Fallout Equestria

Distant Lands

Chapter two

Freedom from Fire

So far my week’s been going pretty well: got thrown on a ship, beat up some pirates, almost escaped slavery, saw it all come crumbling down around me, and now I'm having to walk along a dirty road in nowheresville with sand and water on one side while the other is dense forest, Chane thought to himself.

The Benefactor, as he had started being called, was walking a few paces ahead of the rest of the group, all of which were led by one guard each while one stayed with the Benefactor.

The majority of our trip was uneventful but at one point Chane was convinced Mysty wished death upon herself because she vaguely tried to insult the Benefactor. While it was amusing and somewhat pride-inducing, it was also the dumbest and ballsiest thing Chane had ever seen. Well, maybe that's an exaggeration, but you get the point.

~~~~~

Mysty was a rambunctious arrogant child according to most ponies her parents would speak to after she, or Pixie, vandalized something. Don't even get me started on the marker incident. *shudders*
This was no different than her actions now.

"I can cast magic for a year now. I bet you couldn't do that when you were 5 years and 16 months," said Mysty in a manner of flaunting her skills.

"Why, little one I bet you feel all accomplished; however, I could do magic at four, but that was near a millennia ago so I doubt it matters." This both stung Mysty's pride and confused the filly, but that's about it. I mean, there's only so far you can go when insulting a filly and the same goes with blowing their minds, but that second one is much easier.

~~~~~

Walking was less than appealing, especially for Still in his old age. Thankfully, the power armor mitigated it.
The group had been walking for a few hours now. Give it another five or six, and night would be on them.

Still Life didn't have much in the way of contribution as he walked, only taking observations of their surroundings; such as a group of radroaches in the distance. Or later on in the roof of a particularly viny part of the overgrowth there was a really high tech fancy car broken in half over time/ At the base was a rainbow-like substance with a license plate sticking out of it. "Caledonia" was at the top and under it in black lettering was "OUTATIME".

The slavers made everypony avoid contact with it, probably for good reason too.

~~~~~

The walk had been uneventful besides the Mysty incident and so Berri decided to throw her two cents in and get some answers.
After a deal of convincing, the guard approached the Benefactor and sent him back to talk.

"I understand my presence is requested."

"Indeed it has as I have questions to ask."

"Ask away, deary!"

That comment made Berri recoil, but she persisted onward with her questioning.

"May I know your name before we begin? It is rather rude and some would say a sin."

"Well, dear, I'm afraid that's a difficult request to ask. Simply put, no. More in-depth: I've had too many names over my lifetimes and have changed more times than I care to remember. But hey, I'm sure if you look hard enough in some old ruins you'll find my name on some files or in a terminal, but for now I'll continue going by the benefactor; it adds an air of mystery and mystique to me as an ominous overhead figure."

"Very well. Then while we walk, shall we talk?."

"Of course ask away."

And at that, they all began moving again as Berri began.

"What of us makes us unique? Surely there are others that your interest piques."

"Why are you so damn special is the exact reason for why I came out here to get you, just to see for myself what was so damn jaw-dropping about a bunch of backward nobodies! So why don't you tell me why you’re so damn special?!"

This caught Berri off guard a tad as she stumbled back a bit before composing herself. Then he took his leave, but not without his foulness doing something else.

Berri felt something. She wasn't exactly sure what but there was a presence. It went through her, leaving with a little boop on her nose before it dissipated.

~~~~~

Chane also felt this presence as it went through his upper torso and out his head. The ensuing migraine was less than pleasant but wouldn't cause too many issues for the remaining trek along the beachside road.
After much walking, both Silver and Mysty eventually settling on Still Life’s back as they had grown tired of walking and eventually of flying.

They arrived at a turn in the road that led right up to a gate. Said gate had two armed figures outside as well as another in some admittedly ragged combat armor.

Upon approach, the Benefactor waved a hoof in the air. The left-most hooded pony went into a small building and, after a momentary pause, the gate screeched and opened inwards.

Behind the gate was a town modest in size with intact buildings like concrete structures not little wooden shacks.

Down the main road was a unicorn mare approaching as the gate opened.

"What are you doing here?"

It was obvious that she was talking to the Benefactor and so he responded almost immediately as he came up to her. "Forget that easily, do you? Don't you remember I own this town now?"

That got a grimace from her. "Fat chance asshat what the fuck do you want?"

"Well as you can see I have a bit of cargo that needs some housing for the night," said the zebra leader as he gestured back to the crew, slavers and our ragtag bunch.

"I can see that."

"Indeed and I need them to stay in town so I hope you lot can keep them in town lest you want to have an early reunion with your dear old mommy."

With a pat to her back as he walked past into town, the Mare stayed head down, choosing not to look directly at the new arrivals.

"Welcome to whatever this place is called now. I'm not the mayor anymore so I don't care. Don't leave, please, I'd rather not give that ass reason to kill the entire town."

And with that, she pulled out a bottle of alcohol and began trotting away as she drank.

~~~~~

I did not expect the town’s greeting would be a rather rude meeting, thought Berri as the lot of them was escorted into town. The majority of the slaves and crew went into a large building to the left of the inner gate.
It was a sort of communal slum, if anything, but the group of nutcases didn't go there. Instead, they chose to explore as any good sensible group would.

After half an hour and something, Berri eventually rounded a corner and found a message board. Something that in this small town should have been easy to find but the other four had repeatedly looked over it.

"I fear that this group must be led by the hoof," said Berri, making the rest of the group collect on the Motel wall Berri was looking at; it was a message board that they had been looking for.

After careful examination, it was apparent that there weren't very many jobs that the group could do either because of experience limitations, or the fact that they weren't allowed to leave the town. However, there were two available tasks in town: make crazy joe stop terrorizing the town; evidently, he had been ransacking things and just causing general chaos but they didn't really pay much attention to that one.

Instead, they focused on a different flyer.

‘Outsiders Wanted: Come to the second building over on your left side’, and under that there was an arrow pointing left ensuring that whoever was reading the flyer knew what they were doing.

Of course, the group went with the mystery flyer job that, to Still's admission, seemed pretty shady. But at least they could just refuse if they didn't like it.

Mysty, on the other hoof, was just staring intensely at the job board. One downside of being a young adorable filly is that you can’t read really well and, in Mysty’s case, not at all

Chane noticed this but didn't really give much comment on it, instead just nudging her on with the rest of the group as they went to the building.

It was small and filthy, notably more so than all the wasteland around it, with some dead trees outside.

"If this wasn't the wasteland, you could probably convince me these trees died because of that house," Said Still as he pressed his hoof up to one of the brittle trees.

"Given that they are the first majorly dead trees we've seen since getting here, I'd be inclined to believe you," said Chane as Berri went up and knocked on the door to the building.

It was wooden, like most doors. After the brief knock, Berri realized just how filthy it was. It felt almost slimy; good thing Chane was nearby to wipe her hoof on.

This action got a glare from Chane as Still pushed past them and violently knocked, even if it was un-intently violently.

The door was eventually answered after the inner locks were undone, and the door opened a crack. The dark blue pony inside came face-to-face with Silver, who had run upfront at the realization the door was opening.

"Here for the flyer, I presume?" Immediately Silver caught a good whiff of the pony’s breath and, sweet Celestia, it was ba. She could barely get out her response.

"Yep." Of course this got a skeptical look from the pony until Chane poked his head around.

"She's with us." And Chane gestured to the remaining members of the party.

"Alright. Come in, quickly."

The house interior was even worse than the outside, smelling of piss and long spoiled alcohol if that made any sense.

The admittedly small household was split into two rooms: the main one that everypony was in and another in the back that was clearly meant as a kitchen. Each room had a table and chair in it, but the one they were in had the table under a window and covered in absolutely every piece of shit imaginable.

But that wasn't the worst of it. No, there was a bed in the room, using a fridge as the mattress face-down with the door removed. Then there was an actual mattress attached to the top. It smelled viler than the rest of the room but only marginally.

As observations finished, the fat, dark blue pony pulled up a chair thats back was the former fridge door.

"Alright, I wantcha to kill somepony."

~~~~~

The start of the group's conversation with this new employer started off very strong.
"What!" Obviously silver as opposed to the concept.

"Nothing, it's simple I want you to kill them."

"Why?" asked Berri, catching the pony of guard.

"Because I want you too. You guys read the flyer. Obviously, you want work. So why are you asking?"

"Well the flyer didn't specify we couldn't and so there's your answer," said Still as he walked to the forefront of the group.

"Uh ok. I guess I'll have to add no questions asked to my remaining flyers. Uh will you do it?"

"What are we being paid," asked Chane as Berri went to speak but instead got a glare from Chane, one that she returned before staying silent.

"Well if my gut’s right, you’re slaves aren't ya." Of course, he was right but nopony was proud of the fact and thus wouldn't say so.

"Well, that confirms it. You lot must be the new bunch mister Benefactor brought in, fucking ass. Long story short, I can get you lot outta town if you do this job."

That caught the ears of most of the group, though Mysty had already tuned out and was on her own little excursion to get to the neighbor's house.

“I suspect he said something like blah blah blah threat to destroy town if you guys left, stereotype bad guy shit. Am I right?"

"Uh yes," said Silver, unsure of what to make of all this.

"Well, in that case, I'll get you outta town but I'm coming with you, so what do you say do we have a deal."

~~~~~

Before we finish that little discussion let's see what Mysty’s up to.

Mysty had decided after all the big ponies started talking boring stuff that she'd solve the issue by going next door and knocking on the door.

"Hey, Mrs. Preet pony could you stop buying all the boose? The uh neig- nabo- the pony over there is getting mad."

Her attempt to reason with the neighbor proved less than fruitful as she was promptly told to piss off and had the door slammed in her face.

She sighed. "Why is every pony such a meenee?" And with her low-hanging bored head, Mysty returned to the rest of the group as Still came outside.

~~~~~

"Fuck this. Come get me when you realize how stupid this shit is!" And with that Still turned around and left to become face first with Mysty who promptly stated.
"I'm bored, can we go now?" And at that, the rest of the group started coming out.

"When you do the job, I’ll be waiting at the south-west corner of town." And with that Silver walked out and Chane slammed the Door.

"Ugh, why must everything we do in this town of dust be met with opposing rust?" Berri who had spent time and effort before with getting everypony out of the boat situation was created with the Captain's death and now she's having to do another morally challenging balancing act. One where freedom to fight another day is being weighed against survivability of a town, but then those scales are divided ever smaller with freedom for committing murder or doing nothing and being taken away.

~~~~~

Silver had an idea that, in her mind, would solve this entire situation. She went around to the next building over. It was a long building with an outstretching section on the side next to the employer's house.
Silver was in the middle of the two buildings and she had a plan. She flew up to a stained dirty window that paralleled the even more filthy window of the employer.

"Come on, why won't you just open!" Silver's attempt to pry open the neighbor's window was less than fruitful as she was blown backward and tumbled through the open window of the employer.

Silver just barely avoided knocking over all of the bottles that had been stacked and piled high on the table. Carefully, she fluttered down to the table silently and took her time to not knock over the bottles.

The employer had taken his chair back into the kitchen where he was drinking a new bottle of booze; his old one was in the growing pile on the floor. Well, the term pile was generous; it was more like a sea.

Hopping down from her spot on the table, Silver began thinking. Well, I was going to knock out the neighbor so they could talk but... I guess I’ll just take him to them, the winged filly thought.

Next came how she was going to do her plan. The room, after close inspection, wasn't much different than the party had assumed, just more or less of some things…...and there was a dead cat in the corner. Upon seeing it, Silver turned around and effed off, an appropriate response if you ask me.

Silver wound up throwing a concoction together, after holding her breath long enough to put some rotten food in one of the bottles as well as some lamp oil and a breath mint for good measure.

Rolling the bottle into the kitchen, some of its contents leaked out but evidently it looked full enough to drink because the drunkard fell for the bait. After his first good swallow, however, he stood up and went running to throw up.

Getting to the door, he spent a minute unlocking things in a frantic manner before going full sprint out the door and into a tree.

He was unconscious there in front of the rest of the party as they looked at the now strewn out body.

"Ok, now what?" said Silver through tear-filled eyes, probably a side effect of being in that foul room for so long.

~~~~~

"Well, I'm not going to kill nopony so I say we turn him in to..." Looking around Still saw a sign on a building at the end opposite of the street from the direction they entered the town from.
On the wall of the building was the shoot up remains of a sign that read the sheriff.

"There." Still went to pick him up as Silver began in protest.

"Wait what about getting them to talk?" Silver’s impression of the plan was to get them to talk things over.

"That's boring, let's just go." Mysty’s opinion was clear she was over this whole ordeal and was starting back on her way over to try to read the job board, despite mommy and daddy not being there to tell her what it means.

"Well, I mean, I guess that works?" Silver was a bit annoyed they weren't going with her plan, but saw the logic behind just turning him in so she didn't complain.

"I will keep an eye on the little one while you take care of this." And with that Chane took his leave to follow after Silver.

"I guess I’ll go with you, Still." said Mysty as she realized she would not be able to understand what the messages said.

"Alright let's go take care of this jerk." Still wasn't going to say asshole even if this was the wasteland and Silver had already heard curse words, he wasn't going to contribute.

And with that everyone went off in their own directions leaving Berri to herself with Root.

Berri sighed. "What am I to do, Root? I solve one problem but have three to boot."

The fox whined in response.

"I am aware of our situation, but we must help them leave this unfortunate station."

~~~~~

"Mysty, would you do the honors?" Still had heard somewhere it was better to let fillies and colts do stuff to make them feel helpful and so that's what he was doing.
"Oh, uh, yeah, sure." After two knocks Mysty knew she shouldn't be impatient but she couldn't help herself "Hello is anybody in there?" She followed this callout with another bout of knocks.

"Yeah, yeah I'm coming."

Answering the door was the same light blue mare who had "welcomed" the group when they came into town. Evidently, she was the former mayor.

After taking a quick look at the pair, and the body on Still’s back, she met Still’s face.

"Oh... what do ya want?"

The Mayor Mare was clearly intoxicated and even Mysty could tell that much.

"Well, I figured that the sheriff might know what to do with this guy. He was trying to get ponies to kill his neighbor."

At that, the half-asleep fatass on Still's back spoke up. "Don't forget about robbing her?"

"That too," said Still all matter-of-fact like.

"Well, I'm afraid this isn't the sheriffs anymore." With that, the former Mayor gestured to three signs on the wall. On the bottom were the marked out words “Sheriff’s Office”. Above that was an area marked out with red paint. And finally, the words lost and found topped it off.

"This used to be my office and now it's, well, see for yourself."

A quick look around from Mysty and Still revealed that the entire room was filled with tables covered in junk and clothes of a poor quality.

"We haven't had a sheriff in a long time. We kinda just didn't have crime under my mom's lead."

She kinda choked up near the end. Clearly, her mom was a sore subject.

"I apologize for your loss; I understand the pain." Still knew loss and the pain it brought.

"Yeah, well, when your ponies are brutally murdered in front of you and the culprit proclaims themselves leader, you just go numb to it, but the booze does help."

"I assume you'll take care of him?"

"Oh yes, just throw him down and some guards will come and deal with him soon,” she sighed. “I'm sorry about all of this, I hope you..."

Still cut her off "Don't worry he'll be dead by day’s end." And with that, Still took his leave as the mayor watched him leave. Mysty looked at them both before sulkingly following Still.

She, despite her bombastic nature, hadn't felt it appropriate to butt in on that conversation given its contents

~~~~~

Silver was attempting to read the job board until Chane came along and put his hoof on the little one's shoulder.
"Come, we will make ourselves useful and buy some supplies." After brief contemplation, she nodded and hopped up on Chane’s back to begin their movement.

~~~~~

Berri hadn't done much, instead choosing to just settle and meditate as she self-checked her cybernetics and medical supplies.
Her left eye was imbued with three different types of vision sensors: night, infrared, and electronic. The first two were fairly self-explanatory: one produced night vision, the other showed heat signatures, but her third was special. Any time she looked at a piece of electrical equipment, it was immediately labeled and all of its functions were displayed in her vision.

This cybernetic augmentation had turned her eye into an unnatural dark, terminated by a bright yellow iris that was surrounded on all sides by a black border and silver section truly making the yellow pop even more than it already had in its glowing status. On top of this, it gave the impression of a pre-war television with its constant grey tint.

Thankfully, this didn't draw too many stares thanks to her shades that extended from her forehead and the space behind her ears. The lenses came out of two very small slits in her head and lowered by pieces of cybernetic that looked like a coat and skin from a distance. The arms of the glasses pushed out from her head and extended outwards toward her face, connecting with the now-lowered shades to conceal the bright glowing eyes and make her look like a badass.

Aside from that, there were no more augmentations aside from the bases that let her take the prior two on her head, but she did intend to further the set-up to perform magic, if she got the chance. Her last cybernetic was by far the most useful: a pipbuck.

I’ll assume most of you know what this fancy little gadget is but for the uncultured wastelanders listening to this tale, a pipbuck is a hoof-mounted portable computer.

It keeps track of storage; sorts your crap; provides health statistics; monitors radiation, food, and water loss. Despite all the useful things it provides, there are the two most notable, and in my opinion best, bits.

S.A.T.S: Stable tech Automated Targeting Spell or at least that's what most ponies believe it means but Tartarrus, we might all be wrong.

The second really useful tool at Berri's disposal E.F.S: Eyes Forward Sparkle. A sort of danger detection system red bars on the HUD compass are hostile, green friendly, and yellow in between they were usually yellow when retreating.

But on top of all of Berri's amazing abilities, there's more. I know, I can't believe it either. She has a robotic arm in her side that is unsealed behind two sliding parts of her cybernetic skin; these parts aplit and it slides out, anchored into the top one by a swivel piece that locks in place, letting the space close while it’s out. Too bad it can't wield any weapons.

She also has a peripheral port on her back at the base of her neck to use broadcasters, stealth bucks, and similar items.

"This feeling is rather nice as my limbs felt of ice."

Berri and Root had moved inside the old house so Berri could clean her cybernetics in peace without locking eyes. Believe me, a robotic mini arm makes ponies rock. Then the door flew open and Berri almost drew her pulse pistol before realizing it was just Still and Mysty.

"Frighten me, and you'll end up fighting me."

"Hello, Berri, sorry to startle you. I came to sell this jackass’ stuff. Do you mind helping?"

"Mine strength comes from my mind, but I shall help to unwind." And with that, the merry band of ponies started transporting stuff to the general store. After a table and chair had come in, the store clerk finally decided to ask a question that had bugged her since Still first came in.

"Hey what the fuck are ya doing?"

"Selling. How much will you give me for that table?"

Still had stopped and let Berri, Silver, and Root continue the work.

"20 caps."

"60."

"30."

"50." The clerk knew she wouldn't be able to make Still drop any further so she let him have it

"And what about the chair?"

"20." Still went to speak but she cut him off with a flare of her horn.

"Don't push your luck."

After that, and the ensuing absurdities, it all climaxed with Still carrying in the fridge that was stabilized by Mysty and Berri as it shed its foul odors and leaked booze trails from the house to the store suffice to say all of the few customers that had been their left. The store clerk was getting tired of hearing the doorbell ring and seeing these mother fucking idiots.

So when the fridge showed up, the shopkeeper was truly exasperated..

"Oh for Tartarus’ sake! Here, take it too! Take all my fucking caps and get the fuck out!"

"Gladly. This place smells awful anyways."

She looked like she was going to pop a blood vessel as Mysty laid a bunch of empty bottles that she’d cleaned on the counter.

"Money please?"

This got a small smile out of the cashier.

"How about you take one free thing? Whatever you wan.?"

After much hard-fought consideration on Mysty’s part, she decided to forgo the headless dinosaur and instead take a coloring book. I mean, the corner was literally chewed up and a few pages were dirty and drawn on, but hey, it's a free storybook to put pictures of mommy and daddy in.

It had only been a few days, two technically, but it felt like weeks to Mysty. She'd been away from home before but not from mommy or daddy; not until now at least.

Mysty started a soft cry as she left the store after the rest of the group. Berri was going off to the slums, but Still was going off to the weapon shop following close behind Chane and Silver. She chose to go with him.

~~~~~

Chane and Silver started off towards the weapon store because Silver wanted a new gun and to trade in one of the rifles she'd gotten. It was evidently too heavy for her to reliably shoot, but given her age and stature, it is pretty believable.
Heading south along the road and around the motel house's corner, the group ran face-first into the WEAPONS BE HERE EMPORIUM! The letters were emboldened above the door.

Still was the first to go in, followed by Silver and Mysty. Chane didn't see a use in buying a weapon despite almost dying the last time he fought someone.

Inside the store was pretty standard with shelving racks lining the mid part of the room and weapons lining the walls up until you got to the counter which spanned the entirety of the room aside from the gate style door that let you in and out.

It was made of what looked like a door that had been sawed into, or broken maybe?

Still wasn't much for guns and the like, something he was initially criticized for back in his days guarding Luna but ponies on the force soon stopped criticizing after a certain incident where he stabbed a zebra spy through the gut after it was discovered invisible in the castle.

Of course with few ponies seeing the event take place and the belittling image it proposed, the M.O.I. decided it was of importance that the body was hidden amongst the dead on one of their most recent battlefields of the war.

This, though, did make Still Life stop receiving criticism for his weapon of choice. Some of his former peers took up his style opting for various melee weapons opposed to their standard guns.

With all of this to consider, it was obvious why he liked the look of a particularly serrated sword. It was covered in rust and had obviously seen it's fair share of battles and weathering storms, but compared to the pipes and mediocrities around it, it was like gold.

Taking up the sword in his magic he took it with him up to the desk and slapped down 30 caps before going to take his leave, but of course, things aren't just that simple.

"What the fuck do ya think yer doing?" The weapon sales pony spoke with a very thick accent. He clearly was born and raised a member of this island.

Most ponies the group ran across had a faint accent that is hard to describe. Thick, exotic, has been drinking pineapple juice all their life, and then with a pinch of the stereotype surfer accent.

Still turned around and spoke plainly, telling him, "I'm buying this blade."

"Not with 30 caps ya aren't. 200?" Still wasn't about to pay 200 caps for a weapon, so he devised a better plan.

"This? 200 caps? Are you sure? I mean this thing is nothing but a piece of junk."

"Then why the fuck ar yaa buying it?!"

"Because I want it," Still said plainly as he looked at the sword and began explaining in great detail how shitty of a weapon it was.

"Rust, bent blade, dull teeth, lost handle." This continued for a bit until he was finally shut up.

"Ok, ok, it’s trash. 50 caps."

And with that, Still handed the cashier another 20 caps as mysty approached.

She had been in the unarmed weapons section and the best she could find was a horseshoe.

"Give." She was determined at least.

"30 caps." Determination only gets you so far, though.

"Give for less!" The filly successfully got a chuckle out of the old pony.

"Give me a sec." Pulling a box up onto his table, the shop owner started throwing shit out.

Half a blade, a broken horseshoe, and a pistol missing its grip.

"Well here's something.” The pony had found a power hoof clearly too big for the filly, but Mysty didn't care. She was flinging a sword blade around with her mouth. Of course, it was actually held by magic but it didn't look like it.

"Ok, take that." And with that, she left out where Still was attempting to repair the blade just as Silver brought forth the Scatterer.

A double-barrel shotgun with the words ‘The Scatterer’ carved into its leftmost barrel.

"How much is this?" asked Silver as she plopped the shotgun on the counter.

"Another pegasi? Today sure is interesting. 360 caps."

"360?! I don't have that kind of cash. Uh, can I just give you an IOU?"

"Ha, ha. Tell ya what, I’ll let you work off the price. 360 days; just shy of a year."

Working for a year, Silver couldn't do that. She needed to get back home asap, but...

"Deal" Silver had a plan.

"Ya start tomorrow. Yer gonna sleep in the back across from my rum."

Silver was pretty sure he meant room but didn't see fit to complain.

~~~~~

When Berri had entered the communal slums, she found it smelled nicer than she had expected. Mind you, it was still sweaty and shitty ,but not too bad.
Snowdrop was in the back waiting.

"Despite the commotion, our plan is still in motion."

"I’ll take that means we're still going with it, figured as much, what are you going to do."

"A friendly fat birdie informed me that a gate is not so sturdy."

"Break out I see. What about the town?"

"Though the town may not stay, we will fight another day."

"Seems cold."

"We must leave with great speed. Come nightfall, we will be freed."

"I hope you're right."

With that, Berri started taking her leave before a little birdie flew through the door.

"Speak of the devil and he shall appear, though he seems to lack any fear."

"Oh, really."

After being thrown in by the guards adorned in dark cloaks, the pony was met face-first with Berri, Snowdrop, and the remaining pirate crew, though Blood was nowhere to be seen.

"Hello, it seems we meet aga..."

"I believe you told us where we could leave." Berri was tired of this asshole.

"What's it matter, you didn't do my job?"

"I would say you are free to break bones as need be." With that, the crew grabbed the unfortunate stallion, and the griffon…..well, she was happy with the new information.

"Before you go, Berri, you can't go out there without a guide. Surely you know that." It was true. Berri, the party, the slaves, none of them knew anything about these islands but he did.

"It would be a shame if you withheld your name."

"Red Reed."

"Reed you will guide us when we’re freed."

"Thanks for letting me aboard."

Finally, Berri got out of the slums to the armed guards outside.

The two on the gate and two by the slums sure made an unwanted escape seem impossible. Good thing she had a way out.

Looking down the street, the rest of the party was all together walking back towards Reed's house. So, she decided to join them and finally make a plan.

~~~~~

The plan-making wasn't going so well.
"We need to hit him now when we have the best chance!"

"If today we flee, we can stop him another day with glee."

Still and Berri were both arguing about the plan and what to do, and the children stood divided on both sides. Silver with Berri and Mysty with Still. Chane had left when the argument started so that he could try and find some clues.

~~~~~

"If only you knew of what such bad juju."
"Whatever you felt doesn't matter. We have the upper hoof on him. If we strike tonight, we can beat him easier than if we wait. Out there is his turf; this is our best chance."

Still was talking a lot of sense but at the same time Berri knew just how powerful spirits could be and the Benefactor certainly had a spirit of some sort.

~~~~~

Chane had left Reed's shack to go get some answers or clues, and seeing as the motel reception was smack dab in the middle of town, he reasoned it would be a good place to look. He was right but he wished he wasn't.
The Benefactor had reached the door just as Chane entered. Chane at first didn't notice him as he shut the door but when he looked up he found himself face to face with him.

"Hello, Chane."

"Benefactor." There was a light growl in Chane's voice.

"I see I got your name right. Pretty ironic given your position."

Chane's name was pronounced ‘chain’ by most ponies. Only those who knew he didn't like it said ‘Chane’.

"Yes, it is."

"Well I see you have business to attend to before you try to pull something so I'll get out of your hair. But first let me ask you something. How does it feel to be a failure? To let down your friends, family, and tribe?"

Chane was confused as to how he knew about his failure to protect the tribe but even more so he was mad.

"There are two types of slaves, Chane: those who mope and cower along with the herd or those who run and fight the current of fate. I can't wait to see which you are." Chane was about to punch the fucker, but he knew to keep in check. That wasn't a fight he could win, not yet anyway. "Well, I must be off. Time to find a fine mare to spend my evening with."

With that, the benefactor left.

Chane came up to the desk, looking back as the door shut.

The Benefactor had clearly made the receptionist uncomfortable. Who wouldn't be uneasy around him?

"Are you happy under his rule?" The question had caught the mare off guard but she answered with haste.

"Well, we have more food and water now. I just wish I had someone to share it with." She choked at the end and the tears came.

Chane was many things: a decent fighter, a zebra and a pretty good survivalist, but emotions...he lacked expertise in them. He reached over the desk and somewhat awkwardly patted the mare on the back.

"There, there. Let it all out." Chane tried to speak with conviction, but he honestly was afraid he'd just make things worse so when she ran off telling him to sign himself in, he let out a heavy breath and hadn't realized he was holding. "That went better than I expected."

Chane got to work behind the register, looking through papers and notes but he couldn't find anything of particular note. Leaving the establishment, Chane noticed that the group had at some point migrated outside. Chane figured that they probably decided what to do but the Benefactor was far more drawing.

The benefactor had approached Berri.

~~~~~

"Hello Berri, I see you’re alive and well."
"Yes."

"Glad to hear it, deary. I suspect you're not the sort for foreplay so I’ll cut to the nitty-gritty." That got an eyebrow raise from Berri. "I prefer the finer indulges of intercourse and wish to have it tonight; however, these pony mares are less than appealing, at least not compared to this beauty."

He was...he was serious.

Berri was disgusted. The thought was vile, bedding with your most hated enemy. It made her want to skull fuck him with a minigun. On second thought she should rephrase that.

"I suppose I am in no position to oppose."

"Oh you take all the fun out of it. You were supposed to say no and I would claim you here in the street, but I guess it isn't meant to be. I’ll meet you in my bed tonight. I’ll be in the motel closest to the gate."

The thought of his... stallionhood anywhere near her was enough to send shivers down her spine, making her want to reach back into the house and find a place to puke.

"Well, fuck me." Berri almost always spoke in rhyme so the special instances where she didn't even try made ponies know shit was up. "To avoid such a vile ride, I am back on the leaving side!"

The party had moved into the slums as to not be overheard by the guards, but even then they were pushing their luck.

"I've been over this already, this is our best chance!"

"I do not recall rape being in the plan to escape."

Suffice to say, this back and forth went on far too long for anyone's care with Mysty, Silver, and Chane all sidelined by the two bickering equines until….

"Just fucking decide!! I'm tired of it! I'm tired of all this!" Silver broke after outbursting at the top of her lungs and descending downwards.

She was crying and Mysty, she looked to her even in her young age knowing that things were really bad all over.

Chane caressed the foal's mane trying to comfort the filly as she softly cried. Still was looking to her, another filly who had been dragged through this nightmare of a world. Nopony or zebra had even bothered to ask her about her parents or her home. For fuck’s sake, she's a pegasus. She was probably from one of the cloud cities. She had to have seen slaughters as the cities fell and burned.

Berri too looked at the filly, She was broken, and innocence was leaving the poor filly's mind. She had been forced to roam alone for who knows how long before being taken into slavery, and she’d killed a pony as they took their own lives in front of her as a result. She had been dragged with a bunch of strangers to a strange land who knows how far away from Equestria and then told she was part of some... something. The fact she has lasted this long without just breaking down is honestly astonishing.

Through a muffled voice and tears, she begged. "Please just stop. We’re supposed to be friends, heroes. We’re supposed to be special so just stop and…."

Still cut her off "....and let us be heroes. That Benefactor said we were some special group meant to come and do something. I say we do something."

Berri contemplated in her mind the cost, the rewards, and the emotions she felt.

"Let us be heroes, not sparrows!"

The plan soon came together: Mysty would take some fire-starting materials and start a fire outside the main gate by the barracks/guardhouse they saw when they entered town. Then, when the Benefactor eventually got drawn out by the commotion of the fire, Still would charge him and Chane would be close behind as Berri aided in the firefight with her pulse pistol.

Silver, Silver was in no condition to fight let alone kill.

Other ideas were tossed about one such as for Berri to shove a tear gas grenade down the Benefactor's gulet. But of the three the griffon crew member provided, they thought they'd be better put to use at a later date. Before Berri got to work on preparation ~shudder~ she was approached by Reed again.

"I hear you plan on burning down a building, killing the benefactor, and leaving town."

"Indeed" Berri wasn't fond of committing arson, but it would have to do.

"So you're playing chess and sacrificing a pawn to kill the king. I've played my fair share; perhaps I’ll play against you one day."

Berri indeed was playing a high stakes game of chess and Reed's assessment was correct but the way he put it made it sound cold, hollow and, dare I say, evil.

"I will see you later, Still." and with that Berri left the slums to begin gathering supplies to set a building ablaze.

~~~~~

Still Life, unlike the rest of the party, wasn't gathering fire supplies. Instead, he had grabbed a few bottles of booze and was doing his best-drunk impression to stake out the Benefactors motel.
"Hello there, fine sir. Could I have a word with you?"

Still looked to the pony who had been trying to get his attention, an earth pony. He had a dirt-brown coat and a greasy blond mane and tail.

"Yes, what do you need?"

"Well, I couldn't help but notice your indulgence, and figured I'd like to sell you a piece of useful wares."

"Oh really? And what do you have to offer?"

That got the shop pony's face to smile.

"Well, I'm glad you asked. " And with that, the shop pony pulled out a bottle of abraxo cleaner. The finest detergent in the wasteland. "This fair bottle of beauty is the best cleaner pre and post-war, perfect for cleaning your fine armor after a night of indulgence."

"I see." Still was less than interested in the detergent's possible cleaning effects. He wanted to know if it was flammable.

"Question: what's your name?"

"Tater Tot, wasteland trader.”

"Alright, is that cleaner flammable?"

"But it is and you'll find out just how flammable it is."

"Ok, the better question is could I use it to create a large bonfire?"

"I'd say if you threw a bit of that beer on, it probably would burn high into the sky."

Still was liking the sounds of that but knew he'd be able to get a bit more from Tater Tot”

"Say do you mind doing a job for me?”

"A paying one, I presume?"

"Of course."

"Lay it on me."

"I need you to get some stuff for a fire. Here’s 50 caps for it and when I give you the signal, you need to cause a big distraction."

"How big?"

“I’d say it would be best if all the guards could hear you."

"Alright I'll take the 50 caps: 10 for the cleaner and 40 for purchase of flammables, is that right?"

Still took the cleaner and nodded letting Tater Tot go on.

"Uh, before I go what's the signal?"

"You'll know it when you see it."

And with that, the plan was coming together.

~~~~~

The rest of the party was exploring, gathering supplies, and readying for what was to come. Mysty was spending a good lot of 20 minutes trying to break a tree limb with her cannonball. The problem was that she wasn't all that good at hitting things with a cannonball in her telekinesis.
Berri was uneasy as she gathered sticks and went through her medical supplies again, double- and triple-checking everything.

Silver was also doing her fair share of gathering with Chane and ultimately between all of their combined efforts and Mysty taking a bunch of random boxes out of somepony’s yard.

The group had a really sizable pile to burn. Now, it was on to the last part of the plan. The time outside was dark and Berri was expected soon...

Oh and also Tater Tot was there, gasoline and matches in hoof. Arguably the most important supplies.

"Ok Mysty you know the plan?"

"Yep, put the stuff next to the guardhouse and throw a small stick at it," said Mysty proudly.

"Still are you sure we should send the filly out to try and start a fire. Does she even know how to start a match?" said Chane warily.

"Of course she does, right, Mysty?"

At that, Mysty took one of their 30 some stick matches and smashed it on her hoof with her magic before giving a warm soothing smile from ear to ear.

"I did it!"

"Yes, you did Mysty but try this instead." Berri was the one thing that gave the group hope for the child to learn.

After much trial and error, Mysty finally understood that she was supposed to strike it against her Hoof.

Notable failures were the one time she was being taught and tried to eat one followed by Pixie doing the same before Berri performed the Heimlich maneuver on the two of them.

"Ok let's get this show on the road." Berri was looking at Still uneasy as she went off to bed with the Benefactor.

~~~~~

"Hello, Berri, how nice of you to join me."
The room was lit with candles in a state of trying to be romantic but the sent of Stallion extract permeated through the scented candles.

"I'm glad to keep you glad."

To say Berri was beyond disgusted by the interaction she was going through was an understatement.

"You don't have to keep such a facade, you despise me, want me dead."

The air was silent, still, it was like trying to breathe concrete as Berri's eyes darted through the room trying, praying for a way out of this.

The room was small, cramped, there was a door in the corner Shower written on a plack on its face.

"*sigh* Come I wish to see you in your beauty, cybernetics and all."

"May I be refreshed before committing this transgression?"

"Of course, it will only serve to heighten your mane."

And with that Berri went into the restroom.

Staring at the water it was less than clean but in the wasteland that's like liquid gold.

Berri being a Cyborg by all definition had to take specific measures before she could get in the shower.

Any exposed slits or electronics need to be covered by tape hence why Berri always carries a roll, the only exceptions to this are her eye and pitbuck, both naturally waterproof.

~~~~~

Mysty is a sneaky filly, just listen as she flys past the guards and over the fence.
"I'm beste's snekeye's mostest amasinist filly in the world!"

There were four guards at the gate alone but it's more like six due to the two on the door to the slums.

Truly impressive that the filly can be so sneaky especially when she is being forced to carry a box full of so much stuff. Mysty couldn't carry the gas can without her magic.

Pixie was helping though, she had the matches.

"Ok, fire, I don't remember how to make a fire." After a few tries, she got it but the excitement of her success made her drop it, thankfully it landed in the box.

"Pixie I did it, give me the gas cai - canasastur - canistur" it took a few tries but she eventually got some semblance of the word canister out.

Most of the gas got on the grass and wall around the flaming boxes but when it caught and Pixie pulled the little arcanist back she knew it was time to go.

She had done her job.

~~~~~

Tater Tot was told he would know the signal when he saw it and he figured it was reasonable to assume a giant raging fire growing up the side of a building was the signal so... he started his distraction.
"Cannibals! cannibals ghouls!!! Their riding timberwolves! They're that way west! ahhh!”

After getting a few looks from the guards they eventually started to go west towards the weaker part of the wall.

It was made of scrap and debris and beyond it was the forest so what the pony was saying was possible, farfetched but plausible.

Eventually one of the guards came up to him.

"What in the bloody hell are you hollering about?"

Immediately Tater Tot went from jumping around in a panic to standing still and normally in front of the mare before he started speaking.

"Cannibal ghouls riding timberwolves."

The guard was already tired of this weird pony.

They had let him in under the interpretation that he was a trader which was already fishy seeing as he only had a battle saddle with recharger rifles and nothing else when he entered.

Now he was causing a ruckus for some reason.

"Why are you doing this?"

"I was paid to be a distraction while that fire behind you grows."

Immediately the guard's attention was drawn away to see the fire which had already reached the rough and was burning through it.

"Holy!"

"Well, I best be off I did my job."

And with that Tater Tot walked around the mare as her eyes twitched in disbelief and.

~bang~

She started shooting at him.

Now where some ponies would turn and shoot back at this point especially ponies with linked recharger rifles fighting a pony in a hood.

Of course, Tater Tot is not most ponies, not by a long shot he started bolting down the street as the Benefactor poked his head out and saw just what hell-storm was going on outside.

It was at this moment Still life charged through the door flinging the benefactor back against the wall between the bed and the wall.

This entry was followed up by Chane as Berri leaped from the shower put her gear halfway on and lept over to him before letting out pulse rounds into his skull.

It wasn't a minigun but it was satisfying

Despite Berri's dis-appreciation, this did not stop the zebra from getting back on his hooves.

"I see you, lot are going with the attack option." He wasn't bleeding but nor was he in good shape.

"Yeah I didn't feel like running or cowering." Chane was just glad to be getting a chance at putting this fucker in his place even if he has some greater power helping him.

"Well let's get this shit underway." It was instantaneous but Berri felt her right foreleg get hit and then her left but the damage of each echoed through her entire body.

Berri wasn't the only one who got this treatment as Chane felt it to some extent but Still Life had to deal with a kick to the face.

Not having that helmet was really proving to be a liability for the poor stallion in his old age.

The three party members proceeded to beat the Benefactor in their own burst, sadly Berri is not a great shot only getting one of her five shots and reverting to just smacking his face into the ground.

Still smacked him against the floor with his tk and Chane used his training as a user of Fallen Caesar style to make his back make a few unnatural sounds.

"You lot sure know how to fuck a zebra up."

He was still looking as he did when the combat started but more battered but Berri wasn't paying attention to that.

She was preoccupied with the presence she felt after first getting on this island and talking to the Benefactor.

A haze that's the best way she could describe it is a dark pony shaped haze directly connected to the Benefactor.

It danced through the room until he booked it smacking Still into the wall and out of his way as he went out the door and the haze followed him but not before getting another few shots off for him

targeting the same points the Benefactor had earlier but with marginally less success only hitting Still and Chane.

"I'm after him Berri you take care of Still."

Chane bolted after him as Berri helped Still back to his hooves.

The Benefactor got to the other side of the street before turning to face Chane.

The fire illuminating them both in the darkness of night with the moon above them and the sounds of gunfire and plasma flying around them.

"It's over you aren't getting away from this."

"That's what you think, but this is much bigger than you can imagine, much much bigger and I won't have you fucks messing it up!"

He went for a punch before ~bam~ the rattling shots of two shells came flying from beside both of them.

Silver was there curled up double barrel in her hooves she had shot both shells.

One into the Benefactors side a buckshot one and a second into his face a slug.

"Well shit, you got me."

Chane looked from the little tear stricken filly to the zebra before him he was burning turning to ash and dust.

"Well that's a pity I really like this body, had a pretty big dick this time around."

This time around?

"What... What are you talking about?" Chane was starting to show a face of contemporary disgust, fear. The zebra had already lost half of his face the fur and skin rotting at an accelerated pace to see the bones black and melting like molten steel they were falling through him melting what wasn't already turned to ash as he reached a hoof out to Chane.

The hoof was disintegrating as well as the places where his body and face were shot.

"Oh you poor, poor zebra, enslaved for so long you forgot just what magics were out there, I'm immortal you fool and I’ll be back!" Finally the legs gave out beneath the form as it crashed into the ground becoming a cloud of ash smoke and molten bone.

He was carried off with the rising cloud of ash as the fire raged on.

Chane looked back to Berri and Still coming out of the motel. The slums they were in had fire ponies pouring from the buildings burnt and bruised.

Footnote level up your all level two

Berri - perks: quest perks Cyberpony Engionier Suite 1 and 2, pipbuck training

Level One: Healing of Mother Earth rank 1

Level Two: Matter Natter

Silver Pick - Perks quest perk Foal at Heart

Level One: Flight rank 1

Level Two: Intense training rank 1

Still Life - Perks: quest perks power Armor Training

Level one: REDACTED

Level two: REDACTED

Mysty - Perks Quest Perks Top 10%

Level Two: telekinetic precision

Chane - perks Level two: Fallen Caesar style 1

Author's Note

edited by:Skettchy Rivet -Robert

if you see any errors please notify me.