"Whatever caused our fates to intertwine would never let them unravel."

Once upon a time, in the magical land of Equestria. That's how the story always starts. It's how they will always start. But what about before the story begins? How do you start telling a story before 'Once Upon A time?' Simple. You start with, 'Many Years ago, in the Magical Land of Equestria'…

Ghouls, we aren't like normal ponies. Most don't even consider us ponies. A fair amount of us even agree with that. We don't need to eat, drink, or breathe. Hell some of us don't even need to sleep. Still, we can remember a time when we were ponies, when we could feel, breathe, sleep… dream.

Some of us even remember a time before the war. Many of us are lost in those memories of better days, others… despise them. They did lead up to the end of the world after all.

Me? I guess I'm indifferent. The old world wasn't too great for me, and this new one could be worse. Becoming a ghoul was… painful but in the end I still have my mind, and I can work, so that's all I care about.

Back in the old world I worked for a recycling center, these days I scavenge and sell scraps and repair old world stuff to sell. Guess I just liked the job, so I stuck to it.

Still, being a ghoul has its perks. Immunity to radiation, being healed by it even, is useful for getting loot where others would die trying to get it. Still, radiation also can kill goods… and the goods were all largely rotten.

“Wish more crap was immune to radiation though…” I grumbled, kicking away an irradiated stone as I have yet to find any good’s that weren’t just scrap at this point.

These houses were irradiated from an exposed old world waste dumb some asshole hurried and told no pony about. It's hard to tell if the skeletons here died from the bombs or the radiation pit nearby. Honestly I'd rather not know.

Most everything In this house was falling apart or rusted black. Aside from a few pilot lights from the stove that were good and a few foals toys that were usable nothing else really. I found a med kit in the bathroom but even after two hundred years I never could figure out how to pick a lock. I sat eyeing my two hundred year old enemy, wishing I was a unicorn and capable of magic to pick the lock or even just been born a stronger earth pony than I was so I could pry it open. Thankfully, I did discover a trick that worked from time to time. Bombs.

“When in doubt, blow up your problems.” I said happily, pulling out a small pipe bomb made for blowing up pesky locks.

I've developed a small line of Lock Poppers, as I call them. Each one designed for various degrees of locks. This one is a few cherry bombs inside a small pipe I try and tape to the lock. I lit the fuse and took my leave around the hall. The loud Kaboom a few moments later told me I could enter. Good thing these Ministry of Peace medical kits are bullet proof.

Inside were two healing potions, medex, and oh a Hydra! These sell for a lot. There was also a few rolls of healing bandages I took. While chems and other medical supplies can and do work on we ghouls, radiation just typically works better for us.

“Score.” I smiled happily. “Can’t wait to sell this stuff and make a massive profit.”

Not too many ponies trade with ghouls, but the ones that do pay handsomely for goodies like this from the irradiated areas. I put the medical items away and became making my way ou-

Creek…

Oh fuck my unlife…

I yelped as the two hundred year old floor under me finally gave way, sending me crashing down into a… huh, basement? Didn't even know this was here. Entrance must have been hidden. With a huff and a grunt I got up. Good, nothing broken.

“Alright, so far so good…” I muttered. “Now...let’s see what’s in the basement?”

Dark, typical. I know I have a flashlight here somewhere… ah, here we are. I took the flashlight in my teeth and turned it on. The basement was fairly small. Leaking pipes from above, cracked wall to my right, dead elite police ranger to the left… wait what?

I turned back to the skeletal pony to my left. Adorned atop their bones was an old elite police riot gear outfit. It wasn't as good at military gear, but I remember seeing a few MoM. operatives wearing it when… how did the news put it? 'Confiscating and arresting illegal fun traffickers'. Yeah, that was it. Now then… how did that… end up here?

“Hmm…” I hummed as I slowly moved towards the skeleton, wondering if I could find anything else about the pony besides knowing their long dead.

I removed the helmet, it popped off the neck as the skeleton under it fell apart… the skull fell out of the helmet too, cracking as it hit the ground… whoops… heh, sorry dude… I flipped the helmet around. If I remember right there's a panel here for spark batteries to power it up… ah, here we are.

Dead… figures. I gathered the outfit, dumping out the bones and holotape. Not surprising, probably just his last mission.

“But that begs the question, what was his mission, and why would he be here?” I wondered to myself as I looked around the room more to see why. “Maybe his house?”

Once I packed the suit away I gave another look around. There's the stairway up, and oh, hello.

A small table in the back left held a small Sparks Laser Pistol MK2. It was in terrible condition. Might be worth something if I can fix it up though. The MWT and the MAS sent my old job lots of broken parts so I know how most of these are put together. Might be able to make it good… hmm. I tapped the battery panel. Oh Luna kiss me, a half charged battery. Should be just enough to start up the helmet.

I inserted the battery and put on the helmet… now… how does this work?

“Alright...let’s see…” I muttered, trying to fiddle around with it to see how it worked.

Hmm… maybe a button? Or a voice command…

I blinked, seeing some red letters appearing across the visor.

Unregistered User. Contacting MoM local headquarters…

MoM headquarters unreachable. Scanning unregistered user…

Error. Error. User vital signs not detected.

Error. Error. MoM situational protocols lacking proper protocol for unregistered deceased user.

“Well...shit.” I muttered. “Kind of forgot about that part…”

Initiating MoM last procedure backup protocol…

A flash of numbers ran across the visor before suddenly there was a loading screen.

Full reset complete. Backup OS installed. Enjoyed a nerfed riot suit thief.

-Pinkie Pie

“Huh…” I started. “I didn’t think Pinkie Pie made a thief message…”

After a moment the visor lit up, displaying a few things here and there like a compass and some… bar on the bottom right.

Welcome to your stolen nerfed Elite Riot Suit filthy thief. You have stolen our tech but you will never get the original OS!

Your nerfed suit can only utilize Navigation and S.T.A.T.S to minor degrees, Geiger counter functionality and injury alertness.

Features no longer included are:
Auto Repair
Auto medical injector systems
Hunger, Thirst and Sleep meters
Minor Levitation
Auto Healing Matrixes
Magazine auto reloading
Weapon repair systems
Auto Hacking
Auto Lock picking
E.F.S.
Water Purification
Food Purification
Anti Radiation Spell Matrixes

“Wow, the only thing’s that suck ass about this is no auto hacking or lockpicking… fuck.” I frowned.

Seriously, Auto Hacking and Lockpick would have been so damn useful so many times… well, at least it's good armor. Hm… estimated battery life… two Weeks. Wow, two weeks on a half charged Spark Battery. Not bad. I ended up putting the armor on and it fit fairly well. Man, I haven't had armor this nice since that cache bunker I looted back in my trip to the Hoof.

“Gonna need to figure out how to unlock all the other features though...damn OS…” I grumbled.

I went up the stairs and… hidden door behind a book shelf. Huh, thought that was only in movies.

“Well...shouldn’t be surprised about this considering...well what’s been going on…” I muttered, remembering I am technically an undead.

Walking out of the radiated building I enjoyed the hud. It looked nice, the compass was helpful at least. I headed over to my home, a little cave in a hill some miles north of New Appaloosa. I would have stayed in my prewar home but you have to be a special level of insane to live in Canterlot these days. The cave was fairly well hidden, the entrance blocked from view by a Sparkle Cola billboard.

Entering and unlocking the chain link fence and door, I looked around at my possessions. An old dirty couch. An old dirty bed. A workbench. Shelves with whatever still readable books and magazines I could find, and a dumpster filled with various broken items I plan on repairing.

“Alright, time to look over my spoils.” I muttered as he put my bag onto the workbench.

Near broken laser pistol, med supplies, a few bullets for .32 rifles and this armor I am keeping. I took the helmet off and the armor suit and put them aside. I have some polish around here somewhere so I can make it look nice at least.

I put the laser pistol on my workbench and began taking it apart. The main conducting wires to the gemstone are rusted. The power surprision circuit board is also looking like it's about to burn out… The wire will be easy enough to replace, as for the power surprision circuit board… not so much. Aside from other Magical Energy Weapons a few MWT items have them. Mostly generators and Power Armor.

“Well...I might be able to barter for a new suppression board with that Hydra I found…” I muttered. “Or maybe I should save it for someone that can get the original OS working on this stupid thing…”

I sighed, stripping out the conducting wires and replacing them and giving the outside and some of the better condition components a cleaning. I took out the suppression board and looked it over. Most of the transistors were melted or burnt out. Celestia's ass, this prior owner must have abused Overcharged Spark Batteries a lot.

“Couldn’t have made it easy on me couldn’t you asshole…” I grumbled.

Hmm… actually, the rusted parts I can clean up, but the melted ones I would have to replace. I don't have the tools though. Maybe Ditzy has some? That mare did name her store Absolutely Everything for a reason.

“Well...might as well go check Ditzy’s store for all this…” I shrugged.

I packed the part and selling supplies and headed out. New Appaloosa is one of a few that let ghouls inside for trade. Some take up residents but not all the typical predigest is absent. Sadly, it's not completely unjustified. We ghouls are a time bomb. We are rotting, walking flesh that one day won't remember our friends let alone who we are. We'll go feral, worse than animals. Just another wasteland monster.

Ghouls like Ditzy and I, we're a rare breed. Ghoulified the day the bombs dropped. The day you turn ghoul, it's a bittersweet memory. The fear of death, the joy of, well, not dying… the realization you aren't even a pony anymore. Looking in the mirror and seeing a rotting husk of who you were staring back. There were times I envied the ones who went feral as they turned ghoul… at least they never had to live on passed your own death.

Entering Absolutely Everything, I spotted the Pegasus ghoul popped her head out of… a mountain of Sugar Apple Bombs? "Hey there Soft Spot!" Her raspy voice greeted me. "What brings you here today?"

“Trying to find parts to fix up a suppression board I found.” I said honestly. “And why are you under a mountain of sugar apple bombs?”

"Got a good deal from Snatch and Grab. That colt has been doing good work as a scavenger." She said, pulling herself out of the pile of two hundred year old cereal and catching herself from a hard faceplant on the floor. "Hehe. So, what's this about a Suppression Board?" She asked.

I took out the broken part. “If I can patch it up, then I could get the thing to work...probably.” I said honestly. “And when something works, it either helps me deal with crap that’s trying to attack me, or fetch for a higher price.”

"I hear that." She nodded, looking the part over. Her lazy eye slowly rolled up as she studied it. "Hmm… Sorry, but my usual electronics trader hasn't brought this model in a while."

“Damn it…” I grumbled. “Well, what else in stock do you have?”

"What I got won't work with whatever takes this. They'll either burn out fast or turn the beams into gentle love taps." She told me. "Hmm… you know, I did see these before, in the MAS R&D laboratories."

“Really?” I inquired.

"Yeah. Remember the MAS invented Magical Energy Weapons, and worked with the MWT to mass produce them for the war back in the day. Doesn't surprise me they had so many laying around. I'd have grabbed some but the automatic security nearly roasted my rump."

“I found this on somepony’s corpse.” I said honestly. “Bastard abused Overcharged Spark Batteries way too much, and it’s still surprising how well this is to be honest.”

"Yeah, that would do it if they used them constantly. Wonder if they were fighting heavily armored types, or just liked the overkill?" She pondered. "So, I take it you wanna look into the R&D lab then?"

“Yeah.” I nodded. “Only problem would be the security honestly.”

"Pretty much." Ditzy nodded, taking a shirt flight up and to behind the counter. "I don't have any EMP Grenades or mines but I do have a few EMP slug rounds for a twenty gauge. It's better than nothing and you can at least finish it off after while it's stunned."

“That’ll work.” I nodded. “What’ll it cost this time?”

"Three hundred caps for all of them. But, if you can do me a favor while you're there I'll sell them at half price for ya?"

“What’s the favor?” I asked curiously, thinking ‘might as well hear her out before deciding’.

"Well, part of why I don't have this part in stock is because my electronics merchant was heading there. I'm worried, well, expecting the worst but I'd like to know for sure. If the buck's there and gone, let me know. He carried a pipbuck on his leg, very early models with latch locks over the keybased ones that made it into the Stables. It's yours if you find him."

Hmm… a Pipbuck might help reboot the suit, or at least some of the functions.

“Sounds good to me.” I nodded.

"Thanks Soft Spot." Ditzy said, bringing out the bullets as I put The meds down. With the meds added to the table I was able to get a few normal slugs and some dirty water.

What? Radiation heals Ghouls, this is almost like taking a stimpack for me.

I headed on out and back to my cave, grabbing my twenty gauge shotguns and battle saddle and heading on out. It was a long walk to the MAS R&D building and honestly I wasn't expecting trouble. Not too many slavers think ghouls are worth the effort and the lesser wasteland nasties are all I really need to look out for.

“Alright...just a simple trip, not many things out here that’ll bother me...I hope I’m right about that…” I muttered.

Ditzy owes me big time for this!

I ducked over a desk, dodging a laser that scorched the metal. "Don't be alarmed. We are here to protect and serve." The Protect-a-Pony said. Yeah, right…

“Protect and serve my flank!” I snapped. “Protection is not getting shot at with death lasers.”

Another blast of magical heat death to my cover made me huff as I jumped out, shooting two EMP slugs at the thing. It fizzled and popped before shutting down. I rapidly swapped to buckshot rounds and blasted the head clean off.

I gave a long sigh. This new armor has been really saving my flank in here, but still this whole place is a death trap. Robots, turrets, robot death owls. Robot death owls! What genius back then thought of that?!

“Sweet Celestia…” I groaned, hating all these things that I have to deal with. “I just want to find this guy or get parts damn it…”

Why did pre war Equestria have to get so overkill with their security? I sighed, scavenging whatever parts and such I could from the robot and moving on. It wasn't going too well. So far no parts and down to my last three EMP shells…

Rolling my eyes, gritting my teeth at the wastelands typical cruelty, I tried reaching the upper stairs- hold on a second…

I turned and saw the door nearby had the name 'Sunflower Springs' On it. I remember her. She was in the news for her contributions towards the Spark Batteries. I walked up to and opened the door, finding a unicorn skeleton laid at the desk. The lab coat displayed in grimy text that this was Sunflower Springs. Damn, thought if anypony could get into a Stable she'd be one. Shame… she was really, really hot.

“All the good ones died…” I shook my head in disappointment.

I walked over to her desk… huh. Each hoof was holding something. In one was an ID card. This will be useful. In the other, a… Snow globe? I picked it up… I remember, yeah, was part of a set for ponies to collect and such while they traveled. Made them for Cloudsdale, Ponyville, Manehatten, Los Pegasus, Canterlot, Hoofington, Baltimare, Appaloosa and Trottingham. This one was of Cloudsdale, the little plastic dome held within it a small floating cloud with a small replica of the now long gone Pegasus flying super city.

I pocketed both, scooting her bones over to check her desk. What? Just because I knew who she was doesn't mean I stop looting. The effect of seeing death gets old fast as you live in post nuclear tartarus.

“Now, let’s see what crap might still be good here…” I muttered.

Score! Spark Batteries of all kinds and some various electronics parts. Taking all this and… huh, notes.

Hey Cousin! Thanks for the Snow globe, been so busy lately I haven't had a vacation in forever. What's the point in making so much working for the Ministry when I don't get to enjoy life, right? Hope we can get together next month. Been forever since we've hung out. Reply ASAP.

-Sunflower Springs

PS: Bring your friend Cloud Thunder along, he's cute~

This mare was one of the big brains of the MAS… and she wrote letters like a filly in high school...

“Who would have thought…” I chuckled.

The next letter was just about deadlines and such. The last talked about some deal between the… O.I.A? Huh, never heard of that one, and the MAS over some prototype project. According to this the lab it's in is on floor fifteen. Project Rainboom? Must have been something for the MOA.

“Hmm...do I hedge my bet’s and get the fuck out of here, or do I look at what this Project Rainboom is?” I wondered.

Hmm… I still haven't found Ditzy's merchant yet so, if it's on the way might as well. I headed back to the stairs and went up. I yelped as I came face to face with another Protect-a-Pony. "Greetings Ms. Springs. How are you this evening?" It asked me.

What… oh right, her ID card! Oh thank you Sunflower Springs!

“I’m...doing well.” I said carefully to the bot.

"Good to hear." It said, walking off.

Sometimes the wasteland gives you a break. Do not question it. Walking through and looting a few rooms of more Spark Batteries and spare parts I came across… what the?

Their armor was pitch black, like a scorpion with the tail guard like it was and twin Plasma Castors on their sides. Enclave. I gave a whistle. I haven't seen them since their showboating airshows back during the war.

The Pegasus was, of course, dead. Their face looked fairly fresh. Maybe… two days dead… huh, no clear cause from out here. Her armor is in one piece and no facial injuries. The hell killed her?

“This is strange…” I muttered, looking over the thing to see how I could get them out of the armor and then take it for myself cause this thing looked awesome.

Hmm. Ah, here we are, latch here, button here, and… off it- woah! As I pulled the armor off her barrel I saw her entire torso was bruised and purple. Okay… what the hell can do that to her inside this armor?

“Uh...huh…” I started, looking carefully into the opened up armor to see what the hell happened.

I didn't see anything inside it. No damage to the metal, cloths or even the gemstone components. Hmm. Welp, this just got interesting. My saddle bags weren't able to hold all the armor and weapons, so I left them here. This will be someplace I'll return to so long as this ID card can keep me safe. With a sigh I pushed the mare's body into a closet. Not the best… tomb, but better than out in the open.

I moved up to the next floor and- what in Celestia's Fat Ass…

This whole floor was… a mess. The ceiling was missing, showing the upper floor and scattered about were, from where I could see, four more dead enclave… checking out two of them, they were the same weird cause of death as the mare from earlier.

“Alright...so what in the name of Discord’s left nut caused this to happen?” I frowned.

Walking around bodies and over tunnels I spotted the charred body of some pony who definitely was not Enclave. From what I can make out he wore what was once a leather armor set, burned saddlebags filled with melted scrap metals and electronics… this must be Ditzy's electronics guy. Checking his leg I spotted the MK 1 Pipbuck. Aside from some ash it looked fine. Damn, how did Stabletec make these things so durable?

“Well...mine now.” I chuckled, starting to scavenge it off the poor bastards body given he wasn’t going to be needing it anymore.

Once it was off I gave it a light cleaning and placed it on my leg. I got to try one of these at a Stabletec expo back when they were getting big. Not sure how these things work- woah!

Stable Tec Pipbuck MK1.9 identified. Syncing to MK98.5 Elite Riot Armor.

Error. Pipbuck OS is out of date.

Error. Failure to Update Pipbuck OS.

Generating Cross Compatibility Patch.

Compatibility Patch Generated and Installed.

Warning: Possible Bugs detected. Please contact Stable Tec or MoM offices or usalize an Up to Date Pipbuck OS to resolve potential issues.

New software feature unlocked. E.F.S. Eyes Forward Sparkle. Detect Friends and Enemies alike. Displayed under compass.

Oh. Sweet!

“Now that’s what I’m talking about.” I said with a smile.

Under the compass I saw two blue dots appear to my right. Looking that way the right was just collapsed rubble… hmm… maybe above me then? I found a collapse piece of debris that worked as a ramp to the next floor and spotted. There, the blue dots were behind a door, heavily armored with the faded words reading R&D Laboratory 3. It was keycard locked. I took out the ID card and the locks clicked open. Entering, I immediately jumped back as the green whiz of plasma nearly hit my muzzle. Both dots were still red. "S-stay back!" Yelled a mare's voice from inside.

“Whoa whoa, I’m not here to hurt you!” I said in panic.

"W-who are you then? If you're Enclave I will shoot! If- if you're just some wastelander, take what you want off the ones out there and go!" She yelled. Her tone dripped with enough fear that not even a foal would take her seriously.

“Take it easy, please.” I said carefully. “I’m not with the Enclave, and I’m not a Wastelander, I’m here doing a favor for a Friend and saw...all this happened.” I said nervously. “Please, put the guns down...let’s just talk.”

There was a long pause. Finally though she spoke. "W-walk in. Slowly."

I did so. Entering I saw the mare was in an all white jumpsuit, something most engineers wear. She was a Pegasus, reddish orange mane and a dark brown coat. She looked like crap. Bags under her eyes like she hadn't slept in days and looking at her outfit there was some blood along her front leg sleeves.

“You’re hurt.” I started. “I have some medical supplies to help if you want.”

She was silent for a bit, slowly pulling the plasma pistol from her teeth to her hooves. "Not my blood." She said, shivering. It was then I realized she was leaning against a metallic box behind her, and the second blue dot was barely visible behind the one that was her in the E.F.S. "What… kind of Medical supplies?" She asked.

“Good enough for what’s probably needed.” I answered, not knowing what could be wrong but knowing most medical supplies did a whole lot of good things.

"Healing potions?" She asked.

“I brought five.” I answered. “And I have some medkits as well.”

"...Slide then over. Two potions at least and the med kit." She stated. Her tone was that of… I nodded, pulling one of my spare medkits and two healing potions and sliding them over to the Mare. She took them rapidly and stuck her front legs and head inside the metal box and began working.

I sat there, waiting for her to finish up. Finally after an hour she finished up, sighing and looking relieved. "So… how old is the foal?"

She tensed up, looking between me and the box. "...four months." She said.

“What happened here?” I asked. “A lot of the injuries I saw weren’t...normal to say the least.”

"That would be this." She said, slowly pulling out a broken a, rather strange looking magical energy pistol from a nearby table to the floor. "We came here for this. Project Rainboom they called it. A sound based pulse gun capable of not only dealing EMP damage but also deals subsonic damage to the cells and organs, causing internal bruising and even bleeding."

“So that’s why that one pony in that, honestly cool looking, scorpion armor died from internal hemorrhaging…” I said honestly. “Rather powerful weapon honestly.”

"It's why they mentioned it. Of course they found out who accompanied it's development from old notes and such and threw me out here just to fetch it for them… ran into a wastelander looting the place and he fought back when they started shooting. Typical Enclave Trooper mentality. Shoot first and never ask questions. Dumb asses hit a gas line, blue up this whole floor and the ones still alive… well, I finished them off." She said, kicking the broken weapon aside. "Their stupid fight hurt my baby, all because they're a bunch of Xenophobic jackasses."

“Trust me, nobody besides the Enclave like the Enclave, and even then the Enclave doesn’t like the Enclave sometimes.” I joked, trying to bring some of the tension in the room up.

She gave a smile, but didn't laugh. "So, you said you were doing something for a friend?"

“Yeah, Ditzy over in New Appleloosa wanted me to check on her scavenging buddy which uh...he’s somewhere between ‘well done’ and ‘charred’ at this point.” I said sheepishly. “But...considering all this happened, I think this is more important.”

"Heh, sorry about that. Blade the armored dead squadron out there. Just been up here for the last three days after all that happened."

“I understand that.” I nodded. “But you’ve been here for three days? Kind of expected someone else to have come here given the gas main explosion you said happened.”

"No one got to send out an SoS so Enclave HQ won't suspect something is off til at least five days. This was one of those 'off the record' type missions where everypony but me was the expendable one. Odds are once they find out they are dead they'll declare them all dashits to explain the disappearance. Say whatever they need to so they can say I was kidnapped then after some showboating and other BS they'll send out a team to 'deal with the terrorists' and 'rescue' me."

I raised an eyebrow.

“Everypony but you?” I inquired, finding that bit the most interesting than hearing the same Enclave diamond dog shit again.

She rolled her eyes. "I'm the direct descendant of some old world pegasus mare that helped found the enclave. I can get into places no pony else can. Ya know, the whole Genetic locks BS some pre war places have. Lot of them are up above the clouds and I am able to get into like, forty percent of them because of who my ect great grandmother was. Makes me a valuable resource they can't risk losing. Typically I stay in my lab-cage, get escorted out to do missions like this, then back to the cage where I spend my days researching how to utilize the pre war crap my little outings bring in for the Enclave."

“And your child?” I inquired.

"Do those dead weights out there look like Nanny material to you? She gets really fussy when I'm not near and the fact I even have her, is purely the only choice I ever got back above the clouds. Well that and what I get for my meals but it's not a large selection…" She huffed. "I didn't wanna leave here because of her injuries and I don't know where I can go, the Enclave won't find me. Plus I have no idea how the wasteland is or where it is even considered safe to begin with."

“You can come with me.” I said honestly and a little abruptly even for my standards. “And...if you’re wondering, it’s safe where I am. I live in a cave on the outskirts of New Appaloosa, it’s a relatively safe place compared to many other area’s.”

She gave me a look. "Hmm… risk my and my daughter's safety and lives with a complete stranger we just met or wait it up here where odds are the first Enclave rescue team will be looking for me here… so, what's your name?"

“Soft Spot.” I said. “What’s your names?”

"Autumn Glow." She said, reaching into that metal box and taking out a well wrapped up little foal. She had Autumn Glow's mane, the same reddish orange, but a very light brown coat soaked in some dry blood and wrapped in bandgang. Has she not been breathing I'd have sworn she was… "This is Lucky Angel." She said, keeping her little one securely in her hamper held by her teeth.

“Lucky Angel is certainly a name given our current situation.” I chuckled.

"Thanks. So, shall we then Mr. Soft Spot?"

With a nod I lead the way out. Autumn Glow Used her wings to keep a low flight to avoid unneeded stress for her foal. Once we were outside we made a quick pace for my cave. The whole time she kept her eyes up at the cloud layer above us.

Once inside my cave she placed Lucky Angel on the bed and carefully removed the cloth holding her. The foal was in rough shape. Her back was clearly healed by healing potions, missing fur in a large patch of it. It was then I also realized, she was missing her wings. "Happened in the explosion." Autumn Glow said. "Normally Pegasus wings, despite looking fragile, are surprisingly durable… but, a baby's wings are still largely cartilage and Don't develop into proper bones until at least sixteen months."

"She's...never gonna fly…" I muttered sadly.

Autumn Glow looked to be holding back some tears. “Honestly… it’s probably for the best. Down here might be a hard life but it’s better than up there. Which is why I need to find a doctor.”

“Why a doctor?” I inquired. “Besides...making sure she’s still healthy?”

“Well, helps me hide.” She stated flatly. “After all, lots of ponies share similar color palettes. But they’ll be looking for a pegasus… not an earth pony.”

Wait… she’s not thinking...

“Are...are you certain about this?” I asked carefully.

“There are a lot of things a pony can get used to living without. Wings, horn, legs. The harder it is for them to find Lucky and I the better… She’ll never know, and I can live without some feathers. Know any good doctors that can keep quiet about something like this?”

Hmm… “Heh, she’s not a doctor per say, but she is a pegasus and knows a thing or two about medicine.”

“Wait, she’s a ghoul… you’re a ghoul?” Glow asked as she pointed between the two of us. In retrospect I should have taken the helmet off a lot sooner to get this out of the way. “... How?”

“I was just outside of Cloudsdale when the Megaspell went off. Came out like this.” Ditzy said.

“And I was...in Canterlot.” I said simply. “So no need to go into more explanation than that all things considered.”

“And, she can remove my wings?” Glow asked.

“I’ve had more than enough practice in managing wing care- wait… remove them?!” Ditzy stated.

“Yes. I need to stay hidden. Covering my face is easy, wings, well, while I could just keep them wrapped up against me I’d rather not deal with all that and avoid questions my daughter will ask if I have wings and she doesn’t.” Glow stated.

“That’s fair.” I nodded. “But she’ll also need a father figure at least…” I brought up, knowing in this day and age you need as much family as you can get.

“Hmm… No offence but I don’t think I’d be into riding a rotten sausage.”

If I could, I’d have blushed, but Ditzy did laugh. “Hey, at least it will help sell the whole earth pony thing right?”

“I was meaning more being there to help raise her, not that.” I said in embarrassment. “And it would yeah.”

“Well, it would be helpful. Ever change diapers? Wait… are there diapers down here?”

“Some pre-war ones yeah, but most ponies just keep multiple, washable thick clothes cut and stitched to be reusable ones.” Ditzy said.

“It’s a lot easier to just have washable stuff anyways.” I shrugged. “And even for Ghouls, all I can say is, thank Celestia Soap is still around.”

“Scented Candles too.” Ditzy added. “No town is complete without a supply of that for the bathrooms and public areas.”

“Heh, so, you can… get them off?” Autumn Glow asked Ditzy.

“Well, yes, for a price of course.”

“What’s the price?”

“Well, it seems I need a new Tech Trader, you up for the job? Odds are Soft Spot here can show you the ropes and help you out.”

“What about Angel?”

“I can babysit her. Foals love my derpy face.”

“It’s true, never seen a foal ever think poorly about her.” I added.

“Well, not like I have a lot of options anyway. So, shall we get started?"

"Tomorrow. The doc owes me a favor so between the two of us we can get this done safely." Ditzy stated. "She's only worked on two other Pegasi before but it's better than no experience at all."

“Some experience is always better than no experience.” I said honestly.

"Alright then… so… guess I get the couch?" Glow asked.

"I brought a cot and an old crib from the store. Consider them a down payment for your future business."

"Heh, thanks. Honestly didn't expect such hospitality down here. Between scout recordings and reports I was expecting… way worse."

"Oh there is. Much worse. You got really lucky."

"Heh, well, maybe Angel, Lucky is in her name after all."

“Either way.” I shrugged. “All we can say right now is that things might look up for a change.”

"Definitely different from the Wasteland norm." Ditzy said with a nod.

Level Up-

Error! Error! Monster Template Detected! Level Up is unavailable.

Installing Eliot Riot Gear Artificial Upgrade Template.

Installation complete.

Armor DT: 24

Helmet DT: 10

Armor Durability: 450/500

Helmet Durability: 92/100

No New Upgrades Detected.

Author's Note

Complete Rewrite from the original story, co-written with me by a good friend.