Fallout:Equestria-Reckless

Chapters

Chapter 1-massacre
Chapter 2 Come Go With Me
Chapter 3- one strange day
Chapter 4-Silver and Blood

Chapter 1-massacre

In Whitetail forest was a Zombie ghoul who was wandering aimlessly. It stopped suddenly looking around and sniffed the air it shivered when it smelled food. It turned towards the smell which it followed until it arrived at a cliff. In front of the ghoul was a small town that had a large sign the read No Zebra, but it was missing the B in zebra, so it actually said No Zera. The ghoul’s stomach growled at the thought of all the food it could find, it let out a ferocious roar that was cut short by it’s head exploding into bloody chunks.

“Boom Headshot!” I yelled excitedly to myself lowering my sniper and turned to my left to see my friend Sparkler who was a silver unicorn mare asleep against the wall spooning with her sniper rifle. “Hey Sparky wake up it is your turn for sniper duty,” I said as I shook the sleeping mare awake.

“Okay, okay Blossom I’m awake,” The silver mare yawned and stretched as she stood up. “You seem to be in more of a hurry than normal,” The unicorn noted rubbing her left eye.

“Well of course, it is a special day after all,” I exclaimed happily hugging my best friend.

“And that is?” Sparkler asked curious about what I was talking about, then her eyes lit up with realization. “Oh it’s your sister’s wedding,” She said with glee. “Make sure you bring me some cake okay.”

“I will Sparkler,” I assure my friend before I raised my hoof to my head and Sparkler did the same. ”may Celestia guide your hoof so you never miss,” I start our farewell before Sparkler added.

“And may Luna guard your dreams from evil,” the silver unicorn finished with a smile. “Alright you gotta get going girl before your sister starts to worry.”

“Okay see you soon Sparkler,” I said to Sparkler as I ran out of the room and ran into Corpse Maker who was a tall lanky stallion with black patches on his ragged, dark grey hide, and dark blue mane. “Good evening,” I greeted. He rolled his eyes, mumbled incoherently and strode on past me as if I wasn't there.

I continued to the local pub to grab the cake for my little sister’s wedding. I stopped when I heard low voices behind the pub, the first being a deep one with a Bucklin accent, and the second being a rough deep voice with a Trottingham accent that seemed to be coming from the voice box of a riot gear helmet, or power helmet. “I told you already, I can't do this. I can’t keep this up, knowing what I’ve done,” the second voice seemed to begged.

“You know what the boss will do to you if he hears that you're quitting,” the first voice said. “He’ll kill you Cards,” he warned the second voice.

“I deserve it after what I’ve done,” the second voice, Cards I think, said. I decided to move on, when voices raised, then there was a chuffing noise before all was quiet. I heard a bang from something being kicked, and hoof steps behind me, and turned to find the gate, to the rear patio of the old pub, wide open with bloody hoof prints leading away, and into the desert.

A pegasus in faded black elite riot gear with a white peace sign with three pink butterflies on the left side of the helmet, and a black armored duster staggered out on his hind legs with a chrome double barreled riot shotgun with a zebra style redwood stock in his left hoof, but it wasn't a hoof. Not as nice as my rifle, and it was a strange sight nonetheless. He then looked down at the blood on his armor before cursing about a silencer and charging into the desert, following the blood, as he himself bled. It smelled like, wait wine?

I shrugged before walking into the pub and was hit by the heavy smell of booze. I reached into my coat pocket and pulled out a piece of paper that had the cake order written in neat writing. I dodged a lot of the wandering drunks until I found Cheesecake who was on register duty today. “Hey cheese how’s the Twins doing today?” I asked the pretty graham colored pegasus mare. She moved her pure white mane to the side to get a better look at me with her cherry red eyes.

“Oh their doing swell Radiant like little angels,” she said giving her wings a happy little flap.

“That is wonderful Cheesecake,” I compliment with a happy smile before putting my cake order paper on the counter. “Anyway I need to pick up the cake for the wedding today,” I say proudly to the pegasus.

“Of course dear,” she said grabbing the order ticket and flew into the kitchen there was a sound of pots and pans clanging before a white stallion with black swirls all over his body. His horn gave off a faint brown glow as he levitated a medium white cake that had two little hoof carved wooden figures of the bride and groom. “Ooh that's pretty,” I comment as Marble Cake, who was the stallion carrying the cake.

“It sure is Radiant,” The Stallion agreed before he set the cake down on the counter. “So are you excited for the wedding?”

“Of course I am,” I answered with excitement. “My little sister is getting married today,” I say excitedly grabbing the cake in my magic gently. “Anyway I gotta hurry I am the best mare at the wedding,” I waved goodbye and left the pub, once outside I began heading toward a white building. The building was decorated by three symbols a sun, a moon, and a crystal heart. Walking inside I was greeted by a pink unicorn with a pale pink mane who greeted me with a hug.

“Hey big sis,” She greeted with a smile.

"Hi Cherry Blossom,” I greeted my little sister who was dressed in our mother’s wedding dress. “You look amazing,” I compliment the bride to be, though I soon noticed something a bit off about her attire. Around her neck was a gold pentagon charm with a star connecting at all five points, she noticed me looking at it.

“So you noticed my newest piece in my collection,” She said showing off the necklace. You see my sister is an enchanted jewelry maker and is the reason why our town is a trade route for a lot of caravans. “It was enchanted to bring good fortune to anyone who wears it,” She uses her magic to take the necklace off and put it around my neck.

“I can’t accept this,” I tell her confused as to why she would give me this especially on her wedding day. “Not on your wedding day.”

“You can and you will,” She tells me pointing her hoof at my chest. “I made it for you since you seemed so miserable after mom died,” She added with a sad look in her eyes.

“Hey it is your wedding day,” I tried comforting her by hugging her again. “And mom would be upset with me if I ruined your big day.”

“I guess you’re right,” Cherry agreed with a happy giggle. “You can put the cake over there next to the gifts on that table over there,” She pointed to a table stacked high with wedding gifts.

“Yes ma’am,” I say with a playful salute, and levitated the cake to the table and set it down on the table careful not to cause the table up end. “Anything else commander Cherry Blossom,” I asked playfully.

“Yes,” she said in a commanding voice before smiling. “I need you get ready for the wedding, you can’t come dressed in that dusty old coat you wear to work,” She pointed to my old hand me down coat I got from my mom who told me it was our great, great, great, great grandmother’s.

“I guess you're right,” I said sheepishly. I saw something red behind the chapel, but it disappeared as soon as I saw it, so I thought nothing of it as I followed my sister. I followed her until we arrive in the back of the chapel where Cherry opened a door revealing a silky white dress with some amethyst stars sown into the dress in a firework blossom like my cutie mark.

Oh my Celestia I love it, I thought to myself then I looked at my sister. “Are you serious Cherry you know I don’t like dresses,” I lied my eyes quickly dart to the left and then to the right.

“Sure you don’t,” Cherry said sarcastically with a knowing grin. “But can you do it for your little sister,” She said giving me the puppy dog eyes.

“Only for you sis,” I say with a smile hugging her. “Anyway you need to get ready for the ceremony,” I said pushing her out of the room. “I uh gotta get dressed for the wedding in this ugly thing,” I said with a fake frown with my eyes shifting back and forth, before closing the door.

Finally alone with this beautiful dress, I thought with a wide smile on my face as I took off the dusty old coat and grabbed the dress, slipping it on I looked in a mirror the dressed matched my turquoise coat and raspberry mane that ranges from rose to dark raspberry. “Mare you look good,” I tell my reflection before I walk over to my dusty coat and pulled a revolver and a bag filled with what appears to be gum. “Just in case,” I tell myself before strapping the holster to my gun to my hind leg and but the dress over it concealing the weapon.

“Hey hurry up Radiant the ceremony is about to start,” My sister said knocking on the door. I quickly took the bag of ‘gum’ and hid it in the ammo pocket of the holster for safe keeping.

“I’m coming,” I answer as I opened the door and was greeted by sister wearing a wedding veil. “You look gorgeous sis,” I say complimenting the Pink unicorn. “If we were not related I would be jealous,” I said jokingly as she gave me a smile before hitting me in the arm.

“Shut up,” She said laughing. “Makes me second guess about you walking me down the aisle,” She joked before nudging me and I heard music start. I didn’t respond instead I walked beside beside Cherry as she walked towards the priest and a stallion dressed in a tuxedo.

We part ways when we reach her future husband and the Priest while I sat down a little ways away. The priest cleared his throat before he started, “Ladies and Gentlecolts, we gather here today to-.”

I stopped paying attention there when I saw a shining object in the distance, I stood up but before I could Identify what it was. My attention was drawn back to the priest who was about to ask the question we all wanted to hear.

“Do you Cherry Blossom take Stampede as your lawful wedded husband ‘til death shall you part,” the priest asked them.

“I do,” she answered eagerly.

“Do you Stampede take Cherry Blossom as your lawfully wedded wife ‘til death do you part,” the priest ask the groom.

But before the groom could answer his head was blown to bloody chunks that splattered all over Cherry’s wedding dress and she screamed in terror. From the time it took to hear the shot , which I determined was a mile away, and from a .308 by the damage.As the others all panicked as shots rang out from several red helmet wearing mercs opened fire outside with their assault rifles around town.

I acted quickly by tackling my sister to the ground as the mercs kicked down the door and shots passed over our heads, I dragged her over to the gift table that was to our right and flipped it over protecting us from the bullets.

“Cherry stay down!” I tell her before drawing my revolver from it’s holster and with a deep breath for focus I rose from the cover everything slowed as adrenaline flowed through my veins. I saw five red helmets followed with five squeezes of the trigger from my revolver and five soft thuds as five bodies hit the ground. I grabbed my sister, “Cherry stay close to me okay.”

“O-okay Radiant,” She said as she stood next to me.

“I need to get to my gear Cherry,” I inform her as we slowly made our way to the back room stepping over the bodies of friends and family as we did so Cherry almost slipped in a pool of blood. I looked at who it was and I had a sickening feeling in my gut, for it was Cheesecake she was shot in her throat her cherry red eyes showed fear which was her last emotion. Cherry let out a squeak before I covered her mouth, I heard hoof steps closing in.

As soon as I seen the shadow I drew my gun and pointed it at the pony, only to find a 9 millimeter pointed in my face by a familiar unicorn. “Blossom thank Celestia your okay,” Sparkler said happy to see me.

“What’s it like out there Sparky?” I asked the silver unicorn as I walked into the room and grabbed my coat and used my magic to take off the dress.

“It’s a bloodbath out there Blossom,” She informed me as I put on my dust old coat. “And I brought you this,” She said tossing me a lever-action rifle.

“Thanks Sparky,” I said, before turning to my sister.“Cherry, you need to stay here,” I said sternly.

“But I want to stay with you,” she whimpered scared.“People are dying, and I don't want to lose you too,” she cried as she threw her forelegs around me.

“Be strong Cherry. I promise I’ll be back,” I said gently pushing her away.

“You better, or you'll regret it,” she said in between sobs I nodded in agreement,

“Let’s go.” I say to Sparks before we stepped out back to back, and shot at countless mercs dropping several, and a few were dropped by a stranger from afar. The wounds looked like those from a .50 cal. round, but this took a back seat in my mind as we twisted and turned. They rushed us, the first to charge me had a combat knife.

I dodged his attack, and put a bullet through his chest before shooting another through the skull that had snuck up on my blind side. I was struck in the shoulder, I grunted in pain before firing back catching the merc in the throat. Three exploded into a bloody paste from around the corner, followed by the delayed roar of a big gun.

“Split up, we need to catch these bastards.” I tell Sparkler when there are no more nearby. I motioned for her to go east and I run to the west side of town, and pick up one of the BM60 MG and checked the clip twenty rounds, plenty.I reload the rifle before scouting out the courier office. It was empty, so I moved to the pub.

I stopped at the door when I heard steps. I kicked in the door, and emptied the magazine on three heavily armored bucks in power armor. They dropped like flies and I collected their ammo. I then went to the back where I heard whimpering, and nearly broke down when I saw a filly, who held a hacksaw to her chained, half sawed foreleg.

She cried when she saw me, but soon stopped as the pain and blood loss caught up with her. I had to cut it off, and did before I cauterize the wound on the burning stove. I cried as I bandaged her stump, and gave her a healing potion.

How could they do this to a kid? I wrapped her in a blanket, and left her my revolver and five rounds before putting her in a safe place behind the fridge. I turned to leave, and entered the dining area before I saw Sparky, facing me. Her eyes were wide, and blood dripped from her muzzle.

“Sparky, you good,” I asked. She stood there, and choked out, “I'm sorry.” That's when I noticed them. There were hooks and strings hooked to her body, almost like a puppet, and I gasped as they threw her at me with her gun trained on me, and a shot from it grazed my ear, as I dove out of the way. She cried out as the wire went taught, and was forced to turn, and buck me in the face. She cried before being flung at me with a cleaver. I picked up a bayonet from the ground, and blocked, but she kicked me, and swung at my side before I cut the wire holding her foreleg.
It reattached, and she leaped at me, swinging the cleaver.

“I’m sorry,” I yelled, and grabbed a hammer before smashing her horn, causing her to scream and me to cry.

“Kill me,” she screamed.

“No,” I screamed as I cut at the wire once more, only for the same result to occur.

“It's the only way,” she yelled as she was forced to buck me in the face again. I stumbled and fell as she rose on her hind legs and dropped, but she was struck by the sniper’s shot before she was released and fell beside me, struggling to breathe.

“NO!” I Screamed scrambling next to her.

“Blossom,” she choked coughing up blood.

“Yes Sparky.,” I answer crying.

“May Celestia guide your hoof so you never miss,” She struggled to say tears were sliding down her face.

“And may Luna guard your dreams from darkness,” I finished the tears getting worse as she went limp and her eyes closed for good. I heard loud steps behind me and my sadness turned to blinding rage, I used my magic to grab a piece of the ‘gum’ from the bag, quickly shoving it into my mouth and was hit by the feeling of my muscles tensing and growing underneath my fur increasing my strength and endurance. Just in time too cause I was hit immediately by a massive hoof that sent me rolling on the ground. I felt no pain from the blow however getting to my hooves and raised Sparkler’s 9 Millimeter at a red armored giant.

I am going to kill this bastard for what he did to Sparkler, I thought in rage before firing the pistol at the red giants weak points, his joints but to my dismay the shots were ineffective. He got closer and closer until hes was on top of me her reached at me the ends of his hooves turned into talons, grabbing me threw me again but this time my adrenaline kicked into overdrive. My surroundings slowed and I saw a way to blind the fucker.

I fired the pistol at one of the power armored goons who lay dead on the ground. The bullet bounced off the chest plate and hit him straight in the left eye. He screamed in pain as I stand up from being thrown my mouth tasted like copper, seems I have a busted lip.

“YOU BITCH!!” he roared as he charged at me. I tried to dodge the giant but he was quicker than I thought his claw grabbed my head and began to slam me repeatedly into the ground crushing my bones. As he did so, he eventually stopped and left me on the ground, raised his hoof to finish me until he was shot by a revolver.

“Stay away from my sister!!” I heard Cherry yell.

“CHERRY RUN!” I yell to my sister as I reach into my coat to grab a grenade when he kicked me to the side and walked back to me.

“NO GET AWAY FROM ME!” I hear cherry yell turning to look at her she was being tied down by two of other mercs.

“Now it is good night for you,” The giant said raising his hoof once more, but before he could finish the job a rocket hit him in the side sending us both flying. I was in so much pain that I passed out but before I did I saw a robo-pony wearing a dirty stetson. Then everything went black.

End of Prologue

Author's Note

for those of you who want stats here.
S:6 P:8 E:5 C:7 I:5 A:5 L:4

there you go

Chapter 2 Come Go With Me

As I stood there in the middle of the town, unable to move as I watch my little sister dragged off by the mercenaries, I open my mouth to yell at the mercs but no sound came. I then heard the sound of hoof steps behind me, my heart began to race as they got louder.

“Blossom,” a growling voice called my name as the hoof steps stopped turning my head slightly I could make out Sparkler’s silver coat. It was spattered with her blood, and ridden with holes. “You did this,” she groaned before tackling me to the ground.

“I swear, I-" she bit a chunk out of my face, and I screamed shoving her off of me. I backed up away from the Zombie pony , and tripped over Cherry. “You killed us Blossom,” her corpse groaned.

“No,” I screamed, and turned to gallop only to run into Cheesecake.

“My children are gone because of you,” she wailed before throwing a kick at me. I fell, and saw the cream yellow unicorn filly with the red mane. Her stump oozed blood as she cried, and I backed away as the whole town closed in on me.

“No! Please! It’s not my fault,” I screamed, as I jolted awake in a hospital bed and began to sob as I went limp and fell back down in the bed. “Cherry,” I cried. “Cherry,” I cried again as I sobbed. I cried and cried until I was being hugged by cold steel.

“Sh sh sh, it’s ok sugarcube,” I hear a metallic female voice with a heavy southern accent say to me, turning slowly I saw a metal pony with bright green eyes and dark grey metal plating looking at me and I did what most ponies would do in a situation like this I scream and shove the Robo-pony away.

“Stay back you metal monstrosity,” I yell out of fear not thinking straight and fell out of the bed in the process.

“Hey easy now firecracker,” the Robot said raising her hooves defensively. “I ain’t gonna hurt ya,” She said calmly as she stepped away.

“Then what were you doing to me,” I shouted accusingly with an angry look on my face

“I was trying to comfort you because you were crying,” she said sheepishly before she held out her hoof, “I’m Bio Jacker 6-9,” she introduced herself.

“Well I’m Radiant Blossom,” I say as I reluctantly shook her hoof. “Do you know where I am?” I ask looking at the clean room I was in

“You're in a hospital in Manehattan,” Bio answered before adding. “I didn't catch your sniper friend before they ran off, but I did have a run in with that titan.”

“Titan?” I asked curious to find out what it was.

“It’s-" she started but was interrupted by the doctor stepping in

“Jacker, we need to talk. Alone.” she told the Metal Mare

“Ah'll be right back sugarcube,” she said before following the doctor out into the hall and closing the door. I listened, but heard nothing through the thick door. I began to wonder where my gear was when the metal mare stepped in. “Sorry ‘bout that, I just needed to handle some business,” she explained fidgeting with the dusty stetson on her head.

“What happened in your town, no matter what happens, needs to stay between us. There are some bad ponies, who wouldn't want you to survive something like that, and may kill you if they find out, okay,” she said firmly.

“Understood,” I said confused but I knew those mercs are out there and I don’t want to draw too much attention to myself just yet.

“Good, now let’s get you outta bed, you've been there for a week,” she said

“A week,” I shouted in surprise

“ah’m afraid so,” she said as she sat me up, and helped me out of bed.

“Fuck. I need a drink,” I said, choking back tears.

“There's a place down the street called Dawn of Hope, we’ll go there, but for now, we gotta go now,” she said quietly looking at the door..

“Why,” I asked as she helped me limp to the door.

She propped me against the wall, and I felt too weak to stand, so I slid to the floor as she tried to open the locked door.

“Shit,” she cursed under her breath, and raised her left hoof to the lock followed by a muffled shot and the sound to the lock breaking..

She then hoisted me onto her back, and charged out of the door, and through a pair of the red helmet wearing mercenaries. I saw a black riot armored pony poke his head, and riot shotgun, out from the door, and shot both ponies before nodding at us, and leading us down a fire escape. He was shot through an open door, but Jacker kept running downstairs.

We flew through the exit, and blended with the crowd (even though jacker sticks out like a sore hoof) and made our way to the pub.

“What the fuck was that,” I hissed angrily at the android.

We walked in, and she set me on a chair at a table by the stage. “That, was a shit show,” she answered while laughing to herself.

The pianist played an old piece from Chopin, and looked familiar in his old NCR style riot gear and navy blue overcoat, and I knew the filly with the stump left foreleg sleeping on the piano was one of the Cake kids, Sweetie Cake. I looked back to Jacker, “That filly, I know her.”

The buck, in riot armor, playing was using a strange yellow aura from his right foreleg to press keys somehow, while his left was cybernetic, and he put the sleeping filly on his back when he took his leave. I forced myself up, and Jacker looked at me in astonishment, and asked, “What're you doing Blossom?”

“That creep has a kid that's not his,” I said as I took one step, then another. I walked up to the bar, where the buck sat holding the filly to his back with his wings. He had removed his helmet to reveal his navy blue fur and spiked black mane. He had sad blue eyes and sipped a glass of bourbon.

“What do you need ma’am,” he said in a smooth Coltifornia drol.

“That's not your kid,” his eyes widened as he looked at me. He slowly grabbed the saxophone case under his wing, and stammered, “I gotta go,” and put on his helmet before booking it to the door..Only to run into Jacker who stopped the stallion.

“Is it true what she said about that filly not being your’s?” She asked her tone was serious.

He put his helmet on with a sigh and seethed, “I found her crying beside the fresh grave that was her town, unable to stand, so I decided to help her get to the crusaders and recover from her amputation. I’m not gonna let you Red Star bastards stop me!”

There was a yawn as the filly straightened and asked in disbelief, “Ms. Blossom?”

She wriggled onto her stomach, and turned on the bucks back to face me, and he held her with a wing so she wouldn't fall. “You're alive,” she squealed. She lost her balance, but the buck turned quickly, and caught her, inches from the ground. He set her down, and she crawled to me and hugged my foreleg.

“Who are you?” I ask the buck as I lifted the little filly with my magic.

“Who are you?” He asked back.

“I asked you first,” I said starting to get irritated.

“Hm, that usually works in comic books,” he thought aloud.

“He’s drunk,” Jacker said rolling her eyes.

“Come with us,” she said as he picked Sweetie from my magical grasp, and set her on his back.

“Mr. Cardshuffle, when am I gonna get my new leg,” she asked the strange stallion.

“I still gotta find parts kid,” he answered the little filly.

“Cardshuffle eh,” I say in a smug tone finally getting the stallions name.

“Foiled again,” he said as his head drooped.

We stepped outside, and began to walk to the alley before he shot a bolt of electricity at Jacker, and took off into the air in the blink of an eye, and disappeared above the cloud layer.

“Son of a bitch,” I yelled stamping my hoof on the ground.

“Ow,” Jacker said mockingly almost unfazed by the jolt.

“You ok,” I asked.

“Yeah ah’m fine,” she said before a passing mare in similar armor, but with a red cross on the helmet she wore, giggled at us.

“Reshuffle has always been a good flier, but damn, that flight training paid off if you two lost him that quickly,” she said with a grin.

“and you are,” I asked with an angry tone before her bubbly demeanor disappeared.

“You're not gonna hurt me, are you,” she asked in fear.

“What do you take us for, monsters,” Jacker asked jokingly as she cut me off to stop me from saying what I wanted to..

“I’m Aerial and I was a combat medic for the Horsigan Royal Air Force. I worked with Reshuffle, and know that you’ll find him at the Wrenchturn workshop across town to the east by the port,” she said before leaving us.

“Follow me. You have bigger things to worry about,” Jacker ordered before leading me into the alley, and withdrawing a bag from under the dumpster.

I opened it and squealed with glee as I withdrew my coat and Sparkler’s 9mm, I was happy I had it back since Sparkler wouldn’t want a merc to have it. I quickly put on my coat, put on my holster before holstering the gun and shoved the extra magazines into my coat pockets. Checking the pockets to see if my other gear was still present. I found a few empty bullet casings, some revolver rounds, a small knife, and the small bag of ‘gum’.

“Where did you get that?” Jacker asked gesturing to the ‘Gum’.

“I made it,” I answered looking at the robotic mare. “Why do you ask?” I asked Bio Jacker.

“What you have there is a chem,” she said with conviction.

“No it isn't, it's just gum,” I shot back.

“Sugar, I know what Bulk is, and that's exactly what it is,” she said with a deadpan expression.

“Come on, let's go,” she said before leading me down the street, and towards route 3 to No Zera.

We walked the cracked pavement through overpasses, and cross streets before leaving town and entering the old road past the toll booths that the remnants used as a camp.

Jacker caught me staring, and said, “Soldiers of the old Kingdom, and one of the people’s last hope. They call em Wendigo Soldiers,” and we watched as they went along, aimless.

“Tell me about yourself Jacker,” I said, causing her to stammer sheepishly before pointing to a caravan.

“We can get supplies here,” she said quickly.

“Ok,” I said.

The caravan was set up on an old bus stop, and had everything from guns to comic books. I saw a lever action repeater rifle with redwood grips, a hybrid scope, and gold engraved on the black gun.

“You should get a gun with better range, so here's five hundred caps,” Jacker said as she hoofed me a bag of caps.

I walked up to the old buck, and asked, “How much for the rifle?”

“I’ll give it to you for four hundred caps,” the brown buck said with a bored look on his face.

I hoofed him the caps, bought seven rounds of .357 ammo, as well as some 9mm ammo, and we were off after I slid the gun over my shoulder.

The gnarled trees beside the road almost looked like they were making faces, and occasionally a big cargo truck with supplies or Revolutionaries and Wendigo would pass.

“Tell me about yourself Blossom,” Jacker said suddenly.

“There’s not much to tell,” I answered.

“I grew up in No Zera. I’m educated, and a really good sniper, and combatant,” I said in annoyance.

“Did you have friends,” she asked as we followed the curved road lined with the gnarled trees.

“I was friends with Sparky for as long as I can remember, and she’s always been my side kick. I was friends with the cakes, and even my sister's goofy buck,” I said as tears began to form in my eyes.

It was breezy, and warm, but it was cloudy, and I thought it was gonna rain as we walked along.

“I wish you caught that sniper,” I seethed with hot tears.

“Why,” Jacker asked.

I broke down and cried. I cried until I didn't have a tear left, then I cried some more. I cried even as Jacker hugged me, and rain fell. I felt weak and broken, like a child after losing their dog, but this was worse. I felt empty and alone. I sobbed and cried out for my mom. I cried out for Sparky. I cried out for Cherry. I wanted to go home and have everything be fine again, and that’s all I could do. Want. So I cried as a music box of the same song in the bar played. I cried until there was a click from a slide being pulled back.

Chopin Nocturne Op. 9 No. 2

“Give us your guns and your caps,” the first buck shouted.

There were three of em in dusters, bandoleers, cow pony hats, and they carried shotguns.

“Highway ponies,” Jacker said annoyed placing her black metal hoof to her face.

“Oh, and we’ll take your robot to,” the second added gesturing to Jacker.

“I don’t have time for this shit,” I said annoyed and quicker than the three bandits could react, I drew Sparky and quickly put a round between each of their eyes in the blink of an eye as angry tears flowed.

When we finally got moving again, we walked quietly.

“Do you want to talk about it,” Jacker asked.

“No, it's fine,” she said.

“Hun, I’ve been through a lot of stuff, and met a lot of people. You're not fine. I I just want you to know that you can talk to me,” she said.

I kept walking, and as did she, in silence, only interrupted by the wind through the trees.

I saw the body of a unicorn in dark green riot armor on the side of the road with a black dragon revolver with a purple and green dragon on the barrel. Her chestplate had a .308 sized hole where her lung was. It was a point blank shot with a special round.

Jacker lowered her head as we drew closer.

“I’m sorry soldier,” Jacker said before grabbing the chain around her neck, took her dog tags, and showed them to me.

“Master Sergeant Silvia, Silly RHMC,” I repeated.

I looked at her. Her helmet said many things obscene and angry but what caught my eye was, ‘I love you Re-’, and had her hoof on a piece of paper next to a pen. I picked up the paper, and read.

I’m sorry I was too late.

I took her chestplate, bandoleer, holster, a couple envelopes, and her journal, before slipping the power shoes she had on my hind legs.

I looked at Jacker in confusion, as she held a laser pistol, and dusted the body. I quickly picked up the big pistol, and examined it. Hundreds of notches covered the gun around the purple dragon, and I decided to call it Silvia in honor of the mare who once owned it.

I holstered it, and put my coat back on over the new chestplate with the Horsigan PD markings, followed by her forehoof gauntlets over my sleeves, and i stopped to read the first letter.

12/05/399AW
Copy of Radio Transmission
Dawn Shadow, Our platoon has picked up on a battalion of the RSMCs forces moving east towards No Zera. Our team still hasn't found the “package”. I sent my lieutenant in to scout, and he hasn't come back. Should we engage? This is Colonel Silly Silvia signing off.

‘This is the copy of a radio transmission,’ I questioned, placing the document into my coat.

‘Who’s Dawn Shadow,’ I asked myself internally before I smelled fire looking back at the body of Silvia and saw Jacker burning the body.

“Why did you burn the body,” I asked confused by the act.

“Because, it’s a sign of respect to the Wendigo. There are also stories of Wendigo souls helping with sudden and deadly accuracy before being cast to the wind, only known as mysterious strangers,” she said quietly.

“That sounds stupid,” I said, annoyed giving Jacker an evil look to which she responded by shaking her head.

“Well sugar that's what you think,” She responded with a laugh. “Any way we need to get moving before the sun sets that's when the real crazies come out.”

We walked on until we reached an old refueling station where a few Revolutionaries stood guard with a single Wendigo sniper on the roof.

“Come on in ladies, Mr. Scratch has been pretty active in the area,” The first shouted to us.

“Mr. Scratch,” I asked as we got behind their makeshift barrier to find that they held flare guns.

“You don't wanna know,” Jacker said as we joined the camp at the fire. Looking around I noticed that several of the ponies here wore strange blackened scars, Jacker took notice of me looking at them. “The scars are from Mr. Scratch,”she whispered to me.

“Who the hell is Mr. Scratch?!” I yelled out of frustration I paused when I noticed the soldiers were looking at me.

“Well you must have lived under a rock if you never heard of Mr. Scratch,” one said with a gravelly voice, I looked at the soldier who spoken. She was a bulky earth pony with a mud brown coat with a short black mane on her back was a rocket launcher battle saddle.

“No it means I am not from around here you moron,” I snap at the mare whose ears flattened in embarrassment.

“um I'm sorry,” she apologized before standing up and walking off.

“Now you,” I pointed at Jacker. “tell me who this Mr. Scratch is!” I demanded in an annoyed tone. Before she could respond loud sniper shots rang outside followed by a growl by the window.

What in Equestria was that, I thought to myself as my adrenalin started to flow in anticipation, and just in time to catch a glimpse of a large black and green creature bolting across and tackling one of the soldiers before dragging them off screaming. Quickly I drew Silvia and pointed where I saw that thing disappear.

“Jacker what the hell was that thing?” I ask the Android and in the process I was hit by a large furry creature that was clearly not a pony, and I got a good look at it. It's eyes glowed like green fire with teeth that match and it's head was like that of a jaguar.

“Get down,” Jacker yelled somewhere before a loud bang and a bright flash of light. The creature on top of me screeched in pain, I quickly gave the creature a swift kick to the ribs that sent the large cat a few feet away but in the process I received a small scratch across my neck where the creature had it's paws.

With the creature off of me I tried to move to get up but to my horror I couldn't move. I heard heavy steps behind me, my heart began racing in terror, but it turned to relief as the green glowing eyes of Jacker came into view.

“Shit,” Jacker seethed in a near whisper as she grabbed me and dragged me into the garage of the refueling station.

Just as she closed the door, the sniper I had seen slid under the door and popped a road flare that lit up the room around us. She held her sniper in her telekinesis as she panted softly. Shadows seemed to drift off of her body like ink in water as she stood there. She finally lowered her rifle and I recognized her armor from the same dead mare.

“Silvia?” Jacker asked, kinda confused

“I’m...well...I guess so,” the mare said, almost as if she didn't know herself.

“Scratch got you too,” Jacker said with conviction as she watched the inky black wisp off of her body.

“It wasn't him. It was...different,” she said.

“How so,” Jacker asked as she drew a canister from somewhere.

“He doesn't seem to know that he brought me back and referred to himself as just a snippet of what once was in a cryptic way,” she said rubbing her helmet.

“Why are you here,” Jacker asked as she slowly pulled the pin of the flashbang she held.

“Find Mecha Toy in No Zera. You'll understand, general,” she chuckled at the end causing Jacker’s eyes to go wide.

There was a flash and a bang before she was gone, leaving Jacker and I in a cold silence.

Well that was strange, I thought to myself as I lay motionless and speechless on the ground.

“Well that was oddly specific,” the Android muttered to herself as she grabbed me again and placed me on her back. “Ok buddy we need to get out of here before the hunters regain their sight,” she then pushed open the door and stepped into the back office of the convenience store and through the front into the night.

Bodies littered the camp like shards of glass after a car accident. Jacker seemed grim as she walked through, holding me all the while. I wanted to talk to her and ask if she was alright, but I could only blink and breathe as we strode down the old interstate. I finally closed my eyes as the minutes turned to hours and plunged into a restless sleep full of nightmares that would jolt me awake.

When the sun began to rise I let out a yawn, which was surprising at first then I let out a sigh of relief.

“Well look who's finally awake,” I heard Jacker say behind me. Lifting myself off the ground and stretched my sore body.

“Well that was an experience,” I muttered.

“You could say that,” Jacker deadpanned.

“Where are we,” I asked.

We sat upon a mesa that overlooked my former home, No Zera. There were 50 caliber bullet casings and there was the smell of rotting flesh blown by the wind towards us. I drew my repeater and looked through the scope to see that the town was infested with ghouls. I also noticed that this vantage point would allow me to annihilate them with ease if I had enough bullets. I looked at the mound of dirt that had been freshly dug up and revealed the mass grave of my town before Jacker shook me out of my trance.

“Blossom, sugar, are you ok,” she asked worriedly.

I felt tears cascade down my cheeks as I turned to look back at the frowning android. She drew me into a tight hug.

“Get off of me,” I said in a defeated tone as I surrendered to the truth that I killed my town, cause I couldn't protect them. I felt rage beginning to build inside my chest that my blood began to boil.

I wanted to put a bullet between the eyes of every government official responsible for the end of the world. I wanted to open the dump valves on every magical waste tanker and smother all of those Prench beaches I’d never see. I wanted to breathe smoke. I wanted to destroy..something...even myself.

I popped a piece of bulk into my mouth and drew Sparky and Silvy as I charged into that now Luna forsaken place. I screamed bloody murder as my shots ripped through the first three and kicked down two more as I spun and fired upon two others and reloaded swiftly as I ran and gunned down as many as I could before running out of bullets and using my forehoof gauntlets and power shoes to buck them into oblivion.

As I bashed the rotting bastards the cold ichor began to coat my armor and soak my face, but I was beyond the point of caring. I continued to crush them with my own hooves soon I lost all sense of time as I killed one after another.

Even after they were all dead I continued to pound on their lifeless bodies. Soon I felt something hug grab me from behind it was not the familiar cold touch of Jacker grabbing me, but soft fur.

“Stop they're all dead,” a familiar sounding voice whispered to me.

“Sparkler?”

End of chapter one.

Chapter 3- one strange day

I sat there and cried covered in the cold ichor, as I was being hugged by the mare, who I swore up and down in my mind was Sparkler.

“I’m afraid not miss,” she said as she squeezed me tighter and I could only cry harder as the hard truth hit me like a train. “I’m sorry,” she whispered gently in my ear.

I gently pushed the mare away from me. I turned to look at her, she was a candy blue small statured pegasus mare with bronze eyes and her mane was pink and blue tied up in pigtails, and Her wings had a pink tinge on the tips of the feathers.

My heart seemed to skip a beat when I gazed into her bronze eyes. ‘What is this feeling,’ I thought to myself. Confused, I shook my head to clear my thoughts.

“I'm Radiant Blossom,” I introduced myself to the pegasus, I offered a hoof but I remembered that I was covered in ghoul blood so I lowered my hoof back to the dirt.

“Blossom are you ok,” Jacker yelled as she ran up and pulled me into a tight hug.

“I'm ok Jacker,” I answered the Android before looking at the pegasus who wore a huge grin on her face.

“Oh my Celestia!” she exclaimed excitedly. “Is that a Bio Jacker unit?” she asked as she flew closer to the Android.

“I sure am missy,” Jacker answered with a tip of her hat as she released me.

“that's amazing,” the pegasus said in awe. “I am Mecha Toy it is a pleasure to meet both of you,” she introduced herself with a little bow.

“What happened here,” Jacker asked.

“There was a huge hoard of ghouls that moved here when the Bonnet summit erupted and destroyed Hoofington and Horsigan,” Mecha explained gesturing to the many Ghoul corpses.

“There are more moving this way about a two days hike from here,” she said, pointing south.

‘That had explained the dark clouds over the city when I escaped the hospital,’ I thought, remembering the escape from the hospital.

“But that doesn't explain how the former villagers ended up buried on the hill over there,” I state.

“That was the RSMC’s doing,” she said grimly. “So, why are you both here,” she asked.

“Those bastards took my sister and I’m trying to figure out where,” I answered with an angry look on my face.

“I think there about ten of those mercs around town that you can loot for clues,” Mecha informed me while pointing in the direction of the church and bakery.

I went on to investigate as they spoke to each other and I felt my stomach sink when I looked at the two buildings. I did my best to cover my feelings with stress, random thoughts, and anxieties as I ventured onward, but as I got closer; my thoughts were shattered like a falling plate by sudden flashes of my fight. I began breathing hard to steady myself as I stepped inside of the bakery. I gasped as I saw blood stains and was greeted with the memory of watching Sparkler get shot and killed. Tears fell from my eyes as it repeated, but I forced myself not to break down and cry.

Shakily i stepped closer to the bodies of the two mercenaries and found nothing before I quickly ran out, breathing hard as I felt my world close in on itself, trapping me within the memory of my closest friends death. I was truly alone and it was my fault for telling her to check the other side of town.

Shaking my head to clear the thoughts of Sparkler, I turned to the church I felt the same sensation that I felt when I was inside of the bakery. I took a deep breathe and focused on the reason I came back; finding Cherry Blossom.

With the thoughts of finding my sister, I entered the church and was hit with the strong stench of decay. I spotted the three dead mercs I shot and walked over to their bodies. I searched the first one only finding some ammo but nothing indicating the location of my sister. The second one didn't fare so well either, but the on the third one, I found a map with an X drawn in the middle of northern Manehattan and it was labeled ‘next objective’.

It wasn't much but I figured I should tell Jacker it was a clue and I might be able to find more clues to the mercenaries whereabouts, so I rolled the map up and walked out of the church and made my way towards where I left Jacker and Mecha Toy.

As I got closer to the duo I overheard them talking about someone named Dawn Shadow. But as I got closer they grew silent, but I didn't care about what they said I was more focused on giving Jacker the map.

“I found something it might be a clue to finding my sister,” I informed the Android while levitating the map over to Jacker.

She took it and looked at it with concern.

“Uh, Blossom? Ya know this is RSMC territory right,” she asked to which I responded with a confused look.

“No I didn't,” I answered looking at the map again.

“Oh, right you were asleep when it happened,” she chuckled.

“How bad is it,” I asked.

“Their top dog, Corpse Maker, reprogrammed all of the robots and turrets when they set up in the Liberty Tower, as well as surrounding it with an electric fence and filling it with at least three dozen mercenaries,” she said.

“Wait, Corpse Maker was one of the mercenaries that attacked and killed everyone here,” I yelled in angry confusion as my thoughts were filled with intense rage.

“Ah’m afraid so sugarcube. He’s been around this old bush more than a few times in his life. Last I heard was that an AWOL lieutenant of the revolutionaries was lookin’ for ‘em after he killed-,” she stopped mid sentence as though confused by my anger.

“Well there are many things being said and it seems you two may want to be alone,” Mecha observed while adjusting her glasses. “Well while you two are here talking I am gonna locate some supplies.” She said before flying over to the bakery.

“Ok, what's going on Jacker,” I asked the robo pony with annoyance plaguing my spoken words.

“It's none of your damn business, especially when you're like this,” she retaliated angrily.

“Anything that involves No Zera is my damn business!” I yelled in anger looking the robot pony.

“Cut it out ladies, aren't you supposed to be friends,” Mecha said from a junk pile.

“Shut up Mecha,” we both shouted.

“Alright! Geese,” she shouted back.

“Ah’m goin ta look for a good house ta spend the night,” she said.

“I think that'd be best,” I sneered at Jacker.

I was too angry about everything and only come to learn that Jacker was hiding something about No Zera. So to say I was absolutely livid was an understatement. As the Android vanished from sight I walked in the opposite direction towards my old home.

“Hey where are you going?” Mecha asked as she flew up behind me.

“Home,” I answered bluntly.

“Wait you used to live here,” She said in shock.

“Not used to, I live here,” I corrected the pegasus who flew above me.

“Oh I'm sorry for your loss,” she said with sympathy. “You must have known everypony who died.”

I gave her a “no shit" glare and kept walking as I told her, “Yes, I did, now leave me alone.”

“Sorry, but no can do,” she said landing in front of me and got really close to me with a smile. “because I think you need to be supervised or you will run off and do something suicidal, again.”

“Wow you really figured me out in half an hour of knowing me,” I said sarcastically with a roll of my eyes.

“Listen to me Blossom, I know your type and-" I cut her off as I exploded.

“My type! And what would that be miss psychologist, huh!? You think I’m just gonna run myself through before I find my sister and kill the piece of shit who did this!? If so you're dead wrong! You don't understand! You won't understand! Now leave me the fuck alone,” I screamed before shoving her aside and trudging to my home, punctuating each step with a curse under my breath.

Once I arrived at my home, I took a deep breath to calm down. My house was a small two room shack made from scrap metal. I walked to the door and pushed it open. Apparently the Mercs busted it open probably looking to loot the place. Sure enough, when I walked in the place was ransacked. Bookshelves were emptied and shoved over, desk drawers hung open, and things appeared to have been thrown around.

I ignored it and walked past it all, unfazed by the disarray and stuff thrown about. It was all meaningless junk save for the pictures that were shattered on the floor. As I arrived in my bedroom I found the same thing had befallen to this room, but like the last I ignored it and lifted my bed with my magic.

Underneath was a bare floor, my horn lit up as I focus on an unseen lock under the floorboards it was soon followed by a distant thud. I lifted the secret door that led to the basement. Then I heard glass break behind me I turned around to see what it was and was greeted by a very familiar candy blue pegasus.

“What are you doing here Mecha,” I asked the persistent pegasus.

“I just wanted to say sorry,” she answered looking at the ground. “I didn't mean to assume anything about who you are.”

“It's fine I'm not angry at you it’s just everything in my life is just, uh I can't describe it in words,” I said as I sat down on the wooden floor.

“What’s down there Blossom,” she asked as she tried to look over my shoulder.

I quickly closed and locked it with my magic, keeping my eyes fixed on hers as I began to glare at her.

“Don’t push it,” I said before pushing my bed back over the trap door.

“Sorry my brother says I am a bit too curious for my own good,” she laughed.

“You are a very strange pegasus,” I commented before I took off my jacket. “If you want to stay here for the night you can.”

“Really?” She asked excitedly. I just nodded in response.
“Yay it's like a sleepover,” she exclaimed gleefully as she pulled me into a hug.

“Sure, you can say that,” I deadpanned as she squeezed me tightly.

When she finally let go, I led her to the other room and used my magic to straighten it up before turning to her and saying, “This'll be your room for tonight.”

“Thanks,” she said with a smile.

“Ok then if you need anything I'll be in the other room,” i tell her before walking to the other room and laid down on my bed.

I say sat up from my bed with a jolt at the sound of breaking glass. What was that pegasus up to? I asked myself as I walked to the door and opened it and found myself staring at the church where I last spoke to my sister.

“Blossom! Where are you!” I heard my sister's voice scream.

“Cherry!” I yelled running into the church breaking the double doors down. Once inside I saw Corpse Maker standing beside Cherry, who was tied up on the ground. In my haste I failed to notice his rifle until I was shot in the left leg then the right I collapsed on the ground in pain.

“Your too late,” his growly voice said before he walked up to me and pointed his gun at my head and pulled the trigger.

I bolted upright as I awoke in a cold sweat and I cursed my nightmare as I checked the time and saw it was still around two in the morning.

I took a deep breath to calm down as I got up and walked to the door of my room. I took another deep breath and opened it to reveal the rest of my messed up house. I walked the long hall as if I was to be executed when I reached its’ end and I opened the front door to reveal Jacker, who had a hoof reluctantly raised as she stood in the rain.

“Morning Blossom can Ah-" she started but I cut her off with a harsh whisper.

“What are you doing out there! Get in here,” I snapped in a whisper as I pulled her inside.

“Ah’m sorry about earlier,” She apologized lowering her head.

“It's fine,” I said as my horn glowed and levitated a towel towards the wet robot. “Dry up don't want you to rust,” I told the robot as I walked away. “there's a room on the second floor you can stay there until the storm passes.”

“That’s not how copper and stainless steel works,” Mecha shouted.

I deadpanned as I realized that I was being quiet for no reason and gave up as I went back to my room. Once inside I laid back down but I quickly realized I didn't want to go back to sleep.

With a sigh I rolled off the bed and lifted the bed and opened the trap door. I grabbed my jacket before stepping down the old wooden steps into the passage below. I used my magic to flip a switch to turn the lights on. Once on, Eight rows of ammunition crates of six each lined the massive room, in the walls were many weapons ranged and melee lined the walls. This place is the town armory, it was put here during the foundation of the town, my grandmother Bulletstorm built it so it was my family's duty to guard it from intruders.

I ignored the many weapons That lined the walls and towards a machine that looked like a washing machine. I tossed my jacket inside then proceeded to take the rest of my gear off and tossed it inside with the jacket. I turned it on there was a flash of purple light and it turned off.

I left my gear in there as I walked down to the left end of the room. There was three mannequins each was wearing a different kind of armor, the one on the left was a heavily modified power armor suit that belonged to an outlaw named Shining Blade a rogue steel ranger. The middle was an old military outfit with a the Equestria Flag and the Zeta symbol printed on the sleeve, it belonged to my ancestor Minuette, who was the captain of the Equestria special forces team Zeta before she was discharged due to a mission related injury. And the one on the right was Ncr ranger gear minus the jacket it is as you guessed belonged to my great grandmother Bulletstorm.

I walked over to the one of Minuette and touched its nose, there was a click and the one of Bulletstorm moved up and back revealing a black wooden box. I ignited my horn grabbing the box when I was hit by a shocking pain, as if I had cut a live wire, before collapsing to the ground. I heard light hoof steps walk by me, and was greeted by the candy blue hooves of Mecha.

“Sorry Blossom but i need what's in that box,” she said opening the box and immediately yelled, “Luna fuck me with the moon! I just betrayed my friend over a damned caravan shotgun!”

I slowly began to get to my hooves before I began to shout at Mecha.

“What the fuck are you doing,” I screamed at the pegasus, who jumped in fear.

“I uh can expl-,” she started to but one look at my face caused her to freeze. My horn ignited again pulling the shotgun from the box and loaded it.

“Gimme a good reason why I shouldn't kill you, thief,” I say coldly pointing the gun at her.

“Cause she was only following orders,” The unmistakable mechanical voice of Jacker who stood behind me.

“Why the fuck is everyone coming down here,” I yelled, completely missing the point.

“Because we thought something your great grandmother stole from Alpha was hidden in here,” she answered calmly. “Seems we were mistaken.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” I asked the Android.

“No one knows what it is, but according to a message the resistance found, it's dangerous. We thought we could find it here,” Mecha said with conviction.

“Do you both seriously think that something like that would be this easy to get,” I deadpanned in annoyance.

“Yes? Kind of,” Mecha said hesitantly.

I sighed in irritation before pointing to the stairs and saying, “Get out of my armory.”

They left hastily and I stayed, looking at a strange double barreled shotgun that I had seen before, but never quite knew about. I vaguely remembered something about a cribbage game I thought, but I was too young to make much sense of the conversation at that age.

As I left, I took a moment to look at a weathered FAL with the number seven written in Prench on the wooden stock. I shook my head at the strange inventory as I locked up and lay down on my bed once more. I almost wished I had someone to talk to, but I realized that I would only push them away, so I just lay there, trapped in my thoughts.

I was relieved when the morning sun danced through the blinds, signaling that my long, sleepless filled, night was over. I rolled out of the bed, with my plan to leave those traitors behind, and opened my door to find Mecha curled up in a ball snoring, I roll my eyes she was clearly waiting for me so I nudged her with my hoof startling her awake.

“I didn't eat the last waffle!” She practically screamed before looking at me. “Oh good morning Blossom,” she chirped.

“Do I want to know,” I asked.

“Probably not,” she said with a blush.

“O...k...then,” I said before walking past her and into the kitchen. “Hey Mecha, you hungry?”

“I guess but why do you ask?” She asked confused by my kind offer.

“Think nothing of it,” I said walking over to a cabinet and pulled out a small can of oats out with my magic.

I cast a spell I had memorized with Sparkler long ago, before pouring some sugar from the cabinet followed by some cream before mixing it up with a spoon. I set it on the table as Mecha took a seat.

“Thank you for feeding me Blossom,” she said with a smile.

I grinned and thought I gave myself away as she paused, before she took a bite.

“This is-" she never finished as her head fell into her bowl.

I grabbed a towel and lifted her head from the bowl and cleaned her face with the towel, before setting her head on the table.

“Now for that traitorous android,” I said to myself as I walked into the front room, where Jacker lay on the couch.

“Hey Jacker,” I asked.

She groaned and sat up before she spoke.

“Morning, Blossom.”

“I’m sorry about last night,” I said as sincerely as I could.

“It's fine sugarcube,” she said with a small smile.

“I want show you the armory, to make it up to you,” I told the dark grey robo pony.

“You don't have to do that Blossom,” she said with a happy tone.

“But I want to Jacker,” I insisted eagerly before walking away. I listened closely to her heavy hoof steps as she followed me to the room. But she stopped as we walked past the kitchen, crap what if she thinks Mecha sleeping at the table is suspicious.

“Seems Mecha raided your cabinets last night,” she laughed before walking into my room where I opened the secret door and motioned for her to follow as I disappeared into the dark armory. Once inside I ignite my horn and grab a small metallic device and hid behind a cabinet. I then pulled the pin of the pulse grenade I had grabbed and rolled it at the unsuspecting android.

“Oh, sh-" she never finished as the grenade let loose with the sound of booming thunder.

I ran over and saw her eyes no longer glowed with power and I grabbed my grandmother's 10 gauge double barrel and ran back upstairs.

I burst out of my house with all I needed to get back to Manehattan as well as a map of the interstate that I needed. As I walked out of No Zera I felt mixed feelings of anger and sadness, I shook my head to clear my thoughts I needed to focus if I was gonna get to Manehattan in one piece if I was gonna save my sister and avenge my town.

I looked at the map to plan the quickest and safest route to Manehattan, I could go the way I got here but I don't want to run into those cat creatures again. So I decided to cut through the city Rust Peak, which is a city made from old vehicles, and it is also one of the few safe cities around here.

I rolled up the map and put it away in my coat pocket and started walking. I turned to look at No Zera one more time before I turned and left it behind me.

Surrounded by pine, I hummed a tune I barely remembered as I kicked a can down the broken pavement. As I continued to walk down the ruined road I thought of my sister and what she could going through in the hooves of those monsters.

I sighed with out someone else around I am left with only my thoughts. “This is going to be a long trip,” I said aloud to no one in particular that only emphasize the fact of how alone I was.

I froze in place when I heard rustling in the bushes on the medium. I turned, readied my shotgun, and kicked my can into the bush, but I didn't expect there to be a child’s voice that said ow.

“Who's there,” I ordered.

“Just me,” a familiar yellow filly said as she popped out of the bushes.

“How the in the wide world of Equestria did you get here,” I asked as I pulled her to me with my telekinesis.

“I walked,” she said as she lifted a metal hoof.

“But-wait alone,” I asked, stumbling out of my original question.

“No, Reshuffle is-" she stopped as we both heard slurred singing.

“Ya do the pony pokey and ya turn yourself around,” he stumbled down the street in my path, wearing a pair of mirror lense aviator shades and his helmet on his web equipment set over his coat.

He then tripped and burped before looking at me and my annoyed expression.

“Oh hi Mark,” he said in a strange tone before his head met the ground with a snore.

“Really,” I asked incredulously.

“Eeeyup,” she said with a giggle.

“Luna dammit all,” I cursed under my breath. I sighed again and pulled out my map, it was too far to Rust Peak but I remembered seeing ruins on the other side of the forest. “Sweetie I am gonna carry Reshuffle to some ruins nearby I need you to stay close okay,” I tell the young filly as I lift the pegasus from the road and began carrying him through the forest with the yellow filly following behind.

“So, has he done anything to you,” I asked.

“Not really. He hurt me when he was connecting the nerves in my leg though and he calls me Heart,” she said thoughtfully.

“He’s mostly been schooling me, talking to me about what happened to me, and helping me sleep,” she said nonchalantly.

“Helping you sleep,” I asked, worried about the intentions of the strange and surprisingly light pegasus.

“He sings to me when the memories return,” she replied, her almost downcast tone worrying me as she spoke.

“What's wrong Sweetie,” I asked, stopping and turning to look at her in her sad pink eyes.

“He’s sad,” she said, her voice almost breaking and betraying her sadness.

“I try to ask him about it, but he just tells me that I shouldn't burden myself with it, before drinking himself to sleep,” she cried.

I was confused as to why she would be worried about a buck she barely knew, but I dropped him and hugged her tight.

“It's ok Sweetie,” I cooed.

“It's not. He’s helped me so much and I can't do anything to repay him,” she bawled.

“Child, you aren't old enough to have to burden yourself with debt let alone trauma,” I said, not believing that those words were my own.

“Thank you miss Blossom,” she said.

“No problem,” I replied.

I turned to where I had dropped the pegasus and picked him up.

We arrived at the ruins a bit later than I expected, so we decided to take shelter in the remaining building, which was the sheriff's office.

I put Reshuffle in a cell bed, and Sweetie had fallen asleep in the next cell over. I sat and cleaned Sparkler’s 9mm as I hummed a tune from when I was younger. I heard a snap and whirled around to face a sober Reshuffle with a flame in his mechanical fingers and a cigarette in his mouth.

“Hello miss Blossom. I figure you wish to speak to me,” he said as he lit his cigarette and extinguished the flame.

“Aren't you hungover,” I asked as I got back to cleaning my gun.

“No, but I blame that on my being a piece of shit,” he said with disgust.

“How,” I asked.

“I acted like I got drunk and upset Heart once again,” he said sadly.

I snorted with disdain for his actions, before asking, “Why?”

“I’ve been through some shit believe it or not,” he said.

“Everyone in the wasteland has been through some shit, so that's no excuse to play with a child's heart like you did,” I sneered.

I began to reassemble my gun as he spoke.

“I realize that. That's why I tried to find you. I figured you knew her well enough to know what to do, because I’m just a washed up combat medic,” he said.

I snorted, before I said, “You're a pathetic excuse for a pony. How about you fuck right off to your cell.”

“How do you think your family would react to your cold attitude,” he said, irritatingly calm.

I drew the revolver I found and aimed it at his head.

“Shut the fuck up, scumbag! You don't know them! You don't know me,” I screamed.

“I know you better than you think. I also know that you're scared. Not of me, but yourself. You may not realize it yet, but you will. You aren't going to pull that trigger,” he said as calm as ever.

I hated to admit it, but he was right, I wasn't going to shoot him. I cried out in frustration, before all out bawling when I thought of Cherry’s disapproval. That’s when I felt the wings and foreleg of the strange buck, but I couldn't pull away as I cried into the soft embrace.

I awoke under the covers of a warm bed, not knowing how I got there, but comfortable all the same. I sat up and saw Reshuffle sleeping in a desk chair outside of the cell I was in. I got up, and walked out, but saw that Sweetie was also up, and fiddling around with a big revolver that looked like mine, but different. It was a grey blue with a black heart on the barrel.

“Sweetie, what are you doing with that gun,” I asked.

“Well I was just cleaning it for Reshuffle,” She answered putting the gun down.

“Does he know your doing this?” I asked the filly.

“No, he doesn't know I am doing this,” Sweetie answered quietly.

“Then you shouldn't touch it then,” I tell her as I took the weapon from the filly. “If you want to help him why don't you ask him next time ok.”

“Yes ma’am,” she said timidly.

“Ok I gotta go Sweetie,” I told her as I grabbed my weapons and walked toward the door.

“No, don't go Radiant!” Sweetie yelled grabbing my tail.

“Sweetie let go of me now,” I tell the filly who only tightened her grip.

“No, take me with you,” she begged on the verge of crying.

“I can't, where I'm going it's too dangerous for you,” I say pulling the filly off my tail with my magic. “How about this you stay with Reshuffle for now, and I will come back to get you once I am done with what I gotta do.”

“Ok miss Blossom be careful ok,” she said hugging me. I return the hug then set her on the bed and walked out the door.

Once outside I paused I heard something then I felt something sharp stab into my neck. I felt tired soon after then I collapsed on the ground before losing consciousness.

I opened my eyes, and was hit by a bright light blinding me. I heard voices speaking but I could understand them like I was under water. I tried to move but I couldn't so do I tried to speak but I could not. I kept trying until I felt severe pain in my side followed by a warm sensation flooding my entire body, then everything went black.

When I woke up the second time I found myself in an oval prison cell. The cell was a sterile environment that looked more like an operating theatre.

“Hey good looking,” a raspy voice with a Cajun accent whispered behind me. Turning around quickly I spotted a shadowy figure sitting against the wall. “What brings you to Ol Shadow?”

“Who are you?” I asked the shadowy figure. “where am I?”

“Ah am Shadow Fall,” the figure answered.

“Ah’m a business pony, I make deals for a living,” he said in his voice, which was as rough as sandpaper.

‘Maybe it's a ghoul,’ I thought. I sighed before turning away from the thing talking and looked over my body for any scars from earlier.

“I see ya lookin’ at your body for the scars but ya won't find em,” Shadow Fall said in my ear.

“What the hell!” I yelled at the shadow as it surrounded me before flying in front of me and formed a large black stallion with solid white eyes. “What are you?”

“Another one of Alpha's lab rats,” he said sadly.

“Your pegasus friend is next,” he said as he sat next to me.

“I don't care about him! Where’s Sweetie,” I yelled.

“Ah don't rightly know Ah only overheard the guards talk about the pegasus,” he rasped extensively.

“I need to get out of here,” I say aloud to myself.

“You and me both,” Shadow Fall commented. “The only way out is death however, so I don't suggest that.”

“Well I'll find a way to g-” I stopped mid sentence as I felt an intense headache that shot up into my horn. I screamed as the pain increased to unbearable levels.

“The pain will pass soon,” Shadow said standing above me. Surprisingly as soon as he said that the pain stopped.

“What the hell was that?” I asked feeling light headed and relieved that the pain stopped.

“It was the injection kicking in,” He explained changing into a smoke cloud. “It is meant to make you stronger but from what I been through that is never the case,” he sighs before continuing. “I wasn't always a smoke monster, it is what that injection did to me.”

“So you mean that pain I felt in my horn was some kind of mutation,” I asked the shadowy stallion.

“So it focused on your horn interesting,” he muttered to himself. “It is odd you don't seem to be showing any signs of change.”

“ Well that's good to hear,” I said before looking at the wall. “How do they keep you in here?” I ask the Smoke Creature.

“I don't know I never tried to escape using my powers,” he admitted but paused before continuing. “I see where this is going but we need to figure out what they did to you before we try anything.”

“I guess you're right about that,” I say sitting down on floor. “How do we figure out what I can do?”

“Well I guess we could try some physical tests,” he suggested with a shrug.

“sounds good but how are we gonna do that?” I ask looking at the blank room.

“Good point,” he agreed. “okay well let's rule out magical energy, it could have affected your magic given it's its focus on your horn,” he formed a bullet out of his shadowy body. “I want you to augment this bullet,” he said, holding it up.

“What,” I say in disbelief. “I don't know how to do that.”

“Ah’ll show you how depending if this tires you then it didn't affect your magic,” he said before taking a deep breath. “Ah want you to focus all your energy on the bullet and think explosive thoughts.”

I rolled my eyes and attempted to focus, when I heard a tell tale whaling reached my ears. My focus shattered into a million pieces.

“Sweetie,” I screamed looking at Shadow. “No time I need to get out of here now.”

“Ah agree that was a child's scream those monsters need to be stopped, “ He agreed before enveloping me. “stand still this is gonna feel strange.”

“What!?” I said before I felt a crawling sensation and everything went black

When I could see again I found myself in a hallway I'm in front of a room that seemed to to contain all the repossessed items taken by our captors.

I searched the room across the hall and grabbed my gear, before being joined by Shadow. I stormed past him, busy worrying about my godchild as I stormed into the next cell to find two guards. Laying there was Reshuffle, but I ran out of the room after I shot both guards in the head their guns rose in my aura as my anger grew. Sweetie wasn't in this cell, so I moved on. In the next cell were two doctors. I blew them apart with my shotgun, 9mm, and two M16s. I moved on and in the next room were three guards. I snatched their riot shotguns and turned them on their owners.

“Die,” I screamed, before I blew them to grease stains.

I moved on, my anger growing as I did. I ripped doors off their hinges and took every enemy life and gun I could find, and by the end of the hall, the final room, I had 30 guns and a mouthful of bulk. There she was, strapped to a table, blindfolded and held at gunpoint. He wore a faded gold trimmed power armor with a rearing alicorn on the forehead.

“Hello there, Radiant Blossom. You've been a serious pain for me and my…associates,” he said.

“Who the fuck are you,” I screamed.

“You know who I am, but I’ll be sure to kill you later,” he said as he disappeared in a brilliant flash of light.

“Fuck you,” I screamed.

“Miss Blossom,” she asked, crying softly.

THUMP

I turned and saw that Reshuffle had been unceremoniously dumped on the ground by Shadow, who then dropped his prosthetic foreleg on the ground.

“Is she ok,” he asked.

I ignored him as my guns all hit the ground as I walked to Sweetie.

“I’m here Sweetie,” I whimpered, nearly in tears as I saw her cut and bruised body.

I heard sobbing from the hall, but ignored it as I brushed her mane away to reveal a bloody horn. I removed her blindfold and sobbed at her tears and buried my face in her chest.

“I am so sorry Sweetie for not being able to save you sooner,” I cried before wiping my tears away and placed the filly onto my back. “Shadow can you wake up that pegasus we might need his help,” I ask the shadow pony.

“I thought might ask that so I am ahead of you,” he said.

I heard him rummage through a vacant medical cart, and before long I heard the strange buck gasp for air, coughing and kicking. I turned and saw as if he was suffocating, but turned to block Sweetie’s view. I heard a puking sound before Shadow spoke.

“That's weird, his body rejected the cells,” he said, clearly intrigued.

“That's nice, now get him over here,” I said irritably as Sweetie cried.

“How do I-" Shadow began to ask Reshuffle, but stopped as he spoke.

“I got it,” Reshuffle said, as if distant.

I heard a click, a hiss, and a groan of pain before the pegasus appeared beside me.

“Collect what medical supplies and ammunition you can, I’m gonna have to do some painful and disturbing work that I don't want you to see,” he said grimly as he took in the scrapes, gashes and disrepaired cybernetic connections.

“I’m gonna stay with Sweetie,” I said sternly.

“I don't think you should,” he said as he began to gather surgical tools and medical supplies around the room.

“I don't give a single solitary fuck what you think! You aren't my keeper, nor would I ever want you to be,” I yelled, seeing red.

“Fine be stubborn,” He muttered before turning his focus back to Sweetie. “Just stay quiet, I gotta focus so no distrac-” he was cut off by a loud bang followed by a blinding light. I having been hit by one before I instinctively covered my eyes.

Now deaf, I turned to look at the entrance and saw several soldiers barging in I grabbed my weapon and prepared for a fight.

“Surrender or be destroyed,” the leader said cockily.

“How original,” Reshuffle said mockingly.

“Are you mocking me,” the leader asked angrily.

“No, not at all, miss,” Reshuffle said, grinning cheekily.

He was then struck in the nose with the butt of a rifle, causing his smile to disappear. He had still stood his ground, not shifting an inch.

“You hit like a bitch,” he said slowly.

At this point they all had their eyes on him, and Shadow stood behind them, at the ready. I nodded, and we opened fire on them, spraying blood on the walls as the bullets struck.

“Well done,” the pegasus chirped.

“Mr. Fall, did you happen across any anesthesia,” he asked.

“No, but Ah found some morphine and a healing potion,” Shadow said, as he set the things on the table.

Reshuffle picked them up, and began to set up a morphine drip. As he did this, I went to Sweetie’s side and held her hoof.

I heard the light scrape of metal on metal, and looked up to see Reshuffle, holding a scalpel.

“You may not want to see this,” he said.

I could feel Sweetie beginning to shake, so I looked into her eyes and said, “It's ok, Sweetie, I’m here for you.”

“Will it hurt,” she asked worriedly.

I looked to a frowning Reshuffle, who sighed and said, “It will only hurt for a second.”

He cut away the skin after removing the connection hub. Sweetie tensed and screamed as she tried to pull away, but I held her down. He cut further into the flesh, and I was ready to shoot him when she fainted from the pain. I was about to yell at him, but stopped when I saw him hold the hub to the bleeding stump, and little pin sized wires stab into the flesh before pulling itself into the stump.

“There's some hydrogen peroxide in the cabinet, and we need to clean these glass cuts,” he said sadly.

“Glass cuts,” I asked, as I grabbed the hydrogen peroxide.

“Those bastards threw her through a window,” he said as he took the chemical from my telekinesis. He poured it into the cuts, and it bubbled and fizzed before it wasn't visible. He then bandaged her cut up barrel, as I left the room.

I stopped over the bodies of the soldiers who we shot and took in their uniforms, they all had the alicorn crest that one stallion had on his helmet. “who are these guys?” I asked myself.

The raspy voice of Shadow Fall answered “Those traitors are now Alpha’s researchers.”

“Traitors,” I asked.

“Some came from the royal guard, but they're mostly ex-revolutionary doctors and soldiers,” he said with disgust.

“I hear a lot about this Alpha character but no one ever tells me who or what Alpha is,” I commented looking at the shadow pony.

“Alpha is the last thing you want to run into,” Shadow said flickering, I took this as a shiver of fear. “There are many theories about Alpha, many claim it is a monster made during the great war, others it is a pony so powerful it can destroy massive cities and armies with a thought.”

“That has to be far from the truth, right?” I ask confused looking at the symbol. “Hey, Shadow what do you know about the Bio Jacker androids?”

“Not much but from what I gathered from other inmates, they were created by one of Alpha's Generals Named Arsenal,” the shadow pony answered picking up a rifle from the pile of dead bodies. “When the general found out that the droids were kidnapping children to be experimented on, she destroyed them all.”

“That can't be right,” I say quietly.

“Wait what do you mean that's not right? Did you see one?” He asked sounding scared.

“More than seen one, I was rescued by one,” I say pocketing bullets I found on the bodies.

“That makes no sense,” Shadow said, confused.

“To be honest she reminded me of one of the ministry mares, but I don't remember which one,” I said.

“I still don't understand. They were all destroyed, and even if one survived it wouldn't have saved anyone,” he said.

“But I learned it was just using me to find something,” I tell the shadow pony before walking back into the room Sweetie was in. “Hey how is she doing?” I asked the pegasus.

“She is unconscious, but other than that she'll be fine,” he answered while placing the small filly on his back.

“That's good to hear,” I let out a sigh of relief. “Now we need to get out of here.”

“Before we do, I must ask, why do you hate me,” he questioned softly.

“Let's go,” I said, ignoring his question. I went to Shadow as Reshuffle put on his gear, and Shadow gave me my gear.

“So have you found a way out Shadow?” I ask the larger shadow pony.

“Yes but it is gonna be hell to get through,” Shadow said flickering slightly.

“Never thought it was gonna be easy,” I comment loading Silvia and Sparky. “What kind of resistance are we looking at?”

“Several guards and I think at least one heavily armored Titan, possibly a heavy weapons variant,” he informed us.

“Damn, you are right that is gonna be hell to get through,” Reshuffle commented.

“It’s gonna be tough but it's not impossible,” I say confidently. “Now I will be going ahead to clear out the area, Shadow Fall I need you to watch Reshuffle’s back, ok.”

“Let's blow this popsicle stand,” Reshuffle said.

“Let's go,” Shadow said.

So we took point at the door with Reshuffle on the left of the door, and Shadow on the right with me ready to buck it open.

Reshuffle got up on his hind legs as I kicked in the door, and charged into the room back to back with Shadow. Their guns roared and bodies fell before I heard the roar of minigun fire. I turned the corner and saw a beast the size of a bus with miniguns the size of sky carriages. I took cover once more as the reality of the situation hit me, and I knew I’d neet more than my 9mm and shotgun to kill whatever that was.

I decided to take a 10 gauge shell from the chamber of my double barrel, before focusing my magic on it. It began to glow and burn in my grasp before it popped and stopped burning, but glowed with a brilliant raspberry red aura. Exhaustion hit me like a sack of bricks, but I forced myself to remain upright. I loaded the shell, and snapped it shut, and pointed it at the monster and fired it as I blacked out.

When I awoke I was outside, I could tell by the breeze. “H-How did I get here?” I asked groggily standing but I felt weak and laid back down.

“Well y'all were just laying in the middle of the woods so I thought you'd tell me?” A familiar mechanical southern voice answered.

“Jacker!” I yelled in fear but even with the adrenaline rush I couldn't move.

“You're lucky we don't kill you for whatcha did,” she said cooly.

“We? What do you mean we,” I nearly shouted.

“I’m here too,” Mecha said from behind me, causing me to jump.

“So, why did you throw a pulse grenade at me,” Jacker asked.

“And why did you drug me,” Mecha asked.

“You assholes shot me with a fucking taser, so you could raid my armory for something that isn't there! So excuse me for ruining your morning, but I didn't want to travel with you after what you did, and I knew you wouldn't let me leave,” I yelled at the two mares. “So if you don't mind go away.”

“Wait a second,” Jacker said holding her hooves up defensively. “If you just said ya wanted to leave you could've, I wouldn't have stopped you.”

“I would've!” Mecha chimed in happily and was jabbed in the ribs by Jacker. “What? I was only joking,” she whined rubbing her ribs.

“So you mean to tell me I was paranoid over nothing,” I said, face hoofing. “sorry I kinda freaked out back there.”

“It's fine Firecracker,” Jacker said picking me up off the ground. “Besides I think I need to keep an eye on you since you seem to be incapable of going a day without becoming incapacitated.”

“Fuck you,” I muttered.

I was bitter and pushed all of the doubt from my head. It wasn't that bad was it?

“Where’s Sweetie,” I asked.

“You were the only one here besides Shadow Fall, but I’m guessing we can't be too far behind Sweetie,” Jacker said.

“Reshuffle isn't here either,” I said.

“So what,” Jacker asked.

“I highly doubt that he would let her travel alone,” I said.

“Oh, shit,” Jacker said as realization dawned on her.

“Hey Mecha,” Jacker asked.

“What is it boss lady,” Mecha quipped.

She was met with a glare before Jacker asked, “Could you fly above the treetops and see if you can find that prick.”

“I highly doubt I'll find anything,” Mecha muttered.

“Check anyway,” Jacker said.

“Guys, don't worry about it, we already know where he hides. Besides, we have business to attend to that is more important than some weirdo in a duster,” I said.

They all stared at me, then I realized that I was wearing a duster as well as they began to snicker, and I face hoofed once. I was so annoyed, that I just began walking through the forest, before they tried to catch up. I needed to get to Manehattan to hopefully save my sister.

End of chapter 2.

Chapter 4-Silver and Blood

May 1, Saturday

I can’t stop thinking about that Luna forsaken place, Moon Tower. It was burnt pitch black when the megaspells reduced both Zebras and Ponies to ashes. Now it’s a fucking RSMC prison with it’s holding and processing in the old subway system stretching to Yonkers. I can't get that place out of my head, and I know that neither can Re. I still can’t believe they just put him back on duty after he dragged himself 75 miles back to HQ. All the way from fucking Yonkers! With a stump leg no less! Probably worse. He barely got me out 3 months earlier and I’m just getting back to scouting. At least we know where to go if the RSMC takes prisoners from No Zera.

If they do, then they'll regret it!

I finished reading Silvia’s journal entry as I began to chew on another piece of Bulk.

“Hun you gotta stop using that stuff,” Jacker said, worriedly.

“And you should stop following me! I already told you guys to leave me alone,” I yelled as I looked over the diagram of the subway that was on the next page.

“Hey Blossom, what's the plan,” Mecha chirped as the peeked over my shoulder.

“To find my sister without annoying ponies following me,” I snapped pushing the pegasus away.

“Hey you didn't have to push me!” she exclaimed confused. I ignored her and began looking over some floor plans for the building.

“She has a point Blossom it was uncalled for,” Jacker said agreeing with Mecha.

“Just shut up if you two don't want to help then leave!” I yell at the two of them. “I have family in there and I won't let you two talk me out of it, so just leave!”

“I am not saying we won't help but this mission is suicide if we do it now,” Mecha explained but my anger grew.

“Then I don't want your help now leave!” I yelled, grabbing my rifle and pointed it at Mecha. “You have to the count of ten before I shoot you.”

“Easy now Blossom,” Jacker said as she began to approach me.

“Stand back Jacker, or I will kill you too,” I threaten to grab my bag and Silvia’s journal. “Don't follow me,” I turned and ran.

“Blossom comes back,” Mecha shouted after me.

I was sick of the bullshit, so I ran. Soon enough for my enraged mind, the miles seemed to blur together until I saw a compound around a warehouse in the distance. When I thought about it, it made little to no sense that it would be here in the middle of the forest. I dived and landed in the brush to stay out of view. I then used the scope on my repeater to scout out whatever enemies ahead.

From what I could tell, there were three Red Star snipers guarding the armory, and I assumed that their reinforcements had gone, so I moved and shot all three in the head before running for a hole in the fence, and sliding through. I then went inside, but I was forced to duck as four rifle ponies shot at me from cover. I hid behind a crate but was met with a CLICK as I poked out of cover to shoot back. My gun had jammed.

“Fuck,” I shouted.

The shooting stopped and one shouted, “Surrender, there’s no way out! Throw out your guns and step away from the crate with your face to the door!”

I threw my guns out of cover and did as they said.

“Good, now walk backward until I say stop,” he shouted.

I did so, looking for any way out before my eyes settled on the crate I was behind as well as the one beside it. They were marked BM60s and the second was marked 7.62 mm AP ammo, so I dove behind them once more as they opened fire. When they began to reload, I looted the crate and loaded two BM60s before firing back and turning their insides to a pulp.

I threw the second machine gun aside and gathered my guns before putting my new addition over my shoulder. I started searching around the many crates and decided to just take the ammo I needed. Soon I was wearing bandoliers of bullets, and my saddlebags were heavy with what I took.

I walked over to the seven dead Reds I searched the bodies until I found a set of keys and shoved them into my coat pocket. Maybe it unlocks something important, now where would they put a safe? I asked myself mentally.

I walked to the back of the warehouse and found a set of stairs that lead up to an office. When I entered, there were three bookshelves to my right lined with Wendigo helmets and dog tags and an old oak wood desk with a wall safe behind it.

I shook my head at the sight and began looking at the papers scattered over the desk. One had written in bold on the envelope containing it, Prison Entry Spell.

I shoved it in my pocket and searched the desk for anything useful, but only found an old vile of red liquid that I pocketed. I then tried the keys I found on the safe, and the third one did it.

On top of the stack of documents and some ledgers were a chrome D50 and a bag of caps. I took the bag, and heard a loud thump from below me and left the gun as I went to investigate.

I looked around, but I didn't see anything but when I was about to go back, I saw a big steel door behind the stairs.

I walked around the stairs and tried the door only to find it was locked. I tried the first key and it worked. I opened the door and looked at the steep downward stairs before following them down. I heard the sound of chains being pulled on and was met with an awful sight.

A mare with a soot-covered silvery mane and the platinum coat was chained to a table and had electrical burns. That wasn't the part that made me gasp. The worst of it was her angelic wings that lay in tatters on the table beside her.

She spasmed and the chains jangled as she sobbed softly.

“Please...no more,” she said.

I took a step toward her. I saw her flanks branded with the symbol of three linked chains in place of her cutie mark.

“It's ok, I’m not here to hurt you,” I said stepping slowly toward the platinum mare trying not to frighten the poor thing.

I was worried about being caught after I heard some hoof steps as well as talking, so I looked around and dove into the locker on my left with my pistol ready for an ambush.

“Looks like a single pony raiding party, and because there’s no evidence of a Wendigo attack I believe it may just be a gang rat flexing their muscles. It doesn't appear that they’ve left either,” the first voice, which belonged to a mare, said.

“It looks like they have the keys and have found where we’re keeping the dear colonel,” the second voice, which belonged to a buck, said.

“I just hope they didn't take an easy revenge and kill her, we need to find the rebel HQ,” the first voice said.

I heard them coming downstairs, so I tensed with anticipation as they entered my view and passed. I then heard a click followed by the sound of arcing electricity and a blood-curdling scream that caused me to freeze.

As soon as it stopped I burst out of the locker and focused as they turned to face me. I shot their horns followed by their forelegs. They screamed as I glared at them.

“Question time, who thought that cutting her wings off was a good idea,” I yelled, furious.

When all they did was groan and whimper, I grabbed a drill from the table and drilled the buck through the eye, but not into his brain. He screamed and I grabbed the teary-eyed mare and lifted her by her mane and pressed the drill bit against her temple.

“It was me,” she screamed in tears.

I slammed her head to the porcelain tile floor, splattering the area with her blood. I then looked over to my right, where I saw a chopping block and some tools for cauterizing heavily bleeding wounds.

“When I’m done with you, you’ll wish you were just a downed pegasus,” I seethed as I dragged her by her mane.

“NO PLEASE NO,” she screamed.

“That pegasus more than likely begged you the same fucking way, and yet you mutilated her all the same,” I yelled.

I used my magic to hold her foreleg outstretched before picking up the glowing piece of metal and a bone saw.

“I swear I'll never do it again just don't hurt me,” she screamed bloody murder as I prepared to cut through her foreleg.

I snorted as I began sawing and she began screaming like a banshee. When I finished, I cauterized the wound and tossed the limb aside before repeating the process with the rest of her legs. I even blew her eardrums and blinded her before tossing her aside and turning to the scared and shaking buck with my gun pressed to his skull.

“Free her,” I said.

When he did nothing I blew his brains out and took the keys from his body and uncuffed the mare, who just cried, so I carried her out of the basement and out into the wasteland.

We walked through the woods She didn't speak after she finally stopped crying. I was getting worried, but I soon forgot when I heard rustling nearby. We both stopped and hid in the brush. We waited for it to pass before we kept moving.

“I’m Colonel Silver Hawk of the 117th Cavalry Regiment,” She finally said softly.

We continued like this for hours until we found ourselves on the edge of a small town. I looked at my silent companion who was staring at the ground.

“Hey, miss we finally arrived at a town,” I informed the silent mare who got a scared look on her face. “So no town then?” She shook her head no to answer my question, I sighed and began walking around the town’s outskirts. “I know you can talk, it would make my life a little easier if you told me where you want to go.”

“Sorry,” I heard her say softly before I turned to see her collapse.

“Damn it,” I said running to the mare and checked her heartbeat.

It's weak. “I did not save you for you to die now,” I said as I lifted the mare and carried her to the town.

‘She needs a doctor or she will die,’ I thought.

I burst through the door of the local clinic, panting like I’d run a marathon, because I may as well have.

“What the fuck do you want a lady, we’re closed,” a lab coat wearing buck said in a nasal voice.

“You need to save her life,” I shouted.

I was on edge after seeing an incoming platoon of RSMC troopers moving in on the town.

“Leave, or I’ll call the guard,” he said.

BOOM!

The sound of mortar fire sounded like mechanical thunder, and I became more frantic.

“Your guards are dead, so you best get working! I’ve gotta go,” I yelled before running back outside.

The dust stung my eyes, but I still moved into an alleyway and waited until the dust settled. I peered around a corner and seen twenty RSMC soldiers standing three yards away from where I stood which means they are very close to the Clinic I needed a way to draw their attention.

Suddenly I was back to my sister being taken and my mind went blank. I put more bulk in my mouth and drew Sparky. I walked around the corner and everything slowed down I pulled the trigger killing one of them.

I charged in closer, but by the time they pointed their guns at me I was close enough to smash my hoof into the neck of one of the Mercs, crushing his windpipe while simultaneously firing my 9mm killing another.

As these two fell two more fired, somehow my focus slowed down the bullets enough for me to dodge them. At the time I didn't care how or why it happened. I smashed the one on my right in the face as Sparky claimed another victim. Three charged at me at once I quickly dispatched them with three shots from my pistol. Eight down twelve to go I noted before an I felt a slight pain under my right eye but I ignored it as I turned my attention to the rest of the RSMC soldiers.

I took a deep breath and focused as I ran toward the soldiers, raising my gun and shooting two others as I dodged another bullet before I grabbed a merc and snapped her neck, 9 more to go I noted.

I felt it, I was running outta juice, so I dove behind cover, reloaded, and popped another piece of Bulk into my mouth, before jumping out and using the merc nearest to my cover as a springboard to launch myself into the group of mercs. I shot and dropped six before dodging the but of a rifle and shooting a merc with said rifle. The last two ran off screaming, so I turned and saw the doc looking out of the window in awe before I began my trek back.

I waited.

It was all I could do. In the meantime, I refilled my magazines, but I only had the one drum mag of about fifty 7.62 rounds with no other bullets for the BM60, so I would probably pick up a couple of mags for it at the shop later, but for now, I worked on my 9mm. I was bored and I was worried, but I tried to focus on my tedious task in the meantime.

I almost wished I had someone to talk to, but I didn't let that bug me too much. At least until I realized that I was done. It sucked being in this dingy, moldy waiting room alone. All the magazines were rotted away, so I had nothing to read. The tv was just playing Purifier propaganda, so I turned it off. It became a boring cycle until at long last the doctor informed me that Silver Hawk was fine but needed to rest, so he told me to come back tomorrow as he escorted me out.

I sat outside and chewed on a piece of bulk while I worked on my 9mm’s receiver. I was using the parts I had found behind the general store to increase the hitting power and the fire rate. I had already bought a reflex sight and ten extended magazines that I filled with now 24 bullets each. I was finished as the sun began to rise, so I put it back together and installed my extended barrel as I did so. Sparky would now pack the punch of a .44 magnum at medium range. I holstered it and walked back to the clinic and waited for it to open.

I walked inside as the doctor rambled on about Silver’s condition.

“She had a surgical implant that had a proximity sensor to leak poison into her system if she strayed far from wherever she was,” he said.

“Crazy,” I said blankly.

“You sound like your not surprised by this revelation,” The doctor says in disbelief.

“Well, I did find her being tortured by a group of mercenaries who cut her wings off,” I informed the stallion who had a look of fear. I walked into the room and sat down beside the bed.

“I’ll wait outside,” the doc said before he left.

After he left I turned to look at Silver Hawk who was starting to stir from her sleep. I watched her as she slowly opened her eyes and looked at me.

She seemed puzzled but still looked as gloomy as ever as she lay there in bed. I couldn't help but feel bad as we gazed into each other's eyes. She looked away, seeming almost afraid of me.

“Why did you bring me here,” she asked.

I thought carefully about how to respond before saying, “You’ve experienced unimaginable horrors and I couldn't let death be a horrific end for you by the hooves of your captors. You deserve the last laugh.”

I surprised myself with my words, and she relaxed and now wore a small smile.

“Thanks that's twice you saved me today, and I don't even know your name,” she said sitting up.

“Well my names Radiant Blossom,” I answered with a smile. “And don't mention it Silver, you would have done the same for me.”

There was a knock on the door before it opened to show the doctor.

“Excuse me miss, but the mayor wants to see you,” he said.

“Why,” I asked.

“Because you saved our town,” the voice of an old buck said from behind the doctor.

“It was my fault Mr uhh,” I paused and looked passed the doctor and saw a tall elderly stallion with a pale yellow coat and a neatly kept white mane dressed in a business suit.

“Mr. LaGuardia the mayor of this fine town,” he introduced himself before continuing. “You were not responsible for the attack yesterday.”

“What do you mean by that?” I asked confused by what the mayor said. “I attacked an RSMC outpost they were after me.”

“Yes but they sent several messengers to ask for us to join the Purifier Empire or they would kill us all,” Mr. LaGuardia answered.

“What's your name miss,” he asked.

“I'm Radiant Blossom,” I replied, shaking his hoof.

“Well Ms. Blossom, on behalf of my town I thank you for protecting it,” he said with a small smile.

I then pulled him close and whispered in his ear.

“I actually have to go, so if you could get that mare a radio, then she could get some rebel reinforcements to protect the town,” I whispered.

“Can do,” he said.

I turned back to Silver, who looked worried.

“You're leaving,” she squeaked, her eyes wide with fear.

“Yeah, I gotta save someone else Silver,” I answer looking at the silver-furred mare.

“But what if they come back?” she asked urgently.

“She has a point Radiant Blossom,” Mr.LaGuardia agreed with Silver Hawk’s question.

They have a point, I thought to put my hoof to my chin. But Cherry needs me, but the reinforcements won't be here for probably 4 days, ugh I can't leave them unprotected for that long Cherry would never forgive if I just up and left. I sighed audibly looking at the three ponies in the room.

“I can stay until the reinforcements arrive then I'm leaving,” I said kinda defeated looking at the ground.

“Thank you very much miss Blossom the townsfolk will sleep easier tonight knowing there is a ranger protecting the town tonight,” Mr.LaGuardia said happily before turning to leave.

“Wait you think I'm a ranger?” I asked confused by him calling me that.

“True the Rangers no longer exist but you look and act like a ranger,” Silver answered for the elderly stallion. “And I should know I worked with a few rangers a long time ago.”

I was dumbfounded but honored by the title.

“I just need a couple drum magazines for a BM60 machine gun,” I said.

“Just make a trip to Caliber’s store. He’ll get you what you need,” the mayor said.

“I best be going now,” LaGuardia said before leaving.

I was about to leave before I felt a tug on my duster and turned to see Silver looking up at me with pleading eyes.

“Can you stay with me until I fall asleep,” she begged softly.

I couldn't say no, so I pulled up a chair and held her hoof until her breathing slowed and she slept soundly.

I sat inside the bell tower on town hall as I loaded my BM60’s new magazines and watched the town and its surroundings.

I dearly wished that Sparkler was here. The thought burned my mind, so I quickly popped a Bulk in my mouth and chewed it quickly as I began to feel pins and needles throughout my body.

I sighed as I no longer felt sad or weary, but I couldn't help but notice something going on toward the western horizon.

There were three standing megaspell cooling towers about 75 miles away with one cooling tower destroyed in the middle of the second and third ones, but the weird thing was that I saw something strange flying around the second cooling tower. I didn't know what it was, but I had a bad feeling about that place.

I went back to watching the town, shooting a ghoul or a foolish mutant insect every so often, before night time when I saw somepony sneaking into the cellar of their house, but thought nothing of it as I looked at the few lights from the city and surprisingly a few lights had turned on at the power plant.

My eyes drifted back over the town and I saw a familiar blue pegasus pony out of the corner of my eye when I looked at said pony they were gone. Was that Mecha? I asked myself before shaking my head. No, I told her to stay away she would be dumb to have followed me.

I pick up my rifle and peer through the scope to look around the area. I didn't spot any sign if the blue pegasus I saw before, maybe I'm hallucinating, I thought to myself as I lowered my rifle again.

With a sigh, I look at the night sky with its mesmerizing stars. Suddenly an old memory of when I was a filly popped into my head.
*

It was an old one, it was the day I decided to become the protector of No Zera. I was covered in bandages sitting on an old cot in the town doctors house. Beside the bed was Cherry and Sparkler they had some little scratches and messed up manes.

See before this Sparky and Cherry were playing on the outskirts of town, a few hours later, they were attacked by a pack of Geckos who were nesting in the area. I being nearby was the first to react to their screams but instead of being scared I ran to help my sister.

When I found them they were on a rock that kept them out of the reach of the angry lizards. Knowing if someone didn't help them the geckos would kill them. So I picked up a rock and threw it at the head gecko who turned to me and snarled before the others turned to attack so I grabbed a stick to fend them off. Sadly I was quickly overpowered by the much larger reptiles lucky for me my mother was nearby and chased the geckos away before they severely hurt me.

Now I'm in that cot, knowing I almost died but seeing my Sister and our best friend save made me smile and set me down the path of becoming a protector of my hometown.
*

As I return to the present I notice my fur on my face was wet and I'm smiling seems I started to cry as I experienced such a happy memory, but as soon as realization hit me like a punch I was dropped back into a depression that made my chest feel hollow and my brain ache with my inner conflict.

There could still be good times.

What do you mean everyone you know is dead!

But-

I popped another piece of Bulk into my mouth and chewed it quickly to stop my brain from going down that road and went back to looking out over the town.

I was beginning to get tired, so I set up my sleeping bag and lay down. I closed my eyes and was met by an image of my sister being mutilated by those mercs and jolted awake.

“Fuck,” I said as I tried to catch my breath.

I lay down once more and drifted off to sleep.

When I awoke, I found a piping hot plate of pancakes and that could've fed three ponies at least as well as a pitcher of orange juice and a bottle of syrup.

“Holy crap,” I said in astonishment.

I noticed a note beside the plate and read it.

Dear Miss,
I hope you enjoy this breakfast. It's the least we can do for you after you saved our town.
Sincerely, Maple

“Wow,” I said in amazement.

I had expected the townsfolk to be grateful, but I hadn't expected this. This was incredible and thoughtful as well as expensive. This meal is a delicacy in the wasteland and yet they gave it to me instead.

Enough overthinking I’m starving!

I ignored the thought and grabbed the food in my magic.

There’s enough for me to share with Silver.

I made my way out of the clock tower and into the infirmary as Silver was waking up.

“Good morning Silver,” I said with a fake smile in an attempt to make Silver happy “I brought you some pancakes.”

“Th-thank you Blossom,” she said, surprised at what I brought.

“Where did you get these,” she asked as I split the pancakes and doused them with the syrup.

“It was a thank you gift from a pony named Maple,” I said as I waited for her to eat.

“What's wrong,” I asked after eight minutes of her not eating.

“I just wonder why are you so nice to somepony you don't know?” Silver asked poking at the pancakes.

“I don't know why myself,” I say with a smile. “I guess it just feels like it is something I gotta do.”

“You really are a strange pony,” she laughed dryly. “Very few ponies nowadays will risk their lives for somepony they know let alone a stranger.”

I paused at this, If it is uncommon for ponies to help strangers then why did Bio Jacker and Mecha Toy want to help me even after I abandoned them? I ask myself confused but I returned to the silver mare in front of me. “I’m nothing special Silver, truth be told I was saved twice by this one pony,” I said looking at her storm grey eyes. “She would have been able to do what I did better and with nopony getting hurt.”

“Are you kidding me!” Silver exclaimed causing me to look at her. “I don't think anyone could have done it better.”

I was awestruck by what the silver pony said. I tortured somepony and she almost died because of me how could it not be done better.

“You saved a village, terminated a Red Starbase, and saved my life,” she smiled at me. “It was you nopony else miss Blossom.”

“Thank you Silver,” I said, standing up. “Enjoy your pancakes,” and with that, I left to explore this town.

I was reluctant to leave that place, but I knew what I had to do. I found out that Yonkers was only five miles away. Silver, although bedridden, begged me to stay, but I politely refused.

As I arrived in what was left in that hicktown, shots rang out and I felt two graze me and a third bite into my chest before I could dive into cover. When I finally got out of my daze, I dove behind a building and felt like I was drowning.

I poked out of cover and returned fire and wheezed as I began to stumble toward the buildings from which that prick came. When I got there, my vision blurred and I still couldn't breathe, but I saw the subway entrance, but before I could even think of going there, I began choking on blood. I couldn't breathe and I was too focused on that to even notice that I was now on my back. My throat burned and I wanted to cry, but I couldn't as I drowned in my own blood.

TO BE CONTINUED...