Fallout Equestria: Falling Ashes

Ash opened her eyes and looked around, a fire Cinder had lit the night before had burned out while they were asleep. Ash checked her battery to find it dead.

“Cinder? Can you hear me?” Ash’s voice echoed around her helmet.

Ash forced the helmet to move to see Cinder standing beside her, still asleep. Ash forced her front right leg servo to move forward, followed by her front left, her legs started to slide forward in the sand. As her chest got closer to the ground she felt the back of the armor opening, her rear legs stayed planted where they were, lifting her rear over her head.

When her armor opened enough Ash climbed out and tapped Cinder’s helmet.

“Yea? What is it?” She asked, sounding tired.

“Armor died, we really shouldn’t keep sleeping in these. We don't have that many spark batteries.” Ash pulled the armored saddle bag open and pulled a fresh battery out and replaced her dead one.

“Mine’s at one.” Cinder opened her armor and climbed out to replace hers.

“Think we should head into the city instead of hanging out in the desert?” Cinder asked Ash after replacing the battery.

Ash turned towards Cinder before replying “Where the hell are we going to get that kind of money? Those rifles I'm fixing will get us into the strip sure but we won't be able to afford anything inside. On top of that our butt marks clearly show we are Rangers if we go without armor.”

“Simple, some abandoned home invasion. Just need to find some shitty leather armor or something, I could probably attach some street signs or something for extra protection.” Cinder replied with a smile.

“Well.. I guess that might work. But we need better armor than some signs.” Ash Climbed back into her armor and looked around.

Cinder did the same before continuing the conversation. “ Might be lucky and find some metal armor on a trader or something. Probably will be a thousand caps for two suits though.”

“Well we could buy them I guess, I’ll go finish those rifles.” Ash walked back to her makeshift workshop, Cinder went back to the destroyed bots to strip more parts from them.

***

Ash and Cinder followed the road south, towards the city. The laser rifles sat in Ash’s saddlebag, the stocks poking out. Cinder watched her S.A.T.S. as they followed the road.

“Wouldn’t finding one of the towns be better, and easier than finding a roaming trader? We’re way more likely to find one in a town.” Cinder said with an annoyed tone.

“Ah walking won’t hurt ya, townsponies might though. A lot of them hate the Rangers and a roaming trader is less likely to attack us since they’ll be alone.” Ash said with a shrug.

“You just imply I'm fat? I’ll kick your ass Paladin.” Cinder said with a growl.

“I still outrank you Knight, also that isn’t what I implied.” Ash booped the nose of Cinder’s helmet.

Cinder pushed her flank against Ash, pushing her to the side some. “Couldn’t ya tell i was joking Ashy.”

“It’s hard to tell with you, anyway, I see the makeshift walls of a town so I guess you get your wish.” Ash said, looking back to Cinder.

“Traders in an actual town will have more stock since they don't have to carry a limited amount of stuff with them.” Cinder looking over into Ash’s visor.

Ash flashed her headlamp at Cinder and looked back forward. Cinder smacked her flank and continued following her.

As they reached the town’s gates Ash took her helmet off, Cinder glanced at her before taking her’s off as well.

Ash tried to open the gate to find it locked. “Hello! Anyone in there?” Ash yelled at the gate.

“Who is it and the fuck do you want?” A male’s voice came from somewhere above the gate.

“Couple of Rangers, we were hoping to trade?” Cinder yelled up at the voice.

“The fuck do Rangers want here? We already deal with normal raiders trying to fuck with us.” Ash could see a brown stallion wearing an old Equestrian Military combat helmet.

“We wanted to see if we could buy some armor for some old laser rifles.” Ash backed up to see him better.

“Fine, but if you cause shtt we’re putting one in both your heads, keep those helmets off. Hey Shadow, open up the gate!” He walked away from on top of the gate.

The gate swung in to reveal a black stallion with combat armor, the brown stallion walked beside him. Old and rusty hunting rifles were slung over their backs.

“Hey the rifles I have could replace those things, they look like they’ll explode if you put too many rounds through them.” Ash said to the town’s guards.

“We can barely afford to feed these rifles, fuck off with your expensive as shit laser rifles.” The brown one said to Ash before walking off.

“Oookay then.” Ash walked into the town and started looking around, it was just a few houses with a tall, wooden fence around them with metal pieces nailed to it. The wall looked made from torn down buildings.

“Not sure anyone here could afford these, don't think they’d even have anything good to sell.” Cinder said, sceptically.

“They might have some extra combat armor, it would be better than leather or rusted metal.” Ash replied hopefully.

“Don’t get your hopes up. Anyway, that one has a sign that says shop.” Cinder pointed to one of the houses, above the doorway is a sign labeled “shop”.

Ash heads into the house, Cinder waits out on the porch while Ash trades.

“Hel.. oh… you’re a Ranger. What do you want?” A white mare behind a counter looked up from what she was doing as she talked.

“Do you buy guns?” Ash asked, trying to look friendly.

The mare’s ears went back. “Sometimes…” She was hesitant to speak.

Ash pulled one of the rifles out and set it on the counter. “How much would you buy these for?”

The mare flinched when Ash pulled the rifle out, Ash heard someone get up behind her so she looked back, a blue guard pony had gotten up when she pulled the rifle out of her bag.

Ash’s ears went back. “I just want to sell them, not robbing her or whatever you think.”

The guard pony stayed standing and watched Ash so she shrugged and turned back around. “Aaanyway, how much would you buy these for? They fire two beams.”

“I-I uh.. I don’t have e-enough caps for something like th-that.” The white mare stammered out to Ash.

“Did.. something happen to you? You’re very nervous.” Ash tilted her head as she asked.

“R-raiders happ..” The mare started to talk before being interrupted by the guard. “And you Rangers are just more organized raiders, we came to the Neijave to get away from you Steel Rangers.”

Ash turned to face him. “Not all of us are like that, just some Chapters. Hell, we left our Chapter because they were like that.”

“Hmph, then I guess you’re fine.” He went back and sat down.

Ash turned back to the trader mare, her ears had pointed back up. “Do you have any extra combat armor? We could trade a rifle each and a few cells for them.”

“We only have one but there’s a metal suit our blacksmith made, would that work?” The mare sounded a lot more confident after Ash’s confrontation with the guard.

“How’s one rifle with five cells, also the one already in the rifle?” Ash suggested.

“That doesn’t sound like much.” She picked up the rifle and pointed it at the ceiling.

“Well the rifle fires two beams instead of the normal one. The cells are around thirty shots I think? Somewhere around that.” Ash said while rubbing her chin.

“Uhh well I guess it’s fine then.” The mare crouched down and pulled the armor from a box under the counter while Ash exited her armor and pulled the cells out of the armor’s saddlebox and set them onto the counter.

Ash put the armor into the boxes before getting back into the suit and leaving.

“So what’d ya get?” Cinder asked as Ash left the store.

“Combat armor and metal armor, you can have the combat armor.” Ash continued to the middle of town.

“Sure you don't want the combat armor? I think you’d look good in it hehe.” Cinder winked at Ash.

Ash just rolled her eyes and walked to the gate. As she got to the gate she put her helmet back on. The guards that had let them in opened the gate, Ash and Cinder left the town and started following the road again.

“Did you get any caps? Or just the armor?” Cinder asked as she followed ash.

“Just the armor, don't think they could actually afford to buy the guns or the rounds.” Ash looked back at Cinder as she talked.

“Well I guess look for another town or find a roaming trader. Although both I doubt will happen, surprised we even found this town, most have been hit by raiders.” Cinder looked at her map as they walked.

“Might be able to sell them in the shithole you have to go through to get to the Strip.” Ash looked back forward.

“Could probably do that, might be kinda dangerous. Also how do you know about this?” Cinder tilted her head at Ash.

“Found a book about it, it was kinda mangled so I don’t know what most of it said.” Ash started looking through her inventory for the book.

“Book? How the hell are books still being made?” Cinder asked, confused.

“Dunno, someone named Ditzy made it, probably a ghoul with how much is in it.” Ash selected the Neijave guide from her inventory, her saddlebox opened and the book rose to the top.

Cinder pulled her helmet off and took the book. “Wasteland Survival Guide?”

“Yea, has some chapters about each part of Equestria, Manehatten wasn’t in there so I guess it’s one of the sections ripped out. Fillydelphia chapter says to avoid us, especially if you're a dweller. Neijave says the Rangers actually help ponies, maybe we should try to make contact?” Ash closed her saddlebox as she walked.

“Maybe we actually should, any idea where they are?” Cinder asked.

“Nope! Might meet a few if we keep walking around though.” Ash suggested.

“Do you know how long that would fucking take?” Cinder put the book into her saddlebox.

“Ahhh it’ll be fine. But seriously, if we check the major settlements or find anything technologically important we should be able to find them.” Ash looked back at Cinder again.

“I guess that would work. Maybe we’ll find them when we visit the Strip.” Cinder took her helmet off and blepped at Ash before putting it back on.

“Made yourself an easy target by doing that.” Ash shook her head disappointedly at her.

“We were just walking around that town with them off.” Cinder rolled her eyes at Ash.

“Only because we have to, out here we’re more likely to get shot at.” Ash complained.

***

After an entire day of walking they arrived back to their camp, they both exited their armor and Ash gave Cinder the old combat armor.

Cinder pulled off the rubber suit that was required for Power Armor and tossed it with her armor, Ash did the same and started putting the metal armor on. Ash snuck a few glances at Cinder’s flank as she put on the armor.

Cinder noticed and shook her cutie mark at Ash with a wink, a missile with a cartoony explosion behind it. Ash blushed and focused on putting her armor on.

When Ash was done she looked back at Cinder, who had finished before her and was watching. “Enjoy the view Ashy?” Cinder said with a wink.

Ash’s blush deepened. “Sh-shut up.” She went to her armor and grabbed her pistol, the remaining rifles, and the ammunition for all them. When Ash came back to Cinder she had her helmet off and blepped at Ash.

“Do you even have a weapon other than the launchers? I have the pistol that I made with you, I could give you one of the rifles.” Ash put her pistol into the holster slung around her neck.

“I mean I could rig the launchers to me, I just won't be able to reload them.” Cinder replied to ash while adjusting her armor.

“Just take the rifle, they’re the kind you have to stand up to fire, it’ll take too long to rig it to a saddle.” Ash tossed a rifle to Cinder.

Cinder took it and set it on her back, she then caught the cells that power it and tossed them into a pouch on the armor’s chest.

“Ready now?” Ash asked while checking her pistol’s magazine.

“Yea, hope I don’t have to use it, since I’ll expose my belly and chest to fire it.” Cinder started walking up the hill that protects their camp.

“Might also be able to lay down and fire it, that’d make you a smaller target than using a battle saddle.” Ash started following her.

“That’s true, also how many rifles were you able to fix?” Cinder started to climb up the hill with Ash following.

“Just three, and we already sold one, should sell for two thousand each.” Ash replied while watching the ground as she climbed.

“Know what the fee to the Strip is?” Cinder reached the top and waited for Ash.

“Actually it’s not a fee, you just have to have two thousand caps on you and they’ll let you in, well the book said that at least.” Ash replied after getting to the top with her.

“Wait, they don't even take them?” Cinder tilted her head at Ash, the combat helmet slid to the side of her head because it was too big.

“Yep, it’s just to keep the poor ponies out. Supposedly keeps the Strip safer. Guess it works since the book only warns of muggings in the town outside the strip.” Ash started going down the other side of the hill, towards the road.

“Guess it works then, hopefully we’ll have enough for both of us then.” Cinder followed Ash down.

“Book also said we only have to do it once, the bots remember we had enough the first time.” Ash started sliding down the sandy lower half of the hill.

Cinder slid down beside her, when they reached the bottom they started following the road towards the Strip.

“The book also has some maps in here. I spent last night recording them onto my armor. It doesn't really help now, but when we get back home I know where all the towns are now.” Ash followed the road ahead of Cinder.

“Would’ve been helpful yesterday, could’ve found a town that isn’t poor that we could actually sell the rifles to.” Cinder replied, she started walking faster so she was walking beside Ash.

“I know I know.” Ash continued walking as she talked.

***

Ash and Cinder finally arrived at the gates to the town around the Strip. Ash opened the gates for Cinder, she entered the town after Cinder. Beside the gate were some ponies in armor, they ignored them and kept walking.

“See any stores that aren’t boarded up?” Cinder asked Ash as they walked.

“Book said there’s a bar here that sells guns on the side. Also said it had mare waitresses that wear maid outfits.” Ash said with a blep at Cinder.

“Oh? You want to join them don’t ya.” Cinder said, smiling at Ash.

“N-no, I was just saying. A-anyway they sell guns there, we could sell the rifles to get in the strip.” Ash said with a blush.

“Oh you just want to go for the view.” Cinder said as she bumped Ash’s flank with her own.

“Nononono, that's not why.” Ash said as her blush deepened.

“Oh I’m just messing with ya. Let’s go so we can get to the strip. Actually, go to the gates and see if it is two thousand, I’ll go sell the rifles.” Cinder suggested.

“Why?” Ash asked with her head tilted.

“Remember your birthday is soon? I need to get you a gift.” Cinder said, smiling at Ash.

“Oh right. I completely forgot.” Ash said surprised.

Cinder licked Ash’s nose then took the rifle off Ash’s back. “I’ll be back soon Ashy, don't get into trouble while I'm gone.”

“You get into more trouble than me.” Ash said to Cinder as she walked to the gates to the Strip.

***

Cinder followed the voice of a mare yelling about the bar she was heading to. “Hey? Where’s that bar at?”

“Down the road behind me, it’s on the right side of the road.” The mare told Cinder before yelling to other ponies walking past.

“Alright.” Cinder followed the road behind the mare and soon got to the bar.

Cinder entered the bar and looked around, the floor near the door was filled with tables and chairs, mares in maid outfits walked around with drinks on a tray they carried on their backs, just like Ash said. Some ponies they delivered to groped them, Cinder shook her head when she saw that and started looking for the pony selling guns.

“Hey, looking to forget everything for a while?” A mare behind a counter to Cinder’s right asked.

“No, but I heard there's guns sold here as well as alcohol?” Cinder turned to look at the mare who spoke.

“Yea my brother sells them in the back, I just sell alcohol.” The mare said.

“Actually, how much for an unopened Wild Pegasus?” Cinder asked as she pulled a bag of caps from her chest pouches.

“Out of normal Pegasus, but I have some honey bottles for fifty.” The mare said before going in the back to grab a bottle.

“Hmm she might like that more.” Cinder said to herself as she counted out the fifty caps and set them onto the counter.

The mare came back and set a bottle of honey Wild Pegasus on the counter. “What was that?”

“Nothing, talking to myself.” Cinder said as she pocketed the bottle, the other mare took the caps off the counter.

Cinder headed to the back, following one of the waitress mares who was delivering a drink. She glanced down as she followed her and noticed there was nothing below the skirt.. Dress?
The waitress mare went to one of the bar’s patrons and Cinder went to a grey stallion who had a bunch of weapons, as well as a large sack, and boxes of ammunition inside a cage he was standing outside of. “Need somethin?”

“Caps, got a couple rifles and ammunition to offload.” Cinder set the rifles onto the floor in front of him, as well as their ammunition.

“I’ll give six thousand for all of it.” The gun pony unlocked the cage and started pulling caps out of a sack inside.

“Perfect, but how much for a 9mm pistol and a box or two of ammunition?” Cinder sat down and waited for the pony to get her caps.

After getting all the caps he set it all in front of her feet. “Eight hundred.”

“Alright I’ll take them.” Cinder started pocketing the caps except for the eight hundred.

The pony got her pistol and ammunition and set it in front of Cinder before taking the caps back and tossing it back into the sack, then re-locking the cage.

Cinder put the rounds and pistol in her chest pouches and walked back to the front counter. “Hey? Could you give me another bottle of honey?”

“Yea sure.” The mare walked to the back room again to get another bottle.

Cinder counted out the caps and set them onto the counter and waited till the mare came back with the bottle, when she set the bottle onto the counter Cinder took it and left the bar.

Cinder put the bottle into her pocket and walked to the gate where Ash should be. As she walked she noted two ponies in rags following her, one had a knife in his mouth, Cinder flashed her pistol’s handle at them and they ran away, Cinder shook her head at them and continued on.

Cinder walked onto the main street of the small town and saw Ash talking with a large robot on a single wheel. “Looks unstable.” Cinder started walking to Ash.

Ash looked over and saw Cinder and started walking to her.

***

“Hey Cinder, got the caps? Bot said we each had to have our own caps to enter.” Ash stopped when Cinder got to her, she turned around and started walking back to the bots with Cinder beside her.

Cinder gave her half of the caps she got. “Yea, I also bought a pistol for me, we have around five thousand left.”

“Well perfect, the bots said they don't take them so we have all that for the strip.” Ash went up to one of the bots and showed her caps, it told her to enter so Cinder showed it as well. When it told her to enter she followed Ash into the Strip.

“So there's some casinos here, it’s the main thing to do here, also there's actually a Stable in here, it for some reason is also a gift shop.” Ash talked as they walked down the Strip.

“Maybe we should rent a room here for a night or two, it’ll be nice to have an actual bed for once.” Cinder said as she looked up at the massive casinos that aligned each side of the road.

“Might be expensive, I want to see that Stable thing first, maybe they have cheaper rooms.” Ash continued down the road past the casinos.

“Yeah sure, it’ll probably be like five hundred a night.” Cinde replied as she followed Ash.

“Yea lets go.” Ash stopped when she saw the sign for the Stable 21 Hotel. “Is.. that it?”

“I guess so, let’s go in.” Cinder entered the small building and Ash followed her in.

“Hello?” Ash said while looking around, around the small room was random junk, in the middle of the room was a counter with a bit register.

They heard a metal door open and a mare came from a hallway that connected to the small room. “Oh hey, welcome to the Stable 21 Gift Shop, do you want to buy something or rent a room?”

Ash looked over to the pink mare with a yellow mane. “Room, depending on how much it is.”

“It’s a hundred per night.” The pink mare replied as she went behind the counter.

Ash turned to Cinder. “Cinder, want to stay a week?”

Cinder looked back at Ash.“Yea sure, it might be fun.”

Ash turned back to the stable mare. ”Seven days then.”

“Alright, seven hundred caps.” The pink mare opened the register.

Cinder pulled out seven hundred caps and dropped them onto the counter. The pink mare put it all into the register. “I can show you to your room if you want.”

“Yeah, sure, lead the way.” Cinder replied to the mare.

The stable mare went back down the hallway that sloped down that she had come from, Ash and Cinder followed her down into the stable. The hallway went right into an atrium with a hallway going to the left and right.

The mare walked to the left, down the hallway and stopped beside a closed door. “This one's yours.”

Ash tilted her head at the mare. “Wait there's no cog door?”

“Nope, only stable with no cog door.” The mare replied before walking back to the gift shop.

Ash opened the sliding door and entered the room, Cinder followed her in. Ash went to the bed and flopped onto it. Cinder closed the door and went beside the bed. “Already?”

“What? It’s the first bed we’ve seen in like a month.” Ash covered her eyes with her hoof.

Cinder got on top of Ash and put her head on Ash’s chest. “I guess it has been a while, want to take our armor off and nap?”

“Yeah sure.” Cinder got off Ash and started taking her combat armor off, Ash started taking her leather armor off and they both tossed their armor onto the floor beside them. Ash laid back down and Cinder laid back on top of her, Cinder nuzzled into Ash’s chest.