Fallout Equestria: Victim of the pastby Scorch191ChaptersPrologueChapter 1: Start-UpChapter 3: The little voice in my headChapter 4: You only live twiceChapter 5: The job marketChapter 2: The Grand TourPrologue==================== PROLOGUE ==================== Hi I'm Giga Byte, you can just call me Giga, I am, or well was a test pony for just about anything at iron shod fire arms, one of the biggest weapons producers in equestria, I would fire a new gun to see how well it worked,test new armors, lob prototype grenades at stuff, fun right? Well not so much, ya see one day I was testing a new prototype armor for the steel rangers, it was important enough that the ministry mare applejack herself showed up to watch the testing, the only problem was i was the one getting shot at. "Mr. Byte are you ready for the testing to begin?" Said the overly dreary lab technition, she never put any emphasis or any feeling into her words unless she was giving a briefing on the schematics of something, she would be jumping around like a school filly in her lab coat that was somehow less white than her own coat then. "Um. I guess, ms. Applejack are ya sure this armor will work?" I said as the cyan fur on the back of my neck stood on end. "It should, you have no idea how many tests we put that darn thing through before it got to you sugarcube." Said AppleJack confidently with her distinctly southern equestrian drawn. "I... If ya say so ma'am" I replied, still scared out of my mind, which is very unusual for me. Being a thief by trade to survive at all be for iron shod hired me on, I was never one to get scared especially when a whole squad of guards was looking for me was probably because I had weapons to knock them out then, here I was relying on someone else which a thief never does. "Don't worry it'll be over before ya know it, all we gata do is run some diagnostics on the armor for calibration." She said with as much kindness she could show to a cyan colored stallion with a mane that looked like vinyl Scratch's if she took a tornado to it, that she had never met before know. Which for many apony, that was more than they could in a year I was never the pony getting fired at, I only tested the weapons, I'm proud to hold the highest shooting accuracy in ironshod, but back to the story. "1 minute until testing, please clear the testing floor if you are not to be tested on." Blared the PA system that I despised more than anything living or dead, that hung on every wall. "Well here we go" I said stepping into the boots on the floor, after my hooves were comfortable in the boots I nodded to the big glass window over the testing area where Applejack, a plethora of lab technicians and a platoon of steel rangers stood watching with unreadable faces behind their opaque helmet as the "balefire" suit as it was nicknamed since it could survive getting hit by a balefire egg, was assembled straight onto me. "Deep breaths, it'll all be finished soon. Only ten shots will be fired from the turret." "T-5 ...4...3...2...1..." This time being said through the coms in my helmet. "FIREING" ten rounds were fired at insane speed at me I braced and felt all ten shots hit the armor and bounce off to go slideing underneath the machinery. I let out a breath than I was unknowingly holding. "Alright... Time to get out of this su-" I got no farther into my thought before a large bang went off from one of the machines behind me. "What the?.." I really shouldn't be surprised so much stuff breaks here, not two days earlier forrest stalker, one of the few thestrals on site had to run for her life after a mainframe detonated. She never ran so fast in her whole life Just as the suit came off i sprinted to the door to find it shut, and of course locked "ARE YOU SERIOUS!?" I screamed at nothing in particular. Of course that sentrybot exploded just after the suit was taken off me,my luck has been amazing recently. two guns a grenade AND a rocket launcher malfunctioned this week a bullet shot out the ejector of an assault rifle which smacked me in the face, a pistols magazine broke in half discharging all of the rounds into my hoof which had been covered in a steel plate like all your appendages are when fireing live ammo, it still left a good sized bruise. The grenade's pin came out in my magic with out me telling it to, so that blew up in my face and SOMEHOW the rocket fired backwards and broke through the wall scarring the living shit out of our neighbors about two miles down the road luckily no pony was hurt as it did not detonate, Looking around desperately for any cover from the encroaching inferno, that robot HAD to be near the ammo cache didn't it? finding nothing to hide behind or anything to put out the flames I got up as close to the wall as any pony can get. "From facing off a turret for a test to getting cooked medium well, I'd say this day went pretty well for a massachist" I said just over the sound of the roaring inferno before me. The flames licking at my fur I deside if I'm incinerated, I want to go out with style. "LOOK OUT BELOW!" I yelled. Launching off the wall with haste I cannonballed into the flames. Chapter 1: Start-Up==================== Chapter 1 Start-Up ==================== "Ugh, what did I do last night!?" I said out loud to my self "must'a been fun, this is the worst headache I've had, and I've opened one of the official MoM party boxes and those blow you clear across the room usually." Climbing to my hooves I looklooked around to see I'm in a cellar . "okay so THAT is why I have a roaring headache, I pissed someone off enough for them to knock me out, and lock me in a cellar." note to self don't talk to my self as much. I desided to look for stuff to "borrow" like the theif I was before ironshod hired me. so let's find the door, no point in looting if I can't get out with it I stumbled around for about ten minutes before I found a hatch that was haphazardly covered in boards. I bucked it as hard as I could, I heard a the cracking of wood but when I checked the hatch was still in one piece and wasnt damaged by anything more than a dent. well looks like I need to find the key for that. At least its uncovered now. I decided to search the smaller containers first since there's less space to hide stuff, with no luck. time for the big crap. after searching through three filing cabinets, a class bottom of a drawer and a fridge... why do ponies love having fridges in there basement? Either way there isn't much here to search at least... finding a tool box that was yet to be searched I quickly scuttled over and poped the locking mechanism on it, i found a small pile of about 25-30 bottle caps, a combat knife that'll be useful. and a KEY! "Ah there you are ya little bugger" snatching it up with the knife and the bottle caps I turned to the door to find a locker with a busted lock on it. "Man my lucks gana run out soon, but I may as well ride it out while I can." Walking over to the locker I yanked the rusted out husk of a lock off and swung the door open to find, a black duster, a dark gray under barding and a pair of saddle bags that gave no indication of who's they were, but it being black leather as well. "Not what I was expecting." Seeing as i was currently without clothes and for all I know that light shining through could be a lamp so it could be night. I personally love the night, it makes seeing me so much harder and any flashlights ruin nightvision, also it is always calm at night compared to the hustle and bustle of day where you had to levitate or fly to not get trampled. pulling it off the rack and puting it on I found it fit perfectly. "Alright now to get out of this hole in the ground." Climbing up the stairs that were steep enough to be a ladder, I floated the key up to the lock and twisted it. Heaving the hatch open with my hooves AND telekinesis I climbed out to the surface "What in celestials name is this place!?" I shouted not careing who heard. What lay before me was not the equestria I knew and loved but a burnt out husk where even the grass had fled. "How in the hell did all this happen?" *CLICK* "Move a muscle and your head is gana be all over this wall." Said a distinctly feminine voice from right behind me in a harsh yet not angry tone. Having a dad in the army had its perks, you would always know if he had an empty pistol or a loaded dart gun aimed at your head. "Permission to speak?" I said acting like I'm talking to a drill sergeant. "Uh g.. Granted" she said loosening any hint of command in her voice. I spun around grabbed the shotgun that she was holding VERY awkwardly in her hooves, then poped the breach in the double barrel shotgun "nice try with the bluff but don't hit the trigger when ya put it up to the target..." I closed the breach and aimed it at her. *CLICK* "It clicks when its empty." I said while smileing , how ever that didn't last when I saw who I aimed at, it was a small filly with ajet black mane and a dark maroon coat. She was crying softly after I realized this wasn't someone who wanted to kill be. "H.. Hey its alright I didn't mean to scare ya." Her crying lessened but kept going. Crouching down I put a hoof on her back. "Its alright I'll give ya the gun back" sliding it over to her she pulled it up to her chest and her crying lessened enough for her to look at me. "I.. I.. I'm sorry" she whispered in the quietest voice I've ever heard. "Its okay little one, why did you do it though?" I spoke in the gentlest voice I could. "I.. I did it to get caps from you and scavenge this place." She said a bit more confidently. "caps?, what do you mean by caps?" I asked questioningly but still kindly. "What are caps!?" She said exasperated all the sadness before during off as quick as you could blink, "have you been living under a rock for the past 200 hundred years? Caps are our money in the wasteland, I don't know what stuff like this shot gun are worth though." She said happily like nothing happened. "Um. Alright, wait 200 years? Since what happened?" I asked completely confused. "Since balefire hit equestria." "So this" gesturing to the wasteland "is the aftermath of that." I said guessing at why the world was a husk now. I knew about balefire it is a VERY destructive spell that could be activated even by a earthpony if stored right. "Um... Yes" she replied getting scared again. "Don't worry, wait where are your parents?" I asked concerned. She started to cry to her self next to me. "What's wrong?" I brought the caring sound back to my voice again. "Th... They are... Gone" she said with a small sniffle before she finished. "We got hit by slavers on the way to New Appleoosa with our caravan. They took me and my brother and me then killed everyone else." She said mid sniffle. "Slavers." I said with new menace appearing I. My voice. "Wait, how did you escape?" I asked with sincere worry. "They put a really bad lock on the cage so I broke it off then snuck out. I wanted to get enough caps to pay for my brother but that's about 400 caps and I found 5" she started to cry again. "Woah woah, its alright. You said somethin about a New Appleoosa, what did ya mean?" I asked with sincere curiosity. "Um... Its the town right down the road from here its kind of hard to miss, just look for train cars I guess." She said needing to pause several times to think. "Thank you..." "Allen wrench" she said finishing my thought for me. "Thank you Allen Wrench." I started to walk in the direction she pointed in when I thought of something. Turning around I walked back and put a gentle hoof on her shoulder. "Hey Allen wrench do ya wana come with me to New Appleoosa? I don't want ya wandering and possibly being caught again." She perked up at that, "SURE!" She said excitedly. I smiled at that.I may be cold as a windego's breath sometimes but if a foal gets involved I will help in any way I can. "so let's get going." I said cheerfully.this was gana be a great day... this is gana be one of the worst days in my life "Celestial damn it" I said as another volly of assault rifle rounds flew over the rock we had dove behind for cover. "I wish I had ammo for this stupid shotgun, I could be helping so much right now" Allen Wrench said with a whimper as a peices of rock fell next to her. "You and me both kid" I said quietly as the bullets stopped flying. I raised a hoof to my muzzle in a "shooshing" gesture to keep Allen quiet. "Hope they aren't pulp afta that I want ta have a little " fun" with that mare." Said one of the male "raiders" who fired at us. "Ya know even for you that's sick, it was just a filly, doubt it even had its mark yet" said the other male with a disgusted time in his voice. "Ah wat eva I don't care there all the same ta me." The first said "ya can have the front if ya want." *THUD* "Yea nah, I don't think ya want that now do ya rusty spade?" Said a 3rd raider this time a mare. "Ya got me here" "Of coarse" replied Rusty "Go look at the victims we got. while I loot this asshole here." Said the mare again now outing a less intimate tone and more yelling orders. "You got it." wait till he gets by the rock, use your horn to run him through, then take the gun my brain already forming a plan of action. The moment he walked around the corner I jumped at him, but sadly I missed. "Well that could have gone better" I said to my self now turning to see the butt of an assault rifle mid swing towards me. Dodgeing to the left I punched the gun away to hear it snap in half fine I didn't need that anyway. ducking beneath his swing I jabbed at his gut, only to get a rear hoof kick to the face. "Agh" I yelled as I was thrown back. Me swinging first I landed a hit on his shoulder but put only half the force I could have by miss judging the angle. He bucked at me but hit a boulder instead looseing a avalanche onto us. I rolled about ten hoof steps away just as the rocks came down onto him, killing him instantly. I turned just in time to see a zebra sword flying at me, I tried to dodge but it cut my right leg leaving a deep gash that started to bleed instantly. "Ugh" I groaned as I picked up the sword in my telekinesis. I learned a while ago that throwing your melee weapon only throws your only defense away. I charged the mare to see she now had a .44 revolver about two inches from my head. "Ah it seems I have the upper hoof now. At least I could watch a good fight between you two." "Wasn't he your husband or lover?" "Ha, him?" She waved the gun at the corpse that was half buried in rock "I didn't care I can get another stallion when I get back to camp" "You are sick aren't you." "Not as much as some of my friends" she smiled with a devilish grin, she clicked the hammer back on the gun "well good bye" "Could be worse" "W.. What? What do you mean?" "I mean at least I don't have a double barreled shotgun about to fire at me." I started to smile as she took in what I said "Fuck yo-" *BOOM* Here head was no more than a red mess on the floor now "at least the bad guys talk so much, am I right?" Allen said as she poped the breach and ejected the two spent shells. "Yes, thank you Allen it could have been me with no head if you hadn't snuck around." I said letting out a breath I had no idea I could hold while talking. "No problem, I don't want you to be dead too your my friend!" "Um thanks. I'll go look at every ponies bodies alright?" I asked hesitantly not knowing how she would react "Go right ahead." She smiled a bit as she said it and leaned against a boulder. I nodded then started searching, first I checked the made with the .44, I gained ten caps around 30 rounds of .44 and 5 of armor piercing rounds, some REALY horrible leather armor that I could use to repair my duster... Hopefully. Moving on I found a pack of ciggerets which I shoved into my saddle bags, as I only ever thought of them as death on a stick so I hope I can sell them. I found about 15 shotgun shells and somehow 2 dragons breath rounds. Stuffing those in my saddle bags for now I moved on to the crushed stallion. To find about 50 55.6 ammo in his saddle bags and a universal pistol silencer. "Now THAT could come in handy." Stuffing it in my saddle bags that were only half full. "Alright I'm done." I said as I floated out the shotgun ammo but not giveing the dragons breath rounds cause those were even rare BEFORE the apocalypse so they had to sell for good money. "The way from here to New Appleoosa I walked by guards so much, I really doubt we will run into any trouble." She said confidently. Well I hope she is right I need to get this leg checked out, this sword cut REALY deep, I hope tetanus doesn't set in before we get therethere, it could be worse I could have died. Or didn't get a new silenced gun and a zebra sword to boot.. "I wonder if I'll see anyone from the old equestria at this New Appleoosa." I said to my self. Chapter 3: The little voice in my head================= Chapter 3 The little voice in my head ================= As the silhouette of the ruins of the ironshod firearms facility, where the slavers that captured Allen and her brother were, came into view, I couldn't help but think well this is fun, going to my old work place, to clear out ponies who have taken over. The ponytons were just stood there as silent guards like the royal guard in canterlot, never moving never speaking, just standing there. "Damn, if only the workponies hadn't shut of the robots for diagnostics before the world died." I drew my revolver as the door swung open revealing a slaver who was so drunk he could have a balefire bomb go off next to him and he wouldn't notice. Waiting for him to walk away from the door I aimed it at his head while he relieved himself on one of the robots. dont waste a shot use the sword called out a voice I've heard since a flamethrower's fuel tank detonated in my magic. the doctors in the medical wing found out someone found a "soul jar" that had some chaotic energy in it, and somehow opened it. The energy found a host in my mind and so far hasn't done anything to harm me or anypony else. I've taken to calling him scorch for that reason. Doing as he told me I holstered the revolver under my coat and unsheathed the zebra sword. I closed the distance between me and him. I put a hoof over his mouth to muffle his shouts and slit his throat. "Alright now to get inside with out being spotted." I whispered to my self. The door opening was a fluke so I doubt I could get in that way, its also guarded most likely. I looked around and found a window on the second floor was open. Searching for a way up of some sort I found a box about half the height to the window. I shoved it up to the wall and climbed up. For the rest of the distance I found a small ledge that hadn't crumbled yet so I pulled my self up to the window and hopped in. To find a guard... Sleeping luckily. I stopped moving as soon as I hit the floor, hoping he hadn't woken up. draw your pistol in case he wakes, we don't want him to make to much noise. said scorch as then guard snored loudly. I aimed the gun and fired as soon as his snore was done as to not alert anyone by the door. wait until you clear this place before you take items for the bodies. advised scorch again. As I walked as quiet as I could, I could hear a mare yelling orders to the slavers below. "DEADBOLT! Get your sorry ass up here!" She yelled loud enough to make my ears ring. I heard a several loud clangs as a pony bolted up the stairs. "Yes ma'am?" He asked timidly. "I want you to secure the outer doors again I think animals are getting in." She commanded quieter but no less threateningly. "Yes ma'am ." he replied as if he would be shot if he didn't do it. wait until he walks away before you open the door then sneak to the right, the automated defenses are in there. said scorch making me remember the layout of the facility again. I heard the clanging of a pony walking slowly on a half rusted out staircase. Opening the door I found the mare who was in charge leaning on the guard rail overlooking the factory floor that held twenty or so cages, half of which were filled with slaves. deal with her first she may be an issue later. scorch spoke up again. I followed hi advise and drew the revolver again. Lineing up a shot I fired the shot went cleanly through and dropped her to the floor. now go to the targeting room advised scorch again. can you be less commanding sometimes please? I replied through thought to scorch. I followed his Instructions to the automated defenses targeting room with out any resistance. enter the pass code. What was it? Oh yes. I typed in the pass code and several commands: As I shut down the console I heard the ponytons jolt to life *this is now a free fire zone, all civilians should evacuate the area* several of the mechanical ponies said in there distinctive metallic voices. All that could be heard for the next minute, could only be described as a war outside as the roboponies gunned down as many slavers as they could with the slavers getting a few good shots off with at least two ponytons dropping to the floor with loud clanks. ================= After five or so minutes I exited the control room with the ID next to the console. if you want me to be less commanding then fine said scorch with an annoyed mental huff. How he could do that was beyond me, but like him appearing as a jet black coated me in my head sometimes, baffled me even more. the robots will keep you covered if any raiders or more slavers show up, so loot all you want. he said less annoyed and more relieved the slavers were dead. I hate slavers but scorch would blow up the world to kill one if he could. I better let out the slaves first. after opening every cage and telling at least thirty or more of them not to pick up the weapons because the robots would shoot them if they did, I finally found Allen's brother, who by my guess was about fifteen, his light blue coat contrasted Allen's red but had enough bruises to look like a blue banana that went through a washing machine. He was curled up in a corner of the cell crying. As the cell door creaked open he curled up even smaller expecting to get beat again most likely. what should I do scorch? I asked the voice in my head, not knowing how to comfort him. sit down next to him and get him to stop crying I guess, I can't help much more than that. he said also having no clue. I did as instructed and sat down next to him, not saying a thing but waiting for him to notice me just waiting for him. After about five minutes he finally stopped crying and sat up. "Y.. You ain't gana hit me?" He asked ready for a possible strike to his face. "Nope, your sister sent me to get ya." I said truthfully. No point in lying to her brother that I was sent by her. "Sh... She's alive!? I... I can't believe she would send somepony tah get me instead of robbing for caps tah buy me out!" He said still scared but very excited. Don't tell him about how we met her. advised scorch. "Should we get back to her?" I said sarcasticly but still careing. "Of course!" He said now completely happy. "Alright. Hey what's your name anyway?" "Sledgehammer" he said shyly, he is the exact opposite of Allen isn't he. He is very shy, his coat is dark blue, hell even his name is for smashing stuff, Allen's his for building stuff. How do the get along so well? I have no idea. Brother-sister bond mabey?I replied equally perplexed. "Sledgehammer? Is it alright if I take the weapons and things from the slavers before we go?" I asked holding he would say yes. "Um. Sure?" He half said half asked. "Thanks." ================= After a good twenty minutes of looking for and through the thirty or so slavers we came out with about seventy caps, two shotguns, one a semiautomatic shotgun for Allen ,and a double barreled for selling, an assault rifle, two frag grenades, and a memory orb I found in a filing cabinet marked "confidential" scorch can you remind me to view this when we get the chance. I asked him. sure, we better get going now sledgehammer is getting antsy. he said with a mental nod. how do you know that? I asked very confused I can sense ponies feelings within about fifteen feet of you, while you were sorting the loot I checked on him. "Alright I'm ready. Sorry for taking so long." I apologized for making him wait. "Its fine. I guess, let's get goin." He said hurriedly like the slavers would appear to beat him again. "Don't worry I'll protect you." I said reassuringly. "We will get there in about fourty minutes or so if we go at a canter" "Alright. We should be fine on the way there since about four or five miles from here its-" "Well guarded. I know, Lets gehen Sie dann" "What did you say?" Sledgehammer asked very confused on my change in language. "Its germane, it means let's go then" I explained "Oh, ya let's go. Also what's germane?" He asked less confused "Ah, well now we have a history lesson for the road!" I said, mimicking twilight sparkle in fake enthusiasm. "Oh, perfect." Chapter 4: You only live twiceThe sun was dropping below the horizon when I finished my little Germain history lesson for sledgehammer, he was ready to grab the nearest pole and stick my head on it. "My brain hurts." He complained "Sorry kid. Anyways this part of the road should be safe. Is it not?" I said hopefully "Um. It should be. At anytime I've seen at least ten guards patrolling." He said while rubbing his head with his hoof, while walking. "How do you do that?" I asked very confused "What." "Rubbing your head while walking?" "Um. I genuinely don't know." He said becoming as confused as I was. "I. Alright, I guess." I said giving up on any way to do that, if I tried I would have my muzzle planted in the dirt. We walked in awkward silence for another ten minutes before I spotted a group of raiders huddled around a campfire for heat and light. why are they here? "hold up" I said raising my forehoof to stop him. Luckily the raiders seemed to be more focused on the fire than anything else. Either that or now that it was dark the fire was messing with their nightvision. I got into a ditch on the other side of the road to avoid the raiders. I motioned for sledgehammer to follow. he slid down into the ditch where I stopped his momentum with a foreleg. we should slip past them to avoid anymore wounds for you or sledge. said scorch again offering advise. I put my hoof up to my mouth in a "shooshing" gesture, sledge just nodded. Pushing forward in a crouch in the ditch as to not be heard by the raiders. We got well out of earshot of the raiders before we climbed back out of the ditch. "We should talk quieter untill we get to new appleloosa." Sledgehammer advised. "Agreed" i said raiseing my voice from a whisper to quiet chatting. As i spoke neither sledgehammer nor my semi trained ears heard the friends of those we passed were comeing down the road. "WELL LOOK WHAT WE FOUND! FRESH MEAT!" Yelled one of the two psycos as i drew my gun, dropping behind the barely standing concrete barrier, sledge ran up and got behind it aswell. A hail of bullets from a machine gun flewpast me as i contemplated a course of action. I popped up and fired a shot into the pony with the machine gun, fireing two shots in quick succession I dropped back behind cover hopeing he was dead. After ten seconds and no return fire I readied the my gun before i hopped back up to shoot the other raider with brass hooves. I jumped up to find he wasnt there. "What?.." *BOOM* "Agh!" I yelled in suprise and pain as a rifle round imbedded itself in my ribs. I dropped like a stone with a hole in my right side. Out of nowhere the raider brute with brass hooves hopped over the barrier and looked down at me, smileing "why hyullo" he spoke with an accent like he was from marescow or stalliongrad. He kicked me in the ribbs makeing me cough and gasp for breath. Rolling me over he raised his hoof and brought it down on my muzzle four times breaking my nose in the process. He layed his hoof on my revolver and kicked it away breaking the silencer and something internal as it hit the concrete barrier. "Do svidaniya" he said as he raised his hoof over my throat about to crush my windpipe. "Hey! Get away from him!" Yelled sledgehammer who grabbed the machine gun from the dead raider. "Oh hyullo little one." The brute said smileing devilishly. Before he could move an inch closer, sledge unloaded into his face completely vaporizing it. He switched the gun over to semi auto and fired four shots at the sniper only one return shot came. He dropped the gun and ran over to me. "Are you alright? I always hated when ponies said that if you were hurt, you always state the obvious. "N. N. No. *cough* Go to new appleloosa you'll be safe" i said between coughs with hope. "No i wont leave you to die" he said trying to convince me i was okay "Go" i commanded. "Ill be back with a doctor" sledge promised "Alright... *cough* I think I'm going to go to sleepp..." "no don't go on me now!" sledge yelled as I fell into unconsciousness. ~~~ooOOooOOooOOoo~~~ I realized I could still feel my body even though I was unconscious, which I have never had happen before since I have been knocked out at least five times in the testing range by a malfunctioning weapon. also I was a mare. what the, what is going on? asked scorch who was as confused as I was. I don't know, wait I think this is the memory orb I grabbed.I thought to scorch How, don't you need to grab that in your magic?he replied still confused I don't know but... oh I think our senses have come back Then shut up and watch.he retorted venomously Everything came together at once, sight, sound, even smell. and I knew that smell of barbecued circuitry and electronics, this was the terminal station where all the tests are viewed. this mare was looking at a mirror that she had hung somehow on the wall where there was no hooks or loose nails, just a flat grey wall. and I was in the head of a pure white coated, long grey maned mare, she was straightening her mane before somepony knocked on the door. She opened the door with a press of a button next to her. stood in the door was a orange colored pony with a tied faded blonde mane with a worn Stetson sitting on her head, waiting patently for the mare to speak. "H... hello M.. Mrs. Applejack. how a.. are you today?" the mare stuttered obviously scared half to death on why the ministry mare had arrived. "just fine sugar cube, so are we goin ta begin the testing for the balefire armor soon, Ms. Phrase?" said AppleJack making Code Phrase, there is her name, remember why she was straightening her mane in the first place. "Y... Yes ma'am, Mr. Byte is standing out in the testing floor awaiting your approval." "Alright then shall we get started?" "yes ma'am" said code phrase now loosing any stutter. "alright, oh wait! Paladin Heart you may come in." applejack said to a steel ranger just outside the room. "thank you Ma'am" came a deep now modulated voice through a set of power armor. As a dull greyed set of steel ranger power armor walked in. "shall we begin?" Code Phrase asked expectantly "Ee'yup" said AppleJack before she looked down, mumbling something of a prayer to somepony. Code phrase belted out list of directions to everyone but... me. WAIT WHAT!?I yelled internally as she walked over and I saw a stallion with a blue green coat and a light and dark blue mane stood there waiting for the armor to be placed on him. The armor was assembled onto me and after only one minute the low caliber turret fired ten rounds, none did even a dent in the green tinted grey armor. As the suit was being taken off by several pneumatic arms suspended from the ceiling though, a ponytron crashed into the ammunition stockpile in the back creating a giant inferno that spread towards me in less than 10 seconds. I saw me run to the door on the right of the building just before the blast shield was dropped over the window. Time zoomed forward at ludicrous speed until it stopped abruptly making me and scorch get jostled around in the mares head, somehow. what just happened? I asked scorch mentally climbing off of him as we had landed on top of each other in the mares headhead. I don't know I didn't think memories could fast forward. he said mentally dusting himself off we stood over a medical table where I lay burnt more to the look of a peice of burnt toast than a pony. "Ma'am I have an idea." blurted out code phrase. "yes?" replied applejack with a raised eyebrow. "to compete with robronco I had plans set up for robots that used our weaponry instead of robronco's. giga here may speed that up." "what do ya mean?" "we could implant cybernetics under his skin to make him a "sleeper" agent if you will." "I.. I don't know about that." "why?" "it seems a bit unnatural to bring him back to life with technology." "I.. yes, but it could help in a lot of ways..." "I personally agree ma'am." said Paladin Heart without his helmet on showing his dark violet coat with a almost black, blue mane. "I... I don't know." said applejack hesitantly. "think about it, Mr. Byte could help with the war! We could implant him as a defector in the zebra capital and assassinate the Caesar." insisted Heart. "I.. I.. Fine, but don't expect me to be happy 'bout it." applejack said quite annoyed. "alright, lets get to work." code said happily. ~~~ooOOooOOooOOoo~~~ WHAT!? I yelled at scorch internally as everything faded to black. Ah! don't yell, you aren't the only one in here you know. he retorted while covering his ears. how could they do that!? I like electronics and all but this I ridiculous!I said lowering my internal voice. I don't know but you should be happy, your alive. and it could be a lot worse.. he faded away as I snapped back awake with a jerk. "woah, slow down there." said the doctor I saw from new appleloosa. "what happened while I was *cough* out?" I said groggily "this little guy told what happened here." she pushed Sledge forward gently. "and I ran as fast as I could to get here." "thanks sledge." "no problem" he replied shyly "anyways you've lost a lot of blood so I don't advise moving too much, so I hauled this old piece of shit wheel chair for you, now can you get in?" she said as she started to push me into the chair. I got in, settled my self comfortably into it and started to roll it towards new appleloosa. "woah hold on I got ya." said Allen who appeared out of nowhere. "finally *cough* found your brother I see." I said sarcastically. "yea" she rolled her eyes "anyways lets get you back to the town were only just over that hill!" she said happily as I gained speed from her gallop. Scorch had been mentally humming a cheery tune with "always look" and "side of life" escapeing his muzzle when we hit a large bump while Allen ran me in the rusted to death wheel chair. She stopped so quickly i flew out of the chair a good four feet before I stood up slowly. "Ugh, that hurt." I stated as i limped towards thw wall to lean on it, feeling as if i was going to pass out again. Allen ran over to me and put a foreleg over me to steady me. "Sorry sir. I was happy my brother is back is all." She apologized with a smile "Its *cough* fine. My name is Giga Byte by the way, i forgot to say my name when we met." I said with happiness crawling into my voice. "Alright Giga Byte, we need to get you into the doc's office." "Alright, *cough* lets go I woke up, the anesthetic haveing worn off, on a operateing table as the doctor ran from place to place. "Oh come on! I know i put it there two minutes ago. Where could it?.. Oh for the love of, why is it up here!?" She said grabbing at the top of a filling cabinet, pulling a medical clipboard down. "Oh your awake, the anesthetic should have kept you out for another two hours, well you dont need to be asleep any more. Apparently you have some VERY advanced implants in your skin, may i study them?" She asked anxiously. "Sure" i said "Thanks." She spoke gratefully She spoke up after five minutes of mumbleing. "Where did these come from? They are more advanced than any robronco implants ive seen before" "Um yea about that. They are from Ironshod Firearms." She deadpanned "what? They didnt make implants only weaponry." "Its true!" "Who installed them then? Cause you havent traveled far and im the only doctor in a fifty mile radius." "Um a scientist, with applejack watching over her shoulder." I said She burst out laughing when i was done speaking. "That is the biggest bullshit ive heard so far this year" she said holding back another fit of laughter. "Its true." I said hopefully "And im related to the goddesses" "I wish that hadn't been a one use memory orb." As it had apparently cracked in half after I used it. "If you wana get any one to believe you got to tenpony" she said rolling her eyes. "I dont know were that is and i want to stay where ponies know me." "Who knows you here?" "Ditzy does." "I... Lets go see." She said smirking while helping me off the table, and opening the door. As we walked up to "Absolutely Everything" I said a thought that had been bouncing around in my head. "Well at least they didn't make me a full robopony" I said with a laugh making the doctor glare at me. "Alright I'll be quiet." I said annoyed. We entered Absolutely Everything to find derpy helping a customer with working out prices on several cans of food. As it turns out the stallion didn't take much time and left with five of his six cans. "Hi ditzey." I said happily with her waving back. Doc here says no one knows me from here, is that true?" I asked with some sarcasm and a smirk forming on my muzzle that still had not been reset. She smiled and hoofed out her chalk board before writing "Giga Byte was one of my best friends before the war!" "Oh. Sorry Miss Do for interupting. Your day then." The doctor said annoyed, yanking me back outside she glared at me. "Ugh fine I'm sorry about that, now since you are one of the most decent..." She reached up and reset my muzzle who?e I was unaware, makeing me jump in pain. "Customers I've had all week I'll tell you about some stuff around town. First of all there is a house outside of the walls, mabey a five minutes trot from here, that just became available ask ditzey for the price since she has been handling that for a couple of months now. I don't think much else is going on but I'll help you if I can, but my prices will stay the same, and that will be about a hundred caps." She spoke with enough speed to make my head spin, but I knew I didnt have that many caps... Yet as even though I lost the pistol in the fight I still had full saddle bags under my slightly beat up duster. "I don't have that right now. May I sell some stuff to ditzey fist?" I pleaded "Fine but I'm staying right here untill you get back, and you better have my caps" she spoke warningly. "Don't worry I'll be back." I walked out of ditzey's shop two hundred caps ditched leaving me with around two hundred and eighty caps. "You got my caps?" The doctor asked impatiently "Yep here ya go" I said pulling out a small bag full of caps and throwing it to her. As she caught it she remembered what was in her sergical apron's pocket. Pulling out a beat up revolver she threw it to me, catching it easily in my telekinesis and outing it into my foreleg holster. "Thanks" "Ner problem" she said holding the bag in her mouth before dropping it to where the gun was. I still had around a hundred or two hundred caps left as I walked away going towards the house the mare, as well as derpy told me about. "This place better be good for all the money I just got." Chapter 5: The job marketIt could be better if we add a bit of paneling there, fix that hole in the wall and unblock the workshop. I said to scorch mentally appraising the house the town doctor had told me about. Though she lied about the distance being fairly close to the town, but I didn't really care, I liked being away from other ponies. You know, this is the first peice of property I have seen in this hell hole that actually looks decent. said Scorch who was surprisingly in a happy mood, which is a big change since he usually acts like he doesn't care at all or is always annoyed. How much did she say it was? She said around a hundred mabey a hundred and fifty caps. Should we look inside? I guess. We walked inside to one of the worst smells that ever assaulted my nose hit me like a freight train. "Sweet Celestia, what happened in here?" I said gagging and faceing the outside for breathable air. I. Don't know. Break a window to air it out. Gagged Scorch as he made a military gas mask appear on his mental image. That's better. He laughed thought the gas mask. I took a deep breath and charged inside to one of the windows, which I promptly bucked sending the entire pane flying in peices onto the ground outside. I stuck my head out the window gasping "How is it possible this smell is messing with me more than when one of the tear gas grenades went off in my magic?" I don't know but it seems worse here I think its in the workshop. Said Scorch who's gas mask's filter had deteriorated making him hover up a new one. I took in another deep breath then bolted into the workshop that had a door that had a tire iron smashed through the window jamming it in place. Bucking the door as hard as I could like I did to the window. Its hinges held barely long enough for it to fly open hit the wall and fall forward onto the ground. "Alright this place should air out now." Turning I saw what was causing it, a rotting stallion and a diamond dog were slumped against the wall, except the diamond dog had giant claws, a mace-like tail, the ponies head wasn't attached to his neck, as well as he had an assault rifle that had long since corroded beyond repair. Taking both of them in my magic I hovered them out into the dirt drive way made for earth bound vehicles. "That should help" I said now being able to breathe inside the dark workshop. One second. Said Scorch unexpectedly. Suddenly I couldn't feel anything in my body except for the flow of magic that was building in my horn. it built up to the point of pain in my head. Scorch what are you doing? I said starting to get worried, he had never taken over my body before and even if he hadn't done anything to hurt me yet, him being chaos energy, i didn't know what he would do. A wave of light blue like the aura currently surrounding my horn exploded from me and encased the house, every spot in the house suddenly lit up. I staggered falling to one knee. "What did you do scorch!?" I asked suddenly regaining control of my body. You thought it was dark so I cast a spell to allow the house to be lit perpetually as long as you are inside. He said matter of factly. "But I don't know a spell to do that" And I do, that's why I took control for a few seconds "Unless I tell you otherwise don't take over my body alright?" Fine but if you are going to die and you don't know how to stop it, but i do. I shall take over untill we are safe. "That is agreeable." I said as the room faded to darkness. We found a spark battery and an accepter for it outside the house, so I shoved the battery into the accepter making the generator wurr to life. "There we go." I said aloud to Scorch as I saw the lights flicker on. Go in then. he said rolling his eyes. I did as told and walked in the workshop door near the generator. Inside, it was surprisingly well kept with nothing really damaged except for a fridge that the pony had had in the workshop, opening it I found it packed to the brim with beer and vodka. "Looks like we had an alcoholic here before he was killed." I said letting out a bit of a laugh. I grabbed a bottle of vodka with my hoof pulled it out. Opening it I took a sniff. "Smells fine I guess." I floated it to my mouth. *cough* "strong, but not half bad" I said closing the fridge and walking off. "Hey Scorch? Can you remind me to get rid of the beer but keep the vodka in there?" Alright. Wait, how are you still standing after that any pony I've watched in the common room's that had something that strong were out for a few hours.He asked tilting his head. "My dad was a Anglo-Kabarda, I can handle most strong vodka, though not much else for some reason." I said shrugging with the vodka in hoof. We walked into the kitchen finding what usually is in a kitchen. The fridge was working, though if barely, the stove was around the same, the sink was beat half to death, making it unusable, and the cabinets were about to fall off. Seeing the kitchen made my stomach growl, also making me remember that I hadn't eaten since I attacked the slaver camp and me and sledgehammer ate before we left. So after two days of me healing up and looking for work I hadn't eaten. I opened the fridge and found a can of beans, two wheels of cheese and a... steak. "Oh for Celestia's sake" I said annoyed. I had met griffons, as well as some ponies who had trained them selves to eat meat, but for me I was never able to eat it, I found it disgusting. Floating the rotting steak that instantly drew flies over to the front door I promptly threw it in the direction of the road. I did the same with the rest of the items seeing as the rest would probably kill me with the amount of mold that was on it. let's head into town for a bit of food. And see if any jobs have popped up. scorch said speaking what I thought. So we headed out. "What do you mean I can't buy anything? I have enough caps!" I shouted at the griffon greeter of the restaurant. "Sir, I'm sorry but after town tax nothing on the menu is in your budget." He retorted calmly. "I. Ugh. Fine can I do anything to pay it off?" I said calming down but still ready to rip his throat out. "Um. I don't think... Actually, yes you can. I'll give you a decent meal and you gather some stuff for me." "Sounds fine. What do you need?" I asked holding for a warm meal that wasn't meat. "Um, here is a list." He said scribbling some things on a piece of yellowed paper. "Should be easy enough." I said skimming the note. "Alright then, now for your payment in advance." He said turned and walked inside the kitchen. "Hey make a number four with a bowl of soup!" He walked back out. "Your food should be done in two or three minutes." I nodded. "Say what's your name anyway? I don't want to be calling you, you when we talk to each other." "The names Giga Byte." I said extending a forehoof to him. "Red Wind. Pleasure meeting you Mr. Byte." He said taking my hoof in his claw for a strong shake. "RED! Your order is done!" Yelled the feminine voice of the cook behind the half open door that was going to fall off soon. "One second." Red said as he turned on a claw and walked back inside. He returned five seconds later balancing the plate and bowl in a claw as he flew back over to me. "Here you go." Shoving the bowl over to me. I picked up the bowl and placed it on my back as he set the plate down on the pedistal where he usually stood. I hoofed that onto my back as well. Saying my thanks I walked off to an open table in the outdoor restaurant. I set both items on the wood table that was in fairly good condition compared to the rest of the town. I dug in eating the BLT with out bacon and the tomato soup after the sandwich was gone. I picked up the plate and bowl and walked it over to the table labelled "used plates, bowls, and cups here". Setting them down, I spun around and walked out of the barely fenced in dining area, nodding to Red as I pushed the squeaky gate open. So now we are full let's get to work. said Scorch as he walked back and forth hovering the note in front of him. we are going to need a pressure cooker, two pilot lights, a hot plate, and some pipe that isn't rusted to hell. "Sounds easy enough. I said aloud drawing several strange looks from the few ponies on the "road" as I had said something from the middle of a conversation to no pony when nothing was said before hoof. They think your crazy now I bet. said Scorch insightfully. I'll prove I'm not soon enough I said floating my .44 out to check its condition. "Ugh. This thing is useless to me with out a suppressor." I grumble to my self. I turned before I got to the front gate towards Absolutely Everything. I neared the building where Ditzey's shop was at. Opening the door I heard a new bell ring above me. I reached up to stop its horrible sound. As soon as my hoof hit the floor again, Ditzey hopped up from behind the counter she was sitting behind dropping her book, which managed to slide off into the back room and break something. She just shook her head then looked back up to me, smiling. "Hi ditzey, how are you today?" I said smiling back. She shrugged picking up her chalk board as she wrote on it. "Hi Giga what do you need?" "Do you have any semi auto pistols that have a suppressor that I can trade this for?" I said drawing the revolver ejecting the rounds into my hoof and place the gun on the counter. She continued writing. "I have a silenced .22 but it won't do squat. And a 10mm with a silencer. Though the punctuator over there is silenced but this won't cover the cost of the gun without ammo." "I'll take the ten mil, and can you trade this ammo for ten mil rounds?" I said floating out the three quick loaders and four spare rounds. "Sure thing" she wrote taking the gun and ammo, walking off to the back. She came out two minutes later with my new gun and ammo for it. I got a net gain in ammo since 10mm is less expensive than .44 magnum. "Thank you ma'am." I said politely as I walked outside. "I'll check there thanks." I said to a stallion who had helped me locate the salvage I needed. He nodded and continued down the road. I activated a Heads Up Display for you from one of your implants. But only the compass and health meter is working, guess after two hundred years of no maintenance it would be some what broken. said Scorch, popping back into being. "Thanks" I replied stepping through the main gate. So, the bunker he told us about is about an hour or so down that road. He said projecting a picture of him pointing to the left on the intersection ahead, then he walked away into a black haze in my head. "Alright thanks." Turning left I began to contemplate just about anything that floated into my head. First of them all was what I was going to do now, in this wasteland. This place isn't anything like back home. Hell before I had been outside for ten minutes I had a gun pointed at me by a filly. Stealth is my only asset, even with my knowledge of prototype weapons I can't take on more than three ponies alone unless I get the drop on them... The slight bump where the bunker entrance was came to me surprisingly quickly, since I had not been watching the time in my new hud that flickered in and out of view at annoying times, namely when a pot shot hit my duster, but didn't go through and I wanted to know my ammo count so I could return the favor. I walked closer now noticeing smoke was floating out of the pneumatic door that had a hole twice as big as me in it. "Uh." I said confused. A metalic clanging began to eminate from the hole. I dopped behind the destroyed door wanting to know what was going on. My answer came quickly as a large armored hoof stepped out showing the largest suit of armor i had ever seen, being almost three heads taller than me. I stood as still as possible hopeing the suit with bug like eyes didnt see me. Just as it started to walk away i slipped causing a small cascade of rock down the slope up to the bunker. "Shit." I said quietly as the suit turned toward me. After ten seconds of it looking i hoped it was friendly. That thought was pulverized as a small rotateing chaingun slid out of a panel that just opened. I ran as fast as i could for anything that could be used as cover. I slid into the ditch takeing some of the flak into my flank straight into where my cutie mark of a assassin-type mask in a cloud of code was. The mech continued fireing for a solid thirtey seconds before its gun ran out of ammunition. I took the opportunity and fired four quick shots at the suit, two bounced off but the other two hit one of the eye lenses causeing the mech to flinch back like a fish in a tank you tapped and a crack to from along the lens it self. The chaingun retreated into the suit, being replaced by a shoulder mounted missile launcher. It turned aiming a shot of the four shot missile launcher. I fired another shot hoping it would hit something critical before dropping in pain as the missile swarm shot over head demolishing the tree in the distance. "Shit." I said as the gunshot in my leg was aggrivated again. "Four shots into the flank in a days time, this is my life now." I said sarcastically to no pony in particular. Surrender said Scorch. "No why would i surrender to that!?" I yelled as another missile swarm flew over head. It doesnt want to kill you, it is scared. "how do you know? If it didnt want to kill me it would stop shooting at me." I replied angrily. Trust me, yell "you surrender." "ugh, fuck it", I popped my head up enough for it to see me but not enough for the launcher to get a lock. "I surrender!" I yelled as the missiles reloaded. As i thought it would kill me it stopped, then lowered the launcher back into the mech. "Y- you surrender?" The feminine metalic voice replied. "Yes, i surrender." I said raising my head up further. "U- uh alright" it said shakily. Before i could say anymore its head lowered slightly and the head split and slid into a hidden position, revealing a changeling without a horn unlike the usual ones ive seen in books. "Hi?" I said to the redish changeling. "Your a changeling." "Thought that would be obvious. And im not a changeling im a "demon"" she said hovering and making air quotes with her heavily armored hooves. "A demon?" I asked confused. "Ugh, ya know those unknown creatures in the heavily volcanic region that "was" the bad lands?" She said sarcastically. "Why are you called demons?" I asked "Like i said, heavily volcanic. Our plating mutated after the war cause we got bombed. So we can withstand sitting in lava and fire. Ponies call us demons cause of that." "Oh, what are you doing here then?" "Scavenging, nothing grows back home." "Dont you feed on love?" "Some of us do but that is just the scouts now, the rest gave that up since almost no pony goes there, since the place is so hot." "Oh" "Yea" We stood there for a good four minutes scratching at the ground with our hooves. I decided that I should breach the ice. "Oh, by the way did you find any of these in there?" I said floating the note over to her and remembering why i came here. "Yea... here" she said opening a plate in the huge mech showing a VERY large storage area that had just about everything in it, even a kitchen sink! Everything i needed was pulled out by tiny pneumatic arms. "Thanks" i said floating them above me. "Whats your name anyway?" "Replica." She said with out much thought or care. "Alright I'll let you on you way then." I said. She shrugged oddly in the massive suit, as the head reformed around her blood red mane. Her metal bug wings unfolded and she flew off emitting a strange buzzing noise, mixed with grinding metal. That was... odd Scorch said finally speaking up after the whole encounter. "Agreed, lets get this stuff back. Agh" i said my leg having a bout of pain. "And find some one to patch this up." Chapter 2: The Grand Tour================= Chapter 2 The Grand Tour ==================== As we walked up to the gate of new Appleoosa I got the feeling that I wouldn't like this place. "So this is new Appleoosa?" I said staring at the train cars piled up at three tall in places, easily five times as tall as me. "Yup!" Allen exclaimed in a exceptionally cheery voice that I hadn't heard from her the whole way from where I woke up, "like it? We scavenged the cars from the train yard down the road. But that was before I was born." "Oh? Can ya give me the grand tour?" I asked half expecting her to say no and get somepony else to give a tour. "SURE!" She said loudly as she hopped up and down. "Glad your enthusiastic." I said after jumping about a three feet in the air, waiting for my heart to start up again. "I love giving tours! Its really fun." She said now calming down a bit. "Okay lead the way, I guess." "Yay!" She exclaimed loudly again. ==================== She led me to the main locations like the clinic, the bar/restraunt and lastly to the shop called absolutely everything but she stoped me before we went in. "I gata say something about the owner before we go in cause she doesn't like being called a zombie." "Zombie? Why would I call her a zombie?" I asked slightly confused. "Well you see, she is a sane ghoul, ghouls are ponies or griffons who have been hit by ALOT of magical radiation but survived, most are insane or soon to be, but some stay sane but take a lot of flak for it." She said giving me a brief history lesson on "ghouls" "Alright I will try to be as kind as possible." I said putting a smirk on my face after saying it. "Alrighty then!" She said now opening the door for me. I walked through but held the door for Allen to enter as well. Turning around after closing the door Allen spoke up enough to echo slightly through the room. "Alright ditzey should be behi-" she didn't get any farther when I interrupted VERY excitedly. "Derpy is alive!?" I exclaimed loud enough that a mare behind the counter in the storage room knocked something over making a crash that sounded like a glass house blew up. Like she was famous in ponyville for, she stumbled out with her eyes characteristically pointing off in different directions. "Derpy?" I said as I ran over to the counter grabbing the grey mare in a big bear hug, not even noticing the missing fur and near corpse like wings she had. She was as surprised as anypony who was suddenly thrown into a bear hug. Disengageing from my hug she pulled out a chalk board and wrote sir? Who are you? she backed up from the counter making sure to keep her eyes "sort of" on me. "Derpy its me, Giga, we were best friends before all this happened, remember?" I asked more in a pleading tone. Something must've clicked because she looked at me, smiled, then grabbed me in an even tighter hug than I gave her. "Gah. Can't. Breathe." I gasped before she let up. She grabbed the chalk board in her mouth and walked out from behind the counter. Giga, its been forever! wrote the mare who was the only pony who wanted to be my friend, since I didn't have any and she had very few because she was clumsy. Scratching out the previous message she wrote out some more: well welcome to absolutely every thing. she smiled warmly to me like she usually did before the world ended. "Thanks, so what do you sell here?" I asked pretty much knowing the answer. She put a hoof up to the "Absolutely Everything" on the chalk board. "Should have thought." I said giving a small chuckle "why do you write on that board instead of talking?" She just looked at the ground and didn't write anything "Her tongue was cut out by raiders" said Allen who I thought was still by the door. "Ah!" I yelped while jumping three feet in the air, landing on my stomach not my legs. "Allen. Please don't scare me like that." Derpy giggled as I got back to my hooves for the second time today. "Sorry" said Allen suddenly showing a shy side for the first time since we met. "Its alright, anyways they cut out your tounge?" Directing the conversation back to derpy. Nodding she opened her mouth and pointed with her hoof to where her tounge should have been. Looking ashamed she started to walk back behind the counter. This was the first time since when I first met derpy that she was ashamed of her self, and I wanted it to be the last. Trotting over to her I grabbed her hoof and pulled her gently back to the foyer of the building where we stood not moments before. "Woah, woah ditzey its alright" choosing to use her first name instead of derpy I put a hoof over her shoulder. "Its alright, you are just as good of a mare with out speech as you were with it" I've never been good at comforting ponies but I have helped them not turn suicidal at iron shod. she smiled then hugged me. Grabbing her chalk board she scribbled out: thanks giga, did you just come in here to help an old mare? "Um. No... Allen here was showing me around and she brought me here last. Sorry I couldn't get here sooner." I looked around admiring the piles appon piles of stuff derpy had set out on the walls and the floor. One thing did jump out at me though, a silenced zebra assault rifle with a toggleable night vision scope and extended mags. "Hey derpy?" After the little reunion she had walked back behind the counter and was sorting some orange packets and throwing away one in every three. She looked up from the tedious task. "How much does this cost?" Pointing towards the amazing gun. She started scribbling: 500 caps for the gun and 5 per magazine. my smile died as soon as I read it. Scribbling further she wrote: for you I'll take a third of the price off the gun, the ammo is the same though. she wiped the board after I read it and wrote: gata make money, sorry giga "Its alright, I could get that from looting dead raiders hopefully. Oh hey how much does ammo for this cost?" Drawing the .44 from my coat pocket "and how much for a holster?" She wrote out the prices with no degree of difficulty remembering them three for six bullets, and thirty for a holster pulling out thirty-nine caps I hoofed them over to her, where she promptly put them in the, some how working, cash register. She wrote out quickly before disappearing into the backone second while I get your stuff. she was back before I even finished reading and ploped a dark brown leather holster and eighteen bullets on the counter. She continued writing: how did you get a silencer for a revolver? "Thank you derpy" I nodded to her while picking up the equipment and ammo in my telekinesis. "It was on a dead raider that Allen here took out." She just nodded, so we both turned to go. As I waved to derpy who was back to sorting orange packets, Allen spoke up. "So how do you know ditzey. Hmm?" She asked with enough venom to kill a Ursa Major. "She was my best friend before the war." I said a little peeved she would act so oddly to find out me and ditzey were friends. "Okay, explain to me how that happened." She demanded again. "Alright if you want, but its an odd one." I said now sitting down clearing my throat. "I had just moved to ponyville and had managed to find a house for rent..." ==================== "Thank you Mrs. Kicker for letting me stay as a tenant in your house." I said trying to keep on the good side of Cloud Kicker just in case she lives up to her name and the cloud was my face. "Its no problem I usually live in a cloud house anyways this is more of a nonpegasi guest house." She smiled at me then looked over at the town clock, "oh, no. Sorry Mr. Byte but I need to an appointment. See you soon." She said running for about five feet before taking off towards the spa. "It seems Aloe and Lotus got the heater working again." I chuckled to my self. I had sent even been here a week and a lot of stuff happened. As it turns out sitting in a house with nothing to do is pretty boring, so I hopped up and wandered ponyville. As I walked by a house that somehow wasn't bouncing down the street from the volume of the music playing, I knew this was going to be an interesting day. ==================== "Wait that sounds a lot like DJ PON-3!" Said Allen now no longer ready to kill me. "As in fact it was, though I never met them face to face I heard a lot about her." "DJ PON-3 is a stallion..." Allen spoke up again in a very no-stupid-shit voice. "She was a mare." "Stallion" "Mare" before it came to blows like most arguments do when im involved in someway I relented, "alright fine here he is a stallion here." "Agh hem." Again clearing my throat ==================== After passing nothing more ridiculous than DJ PON-3's house, I finally found a place of somewhat sanity. The park. I wandered for a good twenty minutes before I saw a very sad mare sitting on a bench crying softly to her self. My mind instantly went into use shoulder as pillow mode, as soon as I saw her. Sitting down I put my hoof on her shoulder as she sat leaning forward like that cyan mare with the lyre for a cutie mark sat. "Are you alright?" Apparently I startled her because she almost jumped into the fountain behind us with a statue of celestia standing looking very regal. "Woah, woah. Its alright. My names Giga Byte what's yours?" getting pleasantries out of the way fast was the best way I could think of to get her to talk about that was wrong. "I... I... I'm ditzey doo, but every pony just calls me derpy." She said still looking at the ground. "Why is that?" I asked genuinely wondering. "Because, I can't do anything right..." She broke into tears again as she said this. "Its alright ditzey, what happened?" Still trying to help her, she looked up at me and I saw she had one eye that looked around while one focused as best as it could on me. "Everyone hates me, I ruined the parade for big Macintosh when I bumped into a cloud and it lit the float on fire. Now I got fired and can't do anything." She said like the way a pony talks when they just want to lay down and die. "Hey its alright, come with me I've got stuff at my house we can make... Do you like muffins?" I asked not expecting a to get tackled by ditzey. "I love muffins!" She said letting out a squee of exitement. Completely forgetting being sad. ==================== "As you can guess if you've known derpy for any amount of time, we became friends right after I said muffin." I said wrapping up the short story for Allen. "So not one of the best, I've made my first friend stories, but I think its fine... for me at !east." "Heh. Heh." She forcibly laughed "at least you have friends, my brother is all I've got." She said now in a sad voice. "Don't worry, I'll get him back." I said trying to cheer her up. "So what do ya wana do?" "Get my brother back!" She said instantly popping back into her excited voice. she REALY wants him back, kinda sad she can't come with to get him. I thought to my self. "Um, Allen? I've got to go in alone." I said knowing her next reaction. "Alright." She said completely throwing off my explanation on why she couldn't go with, it took me a second to register what she said. "I'm sorry Allen but you can't... Wait what?" "I said alright. I can guess by what your wearing and the silencers you try to go with stealth if you can. I'm quiet but in a place like that? I'll get us both killed." She said almost verbatim, my reasoning. "I... Thanks Allen. I'll get your brother back. Now, can I ask, how many ponies are in there?" "About forty." She said nonchalantly. "Well this is gana be fun."
Prologue==================== PROLOGUE ==================== Hi I'm Giga Byte, you can just call me Giga, I am, or well was a test pony for just about anything at iron shod fire arms, one of the biggest weapons producers in equestria, I would fire a new gun to see how well it worked,test new armors, lob prototype grenades at stuff, fun right? Well not so much, ya see one day I was testing a new prototype armor for the steel rangers, it was important enough that the ministry mare applejack herself showed up to watch the testing, the only problem was i was the one getting shot at. "Mr. Byte are you ready for the testing to begin?" Said the overly dreary lab technition, she never put any emphasis or any feeling into her words unless she was giving a briefing on the schematics of something, she would be jumping around like a school filly in her lab coat that was somehow less white than her own coat then. "Um. I guess, ms. Applejack are ya sure this armor will work?" I said as the cyan fur on the back of my neck stood on end. "It should, you have no idea how many tests we put that darn thing through before it got to you sugarcube." Said AppleJack confidently with her distinctly southern equestrian drawn. "I... If ya say so ma'am" I replied, still scared out of my mind, which is very unusual for me. Being a thief by trade to survive at all be for iron shod hired me on, I was never one to get scared especially when a whole squad of guards was looking for me was probably because I had weapons to knock them out then, here I was relying on someone else which a thief never does. "Don't worry it'll be over before ya know it, all we gata do is run some diagnostics on the armor for calibration." She said with as much kindness she could show to a cyan colored stallion with a mane that looked like vinyl Scratch's if she took a tornado to it, that she had never met before know. Which for many apony, that was more than they could in a year I was never the pony getting fired at, I only tested the weapons, I'm proud to hold the highest shooting accuracy in ironshod, but back to the story. "1 minute until testing, please clear the testing floor if you are not to be tested on." Blared the PA system that I despised more than anything living or dead, that hung on every wall. "Well here we go" I said stepping into the boots on the floor, after my hooves were comfortable in the boots I nodded to the big glass window over the testing area where Applejack, a plethora of lab technicians and a platoon of steel rangers stood watching with unreadable faces behind their opaque helmet as the "balefire" suit as it was nicknamed since it could survive getting hit by a balefire egg, was assembled straight onto me. "Deep breaths, it'll all be finished soon. Only ten shots will be fired from the turret." "T-5 ...4...3...2...1..." This time being said through the coms in my helmet. "FIREING" ten rounds were fired at insane speed at me I braced and felt all ten shots hit the armor and bounce off to go slideing underneath the machinery. I let out a breath than I was unknowingly holding. "Alright... Time to get out of this su-" I got no farther into my thought before a large bang went off from one of the machines behind me. "What the?.." I really shouldn't be surprised so much stuff breaks here, not two days earlier forrest stalker, one of the few thestrals on site had to run for her life after a mainframe detonated. She never ran so fast in her whole life Just as the suit came off i sprinted to the door to find it shut, and of course locked "ARE YOU SERIOUS!?" I screamed at nothing in particular. Of course that sentrybot exploded just after the suit was taken off me,my luck has been amazing recently. two guns a grenade AND a rocket launcher malfunctioned this week a bullet shot out the ejector of an assault rifle which smacked me in the face, a pistols magazine broke in half discharging all of the rounds into my hoof which had been covered in a steel plate like all your appendages are when fireing live ammo, it still left a good sized bruise. The grenade's pin came out in my magic with out me telling it to, so that blew up in my face and SOMEHOW the rocket fired backwards and broke through the wall scarring the living shit out of our neighbors about two miles down the road luckily no pony was hurt as it did not detonate, Looking around desperately for any cover from the encroaching inferno, that robot HAD to be near the ammo cache didn't it? finding nothing to hide behind or anything to put out the flames I got up as close to the wall as any pony can get. "From facing off a turret for a test to getting cooked medium well, I'd say this day went pretty well for a massachist" I said just over the sound of the roaring inferno before me. The flames licking at my fur I deside if I'm incinerated, I want to go out with style. "LOOK OUT BELOW!" I yelled. Launching off the wall with haste I cannonballed into the flames.
Chapter 1: Start-Up==================== Chapter 1 Start-Up ==================== "Ugh, what did I do last night!?" I said out loud to my self "must'a been fun, this is the worst headache I've had, and I've opened one of the official MoM party boxes and those blow you clear across the room usually." Climbing to my hooves I looklooked around to see I'm in a cellar . "okay so THAT is why I have a roaring headache, I pissed someone off enough for them to knock me out, and lock me in a cellar." note to self don't talk to my self as much. I desided to look for stuff to "borrow" like the theif I was before ironshod hired me. so let's find the door, no point in looting if I can't get out with it I stumbled around for about ten minutes before I found a hatch that was haphazardly covered in boards. I bucked it as hard as I could, I heard a the cracking of wood but when I checked the hatch was still in one piece and wasnt damaged by anything more than a dent. well looks like I need to find the key for that. At least its uncovered now. I decided to search the smaller containers first since there's less space to hide stuff, with no luck. time for the big crap. after searching through three filing cabinets, a class bottom of a drawer and a fridge... why do ponies love having fridges in there basement? Either way there isn't much here to search at least... finding a tool box that was yet to be searched I quickly scuttled over and poped the locking mechanism on it, i found a small pile of about 25-30 bottle caps, a combat knife that'll be useful. and a KEY! "Ah there you are ya little bugger" snatching it up with the knife and the bottle caps I turned to the door to find a locker with a busted lock on it. "Man my lucks gana run out soon, but I may as well ride it out while I can." Walking over to the locker I yanked the rusted out husk of a lock off and swung the door open to find, a black duster, a dark gray under barding and a pair of saddle bags that gave no indication of who's they were, but it being black leather as well. "Not what I was expecting." Seeing as i was currently without clothes and for all I know that light shining through could be a lamp so it could be night. I personally love the night, it makes seeing me so much harder and any flashlights ruin nightvision, also it is always calm at night compared to the hustle and bustle of day where you had to levitate or fly to not get trampled. pulling it off the rack and puting it on I found it fit perfectly. "Alright now to get out of this hole in the ground." Climbing up the stairs that were steep enough to be a ladder, I floated the key up to the lock and twisted it. Heaving the hatch open with my hooves AND telekinesis I climbed out to the surface "What in celestials name is this place!?" I shouted not careing who heard. What lay before me was not the equestria I knew and loved but a burnt out husk where even the grass had fled. "How in the hell did all this happen?" *CLICK* "Move a muscle and your head is gana be all over this wall." Said a distinctly feminine voice from right behind me in a harsh yet not angry tone. Having a dad in the army had its perks, you would always know if he had an empty pistol or a loaded dart gun aimed at your head. "Permission to speak?" I said acting like I'm talking to a drill sergeant. "Uh g.. Granted" she said loosening any hint of command in her voice. I spun around grabbed the shotgun that she was holding VERY awkwardly in her hooves, then poped the breach in the double barrel shotgun "nice try with the bluff but don't hit the trigger when ya put it up to the target..." I closed the breach and aimed it at her. *CLICK* "It clicks when its empty." I said while smileing , how ever that didn't last when I saw who I aimed at, it was a small filly with ajet black mane and a dark maroon coat. She was crying softly after I realized this wasn't someone who wanted to kill be. "H.. Hey its alright I didn't mean to scare ya." Her crying lessened but kept going. Crouching down I put a hoof on her back. "Its alright I'll give ya the gun back" sliding it over to her she pulled it up to her chest and her crying lessened enough for her to look at me. "I.. I.. I'm sorry" she whispered in the quietest voice I've ever heard. "Its okay little one, why did you do it though?" I spoke in the gentlest voice I could. "I.. I did it to get caps from you and scavenge this place." She said a bit more confidently. "caps?, what do you mean by caps?" I asked questioningly but still kindly. "What are caps!?" She said exasperated all the sadness before during off as quick as you could blink, "have you been living under a rock for the past 200 hundred years? Caps are our money in the wasteland, I don't know what stuff like this shot gun are worth though." She said happily like nothing happened. "Um. Alright, wait 200 years? Since what happened?" I asked completely confused. "Since balefire hit equestria." "So this" gesturing to the wasteland "is the aftermath of that." I said guessing at why the world was a husk now. I knew about balefire it is a VERY destructive spell that could be activated even by a earthpony if stored right. "Um... Yes" she replied getting scared again. "Don't worry, wait where are your parents?" I asked concerned. She started to cry to her self next to me. "What's wrong?" I brought the caring sound back to my voice again. "Th... They are... Gone" she said with a small sniffle before she finished. "We got hit by slavers on the way to New Appleoosa with our caravan. They took me and my brother and me then killed everyone else." She said mid sniffle. "Slavers." I said with new menace appearing I. My voice. "Wait, how did you escape?" I asked with sincere worry. "They put a really bad lock on the cage so I broke it off then snuck out. I wanted to get enough caps to pay for my brother but that's about 400 caps and I found 5" she started to cry again. "Woah woah, its alright. You said somethin about a New Appleoosa, what did ya mean?" I asked with sincere curiosity. "Um... Its the town right down the road from here its kind of hard to miss, just look for train cars I guess." She said needing to pause several times to think. "Thank you..." "Allen wrench" she said finishing my thought for me. "Thank you Allen Wrench." I started to walk in the direction she pointed in when I thought of something. Turning around I walked back and put a gentle hoof on her shoulder. "Hey Allen wrench do ya wana come with me to New Appleoosa? I don't want ya wandering and possibly being caught again." She perked up at that, "SURE!" She said excitedly. I smiled at that.I may be cold as a windego's breath sometimes but if a foal gets involved I will help in any way I can. "so let's get going." I said cheerfully.this was gana be a great day... this is gana be one of the worst days in my life "Celestial damn it" I said as another volly of assault rifle rounds flew over the rock we had dove behind for cover. "I wish I had ammo for this stupid shotgun, I could be helping so much right now" Allen Wrench said with a whimper as a peices of rock fell next to her. "You and me both kid" I said quietly as the bullets stopped flying. I raised a hoof to my muzzle in a "shooshing" gesture to keep Allen quiet. "Hope they aren't pulp afta that I want ta have a little " fun" with that mare." Said one of the male "raiders" who fired at us. "Ya know even for you that's sick, it was just a filly, doubt it even had its mark yet" said the other male with a disgusted time in his voice. "Ah wat eva I don't care there all the same ta me." The first said "ya can have the front if ya want." *THUD* "Yea nah, I don't think ya want that now do ya rusty spade?" Said a 3rd raider this time a mare. "Ya got me here" "Of coarse" replied Rusty "Go look at the victims we got. while I loot this asshole here." Said the mare again now outing a less intimate tone and more yelling orders. "You got it." wait till he gets by the rock, use your horn to run him through, then take the gun my brain already forming a plan of action. The moment he walked around the corner I jumped at him, but sadly I missed. "Well that could have gone better" I said to my self now turning to see the butt of an assault rifle mid swing towards me. Dodgeing to the left I punched the gun away to hear it snap in half fine I didn't need that anyway. ducking beneath his swing I jabbed at his gut, only to get a rear hoof kick to the face. "Agh" I yelled as I was thrown back. Me swinging first I landed a hit on his shoulder but put only half the force I could have by miss judging the angle. He bucked at me but hit a boulder instead looseing a avalanche onto us. I rolled about ten hoof steps away just as the rocks came down onto him, killing him instantly. I turned just in time to see a zebra sword flying at me, I tried to dodge but it cut my right leg leaving a deep gash that started to bleed instantly. "Ugh" I groaned as I picked up the sword in my telekinesis. I learned a while ago that throwing your melee weapon only throws your only defense away. I charged the mare to see she now had a .44 revolver about two inches from my head. "Ah it seems I have the upper hoof now. At least I could watch a good fight between you two." "Wasn't he your husband or lover?" "Ha, him?" She waved the gun at the corpse that was half buried in rock "I didn't care I can get another stallion when I get back to camp" "You are sick aren't you." "Not as much as some of my friends" she smiled with a devilish grin, she clicked the hammer back on the gun "well good bye" "Could be worse" "W.. What? What do you mean?" "I mean at least I don't have a double barreled shotgun about to fire at me." I started to smile as she took in what I said "Fuck yo-" *BOOM* Here head was no more than a red mess on the floor now "at least the bad guys talk so much, am I right?" Allen said as she poped the breach and ejected the two spent shells. "Yes, thank you Allen it could have been me with no head if you hadn't snuck around." I said letting out a breath I had no idea I could hold while talking. "No problem, I don't want you to be dead too your my friend!" "Um thanks. I'll go look at every ponies bodies alright?" I asked hesitantly not knowing how she would react "Go right ahead." She smiled a bit as she said it and leaned against a boulder. I nodded then started searching, first I checked the made with the .44, I gained ten caps around 30 rounds of .44 and 5 of armor piercing rounds, some REALY horrible leather armor that I could use to repair my duster... Hopefully. Moving on I found a pack of ciggerets which I shoved into my saddle bags, as I only ever thought of them as death on a stick so I hope I can sell them. I found about 15 shotgun shells and somehow 2 dragons breath rounds. Stuffing those in my saddle bags for now I moved on to the crushed stallion. To find about 50 55.6 ammo in his saddle bags and a universal pistol silencer. "Now THAT could come in handy." Stuffing it in my saddle bags that were only half full. "Alright I'm done." I said as I floated out the shotgun ammo but not giveing the dragons breath rounds cause those were even rare BEFORE the apocalypse so they had to sell for good money. "The way from here to New Appleoosa I walked by guards so much, I really doubt we will run into any trouble." She said confidently. Well I hope she is right I need to get this leg checked out, this sword cut REALY deep, I hope tetanus doesn't set in before we get therethere, it could be worse I could have died. Or didn't get a new silenced gun and a zebra sword to boot.. "I wonder if I'll see anyone from the old equestria at this New Appleoosa." I said to my self.
Chapter 3: The little voice in my head================= Chapter 3 The little voice in my head ================= As the silhouette of the ruins of the ironshod firearms facility, where the slavers that captured Allen and her brother were, came into view, I couldn't help but think well this is fun, going to my old work place, to clear out ponies who have taken over. The ponytons were just stood there as silent guards like the royal guard in canterlot, never moving never speaking, just standing there. "Damn, if only the workponies hadn't shut of the robots for diagnostics before the world died." I drew my revolver as the door swung open revealing a slaver who was so drunk he could have a balefire bomb go off next to him and he wouldn't notice. Waiting for him to walk away from the door I aimed it at his head while he relieved himself on one of the robots. dont waste a shot use the sword called out a voice I've heard since a flamethrower's fuel tank detonated in my magic. the doctors in the medical wing found out someone found a "soul jar" that had some chaotic energy in it, and somehow opened it. The energy found a host in my mind and so far hasn't done anything to harm me or anypony else. I've taken to calling him scorch for that reason. Doing as he told me I holstered the revolver under my coat and unsheathed the zebra sword. I closed the distance between me and him. I put a hoof over his mouth to muffle his shouts and slit his throat. "Alright now to get inside with out being spotted." I whispered to my self. The door opening was a fluke so I doubt I could get in that way, its also guarded most likely. I looked around and found a window on the second floor was open. Searching for a way up of some sort I found a box about half the height to the window. I shoved it up to the wall and climbed up. For the rest of the distance I found a small ledge that hadn't crumbled yet so I pulled my self up to the window and hopped in. To find a guard... Sleeping luckily. I stopped moving as soon as I hit the floor, hoping he hadn't woken up. draw your pistol in case he wakes, we don't want him to make to much noise. said scorch as then guard snored loudly. I aimed the gun and fired as soon as his snore was done as to not alert anyone by the door. wait until you clear this place before you take items for the bodies. advised scorch again. As I walked as quiet as I could, I could hear a mare yelling orders to the slavers below. "DEADBOLT! Get your sorry ass up here!" She yelled loud enough to make my ears ring. I heard a several loud clangs as a pony bolted up the stairs. "Yes ma'am?" He asked timidly. "I want you to secure the outer doors again I think animals are getting in." She commanded quieter but no less threateningly. "Yes ma'am ." he replied as if he would be shot if he didn't do it. wait until he walks away before you open the door then sneak to the right, the automated defenses are in there. said scorch making me remember the layout of the facility again. I heard the clanging of a pony walking slowly on a half rusted out staircase. Opening the door I found the mare who was in charge leaning on the guard rail overlooking the factory floor that held twenty or so cages, half of which were filled with slaves. deal with her first she may be an issue later. scorch spoke up again. I followed hi advise and drew the revolver again. Lineing up a shot I fired the shot went cleanly through and dropped her to the floor. now go to the targeting room advised scorch again. can you be less commanding sometimes please? I replied through thought to scorch. I followed his Instructions to the automated defenses targeting room with out any resistance. enter the pass code. What was it? Oh yes. I typed in the pass code and several commands: As I shut down the console I heard the ponytons jolt to life *this is now a free fire zone, all civilians should evacuate the area* several of the mechanical ponies said in there distinctive metallic voices. All that could be heard for the next minute, could only be described as a war outside as the roboponies gunned down as many slavers as they could with the slavers getting a few good shots off with at least two ponytons dropping to the floor with loud clanks. ================= After five or so minutes I exited the control room with the ID next to the console. if you want me to be less commanding then fine said scorch with an annoyed mental huff. How he could do that was beyond me, but like him appearing as a jet black coated me in my head sometimes, baffled me even more. the robots will keep you covered if any raiders or more slavers show up, so loot all you want. he said less annoyed and more relieved the slavers were dead. I hate slavers but scorch would blow up the world to kill one if he could. I better let out the slaves first. after opening every cage and telling at least thirty or more of them not to pick up the weapons because the robots would shoot them if they did, I finally found Allen's brother, who by my guess was about fifteen, his light blue coat contrasted Allen's red but had enough bruises to look like a blue banana that went through a washing machine. He was curled up in a corner of the cell crying. As the cell door creaked open he curled up even smaller expecting to get beat again most likely. what should I do scorch? I asked the voice in my head, not knowing how to comfort him. sit down next to him and get him to stop crying I guess, I can't help much more than that. he said also having no clue. I did as instructed and sat down next to him, not saying a thing but waiting for him to notice me just waiting for him. After about five minutes he finally stopped crying and sat up. "Y.. You ain't gana hit me?" He asked ready for a possible strike to his face. "Nope, your sister sent me to get ya." I said truthfully. No point in lying to her brother that I was sent by her. "Sh... She's alive!? I... I can't believe she would send somepony tah get me instead of robbing for caps tah buy me out!" He said still scared but very excited. Don't tell him about how we met her. advised scorch. "Should we get back to her?" I said sarcasticly but still careing. "Of course!" He said now completely happy. "Alright. Hey what's your name anyway?" "Sledgehammer" he said shyly, he is the exact opposite of Allen isn't he. He is very shy, his coat is dark blue, hell even his name is for smashing stuff, Allen's his for building stuff. How do the get along so well? I have no idea. Brother-sister bond mabey?I replied equally perplexed. "Sledgehammer? Is it alright if I take the weapons and things from the slavers before we go?" I asked holding he would say yes. "Um. Sure?" He half said half asked. "Thanks." ================= After a good twenty minutes of looking for and through the thirty or so slavers we came out with about seventy caps, two shotguns, one a semiautomatic shotgun for Allen ,and a double barreled for selling, an assault rifle, two frag grenades, and a memory orb I found in a filing cabinet marked "confidential" scorch can you remind me to view this when we get the chance. I asked him. sure, we better get going now sledgehammer is getting antsy. he said with a mental nod. how do you know that? I asked very confused I can sense ponies feelings within about fifteen feet of you, while you were sorting the loot I checked on him. "Alright I'm ready. Sorry for taking so long." I apologized for making him wait. "Its fine. I guess, let's get goin." He said hurriedly like the slavers would appear to beat him again. "Don't worry I'll protect you." I said reassuringly. "We will get there in about fourty minutes or so if we go at a canter" "Alright. We should be fine on the way there since about four or five miles from here its-" "Well guarded. I know, Lets gehen Sie dann" "What did you say?" Sledgehammer asked very confused on my change in language. "Its germane, it means let's go then" I explained "Oh, ya let's go. Also what's germane?" He asked less confused "Ah, well now we have a history lesson for the road!" I said, mimicking twilight sparkle in fake enthusiasm. "Oh, perfect."
Chapter 4: You only live twiceThe sun was dropping below the horizon when I finished my little Germain history lesson for sledgehammer, he was ready to grab the nearest pole and stick my head on it. "My brain hurts." He complained "Sorry kid. Anyways this part of the road should be safe. Is it not?" I said hopefully "Um. It should be. At anytime I've seen at least ten guards patrolling." He said while rubbing his head with his hoof, while walking. "How do you do that?" I asked very confused "What." "Rubbing your head while walking?" "Um. I genuinely don't know." He said becoming as confused as I was. "I. Alright, I guess." I said giving up on any way to do that, if I tried I would have my muzzle planted in the dirt. We walked in awkward silence for another ten minutes before I spotted a group of raiders huddled around a campfire for heat and light. why are they here? "hold up" I said raising my forehoof to stop him. Luckily the raiders seemed to be more focused on the fire than anything else. Either that or now that it was dark the fire was messing with their nightvision. I got into a ditch on the other side of the road to avoid the raiders. I motioned for sledgehammer to follow. he slid down into the ditch where I stopped his momentum with a foreleg. we should slip past them to avoid anymore wounds for you or sledge. said scorch again offering advise. I put my hoof up to my mouth in a "shooshing" gesture, sledge just nodded. Pushing forward in a crouch in the ditch as to not be heard by the raiders. We got well out of earshot of the raiders before we climbed back out of the ditch. "We should talk quieter untill we get to new appleloosa." Sledgehammer advised. "Agreed" i said raiseing my voice from a whisper to quiet chatting. As i spoke neither sledgehammer nor my semi trained ears heard the friends of those we passed were comeing down the road. "WELL LOOK WHAT WE FOUND! FRESH MEAT!" Yelled one of the two psycos as i drew my gun, dropping behind the barely standing concrete barrier, sledge ran up and got behind it aswell. A hail of bullets from a machine gun flewpast me as i contemplated a course of action. I popped up and fired a shot into the pony with the machine gun, fireing two shots in quick succession I dropped back behind cover hopeing he was dead. After ten seconds and no return fire I readied the my gun before i hopped back up to shoot the other raider with brass hooves. I jumped up to find he wasnt there. "What?.." *BOOM* "Agh!" I yelled in suprise and pain as a rifle round imbedded itself in my ribs. I dropped like a stone with a hole in my right side. Out of nowhere the raider brute with brass hooves hopped over the barrier and looked down at me, smileing "why hyullo" he spoke with an accent like he was from marescow or stalliongrad. He kicked me in the ribbs makeing me cough and gasp for breath. Rolling me over he raised his hoof and brought it down on my muzzle four times breaking my nose in the process. He layed his hoof on my revolver and kicked it away breaking the silencer and something internal as it hit the concrete barrier. "Do svidaniya" he said as he raised his hoof over my throat about to crush my windpipe. "Hey! Get away from him!" Yelled sledgehammer who grabbed the machine gun from the dead raider. "Oh hyullo little one." The brute said smileing devilishly. Before he could move an inch closer, sledge unloaded into his face completely vaporizing it. He switched the gun over to semi auto and fired four shots at the sniper only one return shot came. He dropped the gun and ran over to me. "Are you alright? I always hated when ponies said that if you were hurt, you always state the obvious. "N. N. No. *cough* Go to new appleloosa you'll be safe" i said between coughs with hope. "No i wont leave you to die" he said trying to convince me i was okay "Go" i commanded. "Ill be back with a doctor" sledge promised "Alright... *cough* I think I'm going to go to sleepp..." "no don't go on me now!" sledge yelled as I fell into unconsciousness. ~~~ooOOooOOooOOoo~~~ I realized I could still feel my body even though I was unconscious, which I have never had happen before since I have been knocked out at least five times in the testing range by a malfunctioning weapon. also I was a mare. what the, what is going on? asked scorch who was as confused as I was. I don't know, wait I think this is the memory orb I grabbed.I thought to scorch How, don't you need to grab that in your magic?he replied still confused I don't know but... oh I think our senses have come back Then shut up and watch.he retorted venomously Everything came together at once, sight, sound, even smell. and I knew that smell of barbecued circuitry and electronics, this was the terminal station where all the tests are viewed. this mare was looking at a mirror that she had hung somehow on the wall where there was no hooks or loose nails, just a flat grey wall. and I was in the head of a pure white coated, long grey maned mare, she was straightening her mane before somepony knocked on the door. She opened the door with a press of a button next to her. stood in the door was a orange colored pony with a tied faded blonde mane with a worn Stetson sitting on her head, waiting patently for the mare to speak. "H... hello M.. Mrs. Applejack. how a.. are you today?" the mare stuttered obviously scared half to death on why the ministry mare had arrived. "just fine sugar cube, so are we goin ta begin the testing for the balefire armor soon, Ms. Phrase?" said AppleJack making Code Phrase, there is her name, remember why she was straightening her mane in the first place. "Y... Yes ma'am, Mr. Byte is standing out in the testing floor awaiting your approval." "Alright then shall we get started?" "yes ma'am" said code phrase now loosing any stutter. "alright, oh wait! Paladin Heart you may come in." applejack said to a steel ranger just outside the room. "thank you Ma'am" came a deep now modulated voice through a set of power armor. As a dull greyed set of steel ranger power armor walked in. "shall we begin?" Code Phrase asked expectantly "Ee'yup" said AppleJack before she looked down, mumbling something of a prayer to somepony. Code phrase belted out list of directions to everyone but... me. WAIT WHAT!?I yelled internally as she walked over and I saw a stallion with a blue green coat and a light and dark blue mane stood there waiting for the armor to be placed on him. The armor was assembled onto me and after only one minute the low caliber turret fired ten rounds, none did even a dent in the green tinted grey armor. As the suit was being taken off by several pneumatic arms suspended from the ceiling though, a ponytron crashed into the ammunition stockpile in the back creating a giant inferno that spread towards me in less than 10 seconds. I saw me run to the door on the right of the building just before the blast shield was dropped over the window. Time zoomed forward at ludicrous speed until it stopped abruptly making me and scorch get jostled around in the mares head, somehow. what just happened? I asked scorch mentally climbing off of him as we had landed on top of each other in the mares headhead. I don't know I didn't think memories could fast forward. he said mentally dusting himself off we stood over a medical table where I lay burnt more to the look of a peice of burnt toast than a pony. "Ma'am I have an idea." blurted out code phrase. "yes?" replied applejack with a raised eyebrow. "to compete with robronco I had plans set up for robots that used our weaponry instead of robronco's. giga here may speed that up." "what do ya mean?" "we could implant cybernetics under his skin to make him a "sleeper" agent if you will." "I.. I don't know about that." "why?" "it seems a bit unnatural to bring him back to life with technology." "I.. yes, but it could help in a lot of ways..." "I personally agree ma'am." said Paladin Heart without his helmet on showing his dark violet coat with a almost black, blue mane. "I... I don't know." said applejack hesitantly. "think about it, Mr. Byte could help with the war! We could implant him as a defector in the zebra capital and assassinate the Caesar." insisted Heart. "I.. I.. Fine, but don't expect me to be happy 'bout it." applejack said quite annoyed. "alright, lets get to work." code said happily. ~~~ooOOooOOooOOoo~~~ WHAT!? I yelled at scorch internally as everything faded to black. Ah! don't yell, you aren't the only one in here you know. he retorted while covering his ears. how could they do that!? I like electronics and all but this I ridiculous!I said lowering my internal voice. I don't know but you should be happy, your alive. and it could be a lot worse.. he faded away as I snapped back awake with a jerk. "woah, slow down there." said the doctor I saw from new appleloosa. "what happened while I was *cough* out?" I said groggily "this little guy told what happened here." she pushed Sledge forward gently. "and I ran as fast as I could to get here." "thanks sledge." "no problem" he replied shyly "anyways you've lost a lot of blood so I don't advise moving too much, so I hauled this old piece of shit wheel chair for you, now can you get in?" she said as she started to push me into the chair. I got in, settled my self comfortably into it and started to roll it towards new appleloosa. "woah hold on I got ya." said Allen who appeared out of nowhere. "finally *cough* found your brother I see." I said sarcastically. "yea" she rolled her eyes "anyways lets get you back to the town were only just over that hill!" she said happily as I gained speed from her gallop. Scorch had been mentally humming a cheery tune with "always look" and "side of life" escapeing his muzzle when we hit a large bump while Allen ran me in the rusted to death wheel chair. She stopped so quickly i flew out of the chair a good four feet before I stood up slowly. "Ugh, that hurt." I stated as i limped towards thw wall to lean on it, feeling as if i was going to pass out again. Allen ran over to me and put a foreleg over me to steady me. "Sorry sir. I was happy my brother is back is all." She apologized with a smile "Its *cough* fine. My name is Giga Byte by the way, i forgot to say my name when we met." I said with happiness crawling into my voice. "Alright Giga Byte, we need to get you into the doc's office." "Alright, *cough* lets go I woke up, the anesthetic haveing worn off, on a operateing table as the doctor ran from place to place. "Oh come on! I know i put it there two minutes ago. Where could it?.. Oh for the love of, why is it up here!?" She said grabbing at the top of a filling cabinet, pulling a medical clipboard down. "Oh your awake, the anesthetic should have kept you out for another two hours, well you dont need to be asleep any more. Apparently you have some VERY advanced implants in your skin, may i study them?" She asked anxiously. "Sure" i said "Thanks." She spoke gratefully She spoke up after five minutes of mumbleing. "Where did these come from? They are more advanced than any robronco implants ive seen before" "Um yea about that. They are from Ironshod Firearms." She deadpanned "what? They didnt make implants only weaponry." "Its true!" "Who installed them then? Cause you havent traveled far and im the only doctor in a fifty mile radius." "Um a scientist, with applejack watching over her shoulder." I said She burst out laughing when i was done speaking. "That is the biggest bullshit ive heard so far this year" she said holding back another fit of laughter. "Its true." I said hopefully "And im related to the goddesses" "I wish that hadn't been a one use memory orb." As it had apparently cracked in half after I used it. "If you wana get any one to believe you got to tenpony" she said rolling her eyes. "I dont know were that is and i want to stay where ponies know me." "Who knows you here?" "Ditzy does." "I... Lets go see." She said smirking while helping me off the table, and opening the door. As we walked up to "Absolutely Everything" I said a thought that had been bouncing around in my head. "Well at least they didn't make me a full robopony" I said with a laugh making the doctor glare at me. "Alright I'll be quiet." I said annoyed. We entered Absolutely Everything to find derpy helping a customer with working out prices on several cans of food. As it turns out the stallion didn't take much time and left with five of his six cans. "Hi ditzey." I said happily with her waving back. Doc here says no one knows me from here, is that true?" I asked with some sarcasm and a smirk forming on my muzzle that still had not been reset. She smiled and hoofed out her chalk board before writing "Giga Byte was one of my best friends before the war!" "Oh. Sorry Miss Do for interupting. Your day then." The doctor said annoyed, yanking me back outside she glared at me. "Ugh fine I'm sorry about that, now since you are one of the most decent..." She reached up and reset my muzzle who?e I was unaware, makeing me jump in pain. "Customers I've had all week I'll tell you about some stuff around town. First of all there is a house outside of the walls, mabey a five minutes trot from here, that just became available ask ditzey for the price since she has been handling that for a couple of months now. I don't think much else is going on but I'll help you if I can, but my prices will stay the same, and that will be about a hundred caps." She spoke with enough speed to make my head spin, but I knew I didnt have that many caps... Yet as even though I lost the pistol in the fight I still had full saddle bags under my slightly beat up duster. "I don't have that right now. May I sell some stuff to ditzey fist?" I pleaded "Fine but I'm staying right here untill you get back, and you better have my caps" she spoke warningly. "Don't worry I'll be back." I walked out of ditzey's shop two hundred caps ditched leaving me with around two hundred and eighty caps. "You got my caps?" The doctor asked impatiently "Yep here ya go" I said pulling out a small bag full of caps and throwing it to her. As she caught it she remembered what was in her sergical apron's pocket. Pulling out a beat up revolver she threw it to me, catching it easily in my telekinesis and outing it into my foreleg holster. "Thanks" "Ner problem" she said holding the bag in her mouth before dropping it to where the gun was. I still had around a hundred or two hundred caps left as I walked away going towards the house the mare, as well as derpy told me about. "This place better be good for all the money I just got."
Chapter 5: The job marketIt could be better if we add a bit of paneling there, fix that hole in the wall and unblock the workshop. I said to scorch mentally appraising the house the town doctor had told me about. Though she lied about the distance being fairly close to the town, but I didn't really care, I liked being away from other ponies. You know, this is the first peice of property I have seen in this hell hole that actually looks decent. said Scorch who was surprisingly in a happy mood, which is a big change since he usually acts like he doesn't care at all or is always annoyed. How much did she say it was? She said around a hundred mabey a hundred and fifty caps. Should we look inside? I guess. We walked inside to one of the worst smells that ever assaulted my nose hit me like a freight train. "Sweet Celestia, what happened in here?" I said gagging and faceing the outside for breathable air. I. Don't know. Break a window to air it out. Gagged Scorch as he made a military gas mask appear on his mental image. That's better. He laughed thought the gas mask. I took a deep breath and charged inside to one of the windows, which I promptly bucked sending the entire pane flying in peices onto the ground outside. I stuck my head out the window gasping "How is it possible this smell is messing with me more than when one of the tear gas grenades went off in my magic?" I don't know but it seems worse here I think its in the workshop. Said Scorch who's gas mask's filter had deteriorated making him hover up a new one. I took in another deep breath then bolted into the workshop that had a door that had a tire iron smashed through the window jamming it in place. Bucking the door as hard as I could like I did to the window. Its hinges held barely long enough for it to fly open hit the wall and fall forward onto the ground. "Alright this place should air out now." Turning I saw what was causing it, a rotting stallion and a diamond dog were slumped against the wall, except the diamond dog had giant claws, a mace-like tail, the ponies head wasn't attached to his neck, as well as he had an assault rifle that had long since corroded beyond repair. Taking both of them in my magic I hovered them out into the dirt drive way made for earth bound vehicles. "That should help" I said now being able to breathe inside the dark workshop. One second. Said Scorch unexpectedly. Suddenly I couldn't feel anything in my body except for the flow of magic that was building in my horn. it built up to the point of pain in my head. Scorch what are you doing? I said starting to get worried, he had never taken over my body before and even if he hadn't done anything to hurt me yet, him being chaos energy, i didn't know what he would do. A wave of light blue like the aura currently surrounding my horn exploded from me and encased the house, every spot in the house suddenly lit up. I staggered falling to one knee. "What did you do scorch!?" I asked suddenly regaining control of my body. You thought it was dark so I cast a spell to allow the house to be lit perpetually as long as you are inside. He said matter of factly. "But I don't know a spell to do that" And I do, that's why I took control for a few seconds "Unless I tell you otherwise don't take over my body alright?" Fine but if you are going to die and you don't know how to stop it, but i do. I shall take over untill we are safe. "That is agreeable." I said as the room faded to darkness. We found a spark battery and an accepter for it outside the house, so I shoved the battery into the accepter making the generator wurr to life. "There we go." I said aloud to Scorch as I saw the lights flicker on. Go in then. he said rolling his eyes. I did as told and walked in the workshop door near the generator. Inside, it was surprisingly well kept with nothing really damaged except for a fridge that the pony had had in the workshop, opening it I found it packed to the brim with beer and vodka. "Looks like we had an alcoholic here before he was killed." I said letting out a bit of a laugh. I grabbed a bottle of vodka with my hoof pulled it out. Opening it I took a sniff. "Smells fine I guess." I floated it to my mouth. *cough* "strong, but not half bad" I said closing the fridge and walking off. "Hey Scorch? Can you remind me to get rid of the beer but keep the vodka in there?" Alright. Wait, how are you still standing after that any pony I've watched in the common room's that had something that strong were out for a few hours.He asked tilting his head. "My dad was a Anglo-Kabarda, I can handle most strong vodka, though not much else for some reason." I said shrugging with the vodka in hoof. We walked into the kitchen finding what usually is in a kitchen. The fridge was working, though if barely, the stove was around the same, the sink was beat half to death, making it unusable, and the cabinets were about to fall off. Seeing the kitchen made my stomach growl, also making me remember that I hadn't eaten since I attacked the slaver camp and me and sledgehammer ate before we left. So after two days of me healing up and looking for work I hadn't eaten. I opened the fridge and found a can of beans, two wheels of cheese and a... steak. "Oh for Celestia's sake" I said annoyed. I had met griffons, as well as some ponies who had trained them selves to eat meat, but for me I was never able to eat it, I found it disgusting. Floating the rotting steak that instantly drew flies over to the front door I promptly threw it in the direction of the road. I did the same with the rest of the items seeing as the rest would probably kill me with the amount of mold that was on it. let's head into town for a bit of food. And see if any jobs have popped up. scorch said speaking what I thought. So we headed out. "What do you mean I can't buy anything? I have enough caps!" I shouted at the griffon greeter of the restaurant. "Sir, I'm sorry but after town tax nothing on the menu is in your budget." He retorted calmly. "I. Ugh. Fine can I do anything to pay it off?" I said calming down but still ready to rip his throat out. "Um. I don't think... Actually, yes you can. I'll give you a decent meal and you gather some stuff for me." "Sounds fine. What do you need?" I asked holding for a warm meal that wasn't meat. "Um, here is a list." He said scribbling some things on a piece of yellowed paper. "Should be easy enough." I said skimming the note. "Alright then, now for your payment in advance." He said turned and walked inside the kitchen. "Hey make a number four with a bowl of soup!" He walked back out. "Your food should be done in two or three minutes." I nodded. "Say what's your name anyway? I don't want to be calling you, you when we talk to each other." "The names Giga Byte." I said extending a forehoof to him. "Red Wind. Pleasure meeting you Mr. Byte." He said taking my hoof in his claw for a strong shake. "RED! Your order is done!" Yelled the feminine voice of the cook behind the half open door that was going to fall off soon. "One second." Red said as he turned on a claw and walked back inside. He returned five seconds later balancing the plate and bowl in a claw as he flew back over to me. "Here you go." Shoving the bowl over to me. I picked up the bowl and placed it on my back as he set the plate down on the pedistal where he usually stood. I hoofed that onto my back as well. Saying my thanks I walked off to an open table in the outdoor restaurant. I set both items on the wood table that was in fairly good condition compared to the rest of the town. I dug in eating the BLT with out bacon and the tomato soup after the sandwich was gone. I picked up the plate and bowl and walked it over to the table labelled "used plates, bowls, and cups here". Setting them down, I spun around and walked out of the barely fenced in dining area, nodding to Red as I pushed the squeaky gate open. So now we are full let's get to work. said Scorch as he walked back and forth hovering the note in front of him. we are going to need a pressure cooker, two pilot lights, a hot plate, and some pipe that isn't rusted to hell. "Sounds easy enough. I said aloud drawing several strange looks from the few ponies on the "road" as I had said something from the middle of a conversation to no pony when nothing was said before hoof. They think your crazy now I bet. said Scorch insightfully. I'll prove I'm not soon enough I said floating my .44 out to check its condition. "Ugh. This thing is useless to me with out a suppressor." I grumble to my self. I turned before I got to the front gate towards Absolutely Everything. I neared the building where Ditzey's shop was at. Opening the door I heard a new bell ring above me. I reached up to stop its horrible sound. As soon as my hoof hit the floor again, Ditzey hopped up from behind the counter she was sitting behind dropping her book, which managed to slide off into the back room and break something. She just shook her head then looked back up to me, smiling. "Hi ditzey, how are you today?" I said smiling back. She shrugged picking up her chalk board as she wrote on it. "Hi Giga what do you need?" "Do you have any semi auto pistols that have a suppressor that I can trade this for?" I said drawing the revolver ejecting the rounds into my hoof and place the gun on the counter. She continued writing. "I have a silenced .22 but it won't do squat. And a 10mm with a silencer. Though the punctuator over there is silenced but this won't cover the cost of the gun without ammo." "I'll take the ten mil, and can you trade this ammo for ten mil rounds?" I said floating out the three quick loaders and four spare rounds. "Sure thing" she wrote taking the gun and ammo, walking off to the back. She came out two minutes later with my new gun and ammo for it. I got a net gain in ammo since 10mm is less expensive than .44 magnum. "Thank you ma'am." I said politely as I walked outside. "I'll check there thanks." I said to a stallion who had helped me locate the salvage I needed. He nodded and continued down the road. I activated a Heads Up Display for you from one of your implants. But only the compass and health meter is working, guess after two hundred years of no maintenance it would be some what broken. said Scorch, popping back into being. "Thanks" I replied stepping through the main gate. So, the bunker he told us about is about an hour or so down that road. He said projecting a picture of him pointing to the left on the intersection ahead, then he walked away into a black haze in my head. "Alright thanks." Turning left I began to contemplate just about anything that floated into my head. First of them all was what I was going to do now, in this wasteland. This place isn't anything like back home. Hell before I had been outside for ten minutes I had a gun pointed at me by a filly. Stealth is my only asset, even with my knowledge of prototype weapons I can't take on more than three ponies alone unless I get the drop on them... The slight bump where the bunker entrance was came to me surprisingly quickly, since I had not been watching the time in my new hud that flickered in and out of view at annoying times, namely when a pot shot hit my duster, but didn't go through and I wanted to know my ammo count so I could return the favor. I walked closer now noticeing smoke was floating out of the pneumatic door that had a hole twice as big as me in it. "Uh." I said confused. A metalic clanging began to eminate from the hole. I dopped behind the destroyed door wanting to know what was going on. My answer came quickly as a large armored hoof stepped out showing the largest suit of armor i had ever seen, being almost three heads taller than me. I stood as still as possible hopeing the suit with bug like eyes didnt see me. Just as it started to walk away i slipped causing a small cascade of rock down the slope up to the bunker. "Shit." I said quietly as the suit turned toward me. After ten seconds of it looking i hoped it was friendly. That thought was pulverized as a small rotateing chaingun slid out of a panel that just opened. I ran as fast as i could for anything that could be used as cover. I slid into the ditch takeing some of the flak into my flank straight into where my cutie mark of a assassin-type mask in a cloud of code was. The mech continued fireing for a solid thirtey seconds before its gun ran out of ammunition. I took the opportunity and fired four quick shots at the suit, two bounced off but the other two hit one of the eye lenses causeing the mech to flinch back like a fish in a tank you tapped and a crack to from along the lens it self. The chaingun retreated into the suit, being replaced by a shoulder mounted missile launcher. It turned aiming a shot of the four shot missile launcher. I fired another shot hoping it would hit something critical before dropping in pain as the missile swarm shot over head demolishing the tree in the distance. "Shit." I said as the gunshot in my leg was aggrivated again. "Four shots into the flank in a days time, this is my life now." I said sarcastically to no pony in particular. Surrender said Scorch. "No why would i surrender to that!?" I yelled as another missile swarm flew over head. It doesnt want to kill you, it is scared. "how do you know? If it didnt want to kill me it would stop shooting at me." I replied angrily. Trust me, yell "you surrender." "ugh, fuck it", I popped my head up enough for it to see me but not enough for the launcher to get a lock. "I surrender!" I yelled as the missiles reloaded. As i thought it would kill me it stopped, then lowered the launcher back into the mech. "Y- you surrender?" The feminine metalic voice replied. "Yes, i surrender." I said raising my head up further. "U- uh alright" it said shakily. Before i could say anymore its head lowered slightly and the head split and slid into a hidden position, revealing a changeling without a horn unlike the usual ones ive seen in books. "Hi?" I said to the redish changeling. "Your a changeling." "Thought that would be obvious. And im not a changeling im a "demon"" she said hovering and making air quotes with her heavily armored hooves. "A demon?" I asked confused. "Ugh, ya know those unknown creatures in the heavily volcanic region that "was" the bad lands?" She said sarcastically. "Why are you called demons?" I asked "Like i said, heavily volcanic. Our plating mutated after the war cause we got bombed. So we can withstand sitting in lava and fire. Ponies call us demons cause of that." "Oh, what are you doing here then?" "Scavenging, nothing grows back home." "Dont you feed on love?" "Some of us do but that is just the scouts now, the rest gave that up since almost no pony goes there, since the place is so hot." "Oh" "Yea" We stood there for a good four minutes scratching at the ground with our hooves. I decided that I should breach the ice. "Oh, by the way did you find any of these in there?" I said floating the note over to her and remembering why i came here. "Yea... here" she said opening a plate in the huge mech showing a VERY large storage area that had just about everything in it, even a kitchen sink! Everything i needed was pulled out by tiny pneumatic arms. "Thanks" i said floating them above me. "Whats your name anyway?" "Replica." She said with out much thought or care. "Alright I'll let you on you way then." I said. She shrugged oddly in the massive suit, as the head reformed around her blood red mane. Her metal bug wings unfolded and she flew off emitting a strange buzzing noise, mixed with grinding metal. That was... odd Scorch said finally speaking up after the whole encounter. "Agreed, lets get this stuff back. Agh" i said my leg having a bout of pain. "And find some one to patch this up."
Chapter 2: The Grand Tour================= Chapter 2 The Grand Tour ==================== As we walked up to the gate of new Appleoosa I got the feeling that I wouldn't like this place. "So this is new Appleoosa?" I said staring at the train cars piled up at three tall in places, easily five times as tall as me. "Yup!" Allen exclaimed in a exceptionally cheery voice that I hadn't heard from her the whole way from where I woke up, "like it? We scavenged the cars from the train yard down the road. But that was before I was born." "Oh? Can ya give me the grand tour?" I asked half expecting her to say no and get somepony else to give a tour. "SURE!" She said loudly as she hopped up and down. "Glad your enthusiastic." I said after jumping about a three feet in the air, waiting for my heart to start up again. "I love giving tours! Its really fun." She said now calming down a bit. "Okay lead the way, I guess." "Yay!" She exclaimed loudly again. ==================== She led me to the main locations like the clinic, the bar/restraunt and lastly to the shop called absolutely everything but she stoped me before we went in. "I gata say something about the owner before we go in cause she doesn't like being called a zombie." "Zombie? Why would I call her a zombie?" I asked slightly confused. "Well you see, she is a sane ghoul, ghouls are ponies or griffons who have been hit by ALOT of magical radiation but survived, most are insane or soon to be, but some stay sane but take a lot of flak for it." She said giving me a brief history lesson on "ghouls" "Alright I will try to be as kind as possible." I said putting a smirk on my face after saying it. "Alrighty then!" She said now opening the door for me. I walked through but held the door for Allen to enter as well. Turning around after closing the door Allen spoke up enough to echo slightly through the room. "Alright ditzey should be behi-" she didn't get any farther when I interrupted VERY excitedly. "Derpy is alive!?" I exclaimed loud enough that a mare behind the counter in the storage room knocked something over making a crash that sounded like a glass house blew up. Like she was famous in ponyville for, she stumbled out with her eyes characteristically pointing off in different directions. "Derpy?" I said as I ran over to the counter grabbing the grey mare in a big bear hug, not even noticing the missing fur and near corpse like wings she had. She was as surprised as anypony who was suddenly thrown into a bear hug. Disengageing from my hug she pulled out a chalk board and wrote sir? Who are you? she backed up from the counter making sure to keep her eyes "sort of" on me. "Derpy its me, Giga, we were best friends before all this happened, remember?" I asked more in a pleading tone. Something must've clicked because she looked at me, smiled, then grabbed me in an even tighter hug than I gave her. "Gah. Can't. Breathe." I gasped before she let up. She grabbed the chalk board in her mouth and walked out from behind the counter. Giga, its been forever! wrote the mare who was the only pony who wanted to be my friend, since I didn't have any and she had very few because she was clumsy. Scratching out the previous message she wrote out some more: well welcome to absolutely every thing. she smiled warmly to me like she usually did before the world ended. "Thanks, so what do you sell here?" I asked pretty much knowing the answer. She put a hoof up to the "Absolutely Everything" on the chalk board. "Should have thought." I said giving a small chuckle "why do you write on that board instead of talking?" She just looked at the ground and didn't write anything "Her tongue was cut out by raiders" said Allen who I thought was still by the door. "Ah!" I yelped while jumping three feet in the air, landing on my stomach not my legs. "Allen. Please don't scare me like that." Derpy giggled as I got back to my hooves for the second time today. "Sorry" said Allen suddenly showing a shy side for the first time since we met. "Its alright, anyways they cut out your tounge?" Directing the conversation back to derpy. Nodding she opened her mouth and pointed with her hoof to where her tounge should have been. Looking ashamed she started to walk back behind the counter. This was the first time since when I first met derpy that she was ashamed of her self, and I wanted it to be the last. Trotting over to her I grabbed her hoof and pulled her gently back to the foyer of the building where we stood not moments before. "Woah, woah ditzey its alright" choosing to use her first name instead of derpy I put a hoof over her shoulder. "Its alright, you are just as good of a mare with out speech as you were with it" I've never been good at comforting ponies but I have helped them not turn suicidal at iron shod. she smiled then hugged me. Grabbing her chalk board she scribbled out: thanks giga, did you just come in here to help an old mare? "Um. No... Allen here was showing me around and she brought me here last. Sorry I couldn't get here sooner." I looked around admiring the piles appon piles of stuff derpy had set out on the walls and the floor. One thing did jump out at me though, a silenced zebra assault rifle with a toggleable night vision scope and extended mags. "Hey derpy?" After the little reunion she had walked back behind the counter and was sorting some orange packets and throwing away one in every three. She looked up from the tedious task. "How much does this cost?" Pointing towards the amazing gun. She started scribbling: 500 caps for the gun and 5 per magazine. my smile died as soon as I read it. Scribbling further she wrote: for you I'll take a third of the price off the gun, the ammo is the same though. she wiped the board after I read it and wrote: gata make money, sorry giga "Its alright, I could get that from looting dead raiders hopefully. Oh hey how much does ammo for this cost?" Drawing the .44 from my coat pocket "and how much for a holster?" She wrote out the prices with no degree of difficulty remembering them three for six bullets, and thirty for a holster pulling out thirty-nine caps I hoofed them over to her, where she promptly put them in the, some how working, cash register. She wrote out quickly before disappearing into the backone second while I get your stuff. she was back before I even finished reading and ploped a dark brown leather holster and eighteen bullets on the counter. She continued writing: how did you get a silencer for a revolver? "Thank you derpy" I nodded to her while picking up the equipment and ammo in my telekinesis. "It was on a dead raider that Allen here took out." She just nodded, so we both turned to go. As I waved to derpy who was back to sorting orange packets, Allen spoke up. "So how do you know ditzey. Hmm?" She asked with enough venom to kill a Ursa Major. "She was my best friend before the war." I said a little peeved she would act so oddly to find out me and ditzey were friends. "Okay, explain to me how that happened." She demanded again. "Alright if you want, but its an odd one." I said now sitting down clearing my throat. "I had just moved to ponyville and had managed to find a house for rent..." ==================== "Thank you Mrs. Kicker for letting me stay as a tenant in your house." I said trying to keep on the good side of Cloud Kicker just in case she lives up to her name and the cloud was my face. "Its no problem I usually live in a cloud house anyways this is more of a nonpegasi guest house." She smiled at me then looked over at the town clock, "oh, no. Sorry Mr. Byte but I need to an appointment. See you soon." She said running for about five feet before taking off towards the spa. "It seems Aloe and Lotus got the heater working again." I chuckled to my self. I had sent even been here a week and a lot of stuff happened. As it turns out sitting in a house with nothing to do is pretty boring, so I hopped up and wandered ponyville. As I walked by a house that somehow wasn't bouncing down the street from the volume of the music playing, I knew this was going to be an interesting day. ==================== "Wait that sounds a lot like DJ PON-3!" Said Allen now no longer ready to kill me. "As in fact it was, though I never met them face to face I heard a lot about her." "DJ PON-3 is a stallion..." Allen spoke up again in a very no-stupid-shit voice. "She was a mare." "Stallion" "Mare" before it came to blows like most arguments do when im involved in someway I relented, "alright fine here he is a stallion here." "Agh hem." Again clearing my throat ==================== After passing nothing more ridiculous than DJ PON-3's house, I finally found a place of somewhat sanity. The park. I wandered for a good twenty minutes before I saw a very sad mare sitting on a bench crying softly to her self. My mind instantly went into use shoulder as pillow mode, as soon as I saw her. Sitting down I put my hoof on her shoulder as she sat leaning forward like that cyan mare with the lyre for a cutie mark sat. "Are you alright?" Apparently I startled her because she almost jumped into the fountain behind us with a statue of celestia standing looking very regal. "Woah, woah. Its alright. My names Giga Byte what's yours?" getting pleasantries out of the way fast was the best way I could think of to get her to talk about that was wrong. "I... I... I'm ditzey doo, but every pony just calls me derpy." She said still looking at the ground. "Why is that?" I asked genuinely wondering. "Because, I can't do anything right..." She broke into tears again as she said this. "Its alright ditzey, what happened?" Still trying to help her, she looked up at me and I saw she had one eye that looked around while one focused as best as it could on me. "Everyone hates me, I ruined the parade for big Macintosh when I bumped into a cloud and it lit the float on fire. Now I got fired and can't do anything." She said like the way a pony talks when they just want to lay down and die. "Hey its alright, come with me I've got stuff at my house we can make... Do you like muffins?" I asked not expecting a to get tackled by ditzey. "I love muffins!" She said letting out a squee of exitement. Completely forgetting being sad. ==================== "As you can guess if you've known derpy for any amount of time, we became friends right after I said muffin." I said wrapping up the short story for Allen. "So not one of the best, I've made my first friend stories, but I think its fine... for me at !east." "Heh. Heh." She forcibly laughed "at least you have friends, my brother is all I've got." She said now in a sad voice. "Don't worry, I'll get him back." I said trying to cheer her up. "So what do ya wana do?" "Get my brother back!" She said instantly popping back into her excited voice. she REALY wants him back, kinda sad she can't come with to get him. I thought to my self. "Um, Allen? I've got to go in alone." I said knowing her next reaction. "Alright." She said completely throwing off my explanation on why she couldn't go with, it took me a second to register what she said. "I'm sorry Allen but you can't... Wait what?" "I said alright. I can guess by what your wearing and the silencers you try to go with stealth if you can. I'm quiet but in a place like that? I'll get us both killed." She said almost verbatim, my reasoning. "I... Thanks Allen. I'll get your brother back. Now, can I ask, how many ponies are in there?" "About forty." She said nonchalantly. "Well this is gana be fun."
