Fallout Equestria: Journey

Chapters

Chapter 1: Forced by Fire
Chapter 2: Welcome to the Wasteland
Chapter 3: With Freiends like These
Chapter 4: A Voice in the Wastes
Chapter 5: Rally Point

Chapter 1: Forced by Fire

"Can you do that? Can you explode twice?"

Chrome Fragrance walked downed the grey halls of Stable 174 towards the maintenance wing to start his shift. He passed by the ponies of first shift as they were leaving and heading off to the cafeteria to grab some food or off to the entertainment wing to enjoy their time off. Wiping his dark purple mane from his eye he stepped into the maintenance wing breathing in the familiar scents of grease, oil and metal.

“Hey Chrome, first one through the door as usual I see.” Came the voice of a mare.

Chrome looked over at the older yellow mare with a green mane. “Hello shift chief Night Bright.” Chrome said to the mare, his boss.

She sighed. “Do you always have to be so formal? You can just call me Night, or Bright. You don’t need to always call me shift chief.” She sighed looking at him like she has every time they’ve had this conversation.

“But that is your title Shift Chief.” Chrome replied flatly. He and her had been having the same conversation about once a week since he joined the maintenance team 3 years ago.

She sighed in exasperation. “Fine, whatever. Looks like the rest of the crew is arriving, your duty list is at your work station.” She said to both Chrome and the rest of second shift as they filed in. She didn’t have to as their duties were already waiting at their station, left by first shift, usually the jobs they never wanted to do.

Chrome made his way down the wall of work stations till he reached station 36, his. He stepped in his Pip-Buck pinged as it connected to the terminal in the room and downloaded the duty list. Within seconds the list was displayed from most important to least. Glancing at it Chrome grabbed the saddle bag that was on the work table. Once it was on he scrolled through his Pip-Bucks inventory system to make sure all the tools were in the saddle bags, sometimes the previous shift doesn’t put everything back where it goes.

Scrolling he found everything was present and accounted for. He selected the first task on the list, a jammed door in the security wing, and with that a beacon appeared on his EFS leading to the security wing. Chrome hated having to work on doors; it was difficult to work on something that required precision. It was a job for unicorns, not earth ponies.

Slowly the dark grey earth pony made his way towards his objective, passing by families heading to or from the cafeteria while foals ran and played down the halls.
All and all Stable 174 wasn’t a bad place to live. It was safe and had everything a pony could ever want. Even though Chrome may seem depressed to the other ponies he actually wasn’t, he just didn’t see the point of using more energy then was needed in any given task.
“Oh finally one of you maintenance ponies decided to grace us with your presents.” Said a firm voice beside Chrome. Looking Chrome saw was one the Stable Security ponies falling in line beside Chrome. “It’s about damn time; we put that ticket in hours ago. How do you lot expect us to do our jobs if we can’t even close the door to our own office?”
“I don’t know, walk through it?” Chrome replied flatly.
“That some kind of joke, smart ass?” The security pony blustered.
“No.” Chrome replied flatly once more. he didn’t understand why this had been made a priority if the door was jammed open there wasn’t much of a problem, the security chief was have used his clearance to make it a priority.
“Whatever, just get it fixed and keep your smart ass remarks to yourself.” The security pony snapped and trotted off as they reached the jammed door.

With a sigh Chrome got to work removing the access panel and was reaching back for his tools when there was a loud Thwamp from deep within the stable. Chrome and the few security ponies in the office beyond the door looked around. “What was—“one of them started to say when she was cut off by a loud klaxon that started to blare throughout the Stable address system followed by a synthesized voice.
“Warning, fire in main reactor room. Fire teams report to main reactor ro—“With a loud crackle and pop the voice died as smoke started to filter out of the air vents.
“Oh fuck fire. “ The security pony from before said as she looked at her Pip-Buck and activated the broadcaster. “Chief? Chief come in. requesting orders.”
With a burst of stacked the security chief voice came over the pip-bucks speakers. “Remains calms, evacuate everypony from the areas near the reactor rooms, fire teams are in route.” There was another thwamp and then static from the pip-buck.
“Chief? Chief respond?” The security pony said with a bit of panic.” Fuck shes not responding.”
Chrome looked at her starting to panic and cleared his throat.”Even still, I believe she gave you orders and don’t you have a job to do?”
“Yeah, r-right.” She said looking at the other mare. “I’m going to head towards the reactors and see who we can get out; you stay here and direct reports.” The other mare nodded and then galloped from the room and down the hall.
Chrome’s pip-buck started to click and his vision had a warning of 1 RAD/S.

“Well that’s not good.” He said as he looked over at the remaining security pony as she was listing to reports and relaying information as more smoke was pouring from the vents and he could hear other ponies starting to panic.

The stable shook as there was another louder thwamp and the rads jumped to 10 RADS/S. “that’s really not good.” He said out loud as he looked around at the smoky halls.

“You there, report to the atrium, NOW!” the security pony said looking at him as she left her terminal. “We are evacuating the stable.” She said with authority but chrome saw the fear in her eyes and could hear it in her voice. No one had ever left the stable; no one had ever even talked about leaving the stable.

Chrome blinks as she spoke. “Um…yes. Yes reporting. “He said as he grabbed his tools and started to trot down the hallways blinking against the smoke as the security pony trotted behind him shouting at everyone they came across to get to the atrium.

The atrium was a mass of panicked ponies all coughing and talking loudly. In one corning the medical ponies has set up a makeshift medical area and were treating various ponies for burns and smoke inhalation. Chrome recognized some maintenance ponies from his shift among the injured. There were few security ponies trying to maintain order.
“Everypony remain calm, everything is under control.” She said but another louder explosion shook the stable and sent a ripple of scream through everypony there.

Chrome looked over the crowd, this wasn’t everyone. A lot of the stables residences were missing. The highest ranking security pony was the one he had spoken to in the security station who left to go help with the fire. Now her side and part of her face sported a burn but she was refusing the medics attempts to give her a healing potion telling them to give it to the others as she was trying to direct everyone as best she could.

“Why should we listen to you?”

“Where’s the overmare!”

“What’s going on?!” ponies shouted as she was trying to maintain order but the panic was over running the crowd.
BANG!

The crowd fell silent as the security pony lowered her pistol after firing a round into the ceiling. “I understand you are all scared but panicking won’t solve anything. Remain calm please.”

“Where’s the overmare?!” somepony in the crowd shouted again. “She should be here!”

“The overmare is dead.” The security pony said and the crowd froze. “As is the security chief.” She said sounding calm but Chrome could see the fear in her eyes; it was everything she could do not to panic like the rest of the crowd. “The reactors are on fire, most of the stable is on fire. We have no choice but to evacuate the stable.”

“OUT SIDE WE CAN’T GO OUT THERE!” The crowd started to panics.

BANG BANG BANG

More shots into the ceiling.” Enough. Its go out there or burn alive in here! We have emptied the armory and clinic as well as the cafeteria. We have everything we need to survive on the surface. Once the fire burns itself out, we will see about returning to the stable but for now it’s safer on the surface.”

The crowd calmed a bit but still looked scared. They probably wouldn’t have listened if not for the security pony passing out riot shotguns and carbines to the remaining security ponies. Another pony whispered in her ear.” Are you sure?” The other pony nodded.” Very well. Everyone follow us to the stable door.”

Seems that was everyone the security ponies could find, half the stable was missing. Slowly the crowd followed to the security ponies to the large fear shaped door to the outside.

Once everyone was gather and surrounded by the remaining security the lead started to work the controls. A klaxon started to blare and lights started to flash and then the console powered down and everything went still. The gather ponies started to murmur and shift again and threaten to panic again. “YOU! MAINTENACE PONY.” The security lead yelled pointing at Chrome louder then she needed but she was showing the crowd everything was under control. “I need you to fix the controls, can you do it? “ She asked and Chrome looked at it and the access panel for under the floor and nodded before going and removing the panel and climbing inside. The rad meter was slowly rising every second as the fire was getting closer as it consumed the stable, most likely following the electrical wires.

Chrome crawled deep under the floor till he found where the controls were supposed to integrate with the large arm that opened the door system. A fuse had blown, easy fix. Popping the blown fuse and worked to replace it, as soon as the new one was installed the alarms started to sound again and he could hear the sound of hydraulics as the arm moved.

Chrome started to slowly push himself back down the maintenance tube as he hear the arm start to pull the massive gear door loudly from its resting place.

A few second later there was the sound as if a great beast was taking a massive breath then an extremely loud roar and the screams of hundreds of ponies as they were consumed by the fire rushing out the opening door. The tube became and oven and Chrome screamed as his pip-buck clicked madly. His lungs burned as he inhaled hot air and his vision was going black till he collapsed to the sound of everyone above died in the fire.

Author's Note

Level Up: New perk added. Fire-Proof 1
Your exposure to extreme heat has made your body more resilient to fire or other weapons that cause burning effects. However breathing in super heated air has damaged your lungs causing you to have trouble breathing when running for long periods of time or exerting yourself to much.

25% damage resistants to flamers and 10% damage resisitants to beam weapons. -1 to endurance

Subject: Chrome Frangence

Stats
Strength: 7
Perception:6
Endurance:5(-)
Charisma:6
Intelligence:7
Agility: 6
Luck:8

Equipment:
1 Stable 174 maintenance barding
1 Maintenance Pip-Buck 3000(will automatically connect to terminals and download important files and possess low-level decryption algorithms as well as be able to diagnose and highlight sever damage to structures and systems as needed)

Chapter 2: Welcome to the Wasteland

“It’s a brave new world”

Everything was dark, Chrome floated in the darkness. What had happened? Where was he? Where was everyone else? Why was it dark? He couldn’t remember anything. Slowly memories started to return and with it the pain…

Chrome’s eyes shot open as his body was racked with pain. Coughing he looked around the dark maintenance tube, the only light coming from the partly open hatch behind him. All the lights were out and his entire body burned as did his lungs. He looked at his pip-buck at all the flashing warnings, the most concerning was the rad level being deep in the red.

Gritting his teeth he slowly started to push himself backwards towards the hatch. What the hell happened why was the hatch closed at all and what was that smell?

Kicking the hatch open he slowly slid out….and found out what the smell was. Bodies, bodies everywhere, blackened by fire. He started to shake as he looked at the ponies fused to the walls, floor, each other. Stallions, Mares, foals, all burned alive. Some had tried to run out the open stable door, other had thrown themselves over loved ones to try and shield them, it hadn’t mattered. They were all consumed.

“So….you did survive…that’s good…”

Chrome jumped as the blackened body beside the hatch spoke and he saw it wore the barding of a Security Pony. She looked back at him, one of her eye looked like a cooked egg and her body was mostly charred black but he recognized her as the unicorn who was in charge of the evacuation and had sent Chrome under the floor to repair the door mechanism. He knelt beside her.” Uh…stay calm…don’t try to talk…”He said not sure what to do.

She laughed. “Isn’t that….my job?” She wheezed and chrome went to try and find a heath potion. “Don’t bother……I’m already dead….”She said stopping him. “It wou…..it would be better if you got what you could and used it yourself, your burned pretty….bad. “She forced out though gritted her teeth.

Chrome had been in so much shock at seeing the others he had forgotten about his own burns and now they started to remind him they were there and he dropped to his knees.

“Hey…easy…you need….need to get some medical supplies…I doubt the tube would….have protected you from….the radiation…”She started coughing her body shaking. “Over there…”She pointed with a hoof at where the medical ponies had been setting up. “Some…of it might have survived…..if you’re lucky….”

Chrome nodded and slowly started to dig though the supplies, trying to ignored the smell of the burned body beside the pile. Most everything was destroyed but he managed to find an enough rad away to drop him back down to yell on the rad meter and a single health potion. He brought it to the Security pony opening it and holding it up to her lips.
She shoved his hoof away. “I…said you take it….im already dead…I’m surprised I lasted this long…”She coughed violently, blood coming up. “Oh….that’s not good…” she wheezed.

“No you ne—“Chrome was cut off as the unicorns pistol pressed to his forehead wrapped in her magic.

“Drink….now” She said her one good eye staring him down leaving to room to question what she’d do if he didn’t. He drank it down and shivered as he felt his skin start to close over the burns for the most part. It wasn’t enough to completely heal them but was enough to stop the worst of the hurting and keep him from bleeding out if they tore open.

Chrome jumped as the gun clatter to the ground the magic releasing it as the unicorn panted.” Oh….good…you bought it…..I was worried…..you’d try to….force the issue….”She said slumping a bit.

“You….weren’t going to shoot me?”

She laughed again but it was cut off by more coughing and blood. “Ow….don’t make me…laugh….it….hurts….but….no…why would I…..kill you….after….saving….you?” She asked looking at him

“Saved me?”

“yeah….I…saw the fire….coming….and….slammed….the hatch closed….thought….thought it might keep….the fire out….I was right….”She smiled up at him “Least…..least I saved one….”she looked down at all the others she had failed to save. “You….want…you want to know why we in security….were always so….hard on you….ponies in the maintenance wing?” She looked back up at him and he nodded not sure what to say. “Its…cause you were more needed….then us….”

Chrome blinked and started to open his mouth to speak but she kept talking looking him. “You….kept the Stable functioning….you kept everypony alive….all…we did was patrol….and….take reports….”She laughed bitterly” it was petty jealousy….and…the one time….we is needed….truly needed….and we fail….and everypony dies. “Her look hardened” all except you….”She levitated up her pistol and turned it so the grip faced him. “take…it….you’ll…need it….more than me…..id…give you more ammo….but….the magazines….are fused to….my barding…and me….you…have one 12 round magazine of 12mm ammo….make…make it count….”Her magi failed and Chrome barley caught the gun before it hit the floor.

“What….what’s your name?” Chrome asked.

She chuckled looking at him with eyes that knew she didn’t have much longer. “I’m Soft Melody” She said smiling before her eye glazed over before slowly closing as her head slumped back down the floor, a slight curve to her lips.

oooOOOooo

Chrome slowly walked up the tunnel outside the Stable door; the wall had been scorched black by the fire rushing up the tunnel. He stepped carefully to avoid the bones that littered the ground. “There’s so many…”HE knew none of them were from his Stable, they had been outside the door all this time, ponies that died trying to get into the Stable.

It had taken a while before Chrome had left Soft Melody’s as he just stared at her, with that small smile on her face even in death; she had died happy she had been able to do her duty, even if it was only partly. He wondered how she had been before all this had happened.

Chrome knew he had to leave as he couldn’t stay in the Stable, not with the damage, or the bodies. SO he carefully slipped the pistol into his saddle bags and for some reason his Pip-Buck had flashed the name of the gun as Melody. It had given him pause but he soon snapped out of it and began walking. HE reached the mouth of the tunnel and it was open to the air but he could see signs that something had been over the entrance made of wood, it hadn’t lasted I the fire leaving bits and pieces lay here and there.

Taking a deep breath Chrome step out of the tunnel and winces as the light hit his eyes, it was a lot brighter up here then it had been in the Stable but still not by much do to the cloud cover overhead. Blinking his eyes slowly adjusted and he looked out over an expansive desert that lay before him in all direction from the cluster of rocks that hid the entrance to his Stable. In the distance was a tall building in the distance with a large satellite aimed at the sky.

“Well….here goes nothing.” Chrome said and started walking towards the only structure for miles.

oooOOOooo

As Chrome walked he looked around at the horizons. “Sand, sand and more sand, oh and a rock.” HE said spotting a large boulder a ways off from his path. HE wondered if anypony was even alive up here of he was the only living thing in the world. That would cause issues as he didn’t exactly have any supplies other than Melody and his tool set, and none of those were edible or drinkable.

The tall black structure wasn’t too far off now as he’d been walking for about an hour and he could see despite how long it had been out here it was still in decent shape, if smoothed by wind and sand, even the dish was mostly intact with only a few holes that he could see from below.

MILITARY RELAY STATION LW39-4DI DISCOVERED

Chrome blinked as the notification appeared on his HUD as he neared the building and he stopped looking at his Pip-Buck’s map, sure enough there was a marker in front of him approximately where the building was. “Huh…ok then.” He said looking back up at the building and started walking.

He walked around the building till he came to a door that looked like it had been blown open, judging by the old scorch marks in the door frame, and judging by the lack of any smell of explosives, happened a long time ago. He slowly approached and looked in, the hall was lite by a few emergency lights, most of them had gone out long ago and the few that remained were dim or flashing faintly.

Taking a deep breath Chrome drew Melody from his saddle bag and started to make his way inside, not like he had any actually weapons training but if he did run into anything unfriendly it was better than nothing.

The halls were littered with scattered papers, discarded cans and bottle and bits and pieces of the wall and ceiling that had fallen. Searching from room to room he didn’t fine much of anything else besides furniture in offices and destroyed terminals, nothing of use.

As he approached a set of double door, the one on the left had been removed and laid against the wall of the hall by an old terminal in the wall that had failed long ago. Stepping in Chromes eyes had to adjust to the much darker room as it was only lite by a single emergency light above the door, but he could make out a few rows of desk in the room with terminals one them and a door to a side room to his right with light coming from under it.

Chrome approached it and tried to open it, it didn’t budge. “Well…wasn’t expecting that.” He said as a locked door in a place where people had forced their way in with explosives was surprising. Looking around the room he shrugged and turned around. Four quick bucks later and the door slammed open reveling an office with a working light above the desk, a book shelf, filing cabinets a terminal, and a single skeleton of an earth pony sitting behind the desk, a shotgun between its legs, the fact the back half of its skull was missing and the dark stain on the wall behind it left no guesses as to what had happened.

Chrome stored Melody back in his saddle bags as if anything meant him harm it would have attacked by now. Walking up to the desk he saw a single mouth written note by the terminal. “WHAT HAVE WE DONE?” was written in large letter in the middle of the paper, and under it was written in smaller letters. “”Unseal the silent grave”

Chrome tilted his head, what in the name of the Goddesses did that mean? HE walked around the desk and saw the terminal was on and logged into a screen. “INPUT PASSWORD” Chrome glanced at the note and typed what the smaller test said.
“….PASSWORD ACCPETED” The screen flashed and suddenly the room outside the office lite up and Chrome ran out. The wall across from the double doors was lighting up with dozens of screens as lights started to turn on as did the other terminals, most of the larger screens showed only static but the screen in the middle which was the largest started to display text.

CANTERLOT STATUS: NO RESPONSE
FILLYDEPHIA COMAND STATUS: NO RESPONSE
HOOFINGTON STATUS: UNKNOWN
CLOUDSALE COMAND STATUS: NO RESPONSE
EC-1101 STATUS: UNKNOWN
NO RESPONS FROM EQUESTRIAN MILITARY COMAND STRUCTURE: MIA PRESUMED KIA
EMERGENCY PROTCOLS ACTIVE: STANDBY….
…….
…….
……..

Chrome jumped to the side as a power box in the wall exploded in a shower of sparks and some of the terminals exploded as the power surged and overloaded the old equipment and suddenly the entire building went dark as the power failed.

Turning on his Pip-buck light chrome scanned the room, the smell of burnt wires and smoldering electronics filled the air. “Well….what the hell was that?” He said looking back at the main screen. Sighing chrome turned from the screen and trotted for the door, there was nothing here and no sign of anyone having been here in a long time. “Guess I’ll look somewhere else.” He said leaving the dark hall way behind.

oooOOOooo

Chrome had trotted down the winding bath that had led to a parking lot and from there hard started following the road that lead away from the relay station trying to figure out what the text on the screen had meant, if anything. He knew that most of Equestria had been hit by Balefire bombs so the cities not responding made sense, what didn’t make sense was Hoofington being an unknown, that had been odd and what was EC-1101? Seemed important if it appeared on the same list as Canterlot, but what did it mean activating emergency protocols?

“Gah…it probably was nothing, just an old computer shorting out with the power in that place being a mess.” He said out loud as he trotted on looking at the sky over head, as best as he could tell it was late afternoon, he was going to need to find somewhere to sleep tonight as who knows what comes out at night, even though he hadn’t seen any sign of…well anything alive that didn’t mean there wasn’t anything.

“Well, well, lookie what we have here boys fresh meat.” A voice to Chrome right said making him jump and spin towards the speaker. It was a Unicorn stallion dressed in some kind of spike covered barding with fleck of dried blood on it and a broad smile on his face. Chrome blinked as more ponies dress like the first one made their way around the rocks he was standing by some of them giggling, all of them carry weapons of various types, mostly blunt but some had some rusty pistols and shotgun.

“uh…Hi…”Chrome said seeing that the compass in his HUD showed five red bars in front of him, what did that mean? Why hadn’t he paid attention to that section of the manual on pip-bucks. He hadn’t seen the point as there was no real need to use the compass in the Stable. “I mean you no harm.”

The unicorn stallion laughed hard and drew a rifle with his magic. “Oh too bad we mean to harm you.” HE said as he racked the bolt on the rifle to chamber a round and one of the others, a blue coated mare, laughed with glee holding a large butcher knife in her teeth.

“Oh I’m going to enjoy making him scream! “She said around the knife. At that Chrome turned to make a run for it, forgetting about Melody in his saddle bags. The was a loud crack and a sharp pain shot up one of his rear legs causing him to stumble and fall, crying out at the pain, looking back to see a bloody hole in his leg. He looked back at the group of ponies in time to be tacked by the knife wielding mare and pinned down as the other four casually made their way over.

“Oooohhhh where do you think you’re going, your my little pony toy and aren’t allow to leave till I say so. “She said down at him smiling wide around the hilt of the blade. “Now let’s hear you—“ A loud CRACK cut her off as the side of her head exploded outward splatting chrome with blood and bits of her brains as she slumped over on him.

“What the fuc—“ one of the others yelled as he spun towards the sound of the shot, only for another round to strike him square in the chest and he two slumped down.

“FUCK IT’S AN AMBUSH! FIND THE FUCKER!” The pony with the rifle, who Chrome assumed was the leader, yelled as he spun and shot in the general direction the two shots had come from. An earth pony armed with duel shotgun attached to a battle saddle turned to spray the area, only for another shot to come from the rocks the group had been hiding behind and a hole to appear in the side of his head. Chrome wasn’t sure, but it had sounded like a different gun from the first one.

Chrome took this chance to heave the dead mare off of himself and start to try and crawl away as the lead and a bat wielding mare tried to make a run for it the opposite way. Two shots rang out and they both dropped in a heap. And like that, it was all over in less than ten seconds flat.

Chrome tried to stand, only for his back leg to buckle and him to fall to the ground. He looked back over his shoulder and saw a large revolver held in a magical grip aimed directly at his head and his eyes widened as he realized he was about to die. The revolver lifted up, and came straight down on top of his head and everything went black.

Author's Note

50% towards leveling up

Chapter 3: With Freiends like These

“Red it’s dead”

Well, this was familiar to Chrome, darkness as he slowly swam back towards conciseness though this time instead of pain all over his body waking him it was a pounding headache.

Chrome slowly opened his eyes; his head feeling like it had been used as a drum during a heavy metal concert. As his vision slowly focused he found himself laying on his side facing a small campfire in a cluster of rock. He slowly lifted his head and looked around but didn’t see anypony else beside himself at the fire. Slowly he started to get to his hooves wincing at the slight twinge of pain is his back leg and looked back. Someone had bandaged his leg.

Chrome looked back towards the fire and came face to face with large glowing red eyes inched from his muzzle. “FUCK!” He cried out as he threw himself back, his injured leg not able to keep up so while his front legs kicked off, his back legs remained where they were and he crashed down onto his back with a grunt of pain.

“Well, I see you feel better.” Said a modulated voice that had no sound of emotion or gender in it what so ever. Scrambling to his feet Chrome started at the….pony that had been inched away from him when he turned back towards the camp.

They were a couple inched shorter then Chrome but that was about all he could tell. They had some sort of mask on, the eyes glowing softly red and the rest was dark grey and covered their entire face and partly down there neck, on top of their head was a tan color helmet that seemed to be part of the mask, painted on the front of the helmet in lighter than pain was the words NO MERCY. Their body had a long tan coat that coved their forelegs down to their hoofs and their back and flanks. On their chest Chrome could see they wore some sort of barding under the coat that coved their body. The only part fully exposed was the tail which was dark blue and silver.

“Uh…Hi?” Chrome said hesitantly. The pony reached up and tapped the right side of their mask and the eyes stopped glowing.

“You say that to everyone you meet in the wasteland don’t you?” Said the emotionless voice from the pony, it sounded like it was coming from speakers in the mask. “I have to give you some credit, sitting there greeting a gang of raiders about to murder you or worse.” They said as they turned back towards the fire and Chrome notice a bundle of wood held in mage slightly behind them that was set down next to the fire.

“You’re…You’re a unicorn?” Chrome asked.

“Last time I checked.” Came the reply. The lack of anything in the voice was unnerving.

“Sorry…didn’t mean to offend.”

The unicorn looked back at chrome and tilted their head to the side. “Offend? Oh! Oh you’ve got to be bucking me, you are fresh out of a stable aren’t you?” They asked and Chrome nodded. “Oh Celestia, I thought you were just wearing that barding cause of the extra pockets. I should have guessed when you greeted the raiders. I take back what I said about giving you credit Stable-Pony. “They said shaking their head and a flat chuckling sound came from them as they turned back to the fire and levitated a couple of sticks into it. Chrome shivered as he’d never heard a laugh sound so…emotionless.

“My names not Stable-Pony.” Chrome said a bit annoyed. “It’s Chrome Fragrance.”

“Don’t care; you probably won’t last the week out here, hell you almost died just a couple hours ago. If I hadn’t been getting into position to take out those raiders already you would have. Thanks for the distraction by the way, you were excellent bait.” They said looking back at him again for the last part.

Chrome blinks his jaw working. “Wait that was you that killed them?” The pony nodded before turning back towards the fire. “So…that means that was your gun shoved in my face!” Another nod. “What the hell, why did you save me just to knock me out?!” Chrome yelled angrily.

“First off, keep your voice down, I don’t want to attract anything to use if I can avoid it, and secondly, because I had no idea who you were and rather than risk you going for a gun and shooting me, I knocked you out and revoked the weapons and ammo and dragged you here so I wouldn’t have to kill you.” They replied simply as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Chrome jaw worked as he tried to find words. “By the way what kind of a name is Melody for a 12mm pistol? And why did you only have one magazine for it and no food or….well anything but tools.”

Chrome blinked and that was when he noticed his saddle bags and all his stuff was laid out by the fire as if it had just been dumbed there. “You went through my bags?” HE said looking at the pony blinking.

They sighed. “Well duh, as I said I don’t know who you are so I had to check you for weapons and such before you woke up. Unlike you Stable-Pony I actually want to live.” Came the emotionless reply, though Chrome got the distinct impression they were rolling their eyes behind the mask.

Chrome sighed and walked over and sat down by the fire, he had to admit that made a lot of sense. “What’s your name anyways?” The pony looked at him and reached up and tapped the side of their helmet with a hoof. “Your….name is No Mercy?” He asked blinking and was reworded with a nod. “What kind of a name is that?”

“It’s my name, that’s the kind it is. “No Mercy replied, once more even though the words sounded emotionless through the speakers Chrome got the feeling they No Mercy was staring at him with a flat look.

“Fine, fine, sorry didn’t mean anything by it…it’s just an odd name for a pony is all.” Chrome said and Mercy just shrugged and went back to staring at the fire.

The rest of the night past in silence from there on out only broken occasionally by Mercy walking the perimeter of the camp looking into the darkness for any movement. Chrome watched silently trying to figure out if his companion was a mare or stallion, the armor made it impossible to tell anything beside that it was a pony and the emotionless speakers didn’t help. When it had started to get late Mercy suggested they he gets some sleep and that they’d keep watch. When Chrome had suggested he could take a watch Mercy merely relied that they wouldn’t trust a stable pony to watch their back and also pointing out that once again they didn’t trust Chrome. And with that Chrome had no choice but to sleep.

oooOOOooo

Chrome ran through the halls of Stable 173, the smell of smoke and the screams of the other ponies filled the air as he heard the roar of an unnatural monster behind him. He ran into the Atrium and slammed the door locking the roaring monster out.

“Why did you do this to us?”

Chrome spun around and his eye widened at all the ponies in the room, the other stable residents. “WH-what? Do what?” He asked and suddenly they were all on fire, their skin blackening.

“Why did you repair the door, why did you open it” They said as they started to walk towards him, the metal around them warping from the heat. Chrome backed up till his rump hit the locked door. “It’s all your fault. You opened the door. You’re the reason we died. Why didn’t you die with us? Why did you live when it’s your fault?” the voices were becoming a roar as they got closer and closer.

“It’s not my fault; I was just doing my job! I didn’t know that would happen!” He said pressing against the door more and more trying to get away from the burning ponies.

“Lier! Your fault all your fault!” They said as one and in unison they surge forward and Chrome screamed as the fire swept over him.

oooOOOooo

Chrome eyes shot open with a gasp to the red eye of Mercy only inched from his. “GAH!!!” He cried flailing his for legs and Mercy jumped back, dodging easily.

“Well good morning to you too. “Mercy said flatly. “You are very loud when you wake up you know that?” They said looking at him as he rolls to his hooves head down panting. “You ok? You were twitching and mumbling in your sleep.”

“I’m…..I’m fine…just a nightmare is all. “He said getting his breathing under control. “And sorry for getting scared by somepony being in my face when I wake up.”

He looked up at Mercy whose head was tilted to the side watching him, they shrugged. “Fair enough.” They started to pick up the various items on the ground and pack. “Anyways we should get moving towards Rally Point.”

“Rally Point?” Chrome asked tilting his head a bit as he went over to his things and started to pack.

“It’s the nearest town from here, one of the oldest settlements in the area.” Mercy replied shaking their head. “Do I need to explain everything to you?” They looked over at Chromes blank look. “Right, Stable Pony. “They sighed. “It was probably the first town founded in this area after the bombs fell. According to the towns people a squad of Equestrian Military soldier lost contact with their superiors and, running blind, tried to meet up with their unit at a pre-set up location. When they arrived they found their commanders gunning down civilians and hording supplies, and so, they killed them all and started to distribute the food and medical supplies to the refugees and protect them as best as they could. And well…the towns been there ever since.” Mercy finished.

Chrome nodded as he finished packing. “Can I ask a question? Might be kind of personal. “He looked at Mercy who looked back at him. “Um….well….uh…what are you?” He said a bit nervously.

“What?” Mercy tilted their head to the side. “The hell you mean what am I?”

Chrome stammered out. “Ah...uh…I mean are you a mare or stallion….the armor…makes it hard to tell…”He finished weakly.

Mercy just stared at him for the longest time before they burst out laughing. “Oh Goddesses that has to be the most hilarious question anypony’s ever asked. “They said laughing, their whole body shaking with it, Chrome ears went back against his skull. After a long while Mercy slowly stopped laughing. “I’m a Stallion.” He said chuckling still shaking his head and tossed Melody on the ground in front of Chrome as they turned and started walking still chuckling
.

Chrome watched before snapping out of his embarrassment when Melody hit the ground and he looked at it before scooping it up and galloped after Mercy. “I thought you didn’t trust me with a gun?” He asked as he caught up.

“That’s a 12mm IU-32, it won’t punch through my barding at all, and if you tried anything I already know I could kill you in my sleep, No offence but you aren’t exactly the highest thing on my list of threats, your actually at the bottom Stable-Pony” Mercy chuckles shaking his head. “And if somehow, by some random toss of the dice you did score a kill shot, well then I’ll be dead so it won’t matter to me anymore. “He shrugged. “We all have to go some time. Way I see it you can be mad as a feral ghoul, you can swear and curse the Goddesses themselves, but in the end, you just have to let go when its time.” He said as they trotted down the road. “But that don’t mean I’m just going to lay down and let death take me easily mind you.”

Chrome stared at the armored Stallion as they trotted. Based on what little he knew about Mercy he hadn’t expected something so…philosophical. Chrome found himself in the company of a very strange companion.

oooOOOooo

As they trotted Chrome noticed something he hadn’t noticed last night or this morning, His HUD was missing. He stopped and lifted his right foreleg and looked at his Pip-Buck and the blank screen. “The hell? “He hit the ON button and nothing happened. He shook it and hit the button again, nothing. Even the old maintenance ponies fall back of hitting it didn’t do anything.

“Something wrong?” Mercy asked inched from Chrome making him jump and cry out again. Mercy looked at him on the ground. “Do you honestly have to do that every time I talk to you?”

Getting back to his hooves Chrome ignored the question. “What did you do to my Pip-Buck?” he asked glaring at Mercy.

“I didn’t touch the thing. Why? Something wrong with it?” Mercy eyed his right foreleg.

Chrome looked at him, as best as he could tell considering the speakers keep the all emotion from Mercy’s voice he didn’t know what was wrong. “Yeah it’s not turning on.” HE said looking down at it. It’s not like he really used it that much, but it was the idea of the fact it’s his and was broken.

Chrome was distracted from his thoughts by a bullet striking the road inched from his left hoof making him jump and look up the road at three earth ponies standing in the middle of the road. Looking back behind him he saw another two and a unicorn behind him and Mercy.

“Now now, no sudden movements and we all get to walk away from this alive. “Said the cream colored mare with a dark brown mane in the middle of the three in front of Chrome and Mercy. “Just empty you saddle bags on the ground and lay your weapons on the ground and we will be out of your mane as quickly as possible.” She said sweetly.

Chrome looked around; unlike the raiders yesterday this group looked better equipped with decent barding and only slightly worn looking guns. Chrome looked to mercy who was in the process of levitating his saddle bags off and dumping the contents onto the ground. “DO as they say Stable-Pony, there’s no use fighting them as they got the drop on us.” Chrome nodded slowly and saw the Cream colored mare smile as Chrome started to remove his saddle bags.

Within a couple of minutes everything they owned was on the ground and they had backed a few steps away from it. “Good. Clef sees what they got.” The yellow earth pony to the mare left nodded and started too walked towards Mercy and Chromes things, keeping his carbine equipped battle saddle aimed on the two of them. He started to hoof through the pile of items.

“Oh wait I forget something.” Mercy said and the yellow earth pony looked up and faster the Chrome could react Mercy lunged forward, drawing a long knife that was hidden from on the inside of his left foreleg with his magic and slammed the blade straight up through the bottom of the earth ponies jaw and kept pushing till he was forced up onto his hind legs. In the same moment Mercy levitated the same revolver that he had used to knock Chrome out from the ground and aimed it as he spun, keeping the impaled earth ponies body between him and the leader and other earth pony.

The revolver kicked as Mercy sent the shot straight through the left eye of the unicorn behind them. The two ponies in front of them reacted and started shooting, their round striking their dead ally Mercy was using as a shield. “GET DOWN CHROME!” Mercy yelled and chrome dropped as the rear ponies opened fire with the shotgun and carbines as Mercy threw the dead earth pony into the front two ponies knocking them off their hooves as he dove to his right and rolled. He came up and fired another two shots taking the left earth ponies in the chest and he crumpled like a sack of oats.

The carbine wielding pony shots trailed after Mercy as he danced to his left, firing shots as he went striking the carbine pony in the knee and shoulder, making him spin and drop. Spinning to face the front ponies who were untangling themselves from the corpse of their comrade. Opening the cylinder of the revolver Mercy dumped the spent shell casing at the same time he levitated six more and slammed them in before clicking the cylinder back into place and galloping towards the last two, slamming into the mare at full gallop, tearing his knife from the dead stallion. The still standing earth pony took aim and then the freed knife found his eye and plunged all the way to the hilt and he dropped.

The mare’s riffles started to spray but Mercy rolled away and brought up the revolver and fired. The mare collapsed in a spreading pool of blood seeping from the two holes in her forehead.

Chrome blinked getting to his feet snakingly at what he had just witnessed. “Ah…uh….” HE heard a groan of pain behind him and looked back to see the earth pony who had just been shot in the leg and shoulder laying in a pool of his own blood. He watched as Mercy trotted past chrome and up to the injured pony and looked down at him. Mercy shrugged and turned back towards Chrome as his revover aimed back and fired and ended the injured pony.

Chrome’s jaw worked wordlessly. “You….you killed him…” He said as Mercy walked back to his saddle bags and began to collect his things.

“Yes, your point?” He asked not looking up from what he was doing.

“Why?” Chrome asked unbelievably

Mercy stopped what he was doing and looked at Chrome and tapped the side of his helped next to the words painted on the front, NO MERCY.

Author's Note

LEVEL UP

New Perk Added: quick hooves: All this time of getting shot at has made you able to move faster while taking fire. +1 agility while in combat.

New Companion: No Mercy
Perk: Experienced Wastlander: No Mercy ahs been living in the wasteland for who know how long, as such they are very experienced, increasing your chances of survival by 50%
Equipment: Customized Riot Police barding and advanced scout combat helmet
1: .357 Iron Guard revolver
1: Menil bolt action rifle.

No Mercy Stats
Strength:6
Perception:7
Endurance:8
Charisma:4
Intelligence:6
Agility:7
Luck:6

Chapter 4: A Voice in the Wastes

“You’ll never guess what I just heard!”

After collecting their stuff Mercy searched the bodies of the bandits, collecting items off of them without explaining why he was taking them, Chrome still didn’t know why he grabbed a bag of bottle caps off the leader but he was still in shock over what he had seen.

They has walked for about an hour in silence when they had met two other ponies, an earth pony mare in a slightly dirty dress and a unicorn stallion in a leather jacket and sun glasses. “So….he killed your husband and you didn’t hunt him down or hire someone to kill him?” Mercy asked tilting his head in confusion.

The mare nodded. “Yes that is right. He killed my husband and I did grieve but after thinking I realized that killing him wouldn’t bring my husband back and if he had any family then I’d run the risk of them hunting me down and killing me. It would just cause a vicious unending cycle of death and hate. So I made up my mind and the last 6 years I have been traveling the wasteland preaching non-violence in every settlement we have come across.” She said smiling.

“And you’ve done this without a single weapon between the two of you?” Mercy asked. “Seems rather dangerous.”

“Perhaps, but in six years we’ve never had any problems. “ She smiled again. And mercy looked at the unicorn. “He was an acquaintance I knew and was the first pony to listen and take my words to heart. He has been traveling with me ever since. “She smiled at the unicorn and he nodded towards her smiling back. When she looked away the smile fell as if it had never been there. “anyways we have taken enough of your time, I’m sure you want to get going before it gets dark, Thank you two for listening to my speech. “She said smiling wide.

Chrome couldn’t help smiling back. “No thank you, it sounds like a wonderful dream, a world without killing.” He said imagining it compared to what little of the wasteland he had seen. Mercy merely nodded.

“Good luck and stay safe on your journey. “She said and started to walk up the road back the way Mercy and Chrome had come from, the unicorn hung back looking at them, mercy staring back.

Once she was a ways off he spoke in a somewhat deep voice. “The stallion who killed her husband became paranoid she was going to hunt him down. So he was making plans to kill her first.”

“You killed him didn’t you.” Mercy stated and the unicorn looked at the back of the Earth pony mare as she walked without fear.

“I firmly believe in what she is doing and will do everything I can to ensure her dream becomes a reality.” He said and his horn glowed and his jacket shifted. As quick as lighting Mercy’s Revolver was out and aimed at his chest and they stared at each other Chrome staring in shock between the two of them. “Heh...”The unicorn chuckled and smirks and the glow around his horn faded and Mercy revolver disappeared back into his saddle bags. The unicorn nodded his head. “Stay safe.” He said before trotting after the mare.

Mercy and Chrome continued walking for another fifteen minutes before Mercy turned and walked off the road towards a small hill with a few rocks around its base. Chrome had to trot to catch up as the change in direction was so sudden. When he got close he saw what Mercy was looking at, Raiders a dozen of them, all of them shot in the head without drawing their weapons or firing a shot. “Wh-What happened to them?” Chrome asked looking at mercy.

“Simple, he killed them. She’d probably kill herself if she ever found out.” Mercy chuckled. “Spreading the seeds of non-violence. “He looked back down the road the two had been walking. “Wonder how many lives it’s going to cost?” And with that Mercy turn back and started walking down the road again and Chrome had to trot to catch back up once again glancing back at where the Raiders ambush had been ambushed.

oooOOOooo

Mercy and Chrome walked on in silence for a while, Chrome thinking about the two ponies they had met and what Mercy had said about them after they had found the dead raiders. He glanced at Mercy who was looking straight ahead as they walked the road. Mercy hadn’t said a word since they left the ambush; Chrome could only guess what he was thinking.

His companion didn’t seem the type to start a conversation much less have one now that Chrome thought about. He sighed; the last hour being spent in silence was new to him. In the Stable even if he wasn’t talking there were always ponies that were nearby. He had never noticed how noisy the Stable was till now when he experienced this level of silence.

Chrome opened his mouth to say something, anything to try and start a conversation when there was a beep from his Pip-Buck and he stopped and looked at it, even Mercy stopped and looked at him as he had hear it. Chrome lifted his leg and looked at it, seems his Pip-Buck was booting up on its own. Sure enough his vision was filled with the Stable-Tec logo and he blinked as it switched to a new logo appeared.

The new logo was seven symbols, at the top was a star surrounded by five other smaller stars, to the right of that symbol was a cloud with a lightning bolt coming off of that, bellow that was what looked like three balloons, bottom symbol was three butterflies. Next to that were three apples and then three diamonds. All of them were connected by lines to a large crescent moon in the middle of the symbol. Chrome didn’t remember ever seeing this logo when he booted up his Pip-Buck before.

The symbol faded and that was when Chrome noticed that the HUD was now a dark blue color instead of the green it used to be. He watched as number and letter scrawled across his vision. What was going on, his Pip-Buck never did this before. The letters and number scrolled by too fast for him to see them clearly. After a few second the scrolling stopped and one by one the part of his HUD started to return one by one, as each appeared there was number scrolling above each for a few second before the next part of the HUD activated. When it finished a message flashed in the top left corner.

RADIO STATION SIERRA-FOXTROT-118 DETECTED

Chrome blinked then another messaged flashed just above his EFS

TUNE TO SIERRA-FOXTROT-118

Chrome blinked again. “What is it? Why do you keep blinking?” Mercy asked staring at him from a few inched away causing Chrome to cry out as he jumped back. He had been so focused of what his HUD was doing he hadn’t noticed Mercy move so close.

“Uh…my Pip-Buck just turned back on all on its own and is telling me to turn to some radio station called Sierra-Foxtrot-118.” He said blinking again.

“Huh…never heard of it. “Mercy said and lifted his right foreleg and rolled up the coat sleeve reveling a Pip-Buck. Chrome blinked staring at it. Mercy looked up at him. “What? Thought you were the only one with a Pip-Buck?” HE said with a chuckle before looking back at the Pip-Buck. “Odd…I’m not picking up any station by that name, just the standard station that always play.” Mercy looked back at Chrome as he lowered his leg and shook it so the sleeve went back down over the Pip-Buck.

Blinking once again Chrome lifted his leg and started to flip through the menus till he found the radio and turned it to Sierra-Foxtrot-118 and a synthesized male voice was speaking.

“Come in Operative, this is Beom, Come in Operative, Please respond, over.” Both Mercy and Chrome stared at his Pip-buck. “Operative, please respond, this is Beom respond, over.”

“Uh….hi?” Chrome said getting a look from Mercy and he flushed a bit as he could tell what they were thinking.

There was a pause. “I’m reading you loud and clear Operative. Please state your call sign, over.” Chrome blinked Call sign? What did that mean?

“Stable Pony. “ Mercy said.

“Stable-Pony, confirm call sign.”

Before Chrome could say anything Mercy spoke. “Confirmed.”

“Confirmed, Operative Stable-pony call sign. “ Chrome glared at Mercy who only laughed. “Operative Stable-Pony what is your status, over?”

Chrome blinked looking at his Pip-Buck then at Mercy then back to his Pip-Buck. “Who are you? And what are you talking about?” He asked.

There was another pause. “I am Beom. Please state your status Stable-Pony.” Beom answered simply. Well that answered as many questions as it raised.

“Um….kinda hungry.” Chrome said. And was met with silence for a long while.

“Operative Stable-Pony please repeats…it sounded like you said you were….hungry?” The voice said hesitantly as if it wasn’t sure it heard right.

“I did. “He said looking at Mercy who shrugged.

“Right….it seems there is a settlement at the end of the road you are currently on…you and your squad should be able to find food there….though I’m not picking up any radio transmission of IFF tags from the settlement so I do not know who they are as I don’t recall a town being there before. Estimated time of arrival is two hours.” Beom said the last bit with a bit of confusion in his voice.

“Are you alright?”

“Affirmative just a bit confused is all, nothing you need to worry about.” Beom said happily. “I need to check on a few things, do you require more assistance Operative Stable-Pony? Over.”

“Um…no we are good.”

“Affirmative, contact me on this channel if you require any assistance. I will contact you if anything comes up. Beom out.” And with that the station went dead.

Chrome looked over at mercy turning off the radio. “What the hell what that all about?” He asked.

Mercy shrugged. “Hell if I know, sounded like some crazy pony who got his hands on a radio and is looking to make friends, and It seems he likes you. “Mercy chuckled and started walking again. Chrome took another look at his Pip-Buck and shook his head before starting to trot after Mercy.

Author's Note

50% Towards leveling up, You really need to start doing things, at this rate you'll be dead within the week.

New Equipment: Operative Pip-Buck. You're old Utility Pip-Buck has had it's OS completely rewritten. It now has advance decryption algorithms, the ability to tap into restricted military radio frequencies, access to what remains of the Equestrian Military Network and will grant you access to high security areas of military installations as well as Ministry Hubs, provided the security system isn't to corrupted so as not to recognize your clearance as well as any and all old file that were on it previously.

Chapter 5: Rally Point

“No matter what happens, HOLD THIS POSITION!”

The sun was starting to get close to the horizon as best as Chrome could tell through the ever present cloud cover over head by the time him and Mercy crested a hill and looked down on what Chrome could only assume was Rally Point.

The town was somewhat large and surrounded on all sides by a wall of stacked sky carriages both military and civilian four high. Inside the wall spaced every thirty meter was a tall guard tower that gave the ponies inside clear views of the sounding area. The area leading up to the town was clear of anything that could conceal anypony trying to sneak up on the town for 300 meters out. The gate that the road lead to had four guard towers inside the wall and two smaller ones on either side of it. In front of the smaller guard towers was sandbag barricades set in a random pattern to keep somepony from being able to run straight at the gate.

As they neared Chrome saw the ponies manning the towers inside the wall carried large scoped rifles while a second pony next to each sniper had binoculars scanning the horizon. The two smaller towers outside the gate sported a minigun each with a pony behind them ready to use them if need be. Behind the sand bags at least a dozen ponies were scattered and armed with either a shotgun or carbine rifle. Every single weapons was aimed at Chrome and Mercy and tracking them as they approached the gate.

“Not another step farther unless you want to become bloody stains on the road!” A female voice yelled at them and Chrome could see a yellow unicorn mare with an orange mane holding a device in her magic that was connected to a smaller one next to her that seemed to lead to speakers attached to the two small towers.

Without a word Mercy stopped in her tracked and Chrome followed her lead. “Lay down any weapons or explosives you are carrying on the road and prepare to be searched. “ The mare told them.

“Oh come on Hallow, do we really got to do this same song and dance every damn time I come by?” Mercy called loudly to the mare.

“No Mercy you know the rules, no one gets into Rally Point unless we know exactly what they are carrying. Any high level weapons will be confiscated till you leave.” The mare replied with annoyance in her voice, apparently Mercy must say the same thing every time.

“Fine!” Mercy yelled back and started to remove both his revolver and rifle as well as his hidden knife. “Best do as they say stable pony, or else they won’t let you into the town and may just shoot you on the spot.” He said looking at Chrome who quickly removed Melody from his saddle backs and set it on the ground and followed Mercy as he stepped back.

A few second after they backed away four ponies started to make their way through the sandbag maze towards them two armed with carbines and two with shotguns, all of which were trained on Mercy and Chrome as they neared and a stallion kicked the guns and knife closer to the barricade. “Stay still, any attempt to resist will be met with force. Any hostile act will be met with lethal force.” The stallion said nodded at the two mares and second stallion with him who approached the two travelers. The stallion stayed back keeping his shotguns trained on both of them, his mouth near the bit read to fire if needed.

The two mares and stallion patted down Mercy and Chrome, dug through there saddle bags, even checked their Pip-bucks inventory screens before doing another pat down and checking Chromes mane and tail, and Mercy’s tail with fine toothed combs they pulled from their saddle bags. Once they were done with the combs one of the mares nodded and turned back to the stallion. “They are clean.”

The stallion nodded. “Check in with the Sargent at the check point. “He said nodding back towards the yellow mare with the loudspeakers. Mercy nodded and him and Chrome walked over and with the four ponies around them and picked up their guns.

The four ponies escorted them through the sandbags till they reached the mare with the loud speaker who had moved off to a small shed built under one of the smaller towner. “Please sign in and list any and all weapons you are carrying as well as your business in Rally Point.” The mare sad as she stepped around the desk in the small shed and placed a ledger on top of it along with a pencil. “And if you cause any trouble for residents of Rally point you will be subjected to either time in the brig or for more serious offences executed on the spot by one of the guards.” She said stiffly eyeing both of them.

“Come on sergeant Hallow Point, when have I ever caused trouble?” Mercy asked and Hallow Point rolled her eyes.

Once the two of them had finished signing in Hallow Point looked over the book and nodded then looked at them as a smile crossed her face. “Welcome to Rally Point, the safest place in the wasteland, please enjoy your stay.” She said and waved to one of the sniper towers and one of the ponies waved bellow the tower and the sound of a loud engine turning sounded along with an alarm and slowly the gates to Rally Point started to rise just enough to allow Mercy and Chrome passage inside of the wall before the engine cut out and the heavy gate slammed down again.

After making it through the layers of chain-link fencing that was set up inside the gate that forced them to walk back and forth along a set path while under the watchful eyes of half a dozen more guards Mercy and Chrome finally were allowed to enter rally Point proper. Chrome was shocked at all the ponies he saw walking around the town. There had been a lot of ponies in the stable but do to the way the halls were set up you never saw many of them in one place. But in Rally Point the streets were wide for the most part but would suddenly narrow at regular intervals and every pare of the street were packed with ponies going about their business or just enjoying walking around or looking at the shops that were set up near the gate. Sprinkled throughout the ground Chrome caught glimpses of more ponies dressed in the same dark green combat armor and helmets as the gate guards move in groups of two throughout the crowd.

“Quite a sight isn’t it stable pony?” Mercy asked looking at him and Chrome blink realizing he had been staring. “Yeah that’s how all newcomer react when they see Rally Point. Not a lot of place in the wasteland are this safe except for places like Tenpony but those ponies are assholes so few people ever get to see the inside. But no one has ever been able to take the town and trust me, many have tried.” Mercy said as he moved through the crowd. “But you saw just how they defend the gate, mix that with the patrols around the wall, the snipers in the towers, the fact half the population is in the guard and has side jobs for when off duty, coupled with the fact a caravan group and mercenary company has their headquarters in the town and you have one hell of a defended town.” He chuckled as Chrome was struggling to keep up with him.

“Now then Stable Pony, this is where we part ways. “Mercy said as he stopped in front of shop with a picture of a pistol painted on the front. And he pointed a hoof down the street. “You’ll find an inn and restraint down that way, you can’t miss it.”

“Wh-what? You’re leaving?” Chrome stared at him.

Mercy stared at Chrome. “Well duh, what you thought I was going to baby sit your ass forever? Fuck no! I was being nice and getting you to this town, now you’re on your own. Do whatever the fuck you want but you’re not coming with me. I got business to deal with and you’ll just get in the way.” A small bag levitated out of Mercy’s saddle bags and he tossed it at Chrome who caught it barley. “That’s your cut of the caps we scavenge while you were with me. It’s not much but should get you a room and a meal. I recommend trying to find work, though it shouldn’t be hard as there are always things breaking down and a properly trained maintenance worker is extremely rare.” And with that Mercy turned and walked into the shop leaving Chrome staring after him

Chrome looked around himself. He didn’t have any idea what to do. He was pretty sure if he tried to follow Mercy anyways he’d most likely shoot Chrome. But he didn’t know anyone else out here. Chrome stood there a long time till a guard finally told him to move along as ponies were starting to complain about the earth pony standing in the middle of the road. Sighing Chrome made his way down the street towards the inn Mercy had told him about, it was as good as any place to start trying to figure things out.

<<>>

Chrome woke up the next morning and stretched before rolling out of his bed at the Inn. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes with one of his hooves before looking at his Pip-Bucks clock. “Fuck I’m late!” he said and grabbed his utility barding and put it on and headed for the door, freezing when he found it was the stable door it should be. “Oh…yeah…”He said his ears drooping as the memories returned to his now awake mind and he sighed shaking them from his head. He needed to get some food and then try to find work. The caps Mercy had given him wouldn’t last more the two days. He’d gotten lucky and scored a free meal and discount on the room last night by fixing the owners radio, Mercy had been right about the lack of trained maintenance ponies out on the wastes.

Sighing once more he left his room and made his way down to the common room of the Haven Inn. As he reached the foot of the stare the owner a cyan earth pony mare with a green and purple mane by the name of Glory Spring smiled at him. “Why good morning Chrome, did you have a good night?” She asked in a cheerful voice and Chrome nodded. “From how you looked last night you defiantly needed it. “She chuckled. “So will you be staying for breakfast or will you be heading out to try and find work?”

“I could use some breakfast if it’s not too much trouble Glory Spring.” He said and she chuckled.

“Please darling call me Glory, you don’t need to be so formal.” She said as he started to make a couple of snack cakes. They had already had a talk last night about the fact he didn’t eat meat and when her learned other ponies did he was glad his stomach had been empty at the time.

Chrome took a seat at the bar. “How much?” He asked fishing in his saddlebags foe the bag of Caps.

“I decided that for fixing my radio I’d extend the free meal to include breakfast too. “Glory smiled at him and she slide the plate in front of him along with a Sparkle-Cola “Enjoy.” She said then turned and walked to the endo of the bar when a stallion called for food.

Chrome ate in silence; he had to admit for 200 year old food the snack cakes were very good. Once they were finished and the cola drank he pushed away from the bar and headed out into the busy streets of Rally Point
.

<<>>

Chrome cursed as his wrench slipped off the bold and his head collided with the generator’s outer casing. Cursing still he rubbed where he was hit before he grabbed his wrench again. “You ok Chrome? “Asked one of the town guards peeking into the shed that housed the generator.
“I’m fine Sharp Eyes, wrench just slipped.” Chrome replied after removing the wrench from his mouth.

“Alright, be careful I don’t want to be held responsible if you get hurt or the generator gets damaged.” Sharp Eyes reply before he went back to standing guard at the generator door.

Chrome grabbed his wrench again and finished tightening the bolt then nodded before slipping the wrench into one of the loops on his barding. While Chrome had been wandering around the streets he had been approached by a lieutenant of the town guard asking if he was an actual stable trained utility pony. When he replied he was they had guided him to the side of the road and offered him a job to fix one of the generators of the town as it was having a few issues. When they offered 200 caps for the job Chrome had accepted right away much to the delight of the lieutenant who then led him to the generator she’d. The guard had let him in and been given order to keep an eye on him. While he might be working for them, they were very protective of what they had and wanted to make sure he wasn’t going to sabotage the generator.

Chrome stepped out of the shed. “Alright, that should do it for now, it’s not the best job but using old spare part scavenged from other generators it’s the best I can do. “ Chrome said and the guard nodded before retrieving the bag of caps from his saddle bags and handing them to Chrome. Thanking the guard Chrome made his way back into the crowd past the chain-link fence that surrounded the generator shed to start wandering around once more.

“Excuse me, Mr. Fragrance; may I have a word with you?” A male voice said behind him. When chrome turned he was greeted by a short red unicorn stallion in a dark blue suit and bowler hat with a dark blue mane.

“Yes?” Chrome asked.

“My boss would like to speak with you. “The stallion replied.

“Um…lead the way?” Chrome said and the stallion nodded before turning and walking into the crowd with Chrome following behind him.

The stallion lead Chrome through the crowd for some time till they came to a building with a sign that read “INFORMATION” above it. The stallion went into the door and chrome followed him into a somewhat clean room with several chairs lining one of the walls and a small able with several magazines on it. Across from the chairs was a small desk with a yellow unicorn mare in an old dress sitting behind it. “Wait here. “The stallion told him before going to the door that was behind the mare’s desk and knocking twice before entering.

Chrome took a seat in one of the chairs and looked around the room. “Well some one’s nervous.” The mare said looking at him from behind her desk.

“Oh…um…no not really.” Chrome said and the mare giggled before shaking her head and going back to whatever it was she had been doing.

After a few minutes the stallion from before came out of the door. “The boss will see you now.” He said stepping to the side of the door. Chrome got to his hooves and walked in with the Stallion right behind him.

The room beyond was much different than the one Chrome had been waiting in; books lined one of the walls with a painting across from them. In the center of the room was a well preserved dark wooden desk with papers stacked on top of it and a terminal with a white stallion with a red main in a black suit sitting behind it. What caught Chrome’s attention the most though were the two griffins on standing in opposite corners of the groom behind the desk wearing leather armor and seeming to glare at him when he entered.

“Thank you Poker Face, you may leave us.” The stallion behind the desk said in a well-spoken voice and Chrome heard the stallion behind him leave and close the door. “Please sit Mr.’ Fragrance, no need to stand.” The stallion gestured to the chairs in front of his desk. Chrome carefully took a seat. “Now then you are probably wondering who I am and why I’ve asked you here.” Chrome nodded.” Well the answer to the first question is my name is Grand Scheme, I run this branch of the Information Brokers in this part of the wasteland. And for the question that just formed in your mind, we deal in information on many subjects ranging from the minor to the deepest darkest secrets. You’d be surprised what ponies are willing to pay for certain pieces of information.” Grand Scheme chuckled.

“As for why I asked you here I am in position of a bit of information you may be interested in. “he smirked. “It is about that friend you came into town with, No Mercy.” Chrome started to open his mouth to speak. “Ah ah, I said there is a price to the information we deal in, this is a shop same as all the others. There is a Price to the information.” He said as he leaned back. “It’s a simple trade, one piece of information for another.”

Chrome looked at the stallion for a long while before nodding. “I thought you would be interested. “He chuckled. “It is a very simple piece of information I seek, one I think you very well possess.” He smiled widely as he looked at Chrome. “Tell me everything you know about the large bloom of flame that came out of the base of the mountain a few days ago.”

Chrome blood froze in his veins as he was reminded of what happened to his Stable. “Ah I see I have touched on a bad memory, I do apologize, but several people saw the flames as they shot very high into the sky you see and sadly I haven’t had anypony available to go and investigate. And then what do I learn walked into town yesterday? None other than a pony fresh from a stable wearing scorched utility barding. Now you can’t tell me that is a coincidence.” Grand Scheme smiled wider. “All you needed to do is tell me what you know and I’ll tell you what I know, simple isn’t it?”

Chrome stared at the stallion, his mouth dry as he remembered the smell and the sight of everyone he ever knew nothing more than burned husks. There was no reason he needed to think about it or even tell Grand Scheme anything. It’s not like No Mercy hadn’t made it clear they weren’t friends and that he was just leading him to the closes town to dump him off. But…No Mercy was the only pony Chrome knew out here, at least enough to say he knew anything about the stallion. And the stallion could have just left Chrome to die in the wasteland.

Chrome looked at the floor and took several deep breaths before he looked back up at Grand Scheme’s smiling face. “Alright…deal.”

“I knew you’d agree. “He chuckled. Chrome took another breath and told the stallion everything he knew about the last day of Stable 173. Ending with him emerging into the wasteland as the only survivor. “My…that is very unfortunate. “Grand Scheme said, during Chrome’s telling of what had happened the smile had slowly slipped from his face and was replaces with a look of sadness. He shook his head. “I am very sorry to hear you had to go through such an ordeal. It seems I am in debted to you as I don’t believe the information I have is equal to making you have to relive what happened to you. You must understand I had no idea it would be something like that.” He said and shook his head sadly. “A deal is a deal, I’ll give you what I know about your friend.”

He leaned forward putting his hooves on his desk. “You see yesterday your friend accepted a job to hunt down and wipe out some slavers that have been terrorizing the area. From what I’ve heard he found their hide out, unfortunately it seems one of their snipers got a lucky shot and he was knocked unconscious. In short, you friend has been captured by slavers Mr. Fragrance.”

Author's Note

LEVEL-UP!
New Perk Added: Lucky Streak: This perk permanently adds a +1 to your luck.

New Quest Perk: Information Debt: The regions Information Brokers owe you information do to the price of what you gave them. This perk can only be used once on certain pieces of information.