Fallout Equestria: Rat Paws in the sand.

"Why is the water so red in the sewers? It's blood... Yes, it's blood... It's blood!!!"

It was morning in the small city that Tiria saved 50 years ago. But of course, this young Rat Creeper didn't care about learning anything about it. All she cared about was her grandfather's stories. She never understood the crying that came... When they stared at the graves near the stone that has that odd orb in it. She was just either too young to care or back to the world of how Equestria was... Some just didn't care about the world around them. They just cared about what they wanted. She was meant to go to school and she tried to sneak outside... To get to her grandfather... But of course, the large Robot RA Proto stopped in front of her.

"Little creature should be in school." The large robotic being stares at her, it's one eye scanning her. "Stay here I shall raise the alarm. Of school." Of course, when Proto meant raise the alarm he really raised the alarm. A lot of ponies and griffins came out of their homes with guns and rushing to the gate. Bulwark the one who runs the gate blinked staring at all them.

"If this is a drill... I am impressed." She said staring at all the ponies and Griffins staring over the gates

Snow paw face paw's, sighing softly. Proto speaks up.

"Alarm... was meant for the little one that wished to skip school." The ponies and Griffins stared at Proto and groaned, walking back into their homes. Bulwark climbed down from the gate and walked over to Snow Paw and stared at her. She had many scars on her blue furred body. Her face had many scars But even so she had a gentle smile.

"I got her Proto, go back to patrolling." The robot just stared at Bulwark and then sparked a bit walking away to go back on its patrol. The unicorn calmly gave Snow Paw a nuzzle and smiled.

"Now... why aren't you in school hmm?" She sat on her haunches watching Snow paw.

"I.... wish to speak to Grandfather about how he became King." She looked up to Bulwark who just had a soft smile. After 50 years she became the defender of so many young... Her heart that used to be stone... Turned so soft Bulwark looked over to Tiny who was watching outside on the top of the gate.

"Tiny... I need to take this little one to school, do you mind if I go do that?" She asked with a gentle smile.

Tiny looked over. "Yes... tell Cannon Ball hello from me and that he owes me caps. I will be on the search for Shadow and his caravan."

Bulwark rolled her blue eyes looking down to the little one.

"I will make sure to tell Deep Thought you wish to be there for your grandfather... But I won't be doing this all the time for you Snow paw." She sounds stern but still has her gentle smile. Snow gave a smile and Bulwark calmly lead the little creature through the city to the cave... That held the hospital. It's a safe little town. But the little ones were precious to all the guards of this town. Their gems to them and they will drop everything to help one of them. Just to honour the soul of the one that rescued them... from Wheel tread.

Little Snow paw never understood why everything in this town even raiders was so kind to the little ones. If one is crying and alone the guards just rush to them and hold them close. A jewel a guard said she was... Bulwark the leader of them has no young of her own. She treats all the children of the town as her own. She lead Snow paw through the little city in the cave. Leading her to the arena that was turned from performing justice to a hospital. It was turned this way just for Cannon Ball.

Bulwark calmly brought Snow Paw inside and Kipkipe looked towards the two her eyes stern but had a gentle smile. She gave Bulwark a tight hug.

"Hello....my dear friend..." Kip said with a gentle purr and Bulwark nuzzled her friend.

"Heh, hello Kip... I brought Snow Paw... she wanted to skip school to see Cannon Ball."

Kip's face turned to a bit of anger but sighed she knew... She wouldn't ever be able to keep Snow from her Grandfather.

"Come with me Snow Paw." Then Bulwark speaks.

"Kip, have you been crying again?"

Kip turns, her eyes a bit red, nodding.

"Every time... I see her... I see her... I cry... I wish... she could have lived to see what we did here."

Snow blinked was wondering who they were talking about. Bulwark sighed.

"After you're off, you, me, the bar and we will talk about this again."

Kip nodded calmly leading Snow paw to her Grandfather who was yelling at a nurse.

"If I wanted you to tell when to sleep I would sleep myself, child!!" The nurse just stared at him looking to Kip with eyes of 'get me out of here'. She nodded and the nurse trotted out quickly.

"Oh... Kip sorry ahem... I didn't mean to yell at your staff." Kip gave him an angry look.

"We will talk about that...later... Here is your granddaughter. Please speak to her... I need to check on the other sick." Cannon looked to Snow Paw and he sighed shaking his head, looking at his granddaughter. He sat up on the bed and got out of the blankets that kept him from getting cold at night. She would see the leg that is strapped to a machine gun.

"Now... why aren't you in school Snow Paw?"

Snow paw smiled softly trying to ignore that.

"I just wish to know more of your story grandfather." He sighed and shook his head.

"Alright. Let's see ah, it's been 150 years since the world ended."

_________________

50 years before the Lightbringer

It's been 150 years since the world ended... 50 years before the Lightbringer comes out from her stable to rise up and fight for the freedom of all creatures in the waste. But during this time it was live or die like every other day. Down the line the little town we created. It turned into a bigger town. But we didn't drink or do most of what the ponies did. But we did listen to DJPone3 it was most of the way to deal with the loneliness of the sewers. 20 years I was born but I wasn't the king you see now. No, no little Snow paw. I was just an everyday rat looking for my way of becoming another part of the world.

I walked up to a vendor since we all had jobs in the little town. I brought what I found from the deeper parts of the sewers that still held some ghouls... Of the former pony, workers of the city.

"Hey, boss I got all I could find." Younger me said.

The boss looked at me... That was his name the Boss... He was a nasty rat his left eye was ripped out of its socket just because. He looked at all I brought and gave a laugh.

"Humph good job... worthless maybe you will get your food for tonight. Now open the bag and give me the shiny and toss the worthless stuff away." I rolled my eyes and grabbed the bag from the stand and I started to remove all the shiny put it on the floor. It was just a simple day like every other day in the sewers breeding eating so forth... That's all we did and built our defenses to get ready for the ponies that tried to murder us. Of course, that hasn't happened at all... None are brave enough to even come in these sewers to even try to kill us.

I brought out a Pot that was very shiny and I looked up seeing a female friend of mine walk up. A very good friend of mine. She was named Lilly, she picked up the Pot and put it on her head as a joke.

"Oh look I am a Pot head... But hmm I am going to pay for this." Yes, this is the one known as Pothead... she became very odd down the line... A lot of smashes in the head... I just rolled my eyes as she went to pay for the pot and kept pulling out the trash with the shiny and gave all the shiny to my boss.

"Is that enough Boss rat?" The boss looked up to me with a scoff and gave me my cut of the food.

"Good luck tomorrow I might give you your food." He smirked and took all the shiny stuff and I picked up the worthless junk. Heading to my little hovel. My parents died because well every rat for themselves of course... I ate my food relaxing for the night reading a book calmly. I felt this was going to be another one of those years. Oh yes, we must allow our leaders to control us. I ate my food sighing, looking through the junk. Finding some old weapons and sighing. I wanted to go on an adventure instead of just sitting here being nothing. But of course, the world above us full of danger. The boss came to my hovel.

"Hey Whisker's, you want more food?" I blinked looked up to mister boss.

"Go with the guards and wait for the traders that normally stop near our home."

I sighed, closing the book and grabbed my trash made armour and weapons. I went up seeing one of our over muscled kind. They're rats that stood too close to were to the bombs fell off. Now they are used like mules.

"Come you big Oaf lets go." Said one of the guards and the large rat said.

"Duh... okay Ringo..."

I chuckled and followed them through the sewers. Being a trader, being the voice of our species? Something I wasn't really wanting but eh I followed the idea. We found the ladder that lead us up to the above world. It would be the second time I was up here... The smells that hit my nose, the decay the death around us. We stood with our large rat mule by the intersection that leads to Tennpony tower. Normally they went through this way. Unless something was causing an issue.

We waited for close to 30 minutes. The trader walked the path and stopped in front of us and he smirked.

"I see my best friends are here." The blue stallion smirked and we always traded with or a few mares that came this way.

"Yeah, yeah, hello again." Ringo our trade leader said with snark.

"You big oaf let down your bags and lets them look through them."

The big rat sets down the bags.

"Hmm, interesting you creatures find so many interesting things."

The stallion looked through the bags pulling out some large things of strange metals. Some junk that doesn't even seem to be worth anything. But of course, to us, it's worth it. He put down some caps and food and water. Mostly just food and water.

I calmly spoke up.

"I think that's fair sir... Do you want anything else?" The stallion looked to me and thought a moment.

"Hmm, what do you have in your bag?"

I blinked and sat down my bag opening it up and in it was some old food. A weapon and a lot of books.

"Hmm, I wouldn't mind taking this."

He reaches into the bag and brings out some clothing I found awhile ago. It's dirty but could be used for a lot of things.

"Hmm, interesting that is fair." The large mule rat picked up what we traded it seemed to be getting more and more strange.... That we got less for all we gave him.

"Oh wait I got something else to give you." He set down more water and more food and then packed up what he got. He nodded and walked off.

"Alright thank you?" The rat grabbed the rest and we waited. We waited for another hour. We saw a group of ponies walking back to us. Staring at us one in a Wheelchair. A Griffin and an orange pony with an eye patch. They looked to us a moment and then started to whisper to each other. The one in the Wheelchair came over to us. He offered his hoof with a smile.

"Greetings, I am wheel tread." I shook the hoof of the pony staring at him. The Ringo and the large rat mule looked around they felt something was off.

"May we help you, sir?" I asked calmly staring at the pony.

"I am forming a troop to help protect my city. Would you like to join?" Wheel tread smiled.

I looked to the others and they shook their heads.

"No... sir, we are fine on our own." Then the pony with the eye patch came up to me and started stabbing her hoof in my chest.

"If you had brains rat you would listen to Wheel Tread... He doesn't take no for an answer, you belong to him." Wheel Tread's chair makes a snapping sound to silence the mare.

"Now, now Patch... everypony can be bought with a price..." Smirked at me...

"I could offer you wealth and money along with all the caps and food you could dream of."

The three of us looked at each other not sure about this guy. I looked back to the pony and stared at him.

"No sir... we can't be bought... We lived a perfect life. So please go on your way, sir." Wheel Tread frowns but then smiles. Patch snorting. Walking away she mumbles as she does.

"Bad move... rat bad move."

Wheel tread chuckles and I noticed that he dropped something on the ground that looked like a cap. But I paid no mind to it.

"All deals come all deals go. if you change your mind... just come and find me..." He gave a smile. Wheeling his chair back to the two and he started whispering to them... I watched as the Griffin flew away in the other direction and the mare left to go the other way. But wait that's a steel ranger base in that direction. I watched as the pony in the Wheelchair went off to Tenn pony tower. We waited a little longer for more traders.

But it was getting late and we headed back to our way in. I looked to the cap before we fully left. But I didn't pay mind to it. But we went back underground and the guards on the way home waved to us and we came back setting everything on the ground... For the Bosses to take their share and then give us little rat's our share. I just went back to my home and noticed my food was eaten and my chair was taken. It was my brother.

"Brother...." I stared at him. He looked at me, he was larger than me...

"Runt..." He just kept sitting in my chair... I was sighing shaking my head. I went to our shit stain of a bar. it was called Shit I... That's because the rat that owned it rolls in it every day. Oh, goddess the smell. I sat the old nasty stools. The fly-ridden rat came over to me and smiled, showing his broken tooth.

"Name your poison Whisker's." I calmly looked at him and sighed.

"Just water..." He went over to the sewers, dumping a glass in there and put it in front of me the water so gross looking. But you do what you have to when living in a sewer. I drank it gagging a bit but just kept drinking. I sighed Djpone3 started to talk on the radio

"Good Evening Children. It seems to be a crazy night out in Manehatten. Raider's and Steel rangers have been fighting a lot in the city to try to take parts of it over. They seem to be searching for something in the city... But I say it's best to protect yourselves. Now children enjoy a song from Sweetie Belle."

The song started to go and I sighed drinking the water gagging.

"Hey got any food here?" The tender looked to me and nodded and sat down some mouldy magoity meat and I stared at it sighing.

"Thank you." Set down some caps and started eating. Ah, the life of a rat how sweet it was. HA HA... yeah no... it wasn't sweet at all...it was a shit hole. But little did I know...i would soon be going on an adventure. I was sitting there for about three hours drinking the water and looked towards the sewer water that just kept going down. I stared at the water as I drank the water and then I saw a body of one of us going down it.

"Huh?" It was one of the guards, his head was missing. There was screaming and shooting outside. I rushed out, grabbing my caps back... Rushing back home to gather everything again. Then I realised I had it all with me... But I had to see if everything was okay. My home was on fire... I hear screaming and our guards and large pack mule rats fighting back. I grabbed my gun, firing at whatever it was... It was...ponies? Raiders how did they find us?

"HA HA! Keep some alive!!! So we can have our fun." I growled and then we were trying to let the non-fighters get out and a group of Steel ranger's rushed in killing them and they started a three-way battle between us and the raider's attacking the Rangers. Why did they come down here... Why? I looked over, remembering I saw that we had a lot of our camp made from very old parts of tech of the past.

A rocket launcher came my way and then blew the protection in front of me and I went flying but I didn't land I hit the water and got out quick. Lily came to me with her pot on her head and a large machine gun firing at them. "This way!!"

I shouted the guards keep fighting all they could and I rushed after the one's that could make it out and we had to find our way back... But the battle stopped outside.

"Keep going..." Then I heard a voice on the blow horn.

"I told you... there is always a price." I stopped in my tracks and got on all fours with the gun by my side and looked over the side of the wall. It was that wheel tread pony with his minions.

"He told you rat... He gets what he wants even if it means death. Accept it Rat." The one with the eye patch said.

"You creatures I have been told been living here for years. It seems you have angered some ponies in Tenn pony tower. Also, the Steel Ranger's have been told you had pre war...tech it seems... Now... I can chase you all over Equestria... But you will be the last of your species. Now...what to call you...to make it sting...for how useless you are now... Till you become my toys. Oh yes, you creep around...and you are rats." Patch spoke up with a laugh.

"Rat Creepers boss... Rat Creepers. They stink and their worthless like every non-pony and griffin in this world."

Wheel thread chuckles.

"Keep running rat. I will find you... You can't beat me... I will make sure every last race of yours dies or till they join me... Again a price... What is your species?"

I watched as he shot my brother. I just growled holding my tongue and rushed through the way out. Seeing the sewer waters filled with blood. Our blood we trust the ponies we trusted them with all our hearts. Would we trust them again... But we had to find a way out of the sewers most of the ladder's lead to the road... We would have to find ones that were in buildings and sneak through them to get out of the city. I didn't hear any hooves behind me. They seemed to not be chasing after us... At least not yet...it was proof that we weren't ready in case...an attack was coming.

I ran oh did I run.. All I could think of I wanted an adventure oh I would get one now. I found the others that came with me they stopped. It was just five... Only five of us made out... Maybe we would find more... But at the moment only five. One of them was my friend Lilly. The other was a female named Soft paw. She was young and scared... But she held a machine gun. Another was a male named Two steps. He always made two step's as he walked. He was just a store owner.

The last two guards... Ringo and a female named pink eyes.

"What do we do?!" Two steps said while his paws were two-stepping like a dance.

"I don't know!!" Soft paw looked around scared her nose making nervous twitches.

I sighed listening to those around me lose it even the guards. They had no idea what to do. I didn't either but we would be caught dead down here if we didn't move now. I spoke up.

"Listen... we got to survive we can't just stay down here... They know we are down here... We need to... I hate to say this... Find a new home... That means leaving the city...heading out into the waste... I know we probably won't live very long if we do head out there. But we have to... We can't stay here and wait for them to find us. We would be sitting ducks."

The five stared at me as I spoke.

"I don't want this any more than you do... But we had it lucky for years down here... It was bound to happen. Someday they would have had their racist parties and then attack us. We all know who destroyed the world... Ponies. Ponies are a threat to us... But we won't shoot them on sight unless they do that to us. Now come...let's go... I think one of the basement is this way..."

We walked away from our former home. The blood started to fade from the water. As we tried to find a basement to get into. It wouldn't be easy not all of these buildings had basements. It was going to be hard we didn't even have our found... But being rats we ate anything even corpses... So we kind of had to do this... If I could I would pray to the pony Goddess to please help us get through this alive... But they didn't listen to non-ponies. Like the books always said they only listened to who they wished.

Now, what is the horror to a rat... Being lost without a home? Yes how about learning there are cats above us. I looked up seeing from the gate seeing a Manticore, of course, lucky for me... I got out of the way before a yellow stream came down.

"Well...not going out there..." I said calmly I kept leading them through the area. It was going to be awhile so I sat and rested and sighed.

"I need to think... You two please stand guard."

I looked at the guards and they nodded as I just relaxed thinking a moment. How was I to find the way out? There are many basements. But what ones are safe? Then I remembered one... There is a hospital a days walk from here. It would take us a full day to get there. I remember we lost a scout part in there a few years ago to something... But if we went through there... What do we have to lose I thought.

"I know what we can do. The hospital." They just stared at me...

"Okay, Whisker's did you hit your head running out? Because why would we even think of running to a place like that?" Lily said sighing.

"Listen I doubt if they are going to find us again... We have to think outside the sewers. We have been to laxed in our ways. We need to stop and think like a pony."

"We need to have sex all day and drink all kinds of beer and complain because the world is not fair to us?" Soft paw asked. I didn't know if she was being serious or sarcastic. I stared at her and sighed shaking my head.

"Right... we already think like ponies...then in that department." Face paws, sighing.

"Look we need to do this or we can just sit here and wait for them to kill us. Well then, if you won't come with me I will go on my own." Two Steps looked at me stepping his paws over and over. I sighed knowing if they didn't follow me they would die.

"Do you guys have any other ideas? Should we go back and let them shoot us? Oh let's go back and wave to them... Then say 'Oh please don't shoot us... We are just cowards'. That's not how this world works... We again have been far to laxed." I stood up and grabbed my gun.

"Now come...let's get going before they start looking for us..."

The others just stared at me as they looked to each other. I went on ahead as they followed me. It started to rain... Oh, lovely it started to rain. How wonderful great wonderful as the rain went through the storm drains. We just accept it...since we got used to the fact that...our kind lives in the filth. For we are rat's and now we are on the run. The place we need to get to... To get outside...will be such an interesting time.

I {Cough Cough}

_____________

The present

The story ended and Cannon ball started coughing and grabbed his water and Kip rushed in to make sure he was alright.

"No...no I am fine..."

Kip shook her head and pushed him back in bed with her magic. "No, you aren't. You need to rest." She kept him in bed with her teal like magic her eyes full of determination not to let him go.

"Now Snow Paw...let your grandfather rest... I will call you when he is better. Now get to school."

Snow Paw sighed and walked out of the hospital and a guard pony stood beside her acting like her guard. Again she noticed how the guards of the town protected the young and walked with them everywhere. She looked around as the teens had guards with them... But not to invade their privacy but more to protect them. She looked up to the mare who had an eye patch. It was the mare Patch. Patch looks down her with a hard stare. But even though behind it there is kindness.

"Where do you need to go kiddo?" Patch tried to say without cussing.

"I um...I need to get to school. Can you help me get there please?" Paw said with puppy like eyes...hard to do with rat eyes.

Patch groaned and nodded leading her to the school. She helped her into the class that was already started it seems they were talking about History but Deep Thought the changeling spoke up.

"Ah... princess... I see that you wished to grace us with your presence." He said with a calm gentle tone. But it was easy to tell that he was not happy with her. Snow sat in her desk sighing and she didn't have many friends... But they loved her grandfather's story she grabbed a pencil with her mouth.

"Now what are learning today... Is Nightmare Moon. Open your history books to the time of the night." She sighed and looked to the pegasus that seems to be here... Oh, she forgot a lot of the leaders changed their stance on pegasi after the former saviour died. She hopes to learn someday of what this saviour did for them. A half blind unicorn walked in that had a crystal ball on her flank. She is basically the other teacher.

"Hmm? Oh alright, kids read the entire history of nightmare moon and write it down. I need to speak to Seeker."

The pony he meant a pure white unicorn in a strange gypsy look. She had a pure blind eye that looked like a full moon. The other eye that was pure white with a black pupil. Snow was able to hear them speak in the back of the room as she wrote and read the history.

"She is on her way back... But a heavy load is on her shoulders. She will never be her mother. She needs to follow the future of the crystal that is in her heart." Said Seeker that seemed like a strange future seeker.

"We can't say her name around Kip... Shadow or Silver Gunner...or they just go in their own places to mourn why... I know...they cared for her... But it's been fifty years... They need to let it go..." Deep Thought said with a buggy winged flap.

Seeker chuckles and shakes her head. "They barely knew her. Helped them she lost her home... Lost her family, her mate murdered. Then she grew around the year... They knew her for a year... But still, she kept to herself... But death... like it did... hit everyone in this little town hard... It's the fate of things... Fate chose to take her to Celestia and Luna on their little journey."

Deep Thought just stares at Seeker sighing shaking his head.

"I never will understand you when you get like this."

Snow wanted to know who this was. She kept writing and the time was already close to the end of school anyway. It was about three hours for her grade. But for the later grades longer.

"Okay kids... close your books keep your work on your desk... No homework this weekend... Now go enjoy your weekend...if you need anything remember to ask a guard or your parents." The kids stormed out and Seeker just stood there.

"Snow... paw..." Snow paw blinks and stops looking to Deep Thought. "Come here."

Snow paw gulps and stands at his desk. "Yes?"

Deep, thought seems to give her a stern look but then his expression softened. "One of the leaders of the town is out there to escort you back to your grandfather. Also no it's not Kipkipe... She is busy with Bulwark it seems Bulwark wanted her to get out for awhile and just drink. So please be respectful to him."

Snow left the school and standing outside was a black Griffin she blinks haveing a large smile on her face.

"Shadow!!" She rushed up to him and got on her hind legs and hugged the Griffin tightly.

"Hello, there little Snow..." He smiled. Snow looked up to her favourite Griffin. She loved him and his wife... But his wife was mostly a sniper on the guard post.

"Let's get something to eat and then go back to your grandfather..."

Snow nodded with a gentle smile. Shadow lead her to the bar were Bulwark and Kip were seen drinking and laughing. Silver Gunner was guarding the door. Since it was his time to do so. He stared at Shadow.

"Shadow... I see you're babysitting again." It was hard to tell if Silver Gunner was being sarcastic or just normal after all he had no lips to read. When he spoke the grill glowed. Shadow smirked and gave his best robot buddy a hug. Silver just stood there.

"It's almost the anniversary of when we met.. Her...." Shadow trailed off and Silver looked away, nodding. Shadow lead Snow paw inside and Shadow Sat beside Kip who was very happy and giggling. She then wrapped around Shadow and hugged him tightly. Snow sat beside Shadow.

"Heh hey, Kip Hey Bulwark." The two chuckle and go back to chatting. "So what do you want to eat and drink Snow?"

"Um....water and um...meat." Shadow nods and looks to the Tender who is as pegasus in a tux.

"Ah, little Snow wants water and meat? Alright." He flys off and puts in the order.

Snow stays silent and watches Shadow look to Kip.

"It's almost the anniversary of when...we met..." He trails off and Kip's ears droop and Bulwark looked to Shadow with a lot of anger in her eyes.

"I..." Kip finally said it. "We need to move on... Shadow...we all do... But I miss her... It's not fair...that she was taken from us like that. I know her daughter...feels that she is a mistake and feels that if she wasn't born she would still be alive. But we can't let her think like that." She blinks looking down tears falling but then ignores the pain of hurt. Going back to talking to with Bulwark.

The food finally came and Snow slowly started to eat and drink. Shadow stayed silent. Snow softly spoke.

"Um... Shadow...why is my grandfather so sick?"

Shadow blinks and looks over at her and sighed.

"I am sure he will explain that to you in his story. Let's just say he wasn't always a healthy creature."

Snow nods and finished her water and finished the food.

"Come kiddo lets get you back to your grandfather."

Snow nodded and smiled as she followed Shadow... But before she did... She rushed to Kip and hugged her and then Bulwark... The two looked to her and Kip's soft motherly eyes show her motherly smile... Bulwark strokes her hoof over the head of the young creature. As they go back to speaking and Snow following Shadow.

Shadow lead her through the cave area again and to the hospital. Shadow just let her go in and Cannon looked to her and smiled.

"Ah, there she is...back for more of the story then?"

" Let's see where was I? Where was I? Ah yes."

"There we were in the sewers trying to get to our destination."

______________

70 years ago - The sewers

I was trying hard to find a way to the place we needed to go. But it wasn't going to be easy... I remember that the path to that... Was through raider parts of the sewers. So even if it would take a day to get us there. A day that will take every time to move on you could say. Even in the sewers, we saw old propaganda signs why would they be down here? The pink mare scared me to death... Why did she have to watch us forever?

Now I just had to keep those with me from going crazy. it wasn't going to be very easy because... They didn't deal with this... Stuff but wait neither did I. We were getting closer to the raider part of the sewers the how do you say lovely decor of their works. Sometimes they did wander into our home and we had to take care of them. But as we got in... It seems this place had been already removed of raiders. A lot of dead bodies on the ground full of bullet holes. Maybe a traveller walked in here to search for crap and cleansed this area a bit.

The way was deep in their territory down here... But we went down... Finding a lot of their ahem interesting gore art. I'd rather not go into it but it's a lovely thing to see oh yes. Now the path to get there was going to be easy... Who ever came here first just killed them and left. It was not going to be easy to make sure their all dead... But I kept the five with me close, whispering to them.

"Shh make no sounds...stay close, keep your weapons primed and ready."

They nodded while they followed me through the bloody sewers. It was called sewers of Blood to us... But it wasn't going to be easy for most that wanted to get out of her quick. But it seems all the traps were set off already as well. I wished to find whoever did this and give them a hug. But we stopped seeing it finally that took them out... Another Rat Creature like us? This one seemed to not be of the sewer. A female... A female... A good....looking female...

"Grandpa!!"

"Huh, what? Oh yes sorry about that... Ahem."

The female was a warrior that used melee weapons. She turned to see us. She was wearing heavy armour and seemed to know what she was doing. "Oi friends... Don't worry I am a friend... I'm Jewl." She said showing her brown fur with oddly green eyes I walked over to Jewl with the others.

"Hi... I am Whisker's we're on the run from a pony named Wheel tread. He brought in raider's and Steel ranger's to destroy our home." Jewl blinks and frowns.

"Well, then I sadly can't help you. But I cleared the way for you if you need to get away from here."

I nodded and when she walked away... I stared at her... I stared at her ass... Oh if i could just hold that ass...

"GRANDPA!!!"

"Huh what is wrong... Oh sorry...again... Heh heh. Ahem."

We followed the path to the hospital from what we learned of this place... It was an area for the mentally insane... Oh, wonderful I thought I just remembered I want to stay sane. But I had to get us there and we couldn't just keep standing... It would be a full day before we got there. A lot of us were already getting tired... But I had to keep them moving. We had no idea how far away the cronies of that pony is.

It was becoming very apparent if I wanted to keep us going... I had to keep going and they wouldn't want to stay behind. It was starting to rain harder and the sewers were starting to get a little flooded which is always an unlucky thing for us trying to get there. A wave of water come from behind us and swept us up a bit of the way we tried to stay above water... So we didn't drown but it tossed us on the right path...oh thank Goddess for fate I guess. But still, we had more time to go...

"Oh....great." Soft paw said, shaking herself dry growling at the water dripping from her... It angered her that she was wet and in armour. But she did her best to keep moving the rain hitting us and the path of our way's getting stopped by water but...we wadded our ways into it... To get to the other side.

"Come on you can do it. We aren't far now let's just keep moving." I had to grab Two steps from just standing there. It was getting on my nerves that he was becoming such a child. But sadly we had to keep moving even though... I was scared myself. We again can't let this crazy pony catch us.

it was going to be a long day. We went deeper through the bloody sewers more and more gore and raiders loved this shit it seemed. I never understood their love for making stuff like this. It was getting to the point. I feel that's all we were going to see with them. We heard some voices it was raiders. But we tried to make sure we didn't run into them. Helped the others through we made sure they didn't see it.

Then the voices faded. We started getting tired and we finally made it past part of the raider sewers. The idea of this was going to be hard. So we found a door that lead to a small room that had pumps in it and we went inside.

"We are going to rest here for the night. I want you two guards to guard the door but one of you sleep and the other watch. Then wake the other."

I went to a corner to get some rest. The other found their own spots to sleep. I fell right to sleep I had some interesting dreams but I don't really wish to talk about them. But yes I woke up a few hours later but I noticed something was off. I looked towards to see the two guards awake but I just remember we lost our home. It was time to move on. I woke the others up and smiled.

"Come on let's go..." I opened the door and there stood a raider. He just stared at us and we stared at him. I was thinking maybe this would work.

"OH, pony you're dreaming you should go back to sleep!!" I waved my paws around to try to make think he was asleep.

"You didn't see anything go back to sleep!!" I said in a strange voice.

The door closed back up and we listened to the raider.

"....Yeah...no more buck and shit for me...." Heard his hoof steps as he walked away.

"Come...let's go..."

Walking out of the room we had to make it. I doubt the raiders would even care to be near this basement it was another half day tread. Why did ponies have to make this city so damn big? It seems very unessential. The five survivors followed me. Hoping that we get to the way soon. Because I was getting tired of this. Thanks to the scent it was easy to find. Looking around calmly. Using my ears to see if I could hear anymore. But all I heard was the rain above and the water coming into the sewers.

We stopped in another closet type room and I opened my bag to bring out the food I was given. "I hope I have enough till we find more." I drank from the water and calmly ate. As while we ate... I sectioned the food to ration it. Along with the water.

"I will keep our food and water... But eat and then we will get moving again." Ever since what happen to our home. No one spoke they just seemed so sure... That it was a dream... But now to tell in their eyes full of fear. Some of them have never been in the above world. Most have only lived in the sewers. It wasn't something that was going to be easy to control.

"Listen..." I spoke very softly. "I know this ain't going to be easy... Look at me I know I have no right to even be a leader. But it's better than sitting around waiting for those ponies to harm us. We need to get to this basement and then we can...rest for a few days. Then head out of the city... We should head south. I heard there is not much out there..."

We all finished eating and we all took our weapons and got them ready and primed. Looking out the door and I said it's fine. We slowly walked along the path in the sewers. Coming to another flooded tunnel... But we had to wade through it.

"Almost there..."

We got to the ladder to get higher up and followed along the path that lead us to the hospital. It started to stink worse since... we passed old tanks that made the water stink. But I tried to find a way to break it... Because we needed to drink... We never cared about the effect of rads on us... But we have to drink. I brought a hole into it. As we drank from it... The water tasted awful... But it sadly was going to happen. Most of the time... I didn't get sick when I drank water like that... But I have been told drinking too much and eating too much of that awful crap.

Will harm your body down the line to the point that you will die... But hopefully, for me, it wouldn't have been anytime soon. The others drank and we waited, looking around calmly. I made sure that we were getting closer. I climbed with my claws and look through a drain. I mostly saw ruins but then I saw the hospital it was oddly still standing... But a lot of the windows shattered. Came back down and nodded to them.

"Almost there. Just a few more hours."

Soon we came up to one of the ladders that head into the basements. It was a few hours later during this time. But it got to the point that this one was locked. But of course, it looked old. I looked through my bag and found a bobby pin and a screwdriver. I never trained myself to do this... Some I saw that did this used their magic or mouth. I would have to use my claws.

I placed the bobby pin and screwdriver in my mouth and slowly climbed up, my tail behind me swishing. The guards kept an eye on the tunnels hoping never to see any raiders. I got to the top and removed the bobby pin and the screwdriver from my mouth. I tried my best to break the lock on it. It was old and rusted... So I had no idea how it would work. But there was a snap and I broke the bobby pin through anger.

I stabbed inside the lock so many times I sighed and the Goddess must have heard me because the lock fell down with a thunk on the ground. I opened the gate and a long dead pony body fell to the ground with a shatter. I chuckled.

"It's raining bones...come..." I went up into the hospital oh boy this was going to be a pleasant time. I was the first up in the basement... it seems a lot of the supplies were still here. Like someone didn't even come this way as of yet. Maybe they did but didn't find their way to the basement. The other came up and I looked through some of the boxes. Finding just one Medkit and some old food. But that was about it. The rest was just junk... I placed it all in my bags. I looked to the others noticing they needed to rest...it was going to be awhile before we fully brave this place.

I brought out more of our rationed food and water. We started eating and drinking. It was deathly silent... I never thought for creatures that loved to speak... That we would be this silent... At least Two steps. stopped his stepping. But it was going to be awhile before anything.

"Get some rest I will take care of this." I stood up to let them eat the remaining food I put down after I placed the rest in the bag and I stood guard. They all slept... But I stayed in the basement. It was calm in here the sound of the rain didn't really do much. But when lighting flashed. It flashed up the dark room and there I saw something in the flash. I was able to see upstairs on the way to the door... There was another platform. On the top of the next floor to get to the basement door... Were ghouls...I calmly sneaked back to the others and let them sleep but watched.

If we didn't make any sounds they wouldn't find us. I stood there calmly and tried to make sure I made no sounds at all. But I found a terminal in the darkness... I turned it on to look through it... But I had to find a code to hack it. I did a few tries learned from trader's on how to hack... You need to back out to let it reset. When I broke through I got the name... It was a mental hospital full of crazy insane nuts. But this one was bound to close before the war's end.

They were going to release the mentally impaired because they showed signs of change. I looked more most of it but what I found...is that the doctors in this hospital weren't very kind to the ponies in here. Some were forced in here because they didn't hate Zebras. They didn't care for the war.

Why would ponies do this to their own species? My trust for ponies fell, even more, that day. Because they even did it to foals. I looked at the outside to see some of the ruins. Then back to the terminal and sighed. Saying to myself. {I see why the Goddess forsake this world... The ponies in it became so evil... It took bombs to cleanse their evil.}

Looking back to the terminal I looked through more of the files. Finding myself more and more upset at the fact... They even did this to the elders. It was starting to anger...me I wanted to kill someone...But all those that did this...are long gone... Are we going to be dealing with the failings of the ponies of the past all our lives? Could this have been stopped?

Could this war between the Zebra's and ponies be stopped in a peaceful way? I doubt it... I can't judge for the ponies of the now. Because of what their forefather and mothers gave them. But if this is the world that we are going to give to our children and grandchildren... Why aren't their hero's out there to clean it up? Are we going to be this way forever? Why would we be how is it fair to us? To creatures who weren't even part of this war in the past. Why are we punished because of their plunder's?

So our world is now this...just because ponies and Zebra's had issues with each other. I had no idea at the time..what caused the war and why it was started... I would understand soon why the war even started. I went through more of it and noticed that some of the species... Were captured Zebra's that... What....they were....friends...with some of the ponies... They were just given to these ponies... To harm...them?! I grew angry but I realised I need to calm down.

Sighing softly and moved from the terminal not wishing to see any more of this world... I just wanted to see the world I heard about that Equestria used to be. I looked back to the terminal and sighing softly again. I feel that we will have to change. Am I going to have to use the tactics of the ponies to stay alive? Looking at my friends with me. I can't allow them to die... I can't just run away like the ponies of old did...and allowed the world to get like this. I have to rise and fight for them. The lighting went off again I looked up and knew the first part of this was to become part of this waste.

I opened my bag and grabbed my extra ammo. Waited for the lighting to go off again. Seeing that there is just four... I went up the stairs. I would become one with the waste... I wouldn't allow it to win and beat me. I had a misson to save my kind. I wasn't going to allow some pony war of the past to stop me. The ghouls saw me and I fired on them and I was able to get three down and I dodged the other grabbing a knife from my side trying to stab them but I was knocked back by hooves and fell to the ground...

I got out of the way quickly and suddenly picked up the knife and stabbed into their head between the eyes. I panted and felt pain in my body now... But I needed to prove that I can do it. But I was going to have to learn... That I need to take on the creatures of this land. I went back down the stairs and noticed my friends didn't even wake up. I sat down watching the outside. I knew sooner or later... I would have to learn.

_____________

Present day.

"I knew sooner or later I would have to learn. Welp time to get some sleep kiddo."

Snow blinks and looks at her Grandfather.

"I am not tired..." Snow's mother calmly walked in and picked her up and put her on her back.

"There you are...listening to your grandfather's stories again?" Snow nodded yawning and seemed to fall asleep on her mother back.

"Father...you need to rest...instead of telling her stories..."

Cannon chuckled and seemed to give her a soft gentle smile.

"If I didn't tell her the story now... I would never get the chance... Let's face it.., I am going to die... This is the last chance...of these times I have to explain how our kind is what it's like now."

She shook her head.

"It's the weekend so there is no school. So you can tell her the story."

Cannon nodded and watched his daughter and Grandaughter walk out. He looked out the window. Seeing the inside of the cave city. But saw the grass outside of the cave. He thought back to the one that convinced him to join with the ponies to take this community of slaver's raider's and so on and turn it into a calm lively community.

Granted in his mind he knew there was going to be times that communities are tested. But their dead friend leader...that so many miss... Wasn't as tested as The Lightbringer and Security. He sat there watching is she with the Goddess now...watching down on her friends? Is there a place after this shell of a body? He watched the ponies Zebra's Griffin's and other beings...of Equestria that came together with all these hero's of the wastelands. For he knows there are more heroes out there... That may never be mentioned... He and the others will be remembered for the small things they did.

For every hero out there may do big things. But it takes the acts of all hero's to add up... To make the world great... He wasn't a pony so he knew he didn't deserve to be remembered. All he had was a story... No hero stories... Like the one he met fifty years ago... Along with Kip, Silver gunner and Shadow. He knew he would be with her soon in death. Hopefully, he can see her again... Maybe he will see those that died along the path...to get here.

Maybe he would see Pot head again. So much is in his mind... What if? The war again never happen. Would The Lightbringer still have been born if the war never happen? How much would Equestria be changed if the war didn't happen and peace won in the end? It would be interesting if that was ever thought... But of course, the past is gone now.

He kept watching and saw the happiness of the ponies and other creature's most had scar's and some had deformities from the rads in the waste. Now that is all taken care of. Could they raise the new generation that is part of this world now... Not to go into a war that ends the world and causes the pain that it did before?

He heads to his bed and calmly gets into it and puts his head on the bed. He starts to remember the promise he made to her... Before she passed. That he would pass on knowledge and wisdom to her daughter. He wanted to fulfil that promise when she came back. It was time to rest like the rest of Equestria because down the line... Worrying too much about the future is what probably caused the war. Looking back on what he learned about why the Reaper Fields battle happen... Is why it's time move on and have a good time to enjoy the life that The Lightbringer brought them. As well as the other hero's who's names probably would never be spoken... But history might remember in favour.

He closed his eyes and dreamed of his past..the story he would tell his granddaughter. This land is still full of pain to some..Cannon Ball did all he could to help the ponies that he wished to help. But the land is full of peace for a time..He feels something will happen soon..