Fallout Equestria Stories: Strike

Chapter 4: The Grave

As my consciousness faded my mind slipped into a dream. The dream was of a time during the middle of the war. I was approaching the elementary school my children attended. I was extremely excited to see them again, it had been almost over a year since I had last seen them. I had been honorably discharged from military service and my first order of business was to see my kids. With joy on my face and 3 purple heart medals on my uniform I entered the classroom.

“Nova! Blue! Guess who’s back to stay!”

I look around but the classroom was empty and decrepit. I saw wallpaper peeled back, broken splintered desks, and water stains everywhere. My heart sank until I heard a voice call out to me.

“Daddy?” Nova’s voice echoed.

“Where are you?!” Blue’s voice called out.

I looked all around but there was no sign off them. I followed the sound of their voices until i found a bizarre rounded window like that of the windows in a Stable. I peered into it and saw my children staring out.

I attempted to call back to them. “It’s alright daddy’s here now!” They seemed to be staring past me as if the couldn’t see me.

“Daddy where are you I’m so scared.” Nova cried as she curled up on the floor with tears pouring off her face. “Why did he have to leave us?”

Blue curled up next to his sister tears forming in his eyes. “I don’t know… I just don’t know.”

“Don’t cry I’m here, I’m here to protect you.” I banged against the glass with all my force, but no matter how hard I hit the glass wouldn’t even so much as crack beneath my hooves. “Let me in damn it! LET! ME! IN!” I hit the glass with my hooves until they bled but I didn’t care, I had to get in.

Then… I heard sirens blaring over the school’s speaker system. I looked out a window to my right to see the massive mushroom cloud forming outside. I turned to look back at my children still curled up on the floor inside the Stable-like room. I latched onto the window as the wall of balefire from outside ripped the school apart and engulfed me. I stared in at my children who were protected by their safe room. The force of the explosion began to make me lose my grip on the window. I winced in pain as my strength began to fade. I took one last look inside and said, “I love you both.” Then, the explosion ripped me from the window sending me flying through the air.

*** *** ***

I was awoken from my nightmare by a hard kick to the rib cage, and the cracking of a few bones. My eyes shot open to see a rugged pony with a spiked mane and a shotgun battle saddle glaring down at me.

“Get up and get your ass in line NOW!” The gruff pony barked at me.

I slowly got up, pain shooting from my now injured ribs. I looked and saw the pony walking over to another unconscious victim. In my confusion and anger I blurted out: “What the hell is going on!” The perpetrator to my pain stopped dead in his tracks and turned around. He began to walk towards me with a smug but irritated look on his face.

“Looks like the new one has some fight in him. Listen slave, you will do as we say or that little bomb collar on your neck will pop your head like a blood balloon.You got me.”

I looked down to see a collar with a red light and a chain attached to the poor unfortunate soul in front of me. I had also notice that they had taken all of my supplies, my clothes and my weapons. My mind began to race, trying to figure out how I ended up here,  how I could possibly escape, and also the thought of HOLY FUCK THERE IS A BOMB ON MY NECK.

“I said do you got me!” He growled as he sent his hoof back into my ribs shattering what he had previously cracked. I grit my teeth as to not show pain, the last thing I want to show these cretins was weakness.

“Oh looks like we got ourselves a tough one here, I know the perfect buyers for a pony like you.”

As he reeled back to hit me again a young female unicorn in leather armor walked up and smacked him hard enough to knock him of his feet.

“Metal Head, you idiot, a broken pony won't be worth as many caps.” Then her glance fell upon me and a smirk formed across her face. “We need to milk this cow for all it’s worth. I mean it’s not everyday you capture a pegasus.” She then look over all the slaves that were lined up and back at the pony she called Metal Head. “I want you to wake up the rest of the slaves without injuring them. If I have to miss out on caps because you ‘accidently’ kill another one then you’re gonna get a cap, do you understand?”

Metal Head pulled himself off the ground with a hint of fear in his eyes and stammered, “Ye...yes, Madam Grimfeather.” He then proceeded to wake up the remaining slaves.

Grimfeather stood near the front of the line, which was about ten ponies in front of me, she look over the slaves as she made her address.

“Alright listen up! For those who haven’t figured it out yet, you are all slaves now. Do not even think of fighting back or running, those collars on your neck will blow if anyone of uses our detonators. And if you decide you want to complain or whatever the fuck you will yell or say, just remember this. The most useless part of a slave is it’s tongue, and we will rid you of it if we find it necessary. Now we are moving out so don’t fall behind or else.”

She then went into a metal carriage that had a chain attached from the back of it to the first pony in line. I looked around to see if I had any means of escape. I saw that there were four slavers on both sides of the line, two slavers pulling the carriage, and including Grimfeather in the carriage would make eleven of them and twenty of us slaves. I can’t fly away or I’d just be dragging them into the sky to make pretty fireworks for the slavers. My lockpicking skills aren’t good enough to get the collar off my neck without triggering it. I could try to take them out one at a time with my telekinesis, but if the slavers start dropping dead and my wings are glowing I’m sure they’ll be able to put two and two together. I guess I’ll have to ride this out until I can find an opening to escape.

*** *** ***

We’ve been walking for two weeks now, the only thing we’ve had to drink are irradiated puddles and or only food has been the leftovers from the mutated animals they killed and ate. We are ponies, herbivores, we shouldn’t be eating meat, but in a weird way I’ve started growing a craving for it. Another weird thing I’ve come to notice is that, somehow, the radioactive water feels like it’s helping me, giving me strength. I know that sounds weird but since I’ve started drinking it the pain of my broken ribs faded away. It’s either that or I’m slowly going insane, and I wouldn’t be surprised if I did.

Eventually I saw a huge city on the horizon, which by this point I hope is our destination. The pony in front of looked down at his hooves and muttered under his breath, “ Great, Sandy Spires, the city of raiders, I wish I would've just died in the wastes.” That shatter any thought of optimism I had in me.

*** *** ***

We eventually made it two the city and were approached by heavily armed guards. In the center of the guards there was an earth pony dressed as if he were a Caesar.

The Caesar pony walk toward the carriage and with a commanding voice stated, “Halt, state your business or my guards will open fire.”

Grimfeather step out of her carriage and bowed. “Hail Caesar.”

Huh well I’ll be damned he’s actually calling himself Caesar.

Caesar smiled at her as if he were happy to see her. “Ah, Madam Grimfeather, what a joy it is to see you again. Have you brought me any new workers or maybe some fighter for the Coliseum?”

They walked toward us as she pointed out, “ Yes sir and I’ve also got a little surprise for you but it’ll cost some extra caps.”

“Go ahead, tell me, I’m all ears.”

“Well we were able to procure a pegasus, and he’s a tough one too.”

“A pegasus, how queer, pegasus rarely ever leave their little cloud haven. How on earth did you find one.”

“He stumbled into our trap hotel, it was quite easy to get him after that.”

“How much will he cost me?”

“Ten thousand caps, no less.”

“I say we have ourselves a deal and I will also buy the rest of your slaves as well.”

“It’s always a pleasure doing buisness with you.”

“Likewise Madam.”

And with that the money was given and we were escorted into the city.

*** *** ***

We were eventually led to an open area surrounded by guards where we were judged for what job we’d get and were escorted to the place in which we would perform our task. Of course, due to the bragging of Grimfeather I was sent to the Coliseum to fight to the death with whoever they threw at me. I sat in a holding cell, now, thankfully, without the bomb collar. I search the area for any chance of escape, I hoped for a loose bar or a weakness in the wall or floor, but found no such luck. The floor and walls were concrete and the bars were well firm in place. There wasn’t anything useful in sight, the only thing outside my cell was a chair and the only thing inside was a tattered, stained bed, a toilet, and a sink. Seeing as I was thoroughly stuck in this cell I decided the best thing to do would be to sleep and rest my weary body. I lied down on the old bed and tried not to think of where the stains could have come from. I closed my eyes and drifted of into a deep sleep.

*** *** ***

As I lied there sleep my mind wandered into a dream. It seemed to be more of a memory than a dreams. A memory of a time during when I worked at Stable-Tec. I was having lunch at a breakfast diner in Manehatten with an old friend. Neuron Bones, also known as Dr.Bones, sat across from me at the table. He was a off-white unicorn with a greasy, greasy black mane. We were long-time friends but had quite the opposite ways of thinking, he was sort of like the yin to my yang, but none-the-less we were more like brothers than friends. We were having another nice philosophical debate as we usually did over waffles.

“... and that is the most screwed up part to me.” I concluded taking a bite of my waffle.

“I agree for the most part although...” a smirk crawled onto his face, “I’d love to see from your perspective, but I couldn’t possibly shove my head that far up my own ass.”

“Well…” I stated as is swallowed my chunk of waffle. “At least you’d be seeing shit clearly.”

Yep best of friends, the kind you can insult and they don’t get offended, they just think of a worse insult and fire it right back.

I continued the conversation, “So, how’s the baby mama?”

“She’s fine, the baby should be due in a few months.”

“Nice, nice. But there’s one thing I’ve never understood about you. You’re a stallion of science yet you sleep around like it’s going out of style.”

“Coming from the pony that can’t get a date.”

“You know I have too much to focus on right now than to worry about finding a special somepony.”

“And yet you adopted two little ones.”

“Look, when I saw them outside of the orphanage I couldn’t help but take them in. It was just something I felt like I had to do.”

“I know, I’m just trying to push your buttons. Now, on to more pressing matters.”

I looked at him quizzically, “And what would that be?”

“I need you to convince Sweetie Belle to put a good word in for me to Twilight Sparkle. It will make getting employed at the Ministry of Arcane Science so much easier.”

“Sure dude, what are friends for.”

We continued to talk about many things, and joked and reminisced over old times. After we finished our waffles and coffee we left the building hoof-bumped and began to walk our separate ways.

“Adios you sad sack of shit!” I yelled to him.

“See ya later you dumb flying fuck!” He called back

Friends… friends are a good thing to have.

*** *** ***

I was woken up by a huge splash of irradiated water to the face. I jumped to my hooves to see where it had came from and to no surprise it was an armored guard carrying a now empty bucket and an energy rifle.

“Alright get up slave, it’s your turn to fight.”

Begrudgingly I followed the guard down a narrow corridor into some form of pre-fight holding cell. Once I was in the new cell the guard walk out the iron bar door and locked it behind him.

“Alright there is armor and a weapon in the cell, take what you want and when the gates open be ready to fight.”

As he walked off I looked around for the pre-mentioned armor and a weapon, if I go down it won’t be without a fight. The armor I found was barely any armor at all, it was just a few metal pads held together by belt like leather straps. After looking at my PipbuckΩ, which they thankfully did not try to rip out of my leg, I was able to see that the armor was pretty close to breaking. Nonetheless I put it on anyway and began to look for the weapon.

I could find the weapon and thought to myself the they may had forgot to put one in until I looked up. Stuck in the ceiling was a swords comprised of what looked like scrap metal. My wings began to glow yellow as I wrapped my telekinesis around the sword and dislodged it. I sat the sword next to me and waited for the big metal gate to open.

I decided that I’m going to just tough it out and use the sword with my mouth and keep the telekinesis thing a secret to these raiders, I’d rather keep one ace up my sleeve. I waited until I heard a voice boom from outside the gate.

“Mares and Gentlecolts, are you ready to see blood?!” Loud cheers burst through the gate like a bomb. “Are you ready for a fight?!” More cheers bursted out. “Well we have a treat for you today our glorious leader, his majesty the Caesar of Raiders, was able to captured a pegasus and brought him here to fight!” The cheers grew louder and louder. “Without any more delay let the battle commence!”

The gates creaked open and I was able to see the colosseum I would be fighting in. As I walked out, sword in mouth, I could see that the area did look similar the the Great Pegasus Colosseum, if it were made by a group of hobos in a junk yard. In the crowds I could see all kinds of raiders, tall, short, stallions, mares, unicorn, earth pony, and even children of multiple ages. It sickened me to think that this is how these ponies entertain themselves by forcing others to kill each other. After most of the population of Equestria was killed in balefire, you’d think life would be a precious thing. Nevertheless, I have to find a way out of this and if it meant I had to fight I would fight, but if there was a quicker and less bloody way out I won’t hesitate to take it.

I could see they had several snipers posted around the highest points of the arena. Caesar sat in a viewing box guarded by three guards: one holding a laser rifle, two holding makeshift swords. If I try flying out of here I’ll be shot down in a second. I could try to take out their leader to cause mass hysteria and chaos, but the guards would take me out before I could get close. The only option now seems to be to fight.

I turned my attention to who my competitor is and I was shocked. I had thought they would send some large and strong fighter, but it was just a normal middle aged stallion. He was just an average looking light brown pony with black hair; he had scars on his back, which were obviously from wips. He carried a scrap metal sword in his mouth.

We approached each other, placed our swords down, and bowed to one another.

The stallion, under his breath, muttered, “I’m sorry I have to do this I have a wife and child I want to see again.”

His words were a spear through my heart. I knew how he felt trying to get back to his family. Thoughts raced through my head and I realized that I am merely chasing after the hope that my kids are still alive, while this buck has one waiting to see him. Not only that but a wife who probably loves him and would be torn apart to lose her love. I couldn’t do it, I couldn’t ruin his chance of happiness, I may not know him but nevertheless I couldn’t bring myself to fight him.

I lowered my head. “Make it quick, I won’t fight back.”

“Wha… What?” The brown pony seemed confused.

I looked him in the eyes, ”You said you wanted to see your wife and kid right.”

“Ri...Right.” He stumbling over his words.

“Then KILL ME! I’ve lived a full life, and I don’t have the right to ruin yours.” I looked back at the dirt and waited to watch as the last bit of life slip from my body. I heard the stallion’s hooves patter against the ground as he made his way toward his new victory. As I gaze toward what I am certain to be my new resting place I see the forehooves of my competitor in front of me tensing as he readied his attack. I can hear the wind break off the swords sharp blade as it made its way to it’s destination, my final destination. I close my eyes waiting to feel death’s cold touch wash over me. Then I hear a the sound of metal hitting dirt, I open my eyes to see the blade embedded into the ground next to me and a weeping stallion above me.

“I… I can’t. I’m not a killer… I’m… I’m not.” The poor pony choked out.

I looked at him and wrapped my foreleg around the back of his neck. “It's okay, that’s probably a good thing. Don’t worry, I don’t want to kill you either so you might just get to see your family after all.”

Suddenly the speaker system screeched to life to make way for Caesar’s enraged voice, “What the FUCK is this! I pay for high dollar for a fighting pegasus and got a FUCKING softy. Guards kill the insignificant cur and the waste of good caps!”

From behind I could hear the rapid gallop of hooves approaching. I spun around only to be met with a sharp blade making its way through my throat and out the back of my neck. I hit the ground with a thud, as my head rolled across the dirt. This is how it ends huh… weird I thought it would hurt more. I thought to myself as I waited for my for death to creep upon me. As a severed head I laid there and I realized my consciousness wasn’t fading. I looked around and saw one guard slice the head of my “competitor” with a sick smile across his face. I was furious I wanted to kill that guard, but how can I even feel anger I should be dying. My gaze moved over to see a second guard with my black blood brandishing his sword who was looking at his friend decapitate the poor stallion with a grin firmly sprawled across his face and something behind him. I could see what was behind him, but I didn’t want to believe it. My body stood straight up behind the guard and it almost looked like it was vibrating.

Suddenly from the stump of my body’s half of my neck, shot a black thick tendril through straight through the back of the guards head through his face and attached itself to the stump of neck on my head. The tendril yanked my head into the air, ripping the last remaining bit of the top of the guard’s skull apart and pulling my head back into place. It was as if my head was never cut off to begin with. Now I could once again feel my body and it felt powerful. It felt like pure energy was running through my blood and that old burning pain in my flank was back but it felt different, as if it were the source of the power. You didn’t think I’d let my vessel die, did you? The voice I was hearing was the same from the one I had heard when I first interred the vault. Hehehe, I’m not going to explain the whole thing to you but basically I saved your life and I am protecting you. Now isn’t there something you wanted to do about that guard.NOW KILL!!! I looked toward the remaining guard and saw the fear in his eyes. He reached for his gun attached to his armor and began firing upon me. I could feel the rage inside me burning hotter and hotter; I was angry, angrier than I’ve ever been. The rage fueled the power flowing in me and it felt as if the power was fueling the anger more and more as well. I lunged forward and rapped the guard with my forelegs and took to the sky. He stabbed and shot at me as I pulled him into the sky, each shot and stab hitting their mark. As my blood began to flow it hardened itself into razor sharp tendrils and stabbed holes into the guard. I don’t know which part killed him, but I didn't care I wanted every piece of him gone. I reach the cloud cover and dropped him, then I flew hoof first into the hole-punched guard’s face and laid a flurry of punches. Blood flew from his face with each punch as the tendrils began ripping his legs off with ease and pulling each part of him apart. I punched and punched as the tendrils destroyed every piece of him.

I landed on the ground in a shower of blood and meat. The lump of pony left on the ground was completely unrecognizable. I looked around at the sick audience who had fallen quiet. I wanted to kill them, I wanted to kill them all. I turned to look at Caesar and flew off toward his viewing box.

I started screaming, “CAESAR! YOU'RE NExt….” My body began to grow heavy and my consciousness fading. I looked down to see seven tranqs planted firmly in my body. I fell from the air losing consciousness before I even hit the ground.

*** *** ***

No dream graced my presence in my tranq induced slumber. I jolted up from my sleep to see that I was laying on the floor of a metal walled cell. I stood up and tried to fully recollect on how I ended up here. The memories rolled through my head like a photo reel, but the more I thought about it the less real it seemed. I looked down at my forehooves as if they were going to suddenly turn into claws, which is possible considering yesterday’s event.

Staring down at my hooves I ponder, “What am I… what have I become.” I checked my pipbuckΩ to see if It may have any information on what’s wrong with me. The pipbuck says I’m green across the board. “This thing must be busted there is no way I can be perfectly healthy and without any broken bones; I mean hell, lost my damn head. If I can make it back to my vault I can get Andromeda to run some more in depth examination of my blood.” My neck felt a bit sore and constricted but not from injury. I looked down and saw a new collar wrapped tightly around my neck. This collar seemed different than the last collar, but I couldn’t get a good enough look at it to see what has changed.

I heard the heavy metal door slide open and a several sets of hooves clatter their way into the cell. I look and see that my guests are several guards and Caesar himself with a satisfied grin. I can see that all the guards are holding regular guns and spears, no tranqs. If bullets have the same effects that they did yesterday then this was my best chance of escaped. I shot full speed at Caesar only to get a few centimeters in front of him before my body began to course with electricity causing me my joints to lock and my body to hit the ground twitching.

Caesar’s grin widened, “Since bullets have no effect on you, it’s great to see you can still be knocked out and paralyzed.” He turned off the electricity with a button on his wrist. “That was quite the show you gave us out there. You almost made me regret buying you, but damn that was quite the spectacle. You are going to make Sandy Spires the richest city in the waste. I can see it now ‘Sandy Spires Coliseum: Witness the partner of death itself The Grave’, you’ll be a bigger source of income than our raiding groups. Oh and just in case you think of trying anything funny I gave all of my guards each a remote for your shock collar.” And with that Caesar and his guards began to leave the cell.

My stomach began to growl,”Hey how are y’all going to have y’all’s main attraction if he dies of starvation.”

Caesar turned around and looked my in the eyes, still smug as ever, “ Oh yeah about that, if you want food at all you’re gonna have to eat what, or should I say who, you kill.”

I stared wide eyed at Caesar, I heard but he said but my mind refused to processes it. “You don’t mean…”

“Come on don’t be a baby, food is food, plus the audience loves it.” He chuckled as he began to exit the cell. “Oh and your next fight is in an hour, do not disappoint.”

I propped my back up against the wall, I needed to conserve energy, I was beginning to feel the effects of hunger. I can’t… but I have to. This wierd blood power, whatever it is, has allowed me to fight another day. If I want to see my kids again I’m going to have to do what I can to survive even if it means... cannibalism.

*** *** ***

I stepped out onto the Colosseum to an uproar of cheers and shouts for blood. Blood stains from the previous fight littered the ground. My new challenger approaches covered in bloody spiked armor, he had a psychotic look in his eye and a jagged smile on his face.

The speakers screeched on. “Raiders are you ready to for the most anticipated fight in the Colosseum's history. The reigning champion of the Coliseum, Ruin, will be facing the monster himself who took down two of Caesar’s guards with ease, The Grave!” The crowds cheered ferociously, shout for use to rip each other apart.”Fight!!!”

Ruin began walking toward me, throwing his sword to the ground. “I’m going to beat you within an inch of your life and then SKULL FUCKED YOU TO DEATH!!!”

Ruin charged me swinging hoof after hoof into my stomach, forcing me to cough up blood. The mark burned as the pain and my anger grew. I blocked his next punch and sent one back at his face. My hoof made contact with his jaw making him back away. He pulled a spike from his armor and jammed it in my side so hard that it propelled to the floor. Blood gushed from my side like a fountain. Ruin scooped up some of my blood in his hooves and drinks it. “Delicious. You will make a good feast.”

I stood back to my feet, pain rushing through me as I felt a small chuckle escape my lips. “You’re pretty stupid. I mean really didn't anyone tell how I killed those guards?” The mark burn and the blood flowing out of me formed and hardened into a tendril. The psychopath's eyes widen with fear as he attempted to bolt away only to be stopped by the tendril lifting him by his throat. “You’re disgusting. I understand that they make you eat your opponent as your only source of food, but to actually enjoy it is… horrid. I’m sorry to tell you... well not entirely... but the world will be much better if people like you can be dealt with.”

“I...I...argh…” Ruin tried to speak but nothing but incoherent garble came out of his mouth.

“I honestly feel sorry for you, not only because I pity your actions but also because you were dumb enough to drink my blood.”

“Cou…ah….argh”

“I know what you're thinking ‘What could be so bad about drinking his blood other than the fact that he would get mad’ right. Well you see that thing wrapped around your neck, as you saw it is my blood.You didn’t even take notice it was black, I mean I know it has a very slight crimson tint to it but it’s still so obviously black. No bell went off in your brain saying something is wrong. Oh well, I might as well get to the point my blood can harden and move which means…” Ruin let out a blood curdling scream as his body began convulsing. Parts of his body began to stretch as if something was trying to get out. Suddenly Ruin’s body erupted with black spikes and with a final scream Ruin fell silent. “...things like that can happen.” My blood exited his body, combined with the tendril, and retracted back into my body.

The crowd was in an uproar, they cheered “EAT HIM! EAT HIM! EAT HIM!” They disgusted me they enjoyed watching cannibalism. Not until the adrenaline from the fight wore off, did I feel the full force of my weakening body. I needed food, I needed to eat. I hated it, I hated it with every fiber of my being I hated it but I had to do it. I looked down at the corpse of Ruin bloodied and hole filled. With a deep breath I reached my head down baring my teeth onto a piece of moderately loose flesh and ripped it off the body. The bloody filled my mouth with head chew of the meat like juice from a fresh fruit. This was disgusting, the very thought of what I was doing made me want to vomit but I had to keep eating.

The audience's cheers were silenced by the sound of the speaker system’s piercing activation. Caesar’s voice came through the speakers screech, “Well raiders I think we have a winner here, The Grave!” The audience uproar rose again, clapping and cheering.

Two guards approached, with buttons for my collar at the ready. “Now just come quietly back to your cell and bring your food with you.” I knew there was no point of trying to fight them, if I tried anything they electrocute me until I either submitted or passed out. I looked down at the now partially eaten Ruin and grab his now visible spine with my teeth and began to drag it as I walked with the guards back to my cell.

When I got back to my cell I finished off my horrid meal. After I had finished I laid down onto the makeshift floor bed and tried to sleep. My mind wasn’t racing nor did I feel guilt from what I had done. All I felt before sleep overcame me, was an emptiness.