Ch.1 "Wake me up, when I'm wiser and I'm older"
View Online
Ch.1 "Wake me up, when I'm wiser and I'm older"
"Ope...ChAM...Accs...Den. Override complete, open stasis chamber command failed, return consciousness command successful, accessed file transfer complete.”
The first thought I have waking up is that it’s cold. so...cold. Like my very bones are frozen solid. My eyes open slowly, it's hard like the muscles in my face are sore, when I do start to get them open my eyes immediately shut again as a painful stinging sensation begins. My vision is too blurry to see anything anyway. My body feels strange, all light and weightless. I also feel tired. Some part of me knows I just woke up, but I'm just so... sleepy. Really sleepy. I shiver, the cold is almost painful. There is a cloying feeling on my fur registering to me that I am wet. Very very wet. Uhg. I squirm, trying to get away from the wet and cold. I can’t move my limbs, at least not very far. Something is constricting around my hooves, I can feel it hard and unyielding. I start to panic.
A sharp flair of pain and heat starts in my forehead and chest, it feels like pins and needles travelling up my horn. It feels really strange but familiar, my body is beginning to heat up, the cold inside me melting away to nothing but a distant memory. I open my eyes again. It stings still, but far less so. Not that it helps much, everything around me is a blurry neon blue. I try to move again but I’m still unable. Whatever is restricting me isn't going anywhere. I feel more aware now, less sleepy.
I don't know what to do. I can't move and I can't really see anything. I struggle to think of what to do. But I can think of anything. My head feels empty, and dull. Like my brain is filled with cotton. What's the last thing I remember? I, I don't know. I can’t remember… anything. I don't even remember my name. I’m about to give up hope when a strong booming voice echoes through me.
“Stasis override command accepted, opening stasis chamber.” The voice is slightly feminine in nature. But very deep. The reverabations vibrate through me. It was followed by an odd click sound and then I was moving, the restraints that were constricting me vanish. I feel the weightlessness disappear and I'm falling. I smash into the ground. I lay there a bit confused, I feel so heavy in comparison to the weightlessness of before. I look around blinking slowly. It’s very dark here, I look about trying to find the owner of the voice that spoke but I don't see anypony, but as far as I can see I am completely alone.
I push myself up onto my hooves shaking a little from the exertion. There is only a tiny bit of light coming from the floor where a large puddle of bioluminescent liquid is growing. I look behind me and up. up to where I probably came from, a strange machine is standing against a wall. It has a large thick glass tube pulled away from a metal docking station in the floor. Inside the tube are smaller rubber tubes and odd metal devices hanging freely.
I blink, I feel all slimy. I try and shake myself off but the liquid refuses to separate from my grey fur. Gross. Looking around I try to see in the darkness, as my eyes adjust I can sort of see the shape of a console a hoof step or two from the glass tube, perhaps I should start there? I trot over to it, being careful not to slip from the wet puddle of goo. The console is dark, but there's enough light from the fluid that I can see its keyboard. There’s a switch that I can flip, a button and some keys. Pressing the button and keys don’t do anything so I flip the switch, the keys and screen burst into life. I sit on my haunches waiting for it to load.
∆∆∆loading∆∆∆ status: override complete. Stasis chamber opened. Subject Black Eclipse released.
I blink, taking a moment to process the words. Black Eclipse... Is that me? Is that my name? Am I black eclipse? I try the other buttons to try and gain more information but all I get for my trouble is a bunch of error messages. Annoyed, I leave the console alone and look at the room now that it's a more illuminated area. It’s surprisingly mostly bare save for some wires and a wide open door.
The door might be open but I can’t see beyond it. I step carefully towards the door, I peer through it squinting and poking my muzzle through the doorway. It’s like staring into an abyss. The darkness gives me pause, it sends shivers along my spine and to the tips of my wings. I turn to give the room one last look before stepping into the darkness. There’s a loud screeching bang as the door slams shut, I let out a terror filled shriek as the room is suddenly illuminated by bright light. I am blinded by the lights as the same voice from before comes back. "Detox commencing" is all it says this time. I have no time to process the voices words as a hissing noise comes from the walls and water starts coming from everywhere. It completely soaks me, wiping the strange goo off of me. I try to open the door I came through but it doesn't budge even a little. All I can do is wait for the torrent of lukewarm water to stop. The water doesn't last long, it stops as quickly as it came, then hot dry air blows from the floor. Which while a little startling actually felt pretty nice. I find myself eagerly lying down on a thin grate on the floor letting the warm air heat me up and dry all the water off. Stretching my wings out to catch more of the warm air.
The voice comes back "Decontamination complete." After it finishes speaking the nice warm air cuts off, much to my displeasure. However on the plus side the door across the small space opens with a low screeching noise. I push myself back onto my hooves stretching as I do. The door I had come from was still closed, but I don't really want to go back. Trotting over to the open doorway. Cautiously I poke my nose out the door to see what’s outside.
I stare at a bare stone wall before pushing my snout further in the doorframe turning my head to look both ways. It is a very dim hallway, to the left is lit by some form of light but I can’t quite see what. To the right is completely dark. I immediately decide against going that way. I don't have any way to see in such a dark place. I slowly start to pull myself from the room to trot through the left half of the hallway crunch. I freeze, there is something hard but fragile underneath my hoof, I don't want to look down but I do. There are dozens, maybe even hundreds of tiny white bones.
My hooves crunch on the fragile bones of the former zebra beneath me as my gaze sweeps across the battlefield. Watching the setting sun bathe the land in the color of even more blood. Technically we had won today, but how can we really call ourselves the victors when there is so much death and destruction? I feel tears start to fill my eyes gazing across the fallen corpses of my enemies, and my friends.
"You alright there blacky? You've been awful quiet." his voice is soft and deep, filled with worry.
My head turns to acknowledge him. Words already forming and dying in my throat, a sob breaking them apart as I meet his grey eyes and freshly scarred face.
I jerk away from the bones underneath my hooves. The beautifully horrifying scene and the buck have vanished. I’m in the hallway again. I turn my head around looking for any sign of what I had just seen but there is nothing. I become aware of a sharp ringing in my ears, I reach up a hoof to touch them. My chest feels rather tight, and the base of my horn feels like someone is jabbing a needle in it. I take a deep breath, focusing on pushing the pain away. It slowly starts to fade, becoming less sharp and irritable. What was that? A vision? A memory? I look back up toward the hallway carefully setting my hoof down to avoid the bones. Whatever it was, I feel I have to keep going. Trotting along I pass piles of bones in similar states of disarray. As I’m walking I realize the walls are very bare, not a single thing adorning the walls. Not even a window. Other than bones I haven't really seen much. But the hallway seems to be coming to an end, the new area I can see as I approach I see a few desks.
The hallway comes to an end It opens up into a decently large room with desks and a few computers. There's a few more betterly formed skeletons, but I do my best not to look at them. Most of the computer's screens are either completely gone or cracked to the point of it. All except the closest one. I move to check the computer, maybe it can tell me something about myself like the console did. I switch it on, it glows dully slowly booting up, and it wants a password. Fuck. Well this is a dead end, I check the desk it’s sitting on, hoping there is a password, I'm out of luck on that end but inside is a small leather pouch. Inside I find 5 small goldish coins the surfaces have little horse shoes stamped on them. The pouch is rather soft, the cord long enough to loop around my neck. Attaching it to me it has a lightweight to it, barely seems there.
The light, I notice, has been streaming in from a broken window leading to the outside. I trot over to the window avoiding toppled over chairs and bones. I look outside past the broken stained glass, the sky is covered with thick grey clouds not a single drop of sunlight escapes the cloud cover, the clouds aren't ones that bring rain. It’s not like ones from smoke either. Bringing my gaze back ground ward. The ground is covered in packed dry dirt. There is a road intersecting the ground. Along the road is an old decrepit tree. I carefully step through the broken window. The tree is the only significant landmark I can see. As I get closer I can see that the tree is blackened, like it was burnt. I couldn't even guess how it was still standing.
The ground beneath my hooves was so dry it felt like it was sucking the water from my body, and the hardness of it made me not want to walk on it for long. The only real blessing seemed to be the lack of sun, otherwise it would probably be hot too. There are some patches of dried up dead grass and weeds that I pass but they look almost preserved, they are so dry. As I put one hoof onto the road I hear a loud BANG. I jerk startled, leaping nearly jumping a foot in the air, looking around I don't see anything. The only thing in the area is the tree and the building behind me. I turn back towards the building, it was made of what looked to be concrete, an odd symbol adorning one of the walls. not seeing anypony, or anything. But I wasn't sure I wanted to see what could make such a large noise. Looking back towards the tree I continue my approach, around the trunk I realize I can what like a building in the distance, it's a very small building from what I can see. I feel a cold start to gather at the base of my neck, like someone is looking at me from behind. Turning back towards the building I don't see anypony, but that doesn't comfort me, I quickly start to gallop away from the building and towards the shack.
As I arrive at the shacks door the coldness on my neck disappears. Still on alert from the strange coldness and the loud noise I'm able to hear what sounds like shuffling inside. Something definitely alive is inside. I look around for something to protect myself in case whatever is there is hostile. I see a rusty pipe not far from the door, I carefully pick it up with my teeth. It tastes horrid. Nudging the door it slowly slides open with a rusty metallic screech. It's pretty dark in there even with the light from the now open door, I can't really see the thing or things making the noise. I fully step inside but I can’t see anypony. Looking deeper into the darkness I feel a familiar sharp pain in my horn and chest as I illuminate the area with the purple glow from my horn. With the added light I can see something shiny and dark scuttle across the floor. It's very large and insect-like in shape with a deep brown exterior and almost cream colored pincers. This creature must be what was making the noise. I see another one a bit more to my right.
I tighten my grip on the rusty pipe and cautiously approach the strange creature. The two insect-like beings make high pitch clicking noises. I get about three feet from the one in front of me before the thing lets out a small shriek and scuttles quickly toward me, I jerk and instinctively bring down the pipe on the large insect like creature. There's a soft crunch and the insect explodes into greenish brown goo. The scent that hits me is foul, like something left to rot for years. I don't have any time to process before there is a shriek from my right and I hear the skuttle of the second insect approaching me. I turn around quickly to see the thing moving towards me with even greater speed than the first insect. I jump sideways as it leaps forward to bite me with its pinchers. I swing the pipe around just as the insect lands where I had been standing. It’s flung into the wall, this one doesn't explode into goo but it doesn't move anymore so I deduce it's probably dead. Looking arounds the room I don't find any more of the creatures. I drop the filthy pipe, not wanting to carry it anymore. Especially not with that foul goop on it. The creature's legs had curled up into itself like it was in pain. I force my gaze away from the small corpse.
I take a long look around the shack, now that there aren't any insect creatures to worry about. There are a few chairs about and around a table. Nothing of any real interest to me except a skeleton underneath the table. Looking at it makes me a little uncomfortable but there is something shiny and bright next to it, so I crouch down to grab it. I was worried that It was just a shiny bone, but holding it closer to the light I find it has silver patterns on it. It's super small, one end is pointed and the other is round. I wonder what it could be, maybe a computer chip. As I hold It in my hoof a tingly feeling starts to grow inside my horn and chest, the shiny object starts to twirl and floats above my hoof. It glows the same purple of my horn. Before I can do anything it shoots towards me and slams into the left side of my neck. Knocking all the breath out of me, I feel a searing heat where it touches me like a furnace. I have no breath to scream as intense pain radiates from where the device touches me.
“Concentrate Black Eclipse. How do you think you can fulfil your purpose if you don't concentrate.” the voice was cold, it sent shivers into the deepest part of me as she spoke. I could feel her cold icy eyes watching me, filled with disappointment and annoyance.
“I-I'm trying! It's hard.” I know she doesn't want excuses but I can't help but try to defend myself. I open my eyes gazing at the small toy blocks in front of me. I haven't moved them even an inch.
“Well try harder.” My gaze goes up to her, she stares at me from underneath the brim of her furred pointed hat. Her shiny white coat also seems to be glaring at me.
I quickly focus my attention back onto the blocks, closing my eyes again. I can feel the base of my horn heating up as it's surrounded by magical glow, as I concentrate more I feel it extend outwards. I open my eyes again and the toys are bathed in a purple light. I force the magic surrounding them upwards. Only one of them lifts with my intentions, the magic surrounding the other two implodes.
“Hmph. I suppose that is adequate for now. But tomorrow you will be able to lift two of them.” I can't help but lose concentration as I watch her walk away.
I blink my eyes open, I don't remember closing them. My horn is really hot, I feel a little sweaty like I’m overheating. I can feel the same sort of heat in my chest. Another vision? What's happening to me? Am I truly starting to remember myself? I try to get up off the floor but my neck twinges painfully. Touching my neck I find the small device attached to my neck. I try to tug it but the shot of pain that travels to my brain makes me rethink it quickly. Its also uncomfortably warm. The warmth doesn't last however as the device starts to cool down, the pain in my neck also starts to fade to nothing but a distant reminder and I find it easier to breathe again. “Loading start up protocol. Please hold.”
I jump to my hooves at the sound of the voice. “W-what? Who's there?” My voice sounds a little ruff like I haven't used it in a while. looking around I see no pony and no thing out of the ordinary. The voice hasn't responded to me yet either. So far I can tell nothing else has tried to kill me. Yet. The light spell from my horn is still going strong which is a small comfort.
“Welcome new user to your new special personal companion device prototype 1.”
“Who's there? Show yourself.” I continue to turn trying to find the strange sounding voice, but I can't discern where it's coming from.
“Please speak your name clearly so this device may properly address you.”
Device? What device? Wait. I stop moving suspicious. My eyes narrow as I respond curtly. “Black Eclipse.”
“Hello Black Eclipse. Welcome to the S.P.C.D.1, would you like to give your S.P.C.D.1 a nickname? A nickname will help further development of your personalized companion.”
A nickname? It should be something easier to say right? “Plum.” It's the first thing that comes to mind, even if I don't remember what a plum is.
“Nickname accepted. S.P.C.D.1 now named Plum.”
I sit patiently down waiting for Plum to continue.
“In order to bring up your Plum menu either tap the device or activate it using magic.”
I tap the small device on my neck. It twinges a little and purple suddenly fills my vision. It's a screen made of light with white letters. The screen reads please set the settings of plum to your preference. The settings are just a bunch of questions.
What's your favorite color?
I can't remember
What's your prefered language?
Whatever language I’m speaking now I guess.
The questions are as random and bizarre as they are slightly personal, I can't remember enough about myself to answer them properly. After a few more questions the device makes a small noise and the device setup goes away. Sounds almost like it’s annoyed. “Setup mode finished, activating learning mode. Your plum will be more compatible with you the longer you keep it with you. Basic mode is available while active learning is booting.” the screen changes and there is a compass in the lower left corner.
There are also tabs in the menu. Exploring the first one brings up error messages so I skip it. The next is labeled inventory clicking on it. There is nothing here though I suppose it's useful for keeping track of things. Going over to the next tab I just recieve more error messages so it's skipped again.
The last tab is labelled mainframe. Inside are more mini tabs, these ones labeled. The first is basic settings. Looking in it there are those questions it wanted me to answer earlier. The next mini tab is called troubleshooting. Inside are reports of the errors from those two main tabs. For the first one it says physical data not entered, magical core not synced with plum. The second is not connected with or out of range of the Stable-Tec mainframe. Clicking on the first one it asks to be allowed for my physical data to be entered into plum. I can't think of any reason not to so I allow it to. It brings a little tingly sensation all over my body a little odd but not painful, it pings when done. The message says that the error is resolved. All that's left is the magical core and the Stable-Tec mainframe.
The magical core error pops up the message error detecting magical core please troubleshoot. I allow it to troubleshoot. The tingling sensation returns but it only tingles in my chest and the base of my horn. Error, two magical cores detected. Troubleshoot again or label that this is correct information and the information shall be updated in plum. Uh. correct? Information updating...information updated. Error in SPEC has been resolved. SPEC now available. Cool, last error message then. Stable-Tec mainframe not detected. Check again or continue operations without. Checking again just brings up the same error message so I tell it to continue operations without. Data tab now available, warning some abilities will be unavailable.
Great, I think, I maneuver out of the mainframe tab and to data since it's closest. There are four mini tabs. Map, radio frequencies, recording/notes, and unavailable. The map brings up a dark area with the bunker and the radio station as the only markers on it. The shack I'm in is called a radio shack. The radio frequency tab has nothing in it so I ignore it. The notes tab is also empty.
Moving on I go to the specs tab, when I do I'm greeted by a picture of a pony. It takes me a second to realize it's me. I haven't looked in a mirror yet so I haven't really seen myself. I notice I can move the picture of me around so I can see myself from different angles. I can't help but touch certain parts of my body as I look at them in the picture. Feeling around my horn I feel my other two smaller horns. Trailing my hoof down I pause on the scales along my neck, they are in a tear shape. Trailing further down I feel the scales on my chest and along my belly. For some reason touching them makes me feel self conscious. I quickly stop and focus back on the picture of me. There are two glowy spots on the picture, one underneath my chest the other beneath my main horn. These must be my magic cores. Looking at them I notice they are different colors, my chest one is red while my horn one is blue.
There is one mini tab in specs labeled conditions. Going into it I find two abnormal conditions. Abnormal magical anomaly near chest core, unknown effects. Abnormality, cores not in sync. Magic not working in optimum proficiency, potentially lethal to user Black Eclipse treatment recommended as soon as possible. What. that sounds really bad. Like bad bad. But also kinda...familiar.
I growl lowly. Glowering at the doctor pony before me.
“I'm sorry, there is just nothing that can be done. The problem with your magic is majorly mental. I’m not really that kind of doctor.” The doctor is looking down at his clipboard not even daring to look me in the eyes.
“Why do you think I'm here? You think I want to be poked and proded for no fucking reason If I had another way?” I can't help my anger as I bolt to my hooves.
He sighed before turning his gaze to meet mine. “ I am sorry, but I can’t help you.”
My anger wooshes out of me in an instant. But I needed help, I needed him to fix what's wrong with me. “So you really can't do anything?”
“No. Nothing I could do would help you. The only reason you're still alive is a bloody miracle.” he moves over to his desk and drops the clipboard there. “However, there might be somepony I can send you to, I don't recommend them though, they will likely do more harm to you than any good.”
“I'll do anything to not be broken.”
I gasp, jerking out of the memory, I'm back in the shack. In my eyes an error message from plum is flashing. Dangerous energy spike detected from cores and abnormality. Is that causing my weird visions? The area near my cores hurts and feels warm. Looking at the menu I tap the device again to make it go away. It's not like I can ask the device. I look around the radio shack. There is a door leading to another room that I didn't notice before, it can't hurt to look. At least not anymore than it already has. Poking my head into the room the dim light reveals a locker and another computer. Trotting over to the locker I try to pry it open, it makes a terrible noise while I do it. There are an assortment of items inside including a saddlebag that is in surprising condition. A thought enters my head and I click on a plum. I'm surprised to find that everything on my person is labeled here. I can even see what is equipped on me. There are mini tabs inside the inventory tab but they aren't labeled and there is no information in them. After a bit of thought I realize I can move things to the other tabs and label them.
Ok so, I've got a gun. It's in abismal condition, It's called the winged devil. It also has a harness and bullets, so it's not totally worthless. A stimpack, extra whatever the hell that is, what's in the saddlebag? I grab the bag and flip it upside down to dump out the contents. It's nothing much, just some gold coins, and a folded piece of paper. Plum labels the coins as bits. Reaching forward I grab the folded piece of paper and unfold it. I look down at the smoothed out piece of paper. It reads ‘evacuation plan: take the gun and bits to the evacuation site to the south. The entrance is hidden underneath a fake rock. The S.P.C.D.1 should have a compass device that will take you straight towards my personal bunker. Don't delay.’ the S.P.C.D.1 is what plum used to be called, and it does have a compass.
Should I go wherever this bunker is? I mean I already have plum attached. So it would be a waste to not at least check it out and it's not like I have anywhere else to go. Heading outside I find where plum points south. |I’m sort of curious to see what I'll find. Trotting forward into the nothing I can't help but look up towards the sky, the clouds hadn't moved even a bit since I was inside. It was a bit unnerving. I keep the look out for a big rock. I trot for a few minutes before I see a blip in the horizon. Moving closer I see a rather large sized rock in the distance. I pick up my pace and reach it easily. Plum suddenly flickers in my vision, some words saying open bunker door Y/N? I answer yes. The rock splits open revealing a circle of metal underneath it.
I nudge the metal circle and it splits apart and recedes into the ground revealing a ladder. I carefully start the climb down, there is no light down below I can see and the door up above closes. I keep climbing, really carefully now that I can't see. It startles me when I find the ground instead of a ladder wrung. It's pitch black but now I know what to do. I concentrate on my horn and it causes the purple glow to illuminate the space. It's a rather small room covered in dust. It has a bed, some lockers, a shelf, a fridge and a door that leads somewhere.
I approach the shelf first since I don't have to open anything. On it are a few books, most of them have crumbled to dust with nothing but the cover left. About three books are still usable. I put them in my saddlebag. I go to the first locker and all it has inside is a grungy outfit. So I ignore it. The second locker doesn't budge when I try to open it, so I start trying to pry it open. It takes a bit before it folds apart, it shrieks while it does so. There are a few things. I pull them out and lay them on the ground. It's a smaller pistol than the devil and a harness, as well as a screwdriver and a box of weird pins. trotting over to the fridge inside is filled with disgusting mold. The stench is horrible. I have to cover my snout, It's so horrible. But inside are a few bottles so I grab them and quickly close the door gagging. All that's left is the door. I trot over to the door and press the button to open it. Inside is a bathroom. It's a little disappointing but there is a weird box on the wall. Opening it up there are some weird syringes filled with liquid and bottles filled with red liquid. Plum label them as extra and healing potions.
Going back to the locker with the garment I stare at it. It looks disgusting, but it would be better to have it then be cold. I take off my saddlebags and pull on the clothing. It feels grimy but it does feel warmer with it on, I also notice that it doesn't have any wing holes so my wings are strapped to my sides. It's a little uncomfortable but it's not like I was using them for anything anyway. Reattaching my saddle bags I start heading back up the ladder.
Coming back up I notice that it's a bit darker than it was before. Which way should I go? Not back the way I came, but other than that...why don't I just continue south? I mean it's gone good for me so far. I trot forward into the landscape heading south.
Hours later I'm starting to regret my decision. The only reason I know I'm not going in circles is because of plum, but it feels like I haven't been moving at all. I'm starting to feel starved and my throat feels dry. It's close to becoming completely dark and it's already starting to get cold. I have decided I hate the cold. Looking forward I catch something, a flicker of light that vanishes quickly. I gallop towards it quickly. As I get closer I see something in the distance, something that disturbs the horizon. Losing breath I feel my sides aching. Breathing hard I continue to gaze at the odd horizon. It looks like rocks to me from this distance. But I'm not fooled. I force myself to keep running. Getting closer I can see buildings.
The buildings are crumpled. The buildings look like they were made of stone, like concrete. They look completely run down, like they’ve been abandoned a long time ago. But then where did that light come from. I don't see anything, not yet anyway. I force myself to run towards the buildings again. When I get closer I can see mounds of concrete and other rubble in between the buildings. Coming closer I step around some of the rubble, I hear laughter somewhere behind me.
“HaHAha, looky hear meat stick! Looks like we gots some meat. She looks fresh!” The voice has a sort of giggle in it.
I whirl around to see a pony standing atop the rubble, their eyes held something dark within them and her mane was full of knots and was all choppy. “She's purdy. Can I play wit her firs Flas bang?”
I whirl around to see the second pony much closer to me almost hidden in a doorway with a sharpened shovel leaning against them. “HAhaa. Go ahead, meat stick! Make sure she screams.”
Meat Stick grabs the shovel with their teeth and launches at me. I jerk to the side barely missing being slashed across the face with the pointed end of the shove. On instinct I turn and back kick Meat Stick as hard as I can. There are sickening crunches of bone and Meat Stick screams in agony. I turn just in time to hear a loud noise. Pain explodes in my side, I howl in pain. Looking back towards Flas Bang a gun levitates by their side, the end smoking slightly. They are chuckling wildly. I growl. Something flickers in flas bang’s eyes, maybe fear. Ignoring the pain in my side I gallop toward them and head bash them before they can fire at me again. There is a sickening crack and the horn that is attop their head snaps in half. They don't even scream, just drop without a sound. I hear Meat stick behind me and I turn to find them trying to get up with a broken leg. I carefully trot down toward them, they snarl at me and make a pathetic attempt to hit me with their shovel. I knock it out of their teeth with my hoof. Meat Stick stares at me in shock. Grabbing the shovel with my hooves I bring it up and then down. It slides laughably easy into the pony as blood spurts all over me and the ground. It's sticky and warm but the smell. It's repulsive, like something rotten. I gag quickly moving away from the corpse. The shovel still in my grasp is surprisingly sturdy as I regain my composure.
Looking back at the former pony I hold my breath as I search their pockets. Nothing but some weird bits of metal. I pick them up and put them in my necklace pouch, they are shiny. Moving away from Meat Stick I go over to Flas Bang. Flas Bang I notice looking over them again, isn't dead. Just unconscious. My side twinges painfully and I'm reminded of my injury. I take a health potion out of my bag and drink it down. Instantly the pain disappears. Now that that's done I start looking through Flas Bangs things. They have a small gun that looks like mine, but they also have bullets. I take the gun and the bullets, but Flas Bang doesn't have anything else.
Picking up my new shovel I look down at them. Should I kill them? I mean it's not like they can hurt me anymore. Nudging them I realize that their eyes are open. But they don't respond to my touch. I try again, moving their head slightly. I can see drool forming underneath them. It might be a kindness to kill them now. I pull the shovel up and bury it into their neck. Blood splashes and oozes everywhere, I pull the shovel out and backtrack away from them. I move the shovel to my mouth to leave my hooves free. I stand there watching the life blood pulse out of them till the smell hits me. I jerk me head to the side to retch. Nothing comes up. I scuttle further from the corpse, tripping backwards I fall down the mound of rubble. It's a shortfall, just startles me. I need to get away from this rot and death.
I keep moving forward deeper into these ruins. I don't see any more ponies, but I can hear them. I hear the not so quiet sound of hoofsteps. Crouching down I climb atop a mound of rubble. Looking over I see two more ponies. One has a piece of rebar, and the other doesn't appear to have any weapon. If I'm careful I could avoid them. I stalk carefully around the two ponies trying to keep out of their sight. As I get almost three fourths of the way I can see there is no more cover. There is no way I can get past them without them seeing me. The pony with the rebar has their back to me. But the other pony who I can now see is holding something small and metal in their mouth. I'll have to kill them. I creep closer to the pony with the rebar. I manage to get directly behind them without being noticed. I swing my shovel at the back of their head, their blood spurts over me and they go down without so much as a whimper.
“MEAT!!” I stare at the pony with the strange metal object. They start charging towards me. I bolt away from the pony on instinct rather than actual fear. “I gmna ter yu rms om!” the pony keeps charging towards me before the apple in their mouth explodes. It takes off the pony’s head, neck, and the majority of their chest. I stare blankly at the pony horrified. I can smell it. The rot and something else that leaves a burning sensation in my nose.
I should...take what they have. I might need it. Holding my breath while looting the two ponies I find more strange metal devices, they look like apples, that plum labels grenades. I find more weird metal pieces and add them to my collection. I leave the rebar alone, the shovel seems like a more effective weapon. Leaving the corpses I go further south through the ruins. I don't see or hear any more ponies so I'm confident I'm alone. Going through the ruins I come to their end. However I see a large fence with intact buildings on the other side. Approaching, I hear a gunshot and the ground in front of my bursts. I jerk back startled.
“That's far enough. State your business.” a unicorn with a cream coat and reddish brown mane approaches me from the fence. They levitate a kind of gun I haven't seen before. Staring at them I can't help but clench my teeth down on my shovel. “I ain’t gonna to shoot you if ya put your weapon down to speak. Only if ya attack me.” I carefully lower the shovel to the ground and drop it. “State your business with lengtown. Or leave.”
Uh, business? What's this pony talking about? And what do I say so they don't shoot me?
“What are ya mute? You're obviously not deaf. And ya obviously understand me.” the pony comes closer to me.
I skitter back nervous. “I-I can talk.”
“Hmm.” the pony’s eyes rove over me. “What are ya? Don't think i've seen something like ya before. I mean I've seen all manner of mutants, but ya don't look like any of em.” the pony moves a little closer to me.
I don't skitter back this time. I don't really know what they are talking about. But looking at them I can't help but think of the picture of myself plum gave me. I look almost nothing like the pony in front of me. I mean, I have the same basic pony shape. But with my added horns, scales and wings, I'm very clearly not the same kind of pony. But to put a word to it to give this pony is beyond me. “I don't know.”
The pony grunts giving me another once over with their eyes before the gun hovering next to them is holstered in the harness along their flank. “Well despite the fact you're covered in blood, ya seem harmless enough. Grab your shovel and come with me. I'll let ya in. but I want the doc to look you over, just fer safety purposes.” the pony turns and makes a whistling noise towards the fence. After a second the fence splits apart and the pony starts walking towards it. “Ya coming?”
I quickly follow after scooping up my shovel. Making sure not to point it at the unicorn. Following them we pass several armed ponies who make me shiver. They mostly ignore me but a few glance my way. Making me flinch. We pass a few buildings and even a tent or two. We arrive near a medium sized tent with a pink butterfly symbol near the door. The unicorn pulls aside the opening and goes inside. I follow after them a bit hesitantly. Inside the tent are plastic dividers and filthy looking cots. Then the stench hits me. It makes that fridge full of rot seem like a complete joke. I can't help my gagging noise and immediately attempt to retreat.
“HA! Never smelled a ghoul pony eh? Oi Doc! Got someone you'll wanna meet.” The pony is still laughing at me.
“Yes, yes, go ahead and laugh Tick. But it'll be me laughing one of these days. What do you-” a pony comes around a plastic divider, if you could call them that, and immediately falls silent at the sight of me. “Well what do we have here! Tick you shouldn't have!” their voice is raspy and dry, like they haven't had a drink in days. All the rotting flesh aside.
“Yeah shudup. I just figured a new mutant to study might get you to shut your trap for a bit.” Tick chortles. “Hopefully anyway. She seems a bit skittish though. Try not to be too much of a creep.”
“I am not a creep!” the ghoul pony said indignantly, giving a stomp to the ground in mock anger before bursting into laughter. “Ah, maybe I'm a bit odd. Nothing wrong with that.”
“Well I'll leave you two alone, and I'll get you something clean to wear. Doubt all that blood is comfortable.” with that Tick slides past me out of the tent.
“Don't mind her, and sorry about the smell. Nothing I can do about that unfortunately. Come! Come, let me have a good look at you.” The ghoul beckons me towards a desk and chair I had missed. Cautiously I approach, my nose wrinkled in disgust, and with some encouragement take a seat. “So what's your name? If you have one that is.”
Sitting uncomfortably in the grungy chair the console comes to mind. “Black Eclipse.”
“Black Eclipse eh? Not a terribly unusual name I suppose. Well Black Eclipse would you mind if I asked you some questions and looked over your body?” if nothing the ghoul was at least polite.
“Uh, go ahead.”
The ghoul moves away, to my noses relief, grabs a clipboard and pencil. Writing down something on it before turning back to me. “Alright, to get this started I'll do a basic physical.” The ghoul searches through the desk and brings out various items. “I'll start with the eyes.” the ghoul grabs a strange device and comes back over to me. “I'll just shine this in your eyes real quick.” hold up the pen-like object next to my eyes. “It won't hurt, if you're nervous about that.” The pen thing is held in front of my eye before glowing. “Huh, that's interesting.” they move the pen over to my other eye. The light vanishes and the ghoul all but skips over to the clipboard to right something down. The ghoul continues to use the weird objects on me, getting increasingly excited as they do.
“Alright, I'm back. Hope y'all aren’t having too much fun.” Tick enters the tent again while the ghoul pokes around the scales on my neck. “I also brought a bucket of water so she can wash herself off.”
The desire to get the blood off me is extreme enough I immediately jump off the chair to get the bucket and clothes. “Hmmp, I suppose we can take a break.” the ghoul rasps behind me.
I eagerly take the clothes and bucket from Tick, shucking my old ones glad to be free of any lingering rot blood. I splash the water on my face and scrub the tainted blood off me. It takes me a second to register the dead silence that is now hanging about. I look up to find Tick and the ghoul staring at me, mouths completely agape. My wings flicker with sudden discomfort. “...What?”
Tick makes a sort of high pitched squeaking noise. “You-you- what the fuck.” Tick seems to finally regain her composure. “You're an Alicorn.” the way she said it was filled with something akin to terror and awe.
The word sounds familiar to me. Not in the way other things seem familiar. This is familiar in a way that makes it seem very important. Like it's very bad I don't remember what that word means.
“She has a cutie mark too.” I hear the ghoul say. This makes Tick jerk and lean a bit to get a good look at my flank.
“So she does.” Tick looks me in the eyes. “What-well I guess the question now is, who are you?” Tick is half leaning towards me and trying to pull away.
This makes me feel like I did earlier. “Black Eclipse.”
She blinks. “No. not yer name. Though I suppose it's useful to know it. How do you exist?”
My turn to blink. “What?”
“Yer an alicorn right?”
“Um. maybe?”
“...Ok, so you're a mutated alicorn with a cutie mark. Who doesn't even know what they are. Great.” Tick face hoofs. And is she? Yep she is screaming into her hoof. This is a little awkward.
“Well. Perhaps she isn't an alicorn. After all, I thought Alicorns were immune to radiation and taint. Maybe she's just a weirdly mutated unicorn, though mutants don't have cutie marks either.” at that Tick looks up looking over me again. Then without saying anything she leaves.
I turn to look at the ghoul. “What's an Alicorn?”
The shock on the ghoul’s face would have been funny if I wasn't genuine. “You can't be serious. You know, the neigh immortal mindless death machines that kill everything around them.”
That doesn’t sound right, I might not remember what Alicorn meant or much of anything but I'm pretty sure that what the ghoul said was inaccurate. It also didn't describe me at all, and honestly was a little insulting to be compared to this definition of an Alicorn. My face pulled into a frown as I tried to articulate my thoughts.
“You are serious aren't you?” the ghoul groans. “An Alicorn, is a creature with the wings of a pegasus, the fortitude of an earth pony, and the magic of a unicorn.” I feel the ghouls eyes rove over me. “Though, you don't have pony wings, and you don't look particularly strong. You also have like three horns...looking at you now you really don't seem like an alicorn at all.”
The new definition seems right. Not responding I finish scrubbing the blood off my face and neck. The outfit doesn't have wing holes but I easily use my shovel to tear some holes for my wings to fit through. The outfit is a light brown and is surprisingly soft.
The ghoul had gone back to his desk and was writing things down on his clipboard, looking back at me every few seconds. Looking back towards the entrance, all things back on my purson. I head towards the flap.
“I don’t know if- eh fuck it. Do whatever.”
Opening the tent flap I eagerly walk into whatever awaits me.
Rediscovered Perk:
Improvised Weapon: any misc item can be used as a weapon, damage is determined by unarmed skill (glass items will break randomly when used this way)