Fallout: Lavender Wastelander

For all the headache it could be, being the President of the United States still had its perks.

One perk Applejack thoroughly enjoyed was the private bathroom. Sure, sharing one back at the farm was fine and dandy, but to have one of her own meant she could finally take her time and relax without Granny, Brother, or Sis rushing her.

Bracing her arms against the shower wall, Applejack leaned into the torrent of near-boiling water cascading onto her head. A relaxed sigh escaped her lips and into the steamy air.

How could sitting at a desk be so dag-nab exhausting?

A buzz from the intercom answered her question. She had the weight of America on her shoulders, and it was a hefty burden. Sighing, Applejack twisted the valve closed. The blessedly warm water stopped instantly.

“Who’s callin’ me at this hour?” Applejack asked. It came out more testily than she intended, but it’d been a long day. A reminder that her private bathroom wasn’t so private was as unwelcome as a worm in an apple.

The speaker crackled again before the familiar, country-accented voice of her vice-president echoed off the bathroom walls.

“Apologies, Madam President,” Vice President Autumn said with a brusque flatness that hinted he had a long day as well. “There is an ongoing incident that needs your attention.”

If it was another cafeteria-wide brawl between Enclave soldiers and Equestrians about “dining with the mutants”, then Applejack was going to eat her hat. The last three days had been nothing but incidents. Most of them were so minor that they only appeared as reports on her desk, but the frequency and rising severity of the problems set Applejack on edge.

“How bad is it?”

“I am unsure. Depending on how it's handled, I suspect it may be resolved without repercussion.”

Something was off in Autumn’s tone. He was dancing around the problem. If it was bad enough to reach past his subordinates directly to him, then how bad was it to have him send it to her outside of office hours?

Somethin’ ain’t right in a big way.

“Autumn, I need you to tell it to me straight. What’s goin’ on?”

Applejack narrowed her eyes at the wall-mounted speaker as if she could look through the featureless black box and into Autumn’s eyes. There was a long pause that was out of place for the former colonel—a very outspoken and headstrong man like him didn’t mince his words. At least, not until now. Applejack braced for the proverbial impact.

“Security has arrested your sister and two friends for sneaking through the portal.”

“Tarnation! Why didn't ya just come out and say it?” Applejack demanded. Flying into motion, she wrung her unbraided hair like a used mop. A stream of shampoo-scented water splattered to her feet.

“I’m still gathering information myself,” Autumn said. There was a shrill ringing on his end, and Autumn picked up a telephone, asked to be called back in a few minutes, then set the phone back on the receiver. “Alongside organizing things for tomorrow’s assault, I’m having to work through several layers of hearsay to find out anything. I tried contacting Agent Dash to tell you sooner, but I wasn't able to reach her.”

Applejack turned to Rainbow Dash. The other mare was already out of the shower and quietly drying off. She passed Applejack the towel.

“I think I know where she might be, I’ll go get her,” Applejack said. She fought her twisting tongue to push out the simple lie of omission. Thankfully, that was all the answer Autumn needed.

“Perfect. When you find her, come to my office. I’ll escort you to the brig.”

Applejack was about to reply, but Autumn’s phone rang again. He abruptly cut the line as the intercom fell silent. It was quiet for all but a millisecond before Rainbow Dash threw her hands into the air and snarled.

“Seriously? Those fillies have done some reckless things, but this has got to take the cake. Why did our sisters think it was a good idea to sneak to Earth?”

“I don't know,” Applejack growled as she furiously worked the towel over her soaked body. There were still plenty of wet spots over her skin, but her little sis was in trouble. She would just have to make do wearing damp clothes. As soon as she felt dry as necessary, Applejack balled up the towel and slammed it into the hamper on her way to the door.

She stepped into the room beyond, racking her brain for why her little sis would do something so dang stupid. Applejack halted the line of thought as soon as it came. Pondering the why didn’t matter. Applebloom was in trouble, and nothing would stop Applejack from helping her. Especially not the empty bottle of apple-mead she nearly stepped on.

The side of her foot was sufficient to send it rolling towards the bed. She would clean it up later, along with the two sets of clothes scattered across the floor.

Applejack reached the dresser and checked over her shoulder. Rainbow was already pulling clothes from a sports bag laying on the foot of the bed. She had brought a change of clothes… among other things.

Tarnation this room needs airing out, Applejack thought as she grabbed one of Rainbow's toys off the dresser and lazily tossed it Rainbow’s way, intending for her to hide it. The floppy, multi-colored thing bounced off the duvet before it flipped end-over-end and landed in the wastebasket by the writing desk, crunching on top of papers.

“I know that one wasn’t your favorite, but you didn’t have to throw it away,” Rainbow said with a casual laugh as she rushed over to the desk.

Applejack snorted, glad for the accident’s distraction from the worry tightening her guts. The distraction didn't last.

Please be okay, sis.

Shaking her head, Applejack refocused on dressing. Black panties. Black bra. Black socks. Almost every darned piece of clothing she owned from the Enclave was black and business-like. To save time, she skipped braiding her still-damp hair in favor of getting to said business suit. The only splotch of color was the white undershirt, but even that was bisected by a black tie. The suit was one of many dangling from coat hangers in her closet.

It took some time to dress, but even though she was in a hurry, Applejack made sure to straighten any creases and ensure that the American flag lapel-pin was right-side-up. Only then did she think about taking her hat off the bedside lamp before checking herself in the mirror.

When doing business, presentation could mean the difference between an empty fritter cart or pulling a fully loaded wagon all the way back home. A rush was no excuse to have a lopsided hat.

Rainbow Dash’s mirrored reflection appeared as the other mare stepped up behind her.

“You look good with your hair down,” Rainbow Dash joked through the anxiety that Applejack knew they both felt.

“And you look like ya just threw that on lickity-split and said to hay with it,” Applejack politely chided with a smile and eye roll. She turned around and smoothed out the wrinkles on Rainbow’s suit. She had beaten Applejack dressing by a solid minute, and her suit had paid the price.

Applejack’s mirth died quickly as she fussed with Rainbow’s clothes. Even though they were the only two in the room, Applejack lowered her voice.

“How long do ya think we can keep it from everyone?”

Her hands reached the wrinkled cloth around Rainbow’s cute, curvy hips, and Rainbow took the moment to cover Applejack's hands with her own. Applejack opened her mouth to ask something, but only invited Rainbow’s tongue in as their lips suddenly met.

Applejack’s brain scrambled like it’d been thrown into the cider press. She couldn't think. Only focus on the warm tongue battling her own for control as the mare she had a crush on for years reciprocated the passion in a deep, almost lustful embrace that sent Applejack leaning backwards over the dresser until her head touched the cold glass behind her, knocking her hat askew.

Rainbow was the one to break the kiss. Her magenta eyes stared into Applejack’s, long enough for her brain to reset and her toes to uncurl. Rainbow tossed her head to the side to adjust her bangs.

“Reeeeelaxxxx, AJ. No one will see us wearing wrinkled suits and think we’re sleeping together. And if they figure it out, to hay with them.”

Applejack wanted to agree, and badly at that. She wanted to share Rainbow’s live-fast outlook, but instead, she bit her bottom lip and looked away. It wasn't just the wrinkled suit. Both of them would be coming out of the same room, hastily dressed, and smelling of the same apple-scented shampoo. Everything was too dang risky, and Applejack knew it. The sex, the shower after—It was the little details Applejack looked for to dismantle a liar's fib like a rotting fence.

Maybe if we used different shampoo, or I arranged it so our rooms are across the hall from one another. I need to get my apples in a row, Applejack thought, then mentally struck herself. What in tarnation am I thinkin’, shiftin’ the truth and pre-arranging lies like that? Is being so honest settin’ me up to be a pathological liar? No dang wonder I ended up a politician.

Applejack pulled away from Rainbow’s wonderfully delicate yet strong and loving arms. She readjusted her hat.

“Come on, we can't wait. Our sisters seem ta be in a whole heap’a trouble.”

<>~<>~<>

Applejack had to squint to keep her eyes from tearing up as she seated herself at the table in the center of the room. The interrogation cell smelled like an entire cauldron of bleach had been dumped into the room—and recently at that. It was a minor grievance compared to seeing her little sis on the wrong side of the law.

Across the table, Applebloom slumped in her chair, staring at the cuffs binding her sun-kissed wrists together. An overhead bulb buzzed like a fly and flickered every so often. Its light burned too brightly and had the chain and cuffs glimmer like freshly minted coins.

The bulb was music to the shadows dancing in the corners of the room. When the brightness reached its apex and the gloom retreated, Applejack made out the remnants of dark stains half-scrubbed away on the floor—dried blood, most likely. Even after cleaning up their act, the Enclave was still haunted by the stains of the past.

Applebloom was lucky her big sis was in charge.

Lucky indeed, Applejack thought as she sighed and scratched the back of her head.

“Hey, lil’ sis.”

Applebloom sat up. Her puffy and bloodshot eyes were dry of tears. Applejack had been too late to comfort her little sister in her time of need.

“I messed up somethin’ fierce-like, didn't I?” Applebloom said, shoulders slumping as she turned away. It gave Applejack a clear view of Bloom’s cheek. The pink-stained medical patch covered the torn flesh where her sister had face planted into the pavement. It was the same shade of pink as her massive hair bow, and the pink of her tropical-patterned shirt.

Outside the bow and shirt, Applebloom wore a simple straw hat and blue jeans. While Applejack was no Rarity when it came to clothes, she could tell that the materials and stitching had the cheap look of Nightmare Night costumes.

Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo had managed to brazenly walk past the pony guards on the Equestrian side of the portal in the guise of stereotypical tourists. The human guards on the Enclave side of the portal weren’t as shirksome and had them apprehended within a minute of their arrival. It honestly shouldn't have been a big deal, a warning before sending them home—but her sister…

“Eeyup,” Applejack agreed with a heavy sigh. She dropped a plastic bag onto the table. The heavy brick of steel inside clanged against the table like an out of tune bell. “Mind tellin' me where in tarnation ya got this?”

Applebloom’s eyes darted to the gun before she looked away sharply, then leaned back in her chair, lips firmly clamped shut.

This ain’t no crime novel. Ya cain’t lawyer-up on your big sis.

Applejack grunted with pursed lips. Somehow, Applebloom had gotten a gun long enough to make it her own—the pink paint, glitter, and rhinestones certainly weren’t from the factory, that was for sure. Worse, she had ammunition for it, too. Security claimed it had been loaded and the safety was off when they confiscated it.

She tapped an accusatory finger against the pistol.

“Applebloom, answer me. Why in the name of apple cores did ya bring a gun?” Exasperation and bafflement dripped from every word. “Where in Equestria did ya even get one?”

“It's mine!” Applebloom blurted. “It belonged to Grandpa’s grandpa’s—” Applebloom spat as her tongue tied. “—bah, I lost count. But our family's had it for generations now.”

Applejack narrowed her eyes to slits as she glared at her. Applebloom was telling the truth, but not the whole truth. Applejack leaned forwards until she was looming over her sister.

“And who trusted it to ya? Granny? Big Mac?” Applejack asked, intensifying her stare. She sighed and fell back against her chair. Anger would get her nowhere. Applejack simply maintained her glare she knew always got to Applebloom in the end.

With the full disapproval of her big sister on full display, it didn't take long before Applebloom squirmed in her seat like thousands of centipedes were skittering over her skin. She looked anywhere but at Applejack, and the older woman could see the beads of sweat forming on her brow.

Finally, Applebloom let out a defeated whimper.

“You won't be mad if I tell you?”

“Don't reckon so, so long as ya tell me the truth. I'm guessin’ Granny?” Applejack calmly yet firmly asked as she tipped her hat.

Applebloom gave a weak nod.

“Sakes alive, should’a guessed from the start,” Applejack said, rolling her eyes. Of course Granny would be the one to give Applebloom a gun. Granny, bless her heart, was a wonderful mare, but a tad bit lackin’ when it came to the makin’ sense department. That answered one question.

“So why did you bring it?”

“Earth is supposed to be super dangerous-like, right? It's where all them crazies came from when you disappeared,” Applebloom said, talking with her hands as much as the rattling chain and cuffs would let her. She suddenly fixed Applejack with a glare.

“You weren't there to see Zecora get all cut and stabbed up ‘fore Big Mac came round with a shovel! I watched a mare die, Sis, and Brother was the one to kill ‘er! Smacked her in the head until the insides were leakin’ out!” Applebloom had already worked out how to point with her finger. “You’ve been here for weeks, and then-then Twilight comes back all busted up… and… and…”

Applebloom’s fury died in a fit of choking, shaking sobs as the young mare fought to keep from bawling. Her voice quivered like a rickety wagon wheel.

“Why didn’t ya come home sis? Why ain’t ya at least let me come here without a fuss? The portal was just… right there.”

Applejack was around the table in a heartbeat, one arm wrapped protectively over her little sis.

“Come on now, there there, lil’ sis,” Applejack whispered, trying to sound as comforting as possible through the tears welling up in her eyes. It wasn't like she had wanted to abandon her family, or tell them to stay away from Earth without good reason. “Things are complicated right now. I didn’t want you comin’ round because it IS dangerous. I’m tryin’ to help fix that. It woulda been just a week or two before I felt it was safe enough for you to come. Honest, Sis.”

Applejack pulled away from the hug, and Applebloom, to her credit, recovered quickly. She wiped her face with an arm and sniffled.

“I know. It's what Big Mac told me. But Scoots noticed all the soldiers comin’ through Ponyville the last few days. The girls and I figured somethin’ was up, and I knew I just had to see ya in case you dun got killed. You couldn’t have taken at least one day off from presidentin’ to let me and Granny know you’re okay in person?”

“I wish I could, Applebloom, wish I could. I know family is important, but I’m doing a very important job that demands a lot of my time. You understand, right? I’ll come home soon as I can.”

“Promise?” Applebloom asked, pleading with watery, tired eyes. They belonged to a mare twice the filly’s age. The bags under Applebloom's eyes were even more pronounced as a human, Applejack could tell. She knew her little sister.

I missed her growing up so fast while I was gone.

“Promise,” Applejack said with every ounce of honesty she could put into the oath. She gave her sister a short hug before backing away to her side of the table and wiped her own eyes.

She then picked up the bag with the gun in it, inspecting the weapon. The rhinestones plastered on the pink-painted metal slide caught her eye as the lightbulb decided on being bright in that instant.

“Boomtwig?” Applejack questioned.

Applebloom blushed.

“Well, when I was spyin’ on the soldiers trainin’ with their guns, they started callin’ em boomsticks. That thing’s tiny, so—”

“It’s a boomtwig. Well, Boomtwig is mine now, at least until you’re older,” Applejack said sternly. There was no room for argument.

“I understand, Sis. What’s gonna happen to me and the other crusaders?”

“You’re the only one who got caught with a gun. Scoots and Sweetie Belle are back in Equestria. However, the security guards said you tried to run away from them. You understand they would have shot you if you didn't trip over your own feet? Havin’ that gun on you made you a threat. So, like an adult, you’re gonna stay overnight in a cell. Big Macintosh will pick you up in the mornin’. Then, you’re grounded for a month, ya hear?”

Applebloom nodded, tears welling in her eyes again. Applejack saw the tears and relaxed the tension in her shoulders as she sat down once more across from her sister.

“Still, ain’t no use wastin’ the time we have right now,” Applejack said. “Let's catch up while we can.”

As soon as Applebloom recovered from the devastating news of her being grounded, what followed was a long string of Applejack answering whatever questions Applebloom asked. Even the more inappropriate or embarrassing topics her little sister could come up with weren't off limits. Questions like, “Does it feel weird to go to the bathroom as a human?” or “Is skin easier to clean than fur?”.

“You get used to it” and “Yes” were Applejack's replies to those questions in particular. The conversation then drifted to Applejack and Rainbow Dash’s arrival. How Colonel Autumn reacted to their sudden and naked appearance in his personal quarters, and the days afterwards where he seemed to be cursed to walk in whenever Rainbow Dash was shirtless.

The pair of them laughed and smiled, and Applejack felt like her old self again. The fact that her little sister was sitting there the entire time in handcuffs was lost on them both. They even tried to talk about Applejack's job as president, but Applebloom's eyes glazed over as soon as Applejack tried to explain what a ‘filibuster’ was.

With no clocks in the cell, Applejack couldn't tell how long had passed before the cell door opened. Rainbow Dash poked her head in. The look on Rainbow’s face derailed Applejack mid-rant about her distaste for the book Lying, Congressional Style.

“Hey, um, AJ… Autumn may have sort of kinda asked me where I was earlier. He wants to talk to us, like, right now.”

“Of all the times,” Applejack said through clenched teeth. Her chair screeched like a kicked timberwolf as she slid away from the table. “Sorry, but I have to go, Applebloom.”

“Holup a minute. What's goin' on?” Applebloom asked. “Autumn is your vice president, right? He mad at you or somethin’?”

“Or somethin’,” Applejack agreed with a lead-heavy sigh. She shook her head as she stepped towards the half-opened door and the waiting Rainbow Dash. Before she left, Applejack turned back to give her sister a friendly smile. “I’ll see you after we get this over with.”

<>~<>~<>

Vice President Autumn was already waiting for them as Applejack stepped into his office, followed shortly behind by Rainbow Dash.

Applejack glanced around the room. Unlike the organized chaos of her own office, nothing was out of place. All the papers were neatly stacked instead of forming a leaning tower. His bookshelves were organized to the point Twilight would likely be impressed. The only thing out of place was the shelf under the window sill. Several potted plants—including a familiar tomato bush—bloomed in wild directions while a watering can sat underneath the shelf at an odd angle for easy reach.

Autumn was behind his desk, massaging the bridge of his nose with two fingers like he was trying to pluck out his headache.

“You wanted to see us?” Applejack asked, standing across from him. Rainbow stood as well, although she had her hands clasped together in the small of her back in some sort of military pose.

“Sit down, please,” Autumn said, dropping his hand. They barely shifted to their seats before he continued. “Tell me—and be honest—are you two sleeping together?”

“We are,” Applejack said. She caught Autumn’s lip twitch a moment before he managed to suppress the sneer. “Will that be a problem? I thought you said you’d put aside your prejudices.”

“I have,” Autumn said flatly. “While I disapprove, there is more at issue than the fact that you’re both women.”

So there still is some issue with us both being women.

“Then what is this about, Autumn?” Applejack asked, leaving thoughts unsaid. While she may not have liked Autumn’s opinion on homosexuality, she knew arguing to change his lifelong-held belief would go nowhere with everyone’s tempers flared.

“I’m trying to stop a scandal before it starts,” Autumn hissed, jabbing a finger towards Rainbow, then to Applejack. “What you two are doing needs to stop.”

Rainbow Dash’s knuckles turned white as she gripped the armrests of her chair. “Excuse me? Aren’t we allowed to have a life?”

“I agree with Rainbow,” Applejack said, scowling at Autumn. “What was the saying? Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness?”

Autumn grit his teeth hard enough that Applejack heard enamel grind. Autumn took a long, slow breath and Applejack knew that he was about to go on a monologue.

“Listen… you’re entitled to happiness like any of us. This isn’t about your sexuality. What I’m saying is that you can’t clock out of being President like it's a nine-to-five and expect the eyes of the world to close. You’re always going to be held to a higher standard, Abigail. Especially if that standard is something you’re never going to be able to reach. Dirty politics are the bread and butter of the Enclave—always have, always will be. No matter what fresh blood and Equestrian ideals you try and add into the mix, opposition parties will form, and they will drag the good name of you and your missus through the mud.

“This isn’t about me, or about my beliefs, biased as I may be towards that lifestyle. I can overlook a Madam President having a First Lady—but where I draw the line is the borderline fraternization on gross display. Agent Dash is your head of security—your direct subordinate—and to that I respectfully say that I cannot abide. I was unable to reach Agent Dash in an emergency situation because the two of you were fraternizing.”

“Oh… ponyfeathers,” Rainbow cursed, slumping back in her chair with a defeated sigh.

Applejack clenched her fists. She wanted to argue back, but Autumn unfortunately had a point. This wasn’t because Rainbow Dash was a woman—at least not entirely—it was because of Rainbow’s position. Applejack knew that from the beginning, but didn’t want to admit it.

“So what do you suggest?” Applejack asked. “That Rainbow and I break up and forget what’s between us?”

“That’s one solution, but not the only,” Autumn said with weary resolve. He was back to plucking at the headache. “If Rachel was to quit the Secret Service, there would no longer be a conflict with the chain of command. If that is what you choose, then I suggest you keep your relationship under wraps for a short time. Maybe Rachel returns to Equestria for a month or two at most. Then, when she returns, you can be open with your relationship. The damage to your image if you come out as openly gay will be less than if you try to keep it clandestine and let the rumors fester during backroom talks.”

Applejack sat there in stunned silence. Autumn had developed and laid out a plan for her relationship—complete with the pros and cons to manage the political machinations of rivals—with what seemed like little effort. Rainbow broke the silence.

“Is that really all it would take?” she asked, shrugging. “If you’re so confident, then yeah. I’ll quit. Being in the Secret Service is cool and all, but I would trade my other wing if it meant I could be with Applejack.”

Applejack’s heart leapt hearing Rainbow’s confident declaration. The joy quickly turned sour as reality took hold. This was the Enclave. Politics would be involved.

“There’s a catch, ain’t there?” Applejack asked.

“If she quits the Secret Service, then as a civilian she won’t be the first in line for any cybernetic replacements. Opposition parties will use her relation to you as evidence you give out preferential treatment. Your sexuality will only add fuel to the fire.”

“Even if there are no other pegasi needing wings?” Rainbow asked.

“Especially if no other pegasi need wings. You would still be a civilian, and there would be claims that funding for researching cybernetic wings was misallocated for a single civilian’s benefit, disregarding the fact that we could sell the cybernetics to Equestria for profit.”

“And how do you know that’s how things will go?”

“Because I’ve lived my whole life in the Enclave and that's how I would go about slandering you,” Autumn said, tapping a finger on his desk. “You seem to be under the false assumption that my tolerance comes from some sort of new enlightenment. The simple truth is that I’m overlooking things for the sake of pragmatism. I think you should start as well, Abigail.”

Applejack narrowed her eyes at Autumn. She always knew he was a shrewd, calculating, angry man who would undoubtedly shoot someone if it meant getting his way, but to hear him admit it.

“You’re a bastard, you know that?”

“Welcome to politics, take a number,” Autumn said, dramatically spreading his arms wide. “It’s full of us. It's why I chose you to head the Enclave. You cut right through the bullshit with your stubborn honesty and got things moving away from circling the drain like we were under President Eden. Now you need to start playing the game like you want to stay in it.”

The game. Politics. Secrets, lies, and betrayals. Not a shred of honesty to be seen, and now Autumn wanted her to play by Enclave rules. What a fool Applejack was to even get mixed up in all of this. She slowly stood up.

“Well, Autumn, given how serious the choice is, give me an’ Rainbow some time to discuss things.”

“I’ve already made my choice clear,” Rainbow said, standing in the same moment she threw a fold of leather down onto Autumn’s desk. The leather folder came open to show Rainbow’s Secret Service badge. “I don’t need a badge to give me permission to keep my friends safe.”

She stormed off towards the door.

Applejack gave Autumn a sad, betrayed look.

“I don’t like to say this to many people, but you deserve it. I hate you, Augustus.”

“Good day, Madam President,” Autumn said with a heavy sigh. “Sorry it came to this, but I’m doing what is best for the health of your presidential career.”

“While it's polite to thank someone for help, I’d be lyin’ if I said I wanted it. Good day, Autumn.”

Turning on her heels, Applejack stormed out before Autumn could put another word in. She was done with him. He would be a problem for future Applejack.

Outside the office, Rainbow waited with a look of having stepped in something foul. Applejack sympathized.

“Rainbow,” Applejack said as the other mare led the walk away from Autumn’s office.

“Are you feeling the same way I am?” Rainbow grumbled, shoving her hands deep within her suit pockets.

“Depends. I wanted to talk it over before we made a choice, but it was ultimately yours to make.”

Rainbow Dash sighed. “Not that. I'm feeling like the worst person I know made a point. Even the Wonderbolts had rules on stuff like this.” She turned her head from side-to-side, as if looking for something, then dropped to a whisper. “The walls have ears here. Let's talk when we get to the Citadel.”

That was right. She was scheduled to stay overnight at the Citadel with the Brotherhood of Steel. Elder Lyons wanted her to attend Liberty Prime's activation first thing in the morning.

“With all this excitement I nearly forgot. We should handle a few things before we leave.”

<>~<>~<>

No matter how many times Applejack looked at the Equestrian Army’s camp at Adams Air Force Base, the same thought crossed her mind.

It looks like a carnival.

Dozens of colored tents of all shapes and sizes butted up against one another in vague columns and rows. Fire pits and burn barrels gleamed like miniature stars trapped on Earth, under-lighting a mish-mash of human and anthropomorphic forms milling about the miniature tent city. The ever-shifting wind carried with it the scents of wood smoke, charcoal, cooking vegetables, sweat, and latrines.

Applejack fanned her nose as she and Rainbow Dash neared a tin shack the size of a changing booth on the perimeter of the camp. The security checkpoint segregated the Equestrian part of Adams from the wider portion of the base, and was manned by Enclave and Equestrian guards who waved them past without question.

The Equestrian camp was even more carnival-esque up close. No one slept. A tumultuous hum of excitement danced through the air as soldiers in camouflage-painted plate armor chatted in large clusters with a few here and there attempting to play music with familiar instruments yet unfamiliar limbs.

Some of the disproportionately sized tents were so close together that traveling past them was like hustling and bustling down an alley. Navigating the densely packed ponies-turned-human only doubled the comparison to Applejack’s experiences in Manehattan. She weaved around tables where games of cards and chance determined the fate of bottle caps and golden bits alike. Other soldiers used their time more prudently, but still took up space that Applejack had to navigate as they sat outside their tents cleaning weapons by torchlight.

Rainbow Dash—still acting as her bodyguard for the meantime—only had to get involved in one wrestling match that spilled out of a tent in front of them. She sent both combatants scurrying away with a flurry of sharp punches and leg sweeps.

Besides that and a few friendly waves, Applejack and Rainbow’s passage went unnoticed. Most soldiers were too absorbed in their various distractions to notice them. That was fine with Applejack, she was on a time crunch.

Thankfully, in some effort to organize, wooden signs had been hammered into intersections. Alongside each tent having a small numbered placard staked out front, it didn't take long for Applejack to find the desired tent.

The metal-framed canvas tent resembled a child's drawing of a house—squat and blocky—complete with a peaked roof and square windows made of clear plastic. Interior covers shuttered the windows, and the door flap was closed. The flap wasn't flush enough to the ground to stop the off-yellow glow of lamplight from spilling underneath.

Applejack knocked against the coarse canvas.

“Who is it?” A rough, older-sounding female asked a few seconds before a hand pulled the flap aside. Applejack looked down at the woman’s buzz cut dark blonde hair and middle-aged, light-brown face. She wore a form-fitting black jumpsuit covered in wires that linked together a network of sockets. The woman snapped a salute. “Commander in Chief! If I knew you were com—”

“At ease, Sergeant Dornan,” Applejack cut in with a smile, repeating one of the few military commands she’d learned. “May we come in?”

“I'm—nevermind,” Sergeant Dornan quickly corrected, shaking her head. “Come on in.”

With permission granted, Applejack followed Sergeant Dornan into the well-lit tent. Taking up opposite sides were singular cots with neatly made mattresses. Despite both cots being squared away, the spaces around them showed signs of use. A camping stool here, a personal item there. The little minutia to personalize an allotted area.

“Thank you for having me, Sergeant,” Applejack said. “This isn’t a formal meeting, so be at ease.”

The sergeant headed towards one cot with a suit of power armor standing sentinel beside it. The black behemoth of steel had more dents and scratches than a used wagon. Kneeling next to the armor, Sergeant Dornan retrieved a screwdriver from a toolbox by her leg.

“Thank you, I was in the middle of maintenance. Do you need anything, Madam President? I only need a few more minutes to finish. The left foot actuator is getting sticky, but I think I have it nailed down.”

Sergeant Dornan’s voice was rougher, deeper, and raspier than Rainbow Dash’s. Like she’d spent her entire career shouting herself hoarse and her voice had never fully recovered. From what Applejack read from Sergeant Dornan’s file, that was almost the case. The Sergeant had rejected promotions to keep her non-commissioned rank. An uncommon trait in the Enclave among the constant jockeying for better, more politically advantageous positions.

“Take your time. I just had a few questions,” Applejack said, carefully measuring her posture and tone of voice to come off as casual, but not dismissive. The measured formality was like living with Aunt and Uncle Orange again. Although she loathed to admit it, Applejack thanked her Manehattan kin for the practice playing politics. “While this is an informal meeting, I’d like to protect your privacy. Will Sergeant-Major Kilpatrick be joinin’ us?”

“Not until curfew. She’s quizzing the Equestrian commissioned officers on Enclave radio protocols and radio discipline during combat. Making sure their training stuck before the big fight tomorrow. From what she’s said to me, she enjoys working with the ponies.”

Rainbow Dash chuckled as she took a seat on the camping stool near Dornan’s cot. “Good to know some people in the Enclave get along with us.”

“It took some getting used to, but ponies aren’t bad. A little weird, but Mom used to say weird can be good.”

“She’d fit right into Ponyville. Weird is normal there,” Applejack said, looking over to Rainbow. A photograph hanging off one of the frame poles next to Dornan's cot caught Applejack’s eye. While the frame itself was pristine, the photo within had an entire corner burned away, while the rest of the edges were covered in black stains. The background was an unrecognizable smear, but the foreground had been miraculously untouched, or perhaps restored.

Front and center was a man in power armor, sans helmet. He was bald, with white skin, and smiling. One hand steadied a smiling, brown-skinned girl with frizzy dark-blonde hair piggy-backing his neck. The man’s other arm was over the shoulders of a woman with dark skin—far darker than Dornan's—dressed in grease-stained green coveralls. She was sticking her tongue out and crossing her eyes, while the man behind her used two power-armored fingers to give her metallic rabbit ears.

“She would have,” Dornan said in a tone Applejack knew all too well.

Applejack cursed herself for not noticing Dornan’s use of past tense for her mother. I can do better. Aunt and Uncle Orange wouldn't've made such a faux pas.

“I'm sorry for your loss,” Applejack said honestly. She didn’t need to fake sympathy.

Dornan said nothing as she glanced over to the photo, then quickly back again to her work. She shimmied the tip of her screwdriver deep into a recess on the armor’s foot. Only then did she speak, slow, and contemplatively.

“Thank you. Mom was a mechanic, Dad was a soldier. I took an interest in both fields.”

“I’m certain that they would be proud of you. They raised an exemplary soldier. You're one of the last users of the old West Coast power armor. Almost all other suits have depreciated without diligent maintainers such as yourself.”

Applejack caught Rainbow's look of confusion, then realized she’d slipped into her old Manehattan accent, complete with fancy words.

Dornan didn't seem to notice as she laughed and lovingly patted the armor’s leg.

“I try my best to live up to both of their expectations. Mom would have loved to meet ponies.” The hurt in Dornan’s voice struck a familiar chord with Applejack. It was the same somber wistfulness she used when talking about her parents.

“Both my parents passed very soon after my little sister was born,” Applejack said, wrestling back control of her accent. “I think they would’a loved ta meet humans.”

Dornan let out a sharp, sudden snort.

“Dad would have fuckin’ hated ponies, pardon my language,” Dornan said. She wiped her cheek with a sleeve. “Gah, I’m getting all teary eyed over the past. I’m tougher than this, I promise you.”

“You ain’t got nothin’ to prove to me,” Applejack said. “The loss hurts, but I like to think that it's a good thing. It reminds me how much I loved ‘em both, and I don’t want to think about what type of woman I’d be if thinkin’ about my folks didn’t hurt like it does.”

Dornan sat there, kneeling, staring at the handle of the screwdriver in her loose grip as if she were pondering.

“Emotions. Can’t live with ‘em, can’t live without ‘em,” Sergeant Dornan said as she put her tool back in the box, only to retrieve a small wrench in its place.

With her plan of slowly asking questions derailed, Applejack skipped to the point.

“Sergeant Dornan, I thought I should let you know that you're on the top of a very short list of people. I need a new bodyguard.”

Sergeant Dornan stood up sharply and turned around, face perplexed. “Isn't Agent Dash your guard?”

“I stepped down over political reasons,” Rainbow said, shrugging.

“Isn’t it always politics with the Enclave?” Dornan asked with a dry laugh. She glanced over to the wall, and the photograph. “I know I'm just a sergeant, and you're the President, but I have one favor I need to ask before I accept.”

“Name it,” Applejack stated in a tone of voice she hoped conveyed she’d put the weight of her office behind keeping her word.

Dornan clenched both fists.

“When we make our way back west and things turn sour with the New California Republic like I know they will, then you’ll find someone else so I can get to the frontlines and make the bastards remember the name Camp Navarro.”

The determination radiating off Sergeant Dornan was like standing next to a blowtorch while made of wax. Applejack wanted to take a few steps back. Like Autumn, Dornan was just as zealous and fanatical. Something about the Enclave must have bred intensity… and more than a little insanity.

Be a statesmare and control your reaction, Applejack thought, forcing a smile. She knew her false-smiles were as flimsy as a paper hat in a rainstorm, but the Enclave was full of people she had to deal with on a daily basis who had opinions far stronger than or contradictory to hers. The plan for the New California Republic was peaceful co-existence if possible. But if for some reason the Enclave and NCR did come to blows in the future—resources, ideology, or simple stubborn pride over old grudges—Applejack knew she needed people as zealous as Sergeant Dornan on her side.

After a few moments of careful consideration, Applejack nodded.

“Welcome to the Secret Service, Agent Dornan.”

<>~<>~<>

The flight was so smooth that Applejack barely registered the fact they were flying. Even the wind was muted. Blocked out by specially enchanted windows allowing Applejack a clear view of the moonlit clouds from above. Taking a drink of non-alcoholic apple cider from a wine glass, she set it down on the booth’s table before sampling a tomato-paste-covered pasta shell stuffed with spinach and mushrooms.

The Enclave cooks were getting creative with imported Equestrian ingredients. Applejack approved of the in-flight meal cooked ahead of her departure. Bus Force One was impressive—an Enclave modified copy of The Fastest Brick—but still far too small for anything like a kitchen.

Applejack stared at her next bite speared on her fork. She had an entire flying bus dedicated to her personal transport. Complete with amenities like a dining area and separate sleeping compartments for her and Secret Service agents.

“It’s a little overwhelming,” Applejack said, looking up from her lavish meal to Rainbow Dash, who sat across from her in the other booth seat. “All this luxury because I’m the leader.”

“Celestia could fly and teleport, but she still had a golden chariot,” Rainbow said, tucking into her own meal of broccoli and chickpeas stir-fried with garlic sauce.

“That’s fair,” Applejack said, not entirely convinced. A whole bus was modified and dedicated to her needs. Could the time the mechanics spent retrofitting it be spent better on making sure vertibirds were flight-worthy? Only a spare handful of the aging airframes had been cleared to reenter service in the days since a mechanical malfunction cost them the lives of over a dozen soldiers.

“Jackie,” Rainbow said, using the privacy of the dining cabin to let pet names slip. Rainbow reached across the table and squeezed Applejack's free hand. “Relax. Tomorrow, we’ll grab what we need for Project Purity and have a source of clean water. The other buses can haul as much cargo as pegasi can pull.”

Applejack smiled, staring across the table into the magenta eyes of the confident mare she could trust to reassure her when things seemed bleak. Rainbow stared back, then started to lean in.

Applejack stopped her with a finger to her lips.

“Your breath smells like garlic,” Applejack said, blushing. There would be no kissing Rainbow until that got sorted.

“Drat,” Rainbow cursed, pulling away with her own blush, but a wide smile. “Garlic isn't the best dinner-date food, is it?”

“No, it is not,” Applejack agreed, spearing another stuffed pasta and letting the conversation die down.

Applejack smiled and savored the quiet calm as they both ate. Between the stigma that many in the Enclave held—and the workload heaped onto her—quality time had been nearly impossible. All that was left were quick liaisons they could sneak under everyone's notice. While the sex was nice, this—the quiet moments where she could share a quality meal at a dinner table with her lover like she was family—was everything Applejack could have asked for.

Applejack hoped she could spend more of these moments with Rainbow. Maybe in the future. Autumn's suggestion left room for that possibility once they came out into the open.

“Are you goin’ to return to Equestria?”

“Haven’t made up my mind yet, but probably,” Rainbow said with a noncommittal shrug, then grinned. “I have to at least see Liberty Prime kick some flank and tell the other girls bye. I can’t leave them hangin’.”

Applejack smiled. Rainbow always impressed her.

They continued eating, silence returning for a while, until apropos of nothing, Rainbow asked in a low voice after finishing another garlic-heavy bite.

“So, what the hay was that whole thing with Dornan earlier?”

“What was what?” Applejack asked, not lowering her voice. They had already told Sergeant Dornan about their relationship, so she didn’t care if Dornan overheard.

“You started talking funny.” Rainbow gestured at her with her fork. An errant chickpea flew off and landed in Applejack’s pasta.

“Nothin’, just old habits. Aunt and Uncle Orange were rich, upper-crust types. I lived with ‘em fer a while, and they taught me how to talk like they did.”

“I know that, but what you were doing was different. You almost sounded like a real politician.”

“That a bad thing?”

“Yes—I mean no—gah! Twilight and I just had this conversation a few days ago. About all of us changing. Now I’m on the other end of it and don’t know what to say. Are you telling me you’re seriously taking Autumn’s advice?”

Applejack sighed. It was simple in her mind. Even Colonel Autumn could turn on her.

“Autumn’s office taught me that I can either play the game, or be played by it. If I don’t start takin’ things seriously and lay a solid groundwork for the future, the Enclave can easily slide back into bein’ a dictatorship. The wasteland needs a leader to guide them, not a ruler to control them.”

Rainbow Dash snorted.

“He couldn't have chosen anyone better to take over. I wonder if he acted extra Autumn-y to peeve us off as some kind of messed up wake-up-call, or if I’m reading too much into it and he’s just a mule. Either way, I’m going to punch him the next chance I get.”

“Get in line.”

They both shared a laugh and went back to eating.

<>~<>~<>

According to Rainbow Dash, Bus Force One landed far smoother than The Fastest Brick. Applejack simply took Rainbow’s word for it as they stepped down out of the eggshell-blue bus with white stenciled lettering and into the wide courtyard of the Brotherhood’s pentagonal fortress.

To either side of the bus were a row of Brotherhood soldiers standing line abreast at attention. They were unarmed, but not unarmored. Every helmet light was turned on, bathing a concrete pathway in light, but also the armor of the person standing across from them.

Dozens of patchwork repairs and jury-rigged fixes bedecked the T-45d power armor worn by each veteran soldier. They were as battle damaged as Sergeant Dornan’s armor, who’s rumbling warplate shook the ground behind them as she prowled out of the bus like a guarding bulldog.

A doorway on one of the many facets of the enclosed courtyard opened and an older man with a white beard emerged. Elder Lyons. He had a grandfatherly smile on his wrinkled face as he stopped at the end of the pathway of light.

“Elder Lyons,” Applejack said genially as she stepped towards him. Rainbow and Dornan fell in behind her. “It is a pleasure seein’ ya tonight.”

“Likewise, but I don’t think you’re here to entertain an old man like me,” Lyons said, stepping aside as the door he emerged from opened once again.

Twilight stepped out, her purple coat looked healthier and more lustrous than last time they’d seen each other, and her face was no longer gaunt. Following her was Daniel, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Spike.

“Ooohweiee!” Pinkie Pie giggled. “Looks like the gang's all here! You know what that means!”

Applejack laughed, and hoped that her in-flight meal left room for cake.