Fallout Equestria: The Other Side of the Coin

by Cloudy Sky

Rating: teen
Tags: Adventure, Gore, Crossover, Dark, Alternate Universe, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Length: 34872

After the megaspell a huge part of ponykind turned into raiders. In these cruel times lots of heroes shows up, trying to save what's left form the old world. These heroes need antagonist too who rise from the dark.

Raiders.
They've been always there. Everywhere. Killing everyone, even their brothers just for a bowl of soup. Almost everyone says they aren't even ponies, just monsters.

They're mistaken.
Cold Blood, our protagonist was born in a raider camp. She was a mare that wanted to sit above all else, but when she least expects it someone surprise her.

Published 2016-10-07 04:40:01 UTC
Last updated 2017-10-12 19:30:36 UTC

Prologue

Raiders.

We all know what are they. Bloodthirsty, merciless ponies, with no purpose other than killing, raping and consuming everything.

The wastelanders often see them as just another creature, like a molerat or something, who are there only to get killed then looted for some healing potions and caps, just as if they would respawn in several days.

******

Being a foal in a raider gang is fucking terrible. I feel like a freaking slave has better life than me. I mean, I’m just a fucking filly who knows shit about anything, and they expect me to do everything they say, while they’re just sitting on their fat asses. Not to mention that being their personal sex-slave, when they didn’t catch any mare to fulfill that purpose instead of me. I’m extremely lucky that I didn’t got pregnant, or they would’ve just fucking threw me out, since who needs a slave who can’t do shit.

I didn’t even know my mom. All I knew was that the name she gave me is “Cold Blood”, then she probably left me in this shitty raider camp. Maybe she’s already dead leaving me behind with these shitheads. Or even worse, she’s alive and just laughing at me, while I’m doing all the work.
Honestly, I don’t even care about that bitch anymore.

And that's how my every single day went… Waking up, doing all the dirty work, get some food for it, so i'll won't die, then go back to sleep.

I had enough of this shit, but I'm just a filly. They don't listen to me at all.

Footnote: Starting perk: Raider Filly
-2 Charisma points
You’ve grown up in a raider gang. Every faction hate you, and you use swear words. A LOT.

Act 1: Chapter 1: Cutie Markless

Finally the day has come. I’m old enough to be a proper raider. I couldn’t live like a slave with these motherfuckers anymore.

The day started like any other. It was cold, I’ve stood up and put my clothes on. Got my knife and hid it in my bag. It was my only property.

I went out of the small shack, where everyone slept.

Outside the house, the raider camp welcomed me. The place where I’ve grown up. It was surrounded by walls in a weird six-sided shape. The camp had five main part.

Nearby the gate there was the sleeping shack. After the shack, there was the storage. We’ve kept all the food, water, weapons and armors we’ve had there. Only the gang leader was allowed to give anything to anyone. The storage was followed by our arena and jail. This was on the opposite side from our sleeping shack. I loved watching all those hopeless ponies fighting just to live another day in their cells. The arena was followed by our leader’s tower, the place where I was headed. That’s where the gang leader lived. It had a nice view on the arena and on the wasteland too, in case someone would get close. The whole camp was made out of steel scraps, and wood. It was pretty dull.

I’ve rushed inside the building. When I got in, I was in the restroom. It had some chair in it, a table in the middle and a couch full of patches. The room seemed comfy. On the second floor, all I could see was a closed door, so I went on. Finally on the third floor, there was the gang leader.

He was a red coated earth pony with white mane and a skull cutie mark. I could see in his eyes that he was a bit tired, since it was still quite early. He had a revolver on his side and was in armour already. His name was Dead Shot.

“I’m an adult now, get me a real mission,” I said.

Every time, when I was talking to him, I was forced to hold myself back from swearing. One wrong word, and he would execute me.

“Easy, Cold Blood, you haven’t even got your cutie mark,” said Dead Shot.

That was true, I was a blank flank and being a slave didn’t help you to find your “special talent”.

“I know, but come on, I’m older than a lot of your raiders, I even learned using weapons with magic on my own. I can care for myself in the wasteland,” I said.

“Hmm, you might be right,” replied Deadshot. “But you’ll have to prove yourself then.”

“After all these fucking years, I’m ready to do anything, just to not be a slave anymore,” I said.

“We’ll see,” - he said, with an evil smile that made me uncomfortable. - “You see other raiders started to organize a group nearby. They’re about an hour on hoof to north-east”

“And what do we care about those idiots?” I replied.

“They could mean a threat to the gang,” - said Deadshot. - “I want you to go there, and murder the one who’s behind all this. I give you twenty-four hours.”

“Uhm what? Twenty-four hours?! And what if I fail?” I said.

“Lets just say, that either you bring me his head, or I’ll get yours, ” - smirked Dead Shot. - “I don’t want to see crying foals around me, asking for a better life as a raider, so in your place, I would hurry.”

******

Twenty-Fucking-Four hours.

My whole life depends on just one day. Great, I’ll just need to get there, fight through myself a lot of raiders, kill their leader and get back in time. Sounds easy… right? Fuck I feel like I’m already dead.

Alright, think Cold Blood, think…

Dead Shot said, in an hour by hoof, I could get there. So, I could have plenty of time. Also, Deadshot told me I get to choose one weapon from our storage, just as a small help. I should choose wisely.

As I got to the entrance of the armory, a brown stallion stopped me. He had a bag on his head with two holes for his eyes. I assumed from his tail color, that his mane color was also gray. He had a knife as a cutie mark.

“The fuck,” I yelled.

“Just where do you think you’re going?” he said.

“Dead Shot told me that I could have a weapon for my mission, now get the fuck out of my way,” I said with anger.

“I know, you little bitch,” - replied the stallion. - “Here, you can choose from these weapons, but not from the others.”

He showed me 3 weapons. A 10mm pistol with a silencer, a Scoped Assault Carbine and a Combat Shotgun.

“And who the fuck says that?” I asked.

“Who else than, Dead Shot, now choose a weapon, I’m running out of patience.”

Fuck, no time to think through a plan. Alright, I obviously don’t want the shotgun, because I want to stay hidden. Fighting a lot of ponies at once would just get me killed after all.

In the end I chose the pistol. Staying in the shadows, and killing my target with one shot, that wasn’t loud sounded the best option. As I strapped it to my side, I just felt a bit more safer.

******

Weapon, check.

Now I’m going to need some armor, just for the worst case. I didn’t have any, and I didn’t think I’d get from the armory.

After a walking around, I found a small area full of junk.

“Of course, we throw here everything that we don’t need, ” - I said. - “I’m sure I’ll find something useful.”

Overall, I found some metal plate. I brought them to the workshop, and after about an hour of working on them, I managed to put armor on my flank and shoulders. It wasn’t much, but I could survive one or two shots thanks to them.

******

Armor, barely but check.

All I needed was now some water, food and some healing potions.

I asked the stallion before the armory, if I could get some, but he didn’t give me any. All he said was that I could have a last lunch.

The food was, as always, cooked radroach. I don’t think, I ever ate anything other than that, but this time it felt a tiny bit tastier. As if knowing that I’m going to die made me to appreciate it more.

After lunch, I went to a mirror. We had one in the shack.

There I was. Barely having any armor on my brown-ish orange fur. Under the armor, I still had the light brown clothes, I’ve put on this morning. I straightened my black mane, since I hated that usual ”Raider Hair Style” everyone had. I tried to get fond of it, but it just wasn’t me.

I was ready.

Footnote: Perk Unlocked: Unique style
+1 Charisma point.
You have a different mane style than the usual raiders. You can try to lie about your origins.

Chapter 2: The Mission

The Wasteland.

I never been in the wasteland before. I grew up in the raider camp, and i wasn’t allowed to go outside. When I was younger, I watched the wasteland sometimes, but this was the real thing. I was in it, one with it. Nothing held me back. I felt free as if I could fly.

Back to reality, I realized I should fucking hurry. I still had about twenty hours, but I didn’t want to waste it in the wasteland. Oh my god, Did I really just said that?

The wasteland was boring, dull and gray. On the left, I saw something that used to be a city before the megaspell. I assumed it was Manehattan. I heard from other raiders, that there is a settlement called Tenpony Tower, a gold mine if I could put my hooves on it. I knew it was west from my home, so I started walking the opposite way.

******

I’ve been going for about a half hour now. Nothing happened so far. There was a small tree here and there, some boatflies and radroaches in the distance.

Suddenly, I heard something crawling in the ground before me. A molerat jumped on my face.

“Fuuuck!” It fucking bit my face.

Blood started to flow out of my right eyelid disturbing my eyesight.

“Fuuuck, fuck fuck you fucking shithead,” I kept yelling, smashing that molerat from my face. I focused my magic on my pistol, and shot that motherfucker. After the fourth shot, finally it died.

“Well, atleast I have something to eat.”

I put my pistol in its holster, and the molerat in my bag. I didn’t stop bleeding, so I had to patch it with my clothes. I cut the neck of my clothes, and tied it to my head over my right eye. I could see, but at least the bleeding stopped.

“Fucking molerat, I’m going to have this cut for a while. I should watch out more.”

I went on to the (hopefully) right direction.

******

After twenty minutes of traveling, I finally got to my destination. It was at a railway junction. There was some tent here and there and a campfire place in the middle. I spotted five ponies, but they didn’t look like raiders. Two of them were building a wall. The other three was discussing something.

I hid behind a rock.

“Something stinks, this should’ve been a fucking raider camp,” - I said. - “Maybe Dead Shot was mistaken, doesn’t matter, I have a mission.”

There was more rocks between me and the camp, so I rolled from one to the next one, until I got close to the talking ones. I could hear their conversation.

“This is madness!” - said a green mare with yellow mane, while hitting a table. - “We can’t build a settlement with just two builder.”

“Madness?” - replied a yellow unicorn stallion with brown mane. - “Well, maybe you’re right, but don’t worry Applesauce, I hired more workers, they just haven’t arrived yet.”

“Oh, yea?” - argued Applesauce. - “And what if, mhh, I don’t know, those fucking raiders attack us?”

“Calm down everypony,” - said the third one. She had white coat and red mane. - “There were no sight of any action from the raider gang.”

“Right, and even if they attack us, we have weapons, we can protect ourselves.” explained the stallion with a smile on his face.

“Oh fuck, they are armed, I need to find another way,” I wondered still hiding behind a rock.

There went my plan of just slaughtering them.

About five meters away from the other direction, a radroach appeared.

“Fuck, it could attack me anytime, but now,” I thought.

I didn’t move in a small hope of it might go away, but it started to crawl in my direction.

I kept still, swearing internally, trying to stay quiet. The radroach got close to me, and started to climb me. I was sweating and scared. When it got really close to my head, after some seconds, the radroach spat green goo on my face.

“Fuuuuuck,” I screamed, while I stood up.

I focused my magic on my pistol and shot the radroach, until it finally died. I looked around, and saw that the three pony watched me.

“Who the fuck are you?“ - yelled Applesauce. - “And why did you spy on us.”

“Me? Uhh...” Think, think Cold Blood.

“I heard… ” Quick, what did I hear?

“I heard that… you need somepony to guard you, while you’re building,” I said.

“Really? And just why were hiding behind that rock?” said the unicorn stallion.

“I… wasn’t hiding. When I was coming here, that fucking radroach jumped on my from nothing.”

“Fair enough,” - agreed the third one. - “So, you were saying, you’re a guard.”

“What? Oh yeah, yes, yes I’m totally a guard,” I replied.

“How much do you want for a day of guarding?” said the white mare.

“Wait, wait, wait, wait. We haven’t even decided if we want one.” said Applesauce.

“Then let’s decide it now,” said the yellow one.

They made a circle, leaving me out and began to whisper. I couldn’t make out anything of what they were saying.

While they were at it, I realized that, it would be perfect to get the job. I would probably get access to their weapon storage. I could kill them easily, with their weapons. They wouldn’t even stand a chance.

When they stopped talking, they looked at me with a smile on their face.

“Alright, newbie. You can have the job. 50 caps per day. Is it okay for you?” said the yellow stallion.

50 caps. It wasn’t much, but I didn’t care. I wasn’t doing this for the money.

“Great, welcome aboard! I’m Golden Nugget by the way,” replied.

“She’s Applesauce,” - pointed Golden Nugget on the green mare. - “And the white one is Red Rose.”

“Thank you, I’m Sour Peach.”

I came up with this alias, just in case. With a name like Cold Blood, they would’ve realized that I’m a raider.

“So, do I get any weapons?” I asked.

They looked at me confused.

“You came here to be a guard, and you don’t have a weapon?” asked Golden Nugget.

“I did have,” - I replied. - “But one night, I’ve got robbed, from then on, I kept looking for jobs.”

“And what about that pistol on your side?” questioned Rose.

“Oh, that. That’s all I could afford since then, but it can’t do much against an attack,” I explained.

“Alright, I guess I have no other choice,” - said Golden Nugget. - “The weapons are in that tent,” - he pointed on one of the tent. - “Get something, and get to work!”

“Yes, Sir!”

******

I walked to the tent and went inside. The tent wasn’t that big. About 15 feet long and 5 feet wide. When I looked around, I saw some ammo crates. On the crates were weapons. I counted 4 shotguns, 6 revolver, a sniper rifle, 3 assault rifle some grenades and 2 healing potions.

“Jackpot,” I smirked with an evil grin.

I put the healing potions, 2 grenade and one revolver in my backpack. When I was going out of the tent, I grabbed a shotgun with my magic, and trotted out. There stood Golden Nugget.

“I see you’re ready,” - he said. - “Let me show you your patrol line.”

I followed him to the table where they were discussing. There was a map.

“You see, we’re here,” - explained Golden Nugget. - “From our north along the railway is New Appleloosa, to our west is Manehattan and to our south is Fillydelphia. We believe these settlements will rise soon, and that’s why we decided to build one here, at their junction point. Little we knew, we began to build it, but recently we’ve discovered a raider gang to our south-west. That’s your most important direction to watch. We don’t know if there is any threat from the other directions, so you should watch those as well, but remember. South West has priority.”

“South West, but watch the other sides, gotcha,” I replied with a smile.

******

The job was boring. Nothing happened all along, but I decided to wait until the night, so I can kill them in their sleep. Here and there, I saw some radroaches, molerats, but nothing interesting.

The sun was setting (finally) when Red Rose came.

“Hey, thanks for the help, here, you deserve this,” she said giving me a small bag of caps.

“You know, we’ve been thinking, “ - continued Red Rose. ”And maybe you could be our permanent guard. After all, we surely need some after you surprised us. Lucky for us you weren’t anypony who would’ve attacked us.”

“Yeah, what a luck,” I laughed.

“So, will you join us?” she asked.

“Sure...” I replied.

“Great, thanks a lot,” - smiled Rose. - “Oh, wanna join dinner? It’s not much, but sitting at the campfire, eating, telling stories is quite cozy”

“Okay, give me a sec,” I replied.

This went way better than I expected. They already trust me, hah. What a naive group. And they want to be a leader of a settlement? Even I could be a much better one. Hah, me as a gang leader, interesting idea.

******

I got to the campfire, where everypony was sitting. It was already dark and cold, but the fire gave me warmth. I greeted the others, then sat down.

I put the molerat I’ve got earlier on the fire to cook it.

“Oh, you have food too,” noticed Golden Nugget.

“Yes, this fucker attacked me earlier this day. That’s why I wear this eyepatch,” I replied.

“Oh dear,” - said Rose holding a healing potion before me. - “Here, drink this, it will help.”

It tasted weird. I didn’t even know how does it tasted, I didn’t eat anything in the raider camp, except for meat.

Suddenly, I felt my eyes regenerate with a ticklish after feeling. I grabbed my eyepatch, and realized that, my right eye was healed.

“That scar will stay there sadly, but at least it’s healed,” - said Rose. - “Oh, and I was thinking on where will you sleep. Applesauce and Golden Nugget sleeps together in one tent, but you could sleep in mine.”

As she said that she blushed.

“Uhm, alriiight,” I replied.

“Oh no, no, no don’t think any bad. I’m sure you have your special somepony,” said Rose.

“Actually, I don’t,”

“You don’t? Oh thank goodness… I… I mean, poor you, everypony should have one, right Applesauce?”, said Rose.

She seemed really nervous. Her face slowly became red.

“I guess…” answered Applesauce.

Rose seemed weird and embarrassed.

“Alright everypony -” Rose chuckled still with red face. “ - Let’s call it a night.”

“Aren’t we gonna eat?” I asked.

“Yeah, I’m starving,” agreed Golden Nugget.

“You’ll eat tomorrow,” said Rose, pouring water on the fire.

“Alright, I guess we sleep then,” said Applesauce.

She and Golden Nugget went to their tent. I asked Rose where was ours and if she comes too.

She pointed on one of the tent, but didn’t look at me.

I went there and laid on the ground, pretending to sleep. After about five minutes, Rose came in.

“Peach, are you sleeping?” she asked.

I didn’t respond, just kept my eyes closed, not moving at all.

“I don’t even understand my feelings right now, you know. Before you arrived, I was really lonely. Sure Nugget and Applesauce were here all along, but I didn’t have anypony I could love. Then you appeared from nowhere, and I guess… -” She waited a tiny bit. “- I fell in love with you.”

WHAT? I moved a tiny bit in shock, but I kept my sleeping cover.

“It’s weird right?” - continued Rose. - “Loving the first stranger you meet. But I feel like, you stand out from the others, like… like… you’re better than anypony, ready to sacrifice yourself for anyone.”

That’s it, I couldn’t hold it anymore. I opened my eyes and started to laugh. Rose got scared from me.

“You fucking don’t know me at all,” I smirked.

“My name is not Sour Peach, I have no idea who the fuck could be called like that,” I said.

“But… But… Then who are you?” looked Rose at me surprised and scared.

“You know that Raider Camp at south-west?” I asked with a wide smile on my face.

“Oh, no. You can’t be, can you,” said Rose.

“Yes I can. I’m a raider from there. The real questions is, who the fuck are you?” I asked.

“I’m… Rose, I… I already told you that!” she replied.

“No, you’re fucking dead!” I yelled at her.

I got my pistol out of its holster, took aim and shot before she could done anything.

Rose took the shot between her eyes and died before me.

“That speech, you said was cute,” I said to her dead body, then went out of the camp.

Applesauce was there.

“What the fuck happened in there, where’s Rose?” she asked in an angry voice.

“She’s dead, you motherfucker, now you follow her!” I yelled back.

When I was about to shoot her, she knocked out my pistol from my focus and jumped on me. She managed to hold me to the ground, and started to punch me.

“You son of a bitch, she was my best friend,” she said in anger.

I tried to defend her punches, but I took some hit anyways. It really hurted, but I didn’t show any pain on my face.

I heard someone was coming out of the tent.

“Fuck, Nugget is coming out,” I thought.

I got all my strength and rolled her, so I was on top. I ran behind the same rock they’ve found me, focused my magic on my shotgun and started shooting at their direction putting the fight in a stalemate.

“You motherfucker, get out and fight like a real pony,” said Golden Nugget.

Oh fuck. It’s one against two now. Sure I had my shotgun, but if they jump on me at the same time, I have no chance.

Think brain. Think, think, think.

An idea went through my mind.

“Of course, I still have these grenades,” I thought.

I got them out from my saddlebag, pulled the ring out, and waited a tiny bit then threw it at them.

BOOM

“Fuuuck, my legs,” screamed Golden Nugget.

I looked out. I saw him lying on the ground without his left leg. Applesauce was looking at him with anger and sadness. Tears dropped down her cheek. Suddenly she looked at me.

“I’m gonna fucking kill you!” screamed Applesauce, grabbing a knife and rushing towards me.

When she was about to reach me, I pulled the trigger of my shotgun.

BAM!

Her face exploded, and blood splashed everywhere.

I walked to Golden Nugget. He was still lying there.

“You motherfucking bitch, burn in hell!” he yelled at me.

I smirked and focused my magic on his throat squeezing it until he stopped breathing.

I got all I could hold from the tents, then started to walk back to the raider camp. I had about seven hours to get there.

******

The way back was quiet. I was ready to take on any surprise attack, but nothing happened. I heard from others, that the wasteland night was dangerous, because anything can attack you when you least expect it.

Finally I got to the gate of the Raider Camp. It was still dark, but fortunately the guard recognised me and let me in.

I trotted to the tower, where the leader lived, but at the door a guard stopped me. It was his duty to not let anyone in in the night, while Dead Shot is sleeping. I had to wait until dawn, so I went to sleep. Just then I realized how tired I was.

******

I slept for about 5 hours. When I woke up, I realized that I didn’t have much will time. Quickly got clothes on, and went back to the tower. The ponyguard was already gone. Probably because Dead Shot was up already.

I trotted upstairs, where I found him.

“Cold Blood, you really returned,” he said.

“The settlement, where you sent me, wasn’t a raider camp, it was just an ordinary camp. I killed those bitches, no problem,” I said.

“I see, and you’ve got some gear too,” noticed Dead Shot. He had a cold tone in his voice.

“They had a small weaponry. I got what I could bring, and came back. There are still more loot though,” - I replied. - “Now, remember our deal? I take care of them, and you make me a raider, cutie mark or not.”

“I suppose I have no other choice, Cold Blood, you’re a raider from now on until the end of your life ” he said.

Phew. I was scared a bit there. There always was the chance of him just executing me for whatever reason.

He turned away to his microphone.

“Attention you fuckers, you all know Cold Blood. From now on she’s a raider. Treat her that way!” said Dead Shot in the microphone.

“There,” he said.

“Uhm, so what now?” I asked.

“What do you mean? You’re a raider, you’ll get assignments, you can participate in the arena, you’ll get to have your own weapons, armors and other things, but only if you scavenged them! And you’re not a slave,” he said.

“Alright, I’ll get going then,” I said.

I walked out and went to the sleeping shack. Everyone looked at me, but I didn’t care. I got to my ‘bed’ and laid down.

I was a raider, not a slave anymore. My life just got way better. No more stupid jobs, no more raping. Sure I need to do scavenging and raiding, but that’s way better than my fucking life before.

Footnote: Faction perk unlocked: Raider.
You’re not a filly anymore. The raiders let you in the gang. From time to time you’ll get missions from the gang leader, but you’re more free to do anything than before.

Chapter 3: Everydays

I finally had what I wanted. I was a raider, but I still felt a bit empty. I wanted more than that. The idea came back where I was the gang leader, controlling all those fuckers life. I would have everything. Good life, might, fame. What else could I wish for? But this won’t be easy.

In order to be one, you need to beat the current one in an arena fight, but that ain’t that easy. First you have to prove that you’re worthy by fighting others. It can be done with swords or rifles. I didn’t have any swords, and I had to get better gear before that, so I’ll have to delay it a bit.

******

About a month passed since then, and I still didn’t have a proper equipment. I was doing missions and raids on smaller settlements around the camp. It was a lot of fun watching those fuckers dying.

The scavenging part was a bit boring though. Just taking everything back. At first it was fun, because I was curious of what I could find, but after a while it got really repetitive, and there weren’t any special case. Always the same, some potion, small furnitures like lamps for wires and rarely weapons. Not to mention when you have to bring back everything through the wasteland.

I had better armor, and switched my shotgun to an assault carbine, which I upgraded with a scope and just made it more accurate. The only problem is that finding a decent sword in the wasteland is close to impossible. I had a switchblade, but it couldn't do much in a sword fight.

I watched a lot of arena fights - which were a lot of fun - trying to learn from them, and I did some practice with the switchblade. But still, I had to get a sword.

******

One day Dead Shot sent me to scavenge at the Manehattan Ruins with a team. I had Killstreak and Deathwish with me. Killstreak was an arrogant gray stallion with a hedgehog-like black mane and the number seven as his cutie mark. He told me it means how many ponies did he kill in his life. It sounded weird, because I never saw a mark that changes over time.

Deathwish was a charming dark green unicorn mare with long white mane and a plume cutie mark.

The way there was calm. A radroach here and there, but nothing to be afraid of. Though it was a bit weird. I had to go behind Deathwish and Killstreak, and they just didn’t seem to notice me. They were talking with each other a lot though.

******

After two hours of walking we’ve finally got to our destination. Manehatten. I’ve never been here before. It had a lot of huge building, and most of them had large holes in it. It was dark and the streets were filled with rubble. I couldn’t see a living creature anywhere near. Not so far away Tenpony Tower was emitting its light. Without it Manehatten would feel like a ghost city.

They told us to scavenge the buildings there, but to not go to Tenpony Tower, since they had more firepower than we had.

We began with the nearest building from us. The door was closed, but Deathwish knew how to lockpick. I watched her closely, learning how to lockpick. I did know how to do it, but I’ve struggled with it always.

With a small click sound the door opened.

“Hah, What would you fuckers do without me, eh?” smirked Deathwish.

“We could open it too, you bitch. Lockpicking is a common skill, right Cold Blood?” said Killstreak with an evil grin. He knew I wasn’t a good lockpicker.

“Fuck you!” I yelled at him.

We went inside. A hall welcomed us with a table on the other side of the room. Behind the table was what I assumed was a keyholder, since this building used to be a hotel. We searched them. There were papers on the floor, a broken vase, but nothing useful so we decided to go upstairs. On the first floor, there was a corridor which led to two different way. Each side had rooms.

“Let’s split up, I go with Killstreak to the left, you go right,” said Deathwish and gave a wink to Killstreak.

“Uhm, okay,” I answered.

And so we did split up. Again, it was strange that they went together, and left me, but it didn’t matter.

On my side there were six rooms. Some still had doors. I opened the first one to the right.

The first room was a small living room merged with a bedroom and a kitchen. On the side it had a toilet. The whole place was ruined. A huge hole in the wall, garbage all over the floor. The bed didn’t have a mattress and the table was upside down.

I searched the kitchen part first. I found some canned food, which I took, but other than that, in there was only what was left of two hundred years old food.

Nearby the bed stood a nightstand, but it was empty, so I went on, in the toilet in I found a small yellow box on the wall with three pink butterflies. It was the common symbol for anything that has something to do with healing: Potions, drugs, bandages and pills.

“Bingo,” I said with a smile.

I opened it. There was a Med-X and three Healing Potions in it. I took them and went outside to the next door.

It was closed, so I had to try and lockpick it. I levitated a screwdriver and a bobby pin and put them in the lock as they should be. I moved the bobby pin a bit and tried to rotate the screwdriver, but nothing. It was still locked. On my next attempt the screwdriver started to move, but it stopped, and my bobby pin broke.

“Fuck,” I said.

I got another bobby pin and put it like last time. I changed its angle a tiny bit. The screwdriver rotated seamlessly. I knew I did it when I heard a click. The door was open.

“Finally.”

The room inside surprised me. It looked as if nothing happened in the past 200 years. There was dust everywhere though, but everything seemed to be in order. The bed was embedded, the lights still worked when I tried to turn them on. The fridge was empty but it still was on. I checked the sink with no luck. There wasn’t any water. The bathroom was tiny but quite fancy. It was pretty much a toilet and a sink with a mirror. There was carpet on the floor, which was in fact pretty soft. Behind the mirror were some pills. I took them, and pretty much everything that was still working and could been moved. The lamps, forks, spoons, I even found some pre war bits.

The next two doors were stuck. I tried everything to unlock them. Magic, lockpicking, even bucking them, but no use. They stayed put, so I went on.

Behind the fifth door was a small storage room. There was some food, towels and bed sheets. I decided to take them, because they could be used as clothes.

Under the bed sheet I found a small wooden box. Inside was a note which I couldn’t read. Not because the writing was bad, but I couldn’t read. At all. Yep, there wasn’t any schools in a raider camp.

There was some grenades and a scoped pistol with some ammo in it.

I took them and went to the next door, but Killstreak interrupted me.

“Cold Blood, we’re done here, let’s get going!” yelled Killstreak.

“Alright, alright,” - I said. - “No need to yell, asshole.”

******

Nothing interesting happened in the other buildings. Got some loot, ammo here and there, but nothing special.

“Let’s check that house, then we’re going back,” said Deathwish pointing on a house.

The building from the looks used to be a school.

Inside directly to the right was the receptionist. In front of us was a hall with stairs to the next floor.

We went up and did the usual split up. I went right, they went left.

There wasn’t much to scavenge in a classroom, so I finished fast. I got some papers and chalks. I waited them where we splitted up, and when they finished, we went back.

Something felt a bit off. Could it be that, I didn’t notice those dotting holes before? Or did they just come out of nowhere while we were in the schoolhouse?

As we walked out, the ground started to move beneath us. I jumped back, while Deathwish and Killstreak jumped forward. We both knew what was going on.

A hellhound jumped out from the ground just the moment we got away. It was facing Killstreak and Deathwish. I quickly ran behind the first barrier I could find. In this case, it was the receptionist desk. I crouched behind the desk, and stayed quiet. The hellhound attacked the others.

BAM. PEW. BAM. BAM. PEW.

“Fuck, my ears!” yelled Deathwish.

I assumed from the sound of the shots, that the hellhound had a laser weapon.

“Where’s that bitch, Cold Blood?” said Killstreak.

“What?” asked Deathwish.

“Where… Is… Cold… Blood,” yelled Killstreak.

“No, I’m not cold, but we should kill that fucking hellhound.”

“Uhh, NEVERMIND, probably she’s already dead,” yelled back Killstreak.

I heard a small metallic ping and rolling sound nearby me on the floor. I knew what was it.

“Oh, fuck, really?”

I jumped away as the grenade blew up, but I wasn’t fast enough.

The explosion got me, and the next thing I knew was that I was lying on the ground with a huge headache, and pain in my legs.

“Fuck” I moaned with a huge pain coursing through my body.

The explosion made me fly into the wall.

The world started to darken around me, as I kept saying ‘Fuck’.

******

I was alone in the darkness. I couldn’t move, hear or see anything. I felt lonely first, but then everything was peaceful. I had nothing to worry about. I was just alone in the nothing without future, past. I noticed a small light in the distance. It started to get brighter and brighter until everything was white.

******

I opened my eyes. There was some light, but mostly dark. I tried to move, but it was really hard. After minutes of struggling I managed to stand up. Turns out the wall collapsed on me and chunks of it were over me.

“Ouch,” I said.

I put my hoof on my forehead. It felt like it was about to explode. My back legs still hurt, but at least I could stand.

I tried to focus on my healing potions, but nothing happend.

“What the fuck? Why can’t I use magic?” I said to myself.

I tried again and again, but nothing. I put my hoof on my horn. The top of it was gone.

I looked at the remainings of the wall, and there was it. The tip of my horn.

I screamed in agony, while the small tip of my horn was on the ground. Plus the fact that I couldn’t use magic just made me almost collapse.

“Fuuuck,” I kept yelling.

Later I realized that, it will grow back with time, but still, it was horrible experience. I heard that you could still use magic, but it was much weaker.

I focused on my backpack. It was really hard, but I managed get a healing potion out from it. I drank it and felt its magic working. My horn didn’t grow back, but I felt much better and stronger. I was sweating, just from that.

“So, where was I,” I asked wondering was I doing.

In the meantime I heard something moving outside the house... It was the hellhound.

“Oh, right, that fucker.”

It had a lot of injuries all over its body, but it managed to move as if nothing happened.

I tried to hide, but then I realized the hellhound already noticed me, and I didn’t have any cover nearby.

“Fuck!”

It began to run towards me as I focused on my weapons. It was really hard, but I managed to get out the scoped pistol.

Holding it was really hard. I couldn’t even breath from holding it, so I had to switch from magic to mouth or I would pass out. I didn’t used my mouth to shoot with a weapon before, so I had to improvise. I took the pistol in my muzzle, aimed and bit the pistol.

BANG. BANG. BANG.

I hit the hellhound, and it stopped for a second, but then continued to charge towards me.

I didn’t have time to shoot more, because it was right before me. I jumped on the right side, but I didn’t got away fast enough. The hellhound scratched my whole left side and I screamed in pain.

“Fuuuck youuu!”

Blood started to flow out from the injury, but I didn’t have time to care for that.

The hellhound couldn’t stop running and hit the wall, which collapsed on it. While it was recovering I ran upstairs hoping to find a safe spot. I entered one of the classrooms and barricaded the door with the desks there, using my hooves. Just as I finished I heard the hellhound came up as well.

I began to search my bag hoping to find a way to kill that bastard. Other than the random stuff I scavenged I had my shotgun and pistol with not much ammo. I also had several healing potions and grenades.

The weapons didn’t seem to do much against it, so all I had was the grenades, but the hellhound would probably get away from it faster.

An idea came into my mind just the moment the hellhound started to break the door.

I took out a wire I found earlier and tied it to a grenade and the other end to a pipe nearby the door on the ceiling. I put the rest of my grenades on the ground, and ran to the other side of the room.

“I’ll have one shot or I’m dead,” I said to myself.

I took aim with my pistol and waited.

The hellhound kept smashing the door and after a minute it smashed the door. I waited until it got close to my trap, then shot the hanging grenade.

BANG. BOOM!

The bullet hit the trap and caused an explosive chainreaction. The explosion blown up the floor under the hellhound. It (at least what’s left of it) fell to the ground floor.

I smirked and started a maniac laugh.

“How you like me now, you little motherfucker?” I said.

Ow. My left side hurted a lot.

“Oh right, I need to take care of this too,” I thought.

I drank another healing potion. It stopped the bleeding and the lowered the pain. It was my last one.

I went downstairs and checked the hellhound corpse. It didn’t have anything, but I realized that I could use its claws as a weapon. I got my switchblade, cut its paws and put them in my bag.

I realized Killstreak and Deathwish probably left me already, so fuck them. I began to walk back to the Raider camp.

******

Finally home. The same dirty camp, just like when I was born. It didn’t changed at all. I ran to my bed and hid the hellhound’s claws and went to Dead Shot.

“So, you’re alive after all,” said Dead Shot.

“It takes more than a hellhound to kill me,” - I smirked. - “Anyways, here’s everything I found on the mission.”

“Great, put them in our storage,” said Dead Shot.

I did as he told me and went to get some sleep. I wasn’t sleepy, but I felt it would help my injuries and maybe quicken the regeneration of my horn.

Footnote: Level Up! Focus.

You can focus more in combat and can levitate small objects even in magical burnout.

+1 Intelligence

Chapter 4: The Arena

Finally, I had something to make a decent sword. Now I just have to forge it somehow.

The blueprints were free to use to everyone, though we all knew there were secret ones too. Even so, I found a lot of sword blueprint. Short sword, broadsword, long sword, all kind of knifes. Each had their advantages and disadvantages. For example the short swords is much easier to use, but with a long sword you could thrust even further. The broadsword was the biggest and hardest, but it could easily hit more ponies at once. I choosed the long sword in the end. It seemed to be the best one, not so hard to use, but have a lot of possibilities.

I took the claws and the blueprint to a forge and began to make the sword.

The whole station wasn’t that big. It had an iron table, a forge and on the wall were all kind of tools.

First, I had to melt the hellhound claws, then pour it in a frame, hit it with a hammer then cool it with water… And pretty much that's it.

While I was making it, a dark green mare came and asked about it. She had blue mane. Her armor hid her cutie mark. Her name was Grasshopper.

She was a weirdo, and asked me everything. Where I got the claws, how I killed the hellhound, and my life story.

“Oh, alright,” said Grasshopper after she ran out of questions, then she just walked away as if nothing happened.

“Finally, she left,” I murmured. She was a bit annoying.

******

I had my hellhound sword in several hours. The first weapon I ever made. It was sharp and not so hard. I could levitate it with my horn, which began to regrow giving me more magic.

I swung the sword several times. It gave a nice swinging sound.

I already liked it.

******

Days went on while I was training on a dummy. Swinging and thrusting it, trying to make as much damage as possible. In the meantime my horn regenerated fully. On the sidenote, it was a great idea to train with weaker magic, because on its full strength I became much better, or atleast I feel so.

I used it on missions too. Began with small encounters such as radroaches and molerats, and when I had to, I fought bigger monsters, like hellhounds, though not alone.

******

Today is the day. The registration to the tournament is open and I felt confident enough. I studied how the arena worked, and I was ready.

The matches were all kill or be killed. One on one, no mercy. Each macht had a given setup. In some match you could only use swords and knifes. In others only rifles. There were fist fights, which in fact was a huge favor for unicorns, because magic was always allowed. Rarely, but sometimes the arena is full of traps, which just gives us more fun. Watching those motherfuckers trying to avoid them, while killing each other just brings joy.

My favorite one was, when the audience could bring weapons ammo, and pretty much anything and just throw it in the arena anytime anywhere. The two combatants didn’t have anything at the start, so using those were crucial.

The winner of the tournament can participate for gang leader position. Which was just another fight.

I went to the entrance where the registration was.

The sun was shining and it was warm. Nearby the entrance was a Black stallion with gray mane cut in a weird way. His name was Black Skull.

“Sign me up for the tournament, you fucker,” I said.

“You? In the arena? Don’t make me laugh,” said Black Skull.

“Oh yeah? Just wait and see what I’m made of! Sign me up,” I yelled.

“Pff, just run back to your mommy you cutie markless bitch,” replied Black Skull.

“Sign me up or I’ll kill you!” I yelled back, aiming with a pistol on his head.

He looked at me surprised and scared.

“Uhm, alright,” - said Black Skull. - “It will be fun watching you die.”

“In your dreams,” I replied.

He finally wrote my name down.

“There, you fucker,” said Black Skull.

******

The first day has come.

There were sixteen raiders competing. That means four matches to get to the top.

I’ve been told that in the first match I can use anything, but the arena is filled with traps.

The day was cloudy, but it wasn’t cold.

They lead me through a long corridor and closed me in a small cell. I had to stay there, preparing for my first duel. I brought an assault rifle, a pistol, my sword and some healing potions.

After a bit of waiting the gate opened and I went outside. Only the half of the arena was filled. The first matches weren’t that popular.

“On the right side, we have the deadly, fearless Neck Breaker,” - yelled the Blue Eyes. - “And on the left side we have the one you all know. She doesn’t even have a cutie mark, but already fighting. The one and only Cold Blood!”

The spectators yelled all kind of things. Mostly cheered for Neck Breaker.

“I’ll break your bones, then kill you,” yelled Neck Breaker.

“I wonder how you got your nick,” I said sarcastically.

“It looks like they’re ready! Are you all ready for this fight?” asked Blue Eyes.

The crowd cheered.

“Good, good. Aaand FIGHT!” yelled Blue Eyes.

The fight began. We both ran back to a barrier. It was a solid strategy known by everyone. If you would stay there your opponent would get behind the barrier. You wouldn’t stand a chance without a cover.

The arena had four barriers. Two on each side. I looked for any traps around me. It was easy to spot them, but in the heat of moment you could fall for them.

There were a several landmine around me. The middle was a real minefield though. There were two bigger space between two mines where you could run through with no problem, but the middle was full of it. No chance crossing it in battle.

There were several pressure plates, which was for random deadly traps. I seen them triggering hidden weapons, splashing radioactive gloo all around or just a trapdoor leading to spikes. You never knew which did what, and that’s what made them funny, at least for the spectators. As a fighter, it was quite scary.

I looked outside my cover with my rifle. There, I saw Neck Breaker behind his barrier. His leg was a tiny bit out, so I took aim and pulled the trigger.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

“Ohh, Cold Blood shot Neck Breaker on his leg. Could this be the end already?” said Blue Eyes.

“I’m gonna get you for this, you fucking bitch,” screamed Neck Breaker in pain.

This was my chance to surprise him. I began to walk to where he was hiding. I tried to be fast, but I had to avoid the mines too, so it wasn’t easy.

“It seems like, Cold Blood is going for a surprise attack!” yelled Blue Eyes as I approached Neck Breaker.

“Really? Fuck you,” I said to Blue Eyes, who ruined my plan.

I hid behind the other side of the barrier, and got my pistol. I floated it over the barrier and shot aimlessly, hoping one shot would hit him.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

“How the fuck didn’t I hit him?” I thought.

I looked around and saw Neck Breaker on my side aiming his rifle on me.

“Oh, fuck,” I said.

I used my magic and my hooves to kick away his weapon, but I wasn’t fast enough.

BANG!

He shot my left foreleg. I felt a huge pain going through my body, but I had to keep fighting.

I drew my sword out as Neck Breaker jumped on me, trying to finish me.

“Beautiful counter attack on Neck Breaker’s side” said Blue Eyes. The spectators all cheered and yelled things like “Finish Her!”

Neck Breaker was pushing me in the ground, while I kept my sword between us with my magic and hooves.

“You shouldn’t have even join this tournament, you bitch,” - said Neck Breaker. - “But who the fuck cares, one easy win for me you motherfucker.”

As he said that, I got all my strength on my right side and rolled him over.

I was over him now.

“Oh really? How the fuck did I win then,” I smirked.

I pushed his legs to the ground and used my magic to swing my sword through his neck. I decapitated him.

The crowd became surprised. After some seconds they started to cheer and yelled my name.

“And Cold Blood broke the Neck Breaker’s neck! What a match everypony! What an unexpected outcome! Seems like Cold Blood has something more in her than we all thought.” yelled Blue Eyes.

I won my first match against that fucker. One step closer to beat Dead Shot and rule this place.

******

I had to wait until the other matches were finished. After a week, they announced my fight against someone called Quick Hoof.

How come that everypony had a nickname, but me?

I asked around of him, because knowing who you’re facing is quite useful.

“Just give up you bitch. Run while you can, save your little pointless life,” - said an old brown raider. He had a lot of scar all over his body. - “Quick Hoof is known as the best gunslinger in here. He can kill you in the blink of an eye.”

We were at a local bar nearby the living shack, drinking beer.

“Oh, please,” - I replied. - “Everyone has weakness.”

“Hmm, I do know he had a problem with his left eye several weeks ago.”

“What happened?” I asked curiously.

“He was on a raid when a settler punched his eye. So far he didn’t get back his sight on the left side, but he’s still very good,” said the old pony then finished his beer.

“Well, thanks anyways,” I said.

“Considering you’ll die anyways, it was pretty much nothing,” - replied the raider. - “But, you know what? Fifty caps.”

“What?” I said surprised.

“You heard, fifty caps,” he replied.

“Fuck you, I ain’t giving shit” I said as I left the bar. He didn’t say anything after that.

That motherfucker. I asked for some advice, and he already wanted me to pay for that? Hell no, fuck him.

******

I had one day before the match, so I used that time to practice. I made a training dummy out of scraps and put it outside the walls where I trained. I tried to shot it as fast as possible while I was hiding behind a small barricade. I was thinking on a good solution to reach it, without being in line of sight for too long, but I had no idea how could I do it. At all. I was stuck behind the barricade, moving out would get me killed if the rumors were right about Quick Hoof.

Maybe if I don’t get out? I got a sick idea. Wasn’t much, but I’ll might stand a chance against him. I ran back inside the camp and started putting and mending plates together. At the end of the day, I was really tired, but ready.

******

The day arrived. They called me inside the arena quite early. I barely had any breakfast. The sun was shining, but it was cold, because winter was coming, which in the wasteland was horrible. A hella lot of snow falls down making traveling close to impossible. Wood was crucial for fire, unless you want to freeze and die. And of course food, you can’t scavenge in the winter, so you gotta store up a lot. In the camp if we ran out of food, they made the elders and fillies fight to death, then ate the dead body. It was horrible, but it was either me or them.

Anyways, back to the arena. This match was normal one. No special rules, just fight until the other one dies.

“Mares and colts, raiders of our little community! Welcome to today’s match! On the right side we’ve got Quick Hoof!” yelled Blue Eyes.

The viewers started cheering. My little win against Neck Breaker attracted a lot of ponies to this match. Nobody was expecting him to lose against me.

“On the other side, Cold Blood!” yelled Blue Eyes.

A lot viewers booed me, while the others cheered. The crowd was divided to two camps pretty much. Ones that curious about me and my fighting. The other ones just wants to see Quick Hoof winning or me dying.

There I was. Face to face against Quick Hoof, just about five meters away. A dark orange stallion unicorn with straight red mane and a patched eye. He had a revolver on each of his side over his armor, which was made out of scraps, but over everything he had a red cape made out of cloth and a shoddy cowboy hat.

“Ah heard you killed Neck Breaker, slut,” - he said with a smirk on his face. - “Ah wanted’t kill him, but it doesn’t matter now.”

“Indeed, because you’ll die too.” I replied.

He just laughed, but then Blue Eyes started the fight.

I ran to a barrier in haste and hid behind it.

“Here goes nothing,” I thought as I got my shield from my side.

That was my idea. I built a big shield, so I can move and not die.

I ran out from my cover, levitating ny shield before me. I left out a small hole, so I can see where he is.

I was trotting towards him, while he looked a bit surprised.

“A really interesting strategy from Cold Blood. Looks like she knows Quick Hoof's strength.” said Blue Eyes.

When I got close to him, he tried to aim behind my shield, but I was fast enough to block his shot. I kept running and drew out my sword. It was harder to hold it, since I had to focus on blocking his bullets too, but I managed to swing it and cut his face, before he jumped away.

“You’ll pay for that, motherfucker!” yelled Quick Hoof as blood started to stream out of his face. His horn began to glow much brighter as he got his second revolver out.

“Beautiful hit from Cold Blood, but the battle isn’t over yet,” yelled Blue Eyes.

I held my shield, but Quick Hoof was smarter. He used both of his guns on both of my side.

BANG! BANG!

I was able to block one shot, but I wasn’t this lucky with the other one. It got me on my belly. A huge pain followed by a burning stomach. I felt to the ground. Blood was floating out of my body. One of my half wanted to give up and just stop fighting, accepting my death, but the other half, a stronger one forced me to keep going and kill that motherfucker. I got up and charged him as he kept shooting at me. I left a red line of blood behind me, but I didn’t care.

BANG-BANG!

One on the left side, which I blocked, one on my right, which I noticed by the corner of my eyes that he aimed low. I jumped a moment earlier than he shot and managed to jump over it. I kept running forward watching out for the shots with more or less luck. There were close calls, but I managed to get to him. I swung my sword and hit him. The sword stuck in his side and blood started to spill out.

He didn’t say a word, just fell down with soulless eyes.

Quick Hoof died.

In the heat of the moment I didn’t even hear the cheering crowd shouting my name while Blue Eyes was going crazy. I was just standing there smiling at the dead body.

“Ouch,” I said as the pain returned in my whole body. I was full of scratches and there was a hole in my stomach. The world started to fade away as I run out of any energy I had left. I fell on the ground in my blood puddle and blacked out.

******

There I was, fainted again. No control over my body, just floating in the nothingness, when a light showed before me. It got brighter and brighter every moment until I couldn’t see anything.

I opened my eyes. I was in a bed, and more importantly I wasn’t dead. My wounded belly and my hooves were bandaged.

“Ahh, you’re alive,” said a familiar voice.

I looked up and saw Dead Shot next to a table. The room was small. There were two beds, except the one I was in. A table with medication and drugs. A staircase, which lead to upwards. I noticed somepony else behind me. She was an orange colored cute unicorn mare. She had a long white hair with yellow stripes and green eyes.

“W-where am I?” I asked as I tried to sit up, which in fact failed because of my burning stomach.

“In the basement of my tower, it’s used as a small hospital,” replied Dead Shot.

“We have a hospital?”

“Yes, but it’s only for those who shouldn’t die just yet. You won your match by killing Quakehoof. If you’d die, we wouldn’t have a semifinals,” - answered Dead Shot. - “There you see Orange Juice. She’s our doctor, you never met, because she isn’t allowed to go out.”

“So, she’s a slave?” I wondered.

“More or less, we treat her better than most of the raiders, because she’s really important in need,” he explained.

“But I’ll leave you two, got important stuff to do,” said Dead Shot and walked upstairs, closing the door behind him.

“So, when can I get out?” I asked Orange Juice.

“Oh, you should be fine by tomorrow,” she explained. - “But for now, you have to rest.”

She didn’t have to say it twice, I felt really weak and tired. After a few minutes I fell asleep.

******

Orange Juice was right. When I woke up, I felt much better. I could stand up, walk, run, everything was fine. I thanked her and went outside, where the same old camp welcomed me, again. If I be the leader I really have to do something about that, because it’s killing me.

I headed to the tavern to get a drink and ask around about my next match. When I got there a pink earth pony mare - about as tall as me - stepped in front of me. She had long purple mane with yellow stripes.

“You are Cold Blood, right?” she asked on an excited voice.

“I am, and you are...” I replied.

“Omigosh-omigosh, I’m so excited to see you, now in person! You were amazing in the arena, I’ve been a big fan of you since your first win, but then in the second one you almost died, but you didn’t and you kept fighting and you won,” gabled the pink mare.

“I’m Pink Wink, but you can call me just Pink,” winked Pink on a slightly more calmed tone.

“That’s uhm, great,” I nervously said. I never had a fan before, and I didn’t expect one.

“Yes, yes. Can I invite you for a drink? Sure can I’ll invite you, COME,” yelled Pink.

She didn’t even wait for my answer, just grabbed me and pulled me inside to a table.

“Wait here,” she said and ran to a bar.

I just sat up normally, and she was already back with two beer and gave me one, then looked at me excited.

I drank a bit of it, and it was really tasty.

“That’s apple… ” I was saying when Pink interrupted me.

“Apple cider, yes, I know it's your favorite and so it’s mine,” said Pink with a huge smile.

This was really weird. How did she know that? I can’t remember telling it to anyone, not that it was a secret. I just never had a reason to tell it to anyone.

“So…” I was asking.

“You want to ask me about your next match?” she smirked with wide open eyes.

I just noticed, she had a lot of red in her eyes. She had to be addicted to a really strong drug.

“Uhm, yes actually,” I replied.

“Oh, don’t worry, I know everything about it!” - said Pink. - “His name is Big Gun. Earth pony, brown coat, short white mane. He’s fat. His specialities are heavy guns. So far he won every match by using his minigun. He also has grenades, but don’t think about just blowing him up. He has armor all over his body. Just as if he had a power armor. In this state, you have exactly 0.1% chance of winning, luckily for you, this match is only melee.”

“Oh, wow, thanks” - I said. - “That’s a lot of information to take in.”

“No problemo,” - replied Pink. - “All you’ve gotta do is this. First he’ll charge at you. Jump left, not right, because he’ll have his sword on his left. He’ll realize that in time and will try to get your back. Turn around, block his hit then counter,” said Pink.

“How the fuck do you know all of these?” I asked surprised.

“Oh, I know everything silly, I’m just having these visions for a long time. They show me exactly what will I see,” explained Pink Wink.

“That’s great and all, but how? Have you eaten something?” I asked.

“Nah, the usual. Two dose of homemade Super Party- Time Mint-als. Some dash, and my daily hydra,” said Pink.

I was speechless. How the fuck is she still alive? I mean, living only on drugs, without eating or anything else? That’s just insane.

“No it isn’t, I get to see the future and all other kind of powers,” said Pink.

The fuck? Can she read my thoughts?

“Yes, actually, it’s a huge mess in your head, but I can read it,” she explained.

“Stop that! Can we talk about my match then?” I asked.

“Sure, so, as I was saying you should…”

******

The day of the semi-finals.

After she told me everything, it was really late, so I thanked her and went to sleep. I memorized them in the following days, and I was ready. I still didn’t fully trust Pink, but so far, they seemed to be right.

The match in fact really was a sword-fight. And it started just as she predicted. He charged, I jumped left turned around and as she said, I had to block instantly. He didn’t expect any of this, so it was the perfect opportunity to counter. I pushed him on his back and kicked his sword out of his mouth.

Blue Eyes went crazy.

“Oh my gosh, everyone. Cold Blood is in her best shape! Never seen her beating anypony like this. Its as if she just knows what her opponent will do,” yelled Blue Eyes.

“And I surely do know everything. Every attack, counterattack and each of your moves,” I said to Big Gun as I smirked.

He got really angry and started throwing punches at me, while he still laid on the ground.

I knew his pattern so it wasn’t a problem dodging them

Left, right, left, right, right, left, right.

None of his punches got me, and I was just standing there with an even bigger smile. He opened his mouth in surprise and I could see him getting desperate.

“You see now? You had no chance from the beginning.” I said as I walked away.

Big Gun kept being silent on the ground, but his anger grew quite big. He got up and charged right at me.

3..2..1.. Now!

I jumped up with a backflip (which I did with the help of my magic) and punched his face. He fell on the ground again, but this time with a bleeding nose. His anger took control over his entire body now.

“Fuck you, motherfucking bitch! You fucking fuck, just die!” yelled Big Gun out of desperate.

He got up again, and charged me mindlessly one last time. This was the moment I’ve been waiting for. I got my sword and when he reached me, I’ve just swung my sword and cut his throat. Big Gun didn’t even noticed my sword, or even if he did, he didn’t care, because he realized that he had no chance.

“Aaaand we have a winner! Cold Blood with a flawless victory will get to the finals!” yelled Blue Eyes.

The crowd, which almost filled the arena all cheered and yelled my name. And there I was, standing in the middle of the arena without saying a word. I’ve just realized how incredible this feeling was. I was finally someone. Not just another raider. The even harder part has yet to come though. I still had to win the finals and then beat Dead Shot after that. He’s been the leader for a really long time, and that means he’s really strong. But even so, death didn’t seem to be that bad anymore, because I wouldn’t die as noone anymore.

******

My next match was against Black Rose. A black unicorn mare with short dark gray mane and dark blue eyes. I was on a mission with her once. Just a normal scavenge route in Manehatten, but even there, she was really impressive. She didn’t talk much, but everything she said was really accurate and formal. At the end of our journey we encountered a group of ghouls. There were five for both of us. I got overnumbered there, but when they were all over me, suddenly all of them died. Black Rose killed all of them in the blink of an eye. She was really impressive there. Thankfully, I have Pink Wink now, so it should be a piece of cake now.

******

“I won’t help you,” said Pink then drank more beer.

“What? What do you mean you don’t help me?!” I asked her.

“You know, there were two sides of the tree. On your side I helped you, and on her side, I helped her to get here. Though she didn’t care at all about me. I wanted to get an interesting match in the finals, plus telling you would be just boring,” she explained and then finished her beer.

“Really? Atleast a little bit of help, maybe an advice? Common Pink, what do you want? Caps, more drink, drugs?” I asked her desperately.

“Ahahaha, silly. I make my own drugs, and I don’t need any of those. You know, I’m pretty much invincible, because I know what will happen and when and I can even change it.” - she said. - “But, come closer.”

I got really close, hoping she might say something really important, when all of a sudden.

“Boop!” Pink pushed my nose.

“Ahahaha, I knew you’ll fall for that but this was still really funny,” she laughed as I blushed in embarrassment.

“Oh common, tell me!” I said.

“Alright, I give you a tip, don’t lose your head.” she said and fell asleep.

We drank a lot of beer, so she probably got tired because of them. It was really late, so I went to bed aswell.

I couldn’t fall asleep for a long time. I was thinking about her tip. Don’t lose your head. Wasn’t it obvious? I never seen anypony without a head alive, and the point of the match was to kill the other one. I was annoyed and confused. Why couldn’t she just tell me what to do last time? Gahh, well I guess I’ll see it tomorrow.

******

The finals day. I didn’t got more time to get more information, because there weren’t any other match. Only me and her. I still had a bit of hangover, but I was alright.

This was an all-in match. You could use anything you want. I got my weapons, my sword, I put my armors on and just in case I brought my scrap-shield aswell. Pink Wink’s help was still in my head. It just confused me, and made me worry about something I might don’t understand.

The arena was the same old, but it was filled with other raiders from all over the place. It made the arena look living. On a higher point - separated from the spectator zone was Dead Shot. This was the last match afterall, surely he was interested in it.

“Allright everypony! Today is the day you’ve been all waiting for. Are you ready to see the final match?” asked Blue Eyes pony.

The crowd all cheered and yelled either my or Black Rose’s name. There she was, just as I remembered. She didn’t say a word, just stood there, looking at me.

“We have the one and only, the one who beat Big Gun without a sweat, Cold Blood!” - cheered Blue Eyes the crowd - “But wait! Look who we have on the other side? They say she could beat a group of hellhounds with her bare hoof. The deadly, who laughs in the face of death, Black Rose!” the whole crowd was cheering, yelling her name, except Dead Shot, who just sit there, watching us silently.

“Alright everypony. The final match will begin… Now!”

I ran back as usual, hid behind one of the barrier. After a bit of time, I looked out, and to my surprise, Black Rose was standing there, looking at the ground. What was she doing? Did she give up, or something?

I decided to try my chance and shot her. I slowly aimed my pistol and pulled the trigger.

BANG!

She jumped up, and dodged my bullet. That’s not good, she literally jumped away from a bullet, as if she had… predicted it. Oh fuck Pink Wink. She probably told everything to Black Rose.

“Come out little pony, let's play a game,” - said Black Rose. - “Oh, yes, a game, where you die!”

And now she became psychopath… fuck. Her eyes turned red, and she had huge smirk on her face.

“Oh, poor filly, scared of the elderly. You should’ve just stay as a slave, because that’s who you are!” she yelled.

“Fuck you!” I yelled back, and ran towards her raging and pulled out my sword. She dodged and from nowhere got out a sword and cut my right foreleg. It was burning from pain and I fell on the ground, but I couldn’t give up just yet, could I?

She knew all my moves, every step I would take, every thought, everything. I didn’t even have a chance in the beginning, so why fight the inevitable?

“No,” - I said. - “I can’t give up, not yet!”

I stood up. My leg still hurt a lot. Black Rose looked a bit surprised. She didn’t expect me to stand up, or it could’ve just been one of her tricks, to annoy me and make me charge her mindlessly.

“Mindlessly… That’s it!”

That’s what Pink Wink meant. I gotta think through my steps and attack her in new clever ways, not just rush her.

Think Cold Blood, think. I would charge again and try to cut her throat with my sword. But then she could just dodge it and probably kill me.

“Oh what is it now, already giving up? Fight, you bitch! I’m not sure how you got into the finals, but you did somehow! Show me your secret tricks, because even if your other duels were against morons, they could’ve kill you easily,” yelled angrily Black Rose.

She expects me to foolishly charge at her. Let’s give her that.

I ran towards her, pretending to be angry, but when I was about to reach her, she jumped away, just as I thought she would. I stopped right before that and swung my sword, but I missed.

She was really surprised. Her eyes and mouth opened wide, but didn’t say anything. This was my chance. I ran towards her swinging my sword, trying to catch her off-guard, but she realized that. She blocked all of my hits. Looks like she knew that, she can’t rely on Pink’s fate telling, so she started to fight finally. Swings and thrusts continued eachother, but no use, she was really fast. This was a stalemate I couldn’t win.

I focused my magic, on my pistol, which was really hard, because I had to focus on the fight too. I got a bit slower, and so did she. Maybe she had the same idea?

I noticed a gun floating nearby her. Oh god, she really did have the same idea, I have to hurry. It was already exhausting to levitate two things at once, but to move them separately and fast? But I had to. I focused even more now on my pistol, which drained my magic, but atleast it was aiming at Black Rose, just as she got ready too. I dropped my sword pulled the trigger and jumped right.

BANG! BANG!

She shot aswell. I got a bullet in my other leg and fall on the ground. On the other hoof, I shot her head, so I was the luckier one this time, and I got to watch her soulless body fall on the ground in front of me.

Blue Eyes was going crazy through the whole match, but I couldn’t really make out anything in the heat of the battle. But now, he really got crazy, and said all kinds of things about me and about the match. Atleast I assumed from the words I caught from his speech.

My legs were still burning from pain, but I managed to stand up, which made the whole arena cheer and yell my name.

“I could get used to this,” I said with a smile.

“And so, this ends the main event, but don’t forget! Dead Shot will have a fight against Cold Blood tomorrow, about the exact same time,” said Blue Eyes.

Right, I still have that match. But how on equestria am I going to beat him? He’s been the gang leader for a year now. But that’s for later, I have to speak with a certain pink pony.

******

After I got out the arena, I rushed to the bar asking everypony on the way if they saw Pink Wink. In the end I found her just the place, where she invited me to beer.

“Oh, you’re finally here,” said Pink Wink.

“Don’t play the innocent, I know you told Dark Rose how to beat me, but you didn’t say a word for me “

“Did I? I remember four words,” she replied.

“Well, Uhm yea, I didn’t lose my head, but you could’ve just tell me everything,” I said.

“Why, wasn’t it enough? Plus don’t you think I could’ve just tell her that you will realize how to beat her, and how to fight against you that time, but I didn’t,” she explained.

“Well, I guess you’re right.”

When I said that a tall bald earth pony stepped to the table and put down beer in front of us. I gave Pink Wink a questioning face.

“Oh, don’t worry, it’s on me,” she said.

“Fine, but how the fuck do you pay for all of those drugs and drinks?” I asked her.

“I guess I can’t keep it as a secret, can I,” - Pink started to explain. - “You already know Dead Shot… He pays for everything I do and in exchange I tell him the future.”

“Oh wow, how long have you been doing this?” I asked surprised.

“Well, y’know… about a year.” said Pink.

“A YEAR?! So, you’ve been helping him since he became the leader?” I asked.

“Pretty much.”

A moment of silence passed. I was thinking on how could I make her help me instead of Dead Shot.

“Alright, I know you’ll want to ask me to lie to him and make you win, and in the end you’ll say that you’ll do anything for me, just to help you, so here’s the deal. I’ll get to have any drink and drugs for free, as I did so far, plus you’ll have to find me something,” said Pink.

“Hold on, that sounds a little much,” I replied.

“Is it Cold Blood is it? Because Dead Shot already gives me half of the deal, so you have to make it up for me,” smirked Pink Wink.

That sounded reasonable, and if I don’t accept it, then I’ll die anyways.

“Fine, we have a deal,” I said.

“Great,” said Pink while clapped her hooves together and gave a happy smile.

“So, are you going to tell me what to do?” I asked after a bit of waiting.

“Oh, silly. Don’t worry about that. Just act as usual, and I’ll make sure he won’t even have a chance of knowing what will you do,” explained Pink.

Well then, I think I should just trust her. Afterall it’s thanks to her that I am here. Which reminded me that I don’t even know her that well.

“Oh, my life story, eh?” she asked.

“Yes, but please stop reading my mind, it is really annoying.”

“Alright, as you already know, my name is Pink Wink, I was born in the Manehattan ruins nearby Tenpony Tower. My father was a drug dealer and my mother worked as a dancer in a club. So, I was kinda an accident, but mom couldn’t leave me after I was born. When I was a filly, I once was left alone, and found some drugs, and took some, because I didn’t know what were they. Turned out I ate Party- Time Mint-als , and I just couldn’t stop. It was one of the most delicious thing I ever ate, so I kept eating it until there weren’t any left. And then, I’m not sure what really happened. I was really happy and hyped for a long time, but then suddenly I woke up celestia knows where, and I couldn’t find a way home. I was older and I somehow knew how to survive and even had a shelter. I was experimenting with drugs since then, which caused my visions, and I even joined this gang for life support in exchange of this special ability. Guess who invited me here,” she said.

“Dead Shot?” I asked.

“Exactly, since then, I’m living here,” she said and finished her story.

“And how do you know the future?” I asked.

“Oh, no biggie, I just see it, though you meant how I see it.” she said and drank her beer.

“Image this. You can see a hella lot of reality in the future. The possibility of each one decides how clear do I see them, so I remember seeing you dyeing against Dead Shot, but since we made our deal, that vision got really blurry and almost impossible to see. I could see a reality now, where I tell you exactly what to do and when, but in the end, the other raiders would call you a cheater and you’d end up being killed by them.” she ended.

“Oh, wow, thanks,” I said.

“No problem, until you’ll do your part of the deal, but don’t worry, you’ll do it.”

“Uhm, good,” I replied.

My goddess it was still really weird.

“For the new gang leader!” she said and raised her beer in the air.

“Ohh, you” I blushed and moved my beer up too, then we both finished our beers.

******

The final match that separates me from being a leader is here, finally. I can’t believe I actually gotten this far. Sure, I had some help, and without Pink I would be already dead, but that’s not the case. I am fighting against Dead Shot, and the outcome seems to be brighter for me.

The weather was nice and calm. The sun was shining. There were clouds here and there, but the sky was mostly clear.

I ate radroaches for breakfast, but this time it was quite tasty. It was just such a perfect day in every way. After that, I went back for my armor and weapons, then trotted straight to the arena where everypony was waiting for me. Dead Shot was there already, but decided to wait for me to “enjoy my last meal.” If he only knew what’s in my pocket.

“Hellooo Mares and Gentlecolts, it’s me, your favorite announcer, Blue Eyes, and today is the day! We’re gonna have a huge-huge duel between two ponies that you all know well. On the left side we have the unbeaten champion, the leader of our little community, Dead Shot!” finished Blue Eyes and everyone began cheering.

“But wait, look who we have against Dead Shot, she came from nowhere and already on top. She’s beaten Neck Breaker and even Quickhoof. The pony you all know, Cold Blood,” said Blue Eyes and the crowd cheered again. It was an incredible view. I didn’t even know there are this many raider in this gang, or maybe they were from other places?

“Alright, calm down everyone! Today’s match rule is something you all love. Let’s say I hope you brought weapons, because you can throw them in the arena this time! We’ll take every weapon except one of their choice and they can use any weapon they find in the arena,” explained the Blue Eyes.

Oh, great. These matches are usually comes down to who is more popular. Though it can get really messy. A good strategy is to keep something that you can use in close range, because most of the time, you get to have a normal weapon from the audience. So, I decided to keep my sword, afterall it was quite useful so far. A tall bald pony with an eyepatch on his left eye and dark blue coat came to me and took all of my other weapons. I saw Dead Shot giving up his weapons too. He kept a switchblade, which was a weird choice. Probably it was thanks to Pink Wink that he chose that.

“It looks like, they’re ready! So let’s get to it already! The match will start in 3… 2… 1… NOW!!!” finished Blue Eyes.

The match started with a bell, and so the crowd threw some weapons inside. I looked around, and saw an assault rifle and a shotgun on my sides. Neither had much ammo, but that was the point of it. To switch weapons in the heat of the battle. The assault rifle had one filled magazine in it, but for the shotgun there was a small box of ammo for it. Pretty good for the beginning. I took them and hid behind the barrier, and looked outside. Dead Shot got about the same, but with explosives and more ammo, I believe.

Suddenly, I heard a metal ping, so I looked around and found a small can. I opened it quickly and found some kind of… food? I noticed that Pink Wink was there, and gave a small wink to me.

These must be PTMs, so, I have to take some to win this. I wasn’t much of a drug addict. Not because I didn’t like them, but because I didn’t have the caps for them. Sure occasionally I took some, but it was always just to have some fun and not for combat.

As I was thinking this a shot flew in front of my head.

“Oh, shit,” I yelled and hid behind my barrier fast. Dead Shot was already shooting me, so I quickly ate the contents of the can. It had a lemon-mint taste, but after I swallowed it, something really strange happened. I could see four times as good as usual and even understand every word the crowd said. The world got slower and my mind got much faster. Hundreds of plans went through my head on just how to kill Dead Shot. Or maybe they weren’t just plans, but possibilities of the future? What did Pink Wink gave me? In many of those visions I saw myself dead, but there were several one where I survived. That’s what I have to follow to win.

I started to run towards Dead Shot, and those visions began to change. I saw lines where his bullets will go, and even more visions of myself dying from those. But in the end, I noticed a reality where I survive, so I used that one. I jumped right and avoided his first several shots. He was fast and aimes at me again, shooting again.

BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!

I jumped left with a flip in the air, and I saw the bullets going away and barely but not hitting me. It was really scary, but I had to trust them. It was by best chance.

I finally reached him and punched him in the face with ease. He tried to counter me, but I knew that already, so he had no chance blocking that.

He fell on the ground, and I saw one of his tooth and his nose started to bleed. I aimed my shotgun on Dead Shot and pulled the trigger, but he managed to roll away and stand up. I aimed back at him, but jumped away instantly. I would’ve died there if I stayed there. He shot his gun, just as I saw it, but ‘luckily’ I survived.

“Fuck you Cold Blood, what did Pink Wink tell you?” asked Dead Shot angrily. His eyes turned red.

“Nothing this time,” I said with a huge smile on my face.

I ran towards him and when he was about to punch me, I put my forehooves on the ground and used it as a pivot point to turn away and buck him. I felt as I broke some of his bones and sent him flying.

“Uhh, ohh” I got really dizzy. The effect started to wear off, I have to finish him quickly.

I pulled out my sword and jumped on top of him.

“You might’ve won, but… I’m bringing you with me to hell,” he said and pulled a trigger of a grenade just before I slashed his throat in half.

“Wait, what? Oh, fuck, fuck, fuck,” I yelled and ran away as fast as I could.

“Fuck in fucking hell you motherfucker, Celestia fuck you in the ass,” I kept saying, but I got behind a barrier.

BOOOM! BOOOM! BOOOM!

The grenade created an exploding chain around it, making anything that had any gunpowder in it explode. After it stopped - which took about ten seconds - I looked outside and stood up.

“And the winner is Cold Blood! After a whole year someone did it and beat Dead Shot! Unbelievable everypony. And here I thought he’ll be the leader forever!” yelled Blue Eyes, and the whole arena got filled with cheer, and my name.

I did it. I’m the gang leader. It’s… it’s… I’m speechless… I thought I’ll just die in like a match or two, but I actually did it. Sure, I have a lot to thank for Pink Wink, so I’ll definitely have to do that task she has for me, but for now. It’s just, wow. All those years of being a slave filly, then I finally got out, and I’m already here, after about two months. It’s just incredible.

Footnote: Level up!

You’ve proven to be strong in a way or another.

+1 to every stat.

Faction Perk unlocked: Gang leader.

You become the leader of a Raider gang. You can send them on missions, and you decide on important matters.

Act 2: Chapter 5: Pink's Mission

A new gang leader meant party-time the whole night. I drank a lot of beer, and got drunk, so I can’t remember much.

I can recall Pink being like an idiot, dancing around, not caring for anything and using drugs. The usual. One time I’ve got told by other raiders that they wanna have a ‘shortie’, but thankfully, I had a common sense and didn’t agree. Atleast I hope so. Doing it disgusted me since I was a filly. Probably that’s why.

The next day, I woke up with a huge pain in my head. I wanted to get up and get some medicine, but it wasn’t as easy as it sounded. I fell to the ground the moment I stood up, so I tried to crawl to a nearby medkit. It was horrible, the ground was cold, and I felt like I’m gonna pass out any moment. So I tried to focus as much as possible.

“Left… right… left… right…” I kept saying to myself, so my body might react and will move faster, or atleast I’ll be focused more.

My stomach growled, telling me that I was hungry and damn it was right. In fact, I was starving, when was the last time I ate?

Finally I reached my destination, so I tried to use my magic, but no use. I couldn’t even light up my horn. I had to do the earth pony way then. I stood up trying to balance myself with a nearby table, and hardly, but I made it. I focused on the small box, then reached for it with my right hoof while keeping my left one on the table.

I managed to open it, and grab something, but I got dizzy and fell down pushing anything out that was inside it.

“Fuck,” I murmured.

I grabbed something that looked like something that’s against headache, and swallowed several pills out of it, then fell asleep again.

******

I woke up again, but with less headache, and more hungriness. I was still lying on the ground. It was around the afternoon, so no wonder why was I that hungry. I got up, and started to go down the staircase.

“Wait, what the fuck,” I said surprised. I didn’t even realize that I was in the leader tower.

Oh right, I’m the gang leader now, so that’s why I was sleeping here. That means I should have some food here aswell.

“Guards!” I yelled and before I knew it, two raider came up.

“Yes ma’am,” they said simultaneously.

“What can I eat here? I’m starving!” I asked.

“Well, uhm, there’s the kitchen. You can eat there anything anytime,” replied the left one.

“Oh, alright then, get the fuck off now,” I said.

“Yes ma’am,” they said and left.

I went to the kitchen. It was a ‘homey’ and not big. In the middle there was a yellow carpet with orange stripes and holes in it. Next to the wall on the left side was a fridge and a table. On the right side there was an another table, but with chairs and plates. In the corner there was the stove.

I opened the fridge which was filled with all kinds of meats. Mostly radroaches, so I took some of it, turned on the stove and put the meat on top of it. After about five minutes I grabbed it (with magic, because it was hot) and put it on a plate and waited it to cool down a bit, then ate it. It wasn’t tasty, but it was okay.

After I finished I went outside the tower. On the yard there was still a lot of ponies sleeping all over the place. The day was calm, the sun was shining, no cloud anywhere.

“You’re here! Finally, I’ve been waiting for you,” - said Pink Wink. - “Are you excited? I’m excited, isn’t it exciting? We’re going on a mission together, just you and me.”

“Oh, the… the thing you wanted me to get, well, alright, why not,” I replied. It felt awesome knowing that noone could interfere with my decision now.

“I knew you’ll say that. Here your armor and weapons, get ready quick, I’m already ready with everything,” said Pink. She was jumping and bouncing all over the place. She was speaking so fast, I couldn’t understand some of her words. Thankfully I understand enough if it, so I put them on. The moment I was ready Pink grabbed me and launched herself outside with a huge jump.

******

“Wait, tell me where are we going,” I asked while I was trying to catch up with her. She was running really fast in front of me.

“To the manehatten ruins of course. That’s where it is,” she replied.

“It? And why are we running, something will happen to it soon, wd’ll have to rescue someone?” I asked her. Pink Wink stopped

“Oh, we don’t have to, don’t worry,” said Pink and started walking slower. I could catch up finally and get some air. She’s been running like this for like half an hour now. I thought she’ll stop or atleast slow down, but what was I thinking? We’re talking about Pink Wink. Silly me. I heard she laughed a bit, probably read my thoughts again…

“We’re here! The ruins, they bring me back old memories,” - she said and sniffed one. - “Let’s get going.”

“Here we need to go to the left, then right and after three house left again… or was it right? No, it was definitely left… Wait no, the first one was right, Uhhh I don’t know.”

“What? You don’t know where will we go to find the thing you’re looking for?” I asked, and started being angry.

“Well, uhm, you see. When I was packing my stuff, I kinda might’ve forgot to pack Super Party- Time Mint-als. You see, when you see yourself doing a lot of things at once you sometimes don’t realize that you didn’t do something,” she said and was really embarrassed.

“So, in short, we don’t know what will happen to us, right? Fuck!” I said.

“Well, not quite. You see, I still remember some, but the thing is, without it, I’ll might go an itsy bitsy crazy, so if you wanna get back alive, we should hurry. Being without SPT-Mint-als after all those time can make you do things you might don’t want. For example going completely mad, losing your mind and killing anyone around you until you get some.”

Oh, fucking luna on the moon. This mission turned too bad too fast.

“Let’s hurry then, but which way?” I growled. I was fucking annoyed and angry, but arguing with Pink Wink wouldn't help now. The clock was ticking.

“I’m sure it was on the left,” said Pink trying to calm me down.

We went that way then. The city was still an incredible sight. I heard tales about ponies living in these houses. They lived in peace, friendship and cared about eachother. What a pitiful era was that. The only way of living is to beat or be beaten.

Pink Wink was leading me through streets I haven’t seen yet.

“I found it! Yes, I knew it’ll be here, don’t worry, we’re almost done here,” said the pink mare as she jumped all around the place celebrating. We were in a dark street ending.

“Uhm, was that it? We’re done? Can we get back?”

“Oh, Cold Blood, obviously not. I’m looking for a special plant that can be found somewhere here,” she said and giggled.

“A plant? We came all the way here just for a fucking plant?” I yelled. This mission is just getting worse and pointless every minute…

“Trust me, it’ll worth it,” replied Pink Wink.

“Whatever, but you do realize we’re in a dark corner, and there isn’t any plant here,” I said. She just looked at me, then pointed to a hole which lead to the sewers.

“The fuck? You sure it’s down here? How can anything grow down there?” I asked her.

“Oh, don’t worry that much. I’m one-hundred percent sure it’s down here... i think,” she replied. I still didn’t know how much could I trust her, but I had no better choice.

“Alright, let’s get going,” I said and began climbing down and just after me, Pink Wink followed me too.

When we finally got down, the sewers were really dark, so I used my horn to light up the place. It didn’t help much, because my magic was red, but atleast we could see a bit.

The place stinked from rotten rats, dead radroaches and I don’t even know what else. The air was cold and dry. The channel was about two pony wide, but the ceiling wasn’t that tall. I could barely stand. Pink Wink finally catched up with me.

“Are you sure it’s here?” This place stinks,” I asked her. I was losing hope of this mission, but that was the least I could do to her. Plus I didn’t want lie to her, after all, who knows what would she do, if I don’t make it up for her.

“It will be here, don’t worry so much,” said Pink and then put her hoof on her head. She had a headache. Fuck, we’ve gotta hurry, who knows how much time does she has before she goes completely mad and tries to kill me.

“Let’s get going then,” I said. She nodded and started walking to the other direction.

That was for several minutes, meters after meters, we were just walking from the darkness to the darkness. I felt like a little dot in the void that surrounds us. Finally we reached an exit to a bigger place. The main channel. The air got much cleaner. And there was atleast some light coming from the surface.

“We’re really really really close now,” - announced Pink Wink. - “It’s just around the corner.”

“Finally, let’s get that fucking flower and leave this place,” I said.

“Scared, huh?” she said. I shook my head a bit telling her that I wasn’t, even if I was a bit already and started walking to the corner.

As we got closer and closer I noticed some green light coming out from the place we were going. Fuck, I forgot to bring any Rad-Away. Let’s just hole Pink brought some.

When we reached the corner there was a dead end about ten meters away. The room was filled with containers of wastes and some lime-green glowing gloo. In the middle of the room I saw some green plant , the plant we came here for.

“That’s why we came here for?” I asked.

“Yes, it’ll perfect my Super Party Time- Mint-als. It is one of the most rare plant of equestria. It grows in highly radiated places. One of my vision told me a long ago about this place and this plant. Since then, I couldn’t find any guide or help of how to get here, but until I met you,” explained Pink Wink.

“Alright, let’s get over it then,” I said.

“Wait, wait, don’t get yourself killed. Look!” she said and threw a small rock. It landed nearby the gloo, and just after a moment the gloo started moving and gaining height. In a few seconds it became the size of the room and went over the rock.

The small rock floated to the middle of the slime-thing and started to shrink until it disappeared.

“What the fuck? What is that?” I asked.

“It’s an elder glowing slime. It has 300 Rad-res 500 HP and has a huge poison damage. It slowly eats you if it gets you, so watch out for that.”

Pff, noone talks like that. But how are we gonna kill this thing.

“You know, those visions said that you’ll be able to kill this thing, but it didn’t say how. I thought I’ll know it when we get here, but I forgot the PTMs, so good luck,” said Pink Wink a bit embarrassed.

“Couldn’t you tell me that when you realized you forgot to bring drugs?” I asked angrily. This mission could’ve been much much simpler, safer and easier, but she just fucked things up. She just smiled and shrugged.

I guess I have no choice then, great. Just when I thought life will be easier. Fuck. How the fuck can I kill something that can eat rocks. I doubt shooting it will do any damage to it. I emptied my bag. A pistol, my sword, some grenades, a rifle and a laser weapon.

“We’re so fucked, half of these won’t even work.”

Alright, I gotta calm down a bit. The physical attacks won’t work, so pistol, sword and the rifle is off the list. All that’s left is the grenade and the laser rifle. Maybe the laser rifle could burn it? Worth a try, I guess.

I peaked out of the corner, aimed it and pulled the trigger a several times.

PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW!

The slime began to glow red where I hit it and started dissolving. I smiled a bit because of that, but then I noticed that it regenerated itself. Fucking fucks in the fucking ass. Only the grenade left, but using explosives underground is dangerous. The ceiling might collapse and who knows if it works, but I got nothing better now. I levitated the grenade in front of me and looked at Pink Wink in a questioning face.

“Are you sure we have everything we need to beat that thing?”

“Yup,” she replied but in a less energetic tone.

“Can’t we just go back to the camp and forget all of this?”

“Ohh, so you want to leave me behind and betray me?” said Pink in a spooky voice, while looking right in my eyes angrily.

“Oh, no no no, I was just playing around, we’ll totally get your flower and survive all of this,” I said trying to calm her down.

“Then DO IT Cold Blood, THROW THE GRENADE!” yelled Pink Wink. Oh fuck, she’s getting angry I don’t have much time, so I pulled the trigger and threw the grenade right inside the slime, which on contact swallowed it. I hid behind the corner, ducked and held my ears.

BOOOM!

The grenade exploded sending the gloo all around the place.

I looked out and didn’t see the monster anymore.

“We… did it, we actually managed to kill it,” I said happily, and walked to that mysterious plant and grabbed it. I looked back at Pink Wink who smiled a bit. I walked back to her and gave her the plant.

“There, now let’s hurry back before you kill me,” I said and put it in her bag.

“Oh, don’t worry silly, I kill someone when don’t get any SPTMs for a while,” said Pink and swallowed something.

“Hey, those… are… Super Party Time Mint-als?” I asked her angrily.

“Yup, want some?” she replied on a perfectly calmed and cheerful voice.

“If you had those, why the fuck didn't you take them? Or I don’t know tell me what to do, or atleast not scare me with you killing me, you fucking son of a bitch.” I yelled at her. She was just fucking playing with me all along? What. The. Fuck.

“Uhm, Cold Blood,”

“No, I don’t care if you knew all of this,”

“But Cold Blood, you gotta,”

“Oh, yes I gotta do this, I gotta do that, fuck you PInk, stop playing around, this is serious, what if I didn’t do what you thought I’ll do,”

“Stop talking! Look!,” she yelled.

“Uh, what?” I asked and turned around. The gloo was moving to a bigger pile of gloo. The slime was… Still alive?

“Oh fuck, oh fuck,” I said and started walking backwards. Pink Wink was frozen from the shock.

“Common, we’ve gotta get out from here,” I said as I trotted away while grabbing Pink’s tail and pulling her with my magic. I looked back and saw the green gloo following us about a meter behind.

“I… I didn’t know this will happen,” said Pink Wink, still shocked.

“Don’t give a fuck about that, just start to run, I can’t pull you much longer,” I said and dropped her. The pink mare blinked once, then realized the situation and as if she was a bullet started running really fast. She even outrun me, which might be better because she knows the way outside.

We got to the smaller channel really fast and kept running to the exit. When we finally reached it Pink jumped out and I climbed up just before the monster reached me.

It started to get dark and cold outside. How long have we’ve been down there? The buildings surrounded us, so it was even darker there.

“Do you think it can climb up,” I asked her, while trying to catch my breath.

“Uhh, hold on,” she said starting to think. - “Yes, it will,” said Pink finally regaining her future vision.

“Fucking hell, what to do?” I asked her in panic.

“Nothing, we’ve gotta run, it lives in highly radiated places, without it, it’ll die,” she explained, and just as she finished the slime emerged from underground and grew to it’s full size.

“Fuck, let's go!” I yelled, but Pink Wink was already running. I followed her without a thought. When we finally reached the border of the ruins.

I looked back, but didn’t see a sight of that fucking slime.

“We got away, no worries,” said Pink calmed but breathing heavily.

“Okay, thank celestia,” I said.

“We should settle down for the night though. You don’t wanna know what would attack us in the night if we go on,” said Pink Wink. And so we did. I got some wood from a nearby tree and made a small campfire. I casted a fire spell and we had a nice little campfire in no time.

I didn’t realize it until then, but I was really tired, so the moment I lied down I fell asleep.

******

The sun in the morning woke me up. It was cold and I felt weak and hungry. Not so long after me woke up Pink Wink too.

“Let’s hurry back before anything happens,” I said and Pink Wink nodded.

And so we started walking back to the camp. The road was calm and quiet. No encounters thankfully. I had enough of them for a while.

We got back to the camp around midday. The raiders were already awake, but didn’t ask me where I was. It was okay for the leader to leave, after all, they decided on who goes where when.

“I’ll go and cook up something,” said Pink and winked. She was going to make the drug already? Though she had no reason to not do it.

“Okay,” I said and she was already gone. I went in my tower to get something to eat. There was already a plate of radroach on my table. Probably someone was asked to make food in case the leader wasn’t there. You usually get really hungry when you’re on a mission for a while. This was just a bit of luxury the leader got.

It tasted unusually good, though everything tastes much better if you don’t eat for a whole day. After I finished I put down the weapons and armor I had in the armory and went to bed. Sure I already slept about an hour ago, but I was still really tired. I fell asleep fast.

******

When I woke up someone was standing next to my bed. A short black haired unicorn stallion with dark blue coat.

“The fuck are you doing here?” I murmured.

“Ma’am, I’m here to report something,” he said.

“Ugh, fine, what is it?” I asked him, a bit annoyed.

“A mare called Pink Wink is dead,” he said.

“Yeah, yeah, sure, wait what?!” I asked in surprise. She couldn't die. Nopony can kill her, she… she can predict everything.

“What the fuck, how, when who did it,” I questioned him in desperation.

“We’ve found her dead body in the living quarters with a video tape signed to you,” - said the raider pony, not showing any feeling and put a tape on my bed. - “That’s all, I’ll be leaving now,” he finished and left the room.

“The fucking fuck happened with her?!” I cried out in anger. I grabbed the tape and put it in the video player.

******

“This message is meant to Cold Blood and only her. Stop watching and give it to her, thank you, and fuck you if you’re still watching.”

She was standing in front of the camera in a some kind of kitchen. She looked unusually calm and normal. I’ve never seen her like that.

“Hey Cold Blood, I am Pink Wink,” - she smiled. - “When you’re watching this I am already dead. Turns out the upgraded version of Super Party- Mint-als is pretty much clean toxic for ponykind. It has advantages too though. For example I finally go to a new high level. When you're so high it just turns around and you became… pretty much normal and it feels awesome. My powers are above everything. But I don’t have much time to tell you all of it. About 18 seconds left of me. So remember the last thing, ‘cause you’ll need it. Friendship is magic, and good bye,” she finished with a bit of teardrop in her eyes then turned off the camera.

******

“Fucking celestia fuck them in the ass of the moon. The only pony I cared a bit about and now she’s dead, ‘cause of her drug addiction,” I yelled as I started crying. I never cried of sadness before. I never was sad, sure I was angry and hated everypony around me, and when they raped me as a filly I cried, but none of that was because of sadness. Aren’t we supposed to not have feelings, heck even my name says that, but now… I don’t know what to do.

Pink Wink was dead, she truly was. She could’ve predicted her death, but maybe her drug addiction spoke out of her and killed her. Fucking shit on luna’s butt.

And after all of that she leaves me with another message, which is pretty much the opposite of what a raider is supposed to stand for. I mean, really friendship? Feelings? What the heck?

I heard stories about a fucker who killed our kind without a second though. She and her friends. Am I supposed to be like them? Like those fucking ponies who called themselves Bringer of light or something like that. What the fuck in fucking hell and worse.

And there I was still, crying on my bed, because of her. I thought I liked her only because of her powers, but I wouldn’t cry just for that. I’d be angry, but not sad.

I kept thinking, founding myself in a dead end of thoughts that I cared for someone and I didn’t know why or how I didn’t realize it, and why only now, but eventually I fell asleep… again…

Footnote: Level up! Slime fighter.

Damage bonus to any kind of laser weapon or explosives.

Chapter 6: Back to Zero

It’s been a week since then. I still felt horrible, but I was recovering at least. As a leader I had boring stuff to do. Plan mission to the others, decide who was right in fights. Pretty much as if I was the only adult here and they were grown up children. Why the fuck did I became the leader. It’s no fun at all. Fucking shit.

The day started like any other. Wake up, eat, there was always something problem in the kitchen, and I had to decide who was right. Then I had to send out ponies on missions, usually just to scavenge and bring anything they find. Then I pretty much had to wait until anything exciting happens and plan out where will I send out anyone tomorrow. Sure it was an easy life, but at what cost? Living like a puppet leader, just to have the final word until someone comes and replace me.

Suddenly, a bell ringed meaning something happened. I ran outside as fast as I could, a bit excited for finally something happened.

“Boss! Someone’s coming… it’s a stable dweller,” said someone when they saw me. We all knew the story of a little bitch who came from stable 2. Since then we tried to make almost no contact with dwellers, but when we had to, we killed them without playing around much. Better safe than sorry after all.

“Alright everyone get on the walls and kill that bitch! Don’t play around, you never know what’s she’s up to,” I yelled and everyone done it in a blink of an eye.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

Eight shots, eight dead raider. What the fuck? How did she kill eight of them this fast? Fuck, this is not good.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Three more down, fucking shit.

“Everyone kill that fucking bitch!” I ordered them, but all I saw was our ponies dying, while the others still trying to kill that dweller.

“Watch out!” someone cried out as a grenade landed on the top of the wall, and exploded killing a lot of those unlucky ones who couldn’t get away fast enough. We were losing this fight too fast. Before the attack, we were about 30 raiders, but now, we are only 7 now, and all was done by one fucking pony, what the hell? It’s as if Pink Wink was attacking us, but that’s impossible. She’s dead, I saw her dead body, and been there when we burned her. No, it couldn’t be her, but then who?

As I was lost in thoughts even more of us died, and only about five remained…

BANG!

I mean four…

BANG! BANG!

Two…

BANG! BANG!

They all died. From one fucking bitch. Everypony. What the fucking luna being raped by these worthless whores in a cave.

“Was that all? I expected more from this place,” - said the intruder outside the wall. - “Come out, whoever the leader is,I know you’re hiding in there like a chicken.”

She was right… But how did she know that I was there. I peeked outside the gate, opening it slightly, then walked out with a gun. She really was a stable dweller. She had the usual suit, but with armor and a glowing metal on her left forehoof. She was light blue colored unicorn mare with long dark blue mane, and she was just smiling.

“Ahaha, you? Don’t play jokes on me, even though you’re the only one who’s on my radar. Eh, fuck it,” she said and shot her gun.

BANG!

The bullet flew towards my face and hit me on the edge of my left eye.

“Fuuuck!” I screamed and fell on the ground in agony as blood flowed out from my burning eye. The pain was unbearable, and I wasn’t sure why, but I was still alive. I wanted to die just to end the pain, but I didn’t.

“There,” - said the dweller still smiling. - “Now you have nothing and have to live with it until you die, slowly. That’s plus one for me on the list.”

“The fuck are you talking about?” I asked in anger while struggled to survive.

“Oh, please darling. Do I really need a reason to kill raiders? I know that you are nothing more than some creature who worth nothing and should just extinc. You are not worthy to be ponies.”

“Oh, just don’t think you’re better than us. This is the wasteland bitch. I heard what’s it like to -“ I coughed. “- what’s it like to live in a stable and you’re a joke,” I said with the last power I had.

BANG!

“Shut up!” - she said as she shot nearby me. - “Just what do you think you know about me. You didn’t lived through the loss of your special somepony.” I noticed tears in her eyes.

“You were always heartless monsters to me, since the day you came. You… you raped me while holding my holding my husband, forcing him to watch. Then you killed him and just threw me away like a bag of trash. You had no idea what I’ve been through, but now you’ll understand, what was it like for me,” she said and cried then ran away. The fucking bitch left me there half blind, alone, on the ground, but still alive.

I felt really tired and weak, but I can’t give up… I just can’t… let… her… win… Then everything blacked out.

******

I’m not sure how long was I unconscious, but suddenly I opened my eyes… I mean my right eye. Fucking hell, I gotta do something with it.

I cut down a small part of my clothes and used it as an eyepatch for my left eye, but I was hungry and injured.

I walked to the tower feeling really dizzy, and finally got to my kitchen which surprisingly had still some food. She didn’t take them? Or maybe she just take as many? If so, then the armory is probably half empty now. Anyways, I grabbed a slice of meat, put it on the stove, then went to get some medicine for my head and drank a healing potion for my left eye. It wouldn’t make me see again, but at least it’ll heal the wound the shot caused.

When I was done, I went back to the kitchen, feeling slightly better, and ate the radroach meat, which tasted horrible this time. While doing so it got me thinking. If there are still values here, that must mean someone will come to get all of this. There’s no way nopony would care and just leave a whole camp of weapons, food, armor and material in the wasteland, but that means I gotta leave this place behind, if I want to survive. When I finished with the ‘meal’ I grabbed my bag, which was near my bed, put some food in it and any potion and bandage I found, then trotted to the armory, but when I got there - just as I expected - a lot of things were gone, but I should be fine. All that left was pistols and a few shotgun. I took one of each and grabbed some ammo. I looked through everything, just to be sure I found everything, and thank celestia I did, because I found a sniper rifle. Pretty much the best thing you can get for journeys alone, so I took it aswell and headed outside.

******

Alone, again. It’s just me against the whole wasteland, just like it used to be. I didn’t get to enjoy being a leader, though it probably would’ve just stayed boring, playing leader while just being the only one with sane mind.

I noticed some ponies in the distant walking to the camp, but other than that, everything was static and quiet. I don’t even know where can I find a new home, a place to stay. Maybe I could find an abandoned shelter or something to stay and make a living out of scavenging and trading them to earn caps and survive somehow. One thing I was sure about is that I’ll make that bitch pay for all she’s done. But for now, I need to survive.

I was walking west from the camp to manehatten. It might be just the safest place for me right now. Possible shelter and scavenging material that I could just sell until I get equipped to fight again. Currently it’d be wiser to stay out of combat. Heck I might even become a trader, nobody knows me anyways, except that fucking stable dweller bitch.

In the meantime I reached Manehatten. My mind was still filled with thoughts of what just happened and how did everyone and everything just gone in a blink of an eye. I decided to go nearby Tenpony tower and find a place there. It’s guarded by ponies and turrets, so it would scare monsters away. Sure, the whole thing was cleared out, but it’s safe for the night. I followed the huge building that stuck out from the ruins manehatten. While walking Pink Wink came to my mind and the last thing she told me. Maybe she knew all of what happened and it was a sign for me to get ready and I just didn’t understand it? She could’ve told me that then… no... it meant more. It had to. Maybe she knew and saw my whole life and what will come in my way, and wants me to get friends? It sounds stupid but it was from Pink, everything she said sounded stupid and weird. I guess I’ll leave it as an idea in the back of my brain then, even though I have no idea how could I even make friends out here. It’s the fucking wasteland. You either kill or be killed. Who would make friends out here with a raider. Although, what makes me a raider?

As I was thinking I got closer and closer to Tenpony Tower and the atmosphere got more living. I heard and saw ponies talking to the guards. Behind them were carts of all kind of items, weapons, food and armor. It looked like they were arguing about something.

I went to the gate where I got some angry look from the guards.

“Stop! Who are you and what are you doing here?” they asked. There were two of them, equipped with full body armor.

“Oh, don’t worry… I mean no harm at all,” I replied. Oh, fuck I forgot to come up with a backstory and I don’t think they wouldn’t let a raider in or around the tower at all.

“That’s not what we asked!” - growled the other one on me. - “Who are you?”

“I’m… Sour Peach, I am a… trader, yes. This is my first trip here.”

“A trader you say? What do you sell then? I can’t see any wares,” they asked.

“Yes… That’s right. It’s because… I came forward and left the others , so that we’ll know if we can bring things here. It is much safer this way, because we wouldn’t have to bring everything through the wasteland filled with raiders. Especially the ones to east. I heard their leader is really strong and powerful.”

“Who? Dead Shot? I don’t think he’s that much of a threat,” - said the guard pony on the right. They haven’t even heard of me?! Though that’s maybe better for me. - “I heard Blueberry killed all of the raiders there alone. But back to the business. You can go inside for the night, but tomorrow don’t come back without the wares. Your story sounds a bit fishy...”

I nodded and walked forward. I finally knew that motherfucker’s name. And it sounds like she got some reputation. Tracking her should be easy then.

“Hey, hey, hey. What do you think you’re doing? You can’t just go inside!” yelled the other pony.

“But you just said…”

“I know, but there are rules here. For example, no ammo is allowed inside. Drop everything you’ve got, you’ll get them back when you leave.”

“Argh, alright,” I growled, giving them all the little I’ve got. I could’ve argued with them, but I was in need of a place to stay, even if for just one night, which in fact was about to start.

Finally the gates opened and I got a sight of the inside of the tower. A huge atrium welcomed me with an old fountain in the middle. On both side of it was a corridor. Between them was two staircase leading to the upper floors and an elevator. To the right and left was one and one door.

I decided to go right, because that place sounded lively. Even now that I’m inside I still don’t have a bed, so I should ask around for some help. The place was used as a bar. As I stepped in I felt the smell of alcohol and cigarette in the air. The room wasn’t big. On the left was a counter where sat several ponies, drinking and talking. In the middle and right were tables with chairs. On them sat ponies in all kind of armor and suit. Some had a stable jumpsuit, others wore steel ranger armor without the helmet, but I could see traders with light armor or almost none at all. They drank beer too or played some card game while others seemed to make business here and discussing about celestia knows what.

I walked to the counter, sat down and asked for a beer.

“That’ll be 70 caps,” said the bartender behind the counter. He was chubby white earth pony stallion with short brown mane. He held beer in one of his hooves, while holding the other one waiting for his caps.

“Oh, right, let me…” - I froze as I said that, realizing that I haven’t got any caps, fuck. - “You know… why don’t we trade instead? I have these… healing potions and bandages.”

“I’ll give you one bottle per potion, deal?” asked the pony after a bit of thinking behind the counter.

“Fine.” I could’ve argued with him, but not now. I was tired and still angry of the whole day. I really needed something to chill me out just a bit.

We made the trade, I opened my bottle of beer and drank from it, which felt really good. The beer was cold and bitter, just as it’s supposed to be.

“So, are you new around here?” - he asked. - “I’ve never seen you before.”

“Yes, first time in Tenpony Tower,” I replied, with a bit of fear. What does he wants from me, and what if he finds out somehow that I’m a raider.

“I see,” said the bartender, leaving the conversation in an awkward silence.

“Oh,” - a question came to my mind. - “Do you know any place I could sleep for the night?“ I asked then drank a bit.

“Eehm, there’s none,” - answered the bartender. - “The best you could do is to just sleep on an empty bench or something. Every room is filled at the moment.”

“Oh, fucking celestia, are you sure about that?”

“Pretty sure.”

“Well fuck, thanks anyway or something,” I said.

“No problem.”

We didn’t talk after this, I just finished my beer and headed to the hall in a bit sad mood. It was already dark. I can’t find a bed to sleep in, but maybe I should try and look the brighter side of my situation. I got inside… for one night… Then I have to go away and either not come back again or become a trader somehow.

I just had to say I’m a trader, aren’t I. Me and my terrible lies will get me killed if I’m not cautious enough. While thinking I walked to a bench and lied down. It was really uncomfortable and cold, but it was better than nothing. Plus it was a bit more safe sleeping inside a settlement than in the wasteland, which lurks with monsters.

******

I couldn’t sleep much and I was really tired when I woke up. The guards came to me a bit later and told me to get out. So I did. I got my ammo back and went outside.

“And remember, don’t come back without the goods,” said the guard as I was about to go away. I nodded and left them.

Alright Cold Blood. You’re on your own now again, let’s come up with an idea this time. Traders are known to have a chariot filled with all kinds of things. Weapons, potions, armor etc. The problem is, the more item they have, the more likely they’ll have guards around them. I should find a smaller group then. Maybe join them? Though, what life would that be for me? Just going from point A to point B every day, for the rest of my life. Sounds boring, I need action, defending a caravan occasionally from raiders and monsters. That’s not me. Then plan B, find a weak caravan and kill them all, or maybe even enslave them. Though that would mean they won’t keep me identity a secret. And the fact that I can’t keep them, because they could overcome and kill me anytime as well.

But wait a minute, why would I want to go back to Tenpony Tower? I can’t get a room anyway. The bar was good, but that’s all. I have no reason to go there, but then where? Although if I want to get a revenge on that fucking stable dweller bitch I should get a team first. I have no chance against her on my own, and what would be a better place finding somepony other than the bar. FUCK! I completely forgot about that. Guess I do have a reason to go back then. Fucking shit.

So, a small caravan. There should be plenty of them, I just have to hide and wait somewhere and strike when they least expect it.

With that thought finished I decided to go to the border of manehatten. It should be far enough to the guards to notice anything, but not too far to have much danger in my way. I began trotting to the north east. The should be a railroad somewhere around it. I think there’s pretty good chance finding traders.

******

I found a nice tall building near the rails, which seemed to be the perfect hiding and camping spot. A whole corner from the third floor was missing from the building, which could be used as a hiding spot. Great for snipers.

As I walked inside, it seemed to be a cheap hotel for the less rich ponies. There was a small stairway leading to the upper floors, but no reception or anything. On each floor, there was three appartment. The doors were left open. Probably because the ponies who lived here tried to run away as fast as possible leaving everything behind. Some weren’t lucky enough as their skeletons just laid around the corridor or in the door. The whole place was quiet, but seemed a perfect place to settle down. I might even build a home here. Sure I’ll still need to get inside Tenpony Tower, but for the night, it is a great place. I can even set up traps here and everything.

“But let’s focus on my mission first,” I remembered myself as I heard a group of ponies talking nearby. I ran up to the third floor, where the staircase for the upper floors collapsed. I got behind a small part of the wall that was still left there and peeked outside silently.

I saw three ponies walking by. Behind one of them was a car with all kinds of goods, while in front of her walked two ponies with armor and weapons. Their guard.

“Bingo,” I murmured. I have to kill the guards first, then the other one should be no problem at all. They can’t run away, and none of them were unicorn, so getting a weapon out of their car would take time.

I got out my sniper rifle and took aim on the first one, which in fact was hard and strange with only my right eye. - Not that I ever used a sniper rifle before. - I pulled the trigger.

BANG!

The shot went through the first guard’s neck who fell on the ground dead already, while I was aiming on the next guard already, when I realised that the rifle flew out of my magic from the push.

“Oh, fuck,” I whispered, hoping they haven’t realised I was there. I quickly got the sniper back and took aim, but they were hiding already on the other side of the rail.

I didn’t move or breath, trying to keep my aim. When I couldn’t hold it in anymore the other guard peeked outside from his cover. I smiled and pulled the trigger.

BANG!

A hole appeared between his eyes and his backhead. Now I was cautious enough to not drop my weapon.

Only one left. I waited for that one, but nothing. Maybe she ran away?

Suddenly I heard a small crack behind me. I looked there and saw somepony standing in the door with a knife in her mouth. She was scared and angry. But didn’t move, probably because she wanted to ambush me. I just smiled and quickly got out my pistol from my bag when she finally engaged me.

She was about two hoof away from me when I finally got my pistol and pulled the trigger a several times.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

The bullet hit her front hooves and belly which made her fall on the ground while screaming in agony. I walked to her as she watched me in fear. I put my left hoof on her head and started pushing it down. The trader started to scream in pain as I started put more of my weight on her skull to a point where her bone couldn’t take it any longer and I just pushed through her brain. Her eyeballs rolled out from the dead body while a splash of blood and what’s left of her brain stained my forehooves.

“That.. was… amazing! I never realised how much I loved killing hopeless ponies. It just feels so good dominating over the weak and showing them who’s the boss. Even if it was just for a brief moment,” I praised myself while jumping around and celebrating my victory.

As I finished and calmed down I thought to myself that I could do this for the rest of my life when suddenly a bright light appeared on both of my flanks revealing a… cutie mark.

“What the fuck?” I said in my surprise. My cutie mark became three blood drops, which seemed reference my name, Fuck! Now I have to watch out for that too. It’ll be hard explaining a bloody mark on your butt as a ‘trader’.

Footnote: Level Up! Lonely Traveler.

You managed stay alive alone against the world. You deal additional damage if you have no companion and you can hold more items in your inventory.

Faction change: “Traider”

You convinced others that you’re a trader. They become neutral towards you, but you have to act like a trader.

Chapter 7: Try, Try Again

I calmed down after thinking through how many weird situation could I get in for having blood as my ‘special talent’. After all, I just need to hide it, and I usually wear my armor or atleast something.

I decided to haul all the wares the traders had and build up my new home. The cart was filled with all kinds of goods. Metal plates, food, clean water, weapons with ammo and even armor. And, most importantly, a small pile of caps. I brought them upstairs to the second floor, which now was used as a storage. I brought the mattresses to the first floor to the middle room. That will be used as a bedroom for now. I put the mattresses on each other which made a big and comfortable bed. Then I set up some basic traps. A bell over the entrance which alarms if someone comes in. A tripwire that shoots them in their leg and that’s about it. I didn’t have supplies for better ones, but even if I did have I had no idea how to make them.

The alarm was really just a bell hanging from the ceiling with a small rope. The tripwire was a bit more complicated, because I had to hide the gun and connect the wire with the pistol. But after I broke a small hole in the wall it fit just right in.

When it was getting dark I put up some steel scrap on the third floor making a barrier for myself. After that I got really tired and sleepy, so I decided to go to sleep and play the trader tomorrow.

The bed felt great after all I’ve been through the last two days. I finally felt safe.

******

I fell asleep easily and I finally got my energy back. The sun was already shining and there wasn’t many clouds. Everything was bright and clear. It started as a good day.

I filled my cart with all that was left from yesterday. As I was about to go I realized that I should clean myself, because a trader stained in pony blood isn’t welcoming and they might suspect that I killed someone to get these.

I grabbed some water and poured it on my chest and hooves, where the most blood was. After a bit of rubbing I got rid of the blood and was ready to go to Tenpony Tower again.

******

The way there was quiet thankfully, but I was scared and cautious for the whole road. Walking alone while pulling a cart behind you is a huge risk always. Anyone or anything could attack you anytime, and you’re almost defenseless. After all I just killed yesterday a small group alone.

When I got there the guards gave me some suspicious look and asked what happened to the others for which I only replied, “I never said there are others.”

One of the guards got really suspicious about me, but then he sighed and said I can go inside.

“So… uhm, where can I keep this cart while I’m inside?” I asked.

“There are cages with locks. The keys are in the locks already, so just leave whatever you want there and when you depart just leave the key in the lock for others,” the guard on the right said.

“Uhh, alright, off I go then.” I said, while giving them any ammo I’ve got again.

The same view welcomed me, not really sure what was I even expecting, but it did lost it’s magic really fast. I put my stuff down where the guard said I should leave them and closed it, then I instantly headed to the bar with caps in my sleeves.

“Oh, welcome back, I thought you’ve left this city for good,” said the bartender pony.

“You remember me?” I asked.

“There aren’t many traders with an eyepatch, but without any caps, you know.”

“Oh, right I have caps now, could you just give me a beer?” I asked.

“Coming right up,” he said and gave me a bottle of beer while I gave him the caps.

While I was drinking it I looked for anypony who I could hire to kill Blueberry for or with me. I realized that just a simple traveler won’t be enough, because let’s be honest. One of those fuckers from the raider camp could kill these wannabe adventurers easily, while Blueberry killed all of them… alone. I still fucking don’t get how did she do that though.

An earth pony came to my attention. He had a black hat and cape. His fur was brownish orange and there were scars all over his face. He had a long gray mane with white stripes. He was sitting alone, drinking whiskey, but I could read from his face that he had experienced the worst of this fucking wasteland.

I decided to try my luck and ask him if he could help me, so I walked next to him. He looked at me with a dead cold look.

“What do you want?” he asked in a deep angry voice. I almost froze by only his look, and his voice didn’t help.

“Well,” - I gulped. “I need someone dead.”

“I can do that. I did it a lot of times, raiders, betrayers, all kinds of ponies.”

“This one took away everything from me, since then I had to start from zero.”

“I don’t give a fuck about the cause,” - He said and drank the rest of his whiskey. - “But know one thing. It’ll cost you.”

“Oh, don’t worry about it. You’ll have your caps before you know it,” I said nervously. I don’t know how much he wants, but this is my best chance.

“Alright, meet me outside the gates this afternoon, so you can tell me the details.”

“Awesome, see ya there then,” I said and went back to the bar. I felt my heart beating in my throat through the whole conversation, I just have to pay him somehow... though currently, I’d give everything just to see Blueberry dead.

The bartender asked what did I want from that colt, and told me that I shouldn’t trust him, because he killed his ‘clients’ a several times already.

******

I spent the rest of the day chatting with the bartender. Turns out his name’s ‘Cheese Slice’ and this pub was left by his family on him.

When he asked my story I told him about Blueberry and how much she fucked me over, while I left out the parts of me being a raider. At one point he looked at me a bit surprised and asked.

“Are you a raider?”

Oh, fucking celestia, I said too much.

“Ehm… I have no idea what are you talking about... I’m not…” I replied, though it was really obvious that I was lying.

“It’s alright, I don’t really care,” - said the bartender. - “ If you ask me, it doesn’t justify anyone to kill someone just because of their faction’s killing everyone. I always give a small chance to anyone to prove themselves, which might get me killed one day, but hey, that’s life for you.”

We’ve talked until sunset, then I paid for everything I’ve drunk and said goodbye. I grabbed my weapons, some healing potions and headed to the guards asking my ammo back.

Outside, in front of the gate I met the pony from the bar. He was already waiting for me there.

“Let’s get going, on the way tell me the details,” he said and started walking to the east.

“Sure, “ - I said as I followed him. - “Her name is Blueberry, a light blue colored unicorn with dark blue mane.”

“Hmm, Blueberry. It rings a bell for me. Isn’t she from a stable dweller?”

“Yes, you know her?”

“More or less, I heard she’s wiping out raider camps, but I’ve never heard her attacking anypony else other than a raider…”

I was sweating. What if he finds out I’m a raider too? Is he with Blueberry? Maybe he wants to see me dead too? Why the fuck did I do this?! Stupid me… of course she has some reputation, after all she’s cleaning the land from my kind. Fuck!

“We’re here,” he said and stopped.

“Here? What’s here, why did we come here?” I asked surprised. I didn’t even notice that we were walking someone.

“Oh, you know, a mare who’ve just lost everything ask me to kill the one who did that to her without a purpose suddenly has enough caps to pay me. I don’t know how stupid you are, but it takes more to bullshit with me.”

Fuck me, I called it, but still didn’t do anything. Was I really that desperate?

But I’ve got no time to think because he already jumped at me with a switchblade in his mouth. In the next moment I was already on the ground while he got me in my right hoof, since felt a line of burning pain on it.

I was holding his head back with my weakened right hoof while trying to get some hit in with the left one and blocking his punches. At some point he managed to avoid my blocking and started to strangle me. Even as hard as I tried I couldn’t stop him doing that and was about to pass out when I grabbed the first thing I could locate with my magic and sent it to his head, which made him fall over. I could breathe and see again. I managed to stand up, but I felt weak.

I used what I grabbed, which now I saw was a piece of a nearby house’s wall, and started slamming it repeatedly to his face.

“WHO’S THE FUCKING BITCH NOW, FUCKER!?” I yelled when I noticed that blood started to stream out of his head. I wasn’t even sure he was conscious of not, I just kept hitting him with a rock as if I were a scared filly and he was an ugly insect.

At one point the rock broke into pieces, and that’s when I decided it was enough and he probably won’t remember anything if he manages to wake up and not dead already.

“Well, fuck. What now?” I asked from myself, while I drank a healing potion. I only one left.

Sure, I could go back to Tenpony Tower and just say he got killed by something, but how am I gonna find anyone who’s willing to help me, because I doubt I’d find anyone better than this fucker was. I just had to be born as a raider hadn’t I? Fuck you whoever gave birth to me, and fuck you too whoever had sex with my mom. Fucking shit…

Calm down Cold Blood, you won’t come up with any ideas if you’re just screaming inside of your head.

What the fuck did Pink said again? That’s my last hope. It was some bullshit if I recall it correctly. Something, that could even be a subname of a little fillies’ show, but what was it? Friendship is… good for noone? No, it was the opposite. Friendship is magic, yes that’s it.

So, I have to find real companions? In this fucking wasteland. Let’s think. There has to be someone I heard of who made friends somehow, but who was it? I don’t know her, but I definitely heard of her, somepony… an enemy. From my fillyhood.

Oh, right, that… that stable dweller from stable 2. What was her name? Lightbringer maybe? She made a really strong team with that pegasus and unicorn. And there was even that zebra too. But how the fuck did she met then and made friends with them? I know she knew that unicorn earlier, but the others… she helped them?

Well, I do have to agree that helping out somepony is a sign of friendship and can pretty much earn anyone’s trust way more easily, but even if Pink really meant that I have to do that, how the fuck am I gonna find anypony who’s in danger and needs my help… Maybe the bartender could help me.

I began walking back to Tenpony tower in the end. As much as I hated it, I was really in need of information, or at least a bit of guide on how to start this… thing called ‘helping ponies’.

I didn’t even know where was I, but fortunately after a bit of walking I found the main road of the city.

BANG!

While I was walking to Tenpony Tower a bullet hit the ground next to me. I looked around and ran behind a cart which was close to me.

BANG… BANG! BANG!

“Fucking… hell” I grunted as I felt a bullet hitting my left flank which made me fall over, thankfully behind the cart. I looked around and noticed two raider ponies on top of the building on the other side of the road, which had about 8 floors.

“What the fuck?” - I shouted. - “I’m a raider too!”

“I don’t give a shit about what are you! Surrender and we might keep you as a fuckslave!” shouted one of them back.

I grabbed my sniper and took aim as fast as I could then pulled the trigger.

BOOM!

The bullet hit the wall just below them.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

“Fucking shit,” I murmured. I gotta hit them, but I can’t aim too long or they’ll hit me. It was still my only option, so I took aim again, but a bit faster now, because I already knew about where were they, then pulled the trigger.

BANG!

“You motherfucking bitch, I’ll kill you for that! He was my brother!” the raider shouted.

Great one of them’s down. Now the other one. I ran to the other side of the road, through the building’s doorway and up the stairs. It sounded like the raider didn’t notice that, because he was still shouting things and occasionally shoot.

When I got up to the roof, I slowly approached him, trying to make as less noise as possible. He was really dumb, because he never looked back and I could’ve easily get to him.

“Surprise bitch!” I shouted and pushed him down the edge.

“Aaaah!” screamed the raider until he hit the ground and died.

“Who’s killing who know motherfucker?” I laughed and went straight down where I found his dead body. He landed on his head, which made a huge mess around it.

******

After this, my way back to Tenpony Tower was calm and peaceful. I got back in no time, and the guards thankfully didn’t ask anything. They just let me in after I gave them all of my ammo… again.

I headed to the bar the moment I got in, because there was the only pony I could talk to.

“So, how did it went?” asked Cheese Slice, the bartender.

“Do I look like everything was fine?!” I shouted back. I was annoyed just about everything.

“Lemme guess, he wanted to kill you, but you somehow survived.”

“Pretty much. He was so full of himself that he thought he could kill me with bare hooves…”

“Well, I’ve told ‘ya to be careful,” - he said and gave me a bottle of beer. - “There, calm down. It’s on the house.”

“Thanks, but why?” I asked.

“Things get boring here. You’re pretty much the only one who talks to me. Everypony else’s just here to meet someone else, or just to drink alone,” explained Cheese.

“No problem, I guess?” I said and drank some beer.

“So, what are you gonna do now?”

“I don’t really know. I was thinking about it, and I really have to find somepony to team up who isn’t just another shitty mercenary.”

“You mean friends?” asked the stallion.

“I… think so,” - I said embarrassed. - “Can you help me out?” I asked and gave him a pleading smile.

“Me?” - he laughed. - “Sorry, but no, I’m not good with any weapon.”

“Oh, alright, but do you know anypony who might need help, or rescue. I heard rumors that it’s a pretty solid way of getting companions,” I said.

“Anypony, who might be in danger… hmm,” - said Cheese. - “Now that I think about it, there were those two ponies… Oh, right, they were searching for something, but they came back every night for a drink. I haven’t seen them for a few days now.”

“Did something happened to them?”

“I don’t know. They were always here for a couple of months now, so it still could be that they’ve just left. Though from what I’ve seen they didn’t find whatever they were looking for, so why leave so suddenly.”

“I see,” - I said. - “Do you know where they went, or any lead that I could follow to find them?”

“From what I’ve overheard of them, they should be around Horseshoe Tower. That’s a bit north-west from here. But be careful, remember that you’re alone and they were together.”

“Noted, thanks! I’ll go then now… after I finish my beer,” I said realizing that I didn’t drink any of it yet.

When I finished I thanked Cheese for the free beer and went to get ready for this ‘quest’.

Armor check. Weapons (which includes the sniper and a gun) check. Meds, food and water, I bought some earlier to restock so, check. Ammo, I bought some of it too, just to be sure, check.

I was starting to use up more and more of what I’ve had in the cart, so I’ll have get more soon, but for now I was ready, hopefully!

Footnote: Level up! Tough filly.

You learned to solve dangerous situations with your hoof or any object around you.

+2 Strength and 20 additional melee damage.

Chapter 8: A Helping Hoof

As I walked on the empty, quiet road I noticed a small area with a barricade. It was probably an abandoned raider camp. I decided to avoid getting close to it in the end, because it seemed too dangerous, plus I should focus on my mission now. Better not get distracted.

Not so far from that I finally found Horseshoe Tower. Not really knowing where to go I went inside and upstairs. If they’re inside, then I’ll find them here, if they aren’t, then I’ll go on the roof and look around, just so I might find them. At least that was my plan, but then I heard some ponies talking, and some of them sounded as if they were speaking through an old radio.

I got my gun ready, just in case and sneaked to where the voice came from. The building was cramped up in the inside. Floors and walls destroyed making movement close to impossible. The main hallway was a dead end and the only way to go on was by going through big holes in the walls. I did found some dead bodies too. Some were older than the other, but none of them seemed fresh.

Finally after three minutes of walking mindlessly I got to a doorway where the voices came from.

“For the last time, where did you find it?” said a cold metallic colt sound.

“I’ve told you… *cough* We’ve found an empty stable not far from here and just brought one!” said a weaker sound.

BANG!

“Stop lying!” - said the same cold voice while the other one was screaming in pain. - “We don’t know any stable in this region that isn’t cleaned yet!”

“But we are telling the truth, stop shooting him!” said a third voice, this time a mare.

BANG!

“I shoot him whenever I want. All you has to do is tell me where did you find or stole that Pipbuck.”

I peeked inside and saw a Steel Ranger in power armor and dark green unicorn mare with long grayish white mane lying on the ground. Next to her was a dark gray earth pony colt with light blue mane and he was bleeding from one of his forehoof. On the other one he had a weird metal ring which emitted green light. The two pony was tied up together.

“One second, we have an intruder,” said the Steel Ranger.

Fuck! How did he find me! Who cares now, I have to hide!

The closest possible hiding spot was an open door not so far away. I ran there as quietly as I could and closed the door. The room was really small. In fact it was a wardrobe with a lot of tattered and torn apparel.

Fucking celestia, now what? If he finds me I’m gone for, but those ponies are probably the ones I’m looking for, I have to get rid of this bitch then, but how? Shooting bullets won’t help me, neither will grenades. Maybe if I surprise him by jumping on him and start beating the armor up… no, that wouldn’t work neither, he could just throw me off and kill me. Is there anything I can do?

I… I can’t win this… there’s no way. The only thing that I can do if he finds me is… surrender. Fuck.

And just as I thought that the Steel Ranger slammed the door open.

“I surrender!” I yelled and held my hooves up and closed my eyes in fear.

“Who are you?” he asked after a few seconds of waiting.

“I’m… Sour Peach,” - I said. - “I’m a scavenger and just happened to find you here.”

“How come that my E.F.S shows you as a threat?”

“How would I know, I don’t even know what an ‘E.F.S’ is.” (I really didn’t know)

“Eyes Forward Sparkle, basically it’s a radar that detects any living around you. It can even detect if the given thing is an enemy or not.”

“Maybe it’s broken,” I said with a bit more confident. He actually believes me.

“Maybe, but just to be sure,” he said and started tying up my hooves.

“Hey! What gives?” I yelled.

“Quiet or I’ll kill you. I still can’t trust you.”

Fair enough.

When he finished he took my weapons, grabbed and threw me to the other two ponies.

“Ouch!” I said while they looked at me a bit confused.

“Sooo, how’ya doing?” I said, trying to play the innocent and breaking the ice, but they just gave back a more confused and concerned look. The mare then pointed to the Steel Ranger.

BANG!

The bullet hit the floor next to me.

“I said quiet! Don’t make me repeat that again!” said the Steel Ranger.

Okay, I might’ve overdone it. Watch what you say Cold Blood or you get killed here.

“So, I’ll ask it one more time, and you’ll answer it, or else,” - said the Steel Ranger. - “Where did you find that Pipbuck?”

The other two looked at eachother and nodded.

“Alright, I’ll lead you there, just let us free,” said the worried mare.

“Finally! It wasn’t that hard, was it? There drink this,” - said the Steel Ranger and dropped a Healing Potion to the colt. - “We’re going right away, and I don’t want to get slowed down by your foolishness”

The colt drank the potion and when he finished the steel ranger tied a rope around our necks and he grabbed the end of it. After all of that we walked outside and headed east. The Steel Ranger was in the lead, but sometimes he looked back at us and asked them where to go. This was my first opportunity to talk to them.

“So,” - I whispered. - “How did you get into this situation, oh and by the way, name’s Sour Peach.”

“Green Vines, just call me Viney, and he’s my special somepony, Skybright,” whispered Viney. She looked at Skybright with a smile and Skybright gave a smile too.

“We heard there was a treasure somewhere near Horseshoe tower. Not much of a story though. Rich pony, got scared of the war and built his own safe house underground. In the meantime Steel Rangers found us and since then they want to know where did I find my Pipbuck,” explained Skybright.

“What’s so special about it?” I asked.

“Other than a default Pipbuck, not much. It has some extensions, which others don’t have. For example a bigger storage, S.A.T. S. Jammer and self-explosion.” said Sky.

“Whatever those things meant… But why didn’t you tell him where did you find it?”

“Because Steel Rangers. Not so long ago we with several other ponies moved to a Stable. We managed to stay under cover from them yet, but I heard they wiped out whole stables just to get their hooves on some pre-war tech.”

“And we’re going there?” I asked as quietly as I could.

“Of course not, we try to get away from him, but we couldn’t come up with any plan. But then you came, and now I think we can beat him,” said Viney.

“I have an EPM grenade, since he was careless enough and didn’t took my Pipbuck. The problem was that we can’t run away in time before it’s effect wears off, so naturally, we have to beat him. I can hack his power armor in no time, but to do that he’ll get a few seconds where he can move and shoot again. Thankfully, Viney can cast a shield on me. The real problem is, if he realizes that and jumps out. He could get his weapon really fast out of the armor while we’re stuck there. Then it’s just the matter of time before the shield breaks. That’s where you come in, if he tries to do that, do anything it takes to stop him,” explained Sky.

“Sounds like a plan, but you think I can beat him with my bare hooves? He took my weapons,” I whispered back.

“I’ll give you one, don’t worry,” answered Sky.

******

After a bit more walking both Viney and Sky gave me a wink. I nodded back and Viney stumbled in a small rock.

“My leg!” screamed Viney, lying on the ground.

“What’s the matter, get up and get going!” threatened the Steel Ranger. In the meantime Sky started to press buttons on his Pipbuck and got a grenade out of nowhere. Then he pulled the trigger, waited a bit then threw it to the Steel Ranger while Viney was still complaining.

BAAM!

The grenade exploded like a small lightning orb.

“YOU FUCKING BITCHASSES, I’LL KILL YOU FOR THAT!” yelled the Steel Ranger with other ‘nice’ things as well. He even mentioned our relatives, celestia, luna, applejack and loads of other ponies and probably other creatures as well. In the meantime Skybright got back control over his Pipbuck and started to hack it. I stood next to him and Viney was ready with her magic to absorb any shot.a

“Okay Peach, ready?” asked Sky. After a few seconds I’ve realized that he was talking to me and nodded back.

He gave me a switchblade and opened the Power Armor from where the Steel Ranger jumped out instantly, only to find out that he can’t get through Viney’s shield. Turns out he was an older dark grey-brown-ish earth pony with a short light grey mane.

I jumped on him while he tried to recover from hitting the shield and started cutting his limbs and head while I held him on the ground. This made him really weak and when he finally gave up the fight I started smashing the switchblade into his head. After 27 (Who doesn’t count it, right?) thrust I stopped only to find out I was covered in blood and under me was something that didn’t really look like a pony anymore. At least not his head.

“I might’ve overdone it,” I said while smiling in embarrassment. They were just looking at me with wide open eyes and mouth and didn’t say anything.

Sure, it felt amazing to kill that fucker, but get a hold of yourself Cold Blood. They might find it disturbing and leave me, which means I won’t get my revenge on Blueberry.

“Oh, yeah, maybe… I mean he deserved it… I just… didn’t think you’ll be this… forceful,” said Viney after about half a minute of staring.

“Well, you know. You gotta make sure they die for real, right?” - I said, trying to make me look less of a psychopath. - “But hey, we all made it out alive, so that’s something.”

“I guess so, right Sky?” said Viney. Sky was still frozen, but after Viney repeated it a few times he came back to his senses.

“Oh, yea, totally,” said Skybright, probably not really knowing what we were talking about. - “So, Peach, what’s your story? How did you find us?”

“The bartender in Tenpony Tower sent me. He told me that you were looking for something and that you went to the bar quite often until the last couple of days. His name is Cheese Slice.”

“Well, actually, we were looking for somepony, not something,” - corrected Viney. - “The Steel Rangers took our friend, Night Star. We had a fight against them, but we’ve lost against them. The next thing we remembered is that we were lying on the ground the next day.”

Viney got sad when he finished this small story. This was my chance to get them in my team.

“I’ll help you find Star!” I said, but after that I got a weird feeling. This ‘help’ word… it was strange to say it.

“Will you?” - asked Viney while a small star of hope glistened in her eyes. - “But we can’t give you anything in exchange.”

“No worries, I’m sure you’ll find something,” I said.

“Oh, thank you!” said Viney and hugged me. Though after a few seconds she noticed that I was still covered in blood. The hug surprised me and felt really weird. I never hugged anyone before, but it wasn’t bad.

“Eww,” - said Viney in a disgusted voice while she tried to clean herself from the blood that now covered her as well. - “You should clean that up.”

“Oh, right… sorry,” I said in embarrassment.

“We still don’t know where Night Star is,” interrupted us Skybright. I could tell from his look that he was worried and impatient.

“Steel Rangers took him, right?” - I asked and they nodded. - “Then probably they took him to their settlement or to one of their camp, probably for the same reason that Steel Ranger captured you.”

“But we couldn't find any bunker in the area.” said Viney.

“What happened to the one near Horseshoe Tower underground?” I asked because I remembered getting a report from some raider scouts about it

“Wait, wait, wait… “ - said Sky. - “You say there was a Steel Ranger bunker right below us all the time?” I nodded.

“And Star might be there?” asked Viney. I nodded again.

“Then why did we got captured by this one, but not get imprisoned inside if the bunker was one hoof away from us?” asked Sky.

“How would I know? Probably his ego was too high for that and thought he could handle us.” I answered.

“Fair enough,” said Sky and chuckled a bit.

“So, now we know where Star probably is, but how will we free him?” asked Viney.

She was right. We can’t just go in with all we’ve got and try to shoot them all. We would be outnumbered. We have to try a bit more quieter approach, but how could we even get in? From what I can remember from the reports, there is a sensor that lets in only steel rangers.

With that an idea came to my mind.

“What if, we use this power armor to get one of us in. We don’t know how does the bunker looks from inside, so planning ahead more wouldn’t make sense,” I explained.

“Hmm, yes,” - continued Skybright. - “And we could stay in touch via my Pipbuck and the power armor’s radio.”

“But who will go in?” asked Viney.

“I’ll do it,” - said Sky. - “This power armor belonged to a colt. It’d be weird if a mare’s voice would come out of it.”

“Are you sure? It sounds really dangerous,” said Viney.

“It’s the only way,” answered Skybright. Viney looked scared, but agreed in the end. Sky gave me his Pipbuck, stepped in the power armor and we went back to Horseshoe Tower. In the meantime he retrieved some information about the owner of this power armor. Turns out the guy was a paladin named Ironwill.

“Alright, can you hear me?” said the Pipbuck on Sky’s voice as we got to the same frequency.

“Yes, we hear you clearly,” I replied.

“Awesome, let’s get going then,” replied Skybright.

We got back to Horseshoe Tower pretty quick. Just as I’ve been told, there was a small bush on the other side of the building with a small red button in it.

I pressed it and the ground nearby me started to descent making a staircase leading to a closed door with a terminal next to it. The whole thing happened quietly and pretty fast. I could’ve barely heard a small shush when the whole thing finished opening.

Sky and Viney was watching it too with a surprised look. At Least Viney, the power armor covered his face.

“Be careful down there,” said Viney and hugged Sky.

“I won’t leave you alone, don’t worry,” said Sky then looked at me.

“Uhm, yeah, good luck,” I said, not really knowing what did he expected from me.

“Thanks,” said Sky with a bit of chuckle and then headed downstairs. Just as we guessed the terminal let him in and as the door opened the staircase began to close separating us from Skybright.

After a few deadly quiet minutes the Pipbuck on my foreleg gave out a sound.

“I’m in,” - said Sky. - “This place is huge, so it might take a while to find where Night Star is, but no one suspects a thing.”

“Thank Celestia,” said Viney who has been breathing heavily since Sky was gone.

“I’ve gotta go, someone is coming,” said Skybright.

Again minutes of silence. Not knowing if Sky got caught or not.

“Phew, good news, I found the cells. Those two ponies gave me a weird look at first when I asked them about the whereabouts of the jail, but in the end they told me,” said Sky.

“Awesome, how far is it?” I asked.

“Not far… actually I’m pretty much there already,” said Sky.

“Mind your business,” said an unknown voice.

“Paladin Ironwill, I’m here to check on one of the prisoner,” said Sky on a different voice.

“Who would that be?”

“Night Star, I believe I can make him talk.”

“Alright, I’ll let you in,” said the same voice, who was probably a guard.

“Alright,” - said Sky after a few seconds. - “I’m about to meet Star and bring him out from this place. Wait a few minutes and we’ll be outside.”

“We’re waiting for you, just get out both of you safely,” said Viney.

Sky didn’t answered. We assumed he turned it off, because someone was close. After about five minutes of waiting the ground started to move again. From underground ran up Sky and another pony. He had short black mane and dark purple coat. He also had a small beard.

“Sky!” yelled Viney and hugged him while he was still in his power armor.

“You must be Night Star,” I said to the purple pony.

“Yes,” - replied Star. - “But there’s no time for that! They’re on our tail!”

“Wait, what?” I asked, when from the door underground bursted out two Steel Rangers.

“Oh, fucking celestia by the sun,” I said and we started running south.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

One of the Steel Rangers shot, but missed. I looked behind and saw four ponies running behind us. Two of them had power armor. They were about 50 meters behind us.

I have to come up with something, because we can’t run forever and we can’t beat them. Somehow I have to stop them from following us, or just slow them down enough, so we can get away.

We could try and block them, but the main road is too wide… maybe in one of the smaller street. With that I got an idea.

“Hey, do you have any explosives? I might have a plan,” I said to the others.

“I have a few grenades,” said Skybright. I had one or two as well, if I remembered correctly.

“We’ll have one shot, so let’s hope it’ll work out. Follow me!” I said and ran to the left inside the narrowest street I could find.

When we were getting closer to the other side of the street I stopped and threw down my grenades next to a wall.

“Quick! Drop your grenades here as well, Sky!” I shouted pointing to my grenades.

Without a second thought he did as I said. I pulled one of the trigger and we continued running behind the others.

“Please, celestia work,” I prayed.

BOOM! BOOM!

I heard the explosion and when I looked back the whole house was collapsing on the steel rangers.

“Yes! It fucking worked!” I shouted in joy only to realize that the house was about to collapse on us as well.

We started running as fast as we could, but the collapsing house was faster. Plus the falling brick didn’t help either.

When we finally reached the end of the street I jumped out with my last breath, because there was literally no distance between me and the collapsing building.

“We did… we… survived,” said Viney.

“Yea… holy fuck… that was close,” I said breathing heavily, just to realize that a part of my tail is under the ruins.

After we rested a bit I pulled out my tail with my remaining strength.

“Oh, Star, I was so worried, thank celestia,” said Viney and hugged Star. In the meantime Skybright went out from the Power Armor and joined the hug.

“So, who are you?” asked Night Star from me.

“Oh, she’s our new friend, Sour Peach. She saved us from a Steel Ranger and even found the bunker. She was a HUGE help,” explained Viney with a big smile.

“In that case, thanks a lot Peach, I owe you my life,” said Star.

“D… Don’t worry about… it,” I said it, still feeling weird. I’m really not used to help someone without asking anything for it.

“Let’s celebrate,” - suggested Viney. - “Today was long anyways, we totally deserve it.”

We agreed and decided to go to Tenpony Tower.

******

One beer turned into three, and three turned into celestia knows how much. Cheese Slice, the bartender seemed to be happy for us, or maybe he was just glad that we were spending our caps there, but we couldn’t care.

At some point we decided that we should go outside, to chill off a bit, but the next thing I remembered was us sitting next to a campfire. I couldn’t even see anything else, because of the darkness.

“So, Peach,” - said Night Star after we got a bit sober. - “What’s your story?”

Footnote: Level up! Party Pony!

You grouped up with some ponies, making your life in the wasteland a tad bit easier.

+1 Charisma and +20 damage to companions.

Chapter 9: Campfire Stories

“My story?” I asked.

“Yes, yes, how did you end up here with us? If we’re friends, we should be honest with each other, right?” said Night Star insisting me to tell them everything.

Fucking hell, there’s no way I’ll come up with a story while being this drunk. I can’t just tell them about everything, can I? Sweet Celestia, just make them not turn against me.

“Well… for starters my name isn’t Sour Peach…” - I began telling my life. - “It’s Cold Blood.”

******

“...and you know the rest of it.”

I’ve told them everything. From what life I had as a filly in the camp, to how I met Pink Wink and became the leader, and how did I lost everything, even my left eye, how did I got my cutie mark and how did I end up finding them.

They’ve just looked at me in silence. I didn’t know what else to say or what do they think about me now.

“Well,” finally after a while Skybright stood up and said something. His look was dark and angry. - ”I don’t know who this Blueberry you want to kill, but I know for sure what you are, and what we’re gonna do.”

Fucking celestia oh her throne. I knew I shouldn’t tell them everything. Fucking beer, and fuck me being drunk, I should've known.

Sky got really close, his face was still dark. My heart was pounding and I was like hell.

“You’re a friend, and we’ll help you with your little revenge, this is the least we can do, right?” Finished Skybright and gave me a wink, then laughed.

“You… you do?” I asked, still shaking.

“Of course, we’re a team now,” said Viney.

“Even if I’m a raider?” I asked.

“Who cares if you were born and raised as one, if you’re helping other ponies,” said Night Star.

“But I lied to you, and everything I did was just to have my revenge on that fucking bitch, Blueberry,” I said.

Noone said anything for a few seconds.

“Lemme ask you something, ‘Cold Blood’, was it?” - Asked my name Night Star. I nodded back. - “If you’ll finally kill her, what will you do, kill us as well? Become a lonely raider who fights alone and will probably just die as everyone’s enemy? Or maybe you’ll stay with us, stop crying about your past and start a new life?”

Holy fuck, he’s right. I never even considered what will I do after that, and he has a point. Every raider group would just kill me, not that I want to join any again. This is my only chance to be in a group with ponies that don’t want to kill me.

“I’ll… I’ll stay with you,” I replied.

“Yay, welcome to the team,” said Viney, jumped up and hugged me. Again, this hug thing. It feels good, but really weird. Maybe I’m just not used to it.

The Sky and Star stood up and joined the hug, and after a good half minute of just hugging we sat down again.

“So, how did you end up together?” I asked.

“Ohh, it all started when…” Viney began to tell their story.

******

Sky and I lived together our entire life pretty much.

We were born in New Appleloosa and lived there for a really long time. We were besties at that point, we did everything together. I was always up for all kinds of adventure, while Sky was always holding me back, trying to explain things like “it’s dangerous,” and so on.

One day somepony new came to town. She had raider armor and was half dead. At first I found it really strange and got scared, because I thought that raider is gonna kill us when she wakes up.

In the end we asked Calamity and he said that she wasn’t a raider, but only had a raider armor with blood caked on it. Later when she thankfully woke up she did great things. Saved a lot of ponies, which in fact made her to be banished from town, because we way more ponies to care of than the settlement could handle. We didn’t see her for a while after that. Calamity went with her aswell.

Life went on, and not so long after that we started to hear great things from them. They saved a lot of ponies, fought against raiders, slavers and so much good things. We’ve been told that this world was hell, but then she came and showed us that it doesn’t take much to change the world. You could say she brought light to this world. That’s how she got her name actually, Lightbringer. Her name was Little Pip when she was in New Appleloosa, so that probably was some hero name.

At one time, suddenly the clouds went away and we could see the sun again. It turned out that it was her doings aswell, but something happened to her, because we never heard from her again.

As a filly, it made my whole life turn upside down. I wanted to be in her steps, to help others and change the world. Sky told me that I was stupid, and I’d give up on it soon… but I didn’t. I kept asking Sky if we could leave that place and do what’s right, but he rejected me, saying that we weren’t ready for the world outside Appleloosa. So I started to train. Shoot targets all day, train my body, and improved my magic. I even learned some basic healing magic. My parents didn’t support that idea, but that didn’t stop me. On the other side, I had to take on some jobs, because I spent all my caps on bullets.

Years passed, and I got pretty good at things, and I even forced Sky to train with me sometimes, even though he wanted to work as a shopkeeper himself. I told him that he doesn’t know when will he has to defend himself, so he should atleast try it.

Once, when I felt ready, I told my parents that I’ll go away, and after a lot of arguing, they finally gave in. I said goodbye to everyone and asked Sky one last time if he’d join me, but he rejected again, no matter how hard I tried.

When I left the border of the settlement, I felt sad, and alone without Sky. I was sure he’d come with me, because we were so good friends, and in the end I wasn’t wrong. A few minutes after I left, Sky stopped me and said that he’s coming with me if I’m completely sure about this. He brought some food, potions and weapons with him.

I was really happy when I saw him, and about that’s when I really started to love Sky.

We headed to the west, towards ponyville, because we heard that some raiders settled down. I was sure somepony in need of help will be there.

When we finally got there, we really did find raiders, so we attacked them. At that time we were just following the saying in Appleloosa, “Shoot first, ask later.” There were five raiders, so we tried to sneak in instead of just charging in. We managed to kill two of them, but the third one screamed for help before we could put him down. Thankfully only two remained and we killed both of them without much of a problem. Sky did get hit on his foreleg though, but it wasn’t serious. I could heal it in no time.

We didn’t find any kidnapped pony there, but we still decided that it was a success, because who knows when would they start capturing ponies.

We did loot the place though, and found some weapons in good shape, ammo and even some food.

Then we decided to go north, for no particular reason. You never know where will be somepony in need of help, so there still was a chance of finding someone in the middle of the wasteland.

Instead of that, we found a Stable. Stable 153 to be exact. Surprisingly, when we tried get in somepony began to speak through a speaker. She made sure if we’re friendly and then opened the stable door. From there a mare was waiting for us surrounded with guards.

She told us that she’s that stable’s overmare and they’re in need of supplies. We said that we can help and she promised anything a stable can offer in return. Which was pretty much health care, a place to stay and eat, and they even gave us a Pipbuck. The overmare asked us if we wanted a third member with us, because they already had someone to scavenge outside. We wasn’t sure why would he ask us that, but then she explained that he was scavenging the whole time alone and got into a few pretty bad situations, so he doesn’t want to go alone anymore, and nopony was willing to go with him. And that’s how we met Night Star. He was born in that stable and was trained to be a dweller, like his parents were.

Things got pretty straight forward from there on. We went scavenging and helping anypony we found in the meantime, then went back to the stable to rest and get healed occasionally. Maybe you think it gets boring after a while, but I really enjoy doing what’s right.

After a week or so Sky confessed his love to me and that’s how we’ve been. Night Star gave some weird look at first when he heard, but then said that me and Sky fit to each other.

A few months later we were scavenging at Horseshoe Tower when Steel Rangers attacked out of nowhere…

******

“...and a bit after was when you showed up,” said Viney finishing her story.

“Oh, I see, I’m sure you’re a great team,” I said after a while, trying to break the silence.

“We sure are, huh?” said Viney.

“It’s getting pretty late, we should find a shelter,” said Skybright and yawned.

“I just moved to a house nearby the other day, it’s not much, but we could stay there,” I said.

“That’d be nice,” said Night Star.

We left the fire and I lead them to my home, thankfully I remembered to tell the about the few traps I set up, so we avoided them without anypony getting hurt… when did I started to care about that, I have no idea.

Upstairs we laid down on the mattresses and fell asleep.

Footnote: Companions Unlocked! (Green Vines (Viney), Skybright (Sky), Night Star (Star))

They’ll trust you and fight alongside with you until you don’t do anything that they don’t like.

Chapter 10: The End Game

The next morning, we managed to wake up without much of a hangover, but we were really hungry, so we went to Tenpony Tower for a breakfast, because I didn’t have any food in my home.

It was a bright and nice day. The sun was shining and it was warm. Not many clouds in the sky either. It seemed to be a perfect day to have revenge finally.

We brought some cooked radroach, but I just ran out of caps.

“Oh, fuck I’m outta caps,” I said.

“Oh, don’t worry, it’s on me,” said Viney and bought some for me as well.

I just smiled, took it and started to eat.

“Alright, let’s get over with this,” - said Skybright. - “We finish the last chapter of Cold’s ‘raider life’ today. For starters, where does Blueberry lives?”

“I have no idea, she had a blue jumpsuit, like the ones in Stables.” I replied.

“So, a Stable Dweller,” said Night Star.

“I suppose,” I said.

“Let’s ask around then, maybe somepony knows her,’ suggested Viney.

We finished our meal and started to ask ponies around town. Some didn’t know her, while others knew her, but didn’t know where does she live.

In the end we asked even Cheese Slice, the bartender in the bar.

“Hey, Cheese, do you know where does Blueberry lives?” asked Sky.

“You mean the one Cold Blood wants to kill?” he asked.

“The very one.”

“From what I’ve heard she lives where she was born, in stable 158, but I also heard that every pony who lived there got killed by raiders at one point, I have no idea how did she survive,” replied Cheese Slice.

“And where is this stable?” asked Viney.

“I don’t know, not far from here I suppose, because every story I heard about her was around this area,” replied Cheese.

“Alright, that’s enough, thanks Cheese,” said Sky.

“No problem.”

******

“So, what now?” I asked.

“We know where she lives, so that’s a lead already, we just have to find the stable,” said Sky.

“We could ask the overmare in stable 153, she might have some kind of database, or anything about stable 158,” said Night Star.

“That’s a good idea, and it isn’t that far from here either, and if we’re there we can even resupply,” said Viney.

“Where is it exactly?” I asked.

“Oh, it’ a bit north from manehatten, just after it’s borders,” explained Viney.

And so we went to where Night Star was born.

The way there was peaceful. Nothing attacked us, and we got there in about half an hour.

When we got there Star connected his Pipbuck to a computer, and after a few seconds a huge door started to open.

With a lot of noise the door started to rotate to the left and revealed a room with guard ponies. In the middle stood a mare and behind the guards stood excited and cheerful ponies.l in jumpsuits.

“Welcome back Star, Sky, Viney and… I’m sorry who are you?” asked the mare.

“She’s Cold Blood, our new team member,” said Viney before I could say anything.

“Is that so?” - she asked and I nodded back. - “Then you’re welcome here as well. My name is Daisy Doo. Just call me Daisy.”

“Daisy, could we ask you something? We have to find a stable, stable 158 to be exact. You have some kind of database of the stables, right?”

“That’s correct, but it’s kept as secret for everypony. Protecting other stables is a high priority in every stable,” explained Daisy.

“I know, but could you make an exception? It’s important, and we heard that the stable there is already empty, please, we need this for a friend,” said Night Star.

“Gah, alright, this one time, but just because you’ve been a huge help for us all this time.”

“Yay, thanks Daisy,” cheered Viney.

Daisy led us to the control room. While we were going there every pony welcomed us and looked at me with a lot of hope in their eyes. It felt really weird. They saw me as someone who will help them in the time of need whatever it takes, as if I was the Light Bringer.Sure they looked the same way at Sky and the others, but it still was weird. No one ever looked at me like that with a big smile.

The control room had a huge computer with several screens, a few microphones and monitors which showed different parts of the stable. One even showed where we came from, the stable door.

“Stable 158, was it?” asked Daisy while sitting down before one of the computer and started to type.

“Yes,” said Sky.

“It’s a bit north east from here, about 20 minutes on foot. It’s a stable which was made to test out what would happen to ponies if they didn’t have to do anything. Everypony lives there without having to do anything. The mainframe takes care of everything and they had a really strong nuclear reactor just to make sure they are able to do anything they want without a care.”

“And what’s the door override code? Do you know it?” asked Sky.

“I shouldn’t have tell you any of this so far, so don’t expect to…”

“Please Daisy, we need this.”

“Agh, it’s EZLF4ALL,” said Daisy.

“Thanks a lot! Again!” said Viney.

“Now we just need some weapons and potions for the road,” said Sky.

“Why? What happened to the ones we gave you?” asked Daisy.

“We got into a fight against a faction of the Brotherhood of Steel. They ambushed us and took most of what we had,” - explained Night Star. - “They even tried to make me tell them about the whereabouts of this stable, but I didn’t tell them anything.”

“Oh, thank celestia, you can find some of our remaining weapons in our storage room, but please try to not lose them. We don’t have that many.”

We thanked her one last time and went straight to that room.

It had armored jumpsuits and a few laser weapons and guns. We all took one-one weapon then headed to the nurse. She gave us some health potion and even a bit of food. In the meantime a technician pony came to us to check on our Pipbucks. She was a light green unicorn. When she saw that I didn’t have one she insisted on giving me one and started to explain how does one use it.

“You see it really is just a computer on your hoof with some nice feature. It can store items for you and you can get them back whenever you want. Just go to the inventory tab,” she said.

“Ehm, which one is that?” I asked.

“It’ written there, can’t you read.”

“No, I can’t actually,” I replied. She just facehoofed and gave me an orb.

“There hold this,” she said.

******

When I grabbed it with my magic, the whole world turned black and I found myself in the middle of a room with fillies around me wearing jumpsuits. I didn’t feel myself anymore. I was a little filly sitting in the middle.

“Alright class one more time,” said an older pony.

“A, B, C, D, E, F, G…” I began to say letters, what the fuck is happening. It wasn’t me, I wasn’t there.

We went through every letter over and over again. Sometimes even just a voice in my head said them.

At one time ‘I’ started to write them down, and just kept writing the letters each one fifty times, while still saying the sound they make.

After Celestia knows how much time of this torture everything started to fade.

******

“There, try now,” said the technician pony.

“Huh, what?” I asked.

“Try to find the inventory tab,” she said. Finally I realized that I was myself again and what I was doing. I looked at my Pipbuck and the letters started to make sense suddenly. I started to read them and found the ‘Inventory’ tab in no time.

“Holy fuck, what did you do?” I asked.

“Eh, no biggie, it’s just a memory orb of somepony learning to read and write in half an hour, she was really talented” she said.

“Wait, half an hour? It felt like eternity, you fuck,” I responded. She just let that comment pass.

Then she went on with explaining the things. How to hack terminals, a quick way to use health potions in battle and one thing really interested me. S.A.T.S. It meant Stable tec. Assisted Targeting System. When I tried it out the whole world stopped around me. I could see everything clearly and aim at anything without much of a problem. Pressing the button for it got me out of it.

“Shit, does every one of these things can do this?” I asked.

“Yep, it’s in them by default, awesome, right?” said the technician pony.

Oh fuck, that explains a LOT. That fucking Blueberry just used this thing to kill everyone in the camp.

After all of that we were ready.

We left the stable, while everypony was cheering for us to be successful on our journey, be careful and all kinds of well wishes as the stable door closed and separated them from the wasteland and we started to walk towards our destination.

******

As we were walking we got to a small settlement-like place. It was empty, but had a lot of long dead ponies. Their body didn’t deteriorate yet and most of them looked fat. They all wore jumpsuits. While a few had all kinds of junk armor.

“What happened here?” asked Viney in horror.

A bunch of stable dweller ponies dead. At first I thought it was Blueberry’s doing, but why would she kill these ponies. I found sprays on walls that remained still. The houses were looted or burned down. It felt somehow familiar.

Holy fucking celestia, could it be that raiders attacked this place? Those junk armored corpses have mane styles just like raiders do. I got called out for my mane back in the camp, because mine wasn’t like that.

“Hey, isn’t that a stable door?” asked Sky.

“It is! It’s stable 158, we’re here!” said Star.

After all this time, it’s finally time.The entrance was blocked by a huge Stable door. We approached the door when two turrets turned on and started to shoot at us. We quickly hid behind a small barrier in front of the stable.

“Oh fuck, how in hell would she know we’re here,” I said.

“She might sees us in the camera, but why would she attack random ponies. I think the turrets are just automated to attack anyone,” said Star.

When the turrets stopped shooting we looked out and started to shoot the turrets with our laser weapons and after a few shots they exploded.

“Alright, let’s open up this baby,” said Sky and ran to a terminal next to the door and typed in “EZLF4ALL”.

The door started to open the same way the other stable door opened.

“Who are you sweethearts, what do you want?” said a voice from somewhere. It was Blueberry's voice.

“Do you remember me?” I asked and looked into one of the camera.

“Hmm… Oh, aren’t you one of the raider leader, who I left barely alive to die slowly?” she said.

“I am, and now you’re fucked,” I replied.

“Ahahah, how cute, for real tho, just give up, go away and live whatever life a raider have,” said Blueberry.

“You’re not gonna get away with this!” I yelled back.

“Alright, don’t say I didn’t warn you, but then it… is… on!” she said.

Suddenly three turrets turned on inside the stable and started to lock on us.

“Oh, shit,” I said and ran to the right side of the door and hid to the entrance and so did the others.

The turrets began to shoot lasers at us. After a few second they stopped shooting just like the other ones and we could just get them one by one.

“Is that all you’ve got? A few turrets?” I yelled to Blueberry. I was sure she was watching us.

“Don’t celebrate yet, this whole Stable was made to take care of ponies in every way, I’m sure that includes some really good security as well,” said Night Star.

He was right, but fuck Blueberry. I wanted to annoy her.

We went inside the stable, there was an elevator leading underground and a terminator used to open the door from the inside.

We stepped into the elevator and I pressed a big red button with a black arrow pointing downward. The elevator’s door closed and started moving while playing a calm music.

Once the door opened we found ourselves in a dark room, only a few light were on. There was a corridor leading to a main area that was dark as well. The room was a small square, probably used to check if the ponies had any disease the moment they set hoof in the stable.

“Huh, I expected a lot of turrets just shooting at us the moment the door opens,” said Night Star and stepped outside.

PEW!

I saw a red light coming from the left of the elevator and leaving to the right.

“Star, no!” yelled out Viney and started crying as Star fell on his side. The shot went right through his head and left burned hole in it.

Night Star died instantly.

“Oh, fucking hell, she set up traps,” I said in anger.

Blueberry is at it again. Taking everything from everyone to bring ‘justice’. Fucking fuck in the fucking sun.

“Star, common, get up, don’t play jokes, you never do…” said Viney lying on the ground still crying. She could believe what just happened. Sky stood in one place, frozen.

“Common, guys…” - I said after a bit. - “Don’t let Night’s… death be in vain.”

“You’re… right,” - said Sky finally moving again. - “Viney… listen, we can’t stop now.”

“But… Star...” said Viney.

“Yes, I know… but there’s nothing we can do about it, but to finish what we started. If we leave now, Star died for nothing,” said Sky, trying to think realistically.

“... Al… alright,” said Viney still sobbing.

“Ahahaha, why so sad, did my trap killed one of your friend?” laughed Blueberry from a speaker in the room.

“Ugh, fuck you!” I yelled. I grabbed the first thing I could find, which was a small rock lying around and threw it to the speaker where the voice came from, and with a satisfying electric buzz we couldn’t hear her laughing anymore.

“Let’s get going but more carefully now,” I said after I calmed down.

I peeked outside and saw the laser gun that shot Star. Other than that the room seemed safe. I used my magic to disarm it, just to make sure it won’t shoot again and put it in my Pipbuck. It still was pretty weird, just how much stuff can this thing hold.

We started to move, one step at a time, looking around, making sure to not trigger any traps.

The corridor had a few locked doors and led to a hall. On the left side was the kitchen. Robo-ponies were standing there. There was a small display saying “Please make your order” in red. Probably it was the kitchen.

On the right side there were a lot of plants in a room, with all kinds of vegetables growing there.

The hall had two stairs leading upwards, a few tables with chairs and a door with the sign “Living quarters”.

“I think she’s upstairs, in the overmare’s room,” whispered Sky.

I nodded and we started walking upstairs with me in the front, Sky and Vines behind me.

Suddenly the lights turned on and I heard a huge noise behind me. I looked back and saw a lot of Robo-ponies with all kinds of weapon.

“What the fucking hell?” I screamed out.

The robots started to shoot us as we started to run upstairs. Right between the two stairs I saw a door, ran inside and hid.

“Over here!” I yelled and looked outside.

Sky Viney was sitting there crying, and I couldn’t ser Sky anywhere.

Oh, my fucking celestia, he didn’t… did he?

“Viney quick!” I yelled again, this time I even tried to grab her with levitation, but I wasn’t strong enough. She was frozen.

“Viney no!” I screamed out as one of the robots reached her and shot right through her head.

I closed the door and locked it.

“Oh, you fucking bitch I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you so bad you wish you were never born,” I screamed out.

I looked around and found myself around weird machines with all kinds of danger signs. One read “Nuclear Reactor, do not touch”

I saw a terminal on the other side of the room.

“Ahahaha, sweet heart,” - I heard the voice again. - “Start to regret attacking me, eh? What are you gonna do now?”

“Luna fuck you with the whole moon you fucking bitch, I’ll kill you!” I screamed and cried at the same time.

“I’ll kill you… I’ll kill you for sure,” I kept screaming as she kept laughing and mocking me.

Oh, fucking hell! I lost everything… again! Everypony around me is dead, and I need a plan.

With my mind still being blank I stood up and walked to the terminal.

I plugged in my pipbuck.

[===OVERRIDING SAFETY PROTOCOLS===]

HACKING IN PROGRESS…

15%...

58%...

97%...

99%...

100%... HACKING COMPLETED!

My Pipbuck’s display changed. A few options came up. It showed:

[Turn reactors On/Off] but it was greyed out and when I clicked on it it just said “Access Denied”

The second option was red.

[Overclock Reactor], when I clicked on it, it showed me a warning.

“Warning! Overclocking a reactor can cause an explosion, Are you sure you want to proceed? (y/n)”

I clicked the yes button without a thought.

I don’t know what was in my mind, but I knew I had no other choice. The terminal started to show warnings of ‘nuclear meltdown’, while my pipbuck just said ‘Locking System’.

“What did you do?” said Blueberry suddenly. I didn’t say anything, just lied down in despair and started to cry.

“Don’t think I don’t see what did you do, darling! Don’t play stupid! I can stop whatever you just did,” she said. I heard a voice saying ‘access denied’.

“What the fuck did you do? I’m locked out of that room!” she yelled.

I was still lying on the ground as I saw the reactors getting brighter and more red.

“I’ll see you in hell, bitch,” I said when the reactors started to be really hot and noise, while Blueberry was still screaming at me.

A huge explosion and everything went dark.

******

I died.

And so did Blueberry.

I had nothing more to lose in this fight, just my life, and so I made her lose everything as well.

I felt alone… in the eternal darkness.

“Is this pony hell, or there’s no such thing as afterlife,” I kept asking.

Throughout my whole life, I was alone, and when it finally changed, and I felt happy, everything got taken away from me. It’s funny, I never thought of making friends, and now I died for it in the end. Maybe they’re in heaven, and I got to hell. I was a raider after all, even though I still question it if I really was one, if I died as one, or maybe I changed, and died for something else than my needs and stupidity.

Suddenly I noticed a small light. Just a tiny one in the distance.

It started to grow, and take over the darkness. I heard voices that I knew from somewhere. They got louder and clearer.

“Hey, Cold Blood, we’re here!” said the voices.

I started to try and move towards where they came from, but didn’t know how.

Suddenly I opened my eyes, in a new world. I had no idea where I was, but I saw Viney, Skybright, Star and even Pink Wink around me. They were all happy to see me.

I sat up and hugged them.

I was happy.

Footnote: Game Over.

Your time in the living world ended, and even if you lived most of it as evil, you have been forgiven in the end, because you did your last actions for your friends. Welcome to afterlife.

The End.