Fallout Equestria: Crusades

Fo: E The Crusades Chapter 1

Beginnings

By Quinton R. Johnson
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Black, it was all I could see, all I could feel. The darkness enveloped me, like a cold, heavy blanket. Then there was light. Slowly creeping along the walls of my room. Soon my room was full of soft, blue light. I could see my blankets, no longer of darkness, but of cloth, cotton, and fabric. My walls, no longer void of color, now shown of posters on concrete walls. My pip-buck started to cry, telling me to get up. My body felt heavy, as I tried to lift my head. I turned off the alarm and rolled out of bed. I swung my hooves over to the edge of my bed, and proceeded to pull myself closer to the edge. All... Most... There. My body fell to the floor with a thud. My mother rushed in, "Are you okay? I heard a loud noise."

"Yeah I'm fine mom, just getting out of bed.” I said with a smile, as I lay sprawled on the floor.

When I got up, I shook myself off and went to put on my stable 68 jumpsuit. Blue with yellow trim, accompanied by burn marks and stains from my past inventions. I looked over to the mirror on my dresser. The suit was a little off center so I straitened it and looked again. Perfect. I'm a unicorn, dark grey with a black and white mane. I didn't have my cutiemark, but I was pretty sure I was close. I'm an engineer, I build, modify and customize just about everything. I got my tools and went to my workbench. Then I started to work on my latest project, a laser pistol, with improved beam accuracy and heat exchange allowing for more damage. However, I ran into a little problem. "Garrh! What am I missing!?" I growled as I tapped my head.

I heard hoof-steps outside the door and my mom walked in, "Sweetie, Daemon is here."

Right when I heard that name, I tossed my tools onto the bench and rushed outside yelling back to my mother "Bye mom, see you later!"

"Be back by 6 o'clock!" She yelled back.

I opened the door to see a young slate and black male griffin, with red eyes, standing on the balcony. "What's up?" I asked as I gestured for a hoof-bump.

"Nothin' much. You?" He raised his claw, pulled his talons into a fist and tapped my hoof.

"Meh, usual. I can't find a component for my pistol though."

"Have you tried looking in maintenance?"

"Not yet, but I will later." We started our usual routine.

Walking along the second floor balcony towards another of our friends rooms. We saw children below in the stable gardens, laughing and playing in the huge atrium floor covered in grass. There were wooden benches and a colorful playground. I started to think of past memories, of when me and my friends did the same. But we were older now and weren't allowed. We walked up to the third floor to room 3-20. The last room on the floor. Styng's room. Daemon and I knocked on the door. Styngs's mom came and opened the door.

She looked at us and pulled her head back around the threshold

"YOUR FRIENDS ARE HERE!!!" Then she turned to us. "He'll be out shortly."

Daemon and I nodded and sat down by the guard rails. While we waited I looked at Stable 68 from where we sat. Our stable was big. An entire acre, just for the atrium. 40 meters high, plenty of flight room for Griffins and Pegasi alike. 60+ residents within the stable itself. We had our own school, library, cafeteria, bathrooms, (of course) and recreation field.

Stable 68 was probably the best stable of them all. Then I heard a door open behind me. I turned to see Styng standing before the doorway. He was a young black Pegasus with a gray and black mane with matching tail. Daemon and I greeted him. He smiled and nodded his head. "The gangs all here." I said as I held my hooves out to my sides

"So what's the plan for today?" Styng asked before we all started for the stairs going to the second floor.

"First we're going to the cafeteria, next we're going to the Rec. room for some hoof-ball, and later we'll hit the gardens to chill out. How's all that sound?" I said, looking for faces of disapproval or confusion, as we came to the stairs leading to the first floor.

"I'm game as long as you can stay alive during our hoof-ball session. That asthma really does exhaust you pretty quick Rogue." Daemon said only glancing at me a few times, watching his step on the stairs.

"Let's do this!" Styng said raising his voice a little.

We finally reached the ground floor and headed for the cafeteria. I looked at the menu as we passed. "Sheeperd's pie with a biscuit, peach cup, sweet potato fries, and a drink." I read aloud.

the

"Really! That slop they call food? Why don't they ever have some nice meat or fish, Huh! Griffins live here too!" Daemon said in disgust.

"Whadaya mean! They had fish two days ago as the entree and meatballs as the side yesterday." I said matter of factly. Styng had no input he was already in line two ponies and a Griffin ahead of us. Daemon and I got in line, picked up our treys, and sat at our usual spot, closest to the doors and the trey return.

"Hey did you guys here about what happened!?" Styng said looking at us.

I put my hoof on my chin trying to think of something important. "No not really" I said coming up with nothing. Daemon just shook his head as he passed me his trey.

"Okay, get this my mom was at work yesterday and said she was working on a patient who came in with a viral infection that was eating away at her flesh like maggots on a corpse." He said actually trying to ruin my appetite.

"Dude really I'm eatin'." I said with a huff.

"Mom came home and she said she wasn't cooking tonight and just went to bed." Styng said with his mouth full of fries.

"Hmm weird, doesn't she usually cook every night?" I said with my hoof on my chin.

Styng clopped his hooves then pointed one at me. "Exactly!"

"Well I don't really see anything other than she must have gotten ill just looking at the body."

"Meh, maybe but I hope she didn't catch that virus." I was just about to tell Styng something when Daemon finally spoke.

"Are you two done eating? I'm ready for some hoof-ball!"

Styng and I gobbled up the rest of our food and tossed the treys in the return. After lunch we walked over to the stairs and rose to the second floor and proceeded past the library towards the double door that led to the field.

The field was just as big as the atrium but more spacious. Around the outside ran a track that a few ponies were flying or running around. Towards the center was a huge grassy field with white paint acting as hoofball lines. There were a few Griffins, Pegasi and Earth ponies about to pick teams. Styng, Daemon and I hurried over just in time to get picked. The Mostly Griffin team chose Daemon while me and Styng got picked for the other team. They made me the quarterback since I had a pretty strong telekinetic throw and Styng was a running back due to his agility and speed. After the coin toss, team Iron Beak chose to receive the ball first. My team, Lightning Dust, went to the other side of the field and set up for a kick towards the Beaks. I held the ball in my telekinesis and bucked it clear across the field. Team Dust started to gallop towards the other side as the Beaks' receiver caught the ball and started to run across the field while being guarded by his teammates. Beaker clashed with Dust as both teams converged on the 30th meter line. The runner took off to the left and was stopped by Styng at the 33rd. After the down both teams huddled together to make a plan. Jack, our team captain told everyone to, "Take a man and stick to 'em" The huddle broke and I looked for some-Griffin who was close to my speed and 'took em'. He was a dark brown with lighter brown on his stomach and neck. His golden eyes glared at me. Anger in them as he waited for the ball to be hiked. "Hut hut... HIKE!" It was chaos. The defending line ponies clashed with the offending line Griffins as the wide receivers ran to their assigned routes. I was following my 'man' a few paces behind him to lure the QB to throw it to him. My effort was in vain as he passed it to the one pony on there team. Stardust, one of the fastest unicorns in the stable. But one of the weakest with magic. He broke away up the middle and jumped over the defensive line. Styng ran towards him, but he was just too fast, and took off with the ball in his violet magical grip. "Point Iron Beaks! Scored by Stardust Galaxy!" An intercom called overheard. Some fan-fillies off to the sideline screamed and cheered for Stardust. Now it was our turn. Daemon kicked the ball over to us and I caught it. I sheathed the ball in my telekinesis and started my run. I dashed towards the right and cut in just before both teams clashed. I ran to the left and saw that two Griffins were closing in I knew I couldn't jump over them they were able to double jump with a boost from their wings. Then Styng came and gave me some help by blocking one of them now it was one on one. I charged towards him and stopped instantly in front of him. I used my telekinesis to propel me to the left as I circled around him and ran for the end zone. Then out of no where Daemon swoops in a touches me with both claws. I was down. Both teams huddled again and started to plan. Since I was QB I needed to know where everyone was generally going to be so I started dividing up the field. Far left, left, center, right and far right. All divisions had a far and close range added as well. I told everyone the plan and the huddle broke. I trotted behind my defensive line and hiked the ball. "Hut... HIKE!" I held the ball in my white magical grip and looker for an open receiver. Jack was open so I threw it to him out in far left field. He caught it and started to run but was touched by one of the Beaks. Second down on the 34. No huddle this time we just stuck with the same play. "Hut... Hut... HIKE!" I pulled back again and looked for another receiver. No pony. I saw my defense start to crumble. I yelled out to Styng as he circled around me and took the ball. It was all up to him he was going. 30. 25. 20! Down. Tagged by the Beaks' captain. The teams went to their huddle. I was about to start telling the plan, when out of no where it started raining. I heard a loud ringing noise coming from around the room. Some pony pulled the fire alarm. The game was cancelled due to the soggy conditions. Styng, Daemon and I regrouped and headed for the locker rooms for towels and water. Both team captains stood in the center of the room calling out commendations and when the next game would be.

I dried off my mane and hide then went towards the water fountain. I took a few sips and left the room following Daemon and Styng. We entered the hallway and congratulated each other. We walked over to the balcony and looked over the atrium garden. It was pretty much empty. My pip-buck told me it was 3:32 PM. So we had plenty of time to just chat. We walked down the stairs and went over to the bench beside the pond. Deamon and Styng chose to crash on the bench while I chose a small flat stone. I pulled out my pistol blueprints and a pencil and started to think. "Hey you guys, what kind of metals are good at conducting electricity?"

"I thought they all were" Styng said mockingly. "No, I need one that's particularly good at it." I countered.

"Well, have you tried iron?" Daemon asked.

"Yeah, but it's too heavy for the specs I'm going for."

"What about aluminum?" Styng asked.

"That just might work. I just need to get my hooves on some."

We spent the rest of the afternoon just talking and tossing stones into the water while listening to the "kerploop"

Soon it was 5:45 PM, we all said goodbye and went back to our rooms. I took off my jumpsuit and tossed it towards my closet. I jumped into my bed and threw the covers over my head. The light slowly faded from my room and the darkness took its place. Covering me in a shroud. Everything was dark. I closed my eyes and nothing changed. I started to drift off to sleep in the cover of night.

oooOOOooo

I was in front of the stable door. It towered over me like a great barrier, unbreakable, and forever sealed. Yellow lights lit up the room as a siren bellowed. A giant hydraulic arm swung down from the roof and latched itself to the massive gear shaped door. A piston contracted and pulled the door free of its hole. Dark tendrils started to slither from the other side. I ran to the control panel and pushed the lever upwards to try and stop the huge metal arm. It slid effortlessly and fell back to its original position with a 'clang'. The arm didn't stop as more darkness seeped into the room. Crawling along the floor, walls and ceiling. Everything it touched started to melt. I pressed the lever again, but it fell once more. The tendrils continued to ravage the room. I ran away, leaving the controls and door to be devoured behind me. I pressed a switch beside a door to get inside the stable atrium. The light flashed red and the door locked from the inside. I turned only to see the black tentacles form a mass and start to slide towards me. The entire room was covered with black. The mass before me formed a gaping mouth with thousands of razor sharp teeth. I banged on the door... No answer. I turned as the creature lurched forward and devoured me whole. I felt its teeth perforate my hide. I saw blood splash everywhere. This was it, I was going to die. I was alone, in the darkness. I thought of my friends and family, how each of them cared for me, and how each became important in my life. Now I would never see them again. Then a small hole of light spread across me. I saw a hoof and claw extend towards me. I reached for them as my eyes adjusted to the light. I saw my friends, Styng and Daemon. They... were saving me. They pulled me through the darkness. I emerged bruised and cut. Blood seeping from my wounds. I looked down only to see dirt and sand. I looked up and saw a lifeless desert. The trees burned and bare. The ground dried and cracked. The stable door was behind me. Sealed and burned. I looked to my friends and they looked at me. We were outside, alone.

Together.

oooOOOooo

I awoke to my pipbuck's cry telling me to get up. Usually the lights are on before my alarm, but my room was still dark. I turned on my pipbuck's flashlight. "What's wrong with the lights?" I growled as I crawled out of bed.

I called out to mom... No answer. When I got out of bed I put on my stable barding as I walked into the living room, it was also dark. I looked out of the window beside the door to the balcony. The emergency flood lights were on brightening the atrium. There were bodies on the balcony on every floor. Blood was smeared on the window. What the heck was going on, some kind of riot!? I left the living room and trotted to my mother's. I pressed the button to open her door, it slid open and a horrific stench burst out of her room. It threw me back as I gasped to find fresher air. I lowered my head, about to throw up, it was unbearable, but I had to know if mom was okay. I called to her, "Mom... you okay?" I said with an unsteady voice.

I looked inside and held my pipbuck before me. What I saw would scar me for as long as I drew breath. I saw my mother laying on a blood soaked bed. Her body was chunks of flesh, held together by slivers of meat. I began to throw up, as tears swelled up in my eyes while I collapsed and began to cry. "No! No! No! This isn't real!" I shouted in denial.

I laid there, sobbing for what seemed like an eternity. I tried to clear my head and look at what was around me. The cries of other children, the green haze swirling in the room, and the sickening odor that I smelled. I got up, rubbed my eyes, and went to the door leading to the balcony.

I opened the door and trotted out to the balcony. My eyes widened, staring at what had become of Stable 68. Bloody limbs and corpses were strewn across the entire atrium. Bodies lay at the sides of others, lifeless and still. There were corpses against poles and walls. On a few floors they hung over the railings. Each of them decayed and rotting. I sat there in shock. “What... happened.” My voice trembling. I had to pull myself together. I shook my head and closed my eyes, trying to cope with my surroundings. I looked up and around for anything that wasn't a corpse. The green haze was seeping from vents and into thick pool on the lowest floor. The emergency lights were on, providing blinding light that glared off of the thick haze. I heard my name being called from above, a familiar voice shouting at me, begging for aid. I looked up to see Daemon yelling at me from across the atrium. "Rogue! Look at me darn it! Get up here and help me!"

I finally pulled myself together and started to yell back as I ran to him. "I'm coming Daemon! Hold on!"

"I'm going to find a doctor or something. Just try and help them." Daemon yelled, as he flew downstairs towards medical.

I ran as fast as I could over to where he had been before. His room door was open, bloody paw and claw marks on the floor. I looked inside and saw his parents laying in a pool of blood in the living room, gasping for air. Their eyes locked onto each other. They knew this was it. His father broke eye contact to look at me. He opened his beak and let the blood drip out as he coughed and said, "You and I...both know we won't make it." He coughed up some blood. "I want you to make sure... our son stays strong. Don't let him... lose hope." He put his claw to his chest as he coughed some more.

"Yes sir." I said feebly.

"You have to make... a promise." He said with a smirk.

I looked him in the eyes and said, "I promise I'll watch out for your son." with as solid a voice I could.

"You're... a good kid. I hope my son will... be like you." He said as he laid his head back down to look at his dying wife. He nodded to her and she did the same, and they both closed their eyes. Their chests rose and fell. Rose and fell. They rose and fell, then never rose again. They were dead. I sat there, my eyes started to blur as tears enveloped them. I closed the door and left the room with tears on my cheeks and went to the balcony.

Daemon flew back with a first-aid kit. "Okay I got some stuff and I think it might help...” He looked at the expression on my face. “Rogue... you okay?" He asked as he looked at me in worry.

"No I'm not, and I'm not sure if anyone else is, but I know we can't stay here any longer." I said as I looked at the decaying atrium.

Daemon looked at me with a surprised expression. "You mean like... leave the stable. But we don't have a code."

"Yeah, but the Overstallion's office computer has it and I'm pretty sure I can hack into the he office terminal.” I said matter-of-factly. “Go get Styng and meet me somewhere after I get the code.” I said as I tried to remember the layout of the stable.

“Okay, but if we really are leaving, we need to get some supplies. So after you get the code run down to the armory and help us get some weapons.” Daemon said as he started to lift off.

“Okay i'll try to be quick." Hopefully this wont be too difficult. I trotted upstairs to the third floor and found the Overstallion's room. The terminal beside his door glowed with a faded green. I pulled out the keyboard, booted up the system, and screen of gibberish, random numbers and symbols loaded up. I started to get to work. I had to back out two times, but I found it.

'ACCESS GRANTED'

The password was Lilian.

The door opened with a hiss, as thick green mist flowed out from the opening. I trotted in to see the Overstallion laying against the computer with his jaw hanging on one side. Really why did he have to die RIGHT in front of the thing!? I grabbed his chair and jabbed him with it, pushing him away from the keyboard. I booted up the much bigger computer and was faced with the huge screen of randomness again. I looked for the last password and found it in the upper left corner. I clicked it and was rewarded with they 'ACCESS GRANTED' text. The random text slid down to the bottom of the screen and the home screen fell from the top. The home screen was filled with neatly organized folders. I looked for one that held passwords. Well I didn't find a 'Passwords' folder but I found a 'Misc' one, and clicked it. More folders, Really how many folders could one pony need. I found a 'Passwords' folder and was rewarded with... more folders. I growled, and looked through a few more folders. I finally found it, the code was '7GF4NFY'. I downloaded the code to my pipbuck and raced to meet with Daemon and Styng.

The screams from others was still echoing throughout the stable and the green mist was still pouring out of vents. I wondered if everypony's parents were dead, and why had all the children been left to suffer the loss. I ran down to the second floor and proceeded to the armory. I saw Daemon, he had a saddlebag laid across his flanks and he was loading a few guns and some ammunition. I looked for Styng and saw him in a corner, shaking. I walked over to him and patted his shoulder. He slowly turned to look at me. His eyes were red, he had been crying, a lot. His eyes met mine and he turned back around to look at the wall. He showed signs of traumatic stress. He probably wouldn't forget what happened today. “Rogue help me out will ya'!” Daemon called out to me as he tossed me a saddlebag. I looked around and saw a dead guard his body rotted and bleeding. There wasn't many other ponies here, probably either sobbing over corpses or raiding other areas. I started to gather weapons and ammo. Two batons, an assault rifle, two pistols, a few boxes of 5.56 and 10mm ammunition. “Okay when you think you have enough lets head to the clinic, we're probably gonna need some healing potions and bandages.” I said.

“Alright, I’ll carry Styng.” Daemon responded. We walked out of the armory with a whole assortment of weapons and ammo. We looked at our pipbucks and tallied up our supplies as we ran over to medical. “Hey Daemon, how did you get into the armory anyway?” I asked with a little suspicion.

“Oh that, it was already opened, that guard in there, was probably doing inventory or something. He was dead when we got there.” He said evenly. We walked into the clinic and saw that most of the other supplies had been taken, probably to help the already dying parents. We looked for anything that wasn't already taken. I found a locked, metal cabinet, but only Styng knew how to pick locks. Guess we would have to leave it. “Hey Rogue!” Daemon called out. “I found a terminal over here. Think you can hack it?”

“Yeah, be over there in a sec.” I called back as I took one last look at the cabinet and trotted over to the terminal to boot it up. The random text loaded onto the screen... this might be difficult. The possible passwords were over ten letters long! I was good at hacking but not even close to this. I closed the terminal. “Sorry dude, I can't get this one.” I said with a huff.

“Dang. Well I guess well just search the boxes on the wall for anything left.” He said with a growl. We started to look through the boxes and found a few assorted chems, Med-X, Rad-Away and Buck. I guess that's as good as we're gonna get. “Okay lets head to the door and get out of here. I don't wanna sit around and find out what happens next.” I said looking at my pipbuck's map of the stable.

“Alright, I’m gonna find something to help Styng stay on, he'll fall off if I move too much.” Daemon said looking at Styng. He walked over to a restraint table in the room, tore off the restraints and walked outside. I heard some faint hoof steps from the hallway, so I trotted over to the door to the opposite hallway to check. Pain shot through my head as something hit me. I fell back on the floor and held my throbbing head. I opened my watery eyes and saw a blur of purple and white. Stardust? He was rushing to each of the emptied medical boxes. His face was covered in tears, his eyes pleading for something to be able to help him. He reached the last box and looked inside, empty. He smashed the metal box, denting it, and then let out a whimper and fell on the floor. He looked at me and my gear, and pleaded. “Please, please give me something for my mom. She's dying and I don't know what's wrong. Please.”

I looked at him, his face dripping with tears, as he looked at me with his reddened eyes. I trotted over to him and put my hoof on his shoulder. “I'm sorry Stardust, but nothing can stop whats happening. We're leaving the stable, you should just come with us.” I said as I looked at his pleading face.

He looked at me in disbelief and then let his head fall. He sat there a moment, probably thinking of his options. "Ok, I'll come with you." Stardust looked up at me. "Just let me say my goodbyes and get some stuff." Stardust said as he wiped his tears.

"Alright, but try to hurry, we're leaving soon." I said as I walked back to the door. "You know how to get to the big door right?" I asked.

"Kinda, isn't it somewhere on the second floor?"

"Yeah, just follow the signs and you should get there. Daemon and I will be waiting."

After that I met up with Daemon, who was outside with Styng harnessed between his wings. "You alright, you got a mark on your head." Daemon said looking at me.

"Yeah I'm fine, I ran into Stardust and convinced him to come with us."

"Okay, well we need to hurry, I really don't want to stay here much longer." Daemon said as he started to walk down the hall. I trotted after him and we walked down the balcony towards the stable door.

After walking through a few hallways and smashing a few roaches, Stardust caught up and we arrived at Stable 68's door. After we passed through, we would likely never return. I walked over to the control panel and entered the code, 7GF4NFY, and pressed the button. The yellow lights started to flash and the giant arm began to swing down. Flashes of my dream started to mix with reality and I drew a gun and pointed it at the door, ready to fire at the black creature behind it. The mechanical piston retracted and pulled the door free. Light pierced the room through the sides of the door and we shielded our eyes. The stable vacuum pulled in fresh air as the door pulled free. The door started to roll to the side and the room was flooded with light. I looked to my friends and they looked to me, waiting for my move. I trotted towards the door and they followed. We were going outside.