Fallout: Equestria - SURVIVOR

FALLOUT EQUESTRIA: SURVIVOR

Chapter 5: Destinations

“Until next time, this is DJPon3, OOOHHH. And you’re listening to Wasteland Radio! We spread the truth, no matter how bad it hurts.”

“Do we seriously have to listen to this,” I said to Winona. She was walking briskly beside me with her tail wagging. Her happiness must have made it hard for her to see the destroyed nation of Equestria around her. She barely had any reaction when we left the MoP building.

She barked loudly and gave my PipBuck a little nudge. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

Not long after we had left the hub, I’d gotten tired of the numbing silence and turned on my PipBuck’s radio. Almost instantly my ears were greeted to the sound of D.J. Pon3 and his constant ranting. I tried switching it to another channel, but that’s when Winona started to whine. She continued to do that until I turned back to Wasteland Radio. And she did that every time I tried to change it again.

“You know, a good dog does what their master says. So if I say I want the radio off, I should be able to turn it off.”

Winona looked up at me with her head leaning over. I pointed my head forward; sighing. “Why am I talking to a dog?”

If there was one place I didn’t want to go crazy, it was here. I was almost to Stalliongrad, and I had to get the supplies there. Turning back, I saw that the cart I'd salvaged from the area surrounding the building was still full of yellow medical boxes and crates of potions. The wheels continued to squeak, but overall the it seemed to be holding up.

“I hope Sweet Drop is grateful for me doing this, and what I had to go through.” The burning in my left leg wasn’t as bad as before, but I did want Cuddles to look at it when I got back.

Which thankfully, wasn’t that long.

The large metal doors of Stalliongrad soon met my eyes. The ponies along the top of the wall had their guns aimed at my head. “Don’t shoot, it’s Flatfoot! I don’t want to be a practice dummy for your guns again,” I called.

I reached the doors without getting shot, then I looked up at the two ponies above them. “Mind opening up, I have the medical supplies!”

The ponies did a quick exchange of words before looking down at me. “We have our gun pointed right at you! Try anything and you’ll be Swiss Cheese in no time!”

I rolled my eyes as the doors slowly began to swing open. Winona crouched down with her tail wagging even faster. “Please don’t do anything to get me in trouble,” I said as the doors fully opened.

Two unicorn guards walked over to me with their weapons floating next to them. “Well it seems you made it back in one piece newbie. I thought for sure those raiders would eat you alive….literally.”

“Well sorry to disappoint.” I watched as the other guard began to look through the cart. “Mind telling me what your friend is doing back their.”

The buck in front of me looked at his college with loathing. “He’s making sure that you aren’t bring anything dangerous into the city.” He eyes my battle-saddle questionably, “though it seems you will be anyway.”

Winona walked up to the guard and sat down in front of him. He looked down at her, then back at me. “So, you made a new friend?”

I adjusted the barding on my legs, not meeting his eyes. “You could say that I….found her.”

Winona barked again and started rubbing her head against the guards leg. He flinched a little, but didn’t back away. “What is she doing?”

“She just wants you to pet her.” The second guard walked back from the cart. “So can I go in?”

“Well I didn’t see anything that could be a harm to the city….except your battle-saddle,” said the guard, eyeing my weapon.

I gave my saddle a little shake, shifting it into a more comfortable position. After losing it the first time I had gone into Stalliongrad, I wasn’t in the mood to do it again. And I sure as hell wasn’t going to give it to any of these ponies.

The second guard  gave a slight cough, bringing my attention back to him. “Just uh...keep that thing’s safety on while you’re inside.” I couldn’t tell if that was fear or warnings in his voice, but I wasn’t too interested in finding out.

“Will do,” I replied as I pulled the cart through the open gates. Winona followed closely behind me, but not before giving the guard’s leg a good lick while she passed. “Stupid mutt,” he muttered.

I rolled my eyes at the whole thing, though I really couldn’t blame his reaction. I’d jumped like a foal when Winona and me met. But then again I’d had to deal with a deadly creature just a few moments earlier.

As I passed the vendors that lined the street, ponies began to turn and look at my cargo. Some smiled as if I was pulling Celestia herself, while others were so shocked they couldn’t keep their mouths shut. A few vendors even started asking me what it'd cost to buy a box or two. Part of me was temped to take the offers, the caps could really help me get any supplies I'd need. But I'd made a promise to Drop and I wasn't going to break it.

But ...the scene was just too good to pass up. So I cleared my throat and spoke as loud as I could. “Hail ponies, for your salvation has arrived,” I screamed. “The brave and powerful SURVIVOR has come to bring you aid in your time of need. Claps and cheers may now be presented!”

Unfortunately the ponies didn’t seem to be in a clapping mood, and they remained silent as I came to the end of the market area. I looked back at them, but I tried my best to smile. “What’s it take to get a little applause around here?”

When nopony responded, I huffed and continued on towards the hospital.

***

“Oh….my….Alicorn!”

Cuddles’ mouth dropped to the ground when she spotted me approaching the hospital with my cart of supplies. She’d untied her mane since I’d left, and it now feely flowed down her neck. And when the wind blew slightly, even with no sunlight, it swirled and glowed with the grace of a princess.

I stopped near the curb and unhooked myself from the cart. Cuddles walked up to it and gazed at the many yellow medical boxes. “This will be enough to supply us for month!” She turned to look towards me, a smile formed on her face. “Thank you so much for doing this. I don’t know how I can thank you.”

I walked up to her and put a hoof gently on her shoulder. I could see a blush trying to creep onto her face, but she managed to keep it down. “You already did when you patched me up.”

Cuddles waved off my hoof, while at the same time giving her eyes a roll. “To be fair we were the ones who shot you. So it was actually pretty even when you think about it.”

“Yeah well, I’m just happy that you’ve got the amount of supplies needed to keep you guys running. Which I wouldn’t mind you using on me. I did get shot up and banged a few times getting them from those raiders.”

Cuddles gasped and quickly started looking over me. “What? Are you in any pain? Rate it on a scale of 1 to 10. Where and how many times were you shot?”

I grabbed the filly as she was coming around me again, and made sure she stayed there until I was finished. “Calm down Cuddles. I’m feeling sore in a few places, but overall I’m fine.” I removed my hooves from her, but she still didn’t move. “Now before you go rushing all over me, I have to go talk to the Mayor. So until then, try to keep a level head.”

Cuddles snickered. “I can do that just fine. But I’m worried that one day you’ll come back with a head that too far to the left.”

I chuckled at the joke, before turning on the spot and heading to see Sweet Drop.

***

“Why the savior of Stalliongrad has returned!”

Mayor Drop sat at his desk, wearing the biggest “i’m doing this because I have to” smile I’d ever seen. I kept my face neutral as I walked over to the desk and plopped down on one of the large brown chairs.

“So,” he began “I take it from you being back that there are two outcomes. One; you chickened out of getting the supplies and wasted the whole day.” His smile grew even bigger, and had the slightest hint of a sneer in it. “Or, you’ve collected the medical supplies and taken care of those raiders.”

I was very tempted to lash out at the stallion for the way he was reacting. I’d just risked my neck for this colt and he’s acting as if I’m nothing more than one of his little helpers. “Oh, I got the supplies. They’ve been delivered to Cuddles at the hospital.”

“Splendid!” he exclaimed. “And what of the raiders we talked about?”

I breathed steadily, trying to keep my anger under control. “Taken care of,” I replied.

“Excellent, most excellent.” The stallion leaned back in his chair. “With those raiders out of our tails, we’ll have a little less to worry about.”

He looked me over carefully, as if decided what he should say next. I’d seen the look on my mom whenever I’d done something wrong and she’d reached the end of her lecture. But this time, I had the power to talk back if provoked.

Finally the stallion spoke. “Did you happen to find anything….interesting….at the facility?”

I raised an eyebrow questionably. The question had the distinct flavor of being asked for a specific reason. I doubt he could have known about the experiments, but I wouldn’t put it past him to have some knowledge of something going on there.

“I did find another lab under the building.” Drop leaned forward, now having all his attention on me. “It had a lot of failed experiments in it. Turns out the building wasn’t just run by the Ministry of Peace. The Ministry of Arcane Science had a hoof in it, and they used the animals as test subjects.”

Drop pushed his glasses up more onto his nose. The eyes behind them were big with something. I couldn’t tell what, but it wasn’t wonder. It seemed more….devilish.

“And was there anything notable in any of the testing facilities?”

I thought for a moment. Part of me didn’t want to explain Winona to him, or how she’d now become my new pet. Instead, the thought of that large, mutated creature was flung into my brain. The sharp teeth, the disfigured body, the raw power….ugh, it still made me shudder.

“They had a creature locked down in the labs. It was mutated, and almost took me out. I only killed it by sealing it in a room with a grenade.”

Drop paused for a moment, then leaned forward and started laughing. “Oh my, that is pretty impressive.” His laughing slowed enough for him to talk more clearly. “So, is that all that you found in the Animal Center?”

Now was the time to talk about what I’d really come here for.

Ever since I’d found that letter on the raider by the door, I’d been eager to find out who this Text Book was. Why was he so important; at least important enough to have a complete raider group after him.

I pulled out the note I’d taken and slid it over the desk. “I found this on one of the raiders I killed. I think you should read it.”

Drop brought the note closer and began reading. I could see his eyes going from one line to another, but the words didn’t seem to have an effect on him. Eventually he reached the end and looked up at me.

“Well that does clear up some confusion on those raider’s motives. But what on earth did they want with Text Book?”

“They said they were hired by somepony to capture him. If not alive, then they had to at least bring all this work back with them,” I replied. What that mare had said still clung to my mind.

Drop stepped out of his chair and began to pace across the floor. “But why would somepony want Text Book? He barely talks to me, let alone another pony!”

Feeling confused, I decided to speak up. “Just to help those who aren’t familiar; who is Text Book?”

Drop stopped paceing, sighing slightly before looking at me. “Text Book is a pony who showed up in Stalliongrad a few months ago. Arrived with a cart full of supplies and lab equipment; asking for a place to carry out his work.”

“And you didn’t find that strange?” I asked.

Drop chuckled. “Oh of course we did. A few of the guards wanted to shoot him on sight. But we have a saying here in Stalliongrad; no guns, no attitude, no problem. As long as a pony plays by our rules, they’re always welcome here.”

He turned to look out the large window behind him; his attitude becoming more serious. “Since he didn’t seem to be causing trouble, we let him in and gave him a place to work. After not seeing him for a few days I sent some guards to check on him. They came back saying he’d told them to leave and not disturb him and his work.”

Just hearing this story was enough to make me agree with his earlier statement. This pony seemed even stranger than most of the ponies I’d met out here. Asking for a place to work, then to not be disturbed seemed okay; but the way the mayor made it sound gave a different feeling.

Drop continued, “So eventually I went down to see him myself. The lab was a complete mess; tables cluttered with papers and vials, and the floor was covered in some chemicals. He even had a few spell books open. But no matter how hard I pressed him, he wouldn’t tell me what he was working on.”

“And this still didn’t make you question letting this pony in?”

Drop sighed sadly, turning around to face me. The sadness that ran through his face could be seen a mile away. “It did, but less so than normal. He really wasn’t hurting anypony, so I found no harm in letting him stay. But now that he’s being targeted by raiders, maybe it’d be a good idea to go pay him a visit.”

I thought about the prospect of talking to this pony myself. That mare had made it sound as if he was part of something really big. And even though my priority was saving my home, the nick in the back of my head was starting to itch again. “I’d like to go with you, if that’s alright mayor.”

Drop looked me over again, most likely in deep thought. “What business do you have with him?”

“Call it stranger's curiosity. If this pony is really as strange and unstable as you say, I’d like to find out why. And since my life ( as well as the life of this city) was put in danger, don’t you think I have the right to know why?”

I don’t know why, but I felt something different in the way I talked. For some reason I felt more….confident. I felt as if with the right words, I could convince somepony to shoot themselves in the head. My mind flashed back to the guard in the stable; the one who didn’t shoot me just because I talked to him. “How was I able to do something like that?” I thought.

Drop’s eyes opened a little wider, as if he suddenly came to a realization. “Well, I suppose that does seem like a good idea.” He stepped out from behind the desk, approaching me wearily. “But I don’t want you doing anything rash around him. He’s smart, but that doesn’t mean he’s in the right mind.”

I placed a hoof over my heart. “I promise not to do anything that could lead to conflict.” I took my hoof away and glared at the Mayor. “But if he does something that causes me to defend myself, I will. Don’t you agree with that?”

The mayor shook his head. “Sweet Celestia you’re a hard flank. But fine, if he attacks you in any way, you are allowed to fight back. However, if non-killing methods are available, then please try those.”

I nodded my head in agreement. After the bloodshed at the Ministry building, I wasn’t in the mood for any more too soon. The sight of those bodies hanging from the ceiling, the blood  on my hooves, the constant killing….

“Are you feeling okay?”

I blinked twice, only now realizing that I was looking straight at the floor. My breathing had increased, and I felt sweat starting to form on my head. I quickly shook my head, trying to get those thoughts out of my mind.

“I’m fine,” I said slowly “just thinking.” I didn’t want to explain the situation with Drop, at least not now. I felt myself relax when he nodded his head knowingly. “I’ll let you lead the way; you actually know where he is.”

“Agreed,” said Drop, and he headed towards the large oak doors. Shaking off any other problems that were beginning to take shape, I hopped off the chair and followed closely behind him.

***

“This is where Text Book stays?”

I stared up at the crumbling building in front of us. The walls were deteriorated and covered in markings. The roof sagged under the stress of the wooden beams, and the windows were either shattered or pitch black. Signs littered the front that read Keep Away or Trespassers will be shot. Survivors will be shot again!

I looked over at the Mayor questionably. “You gave this pony a decrepit rotting building as a place to perform experiments?”

“To be fair,” the Mayor replied “he only asked for a place to work. And when we gave him this place, he didn’t complain at all.” He looked back at the building with a huff. “At least we were able to get some use out of it.”

I watched as Drop walked up to the small rotting door that stood at the front. It to was covered in signs warning ponies to keep away. But Drop ignored them as he knocked on the door four times. He waited patiently for the door to open, not even looking annoyed as the minutes ticked by.

“Think he’s not home?” I questioned.

Drop frowned and narrowed his eyes, not letting them leave the door. “As I said before; he never leaves his house. It’s natural for him to take a while to answer the door. I once waited a whole hour before he finally answered it.”

I rolled my eyes at the thought, but decided it was best to keep my mouth shut. Any wrong comment and I could end up with another bullet in my flank….or worse. A shudder ran down my spine as my mind played the situation out.

“State your business or be prepared to be fired upon!”

I had my saddle up and ready in a flash, scanning around the area for any sign of the voice. But I couldn’t see anypony for a whole mile, and even E.F.S wasn’t picking up anything. I turned towards Drop, hoping to see if he’d heard the voice too. But when I looked at him, I saw him staring at a small wooden box that was placed over the door.

“It’s me Text Book; Mayor Drop,” he said to the box “I’m just here because I have some things to discuss with you.” His voice was stern, but also had a calmness to it.

“If it’s about the caps I owe you, I said I’ll pay you back as soon as I get them.”

Drop rolled his eyes, but still had a cool demeanor when he replied. “I’m not here about that. I need to talk to you about some recent….situations….that have arisen because of you.”

The box was silent for a few moments; we couldn’t even hear any static. I was beginning to think the colt was ignoring us when the front door opened slowly.

“I’m down in the basement. Please try not to break anything.”

Drop smiled as he turned his head to look at me. “You heard the pony; don’t break anything.” He looked forward and slowly walked through the open door. Not wanting to be left out here, I quickly followed behind him.

But the inside of the building wasn’t much better.

The walls were all stained and covered in peeling wallpaper. Dust covered the floor, but hoof prints could be seen weaving their way through the room. A pile of broken furniture sat in the corner, which seemed to be supporting part of the ceiling. A worn out door was placed on the right wall near the back; more than likely being the one that lead to the basement.

I looked over at Drop with a deadpan expression. “Even the Ministry building was more put together than this rotten hut.”

Drop glared at me, clearly not amused by my comment. “Well Text Book had no complaints when we gave it to him. And he spends all his time in the basement anyway. This whole upper area could be torn away and he wouldn’t mind at all.”

Drop began walking towards the rotten door. “Now come on; I want to get this over as soon as possible.”

This whole situation was getting stranger and stranger. Drop seemed to be feeling the same thing; his face (when not sneering at me) was concentrated into one of confusion. It was like he wasn’t even sure about the pony he knew better than anyone. And if that was the case, I could only imagine what meeting him face to face would mean.

Drop pushed open the door, revealing a darkened staircase behind it. He slowly began to descend while I followed closely behind. The wood creaked and groaned under our weight, but it was sturdy enough that it didn’t break. I kept close to Drop so that I knew I was heading in the right direction.

Once we reached the bottom, I saw that we were at the end of a long hallway. Lights were hung at the end, giving us a slightly clear view of the path ahead. There weren’t any traps or alarms, so I didn’t hesitate to follow Drop towards the door at the end.

“Remember,” he said, “let me talk to him first. He’s probably going to wonder why you are here.”

I half smiled and said “just say I’m here because my hoof’s been mutated.”

Drop didn’t laugh at the joke, and remained silent until we finally reached the door. I looked around the frames, thinking there’d be a hidden bomb somewhere. But there wasn’t a mechanism in sight, and I didn’t see any wires running along it.

The Mayor grabbed the handle and gently pushed the door open. It groaned until it was fully opened on the other side. Drop walked through the frame with me quietly on his tail.

“....Wow….”

Text’s lab was a lot bigger than I’d anticipated. Rows of tables ran along the room, each covered in vials, beakers, and other scientific equipment. Fluorescent lights hung from the ceiling, making the room seem very bright. The floor was covered in a mixture of dust and some chemicals, but it seemed to be safe since my radiation meter wasn’t going off.

Drop looked around the room, keeping his eyes wide open. “Text Book, where in Celestia’s name are you?”

I heard the sound of glasses being shifted from somewhere farther away. A voice called out “Back here. Please mind where you step.”

Drop headed down the small pathway between tables, making sure not to bump into or step on anything. I followed along behind him, trying my hardest to disturb anything. “He sure does have a lot of chemistry sets,” I said with a slight smile.

“Please do keep your mouth shut until we make sure he doesn’t want you out or dead.”

I snorted at the comment. I personally didn’t care if this stallion wanted me here or not. After what I’d seen, I was getting answers no matter what. And if he had any problems, I could always introduce him to my battle-saddle.

Drop turned a corner and walked into a more open space. Tables surrounded the perimeter, and the inside was filled with a large machine connected to a terminal. But as I walked into the area, my eyes immediately went to the pony that was standing in front of a table filled with books and notepads.

The stallion had a grey pelt, a styled brown mane, and an open book as his cutie mark. A pair of glasses sat on the bridge of his nose, and he wore a white lab coat. He was focused on a book that lay open in front of him, and used his magic to bring over another from a different table.

Drop cleared his throat. “Text Book.”

The stallion turned his head around to look at the mayor, but his face showed little to no emotion. “Good Day Mayor. I didn’t expect you to visit me today, but I’m intrigued to know what it is that I did to warrant this visit.”

“I’ll be glad to fill you in on that matter. Tell me,” said Drop, his demeanor becoming more serious “have you been keeping up with the recent attacks we’ve been having by raiders?”

Text Book nodded. “I still have my ways of getting news from around town.”

Drop waved a hoof in my direction. “Well it would seem that this stallion has taken care of those raiders for good.”

Text Book looked in my direction, still not showing any emotion on his face. “Good job. Doing that must have been quite the ordeal.”

I snorted angrily. “You have no idea.”

Drop glared at me, but didn’t say anything. Instead he turned to address the stallion. “Yes it was, however it would seem that something surprising was discovered during this mission.”

“Something surprising was found in a building full of raiders?” asked Text Book sarcastically as he returned to looking at his books. “Hm, what a surprise.”

Drop huffed angrily, now finally letting a little anger show off. “The surprising thing is why the raiders were attacking. It turns out somepony had hired them to capture you; dead or alive!”

Text Book froze in place, not moving a single inch from his current spot. Even his magic had gone out, and the book he was carrying flopped to the ground. I could see his face from my position, and it was formed into one of pure terror. I don’t believe I’d ever seen a pony's eyes open as wide as his did.

“....they were trying to….to capture me?”

I knew I should have stayed out of this until it was right, but I had things to say to. I was the one who had blown through all those raiders, and I deserved some answers for it.

“Yes, they did.” I retorted. I ignored the glare Drop gave me; I wasn’t going to go easy on this stallion. I walked up to him until I was only an inch from his face. “I found a note saying they were supposed to bring you back to somepony that hired them. And if they killed you, the pony wanted all of your work instead.”

Text Book began to shake, and I could feel his increased breathing on my face. His eyes shone with fear the likes of which I’ve never seen before. “I….I didn’t think….I didn’t think he would come after me. I thought….I hoped….that he would think I died” he mumbled.

Drop walked up to us, looking as angry as I was. “Who did you hope thought you died. I want answers, and clear ones to!”

Text Book swallowed hard, his eyes zipping back and forth between us. It looked like he was trying to figure out what to say. He kept opening and closing his mouth, but no words came out. Until….

“Cycle.”

I raised an eyebrow questionably at the stallion. “Who?” I asked.

Text Book didn’t reply, and when I turned to look at Drop, I found something surprising. The stallion was as stiff as the nervous wreck in front of us. His eyes were as wide as a hoof, and his mouth was formed into a fearful frown.

I was about to ask if he was okay, but stopped when I saw his demeanor change. His eyes narrowed while his mouth formed into an angry sneer. He rushed forward and grabbed Text Book by his coat collar, shoving him against the table.

“You mean to tell me you worked for Cycle? And not once did you think it would be a good idea to tell me this!”

Text Book began to shake violently, his mouth stumbling as he tried to find words. “I….I made it look like I’d died. I thought that, maybe, he’d believe it and he’d forget about me. I never imagined he’d find out, let alone send raiders to get me.”

I sat there watching those two with both anger and confusion. It seemed that Text Book worked for somepony that had enough power to hire raiders. But the way he acted when speaking his name made me think that this pony wasn’t as good as the Mayor.

Drop pulled Text Book closer, keeping his eyes narrowed and stern. “If you think like that, I wonder how you can even call yourself smart! You know what that stallion’s done to ponies who desert him. And somehow you thought that nopony would find out, and if they did, that they wouldn’t come after you?”

Text Book’s eyes were shooting from side to side, not wanting to look into Drop’s unforgiving eyes. “I….I never meant for anypony to get hurt. I just couldn’t work for him anymore; I would have gone mad if I hadn’t left.”

I was getting more and more confused the more they talked. I knew I should probably speak up; if not to get information, then at least to diffuse the situation. “Hey,” I yelled.

The two stallions looked over at me questionably. “For those who just got out of the stable, why not telling me who the hell you two are talking about.”

The two remained silent for a moment, each looking at the other and then back at me. I could see their minds battling over who would explain and who would listen. But soon, Drop sighed and began to speak.

“The pony we’re talking about is called Cycle. In short terms; he’s the most powerful and corrupt pony in the entire wasteland. Very few have seen him in person, and those that do are either in his army or buried in the ground.”

Drop looked at Text Book, who waited a few moments before taking over. “In terms of what he is; he’s the head of what he calls the New Equestrian Monarchy. Years ago, he turned the second largest Ministry of Arcane Science building into his headquarters. He’s been said he chose this because he wanted the lab equipment. A lot of scientists came to join him when they heard of his promise of a “scientific sanctuary” for all knowledge ponies.”

“Soon, his followers also captured a Ministry of Wartime Technology warehouse; giving them access to a lot of guns and weapons. With all this at his disposal, he was able to get lots of ponies to join him. He got so many he was soon able to form his own army.”

Text Book sighed, trying to control his shaking and fast breathing. “And he didn’t care what they did as long as they achieved the goals he set for them. I can’t tell you how many settlements have burned to the ground just because he said they could.”

He let out a sacred breath. “And if a pony who is shown to have a massive knowledge or gift of science, then they are drafted into his personal workforce.”

Drop looked over at me, his face a mixture of both anger and sadness. “Does that answer all of your questions?”

In all honesty, it gave me even more. Why was a pony doing something like this? What had Text Book done that had made him want to flee? And most importantly; What else was there to know about Cycle?

Drop looked back at Text Book, giving him a stern glare. “Now normally I’d ask what you did under Cycle, but not this time. Flatfoot may have killed those raiders, but that just means that monster can send something worse our way. The longer you stay here, the longer Stalliongrad is in danger.”

“What….what are you saying?” asked Text Book.

“I’m saying,” sighed Drop “that you need to leave Stalliongrad. I don’t care where you go, but you just can’t stay here.”

Text Book jerked back in surprise, his eyes growing and his breathing halting. “WHAT! You, you can’t do this! I won’t survive out there; I’ll be killed by the first monster that comes my way!”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t risk this any longer. The protection of my citizens comes first, and if that means banishing you, then so be it. At least then Cycle will stop attacking our town.”

Drop turned away from Text Book and began walking back towards the pathway. “You have two hours to pack up your equipment. After that, I’ll be sending guards to escort you out.” He gave the stallion a sidelong glance. “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t put up a fight.”

I watched Drop walked past the tables and into the pathway towards the stairs. Text Book just stared blankly at that spot where the stallion had been standing. I sighed sadly before looking at the scientist.

“I’m sorry. I never thought that this would happen to you. I just wanted to know why those raiders were after you.”

Text Book regained himself and sighed, turning to look over at me. “Don’t beat yourself up for it. Their intentions would have come to light eventually; it was only a matter of time.”

He looked around at the many terminals, beakers, and books that filled the tables around him. “I just shudder to think that all my work will be gone. All that I have done will have been for not, and there’s nothing I can do about it.”

I felt bad for the old stallion. He was only doing what he did best, and now it would either be halted completely or be destroyed. And if he really did meet his fate in the wasteland, then there would be no way of continuing it at all.

Text Book looked down at my leg and raised an eyebrow when he saw what was strapped to it. “Oh, you have a PipBuck. I’ve only seen one of those before now, but it was being dissected by another scientist at the time.”

He scratched his chin in a thoughtful way. “You know, I could give that a quick tune up if you want. If you plan on going out into the Wastes again, you’ll want it to be operating at full capacity.”

I looked down at my PipBuck for the first time since I’d left the stable. The leg mounted computer had been scratched and dented in multiple places; likely from all that I’d face since I left. The screen was a little dusty, but I could still see the displays below that showed my Stats.

“It would only take a moment. Just a simple hook up to my terminal and it’ll make sure the systems are working and the displays are accurate,” said Text Book as he walked to a nearby terminal.

I placed a hoof protectively over my PipBuck. While the object was a remind of the Stable I’d left behind, it was also a very useful too. I’ve used it ever since I got my cutie mark all those years ago, and it had never let me down. S.A.T.S. was necessary if I was going out into the wastes again. Plus E.F.S. is basically now my sixth sense.

But as I looked at the battered case and the dust covered screen,  I began to think. “If this thing goes, where will I be? It’s never let me down before, and I don’t want it to start.” I sighed.

“Alright. You can give it a look over.”

“Excellent,” said Text Book with a large smile. He gestured over to where he was standing. “Now please step over here so I can take a look it.”

I trotted over to the terminal and lifted my PipBuck up to him. He reached behind the terminal and pulled out a cable, which slotted into a spot on the back. “Keep it up while I type in the codes to initiate the scan.”

Text Book quickly began typing away on his terminal. Walls of numbers flashed across the screen, which was reflected on my PipBuck. I watched as the numbers continued to go faster and faster, until eventually they vanished. My PipBuck vibrated slight while Text Book pulled the cord out of it.

“Alright then; all systems are now operating at full capacity,” he said while he put the cord back into place. “That wasn’t so bad was it?”

“No,” I said as I looked down at my PipBuck’s screen. The lighting did seem brighter, but besides that nothing seemed too different. “But then again nothing looks different.”

“Just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean it’s not there. The codes can be intact enough that it works fine. But there can be holes that, over time, could effect how a system works.”

I’d learned a lot about technology from my time working in maintenance. Most of it was about how terminals and robots work, but there was little in the courses about PipBucks. The ponies in the science wing used to joke that we only use about half of the functions that our mini computers have. I’d used to do the same….but now it didn’t seem that much like a joke.

Text Book walked up to me and placed a hoof on my shoulder. “Well Flatfoot, I do believe you should get going. I have a lot of packing to do, and I’m sure Drop will want to talk to you.”

I raised an eyebrow at the pony; his demeanor was strangely calm for somepony in his position. “You sure? I don’t mind staying and helping out if you need it.”

Text Book just shook his head, turning his face back to the emotionless one he’d worn before. “I have a system for everything and I don’t want it to be disturbed.” He turned back to his table and began to close his books. “You go on. The mayor’s probably waiting for you.”

I watched Text Book as he started to pack up all his equipment. Part of me wanted to go talk to the mayor; maybe convince him to reconsider his actions. This pony was safe here, and he didn’t have anywhere else to go. Now he just being thrown back into the hell with only his brain to survive. And out in the Wasteland, brains weren’t the only thing needed to survive.

But Text Book looked like he had accepted his banishment….maybe a little too easily. He hadn’t argued that much about it, and now he was acting as if he was about to go on a nice daytime stroll. His demeanor had also changed back to being emotionless, but this time it didn’t seem natural. His ears flapped a little, and his chin began to shake; the symptoms of somepony hiding something.

However, he’d made his decision. Now he wanted to be left alone, and I wasn’t about to deny him those rights.

So I walked back to the pathway that lead to the stairs back to Stalliongrad.

***

I found Drop waiting for me outside near a nearby light post. His face was unreadable, but his eyes showed that he wasn’t very happy. Either with Text Book or me I couldn’t tell, but I knew I’d find out soon enough.

“I was wondering when you’d come out of there,” he said as I approached him. His tone was tense, but not as stern as I had guessed. “Care to tell me why you took your sweet time?”

He motioned me to follow him as he started walking down the street that lead to his office. I fell in step beside him as I explained everything that the two of us had discussed since he’d walked out. Drop’s face didn’t change during that time; his only reaction a slight nod whenever I reached a certain point.

“So he just accepted his fate, fixed your PipBuck, then started packing?” He stared ahead thoughtfully, making sure to occasionally check to see if I was still following him. “That does seem strange, even for Text Book.”

“Wouldn’t you act strange if the mayor of your town had said you’d be getting the buck?” I asked.

Drop sighed. “I did what was necessary to protect my citizens. If Cycle knows that Text Book isn’t here, then maybe he’ll leave this town alone.”

“And you don’t think that he won’t interrogate the ponies of this city to try and find out where he went?”

Drop opened his mouth to respond, with a retort or explanation I didn’t know.

And that’s when the explosion happened.

Light flashed from behind me, and the shockwave that followed was enough to push me and Drop down to the ground. I felt bits of bricks and dirt land all around me as the sound slowly died down.

My brain was rattling so much it felt like I had a million headaches. It didn’t feel like I had any damaged body parts, and there wasn’t a pool of blood around my either. I slowly got back onto my shaking hooves, trying to get my head back in order. Drop was also getting back onto his hooves, but he was a little more quick than I was.

“Are you alright,” I asked.

Drop nodded before turning in the direction of the explosion. When I looked to, I saw a large cloud of smoke rising a few buildings down. At first I didn’t know what could have caused that….then I remembered what was at that location.

I turned to Drop. “Move, now!” I didn’t wait for a response as I rushed towards the scene of the disaster. Drop wasn’t far behind me.

***

The smoke was almost so thick I didn’t think I’d even be able to see the remains to Text Book’s lab. A large crater now sat where the building had once been, and the houses around it were so charred that they looked as black as darkness. Ponies who were nearby had either rushed to see what happened or run away in fright. And a few were even trying to put out fires that had sprung up around the area.

Drop and Me watched as the black smoke continued to rise above the burning lab. I didn’t bother thinking Text Book was alive in there; nopony could survive that explosion.

A few city guards arrived and tried to usher the crowd of ponies away from the sight. The ones fighting the fire were allowed to stay, and of course Drop and Me ignored their orders. The mayor kept his face unchanged as he walked as close as he could to the crater; right next to the edge.

I followed behind him and matched his gaze, looking down to the less smokey pit. “I guess this explains why he was so calm about having to leave.”

Drop didn’t say anything at first, but he soon found his words. “I never meant for this to happen. I….I never thought he’d do something like this.”

“Don’t beat yourself up,” I said as I put a hoof on his shoulder. “You didn’t say he had to kill himself. He’s the one who decided that death was better for him than being out in the wastes.”

But even as I said that, I saw how the past events could have unfolded a lot differently. I could understand why the mayor made his choices. But the way he chose to accomplish them could have been done in a less banishment way.

Drop shrugged off my hoof. “But he would still be alive if I hadn’t said that. I knew he wasn’t a good survivor, but I figured he’d at least be able to make it do a different settlement.” He closed his eyes tight as he turned away from the crater. “Guess I was wrong.”

Besides the obvious words of sorrow and comforting, I didn’t know what I could say. Drop had unintentionally caused another pony to commit suicide, and in possibly the most brutal way possible.

I followed Drop as he walked away from the site and towards the street we’d been walking along earlier. “Sir,” called a voice. I looked back and saw the metal covered pony from the hospital running towards us. He completely ignored me as he ran straight up to Drop.

“Sir, what exactly are your orders. My men are ready to begin searching the site; we’re fairly confident that we’ll find the cause of the explosion.”

Drop looked over at the pony with the same blank expression he’d been wearing since the lab had blown. “There will be no investigation Spark; I already know what caused it. But if you find any remains of a body in there, you’re to give it a proper burial.”

Spark’s face turned to one of confusion as Drop headed down the street to his office. “Flatfoot, come with me.”

I was almost a confused at the statement as Spark was. Why did the mayor want to talk to me? And more importantly how was it going to affect me? But I shoved all that away for later as I followed Drop back to his office.

***

“Spill.”

Drop was once again sitting back on his chair, his hooves put together and his face scrunched in anger. He’d started acting like this the moment he'd entered the building. Even the secretary was nervous when she saw the look that was plastered onto his face.

I really didn’t know what he wanted me to say. Did he want me to explain what had happened in the lab again? I wouldn’t know till I asked.

“Care to elaborate,” I asked as I leaned back in one of the comfy chairs that sat in front of the desk.

Drop snorted angrily, but if he thought that was going to scare me he was sadly mistaken. “Just who are you Flatfoot?”

Okay….not the question I was expecting.

“Everything has been normal in this city until you arrived. Once you were carried through those gates, we’ve had our raider problem eradicated and a pony blow himself up!”

Was he really trying to blame me for everything bad that had happened? I’d risked my life for this town, and gotten shot a few times. And yet now here he was accusing me of causing all of their problems!

“Oh, I see. Well I’m so sorry that I not only killed those raiders but also gave you more medical supplies!” I shot back.

Drop pointed hoof at me. “That was an agreement since you used up our supplies when you were shot.” His demeanor became even more angry with every word. “And we wouldn’t have even shot you if you hadn’t come here!”

Those words brought me back two days ago; the day I’d escaped from the hellhole called Stable 11. I remembered listening to the radio about Stalliongrad’s problems and wanting to find a city where maybe I could find help. A place that could save ponies who hadn’t done anything wrong.

“Why did you even come to Stalliongrad in the first place?”

I looked up at The Mayor, my eyes half open and my mouth formed into a frown. “I came here looking for help.”

Drop’s mean demeanor softened slightly. “Help with what exactly?”

For a moment, I didn’t think I should tell him about Stable 11. For one thing; I didn’t think he would be able to handle it. But also because I didn’t want to have to describe it to him. I was already having nightmares just thinking about it, and I’m pretty sure a full fledge description would be just as bad.

But if I wanted his help, I’d have to do some explaining.

So after a moment of collecting my thoughts, I began to explain everything that had happened.

***

“And that’s the reason I came here for help.”

I’d tried to explain everything in as much detail as I could muster. The parts about the elections and sacrifice chamber were the hardest to get out; I’d choked up a little explaining them. After that is was just a simple retread of me escaping from the Stable and coming here.

Drop’s cold attitude had now been transformed into a look of awe and sadness. He hadn’t said anything during my recap, but I could tell that a thousand questions were now swimming inside his mind.

He swallowed hard before speaking. “That’s quite the story you have Flatfoot. Seems like something out of a book.”

“If only it was.”

Drop tapped his hooves together gently, now putting on a face of focus and questioning. “So you came here thinking that we’d be able to take down that Overstallion. You do realize that would require a large amount of my guards.”

“I understand that sir,” I replied “but I know that you have plenty of ponies on guard. All I ask is that a few come back with me to Stable 11 and help me take down Mallet. Lives are on the line here!”

My voice was beginning to become inaudible thanks to the sobs that were starting to break through. That stable was my home, and the ponies living there were my friends and family. I’d left them because I had to, but I didn’t want to just forget about them. I wanted to do something; I wanted to make a change.

But I couldn’t do it by myself. That’s why I was asking Drop to help me; he had the ponies and the firepower. At most I’d need maybe twenty ponies. If they were trained in combat, then they’d easily be able to overpower anything that Mallet threw our way.

Which made it even more crushing when Drop slowly shook his head at me. “I’m sorry Flatfoot; but we can’t send any of our guards to help you.”

It took every ounce of willpower I had not to scream out in either agony or anger. The words and actions that I’d shared with this pony, all in the name of freedom, had all been thrown out the door.

“....Why,” I asked; trying my best not to yell it.

“You’ve done a great favor to this city Flatfoot; there is no denying that.” He got up from his chair and once again looked through the large window behind him. “But the protection of it comes before anything. I don’t want to risk being a few guards down if more ponies come and attack us.”

He turned back towards me with a look that kept me from saying anything. “As you said; ponies may come here and torture us if they think that we know anything about Text Book. I can’t let that happen; so I want to keep our regiment completely full until further notice.” He sat back down in his chair, giving me an empathetic look. “I’m sorry Flatfoot, I truly am, but the answer is no.”

I wanted to scream; I wanted to tell him he was a cold heartless bastard. How could a pony who watches over others just let another group of them be stuck in a place run by a madpony. They were innocent; more innocent then the entire population of this city combined. And yet here he was saying these ponies had to come first.

But he’d made his point, and I was certain I wouldn’t be able to change it. He wasn’t as frightened as the guard back at the stable, so a gun wouldn’t work either. And when you have options like that, it’s best to know when you’ve been beaten.

I got up from my chair and turned towards the door. “Then there’s nothing more to discuss.”

I began trotting to the door, not really sure where I was going to go. Logically I thought of another settlement; one with a big enough population that they wouldn’t mind sending a few ponies to help me out. Though the likelihood of that happening was probably lower than my knowledge of math.

I was almost at the door when Drop called out to me.

“But, I think I know a group who can help you!”

My hooves stopped cold just as they were reaching for the doorknob. I turned back to the stallion and saw him smirking at me, but with a much kinder demeanor. “Stalliongrad isn’t the only city to have ponies who can fight.”

I could practically feel hope flowing back into me as I walked back to the chair and sat down. “Where are these ponies; what are they called?”

Drop leaned back in his chair. “They call themselves The Steel Rangers. As they say over their radio broadcasts, they are the last remaining remnants of the Equestrian Military.”

He put on a sour face. “Horse shit if you ask me. All they care about is hoarding Pre-War technology and making themselves stronger. Honestly, most of them would be more interested in saving your PipBuck than saving you.”

For some reason I slowly began to rub where my PipBuck met my foreleg. “But are they willing to help me?”

Drop shrugged. “Depends on if it suits their interests. If they feel they’ll get something out of it, then they’ll help. If not, well, they wouldn't even give you a second look.”

These ponies didn’t strike me as the kind that would help a poor stable pony out. I guess they were probably their own deal, which meant that It’d probably be hard to get them to agree to help me. But if a few nerds were all that was standing between me and my home’s freedom, I’d be willing to try anything.

“So where do they operate?”

Drop smirked at me as he leaned forward in his chair. “They have multiple sections across Equestria. But their mane regiment is said to operate in Manehattan. So if you wanted their help, I’d head there.”

I brought up my PipBuck and switched to the MAP feature. The gear icon of Stable 11 and Stalliongrad both appeared on my screen. A blank box had appeared in the north eastern section, which was a long distance off from my current location.

“That’s quite a walk.”

Drop stepped out of his chair and walked over to look down at my PipBuck. His eyes scanned the map, and soon he’d covered the distance to Manehattan. “Yes, it would seem so.”

He looked up, keeping his eyes directly on me. Looking right into them, I could see a pony who was both scared, nervous, and angry all at the same time. I guess being a Mayor of a city had some major drawbacks.

“Think about this though; do you care enough about your Stable to make a journey like that?”

Out of all the question he’d asked since we’d met, this was by far one of the stupidest. “Of course I do,” I shot back.

Drop smirked. “Then I’d suggest you use today to prepare, and then leave early tomorrow morning. You want to try and travel during the day as much as possible.”

I nodded in agreement. Even though I’d only spent a small out of time out in the Wasteland, I knew I’d be in for a tough ride if I wasn’t prepared.

“Well, if I were you, I’d get started right away. And make sure to think about everything you’ll need.”

I nodded in agreement once again before turning towards the door. I kept my steps quick as I walked through the door and down the stairs.

***

If there was one other thing about Stalliongrad that I enjoyed, it was that the vendors here basically sold everything you could ask for. There were stalls filled with bullets, guns, food, and even some that I’m sure Zest would have loved to look at.

The ponies that ran those stalls were just as diverse as the merchandise they sold. Some wore eyepatches, others dressed in high authority clothing, and a few others, well, once again; Zest would have a field day with them.

Thankfully, with all the caps I’d earned from those raiders and Drop, it wasn’t too big a problem to find everything I needed. What I needed the most were bullets, better barding, and even a few spare parts for my guns. My PipBuck showed the item condition to still be high, but It’d dropped enough that I wasn’t going to take any chances.

There was still a few items that I needed to get, but I wasn’t going to buy them from the venders. For one thing; the prices they were asking for were much too high. And more importantly, I thought it stupid to pay for them when I could get them for free.

So, with that thought in mind, I left the crowded marketplace and instead turned my attention to the building with the large red cross on it.

I expect the hospital to be much more crowded than it actually was. Ponies zipped in and out of rooms either carrying a tray of tools or bags they place on those metal poles. They were so busy they didn’t even notice as I walked down the hallway with a cut up body and a battle-saddle on my back.

Eventually I reached a spot in the center of the building that looked like a reception area. A large desk took up the side wall, which was plastered with posters that depicted a yellow pegasus treating different injuries. The rest of the room was fairly clean, and the only shred of life was a ember earth pony sitting behind the desk.

I walked up to the pony, clearing my throat in a bid to get her attention. “Excuse me, would you happen to know where Miss Cuddles is?”

The mare looked up at me; her eyes widening when they saw the multiple cuts and bandages that covered me. I could already tell she was debating calling for a doctor to help me. But instead she gave her head a quick shake and tried her best to smile. “Miss Cuddles is currently in Room 110. Just down the hallway,” she said as she pointed to a hallway on the right side of the desk.

I replied in kind and set off down the empty hallway. Voices could be heard from behind almost all the doors; most of them either crying or complaining. Not wanting to hear more, I concentrated on finding the right room.

It took me almost the entire way down the hallway, but I finally found the room labeled 110. I knocked on the door twice and waited for a response. Hooves moved behind the door until they eventually stopped in front of it.

“Who is it,” called a voice on the other side.

“It’s Flatfoot. Is that you Cuddles?”

The lock clicked as the door was flung open, revealing the pink unicorn standing behind it. “Oh, Flatfoot! I….I….didn’t know you were coming to see me.”

I raised an eyebrow at the way she was acting. I’d learned enough from her that she was naturally nervous. But for some reason, she seemed even more nervous than before. Then I looked behind her and at the room beyond.

It was fairly small; only a bed, nightstand, and a small bookshelf took up the space. Another poster with the yellow pegasus sat over the bead, the bottom part reading: It’s All Fun And Games Until Somepony Gets Hurt.

Then the realization kicked in. “Oh, is….is this your room?”

Cuddles blushes slightly and nodded her head. I couldn’t see my own face, but I was sure my cheeks were starting to turn red to.

We stood there for a minute in silence, but for me it felt a lot longer. However, if I wanted to get ready for tomorrow, I’d have to get on with why I’d come here. “So Cuddles, I was wondering if you could do me a favor.”

Cuddles looked at me questionably; her cheeks beginning to turn the right shade. “Oh, okay. What do you need?”

“I need a box or two of medical supplies. I know I just got the hospital some, but I’m going to need them after tomorrow.”

Now she was starting to looked confused. She cocked her head to the side as she asked “What are you doing tomorrow?”

I didn’t know if I should tell her what I planned to do. I had a feeling she’d have something to say about it. But then again, she could be more inclined to help if I told her was I could be facing. And since she seemed so innocent, I’d feel bad if I lied to her.

“I’m going to be heading towards Manehattan tomorrow, so I’m going to need all the medical supplies I can get. I was wondering if you could possibly get me one of them.”

As expected, her reaction wasn’t very positive.

“WHAT! Why in the world would you want to go there?”

Not understanding her reaction, I decided to poke the mutated animal more. “What’s so wrong with Manehattan?”

Cuddles rubbed her arm, choosing not to look directly at me. “From what I know, Manehattan isn’t like Stalliongrad. While we have walls and a city filled with ponies, Manehattan is the exact opposite. The place has no protection, so the old buildings are going to be filled with mutants and Celestia knows what else. I know ponies say Tenpony Tower is safe, but that’s only if you can get in there.”

I was starting to wonder if the Steel Rangers were Alicorn damned idiots for setting up shop in a city like that. But if they were as powerful as Drop said, then maybe it didn’t matter to them. And if they were the only hope I had to save my home, then I’d have to risk it.

“You still didn’t answer my question.”

Cuddles was now looking at me intently. It almost felt like she was interrogating me. I could have lied to her face, but I didn’t want to; for all the headaches she gave me, she was still innocent.

“I’m going to Manehattan to speak with the Steel Rangers.”

She raised an eyebrow questionably. “Why do you want to speak with the Steel Rangers?”

What was this; 20 questions? I actually didn’t want to tell her the truth about my Stable, so I stretched the truth. “Let’s just say a place I know is having some problems. A bad pony is running it, and I think the Steel Rangers could help take him out.”

“If they agree to help you,” Cuddles murmured.

I put on my best “angry” face and stared straight at her. “Look, I just need to get some supplies. So can you get me a box, or do I have to go ask somepony else?”

Cuddles matched my stare, which kept us looking angrily at each other for a whole minute. I wasn’t going to back down, and I’m sure she wasn’t going to either.

Finally, Cuddles backed off. “Fine,” she said as she walked past me “but you owe me for this.”

Glad that I was going to get my supplies, I replied “sure, whatever you want.”

“I’ll remember that,” said Cuddles as she walked down the hallway.

For some reason, that statement made me worry a little. I knew only to well how much a promise of “anything” could hurt you back in the Stable. I still have memories of cleaning the Sewage System for Zest after a “promise” I’d made. But I shoved that out of my mind as I began to think about what I was going to be doing tomorrow.

“Next stop; Manehattan.”

____________________________________________________

LEVEL UP!

New Perk:

Intimidation: Ponies are now 90% more likely to do what you say.