Wasted Days: A Fallout Equestria Tale

If losing my memory wasn't bad enough, I now had ponies shooting at me! The initial shock of "What the hell!?" had quickly been replaced with, "Take cover!" But the sad part was there wasn't much to take cover behind! I had the crate which offered barely enough room to crouch behind or the shack which was falling apart. Between the two the shack probably was the safest bet.

Calling out to Bluegrass I began galloping towards the shack, "Get behind the shack!" But of course, Bluegrass having been experienced was already there.

"No shit! Hurry up!" She screamed back at me as she fired back at the Raider Ponies. The shots scattered them in multiple directions but that didn't stop them. In kind they returned fire, peppering the shack with more bullets than I'd like to count. Bits of wood and dust filled the air around Bluegrass as she tucked her head back behind the safety of the shack. I managed to get behind the shack in time to watch the spot where I was standing explode with a volley of gunfire, sand kicking up violently into the air.

I painted floating the semi-automatic pistol in my magic. "Just who the hell are those guys?!" I asked over the roar of a shotgun blast.

"Raiders! They want to kill us for our stuff and maybe us for food! You never can tell with psychopaths like them!" She replied reloading her assault rifle. The wall next to her head exploded with tiny bullet holes as the old wood was once again shot. She gritted her teeth and grunted.

"Look I can't take them on my own! You have to help!" She said looking right at me.

"What?! You're joking right?! I haven't killed another pony ever!" At least, as far as I can remember I hadn't killed anypony before.

Bluegrass sighed as she shook her head, "If you can't kill 'em just cripple them! I'll take care of the rest!" She said offering an alternative to me killing anypony. I poked my head over the broken wall, only to be greeted by a mouthful of wood chips and dust as the lead raider blasted at the shack again.

"And just how the hell do you suggest we do that?! They've got us heavily outnumbered here!" I said reloading the semi-automatic quickly. It surprised me just how fast I reloaded, I only just learned fifteen minutes ago. (Intelligence!) Then again, it wasn't too difficult to learn anyway, just a simple matter of remembering the steps.

Bluegrass had poked her head out again and opened fire on a flanking raider. Killing him but not before blowing off his horn right off of his head. I shuddered to think of what that must have felt like. He was writhing in agony as blood poured from the gaping hole that was once his horn. His screams made my stomach churn, it was unsettling to see this. But I was caught in the middle of it all!

"There's no where to run ponies! Just drop the guns and surrender! We promise to be nice and gentle!" One of the raiders called out in what was one of the most terrible seductive voices in the history of cat calls.

Bluegrass smirked, "And how about I just take this and do this!" She called back having levitated the dead unicorns horn up behind the cat calling earth pony. And with a swift jab with her magic, the horn found its way inside the right haunch of the earth pony. He dropped to the ground and tucked his haunch close to his forehooves and tried cradling the injury. I took advantage of the stunned mare next to him and fired my pistol at her. The first shot buried itself into the sand in front of her. (Trigger Discipline!)The second hit home and lodged itself in her right fore leg. I swear I could hear her bones shattering as the impact left a small hole in the front but exploded outwards from the back.

Bluegrass whistled as she ducked once again, "Nice shot Thunder! She ain't going nowhere fast!" I couldn't help but let a small smile form on my face. Sure it sucked I just crippled somepony for life, but at the same time I was proud that I learned something!

The revelation was cut short as I felt the heat of a bullet slice its way across my cheek. The raider leader had taken advantage of my own smugness and shot me. It wasn't fatal by a long shot but it definitely woke me up. Bluegrass dove out of cover for an instant and point blank sent several bullets into the nearest unicorn pony (besides me of course) completely annihilating his face. Blood poured out and sprayed all over her beautiful mane and face. Part of me was sad it had now turned a ghastly shade of purple. The other was pissed that this was even happening in the first place.

"It's even now! Go home while you can!" I shouted at the remaining Raiders.

The look on his face was one of pure anger. "Go to hell pony! You killed all my-" he didn't have a chance to finish as I fired the pistol at him. (Trigger Discipline!) the shot rang true and hit target! The raiders jaw which had been flapping and found itself lying on the ground ten feet away from him. The hell kind of bullets did this pistol use to cause that much damage in one shot?! As his body crumpled I felt like I was going to vomit. I definitely just killed that pony...

Before I could completely start feeling terrible Bluegrass screamed as one of the Raiders had managed to sneak up behind us. He pointed his weapon at me as he used the bulk of his body to pin Bluegrass. "Drop the gun or the bitch gets it!" He said holding his own weapon against the side of her head. She looked extremely pissed, but definitely afraid the raider would make good on his promise.

Between the two of us I was sure that he was the only raider left. I took aim with my magic as Bluegrass called to me, "Don't do it! He'll kill us both if you do!"

I found myself conflicted. I could drop the gun and take my chances or I could try to shoot him. But I ran the risk of hitting Bluegrass should I miss. He pressed his own weapon harder against her temple, causing the skin beneath her coat to slice and bleed. I kept the weapon raised and it only seemed to piss him off more.

"Are you stupid or something jackass?! I said-" WHUMP! For a split second his eyes went crossed and he stood there wobbly. Then collapsed to the ground in an ungraceful pile. Where his head was floated a rock surrounded by blue magic, Bluegrass' magic. She groaned as she pushed the raider off of her body and rose to her hooves.

"Good call not lowering your weapon Thunder. You probably-" she paused as she heard a dead branch snap under a step from behind her. I hadn't even noticed the raider group leader had taken a position to try and take us both down.

I couldn't tell you who moved first, but in a single flash both the raider and Bluegrass had attempted to dive for cover. But what I didn't expect was that I fired my weapon just as fast. The bullet struck the raider leader in his right foreleg, dropping him to the ground. He cried out in pain as he fell and Bluegrass simply scowled at him.

"You bastards! You killed us! How?!" The raider cried putting pressure on his shoulder, "And for only two hundred caps! Fucker said it'd be easy to kill the Orange one!"

My heart stopped. Someone paid these guys to kill me? If it wasn't for my coat anypony would've noticed that I had gone pale. Who wanted me dead? Who could hate me that much?! Even Bluegrass had noticed that bit of information. She trotted over and instantly slammed a hoof down against the gunshot wound.

"Who wants Thunder dead? Why?" She shouted pressing down hard. The raider cried in agony as she pressed harder and harder.

"I don't know you crazy bitch!" He replied, "Please stop! It hurts like hell!"

She instead pressed harder, "Who hired you?! Answer me!"

The raider screamed and it almost once again made me throw up on the spot. "Some Pegasi I met in the wasteland! I didn't get a name! Please stop!" He begged of her as he answered her question. Bluegrass finally lifted her hoof and he let out a sigh of relief. However it was momentary as she spun on her heel, rifle raised in the air and aimed at him. His eyes went wide as he began to protest but was quickly silenced by a single shot from the rifle, his head exploding into many bloody pieces.

I felt his blood on my face as I stood pretty much in shock. I've been shot at and witnessed murder! And all I can think about is that someone wanted me dead. Of course once again, I couldn't even get a moment of self thought before realizing Bluegrass had turned to face me. Her weapon floating in front of my face.

"You've got ten seconds to explain just what the fuck happened." She said taking steps towards me. I backpedaled with each step she took.

I shook my head, "I honestly don't remember! I swear to the Goddesses!" I replied quickly, my flank pressed up against the wall of the shack.

"I just had a squad of Raiders start shooting at me! And you're claiming you can't remember!" she said clearly getting more and more angry. Oh fuck was she going to kill me?! "Who the hell are you?"

I was pressed against the wall, wishing it would disappear so I could keep moving back away from her, "I can't remember! I'm telling you the truth!" I was up on my hind legs trying to put as much distance as I could from her. She looked as if she could melt beams with the fire she was creating in her eyes. She hadn't blinked once, literally staring into my soul as she kept me pinned.

"Very well." she said lowering the weapon from my face. And I couldn't help but slump to the ground and sigh with relief. "I believe that you truly don't know why they wanted you dead. However, I believe that you did at one point know."

"I can't exactly control when my memory comes back...if it ever comes back." I said hanging my head, "If I could tell you I would. Believe me, this is unsettling. Especially seeing as you just saved my life from these guys." I said waving a hoof in an arc, indicating the now dead Raiders. She stepped away from me and walked over to the Raider Leader she had just killed and used her magic to open his pouches.

"Who ever wants you dead clearly paid them a lot of money." she said lifting up a small bag of caps. She tossed it up and down in her magic catching it each time. "Here. I think you deserve at least half of this." she said dividing the caps between us. She then floated up a simple sheet of paper that was folded rather neatly.

I looked at the caps as she looked at the paper. Hard to believe that these simple things were the currency now. They weren't exactly gems or gold, items you'd normally expect to have some value. Then again, this was the Wasteland, use what you can you know? I blinked rapidly as I suddenly found a paper being stuffed in front of me.

"Whoever you pissed off, REALLY wants you dead." Bluegrass said as she released the paper. The paper was tattered despite being folded nicely and the top was clearly torn down from a nail or whatever had been holding it up. My ears drooped as I read the words stamped on the paper.

"WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE! ORANGE UNICORN COLT BEARING A THUNDERCLOUD CUTIE MARK AND GOING BY THE NAME OF THUNDER CLASH! CRIMES INCLUDE THEFT AND INCITING A RIOT! TO BE CONSIDERED DANGEROUS AND SHOULD BE DEALT WITH EXTREME CAUTION! REWARD FOR ALIVE 5000 CAPS DEAD 2000 CAPS! PAYMENT TO BE MADE IN THE MANEHATTAN OUTSKIRTS!"

Manehattan? I'm all the way in the middle of the San Palomino desert! Who seriously wants me dead on the opposite side of Equestria?! And for this much money?! Who was I!?

"Thunder? You okay?" Bluegrass asked me softly as the paper hit the ground. I guess in my upset I had dropped to the ground and sulked behind my forehooves and quietly whimpered.

I looked up at her and her sympathetic look gave me a small reason to smile, "Not really...but I'll be okay." I said pushing to my hooves. "Someone wants me dead and I don't know why...I think..." I paused and looked at the desert. "I think I need to go to Manehattan and find out exactly who wants me dead...and why."

Bluegrass blinked at me multiple times, "But Manehattan is on the other side of Equestria! How are you going to get there? You aren't exactly a pegasus! It will take you weeks on foot to get there!" she said listing off almost everything that was reason enough to stay in Little Cliffside. But if Manehattan had any chance of my past being remembered...

"I have to go. Somepony might know me and who I was. I have to take the chance I can remember." I said confidently, "I'll go alone if I have to. But I have to go." I said stamping a hoof into the ground.

Bluegrass chuckled as she shook her head, "You're insane and probably will get killed. But you can't go it alone. There's more than just raiders to deal with." she looked at the dead raiders and nodded, "You're going to need my help."

I blinked in shock as I looked back at her, "You don't have to go with me. You have a life here in Little Cliffside, I don't have anything to lose if I go or if I stay." I certainly didn't want Bluegrass to risk her life, especially for me. I would probably get her killed within a week!

"Good luck getting anypony else to go with you. You're greener than radioactive grass." she said placing a hoof on my shoulder, "And I'm getting bored with Little Cliffside anyway. You can only guard a gunshop for so long before you start counting the dots on the ceiling tiles." she said with a giggle lowering her hoof a moment later. "So, it'll be up to me to keep your sorry butt from being killed in two seconds." her giggled melted into a smirk as I put my hooves over my head and groaned.

"This is how I die..." I said pushing to my hooves and then nodding, "Let's use our newly earned Caps to get ready then shall we?" And with that, my new partner and I marched back towards Little Cliffside, our goal clear and our destination chosen. All that remained was starting the journey.