Fallout Equestria: Fallen Fortress

Blackout led them across Ghastly Gorge beautifully, but it was a bit more distant than ‘just up ahead.’ In Medic’s opinion, Blackout was intentionally going in odd directions to make sure that they could never find their way back here. Or maybe… maybe it was a minefield. Medic couldn’t tell, and he sure wasn’t about to try to find out. A V formation of three pegasi soared directly overhead, marking the incomers for arrival and reminding them of the awesome might of the Enclave. Blackout sighed. It wasn’t out of discomfort, it was because he was back in his territory now. It was his game now, and Medic was scared that he would deal his cards perfectly. All Medic could hope to do is roll the dice and pray for a miracle.

Ruby was happy as ever. She was admiring Pyro’s fine equipment, especially her lighter. “But how do you hold it? It’s so clumsy! What happens if you drop it and there’s still fire? Can I touch it! It’s so pretty! The flint is so tiny…” It went on and on. Medic had to remind himself that she was still just a child. He was only really worried that Pyro might introduce Ruby to pyromania. If that happened, all Hell would break loose.

Medic could see an entire legion of Pegasi walk out to greet the incoming party, “This isn’t regulation.” Blackout muttered. Soldier started shouting in Medic’s head, but Medic managed to keep him from saying things out loud,

“Vell… Vat happens now?” Medic asks, and Ruby hides behind Pyro’s legs. The Pegasi walk up and seem to assess the group before one addresses Blackout,

“Sergeant Blackout! You are far from your marked Scouting Zone and traveling with surface dwellers no doubt. Why are you here?” The supposed leader spoke,

“I was knocked out of the sky and these ponies helped heal me and get me here.” Blackout’s action of leaving out details got Medic wondering why. Blackout was bound to bring it up to his colleagues later,

“Alvight.” Medic stated causing all attention to be drawn to him, “I have helped jou get here as I promised, now if jou don’t mind us, ve’ll be on our vay.” Medic turns to go only to find that both Ruby and Pyro are no longer behind him, “Oh, nein. Vhere did zey go?” He turns back and gets Ruby and, somehow, Pyro giving him Puppy Dog eyes,

“Can’t we stay for a little bit?” Ruby asks,

“Vhy? Ve need to get a move on before…” Medic stops as he spots what looks to be a pony Soldier in the trees, “Nein, how!?” The synth Soldier walks forward pointing a rocket launcher at Medic,

“Good day maggot!” Blackout goes pale hearing that voice again,

“What!? I thought you said-”

“It’s a robot based off mein teammates und he’s after me!” Medic pulls out Scout’s Scattergun and points it at the Soldier Synth. The robot laughs and fires a missile. Pyro hops in front of Medic and air blasts the rocket back. The Soldier Rocket jumps out of the way and Medic fires the Scatter Gun. All of the Enclave soldiers opened fire. The torrent of bullets ripped through the trees. The synth rocket jumped off and soared through the air.

“Earth Ponies can’t fly! Shoot him down!” Shouted a sergeant. Finally, Medic shot the fake Soldier with the Scattergun and stopped his momentum. He falls amongst the horde of pegasi, which proceed to tear the robot apart with fire and lead.

“This isn’t the end!” The Soldier Synth shouted as its voice edged into the familiar robot variant, “The Administrator will make sure that you are killed! No matter how many times it takes!” That line scares Medic, as it means there is a chance that his employer knows of the multiple souls Medic has. With the Soldier Synth destroyed, one of the Pegasi walked up to Medic and saluted,

“Admiral Thunder Cloud, sir.” The armor-clad Pegasus stated before lowering his hoof, “Now if that robot was after you, I’m afraid you will be staying here for briefing.” Medic sighs,

“Of course. She couldn’t have picked a better time to strike.” Medic muttered in response, and Medic thought to the Administrator in her familiar pose, smoking and smiling to herself, congratulating the only person in the room with her genius tactics. Ah, but then there was Engineer… Medic feared the day he would have to fight even just a synth of one.

The black coated and grey maned pegasus named Thunder Cloud led them into the courtyard of the great complex. Various drills were being performed, and Medic could see a cadet group undergoing hoof-to-hoof combat training. Their wings were tied to their bodies. Medic assumed it was to simulate not having wings. He then wondered if Blackout remembered any of it?

Medic and the rest of the group were led into a decontamination airlock. They each had to strip their materials off their bodies and stand underneath a chemical shower. Blackout shivered, and Ruby got eerily quiet. Pyro was Pyro, and when she took off part of her mask, she was asked to keep the suit on. A pair of Pegasi led her out the front door once again. “Ve vill meat you later, Pyro,” Medic called as they were taken away from Pyro. Pyro shrugged.

The rest of the group was led into the deeper parts of the compound. Medic couldn’t keep track of how many twists and turns they took, the staircases they traversed. They arrived in an interrogation room. “Is zis really necessary?” Medic tried to rationalize with the Admiral, but he shoved them in there. Medic sighed and got Ruby to sit down on one of the cold, bolted metal chairs. Blackout was in the room with them. His face was twitching like he was fighting something. Medic finally noticed. “Blackout? What’s wrong?” He exploded.

“You hit me, d*mm*t! You struck me out of the sky and beat me! Surface Ponies can’t fly! That’s what we’re told, from day one! SURFACE PONIES CAN’T FLY!!!” He was roaring. Spittle came flying out as he approached with anger. “And here you come, with your ****ing souls, prancing around as if you own the skies and bloody jump to pegasus heights! Even if that wasn’t a criminal offense in the Enclave, you still struck me! I’ve been planning your death since you picked me up, and now that you two are alone without that d*mn*d monster, I can complete the task.” He stopped shouting and got deathly quiet. “And if you think you can stop me, we can just suck the air out of this room.” And with that, he left. Medic was horrified and Ruby began to bawl. One thought went through Medic’s head, How did he know about mein souls?

Blackout watched as Medic tried to comfort Ruby. He turned at the Admiral’s command and stood at attention. “Sir!” He said.

“Blackout. Is this true? Because you know what happens if it is.” Blackout panicked. He loved Ruby to death, but if she actually died…

“S-sir, I…” All he did was vent. Keeping something like that in was dangerous, he might’ve even shot them if he didn’t say anything. But he had a duty to the Enclave, and one lie turns into another… “Sir, permission to speak freely, sir?” Thunder nodded. “Sir, it may have happened, but I have since learned valuable information about our other enemies through them.” There, no one had to die. He wished no one would divide him between the Enclave and Ruby again.

“Sergeant Blackout, that is not regulation. You should have shot them.” Blackout began panicking again.

“The little one wasn’t responsible for it, sir.” He said, and the Admiral glared at him.

“Excuse me, sergeant? I thought I just heard something, but I’m not quite so sure. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need a coffee.” Blackout stood aghast as he left. He looked into the one-way window where Ruby had fallen into a sadness-induced sleep. Medic looked worried as he stroked Ruby. Blackout couldn’t stand to lose the little filly. If he could even just keep her. Blackout cursed himself then ran after the Admiral,

“Sir? I don’t think we can kill the Doctor.” Blackout knew he was digging himself a pit, but there was a chance that Bloody Ruby could live if he went down this path. Admiral Thunder Cloud stopped,

“Explain Sergeant.”

“The little one told me that the Doctor has been around since the war and has stayed alive through 200 years in Cryogenic stasis. He was a part of, from what I can gather, the work on souls the Ministry of Image was rumored to work on. He has multiple souls, not minds as he tried to convince me of.” The Admiral paused to consider this.

“If he was, I want that information. If you don’t, or can’t get anything from him, kill him.” Blackout sighed.

“Yes, sir.” Blackout replied before heading back towards the room where Medic and Ruby had been left, finding Medic looking right at him through the reflective glass,

“I know vat jou’re up to, Blackout. I know nothzing about ze Ministry of Image und zere vork on ze soul.” Medic growled looking right where Blackout was even as Blackout moved to a seat.

“I’m not interested in the Ministry anymore.” He said,

“Veally? Zen vat are jou after? Are jou perhaps considering to go against jour commanding officer?” Blackout glances at Bloody Ruby’s sleeping form in the chair, an action Medic somehow sees, “Oh,” Medic chuckles, “So zat’s it. Jou care about Ruby and want to save her from zis place. Zen vat? If jou get her out of here vithout me, she’ll come back vith Pyro, possibly in ze same vorld of hallucinations. Ze only difference vould be, she can die, Pyro cannot. Jou also have to be avare of ze Administrator I told jou about. She vants me dead as vell, but Ruby stood up to me und I told her mein tale. The Administrator is after her as vell. Kill me und not only do jou devastate Ruby, but jou’ll also be making her a veaker target.” Blackout stared at Medic.

“Be aware I’m not doing it for you. I’ll find Ruby if not you, as well a way out of here. Forget the branding, they can’t if they can’t catch me.” Medic wondered about that but didn’t want to ruin the moment so he stayed silent. Blackout, having cleared that up, got up. As he left, Medic noticed a deck of cards on the table. Medic pulled one card out and noticed the Ponish design on it. If he was lucky enough, he could find someone up for a game of cards and get some more caps out of them. But he had to get out first. As the door started to close, Medic put the deck of cards in between the door and the wall. The door failed to close. All Medic had to do now was to make sure Ruby knew the situation.

“Ruby, wake up. Ruby!” Medic whispered harshly. Ruby rubbed her red eyes as she awoke.

“What?” She said, and Medic opened the door.

“I can assume Blackout will be right behind us. Let’s go, we’re forging our own luck from now on.” ‘That’s a new one for you, Doctor.’ Spy said in Medic’s mind, ‘I see you're taking a few lines from me.’ Medic shook his head as Ruby climbed back onto his back so they could travel faster.

Medic bolted out of the door, grabbing the deck of cards on the way. No one was in the other room, so Medic peeked into the hallway. He could see one pair of pegasi, but they were heading in the other direction. “Ruby, let me know if you find a map. We can’t exit ze vay we came from.” He said and noticed a crook he could hide in for the time being. He dashed across the hall and into the hiding spot just as another pegasus walked by. He was muttering something about not having enough doctors. He was nursing a small cut. Medic frowned, but what could he do. He wasn’t about to walk out and heal his cut.

Ruby was searching along the walls and suddenly pointed at a piece of paper. “There,” she said quietly. As the pegasus passed, Medic clambered out of his hole and walked up to the map. There was a plug beneath it. Medic pulled out a cord from his pip-buck and plugged it in. A downloading screen appeared, and Medic waited impatiently. He could hear more Enclave soldiers passing through. They sounded to be dangerously close when it finally finished. Medic, skipping the hole he used, dashed down the hall, hiding around the corner before checking for other troops. Luckily, there were none. Ahem. Came Spy’s voice. “Oh, I’m a dummkopf!” Medic said and activated his invisibility spell. Ruby panicked but said nothing as she saw the stallion she was being carried on disappeared.

The Enclave troops passed by down the T section. Medic looked left and right and looked down at his pip-buck. The map told him that he was going in the right direction for a different exit route. It then warned him about certain amounts of radiation out the back. “Nevermind the radioactivity, zat is ze vay we are going.” Medic walked down the hall and stopped a few times to make sure he wasn’t about to suddenly become visible. Ruby, thankfully, had slipped off but managed to keep up by hiding from cover to cover. They eventually came across a room marked ‘Ammunition’, and Medic needed more .44. He opened the door and a slight stench that came wafting out. Medic wrinkled his nose at the smell and strained his eyes against the dark room. He deactivated the stealth shielding and motioned Bloody Ruby to his side.

“Could jou go investigate? Jou are stealthier than I, after all.” It was true. Medic couldn’t help but notice that in the silence of empty halls, footsteps tend to carry farther, and he was not light-footed. Ruby slipped in like a shadow, and eventually became one as she moved in. Ruby almost instantly came back out, blushing and mouth agape. “Vhat’s wrong, Ruby?” Ruby simply shut the door and shook her head.

“What was seen cannot be unseen.” She said after they both hid in another janitor's hole, instead of a closet. (The machines, Medic had noticed, were rather large, but didn’t appear to have a camera.) Medic heard somepony knock on the door, and the pony behind that knock said,

“You two better not be doing what I think you’re doing in there.” Medic didn’t need to hear anymore, and especially not Ruby after seeing it herself.

As the three of the Enclave soldiers walked away from the Ammunitions room, Medic dashed back into it as the door was about to close. Activating the light on his Pip-buck, he browsed the ammunition types until he came across several shotgun shells that looked about right for the Scattergun, and several .44 caliber shots. Medic was pretty sure the Shotgun he had taken from Heavy was using the same type of shell as the Scattergun, so he only took two boxes of shotgun shells. Geez, Doc. Grumbled Scout, You should’ve used more guns or at least paid attention to ours. Medic mentally growled at Scout before returning to the task at hoof.

When Medic and Ruby finally left the ammunition storage room, they both had enough bullets for their guns to last a while. Activating the invisibility spell again, the pair head down the halls following the map on Medic’s Pip-Buck. They were passing what could’ve been a control room or communications center when they heard another voice, the voice of Admiral Thunder Cloud, coming from inside. What he was talking about piqued Medic’s interested and he paused causing Ruby to bump into his invisible form. She takes cover, but still pauses to listen in like Medic was,

“Yes, sir. There is a chance he worked for the Ministry of Image. Soul Magic has been mentioned as well as a case of amnesia for being in Cryogenic Stasis for so long.” Thunder Cloud stated to somepony else in the room or on the other side of a Com-link,

“Try to make friends with him.” Spoke a mysterious voice,

“Sir? Making contact with the surface dwellers is one thing, but becoming friends with them?”

“If you’re not willing, get that Scout Blackout to do it. He’s been with them for a while.”

“He’s showing signs of rebellion. No doubt he’s going Dashite.”

“Then use this as a chance for him to prove his worth. We need the spells of the Black Book. If he has seen it or used it though… We may not need the book, just this ‘Medic’ alive.” As touching as it was to be shown such high regard by the assumed mysterious Pegasus in that room, Medic trembled at the thought that his research on the soul was getting more and more attention daily, and now… Somepony claimed they needed him. No doubt for something similar to what Engineer claimed he had done to the Administrator and he wanted nothing to do with it.

“Come on, Ruby. Let’s go.” He led her past the office and into another hall. The exit was in sight, a nondescript door with no cause for concern. Behind, Medic presumed, was emptiness, “Go on, Ruby, I’ll be right behind you.” Medic turned around to make sure no pony was following. With that clear, Medic turned his attention to the access terminal. He placed his hoof down only for it to phase through a cloud-like substance. Confused he shook his hoof through the computer a few more times, before stopping to think. An idea came to Medic’s head. Scout and Sniper were both Pegasi here and this base was full of them. So in order to work with the cloud terminal, he just needed to use Scout or Sniper’s, souls. Medic selected Sniper’s much to the Boston’s displeasure.

With Spy’s instructions, hacking the terminal was a cinch. The passcode was The Truth. Medic was confused, but he opened the door without question. Big mistake. Inside the door, outside the base, was a horde of feral ghouls, basking in radiation, and in the mix was a Pyro Synth, playing with the ghouls. Medic could tell because this robot wasn’t wearing a mask. Pyro always wore a mask. Only Engineer ever saw her face, by chance, during a battle, which probably led to the carrying of multiple masks and goggles. Of course. Medic thought, Engineer saw her face, figures he would leave the mask off when making her synth. A scarred white furred and white-maned face with very blue eyes turned to Medic, and a child-like voice giggled at him,

“Knew you wouldn’t stay in there long, and you brought a cute friend. That Soldier was unlucky, but not me. This pack listens to me and now they want your blood… Don’t worry, I won’t kill the filly, you on the other hand… Oh wait, hoof now, are about to go down. Hope you like bleeding out.” Ruby whimpered as all the ghoul heads turned toward them. The Pyro Synth moved quick, grabbing Ruby and hopping back a safe distance. This caused Ruby to scream, “Please be quiet little filly. This evil man is about to be executed, no need to feel sad about it.” Ruby began to cry,

“No! Healing Song’s not bad! He protects me!” Pyro Synth had heard enough and covered Ruby’s mouth,

“Calm down, it’ll be over soon. Go! Feast! Fresh meat!” The horde of ghouls surged forward, right at Medic. Medic pulled out his bonesaw. The only way he was getting out of this was a fight, tooth, and nail.

“Heavy! Lend me jour strength!” Doctor, dis is bad. Despite Heavy’s worries, Medic still felt strength surge through him. His first swing made a ghoul’s head explode, and hit another then scrape it blind. A ghoul hit him to his right, and Medic swung right to knock it back. Medic was fighting for his life, and he was afraid of losing.

C’mon, doc. Let me in. Medic let the young man into consciousness, Look Doc, this is really bad! Let me take control. I promise I’ll handle all of them. You’ve just gotta trust me on this. ‘I don’t trust jou enough to get jour head out of the clouds.’ Medic replied as another ghoul fell from a stab through its eye. One ghoul bit Medic’s leg and he yelped, Doc, please. ‘Fine but if ve die jour soul is going to ze Devil.’ Medic felt himself fall backwards as a ghoul rammed him in the chest. Next thing he knew he was in some sort of common room, just like the one back on the RED team’s base, “Vat?”

“Oh no.” Spy whispered, “You actually let him take control!?”

“Vhat vas I supposed to do! I am about to die and zat boy is the only thing that run faster than I!” Spy sighed.

“And do you realize how much Dash you still had on you?”

“Oh nein.” Medic said and found a screen to the outside world. Scout had pulled out one of the inhalers and was taking a puff. Just one, thankfully, but one all the same. Scout tossed it back into the bag and grab Medic’s bonesaw.

“Alright, you undead freaks, let me show you how we do it in Boston,” Scout said. The Boston boy jumped up and soared over the ghouls in slow motion. He swung the Bonesaw with his teeth, despite having the horn. An Earth pony style, though he was a Pegasus when he was free, to be sure. As he fell back down, he swung himself around in mid-air and stabbed at another ghoul. They converged on Scout, and this time, he jumped backwards, to the Synth Pyro. With time slowed down for him, he could react faster than the synth. He slashed it across its face, and it let go of Ruby. It backed up and grabbed the flamethrower.

They were at a standoff. On one hand, the Synth knew that throwing the ghouls at this… thing… wasn’t going to help. On the other hand, it would just take one flame to catch him on fire. But he was fast, it would have to act fast. It was still calculating the probability of success when Scout threw himself at it and lobbed it’s head off,

“Zat… Vas…” Medic just stood there staring at the screen in shock then he heard Scout ask,

“How about that Doc?” The boy in control of Medic’s body then bucks a ghoul’s head off, “One moment.”

“Scout!” No reply since the Boston was focused on murdering all the remaining ghouls before returning to Ruby,

“Ya alright Ruby?”

“Scout! Let me back in control!” Medic screamed banging on the door he had flown from,

“That was what I was afraid of.” Spy muttered, “Soldier! Scout is trying to become a commanding officer!” Soldier lifted his head out of the refrigerator that was somehow in the mindscape,

“He’s what!? That no good, Private is leagues from holding that title!” He lined himself up for a ram, “He’s about to get one major headache if he doesn’t open that door for Medic!”

“Not yet guys!” Scout’s voice echoed through the loudspeakers, “This place is loaded with radiation.” The steady clicking from the Pip-Buck confirmed this, “I’m gonna get us all a safe distance first.” Ruby was tossed onto Medic’s back, “Hang on!” Scout called before charging away from the spot in a burst of speed. Five minutes later Scout stopped beginning to feel the effects of the Dash edging off and he forced himself not to take another puff. Medic was going to take over and didn’t need those effects. The door to the control center of the common room opened and Medic ran inside. Scout paused, “Doc? I feel… Weak… I’m not in control but I think I’m experiencing that crash Blackout mentioned.” Medic blinked a few times. He was back in the real world then he thought about what Scout mentioned, “I also really want another puff…” Medic felt Spy tackle Scout,

“No! You imbecile!”

“I wasn’t gonna! I’m just stating!”

“It’s bad enough I’m addicted to the Nicotine in cigarettes! But I will not let my son fall down that path!” Spy’s voice stopped and silence filled the mindscape,

“Y-you're my dad? All this time? NO! THAT’S NOT TRUE!” Scout’s Cutie Mark appeared and hopped off of Medic’s flank forming the blue apparition of the Boston Pegasus, “Is it true Doc? Please tell me it’s not!” Medic stood there in shock. He could feel all eyes on that screen in the mindscape except for Spy who looked away in shame,

“Ja… It’s true.” Medic winced as he heard the Boston boy cry.

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New perk: Wind Runner’s perk: Any speed enhancing drug lasts 2 times longer and is 20% more effective then their original effects.