Fallout Equestria: Sundown

Chapter 7: Braggadocious Balefire

Then the monster of Stable 96 exploded. Twice.

What in Luna’s moon!?

Getting myself off of the old restaurant’s floor, I peered through a window to the now crater of Stable

96 that had doubled in size. It had turned into a white hot bowl of glowing heat and fire, as a pony

shaped figure wearing a completely ridiculous outfit that looked like it had leapt out of the pages of

some old mare’s tale. Billowing cape, pointy wizard hat and flowing robes all with flame decals adorned

the approaching stallion. He looked like the embodiment of balefire and radiated heat from his fiery red

coat, with an orange and white mane that resembled an inferno with eyes like a campfire. In his

hoofsteps were ashen imprints of his passing. He kept his head bowed low as he approached the

wounded Steel Rangers and I managed to pick my jaw up from the floor, only to have it drop again as I

got a full look at his downright regal features.

“Greetings and salutations, my most splendid of Equines!” He announced, in a voice that resembled

surfer bronies from some old videotape of the Neighties. “I do most profusely apologize for my pets

must un-cool temper tantrum. I assure you, my metal bros and night guard, that I won’t allow this

unfortunate happenstance to occur again.” The blazing unicorn announced with a flourish.

What.

Paladin Copper Wire staggered beside me, still wounded but with his eye swollen instead of hanging

loosely from his face. After a moment of pained breaths and attempts at speech, the fire wizard spoke

again.

“Oh! Most uncool, Brah!” he said, somehow keeping his voice authoritative yet cheery with his odd

accent. “That must’ve been the work of my obliterated pet, yeah?” he pointed at Copper Wire while his

horn lit up like a miniature sun. An aura of gold and red enveloped Copper Wire as he slowly lifted from

the ground, the weight of his power armor and earth pony heft like he was an action figure to the image

of fire. “I’ll have all of you right as rain in a moment, dudes. No prob.” He said, smiling and bobbing his

head at random, his eyes flicking around like sparks from a forge as he looked over the Paladin. Then

with a bright flash, he released the paladin and he landed on the ground with a resounding

THUD-CLANG of metal and mass.

My mouth had somewhat regained its ability of speech, as I attempted to ask who this strange unicorn

of fire was, but only squeaked as usual.

“Who…?” I managed.

“Fear not, Night Guard bro-mare. I understand your confusion! I am Braggadocious, Best Student of

Marelin sixteen centuries running, and the Element of Fire, brah. When news of my latest

experiment’s escape had reached my most wonderful ears, I immediately absconded in search of him!

Imagine my most intense befuddlement that my audacious pet had traveled time to a wasteland of

death and most heinous suffering of pony kind. The Laws of Time state that I can’t intervene with your

lives, nor solve the conundrums you face, but I can most certainly fix all the mistakes that my indirect

interference has caused and set you back on the path you would’ve properly traveled!” Braggadocious

finally finished, taking a large breath as his form seem to be stoked like a fire with the intake.

“Now, if you would all congregate in an orderly manner, I’d be most willing to assist your injured and

deceased bros and mare-bros with my incredible magical skill!” He announced to the gathering group

of Steel Rangers.

Paladin Copper Wire groaned and shifted himself from the floor to stand up… completely healed!

“What… what happ- where am I?” He stammered in confusion as he looked around from the hole in his

helmet between Braggadocious, the wounded Rangers and myself.

“All will be explained in time, Metal Brosef. Gather your clan and I will save those I can. Hah, I

rhymed! I must’ve spent too long in Roam again.” The spirited fire mage cheered with a grin across his

face, trotting in place while sending up tufts of smoke from his hoof falls.

Oh crap, now my descriptions just rhymed. It’s spreading!

“Who are you?” Paladin Copper Wire asked, before being cut off by Scribe Hay Hen.

“I request you rest. Braggadocious here has offered assistance and… revival of our friends.”

Now she’s rhyming!

The paladin seemed completely over his head, so instead just huffed in confusion and walked off in a

daze to gather the wounded and dead of his Stable exploration force.

“So, most beautiful of the night guard I’ve seen in these lands, what brings you to this cloud covered

and horrific time? Seeing the sights or looking for your own lost experiment?” The element of fire said,

a bit too close for comfort as I began sweating from the heat radiating off of him.

“Um…” I squeaked, leaning away from him being invading my personal space.

“Worry not, bro-mare. I can understand you perfectly! It’s not that hard to reverse a mute-ation spell

after all, and I know the Night Guard are soft spoken when they want to be!” he chuckled, while

draping a foreleg over my shoulders and pulling me closer to the furnace that was his body. His hooves

were like stones in the desert. I began sweating and squirming even more, trying to get away from the

Element of Fire before I burst into flames, and he soon realized why I was moving around so much.

“Oh, my most sincere apologies bro-mare! I hadn’t even realized I was bleeding off so much energy

from the transportation spell.” And with a bright flash of his horn, the ethereal fire that had engulfed

his body disappeared to reveal what looked like a regular (albeit incredibly clean, for the wastelands)

unicorn stallion. He was still in his fire adorned garb, but no longer venting off heat like an erupting

volcano. “Would you be so forgiving as to give Braggadocious your name? It would do me no good to

keep calling you Bro-mare, after all.” He requested, taking one of my hooves in his own while looking at

me.

What is happening? Somepony help me what is going on!

OhmyLunawhatisgoingonimgoingtodiewhyismyheartdoingthishelp!

“Oh, bummer. I’ll see you when you wake up then, Night Guard Bro-mare!” the mage said as my vision

began to blur and I fell backwards into the dirt.

oooOOOooo

Bright green fields, night skies with white puffy clouds and a gentle breeze carried me through the air as I

soared over what looked like a small village next to a forest. Not a care in the world for the cold nipping

through my coat and freezing the silver and midnight plated armor I was wearing as I glided through the

sky at this altitude, gazing down and watching the ground for anypony in distress or need of aid as I

carried on my nightly sweep of the hamlet a mere twenty kilo trots from Canterville.

Nothing usually happened this far out, but it was still my duty to make sure that Princess Luna’s night

was as safe as her sister Princess Celestia’s day. Besides, I got to enjoy the star filled sky that Luna had so

diligently worked to create every single night for the subjects I was now watching over, even if none of

them ever did stay up long enough to enjoy it. I had heard the reports of the regular ponies insisting that

Luna’s night was full of terrors, demons and other nonsense they had convinced their foals that would

gobble them up as soon as they left the safety of their lamp-lit hovels. I can see why Princess Luna was so

hurt. After all, enough light in one area would block out the absolute beauty that she had crafted every

night for her subjects enjoyment, only to be scorned and rejected on the sheer principle that the night is

dark.

If only the villagers could appreciate the night in the same was as Luna’s Night Guard could. There would

be no more fear or misunderstanding about the night, no more arguments between Princesses Celestia

and Luna over the Princess of the night being ignored and shoved into the shadow by the older sister’s

day.

Suddenly, a bright flash appeared in the night sky, streaking across the tapestry of Luna’s creation… and

headed right for—oof!

oooOOOooo

Uhg… my head. Why did… Did I pass out? What kind of dream was that?

“Most splendid Mare of the Night! You’ve returned to the land of the conscious once more!” The

chipper fire mage blurted out, his head popping upside down and staring at me as I opened my eyes to

the blinding sun… Or his face.

“The rescue of your allies is nearly finished, as is my time in this plane of reality. Would it be true, that

I would be able to learn of your name before I depart, shy Bro-mare?” he offered one of his burning

hooves to lift me up, his spells apparently re-heating him enough that he had grown tired of dissipating

all the energy after each cast.

“My name is Sundown.” I squeaked at him, hoping he could actually hear me as I remembered he had

said before.

Braggadocious paused his spell casting for a moment to look at me curiously, before finishing with the

last of the Steel Rangers that had been mutilated by the monster of the stable… or his pet, I should say.

“That is most interesting! Night Guard Sundown… I may have to return here after all.” he finished,

muttering to himself. He might be able to understand me, but I don’t think he knew that my hearing was

as good as it is.

“Mage… Braggadocious, was it?” Paladin Copper Wire asked, completely healed and his armor repairing

itself as a scribe fed what looked like scrap metal and gems into a port on the side of his suit.

“Student of Marelin, Braggadocious, Element of Fire.” He said with an exaggerated bow and the…

The HOOFSHAKE.

Even a downright demi-god of magic does it! It’s so dangerous, does nopony realize the danger of

offering your hoof to somepony!

“I would ask if this is some kind of trap, but considering that you’ve returned nearly every one of my

brothers and sisters from even death itself… Do you need anything as payment for your-“ Paladin

Copper Wire nervously asked before he was cut off.

“Worry not, my well-armed metal-bro. I’ve almost more than I will ever need, and I’m certain you

would need any supplies you could get your hooves on in this environment. I bid you good luck, and

may the Princesses of Sun and Moon watch over you!” he announced with a final flourish, before

vaporizing in a massive flash of light that I was frantically trying to blink away for a few minutes

afterwards.

Click. Beep! Beep! Beep! Click.

“Scribe Hay Hen, Radio please.” Paladin Copper Wire asked abruptly, gathering himself before reporting

to the radio’s signal.

“Paladin Copper Wire, respond, over.” The voice on the radio demanded.

“Paladin Copper Wire responding to message, over.”

“Report status, over.”

“One Target captured, four missing and presumed dead. Casualties… minimal. Three in total.

Identification Tags were retrieved before detonation of Stable 96, upon encountering unstoppable

mutant beast…thing. Over.”

“Right… Have a report ready as soon as you report back to base for Debriefing. You stated a fifth

target, over?”

“Confirmed. Claims to be a ‘Batpony.’ Served during the fighting to assist myself and three Initiates.

Initiates request integration of target into their squad on arrival, over.”

“Report back to base, Paladin. The Elder will review your report and decide then, out.”

Click.

The paladin returned from his conversation to find myself talking with Cheese, Hat and Swipe in a corner

of the restaurant along with Clear Report and Hay Hen. Several other Steel Rangers were around us as

Hat recounted the tale of how the three initiates and myself managed to navigate our way around the

‘Death Stable’ as they had begun calling it, without a scratch or injury until the very ending scramble.

They had put a lot of praise into my hearing keeping them safe, even if I was next to useless in an actual

fight. Clear Report quickly pointed out that nopony could stop that thing even if they were the Stable

Dweller herself (Whoever that was) before they slowly went silent as they noticed Copper Wire over

them.

“Alright. Everypony ready to move out? We have another mission.” The paladin said with a flat tone.

Grumbles and murmurs of discontent went through the group before they realized the paladin was

within earshot, as they assembled in the now clear central area of the restaurant.

“Yes Paladin! All ready to move!” They announced as one to the paladin.

“Good. Our next mission is going to be a long and difficult one. Even more difficult than the ‘death

stable’ we just went through.” He deadpanned.

More murmurs and quiet voices of protest rang from the group, and a few of them had begun to sweat

that anything could’ve been worse than that stable.

“Paladin Copper Wire, where are we going sir?” Cheese Wheel asked.

The paladin paused for a moment, looking over all of them before walking nose to nose with Initiate

Cheese Wheel before he said, “Going Home, Initiate.” And burst out into laughter as even the veteran

rangers had nearly collapsed to the floor in relief at the news. Several cheers of hot meals, warm beds

and hopes of alcohol to wash their worries away from the nightmare of not even a few hours ago began

to flood their minds at the plans already being made for when they got home. I couldn’t help but smile

at the news, and was thankful that I received a few hugs and pats on the head instead of stares of anger

or disgust for my fangs and teeth gleaming in the light as I smiled wide, before Hat Trick asked, “Paladin

Copper Wire, what of Sundown? Is she going to be allowed to join us at the base?”

Steel Rangers I hadn’t even met murmured in agreement with me joining them, as Copper Wire

answered, “Yes Initiate. Sundown is going to be coming with us. Even if she is a ‘Target’ for our

mission, being grouped with those four survivors of Stable 96, she has aided us immensely in our

mission. Would any disagree?” he challenged, looking over the Rangers. To my immense glee, not one

of them did as I was floored from the cheer of the Steel Rangers.

“Alright, Alright! Enough, you’re hurting the batpony’s ears!” Card Swipe waved his hooves, getting

their attention as I was helped to my hooves by Hat Trick and Cheese Wheel.

About half an hour after we had packed our gear and moved out from the ruins of the city and our

restaurant post, the Initiates had been discussing the random appearance of Braggadocious, who had

already become something of a myth amongst the Rangers that saw him to the Rangers that were

wounded or unconscious, not believing in a tale of some unicorn of fire appearing out of nowhere to

make everything right again out of the blue. A few pointed out that they wouldn’t have thought of those

monsters in the stable before today either, but with the deaths of their friends and allies being tied with

that statement, they dropped the subject and we continued our march to wherever the Steel Ranger

base was.

As I was just about certain that my hooves were going to fall off, I switched to using my wings to hover

around and keep pace with the trotting Steel Rangers. I heard some muffled communications between

the power armored Paladins of the Steel Rangers, keeping a watch out with their EFS for any movement

or signs of hostile intent as they swept and scanned around the traveling group. A few scribes were

talking to Paladin Copper Wire about the need to blindfold me before they reached their base, because

that was standard procedure in case I was a spy, but Scribe Hay Hen questioned the validity of

blindfolding somepony that can see with sound in the dark. She also stated that I didn’t have a Pipbuck,

so it’s not like I could give anypony a map directly to their base either, but they decided to blindfold me

anyway to keep with procedure and not get in trouble for negligence after the apparent failure of their

mission. Well, they were supposed to bring some technology back with them from that stable, but that

was pretty much cut short from the giant monster and huge explosion, then Braggadocious’ entrance of

balefire to the area pretty much sending any hopes of salvage to the winds.

At least being blindfolded meant I could get off of my hooves and give my wings a rest. I was used to

traveling the wastes, sure, but I wasn’t used to traveling so long and slowly over rocky terrain when I

could just fly everywhere under cover of darkness. I was placed on the back of a Paladin somewhere

near the center of the convoy, from what I could tell by echolocation and squeaks of discomfort giving

me some idea of where I was. The paladin I was laying on didn’t seem to mind or notice me, and at least

they didn’t see fit to tie me up again. I rested my belly on his armored back while I draped my hooves

over his sides and let my wings cling to my side as I rocked around from his movement.

Bunch of rocks getting knocked around by hooves. Cl-clank, Cli-clonk. Cli-Clack, Cli-clop. Yay walking

noises! I wonder if Braggadocious is going to show up again anytime soon. Probably not, he seemed

pretty busy. Why am I thinking about Braggadocious when I’m going to an uncertain fate with Steel

Rangers? I only knew him for less than an hour, did he really make that big of an impression on me? He

only talked to me for a few moments and I outright fainted. Maybe I have a crush on him or something…

Aw, that’s just mean, brain! Giving me a crush on a buck I can’t even see again because he travels

through time on a whim.

I squeaked a huff, slightly startling somepony that sounded like Hat Trick traveling beside me.

“Oh, hey Sundown. I thought you were sleeping. You doing alright?” she asked. I was blind, so I

couldn’t read her expression. She seemed pretty calm though.

I lifted my head to nod and stared in her direction, looking where her eyes would be.

“Whoa, that’s really creepy. Can you see me with that blindfold on?”

I tilted my head at her, and shook a hoof side to side.

Sorta?

“Like, can you see normally or… I don’t even know how to ask how you can see.”

To demonstrate, I set out a series of rapid clicks ending in a short screech, and I saw her ears fold back in

fright at my sudden burst of noise as a few ponies stopped outright to question what the hay noise that

was. I tried to melt into the back of the Paladin to avoid looks, before the group started moving again. I

pointed at where I thought Hat Trick was, and let out a series of clicks and a smaller squeak to point at

where she had moved to, booping her on the nose.

“That’s really freaky, but cool at the same time! I’m guessing they blindfolded you because of

protocol?” I heard Cheese Wheel ask.

I nodded, and the group was stopped as a call to hold position was repeated down the line to those

without radios. Chirping, I noticed the rangers were taking positions to cover the side of the road we had

been traveling. Focusing, I heard whoops and cries of raiders in the distance, but they were moving

away while shooting at somepony. Probably a caravan.

Raiders and Caravans. At least the name is relevant, I guess.

Soon enough, we were on the move again as the Initiates talked with me about being a Batpony and

questioning why I was out in the wastelands, and asking why they hadn’t seen more than just me as far

as batponies went. I didn’t really have an answer to that, because as far as I knew I had always just been

on my own in the wastes. Sure I had some gaps of memory here and there, but it all seemed to fit well

enough. Even if that one dream I had was totally strange, it was still just a dream, right?

A loud roar made me jump from the conversation, as I heard a few ponies stop and look around for

whatever had made the noise. I held my stomach and fell off the back of the Paladin, rolling on the

ground in a long skree of pain.

I heard a few ponies looking at me, and asking what had happened before Cheese Wheel asked,

“Um, Sundown? When was the last time you ate?” giving me a nudge on the side with a hoof.

My expression must have spoken for me, because next thing I knew I had some apple tasting thing

shoved in my mouth and I froze.

Apples. They have APPLES!?

I bolted upright, nearly head-butting a scribe as the drained husk of the apple fell from my fangs and I

looked around in a blindfolded frenzy for more of the blissful blobs of delicious goodness. My squeaks

and screeches announcing my zealous need for more of the gift from the goddesses before I was held

down with a hoof by a paladin, as Copper Wire came back to investigate what was going on.

“Paladin Copper Wire, I don’t think Sundown has eaten… anything in the past few days. I heard her

stomach growl a few canters back! She must’ve been starving so I gave her an apple and…” I was still

squeaking so I saw the scribe raise the drained husk of the apple I had devoured the juices of bliss from

in an instant. “It was completely shriveled before she even sat upright! Batponies don’t drink blood,

right?” I swear I could feel him shivering next to me, but I only had fangs for the apples I knew he was

carrying in his saddlebags.

I had managed to eat about four or five more of his apples before I was torn in protest from his treasure

trove of delight (Saddlebags) by at least four scribes and a paladin, my screeches of anguish going

unheeded as I cried out for more apples.

I’m not one to usually brag, but I’m pretty strong. There’s a reason I used a sledgehammer as my

weapon of choice and it wasn’t for looks.

Regaining my hoofing, I managed to buck off two scribes and shake a third off before I dived back at the

apple bearer when a gunshot rang out with a very upset Paladin Copper Wire shouting.

“Sundown! Calm down immediately or we’ll be forced to tie you up!”

I fell to the ground covering my ears from the volume of the shot, using a free hind hoof to paw at the

scribe who was backing up in terror from me as I was tackled by the now annoyed scribes I had chucked

off of me. I was secured to the ground and I heard the murmurs of gossip as the scribe looked through

his saddlebags and began pulling out fruit husk after husk that I had eaten in the blink of an eye.

“Wow… At least we know what to feed you now. I was worried we’d have to go hunting or

something.” Card Swipe said with a bit of surprise in his voice, before looking at the other Initiates

staring at him. “What, don’t bats eat meat or something?”

“She’s a Batpony, Card. Fruits and vegetables, duh.” Cheese responded.

“Well jeez, mister batpony expert, So-ree.” Card snarked.

“Alright that’s enough. Sundown, Hold your hunger until we get to our base. We should have enough

to feed you, unless this was just a snack… Please may this have not been a snack.” He finished with a

quiet prayer to Celestia and Luna to cut him some slack after what happened today.

I spent the rest of the trip on the back of the Paladin, staring blindfolded at the (very worried and

smelling of sweat) holder of deliciousness that was apples. I held two hooves up to my eyes, before

pointing one of them at the Scribe of Apples, and he fainted on the spot. He later awoke right beside my

blindfolded self, smiling open mouthed with my fangs out and he yelped in surprise and tried wiggling

off of the paladin. After that it was mostly me just messing with whomever got within squeaking

distance and asking if they had any apples, vocal range be damned. Sadly, they either slowed down

enough to keep a distance from me or shook their head and trotted forward.

Eventually we came to a halt and I heard the paladin receiving commands through the radio his helmet

was muffling and I was set down, blindfold being taken off finally. After being momentarily blinded by

the light, my eyes adjusted and we walked through some very heavy looking blast doors to an

underground (Yay!) bunker. The flooring was lined with steel paneling and there were a few floor and

ceiling turrets at the main entrance as our group packed tightly together as the doors shut closed with a

loud KU-CHINK, like a massive deadbolt slamming it into place. Scribes and paladins began filing out of

the room as soon as the door opened, going to wherever it is that Steel Rangers go to after a mission, as

an older looking unicorn in a faded crimson robe came through the doorway to speak with Paladin

Copper Wire, the three Initiates and myself.

“Paladin Copper Wire, Initiates Cheese Wheel, Hat Trick and Card Swipe.” The rasping voice of whom I

assume was ‘The Elder’ stated with a slight bow of the head.

The four of them returned the bow with a salute, and parted to reveal me peeking over what used to be

the back of the Paladin, but was now open air. I meeped and looked around for another hiding spot

before I turned back and saw the Elder looking right at me, a foreleg’s distance from my face.

“You must be the ‘target’ that survived the mission, I take it?” He asked in a monotone with more

command and vigor than before. I looked at the Initiates and the paladin to save me, since I could only

squeak, but they stood at attention.

“Uh… Yes?” I skree’d at him as quietly as possible. His eyes narrowed suspiciously at me before calling

Copper Wire over.

“Is she incapable of speech?” he asked curtly.

“In a way, Elder Rasa. She claims to be a ‘Batpony’, So her voca-“ Copper Wire managed before the

elder silenced him with a raised hoof, and he fell back to his previous spot. The Elder stood for what

seemed like hours, just staring at me while I started to sweat and gave a nervous smile at him before

instantly regretting it.

“Hmm… We will have to send her to Doctor Scour to confirm her story. I’m sure that there must be

some record to compare pre-war batpony physiology with this… wastelander.” He rubbed a hoof on

his bearded chin before declaring that I be sent to the prisoner cells and given a meal while Doctor Scour

runs a physical on everypony that was on the mission before seeing me. I was going to complain about

how small the cell was before I noticed a pyramid of apples sitting on a tray in the cell, and dove straight

into it at the sight of them.

Then I heard a loud series of Zaps as I learned the prison cell was a net of magic beams for a door.

Who cares, I just got a whole fourteen apples!