Shadow of Equestria

Here I was, along the outskirts, charging head-on into the heart of danger itself. Of course, I had to lie about being scared, but my teammates most certainly saw through my mask. They saw my legs tremble in fear, my breathing quicken whilst standing idly by a heap of old bricks that once served as a wall.

I pondered the possibility of those bandits anticipating our arrival.

Oh, how imaginative my mind ran during those moments of uncertainty.

For now, I waited. My blood ran cold, and my legs continued to tremble for obvious reasons. I couldn't redirect my thoughts, the bandit threat like a permanent stain on my mind.

Pathfinder crouched nearby. She peered at me for a second before turning her head away, but in the few seconds we stared at each other, I was surprised to see a glint of fear in her eyes. There was a hairline crack in her hard exterior, and I had a chance to peek through it in that fraction of a second. She hid her anxiousness so well—so perfectly, in fact, I was a touch envious of her hardened nature.

Pathfinder paid no attention to what I witnessed, busying herself with the plan. During her preparations, she removed her submachine gun from around her body. I studied it and even recognized the piece. A Ponipole firearm. More accurately, a kedr. She glanced at the safety, nodded, and then carefully craned her neck out of cover. A few seconds passed, and then Pathfinder lowered herself back down into safety.

“There’s one bandit,” she whispered. “Dossier, I want you to handle this one.” She lowered herself onto her stomach, and then crawled over to where I was.

“You want me to handle this!?” I whispered back, my eyebrow raised and my tone raised a few decibels, though hopefully not enough to grab unwanted attention.

Pathfinder's face scrunched into a grimace, and she fiercely tapped her lips with a hoof as she shushed me; having no chance whatsoever to discuss such a plan burdened on me. I couldn't help but grumble after she quieted me in such an immature fashion, but then again, I signed up for this. I was the one who wanted to find Gray Steel, and the least I could do was follow through on it.

I cursed under my breath as I crawled on my stomach toward Pathfinder's previous position. Carefully, I pulled myself up from the ground and readjusted myself until I was comfortable. With careful movement, I made no noise—none—as my head craned over the heap of bricks and surveyed the outpost. My eyes widened upon sight of a distant figure, who sat in front of a satisfactory fire inattentively. My heart thumped gently in my chest, perhaps even a little quicker than before.

He clothed himself in black. His outfit consisted of leather, cotton, and rubber layers, though they were somewhat obscured in the low light. I nearly missed the patch sewn into his leather jacket: a black emblem resembling a pony skull.

I laid my rifle between a wedge in the bricks and leaned beside it. The butt of the stock pressed into my shoulder firmly, and with careful motions, I leaned my cheek against the scratchy wooden stock and focused my telekinesis spell on the bolt, cycling a fresh cartridge from the magazine. The clicks and grinding of metal couldn't be bypassed.

“Fire!”

Pathfinder’s sudden harsh whisper tensed my muscles. I closed my left eye and peered down the iron sights. I adjusted my aim, the muzzle pointing at the bandit. This was it. One trigger pull would cause an explosive series of events, the results of which I couldn’t even guess. I made minor adjustments and shifted the post-sight at the button on his chest pocket. The trigger creaked, followed by a deafening explosion that rang in my ears. The shot resounded along with the bandit’s wail of pain, piercing the silence.

He flopped around, fighting the claim death had made upon him for just a few seconds before falling limp and lifeless.

I killed one of the bandits!

I had shot another pony!

Was that the right thing to do?

Perhaps it was, but why do I feel so grungy, like I hadn't taken a shower in months?

I rested a hoof on my chest. My heart battered underneath as if it desperately wished to leave and find someplace to live that did not make it feel that way.

“We got company!” a gruff voice boomed from the interior of the outpost walls, and then came a low rumble.

He was charging at us, no doubt.

An explosive pop followed by an uncomfortable whistling made me jump to the ground. I covered my head with my hooves and became acutely aware of how erratic my breathing became in just a few seconds.

Down! Down! Oh, sweet Celestia! I hugged the ground and thought about digging into it like a mole. I lied here, too paralyzed by fear to move an inch of my body.

My blood felt so cold. Shit...

I hesitantly pulled my head up from the ground and spotted Pathfinder. She sprayed her weapon at somepony I couldn't see over the heap of bricks. The low rumble came to a halt, followed by a flat thump. Another bullet whizzed by, which sent Pathfinder down onto her stomach.

It was then I noticed she had cracked a devilish smile and said something under her breath.

She must've killed him. Killed without a thought.

Now, the plan from earlier was in full effect! Additional gunfire joined in as the sounds of war intensified.

“Lofty, get some smoke out there. We’re going to need it!” Pathfinder thundered.

“Gotcha, Pathy!” Lofty gazed at me and smirked. “It’s okay, fair maiden, we, er, I, Lofty, have the magic of the fog on my side!” Lofty reached behind her back and pulled out… soda cans? “Bombs away, shitheads!” she screamed. Grinning like a mad mare, Lofty flipped a small switch on each soda can before lobbing them haphazardly over our cover. Nothing happened at first, but as the seconds passed, a heavy smoke settled around the area where the battle took place.

"Come on girls, let's move up," Pathfinder ordered. She suddenly vanished over the heap of bricks. Lofty followed after Pathfinder all too confidently. I remained on the ground like a coward.

Okay, okay, okay. I can do this! All I need to do is run and find them, that's all. This will be over soon!

I psyched myself up, pulled in air through my nose, and hastily exhaled. My legs quit trembling, and that provided me with the paper-thin confidence to push forward. I picked myself up from the ground and bolted in the dark direction of Lofty and Pathfinder. I closed the distance between us, but I was far from reaching them. Bullets flew at me and I flung myself to the ground with a thud.

Ow!

Was I shot?

I quickly patted myself down, every pat came with the anticipation of spotting fresh crimson on my hooves. However, every time I brought my hooves up, the dreadful suspense had been incrementally snuffed.

I wiped away the perspiration on my face with a loose sleeve. Relief had been very much welcomed in my senses, but it had no intention of staying for more than a few seconds. Fear clambered back, my blood chilled once more, and my breathing became slightly panicked.

I barely mustered the nerve to look up, but when I did, I saw Pathfinder inclined around a wall, taking pot-shots at an obscured enemy. As she fed her enemies with fresh lead; her hoof suddenly came down and waved frantically at me.

Was that a signal for me to move?

Whatever it was, I knew for certain I would need to move my ass, and I wouldn’t waste this open window of opportunity.

I scrambled off the ground as fast as my body would allow me and dashed forward. Once I was in jumping distance of my partners, I stopped mid-run, dug my hooves into the mud, and propelled myself forward. It felt like I was gliding, but my short experience of flight fell flat, just as I did.

Oof! I made it!

The firefight continued, gunshots became lesser, and it was then I realized that only minutes had passed since our initial attack. Only minutes into this deathly battle... and our numbers already slimmed down. Why did it feel like hours to me?

Eventually, the gunfire ceased. Somepony cursed amidst the smoke. Another howled out in pain. A few voices exchanged insults.

Pathfinder and Lofty ran into the smoke, leaving me alone once again.

What the Tartarus? They left me again! Fuck!

I pulled myself from the ground once more and followed at my own pace. I moved slowly, looking over my shoulder every four paces. A shuffle of movement to the right made me react in such a way that surprised me; my M44 snapped in the direction of that noise, my aim on-point. A series of gunshots pounded at my eardrums, and suddenly, somepony shrieked.

“You mother fucker!”

Somepony crept in the smoke to the right of me, I aimed again, and briefly studied my target. They weren't a foe. It was a friend. The mare was part of the Alpha team. Before I'm able to call out, a series of ear-piercing cracks resounded which sent me on the ground.

I heard an agonized scream come from my newfound partner, her cries were quite audible among the chaos. She sobbed for her mother until her voice vanished amongst the gunshots. I started to cry, too.

Where was anyone? I didn’t know what to do! Fuck, fuck, fuck!

There's a sudden pause in the constant cracks. Somepony cursed, a metallic clack caught my attention. I pulled my face up from the mud and stared forward. My eyes widened, and my heart pumped hard. I could feel it in my throat at this point. I waited, counted the seconds as I tried to keep level-headed. Somepony was near the tower. I heard it. I knew I did. I was right. A feminine figure strode into view, clad in black; the outfit of a bandit.

That’s all I needed.

I chambered another cartridge without hesitation. Then immediately aimed down the sights and lined them up with the bandit. The mare crept in the clearing smoke and briefly surveyed the area for any other victims. She swept the gun in my direction but was unaware of me.

You’re going to pay.

One trigger pull, a bang, and red mist was all I saw and felt. No screams this time. I concluded I shot a vital spot, made quite evident when she flopped to the ground face first. My heart skipped a few beats, and I victoriously sighed. With shaking hooves, I pulled myself up from the ground. At the same time, I cycled yet another cartridge from the magazine. Carefully, I strode up to my second kill of the day.

She wore armor which looked to protect her from a pistol caliber.

You didn’t expect me to have a rifle caliber, did you?

I spat on the ground beside her and noticed the gleam of another gun. That was undoubtedly an AK-74. No time to see the condition. I levitated it off the mare and slung it around my body.

“Dossier!” Lofty ran up to me appearing white as a ghost. “Trotty and Pathfinder…” she wheezed and pointed a few paces away. I saw Pathfinder on the ground, for some reason, that made me lose hope. Before I’m able to analyze her thoroughly, heavy footsteps of another pony charged toward me, which yanked me back into action. Almost immediately I fixed my rifle in that direction; a silhouette rushed toward me. I fired, the pony stopped and dropped to the ground.

“D-Don’t shoot!” the stallion cried.

I cycled the bolt one more time and moved a few inches back. I didn't dare move the muzzle off of the bandit. My brain gave me a nudge in the right direction; pull the trigger, be done with this scum. Before my rifle can go boom, another figure dashed toward me. It was another bandit, this one female. She stopped dead in her tracks upon spotting me. I glanced at the blade visible underneath her leather jacket; a blood-stained knife, dripping fresh with crimson. Her eyes flickered and she glanced down at the dripping steel before she looked up with a frightful expression.

The dripping knife fell to the ground with a gentle thud, at that moment, she gave up. I glanced over at what little teammates I had before I brought my attention back to bandits. I wasn’t sure what to do. Before I could decide on their fate, Lofty stomped her way to the two Bandits. I thought she was going to knife one of them.

Lofty punched the male bandit in the face. He fell over pathetically and defensively raised his hooves. Lofty didn’t stop, she continued with her assault.

“Leave,” she snapped. When the bandit didn’t move, she screamed. “Get the fuck outta here!” she picked him up and pushed him.

“Okay, stop. I’m going!” he choked out as he stumbled.

“Tell your buddies never to come here again. Otherwise, our crew will kill every one of you bastards!” she shouted with a cracking voice.

The two bandits fled as fast as they could. Where they went? I don’t know. Might not want to know, but it looks like they ran for the forest not too far from here.

That was it. No more bandits. Gradually, I lowered my guard and sat on my haunches. I chuckled nervously and rested a hoof on my chest, my damned heart continued to pump on, akin to a train, chugging relentlessly. After pulling myself from disbelief, I took the responsibility of checking up on Lofty, who breathed heavily and trembled in anger.

"Lofty?" I asked hesitantly.

She barely looked back at me. “Dossy, you should check on Fox Meat. I’m going to go see Trotty and Pathfinder.” Her voice seemed strained from screaming as loud as she did.

Slowly, I raised myself from the ground and nodded in response. And so, my search for Fox Meat started, albeit it ended the moment it started when I heard a muffled pretty-voiced mare screaming for help atop the tower. Well, now, looks like things have almost moved into the classic fairytale knight saving the princess.

What next? Will I have to kiss a frog?

I cautiously ascended the tower, testing my weight on each thin platform in increments. Who knows, such a structure could collapse if not careful, and I could bet that breaking my legs won't end well for me, especially since I was on the lookout for Gray Steel, the mare who mocked my very existence with her photo.

With snail-like steps, I arrived at the top of the tower. The bound pony calling for help was tied to one of the support beams of the metal structure. Her appearance told me that she was the only pony to take care of her appearance. The few specks of dirt on her jacket and fur didn’t subtract from her beauty. Her long charcoal black mane was tied in a ponytail, her eggshell white fur was mostly free from any ugly stains that would have driven any clean pony nuts, and her lavender eyes were now red from crying.

“Can you hurry up and help me?” She said with a groan.

Whoops.

I levitated my dull knife from its holster and approached her. The edge pressed against one coil and I moved my knife in a sawing motion. It took at least a minute or two when it finally separated. I furrowed my eyebrows, heaved a sigh, and loosened the ropes the old fashion way. That was quicker than cutting them with that dull knife.

Who would’ve thought?

The mare yanked the rag from her mouth and spat. Her hooves instinctively rubbed at her rope burned forelegs. During that process, she composed herself and looked up to study me. Her curious eyes met my own. That frightful look on her face vanished and was replaced with a beautifully warm smile which warmed my heart.

“Thank you. So. So. So. Much. I thought those bandit idiots were going to kill me.” She uttered before she cleared her throat and thankfully gazed at me again. “What’s your name, Hero?”

“It’s Dossier,” I smiled back. “You’re Fox Meat, right?”

“The one and only!”

“I was under the impression you were delivering a package?” I looked her up and down, but any sort of gear she had been dropped or stolen by the bandits. “Do you have a package for Money Bags I can take off you?”

Fox Meat grimaced and exhaled through her nose. Her hoof explored inside her suit pocket, it wiggled aimlessly until she pulled it out. Something firm grasped my foreleg and I was pulled forward. Fox Meat glared into my eyes and rested a hoof on mine, her opposite hoof tightened around my foreleg.

In my hoof sat a compact USB. I returned my gaze at Fox Meat, who continued to glare at me. Despite how petite the mare looked, she pulled me down to her level with surprising strength.

“Don't lose it,” Fox Meat growled. “That took a lot of work to get. You make sure it gets to that fat bitch.” The grip around my foreleg gradually loosened and I slipped my hoof away with the USB in it. When Fox Meat let go, she slumped against the support beam she was tied to and stared off at Rookie Haven with a disdainful expression.

I backed away from her and examined the USB in my under hoof. The USB wasn’t anything special, at least from what I can see. I pondered over what could be so important about this little piece of tech? I guess I’ll know when I give it to Money Bags.

Fox Meat snapped herself out of thought, picked herself up, and then straightened her posture. It was then that I noticed she was much shorter than I expected. I must’ve towered over her by five or ten extra centimeters. Fox Meat gave me an odd look and wordlessly limped toward the staircase. I couldn’t help but stare at her as she descended the tower. Each step became quieter, and quieter until I heard nothing but the breeze.

That was rather strange, but I guess I would also want to get out of here as soon as possible after what she experienced.

I soaked in silence for a minute or two watching Rookie Haven, before finally stepping back a few paces. A grin crept along my lips. Something in my chest was burning, and it certainly wasn’t negative in any way. Suddenly, I bounced up and down and screamed at the top of my lungs, wanting to celebrate without the dead silence.

“Uraaah!” I bellowed as loudly as I could. My voice became strained, but I did it for my victorious feat.

I wanted my team to hear me.

I needed the whole Zone to hear me.

Gray Steel, I’m coming for you!

After I had my moment of triumph bellowing. I soon readjusted my attitude when I realized that I still had teammates down below. Pathfinder, she could’ve been dead. Trotty, certainly dead. My heart ached the moment I started thinking about what happened. Wow. I’m so selfish.

I shoved the USB in one of my pockets and hastily moved to the staircase. No longer did I have any concerns about the integrity of this structure. I speedily descended the tower. The further I descended and came ever closer to the bottom, my heartfelt sore.

I didn’t exactly do this alone. I couldn’t have. Pathfinder and whoever else joined in the battle risked their lives to capture this place. That would’ve been for nothing if a majority of them bit the dust during the fight.

Finally, I made it to the base of the tower and I searched the battlefield. I incrementally scanned the ground with the anticipation of seeing my companions dead. There was one corpse dawning a signature black outfit, followed by another, and another. Their wounds were similar, riddled with bullet holes and had the occasional slit that gushed fresh blood.

Then that’s when I saw two of our teammates. Their bulletproof vests didn’t protect them in the slightest. I didn’t want to look anymore, so I walked around the corpses and continued my search.

Laughter caught my attention.

My head snapped toward the source of the cheerful banter. Pathfinder, Trotty, and a few of the other survivors huddled together. They were laughing and holding each other by the withers.

They’re alive! But how?

Pathfinder weakly waved her hoof at me and said. “Hey, Doss,”

“How are you two okay?” I asked, my bewilderment couldn’t be contained at that moment. I had to know how they lived.

“These first aid kits,” Pathfinder showed me a small dark blue plastic case that sat in her hoof. On it was a red cross symbol on the top. “Equestrian Military healing kits come with instant healing cream. It helped us. However, that doesn’t mean it’ll heal everything. My skin is on fire right now.” Pathfinder replied while she gingerly massaged her chest with a wince.

“Well, that’s good that you’re okay,” I said with an exhale. “So, what now?”

Pathfinder chuckled and rested a firm hoof on my back and gave me a playful shake, “Now, it’s time to go back to Rookie Haven! I promised all of you a cooked meal, did I not?” Pathfinder turned her attention to the whole group. “Listen up ladies, I’m going to need three of you to stay behind. Make sure those bandit fucks don’t come back in the night. After that, come to home base for dinner!”

Everypony confirmed with a cheer. It surprised me to see how much these ponies listened to Pathfinder—not that there’s anything wrong with her methods—I think that’s respectable for Pathfinder to lead these ponies. Who knows what road any of these girls would take without her. Even I feel inclined to follow Pathfinder, to see how far I can get without Money Bags. But, Money Bags has all sorts of information she can provide me, so I’m stuck with a tyrant of a leader.

After the whole ordeal with the bandits, Pathfinder told us to loot whatever we could.

I did so, wordlessly.

I stepped over corpses and made a simple route to where I popped the first bandit. I rolled the bandit onto his back and rifled through his things. Notebooks, PDA, Cigarettes, No… Nothing useful. However, I kept the cigarettes. Now, I can check the AK mare.

I hurriedly trotted toward the corpse of the AK mare. The mushy mess of the mare’s head caught me by surprise. There were bits of brain and bloody chunks everywhere. The sight alone almost made me relinquish my metal-laced lunch. Hesitantly, I bent down and pulled out the pockets of her suit. A sizeable pouch plopped onto the ground, followed by another pack of cigarettes. I promptly shoved them into my pockets.

While studying the dead mare head to hoof, there wasn’t much else besides a harness rig.

A devilish smirk crept over my lips as I unbuckled it from her body. It was caught on the mare, but I remedied that by rolling her corpse onto her belly. This way I was able to work the harness off her.

That was successful, and now, I have a harness rig. It had the sweet stench of iron lingering on it, but that would probably subside later on.

The rig was easy to understand. This went around my chest, wrapped around my belly, and tightened via straps and buckles

Click. Click. Click.

Yeah, there we go. I looked down at the rig pockets and found extra loot in the pouches. There were two thirty-round magazines for the AK, a half-eaten candy bar, and a soda can—Oh, wait. That’s a homemade grenade—The etched words on the can proclaimed it was a smoke bomb.

An odd satisfaction came from grave robbing. I couldn’t exactly put my hoof on how I felt about it. All I know is that a pleasantness came from doing so. With a snicker, I stared down at the body. A dead pony doesn’t need their belongings anymore. When I finished looting, I was surprisingly proud of myself.

It was time to go back to home base. Trotty, Lofty, and another unnamed pony were ordered to stay behind. I noticed how they were reluctant at first but quickly changed their attitudes when the carrot and pea stew was on-the-line. There was nothing more powerful than a warm meal.

Our trot back was silent. I continued to be vigilant, even after our victory. There were dangers all around us. Popping a few bandits wouldn’t have made this place any safer. There was still a present problem: mutants. They were still roaming the Undiscovered West, so it would be a wise decision to not drop your guard.

I noticed how Pathfinder seemed disconnected from reality at the moment. She was in her world and she remained silent our whole trot back to Rookie Haven. Even when a rustling came from the woods a few meters away, she didn’t shoot a glance. It was as if she were lost in thought. Perhaps she was thinking of other ways that she would have approached the outpost. Maybe she was lingering on miserable thoughts. Or maybe she believed it was her fault that a few members of her crew croaked. I wouldn’t know…

I kept thinking about the ponies I killed. Even pondering over the other members who weren’t among the living anymore. Somehow, I thought it was my fault. If I were given a better gun, or… maybe if I stayed in decent proximity with my teammates, we could’ve taken out our deadly opponents with ease. I found myself losing focus and quickly disregarded it for now.

We were back in Rookie Haven in no time. I stopped and noticed three new additional ponies. They looked at us curiously and waved at us in a friendly manner. I took note of their clothes. Their jackets were unwrinkled and brand spanking new. Unlike our clothes, which were stained with questionable substances. I assumed these ponies were from that place called Islet Equestria.

Pathfinder greeted them rather briefly. I understood the expressions on each pony, they were confused about what to do. She appeared in no mood to deal with these ponies. I decided to let Pathfinder do what she did best. Figured it was time to visit a certain fat mole anyway.

I hesitantly trotted to the entrance of the toxic bunker and dove in, involuntarily breathing in all of the fumes through my mouth. The smell was something that I wasn’t going to get used to.

Couldn’t she keep up with cleanliness?

How could she?

Considering how fat and lazy she was.

My head drooped as I walked up to her desk. Expectantly, there was a self-confident smile forming over the fat mare’s greasy lips. Her chair groaned as she leaned forward with her hooves rested on the desk, eagerly awaiting for me to give her the package.

“Here it is,” I pulled the USB from my pocket and waved it teasingly at her.

“Dossier, you sexy, amazing, pony.” Money Bags half-heartedly cheered, the tone made it quite evident that she faked her sincerity. She was just a few inches from grabbing it when I moved it out of reach. Her hideous grin morphed into a deep frown. Slowly, she slumped back into her chair and glared up at me. Her face became red and I caught the noise of her grinding teeth.

I was taken aback at how she composed herself in mere seconds.

Money Bags spoke calmly. “Doss-”

Before she could continue, I spoke up and interrupted her. “If this is so important to you, it would be in your best interest to give me my information first.” A sternness in my tone caught me by surprise, it didn’t sound like me.

That taunting smile spread across her face again, followed by a forced wheeze of a laugh. She must’ve laughed at my face for about a minute before she composed herself and revised her glare.

“Listen, you Ponipole mongrel. Give that device to me and I assure you that you’ll receive the information you so desperately need,” Money Bags replied in such a way that chilled me to the bone. Her tone changed, it became gruffer and intimidating. She leaned toward me. “If you don’t give it to me?” Money Bags paused and grinned. “This pony hunt of yours will die along with you.”

I furrowed my eyebrows and my heart rattled. It wasn’t because I was scared, it was because that boiling anger finally spilled out. I soon found myself breathing unsteadily through my nose. The urge to assault her with an onslaught of otherworldly expletives had to be suppressed. Otherwise, she would’ve had my head on a pike after I finished. I hadn’t noticed it at first, but I gnawed my lower lip so much that I got a taste of iron.

Why did it get silent? It became deadly quiet. The hum of her computer behind her desk stopped. Money Bags’ laborious mouth breathing became silent. Now, it was just me and her in this room. The other sounds around us vanished. One of us was going to get what we wanted.

The more and more we dueled in silence, the more it became painfully obvious that Money Bags was right with her statement.

I would die.

What could I lose anyway?

Nothing.

I clenched my eyes shut and released my telekinesis spell. The USB clattered onto the desk, followed by a victorious snort, which came from the cow sitting in front of me.

“Good girl,” she said with a chuckle. “Now, we can talk,”

I exhaled calmly and massaged my chest, trying to ease my heart back into stability.

“Doss, I’m going to be real with you. I don’t have any proper info on Gray Steel, but that doesn't mean I’m not going to help you,” she said as she pulled a cigarette, seemingly out of nowhere. “While you were at the Outpost spilling blood, a stallion—who goes by the name Swift Wings—has made questionable claims. He said he aided Gray Steel in her operations, and that’s all he alluded to.”

“Where can I find him?” I stepped up to Money Bags’s desk eagerly.

“Ponyville—that’s where he was last seen,”

“Good, thank you,” I replied, glancing downward with a smirk, before looking up again. “What do you know about Gray Steel?” I stared into her eyes, waiting for an answer.

“There's a lot of information flying about,” Money Bags replied as she turned her attention to a computer monitor, “this is the most popular and most realistic story: Gray Steel formed a small team consisting of three other ponies. They broke through the Impassable East together. They found the legendary Wish Granter. However, after that, no one knows what happened to their team.” Money Bags explained, only pausing to take a drag from her cigarette. A toxic cloud exited the fat mare’s nostrils and she continued on, “some say they died... Others say that Gray Steel killed her entourage. The trail went dead after that.”

That answer was unexpected and dark. Hopefully, both of these stories were riddled with lies. I wouldn’t want to mess with a pony who killed because she was a greedy, sack of lies. However, if a lot of these stories alluded to a similar end. They weren’t too far-fetched. In conclusion, I was dealing with a killer who had a knack for killing her teammates out of greed. I hoped Gray was a reasonable mare.

My questions about Gray Steel had been sated for now. But, another question decided to make itself known. It was not of Gray Steel, but the Wish Granter.

“What’s the Wish Granter?”

Money Bags shot a questioning glance at me and shook her head. “It's a myth. Mostly,” she said flatly.

“Do you know why Gray was after it?”

“Dunno, probably wanted to make a wish?” she said with a roll of her eyes. “End of discussion…”

Okay… Rude…

“Well… thank you. I’m going to go look for Swift Wings,” I said, with half-cocked hoof ready to wave goodbye.

Money Bags chuckled and glanced at me from the side, “Hold on, giiirl, I’m not done with you,” she said jovially.

“Oh,” I grumbled, drooping my ears and placing my hoof on the floor.

“I got a new mission. Hopefully, your other meaningless goal won’t interfere with mine. That USB you gave me had classified information about getting through to the Impassable East; do you happen to know anything about this place?”

I gave it some thought, but nothing sprung to mind, and so I said, “No, no clue at all.”

“This place has a dark history, I’ll keep it brief,” Money Bags turned in my direction and placed both hooves on her bulging belly. “The Impassable East is a barrier of some kind, one of which we cannot penetrate by normal means. This barrier is special but in a horrifying way. When you go into this barrier, your brains will boil. And not only that, you’ll be nothing more than a husk of a pony, stumbling and mumbling nonsense under your breath until someone puts a bullet in your head,” Money Bags took a breath, unintentionally adding suspense to her sentence. She exhaled and finally said, “We call this place the Brain Scorcher.”

The Brain Scorcher...

Why did… why did it make sense again?

Why so suddenly?

I must’ve zoned out. Money Bags’s lips moved but I heard nothing more than the beat of my heart and an annoying monotonous buzzing that emanated from somewhere.

“Doss, are you listening to me?”

Money Bags slammed both her hooves on the desk to snap me out of my thoughts and when I did, I stammered something under my breath before looking back at her.

“Sorry...” I stuttered and placed a hoof at my temple. There was a sting at my eyes. My emotions were taking control, it felt as though something in my head was trying to claw its way out, like a rabid animal that was entrapped in a metal cage.

“Ooookay...” She mumbled before getting back on topic again. “Dossier, this is your new mission until further notice. I have important leads and new information that can get us through the Impassable East. I don’t trust a whole lot of other ponies to go through with this mission… besides, you’re expendable to me. This mission is perfectfor you.” Money Bags awaited my answer by taking a strong pull from her cigarette.

Hmm… Well, it’s not the best plan. And… expendable? Really? Wow, okay. Bitch. However, the more I thought about it. Running into Gray Steel was a high possibility. She was rumored to be operating around the east. It would be perfect! It is perfect! Okay. I’m going to do this. No turning back now...

“I’ll do it,” I said firmly, sealing the deal.

“Alright, good on you, Doss.” She said with a wide grin. Her eyes widened and she leaped out of her chair. “I almost forgot!” She laboriously made her way to a back room. She came back a minute later with two clear bottles inside a basket. She placed it on the desk and pushed it toward me. “Your reward for dealing with those bandits.”

I glanced at the contents.

Hold on… is that... what I think it is?

I must'vebeen dreaming for sure.

The bottle wasn’t particularly huge, it was a reasonable size for any pony to down in insane gulps. Inside the bottle was a homebrew from Ponipole. One of the best and smoothest vodkas in the realm. The label on the bottle even boasted about it.

Ponipole prides itself on having the best homebrew vodka in the entire realm. Nothing can outclass the freight train that is…

DAISY VODKA

I couldn’t help but stupidly grin.

The bottle was simplistic in design. It has a few sentences in a dark grey. The only image on there was a cute daisy that replaced the dot over the ‘i’.

“They aren’t for pleasure,” Money Bags added, “you’ll need it to combat the rads you’ll encounter in Rookie Trials.”

My grin instantly fell into a frown and my ears flattened back against my head.

“Rookie Trials?”

Money Bags rolled her eyes once again and briefed me on the whole ‘Rookie Trials’ name. The Rookie Trials is a forest that borders Ponyville and Rookie Haven. Rookie Haven was surrounded by the forest. All too confident rookies traveled through this forest, sometimes they never return. On very rare occasions somepony will come back to visit. I assumed the Rookie Trials was where your journey into the Zone truly began or ended if you’re unlucky.

“Before you go. Would you like to buy some equipment?” Money Bags asked with a wide grin on her face.

“Why?” I asked with a cocked eyebrow.

“Don’t you want to extend your time in the Zone?”

I took a minute to ponder over my options, and I found there were none to be found. More supplies equal extended life in the Zone. I grimaced and cast my telekinesis spell and dug around in my pockets for things I could use for barter. The sack that I picked up earlier rattled and shook as I was moving to Rookie Haven, which I suspect has coins in it.

With the sack in my aura, I unraveled the twine holding the sack closed and peered inside, with the hopes of finding bits in it.

And… Score!

There were flattened coins inside. They were originally gold, however, it looks like these coins were no exception to time’s effects. They were stained in rust, but I was able to make out the horseshoe indent over the stains. I noticed how these coins were stamped with the number one hundred.

I assumed they added up to one hundred, which was convenient.

Money Bags stepped aside and introduced me to her wall of goodies. Everything had been labeled with a price, cans of food, candy bars, small ammunition boxes, firearms, and literal junk. I calculated the cost of three boxes of AK-74 cartridges in FMJ, one military ration, a bandage, and a few bolts.

Well, there goes all the money I had.

Money Bags became giddy and gathered my requested items. It didn’t take her long to give them to me. She pushed them toward me and they nearly tumbled over as she did so. I levitated one of the packages from the desk and ripped the top to peer inside.

A copper bullet head peered back at me. There must’ve been twenty inside this small little package.

Good, I guess.

I gathered the remaining items and shoved them into my free tactical rig pouches.

Money Bags and I shared a bitter goodbye.

Once again, she shouted. “Good hunting, Stalker!” as I was departing.

My hope had been rejuvenated.

I felt more alive than I had ever felt when I woke up.

Swift Wings. That’s the name I won’t forget any time soon. He knew something. And I wouldn’t stop until I found him. Surely, he’ll give me the info I’ve been desperately searching for all this time.

I cracked a smile and basked in the rain for a good while. I kept my eyes closed as I enjoyed the chilly pecks of the rain. I hesitantly opened my eyes and stared up at the somber sky.

I reached into my pocket and pressed a button on my PDA. The screen illuminated.

8 PM.

The time never lied, it would be dark soon.

I trotted for the exit of the village, ready to travel further east.

There was a fire inside me, a fire in my heart that wouldn’t be snuffed. The Zone’s horrors were nothing to me. They should fear me. I’m going to find you Gray Steel. And if you can hear me?

I hope you’re ready.

“Dossier!”

One of the more recognizable voices ripped me from my thoughts and I glanced over at the pony calling my name.

It was Pathfinder.

She quickly trotted toward me with a pained expression. She stopped in front of me and took a moment to compose herself before she widely smiled at me.

“Yes?” I tilted my head.

“Aren’t you going to stay the night?”

Wow. Suddenly, there’s a strange warmness in my chest that forced a smile over my lips. I turned my head away slightly, so I could hide my smile. “I suppose,”

“You shouldn’t travel at night. Plus, you can’t leave with an empty stomach!”

My stomach growled when Pathfinder said that. I chuckled and followed Pathfinder toward the campfire.

I was served carrot and pea stew in a big wooden bowl. My mouth instantly watered when my nose caught the luscious aroma coming from the stew in front of me. I rubbed my hooves together and didn’t hesitate to stuff my face.

I ate, and I ate. Ponies gave me a curious glance when I was eating like a pig, however, Pathfinder was quite pleased with my display. Remarking on how ponies should follow my example. But in all honesty. I didn’t care. I loved the food, I loved that Pathfinder gave it to me for free. It was so much better than what I had for lunch earlier in the day.

When I finished my meal. I used a part of my suit to wipe my messy face and I was even comfortable enough to lounge with all these new unfamiliar faces around me. Without the other ponies, it felt a bit lonely. I wondered where the other girls were, but the question answered itself when the three mares came back to have Pathfinder’s delicious stew.

“Hey, Pathy,” Lofty said. “We just got back.”

“Mmmm, mmm. I smell stew!” Trotty walked over toward the campfire and sat on her haunches.

“Hold up, won’t the bandits come back?” Pathfinder asked. It almost sounded as though she were about to yell at the trio.

“No… I made sure that there was a fire there, made it look like we’re still occupying it.” an unnamed mare intervened.

Pathfinder tapped her hoof impatiently at the ground before she dismissed her concern.

“Okay then. Grab yourselves a bowl,” She said and took a spot beside me. “Now, listen ladies. Don’t waste any of it. Food like this is rare. So. Eat up!” she ordered and clapped her hooves together quickly.

Our campfire was much more lively with the older additions. I listened in on the stories and jokes which I laughed or smirked at on occasions. Most of the jokes were aimed toward Islet Equestrians, or other Stalkers who I don’t know personally. After the laughter died down and silence crept in. Trotty sat up from her spot and held out a large glass bottle up in the air, the clear liquid within tickled my nose and I caught the strong stench of alcohol.

“We forgot to honor the dead. We should never forget, because if we forget, then our sisters would truly be dead,” She spoke, her voice trembled and sounded less monotonous. “To our fallen sisters.” She took a quick swig of the liquid inside, her face twitched and she shook her head. She passed the bottle to her neighbor, Lofty.

“To our fallen sisters,” Lofty said. She took a swig also. Her face scrunched up and she wagged her head wildly as she clamped her hooves over her mouth.

Everypony chuckled and then the bottle came around again. It was passed around until it reached me.

“To the fallen,” I said softly and took a quick swig of the liquid. The alcohol was quick to burn the inside my mouth, but I downed it without any issues. I felt the fire liquid finds its way into my stomach and I exhaled while massaging my chest.

Oof! What a hit.

After the bottle had been passed around at least once, certain ponies were nodding off. Specifically, Lofty. She was cuddled against Trotty, who held her close in a warm embrace. I watched them with a warm smile, before turning my attention to the orange flame in front of me, which provided me with a cozier warmth during the night.

Sleep was calling. I gave a silent yawn and stood up from my spot. I gave a wave to my new friends, who in turn, waved back at me.

“Night, Doss,”

“Goodnight,”

“See you in the morning!”

They chirped. And after that, I sent myself off to the bunker. I didn’t expect to come back down here after today. I’m grateful for being allowed to. The thoughts of spending the night out there made me frown. My imagination was odd in that regard. I was able to see myself huddled under a tree, or sleeping inside an irradiated vehicle, only to pass away during the night. I shook the grim thoughts and basked in the present.

I entered the bunker and noticed a small lump laying in one of the beds. Looks like somepony turned in early. I trotted slowly to what I now deemed my bed.

I prepped for slumber by taking my gear off of my body. The tactical rig came first. I unbuckled it and unfastened the straps, and then I placed it down on the ground. Then came the holsters and firearms. Using my telekinesis, I hid them underneath the bed. The blanket served as a curtain of sorts. Before I decided to hide away my Makarov PM, I used my foreleg to cuddle the holster against my breast.

This is sleeping with me tonight.

Everything else except my fatigues went underneath the hiding spot and I smiled wearily.

Now, it’s time for bed. What an awful day.

Quite loudly, I crawled onto the spring mattress which moaned and creaked, as I shifted and readjusted my position. A voice startled me.

“Ey. Keep it down will you?” A familiar pretty-voiced mare grumbled.

“Fox Meat?” I took a stab at the dark.

It was quiet before I heard her reply, “Dossier... Right?”

“Yeah. The one who saved you.”

“I know who you are, Silly.”

I forced a giggle and scratched an itch at my grungy mane.

“So, you doing okay?”

Fox Meat waited a moment to answer me, she sighed softly and gave me an all too obvious fake chuckle. “Yeah... somewhat. I had a lot to drink after I got back. So... technically... I’m fine?” Fox Meat sounded uncertain.

“Ah,” I mumbled.

Silence crept in, small talk was a mood killer. We didn’t say anything for about three agonizing minutes. I wanted to talk to her more, considering I haven’t gotten that chance up at the Outpost Tower. But, what was I going to talk about?

Instead, she broke the silence first.

“After you delivered the information to Money Bags. What did she tell you?” She asked curiously.

“We discussed my next mission. I’m looking for a pony named Swift Wings. He supposedly can help me in my search for another pony named Gray Steel.”

Fox Meat didn’t reply. I saw movement in the darkness as she sat herself up. “You’re looking for that scum?” She sounded offended.

Her sudden change of attitude caught me by surprise. I raised myself from my bed and stared at her through the darkness. “What’s wrong with him?” I asked, with a tilt of my head. “Gosh, I hope it isn’t bad...” I thought out loud.

“He’s a compulsive liar.” Fox Meat muttered. “You’ll never know when some pathetic lie will pour out of his mouth.” She said, pausing for a second to exhale. “A year ago, when I decided to take up the guide business. He and his friend tried to scam me out of a free trip through a dangerous place. I got three hundred bits for the trouble, as opposed to the fifteen hundred I demanded.

“I would be careful around Swift Wings if I were you... Well, to be honest. You should develop a paranoia when you meet ponies. Stalkers tend to be deceitful and will always try to stab you in the withers any chance they get!” She explained, becoming quite bitter as she mimicked a stabbing motion with a hoof on her last sentence.

Wow. At least I knew who I was dealing with at that moment.

I now just realized I forgot yet, another important detail regarding my mission. Since Fox Meat was here. I could ask what he looked like.

“Do you know what he looks like?”

“Definitely,” she replied all too cheerfully. “He’s a really good looking stallion. If you hadn’t guessed already... he’s a Pegasus. His coat is light gray, his mane is silver, with a white streak in it. He has a real fancy-sounding voice. Quite smooth. When you see him, you can’t miss him. He stands out among crowds due to his impractical appearance.” Fox Meat explained.

That was worth jotting down in my head.

“Thanks, Fox Meat,” I replied and smiled.

“No prob...” She hummed quietly to herself and asked. “Where might you be looking for him?”

“Ponyville,”

Fox Meat went quiet and she shifted uncomfortably. “You do know what’s happening in Ponyville... right?”

“No...?”

And so, right then and there. I was given new information about Ponyville that didn’t come to light when I was chatting with Money Bags. Fox Meat told me a quick rundown of what was currently happening there. Ponyville was a warzone. Loners and Bandits are fighting to capture this place and ensure that it would be open and run by whoever was victorious.

Now, that got me thinking. Was Swift Wings a fighter helping the Loners out in this war?

And... where do I fit in all of this? I knew I was a Loner because I didn’t join any faction, yet. However, I knew a bandit would love to put a bullet through my head whenever they got a chance. Well, whatever the result is. I’m going to be ready for the bandits. I’m going to train my brain to shoot when I see the familiar black outfit of a bandit.

“Say... you don’t mind teaming up do you?” Fox Meat inquired.

“Uhh...” I muttered, scratching an itch at the back of my mane again. I figured it was an instinctive ‘I don’t know’ reaction.

“Look, I owe you. You saved my life. And in return, I can help you. A business mare like myself needs to repay her debts... otherwise... who knows what will happen to me if I didn’t.”

“I... guess?” I replied, still unsure of this. “Why not?”

“That’s the way to go!” She cheered. “Anyway... I’m sticking around until we reach the outskirts of Ponyville. After that. We can head our separate ways.” She was leaning closer at this point and she wagged her tail with an odd eagerness.

It would be easier to have a teammate, her eagerness to go was a plus. I couldn’t say no. We shook hooves to seal the deal. I officially had a partner to face the horrors of the Zone for a short time. With that over with, I finally nestled into my bed and drifted off into the dream world.