Fallout: Equestria - Broken Luck

Fallout - Equestria: Broken Luck

Chapter 4: Rest in Pieces

I couldn't stand to be there anymore. Not after what I'd done. With my stomach sated, my thirst allayed, I had no desire to look at the half-eaten corpse of my lover and best friend. I set off on the path to the town, leaving everything else behind aside my Legion blade and my thin cloak. I left everything else for others to pick over. Not like I cared anymore. All of it would remind me of Glimmer every time.

Strangely enough, I felt a certain sense of peace within my body. As if I had done something I needed to. Or maybe it was Glimmer's soul, giving me comfort. I didn't know which, but my body felt satisfied. My mind was far from untroubled, however. As I walked, I did my best to clean her blood off my face and hooves, though it was rough going without any water. I eventually just rubbed my face raw to get it off, the dried blood flaking off in tiny pieces like I felt my mind was.

The walk to the town was fairly uneventful from that point on. I felt as if no time had passed at all. The world felt frozen in shock from the horror I had committed. Before I knew or was even ready for it, houses started to pass me by as I trotted on. The heat was starting to peel off, thankfully, since it was getting to be in the evening. I had hardly noticed the lighting change. All I knew is I wanted a drink, a place to sleep, and some company. So I headed to the little saloon in the town.

Now this town was small, very small. It was called Goodsprings, and the folk in it were nice. Real homebodies. They recognized me the moment I stepped into the bar, and I was greeted heartily. It brought a small smile to my face. Since it was getting in the evening, most of the little town was in the saloon, swapping stories and rumors, getting their food and drink, and generally socializing. Of course, the first question on everypony's lips when I stepped in: Where's your family?

I lied, of course. I didn't want to stir up trouble right now. I told them Mr. and Mrs. Rachet sadly passed in their sleep, and I no longer had an employer. I told them I was broke and unwilling to stay in such a place of sadness. It garnered a lot of sympathy. I was given water and whiskey on the house...which I was infinitely grateful for. I was ashamed to lie to the good ponies, but...the truth was so much harsher. I had gotten several offers for ponies to take me in until I figured out what to do, but I rejected most of them.

I was feeling much better after I had spent some time in the saloon, drinking and chatting with the townfolk, as if it were old times again. It put my mind at ease for the time. As the evening progressed, the saloon slowly emptied out, until it was me, the few that were late-nighters, and the owner. She was a nice, if older pony. Kind of reminded me of my ma. She'd come over and make sure I had water, then ruffle my mane like I was her own, and say nice things to me. I liked her a lot. It was no surprise to me, or anypony else when she offered to put me up for the night in her own home. I accepted from her...I was exhausted from all the ordeal I had gone through, and I trusted her enough that I could sleep under her roof. We left not long after the last patron bid us farewell and a good night.

Her home was small, but warm. She had done a lot to keep the place inviting and roomy. She was a widow, her husband killed by a wayward group of geckos, and he left her his saloon and everything that had been saved, so she was quite well-off compared to the rest of the town. She set me up on her sofa with a nice, warm blanket, and the flickering fire in her fireplace crackled comfortingly. She gave me a last ruffle of my mane and bid me goodnight. I think she could sense how I was feeling, because she added: "Get some rest, Tough. Things will be clearer in the morning." with her old, kind smile.

While the couch was much more comfortable than just about any other bed I've had in my lifetime and the fire and blanket were both secure and warm...my sleep was plagued with nightmares. I couldn't seem to stay asleep. I woke up and walked around the room. The fire was out and it was cold. "Miss Cold Drink?" I called for the saloon-mare. The house seemed to echo my words. There was no response. As I looked around, I notice things weren't as they used to be. The house was decaying and the things were ruined, falling apart. How long was I asleep? Did I die?

I walked into the kitchen of the house, trying to figure out what was happening. "Miss Drink?" I called again. The fridge kicked on, the vacuum pump sputtering to life noisily and nearly making me jump out of my skin. I noticed the soft glow of the stove on. There was a frying pan on it sizzling something. I began walking to it. I could have sworn the kitchen was the length of a football field as I walked. It took forever. When I reached the stove, finally, I was exhausted. The room was unbearably hot. I felt thirsty. I was dying. I had to know what was in the pan. It would save me, I'm sure.

I struggled to pull myself up...by the time I had reached the stove, I was crawling. Inch after painful inch, I made my way up. The pan was the most important thing in my mind right now. The sizzling was deafening. The fridge vacuum seemed so far away. I finally managed to stand up on my hooves, and looked down into the pan. Glimmer-Hoof's grinning, half-eaten face was there. "Why did you eat me? You're a monster! MONSTER! MONSTER! MONSTER!" the face cackled as I ran away, taunting me with jeering calls. I felt like I was on fire. My legs felt like old tires and I couldn't run. "No! I'm sorry! You told me to!" my words flitted around the room like bats with no direction. "Please Glimmer!"

I was about to reach the fridge. With slow horror I realized it was opening. Her frozen body lumbered out. The stove was no longer a thousand yards away...it was where it should be. The body pushed me aside, now cowering in fear, and went to pick the head up, slowly placing it on the neck stump. The body was half-eaten too. "Now Tough, let's see how -you- like being eaten alive..." she said, her leering, dead gaze piercing into my very core. I felt my body seize in it's natural fight-or-flight response. But I didn't want to fight. I only ran. I ran as hard as my legs would carry me. I was in the desert again. The house was gone. No matter how hard I ran, though, Glimmer was right behind me every time I looked back, walking with the slow gait of the dead, her terrible, mocking grin chilling my spine. I was lost again.

The desert dunes were endless. I couldn't seem to find a cactus to guide me either. Nothing but sand in every direction...except when I looked back. But I tried to not do that. Glimmer was there. She was going to get me. I couldn't let her get me. I could hear her taunting me, her voice always seemed far away. But when I looked back..there she was, less than three steps away. I finally tripped and tumbled down a dune, landing roughly in the remains of what looked to be our old cart. I could hear scorpions skittering around the edges of the dune. I looked up, and Glimmer's eyes were staring down at me, glowing slightly. She was standing at the top of the dune I fell down.

I looked down at my legs. They were broken now. Pain screamed through me. She slowly and purposefully walked down towards me, a scorpion in tow. "Glimmer...the scorpion is behind you!" I tried to warn. But it never attacked her. No, it's focus was on me. She stood over me, towering like some alicorn. The scorpion moved to my other side. It drove it's stinger into me, right into my old wound. It HURT. Pain washed through me again, and I felt my body convulsing. But my gaze was locked onto hers. "Now I can eat you, Tough. Let's see how -you- like it. Monster. Monster. You're a disgusting monster." she taunted. Her head leaned down, and her mouth opened wide...

I jumped out of the couch with a scream of terror, causing a shuffling and a thump, then running hooves to come from the bedroom. Cold Drink had a terrified look on her soft blue face, and a pistol in her mouth. I was standing there, ready to fight, breathing hard, with sweat pouring down my body. We both looked at each other for a tense few moments before we both realized there was no real danger. She relaxed and sighed, setting the firearm on a nearby side table. "Sweet Celestia, Tough, you scared the heck outta me." she chided gently, moving over to me to help me sit back on the couch. "You musta had a right terrible nightmare honey. Want to talk about it?" she asked, her eybrows knitting together in concern.

I shook my head and took a shaky breath. "N-no...just...old memories torturing me. I'll be fine." I replied with a weak smile. "Sorry for waking you Miss Drink." she smiled and ruffled my mane. It was comforting.

"You get comfortable, honey, and try to sleep again. Go on into the kitchen if ya feelin' hungry or thirsty. Maybe take a walk around outside t' clear your mind."

I immediately shook my head, the nightmare lingering. "NO! Uh...I mean no thanks...I'll probably go take a walk. Maybe I'll get lucky and see the stars tonight." I lamely offered. She tilted her head in concern, but nodded. She bid me goodnight again, and went off to her room, making sure to grab her sidearm before she closed the door. I, on the other hoof, went to the front door and opened it to step out into the cold desert air. No stars, of course. There was only light clouds, the moon trying it's very hardest to give the ground what little light it could.

The lights of Las Pegas was off in the distance. I smiled slightly, gazing off there. Ever since I had seen it in the Legion camp as a young foal, I wanted to go see it up close. I walked to the saloon, letting the cool night air breeze the nightmare away, keeping my eyes on the bright city in the distance. I made up my mind. I'd go to Las Pegas and try to find my way in life. It couldn't be too bad, right? I'd find answers in a big city like that.

It was definitely a goal to work towards. I walked back to the saloon-mare's house, and quietly went inside, settling down on the couch once more. I felt like I could sleep again. With thoughts of the bright lights of the city running through my mind, I fell asleep once more. I dreamed of the Strip...streets paved with bottle caps and fountains of water and whiskey danced through my mind. It was a pleasant thought.

A journey like that is never paved with caps, though. It's carved in blood.