Fallout: Lavender Wastelander

Fucking idiot. Daniel cursed at himself as Twilight slammed the door behind her. Hitting a palm against his own forehead, Daniel berated himself even more. Idiot, idiot, idiot! Why on Earth did you think that would help in any way, you idiot?!

Anger coursing through him, Daniel couldn’t keep his chides contained within his thoughts. “Daniel, you stupid insensitive idiot,” He muttered, pressing his palm against his head again. “She has every right to be scared of you now, bringing her to see... this.”

Looking up and gesturing at a body hanging from the ceiling, Daniel gave an exasperated groan. Taking a deep breath, guilt and shame replaced his hot head with a knotted stomach. I must be the worst-

Daniel stopped as a single rifle shot rang from beyond the door, Twilight yelling in pain afterward. Rushing for the door, Daniel nearly rammed it off its hinges in his haste as he drew his 10mm pistol and bolted outside.

Daniel turned to his left, just in time to catch a glimpse of a dirty man in ragged armor before the man rammed his shoulder heavily into his gut. The sheer surprise of the attack sent Daniel’s pistol clattering away as his back smashed into the ground, the man straddling him.

The dirty man, a Raider, Daniel realised quickly, threw his hands around Daniel’s throat, gripping tightly. His foul breath could’ve peeled paint as he laughed and giggled, closing his hands tighter and tighter around Daniel’s throat. “Ha, ha, ha-ha! Oh, man, killing you will almost be as fun as raping your little mutie bitch!”

Like Hell you will! Struggling to escape, Daniel used one hand to try and break the hold around his throat while reaching for his pistol with the other. It was useless, the pistol almost a foot out of reach as his fingers curled in a vain effort to grab it. Pain seared his lungs as the time without air grew greater. Disregarding the pistol to try and rip away the Raider’s grasp, Daniel channeled all of his strength. It was of no use, the Raider was stronger than him. It was a losing battle for his life as each second sent darkness creeping along the edges of his vision.

Everything grew blurry as the strength to struggle fled him, his hands growing numb and limp as the darkness crept ever closer. All he could see was the Raider’s smiling face above him. Just as Daniel felt himself slipping away, a loud, ear-splitting crack echoed and the Raider’s hands left his throat. Blood flashed before his eyes as the gray sky revealed itself to him.

Gasping and coughing for air, finally able to fill his lungs, it was like a jolt of electricity hit Daniel as everything popped into crystal clear focus. His vision was overwhelmed with purple, Twilight sitting on her knees right beside his left arm. She had a look of absolute terror in her puffy eyes. Her tears cut a line in the dirt covering her fur as she grabbed onto Daniel's chest, sobbing something that sounded like “Please be okay.”

“Twilight?” Daniel asked, his voice strained as he leaned up. She wrapped her arms around him, pulling her face into his shoulder to muffle her sobs with the leather shoulderpad he wore. Taken by surprise, Daniel hesitated a moment before wrapping his arms around her. His previous thoughts were forgotten, and the embrace of Twilight made him feel lighter. “What happened?”

Twilight’s voice was already hoarse with sorrow. “I-I killed them...” she choked out in a whisper.

Letting her cry into his shoulder, Daniel rose to his feet along with Twilight, careful so they wouldn’t trip. The Raider that had tried to choke him lay on the ground, a large dent in the side of his bald and tattooed head. Bone jutted from the flesh allowing blood to seep from the wound. It quickly dripped onto the dirt and pooled towards the cracked stock of Twilight’s rifle.

Past the dead Raider, further away from the school building, lay another, his chest soaked with red. Blood and brownish-grey bits of lung and heart covered an old playhouse that was in the shape of a flying saucer. The Raider the pieces belonged to was slumped against a metal leg of the fake alien craft.

“I-I k-killed them,” Twilight repeated. She gripped onto Daniel even harder like a child clinging to their parent to hide from some fear. Her choked sobs grew even louder against his shoulder.

She’s terrified. It’s all my fault I dragged her into this mess. Daniel’s face flushed as he felt at fault for everything. All he could offer Twilight in the way of comfort was patting her on her back as he held her just as tight as she held him.

“Shhh~” he tried to comfort Twilight, but his voice came out a raspy hiss from his burning throat. She didn’t deserve this.

Gently, Daniel backed away out of Twilight’s arms, keeping his hands on her shoulders. The light of the setting sun cast an orange glint off her tear-filled eyes. The two glossy spheres were a mix of confusion and terror. Brushing away Twilight's tears with the back of his hand, Daniel couldn't help but notice just how soft her fur was. Even with the dirt and grime covering her face, the smooth coat felt almost like silk against his rough fingers. "Don't worry, Twilight. You did nothing wrong."

“But I-I killed them,” Twilight gently sobbed. Even though her hazy eyes were looking right at him, they felt hollow, as if she wasn’t seeing him. Lost in her own thoughts. “Celestia is going to be so angry with me. And what are my parents going to think? My friends?” Twilight closed her eyes, wincing as her tone shifted to hate. “I’m a murderer now.”

“You only did it to protect yourself, Twilight,” Daniel stated as shame flooded over him. Yes, she did do it to protect herself, but Daniel had no idea who this Celestia was, or what her parents were like. Gripping Twilight’s shoulders hard enough that she gave a small gasp, Daniel’s voice was calm and somber. “Raiders can’t be bargained or reasoned with. They’re animals that attack anyone who isn’t with them.”

“I cleared the place out last week, I had no idea those two would show up.” Daniel said as he lessened his grip, a sigh escaping his lips. Sliding a hand down Twilight’s arm as a memory resurfaced, Daniel gave a halfhearted smile, trying to think of a way to reassure her. “Even though you killed them, I’m sure Celestia, your parents, and your friends would accept that you had to do what you did. But telling them will come later; right now, all that matters is that you’re safe.”

Twilight blinked a few times, her eyes seeming to finally see him for the first time since she had saved him. With the sleeve of her jacket, Twilight wiped the tears that remained out of her eyes, nodding calmly. “Thanks, Daniel.”

As soon as Twilight finished, she grabbed her shoulder, wincing in pain, “Urgh!”

Worry flooded through Daniel as he closed the small distance between them in a single stride. Frantically, he grabbed Twilight’s arms and looked for any sign that she had been injured. “Where are you hurt?”

“When I pulled the trigger on the rifle like you showed me, the back of it hit me hard enough that I dropped it.” Twilight massaged her own shoulder with her hand, rolling the same shoulder as she did. Splaying her ears down in shame as she looked to the ground, Twilight continued, “Then after my ears stopped ringing and I opened my eyes, I saw that Raider choking you. I-I did the only thing I thought I could to save you... I only meant to give him a concussion, n-not kill him!”

Twilight seemed to be on the verge of tears again.

“I’m sorry you had to go through that,” Daniel apologized. It was out of his control. Looking away from Twilight to the dead Raider closest to them, the rifle Twilight had been using lay next to him, his blood soaking it. The stock was cracked and the barrel seemed to be bent.

Great, I guess it’s time to teach her another lesson. Looting for essentials between the parts where you’re fighting for your life. But she’s already been through so much. I don’t need to traumatize her any more than I have already.

Twilight gave a small, pitiful chuckle, trying her best to not look at the dead Raider. “Daniel, I’m fine... really.”

From her weak, unconvincing tone and teary eyes, Daniel could tell she was lying.

She’ll have to learn eventually. With his mind decided, Daniel took a large step over the blood puddle to squat beside the Raider. He waved Twilight over to him, “Twilight, come here a second, please.”

“Y-yes?” Twilight asked, hesitantly compiling as she slowly stepped around the puddle of blackening blood. She shied her vision away, ears splayed down and mouth creased into a solemn frown. Her expression was a look of concern and worry. Like she was anticipating him to do something even worse than showing her a dead Raider. Perhaps it was.

Daniel stood to full height, trying to make his expression and voice as stern as his father’s, “You may not like this, but you need to search him.”

Twilight stopped dead in her tracks, visibly shocked. Seconds passed as Twilight seemed to slowly process what he had asked her. Her jaw went from half open, to closed, then her lips curled into a frown, face reddening as she violently stomped her hoof down, "I'm not going to loot a dead body!"

Redoubling his stern tone and expression, Daniel felt the corners of his lips curl into the faintest of angry frowns. Staring Twilight down, he replied in a calm yet strict voice, "I'm not going to hold your hand, Twilight. You want to find your friends, you have to get your hands dirty." Daniel sighed, ditching the stern act for a friendlier, almost apologetic tone. "Sometimes literally.”

<>~<>~<>

Resting her back against a concrete wall, Twilight stared aimlessly at the rifle she cradled. Daniel sat with his back against an adjacent wall. He would often look at her, frown, then turn his head away. Like he had something to say.

Twilight didn’t feel much like talking.

Your friends are out here, Twilight, stuck in this mess. Twilight gripped hard against the stock of her rifle, gritting her teeth as she rested her head back against the wall. You need to face the facts. You killed two people today. I’m sure Celestia would understand, it’s not like I wanted to kill them, but you heard what they… Twilight stopped and shuddered, trying not to think about it.

Placing the Raider’s rifle on her lap, Twilight closed her eyes. It was you or them, they gave me no choice. No matter how much she tried to rationalize it though, Twilight couldn’t escape the thought that she was both a murderer and a grave robber. Her new satchel bag and belt felt heavy, like it was weighed down with rocks.

Casting another somber glance at her new weapon, she shifted the rifle around in her lap. Reaching down to her side, she drew her knife. Like the belt and the knife’s sheath, it had belonged to the Raider. The grimy blade of the knife was pitted with rust and the edge was chipped from overuse. The shoddy condition didn’t stop Twilight from scratching two short marks into the stock of her rifle.

Twilight’s ears splayed down as Daniel finally spoke up, his voice just as somber as her mood. “You know it’s not healthy to do that,” he stated flatly.

“I killed them,” Twilight replied, replacing the knife in its sheath before looking towards where Daniel sat. He was messing with a fire starter, trying to ignite twigs and dead grass placed inside a ring of broken concrete chunks.

Daniel’s face was stern. The very same flat expression he had when he was trying to teach her about the cruelty of the Raiders. “They tried to kill us,” he explained. “Like I said before, they aren’t worth the weight on your conscience.”

“No,” Twilight’s face creased into a scowl as she cycled the bolt of the dead Raider’s rifle, chambering a round before poking her own chest with her finger. “Their blood is still on me. I need to find my friends as fast as possible.” Twilight’s cold determination shriveled away as she sagged her shoulders. “I’m two weeks behind, and… and I’m terrified, Daniel. I had to kill two living, thinking people.”

Twilight closed her eyes, barely holding back a sob as tears cut a wet path down her cheeks. Twilight grabbed her chest over her rapidly beating heart. “Two… just to keep myself from being raped and killed, and… and you’re talking to me like it’s normal, because in this world it is normal. I have no idea if any of my friends are safe other than Fluttershy, but even then I can’t be sure because I have no idea what this Brotherhood of Steel even is!”

“Don’t worry, Twilight,” Daniel reassured in a soft voice, breaking away from his work to console her. He placed a hand on her shoulder, “We’re almost to the city, camping a bit closer to it than I’d like. Just a quick walk in the morning to a metro tunnel, a brief time underground, and then we should get to the Brotherhood of Steel.”

“Okay...” Twilight muttered lamely. It was good news for sure, but there was just no way to tell for sure if Fluttershy was safe. Hopefully she can help me find the others… I just have to keep optimistic.

The conversation ended there, Twilight sighing heavily as Daniel broke away to refocus on getting a small fire going.

<>~<>~<>

The fire cast a dim glow against the heavily worn walls of the building. Despite the crackling flames dancing inside the fire pit, Twilight only felt lukewarm as the weight of what she had done still pressed heavily against her mind. A cold, dreadful sensation worked its way through her. Starting at her hooves, the chill rapidly spread all the way to the tips of her fingers.

Before long, Twilight was outright shivering. Whew, it’s cold tonight. Twilight thought in a vain attempt to get her mind off what she had done to the Raiders.

Oh, who am I kidding, Celestia is going to hate me...

Twilight gasped as Daniel suddenly sat down beside her with a heavy thump. As soon as the shock wore off, Twilight realised he was holding something out to her, shaking it slightly.

A bottle of clean, clear water.

Graciously accepting the bottle - as well as an unopened can of food - Twilight nodded with the faintest ghost of a smile.

“Thanks,” she said, quickly unscrewed the plastic lid and drained the bottle halfway in a massive series of gulps. She pulled the bottle away just before she choked herself. “Whew, I needed that.”

“Thirsty, much?” Daniel tried to joke. It seemed he wanted to get her mind off her worries as well.

“Sure, sure. Nothing like walking to work up a sweat?” Twilight gave a few nudges with her elbow to Daniel, halfheartedly chuckling as he shifted his can of beans in front of him. Daniel drew his knife, and before she could question what he was doing, Daniel stabbed the top of the can.

Twilight’s curiosity seemed to outpace her worry. Tapping him on the shoulder she asked with concern in her voice, “Is that even safe?”

Daniel shrugged, rolling his eyes, “Probably not.”

Daniel stabbed the lid a few more times before she could complain, working all the way around the lid. Prying the lid open, Daniel set the can of beans onto some coals in the nearby fire. Chuckling, he pointed to the can, “You know, they don’t teach you tricks like that back in the Vault.”

Twilight had heard Daniel mention the place a time or two, although briefly, and she hadn’t had the chance to really inquire about the place. “What’s this Vault you keep mentioning? All I know is that it’s underground, and you used to live there.”

Daniel gave a half shrug as his face was almost a blank slate. “It was home, I guess. My father, my friends,” he sighed, “Amata.”

“Friend of yours?” Twilight asked, ears swivelling towards Daniel as she shifted her weight around to sit up straight. Moving the rifle from her lap, Twilight rested the butt on the ground while leaning the forestock against her shoulder.

“Yeah,” Daniel said lowly, before smiling. “She was a real close friend of mine. My only friend in the Vault, really. We grew up together, and we both stuck up for one another.”

Daniel gave a hurt sigh, Twilight’s heart skipping a beat as she nearly grabbed him to check if he was okay, but Daniel stopped her dead as he spoke with sadness in his voice. “She had this adorable little laugh,” Daniel sighed again, frowning. “Her father was the Overseer and never liked for us to be together.”

Twilight’s response was a simple, “Oh.” Must have been his marefriend.

Before Twilight could ask what an Overseer was, Daniel used a piece of old cloth to keep from burning his hand as he removed the can of beans from the coals, presenting it to Twilight. “Eat up, it’s a long walk tomorrow.”

“Okay,” Twilight responded, taking the can of beans, careful to keep the cloth on the can.

<>~<>~<>

On the second story of the ruined building, Twilight gazed out into the darkness of the Wasteland. Even though she could not see very far past the window-frame she leaned against, the sounds and smells of the Wasteland didn’t slip past her senses.

The cold night wind blew in a soft whistle, carrying other sounds with it along with the smell of smoke. Off in the direction of the city, a strange staccato of bangs and yells of anger… or perhaps pain... warned her that tomorrow was going to bring a brand new challenge.

Don’t worry Fluttershy, Twilight thought, her stoic gaze as unyielding as a mountain, I’m coming for you.