Vault Dweller's fate

by Viperthepony

Rating: teen
Tags: Adventure, Princess Celestia, Crossover, Human, Main 6, Gore, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Other, Princess Luna, Cutie Mark Crusaders
Length: 4509

After leaving Vault 13 forever Vault Dweller wanders mysteriously to the lands of Equestria.

Inspirated from 'Wayward Courier' by Tony1685

The master was defeated and the super mutant army was gone. I returned to my dear Vault 13, but the overseer refused me to get in. After the night, i found myself someplace, where the trees had green color, air was fresh and there was peaceful civilization; except it was ponies.

Published 2012-07-02 19:54:11 UTC
Last updated 2012-08-13 20:53:46 UTC

Monster!

Damn, it has been a long time since I had my beauty sleep. After I left Vault 13, I thought I'd never get some, but they seemed to come back. What happened yesterday? Well, I got kicked out from that Vault cause the overseer said that I was 'changed,' or something like that. Whatever the reason, I continued to stay close to it, hoping to return.

But now, I wasn't there anymore. I used to sleep in a rundown, abandoned house. Now, I was standing in the middle of some small arc; and you wouldn't believe it, but the trees were full of leaves. I stood up and took a closer look, and the trees had apples hanging from their branches. I grabbed one and took a bite. It was fresh and juicy; best of all it didn't have any rads in it. I smiled, but then started to think about what I'd do. I was in the middle of nowhere; it would be impossible for me to find my way back to Southern California.

Then I was startled when I heard someone's footsteps echoing nearby. Immediately, I grabbed my 10mm pistol and pointed to the barrel at the source of the sound. When the creature stepped out from the shadows, it didn't appear to be hostile. I sheated my pistol and took a closer look to the creature.

It looked like a baby horse, but it was too small to be even that. It had a light-yellow coat and light-red mane; and strangely enough, it had a large pink ribbon in its mane. After it saw me, it started to back away, staring me like I had the first time I saw the super mutants.

"M-monster!" It screamed and ran away.

Okay, this was strange. It'd just talked. I mean she; she had a voice of a little girl. Regardless of her gender, I quickly ran towards her. If she would yell to the others of her kind that I'm a monster, they all would immediately become hostile towards me.

Applebloom ran fast as her hooves could carry her. She had never seen any kind of monster like that. It was walking on 2 hooves and was wearing so many clothes, and that metal thing that it pointed at her... She couldn't even think about what it would do. She needed get to her big sister to tell her about it. She turned her head and saw that it was running towards her. Applebloom increased her speed, making sure that she would get to safety before it could capture her. As she ran to the left side of the barn, she crashed into her sister.

"Watch it there, Applebloom. Ya'll look like yer tail's on fire." Applejack said.

"Applejack! There's a big scary monster just around that corner." Applebloom cried.

Applejack took a careful look and saw it running towards towards them. Applejack readied her hooves to give it a big kick on its chest.

I saw her disappear behind the barn. Oddly enough, the barn wasn't abandoned or destroyed. It was just a normal barn. I wondered how this species has avoided the Great War. Anyways, I walked around the corner, and-

THUMP!

I went flying back a few meters before I impacted the ground. The pain in my stomach was horrifying. It was same as getting hit with a sledgehammer. I tried to stand up, but the pain made me stay on the ground. Luckily no crippling limbs this time. The one who kicked me put its front legs on my chest and stared into my eyes.

It was another horse (I still don't think that "horse" is the right word, their heads are too big) and it was wearing a cowboy hat! It had a yellow mane and an orange coat; and like the first one, she was feminine. I wonder where all the males are? Or better yet, any humans?

"Did ya tried to take mah little sister?" She asked me. Now was my a chance to speak to someone.

"First of all, I wasn't trying to do that and second, i-"

"So ya can speak after all! Who are ya and what are ya doing here?"

"I could ask the same about you, too."

It was an awkward silence between us, but when I tried to speak first, she started talking.

"Applebloom. Get back inside the house." She said to her sister who willingly went inside the house near the barn.

"And as for ya ah gotta bring ya to Twilight Sparkle." She said, offering her front leg which I used to pull myself up. After that, she demanded that I follow her, and I did. I wouldn't want to make her angry at me, 'cause no one else would listen to me.

After a moment of walking, my stomach started hurt again. The mare looked at me as I struggled along while attempting to ease the pain.

"Hope ah didn't broke any of ya'll limbs" She said awkwardly.

"No, it's not that. Hurts a lot, though."

"A'hm sorry, mister. Mah sister said you're a monster and well ah had to protect the little fella." While she was saying this, I took a Stimpak to heal my wounds.

"What the hay is that?!" She asked, really confused.

"Relax. This is Stimpak and to tell it simple; it heals the wounds."

"Ok.........so, what are ya?"

"I'm human. Haven't seen any other humans? Cause you sure seem to talk like us."

"Nope. A'hm Applejack, by the way." She said and offered a hoof. I grabbed to it and she shook it.

"So what's yer name?" She asked after she let go of my hand.

"Vault Dweller, Wanderer, just pick which one you'll use." I informed her.

"That ain't a real name for anypony." She replied.

So they're ponies. But that's great; the entire land must be full of ponies.

"But that is your choice; either call me Vault Dweller or Wanderer." I said to her.

"Ah choose Wanderer." Applejack smiled. I smiled too.

We arrived to the edge of a little town. When I entered the town, it kinda reminded me of Necropolis: 'The City of the Dead', except not every building was broken. I wondered where everybody was, but, then again, I couldn't care less. I wanted information, not friends.

"Ah hope ya don't bring a trouble here. Everypony seems to scare ya already." Applejack stated.

"Don't worry. I'll prove them, that i'm not a threath. But you said something about a pony called Twilight."

"Ah yes! She would love to know more about ya. Follow mah trail." she started to walk a little faster and i followed her.

A few buildings later we came to a house, that was a tree. I'm not kidding. The treehouse. I felt little uneasy, but i stepped toward the door.

How it started...

I opened the door and looked inside. It was an ordinary library, a bed next to a window and a violet-coated pony, with sapphire-blue mane with violet & rose streaks and with a horn on her head reading a book. A horn? I couldn't really believe myself. She saw me and quickly gasped. Applejack came inside.

"Twilight, let me introduce ya to-" Applejack managed to say, before she and Twilight disappeared like a flash. I confused and started to look, if they were inside hiding or something.

Twilight & Applejack were teleported back to her house. Applejack was going to protest, but Twilight quickly shove her hoof on her mouth.

"Shh! Be quiet! If that thing is going to find us, who knows what-in-the-name-of-Celestia would happen." Twilight whispered to Applejack, but she pulled Twilight's hoof from her mouth.

"Ya just listen to me now! He isn't dangerous and we must introduce him. Ya were right from Zecora first time, so why not from him?." Applejack growled.

"Because he isn't a pony." Twilight stated.

"Twilight, come on! He's not so different from other good fellows, who aren't ponies." Applejack begged from her.

Twilight knew, that Applejack wasn't the best liar on Equestria and she could see the truth coming from her lips. She sighed.

"Alright then, Applejack. Let's see, if we can trust to him." Twilight said and they both teleported back to see him standing there, more confused.

"Where were you? I just saw you two disappearing and now you're back. Did you use Stealth Boy to sneak away? To leave me alone?" I asked from them. They both looked at me confused.

"No, of course not. It just happened, that Applejack said you're no harm to anypony. Is she correct?" Twilight asked.

I dropped my head. Yes, i wouldn't start to shoot ponies, but any other from California would do that for the meat.

"To tell the truth, no." Twilight looked back to Applejack. "But, i'm not one of my race, who would do that for you." Twilight got interested.

"And why not?"

"You see, the world where i come from is full of death and pain. The resources of food and water is low and there's a rare change to find fresh samples. If one of that world's human would ever step to here, he would had turned you to his meat." I told and i could see shivers on Twilight.

"So, how did you survive from all that and appeared to here?"

"That's a long story, but i will try to put it to short." I said, clearing my troath.

"Before my excistence, there happened the Great War. I know little about the War, but it doesn't really matter. A lot of people died when a lot of atomic bombs went off and nearly destroyed the world. If you don't know what an atomic bomb is, then imagine the worst thing possible. Atomic bombs were worse than that." I could see, how Twilight & Applejack were thinking what would be atomic bomb.

"Yet, before the War, the government paid to have these huge holes dug in mountains and huts of metal and stone built underground. There were many Vaults. Some were close to cities, and some far away. These Vaults were to be used as safe places in case of atomic war. As you may guess, when the War came my ancestors made it to a Vault. Vault 13 to be specific.

For several generations, mine ancestors lived within the Vault. As best as they could figure, it was too dangerous to try and leave the Vault. They grew their own food, recycled their waste, read, worked, slept, had families, and even purified the necessary water within the Vault. I was born in the creche, and was raised by the community. It was a good life, but all good things come to an end. About three generations after the War, the water-purification chip the Vault relied on to create the fresh water broke down. All the spare parts were missing or busted, and without the water-chip the Vault was doomed. Something had to be done.

The Overseer gathered the healthy of us between a certain age and made us draw straws. Guess what? I drew the short one. Wouldn't be much of story if I didn't, would it?

I left the Vault the next day."

"Just wait a darn minute. What the hay is an 'Overseer'?" Applejack asked.

"Overseer is the one, that plays a role as a mayor inside the Vaults." I answered.

"Ah. That name was just real odd." (I would say same from the ponies names.)

"My first few days were harrowing to say the least. I fought off some giant mutant rats that were more interested in eating me than they should have been.

My only clue was the location of another Vault, number 15. I spent a couple of days stumbling through the desert before I came upon a small settlement. I stopped there for help, and encountered the little town called Shady Sands. I helped them, and they helped me. Understand that survival requires that you work together, even with people you may not trust. I did earn the trust, however, of two prominent citizens of Shady Sands - Tandi, and her father, Aradesh.

With their knowledge, and the help of a man called Ian, I continued on my way to Vault 15. The ruins of Vault 15, to be more specific. Ravaged by the elements, scavengers, and time itself, Vault 15 was no help for my people. The control room that contained their water-chip was buried under tons of fallen rock, and I had to move on."

"So, you couldn't get along with everyone?" Twilight asked.

"No, it depends from the person. But the rule is that you help another, they help too." I said to her.

"So, I found myself in Junktown. It was here that I learned the most important rule of all: doing a good thing sometimes means being a very bad person. My memories of Junktown are tainted, and I feel no remorse for my actions in that place. It was there that I came across a dog, who adopted me and was my faithful friend from there on. I miss Dogmeat to this day.

While Junktown was a city of traders (and traitors), it did not have a water-chip. I was not desperate yet, as there was still time for me to recover the chip and return to my home, but I needed to move on. Fortunately, they pointed me in the direction of the Hub, the largest city in the wasteland.

The Hub was a larger city than both Junktown and Shady Sands combined. You could drop the Vault in there, and you probably would not notice. But the people of the Hub had no life, and it was a desolate place just the same. It eased my mind, however, to hire some merchants to bring water to the Vault. Looking back, it was probably a mistake to do so, but I was still innocent of the evils that lurked through the ruins of civilization. A small clue led me to the city of the ghouls, the place they called Necropolis. It was there that I encountered large mutants, armed with weapons of an unknown origin. It is with heavy sadness that I say that Ian lost his life in the city of the dead. A super mutant burned him to death with a flamethrower. The passage of time is no proof against the memory of burning flesh. His sacrifice was not in vain, as I did find the water-chip buried beneath the city. It was with easier steps that I returned to Vault 13."

"Y-yer friend got burned?" Applejack stuttered.

"Yeah. It was not the best moments of my life, but life still goes on and i had a mission to do."

"But wait! What's a ghoul?" Twilight asked.

"Let too much radiation to your body and there you go."

"But that doesn't help anything to describe it."

"Well, it looks like me, except it's skin is very burned and teared off and after a weeks, it's a monster against everyone else but their kind." i said. That was a mistake, cause Twilight frightened from idea to get that radiation to her body.

"While the Overseer was obviously happy to see me returned to the Vault, alive and with the necessary water-chip, he was distrought at my description of the super mutants. It is here that I realized the mistake I had made with the water-merchants. I had pointed them, and others, in the direction of our home. Without the protection of anonymity, the Vault could easily have been destroyed. The knowledge of the fate of Vault 15 did not help. The Overseer tasked me with a new mission. Find and destroy the danger of the super mutants. Once again, I left the Vault. This time, it was easier on my heart. Looking back now, I realize it was also the first time I should have seen the true hearts of the other vault dwellers and the Overseer.

I returned to the Hub, looking for clues. Some time was spent there, and I discovered a shady underworld amongst the hustle and bustle of that large city. They thought they could manipulate me, but I proved them wrong and used the crooks instead. I did rescue a young man who belonged to the Brotherhood of Steel. A few trouble-makers tried to stop me, but I learned much about survival since leaving the Vault.

It was in my best interest to leave town for a while. I journeyed to this Brotherhood. Thinking they would have the knowledge I sought, I tried to join them. They required me to go on a quest before they would let me in. Thinking it would be a short and easy quest, I agreed and set off for the place they called the Glow. The horror of atomic war was never so obvious to me until then. The Brotherhood was surprised to see me, and even more surprised to see that I had not only survived their quest, but succeeded. They gave me the information I required and some of their technology, and I set off in search of the Boneyard. On my way, I took a detour and stopped by Necropolis in order to see some old friends. Unfortunately, that place was now truly the city of the dead. All the ghouls had been slaughtered. Large mutants roamed the streets. I found one survivor who told me that the mutants had attacked shortly after I had left. Before he died, the ghoul told me that the mutants were looking for pure strain humans, and one in particular. The ghoul's description of the mutants' special target fit me perfectly. It was with a heavy heart and a cold burning on my soul that I continued on to Boneyard."

"How could anyone kill somepony? That's horrifying!" Twilight shouted and was close to tears.

"Twilight. It's not your world. It's my world and i promise, that this won't happen to you." I tried to cheer her up and it worked a little.

"The city of Los Angeles must have been the largest in the world before the War. The LA Boneyard stretched forever, the skeletons of buildings lying under the hot sun. Not even the wind entered this dead city.

I found many enemies, and a few friends, in the Boneyard. I killed when necessary and learned more about the nature of my true foes. Deep under the ground, I found an evil that was behind the mutants and their army. Within a dark and forbidding Vault, where the walls dripped with human flesh, and the screaming of dying echoed through the halls, I found many evil creatures and mutants.

Walking among the misshapen ones, I killed one of their servants and took his clothing. Hidden from casual searches, I made my way to the bottom of the Vault. The deeper into the Vault I went, the more gruesome the journey. More and more flesh was to be found, integrated into the very walls. The worst part of it was that the flesh was still alive, and even aware of my presence.

After a while, I found myself in the presence of the most hideous sight yet. I still cannot bring myself to write of this discovery, but let it be known that when I left, the Beast was dead and the Master of the mutant army was no more."

"That must have been disgusting sight to see." Applejack said.

"Yeah, but back there, i didn't have choice to watch that abomanation. I destroyed him, before his plans could succeed."

"My job was still not finished, for I still had one task remaining. The Master had literally built his army one mutant at a time. Humans, preferably with little radiation damage, were to be captured and sent to the Vats. There they were dipped in something called FEV, which transformed them into the large, grotesque mutants.

I had to find these Vats, and put them out of action as well, lest another take the Master's place and continue to build the mutant army. Fortunately, my friends at the Brotherhood had a few clues, and helped me reach my goal. Invading the Vats, I came across more mutants and robots. None could stand in my way. I had a mission. I had a goal. I had a really large gun. It was here that Dogmeat fell, a victim of a powerful energy forcefield. I miss that dog. I destroyed the Vats that day, and with it, the mutant army. The last I heard, they splintered and disappeared into the desert."

"Ah have a dog too called Wiona. It must be sad to lose someone so close to ya." Applejack said.

"Yeah, but i had done it. I did the right thing. I killed them, who would have killed us or turned us to them." I replied.

"I was not treated to a hero's welcome when I returned to Vault 13. The Overseer met me outside the massive Vault door, and told me point blank that while my services to the Vault will always be remembered, he could no longer trust me or what I had become. He said something along the lines that I had saved the Vault, and now I must leave. Bastard.

So, I left.

That is my story, and I am sticking to it."

"That was very heartwarming thing. You saved your kinds from mutation." Twilight cheered me.

"I did it and that's why i have all my weapons here." I stated.

"Weapons?" Twilight got nervous.

Getting to know the mane six

10mm pistol. Always useful for tiny insects and animals. Minigun, the best weapon for a mass raid. Super sledge, fly farther than from the sledgehammer and hurts as more. And finally, The Power fist, powered by small energy cells, it gives a good shock to my hostiles. Twilight and Applejack gasped, when i demonstrated, how the gun works. I really didn't guess, that one bullet would do a hole size of my head, when i shot on the wall.

"Listen, mister...." Twilight said, but of course, i didn't introduce myself to her.

"Vault Dweller or Wanderer." I said.

"True name."

"Twilight, everyone keeps saying me from both of those titles, so i really don't have a true name."

"Oh. Well, Vault Dweller, i'm afraid i must take your weapons away. They're far too dangerous at here and besides, we never need to use something like that. We solve the problems using our words, not these." she said and grabbed the weapons with somekind of mist flying around them, levitating them to a safe. She locked it, which seems to be an avergarge lock, so i would have some challenge to unlock and retrieve my weapons.

"How do you do that?" I asked.

"What?" Twilight was confused.

"That...levitation thing."

"It's just a normal magic spell."

"Magic?"

"You don't know what is magic? Magic is our unicorns power to peform spells, like the levitation or teleportation, which i used and not a some stealth boy. What is even a stealth boy?" Twilight asked.

"The RobCo Stealth Boy 3001 is a personal stealth device worn on one's wrist. It , makes a person much harder to notice but not completely invisible." i explained.

"That's some fancy stuff ya got there, but the weapons must stay, for our safety. If ya don't mind, ah go back to the farm. Darn apples can't be sold, if there's nopony to sell them." Applejack said and left the unicorn and human alone.

"So, what about you, Twilight? Would you mind to tell me something about this town?" I asked.

"Well, as far you know my friend, Applejack, i have too Rarity, Rainbowdash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Spike." she answered.

"Spike? Sound's like a dogs name."

"Sorry, but he's a dragon."

"A dragon?"

"Never heard of dragons? Scaly, fire-breathing animals, which are the one dangerous species in Equestria?"

"Nope. The only dangerous thing in my world is Deathclaw. Everyone scares the name for a reason."

"I see." Twilight rolled her eyes. "So, about my friends, there's an unicorn Rarity. Almost like me, but she's more interested in fashion than knowledge. Then there's Pinkie Pie. She runs a shop called Sucarcube corner, where she bakes delicious treats for all of us."

"How many bottlecaps does one treat pays?" i asked, as my stomach started to feel empty.

"Bottlecaps? We don't use that kind of currency. We use real gold pieces called bits." Twilight show one shiny coin in front of me.

"So, there's two pegasusses, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. Rainbow Dash's mane is by her name, rainbow and she's boasting herself often from things she has done. Fluttershy is the kindest pony here in Equestria and wouldn't even hurt a fly."

"And that's my friends here at Ponyville." Twilight finished.

"Is there change to meet this friends of yours?" I asked from curiosity, to see what they were.

"I think it's possible, but they never had seen you, so they would be a bit jumpy or worse, aggressive towards you."

"I don't really care. You and Applejack learned to trust you. Why wouldn't they do the same?"

"You got the point. Let's then get going." Twilight said, opened the door and we both stepped outside from the library.

I stepped outside to see this world. I was really having strange emotions, not anymore this pure fear or hatred, but something calm and relaxing. Was it because I am going to lose my mind or is this really a place for me to live my whole lifetime? Either way, i decided to follow Twilight Sparkle, as my stomach screamed for food.

The town was empty, like many other at Wasteland, but here, they were really haunting me.

"Umm, Twilight, you happen to know about the residents of this........?"

"Ponyville, you mean? Yes, i know many of us, like me, weren't so nice for strange creatures like you....."

"I'll take that as a compliment...."

"Right, so here, this is Sugarcube Corner!" Twilight pointed her hoof on the strange building. I sighed and stepped inside, only to be scared by a pink pony.

"HI THERE, FELLAW!!" She shouted to me.

"What the?"

"???"

What happened was that both of us were staring each other, eye-to-eye. Me, because of her sudden appearance, she, well, because she saw me. Pink pony walked next to Twilight.

"Twilight, how come you keep dragging here strange creatures?" she said.

"Ahem......this is Lone Wanderer, Pinkie Pie. Lone Wanderer, this is Pinkie Pie." Twilight introduced us.

I looked at Pinkie Pie, who was almost smiling all the time. I couldn't help but smile myself too. I offered my hand. She startled a little, before she decided to shake my hand.

"Friend?" I asked.

"Friend! This deserves a biiig Parteeh!" She shouted like she wouldn't know what's indoor volume. My stomach was now hurting from hunger.

"I hope it's big enough for me....."