There have been many stories lately about heroes showing up all over the wasteland, the Light Bringer, Security, etcetera, etcetera. all≈ Mares or Fillies with some fucking pole up their asses thinking that coming out of a stable automatically makes them the most important thing since fucking apple pie. If you're looking for a lighthearted story about friendship and the fate of the world in the balance then this isn't for you. no, this is a story about a raider, a foulmouthed psychopath, a cannibal and how he retakes what's his.
It’s been a normal day in the lovely city of Seaddle. the stallions were screaming, the mares were crying, and the foals were fighting each other to join the biggest raider gang in the Everfree Northwest, the Tartarus Angels. The Angels are different from other groups in the fact that they don’t just pillage, plunder, or steal cause they lost all their sanity; no they kill other raider groups and anypony who dares challenge the authority of their dominance of the Everfree, or that of their leader Hannibal the Cannibal, who started the gang from the ground up and has worked hard keeping it the big name the townsfolk fear and respect.
Today, a new group of caravaners got cocky and decided the taxes for safe passage to the inner city was below them, so now their stallions are being tortured, the mares are being raped in front of them, and the foals are taken away to “daycare”. As a rule, the Angels don't rape children, they have some standards. They do, however, make them fight to the death for survival, and the top 3 standing are welcomed as part of the family. It's dinnertime and Hannibal wants to see what's on the menu.
The stallions being tortured are screaming as the raiders are peeling off their hides with such finesse that it was clear they had a lot of practice not wasting any dripping blood or tearing too much flesh off them.
“Ooooh boss is gonna be happy with today’s batch. I bet ya 10 caps he goes for the blue one!” one of the raiders says
“Nooo he’s gonna go for this green one. you know how he likes his ‘veggies’.” the other replied with a gleeful laugh. The brown one, a unicorn stallion ignored his pains upon hearing these two yelling about who their boss is going for. What did they mean by that, like raping? Was their leader gay or what else could they be talking about? For reasons only Celestia knows the stallion asked for them to elaborate.
“W-what do you mean by go for his veggies!?” as if brought in by the fear in that stallion’s voice, a dark crimson earth pony appeared from the corner of his eye, licking his lips showing off his… fangs?
“You clearly didn’t do your homework, eh, dumbass?” this stallion retorted. “Let me fill you in on how fucked you are. You see, I’m an actual cannibal. I prefer eating flesh over fruits and veggies. I even had my own teeth sharpened just to make it easier to rip your throats out.” This pony popped claws out of his prosthetic forelegs and pulled one of his cheeks to the side to show his meals the white fangs that would soon dig in to one of them. The earth pony stallion clearly salivating from what he said to the green one. The blue earth pony stallion, now only defined by his still intact face and cutie mark (a caravan with fruit on top), now started whimpering and crying realizing that his death will be as a meal to this cybernetic, psychopath with teeth that look sharp enough to cut diamonds.
“P-pleease, don’t eat me! H-h-have mercy for Celestia's sake!” infuriated by the cries of the sad, pathetic blue earth pony, the crimson stallion lunged like lightning towards the crying thing digging his metal claws into its stomach and his teeth into his neck, and with a small pause he pushed back from the wall the thing clinged to with his hind legs. The sound of flesh being ripped away from the body filled the air causing one of the captured mares to faint from the shock of seeing her companion’s blood and entrails flying with that devil incarnate. The poor pony’s screams only lasted a few seconds as his raw, tender, bloody throat was ripped away and now being chewed in front of him.
With a swallow the Crimson earth pony looks into the fading eyes of the blue pony and says “There's your mercy, you die first.” with those words said the blue pony goes limp his blood pouring into a big bowl under him. “I hate weak ponies! They don’t deserve being equal they’re just food and leather for our jackets. Ain’t that right boys and girls?!” In unison the ponies around him shout “only the strong survive and party in Tartarus!”. Blood and gore hanging at the edge of his lips the crimson pony looks at the pinprick eyed unicorn and says” Oh? Where are my manners? I’m Hannibal the Cannibal, and I’m in a “horny” mood for dinner!” He laughed menacingly.
“You monster!!” the green unicorn screamed at the top of his lungs, shaking in pain as his urine burned the exposed muscles of his hind legs, unable to move from his shackles and chains. Hannibal moves to the frenzied stallion with malicious intent digging his thumb claws into the shoulders of the piece of trash in front of him.
“Shut the fuck up!! Shut the fucked up!! Do you know how rude it is to piss on somepony’s kitchen!?” baring his fangs angrily Hannibal grabs the piss stained pony’s horn and with the fury of Tartarus itself, rips it off the vegetable’s head. Its screams echoing across the northwest for smarter ponies to heed its warning.
“You won’t need this, you pencil dicked cum stain.” Hannibal said as he taps the green unicorn's horn on his muzzle . “Cleaver, I want him as pony jerky, light on the smoke. If you need me, I’ll be at the daycare.” he throws the horn at the responding mare before walking away from the kitchen.
“Boss, what about the blue one?” Cleaver asked.
“Hmm... my usual from both of them for the show at the daycare then put blue in the freezer for later.” Hannibal replied walking away. As he walks to the daycare, he begins to hear the painful cries that come with his usual meal releasing a satisfied sigh.
The daycare...once a safe place for little foals to play and make happy little macaroni faces, now serves a new purpose in providing gory entertainment for the grown ups, and giving the winning 3 fillies the honor of wearing their kill’s skin as a vest forever marking them as children of the Tartarus Angels. “Fillies and Gentlecolts! It's our favorite time of week heere at the daycare! Gracing our bloody arena is none other than the big stallion himself! You know him! You love him! He’s the king of the Raiders! It’s Hannibal~the Cannibal!~” The audience stomping their hooves in cheer to the hype-pony's cries applauding the arrival of the red tyrant himself. His grin glowed from the flames on the sides of his throne as he walked to his microphone grabbing it with his claws.
“Listen up you little shits! You may hate my guts, you may hate everypony getting excited to see you bleed! But hear this, those chicken fucks CHOSE to ignore the warnings! They CHOSE to put YOUR lives at our mercy and dragged you along for the shitstorm that was their stupidity! You’re here cause 3 of you have a second chance, a chance to be somepony, A chance to take shit from nopony, a chance to join the Tartarus! Angels!” The roars of the raiders moved the very earth the children stood on, each one realizing the truth in the monster’s words that they were the victims. In order to be part of this great big family, they must prove their strength to their brothers and sisters cheering for their success and determination. The crimson pony, their new father, wanted to give his blessing and protection to the lucky three that stood above the rest, above the weak, for only the strong deserve life with all the riches it entitled.
There were seven fillies, two unicorns, four earth ponies and one pegasus, all were looking at each other angrily wondering who among them were the inferiors and who were the victors. A fire burned in them, their survival depending on their newfound thirst for blood ripping away any sense of doubt or fear, if they die it will be with the cheers of their brothers and their king. Two earth ponies coward backwards towards each other soaking the hard rusty arena with their fears and their tears. They stood no chance, no mercy was given. the pegasus was the first to act grabbing a dangling noose, somehow twirling it around like a cowpony then with ease launched the noose tightening around one of the weak pony’s neck. The little pink filly screamed for help as she was hurled up by the pegasus colt begging for him to let her go. The flying colt obliged her, sending her tumbling towards one of the gauntlets of fire near the king’s throne. The crowd cheering and howling as the little girl’s pink hide turns charcoal black. The sound of her delicate skin popping and crackling much to the king’s delight, even getting a maniacal laugh. With the approving nod from the young colt’s potential father, the child dives down to the ground looking for his next prey from the four ponies beating up the last weakling delivering scores of rage with every punch and stab they dealt.
A tall, thin brown unicorn mare walks onto the throne with a warm plate levitating in her magic. “Your usual my king, I made sure he screamed loudly till the life faded from his eyes.” the mare said with a seductive tone clearly pleased with her work.
“Ahh, Cleaver, you know how please a hungry stallion. Best chef in the gang that's for sure.” Hannibal smiles as the sweet spicy aroma from his meal caresses his muzzle. He grabs the large rectangular plate carrying his well awaited delite, two slow cooked horse cocks with the testicles still attached both maintained erect due to the sticks running straight through the peehole. The veins popping oozing lemon juices from the tips. This was Hannibal’s favorite meal he always loved the tenderness of this meat in particular, and always claimed it was a great source of protein.
“Is there anything else I can do for you boss?” her arousal evermore clear begging for a reward from her king.
“Two things; bring me one of the captured mares to watch the show with me.” replied the hungry stallion.
“And the second?” the brown mare asked with anticipation.
“Some hardcore sex at my place after I welcome the little fucks into the group. They gotta know whos the boss around here if they wanna last.” Hannibal said returning the sexual glare to his mare.
“Mhmm, you’re the boss, my king.” the mare answered happily now heading out to do his bidding, but not without caressing his muzzle with her tail so he could smell the juices of her marehood.
Enjoying his Cock-kebab and the arousal from Cleaver, Hannibal now turns his attention back to large arena not realizing how much he missed. On the ground stood 4 foals; two unicorns, an earth pony filly, and the pegasus colt, Hannibal could see from where he was sitting that the two earth ponies died being repeatedly bucked and stabbed. The pegasus wasn’t flying, probably sustaining a cut that temporarily disabled him. Three of the ponies ganged up on one of the unicorns but were having trouble due to the floor plates and the knives she was levitating around creating a wall between them. Cleaver and 3 other ponies came onto the throne, looking at them, Hannibal sees Cleaver brought a hot pink mare with a white mane and tail. She wasn’t abused as much considering how fugly she was and her pleading was just as bad. She was obviously one of those ‘great personality’ types these raiders enjoyed killing since they’re doing the wasteland a service, but they liked keeping them alive long enough to break them or until they got bored.
The mare gasped at the sight of the foals fighting, no longer smiling like the innocent children they once were. Only hatred and the desire to survive covered their faces. She looks around but notices one of the seven foals is missing...her foal. “Wheres my daughter?! She's not down there! What have you done to my baby girl?!” she yelled trembling at what might’ve been the fate of her child.
“Oh, the pink one? Yeah, she’s over there.” Hannibal casually pointed the still burning remains of the foal in the gauntlet of fire. Her body going from burning gray into ashes.
“N-n-nnooooo! My baby, nooo!! The ugly mare grew uglier as she cried in agony seeing her foal being cremated in front of her. Unable to touch her due to the intense flame. As if by the power of the mother’s cries alone, the faint outline of the corpse collapsed into a pile of burning ashes.
“Now I know where she got her pathetic screams from, if it makes you feel better she cried just like you as she was burned alive in the fire. You can thank that pegasus down there since it was he who threw her in that pit.”
The pink mare sobbed mourning her daughter as she cursed her husband, whose dick Hannibal was eating at the moment, for not paying the safe passage fee that would’ve saved her child’s life. “Well I’m bored now, come here you cunt.” Hannibal grabs the pink blob by the neck and throws her into the arena with her, like everyone else, begging for mercy. Seriously? What's with these fucking ponies and asking for mercy? Do they really think raiders have any? The mare falls and lands on the ground. The sound of bones breaking from the fall causing the foals to stop their fight. Hannibal flicks the microphone the feedback directing everypony's attention towards him.
“Fillies and Gentlecolts, today I’m feeling merciful. I will allow all four of you to live and join the Tartarus Angels, if you all kill that pink cunt in front of you, and bring me organs of your choice as an offering, but first, we want entertainment! Make this bitch suffer! Answer her cries for death! After all she’s one of the ponies that betrayed you and forced you to kill your friends to live! Give that thing her reward give her A slow! Painful, Death!”
With that, the foals stopped fighting each other and turned together surrounding the shit in the center her forehooves in front of her in a defensive posture. The crowd chanting “Kill! Kill! Kill!” repeatedly, as it wasn’t often that Hannibal showed his “merciful” side, and they enjoyed watching foals kill their family like they were strangers.
“Children you don’t have to do this! You’re not murderers. Please, please!” the pink bleeder yelled trying to appeal to her assailants but they weren’t listening. It was her fault they were in this mess; she wanted them to die but their real family gave them a second chance and they will not waste it for this weakling in front of them.
“Get her!” they shouted in unison, pouncing on top of her ripping her to shreds keeping their promises to make her death slow and painful, and painful it was. The unicorns stabbed her eyes with their horns. Blood and pieces of her eyes clinging to their horns as they wedged them into her bleeding sockets. The earth pony filly with a knife in her mouth was cutting her ears off making it as sloppy as possible, but worst was the pegasus colt, who stabbed her marehood repeatedly and then proceeded to cut off the lips and her cliterous, causing the pitch of her screams to increase to new heights as shes being dismembered. For the final count, they cut her limbs at the shoulders about halfway leaving them attached by some muscle and bone. They each take an appendage and with the chants of the crowd they pull until finally the sound of a dying cunt fills the arena as she dies of blood loss limbless.
Hannibal laughing hysterically, applauds the four foals for their amazing display as they did not disappoint in their performance. The rest of the raiders cheering and shouting at the best show they’ve ever seen. “Well, well. Now, THAT’S a show folks! Congratulations kids, and welcome to your new family! Take whatever organ you think will make a nice breakfast for me as an offering and bring it to me in the courtyard, but if you bring me a liver, I will feed you for yours!” Satisfied with his dinner and show he dismisses the other two raiders on the throne floor leaving him alone with Cleaver. He walks to her licking her neck proceeding to nibble on her ear, something he enjoyed doing and something she enjoyed doing back. “Soo, what do you feel up to tonight, Cleaver?” The red horndog inquired.
“Ohh, I thought we could have a nice hoof fight, maybe rape some mares together, I was hoping to use that horn you gave me as a buttplug on one of those cunts then finish things by cuddling on top of some fresh corpses on your balcony looking up at the stars. Make it all mushy and romantic for ya.” she explained with a lick of her upper lip.
“Goddesses, I love being a raider!” Hannibal yelled with glee his left fore hoof over her right shoulder.
“No, no, you’re the king of raiders, baby, and don’t ya forget it but just to be safe I’ll punch ya extra hard tonight so it stays in that sexy red skull of yours. Now, go on, and greet the fresh meat. I’ll go get our night setup.” She blew a kiss towards him as they parted ways completing their agendas. Though they weren’t exclusive to each other among the other raiders, they found that sex was better together, but when they needed a break they’d play with the others. Even still, Hannibal would only eat food Cleaver made and she won’t let anyone else cook for Hannibal. After all, there's no such thing as love among raiders, just who was more fun to have sex and kill with.
Hannibal blissfully trotting to the center of his camp, happy with the way his life is. He owns the northwest, the citizens fear him, and he has a gang of raiders who’ll fight to the death for him. And now, he’s welcoming his newest members. He sees potential in them, especially the pegasus. Looks like he just needed a push in the right direction. Speaking of which, as he closed in on the courtyard, he saw the foals cheering and laughing at the fact that they survived. The unicorn they ganged up on more distant than the others, but still happy that the raider was merciful and extended that second chance to her as well. Another thing that separated the Angels apart from other gangs was that he enjoyed welcoming his new recruits letting them feel cared for and part of the group. He usually recruits young through the daycare as its proved to make them more loyal to the gang, there are exceptions however when he finds a strong enough fighter willing to prove themselves but keeps an eye on them as there have been numerous assassination attempts on his head and quite a few were from the older recruits turning out to be wannabe heroes killing ponies just to off his head. Needless to say Hannibal and the Angels have learned their lesson since then but sometimes it's fun to entertain the losers, watching the looks on their faces when they find out the gang knew all along who they were.
“We did it! We have a new family! I can’t wait to eat all the candy I find without having to share!” the little ones yelled excitedly but the little brown unicorn they almost killed just smiled. She was the first one to notice the crimson stallion walking up to them, her smile grew as it was he who spared her life at the cost of that worthless mare now just a blood stain on the daycare.
“Hello kids, I see you all heeded my warning about bringing me a liver so ya passed the test.” He said with a satisfied tone. He could see they washed the blood off themselves and the organs they picked making them look more presentable. The earth pony brought her heart, the pegasus her lungs, one unicorn brought kidneys, and the other brought her brain all things Cleaver could make into a good breakfast.
“First off, I’ll introduce myself, my names Hannibal the Cannibal I run this gang with a iron hoof so if I tell ya to stab a pony you say how deep. Secondly tomorrow you will meet your new parents, they will be your instructors in teaching you how to become badasses among other raiders so don’t disappoint me or you’ll wish you were killed in the daycare. Lastly, when you satisfy your new parents they will give you vests made from the skin of the ponies you killed in that arena only then can you truly be children of the Tartarus Angels so make me proud.” he said with an almost fatherly-like smile to his face.
“Oh thank you thank you thank you! I promise to do my best for you!” The once distant little unicorn said with sincere happiness unable to hold back the urge to hug the older stallion.
“Oooh the hugs, ookay, I'm sure you will.” Hannibal said in an awkward tone uncomfortable with the embrace from the filly.
He dismissed the fillies sending them to the nursery of the camp. The place was an old Ministry of Peace resort for ponies and their fillies to come relax away from the stresses of the war,named after the Ministry mare herself Hannibal wondered what sort of sweet reactions he would’ve gotten from her if she were alive to see it today. He took the place over when he had 15 members in order to have a place to call home instead of walking the endless roads of the northwest.
Hannibal’s room was a penthouse suite at the top of the resort. He was still amazed at the quality of the building, everything worked including the elevator. With 317 members in his gang he was happy that the resort was large and able to carry three times that of the current population but this week was special. Normally two thirds of the group would be in their own substations maintaining order and collecting taxes from the locals for safety but today it was the 5 year anniversary of the Tartarus Angels so for one week all the raiders would come home and celebrate their prosperity and dominance of the Northwest so in a twisted way the resort still fulfilled its purpose.
With a ping the doors of the elevator opened to the top floor, the sound of moans and screams of ecstasy heard muffled through the halls and Hannibal was excited to contribute to the chorus of sexual pleasure. It was always a party but during the anniversary week they got cranked up to 11 and a half. Hannibal reaches the large gold-rimmed door of the penthouse and with a push of confidence the doors swung open showing a well-kept suite with a few corpses in a corner and a beautiful brown mare tying up the unlucky mares from the caravan, fortunately these two were cuter than the pink shit-stain on the floor of the daycare. The two ponies stare into each others eyes relieved that the time finally came where they could embrace one another in un-raider like ways. While they knew that there was no such thing as love among raiders they had to admit that if in another life if they were normal everyday ponies they would probably be married with a couple of foals to call their own enjoying the mere presence of one another feeling as though nothing could harm them or stand in their way.
“Hello there stud, is that an assault rifle behind your jacket or you just happy to see me?” The brown mare said breaking the entrancing silence between the two. She was wearing a new outfit she found in the caravan they raided today she called it “loungarie...lingairi?” ah who cares what its called, the important thing was that it made Cleaver sexier and while ponies were normally naked this outfit really made you focus on the things stallions liked making them like it more.
Hannibal gave an approving whistle in her direction. “Where’d you find that little number?” he wondered. The outfit in question was a light pink gown with some cute little bowties, outlined with lacy edges over a garter belt with straps connecting to similarly colored stockings. It was odd not seeing Cleaver in her sky blue raider jacket, she cherished it as a treasure hell sometimes she would wear it during sex.
“Yellow bitch here tried to bargain her safety with it hoping I wouldn’t let you do to her what you did to her husband, so I’m gonna take her while you have the purple one.” replied Cleaver pointing to the light purple pegasus next to her.
“Aww you’re not going soft on me, are ya, Cleaver?” he taunted with a sly grin on his face. Taking off his own raider vest, a glossy black one with white patches, the largest a picture celestia in front of the fires of Tartarus charging at you with bright red flames leaving her eyes all under the name of the gang in question.
The two ponies embraced one another pressing their lips in a passion long-awaiting to be released and expressed in the precious moments the two raiders had only each other. They look into each other eyes satisfied with their lives and the bond they shared the beautiful silence they shared only to be disturbed by the whimpering mares bound and gagged on Hannibal’s king sized bed.
“Hannibal?” Cleaver gently asked.
“Yes Cleaver?” Hannibal replied his slow breaths flowing around the fur of the brown mare in front of him.
“This will sound crazy b-but bear with me... have you ever decided if there was more to us than just being raiders, if we could create a new life versus always taking it?” Cleaver said, her words carrying a weight Hannibal never thought would come from his mare, she was his right hoof mare always willing to take lives in the name of the gang to hear her ask such a thing was unexpected.
“Can’t say I ever thought about it, being a raider has always felt natural but i never thought about changing how we lived our lives, can’t say I really understand what you mean.” He replied with sincerity the notion foreign to him, Hannibal always thought about the best for his large family knowing every decision would affect the Angels as a whole but thinking how he would feel if one day he stopped killing and taking what's his. There were many ways to interpret what she meant, he thought she was wondering if there was more to what it meant to a raider than killing and expanding control if there were more efficient ways to prosper (Guys right, never see the bigger picture when it comes to their women eh.)
“Have you ever thought about… being a father?” The question hit Hannibal like a sledgehammer so much so he froze up in a slight curl.
Finally being able to breathe he replied with a deep breath “Nnooo, I would be a horrible parent that's why I have other members pick the kids and I just yell at them, why ruin such perfect thing? Sweet Celestia’s cliterous are you thinking of adopting one of those fillies tomorrow?”
“And how do you know if you’d be a bad father for fucks sake Hannibal we’re raiders its expected of us to be bad parents! We’re bad ponies and we love it, yet all the children adopted here have better lives than if they stayed with the shits that were their original parents, why won’t you give parenting a chance?! Don’t you want to have a family to share this dynasty you built?!” Cleaver yelled defensibly bombarding Hannibal with the idea of having children.
“Whoa whoa calm down Cleaver I never I wouldn’t give it a chance I’m just not ready for that kind of commitment...I...I mean look out there cleaver. 317 ponies including us are growing still, the ponies out there in the inner city fear us but need us even if they don’t see it, I need more time to think about this okay you caught me off guard with all this.” He proceeded to hug her tightly and comfort her as he saw how torn she was, she has been acting weird lately for a few months more emotional than normal.
She looked up at him, tears in her eyes “You promise?” she asked. He saw that look in her eyes the one where the answer could break a pony like fragile glass.
He breathed in, then with calm sincerity promised he would think about the potential of being both a raider and a father. Before Cleaver could utter another word there came a knock on the door.
“Oh my fuck, somepony better dying!” The Crimson pony yelled as he walked to the door. Before he opened he looked back at Cleaver giving her a comforting smile that he will take what she asked to heart.
Upon opening the door a large obsidian black stallion was looking nervous down at the angry red pony not liking that he was being disturbed by the interruption. The black stallion bowed down coming to eye level with his boss in an apologetic fashion.
“Bouncer...this better be good or I swear on Nightmare Moon’s cunt I will use your entrails as a swing like the last jackass!” Hannibal said with the seriousness and tone that came with an imminent demise both remembering last winter when a drunken stallion barged in on Hannibal and Cleaver making Hannibal turn the dumbass into an actual swing in the courtyard needless to say it was only for that day since it became too rotten to use.
“Sorry boss, you said only to disturb you in case of emergencies or if some kind of pony you despised was at the gate.” Bouncer replied stupidly.
“I know what I said! I said it for fuck sakes! What I’m not hearing is why I’m being bothered by the dumbest dick in the camp! So speak up you damn shit-fer-brains!” Hannibal was out of fucks to give since his daily dose was being given to the mares in his suite and this brick wall was both a blessing and a curse considering he saved Hannibal from a conversation he didn’t want to have at the moment but was also stopping him from having a four-way so if Bouncer picked his words right he won’t be Hannibal’s next cock-kebab Celestia know his was barely an appetizer, all that shit about body builders and such.
“There’s some kinda preacher pony telling us to repent and surrender our lives to the greater good, said a bunch of stupid stuff and wanted to speak to you boss.” Bouncer said, hoping that was enough to be spared by his boss though it was a bit late for his ego.
“Oh thank Celestia, a luna-damned Zealot at our doorstep waiting to be torn apart.” a hint of happiness beginning to surface in Hannibal’s tone.
Hannibal HATED religious types, specifically the holier than thou types who go door to door, town to town to piss the living fuck out of everyone. If he could, Hannibal would round up every zealot in the world, crucify them and throw burning oil, acid, fuel, molten metal you name it for the sake of hearing them beg for help from the “one true gods” to save their souls from Hannibal. So when one comes to the raider camp to preach their ego the Tartarus Angels hold them for Hannibal to have his fun and afterwords literally bathe in their blood (it's quite refreshing, like a mud-bath but cooler, really lets those toxins out.)
Bouncer now relieved that his life would not end as a swing, left to return the front entrance where the soon to be shampoo preacher was at. Turning back to Cleaver he puts his leather vest back on before kissing Cleaver telling her to get started without him and that he would be back soon.
“Surrender yourselves to the one true Goddess and your souls will be spared in the afterlife! Repent your sins and give yourselves onto our mercy!” The preacher was so loud he was heard from the lobby. Again, thank the Goddesses that he showed up to die at Hannibal’s mercy. Reaching the gate, he notioned the guards to open it looking forward to this distraction.
“Phew! I can smell the little colts on your crotch from here! Now, what do you want, you shithole?!” Hannibal yelled catching the light grey unicorn’s attention.
“Are you Hannibal The Cannibal?” The preacher asked with such a high and mighty tone even Canterlot ponies would say “that's pompous.”
“Gee what gave that away? The fresh blood on my face? The metal forelegs? Maybe the pony flesh on my teeth or perhaps the army of raiders behind me.” He replied with sarcasm.
“I am here on behalf the Treehuggers, whose Goddess of the same name wish to discuss the terms of your surrender.” The preacher said with such confidence you’d think they’d lost already.
There was a long pause as the ponies who heard him tried to process what they had just heard; only to be broken by their laughter echoing around the valley their camp was nestled in. Most of the guards were on the ground cracking up as they wondered if it was an early April Fool’s joke. The preacher, however, kept his pompous poster during the chorus of laughter.
“Wow!” Hannibal choked out between laughs. “You got quite the funny bone! I haven’t laughed this much since I made a stallion scream up an octave! Okay. Who put you up to this?”
The preacher cleared his throat as he began to speak. “The Treehuggers are here to liberate the Northwest from your evil clutches. If I do not return within the next 20 minutes with your surrender we shall unleash our full might upon your sanctum of sin!”
Hannibal laughed once more and in an instant returned to a serious posture.“Oh. You were serious. Well, come on in. We’ll negotiate inside.” He said with a predatory grin. The preacher, so full of himself, ignored Hannibal’s expression and was happy to hear he was willing to cooperate. The doors closed behind him and he immediately saw that he was surrounded on all sides by the Raiders with their leader next to a cauldron, a torch, and a catapult. Bouncer grabbed the small unicorn, who now realized that they weren’t surrendering, to their leader who was gingerly awaiting the cries of this pompous ass. Hannibal, extending out his claws, grabbed the preacher by the mane and brought him up to eye level. “So where are your precious Treehuggers now?”
Somehow keeping his posture, the preacher replied, “I won’t tell you.” The raiders started laughing with one pony in the background yelling, “Right answer!”.
“You know?” Hannibal told him. “There’s a lot of perks to having metal forelimbs. One of them is…” With a single thrust, he slammed the preacher’s head into the boiling hot cauldron. His screams blending in with the hiss of burning skin and fur. After a few moment, the Raider leader pulled the preacher’s head out. “Resistance to hot temperatures.” he finished. “Again, where are your Treehuggers now?”
The preacher gasped for air as he tried to regain his composure. “They’re…” he uttered between breaths. “...in the woods… down the valley…”
“There~.” Hannibal replied half singsongedly. “That wasn’t so hard, was it?” before the zealot in front of him could respond he threw him back inside the boiling cauldron once again creating a harmony of hissing and screams. He kept the song of agony going for a while longer before he was satisfied. Lifting the prick’s head out he saw he wasn’t as full of himself as he was when he arrived, this brought a smile to Hannibal’s face, he was doing the world a service since who could ever like filth like this. Now bearing a more serious and subtle grin he looked at the cooked face with sense of finality.
“I take it they still need my answer huh.” He didn’t really ask but more declared that the fun was over. Hannibal unsheathed his signature weapon a military bowie knife with small serrations near the handle and a very sharp edge, what made this particular knife so special among all the others in the wasteland was that it was always razor sharp cutting everything with ease including power armor and hard gems like warm butter. Whoever the previous owner was they gave it good care and used it often considering the non-military sharpening and the shoulder holster that Hannibal found it in, the polished edged shined from the light of the torch the amber glow giving an oumonus look making it quite clear to the preacher what fate was bestowed upon him.
“Last words you cum stain?” The little shit only cried begging for you guessed it...mercy, we all know that routine already so let's just get to the good part. For the final time the preacher’s head went into the boiling substance, Hannibal’s bowie knife, now heated from the flames of the torch met the side of the preacher’s neck the teeth meeting the boiling skin like a ferocious but trained guard dog waiting for permission to rip apart his food.
With rhythmic stomps from his loyal audience the teeth of the blade dug into the flesh of the worthless pony still praying for a salvation that would never come. Blood squirted out as he cut an artery but kept taking his time savoring every last jerk, hiss, and drop of blood that rained upon the red stained raider enjoyed the smell of boiling and burning blood from the giant pot. When the body dropped to the floor and the head floating in his claws Hannibal pulled it out with satisfaction, the head was almost no different from a ghoul’s the eyes must’ve popped as the sockets were empty. Cleaning his bowie knife with the corpse’s coat he sheathed it back into the holster under his right forelimb.
“Lets deliver our ‘surrender’!” everyone laughed maniacally as the head was set on fire and placed on the catapult, with a release of the trigger the head flew high it’s flames undying even as it hit the ground rolling down the valley the former resort was housed in.
“You guys have fun taking care of those cunts I got a sexy mare waiting for me upstairs.” their leader said while standing on his hind legs and stretching himself.
“You want us to scout them out before they attack boss?” one of the raiders asked as hannibal was walking away.
“The fucks the point? They’re likely just some unhappy shitheads with a god-complex like the last time.” with that the guards readied themselves for their late night raid that was about to commence.
Returning back to the penthouse suite Hannibal saw Cleaver raping the corpse of the mare she picked with her strap-on while the mare she left for him was curled up in a ball crying as far away as the chains around her neck would let her be. Cleaver was naked and covered in the mare’s blood, her lifeless eyes looking at the crying mare. Cleaver’s moans increased a bit when she saw him getting erect from the pleasant sight, the cries from the living mare making the scene hotter.
“How’d it go?” His brown mistress asked casually like they were having a normal conversation.
“Boiled his head in fuel before cutting it off and sending it to our guests as a ball of flames. Guards are going to take care of the rest when they show up, doubt it’ll be much of a challenge for’em.” the leather vest being hung once again, the warmth of multiple candles and lanterns cradling their bodies. With approval from Cleaver over the decisions she went back to ravaging the lifeless body while Hannibal walked closer to the tear marinated mare. He got closer to her proceeding to gently pull her mane back, he saw she was a pretty mare but unfortunately for her he wasn’t looking for a long term relationship.
“Don’t worry you’ll be with her very soon.” her eyes opening when she realized the meaning behind his words the mares tears now begging to be spared pleading to live even as a sex slave. Cleaver moved away from the body to let the begging mare be forcibly placed on top of her dead companion her mouth slightly open. Her eyes blank but somehow focused to the mare telling her she was next. Hannibal popped out his claws again grabbing the mare’s head forcing her to kiss her friend’s lifeless body. She kept resisting to no avail, those once sparkly eyes in front of her offering no comfort. He inserted himself into the corpse using the blood as a lubricant, his thrusts hitting the other mare as well as his bloody cock rubbed against her marehood nice and hard. Their victim was being violated without being raped. Her marefriend still taking the abuse even after death with no resistance. It was moving around from the raider’s humps. She thought she could see the bodies’ eyes roll into it’s skull as their lips still met due to the downforce of Hannibal’s metal hoof. Warmed up he pulled out of the dead mare and now fucked the live one much to Cleaver’s satisfaction. There was a clear, sweet difference in the two as the corpse was nice and relaxed, while the live one was so tight from the fear that she was meeting the same end as her companion. Her whimpering and cries for help only intensified the pleasures of the couple. Cleaver masturbated with the horn Hannibal passed her in the kitchen. The two took mutual pleasure in the suffering that culminated these moments, seeing the mares suffer as Cleaver once did made her happy since it was now her on top. She was in control all because of that lovely red stallion ripping the poor mare apart. The feeling of the mare tightening up around Hannibal in an attempt to push him out was in a word, blissful. The feeling of taking away the freedom they took for granted was always a rush. The only ponies they could blame were themselves after all. Hannibal and Cleaver were just reaping the rewards of ignorance from the unlucky ponies. No matter how many times they ran this scenario it's always exhilarating. Out of nowhere Cleaver bucks Hannibal in the sides throwing him off the sad mare. Once he recovered he lunged back at her punching her in the gut. The purple pegasus mare couldn’t believe what was happening. The two were throwing blows to one another like feral animals. It was like two timber wolves fighting for the same meal. She didn’t know what to do but she thought that she could somehow escape. Her wings weren’t tied up so she could still fly. When she saw an opening, she mouthed her goodbyes to her lifeless marefriend vowing revenge. She jumped and flew towards the open balcony, she was moving. She was flying. The crazy couple were still fighting, the door was ever closer, suddenly everything stopped. She was falling, the ponies were laughing...she forgot about the chain on her hind leg.
“Ha! She tried to escape! Looks like you owe me a hoof rub.” Cleaver practically purred, not only did she get a good hoof fight with Hannibal but the dumb mare’s face upon realizing this was part of a bet sank her to a newfound dread. Her life, her fate was a wager on whether she tried to survive or not. It was a game to them, they knew she might try this, they wanted her to realize there was no hope for her. More tears came out, she somehow thought that they’d let her go if enough came out...it was foolish, the dice had been rolled, her fate had been set.
“Did you really think you were the first to try that?” He towered over her, she curled up even tighter as a reply. Both psycos laughed as they looked down at the poor pegasus, no matter how many times they do this the horrified expressions on their faces always made it feel like the first time.
“Fuck me while I choke her.” Cleaver ordered, Hannibal obliged by throwing the purple pony at the wall. A small splat could be heard and he dug his claws into the pegasus’ wing, bringing her to an awaiting Cleaver lying on her back where the other one used to be. She was thrown like a ball on top of Cleaver, who caught her, wrapping her forelegs around the purple one’s neck and her hindlegs around the other’s hindlegs as well. Cleaver was quite flexible as she had a lot of practice subduing many stallions in their tracks. Hannibal pierced the hoofs of the poor pony with his claws removing the need for the chain on her leg. With her magic, Cleaver inserted the broken end of the horn she was using earlier into the mare, cutting her up from the inside with each movement. She couldn’t scream, Cleaver’s hooves still around her neck kept tightening making each breath shorter than the last. The brown mare and red stallion both moaning evermore as their victim gasped more and more for air that wouldn’t come. The pain began to fade as did the world from her eyes she started to spasm in her final moments, this only aroused them even more and with a last jolt of insult they climaxed as the purple mare’s life faded from her eyes.
“That was fun.” Hannibal said between breaths as he threw the new carcass like a toy to be with her lover at the wall, both mares seemed to almost stare at cleaver much to her pleasure.
The two looked at each other with passionate satisfaction. The hidden love burning in their eyes glowed only to be seen by the other. Their lips connected at long last as if the last time was an eternity ago. To them it didn’t matter if they were in Heaven, Tartarus, or sticky from drying blood in an old Ministry of Peace ski and spa resort. The world was theirs and all that mattered were these tender moments here they could just embrace one another. It was peaceful, almost serene like nothing could go wrong, a true luxury in the wasteland, one they have killed many for.
“I…I love you Hannibal.” she said with the most sincere eyes he had ever scene on the mare, the words themselves sent a warm but unknown feeling down his spine. Time eased to a halt, the goddesses letting them treasure this moment not as raiders...but as lovers.
Before Hannibal could return those words to Cleaver an explosion returned them to reality, the ground shaking under their hooves. The alarm sounded, raiders were screaming down below and the roars of cannon fire sung as a symphony of thunder. Cleaver and Hannibal dawned their leather vests and weapons, Hannibal his bowie knife, Cleaver her zebra rifle. Cleaver threw a rope out the balcony then dived clinging to it while Hannibal jumped down digging one of his hoof claws into the concrete and glass of the tower slowing his decent. As they descended they saw artillery fire coming from the woods, the sight of tanks racing up the hill with ponies in prewar combat armor running right beside them. When they hit ground the front gate was blasted away making a large hole where it used to be, pieces of ponies and debris flying through the air, the head of Bouncer landed in front of the couple his faced charred and covered in shrapnel. Hannibal couldn’t believe his eyes, the one time he throws caution to the wind and he is invaded by the fucking Equestrian Military. Angered by this embarrassment he charged blindly to the first pony he sees, a orange pegasus stallion in light barding but before he could reach the pony a blast from one of the tanks behind the pegasus sends him flying backwards. A sharp pain is felt followed by a progressing numbness overcoming his state of consciousness with every passing second, his world fading around him Hannibal sees cleaver running towards him.She screamed his name at the top of her lungs her face mortified seeing the metal bar punctured through his abdomen, the sounds of her voice are beginning to fade as well.
“Hannibal?! You bastards!!” as she turned to face her foes she was gunned down by another pony this one a light blue unicorn with gold mane wearing a fancy white outfit shot Cleaver repeatedly with glee on his face.
“Easier than I thought, Treehugger has truly blessed us…” These last words echoed as Hannibal’s world faded to black, the last thing he saw was Cleaver mouthing those three words...one... last… time.
Footnote: Level reset, you got cocky and lost everything, have fun climbing back on top.
Chapter One: What...the...Fuck!
Hannibal woke up in the medical wing of the camp. The back of his... well everything hurt like anal with no lube, especially in his abdomen. For a moment he hoped it was all a bad dream but soon found out that it was real...lying on the operating table next to him... was Cleaver. She looked peaceful. Almost asleep if it wasn’t for the bullet holes. Thank the Goddesses none hit that beautiful face of hers.
“Oh, you’re awake.” Immediately Hannibal’s head turned around to the unfamiliar voice in the room, what stood in front of him was a pegasus mare and a...cow? No, no she has one horn not two. Both mares were nervous that Hannibal was awake, the metal forelimbs and fangs did not instill confidence. It looked more like they were trying to do their best Fluttershy impression.
“Who the Hell are you?” his face was on a hair trigger expecting a good response.
“I’m Sapphire Sunrise a-and is my daughter Crystalline, we were slaves of the cult that attacked your home. We found our opportunity to escape during the fighting and hid until it was over. We didn’t find any survivors until Crystalline found your auras.” the light silver mare with a sapphire blue mane answered. Wonder if that's how she got her name Hannibal thought.
“Aura?” asked Hannibal. The pink filly with golden patches and mane nodded timidly in response as she hid behind her mother.
“One of the effects from her special talent and some radiation poisoning at birth. She can see the aura of machines and ponies. With machines its how much magical energy they have and ponies their life and emotions. She can basically tell if a pony is good or bad. The both of you showed up as good ponies to her so we tried to save you and well…” Hannibal knew the rest...Cleaver died... he lived.
“Was it quick for her?” The saddened expression that clouded his face eased the mare and her filly seeing how hurt he is over her passing making him more approachable.
“No… she fought it, long enough to show us where this ward was. She told us to ignore her and focus on saving you. I...tried to help her but she said she’d rather die than lose you, threatened to hurt my little girl if I didn’t listen.” a hurt smile came to Hannibal’s face all he could think about was how much that sounded like her. He owed them his life there was no doubt about that, though part of him wished Cleaver could’ve been saved.
“Thanks, I’m pretty sure I’d be six feet under if it wasn’t for you. As such, I’ll pay my debt to you in return. I take it you two don’t have anywhere to call home?” The two ponies in front of him hung their heads in sorrow answering his question. “Tell you what then. There's a church in downtown Seaddle. The priest there is a fucking prick but he helps ponies of all kind get a second chance. Doesn’t ask much in return I know he’d be able to get you two a fresh start in a normalish life. I can escort you there and protect you free of charge.” he offered.
The two brightened up at the proposal. Crystalline looked at the her mother excitedly practically begging her to say yes. Sapphire nodded to her filly making her bounce in joy knowing they were free from the cult. “We accept your offer. But you need to rest for another day before we leave.” Sapphire said with a soft thankful voice.
“Yeah, I need a day but not to fucking rest. You said I was the sole survivor of the attack right?” Sapphire nodded once in response to the question. “Then I have 320 bodies to burn... and one mare to bury…” Hannibal looked at Cleaver’s body as he got off the operating table, much to the objections of Sapphire and Crystalline.
“You can’t stress yourself too much, you need rest.” Sapphire claimed, a worried look clouding her face accompanied by her silent filly.
“Look, thanks for helping me, but If you think I'm gonna lay here jerkin’ off to my losses, you got another thing comin’.” As he attempted to walk out the room he glanced at a green silhouette in the mirror. His eyes opened wide in shock. Immediately he looked himself over seeing the mirror wasn't playing tricks. Hannibal’s hard worked blood colored fur was gone and replaced by his original jade fur and antique turquoise mane. His jaw dropped at the realization that he was no longer the red death ponies feared; but a damn green stallion impersonating his hard-earned look. Sure he still had the fangs, the leather vest, and the metal forelimbs but it's the principle dammit! The good news was that there were still light scars where his cutie marks were supposed to be. If he had those back, then he knew somewhere up in the cosmos the Goddesses were playing a shitty prank on him. “W-why am I green?!” He wasn’t really asking for an explanation but hoping it was just a nightmare and that they would tell him it was.
“We had to clean your wound to avoid infection and when we saw the green fur we kinda got carried away.” Sapphire tried really hard to sell her claim with an awkward smile...it didn't work.
“You...gave me a bath...When you could've saved Cleaver!?” If earth ponies could burn down a building with their stare Hannibal would have. The fiery anger radiating out his eyes like a bale fire blast.
“No, no, no! She died a little after she took us to the medical ward. She took a lot of hits to the chest, it was even a miracle she lasted until we found her, let alone walk us here.” In an effort to keep his promise Hannibal stomped out to the exit. In a second, his legs organic and mechanical halted. The sight was devastating, fires still burning, craters from tank shells, bodies of his comrades his family littered on the ground like trash. Even half of his penthouse building barely stood. The shocking part was at the entrance, Angels that most likely surrendered (mostly the young) were lying in a firing line… they were executed. Whoever the Treehuggers were they were just as bad as the Raiders if not worse. Among the dead he found the four foals whose lives he promised to make better, he saw the tears still visible down their cheeks. The carnage, if it hadn’t been his family, his kingdom would have earned an applause and smile but now he knew again what it felt like to be on the receiving end of devastation. There was no sign of life, only its absence, Hannibal took some comfort that for the most part his Raiders fought till the end. Sapphire and Crystalline ran to his still body, the look of loneliness and defeat present in his eyes. The mares on his sides gazed up at him with apologetic expressions, feeling guilty for the massacre before them.
“I’m sorry.” that was all Sapphire could do, all she could say, bearing witness to similar atrocities like this even if the ponies were bad didn’t feel right to her. The loss Hannibal just witnessed tore her from the inside, whereas once before she only just saw the aftermath of it. Now she could see the pain it brought. They urged him back inside to the still intact medical room to give him a Med-X and a healing potion to ease the pain. When she went grab the Med-X she found that they were out of them. Hannibal didn’t care much about that, but she couldn’t stand to see him like that. Maybe it was her desire to help others that made her so persistent to aid him, maybe it was something else entirely, but she couldn’t leave him alone and she didn’t want to leave her daughter alone with him.
“Don’t worry, Mommy, I’m a big girl. I can take care of him.” Crystalline said with that sweet innocent smile radiating warmth in the room and her mother’s heart.
“It’s not you I’m worried about, it’s leaving you with him.” Sapphire replied.
“She does look tasty.” He said jokingly. Her expression soured towards him even more. He looked at her more calmly and spoke with a more serious tone. “I won’t hurt her. I promise, ok? Even if I wanted to, I still have a hole in my gut and chasing her won’t help my odds of survival. Like it or not, my life’s in your hooves, Sapphire.” With some relief at his words, she cautiously left the filly and the stallion together in the room while she looked around for more healing supplies. For a while Crystalline stared at Hannibal harboring a small smile towards him the notions made him...uncomfortable. She didn’t speak and neither did he, all this just made things more awkward for him, finally he decided to kill the silence. “Soo ...Crystalline huh ,not a very ponyish name is it?” He felt so forced to say that, it didn’t help the little filly was excited to be asked about her name.
The little filly chuckled lightly. “That’s because I’m a Crystal Pony, silly. Both me and my mommy are. We’re from the Former Crystal Empire! So whenever we’re really happy or feel a tremendous amount of love we glow like Crystals!” At least that explained the slight glow he was seeing. He almost thought he was slipped something in the healing potion. She walked closer to him wanting to tell him more about her and her mother. “Mommy says I’m special that my heart is so golden it overflowed into my coat.” The filly was uncomfortably close to him now. All he could do was put on a sheepish smile for her. She kept talking until the Goddesses blessed him with a noise to shut her up...her tummy rumbled. She blushed out of embarrassment, which even Hannibal had to admit was kinda cute, but most importantly it got her to stop talking about how she doesn’t need a night light cause her eyes glow when she’s happy, which apparently is always.
“Hungry eh?” The little filly nodded in response. With a sigh he hopped off the operating table and motioned her to follow him. “Come on, I’ll see if I can whip something up for ya.” Without a second thought she followed him to the kitchen. It was surprisingly clean and untouched by the battle. He saw there wasn’t anything pre-made or any prewar treats. The kitchen was large and well kept. It was originally meant to cater a resort full of ponies, now it was mostly used for food storage and more private meals. None of the raiders were from stables so the idea of eating indoors felt stupid. While Hannibal looked around for ingredients wondering what he can make for his non-cannibalistic guest, Crystalline admired the yellow walls with pink accents honoring the Element of Kindness. The little filly’s eyed widened at the mural of her caring for a little white bunny with the words “everyone deserves a little kindness” under the smiling pair. Crystalline found it hard to believe bad ponies lived in a place meant to help ponies feel better. Within these walls it was hard to tell how sad the outside world was. She felt as if she was in prewar Equestria and Fluttershy would come out of that mural and give her a big hug.
Something smelled nice she thought, the filly turned around to see a steaming pot and Hannibal cutting up meat and vegetables with his big knife proceeding to dump them into boiling water. Crystalline saw the stallion give himself a nostalgic smile as he mixed spices and seasonings she’s never seen before in sequence. The aroma had a nice spicy feeling with a hint of sourness from the lemons he squeezed into the broth. She was surprised he could cook much less enjoy it. Back with the Treehuggers the mares always cooked while the stallions did all the trading and dirty work as her mom explained. “Mhmm smells good! What is it?” She asked.
“Mole rat stew with some veggies and jalapeños, an old family recipe.” Once he tasted his finished product he poured some in a large bowl and passed it to her. She breathed in the warm aroma of the stew. The spicy steam cleared her nostrils and watered her mouth. She took a sip, her eyes opened wide to the harmony of spiciness and the rich feeling of lemon in the broth each complementing each other as ponies once did a long time ago. In a instant, she lifted the bowl with her hooves and magic and started chugging it down. Before she put the bowl down to ask for more there was already another one waiting for her to be enjoyed.
“It’s so good! This the best stew I’ve ever had!” Before she devoured this bowl as well something popped out of the greasy orange broth. It was an eye. Crystalline screamed at the top of her lungs frightened by the non pony eye in her stew.
“Whoops. Sorry, sweetie. That bits part of the old family.” He laughed and ate the eye much to the disgust of the little filly.
“Crystalline! Crystalline! Get away from my baby!” Out of nowhere Sapphire appeared and pounced on Hannibal ready to defend her daughter. She assaulted him with weak punches that weren’t even good enough for foreplay in his eyes, but nonetheless quite annoying.
“Hey, hey, hey, hey! Get off me!” He could’ve pushed her off, but even in his weakened state he didn’t want to hurt his savior too badly. Luckily, Sapphire’s daughter pulled her off him ending the elementary school brawl that was happening.
“Mommy, he didn’t hurt me. There was just an eye in my stew!” She looked a bit confused hearing her daughter utter those words, but soon realized she was hitting the large deadly stallion that cooked for them for, apparently, no reason. She quickly turned around to him and started bowing down repeatedly saying she was sorry. Thank the Goddesses, it was Hannibal she was apologizing to and not Fluttershy. He imagined those two could say they were sorry to each other till the end of time.
He shut her up by putting a bowl of stew and front of her making sure there wasn’t any eyes in hers either. Sapphire replicated the exact same reactions and words just like her daughter did when she ate her stew, except she vocally stated she was surprised about his ability to cook so well. Hannibal served himself some and reminisced about how long it’s been since he last cooked for himself, or anypony else for that matter. Seeing Sapphire and Crystalline enjoyed their meals brought back memories from Hannibal’s foalhood and how he used to cooked for the other foals in his father’s raider gang. He remembered the smiles his cooking brought to everyone around him. He remembered that was how he got his cutie mark and the things he did afterward. Before he could think about those events, he was interrupted by a light, warm feeling on his plot, and the yells of Crystalline pointing at where his Cutie mark used to be except….
“Nnoooooooooo!!” There were Zebras in pre war Rome that heard his cries. They were so loud they shook the ground a bit making the filly and mare cover their ears. “What the fuckmothering Tartarus is happening to me!? You cunt sucking, bitch shitting, Goddesses of pastel cum stains, whyy!?” Hannibal couldn’t believe it. Instead of seeing a blank flank covered in scar tissue, he saw a cutting board and a combat knife pushing carrots into steaming pot on his rump. It was at that moment he realized that the stew he made was the same one he cooked when he first got his cutie mark. This was now officially the worst day of Hannibal’s life. His army of Raiders got annihilated by a horde of religious zealots with so much firepower it’d give the Steel Rangers throbbing erections, he lost his right-hoofed mare/special somepony, he lost his hard earned crimson red coat and now his cutie mark is back...the universe didn’t not like him right now.
“Welp, if you excuse me, I’m going to go cut off my cutie mark again.” Before he could walk out of the kitchen and do it in someplace private, Sapphire and Crystalline blocked his path with hooves raised to push him back.
“No! Don’t cut it off! It’s a nice cutie mark. Please, don’t do it!” The little filly gave him the puppiest of puppy eyes he’s ever seen, she even quivered her lower lips for good measure.
“Don’t care, I won’t be caught dead with this on.” He retorted.
“You will be if you do Hannibal, you’ve already lost a lot of blood from your injuries any more can kill you.” She was genuinely concerned for his well-being. He could see it in her eyes. He couldn’t understand it but that look calmed him down. He’s seen mares beg for their lives multiple times but not many for his. She had the same look Cleaver did when they first met. With a deep sigh, he limped back to his stool much to the relief of the mother and her daughter. For a while, they ate their food in silence enjoying the moments of peace they had. The kitchen was warm from the flames of the stoves. The smell of fresh ingredients filled the air. It was serene to them. To Hannibal, it was disturbing. The silence was uneasy and unfamiliar. Only a day ago was the air full of screams, of fools cries of foals, and roars of comrades. He only remembered one day in his life when he was in the company of dead silence. It was the day he lost his forelegs which was the tip of an iceberg of bad memories.
“I’m going to cremate my raiders. Look for supplies and weapons inside the warehouse. There’s a basement in there that I doubt they found, just don’t touch the red crate.” Without waiting for a response he began to leave. Being poked with a hoof, he looked down seeing Crystalline with a healing potion in her magic and a smile on her face.
“Thanks for the stew it was yummy.” Hannibal smiled back at her and petted her golden mane then continued out the door.
The sun was setting, a gentle breeze caused the trees to sing, bodies were everywhere but at least the flames died down. Downing the healing potion, he began with the larger corpses and threw them into a large crater made by the artillery fire. As the sun faded away, the crater filled to brim making it level with the ground. He made sure the intact bodies had their vests on and the ones in bits and pieces were wrapped up with theirs. Some of his raiders still had smiles on their faces. They knew they were going to die, but they died on their terms. This brought a sorrowful smile to Hannibal’s face. He remembered some of them in life, like Razorblade, who fought with razors in her tail. She said she got the idea from a raider in Hoofington. Lily who loved carving flowers on ponies faces. Shorty had a few ballsacks on her, she always loved ripping them off with her mouth. Blood Gaze, Chain Male, Smoothie, Spikey Saddles they all were fucking nuts, but he was sure they were partying hard in Tartarus now.
The Foals though, still had looks of betrayal on them. A few were wrapped in the legs of caretakers who soothed them in their final moments. Hannibal thanked them silently for doing so. He took extra care with them and made sure they were together on the pile on top. The four he welcomed only hours ago were huddled together on the ground. Their blood mixed in the soil the outlines of their tears still evident on their bodies. They almost looked as if they were sleeping and having a nightmare. He thought he could hear them blame their deaths on him. Leaving those four for last, he went to the half demolished tower. His penthouse and possessions now rubble on the old pool. The rooms he was able to enter had varying sights. Some ponies were gunned down during their play sessions, some were empty, one with two stallions and one gun. They were slaves, probably lovers, wanting to die together, even they were brought to the crater with the others. He had to respect their commitment to each other.
The moon shined brightly on the large grave of all who died in the massacre. For the four foals, Hannibal made a blanket from the skin of the mare they killed together adorned with a patch of the Tartarus Angels. This was the best he could do for them and while it wasn’t enough, he hoped it was a start. “I’m sorry.” He said to them then proceeded to cover them with the blanket so Tartarus would know they belong to his family. Sapphire and Crystalline watched as Hannibal poured gasoline and ether on the bodies. As it seeped deeper into the hole, he began to say a prayer for his comrades.
“For us death wasn’t the end, but the goal. Life was a test to show the Spirit of the Wasteland we were stronger. That where others struggled, we persevered. Where others suffered, we celebrated. So when we reach our judgement by the Goddesses, the halls of Tartarus would rejoice at our arrival. That our eternal celebration can begin and never end. I’m sorry I will not be joining you yet my brothers and sisters, but I will one day. Until then, torture the weak and claim your rightful place as the Angels of Tartarus... farewell.” The howl from the rising flames devoured the bodies, their ashes to the wind and their souls to the earth below. The two mares saw the sparkle of a single tear fall from Hannibal’s face. Only two more to bury...Cleaver and himself.
Sapphire hugged her daughter tightly. The sight of so many ponies burning away was too much for the filly to see. They returned to the operating room where Hannibal was embracing Cleaver’s body. The ponies didn’t say anything, Crystalline badly trying to hold back tears, Sapphire wondering how Hannibal could smile at a time like this. He wrapped a saddlebag onto his neck then stood on his hind legs carrying Cleaver in his metal forelimbs. Walking away without a word Sapphire wondered how he remained so composed. Her daughter, however broke down whimpering on the floor, tears flooding out past her hooves. The two looked at each other for a brief moment then hugged each other in comfort. “Why Mommy? I thought we were good ponies so why does it hurt?”
Her daughter was sobbing and she couldn’t understand any of this. Those ponies were bad...weren’t they? Why did the Treehuggers kill the children? Couldn’t they have been saved? Wasn’t their purpose to bring peace and blessings to those around them? She’s seen raiders before but they looked evil, even dead. These ponies, however, were like them so why did they have to die? Why didn’t they surrender? Did they accidentally kill the wrong group of ponies? That was all Sapphire could think about. Everything seemed wrong. She knew that face Hannibal had looking at Cleaver that wasn’t a monster losing somepony expendable, that was a husband who lost his wife…
In the garden, next to a tree, Hannibal placed Cleaver in the grave he promised her when she joined the Angels. Naked and with only flowers covering her chest. He kissed her on the lips one last time and whispered to her the three words he wasn’t able tell her in life… “I love you.” His special somepony buried a free mare with roses on her chest in the garden she cherished. May she rest in peace.
