Gestalt Trace's Last Stand
Gestalt Trace’s Last Stand: A FoE Fan Fiction
By Wanderer D
o.0.o
The group of griffin raised high above the building, their wings safely carrying them beyond the weapon range of their opponents. Bellow them, few raiders moved around, fearful of the mercenaries’ guns, speed and talons.
The head griffon grinned. That’s how it should be. Holding his precious cargo in his talons he turned towards Tenpony Tower, guiding his band out of the city ruins and towards their payment.
o.0.o
The sound of somepony tapping the microphone with their hooves was the first thing that could be heard after the necessary buzzing and whining of the old recording device.
“Is this thing on? Well it's blinking. Hello? Hello! I hope this stupid thing is recording, otherwise I will feel very stupid indeed.
“Those that know me will be surprised to find that, for once, I am out of words. A pegasus. I rescued a freaking Enclave grunt. Yay me. If I hadn't facehoofed hard enough already I would be smacking my face on the wall, and smearing it with my blood and adding a little color to this drab establishment.
“Things were not supposed to be this way. What the hay. Celestia and Luna and Ministry Mares damn it and everything that was higher in the food chain than I damn it too. At least the bastard is still unconscious.
“Of course I know I don't have anypony else to blame other than myself for this crap. But, I did grow up reading adventure books and such nonsense and when the Stable Dweller showed up, and then Security and then... well, the list grows.
“I realize now my folly... which is a fancy word for saying I've realized just how fucking stupid I am. I'm not useless with technology, if you're wondering why you can actually listen to me. I rigged up this recorder, this building was built for the Ministry of Technology and- well... this is not a history lesson. I think this place is going to be my grave. I don't... I don't want to go out and risk getting caught.
“So, I guess I should explain. My name is Gestalt Trace. Gestalt is a family name, supposedly you can trace it to back before the war... and I think one of my distant past relations started the trend. I am a graphic designer. Or I was back home. You might have seen that poster of Celestia and Luna overlooking the suffering masses from their comfortable clouds with the Vault emblem hovering over the Goddesses... yeah, the one that caused that commotion back in Tenpony Tower. Well, that was mine. It's not like I'm going to be in trouble for it now. Better to get it out of my chest.
“At least if had been caught, I would have died in a clean place. Possibly in the hospital surrounded by my loved ones. But no, I'm going to die in this stinking room. You know what it smells like? It smells of... I realize I have had a very sheltered life. I don't know what to compare it to. It's... acrid. It makes my nose itch and I feel like I want to cough every time I take a deep breath. I never do, but my throat is pretty dry. Ok, time for a drink.”
The squeaking of a cork being turned around inside a bottle neck could be clearly heard, followed shortly by a pop and the gulping sounds of Gestalt drinking.
“Aah. That's the shit. Well, okay, since you are listening I'll let you know, it's whiskey... not really shit. Quite the opposite. Anyway, the room. The walls are gray, the ceiling was white, now it's puckered with polka-dots of mold aand it's falling in. They used cheap materials. That looks like cardboard. The lamp fell a while ago... I think the cables are live... the power generator must be underground, since it's still working.
“Desks, chairs. Oh! Overturned desks. Paper that's turned into permanent part of the floor. Also, I'm in the third floor of the building. Excuse me if I am not more excited about describing my inevitable resting place, but I've been staring at the walls and that pegasus for hours. It beats looking out the window.
“I can see them, you know. The raiders. Running around, looking for me. They had this fool all wrapped up a couple of blocks away. And the bigger fool being me, I shot a few of them and 'rescued' him. I just air-quoted with my hooves, just so you know I'm being a bit sarcastic about the rescuing. I figure that since you can't see me, I might as well tell. They passed this place a couple of times... I already blocked the doors and windows downstairs, and I laid a few simple traps. Pits, bricks to the head if you open door A, that kind of thing.”
The diatribe was interrupted by Gestalt taking another swig of the bottle.
“So yeah. Little 'ol me, by myself. Except for this guy. HEY! Wake up! Gah, do I have to kick you again? Wake up! I think they hit him harder than I did. He's kinda cute, if he wasn't a pegasus I'd treat him differently. Maybe little Gestalt could get some action before she died. Heh. If mom could hear me.
“But yeah, Enclave... what gives those bastards the right to ignore us and let us rot for two hundred years then come back and claim they care for us I don't know. You would think the Wasteland's corruption would have the sky as a limit... but you'd be wrong.
“I wonder how much time it will take those Raiders to try for this building. They know I'm around here. I hate getting hopeful. I wonder...”
“Ugh...”
“Hey, our sleeping beauty is waking up! Wakey wakey little pegasus! It's time to see how it looks like under the clouds! Newsflash! It's horrible!”
“What... who are you?”
“Oh, I like your voice... it so... husky. It goes well with your ruggedly handsome mug.”
There was silence for a few seconds, then...
“Oh, are we giving Gestalt the silent treatment? Well, I guess that's what I get for saving your ass.”
“You- what? I... I’m not dead... and I don't- I don't feel anything!”
“Shut up, or I'll shove my hoof down your throat so hard you'll forget what it was for originally. The place is crawling with Raiders, they'll kill you and rape me. Then they'll rape you and kill me. Then they'll rape us both again. Now, I know you cannot move your head with my hoof in your mouth so blink twice if you will be quiet.
“Good. Now, I don't know anything about why you don't feel anything, okay? Usually that’s a good sign right? But anyway, in case you haven't noticed, I left you in that blanket they tied around you with belts. It was easier to drag you around like that.”
“I... I was shot, and... stabbed. I felt something rip... can you check me?”
“Do I look like a nurse?”
“... no... you uh, look...”
“Yes?”
“Nice...?”
“You are just saying that.”
“N-no, I...”
“Yes you are. Flirt. Do you like my winks? I think they're sexy.”
The liquid inside the bottle sloshed as Gestalt brought it up to her lips and took another long drink.
“I think you've been hitting that bottle a lot. Please untie me.”
“But I don't want to. You're Envlave. Enk-lav. En...”
“Enclave. And we're the good guys, you can trust us.”
“You- haha... hahahahaaaaahahaha-”
“Stop that.”
“Ahahahahahaha, the good guys? Seriously? Hahahaha! Oh come on, don't look at me like I just pushed my rifle up your butt. You know it's horseapples. You don't care.”
“We do, that's why we came here and...”
“Attacked innocents and destroyed Friendship City.”
“That was-”
“Shut it, pegasus. Here. Ugh, those things are slimy. There, just so you know, if you fly out the window they will kill you. And me. So don't.”
“Thank-”
“Don't. I rescued you by accident. If I had known you were Enclave you'd be moaning into a Raider's crotch right now.”
“Thank you for the nice mental image.”
“If you don't mind I will continue narrating my inevitable death.”
“Sure, whatever.”
“Well, listener. Listeners. Nopony. Everypony. Our Enclave friend is pulling himself out of the blanket. Ouch, they did a number on him. I see patches of fur missing. Oooh, that's gonna leave a scar. It's a good thing its stopped bleeding. It doesn't look very clean though, might want to use the restroom... oh wait, it hasn't worked for at least 200 years. Might be in working condition if you Enclave ponies had come around a hundred ago, I- oh Celestia.”
“I- don't even feel them.”
“I'm sorry.”
The pegasus sobbed. It was the sound of somepony who had lost everything.
“H-hey, come on... you're an Enclave soldier, you've been trained for this shit... right? I mean, don't cry I... I don't-”
“Just shoot me.”
“What? No!”
“I'm dead, you stupid mare! They took my wings away! They're... they're just hanging... I can't feel them! I can't feel my wings! Or my legs!”
“Hey, calm down handsome... I'm sorry...”
“You don't get it do you? How would you feel if you woke up and your horn was gone?”
“I don't know, okay! Anyway, you're a fucking soldier, act like it! All you Enclave morons do is kill kill kill, you must know you were going to get some back!”
“Shut up. Just shut up.”
“...”
“I didn't know.”
“What?”
“When I joined the army... I didn't know you... all of you were suffering down here. We grew up being told that everypony down here was a savage... that you would stab me in the back when you could... I didn't care... my mom wanted me to be a doctor, you know? But I joined because I was told we might be able to help.”
“I-”
“Shut it. So, I went through training, and I went through all the classes and more training and took exams... and when I came here, the first thing we did was attack a bunch of earth ponies that were about to kill this mare and her filly... it felt good, but... my friends were shot down very quickly... I managed to fight, even when I was shot in the leg... it hurts like fuck by the way... and yeah, I won. I killed the last Raider... and then... then the mare stabbed me. She had a knife you see, she... she left me to die, I barely managed to drink a potion and pass out... I guess the damage was too much for it... that's what I get for saving a pony... a lifetime without flying... or walking.”
“Shit. You're shitting me. This... oh Celestia you really can't move your legs either... I'm so sorry...”
“Well, you're a sniper, right? Stop being sensitive and shoot me in the face. It's the pony thing to do. Especially here. Unless you want me to turn my back on you? Is that easier?”
“Fuck off. You stupid moron. I fucking risked my life to save yours.”
“You wasted the bullet. By now I'd be dead and I wouldn't have to tell you the story of my life.”
*Gulp, gulp.*
“Urp- want some?”
“What the hay is that?”
“Whiskey. I stole it from my dad's collection when I ran away.”
“You're fucked up. Pass it over.”
“You're taking this very well.”
“I just asked you to shoot me in the face. And I asked you twice.”
“But you could be screaming.”
“I want to.”
“Why don't you?”
“...”
“Come on, we're trapped like radroaches in a lab. Share.”
“If I scream... you'd be found out.”
“... that's...”
“Not what you expect from Enclave?”
“No... I wouldn't expect it.”
“Look... let's see if we can stay safe until nighttime, then you go, and leave me with a grenade or something.”
“... I'm sorry.”
“Me too... hey, what are you-”
“Hmmm. Hmmmm... shush. Let me turn the radio off.”
“But...”
“Please... I need this... and...”
“I can't feel you touching me you know?”
“But I got a reaction. And you can feel my kisses right? Please.”
“... Okay.”
A click.
o.0.o
The griffon watched the black-maned, gray-coated unicorn slowly drag a hoof down his face, but said nothing. After all, it wasn’t part of his job to judge. He was in it for the money and as long as he got paid, his client could get drunk, dress up in a clown outfit and dance on Celestia’s corpse.
“What happened to the pegasus?”
“Shot dead by one of the Raiders... blew half his head away,” the griffon replied, looking down at his wing and frowning when he noticed the green dye fading a bit.
“Did you get a tag? Any sort of ID?”
“No,” the griffon looked at the unicorn straight in the eye. “But we could-”
The raised hoof stopped him. “Do it. I'll add a fourth of your pay to the total. I would like to know his name... it’s the least I could do for both of them now that...”
The griffon nodded and turned around, walking out of the room and leaving the unicorn alone. He stared morosely at the recorder in front of him, before sighing and extending his hoof to turn it on again.
o.0.o
There was a burst of static, the crackles and fizzles grating as somepony played around with the recorder. It whined a horrible high-pitched sound that faded into the sounds of a high-caliber sniper rifle resonating in the small room.
Gestalt’s voice could be heard after the second shot.
“Headshot! That's three in a row! Is that thing on yet?”
“Yeah, I think! It's blinking. You said it was supposed to blink right?”
Another shot.
“Oh yeah, who's your momma? Eh? Who's your momma?” She paused for a second. “What? I wasn't really asking you, you idiot! I don't care if she's dead!” Another shot. “Tell her I said hi!”
“Gestalt!”
The recording microphone recorded two more shots.
“What?” She stopped, the sound of a distant explosion quieting both of them. “Uh... I knew that would happen.”
“But... the truck said 'Milk' how did you know it was going to explode?”
“I just did! Okay? So what did you want?!” Another shot.
“I was asking you if it was supposed to blink like this!”
“Oh.” Gestalt paused to shoot once more. “Yes! You don't smell smoke, do you?”
“No...”
“Okay, then it works!” Another shot. “Shit! SHIT!”
“What?!”
“They got in! We're fucked!”
“Gestalt, give me the gun.”
“You're not shooting yourself!”
“I'm not doing-” he had to shout over the sound of Gestalt’s rifle going off “-that! I want you to run!”
“What?! Are you cuh-razy?!”
“Go away! Run! I'll hold them!”
“Run where you moron? We're on the last floor! I’m not a pegasus! I can’t fly!”
“Just... give me the damn gun and hide! Please!”
“You're fucking kidding me. Don't go all noble on me. Shit they're all in the building.”
“I had already told you I wanted you to go!”
“Then you wanted me to stay with you forever! Shit shit... what are we going to do?”
“We were having sex! And- I... I would. I really would.”
“You're an idiot! You can't fuck me, fall in love with me and kill yourself!”
“I already told you I'll be killing them before they kill me!”
“Same shit!”
The microphone registered the distant sound of something falling, followed by shouts.
“They fell for the bricks on top of the doors. They’re really idiots. Why are we going to be killed by idiots?”
“Please Gestalt...”
“Just shut up.”
“...”
“One thing though...”
“Yeah?”
“What's your name?”
“It's-”
He was interrupted by the sound of splintering wood as the Raiders kicked the door in and started shooting.
“Die fuckers!”
“GET HER!”
Scrambling, followed by crashing and curses.
“NO! Don't touch him!”
Then suddenly the sound of glass shattering, the sound of somepony screaming.
“THE HAY?! WHAT THE-”
A leonine roar drowned all the shouts around it. There were more crashing sounds, more glass breaking, wood splintering, heavy objects being dragged, roars, shouts and eagle cries. The sounds of shooting and bullets impacting every conceivable surface. Then silence.
o.0.o
Slowly, the unicorn’s eyes started watering. A sob shook his frame as his hoofs came up to his face. He bit his lip so he wouldn't scream.
A knock on the door made him look up. “Sir?” His horn shone with magic, levitating a cloth to clean his face.
“Yes?”
A young earth pony mare walked in, carefully closing the door behind her.
“The report came back... the Green Talons made it in time. She'll live. But...”
“What?”
“She's with foal. And she wants to keep it.”
The unicorn sighed. “Let her.”
“But... sir!” The mare looked shocked, shaking her head slightly. “What will this do to her reputation?!” The earth pony started pacing. “Already there are rumors going all around Tenpony-”
“I didn't get to meet the father... but...” He looked down at the recorder. “He seemed to be a good pony. Let her. I'll deal with the PR.”
The mare shook her head. “That's what I'm here for, sir. Don't worry, I'll handle it.”
The unicorn sighed and nodded. “Thank you, Serene Tale. I'll be out shortly... I'd like to see my daughter.”
“Of course Mr. Vault.”
The mare left and the unicorn stood up, still a bit shaky from the emotional backlash. His magic levitated the recording of his daughter's fight and hovered it in front of his eyes. He suddenly felt really old.
With almost no hesitation, he floated it into a small safe under his desk.
“Some day... we'll talk about that poster,” he whispered as he made his way out of his office. “But not now.”
o.0.o The End o.0.o
Author's Note
Credit for the FoE Universe, of course, goes to Kkat.
And I’d like to thank Adder and Damnfoolbrony for giving it a read and helping polish it.
