Fallout Equestria: Frozen Clock

A community of mixed-species never tends to get along like most believe. But when they have good leadership and good elders they become a strong connected community. At times though outsiders try to ruin that for those communities since they try to force their views on everyone else.

Written by Unknown.

It’s been like three days since we first ran into that robotic creature that attacked us. I haven’t been able to get a good night’s sleep since then. I have been more stressed than the others. We set up camp in the middle of the street surrounded by factories. I stand up pacing around worried about the creature I just ruined the life of.

“You’re heavily stressed, Rose. Your heart is beating a bit too fast. “

I glance at Maria who is recharging but Deco is the one controlling the body right now. I took a deep breath trying to relax.

“Deco have you ever had the feeling that you made an awful mistake?”

Deco tilts her head. I knew it was best not to ask an AI this question. But she sat down on a chair that she created from nothing. It’s like she is thinking.

“The only feeling of regret is me being forced upon you. I feel you had no choice at all. I worry that just being with me will cause you more problems than you deserve. I know this is new to me as well but I consider you family.”

Closing my eyes, sighing. Before I could say anything I heard a strange sound. I hear hooves seeing lights and they blind me with the lights. I look at who is holding the light. It’s a unicorn with a zebra beside her. They say nothing to us for the moment the others are fast asleep.

“Are you Desert Rose?”

I didn’t answer. The unicorn lifts her light into my face.

“Are you Desert Rose or not?”

I cover my eyes with my hoof. They see that I have a metal hoof and some metal up my leg. So I am sure they know now who I am.

“Get that light out of my face first then I will answer.”

The unicorn removes the light from my face. I blink a few times to get my vision back to normal. It’s not as easy as most think it is. It’s not the first time I had a light forced in my face. During the start of the war. I had many ponies that did not trust me. Of course, if I was trusted this wouldn’t have happened to me back then.

“I am Desert Rose. Forgive me if I don’t answer with a damn light on my face. Now are you here to kill us or are you here to talk with us?”

The zebra laughs.

“No Rose Bubblegum told us about you a few days ago. She told us what you did for them and told us to be on the lookout for you. We got a story to tell you and it’s not going to be a sane story.”

I think I know what they’re talking about.

“I see I would love to learn what it’s about. Let me wake up my friends.”

I stood on my hooves looking at Deco nodding to her. Deco attaches herself to my metal leg to look like part of my metal. I don’t trust these two. I shake my friends again and June opens her eyes, snorting.

“Damn it Rose I am trying to sleep here!!”

I laugh softly, shaking the others awake. Bowser stood up staring at the two that are with us. He looks at them like he is looking through them. Leans in to whisper to me.

“The mare has a pistol and the stallion has at least a couple of rounds in his machine gun. The mare is pregnant and the stallion is a bit hard. I think I know why he wants you.”

Bowser smirks. I roll my eyes, Drift sitting up spreading her wings. Thanks to learning to control the orb in her chest.

“Now before we go anywhere with you we will gather our gear.”

The zebra nods and sighs.

“You saw the stars didn’t you?”

I stop from gathering my gear, turning my head a bit to glance at the stallion. I have no idea how he even knew and the unicorn mare glances at her friend then at me.

“The stress in your eyes. The way you move. You have been in their court. You did a spell with your soul didn’t you?”

My friends stare at me. It’s like what they mean by this. I took a deep breath not even saying anything. I just keep gathering the gear with the others. I sigh June hitches herself to the cart and we walk with the two to wherever. I didn’t care but I am a bit upset that the others know. I glance at the stallion while they lead us to the dirt road. Up ahead is a large metal gate and the mare hits her hoof on the metal door. A little port door opens up. The head of a large earth pony mare with stripes on her face comes out.

“Did you find them?”

The unicorn nods to the earth pony. Her red eyes stare at me. A smile forms on the mare’s face. I didn’t know what to think at all about that.

“I am sorry I can’t let you into the community right away. We will lead you to a heavy closed room and you will get enough food. While we make sure you don't bring any sickness with you. It’s no offense to you of course. It’s more to protect you four just in case. Some don’t trust you.”

June rolls her eyes shooting her mouth off.

“Oh no, a world that doesn’t trust me. It’s just like the old world again. Just dumber and braindead. How about this I gore you. You let us in and then I don’t murder your fucking family!!”

I stare at June. Bowser strokes her side to calm the buffalo.

“Down girl.”

June snorts.

“I will not be locked in some room. Because ponies and zebras don’t trust me. I will not be caged!!”

I turn my head to June.

“June shut up, you will do what is best for now. You got that?”

June stares at me snorting, smiling sweetly.

“Oh come on Rose you got to scare them now and then. I will do whatever you say. But I will never be told by anyone I don’t know what to fucking to do. If you even think you can control me. I will kill them.”

The zebra stallion smirks.

“Oh, I like her.”

The unicorn mare rolls her eyes. June is unhitched and they take the cart into the city. But we are led through an old plastic tunnel. I read the words on the plastic tunnel. It’s an old magic radiation cleaning crew that came through trying to clean the end of the war. But I am sure most of them died before they could.

The unicorn opens the door.

“Again I am sorry for this.”

I finally got a good look at her. She is a pink furred mare with zebra hooves and stripes on her legs.

“I will be the one giving you food and bedding as well. Just remember I am known as Ziggy.”

We didn’t even speak to her Bowser sighs sitting down near one of the pipes. I just sat down in one of the old chairs. Drift flew up into the air and perched herself on a platform. June just snorts.

“How about you let us go. Then I, the only buffalo here, don't trample you.”

I roll my eyes.

“June you can't stop showing off. We all know you’re all talk.”

June laughs.

“But she doesn’t”

I laugh loudly and Ziggy snorts, closing the door. I shake my head. Maria removes herself from my leg. She turns on her eye so Deco can speak to us.

“Maria and I found an upgrade for you four. I am hoping this upgrade will explain why you four were chosen. We also found out what this place is. It’s a former flying wagon factory turned into a weapons creation factory. A bomb like a balefire bomb went off. But it was smaller and it let off magic radiation though. They tried very hard to contain it and everyone died around the area.”

So there is an upgrade here.

“Okay everyone, what do you think of them? Do you think we can trust them?”

June shrugs her shoulders.

“I don’t trust ponies or zebras easily. But you’re all family to me. So I will trust you with my life. I am not happy. I don’t like being stuck in closed rooms like this. I doubt it’s to protect us. I think they just don’t trust us.”

Bowser just looks at me.

“That zebra said that you saw the diamonds in the sky. “

Drift stares at me. June shifts on her hooves to look at me as well.

“I...yes I saw the stars. They wanted to use me to become their warrior of blood. So I was put into some court and then forced a new deal. A creature I have never met before. She is now going to be taking my place. If she and I ever meet she will try to kill me for putting her in this situation.”

June shakes her head.

“I don’t know anything about the zebras and what they think about the stars. I don’t know though if forcing this on another soul is wise though Rose.”

Drift looks at the others.

“Is no one else worried that the stars have minds of their own? Are we even in control of our own choices then?”

I shift looking up to Drift.

“Drift the stars aren’t like that. There are two versions of the stars. The stars want peace and love for all species in the world. Then the stars that want nothing but blood. Old stories: the stars that want blood took over.”

Bowser shakes his head.

“If this is true then what do we do? Do we stay here for three days? Do you think Deco or Maria can get us out of here?”

Deco finally chimed in.

“There is no way we can get you out of here. That door there is not connected to anything that is powered. This place was built in the early stages of the war. It was before the ponies of the past relied too much on tech.

Maria stays silent just to chime in herself.

“I feel I have been here before. I remember. I remember being built somewhere near here. Then I remember being larger and then destroyed. I think that is my memory.”

I stare at the poor robotic creature. She is trying so hard to remember who she is. If she was built close around here. Maybe we can learn who she is. I look at the others and then at Deco.

“Excuse me Maria could you shut yourself down at least enough so we can talk to just Deco? I don’t want you to feel unwelcome but you can understand why can’t you?”

The robotic creature turns her head to me. It stares at me for a while. I have a feeling that she is feeling hurt. I do hope that she understands why.

“You don’t trust me, do you?”

I shift on my hooves. I am unsure how to answer but I need to try anyway.

“It’s not that I don’t trust you, Maria. I just need to make sure that you can trust us. If we ever find what you’re made for you might have to be destroyed. You understand this right?”

Maria just stares at me for a while. At least I think it was staring. Hard to tell when the head of this robot is a lamp.

“Yes, I understand. I could be an awful weapon for all I know. Just please be truthful to me when the time comes.”

I look at the others. The others nod, as well as Maria, shuts herself down. Deco is the only thing left of her. Deco paces and looks up to us. Deco is not very happy with us. I could tell from the look on her face.

“She and I talk to each other a lot and she is worried that you’re just going to give her up. Because she is a tag along. Like it or not she is now part of this family. We are all family and we need to stick together.”

June sighs.

“It’s not that I don’t trust her Deco. If I can gore it or stampede over it. I will have an issue trusting it.”

Bowser strokes his head.

“That is the weirdest way of saying I trust you even if I can’t kill you. I have no issue with trusting her Deco. I just want you to understand I am a diamond dog. Ponies find it very hard to trust us just from things we did in the past.”

Drift lands beside Maria.

“I trust her with all my heart Deco. Just how do we know that she is not some weapon?”

I turn my head just a bit to see some strange black ball in the corner of the room. I have no idea what it is.

“Look everyone, let's just get some sleep. Maybe whoever runs this community will let us out. They can’t keep up this lie forever.”

Bowser stares at.

“What makes you think they’re lying about this? We could be carrying a heavy sickness for all we know.”

I laugh softly.

“Oh come on Bowser you and I fully know this place is properly run by one of my species. They don’t trust outsiders at all and they will never listen to a pony. No matter how much-mixed blood is in this community.”

June laughs.

“Listen to you Rose.”

I smirk then hear a latch on the door seeing a large pee hole open up. I stand on my hooves and the same mare that left us here is looking in.

“Our leader is willing to meet with you Rose and only you. So please come with me”

The door opens up and I look at June and the others. I stood up and headed out of the room to follow the unicorn.

“Welcome to our community.”

When the two of us got out of the strange building I was locked in. I look around seeing the community of mixed breeds mostly zebras and ponies. The community is heavily guarded by a high metal wall and uses the factories around the road to make homes. Too bad it’s night though I would be able to learn more about it.

“Our community has been here since a few years after the war. It was an old hospital camp of ponies and zebras working together to try to find any survivors. They didn’t find much but they made this into a community a few years after leaving with who they could.”

I found it strange they came back after so many years just to make a community out of it. There could be a reason for it but I will never understand at all. Maybe I will someday but it’s going to get harder.

I take a deep breath. Breathing the air out of my nose trying to relax. It’s harder to relax since the stars are forcing me in court. We go inside a building that looks like an old guardhouse. Sitting on a chair is a pretty young zebra mare. She is downed in a robe with gold twinning. Skull earrings and staff beside her made of an old dragon tooth.

“Good evening Rose I am Inhliziyo yegolide.”

I tilt my head. Her name is Gold heart? I wonder if there is a reason for this name. Of course, knowing my species there is always a meaning for a name. I just wait to hear what she will say. I am wondering if she will ask for our help.

“I am willing to give you lodging a place you four could make a home out of. No strings attached, just I need to know what that thing is that came with you?”

I look at Ziggy and then Gold heart.

“If you’re talking about our robotic friend. Her name is Maria she calls herself a frozen clock”

Gold Heart leans on the tooth staring at me.

“Frozen clock? There are old stories about such a creature. We had some scouts go into one of the old factory basements and found info on something like that. They couldn’t get any of the info out before they got attacked. Now the door is locked and we won’t allow anyone else down there. But before I even think of letting you down there. You must do what you did in Bubble Gum’s community. Work at the bar with others and so on like you did there.”

I shook my head not caring for this idea. But if it’s the only way to get the others out of that room. I know the others will hate me for agreeing to this. It’s the only way we can do anything and get anywhere.

“Alright, I will tell the others to agree with it. Is that all you wish to know?”

The young mare leans more on the tooth.

“I would like to know what it was like.”

I tilt my head.

“What do you mean?”

The young mare stands on her hooves looking at old paintings of the old world. Paintings of Luna and Celesta.

“You four are from the old world. Could you explain to me what it was like?”

All I could do was smile. The old days weren’t amazing like many feel it was. It was a peaceful time only when some monsters didn’t want to prove themselves. The old world is what the world will always be.

“Is this a demand from a leader to one below them Gold heart?”

She laughs, shaking her head.

“No, this is a request from zebra to zebra.”

I sit down on my haunches and the young mare lays down. I didn’t know how she would handle it. So I explained to her what the past was like. The amazing world that it was and the pain of the world. It’s not a perfect world but no world was ever perfect.