Fallout Equestria: Mountain Mystery.

"Secret's are never to be known."

It was late that day when we returned from Sheraldin. The tracks are now closed off so no pony can use them for the time being of course. But Holding the orb in my magic. I felt it's odd that I found another one. Maybe I could take it to the machine but first the seeds and the food. When we got into hoof the ponies and Zebra's morning the loss of the Zebra. A wall was being built to keep the outside out fully. Only those of this part of the Equestria are now allowed in. We went to the bar and started to give out the grown food. Ponies were hungry so hungry. It's something that was needed to do. But at times we never know what will happen in the end. Blossom was tired and Root wanted to start growing more seeds.

I wanted to get to the machine so we could see what this orb held. But again that would take time. " There is enough food for every pony. Don't fight don't crowd come one come all. You will get what you need."

I smile at the fact I got everything I needed to do. Ponies came in putting down caps for food. But it was free. Some wanted to pay us for kindness. It was going to be hard to get more for them. Since this part of Equestria barley could grow anything. But getting back there would be hard. But the meeting would start in a few days. Since it would take a long time for most of the leaders to get here so we can try to figure out the plan of protecting. Protecting the secrets of the blue hat's Protecting our lands. it's our lands no pony else has the right to steal from us.

But of course, that is never a good thing to say. After an hour the last of the food was gone. I watched Root and Blossom going from garden to garden to help the ponies plant. I just sat there watching. I felt maybe I did a good thing. But a looked at the memory orb in my bag. Who had been placing these around? Maybe I will learn that another time. It's how most never understand the way of how it's seen in the grand idea of the end. But the end shall always be the same and nothing shall be known. What shall it be? Did I do this myself or did I get help? But when I went up to my room I found a box.

Lifting the box into my room opening it I found a note. It was old and I knew the horn writing it was a doctor friend of mine who vanished before the war ended. He went on some boats. But I'm not sure but it read as followed. ' Dear old friend. I'm dying but I have placed orbs at your request around the land. I need you to find them now. It's a matter of the future. I'm sure we will meet again someday old friend. But I hope you're alive to read these. But if you do read this. Your idea's to make sure things would be right. Something is wrong Equestria and maybe another war is starting. A war that will end the world in fire and death.' Looking in the box I saw another memory orb. It had my cutie mark on it and it said with a paper watch me now. I felt it was time to learn what the hell has been going on as of late. Lifting the orb up looking at it closely I could see how empty it looked. But it had my memories in it.

I had to see what would be in it. Closing my eyes for a moment I felt a knot in my stomach. How can a ghoul one who is dead feel this? Maybe we do feel some pain. But I am never going to be sure till I learn the truth of the matter. The truth is that we have never learned how it shall be. Looking again at the orb. I felt it was time to learn. Putting it to my horn my world went back.

I was in my own body. This memory was in a strange part of our land. But what's odd Dr. Slice was there my old friend. We were placing memory orbs in different places he of course was in a wheelchair.

" Smoke pipe my dear friend we should place it no pony would find it not even you till the time was right. We need to keep the secret of the Blue hats from falling into the wrong hooves."

My host who was myself nodded. It's gotten to the point the war has gotten so bad that we had to start hiding stuff around the land. Too many secret's ways too many secrets have become known. The Blue hat's weapons that would destroy Zebra's and bring ponies in line. Every time I saw one of the weapons it always said to preserve the pony way of life. But why would we need to do it with deadly weapons that had DNA seeking in them? It doesn't seem right at all.

" I understand Slice. But I am unsure how this war is going to end it has bothered me to no end. I feel that the ending will be so bad that we will all die in fire and hell. maybe we will know down the line. But what do you think my dear friend?" Dr. Slice was about to speak when ponies wearing blue hat's surrounded us. We knew this would happen to us. They found us.

" There you are, Detective. You seem to have a knack for finding our secrets. We need you two to be good little stallions and give up. It's how we never will know and how we seek it." The unicorns of the group lifted memory orbs. Taking the memory away.

When I woke up I heard a voice.

" So now you know."

Lifting my head up I saw her the mare from the memory. A Blue hat. She was a ghoul. " You know our biggest secrets are being sought after we need your help now Detective. I know this is going to be hard for you to do. For what we did to you in the past. But what do you have to lose my friend what do you have to lose?"

I thought of this when she spoke. I wasn't sure what to think at all. It made me unsure. But again I found the fact that she was a ghoul too. I had to ask of course so I did. " So how did you become one with the dead hmm? I noticed you're a ghoul too."

The mare snorted looking away with anger in her eyes. " Frankly I feel I deserved this for what I did to the citizens of our lands. I look back at what I did to the Zebra's and the ponies just to stop a war. But I look back now it would have made the war even worse. I'm not happy about what we had to do. But I never thought that one of the experiments would destroy the soil of the land."

I cock my eyebrow. That's what happened even before the war. " This happened way before the war even started. Are you telling me this happens because the princess wanted us here to be in line to bow to her and listen to her?"

" No.. It was the Blue hat's fault. We hated both the princess we wanted to rule. But then the war broke out. So we used that to make more power for us. But there was a giant mistake. A fluid fell into the ground and destroyed the soil of our land. It was just our land too. The rest of the Equestria is free from this. I am not sure how happy I am about that." Sighing a bit I knew that happen. It's something I never want to hear again.

Bringing out the other black orb from my pocket. "What are these for? I have put one in a machine already. But what’s the point of this?" The Blue hat I never got the name of her of course. The memory of her name could have been removed from me. But the mare rushed to look at the orb she gasped backing away quickly.

" If those are being found...then it's going to happen."

"What is?" I asked placing the orb back into my pocket.

"There was a rumor that a bunch of seals had been placed around Equestria by Luna and Celestia to hold back an awful creature. A creature that is not someone you really want to name. But I will. The name is " She said the name my eyes went wide. I heard the name register in my head. It just made me grow in fear. But I calmed down. Standing on my hooves.

"But what about these orbs?"

"There was a secret base hidden in the mountains. That these orbs talked about. You find them all you find the hidden base. But I warn you if these Black Hooves want it... Then it will be bad. So I am going to go get ready for war. I am going to find the other's of my troop and I will contact you again." The mare calmly went a way out I never knew I had in my room. It was a secret room that leads to the sewers. Looking closely at it. I noticed it was made so only a Blue hat could go through it.

Using my horn to open the door to the bar down stair's I called down. "Root, Blossom, Moonshine I need you three up here." I sat back down in my chair closing my eyes sighing. After a while, the three came up. "A Blue hat was here."

Moonshine looked around in fear. "Really?! Why would they be here?!" Root wrapped her foreleg around Moonshine.

"Relax Moonshine I doubt they wish to hurt you again."

"Forgive me...For being an Enclave but...again who are they?" Blossom asked.

I sigh " The Blue hats is an offshoot group of the Equestrian army. They did many things to harm this land. But they hated Celestia and the fact the war was going on. I learned from one of them today. That their the reason's for why nothing really grows here."

Root's ear's droop. "Why would they do such a thing?!"

"They did it because they felt that Luna and Celestia were trying to remove the freedom of the ponies right's here. They also disliked the outsiders that were allowed in. But that's not the only thing. There is a secret base in the mountains I was told. But the only way to know how to get to it. Is to place all the orbs inside that machine we found."

Moonshine sighed. " I am going to go warn the guards and tell them to hurry on the wall. Oh, and a meeting will be taking place here in a few day's Smoke. The Gang's know we have Steel Ranger's here and the leader is a former member of this land. He needs to make sure his ponies don't get in the way of anything."

I nodded. " I will speak to Soda Pop."

Moonshine turns and then looks back at me. "Do you remember a pony named Dr. Slice?" My eyes grew wide that name ringed a bell. "From the look on your face, it does. Well, a package came for you last night. With his name on it saying to you to open it. So I will go down and get it."

Root had the look like she was thinking. "Pipe is Slice that pony you told me about. That had that sickness that was making his skin and fur peel off?"

I nodded standing up looking at an old photo of him and a mare named Mimic. "These two I haven't seen for 200 years. But after Mimic joined the Equestrian army I never saw her again. Maybe this will give me idea's about what happened to them both."

Root nodded. "Come Blossom lets go get you a stallion."

Blossom blushed deeply. " But....what about going to...."

"We will help him later. But we need to get you so unscrewed my friend."

"But but I don't want...to mate with a stallion."

"Come here you." Root pulled Blossom down the stairs. I rolled my eye's Blossom and her wants of stallions. I sat back in my chair looking down at my violin and lifted it up in my magic. Closing my eyes calmly playing an old song that Dr. Slice created for me. it was called the winter breeze. This song always made me feel calm before the war fully hit us. it was the only music that could calm me down.

After awhile Moonshine comes up from downstairs. She has a bottle of scotch in her magic along with the package. "You're going to have to tell Root. To stop trying to get Blossom to sleep with stallions. She seems to be one of those Lesbians" I smirked.

"Oh, those Lesbians Oh Moonshine I know you are as well." Moonshine rolled her eyes.

" I am but I know what kind of mare I want. A strong mare who is not scared to tell me what she wants and how to live. But eh. A mare can dream can't she?" She said with a large smirk.

I rolled my eyes. " Oh, you mare's haven't changed in 200 years. But why did you bring me the scotch?"

Moonshine sighed. " I felt since you get upset. When you read something from Dr. Slice... You well needed something to calm your nerves." I smiled shaking my head.

"That was when I started finding letter's from him when we met Moonshine. The fact he left so much behind upset me. But thank you. Oh, and do you have any jobs for me?"

Moonshine thought a moment. "At the moment the only thing I know of is ponies vanishing around the town of story. Even the aces don’t know what is causing this. So maybe when you have time head down there to see what ups?" Giving a nod.

"Better head back down there Moonshine it's almost Lunchtime so. You might get a big rush today." Moonshine nodded.

" I asked Blossom and Root to get into their gear to help me guard the place. Just in case some of these ponies that hit Sherladin."

": Hmm Blossom in her enclave gear and Root in her old friendship city guard outfit. Go ahead. " Moonshine nodded heading back downstairs. I sighed looking at the package. Opening the cork from the scotch bottle drinking it quickly and then opened the package. Inside it was a note and a memory orb. Looking at the note it said. 'All will come clear.' Looking down at the orb and softly said to me. "Oh, Dr. Slice what did you get yourself into?"

I sighed looking at the orbit was dusty and looks like it's been in the water for years. I wonder what happened with it? Looking in the package again. It was made of a paper that could float on water. But that's it also had old bird talon imprints in it. Looking back to the orb closing my eye's taking a deep deep breath.

Placing the orb to my horn letting it take me away.

0000

The mind of Dr. Slice.

I was in my host he got bad enough that he was now in a wheelchair. But this is strange while he looked around I saw the words on the wall. Project Mech, Project Stopwatch, and Project Mouse. He looked to be working on something beside him was a robot it looked like a mister gutsy. I saw another walk in that I knew one of the scribes to the ceaser. A very good friend of Slices that was one of the Zebra's that joined us during the war.

"Dr. Slice...my friend is it time?" The head of my host nodded. He looked towards the wall again and I saw something of a legend. A legend that has the look of many other races. " Are you doing this because of what Mimic did to her friends?"

"Since we can never return to the mainland and that it's been ten years since the war ended. I felt that I need to send this memory orb back to Equestria. Just in case my friend Smoke Pipe lived through it. No Majesty was going to win easy. The fact...this happens we..." An alarm rang.

Scribe quickly trots to the screen. Turning it on. "Project Stopwatch is going crazy." The pony screams a bug creature stares at the screen.

"You ponies did...this to me...." The bug had a stopwatch lodged in his chest. "We shall find you ponies for what you did to us." Another voice spoke.

"Brother... let’s get out of here."

"What about the mouse?" The flying dragonfly-like bug hissed.

" Bring him..Leave Cliffside alone."

"Slice...SLICE!!" The Scribe rushed to my host.

"It's too late...." Dr. Slice said... He set down an orb. "Get this to Equestria.. by using the window."

" I can't do that to you!!"

" You have to..." His horn glowed clicking the machine and I felt his mine being sucked into the robot beside him. It starts screaming in his voice.

While this happens a Balefire bomb went off outside of the bunker.

"QUICKLY!!" My host yelled and before the vision fully vanished from Slice I saw the Zebra trot out. Only hearing the screaming of the robot beside him die down with the last word's. "Forgive me.......Smoke Pipe."

00000

Opening my eyes blinking shaking my head. "Oh, Dr. Slice what did you get into you damn fool?" I now know what happens to him. But what happened to the rest that went with him? What did Mimic do to her friends? But I stood up heading downstair's. It was already way past lunch so things were calm now. Root and Blossom were talking to a stallion. Blossom was hiding behind the earth pony mare. Her face is so bright red.

I sighed walking to them. The stallion looked up. "Oh hello, Detective... talk to you later Root." He quickly trotted out. Root turned to me she had the look of anger on her face. I had no idea what she was angry about. She stood in front of me. You don't want to anger earth pony mares. If they want to enjoy a good plow then you let them. I just stared at her with a smile.

"So what did I miss?" I asked.

"Blossom almost got lucky with that guy." Blossom hides behind me whispering.

" Thank... thank you." She said softly.

"It sounds like she doesn't want to be with a stallion Blossom." I simply said while observing the scared Pegasus behind me.

"Oh of course she does. But any way you must have a job if you're down here after almost five hours." I blinked looking at her. It's been five hours since I was looking inside that orb? I faced hoofed sighed. I always wished they would warn you how long those damn things are.

" I found a memory orb left by Dr. Slice. He got himself into some pretty nasty things. So whatever happened to him I have no idea how to find him. But from what I learned they knew the war ended as it did. But I feel we need to head to the war memorial seeing what the next orb will give us."

They both nodded. "Hey Moonshine we are heading to the memorial if it starts raining please get the gardens outside." MoonShine nodded while she had a cloth wiping along the bar top. I sighed. " This is going to take a while to get there you two ready for a long walk?" Blossom nodded spreading out her wings with a smirk.

"Eh, you know me Smoke pipe I am always ready for a walk. It's just a good as being pleasured by a stallion." I face hoofed hard. I needed to talk to Root about keeping her ideas of pleasure to herself. The three of us walked outside of the bar. The town has changed so much. The guard's had heavy gear. We had some Steel ranger's patrolling the roads. Some even helped with the gardens. I saw one of them protecting an entire garden.

"I'm happy to know that the enclave didn't cause this blight on the soil." I turned to Blossom after she spoke. Giving her an odd look. She blinked. "Oh well, The enclave has done some questionable things in the name of peace. I don't really understand it myself. But I don't question it." I gave a nod not sure what to think of the Enclave if they did things in the name of peace.

'” Then why don't you stand up to them?" Blossom looked at me while we walked she had a sigh come from her. flapping her wing's to protect her hooves from over walking.

"Well allow me to tell you this way. The leaders tend to do whatever they can to keep control of their soldiers. They found that orb I gave you and well since my family is a lower standing. I was forced to come down here to poison myself. But if I don't find anything they told me not to return." I sighed shaking my head.

00000
-Old War memorial-

We made it back to the memorial it looked to be that all the ponies that vanished had returned. One of the young fillies turned to me waving." Hello, there little one." I smiled trying not to look scary to her. Her mother lifted her up in her hooves and looked at me.

"Hello, Smoke Pipe."

"Rainfall," I said softly. " I see that she is growing. But...what happens to you all? The last time I was here the entire thing was empty." Rainfall sighed.

"A group of Blue hat's showed up and shot us with some frozen ammo. They couldn't get all of us though. They left some downstairs. Then we found a room. But we didn't do anything with it since we were told you had something to do with it opening up."

I nodded. "Alright, I will go back down there." Blossom quickly hid her wing's under her dress to make sure she doesn't upset any of the ponies here. We go inside and everything is back to normal. But with it being so busy the three of us slowly walk down to the bottom again. There were two guards standing near the door and they saw me coming standing aside to let the three of us in. When the door closed I sighed.

"Alright," I said pulling the next orb out of my pocket. " Looking to see that the only holes left is the large hole and four others that hold the orbs. Lifting up the orb and set it out of my magic and it floated into the number one slot. The Screen turned on. A voice came from the screen.

"Since this is still a phase. We have a new idea for a gun. The gun can be used to kill anything with the DNA it's selected let’s say you want to clear a group of Zebra's you just shoot one. They get sick and spread it to the other's or wish to use it on Princess. Like its being made for. But there is something that we need to talk about. One of our bases in Story is under attack. I have set up the security to capture any pony or creature that passes it." But that's not all we saw.

We saw the gun itself and how it could be used. Blossom gasped looking away covering her mouth. Root blinked. "So...this is what they made?"

"Yes,” A voice said. I turned seeing the ghoul mare and the two guards knocked out. "This is what the enclave and the ponies from the outside are after Detective. I don't even know where it's hidden. Getting the rest of the orbs might tell you. But one of them is in Story. Getting into that building is not going to be easy. But since you and I aren't really what we call living. So we can sneak in and see what we can find. I do have a way to get there. But I need to know if you are willing to do this with me."

I gave a nod. "But when will this be?"

"In a few days. It will be after the meeting but there should be more on that orb." The mare clicked both of the orbs turning them and then more come's up. The project that was used to destroy the soil." Oh....." She sighed. " It's been so long now. I don't even know why we did this."

Root stared at the screen. "So you caused this? We have been blaming the princess for years. But now...this come's out we have to.."

I spoke up. "We can't tell any pony. if we did they would try to murder us Root. The Blue hat's got what they wanted this area of Equestria forsakes the princess now. Nothing this old will change their mind's on that. it will only make them angry. Because the Blue hat's started this stuff because of the war. But one question."

The Blue hat mare looks at me. I wish I knew her name But I pointed my hoof at the large orb. "What goes here?" She looks at the hole and her eyes open wide. Backing away sighing.

"That orb will be shown when you get the rest. But that will show what we have hidden in that bunker. The bunker to be ready for.."She said the name again and Root gasped so did Blossom."

" I thought he was just a legend." Root said.

"No, he's not. There is more to worry about then a war going on. The seal's holding him in place is falling apart and it's all because of your heroes. In fifty years something worse then the war is going to happen. But that's the thing. Getting to where we need to go will not be hard. But it will take time. if we go my way it would be faster. " I gave a nod.

" I don't know how I feel about this," Blossom said.

"I'm sorry to say enclave you have to deal with it like you little bunnies do." Blossom blinked staring at her. "You wonder how I knew? it's simple we saw you fighting the ace's to get that orb. It's not easy to hide from us."

Root whisper's in my ear. "Watch her be the only Blue hat left alive and she found out by pure luck." I laughed softly to myself. Looking to the mare.

"Many families in this land had at least one that was in the Blue hat's. Are you the only one left alive?" She turned to me blinking. She had a smirk on her face. " I have a feeling that smirk means I can't tell you or I would have to kill you. Am I right."

The mare nodded. "Look I want to help you three. But I can't. if I helped you three right now what would be the fun in the mystery. Because well you are a detective are you not?" I sighed closing my eye's and my world went grey again just for a time. I spoke to myself. 'Well, she is on to me then. I do wish to know more. But I can't help but think that she is hiding something.'

Blossom looking over to Root and whispers. "Why does he look like he can only see black and white?" She asked not far from my earshot.

Root giggles whisper back. "It's because he speaks to the crowd that is in his mind. He thinks there is a play going on in his head. It's the only thing that kept him sane all these years being a ghoul." They both laugh softly. 'I do feel that this mare is hiding something I don't know how to catch her in the act.' Shaking my head my vision went back to having color and then I looked back to the mare.

"Thank you for your time." I calmly said. But I didn't want to leave right yet. "Come you two let’s see if we can get any food in you two."

"OH, I am so hungry. From all the stallion flirting. "Root said laughing. I rolled my eye's Root was getting strange since that's mostly all she thinks about. Blossom however just had a glowing face that made me smirk. I shook my head. Ah, the pleasures of the body. What I wouldn't give to be able to do that all again. But I doubt right now it would be wise.

I lead us upstairs and we sit in one of the diners. I noticed they had a sign saying no ghouls. But when they saw me. They welcomed me with open hooves. "Thank you. My friends would like to order here. I will find a seat for us." They both nodded to me. I sat down sighing rubbing my temples. All this is starting to get on my nerves and my brain is racking what is going on. The fact the Blue hats are the reason for the soil being like it is.

I sat there thinking closing my eye's trying to remember the past again. But I had no more memories I could find in my thoughts. It's just gotten very bothersome that I don't know what to do anymore. But when I got this way before the war. I always had a good long smoke on my pipe. Opening my pocket leaning back bring out my pipe. Gently lighting a match to light it. To calmly smoke watching the calm ponies walk by and greet each other.

Blossom and Root were talking. A knife was being..pulled on Blossom...Wait a knife was being pulled on Blossom. I tried to quickly get my gun but I watched Blossom turn around and smash one of her front hooves into the stallion’s face and then turning quickly on her back hooves and making the stallion fly into the dirt wall. The ponies around us cheered and stomped their hooves at the display.

The stallion groaned. "Damn you Enclave!!" The ponies gasped.

"It’s fine she is with me." The stallion turned to look at me...and then fear crept into his face.

"Oh...hello Detective."

"Hello, Jewels.." I smirked I knew this stallion well I always was able to tell when he was trying something I haven't need to arrest him yet. Jewels quickly rushed out and Blossom still got a cheer. She bowed her head letting her wing's come out. They still even cheered more one pony yelled.

"Not all Enclave is evil. Thank you for showing us that!!" Blossom's ear's drooped she forgot she was in a land that hated the Enclave. But she ordered her food and sat down beside me. But I wrapped a fleshy foreleg around her. She looked at me surprised. I didn't treat her like this before. But I could tell she needed to talk to some pony.

"Blossom I know it hurts knowing that not all lands are going to be friendly to the enclave. But you have to understand this land. Even treated Root like that for years." Blossom blinked looking to the earth pony mare that looked like she could take on any pony. She was pretty strong and in that hat, she wore she looked pretty impressive with her long green mane.

"What do you mean by that Pipe?" Blossom calmly asked.

"Well, Root used to be a guard for friendship city in Manehatten. She left after a while. Because well they didn't care about her lifestyle and well she is the only of her family left. Most of them got killed by Raiders. I met her when I was in the hoof gathering info on a case. I found her beating the shit out of raiders with her bare hooves." Root carried the strange tray of food in her mouth setting it on the table.

Blossom stared at it. The food looked very badly made it look like roots mostly and the drink was pretty dirty water. "I..." Blossom sighs. "I keep forgetting sorry." Root smiled.

" No, it's fine Blossom. It's not going to be easy for you to eat all this. Since well I'm sure you used to whatever they feed you up there." Root said lower her head to eat her roots and whatever else they gave. I took a look at the food myself. It looked like a species of mushrooms that would have been used in Zebra's brews in the past. I sniffed one of them.

"Root keep a few of these. I think we need to show them Zoonie she might be able to use them in her brew. It might help the gardens to grow." Root blink looking at them sniffing them nodding placing some in her bag. Eating the rest of the roots. She looked like she enjoyed them. But still the Root's she was eating looked like they haven't been well kept. But it's not easy to do living in an underground like this.

Looking over to Blossom who tried eating the roots. But she had issues. But even so, she didn't want to upset the mare that got them for her and Root. She waved to the mare. Looking to the mare who had a beauty mark on her left cheek and... wait. I know her..I stood up going to the bar.

"Blue Rose?" Rose looked up to me a large smile formed on her face.

"Oh hello, dear.." I smiled Blue Rose used to be the old bartender back in Buffalo hoof when Moonshine bought the bar from her. She left and came here it seems.

"Haven't seen you in years." Blue Rose smiled nodding.

"Well, dear. "She gave me a motherly smile like she always did. " Since Moonshine bought the bar from me. I hope she still allows you to live up in your old home. If she is not I will go down there right and speak to her."

"Oh no don't worry she is even my secretary when it comes to my cases. She didn't want to kick out a ghoul that has been living in that building for two hundred years" Blue Rose smile sweetly with her hooves she sets down a bottle of Whiskey and laughed softly.

" Good good also this is in the house. Also, Root is here." Blue Rose blinks looking over to Root she gets out from behind the bar and smiles.

" ROOOT yohoo." Root blinks looking up a smile forms on her face and she stands up.

"Big Aunt Rose!!" The two mare's hug.

"Big?" Blossom asked.

"I used to be the size of a fat mare. Oh, what fat does to a complexion like mine. " She swishes her hips." But I lost all the weight and now I'm now known as Blue Rose again. Now stallions can't stop wanting me for when it's breeding season."

Root blinks a bit taken aback by that. " This town has a breeding season. You aren’t allowed to enjoy yourself randomly?"

Blue Rose shrugs. " Look at this place Root. It's full of ponies its going to fill up if we keep breeding when we don't need to. So yes I better get back to work when I get off work lets meet somewhere dears." She looked to Blossom who looked very down and sad. The Blue mare gently wrapped her forehooves around Blossom nuzzling her. "How can mamma Rose help you?"

Blossom blinks feeling scared of this mare then. Seeing she looks so motherly Blossom had tears stream down her face.

"Oh oh my.." She turns to her husband who is behind the bar. " Dear Black clock. I have another I need to take care of. She seems very upset about something." Black Clock looks up and smiled.

" I will take over love go talk with her. Take them with you. Because maybe they haven't been treating her right." Blue Rose nodded. "Come on you three to my place." She leads us down to a large stone home formed by so many old tombs of the dead.

0000

Blue Rose home.

Root and I followed them inside the home. It was pretty lovely looking. It looked like a normal house made out of large bricks but also some parts of the tombs. But what is causing Blossom to cry I wonder? But I knew Rose very well getting the middle of this would anger her greatly.

"Now please tell Mama Rose what is bothering you?" Blossom blinks sighing

"I have been getting nasty look's ever since I came here...I am Enclave after all. Just I have never seen ponies so upset. The enclave comes in peace. But every time I try to help some look at me and say get out of here Enclave. But non of us have ever been here before."

I softly spoke up. " That is not true. Five years ago a group of Enclave came down here to this area of Equestria. They searched for something. They were searching for old tunnels that the Blue hat's created. During their time here as well the Zebra's got attacked by outsiders. A group of outsiders came as well trying to find the same thing."

Rose nodded. " Yes, It got bad enough that the outsiders were murdered in their sleep by some of the ponies of this land. Then they went after the Enclave. Now the enclave warned if this happens it would be war. But the ponies said them just being here is already an act of war."

Root sighed. " That's the thing about this land Blossom. The ponies here are so protective of their own and feel that the mountains protect them from the outside. The only way to get here now. Since most of the old tunnels are destroyed. Is to climb those mountains. Flying over them is not a good idea at all." Root calmly said.

"But what happened to the Enclave? Because I never heard of something like this before." Blossom had a worried look on her face.

Rose sighed trying to look back on it. "We don't know all we know is that a group of Blue hats showed up and the took the enclave with them. We knew there was a fight because there were so much blood and parts of their armor on the ground. Before we could take it a Blue hat foal picked them up and ran off never to be seen again."

I blinked a moment I felt like we were being watched. I looked around slowly the Blue hats have been known to bug places. Since he was a ghoul some of the Blue hat's bugs could never find him. Because there is no life in him. That was a big flaw with the Blue hat's. Even though some of them are ghouls as well. I slowly stood with the others watching me. I mouthed 'Keep talking.'

"Well, dear this land is very hateful of outsiders. You have been welcomed in Buffalo hoof. But other areas you wouldn't be. You would be killed on sight if they saw you. Here is neutral. But it's still best to hide your wings. Now we have some of our own Pegasus's here. But most of them are runaway's from the enclave or from stable's." Rose said.

Blossom sighed smiling weakly. "Well, Mamma Rose thank you for the talk. Just it's not. I feel I need to be going through. I doubt it's wise for me and the other to stay here." Root face hoofed. Blossom blinked didn't understand what is going on. Blue Rose got up from her seat closing her door.

"No dear you will be staying here along with your friends. You need a good hearty meal." Blossom blinked. "So you stay right there and I will make the meal."

Blossom looked at Root and I. "What just happen?"

"You tried to leave when Rose was being motherly now you will get overfed and then sent on your way." Root said with a smirk. "

Rose called from her kitchen. "It's read Root and Blossom come and eat." I watched them leave to go eat. I looked through the house for bug's and all I found really was old marks and some old wires. So I doubt there was a bug. Just had to look and Rose came out of the kitchen lifting a bottle of Scotch. "Oh Smoke Pipe," I smirked and shrugged following the fact she was going to give me a drink.

0000

After the wonderful meal, my two friends had their meal. My two friends lay on the old run-down couch. I sat in an old chair that Blue Rose found for me to sit in if I ever came. I smoked from my pip. "Hmm thank you, Auntie Rose. I needed a good meal. Since the gardens haven't been growing.. at home." Root calmly said.

"Yes, It's been getting worse. But lucky for us, we found a patch of soil deep underground here that is perfect. But we don't tell many ponies about it. If we did they would all come here wanting some of it. So we guard it and..I'm guessing the blue hats did this so they could control the ability to grow food. I wouldn't put it past them" I nodded sighing softly.

"Yes, the Blue Hat's did many thing's that would be questioned. They wanted this entire land of Equestria to be broken off from Equestria and live in our own lands. Now their wishes never came through. But the Blue hat's have been around since Luna turned into Nightmare Moon. So these ideas are from so long ago. That they don't wish to remove them." I said drinking from the scotch.

Root nods stroking her stomach with a hoof. "It's amazing to me how they bugged ponies homes. I remember when I first came to this land. Every time I went to bed in Pipe's bed I found bug's on the stands or some in the walls and how they do that to a detective's home is a bit strange to me."

Blue Rose smirks. "Oh, Root honey have you gotten married yet?" Root blinks staring at Rose trying to think of a lie I knew her well when she came to talk to Rose.

"Uh, no Rose. I have been enjoying sleeping around too much...Sorry.." Rose frowned shaking her head.

"Root dear sooner or later. Doing that will lead to something you don't want. Like with me and Black Clock. Because of my sleeping around, I ended up with foals. So I got to be the mother I always wanted to be. But we had to go through falling in love first. " She sighed shaking her head.

Root shifted a bit uncomfortably at the word love. She looked to not like that word and getting those disapproving eyes. from Rose. Those eyes looked like they could burn the paint off the walls. The poor mare couldn't keep how she felt away from the old mare. "Look I am sorry Auntie Rose I just don't....know how to find love. All I can think of is pleasure.."

Rose softly laughed. "It's fine dear. Sooner or later you will meet Mister right. He could fall out of the sky one day and drop on you." Blossom laughs softly.

"That's how..my mother met my father... He just fell out of the sky during training and broke her wing. Then when he went to go see her in the hospital he said. I am sorry I must have fallen for you. So now since I have fallen for you. Want to go out?" Rose laughed softly.

"Oh, that is sooo Romantic.." I rolled my eye's but Root giggled at that as well. I have lived for 250 years being born getting to age fifty then dying turning into this. Then living 200 years. But still, I don't understand mares at all and their ideas of romance. Rose then turned to look at me. Oh no...

I took a deep breath I knew what was about to come. "Yes, Rose?" I didn't know what to say. But those eyes of hers bore right into me...Or they felt like they did. I shifted a bit myself. I lived for 200 years and this bothers me?! But I kept my cool. Because If I got upset with Rose. I would be getting upset with the kindest mare in the world.

"You need to protect these two mares. I feel they would be lost without you dear. I don't want to hear from Root or Blossom here that you have been mean to them because they get in your way or because you wish to have peace. if I hear any of that. I will come and force Moonshine to get you out got it?" I nodded coughing a bit.

"I think the three of us better get back Rose. The meeting will be in a few day's and we need to get the town ready." Rose nodded.

"Alright, I might come during it to see if the leader's need any food." I turned to her before leaving I feared for her if she came I opened my mouth and she yelled. "Smoke Pipe!! I will not be told I can't come mister. if the leaders need food they need food. I will not be told by a ghoul or one I consider my son to tell his mother no!!" I gulped. Root backed away she knew when Rose got angry it wasn't pretty. I nodded.

"Yes ma'am." Then Rose went back to a happy smile. I walked out of her home taking a deep breath like I needed to. Root laughed loudly.

"OH, good job Smoke Pipe you almost pissed off Rose." When Root said that the ponies in the town turned to us and looked at us with great fear. It seems her temper is well known here. From the looks on the faces of the ponies when we walked by they looked so freaked out of their minds. I hoped I would never see her husband because..I had no idea how he would act if he heard I upset his wife.

"So you upset my wife hmm?" I turned to see the Black stallion near the way out of the city. He had a smirk on his face. "Amazing how hard that is to do ain't it and when she loses her temper you don't know if she will do anything. Her first husband cheated on her." I blinked whistling at that.

Root had a smirk on her face. " I bet that went well for her former husband. Do you know what happened to him?" Black Clock looked around and leaned into the three of us to whisper.

"She took a knife and well took something off between his leg's and then told him to get the fuck out. Before she feeds it to him." The three of us looked at each other. I shuddered at that. Root laughed Blossom...Had the look of horror on her face.

"But why would she do that?" Blossom asked in horror.

"That's how the wasteland works Blossom." I softly said. "It's a sad thing but it's a true thing to some ponies. Anyway, take care, sir." He nodded to us and we walked out. We didn't talk to each other the entire walk home we had so much to think about. Since the meeting was going to be in a few days and the others looked very tired after that large meal they had. So I would think in the next few days we need to get ready...for a war.