Fallout isn't Magic: A journey through the wasteland.

Conveyor Line Supply was, to say the least, an impressive use of the space within it's confines. True to it's name conveyors from the factory line jutted it's way through the structure along the two longest walls. A cash register and safe had been set up behind the one closest to the door while goods ranging from food to robotic parts lined the other. Shelves erected around the metal walls showcased everything to offer, a guard standing int he far corner to make sure none of it was stolen. There was a curtain adjacent to this guard, a single red fabric strung up over an old shower rod. The pony behind the counter, a reddish brown mare with hair pulled tight in a bun, greeted Caldera as she entered.

"Welcome to Conveyor Line Supply! What can I do ya for?" She waved a hoof in their direction and continue counting caps.

"Any kind of barding we can modify hers with?" Caldera jabbed a hoof at Wysteria who had found something to be preoccupied with in record time; A bear trap with old blood and bits mingled in the teeth.

"Ooh! A vault dweller. You know someone came in earlier with the same number on it not too long ago. " she nodded in Wysteria's direction and turned to look at one of her shelves for the armor in question.

"Wait someone else came in?" Caldera's ears perked up at the mention of another vault dweller, her eyes shifting to Wysteria.

"Yeah, said she was looking for someone. Why she a friend of yours?" She gingerly slammed a pair of leathers on the counter. "100 caps."

"That's a little steep for leathers with plasma gun damage..." Caldera pulled out a purple coin purse and began to count her caps.

"So you caught that?" She snickered. "I can't say I can make them cheaper but..." She watched as Wysteria set off a bear trap only to open it again and watch the parts move. "I can definitely make a trade. I'm writing a book and I need help. Finish it and I'll give a rebate. Hey I'll even throw in information on your friend, hows that sound?"

"What kind of help?" Caldera had heard the trap and turned to watch the other pony in the room.

"Well, I can't really leave the store on account of being the only one really qualified to run it. Not that anyone can't run a store but it takes skill not to run you business into the floor. Especially when you're the hot spot in town. " She took Caldera's caps and grinned as wide as possible" Sooo I need help writing my book. I've been reading up on some old pre-war magazines and Uncle's Orchard Grocery Mart appear to have been the place to get goods back in the day. I need someone to scout the one just north of here and report if they're still good places to find supplies! I'd send you to sweet apple acres but I figured you'd want something more interesting to do."

"I mean I could tell you, I just went through there on my way in." Caldera took the leathers with a rather deadpan look. "We'll check Sweet Apple Acres."

"Way in? Oh that's right you're from up by Las Pegasus." She waved a hoof in excitement before leaning over the counter. "Check the farm and tell me EVERYTHING and I'll exchange it for what I mentioned earlier."

"Eh..." Caldera looked back at Wysteria before turning back around. "Sure, we'll take the job."

"Fantastic! Here, I'll mark it on your pipbuck for you!" She reached over the counter and began to fiddle with the knobs on the device.

"Great, I'll mark hers too then Miss..."

" Ivory Spice."

"Ivory Spice?"

The mare nodded and leaned on her hoof, " I'm sure your name is just as charming!"

Caldera eyed Ivory and trotted over to Wysteria. Lifting her leg, she began to work to mark the spot on her companion's own pipbuck map, " I bartered us some info for a job. You in?"

"A job?" Wysteria tilted her head at the other, " How many caps are we getting an hour? What is our work week like? Do we get a pension?" Wysteria leaned in close, staring Caldera down.

"A...pension? What?" Caldera pushed Wysteria back, " It's just a quick errand, there's no...pen-shon." Trotting to the door she help it open, catching a glance at Murky giggling. " What the hell do they teach you in those vaults anyway?"

"Economy, Government, Histo-"

"I was being facetious Wysteria."

The unicorn frowned and trotted through the door, her tongue sticking out at Caldera.

"Good Hunting!" Ivory Spice called after them, waving enthusiastically as the door closed.

--------------------*~*~*-----------------------

Silence dominated as the two companions walked below the remains of a concrete overpass. Skeletons of old cars and delivery trucks littered the top as old electricity wires hung below. A few cars balanced over the sides, the remains of old ponies frozen in their last moments of life in the driver seats. Wysteria was more interested in the ponies within the cars than the cars themselves. The more she stared the longer her expression got.

"What's with the frown Sugarcube?" Caldera called back, having been in front of Wysteria for most of the walk.

"I've just been thinking about a few things." She replied, pulling her line of sight from the cars to the dirt.

"Like?" Caldera had a good feeling where this was going, it was just a matter of coaxing it our of her. A pregnant pause followed her question, the pegasus looking forward. If her companion wasn't ready to be questioned then she wouldn't pry.

"Like why?" Wysteria replied, the sound of her hooves stopping.

Caldera walked a few feet before she caught it, turning around to face her. Wysteria had sat on her haunches, head hung low and tears dripping down her muzzle.

"Why would she leave...it's so much safer in there. " Her voice was quiet and shaky. " Everything was fine, we were fine. We were safe. She was safe...I" She licked her lips and looked up at Caldera. There was a desperation in her eyes, a longing look that wanted answers. She looked to Caldera for them who, in turn, could only stand and watch.

"let's move on yeah? We're vulnerable here."

Wysteria sighed and nodded, slowly getting to her hooves. She wiped away the tears on her face and walked up to Caldera.

The land between the overpass and sweet apple acres was barren and empty. Evidence of heavily wooded forest could be seen, the pathway turning into cobblestone. Caldera chose to take to the sky to better see the area. Wysteria remained quiet, her head full of worries and questions.

--------------------*~*~*-----------------------

The site of Sweet Apple Acres was still as impressive as it had been before the world came to an end. The main house, a barn styled abode with three levels, stood tall among the horizon. The white picket fence had seen several better days, years even, as what was left of it surrounded only the front of the house. Behind the house at a distance was the brightest red barn either mare had ever seen in person, the doors wide open to the world. Acres of treas cascaded out behind the barn into fields that had once been the only source of Zap Apples and Sweet Brilliant Reds.

Wysteria approached the door of the barnhouse, pulling out of her saddlebags a screwdriver and a very fine hoofpick. Testing the door she found it locked; perfect, a new skill to hone in on.

"Where did you learn to lockpick?" Caldera chimed in, trotting past her to look at the barn.

"Watching you at the school. I figured I'm not always going to have you around so I might as well learn. " Wysteria replied, carefully turning the lock. Coaxing the mechanism halfway several times she gave in. "Damn..." She'd have to have Caldera guide through it, there was something she just wasn't doing right. She decided to follow to the barn for now, prospects for finding loot a little more hopeful for her unskilled hooves.

The inside of the barn was dark, the smell of centuries of dirt and rot prominent in the air. Piles of what had once been hay were stacked around the building in piles. A cow skeleton lay melted to the remains of a plow near the doorway.

"Anything good?" Wysteria asked Caldera, the latter on the second floor balcony already.

"Not yet, but there's a terminal up here!" A loud crash followed. "Terminal and a safe..."

Wysteria giggled and placated herself exploring the ground floor. The space beneath the second floor space had several boxes strewn across the floor. A few crates were stacked under one of the windows.

Crack!

Wysteria whipped around violently; nothing.

"Was that you?" She called.

"Huh uh...sure." Was the response she got. It was clear her pegasus friend was thoroughly distracted.

She turned back to the boxes that had been knocked over, kicking them aside to better explore. A few old tin cans fell out of them with a loud clank. Make shift tents that had since collapsed were crammed into the back of the barn along with a few skeletons. Leaning forward her horn lit up to better examine in the dark. Carefully she lifted the top of each tent to better view inside. The first tent held nothing but a stain of a corpse that had once been. The second held a holotape that Wysteria put aside for later. The third was as empty as the first. Disappointed with her finds she rather carelessly lifted the fourth tent, a weight causing her horn to pull her forward off balance.  For a moment she spent time lifting the tent to ensure she wasn't just dreaming it had a weight to it. With care she opened the front of the tent in case whatever she had disturbed was still alive in inside.

Wrapped in blankets was the corpse of a pony whose fur had long sloughed off leaving the naked skin. A cutie mark was barely visible as mold grew across the flanks making Wysteria gag and back up. The sight was one to behold for someone who had never seen the effects of the wastes up close. Coughing outside of the tent she returned to get a pulse, gently turning it to check for wounds. She was curious, going through her head what Moonlily had taught her about medicine. This cadaver was perfect, lifting the head to inspect the eyes. As she stared into them with her horn lit up bright they centered back at her. For a moment there was absolute stillness before Wysteria threw the corpse back down. Never had she backed up so quickly and away from something. The site in itself was disturbing, but not as disturbing as when it began to kick it's legs!

"Caldera?" She called, eyes fixed on the moving tent.

"Hm?" Caldera replied," you find something?"

"Y-y-you could say that, yes..." Wysteria replied quietly, watching as the corpse of the pony came stumbling out of the tent. It's mouth dripped with a dark ichor as it freed itself. Legs shivered and shook as it struggled to support itself. The skin had receded around the mouth enough to leave the monster's teeth visible at all times. It's eyes were glossed over and milky, the stare unfocused. Silence hung for a time before it came to properly; Teeth bared, body tensing, and a sound of snarling roared through the air as the monster ran.

With every centimeter this thing jumped at her Wysteria's tone escalated from quiet to a scream. Somewhere in the noise was Caldera's name being called. In a bright flash of light the unicorn curled up and let her lungs empty.

"Whoa! Whoa! Enough with the screaming! "Caldera retorted, pulling out her gun and knocked on the bubble shield.

Wysteria looked up and stared at her, tears streaming down her face. Her tail was curled between her hind quarters, her ears as flat as they could go. She was panting and making a rattling cry with each exhale. She was backed up against the far end of her shield, the body of the ghoul pressed against it at the neck. The other half of the neck, which had the head attached to it, was stuck inside the bubble with her.

"You ok?" Caldera asked.

Wysteria opened her mouth to speak several times before she simply sat and nodded. Her breathing was beginning to slow down now that Caldera was there.

"Alright," she pulled her gun out and held it before her, trigger at the ready. "Drop it."

Swallowing loudly Wysteria did as requested. A shimmering pop resounded through the barn, silence following after. The head fell with a sickly plop, the body following. Black and brown ichor oozed from the meat, a smell slowly wafting up to the two ponies. Wysteria blinked rapidly and moved to cover her nose, retching a few times into her hoof. Her fear quickly changed into disgust.

"Oh Gods that smells awful! What is that thing?" She stepped back a few more paces away.

"A ghoul," Caldera replied, walking forward and nudging the head with her hoof," they're what happens when high exposure to radiation doesn't kill you. Think of it like nuclear preservation; you gain immortality and radiation immunity but you lose what identifies you most." A sickening pop followed her sentence. " Sometimes even your brain goes..." She turned to look at Wysteria, their eyes locking before walking away.

For a moment there was quiet between them until Wysteria's ears perked up.

"Brain goes...like Alzheimer's?"

"Alzheimer's? " Caldera stopped at the ladder that lead upstairs.

"Yeah it...it's a disease we learned about in the Vault. It's where your 'brain goes.' You lose yourself...like you said. You forget your memories, your friends, like time wound back for you."

"Oh," Caldera's ears swiveled back, " No, that's not the same thing." She waved a hoof, " I guess I should have described it better. " She rubbed her chin, " I guess the name gives it away. We call them Feral Ghouls!"

"Couldn't you have just said that in the first place?" Wysteria looked every so slightly annoyed at this simple revelation.

"Yes and no. Not all ghouls are feral. Some are just as they were before they changed, they just look different."

Wysteria tilted her head before the pop from before caused her to whip around. "Hey...I don't think we're as alone as we thought. " The pop sound echoed again, a pile of hay rustling as another followed.

"Yeah that's not surprising. Come on let's get out of here. " Caldera galloped towards the door. The twin barrels of a shotgun meeting with her face at the entryway. Behind it was an earth pony who had definitely seen better days. A ghoul, just as Caldera had described. A distracted Wysteria bumped into her companions rear end, falling back with a squeak. Caldera turned to help her up, the other rubbing her head.

The gun was lowered, " Breathers huh?" He stared at Caldera's uniform, specifically at the pin on her collar. " Come on, the farmhouse is safer than the barn. "

Quickly they galloped behind the ghoul who led them into the farmhouse. He slammed the door and locked it, barring both inside. Not soon after came the sound of pounding, rotting hooves against the door.

"This is both highly coincidental and convenient. Does this happen often to you?" Wysteria said, then asked.

"Well I'd be lying if I didn't say yes. So yes."

"Quiet both ah' you. What're you doin' in the barn?" The ghoul interrupted, slamming his shotgun on the dinner table.

"Scavenging for supplies. We saw it from up on the hill, decided to check it out. " Caldera replied, a wing extended in front of Wysteria.

The ghoul lit an old cigarette and smoked it. " Want one?" He offered. Caldera took it and leaned in to light it. Wysteria chose to scrunch her nose. "Now Ah'd have taken your story as truth, but'chyou ain't from 'round these here parts." He eyed Caldera and inhaled his cigarette deeply, exhaling out the side of his mouth where a tooth had once been. "Aren't you a lil' far from the Moojave?" He watched them with his one 'good' eye, the other nothing more but a hallowed space in his skull.

"I had a delivery at Megatin." Caldera replied, " then I was hired on as protection."

He looked back and fourth between the two before inhaling his cigarette again deeply.

"Bullshit," He replied on an exhale, the smoke crawling out between his teeth thickly. "She's got no radiation n' her. Why she's as clean as a newborn foal in pre-war Canterlot, hell I'd even say she's probably never seen outside." he stepped forward," No Vault Dweller's got enough caps to give what'yer askin' for protection." He leaned in close and blew smoke in the Pegasus' face, her ears pressed against her head.

"Hey! That's very rude of you!" Wysteria intervened, stepping up but not between the two of them. Caldera snorted at the Ghoul before he began to laugh and back up. They both looked at each other in confusion.

"Yer right, ain't none of my business anyhow. Com'on, we're no good in the kitchen. Best let them git bored before I let you two go back out there." He walked towards the entrance to the kitchen, picking up his gun on the way out.

Both girls stood still a moment before Wysteria wrapped a foreleg around Caldera's. Slowly they kept pace together and followed. By the looks of things they'd be spending the night here, and they had a lot to catch up on.