Fallout Equestria: A Wastelander Tale

Fallout Equestria: A Wastelander Tale, Chapter Sixty Four

_______________________________________________________

After the possible revelation about my own family had passed, I decided to not open the package Lucky Shot had given me right away, in case it proved Cold right. Fortunately I had a good distraction, and one that didn't involve feeding my curse, as I was sure Grizzly was in no way going to care that Wiretap had got to the shooting range right now.

Sadly, Cable had to come to, who I didn't trust to not be stupid. I did pity the filly, even if her mother was a colossal cunt that deserved a fate worse than she got, Cable still lost her mother. At least Onyx's blood was not on my hooves, though I wouldn't have cared one way or another. Still, for the little brat, it would have been better for her mother to have been alive and in chains, then left dead and to be eaten by feral ghouls.

With one of us adults keeping our eye on cable at all times, we got to enjoy shooting our guns. Wiretap had improved, though the showboating filly would occasionally shoot the wrong target after she struck a pose. Cold also took a turn, since now only having a IF-64 to use, it quickly became clear he was not that used to ballistics. Though he had difficulty adjusting to guns with more kick to them, he was still a trained fighter, and quickly adapted.

They both got to try my guns, with Wiretap ecstatic to use Whisky Shot, I even noticed that her own revolver looked a lot like mine. It was both flattering, but also a bit creepy.

The rest of the day remained calm, and even returning to the penthouse there were little of any surprises. Well we did find Plasma on a bed, hogtied, gagged, and half covered with a blanket. We decided to leave her there until more concentration potion was sent up.

The next day was more of the same, getting both Cold and my legs checked. More salve and pain killers. And even a checkup from Mint. She already had her hooves full with Molo and Plasma, so I did my best to not be difficult. Cold spent more time at the shooting range, clearly trying to get more used to ballistics.

We even saw High Pressure up and about with her brother. As it turned out, Grizzly wasted no time putting her to work in improving the logistics, with Low forced to work as her negotiator. The two were surprisingly terrifying with how easily they got others to bend to their will.

Spell spent more time with the foals, acting as some sort of instructor, teaching both readings and writing, but also math and history. He seemed surprisingly at ease juggling the young ones, even enjoying himself at times.

Somehow, pecan got roped into keeping an eye on Plasma, trading off with Spell now and then. The poor mare was quickly burning through her concentration potion whenever not busy. So it was decided to have her drink it only when she goes out, and keep her confined between those times.

Of which I had to stay away from Plasma when she was locked up, or I'll become drawn into the curse's influence. Which only led to one slip up, of which I blamed Low for. At least my partner stayed, Cold Trails, though I don't know how Plasma could let Low touch her.

Molo had thankfully kept her promise to stop buying everypony cheap booze, but she only seemed to get more withdrawn. I tried to talk to her, but all she would do was put on her fake smile, and say "I'm fine." But I did find out that she and Cauterize had been talking at his place, but the twins refused to tell me anything, only that it was ex-raider business.

As for the brahminshit between Matrix, Grizzly, and Rattlebones. It had thankfully stayed within their family. Even Wiretap didn't know the details, and I didn't care to pry further.

So a few more days passed, and now I sat, overlooking the balcony of my penthouse, holding the package that Lucky Shot gave me. The size of it made me wonder how she even hid it on her.

"Finally going to open that?" Plasma asked, dressed in a skimpy, yet classy nightgown. She was looking a bit healthier now, having been getting proper sleep and meals. Though I could still see her ribs, but it was clear she was finally gaining weight.

"Ya, might as well." I told her.

"Still haven't asked Lucky if you're related or not?" She asked, sitting next to me, placing her head on my shoulder. Though it was dark now, the light from the town below eliminated her enough that I could still see her scars. It was also clear she had seen Sunset, as her mane looked better then I had ever seen it before. I guessed Low had been taking her out.

I shook my head. "Still not sure if the bandit was messing with me or not, but it would explain why my Ma and Pa wanted nothing to do with the rest of the wasteland. As it turns out, the Wild Card Bandits have a long history of robbing powerful ponies in this area. So if she is my, you know, then a lot of dangerous ponies probably wanted Ma and Pa dead."

Looking at the package, I then took a deep breath, and with Rime Frost, I cut it open.

"Shouldn't you use, you know, a knife?" Plasma questioned as she gave me some space.

I shrugged. "Rime wanted to open it, so I let her."

Plasma gave me a skeptical look. "If I didn't already know that your gun was magical, I'd think you were going crazy."

"Who's to say I'm not already crazy." I told her as Rime finished opening the package.

Inside it were several items, the biggest of which was a thick leather jacket. It was some sort of reinforced duster that had small plates of metal riveted under the leather and with a cloth layer under the metal, giving it a studded look. It was surprisingly flexible despite all the metal, and felt really solid.

Plasma took a look at the armored duster herself, whistling as she was clearly impressed by it. "Never thought I'd ever see real life brigandine armor."

"Brigandine?" I said questioning.

"Only read about it in my history books about power armor. It was first used in early era Equestria as flexible and less expensive armor. It got its name from the bandit of the time who would use such armor, Brigands I think they're called. Well for a short time they were used during the great war as a counter for Zebra spear charges, and inspired the M.o.W.T. in making power armor." The egghead explained.

"Uhh, cool." I said before realizing something. "So this is literally bandit armor?"

Plasma face hoofed. "Yep."

Pulling out a second item, it was a rather worn out leather hat that looked just like Lucky's, and with it in my hooves, it also looked just like my Pa's, but with different cards in it. All hearts.

Then pulling out a third item, it was a revolver in a holster with some ammo on the belt. The thing was a rather heavy revolver, likely made of iron and looked like it was hoof forged. It was bigger than Whisky Shot, and loaded with .357 magnum rounds, which seemed to be also hoof forged.

A gun was still a gun, though having to trot around with even more ammo sounded annoying to me.

Last was a hoof sized rectangle frame-like book. Opening it, there was a picture inside, and upon seeing it, I let out a long sigh.

"Well shit, she looks just like you!" Plasma exclaimed.

It was a photo of a younger Lucky Shot with an even younger mare, both in the same outfits. They had the brigandine dusters and the wide brim hat, of which I was sure the other things I was given were worn by the younger mare, even the revolver. The mare, which I guessed was Poker Roulette, had a short cut orange mane, and a dusty green body, both matching the colors of my Ma. But most damning was her cutie-mark, which was my Ma's.

"Yep, that's my Ma alright." I said, not sure how I should feel about this. But it was clear, Lucky Shot had come here to give me my Ma's gear, which only made me feel more conflicted.

Well at least it was not another bear themed thing.

Folding up the armor, and placing the other thing inside it, I trotted back into our room, placing my Ma's things in the corner.

Plasma fallowed, streaching out before flopping down on a bed. The mare sat suductivly as she then asked me. "Since were turning in, you want to play with me first? Maybe cuddle?"

The thought crossed my mind, and most disturbingly, I found myself not opposed to it. I reached for my canteen, but decided against it, as it would be a waist right now. It was my time to watch Plasma after all. "Alright, but we are not going to play around, other ponies are trying to sleep." I then laid down, finding a comfortable spot near her.

She rolled her eyes at me before crawling over and latching onto my leg. "I know, but… you know. It's hard to think sometimes, and I want to stop, but I can't, and I don't want to stop."

"I get it. But do your best to hold on, we will soon be able to cure ourselves." I told her.

Plasma sighed. "Won't change what was done, and what I've done. I can never go back to who I was." As she spoke she clung to me tighter, and I could feel a wetness from where she began to grind me.

"Same here." I said as I looked over to where her gag was, knowing it would be best to get it on her before the curse fully took me away.

At least sleep would come easy after we were done, though it still left me feeling dirty. I just hoped that once the curse is lifted, we will still be able to be friends.

_______________________________________________________

Waking up… no, that was not right, I was still asleep, I knew I was. That and there is no way I managed to sleep walk into a forest.

I recognized this place, it was where Rattlebones took me, the massive tree stump with the alter at the center. Yet everything felt… dead or dying. The ground, the trees, and even the sky, it was all lifeless.

"That's because everything dies… eventually." The voice of a mare spoke as though it was the wind, yet no wind blew.

Stepping out from the dead tree-lined was Persephone, life blooming arounder her, but quickly dying as she moved away from it. Vibrant Grasses, moss, fungus was always under her hooves as she trotted to me, as though they came to life just to cushion her steps.

"Why are you here?" I asked.

"You know why, mortal Lottery." She said, mouth unmoving.

Yes, I knew. It was about the foals.

"Correct!" The Goddess said, appearing from behind me. "And yes, I can read your thoughts, and your memories."

"So you know." I said, and she nodded. I don't know why, but she felt… different. Nothing like the beautiful mare from before. She was still beautiful, but yet…terrifying.

"Naturally, for as things grow colder, my time with mother will soon end, and my time to return to my husband will come." Persephone said to me before giving me a hug. It was warm, comforting, and yet I felt cold and oppressed. "Isn't it wonderful?" She asked as a black and red centipede crawled out of her mane and onto me.

I froze as the way too long bug crawled over me before returning to the Goddess. She then let go of me, where I then noticed that the places she touched me, now rotting vegetation clung.

"But let's not prattle on family matters, as I know you already have much on your silly mind about that." She said, trotting over to the altar, where two cups reside. One with a blue flame in it, and the other covered in frost. "So tell me, now that you are at the turning point of choice, will you be a grove, or a tomb. Will you continue the cycle, or dedicate yourself to its end point."

Realization hit me like a hoof to my face, that she was asking me if I would carry the foals or not.

Persephone smiled, and it was both warm, and so terribly cold. "Yes, will you turn down lives that were not to be. Or choose the fate you had been given freedom from, by one whose rules dictate that they should not meddle in the affairs of mortals."

"You mean Lethe, or… yourself?" I asked.

The Goddess burst into a scattering of dead leaves, flying all about as I saw her visage in everything. The trees, the leaves, the clouds and even in the rot left behind from where she trotted. "Do not presume to understand what I can and can not do, or that I am bound by any rules besides the ones I make myself. Where my husband is the king of the afterlife, god of the inevitable. I am queen of Elysium, Goddess of spring, life renewed, fertility and one who dictates souls reborn. I am queen of Tartarus, Goddess of the dead, necromancy and curses. I am the light, and the dark."

As the dead leaves fell, Persephone reformed, and though still beautiful, she now wore a black dress covered in dry dead vines, and on her head a black iron crown that irradiated cold authority. "It was I that stayed Lethe's hoof, for it is only my authority that matters where the true fate of souls reside. And now you stand to place yourself in my position, to make life or end it as though a god yourself. My gift should not be so easily rejected."

I snarled as anger filled me. "Gift, what fucking gift! Being raped and breed is no fucking gift. I never asked for this, nor wanted it! I wanted to have a fun adventure, find romance, and settle down with a dashing stallion! Instead I fell in love with a psychopath, raped by his goons, whored out by his Ex, and impregnated by raider. Not to mention that my best friend is falling apart before my eyes!"

Persephone just looked at my unmoving, uncaring. "Once more mortals fail to understand, for their vision is too narrow to see. Then let me explain, let me tell you what this gift is, the gift I gave to all pony kind. For when you were all but still clay dolls, toys given magic and free will by the one who molded you in my image. You were not mortal, you were not even living, as clay dolls do not live, even if they have souls. Yet you wanted to live, to be like the other creatures, inferior and small, but the gods of Olympia would not hear. Too much was already given, and they would give no more."

Her form shifted, moved like wind, surrounding me. "But in truth, the gods of Olympia had no such power, though their misplaced pride would not let them admit it. But one fool felt simply, the elder brother to the king of Olympia, one denied of his throne, yet did not care. For in time, all will be his. So he would convince his youngest brother, the spoiled king, to do something for your pathetic kind. That king would make his eldest brother a deal, for to gain such a power, it must be taken, a union must be made. And Hades, the eldest brother, must take responsibility for all that follows."

Flipping her mane and smiling with pride, Persephone then said, "and so to gain the power of nature from my mother Demeter, Hades would take me as his bride." She then let out a longing sigh. "Mother was not happy, but no better stallion could ever court me, for none had hooves as unsullied as his." Her voice then became cold, yet comforting, like the first snowfall of winter. "Once the first winter had passed, and I had been crowned queen, so then I bestowed my gift on the behalf of my husband. They become part of the living, but life itself is a curse, for it must end. So I gave them the ability to make life, connected them to the cycle, where souls can be… reborn. That is my gift, and is what you reject."

I took a step back, trying to understand any of this. "What? No, you're saying… what? Maybe I have gone mad, but you're saying that your gift is my ability to get pregnant!"

A hoof pressed up under my chin. "I even made sure that both the reborn and new souls are protected, that none could harm them while inside their mother. Even from their own mothers." Persephone then returned to the altar, where the two cups warped, taking on the obscure form of foals. One was Will-o-Wisp, and the other Rime Frost.

Then it clicked and the Goddess of life and death smiled. "Yes, that is correct, mortal Lottery. You were not allowed to keep these two out of sheer kindness, nor from a sense of gratitude. The mound maker would have been destroyed in time, Spell Circuit would eventually find out how, even if it would take his whole life to do it. Lethe just got impatient, sensing a soon to be dead soul in which to use. And so had she mettled, so did I."

I looked at the two foal ghosts, fully understanding the situation, but not wanting to believe it. "That's why it's twins, that's why." I muttered.

"But that's unfair! Why me, why not somepony who can care for them, somepony not damaged?" I pleaded.

Everything vanished, turning all white. Cold snow seeped into the fur of my legs. I was on the cursed mountain again, the place where I should have died.

Persephone stuck out in her black dress. As she trotted through the snowdrift. "Yes, where your story should have ended. To be forgotten by most, and remembered as a cautionary tail by a few. Just one of many wastelander tales to be told. One of so many that it is doomed to become drowned out and forgotten by all but the god of the inevitable."

Besides Persephone was blurred images, in both I could see a decrepit stallion, half dead like a ghoul, yet not a ghoul, and in both images he stood over a mare. One was a pregnant unicorn, gripped in fear, but not for herself but for her unborn foal… Rime Frost. The other a defiant pegasus, broken yet not without hope, but at the will of the decrepit stallion… Will-o-Wisp.

"Both souls touched by vile magic, twisted and removed from the cycle, all for the blind ambition of a mad pony. Then one touched the other, and a curse was shattered. And you, a mare spared from death itself, a soul shakened and loosened. You had already accepted these lost souls within you, been touched by them, and they were touched by you." She said as both images blinked out, and the two ghost foals appeared, then darted off, flying around the Goddess before ramming into me.

Persephone then reached out her hoof to me. "But I will not force such a fate upon you, though I can, I care not to. But be warned, to reject my gift is to reject them. They will return to me, and be beside you nevermore. You can keep my boon, use the Gauntlets to fight, but expect no more aid from I, or any other power. Now take my hoof and decide."

I reached out, as though instinctively, unable to resist her call. And taking Persephone's hoof, it filled me with warmth, so much that it burned, yet chilled my bones to ice itself. Her duality was marvelous, yet terrifying. Blindingly beautiful, yet horrifyingly ugly. She was both at the same time, yet still I could not truly fathom her.

_______________________________________________________

I woke up in a cold sweat, my mind in a fog, and feeling confused. My hoof burned as though I had touched a flame, but when I looked at it, I found that frost clung to it.

In bed next to me was Rime Frost, the shotgun in position as though waiting for me to use it at a moment's notice. And next to it, giving off a faint blue light was Will-o-Wisp, giving me enough light so that I could see.

And what I saw caused me to hold my breath in shock. At the end of my bed was a mare with a crude knife in her mouth and eyes that shined in the dark.

It took only a moment, but a second as the assassin lunged at me and I grabbed Rime Frost. The spike only cutting her cheek as she reared back to strike me down. But unlike the last time, I had made sure Rime Frost was fully loaded and pulled the trigger.

With a roaring blast, the 00 shot struck the mares neck and ripped off her head, sending all of her falling back in a display of blood and gore.

My ears were left ringing as I finally released the breath I was holding, my heart pounding.

"Oh fuck, who the fuck was that?" Plasma shouted as she held her own ears, the poor mare was right next to me, getting the full crack of the blast.

The door burst open, where Spell and Cold rushed in. They turned on the lights, causing me to flinch as my eyes adjusted. Molo followed in soon after, trotting right up to the decapitated corps.

"Ain't this one of the Showroom mares?" Molo asked.

Getting up I trotted to the edge of my bed, seeing that the mare indeed had on a Showroom outfit.

Plasma then gasped. "I… I recognize her! Ya, she worked at the Showroom."

"I'm guessing she might be a Bailfire Fiend spy." Spell suggested. "I'll go call somepony to clean this up, in the meantime we should probably vacate the room."

Nodding, Plasma and I quickly gathered our things, and took them out of the room.

Cold came over to me, a worried look on his face. "Looks like Grizzly was right, the Bailfire Fiends really didn't like you messing with their plans."

"The Bailfire Fiends can shove a hot poker up their cunts for all I care." I said to him as I used the opportunity to cling to the stallion. My blood was still pumping, and though I was still tired, my mind was racing. "All the raiders actually."

_______________________________________________________

There was no sleep for the rest of that night, not that I wanted to. Out of all my dreams, Persephone was the most terrifying. Not out of fear, Strife had that hooves down, or being violated in my dreams, which I had gotten used to. No, Persephone was something else, something I could not understand, polar opposites in one being, balanced, and imposing. She made me feel small, as though an ant to a skyscraper.

Instead we all had terrible coffee, the bitterness horribly sweetened with some artificial crap from two hundred years ago.

The one small blessing to all this was that the rude awakening had killed Plasmas libido, and she was acting more normal without the need for the potion. And she got to talking about being able to make boots from the broken power armor for Cold, something that will help him trot like normal.

Spell went into the possibility of making an artificial wing that could help Cold fly again, it just requiring a few spells. But Molo just wanted to give him a gun leg, because it's cool.

Likely we were just trying to keep our minds off my near assassination, but I enjoyed having this normal conversation.

But as the night passed and the day rose, we all had things to get to, among which I had to see Doctor Helga. It was time for me to decide my own fate.

With nothing much else to wear right now, I threw on the brigandine and left the penthouse. On my way to the Doctor's office, both Grizzly and Sparkling met up with me, the two looking as though they just woke up. I knew there was a lot to talk about, but first Helga was waiting.

The braces came off, releasing their presser off my legs. Then the bandages came off and after a quick wash, I could see my legs again in their full glory. Having been moving around a lot for the last few days helped stop them from stiffening out, and with how my fur had fully grown back it, it had been worth it. Though I could still feel the misshapen flesh under, it was entirely unseen as my legs looked smooth thanks to the removal of the excess skin. Though the markings made by my gauntlets remained, looking more like some tribal tattoo.

"Again sorry about the attack." Sparkling apologized again for a Red Light mare attempting to assassinate me. She clearly felt responsible for it, though I didn't blame her, but that still didn't stop her from blaming herself. "This should never have happened."

"You're busy helping Grizzly win this war before Tripwire gets too powerful to stop. I don't blame you for any of this." I told her.

"Though you're right, you're also wrong." The half changeling said sternly. "It's clear to me that I've been too stingy on my options, and relying on just hoping things will be okay without me. And not with just the assassin, but with Plasma too. These things just shouldn't have happened at all. And as more things go wrong, the more I see my own faults in everything. Just like how I let Grizzly lose control of her ambition. "

"Will you stop whipping yourself, damnit!" Grizzly said as she trotted in. I had not seen her since Rattlebones had gone to talk with her, and seeing that she was recovering from a nasty looking black eye, so I bet it had not gone well. "My decisions are mine alone, and I will not have you take responsibility for them when I make the wrong ones."

She then eyed me, glaring at me for a moment before letting out a sigh. "And you… no, what you did was the right thing." She then touched the nasty bruise around her eye socket. "My mother was right, though I have the right ambition to be a leader, I keep letting my emotions drive me astray."

"You mean with the Bailfire Fiends and Matrix's mother?" I asked.

She nodded. "And so many other things. Including my treatment of you."

"Not to contradict," Doctor Helga injected. "But even if Grizzly is prone to making irrational decisions, it's also why nopony even thinks about trying to take Ursa's Rest from you. Being unpredictable is a strategy, and you can be unpredictably ruthless, which makes you very dangerous. Why else do you think Redeye left you alone and didn't try to absorb you into his empire!"

The griffin then carefully grabbed a sealed box and placed it next to me. "And Sparkling, did you get a reply from your brother or not, the medicine I've prepared can't be put to better use if he is not sending his subjects."

"For the emotion draining, yes he has agreed. They should arrive shortly. I've also asked him to send more changelings to help root out the Bailfire Fiends." Sparkling answered.

Grizzly's eyes opened in shock. "You didn't, did you?

Sparkling looked away for a moment before looking Grizzly in the eyes. "We need all the help we can get, and the last thing I want is for you or Wiretap to get hurt by those monsters. Even if that means I must leave you both. So ya, I've agreed to return the Dukedom, and in exchange my brother will join your war council."

"And that would make a council of eight." Rattlebones said as he trotted in, with Lucky behind him. "The tribes, the merchants, Talons and residents of Ursa's Rest, alongside the Rangers, Bandits, Enclave and now Changelings. If I didn't know any better, I would think you're trying to beat Gwadina at her own game."

"A coincidence to be sure." Grizzly said as she glared at Lucky Shot. "And I've not agreed to let that bitch join us." Her eyes then suspiciously shifted over to me. "Which then begs a very serious question."

I pulled out the pictures from a pocket inside the duster, and tossed it to Grizzly. "I'm just as shocked as you, and too drained to feel much, just like you."

Her eyes darted back and forth from the photo of Ma and me several times before Grizzly let out a frustrated sigh. "So Poker Roulette is your mother then. My father absolutely hated her, not for the banditry, well at fist for that, but for being a fucking card shark." She then tossed the photo back to me. "But the bounty on her died with my father, for I have no right to declare any vengeance on his behalf."

Grizzly then froze in shock as Lucky practically jumped onto her with a hug. "Oh how cute, trying to hide your first crush under all that guilt."

"What!" I shouted.

Lucky let out a laugh before she told me, "yep, back in the day when she was just a grumpy teen, she'd try to follow Poker all over the place. Wanted her to teach her to shoot guns, and be a tough ombre and the like. When Poker disappeared, whose form do you think she asked the Duke to take."

I face hoofed as hard as possible. "No, no, fuck you no! Please erase everything of that from my mind."

"Are you done?" Grizzly growled out the question.

Letting her go, Lucky trotted over to me, giving me a hug. It was awkward, yet warm. "Well let's leave the past for later, as right now the future is what's important. So have you made up your mind, Lotter."

I let out a sigh. "Yes, I have. But before that, I want to know something, what will become of Matrix?"

The room fell into an uncomfortable silence for a long moment, but eventually Rattlebones spoke up.

"Glittering Matrix will be coming with me." The old stallion said sternly as Grizzly looked away from him. "Though I agree that Stable 2 is a safe place for her. It is better for her to be with her kin, for kin protects each other. Or that's how it should be. But rest assured that with the tribes no pony will care who her father was. The only thing that will matter is that she is one of us, a lost child now found. My daughters and sons will help care for her as though she is their own, for she is family. And I will make sure that they do, as one so young should not have such a scar on their heart."

"And it's not like the Pear Valley Tribes aren't known for taking in lost foals. You won't find a single Crusader orphan wandering in their lands." Lucky Shot added. "It's probably the safest place for foals to grow up, so long as they don't wander too far away from the tribe."

It felt like a small wait lifted from my back. "That's good to know, and I wish her well."

"Same." Grizzly said, "just make sure she stays there, both for her sake and the tribes."

Rattlebones sighed. "True, unfortunately. The scars left behind by Redeye run deep, so deep that not even time can heal it. Only the passing of generations will his sins fade from memory. Meaning that Matrix will never be truly safe out in the wasteland, as will it be for her own children."

"A bastard through and through Redeye was." Lucky Shot said with a huff. "To generously sacrifice everypony's future for the sake of Equestrias revival. It never ceases to surprise me how deep a pony will dig down into Tartarus with the best of intentions."

"And it will happen again as the new generation forget the old harsh lessons." Rattlebones added.

Lucky then eyed me curiously. "Not to be the bitch, but speaking of those learning old harsh lessons, what have you decided, Lottery."

I glared back at the older mare, and let out a huff. "If I didn't know that you've gone through some of the same shit I have, I'd consider breaking one of your legs."

She smiled back at me. "Now you definitely got that attitude from me."

Rolling my eyes, I then took a moment to get my thoughts together.

Aside from what Persephone had done, and that could still just be me going crazy, I had come to an understanding. First being that I put myself in that situation, making the two unborn fouls more of a victim then myself. Not only that, but they could have easily been conceived by any stallion before or after Spine Breaker. That said, it's still my right to choose when to be a mother or not. But denying life just because I want to keep adventuring, or simply to make life easier for myself, it sounds like something a raider would do. Something Strife would want me to do. Even so, it's not like I have to raise them, around nine months of discomfort and then I'm free

It all just sounded… shitty to me. Like no matter what I do, on some level it's the wrong answer. But I do know one thing for certain, and that sacrificing the unborn for my own convenience will haunt me for the rest of my life. In the end, I chose to do it, nopony else. Grinder and Spine Breaker are monsters who haunt my nightmares, but I can fight and kill them, taking my revenge. But who will take revenge for those killed before they could live?

But I could at least try to live with as little regret as possible, and pick a more difficult path. I have enough blood on my hooves from helping Tripwire, I didn't need the blood of the innocent added to it.

Taking a deep breath, I then told them. "I'll not be taking the poison, it's… it's better I keep myself healthy for the upcoming fight. And afterwards, I'll figure out the rest when the time comes. Who knows, there's still a chance that the fathers not a raider."

I then felt lighter, cleaner, as though something just passed through me and took a burden away from me.

There was a momentary pause, but then Sparkling spoke up, nervously saying something surprising. "That might be possible… actually. Pony fertility is a bit weird with how they are compatible with almost any sentient creature. Also she was on anti-contraceptives for a month straight, so her clock would be all messed up. Not to mention the venus root curse further mucking things up."

We all then looked at the half changeling with confused stares.

A loud slap came from Doctor Helga as she hit her face with her claw. "Fucking forgot about that stupid shit with you ponies and your magical brahman shit."

My heart then felt like it just stopped, "What?"

The griffin shrugged. "Well it is still most likely riders, but there is a few days grace period before and after you stop taking the pills."

"And how many days are a few?" I asked.

"Roughly a week, give or take a day or two." Helga told me. "The pills just prevent the development, not fertilization, where the egg then passes through your system. It's extremely rare that any actually develops, though it often comes with mutation and or hybridization. Don't ask me for details, as I've only read it in my books, and I'm a doctor, not an acano geneticist.

"Speaking of possibilities of mutation or hybrids" Sparkling then said, now even more nervous. "I may be affected by the same magical braman shit. Possibly it's just my own mutation making me sick, but… as you know, I've been showing signs of morning sickness for awhile now… maybe."

Doctor Helga double face clawed. "Fucking ponies!"

_______________________________________________________