Fallout Equestria: The Tale of the Soldier

Chapter 8: Happy Birthday Littlepip!

“True friendship is the willingness to go to the ends of the world and then some for your friends.”

The great one-eyed purple dragon known as Spike towered in front of me. With me was all I had learned that I would need in the ten years since the Day of Sunshine and Rainbows. It was a pretty strange collection, everything from a Pipbuck to electrical equipment to an alicorn that offered to have its mind wiped.

“Are you ready?” Spike asked me.

I swallowed, well aware of just how much this was going to hurt, “Yes.” I said tediously. As a just in case, I had had a cloud-walking spell cast on me for this occasion.

“You promise to bring them back?” Spike asked.

“Of course my big purple friend.” I said with a smile, “This is for everyone out there.” I took a deep breath, “Send me.”

Spike took a huge breath, and green flame washed over me, my last thought hoping that I wouldn’t be burned to death.

*** *** *** ***

“GAH!” I yelled the moment I reformed, “MOTHER FUCKER, SON OF A BITCH THAT HURT!” I lay on the ground, pretty well writhing in pain while the blanked alicorn just stood there, mind too empty to even comprehend the pain. As I slowly got up wincing, I muttered, “You lucky son of a bitch.” to the alicorn.

“Well those word some fine choice of words.” I heard a voice remark, looking up I saw a white alicorn inside a computer terminal, or more correctly, a bunch of them.

“Only speaking the truth.” I replied, “Where’s Littlepip?”

“In the weather pod, why do you ask? And what’s with the alicorn?” Celestia asked.

“I need to speak with her and you will find out about the alicorn soon enough.” I told Celestia, “What matters right now is that I speak with Littlepip.”

“Here to wish her happy birthday?” Celestia inquired, “It’s strange that Homage hasn’t come by yet.”

“That’s because I told her not to. Now would you please get Littlepip out here?” I asked impatiently.

“Alright alright, one second.” Celestia replied defensively before disappearing from the monitors.

After a few minutes of waiting, my old friend came walking into the room (Didn’t know it’s name, and I do not care). “Yes Julion?” she asked sheepishly.

“I have some good news ‘Pip!” I said brightly to her, “After ten long, long, long years of looking for a solution, I have finally found a way to get you guys out of here!”

“Wait wha-?” Littlepip started, “Even Celestia?”

“I said guys as in plural correct?” I asked sarcastically, “Yes, both of you have your own way to get out of here and into the world. Littlepip, yours was quick simple. All it takes is some rewiring, some soldering, and some connecting and your peachy.” I said, levitating out the Pipbuck.

“But Celestia’s problem was quite a bit more...intricate. I don’t even want to remember the countless hours I spent studying the Crusader Maneframes looking for a solution, but I finally found it. I found that, not only can the conscious mind be downloaded onto the Maneframes, they can also be uploaded into a body, as a just in case.” I continued, “And that is why I brought an alicorn with a completely blanked out mind.”

Both Littlepip’s and Celestia’s pixelated face looked shocked, it seemed almost too good to be true. “Are you sure this will work?” Littlepip asked.

“Of course! Sure somepony will have to stop by every once in a blue moon to make sure everything’s in working order, but it will work!” I said, now getting thoroughly excited. Soon, not only would I be giving Littlepip the best birthday present one could ever give another friend, but also I would be known as the stallion that brought back the Goddess Celestia and the Light Bringer!

“So how exactly does this work?” Celestia asked, skeptical.

“Let’s see, I hook up this Pipbuck that has a cycling weather schedule on it to the weather control mechanisms, I do a little bit of work on the download station then hook up the alicorn, and there we go! Sure the weather will not be as fine-tuned as when you controlled it Littlepip, but it will work.” I replied, “Now, may I get started?”

*** *** *** ***

“LITTLEPIP!” Homage yelled over the crowd before us as we reappeared in Junction Town. Homage rushed Littlepip, tackling her in a huge bear hug, she was followed by Calamity and Velvet, “So y’all actually did it.” Calamity said to me as he trotted past. I looked over my shoulder to Celestia, the alicorn’s body had completely changed to Celestia’s old form after the upload finished.

“Okay, so yes I planned this.” I said to her, “Now go say hello to them! You haven’t been seen in over two hundred years!” Celestia nodded and walked towards the crowd.

I looked back to see Littlepip, Homage, Calamity, and Velvet all talking together and couldn’t help but genuinely smile at the sight.

“So the once heartless, cold Julion “The Soldier” Trupa actually shows that his heart is a bit warmer than ice.” a heard a familiar voice remark.

“Snipes?” I asked turning around, to see my favorite Commandos standing there, “Snipes! Bloody 2! Heavy!” I exclaimed.

“Come on Julion, call us by our names, there’s no need for those silly nicknames anymore!” Bloody 2 said.

“Fine, Topal.” I sighed, “And I actually never learned you two’s real name.” I said to Snipes and Heavy Stomp.

“I’m Jhera Flowers.” Snipes said with a smile.

“Sargent is the name.” Heavy Stomp said.

“It’s good to finally know that.” I said to them, “Now come on, I have a little reporting to do.” I lifted my Pipbuck up to my face, then went through the options that would allow me to make a recording that would play after the next song on DJ-Pon3’s station. (Oh yes, forgot to mention that I became a part-time assistant to Homage after the Day of Sunshine and Rainbows, as a way to make up for what I did in Tenpony.)

“Hello ponies of New Equestria and all the other scattered settlements listening to this broadcast!” I said into my Pipbuck, “I am Julion The Soldier reporting to you from Junction Town, where I just returned with two important figures that were at one time watching us from the sky. That’s right, the Light Bringer and Goddess Celestia have returned to us! Don’t  believe me? Here’s Littlepip the Light Bringer now!”

I walked quickly up to Littlepip, Homage quickly realized what I was doing and got everypony else to stand back a bit, I held out my Pipbuck for Littlepip to speak into, “So Littlepip, what do you think of your birthday present?”

Littlepip hesitated a little bit before saying, “I, well, it just leaves me speechless. It’s amazing.”

I nodded, and stepped back, to let her speak with the others again, “That was Littlepip from Junction Town, may we all wish her a happy birthday and good luck in the world! This is the Soldier, signing off from Junction Town.” I turned back to the group, time to wish her a happy birthday directly.