Chapters Days Past And A Time Lost
I feel a warm, yet disturbingly moist breath on my face and muzzle as I wake up. I dare to open my eyes for a peek and regret it. Staring me down eye to eye is a large Canine the size of two young adult aged ponies. Dark grey with streaks of light grey going down it's face, With Silvery Blue eyes that look... Intelligent... almost Equine, and a mane nearly white as the snow. It growls at me, then mumbles to me not to try anything stupid as it reaches into my bag and takes my Pistol... Wait, WHAT!? I scramble up to my hooves after a moment to see the creature drop my only weapon into a small locker and shut the locking lid. B-but yo- and the-- "Oh shush already" The Beast interjects. "I'm a talking wolf that saved you and your friend from becoming a pair of frozen caveponies. Let's leave it at that and I might explain the details when you calm down and have a cup of tea." As it walks across the room as if this is a normal occurrence for it.
"Now don't go blowing your brain thinking too hard about it. With that tumble you and your friend over here took you're lucky to be alive."
I looked over to where he waved one of his paws in a chatting motion as he walked behind a backlit shade.
Either out of sheer horror, curiosity, or probably both. I watch his shadow on the fabric barrier like a miniature shadow play appearing like he was changing shape. Standing straighter, showing more posture. At least, it seemed like it until a completely unclothed pony with the same color scheme walked out the other side. Before I can say anything he looks to me with a slight smirk and says;
"Don't think too hard about it"
As he leaves me alone in the room. I have little time to think of what I just saw before the one of my three travel companions currently present; Royal starts to grumble about how his ass hurts almost as bad as the morning after his first night with his ex.
"That's too bad. Although I wonder if our "host" has a bucket I can borrow for the next hour while I empty my stomach. Maybe the rest of my organs, too."
He chuckles, "Yeah I suppose there were more entertaining things I could've told you."
"By entertaining you mean for you. And more traumatic for me, right?"
"Exactly, Doc!"
He breaks into a fit of hearty laughter before ending with a couple coughs, and stands up.
"So, where are we exactly? This place is pretty damn great. Exept for the musty book smell everywhere."
I hadn't even thought about where we were. Looking up we were behind the service desk of a large library. Even by pre-war standards this was quite impressive. As I started to pull one off the shelf our unnamed host yelled from another room.
"If I hear you touching any of my books without permission again I'll rip your horn off!"
Royal chimed in from a pile of blankets he found moments before and took the liberty of curling up in. "Ooh! Who is that? I like the way he thinks!"
I bury my forehoof into my face,
"I don't really know, yet. Just... Try not to hoof fight a large wolf if you see one."
"But Doc! You know I love fighting wild animals with my bare hooves!" He attempts his best at a pouting lip,
"I said no. And I know you do, far too well."
Days Past And A Time Lost
Location: The Northern Mountains of Crescent Moon Canyon
Area Status: hospitible
Radiation: minimal
Personal Notes: Aside from the horrid winter months this area is amazing. There are many Plateau areas sheltered by high cliff faces. These will be perfect for building housing for potential New Enclave settlers--
Storm trots up to Amaranth,
"I found Royal's Datapad over there, it looks like they might've been swept down the cliff in that Avalanche.
Amma takes the Datapad and stows it in her saddlebag.
"Let's not waste time, ready to go down?"
"How?" Storm grumbles.
"Well? Is it really not obvious my silly little Stormie?"
Two Hours Later:
Storm moans, "Ammaaaa! It's been hours since they disappeared in that freak avalanche."
No reply.
"So remind me why I'm lowering the only straight pony I've met that's so skinny down the side of a cliff?"
Amma snaps her head to look at him.
Rolling her eyes at her friend's ignorance, "Well, Featherbrain. Am I the only one that saw Charlemane wrap a protective shield around himself and Royal in that avalanche? Or were you too busy thinking of ways to insult me and assert your sexuality like you do every oh, maybe twenty minutes?"
She continues, "Why must Charles choose to keep you two pervs along? This is yours and Royal's fault! And we'll be lucky if those two are even alive! Let alone patch them up because Charles is our Medic!"
Two feet up the Pegasus had a blank look on his face.
"Well... fine! After another half hour of lowering you down this cliff you can have your popsicle at the bottom you call a boyfriend. Hah!"
Amma scoffed, "We ARE at the bottom, stupid. And he's my brother, you know that! What in Equestria is wrong with you?! Have you never read 'Ohaydipus Rex?!' Celestia's mercy!"
Storm mumbles "How far up from the bottom?" with a slight nicker in his voice.
Amma scrambles in Storm's legs that are gripped around her,
"Don't even THINK of dropping me!"
Moments later as they look at ground zero of a avalanche, all that remains are marks from what looks like a small sled pulling away and around what looks like a Midnight Purple-themed replica of Old Canterlot.
"Well I'll be punished by The Strap-on of Rainbow Dash! it looks like they walked away from this!" Storm exclaims as he walks up to a set of tracks in the snow, poking at them.
Standing a few feet away and apparently unaware of her companion's bizarre yet perverse swear, a grin on her face like a colt in an abandoned candy store, completely transfixed at the odd building Is Amma.
"Look at that! If this is the building I think it is it's what this entire expedition was looking for!
Amma seems awestruck by the building. And starts walking toward it like a bloatsprite to a sparking generator, paying no heed to the sled marks that avoid it.
Storm grabs Amma and tackles her into the hard snow. Resorting to sitting on her when she attempts to crawl closer to the building.
"Okay there! now I don't have to be an egghead to know you're being stupid, Lass."
Pointing a hoof at the marks on the ground "Look at those. They look very careful-like to avoid this place. It seems wrong, like we shouldn't be here. And those tracks lead to where Royal and Charlie went."
Barely able to speak, Amma gives up on the hopeless struggle.
"Okay, okay! Get off of me! I... Suppose you're right. They lead to that building over there. Do you think they're still inside?"
Upon arriving to the building they could tell from the pre-war propaganda posters it was an old Royal Guard office. The military building standard that was retired when Princess Celestia stepped down before Princess Luna and her Ministries took over.
Heading inside it seemed normal, exept for the bookcase. A hardwood carved piece of furniture that looked like it belonged in some rich pony's home. This looked entirely out of place in a bland, tan colored office. Scuff marks leading up to it and scratch marks on the floor next to it confirming Amma's suspicions. She slides it to the right with her hoof as they walk into the passage behind it.
Days Past And A Time Lost
After turning in a circle a couple times, our host sat down on one of the full body pillows in the Library.
"So, I suppose you have questions little one." He looks me right in the eyes and smiles with an ironic wolfish grin.
"And quite a few, I can bet. How about we start with introductions, yes? I admit I am quite curious about you and your friends."
This being my first chance to get a close look at his... Normal form. I realized he didn't look a day older than twenty. Quite tall for a pony his age. Seemingly laid back, but speaks and walks with the knowledge and wisdom of an old Apple Ranger Scribe.
After a moment Royal simply shrugged and I start nod my head in agreement, before pausing, thinking of what he said.
"Wait, friends? How did you know there were more of us?"
"Ahh, guess I forgot. The cat's out of the bag, then. I admit I've been watching you and your friends the last two days. There's you two, and the other two. The Pegasus and the unicorn with the large black bundle." He waves his hoof (or is it still considered a paw?) to motion an etcetera meaning.
"But that's in the past, this is now. My name is Delilah."
"As you noticed I'm not exactly... Well, normal. You seem well read enough to be getting a few ideas in your head, there. But looking at your feathery friend's stupid-looking face." Again motioning with his hoof. This time at my friend. And without skipping a beat stood up and contined speaking. "I'll give you the extremely abridged edition. I have what some would call a curse called Lycanthropy."
Royal rolls onto his back. Looking at the two ponies with in innocent upside down, grin.
"Light-Can-Ropey? Is that some kind of fetish?"
Delilah gives me an odd look,
"He's a bit of a Naffin, isn't he?"
I snicker, taking a glance at the Pegasus. Whom is still curled in the blankets, only now with a scrunched face, the indecisive look if whether to be insulted or not plastered across his face.
"Royal? Calling him a Naffin is being generous."
"But to answer that, no. Lycanthropy means he is what the ponies of old called a Werewolf."
As he realizes this, the look of confusion is wiped off his face. Only to be replaced with a large grin.
"Like. A pony that turns into a giant wolf when the moon is full? Cool!"
Royal then made it his highest priority to thoroughly examine Delilah like a tinker would an old PonCo Robot.
With a slightly worried look Delilah uses his magic to separate Royal from his forehoof.
I failed horribly to hold back my chuckle.
"Uhh, sure. That will have to do for now. Anyway, Charlemane. Why did you choose to drop in on this Mountain Hermit? Quite literally, indeed." He chuckles in self amusement. And turns back to me.
"And depending on how honest you are with me I might just help you find your way."
"Sounds fair to me. But it's also a long story. Maybe as long as yours." I sit down on one of the large body pillows. "We came to these mountains to find what is left of Princess Luna's school to either find books on- or find barriers that contain magical radiation from the incident. You see, back about three years ago a mare came out of a Stable by the name of Littlepip. and in less than three months managed to pave the road to activate a device that brought life back to equestria."
"The problem this brings is for the Ghouls like Ditzy Doo. The writer of the wasteland guide from getting radiation to help keep the lucid Ghouls healthy and... lucid. This means having to travel to the lands further from Equestria and surrounding lands like Cattlerado and Caledonia.
Delilah seemed quite understanding of our quest. Watching me in content while I explained.
"And the importance of this knowledge brings you to the mountain range for what purpose?"
"Well this is where me and my three friends come in. We want to magically re-enchant stables to keep radiation in. This along with overloading the backup generators to leak will make what I like to call, "ghoul saunas". Both keeping them alive, giving scientists more time to find ways to slow down or stop the feral process entirely. All while keeping it contained from the New Wasteland."
"And this reformed wasteland. With what I'll assume has hundreds. If not, multiple thousand ponies that inhabit it sends only four ponies for something this important?"
I find myself rubbing the back of my head with my hoof.
"No. We were doing this ourselves to be... Uh, how do I put this? "Accepted into society?" I lower my hoof.
Royal interjects: "You see, we're outcasts."
I turn and lift my light armor cloak over my cutie mark. Around my mark of a Scalpel, Surgical Scissors and a Bonesaw: A large Butterfly, burned into my hide. With a Crescent Moon sitting inside across my mark.
Delilah quickly stood with a sense of urgency
He trots over and looks at my mark beginning to mumble to himself, "This is like those Dashite marks, But your cutie mark isn't completely burned away. In fact, it goes... around it?"
Looking to my eyes my host firmly puts a hoof on my shoulder.
"Who did this to you?!" The concern in his voice obvious.
"I did. When I left the Enclave. Shortly after I saw their true colors after The Falling."
For the first time since I met him Delilah showed confusion and maybe... Horror in the look he gave me upon hearing my response. not even needing to ask the question I explain; "Even above the cloud barriers there is one thing the Enclave cannot change or prevent."
Reaching into my nearby Saddlebags I pull a magically enchanted necklace with an emblem of a star next to a storm cloud. A Rainbow over both. And slide it to him.
"Genetics. Before the Zebra threat, or the Balefire bombs. Ponies weren't nearly as racist as now when it comes to... reproduction. what might have been a couple dozen half Pegasi after the bombs dropped. Hundreds of years later, half the Pegasi population in Equestria has mixed blood in their genes."
"Me and my sister are living examples that the Enclave wastes nothing. They assigned "Half Bloods" like us to medical and science facilities. and we lived above the clouds with these enchanted amulets made by the Magic and Awesome Ministries."
Taken aback by the revelation. The pony in front of me seemed to ponder his next question as if it was his last.
"Wow, he muttered. So the four of you are ex Enclave? How did you get down here? And what do the brands mean?"
Feeling cramped, I stretch out on the large pillow. "We were deployed in the Class B Airship Carrier The Dweller was captured on and escaped mere days after my Commanding Officer Harling saw what the Grand Enclave superiors were doing to Wasteland ponies. he gathered me from the Medbay and my sister from the Science Wing. And then I got Royal and Storm together on the ship, and together we found about thirty others who wanted to get away from the real Enclave and into the Wastes."
"Somehow Harling managed to get a few Vertibirds and an official order for a "procurement mission" to locate an Enclave Scout that deserted and recover a weapon Prototype She stole that sounded like some kind of... Electrical Cannon to me... Well, let's just say those Vertibirds had an unfortunate 'accident'. but we never found the deserter, we were actually hoping to recruit her."
"But what about the Branding. And what about the other ponies that left with you?" He prodded. "I want the whole story!"
"Okay, okay. Hold your hay. The rest of us simply live in a large Stable complex we found and rebuilt near the Cattlerodan border. I'd tell you more about the stable itself but It would break my confidentiality orders."
Delilah nods, "okay, can you tell me about the brand, and why you put it on yourself?"
"Sure I can. After we found our Stable and Cleared the place of Roaches we wanted to set up a failsafe government. We chose to found a Constitutional Republic with Branches. These seven branches that each manage a Pillar of the Society we built with the nearby locals and co-inhabitants of the Stable. Each branch is named and it's goals based after the elements of harmony. And the Lunar branch that manages military supply and training, with two representatives in each of the seven to keep those branches true to their original purpose with checks and balances.
Everyone in the vault chooses the branch they want to be in when they come of age. And if they pass initiation and choose to stay in the Branch they take Med-X and numbing medication before they brand the insignia on themselves. It seems so... Traditional and Civilized until the actual procedure, doesn't it?"
"Back on subject, I'm the Medical Branch Officer and second Branch Representative, and Royal here is the first Lunar Branch Representative."
--Then I quickly add "Oh, yeah. And I promise. We aren't run like the Ministries."
Looking back to Delilah I wasn't sure what to think. He had a blank look on his face. My worry was sated when he smirked as I finished my drawn out explanation of the year I joined the real world. And the home we made for ourselves.
"I have to say you've colored me impressed. I believe you. But if I could ask one more question. Why are you so forthcoming with so many details?"
"That's easy to answer" I replied. "Not only would I be a frozen chunk of meat without your help. But we believe that the best chance of our group reuniting with equine kind in the wasteland is honesty, kindness, generosity, happiness, loyalty, friendship, and most importantly. Sacrifice."
I sigh, (quite the mouthful, eh? - oh shaddup brain)
"So yeah, that's pretty much everything I'm allowed to tell ya, friend."
At this point Royal fell asleep while watching the two talking long ago. Before being interrupted from his nap by Delilah as he stood up and curved his ears behind him.
"Sounds like my story will have a few more listeners."
"What do you mean?" I ask.
"Your friends. I hear them opening the Blast Door. Now the question is how do we greet them. And how many of them will try to touch my books? I swear if they damage even one I will throw them outside to freeze in the snow--"
Days Past And A Time Lost
"How far do you think this tunnel goes? I'm bored!"
Storm kicks a pebble along with him trying to keep entertained.
"Oh shut it. You obviously can't tell this is a Balefire Shelter. It could easily be at least a hundred meters underground made of magically enhanced concrete and steel intended to withstand magical energy explosions and resist the absorption of energies with half life properties that slowly degrades everything. All that considered. Not to mention that we are fifteen feet from the hidden entrance. All this points to the fact you are a lazy, natiform dunderwhelp!"
"I didn't understand at least half of that. But look at the door. What's with the weird number?One. Circle. Two? What does that mean?"
"Fascinating." Mutters Amma, "I have absolutely no clue. My best guess is that this is one of the prototype stables. That o-or it was made for some abnormal reason. Lifting a hoof in disgust. Similar to those repulsive experiment stables." ech!
Storm stops at the control panel a few feet from the door before turning back to Amma.
"Yeah those things are just bucked up as Sunbutt's rear after a Hot Wing contest."
Looking to Storm and unable to move for a few seconds. Amma shakes her head with a disgusted look on her face "Princess Celestia was a Vegetarian! Seriously, what is wrong with you?!"
1 • 2
After fiddling with various switches and levers randomly,
The iconic Stable door resembling a gear slides back, splits into nine slices, and slides away into the wall in all directions.
"Neat" Storm comments. And Amma nods in agreement.
"Mhmm. Stable Tec really knew how to show off."
As Amma opened the first door in the main hallway she saw the most books held inside a single room in her lifetime. Hundreds of them. Stepping in further, she sees Charles, "took you long enough, Amma. Come sit down. Oh, and mind the dog."
Amma was halfway to Charles when he finished talking.
"Dog? What do--"
Again in his Wolf form, Delilah jumps from behind a large desk in front of Amma and Storm, loudly yelling "Rabble, Rabble, Rabble, Rabble, Rabble, Rabble!!"
...Only to be greeted back with two large dufflebags full of four sets of Light Power Armor thrown on him with Amma's magic.
Charles turns to the pile of Power Armor and Canine.
"So, was your prank worth it?"
The response he received was a half coherent groan.
"Be sure not to scratch my power armor while you get out."
"What. Is that!?" Amma almost sounded feminine for once as she screamed the question, making everypony in the room swivel their ears away from her.
Trotting over, and lifting his armor off of the Werewolf with his magic, placing it on a large table nearby, Charles sighs.
Well, it's a long story. That I don't even know yet. But this is mine and Royal's savior and host, Delilah.
At the circle of pillows again. Now accompanied by Storm and Amaranth, Delilah emerges from the nearby kitchen doorway with tea and cookies, once again equine. He trots over with them and once again sits down with his guests.
"As I'm sure your Medic here told you about my condition while I was downing a small healing potion and making tea and rethinking my ideas of what qualifies as a joke."
Amma frowned at his carefree attitude.
"What were you thinking! If I had my gun on me I would've shot you!.." Amma sighs, "But yes. I think we all want to know what the intelligent wolf monster nearly the size of a Hellhound has to say.
Chiding, "Actually, I'm a good foot shorter than the average Hellhound in my Beast form. I should know. The people I get all my supplies from is a... somewhat friendly group that lives in the southern Canyons.
In fact, the only Friendly group that can boast an alliance with a mythical creature that hasn't been known to exist for over a thousand years!... Just don't tell them I can be pinned down by a pile of power armor, okay?"
I interrupt before the rant can continue: "You were going to tell the story, right?"
Looking to me Delilah stops, "oh, oh yeah my bad."