Fallout Equestria: On Rust Red Shores

The meeting went quickly enough, the general theme being that we didn’t have time to bicker. Mhambi had taken charge, and though the remaining Enclave didn’t seem to like it, they were flexible enough to defer to some pony who knew what was going on passed the ship. Though it was quite clear that they were only playing along so that they can get the medicine to their friends and family, something that Mhambi was willing to trust them on.

The Enclave mare in charge, Staff Sergeant Optical Spectrum, was an off white pony. Her uniform was a bit unkempt, and crudely patched up in a few spots. Her mane was short and spiky, with red, blue, and yellow colors adorning separate spikes. Of course, her tail matched the same colors, but was a bit longer then what we’ve seen most ponies have. Overall she had a more rugged look to her. She felt like the kid of pony that didn’t like to be controlled, and liked to show it. We had little doubt that she was more than likely one of the ponies Air Burst had wanted to get sick and die.

Wasting no time, we descended down to the pier, and made our way over the bridge. The firefight had attracted a small crowd of earth ponies to the side of the ship, who now were slowly backing up, a small bit of fear in their eyes. We couldn't tell if they were mere merchants, part of the slave trade, or just simple ponies. At this point the ponies of Reka might as well be all three, and none at all, having lost everything just to survive.

“Right, so we need to isolate the bitch, and force her to give us the medicine.” Optical croaked, her voice sounding a bit burnt and not unlike some ghouls we’ve seen. We could only guess it was from the cigars she kept smoking. Even now we could see one poking out of her uniform’s breast pocket. “You sure we can’t just kill her and take the goods?”

Mhambi shook her head, and sighed. “We’re dealing with merchants. Having you kill Winterberry would have the same effect on them as if I or Prism here had killed Air Burst in front of the other Enclave. The ponies of Reka would only turn on us, not at first, but over time they would. If we can, we must convince Winterberry to trade the medicine for our services. Doing it that way will make it easier to get the merchants to trust us, and keep any dissenters from trying to grab power.”

Optical rolled her eyes. “Right, this is why I hate politics. Too much worrying about other ponies feelings and such.” She stepped forward, pulling out a megaphone from her saddlebag. Turning on the old device, for a second it blasted an ear piercing screech. “Alright every pony, big fucking opportunity for you.” Her voice was amplified by the device. It was almost like how our sisters would announce ourselves in the name of the goddess, and it sent a shiver down our spine. “We’re forming a militia up on the ship. Don’t care who you are, as long as you’re willing to kill these raiders when they finally attack. As payment, were willing to take your family onboard, and under our protection. It’s a limited opportunity, so if you’re not on board by the time the raiders get passed that wall, well it’s your own damn problem to deal with.”

The small group began to mutter among themselves, then one jumped out. He was a young stallion, with a little filly hiding shyly behind him. “No lie? You’ll let us up there if we agree to fight off the raiders?” Optical gave an irritated look, and then nodded. The stallion smiled, and looked down at the filly. “See sis, we don’t need to give ourselves to Winter Berry like pa said. Better opportunities are all around! We just needed to be patient.” The filly frowned, but followed her brother over to us. The stallion looked up to Optical and smiled. “Please, Miss, just tell me what I need to do.”

Optical pointed over to two of her soldiers standing on the bridge. “Talk to them, they will direct you to where to go. I got better things to do right now.” The young stallion nodded, and skedaddled over to the two solders. Looking back to Mhabi, Optical shrugged. “That’s one.”

“One is a good start.” Mhabi said with confidence. “ First of many, once the word gets out to the rest, we should be seeing a lot more clamoring to join. From what I have seen of Winter Frosts’ operation, she has left most of the ponies out here to fend for themselves, so convincing them to fight for you should be easy enough. Once most of the ponies down here are on your side, it should give you enough leverage to make her rethink her plans. At the very least, it should wipe that smug look off her face.”

A Pegasus flew down from above, landing in front of us. Though his uniform was far less disheveled, he was still covered in grime like the others. Standing up straight, he saluted as he spoke up. “Sarge, permission to speak?”

“Speak.” Optical said flatly.

“All able body enclave civilians who are willing to fight have been gathered for militia training, and two soldiers have been sent to meet you at the earth pony base.” The stallion relaxed his hoof, but looked around nervously. “Sarge, permission to speak freely?”

She sighed. “Yes, what is it?”

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” He glanced over at one of the earth ponies. “I mean, letting these others in.”

“My honest opinion.” Optical sounded annoyed. “At best they would make good cannon fodder. But even I’m not so stupid to think we can do things just like we use to. The Enclave is dead, and we need to rethink how we’re going to survive. If that means taking in this group of earth ponies to help in that goal, then so be it. But don’t think I’m going to let them walk all over us, or let them keep to their simple, backwards ways. This will be a Pegasi town, even if we’re not in the clouds anymore.”

“Yes Ma’am.” The stallion saluted once more before he jumped into the air, flying off back onto the ship.

We could not help but feel a bit confused about what she had said. “What do you mean by Pegasi town? What’s the difference to any other kind?”

“Plenty.” Optical said flatly. “First off, once order is reestablished, we will need to elect a new mayor. From there, this whole shit hole will need to be cleaned up. Both figuratively and literally. Civilized living is coming back to the wastes, and we’re going to cram it down their throats forcefully if we have to.”

“Not how I would put it, but I agree.” Mhabi chimed in. “Basically, the deal is that with the help from the Sergeant here, Bold Harbor will have Enclave Law, Order, and Governance. Not all of it, and definitely not the laws that put ponies like Air Burst in charge. But most of the ones the normal Pegasus citizens are used too. A few dashes explained it to me a while back, and I have to say, their society was pretty fair. Outside the oppressive and expansive government, that is.”

“Right, we will need to be educated on the matter later.” We agreed, but were pleasantly alright with the thought of learning about it.

We continued down the path once again, the sun now behind the ship itself. It cast a long shadow over the town, and crated dark pockets in the few alleys and nooks. The news must have traveled quickly, as the earth ponies we had seen before were now packing up the materials they had gathered, some already trotting to the ship. In the dictance we could see one of the enclave ponies talking with a group of earth ponies. Smiles and nods coming from the pegasus, as the earth ponies tilted their head inquisitively. On earth pony slowly backed away, and grabbed their saddlebag, quickly running off in the direction of the ship. The other earth ponies paused for a moment, then clambered for their bags, before heading the same direction. The enclave pony brushed themselves off, but only managed to spread more mud on their uniform, with a defeated look and sigh, they flew off down an alley way, out of sight.

Outside the arena, two enclave ponies seemed to be staring down the two guards at the door. Both of whom looked to be unsure what to do about them. As we trotted over, the guards straightened up at the sight of us.

“Excuse us, we are going to speak with Winterberry once more.” We informed them. “So if you could kindly move aside and let us through.” The two guards looked at each other, and shrugged, backing to let us through. At this point we felt that their presence was nothing more than a formality.

The two pegusi soldiers joined us as we entered, flanking us on either side. The arena was the same as it was before, with Winterberry still on her large throne, being catered to by two slaves. Behind her was all the saves, murmuring at first when we arrived, but quickly becoming silent. The slave were mainly made up of younger ponies, though mostly only the older ones had collars on, the rest seem to clamer in a large group, eyeing us with a curious feer, or was it hope?

At the center of the ring was three ponies, all of them dressed up like for a special event, and two were playing instruments. One was playing a flute, another a guitar, and the third was rhythmically dancing to the music. The performers stopped as soon as we got on stage, and they quickly hurried off. Winterberry herself sat up a little, her nose tilted upwards a little so she could still look down it at us.

“So, where is Air Burst?” was all she said. From how flatly she said it, we could only presume that she had some idea what had happened to him.

“Not coming.” Mhabi responded. “Let’s just get down to business, we know you have medicine for the pony pox, and we currently hold access to the boats. Hoof over the medicine, and we will allow you to take one of the boats out of here.”

Winterberry cover her mouth with a hoof as she gave out a mocking laugh. “Still, you think you have proper leverage for a deal? No, no, no stripy. If you want that medicine, it must mean that ponies lives are at stake, which makes it far more valuable than just a single boat. No, let me dictate to you what a proper deal is. I give you the medicine, and in return, the featherbrains make sure this hobble is secure until the raiders go away, and business returns to normal.” She clapped her hooves together as she put on an excitable little grin. “Better yet, along with the protection, every pony healed by the medicine owes me time served, as it is my medicine that saves their lives. Nothing too drastic, if anything I am benevolent, so... a years’ time or so per pony.”

Mhabi began grinding her teeth. “You expect the pegusi to accept slavery? Just like that!? You literally have barbarians at the gate, raiders who would love to take and use you, as well as share you among each other as their rape slave. Yet, you’re playing this game from what you consider to be a throne of power. How can you be such a narcissist?”

“Narcissist you say?” Winterberrys voice was flat and annoyed. “My family has been making deals like this for generations, surrounded by raiders no less. With raiders, in spite of raiders, it makes no difference. When this land dealt with long rad storms, and thick rad fog, my family made sure Reka survived, were Bold Harbor fell into degeneracy. My family tamed the street sign gang, and got them to properly connect us with the north.” Shifting to sit up a bit more in her seat, she looked more bored than ever reciting her appauling history. “My father established our deal with Red Eye, which is due to bring even more prosperity to my family. So you may call it narcissism, but I call it right by survival. Right by intelligence. Right by superiority.” Now she was sitting up in her throne, legs dangling off the side. “So Zebra, by what authority do you have to dictate what deal I can or can’t make?”

*Zap*

Optical had shot a laser pistol into the air, bringing all eyes onto her. “My Authority.” She announced through her bite around the bit before she holstered her pistol back inside her uniform. “Staff Sargent Optical Spectrum. I’ve taken up the role of overseeing the safety of the large ship, but don’t start thinking that I’m going to care about your feelings, or the feelings of any other mud pony here. My only concern is restoring the health of those back on the ship. So that idea of splitting my forces to protect your overly groomed flank is a no go.”

Winterberry narrowed her gaze at Optical. “Oh, so you’re the muscle for her. And here I was thinking that the stripe brought yet another pushover.” She looked at us only momentarily before turning her gaze back to Optical, her eyes now holding a predatory feeling on them. “Why in this brown wasteland would a fine mare like yourself work with a Zebra? Here, I can offer you a better deal. Allow me control over bold harbor, no zebra, no chubby officials, and I’ll let you and your ponies have the run of the place. My business is allowed to run unobstructed, and you can do… whatever it is that you all do.” We looked over at Optical, who was now yawning, which seemed to annoy Winterberry.

“I see, then how about I sweeten the pot.” Winterberry continued as she pointed a hoof at her two stallion slaves. “If you’re interested, I can offer you the contract and services of these two. Both are very well trained, and will be quite good at making you feel like a real mare. If you’re interested in it as well, we can both take part.”

Optical cracked a smile. “That sounds like it be a lot of fun. But three big problems with that. One, I like my mares on the meek side. Not to say you’re not a fine flank, but you don’t tickle my fancy. Two, my husband is not into a threesome with another stallion, or another mare for that matter. His boring featherbrain has eyes for only one mare only, and that’s how I like it. And three, if I don’t get that medication, and my son dies, I’m going to find the largest glass bottle I can find, and do things with it to you that will make you wish you were a passed around as a raider sex slave.”

“That’s… a shame.” Winterberry relaxed. “Fine then, I’ll give you the medication, but in return I need guns and ammo for the ponies here. They’ve managed to scavenge some, but I know there’s more on that ship of yours.”

“No deal.” The small smile on Optical’s face became a grin. “You will give us the medication as a gesture of goodwill and be happy that we even considered offering you our protection at all.”

The well-groomed mare cocked an eyebrow. “Say again?” Winterberry’s eye twitched in rage as she shifted in her throne again.

Mhambi stepped up. “What she is saying, is that if you give us the medication, then we will ignore that you’re a narcissistic bitch slaver, and allow you and your associates onto the ship. But you all only stay as long as you follow enclave laws.”

“No, no. “ Winterberry waved her hoof dismissively at Mhambi. “I’m not talking to the savage anymore.”

Optical and Mhambi looked at each other, and shook their heads. A short quiet moment passed, interrupted by an earth pony stallion trotting in. I our surprise, it was the stallion from before who had given their foal over to Winterberry.

“What is it!?” Winterberry shouted at the stallion. “Is it not obvious that I am in the middle of something?”

He cowered a bit, but then steeled himself. “I would like to take my son back and cancel his contract. It has been less than a day, and you promised that we could change our minds if it had been less than a day.”

“Fine, fine.” Winterberry’s face went from annoyance, to shock. “Can you pay the penalty?”

The stallion nodded, pulling up his saddlebag and emptying its contents out in front of her. A bundle of food, six bottles of water, a tire iron with an axe head crudely attached to it, and some other assortment of junk. “It’s everything I have. It should be enough, right?”

A pony trotted over, and gather up the items, but only shrugged at Winterberry. The mare herself rubbed the temple of her head with her hoof. “Fine, whatever, take your brat and go.” She waved her hoof at another pony in the stands, and they directed a confused colt down to his father. The stallion quickly picked up his son and hurried out of the arena.

Winterberry growled, looking obviously annoyed. “Now that the distraction is over with…” Another pony rushed in. “Do the guards even try to stop anypony? What do I even pay the fools for?”

“Miss Winterberry, ma’am?” The mare was a short earth pony, with a freckled face and a long mane done up in two ponytails. Strapped behind her was a makeshift wooden cart with a lot of junk in it. Winterberry just grunted at her, now looking very annoyed. “Ya’ll remember the deal we had? Well I want to cancel it. Don’t worry, I got enough parts and scrap to pay the penalty. I… I just need my little sisters back.” The young mare unhooked the cart as Winterberry chewed the air. With a slow nod, two fillies rushed down the young mare, almost knocking her over before the two left.

“One is an event.” Winterberry narrowed her gaze suspiciously at Mhambi. “Two is coincidence.” Two more ponies barged in, and Winterberry raised her hoof before they can speak. “You want your foal, or relative back?” the two ponies nodded. “Fine, drop what you have, and take them.” They did so, and a young stallion trotted down from the stands. The three of them rushed out of the arena quickly. Winterberry’s eyes returned to Mhambi. “Three is purposeful, what did you do?”

Mhambi gave a coy little smile. “Me? But I’m nothing more than a savage stripe. It’s not like I would know anything about group psychology, or how if given any choice in the matter, ponies are willing to work together to protect the friends and family.”

“What did you do?” Winterberry gutturally growled her words at Mhambi.

“Simple, really.” Mhambi said, as she relaxed. “We offered any able body pony the opportunity to form a militia up on the ship. In return for helping to fight off the raiders, the pegasi are fully willing to give shelter to any pony with them who is unable to fight. This includes the injured, the young, and the old.”

The crowd of ponies up in the stands began to talk among themselves, many of them sounded worried. There were even a few that began to move about, making the mass of earth ponies start to ebb and flow.

Mhambi scanned the crowed. “I wonder; how many ponies you have here who can fend off a raider band. Alone, and isolated. I wonder how many of your own guards have already defected to the ship.” Glancing back at Winterberry with the corner of her eye, she gave a sly smirk. “I also wonder how willing a parent is to get their own foal to safety. If they can’t pay you, or you refuse them, then what? I know that Optical here would not care if you end up dead miss Winterberry. Isn’t that right, Sargent?”

Optical rotated her hoof. “Not entirely. By our laws, the pony in question would need to be convicted of a crime. But if she is holding their foal from them and breaks the binding terms of her own making to hold them against their will, I can see it as a justified murder. If I were to hoof out a sentence right now to whoever killed her though, maybe they’d get community service. Probably have them clean this shithole up for a year or two.” Optical glanced over at Winterberry. “But that is of course, only if any pony can identify the killer. If no witnesses come forth, then there’s not much can do.”

There was a long pause between us and Winterberry as she ground her teeth and looked down at us. More ponies trotted in, but this time they didn’t dare interrupt the obviously fuming mare. The two slaves at Winterberry’s side did their best to keep her calm, one fanning her, while the other was hastily pouring her a glass of wine. Sharply, Winterberry got up out of her seat. Slowly she trotted down to us, and onto the stage where she poked into Mhambi’s chest with her hoof.

“I’ll get you for this, you hear me? I’ll get you. Lower your guard even a little, and I’ll take you for every cap you own to see you begging for scraps, dirty and poor.” Turning around, Winterberry took a deep breath. “Get them the pox medication. All of it. Then pack everything up, we’re moving out of here.” She then glanced over at Optical. “You better keep an eye on the husband of yours, you never know who might steal him from you.”

“Good luck with that.” Optical rolled her eyes. “Last mare that tried lost a leg.” With that, she and Mhambi turned around. The two enclave soldiers that had escorted us in pick up the medication as it was brought out to us. We followed behind Mhambi and Optical as they left, feeling a bit stunned at what we had just seen unfold.

Outside there was a crowed of earth ponies, all sharing scrap and other trade items with each other. Those with lots of stuff were giving some of it to ponies with very little, seemingly helping them pay the fine that the other ponies had. We also spotted a few unicorns in the crowed, as well as a donkey. It reminded us that Reka use to be a trading outpost, so it made sense that other tribes and races were going to be here as well.

“So, is that it?” We spoke up.

Mhambi nodded. “This should break Winterberry’s control over the ponies here, and add her supplies to that of the enclaves. Also, this should cripple the slave trade, at least for this area, but we will need to keep a close eye on Winterberry. She’s a stubborn mare, and we’ll need to make sure she does not try anything in the future.”

“That should be easy enough.” Optical added “If the ponies of Reka try an armed takeover, she’s the first we’ll seek out and kill. So it will be in her best interest that, that it doesn’t happen.”

“This feels… underhanded.” We responded. “But we are glad no pony has to die”

Looking up the light from the sun was quickly fading, and a dark of night was coming. No moon was coming out, and the long shadows that stretched over everything were becoming one dark mass. We were glad that this was all resolved so quickly, and looked forward to tomorrow. Maybe there will be rain showers in the morning, and we would see rainbows. How greatly we have missed such things of beauty among the horrible ugliness of the wastes.

“That’s a shame.” A familiar voice resonated in our head. “And here I was hoping that you could still be brought back into the sisterhood.” Stepping out from the shadows, and into what little light there was, was a tall purple alicorn. Razor Storm. She still had her armor on, but now supported a metal eyepatch over her left eye, and bandages all over her body. “I’m merciful like that, and I still am. Simply kill these two you stand beside and I’ll accept you back into our Unity.”

We pulled the Blackwater cutlass from out saddlebag, and pointed it at her. “No deal, monster.”

She rolled her eye. “Predictable.” She pulled her spear out from behind her, but it was different now. At the end of the long poll, was two rippers that had been secured back to back. The rippers roared to life, and she screamed as she pointed the weapon at us. “I’ll be coming for you, all of you, soon enough. There will be no place you can hide; no place you can run!”

With a flash, and a pop, she was gone. Razor Storm had teleported away. In her place was a skull, painted black, with words written in red on it. We lifted it up to take a closer look at it, and it read, “You should not have broken our deal, whore. Sincerely, Grease Fire.”

We looked back at the others, they looking concerned themselves. “We need that militia ready as soon as possible.”

______________________________________

Footnote:

Finished Quest: A Pony Chooses, A Slave Obeys.

Faction Status Change:

Merchants of Reka - Neutral < Dangerous Business Partner

Faction Status Change:

- Skull Hunters - Neutral < Target of Scorn