Fallout: Equestria - All Roads Lead Home

Chapter 5: Parabellum

“We reap what we sow. Force answers force, war breeds war, and death only brings death. To break this vicious circle one must do more than just act without any thought or doubt.”

Hidden birds chirped a playful melody around me. The wind blowing through the trees singing a quiet chorus to their sound. ‘This would definitely be a beautiful place for a roadside picnic,’ I thought to myself. My hooves marched softly in the dirt to the forest’s beat. Every so often the sound of a distant howl hauled the wood’s song before it continued again as if nothing happened.

This went on for countless hours as I continued towards what I believed was the path to the village. Hunting the local wildlife was enough to keep me fed. I had been on this path for days. My surroundings never changed. It was just rows of endless trees. My mane stood on end as I thought about being lost in there forever.

‘Stop that!’ I hit myself in the head with my hoof. ‘You’ll be fine,’ I constantly reminded myself.

The grip around my knife tightened as another howl echoed through the forest. I scanned for the source but to no avail. My breathing became more erratic as a sharp crack came from behind.

A brown rabbit hopped out from behind a tall, dark oak tree and tilted its head as it looked at me. My breathing slowed as the muscles in my body relaxed. It was just a rabbit, nothing to be scared of. The small creature then hopped away further in the trees peacefully.

The picture of trees extended once again as I began tracking again. My mind focused on returning to the town.

But before I could go any further, an arrow slammed into the tree to the left of my head. Stumbling backward, I looked around the area and then, after finding nothing again, I looked at the arrow. It had a piece of paper wrapped neatly around its wood body. Upon opening it up, it read:

Leave this place now Bandit. This is your only warning. Stay and you will die.

‘Well, this day is getting better and better.’ I dropped the note on the ground crushing under my forehoof and continued to walk forward.

*** *** ***

After what felt like a few minutes, I came upon a campsite covered in vines, leaves, and cattails at dusk just ahead in a clearing. Rotting wooden cabins placed sporadically around a collapsed gazebo. The dry dirt of the tree line gave way to a wet swampy mud that covered the open area. Torches illuminated from a top of spikes and hung from walls all over the place. Three zebra stallions armed with hoofmade crossbows guided a mare, covered in metal spikes and bloody scars all across their body, over multiple bridges made from wood pallets that connected the buildings in the camp. Each adorned dark colored fur capes and wore different skeletal jewelry around their bodies. Some hung necklaces of claws, talons, and teeth around their necks while others simply covered their faces that were painted with dry blood with different animal skulls. The group near me laughed at the pony as they marched her to a slanted two story bell tower. The second floor was missing a wall. A sniper sat there drinking and looking out at the swamp. The stallions were stopped by some mares with clothing of similar appearance.

“Another bandit?” The mare on the right spoke.

One of the stallions shoved the pony to the ground. “Yeah. We found this one entering from the southeast alone. I’m afraid there’s more coming. We need to speak to Kifo about this immediately!”

The two guards nodded and the group vanished into the building.

‘Well fuck me with Luna’s blue moon.’ This was a Protectors’ camp. I thought of different ways around the problem in front of me as eyes continued to scour the settlement.

I looked down at my blade, then back at the camp. ‘Going in gung-ho isn’t an option, and without a map there’s no point in trying to find another way back to the village. I’d just be more lost then I already am.’

My ears perked up as I gazed over to a small watchpost hanging in the trees to the right of the campsite.

‘Well, looks like there’s only one option left.’

As I stalked my way towards my destination, my tan coat blended with tall cattails, my eyes kept wandering to the Protectors’ camp. About halfway from the bell tower to the tree house was a foundation, surrounded by ponies in dark leather with spikes, hung from countless wooden beams that had been hammered into the wet ground. The ponies were tied to the ground posts or just hung from the higher beams. Some were rotten corpses that birds were eating the eyes out of while others were very much alive, some of them screaming. A pair zebras that passed by approached one of the stallion screamers and cut out his tongue. The pony passed out in shock and other ponies shut up and just stared in horror. The pair laughed and walked away to a nearby building. I looked away and kept my head down. There was no point in trying to play the hero here.

About fifteen minutes later, I reached the base of the building in the tree. It was a combination of thin sheet metal, rope, and wood. A ladder hung from the balcony that encompassed the watchpost. Next to the ladder was a makeshift pulley system wrapped around one of the tree’s thicker branches. My eyes drifted up to the roof of the building. From what looked like a chimney on the roof came out grey smoke. I readied my knife and climbed up the ladder.

The soft music and laughter was audible through the door. I pressed my ear up to the thin wall and listened closer to the voices. There were three different voices only a few feet away from the entryway. I was far enough away from the main camp that no zebra would probably notice what was going on over here, but I would have to be quick about it. I turned my back to the wood door and, with all the force I could muster, breached the building with my back hooves. Quickly turning around, I entered the first room, knife ready.

“Rat got your tongue, so you can’t knock on the door anymore, eh? As the Teacher said, ‘courtesy distinguishes us from bandits and other animals.’”

The young zebra that spoke was at the table with two others. He was strapped to a pair of pipes that connected to some rough looking wheels. His back legs hung motionless by a couple of belts that connected the pipes to his body. The zebra used the edge of the small table he was at to angle himself towards me. I quickly pocketed my knife in one of my bags.

He squinted hard at me, “Wait a moment… You’re not one of ours! A bandit, then? But you don’t look like one… Though, you never know with them bandits! Different shit everyday…”

He turned to one of the other zebras at the table. “Am I right or what, Jengo?”

The disabled zebra used one of his hooves to cover up his mouth, “You’re always right, General, Sir!”

I raised an eyebrow at the zebra. The ‘General’ waved his hoof at Jengo and chuckled, “Ah, put a sock in it, your muzzle is brown enough! ...Where was I? That’s right, the bandit… Well you’re here, which means that all those spineless worms and wannabe protectors are all dead. Am I right? Don’t bother answering, everyone knows I’m right. And good riddance, I say!”

“Perhaps, we should offer him our hospitality, General, sir? He is a guest, even though he’s a bandit!” ‘Jengo’ said.

“That’s an idea! Take a seat, bandit, let’s have some tea,” he moved himself to the edge of the table and gestured to the chair opposite of him.

“I bet you’ve never tried anything quite like it. I gathered, dried, and brewed it myself.” He beamed with pride.

I sat down in the chair he pointed to and finally got a good look at the other two zebras at the table. Both had their head slumped to one side. Their black and white were noticeably more grey. The zebra’s face to my right was visible. His lips were purple and heavily chapped; as was the rest of his face. His eyes stared blankly to the dark wooden tabletop that playing cards were sporadically scattered all over. Each seat had a mug in front of it.

The General gave a hearty laugh as he took each mug, emptying out their contents, and filled them with a light brown liquid with a teapot from the fireplace next to him. “Can’t get any help with this useless lot! At least they don’t eat that much, eh boys?”

He didn’t receive an answer as he placed a cup of tea in front of everyone at the table. So, he answered for them.

“Yeah!”

“Trying our best, sir!” The zebra to my left ‘said’.

I tried my best to not raise an eyebrow. ‘What the fuck is wrong with him?’

I stayed quiet as the General scolded the corpses, “Ah, quit yer yapping! Making a worse racket then the damn wolves in heat! No respect to our guest, either - he can’t even get a word in edgewise!”

He raised his cup and followed suit. “Don’t mind them. To our meeting!”

As he drank the tea, I only took a sip and immediately started coughing. The tea was bitter and stung on the way down. I quickly poured the tea onto the floor before the General put his own mug down.

“Now that’s a good tea! But, these fussy rats don’t drink it though. ‘Radiation, radiation!’ Radiation my crippled ass! Just look at us, we’re all as healthy as can be!” He chuckled and looked at me. I gave him my best fake smile in return.

‘You could say that again.’ I quickly stole a glance at his legs. He reminded me of my best friend’s father. A nice stallion from the Metro’s best ponies. Sadly he lost his legs during one of the intervention missions the Order loves to do. Thank the Goddesses for the earth ponies and zebras down there that patched him up with some new hind legs or he would be like this.

‘If we had one of those techies here now, they could...’ I caught myself looking sadly into my cup, slightly blushed and threw those thoughts into the back closet of my mind. ‘You have a job to do, Wildcard. Focus on completing it.’

“Thanks for coming here! See how happy my boys are? We don’t really have anyone to talk to here anymore. We’re all but forgotten here…”

“Forgotten?” That was a word I didn’t really expect to hear. That word reminded me about the last encounter I had with Kifo. What seemed at the time like the beginning of a bloody fight, ended with a single question: ‘I’m here to protect my brothers and sisters. What about you, Spartan? What… Who do you protect?’’ Goddesses I hated that Kifo of all zebras was right.

I felt my heart strings plucked at the young zebra’s tone and asked only a single word, “Who?”

“Everyone. They all left.” The General began refilling his cup with hot tea. For a brief second he acted like his physical age. With soft, misty yellow-tinted eyes staring blankly at his drink he said in a quiet voice, “Even Kifo forgot about us…”

Quickly his expression changed to anger as he slammed the table with a forehoof. I jumped a little at the noise. I thought to myself ‘Maybe I asked a little too much?’ But quickly brushed the question aside. This was nothing more than a colt in pain.

“Yet he was here when we built this damn base! All the boys remember that.” He turned to the corpse on his right and gave it a playful punch with his hoof. “Don’t you, now?”

“Yes! He was here!”

“We remember General!” Jengo stated.

The General was beaming with pride. “That's right! You all remember but that bastard just forgot along with the rest of those fucks! They forgot about what we’ve done to protect them!”

He drank his refilled cup. “Those rats scream all the time about taking back the village! Judgement is coming! Hell, from what I heard out today over the radio, Kifo’s planning to go and confront the Pioneers tomorrow morning. I wish I could go with them, but who needs a cripple?” The General added in a darkened tone while trying to readjust his position at the table. He then proceeded to down his recently refilled cup.

I couldn’t hide my shock any longer. “They’re going there tomorrow?!” I blurted out.

“Yeah! Apparently they are harboring a dirty outsider.”

‘Sea Mist. Shit!’ I felt myself start to heat up all around my body.

He gave me a smile. “But there’s no need to worry about that. Kifo will deal with that situation personally. He never did really like outsiders. I don’t know why… But not my problem. Besides I have my boys with me to keep me company!”

What he did next disgusted me. He used his forehoof to move the mouth of ‘Jengo’. The muscles of the corpse's jaw moved rather unponylike, making little wet squishy noises as it was shifted around.

“Yes sir! We stayed here with you!” the General said in his high-toned voice.

“Yes. You boys did stay here. I had to do some convincing to make them stay though,” the zebra said to me.

He turned to the other corpse getting up into its face and shook a hoof at him scoldingly. “Even you were gonna abandon your old friend, weren’t you? Weren’t you?”

“Come on General,” the body responded in a deep voice. “We’d never do that!”

“Sure. Tell that to the bandit! You’re all as easy to read as a book and I say you were going to leave me!”

He picked up his teapot proudly in his teeth and managed to speak out. “Had I not brewed my tea extra strong that day, you would have left.”

He poured himself another cup of brown liquid, then placed it back on the stovetop.

“No doubt,” he finished.

I was saddened by this young zebra and it was visibly obvious. The General noticed my frown.

“No need to be sad my friend! How about I put on some music?”

He pulled away from the table and awkwardly moved towards a ducted metal radio near the table. The unevenness of his walking aid caused him to wobble side to side on his way there. A knot in the wooden floor caused one of his wheels to jump up violently and he began to fall. I jumped out of my seat, but before I could help, he caught himself with his teeth, biting into the table that the music box sat upon. He put his hooves below him and stood up.

“No need to worry friend! I’m fine, just relax,” he said with a stoic look on his face.

I sat back down in my seat as he turned the radio on. A soft glow from a small yellow gem inside began to glow as a hum came out of the box’s wire mesh speakers. The voice of a male pony spoke, “Good evening wastelanders! How's everypony doing? Got some great news for you today! Remember that little Stable Gal who took on the slavers of Appleloosa and saved all those ponies? Well don't ask me how, but she survived takin' a nosedive off a cliff in a speeding train. That's right, fillies and gentlecolts: she's back! And what's she been up to now, I hear you ask? Well, sit down an' put on your listening ears, cuz it's time for DJ Pon3 to tell you a story. Ready? Good. This is the story of a little filly named Silver Bell, a sweet little filly whom the Stable Gal helped by letting old Ditzy Doo to take care of her. I hear she is doing just fine folks. That’s all there is for the news. Now back to the tunes with Sweetie Belle singing her version of the lovely classic: Funny Love.”

My jaw gapped as the General wheeled his way back to the table. ‘There are more stable dwellers roaming the Wastes?! Stick a unicorn horn up my ass and spin me. What have I missed? That pony is lucky to still be alive!’

I felt the scars on my head. Maybe it wasn’t that hard to believe based on current circumstances. Best to just accept it. I closed my mouth and lost myself in a bliss created by the singer’s beautiful voice. When I got home, I needed to put these songs on the radio there, or at least add more songs to that list.

“Pack up all my cares and woes, here I go, singing low,
There goes, my funny love,
I hope the next one stays with me,
Love is sweet, so was he,
There goes, my funny love.”

The zebra coughed violently, and when he stopped he proceeded to speak. “Your kind definitely knows how to make good music. The sound is more of an acquired taste for my kind, but I like it a lot, and my boys here don’t have any problems with it… Not anymore…” He shut his eyes and began to sway slowly to the music.

“No one here will ever know or understand me,
Oh what a sad love story the world gave me.
Praise the sun and the cool moonlight, I hope the next one’s right,
My love, bye bye.”

“The tea is good though...” He moved the cup in front him closer to the center of the table. “Makes me sleepy.”

The General raised a hoof at me and began to make small circle gestures. “Look bandit, you know what… Just stay here with us! Living here with us will be fun; we can talk, eat and drink tea all we want…” He struggled to keep his head up.

“No one here will ever know or understand me,
Oh what a sad love story the world has given me.
Praise the sun and the cool moonlight, I hope the next one’s right,
My love, My funny love,
Bye bye.”

“We’ll find you a bed tomorrow. I’ll take a nap in the meantime. Just a little rest…” he finished, resting the side of his face on the table. The general’s back raised and lowered as he started to snore quietly.

I sat there quietly just looking at the young stallion. Part of me wanted to take him with me, but how? He would die on the trip to the Dead City. As guilt washed over me, I sat up and searched the place for useful supplies. I mentally tuned out the radio’s DJ, who was talking about some pony named Red Eye, at the same time.

‘Kifo’s making a move tomorrow? Some zebra from the village must have told him I was here. Not good,’ I thought.

In the mess of junk over every counter and surface, I found a map of the forest. I thought about possible ways to get back to the village before the Protectors, but due to their knowledge of the land verses the shitty drawn map I wouldn’t beat them there. I pondered more ideas as my eyes found some clothes hanging on the wall. The outfit was a few wolves’ pelts sewn together with one of the animals’ skulls as a helmet. Next to the dangling equipment was a small bucket with some red liquid in it. I gave it a sniff to the content and cringed. Whatever the liquid was, it smelled sour.

An idea popped into my head. ‘Oh fuck, Luna guide me through the hell of a plan I made.’

I wrapped the dark brown coat around me, which almost covered me completely. Next, I used the red content from the bucket to paint markings over my face and body. One of the perks of living with zebras for years is that I picked up their culture and traditions quickly. After anointing my face, I placed the wolf skull over my head. It slid down and rested on my muzzle snuggly.

I looked back at the General. In a sad tone, I whispered, “Sorry.”

As silent as I could, I walked to the door, but stopped when something next to the door caught my eye. It was one of those hoofmade crossbows that the Protectors were wearing earlier. I picked up the weapon and the two magazines next to it. I examined the bow as I began to strap it to my right forehoof. The body of the weapon was constructed from different bits and bobs of metal pipes and wood. A tongue trigger connected to by a side pipe. The wire of the bowstring was most likely made from some kind of nylon or other material that connected to the two ends of the wood arc that was bolted horizontally to the body. The center of the crossbow was a rectangular hole which I figured out was for the magazines I found. Each one housed six arrows, all made from various things from wood to steel. After putting one of the magazines into the weapon’s side mag-well, I pulled the string back with my teeth to the back of the rail until I heard a successful click. Instantly an arrow pushed its way onto the rail. My ears perked as I grinned at my new toy.

Placing the rest of the crossbow’s ammo into my bag I exited out the doorway, but not before turning around and giving the General a silent salute. When Kifo asked me who I protected, I hesitated on how to answer at time. But now I knew for sure who that was.

*** *** ***

The wet pallets gave a deep, echoing thunk every time one of my hooves stepped on it. I was “walking into the den of the manticore” as folks back at home would say. They were right, and I was scared. If I was found out, there would be a bloodbath ending with my demise, and Sea Mist’s. That was something I just couldn’t allow. The plan had to work.

I drew closer to the camp as dawn shone its first rays of flat scarlet light through the grey roof above. Ponies were crying softly to my right but turned their sounds into whimpers as I walked by. They feared my appearance due to the example set the day prior by one of the Protectors. Their petrified expressions almost made me empathic. Almost.

‘Pony willing to turn savage should expect punishment,’ I told myself. ‘Anyone who doesn’t is just dense.’

As I approached the center of the camp, I saw him. Kifo was an average sized zebra with scars all over his body. The most noticeable was a huge clawmark that covered half of his face with pink slashes. His hair was short, black and white striped, and knotted in different varied length braids pulled back into a ponytail with a rope. Feathers dangled alongside his tied locks. A headpiece made of earthly materials and animal bones which went across his forehead wrapping around his ear for support. He was standing on a platform slightly higher than where a mass of other zebras were beginning to collect. Looked like someone was planning on giving a speech. I moved into the crowd and watched Kifo as he began to speak.

“My brothers and sisters, today we take back control of our home. I truly love my sister, Haki, but for too long she has tolerated the outsiders and bandits that take our crops, our children and our lives. We need to unite together, by force if necessary, in order to save our family,” he spoke out to his listeners, who were flooded with compassion and complete belief in his words. His short speech was met with thunderous applause from the crowd, rapidly stomping their hooves onto the wooden pallets below. Then Kifo raised his forehoof to signal for silence, and the mass listened.

“In order to help the so-called ‘Pioneers’ understand the gravity of the situation. I have enlisted the help of our own outsiders.”

Just then a small group of colorful griffons landed loudly on the stage. Each one wore the mark of Talon on their armor. The griffon in the middle was clearly the leader due to the heavy protective suit of armor that covered every inch of his body. His Talon symbol was on his side, painted in blood red. The iron beast and his minigun walked up to Kifo, the metal joints of his suit squeaked and sighed, until the two stood next to each other. The crowd of Protectors broke out into a loud protest to the sudden arrival of outsiders calling Kifo a ‘traitor to the cause’ and a ‘lair’.

“Shut up! We’re here to do a job. Once the caps are paid then we’ll leave. Anyone who has a problem with that speaks directly to me.” The deep, booming, robotic voice of the ironclad griffon silenced the masses.

Kifo's tone was filled with determination this time as he spoke, “We will unite. Even if it means war! That I can promise you that. So like the griffon said, does anyzebra have a problem?”

The silence from the crowd was deafening.

“Good. Let’s move out!”

And with that, all of the Protectors began to move in a direction I could only assume was towards the village. I followed suit and prayed to the Goddesses that this conflict wouldn't result in needless bloodshed.

*** *** ***

Chaos.

Complete chaos, like the kind that I read about from the trickster god, Discord, before Celestia and Luna took him down. Zebras were panicking, running all over the village, rushing their children home, worried about their kin’s lives. Some of the young zebra fillies were crying, others were confused, most were both. It was the kind of chaos that could only be truly experienced.

As we marched in unison ever closer to the statue of the Teacher, Haki bolted out of her hut, the most pissed I’d ever seen her. Hell, she could get a Manticore to run away with its tail between its legs in fear.

She got right up in Kifo’s face and screamed, “What are you doing Kifo! You’re scaring the tribe!”

“I’m doing what you could never do,” he responded coldly. “Hand over the outsider you’re harboring or we’ll take her by force.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, brother.”

Kifo’s displeasure was growing more visible on his face. “I’m done playing games! Your rule of the counsel has done nothing about the bandits that slaughter and rape our kin!”

His eyes softened as he pleaded, “Please Haki, help us destroy this threat at the source.”

“And what? You know what the Teacher said about violence. The Teacher said…”

“Don’t lecture me on the Teacher!” he cut her off. “His pacisfitic ways didn’t work when Mom died! We’ve saved more lives killing the bandits before they could cause us harm.”

Both siblings locked eyes. Kifo’s gaze was filled with only endless rage. Her’s was filled with a heavy dose of sorrow. This battle of ideals was rudely interrupted by the last pony in the only Wasteland I wanted in this. Sea Mist walked out of Haki’s home confused.

“What's going on Haki?” she asked in a small voice.

Kifo directed his rage towards the only pony in his sight. He raised his forehoof and aimed his crossbow at Sea Mist. I felt my heart race just watching. My hooves felt stuck to the ground as I tried to think of a way to cool the boiling hot situation.

“You’re coming with us,” he demanded, moving closer to the cornflower blue mare.

Haki put a hoof at her mouth and let out a high tuned whistle. Zebras from different houses and levels of village began to leave their home with forehoof crossbows of their own. One of them tossed the extra one they were carrying for Haki and she swiftly equipped the weapon to point it at her brother. Three of the four griffons hovered in the air above the air waiting for commands. Now two battle lines were clearly visible. This was getting out of hoof.

“She is nothing more than a child, Kifo. You try to take her and you leave us no choice but to defend the pony.”

Kifo scowled. “You're willing to sacrifice your lives for an outsider!”

“The Teacher always said to defend those who can’t,” Haki lectured through her bone mask.

“That’s what I’m doing,” he said, stoically looking in his sister’s eyes.

‘Well shit,’ I thought to myself as I walked out of the massive crowd of Protectors. All eyes were on me, waiting to see what I would do next. I pulled up my mask to audible disgust and shock.

“Spartan...” The only word to leave Kifo’s lips as his eyes were now fixed to me.

“So is this where this conflict is going? To bloodshed?” I was royally pissed off.

The scarred zebra stood facing me, completely still. I knew I would have to choose my words carefully. I let myself ponder only for a moment to search for the right ones.

“Kifo, let me ask you a question about this plan. When you’ve taken back the village and killed all the bandits. When you’ve finally made the village into that exact perfect place that you want. What are you gonna do with the zebras who think like you?” I asked, pointing a forehoof to this heart. I didn’t wait for a response. “How are you gonna protect your rule from the next version of the Protectors?”

“We’ll do what we must,” Kifo told me with assurance and only a small hint of sadness.

I laughed. A laugh that made a majority of the zebras around me cringe. “Oh, will you? Okay, let's say you do what you must, but for how long? How long will the ground be slick with a river of blood? How long will the wheel of war keep turning for you to realize? So tell me, will you break the cycle?” I pleaded.

His stoic look didn’t fade as he asked, “Why are you still talking?”

“Because I want to understand the path you’re about to walk down.”

“You know what I see, Spartan?” Kifo growled, clenching his jaw.

He aggressively stepped towards me. “I see a problem within my village, my people, and I have every tool I need to fix it. I’m doing what I have to in order to protect us from them.” His eyes burned with determination.

“Me too,” Haki stated. Her admiration for her older brother was replaced with contempt.

My cynicism broke me as I playfully pranced around looking at the siblings smiling. Sea Mist coward into a small ball on the ground trying to hide her look of fear from me with her forehooves.

“And here we go!” Trying to sound as close to a radio host as I could. “Tongues on triggers! Are you feeling readied? Are you ready to play the game? Who’s gonna be quickest? Who’s gonna die?”

“This is not a game!” Haki screamed.

“No, you're right! But are you willing to make the sacrifice?” I playfully bounced the words with my tongue.

“What the hell are you talking about?!” Kifo demanded.

Haki lightly blushed. “I want to know as well. What's the point?”

I grew annoyed with each passing second. “I’m trying to get you to see that this is all pointless! This is the beginning of a war! Every war ever fought started the exact same way. That is why the world is the way it is. And it’s always the same. When you fire that first shot, no matter how right you feel, you have no idea who’s going to die! You’ll never know whose children are going to scream and burn! How many families will be forever broken. How many lives will be changed. How much blood will have to be spilled before you two will just do what everyone should've done: talk!”

I wiped my face with a hoof. Why did no one understand? I felt memories of my past start to flood into my head, causing me to cry. Something I hadn’t done in a long time. Both siblings looked at each other then at the statue of the Teacher. Many zebras did the same. Kifo returned his gaze to me while Haki looked at the ground in shame. I moved towards him.

“Please just listen to me, listen to me. I just want you to think over your choice one more time.” My soft tone was filled with regret. “Think abou—”

He shook his head. “I will not change my mind.”

“Then you’ll die like the ones from the Great War; stupid. But you can still just step away from all this. Turn to your faction and stand them down. Unite the village peacefully,” I returned.

“No, I can’t stop this. I’ve broken so many of the Teacher’s rules. You really think I’ll be let to roam after all I’ve done?”

I facehoofed. “You folks are just the same, you know that? Always thinking; ‘look at me, I’m unforgivable’. Here’s the funny thing, those teachings were never rules, they were more like guidelines. We all make mistakes and it’s everyone's responsibility to forgive. Everyone knows this life is too short for hate. So let me say, I forgive you for everything.”

Stunned was the only way to describe the look on the zebra’s face. His iris seemed to shrink in disbelief. It was like an unexpected wave of water rushed over him. He looked at the ground with his upper eyelids drooping as both of his ears fell limp. He was saying something quietly, and it wasn’t until his voice grew louder that heard what he said.

“... You don’t understand, do you? The great Spartan doesn’t understand.” His disappointed look connected with my teary eyes. “You will never understand.”

I’ve never felt more disgust directed towards me in my life. Anguish filled my body, drowning every happy thought and replacing them with memories. The type of memories I would pay any amount of caps or bullets to forget. I began to rapidly stomp a hoof into the dirt and scream.

“I don’t understand?! Are you actually shitting me? Of course I understand. I mean, do you call this conflict, this little thing you’re doing here? This isn’t nothing more than two fillies fighting over a favorite toy. I fought in a bigger war then you’ll ever know! I did worse things than you could ever imagine!” I grew bitter with each word. My hair was standing on end. The tears from my eyes completely blurred my vision, turning the world into a mess of black and white. No one dared to cut into my speech. They just listened.

“When I close my eyes, I hear the screams of those I damned and the ones I couldn’t save! I followed orders like a good soldier, got shit done and slaughtered the ‘enemy’, and for what? Nothing!”

In the corner of my eye, I could tell Sea Mist was holding back tears. I turned my head away with shame. I didn’t want her to know. I couldn’t be another pony’s problem. She already had too much to worry about.

I shook my head and started to approach Kifo. His Protectors tensed at the movement, watching me closely.

“Do you know what you’ll do with that pain? Should I give you some advice on it? I would if I knew what to do with it myself. ‘Til you find that solution, your mind will burn and scar from the memories of your past choices. You’ll wake up every morning realizing that the wasteland changed you. For better or worse is for the Goddesses to decide. But one thing is for sure, no one else should have to live like this. No one should feel this pain. That is the real mission for a soldier. A protector's responsibility to carry the pain for others. But it seems I had forgotten that ‘til now.”

I rubbed away my tears with my forehoof and looked to the two siblings who were now simply standing there. Even Sea Mist was uneasy from my sudden outburst of emotions. I wiped my damp hoof to my coat while the crowd of zebras in the town began to whisper to each other, most likely forming their own opinions on the matter. Both Haki and Kifo put down their crossbows and gave each other an apologetic look.

“Thank you,” I said proudly to both of them.

It felt like time slowed down. Haki gave me the sweetest smile after lifting her mask to let her long grey and white hair flow. Her yellow eyes almost twinkled. Kifo turned to his troop, about to tell them to stand down. Sea Mist was practically tripping over every bump and crack in the dirt as she galloped towards me. I felt strangely blissful for the first time since… ever.

But the Wasteland is truly a wicked beast. A single shot rang out and struck Haki in the side. She yelped in pain as the zebra mare fell to the ground. Her blood turned the dirt to a rust color. Panic set in as I looked around for the shooter but found nothing. The Pioneers were screaming for revenge. One the zebras behind Haki aimed and fired his crossbow at the Protectors. Kifo turned around, only to be met with an arrow to his left shoulder and stumbled backwards. He screamed for his troop to attack and the Pioneers responded with their own force. Both sides clashed over the statue of the Teacher as it started to rain. Droplets hit the monument’s eyes and the water began to run down it’s face, heartbroken.

‘Damn the Goddesses to hell!’ was the only thought that crossed my mind. I watched brothers and sisters cut each other down with blades and arrows. It didn’t seem to matter at that point who fired the shot. The fight had begun.

*** *** ***

White.

Dim, white gemstones powered emergency lights to light up the station from the shroud of darkness. Ponies and zebras wrapped in patchwork winter sweaters conducted business, paying with ammunition or bartering what little they had for food, clothes or whatever else. These merchant tents mixed with the tent housing that lined the stations. What was once a shiny new railway in the center of the station, which carried the past inhabitants of the city to work, school and home, had been removed and replaced with a mushroom farm, used to feed a majority of the citizens of Sparkle Station.

I watched ponies hard at work on wooden scaffolding painting the walls and ceiling. As much as the intricate lines and patterns being placed were beautiful, they all meant nothing. The station was remade into the image of its former state, brilliant shades of purple that complemented the massive amount of magical imagery, before the passage of time caused it to fall out of repair. But it was all form without function here; only designed to try and echo the few images of how the station first looked, and it still felt off. From the postcards I’d seen of this once busy metro station, with its crowds of ponies, zebras and even griffons all rushing to work, home or elsewhere, the recreation almost made me want to laugh at the repair ponies’ attempt at reproducing the atmosphere of the place without the joy and smiles of the people that once filled it. The sight of the station just made me sad.

“Done stargazing, Wildcard?” A deep voice called out from behind. I turned around to face a big, muscular yellow buck wearing welded-together metal armor plates, a vision helmet strapped to his head, and a battle saddle equipped with twin submachine guns. Well they were more like strange pieces of metal piping constructed together to make something sort of resembling a firearm, but that’s why they called it the “Bastard”.

I tried shifting around the saddlebag radio that sat uncomfortably on my back. Its thick casing had started to dig into the side of my torso. ‘I wish someone would make this thing smaller.’ I finally gave in to my anger and began to remove the radio from my bag with my teeth.

“I hate dis ting,” I mumbled.

The stallion laughed at my dismay. “That radio might one day save your life, kid. So, put it back and let’s get moving. The others are waiting for us.”

I listened and put the radio into my left saddlebag, hoping it would be more tolerable than it was in right. The pain still annoyed me as I responded, “Yes, Commander Spark.”

I followed him, staring a little at his robotic hind legs as we galloped to the southeast exit of the station where a mixture of zebras, unicorns and bat-winged ponies, all dressed similar to the Commander, were waiting. His legs were made out of metal and wire and radiated a soft blue from the gemstone in the middle of each of his calves. As we approached the small group of ten, they turned their heads to face us.

“Finally came to the party, sir?” One of the batponies chuckled.

An ironclad zebra looked directly at me and then to the yellow buck. “Dawn Spark, Who’s the kid?”

“His name is Wildcard,” I felt Spark put a hoof on my back. “He's going to be our radio pony for today.”

The buck glanced down at the watch on his forehoof. “We’re late. So, if there’s no more questions then let’s move.”

Our small group moved past the ponies standing guard by two sandbag covers that stood on either side of the metal track, each having their own mounted flamethrower. One of the younger mares waved to us as we walked past. The air grew colder and darker as we ventured further away from the station. My teeth began to chatter in the cold, but the others in the party were unfazed by the change in temperature. The zebras leading us through the tunnel turned on their headlights when the path ahead grew almost pitch black. The pipes seemed to sing as we marched in silence.

“Eyes up! We’re close to the reported area of Old Guard activity,” Command Spark spoke in a harsh whisper.

Uneasiness filled my body as more time passed without anything happening. We scanned every nook and crack of the tunnel but found nothing. Everyone was on edge with their weapons at the ready. Out of the darkness a small silver stick flew towards us with a lit fuse on one of the ends. One of the lead zebras dived to the side to dodge the object, but the other wasn’t so lucky. The stick was an improvised explosive that instantly deleted the poor zebra from existence. His inner organs and body parts shot off haphazardly painting everything within a 10 foot radius of where the zebra once stood in blood. His blood shot into my eyes and I panicked while failing to wipe one of the party’s fluids out of my eyes. I jumped at the sound of gunshots filling the void.

“They’re everywhere!” a voice called out.

Feeling my way to the alcove of the tunnel, I listened to the sounds of screams and wet thunks from all around me. I huddled in the corner, trying again to clean my eyes. ‘Come on!’ My mind scolded my forehoof as I rubbed harder and harder. Finally my vision returned with the aid of a cloth quickly rubbing my face clean. Finally being about to see, I noticed Dawn Spark standing over me, releasing rounds down range until the barrels of his guns grew red. His helmet's vision was now down protecting his face. His horn glowed in a blue light as he handed me his revolver with his magic.

“You okay kid?” he asked without looking at me.

All I could manage was a nervous nod as I took the gun in my mouth. Both of us exited out of the alcove and were met with the view of dismembered and burned corpses. Cells of fighting were all over the place, making it almost impossible to tell friend from foe. The muzzle flash from gunfire helped light up the tunnel along with parts of the tube now on fire. A pony at the end of the tunnel dressed in golden colored armor unleashed a huge spurt of flame from the side of his battle saddle, lighting a batpony on fire. The pony’s blood-curdling screams filled the tunnel air as he ran around, trying everything to put himself out. Eventually he fell over, limp with the smell of cooked flesh floating into my nose. I gagged. Spark riddled the flamethrower pony with holes with a volley of shots. One of the ponies nearby, after pulling up a zebra’s chin to cut his throat, jumped at my commander with the blade. Spark spun around, aiming his barrels at the hostile, and tongued the trigger.

*click*

He looked down at his guns. Sparks eyes went wide after he noticed the jamming of his weapons. He tried to clear the jams but he would be able to complete it in time. I quickly rushed to jump in front of him and prepared to block the attack.

*** *** ***

I used my left hoof to block the attack from Kifo. His blade sank cleanly into my forehoof, causing me to yip in pain. I dodged back and quickly glanced at the rest of the battlefield. Protectors and Pioneers were clashing on the sky bridges, and on the ground their blood was mixing with the rain. Children rushed out of their home to scream over to the lifeless corpses of parents. Sea Mist was trying to fight off zebras to my right, getting assaulted by a gang of Protectors.

‘Fuck!’ I jumped in between her and the zebras. As nonlethally as possible, I kicked the shit out of the zebras attacking Mist. She quickly ran off and hid in Haki’s hut.

‘Goddesses fuck me with both of your cel…” My train of thought was cut off as I was brought back to my senses by the war scream of Kifo. He swung his knife at me again, which I side stepped to the left to evade. My hoof stung with pain when I slammed it in order to dodge his second swing. I looked at him, pleading with my eyes to stop. All I got was a grim glare. I never wanted any of this. Why didn’t he understand?

I continued to attempt to block and dodge Kifo’s barrage of attacks, but his strength easily overpowered me. My body and armor had started to collect the slashes that connected and my blood began to race down my sides. The pain constantly beat my nerves like a loud war drum. I couldn’t take much more of this, I had to try something, anything.

“Why won’t you fight me!” His eyes were the size of pins as the zebra demanded an answer that he seemed to know he wouldn’t get. I spit out blood from my mouth while removing my medical box out of my saddle bag and quickly numbed myself with one of the syringes. I groaned with pain. ‘Fuck.’ The drug caused my hearing to grow muffled but at least the physical strain was gone. Yet the fighting’s noise around us was still intense. I readied myself for the next chorus of Kifo’s swings. He rushed at me but slid to a halt after the booming sound of a great roar overpowered the sounds from the battle. Zebras everywhere stopped and turned towards the beast now entering the village from the treeline. The dark oaks were violently pushed to the side as the Master of the Forest charged into the clearing, quickly crushing a group of zebras under his massive paw.

Kifo called out to his troops, “Quickly! Use the flames!”

The Protectors in the crowd swiftly dipped their arrowheads in a flask connected to their sides, loaded it in the crossbow and shot the mass of stars with the arrows. The projectiles didn’t even scratch the skin, but magically fire from the ammo jumped onto the bear, engulfing it in white-hot flames. I shielded my eyes, turning away from the light. The Master howled, crashing into trees and homes alike, spreading the fire everywhere. The battle had turned into a completely different beast. Zebras on both sides fought each other and the burning bear blurring the conflict more than it already was. Haki had finally risen from the ground and was trying to stop the fighting. Not a single soul listened to her. She yelled in my direction and pointed a forehoof at the whole situation.

“Spartan, help me!” Haki demanded and I turned to reply to her. Kifo didn’t care. He came up behind me and cut my flank. I fell to the ground and felt my rage overflow.

“Fuck this.” I punched out my crossbow towards Kifo.

*** *** ***

One shot put the unarmored pony down. His body fell limp in the air and crashed onto me. I lost control of my gun as both my weapon and I hit the ground with a thud. I screamed in horror, trying to remove the corpse from atop me. Spark’s magic enwrapped the dead pony and pulled it off me. I was covered in blood and mud. My hooves didn’t look like mine when I stared at them. Their sight filled me with nothing but dread. I almost didn’t hear Dawn Spark calling out my name.

“Wildcard,” he pulled me into cover. “We have no time to reflect. We have to fight or die.”

“O-okay…” When did my mouth get this dry? I grabbed Spark with a shaking hoof. He swung around with an angry eyebrow raised.

I did my best to form words in my current state. “H-how do we…um…know, who to sh-shoot at?”

Commander Spark grit his teeth and barked in a low voice, “If it’s hostile, you kill it.”

*** *** ***

The taste of iron filled my mouth as I tongued the weapon’s trigger. The arrow launched from its resting place into Kifo’s shoulder. The impact knocked him back, with blood squirting out of his fresh wound. I didn’t even bother to reset the string of my bow as I galloped at full speed to the zebra. He swung wildly at me. The knife landed in my left shoulder but I did even feel it. All I could feel was rage. I back-hoofed Kifo with the crossbow, knocking him onto the ground. I ripped the knife out of my shoulder with my teeth and, as the zebra got up, I slit his neck.

The blade easily went through. Kifo pressed a hoof to his open neck to try and stop the bleeding. He tried to say something to me, but all that came out of his mouth was blood. Haki screamed, running over to her brother. Kifo fell to the ground, desperately fighting for his life, using both hooves now. I stared at that maniac and expected to get one final fuck you, but my expression quickly turned sour. His final emotion was fear. His wide eyes’ plea was misty with bloody tears. Kifo died just as the Master fell to the heat of the flames, the bear crushing the statue of the Teacher. Zebras everywhere had stopped fighting at the sight of one of the leaders falling in battle.

My senses all came back to me at once. My body’s muscles ached with pain. I couldn’t handle the mental strain. I covered my face with a hoof. I… killed Kifo. I just couldn’t describe why. It’s like I couldn’t control my body. Like I was just the passenger in someone else’s train. I was broken.

“No… no… no no no!” I repeated to myself. Sea Mist was at my side trying to comfort me. But I didn’t want comfort! I wanted to be punished. As bad as the zebra was, he didn’t really deserve to die. He was nothing more than a misguided foal. ‘By Celestia’s grace, what have I done?’

“I-I’m sorry.” My apology fell on Haki’s deaf ears. She stood up from her brother's side and approached. Her long hair was covering her face, but I could tell it wore nothing but a grim expression.

*Smack!*

“Take your things and go.” I didn’t argue with her. I didn’t want to. I just felt tired. Haki said nothing and pointed to a small woven basket next to the door of her house. Then she left, trying to help the zebras put out the fire still burning the east side of the village. I told Sea Mist to get her stuff and I hobbled over to the front of Haki’s home. Inside the basket was my old gear and two gas masks. I picked it up by the straps with my teeth and limped out of town with Sea Mist.

The mare looked at me as I stopped on a hill looking at the village. Mist’s ears perked up at my statement.

“Oh Goddesses, what a wonderful world I’ve destroyed.” I let myself hang at the sight of the children in the forest, then at my gear. I swore that I won’t wear it again, but I guess it was just another promise I couldn’t keep. I felt sick to my stomach.

I removed each piece of my current outfit, giving the chest armor, my watch and one of the gas masks from the basket to Sea Mist. I had to remove the bottom part of the three-leveled plated armor in order to fit the smaller mare. I did my best to patch up my cuts with my torn shirt and what little medical supplies before I started to put on my Spartan gear. After I slid into my grey long sleeve jacket, I began strapping on my armor plate carrier, which had pockets and quickdraw hooks neatly attached to its front. Each steel shoulder plate I put on had the same logo as my duster. The symbol of hope in the Metro: The Order. I strapped a brown bracer, which had a sewn-on geiger counter and watch, on my left forehoof and re-equipped my forehoof hostler over my right hoof’s sleeve.

Only a few items remained in the basket: a flashlight that attached to my right shoulder, a map of the Metro with the map of Stalliongrad on its reverse side, full gas mask with five filters and a hoof dynamo universal charger, a useful device for transferring labor into power. I placed the charger, filters and map into my saddlebags, then clipped the gas mask to my side. I turned to my companion who was in awe of my transformation. The uniform felt welcoming, but alien to me.

“It’s time to go, Mist.” She followed me as I limped towards the direction of the Stalliongrad: The Dead City.

Footnote: Level up!

New Perk: Lessons In Blood -- You’ve finally chosen to accept and learn from your past. You gain unique dialogue options with certain characters and gain +10% XP when XP is earned.

Quest Perk Added: Retribution (1) -- You decided it was your responsibility to become judge, jury, and executioner of the wicked. Your damage from critical hits, including Sneak Attack Criticals, is increased by 25%. This does not affect the chance to cause a critical hit.