Fallout: Equestria - Pip and Tia

Chapters

Pip and Tia watch the world grow
Pip and Tia bring Soul to the wasteland
Pip and Tia watch Ripping and tearing, then talk myths and legends
Pip and Tia, how to solve conflict between friends
Looking at the now and letting go of the past

Pip and Tia watch the world grow

Author's Note

Music for this chapter
Rhymes Like Dimes by MF Doom
Great day by MF Doom

Pip and Tia watch the world grow

The sight was not uncommon one in the wasteland, a traveling cavern of ponies moved through the canyon with supreme caution, every few miles they would stop and send a few scouts to search the area. The carefulness that these ponies gave off showed they were no newcomers to traveling the wasteland, there were 30 in all and they were packing heat just in case the worst situation came to pass.

As they sat in wait for their scouts to return, their carven formed into a circle formation with patrols moving on all sides watching the canyon walls for trouble. When a pale-colored stallion came galloping from the north, yelling something that got the whole group’s attention, they sprang to life. Forming their wagons into a defensive wall, and taking up firing positions facing the north, the ponies waited with eagerness for their opponents to show themselves.

As minutes crawl by as the defender’s readiness only highen, only when the first sighs of movement showed did some fire warning shots at shadows. But from the other side of the canyon, a pony wearing pieces of metal armor looked more like scrap than anything, trotted out toward the defenders.

The defenders fired a few warning shots making the mare stop. She regarded them for a moment then reached into a saddle around her waist and pulled out a white flag. Weaving it around in her hoof while speaking something, whatever she said made the defenders look between them.

They motioned for her to come closer, when she entered their camp she was confronted by three ponies who seemed to question her. They spoke for a while until the white mare left, when she returned it was with a lot of ponies carrying wagons and saddles on their person. The two groups talked, traded, and even partied.

This scene was usually a rare sight in the wasteland but over the past three months, this had become common. “Puts a smile on your face doesn’t it Pip.”

Pip tore away from the sight and looked over to the white alicorn to her side. Her rainbow flowing mane seemed so angelic, her voice so gentle, if she hadn’t constantly told Pip he wasn’t a goddess she wouldn’t believe, hell Pip still believed Tia a goddess.

“It’s just so.” She searched for the words. “Good to see ponies and creatures helping each other for once.” she smiled at her. “Feels like the wasteland is changing for the better.

“I would say it’s because a certain little pony is a good influence on them.” Celestia had a cheapish smile that made the smaller unicorn bush a lot. She had a knack for getting under pip’s skin, for being a kind loving princess she knew how to press your buttons.

“I just help lead the way you know, I didn’t tell anyone to do this.” Pip looked down at the white void of nothingness below her.

“Oh I’m sorry, your right,” Celestia said mockingly. “You just saved them from a mutant goddess who wanted to absorb them into her hive mind, defeat a mad pony warlord, stop an invading army and reveal their lies to their ponies. Yes, I don’t see why the wasteland is taking after you Pip?”

“Celestia damn it.” Pip caught herself when Celestia raised an eye at that. “Eh, sorry I didn’t mean use your name that way.” She still wasn’t used to saying Tia’s name as a phrase. “It’s just that I didn’t tell them that they needed to do this, and yet.” She looked back at the video of the canyon. “I kind of feel so proud of them, like a mother you know.”

“Oh, I know.” Tia trotted to the side of the little mare and placed a wing around her. “I did rule this land for 1000 years you know.” She smiled warmly at Pip. “For over 1000 years I watched this land grow into a kingdom, seeing its ponies go from living in huts to modern houses. Seen the rise of technology, seen ponies created marvelous art and music.” Her expression darkened a bit. “Then watched it all burn away when the world ended.”

Pip knew that face, that was Tia’s “everything’s my fault face.” Pip would have none of that while she’s around.

“Yeah, and who kept that peace 1000 years?” Pip said carefully up to her ‘goddess’ “Last time I checked that’s a great track record, I don’t know anypony else who could say they lead for that long, and nothing went wrong. You're a role model to us Celestia, I wouldn’t have gotten through my little adventure if I wasn’t praying to you half the time.”

Tia took that in, she used to be annoyed at the fact that her subjects worshiped her to the point of turning her name into a calling. The fact that when she ‘died’ they had taken to worshipping her like a goddess made it more uncomfortable, but when she saw how good Pip had done when driven by faith in her she started rethinking that idea.

“I think ponies and creatures will start praying to you Little Pip in a given time.” That little unicorn tense up a bit, Tia laughed at the display. “You're more a role model for this new age than me. I’m just a relic of a bye-gone time, a failed ruler trapped inside a computer.”

Pip was about to say something but Tia cut her off. “See these ponies?” Tia pointed at the screen. “That tribe usually attacks any pony who wanders into their territory. But for the last few months, they’ve been openly trading with any creature that wanders through.”
Tia moved her hoof around and another screen appeared, this one the image of a building surrounded by griffins coming and going from it, it was three stories high and had a makeshift wall surrounding it. A billboard was strapped to the building’s side, it’s long since faded now the words, White TALON SERVICES printed on it. “These griffin mercenaries have been offering services to more towns and settlements for lower prices than what they use. Ponies have been safer around the smoky hills region because of it. All because they decide to take after certain little filly.”

Another image appeared, this one of a medical clinic set up in a carriage lot surrounded by tents. A line of ponies and creatures stood in wait for their turn to enter the building. “Because of you opening new trade routes places like this can support and help the communities around them instead of just caring for their own.”

Another image, this one Pip knew well. It was an old railroad junction surrounded by train carts and newly merited walls, like the others this one was filled with ponies and creatures coming and going, but there was something different about this place. There weren't hundreds of ponies here but thousands, all trading, talking and going about their day. An entire new part of this settlement was being created not from ruins and junk if the old world, but is being made with freshly created material. Caverns entered and left in drones, all guarded by ponies and griffins wearing newly made armor while wielding powerful caliber rifles. This wasn’t another town in the wasteland, no this was a city.

“You created this.” Celestia pointed acutely at the image. “Your actions help in the creation of one of the fastest-growing trading towns in the wastes, and the slow rebirth of civilization.” Celestia looked down at the unicorn if she wasn’t bushing before she was now. Pip almost felt like fading into the nothingness void they called home to get away from the praise. “You are their Lightbringer Pip, the one who showed them they could do better and now they are. Me, I’m just an old princess”

Pip just sighed in defeat, she couldn’t ignore the things she had done but the idea she was better a ‘goddess’ she looked up to seemed heretical. She just decided to drop it and change the subject. “Hey, you want some of those old games and caused a water sprout later?”

“Yes!” Tia said ith filly like glee. “Let’s play my favorite Space dragon 4, I get Mare Marine.”

“You always cheat with that sniper rifle when you play that class, play space alien.”

“Not my fault I got good after 200 years of playing it.” Tia turned away with a smug grin. “Get good Pip.”

Pip and Tia bring Soul to the wasteland

Author's Note

Earth, Wind & Fire - Shining Star for your ears

Earth, Wind & Fire - September for this chapter

Pip and Tia bring Soul to the wasteland

The sounds of music blasted everywhere and nowhere at once, the song had a certain lively beat and grooviness. It’s singer’s voices were smooth yet energetic, Tia sang and moved along with the music as the wind below through her mane. “You're a shining star, No matter who you are, Shining bright to see, What you could truly be.”

Little Pip just smiled at Tia from the driver seat, she’d never thought her ‘godd- princess’ was such a party horse. The first time they took a drive Pip couldn’t believe how Tia acted, she never imagined the princess behaved like this, and this music she enjoyed was like nothing Pip had ever heard before, Tia said it was ‘Funk’ for your soul. Pip just shrugged and accepted it, she quite liked the music actually. It made her want to dance to the beat(If she knew how).

“Howse this band?” Pip shouted over the wind rushing past them. Tia played their music a lot but she never told her who this was.

“The Elementals, a zebra funk, R&B, jazz, and Disco band.” She said making Pip give her best ‘what?’ face. Tia sighed, she would have to educate this little pony on soul music later. “There were different genres of music before the war, and these zebras were the kings of it. So much I would play their hit ‘Fall’ whenever Fall came and got trouble for starting a party once.” She chuckled at the memory. “When Luna took over during the war they tried to ban me from playing this throughout the castle. I told them they can take away my title, wings, and my crown! But if you touch my Elementals it’s fighting time!”

Pip just cracked up at that, Tia was more down to earth than she expected, she thought a princess would be the most proper formal pony she would meet, but instead, she was more lively than most ponies she knew.

The two sat in the front of an old wagon car, it was a model Tia brought before the war but never got a chance to drive even when she stepped down from the throne. Living inside the computer she now called home was great for simulating her old wagon but after driving around got old fast when you had no one to go with.

They drove along a long arch bridge over a vast ocean that shined in the evening sunset. This was the best life or simulated life they could have. The bridge itself seemed to last forever with no traffic in sight, which made for a relaxing experience. These drives gave Pip time to think about her life, about the choices she made, the paths that lead her here. While she may question what she did moments like this made it worth it.

“Say Pip after we're done here you want to watch Homage?” The question made the little unicorn pause a bit. “It was noon the last time we checked on the wasteland, she should be recording right now.”

“You think I should see how she’s doing.” Pip had to admit she didn’t get much time to spend with her mare friend. And while the SPP towers gave control over various cameras around the wasteland, it just made her feel stockery. So the only time she got to spend with her mare was when she visited once a month, and that was a ‘special’ occasion. “Haven’t talked in two weeks, she’s kind of busy with the search and being a radio host for the wasteland remember.”

Tia huff at that. “I know how important the search for the new elements of harmony is, but I think it’s also important to say hello to your lover.” Tia said that with a smirk knowing little unicorn would reel from it. “And leave her a special gift.”

“What type of gift?”

“Remember when I said educate you on music? well I think the whole wasteland could use a lesson in some good old soul music.”

“Good evening wasteland, DJ-Pon3 here with the NEWS!” the voice of an energetic stallion shouted into the microphone, his tone upbeat yet serious on some level. “Today I got more good reports coming from Fillydelphia, Talon and other Mercs under the banner of the Shattered Hoof Mercs have finally removed the last remnants of Red Eye’s former army after a six-month period of fighting for the city. Gawdyna Grimfeathers, leader of the Shattered Hoof mercs had this to say on the matter.”

A harsh feminine voice spoke through pre-recorded tapes. “With Red Eye’s former city in our claws, we plan to take the old warlord’s factories into Shattered Hoof’s use and offer a job to any pony or griffin looking for work. This isn't a slavery operation anymore anyone sighing up can expect full pay with benefits along with free housing. To sign up simply just go to our headquarters at Shatter Hoof Reduction facility or Fillydelphia.”

A moment later and the stallion’s voice returned. “Well y’all heard, looks like things are turning up for that old city. Now I know a lot of good listeners are worried at the idea of going to the former slavery capital, especially if you just escaped there. But My little ponies think that under the right leader those factories can be put to good use, now I don’t rightfully fully trust Gawd and her mercs but they did help win the war, and they far above cry from its former owners.”

“Just a thought to leave y’all with. Now in other news, attention between the group calling themselves the Harbingers and Reaper gangs of Hoofington has flared up. With the Zebras of Legion joining Reapers, and remnants of Red Eye’s army the Harbingers that entire area is a warzone out of hell. Avoid it at all costs children unless your plans involve death by bullet fire.”

“That’s all for today children! DJ-Pon3 your voice in the new light sighing out.” With a press of a button the ‘Live’ sign turned off, the tired sigh could be heard. A small grey unicorn pushed herself away from the console in front of her, a look of complete exhaustion written on her face.
“So much to report in the last few months.” She spoke with the voice of a stallion, but as the words came out they slowly turned into the voice of a young mare. “Bloody hell, I’m glad the things are changing out there but damn. My throat is getting sore from all that talking.”

She pressed a button with a label above it that read ‘recording’. Another second and music then begin to play. Familiar with the vocals of Wasteland’s favorite singer, Sweetie Bell, Homage always started the Evening playlist with one of her favorites ‘Old Sunny days’, always a bright spot in the gloom that was the wastes.

“I wonder if Acorn is still serving at this hour?” She said as she trotted towards double doors, just as she was out of the room something happened that made her heart skip, the prerecorded music stop. Turning around and rushing back toward the console, she checked the controls to see if everything was functioning properly. When she found nothing wrong with the console she checked the software systems, funny enough they were being overwritten.

Just then the speakers fired up again, this playing a fast-paced beat the grey unicorn never heard in her life. “Do you remember the 21st of Fall? Love was changing the minds of pretenders. While chasing the Moon away.” Was the words were spoken by a groovy sounding stallion, the energy and smoothness of his voice was heavenly. His lyrics are back up by the voices of other stallions who had their own smoothness. “There was a da de ye say you remember.

“What in Celestia’s name is this coming from?” The unicorn mare pounder the idea then it hit her. “That little mare of mine.” she began pressing certain buttons and looked over a screen. Sure enough, the signal was coming from The clouds. “Pip is so getting a spanking next I go to that tower.”

She would let it Pip have her fun while she came up with proper punishment. Besides the music sounded great, maybe she would ask Pip to send down an album or two. “Back to getting garb.” Before she left, Homage looked up at the camera in the corner of the room. “You better watch out Pip.”

The shiver running down Pip’s spine could not be more contrasted with Tia’s balling in the background. Pip knew she was done for, whatever the few seconds of joy she got from that wouldn’t be worth the hour of pain and pleasure coming to her.

“Did you see her face Pip?” the alicorn trotted up to her with a face that filly would wear. “Homage usually plays music for four hours during the Even broadcast.” Pip would never believe that Tia could have such an evil smile. “I have a whole playlist lined just for her, I think the Wasteland is about remembering the beauty of Soul music.”

Pip lost all blood in her veins at that, what would Homage do to her if the whole broadcast was this. “Eh, Tia. I think we should let the music go back to normal after this song.”

“What? Why Pip?” Tia put on her begging eye.

“Listen Tia I don’t Homage will appreciate highjacking her radio for long.” She also didn’t want to suffer Homage’s toys of pain. “I think we had our fun.”

Tia sighed. “Your right Pip, we shouldn’t ruin your friend’s job with our fun.” Pip let out a long breath, Tia could take her ‘jokes’ a little far. She still remembered when Tia suggested they make it rain root beer in the badlands, Pip had to convince her of all the problems that would cause before she relented.

Before the small unicorn could turn off their signal Celestia put a hoof on her shoulder.“Oh Pip, I have an idea!” Tia’s expression was that of filly asking their mom for presents, a face Pip couldn’t say no to. “What if we keep the broadcast going as a demo for new music for DJ-Pon3. Like if her listeners love it we can send an album down for her.”

“That...That’s actually smart Tia.” Pip thought that over, could use this as a good excuse to escape Homage’s punishment, if she spurs it as a test instead of a joke maybe she’d left Pip off easy, and give Tia the joy of blasting her music. “Okay but we have to tell Homage afterward, I don’t want her thinking this was a prank.”

Celestia raised an eyebrow. “It was.”

“Yeah well, she doesn’t know that.” And Pip hoped she’d wouldn’t

“Oh thank you Pip, I’m sure Homage will love Soul music” Tia then galloped away from the little unicorn and stomped her hoof on the white void below her. Within seconds a multi-colored floor spur to life under her hooves. “Now if you excuse me King Brown’s I Feel Great playing next and I’m about to destroy this dance floor.”

Whatever worries Pip had about this melted away when she saw Tia. Alicorn was dancing to the beat, swinging her hips and mane side to side. ‘This music means so much to her, she wants to bring it back to the world so everyone else can enjoy it like her. No matter how I or Homage feel Tia should get this joy.’

Pip shook her head then galloped over to the alicorn hoping to join in. “Hey wait for me I got a sick new move I want to try out.”

And That evening became the day that all the wasteland rediscovered the music of the Soul.

Pip and Tia watch Ripping and tearing, then talk myths and legends

Author's Note

Doom music for first part of this chapter.

Doom facing the spider.

Doom 1 and 2 music for your ears.

Pip and Tia watch Ripping and tearing, then talk myths and legends

The Sun yellow mare dressed in combat armor gallop through the street, dodging and weaving as gunfire follows her. As she approached an alleyway the sound of something wisting caused her to bank off from her current path, and not too soon after did a rocket impact the alleyway she was just headed towards. The mare’s horn flared up in a golden haze, a bubble of similar color surrounded her by two rifles floated in magical grips beside her.

From above a Griffin held a smoking RPG, she quickly switched that out of a rifle that looked like the size of a pony. Besides her two pegasi wielding sniper rifles took potshots at the unicorn mare that harmlessly bounced off her shield. Below them packs of raiders galloped towards the mare, wielding crude melee weapons in their teeth or magic.

The yellow mare just looked at this, instead high tailing it out there like any sane creature would do she stood her ground. Staring up to the sky she let out a loud warcry that could be heard for miles away. “Souls for Celestia, blood for Luna!” With a loud boom that could shatter glass, the griffin fired the rifle, sending the bird back a few feet. The bullet flew through the air with blinding speed toward the mare. But when it hit it only found the asphalt, the mare was completely gone.

The attackers stop to look around for their target, the pagsi darting off to scout the area. They all stopped when a golden flash appeared with the mare in the middle of the raiders with several different types of weapons drawn: two miniguns, two assault rifles, three pistols, and five fire axes. “Let’s get groovy.”

The first raider victim, a white earth pony buck, was smashed upside the head by one of the axes. Another raider not far from where the appeared got her legs blown out by two pistols. A group of four raiders tried to flank her only to be torn apart by a Hellstrom of bullets that set the junkyard around them on fire. One of the pegasuses swapped down toward, taking aim as he went. Only to have their left-wing blown out by the combined firepower of two assault rifles.

The griffin tried to line up another shot, but the yellow mare circle strafe around the junkyard, dodging and weaving as she killed raider after raider. Any pony that was lucky enough to get close to her tried to get a jab in only to get their muzzle smashed in by the mare’s forehooves. One kick from the mare seemed strong enough to slap a whole jaw bone off.

The other pegasus flew towards her, this one throwing down two apple-shaped devices down toward the mare. As she was stomping on the head of an unfortunate raider she looked up and saw the devices approaching, wraping both them and the pegasus in her magic she crushed them into each other. With a rainbow flash, they exploded into an art piece of smoke, gore, and body parts.

Finally, the griffin threw the rifle aside and flew to an open space of the junkyard. Throwing down all her guns she looked at the yellow mare shouting. “Slayer, I AM HERE! FACE ME!” The griffin put claws on her talons that looked like they could cut through steel.

The yellow mare appeared a yard away from her, staring down she dropped every weapon, then opened a bag from around the strap her waist, floating a silver baseball that glowed beautifully in her magical grip. “Let’s end this Maria, one Warrior to another! The best of the Death Herd vs the Best of the Blood Talons!’

They both stared at each other sizing the other up as they got their weapons ready, both took battle stances as minutes passed. Finally, they rushed each other, the yellow mare dodge out of the way of the griffin’s claws, delivering a jab with the bud of the bat to her gut. The griffin took it, using the opening to reach for the mare, grabbing her by the mane bringing her up to slam her to the ground. The mare hit the dirt with a resounding smack, the air getting knocked out of her. The griffin tries to slash at her but the mare recovered quickly, rolling out of the way of the attack.

Grabbing her bat she smacked the griffin up the side of her head. Twisting around the mare buck the griffin in the leg, bending it a bit. The griffin turned around and returned the favor, swapping at the mare’s flank tearing through the armor off then snatching the flesh underneath. Revealing a cutie mark of a cute rabbit with guns.

The mare drove away from her attacker then turned to face her. Floating the baseball to her face she looked at the griffin with a shit-eating grin on her face. The griffin returned the expression, preparing her claws for the final rush. The mare lifted the baseball bat above her head then shouted at the top of her lungs a battlecry that could pierce the heavens.

The pair rushed each other, despite their injuries, despite their exhaustion, claws met bat in a dance of chaotic violence as the two clashed. Sparks flew from each perry, the land around the lit up at each clash, it was like watching two knights battle it out for the fate of the world. Fire started around sparks that flew on junk, burning the trashing into a glorious circle for their battle. The surviving raiders were watching, taking bets on who would win.

Finally, the griffin knocked the bat away with a slash, the griffin seeing her chance flung herself at the mare. The yellow mare leaped forward to meet her advance, the griffin went in for the kill; it was at that moment that the mare’s hooves were encased in a golden glow. With a leap that shattered the ground below her the mare shot toward the griffin like a bullet, the merc warrior took one jab at the mare but missed below her. The mare connected a punch so strong it sent the merc flying through the air and landing outside of the fire.

The hardened merc looking lay unmoving as the yellow mare parted the flames and trotted towards her. The mare stood over the griffin, a murderous expression written on her face. With a roar she brought both forehooves down on the griffin’s head, with a sickening smash the griffin’s head was cave in. But the mare didn’t stop, she kept going smashing the griffin over and over again as she kept screaming.

Finally when the bird's body was pasta on the ground she stared up at the sky and roared with a voice no pony should have. “BlOOD FOR LUNA!!!!!!”

The raiders who survived her rampage stood in fear and awe, some reeled back at the loud shout the mare gave. When she stopped yelling she turned her gaze towards the remaining raiders, who galloped away as if the grim reaper was coming for them.

The mare just laughed in mad glee.

Little Pip just stared at the sight, her head cock in the most dumfounded way imagine. Pip couldn’t process the last ten minutes let alone the last hour. Celestia too stood beside her with a more confused looked on her face.

“Celestia do you see this?” Pip could almost find no words to describe what she witnessed. “What have I been watching for the past hour?”

Celestia herself didn't have any answers. “Sometimes Pip things happen in the world for which sound more like fiction than reality.”

Even in an artificial reality Pip still felt her legs go numb as the events she just witnessed broke her in more ways than one. “Celestia.”

“Yes.”

“Are the towers broken?” Pip needed to know whether she was crazy or just seeing things.

“Sometimes things happen that not even your eyes can believe Pip.” Celestia was no stranger to events like these, she had seen and heard of stories of great heroes pulling off impossible feats. The idea of this yellow warrior mare being a one pony army wasn’t a new idea to her, but for Pip, it was breaking gears in her head.

“I just watched a mare single hoofly destroy a small army wielding like 20 weapons at the same time. Just saying that sounds like a bad Sword mare comic.” Pip ran through the last hour over and over again, it seemed like a fever dream.

What started out as normal wasteland watching quickly got interesting when both mares spotted bands of ponies along with griffin mercs creeping through the ruins of a suburb. They approached an old hospital building from all sides, taking up firing positions but not charging the old building. Instead, the griffin who seemed to be leading them barked orders at ponies in strange black slink armor who climbed the building and entered through the roof. Only when those two ponies were thrown, burning and screaming, from a window on the third floor did the Griffin order all ponies to storm the building.

What followed was the chaos of gunfire, explosions, and screaming as the former hospital became a battleground. Some of the cameras in the building still worked so Pip decided to see what the situation was like, what she was met with was the Yellow mare creating a bloodbath through the ponies that came after her.

When they tried to corner her, she power through them. When they set up kill zones, she used the bodies of their allies as shields, making Pip question why she didn’t just teleport behind them. When Griffin leading outside lost her nerve, she commanded them simply to collapse the structure.

One would think that would work but instead, the mare had escaped through a back alley, killing a small group of attackers as she went. A bloody chase through the suburb followed, with the mare ambushing them at various points.

Had Pip heard this instead of seeing it she would say it was exaggerated to hell and back. She had seen ponies pull off great feats before, but they all seemed logical. This looked like something out of a game she and Celestia played. “Do you know who she is?”

Celestia went deep into thought. “I think…” A lightbulb seemed to click in Tia’s head. “Yeah, I know this mare, from DJ-Pon3 reports that happened a few years before you left your Stable. She is the mercenary known as the Slayer.” When Tia saw Pip’s ‘who’ face she sighed. “She is more well known around the northwest than the east Pip. She is known for stopping the Steel Rangers from invading her home, apparently, she also destroyed a project to create new more powerful Power Armor called Dark Suits.”

This was news to Pip, while she had only traveled the wasteland for three months she thought she heard everything but she seemed to learn something new everyday.

“She’s not far from Stable 2, how come I never heard of her.” Pip would think a pony like this would be all over the news, she left quite a presence in her wake. “Of course I didn’t listen to every broadcast Homage made but this mare seemed a big deal to never hear of her.

“She is.” Tia fished for the words. “Bizarre, I hear she worked around Shattered Hoof not long after you ‘helped’ them. Apparently, she stopped a coup there two weeks after you left.”

Pip didn’t know what to make of that, her old friend Gawd never mentioned this in the few times they met after Little Pip’s adventure in Shatter Hoof. But when she thought about it made sense, she may have helped Gawd overthrow her boss but they weren’t on speaking terms when it came to business. Gawd kept all her dealings to herself and the contract like a true merc.

“Wonder how many other weird stories happened around the Wasteland I don’t know about. still hard to believe a pony like actually this exists.”

“Yes, because believing that a 20 year old Stable mare who never held a gun before in her life would then go on to become the most deadliest pony in Equestrian history and save it from destruction sounds more real.” Tia snark in her usual mocking tone.

“Well..I” Tia could be the most logical pony in the room sometimes with statements you just couldn’t argue against.

“The world is full of stories Pip, some are a myth, some are legends, and some are completely historical. But what makes it important is how ponies and creatures see them.”

Tia spoke from experience, she had watched ponies and creatures she knew go from normal everyday plebs to heroes to myths all in the course of centuries.”In fact, I knew a pony who became a myth in her own right.”

Pip turned to her, the curious little pony in her head always wanting to hear Tia’s stories. “Who Tia.”

“Swordmare.” Tia always loved seeing Pip’s confused face. “Yes, Swordmare was based on a real mare named Sunshine. Don’t let the name fool you, she could kill most ponies with a buck.”

Pip was having a hard time wraping her head around the fact that a mare from a comic where she fought magical space aliens was freaking real. “So wait, are the stories real or just the mare?”

“Yes.”

“Helpful.”

“Oh Pip.” The alicorn placed a wing around the unicorn and brought her in for a hug. “Stories depending on whose telling them are 30 percent myth, 30 percent truth, 10 percent stretch truth. I should know I made some of it.”

Pip thought about that for a while. She wondered how ponies would view the Wasteland in a hundred years or so. Her story was well documented with her own memories and testimonials from her friends. but most ponies didn’t have that, the yellow mare story would at best would probably just become a legend. “Tia, what do you think ponies in the future will see us today as?”

Celestia looked at her with the wisdom only centuries can bring. “Most creatures from this era will be forgotten, no less than 20 percent will be remembered but their stories will be butchered and turned into parodies of themselves. Only the big names like You, DJ-Pon3, and Gawd will be remembered for how you truly are.” Tia watched the process in action many times, first ponies would turn them into mythology, then turn them into idols, then question their reality. “You’ve already seen it happen with that security mare, Blackjack.”

Pip grimaces, she had known the hero of the Hoof briefly, at first she thought she was a former follower of Red Eye when she saw the cybernetics, but she learned that wasn’t true when talking to each other over the tower's transmission. She seemed nice, a little odd but nice. But apparently, the stories that popped up in the years following her ‘death’ made her out to be some type of Cyber Alicorn that went to the Moon and defeated an alien that tried to destroy the world.

Pip’s lips had to remain sealed on that though, she didn’t want any pony looking too deeply into that topic. “Is there a way to stop it?”

Tia shook her head. “For most of them no, only in recent years has there been organized efforts to keep records of things, your story, and the wasteland survival guide being the biggest two. But most of the history of the past 200 years will be forgotten.”

Pip deflated at that, the wasteland would just become another myth to be told. All the suffering, conflicts, the defeats, the victories of its inhabitants would just become pony tales for later ponies. It would diminish the lives of millions into nothing more comic book stories.

With an angry huff, Pip begin passing, making her Alicorn look at her in worry. “No! I not letting that happen.” With a determined look on her face put a hoof on the alicorn. “Tia how far back do the towers recorded footage go?”

“Eh? Probably about the whole time they’ve been turned on, why?” Celestia looked at her small friend confused, but then it hit her. “Oh, I see.”

“Yep, I got a new pet project for us. We’re going to go over the last 200 years of footage, DJ-Pon3 reports, and transmissions. We’re going to turn those into stories, we’re gonna tell the Wasteland’s real story.”

Celestia felt proud of the little mare’s ambition sometimes, she was a dreamer but when she set her mind to it she got results. “This is a big undertaking Pip, I’m not sure we can run the weather and do this at the same time.”

Pip shook her head. “We’re not doing it all at once. We will do the big stuff first. All the major events, players, and conflicts will be our start then we just go down from there.”

Tia couldn’t argue with that, it seemed possible with the computer they were in but still seemed like a big job, but she couldn’t deny Pip this when she wanted it this much. “What should we call our little project?”

Pip smiled brightly at her “Truths of the Wasteland.”

Pip and Tia, how to solve conflict between friends

The battle raged over the wreckage of the fallen statue, remains of what had once been a huge stone mare was broken across a large courtyard. Pieces of a former monument to pony kind lay across the entire west side of the courtyard, divided it up into small intersections. In between these selections, ponies took potshots at each other turning the path to any side into a killing zone. Above the wreckage griffin mercs fought each other, taking shots or claw to claw fighting. The battle was pretty evenly matched with both sides taking heavy losses.

Pip just sighed at the display. the scene playing out in front of her was one she had seen for the last three years, just another conflict born out of the fires of the Enclave war, A war she was responsible on level for. In a way, she was to blame for the various warlords and factions that had pop up since the Day of Sunshine & Rainbows. In a sense, the dead below her was on her hooves.

The little unicorn’s thoughts were interrupted by a smack upside the head, being shocked at the hit she turned to see her attacker. Looking up she saw the face of a disapproving Celestia. “I know that face, stop it Pip.” She said with sternness only a monarch could conjure. “You are not to blame for the action others take My little pony.”

“Kind of hard to believe Tia when you see the results of your actions.” Pip got this talk every time she saw the cruelty of the wars below her. No matter how much Celestia told her it wasn’t her fault, which Pip sorta agreed with, she could never divorce conflicts going on below her as not her problem.

No for Pip it was the idea that she shouldn’t involve herself in those conflicts below, more than once did Tia warm against using the great power she possessed to aid anyone side or risk becoming conqueror. She could aid those in need, never assist in war. She did once but that was an emergency, and wiping out three armies didn’t help her mind.

“They’ve been fighting over that area for three days Tia.” the small unicorn said a hint of wanting in her voice. “Almost all the nearby settlements are either destroyed, empty, or trap between the fighting. Maybe if I may it storm I could delay their fighting.”

Tia just shook her head. “It would just delay it Pip, not stop it. These ponies have been planning this war for months now, your not stopping them if you delay them.”

“But maybe I can give time for the citizens to escape.”

Tia sighed. “Escape to where Pip? This is far west of the NCR, and the nearest ponies who will help are the Raiders of Rad heights and the tribals of Carhoof. Would you want that?”

Pip looked down in defeat, situations like this made her wish she was still down there, still fighting the good fight as she did three years ago. At least then could she do more than watch, at least then she could be their hero they call her.

Pip was met with another smack upside the head, Tia looking angrier than usual. “Pip, listen, I know how it feels to just watch and not act. It’s not a good feeling, especially when you have the power to end it. But nothing you can do would help here.”

“Yes, I could!” Pip shouted at the princess she once looked up to as a role model, now she saw the true mare underneath, a wise old mare. “I could create a tornado, hurricane, or hail. One little storm and both of them are gone!”

“Then you will leave a power vacuum in that area. Other tribes and groups will see it as easy pickings. If you start siding with one faction over another, wiping one out over another, you will become no more than a cruel enforcer ” Tia’s tone became more gentle as she spoke like a caring mother. “You are their hero Pip, not their goddess.”

That cut deep, Pip thought of a few responses but held them back, she knew Tia was right there was nothing she could do. “Damn it fine, your damn right.” Pip looked away, admitting it hurt more than anything. What good was she as their Lightbringer if she couldn’t stop that senseless slaughter? “I’m going to go, Tia, I need to be alone for a while.”

Celestia did nothing as the small unicorn trotted off into the empty void, sometimes pain was best dealt with alone. She understood that feeling all too well.

Celestia trotted along the artificial beach, with every step the sand flicked in waves of energy. The shoreline was miles wide with nothing around as far as the eye could see except for a little unicorn watching the waves.

She didn’t do anything as Tia approached, laying next to the smaller unicorn watching the sea with her. “Beautiful sunset isn’t, hard to believe Stable-tec was able to simulate something like this huh?” Pip just gave her a side glance, the expression written across her face saying ‘Not now I’m moody’.

Tia sighed, she knew when Pip was like this it was hard to snap her out of it.“Listen I’m sorry Pip, I didn’t mean what I said. I overstepped myself, I shouldn’t have said that.”

Pip gave her a wide huff. “Go away Tia, I just need to be alone for a while.”

Tia just took that attitude as a challenge, thinking of a way to get the mare out of her mood, Tia brightened up when a thought came to mind. With the stomp of her hoof, the beach and sea faded away to be replaced by the blaring sounds of a club. The two now stood in the middle of a dance floor with stroll lights of various colors blazing around them, a crowd of ponies and other creatures sat watching them from tables that stood a level above the dance floor, all of them cheering and dancing to the starting beat. From nowhere the voice of a stallion shouted. “Well, folks the next beats are by House doing his hit From the Underground.”

The song started with a techno beat played over a fast paste rhyme. Celestia bobbed and swung her hips to the building beat, Pip just buried herself into her hooves and tried to ignore the song as it picked up speed.

Finally, the music beat stopped while the rhymes kept playing, the voice of a stallion who sounded like a preacher joined the music. “In the beginning there was Siren, and Siren had a groove, and from this groove came the groove of all grooves, And from that day Siren boldly declared let there be House! ” Tia started dancing along with music, perfectly matching her hoof steps beat from beat.

Pip just ignored it all, she knew Tia’s games, she always pulled this when Pip was in one of her moods. Pip Just buried herself deeper in her hooves, to match her Tia increase dancing, loudly hoof stomping to the beat. With a flash other ponies and creatures appeared around the dance floor, dancing wildly along with the alicorn. “You see house is a feeling, house is an uncontrollable desire to shake your body. As I told you before, I am the creator and this is my house!”

Their dancing increased as the music was turned up. The dance floor begins to fill with more and more people as the music went on, soon the dance floor was bustling with life and movement. Pip was completely overshadowed by the people dancing over her, the little spot she tried to hide in becoming boxed in.

Finally Pip had enough. “Fine Celestia damn it, you win.” Pip yelled then looked around, blushing when she saw the floor was empty except for Tia smiling victoriously above her. “I can’t even brood in peace can I?”

“No.” For somepony who was a princess, she could be the biggest filly in the world Pip thought to herself. “I will go away if you sing karaoke with me.”

“Oh for crying out.” Pip got with a huff, accepting this was her only choice for peace.

“Yay. I knew you would come around.” Tia nestled her into a hug for which the smaller unicorn sorta returned. “I’ll even play your favorite song as a treat, I gotta Buck was our best.”

Pip just sighed. “Well, if you lead will I follow along, but then you leave okay?”

“Splendid, Let’s get started shall we.” With another tap of her hoof the music changed, two screens appeared from floor with different lyrics for both, microphones shot up from the floor in front of both mares.

Tia took her mic into her left hoof and with perfect rhyme with the music started. “Ayo sweetie, you're looking kinda pretty, What's a girl like you, doing in this rough city.”

Pip just rolled her eyes, she knew the song by heart but still put in little effort. “I'm just mare trying to hold my own ground.”

Celestia started bobbing to music while Pip just stood still. “Yeah, I think I like how that sound
What you say we gets to know each other better?” Tia moved closer to Pip making her turn bright red..

“That sounds good but I don't think that I can let ya” Pip tried to move away, barely able to say her lyrics.

“I don't know, tell me is it so Do you get a kick, out of tellin Me no?” Tia leaned in toward Pip, making the unicorn blush even harder.

“No it's not that see you don't understand How should I put it? I got a Buck.”

Tia pushed away and pretended to look offended and smug, putting a hoof on her chest to add act. “What's your Buck got to do with me?”

“I told ya.”Pip tried her damnedest to fight back chuckling.

“I'm not tryin to hear that see.” Tia shook her head in fake disapproval at that statement.

Pip could barely say her line she was starting laugh “I'm not one of those mares that go rippin around”

Tia hung her nose up high, putting on a prideful look. “I'm not a bird baby, so don't play me like a clown.”

“I'll say, I like how you buck it.”

“Now you're talkin baby, dts das tickett.” The way Tia butcher that the last line was the final straw. Little Pip burst out laughing at the top of her lungs, tears welling up in her eyes.

Celestia herself joined in, falling back on her hindlegs and cracking up on the floor. They both just sat there for minutes laughing until the music just stopped. Finally, Pip got up, wiping away tears from her eyes.

“Damn it Tia. You just find the best ways to mess with me.”

Tia was hiccuping from laughing too much. “After 1000 years I know a thing or two about making a grump smile.”

Pip shook her head, clearly, they’d been in here with each other too long. “Sorry about earlier Tia, sometimes the world just gets to me you know.”

Tia just put her into a warm embrace. “It’s okay, I knew that same feeling. It was until I met you that I could have this type of fun again.” Tia hugged the little unicorn and said with the most sincerity. “Thank you, Pip for staying with me.”

“You know Tia, I’m glad I'm here with you too. You're probably the second best pony I’ve met in my life, so thank you.” They both broke off the hug. The club around them faded away, replaced by the familiar void they’d called home.

“I came up with an idea for that little fight on the ground.” Pip was all ears for that, anything that solved that hellish scene was good. “Maybe we should rain a little on that fight of theirs down on the ground,” Tia said with a wicked grin. “Not destroy them, just send a message to behave or the Lightbringer will punish them.”

“What changed your mind about using our power?”

“Nothing, I think instead of using our power to destroy we should use it to punish instead. If two groups fight, we make it hail on them until they stop. A wannabe warlord causing problems, with that a cold summer until they behave. Think of it as spankings with the weather.”

Pip’s ears perked up with that, it was the perfect midground, not destruction but lots hurt for bad folk. “You did all that just so you could tell me this huh?” Pip raised an eyebrow at her.

Celestia just trotted away as if asked nothing. “Yep, I didn’t just want you happy but solve our little power problem. I wasn't a princess for years without knowing how to problem solve.’ The alicorn then started galloping away. “Now come on that war ain’t ending itself.”

The small unicorn just Nah and followed her, the pair wouldn’t let the cruelly of the world below break and ruin them as it did before. Instead, now they’d be its guardians, watchers, and caretakers, that is the fate Pip chose.

Looking at the now and letting go of the past

Author's Note

[Adult Swim] Baggage Room
Chill vibe for a chill ending.

Looking at the now and letting go of the past

Watching the Sunset was still finding a way to empress Pip, it was hard to believe that the mare went from not knowing what the Sun actually looked like and being horrified at the idea of the sky, to watching every Sunset with a loving gaze. “I think twilight is my favorite time of day.”

Tia chuckled a bit. “Yeah, she is a beauty.” Tia always found her former student’s name is the hour of day amusing, it made for easy teasing material even if Twilight didn’t get it most of the time. “I think the Sun is better off without me around. Just letting it go the natural route seems better in the long run.”

That idea seemed, wrong’ to Pip. Growing up in her Stable she had been told since she was a filly how Celestia moved the Sun to bring about day, and her sister Luna moved the moon and brought night. When Tia banished her sister when she went power crazy Tia took over the duties of both sisters for a thousand years, unlit Luna’s redemption. Hearing that Sun and Moon could move on their own and didn’t the princesses was almost an impossible concept for Pip to wrap her head around.

“Maybe we could get another pony to do it?” Pip couldn’t think of any unicorn or mutant alicorn that could do it but if they could train some pony up.

Tia shook her head dismissively. “No, those days are over Pip, no one controls the Sun and moon anymore, that chapter in history is closed, let the world move on.” In truth, Tia always felt such power should never have belonged to any creature but when the duty was pushed on her by the high mages she accepted it through gritted teeth.

“So that’s it huh? No more moving the Sun?”

“Yep. It’s over.” Tia seemed too uncaring about it for Pip’s tastes. “Eh. wasn’t a hard job but was completely unnecessary in the end.” She smiled at her little friend. “I think it’s a good change.”

Pip just sighed, sometimes change brought things you didn’t care for, Pip knew that all too well. “Things have changed so much in the last decade, I barely recognized half the people I know anymore, they all changed.” All of her friends were leaders, parents, or retired. It seemed so surreal when she looked at the surface sometimes, entire factions that spur up in the former wasteland were now fading into the background or wiped out, in their place more organized groups had risen up. “It all seems weird you know.”

“I know, I’ve seen it thousands of times.” Watching the world for a thousand years than watching burn away in a war you started gives views on how things change. “Even your life will change again Pip.”

“I hope it’s just chilling with Homage for the rest of my days, I think I had enough adventure for a lifetime.” Sometimes when Pip looked back on the events that got her shuck in this tower and her life before that it felt unreal.

Starting most of her young life underground in her stable, a no pony by most standards. To then be uprooted by accidentally helping a fellow Stable dweller escape, no less the Musical star of her home, that would push her into the wasteland where she met horrors that would break any sane pony but also met the greatest friends she ever had, and with their help, she brought about the change before her. The Wasteland and its horrors were gone, all thanks to her friends.

But the most greatest reward from all of that was meeting Tia. Sure Pip knew ‘goddess’ Celestia, the holy mare who looked down upon them. But that wasn’t the real Tia, the real Tia was the greatest pony Pip ever met, a friend, mentor, party pony, wisemare, and daredevil all rolled up into one. That mare was a pony Pip would trade for any god in a heartbeat.

Yo Tia.”

“Yep Pip.

“Want to play some Space Wars then go look at some mares performing ‘questionable’ dances?”

“So normal Friday?”

“Yeah.”

“Sure thing, but add some manly Minotaurs to the mix this time. Mama needs some good muscle in her life.”

Both mares laughed as they trotted away from the screen of the set sun and toward a building label bar that spurred up from the void. They would not spend their nights dwelling on the past instead they would spend it enjoying every moment with each other, as best buds Pip and Tia.