Fallout: New Vegas - Days of Danger

Chapters

Prologue - Nightly Worries and Memories
Chapter 1 - Trixie's Story
Chapter 2 - Consequences to Actions
Chapter 3 - Stories Told in Ponyville
Chapter 4 - What Is Seen and Said, Part One
Chapter 5 - What Is Seen and Said, Part Two

Prologue - Nightly Worries and Memories

Ponyville, Equestria, Castle of Friendship

Twilight Sparkle's bedroom

With a gasp and a barely stifled cry, Twilight Sparkle threw herself upwards from her bed, while charging her horn for a magical blast upon her assailant. Only, once her vision cleared, the build-up of purple energy ceased, and she sat back against her bed.

"Not again…" she sighed, wiping her brow of sweat. It had been only a week since the incident at the Ball, and quite frankly, she really wished Princess Luna could have helped her with the resulting nightmares.

But that was the thing, as who wouldn't get nightmares after nearly being assassinated on her birthday, to have her life flash before her eyes, and then…

Twilight groaned and slid out of bed to get a glass of water, making sure to use a muffle spell to silence her steps so as to not wake Spike. As she walked into the kitchen and retrieved a crystal goblet, she filled it up to the brim and drank the whole glass in one gulp.

Twilight then looked to the window, and planted her face in her hooves. What happened that night, a week before, was still fresh in her mind, and no matter how much she wanted to…

She couldn't stop herself from replaying the events once again in her mind.

====

One week prior, Canterlot, Grand Ballroom

"So, now that we're in private…" Princess Celestia said as she and Twilight stepped away from the birthday revelry in the ballroom to a quieter sub-room. "Happy birthday, Princess Twilight."

"Thank you, Celestia." Twilight said. "It's hard to believe you set all this up for me."

"You deserve it." the Alicorn of the Sun replied. "After Tirek, I think we all needed some time for relaxation and merriment."

Twilight had to agree. Tonight was a special night for her and her friends. After a smaller, private celebration in Ponyville with her friends and immediate family, it was off to Canterlot for the ball Celestia had scheduled and arranged herself. It was slightly less scaled than the Grand Galloping Gala, as invitations were sent by Twilight, not by the Princess.

As a result, it would be more attended by ponies who Twilight knew and were acquainted with, rather than nobles who she learned of by name and title. On that note, she was glad Prince Blueblood was marked off the arrival list, under the category of "Do not invite under any circumstances", along with his cadre of nobles who did not look upon Twilight with any gratitude or respect.

This minority, a vocal one at that, believed that Twilight's coronation was illegitimate, since every alicorn before her had some familial relation to Celestia. The cases of Princesses Luna and Cadance were set in stone, but seeing as these nobles, Blueblood included, saw Twilight as nothing more than a commoner and completely undeserving of her title…

Well, let's just say Celestia had to send very harshly written letters, warning those who received that if they showed up and made a scene...they'd be arrested by the Guards before they could even utter a word.

That was the exact phrasing she used, Celestia had told Twilight. And in the case of Prince Blueblood, she had to do things face to face with him to dissuade him from doing what he intended.

Thankfully, none of these ponies were to be seen, and the ball was going splendidly. In fact, Soarin' of the Wonderbolts has asked Rainbow Dash if she needed an escort beforehand, Applejack had met with several Canterlot suppliers who were eager to purchase her family's cider, Fluttershy and Rarity were speaking with Fancy Pants and Fleur de Lis, and Pinkie was telling an enraptured crowd a rather long comedy routine, and the roaring of laughter was indicative of how she got along with everypony.

"So, back to the subject at hand…" Celestia said after some quiet moments. "I believe this should prove helpful to you, Twilight. What's the birthday mare without a gift from her mentor?"

Twilight blushed and accepted the package offered, which contained a journal with a lavender cover. However, as there was only one page in the book, it was certainly not what Twilight had expected. She opened it with curiosity and to her surprise, when she flipped the first page over, a new page materialized out of thin air, identical to the first and positioned perfectly behind it."

"I enchanted the pages to appear as you need or turn them, with a very high limit of how many there can be." Celestia smiled as she explained. "The journal's pages aren't endless, but very close to that mark. In fact, it also cleans itself from any sort of stain, and will never age."

"Thank you so much." Twilight smiled. As Celestia nodded in pride, Twilight's ears perked at a loud series of cracking noises.

"What's that?" she asked as the noises grew closer. "Did you plan for fireworks?"

"No, I did not." Celestia frowned as she went for the door, Twilight following. As they returned to the ballroom, they realized the sounds were coming from outside, in the main entrance area. Twilight and Celestia approached the door, and soon, the cracks stopped…

Only to be replaced by a beeping noise, and then a large explosion that blew the oaken doors off their hinges. As Celestia cast a shield that stopped the blast, they caught a glimpse of what was going on.

At least eleven Solar Guards were on the ground in pain, a hole in each one's front left leg, that was bleeding profusely. Celestia prepared to advance on whatever it was that attacked her Guards, only for a crack to echo, and a small object struck her shield at a speed that rendered it invisible.

The projectile, to Celestia's surprise, struck hard against her barrier, making her groan. Several more projectiles impacted, then they stopped.

"Who dares attack my ponies?" She growled. "Show yourself!"

Then, steps could be heard as a bipedal figure approached. In the light, the two alicorns saw it was tall, with a slender frame. It wore a brown, black, and tan duster with armor, and a belt of small brass objects lay on its waist. It wore a helmet with a strange red visor and a circular mask, and a patch with a large number 6 lay on its neck brace.

As it approached, it raised a small, metal object towards the two alicorns.

"Who are you?" Twilight asked, charging her horn to aid Celestia. The creature simply shrugged, and spoke in perfect Equestrian.

"Call me Courier Six." it, or apparently a he, judging by the tone of voice, said simply, then it fired another projectile from the metal object it carried.

Only this time, it wasn't aimed at Celestia.

It was aimed right at Twilight's head. She threw up her own shield in a flash, but the projectile penetrated the barrier and grazed her cheek, causing her to stumble to the floor, a cut from the impact bleeding. Celestia growled furiously and charged to attack, but the being stood unfazed as it continued to fire at her.

Then, just as Celestia was about to reach the being and likely vaporize it with the power of the Sun, it stepped to the side and took out a small object, and clicked it twice. A small explosion went off that filled the room with white smoke, obscuring the vision of all present.

As it cleared, Celestia saw that the creature was gone, and it left something behind. A small red sash lay wrapped around a column, bearing the sign of a golden bull. Celestia tore the sash away and incinerated it, before ordering in the Royal Canterlot voice for the Guards to assemble and to bring medics.

In that moment, the last thing Twilight saw before passing out was her friends, brother, sister-in-law, and parents rushing to her side.

====

Twilight blinked her eyes open and turned to the side, realizing she had fallen asleep, and the day was about to come, as she remembered that Celestia raised the sun around this time during the summer.

As she was about to head back upstairs, she heard a voice speak behind her with an urgent air.

"Princess Twilight, it is I, Trixie."

She turned to see the pale blue show pony approach, out of breath. Twilight saw a bandage on her leg, and immediately asked if she was okay.

"Trixie is fine." she said. "But I have to tell you something. Something important."

"What is it?" Twilight asked.

"Trixie found the assassin, Courier Six." Trixie replied. "But…he didn't..."

"Didn't do what?"

"He didn't kill Trixie. In fact, he said he just wanted to talk and find out where he was." she replied. "Trixie shall start from the beginning. I was heading into the Everfree to find some spell ingredients…"

Author's Note

I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I did writing it. In fact, expect another updatae later today.

Next time - Trixie tells Twilight of her encounter with the Courier Six in the Everfree, and at the same time, the real Courier 6, Mark Rileigh, watches from afar...

Chapter 1 - Trixie's Story

Author's Note

So, before I start the chapter, I would like to inform you that I have included a mod/custom weapon, the Marine Service Rifle, as Six's weapon of choice, from the Tammer's NIF-Bashed Weapons Mega Pack mod on the Nexus.

Also, this features the "Mojave Song" by Miracle of Sound. I thought it fitting for this chapter, and just making it clear I don't own the song or the lyrics.

Here's a photo of the Marine Service Rifle, by the way.

Chapter 1 - Trixie's Story

The Great and Powerful Trixie gave a "Harumph!" of frustration as she trudged through the Everfree Forest, leg-wraps keeping her hooves free of mud. She had recently run out of Bluebonnet nectar, the primary ingredient in her smoke-bombs, and was now searching in one of the few places it was found in ample quantity.

Or so she thought, as she wasn't having much luck at the moment.

As Trixie's eyes searched for the bushes that held her prize flowers, her ears twitched at hearing something strange. It wasn't the call of a bird, or the raspy roar of a Timberwolf, or anything Trixie expected to hear in the Everfree Forest.

It was the sound of a song being sung by a male voice, in harmony with a long-string guitar. Trixie cast a vocalization spell to listen in, and she could hear the melody now. It was haunting, desolate, and yet somehow full of energy and vigor, and it reminded Trixie of the Saddle Arabian sand wastes.

Now that she was close to the singer, she could hear the lyrics.

"Broken bone and liar's lead…"

"Caught off guard and left for dead…"

"Luck keeps turning as the light begins to dull…"

"By healing hands I'm saved, pulled from my shallow grave,"

"I can feel reprisal aching through my skull…"

Trixie raised her eyebrows slightly as the music began to sound even louder. Whatever this song was about, it was actually beautiful to hear.

"Set my sights on shining spires, set out on the highways tired…"

"On the desert sands and ruined roads I roam…."

"And this old lonesome road, shall bring me what I'm owed!"

"These new empires on old stones shall be my home!"

"Ooh, under the Mojave sky...I find my flag to fly!"

Trixie mumbled the word "Mojave" to herself a couple of times. It wasn't referring to anywhere she'd been, and she'd been all over Equestria to perform. In fact, she even recently went to the Crystal Empire for a children's show, as Twilight had recommended her to Princess Cadance for the job. But that was beside the point. What or where was this "Mojave"?

Then, the beat spiked and the singer picked up the pace, singing loud and with passion.

"To tip the odds and rig the game...so deal another hand and play!"

"Every card's a shift of circumstance!"

"Let every bettor stake their claim...so deal another hand and play!"

"Stack the deck, I'm letting nothing fall to chance!"

Trixie poked her head through the bushes as she reached the singer's proximity, and dropped her jaw. She'd seen the wanted posters across Canterlot for the assassin called "Courier Six", and she even had one on her in her bag...

...and there he was, sitting by a campfire and strumming a guitar, as he continued to sing. Trixie could've easily knocked him out using a surprise blast of magic, or lunged out and demanded his surrender, but there was something about him that made her pause.

Was it the air of confidence and heroism that came from him, or the rugged face he bore, with hair of hazelnut brown and gray eyes that showed kindness?

Trixie knew that the assassin had been wearing a mask, with a red eye visor, but this being wore a red cap with a visor, with a splash of white across the brim. Emblazoned on the side was the word "Unity" in boldly painted black, and a scarf of white lay around his neck.

But what was really strange was the gauntlet he wore on his left arm. It was colored a dull greenish gray, and she could see a white-glowing screen on it. As she stood there hidden, but thoroughly spellbound, the stranger finished singing, and set his guitar down. Then, he looked down on his gauntlet, and tapped it once.

To Trixie's shock, a large cylindrical canteen appeared in his right hand, and he took a big drink of what was presumably fresh water.

Trixie watched as he hooked the canteen to his belt, and that was when she noticed his apparel. The armor was the same design as the assassin's, only it was completely clean and free of scars or damage. Instead of a long coat, he wore a black track jacket with rolled up sleeves, and some padded armor on his forearms. Around his waist was a sash emblazoned with a two-headed bear looking towards a star. A looped belt carrying what Trixie presumed were the projectiles used in the assassination attempt was around his right upper arm.

And lying next to him was a long metal object, made from black and gray metal. As the stranger picked it up and began inspecting it, Trixie moved back into the trees to think on a course of action.

Until that course of action was chosen for her.

"Hey there. You lost?"

Trixie then realized that the stranger was talking to her. She came forward, and eyed him with as much suspicion as she could.

"What's with that look?" he asked. "I haven't done anything wrong, have I? Besides, I've only been in this forest for three days, four at most."

Trixie's train of thought suddenly came to a screeching stop.

Three days, four at the most, she thought over in her head. The assassination attempt was a week ago. If this stranger had only been here three or four days...she made a mental note to go to Ponyville as soon as she could to tell Twilight.

"Well...the Great and Powerful Trixie wants to know if this is you." she mustered her voice, handing the stranger a wanted poster of the assassin. He looked it over for some time, and then he did the one thing she didn't expect.

He started laughing.

"Oh, man. Oh, God." he chuckled. "Never thought I'd be so famous as to have someone impersonate me."

"What does that mean?" Trixie asked. "You're Courier Six, aren't you."

"Yep, that's me." he replied. "My name's Mark Rileigh. And just so you know, that's not me, not in the slightest. I can give you several good reasons why."

"The Great and Powerful Trixie wants to hear them."

"First, that pistol." he said. "That's a Pre-War N99, 10mm." he said. "Back in the world I come from, those things are so common, any decent gunslinger has at least two. Personally, I prefer the .45 automatic. Hits harder, shoots straighter, than a 10-mil."

Mark pulled out his own pistol for comparison, and Trixie began to write on her notepad, another thing she always carried with her.

"Second, that NCR armor this guy's wearing is totally outdated. The NCR rangers stopped wearing that type of light armor shortly after the first Battle of Hoover Dam. That was some time ago, 2277, if I remember right. Plus, seeing as the Mojave's a nuclear wasteland in a desert, it's too clean, too neat. No way it'd last that long without getting dirty."

"And finally, like I said, I've only been here at most four days. This was a week ago. And miss Zecora can vouch for my every move."

"Zecora?" Trixie asked, quite surprised. She had learned of the Zebra herbalist from Twilight after their magic duel, a little before Tirek, as Twilight had helped set up her strategy to win the duel with the herbalist while Trixie controlled Ponyville.

"Yeah, when I got here, she patched me up after I stumbled into her house after some lion-scorpion thing attacked me. We traded some medicinal plants from here and the Mojave, and I've been camping here since. She comes by every so often to check on me."

Trixie was shocked to silence. Apparently whoever it was that tried to kill Twilight, Mark Rileigh wasn't him.

"If you don't mind..." Trixie said. "The Great and Powerful Trixie shall help you clear your name, Courier Six. I know Princess Twilight Sparkle, I shall speak to her when I return to Ponyville."

"By all means, I'd appreciate the help." Six replied. "I think it's for the best if you go alone. Seeing how as I'm apparently a wanted criminal, it'd look bad."

"Thanks." Trixie said. "I'll be back soon."

"See you around."

And with that, Trixie departed, and ran straight to Ponyville, all thoughts of finding the flower that she had gone there to retrieve, quickly forgotten.

====

"I see." Twilight said nervously as Trixie finished telling her of what happened. "So this Courier Six that attacked me is an imposter?"

"Yes, I'm sure." Trixie said. "Plus, Mark Rileigh didn't attack me on sight. And Zecora can vouch for him as well. According to Mark, he didn't get here until three or four days ago."

Twilight gave a sigh and leaned back in her chair, thinking hard.

"I'll tell Princess Celestia to stop the search parties and suspend the bounty." she said. "And I would very much like to meet this Mark Rileigh. If he can help us find the assassin...I guess I would be obliged to hear him out."

Trixie nodded, bid Twilight goodbye, and departed. As Twilight wrote the letter, sent it to Celestia, and looked out the window at the dawn sky, she decided to get a little more sleep before getting ready.

Because if what Trixie said was true, then Twilight had a new question for herself.

"If Courier wasn't the assassin, then who was? What could they be after?" she thought deeply, as she collapsed into bed and drifted off.

Chapter 2 - Consequences to Actions

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Chapter 3 - Stories Told in Ponyville

As the combined group of Equestrians, followed by Mark Rileigh, approached the outskirts of Ponyville, the eyes of everypony present were drawn to Princess Celestia. Seeing her in town and outside of Canterlot was rare enough, but what made the townsponies curious was the presence of ten Solar Guards and all six Elements.

"Princess?" Mayor Mare asked as she approached nervously. "Is something wrong?"

"A fair question, Mayor Mare." Celestia said, then she cleared her throat. "We have met with a visitor, who was more than happy to volunteer his services in hunting down the assassin. Mr. Rileigh, this is the duly elected Mayor Mare, of Ponyville."

Mark approached and offered his hand, and Mayor Mare stepped back slightly in shock and apprehension.

"You shake hands, or hooves rather, here, right?" he asked. "My name's Mark Rileigh. And just so you're aware, the assassin you're looking for is a fake pretending to be me."

"I…see." Mayor Mare said with a raised eyebrow, and she shook his hand. "Well, I suppose you're welcome here in Ponyville, for now. Just keep yourself out of trouble. There’s a lot of eyes on you here."

"I'd expected as much." Mark replied as the Elements approached. "So, seeing as I'm new here, would somepony mind showing me around town? I'd like to familiarize myself with the area."

"Allow me." Twilight said, coming forward. "I've got questions of my own to ask you, if you don't mind."

"By all means." Mark smiled. "Let's walk and talk."

As they both headed towards Ponyville Plaza, Rainbow Dash came up to speak with Princess Celestia.

"Are you sure we can trust this guy?" she asked, rubbing her front-right leg with her left hoof.

"No, I am not." Celestia replied. "All I can do is believe in my instincts...and how they can guide me forward."

====

"So, this is Sugarcube Corner." Twilight said as they walked past the aforementioned building. "The best bakery in Ponyville. Pinkie helps out there all the time, since the owners, the Cakes, know her well."

"I'd bet," Mark said, having tipped his cap to the family in question, who nodded back. "Just seeing the amount of things here that we don't have back in the Mojave...is staggering."

"What's it like? The Mojave Wasteland, I mean." Twilight asked. "Is it truly just a scorched, lifeless desert?"

"That depends on where you look." Mark replied. "The New Vegas strip is one of the largest populated areas, and places like Primm, Novac, and Goodsprings have their own attractions. Take Goodsprings for example, it's one of the largest sources of pure water in the Mojave. Plus, it's the place I started my journey. Lots of sentimental value to me."

"Well, what about the flora and fauna?"

"That's a different story." Mark replied as they both sat down on a bench near some bushes. "Most of the wildlife in the Mojave and beyond is so heavily mutated, they look like nothing I've seen here. I mean, Cazadors are some of the worst examples. I hate those things."

"What are those?" Twilight asked, not sure herself if she wanted to know.

"They're flying insects, about the size of a guard dog." Mark said, pulling up a readout and image of one on his Pip-Boy. "They're highly aggressive, attack in groups of four or five, and have a really nasty stinger that's loaded with poison. They're also perceptive as far as bugs go, so sneaking past them is not a good option. You go near some or threaten their nests, they'll find you, and it won’t be pleasant."

"That's disgusting!" Twilight exclaimed, grimacing in shock as she looked at the image.

"And they're not even some of the worst that I've seen or dealt with." Mark added, pulling up readouts for the Deathclaw, Super Mutant, Centaur, Bloatfly, Radscorpion, and various other creatures in the Mojave and beyond. "Radiation does more than poison the environment it's exposed into. It changes and mutates living things over time. It usually takes years, but it'll do the trick eventually. And it’s not always the radiation that does it. Some of these creatures came about because of human-made science experiments.”

Twilight felt like she needed to throw up, and Mark must've realized that, because he quickly guided her to a hidden spot in the bushes, where she did indeed throw up shortly. After coming out, she drank a gulp of water from Mark's Vault 13 canteen, and sighed in relief.

“How do you deal with all this?” Twilight asked in disbelief. “Why do you deal with all those disgusting creatures, a ruined world, and those Legion fanatics on a daily basis?”

“Because, Princess, very few others will.” Mark replied. “I didn’t know that being shot and left for dead would lead me to have all the adventures and escapades that I’ve been through. Look at where I am now, though, from where it all started. I’m the Founder of the Mojave Coalition, the Hero of Hoover Dam, and more. It all comes down to this, in the end.”

“When your story gets told, both the good and bad parts, take pride in knowing it was told in the first place.”

“I’ll take your word for it.” Twilight wiped her mouth with her hoof. “So…are there more humans like you in the Mojave?”

“Oh, certainly.” Mark replied. “Would you like to know about some of my companions, or the friends I’ve made?”

“Sure!” Twilight replied, now interested in discussing a tamer, more pleasant topic.

“First, there was Doc Mitchell.” Mark began. “He’s actually a Vault Dweller, and he settled in Goodsprings, the town where it all began for me. He and a Securitron named Victor saved my life after I was shot in the head.”

“Why were you, though? How’d it happen?”

“A man named Benny wanted the package I was supposed to deliver, and after digging me a shallow grave, he shot me. The package was actually a Platinum Poker Chip that contained upgrades for the Securitrons on the New Vegas strip.”

“However, Victor saw that encounter unfold, dug me out, and got me to Doc Mitchell’s. Mitchell gave me back what gear I had, gave me his old Pip-Boy, and turned me loose with a “good luck”.”

“He seems friendly enough.” Twilight nodded.

“He is.” Mark continued. “After dealing with some of the Powder Gangers, I travelled to the Mojave Outpost, and met my first companion. Her name’s Rose of Sharon Cassidy, but she goes by Cass.”

“She lost her caravan business due to attacks by Raiders, and after running some errands for her and the manager of the Crimson Caravan group, she agreed to travel with me. She’s a solid friend, and quite good with a long rifle or shotgun.”

“What’s she up to now?”

“Cass actually took over the Crimson Caravan company after its former lead, Alice McLafferty, ended up being removed by the NCR over charges related to supply trafficking and weapons smuggling. Cass took the job, and it’s considered to be one of the most secure ways to send cargo in the Mojave now, thanks to Cass.”

“Next was Boone. A former NCR sniper, Boone lost his wife and daughter to Legion slavers, thanks to a rather shady hotel owner who was in debt to them. He’s one of the best shots in the Wasteland with an Anti-Material rifle.”

“Do you know what happened to his family?” Twilight asked. “I thought you defeated the Legion.”

“We did. That’s…a complicated story.” Mark sighed. “After Hoover Dam, Boone and I, with some NCR Troopers and two Knights with the Brotherhood of Steel, were searching for a Legion hub in the eastern part of the Mojave. They were planning to use it as a staging area to get their remaining slaves back east.’

“We stormed the camp and killed the Legion troops there, and as we were freeing the slaves…Boone ran across a girl in one of the tents.”

“Boone was about to call for a medic, when he stopped and recognized her. I walked in on them crying in each other’s arms. That girl was his and his wife’s child. Carla had only been pregnant when she was enslaved, but before her death, she had been given to a Legion leader when he visited Cottonwood cove. Her name’s Claire, and she’s nine years old now.”

“And his wife?” Twilight asked, not sure if she wanted to know.

“She’s dead.” Mark replied. “She died trying to escape from the Legion. from what his daughter remembered. After we patched her up, she led him to the Legion commander who had kept her prisoner.”

“And Boone nearly killed him.”

“Nearly?” Twilight asked.

“His daughter actually convinced him to spare his life.” Mark replied. “That Legion soldier had done his best to care for her, and keep her from being sold. Because of that, we let him live, in exchange for all the information he could tell us. That guy’s currently in an NCR prison camp.”

“After that, it was back to Novac to deal with Jeannie May Crawford, who sold them in the first place.”

Mark took a drink, and sighed in a sad manner, causing Twilight to look at him curiously.

“What’s wrong?”

“Just remembering the sad turn of events that happened when we returned.” Mark brushed his mouth with his sleeve. “Jeannie, when we arrested her, gave us every excuse in the book as to why she was innocent. Boone searched her office, and found the bill of sale she’d been given by the Legion.”

“When we showed her that, her tune changed quickly. She said she only did it for the Caps, that she didn’t know what happened to his wife, a real sob story.”

“Boone didn’t care.” Mark said. “He loved her, and she loved him. But now that she was gone, Claire was all he had left. He knew that he was better than this, that he didn’t have to kill her, not in front of his daughter.”

“So…we agreed on a compromise. Jeannie was given a few supplies, some clothes, and told her to leave Novac and never come back. If she did, we promised he that we wouldn’t be there to stop someone from killing her on sight.”

“We showed her to the edge of town, and she ran. Ran like she never had before. But just as she was about to disappear, a gunshot sounded, and she fell dead.”

“It wasn’t Boone or any of the guys with me, because their guns were holstered, and Boone was standing right next to me. It wasn’t his daughter, because she was holding Boone’s hands. We never did find out who fired the shot. We buried her in an unmarked grave, and that was that.”

Twilight thought she saw a tear fall from Mark’s eye, but he wiped his eyes clear almost immediately.

“For all her actions, she didn’t deserve to die like that.” Mark sighed. “It’s not one of the worst or even one of the sadder stories I know, but it still hurts to remember.”

“Well, why don’t we get moving, then?” Twilight asked. “Come on, let’s get something to eat.”

“Sure thing.” Mark replied, standing up. “After you, Princess.”

And with that, they headed to Sugarcube Corner.

Author's Note

Update!

Yeah, I believe that Boone deserves a chance to have a family again, and this was the result. I hope you enjoyed!

Next time - The Courier heads to Canterlot, and everything that goes with such a visit.

Chapter 4 - What Is Seen and Said, Part One

"So…how is it?" Twilight Sparkle ventured as the Courier sat in silence, contemplating the cupcake he had just taken a bite out of. Pinkie had sat them both down in the VIP section, as many of the citizens of Ponyville still seemed wary of Mark's presence, despite Celestia's earlier declaration that he was here to help.

Mark kept a straight face for a few moments, before he started chuckling, and then he began to laugh quite earnestly, earning a stunned look from Princess Twilight.

"This is the best thing I have ever tasted in quite some time." he laughed. "I mean, this thing probably has so much sugar it puts those pre-war Sugar Bombs to shame. Hot damn, I wish we had these back in the Mojave."

"Well, it is one of Pinkie's cupcakes, so many in Ponyville would share that sentiment with you." Twilight smiled, feeling a little relieved. "Anyway, we should get moving. I'd imagine we have other things to do right now that could be seen as more important."

"I'd agree." Mark nodded. As they headed up to the counter, Pinkie Pie zipped over in a flash, causing Mark to do a double-take.

"She wasn't here a second ago," he murmured. "How is that even possible?"

"Please, Mark, don't ask for the sake of your sanity." Twilight deadpanned. "I tried once to analyze Pinkie's…abilities…and it did not go anywhere."

"That's true!" Pinkie laughed joyfully. "Hey, Mark, was that your first ever cupcake?"

"Yes, it was…" Mark replied, unsure of where this was leading.

"Then it's on the house! Don't worry about paying for it!" Pinkie said to Twilight, who had already produced the requisite number of Bits for the cupcake. "Seeing as he's here to help, I think it's a fair trade!"

"Good deal." Mark replied. "You know, if any of my friends from the Mojave make their way here…this is the first place I'm taking them, hands down."

"Always good to hear, and take care now!" Pinkie said, waving them out of the bakery. As they entered Ponyville's town square, Princess Celestia and her Solar Guards awaited them by a set of Chariots.

"We're taking those to Canterlot?" Mark sounded a little confused. "How far away is it?"

"Normally it would be a three-hour train ride, or a two-hour flight." Celestia replied. "If you are comfortable with it, I could teleport us all there in the span of only a few minutes. However, I am not sure of the side effects it would have on you, Mr. Rileigh."

"Go ahead and teleport us." Mark responded, causing both Princesses to raise their eyebrows. "Didn't I mention I was brought here by a teleporter satellite? It may have been burnt-out Pre-War tech, but it didn't seem to do anything to me, even when it malfunctioned."

"Oh…very well then." Celestia nodded. "Guards, please stand by here and await further orders."

"Yes, Princess!" The Guards replied as they left the area, and were soon replaced by the other Elements of Harmony.

"We're heading out, then?" Applejack asked.

"Yes, if you are all prepared…" Celestia nodded. Once all the Elements and the Courier said that they were indeed prepared, the combined group vanished in a flash of golden light.

====

As they reappeared inside a conference room in Canterlot, Mark Rileigh seemed unfazed as he moved to look out the window, which had a vibrant view of Canterlot on full display.

"Impressed?" Princess Celestia asked. "Canterlot has been the capital city of Equestria for over nine hundred years. I am quite proud to say that I've lived to see this place become what it is now."

The Courier turned to the Solar Princess in shock, with a clear feeling of disbelief on his face.

"How in God's name have you managed to live for over nine hundred years?" he asked, his jaw starting to slack.

"Alicorns, such as myself, my sister Princess Luna, my niece Princess Cadance, and Princess Twilight, become immortal once they ascend." Celestia explained. "However, I can't give you the full details. The Rites are considered one of Equestria's deepest-held secrets, and even I am not certain how my mentor, Starswirl the Bearded, created them."

"I see." Mark replied. "It's hard to believe, but I guess I've no choice but to take your word for it. Anyway, let's get moving."

As the group exited the conference room and headed for the Day Court chambers, many of the Castle staff that they passed stood still as they saw the Courier walking with Princess Celestia. However, the presence of two Alicorns, four Solar Guards, and the Elements of Harmony seemed to reassure them that all was under control.

"Is everything okay, Mark?" Applejack asked, seeing a frown on the Courier's face. "You look like you just bit into a bad apple."

"You could say that." Mark replied. "I'm used to getting dirty looks, whether they be from raiders or captive members of the Legion. It's the general feeling of fear from everyone we've walked past that concerns me."

"Why's that?" Rainbow Dash asked."I mean, you're super cool, Mark. What's there to be afraid of?"

"The fact that everyone else hasn't gotten to know me like you all have." he responded. "I'd bet that your subjects still see me as a threat, even though that is about as far from the truth as you can imagine."

"I do see your point." Celestia mused, before she had a sudden idea pop into her mind. "Would you like to make an address to the Day Court? I'd imagine that stating your intentions clearly may help your case, and alleviate some of my subject's concerns about your presence."

"I think I can manage that." Mark replied, as they approached a set of oaken double doors. As two Solar Guards opened the doors for them, the entirety of the Day Court attendees went silent in fear.

"Please, my little ponies, let him speak, as there is no need for fear." Princess Celestia said in a soothing manner. "He is here to help in any way he can to catch the fugitive responsible for attacking Princess Twilight."

"Indeed I am." Mark said, as he took the podium. "My name is Mark Rileigh, or Courier Six. The assassin you're searching for is a fake pretending to be me. There's a few things I'd like to say, if you'll hear me out."

"First, let me be perfectly clear that I am here as a friend, and I don't intend to cause any trouble. I may have come to Equestria by accident, but my purpose now, so to speak, is to aid you, just as Princess Celestia said."

"Second, in the Mojave Wasteland where I come from, I'm seen as a hero. They call me the Hero of Hoover Dam, the founder of the New Vegas Coalition, among many other things. I led the charge that toppled the tyranny of Caesar's Legion. This Legion is who I believe to be responsible for the attack on Princess Twilight."

There were murmurs of confusion from the crowd. Mark held up his hand for silence before continuing.

"This won't be pleasant, so prepare yourselves accordingly." he said. "The Legion came from the east, aiming to conquer my home, the Mojave Wasteland, for their own purposes. Wherever they went, the Legion tore down homes, set towns ablaze, killed whoever they wished, and enslaved the lucky ones that they considered valuable."

"Those that weren't so lucky were often crucified, hung on a wooden cross until they died," he continued. "The Legion was repulsed by the New California Republic at the Battle of Hoover Dam, but it was only a matter of time before they came back to finish what they had started."

"For example, in my travels, I came to the town of Nipton, right after the Legion had occupied it. Those that tried to fight back were killed. Those that didn't resist were given a lottery."

"Those that lost were decapitated and crucified. The third-place winners were enslaved. The runner-up had both of his legs broken, and the winner got to go free. I should also note that the town's mayor sold them out, but ended up being crucified nonetheless."

There were shouts of horror, shock, and fear from the crowd. Mark again raised his hand for silence, before he spoke in a manner of steeled resolve.

"What I saw that day changed me, and I resolved to put an end to these atrocities once and for all. I enlisted the help of the various factions that called the Mojave home, from the Brotherhood of Steel, to the Great Khans, to the Boomer Tribesmen, to the forces of the New California Republic, and many others, to put an end to the Legion. It was a long, arduous process, but we slowly came together…and we stood together as one."

"At the second battle of Hoover Dam, I personally led the charge that broke the Legion's lines. Their forces scattered, turned around, and ran like their lives depended on it. Because, quite frankly, it did. The massive push from the west that followed, effectively destroyed the Legion once and for all. Their leader, Caesar, was killed, along with many of his commanders."

"We freed their slaves, secured their resources for our own, and began the process of restoring peace to the Mojave." Mark continued. "From what I have been told, the Legion, or what remains of it, has it out for Princess Twilight."

"Whatever they are planning, know I will put a stop to it, no matter the cost." he finished. "I am the real Courier Six, and to the imposter that took my name…you're done for. I will find you, and I will put you down along with any who would aid you."

"Consider that a promise, and I never make a promise I cannot keep."

There was stunned silence, before the applause came to life like the revving engines of a Vertibird. After several minutes, it quieted as Princess Celestia approached to speak.

"And rest assured that you have the full support of the Crown in this endeavor, Mark Rileigh." Celestia said, offering her hoof. "Can I trust you in this?"

"Of course you can, Princess.." Mark replied, shaking it firmly. As the applause began again and lasted for only a few minutes this time, Mark gave a wave of farewell as he, along with the Elements of Harmony, headed for the doors.

"Darn fine speech there, partner." Applejack smiled. "What happens now?"

"Now? I get to work." Mark replied. "And I'll be glad to have you all along for the ride."

Author's Note

So, whatcha think?

Glad to see me back, huh? In all fairness, I have been super busy with life. But now, I am planning to schedule more chapters and generally be more active here. Wish me luck!

Chapter 5 - What Is Seen and Said, Part Two

The Mojave Wasteland
Hidden Valley, Brotherhood of Steel HQ

Conference Room

“Scribe Veronica, are you absolutely certain that Courier Six is no longer in the Mojave Wasteland?” Elder McNamara asked the woman in question, who gave a grim nod in reply. McNamara gave a frustrated sigh and turned to the others that occupied the room with a solemn expression.

“Well, shit.” Rose of Sharon Cassidy, or Cass, swore as she took a seat. “What do we do now? Six’s been missing for nearly a week. Someone should’ve found him by now.”

”Let’s not assume the worst just yet.” Pearl, the leader of the Boomers, chimed in. “We all know how resourceful the Courier is. I do believe that he is still alive.”

“Then where could he be?” Ambassador Crocker asked. “There were no signs of a struggle at the drive-in. He can’t have just…vanished off the face of the planet!”

“Maybe he did.” The King added, causing everyone to look at him in disbelief. “What? I’ve trained people to disappear before, like people wanting a fresh start or escaped Legion slaves. It's not that hard to do.”

Elder McNamara put a hand to his forehead, but then the door opened suddenly. A man wearing Brotherhood T51B Power Armor saluted as he entered. McNamara recognized him as one of the Knights sent out to secure the Drive-In and protect the scribes that were already there.

“Knight Schaeffer, I see you have returned.” McNamara said, beckoning him to come forward.
“Did you find anything at the drive-in?”

“I believe we have.” Knight Schaeffer replied, taking off his helmet. He was about Veronica’s age, with fair skin, a clean-shaven face, and ashen hair. As he hoisted a large duffel bag onto the table, Elder McNamara raised an eyebrow in confusion.

”I’ll explain.” Schaeffer said. “My team managed to find what’s left of a Pre-war satellite at the drive-in. The reason we didn’t immediately recover it was that it was buried under the rubble of a nearby shed. The casing of the satellite was unrecoverable, but the tech and circuit board inside of it was remarkably preserved.”

Schaeffer extracted the circuit board, and placed it onto the table. Veronica immediately began examining it visually, while the other visitors looked at the board incredulously.

“What’s this circuit board supposed to do?” The King asked. “I’m not exactly qualified to speak about pre-war tech, but it should do something, am I right?”

”That’s what my team also reasoned.” Schaeffer replied. “We plugged it into the drive-in’s generator, and this happened.”

Schaeffer pushed his thumb down on a section of the board, and an optical lens at the center began to glow with a strong white light. Then, a swirling vortex appeared in the center of the table. It spun for a few moments, but then the board began to sputter and give off sparks, and the vortex disappeared.

“What the hell was that?” Cass asked in disbelief.

“We think it’s some kind of gateway to another location.” Schaeffer said. “When it was hooked up to the generator, it remained open long enough for us to send an eyebot equipped with a camera through the vortex. Shortly after, we received a video transmission, which we captured on a holotape.”

Schaeffer plugged the holotape into a nearby screen, and despite the grainy, stained display, the group could see a large, verdant forested area near what appeared to be a large homestead, with fruits hanging off of the countless trees. Then, a child’s voice spoke.

“Hey, Applebloom, Scootaloo, get over here! I found something!”

Then, the camera turned and revealed a trio of young equine creatures. The first was colored a pale gold, with a red mane and a crimson bow. The second was orange with a pink mane, and the last was white with some pink in its gray mane.

“Nice job, Sweetie Belle.” Scootaloo said, poking the camera lens. “What do you think it does, Applebloom?”

”Well, it looks like some kind of a fancy camera to me.” Applebloom mused. “Like the one we took photos with at our last family reunion.”

“Now that you mention it, it does look like a camera, or at least this thing here does.” Sweetie Belle added. “Come on, let’s see if we can get it over to Princess Twilight’s castle, I think she might know what to do with it!”

”Sounds good to us!”

As the camera was again moved and placed into a small red cart, Elder McNamara’s expression was that of barely contained shock, while the others were simply dumbfounded. Eventually, he cleared his throat and turned to Schaeffer and Veronica.

”What am I looking at?

“No clue.” Ambassador Crocker replied. “At least we can understand them.”

“If I had to guess, they’re ponies.” Cass mused, drawing everyone’s attention. “Think of a smaller version of an animal called a horse. They were used for riding, transport, and other farm work back before the bombs dropped. At least, that’s what some wandering traders from the northeast told me when they walked two of ‘em by my office. They were sleek and strong, with fur like a radstag, only without the radiation.”

“Horses and ponies, huh?” the King said under his breath. “That works for me.”

”Is there any way we can communicate with these ponies?” Pearl asked out loud.

”The eyebot should be able to relay audio through its speakers, but I’m not sure…” Veronica started, only for Elder McNamara to stare at her in an expectant manner.

”…but I can try.” Veronica nodded, and she picked up a spare microphone jack from the bunker’s PA system. She plugged it into the circuit board, and then to a terminal nearby. As she fiddled with the keyboard for a few moments, Ambassador Crocker turned to Elder McNamara.

“This changes everything…” he whispered. “What do I tell my superiors about this?”

“We cross that bridge when we come to it.” the Elder replied. “Let’s just take this one step at a time. Scribe Veronica, have you finished?”

”Yeah, we’re all set!” She replied, handing the microphone over. Elder McNamara cleared his throat and leaned into the microphone.

”Greetings, young ones.”

The cart immediately stopped, and the three equines spun around to look at the camera.

“Did that thing just talk!?” Apple Bloom said in shock. “I can’t be hearing things, I’m too young for that!”

“You are not hearing things.” McNamara replied. “I am speaking to you through the eyebot you have in that cart of yours. My name is Nolan McNamara, Chief Elder of the Mojave Brotherhood of Steel.”

”Nice to meet you, Mr. McNamara!” Sweetie Belle responded. “I’m sorry we took your…whatever the thing in our cart is. Does it belong to you?”

”You could say it belongs to the Brotherhood, but that’s best discussed another time.” McNamara replied. “By any chance, have you encountered a being that answers to Courier Six?”

“You mean the Courier Six that Princess Celestia, Princess Twilight, and the Elements of Harmony brought in from the Everfree earlier today?” Scootaloo answered. “Well, I’m sorry to say you just missed him. He went to the capital city of Canterlot a few hours ago. He hasn’t come back yet.”

“That is a relief to hear.” McNamara replied. “I see him as a great ally, along with many in the Mojave Wasteland. However, do you know of any way we could reach out to him? His presence back in the Mojave is important to us.”

“Well, we could ask Spike.” Scootaloo suggested. “He’s Princess Twilight’s assistant, and he could probably send a message for you.”

“Excellent!” McNamara said in a tone of success. “I implore you to do so immediately. We are still working on a method to reach your world from the Mojave, as such I would like to ask if you can keep us updated on whatever happens.”

“Well, sure, we can do that!!” Applebloom nodded. “We’ll head over to Princess Twilight’s castle and get Spike. in the meantime, do you need anything else?”

“Information.” McNamara replied. “We like to know more about your world, as to better aid Courier Six when we hopefully arrive to assist him. I must also inform you that time is of the essence. The quicker this is done, the better.”

“You got it!” The three fillies cheered, and as they began moving again at a faster pace, McNamara simply muted the microphone and turned to the dumbstruck visitors.

“It seems we have much more work to do than we thought.” Ambassador Crocker sighed. “A world full of…ponies…and Courier Six on the other side with ‘em. Just wait till my superiors see this.”

“There’s no time for that. Right now, just as you said…we have work to do.” Elder McNamara gave a rare smile. ‘Those three gave us the first real lead we’ve gotten in a week. One way or another…”

“We’re getting our Courier home.”

Author's Note

Update!