Fallout Equestria: The Crystal's Howling Dance.

“A community in a broken world like this is something everypony wants. Someday though the world will become less hateful of the broken world and they will never call for the heads of those in leadership. Then the heroes' stories and the heroes' songs will be at fault. It’s come to start to allow the villains to win.”

Speech by Kirin mare in WidowMaker Desert

_______________________

Day six Outskirts of Manehattan

It was a peaceful morning as peaceful as the wasteland can be. Shadow explained that after I woke up we would be heading to meet up with a mare named Patch. Patch is on a mission right now to get some runaway slaves. We were about an hour out and even an hour away we could hear gunfire.

“Huh is this normal?”

Shadow laughs.

“A little too normal frankly.”

I close my eyes tightly while we follow the old road heading to Manehatten. I feel I am way over my head and I know full well this journey will end me. It’s not something I am looking forward to either. I take a deep breath to relax my heart and mind. My heart is so used to the stale air of the underground.

“Tiria we can stop for a bit if you feel you need to. This world is new to you and everything just looks like it’s upsetting you.”

I smirk weakly.

“I can’t stop now. I know full well that if I just stopped here I would never allow myself to keep going. I will just turn back around and accept my fate with my pack. If one of my species quits their journey and then we are killed for our stupidity.”

I groan, stroking my head and we stop hearing the gunshots going off more and more. It’s never going to end. I felt stress going through my body. I have been so used to the safety of my pack's cavern and now I am not so sure anymore.

“Tiria from the looks on your face and how you act you’re not even ready for this dead world. You already hurt let. It’s hard for you to walk on it without groaning in pain and you refuse to take med-x are you just going to keep acting like this till the end?”

I shrug my shoulders.

“Frankly I will be honest I don’t trust anything from this world. Our hunters told us you lose more and more of your soul when you use these medical devices and items. Your soul will be lost when you take this med-x or potions because it was made for a lower species.”

Shadow stared at me and we began to walk down the road again. I can tell from the look he didn’t care for how I am acting. How I called ponies lower species. Frankly, I had every right to call them lower species. They destroyed the world and they fought the zebras. The zebras are just as bad as them. I can’t hate forever though but I can do whatever I want for the time being. I am sure I will change my mindset.

“Tiria please don’t say this to their faces. Ponies think very highly of themselves even after the death of their princesses. We must respect them even if we join forces with a questionable stallion.”

I glare at the griffin. I feel my anger building in my heart. I try my best to relax and take a deep breath. Relax Tiria relax. There is no need to be judgy of the ponies and this griffin. I knew he meant well so I took a deep breath again.

“I am sorry Shadow. I don’t mean to be an ass. I just haven’t gotten over the issues with my pack and the fact those ponies almost destroyed my ability to walk. I am going to be in deep pain and I know full well there are potions I am sure they gave me. I am sure they did.. Just again I am sorry.”

Shadow snickers

“I get it this world is new to you. Your race from the sounds of it is kept hidden from the others of this world and even wasteland itself. You don’t want to accept it, you don’t even want to accept you’re now in a world of ponies.”

I grunt tripping on a rock and limping on my left paw. The leg and the paw itself got smashed and the bone broke just a bit to cause me a great deal of pain. I look over to my right leg and see the pip-buck and am still learning about it.

“Do you need help turning it on again?”

I glance over at Shadow smirking.

“No sorry, just trying to understand why ponies created these. They seem kind of pointless unless there is something more useful about it than using it for a map or radio or whatever you call it for music.”

Shadow snickers.

“There is more you can use it for. I am sure you will learn or someone will teach you. Now we need to keep going. I am worried whoever is shooting might be those we are about to meet up with. I can tell from the gunshots. I know the sound of that gun.”

I glance at Shadow. I am very concerned now he knows the sound of the gun. It’s getting to the point I am worried he will turn on me. I stop walking. I notice he stops too when he goes ahead a little bit, turning to look at me.

“We need some ground rules, Shadow. I need to know if I can trust you. Are you going to backstab me?”

Shadow gives me a very angry sneer.

“Tiria I may barely know you. I may be a griffin but I would never turn on you. Unless you will fucking turn on me?”

I stare at him, my blue eyes glowing brightly. He stares at me with his eyes. We stare at each other before one of us even speaks. I growl showing my white sharp teeth. I can't stop myself from feeling this way. I take a deep breath, blowing hot air out of my mouth.

“Okay look Shadow this is not going to get us anywhere if we keep looking at each other like we are about to kill each other. How about we work together till this job is over and then we both go our separate ways?”

Shadow looks at me sighing nodding at least we both agree on something. I knew though when it comes down to it I may turn out to respect Shadow. I may turn out to like him and be a friend to me. My elder told me before I left that the pack makes friends.

“Okay, Tiria I agree this world used to live through the magic of friendship.”

Shadow looks around and I glance at him again. The magic of friendship? I have been given an old history book on the subject. The magic of friendship is something most of us learned. My species, though, feel it’s a weak friendship. Even though my elder told me it’s wise to make friends.

We both look hearing the gunshots going off again.

“Okay, let's get going then Tiria. I hope you understand ponies will act like they’re above you. It’s a matter of how they act. Some are so rich they will treat you like trash. If they do, relax and respect them for it. Show them you won’t attack them for treating you like you’re below them.”

I look over to Shadow. I am sure he is correct. I groan stroking my head hearing the gunshots getting louder as we walk closer.

________________

Misty Moon's apartment.

It took longer than we expected to get to the destination. Shadow and I stopped again this time to argue about something. I'd rather not talk about it. Let's just say I wasn’t very kind about it all. I need to get over myself like I have been told when I was growing up. When we get close to the caravan we see many ponies firing at a building and many of them are on the ground either dying or dead.

An orange mare turns around to look at me and Shadow.

“Are you Shadow and Tiria the ones Wheel Tread hired?”

I nod.

“I am Tiria, this ass hole is Shadow.”

The orange mare rolls her eyes. I get a good look at her. She is bald and has an eyepatch. I watch one of the ponies trying to go into the building and their head gets blown clean off blood and bone chips going everywhere.

“We expected you two sooner. We are after slaves who ran into this building and are being defended by the residents we tried talking to them at first.”

I roll my eyes.

“Ponies learning to talk rather than attacking their kind or zebras hmm?”

Shadow laughs

“Down girl.”

The mare snorts and knickers loudly and she comes up to me getting into my face and poking my chest with her hoof.

“Listen here you fucking wolf. I am not in a good mood. We tried everything to do this peacefully. We told them our leader's property is in this place and we asked out of respect but they started firing on them.”

A stallion comes over and chuckles.

“It could be because one of our mares was a former slaver who enslaved a few of the ponies there many years ago. I wonder if their leader told them to fire on us and to deal with them.”

I roll my eyes looking toward the building. I notice at the windows above seeing many ponies firing down at the caravans the pony slavers are hiding behind. I glance at Shadow pointing to the broken door.

“Shall we try to sneak through while these ponies risk their lives for slaves?”

Shadow smirks.

“Are you sure you will be able to?”

I shrug my shoulders.

“It shouldn’t be too hard I wonder. Miss Mare or if you have a name I don’t care either way do you have anything which would help us get in there?”

The orange mare stares at me angrily as she is about to speak to me but a stallion runs over holding a strange device in his mouth.

“Take this. It’s a smoke bomb.“

I glance at Shadow I have no idea what a smoke bomb is. Shadow takes the bomb looking over at me and then the ponies.

“Alright I will toss this and do what you can to back us up while we rush in. If we can get into the place, stay back and let us take care of it. Tiria and I are going to try very hard not to kill any innocents.”

I am confused about how these ponies are. How are there innocent ponies inside this building? I watch Shadow pull the pin out of the strange apple device smoke slowly flows through the air and he tosses it. The smoke engulfs the area and he nods to the ponies they fire on the building.

Shadow and I sneak through the smoke to get to the door and when we get to the broken open door I look around quickly grabbing the zebra pistol in my bad paw. It hurts but I have to get used to the pain. I make sure I have ammo in it looking back to Shadow swinging my head.

“Let's do our best not to harm any pony here Tiria.”

I glare at Shadow not wanting to argue since we are in a place of enemies. I keep my mouth shut, finding it strange they have no guards or anyone to defend the place below. I then notice why we walk over ripped apart bodies of the slavers and raiders the orange mare led.

“Wow, whatever is in here really destroyed these ponies.”

I chuckle weakly

“Lovely… Come let's get upstairs and see what we can find.”

While we walk towards the stairs we see a clinic and from the looks of it, many left as quickly as they could. Next, we passed what looked like a kitchen, and on the fire was meat and various other foods still steaming on the table. I notice a cup of what I learned, later on, is called coffee dumped all over the ground.

We get closer to the stairs when we hear the guards firing upstairs. I glance at Shadow feeling a bit concerned. Shadow looks up the stairs he holds tightly onto his Minigun getting ready to fire.

I shake my head ‘mouthing come on.’

Get fully upstairs seeing more places ponies and others would live in. Many of the doors are locked and before I could move on a crow flies into the building through one of the windows causing a stallion to duck a bullet missing him. He then gets to firing outside. I glance at the crow. I swear I have seen this crow before.

“Come on, we are running out of ammo.”

A stallion trots to the others who are firing and they turn to look at me and Shadow. They look back and see we are no longer there. We found a way into one of the rooms and Shadow looked out of the door and we heard strange sounds in the bedroom.

I go to look through the bedroom door seeing a mare and a stallion in the bed. I slowly close the door so as not to disturb them. Shadow tilts his head.

“What in the world did you see?”

I smirk

“What do you think?”

Shadow took a second to think and there was a loud thumping with the sounds of gunshots he laughed shaking his head.

“Bad time to have sex..”

I laugh.

“Yes, very bad time. So let's try our best to get up the rest of the stairs. I saw some before we came into this room. Now come on before..”

I notice a strange computer on the desk. I glance at Shadow then at the computer again. I go to the desk. I see a book on the desk about hacking computers. Shadow sighs. I turn to look at him, lowering the book.

“Tiria we don’t have time for this.”

I shrug my shoulders reading the book and reading how to handle hacking. I wonder why this was left here. I can tell it’s already been hacked a few times. I wonder if they use this to train others to hack. The password from what I see is dumb and I see a recording. I click on it and notice I can download it to my pip-buck. I take out the connection on the pip-buck and download the recording.

“Give me a second.”

I finished downloading and noticed there are things called earbuds. I put the earbuds in my ears and listen to the recording. It takes a second for it to start up.

"This is Misty Moon. Our apartment building will be for all ponies, even Zebra. We will not allow this war to destroy our peace and friendship. We will never allow it to end our way of life. No matter what. We shall have peace in this building. Both sides shall always be welcomed as friends. Friendship shall never end. We need to bring hope to everyone!! For Friendship!!"

The recording ends with heavy cheers and the recording ends. Huh, so this is the name of this place? I stood up from the chair and Shadow and I headed back out. We sneak through the area ignoring the stallions and mares firing on the caravan below. When we turn around to see the stairs. We see strange torches. I feel a strange sensation in my body staring at the fire.

“Shadow. I don’t think I can walk near this fire.”

Shadow rolls his eyes and forces me up the stairs when we turn around we come face to face with a metal pony. His eyes glow in the darkness and before we could do anything he fires a strange gun and I feel a charge of magic going through me. I scream in pain passing out near the shadow.

_________

Misty Moon apartments prison.

I open my eyes, noticing Shadow is not here. I groaned, grunting trying to move my forelegs, noticing the leg which was broken in a cast, a good cast, and the bone set. I wonder who would be kind enough to do that for me. The door opens and I see gentle eyes in the darkness and coming into the light. I see a Teal mare she has a gentle smile on her face. I feel my heart flip. She is so motherly and gentle looking.

“Hello, Miss I am going to be releasing you since our leader wishes to talk with you.”

I growl softly.

“What makes you think I won’t kill you?”

The teal mare smiles sweetly.

“Hon you’re in a place full of ponies who would kill you for even trying. I haven’t done a thing to you either and I am sure you’re working with the slavers in that caravan who have shot many of our guards. Our leader finally got them to stop shooting by threatening your lives.”

I sigh, the teal mare lets me go and I just stroke my legs looking at her and then looking at my bad leg which has a cast now.

“Are you the one who did this?”

The teal mare smiles.

“Yes, I did come with me. I am sorry about the griffin you came with. My husband is beating the shit out of him for bringing you. He told us why you’re here and now our leaders wish to speak to you.”

I am led through the community. Seeing so many living here. All of them are ponies and their families. I get many looks when I walk by and a filly chases a ball and stands in front of me. I stare down at the little one. I hear many guns cocking aimed at me. Just stare at the little one seeing her giant eyes. I grab her ball and toss it the other way, smirking.

“Go on.”

The filly giggles trotting after the ball and the guns lower. I may be a harsh wolf but I would never harm a little one. They’re so innocent and I am sure the slavers who have done much to young foals in this community. I am led to a large wooden room and the door opens up from the mare's magic. I led into the room seeing the robot who fired on me and Shadow.

The robotic pony turns to look at me. Its glowing eyes burn into my soul. It comes over to me to look at me closely. I see this pony is old and has seen much. I hear ticking from my pip-buck. I notice when he is close he has a lot of heat coming off him.

“You’re here for the escape slaves?”

I nod.

“Yes, it’s the only reason we came. I am sorry for the idiot mare who is running those who came for them. If it was up to me and Shadow we would have spoken to you and then left. I don’t see the point of wasting lives.”

The silver pony looks away walking away to look at something. I look out the window. It's pretty far down but I notice along the road a strange round flying metal object hovering near the strange crow I have been seeing. After a while, the crow flies into the room and lands on a stand looking back at me with its red eyes. The robot turns back to look at me.

“I am known as Silver Gunner.”

I looked back at the sign of Shadow and I saw the many bodies smoking. This is the creature the Silver Gunner. I gulp after hearing his name. I am now very worried about him wanting to kill me.

“We will let you have the slaves. But I got a request for you after the slaves are given to the ponies. I want you to stay here. I got a task for you. I need to know if I can trust you. But I trust you enough right now to at least give you the slaves.”

I tilt my head confused.

“Why do you trust me?”

Silver turns looking at me again with his soulless empty red eyes. A deep gulp comes from me. I try to back up. I walk into the mare and look behind me seeing the teal mare. She is not pointing any gun at my back.

“To be honest I don't. I am looking at it through the logic within my computer brain. Now KipKipe, could you please help our guest? I am going to talk with the griffin and this wolf right here. So don’t go anywhere, wolf.”

They both leave my legs shaking and shuddering and I fall to the floor shivering and shuddering feeling like I just faced death in the face and lived. I try to relax my body and my heart. All of it keeps shuddering my heart beating hard. After a while Shadow comes in, his feathers are all ruffled and he has been beaten a bit.

“Sooo are you okay Tiria?”

I shook my head.

“No no I am not. I had no idea what to expect from that robot. The robot is Silver Gunner, the one who destroyed the raider outpost we went past. I have no idea what he wants from us. I just know those slaves were their guest and he felts logically it’s best to give them back.”

After a while, the two walked back into the room. The teal mare trotted up to Shadow looking him over.

“Um…thank you miss. I am Shadow.”

The teal mare just gives a sweet smile.

“I am KipKipe. I am the doctor of this lovely community. Now come with me. I need to clean up some of your wounds. I am sorry for my husband beating you as he did. He felt it was the only way to get things out of you.”

Kip and Shadow leave. I turn back looking at Silver Gunner. I gulp weakly sitting up this time staring into the eyes of the robot. He just sits there staring at me. I don't know what to say or do. We just stare at each for a time.

“From the looks in your eyes wolf. You’re innocent when it comes to the wasteland. You haven’t seen the worst it has to offer. You haven’t been taken by the golem of the waste and used as its puppet to kill.”

Puppet golem? What the hell is he talking about? I took a deep breath relaxing for a second to try to regain myself.

“I am very new to this wasteland. I am on a quest to search for the creator of my species. The Howling dance. I am searching for it to hopefully give it back to my species and then be treated as a hero or trash again.”

Silver Gunner just stares at me.

“I see so you’re no slaver you’re no murder you’re just a lost soul. What about the griffin with you? What do you know about him?”

I shrug my shoulders.

“I know nothing about him. I didn’t come out here to make friends. I came out here to find what I am after.”

Silver nods.

“I see well if you don’t mind I will follow you on this journey. First, though, I need to make sure I can trust you. Shadow has his task to do so we can trust him. Your task is something else and I want you to understand if you fail it. Don’t worry, it's normal in this world to fail.”

I stood on all fours to listen.

“Then what is this task?”

Silver uses his hoof to say follow. I follow him through the community and I notice many ponies and other creators. I don’t get a good look at them at all but one stands out to me when I look inside a room. It’s a strange bug who is helping very sick foals. These foals look so sick they could die at any moment.

“What is wrong with them?”

Silver sighs robotically.

“Radiation sickness. They went to the basement to play and played near a locked door. The door, even though locked, the radiation still affected them pretty badly. Thankfully we found some radaway. We are making sure it will help them before we give it to them. My task to you is to break through that old locked door and find out what is there.”

I turn my head back at the foals and notice the bug glowing brightly. I lean over to Silver Gunner.

“Is that healthy for that creature?”

Silver robotically chuckles.

“You have never seen her species before? She is called a magic eater. Her kind normally doesn’t stay in one spot. This one became part of our community years ago. She helps KipKipe and now before we fully go on. I want you to understand that radiation is no joke. It’s a slow killer, it will slowly destroy your life and you will die from it.”

I am confused about what he means. I am sure I understand. I remember seeing a hunter dying from something like this; it wasn't pretty. It was pretty nasty I remember seeing the poor hunter dying from it and it gave me nightmares.

“I will return what is Shadow's task?”

Silver shrugs his shoulders.

“Kip will be giving him the task. We will give you back your weapons and armor. I hope you know what you’re doing.”

It took at least thirty minutes to get ready. Silver did warn me it’s been ages since anyone has been down in this basement area. It was locked even when they came here and felt maybe it’s wise it’s locked.

I went down into the basement with my weapons. I made sure I kept a hold of my sword, the sword of the moon. It has a few knicks in it since I have been on this journey. I get to the door hearing my pip-buck tick. I glance down at it seeing it’s not too bad at least right now. I put the sword back into its home, took the pistol out, and took a shot at the lock. I of course missed and hit the side of the door. I groan and force my entire weight into the old door and it shatters from a few smashes into it.

I come into the room looking around noticing on the wall hanging there is a decaying mare. I get close and the mare growls and tries to attack me. I grab my pistol noticing when I get closer my pip-buck goes insane. I lift my gun and fire on it, killing the poor creature. I look around noticing that someone lives down here.

Before I could do anything else I get hit from behind with a giant board or something. I fall to my knees groaning looking up after I regain myself seeing ponies dressed in various armors and they’re all like that one mare I saw. The one I am sure is the leader of them comes down to me face to face.

“Are you from the community which lives above us?”

I shook my head.

“No, but the leader of them asked me to come down here and figure out what is causing their foals to get sick.”

I hear evil laughing in the group.

“Oh, they have foals. They would sell for a lot on the market.”

Market? Then it finally hit me that these decaying ponies aren’t like your normal ponies. These are what wastelanders call raiders. So since they have the upper paw on me I would have to try something else.

“I have no love for this community above. So if you’re willing to let me go. I will help you take over the community and let you take their foals.”

The ghouls laugh. The leader of them takes a closer look at me. Then looks back at the mare on the wall. He lifts his hoof to stop the ponies behind him from laughing.

“He killed my wife and the creator of these apartments.”

I stare at the pony tilting my head. Wait, the pony on the wall is Misty Moon herself? The leader stands up heading to his dead wife sighing looking back at me. All I can think of is to do something but before I could say anything I hear gunshots. One of the heads of the ponies explodes into bloody chunks turning to see Silver Gunner and other ponies. They fire on these raiders.

I stood quickly up watching the leader of them run off and I chased after him as he tried to make his way out to a hidden pathway. I aim my gun at an old box on a stand and fire it, hitting him to stop him for a time. He groans turning around to see me and a dark evil smile forms on his face.

“If you kill me little wolf the golem of the waste will win. If you kill me I will haunt you till your dying days. I will be there while a so-called hero like you falls and dies.”

Before he could finish I fired on him a few times to shut him up. His eyes opened wide like he was surprised I would do it. I look through the ghoul and find a strange paper. ‘The flames of truth?’ I stare at them awhile and stand up to look at Silver.

“Well, you did what you could to complete the task alone. Since it took you longer than I expected.”

I stare at the robot. I was confused. I wasn't gone that long at all. Just like a few minutes. I sighed, shaking my head.

“Um, Silver, I haven't been gone very long.”

Silver didn’t answer and the other ponies with him took the bodies and went to bury them. I groan, feeling a bit upset about all this. I noticed the crow or whatever it is looking at me and I head back upstairs and I see Kipkipe and Shadow talking and laughing. Before I could say anything Silver put his hoof on my shoulder.

“I got one more task for you. There is an old toy factory not far into Manehattan itself and we could try to find some toys for the little ones. Then I will go with you on your journey. Are you willing to deal with me more?”

I sigh, groaning deeply.

“Okay this time all of us are going including the mare?”

Kip smiles showing her motherly smile.

“I will come to protect you three.”

Kip is such a kind gentle soul. I wish I didn’t feel so much hatred for ponies. I took a deep breath trying to remove how I feel about ponies relaxing soon after smiling at her gently. I had no idea what to think since she is so kind.

“Thank you KipKipe. I am hoping to get to know Shadow. Including Silver Gunner. I got a question though Silver. Who created you?”

Silver turns his head to look at me.

“My creator is one I will not speak of. For one, KipKipe doesn’t even know my creator. The only one who will learn of my creation is somepony who was close to them. Then I will revive who created me.”

I roll my eyes, shaking my head. I followed the three of them to our task. I look back at the old building and notice the buried bodies. I worry about what is to come. I take a deep breath, closing my eyes tightly.

“Tiria?”

I turn to look at the teal mare.

“Are you okay?’

A weak smile forms on my face.

“No, but I will be just. I worry about what the ghoul stallion told me. He said when I killed him he would haunt me and I would regret doing it.”

Kip sighs.

“Tiria there are many ways to show ghosts of the wasteland. One of them is the golem who makes you the puppet of death. Another is a skeletal pony who plays guards with you. Then there is the greatest monster of the wasteland of all Grogar.”

Grogar? I see a strange mist for a moment and then turn to see dark red eyes and stare face to face with the same creature I saw in the cavern. I blinked my eyes and soon after he vanished, same with the red mists. I look back at Kipkipe and we follow the path heading into the city.

_____________

Day six at night Manehattan outskirts.

It took us at least a few hours to get into Manehattan itself. I was warned about how full of danger this city is. Ponies do live here peacefully most of it though is full of creatures willing to kill and destroy. We finally make it to an old toy factory.

I look at the name of the building. Ministry of Moral toy factory. I am confused. I never heard of these Ministries before. I look over to Silver to ask about them and he takes a second to look through the information in his mind.

“The ministries were formed by the former six heroes of Equestria, the ones who called themselves the elements of harmony. We are here to find toys for the children. I worry though coming here may be a problem. It’s the only choice we have.”

We head to the old building. Silver takes a while to look through the computer to unlock one of the back doors. Shadow holds onto his Minigun which I learned is named Chewer. I take a deep breath exhaling and relaxing trying so hard not to let myself stress out. I glance at KipKipe and she has a strange teal shotgun.

It took Silver a while for Silver while to break through the security of the system. I hear a lot of gunshots going on and look around to see what I see from here. I sigh deeply wondering what to do. I relax finally when I hear the lock on the door unlock.

___________

Inside the factory.

I opened my eyes. Not sure what happened and still had all my gear. I saw a pony and a ghoul.

The ghoul in a raspy voice.

"Relax... I am one of the former workers in this building. But I don't see why you are here. But it was a bad idea. This place is haunted by Pinkie Pie herself."

I blinked and looked around.

"Where are the others that I came in here with?"

The ghoul sighed.

"When I found you. You were alone."

I nodded and opened the door and saw old blood all over the place. This place seemed to be evil.

"What happened here?"

I asked calmly as The ghoul worked on the terminal and then turned on one of the recordings. It was a bubbly mare's voice. Or the one is known as Pinkie Pie.

"We need to make children happy!!! Yes yes, happy. So please make it so their puppets can come alive. But make it so I can see if their parents are traitors. So please do this!!"

I blinked and looked at him.

"Are you telling me these puppets are alive?"

The ghoul nodded calmly. Then he looked towards me.

"You seem new to this wasteland. Before you leave I can teach you how to hack terminals. To help you get through this factory. But you must promise me this."

I gave him a look and tilted my head a bit and looked at the terminal.

"Alright, what do you need then?"

The ghoul looked up at me. I saw his name on his former worker outfit. Hammer Hoof. The ghoul softly spoke with the voice that he had.

"I need you to save the stolen little ones from the theater. The puppets sometimes go to small places and go in and kidnap little ones. To do what Pinkie Pie always said. Always make little ones happy. Most of them... might be dead sadly... This has been going on for years. I tried to take care of it myself. But the other ones that lived with me... Died doing this. I am stuck here. This is one of the few safe rooms away from the magic that allows the puppets to sense me."

I blinked, not sure what I was hearing. Looking towards the way out... Seeing all the blood. Then I looked back at him, sighing.

"Fine... I will do this but you teach me to hack first."

On the search for my friends? I had my sword out. I doubt my pistol could do anything on these things. I looked in every room I could find. I was told by Shadow to try to look through every room for something. I went into a room to find a terminal room with zombie-like ghouls dead on the ground. I walked in closer and the zombie ponies stood up growling. I had a smile on my muzzle. While the ghouls charged at me.

I slashed at many of the ghouls slicing them. As blood coated my blade. One jumped on my back and then grabbed it by its neck and smashed it to the ground. Then stomping hard. There are many marks on my armor after that. But my eyes glowed a bit red. A warrior like me has bloodthirst. That is the bad thing about being a moon warrior. We smell our blood and we go into a rage.

After the battle, I looked through everything in the room. Calming myself a bit. Finding a few bottle caps. Looking through a few more. Finding some odd drugs. Something called Dash and mantels. Hmm, I found it strange. Looked around, seeing only one terminal working. I went to it and started to hack. It wasn't easy for one who just learned. But I learned the password. Puppets are evil!!!!. There was a recording and some reports. I read the reports a bit. it was mostly on how these puppets were sold to almost... Every family in the city.

I blinked reading on seeing that the puppets made many mistakes. Sometimes they made the children look like traitors. I found a recording it was recorded on the day the bombs fell. I downloaded it to my Pip-buck. Thankfully I was taught how to do this and then I heard some sounds. Looked around seeing large eyes staring at me in the darkness of an air vent. Then it went away.

I put my earplugs in and started to listen.

"The manager is angry. We are recalling all the puppets who have failed in their job. I can't understand how one of them kills a foal. They're just puppets, how can they kill? They're just made like every normal puppet. Unless we used something in the making that caused them to live. But I wouldn't know I am new here."

BOOOOM

"DAMN IT, something went off in the city. I need to get out of here."

The recording ended just as it did of course like it was fate. A ghoul jumped at me out of the air vent it was more than one. I got hit in the chest by its hooves and I staggered, dropped my sword, and looked up. As the armor kept me from getting harmed. But I am sure I would have a bruise on my chest after this. I took my fist and smashed it hard into the ghoul that hit me. Then I tried to grab my sword but of course, another ghoul jumped me on my back trying to bite my neck. The ghoul, I hit jumped on me. I was growing very angry. I said in a very angry voice.

"Get the fuck off me!! I am not a damn female you can fucking hump!!"

I went backward into the wall smashing the ghoul into the wall and grabbed it then reached for the one in the wall. Grabbing the other and smashed their heads over and over. Till nothing was left of their heads. Dropping them to the ground growling softly. My muscles in my body flinched and I growled softly, my tongue hanging out... Panting softly.

"Damn it... Oh, why did I have to come with others? If they can't help..."

My words stopped after I heard laughing. It was dark evil laughing. A voice spoke out.

"Hmm, I wonder... how you taste... Haha haha."

The laugh echoed. I heard something skittering along. I grabbed my sword. As I was not scared. I wasn't scared to hear something.

"I wonder if you could be made into cupcakes... Hmm, split open your stomach and feed the children your insides..."

I blinked and looked around then. I saw a Pinkie Pie puppet face to face. Its mane limps its eyes wide. With a dark evil smile. I looked to see more puppets. All with the same look. I backed off and held my sword tightly in one hand. Grabbing the Red Dragon pistol in my other paw hand.

"Awww you're scared of us... I can sense your fear... Come on, let's have a party."

The small group of puppets charged at me. I backed up firing at them as the bullets from the pistol would cause some of the puppets to burn. I was lured into a wall. I had no idea if I could get out of the way. So I did a roll as they tried to get me and I got out of the way. One of the puppets hit my paw... That held the gun and it started to bleed. I dropped it as they charged me again, cutting me through my armor. Along my arms as well.

I was bleeding badly, blood draining from many of my wounds. I could heal myself but they stopped and started laughing. " You're... weak stop this now... Come and enjoy the party."

I stood there, blood dripping from me. My lungs burned as I felt the rage growing. I held the sword in my hands Even if I was in pain. I was getting red. I felt a little dazed. But of course stupid me. I had pride. Pride has always been my downfall. I wasn't going to be taken down by nonliving puppets.

I wasn't going to lose this battle. I heard flapping behind me again and I saw that raven. Why was this thing watching me? I was getting very tired of being followed. Then I looked back to the puppets, the rage filling me. The burning filled me. Then my mind went black. Outside of my mind. I mindlessly charged and swung my sword. Slicing some of them and then one of them picked up my gun. Fired in my back as my armor kept me safe. But I felt the bolt hit. The armor heated some and I passed out dropping my sword and the puppet dropped my gun.

My vision was blurry and I felt pain in my arms. As I could make out the puppets forcing needles in my arms and legs. I passed out from the pain and woke up on a stage hanging near Kip and Shadow looking at them. Silver gunner nowhere in sight. Kip seemed to still be passed out. She was bleeding from many cuts. Shadow seemed to have no cuts. Did he pass out? He was hanging there too. As I saw the children they seemed to be sobbing and scared to death. Some of them seemed to also be dead. Most likely there were bones littering the area. Did they do this after the bombs fell?

If I saved them. They might consider me a hero. I didn't wish to be one. I just wished to follow my path. If I can save these children then... I would be happy. But I don't deserve the name of a hero. I bet there are heroes out there already. Doing more than I ever could. I looked to see Kip wake up and she looked around her horn glowing trying to make the room brighter. Her eyes go wide. Her voice sounded sad.

"So... many children."

Shadow opened his eyes as well and looked around. "Hmmm... what hit me?" He looked around and blinked.

Then we got eased down to the stage and a voice sounded out.

"Mares and gentle colts, foals of all ages. I'll give you a show. With new puppets. Now it's a battle of two rivals with laser swords. Dark wolf Vs Sky runner."

I was given a red sword that burned. I had no control of my arms as I looked at Shadow who got a blue sword. We charged and fought as our swords popped and seared. As the voice started doing deep breaths. Having my point. The strings would move our arms, even our hooves, and paws. It felt painful. Every time the strings moved.

"Sky runner you know it to be true... the Goddess Luna's power runs through your veins. It's strong with you. Join me and we can rid Equestria of this war and rule together."

The voice started to speak for Shadow.

"I will never join you!!"

"Oh, Pinkie wan never told you what happened to your mother."

"She told me enough... She said you killed her."

There was a laugh and then the voice said.

"Wrong... I am... the stallion from your closet that watched your mother get plugged by a giant bat."

"NOOOO, wait what?!"

The show ended there were no cheers and we were lifted back up and I sighed.

"There will be another show in an hour."

I kept to myself as Shadow tried very hard to comfort the crying Kip. She may be a strong mare. But this is new to her. Looked around trying to find a way out. Look up seeing that the strings are held by some strange moving bars above us.

"Shhh, it's okay Kipkipe you will be fine we all will be," Shadow said trying to comfort Kip.

I snorted and laughed.

"Right!!" I said with a laugh

The wall fell apart as we finally saw Silver Gunner. With the puppets climbing all over him trying to destroy him having no luck. He trotted to us after he cut us down... But we couldn't get the strings and needles removed from our bodies yet. Kip rushed to the foals and told them to get out of here. They started rushing outside. I told them all to follow the halls to a ghoul that will protect them. Then there was a loud angry scream.

"NO!!!! You ruined everything!!"

The curtain of the stage fell off and there was a large old computer still working after all these years. It had Pinkie pie's face on it with an angry look.

"I am trying to make children happy. Children haven't been happy since the war!! We must make them happy. Children kill them!!" The computer screamed

We stood on the stage. As there weren't any other spots they could get in by the doors and the vents near the walls. Silver Gunner rushed to the computer to try to hack into it. As his back opened up he tossed us our weapons. Kip had a teal-colored shotgun that had her cutie mark and she held it in her magic. Shadow had a large mini-gun tossed to him and he caught it. It had blood all over it and seemed to have a name on the side. The chewer. I caught my pistol and my sword. As the three of us started firing at the puppets.

During the battle, Silver gunner was trying so hard to shut down the system. So many puppets charging while this was going to be a harsh time for us. Shadow's chewer chewed through many of the puppets. More kept coming, they even came through the windows. All the puppets left in the city were coming. I bet it was a lovely sight outside so many creepy puppets heading this way.

"Gunner, damn we need to get out of here. Stop playing and shut that thing down." I said with a growl

I looked up watching the Raven fighting the puppets as well. This raven was following us everywhere it was getting on my nerves. But I couldn't stop now.

Blam blam blam came from my pistol rather than a click. I didn't have time to reload. I put it in the holster and started swinging my sword and growled deeply.

The room was filled to the brim with these puppets. Then they all started turning off and looking to see Gunner finally breaking through it. Shutting it down and looking back to us as the puppets lay there burning and sliced.

"Now can we leave?!"

Silver gunner nodded.

"But first, we need to get the children out of here."

I growled softly but shrugged.

______________

The apartment

When we get back to the apartment many of the foals are adopted by many of the families who can’t have children of their own. The ghoul I met in the factory works with the others to clean up the basement and the entire building to try to make it a home. KipKipe had to redo the cast on my broken paw since the puppet strings ruined it a bit more. It still hurts so much.

Kip didn’t allow me to leave and I got to meet her husband Crossfire, a kind gentle stallion. She wanted me to rest and Shadow took time to rest. I glance over at Shadow who is in the other bed next to mine in the clinic.

“So Shadow what is your story?”

He looks over at me smirking weakly.

"I am known as the Bloodclaw brood. I am the last of that brood because the enclave came in and killed most of the brood. I was just a young one at the time. Then the waste killed the rest of my family. I was found by wheel tread and raised by him. He made me one of his heavy gunners and here I am now. Not much of a glory story."

The Enclave?

“Shadow, who is the Enclave?”

Shadow is about to answer me but I see the crow again. The crow stares at me with its wing, it calls me over and I glance at Shadow.

“Sorry Shadow, I need to take a walk.”

I stood up and headed over towards the crow trying to understand what this crow wanted from me. I hear a strange sound behind me.

“Hello.”

I turn around to see the strange robot I saw a while ago. The robot is round and has strange eyes while it uses wings to fly. I am unsure what to think and it just spoke to me. I am unsure what to think and do.

"Okay...I am seeing a flying metal ball. It's speaking to me. I wonder if I am still wounded and in that stage."

"I'm Watcher. I have been told about your journey. I have also never seen a species of yours."

I just stared at the orb floating there.

"Tiria Shiverclaw... Warrior of the moon of my pack now outcast... Now, what do you want?"

The orb was silent for a moment and then it started to speak again.

"I normally just speak to ponies. But I have been told what you have done. You took out a group of raiders. You ended the threat of those puppets that have... Been harming the waste for years. Now tell me you seem new to the wasteland. Already out there helping those."

I grew angry and spoke with much rage and anger in my voice.

"I don't fucking care what happens to this wasteland. I don't care what happens to the ponies of it. I have a path to follow. If my path leads me to help ponies. Then I will help them. I am not a fucking hero. I don't wish to be one." Saying with a growl.

Watcher seemed to stay silent for a moment.

"Then explain to me what is your path?"

I sighed and thought I would tell this creature. I doubt I would ever find it again.

"I am on the search for a crystal called The howling dance. It was the shape of a pure full moon. I have been tasked to find it and make friends in this waste. Most that follow me I consider worthless. I don't care if they live or die."

I then turned and the watcher said.

"You're so much like her... She didn't want to make any friends...But she learned down the line... She had to live through her journey."

I stopped in my tracks, my anger growing. I didn't need anyone... These following me leave me alone the better. I turned back to the orb and I finally calmed down.

“I am sorry I am not used to being told what I will be doing. I will be joining Wheel Tread. I need to learn what happened to my mother and what happened to the Howling dance of our creator.”

Watcher hovers there for a moment.

“Wheel Treads place is a place of slavers and killers and murders.”

I frown. I am not fond of the idea of this. But that's all I have sadly enough.

"That's all I have left, watcher. It sounds like Wheel tread has an economy working in his arena. I guess he's done better than most in the waste. I'm sorry to say my kind are like this all the time. I was raised in that life. So I can't think of another way to live. Maybe someday but at the moment. I got to live."

Watcher hovers there a moment before he speaks again.

"Tiria you may not be a pony. But you can still do good in this wasteland. We need fighters like you. We need ones like you with the hope to fight."

I frown, sighing.

"Look I'm no hero. I'm just a wandering warrior. I can't do what you need me to. I don't have the will."

There was a sigh from the orb and then it started speaking to the crow. I couldn't make it out. But I needed sleep and to be healed. I sat in a chair at the clinic. It seemed like Shadow... Was already being worked on. Kip came up to me and gave me a sweet smile.

"Dear, there you are... Are you okay miss Tiria?"

I look up at Kipkipe dripping with motherly kindness. All I can do though is smile and my gentle blue eyes glow each time she is around. I learned when my eyes glow like this it means I feel safe.

“How can I help you, Kip?”

She hovers in her magic a pen and a journal. I look at both taking them and notice it has my name in it and saids the story of Tiria.

“Write in that keeps the history of your journey. Who knows somepony might read it sometime.”

"Thank you, Kip. So what's your story that brought you here?"

I started to write in the journal and sighed a bit. Maybe It was time for me to make friends.

Kip softly spoke and seemed to just smile.

"Well, let's see, hmm. Ah yes, I was born in old Appleloosa my mother and father were raiders. For being raiders and slavers they raised me like them. I never took into being you know that. I learned light magic and magic that is used to heal all wounds. The light magic I used to scare away monsters that wished to harm us. Then after I got my cutie mark my parents were killed and I had to escape and was on my own for days. On the final day... I was expecting death. Then Silver Gunner found me and took me in. I was 20 years old but I went with him for 20 years. Going from place to place in the waste. Learning about the past and the now. We found my husband and his caravan of traders. Then we ended up here."

I enjoyed listening to the mare. She worked on me as she spoke, removing the puppet strings which caused a great deal of pain. After she was finished she used a magic spell to put me to sleep so I could get some rest from the pain I am in. I don’t know how long it was but I woke up groaning and noticed the crow again. Then turn to see the watcher again looking at me.

“Watcher, what are you here again?”

It takes the bot a second again to speak.

"Turn on your Pip-buck."

I do what he tells me to and I hear music and then a voice.

"Good evening children. Dj pony here. It seems lately things are pretty silent for the moment. After that, the stable dweller cleaned out Ponyville very silently. But I got wind of another story, children. On the outskirts of Manehattan a group led by a large wolf-like being. Went into the old puppet factory. They seemed to save a bunch of children from some monsters inside. I don't know who these ponies or this creature is. But good on them!!"

Music started up as I just stared at the pip-buck.

"It seems Tiria you're already being known as the wolf."

I sighed and turned off the pip-buck.

"Lovely... I am no hero... I don't wish to be one... But if I am getting a name out of this then... eh. I am going back to bed."

I laid back on the bed and fell asleep.

________________

Day seven outside of the apartments.

Day seven: Outside the Apartment

It was the next day. The four of us get everything we need and then get ready to head deep into the waste. I was told the path to Wheel treads home is deep in a nasty part of the waste. A foal was bugging the shit out of me jumping up and down. At how I saved her and she was getting on my nerves. Shadow noticed this and so did the others. But I finally lost it.

"Yes, you did so much to save me... You're my hero!!"

Growling the fur on the back of my head standing on end. Standing fully up on the back of my feet and staring at the filly with death in my eyes. I grabbed the little one's muzzle with my large paw. While the guards and others in the apartment grabbed their guns, cocking them and aiming them at me. My voice came out with so much anger.

"I am... Not a fucking... Hero... I don't care about you ponies... I don't care if this waste murders you all. I heard stories of how friendly you ponies you used to be. If you were all so friendly then why the fuck is the waste like this?!"

I growled, tossing her away and walking off. Silver Gunner watched me while Kip nuzzled the little sobbing foal. The ponies lowered their guns. All I could hear was from Silver gunner.

"She will learn... or fall."

Footnote: level up

Perk added

Silver Gunner, Shadow, and KipKipe: You have made three friends on your journey. When they’re with you. You up your damage and since you have a legend with you knew as the Silver Gunner a robot. Some will not only respect you, but they will also move out of the way. KipKipe uses her torchers and her magic to heal and to keep those who wish to cause you to harm away. Your healing is doubled with her around. Shadow doubles your damage and with his minigun, he will defend you till his death.