Fallout Equestria: Dawn of the Ranger

Sharpshooter walked aimlessly for hours. He encountered bandits ever now and then, but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle. Sharpshooter took the time to rest on a tree stump before continuing. He leaned on the stump with relieving moan and began rubbing his hooves. Sharpshooter (as far as he could tell) had been walking for nearly a couple days and needed to rest. He removed his helmet and took a deep breathe. The helmet (although it had a ventilation system) was very hard to breathe in most times. Sharpshooter wiped sweat from his forehead and looked at his PipBuck. The PipBuck read he was near a small town.

"New Appleloosa."

  Being near a town gave Sharpshooter a little sign of relief. He didn't know if the locals were good or bad though. That was the part that made him worry. Since he stepped out of Stable 9, Sharpshooter has only met one good pony in the wasteland.

"I need to be ready." he thought.

"If these town folk are like those raiders, well...damn it! What was it dad use to say?" Sharpshooter thought back to when he used to tell his dad about seeing other kids being bullied.

-When ponies give you lemons, make lemonade!-

"Wait no...that wasn't it." he said shacking his head. Sharpshooter then thought of another thing his dad use to tell him that he was most familiar with.

-If somepony bugs you, let them know.-

"Okay, so dad's advice wasn't so helpful." he said laughing.

  Sharpshooter heard a noise behind him. He threw he helmet on and took out his revolver. Sharpshooter waited while the bushes moved and twigs were being cracked. What came out of the bush was what he didn't expect. A small filly came from behind the bush with a saddle on his back. The colt was brown with a blonde mane. However, no cutie mark. Sharpshooter looked confused at the colt as he stared at the ground looking at him. He looked angry but also sad. Sharpshooter heard him mumbling to himself.

"They say I'm a blank flank huh? Well, I'll show them."

  Sharpshooter couldn't help but feel depressed looking at child, remembering the same thing he went through. Except, Sharpshooter didn't run away. He didn't just have kids picking on him though. Almost all of Stable 9 picked on him. The only ponies who didn't pick on him were his family.

  Sharpshooter snapped out of his trance to realize that the colt was looking at him. He had a scared look on his face as though he was staring at something he never saw before. It didn't take Sharpshooter long before he made eye contact with him. Sharpshooter scrambled to make himself look professional. He had to keep in mind he wasn't a soldier, neither did he have any military experience.

"Um...hello." the colt said.

  He voice was crackly with a light tone. Sharpshooter snapped out of his thoughts. Although you couldn't tell what expression he was giving off.

"Uh...hi their little one. Tell me, what are you doing out here all by yourself?"

  The colt lowered his head and ears as if he was getting his ass chewed out.

"I...um...ran away." he said in a sad tone.

  Sharpshooter gave the kid credit for being honest with him.

"Why? Surly you have a family in the town?" Sharpshooter could hear the child sob.

  He came around the stump and kneeled next to him.

"The other fillies and colts treat me like garbage, calling me 'blank flank' just because I don't have a cutie mark!" he said while tears fell from his eyes.

  Sharpshooter couldn't help but feel pity for the colt. He had been down that road before, he knew how it felt to be called 'blank flank'. Sharpshooter smiled behind his helmet. He picked up the colt and put him on his back. He was surprised.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Taking you home." Sharpshooter said.

The colt was even more surprised and opened his mouth to say something but Sharpshooter stopped him.

"I'm not taking you back so you could be bullied again, I'm taking you back so you can still be with your family. Little do you know kid, you wouldn't last two seconds out in the wastes. Their are all sorts of bad ponies who just see you as dollar signs or lunch, okay? Your family though, they care about you more than anything and will do everything in their power to make you happy. I know you don't believe me. I don't blame you, I wouldn't trust some strange stallion in a suit like this even if my life depended on it. I'm helping you though because I don't want you to lose a family...like I did. I also don't want you to lose your life. The day I left my Stable, I vowed to travel into the wasteland for my family, because they weren't able to. I'm not a raider, nor am I a bad guy. I'm somepony who wants to help. No one is going to stop that."

  The colt couldn't help but feel happy about what Sharpshooter just told him. In response, he gave Sharpshooter a hug around his neck. He smiled in his helmet again. Sharpshooter walked him to the front gate only to be greeted by a mare with a cowboy hat and an accent that Sharpshooter wasn't a custom to.

"Ya'll state your business." she said.

"Uh hi, I found this colt out in the forest. I need to return him to his family." The mare gave Sharpshooter a cautioned look and looked back at the child.

"What's your name son?" The colt gave the mare a shy look.

"My names Dutton Mash." The mare nodded and pulled a lever to lift the front gate.

  Sharpshooter gave the mare a nod of thanks and walked into town. The old western town looked like it did decades ago. Nothing damaged, nothing missing. Sharpshooter enjoyed it for a while until he noticed ponies giving him a strange looks. Looks of fear. The colt noticed this too.

"Weird, I never saw anyone do this before." he said scratching his head.

  Sharpshooter didn't think anyone would trust him right away. Hell, he thought he would be shot at the moment he stepped through the gate. Sharpshooter then noticed a building that had a sign that said 'Saloon'. He needed a place to stay until tomorrow. He looked into the Saloon. The Saloon looked bigger than it did on the outside. It had a stage in the which had performers doing some acting routine and a bar on the left side. Sharpshooter could go for a drink, but he needed to get a room first. Sharpshooter walked over to counter and sat in a high chair.

"What'll it be?" the bar tender asked.

  Sharpshooter decided he wouldn't hide his face anymore. He removed his helmet at set it on the counter. Sharpshooter's black mane puffed out of the helmet and was even messier than before. The stallion gave Sharpshooter an unimpressed look.

"I need a room for a couple days." he asked placing some caps he picked up along the road on the counter.

    The stallion smiled. He took the caps without hesitation and brought a key from behind the counter.

"Welcome Partner." he said.

  Sharpshooter nodded and followed the stallion up the stairs. The room was somewhat clean with a queen sized bed with a white blanket. Dutton Mash jumped off Sharpshooter's back on onto the bed with a giggle. Sharpshooter couldn't help but do the same thing. Sharpshooter and Dutton laughed as the bed sunk them in it.

"Hey. I never got your name mister!" Dutton said leaping on Sharpshooter's chest.

  Sharpshooter laughed and got the filly and ruffled his mane in a noogie.

"Name's Sharpshooter kid."