Fallout Equestria: Desperados

Fallout Equestria: Desperados

Those who are Wrong.

_______________________________________________________

-Slowtrot-

Special

Strength: 6

Perception: 4

Endurance: 9

Charisma: 4

Intelligence: 4

Agility: 4

Luck: 9

Skills

Medicine- 75

Repair- 55

Survival- 50

Melee Weapons- 30

Small Gun- 36

-Trait: Good Natured - Slowtrot grew up in a time where war and violence was still a foreign

concept. He held to those ideals, even if they failed in the end. He gains a boost to non combat skills, but all combat skills are lowered.

-Odd Trait: Wild Wasteland - it might just be that Slowtrot is out of place and time, but the world seems different to him. Odder and wilder. He might be crazy, or it's Equestria that's gone mad? All the same, something is not right.

-Unique Trait: Forgot how to Door - Slowtrot does not retain information as well as other ponies, but he tries his best, for better or worse. -1 to skill points when advancing in level, but for the first hour gains +1 to luck whenever entering a new area, and has a %10 chance to succeed on skill check he is too low to complete.

-Learned Skill: Scrap Craft - The workers of the wartime industry had many ways to make the most out of what they had at hoof, and having lived among them, Slowtrot had learned how to make tools from old scrap.

-Learned Perk: Classic Education - Slowtrot gains two more skill points every time you advance in level.

-Learned Skill: Smash like Yak - By simply striking at the right point, an object can be easily broken into bits without having to apply much force. Slowtrot now does an additional 5% to critical chance and a 10% chance to cripple limbs when using melee weapons.

Perk - Healer - Slowtrot may not be a professionally trained doctor or nurse, or all that gentle with his hooves, but he has been taught the proper way to administer first aid which is more than most know how to do in the wasteland. When performing medican base skills, Slowtrot has a higher rate of success and will heal for more.

Perk - Toughness- Slowtrot has been knocked around by the wasteland quite a bit. Shot, too. Be it thicker skin or simply learning to live with it, his ability to keep standing when the hits start coming has improved.

Perk - Wasteland Medic- It takes confidence to patch a broken pony together with nothing but random scraps around you, and even more luck for them to survive. Healing is 10% more effective with a 25% chance of doubling the healing effect.

-Gear-

Rockhoof Pattern Trench Shovel: A simple short handle shovel used in the trenches by the Equestria army. Its handle is wrapped with a coarse canvas. The metal is covered in black paint and the blade sharpened to a fine edge. It also gives off the faint scent of earth, gunpowder, and blood.

Boomstick: The trench gun was Equestria’s counter to the Zebra close-range fighters. It allowed a pony to quickly slamfire five shells in a wide cone. The Zebras eventually phased out much of their close quarters troops because of it. This gun has passed through many hooves in the Stormland. It never failed to fire even once and it was always being hoofed over to those who needed it, never retiring.

The Burnt Rifle: A service rifle made by the Gunrunners and taken into a Dragon Ants nest by Slowtrot. It somehow managed to survive being hit by one of the exploding ants, thus burning the rifle with its napalm-like fluids. Even after being clean and modified, the rifle still gives off the smell of sulfur. More oddly, those hit by the gun sometimes explode.

-Vehicle-

Smuggler: A custom-built light strike vehicle made for long-range transportation. It is equipped with the Aeternus, a light gatling magical energy weapon. This makes the Smuggler is a highly mobile weapons platform.

_______________________________________________________

Once again I found myself hyper-focused on driving the Smuggler. I went as fast as possible. I hoped I didn't hit anything. I was heading back to New Appleloosa and into trouble.

"Slowtrot, we’re close!" Harp told me from the back seat. She tracked Star Charter's position from her pipbuck.

Fireworks illuminated the town in a colorful confectionery of lights followed by deep penetrating booms. In the distance we could see her hanging by a noose. I put my full weight down on the peddle, no longer caring what I hit as the Smuggler accelerated even faster than before as though it, too, wanted to save Star.

The deputies saw us coming and scattered as we plowed through the graveyard, thus sending flimsy wooden grave markers flying. We even knocked over the scarce few stone tombstones. None slowed the Smuggler down at all.

Reaching the center of the graveyard, I just plowed into the gallows, seeing to it that Star was free from her execution before bullets started flying. Star herself swung in the air before falling down into the Smuggler. She had safely landed next to Harp.

There was a pause as the deputies scrambled for cover. Some rushed Ashy out of the graveyard as Crankshaft began firing the Aeternus in a wide burst.

"You're late!" Star said in an annoyed tone as she got up. She took the noose off her neck. "Now which asshole has my shit?"

Looking out among the deputies that stayed, I saw one behind a large stone tombstone with a beat-up saddlebag that had a sword attached to it. Pulling out Boomstick, I pointed it out and shouted to Crankshaft, "Behind that big tombstone!"

The hum of the Aeternus was followed by a stream of pink bolts of magic as Crankshaft fired it from the gunner nest.

Everything became a roar of gunfire as the deputies fired back. I unloaded the trench gun into the area in a wide sweep. Harp and Order joined too with their bolt launchers. Star used my service rifle.

The tombstone exploded. As a result, the deputies further scattered as the Aeternus again swept the area in pink bolts of light. Hopping out and using the Smuggler for more cover, I began reloading my shotgun again but found that I was down to my last three shells.

Star and Harp joined me. A scowl was on Star's face as she asked<, "How are the Desperados?"

"So you know?" I asked back.

"Stopped Clock told me. Said they were exterminating raiders," she explained.

Harp growled as she closed her gun's chamber. "Over fifty dead, some of which were innocent foals."

I racked my gun as the despair returned to me. "Because of me, they got Live and Dead Axle. I was able to save Live, but Dead… she's…"

Star snarled as she lifted a hoof, ready to poke her head out. "Fucking bastards!"

"Calm down, Star!" Harp hissed. "I was able to petrify some of them so they can still be saved."

"But Dead Axle will need the Lazarus serum, which is in Desponies," I told her.

Star calmed down. "So that's how it is... but let’s get some revenge first!"

I was not going to argue. Not with the other Desperados on their way here to get their pound of flesh.

We popped our heads out and fired our guns. We aimed at any deputies that had their own heads poking out from under the light of the fireworks. But our ammunition was quickly spent. We ducked back down. We were followed by an injured Crankshaft.

"I'll be fine!" Crankshaft told us before we could ask. The large stallion pulled out some less than clean looking bandages. "But I think I'll be staying down here, so go get them."

He looked at me. Fire was in his eyes. "The others are not going to care who they hurt so long as they get their revenge. Grandma would not want that. She always saw such violence beneath us. Kill them all before the others get here!"

I nodded. "Got ya."

Pulling out my trench shovel, I passed it to Star as I warned her, "I'm out of shells. Give me back my rifle."

Catching the shovel, she tossed back my rifle then looked at the blood that stained the tool of war. "You got down and dirty."

"Enough chatter. Let's go!" Harp ordered as she poked Star and pointed to our left. "Go that way. There's only one deputy on that side. We will cover you as you get your gear."

Star nodded and bolted out. We, too, poked our heads up with rifles out. The deputies that were waiting for us were blinded by Order shining its lights on them, thus giving us the opportunity to apply suppressive fire. Unfortunately, neither Harp nor I were crack shots. We only managed to scrape one deputy before they ducked down.

One of Order's lights went out. The drone rapidly retreated as smoke trailed behind it. The deputies counterattacked by shooting. This nearly got me as the bullet grazed my cheek, thus forcing us back down.

"Shit!" Harp breathed as she loaded some more bolts into her rifle. Blood was trickling from her ear. It had been torn by a bullet, but she didn't look like she was in pain. "Stopped Clock got Order. The drone will be fine, but it can't fight right now. Also, the other deputies are rushing in!"

A long chain of gunfire blasted out in a rat-ta-ta sound, some of which whizzed over our heads as bullets peppered everything. The red dots on our E.F.S. then disappeared one by one until only a few remained and the shooting stopped.

Only a moment later did Star hop over the Smuggler with her saddlebag and landed right next to us. She had the typewriter gun, Outlaw, slung around her neck. Smoke drifted from the barrel. A wide grin stretched across her face as she stroked the gun. "Fuck, this thing has absolutely no recoil at all. Hardballer was an absolute genius!" The smile faded, but she kept stroking the gun. "He would have loved to see it in action."

Loading in a magazine into my rifle, I sighed as I racked the charger and told her, "I know, I know. I miss him too."

A gunshot ricocheted off the Smuggler, followed by Stopped Clock shouting, "You think you're proud of yourselves? You’re murdering good and noble ponies!"

I gritted my teeth at the nerve of such a statement, but Harp placed her hoof on my shoulder. A scowl was on her face and determination in her eyes. "When I give the signal, we will take him out."

Harp cleared her throat and shouted. "Good and noble they might have been, but it is not us who are responsible for their deaths. Not after you declared war on the Desperados. Not after you fired the first shot!"

The pompous stallion laughed. "War! You know nothing of war, of what we had to do to make this land safe. All of you are a bunch of raiders who only think of yourselves. Your mere existence is an act of war, an affront to law and order. This war has gone on before you even fell out of the clear blue sky! And I will win this war, no matter how many bodies must pile up!"

Star laughed. It was filled with pain, hate, and bemusement. "You know what, Stopped? You'd make a shitty preacher back on the Blackwater. Even those zealous assholes knew when to stop when it was time to put their guns down and trot away. Saw it when you talk with Bishop Purity Spiral. Even though her forgiveness came at the end of a bloodied whip, she at least could forgive. You, on the other hoof, you're pathetically broken and unable to see the world in any way but one."

Dropping her saddlebag and SMG, Star passed me my shovel as she got up in plain view of Stopped Clock.

"What are you doing?!" I frantically asked her as I put the shovel away.

She gave me a tired smile. "Ending this."

Star trotted out slowly to Stopped Clock.

"Finally accepting your execution," Stopped figured as he pointed his gun at her.

She sighed as she got closer. "You know, I was actually scared of you when we first met. Like I said, you reminded me of the preachers back from where I came from."

*BANG!*

Star stumbled after getting shot in the leg, but it didn't stop her from getting closer.

"But the more we butted heads, the less I feared you, and the more I was annoyed by you," She said calmly and coldly.

*BANG!*

Another shot hit Star's leg, but this time she barely stumbled at all.

She just chucked. "Now I get it, and it's pathetic. You're looking for an excuse, not justice. You want to murder and pillage just like the raiders and slavers, but be seen as in the right."

*BANG!*

This time the shot grazed Star's cheek. She managed to move her head just in time to avoid a worse blow.

"So tell me, did you secretly envy Redeye? Did you covet his power? Respected how the wasteland feared him, still even to this day? Let me guess; your biggest regret is not joining him when you had the chance. I bet you scared your own eye to be just like him!" Star shouted at the deputy.

Brass fell from Stopped's revolver. Six more bullets were loaded back into the cylinder before he growled out, "And you're not the same!"

*BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG!*

Star had leaped back. Her body twisted as each shot ripped through her body. She fell to the ground. Blood splattered around her.

We sat there in horror as Stopped Clock reloaded his revolver again. His eyes were fixed on Star. "I was there, he was just an idiot stable dweller wandering the wasteland. Before he got that name, he was all ideals and no backbone. He preached about how we should all work together to save the wasteland. Having earth ponies, unicorns, and even the fucking pegasus become one group. He even got my own son to join his cause. The same colt that never once listened to me. He always fraternized with those damn dirty mud digging earth ponies."

Stopped's one good eye was opened wide. It filled with madness and hate. "Showed Red how wrong he was when he shot my own boy and cut out his eye. We're better off separated. That's what I told him as we chased him out of town. Who would have thought he'd return years later with an army? Such a waste, using all that power to force ponies together when we were better off apart. If I had that power, I would have made a paradise for unicorns and let the others rot in this Celestia forsaken wasteland!"

Pained laughter erupted from Star as she sat up. She was still covered in her own blood. We were shocked, and so was Stopped Clock as she spoke. "So that's what it was all about. I wasn't a criminal in your eye because I nearly burnt the town down. It was all because I was an earth pony! And here I was all this time thinking you were just a vigilant fool. What was the saying? A broken clock is right twice a day… but that's only true if it has arms to tell the time!"

Stopped Clock aimed and fired his revolver twice at Star, but she charged in this time. The bullet only caused a flesh wound as she tackled the deputy. "MONSTER!" He shouted out as Star struck him across the face. He countered with the butt of his gun.

A wicked and far too wide smile formed on Star's face as she looked down at the Deputy with pinpoint pupils. "You want to see a monster?"

He fired four more times into Star's gut, but she didn't flinch. She only opened her mouth wide. Blood and drool dripped from her maw as her own eyes filled with pure madness. She bit down on Stopped Clock's neck. The stallion struggled as he screamed and gargled in pain.

Like from a horror movie, but all the more real, Star pulled her head up. She took the blood and flesh of Stopped Clock's neck. His own blood dribbled down Star's neck and back onto Stopped Clock as the stallion gurgled for air. Blood bubbled from the hole in his neck.

Star took a few steps back and stumbled over. Without thinking, Harp and I rushed over to our friend, not caring about what we just saw. All that mattered was that our friend needed aid.

"Search the deputy for healing potions!" Harp commanded me. Complying, I skipped over Star to the mutilated Stopped Clock.

He was still alive, but I doubt even a healing potion could help. It would just heal over most of the missing flesh unless the ripped-off chunk was reattached first. Not that I wanted to do such a thing. Not for this bastard. Never forgiving and never forgetting, he was just like the ponies who took over after the Littlehorn massacre. It was not ever about justice or revenge. All they cared about was being proven right, no matter who was hurt by them.

Rummaging through his pockets, I found one healing potion. "Got one!" I said before tossing it over to Harp.

Star greedy guzzled it down. She breathed a sigh of relief once it was gone. Her bullet injuries closed before my eyes. Seeing it, all that ran through my mind was one question, 'Why didn't I keep more on the Smuggler?!' But the thought was interrupted by Stopped Clock reaching for me.

Fear was on his face, almost pleading for help. It disgusted me and I knocked his hoof away. "At least die with dignity. It's all you're good for," I growled at him.

Looking back at the others, Harp was helping Star back to the Smuggler. Star was still in bad shape. Getting shot like that was far beyond what one healing potion could reasonably solve. My smaller friend was doing her best, but she looked ready to fall over. The day had been just as difficult for her as it had been for the rest of us. Also, she had been extensively using her magic all day. Shed was likely still suffering from the after-effects.

It was a dumb idea, but I rather not lose another friend. I realized that Harp was going to be an easy target if she continued the fight so I told her, "You all stay with the Smuggler. I'll finish this."

Harp looked at me with shock. "Slowtrot! You can't do this on your own. let me join you."

"Don't worry about me. Just make sure Star is safe. Anyways, I doubt we can talk this out here. Things are far beyond talking anyway. Just let me do this. Your hooves are bloodied enough as it is. Let them be clean of this," I told her.

She looked like she was ready to cry. She did her best to suck up the emotions. "You better not die, or I will find a way to kill you myself."

That made me chuckle. "Then it's a promise. I mean, I was supposed to have died a long time ago, so what's living for a bit longer? Anyways, there are ponies counting on us now."

Totting off into town, I kept my service rifle slung over my shoulders, ready to grab and shoot at any time. The fireworks had stopped now, leaving everything bathed in just the silver moonlight and the few lamps muting what colors there still were. It was all powered by failing spark batteries.

It all had an oddly nostalgic feeling to it. It reminded me of when I was a foal and when Applewood was going into its silver screen revolution. At night the city was void of color, but shimmered like polished silverware. It was something the movies sought to copy and they did gloriously. It was the charm I had loved about Applewood and why I never left, even when the magic had faded and been replaced by plastic. I guess I always wanted to see that charm return. I hoped that, once the war was over, things would finally return to as they should be.

Yet right here, right now, I see it again. All at the worst time and even worse place.

In the distance, a radio flickered to life. The voice of Victoria spoke loud and clear. "I hope you all enjoyed that light show, because I know I did. Soon a new day will dawn and we will usher it in with a song, but firstly, I have a fun performance for you all!"

Somehow, not surprising me, Quicktrot Fragment passed in front of me. She wore what looked like the outfit the king of rock wore in his first big hit movie. The stylish black and white striped prison garb perfectly blended into the silvery light, thus making the feeling that this was an old movie I was in all the more real. "Would you be surprised if I told you that Thorn actually liked this song? I bet you don't care. It is, of course, not directed to you."

She was mocking me, and Victoria was mocking Star, or that's what it felt like. Both so close, yet so far out of our reach.

"Fuck off, Qucktrot," I growled at her as I kept my eyes on my E.F.S. counting four red dots that were spread out. No way to tell how far they were, but it did tell me that one was higher up.

"Fine by me. Just so you know, I've made sure nopony will disturb this squabble so long as the show goes on. Also, for what it's worth, I hope you die." She then faded from my vision, leaving only a wide grin for a second before that, too, disappeared.

The warden threw a party in the county jail

The prison band was there and they began to wail

The band was jumpin' and the joint began to swing

You should've heard those knocked out jailbirds sing

The deputy above moved. I readied my rifle to greet them. Firing, I missed, but so did they with their lever action. Dashing behind some junk for cover, another deputy joined in, pinning me down.

Let's rock

Everypony, let's rock

Everypony in the whole cell block

Was dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock

I didn't have time to sit around and wait for them to take me out, so I activated S.A.T.S. I chose to dash out while firing. It was only a 33% chance to hit, but fuck it. The second deputy didn't have time to react as I popped out and fired three shots. Two missed, but the third hit the pony dead center. I must have hit an explosive on the deputy because he then exploded in a display of blood and gore. A smoking trail of bits was all that was left of him.

Spider Murphy played the tenor saxophone

Little Joe was blowin' on the slide trombone

The drummer colt from Fillinois went crash, boom, bang

The whole rhythm section was a purple gang

Several shots rained down at me as I rolled to dodge. I ended up taking a few light hits. When the shooting stopped, I took aim. I saw that the pony was rapidly reloading their rifle. They were fast and clearly didn’t load the gun fully as they took aim. They zoned in on me faster than I did on them, but I had S.A.T.S. and used it for a near-perfect shot.

The deputies’ shot grazed my leg as mine had hit their rifle. That somehow ricocheted into their neck. The deputy rocked for a moment before tumbling over and off the roof.

With two dots left, I quickly trotted closer to the center of town. The sound of music only got louder. As I passed the now-closed down free clinic, I saw one of the red dots pointed inside.

Busting from within was a deputy with a hatchet. It hooked onto my rifle. He threw it away from me before I could stop him. Jumping back, I pulled out my Trench Shovel, ready for this brawl.

Let's rock

Everypony, let's rock

Everypony in the whole cell block

Was dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock

I was clearly outmatched as all I could do was defend myself and back away as the deputy ferociously swung his hatchet. Each strike of metal on metal made a loud clang and a spark. The look on the deputy’s face was wild with bloodlust.

The smart move was to keep defending since anything else would get me hit. I didn't have time to be smart, so I charged in at the deputy.

Number 47 said to number 3

"You're the cutest jailbird I ever did see

I sure would be delighted with your company

Come on and do the Jailhouse Rock with me"

The deputies hatchet finally struck true, but it landed firmly in my hard saddlebag, thus becoming stuck in the metal case. He stumbled back in surprise and I entered S.A.T.S. one more time.

With one powerful blow, the deputy's neck made a loud crack sound as it spun in the air before hitting the ground hard. My saddlebag went with them, snaping the hinges and spilling the few items inside. Their marker on my E.F.S. then quickly faded, telling me that they were dead.

Let's rock

Everypony, let's rock…

The music faded.I could hear ponies cheer in the distance and remaining ignorant of the carnage that had been going on. It only reminded me of how disconnected I had become… no, how I always was. My world died long ago, and theirs was just starting.

Following my E.F.S., it took me, of course, to the sheriff's office. Inside there were empty booze bottles and paperwork scattered about. The place looked as run down as the wasteland itself. It was as if it rapidly aged or simply revealed its true colors.

Whistling a sad tune, Ashy trotted out from the back. She floated a bottle of wild pegasus whisky in her magic along with my gun, Checoff's Promise. She did not look well at all, and I could guess why.

"Guilty conscience, sheriff?" I said coldly.

She threw the bottle of whisky at me. it flew over my head and shattering behind. "Do you know what you have done?!" she shouted.

"Do you?!" I reflected back with equal volume. "There was no reason to kill Hardballer, nor any reason to attack the Desperados!"

"They deserved to face justice!" Ashy snarled.

I snarled back. "Murder is not justice!"

She pointed my .45 auto at me. A cold and stern look was on her face. "I decide what is justice, for I understand what true injustice is. I have seen the depths of evil and depravity, been I’ve been scared by it. I survived it all. What have you suffered that I have not suffered a hundred times more?"

The numbness from False Cap's tortures death and the disgust from Stopped Clock's came to me like a moment of clarity. I wanted to yell and scream, to cry and curse, but it all didn't matter. She would not hear me. There was no point. Yet I still had something to say.

"Is that all you have to say? Whoa is me? I have suffered so I get to hurt others. That your pain gives you the right to trample over any pony that you see as a threat," I chastised her.

Ashy face filled with anger and indignation as she aimed the pistol at my head. "Ponies like you are all the same. All talk and no real action. Never having the backbone to do what needed to be done. My sister was no different. She did jack shit about Redeye when she was mayor of Friendship city. I told her many times that he needed to be taken out of the picture, but she only gave flowery speeches. That damn DJ pon3, too, called for hero's while never lifting a damn hoof himself. Oh and don't get me started about Watcher. A fucking dragon who couldn't be bothered to be a hero itself. Instead he sent ponies to their death one by one."

She laughed. It was filled with bitterness. "Nothing really changed when I was finally free. Yes, Redeye was dead, but there was a wasteland before him and it continued to be after him. Yes, the skies were clear, but that only made it easier to see how ugly this world was."

"And how does that justify your actions?" I demanded to know.

"Everything justifies my actions! Every hanging of convicted criminals, every unmarked grave of those who tricked everypony else of their innocence," she ranted with a cold yet wild look in her eyes. "Before I came along, this town was the same shithole it had been before Redeye given it his stables water talisman. I cleaned it up. I opened the quarries. I made it safe for trade. That fact alone justifies all the pain and all the death!"

The more she talked, the more I saw all the ponies back in Applewood. The mangled veterans whose only escape was booze, chems, and the hatred for the zebras that disfigured them. The grief-stricken parents whose sons and daughters never returned from the war. They fed the machine of war themselves in the hopes of giving their children's death some meaning. The ponies in power, the few doing their best to help, only dug everypony's grave in hopes they are right in the end.

All of it, and more, bundled into one hurt and angry mare.

Maybe she was right. In the end, she would ultimately make things better by amputating and cauterizing Equestria from this blite known as the wasteland. But would a pony with no legs to stand and no eyes to see could ever be happy? Is being alive just enough?

It was too heavy thinking for me, and I had already come too far. There was a pony that deserved to live, and I had the chance to save her. Everything else didn't matter. Not this twisted sense of justice, not her goals, not even the past that justify everything for her.

She was simply a pony in the way. Nothing more and nothing less.

Taking a step forward, I felt neither fear nor pain at this moment. "Then fine. If that's what you believe, then it's the same for me. So long as I achieve my goals in the end, it's all justified."

"Braminshit! You will undo everything I have worked for. You're just another Redeye. All of you are!" she screamed.

*click*

Again, Checoff's Promise had misfired, so I charged in, seizing this moment. With a snarl, Ashy threw my gun at me as she drew her revolver.

Entering S.A.T.S., I used it to catch my gun. As soon as its bit was in my mouth, pain rippled through my body as a bullet tore through my shoulder. I hit the floor hard, yet I managed to hold onto my gun.

Ashy looked at me as I looked at her. It was only a moment. Realization on her face which was mixed with a snarl.

I fired.

*BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG*

All shots hit their mark as I shot Ashy. She tumbled back as blood spattered the room behind her. She not once took her eyes off me as she fell. Not even showed pain on her face.

As the ringing in my ears subsided, I could hear her wheezing in pain as she laid on the floor in front of me. I waited for a moment, expecting her to get up. I expected her to reveal that it would take more than that to end her, but instead, she just stayed on the floor, wheezing.

It hurt to get up. Blood oozed from the hole through my shoulder. As bad as it was, I was lucky it didn't hit anything more vital. Trotting over to Ashy, the blood-drenched sheriff smiled with blood-stained teeth. "They... ain't… gonna… see… things… your… way," she said with pain-filled wheezing. "They... will... hunt... you… all… down… for… this…"

She was right, at least about this. Even if the NCR and Talons don't come for us, there is no stopping other ponies. If Ashy was as well known as everypony says she was, then somepony will come for revenge.

But I didn't care. I did what had to be done. I took on the burden so others didn't have to.

Anyways, we were expecting ponies to come after us anyways, so what's a few more?

I grit my teeth to keep myself from screaming at her. "Then let them. I'm not going to waste my breath on justifying all this to anypony that demands answers. If they come to kill us… then we will fight back. At least we will not pretend it's justice to protect ourselves. At least we will not make up excuses to go and slaughter others! Unlike you, we will never have an excuse for killing the innocent!"

After placing Checofs Promise into my saddlebag, I looked at the dying sheriff one last time. I had one last thing to say. "You know, Hardballer told me something about Redeye. A fatal flaw of his. He said that he couldn't leave something well enough alone. That he had to have his hooves in everypony’s business. That it ultimately made him enemies in every corner of the wasteland and few allies to be found. It left him isolated and surrounded by those who wanted to use him. You… you were no different. You could not leave things well enough alone. You were deaf to everypony but those who only had their own interests in mind, not the towns. You're just his shadow, just like this wasteland is the shadow of the Ministrys. Nothing ever changed. It just became a lesser version of itself."

I took a deep breath to say more, to vent more, but the room was silent. Ashy was silent. Her eyes still looked at me with hate, but were now dead... empty. Sighing, I reached over and closed her eyes before limping out. A trail of bloody hoofprints followed me.

The roar of an engine greeted me as I saw Live Axle drive on the Loan Wander. She wore my Stable-Tec jacket under her vest. She looked at me with hard, sorrowful eyes. "So… it's done?"

I nodded. "Want to take a look?"

Live shook her head. "I believe you. Now get on before some pony sees this. Crankshaft has already moved the Smuggler to the Followers camp."

Getting onto the back of the motorcycle, I wrapped my hooves around Live Axle as tightly as my injured shoulder would allow. "Will this end the call for war, or does more blood need to be spilled?"

"I… I think this will do. If the one responsible is dead, then it should," Live Axle said before revving the engine and driving off.

I was sick and tired of seeing death, but mostly just tired.

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Unique Item returned: Chekhov's Promise - This classic .45 auto pistol was hoof crafted by a stable-tec gunsmith with the stable-tec mindset to make things last. The gun itself has a strange air about it. It fires unreliably and sometimes mysteriously fires an extra shot.

“Never draw your gun unless you mean to use it.” - Musket Ball.