Fallout Equestria: Petrichor

"Bushy Tail?"

The foal shook their head.

"Indigo?"

There was a second of pondering, but then another head shake. I couldn't help but shake my head a bit, smiling while at it. This little foal was stubborn on what their name should be - not that it was a bad thing, one's name should reflect who you were after all. Mine was rather fitting, considering its origins and my cutie mark - a pair of dice on top of a four pointed star - so I wanted the little foal to have a name just as good.

"I got it. Pipsqueak."

The foal pouted at that, not exactly liking my joke. I couldn't help but to snort at the scrunched up face the foal was making - which caused the unicorn to just gallop off. I let them, keeping a close eye but otherwise not running after them - I needed to save my stamina if possible. The little one I could carry, and they seemed to be able to replenish their energy at astonishing speeds. The dark unicorn ran into some ruined buildings, and for a moment I tensed as I lost eye-contact on the foal. That feeling eased as they came back out, waving their small hoof in an effort to tell me to slow down for a moment - something I obliged to, halting at the doors.

I hadn't taken long to realize that the little one was good at scavenging, and took every chance they could to look into small buildings that looked promising. So far we had had rather good luck, a hoof full of caps, a half-empty pack of cigarettes, a bottle of dirty water and a box of somewhat damaged Sugar Bombs. The latter two were swiftly consumed by the two of us - I was famished, truth be told. Everything else was placed into the sack hanging from my neck, along with some smaller knick knacks the foal had found.

"Maybe we ought to name ya after your skill of finding things this easily." I couldn't help but note, as the foal returned, something wrapped in their telekinesis. Upon closer inspection, I noticed a hotplate, an old magazine... and a tiny toy wagon. The little one made a sheepish grin, before adding the new finds into the sack around my neck - which caused me to smile a bit. This was a kid after all, I'd have to keep my eyes open for new toys for them.

My thoughts were interrupted by a shriek of terror. Jolting my head up, I turned my gaze down of the street, instinctively pulling the foal behind one of my front hooves. That was not a good sound, and Luna be damned if I'd let anypony or anything touch my new small friend. My eyes locked onto the unicorn mare running towards us, eyes filled with tears as she was escaping from a group of three armed ponies.

"Help me!" she cried out loud upon noticing me. She only got few feet away from me before a loud bang sounded through, and the amethyst coated mare ended up falling down with splatter of red coming from her leg. The mare skidded across the ground, whimpering once she came to a stop, still a good couple feet away from where me and my little friend were.

The group came to a stop - at first I thought they were trying to figure out if I was a threat or not. But then I heard them talking to each other - if you can call yelling your lungs out talking. A sickly yellow earth pony mare yelling at a deep red brown stallion - who was holding a varmint rifle in his muzzle and was cowering a bit from the angry boss lady.

"You fucking idiot, I told you not to shoot her! Now we'll have to fix her up before we can sell her!"

The stallion couldn't say much, with the handle in his mouth - aside from some muffled words. The pony who was wearing power hooves on her front hooves pointed at me however, letting out something of a victorious laugh. "Looks like we got a good catch anyways! Look at the size of that buck!"

Slavers. These ponies were slavers. And they were planning on slapping collars on the bleeding mare, and me. And possibly on the little foal behind my legs. My blood turned ice, and I stood there un-moving, waiting for what was going to happen. The group was sharing a couple words with each others, something I didn't hear nor care to understand. My muscles weren't just tense, they were shaking, the abrasions around my ankles burned, my breath hitched - and that was when the mare who had pointed at me dashed, darting towards me, her weapons charging as she prepared to lunge at me to punch me.

I'm not sure what she thought would happen. For me to stand there and take the hit? To go down with one blow? That I'd be easy prey? Whatever it was, I'm sure it wasn't a broken sternum.

My front hoof connected with her chest, her attack not coming even coming close. Right front leg outstretched, left one curled up, I was hovering over the child I was protecting while supporting all my weight on my hind legs. The mare was sent flying backwards, over the hurt unicorn, and fell down at the feet of the assumed leader of the group - never to get up again. There was stunned silence, which I took advantage of - placing my front hoof down, and using the one I had just used to punch attacker to remove the sack off my neck, dropping it to the ground. My head still low, I quickly whispered to my companion.

"Hide."

The little dark unicorn didn't question me - instead, they snatched the sack from its strap, and galloped quickly into the ruin dragging the sack along. They needed to take cover, in case that varmint rifle user decided to take an aim at my friend. The yellow mare looked down at her comrade before looking up at me, rage clear in her face before she let out a shriek and ran towards me as well, pulling a knife out of her belt.

This time I had been prepared, and turned around, bucking towards her way - but my hooves did not connect. Instead I heard a skid below me - and realized that the mare had slid under me, using my height to her advantage. Knife in her mouth, me on my front hooves, I didn't need to be a genius to realize how bad this situation was. Thankfully, I didn't need to think for my body to move on its own - as my back hooves were coming back down, I used the movement to move to the side by leaning all my weight to my right front hoof. I could feel myself tipping over, before feeling a searing pain on my chest as the rusty knife sliced. The mare had tried to make a thrust, but my movement had narrowly made me escape this attack, saving my skin - aside from that one gash.

I didn't stop there - as I fell sideways, I quickly rolled into my feet again, and did something that took the mare by surprise. I bit down on her mane, and started to shake violently. I didn't stop until I felt something sting on my neck - and only then registered the gunshot wound. A scratch really, something that wouldn't slow me down - the buck’s aim was bad. Probably why he hit the leg of the unicorn they had been chasing. I flung the mare from my mouth, and dashed behind rubble as fast as I could. Just in time too, as a bullet hit a piece of concrete where my head had been just been.

I listened in, as the maroon buck galloped to his fallen leader - and said leader hissed insults that would make old mama Jackpot faint in horror. My own ears were burning a bit as well on some of the colorful language, but I quickly snapped out of it as the leader barked at the buck to chase me down.

Oh these were not smart ponies. I didn't need to do much, other than turn around, wait for the stallion to come from behind the corner, and-

WHAM

And who said only pegasi could fly? The buck let out a scream, his weapon dropping down, as he flew on an arc - dropping down into a pile of old trash cans with series of delightful clangs. I smirked a bit, walking from my hiding spot. I had nothing to fear now that the gun was out of commission, as the yellow slaver hadn't made a dash for it. Guess she hadn't really figured out what my hooves could do until now. Our eyes locked, as she was getting up from where I had thrown her earlier - and I could tell she was going to try and attack.

Letting another war cry, she dashed at me. I prepared myself, knowing she was fast and I shouldn't let her out of my sight if I didn't want a knife to my-

BLAM

Half of her head turned into a paste right in front of my eyes. I couldn't help but to stare where she had been just moments ago, and then down at her carcass. What had just happened? My eyes scanned around, until I noticed the little foal, huffing, a piece of fabric in their mouth... standing next to the amethyst mare, who's horn was glowing. Her magic was wrapped around the varmint rifle, and she was panting heavily, snorting air. My eyes wandered down, noticing then that my little companion had tied up her leg rather well, keeping her from bleeding out.

My muscles were still trembling, but I was starting to calm down a bit finally. So, I took a couple deep breaths, and started to walk closer, head low to show I meant no harm. She thankfully didn't point the rifle at me anymore, rather she levitated it down, letting out some deep breaths before looking up at me, giving weary smile.

"I don't suppose it would be too much to ask for a ride back to town?"