I’ve had the same dream every night since the day my home for most of my adult life, was attacked and burned down to the ground, to a black crisp. All of my friends. All of my belongings gone, everything but a rifle. It’s all gone. My dream would always start the same way, a far off rumble, then a high-pitched whistle, and finally an explosion that rocked the base followed by the red-alert siren. Whenever the red-alarm was sounded different ponies did their individual duties. The Enclave troops that were assigned to the base rushed to arm explosives at strategic points throughout the base. While the lab ponies ran around grabbing and placing all their work and research into one secure area. While prison guards like me rushed to secure all the prisoners who could possibly ignite a riot and destroy us from the inside out. Once everyone finished their assignments, we would all rush to positions at our defenses and fight off whoever was attacking. Usually it would be a few wasteland wanderers, scavenging for supplies, who would wander up to this base thinking it was a settlement or shelter. If they got close in enough we were to order them to surrender, but being the stubborn earth-bound fools they are, they don’t. At least, until we empty a few magazines into their compadres. Then management at the base decide which of the two duties they would be assigned to. Which they would then be handed off to the prison guards who would force them into a cell where they would sleep, eat, and shit for the rest of their miserable little lives... That didn’t happen this time. I remembered the whole attack up until I was knocked unconscious.
“Shut-up or I WILL stick your dick into the smallest rustiest hole we have here.” I said in my signature menacing, don't-fuck-with-me-I-am-dead-serious tone.
“OK! OK! OK! I was just asking ab-” I cut off the yellow unicorn with a swift kick to the head nearly concussing the poor fool.
“WHAT DID I SAY?!” I screamed. “WHAT THE FUCK DID I SAY?! AND WHAT DID I SAY I WOULD DO IF YOU DIDN’T?!”
“To-to shu-” He stuttered before I stomped down on his leg. Hard.
“SHUT-UP! WHAT PART OF THAT PHRASE DO YOU NOT GET?! That’s it.” I said as I wrapped my leg around the Unicorn’s neck
“Wh-wh-what are you going to do to me?” He choked out in a mix of fear and pain, his purple mane matted with sweat as his face turning blueish.
“Dear Celestia do you ever just shut. The. Fuck. Up.” I muttered, as I dragged him towards his cell. Even I have breaking points.
“Hey Big!” Somepony yelled behind me. I turned around and saw a sea green pegasus mare with a silver mane and tail.
“What do you want now, Cloudy Serenity?” I asked.
“Nothing, just wonderin what you are doing with this poor chap?” Serenity asked, indicating the poor stallion who was whimpering in pain.
“Idiot wouldn’t just shut-up! So I’m going to show him why he needs to can it unless I ask for his opinions.” I explained in a very innocent tone.
“You’re going to yank his dick through the keyhole again?” Serenity inquired with her eyebrow raised. At hearing this, the stallion’s face became noticeably paler.
“Maybe.” I said with a smirk. Yup, he was definitely gonna throw-up all over the dirty metal floor.
“You know what? Why don’t you take a break and get some rest for a hour? You’ve been working for the whole day! Don’t worry about Wildfire getting on your ass for leaving, I’ll cover for you.” Serenity offered.
I thought about it for a second. “Sure, why not? What Wildfire don’t know can’t hurt her. Just take this guy to cell block A will you?” I asked as I handed the unicorn over to her.
“Sure, which cell?” She asked.
“Any empty one will do. Just tell me which one you put him in when I come back so I can file the work.” I explained as I walked toward the showers.
“Will do. See ya later Big!” Serenity called.
“Alright, take care Cloudy.” I called back.
I entered the shower area for the guards and activated the cloud. I let the icy cold water run over my orange coat and my mane, which were equal parts black and brown. I looked at my cutie mark which was a nightstick symbolizing my talent for being a guard. After a couple minutes of washing in the ice cold shower, I got out and started to dry up when I heard a distance thunk like somepony had dropped a shell from a sky tank nearby, followed by what sounded like somepony trying to whistle as loud as they can. Looking around, I didn’t see anyone. “Funny, we don't have sky tanks’ anywhere near here last I che-” I started to mutter before a loud explosion rocked the base followed by the red-alarm. Cursing, I grabbed my black western hat, and wriggled on my standard issued enclave prison guard vest, and ran to the armory. Along the way, I bumped into a cream colored pegasus with a mane that was almost all gray except the roots, which were a couple of colors, most notably light blue.
“Boss Stallion! Why aren’t you in the cell blocks taking care of the newest prisoner?!” Wildfire (we weren’t sure why she was called Wildfire since her breath was the only thing about her that made anypony, guards and prisoners alike that reminded them of fire…) practically screamed in my face.
“Look it’s a long story! I’ll explain it to you when we fend off these earth lovers!” I answered and started to run down towards the armory.
On the way there were several more explosions knocking several ponies off their hooves. One of the explosions rocked the base so hard that a Pegasus with a grey coat and a dark brown mane was flung through a window, landing in what was an awkward position landing on his back with the right wing extended. But to my surprise, he got up and looked relatively unharmed, minus a few glass shards sticking out along his back. Before I could give him my limited medical aid (Serenity actually payed better attention in those type of classes) he gave himself a good shake, muttered something that sounded something about somepony named Gale or Yeley, I really wasn’t paying attention to what he was saying I was still stunned that he didn’t look or act like he just went through a fucking WINDOW!
I gave myself a shook and started moving towards my goal. I finally got there and the quartermaster was there, overseeing making sure everyone got a weapon and I grabbed a battle saddle we confiscated, while we do have access to standard-issue Enclave Novasurge rifles, we don’t have much ammo for them though, because we infrequently receive supplies from above the clouds. So, we mostly rely on the weapons and ammo we confiscate from the wanderers. Once I loaded up the saddle up with some ammo, I ran out to the prison area.
When I got there, ponies were already wrapping up with the prisoners, since there was nothing I could do, I stopped at the desk I was supposed to be at during my shift when the red alert went off. Reaching it, I grabbed the dark glasses resting on top of the desk and placed them over my green eyes. I was about to head out when I heard Serenity’s voice
“Hey Big! You ready to kick some flank?” She asked.
I snorted, “What gave you that idea?”
Serenity rolled her eyes, “take a pick: the fact you have your ‘Ultra-serious’ sun glasses or the big ass gun on your back.”
I snorted, “come on smart flank, we got work to do.” And with that, I ran towards the wall with Serenity and a few others right behind.
As I got out, the battle seemingly erupted around me with gunfire and the screams of wounded. I saw Wildfire shooting and as she dropped down behind the wall to reload I ran over to.
“What’s going on?!” I shouted into her face. At that moment he popped up and took a few shots before dropping back down.
“We are under attack from some heavily armed hostiles, but that’s not the problem!” All of this was said in between bursts of return gunfire, in which swaths of enemies were felled by her. She finally stopped and stayed down in cover for a minute, she looked at me “what?”
I looked at her like she had a head growing above her tail. “Is that it? A few mercs? why haven’t the military guys taken care of them by now? I mean yeah, they have a missile launcher, but-” Before I could finish I looked up and saw something swooping down straight at us.
“Move!” She yelled as she shoved me out of the way as the missile dropped down and missed.
“What was that?!” I yelled.
“You don’t know what a gryphon is?!” Wildfire asked with disbelief in her eyes.
Oh yeah, gryphons... (That was another part of class I slept through. I get bored really easily okay?! Don’t judge!) From the little I recall from class was that we fought them years ago after we closed up the skies… I think. I quickly snapped back to reality and started to return fire while keeping my eyes high for anymore gryphons coming to dive bomb us. I opened fire upon the hostiles, not exactly cutting them down in mass waves like Wildfire was doing. (I had received "passable" marks in long range, medium range, and short range shooting. But I made up for all of that with "outstanding" marks in close range combat and overall weapons training, so shut-up.) But I was getting the job done and for the next couple minutes I fell into a rhythm, that all stopped when I felt something hot rip through my leg. I fell down with a scream. It felt like somepony took a hot knife, jammed it straight into my leg just shy of the bone and left it there. I tried to stand, but Serenity stopped me.
"Shh, don't try. Let me take a look and patch it up first," She insisted, I lifted my leg for her to inspect. And though she tried to hide it, I saw the look in her eyes. It was bad.
“It's bad isn't it?” I asked.
“Well,” she paused for a moment in thought, “I can’t find an exit wound, so I don’t know where it hit, and I’m not about to go digging for it right now, so I’m just going to cover it up and we can have you patched up by the medical staff when this is done.”
I could tell something else was on her mind and I wanted to ask, but this wasn’t the time to bring it up. Serenity ran off, and after a few minutes, came running back with some old fashioned gauze. Exactly what I needed at this point (while we do have magic bandages and healing potions, it’s just it will heal over the bullet and I don’t exactly like the idea of being more susceptible to magnets thanks to metal under my fur…).
“Alright, this will stop the bleeding, but it won’t repair itself,” Serenity explained as she wrapped my leg up, “I’m not sure this will hold for the rest of the battle, so why don’t we move someplace away from here?”
I could say I was suspicious, but this was Cloudy Serenity! A pony who would never intentionally put me into harm’s way. I sighed, “If you say-” I was cut off by a shot distinctly to my left, followed by a cry from Wildfire, I looked over and saw Wildfire bleeding. "Shit! Serenity get some potions ASAP!" Then to Wildfire I said. "Hang, in there chief, help is on the way!"
Wildfire spat some blood and leaned over and whispered "Well shit, looks like I stop here." She coughed up some blood, "There is some things you need to know..." She started coughing again.
"Shh, save your strength," I urged her. "You can tell me later, when we're in the hospital."
She looked at her wound and shook her head. "You are so naive sometimes, you know that?" She sighed before she coughed some more. "I was a normal pony living above the clouds, I had a son, and a normal life. Then-” She paused for a cough.
“SERENITY!! WHERE ARE THOSE SUPPLIES DAMMIT!!!” I barked over my shoulder. I kept pressure on her wound. “STAY WITH ME WILDFIRE!!” I urged her.
“My son, was a wonderful colt that grew into a fine stallion. He would never do no wrong... Then one day those politicians up above, branded my son a Dashite and dropped him here on this hell… If you see him, tell him I loved him and I believe he was innocent…” she placed her fore leg around my neck and forced me closer. “His name is Gale Force.” And with that, the most badass mare I knew, who for her last few minutes, seemed as innocent as a young filly, had passed away.
As she went limp and the light died from her eyes, it seemed like the world around me went quiet as I sat there. As I closed my boss’s eyes, I heard a sigh come from my left, followed by a very familiar voice saying “Mother of Celestia! I was wondering when she was gonna bleed out!”
I looked over towards the voice and saw him. “You.” I said, glaring at the unicorn.
“Me.” He said with the most smug look on his face, his purple mane blowing in the wind.
I slowly rose to my hooves and charged at him. I saw his horn light up and the next thing I knew, I was on my back. I saw him walk up to me and point a gun at my head with his magic. I saw him start to pull the trigger but he stopped.
“You aren’t worth the lead.” He muttered, the handle of his gun was the last thing I saw before I blacked out.
Author's Note
This is my first story in a while, hope you like it. Let me know if you want more and any typos I missed!
Special Thanks to The Dream Sage, Rudiger Smith, and my friend Tristen for helping edit this to make it better.
Some random's, some random fact: The day after I finished the rough draft of this chapter (8/28/15) I found out that Fallout: Project Horizons was done.
I'm waking up to ash and dust. Dan Reynolds
I started to slowly regain consciousness. For the moments I was conscious I could see sections of the wall missing and I could smell something burning right behind me. Once I was fully awake, I tried to slowly stand up. Once I got on all 4 legs, my right foreleg buckled and I found myself stumbling forward a few steps before I felt a sharp pain in my hoof I took a few more before I was able to balance myself by bracing against a wall.
“AW FUCK A DUCK!! FUCK A LEEK!! FUCK EVERYTHING!!” I screamed in pain. I took a look at the hoof, and saw a piece of shrapnel sticking out of my hoof “GODDESS DAMMIT! IT GOT ME RIGHT IN THE FROG!” and so I spent the next minutes cursing in my head as I pulled out. Once I pulled it out, I spent the next couple minutes cursing violently and colorfully. Once I was done I headed back the way I came, as I walked I developed a few priorities I had in mind (1. Find Serenity, 2. Gather supplies, 3. Get intel) I figured the best course of action at this point was to find a terminal and grab any supplies I could find along way.
After about 1 hour, all I found were ammo of various calibers, an empty battle saddle, but no guns. Perfect. I thought sarcastically as I slammed the door leading to the armory, I sighed in frustration.Why the hell did this whole thing have to happen? If those Griffin's didn't attack, none of this would have happened. Speaking of which, why did they attack in the first place? I mean sure we had war with them awhile back, but I thought we had an armistice or something... It must have been a prisoner we took in, but we never took in any Griffin’s, unless... I slapped my head, the answer had quite literally stared me in the face, it was that bastard who shot Wildfire it would make sense… Well sorta, why Griffons would attack a base, risk heavy casualties, all for one pony? Unless he was a big time player, which still didn’t make sense why they would let a big shot, scout ahead with only a hooful of ponies accompanying him. I needed a moment to think about this. I leaned up against the wall and sighed.
“I’m formulating crazy theories with no facts except that some yellow unicorn with a purple mane took a gun and shot up the base… And now I’m talking to myself again, good goddesses, I’m turning into Great-Uncle Thunder aren’t I?” I mused with a slight chuckle.
I looked up at the clouds hanging high overhead, standard protocol was that if we lost contact with the Enclave at least one pony would have to contact them within three days or else we all would be labeled M.I.A. But looking around made me confident that would only make a difference for two ponies at the the most.
Stumbling about the wreck that was once a prison, trying not to step on dead bodies and more shrapnel. I thought about what I was going to do once I left the prison. My first thought was to head north to a settlement I occasionally overheard some prisoners talk about, supposedly it’s a half-decent hub of trading, making it an ideal place to get some money, or find leads on that unicorn. But then again if he was traveling with the gryphons after the attack, they might have continued on their original course and since they attacked from the north that would most likely mean they would continue south…
“Urgh! Why does everything have to be so fucking complicated?!” I screamed at the sky, before tripping once again and crashing through a door, splintering it. I sighed loudly as I picked myself off of the floor, brushing the splintered wood off of my coat. "Is nothing going to go right today?" I mumbled, trying to yell and upset whatever cosmic being had my number today. Looking around the room, I noticed a terminal. “Thank you!” I said to the cosmic entity responsible for my recent luck before rushing over to the terminal and promptly booting it up, it flickered briefly before going dark again. “For humoring me, asshole.” I muttered as I banged my head into the terminal. The terminal then sputtered to life. I decided not to question it, and ruin this.
Sifting through the terminal I looked for the option to make a new file and send the message that there were survivors. I came across a set of files labeled “Personnel”, curiosity got the better of me and I decided to take a peek. I flipped through the files when I saw one that was labeled “Big Boss Stallion”. I opened it and was greeted with descriptions of physical measurements, appearance, where I grew up, and my family. Pretty standard except for one bit under family, it labeled my father as Brigadier General Ivory Spark, and my brother as Captain Falkner.
“Typical,” I sighed, “figures they would constantly remind everypony of my family and how much I strayed from the path my ancestors went down.”
I casually flicked through the files once more. Stopping this time at a file labeled “Wildfire”, I opened it and like mine it listed her physical measurements and appearance. But it didn’t say a word about family or where she grew up.
“That’s odd, I could have sworn she said she had a son… What gives?” I muttered.
I finally started to work on my original goal, creating a new entry I wrote:
June 1st, 1,217
This is Guard Big Boss Stallion, the base was compromised. I’m am one of only two survivors as far as I know. Second survivor, Guard Cloudy Serenity’s status and location is unknown. I am currently heading to the town north of here, I can not confirm my location if it has been more than three days since this was made.
Exiting out of the terminal, I walked towards the exit thinking of what I will do if the Enclave don’t come and get me in the three days all MIA Enclave have before they are barred from coming above the clouds.
“Maybe I become a mercenary,” I commented to myself, “no, that won’t make me a lot of money in the beginning and I’m going to need that to survive out here.” As I passed by the cells where we kept prisoners I got an idea, “Maybe I’ll be apart of a caravan! Yeah, that’s a good idea, good pay but…” I shook my head once again, “I don’t have a gun, and I doubt anyone is gonna lend me their weapons…” I trailed off once again my eyes catching sight of a brown object barely sticking out of some rubble.
I felt a smile start to form on my face as I removed the rubble on the object. “I think my luck has just changed!” I exclaimed as I picked up a sniper rifle, it wasn’t anything special though, it was just a simple rifle. It had taken quite a beating, which may have been the reason no one picked it up. Fortunately, the battle saddle I found was working perfectly, unfortunately there was only one magazine for the gun, but hey I’ll take what I can get.
Once I got out of the prison and turned towards the town, I quickly realized that my wings might not be a welcome sign, since I was part of a system that probably made several inhabitants disappear. I almost instantly fixed this problem by snatching up one of the dead attacker’s uniform and wearing it over my wings. As I started towards the town, one thought crossed my time: “I’m coming for you Serenity.”
Author's Note
Thank you for waiting patiently for this chapter, I had to bust through numerous bouts of writer's block while typing this out. Special thanks to Befallen Tragedy for helping me improve a couple sections of this.
As always, let me know of any typo's I missed and if you want more.
Some random's, random fact: I probably listened to "Radioactive" several hundred times while writing this chapter.
