Fallout: Equestria Destinies Alinged

(Ratchet Sparks)

Darkness surrounded me.

All I could hear was the labored sound of my own hot breath. Terror gripped my chest, my heart pounded in my ears, my only thought... Don't get caught.

I heard the door open and shut along with hoofsteps outside the cupboard I was in. I held my breath as I heard trotting and the opening of containers. "Is somepony here?" A gruff voice asked. "I promise I won't hurtcha."

Please don't find me... Please don't find me... I thought to myself as my heart raced faster and faster.

Suddenly the cupboard door swung open and I was face to face with a large white Pegasus stallion with a tattered blue and silver mane, and dark sapphire blue eyes.

"Aww! Well, aintcha a cutie!" He practically gushed. "Now, I won't hurtcha unless I got to, kay?"

"P-please don't sell me out to the raiders!" I cried out, pleading him with my eyes.

The stallion chuckled and nodded. "No worries, I ain't not that kinda prick." He said gently. "Come on out, are you alright?"

I looked right, then left, and crawled out of the cupboard. "I'm fine... My name's Ratchet Sparks." I said, looking at the stallion. He looked even bigger now that I was out of the cupboard. He was brawny and looked tough, his white hide was marred with scars. His cutiemark appeared to be a sword broken in three pieces.

"Broken, Broken Sword." He introduced. " What happened here?"

"I was with my mom and dad, and then the raiders came... Dad got his battle saddle on and fought, mom hid me in the cupboard and went out to fight too... I... I think they're dead." I said sadly, bowing my head. I felt tears rush to my eyes, but fought them back. I had cried enough already.

To my surprise the stallion wrapped his forehooves around me and pulled me in close. "S'okay to cry, little one." He said in a soft tone. "I cried when my mum was struck down by raiders, you'd better believe it."

I laid my head on his shoulder and tried to imagine the large pony as small, crying over the death of his mother. What I imagined was a little white Pegasus without his cutiemark even, and with a neat mane. The tears in his eyes quickly dried and I watched him go out on his own.

"Are you alone?" I asked cautiously. My gut was telling me he was, but I had to be sure.

"I've been alone ever since I got kicked out of the raider group I ran with." He said carefully, releasing me from his embrace.

Fear bubbled up in my stomach, my eyes got wide and I took a step back... Or at least I would've but I hit the cupboard. It was in that moment I realized that I was trapped, at the mercy of the ex-raider.

"Now, now, come on kid, I'm not a raider no more!" Broken sword said much too casually. "But... I ain't exactly no good guy either." He clarified.

I relaxed a little. "If you're not a raider, and you're not a good guy, what are you?" I asked curiously.

Broken thought for a moment. He seemed as puzzled by the question as I was. "Guess I'm neutral, kinda in between." He said thoughtfully. " I do good things, like saving you, which I'm about to do in a second, and I do bad things, which we won't discuss."

My heart nearly stopped when I heard him say that he was going to save me. "How are you going to save me?" I asked, still in shock.

"Well, it requires some fancy wing work." He said with a grin.

I smiled in return. Maybe this would be fun. "Just tell me what to do."