Fallout Equestria: Brass Sentinel

Chapters

Seeing Yourself Die
Raiding the Raiders
Gearing Up
Cooling Down
Weirding Out
Breathing In
Friend Known
Story Told
Boots that Jingle-Jangle
Conflict
Trust
Falling with Style
Bravely Running
Growth
Death
W̩̘̟̥̭̥̻̤h̲̟͉̼̤͡a̴̧̫̺̝t̵̯ ͝͏̞͟Á̴̘ ̳̟̝́T͏̛͈̙͕e̢̯͚̥͔̳̪̬͘r̵̴̘̼̝͎͍̟̕ͅŗ͕̮̙͉̙̳͚i̛̛͙͖̣͡b̳̠̘̯̦̼l҉̹̥̼͍̣͜e̺̤̕͝ ̵̸̼̪F̯͉̳͇͎͚̙͙̕͜͜a͈͖̖͎̩̯̺̕͟t̩͕͖̺̩͢e͔͙̜̺͖͡

Seeing Yourself Die

It’s a strange feeling, watching yourself die. Even if metaphorically and not literally. Projections of yourself upon others, and seeing them fade can have the same effect. Every day, hearing another attempted hero die. Every week, being attacked by some fiends, and then looking to your left and finding your mate looking just like them. Every hour, seeing withdrawal symptoms everywhere. And all these like minded people start to look no different than the psychos.

Being offered a piece of your best friend for the daily ration. Finding bullet holes in everypony, and seeing the gun still clutched in the meals teeth. Seeing the only pegasus around be kidnapped.

It’s obvious they’re coming after me now. I’m the only sane one left, and I can hear them amassing guns outside. They’ve gone mad, turned raider, and they kept enough of their senses to take all weapons away from me. Guns, specifically, too dumb to realize that I don’t use guns.

Strap on some dusters, hide two knives up each sleeve, prepare telekinetic fists, affix armor properly. Heh, armor, feels wrong calling it that, but it saved my life a few times. Better something rather than nothing, even if that something is a suit reinforced with Brass every few inches. Tons of exposed points, and brass isn’t good at stopping bullets, but it’ll slow them down.

Take a bottle, and kick back as you wait. The champions way of faceing what could very well be his death.

Hear them bang on the door, “Brass, it’s time to play!”

I sigh, and stand up, “You fuckers want to play?” They burst through, “Let’s play, motherfuckers!”

They come in, two with baseball bats, and two with tire irons. One with a baseball bat swings for my head.

I duck underneath the blow, and lash out with a hoof to the leg. Might’ve broken it, might’ve not, I didn’t have time to tell. My ducked position left my back open to attack, so that’s where the tire iron hit, “Crunch, crunch, crunch!”

I can feel the iron strike an unarmored part of the suit, and it definitely will leave a bruise. The pony who hit me raises the iron up again, and his friends join in.

Time almost pauses as I ready my spell. A fist of pure magical energy, hard as brass. I aim two at the remaining bat user, and the iron who hit me. And, when I cast, they both go flying back. A fist flying fast enough for their feeble minds to not comprehend. Something that fast does damage, that’s why I can hear the telltale crack from their necks.

The last one tries to bring down the iron on me, but I roll out of the way. His iron simply gets stuck in the dirt, allowing me to rip out a knife and send it flying into his neck.

I stand up, and breathe deeply. These ponies never deserved this fate. But whenever your in the Wasteland, nopony deserves anything. The least I can do for them is to spare them, not make them live this torture.

I take the knife from the ponies neck to finish him off, “Play... play... play.”

I hold the knife above him, “Forgive me Creators for my ruthless mercy. Forgive these ponies, Creators, for they do not wish for this. Grant them happiness in death, that they lack in life.”

And, with those words, I bring down the knife through the eye and into the brain. Showing mercy, the only way I can. I knew this pony, a good pony, one who would never see himself become a raider. I know, if he could think coherently, he would tell me to kill him. I grant him that wish.

I sheath my knife, and peek out the door. Only two more ponies alive, other than me. Both of whom have rusty revolvers. I have a plan, a plan that makes me feel wrong inside, but a plan nonetheless.

I move back to the bodies, and search. Some barely useable stuff I can sell later, I’ll take that. Weapons, I can take them. Here we go, Dash. I know those two outside are addicted to it, and they don’t have a steady supply. Two addicted raiders, and there’s only one dose between them.

I grab the drug in my telekinesis, and throw it out of the door. I peek out to see it land right between them, “Dash!”

Both rush over to it, “Mine!”

They run into each other. One aims his revolver, “Dash!”

The other aims his back, “Mine!”

They both fire at once.

*click*

Both revolvers fail, the rust doing too much damage to the poor guns. But, a rusty revolver can still be used as a club. To bad the raiders didn’t think about this as they both start to try and kill the other with bare hooves.

One starts to strangle the other, and I calmly walk up behind him. The strangled pony runs out of air, and the victor punches their neck just in case.

I walk up behind the victor, and wrap my hooves around their head. With a simple twist, they live no more. Surprisingly, pony doesn’t have much potassium, so their bones are really weak. The pony limply falls to the side, and thumps against the ground.

I fall back onto my flank, and look around me. This place, we were good ponies. As good a town one could be in this horrible place. We traded, helped ponies, survived. Sure, we weren’t perfect, we threw out some ponies who couldn’t pay, but we tried.

What I’m looking at now is not the town I helped build. Bodies dead in the street, buildings collapsed in, ponies on display, heads on pikes. A raider base, one who preyed on ponies unlucky enough to get near.

What I did now was a mercy. They were raiders, and I spared other ponies from death. Even if I just left them behind, they would’ve died. Security, Stable Dweller, I heard of them over Pon-3’s broadcasts, they would’ve cleaned them up anyway. But it had to be me, my town, my ponies, my punishment.

I take out a lighter from my pocket, and grab a bottle of alcohol.

This town is but a farce of what it should be. Ponies shall remember it as it was, not like this.

I toss the molotov into my house, and watch it light up in flames. Grabbing more alcohol, I make even more.

I toss another one, “Dear Creators, forgive me for I have killed.”

Another one, “Do not blame the ponies of this town, for they are but victims.”

And a final one, “Forgive me, Creators, for in my future I see naught but death.”

I watch the town start to burn away, “As their ash watches me on the wind, as shall you soon. These raiders do not wish to be them, I grant them mercy by death. Forgive me, for I have become a Sentinel to stop this. See the good in the crimes I commit, and the reasons I kill. Grant these poor souls happiness away from the wastes, and forgive me when it is time for me to go as well.”

I stare into the fire a bit longer, before turning away.

It’s a strange feeling, watching yourself die. Even if not physically, or personally. But seeing what you believe in burn down, and everyone you know become dust. You know that you died in some way when you turn your back on your home. Death is not the withering away of flesh and bone, but the change of mind. Death is when you no longer are pony, but a emotionless Sentinel. Today, I watched myself die and burn away. I may have survived, but I am no longer myself.

I am Hard Brass now. The pony I once was is gone, and I am left to find myself again. My new life, cast in blood and brass, lit by the fire’s glow. Raiders, any bandits at all, run. And they’d better not stop running.

———

”Well, ponies of the Wasteland, looks like we got another hero! As we all know, the Vanhoover Ruins are near infested with raiders and bandits. A week ago, reports came in of the town named New Hope turning raider, and started killing all who would pass on the previously safe roads. Well, it turns out not all of them turned insane! Reports are in of the town being taken out by one pony on the inside, using nothing but hooves and unarmed weapons! An entire town, taken down just like that by one pony without even one shot fired! Now that, that is a challenge to anypony else if I’ve ever seen one. Raiders of Vanhoover, watch out, or run. The Brass Sentinel is coming to get you. Now, let’s go on to some music! We all...”

I switch off the radio as I walk forward. The Brass Sentinel? I like that, good description, metal and unfeeling Sentinel. He may call me a hero, I don’t care. I’m no hero, I’m a murderer, but if they want to call me a hero I will accept it.

He got one thing riht for sure. I am coming, raiders. Run and hide all you want, I will purge you. I am coming.

———

Footnote: Level Up.

New perk added: Sentinel— You’ve thrown away showing most emotions, making speaking to you harder! Every Charisma check requires 2 more points!

Skill Check: Unarmed (60).

Raiding the Raiders

I grimace from the smell of a desecrated caravan on the road. Broken boxes, blood, no bodies left around. Yep, definitely a raider attack. Jokes on them, I can use this to track them. Big groups leave big trails. Raiders shamble around a lot, so their prints are easier to track than most.

I start to follow the prints, until I notice something. A set of prints that are steady and normal. That means that they kept one of their prisoners alive, or somepony else is hunting them. Call me pessimistic, but I believe it’s probably the former option.

I steadily plod on towards the raider’s outpost.

———

Turns out following a trail like that isn’t that hard. Wasn’t that far away either. Seems like a smallish encampment, only ten in there.

The building they’re in, Hoof and Nail, seems to be pretty easy to sneak up on. Very few windows, many entrances. Easy, even for somepony like me.

So, I sneak to the back enternce of the nearly repaired building. Ducking under windows, and keeping low to the ground. Simple in concept, not really hard when those your sneaking up to are busy making noise. Raiders, so stupid it makes me wonder how they managed to get so dangerous.

I reach the side of the building, and peek around to the back. Two stand there, looking in the opposite direction and eating noisy chips. It’s almost unfair to them, even if two on one.

I sneak up right behind them. I prepare a telekinetic fist towards the one on the left, and raise up to beat the one on the right, “Creators forgive these ponies.”

My spell manages to decapitate one before they can comprehend my words. The other one, however, shouts one word, “Wrong!”

I punch in the back of their head, and punch once more. His skull was apparently so weak, his head caves in instantly. Not like it matters, the other raiders all come running out.

Two of them open fire on me with poorly constructed guns. I take at least five of their shots into me, and at least two penetrate. I managed to grab a dead body and put it between myself and the gunfire. They fire until they’re out.

I move to smash their heads in, and I see one that looks different. His eyes normal, not the piss yellow of raiders. His grin not born of insanity. His guns, polished and shiny. His walk, normal instead of shuffling.

I don’t think about this as I smash in the heads of the two raiders who fired at me. Somehow they both die from that, Creators must be blessing me today.

And when I look for another target, I see the normal pony smile at me, and slip out his revolver. He uses some weird mechanism he has attached to his hoof to move and fire it. The bullet pierces a raiders head instantly, and he aims at another.

I smile as I realize I’ve spotted the steady walker from earlier. I rush towards the nearest raider, and tackle them. Sitting on top of them, I bring down my two front hooves on his face, only adding to the force are my two dusters. Right, left, right, left, right, left, both.

Blow upon blow lands upon the helmeted head of the raider. Dents are left wherever I hit, but this raider apparently drank his milk. It requires me to hop off of him, and jump on top of his head to finnaly squish it.

I look around for my next target, only to see the nineth and final raider’s head blown off.

I look forward at the normal looking pony as he spins his revolver away, “Now then, I killed most of them, I get the bigger cut. Split loot 80-20 my direction, okay?”

I glare at him, “Split the loot?”

He spins out his revolver and points it at me, “If you’re implying you are going to rob me of my rightful loot, then I will kill you before you can reach me. I disguised myself as one of them, I killed most of them, you’re the one who ruined my plan. I get 80.”

I shake my head, “You’re going to loot these ponies?”

He snorts, “What do you think I was going to do, burn the loot? Sorry, I’m afraid my name isn’t Sentinel, I actually make use of the loot.”

I frown, “I know you aren’t Sentinel, that would be me.”

He snarks out, “Oh, look out, we got a badass here! Oh no, Sentinel, I’m shaking in my horseshoes! Should I get down on my knees and beg for forgiveness for having a profitable job?”

I slam my hoof into my face, “What type of a pony are you as to where looting the dead is a job?”

He starts to search a corpse, “I’m good at killing, I hate raiders, raiders have good loot. Killing then looting dead raiders seems like a pretty good conclusion from that. You seem to do the same, except the whole looting part.”

I dodge out of the way as he absentmindedly throws a empty bottle over his shoulder, “And what do you spend the money on?”

He continues looting, “Upgrades and keeping myself alive. The better equipment, the more raiders dead, the better for everypony.”

I think for a bit, “So, you kill raiders to get money to kill more raiders?”

He nods, and walks over to me, “Look, Sentinel, it’s clear you’re new to the business. But, you and me together could make a good team. What do you say, we both kill raiders, and I loot and sell them?”

I think it over, “Well, you did shoot pretty good.”

He smiles, “Well, you fought good, your equipment just needs to be better. This place sold civilian grade unarmed weapons, nothing too crazy but still pretty good. Raiders never got into it. Now, if we work together, I can get you better weapons, and we can work together to cleanse Vanhoover of raider’s. Hell, maybe even the skeleponies if we get good enough equipment.”

I hold out my hoof, “I can see this working out.”

And he shakes, “Pleasure to do future business with you, Sentinel. Call me Hunter.”

I nod, “So, you said there are unarmed weapons in here?”

He smiles and nods, “Follow me, and you can get first choice.”

———

Footnote: Level Up.

New Perk Added: Force and Finesse— As you travel with a gun totin companion, you get +10 Unarmed and Melee, and they get +10 Guns and +1 Perception.

Gearing Up

I shrug my shoulder to move the bag I’m carrying to a more comfortable position. I look over at Hunter, “Why am I carrying this when I have a Pip-Buck?”

Hunter looks on back to me as he carries two bags of his own, “That Pip-Buck will assign values, meaning haggling can’t be done. You want to sell for the highest price, meaning you have to carry it on your back and not in that machine.”

I sigh as the bag weighs down on me, “And why can I not use the weapons we found in the storeroom?”

He smiles back at me, “Those things are two hundred years old, they’re worth a lot, but not very good. If we sell them, we can get one better than all them combined. Simple math.”

I shake my head, “Never was one for math. Only math I need to know is counting bullets as they fly at me.”

He just looks forward, “Then leave the selling to me. I’d be a prodigy of math compared to you.”

I adjust the bag on my shoulder again as we finnaly crest a hill. I look over the landscape to see our destination. A huge near fortress built on a pre-war market, a sign hangs out the front, ‘Death’s Talons’. Interesting name. I remember those legends of Death, the gun he wielded. Out here in the wastes, even Death has died. Even though I prefer up close and personal, I would kill for a chance to use his gun at least once.

Ah, sadly I don’t think this store sells legendary weapons from back then. I look over at Hunter, “That where we’re going?”

He nods, “Best store in this region. Good deals, no fighting, security, food and drink, they even have a good doctor. Only store I’ve chosen to go to as far as selling raider equipment goes.”

I shuffle the bag around again before walking onwards, “Well, let’s see what we can get then. Raider equipment go good on the market?”

He shrugs, “One piece by itself is not worth the effort. But raiders carry a surplus, and sold all together, it can be pretty profitable. Raiders are a steady way to make income although I do other, more profitable jobs from time to time.”

I look around as we enter into the building, “What types of jobs would that be?”

He points towards a wall full of papers, “Odds and ends, somepony always needs something done. Need some parts of beasts, some factory cleared out, somepony else dead, good thing is most of them never specify to not loot. Get a reward from the job, and from whatever you find on the job. There’s my personal favorite, somepony to warm another’s bed.”

I look around until I see a group of ponies, “Are those raiders?”

Hunter holds a hoof in front of me, “Don’t attack them! This place is no discriminatory when it comes to customers. That, and the fact that those guards will shoot you for starting the fight. Word of advice, nopony survives the guards gunfire. They have pre war military grade rifles and even a few missile launchers, heck, one has a plasma that would cut through you like a knife through a raider’s head.”

I look at the shop with a bit more disgust, “How could they sell to raiders?”

I hear a rasping voice behind me, “You have any complaints about how I run my business then you say them to my face.”

I turn around to see a ghoul griffon standing there. Hunter jumps between us, “Ms Gilda, I’m sure Sentinel here meant no insult, right Sentinel?”

The griffon looks past Hunter, “No, I want to hear what he’s gotta say.” And she looks right into my eyes, “Well, you’re the Sentinel I’ve heard about on the radio? C’mon, let’s hear what you have to say, dweeb.”

I look right back into her eyes, “Alright then. Why are you selling to raiders?”

She sighs, “Look kid, you ever had somepony point a gun at you, only for it to misfire because it’s to rusty?”

I nod, “Yes, that has happened.”

She points on over at the raiders, “Those guns came from me. Raiders can be convinced something just has a orange coat f paint, they get disfunctional weapons, I get money.”

I move past Hunter, and right up to her, “You still sell weapons to raiders. I’ve had one of those ‘dysfunctional’ weapons fire at me before. If you didn’t sell them weapons to begin with, they would not be as dangerous.”

She curls around me, leaning on my shoulder, “Dweeb, kid, I’ve been alive for so very long. I saw what happens when they make weapons all their own. Yellow machine guns and pistols thrown together by junk, pipe weapons they call them. And let me tell you, those are a whole lot more deadly than my weapons.”

I look over at her leaning on my shoulder, “Couldn’t you cut them off and give the weapons away to better ponies so they can kill the raiders as they struggle for more weapons?”

She sighs, and flaps back away from my shoulder, “You think I haven’t tried that? I’m not some dweeb like you, I’ve had time to think of these things. Gave away the weapon to good ponies as the raiders struggled for weapons. Nothing happend. Those that got the weapons ran away with them, and they raiders got crafty until I reopened for them. Either way, I need to get a profit out of this.”

I’m about to say something else when Hunter jumps in, “Well, me and Sentinel here will be on our way now. Lots of stuff to sell, caps to make, weapons to buy! Come along Sentinel!”

I sigh, and I’m about to follow Hunter, “If you can stand living with selling with them, then I guess your fine.”

And as I start to walk away, she stops me, “Sentinel. I’ve seen your type before. Good ponies, those that don’t believe their heroes, even if they are.”

I stop and look back at her, “And your point is?”

Her beak twists into a grin, “I like your attitude, sarcastic and snarky at the right level. As I’ve said, I’ve seen your kind before. There is one question all of you never like to awnser.”

I turn to look at her, “And that is?”

She looks me right in the eyes, “Would you rather die a good pony, or live and see yourself become a monster?”

And I look right back, “I’ve already died.”

She nods slightly, “Then try not to make it twice. Buy some stuff to continue on this good streak of yours.”

I nod back, and turn away, “Didn’t plan on death another time.”

And so, I walk over to Hunter to buy some goods.

———

Footnote: Level Up.

New Perk Added: Once Dead, Twice Alive — You know what it’s like to die. Armor gets +5 DT, and all guns have a chance to fire back in the face of the one shooting at you!

Skill Check: Speech (60).

Cooling Down

I strap on my new weapons. Nowhere near the best, but better than before. Not just brass, but with some steel tips on the end. Punches can now leave cuts and bruises at the same time! My armor has been fully laid with more brass plates. I also bought a helmet of sorts, one that protects the back of my head.

Hunter and I looked at the board, and have decided on a few things to do. First, we’re going to clear out a factory, and collect some scrap metal from there for another job. When we’re done, we will move down to near the Canter ruins. Some scavengers are going on a run, and need some protection. Said they would search the areas around the Tower, and see where they go from there.

So, here we are, walking up to the factory. Some old technology place probably employed by one of the Ministries. Probably protected by some robots.

I look over to Hunter, we share a nod, and I kick in the door. Instantly, bullets start to fly towards me. Turret systems, firing at anything organic. I look over at Hunter as I hide behind the door, “Was this part of the plan?!”

He doesn’t say anything as he takes out a new rifle with those weird mechanisms of his. He waits for the stream of gunfire to die off before poking his head around the corner and firing off a shot. He looks over at me, “Well come on, draw their fire in there!”

I look back at him, “I’m supposed to be bait?!”

He peeks around the corner and let’s loose another shot, “You’re the one who refused to get a gun! Get in there already!”

I look right at him in indignation, “What type of plan is this!?”

He looks over at me, “The stupid, risky type! I don’t hear you suggesting anything!”

I grimace and wait for a lull in the gunfire, “Alright then!”

The bullets stop, and I instantly rush through the door. The turrets start to fire at me, but I am slightly faster than their targeting. Bullets whistle behind me as I rush for the nearest cover. Time to pull out that hoofball slide!

I shove my back legs forwards, and lean the rest of me back. I mange to slide into cover right before the turrets catch up. Leg hurts like a bitch from sliding on sharp and uneven ground, but I did my job.

Another shot rings out, and a turret explodes. All the turrets then turn back to the door.

I get up, and wave my hooves up to the turrets on the balcony, “Hey, over here bastards!”

The turrets swivel around to me as I book it to a office room. I just outrun the turrets, and bolt into the office. Only to discover theirs another turret.

I afix the gun of the turrets with one of my own, “Why are you even in here?”

The turret’s gun moves, as if it’s fired a shot. But the bullet doesn’t come out the front. No, the bullet exited out of the back and killed the turret itself.

I grab that bullet, and peek out to the main foyer. Only two turrets remain. I toss the bullet across the room, and the turrets start firing at it. This distraction allows Hunter to pick off another one.

I create a lot of motion, “Hey, turret!”

The turret spins around to face me, and Hunter shoots it as it swivels. The turret explodes, and I walk out again.

Hunter trots in towards me, “Quite the small factory to have so many turrets. Only one room, and they have five turrets protecting it?”

I shrug, “Might be a important goodie in here. I’ll check the office.”

He shrugs, and moves up to the turrets, “If you want.”

So I move back into the decrepit old office. I search the drawers and find some papers. I reach out to grab one, only for it to dissolve away on touch. Well, guess that options gone.

I look around the office, only to find a box hidden under the desk. Inside are a bunch of orbs. I don’t recognize what these are. I reach out with some magic to grab them, only to fall over.

———

This is a... strange feeling. It’s like I’m watching something happening, but I’m in another ponies body. This one being a unicorn stallion. Apparently he’s giving a big presentation.

I, or he, clears their voice, “Gentleponies of the Ministries, I am proud to present my newest invention! We’ve all seen or heard of battles that wound down to hoof to hoof combat. For too long, our enemy has been able to match us or one up us in fights that wound down to that. With these tales and experiences in my mind, I’ve made a great invention to give us the superiority in fights like that!”

A female voice with a southern twang speaks over the intercom, “This invention, can it work with my Pip-Bucks?”

My host smiles, and pulls out something, “Even better than that! It plays off of the Pip-Bucks to allow it to swing faster and harder! Let me present, the Power Hoof!” He holds up a mechanical... beauty. I don’t think I’ve ever seen something that looked as good as that chrome finished hoof.

My fantasy is stopped by another voice speaking over the intercoms. A male voice, with a tiny bit of scratch to it, “Would this not just increase casualties on the field? Surely that could kill you quite easily.”

My host smiles, “The Power Hoof comes with power options for just that thought! Half power can knock a pony out in one blow without damaging them too much. Three quarters power can kill a pony with one blow.”

A female voice cuts in over the intercom this time, rough sounding, but still bearable to listen to, “Can our air support use this weapon without being thrown out of the air? Such force much give a lot of feedback, so how could my pegasi benefit?”

My host hands it off to a pegasus, who flies up and starts punching targets, “As can be seen, the hydraulic feedback has been carefully studied and filtered so it pushes forwards instead of backwards, meaning the only effect of the feedback is more impact.”

Then, a final voice starts to speak. One so odd, unique, strange, uncanny, and yet so commanding of respect. The voice of somepony still young, but so very old. The voice that tears your attention towards it. And the voice questions, “You say it can kill at three quarters. What does it do full blast?”

Two ponies pull out a sheet of metal, and my host puts the hoof onto full blast, “To put it simply,” He punches forward, and goes right through the metal, “It is quite powerful. When wearing power armor, it’s power only increases. Speaking of power armor, example two.”

A suit of power armor is rolled out on a cart, facing right towards him. This pony isn’t skilled with fighting, I could tell, but when he punched forward, the power armor caved in around the fist. When he punches the helmet, a hole appears where reinforced metal and complicated systems used to be.

My host turns around to face the windows facing him, “It can serve as a better anti tank weapon. Why waste money on mini-nukes when you could just rush up and punch the tank? It’s more powerful, less costly, easier to carry, and less messy.”

Lights above the windows start to turn green. I could feel the relief on my hosts mind. The final light turns green, and that voice speaks out again, “I expect to have a squad equipped with these by the end of the week.”

My host bows gratefully, “You won’t be disappointed Lords!”

———

I wake up from the ground, and think back on that weapon. Hunter walks in without me noticing, “So, you got lost in a memory orb?”

I look him in the eye, “Where can I get a Power Hoof?”

He shrugs, “They’re very rare. Some might sell them, even if for very high prices. You’d be better off trying to kill high targets if they have it, or maybe search an old Ministry. Might be in the ruins, since nopony has picked around there yet.”

I stand up suddenly, and get my eyes only mere inches from his, “We’re getting a Power Hoof.”

He backs up slightly, “Well, those scavenger might find one, could convince them.”

I start to trot out of the factory, “Off we go then!”

———

Footnote: Level Up.

New Perk Added: Second Skin — You’re so use to armor that it’s become a second skin for you! All movement debuffs from armor no longer effect you!

Quest Perk Added: Super Power — You’ve become absolutely obsessed with Power Hooves! Turns out the workings of them is similar to other things. You can instantly understand how to use something, and get +1 to all stats for wearing it, if it starts with Power!

Weirding Out

Hunter and I walk through some old ruined town on our way to that scavenger band. Quite tall buildings around here, must’ve been a center for business. Most of the buildings have satellites and other machines on top of them. Most, “Hey, Hunter, this is a completely land-locked town, right?”

Hunter nods absentmindedly, “Yeah, no river beds here, no water, completely landlocked.”

I nod back, and stop in my path, “So, there’s no way a boat should be here, right?”

He stops along with me, and follows my gaze, “Why do you- dear creator.”

I nod, “So. What fuckshit had to happen for that to happen?”

Hunter jumps onto the map setting of my Pip-Buck, “But- but, the ocean is at least fifty kilo’s from here!”

I nod along with his words as I gaze upon the boat that is impaled on a building, “Have to admit, I am throughly intrigued.”

Hunter stares at wonder towards the wodden boat, “Interested enough to take a detour?”

I nod, “Power Hoof can wait. What kinda shit occurred for this to happen. I gotta awnser that.”

Hunter starts to follow me as I walk off, “The kinda shit that only an idiot messing up badly could cause. Let’s go.”

———

I walk up to some type of makeshift elevator, and pull the lever controling it when Hunter steps on. I can see some old words painted on the back of the ship, but they’ve been crossed out. In their place is the name ‘Black Peral’. Hunter inspects the wood as our ride goes slowly up, “Well, it’s an authentic pre-war ship. Who in their right minds would use this?”

I look over at him with a slight smile, “It’s the Wasteland, nopony has their right minds.”

Our ride reaches the deck of the boat, and I see something I will never see again. Clones, almost a hundred clones of the same earth pony, all rushing around the deck in baggy white shirts and red skull bandannas, and deadlocks. None of them even spare a glance at us as we walk onto the deck, too busy rushing around.

We’re shoved into the crowd, and are constantly shoved forward, “Sorry mates!”

“Out of the way!”

“Stop sitting around, ship needs to be fixed!”

“Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum!”

Then, one who runs into us actually looks at us, “Intruders!”

The horde around us stops as they surround us, “They’re intruders?!”

“How’d they get up here?”

“Our defense was good, how’d they get here?”

“Should we shoot them?!”

Then, I hear a loud voice shout over the crowd, “All right, all right, settle down! Thirty Three, put down your gun. And stop shouting so bloody much!”

The one with his pistol out immediately holsters it, “Yes Captain.”

The crowd parts for us to see another clone. This one wears a tri-corn hat, and something best described as a duster with various differnt cloths poking out. Said pony manages to walk down the stairs with only three hooves, as in his fourth he holds an apple. He take a bite out of it, before spitting it and the entire apple over the side, “Bleh, why do we even have those? We don’t even like them, and we packed some instead of more rum! The planning of the previous Captain, I swear, bugged right up.”

The crowd parts before him as he walks to us. When he arrives in front of us, I greet him, “Hello.”

He starts to study me a bit, “So, who are you, and why the bloody hell are you on my ship?”

I study him right back, “I am Sentinel, this is Hunter. We were wondering why the hell your ship was up here.”

He finishes studying me, and looks back at me strangely, “You’re the adventurous type, aren’t you? Well, you want the story, and I want something done. So how’s about we help each other in this situation. You do this job for me, you get a story, and maybe even a free ride. How’s about it?”

Hunter shrugs at my side, “We have time to spare.”

I simply nod, “Depends on the job.”

He smiles, “Excellent. See, we need some wheels, and they’re scattered around this town. Four very large wheels, and they each got sent to a different direction in town. So, if would be able to gather these wheels for me, and got rid of the scallawags holding them, you get the story and a free ride.”

I consider it for a moment, “Whats your name anyway?”

He looks around himself, “We’re all called Sparrow. Call me Captain, least ‘til you do your job.”

I nod, “Alright then, Captain, I’ll do the work.”

He nods, “Good, good. Now, go use that elevator, if you could get it done before days done, that’d be great.”

I look over at Hunter, shrug, and walk to the elevator, “We’ll get those wheels for you, Sparrows.”

The elevator starts to slowly descend as we decide to head south side first.

———

Footnote: Level Up.

New Perk Added: Blink and You Might Miss It — Looking Up is a valuable skill many ponies seem to have forgotten about, but not you! +2 to Perception for you and all your friends!

Breathing In

I drag the huge wheel from the South behind me. It actually had nopony guarding it. I can only hope our luck upholds, and that nopony will guard these wheels. Feh, who am I kidding, it’s the Wasteland, we’re probably gonna almost die.

I push harder, and see a hook hanging off of the ship. I lift the huge wheel up, and hook it on. As soon as it’s secured, the Soarrows start to pull it up. I take a second to lean against a building and pant. My energy is recovered quickly, and I push myself back onto four hooves, “Alright, let’s head east.”

Hunter hides a yawn from beside me, “Oh, am I finnaly going to do something?”

I look back and glare at him, “You weren't the one pulling a ten kilo wheel! Now get your guns ready, I don’t feel good about our luck standing up.”

Hunter snorts, “Are you saying you have a bad feeling about this?”

I continue on through the ruined town with him behind me, “There’s a bad feeling in my gut, and I trust it. So either I’m suffering from radiation poisoning, taint, or indigestion, or I’m not trusting our chances of not getting shot at.”

He shrugs behind me, accidentally scraping his shoulder on a building, “Might just be those first three options.”

I think it over as I study the town, “Radiation and my Pip-Buck would’ve clicked. Taint and I’d be dealing with a whole lot worse. You don’t want to see me with indigestion.”

He stops behind me, “You ever actually look at these posters?”

I turn around to look at the poster he’s talking about. The poster shows a combined army of ponies, changelings, and skeletons marching in unity, all wearing the same dark combat armor. Facing the reader is a group of ponies in power armor, with bird skulls imprinted on the forehead of the helmet, and eyes with only glowing red dots in the middle. But the ponies still smile happily, as they gather around a single figure in a black cloak, also wearing a smile. It doesn’t seem like most propaganda, instead, it looks more like a picture with all the details captured, the curves and edges of changeling carapace, the marking of bones, the fur of ponies, the shiny but dark metal of the power armor wearers. And the figures smile reaches out, almost making me smile back. Above the group reads ‘Become one of Raven’s Reapers today!’ in a green and red text.

Hunter studies it as well, “The quality is beyond good. Not to add on it seems like a joint Ministry poster.”

He’s right. At the bottom, there is a scythe turned upside down to look like a smile. Written in blue, bouncy writing is ‘Smile knowing your home is safe!’

I nod, “If this is the average poster, no wonder the pre war ponies were so inspired. Hell, I myself almost want to rush off and help fight a war.”

Hunter nods, “To think it went so wrong from then. It’s horri-“

He’s cut off by the small noise of something metal hitting the ground. He looks over at what made the noise.

The panic from him is palpable, “Duck and cover!”

I waste no time diving to my right, behind some rubble. I get low to the ground, and cover my ears.

*Boom!*

The grenades explosion rocks the ground, but I’m otherwise fine. I can see Hunter ducking behind a different piece of rubble for cover, also safe. I look over towards the wall the poster was on to see it blown to pieces. The poster, however, wasn’t with the rubble. The poster blows in the wind right on over to me, landing right in front of my muzzle. I decide to keep it.

I hear a mad voice shout, “Boom! Boom!”

Raider, singular from what I hear. Hunter peaks his head around the corner to see, but nearly gets it blown off when a bullet whizzes past him. He quickly ducks back in.

I decide to peek around the corner myself, and find my head also blown off by a flurry of bullets. I can see enough to draw the conclusion that raiders had us pinned, and we could do nothing about it. I draw my head back into cover, and the raiders stop firing.

I look over at Hunter to see that we’ve drawn the same conclusion. We’re screwed, pure and simple.

I can hear a raider start to speak, one obviously not all the way gone, “Come on out Sentinel, we can wait here forever and you don’t have food. You can’t even show a hair without it getting shot, and you will eventually fall asleep. Surrender by throwing your knuckles out, and walking out with hooves in the air. Same with your friend.”

Hunter decides what he chooses when he shouts back, “Fuck off!”

The raider simply walks the opposite way, “Very well then, gang, shoot to kill when they show anything.”

I can hear raiders start to enthusiasticly shout, “Kill! Kill! Kill!”

“Bang! Bang! Bang!”

“Boom!”

—(1 hour later)—

“Smash and stab!”

I sigh, how much breath do these ponies have, “Shut the fuck up already!”

“Break and crunch!”

I can hear some type of melody, “Creators, are raiders about to sing?”

“Pillage and rape!”

I place my head in my hooves, “They are.”

“Chew and munch!”

“Pop eyeballs like a grape!”

“Bang and ping!”

“Threat comin this way!”

“Killing without thinking a thing!”

“No, seriously, something’s comin to slay!”

“Breaking bones so small and white!”

“Are you all idiots, look to the right!”

“Crushing all with our might!”

“Boom, start shooting, solve our plight!”

Then, a different, more masculine voice shouts, “Die puny ponies!”

I can hear a swing, and the noise of bones breaking. The melody and singing stops, “Oh shit!”

The clack of bones rings out as another swing connects, “Stupid, weak, raiders!”

I can hear a body slam on the other side of my cover, and a rattling of bones gets closer, “No, no, shit, I’m sorry!” I can hear the bones rattle again, “No, ple- ahhhhhhhh!”

I can hear the thump of a body hit the ground. No more voices ring out from the raiders, only that masculine voice speaks, “Come out friends, I took care of the raiders.”

I decide to peek my head around the corner, “Who are you?”

The response rings out, “My name is Rattle. I’ve heard of you, Sentinel, and I like what you’re doing.”

I finally see our savior. I see... a skelepony.

Neat.

———

Footnote: Level Up.

New Perk Added: Three’s a Crowd — With added strength comes added responsibility. Nah, just kidding. Your new friend is strong, so you are stronger as well. +2 Strength to everypony, or nonpony, in your party.

Quest Perk Added: Inspiration of the Past — Even two hundred years late, posters are still effective in making ponies want to fight. If anypony in your party is injured, they have a 10% chance to just shrug it off!

Friend Known

Rattle coughs politely, “So, Sentinel, will you accept my offer?”

Hunter asks a million dollar question, “Sure, you talk good, but how do we know you aren’t part of that madman’s army?”

Rattle shrugs, “As you notice, I can actually string together coherent sentences. I broke free of the Master’s control almost instantly.”

Hunter doesn’t let up, “But how can we be certain you’re not lying?”

He lets out a, well, rattling laugh, “You ask how you can be certain of my truth? Friend, don’t you know? Nothing is certain in the wastes, except for dust and death. How am I certain you two aren’t just hallucinations in my mind as I wait in a mental ward before the bombs? We don’t know anything, so the big question is; do you have faith and trust?”

Hunter is about to start again, but I hold up my hoof, “Let me take care of this.”

Rattle smiles as I approach, “And what new options shall you bring up?”

I almost let out a smile, “I’m a priest, used to be a priest. My body still carries the power of a priest.”

He shrugs again, “And?”

I get right in front of him, “Are you telling the truth?”

He nods, “Yes.”

I shake my head a bit, “No, wait, I did that wrong. Give me a second.”

He nods again, “Sure.”

I close my eyes, and concentrate on the holy power inside me. I feel my magic build up, and I float in the air. I lift all the rubble around me, and float until I can look down upon Rattle. My eyes open, and the white, holy magic fills them and projects a near blinding light around me.

My white eyes stare down into his, ”Death Rattle of the family Bone, speak true or be struck down. Do you swear, in the name of the Creators, that you are telling the truth?”

His eyes don’t move from mine as his awnser comes to light, “Yes.”

My white voids bore into him, ”Chem of Harmony, Larson of Chaos, Faust of Order, gaze upon this pony and judge him before me! Hear his words, and know if they ring true! If they ring false, bring holy judgment down upon him!”

Death Rattle looks a bit shaken as the light envelops him, “Whats going on? Why do I feel so weird?”

He looks relieved as the light floods back into my eyes, ”Your words have been judged, Death Rattle. Your words ring true in the eyes of the Creators. Death Rattle of the family Bone, you are honest.”

I float back down as the light fades away. I can hear Hunter shrug beside me, “Pretty cool magic you got there, Sentinel.”

I nod, “Welcome to the group, Rattle. Quick question. Favorite way to dispose of raiders?”

He proudly holds up his sledgehammer, “Showing them the killing end of Crusher. Send them flying in one hit, then... crush.”

I nod, “Glad to see another one up close and personal.” I smile, “Now, we have some wheels to collect!”

Rattle smiles, “Would these wheels be the ones your looking for?”

I look at where he points to see the two other wheels, “Why do you have those?”

He shrugs, “Need something to train my strength with. What better than lugging two gigantic wheels behind you? I thought they could also come in handy, and they are.”

I smile, “Sweet! I can get one, Hunter one, and you one.”

Hunter’s jaw drops, “Wait, hold up here. You lugged those two wheels for simple exercise?”

Rattle nods, “Yep, being a skelepony offers strength, for some reason. Like, I don’t even have muscles, so how does exercise even work if I have no muscles?”

Hunter gazes in wonder, “Okay, how do I become a skelepony?”

He simply puts up a hoof, “Don’t, chances are you’d either die or become a slave.”

“Chances?”

“1 in 100.”

Hunter clicks his tounge, “Dang.”

I slightly smile at their exchange, “Well, let’s get hauling. Captain Sparrow is probably tired of waiting. Com’on Hunter, it’s good exercise.”

Hunter begrudgingly starts to pull, “I’m supposed to aim guns, not haul wheels.”

Rattle snarks back, “Well, this isn’t some fantasy, this is wheel life. Get it, wheel?”

I sigh at the bad pun, “Rattle, you have a lot to learn about humor.”

He pulls double time up to me, “Yeah?”

I nod, “Yeah. Gallows humor, that’s the great stuff. Self deprecation as well. Need examples?”

He smiles, “Plenty of time, sure.”

I think, “So, for example, say you just squashed a raider with your sledgehammer. Shout out he’s the meat, and you the tenderizer. Or, if somepony can’t talk, ask if the cats got their tounge.”

Hunter walks up with us, “No, no, no, Sentinel, those are bad. Say you’ve smashed in a head, you shout, boom headshot. Or if you kick somepony in the ground, say you’ve kicked them to the curb.”

He shakes his head, “Your both bad. Say you...”

—(???)—

I ̲̗͔w̵̲̣̱͚̖̟ͅa̵t̜c̴̝͎̲̜̗͇̳h̩̩̰̞ ͈̺͍̞͈̪ṱ̲̲̝͞h̦͕̺̩̜͠e͚͉ ̜̕p̶̮͕͔̫̞̦o̗̫n̮̺̤̞̗͓i͜e̱̲̯̰͟s̜͔̪͈͉͎̀ ̡̻̝̜̦ͅw̷̭̺it͇͔̟̖̲́h͎͎͝ ̥̻͓̖̥͇͘ͅm̞̼i̶̙̫̦̞l͏ͅd̶͈ ͓̖̝͖͉̹iń̬̥͎̣̰͍t̮̟͚́ͅḛr͈̺e͡s̱̗̻t̕.̬͉͓ ͕̬̟͇̪͎̘͝H̻̙̬̥̙̤ͅṳ͔̜̦̺͇̺n̗̖ṭ̢̼̹̞̣̰e͚̫̩̮̗r̵̫͉͎̭͖,̳̺̟͙͟ ̤̫̼̲͉͉̩g̶r̨̦̻e̡̦̝̹̫ḙ̺̱̗͙d̟͟y̩̹,͙ ͓͔R̶̩͚͈͉a͕̲̤t͉t̯͈͇͎̰̫͡l͉̜̼͖͡e̫͠, ͚͉̱͎̺t̼̭͕ọ̖o̯̥̮̩͍͝ ͎̣́t͈͇̖͈̞r͇̥̝̳̯̺u̱̻̼ṣ̟̭̞t̕i͎n͘g̬̰͚̙̱̻.͕͍̭̟̖̻̼ Se͎͉̞̖̱̞n̰ṯ̰͘i̳̝̝̰̣̺̘n͙̟̖͡e̖̺͈̩͔̠̩l,̷͚̜͎̮ ̗̗̯m̦̘̀e̘͚s͏̲̭̖̙̼ͅͅs̲̥̥̩͓͜e͎͚d͈͎̥̫ ̘̲͎̻͓̯u̟̭͠p̪̫͓ ̵͚͎̗̪̣̗a̺̞̹͖͖̖̪n͙̤̩̞̱̱̜d̵͇̬͉̪ ͉̺͉e͏̬͍̩̘̻x͡pl͈̘̙̜̖̲͚͟ó̼̭̞̰ì̳̘̰̥ṯ̼͙͘a̺͜b̯̣͘l̗̞̘͔̼͖͉e̪͖͉͍̫ ̰̬̥̻͙̝͓i̛͉̩f̨ y̵͔o̞̤͓̬̲̪̳u ̝̮̻͎̀t̬̩̞̞̰a̘͙̥͙̫̰̜l̸͚̫͎̝̺̠k̺̝̥̜ ҉̝t̮̼̲̙͖̫̺o̜̠͓̬͕̞̘ ̭̮h̬̥̤̳͇i̟ͅm̙̫̫̟̠͉̺ ŗi̯̺̳̱̫͔̝͟g̻͔͝ḥ͟t̼͔͓̘̥͕̙.̫̥̦̭̦̳ ̺̻̯̺͕Á͙̳͚͙̰l͙͈͙̟̰l̵̟̦̠͈̳͇̥,̗̩̲̬̫ ̰͈̹̲̱̲v͇̥̮̮͓͙ͅęͅṟ̮͇͚͈y̮͢ p̹o̩̝͔̙̼w̰̼̳̫e̶̝͎r͚͎̞f҉̻̳̥u͈̟̟̳͚̹l.̥͝ ̻̠̞̪͔̤͟T̫̥̦̝͎ḫȩy̶̤̤̹̗ͅ ͎̬̻͙̫c̶̠̤o͓͝u͢l̘d̲͡ ͔͍̦͖͙͘b͏̗̫e͉̥̤̬̩ ̶͔̼̺̲͇̜o̪̗̥̘͔̬̞f͜ ̫͍͜g̦͈̼̣̩̪̲r̶͓e̝͖̫̳̯͚̤at̩͘ ͇̰ͅų̼̻̞̹̜se҉̙̮̝̹̹̮̠,̛̹̱̱̘̥ͅ ̹̦̝͚̹m͚͔̠̦̥̤y̹̙ ́C͏̼̬̱̮̬͔h̫͡a͠m̷p̨̺i̲̞o̮̫͖̞ͅn͝s̝̲͕͖̭̳͖ ̼͖̜̦̖̙̕t͚̘̘o̡͇ ͔̹̖̤̩̙͟m̹͔̯͇̥a̵͖̪̩̮̙̙̻t͕̞͚͜c̳̖̱͎̱͎h̷̜̹͖̝̥͔̮ ͓͓̲͖̣̥H͔̗̹͍̞̤a̡̯̹r͉̭̟͚̫̱̜m͙̼̭͈̜ò͇͎̖̬̬̹n̮͖̜̳͙̦̕i̱̯͖̼̻̹eș̶̭.̧̦ ͖͙Á̙̼l͎l̳͇͓͎̤̜ ̖̕t͎̝̼̞̻hḙ̬̺̦̣y̯͎̤̱̱̫̲ ͔͚̬ǹ̺̖ẹ̤͇̰̟ͅe̳͎d̲͔͍͔͍̠ͅ ̬̗̞̭͖ị̸s̞ ̼̮͔͇̹͇̀ͅa̼̳̳̙̻͜ ͚̳̰̥͍b̗̖̮̞i̼̟͞t͏̝ͅ ̩̫m̦̦̙͙͉̖̝ơ̖r͇͙̣̳͍̥͔͞e̻ ̻͙̦̦͠p͉̮͇̕o͕̪̰w̬͎̺̟e̖̳ͅr͓͓̗̯̘̀,͔͚̹̟ ҉͉̦͓̩ͅa̮͝n͏̣̪d̸̲̫ ͉̰̺̞̘͖̠s͏̥̬̩͓o̖͝m̲̥̝̫e̡̹̼̱̪̙͎ͅ ̻̞̥͜ͅp͍͉̞̣̤͜r҉̯op̰̙̥̜̘e̛͉̮̟͇̣r̤̫͈̭ ̯̼̰̟͖͢t̻̺̙͝ra̮̬̘̜̭̰̟i͇̯̙͓̠n̗i͚n̠͘g̟͈ ̜̠͓͇̥̭ a͏̜̭̪n̪̤̙̫̭͉ͅd̰̗̳̟ ̲̞̩̯̻͎͟ę͖̥͉͍q̛u͏̳̜̠̲̣̬i͍̱̖͈p̛͇͍̫m̟̟̤͎͉̳͠é͖̦̖ǹ̪͔̙͍t͙̜̱̺̺͇̖.̱̬̙͍̺͔ ̼͞
̰͚̲͇͟
͢Ṯ̢͙̟̗͙h͚̗̺̤̗͞e͕̥̞̣͍̝y͍̟͕̘ ̡̭͙̹͈c̦o͇u̷̼̞l͏̭̜̝̹d̵ ̖̫ͅp̨̫̱̻r̹̝̭̻̼̟o̵̩b͉͖̣̰̟̺͓a҉̦b͇̬l̞͕̰̲̕y̤̼͉̺̪̟̦͘ ̱̳͔̭̝d̖̗̬̲̜̱e̦͡l͓a̺̺y̪̣̬̝̲̯̩ t̡͔̙̖̺͙̩h̢̞̗̦͇̥͈e͈̹̳ ̞̗̥̱̺̘̹C̳̭͍͓͓h̨̳͎̳̺a͍͙̣m̦̭͇͓p̸i̸̦͖̺̤͓o̤̮̖͝n͇s҉͉ ̺́f͞o̴͓ͅr ͙͖̻̞͙a̡͚̥̗̯̟ͅ ͖̗t͖̠̩̺̠̤͉́i͘n͏y̭̹ ͚̞̜̳̳̖̯̕b͖̬̤͙͠i̩͈̥t̟͔̪͈̱̱͖ ̢̮w̸̠̩͇̻̗̟h̜͔͔͈̣͙ͅé̹̳͔̗͓n͍͙͍ ̳͔t͎̯h̵e̵̺͉y̟ ̶͉̳̤̞f͈a͎̠̥̣̖͕̱͞c͔͇͍e̡ ̟͉̖̤m͙͉͖̥e͉͈͍͖.̴͇̯̠̪̗̱͉ ҉̮̰̰̰̜̙͖Y̟̟̕e͇̲̲̼͓͈̩s̺̤̙̻̥̺̼,̠͈ ̳͇̳̱̥͔̞t̲̟̺͖̯̲̠h̬̲̳͔e̫͎͔̹̠͓̻ý̫͚ͅ ̙̳̯̫̭̤̗h̶o͏̖̳͍̜̗̙̠l̷̼̦͉ͅḏ̺̟͙̥ t̛̳h̩̹̕e̤m̟̼̳̦ ọ̢͕̘̬f͚͔f͈.̮̞͞ ̛͖̩̰̼K̖̥̣̖̤͢h̫̗͈̺o͙͎r̘̳͎̟̕n̪̮ ̴̘̯̺̬̫̺̙h̖͍̣o͙̻̝̞͡l̞d͍͙̪͉̼̮ͅṣ̸̘ ̷͍̩o͔͓͈̞͉͚̕f̫͔͡f͙͙̬̗̲̺̜ t̹̥͈͝h̙̦e͏ J̙̀ę̗̪͓̟̱̹s̟̠̝̪t͕̮͜e̗̹̗̠̱̪̩r̴̯̖,͕͉̹͚͕̦̫ ́a͖̮̹̣͎͙̘n̸̪̱̫͎d̛͖͖̙̹̟ ̣͇̟͖̣Bḽ̸͓u̪̫̰̝̯͞e͔̬̞̼̬̬̖b͓̺͜l̪̯͎̘o̕o͖̹̗̭d͓̬̼̼ su͡m̘̬̖͇̺͚mo͇̪̗̙̱n̝̥̳͢s̴͓͓͔̞̱.̧͓̭̣͖͈ ̶͉͚͕̲Ţ̥͔͔̗͈h̡o̥̺̟̩̙̞͖s͎̟͇̯ͅe͉͍̩̻ͅ ̺̻C̛̰r̹̦͉͎̻̖e̟̖͕͘a͜t̨̥̭o̼͍̞r̗̫̥̻̬̳s̪͇̩̮̯ ̥̰͍͉t̻̱h҉i̭̻͓͡n̛̬͕͙͙̪͎̟k̜̰̖͓ ̟̀t͘h͍͈͘ͅe̘͚̤̤͚͙̰͝y͕̲ ̷͈̲̖p̞̗͓̝r͍̲̜̲ò̘ͅt̰̰̝̠͈͔e̖̬͙͢c̰̼͕̭̹̝͡t̞̦̪̮̩͍̀ ̬͈̣͍͕͔͉t̝̭̜̠͔̦h͚̩̬̞̬̖̥i̞̲̬̱ͅs̀ ̲c̹̲̖͜r̢e̠a̯͙t̶̲ụ͈̦r̛͓͕͙̱͖e͎̤͜.̲ ̗̦̜B͓͔͙̝u͉̬̞̙̺̠͘t̤̫̖̭̭̠,͉͉ ͏̲̝̝̻̻t̳̞̻̦̠̭̦h̡̫̝͕̫̲e͍͔̜̦͖͎͘y̗͠’͎̪̰̼̞l͔̥̥̗l̝̻͍̭̖̤ ̫̮̞̘͇͔ne̙͎̥͇̜̭v̴è̲̫̖̝̫͇r̝̥ ̯̤͉̲̠se̸̩͇e͚̥͟ ҉̜͎̗m̞̺̤e̞̬̘̫͎̬̭.̧͔̺̪̟̜͉͈
̦͙
͏̻͚I͚̩͈͉͖͚͠ ͕̗j̸͈u͉̗͔̘̭̲s͓̜t ̬̯̝͓̗͞ha̜̮̭ͅve̖̠̲͓ ͖̠̜͔͍t̹̥͚̼̙̩͉o̡ ̡w҉a̱̗̜̼̝̳͉i̼̺̱̤̲̞t̖̩ ̮̥̖̖̫̳̘͠f̶̪͚o̯̘͉̜r̪̤̖̰͜ ͎͍̝̬̗͙ṱ͚̲̯̣h̶͈̣em̸͍̝̲ ͈̺͉̬̤͟t͍̼̣̝́o͈̮̰͉̥͡ ̖͚̮̦̠̩s̳͇͝ͅt͇͍͢o̟p҉͖͎͙̝̝͔ w̻͈̜͈a̠̳͔̥̮̰t̶c͎͎͔̦͖h͏͉i͈̗͚n̤͖̣̱̰͕g͏̟̱̭ ͓̤̼̕t̤̭̖̼̮̺h̝͔͖͘em̵̬ ͙̮̭̝̀t͓͔̪̲̪͠o͟ͅ ҉̠s̸̤͖̖̩ͅͅt͈̱̼͞r̰̯͇i̮̹̭̮͖̭k̩̹̦̖̥̻̩͜e͙͖̗͟.̕ ͖͙A̭̲̪̮͚ͅͅf̢͎̻̲͓t̷̤e͇r ͖͓̲͓t̬̩̲͢ͅḫ̲̠͍e̛̺̲̬̬̤̦̖ ̦͙̪̪Em͚̼̼̹͙̰̗p̙̬e͏͖̟r̖̭̰or̵̝̼̗̙ͅ’͏͔̗̼͚ş̻ͅ ̢̩͕̙͈̱̤͇d̯͎̕e̟̙͔͔̣f̛͉̝̲̞͈̮̘e̴͔̮̰a̞̝͕͈t͇̳̪͉,̝̰ ̞̳̠̻̯ͅI̫̳̦̪͢ ̻̝̦n̗̞̩͈̜̲̤e͙͓̲ed̮̪̝̻̪͡ ͢n̵̰͉e̻̥̩̜̩͍̖w͕̰ ̬̜̺̬̺p͉̠ạ̣̬͙͉̱̠ẉn̤̹͔̪̩͠s̬͍̬̳̼̤. ͖͈͈Y̡͙̦̹͓̙̳̠e͉͙s̯͔͓͉̼,͕̟͜ ̼̖͎ṯ̷ḩ͉̼̼̦̫ͅȩ͉̖̙̼̮ͅy ͎̭͢s̩ḩ̹͎͉̲̲͔͇a͙͚̻̬̫l̺̳̫l̫̭ d̟͓̜͇͕̥͙o͉̯͎̙̲͇͓ ̡͇͇͇͓̹̮ͅnͅi̛̤͉c̞͘eḻy̨̼̠̰͔̟͔͙.̡̱̼̤͉͍
̲͉͈͙̺͘
̛̣̪͙̼Wị̸̟̯̦͖ͅt̫̬̭̙͉̘̪h ͍̜̱t̼̟̟̫̲̝͖h҉̭͕̹͔e̟͞m̧͈͈,̖͚ ͓̥̫̱͇̲̫p̴̥͓̩͉l̰a̙n̸̠̖̖s͔̳͢ ̢͓͚̜̺̤w̲̙̟̭͍͈͢ͅi͏̞̫̜̮̲̲ll̘͚͕̫̗̥ ̨̳̰̬͇g̛̜̻̜̣͉o̫͍͔̼ ͟m̵̟̣̺̦̳u̻͡c̹̗͕̥̫̪͜h̰̙̱̫ͅ,̯͈ ̖́mu̫̺͚̙c̳͝h͇̜ s̡̯̳̠̲̲͕m̭̬o̧̦͍̘ͅo̵̻̦̥̤̪t̫̕h̻̯ę͕̻̤̜͈̱r̴̬.ͅ

———

Footnote: Level Up.

New Perk Added: Watchers — Many things of great power watch over you and your friends! Order offering +1 DT to matching sets of armor! Harmony increasing Luck by 2 if your wearing a helmet! Chaos making all magic have a 25% chance to have an extra fire effect! E̵͏̲̙̫ͅv͙̩͙̱̤̟̩̙͇i҉̷̟̺̩l͙ ̳̖̻̟u̙̫̝ņ̨̥͚̖͓̣̗̯c̹̩͇̞͉͉͢o̗̰̬ͅm̶̡͈̗͙p̴̨̘̪̱̜̠̤r͍̞̭e̛͏̘̖͙͉̕ḩ̻̻̭̮ȩ̴̞͡s̴͖͝a̹̲̻͙̝̭͍b̤̘̯͔̫̪l͙̰ę̴̘̘̖̮̼̭͚ ̛̫̝̯͖͘g̬̞̭̟̳̯̪͞r҉̶̰͎̹̗̤͖̲͉ḁ̰̰͢͟͡n̘̮̞̳̮̹̖t̼͍̤̠̤̯̘̱̦s̻̭̯͙̝͓̝̺͝ ̪͞+̷͏̜̦̣̤̞̭͍́3̢͓̟͝0̖̭̘͖̯̺̮͢͟͝ ̴̫͎̭̙̠͎d̨͏̴̩̘͙͈̺͇͙a̡̮͉̙ḿ̡̛͇̝͎̺̟a̶͓̺̗͘͠g̴̡̭͖̥̬̝̘͓̕e͏̛̭̰,̸̳̙̞́ ̸̡̠̩̜̮ͅn̷͎̕ͅò̡͕͈̥̦̳̞͎̲ ̠͍̟̳̣̦͍͟m͉͉͇̕á̩̪̤͠t̖̖͈̭̻͈͟t̷͉̮̝̗̻͓̟̕é̲̺͙͖̩̹̀r̶̜̬̦̫͔̫̠̦͝͝ ̖̤͟w̡̱̝͙͇͡ͅh̷͍̼̼̣͉̘ͅa̢̬̝̟͓̲͢͠t̤͙̝̳̦̜̺͖͢͜͡.͔̟͖͈̯̠͝

Story Told

We deliver the wheels, and go back onto the ship. Captain Sparrow is there, “Well, you actually did it. Guess I got a story to tell. First things first however.” He turns around to face the rest of the clones, “Let’s get this ship rolling!”

I look around to see all the clones rushing around, “How exactly are they going to get this rolling?”

Then, hundred of Sparrows come rushing out. They all climb underneath the ship, and lift it up and off the building. They collectively lower it to the streets, before rushing back to where they began. Sparrow smiles, “That’s how.”

I shake my head, “Alright then, guess that works. Now, why was this ship on the building to begin with?”

He smiles proudly as the ship goes racing down the street, “Ah, so good to see it back in action. Basically, a week ago or so, we mutinied against the previous Captain. He didn’t listen when we said we didn’t want to be pirates. So, we tossed him Ivey the side with a sword through him back near ‘Lot. Went along for a while, thought it a good idea to ramp on a hill. Impaled the ship on that building, and the wheels bounced away. Then, you came along.”

I shrug, “Alright, not the strangest story I’ve heard.”

Sparrow looks off the side as we travel at speeds the same as a bullet, “So, I suppose you lads would be traveling towards that scavenging operation?”

I nod, “Yeah, that would be where we are heading.”

Sparrow then shouts to the back of the ship, “Short stop, full mast!” The ship come flying to a stop, and I see we’re right next to a group of ponies. Sparrow starts to push us towards the exit elevator, “Alright, here we are! Thank you for useing Captain Jack Sparrow’s taxi boat on wheels! Now, get off my ship.”

I’m taken aback by the sudden exiting, “Do you want us off for some reason, Captain?”

He continues pushing us, until my friends stumble onto the elevator, “You’re presence, mate.”

I turn my head to face his, “What presence?”

He looks all around, nearly afraid, before leaning down and whispering into my ear, “There’s a presence around you, one of pure evil. So powerful that my crew wants to kill you just for carrying it. We’ve always been good at sensing these types of things, and let me tell you one thing. You, you are in danger.”

I look at him more seriously, “What do you mean?”

He whispers so quiet that I have to strain to hear, “Something so powerful we can’t comprehend it. And right now, it’s eyes are on you. It watches from behind the walls, with out order, invoking the feeling of Chaos in the worst way possible. Word of advice, don’t trust it. No matter what form he may take, you cannot afford to trust it. Dishonest, but not dishonest about being dishonest. You did me a favor, and I’m doing you one now. You’ll know it when you see it, don’t trust it.”

I slowly nod, “Thank you.”

He pulls away, before speaking back in his normal voice, “Now, get off my ship.”

Giving him a respectful nod, I turn around and board the elevator down. Rattle and Hunter both look concerned. Hunter questions , “What did he say to you?”

I shrug, “He gave me some helpful advice, and let’s leave it at that.”

Rattle looks over at me as the elevator reaches the bottom, “Can you share that advice?”

I shake my head, “Doesn’t apply to you two. You won’t benefit.” I hold my hoof up before they ask more questions, “We have a group to meet up with.”

So, we walk towards the group of ponies. Two similar looking white ponies of the same age stand near the front. One, the mare, carries a sniper rifle. The stallion holds a shotgun. The stallion steps forward as we approach, “You here for the job?”

I nod, and hold up the flyer from the wall, “Says here you’re scavengers needing protection. I’m Sentinel, this is Hunter and Rattle.”

The mare shoots ahead of her brother, and shakes our hooves with energy, “Wonderful, you look like a tough bunch, I’ll be glad to have you on our side! I’m Sure Shot, and the grouch over there is my brother Sure Shield. Pleasure to meet you!”

My hoof starts to ache from the shake, “Yes, a pleasure.”

She hops on back behind her brother, “Well, we’re setting off soon, so why don’t you introduce yourself to the others?”

I nod, “I’m sure they’re a wonderful bunch as well.”

She nods, “Yep, there’s only three of them though. I’m sure you’ll love them!”

I nod, and start to walk to the rest of the group. I see the three standing there. There’s a Steel Ranger armed with heavy power armor and a mini gun. He is the first to greet us, “You’re traveling with a skelepony?”

I nod, “Yeah, and what of it?”

He glares at Rattle, “Be cautious around those type. They’ll gladly lie to get closer and kill you. Not that smart either.”

Rattle glares right back, “As if you have any room to speak, Ranger. I am Rattle, and I, unlike you, can easily accept ponies for what they are.”

He snorts, “Call me Hail, if you must. I’m just here to get any tech at these locations. I don’t plan to risk my neck to save any of you. Sentinel, and Hunter was it? Be cautious, I don’t want to see anypony die for no reason.”

I nod, “You got firepower, advice, now all you need is kindness.”

He shakes his head slightly, “Skelepony’s have been our enemy for quite a while, so forgive me for not trusting one. Oh yeah, don’t try talking to the others just yet.” He nods over at the two others, “That pegasus with the beam guns is quite sensitive, don’t like non-pegasi much. Give him time and he might open up. That other one with the rags and dynamite was a slave, and that’s all I could get. He doesn’t talk at all, and is very secretive. So, you only got yourself, me, and the bosses for company on this trip. Prepare for a lot of walking, and be prepared to scavenge.”

I smile a bit, “Thanks for the info.”

Then, Sure Shot stamps her hooves down, “Alright ponies, daylights burning. Let’s get a move on towards Raven AFB.”

We all pack up, and start to move. The pegasus and the other one don’t even acknowledge us as we start to move. Hail walls in a sure and steady pace, leaving indentations where he steps. I look at my two friends, “Well, this is gonna be fun.”

Boots that Jingle-Jangle

We move along on the old, damaged road in silence. Only the shifting of hooves and equipment fill the silence. The signs say we are headed to Raven AFB, all mentioning at how any pegasi should stay grounded or get shot down. I’d say they were paranoid, but seeing what happened because of that war, I think they had good reasoning.

We crest a hill, and I see it in the distance. A bunch of planes left out on the tarmac, and one building, that isn’t a hanger blown in. Guess that decides where we’re going. We stop, and Sure Shot takes out her rifle, and aims down at the place, “Nopony around there. No motion or defenses at all.”

Hail starts to walk forward, “Then let’s get down there and start searching.”

She puts her rifle away, “Yeah, let’s go ponies! Remember, just because I didn’t spot anything outside doesn’t mean there won’t be anything inside. Don’t be stupid.”

I nod at my two friends, and we move forward after Hail, “Hunter, be prepared to open fire, just in case. Keep an eye out.”

Hunter slides out his revolver with his hoof mechanism, “You didn’t think I wouldn’t have already did that, did you? Like, that’s just common sense.”

Rattle snorts from beside us, “You say sense is common, have you looked around you? It seems common sense is more uncommon than stupidity. Therefor, your common sense would be stupidity, and not smartness.”

Hunter shakes his head, “Yeah, sure it is. Just be prepared to use that superpony strength. Save that physiological, philosophy, whatever the name is for later.”

Our group makes it into the compound, and we move towards the one building. We pick our way around ruined airplanes, and carefully step over bones of the pilots. Sure Shield moves in front of the door to the building, and takes out a screwdriver, “Get comfortable, this may take a minute.”

Rattle takes out Crusher, and moves up to the door, “We don’t like waiting around. Move out of the way, Shield, this will take but a moment.”

Shield looks at Rattle for a second, before moving out of the way, “Go ahead then.”

Rattle nods thankfully, and moves up to the door. He puts his sledgehammer all the way back, before swinging with all his might.

The sledgehammer connects in the middle of the door, and the entire thing is broken in half. The two broken pieces go flying inside. Rattle smiles happily, and makes an exaggerated bow to all of us, “After you, friends.”

I prepare my punching hooves, and rush inside before anypony else. I look around, ready to spring at any defenses that show themselves. Nothing appears. It’s not that the turrets were destroyed, it’s just that they never existed to begin with. No foundations, no holes in the wall, nothing to show any turrets or defenses. No robots either, somepony was confident about their safety. I look back at the others, “It’s all clear.”

They enter one at a time. Sure Shot looks around the building with apprehension, “Not even a single turret? I don’t have a good feeling about this place. Let’s scavenge and get out quickly.”

Hunter moves out, “I’ve got the armory!”

Hail moves after him, “I got the armory as well!”

Rattle prys a door off it’s hinges, “I can search any locked things.”

The pegasus and the other pony just spread out and start searching. Sure Shot looks over to me, “What’ll you get?”

I start to move out, “I can check the office.”

She shouts out, “Alright ponies, let’s get to searching!”

I don’t know where they went, as I duck into the office. The design is just like the one in the factory. Except this one has pictures hanging up. The pictures are all of a main group of six ponies, in differnt times and differnt places. A changeling and pegasus smiling together as they wear sliver and gold medals, respectively. Two stallions, one in a blue cape, and the other wearing a black cloak, singing happily with a white unicorn mare. The pegasus, unicorn, and a earth pony smiling together as they wear faded capes. The changeling and two stallions playing cards. And a final one of the cloaked stallion kissing the unicorn mare on the cheek.

There’s a photo laying by itself on the desk. All six of them gathered around each other, giving happy, but still worn smiles. At the bottom of the photo, there is writing, ‘Remember what you fight for, or you will be lost. We can’t afford to be lost before we’ve won, remember that, look at this and be reminded of better days. One day we won’t need Ministries anymore, fight for that day, fight for the others.’

I pick up the photo, and it goes into my Pip-Buck. Then I notice a orb lying near the desk. I decide to pick it up. I forgot not to pick it up with my magic, so I’m sucked into it.

———

My host seems to be that stallion in the cloak. I can feel his eyes are closed, and yet we can still see. For some reason, I can’t feel the majority of his legs. And the feeling inside of me, it’s not pain. Something hard to describe, somewhere near being comfortably numb. We’re facing a camera, and I feel the other five next to me.

*Click!*

With the flash gone, I’m able to see where we are. In the middle of some apple orchard, that’s where. The camera them floats over towards me, and I check the photo on it. The same one with the note on it. I smile, and look around at the others.

We all start to sit, and watch nature around us. I ask the other stallion, “So, hows the Ministry going?”

He smiles, “Princess Cadence and Prince Armor we’re happy to allow us a position in the city. Pinkie decided to apply last week, and she’s already my right hoof pony.”

The changeling says over to me, “Leave the talk of that until later.”

The pegasus, speaking in a rough voice nods, “We need to take a break from the war.”

Then the earth pony smiles, “I’m so glad my family is still at work. If not for the new foals helping, we might’ve run out of food. It’s this orchard that’s allowing us to still live comfortably.”

I nod, and look around, “This place is still so beautiful, uncorrupted from the war. Just like the day we met.”

Then the unicorn mare speaks. Her voice like an angles, almost singing each word, “When this war is over, we are going to come back to this treehouse, and we are going to party harder than Pinkie’s wet dreams.”

I soak in the beauty of the pre war orchard, and friendship, “It’s been fifteen years, we should get them done and over with by the end of next year. Then, we will do as you said.”

Nopony else speaks as they just sit in silence, basking in the presence of friends.

They’re relaxed, safe. A feeling I have never felt before. This is what pre war ponies felt like.

The memory draws to an end as we bask in the orchard.

This is what I fight for from now on. So ponies can do this in the future, without worrying about raiders or other unsavory types.

This is where I find myself, and know what I fight for.

———

I awake from the memory to hear a mares voice shouting. Not one that I recognize, “You have property of Celestia’s Legion, profligates! Give us the slave and we might not lash you to a cross!”

I hop up instantly, and prepare for a fight.

———

Footnote: Level Up.

New Perk Added: Soul Seeked — For your life you’ve been searching for reason to fight. Now, you have found it, to give safety to others, just like before the war. Nopony will stand in your way. Endurance and Strength will always be at 10, and can go past the limit for them.

Conflict

I rush out into the main building. The quiet earth pony sneaks past me, and whispers to me as he passes, “Please, don’t let them get to me.”

He moves into the office, and becomes absolutely quiet. I move out more, to see what’s happening. I see the rest of our group having a stare off with a bigger group of red armored ponies. Shield doesn’t wear any expression other than his normal unworried one, “I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

A mare in heavy armor glares in anger, “We saw him with you, our slave. I understand, you are all ponies just trying to get by and trade, I can respect that. You probably didn’t know he was our slave, an easy mistake to make. All we ask is that you hoof them over, and we can just part ways from here.”

I walk up to join our group, “Who are you to claim other ponies as slaves?”

I see a smile in their eyes, “Celestia’s Legion, the true owners of the Wasteland. He was captured whenever he decided to fight against us with the New Crystal Republic. He is our rightful property, and I want him back. He was good with explosives, and I want him back at my side with those skills.”

Hail scoffs right at them, “Get out of my sight, you filthy slavers. I will not tolerate your kind. He signed up with us for mutual protection as we scavenged. If you things want him, you’ll have to get past us first.”

Hunter and Rattle draw their weapons, and prepare to fire. I prepare a spell for their faces. Hail starts to rev up his minigun. The pegasus charges up his beam weapons. I can see a red dot on the forehead of one. And Shield aims his shotgun forward. Shield emotionlessly looks at them, “Turn around and never bother us again. If not, you will suffer heavy casualties.”

The Legion ponies all draw machetes or prepare to charge. The mare looks at us, “I don’t think you know who I am. I am Emundans Victor Terra. If you scourge have any brain left, you would know not to mess with me.”

Hail snorts, “Oh boy, you have a fancy title! I’m quivering in my magical boots! Oh save me now from these fancy words!”

Terra glares at him, “It’s obvious you aren’t taking me seriously.”

Hail simply leans in, and sarcastically says, “Oh, really? No, I’m taking you seriously, one hundred percent!”

She glares even harder, “I see you don’t take me as a threat.”

Hail leans back to standing, “No shit. You want a cookie for that grade a observation? You wanna sit down? Picking up something like that must’ve been real hard on your back!”

She spits at his feet, “Fuck you.”

I can hear his laughter ring out, “You wish you could! Yeah, no, not even for money.”

She shakes in rage, “You’ll pay for that.”

He revs up his gun even more, “Cash, credit, debit, or bullet? Would you like paper or plastic?”

She calms down, “I’ve had enough of this.”

Hail, of course, uses this, “Thank you, come again!”

Terra looks back at the group of twenty armored ponies, “Kill them.”

The Legion charge almost immediately, and we meet them. I fire off a spell to kill one, and rush in along with Rattle. Bullets fly as we jump into the frey.

I almost instantly feel machetes dig into me, and cut me through my suit. I duck down quickly, and spot a pony charging forward. I lunge up at him, and impale them on my horn. With a swift jerking of my head to the side, they’re left to collapse and clutch at the wound.

The spray of a shotgun knocks a pony down. The fire of minigun rounds not quite piercing armor on first blow, but still taking down ponies. A body is sent flying over me before it is turned to ash by a laser, and another’s head explodes. They still manage to move forward at good pace.

I take a ponies head, and bring it down upon my back leg. They reel over in pain, and I take them out with a blow to the head. I look aroud for another target only to see the Legion ponies have move passed me.

I rush after them, and jump into the frey once again, this time much closer to the resounding gunfire. I take one pony, and throw them in front of a machete swing, killing them. The one who swung the machete tries to free it, but I take him around me, and face him towards Hail. He aims and kills the pony in a hail of bullets. Oh, hail of bullets, Hail, I get it now.

One pony gets too close to Sheild, and receives a shotgun blast to the chest. Most of the chest dissapears, but they still advance. Then their head explodes into gore by a revolver shot.

One moves up next to me, and swings. I can’t manuver out of the way, and try and block the decapitateing blow. The pony gets near my neck, only to be turned to ash by a single beam.

Then, I see Terra, right next to Hail. Swinging down her machete, much sharper than any of the others, in a fatal blow. I try to move, but I’m stuck in place as I watch it happen in slow motion. Hail is only aware of her by the time his head is almost cut off. Nopony else notices, and she continues the swing, seeming to me like in slow motions.

She’s about to kill him, before she is sent flying away. Rattle stands there with his sledgehammer, hitting her with all of his force. Remember, he broke a metal door in half. She just flies away, probably with a broken rib or two, but fine otherwise.

Terra looks at us in surprise, before picking herself up, “Retreat!”

The Legion ponies all look around confused, before following the order. We open fire on the fleeing opponents, felling five more, but sadly not Terra. The six Legion ponies, including Terra, flee into the distance. We all take a breath, and put away our weapons.

I look over to see Hail nod respectfully to Rattle, “Thanks for the save back there. Maybe you aren’t one of those lying skeleponies.”

Rattle simply smiles, “I don’t want to see anypony die for no reason.”

Hail nods, “Why don’t we start over introductions. I’m Hail, former Knight of the Steel Rangers.”

Rattle nods back, “Rattle, skelepony.”

I look around again as I see the quiet pony come out of the office, “You didn’t sell me out?”

I simply look around me, “Well, considering there are dead Legion around, what do you think?”

He finnaly smiles, “Oh, Creators, I am blessed! Thank you!”

I smile slightly, “So, mind telling us your name?”

He looks sad, “I, um, I don’t have a name.”

Shot looks up towards him, “You don’t have a name!? This is a travesty we will have to take care of! Sentinel, your thoughts?”

I think, “Terra mentioned your explosive skills. How about Long Fuse?”

He smiles, “That’s wonderful!”

I nod, “Good, now, we need to rest.”

———

Footnote: Level Up.

New Perk Added: The Parties (almost) All Here — Friends in blood, or at least in bullets. It might not be perfect, but it’s better to have somepony watch over your back. Almost like you got a gun out of your back. Wait, idea! There’s a chance anypony attacking your back randomly get shot, from a high caliber bullet that will come out of your back!

Trust

We walk down the old road, keeping an eye out for Legion red. I don’t imagine Terra will give up easily. Even if that skirmish back there brought no casualties on our side, I don’t believe that the ponies back there were anywhere near the amount the Legion has to spend. Even if they only use machetes and are easy enough to beat, they outnumber us.

The caravan is much more talkative now that we’ve fought together, Hail and Rattle getting along, Hunter and Shot talking about rifles, Shield and Fuse talk quietly. The only silent one is the pegasus. I walk up to him, “So, what’s-“

He interrupts, “Do you believe that owning slaves is morally wrong?”

I’m a bit taken back by his sudden question, “Yes, but I can see where most slavers come from. They struggle to get enough money to live, just like raiders struggle with insanity. I free them from their struggles, and leave judgement to the Creators.”

He doesn’t look at me, simply looking forward, “Religious pony, are you? Believe some Gods are going to come save you, like the Lords of old? Believe the Ministry ponies will be there when you die to bring you to paradise for believing?”

I shake my head, “I don’t worship any Gods, I know they exist, but I don’t worship them. Gods are simply beings who are powerful, and demand worship for it. They interfere and kill, torture all who dare not worship. Most Gods are simply petulant children who want attention for their newest trick. Then there are normal powerful ponies, like the Ministry ponies. They were very powerful, but never called for worship. I worship no Gods, I only worship the Creators.”

He scoffs, “God, Creator, simply dumb semantics that mean nothing.”

I look over at the side of his head, “No, very differnt. Gods interfer, they are limited in their universes. The Creators only make and observe, only interfering in cases where the very universe is threatened. God’s live in the universes they make, Gods are infinite, expendable in these universes. There are only three Creators, there will always be only three. Not two, not five, three. Chem the Creator of Harmony, Larson the Creator of Chaos, and Faust the Creator of Order.”

He shrugs, “If that’s what you believe, that’s what you believe. I find no issue with that, only with those who foolishly believe God’s are all their cracked up to be when they live in a Wasteland. Say, have you heard of the idea of Democracy?”

I shake my head, “No, I haven’t.”

He looks at me, his blue eyes meeting my orange, “No big surprise, I don’t guess you lot had schools down here.” He then looks away, looking up for some reason, “It’s an idea made by one of the Ministers back before the war. Every few years, a leader is put into power. Say you were in as King, and the term passed by. You would be put to an election against somepony else over who becomes King. The idea originates off of the continent of Griffonia. Specifically from the Ponish-Griffonian Commonwealth. Except they had the nobles vote on the leader. Democracy as said by the Minister would make the ponies vote up the leader, not the nobles.”

I nod in interest, “Why didn’t anypony use this?”

He continues scanning the skies, “It was an idea made too late, at a bad time. Celestia’s Revolutionaries were strong, and the ponies in Equestia needed a definitive leader for the time. You don’t generally make sweeping changes to the government when your fighting a bloody war. Tell me, Sentinel, do you believe Democracy could work?”

I think over it a bit, “In time, yes. The Wasteland, If to be united, would need a strong monarchy for the beginning until everything is settled down. If that time passes, then it might be implemented without much backlash.”

I can see him smile, “I’m Beam, Light Beam to be specific. Tell me Sentinel, would these other ponies share your opinions?”

I shrug, “Rattle would love Democracy and would want it implemented immediately. Hunter and the siblings probably wouldn’t care all that much. Hail, I believe he would probably want a government dedicated to just science, and improving technology. Fuse, he might be either way. They’re all good ponies, I’m sure of that. They might sometimes do something near bad, but they always have good intentions.”

Beam nods, “Would you trust them with your life?”

I nod, “I already have.”

Beam smiles, “Then I will trust them too. I need friends to protect me.”

I look over at him, “Protect you from what?”

He loses his smile, “I used to be a citizen of the Enclave, one who loved useing his freedom of speech. I said opinions unpopular, views on history and politics King Blueblood didn’t like. In fact, he hated them so much he ordered my execution. Our top general, General Autismo, took it upon himself to personally see me dead. After some running and shooting of laser rifles, I escaped alive. But, General Autismo still hunts me. I’m afraid that he will attack me soon, and I need guns to back me up.”

I nod, and smile, “Don’t worry, Beam. We protected Fuse, we’ll protect you. Now, we might not all have guns, but I can jump up at him.”

He lets out a happy smile, “Thank you.”

I shrug, “Can’t let somepony die for stupid reasons. I’m sure that we can beat General Autismo.”

With that, we continue looking for Legion red, and now for steel in the sky.

———

Footnote: Level Up.

New Perk Added: Mutual Friendship — With everypony finnaly connected with each other, you share more than just words and feelings. Your party is near jack of all trades level. Sure, a bunch of ponies charging with the same armor, same tactics, same weapons, same everything, might be effective in some cases. But a bunch of ponies with differnt skills working together is a lot more powerful, and fun! To show your differnt skills, the Perk PrinterTM herby will make you all more powerful. Hunter likes guns, his Guns skill goes to 100, and his Perception gets +5. Sure Shot talks good, her Speech goes up to 100, and Charisma gains +5. Rattle likes his Crusher, his Melee skill goes to 100, and his Strength +5. Sure Shield is a brick wall, Barter to 100, Endurence +5. Light Beam likes laser beams, Energy Weapons goes to 100, his Agility goes up +5. Fuse likes explosives, Explovises skill to 100, Luck gains +5. Hail adores his miniguns, Big Guns to 100, Intelligence +5. Sentinel learns from them, and all his S.P.E.C.I.A.L stats go up by two.

Falling with Style

We swiftly move along to our next location, a Ministry of Warfare building. Not the Tower exactly, but still large. It’s a one floor complex, about an acre large. Large, but not the biggest. We advance into the building, finding it unlocked.

We advance through the door, and into the main room. Then, we hear a sneeze. The door slams shut behind us, and ponies spring out from around us. Each one of them pulls out... laser tag pistols? Like, they are made to look like actual laser pistols, but even I can tell they’re fake. Still, they startle us, and we pull out our real weapons. Beam is faster than all of us, “Well, brothers, your here to hunt me down more?”

Then, a pony walks out of the shadows. Wearing a suit, and carrying a double barreled shotgun, “Hippity hoppity, let’s commit an atrocity.”

Beam readies his laser rifle, “General Autismo, this is your great plan?”

Autismo smiles, “Wonderful plan, is it not? There’s a reason King Blueblood chose me to hunt you. Now, you and your ground pounding friends should surrender and then we will evaporate you.”

Beam laughs out loud, “Evaporate? Evaporate? Are you an idiot or something?”

Autismo loses that smile, “Better wording than your Democratic ideals! Now, be prepared to surrender and be dissolved, executed, whatever!”

I smirk, “Do you think we’re idiots? Those laser weapons are fakes.”

His eyes go wide, “Oh shit, you didn’t take the bait. Um... open fire!”

The Enclave ponies pull the trigger, before looking at him. One of them says out loud, “Nibba what? These guns are fake, how the shit are we supposed to open fire?!”

Autismo looks back with confidence, “We will trample them, then!”

They all share glances again, before the pony looks back at him, “They’s has guns! You think we can just trample on these nibbas!? Fucks wrong with you?”

Autismo just nods, “That is an order from your general, now kill them. You can crush them easily under your boots!”

The words appear to enspire confidence, so they just shrug and charge. Of course, it is only ten ponies wearing thin body suits. I take two out by bashing their heads until they break. Hunter and Sure Shot take one down each, and Sheild pummels one with his shotgun. Beam shoots one into dust, and Fuse stands there, not wanting to cause collateral damage. Rattle take out one more, and Hail guns down the two left.

When all the ponies hit the floor, Autismo stands there without a smile, “Well shit.”

He triggers his shotgun, firing both chambers, and the blast hits Hail’s armored hoof. He collapses on top of it, and Autismo starts to run through the building. I shout to the others, “Make sure Hail’s okay, I’ll get him!”

I charge in pursuit after him, nimbly dodging around any obstacles and running with great speed. He manages to be slightly faster than me as he uses his wings, and the face he wears less weight, to his advantage. He looks back constantly, and speeds up whenever he sees me getting closer, “Shit, shit, shit, shit!”

He knocks a desk in front of me, and I just push through it. I lose some ground as I run into it, and past it. I spot a door with an open window down the hallway, and useing some quick math, I guess he’s going for that.

He gets to the room, and slams the door shut. The metal door almost hits my muzzle. I ain’t got no time for that. I break my hoof through the door, and pull the handle from inside. I burst through the now open door, and see him rushing towards the window, almsot halfway through it.

I run at him, ready to beat the piss and shit out of his face and that grin he wore. He is about to get out the window when I jump at him. Almost in slow motion, I see him look over at me, and mouth out, “Shit.”

Apparently Autismo is a quick thinker, and he reaches into his bag with his wing. Finding whatever he needs, he takes it out.

I’m close to hitting him with my near torpedo speeds, but I’m stopped when I feel my horn hit something.

I collapse to the ground, and I see a orb land next to me. Autismo smiles, and slips out the window.

That’s all I can see before I slip into the memory.

———

Great, who’s my host this time? Actually, this doesn’t feel that weird. The one back at the factory had pain near his lungs, and the previous one was strange in ways I can’t describe. But this host feels no differnt then me. Unicorn, stallion, relatively young, no pains. That’s nice for a change.

My host is a white pony, blond hair, and blue eyes from what I can tell. Considering we are looking into a mirror, it’s not that hard to tell. My host also wears a suit, his entire appearance screaming rich.

After making sure he looks good, my host walks out the room. We are in a palace, a real palace. Waxed, cleaned, not destroyed. Too bright.

After a bit of striding about, we arrive to a dark corner.

We enter the door, and a pony in a lab coat looks up as we enter, “Ah, Duke Blueblood! What takes you to our labs?”

My host grimaces at the mention of his title, “Well, I hear there is a new thing. A megaspell, I believe?”

The scientist smiles proudly, “Oh, yes! It is our greatest invention yet! Now we won’t even need Lord Raven present to revive our warriors. Now there can be a lot less casualties and Lord Raven can focus on more macro-management instead of fighting in every battle.”

My host nods, “Do you think I could possibly get the way to cast one?”

The scientist shrugs, “They’re pretty advanced spells. Not that I’m insulting your magical ability, but you might not be able to use it.”

My host smiles, “Well, it would be good in case the Rebels attack me or my staff.”

The scientist nods, “I guess it would. Here, let me get in contact with Lord Raven.” The scientist walks over to an intercom, “Lord Raven, Duke Blueblood is asking to get how to cast a megaspell.”

A young voice cuts back on the intercom, “Give it to him then. Duke Blueblood has been nothing but helpful and cooperative, I find no reason to distrust him. Permission granted.”

The scientist smiles, “Thank you, Lord Raven.” The scientist then gives my host a book, “That is one of many copies on how to cast one. Treat it with care.”

My host nods gratefully, “I will.”

Then, the memory cuts to the outside, in a dark alleyway in the dead of night. My host is currently facing a shady pony, “King Blueblood, you called?”

My host hoofs over the book, “Turn this megaspell into a weapon, if possible. Weapons on this scale would be dangerous.”

The pony takes the book, “Right away, King Blueblood. Down with False Lord Raven.”

My host nods back, “Down with False Lord Raven.”

———

I wake up on my back, and sit up to see the group around me back in the main area. Hunter looks over towards me, “Ah, you’re finally awake.”

I see Hail sitting there, “Is Hail good?”

Hail responds himself, “I’m healed now. You know what really makes me pissed about this entire situation? I’m fine with him shooting me, if it was just me then that would be a good choice. What I’m mad about is the fact that he aimed for the heavily armored pony, when everypony surrounding me was barely even protected at all! Like, why? And in the hoof of all things!”

Shield stands up, “Cmon, Sentinel has recovered. We need to get moving again.”

———

Footnote: Level Up.

New Perk Added: Could Make a Joke About Slow Ponies Here — General Autismo outran you. That isn’t happening again. You run 10% quicker.

Bravely Running

We’re about to walk out of the building before I hold up a hoof, “Okay. You know what? Why dont we change strategy?”

Sure Shot looks back at me, “Change it to what?”

I look around us, “It’s clear moving around isn’t working. I know this was supposed to be a simple scavenge mission, but it’s become more. Maybe we should find a place to settle down.”

Hail looks back at me, surprise through his visor, “You’re suggesting we make a new town?”

I nod, and holds up my hooves, “We can hold out against these two enemies easier. We can make money from the town, not just scavenging. Hell, we could still scavenge but have that as a home base. We could make a new town, to rise out of the dust, a shining diamond of civilization within the wastes. Hunt down raiders, make a home, teach people, and defend ourselves! There are so many upsides!”

Hunter nods, “That’s a good idea and all, don’t get me wrong. But, where exactly would we find the time to build a town?”

I stop for a second, “We don’t have to build one. I know a place.”

Rattle smiles, and stands up, “I trust you, Sentinel, friend.”

Hunter shrugs, “We make a good team, no reason to leave the team.”

Hail takes a second longer, “I see that conviction in your eyes, good. I have no reason to distrust you, you have been able to kill me many times and not taken it. I will join you.”

Fuse smiles, “You saved my life, I would gladly follow you.”

Beam nods, “Autocracy, Oligarchy, Monarchy at first, then Democracy. Keep your morals with you, and I will gladly follow.”

Sure Shot smiles, and starts to almost bounce in place, “Well, if all my friends a going, I’m going to go as well! Oh, it’s so exciting!”

All of us look at Shield, his silence near deafening. He looks at all of us with his silence. Then, he holds up his shotgun, and pumps a shell in, “We need to get there, fast.”

I smile happily whenever he says this, “Okay, it’s a long walk. We need to keep good pace, and jog.”

Hail begrudgingly grumbles, “Why couldn’t there be some Deus ex Machina?”

The ground starts to shake beneath us, as something big approaches. We can’t see what it is, seeing as we’re inside, but it causes a lot of noise. We get to see it when it crashes into the building, right next to us. The boat on wheels rolls through the wall, and stands there in all it’s glory. Certain clones look over the side, before the Captain looks out at us, “Did I hear someone say Deus ex Machina?”

They throw a ladder over the side, and I climb up. I reach over the side, and pull myself in, looking forward to see Captain there, “Captain Sparrow, picking us up again?”

He smiles, “You did us all a big favor, one more ride isn’t much.”

I smile, and see the rest climb up as well. Hail sees all the clones first, “What in the absolute fuck drugs am I on?”

I grin down at him, “Meet Captain Jack Sparrow and the Sparrow clones. We will arrive at our destination shortly.”

Shield climbs in last, and Jack runs up to the wheel, “Let’s get this baby rolling!”

I see Jacks rush to prepare the boat, and we take off at near sonic speed. Crashing through the rest of the building, and through any other in the way. Within seconds I see familiar buildings pass by, particularly one that still has a wood plank resting on the top.

Jack shouts out, “Stop all engine, full mast!”

The mast rolls out, and acts as a brake to stop us in our tracks. Right within a minute of our destination. I look over at him, and nod in respect, “Thank you, Captain Sparrow.”

He nods back, “Now get on out. I can tell this place has some sentimental value to it, and I don’t want you to bawl your eyes out on my deck. So, get on out and cry down there with your friends supporting you, kid.”

I nod, “Of course, Jack.”

He comes right up close to me, and whispers, “Hold onto that sadness, that sentiment of a message. It’s more powerful than that evil, and without that you will fall to the evil. I don’t want to see that, kid. Stay strong, Sentinel. Don’t let the evil take over you like it did Number One. Hold onto that strength, Sentinel.”

I nod, and smile, “I’ll be sure to, Jack.”

He pats my shoulder, “Good.”

I then walk over to my friends, and start the climb down, “It’s only a minute from here.”

They all get down, and Fuse looks around, “This looks like the Vanhoover ruins.”

I nod, “It is. Come on.”

They follow behind me as I lead them down the path. Jack pulls away in his ship as we crest a hill. We stop on top of that hill, Sure Shot sees the town, “This is obviously newly built, what happend to the ponies?”

I grimace, “This was my home. The others... they went raider.”

She looks at the town, “Where are the bodies than? I assume you killed them, right?”

I look at the ash piles, “I tried to burn down the town with Molotovs, make sure it wouldn’t be remembered as a raider den. I wasn’t thinking right, should’ve known fire doesn’t burn concrete. I mean, it probably just got into the alcohol cabinet made of wood, and made the entire thing seem huge.”

Hunter puts his hoof on my shoulder, “Are you fine living here again?”

I sadly smile, “The town was called New Hope. Even it’s carcass shall prove it’s name. We see New Hope, and we change it.”

Rattle looks down at it from my side, “And what shall we name it, friend?”

I think of all that happened after I left here, “New Life. From Hope springs Life, and this New Hope shall spring New Life. We shall change the Wasteland, peace by peace, from this location.”

Hail nods down at it, “New Life, I like that. Perfect place for me, considering this is my new life.”

Shield looks at it, and smiles, “Looks defendable, very defendable. All we need are more ponies.”

Hunter smiles, “It will feel good to foster New Life.”

Fuse laughs, “New Life, eh? Have anything to do with me?”

Beam nods, “New Life, good name. Just as we will bring new life to the wastes, and old ideas.”

Rattle laughs heartily, “Oh, a home! It’s been so long since I’ve had one!”

Sure Shot looks over at me, and smiles, “It’s a beautiful town, Sentinel. We will make it beautiful again.”

I look around at all of them, “Well, let’s figure out the logistics before the Legion or Enclave show up.”

And so, we all take one collective step forward. Armored hooves, weaponised hooves, precise hooves, gentle hooves, strong hooves, punished hooves, quick hooves, and hooves callous from shotguns. One step forward, one more step towards New Life.

———

”In other news is something very differnt. I’m sure you know of Sentinel, that raider killing, slave freeing, able to defeat an entire Enclave squad, pony. Although I am starting to question that, no mortal pony could stand up to Gilda. He and a group of friends are currently on the run from Enclave and Legion ponies after two of them, big surprise. But, instead of running, they decided to spit in the face of their enemies, and decided to do something else. You all remember the news of New Hope falling last week, I’m sure. Well, the Sentinel went back to his home, and formed something new!”

“That’s right ponies, New Hope is back with Sentinel at its helm! Except, they changed it to be New Life. So, ponies of the Wasteland, I recommend something simple. You wanna live in a good society protected by good ponies with a promising future and spit in the face of raiders, Enclave, and Legion as well? Go visit Vanhoover, and find New Life there. Help Sentinel and his friends, and join New Life. Go, and you might just find, forgive the pun, New Life.”

“Now, in other news...”

———

Footnote: Level Up.

New Perk Added: Born Again — You died, and came out. But you never truely were living, only surviving. Now, with friends at your side, and a smile on your face, you have found what it means to live. Life is breathed back into you, a new pony. And you don’t plan to bow or die again. Everypony your friends with, including yourself, get +10 DT and +50 HP permanently.

Growth

—(1 week later)—

I punch a nail into a wall. Repairs and building has been hard on us, but preferable to getting shot or stabbed. Rattle raises his sledgehammer, and smashes in another nail, “Things’ve been quite lately.”

I shake my head, “Why the hell did you have to say that, Rattle?”

Rattle looks back on his previous words, “Oh shit.”

I hear Hunter cry out, “The fucking army’s arrived boys!”

I sigh, “Don’t do that again, Rattle.”

I rush out to the main gates, and climb up the ladder to the watchtower. Hail rushes out his house, making a racket of armor and minigun. Fuse and Beam run towards the gates. Sure Shot climbs up another watch tower, and Shield covers the main gate.

I climb myself into the tower with Hunter, “Why are you not opening fire?”

He nods out, “Well, just because it’s an army don’t mean it’s bad. Our army has arrived!”

I look out, and see what he is talking about. Ponies. Doctors, farmers, builders, caravaners, families, children, loners, elderly, injured, earth, pegasus, and unicorn alike. Normal ponies, as normal as you can get in this time. Leading in the front is what appears to be a priest. Must be two hundred or more!

I look over at Hunter, “Keep guard just in case, but don’t look too intimidating. And alert Shot not to shoot.”

He nods, and I jump down to the ground.

I see Fuse and Beam ready to prepare some turrets we’ve set up, “No need for the turrets, follow me.”

They nod, and set down the controls before following me. Hail and Sure Sheild stand side-by-side at the main gate. Hail sees me approaching, “Let me guess. Hunter made an over exaggeration?”

I nod, “Open up the gates, and let’s greet our new citizens.”

Shield flips the switch next to him, and the gates open up. I move through them with the others following behind me. We walk outside the walls, and we eventually meet the crowd.

The priest leading them stops right in front of us, leaving a good gap of two feet, “This is New Life, right?”

I nod, “I am Sentinel, and you, brother?”

He smiles, “I am Father Shepherd, brother.”

I motion to the crowd around him, “I imagine you have come to live in this town?”

He nods, “If the Creators allow, yes.”

I smile, and hold out a hoof to him, “I’m sure the Creators would love to allow it.”

He takes my hoof in a shake, careful not to hit the dusters, “Thank you, Brother Sentinel.”

I smile at the crowd, and wave my hoof towards the town, “Well, I would be glad to welcome all of you! Welcome to the city of New Life! Follow me in, I can show you around!”

I turn around, and walk through the gates again, the crowd and my friends following behind me.

I point to the gates, “These are the gates, obviously. You can expect to be assigned up to the watchtowers above with Hunter of you’re good with a gun!” I walk through, “There’s the storehouse, ready to be filled with food. There the storeroom, ready to be filled with guns and scrap. Over there are the houses, be prepared to help build some to live in comfort. Those are the turrets, here to make sure the inner city is safe! And right here in the center is the city hall. If you have any questions or anything you wanna talk about, me or my friends are ready to help you in there.”

One pony raises their hoof, “I heard that Enclave and Legion might attack. How do we defend ourselves?”

I smile, “Good question, you just reminded me of something. Me and my friends might go on scavenging missions every once and a while, I need you all to vote on somepony to lead in our absence. Now, about the guns. We will organize groups to hunt raiders, and that will be a source of weapons. Along with that will be the market and scavenging. We have enough weapons to arm fifty ponies to patrol the walls. But, for now, say whoever you want to lead.”

A collective sound rings from the crowd, “Shepherd!”

I look over at Shepherd, “Do you accept the position to lead as we’re gone?”

He thinks for a second, before nodding, “If that’s what the ponies want.”

I smile, “Then Shepherd shall lead in our absence! Now, let’s start assigning all of you to homes and jobs.”

—(???)—

”H̜̹̱̦e̤͎̼̤̼͓̹ ̱iͅs̵ ҉̙̼̱̯ͅg҉̩̦̬͇͎͎a̩̤͚̱i͈̬͖̤̞n҉͕̝i̗n̺͙͖̗̮g̙̠̺̳͚̤ ̦͖̪̬̬p̯͖̜̪͚ó̹͇w̳e͏͖̫̤ŕ̫͇ ̞̼̰b͚̬̣̭̲̠y̙͕̟͝ ͔͍̬t̼h̘̱̭͉̱e̼͖͍̳̪̖ ͕͔d̜͚́a̶̫͓̻̳̣̠̬y̪̖̙̭̖͠ͅ,̯ ͔̖̰̩͉̺͠w̹͇͓͍e̥͈͠ ̸̮̖̳n͖̖̜͓eȩ̯̺ḑ̪ ͔̮̘͞t̰̲̤̦̝ͅo̫ ͡ac̠t̡͈̥ͅ ͈͖̯͜ͅq̰͚̺̯̼̙͇͘u͖̱̟i̗͕͍͚̠̻c̴̪͎͓̺̩̺̩k͙̼̤̗͙͎̼.̙”

I hear one of my followers from my side, “Well, I may just be the God of Blood and all, but I might be able to do something. With a bit of manipulation of the mind, I could set events in motion.”

”T̙̜̭̠̳͇ͅh̹̞̺e̙̭̺̗̤̝ṉ͖ ̛͈̤̖̰̪̟d͢o͓͓͓͕͞ ̡͙t̝̙̯ͅh̷͇̘̗̱̤̬͖a̻t̡̬,̱͖ ̱̺̮̦̟K̴̭͖̯͓h̵o͏͕̜r̸̼͖̙n̯̺e̡̳̩͕̤,̻̺͕ ͅb̲̙̘̘̱̱̀e̤̙̭̞̩͕̝͘f̩̥̹͝ǫr͡e̯͓͉ ̬̩͕ͅͅtị͈m̩̭͚̼̜̝̭e͢ ̢̟̮͈ͅh͍̭̬̗a͉͚̭̰͖s ̳͈̟p̖͉͈̦a͙͓͍̘̻ͅs҉̥͉s̙̫̘̘͠e̦̪͓d͔̦͈̭̮̞̲.̛̥̻̪”

He smugly smiles, “As you wish, Nezperdian.”

I hear the steps of hooves up to me, “And what about me, Lord?”

”Ỳ̩̦o͇͇̯̯̖̹ͅu̥̼̙̗͕͈͚͟,͙̙̳̼̩̝͓͘ B̟͡l̻u̷̖̹e̵̠̻̺͕͇͇bl̹͘o͎̝̗͈͓͕͡o͖̺̻̘d͎̤̘̬̯͈͜,̥̭̠̼̫̭ͅ ͜s̛h̩͉̬͇͙̱̰a̺̻͕̞̞̤ͅl̯̲͓͙̯̩̫ḽ̩̱̳̗̪̮ ̪̺p̯̥̰̣͉͈̞r̫̯͉o͎͓̬v͈͔̯e̮͇̗ ̻̪͖y̝̫̪͙̤̦͓ou̞̞͔͝r͔̳̘̰̲̯̩s̨̬͚̗̘e͇͖̝l͜f̘͉͚͇̭̖ ̠͙̫̼o͙̼̝͓ͅr͍̥̮͘ ̮̘̮d̶̦ị̯̪͕ę̘̖͕͙͈ͅ.̠̥̭͚̠́ͅ ̴͈͚̱̗̰̣͉A͇̥̦̳c̥̤̯̝̳͙̰͘c̥͓̳͓̙ę͖̲̣̩̭l̙͔̖͇̰̘͔͘è͚r̢̯̭͖̙a̵ṭe̩ ҉͓t̛h̼̠̠̰̭̦͞e҉̠̳̫̥̦͖ ̮̜̙̩͚͚e͚͙̣̤̻n͖̦e͙͔̝̥̦̹͞m̩̞͇͇̰̫i͈͍͓͞e͎͍̟̮s̞͙͇͘ ͕̯m̱̩͖̞̯o̹̙͍̼͙̖v͡e̤͉̪̤s̠̪̜, ҉͔w͖̠͎̲̖̭͕͘h̜͍̰́a̪̱͇̣̳͙t̢̘̝̺e̛̟̺v̝ḛr̦̮̣̬ ̴̘͚̙͍͎̬w̲͔̘a̰͕̣̗̠y̯̯̼̪͉ ͖͙̗͇͙̞y͔̤o͓u̪̗̹̲̣ ͏͎̦śh̴̪̳̺͇̫a̝̰͎̼l͔͍̝̠̞l͜.̖͙̞̱̳͜ͅ”

He laughs, “I shall simply go to them in their dreams.”

”W̳̪͞e̺̫̩̻ ͚do͇̥͉̺̥̝n̞̰̯͈͠’͙͉̹̣̬t̸̝̲̜̙ͅ ͈b̰è̳̰̖̪̗͈̻l̺̹i̯͈̬̪̳͙ev̗̺̠͞e̩̺̬͚ ̛͔̟̙̲̱W͖̳͙̣̣̩͜e̯ a҉̱s̗̦̣̠͙͍͟ͅk͙͉̥͈e̹͍̱d̷͓̞ ̼̻͍̻͈͖͜f͚͓͕͠o҉̯̪͇̟̗̺r͏̳͇ ̷̟͚͚a̴̝̤n̶̺͈̖̪ ̟̗̝̹ͅe̮̤̖x̳̯̝p͚̩̘̫la͖n͖̥͙̘̙̰ͅa͙t҉į̭̻͕o͘n͎̯͙̗,̱͈̱̩̖ ̙̩̖̭̻w̶͔̫̱̺o͖̥̼͕͙͓rm̝̲̩̤͘.͕̯̞”

The follower than disappears in a flash.

I look over Sentinel.

———

“Come on, no scavengers have gotten there!” Sure Shot shouts to her brother, Sure Shield.

“You sure there ain’t a reason nopony gone there? I’ve heard it’s haunted.” It’s currently time for them to chose where to scavenge next, as they survive off selling that scrap and junk they collect.

“Psh, there’s no such things as ghosts, it’s just a story! I’ve heard that the most powerful gun in existence is there, ‘Ravens Talons’! Imagine how powerful that is! And nopony has scavenged it, plenty of junk!” They are currently arguing weather to go to Lord Ravens military base.

Sure Shield sighs, “Fine, we’ll give it a try. You best hope it ain’t infested with Deathclaws or Manticores.”

They ready their equipment, “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Sure Shot loads her sniper as Sure Shield loads his shotgun.

“Let’s just go, don’t want to get hit by any raiders.”

Sentinel nods from his position on the wall, “I’ll get the others.”

———

Footnote: Level Up.

New Perk Added: New Life — Your town has grown by 200. You grow 200 HP.

Author's Note

It’s writing this that I realize why shepherd is spelled the way it is.

They lead herds of sheep. Sheepherd. Shepherd.

Death

We crest a hill and see the Tower’s ruins. I look towards Sure Shot and Shield, “Alright, you two scavenge, we’ll keep an eye out from here.”

They nod, “We won’t take long.”

They jog down to the Tower, and the rest of us look out over the land.

—(1 hour later)—

I look at the ground before me, and see some movement. I immediately lock my gaze onto some bushes, and think I see a bit of red. I view the spot with some binoculars, but see nothing. Must’ve been my eyes tricking me.

I hear some hoofsteps behind me, and the siblings return. Hail calls out, “Alright, let’s go everypony!”

We walk down the road, and I turn to face Shot, “So, what happened in there?”

She wears a serious look, “We met Lord Ravens Breath.”

I slow down, “What?”

She shakes her head, “All this time, he was buried under rubble, waiting for somepony to get it off him.”

I look towards Shield, “Are you sure it wasn’t a Crusader?”

His serious face merits no argument, “It was him, in the flesh, bone, and cloak.”

We walk near some bushes, “Well, shit. You had a face to face meeting with Death.”

He is about to nod, and say something... he never got the chance. A machete stuck clear through his head, brain eliminated near instantly. Red pony in the bush, Legion, killed him.

Sure Shot recovers quickly, and blasts the head off of the Legion pony. She collapses right next to him, “No, no, brother, not like this... not like this.”

*Thud!*

A sound of impact comes from behind us, and the faint buzz of a laser rifle. She has no chance to mourn anymore, she is now naught but dust. Her own tears marking the pile of what was her.

The sound of a revolver, Hunter taking revenge on the Enclave pony that shot. Blasting the ponies head open.

Twenty ponies all dressed in red charge, ten wielding laser rifles land. I’m knocked out of shock by one overpowering shout, “Kill these murdering bastards!”

I’m knocked out of my shock, and my vision turns red. I look towards the squad of Enclave, and jump at them. I can see Beam shooting at his ex comrades, Rattle charging in with me. Hunter and Hail shoot wildly at the Legion as Fuse stands there, terrified.

I land on top of one pony, and start to punch down with all of my might. I might not have the best weapon, but they dont have any helmet. I smash their head in with ease. I notice one thing on their hoof, one thing that makes me smile in sick enjoyment. A Power Hoof, perfect.

I manage to put on the Power Hoof in a nanosecond, and I set it to seventy five percent. I can feel strength course through me as I punch the head off of another pony. I bring it down on the back of his fellow, and feel it snap. Intense heat flows through me as I’m hit with beams of energy, but I can barely feel it.

In the middle of my rage, I hear Autismo shout, “Aim at the dirty skeleton already! Concentrate all firepower!”

I see Rattle near Hail, keeping ponies at bay. I hear the laser guns charge up, and let loose.

Rattle can only stare at the beams in terror, just like me. They move slowly, but everything does now. They move closer, inch by inch.

Hail knocks Rattle out of the way. The beams all strike him, melting him inside his own armor. I can only hear him say one more statement, “Ad victorium, brother.”

The words shock Rattle to stillness for a second. Then, he glares towards the Enclave, nearly making them piss themselves in terror. He charges towards them, “Ponies kill Hail! Puny ponies die!”

Beam picks off a few more, before Rattle crashes into them. The four soldiers left fire uselessly at him.

He smashes Crusher into one, “Raaaaaaaaagggghhhhhhhhhhhh!”

He brings it around onto another ones head, “Die!”

Breaking another’s spine with ease, “Look into my eyes as you die!”

He throws Crusher to the side, and picks up one with his hooves, tearing in two different directions, “You like the sight of your own blood!?”

He tears the pony in two, and throws them to the side. Then, a machete pierces his chest, “Pain!”

Terra pulls her machete out, and Rattle turns around to face her. He sloppy swings at her, and she cuts off the hoof. He stares at his hoof in confusion, and she decapitates him.

Seeing Rattles death, Fuse sets into motion. I see him take out a grenade, and pull the pin. He jumps into the Legion

1...

2...

3...

4...

*BOOM!*

The explosion wipes out the Legion ponies, and himself in a shower of blood and guts. All that’s left behind is a crater.

Hunter is caught by the explosion, and is killed himself.

I can’t move, I’m in shock. I see General Autismo pointing his shotgun at a kneeling Beam. His laser weapons destroyed. Autismo looks down at him, “You could’ve just came with me, it didn’t have to go this way. Will you come peacefully or will I have to knock you out to get you a fair trial?”

Another hoof decides his fate. Flicking the trigger, making Beam’s head explode. Terra smiles, “How about the option where he dies?”

General Autismo doesn’t even have time to react before his head is taken off as well. Victor Terra stands there, watching as he collapses like a puppet without strings. She reaches down, and cleans her machete on his fur. I yell out in anger, “Do you have not a good bone in your body! Disrespecting the dead, killing ponies, all for a slave!?”

She smiles, “Oh, maybe at the beginning. But now, your deaths are worth more. Emundans is such a boring title, ‘Purifier’ just doesn’t sound that good like that. Purgans Instauravero Ruinosa Victor Terra sounds a lot more impressive. All I need is your head.”

She charges towards me, and my vision goes red. I rip the machete out of her hooves, and break it in half. I charge her instead.

She backs up quickly, falling down, “Hey, hey, maybe we can talk about this!”

I jump on top of her, shouting, “Raaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”

Punch, punch, punch, punch. She screams out as I beat her face to be unrecognizable. Only with one hoof, the non Power Hooved one.

She cries out, “Please, spare me! Mercy!”

I turn the Hoof to 100, and bring it down on her head.

Her head squashes like a rotten tomato, coating me and my Power Hoof in a thin red sheet.

I look up to the sky, surrounded by dead, and scream my rage, “Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”

———

F̞͈͙̗̙̺̤o̠̠͓͈ot̖̖̙͔͚͉͟n͚̱̮̠͚ͅó̘̹̠̞t̟̬̱̰̳͕̕e̫͚̖̱͖:̢̹̙̝̟ ͎L͎̤͘e͔͙̭̳͖ͅv͎̣̱̬̳͢ȩl͕̲̬̠̗̹ ̢̠̦̗̞̬̱U̞̣̻̟͇̭͍p͎͙͓̜̺̘̭.̵
̨̬
̛̞͔̳̟̭N͏͚̥̬̜e̦̯͙̫̲w̰͍̞̮͙̼ ̣͙̻̣͟P̷̣̺̗e͎̖̣̲̦̲r̺͡k̟̩͕͇̳͓͖ ͇̺̭̯̤͚A͙̙̦͙̖̪dd͓̜̞̙̬̭̮e̳͈̥͇͍̞͞d̩̭̰̫̜̙́:̮̙̤̮͔͍͕ ̙W̷̟͉̰̭̲ͅh̵̙̺͇a͕̯͇̠͝t̰ ̰̤̬̻̲a̟͓̥ ̢͓̦͇͚T̬̩͖͇̰̗e̸r̝̗͇r͙̭̤̪į̮̪̤̺̗̜̯b̞l̡͓͍̬̟̻e͖̞̝̞̹ ͓̺̼͓̣̦͖F̣̺̘̱͖a̵̱̳̙̞̳̱t͈̼e̮̘̤̱̝͚ ̟̥͚͈̭̼̠͡—͠ O̶̪̭̳̰͍͙h̗̀,͙͓̲ S͖̩̻̮̜e̹̣̜̭̙͙̙͝n̞t͖̺̦͍i̟̲̜̠̦̙̜͡ņ̠͙͓̰e̺̝̜̬͡ḻ̤̭̖̪͞,̠̭͈ͅͅͅͅ ̣̤̱̦̼f̛̫u̶͚ḽ̮̖͉l̰̳ͅ ̫̝͍̰̯̹͈͘of͕ͅ ̷͇̰̩̻̙͔̦r̘̠͖̥̻̳ͅa̟̝̠͎̲͜g̳͉̞̥͔͞e̼͎͚͜ a̰̱͞n͙͚͔͔̹̟ͅd̰͖͉̞̣ ̵̦͈̭̦̱p̮͔̱o̷w̪̩̳͠e̘̠̱͇̦̗r̨͙͍̟̲͓ͅ.̩͈̲̬ ̡͉̠̥̺̮̠A̲̞͎̜̥̖̹l̨͓̖͎̻̰̜ḷ͚̲̹͉̯̥o̞͟ͅw̤ ̷̼̺̬̦̻̱͙u̙̥s͔̞͎ ̵͍̼͇̱t͍̙̮͓̼̮͖o͏̮ ̢͇̬͉̯͖g̶̼̜̠̠̪̘̙r̩̠̲a͇̤͚̱͇͎͜n̜̘̠͎t͙͓̬ ͉̭̳̯̼͝ý̝͚o̰̪̬̱͔ͅu̳̦̫͍͟ ҉͇m̜͔͖̤̠̙͢o͍̜̯̜r͔̜̺̯̰͍̜e̴̪̠͈͓͉.̠͙̥ ̵̘̭̺͚̤̭͖Y̹o̷̭̞͖̖u͎̭ ̮̝̗͟s̛̝͈̯͕̠̦̘ṷ̦̹͇̤̞r̥̼̺v̻̗͖̤̦̗̞i҉͔͓̠v̬̺̠̠̜ͅe̱̭͈̪̮͖͉͠d̟̘͘,͕̜̹̝̻̠̀ ̸̦͖̣͉a̖̙̙̜n̨̬̥͍̦̜ͅd̙̱͘ ̧̤̹̦̫̭͖m̪̞̠͇̭y̟̠̱̳̯̭ ͏͈̗͙̜̬͓ͅf҉̤̝̮̗͈͓͈ir̺̻̙̖̤̳s̪͈̩̬̥̞t̺̝̘͔̟͈ ͔g̵̥͍͚í̝f͎̮̜͙̜̺̟t ̨̠͇̟̥̤ͅw̷̫͎̮i̴̩̪̩͕͖̰ļ͎̲̥̖l̸͍̯͚̩͎ ̷̠͉̺ͅb̖̭͖̤e͕̪͘ ̫͟+̧͍̖͚̱2̡̹̥͎̬͉0͈̗ ̣̺̠͎̤ͅD͚̝͍T̰̼̻̗͍͟ ͈̫̼̪͠a̪̣̝̭͖̠̻t͚ ̰͔̤̹a̳̯̘̝͖͈̟l͎͖̟ͅl̙̭͚ t̸̝̲̰̬i̹͇͔̭ͅm̷é̹̗͙̳̹̰̹s͎̘͘.̬̕ ̯̤̩̙͟T͏͙̺̙̰̖̭ͅha̭̦t̯̜̙̦̫̺ ҉P͏̭in͜k͏̮̣̲̜̜ ͎̤͖̥̥P̜͇̺̼e̸̜̱̦̬r̝͉̲̟̻k̨̳͇͔ P̗̫̘͈̙r̴͕͉͈͖i͏̪̱̳̮̼̟n̡͖̖̣͕̝ͅͅt̜̰̘͘e̫̮̝̻r͚̯ ̪͠ͅw͉̯̜o̴̼͇u̹̞͕̖̭̠l҉d̰̝̝͈ṇ͉͠’̮͈t̮̠̭̗ ̴̪̙͎g̝̬r͙̝͖̫̙̟̟a̷͔̠̙͙n҉t͕̬̳͘ͅ ̙̲̰̟̫͙̥͜ỵ̲̤͕o̹̦͚̝͜u͎͈̫͙̭̤ͅ ̖̞̼̣͕ͅn̨̥͙̪e̯̭̻͉͕̮͘a͏̣͈̠͚r̸̯̮͍̬ ̣͞t̟̜͟h͢e̼̳̤̼̰̪̬͡ ̩͎̟͟s̞̰͓͎̲a̩͎͖̻̜m̖͚̣̫̪̻̻e̞̪͕̜͇̗ ͓͙͙g̻̞͔̘̣̤͝ḭ̥f͈͓̯͘t͚s.̵̪̳̟̝̩̝̣

W̩̘̟̥̭̥̻̤h̲̟͉̼̤͡a̴̧̫̺̝t̵̯ ͝͏̞͟Á̴̘ ̳̟̝́T͏̛͈̙͕e̢̯͚̥͔̳̪̬͘r̵̴̘̼̝͎͍̟̕ͅŗ͕̮̙͉̙̳͚i̛̛͙͖̣͡b̳̠̘̯̦̼l҉̹̥̼͍̣͜e̺̤̕͝ ̵̸̼̪F̯͉̳͇͎͚̙͙̕͜͜a͈͖̖͎̩̯̺̕͟t̩͕͖̺̩͢e͔͙̜̺͖͡

I hear a voice speak near me, “W͙̞̫͚̪h̩̖͘ͅa̻̪̞̗̻̮̼t͎̤ ̴̟̭̠a̜͈͇͙̭̩ ̞̲ț͙e͓͉r̼͔̪̯r͖̞͔͎̱i̷̦̰b̻̦̟͎̳͚l͔̦̹̫͇͖͡e̛͔̯͖ ̶͖̗f̢̗̟̺͍a͓̭͕̰t͈̣̀e̪.̛̙̦̗̙ ̖͇͡I̸͍͓ ͇͢c̛a͈̞̭̮ń̲ ̩͈͞h̯̣̤͉͟e̵l̼p̣̭̳̯̮͖͘ ̢͉̗̱̻͚̩̬y̺̤̠͙̱ọ̱͎ú̬͎̥̩̜͈̥,̬̗̤͕͍͟ ̘̝̭̻͍̱̪̕S̩͞e̻͙͖̰͇̫̕nt̜̭̟͎͕̟͈͡i͎̙͉̗̬̫n̯̻͙̟̲̩̲e͕̝̘̝̦͘l̵̥̗͇,̢͚͇̥̗̭ͅͅ ̼̫͚̬͢f̙̪͎̕i̯͍̺͙x ̷̗͔t͓͍his͖̭̦͙ ̶f̰̗̗͉̠a͇te͖.̮̭̖̝̩ ̮͙ͅḬ̙̩̝̱̱͍ ͍͖̲̥͍s͔͔̩͝h̨̦͔̳͉͖͙a͖͔̱̠̥̰l̬̪͇̬̩l͇͜ ̩̰̜̫̜̟͔d̲ó̻̭̦̭̙̻̦ s̖̻̹̳̗̪͡o̵̻̰̮̮͍͕̖ ̣̗̱̺͖͎̫as̥̳̣̠̣ ̧a͠ ̥̜̘̩͚͖ǵ̜̭i̶̹͙̣̝͚f̤͉͈̠͓͞t̶̟͎̮̦̣̪.”

I look up to see what is speaking, and see a pony with no eyes standing there. The void that is his eyes and mouth leaking blood, and stained red. As if I care what they look like, “What the hell are you talking about.”

It simply smiles, almost sickening me to look at. I can hear pained gasps all around me, and I look around to see all of my friends alive, “T̮̭̳̰̜̬h̗͠aț͔͉͙̻ͅ,̠̀ ҉̯̘̰͚̗i̢̞̰͚̫̮̮͔s̲̱̗̬̥͔ ̥͜ẃ̯̜h͎̮̲͓̯̪͇͞a͏̮t͜ ̞̗̺̜͈W̳̺̠͠è̯̻’̹̹̮̫̜̺͢ṟ̴͚̟̮̩e̗͕̦̺̟̲͖ ̘͜t̡͙a̠̗͚͇l͈̜̹͢k̛̮̰͇̤i͖̰͓̟͜ņ̤̤̥̠g̵ ab̸͈̦̭̹o̖̲͡u̮͢ṯ͉̞,҉̰̲̝̹̞ ̹Ś̗e͇̗̙̼͉̝n̩̩̫̫̺͟t͇̼̲͢i̫̬̼̘n̼̘̟ͅe̟͍̦̙̙͔l̠.̸͍͍̞̥ ̲͕͕͠T͚̫̫͎͓̥͡h̖̠̦̱̳̮̫a̪͖̻t̷̟̖ ̱͈͔̖̪̺͟t̘͔̗̱͟ͅa̰̭̮s̨t̩̼̟e҉͚̬̭͈͙ ͖̙͞of͇̙̲͙̫̞ ̖͓̰̯p̷̝̝͉̘̜̩o̢̥͖̮͕̰̰ͅw̸̰̟̬͓ẹ̰͚̀ͅr̙͙̗ ̸͎͖̥̝̱̤r̻̳̩̩̞̘̘i̥̟͉̣̯ͅg̣̼͖̹̬͈̤h̢t̫̭̪̦͟ ̛̘͕̼ṭ͎̤͕̗͝h̥̦̭̬̞̪e̹̮̞̘̟r̪͇̲̤̱e͏̥͕,̺͈́ ͟a̸̜͍̰͙̥̯̱s̴̜ ҉͖̲͍̱͉̖͕a̠͜ ̞̪g̯͚͡i̬͙͇f̖̪̗͍ͅṭ̖͈̻̝͔ ͘f̫̹͖̭̩͝r̗͉̩̹͝o͟m̻͚̖̖̟̗̜͘ ̴̫m̨̤e̫͍̞̩ ͏̟͇̟t̡̟͕̬̻̰o̙͈̲̙ ͍̺̹͠ͅyo͇͖̟̩͞u̟̳͢.̶̼̺̻͚̞̝̲ ͇̭͢A̧̞̩͚̱̯͎ṉ̸d̞̤̹͕̮ ̼̪͕͎̣̳ͅI͏̼ ͏̥̩̰̼c̯a͠ṇ̲̯̥̜ ̳̝͙g̥͠i͘v̯e͇̫̪͙ ̺̹͡y͍̠ͅǫ̯ͅu̮̥̳̜ ̧̞̞ma̴͍͈̥͈ny͚̙̦̖̞͞ ̯͎̼͈̤̼̀m͈͍̩̩̟̮̥̀ǫ̮̮̮̲̟͎̜r͏e҉̘ ̬͚̯͉̻g͈͕̰͙i҉̺̦͓͈̟f̞t͚̲̪͕͙͈s,̰̩̺͚͕̲̰ ̵̪̦̬͙̳͓̗Sen͈̠t̩͚͘ị͜n̺̞͚̟̗̗ȩl͖̼̟̙̩̲,̪͝ ̹̯͇̯̙m̦͎̮͡o̻͓̖r̛̟̭e ͚͈͘p̱͔̹͜o̢̱̝̤w͖̩͔̣͠e̢̪r̻̘̰͎̺f̣̼̥̤ͅu͈̲̺̪̦̹ͅl̝̪͙̦͎ ̖̦͙̤̲g̛i̙̠̹̯̺͔f͜t̢̜͚̮͚͙s̗̗͕̞ ͖̱t̝̣̦͓o̵̯̬̟̼̱͈̹ ͚̜̘͈̜͢a͙͘ͅl̳̙̲̙l͇̮͘ ̞̝͔̦͠o̻͖͡f̶͚ ̫̺y̩̙͖̦̱̤̦o̹͞u͔̩͇̲͢.”

I don’t trust this creature, at all, “What the hell do you want?”

It looks right into me, ”Ẃ̰̘ͅͅá̪̗͙̳̩̼͎n͔̟̗̯̳ͅͅt̠͚͚̳͜?̧ ͏̻W̤̠̫̯̞͔͡ḩ͉̲̫ỳ̳,͠ ̖̜̲͉̟̺͚́I̫̫̖̞ ̡̲̱͍̲wa̴͙͔n͏̳̙̮̱͍̦ͅţ̫̭̪͕ n͏o̮̰͓̟̮t̺̠͔̲̟͙h̭̖̭͉ị̭̮n̮͍̺̫̲g̴͙͕͖ ̛m̩̰̭͎͉̘͕o҉͍r͙̖̞e̖͓̘̕ ̰͓̙̞t̰̙h҉a̪͟ǹ ͉̦͈͉̀t̨̞͕̠̟̱̭o̢͚̙ ̨̜̺͔̭g̞iv͓̲e̻̼̺̳͙ ̛y̼̬̜̦̳ọ̣̗̤̭͜ͅu ̬͎̣a̸̹̣̻͚̳n̶ ͉̼̝̝ó͇̳̱f̫̜̣̫̠̣fe̤̰̘r͎̖͔̣.̳͕ ̗̖̩̕J̙̗͟òi̳͡n̞̟ ҉͚̣m̥e̹̹̺͎,̠̪̟̘̦͞ͅ ͏͔͖͔̟̮̱y̰͈͎̞͜o͢ų̖̥̠̗ ̷̮̯̫̻̭a̠̖̟ͅn̗͖͡d̙ ̳͢y͎̥o͖̠͖͝u͇̰̯͟r͏̗̜͈̫͖ ̷͖͔͖̲̝̠̭f̘͍r̺̣̟͍̦͙̜i̲͍̺͓̼̗͇e̢̞n̜̱d̡͚̥s̢.̸̖ ̪̼I͇̙͍̗̝͔̺ ͠c͎a͍͢n͔̗͍̠ ̷̹͙̯̗̞̫̯g̯͇ͅr̙̟̙̹̜a̰̣͚̮n͏t̝̫͉̼̩̕ ̠̯̰̦͝g̶̜̳̯̳̭͉̘i̴̤͓f̢̙̥t҉̻ͅs̖̥͟,̡̭̭̝̟ͅ ̘͇͍͉̥ͅa̠͉̰n̬̘̙d̳͢ͅ ̬͍͍͇̯̖͔͜t̫̳͍̜̮̱og̢̲͈͚͈͎ͅé͖̲͖̱tẖ̬̣̙̲̟̘̕e͚̘͙r̦̱̼͡ ̨̘̱̥̩ͅw̵͔̠͎̼̩̞e̪͕̙͓̬̭ ̣͇̤͕̮̺̟͢c͈̮͕̠̳͍̺͟a͙͈̩͉̦͔͕n̩̗ ̕ḳ̕i̻̹͓̕ͅl͎̜̩̗̳͉l̷̩̪̱̤͍ ̢͈̖̙̝e̶͕͈͓̩v̷͇eŗ̻̝̞̖͙ͅy̝̼̯̺̜̼ ̪͍̮̝r̖̬̞̬͉͙a̫̦͔͚̬̳̯i̪̪̻d͘e̶̻̜r͙̖̯͉͘ͅ,̡̘̩ ̟͎̤̱͖L͏̝e̲͕͎̲̪͇̘͝g̕ị͇̹̬o̤̯̮͚n̶̮,҉̫̲ ͟E̞ͅn̡̘̰̙̫c͈̟̞͎̱̫̭l̩̺̲̫̦a̪̩v̫͍̩̦̣̠͍e͔ ̥̠̹̬͞í̞̤͓̦̹n͓̩̦̰̣͟ ͏̥͍e̳̬̭̳͖̣ͅv̛͓͎͇e͏̳̬͕̼̺͓r̛͚̘̘̰̬̹y͢ ̶̰̦̮̫ͅu̢̯n҉̯͙͈͕i̢̮̬ve̛͖͕̼̭͔͚r̥̟͈̠͟s̨͚͙̗̙̲̬e̵̝.̕”

It doesn’t take a genius to pick something up. He doesn’t mean raider, he means everything. Although his offer is a bit tempting.

“Something so powerful we can’t comprehend it. And right now, it’s eyes are on you. It watches from behind the walls, with out order, invoking the feeling of Chaos in the worst way possible. Word of advice, don’t trust it. No matter what form he may take, you cannot afford to trust it. Dishonest, but not dishonest about being dishonest. You did me a favor, and I’m doing you one now. You’ll know it when you see it, don’t trust it.”

I look at the thing again, and realize this is what Jack was talking about. I shake my head, “Yeah, ima have to say no.”

It approaches me, ”Y̗̪o͈̩̞̟̗͟u ̟̫͞d͞a̬̭̮̲r̷e͇̱ ͡d̸̘̭̻͚̬̼̖e̩̥̲̤̩͖f͍̪̠̦͎̖̫͜y m̱̖̝̮͠e̴,̝͈ ̵̣̙̥w̲͖̳͇͟o̦̱̲̥̖̻̘r̦͇͍͘ḿ͉̩!͇ ̤̝D̺o̝̗ ̪̤̫̭y̖̥͍͞o̺̤̭̥͓͓u͍̝̻͡ ҉̞̝͎n̸̝̯ò̳̠͓̝͔̙̰t̸̙͇͓ ̨͎̼͎͔͙k̖̪̭̫͜n̺͟o͓͈̱͖w͔̪̖̼̲̭ ̛͍̯͎̭w̰̞͖̠͟h̟̫̦̖͔̕o̭̱̖̤̖̻ ̤̬I̭̻͎ ̠̦̳͕a̼̯̩̦͖͘m̀?҉͕̜͚͙͖ ͓͔̱͓͎A͏͕̻̫̬̯͈l͇͉̳̀p͞h̜̩͚̜̰͝a ͍͔̩̘a̙̣͔͖̞̮n͚̙̻̳͓̱̟d̤̹̰̜̲̲̖ ̮̘͘O͝m̙̜̣̟ͅe̛̜̰̼̞͓g͕̱̣̳á̟͓̤͙͖̜,͕̩̼͇ ̢̥̥̰c̞͇͔̤̣̭a̜͈͇̟͔̤̳r̴̘͚͎͉̬r̯͈̱y̗̞̹̮͖i͏n͖̩̘g̞͇ ҉̥̩̞̩̠͈t̸̠̙̘̤͎̰h̲è̺̜̪ ̸̦͖̲̹̟̩C̩͙̮͇ͅà̪̠̯n̨͚̣d͖̲̩͓ļ̫̳͎͕è͕ ͕̭̫̝͟o̹f̠͎͕ ͖͖D̯̖a͎͜ŕk̛̭̖̠͚̠n̮͔͟e̼̼̤̭͕s̨̞̗͈͎͎̳ͅș͙͍̭̼͡,̤̝̥ ͚̜̱̟̩͙ț̛̙̹̜ͅh̤͈̠̜͘e͔ G͕̬͘ŗe̫̦̝̺̝̹a̶̻̻̦̼t͢ ̻̱̪͖D̴e͇͈͎̞s̮̦͇̳̜͍͘ͅt̲͙͙̪̬̬̣ṟ͕̜̤o̼̮̤̮y̵̼͈̫̤̫e͏̼͈r̷̞͙̤!̜̺̹͡”

I reach inside me for my holy power, and float up into the air above it. My eyes glow white onto it, hurting it but it doesn’t even flinch. I look down upon it, ”Get rid of this dark spirit! It dares defile me with its presence, and I shall destroy it! Holy power of Creators, grant me the power!”

It sprouts six other heads as it approaches me, one singing as all the other shout in differnt tounges, ”Y̦̜̻͇̲̭o̟̪͜ú̱ ͍̫c͙a̤n̠̣͓̠’̶̟̺t̨̰̳͍̦͕̱̫ g͓̦͓̼̳̱̖et̞̘͈ ͘r̡̬͖i̴͔̱d̨̼̼ ̱͖͜o͙f͚ ̦̬̬̱̫͈ͅm̠̮͈̯͙̠e̞̟̖̗͎̗͟,̧ ͎wǫr͍̠̖̻̥ͅͅm͙̰͕̲̦!̭͕̤ ̨̭̞̘͉̟M̸̞̥y҉͎ ̫͇̹̦̗͉͜a͉͔r̬͎̮̟m̴͔͔ ̦͙s̢ṱ̦̯̩̟͞ͅá̫i̷͕̯̤͎̼̟n͇e̵͍̠̫d̶̘͇̤̬ ̪̙̭̞̩̀w̭̣̯̘̫͕̕ịt̵̰h̛̬ ̻̺̠̫͔̀t̠̤̖͖ͅͅh̵̫͈̺̩̣̹e̖ ̭͎b͇̟͝ḷ̸̘o̺͜o͏͍̳̗̼d̦̫͙̼̜̼ ͇͔͈ͅo̝f̦̪̱ ̝̻̟̙͉̝A̻̞m̴͈̪͚ ̠̹̹͙̪D̺̟̥̮͉̪ͅh̷̖̟̦̼͇͚͔ạ̪͚e̟̰͎̰͢g͔͚̥a̧̲̜̯͔̙̳r̦̥̞̹̤!̠̻̞͎̻͇ͅ ͕T҉̱̥̲ḩ͍͙͖͚̺e͚̮͎͕͔ ̶N̵͉̠̩̭̥̻ę͚̠͉͎ͅz̳͔̪͎̻̪͟p̡̩͇e̬̱͙̠̝͞ͅṟ̪̯̕ͅd̥͕͟i͈a͢n͏ ̨̝͈̠hi̯̬͚v̪e̘̞̬̬̤-̡̼mi͉͙̳͍̜͝n̨̻d҉̼̺̖̼͕ͅ ̥ͅof̮ ͔̻̦͈͓̼̘͜c̟̠̞͔̮̗h̵̼̫͎̠̹̲̫ạo̶s̩͉̝̘͚̗̥!̤͙͙͍͞ ̵̥̗͈̞̩I ̠̯a̴̗͈̩ͅm̥̟̫̮̦͜ ̲͍͝-̻̰”

I send out a beam of holy whiteness, and it melts him away, ”Bring about the destruction of this dark spirit!”

He fully dissolves, and I float down to the ground. I land on my hooves, and look around. Sure Shot, Sure Sheild hugging and crying. Hail and Rattle doing the thing bros do, shaking hooves and patting shoulders. Beam burying General Autismo, giving a salute of respect. Fuse having fun kicking the shit out of Terra’s dead body. Hunter slowly smoking a cigarette.

I walk up to all of them, “Come on, let’s get back to New Life.”

They all join up with me, and we walk down the road. Hunter looks over to me, “That’s our enemies, dead. Now we can focus on helping the town and killing raiders.”

I nod, and slowly smile, “I have a feeling that we will be fine. Our future looks nothing if not bright.”

With those words, we continue on the path, the sun overhead. Reborn, all of us, and closer than ever.

—(???)—

I growl in rage, before composing myself. That attack must’ve set back my enternce by at least a month! Now those pesky Creators have a year to notice me! All because that pony was too smart for his own good.

”B͏̝̼̠̦̩l̙͉͍̲ṷ̭e̟͇̣͎̺b͏l̦͇̼̻o҉̫̺o͎̪͇̬͍̗̮͠d,̫̺͈̻̩͕͠ ̪̺͉s̮͇͓̪u̮m͔͔m̢̥͖͚̣o̙͈n̖͜ ṣ̫o̴̘m͏̫̙͍e̝͕̺̖̗͓̞t͎̖̺̖̬͙̺͟h̵̭̙͚̩̲i̛̭̳̻͎̻n̗̬̼̬̲͇̕ͅg̪̦̻̝ ̸̠͍͕͔ͅt͙̯͓͈̗̮̣͘o ͏̫̱̻c̡͕̺͉̤̟a͇̗̜̘ùș̲e̳̠͙͡ p͉̺̜r͈̣̠̩͜o͙͓͙̗̣b͚̰̩̞̭l̻e̜̬̗̘̹͕̞͘m̨͙̠̯̥s̼̟̬̳ ̸̪f̢̹̗͓o̺̗̗̮̟̗͘ͅr͍͓͖͇ ̤̗̳͍͖h͍̙͔͉̘im̖̟̼͍̘.̷͉̺”

My follower nods, “Of course.”

———

“Ahh, another victim!”

A portal appears in front of the camp.

“Look boys, it’s fresh meat!”

“More! More meat for me!”

The entire camp charge into the portal, being transported to Sentinel’s world.

They appear in the middle of a raider camp.

“Yes, Yes, YES! It’s dinner time!”

“Smash!”

“Time to play! Time to play!”

The raiders are torn apart, and a more powerful group of insane things now inhabit the area near New Life.

That will be able to take down him.

Nothing deny’s me and gets away with it.