Fallout Equestria Firestorm

The mercenary and the letter

This Journal Belongs to: Snowbell

Where to begin... Well, my name is Snowbell, and I'm looking for my mother. Her name is Green Gardens and she's our stable's merchant. A few days ago her caravan was attacked by a group of raiders and she was the only survivor, but instead of coming home to Dad and I, she hired a mercenary to deliver a letter to us, and then disappeared into the wasteland...
Snowbell... Snowbell, wake up! The intercom in my bedroom crackled with my father's voice, even drowsy I could tell something was wrong. What's the matter dad?
Please come to my office as soon as you can dear... It's about your mother.
Did something happen to mom? I asked.
Just come to my office sweetheart.
I was awake and worried now; I quickly slipped into my stable jumpsuit and trotted out towards my father's office, not even bothering to brush my mane.
When I arrived Buckshot, our chief of security was standing outside the door; she motioned for me to head inside. When the door opened a stallion I didn't recognize was standing at the desk, he was large, olive green with a short brown mane and tail; he wore a strange grey jumpsuit with black stripes, a tan armored vest and black wings folded at his sides...
Wings? I blurted out in surprise.
Ahyep, first time meeting a Pegasus missy?
To say I was embarrassed would be an understatement, I think my cheeks turned as red as my eyes, the Pegasus just smiled at me. My father, Overstallion Brown Boxes, came around his desk, he was worried.
Snowbell, it's about your mother... her caravan was attacked by raiders.
What... where is she? Is she hurt? Is she...
She was fine, last I saw her. The Pegasus said, looking me in the eye, she sent me here to give you this.
He reached into a pocket and pulled out a letter, it had my name on it. I took it and unfolded it, it said: My Dear Snowbell, I am fine, going to fix this. Stay Safe - Momma.
At the bottom was a string of numbers and letters.
Good news ah hope? The Pegasus asked.
Hang on... Why are you here? I asked him, nopony is supposed to know where this stable is!
So I've heard, but your momma told where to find you so I could deliver that letter, guess she figured she could trust me.
Don't worry, Snowbell, we've been over that already, Mr. Summer Winds knows how to keep a secret.
I reckon I do, he said, besides, you folks have done a lot of good for this area, with all that trade Ms. Gardens has been doin', I wouldn't want nor let any trouble come your way. Speaking of which, my contract also stipulated I was to lend myself to guarding your next caravan. He said, turning back to my father.
It was then I noticed the patch on his flank. It was shaped like a shield, at the top it said "Payback Enterprises" on the shield was a rifle and syringe crossed over an hourglass and at the bottom was "Vendimus Mortem".
We sell death? I asked.
That's right, you're pretty sharp missy.
That's a little morbid isn't it?
Maybe, but at least it's honest, he responded.
That syringe... you don't sell chems do you?
Nope, see, the shield represents defense, the rifle offense, the syringe is to cure the ills of the wasteland and the hourglass to remind our enemies that they're time's run out. Course, the feller who originally founded "PBE" was a burnt out old merc who was rather fond of chems so the syringe might've meant something different to him, he said with a wink.
Well anyway, as I was saying Mr. Winds you're welcome to stay here until we can get another caravan put together, my father continued, the loss of our Brahmin was a big setback but we should have things ready to go tomorrow, and while I don't doubt your skill I will be sending extra security along with this caravan.
That's wise, way I figure it, the raiders are getting smart to your routes, they may also try to find where y'all are located too, a functioning stable is a tempting target.
As I am well aware... But, your arrival notwithstanding, this valley is well defended.
You just weren't expecting a flyer, he said with a grin.
No we were not, but I'm sure Buckshot has already made adjustments for that, so I would recommend caution should you ever return here.
I'll keep that in mind, to be fair your security ponies reacted very quickly, and they maintained discipline, had I been an aggressor, they'dve kept y'all safe.
That's good to know, thank you.
Heh, I'm thankful too, a bit less disciplined and they might've shot me before I could explain.
Snowbell, would you please see Mr. Winds to an empty room for me? I have to get another caravan put together.
Sure thing dad...
Thank you, and don't worry, whatever your mother is up too, I'm sure she'll be fine.
Your mother...
It had been a few years since mom and dad separated, they had simply grown apart, with time and work. they had remained on good terms for the most part, any arguing they had done had been regarding stable business rather than personal, dad had wanted to keep the stable isolated, while mom had wanted to use our resources to aid the wastelanders, they eventually reached an agreement, mom would lead trade caravans to the nearby settlement to trade, whilst keeping the number and location of the stable a strict secret.
Don't know how y'all can live underground like this, makes my wings twitchy just thinkin' about it.
The mercenary’s comment broke me out of my ruminating; I looked and saw that his black wings were in fact shaking just a bit.
Why are they black? I asked.
They're just dyed that color, back when I was a soldier I was member of a unit called Black Wings Recon.
Does that make you Enclave? Chief Buckshot asked, trotting up beside me.
Ahyep, surprised you've heard of us, he said.
To be honest, Green Gardens told me about you before, that's why I didn't shoot you as soon as you landed outside our door.
Well, I'm mighty grateful for that, getting shot is terribly unpleasant; getting shot by a friendly on accident is even more unpleasant.
Mom never told me about him...
I don't recall you ever taking much of an interest in the wasteland Snowbell.
Well no, but, I would have expected to hear about her meeting a Pegasus though. What exactly is the "Enclave" anyway?
The Grand Pegasus Enclave, he began. After the great war, with the destruction of the Pegasus city of Cloudsdale, the Pegasi decided to close off the sky and separate ourselves from the rest of world, and there we remain, well, most of us, some, like myself, end up as Dashites down here on the surface.
What's a Dashite? I asked.
Well, I assume you know who Rainbow Dash is? After the Enclave closed the sky she chose to return to the surface to help folks, turning her back on the Enclave, since then anypony else that comes to the surface is branded a Dashite and cast out of the Enclave.
So, is Payback Enterprises made up of Dashites?
Hehe, naw. There ain't that many of us, so far as I know there's only one other Dashite merc working for PBE, his name's Soarin, real religious fellow, can be hard to put up with sometimes, but he's a good flyer.
Those are some mighty impressive guns you flew in here with, Buckshot said.
Ahyep, Death and Destruction, they're my babies, most recon flyers use sniper rifles, but I was the support gunner so I carry the magical energy Gatling and grenade launcher, I'll be happy to get those back tomorrow.
Don't you worry, they're in good hooves for now, in the meantime just keep your wingboners under control alright, I gotta get back to the security office. Sorry about your mom Snowbell, but she'll be fine, I know it.
I ain't got no wingboners! He shouted after Buckshot as she trotted off down the hallway.
What does she mean by "wingboners"? I asked.
You ain’t ever heard that term before missy? He asked skeptically. I shook my head no. Well, when a Pegasus gets excited or startled our wings tend to flare open, and some folks think that means the same thing as, well... you can probably guess.
Oh... I replied, and then blushed. Again.
Don't let your mind travel down any dark roads on account of what she said now missy, our wings can reflect our emotions, it don't just mean we're "excited".
Of course... Well, here's an empty room for you, the cafe is just down the hall and to your left, I'll just be going now.
Alrighty, see ya later missy.
I spent the rest of the day thinking about the note and wondering what the string of letters and numbers meant and wondering what I would do next, my sleep that night was haunted by raider ponies and wasteland monsters, I awoke early in the morning and decided what I should do.