Fallout: Equestria - A Song of Angels

Chapter Two: The Dominion

“The whole purpose of the Crystal Fair is to lift the spirits of the crystal ponies, so the light within them can power the Crystal Heart. I do work at a library”

Zzzzrrrur

My Sky-Rider flew fast and swiftly over the gravel and sand. Small blades of grass swayed as a large gust of wind picked up in the rapid flapping of the machine’s wings. I pulled back on the disk-like handles as the vehicle went up a ramp-like hill. As we tilted upward, Dogmeat whimpered and tried to stay onboard the flying machine. The sound of Luna screaming could barely be made out over the sound of my own thrilled laughter. We climbed into the sky, higher and higher until I deactivated the flight mechanism and caused the Sky-Rider to fall once more.

“Pull up, Gattle Gun! This is insane!” Luna cried out from her pedestal screen as we dropped.

“Not yet! Just a little more!” I responded to her, my lips formed into a twisted, joyous grin, while the wind rushed past my ears and blocked out any further sound.

Just meters away from becoming scrap and gore, I reignited the crystal matrix’s power flux and in an instant the Sky-Rider’s wings buzzed to life once more. We came to a sudden but startlingly brief stop. The Sky-Rider corrected itself as Luna’s auto-pilot set us back on the intended flight setting. With the altitude stabilized, the Sky-Rider accelerated with a whoosh of air and it continued on a straight course.

“That was reckless,” the A.I. complained.

“That was fun,” I replied, like a smart-ass.

In the podium terminal, Luna’s avatar shook her head and sighed. “Locking altitude.” My control of the Sky-Rider’s height was taken from me at that instant, and I groaned.

The Sky-Rider passed by a Radscorpion. The beast clapped its claws open and closed in rapid succession before it burrowed back beneath the surface. I breathed a heavy sigh and looked down to Dogmeat. “You okay, boy?”

Dogmeat growled at me, teeth bared and a look of bemusement on his face. “Gyah! Hey! What the hell?” He had nipped my hind leg, and I sighed, rolling my eyes.

“Why not?” Luna chided in exasperation, “You did almost eject him from the chariot, no thanks to your reckless driving and stunting.”

I glanced down at the screen which bore the face of a blue unicorn who glared up at me. She was pouting like a filly who’d had her teddy bear taken away. I rolled my eyes and sneered at her. “Would you not give me that look, eighty percent of my time is spent hunting down scum and criminals with a high bounty, I deserve to have some fun every now and—”

A sharp, powerful pain ripped through my shoulder. The shotgun blast I’d sustained the other day had chosen that moment to flare up in pain.To make matters worse, the gaping gash across my chest, courtesy of that Ghoul back in Red Ruby Creek, was aching as well. I’d run out of health potions trying to heal myself, although the infection had started to set in. That’s when I remembered the Red Ruby ponies had taken all that I had offered to treat their wounds.

I hissed at the pain and brought the Sky-Rider to a halt beside a snowy patch. I barely managed to get the legs lowered in time to prevent a crash landing. I took a moment to rest. I leaned against the side of the Sky-Rider’s chariot basket and panted while the pain persisted. Dogmeat’s ears fell back and he nudged me with his blood-stained muzzle; he whimpered and tilted his head.

“I’m okay boy, don’t worry.” I said before I picked myself up and placed my hooves back into the disks. “I’ll be fine…”

“Gattle Gun, Luna droned, “your blood sugar level has dropped since your last intake of food and nourishment. I recommend immediate sugar intake to stem hypoglycemia and inevitable bodily shut down,”

“I recommend immediate medical atten—”

“Luna, I know. Already planned.” I cut her off with a smile that secretly shouted at her for telling me stuff I already knew.

My body shook and I began to grow weak. Sweat broke out across my body and I turned slightly pale. Quickly, I opened my saddlebags and floated out a grape-flavored juice box and quickly drained it of its contents. Dogmeat stood up and nuzzled my leg and whimpered as he looked up to me with concern.

I assured him I was fine, with a gentle stroke with the back of my hoof. I ran it all the way from his head down his back to drive the point home.

“Blood sugar level rising. Vitals are returning to normal. We may proceed without further impediment. The Crystal Dominion is another seven miles away.” Luna said as I placed my hooves back into the disks.

“Thank you, Luna,” I managed, ”now then, let’s hurry up and reap my reward.”

I twisted the disks, and pushed them forward. The Sky-Rider folded up its legs and flew down the road and through the snow field of the Crystal Mountains.

~~~ ~~~ ~~~

Everything was quiet.

We had passed through the icy veil of the Crystal Mountains and were now climbing a hill which overlooked the Crystal Plains. I constantly checked for any sign of danger, whether by sight or Luna’s E.F.S. Dogmeat remained asleep at my hooves, surprisingly unaffected by Sky-Riders incessant buzzing which, I must admit, annoyed even myself.

The Rider adjusted itself to fly over the increased slope of the road. As I slowly started to ease the approach, my shoulder burned when I moved my shoulder, even if slightly, but I wouldn’t have to worry about that for very long. As the rider came to a stop at the top of the hill, I shifted my goggles from my eyes to just above my forehead, and I looked upon the illustrious and beautiful diamond walls of the Crystal Dominion and the shimmering glow of the the untainted and untouched Crystal Castle which lay at the heart of this pre-war nation.

It was then that I looked up and bore witness to the imposing might of pre-war machines, harbingers of a deadly era long since past. They had the majesty of phoenixes in flight, and as I stood in the shadows they casted upon the ground around me, I saw that every inch of the malachite and metallic hulls were sleek and evocative of cold, efficient yet prideful power.

They closely resembled pre-war destroyer class battleships, from their bridge to the bow. They were long and sleek with their large wings reaching out behind the ship like a crest. They had large turrets and a figurehead at the front of each ship. The Cardinal, the Phoenix, and the Falcon.

These were the three Avians. Pre-war Sky-ships that put the Pegasi’s cloud ships to shame. The Avians presided over the Dominion and were one of the few instruments that played in the creation of the New Canterlot-Crystal treaty. Their arrival had been unexpected, their power was devastating and unyielding.

I looked along their entirety for a moment and then glanced over to the clouds that were starting to form overhead. I breathed a heavy sigh and turned my focus to a large wastelander village which had sprung up just outside the Dominion’s walls since its reappearance. I knew this settlement well, and many of the ponies that lived there. Sabrina was kind enough to let them stay, even sending guards to patrol its streets and to police the area.

The town had make-shift houses made from scrap found out in the wastes. There was a business district, housing district, and a small schoolhouse in the western side of the town close to the outer perimeter and not far from the homes of the common folk. Some of the houses were made from wood, imported from within the Dominion walls. It was not much but it was still impressive.

“Will we be stopping in Shanty Town?” Luna asked.

“I have to get these scrapes looked at, don’t I? Besides, we’ll be following the road to the front gates; we have to pass through Shanty Town. Unless we go the long way, but even I’m not too fond of that idea, we’ve wasted enough time already and I need to preserve my trophy. Sabrina is expecting me.”

I revved up the Sky-Rider and once again the machine’s wings beat and buzzed as it carried us downhill and along the winding road.

We flew right beside the old railway that connected the pre-war Crystal Empire to the rest of Equestria. Work ponies from the Dominion worked tirelessly to restore the tracks for use, but meanwhile the station was left to rot, desolate and untouched.

As we passed by the old station, I glanced at it from the corner of my eye; its windows had shattered, the inside was full of upturned tables, dust, and rotting wooden walls. It was in a complete state of disrepair.

The E.F.S picked up hostiles within the building, and their shapes indicated the inhabitants were RadRoaches. My focus had not been stolen, however. Foals who played on the road cleared away when they saw me in my transport approaching.

“Hey, it’s Gattle Gun!” a young colt exclaimed. “Gattle Gun! Hey!” he waved, joined by his friends, who called out my name in greeting.

I snickered and waved back to them with my good leg, “Hey kids, stay safe for me, will ya?!” I called out, before making a tight turn into the town of wooden buildings and corrugated iron wrapped in chain-link fencing. A typical settlement no different than that of Arefoal in the mid-wastes.

Purple-coated stallions, sporting lilac colored armor with fine decoration and detail, patrolled the roads and stood on street corners and at the exits of the town. Each guard carried a long spear. Nothing about them screamed technology. They were old fashioned, no magical weapons, no guns, nor power armor. They were traditional. They might as well be considered primitive in the eyes (or visor) of a Steel Ranger.

Unlike those clowns, however, crystal guards knew how to fight. I parked the Sky-Rider out in front of a hospital, it hovered in place as the insect-like legs beneath it uncurled and spread out. Once they were in place, I hit a switch under the right handle disk and it lowered itself to the ground where the crystal matrix powered off. The wings ceased their glow, their flapping growing soft and gentle before they ceased to move and fold up at its sides.

“Luna, if you could.” I turned around to face the gate at the back of the chariot and with a loud rickety sound like a chain-link fence being shaken, the gates opened.

Dogmeat was the first one out. He licked his chops, got up off the floor and hopped down from the raised platform, myself following not long after.

“Close gates, “ I instructed.

“You’re welcome, Gattle Gun,” Luna said as she closed the gates.

I smirked at Luna’s sarcasm and shook my head. “Thank you, Luna. We’ll be back soon.”

Luna went silent, the podium powered down and the Sky-Rider locked up. I limped around to the front of the hospital and up its makeshift ramp, pieced together from a variety of materials lying around the wasteland. I opened the door and let Dogmeat in first before stepping inside myself and hobbling over to the counter.

“Jock!” I shouted. “Where are you?!” I sat on my haunches and cringed, I grit my teeth and held my hoof against the shotgun wound. I growled at my own carelessness.

“Hopefully this’ll be an easy fix, wouldn’t that be nice, boy? Just a few bottles of potion and we’re all set,” I joked.

Dogmeat panted and looked around the room. The monotonous squeaking of the ceiling fan quickly became annoying and my own patience was wearing thin by the second. I rang the bell, nothing happened, five minutes later and I started ringing the bell once more. Again, he didn’t come in, and I had no more fucks to give.

“Fuck this…” I unholstered the same shotgun that had given me that accursed wound, cocked it, and with a loud bang, I blew a hole in the ceiling, which frightened a few mares outside.

“What was that?! Are we under attack?! Guards?! Guar—” And like an idiot, Jock came rushing into the room, tripped over his own four hooves and fell over and into a vase of Pre-war petunias.

He sported a brass-colored coat, coyote brown mane and tail, and his cutie mark happened to be a scalpel and stitches (a little insight into what his talent was).

I sighed and applied hoof to face in irritation. I wrapped him in my magic and kindly lifted him back onto his feet. He went limp in the spell until all four hooves were back on the floor and he was standing again.

I cleared my throat and put on a friendly face. “Good afternoon, Jock. I hope I didn’t startle you too much.”

Jock breathed a sigh of relief and trotted around to the back of the counter. He adjusted his glasses and cleared his throat. “It’s only you, Gattle Gun. I’m sorry I got caught up in sorting out storage.”

“So that’s why you were ignoring me,” I sighed. “Whatever… Look, I need some supplies, healing potions, radaway, Med-X, suturing kit, and first-aid pack.”

Jock took a look at my shoulder and chest and hummed in thought. “A health potion isn't going to fix that, but I might have something in storage that could fix both of them. I just got them delivered from the Tall Tale Commonwealth.”

Jock lifted his leg and started looking through his pip-buck for his list of new deliveries. I cocked my eyebrow, my interest piqued.

“The Tall Tale Commonwealth? What are ya sayin, pal? They made medicine for a change?”

“Here it is!” he exclaimed and turned to me. He read out loud the name of this new stock, “It’s called Farmakeftikós ánoixi kréma, it’s like a paste, made it out of testing eight years ago and works just as well as a super-restoration potion.” He lowered his hoof and trotted over to the counter.

“Got any I could take a look at?”

Jock bent down and searched around for this new stock. “Actually I might have a jar right—”

I could hear the clinking of jars and the rattle of what I could assume was a box of mint'als. With a cry of success; he brought it up, a small glass jar of creamy paste. “You can take a look while I stitch up those wounds. Get on the bed.”

“Whoa… settle down there, at least take me to dinner first.” I smirked and limped my way over to the bed in the operating room with a look of amusement (and a dash of concern) on my face.

I climbed onto the bed and took off the right side of my cloak. Blackened, sticky threads of blood clung to the leather on the dusters sleeve and stretched from the grazes and bullet holes before breaking off. It stung and burned, but what was I to expect?

Jock entered the room, pushing a trolley with a tray on top. He wore a white mask pulled over his muzzle, white gloves on his hooves and standard, albeit bloodied stable barding; which he often wore during his work, bearing the number one nine five on the collar. On the tray he brought in was a bottle of disinfectant, a spool of string, a needle, and a first aid kit, which laid flat on the lower shelf.

“No anesthesia?” I joked.

Jock looked at me with an eyebrow cocked. “You’ve never needed it before.”

“Touche, my friend.” I smirked. “You won’t have to worry about removing any bullets or splinters, I took the liberty of doing that before I came back.”

Jock nodded. “As you can see, I don’t have my tweezers, because I know you so well.” He gave me a vexed glare and picked up a cloth which hung from a plastic bar along the wall.

He poured the disinfectant onto it and started dabbing the wounds, much to my discomfort. He then applied gauze to my neck and shoulder. Jock was no unicorn, but he was a skilled doctor, even for an earth pony. Their kind normally fared badly as surgeons, but he had steady hooves and concentration. As I examined the jar, slowly turning it in my magic, he started threading the needle through the skin around the edge of my chest injury.

“So this is the wonder cream you value so much?”

“Mmhm.” Jock pulled the gash in my chest together. The skin had tightened overnight, which only made it harder to bring it together and stitch up (it hurt like a bitch!)

I unscrewed the lid and took a peek inside. The cream was unsurprisingly white, with purple and pink swirls in it. It looked thick and smelled like a sweet perfume, with a relaxing aroma the likes I hadn’t smelled before. It took me out of reality for a moment, almost like I was numb, but the stitching needle forced its way through a nerve cluster while Jock worked and I was painfully snapped back into reality (despite my tolerance.)

“And we’re done.” He tied the stitches together at the end and snipped off the needle.

“I’d give you a health potion but your wounds are already too old for one to work its magic. Even if it could, the potion wouldn’t help renew the tissue nor bring it together. You would’ve needed stitches either way. That shotgun wound appears fresh still, the blood has not entirely clotted, thank the goddesses I had that gause on hoof.

“I’m afraid the cream is the final solution. They’ll renew the cells, they’ll heal the wounds, and they’ll bind the flesh good as new by tonight.”

Jock walked over to a nearby sink and washed his hooves in purified water. While most of my blood came off easily, what had dried proved to be a nuisance. I glanced over to him and turned the now closed jar until the label was pointed in his direction.

“This is Enclave medicine, the words are written in pegasus.”

Jock shrugged and opened up the first aid kit. He pulled out bandages and a blood pack and set them aside. “Was Enclave medicine. It’s better than nothing. I was just lucky the Tall Tale Commonwealth pharmacists were kind enough to send me a few crates full of them. You can keep that one, but I’d like to apply it to your wounds before bandaging you up.”

I sighed and placed the jar on the desk beside the bed, with my mood slowly starting to sour. “Get it over with, I have somewhere to be…”

“Off to see Sabrina again?” Jock dipped his hoof into the cream and started applying it to the wounds (which stung like absolute fuck!)

I cringed and grit my teeth, “Y-yeah…”

Jock could see I was struggling with the stinging sensation this cream was causing to my exposed nerves. He was almost surprised to see me react the way I did. “Who was it this time?”

I gulped and grit my teeth, eyes shutting tightly “W-who do you think?” I looked at him as if he was some moron.

He was preparing to wrap me in bandages before he paused and looked up at me as I inserted the needle from the blood pack into my other leg. “You caught and killed Rat Catcher?!”

“You sound surprised,” I said with a snicker.

“Hard not to be when you of all the ponies got him while hunters and organisations failed, The Talons failed, the Alicorn corps surprisingly failed, even the NCR’s paladin, Calamity failed to get him.”

“Guess I’m just miles above those wannabes. You know my success rate by now; I never let a quarry go. I was just lucky to catch him when I did, any further than what he got and I would have been competing with every other schmuck in this hell for his hide.” I pulled the needle out of my leg and tossed the empty pack aside.

“So how did you—”

“Grease him?” I interrupted. “I didn’t, I maimed him. Dogmeat did the rest.” I looked over to Dogmeat. “Didn’t you boy?”

“Ruff!!!” he barked in confirmation. Jock took only one look at the animal's muzzle to see the evidence of my success.

“You should wash his muzzle before you go behind the walls, a blooded dog isn’t a trusted one.” He wrapped the bandages around each of my wounds, which pressed the cream even deeper into them.

I sat through the pain a little longer until he had finished. Half my neck and my chest were completely covered in bandages and a red stain slowly came into view through the shoulder bandages. Thankfully it didn’t leak any further. To my surprise my injuries still stung like a Paradore’s venom.

“Is this stinging going to stop soon?” I wondered aloud, rolling my shoulder while holding it in an attempt to quell the feeling.

Jock laughed and shook his head, amused and legitimately surprised at me. “I stitched up that gash on your chest without anesthesia, and you’re complaining about the cream?” He scrunched up his face, quivering with suppressed laughter.

I groaned. “Stings aren’t painful, they’re annoying!”

Jock sighed and released all of his pent up laughter in one massive guffaw. I cocked an eyebrow and stood up. Quickly I cleaned my sleeve of blood and put it back on. Still, Jock continued to laugh. I was half tempted to pull out Chrome and point it at his head in jest. He quickly came back to his senses and placed a hoof on my good shoulder.

“Seriously though, you have to be more careful out there. I can’t keep using what I sell to patch you up after a hunt. I’m still getting used to life outside a stable.”

I put a sack of caps down on the counter, a sum of which was far too generous even for me, but I owed him. “I trust that covers it this time, the cream and the last thirty times I’ve come in and left without paying.”

“About time, how much is in this?” He trotted over and peeked inside.

I jumped off the bed and walked around to his side. “Thirty thousand.”

I could see he was about to faint. He swayed and backed into a chair which slid back with a screech. “T-thirty thousand?”

“I told you I owed you.” I shrugged.

“You weren’t in debt to begin with! I appreciate payment, but I didn’t expect it to build up to this!” He looked up at me suspicious-like. “How much is the queen paying you for Rat Catcher’s corpse?”

“The equivalent of seventy two million caps,” I smirked.

“Get out... With a wad like that you’ll be the richest pony in all of the wasteland. You’d be the envy of dragons.”

I scoffed and laughed at his remark, I stomped my hooves on the metal floor and floated my hat off. “Not exactly!” I wiped a tear from the corner of my eye. “Dragons like gold and jewels with a side of grenade. Besides, I’m already a rich pony.”

“Oh right, you hoard it all back at your little haven out in the wasteland. I’m surprised nopony’s tried to rob you.”

I turned a cunningly sinister glare to him, grinning like a fox who found his meal. “Who said they haven’t?”

Jock quickly shut up about it and wiped some sweat off his forehead. “Well, um…ahem” he cleared, “I’ve done my best considering the condition of your wounds. Again you should be able to remove the bandages tonight if the cream does its job.”

“Thank you, Jock.” I twirled the jar around in my magic, and placed my hat on the bedside desk. “You know… this stuff needs a name, one that isn’t written in old pegasus.”

Jock tittered and shook his head. “Like what? Health cream? Wound-Away? There Isn't anything out there you can name that hasn't already been derived from another product. ‘Welcome to the wasteland where originality goes to die’.”

“You’re not helping, one nine five. Come on, if we can rename this, perhaps it’ll catch on, a nickname of sorts.”

“...How about Swirl?” Jock questioned.

I looked at him with an approving smile; I nodded and put the jar away into the safety of my saddlebags. “I like that, Swirl.”

“You saw what was inside, the colors that appear on the surface makes it the perfect name. I’ll log that into my pipbuck later. In the meantime, you should go and see Sabrina.”

“Probably best we don’t keep her waiting.” I looked at Dogmeat and motioned to the door with my head.

Dogmeat happily got up and opened the door, standing up on his hind legs and turning the handle with his front paws. “Good boy.” I put my hat back on and looked back at Jock once more. “I’ll see you later, Doc. I'm leaving the Sky-Rider in your care so—”

Already Jock was playing with his pip-buck again. I simply shook my head, rolled my eyes and left without another word. I had wasted enough time here, and my words were less then likely to reach him now that he had started banking and sorting.

~~~ ~~~ ~~~

Overlooking the Crystal Dominion from the spire’s balcony stood a mare. She was wrapped in a dress of the finest silk, colored pink lace with white swirls and streaks which decorated the skirt-like gown which reached from the base of her neck down to the floor. Armor-like rings wrapped around her neck fittingly and shone brightly as the sky reflected off their surface. On her legs she wore knee-length stockings with a point on the back sections and shoes made of amethyst, and betwixt her ears and above her horn was a crown.

This mare, with a dark gray coat, piercing red eyes and dark purple mane, was the crystal queen herself, Sabrina. She rested against the railing in idle boredom. The sky-ships in the distance had lost her interest and her royal duties were nothing short of exhausting.

She tapped her amethyst colored shoes against the railing, staring off toward the gloomy horizon, into a land of decay and violence. She would’ve been happy to stay that way had she not been interrupted by one of her royal guards.

“Your Majesty,” the guard addressed, head bowed and eyes closed.

Sabrina blinked and lifted her head, at that moment her mane started to flow as if the breeze carried it. She cast her sight on the earth pony and addressed him in turn.

“Yes, guards pony?” she spoke with a clear voice, young and pure, like most princesses out of pre-war fairy tales.

“The bounty hunter has arrived.”

One of Sabrina’s many warm smiles appeared and she reached up with her hoof and forced her hair down as gently as one would hold a foal. “Then please, let him in, we have much to discuss.”

“That’s just it, my liege, he—”

I bit into an apple, sitting on my haunches beside Dogmeat and surprising Sabrina.

“—let himself in…” the guard finished.

The two ponies watched me awkwardly while I finished my apple. I took large chunks out of it before finishing the core. I cleared my throat, pounded my chest and wiped my mouth, followed by a satisfied sigh.

“That was needed,” I remarked and looked at the pre-war ponies almost as awkwardly as they were (even Dogmeat joined in). “...What? The door was open, Sabrina. What did you expect?”

A slight giggle escaped Sabrina’s lips and she motioned for the guard to leave. He bowed and took off. The queen approached me, I stood up again and stretched, a bloodied sack floating close by which stole her notice.

“I take it you took care of Rat Catcher.”

I opened the sack and dumped its contents at Sabrina’s hooves. She lifted her leg and took a step back, her eyes widened in horror at the sight of the disembodied hoof which was all that remained of Rat catcher.

“Flawless victory,” I gloated proudly. “Dogmeat shit the rest of him out on the way in.”

Sabrina wrapped the hoof in her white aura and floated it back to me. Her disgust was plain to see. “Y-you usually sell the hooves of your enemies to somepony out there don’t you? Perhaps this one will be worth more than a common lowlife’s?”

I sighed. “No, I intend to have this taxidermied and put on a plaque, a trophy if you will.”

“That’s disgusting, macabre even...” She shuddered.

“I’m sorry you see it that way.” I put the hoof away and approached the queen, slowly and without any sudden movement.

“I thought by now you were used to seeing stuff like that after the territory wars.”

Sabrina looked away as if ashamed. “I saw enough in that war. We shouldn’t have had to fight, Gattle Gun, what the NCR did was unforgivable, I don’t care for the justifications. There. Are. None.”

She turned away and approached the railing once more. “Look down there, Gattle Gun. We were gone two hundred years, we left behind a time of unrest, horror and strife only to come back and be thrust into it again. I want to keep them safe, but how can I? I’m not powerful. I’m nothing like my predecessor; I’m just… weak in comparison to everything else.”

I stood at her side and looked down at a group of school children and their teacher on a walk, and at the ponies setting up stalls and tents and making preparations for a festival, then I looked out toward the Diamond walls and toward the Crystal Mountains, the contrast of this peaceful haven and that homely hell was one of the many things that compelled me to get involved in what this old world nation had to offer.

“Don’t forget, you’re a powerful unicorn in your own right, Sabrina. You are a strong leader, you got the Dominion in shape in a matter of days and the instant the fighting broke out you were ready.”

“Is that why you visit us as often as you do? “ She crouched down and stroked Dogmeat’s fur with the back of her hoof, content and comforted by his presence.

“You know the reason why I visit,” I smiled.

As Sabrina got back up, both of our ears stood on edge as thunder rumbled in the distance. We looked out to the stormy horizon, the direction of Neighvarro.

“Rat Catcher’s foals…” I started.

“W-what about them?” Sabrina asked and tilted her head.

“Erase their memories,” I said callously.

Dogmeat’s ears fell back and he groaned, Sabrina’s ears fell flat on her head, horror on her face.

“Gattle Gun, we can’t—”

I glared at her, our eyes met and it paralyzed her. “Because of Rat Catcher their chances of ever having a normal life is effectively dashed. Without their memories you could prevent two foals from going someplace that will force me to end them both, if not one.”

Sabrina recoiled at the harshness of my voice, my cold words and my enraged tone. She shrank back and looked to the floor, processing my words.

I took a deep breath and calmed down, in and out. “I’m aware you have pre-war tech capable of removing select memories from ponies. I know that they were used on brainwashed Equestrians during the Great War. All memory of their father must be erased, for their sake. They’ll never grow up to be normal. I know that better than anypony. As long as they remember the trauma, the mental scar will always remain, and it will not fade. And I honestly don’t want to have to put them down if they go the way of the raider.”

Sabrina stared at me in stunned silence and struggled to find her words. “I… I’ll see that it’s done, and that they are adopted into a proper family together. I wouldn’t dare separate them.”

“Don’t send them back out there.”

Sabrina looked at me as if I had labeled her a monster. “I wouldn’t dare! As far as I am concerned they are now citizens of the Crystal Dominion, the NCR can break their horn and dispute their place of belonging. I will not hear of it.”

There was a brief moment of silence. Through the silence the thunder from afar was easily audible, as were the voices of the crystal ponies below and the sound of a faint wind.

“You can keep the caps, I have more than enough. All I ask for in return is the hoof. That is reward enough.”

Sabrina nodded and turned away from the balcony. I admired her for her strength, her kind heart and her desire to rebuild all that was, she was as caring as she could be cruel. I wondered if the stress of ruling the Dominion got to her, if it did then she was remarkable at hiding it, especially when she has to maintain a treaty with the damnable New Canterlot Republic. Dogmeat ran up to her and brushed against her leg, he sensed her mounting frustration and was rewarded for being so concerned.

“Who’s a good boy?” Sabrina asked in an adorable voice, which aroused Dogmeat’s playful puppy side.

He ran around and barked, panting and drooling onto the tiles. He pawed at her and looked back to me as Sabrina’s hooves graced his fur.

“You’re a good puppy, yes you are,” Sabrina took off her shoes and ruffled Dogmeat’s coat, scratching his belly when he rolled onto his back.

I couldn’t help but smile while watching the two interact, maybe it was because I rarely got to enjoy moments like this. It provided insight to what life was like two hundred years ago, and it showed me that Sabrina was truly as pure as diamond.

“Just so you know, Gattle. The Crystal Faire will be held tomorrow, the timing is unfortunate with the Rat Catcher incident, but at the same time it’s perfect. This will hopefully allow the children to integrate into the Dominion and achieve their shine, with thanks to the crystal heart. They will be the first wastelanders to achieve citizenship in this city.”

“I don’t plan on going out any farther then Stable B-19. Not just yet.”

There was another moment of silence between us. I was unaware that my bandages had started to show through my duster’s shotgun holes, the red stain easily visible through the leather’s black and the bandages’ white. Sabrina noticed it and was unhappy with my slip up.

“You’re hurt… I thought you said it was a “flawless victory!”” she yelled and glared at me in what I could only guess was concern.

“It was! Rat Catcher put on little more than a show of gore, he was a coward who ran away. No, I sustained these injuries dealing with his slaver buddies. If Dogmeat and I hadn’t dealt with them, there’d be missing posters all over the city!”

Sabrina sneered in disgust, “They’re as bad as that accursed band of murderers out in Canterhorn…” Sabrina looked out into the wasteland once more, right at the Crystal Mountains and came to a decision.

“I have another task for you, this isn’t a stallion hunt, it’s not a search and rescue, it’s a slaughter.” She looked to me out of the corner of her eyes.

My face twisted into insanity. Eyes wide and parted, lips curled into a grotesque and twisted grin. “You had me at: ‘slaughter’”

Sabrina smiled. “I take it I have your interest? Good. Crystina has mentioned Canterhorn and its infestation on the radio quite frequently, recently with, DjPon3. If you didn’t already plan to, once the faire is over and you’ve done all you need to do—”

“I go to Canterhorn trainyard and clear it. I understand, but why? Canterhorn sits on the edge of the neutral zone near Manehatten and poses no threat to the Dominion. I’ll also need more information.” I followed Sabrina. She had turned away from the balcony and started walking to her throne room.

“They're a blight, Gattle Gun. Those caravans they harm, they pass through the Shanty Town just outside the walls. I don't take kindly to innocents being harmed for no reason. As for information, if Crystina lacks the it, so do we. Though perhaps we could weasel the information out of DjPon3. The NCR seems to find out much more than we do.”

Sabrina turned around and faced me, “But you are lucky the NCR’s radio-show host was kind enough to divulge one piece of information about the Players.”

“Tell me,” I pressed, I wasn't going to let her draw out big reveals like I do.

“The Canterhorn group is a cell. Only a shred of the actual gang that split off from a larger cell based out in Cadence knows where.”

“That’s interesting and all, but I need to know who to hit! Who runs this cell, how many are there?!” I continued to press until Sabrina exploded.

“We don’t know!” she shouted with incredible volume, a look of irritation on her face which shortly changed. She pressed her hoof to her chest, took a deep breath, and reached out as she exhaled before speaking in a much calmer tone.

“Look, I know how you operate, gathering information and using it to your advantage; but I’m afraid we just don’t have the means.”

I clopped my hoof on the crystal floor, a loud krang echoed around the hall, and I looked down to it, exasperated.

Sabrina came over to me, she paused and reached up to caress my cheek gently. “Listen, it’s a lovely day. Go out and enjoy it. I’m sure you have somewhere to be, or somepony to meet, right?”

I nodded and calmed right down with a deep breath. “I do… I’m sorry for my reactions. I should behave better than this in your presence.”

“There’s no need to apologise. I must apologise for bringing you down to such a state.” She moved back, her hoof lowered back onto the floor with a soft clop. “I will handle the children. In the meantime, I hope to see you at the faire tomorrow.”

I bowed. “Of course, Queen Sabrina.” I noticed the room suddenly went quiet and I looked back up to Sabrina to see she had these beautiful bedroom eyes and wore this small and naughty smirk.

She twirled around on one hoof to face her throne and looked back to me. “Hey Gattle Gun. Perhaps next time, maybe we could… ‘dance?’”

She lifted her tail which in turn lifted her dress, giving me a slight peek at her… special place… My cheeks went red, I quickly averted my eyes and lowered my hat over my face.

“U-um… U-until tomorrow, Sabrina.” I turned to leave, only to find myself in pain once my head collided with the door frame.

“Argh! Crap… come on, Dogmeat…” I hurried out of there as quick as I could before Sabrina could chortle at my misfortune.

Out of earshot, Sabrina sat down on her throne and hunched herself like a vulture. Her red eyes glowed amid the darkness of that cold court. She put her hooves together, her smile dropped, and her eyebrows furrowed, lips bent into a scowl like frown.

“All will be dealt with accordingly...”

~~~ ~~~ ~~~

That place…

Out there your mind is always on edge; you always anticipate when the next pony comes out shooting at you from behind a rock.

But behind those diamond walls, the wasteland feels like an illusion. Here I felt detached from what was reality, I was absorbed in this pre-war world protected by the treasured crystal heart. Dogmeat and I walked together down a long stretch of road, shared only by the beautiful and radiant crystal ponies.

I was out of place. I didn’t care if I didn’t fit in, I was here, to me that was enough. I tipped my hat to a passing couple, their bodies shone like crystal and glowed with a tender warmth. I wasn’t quite accustomed to the magics that laid here, but I wasn't bothered by it all too much.

I turned down an alleyway large enough to be a place of ambush. I lit a cigarette on my way, only for it to evaporate into nothingness in my glow. I sighed shaking my head in disappointment. Soon after, I came to a large open spot at the halfway point. My destination lay dead ahead.

“Yo, Gattle!” a colt called out and jumped down onto the top of a dumpster lid with a thump, joined by three other foals covered in dirt and wearing makeshift clothes and armor fashioned from whatever they could scavage.

“What’s the hizzle bizzle gizzle?” the colt with the headband, dark blue mane and tail asked, speaking in pre-war (dick) delinquent.

I honestly couldn’t help myself when he started talking like that, I smirked, and managed to contain my laughter. “The shizzle little dizzle, what’s the fizzle?” I replied.

“Wow, you really said that?” The lead foal said as the group got in front of me and walked backwards while I stepped on forward.

“If the Allycat Colts can talk that way, why not I?” I asked smugly, looking at all four of them, “oh no…” my smile dropped. “Nova, you joined up with this gang? Your parents would be ashamed.”

A pegasus filly backed up a little and hunched down to avoid a scolding I was in no position to give. I had half a mind to open my mouth and berate her from running with this gang to begin with, only I wasn’t given the chance to.

“Leave her alone, buddy. She ain’t doin nuthin wrong.”

I looked at the ringleader, Dizzy and craned forward toward him. “Is that… a Manehatten impression?”

Dizzy stammered in his response, he was trying to talk like me. I laughed before he could get any more words out and ruffled his mane. “Not bad, kid. But you might want to stick with what you were given, my accent’s a bit rustic nowadays and hasn’t aged well.”

“Why? How does an accent age badly?” the other colt, Jasper, asked.

I stroked Dogmeat’s head and tilted my hat up a little more. “I suppose it just died out over the years. Ya hardly hear it anymore. Then again, none of you have ever been beyond the walls.”

“One day we hope to travel all over Equestria! We haven’t seen it since before the war. Can ya’ll imagine what changes there are? What new discoveries await.”

It should be noted, the guards patrolling Shanty Town struggled during their first few days outside. Many of them wept in sorrow at the drastic changes to the land. Many of them felt disheartened and refused to work any further outside the walls. The Avians did provide security to the ones with the balls big enough to patrol outside. Even I would be afraid to step near the Dominion with those titanic warships in flight, especially if had I met Sabrina any later than when I did.

I hated to put a bullet in Dizzy’s dreams, but as much as he wanted to see what was outside, it was foolish, he had no idea what was out there.“One day, by then you better be ready. What’s out there is nothing compared to what was out there two hundred years ago. And to be honest, it’s a stupid dream, naive and without thought.”

I saw Dizzy’s cheerful expression sink, the other gang members sharing that same despairing face. “But,” I continued, “I’m not saying you shouldn’t go for it when the time comes. Maybe you’ll be able enough to fight back against a hellhound when one comes running, maybe.”

“We’ll be ready! And we’ll be super strong, Gattle Gun, just like you!” Dizzy threw his hoof forward in a hoof bump, which I returned.

“Yeah!” the children shouted in unison.

“Bark!!!” Dogmeat exalted.

I chuckled to myself and nodded my head to the other end of the alley. “Beat it, you four.”

I stood aside as the three colts and one filly rushed past me. “Later, G.G.!” Dizzy shouted, the other two colts saying their goodbyes in turn.

“And, Nova, you go straight home, little filly! Don’t hang out with those boys or I’ll tell ya motha’!” I shouted to Nova, who vanished around the corner with the rest of the gang.

Dogmeat nipped at the air and whimpered. He looked up to me and I nodded with a sigh. “Yeah, I know, boy. C’mon, I need a smoothie.”

~~~ ~~~ ~~~

There was a jingle of a bell as I walked through the door of a drinking establishment known as The Punch Bowl.

Crystal ponies, most of them working stallions and guards, sat around tables or played pool, talking and sipping away at mugs of cider. I asked Dogmeat to wait outside. He responded with a groan, then laid down beside the door. I approached the bar and took a seat on a stool. The two well dressed stallions either side of me cleared out when they noticed my attire.

I watched them go and rolled my eyes, “Elitists…” I muttered. I took off my akubra and set it down on the counter top.

I sat there and put my hooves together, and reflected on the events that transpired just the day before. Everything grew silent as I shut out all other sounds. These were then replaced by the same faint laughter I’d heard back in the Ministry of Image Red Ruby Creek branch.

The yellow orb-- I had barely a moment to think about it on my return to the Dominion capital. It remained in one of the inner pockets of my saddlebags, which were now resting on the floor besides the stool. I now wondered what it was, was it a memory orb? I doubted there was such a thing as a yellow memory orb. It had a yellow mist coming off of it, very uncharacteristic of the archaic items of pre-war atrocities.

The whispers and the laughter that faintly resonated from the sphere made no sense to me, and it only hurt my brain to even try and figure it out. I needed to consult my books, maybe they’d know something.

My train of thought was broken by the entrance of the bar maid. She was carrying a hefty barrel on her back, which looked to be putting a strain on her legs. They shook and looked ready to collapse, she might have too, had I not lifted the keg for her.

I set the keg on the end of the table and looked up to the maid. “Need some help?” I asked with a friendly face.

“Gattle Gun!” Berry Punch cried out and grinned happily. “Oh, it’s been awhile since I’ve seen you in here. How have you been? Busy I bet.”

Berry Punch leaned against the counter and wiped out a mug which she’d just cleaned (I assumed she was trying to look cool.) I’d seen photos of her from before the war, her coat and mane was brighter back then, not as many white hairs.

“Very busy, in case the bandages didn’t give that away.”

“You stallions are still fighting wars long after they’ve been and gone…” she sighed dreamily and draped herself over the counter before me. “I think that’s hot,” she growled and winked at me.

I leaned in close to her face, close enough for a kiss and looked her right into her lustful, half-lidded eyes, disinterested but flattered with her flirting. “I’ll have my usual, Ms. Punch.”

Berry Punch huffed with feigned disappointment, and giggled as she got off the table as Berry Pinch came in from the backroom. “Coming right up!”

“Hey, Gattle Gun,” Berry Pinch said in her sweet young voice. Berry Pinch wasn’t a flirting type like her mother. She was a sweetheart, always saying hello and seeing the good in ponies.

“Hey, Pinch,” I replied with a smile.

“Make that two, on me,” a mare’s voice came from the entrance which sent my blood cold and my heart pumping, followed by the jingle of the bell.

“Sure thing, darling.” Berry Punch got to work with help from Berry Pinch

It was at that moment I felt a cold chill run up my spine. I started hunching, ears folded back as I anticipated what was coming.

The mare from the entrance came up behind me, she wrapped her forelegs around me and planted a kiss on my cheek. “You stood me up,” she smirked.

Though somewhat playfully terrified I smiled and turned my head so our eyes would meet. “I had a rat to catch, babe.” I blushed and felt her let go. She sat on the stool beside me and cast her hazel eyes upon my bandages.

“You’ve been wounded again…” she said as she removed her lilac colored helmet and set it down on the stool beside her.

Her coat was lime yellow, her mane was cropped fifteen inches above her shoulders and her tail was short, reaching down only to her back knees. Both were colored purple and white in a blended mix. Her cutie mark depicted a shining ocean blue star. She was an earth pony, beautiful and thoughtful, but had a dangerous air about her, especially since she was a royal guard, and a former marksman.

“That happens in my line of work, I go out there to kill for caps, and do what I feel is right,” I said as Berry Punch set down our mugs of Applejack’s Cider, still as fresh as the day it was made.

“You know how it is. Besides, you’re safe and that lets me know I’ve done my job.” I took a sip of the apple liquid.

“I have dangers of my own to face too, you know?” Cynthia took in a large gulp of cider, greater than my measly sip. “They’re just closer to home.”

I snickered and stared at my mug. Whatever dangers she faced must be petty. There’s no reason for anything bad to happen within the Dominion walls.

“You off duty for tonight?” I turned my eyes on her as she turned hers on me.

“Would I be here, otherwise?” she snickered.

“Well then, duh, I guess.” We laughed, we almost didn’t get to our refill with the amount of talking we did.

Cynthia’s eyes would occasionally gloss over my bandages. She seemed to fidget and cringe just thinking of what it looked like underneath them. It made me nervous, I finished my current mug and got a refill from Berry Pinch, who had taken over Berry Punch’s shift (the crystal ponies generally called her Berryshine, to avoid confusion between the two).

“General Flash let me have tonight and tomorrow off to prepare for the Crystal Faire. My little sister has been looking forward to it since the turn of the month.”

I thought back to the skeleton and the holo-tape back in Red Ruby Creek, I had almost forgotten about it as one often does with those things. My horn lit up, and out of my saddlebags floated the tape which came to rest beside Cynthia’s hoof on the counter.

She looked down to it inquisitively, then looked back up to me. “What’s with the tape?”

I tapped my hoof on the counter top and turned my eyes away from her. “I found that in Red Ruby Creek, addressed to Evangelyn, your sister.”

Cynthia Shine frowned and picked up the tape to see the faded label which read: “For our Evangelyn.”

“I’ll listen to it later...” She put the tape away and got back to drinking, likely trying to forget about it now as I had before.

I didn’t apologise, I fell as quiet as she did and continued drinking. Music started to play, the theme of Empire Records Radio blaired from the radio on the other side of the bar. The room fell quiet, and the trottingham voiced hostess started the evening broadcast.

“Good evening, Equestrians of the Crystal Dominion. It is I, the lovely Crystina, here to keep you all up to date on the current affairs and goings on in this old/new world. The time is just after six in the evening, you know what that means? Take a seat at the dinner table, around a fire. With your foals, the mister or the missus, it’s time now for the evening news.”

“I’ve got to admire her, she’s been at that post for years. Three years before the wars end, she was a nervous little filly then, but now she’s a shining star.”

I slowly turned to looked over to Cynthia, who blushed in embarrassment and stammered. “W-well… I mean she’s—”

“Yes?” I raised an eyebrow.

“...Shut up!” she huffed, glared, and started gulping down her (I think) fourth refill.

I shook my head and looked over to the radio. I turned the knob at the front which upped the volume somewhat as somepony called for Berry Pinch to do it.

“Well, there is some exciting news here, and some rather gruesome developments,” Crystina’s voice came through clearer within the walls then it did outside. My pocket radio’s signal wasn’t strong and required a mini-satellite dish to get anything substantial.

I knew what she was going to broadcast. Even as I was finishing up my last refill Crystina had mentioned my gruesome slaughter of Rat Catcher and the Slaver Union cell, followed by a brightening reminder to all the crystal ponies of the Crystal Faire.

I leaned down and kissed Cynthia. My hat levitated off the table and came to rest on my head, my saddlebags clipped together around my stomach, and I was ready to go.

“Will you be staying this time, Gattle?” she asked, her cheeks were red and her eyes were half lidded.

“Somepony’s gotta get your drunk ass back home,” I joked. “Of course I’m staying the night. I live too far from the Dominion anyway, and besides, Sabrina implored me to attend the faire.”

Cynthia stood up and grumbled. “I’m. Not. Drunk.” She brought her hoof down on the bartop and left seventy bits in payment for the drinks.

“Sure you aren’t. But I can’t tell since you’re so good at hiding it.”

“Shut up!” she cried out, donning her helmet once more and pouting like a filly.

Oh how I had so much fun riling her up and teasing her. She got used to it after a while, at least now she doesn’t try to pummel me physically (it’s like fighting a Hellhound), but her verbal responses were more or less fun to hear.

I had things to do before before stores closed. I needed to invest in a close quarters weapon, and see what can be done about my prize.

~~~ ~~~ ~~~

“That’s a cool looking toy you got there. What’s it made of?” Cynthia pestered me about my new crystal dagger, a weapon similar to what I had been meaning to procure since before DJ was broadcasting news about repair ponies and slavers.

“The blacksmith told me it was made from red rubies and red opal with a fire enchantment laid into the blade whilst it was forged.” I examined the glowing red blade of that dagger that had cost me a hundred and seventy crystal bits.

The light of the blade illuminated the area around Cynthia and myself, which made me a little anxious about being able to use it for stealth kills. I sheathed the blade and tied the scabbard to my right forelimb bicep. The knife rested over the duster’s torn leg sleeve easily. It looked fitting enough to be there, so I kept it.

“What do you think? Does it work with my cloak?”

Cynthia tapped her chin and licked her lips. “I think it’s pretty cool. Although, the battle damage and tears takes away from the overall look of it.”

“I’ll fix it soon enough.”

“You will?” Cynthia scoffed. “You’re not exactly a tailor, you know.”

Really? Now she was making fun of my sewing skills. I shook my head at her with a large smile stuck to the corner of my mouth. She brushed past and lead me down the street, which was empty and dark, with street lanterns lighting the path. Dogmeat walked just ahead of us.

Lights went out in the houses around us. Crystal Guards started patrolling about the streets all over the city as the nightly curfew was put into effect. Sabrina had grown worried that something, or somepony from outside might slip in at some point and start trouble, and I’m not always here to clean up the scum.

Dogmeat’s ears perked up, he stopped in our path and looked toward the entrance of an alley way.

“Dogmeat?” Cynthia stepped forward, neck craned to see if he was alright.

I floated out my binoculars and looked into them toward the alley. The E.F.S picked up four dots which were white, but one of them was frozen with a nearby red dot. Dizzy and three of his Allycat Colt pals stumbled from the alley and ran off down the road into the black.

“Dizzy Step!!” Cynthia grit her teeth. “You ruffian, where do you think you’re going?!”

“Cynthia,” I started softly. “Why don’t you go on without me, I’ll meet you back at your place shortly.” I stomped a lone hoof twice and Dogmeat growled and came to my side.

“Are you sure? Maybe I could help you out?”

I shook my head and gave her a smile. “I’ll be alright.”

She gave off a reluctant sigh and started moving. “Just be careful…”

She trotted away down the street, in the same direction as the colts. I tipped my hat and approached the alleyway, with no caution and no regard for myself. I turned into the corridor to find Nova, crying and sitting on her haunches.

She was looking down at her hooves, standing beside her and towering over her in menace, was the captain of the guard himself. He held Nova by her mane with a scarred and featherless wing, and it was evident that this was causing her pain.

“Let her go, Sentry.” I said sternly with my eyes fixed square on the stallion shadowed in the dark.

The pegasus, Flash Sentry looked over to me with a scowl and bitter glare. Dogmeat had tensed up, teeth beard, a feral growl resonating from his throat.

“This doesn’t concern you, bounty hunter.” Flash spoke with a rough, dry voice, it was almost guttural.

“It does when you menace ponies too weak to stand up for themselves. Nova, get over here, now.”

Nova wasn’t wasting another second near Flash. She stumbled to her hooves and struggled free of his hold. She bolted to me and hid behind my hind legs.

“Are you alright?” I asked.

Nova responded with a slight nod, but her eyes quickly fixed fearfully on Flash Sentry once more, one side of him in fact. I found even myself struggling to look away from the left side of his body, from the left side of his face down his leg to his wing.

He bore the scars of third degree burns. I suspected that he had sustained these injuries following a direct hit from an Incinerator sometime during the war. I cringed and gulped at the sight. The pale skin, healed open cheek wound, and the exposed bone on his face which was dark grey and charred. He had a twisted permanent scowl, and his left eye was missing. The darkness of the alley cast eerie shadows across the black empty void of the vacant socket.

I was rarely ever stunned to see things like that, having grown accustomed to horrors of all sorts. This wasn’t the first time I’d seen him, however.

“She has broken curfew and is associated with the Alleycat Colts, Gattle Gun. Those delinquents are wanted for committing acts of vandalism and theft. Stand aside!”

Dogmeat barked and swiped at the air. I took a defensive stance and shook my head. “She. Knows. Nothing, Flash. She was only in the wrong place at the wrong time, and I’m not going to let you terrorize her. Besides, the curfew started only a few minutes ago, I'm sure she was on her way home before you pulled her aside.”

Flash sneered. “Don’t try to defend her, Gattle Gun!”

“She isn’t a criminal! Sure she’s running with a bad crowd. So what? It doesn’t mean you can stand over and terrorize her for information she may or may not have!”

Dogmeat barked once more in aggression toward Flash.

Flash gritted his teeth, glaring intently and angrily. I held my ground; I didn’t want to fight him, but I was ready in case it came to that. We stared each other down, my face was calmer than the twisted scarred scowling mess that decorated the left side of his face.

“Stand down, Flash. You know this’ll end badly for both of us.” I placed a hoof on Dogmeats back to stem his growing aggression.

After a short time passed, he let out a loud and defeated growl and kicked over a trash can. “You’re only here because of a service you did for Sabrina. Don’t think that gives you the right to stop me!”

“I’m not! You’re free to do as you like. But harassing an innocent based on association is the wrong way to conduct your duty. Am I not wrong?”

I watched Flash ponder this for a moment. He turned his burns to the dark and I watched him scan the ground, as if searching for any justifiable reason for his actions. He lifted his head and turned his attention to me. He stood straight after his show of pegasi aggression. He folded his wings at his side and merely glared at us.

“Fine... Just see to it she gets back home safely… I can’t guarantee the neighborhood watch and the night guards on duty won’t try and arrest you and that pipsqueak!!”

I watched Flash turn around and leave the alley the way he came. He disappeared around the corner, and was gone soon after. His hoof-falls grew faint and then faded to silence.

Dogmeat calmed himself enough to lick Nova’s tears off her face, the suddenness of his motion startled me so much, I ended up lifting my foreleg and hind leg on the same side just to let the mutt get to the filly.

Nova giggled and tried to escape the animal’s loving onslaught in vain before my intervention. “I told ya to go home or I’d tell ya mother.”

Nova’s cheerfulness evaporated quickly. “She’s going to be mad at me.”

“You were hanging out with the Alleycat Colts, they have no family to go back to, but you do, and you certainly don’t need them as friends. Don’t you have friends at school, ?”

Nova nodded with her eyes to the ground. She shed tears, and started to shed tears again like all foals her age when in trouble.

I wiped the tears away from Nova’s night-like eyes and ruffled her midnight mane. “I don’t want to see those twinkles in your eyes go out. I don’t want a mark on that amaranth coat, either. You don’t belong with them.”

“I know…” she looked me in the eyes, the purple color of her own and the small twinkling star-like dots that decorated her irises filled me with happiness. She was innocent and fragile.

I lifted her up and onto my back with telekinesis. She squeaked in surprise and wrapped her forelimbs around my neck so as not to fall.

“Calm down, little Nova. Dogmeat and I won’t let you fall.”

“Are you sure?” she wriggled and adjusted herself to get comfortable.

I started to trot out of the alley and along the road. “Sure as the hat on my noggin.”

I started to canter my way through the streets and into alleys. I was going in the direction which was opposite of Cynthia’s house and into another district of the city. With the curfew enabled, I was restricted to skulking about buildings and using back alleys to move about the city. On every street corner and patrolling along the main paths would be bat-pegasi in the same lilac armor that made up every other crystal guard pony’s uniform, the exception being Flash’s.

Nova had started to drift into sleep on my back by the time we had reached the halfway point. There were only three more houses and we would have arrived. Dogmeat’s ears perked up and he backed up, two of the patrol ponies strode by but kept their eyes to the rooftops.

When they had passed, I quickly galloped to the next alley and stepped deep enough into it that they wouldn’t notice me.

“This is almost fun, too bad they’re trying too hard.” I blew a puff of air from my nostrils and went to take another step.

“She’s going to be mad at me…” My ears swiveled around to the sound of Nova’s voice.

“My mommy… she’s going to be so mad at me for…”

I came to a stop between two buildings. We hid easily in their shadow, and went unnoticed by the patrols. “For what? You can tell me, Nova.”

“You know… being around those colts and… getting into trouble, and staying out after dark…” she sniffled and buried her face into my mane.

“We don’t have to tell her the whole truth,” I suggested, “Let's just say that I needed your help and held you back too long, I’ll get into trouble instead of you.”

She sniffled and craned her neck to look at me. “But.. then you would be lying?”

“And you technically didn’t do anything wrong. You were their scapegoat. I’ll have a word with them later. But for now, let me spin my yarn and bail you out. ‘Kay?” I winked.

Nova nodded and cuddled into me. “Okay…”

I returned Nova home; her mother was furious with her until my intervention. I explained to her exactly what I told Nova, that I had called her to help me pick out a gift for Cynthia. Thanks to my way with mares, she bought it and apologized to Nova.

I bid them both a goodnight, but not before I copped an earful by Nova’s mother, prompting even more apologies (from me this time.) I then sighed and looked down to Dogmeat, who whimpered.

“Let’s go and find, Cynthia.”

~~~ ~~~ ~~~

Evangelyn was more than excited when she found out I was staying the night, the unicorn foal hovered around me, giving Cynthia and I barely a moment to talk. The tape I had given Cynthia for Evangelyn to hear was kept up in a bookshelf between two large books, out of sight and out of mind, I understood.

Dogmeat’s love and affection was thoroughly exercised on Evangelyn, who giggled and played with the animal every chance she got. Green eyes, purple coat with a silver underbelly. Her shoulders had a single large green streak on each one and her mane was orange with red streaks in it.

“Evangelyn, I think it’s time for you to go to bed now,” Cynthia said, interrupting the filly’s playtime with Dogmeat.

“But, Cynthia…” she whined and put on a pouty face.

Cynthia wasn’t going to let Evangelyn have her away; she moved around and nudged the foal onto her hooves. Evangelyn stubbornly and clumsily got to her fours and I saw a hint of rebellion in the little ones eyes.

“Come on, don’t fight me, Evangelyn. It’s already past your bedtime.”

Evangelyn dug her hooves into the carpet. “Nuu!!” she cried out.

“Evangelyn, if you go to bed, Dogmeat will sleep with you,” I said from the couch, smirking in delight.

Dogmeat’s ears stood erect and he looked at me pleadingly. Evangelyn perked up and without wasting another second, she jumped up and skipped happily to her room. Cynthia took only a few moments to prepare Evangelyn before turning off the light and holding the door for a grumbling and grossly irritated, Dogmeat.

Cynthia joined me after, she climbed onto the couch and snuggled into my side, her head rested over my back. “Finally…” I said with a smile.

“Were you hoping to be alone with me the whole time, hm?”

“Ya know I love to be alone with you.” I turned my neck around and rested my head over the top of her neck with a sigh.

We relaxed for a while, just the two of us, the ticking of a clock and the warmth of a fire crackling in the hearth to set the mood (one I had hoped to avoid.)

“...Gattle... do you want to...” Cynthia paused just a few words off.

I looked at her from the corner of my half-lidded eye and moved my head to get comfortable. “Hm..?”

“Do you want to have children one day?”

My eyes shot open and went slightly bloodshot. I looked at her, completely surprised by the sudden question which felt like a massive kick to the face.

“I... don’t think that’d be wise, considering,” I chuckled like an idiot, which made Cynthia laugh slightly.

“I keep forgetting you’re not a totally safe stallion to be around. You’d probably make a Celestia-shit father, but I’m okay with that.” She lifted her head off my back.

We looked at each other in the eyes and took a small moment to share our feelings. One passionate kiss was all we needed, not a heated three hours of lovemaking that dominates the world outside in Slaver pits and Raider holes.

She forced me down onto my back, and as my hat fell from my head, I couldn’t fight her. She straddled me, she was trying to arouse me, get me in the mood to breed. It wasn't going to work on me like it would on other stallions; even when her tongue had wrapped itself around mine, I resisted my male hormonal instincts. I wrapped my hooves around her and rolled into a dominant position, now she was mine.

The sudden shift in power caused her to falter. Cynthia’s tongue loosened with her lips, our kiss was broken, I had won this fight.

We both took a moment to catch our breath, and Cynthia couldn’t help but look disappointed. She laid her head back against the arm and shut her eyes for the moment.

“Dammit… everytime I try you just never seem to turn on. Is there something wrong with me...?”

“Not you…” I laid my head down on her chest and listened to her heart beat. “I’m sorry I’m not quite the stud you had hoped me to be; I’ve overheard you vent your disappointment during your heat cycles.”

I felt her hoof gently move down the back of my neck and through my mane. I relaxed and closed my eyes tiredly. “I haven’t slept in weeks…”

“Now you can, my Gattle Gun. You need your rest for the faire tomorrow.” Cynthia’s soothing voice slowly brought me to drift.

“I’m sorry I left you to walk home alone…” I sighed groggily.

“Oh yeah, what went down with that?”

I adjusted myself to get a little more comfortable. “Flash was bothering Nova.”

Cynthia paused in her strokes. “General Flash? He was out and on duty?” she asked, surprised.

I sighed and lifted my head up. “I don’t know about that, but old scarface was there with the intent on arresting Nova.”

“What for?” Cynthia asked in a slightly irritated tone.

I jerked back a bit, as if in preparation for a bomb to be dropped “Running with the Alleycat Colts.”

Cynthia groaned and hit her head against the arm. “Those three are nothing but trouble… I’m just surprised you and Flash didn’t try and kill each other.”

“I wasn’t going to grease him, I wouldn’t dare,” I asserted. “Not without a reason…” I muttered.

Cynthia frowned at my comment and lifted herself. I moved to let her up and she rubbed her neck, which was sore after that flip.

“Can I be honest with you, Gattle Gun?”

I nodded, “Always.”

There was a small moment of silence while Cynthia thought of her words. I retrieved my hat and dusted it off in the meantime only to put it aside once more. Then the silence broke, and Cynthia spoke again.

“I want to leave the Dominion, Gattle Gun. I want to go beyond the walls and see what’s out there. I only had one tour during the war before I came here seeking help, and I only saw so much of Equestria. I want to see it as it is now, with you.”

I was torn between screaming at her and granting her wish. She was a former soldier and her skills would be useful out there, but even so it was still far beyond dangerous for her, and the radiation outside would affect her worse than it would’ve had she been born out there.

“I’m tired of the repetitive routine of waking up, going on patrol then coming home to my dear little sister, and if I’m lucky, I get to see you. I just wish for once I could do something other than be a Dominion pony, I want to experience the wasteland, the only place detached from what everypony calls Equestria.”

She looked at me and cuddled up to me. “Out there is Equestria, not this small area of Dominion territory.”

I couldn’t stand it, her talk of leaving was ludicrous, and not in an amusing way. It was the nonsense of foals. These pre-war ponies only had a bittersweet sip of the piss filled cider that was the Grand Pony-Zebra war. I might as well be straw feeding them my own urine with a side of feces once they went out there. I couldn’t stress it enough, the citizens weren’t ready and they never will be.

I shook my head, which disheartened Cynthia. “You’d be no better than a blind foal trying to find a bit on a highway…”

Cynthia sighed and kissed my cheek. She was disappointed at my lack of support, but I knew deep down she understood. “We should go to bed, G.G. The Crystal Faire starts early and we don’t want to miss out on getting a flugel horn.”

I laughed. “Oh yes, the flugel horn.”

What scares me is that In the Dominion I feel like whatever is out there didn’t matter, I could stay behind the diamond walls for the remainder of my life with Cynthia. But then I wouldn’t be free. I don’t fit into society with rules and restrictions, not like they can. I was born free. I was born to survive.

~~~ ~~~ ~~~

Festive.

The whole of the Dominion was bustling about around the faire grounds. Foals played around their parents. Games were enjoyed by the parents and bachelors, and the crystal queen herself came down to be a part of celebration.

She was adored by all of the foals; the moment she stepped into the faire ground, ponies bowed and talked about her. She was sparkling, transparent and crystal. Her mane had been done up with the gems as radiant as an aurora. Foals, mostly fillies, ran up to her with drawings that brought so much happiness to the otherwise intimidating mare.

“Are these for me?” she would ask them.

“Yes!” the foals would reply in unison.

Sabrina thanked them all. She took the drawings that were given to her, and admired them. That’s where Evangelyn froze. I noticed the scroll of paper she was floating beside her, and I noticed she was shaking, and whimpering.

“What’s wrong with you?” I asked.

Evangelyn looked up at me, she was fidgeting and glancing over to Sabrina almost as if she was afraid. “I-I don’t know…”

“Did you want to give that to Sabrina?” I got down to Evangelyn's height and looked at the scroll she held close and dear.

“M-mhm...” she nodded. “I just... I don't think she'll like it.”

I chuckled. “Well, do you mind if I have a look?”

She was reluctant, Evangelyn looked around almost distressed in thought. She looked at the scroll and unfurled it slowly for me to see, and my eyes lit up, I'm not an artist in the proper sense but I knew this was the work of somepony with talent. It was a sketch of the queen herself, standing by the Crystal Heart and staring up at the statues of Shining Armor and Crystal Queen Cadenza.

I blinked and examined it, the shading the sketching, all of it and looked at Evangelyn. “Where is your cutie mark? This is lovely.”

“No it's not…” Evangelyn shook her head in denial and took back the sketch.

I looked over to Cynthia, talking to her fellow guards ponies and trying to win a flugel horn. I smiled over to her, then took it upon myself to encourage Evangelyn.

“Now you listen here, little Evangelyn. There’s nothing to be afraid of. You’re a talented little filly, and this piece of work you’ve done is amazing. I know you’re a little bit afraid, she may or may not like it, but you know, Fluttershy was afraid too.”

Evangelyn looked up to me curiously. “Fluttershy?”

I nodded. “Yeah. She was afraid of everything, she often locked herself in her house, especially on Nightmare Night. She was a timid pegasus, easily frightened and skittish like a Rad-Sta— I mean deer. But when her friends needed her most she never let her fear get the better of her, and she’d always come through in the end, because deep down she was brave, and just like Fluttershy, you are a brave filly, Evangelyn.”

I wanted to puke, here I was preaching that Fluttershy was a good pony, while deep down I wanted to crucify and burn her.

“Words of wisdom, I must admit, at first I never took you for being a friend to foals.”

I stood up quickly, turned and bowed my head in greeting to Sabrina. “Good day, your grace. You look lovely today.”

The queen curtsied and spun around. “Why thank you, Gattle Gun.” She paused when her eyes fell on Evangelyn, and I saw her heartwarming smile brighten more than before. “And who’s this little dear?”

I looked down at Evangelyn and gave her a little nudge. She clumsily stepped forward a little and caught the queen’s eye.

“Hello, little one. I hope you are enjoying the faire.” Sabrina smiled sweetly.

“U-um… H-hello Q-Queen Sabrina...” She was so nervous, I swear I could hear her teeth chattering.

Sabrina got down to Evangeline's height and tilted her head curiously. She smiled sweetly at the stammering Evangelyn, she was patient, she didn’t rush her, she was quite motherly in fact.

“I-I…” Evangelyn looked over to me, I could see her insecurity, and simply nodded my head in encouragement. She bit her lower lip and faced Sabrina once more, clenching the scroll tightly in her aura.

“ I… m-m-made this f-for you…” Finally Evangelyn passed the scroll into Sabrina's white glow and released her hold from it.

“For me?” Sabrina asked in playful surprise. She unfurled the parchment and held a hoof to her mouth with a gasp. “This… this is beautiful…”

Evangelyn dug at the ground. “I-It’s nothing really…”

“Surely you jest, little one. You have a talent, I implore you to continue your craft, this is an amazing piece.”

Evangeline's eyes lit up widely and she jumped in place. “Oh thank you! Thank you, Queen Sabrina!”

“You’re quite welcome, darling.” Sabrina looked at me next, without words I could tell what she was thinking and she nodded, she was happy to see me here.

I took the moment to try and light another cigarette. Once it was lit, the flame went out and the stick evaporated and flittered to the ground as ashes on the breeze. I sighed down at the remains and looked over at the crystal heart.

“Trying to smoke again, Gattle Gun?” Cynthia Shine said with unconcealed contempt for my habit.

“Try is right.” I sighed.

“You know the law, Gattle Gun.” Flash landed in front of me and got up in my face. “It’s the only law my guards don’t have to lift a hoof to do anything about.”

“Get out of my face, Flash.”

Flash didn’t need to sneer, or smirk. One half did it all for him. He huffed, he turned his bad side on me and walked away. I merely watched and shook my head.

“I don’t care what he went through, he needs an attitude adjustment.”

Cynthia shook her head and nudged me. “C’mon, I got a flugel horn, lets go bob for some apples.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at her suggestion. “You’d know a lot about bobbing for apples, wouldn’t you?”

Cynthia looked back to me with a massive, heart-stopping, blood-freezing glare. “We are in a public place, Gattle Gun… so kindly hold your tongue before I pluck it from your mouth.”

She gave one of those smart ass smiles, one I'd give if I was dealing with somepony I thought was a joke. Though, despite being dangerous myself, I recoiled with the knowledge she was perfectly capable of doing it. Mare's teeth are as sharp as her shot, but she was forgiving, and she giggled to herself at my expression, and I could hardly blame her. Dogmeat chuckled to himself, he thought it was funny. I was tempted to chain him to a street lamp and leave him there, it wouldn't be the first time.

Despite Dogmeat’s amusement, Cynthia and I enjoyed our small walk through the faire, Evangelyn joined us, although she would break away to enjoy some of the games lined up, she even asked me to win her a prize. Nearby the apple bobbing barrel, three stallions stood together, chatting among themselves, that's when they called Cynthia over and she was more than happy to drag me along.

“Hey Gattle, come and meet some of my friends, We have plenty of time before the crystalling ceremony.” Cynthia said as she nuzzled me just under my neck.

“Friends? Great...” I wasn't thrilled, given my already established troubles getting along with ponies, both in and out of the Dominion. So she brought me over to them. Two of them were still in lilac armor, shining transparently while the third wheel was naked and wearing a straw hat.

I wasn't very talkative but the three sure were. Each one was a war veteran, and each one had a story, although their conversations centered on what they did the past week. There was no mention of the war. I suppose each of these pre-war ponies has a story to tell, all time to listen.

~~~ ~~~ ~~~

I stayed with them throughout the Crystal Faire. Apple bobbing one hour, and playing around with Nova and Evangelyn the next. It was dark by the end, I looked up at the night sky and saw an aurora shining bright against the dark backdrop of stars. I watched as light glittered into rainbows off of the red diamond wall in the moonlight, and I lost myself once more in its beauty, free of my anxieties. With a heavy sigh I left Cynthia alone with Evangelyn, but not before leaving her with a small kiss.

Soon the time came, by then every crystal pony had brightened, everypony but Flash and myself. Their manes were styled uniquely and their coats shimmered beautifully as a white sparkly ring washed over them from the hooves up, and they beamed in happiness. The citizens gathered by the Crystal Heart, which had started pulsating. Its radiance was white as snow and it filled my ears with a loud melodic ringing.

Sabrina addressed the masses in front of the Crystal Heart, overlooked by the statues of Cadence and Shining Armor, their horns crossed in matrimony. Sabrina's smile was radiating like the glow of the crystal beacon itself: contagious, sweet and pure; she fluttered her eyelids, scanning the ponies with her ruby-red eyes.

“Everypony… I... Words cannot express the joy I feel seeing you all here. To see us together and reunited truly in the protection of the Crystal Heart; in what is the first Crystal Faire since the last harvest year. The year of the war’s end. Alas, our return wasn’t peaceful, it wasn't celebrated… it was spat on, by the New Canterlot Republic, we were pulled into another war. I had just been coronated, but now that the fighting is over, we have a chance to rebuild. I see not just Crystal ponies but Equestrians as well, Equestrians who came to us in their darkest hour when the war had reached its worst.”

“We are not a nation divided. We are one nation, a culmination of ponies from the old world convened into the last true hope for the wasteland. We are Equestria, and we will make the wasteland into Equestria once more. Thank you, all of you for being here today, for joining me in renewing the Crystal Dominion, and giving strength to the Crystal Heart.”

She stepped away from the heart, and everypony roared with applause, they stomped their hooves on the ground with such force that it knocked Dogmeat and I off balance. It was a monstrous stampeding rumble that made even pebbles shift and bounce.

What followed was a grand display of age-old magic. The stars in the night sky were blotted out by the light coming out of the crystal ponies and being channeled into the crystal heart. From the castle’s middle spire, a rainbow stream of energy shot into the sky then exploded outward into a gigantic dome-like shield, bringing with it the aurora.

I was mesmerized by it, for all the time I’d been here I had wondered what kept the radiation and the monsters out, now it seemed my questions had been answered. None of the books in the library said anything about this shield. Intriguing.

Once the light show had subsided, the crystal ponies opened their eyes and started talking all at once to each other as they rejoiced. Cynthia and Evangelyn hugged, while the other foals readily welcomed the recommissioned Sea Spray and Ocean Blue, the foals of Rat Catcher.

During this moment, all of them achieved their full crystal form, while Dogmeat and I remained as we were. Then again, I don’t think dogs can go full crystal. As I tried to imagine a crystal dog I was tackled by an overjoyed, giggling Cynthia. She swung around my neck like a pole and got caught in my forehooves.

“Careful there, sweetheart, I can only stand like this for so long.” I stood on my hind legs which were straining.

“Oh, sorry!” Cynthia hopped off and allowed me to return to all fours.

I stretched my hind legs, which cracked fiercely in multiple loud clicks. “Good for a gun, lifting a mare? Not so much.”

“Oh bite me, asshole.” Cynthia giggled.

I poked my tongue out at her, then I noticed the sudden lack of Evangelyn, which gave me pause. “W-where’s..?”

Cynthia fidgeted and acted innocent. “I may or may not have arranged for her to be looked after by Marble…”

“You want to come outside with me… don’t you?” It wasn’t hard to figure out that no Evangelyn meant something.

She stopped fidgeting and pulled her old sharpshooter rifle off of her back. “I’m capable of surviving out there.”

“How did you—”

“Don’t question it,” she said, smirking slyly. “If you can hide bags of money on you without it showing through your pockets, then you can bet I could hide this old girl in plain sight on my body and nopony would bat an eye.”

She wasn't kidding about that, she could’ve had it on her the whole time during the faire and I wouldn’t have noticed, doubt anyone would have. Now that I got a good look at the pre-war sniper rifle, I felt somewhat confident enough to overlook my conduct toward letting her accompany me. I looked down at Dogmeat, I wondered if he approved, and he did with one loud bark.

“Alright then, but I won’t be held accountable for whatever happens to you out there. This is your decision, I hope to Luna you’re careful.”

She nuzzled me, sighing with a smile, “Let's just go exploring, cowboy. I made sure to let Sabrina know I’ll be going with you.”

I bid Sabrina farewell with a bow before taking my leave of the Crystal Dominion’s capital. Cynthia, Dogmeat and I followed the blue crystal road and out through the front gates.

~~~ ~~~ ~~~

The Sky-Rider waited untouched by Doc Jock’s clinic, only activating once I got near. The machine's console lit up with Luna’s voice radiating from the speakers.

“About time you got back,” she said with a smug smile.

“Hey, Luna,” Cynthia saluted with a playful wink.

Luna’s on-screen avatar saluted back and brought up the map screen, “I assume we’re going somewhere since you brought a second companion with you. Which destination would you like to select? With the fast travel option, the Sky-Rider will lock its speed and altitude and get you there in a matter of minutes.”

I rolled my eyes and pressed onto a square symbol on the map with a Stable insignia on it, “Stable B-19, let’s go home.”

I put my akubra down and replaced it with the pegasus flight cap and goggles, I even gave a pair to Cynthia, “you might want to cover your ears.”

Dogmeat wasted no time covering his ears. An electrical zapping sound unlocked the servo joints of the rider and allowed it to start its loud buzz-like flapping, as unsynchronized wings beat fast and lifted the chariot off its bug-like legs. The sound took Cynthia by complete surprise. She screamed and held her ears.

“Too loud!!” she cried out.

“You’ll get used to it!’ I called back.

I revved the control disks, the legs folded up, then Luna did the rest.

~~~ ~~~ ~~~

We rode south west, following the tracks through the Crystal Pass and into the wasteland. Then it was a southeastern ride to a large rise in the ground, an old military fort built into the side of a cliff separate and farther from the Crystal Mountains in a sea of dust and sand.

This military fort couldn’t be seen, it was far too small to even be considered an outpost, and it was too far inland to be strategic. The Sky-Rider swung around a sharp corner, then we were facing a massive stable door. Upon first glance it looked rusted from age, barely operable, but that’s the charm.

“It’s not rust. The door was deliberately made to look like the rock,” I smiled, happy to see it again. “Luna. Once all passengers, myself included have vacated the Sky-Rider. I want you to test out the auto-dock. You know where to put it.”

“Back into the crow's nest? Alright, but don’t blame me if I crash it, this hardware is older than some of the battleships out on the coast.”

The back gate of the rider opened and we all stepped off. After that, The Sky-Rider took off once more, slowly with a little struggle. The auto-docking was part of a prototype auto-pilot I hoped to include within the Sky-Rider, alas the current hardware made that exceedingly difficult.

It rose up to a large cliff wall, and disappeared within an open cave of steel floors and walls. Cynthia watched in awe as the vehicle lifted itself and disappeared without myself at the helm. While she was pre-occupied she failed to realize the Radroach creeping up on her.

That was when I heard her scream, she was bucking wildly and I would soon see why. As she twirled around in a frenzied panic, she managed to kick free the disgusting Radroach which clung to her like a parasite.

She was frightened, too much to even draw her weapon. One shot from Chrome and the insect was a splattered mess of white mucus-like blood and body parts.

I looked back to Cynthia to see she was shaking like a leaf “Ugh!!! Disgusting!! I thought they were bad enough before the war.”

I laughed in cruel amusement and joy at seeing her reaction to her first wasteland horror, “Well, there is a shower in there, purified water and beds, plenty of space. Spared no expense.”

I lifted a hatch made to look like a piece of the rock wall and flipped the switch. Dust came off of the stable door, the alarm blared on the inside; and a camera mounted on the wall but hidden by rocks locked onto us. I tipped my hat to it, and once the stable doors let off a hiss and opened, I stepped inside, Dogmeat and Cynthia following.

The door closed once more at the hit of another switch, a loud metal grind and a bang followed. Now we were locked in.

I sighed and looked over to Dogmeat, who stayed with me until I dismissed him. He wandered off into the small bunker-like Stable, while Cynthia found her way to my room and put down her gun at the bedside.

I came in not long after, floating with me some leather clothes for her to put on. I left them on the end of the bed. She took one look and raised an eyebrow.

“What is this?”

“Your clothes,” I said as I put down my saddlebags and emptied it. “If you want to survive out here you’re going to need them. You can't be naked out here like you would be in the Dominion. A raider will take one look at you with necrophilia on the brain.”

Cynthia cringed at the thought and shook her head. “Good point. But first, a shower.”

“Just out the door, across the foyer and down the hall. Third door on the right”

Cynthia took one step out of the bedroom door and sighed, “this entire stable is just a Stable door control room, a large living space with doors to other rooms and a kitchen, a staircase to an overstallion’s office and… wow this Stable is small.”

“It wasn't built to house entire families so it isn’t as complex as some of the other Stable-Tec facilities. This was made for only one pony, a personal stable for one and their family.”

“And how is it that a stable like this happens to be in your care?” Cynthia was curious, but I wasn't going to answer this one.

“This stable was given to Gattle Gun by the previous tenant. He has lived here for ten years.”

Cynthia spun around in fright of a Sprite-bot which had hovered behind her the whole time. But this Sprite-bot was different. The whole front section where the eyes would be had been replaced by a pitch black screen, and on this screen were two bright blue eyes which blinked and changed shape.

“And seven years alone.” I added. “I see you got into your mobile unit without issue, Luna.”

“Bitch talking with you is so unseemly, Gattle Gun.” Luna’s blue dynamic eyes turned into angry ones.

Cynthia inspected Luna’s sprite-bot body inquisitively. “I’ve seen sprite bot’s floating around before I came to the Dominion. I thought they were creepy little pests.” She turned to look at me. “How did you get the bot to express emotion like that?”

“I removed the plate and some of the inner workings. I re-wired it, installed some LED, put over the faceplate, uploaded Luna, and... bingo.”

“I can express my emotion by controlling the LED lights in my optical visor. The way Gattle put it, made it sound as if I have only a limited range of emotion, I have lights riddled throughout my visor, I can express more than you ponies can.”

I groaned and mumbled everything Luna said, “Before you mention, no I didn’t do it all myself. I happen to be bad at building things. I followed blueprint. I built the sprite-bot Luna module alone, Sky-rider included, but programming is a totally different story. I’m no scientist.”

I looked over to Cynthia, she stood in place, head tilted mouth agape. “I’m sorry, this is hurting my brain…”

I chuckled. “I’m sorry… don’t let me keep you, babe.”

Cynthia sighed happily and retreated into the shower room. I heard the door shut with a hiss, then I brought out the taxidermied hoof of Rat Catcher. I took this ‘souvenir’ into the overstallion’s office and placed it on a wall of other trophies above my desk.

I took a moment to look at the hooves which belonged to some of my more prominent, high profile kills. I’m going on my twentieth trophy with my next target. Of course, Rat’s name engraved on the hoof alone wasn't enough, so I put a small gold plaque with his name on it on the shield-shaped trophy mount.

“I think Dogmeat ate too much of you, Rat Catcher. Compared to your trophy mates whose hooves are still attached to their legs, your’s isn’t.” I sighed and turned to leave the room.

I turned off the lights and opened the door to leave, though not before looking back to a shelf in the corner of the room. I mostly glanced at it for a little while before actually leaving and making my way to the bathroom.

Cynthia passed me on her way back to the room while I stood in front of the mirror and removed my bandages. Just like Jock said, the wounds had healed up completely, hardly a scar was visible. I hadn't noticed any side-effects yet, and I was willing to bet the Grand Pegasus Enclave was using this stuff for years without any repercussions. Perhaps Swirl had a chance after all if Jock could sell it to a caravaneer.

I put my coat back on and discarded the bandages. I smiled out of the corner of my mouth and let out a satisfied sigh, which turned into a jump of surprise as Cynthia latched onto me with a pauldron in her mouth.

“Cynthia..?” I looked back at her.

She put down the armor piece and nuzzled me. “I had an idea that I think you’ll enjoy.”

~~~ ~~~ ~~~

“So what do you think?”

I looked in my bedroom mirror at the metal plate with a clip-like design incorporated on a raised rectangle shaped piece which the pauldron slid onto and clipped in. Cynthia had shown me how to install plates like this on the fabric my coat.

“I think it’s brilliant, but why?” I looked to her while she sat on my bed holding the pauldron in her hooves.

“That metal plate allows you to attach these protective pauldrons. They’re centuries old and haven’t been incorporated into any armor but the Steel Rangers. Having one pauldron would make your duster standout. I like it.”

She held up the shoulder armor, which I took in my glow and attached to the plate. It had barely any weight which took me off guard. I gave it a thorough look once it was one with my duster and grinned.

“Is this diamond plating?” The prospect of having diamond armor was pleasing, though my joy was soon crushed when Cynthia explained that it was black opal with traces of fire opal. A strong combination, though not indestructible.

Even so, I was happy to have a customizable armor piece, it added some spice to the sugar that was my usual regulator gear. I kissed Cynthia in gratitude and detached the piece, I laid it to rest on a table by my wardrobe and removed my coat.

“Gattle… the respirator…”

I paused to comprehend what she said, and with a facehoof I growled. “I’m sorry…” I quickly raced out of the room and back up into my study to retrieve a small mask with two small canisters of anti-tar attached to the muzzle.

I brought it back down and shut off the rest of the stable lights before climbing into bed. After a few breaths, I removed the mask and endured the brief period of blindness that came from using it.

The mask was designed back in the war to prevent lung cancer, or other lung defects. Anti-tar was a commonly used medicine for this as it cleared all of the tar and nicotine from the organs, in addition to other things which endangered the smoker. Alas, the one side effect of cleansing one’s lungs was, obviously, the irritating period of blindness.

“You need to break that habit of yours…” Cynthia said as she laid back onto the soft pillow.

I closed my eyes tightly as my sight came back painfully, I reopened them and wiped the tears away which formed from the burn. “Maybe... But not just yet…” I kissed her cheek.

I laid down to rest, and in doing so, I let my guard down. Once more, Cynthia straddled me, and this time she sat in just the right place. I reopened my eyes and looked up to her with an irritated sigh. In her mouth was a condom, still in its wrapper and I knew then she wasn't going to let this go like last time.

“You know I don’t enjoy it, Cynthia…”

“I know, but it hasn’t stopped you before. We haven’t done this in months and I’m hornier than a minotaur. So put on your saddle, Gattle; I want to ride.” She smirked and gave me her bedroom eyes.

I took the condom and watched her slide her way under the blankets and out of sight. “It’s because Evangelyn’s not around, isn’t it?”

I felt her moist tongue drag itself lightly along my shaft, only to sigh in disinterest and lay my head back into the pillow. I thought about reading a book to pass the time, at least until she was ready for me to plow her.

I didn’t have any fun, it was droll, but at least it made her happy.

~~~ ~~~ ~~~

By dawn's first light the floor was riddled with condoms, filled and tied shut. I think we used half a pack at least. I was tired, even with the sleep I got (which wasn't much) I still felt exhausted.

I reeked of sweat and seed, Cynthia was no different. Silently, I lifted my head and yawned out loud. The clock on my bedside table read six-thirty in the morning. I looked down at Cynthia, resting contently at my side and kissed her forehead before wrapping the balloons of clear bodily fluids in my magic. I left the warmth of my bed in favour of putting the trash in the incinerator and taking a long hot shower.

Once I was cleaned, I donned my coat and opened the stable door to enjoy the fresh air and listen to the music that played over the Empire Records channel. I loaded one bullet into Chrome and put him away, replacing him with a lit cigarette which I took my time with.

One look out east and I was taken in by the early morning sky, it was clear, and the breeze was brisk and chilling. I could see my own breath, which made me chuckle.

I took this moment of solitude to ponder over the yellow orb. I floated it out from my pocket and turned it gently in my glow. The yellow mist danced off its surface like carbon dioxide visible furthermore in this cold. Just holding it in my aura gave me urges to do things that were crazy, not out of insanity, but joy.

I put the orb away again, shook my head, and took another puff of my cigarette.

“That was Hay Ms. Derpy, courtesy of DJPon3 whom I thank very much for allowing its use on this radio. Now everypony, this next song is another popular one from the second last harvest year of the Equestrian-Zebra war, Megaspell-baby.”

Crystina’s voice was replaced by the song mentioned just now, I found myself mumbling the lyrics and tapping my hoof to the beat. But this was short lived, as out of the corner of my eye I spotted two ponies, a pegasus and a unicorn. Both immediately recognizable.

“Good morning, sir,” the unicorn spoke in a harmonic voice once she was near, “my name is Velvet Remedy and this is my husband, Calamity.”

I knew of Velvet Remedy and her affiliation with the New Canterlot Republic, and of course I knew the cyborg standing beside her. Calamity watched me like I was some raider, clearly age and the Territory Wars had taken quite a nasty toll on his trust issues. A bird of green flame swooped down and came to rest on Velvet’s back. It folded up its neon wings and cooed.

“And this is Pyrelight.” The Balefire Phoenix bowed, to which I couldn’t help but bow back.

“I know who you are, Ms. Remedy, I’ve heard you on Dj’s radio before it was replaced in this region. I’m a big fan of your songs, though probably not nearly as big as the ones back home.” I chuckled.

Velvet let out a slight giggle,“I’m always happy to meet a fan,” she grinned.

“Ah like yer accent,” Calamity suddenly decided to say. “ It’s nice t’ see there’s still some ponies out ‘ere with a reflection of culture,” Calamity was monotonous and I could hear he was just saying that to be nice for his beloved here.

He wasn't fooling me, “Thanks, you too.” I replied with the same brash sarcasm as Calamity.

“So,” I began, changing the subject, “what is the NCR’s doll and Paladin doing this far in Dominion territory?” I inquired. I had seen other NCR ponies go by but they were mere recruiters, nopony's, drifters, etcetera. Why was Gawdyna sending these two out? Of all ponies…

“We’re actually out here looking for Hellhounds, in addition to anypony willing to join with the New Canterlot Republic.” Velvet explained, although it seemed rather strange to me.

“Hellhounds?!” I sucked in the smoke and coughed after nearly swallowing my lit stick.

“Oh I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to shock you like that.”

I lifted a hoof, “It’s fine, Ms. Remedy. Don’t worry, I’m okay,” I cleared my throat. “You’re both mad to be looking for Hellhounds, if you want to find something worse, I know a few places you can look.”

I was focused more so on Velvet than I was with with her trigger-happy fuck buddy. Despite that I noticed Calamity had been scanning me the whole time and I could tell just from his glare that he didn’t like what he saw.

I looked at the pegasus subtly from the corner of my eyes, right as I heard the loud click of his battle saddle as it changed ammo types. I was all too aware of his saddles functionality.

“Something wrong, pegasus? I don’t want trouble, but there might be if you don’t step off,” I warned him and let my horn glow, as if about to pull out a weapon.

“Ya gonna make me?” He opened his mouth over the reins of his saddle.

Velvet looked at the both of us, and quickly moved to stand in front of Calamity. “Calamity, stop, we don’t want to start anything we’re guests in this territory, remember? Regina will have your feathers if you cause any unwanted trouble… again.”

Calamity took his eyes off me to look at Velvet before turning them back on me again. “Fine… Since ya asked nicely and all.” He moved his mouth away from the reins and continued to glare at me.

My attention on my guests were diverted when Dogmeat came growling out of the stable. He took a few steps forward in what I realized was a preparation to pounce, so I placed my hoof on his back to call him off. "You might want to be a little careful on how you act, Calamity. one of these days, that battle saddle's going to weigh you down."

“Gattle Gun…” Cynthia came out of the stable wearing the clothes I gave her, mane and tail wet. “I heard voices, what’s going on?”

I turned to look at Cynthia and gave her a comforting smile. “Don’t worry, Cynthia, everything’s fine.”

“I’m deeply sorry for this…” Velvet frowned with a sigh. “We won’t tell anypony else about your stable. I’ll see that Calamity remembers his manners the next time we meet a couple of wastelanders, or if we ever cross paths again. Good day.”

Grabbing Calamity by the ear with her own magic, Velvet and Calamity took their leave. I watched Calamity with a blood curdling glare. It was only thanks to Velvet and Cynthia being close by that we didn’t kill each other on the spot, even as we were prepared for things to get ugly.

Than I felt Cynthia’s hoof on my shoulder. “Are you okay... Gattle?”

I took in a deep breath and exhaled shakily, “I’ll be in a minute…”

Cynthia let her hoof fall from me and she returned to the underground bunker, leaving me to calm myself and regain some of my composure. Calamity’s little act had sent me back into the wasteland on a mental level, two days in the Dominion after being out in the wastes sometimes messes me up, I start expecting things and losing my edge. Then I remembered the task Sabrina gave me.

I needed to hunt down the Players, they’d fall easier without their leader, and I had no idea who it was yet. It hurt my head to think about it.

“That, everypony, was Megaspell-baby by ‘The Five Suns.’ now I believe it’s time for some morning news.”

I sat back on my haunches beside the radio and held my head in my hooves. What came next was unexpected but helpful, though odd. Crystina’s voice, as she was giving the news, became distorted and mixed in with the sound of static and an ear piercing screech.

“I-I-I have a message!!! for the Red Death - Death! himself,” a voice came, it was masked with the voices of many ponies, words from out of old war tapes mixed together to form sentences. Stallion, mare, foal and some electronic voice. “We, we have discovered the name of the raider - raider!!! boss leading the Canterhorn Players cell, a pony called, Gameplay - Gameplay!!!”

“Gameplay?” I thought. I grinned widely and turned off the radio just as Crystina’s usual broadcast came back. Just the name alone is all I need to go on a killing spree, I could learn the rest as I went along.

“This is not- not!!! Not…” Then the static cleared, and a deep, commanding voice came through, a stallions. “Not a Dominion message.” And then the transmission ended.

Though I wondered for a moment why the information came through the way it did, a mess of pre-war voices, ghosts even, giving me information however small with so many voices spliced together as if an indecisive computer. I didn’t want to dwell on it, it was hardly noteworthy.

Although that voice at the end, being so clear and natural was somehow unsettling.

I floated the radio back into the inner pockets of my coat and went back into the Stable. “Luna, prepare the Sky-Rider for launch. Dogmeat, fetch my hat and the medikit!”

Luna wasted not another moment to fly up to the crow's nest and upload herself. Dogmeat obeyed and barked in reply to my order. He retrieved what was told, while Cynthia watched on, puzzled.

“Did something happen? What’s going on, I don’t even—”

I stopped her with my hoof to her lips, “You wanted to come out here and see Equestria, right?”

Cynthia hesitated to answer but nodded her reply, “Mmhmm.”

I let go and and set about gearing up, extra ammo, medicine, saddlebags and all, “before we met up at Berry Punch’s, Queen Sabrina gave me a new assignment, one I aim to carry out.”

“A new assignment? What is it? Is it an assassination or some other mercenary thing?” Cynthia pressed for answers, hoping to clear up some of the confusion. “Where are we going?”

“To Canterhorn,” I replied without giving any further details, my full attention on getting ready to go.

“Y-you mean… You mean you’re going after the Players?”

I grinned from ear to ear at Cynthia, “I’m a little excited actually. I’ve taken out raider camps and slaver dens all with Dogmeats help before. It usually ends with a bloody mess and my silhouette walking away with a merry whistle and a gun at my side. It’s almost art if it’s done right.”

Cynthia looked terrified, but she didn’t back away. Once all was said and done, I offered her to join me in liberating a piece of the wasteland from what I deemed parasites, an offer she accepted with a hint of reluctance

All we have to do now is go to them.

Footnote: Level Up.
New Perk: Lady Killer Rank 2 -- You are literally irresistible! Female opponents now sustain +10% extra damage in battle. In addition, your devilish knack for the spoken word grants you an additional edge in unique verbal approaches when encountering the opposite sex.