Fallout Equestria: Ballad of a Rogue Ranger

Chapter sixteen: Needle in a haystack

I’d never seen a mare so happy about holding a weapon, at least besides the one I gifted to her from Rogue. Tumble tried to work her shoulders to keep Barrels’ AMR across them evenly, right next to the carbine from said ranger. In her hooves, one of the rounds she pulled off the dead commander she looked over, trying to make heads or tails of it.

“Any idea there Wild?” she finally asked the resident expert of things that went bang…

“Armor piercing incendiary…” I knew the incendiary part all too well, some of my skin still felt raw under the plating.

The suit might have been trying its best with what I gave it, but some of the joints still sounded like grinding coffee as they moved taking us back to town. Plus, a lot of the plating itself just looked… rough, there really wasn’t any other way to describe it. Fresh patched plates from the talisman were smooth, these looked like someone had taken a forging hammer to em. Just a little something I’d have to touch up with that spell, do Knight Rogue proud. As for my foreleg, that was still sore… understandably so, but that limp would go away in time.

Hey, I could still feel it at least.

“Something like that should have killed ya,” Staggs reminded me of the obvious as he looked over the suit. “So, either you’re being looked out for by one of ya’lls’ princesses, or you need to get in to gambling.”

“Let’s just say… mine’s a bit sturdier than normal Power Armor,” I didn’t want to go too much in to detail with the guy, especially one that shot one of my group not long ago, “Barrel probably wasn’t banking on that.” It’s amazing to think that if Tumble hadn’t found that spell matrix locked away in some random safe, this armor would have been my coffin.

“So, save these for special occasions,” said the same mare as she put the rounds back in her bags for safe keeping.

Looked like AMR rounds were back on the shopping list. A pricy commodity, but good thing we stripped the Gunners before we left. They even threw some of their big guns at the trio while me and Staggs went to deal with the sniper. A few of them had been armed with miniguns of their own, which I happily took the 5mm from before Riff threw them all on her back.

There was one thing though I could do while we walked, and from my bag the tape Barrel had passed off was held in my aura. “Think I should play it?” I asked for a general consensus.

“What’s the worst that’ll happen… you’re already gonna have her siblings coming after ya now,” Staggs once again, reminded me of the obvious.

So, with nothing really to lose, I slid the tape back in my bags as the inventory pulled it up. Click, and play… static came through at first, before the sounds of the mare with a bit less blood coming from her throat piped up.

“Well Ranger, if you’re hearing this, that means ya killed me… congrats,” I could already picture the sneering face of the mare staring at me, “Thanks for sticking out like a sore thumb, really it ain’t hard to find the tin can actually trying to be a goodie two shoes… and checking out the bounty board made it all the easier to corner ya,” so that’s how they did it. Somehow, they figured out what jobs we were looking in to, and just waited for the right one to strike at.

“I don’t know how ya beat me, I’d dropped suits like yours before like they were nothing,” I don’t know about ones like mine, but you sure tried your damndest, “That said… you won, and now you’re gonna have hell to pay when Lock and Stock get news of this,” from over the tape all the speaker filled with was the cackling laughs of the mare, “have fun looking over your shoulder… prick.”

The tape cut off, and just like the sneer I pictured Barrel wearing. Staggs held the same expression, “See what I mean.”

***

Barkston never looked so sweet… okay it still looked like a slum, but at least it was a functional slum. Most of our goods had already been either turned in to caps or goods of our own. Between ammunition for the AMR, the shells I’d gone through, and even some of the chems that were spent saving my ass. We hadn’t come out on the green as much as I’d have liked, but there was still the matter of turning in the contract for the Pack leader.

A bit easier said than done.

“And I’m telling ya, not gonna cut it,” the mare on the contract argued with us still.

Something about dog tags not being enough to confirm the kill, as no one knew the real name of the colt. Should have guessed this was going to happen, but if tags weren’t enough, I doubted powder would be. As much as Deacon might have been trying to convince her, this mare wasn’t budging. The gryphon looked about ready to strangle her, and even Riff was running her claws against one another.

There wasn’t much I could do to sway her, and even Tumble was at a loss. This probably happened often enough that somepony should have thought of a way to track this sort of thing. Though things couldn’t be that convenient, and the four of us were left to walk out empty hooved.

Staggs just tutted from the side of the car this mare was running her business out of, “She’s like that sometimes… I’d done business with her before, and she’s just as fickle about the details as ever,” the elder gryphon calmly walked past us like nothing could touch him, and he tapped a talon across Deacons’ shoulder, “Watch and learn.”

Without so much as an explaination the pair went back to speak to the mare, or I hope they were speaking and not outright robbing her. Meanwhile, the three of us just looked back and forth to one another. Happily kicking our feet against the ground as we waited. Something we didn’t have to do for very long, I swear not more than five minutes passed and we already had the duo walking out with a fresh bag that jangled at their steps.

“I don’t know how you do it,” Deacon shook his head.

“It’s all in the tongue…” alright, now Staggs had my curiosity, “you’ll learn as you get older there, Little Chicky.”

Well now, apparently calling him Turkey wasn’t the only way to get our gryphon to shut down… Though before I could get any question in on that, the younger of the two sorted out what he promised and handed them over. Staggs paused for a few moments as he weighed out the bag in his talons, probably trying to judge how many were inside. Hmm… now where did I see that before?

Ruffling his feathers, and settling his bags, Staggs cracked his neck before sliding the bag in his own, “Ya know… they ain’t a half bad bunch,” his eyes fell to the rest of us before patting his counterpart on the shoulder once more, and for a fleeting moment his gaze turned towards me, “take care of em will ya.”

With that, the gryphon started away from us. An odd sort for sure, but as we all watched him go, another started to pipe up. “So… Little Chicky?” Tumble started to snicker, soon having Riff join in hers.

Yet, all Deacon did was shrug and look to the other of his kind as he faded off, “Yeah… my dad always was a character.”

‘What the hell?’ that thought crossed my mind, and by the looks on their faces, Tumble and Riff Raffs’ as well. Snapping between the father and his kin, the longer I thought about it, the more I saw the similarities, ‘hmm… Explains his way with words,’ I sufficed.

After that nice little revelation our shopping was done, our dogs were tired… some more literally than intended, and I think all of us could use some shuteye. We’d just gotten back to town before everything closed, although with the trio heading back to our makeshift home away from home. I still had some unfinished business to attend.

Hopefully, hotels weren’t closed.

With the word Inn carved out in to a crude plywood sheet still partially lit up with a lantern, while it dangled off the side of what looked like passenger cars still parked at the station for the yard. Now that I’d found the right place, just have to find the right mare, as I trotted through the conductor post. The scruffy colt there raised his eyes… no wait, eye, at me across the tarnished magazine he’d held.

“Don’t know what kinda tech you’re gonna find here…” he grumbled, barely paying any heed to the suit itself.

Okay, so maybe news didn’t travel all that fast of who’s in town and who doesn’t want to get shot, “Not looking for tech, and no, not a ranger…” recording, I had to make one. Finally, his eye looked over the suit, probably catching the name attached to it as he went back to his reading.

“So, on that note… what can I do ya for, don’t got any cabins available.”

“Actually, looking for-”

“Me,” Well surprise! Even in the suit I nearly shot a foot off the ground, though when I got situated and looked to her, Alimites’ jaw just gaped, “having fun Mister Rogue, I hope…?”

Yeah, the pounding the suits’ taken, let alone myself should have given that much away, “Oh, just fighting the good fight.”

For a moment, her hazel eyes stared before fluttering and she ushered me to follow. Sorry in advance to those trying to sleep as I made half the car wobble from walking. Soon enough, we’d come before one room and the mare opened it right up. Tight fit for sure with just myself in here, somehow Alimite managed to squeeze by and get a case out from under the cot.

That’s… a lot of tools, even my work bench back home would be jealous with what this mare was hauling around the wastes. While there may have been a number of them, and in total disarray. Alimite looked as if she knew exactly where she needed to go, and in time she pulled something that I knew very well.

A spell matrix… sorta.

It wasn’t a total upgrade, and not as precious of a stone like the sapphire had been. Though this topaz still had passed across the desks of the M.W.T. at some point, so regardless, it had something I could use. Whelp only one way to find out.

“I hope that helps,” Alimite said as she closed up her case and slid it back under the cot.

Even something small would be great to have, especially after going from what the suit was when I first got it. Though, this kind of thing doesn’t come cheap, “I’m sure it will… although how much do I owe ya?” she started cocking her head at me, “Payment, usually something given after-”

Immediately the mare started to snicker at me, “I know what payment is, though you don’t need to ask of it,” she waved off with a hoof, “You’ll put it to better use than myself, and certainly better than those rangers.”

For carrying what would probably be a small fortune for the others in these suits, that’s mighty generous of her. “Why thank you,” after I slid it in to my bag, there was just one thing to do then, “now I just have to install it, and let the suit finish what it started.”

Without missing a beat, the mare squeezed past me on out the door of the cabin, “If you’d like… I could help you repair it, we do know the same spell,” hmm that we did, “plus, I’m curious what's on that stone.”

Could I really say no to that?

Absolutely not, and so with that we both made our way out the ‘hotel’ and on towards our makeshift little camp. A short trot away sure, and along it Alimite asked more on matrixes for the suits. While most might have found their way in to terminals, having a spell quite literally set in stone let a creature that couldn’t use magic control a system. Hence why earth ponies could use power armor, and anyone above a 20 IQ could work a terminal.

A concept that, had it not been created in the time of war, the pony responsible might have gotten recognition for it.

There as we approached the ruined house, I saw the small stream of smoke carrying off in to the air, and just as I suspected. Dinner was cooking, and even with Deacon doing the actual roasting Tumble was still having a hard time focusing on the few critters cooking and her new toy. Though our arrival drew all their attention as soon as I stepped in.

“Alrighty…” I started to grumble as the suit slid off, and I stepped between the trio that’d been traveling with me and the mare, “Alimite, this is Tumble, Deacon, and Riff,” after naming off the latter, it still didn’t help said hound was giving that same yellow caked grin, “she’s offered to help with some repairs…” very much needed ones too.

Deacon gave her a small wave, Tumble tipped the neck of a bottle of vodka she’d had to her, and Riff just gave her postcard smile. Worst first impression ever… What? Did you want me to make brunch so we could all sit down and have a proper introduction? Besides, Alimite was already starting to put her horn work on the suit. As she did, I went to grab a few of the smaller appliances laying around the house. Some of these goods you’d think a pony would have looted by now, but I guess things still go unnoticed.

A hotplate here, an empty paint can there, it all did start to add up the more you searched. Scavenging might not have been my strong suit, though repair work was what I excelled at, and I knew just what my suit needed for nutrients to get right. Of course, a coffee cup couldn’t hurt either…

Ugh… this’d probably go better if I had a cup for myself.

Plopping myself down next to the suit, my horn started to break apart of said scrap as much as I could. Whether it was taking a few screws out, or even its major components. “Why pony do that?” Riff asked while she scratched her head, “if suit fix self, why pony break stuff already?”

“Easier for the talisman to work the more things are broken down,” I answered, before it hit me, “Wait, isn’t that why you broke apart those weapons in the first place?”

All Riff did was shrug, “Dog just break stuff, seem like good idea.”

She wasn’t wrong, hell that’s the only reason it was able to repair as much as it did. Feeding the pieces and parts in to the hopper, I hoped that would be enough to get this new matrix up and running. Though while I worked, it became clear another set of eyes were looking over me. Alimite might have been trying to hide it, but she was staring. More particularly, at my shoulder.

The flesh there had patched up, but it still just looked raw compared to the rest of my hide. On the plus side, my leg wasn’t as sore, “I’d seen better days,” I said to the mares’ unasked question, “but I’m still in one piece.”

“Oh!” she started to blush, and got back to helping the suit along while she cringed, “didn’t think it’d be that obvious…”

It was.

“What… what happened?”

“Something that you’ll probably hear DJ-Pon3 talk about in a day or two,” the chuckle probably wasn’t the best response, nor did it entirely answer her if at all. It was enough though to garnish me a short cough from our audience.

Deacon might have been keeping a straight face, it was the females who had a tough time not watching myself and Alimite work. All with their own smug grins. Once again, ignoring you two, I had things to do. Once the last of the scrap was… scrapping, I tugged open the side panel where the matrix was held, attached the Pip-Buck, and pulled the matrix gifted to me from my bags. This one was nothing like the other, far past a different gem entirely. It didn’t need any adjustments or even cuts to get right, and like butter it slid right next to its sibling.

New Matrix identified…

Run spell program? Y [] N []

The Pip-Buck lit up with the message, and just as eagerly as before I pressed ‘Y’ waiting to see what I got this time… alright, not as glamorous as a display like before, and certainly not as vigorous. Still the suit started to get to work. This just might take a bit, considering it still had to fully repair itself from the damage Barrel had done. Alimite slid back for a moment, no doubt taking in the wonder of technology.

Tech that still couldn’t save the country from going up in flames.

‘Positive thoughts,’ I reminded myself to a failing degree.

A squeal of delight however, grabbed all of our attention as we turned our eyes to the other mare in the room. Tumble must have found something from Barrels’ rifle that she liked, then again, she was the type of mare to just hug a rifle close to her chest to begin with.

“It has an advanced recoil compensating stock on it,” Tumble finally answered us, “and apparently…” she turned the muzzle break towards us to see it clearer, “it even was given a name.”

Mercy… how ironic.

A certain gryphon might have been smiling at the mares’ excitement, and Riff was cocking her brow, but as for myself. I noticed something different with the gun in its magazine slot, something that it shared with one of my own.

“May I?” my hoof held out to her, and as Tumble released it my horn plucked it from her grasp, it gave the Pip-Buck a better chance to inventory it. “Penetrating Anti-Machine Rifle, ignores thirty percent of targets armor,” I read off to them as the device told me, and turned it over to the slot showing the group. There inside was yet another talisman, much like the one in my shotgun, this one with just a different effect.

And now Tumble looked about ready to marry the gun right then and there. Before my horn even let go of it completely, she’d already swiped it from the aura and rocked it in her hooves. No wonder Barrel was punching holes through ranger armor so easily. With her custom rounds, and that talisman, there wasn’t much I’d imagine that would stand up to it.

How lucky had I been to have stronger armor, and the mare to miss by an inch or so from dead center… no pun intended.

“I’d never seen anything like that…” Alimite started looking over the weapon from a distance, “How’d you know about the talisman?”

“Eh, he used to work with em before, or at least knew of them,” Deacon answered for me thankfully, taking what at one point was a bug thorax from the fire and tearing a chunk out of it with his beak, “Worked for the M.W.T. back during the war, and just happened to get lucky enough to have a place in one of those stables… though was put on ice when he went in, and now is trying to find a mare he went in with,” yep, that summarized it quite nicely, and saved me the trouble of repeating it, “Wild here’s our own prewar relic… or pony-cicle.”

Tumble might have snickered from the term she coined, and I’m pretty sure Riff got the joke as well… hell it was starting to grow on me too. However, Alimite sat there silently and just looked at me. Whether she believed all that, I doubted it, though she’d seen what I could do with the suit and operate it too. So really where was the-

“Who’s… the pony you’re looking for?” she said slowly, and my eyes went back to her.

“Winter, Winter Blossom,” I answered like I had a number of times before. “She was about fifteen when we went in the stable, though probably had aged a bit,” twenty-five years to be exact.

Alimite still stared, and raised up from her hooves at me inching closer, “…what was her cutie mark?”

It couldn’t tell if it was anger, or suspicion in her glare. Was it something I said? “She… didn’t have one,” granted, most by her age would have earned it already, but Winter tried a number of things working with me, just to no avail, “at least when we went in.”

“White coat, mint mane and tail, violet eyes?” the mare before me rattled off.

With every description she gave, my heart pounded a bit more and my eyes felt like they would shoot from their sockets. “YES!” I nearly jumped through the next floor of the house, “do you know her?!”

There, Alimite slumped as her flank found the floor. That wasn’t anger, or suspicion, it was shock that drew on her face, “Know her?” she chuckled, “… she gave birth to me.”

Footnote: Level up.

New Perk: “Titanium Plating”- A stronger coating has upped Power Armor damage and energy resistance by 25. However, at the cost of 5% of your overall maneuverability, and repair speed.