Fallout: Equestria - Determination

Chapters

Chapter One: Like A Dream Come True
Chapter Two: Just Like The Wind
Chapter Three: Reach Out To The Truth
Chapter Four: Cruel Angel's Thesis
Chapter Five: Fly Me To The Moon
Chapter Six: Home
Chapter Seven: Once Upon A Time
Chapter Eight: Get Dunked
Chapter Nine: Dear You [Final]

Chapter One: Like A Dream Come True

The old world was a seedier place than ponies liked to think. The majority of industrial cities were plagued with political corruption and, at the very least, the Yakuza, the Marefia, the Celestian Intelligence Agency and even the Knighthood of Bear Government I knew because I was there, deep in the heart of Tokyo. Tokyo was the capital of the island the English speakers called 'Japony.'

Japony was exceptionally comfy when it could afford to be. We struck a truce with the ponies of the west after Zebraca rose to power.

That didn't even count Yakyakistan and their boasts about WMDs. They were hollering about nuclear football and the Zebras were all about their megaspells. With major cities like Canterlot and Appleloosa all tied up, it was up to the allies to offer intelligence and even fire support sometimes.

I hardly called my job professional. I still don't. But I did my best to serve my country and our friends in the west.

The day was December 17th. It happened on a thursday. I'd already left my home to be stationed over at Canterlot. When that happened, I found it stuffy and conservative. One of the worst combinations in a while, I'd noted, leaving the airport and finding my commanding officer.

His name was Solid Diamond. He was accompanied by a group of soldiers in mark one combat armor. I spell it 'mark one' and not 'MK I' because sometimes, people who weren't native to the west didn't know what it meant. It was one of the many things I learned in the west.

The noise of cluttered chatter drowned everything out. I could vaguely articulate the masses of ponies around me. They were all entering their fighter chariots and power armor suits. As little as I saw, I knew the Canterlot Equestrians were meeting for deployment.

I gently slid my way past the crowd, aware of how busy we were. One of them had bleach blonde hair and emerald eyes, trotting past my right with a large power armored stallion. He murmured deep below the commotion, rumbling words behind my sternum.

"I'm sure about this, Applejack. I am."

"A-applesnack, ya thick-headed workhorse... what'll I do if I lose you? What then?"

I met the captain with a salute, standing in his shadow. Solid Diamond was a big pony. His chest was barrel-thick even without any armor on. And his biceps, I could see even with his coat on, were shoved painfully against his coat sleeves. My C.O escorted me from the rendezvous point and into a more secure setting: a very cramped and isolated bus stop bench...

As we walked away, I heard the voices of the lovebirds fade to nothing.

"The real question is: what'll I do without you...?"

"Oh, Applesnack... just when I'm ashore, you keep me happy. I love you. When all this is over, we can talk about what to name the baby. How about Cracker Jack?"

The captain found us a roofed bus stop. The front also had two doors for some reason. I didn't know why the thing had doors or why it suddenly felt so quiet.But Solid Diamond had a harsh grimace over his lips.

I could see his expression fitting all of Canterlot. They were all in transit that day. Even through the muddled walls of the bust stop, I felt the heart of Canterlot pulsing frantically. Numerous chariots and pedicabs swept the rainwater from the gutters and kicked them up to make water serpents. We savored the hush of petrichor filling our nostrils.

Finally, he pushed out a sigh, presenting a folder he'd been keeping in his officer's coat. I honestly had no idea of what to think, since he didn't even glance at it. Solid Diamond, a good colt in a good position, briefed me on several possibilities.

"Cleaner Glass, you've been expected to fulfill these orders. And since they're for your eyes only, I can't imagine what the hell they are. So do me favor and stay clear of two things: griffons and any shady unicorns. We heard the lot of them in Canterlot are actually spies for the zebras."

Solid Diamond took a few to find and light a cigar for himself.

"Old Director Rarity understood that herself. If you see any unicorns in power armor, I also suggest you engage carefully. Understood?"

I nodded softly and gazed out at the drops against the glass.

"Aye aye, Captain."

"Excellent. You knock them dead. And maybe literally if that's what you do. Let's hope we can all make it home tonight, Glass."

I left without another word. Figured Captain Diamond had better things to do than chat with a cleaner like myself. I didn't know much about true military types, but at that time, I didn't trust them. All the major commanding officers I had prior weren't the best of people. It didn't come with race, or pride or money, I found. Power corrupted everyone.

I started down the mellow streets of Canterlot, finding the air colder than usual. Japony wasn't an oven like Californeigh or Las Pegasus. But it was much warmer. It wasn't a foul heat. It didn't burn anyone. Japony, the land of the rising sun, it's climate welcomed you. I missed the cries of cicadas. With every step I took, it seemed the streets grew darker. And by the time I realized how dark it was, I found my destination.

Just a simple bar. Nothing too elaborate or decadent.

I made my way inside to find an overload of odors. And over those odors were virulent sounds scraping against my ears. A crowd of rambunctious bikers and hoodlums spent their night drinking and insulting each other. Well. At least it wasn't too different from the corps.

Under the noise, I heard some stallions chatting away. As they spoke, I tiptoed my way to the bartender. Her counter was smooth, polished with work and sweat.

"That's not a good show."

"What do you mean it's not a good show? You haven't even watched it yet. All you did was pussyfoot your way to through the second episode."

"Shut up- You know I don't like yaoi!"

"It's not yaoi, you idiot- it's yuri. And what, you don't like anime because you think it's porn?"

"Yeah I think it's porn. How could you draw all those bikinis and jiggling tits without making porn?"

I approached the bartender, aware of her 9mm resting at the end of her necklace. At any time, she could rip it away and open fire. I took in her cyan eyes and even more striking blood-hued mane. There were streaks of gold lining her mane. I examined her body. She wore a silver sports jacket with the letters CHS over the torso region.

"Hey, beautiful. Looking for a drink or a bite to eat?" She started, curling her lips.

"I bet you say that to all the colts." I replied, showing my crooked smile.

A hard orange spread over her yellow cheeks. It spilled over her nose bridge and told me what I already knew. People usually mistook me for a mare, yeah. It just so happened that my hips matched the profile and so did everything else.

"O-oh, well, you're just so gosh darn pretty... I had no idea. So- uh, how about that drink?" The barkeep stammered, pursing her lips and looking away.

"Just get me a sparkle cola with ice. I can't drink much on the job."

My barkeep gave a soft, buzzing laugh between her lips. She gave me a questioning glance, before arching her brow and grinning.

"You sure you belong here, fella? You could get a soda from outside. There's a vending machine by the back, you know."

"You're here, aren't you? That's all I need."

The mare started chortling. She arched her back and threw her head the same way. I watched her lips broaden. The bartender replied by batting her lashes, pouring soda on the rocks. We enjoyed each other's company, me sipping pop and her leaning against her forehoof.

"You from around here, slick?" She asked, tilting her head to the side.

What could I say except 'no.'

"No, I'm from Tokyo. I'm just stationed here for now."

"Japony, huh? Knew there was something different about you. You know, besides the whole you being a deer thing. Why come to Canterlot, though? You know how everyone here is. Especially around non-ponies."

I took a sip of my drink and closed my eyes, deep in thought. The moment was beautiful. I felt like a person. No one was discriminating me. Or telling me I was nothing but trouble. It felt like home. Just like heaven.

"I go where I'm needed. And right now, that's Canterlot. What about you? You're a lot brighter than most Canterlot types."

"Heh, I'm not from around here. I was raised in Appleloosa, you know. But, I guess I never did get the accent down. Canterlot ponies don't try to be xenophobic. They're all just jumpy about the zebras. I'm willing to bet anyone you run into tonight is enlisted, too. Me? I'm just a girl trying to live life one step at a time."

I'd long since finished my glass. I wanted to stay. But fate had other plans in store.

Wasn't long before the distant chatter died down. The sharp silence struck my ears and I glanced over my shoulder. Standing behind me was an older stallion, in uniform, too. I slid my empty glass toward the barkeep and paid for it. The extra five dollars was tip for good company. Was it much. No. But it meant something.

As soon as I started off, the nameless soldier yanked me back by my tail. I could feel the fur being pulled against my skin. And that deepened my breathing.

"Where are you going all of a sudden? Can't have a good bar without any friends. I was hoping you and me could share a drink, jap."

Oh boy.

"Come on, don't be that way. I got a nice drink for ya, right here. I call it the Canterlot Special-!"

I felt his hoof rushing toward me. I ducked and bucked him away, slamming him into the jukebox. He spat out some of his teeth and charged me again, winding up another haymaker. I crouched low, touching my chest to the floor. I spun my back to him and launched my hindleg into his chin. Before he could recover, I grabbed him by the collar, slammed him into the pool table and stomped on his stomach with my forelegs.

The shock sprung his eyes open. And that was when he reached for the pool cue. The swing struck me across the neck. From what I could tell, it didn't hurt my vertebrae. I staggered to my left and crouched lower. My enemy struck me again on the side of the head. He must've been surprised when the pool cue bounced off my skull. The blood streamed cozily down my temple.

When he swung again, I caught the pool cue in my antlers. I jerked my head to the left, tossing his weapon aside. I knocked the wind out of him mid-swing, goring him and sending him skyward. My enemy was down, hacking and bleeding against the floor. When the others tried to intervene, I pulled a knife from my belt, fending them off.

"Barkeep." I called, drawing her attention.

"I had fun. Sorry I couldn't stick around longer. Do me a favor and keep a spare cola for me. I'll be back tomorrow."

The patrons stayed in the bar, even as I put my knife away trotting out. The night was over and I had a job to do. But, just as I made my way down the block, someone called me. I flipped my cell open and found the name worrying. It was Captain Diamond.

"Yes, sir."

"Glass. You've got to get somewhere safe. We're-! We're being bombed right now!"

"Wait, what? Whaddyou mean you're being 'bombed'?"

"Look-! The Zebras are doing it! They're throwing megaspells right now! Get to safety in the Mane Street vault! It'll be right by the airport, go!"

Damn it. I didn't have time to thank him. Already, I could see bright flashes erupting from behind me. The blinding iridescence struck me dumb. I galloped as far away as I could, finding a crowd of ponies, griffons and even zebras by the platform of a vault elevator. There were guards in power armor by the entrance, toting miniguns and combat shotguns. Before they could shoo me away from the entrance, I presented my combat knife.

"Marine affiliation, huh? Well. I can't say no to a wardog. Head on in, First Sargeant."

I did. I joined the last few boarding the elevator as the flashes grew closer. Overhead, the shield over the city began to crumble.

A younger soldier started barking orders, waving his forelegs frantically toward the elevator. One of his brothers brought in a baby, barely a foal and filling the air with panic. They raced around as ants and busy mosquitoes, rushing to fill the platform. The one manning the hoist erupted in panic.

"Go, go! We have to get as many people as we can!"

His commanding officer, the pony that watched the entrance, protested.

"Damn it private, we can't put them all on!"

"Sir! Who the fuck do you think I am?! I was born to serve my country! I'm sorry, sir, but you can take my badge when everypony is in the vault!"

The blasts were tearing through the last layer of the protection spell. I tore my eyes away and let my mouth open. The shockwave traces raced through me and knocked me to my knees. I saw the others losing consciousness. I shut my mouth so the dust couldn't get in. The amassed survivors shoved onto the elevator, till I could barely wiggle my legs. Up above, a horde of megaspells raced toward us.

The elevator finally sprung to life and lowered us away.

I gazed up and watched the barrier shatter to pieces, engulfed in the age of atom.

Author's Note

Level Up!

New perk added!

Rush Recklessly (Req. 5 STR)

Rush into danger! You can now tackle enemies as you sprint toward them, flinging them backwards. The higher your strength, the farther they fly. Enemies with higher strength or endurance than your own are only staggered.

Chapter Two: Just Like The Wind

"Error... Cryostasis systems damaged. Forced shut down initiated."

I woke... mostly frozen in some wicked stasis chamber. The ineffectual grey of the stable met my eyes. And through the thin frost layering the door, I saw the mist. Pink mist seeped into my nostrils as I hacked my lungs away. My pod was already partially open. For the most part, I realized my coat changed color. Snow white. And my body... felt exceptionally spry. All the tar that used to clog my lungs, that was gone.

As far as I could tell, the stable itself was packed with cryostasis pods. That was the bulk of it's contents. I trotted aimlessly between the abandoned corridors and rooms, but all I found were goo piles. The goo itself was usually fluid and runny, never viscous in the least. The only other resident, besides me, was the mist and ruined furniture. All signs of intelligent life were absent.

Braving the last stretch of the stable, I found the elevator platform.

I attempted to start it up, but found the engine was down. Not only that, but the door controls didn't even operate without a compatible computing device. Every terminal I came across was ruined. Before I could give up hope, I shoved aside my fears of imprisonment.

There was still power going to the cryopods. It only took average intelligence to find the engine room. I didn't recognize the energy source, or the device left on a fossilized zebra corpse, but I looted anyway. From what I could tell, the wrist-mounted computer was named a Pipbuck 4000. Not only did it come with medical diagnostics, an aiming system, but it also featured an archive of weapons blueprints. Most noticeable was the blueprints for a freezing shish... shishke...

That blade was a katana. And I refused to call it by that ridiculous name. I turned my head to see the corpse, though. The zebra before me was leathery and long-since deceased. I didn't know why, or how, but they left me the pipbuck and fusion cores. I realized that they were a lone corpse. And, if it weren't for them, I'd be dead for sure. Whoever they were, I saluted them.

The sight of my lone savior, even amidst all the peril, filled me with determination.

I slotted the fusion cores into the stable elevator controls and linked my pipboy. I glanced over my shoulder as I heard whispers in the air. It started as a cluster of unintelligible nonsense, but gradually sharpened to one, lonely rasp.

"Never lose hope. Remember these words."

I took the elevator up, mindful of the ancient words. And as I beheld the surface, I found a wasteland of slag and pink mist. Most of it stretched across miles upon miles of levelled rubble. Some, however, lingered about dangerous shapes in the distance. I could tell they weren't equine beyond general anatomy. Most of the movements were jerky and violent, or uncannily sluggish and drowsy. Before I knew it, I'd found the map feature in the pipbuck. I didn't know why, but there was an active mission in the map guidance system.

The objectives were: find Ministry of Arcane Sciences Offices.

It was the least I could do for the previous owner. Examining the path toward the nearest M.A.S Office Building, I found it near a region called Neighagra Falls. I made my way toward it one step at a time. My only company was the mist, cool and comfortable against my coat. But, even further, along the lonesome road of wrecked chariots and crumbling skeletons... I found a floating machine creature.

The shape of it reminded me of some eyeball. Most of the alloy was rusted and worn, presumably by the mist, but maybe... not. I took notice of the gigantic laser barrel under it's speaker and the prodigious measure of armor. At first, I tried to say something to him. Then, I realized... I couldn't move my lips. Or, rather, my lips were melded together in some, strange gelatinous form. I could speak, but articulating my lips only wobbled the muscle jelly.

I had to use my mouth like a speaker. It tickled my mouth.

"Hey there. I don't suppose you can talk...?"

"... What the hell?" It gasped, zooming in with elongated optics.

Oh. I... didn't expect the floating eyeball to talk back. I barely even understood it with the rushing winds. I heard something clicking and crackling from my pipbuck. Till he pointed it out, I had no idea what it meant.

"Never- nevermind, you need to get out of here. I thought there might be scavengers dumb enough to come to Canterlot- but you look lost. Here, go to a place- No, just come with me. Follow me and I'll take you away from the radiation."

I followed. It took several minutes of sprinting, a la her advice, but we made it. The extra minute or so of trotting was a safety measure against any pink cloud, she added, leading me to a nameless cave. He stayed blocking the entrance, eyeing me up.

"What are you...?"

I ruffled the back of my mane... unsure of what he meant.

"Well... I'm a deer. Is that what you were asking? I'm a male deer, too. Just look for antlers. Only bucks have them."

"No, I mean... I mean what are you? How did you survive that pink cloud? How did you not feel sick from all the radiation?"

I took a double-take at the wasteland. Wait. It wasn't anything like I remembered. It was a real, uninhabited wasteland. The truth dawned on me as I kept my eyes on the dirt below. Everyone I knew before, all the strangers, all the pleasant flirts and hurtful exes... they were all dust. I felt nothing in my chest. So when I glanced up to answer, I murmured my response.

"I... don't know. And I don't care. All I know is it feels hot as hell out here. And I have no mouth. So. Let's just get in that cave already."

She respected my silence. I found the cave interior comfy. Damp, yet pleasant. I opened my eyes after a quick nap, stretching my body out. Around me were the remains of a collapsed, hidden city. Most of the buildings were constructed from scrap metal and rotted wood, adding creaks and whistles to the windy ambiance. I did a few jumping jacks to wake myself up, shaking my head and practicing hindleg strikes against some tires.

The eyebot hovered over, keeping her distance behind me.

"So... I read your chemical structure. You're not a ghoul, but you're not an abomination. You said you were a deer. Since you came out from one of those vaults, I'm guessing you were preserved. Cryostasis, right?"

I bucked the top tire, flinging it several feet away.

"Yeah. That's right. I was in one of those pods. I don't know how it kept me alive when it was damaged, though. How does anything, even something like sub-zero chemical preservatives do that..."

"Well... Whatever the reason, your body temperature is showing a large amount of atrophy. And I noticed the warmer you got, the more tired you grew. I know how that is. I might be cold blooded. But something in your... core- the heat expenditure is haywire. All that overheat will degrade you, so, I have a proposition."

I stopped my bucking and left my hindleg halfway suspended. When the machine said the rest, I dried myself off with random scraps of clothing. The clothes smelled musty. But why would I care about that. All I needed was soap, which, strangely, was in large supply lying around.

"Your body was preserved in the cryostasis chamber from a mix of pink cloud exposure and preservatives in the liquid nitrogen compound. That means you need at least one of them to stay alive, or, at least strong enough to function. So stay here for a few days and enjoy the cool air. I'll make some of the enclave researchers build you a preservation suit."

So... I needed a suit to survive. Not only was I some form of freak, but an abomination of equine anatomy. I was just glad the eyebot had good intentions. She stayed silent while I sat on my haunches and stared off into the distance.

"... Why are you helping me so much?" I inquired, barely above a whisper.

"Well... It's just good to help. You made it through the Canterlot Ruins. Why not help you start a new life the right way?" She answered, as if I were crazy.

"You're right. Altruism is the right choice. But there's more to it than that. I know there is." I stated, lowering my head and watching my reflection in the cave water.

Pale, almost albino fur. No mouth. Bright, sky-blue eyes. And my eyes were glowing, just like the megaspells two hundred years ago. I knew because my pipbuck said so. A lot could change in two hundred years. I just never thought I'd be the one to see it. The old world left me jaded, tired and lonely. It completely changed me as an equine being. I had no idea why but I literally couldn't feel any basic emotion anymore.

"Well... I really am doing this for you. But, I do need help breaking someone out of captivity. Somepony special to my mission. And, if you wouldn't mind, I could use someone with your resilience. I'll supply you with a weapon and everything, too."

I closed my eyes and remembered the zebra that saved me. Then, swimming in an ocean of doubt, I saw the image clearly. The image of her risking her life filled me with determination.

"Finally..." I murmured, stretching by legs out.

"Something I can do. You point and I shoot." I finished, standing with newfound purpose.

"Excellent. And, before you go and start training again, I better tell you my name first. I'm Little Pip. And I'm not going to be here forever, but I'll keep you safe till you can handle yourself. Here, let me show you how to administer health potions..."

Chapter Three: Reach Out To The Truth

When the world collapsed, it left a lot of things behind. Most exuberant was the technology. I didn't know what Little Pip did to gain her connections, but I respected her dedication. Little Pip had switched priority to another eyebot, leaving the bot from before at the cave. The girl spent a good chunk of time explaining what she wanted.

I reviewed the coordinates in my pipbuck, making sure to wear it over my cryosuit. I found it hard to believe I didn't need the helmet, just the suit.

Pip explained that all I needed was the torso and the spiked collar. There were tanks fitted in the pauldrons wired through the torso and into the collar. The collar itself was a reprogrammed explosive collar with the plastic explosives switched for respiratory function. The collar either injected me with the preservatives directly, or sprayed constant vapor against my snout.

I took the spray option. Needles inside my neck was a recipe for disaster. Not to mention even if I didn't feel pain all too well, it still existed. Just like before the great war. My trip down memory lane brought memories of my service.

Back then, I had marks and tailgating assignments. Blackmail. Elimination. It was all I had left of a crumbling world. When Solid Diamond told me I'd been relocated, I was unsure of what to think. The blur in my mind grew hurtful and bludgeoning. Back then, when the world was so complicated, people like myself didn't belong. I had to thank Lil Pip sometime soon, I thought, loading my combat shotgun.

The simple click of a drum magazine sent shivers down my spine. Not literally, of course. Even if it did happen, the extremely low temperature pinched my nerves. I grinned softly, savoring the way it felt, levitating a shotgun again.

Most ponies didn't know, but unicorn horns weren't necessary for using magic. Innately, all Equines had some type of magic. Horns and antlers just made it easier.

I trotted my way out of the cave, slipping my pack over my waist. The weight was new to me. I traversed the corroded wastes near Canterlot and took a sharp turn south. There, Tesla Coil was being held hostage. His wardens were typical low-tech raiders, Pip told me. And nearest to that region were feral ghouls scattered across the emptiness. A vast majority of the dirt I travelled had melted from the rain.

An awesome, titanic boom woke my senses. Above me was a live thunderstorm. Thunder, unlike other weathers, innately soothed me. Not only was it a reminder that I'd be shrouded, but it brought me back to the trenches. Harkening on those old days brought serenity to my chest.

I crept underneath a cluster of dead logs, scouting the place out.

Between me and the sprawling highways far south, I found a scrap village full of hoarded junk. Most of the junk must've been reasonably valuable if raiders were stockpiling it in their base. But the majority of it was odd trinkets. Things like teddy bears and baby rattles, to baby bottles and toys littered the settlement grounds. I took caution in slipping closer, watching for movement nearby.

Among the hole-ridden rooftops and open roofs, I found a pair of snipers. They were raiders dressed in some sort of amalgamated armor made from chariot parts and fitted leather. One of them, the spotter, was smart enough to wear a construction helmet. His friend, a nearly naked mare, lacked head gear. Instead, she wore thicker armor, bulky at the chest with plates of scrap protruding sharply. The resulting shape resembled a ship's bow.

I navigated my way over my cover and climbed an erect rock formation. The stone was slippery, but Little Pip fitted my suit with treads. Climbing was a chore. But slipping off the rocks and onto the shacks... that was thrilling. I took my time striding from rooftop to rooftop, dashing right when thunder struck. The snipers were two meters in front of me. I knew there'd be hell to pay if they caught me there. So I advanced, noting each and every creak of the structures beneath me.

One of the raiders perked up and raised his weapon. I twitched softly realizing he didn't even reload. Must've had a full magazine of .308's. From the view I had of the rest of the village, everypony else was either sleeping, or elsewhere.

I went prone against the rickety metal, hoping it'd camoflague me.

"Hey, Bruise... What the hell is that?"

"Looks like... oh shit, it's a Canterlot ghoul!"

Oh boy. They saw my eyes, didn't they. I cursed at my own stupidity, ripping the pin of my grenade and tossing it over. Before they could scramble, the shock of the explosion tore the roofing. That was my cue to flee the scene and relocate to another rock cluster.

I was fortunate the raider settlement had so many dead trees and fallen logs about. They offered ample cover from impending bullet storms. Geographically, they'd built a death trap, sandwiched between the towering highways structures, which served for good sniper nests and then antler-high stone concentrations.

I noticed a number of red, highlighted ticks were located by my compass. Those were always enemies. Little Pip made sure to drill that into my head. When I crept along the dirt to see them, I found a squadron of poorly-armed raider ponies.

Six or seven, I estimated, tossing another grenade. Two of them were quick enough to sprint away and hit the deck. The others, wounded or neutralized. Four crippled and severely injured, one dead.

My chances were looking up. I blindfired around the side opposite of my position, flushing out the two unscathed enemies. When they turned the corner, I stabbed one in the neck with my combat knife and ripped it all the way across his jawline for good measure. The other one fired at my helmet with his assault rifle. The immense spread only struck my collar, which, in turn, boosted my numbing supply.

"Asshole! Just die already!" He barked, spraying frantically in my direction.

"You first, dirt bag."

I sprung forward and gored him in the gut. A weak 'oomf' hit my ears. I'd forgotten that my antlers wouldn't be in effect if they were covered. It still knocked him down; just barely. It's rotund shape forced a glancing blow, spreading too much of the force over a wide area. Most of the impact was dispersed perfectly against his ribcage.

The thought of barely hurting him filled me with something else. Something deep and slumbering.

I shifted my weight and spun halfway around, launching my hindleg into his chin. He wobbled backwards, before collapsing onto the dirt, bloody and broken. His last words were painful, tragic even.

"Luna damn it-! Bruise! Bruise, run! Forget the ransom, get out of here!"

Out from the former sniper nest, I heard that same mare answer his call. Bruise was the raider with the ship hull armor. Though she didn't seem to have a weapon at first... I was wrong to think it'd stay that way. The scattered shack rubble started to kick and shift. That's when Bruise burst forth from the ashes, donning a securitron head. She threw the rest of the roofing off her legs, toting a massive broadside cannon.

My E.F.S indicated a skull next to her name, telling me she'd mutated.

"You think you're tough?! I'll show you tough!" She screamed, loading a cannonball into her weapon.

The sight of her struggling lover filled her with determination. I knew it. I saw it in her eyes; they were alive.

Her cannon fuse started sparking. I hit the deck, barely dodging her first shot. She leapt extravagantly port-side, forcing me on the tips of my hooves. I strafed starboard, escaping her second shot by the hair of my fur. I fired three shells into her head. I nearly flew backwards when one of my own buckshots ricocheted against my sternum.

My pupils shrunk.

Bruise was right in front of me. She stuck the barrel of her broadsider against my helmet and lit the fuse. My neck snapped backwards as she launched me skyward. I crashed violently against the apex of a sharp rock segment. The stone impaled me, sticking through my spine. I couldn't feel my legs. Or my chest. Nothing. I grappled with my failing synapses. I shoved my midsection off the impaling stone. And then, crawling on my knees, I downed a health potion.

Another cannonball kicked me backwards. I grunted hard as I slammed the health potion against my muzzle, shattering the poultice. I forced myself back into consciousness, wobbling to my hooves. And as I did, I remembered the words I heard in the vault.

"Never lose hope, remember these words."

I glared up... meeting eyes with the one that'd beat me down.

"You think you're the only one with determination...?"

I raised up and tossed my helmet away.

"You think you're the only one who has purpose? I survived the bombs." I grunted, cracking my back.

"You? You're just in the way."

I galloped forward, wind rushing in my hair. An all-consuming assault engulfed our battlegrounds. The artillery fire missed me every step of the way. One. I rushed beneath the ball. Two. I snaked aside, portside. Three. I was one meter away. Four. I dashed forward, meeting her muzzle-to-muzzle. Her eyes went wide, and I launched my foreleg into her chin.

Bruise buckled in her knees, wobbling every which way as she dropped her massive cannon.

"N-no... I can't... I can't lose now." She whimpered, trembling, tired.

"You didn't lose, okay..." I murmured, wiping the blood from her cheeks.

"You won the battle. I just won the war. At ease, soldier... you did good."

I fed her two healing poultices and left to heal the other one. The male raider she cared so much about. I cursed as I found him dead, bled out and frozen in fear. He died begging for her victory. I stayed silent and found Tesla Coil in a rusted jail cell. He gazed up in awe.

"How the hell did you do that...?"

"Don't lose hope. That's all it takes." I answered, setting him free and falling to the darkness.

Chapter Four: Cruel Angel's Thesis

Tesla Coil finished the last of our operation. He'd reset her jawline to be a bit slimmer. The lack of a strong jaw would help her avoid knockout blows. We didn't have any spare bones or growth hormones so we couldn't grow muscle or reshape much else. Especially since we didn't have any matching host hormones. Testosterone and estrogen only went so far. It required specific chemicals only made in similar bodies.

I took the anesthetic mask off of her, glad it was over.

"Are you sure about this, Glass? Won't she be angry you killed her boyfriend?" He grumbled, fixing his black-rimmed glasses.

"I'm sure she will. But I'm willing to bet she'll be happy to be alive."

That was the end of our discussion. Bruise would awaken at any minute. And I'd already taken the med-x to make sure my body stayed in one piece. Just to show respect, we didn't remove her hulking armor. But we did lock the broadsider in a supply trunk. Tesla Coil sat cozily atop the stairs to the hidden city. He'd told me it used to be 'Rockopolis.'

I didn't understand the name, but I marked it on my map with the original title.

As expected, she woke up gasping and tackled me against the cave wall.

"Morning sunshine." I grunted, avoiding her blow to my temple.

"Damn it! Where the fuck is Glancing Blow! What did you do to him...!?" She cursed, shattering one of my ribs.

"Hn... hnhn... Sorry, I don't mean to laugh. It just tickles." I bellowed, chuckling again as she struck my cheek.

"Listen, asshole... tell me where my brother is!" She cried, biting her lip and choking back a sob.

I felt the urge to comfort her. But instead of holding her, I gently undid her grip on my collar. The silence broke our hearts in two. And I trotted away to get her a drink. Lilium July, 1906. We couldn't really say anything, because there was nothing we could say to bring him back. The last few minutes of our reunion were her swallowing sobs. We sat beside each other, missing wishes and drinking Lily July on the rocks.

"Why...? If you killed him, why did you save me...?" She hissed, biting back sniffles.

"Because you really cared about him. You really cared about someone else. And you fought for it. Isn't that enough. Haven't you earned your right to live...?"

I didn't know why, but the tears fell in streams over her cheeks. They grew cherry red and raw, injured from the collapse of her heart. It didn't take long for her to answer, downing her cup.

"I... I've killed so many people. I've done horrible things. He was the one that cared for me. Not th-the other way around. He should be alive. Not... not me. I d-don't deserve it."

"You're selling yourself short... You've changed a lot more than you think. Just look at how much you miss him. Isn't that a good start?"

I watched her snap out of her grief. And, even though it'd take more than a few comforting words, she'd recover eventually. I stood up and stretched my hindlegs, cracking joints in my suit. The early morning rays poured in from the cave entrance and onto my muzzle. It was streaming and burning in my eyes.

"Bruise..." I murmured, lighting a smoke from Tesla's pack.

"Sure..." She stated, nodding softly and accepting my offer.

I kept away from her, hovering around the entrance in case she thought about leaving. I wouldn't let her leave if it meant suicide by wasteland. Sure she was a raider. Sure she might've come back to kill me. But that second chance, especially after showing how hard she fought for it, was just the right thing to do.

Tesla Coil met me there, fixing his shades and a new wig, it being a rainbow one. He leaned against the cave wall and took a low dose of jet, inhaling sharply as he went slack. The colt fixed his labcoat and armored it with spare leather.

"You're one crazy son of a bitch, Glass. You dragged a raider survivor in here and you convinced her to not rip your throat out. Just who the heck are you?"

I glanced over my shoulder, sitting on my haunches.

"I'm nothing special. Just a buck trying to survive the fallout."

"Ha, that's a laugh. You're more than that. Come on, spill some beans so we can trust each other. I don't know who you are, but you know who I am."

I answered loading some shells into my drum magazine.

"Stained Glass. First Sargeant, Alpha Company. Formally, anyway. I never was a good soldier. Just a cleaner." I stated, earning a wry smile.

Tesla Coil was a scrawny colt with a nondescript dress code. He wore a labcoat and black-rim glasses and that wig. That was all he wore. Never stood too tall or made any sudden movements. I had my money on him that he was a spy for the Grand Pegasus Enclave. Still had his wings, too.

"I knew it. You are military. But something's off about that. What's a cleaner...?" He inquired, tossing me another drum magazine.

"A cleaner is an assassin, basically. Just that I handle cleaning and no one handles my mess for me. Stressful job, really."

Before we could get to his history, Little Pip called us from an approaching eyebot. I didn't know why but I imagined a snail could move faster. The girl said I would be better off leaving Bruise to die somewhere. Literally, too. But I stood my ground about her and changed the subject. We had a long discussion about agreeing to wipe out raider settlements as we found them. Then came the real details.

"So, Pip," I started, taking a sip of sparkle cola on the rocks.

"Why did you send me to free Tesla Coil. Besides his life being in danger and all..."

Her answer thoroughly surprised me. All that nonsense about wasteland survival completely avoided her. Little Pip's mission was simple. And it couldn't get simpler than what she'd already established.

"You're right, I do have a reason. But that's because he's a good doctor. And a better asset to the new world. You see, Glass, Tesla Coil might have been born enclave, but he was raised equestrian. He understands the plight of the common pony. He charges medical fees lower than most and he's always willing to get his hooves dirty. I need him for all of my settlements."

"Settlements? Like the small group of shacks I found earlier?"

"Yes, exactly. But I make sure the settlements have three things: food, water and protection. These things are essential. And I make it so people avoid the areas like Canterlot and Maripony to make that possible. When I found you, I was one short of a doctor, a scout and a mercenary. I'm guessing you know what I need you for."

That was all I needed. And thankfully, I almost had the same job. Just no blackmail and no infiltration hopefully. Little Pip finished our conversation by telling me she'd found some records in the vault complex, presumably locked away in a desk I missed.

"You sound like you'd be more at home under a more... militaristic direction. Is that what you want?"

"Oh, definitely. But I don't mind whatever you give me. As long as it isn't an escort mission..."

We agreed on me being whatever combat role she needed. I'd recieved my orders to find Glyphmark, which wasn't more than half an hour away. And then, before that, I'd better deal with Bruise. The three hours prior had gone noticeably quiet. As soon as I did, leaving my combat shotgun pointed to the ground, I found her stumbling and giggling in the abandoned bar area.

"Oh, look! There's a new combatant in the house!" Bruise slurred, announcing my arrival.

"Bruise what are-"

"Introduciiiing Jaaaap boooy! Up against The Boston Bruiser-! The Barbed Basher, Bruise and Batter...!"

I nearly tumbled backwards when she tackled me at the waist. Before I could object, she sweeped me off my feet and pinned me to the floor. Stone wasn't a pleasant bedding. I gently kept her off with my hooves against her chest, drowning in dust and scent of skotch. The Lilium July kicked against my throat as I inhaled her harsh, caustic alcohol scents.

"Bruise, what are you doing...?!" I cursed, slipping halfway off, before she clung to my hips, ruffling my stomach fur with her muzzle.

"Come here, jap boy, you gotta help me feel better~" She giggled, never letting go no matter what I said.

No. This was wrong. I wouldn't take advantage of anyone. Especially not her. Especially not with what she'd gone through. Bruise had caught my eye before, but I never wanted her in such dishonest circumstances. Before she could do real damage to my loins, which was by rubbing my sheathe, I slipped out and restricted her.

I forced Bruise to sit in my lap and stop screwing around.

"Hey, you like it more in this position, huh~? Okay- it's been a while since I've done it in a colt's lap~"

I ignored her. I never let her move, or slip away or anything. I didn't even know how many pints or shots or fifths she'd had in my absence. The room was dimmer than I remembered. And it seemed the only light source we had were my eyes. She'd been alone all that time, stirring in nostalgia. The more she babbled and shifted against me, the more I felt my eyes water.

"H-hey... wha... why are you crying...?"

I shoved my sobs down and clenched my teeth together. I stopped breathing. I wouldn't make her feel worse than I already had.

"Hey... I... I'm sorry, did I do something wrong? Look- I-I'll help you feel better, promise-"

"No-! You c-can't do that!" I growled, trying not to shake.

"You can't do this because you're drunk, don't you understand! It's all- my fault...!"

I watched her face grow pale. She kept her eyes everywhere else, leaving my lap and taking her warmth away. Before she could think of exiting the room, she turned to face me, eyes red and bloated with pain. I saw the water spill down her cheeks, piling against her jawline till all the runoff descended her chin.

"I... I don't know what else to do." She whimpered, shaking as she came back and leaned against my chest.

"I don't know how to handle the pain... It's never like this. I have drugsss an-and alcohol and sex- I don't... I don't know how to deal with this. How do you deal with feeling nothing inside, huh...?"

We stayed quiet and I held her hooves in response, warming her fleshy limbs. I felt the same in my chest, and budging from the way she dozed off against me... she felt the same, too.

Chapter Five: Fly Me To The Moon

"Morning, 'sunshine.' You have a giggle holding me in your lap all night...?" Bruise hushed, curling up against me.

"Yeah, I did. Let's make this a daily thing."

"Tch... Not daily, bucko. Nightly, maybe. But I ain't gonna stay here all day just... lazing about and... dozin..."

I carried her to a more impressive furnishing, tucking her in to rest. All that skotch could do a number on somepony. And why they spelled it wrong, I'd never understand. The spelling was 'scotch' in my time. Not 'skotch.' I pondered the reason as I watched her snuggle up in bed, dipping her brow at the loss of warmth. I climbed in bed and wrapped my legs around her till she stopped fidgeting.

"Hey, Glass how-"

Tesla walked in on me keeping her warm. I just looked away because that was all I could do. An explanation, especially right after, would only make him cattier. A smug companion was a poor companion. He took to smiling and made it a wry, curvy one, tilting his shades down to show jet-high emerald eyes.

"Righteous. But you didn't have to sleep with her the first night, you know."

"Oh shut up. What do you need, Tesla?"

He stepped closer and handed me a plastic bag full of... something en masse. I checked inside the clinking and clanking mess to find several hoofcuffs comprising the main supply. When I glanced up, he was holding a key ring with four keys. One for the cuffs, three for the jail cells in New Glyphmark. I opened my mouth to ask again till he explained in kind.

"Surprised? Today, we're going to be bounty hunters. If you like, you can be bad cop. But you're still going to be the muscle of our operation."

I glanced down at Bruise.

"What about Bruise. What'll we do with her? She's still asleep. And I don't wanna wake an emotionally unstable raider."

"Who does? But that's besides the point. Listen, you can stay with your girlfriend here and I can do the mission myself. Because bounty hunting isn't all bullets and prayers, you know. It's more about diffusing situations and catching them off-guard."

I was conflicted. All at once, I knew Tesla Coil was doing selfless labor. But I didn't want to make Bruise stay home alone, especially not in her vulnerable state of mind. What could a buck do but do what was right. I knew the consequences of never dedicating to a cause.

I'd let Bruise sleep... as I watched the place and let my cloak and dagger friend handle the dirty work. Even though I'd only met the doll yesterday, she'd grown on me like moss to a church. The clandestine shut of her eyes told me nothing was right at home. Deep down, I knew I myself could go for a swim with Lily July on the rocks. We could all pretend like nothing happened when she woke up and stretched her legs.

But, till then, I had my work cut out for me.

The time was eight military time when Tesla departed, giving me the grin of the cat that ate the canary. He flew the cave when he'd stocked a good oodle of munitions, his favorite silenced 10mm and the brightest wig I'd ever seen. I told him to steer clear of any shady deals, watching him hit some jet before the job. Seeing Tesla Coil trot the entire way down to Glyphmark was a desolate scene, and a part of me came to regret choosing to stay.

I turned back to see her, Bruise, still curled up and feline on that old, dusty medical bed. I didn't tell her what I'd found before, but I'd have to scrub the sheets with abraxo and turpentine. The thought of finding another leathery, rotten pony corpse made me question the integrity of our sanctuary.

Just after an hour of cleaning my suit, I found another problem looming in the milky wool of the wasteland. Everything seemed... greyer than I remembered. More than that, I found a cloud of dust kicking closer and closer toward the cave. Whatever it was, that damn warning was enough for me. I spent my time repairing my suit and removing the silly spikes and camoflague Little Pip designed it with. Instead, I fitted the pauldrons with layers of spare blood. I'd looted some bloodpacks from the unmarked raider settlement yesterday.

Judging from my experience with field work, I judged the cloud as compact and low, signaling a force of footsoldiers and infantry. If the dust cloud were wide and high, it'd have been bigger than a group of ponies. It might've been something Pip told me was called 'Alicorns.'

I rounded up my combat shotgun, a spare couple of mines and one, care-free lunchbox. Inside the lunchbox, I fit something special. I didn't mind tossing it just three or four meters away from the cavern entrance, behind a few apricot-hued rocks just to the right. There, behind the old reliable entrance, I lit a cigarette to calm my nerves and levitated my combat shotgun to my left.

They arrived, those Luna damn sons of bitches. Before me were two bears and four ponies, all dressed in signature formal wear and snazzy zoot suits. I kept my mouth shut waiting for contact, watching the bears puff their cigars, standing several ponies above me and everyone else. They were towering palookas rippling with muscle and bravado, growling low bearsky to their equine officers.

I saw the one on the right, dressed in a leather-armored zoot suit, puff smoke as he grumbled. His voice was a low, rumbling bass. It might've caused an earthquake if he kept talking instead of glancing between me and his boss.

"Kogda ya poluchu , chtoby ubit'...?"

"Vskore, Eyeman. Vskore." His leader assured, straightening his tie and approaching me with a lowered luger.

The stallion before me was a slender, high-nosed stallion that liked to look down on me with his head in the clouds. Standing on the edge of the entrance, he eyed me over without so much as a word. A rough gust of wind kicked his hat away, but he caught it just after lift-off, holding it to his chest with a bow.

"Morning, sir. Are you fine this dusty wasteland afternoon?" He asked, glancing back to check on his men.

"Good morning. I'm doing swell as ever." I answered, yawning into my forehoof.

His coat was a pale beige. The eyes, though, seemed familiar. Toxic, lime green. I felt a pit of serpents crawling around in my stomach. He wasn't an ordinary stallion, I'd give him that. Just being in the same room might've felt like a mudbath with a thousand eels. There was something off about him, wether that was the curious blankness of his left eye, or the way it split focus to look elsewhere, I didn't know. It seemed as though he were gazing into another world I couldn't see, playing a grand joke on the words of the script.

"Good, good... You and I will get along just fine. Say, I heard you had a friend of ours, Johnny. You know. Sharp metal armor. Big cannon. All that fine moolah. You seen her around here by any chance?"

"No, sir, I don't believe I have." I stated, standing my ground and crounching into a stretch.

"Really...? You know my friend Eyeman here has a great nose, johnny. He could sniff a mare right out of a feminist riot. Down to the red hair. And even down to the freckle, if you can believe that. I'm willing to bet you and her have fallen into a quiet, hush hush affair, isn't that right...?"

The uncanny colt fixed his hat to have more of a sideways tilt, pulling a switchblade from underneath the hem.

"You know, johnny, she's not the marrying type. She's gone through ten, probably twelve stallions by now and boy let me tell you, it wasn't for any of their personalities... So, whaddyou say, johnny...? I give you six thousand caps by tomorrow, three thousand upfront. Then you can have a good time down in Maripony and I can find Her a good home."

I nodded softly, making eye-contact with him and taking a puff of my cigarette.

"Sure. But you don't have to pay me with money. Your blood is enough."

His eyes grew wide and his wolfish smile turned to ashes.

What more could I say. Anyone that talked that way about Bruise would live on life support. I fired the first shell into the lunchbox by the farthest bear. It blew his leg off and decommissioned two of the pony goons. Before the others could look away from the boom, I rushed into danger.

The lead colt flew backwards as I gored him with my antlers. The coolant, it seemed, bit into him and left him stunned, siezing and breathless on the floor. I scrammed back inside and unlocked the door to the broadsider. I hid behind the first shack at the top of the stairs.

The other bear lumbered over with a large, almost tree-sized baseball bat. His own personal touches were two sawblades on either side, both rusted over with blood, sweat and shit from prior rampages. I could smell the impending death over his cheap, musky cologne. Must've been an off-brand of lilacs and all that hullabaloo.

"Stupid little deer... You understand I find you and I break you, yes? Come out and face me like a man." He grumbled, stomping up the steps.

He blew smoke from his fat cigar and neared engagement distance.

"There is no forest here, little island bitch. You aren't safe no matter where you are. When I smell you... I track you. And when I find you, your bones are tiny chewtoys. You hear me, vostochnaya shlyukha?"

He took the last step up the stairs and shifted his eyes around. He didn't know where I was. I found that humorous. So I introduced myself by leaping off the roof, leaving the cover of the chimney. He swung at me mid-lunge, only, the sawblades glanced off my suit. The poor condition of his weapon must've bent and dulled the teeth.

I secured his neck and initiated a chokehold, one foreleg and slammed his temple with the other. He roared with rage as he slammed backwards into the nearest shack. The house dismantled with a booming crash, but I was still gripping. I struck his ear and used my combat knife to pierce the other. The brute lifted me off his back and put me in a piledriver. My helmet shattered violently against the rocky flooring. We couldn't repair it properly without the rare materials, so we had to improvise with regular glass.

I shambled backwards and beheld him, that towering, feral thing in front of me. He wore the clothes of a civilized person, but deep down he was just pure killing intent. I knew it in his eyes. They weren't alive. They were excited. He was glad to fight.

"Finally... good match. But we both know, puny deer; I must break you."

"You can try." I grunted, raising up and cracking my spine.

I stamped my forehoof and charged.

We met face-to-face, shoving and grappling against one another. He took hold of my antlers and did his best to snap them. To his surprise, though, he barely made a dent, much less a splinter. I sprung forward and jerked my head sharply, dislocating his wrist. The foul snap of his cartilage forced a roar from his lips. His fangs were grizzled with thick, sloppy spit.

I spun halfway around and showed my tail to him. Then, watching him rush forward, I launched my hindleg into his snout. The atrocious snap echoed throughout Rockopolis. I watched him stumble backwards and try to regain balance, flailing his arms about.

"I... will not... surrender." He growled, thrashing back and forth till he stood on all fours.

"I will never surrender...! I am bear! I am pride of the motherland!"

His eyes surged red, and the once ferocious brown pigment of his coat turned a dark sanguine. There was a skull by his name and my pipbuck said he'd mutated. A dim glow of crimson washed over his body, exploding outwards and paralyzing me.

Pride struck me head first and swiped me to the floor. He struggled to rip apart my antlers, but when he did, I felt the marrow spilling wildly over my mane. The warm slop and ooze seeped down to my scalp. I grunted in agony as he ripped my left foreleg off and stomped on my chest, yanking thoroughly to repeat the process.

I thought that maybe, it was over.

I would die there.

He held me down and swiped at my right eye, flaying the flesh apart.

"Is this all you've got...?"

In the brief glimpse of despair, I heard the words beneath the commotion, the whispers singing ever higher. And then I heard them say:

"Never lose hope, remember these words."

I pictured Bruise smiling. I pictured her happy and giggling. I felt her warmth where nothing but emptiness was. And I realized, slumbering deep down was a hero. Someone that could make a difference if they just tried. I strained my right foreleg and slammed it into his temple.

The thought of seeing Bruise happy filled me with determination.

"You think you're tough?! I'll show you tough!" I barked, stumbling to my hooves.

I strided over, one step at a time. I felt something change in my body. Something... odd. I felt my muscles threatening to tear off my bone. And somehow, he must've seen it, too. His eyes went wide and all his power has drained out of him. His eyes reverted to white, reflective pigments. In the mirror of his pupils, I saw myself, bursting with sky blue energy.

I slammed my foreleg into his temple, then his ear, then his chin, then the side of his jaw and then, I shifted my weight, crouching to the ground. I jolted my forehoof against his neck, carrying all my weight and forcing him backwards.

The bear was a mess of shattered bones, swollen lips and lacerations. I stepped over his living corpse and held him up by the neck. I glanced around to see Bruise with a few bulletholes in her armor. Other than that, she seemed fine. Unscathed, even. The blood on her armor told me the others were taken care of.

"Listen closely, because you and me will never see each other again..." I hushed, pinching blood from his coat.

"... This is what I've got."

Author's Note

Level Up!

New Perk Added!

Brawler

What's the use in guns? Now every unarmed hit you do does an extra 10% damage and because of your wild blows, sometimes your hits can't be blocked! Your damage for every hit increases with strength and perk rank. The chance to break/avoid the block, however, depends on how low or high your enemy's unarmed skill is.

Chapter Six: Home

Author's Note

Home

Chapter Six: Home

Where was home, really.

For me, home was a place surrounded by saltwater and tuna. I didn't know much about Equestria in general, even before the war. Most of my travel opportunities were strictly military-funded. The undying memories stabbed me somewhere soft. I stayed quiet, alone with my thoughts.

I didn't even notice the door was open.

That's when somepony walked in.

"Glass...? What are you doin' with that teddy bear?"

I knew who's voice it was. Same smooth jumps in inflection. Same brogue. And same alcoholic musk clinging to her coat. Bruise had seen me gazing into that toy. I couldn't rip my eyes away. Not even once.

"I'm... just being nostalgic, is all." I answered, gently setting it atop her mattress.

"If you need to talk, Glass... I'm here. Really." She soothed, trotting over till we could touch each other.

What could a buck do but hide his feelings. I didn't know what to say. Or what to think. How did someone articulate grief. Grief was a complicated process. The way we all dealt with it was chaotic and unique to the proposed individual. I was no different. I answered best I could in the cold melancholy.

"I just miss my daughter." I answered, averting my eyes.

Daughter. That was a word I hasn't used in a while. When Bruise came over to hold me, tears swelling in her eyes, I held her too. Sure she was comforting. Sure it was paradise pressed against her, thick with Lily July on her lips. But I felt vulnerable. For the past few days, I'd spent all my time trying to be strong and acting tough. I fought to protect the people I had. But, I'd forgotten I was mortal. My missing foreleg would stay missing my entire life. I forgot that I could bleed.

Yesterday, and then subsequently that morning, I realized what I was missing.

"Everyday I reported back to base camp, I thought about her. Her and my wife. I wasn't always... this." I started, nuzzling her neck.

"I used to be normal. White picket fences. Comic books. That used to be my life, you know. Used to be that I would fight on the frontlines and come back to my quarters and talk with my baby in Canterlot. I knew the risk of having a child. Especially in the capital. But I was stupid, you know..."

I stamped the ground beneath me in pain. I tried not to gnash my teeth. But my eyes were stabbing my head. The tears were razors dipped in rubbing alcohol. I did my best to not sniffle or sob. I wasn't ready to cry.

"She used... she used to smile every time we called. Every single time I heard her voice, I forgot all about the injuries. All the screams and limbs being blown off. I forgot because- I had-! I had someone important to look after..."

Fuck. Why was I shaking.

"Halfway through my second tour, I... I got a call that someone had taken them away. Kidnapped. I couldn't leave formally. And the military didn't have any way to support me. The bears took my wife and child. Just because I was a marine. They took them away and sent photos to my house."

I fell into a deep trance. And I stared off, transfixed in the memory of seeing them all... mangled. Sometimes, in pieces. Sometimes, under two or three bears. The thought of all that pain bled my eyes. I felt the tears streaming, but nothing else could catch my attention. I felt my legs go limp.

"Glass... No matter what happens, you made it. You really did, bucko..."

"I know," I answered, trembling everywhere, barely able to light my smoke.

"I just wake up sometimes... thinking: why wasn't it me? What did I ever do to deserve them. I used to believe in good. I never even thought of killing for money. But time can bring you down."

We held each other close for an hour. Maybe longer. I couldn't tell, really. The time we spent together had patched most of the immediate lacerations deep down. It was just my years alone that opened the scars. When I woke up, fizzy and lightheaded, I found us tangled together by the legs. I wasn't surprised by the feeling of my sheathe against her coat. After I quit the marines, I fell into the same problem she had.

What else was I supposed to do but drown myself in booze and sex and violence.

Bruise had snuggled up with me and the teddy between her hindlegs. Probably to separate us where it counted, even if us shifting slid it out of place. When I saw her eyelashes flutter, I realized why I'd wanted to take care of her. I knew somehow, somewhere, Bruise reminded me of a brat without a castle. I realized why she belonged in my life. And why I belonged in her's.

She slept heavily, clinging to her teddy bear and pressing against me.

I remembered her warmth and fell asleep against her, my pincess without a castle.

My new chance at home.

Chapter Seven: Once Upon A Time

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Chapter Eight: Get Dunked

Hoowee. What's the cliché?

So close, yet so far away?

That was me and my mission right there.

Glass was in Cockopolis and I was just wondering if my brothers in wings could hook him up with prosthetics. The problem was that coolant. It wouldn't work without a steady electron signal. His limbs would respond in a delayed fashion. Because, you know, the microthermal environment would slow everything. Even the lighting quick electrons.

Pretty neat, huh?

But I wasn't having fun, yet. I finished complaining to one of the school teachers but all that cat did was tell me he had no handouts. What kind of response was that? Why would I want handouts if I was rambling about my situation. I decided to let him do his own thing and trotted away.

The day felt arid, almost empty because of how arid. I thoughy a quick drink of purified water would help, but the thirst would always be there. No matter how many bottles I'd drink in my lifetime, or how little I did, I'd always need water. I was alive just like everypony else.

I came to terms with how I felt about the wasteland. I knew I wasn't anything special by myself. On my own, I was just a colt with a labcoat and some bad jokes. Knowledge on temporal quantam anomolies and non-linears didn't do a thing. It just helped your understanding of the world around you.

And that was what I did, cool cats.

I watched the world go by one second at a time. I played by the rules, but most days, I had to play the rules, too. The first order was a side of circuitry. Then, a few vacuum tubes. The liquid nitrogen, copper sulfate and other chemicals would be handled by Pip's R&D team.

Figures that when I went to go buy some, my usual junk vendor was all out.

Grasshopper had that look about her. Her cheeks were all flushed and stubborn and I was all too eager to calm her down. I strayed away from the main road and met her in the sand, tossing her a bag of chilled grapes. I could taste the sand as it struck my coat and wrecked my wicked Rainbow Dash wig. The best thing about feeding that poor kitty was the glimmer in her eyes.

"Hey, cutie. Something wrong?" I asked, lighting smokes for us.

"Y-yeah, it's just awful... I-I was accepting a shipment of circuits and steel when these two griffons held me up. I tried to run but they... they..."

I went to hold her and kept her from spilling over. No mare should live through that. I stayed silent and let the wind do the talking. I told her it was okay, cats. I told her she was strong and she'd already made it. That's when Hopper started sniffling, burying her face into my shoulder. I knew her pain.

"I just... I feel so... wrong. They were so rough. I can't believe they just- I can't believe they made me play basketball with them."

What.

"What?"

"Yeah they... they made me play so much streetball. They were dirty, too. Elbowing and sometimes they travelled- i-it was horrible."

The next few minutes were extremely awkward, but we managed. I agreed to return the shipment by dealing with the mercenaries myself. Most of the hoof distance was painful. Loose shoe leather was probably the worst part. Some punks with good boots ambushed me along the way. Or, they tried, anyway. We met down by an old apartment conplex called Hotel Curiosity.

Most of the building lacked functioning windows. But, hey, wooden boards worked too right. Speaking of boards, I spotted a gross bag of meat strung up by the roof of the building. Didn't really know what it meant, since cannibalism was popular by then. I figured it was raiders, but I could've been wrong. Alicorns could eat meat.

Scouting the building was easy. Most of it was walled by this jank chainlink fencing. A massive portion of it was rusted and torn off the posts. I couldn't imagine why a hotel needed a fence. Or why the inside of the lobby was turned into bleachers. Before I could snoop around, I realized half the building was blown to bits. All there was besides the lobby was a cement basketball court.

The stench of B.O, gunpowder and chicken coop rammed my nostrils. Gross. Extremely gross, man. Soon as I entered the court, two griffons swooped down from the sides and landed in the center. They kept quiet at shooting distance and pulled out a righteous weapon: a single, pristine basketball.

The taller griffon had an afro that took up most of his head. Probably a wig. Far as I remembered, griffons didn't grow hair. He wore these wicked sunglasses and dribbled the ball between his legs, looping it back and forth like a pendulum.

"Looks like we caught a pony cruisin' all alone. You ready to get dunked, son?"

He and his friend had a giggle. But I wasn't any ghostie. And they were in for a world of hurt. Soon as I saw the short one chuckle, I knew he was the beta. Typical follower cat to the big cheese. He wore a torn jersey with the letters B.B stitched over the original letters. I wondered why they needed combat armor to wear jerseys, but, hey... style, right?

"Rustle's right, cheese ball. We're gonna smoke you right outta da court."

I lowered my stance and slipped on my leather hoof boots. I knew right then and there they'd only respond to one thing: slam. They weren't armed. And they weren't actually that dangerous. So I couldn't just shoot them and take the shipment orders back.

"Let's just get to the point." I said, lacing up my hikers.

"It's a beautiful day outside. Birds are singing. Flowers are blooming. And on days like these, cats like you should be slamming in Hell."

We went half court and started their ball. I sprung away, shifting left and right to block the advance. They used every trick in the book. Twirling dribbles. Sliding the ball back and forth along their legs. These were some righteous mothers. And I couldn't beat them at their own game. I nearly toppled when Rustle shoved me backwards and went to shoot.

I remembered my old man's advice.

B.E.E.F.

Balance. Eyes. Elbow. Follow-through.

I tripped him at the hindlegs, yanking him back. I caught the ball at a blindspot and juked from around his ribs to dribble it forward. The other dog tried to skip out my play by bashing my ribs. I employed an elbow block, stuck it to his shin with a hoof kick and shifted my weight, taking the shot when I ceased motion. I followed the old man and his drills every morning, guiding with my right, shooting with my legs all at once and putting my hoof in the cookie jar.

I scored the ball with a righteous bank shot. It curved back and slid against the rim before circling the hoop and falling in. I stretched my forelegs wide out. They sat down on the stone, watching me strut my stuff. The amount of swag I just rocked them with sent shivers down their spines. I knew because neither Rustle or his goon Two Dog could look me in the eye.

"We havin' fun yet?" I called, dribbling between my legs and dancing twenties' all over the court.

They tried for half an hour straight. Couldn't even touch me. I saw their pittsburgh jacks and punks from a mile away. Everytime their shoulders slid up or to the side, a punch was coming. Everytime their head went lower than usual, it was a jack.

Wasn't long before I caught them with their pants down, juked them halfway from away to home and leapt up with the ball. I grit my teeth in a hard, macho grin, so alive, so unsung as I hung in the cosmos. Rustle tried to run jump and catch me, but I spread my legs far out, put my hooves on the ball and dunked.

19-02

Chapter Nine: Dear You [Final]

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