Fallout Equestria: Desperados

Intermission, 04

“When I step around, I hear the sound

c-clip a clopping' up and down the street

the shuffling' of hooves, it surely proves

that I'll see you 'fore the day's complete

What is this wonderful feeling in my head?

Had it before I got up and outta bed

Just wanna wear a smile and come find you for a while

The colors all so vivid

our friends so green and livid

when we touched I felt like my skin would melt

and I don't want you to quit it”

The cheerful song put a bit of a hop in my step as I followed the spright bot. It was sung by a mare known as Velvet Remedy, whom the DJ seemed to be a huge fan of. There were not all that many songs from her compared to the other singing mare Victoria Rosary, but Velvet seemed to just have this hopefulness to her voice that drew me in.

Having followed the floating robot, how it floats was something I really needed to investigate whenever I had the time.

I arrived at some sort of walled-off campsite. I hoped Watcher was right about this place being able to help me. It was strange how it was just in the middle of nowhere with no other structures surrounding it. The walls were a combination of brick and old rust machinery that was all over the place. There were also several ponies in makeshift towers standing watch while holding binoculars with rifles nearby.

One of the guards gave me a friendly wave, which was nice.

Trotting into the campsite, it was made of over around ten tents, all white with a pink cross on them, with one actual building to the side.

The ponies here were all standing in the shade. Many had gathered around one tent that covered a water pump. The ponies in charge filled large jugs with the water.

More fascinating was the different robots that walked around here. Most of them looked like ponies, but a few were entirely alien.

One was a white-colored sphere with three arms dangling from the bottom with different tools attached and three more arms on top that held smaller spheres that looked strangely like eyes. If it weren't for the smaller spheres, it would look a lot like a squid.

The squid robot also seemed to be directing the ponies as it hovered around, holding a clipboard, so I felt it was safe to at least ask this robot for assistance. Walking over and getting a closer look, one of the small spheres of the robot had a white cap on it that had the same pink cross as well as a checkers shawl on its body.

“Excuse me… is it sir, miss, or just robot?” I tried to ask the robot as politely as possible, unsure how deadly it could be if angered.

The little flame that was under it burst for a split second as the robot jumped into the air a short distance. It really looked like I had startled the robot, which made me feel a little guilty. The robot then spoke with a very clear and feminine voice. “Oh my, you managed to sneak up on me. That almost never happens. I am a model five, miss nanny. I was made for the purpose of the daily care of injured soldiers near the frontlines, but you can address me as Miss Nightingale. May I ask for your name, sir?”

“Azure Dice. I was told by a friendly fellow called Watcher that this place may be able to help me,” I told Miss Nightingale.

“Watcher, you say? Then I know who you should talk to. Follow me and I’ll take you to the director.” The robot turned its body and began to slowly float to the one building inside the walls.

As I followed, I couldn't help but ask, “Miss Nightingale, what is this place?”

One of the eye spheres looked at me as she floated. I somehow got the feeling that she was smiling, as odd as it sounded.

“This is the Followers of the Apocalypse forwarded operations camp for the distribution of clean drinking water. We followers are assisting the New Canterlot Republic in preparations for the drought by locating clean reservoirs of water. Currently, we are making a more efficient water pump while distributing water to whoever needs it.”

“A drought sounds terrifying. If it was not for Miss Derpy, I would have suffocated before getting this far,” I said as the thought of a drought made my throat feel dry.

Entering the building, there were several masked ponies with tools that made a very bright light while working on some large machinery. I believe they were using what was called welding torches. There were also quite a lot of metal drum barrels, all filled with water.

A unicorn mare trotted up to us. She was charcoal black in color with a white mane and tail that both had one red and black highlight in it. “Director Velvet Remedy, a mister Azure Dice is here to see you. I believe this is who Watcher asked to help out.”

If I had eyebrows, I would have raised one. The singer from the radio was also the Director here.

Velvet Remedy inquisitively looked at me, then nodded. “Right. You do match the description Watcher gave me. Come with me to my office. Miss Nightingale, if you could check on the heatstroke tent. Make sure they're doing alright.”

Nightingale bowed her eyes and then floated off.

Now following Velvet, I entered what I could only guess was a modest office. I still didn’t know what the standard of this world was, but it felt modest. Only two things really stood out. One was a picture frame that held a photo of Velvet with a rust-brown stallion, and two small foals. The second was a small statue of a friendly yellow pegasus with a long pink main and tail.

She sat down at her desk and then pointed at her head. “You can take that off. I won't freak out.”

I figured that Watcher told her about what I was, so I removed my Sprite bot helmet. She was clearly taken aback in surprise when she saw my face, but quickly relaxed.

Velvet then shrugged. “The wasteland never ceases to surprise me. No matter how much I think I’ve seen it all, something new and strange will always pop up.”

I chuckled. “Tell me about it. It was only meant to be a five hours tour of exploration and now I’m in a magical land of multi-colored ponies who all have guns. As fascinating as this all is, I’ll likely be institutionalized if I ever told anybody about this back home.”

The mare seemed to be quietly contemplating my words for several seconds. During that time, a curious look was on her face.

She then spoke again. “From what Watcher told me, you're looking for a mare named Harp Melody, who may know how to get you home. Is this correct?”

I shook my head. “No. I doubt she understands trans dimensional magical rifts any more than I do, but she might be able to tell me how she got sucked in the time-space pocket I found her in. If I can get myself into one, then there's a chance a friend of mine can find me and bring me home.”

“Right. I’m not going to even pretend to understand even half of that.” Velvet said nervously.

“Best not to. Even the people who have researched that don’t even know what they're doing most of the time,” I said honestly. “Frankly I’m just taking a shot in the dark. Even if I am successful, I could just end up in another equally strange world.”

“Fortune favors the bold, as the saying goes,” Velvet said as she levitated a piece of paper over to herself. “Speaking of fortune, I happen to know where this Harp Melody is, and I need some creature to deliver a package to her and her companion.”

My fin-like antenna perked up upon hearing some good news.

“But,” Velvet said, causing my antenna to droop, knowing that I was not going to like what she was about to say next. “It’s going to be several days before any reliable transportation will arrive here, and several more days to get to New Appaloosa. You could just trot there, but this part of Equestria is both dangerous and empty, so I advise against that.”

“So the problem is just time. I can deal with that. I probably should take a break after walking so much for so long,” I said as I felt my mouth foam a bit. “That said, do you have any water I can drink? You see, my lungs are starting to dry out.”

She raised an eyebrow for a moment before sighing. “Don’t worry. The water here is free. We will also give you a private place to sleep in the meantime. The Followers are here to help every creature, even if they are some alien from another dimension.”

The term “alien”, I haven't heard that in a long time.

I then remembered something Harp had told me. “Oh, it’s just a curiosity, but Harp Melody said that there are creatures like myself in this world. She called them Sparkle-Lurkers. If you have heard of anything called that, then let me know. I love to see how they live and if they are actually the same kind of creature as myself.”

Velvet looked a bit worried. “I’ll ask, but don't get your hopes up.”

“Well thanks again. I’ll make sure not to bother any of you ponies here,” I told Velvet as I put my helmet back on.

“It’s my pleasure. And, if you need anything, don’t be afraid to ask.”

Stepping out, I finally felt like I was on the right track home. It didn’t matter if Harp could actually help me or not. What mattered was that I had a goal and a destination. From there, I just needed to pick up any clues I might find along the way, just like any good explorer.

“Head?” A blue unicorn stallion asked me. He was holding a black chalkboard in his magic.

“Or Tails?” A similar blue unicorn mare asked and she levitated a plate.

The board was divided between the two choices, and all the tallies were on heads.

“Uhh, who are you?” I asked. The stallion tossed me a coin, then they repeated their question.

Seeing how only heads had landed so far, it must be some kind of trick coin. I didn’t like to gamble. It was always a losing game to me, but I couldn't hurt to at least play along with the odd ponies.

“Tails,” I said as I tossed the coin up, unable to actually flip it with my hooves.

The coin landed on the platter, bouncing about for a moment.

Both of them raised an eyebrow, and the stallion placed a tally mark under tails.

They walked off after that while quietly muttering between themselves. The strange encounter simply being just that.

Seeing where the water tent was, I walked over there. A radio played loudly as ponies waited for something to drink.

“Hello Equestrian wasteland. This is your charming DJ Pon3, here to bring you some good news! We finally have a date! That's right. The mayor of New Appaloosa has finally set a date for when the Lightbrigher festival will begin. In two weeks from now, the festival will happen, and from what I heard, it will be the biggest celebration yet!

Food, drinks, music, and fireworks. It’s going to have everything!

For all of you who will not be able to go there yourself, I have good news for you as well. The Followers of the Apocalypse will be broadcasting the concert over my radio live, so tune in this station in two weeks to hear Victoria Rosary live!”

Author's Note

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d741JHtavVs&list=PLQO-zRh7cAtJuIS0kKCAs7kgcP1rzmnaF