Rain splattered the concrete around my feet. The ambush had been perfect, and I was alone. I held my jury-rigged rifle close, trying to pick out targets from the fog. I was still stuck in some lab building, and Macready had been a few rooms down trying to fix up his pistol. I peeked through the destroyed hallway, seeing a few figures chatting. I raised my rifle, looking down the homemade reflex sight. I put a head between the screws, and popped off a round. The body crumpled, and the other figures turned to me. I ran, ducking into another building. A deactivated eyebot sat on the table, which I quickly tore through. Finding a small microfusion cell, I switched to my laser rifle. Plugging in a new power cell I smiled. "Come and get me."

The building was quieter now. It had been a few hours since everything had gone to shit. Gunner's had attacked, and I still couldn't find Macready. I finished my little hard point in the lab. I used my new barricade to look through the hall. I could see a few gunners walking around, but none looked twice at the barricaded room. I guess when half the building is collapsed a single unreachable room isn't weird. I looked at the small tripwire and shrugged. A nap would work, at least until I could figure out a plan.

I woke up to someone setting off the trip wire, making my pip-boy ring quietly. I grabbed the laser rifle and listened. Someone had entered through the outside window, and I could hear there footsteps slowly marching towards me. I raised the rifle, letting my breath snake out of my lungs. I waited until I saw a chest, then fired. Macready fell, a confused look on his face. I screamed, he screamed. The world seemed to shift, and he gargled sentences at me through melted lungs. "I'm sorry, oh gods, I thought you were a... a...." Tears spilled out of my eyes. Macready smiled, holding my head weakly with one hand. He just shook his head. It took only a moment before he died in my arms.

I bolted up,my eyes widening as I tried to remember where I was. "NNOOOO!" I looked around. I was being stared at by ponies. I had forgotten that was a thing okay? I also was staring at a hole in the floor beside me. There was no blood, so bonus points for me I guess. I shook my head, and Fluttershy came up to me. "Are you okay?"

I tried for a cocky grin, but it died on the way, leaving me with a grimace. "Don't like surprises." I looked around. There were a couple new ponies. Lyra was still there, passed out on a couch. A blue one with rainbow hair was there. One with a blond mane and a stetson, and then the others I had met. The pink one was there too. I thought her name was Pinkie, but that seemed too on the nose. She seemed unperturbed by my outburst, which I attributed to insanity. There was also a pony in the corner. It wore a dark hood, which covered it's face. I stared for a moment before shaking it off.

Luna walked up next. "Ms. Draitha, What was that?" She pointed towards the hole.

I raised the pistol. "It's what this does. Last time a bunch of people jumped out screaming surprise I got a knife between the ribs." I sighed, trying to shake it off. "I'll join the party, I just... I need a place to change clothes, where's a private area?" Luna pointed me towards a small room in the cottage. I walked in and routed in my bag for a minute. I thought of about five different outfits, and decided against them. "HAVE YOU THOUGHT OF WEARING A DRESS?"

I jumped and turned around. Oh goodie, the pony had followed me. "It's rude to watch someone changing." I said, while still routing through my bag. Well, a dress would be nice. I still had that cute little red piece from the last world. It even had a matching holster. It was for a different pistol, but a girl's gotta accessorize. I pulled it out, as well as the matching holster and pistol. I threw the R51 back in. Then stared at the pony. "Shoo, I need privacy."

The pony tilted his head. "I HAVE SEEN THAT DRESS BEFORE, AS WELL AS YOU." I stared at this pony. He seemed to consider his option. "A DEAD DRESS, A DEAD WOMAN, ALL IS FITTING. YOU ARE WELCOME HERE, DO NOT MAKE ME SEEK YOU." He paused, staring at the small metal circles in my arms. "THOUGH, A JACKET MIGHT STOP SOME UNWELCOME QUESTIONS." With that he vanished, leaving me confused.

I walked out in my little red dress, with a sleeved leather jacket covering my arms.. I felt sexy, which was a nice change of pace. I normally felt like a killer, or at least a small monster. And I saw stares. While they weren't the lust hungry stares I liked, they also weren't human. I walked the way I had been taught to be a walking beacon of sex appeal and power. While it didn't hold as much power as I wanted it did leave an impression on Rarity. "Oh dear, you look positively magnificent. While your other outfits have been ghastly this.." She gestured with a hoof. "This is what an alien should look like." I smiled. The way the dress hugged me, the way the holster on my thigh was shown through it's slit. I have to admit, I felt downright great. Rarity wasn't letting up though. "Oh my, and this has given me so many ideas. If this is formal attire for your species then they have some good ideas. I mean those golden butterflies, that beautiful inlay. Oh, and that jacket, positively ravishing. I could design three new outfits just on that alone."

I smiled. "I have a few more like this if you want to see them later." Rarity nodded as the blue pony flew up. Oh, goody, more flying ponies to rub it in my face. She looked me over, her gaze pausing at my pistol. "I'm Rainbow Dash, best flier in Equestria." She held out a hoof, I grabbed it, and she pulled me into a hug. "My friends trust you, but I saw what those things can do. Just be careful, I'm watching you."

She backed away and I smiled at her. Well, more accurately I showed my teeth. "Don't worry." I whispered. "As long as no one messes with me, I won't mess with them."

I have to admit, Rainbow reacted well, barely flinching from me. I had to readjust my gaze to her forehead, so as to avoid soul related mishaps. I couldn't tell who would win the stare off, and a pink pony ruined it. "Hey Dratty, I'm Pinkie Pie, and I threw this party just for you." I stared at the pony who was certainly completely insane. She threw her hooves in the air. "And now that you and Rainbow Dash has done that whole scare the new pony routine we can start the party!" Her voice sounded like a helium tank turned into a pony. And when she finished the room changed. Like in an instant. Suddenly streamers replaced the floor confetti, and a banner unrolled that said welcome to Ponyville. I stared as a small speaker began playing music.

I moved to a couch. This was nice. The cowpony walked up. She looked at me while chewing, which made me smile. That was my favorite nervous tick. She made her way to me, before waving. "Howdy there, Ah'm Applejack."

I waved back, reaching my pack. I pulled out an apple. I looked it over and passed to her with a grin. "Apple for an apple?"

She smiled back. "Now ain't that a thing? Ah ain't never met bad sorts who keep apples in their pack." She took a bite, and thought a moment. "Now that don't taste like any apple I'd ever had. Seems like it wasn't grown right."

I chuckled a bit. This whole world seemed to exist to make me happy. "It's a wild apple. I think I got it from a grove that had been abandoned for a while." I reached in the pack and pulled out the whole small bag of various fruits that I got from Harold. "All of these are from a friend I met a long time ago. He pointed me to where he hid his favorites."

Thus began a boring conversation explaining the large amount of fruit I had. Towards the end I gestured to them. "Take 'em. I doubt I'll need them anymore. Honestly they were for emergencies, and I think I'm going to be fine here."

Applejack looked at the fruit, then nodded. "Well sugarcube, Twi asked me to host you in my spare barn. Ah'll be honest, Ah wasn't sure if ah would." I nodded, I could live in the wilds honestly. Applejack raised a hoof at this though. "But, anypony willing to share can't be all bad. Ah got the old barn in my north field set up as a guest house. Y'all can stay there until the princesses figure out what y'all are doin'."

I nodded. I didn't like any home I hadn't cleared already, but security I could do myself. I nodded. "Once I get set up it will be dangerous, just make sure to knock when I move in. And if you see a note, listen to it."

Applejack raised an eyebrow, but nodded. "Aight sugurcube, just don't break nothing." I nodded and looked around. No alcohol, which I couldn't stand for.

I dug in my bag for a minute, before laughing. Suddenly I was the center of attention as I pulled out a bottle of Jack. I held it out like it was holy. "I am become drunk, destroyer of worlds." I saw Fluttershy fold her ears down, but I ignored that as I popped the top and took a swig. It burned, which felt great. I nodded at the ponies. "This is what my group always partied with. Or at least something close to this." I reached in my bag, grabbing a glass. I poured myself a shot. "So do you ponies know what a toast is?"

Twilight answered. "Yes, it was an old ritual where everypony would drink something in honor to a specific event or reason." She then flipped open a small notebook and wrote in it. "It's not in common practice anymore, but I can assume in your culture it's still used."

I nodded. "Then let me show you how it's done." I raised the glass high and shouted. "To absent friends." The other ponies stared. "Then you guys repeat it." I was met by a few muttered repetitions. I shrugged and downed the shot, feeling delightfully warm.

Pinkie jumped up. "If your friends aren't here why not just invite them?"

I sighed. "By absent I meant dead Pinkie, as in eternally absent."

I expected a sad reaction, or maybe a shocked gasp. Instead I was shocked as Pinkie stole my damn whiskey. She raised the bottle and shouted. "To sad ponies, so they'll cheer up!" And with that she took a small sip, and passed the bottle back. At her saying it the other ponies repeated it, with a bit more spirit than mine. She looked at me. "Did I do it right?"

I nodded, and grumpily checked my amount of whiskey. It was only one shot, but actual Jack was rare. "Yeah, could have asked though. Crazy pink pony."

She smiled. "Oh yeah, can I steal your drink to try a toasty thingy?"

I stared at her. "You mean again, or are you just asking for the one you already did?" She nodded. Great, answers poured out of her like water from a desert. I sighed. "How about I just nod and you don't steal any more jack?" She nodded, I nodded. There was a lot of nodding. I capped the jack, throwing it back in my pack.

After that little bit of excitement the party continued as normal. I saw Twilight try to dance, and then I saw Rarity actually dance. One was horrifying, the other graceful. I'm going to assume you'll figure it out. I had even managed to secure a small plate of food. Fluttershy had gotten it for me, and it wasn't all sweet's sadly. I was getting tired though. Sleeping wasn't something I could normally do with others around. I looked around for Applejack. I found her arm wrestling Rainbow. Or, hoof wrestling I guess? Either way I walked up. "Hey Applejack?"

She smiled at me and slammed Rainbows hoof on the table. "Yeah sugarcube?"

Ah, southern nicknames. Some things always make me feel better, even if it was from ponies. "Uh, if you don't mind could you show me to the barn real quick. I think this is a few to many ponies for me."

She looked confused for a moment but shrugged. "Twi said if yah were willing she'd just teleport yah. I know it don't rightly agree with you, but it would be a whole mess easier."

I shrugged. "Alright then, go grab her. I'll be ready when she tells me."

I looked around as Rainbow glared at me. "How is seven ponies to many?"

It was an obvious olive branch. One that she wasn't great at passing, but an acceptable one. "I don't like crowds. I've avoided groups bigger than four since I had a... a bad accident." I shuddered a bit. I could still remember steel tipped blades at my back, as most of my allies turned on me. I heard the screams as they slaughtered my friends.

I was snapped out of my thoughts by a hoof waving in front of my face. "Yo, Draitha, you ok?" I slowly pushed the hoof out of my face and tried for a disarming smirk. Rainbow didn't buy it. "That's the second time you've clocked out like that. Then there was after that weird spell. Are you okay?"

I shook my head. "Not at all, but I'll live." My smile faltered, and I forced it back on my face. "I always do."

Rainbow looked ready to comment, but Twilight walked up. "You ready Draitha?" I nodded, as I saw a magenta glow cover me. "I think it'll be less jarring like this. We're going in three, two, one." And with that I was pulled much more gently through space. After a moment I was in an apple field. I looked at a well maintained barn. It was nice. I shuffled my pack as I heard Twilight talk. "Do you need any help?"

I shook my head as I watched the sun set. I looked over the barn. "If you don't mind, I need to set this up. I can't sleep without some stuff around the house. Just knock if you need me." She nodded and backed off. The evil book pony was learning. I walked into the barn. It was spartan, with a bed, a couch, and a painting of an apple tree. I stared at it, then looked out the lone window, which had the exact same view of a lone apple tree. "Crazy farmers." I muttered while putting my bag on the couch. I pulled out a small collection of objects. Some were trip mines, some were noisemakers, and one was just a briefcase. I pulled out my pocket watch.

Opening it up I looked at the imp. "Hey buddy." He smiled and waved at me. "We're stuck here a while, so if I put you somewhere nice would you enjoy being left open?" He looked thoughtful, a talon tapping his chin. Then he nodded so big it turned into a bow. I chuckled. "Alright buddy, I'll set you up a little stand in a bit, for now keep guard for me." he shrugged, we both knew he was a useless guard, but it made him happy. I set him up on the windowsill, looking at the tree. I then moved the various mines to key points in my barn. I looked it over, before popping open the briefcase.

It was Mr. Friendly. Named because he was only used when I didn't want everyone at my door dead. Inside was a remote mine, a small tablet, and a large amount of post it notes. I dug a hole outside of the barn doors, before dropping the mine in it. Filling the hole I took the tablet and stuck it to the wall with a small attraction spell. I opened the app that hooked the mine to the tablet and looked it over. Okay, so I needed a riddle only the ponies I liked could figure out. Name was to easy, and something about them had an unknown quantity. I snapped my fingers. I typed in a question. 'Who did I offer a toast too?'

I stared at it a moment before grunting. I'd find a better one later. I stuck a post it note explaining what to do, and to please knock if you had no clue what I was talking about. Also knock if you get it right before you enter because it's polite. I walked in and stared at the bed. It was much to small for me. Stupid pony midgets. I pulled the couch to the middle of the room. I then dug in my pack for a pillow and blanket. After some thought I also pulled out a long sword. It was crafted for work, a scimitar with a curved cross guard. I stabbed it into the ground beside the couch. I then curled up and fell asleep.

I was awoken a few hours later to a small explosion. I rolled off the couch, grabbing the blade and looking at smoke rolling out from under the barn doors. I then cursed the lack of cover in my room. Sure I could topple the bookcase, but that would take time. Combat skills honed by the harshest of teachers, experience, turned on. I rolled behind the couch, using it as concealment while I slipped off my jacket. It could catch, or be grabbed. I cursed myself for wearing a dress. I didn't know anything about this world, why would I wear such a frivolous thing? The door cracked open, then paused. I ducked low, and used the window as a mirror. I saw the start of a hoof, then it paused, before sliding back. Then there was a knock. I held the blade across my body. "Nobody home. Please refrain all assassination attempts until business hours."

I heard a soft chuckle behind the door. That gave me pause, because I definitely exploded the first person to try and come in. I then heard a calm voice. "I'm sorry to say I offer only conversation, though I probably should have listened to your little note."

I scoffed at the voice. So something could take a low yield explosive. Not a huge surprise, it was mostly meant to wound anyways. I stood slowly, keeping the blade in a diagonal line across my body. "Enter slowly, then we'll see if I'll talk."

The hoof reappeared in my vision, and the barn door swung wide. I saw another princess. The white fur, the ethereal mane. I cursed under my breath. Another damn goddess who walked into my room. I held up my hand as she readied to take another step, and gestured at the small red light she had been about to touch. She seemed surprised by it, but carefully stepped over it. She then smiled at me. "Well then, may I assume we can talk?"

I shrugged, keeping my blade close. "Well, there isn't a blade at my back, so you've started right, but you lost those points by blowing up Mr. Friendly. I'll have to remake that."

She glanced outside. "Was Mr. friendly the explosive that went off? Forgive me, but he hardly seemed friendly."

I lowered the sword slightly. "He is compared to the one you just almost touched. That one would have blown up much worse."

She looked me over, and stared at my arms. Shit. "What happened to you?"

I glanced at my arms. The iron nails I had hammered in over my travels each had a small spell on them, keeping them in place and glowing in a soft white light. I sighed. "Nails in my coffin princess. Just an old tale that I turned into another one."

She glanced at each one. "You did that to yourself?"

I grimaced. "Yeah, every friend gets a nail. They're my pack."

At this she seemed a bit more revolted, and curious. That was honestly weird to me. She looked at me. "A tale?"

I nodded. "A poem, from my home." I sighed and stabbed the blade back into the ground. No fight today. I let out a breath and repeated the poem. "Now this is the law of the jungle. As old and as true as the sky, And the wolf that may keep it shall prosper, but the wolf that shall break it will die." I idly traced my finger on the nail in my shoulder. " As the creeper that girdles the tree trunk, the law runneth forward and back; for the strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack."

I touched the nail again, feeling a jolt of pain as the nail scraped bone. I grunted and picked up my jacket, throwing it over my shoulders. Celestia seemed to mull this over. "A true enough poem I suppose. Barring my... distraction, I am Princess Celestia, one of the rulers of Equestria."

I moved back to the couch and pushed my blanket to the side, sitting on a clear cushion. "Yeah, yeah. I'm Draitha, and I don't feel like bringing out my titles. It takes to long."

She giggled at that. It sounded like tinkling bells. "Of course, I must say my own can take to long to want to go through as well."

I nodded, gods tended to collect titles, and if they were rulers too, I could only imagine. "How many breaths does an official crier have to take in your name?"

She smiled at that. "Two, and an hours rest before and after."

I smiled back. "Last time I went all out for a formal event, it was five, and the poor guy passed out after. But that was only because the noble I was visiting annoyed me."

That seemed to cause a pause. Celestia tried to divine my meaning. "You are an exceptional creature Draitha."

I shrugged. "Well, I'm well traveled. The stories I could tell."

Celestia paused again. She sat ahead of me. "Do you know much about me or Luna's power?" I shook my head. "Well, while I do not appreciate leaving out things I will let you in on a secret. No lies can exist in the sun's light, as such, I can safely know anything you say that's a lie. And you're name is not your name." I nodded. She kept talking. "And Luna can ferret out any hidden fact in conversation. And you have truly killed gods." I nodded. Celestia paused at this. "I do not want a fight, but I need something. Some way to know you are not a threat to my ponies."

I thought for a moment, then sighed. "You can read minds right?" It was her turn to nod. "I'll give you front row seats to my memories. I choose them, you watch them. I'll start with a fight, then we'll move on from there. The only exchange is that you help me set up a life."

Celestia bobbed her head, mulling over my idea. Then she nodded. "Very well. I will watch a memory tonight, and every night following until I am convinced. If you wouldn't mind." She gestured towards my head. I nodded and started thinking one of me early real battles. A soft white glow surrounded me, and my world slowly faded.

Author's Note

So, how's this going along? I'm kinda writing a lot recently. None of my real life friends are bronies, so feedback is still loved.