Shadow of Equestria

Another day came. Snoring ponies woke me up within the bunker. I sat up with a grunt and attempted to rub the grogginess from my eyes. I shifted my attention to the splayed out ponies on the ground, and their forms moved as they breathed. I averted my eyes and was stricken with a memory that made me squeamish. The dead ponies left at the wreck, their lifeless husks left to rot in the field, no pony was going back for them. Whoever they were, their resting place was that wreck site.

I pressed my hooves against my forehead and heaved a weary sigh. It was time to carry on before I ended up regretting that I lived through that wreck. I wasted some minutes considering what my options were. I wanted to stay here, but at the same time, I wanted to leave to find Gray Steel. While I weighed the two thoughts, I decided that it was time to leave the bunker and prepare for what awaited me out there. I didn't want to be unprepared, especially after what I encountered.

I glanced over to where I last saw Fox Meat. I expected to see her, but my hopes became immediately dashed after her empty bed greeted me. She even tidied her bedding before she left. At first, I was angry and felt my chest tighten up. I wanted to scream. I wanted to kick something so hard that it shattered, but as I stood there in silent fury, I stopped to question why I was angry. Maybe she figured out how dangerous I was to be around. I never really did understand why ponies were so cautious around me. Did I carry sensitive information in my noggin?

With that incident fresh on my mind like a laceration, I did what I could to push it aside and not let it get in the way of a developing routine. I exhaled and went to grab my items. I lowered myself onto my forelegs, not only did that incident bother me, but a suspicion itched and bit at my ankle. Were my items stolen? I pulled the blanket aside and noticed immediately that my belongings were a-oh-kay.

I levitated each item out from underneath the bed and wasted no time throwing on my gear. Now, I was ready to start another terrifying day in the Zone.

I confidently stepped through the threshold of the stairwell. A gust of freezing wind brushed passed me and cooled the hot and stuffy air around me. When I found myself outside again, the first thing I did was take a drag of the stale, cold air–There's nothing like the Zone's damp air to jump-start the mind.

"Good morning!" a cheerful voice exclaimed. I turned to the owner of the all-too-familiar voice. "Sleep well?" Fox Meat inquired.

I chuckled and ran a hoof through my mane and grumbled. "Not in the slightest,"

"Are you sure?" Fox Meat looked up at me with a grin. "You had the oddest snore I've ever heard. You sounded like a little gerbil." She joked and stared back into her cup. I pretended to laugh the joke off. Her comment made my face feel warm. I scratched a fake itch at the back of my mane.

"I'm going to have breakfast and a bit of water," I replied and took a seat across from Fox Meat.

Fox Meat's eyes were half-lidded as she gazed at the campfire. Her face showed the definition of relaxed. I couldn't help but crack another smile. She carried on drinking out of a beaten-up tin cup. Sipping and swishing the contents around in her mouth as if she were tasting wine. Finally, she finished with an audible gulp, and a dreamy sigh escaped from her as she melted right on the spot–Whatever was in that cup. It lifted her spirit.

"Make your breakfast quick. We're going to head out in a few minutes here," Fox Meat looked up from her cup again. "I want to leave Rookie Haven at nine AM and make it into Ponyville before noon."

"Why? Don't want to deal with bandits?"

"Yup," Fox Meat took another swig of the liquid in that cup. She rested a hoof at her chest and sighed again. "I'm so glad I bought coffee."

"You lucky mare," I grumbled. Why did Fox Meat go on showing off that coffee of hers like it was a prized trophy? I shook my head and attempted to pay her no mind. I didn't exactly have much to look forward to here. I glowered at the old rusted can that sat a few inches away from me—that miserable, metal-laced, shit. I bought a fresh MRE. However, I wanted to save that for last. It was the best thing I had, and I had no intention of using it right away.

I pulled the can out with a grimace and kneaded my lower lip. I would've just tossed it or smashed it when I had a chance, but it was food. Nopony was about to give me a full course meal for free—Well, maybe Pathfinder would've—I took my bayonet and punctured the top, wasting no time disconnecting it from the can. Below me sat my new menace: old carrots and peas, with a dash of rust and mold for seasoning. I expressed my displeasure with a gag and went straight for it. The glob barely touched the tip of my tongue when the stench and offset taste hit me like a pallet of bricks. I retched and tried to hold back a series of gags that piled up.

I finished that wicked meal, and in the end, I was overwhelmed with relief. It felt as though I climbed the highest mountain and survived to tell the tale. I raised my hoof in the air and flexed it–Good. Fucking. Riddance–Those rations were turning. Now they festered in my stomach. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Fox Meat, who watched my predicament as if it were theatre to her.

"You know, you could've asked me for bits. I could've bought you a bread loaf," Fox Meat chuckled.

"No, thanks. It's probably better I worked for my food…" I said dismissively. It was a kind offer, but with every offer, there had to be strings attached.

"If you say so!" Fox Meat shrugged and carried on tasting her coffee. Taking her sweet time relishing the pick me up in her hoof—what a tease.

There was more time for me to sort through my inventory. I remembered from yesterday's excursion. I acquired new items, and not only that, I had to top off my firearms. My M44 needed cartridges. I bolted the gun and caught the round that flew out, and it didn't get far from its position as I clicked it back in the magazine. I sorted through the variety of cartridges from my pocket and snapped them in—four in the mag, one in the barrel. Satisfied, I closed the bolt and pulled the firing pin back and to the left.

The AK-74N came after. I levitated the rifle off my back and examined it. My heart nearly stopped when I saw it. Holy crap. It was in gut-wrenching condition. A lot of exterior components were missing. How in Celestia's forbidden land did this bandit mare keep this tool operating?

I hesitated when I pulled out the bakelite magazine from the mag well. Unsure of how many cartridges were inside. I levitated out at least six rounds from my pouch and snapped them in. The last one wouldn't cooperate. It was already topped off. Once I finished, I became immediately aware that the amount of ammo that I bought wouldn't cut it for my expedition.

Fox Meat and I had spare time to clean up the mess we made while we had prepped for our journey. By the time we finished, it was 8:58 AM. I surveyed the area with satisfaction. It appeared as though we were never here.

"Alright, let's go!" Fox Meat chirped as she broke out into a trot.

"Right behind you!" I called after her and followed along.

Rookie Haven had become but a speck from where I stood along the outskirts. I couldn't help but look back. Rookie Haven was becoming further and further away. A thought crossed my mind. Should I have stayed? I suddenly fantasized about staying with the group of stalkers. I saw myself enjoying meals with them, telling stories, and sharing victories with them. As I continued to ponder over my odd fantasy, my smile faded, and I frowned.

For a moment, I hesitated, and even considered spending the rest of my time at Rookie Haven, but, something irked me. I could only describe it as a terrible, terrible itch I couldn't get. It was deep that it drove me mad. I knew instantly, that I had to discover my origin. I yanked myself out of the Rookie Haven fantasy and focused on my primary mission: find Gray Steel.

Goodbye, my comrades.

"So, this is a shortcut?" I asked with an accompanied cock of my brow.

"Yup!" Fox Meat chirped and bounced forward.

My patience was a little thin this morning, especially after that horrible meal I had to stomach. Fox Meat had promised that this route we took should take us straight to Ponyville. However, the way she phrased it made me a touch skeptical. I glanced at my map periodically as we marched on through the forest we entered. I noticed something off on my PDA. Judging by the map, Ponyville was about two hours away on foot. We took a lengthier route, as opposed to a shortcut. What did she mean by a shortcut?

"Come on, Doss! We'll be there in two hours!" she shouted back at me.

She wasn't wrong. We would be there in two hours. However, I couldn't help but feel as though Fox Meat deceived me in some way. I lowered my head and flattened my ears back, grumbling quietly.

If this was the Rookie Trials, it sure as heck wasn't impressive. I thought I would see out-of-this-world flora. In my mind, I saw tall, healthy oaks that jutted into the sky and surrounded us under their shadow. Strange new bushes that bared poisonous berries that have yet to be studied by scientists. New species of creatures that became irradiated and hostile.

Instead, it was the opposite. The oak trees that were healthy, became sick, and they bared no leaves. Every tree was a scraggly mess of horror. Bushes were pointy shrubs that would likely pierce your hide if you walked into it. And there was no wildlife, though, I dismissed this when I heard the sound of something small scrambling off in the distance.

I stopped now and then to listen to something. A snap off in the distance, wind rustling something nearby, the dead trees moaning and creaking as the gusts of wind stirred them. Every little rustle, crack and snap made the fur on my back stand-on-end.

"...Yeah, that's why I know it's a safe way to Ponyville," Fox Meat finished.

Oh, fuck. I hadn't paid attention to anything Fox Meat said the entire time. I nodded at her while I wore my best, fake, warm smile. "I see," I said softly as I lowered my ears flat against my head once again.

"Oh come on, Doss. Trust me. It's the safest and fastest way to Ponyville."

I lost track of time as we continued to march through this dreadful place. At this point, mud began to build up at my hooves. The extra weight muddled my movement, and it felt as though dumbbells were attached to the tips of my hooves.

We made our way through a clearing and came upon something sticking out of the ground. At first, I thought it was part of a broken fence because I noticed a rotten village home not too far off from this thing. Upon closer inspection, it was a wooden cross with words carved into the aged planks. Before we passed it, I decided to read the words scratched on them.

Serenity; The Singer

"Good Vodka, Good friends, and my guitar is all I need to stay alive in the Zone."

Unfortunately, that wasn't the case here. I guessed whoever was responsible for putting Serenity to rest must've been the very same pony to carve the words into her cross. My mind wandered and juggled with the thought of losing a friend near and dear. She had it good. Serenity seemed to know how to live, and if I guessed correctly? She wanted to pass on her knowledge of living.

We must've trotted at least an hour and a half. Fox Meat led me to a pathway surrounded by dense bushes. It was break time for us. I trotted a few paces away from where Fox Meat stood and gazed off through the sea of trees ahead. I turned, and turned again, but saw nothing resembling a pony town. Eventually, I glanced over at Fox Meat, who anticipated my questions. "No, we aren't there yet," Fox Meat said with another grumble before she shook her head and smirked. "That's a habit that won't ever die when I guide ponies."

"Sorry," I mumbled and decided to stay quiet.

Fox Meat placed a hoof over my withers and gave me a playful shake. "Hey, don't worry about it!"

After our breather, we trotted east, toward Ponyville. We came upon a clearing in the woods, which showed a straight path toward cresting hill in a field. When we found ourselves at the peak of the hill, I spotted an even denser forest ahead.

"Welcome to Rookie Trials, Rookie!" Fox Meat exclaimed as she gestured to the forest.

I stared in bemusement when I saw the town of Ponyville off in the distance or at least part of the town. I made out tall structures that jutted out from the top of the evergreens that bordered us from Ponyville.

"Wait," I scowled at Fox Meat. "That forest back there wasn't the Rookie Trials?"

"Heck, no!"

"Then... what was all that about?" I ground my teeth together.

"As I said, it's a safe route. We didn't run into those huge boars or any of the mutts wandering past the outpost." She turned to me and smiled innocently.

I stared at the little mare in front of me and snorted in response. In return, Fox Meat grinned like a mini version of Money Bags. At least she was nothing like the pig I knew. Far from it, in fact.

I examined the entrance of the Rookie Trials. I noticed this place had a ton of wood planks nailed into dead oaks. I couldn't see the message at first, but as I squinted. I saw the crimson, dried paint, along with the ominous message scrawled across it.

Rookie Trials

Whoever made these signs wanted ponies to steer clear from this area. Fox Meat stared at the forest ahead with a smile over her lips. I wondered what was going on in her head. She must've come through this place for the hundredth time and was once again happy to see it. I felt I couldn't take her seriously with that smile plastered on her face all the time.

I turned my attention back to the forest and spotted a grizzly sight that sent a chill through my body. There were skeletal remains scattered along the entrance of the Rookie Trials. It saddened me to see that not one pony took the time of day to bury these unfortunate stalkers.

Fox Meat ambled along and hummed a melody. I trotted uneasily a few meters away from her and watched the tree line. Somepony indeed waited for us. Unknown to Fox Meat, I readied my firearm and lagged. If Fox Meat or I were to get shot, at least I'd be able to return fire.

Fox Meat stopped and turned to me. "Stick close. Follow any order I give you—even if that means licking the underside of your hoof." She said with a soft snicker. She turned to the forest with a confident grin slapped across her mouth. "I'll lead, you follow—Easy." and with that, she marched ahead of me and moved in odd patterns. Her path took her right, then left, and then diagonally. It appeared as though she were searching for something on the ground.

She stopped dead in her tracks and glared down at a pile of leaves. I stayed behind her and peered over her shoulder. There was something within the pile of leaves—rusted, metallic jaws. Fox Meat grabbed a large fallen branch and threw it onto the pile.

Snap

The powerful jaws clamped down on the stick and eviscerated it. Fox Meat glared down at the trap and grumbled. She glanced back at me and noticed my bewilderment.

"Bear traps," she simply said.

"I know what they are," I said with a roll of my eyes. "Why are they out here? Who sets them?"

"Bandits," Fox Meat huffed. "They're doing what they can for easy loot. Let's call them Hooftraps, instead of the traditional bear trap."

"Scum…" I said dryly.

What a menacing device to set out here for rookies, I supposed that would be a notably compelling message for the bandits to spread.

Fox Meat straightened her posture and motioned her hoof. "Well, let's go!" she took off again.

We were well on our way to Ponyville at this point. Thirty minutes left in our trek, and I had already felt exhausted from all the marching. Occasionally, we would stop to deactivate those devious Hooftraps, while also doing our best to avoid the radiation hot spots.

Our Geiger counters did an outstanding job of ensuring the safest route across the forest. Whenever it ticked wildly, we would diverge from the main course. Rookie Trials didn't seem all that difficult to traverse after a bit of familiarizing.

My PDA chimed and caught my attention. A voice belonging to a familiar, fat, trader mare crackled through. "Hello? Doss, can you hear me?" Money Bags droned.

I noticed that Fox Meat drooped her ears and hung her head as she continued down our route. I sighed softly and used my magic to levitate my PDA from my pocket. I moved the device close to my mouth and spoke.

"Yeah?" I replied.

"Oh, good. How's my little money maker doing?" Money Bags asked. I hummed and didn't answer. "Terrible, I presume?"

"We're almost to Ponyville," I forced myself to sound confident.

"You never gave me your contact info. I went and added myself to your PDA friends list while you were out of it. Hey, at least now I'm able to communicate with you and send you further instructions." Money Bags explained as she heaved a throaty cough. "Anyway, I'll keep you posted." My PDA chimed once again.

At first, Fox Meat and I walked in silence until she glanced back at me and asked. "Couldn't find a way out of her deal?" her voice became cold. "Doss, I thought you were capable of getting yourself out of something like that."

I didn't expect Fox to say that. I lowered my ears and glanced off to the side of the trail. "I tried," I mumbled. "I should've left once I got the USB to her, but she knows more than I'll ever know. She has contacts, an understanding of what's going on out here, leads, shit that I wish I had, but don't. My memory isn't doing me any favors by fogging up." I replied.

Fox Meat drooped her head and sighed softly. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I didn't mean to say that so rudely. You know you don't deserve what Money Bags is doing to you. I feel like you could've done better."

"Understood, Fox Meat. I'm doing the best I can. I mean, what is a mare like me going to do without any proper gear? Any definitive knowledge of the Zone's horrors?" I asked, picking up my pace and trotting alongside her.

It took Fox Meat a moment of stutters and hums before Fox Meat articulated her words. "I don't know, honestly. I wish there were other options for you." Fox Meat stopped in the middle of the trail. I walked passed her.

"My options are limited. Money bags is somepony I can tr—"

"Stop!" Fox Meat screamed as she yanked on my tail and caused me to fall flat on my face.

I massaged the pain that shot through my nose. I used my sleeve to wipe away the mud that smeared my mouth. Slowly, I glanced back up at Fox Meat begrudgingly and growled. "What's the big idea?"

"You didn't see what was plain, right in your face?" Fox Meat countered.

"No! What the Tartarus are you going on about?" I picked myself up from the ground gradually and huffed.

"Anomaly! There's an anomaly right in front of you. You nearly walked right into it!" Fox Meat helped me up and did her best to wipe away any mud on my face. But, before she could continue, I swatted her hoof away and gritted my teeth.

"Step off," I growled and attempted to clean myself up.

"You'll thank me in a moment…" Fox Meat grumbled as she dug out a pouch from her saddlebag. She fiddled with the string and managed to untie it. Carefully, she pulled out one rusted machine bolt from within the leather pouch. I watched out of curiosity as she chucked the machine bolt forward. What happened next was unexpected.

BOOM

A violent, force of gravity expelled right in front of us. It kicked up dust, stripped nearby bushes of their leaves, and left what looked to be an indentation in the ground. My heart drummed in my chest as I gawked at the oddity. The leaves and dust that had gotten kicked up, finally settled. Bewildered, I turned to Fox Meat for answers again.

I didn't expect it, but she stared at me with the same amount of bewilderment. "You don't know what those are?" Fox Meat asked with genuine puzzlement.

"Anomalies, right?" I repeated what I heard earlier.

"Correct," Fox Meat snorted and smirked at me. She dropped another machine bolt into her hoof and presented it to me. "Here. Try. Find us a safe route." I stared into her hoof and levitated the bolt away. I glanced up and stared where the anomaly left an indentation in the ground. The bolt had to go in another direction, not in the same spot Fox Meat threw. I took my time and decided to throw it only a few meters left from where the anomaly was clearly in front of us.

The bolt landed safely on the ground. No explosion.

"Now what?" I asked.

"Walk over to the bolt and repeat the process," Fox Meat replied.

"Really?" I glanced back at Fox Meat, and then back at the anomaly.

"Yeah!"

I furrowed my brow and huffed loudly. And so, I crept forward. I moved like a snail. As I inched across the ground, a gentle beeping caught my attention. The source of the noise came from within one of my pockets. When I drew nearer to the anomaly, the device in my pocket chirped wildly at me.

"Doss, you're too close!" Fox Meat shouted.

"What do you mean I'm too close?" I exclaimed.

"You're going too close to it. It's going to pull you in!"

"Then help me! Stop yelling at me!"

"Okay, calm down then!"

"I am calm!" I glared back at her.

"Alright, Doss, listen closely," Fox Meat paused and then hummed. "Move on over to the left side of the anomaly. Do not trot forward."

Her instructions seemed clear enough. I stepped back some paces and then moved leftward. The device in my pocket wailed for a brief second. I couldn't help but clench my eyes shut.

Oh, goddesses! Help me!

With hesitant steps, I slid blindly left. The alarmed chirping of my device lulled into silence. My hoof kicked something on the ground, I knew what I kicked. It was the bolt. A grin spread across my lips once I found that I made it to safety.

"Okay," I exhaled, "what do you want me to do now?"

"Rinse and repeat; find us a route." Fox Meat said out loud, unable to contain a hearty chuckle, presumably at my predicament.

Trial and error. I threw one bolt, and an anomaly exploded, it kicked up dust and shot a rock toward me which I promptly dodged. The pouch of bolts truly did aid in my survival. I levitated one bolt and threw it away from the direction of the second anomaly. Another path revealed to me.

I trotted forward and took care, listening hard for the chirps of my device. Bolt after bolt, anomaly explosion after anomaly explosion. I created what looked to be the strangest path known to a pony.

Fox Meat navigated my crude pathway and caught up with me in only a few seconds. My jaw dropped when I witnessed her reckless maneuvering. She didn't even need the device I used! She passed me, with a wide, amused grin plastered on her lips.

"Come on, Doss!" She called out to me. "Losing daylight and all that!"

Speechless…

I gathered the bolts up and then shoved them into the pouch and tightened the string. No way I would be wasting these! Especially after I bought them with my hard-earned bits.

"These anomalies, what are these things anyway?" I asked as I trotted alongside my partner.

Fox Meat glanced at me and smirked. "The only thing you need to know about anomalies is that they hurt. They hurt bad.” She droned.

"Yeah, but… I'd like to understand," I fixed my gaze elsewhere and stared at the rows of dead trees that we passed. "You said something earlier about it would pull me in, but I noticed that it explodes. The thing you've mentioned about pulling seemed to be non-existent."

I waited at least a minute before Fox Meat responded, and she said, "Anomalies are different. The specific one we came across was called a Springboard. I didn't pick the name. The Lunar Ecologists were the ones to give it this scientific name."

"Ah, so there's more," I grumbled and scowled.

"Yeah, look, Doss… I can't explain every single anomaly to you even though I'm an experienced mare. I still have a lot to learn out here."

"Nah, I get it," I pulled away from the trees and gazed at Fox Meat. I noticed that she looked away the moment I turned my head to her. "How many anomalies do you know?"

"Lots, but I can tell you the common ones I come across when I frequent this area."

"That would be helpful."

Fox Meat started on a common anomaly. It was just as deadly as the Springboard. Stalkers called it a Vortex. It was capable of pulling ponies within its fifteen-meter radius. This violent and terrifying anomaly was the taker of many ponies' lives. She told me a gruesome story of when she was witness to a pony who had died in one recently.

She told me that the stallion was a cocky friend of hers. He would always boast about not needing the use of bolts or devices to track anomalies. His fatal mistake was challenging Fox Meat to see who could get through a Vortex minefield. She did not agree, and her friend went ahead without her, calling her out on her lack of confidence.

She described his death as utterly disgusting. His body was pulled into the anomaly instantaneously. The vortex constricted his body into nothing more than a lump, followed by rising him up into the air. His screams were the most haunting. She described them as a dog in indescribable agony. It wasn't over after that. His body exploded in a gory mess. Fox Meat wouldn't elaborate on what happened after the anomaly finished with his body.

She shuddered and grimaced after that story. After I listened and visualized what happened, I couldn't stomach another account such as that. The poor bastard. Despite Fox Meat's discomfort. She carried on with information about the anomalies. She was brief about them.

I learned that there are a variety of worrisome anomalies. Such as fire, chemical, electricity, and the most concerning of them all, reality-bending. Fox Meat explained that she knew nothing specific about them. There was too much to remember for her.

At the end of her lengthy explanation, I thanked her for telling me, and she thanked me for listening.

It wasn't long until we reached Ponyville. I stood along the treeline, where it was safe. When I looked over at Fox Meat, I instantly felt something off.

"Well, I guess this is it," Fox Meat said softly.

"Yep, It appears so." I flashed a warm smile at her.

"You going to be okay out there on your own?"

"Hopefully." I chuckled softly and scratched at my mane.

Fox Meat barely moved. She looked back at me, concern visible over her face. She opened her mouth and said, "I'm heading on over to the Castle, if you're in that area, don't hesitate to give me a call!"

"The Castle?"

"A safe zone for ponies looking to trade or take a load off. I'll probably be hanging out over there if you want to come chat, like last night."

I chuckled half-heartedly and traced my hoof in the muddy ground. "Yeah, sure. Any way I can contact you?"

"Oh!" Fox Meat exclaimed.

Fox Meat sat herself down on the mud, raising her forehoof and revealing her PDA. It was attached around her foreleg crudely with a velcro strap, but it worked wonderfully for her, after a few probing presses of her PDA, my device chimed once again.

My horn illuminated, and I delicately levitated my PDA out of my pocket. I stared at the screen and spotted Fox Meat's profile picture displayed on the interface. Above her portrait was a prompt, one that I could reject, accept, or ignore a contact request. Of course, I went ahead and pressed the green to accept button. A new interface has made itself known on my device.

Contacts.

"Alright!" Fox Meat breathed out. "Good luck looking for Swift Wings."

"Good luck getting to the Castle."

Fox Meat walked backward, her warm smile stirred up my emotions. She backed away until our eyes broke contact. Then I heard the muffled thumping of her running off in the distance, which became quieter within a few seconds.

She was gone.