Project New Dawn

I was sitting in a corner, thinking about the whole situation. My parents are dead, Thunder Wing is dead, I don't know where my brother is, and now they want me to go and warn the outside world. Why did this even happen? What do these machines want? Not to mention that I've never been past the Null Channel, nor I know what's out there. Suddenly one filly hugged my legs.

"Rainfire?"  She asked

"What is it, Honey Cake?"  I asked her

"Are you going to help us?"

"Of course I will, don't worry."  I said and hugged her

"I'm sorry about your parents."  She said

"I'll be fine, don't worry about a thing." I said even though that's probably not true

"Yo, R. Come here."  Moonlight Hunter said

Good thing my fur is red so they won't notice me blush while talking to him.

"Y...Yes?"  I asked him

"Just so you know, I appreciate this. We all do. I know I've been an asshole to you in the past, but...look, I'm sorry."  He said

"It....it's okay..."  I said. Smooth as fuck.

It would probably be a good idea to tell him what I feel for him now, because there is a good chance that I won't come back alive, but I had no courage.

They gave me a bag of food and supplies for a few days and told me to look for a place called New Belreen.

"Wait, before you go!"  Wild Metal, our town tinkerer said

"What is it, mister Wild Metal?"  I asked him

He handed me a shiny black slab with a single button on the bottom.

"Keep that. It will help you a lot."  he added

"Wait, what is this?"  I asked him

"It's a computer. It has a navigational system in it. You'll find it easier to navigate Equestria with it."  He explained

"Ummm, thank you."  I said

"When you warn the rest, there will be no point in coming back here."  He said

"What? Why?"  I was confused

"Because we will probably be all dead by the time you reach the Null Channel."

"But I told those fillies I will get help....."

"Well, too bad. Those robots are programmed to kill on sight. To them, there's no difference between you, me, and children."

"And you won't tell them that they will kill you all?"

"WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS! The closest settlement is called New Balreen. Go there. Look, just be safe. It's a dangerous world out there, especially for a filly like you."

"I'm not a filly!"  I argued

"To me you are. I don't like making somebody that young risk their life like that but we don't have any other choice"

"I understand."  I said and went to the door

"WAIT!"  Moonlight Hunter said and came up to me

"Rainfire....I....I..." He stuttered

Oh god.

"I don't know how to tell this to you but...."

Say it so I don't have to! Come on!

"I think I...look, I love you. I've never loved somebody like I love you, but I've never had courage to say it. You can laugh but, that's just how it is."  He said

My face turned into a big smile. I kissed him on the cheek. That gave me the determination I needed for this stupid "quest". I opened the door and closed it behind me.

One of the robots turned around and looked straight at me.

"TARGET DETECTED"  It said in metal voice

"Oh, shoot...."  I slowly said

"TARGET MARKED AND ACQUIRED. OPENING FIRE"

I spread my wings and zoomed right past them before they started shooting.

There were bullets flying very close to my head, but they all missed....fortunately.

Soon, I was out of their range. I started laughing. I was so grateful that I survived that mess I forgot all the horrors for a second.

The Null Channel is called that because everything past that is a plain desert. Nothing. And now I'm here, on the shore. I was staring at the nothingness for a few seconds. I suddenly felt a pain in my leg. I got hit.

I was so under pressure I didn't even notice one of the robots' bullets actually hit me. I didn't know how to treat the wound alone, and the first aid kit that was in my bag was a bit too basic for that. Suddenly, I saw somebody moving among the trees behind me. It was one of the robots! It approached me and looked me straight in the face. I was so scared I didn't even try to fly away.

"INITIATING SCAN."  It said and stared at me for a few seconds  "SCAN COMPLETED. SPECIES: PONY. CLASS: M2- PEGASUS. GENDER: FEMALE. ESTIMATED AGE: 17. GUNSHOT WOUND DETECTED."

"W...what do you want from me?"  I asked it

"WOUND TREATING INITIATED, PLEASE STAY STILL"  It said, took my leg, picked out the bullet, applied alcohol and bandaged it.

It was a medical bot, thank heavens.

"WOUND TREATED, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION. DISPENSING LOLLIPOP"  it said and gave me some kind of a candy on a stick I've never seen before.

The robot continued staring at me awkwardly. It seemed friendly enough...at least it didn't try to kill me, which makes him friendly in my book.

"Who are you?"  I asked him, not expecting him to answer

"SSMBU, SELF-SUFFICIENT MEDBOT UNIT, PROTOTYPE NO. 2 AT YOUR SERVICE, MADAM."  It said

"Where's your home? You must've come from somewhere."

"I AM NOT STATIONED. I AM SET TO FOLLOW, PROTECT AND GIVE MEDICAL ASSISTANCE TO MY COMMANDER"

"Where's your commander, then?"

"YOU ARE. IN THE ABSENCE OF DIFFERENT INSTRUCTIONS, I'M PROGRAMMED TO CONSIDER THE CLOSEST PONY OR HUMAN IN RANGE MY COMMANDER."

"W...what's a human?"  I asked him

"HUMANS ARE THE ONLY EXTANT MEMBERS OF HOMININA CLADE, A BRANCH OF TAXONOMICAL TRIBE HOMININI, BELONGING TO THE FAMILY OF GREAT APES. THEY ARE CHARACTERIZED BY ERECT POSTURE AND BIPEDAL LOCOMOTION, MANUAL DEXTERITY AND INCREASED TOOL USE COMPARED TO OTHER ANIMALS."  It "Explained"

"Can you simplify that please?"

"AN INTERNET CONNECTION IS REQUIRED FOR THE WANTED ACTION."

"What?"  I was confused

"I NEED A WIRED OR NON-WIRED CONNECTION TO THE CLOSEST INTERNET PROVIDER OR INTERNET CONNECTED DEVICE TO PROCESS YOUR REQUEST PROPERLY"

"Ohhh, just forget it. Do you know the way to the town of New Balreen?"  I tried asking him something different

"I'M NOT EQUIPPED WITH A GPS MODULE, NOR I HAVE DOCUMENTATION ON NEW BALREEN IN MY DATABASE. I SEE YOU HAVE A TABLET COMPUTER, YOU WIGHT WANT TO TRY TO USE ONE OF IT'S SUPPLIED PROGRAMS."  It said

I picked up the computer thingy Wild Metal gave me.

"How does it work."  I asked the robot

It took the computer from my hooves and pressed the button on the bottom of the machine with it's finger. The screen turned on, showing the current time, and a picture showing some kind of galaxy with stars around it. The robot handed me the computer again.

There were a bunch of small pictures on the screen with different names. One of them attracted my attention. It was named MAPS.

"TO OPEN A PROGRAM, TOUCH IT'S PICTURE ONCE."  The robot said

I opened MAPS. And the result was magical! On the screen was a view from above of the whole region! The Null Channel was there, the forest was there, and it said that New Balreen was a few miles away from here!

"Wait here until I come back" I said and flew away.

I was kinda feeling bad for leaving the robot there, but I had to be fast and fly to get to the settlement on time!

A few hours passed and the New Balreen was nowhere to be found. Just sand. I think I got lost.

I was thirsty and hungry, but I had to keep going.

Suddenly, something hard hit me in the face. I lost control and crashed into soft, warm sand.

"Nice throw!"  somebody said

"You know it, bitch!"  the other voice replied

"Ohhhh, it's been a quite long time since we eaten a pegasus! They taste like chicken!"

"I'm so hungry I could eat a horse!"

"Whatever, just help me light up a fire and check her bag. We'll eat tonight. And tie her up, remember last time?"

"That was your fault."

I blacked out shortly after.