Fallout Equestria: Ain't that a Buck in the Head

You may be wondering why I attacked a Legion camp instead of going home or even what they are. They are basically a bunch of slavers who made a government together. I have asked myself the same, why didn't I just go home. I was scared to face my now ex because I killed her brother. I don't want to go anymore into this topic. Now I must ask. Why are you still here? Especially those here before hearing the tale of Little Pip. That is a better story. This isn’t necessarily the best of stories to hear or read. Moving on, I finished smoking my second fag as I heard the cloth of the tent flap open followed by a yawn and a moan in pain. I then heard the crunching of gravel come closer before stopping next to me. “You got another one of those?” The female voice asked with a groan. I slapped the pack on my hand, I think, and held the pack with the exposed butt, out for her to grab. She took it with her teeth and I held out my lit lighter and lit her stogie. She smoked before asking, “Blue Moon huh? Aren't you dead?” “Close enough.” I said as I smoked and watched the sun. “I love watching the sunrise, even if I’m more of a night pony. When I first saw the sun, I was a slave to the Legion at age 10 and it gave me hope for something better. So I escaped." I said. “Thanks. Those bastards shot me and left me for dead.” She said. “No problem.” I said. “The NCR said they won’t let me rejoin their ranks.” She said. “May I join you?” She asked. “Sure but I'm not sure what you think you're gonna get from joining us.” I said as I stomped out the cigarette butt I dropped. “You look strange for a pony.” She said. “I didn’t always look like this. The leftover Enclave robots did this and I found out that they did it using my comrades leftovers and cybernetics.” I said. “Oh.” She said. “Get ready, we need to get you some armor which means going to Gun Trotters.” I said. “I don't have anything, so I guess I'm ready.” She said. Poppy trotted out of the tent and said, “Go on I’m gonna set up our stuff at the cabins at lake Reed.” So I put on my coat and helmet before I walked through the desert to the north and Winona finished smoking as she trotted next to me. She was unarmed and I was anxious. “You got any extra guns?” She asked. “A riot shotgun with no ammo.” I said. “Could I have it for appearance?” She asked. I handed it to her as we crossed the desert. She shivered, understandably with it being winter time. I tossed my coat to her and she said, “I didn't ask you to lend me your coat.” “Well I didn't ask for a Marizona pegasus.” She glared at me before stopping and putting it on. We went until we saw two ponies walking eastbound. One was a pegasus and the other was a unicorn mercenary that was marked red on my EFS. He was dragging the pegasus on a leash and her wings were bound. I drew my pistol and shot the merc in all 4 legs and he screamed out in pain and the pegasus yelled, “Please don't shoot I’m unarmed!” I walked up and shot him in the head before I asked, “Who are you?” “I’m Holly Guitar!” She exclaimed as she flinched. I removed the collar and cut the leather bindings off of her wings as she said, “Please don’t hurt me.” “Go on, you're free.” I said as I walked away with Winona. “That's it?” She yelled after us. “Unless you want to follow us.” Winona yelled back. I saw 2 red tick marks on my EFS and used my SATS to find what they were but it couldn't track anything. I dropped to a prone position as the sniper shots sounded. POW POW! “HAHAHA MOTHERFUCKER DIE!” The raider yelled after laughing. I jumped to my hooves and heard a gunshot before time slowed for a moment and I, astounded, twisted to the side and saw the bullet wiz past before drawing my gun and tracing where it came from, drawing my gun and firing twice as time resumed. I shot at the second position after the first tick disappeared and I shot at the second until I heard a scream from the second. The light winked out and the air filled with now visible gore. I turned and saw both mares on the ground, Holly was shaking. I kept walking and Winona followed, and Holly took flight and followed until it began to rain. I saw a bench and out of curiosity sat down and motioned for my 2 companions to join me. “What are you doing?” Winona asked. “I want to test something to travel faster.” I said before Winona sat next to me. “What did you have in mind?” Holly asked before sitting next to me. I wrapped us in a shield spell Poppy showed me and lifted the bench with us on it and floated us at speed through the desert. “Woah, this is way faster than trotting.” Holly said as we flew a couple feet off the ground. We made it 5 miles in 2 minutes before I landed us, exhausted. We were 3 miles from Neighlis and the second Gun Trotters location. We made it onto the ex pegasus air base and were trading some things we found along the way. Winona got a set of Enclave armor with the two headed ursa major of the NCR painted on the flank as well as a brown duster for a pegasus and Holly got a leather jacket with the same symbol. I also bought Holly a 5 shooter .357 magnum with 10 rounds and 75 shotgun shells and mags that held 25 each for the riot shotgun. I managed to make a 400 cap profit after exchanging what we found and using my bartering skills to talk down the prices. I gave them 200 each and we went to the mess hall next to the old cloud bomber, and bought something for dinner. I noticed for the first time, after taking off my armor for the night, I got my cutie mark, a shield with a blue crescent moon on it. “Hmmm.” I said thoughtfully before going to sleep. We had rented a house for the night after traveling the whole day. I awoke on the floor at 1 in the morning. It was still raining outside and Winona slept on the couch while Holly slept on the bed. I stepped out, flipping my collar back up after it folded back in my sleep. I removed my helmet and left it at the door as I stepped out and lit up a smoke under the overhang of the roof and watched the rain come down as I smoked. I sat on the porch furniture and smoked as the Bomber’s guards patrolled the airfield. The Bombers were an armed and polite society that came from stable 120 and left for reasons I don't know, but they were allies of the NCR and were the only pegasi on the ground before the Enclave fell. They owned an old cloud bomber to destroy the dragons but remained unused. They would make routine bomb runs over the Neighlis bombing range and the porch had a good view of their deadly accuracy. They trained for this every morning, for the battle against the Legion. I watched until I noticed that Winona had joined me in her armor. “This armor hugs my flanks a little more enjoyably than I’d like to admit.” She muttered to herself as she flipped up her collar. “Morning Winona.” I said as she removed her helmet. Her face was engulfed with a bright red blush. I was confused so I asked, “Are you ok?” “I, uh. Y-yes.” She stuttered. I handed her a cigarette and lit it for her as she stared off into space. “I’m sorry it’s that time of the month I just need at least 10 minutes alone.” She said almost whispering with embarrassment. She finished smoking and galloped to the bathroom at nearly light speed while I went inside to cook up the mac and cheese I bought yesterday. When I finished I began to take stock of my inventory and I noticed a new note as I switched from my radio. It said my armor had a danger detection spell that could slow time that enchanted it but warned that it was experimental and the effects were unknown and possibly dangerous. I put bowls and forks on the table and served the food as Winona came back in and set her helmet and goggles on the table before sitting across from me. “I’m sorry. I’m used to having, overstimulation down there and I went from that to none which is rough. I’m sorry for the aquard morning.” She said shakily before Holly came trotting from the room, yawning. “Good morning.” She said. “What time is it?” She asked. I checked my pipbuck and said, “2:20 a.m..” Her eyes went wide before saying, “Damn it's early.” I checked my pipbuck out of curiosity for my perks and other than my cyber enhancements and implants I had gotten my cutie mark perk, Protector in the night, which gave me a higher damage threshold and I also had many others. When my companions finished eating I cleaned the dishes and they got ready before we left. We went along for 3 miles southeast before we found a raider camp and sacked it. I attacked from the ground and my companions strafed and shot. “DIE PRICK!” A raider screamed as he threw a grenade that I levitated back, killing 4 and I jumped out of cover before waving at the last 3 raiders as my companions came back for another run, ripping them to shreds. We took what we could find and Holly swapped her .357 for a 50 caliber battle saddle machine gun before we continued walking/trotting toward lake Reed. We arrived outside of another Legion outpost called, Broken AJ Ranger Outpost. Taken over only 3 years ago hence the ‘Broken’ name for it. “We doing this?” Winona asked. “Let's get them.” Holly and I said in unison. We charged in, 2 by air and me by land. A wall of bullets caused me to jump above it and fire to the street of the compound. The 3 bullets ricochet and hit 5 ponies and Legion zebras before I hit the ground, right shoulder first. I landed in a ditch as another wall of bullets whizzed by. I saw the pegasi fly over me for another strafing run and I jumped up and charged in and shot 3 ricocheting rounds that killed 10. I jumped and time slowed again as I quickly reloaded and shot 2 griffins that were shooting at where I was before I jumped higher than my companions strafing altitude and killing 8 from the air. I flipped and landed on my hooves before holstering my gun and drawing the silver dagger from my belt. I charged into a wave of 5 Legionaries and dodged a wave of bullets and pushed off of the ground and stabbed the first before jumping off of him and landing, dagger first, on the next one’s head before taking 2 rounds to the back of my armor repeating and killing 2 with quick jabs with the dagger. I heard a, CLICK CLICK, from a brush gun as I stood back up. “Give it up. You're done.” The Legionary said as he pointed his gun. He dropped in a flurry of bullets and and his blood. Before we left, we used the ham radio to tell the NCR that the compound was clear. We left and walked the last mile until we arrived at the cabins. It was beautiful, the cabins were built on a dock and the lake was as clear as dirty glass. We arrived and Poppy came out to greet us. We retired in our own cabins and I fell asleep. I woke up and began cleaning and repairing everyone's guns and with my experience I didn't need to use the guns we scavenged. I also began cooking beans and bacon when a red and orange stallion with a stable jumpsuit and a 10mm pistol in his mouth and it's strap around his neck. I looked up at him as he approached and he froze and dropped his gun. “Ranger?” He asked. “Ex ranger Blue Moon. Who are you?” I responded. “Ex resident of stable 125 and now a courier. The names James, James Blume.” He said. “Mind if I sit down?” He asked. “Not at all. Just remember that I’m not here alone.” I said before adding another serving for the newcomer in the cooking pot and began to mash it and stir it with my magic while I cleaned Harmony. “What happened to you,” Blume asked. “What do you mean?” I asked. “Your forelegs and the way your hind legs are bent.” He said. “Don’t worry about it.” I said. “Ok.” He said. I finally finished cooking and handed him a bowl of it and made myself a bowl and began to eat. “So, what brings you he-” I was cut off by a moan I heard from Winona’s cabin. “What happened?” Blume asked, clearly haven't heard what I had. “Nothing. What brings you here? I asked. “I just saw you down here and decided to investigate.” He said. I finished eating before lighting myself a fag and smoking. I then finished cleaning the gun before putting it back together while Blume ate. I finished and put the guns in there places knowing that Holly and Poppy were asleep. I knocked on Winona’s door and she answered it, hiding all but her face behind the door. “Yes.” She squeaked. She was blushing profusely before asking in an embarrassed whisper, “What is it?” “I cleaned and repaired your shotgun.” I said. She reached out and grabbed it before squeaking an apology and closed the door.” I walked back to the camp and saw that Poppy had just sat down and began eating. I sat down next to her and she greeted me. “Good morning.” “Morning Poppy.” I said. “I cleaned and maintained Harmony for you.” I said. “Thank you.” She said, smiling at me. “No problem.” I said. After introducing the stable dweller, who’d been out of the stable for half a month, he asked to join us and learn how to better survive the wasteland. We left an hour later, headed northwest. We stopped 5 miles from Pipton, 10 miles away and I watched the stars. I was smoking and almost dropped it when Holly surprised me when she almost appeared next to me and said. “I love this view. It reminds me of when I was a filly and I used to watch the stars with my dad.” She said. I also discovered my feelings for Olivia under them. Her blue mane almost shimmered in the moonlight and her guitar cutie mark seemed to do the same. She had white fur that reminded me of the whitest of pearls. I was thinking this but realized that I was just tired. “I always wanted to go on an adventure. Just not like this.” She said. “Like this?” I asked. “I was kidnapped in my sleep. I never got to prepare or say goodbye to Olivia.” She said with a sigh. “I’m sorry.” I said. “It's ok I just want to find the bastard who ordered the hit.” She said. We watched the stars and exchanged stories until we fell asleep. When we awoke, something was off. It was quiet, too quiet. I stood up and used my EFS but couldn't find anything. I began to doubt that when a shot hit at my hooves followed by a, KAPOW. I yelled and everyone grabbed their guns. We had camped out on a mountain side and ran into the mine that we camped outside of. We ended up splitting up and they charged in, lighting my EFS red. I ran to the left and Blume followed, I then took a right at the end of the passage only to run into a dead end. I ran back and turned the corner, took 5 steps and found myself cornered as they turned the corner and open fired. “Shit.” I said when my armor didn't slow time, clearly sensing that I didn't have a chance. I lowered my head and the bullets struck, my body caught fire with pain and my vision blurred as I barely managed to stand and watch the blood drain from my body. “Are you fucking stupid!? We needed him alive! Now we won't find and kill Holly!” I heard a voice yell. It was strange sounding, almost as if I was at the bottom of a well and he was yelling from the top. Before I thought anymore though, I fell and hit the ground like a bunch of rocks. I choked and struggled to breathe as I drowned in my blood filling lungs. I figured I'd die of my stomach contents getting in my bloodstream or other places, causing infection or worse, if I survived the whole lung thing, so I began to try and make peace with myself and others before I found myself being dragged out of the mine. I never saw the morning light because I passed out and hadn't been ready to die yet so I kind of panicked and most likely caused more blood loss. I awoke, or so I thought, in a waiting room made of clouds and big monitors mounted on the wall. Next to me sat a rainbow maned pegasus who looked at her pipbuck and complained about being late. I saw the logo for stable 2 flash onto the monitor before I actually did wake up. I felt pain and saw that I was on an old metal bed frame tipped upright, and I was held there by hoof cuffs, I hung upright and saw metal clamps on the frame and my body was covered in bandages. I barely managed to lift my head and I started hearing an argument. “Hey asshole, I couldn't stabilize him, he's still on a breathing machine for shit sake, if you zap him with that, not only will it kill the breathing machine, but it will also stop his heart. You can't torture him in other ways either if you want info, in his current state he'll go into shock and or would die of blood loss. He already lost ⅓ of his blood already if not more.” The female voice said. “Then why did we waste our resources on this piece of shit.” The man said as I realized that I didn't have anything on my horn and that they didn't know what I could do. I teleported into the next room as they argued in the office with no windows and I thanked the goddesses as I crawled through the empty halls and heard that they only caught me. I found my armor and gun. My armor repaired itself and my gun was loaded. I lifted myself with my magic and also used it to get dressed and holster my gun. I turned on the radio in my helmet just in time to hear Poppy say that they were at the Bomber’s airfield. I then held myself to the ceiling with my magic and listened to the argument. “What the hell did you get me into Dust?” The mare asked. “My employer is trying to drive Olivia to suicide so we can take over the radio station and influence the Moohave with stable tech technology from stable 117.” I heard the plan and now for the employer. “Who hired you?” She asked but suddenly the room exploded and was still in flames when I teleported away. I did it again, I used too much magic and passed out. I awoke and found myself 1 mile from the airfield and I was being circled by what I thought were balefire phoenix It was raining again and my body hurt as I struggled to breathe. I was on my back looking up at the rainy sky before Holly stood over me, face to face, trying to see if I was still alive. I tried to speak but I couldn't breath and my armor was prompting health warnings. I felt pain for 3 minutes from my forelegs traveling to my lungs before it stopped and I could breathe again and my armor warned me that it didn't sense my lungs and told me to seek immediate medical attention. Holly dragged me by the collar and as she did I felt pain in my chest before it moved back to my forelegs and disappearing. I could breath and my lungs were sensed once again. I was confused but I told Holly to put me down. “Sorry.” She said. “It's ok.” I said. “You know what? You remind me of my dad. He was always getting hurt even though we lived in a stable.” She said as I stood up. “You were a stable dweller?” I asked as I turned on my radio and transmitted a message in morse code through my police radio as she spoke to me. It was to radio tower alpha on the outskirts of New Pegasus which would transmit to the radio studio. “Yes, I was a guitarist for the stable’s band before security tried to rape me after my last show and I ran out of the stable. That was 2 years ago. I actually met DJ Olivia when we were both little, we hated each other because of our tastes in music and she ended up leaving the stable after her dad committed suicide. I ran into her 5 years later, we were 15. We didn't really fall in love until last year and she taught me her 5 years of survival experience the best she could.” She said before pausing and growing deadly quiet and saying to me as I reviewed my transmission through my pipbuck. “Um, Mr. Blue. Manticores.” She said, causing me to freeze. “Shit.” I whispered to myself. I then twisted around and drew my dagger, my pistol ammo was stolen, and I sprinted toward the three manticores and yelled at Holly to fly away. I jumped on one and began stabbing it in the head as one jumped on me and began to chew through my helmet and the other charged at Holly. I managed slit the throats of both before I heard Holly’s battle saddle open fire. The holes in my helmet closed up and the third dropped. Holly stood in a battle stance panting and I just had a massive headache. We stood stunned before laughing in triumph. We eventually began to travel again and I noticed a switch on my torn sleeve and flipped it before seeing my forelegs and hind legs were normal again other than the obvious metallic color of my forelegs. Holly looked on in amazement as I fell on all fours again. She smirked at me before we trotted off to the north. As we trotted Holly said, “I need a drink.”