Fallout Equestria: Crusades

Chapter 6

Fo: E The Crusades Chapter 6

[Title]

By Quinton R. Johnson
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The morning light piercing through the thickened windows lit up the room. The darkness behind my eyelids faded as the light reached the other side, causing the black to turn a dull red. I turned over then slowly opened my eyes. A black mass of feathers lied almost motionless on the other side of the bed. I rose slowly, the fatigue not having fully left my system, and got out of bed I looked over to Styng and Harmony and saw her cradled within his hoof and wing as they lied front to back. I smiled and made my way to the door.

As I approached, I heard a light knock, "House keeping," a mare said. I noticed her voice wasn't at all trying to be seductive like the other mares. I looked through the peephole and looked at her. She looked younger than the rest of the mares; almost my age. Her deep purple hide complemented her electric blue eye; the other hidden behind her mane which was mainly black, with a blue streak at the beginning. She looked to the left down the hall and her mane reflected the light, making it shine a dark purple. She knocked again, "Hello? Housekeeping, I'm here to clean up, can I come in?"

Realizing that I hadn't even answered her, I opened the door. "Sorry, I just got up." I said lazily, rubbing the back of my head. Finally seeing her whole body I noticed her hoof tips where also electric blue. I didn't dare a glance at her flank to see her cutiemark.

"So do you need me to come in or no?" She asked again, flipping the hair from her eye.

Again, realizing I hadn't given her a straight answer, "I, umm... yes, er, no... maybe?" I stuttered.

She looked me over quickly and took a peek into the room. "You're new around here, aren'tcha?" She asked in a much more seductive tone. "I could show to around, maybe a lil extra if your interested." She teased. I didn't know what to do, I froze up and just nodded my head. She giggled cutely and took my hoof, pulling me through the doorway. "C'mon, I'll show you around." She led me down the halls and through the front doors. The outside are was cool and crisp, the smell of the sea mixed throughout. My stomach forked and my trail of thought redirected. "There a place ta' eat just around he corner, c'mon!" She said racing ahead.

"Hey wait up!" I called out as I galloped behind her. I caught up to her and we ran side by side. She looked at me and giggled, running even faster. She whipped around the corner with me right on her tail. I could see a shop sign that looked like a kebab of some sort. I had caught back up to her side as we raced down the road, neck and neck. We ran so fast everything around us seemed to blur together. We were almost to the sign and the mare ran right next to me, looked over to me, and kissed me on the cheek. My grey cheeks turned cherry red as I stumbled to the finish, tumbling to a stop. I sat there speechless, I hardly even gasped for air even though I had just run at full speed.

As I sat there, the mare stood in front of me and took a seat. "My names Dex, what's yours?" She asked with a sly grin.

"...um Rogue," I answered.

"Well it's nice to know you can keep up Rogue, cuz I tend to move a bit fast." She said with a wink. "Now then, let's eat."

She helped me to my hooves and we both walked inside the diner. "Welcome to the Great Kebab, take a seat and a server'll be right with you." A hostess pony said as we trotted in.

We took our seats over by the window and a waiter pony came over. "Good morning, my name's Egg White, what can I get you two today? The special today is a sliced Vernaval fruit with a lettuce and onion bedding." The unicorn asked as he floated out a pen and notepad.

"I'll have a double stack salad, with the Vernal sauce, and a Sparkle Cola please." Dex responded.

I glanced over the menu while she ordered and found something. "I'll have the Daisy sandwich with a side of fried Dryspud wedges. I'll take a water to drink, thanks." I said.

Egg White finished writing, "Alright, I'll be back soon with your food. If you need anything give me a shout." He said before walking away to check on a few other tables.

Suddenly Dex put her front knees on the table, resting her head on her hoof. "So Rogue, tell me about yourself."

I wanted to... but what would I say. All I really have is my tragic past and what little I have out here. I sighed. "You really want to know?" I asked sullenly.

He attitude changed almost in a heartbeat. "Well, yea. Is something real matter?" She asked with mild concern.

"Were you listening to the radio last night by any chance?"

"No, but somepony told me about it. Something about a stabe... sweet Celestia!" She said with the sudden realization of where I'd come from. "Are, are you ok?" She asked slowly.

"I want to say that I am, but I know I'm not. The memories will always be with me. I just can't let them pull me down. I, appreciate your concern Dex. I may have only been on the surface for a few days, but, I've already met so many others that I've grown to know as friends, even if only barely." I chuckled, "It's funny, in the stable they always told us that there wasn't anything out here. Just a barren, lifeless hellhole. My grandparents used to live up here. I don't know exactly where but that's what my parents told me..." I explained. "My parents always told me how nice it was outside. All the green and the bright colors." I recalled. I looked back to Dex and saw a small tear roll down her cheek. I floated a napkin over and wiped it away.

"I'm... so sorry." She whimpered.

"What for?"

"I, it's just... when I first met you, I thought today would finally be the day that I cleared my debt."

"Well what do you mean." I asked.

"I'll tell you later. I promise."

Egg White returned floating plates of food onto our table. "Here we are, I hope you enjoy." He said as he placed the plates.

"Thank you." Dex and I said in unison.

The food smelled amazing, even more so now that it was actually in front of us. We savored every bite and finally finished. Only a sandwich pin and a few crumbs were left on my plate, my water; half empty. "That was the best meal I've had since I got out here." I said before drinking some water.

"Oh boy, you haven't even had the best of what we have to offer!" Dex informed me. "We got this fruit out here that tastes like no other! They call it the Icarian Fruit. It looks kinda like a cloud with wings." She exclaimed. "But they're kinda rare and highly valued. I've only seen two in my life." She continued.

"Wow! I wonder if I'll find one." I thought aloud.

Egg White came back with a makeshift bill; written on an old, blank, piece of paper. "Here you are." He said floating the bill to me. "I hope you both have a nice morning." He said before leaving.

"Here," Dex said before passing over 35 caps. "It's for my food."

"But don't you have something else to pay?" I asked leaving the caps in the center of the table. "I can pay for the whole thing." I said politely.

"No it's ok, what I thought of doing was... I'll tell you later." She said looking a bit embarrassed.

"Umm, ok." I didn't want to fight her, but I didn't want to take the caps either. She didn't give me and option. I took the caps and tossed in the 25 I owed. "You ready to go?" I asked.

"Hmm? Oh, yea." She said, coming back from her deep thought.

We left the caps on the table and left the diner. Dex and I walked slowly through the streets. She looked distracted by something. I followed her eyes but only saw the buildings. "Something the matter?" I asked.

"Hmm? Oh... I did say I'd tell you later." She said to herself. "C'mere," she said, trailing off to a nearby alley. We neared the center of the narrow alley with clutter and boxes scattered sparely throughout. She stopped to turn and face me, "So I told you about a debt I owed, but not the specifics. Well, I'm in debt with Ferris. A few years back I used to live on the streets, jumping from one old building to the next, stealing from anyone to get what I needed to survive. It wasn't easy some days I'd have just enough to get by. But other days..." Her ears folded back, "I've even... sold myself a few times." She said with watery eyes. "That's when Ferris found me, one of her whores snitched on me; said I was imposing on their business. So when they finally caught me, Ferris forced me to sleep with as many ponies as possible, saying that I worked for her now. Said it was all I was good for, but when she said that, I lost it! Turns out they just wanted me for my body, so I broke a few muzzles and cracked a few teeth. Now she won't let me go until I work up a thousand caps and the only way I can make that is by playing into her hooves." She growled grievously. "I didn't mean to tell you all this, im sorry, but I feel like you're someone who needed to hear. I heard what you did on that bridge. I just thought that maybe..."

I quickly pulled he close to me and into a deep embrace. She felt cold even though it was warm outside. I felt her hiccup as she vainly tried to hold in the tears. They fell from her eyes like a stream, they rolled off of her and into my chest. Her sobbing lightly echoing through the alley. We sat there for what felt like an hour as she sat between my hooves. Her sobbing had died down to a small whimper and she finally recomposed herself. "You okay?" I asked.

She pulled her head away and looked at me, still wiping her eyes. "I'm sorry you had to see that. I'm usually not so emotional," her voice trying to laugh. "But I'm glad you're here. I've never actually opened up like that before." She said, then gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. She laughed as my face reddened.

An idea came to mind, "What if I helped you out with your dept, helped you pay it off. Then you could leave!" I suggested.

"That'd be amazing, but, I don't know if that's realistic. I owe two thousand caps! I've only hardly gotten to five hundred. It's almost impossible!" She blurted.

"Almost impossible." I said with a grin. "Besides, even if I can't get the caps, you could always just run away with us." I suggested

"You're either brave, or stupid to suggest that. But you're definitely something special." She said in disbelief. She came back into my chest, she felt lighter, but maybe that was just me. "If we run then you know she'll send someone after us for sure, most likely someone to kill us." She said quietly.

"Most likely, but that's after she figures out were gone. Then we'll just have to be ready when whoever she sends finds us." I said.

"You're awfully level headed about this, you sure you lived in a stable for the most of your life?" She questioned.

I chuckled, "well sometimes life screws you over and you've gotta live with it. Then you've got two options; give up," I said as I held up my left hoof, "or get up," I said raising the other. My hooves stuck out behind Dex and I saw images in both. On the left I saw myself crying myself to death as I waited inside the stable. On the right I was with my friends outside walking along the old dusty roads of the wasteland. I smiled at them then wrapped my fetlocks back around Dex. "I've had to make my own decisions, decisions that could've got me and my friends killed. I've only been outside for a few days and it feels like trotting through hell." I said trying to relate.