War, war never changes.
Equestria was once a peaceful and vibrant nation, full of love, excitement and prosperity. But now, you only see a barren wasteland full of empty streets and bombed-out houses, skeletons of pony soldiers and civilians littered the streets. A community once full of happy go-lucky ponies, were now reduced to ashes.
200 years ago, Equestria was in a Resource war with the Zebra Nation. Equestria with her magical gemstones and the Zebra Nation with their coal, each side not moving an inch. Till the massacre in Littlehorn Valley, which caused the abdication of Princess Celestia giving up the throne to her little sister, Princess Luna.
The war lasted for decades, with each side in a stalemate. Both sides tried to gain a hoof-hold in the war, assassination of a politician here, a infiltration there, they even tried to assassinate Princess Celestia herself at one point but failed. At that point the Ministry of Peace led a project with the help of the Ministry of Arcane Science in order to create a megaspell, a megaspell is a spell framework that exponentially amplifies the power of any given spell, whether it be healing or devastating.
At one point the schematics of the megaspell was given to the zebras hoping they would use it on their troops so that they would have less casualties, but no, instead they repurposed the schematics of the megaspell to rain them upon unsuspecting equestrian soldiers and civilians, the zebras believed that Princess Luna was still Nightmare Moon that she had the ponies of Equestria under her "Influence from the stars" and they also believed that they weren't going to win the war that defeat was imminent, with one last Hail Mary the zebras launched an all-out megaspell strike.
As expected, the land of both Equestria and the Zebra Nation fell into a bale-fire holocaust. Burning the land and sea, the once mighty government of Equestria has now reduced into nothingness, the rest of the civilian population dwindled to zero, the lucky few who survived were escorted to underground shelters known as Stables built by Stable-tec during the war.
Some believed that the surface is no longer suitable for ponies anymore. That we were better off underground, forgotten, abandoned, rotting.
However, with the stubbornness of ponykind prevailed once more. scrounging through the dirt and mud left behind by those before us. Scavenging anything useful to be able to survive the wild and barren wasteland of the Moohave.
New Pegas
Long before the war even began, a very wealthy stallion named Mr. Edwin R. Horse would regularly design and run mathematical paradigms based on global political and socioeconomic conditions in an effort to predict future events. By then, these projections led him to the inexorable conclusion that the world would be engulfed in a bale-fire War.
Armed with his projections, Horse went to work making preparations to ensure the city of Las Pegas would survive the apocalypse and that would live to see the world after the war. He programmed multiple mainframes with satellite links meant to disable the vast majority of the missiles while in flight, then designed an array of high-powered laser cannons, which he had installed on the roof of the Lucky Chance and Hoofer Dam, to deal with any missile his program had missed.
To preserve himself, he took equally drastic steps: his body was permanently connected to an extremely sophisticated life support device named a hibernation chamber to take care of his physiological needs, while his brain was wired directly into his vast information network via an enormous supercomputer which linking Robert Horse to an external interface, from which he has access to large amounts of data from the Lucky Chance's mainframe, as well as the ability to control his Computrons.
Though his efforts saved the city, he was put into a coma from the excessive strain on the software supporting his brain and support systems. This coma lasted for 61 years until his systems restarted. He would bide his time until the arrival of the New Coltifornia Republic when he would reform several tribes in the New Vegas area into the "Three Families'' to turn the used to be anarchic New Pegas into a civilized city again under the oversight of his Computrons army.
The NCR (New Coltifornia Republic)
The NCR or the New Coltifornia Republic, is a federal parliamentary republic founded in New Coltifornia. It comprises five contiguous states in Southern Coltifornia with additional territorial holdings in Northern Coltifornia, Oregon, Neighveda and Baja Coltifornia.
The NCR emphasizes and strives to support a plethora of old world values, such as democracy, personal liberty, and the rule of law. It also aims to restore general order to the wasteland, the improvement and development of infrastructure and economic systems, and overarching peace between people. Similar to institutions of the old world it seeks to emulate, continued expansion has created challenges with territorial control, loyalty, and corruption that plague the Republic and serve to hinder its goals.
Following the discovery of the intact Hoofer Dam in the Moohave Wasteland by NCR rangers and Army scouts, President Thimble, the president of the New Coltifornia Republic, ordered the NCR Army to occupy the dam and bring it online. However, when the military contingent arrived at the dam, they were greeted by a large garrison of tribals ( the soon to be "Three Families'') and Computrons.
Following negotiations, Robert Horse relinquished control of the dam to the New Coltifornia Republic in exchange for a number of concessions, enshrined in what is called the Treaty of New Pegas. The New Coltifornia Republic would likely have attempted a forceful takeover of both New Pegas and Hoofer Dam, if not for the threat from the Herd. Attempting to wage war with Horse would leave them vulnerable to a Herd offensive.
The principal element of the Treaty is New Coltifornia Republic's recognition of Horse's sovereignty over the New Pegas Strip. In return, the NCR was granted rights to establish military bases at Hoofer Dam and McMaren Airport, as well as additional military outposts and camps as needed. As a sign of good faith, Horse also provided facilities for an NCR Embassy on the Strip.
Caesar's Herd
Caesar's Herd is an imperialistic, reactionary, and totalitarian dictatorship based on large scale slavery and tribal dominance. the Legion uses trappings of the ancient Zebra Nation as part of a unifying identity imposed on its tribes but does not recreate any cultural, social, or political institutions of ancient Zebra times. The Herd itself is simply a slave army built on ruthlessly utilitarian principles, supported by several tributary populations.
Enslaved bucks are used for combat, and are called legionaries, while enslaved mares are forced to bear children and support the war effort. Both are predominately reconditioned tribals, forming a well-organized, culturally insular fighting force. The Herd mainly operates east of the Coltorado River and the Grand Canyon, primarily in the former states of Arizona and New Mexico with hoofholds in Utah and Coltorado.
"Let me go you Jackal fucks!" I said as I helplessly wriggled in my bondages.
"Save your breath, it'll be all over soon~" one of the Jackals said as the rest of the others laughed.
This was not how my day was supposed to go. Being tied up, beaten and taunted by chem-induced psychos was not high on my to-do-list.
Name's DeadEye, like it would matter anymore considering I will be murdered by Jackals. Anyway long-story short, I live in Goodsprings and I'm a mercenary, yeah that's about it really...…What? You expect a whole life-story? You want me to back to the time when I was a sweet-and-innocent little colt, and how I get my cutie mark and why I became a mercenary in the first place?
FUCK. YOU.
Besides like I said I would be murdered in a minute or so, I was on a delivery run for a high-roller looking fella, he wouldn't tell me his name though. He preferred to be called Chair-Horse, probably one of the members from the Tops casino in the Strip.
He hired me to protect and deliver a package to Big Rock City and give it to a pony named Swanks and that he will be the well-dressed pony there drinking in the bar, he also said that to ask him how he likes his drink and that he will reply that he likes it shaken, not stirred. Once that is done I just need to give it to him and I will be paid on the spot, sounds easy enough.
I asked Chair-Horse why he wouldn't want a courier to do the delivery instead, he said that couriers are too easy of a target for raiders and slavers. And that a mercenary would be best suited for the job instead, considering nopony would think twice to approach a well-armed and well-trained mercenary.
As a mercenary myself, his logic is kind of flawed. If you see a mercenary wandering about in the wasteland you would totally go after him, considering that mercenaries usually have some good stuff on him or her. But considering Chair-Horse is willing to pay 20,000 caps for this, I kept my muzzle shut.
Now here I was, several miles away from home. And now tied up and beaten to a bloody pulp laying down on my back looking up to those ugly muzzles before me, and with no back-up whatso-ever.
Shit, should have taken the caravan job instead. I shook my head, Get a fucking hold of yourself Dead Eye! Think for once in your whole Goddess-damned life!
Ok, breathe. I inhaled and exhaled and began to try to piece the details of the events of my capture.
When they captured me, they took my saddlebags with all of my weapons, ammo and my caps inside of it. They also stripped me of my reinforced-leather armor, they tied all of my hooves together using a long-wrap tie, same time they cowponies used to wrap a Big Horner calves. And for some reason, the Jackals had obtained a magic-dampening collar around my horn to keep me from using my magic to escape.
They ambushed me while I was camped out under the overpass near Wolfhorn Ranch, and all the time they captured me they had a sack over my head and tied a cloth around my mouth to keep me from screaming. With the sack over my head I couldn't tell where they had taken me to, for all I know they ought to sell me to the Herd in exchange for more caps.
As I lay on the ground, the Jackals would sometimes kick me in the stomach, spit at me, pour beer or whiskey on my face (Basically water-boarding, but with alcohol). A voice from afar broke their 'let's-kick-the-shit-out-of-DeadEye-and-pour-alcohol-on-his-face' game, "Hey! bring the prisoner to the grave!" A grave, well shit.
The circle of Jackals around me dispersed, but one Jackal remained and grabbed the rope that is tied to my hooves with his teeth and began dragging me. "Hey Pike! You dumbass, don't forget to put the rag in his mouth and sack over his head!" one of the Jackals said to the pony who was dragging me, who I believed his name was 'Pike'.
I strained my head to take a good look at 'Pike', Pike is an earth pony and a little one at that, and he wore a make-shift spiked leather barding. I believe that Pike here would be 5 inches smaller than me, (Not including my horn) his fur color I think it's called deep yellow green if I am not mistaken, his tar-black mane is sporting that spiked mohawk look, the type I would see in pre-war magazines which is famous among rock bands.
Pike also has a scar going from his forehead, down to his right eye. A feature, I would remember. I'll remember dear ol'e Pike here if I managed to get out of here alive, IF I manage to get out of here alive that is.
As Pike tied a cloth around my muzzle and put a sack on my head, he continued on dragging me to my aforementioned grave. The cloth tied around my muzzle, and the sack over my head, is probably one of the smartest things they could have done (And this would be the first and last good thing I would say about the Jackals). But they should've covered my ears as well.
"This is just a waste of time, why can't we just kill him already?" Pike asked through clenched teeth.
"Because the boss said so" came a reply.
"Oh really? 'Cause the boss said so'? Or was it from that city-slicker from Pegas said so?" Pike replied sarcastically.
Wait, city-slicker? I perked up and listened carefully.
"Who the fuck cares? As long as I get paid I don't care who gave the order" came a lazy reply.
"Fuck you Reek! How many others died protecting that high-class pompous asshole?! Once we captured this shit-head here, we had nothing other than a streak-of-shit gone our way from the very start! We were caught in a cross-fire between the NCR and the Herd, and we needed to double-back the way we came. Next, once we neared No-pony the fucktard in the dragon's mouth, kept killing our guys that we left in a hurry leaving some behind possibly dead or wounded. And for what? This asshole and his package he was delivering? FUCK. THAT." Pike replied, guessing by his tone of voice Pike was pissed, and also bless that pony who killed some of the Jackals. Have a cold one on me (Get it? cause they poured alcohol on me? HA!).
"Like I don't fucking know! I was there numb-nuts! And it's not like you were much help anyway, you kept hiding behind cover all the time, cowering and your same lame excuse all the time was 'I was guarding the prisoner' " replied who I now know the name of, which is 'Reek'.
"B-but it is true! I was guarding this shit stick the whole time!" Pike stammered.
"Yeah whatever, You've always been a coward, don't know why the boss lady even let you join the Jackals" Reek replied.
"Fuck you Reek! You know, me and the other guys were thinking of splitting from the Jackals a week ago, but we don't have a reason for it yet. And with the day we just had today, enough is enough and that we are better off on our own" Pike said as he continued dragging me.
"Ha! Good luck with that I give you guys 3 days till you're dead or captured by either the NCR or the Herd" Reek chuckled.
I give them a week at most
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"Ok good, Pike dropped that sonuvabitch in there and removed the sack and the cloth" A unfamiliar voice said.
The sack over my head was removed, with the sack gone I began looking around in my surroundings. First things first it was night time, and secondly we were in a very dry and windy place. And......is that burned flesh I smell? Ah, I see we are in El Diablo Dry Lake. The only lake that is infested with giant fire-ants, I guess if you're gonna bury somepony, bury them where nopony wanders.
Pike began removing the cloth in my mouth, *pffffftttt* "You guys better wash that cloth, fucking thing smells and taste weird". on my left was the grave that they dug up, a good 5 feet.
"Push him in" the same voice instructed, I searched around for the source of the voice. And there behind the group of Jackals standing with Pike is a dark-violet unicorn mare, sporting heavy metal armor. Her mane had the similarity with Pike but hers is thicker and its blood-red, (Or real blood, can't tell) I think she's the 'Boss lady' Pike and Reek talked about.
"Hey you! Are you in charge of these shit-heads?" I asked for her attention, and which I did. Boss lady approached me, making the Jackals in front of her to make room for her.
"Maybe, maybe not. Why are you askin?" She asked, looking down at me with cold and piercing eyes.
"I got an inside scoop for you, juicy intel among your members!" I said using my DeadEye charm (A 50/50 percent chance may or may not work).
"Oh really? And what do you get out of this?" The Boss lady, Pike who was standing beside her frowned at me.
"My freedom of course!" Boss lady looked at me for a few seconds then laughed, prompting the others to laugh as well. Pike on the other hoof did a nervous chuckle rather than actual laughter.
"Thanks, but no thanks. Your intel ain't worth shit than the pony who hired us is giving" Boss lady said.
I shrugged, "You might regret that~" I said in a sing-song manner, I looked at Pike and winked at him.
My wink wasn't really subtle, Boss lady noticed it and she frowned looking back and forth between me and Pike.
"Pike! Come with me a moment, rest of you push that fuck-stick in!" yelled the boss lady, as she disappeared behind the crowd with Pike in tow.
Ooooh~ Somepony is in trouble!
I don't see them, but I can hear some bits and pieces of the conversation due to the high-wind in El Diablo Dry Lake.
"Why did he winke-"
"Boss it's nothi-"
"...…I swear Pike you have be-"
"Boss really he was ju-"
The conversation was cut short as the rest of the Jackals pushed (They tossed me in rather than pushing really) me in the grave. I landed with a loud thud, not enough to break my back but enough to make it sting, a cloud of sand burst outwards around me, some managing to get in my face.
*Koff* *koff* *koff* *pfffffttttt* "Bleh! Sand in my muzzle!" I said as I tried to spit some of it out. Prompting the Jackals to laugh at my expense, they really are a bunch of A-holes.
"Aaaaahhh~ The grande finale we've all been waiting for~" A cool voice said out of nowhere.
I looked up from my grave, the Jackals moved out of the way once more for a very well-dressed unicorn stallion in a white and black checkered suit.
This must be the 'city-slicker' Pike and Reek was talking about
The dark green stallion sports a 'I-am-from-Las-Pegas-bow-down-before-me!' vibe, the way he talks and walks means that he is used to being in-charge. He shook his jet-black mane before putting on a small white and black bowler hat to complete his look, "Sorry had to be this way, It's nothing personal really, it's just that my boss really needed the package you were delivering." His horn lit up and floated the brown square package in front of him, "You really have no idea what this baby can do, since you are just a mercenary-for-hire you really wouldn't understand." He said, smirking down at me.
Ouch
He took a sharp intake of air before continuing, "Anyway! Boss said to tie-up loose ends and that 'loose end' is you, like I said this ain't personal. It's the job I was assigned to do." He put the package back where he pulled it from and pulled out what looks like a custom-made 9mm pistol from his suit.
"From where you are laying must seem like an eighteen karat run of bad luck," he said before pointing the gun at me.
"The truth is, the game was rigged from the start"
OOOHHH FUCCCKK NOOO-
*BANG*
