoming crooked, “From the posters I’ve seen, she was damn fine to look at too.”

Star Shimmer snickered, “You’re damn right, mare knows how to strut it.”

Rusty Chuckled, “Is that why you decided to steal her hairstyle?”

Star Shimmer put her hoof to her chest, a playfully hurt look on her face. “Ow.” The two broke out into laughter. Along with the glow of the Brain Fungus, and Rock-a-Bye Queen belting out a song, the room had a warmth that had not been there for centuries.

Rusty continued on the mechanism, screwing in another section of pipe into it. Star Shimmer lazily watched as she munched on her ration, the taste of overwhelming lemon filling her mouth, “So, I got a question.”

Rusty continued to focus on his work, “Shoot.”

“You’re an official Scavie right?”

Rusty nodded, “Yep.”

Star Shimmer made a rolling motion with here hoof, “The whole, scavenge the wastes with benefits?”

Rusty Shrugged, “You could say that.”

“So, how do you join exactly? Is there a contest? You guys go out and just be all like ‘I found the shiniest piece of metal!’ Or ‘I nabbed a hundred caps!’” Star Shimmer rested her head against her hoof as she watched Rusty. The more he tinkered with the mechanism, the more the shape looked strangely familiar.

Rusty snickered as he shook his head, “It’s not cheerleader tryouts. The Scavie Organization watches over the scavengers funds. You sign up, follow their rules, and just pay for the membership.”

Star shimmer raised an eyebrow, “Oh...so no wanted posters for tin cans and clipboards?”

“Well, I didn’t say that. Ponies are always looking for something, willing to pay well. They go through the Organization, and we get it to them as soon as possible.” Rusty patted his pack, “The Enclave specifically is always up for more scrap metal and ore.”

“So that’s why you bought those.” Star Shimmer thought about earlier, when Rusty had her barter a pony for a few clumps of metal. At the time, she had thought them useless weight.

“Yep.” Rusty clicked in the last chunk of scrap metal he had onto the mechanism. With a smile on his face, he held up a makeshift gun. “And now, the lonesome roaches of the wasteland shall know my name. With it, they shall be stricken by fear, for I have a boomstick.”

Star Shimmer rolled her eyes so hard that the back of her sockets started to hurt, “I think you have a better chance at blowing your head off with that junk.”

Popping the Boomstick open, Rusty pulled out two of the shotgun shells and slid them into the barrels. With a quick flip of his hoof, the Boomstick snapped shut. “Maybe, but it could be the only thing standing between us and a very pissed off Tank Roach or dirt dog.” Rusty pulled his battlesaddle over and began to strap the Boomstick into his battlesaddle, “Besides, wouldn’t be the first time.”

Star Shimmer stared deadpan at Rusty, “Uh-huh, that’s what I’m worried about.”

Chuckling a bit, Rusty finished his ration. Leaning back, he nestled up against the wall, his eyelids sliding shut, “No need to, just keep your head down and we’ll be fine.” Rusty let out a yawn, “You should get some rest, it’s gonna be a long day tomorrow.”

Star Shimmer let out a small sigh. Nibbling on the last bite of ration, she listened to the radio. Her eyes went over the restroom again, and again. Her thoughts jumping from the ship crash, to her parents, to what lay before her. Even with the thoughts swirling in her head, Star Shimmer found herself drifting off to a dark and uncomfortable sleep.

///

Wind howled in the distance as Rusty Bottlecap checked the theater’s hallway. Rusty had learned early on to sleep lightly when in the wasteland, too many ponies eager to steal your supplies, or monsters wanting a late night snack. As Rusty stepped into the hallway, he glanced back at Star Shimmer laying in the restroom, ‘An hour more wouldn’t hurt.’

Walking down the hallway, Rusty scanned for any changes in the scenery, the Boomstick’s barrels following. Hoofprints, claw marks, anything that could say something had been through. After every step, every turn of the head, Rusty felt his nerves calm. Nothing changed, ‘Same old ruined dump.’ Rusty made his way to the main hall.

Most of the dust that had made it into the main hall had settled on the ground, while small puffs entered and left through the front doors. Scanning the room, Rusty spotted the concessions counter to his right. His eyebrow peaked up, and his hooves began to trott towards the counter. As he closed in, Rusty could see a few packs of candy in the glass case. One in particular caught his attention. A princess sized Tangerine Twist chocolate bar. The bright orange fruit logo standing out against the wrapper’s background.

A wicked smile grew on Rusty’s face as he licked his lips, ‘Jackpot!’

Rusty Checked his left, then his right, no pony in sight. Without a second thought, Rusty hopped over the counter, his hooves clopping against the tile floor behind the counter. Rusty jerked his head around searching to see if some unknown foe may have heard him. When nothing charged out of the shadows to tear him apart, Rusty continued on his quest for the candy bar. A small, sliding door was all that stood between him and citrus, chocolate heaven. Raising his hoof, Rusty closed his eyes as he imagined the wonderful bar in his hooves. With that, he pulled on the door.

Then he pulled on the door again, and again, and again. Rusty peeked down at the door. It opened just a crack, not even enough to fit a hoof through. Rusty leaned in to take a closer look. Debris and rust covered the sliding door, it wouldn’t take much more to force the door open, but the sound would ring out.

Rusty sighed, ‘I’ll just grab it on the way ou-’ Through the glass case, he spotted a shimmer from outside the doorway. Rusty froze, his eyes fixated on the opening to the outside. The shimmer didn’t reappear, but Rusty had a deepening feeling that he was no longer alone.

Crouching, Rusty shuffled over to the counter’s bar door. Pushing ever so slightly, he crawled through with only the slightest of creaking. Once he was free, Rusty jogged over to the hallway door, his eyes searching from floor to ceiling for a possible threat.

Rusty pushed through the doorway, then he heard the pitter patter of hoofsteps on the roof. ‘Shit!’ Rusty broke into a full gallop, every step echoed through the hallway

As Rusty neared the restroom, the floor squealed under him. ‘Double shit!’ Rusty vaulted through the entrance as the floor caved in under him. He tumbled to a stop, his head smacking against the stall wall.

Star Shimmer jumped awake, “W-wha’s happening, mo-”

Rusty rushed over and shoved his hoof over Star’s mouth, his other hoof going up to his, “Shh!”

Low, beastial grunts sounded from outside, “Where pony go?” A voice asked.

Star Shimmer’s eyes widened, and she looked to Rusty.

“Search area, can’t let Enclave get drop again.” Another voice responded.

Rusty motioned to the center bathroom stall, and dragged Star into it before she could respond. As they passed through, Star Shimmer hooked the stall door with her hoof and pulled it closed.

Letting go of Star Shimmer, Rusty pressed himself between the toilet and the stall wall. Star Shimmer scrambled onto the did the same on the opposite side. Holding their breath, the two watched the small crack between stall wall and bathroom floor.

First was a small clattering against the tile floor. Then came the hind paw, its nails clattering as they hit the tile. Star Shimmer felt the blood drain out of her face as she stared at the limb with patchy brown fur and blackened pads. The large, sharpened claws brought up the image of Star Shimmer being torn apart in a dream long forgotten. A second hind paw landed next to it. Clickity. The first paw stepped towards Rusty’s saddlebags, a small furry spiked club of a limb swung just above the ground. Clack. The other one followed closely. Clickity-Clack. A third paw, this one twice the size of the others, and made to grab and hold, lifted Rusty’s saddlebags up and dumped out the contents

The contents scattered across the floor, in particular, the revolver slid just under the stall door. Rusty and Star Shimmer glanced at each other, Star Shimmer shook her head, Rusty nodded. Taking another glance at the paws, Rusty began to stretch his hoof out for the gun.

BLAM!

The saddlebags fell to the floor just in front of the stall door. Star Shimmer brought her hooves up to her mouth as she bit back a gasp. Rusty froze for a second, looking at the paws. The paws hadn’t moved, still standing before a few of the fallen items. Then, Star Shimmer watched the larger, third paw pick something up. The sound of something sniffing feverishly filled the room.

Rusty’s hoof touched the revolver, and he pulled it quickly to himself. The sniffing stopped, a low grumble taking its place. The paws turned. Clickety. And began to walk towards the door. Clack. Clickety-Clack.

Click. Rusty gripped the revolver in mouth and aimed it at the door. His eyes darted over to Star Shimmer. He motioned to the small gap leading to the next stall with his hoof. Letting out a muffled breath, Star nodded.

“ARWOO!” The howl echoed through the bathroom, and was followed closely by the eruption of gunfire. With a low growl, the creature spun around and clattered out of the room.

Rusty kicked the door open and rushed to gather his dropped items, “Time to go!”

Star Shimmer peaked out of the stall, The commotion outside of the room grew louder as shouts and energy fire roared, “You sure that’s a good idea?”

“Nophe!” Rusty tossed the ten millimeter pistol at Star Shimmer, “Catch!”

Stretching out her wing, Star scooped the pistol out of the air and brought it to her mouth. A quick bite down on the handle, a pull back on the slide, and it was ready, “Tthen why doth we waith?”

Rusty strapped up the battle saddle and shouldered the saddlebags, “They’ll probably just shoot us if we’re found, I don’t think either side is gonna care whether we die. Personally, I’d rather try and escape rather than cower in a stall.” Taking one last look around, Rusty trotted for the door, “Stay behind me, keep your head down, and keep your steps light.”

Star Shimmer took a deep breath to calm her heart, the image of her father appearing in her head, “A-arwighth, where are we going?”

Rusty paused at the lip of the doorframe and scanned from side to side. A large hole sat in the middle of the floor, fresh bullet holes and plasma burns covered the walls and ceiling. Down towards the main hall, Rusty could hear the roar of a firefight. Howls and yipes echoed from the hole while hoofsteps and orders thundered overhead, “We’ll get to one of the screen rooms and leave out the back door. Then it’s basically a straight line out of town.” Rusty looked back at Star, “You got it?”

Star Shimmer looked to the door, then at Rusty, and nodded.

Without a second thought, Rusty spun around and charged out into the hall, Star followed close behind. Taking another quick look, Rusty locked on the door to his right. His hooves carried him forward as the bashed through the door. Before he could even see, an energy beam slammed into his shoulder, and Rusty rolled over to the side. A row of chairs now stood between him and his assailant.

Star Shimmer yiped and backpedaled behind the doorframe, her eyes focused on Rusty. From there, she could see that his shoulder was charred and smoking, “Are you okay?”

Biting his tongue, Rusty held his good hoof to his mouth. His breath quivering against his fur. Shakily, he began to crawl towards the far wall, his movement slow and jerky as his joints began to stiffen. Fighting through stiffness, Rusty peeked over the row of seats as he did.

Through a hole in the ceiling, a dark armored pegasus peered into the screening room. Twin ovoid devices sat just under the wings. The red glow of their helmet’s visor gave of the look of a large insect stalking its prey. The pony slowly scanned the area, their head drifting from one side to the other.

Clenching his teeth, Rusty made it to the corner. His head propped against the chair’s back, he glanced over at Star Shimmer.

She stared at him with wide, fearful eyes. Her body shook as she just stood there. Star mouthed something to him, but Rusty couldn’t tell what it was. It might have been something like, ‘Are you okay?

Looking back at the hole, Rusty watched as several more black armored pegasi soared past the hole. The pegasus peering in turn to their companions, and with a quick nod, lifted into the air. As they backed off of the hole, A couple of black cubes detached from their side and fell into the hole.

Rusty only needed one look at the pulsating red light to know what they were, and once the pegasus was out of sight, he stumbled for the door, “Run!”

Star Shimmer backpedaled as Rusty lunged towards the door, then the bombs went off.

The shockwave ripped through the doorway, and sent debris and Rusty crashing into the hallway, “R-Rusty!” Star Shimmer ran over to the husk of green fur. She stared down, gun falling from her mouth. Wood and metal pierced his body all over, his hind hooves bent at extreme angles, and his tail was holding on by a small patch of flesh.

“S-Shi-” blood rolled out of mouth, puddling under his face. His eyes rolled over to his saddlebags.

Taking one last look at Rusty’s condition, Star Shimmer went for the saddlebag, and pulled out a hydra. Gripping it tightly in her mouth she popped off the rubber top off with her hooves. Star stabbed it into Rusty’s side, and pressed down slowly on the plunger.

Slivers slid out of the body, either plopping to the ground or getting caught in fur. The legs cracked and twisted themselves back into position, and his tail stitched itself back onto Rusty. As the last of the wounds disappeared, Rusty shook his head, “I don’t think that’s the kind of thunderous applause I think ponies talk about.” Coughing up a few specks of blood, Rusty slowly stood back up.

Star Shimmer glanced back and forth at each end of the halway, “So what now. We still gonna run into who knows what?”

“No, no, let’s look before we run.” Rusty shook his head, “Alright, Enclave’s up high, and Free Packs are down low… Looks like it’ll be trickier than I had thought.”

Star Shimmer’s ears perked up, “Hold one, if they’re Enclave then they’ll-”

“Shoot first, ask questions later.” Rusty picked it up the 10mm pistol. Without a word, he held it out to her. Star Shimmer hesitantly took it, “You think pegasi only exist in the enclave?” Rusty said with a tsk. He glanced around, “Alright, let’s move… carefully this time.” Rusty started for the next door, his ears swiveling this way and that.

“You wure tha one wo goth tthoth.” Star Shimmer mumbled as she followed.

“Another word, and I swear to the goddesses that I will jump in a Free Pack hole and leave your ass up here to die.” Star didn’t respond.

Creaking the door open, Rusty peaked into the next room. First, he looked to the roof, ‘No holes,’ Then glanced at the floor, ‘And no pits, bingo!’ Rusty turned back at Star Shimmer, nodding his head. The shine of the gun barrel sticking out of the pit behind them was all Rusty saw. His body sprung forward, hooves wrapping around Star Shimmer. With a great heave, he threw both of them through the doors as bullets flew past them.

The two smashed through the first row of chairs, collapsing into a pile of wood and metal.

“Gah!” Star Shimmer struggled to roll over, splinters of wood sticking to her coat.

Rusty shot up, “Come on, keep moving.” Hooking his hooves around her, Rusty dragged Star up onto her hooves.

“A-Alright,” Star Shimmer wobbled a bit, her eyes focusing on the ground before her. Sitting atop the rubble was her pistol, without a second thought, she picked it up and started for the theater’s back. Rusty followed behind, hoofsteps echoing into the through the room. The two rushed forward, passing row after row of old, decrepit seats. As Star’s hoof hit the ground, the sound of floor boards cracking echoed, and the ground fell out from under her.

Her wings kicked into action, lifting her up out of the black pit, but not before large, gnarled claws shot up out of the darkness. White hot pain ripped across Star’s torso, and she let out a muffled scream. Her wings shook, but continued to pump downward, giving her just enough lift to fly over the pitt’s edge before collapsing onto the ground.

The roar of gunfire filled the room as Rusty fired into the hole. A yipe following shortly after. Another shot, then there was silence. Hopping over the seats on the side, Rusty made his way to Star Shimmer.

Star Shimmer, hooves shaking, began to stand up, “Ah-I’m fine.” One of her hooves gave out from under her, and she collapsed onto the ground, “Gyah!” She cried out, her teeth clenching down on the pistol.

“The hell you are.” Rusty lifted up the flap of his saddle bag and pulled out a health potion. Popping off the lid, he pushed it into Star’s muzzle as he pushed her up, “We can’t stop no-”

Two more pits formed on either side of the two, and claws began to reach out for them. Rusty pushed Star at an angle, avoiding the walkway and hopping over the nearest row of chairs, “Alright, new plan. I give cover fire, you fly as low as you can to the back.”

Finishing the last of the potion, Star dropped the bottle and nodded. Her wounds begun to stitch themselves up, and Star gave her wings a quick flap, ‘Let’s fly!’ Heart pounding in her chest, she lifted herself from the ground, and shot forward.

Rusty popped open the Boomstick’s barrels and loaded in two more shells. With a hop, he made it over another row of seats. With a quick spin on his hoof, he faced the pits. At this time, two large beasts clad in leather armor were nearly out of the holes. ‘Fucking Dirt Dogs!’ Rusty thought as he recognized the canine heads and massive pillars the creatures had for arms. Their jowls pulled back, showing rows of sharp, pointed teeth. Rusty bit down on the battlesaddle reigns as fast and hard as he could, giving them several good bites, and the Boomstick flaired to life.

One of the Dirt Dogs yelped and dropped back down into the hole, while the other dove for cover behind another section of seats. Rusty followed it with another quick succession of shotgun rounds.

As the Boomstick popped open, sending the used shotgun shells flying into the air, the Dirt Dog rose up and fired a string of rounds at Rusty.

Rusty ducked behind the seats, two more shotguns shells already in his mouth, ‘Alright, with these, that’s ten left. Gotta hurry this up.’

Another string of bullets flew over Rusty’s head, then he heard the click of an empty gun. Jumping out of cover, Rusty bit down on the reigns. The Boomstick stayed silent, but the dirt dog shrunk behind the seats for protection.

Rusty took advantage of this and began to hop over the rows of seats behind him, all the while continuing to bite down the reigns of the battle saddle. Finally a blast of pellets shot out across the room. Rusty began to vault over another row of seats, his head turning to focus on making it over. A flicker of movement out of the from the corner of his eye caught his attention, and he looked up to see Star Shimmer hiding in the stairwell. She peaked out, pistol in mouth.

‘Good, she made,’ Star’s eyes widened, and she swung the barrel of the gun in his direction. Rusty’s heart skipped a beat, ‘Shit!’ He forced himself the rest of the way over the seats and dropped as fast as he could.

The rat-a-tat of gunfire rang out as a bullet tore up the side of Rusty’s face. As he smacked into the floor, he could feel the blood splash across his whole head. A second shot rang out, followed by a pained howl.

Rusty struggled to his hooves, blood beginning to seep into is left eye. Looking around, Rusty couldn’t see the dirt dog, but he caught sight of Star Shimmer, her pistol trained on the area the dirt dog had stood. Without a second thought, Rusty jumped out into the isle and charged for the emergency exit.

Pistol firmly in her mouth, Star Shimmer kicked the exit door open and stared out. The door led to a narrow alleyway, old dumpsters littered either side, giving a narrow gap for a pony to run down. Further down, Star could see a main street void of life. Up above, a grid of clouds stretched across the sky, slowly filling in the gaps and seaver the sight of the sparkling night stars. Somewhere beyond the door, soldiers shouted orders and beast howled war cries, all while gunfire roared throughout the town.

“I fink we’re clear.” Star hopped out, moving aside as Rusty rushed by.

“Come on, let’s go!” Rusty’s hooves slapped against the ground, and he launched onto one of the dumpsters. He landed with a loud BANG! Twisting his body, Rusty jumped off to the next dumpster, “Fly low, and fly fast!”

Without complaint, Star Shimmer lifted into the air, flying above Rusty’s head, “Where to now?”

“Just go straight. Get out of town!” Rusty lunged for the next dumpster, BANG! Then he jumped for the ally’s entrance, tucking into a roll as he hit the ground, “Watch for me when you’re far enough.”

“Wha-?” Star turned to see Rusty as he turned and ran down the street, “Where you go-”

“Gotta make sure they don’t follow us-,” A hole tore open before Rusty, claws reaching up for his throat. He leapt to the side and continued running, “GO!”

Star Shimmer watched as Rusty rounded the corner of the street, dark pitts opening in the ground around him. Heart pounding in her chest, she tore her gaze away, and flew in the opposite direction. Keeping low, she sped past building, slowing only to turn down another street. Throughout the town, small pockets of Enclave and dirt dogs shot at each other from their cover. Star kept a wide berth, her eyes darting around to make sure no one followed her.

Explosions erupted, and buildings collapsed. If this kept up, the town would be flattened into small mounds of rubble by daybreak.

Bullets and green energy lashed out, scoring the walls of the town. Even at her distance, Star had a few close calls from stray rounds. Then, she found herself soaring past the edge of town. A dilapidated billboard with a smiling buck telling her to ‘Return to Loosehoof soon!’ waved her off. Star continued to fly, the sound of gunfire growing fainter and fainter. She scanned the horizon, searching for a building, a bus, hell a rock! Just some sort of cover to help her at least get her bearings. Then, she spotted a dark speck on the horizon. ‘Bingo!’ Flapping her wings harder, Star flew fast to the speck. It didn’t take long before it grew from dark speck, to building’s silhouette.

As Star Shimmer neared the building, her wing flaps became erratic, and she started to falter in her flight. Her body began to scream for rest, her wings beginning to feel like flimsy bed sheets flapping in the breeze, ‘Damnit, come on wings, don’t give out yet!’. Star Shimmer eyed the building as best as she could. The small building had the telltale signs of a rest stop. From the convenience shop in the front, to the flanking large slabs of metal that covered the parking lot around it. A large red chariot sign lay crumpled to the side of the building, it’s letters spelling out a small sign.

WELCOME TO MED-WAY

Along with the usual assortment of prewar constructions, several additional structures seemed to be set up as well. A small covered hut made of old waggons sat atop the building, while the front and side door was covered by a barricade made of scrap metal and concrete. Star Shimmer stared harder, trying to see any possible guard or watch, but no pony or creature guarded the place.

‘Please don’t shoot me, please don’t shoot me.’ Star Shimmer flew down, landing hard on the ground. Small pins shot through her hooves, “Fuck, ow, ow, ow!” Star Shimmer hissed, her hooves lifting up off the ground to ease the pain a bit. Her eyes darted to the rest stop, then out into the desolate wasteland. No pony ran over with a gun, no monster erupted out of the ground, just nothing. Star waved her hooves a little, and slowly began to walk towards the front door of the store. Gun gripped firmly in her mouth, she scanned the windows for any form of life. As she got closer, she began to notice bullet holes and blackened stains plastered against the concrete walls of the store.

Star Shimmer’s breath began to go uneven, ‘Don’t worry, you got this.’ Passing the barricades, she peeked through the front doorway. Once stocked with roadway snacks and small trinkets, now housed overturned tables and chairs. More dark stains splattered across the floors, and papers were strewn across the floor. To the side, the cashier’s counter held a terminal flanked with a radio on one side, and a crumpled map on the other. At the far end sat two doors, with a sign showing the outline of a stallion and mare. Yet there was still no pony in sight. Taking one last scan of the area, Star Shimmer glanced down at the papers. Using her hoof to move them around, she began to read one.

Patient: Snake Tail

Sex: Stallion

Age: 19

Aliment: Snake Tail sustained a bite on his left hind hoof from a maw lion. He was lucky enough to get away before it could cause serious injury or even death, but due to the pathogens in the creature’s mouth, a particularly bad infection has already began to spread across his hoof. It will have to be treated immediately if we are to avoid amputation.

Treatment: A dose of antibiotics every eight hours over the course of three days, along with careful and repeated cleaning of the infected area.

Sidenotes: I don’t know how or why Snake Tail managed to find a monster like that this far from the jungle, but considering he’s not the main entree of a maw lion dinner, I’d consider him very lucky! Now we just need to make sure the dumbass doesn’t try and fly out again until he’s healed up.

-Dr. Heartbeat

Star Shimmer read another paper, then another. Sure enough, they were all medical reports. Each one pertaining to either somepony that lived close by, or had found their way to the small rest stop. Star sighed ‘These ponies should be decent then.’ She glanced back at the dark stains, and her heart dropped a little. ‘Oh no...’

She shuffled over to the front counter, eyeing the map that sat atop of it. It had been an old traveler’s map, possibly before the war, showing the western half of Emadron. Several locations had been scratched in by pencil. Mainly the settlements found around the area, including New Trinity City, New Hayven, Bastion, and Med-Way itself.

An electronic chime tore Star Shimmer’s attention from the map. Looking down, she noticed her pipbuck glowing faintly. Sitting on her haunches, she brought the pipbuck up to her eye level, ‘What’s up little brick?’ Using her wing, she began to fiddle with it, turning dials and flipping switches. She flipped from tab to tab, weapons, apparel, aid, notes, ‘Wow, this is surprisingly convenient, should’ve looked at this earlier!’ Finally, she made it to the map tab. On it, a whole map of Emadron appeared, with several blips filling out the western section. Some of the locations like Med-way, and the town of looshoof were filled in with a little icon, a small medical icon for the former, and ruins for the latter. Other locations were still blank though. ‘Well, At least that takes care of how to get back home.’

Looking it back over, Star Shimmer notices an icon just past the map In the lower left corner. When she flipped over to it, it simply stated ‘activate compass’. Raising an eyebrow, Star Shimmer activated the option. A hiss came from the pipbuck, then Star’s vision went blank. “Wa,tha-” Shaking her head and blinking, Star’s vision returned. When it did though, a small green line sat right at the bottom of her sight, pegs evenly distance from each other across the length of the line. One of the pegs rose above the others, and atop it sat an E.

‘Woah, no way!’ Star Shimmer began turn in a circle, the compass spun as well. Pegs with an S, E, and N all appeared accordingly. Along with that, a small pip indicating Med-Way’s entrance hovered just above the pegs. ‘This is so cool!’ Star gave it another test spin, ‘With this, I’ll be able to make it home in no time. Me and-’ The image of Rusty rushing off around the building’s corner popped into Star’s head. Her smile fell from her face, and her ears folded to the side of her head. She trotted for the door, her mind thinking of the Enclave forces and the dirt dogs ripping each other apart with energy beams and bullets.

Outside, the wind blew faintly against Star’s coat. Her eyes finding their way to the sight of the town. Instead of old buildings, she now only saw a grey wall of fog covering the whole town. The fighting had settled down, only the occasional gunshot or energy blast could be barely heard, ‘Shit, Rusty,’ Star thought. Even if he survived, how would he know where she was, how would they regroup.

Star Shimmer looked back at her pipbuck, her frown lessened. ‘I can make my way there, and he knows the way. We’ll find each other on the road. Or New Hayven.‘ Star nodded to herself, ‘He’ll be fine, I’ll make sure he gets a small reward… just a small one.’

A yawn escaped Star’s mouth, and she stretched her back, ‘Damn, I’m tired.’ Star looked back into the building, it wasn’t the cleanest place, but she didn’t have much of a choice. Her eyes glanced at the old stains and bullet holes, and the image of the crazed ponies on the Eagle flashed in her head, their ramshackle armor and wicked rusty weapons made more prominent in her mind. Star’s eyes wandered up to the hut sitting atop the building, the faintest smirk formed on her jaw aching face. ‘They want me, they need to work for it.’

Pulling the last strength from her wings, she flew up to the hut. Inside, she found a small shoulder pouch and radio in one corner, and an old bed roll in the other. The hut seemed empty of bullet holes or stains, ‘Good sign.’ Star shuffled herself over to the bed roll. The roll itself seemed to be made of some sort of leather, and a small bundle of cloth sat at the top in place of a pillow. Star gave it a quick sniff, aside from a faint, old smell, it seemed fine enough.

‘Better than the floor.’ Star thought as she slumped onto the bedroll. Putting the gun to her side, she rolled her jaw around. Her wings ached, and stomach turned. Closing her eyes, Star imagined her mom, hiding away in a locked up room as raiders trotted just outside. Then her dad, his black power armor, what he could be thinking right now. Before she fell into a deep slumber, she muttered a small prayer.

“Goddesses, please, let me see my parents again.”