The Pegasus.
“Every story starts from some place, even if it's the simplest of starts.”
San Palomino Desert. Mostly what is out there is small settlements or raiders, slavers..or...Does more goes on than that? How about a small back story eh?
In the waning years from the long gone wars of Equestria and the Zebra Nations 200 years ago raged a war that ended it all, the world now is not that much different but so much is wrong. Ponies killing ponies, ponies eating ponies but our story takes place with a traveling caravan of zebras, an earth pony mare and a pegasus around the areas of Unicorn Range and San Palomino Desert. This desert holds many dangerous things so many things, maybe radiation has changed the creatures of the desert..or maybe taint, cause I sure as hay don't know.
Hi, my name is Lowell and I'm a pegasus and a part of the Wasteland Steele's Caravan, donning what looks like a patch work blue Stable 05 jumpsuit as a hooded duster coat along with a blue and yellow stable-tec pants padding for protection along my chest with a colt.45 strapped to my upper right fore leg. A varmint rifle strapped along right side under my wing, the slightly damaged pip buck on my lower right foreleg was playing some sort of old world jazz music as I sat on the ridge over the road awaiting the caravan.
“Oh wasteland fer a cruel place, yah have one thing ah love....DJ's broadcast.”Muttering to myself.
A caravan was slowly coming up along the road as I jumped down the ridge and flapped my wings to land softly, grinning at the caravan as I cantering up to them. The caravan seemed to have about ten zebras and the mare in with about four brahman.
“It's clear as far as ah seen if there are raiders they are pretty well hidden.”Nodded to the lead zebra who nodded in return.
“Well, stay on guard then Lowell till we get to New Pegasus.”The zebra said as I nodded.
It's not like we do get attacked a lot but there are times where its normally just a small party. I thought to myself before I answered.
“Ah will.”Replying with a smile.
“Lowell!” The voice called from the crowd causing me to wince.
“Yes dad?”Looking to my father an elderly zebra who wore a necklace of charms and wore some ragged robes with a caravan shotgun slung across his back.
He hugged me rather tightly as I returned the hug.
“Ahbout me..sneaking out...Sorry ta worry yah dad..”I apologized giving a small smile.
“I should have known better...*He smirked a bit*...You haven't changed since you were young...always running off and doing something.”The elder replied with a chuckle.
“Well, some pony might need mah help some day...Plus ah have the best father..*smiling at the him*...So think our trip around will be better than tha last time we came here?”Asking as the elder looked at me.
“I do not know my son, but one can hope.”The elder said with a smile as I smiled back.
“Hope.....Ah really like that word.”I added softly as he looked to the clouded sky.
“Do yah think we could see tha sun and moon clearly one day, yah know like from yer stories?”Asking as my father looked at me.
“.....Sure...One day we will...”The elder gave a sad smile as I was grinned looking towards the clouds.
What? A pegasus can't dream of seeing the sun and stars that have long been lost to those earthbound?
The caravan has stopped and gone off to the side by a couple of deserted buildings, life in a caravan is neat you travel the wasteland and meet ponies even if most aren't friendly. Me? My job was simple I protect the caravan most think of it as a job, as for me, it's my family this caravan raised me pretty much. Dad said he found me in some Stable just a foal and no others that he found, and yea I have a pip-buck....It's sorta of working? Okay, look all that works is the light and the radio plenty enough for me, now back to the caravan, The Wasteland Steele's Caravan, my family there's about 40 at the most....Mostly Zebras...Just one mare and one pegasus, thaaat's me and Desert Rose if you didn't notice we kind of stick out. Besides that we are well accepted by the rest with open hoofs.
“Hey Lowell!” A mare called out to me as I looked to her.
She stood there the dark brown fur mare going with her messy long white mane and tail, wearing a dark blue stetson with a brown ragged duster going along with a black dirty shirt and a metal shoulder pad on her right shoulder and some dirty combat jeans, she only carry's a revolver and hunting rifle with a weak scope but it gets the job done nicely.
“Aye Desert Rose?”Asking the dark brown earth pony mare.
“Get that lil violin of yer's ahn play a tune ah got us some whiskey!”Desert Rose exclaimed as I just smirked.
“Oh whiskey ya say? Ah'm all over it.”Replying rather eagerly as I rummaging around in my pack.
The mare? Oh she is just a friend of mine ever since I was a foal, me and her and a few others are the guards for the caravan. We decided to make foals of our selves and name our two pony posse 'The Duel Drunk Guards'. I'd like to see you come up with a better name while you are drunk, okay? Plus the trade route we go about is New Pegasus, Vanhoover, and then Bitspur, Tall Tale use to be on the route till raiders wiped it off the map. I tell you Unicorn Range has become far more deadly than before since the raiders took over Seaddle, we cut though the mountains to avoid the raiders den, just to get from New Pegasus to Vanhoover.
“So yah excited fer getting ta New Pegasus tomorrow?”Desert Rose asked as she looked towards me as I grinned.
“Oh Sure!.....Ooooh yea...Ah can't wait ta get some more whiskey.”Answered with a stupid grin on my face as the mare only chuckled at me.
“Ah swear Lowell yer half crazy on some things..”Desert Rose chided which caused me to blink.
“Ah ain't crazy, ah'm just a different kind of normal!”Replying with a firm nod sticking my nose in the air.
“Sure yah are Lowell.” She replied shaking her head with a smile.
It's times like these that I really enjoy in my life as a caravaneer, music, friends, family, some dancing, and just a little bit of whiskey. There is still good within the wasteland even if some can't see it, there is bad things where good is like New Pegasus some ponies there are sneaks and liars but there's some good ponies and non ponies. I've always wondered how the ponies before have made the walls of New pegasus, cause I mean there's just a bunch of slabs of concrete and metal walling another mystery of the Wasteland to find out I guess.
“Lowell Ya'll better watch out, yah know yer about ta run into a post.”Desert Rose warned me as she cantered up to me.
“Oh ah know, Why do yah think ah don't move.”Answering with a grin stepping out of the way.
“Ah'll never understand yah Lowell....Ever.”Desert Rose said as she shook her head.
“Well, add me ta tha list of mysteries of tha wasteland then..”I said as I rolled my eyes.
“Atleast yah can rest up ah'll help this time ya'll go relax Lowell.”Desert Rose said with a smile.
Relax huh? Well there is a bar near by where I can buy some more whiskey and a few bottles for the road, I love a good plan! I've been meaning to stock up on some more whiskey time to hit the bar....... It's never easy along my way there I found a family two parents and a colt were looking for a guide towards Dune Hooves, and me being the pegasus I am couldn't help but to try and help.
“Sir, can you please tell us how to get to Dune Hooves?” The mare asked as I smiled.
“Sure, ah'll even one up it by being a guide.”I said as she backed away some.
“H-how much is it going to cost?”The mare asked as if expecting a high price.
“Nothin'.”I stated simply earning a surprised look from the mare.
What? A stallion can't be a good pony to anypony?
“R-really?”She asked still surprised.
“Aye, when do yah want ta leave?” I asked.
“A-around in the morning...Meet us by the gate.”The mare answered as she cantered away rather happy.
“Ta make one smile is something awesome.”I muttered.
~The gates~
I watched as the family approached, and I told the rest of the caravaneers I was going for a bit, I got time cause trading here for a months time before we leave I can be there and back within a week's time. The family consisted of an earth pony mare , a pegasus stallion with a small pegasus colt.
“Right, are ya'll ready?”I asked getting nods from the family.
You always got to go over the rules of the desert, like that Black Radscorpions roam around the are like their common counterpart besides the deadly poison and armoring that requires Armour piercing rounds. Then there is Sand Winders, just you're basic large snake made out of sand. Then the worst of them all, Desert Demons, the spiders can pop out of the sand and love metro tunnels.
Trekking though the desert most of the day till we reached a stopping point which was off the side of the path we travel, I cooked up some food and played some tunes on the violin.
“Is that you're violin mister?” The black and white maned colt pegasus asked as he cantered towards me seeming drawn towards the violin.
“Why yes it is lil one, a gift ta me from mah father when ah was about yer age.”I answered as I played a soft tune on the violin while the colt's parents ate.
“What's you're name mister?”The colt asked.
“It's Lowell, and of yah lil one?” I asked in return.
“Winged, you're name is strange Lowell.” Winged seemed to smile as I chuckled.
“Tis what ah was named, mah father said some pony named me before he found me.”I answered while I closed my eyes playing the sweet tune of the violin.
The night went on calm and warm of the campfire for our small set up, If only I knew what laid ahead of me. Our small group slowly cantering along the slightly visible roads leading towards the one of the Desert's settlements, Dune Hooves a nice small trade post and home stead for ponies. The settlement was a decent size mixed with a bunch of ponies and a few griffins, In anycase I turned towards the family with a smile.
“Welp here we are safe and sound.” I said to the family as the mare cantered towards me.
“Thank you soo much how could we ever..” The mare was stopped as I raised a hoof.
“Just tha thank yah will be enough fer this pegasus, Have a good day Ma'am.” I replied to the mare as I turned and cantered into the town.
The Cider Bar was where I was heading since back in New Pegasus I never got my whiskey, the bar was alright enough the natural banter of a bar should be merry and loud.
“Get me ahbout...Uh ah would say ahbout four bottles of wild pegasus whiskey mah good sir!”I chipped towards the rather large Yellow coated earth pony stallion.
“Four, sure a pipsqueak like you can handle whiskey?”The stallion answered as he set up the bottles onto the counter.
“Oh aye, ah can handle it.” I grinned setting the caps onto the counter as I slipped the bottles into my saddlebag.
“Got a place ah can stay fer tha night?” I asked the stallion.
“Sure, 75 caps a night.” The stallion replied as I tilted my head.
I payed the stallion as I made my way up the stairs towards the to the small room with nothing but a bed, window and a small dresser.
“Good as anything else..” Muttering to myself as I shucked off my saddle bags and set my weapons aside from the bags climbing into the bed and closed my eyes to get some blissful sleep.
Gunfire, screams, and smoke woke me from my peaceful sleep as I jumped up getting my gear back on darting down stairs.
“Help Slavers!!” A voice cried out before a metal apple landed at the entrance
“Shit!” Was all I could mutter before jumped back and the grenade went off causing the bar groaned and started crashing down all around me burying me under the rumble, things went black after that.
