Fallout Equestria: Alice's Adventures in the Wastelands

Chapters

Prologue
Chapter One: Enter the Hatter
Chapter Two: Leaving the Rabbit Hole
Chapter Three: Alice's First Adventure in the Wasteland

Prologue

I sat at my station in the maintenance stall. I was working on a Pipbuck some genius had fried and dropped on my desk to fix. Gods, I was bored to tears. Even the music coming from my Pipbuck did nothing to ease the painful boredom.

Piper still wouldn’t be here for quite awhile. He was pining over his gorgeous newborn filly. As a new parent the overmare has given him a break to come in late, so of course he took every spare moment he could with his wife and foal.

The screen on my terminal kicked on, it was a message from Fox Charm.

“Sissy, I’m sorry to bother you, but my door is on the frits. It won't open at all and it keeps making a grinding noise. It’s kind of an emergency, I really need to use the little filly’s room. So can you please try and hurry?”

A heavy sigh left my muzzle. This was the everyday life of the head maintenance pony. Broken Pipbucks and stuck doors. Oh the joys, ahh, sarcasm.. Gotta love it. The only enjoyment I get during the day is torturing my sister and being a sarcastic trouble maker.

I stretched yawning lazily as I stood up from my desk. Grabbing my maintenance bags, I trotted towards my sister’s stall. She could wait a few minutes, all the door needed was probably a bit of oil. Fox Charm was horrible at maintaining her machinery.

Turning a corner, I walked into my parent’s stable. My father, the stallion who found harmless things like my sister getting stuck in a stall absolutely hilarious. I kind of shared his sense of humor as a snicker left my muzzle. I walked to her stall door giving a quick inspection and laughed, I couldn’t help it.

I was right, her door gears just needed a dose of lubricant. “Hold on lil sis, I’ll have ya free in no time.” I snickered wrapping my magic around the oil can, I emptied the contents into the corners of the door and down each side. The door slid open with a mechanical hiss, as an older pegasus filly with a snow white coat and silver mane and tail raced by urgent to get to the restroom.

The pegasus filly walked back out of the restroom with a relieved sigh. Suddenly the lights dimmed and the red emergency lights began flashing. This was all followed by the overmare’s voice on the stable speakers.

“Everypony please listen to me, the main stable door has been breached by invaders. I know many of you do not know how to fight or fire a gun… I am so sorry everypony, I failed you.”

Shocked, I stood in place. The loud crack of gunshots followed by panicked screams broke me from my stupor. I glanced to the terrified white filly that was my sister. My father fled out into the hallway to protect us only to be riddled with bullets.

I watched as a pony clad in spiked armor carrying a revolver clenched in his jaws, he stepped into the stall door a wicked grin spread over the grungy stallion’s face. His cutie mark a severed head on a stick. “Well looky here, a couple ripe pretty fillies, and at that they’re a unicorn and a pegasus.” He leered looking at Fox Charm who had moved to cower behind me. “Ya two’ll make a fair price ta the slavers.” He laughed as I lowered my self protectively in front of Charm.

Suddenly my mother raced into the room and I watched in horror as the raider buck struck her across the face knocking her to the ground. He aimed the muzzle of his revolver at her firing once, and I watched the life drain from her body and pool around her, “Stupid bitch. I was gonna let you live too,” He scoffed.

I heard the feral angry scream before I realized it come from me. Tears stung at my eyes as I charged at the buck. I was aiming to run him through with my horn, but he scoffed biting the trigger of his gun I heard the shot before I felt searing pain in my shoulder. “I guess I’ll just be takin’ the little pegasus filly, then.” He burst into raucous laughter as he walked over grabbing Fox Charm by her beautiful silver mane and drags her out the door kicking and screaming. “Sister, no! Let me go you bastard! Sister, hang on, you’ll be okay, I promise. Sister!” She screamed, her voice was muffled and felt far away.

My vision blurred as I looked down to the pool of blood forming around me. I wondered when I had hit the floor. I couldn’t quite grasp the answer as the world faded to black.

Author's Note

Alice - Thank you to everyone who inspired my story. And thanks to AdmiralPopeye'sBeard for being such an amazing help with getting everything. Without him typing, proofreading, and posting, this story wouldn't be possible. I hope you all enjoyed reading, please feel free to comment and join us for the next chapter!

Rebel - Yeah, what she said! Upvote, comment, downvote. Whatever y'all wish! Though if ya decide to downvote for whatever reason, please leave a extensive comment telling us why, criticism is appreciated. Also along those lines, please point out any typos and such I might've missed. Thanks!

Chapter One: Enter the Hatter

The last thing I remembered was the searing pain, as it punched a hole through my maintenance barding and shoulder. Then as everything faded away into a deep black fog, all I could hear was the sounds of gunfire and screams. So this is what it felt like to die.. Those Celestia damned bastards! They invaded my home, killed my family and took my sister away. How in the hell had they even gotten into the stable to begin with? The stable door was still supposed to be sealed shut!

When I awoke, I found my eyes impossibly hard to open. It was like they just wanted to stay closed, drift off back into the sweet embrace of Luna’s dream world. There was also a horrible throbbing pain in my shoulder. A groan of pain left my lips. The sterile smell of medical cleaning products also told me I wasn’t in my parent’s stall where I had fallen. I was also laying on a soft bed, a cover pulled over me to keep me warm apparently.

I still had yet to open my eyes as the sounds of some pony moving nearby urged me to open my eyes. Finally I willed my eyes to open, and found myself exactly where I had guessed. I was laying on a bed in the stables medical clinic. Though now the walls and floor were covered in gruesome bloody mess of a nightmare.

There were many unidentifiable bodies strewn in gore filled bloody messes all over the floor. A security pony lay on top of a headless intruder whose head was now a bloody mess, painting the medical clinic window with bits of pink flesh, as a bone splinter had lodged in the pillow of an empty medical bed.

There was something wrong with me, right? I had just seen my family slaughtered, and my little sister drug away by her mane. I should be freaking out, right? But that's the problem. I wasn’t.. I was completely calm.

'Okay, enough lying around, I need to get up and look for survivors as well as who ever moved me in here.' Attempting to sit up brought a nauseating wave of pain to my shoulder. I groaned aloud this time as I forced myself to sit up on the bed. I looked down seeing the magic laced healing bandages, wrapped around my chest and shoulder.

I didn’t have time to think about who had bandaged me, as the sound of closing box came from the adjacent room.

The sound of approaching hooves made me bolt out of the bed, a spike of fear causing my heart to race. Now of all times I had to get scared? Ignoring the pain in my shoulder, I began to search for something to defend myself with.

The only thing I could find was a medical scalpel nearby. Quickly I wrapped the scalpel in my magic. I pulled it close hovering the sharp pointy object beside my face. I swallowed nervously as I backed my rump up against a row of medical lockers.

My panic was greeted by the gruff voice of the stallion that was approaching. “Kid, I don’t suggest threatening the stranger that saved your ass,” warned the strange stallion in some kind of armor, leather duster and top hat. Interesting. That was the only word I could conjure to describe the buck.

He had clearly tended to my wounds and then set to looting the medical clinic’s supplies. Great, the jack ass who saved me was a damned thief! “Why did you save me? You’re one of them! Why not do to me what your buddies did to my mother?!” I spat angrily at the buck.

Calmly the armored buck with the top hat and piercing green eyes trotted over to me. He was staring at my shoulder, where it had been bandaged. It finally dawned on me how skillfully the bandages had been wrapped.

“What makes you think I’m a raider?” He asked me simply, the tone of his voice flat, almost bored.

I stood staring at him. He had a point. I had been shot when I was in my parents stall.

"Did you carry me in here?” I asked as the thought dawned in my head. “I was in my parent’s stall, I thought I was dead..” I spoke to the strange buck staring at me. It was clear now from his sophisticated armor, he wasn’t one of those bastards he had called a raider.

Looking at the buck, his armor was scaled to be almost a second skin. He was actually rather handsome. His coat under the armor was clearly nice fitting gun metal grey, a scar ran over the right side of his face. He wore a short stack top hat over his forehead, clearly covering a horn. The buck was a unicorn, how interesting. That would explain how he had moved me.

Over his armor he wore a brown leather duster, with a large scoped hunting revolver slung in a holster under the duster. Well now wielding the tiny scalpel seemed completely stupid.

“Kid, put down the scalpel before you do something stupid.” Was all the buck said to me.

I blinked, my ears burning with embarrassment as I realized I was still holding the scalpel next to me aiming it at the clearly better armed buck. With a flick of my strawberry blonde tail, my magic around the scalpel dissipated and it clattered to the floor with a metallic twang.

“Sorry,” I quickly apologized to the buck. “H..How did you know I was still alive?” I dared to ask the buck though slightly reluctantly. I wasn’t quite sure I really wanted to know, but I had asked anyway. “Why did you help me?” I asked the buck. I actually did want to know why he hadn’t left me to die.

“Maybe just a whim.” Was the only unsatisfying response he boredly gave in a gruff voice. I was beginning to see conversation wasn’t going to be big with this buck.

That answer wasn’t exactly reassuring either. “In any case, thank you.” I stopped for a moment. Fox Charm, my sister, I had to find her. They had taken her. “I have a favor, if I may ask it.” I spoke carefully choosing my words. He was clearly my best hope of finding Fox Charm, I rationalized it with the fact that he knew the outside and I didn’t.

“I pretty sure I don’t owe you any favors, kid.” He responded moving to a locked medical cabinet a screwdriver and bobby pin floated from his packs wrapped in his magic.

I watched as the buck skillfully, and near instantly pop the lock. It was then I knew how I could get him to help. I liked being nosy, and being constantly stuck as head maintenance pony really gave me that chance to do so with permission. “I have the code to the pony’s office, and the code to the Overmare’s office. You want everything of value and substance in this stable, right? I’ll give you both.”

I paused watching the buck’s reaction. His only acknowledgement that I was speaking to him was a single gun metal grey ear he had turned towards me. “If you agree to help me find my sister, I’ll be your personal key for the entire stable.” I finished and took a cautious step toward the buck.

The buck snorted and gave a flick of his black and red striped tail. “Tempting. We get the loot first, then we’ll see." He looked at me with those piercing green eyes that despite the gruffness of his voice held strange amount of warmth.

“My name is Alice Rose.” I spoke sweetly to the buck as I introduced myself to the buck who had clearly saved my life.

Approaching me slowly the buck stopped nearly muzzle to muzzle with me. “Move it or lead the way to the closet promised loot.” He stated simply looking me dead in the eyes.

Remembering the Eyes Forward Sparkle function of my pipbuck, I pulled it up checking for red blips. Red was aggressive, which meant attack first ask questions later. The way to the maintenance stall was clear, no enemies to be seen, close by anyway.

“We are closest to the maintenance stalls, that’s where I worked so we get in no problem.” I explained swiftly with a rather proud smile. Turning out of the medical clinic, I walked swiftly towards the maintenance stalls leading the strange buck, who had saved my life, through my now gore and body strewn home.

As we neared the maintenance stall door, I saw the headless body of one of the invading raider ponies. His head and bits of pink and gray brains were splattered over the steel door like a gory new paint job. As we stood there for a moment, a bit of the raiders face slid to the floor with a wet plop.

I heard a snicker from behind me. Was this his work? Was he really getting some weird humor out of the gory mess he had created? I glanced behind me at the buck in the top hat.

“I love what you’ve done with the place.” The buck commented snarkily as I looked at him. At least he had a sense of humor, albeit a strange one, but one nonetheless. And indeed he did find this rather amusing.

The buck had a small smirk on his muzzle, I glanced to his eyes. They were now covered by a pair of dark mirrored sunglasses.

“So what can I call you then, chuckles?” I asked playfully, daring to tease the buck even just a little. No reason to stay tense around the buck who had saved my life.

Cocking an eyebrow the buck grunted, “Chuckles?” He questioned, his voice even gruffer than before. “Name’s Hatter.” He grinned beaming proudly as he straightened a bit.

I couldn’t stifle the small giggle that escaped my muzzle at his reaction to my nickname. I found it completely funny that he just kinda stood there and stared at me. “Alright Hatter, let’s go get you the first bit of your promised reward.” I said scooting the headless body away from the door with my back hoof, as I raised my pipbuck to unlock the stall door.

I opened the door and bit my lower lip as I spotted Piper the pale blue buck who had been my partner for near two years. He was huddled in front of his desk in a pool of his own blood, a single bullet wound through the chest of his maintenance barding. The drying dark edges of the pool of blood told me he had been hit by the shot from a raider and had locked himself in here to die. “Oh Piper.. I’m so sorry.” I breathed softly as I approached his body seeing the recording device clutched in his hooves.

The pale blue buck’s body had fallen to rest against his own desk. At least he had gotten to pass in his second home. I sniffled softly, the buck had been like the brother I never had. “You just had your foal last night.” I spoke softly and endearingly to the dead buck as my voice cracked.

I leaned down nuzzling the fallen buck sadly. He didn’t deserve to die like this. He had always been such a fun loving, and gentle buck.

After saying my goodbye to Piper, I trotted to my desk and retrieved my ring of maintenance keys in my mouth, I shook my head jingling them. I wrapped them in my magic with a grin.

“Being the head maintenance mare has its perks, you know.” I purred playfully, throwing a wink at Hatter. He grunted unamused as I walked around my desk floating the keys in my magic, I passed them to him as he wrapped them in his own grey colored magic. He was free to loot as he pleased. Those keys would open any lock except the Overmare’s office.

“Just leave me the pipbuck maintenance and repair kit please, everything else is fair game. Just remember I’m going with you, so I’ll need supplies too.” I had every intention of going with Hatter whether he liked it or not. At least until I found Fox Charm anyway.

I quickly moved to my work packs hanging on the wall, and lifting them in my magic I dumped the current contents on the floor. ‘No use for most of it, best to make room,’ I thought to myself as I magically picked out my screwdriver and collection of bobby pins. I moved to the pipbuck maintenance cabinet and opened it. I took the pipbuck maintenance and repair kit, as well as the contents of several medical kits. Never know when you’re gonna need some Radaway or a healing potion.

Hatter watched me put my bobby pins and other items in my packs. He cocked an eyebrow at my lockpick equipment. I flashed him a playfully confident smile. “Ponies here had a bad habit of losing their keys, and always using my keys got boring. So I learned to pick locks. Not that the Overmare was very happy about that.” I was just trying to talk a little. I didn’t like quiet. It was so.. well, quiet.

I moved to the wall next to my desk where I kept the picture of my little sister. I gently removed it with my magic, it was a picture of Fox Charm the day she got her cutiemark. I stowed it safely away in my packs.

Levitating my packs into place over my maintenance barding, I tightened the straps and headed for the door. I looked at Hatter and offered a cheerful smile. “Ready to go?” I asked looking at the raider splattered over the floor. His weapon was a sawed-off shotgun. I levitated it up in my magic and broke it open. It wasn’t in very good condition, but I realized the raider never had a chance to fire it before Hatter had summarily splattered his face on the wall.

“At least you don’t have a problem looting the dead.” I heard Hatter grunt as he came up behind me.

“They aren’t using it any more, now are they?” I chimed cheerfully taking the raider’s remaining shells, I stowed them in my packs.

I heard the buck behind me chuckle as he peeked around me. He had finished picking over what he wanted from the maintenance stall. “Good point. What else he got?” Came the bucks response in a bit lighter tone but still gruff.

I couldn’t help but grin as I went through the dead raiders packs. There was some sort of strange meat, a few shells for a gun the raider didn’t have, and a few magic laced healing bandages.

I wrinkled my muzzle at the meat, dropping it beside the raider. I took the bandages and stowed them in my packs, while offering Hatter the other shells with my magic. He graciously accepted them stowing them in his own packs. I got the feeling this buck wasn’t really all growl and bite, after all he had taken the time to save my life. As we made our way deeper into the stable, I began to wonder how the raiders had gotten inside in the first place. The stable door was supposed to have been sealed, no pony in, no pony out.

Rounding the corner to the Overmare’s quarters, we encountered three still living raiders. I looked at Hatter as we hid around the corner. “I think you missed a few.” I grunted as one took a shot at us with a pistol. The other two were carrying nail covered baseball bats.

The two bat wielding ponies took cover as I fired the sawed-off shotgun around the corner. The shot missed entirely, peppering the door to the Overmare’s quarters. Well, I was a amazingly horrible shot with this thing. “Your pipbuck has a targeting system to help with your aim, pull it up and use it.” Hatter told me gruffly as he levitated his rather interesting looking revolver with a sight set on top near his face.

I was confused as to how he knew that, but curiously scrolled through the spells on my pipbuck. I found the one I had never seen before, probably because I never needed to use it before. It was marked S.A.T.S.

I opened it and shook my head slightly, startled as a tutorial popped up on the screen of my pipbuck.

“Hello and welcome to the pipbuck Stable-Tec Arcane Targeting Spell. This is an advanced spell designed for assistance in combat situations. This spell allows you the user to better align your attacks on opponents. This spell also allows for targeting multiple opponents and body parts by slowing time for a short period. After each use, S.A.T.S. must be allowed to recharge for several seconds.”

‘Well now, that was a convenient little trick,’ I thought to myself as with a rather interested grin. Using S.A.T.S. for the first time, I lined up the sawed-off shotgun with the pistol wielding raider’s head and wrapped my magic around the trigger firing as S.AT.S. dropped away and time sped up.

The sawed-off shotgun burst to life with a fiery explosion. I fired two shots from the shotgun emptying both barrels. Both of my shots found their marks, the buckshot peppered the raider's head and neck, she crumpled to the floor. I giggled in a burst of unexpected joy at the raider’s death. Okay, now I saw what it was that Hatter found so amusing about this. It was pretty fun to watch the head of some pony so filthy just go.. Splat!

Hatter glanced at me as he cracked a half smile, the leveled revolver taking aim at one of the bat wielding raider bucks that was now charging angrily towards us. He fired a single shot and the raider’s left foreleg which was torn off spraying the floor with his blood as he fell forward skidding to a stop on his face several feet from Hatter’s hooves.

Hatter fired a second shot into the top of the raider buck’s skull and it exploded in a shower of pink bits of flesh and brain as his blood sprayed from where his head used to be. “His mind was feeling a little claustrophobic, I just helped it get out.” Hatter quipped with a rather strange smile.

A soft hum left my mouth as I broke open the shotgun and slid in two more shells. The last raider pony charged at us, his spiked bat held tightly in his jaws. He was close enough I knew I wouldn’t need S.A.T.S.. I leveled the shotgun in front of me wrapped in my magic. A malicious grin spread over my face as the raider continued his charge.

I telekinetically pulled the trigger, the buckshot bursting from the barrel of the sawed-off shotgun ripping into the chest of the raider pony. The shot ripped apart the vital organs as he hit the ground blood pouring from the shredded hole in his chest.

A soft giggle left my muzzle as a bright cheery smile crept onto my face. I knew I had to look like an insane pony giggling and smiling with sick enjoyment covered from horn to hoof in blood and gore of other ponies drying on my fur. I could smell the coppery scent of the blood as it caked my form. I took focus from battle as my Eyes Forward Sparkle told me it was all clear.

“Well aren’t you just a little bundle of gore in a perky package.” Hatter commented in his gruff tone, though there did happen to be a slight hint of amusement in his voice. He had already set to looting the corpses of the mutilated raiders. I let a soft laugh escape my muzzle as I trotted up to the mess of flesh chunks and entrails that had once been the bat wielding buck I shot.

I had began going through the fallen pony’s packs when I came across five bottle caps tucked into his belongings. I wrapped them in my magic floating them up in front of my face. They just looked like old rusty, ordinary, bottle caps. What the bloody balls was so great about them that the raider was carrying them?

I snorted loudly in confusion, but smiled still. “Well I guess everypony has to have their hobbies.” I commented to my rescuer only to have the buck respond with an out of character fit of laughter. “Kid, that’s what we out in the wastes call money.” Hatter broke into another fit of laughter that lasted long enough I thought he would piss his armor.

It didn’t take us long to reach the Overmare’s office after dispatching the remaining raiders inside the stable. I now stood in front of the Overmare’s terminal going through the files on it. There were a few things I wanted answers to and hoped maybe I would find at least one here. I brought up one of the more recent entries and played it.

“Our orchard is beginning to fail, I don’t know how much longer it will last. This stable has lasted for over two hundred years. It is our sanctuary from the radiation poisoned land outside our stable door. I’ve had to start rationing our food supplies, this included the ceasing the production of apple whiskey. That made a lot of ponies mad...”

I clicked the entry off, my breath was shaking in my lungs as I sat there for a moment. The stable started to fail. We were slowly going to starve in here! It explained why Piper and I had been constantly working on systems sustaining the water talisman and the orchard. Calmer now, I scrolled to another entry.

“It’s been a month since the orchard started to fail, I’ve had to add the water talisman to the list of failing systems. Piper and Alice are working their hardest to keep them going, but I fear it may not be enough. I still haven’t been able to find the courage to tell everypony in the stable yet. I think Piper is beginning to suspect something is wrong. He approached me last night, he asked me about why even though he and Alice keep working on the line and everything, the orchard is still slowly dying. I fear our water talisman may be poisoning our orchard.”

I scrolled to another entry, this one different from the rest of them.

“Something happened tonight. I got a message on my terminal from somepony on the other side of the stable door. They said if I opened the door they could help us. They said that they had read about our failing orchard on the outside terminal statistics. I didn’t even know that was possible.

I asked him what he wanted in return. He told me he just wanted to get fresh water for his family. That they were travelling, and just needed supplies. I agreed and met him with enough supplies at the gate for three ponies. He promised he would return tomorrow and help us.”

Oh goddess, the Overmare had fallen for a trap! There was one last entry on the terminal. I was shaking badly. I didn’t know how to feel as I opened the last entry.

“Celestia help us, it was a trap... The stallion from yesterday came back as promised, but he tricked me! I opened the door and they rushed in. I hit the panic button but it was already too late. They’re inside…

They're killing everypony. Its an absolute slaughter! I’ve been shot, I’m dying. I’m so sorry everypony. I.. I messed up bad.”

I was shaking badly as I turned off the terminal. Tears were running down my face. Our Overmare had killed everypony in an attempt to save then.

Hatter had finished his looting and had come up behind me. I hadn’t realized he was there until he whistled, “Damn, that escalated quickly.” He commented in his gruff tone.

I ignored his comment collapsing in tears. The Overmare had gotten my sister taken by murderous ponies, because she didn’t have the balls to tell everypony our stable was failing. She didn’t want to admit it might be time to open the door and leave after two-hundred and six years!

“Hey kid, it’s okay. Everything happens for a reason. All ya can do is accept and plan your next move.” Hatter spoke in an oddly kind tone in his gruff voice.

Hater had come up next to me. He place an armored hoof on my shoulder, “I don’t recommend staying here now that raiders know this place is open. Steel Rangers won't be far behind.” He seemed to really just be stating facts rather than giving me a warning.

“You can follow me for now if you want. You ain’t a bad shot and seem useful, so if you don’t slow me down, I won’t leave you behind.” As he spoke, my crying had slowed.

“And if we happen to catch wind of your sister wherever we go, if it don’t cause trouble for me, I’ll help you.” His acceptance to help me seemed more like and offer for me to be a tag along, but I suppose it was the best I was going to get.

Sniffing once, I offered Hatter a bold smile. “Sounds like a deal, I guess.” I stood up opening the drawer of the desk the terminal was on. Inside was a revolver and several boxes of ammo for it. The gun had never been fired from the condition it was in.

I was claiming these. I levitated the weapon and ammo boxes into my packs, after loading the revolver.

Author's Note

Rebel: AND SO THE ADVENTURE BEGINS!~ Hope y'all are enjoying so far. Updates will be sporadic as I type in the story from paper to gdocs, transfer to here then edit, so bear with me!

I don't have anything else to say besides be sure to like, comment, and let me know if I missed any typos. Thanks! :pinkiehappy:

Chapter Two: Leaving the Rabbit Hole

We stood at the stable door, I watched as it closed behind us. I had fried the terminal on the inside and was standing at the one in the tunnel that left Stable One-Eleven.

As the door locked, I turned my rump to the terminal, and gave one, two, three, four solid bucks into the console. It started sparking badly and smoking. I darted behind a rock, now wearing Stable One-Eleven riot barding. The terminal exploded sealing the stable door forever.

This would now be a mass grave to the ponies of Stable One-Eleven. Hatter stood at the tunnel entrance, several mines floated in the air wrapped in this magic. I trotted to his side.

“You sure about this, kid?” Hatter asked gruffly. I nodded looking down the tunnel at the sealed stable door.

“This is now a tomb. We have everything useful from inside. It should stay a tomb for them.” I said softly watching as Hatter floated seven mines down the tunnel. One was placed in front of the stable door, one to each side of the door against the wall, then four lined the tunnel out.

We backed up to a safe distance. Hatter floated what looked like a metal apple to me. “Then it seems only right that you throw the final stone, kid.” He spoke in that gruff tone, but there was a deep gentleness and sympathy in his voice.

I nodded wrapping the metal apple in my silver magic taking it from Hatter. “Pull the pin and give it a toss, kiddo.” He urged me gently.

“May the goddess guide you, my friends and family…” I bade them farewell quietly and pulled the pin tossing the metal apple thing into the tunnel.

The metal apple exploded, the resulting chain reaction of explosions spectacular.

The ground trembled fiercely as a deep rumble full the air. The tunnel collapsed sealing the only entrance to my home with large boulders and tons of rubble. Any trace the stable had existed was wiped from the wasteland.

I looked to the cloud covered sky. There was no sunlight, no deep blue to be seen. I turned my eyes on Hatter. “Now what, oh great and deadly savior?” I asked sarcastically with a grin.

As Hatter stared at me from behind his mirrored sunglasses, he cocked an eyebrow. “Now.. we find something else to loot.” he replied just as sarcastically as he started west. “Come along, Perky,” He said over his shoulder. “Night will fall soon and we really want to find shelter before then.”

I stood there for a moment, watching as Hatter’s leather and steel clad rump began walking away. ‘Did he just call me Perky?’ I shook my head and laughed as I pulled up my E.F.S. spell. No immediate danger.

My pipbuck pinged a new map and I pulled it up. There was a shack or something in the direction Hatter was headed, “My map says there’s a shack not too far from here.” I said brightly coming up to his left flank.

The sun was setting coloring the clouds a brilliant lavender as I spotted a building not far away. Suddenly my E.F.S. sparkled to life first only a few, then more, at least fifteen red blips had shown up at once!

We heard them before we saw them. A sick rasping hiss, and the slow shuffle of hooves filled the air. “Zombie ponies. Use that revolver you found in the Overmare’s office.” He growled, clearly not pleased with what I was now catching a first glimpse of.

Whatever it was now, was once a unicorn, the horn now broken. It was also missing an eye, for that matter, half it’s damn face was gone!

I took a step back, quickly wrapping my magic around the fully loaded revolver. I aimed without S.A.T.S. firing a single shot into the zombie pony’s head, it exploded in a gory mess, the now headless body dropped. Hatter in front of me had expertly felled two of them with a single shot each.

Suddenly two green blips appeared among the horde of red. As soon as they appeared a fierce roar filled the air and red blips began to disappear until only one remained which i quickly dispersed with two shots as they came at Hatter from the side. He took down the last one in front of him.

The roar was followed by the terrifying appearance of a large bear. Only it’s fur was patchy and it was wearing.. was that a sweater?

I looked to Hatter, he was as confused by the sweater clad bear thing as I was. Following the appearance of the creature was a cheery greeting, “Hallooo fair travellers. I am Rocketeer the Traveling Merchant!” The greeting was followed by the equally cheerful appearance of another zombie pony. Only this one didn’t shuffle, it trotted, almost skipped. I saw Hatter take aim.

The zombie smiled cheerfully as Hatter lowered his weapon at the appearance of a two-headed cow laden with packs. “This little lady is Skippy!” He introduced the mutated bear.

I quickly realized he wasn’t a pony at all, but a zombie zebra. His rotting flesh was covered in black and white stripes.

“Too… Damn… Perky...” Hatter snorted in irritation, his voice rougher than usual.

I couldn’t stifle the giggle that escaped my muzzle at Hatter’s irritation. I trotted up to greet the not so zombie, zombie zebra.

“Hi, I’m Alice, and Mister Grumpy here is Hatter. It’s nice to see a friendly face.” I say cheerfully. “Most of one anyway.” Hatter said quietly. I offer Rocketeer a friendly smile ignoring Hatter’s comment, “Thank your friend Skippy for me. She was a great help.” I gave the merchant my thanks.

The zebra zombie turned to me with a bright grin, which was a little creepy considering it made the dry leathery hide of his face squish. “Well I have a place not far from here. Follow us, we keep you safe.” He seemed to purr strangely.

I looked at Hatter trying to figure out whether to trust this thing or not. Hatter looked at me blankly, “It’s a trap.” He said flatly.

I looked from him to the rotting zebra, who had just helped us. I was skeptical that it was indeed a trap. What reason would he have to help us only to betray us.

I offered Hatter a soft smile, “I get the feeling you’ve been out here so long, you don’t trust ponies.” I said softly as I clopped Hatter gently on the shoulder. “I think its okay, my pipbuck has them flagged friendly.” I assured him softly.

Hatter snorted, clearly unhappy with my decision. “If we die, I’m blaming you.” He said gruffly as he shrugged off my hoof.

I laughed giving him a confidant smile, “Fair enough, I suppose.“ I said turning my attention back to the zombie zebra who had been politely waiting for us to finish.

When I looked back to him, the trader had turned his attention to the mutated bear. He had the bear’s cheeks squished between the bare bones of hooves, forcing it to make a kissy face. He was babbling at it in some strange gibberish. I blinked at the rather creepy sight.

The Wasteland was becoming a very strange place. “A..Alright, Rocketeer, lead the way.” I spoke carefully, still extremely confused.

It was only about half an hours trot from the zombie horde attack to Rocketeer’s hut. Night had fallen when we arrived. He made dinner for us and as we sat eating, I had decided to make friends with Skippy.

The mutated bear was actually very sweet and friendly, despite looking terrifying. It wasn’t long until I noticed a charm bracelet dangling from the mutated bear’s paw in the fire light. “Rocketeer, I have a few questions I would like to ask you, they are a bit personal if thats alright?” I asked sweetly trotting back to Hatter’s side.

The undead zebra lifted his muzzle, oatmeal dropping from the open gap in his cheek. “How can I help little lady?” He asked with a perky grin.

I smiled hoping my first question wouldn’t offend him. Hatter was staring at me from behind his mirrored sunglasses. He was obviously a bit curious himself. “What exactly are you? Because sentient zombie zebra is a little complex.” Hatter snorted spitting a mouthful of oatmeal out that splattered on the wall in a fit of laughter. Obviously that question caught him off guard.

Rocketeer let out loud laugh as well. It was beginning to become blatantly obviously that neither had expected this as a personal question.

Before Rocketeer could answer, Hatter piped in with his gravely voice, “He’s a ghoul.”

Rocketeer grinned splitting the flesh on his cheek a bit. “Not like the flesh and brain munching like those that Skippy went and mowed down ‘fore dinner. My thinker may not be in one piece but I still can tell the difference between friend and food.” His words were a bit strange but I got what he meant.

So there was a difference between ghouls and those things from earlier. “Okay, sorry. That seems to be a thing that I should have known.” I said as I scuffed my hoof against the floor.

“Okay then, next question. Why does Skippy wear a charm bracelet with only a single charm?” I asked as the bear came to lay beside the zebra ghoul.

Rocketeer looked to his companion, “Actually that’s a bit of a story, but long story short, Skippy saved my life. So I gave her that bracelet and charm as a present.” He grinned again as he gently patted the mutated bear on the side.

“I see. Well we need to get some rest if we are going to head west.” At that both Rocketeer and Skippy looked at me horrified. How the mutated bear made that expression, I won’t question…

“Hatter said he was heading west, I don’t have anywhere else to go. Besides, he saved my life, so I owe him.” I offered the grumpy armored buck beside me a small smile.

“I don’t suggest it. Place is crawling with ghouls. Fast, mean, strong, scary. Go south west. South west is Shattered Hoof, traders, merchants, refugees. It’s a town.” His speech pattern seemed to have a twitch sometimes, kind of like his mouth was working but something was blocking the signal to his brain.

I looked to Hatter. Going west meant danger, I wasn’t exactly equipped for a big battle. Even I knew that much. “Hatter, I think we should go to Shattered Hoof. I need better armor and weapons if we’re going to be traveling for a while, and we’ll need supplies.”

Hatter turned his attention to me, he had been laying there quietly listening to our conversation. “You have a point, Perky. You do need better equipment.” He grunted in agreement.

“Great, we can all go together! I was going to Shattered Hoof anyway. Muuuch safer.” Rocketeer seemed to mentally glitch again but I smiled at him.

Author's Note

Rebel: End of chapter two! Next chapter Alice will go on her first adventure into the wasteland!

As always, leave a like, comment, and let me know if I missed any typos and such. Have a good'un!

Chapter Three: Alice's First Adventure in the Wasteland

The next morning Rocketeer had gone through his stock and given me a leather shoulder holster for my revolver and quite the supply of ammo. He had also been pleasant enough to trade me a zebra rifle; a medium caliber rifle with long range enchantments. At least that’s what Hatter had explained.

Rocketeer had also supplied ample rounds and a back slung holster for it. He didn’t have any armor that could be fixed for a mare, so we agreed to go along with the ghoul at least to Shattered Hoof.

Checking my pipbuck I wanted to see how far it was. According to my pipbuck we were currently in some valley near the base of the Foal Mountain. Apparently we weren’t too far from a city called Fillydelphia, but it was to the east.

Shattered Hoof was most of a day’s trot from here. But between us and there was a little blip tagged Junction R-7. Curious.

It was late evening by the time we reached our destination. Hatter had taken the time to explain that it hadn’t been long ago that Shattered Hoof hadn’t been such a friendly place. In fact it hadn’t been long ago that this area had been plagued with slavers and raiders.

As we approached what had once been Shattered Hoof, Hatter explained that about ten years ago a griffin named Gawdyna Grimfeather had changed it’s name and formed what is now the New Canterlot Republic.

He flashed a wry grin, “In fact, I’m wearing modified N.C.R. armor myself.” He boasted rather proudly.

As we approached the gate of Shattered Hoof, I saw a radroach scurry out from under some brush and across Hatter’s path. An angry snort escaped his muzzle as he reared back and came down crushing the radroach. Shaking his head he wiped his armored hooves on the ground. “Crunchy little bastard.” was all he said in his gruff voice.

I stood staring at him for just a moment. His sudden outburst at the near harmless, yet completely disgusting, creature. “Alrighty then.” The ghoul zebra chimed as he trotted up beside me. I couldn’t help but snicker.

We were greeted at the gate by a well armored buck carrying a rather large rifle. “Welcome to Shattered Hoof of the New Canterlot Republic. Speak up and be recognized.” the large buck demanded.

I couldn’t help but step behind Hatter just a little. The bastard was huge compared to me. Trotting forward Rocketeer flashed a disturbing grin to the buck. “Oh, Rocky, it’s just you and Skippy, and a few friends.“ the buck commented giving me an appraising eye.

It wasn’t that he was bad looking, not that one could tell under his power armor. But dear lords did he ever smell worse than the wrong end of a brahmin.

“Yup, they’re with me.” Rocketeer chimed cheerfully as he pranced forward. The gate swung open with a fearsome screech. It felt as if it were going to make my ears bleed. ‘Geeze did they need to oil that thing!’

Hatter trotted forward, obviously having been here before. I mean why not, he had obviously been out here longer than I had. Probably even born out here. I just realized I hadn’t really taken the moment to ask more than his name.

Trotting into a nearby shop, Hatter dumped the contents of his saddle bags on the counter and began to barter over the items.

I took the moment to browse the items on the shelves. On the first row of shelves I found a bottle of glowing orange colored liquid with a label proudly proclaiming “Sparkle Cola Rad, it’ll put the pip in your buck!” 'Eww, that could so not be healthy. I mean, it was freaking glowing!'

I yelped being caught off-guard by the sound of Hatter’s armored hoof stomping on the floor angrily. “No way I’ll give you that rifle for so cheap! It’s never been fired.” I heard Hatter protest.

I quickly trotted up beside him. “What seems to be the problem?” I asked sweetly.

“This buck here claims this rifle ain’t never been fired. I don’t believe em.” The buck behind the counter complained.

I offered him a charmingly sweet smile. “Sir, I can assure, this gun has never been fired. It was in fact salvaged from the sealed stable in the Foal Mountain. He rescued me from invading raiders from there.” A slightly malicious smile spread over my muzzle. “Now, we can do this nice way, or I can take my current anger fit out on you.” I growled, slowly leaning closer and closer to the buck behind the counter, who yelped seeming near pissing himself.

“Okay, okay, call off your attack mare!” He cried whimpering. “I’ll give you a hundred and twenty caps or each of the five rifles. And sixty a piece for the pistols. That comes to eight hundred and eighty caps. And I’ll throw in some armored security barding for your mare friend. Just please don’t let her hurt me!” The sales buck winned sliding everything across the counter with a shaking hoof.

Hatter snickered at the fearful sales buck as I wrapped the caps and barding in my magic, I trotted out of the shop with a triumphant smile.

“Perky and vicious?” Hatter chimed with a half smile as he trotted up behind me. “Interesting indeed.” He mused moving beside me at a leisurely pace.

“Only when I need to be.” My response came in a sultry toned tease. As I floated the caps into Hatter’s pack, I looked over my own prize.

We made our way to a nearby inn where Hatter was able to book us a single room. Honestly I felt filthy. The foliage and plant life was slowly coming back, but there were still dangers roaming the wastes as I had quickly figured out.

The instant we got to our room, I found it in good condition with two twin beds, a small kitchen and best of all, a bathroom with a tub. Oh thank Luna for all that was wondrous in the wasteland, I could finally take a bath!

I didn’t waste any time wrapping my magic around my saddlebags and barding stripping them off, I disappeared into the bathroom. For a moment, I completely forgot Hatter existed.

I stopped looking myself in the mirror, I was a mess. My chest and right shoulder were wrapped in blood soaked bandages, not all of it mine either. A shiver of disgust wracked my body as I took in my disheveled appearance. My coat was plastered to my hide, my mane and tail matted with mud and gods knew what else.

I telekinetically turned on the water in the tub. I felt disgusted with myself. My strawberry blonde mane and tail were dark brown, as was my coat.

“I’m gonna go get us some supplies.” Hatter called to me as he left our room. I grinned as I splashed into the warm water, it felt splendid. Oh my gosh, I never knew how much I could miss something as simple as a bath.

After scrubbing myself clean, I used my magic to clean my barding before putting it back on.

Clean me, clean clothes, safe town. A loud growling rumble filled the air. That was when I realized it was near sundown and the last time I ate was much earlier before the sun had risen.

Checking my caps; I had several Hatter had given me from what he had sold to Rocketeer. I nodded exiting the suite Hatter had paid for and stopped the nearest pony I saw. Or, at least I thought it was a still living pony.

The buck turned out to be another ghoul. This one was an earth pony. His cutie mark on his left flank was missing as most of the skin and muscle beneath. His coat was stark white, or at one point had been where it still remained intact. His mane and tail a bright sickly green, streaked with vibrant purple.

“Excuse me, sir. Could you point me in the direction I can get a cold drink and something to eat?” I asked sweetly, a gentle and friendly smile resting on my muzzle.

He turned and grinned, “Yeah, sure. Clockwork Saloon. I can take ya there.” He smiled warming, though a little disturbing.

“That would be great! This is my first time in town.” I said sweetly.

He laughed brightly. “They call me Joker ‘round here.” He introduced himself in a friendly manner offering his hoof.

“Alice Rose.” I gave sweetly, taking his hoof. It was warm and squishy. It was honestly kind of revolting, but he was being so nice I couldn’t turn away a hoof shake.

“Well then Alice, let’s head to the Saloon.” He started trotting down the road, I followed quickly behind him. “So since this is yer first time in Shattered Hoof, where ya from Alice?” He asked innocently.

“Foal Mountain… At least that’s what my pipbuck said it was when I left home.” I answered the ghoul pony solemnly. I wasn’t exactly sure I should be telling anypony I was from a stable. Besides, it didn’t really feel right to be telling anypony about that massacre.

“So why’d ya leave home, if ya don’t mind me askin’.” He was just making conversation.

“Actually, I’m looking for my little sister. She was taken by some ponies. They killed our parents then shot me and left me to die.” I said quietly.

For the first time since leaving the stable two days ago I looked up at the sky. There were fluffy white clouds floating across a sea of bright brilliant blue. The sun was bright and inviting and warmed my flanks gently. Shivering, I walked back to Joker’s side, we were apparently there.

My ghoul escort had stopped in front of a wall that had been knocked in. There was a heavy canvas sheet with three interlocking gears and the words ‘Clockwork Saloon’ scrawled across it’s weather beaten surface.

“Here we are Miss Alice. I enjoyed your company, allow me to buy you a Sparkle Cola.” He offered sweetly as if I had been the the one to lead him here.

I wasn’t quite sure how to react.. “Uhh, sure?” I answered as more of a question than a confirmation. With a cheery bounce he held aside the canvas door with a bow.

He was quite the gentlecolt for being a living corpse. He trotted in behind me and up to the bar. “Two Sparkle Cola’s and whatever the mare will have to eat, if you don’t mind Sugar Lick.” He spoke to the pure black mare behind the bar as I trotted up.

“What’ll ya have to eat, little lady?” the mare apparently called Sugar Lick asked me as I took a seat.

“Just some oatmeal if you don’t mind.” I responded as the barmare slid two ice cold bottles of Sparkle Cola down. I caught one with my magic as Joker caught the other with his squishy hoof. I lifted the bottle to my mouth with my magic. It was cold against my lips as the mostly flat carrot soda hit my tongue. It was sweet and delicious.

I smiled at Joker as the barmare sat my oatmeal down in front of me. It smelled great. As I leaned down and began to eat my pipbuck flashed picking up a new radio station. I tuned in curiously and put in my ear bloom to listen.

“Good morning Wastelanders, it’s DJ Pon-3 here bringing you the news. First the weather. Looks like sunny skies with a light breeze, all that will carry over into the night.

Now wasteland explorers, I have some bad news. It would seem there was a still functioning stable up on the old Foal Mountain.

From what my sources tell me no pony made it out alive, save for a few fillies and colts the raiders took to sell. Our hearts go out to you kids. I hope somepony comes for you quick.”

I turned off the radio taking the earbloom out. The voice on the radio had been talking about my stable. I just lost my appetite and finished my Sparkle Cola and disposed of the bottle. I left fifteen caps on the bar in front of Joker and darted back to the suite.

I slammed the door to the suite shut as I threw myself on the bed and sobbed into the pillows.. Not even three days ago I had lost everything I ever knew.

I heard the door open and close as Hatter came in. “Hey Perky, what's got your perkiness?” He asked, his gruff voice unusually gentle.

Without thinking about it, I moved forward and wrapped my forehooves around his armored neck and cried into his leather duster. He stood still for a moment then gently wrapped an armor and leather clad foreleg around my shoulders and pulled me close as he sat down.

It was oddly comforting to hear him breathing. “Hey Perky, it’ll be okay. I promise we’ll get your sister back.” He said softly in almost a whisper.

“I had on my pipbuck radio. DJ Pon-3, he… was talking about my home.” I sobbed. The little freak out session had my brain broken and me shaking with sobs. “I lost my life, my family, my home. All because some Luna cursed bastard child took advantage of the Overmare’s naivety and slaughtered the entire stable! As if that’s not bad enough, they took the foals!” Hatter sat there in silence holding me and just letting me rage.

Everything happened so quickly it seemed the events of the last few days slammed into me, it felt as I had just ran right into a brick wall.

Finally the sobbing slowed to sniffles. “It’ll be okay Perky, I promise I’ll help ya get your sister back.” He said softly dropping his hoof.

“Thank you Hatter, you saved my life and now without owing me anything, you’re helping me again. I can never express my gratitude for your help.” I gushed my thanks to him. I’m beginning to see what kind of pony he really is.

I smiled lightly hugging him again. “Okay Perky, feels time is over. Rest up for the rest of the day, at sunrise we head towards old Ponyville. Heard from Applejack’s Rangers that a raider group headed that way about thirty-six hours ahead of us.” Hatter offered me a rather uncharacteristically warm smile. I stood up from Hatter’s embrace and headed for the bathroom.

Standing in front of the mirror I saw my face, it was puffy and swollen. My eyes were bright red and my cheeks stained with tears. I sniffed again before magically turning the sink on, I washed my face and sighed.

This was it. I would find my sister and we would find a place for us to call home. My face washed and clean, I felt a bit better. I inhaled deeply and let out a drawn out sigh. First I knew I needed sleep. So with a plan and clean face, I went to my bed.

I turned to my pipbuck and scrolled through it ‘til I found Piper’s recording. Laying down on my bed I covered myself, put in my earbloom and played the recording.

“Alice, I doubt you’ll ever get to hear this but I just had to say it at least once, ‘cause I lost my wife and filly already. They took my wife and murdered my filly. There was nothing I could do. I came here to the maintenance stall hoping to save at least you.”

There was a wet laugh from Piper’s voice. I knew he have been shot already.

“B-but what’s funny is you’re not even here. But I just want you to know, I was happy working here in the maintenance stall with you. I was a greedy buck. I was already married when we met. I always thought you were the brightest, most gorgeous mare in this stable, and I love…”

That was the end of the recording. Piper had died before he got a chance to finish what he wanted to say. Though he didn’t really need to, I knew pretty well what he wanted to say.

Letting out a soft whimper, I closed my eyes and focused hard on Hatter’s breathing. Soon enough, I myself had drifted off to sleep.

Author's Note

Rebel: My favorite scene is when Alice 'bartered'. Was totally laughing as I was typing it in, and that was making it hard to do so!

Also, possible bad news: I may not be able to update for a good while for lack thereof having the physical content to type up. So bear with me folks, I'll post a blog when I do get it.

And as always, leave a like, comment, and let me know if I missed any typos and such. Have a good'un!