Fallout Equestria: Revenge

I woke up. Sitting up, I reached over and grabbed the cup of scotch. I noticed something. Some of it was gone. Now that was strange. I thought I had locked my doors. I immediately got up and began checking the rest of the house too see if there were signs of robbery. Nothing was gone. The safe was still locked. The door was closed. So who drank the beverage?

Just then I heard a cough. I quietly switched my hoof out for the bladed one. I walked over to the source of the cough, which was my room.  I walked into my room. I switched my eye on and turned it on thermal seeking. The heat signature of a small pony was in the closet. It appeared to be female and small. Possibly even a filly. I walked over.

I flung the door open. Inside was a cowering filly. She had a red cloak on, with a dark purple mane and orange coat. A Crusader. I lifted her onto her hooves and threw her out of my closet.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, "I was about to kill you."

"I snuck in sir," she said with a hangdog look on her face, "I'm with a scavenging party for the Crusaders."

"Yeah I can see that," I said, "But why did you think you could just steal from a buck like me?"

"I didn't know anyone lived here!" she protested, "I thought the house was empty!"

"Fair enough," I said with a sigh, "What's your name kid?"

"My name's Scootle sir," she said with a touch of pride, "Pleasure to meet you."

"At least you got manners," I said, "Now get out."

"Oh," she said with a look of sadness, "I can't. My leg's torn up good."

Just then I noticed her back leg was shaking and bleeding. I noticed the rag that was soaked in my scotch behind her. I sighed. Could I please get a break from children? Is this like some cruel form of karma? I picked her up and threw her onto my back. I walked outside where Mr. Guy was waiting. I set her on the ground.

"How did you even do this?" I asked.

"I was attacked by a bloodwing. I killed it, but not before it got me pretty good," she explained. I was slightly impressed. Bloodwings weren't something to fuck around with. The fact that she had survived at all was impressive. Mr. Guy hovered over, noticing Scootle's mangled leg. He began to mend her. It only took a second.

After he was done, Scootle stood. "Thank you sir," she said.

"Don't mention it kid, now get lost," I said, "I'm busy. I've got people to find."

"Uh, heh heh," she said, "Yeah so do I."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked turning back around.

"I kind of um...lost my scavenging party," she said, "We got separated when the bloodwings attacked."

"Ughh," I said, "And you want me to help you find them don't you?"

"Uhh, yeah," she said with a embarrassed smile.

"No," I said, "I don't do charity for lost ponies. Find them yourself."

"Wait!" she said, "I can help you find the ponies you're looking for!"

I stopped. "Is that so?" I asked, "You don't even know who I'm trying to find.

"No," she admitted, "But I'm really good at finding ponies!"

"Oh good," I said, "Then it shouldn't take you long to find your scavenging party."

"No, uh," she said, clearly running out of options, "I'll pay you!" she blurted.

I straightened. "I'm listening."

"I'll give you," she said, "300 caps!"

I thought for a moment. "Mr. Guy, activate flight mode. Hop in kid."

"Really!?" she asked with a smile, "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"Just be quiet," I said, "We'll find the scavenging party, you'll pay up and then that will be it. Now where were you last?"

"We were near Shatterdhoof Ridge," she said as she climbed into Mr. Guy's seat.

"Alright we'll start there," I said, and began to trot. It took maybe ten minutes to get to Shatteredhoof Ridge. After all, my house was in the foothills near there. Then I saw it. The bloodwings. It looks like they hadn't left. I armed my battle saddle. Aiming the rifle, I took potshots at them to get their attention. They saw me. There were seven in total. The first one flew towards me.

As it got near, it's fangs bared, I jumped at it. Extending the blade, I stabbed it right through the skull. It twitched and we both fell. I hit the ground rolling, the bloodwing dead. More charged at me. I fired slugs from my shotgun. Another went down. I shouted at Mr. Guy to execute maneuver Beta: hide. He sped away. The other bloodwings flew at me. I jumped on one's back and another slammed into it. I stabbed the second one, then jumped to the ground.

Two more charged. I pulled out the sub machine gun and began to fire at them. It did nothing. Growling, I put it away and switched my hoof out for the hydraulic hoof. I waited till the last second, then turned on the hydraulics. As I did, I slammed my hoof down on top of the first one, cracking it's skull open, my hoof jammed inside. I lifted the corpse and use it to deflect the next bloodwing. It bounced off the corpse, taking it with it as it hit the ground. It sent me rolling, but I managed to land on my hooves. I switched out for the bladed hoof now, ran up and stabbed the flailing creature.

The last two slammed into me from behind. The first one's fangs glanced off my metal back. The second one was luckier. It bit me in the neck. I cried out in pain. I reached behind me, swinging my blade as hard as I could. The blade went through the creature's skull, killing it. It released my neck, blood pouring from the wound. I walked over to the last bloodwing and stabbed it in the head.

I sat down panting. I rubbed my neck, blood covering my hoof. I drank a healing potion and I could feel the wound begin to close. I stretched my neck. Felt fine. I pressed a button and Mr. Guy slowly came back into view. Scootle looked surprised at all the dead bloodwings. She hopped of Mr. Guy and walked up next to me.

"Wow," she said, "You did this yourself?"

"Nevermind that," I said, "Let's see if we can find signs of your friends." I looked around. There was a single dead unicorn filly, all her blood drained.

"Oh no," she said running up to the corpse, "Hidden Light. She was one of our best scavengers."

I regarded the corpse. She didn't even have a cutie mark yet. Oh well. What happens has happened, and we can't change that. I found some small hoof tracks that led to a building in the distance. I waved Scootle over and pointed at the tracks. I followed them to the building. It was squat, one story and long. It looked like a super market. I walked inside.

As I walked in there was a bang, and a bullet glance off my eye.

"Sonuvabitch!" I shouted, "Who the hell just shot me!?" I looked around at the surprised group of Crusaders. "Can you at least check who's walking in before you shoot your goddesses damned rifles!? Especially if said guest brings in one of yours."

Scootle walked in. "Scootle!" one of them shouted, "We thought you were dead!"

"No," she said, "But Hidden Light is."

"I'm sure this is all sad, but I was promised caps," I said, "Am I'm not going to leave until I get them."

Scootle turned to me and handed over the caps. "Thank you," I said, "Now about your friend Hidden Light. There is a slight chance she may still be alive."

They all turned to me. "She wasn't totally drained. She still had some blood left, and if we can get some in her, we might be able to get her back."

They all charged me cheering and asking questions.

"Are you sure?"

"Thank you mister!"

"Do you think you can do it?"

"I don't believe you."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," I said, "If we're going to do it, we have to do it fast, like right now."

We all ran out the door and towards the slain bloodwings. I called over Mr. Guy. I told him to check for vital signs. She had a very slow hearbeat, but it was slowing, on the verge of stopping. I told him to check her blood type. It was O-. I asked him if any of the Crusaders were O- blood type. He said no. I knew what had to happen. I was O-. I told him to take my blood. He began to draw it and at the same time, injecting it into Hidden Light's body.

I was beginning to feel light headed. I told him to keep drawing.

Her body began to inflate a bit and return to it's color.

My vision was dimming. I told him to stop.

I stumbled over to to Hidden Light. I asked for a super restoration potion. One of the Crusaders handed me one. I poured it down Hidden Light's throat. She didn't move. I needed a jump start. I poured energy from my fission battery into my hoof. It began to arc with electricity. It pushed my hoof down on where her heart was. Her body jumped. I did it again.

She gasped. Her eyes fluttered open. It worked. I stumbled. I needed a super restoration potion myself. I could no longer feel my back legs and collapsed. One of the Crusaders brought a healing potion. I gulped it down greedily. My vision brightened again. I got up. The Crusaders began to crowd around me, hugging me, then hugging Hidden Light.

"By all accounts, that shouldn't have worked," I said.

"Just be glad it did," said Scootle, "We'll give you triple the caps. We can't thank you enough."

"Yep, your the second pony to tell me that," I said.

What has happened? When did I suddenly start risking my life for other's? Scootle brought me 1,200 caps.

"Oh no I can't except this," I said, "But I will anyway. Also Scootle, you said you could help me find the ponies I was looking for."

"Yeah, who do you want to find?" she said with a bright smile.

"Someponies called the White Sock Society," I said, "I just need a location."

"Oh, the White Sock Society," she said, "You'll find them in Fetlock near Manehattan."

"Thanks," I said. I bade the Crusaders farewell and walked back to Mr. Guy. I told him activate flight mode and make a heading for Manehattan.

After a short while I saw something that caught my eye. It shouldn't have, just some pony walking along. But something was different. This pony was insectoid, with holes in it's leg. I stopped and walked up to it. It turned and looked at me with blank milky blue eyes. It had a horn and wings and saddlepacks. It didn't seem to be hostile. In fact it smiled at me when it saw me.

"Hello there!" it said with a voice that sounded like a filly and colt talking at the same time, "My name's Alpha Changeling! What's your name?"

"My name's Black Eye," I responded. For whatever reason, I seemed to like the little creature. Probably because of my love for trickery and facination with magical creatures. Suddenly, in a flash of necromantic light, it turned into me. Like, it turned into a mirror image of me.

"Oooh," it said in my voice, "Tut tut Black Eye, you've been naughty lately. Why haven't you been nice to ponies? They just want some help!"

"Heh," I said, "That's very interesting. What are you?"

It transformed back, "I already told you silly. I'm Alpha Changeling! Hey, I have an idea. Can I come with you?"

"Sure, why not," I said, "I could use some help. But can I call you Alph instead? Saying Alpha Changeling is too long."

"Sure," said Alph, "What time is it?"

"Uhh," I checked my C.A.M., "It's 12:07 a.m."

"No silly filly," he said, "It's adventure time!"

I laughed. The little thing was adorable. Despite my grim disposition, I actually felt happy. It was like Alph radiated happiness. I think I would quickly grow to like my new companion.

I was flying along in Mr. Guy, with my new companion flying with me. He kept hovering around me, smiling and waving as he soared into the air. He flew so high that he hit the cloud cover. He bounced off. He shook his head and flew back down to me.

"Bad magic," he informed me, "The pegasi have magic protection on the clouds. I'll stay down here from now on."

We went on. After about an hour, I decided to talk to Alph.

"So Alph, where did you come from?" I asked, "You seemed lost."

"Not lost," he said, "Lost would mean I didn't know where I was at. I was wandering. I'm a collector."

He brandished his saddlepacks, "Cool stuff inside. You wanna see?"

"Why not?" I asked. He opened his saddlepacks. Inside was filled with various objects. Guns, drugs, caps, various pieces of junk. He brought out a pistol and pushed in a clip. He fired. The gun was unbelievably powerful. It knocked him onto the ground. He got up, shook himself off, and flew back to me.

"You should have," he said, "Hydraulic leg will absorb most of the recoil. The pistol fires a similar caliber to that of a rifle. Very useful."

He handed me the weapon. It seemed to be in good repair. I noticed he spoke weird. It was like he couldn't decide if he was a foal learning to speak, or an adult with an extended vocabulary. Either way, his voice never changed in terms of tone. He always seemed to be endearingly happy.

"Thank you," I said, "Do you have anything else?"

"Yes," he said, "By the way, stop calling me a he. I'm a girl." What? How had he, no, she known that I had been thinking of her as a he?

"I can read your mind, duh," she said, "Do you think I just change shape? I change mind. I get yours when I change."

Okay now it was getting weird. But it did make sense.

"Anyway, the other thing that you had?" I asked.

"Oh yeah!" she said. She reached into her saddlepack and pulled out a fission battery. "You'll need it soon. Your almost out of power."

"How can you tell?" I asked. Because I was starting to run low.

"Your eye dims a little," she said and giggled, "It's funny!" She changed into me, somehow still flying. She showed me as me how my eye would dim down and it would go lazy and drift to the side. I snickered. Why? Why did I snicker?

"Why do I feel so uncharacteristically happy?" I asked Alph.

"I'm an Alpha Changeling," she said, "Alpha Changelings make ponies just a little more happy! It's how Beta Changelings eat. We blend into the crowd, spread happiness, and the other Changelings eat the happy."

"Wow," I said. So she really did radiate happiness. "Does that mean other Changelings can sense my happiness?"

"No," she said, "I stopped sending out the happy signals a long time ago. I don't like the other Changelings eating my friends happiness. I like my friends!"

She nuzzled up against me, temporarily turning into a blue unicorn mare with a silver mane.

"Whoa!" I exclaimed, "What was that?"

"Other friends that I meet on my travels!" she said, "When showed love, I can transform into others that I've met, no sight required." She gasped, "That means you like me for real!" She beamed. I smiled back.

After a while, it began to get dark. I slowed Mr. Guy to a stop. I checked my C.A.M. We were a little more than halfway to Manehattan. I decided we should bed down for the night. I sparked a fire and offered Alph some water. She declined.

"Changelings don't need food, water, or sleep," she said, "I can live on a steady supply of the happiness you give me! In moderation. Not like other Changelings who eat it all at once. I can give you happiness, and then I feed on your positive energy! As long as your happy, I can go indefinitely! Neato, huh?"

I smiled and nodded. I took a drink and rolled out my sleep mat. I lay down. Oh yeah, I would definitely like my new friend. Alph informed me that she would keep watch and then sat down next to Mr. Guy. I slowly nodded off into sleep.