The Sole Survivor's Journeys
Prologue- A Spell Gone Wrong
The sun rise above Ponyville, ponies are out and about doing their own business except for a certain pink party pony that is jumping around the town like no one's business. Despite all of the hustle and bustle of the small town there was one location that was very quiet in its own way, Friendship Castle.
Twilight Sparkle or most ponies would call her now as 'Princess' Twilight Sparkle. She didn't like the fact that most ponies call her a princess, but nevertheless it was the role she was given and she had no choice but to accept her new life. As she's trotting down the hallways of the castle she can't help but feel timid as she trot down the hallways hearing nothing but the echoes of the hooves and her breathing. She went past multiple doors until she found the door she was looking for. She went inside the room that was previously blocking the door to reveal her favourite spot in the castle, the library. Twilight practically beamed at the site of the books that were placed neatly in their respective shelves. With that she let her own body do the job. As Twilight levitated book after book hoping against hope that there was a new book to read, it’s not like she didn't want to read the old books, no, it was far from that.
After scouring almost the whole library Twilight finally gave up the search of finding new books to read. She decided that it was time to clean up her mess, she levitated all of the books and slowly and carefully placed them all back to their respective places. As she was doing so the library doors suddenly slammed open. Twilight was shocked by the loud doors and released her hold on the books. The books the all fell on top of her.
“hey Twilight!” shouted Spike who was coming in through the doors
Spike pause for a second and looked at his surroundings there were books everywhere and on the middle of the library stood a little book hill. Spike scratched his head.
“um… Twi? You in here?” asked the dragon
The hill of books started to rustle and slowly it started to become flat revealing a ruffled mare. “could you at least knock, Spike?”
“hehehe… sorry about that,” said the dragon.
Twilight’s facial expression changed from annoyed to a small smile. “why are you here, Spike?” she asked.
“I was supposed to tell you that the princesses gave me this book,” he said revealing an old ruffled leather book.
Twilight took the book. “why? What is it?” she asked as if it was her first time seeing a book.
“Princess Celestia said that is was a book from Strarswirl the Bearded or something like that,”
Twilight face smiled from ear to ear upon hearing the information that her assistant just revealed. She immediately left Spike without thanking him and made a beeline towards the library’s table, she opened the book to reveal some ancient hoofwriting left by the legendary stallion. Twilight’s widened even more at the sight of the writing. Even though she couldn’t understand anything it said she was still engrossed at the
ancient book. While reading the unreadable book Spike chimed in.
“um, your WELCOME?”
“oh yeah right, thank you, Spike, sorry if I left you hanging there,” Twilight said
“it’s fine. You always go crazy whenever we talk about Starswirl the Bearded”
With Spike accepting Twilight’s apology she immediately continued scanning the book. It was obvious that she couldn’t understand the writing and Celestia knows how old the book was, she was even more marveled by the fact that it was kept under good condition.
“Spike could you get the translation book on the third shelf, fifth tier” she said.
Spike gave Twilight a salute and left her. A few minutes later Spike came back holding the book that Twilight asked. Twilight thanked Spike , took the book and went on with her work. At that same time the door of the castle began knocking.
“that must be our friend Spike could you tend to them for now?” asked Twilight
“whatever you say, Twilight” he said before leaving her.
Spike jogged towards the door of the castle. Upon reaching the door he opened to reveal just as what Twilight said their friends.
“mornin’ Spike,” Applejack said.
“morning Spike” Rainbow Dash said before yawning
“good morning to you, Spike” Rarity said.
“g-good morning, Rarity” the dragon said as he eyed the beautiful mare
“good morning ,Spike” Fluttershy said.
“good morning, Spikey- Wikey!” Pinkie Pie said grabbing Spike “is your morning good because my morning is good. If you morning isn’t good than I’ll have to make it good. Is it good huh? Huh?” she asked inching closer and closer to Spike with each “huh”.
“my morning’s been good, thanks for asking Pinkie. Now could you uh… let me go?”
Pinkie let the baby dragon go letting him fall down his back. As he stood up he heard the short giggles of the girls. He blushed and greeted them all.
“where’s, Twilight?” asked Rainbow.
“she’s in the library reading a new book”
“what book is she reading?” asked Rarity.
“oh nothing important, it’s an old book from Starswirl the Bearded,”
“what? She’s reading another book again? Didn’t she have like multiple of those books already?” Rainbow Dash asked
“yeah, but apparently this book was extra special it was sent by the princesses,”
Spike received a multiple ohs and ahs from the group. “come she’s waiting for us in the library,”
The group headed down the library. Upon arrival they see Twilight who was happily jumping up and down. Spike assumed that she finished translating the book. Twilight saw her friends and stopped jumping giving a slight blush.
“I’m assuming that you finished translating the book?” Spike asked.
“Yes, and you wouldn’t believe the contents of the book,”
“what in the book sugarcube?” asked the farmpony.
Twilight opened the book revealing the writings. “It’s said here that I can channel a spell that could show us the future and past,”
“does it show how more awesome I become in the future?” asked Rainbow.
“I don’t know only one way to find out”
Twilight gave a final glance at the book. After looking one last time she set the book down on the table and began the magic channel. Her horn glowed brightly. As she strained all of her magic she suddenly felt something wrong, she tried to stop the magic flow but she couldn’t. Panic starts to course through she blood as she can’t stop the rising magic. Her friends slowly backed away from showing complete worry in their eyes. Twilight suddenly started screaming as pain enveloped her whole body, it was like she was being cooked alive. Her friends immediately rushed towards her aid as she tried to stop the channel. Spike was about to comfort Twilight but all of a sudden he was knocked back the next thing he felt was the hard impact of the wall then unconsciousness took over him.
Twilight slowly opened her eyes, she noticed that she was lying down the ground, mustering all of her strength she stood up still wobbly from the after effect of wasting all of her magic. She looked around her to see that her friends are with her, she gave a sigh of relief. Within seconds the next pony that came to their senses was Applejack then Flutteshy, Rainbow, Pinkie and lastly Rarity.
“ugh, that’ll leave ya in the ringer” said Applejack.
“I’m so sorry everypony, are you all okay?” asked Twilight.
Twilight received multiple agreements frim her friends.
“where are we?” asked Fluttershy.
Twilight looked around to see several dead trees surrounding them. There was a strange smell in the air.
“I don’t know” said Twilight.
“don’t move,”
Twilight turned to find the owner of the voice. Fortunately found the direction of the voice but the owner of the voice made her feel timid. Her friends turned to the direction to where Twilight was looking at they too felt the same feeling that Twilight had. In front of them stood a creature; it was bipedal, it’s face had a deep scar on its left eye it was pointing some kind of object at them it was bald and lastly right beside him there was a dog twice bigger than Winnona.
“what… are you?” it spoke.
The Sole Survivor's Journeys
I pull the trigger on my laser rifle emptying the contents of the fusion cell on the super mutant; the super mutant gave one last draw for air before finally embracing death. I reloaded my weapon throwing the emptied magazine and replacing it with a new one. Around me are nothing but the usual destruction that I leave in my wake, bodies and bodies of super mutants lie one the ground either in ashes or just dead. I exit the building housing the green abominations. I stopped on the stairs leading to Faneuil Hall; I removed myself from my newly polished T-60e armor, I sat down the stairs then reached down to one of my pockets and took a cigar. Considering that I don’t have a lighter I took my laser pistol, aimed it just enough for the laser to skin the tip of the cigar then pulled the trigger.
As I inhaled the tobacco, the same question that haunted for almost a year now me crossed my mind again: ‘Did I do the right thing?’ I mean I think I did the right thing; I saved the Commonwealth from its greatest enemy and everybody seemed pleased about the results, but there’s something deep inside of me, I can’t explain it I mean if I really did do the right thing I should be happy about it right? But then why do I feel so… alone?
My trains of thoughts were interrupted when something brushed on my left shoulder it felt soft. I turned to the owner of that soft sensation, Dogmeat was brushing his fur on my shoulder, he looked at me and he whimpered. I smiled and pet him.
“I’m fine boy,” I said as I rubbed his head.
Dogmeat started panting normally again, I didn’t noticed at first but Dogmeat actually brought something for me; it was a few stimpaks. I smirked and gave my loyal companion another pet, I saw its tail waggle which made me forget what I was thinking earlier. Using this as an advantage I got up to my feet, dropped the cigarette and stomped on it. I turned the valve of the power armor its back side opening widely enough for only me to fit in, I entered my second house and the ‘door’ closed behind me immediately as soon as I went inside. My HUD started to fire up I checked the status of my armor; everything seems to be fine.
I gave Dogmeat one final glance. “okay boy lets go,” my companion gave a very eager bark.
It’s been two hours since we left Faneuil Hall my current objective was to go back to Sanctuary to get some well-earned rest but it looks like I have to take a detour, remembering that the old route to Sanctuary was destroyed during to Liberty Prime’s march to the Institute. I hate taking the scenic route.
I look at my Pip-boy to check the time: Its 10:47 PM. Looks like I’ll be a tad bit late. I’ll need to look for a place to sleep. It’s been hours since I left the Cambridge Ruins now I’m in the usual Commonwealth forests, and I am very tired. I turned to Dogmeat who was very eager to follow any order as soon as it comes out of my mouth, seeing this as a sign I took advantage of it.
“hey boy can you find any spot where we can camp?”
Dogmeat sniffed around the air for afew moments, a few seconds later he catches a scent and started to follow it, determined to get some rest I used the remaining amount of energy I have and followed Dogmeat. I wasn’t long till we found what Dogmeat was following. I was a small raider camp.
There are two raiders patrolling the camp. Right behind them I could see two beds ready for taking. I pulled out my laser rifle and aimed at one of the raiders’ head and pulled the trigger. The shot rang loudly making the other raider jump in fear and turned to the direction of the shot but unfortunately for him it was too late, I pulled the trigger a second time and the laser beam travelled towards the raider’s head this time unlike his partner his head exploded into a bloody mess of bones and brains.
Lowering my weapon I casually walk towards the camp. I smiled under the power armor as I could see three ammo boxes; fortunately for me it wasn’t locked so as the rule of any post-apocalyptic rule applies: “loot the shit put of anything and everything,”. Inside the ammo boxes were a couple fusion cells, six stimpaks, ten shotgun shells and seven .308 rounds. After finishing my little looting parade I exit my power armor and laid on the bed. Dogmeat didn’t have to be told twice to know that he needs to guard his master.
I opened my eyes the radiated sunlight shining down eyes. I stood up from my bed; stretching hearing my whole body make satisfying popping noises. When the popping stopped I turned to my power armor, good thing it was still there, Dogmeat did a really good job at guarding the pile of metal.
‘speaking of Dogmeat where is he?’
I hear soft audible breathing. I see Dogmeat lying next to the power armor sleeping, I gave a small smile to the dog. Poor thing he must have stayed all night. I pet Dogmeat on the head accidentally waking him up.
“ready to leave?” I asked with a tinge of guild for disturbing him.
Dogmeat stood up on all fours and stretched backwards and giving long tired yawn, then it looked at me with its tongue lulling out and his tail wagging eagerly. I laughed softly at the cute display of the animal. I walked up to my power armor about to reach the valve when suddenly a bright flash of light could be seen nearby. I inched my hand away from the valve, curious as what that light was about I slowly head towards the source of the light. While walking towards the light numerous thoughts start appearing out of my brain like: ‘there’s no way this is happening all over again ‘ or ‘how is this possible?’. Wanting to know some answers I moved myself closer and closer to the designated area. I was soon close enough to hear some voices.
“ugh, that’ll leave ya in the ringer,” said a voice with a southern accent.
“I’m so sorry everypony,”
I gave Dogmeat a questioning look as to what does she mean by everypony, but it seems like Dogmeat is just eager to bite off the necks of the owners of those voices. Another voice chimed in the conversation of the group but it was too quiet for me to hear.
“I don’t know,”
Curiosity finally took over me and I revealed myself to the group of… horses? They were colorful that’s the first thing I see and when I mean colorful I mean COLORFUL I mean one of the horses has a rainbow colored mane! I shook my head to remove all the distractions flowing through my head I finally spoke.
“don’t move”
The purple horse turned to my direction; the more she turned the more I raised my rifle at the group. Upon seeing the horse I could finally see the features it had: I had a black mane with shades of purple, it has some kind horn protruding in between its mane and prove me wrong but those eyes looks like its… intelligent. The rest of the group finally turned their attention to me all of them showing feelings like fear and confusion.
“what… are you?” I asked almost dumbly
The purple horse looked at its fellow kind and stepped forward. “my name is Princess Twilight Sparkle,”
For a second I almost back away. That horse spoke! But I didn’t I stood my ground and asked the same question. “I didn’t ask for your name, I asked what the hell are you?”
“I’m a pony,” she plainly said.
My line of questioning continued. “who are your friends?”
“this is Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash,” all the five ponies gave their own way of greeting.
“who sent you? Where did you come from?” I asked.
“whoa ,whoa one at a time buster,” the orange pony said.
“no answer my question or else!” I said
“or else what?” Rainbow said I took started flapping its wing that I didn’t notice seconds ago. It looks like she’s preparing to attack.
“I wouldn’t do that sweetheart,” I said as I pointed the rifle to one of her wings.
“what are you going to do?”
I pulled the trigger the laser ripped through the pony’s wing. She crashed back down to the ground writhing in pain. The rest of the group immediately approached the downed Pegasus.
“Rainbow! Are you okay?” asked the white mare.
“what did you do to Rainbow?!” asked Applejack.
I pointed the rifle at the group again . “answer my fucking question first!”
“okay, okay we’ll talk!” Twilight said.
I composed myself and asked again. “where did you come from?”
“we came from Equestria,”
“bullshit, where did you really come from!” I said more eager to pull the trigger again.
“were not lying!” Applejack said.
“okay fine! Who do you work for?” I asked.
“no one, we just got here,” Twilight said not showing a tinge of fear.
“how did you get here?”
“I tried to do a spell but then I messed it up,”
Seriously? A spell what is this the medieval centuries. “a spell?” I asked trying to get confirmation on what I was assuming would be magic.
“A spell, you know magic,” she plainly said.
“go on,” I said trying to hold the ever so growing temper resonating inside me.
“I was trying to channel some kind of spell that could make me see the future , but then I messed up so we teleported here,” she explained
At that moment I burst. “Aha! I knew you used teleportation! Where is the Institute!”
“the Institute? What’s the Institute?” Applejack asked
“don’t give me that bullshit! There’s only one group that can use teleportation and that’s the Institute.” I said pointing the gun at the purple one, “I’m not gonna ask again, where. Is. The. Institute?”
“please stop!” a new voice joined
I looked at the owner of the voice she was butter colored with a pink long mane and she had wings like Rainbow. I could see her crying.
“please do something! We’ll explain everything in a moment just… just help Rainbow out! Please!” she begged.
In the moment there was an eerie silence her friends are looking at her with worry in their eyes. I gaze travelled down to the wounded pegasi. Looking at the amount of blood that’s flowing out I’m assuming that I’d just hit an artery. Paranoia finally washed over me then guilt took over but I hid it well. I gave sigh and approached the group. The four ponies gave way to me I looked at the butter colored Pegasus. Fluttershy yeah that was her name. I kneeled down; the Rainbow was holding her precious broken wing. I felt even guiltier at the sight.
The wing had a decent sized hole that was created from my rifle , I could literally see through the other side around the edges of the hole I could see burned feathers and some feathers are even smoking. I never really wanted this to happen to her. I thought the effect was the same; it would hit the target it would just leave a burn mark but not a hole. I took out one of the stimpaks and let it lay on my palm for a few seconds. I took a deep breath and hoping it would work, I injected the chemicals inside Rainbow’s body. I smiled at the sight of the drug taking into effect. I could see the hole slowly disappearing. After a few seconds the hold was fixed and I could see blue feathers quickly replacing the burned ones. Considering that my job was done I stood up and stepped back from the group. Rainbow opened her eyes noticing that the pain had finally disappeared. Rainbow looked at her wing to see that it was good at new her face showed relief and anger.
Rainbow looked at me to what I could only assume as her glaring blunted daggers at me. Her friends finally crowded the mare very happy of her recovery.
“Steven,” I said
“huh?” asked Twilight.
“name’s Steven. Steven Anderson.”
“t-thank you Steven,” said Twilight
“now. It’s time that you answer my questions,” I said.