Fallout: Equestria - Refuge

Fallout Equestria: Refuge
By AgentGei
Chapter 0: Prologue
"This is a lot to take in."

Brown. Brown is such a shitty color on the surface.

I didn’t really mind. It was either a blessing or a curse to work as security in Thunderhead, where I patrolled the forsaken Wasteland and watched those earth ponies kill each other for brahmin. It was kind of amusing if you had seen enough death before. But it could also be a curse, since both of my parents loved the surface as pegasi. They had seen enough brown, especially my mom. It was probably the same curse as being born in the first place-

I shook my head and sighed, hoping my thoughts about death wouldn’t stick in my damn head. Not literally, of course, but they distracted me from being pissed about my almost-death experience earlier.

Unfortunately, I survived. Maybe someday I’ll remember why and how I got out of that acid bath, as if I was given a second chance to live.

Speaking of, did I really deserve a second chance?

I felt for the surfacer ponies, I guess. I sometimes forgot their names, but they were the ones who deserved a second chance. I hated the damn self-loathing lately. It fucking drained me and proved that I was a stubborn, clueless pony, despite all the education and work and politics I had learned from the Enclave.

My education, my work, my brain worms… I wasn’t sure if any of those things from the Enclave were worth keeping or understanding after all these fucked-up events that happened to me like a punching bag. Goddesses, I fucking hated this conflict between what I thought in the Enclave, my family, and being a decent pony.

The familiar voice I despised echoed in the back of my head.

"Because she's your sister, you love her, and you're a good pony."

If only it were true, because the majority of these good ponies lay dead.

I look out the window, expecting to see a patch of blood on the empty landscape to distract my thoughts. But then I am surprised by a beam of light shining up to the sky from the Core. This is something that only happens on the surface, let alone in the Hoof.

I can imagine the bewildered expressions of everypony watching whatever Blackjack is or was doing there to save the world, if they were awake or had a window in their homes or hospital rooms like I do. I huff, feeling either glad or downright disappointed that I wasn't there.

I look down at my hooves, which start to shake a bit, and then stop. How weird.

Returning my gaze to the window, I see the pillar of light dwindling to nothing. But I don't feel any excitement as the other occupants outside of the room roar. I don't feel any of my concerned thoughts about what happened to the area surrounding the Core. Has the fucked-up city crumbled into pieces to be rebuilt by hopeful ponies? Have the tunnels finally received the extermination they deserved? My mouth doesn't curl up knowing the fact the damn battle is finally over, or any of those questions have positive answers soon enough.

Instead, I just mope and occupy my empty thoughts. I haven't noticed until I see the thick, scentless smoke surrounding the room, concentrating by the closed door in front of me. My eyes drift to the emerging shadow by the doorway, yet no one is knocking to bother me and the door remains closed.

I finally make out the familiar silhouette.

Whether this is a result of the drugs' side effects, or my depressive state making up shit, or maybe it has something to do with the Core, I just swallow to loosen up my throat and say, "... hey Dancer."

The yellow, translucent mare in an Enclave uniform stands in a relaxed posture. I can't take the fact that she's looking down at the pathetic state I'm in, but Dancer holds on to her carefree smile that I used to know and love.

"Did you...", my voice croaked, internally hoping this was her actual soul I'm talking to, "...see that?"

Dancer arched her brows and widened her smile a bit more, a comforting one.

"Heh." I shake my head. "I guess this is the result."

I looked up at her. “After all the times we fought side by side since graduation, after all the times we loved each other…” Dancer’s eyes showed sadness, but her relaxed smile stayed. “I’m glad I get to see you…”

I breathed deeply, trying to hold back the emotions in my eyes. “…at the end of the line.”

Lightning Dancer stood up straight and opened her left wing to salute me. The smoke in the room faded away with Dancer’s figure, her lips forming the words ‘open your heart’. I looked down and returned a weak salute with my right front leg.

As the smoke cleared, I felt a warm tear running down my cheek.

Shortly after wiping away my tears, in case somepony barged in like Moonshadow just to ask if I had ever encountered a ghostly pony like mother and Glory, she appeared with a teary, bewildered look on her face.

Oddly specific, but after my dismissive remarks that I don't see otherworldly, deceased ponies, Moonshadow wished I could come up with more believable reasons for these damn ponies to bother me.

"You really... don't see them?"

I rolled my eyes. "Over a million times, no."

"Excuse me, it hasn't reached a million," Moonshadow stated as she took off her glasses with her wing to wipe her eye. "You wouldn't imagine a large number of ponies crying at the same time." She paused and put her glasses back on. "I didn't expect Father would cry in joy."

I could have replied with "I suppose he's happy that they're at peace," but I just hummed in agreement. I wasn't in the best state to talk to anypony at the moment.

Her expression softened. "Are you okay?"

I closed my eyes. "Please leave me alone."

"You've recovered enough to sit up and talk."

Turning my head away from the damn four eyes, I heard her sigh and hoofsteps approaching my left side, followed by the sound of a chair being dragged over.

I looked back to see Moonshadow sitting on the chair, slouching forward a bit. "Let me ask again," she stated in a dull tone I'd never heard before. "Are you okay?"

"Physically? Emotionally? Or mentally?"

"All."

There was no reason to lie to the smart pony like Moonshadow, so I sighed. "Maybe, no, and no." I gave a strong emphasis to each answer. Of course, she didn't let the last two answers go as expected. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No." I answered immediately. I wasn't in the best state to open up about those… things. I don't think I ever want to open up at all.

I thanked the skies above as Moonshadow simply nodded, but with a big frown. "Then care to explain why you injected two Med-X into Father?"

"Ah, that..." I trailed off, not sure how to properly tell my sister that I didn't want our father scolding Blackjack for leading his eldest daughter down the path of possible death.

"I was expecting Father to be relieved to see you trotting back here alive like the rest of us," she shook her head. "But my gosh, he was fuming!"

"He better be," I blurted out. What a stubborn pony I was.

Moonshadow was livid about it, as she noticed my unfazed, blank expression. "For the love of clear skies, what were you thinking, Dusk?! Was it necessary to give an elderly stallion a near-lethal overdose? I wouldn't just turn my back without knowing why you did that."

I didn't bother answering her question, even though it made my already existing problem much worse. I didn't think anypony in my family wanted to know. Who knows that my solutions to simple mistakes were way more mistakes? I couldn't even believe the only ponies who knew were my near-killer and the yellow pegasus with monstrous unarmed skills.

As if anypony would care about it anyway.

The door opened, and Father limped in, his furious eyes gazing through mine. I noticed Moon's slouched back tensing up and struggling to speak, but none of the three of us are saying anything. I didn't bother to ask Father what his business here was as I looked down at my hooves. My brain voluntarily covered my ears as I started to hear watered-down voices. Moonshadow and Father were talking to each other or me? Or maybe they were arguing because they were too loud. I don't care. I'm exhausted. I don't want to talk to them. Just let me be at peace.

Please, shut up. All of you.

I felt a hoof on my left foreleg, making me look up to see who touched me. I expected to see Moonshadow as she was on that side, but instead, it was Father, looking up with his mouth moving. I couldn't make out what he was saying with all the underwater noises.

Stop being ignorant, Dusk. Just open your ears for once, your family worries about you.

"...something you need to tell us?" Moonshadow's voice had gotten clearer as I looked up at her. She was already off her seat for Father. She wore that familiar deadpanned expression back when we got dragged into the jail cell months ago. I heard the familiar soft grunt beside me, "I do, Moon. I just wanted to talk to Dusk."

I looked at Father, his eyes fixated on me with his solemn expression instead of anger. "Please explain," he insisted, croaking. "Why did you do that back in the tunnels?"

I couldn't bear to look straight into his eyes as I looked down at my hooves on my lap with a long deep sigh before answering, "We were on a time limit. I don't want you to complain as to why you're not getting chosen to be on the front lines."

I looked back to Father and saw him opening his mouth in protest. "The family needs you," I quickly added, stopping him from interjecting whatever he had to say. "You're the only one who can help them way more than saving the world. Hell, I don't want a crippling old stallion to get in there too…" Horrid memories of different kinds of fucked-up shit just through the tunnels, the acid seeping through my hide, and feeling like I was about to die in the worst way possible. I started to feel my head tearing into shreds with deafening metallic screams-

I fought off those thoughts as I continued with my wobbly voice, "You're too important for them than me…" All this doesn't help when my head is pounding as hell, and my heart is beating out of my chest like it's begging me to rip it.

"Her heart monitor is acting up!" I heard Moonshadow freaking out. "I'll call the doctor-"

"No! Don't!" I bellowed, my body trembling as I lowered my voice. "Don't you fucking call them..."

"But-"

"I'm fine. Please." That managed to convince four eyes to stay in place. I just don't want my confinement to last more than a day or so if I happen to be way more fucked in my head.

But that wasn't important.

It takes a few minutes until my breathing and heart steadied. I wanted to continue where I left off, but Father raised his hoof, "I get it now, Dusk. I've heard enough." He glanced dejectedly. "But that doesn't mean I'll forgive you for knocking me unconscious back there."

I felt my heart slow down. "That's okay," I suddenly imagined Moonshadow looking at me baffled since I didn't apologize beforehand when there's nothing worth saying sorry for.

Father slouched down and placed both of his hooves on his face. "I have no idea what's happening with you, Dusk." He let out a long grave sigh, and then my ears started to ring as my brain refused to listen to his old stallion rants all over again. I should've listened to him like a good daughter, but I couldn't.

His mouth stopped moving, and neither of us said anything.

"I…" He continued, and the ringing stopped. "Even after seeing Dawn and Morning earlier with some magic stuff that I don't understand, I just wish there were another way to stop all this madness without that damn Security involved."

"At least she stops that abomination," I blurted. Moonshadow disapprovingly furrowed her brows. "But at what cost, Dusk? Don't tell me you're defending her after all she has done to you and everypony else!"

As much as I want to let out a hundred things about how much that damn pony is a pain in the ass, it irks me to admit that she's the first surfacer I sympathize with.

"That's enough," Father declared. "We're not going to argue about that pony and even blame ourselves."

It seems my cries to the damn heavens listened as the doctor walked into the room and then escorted Father and Moonshadow out. I wasn't sure about the details as their voices sounded muffled, and the doctor went up beside me. Her eyes fixated on me, asking me a series of questions about my condition and all the crap. This reminded me of how much I hated getting confined to the damn hospital.

All I did was nod and shake my head before giving a last dose of the familiar Med-X syringe into the IV bag as it helped to relax my nerves. The doctor further explained I’ll be on discharge for the next three hours as I’ve been able to recover with ease, I guess. Before she left, I requested a piece of paper and a pen to write for my family. She then gave me a skeptical look before giving me a blank paper from her clipboard and a pen from the coat.

Not to forget another request.

After explaining my second and final request, I did not like the look the doctor gave me, but surprisingly, she accepted my request for my immediate discharge regarding that somepony else would make more use of this room than me after I finished writing the letter for my family in case they go for another visit. It must be a coincidence that my family had already left the hospital by the time I left the room in my semi-repaired power armor to keep me upright.

Anyway, I have no idea why I’m acting like a runaway mare.

I disabled my armor’s tracking and various communication devices before I double-checked my belongings to venture off to the forsaken Wasteland. My presence with an Enclave power armor was enough for everypony to get nervous despite keeping my head exposed to show them the 'hey, I’m not working as the greatest enemy on the surface anymore!'.

I observed several outlines of diverse settlements across the expansive orange horizon, although the exact features were indistinct due to the broad terrain. However, the setting sun gradually unveiled the sparkling stars above, making the sight more enchanting. This view had been even more captivating since the skies opened months ago.

Speaking of which, that prompted me to just open a map for the Hoof that’s been passively recorded throughout my service as security from my power armor. From towns that I’ve visited before for my shifts to areas that must have been recorded but I didn’t realize, I wasn’t sure where to begin.

I let my eyes wander through the map until I saw the symbol of a marked, but unvisited area labeled “Stable 99”. I suddenly remembered that freckled mare speaking in the brash posh accent that I conversed with when we first arrived at this hospital. "You know, maybe you should give our base, Stable 99, a visit sometime. Just tell 'em Paladin Crumpets gave you permission, alright?"

Right, a damn Steel Ranger base. With Crumpets on my side, maybe those power-armored ponies won’t assault me the moment I step hoof into their base. Maybe that’ll be a good start for my non-existent gambling self to settle on. I placed a marker on the Stable as my go-to destination.

I checked my inventory again and put Pew-Pew, a ridiculous name for a laser pistol, into the holster. Letting my thoughts drift off about what-ifs and— I was snapped out of my reverie by the sound of somepony clearing their throat behind me. I swiftly turned around and aimed my laser pistol at the intruder, but instead, it was the familiar yellow pegasus with her frizzy golden mane. She looked unfazed by the pistol aiming right between her blue eyes. “I wondered who’s that Enclave fuck loitering on the rooftop, turns out it was you.”

“Oh.” I released the latch of the pistol. I was almost speechless. I did not expect to see her again. “What… are you doing here?”

She shrugged. “Getting fresh air, I guess.” The yellow pegasus raised her brows. “You look like absolute shit. Are you alright?”

Not having a casual conversation after the fucking war makes me an absolute mess, but that won’t stop me from attempting to act like a normal pony. “After all the fucking drugs to regrow my skin back,” I snickered. “I might die from a heart attack or something. Yeah, I’m alright."

“Uh-huh…” She cringed at my lame joke. Way to go, Dusk. “And what are you doing on the roof? You seriously look like absolute shit to fly off like that.”

“It’s just for–” How the fuck am I supposed to explain this? “–me to fly off?”

She regarded me coolly. “Well, no shit you’ll fly off. No offense but, do you have a plan?”

I quickly shifted my eye contact away from her before looking back with a reply. “I do.”

The yellow pegasus glared at me carefully, then closed her eyes and shrugged. “Whatever,” she waved her hoof absently and started to trot elsewhere. “Just be careful out there, will ya? You don’t want your head blown off because of your damn armor.”

I nodded and looked down. “Yeah,” I said. I turned around to face the horizon, leapt up to the beam, and spread my wings. “And good luck with your kid.”

I flew off before waiting for her response, as it didn’t matter to me at the moment.

“Ow, ow, ow, ow,” I hissed through my teeth painfully each time I flapped my wings. It was a damn mistake to discharge too early since the drugs had not penetrated my system yet, but there was no turning back now.

As I gazed upon the scenery below, I found solace in the fact that the sunset dominated the unappealing brown hue that had replaced the once-vibrant peach color. For the first time since the Neighvarro mishap, I didn’t long for the dull, lackluster brown that covered the surface.

Oh, and did I mention it was her favorite time of the day too?

However, my heart began to ache, and I swiftly shook my head, whispering to myself, “Not now.” Then I proceeded to focus on the rhythmic flapping of my wings.

Seeing the buildings coming into view, their dense, ruined urban architecture resembled the pre-war building designs found in my father’s centuries-old records. However, most of those structures were hastily erected using whatever resources were available, ranging from crude planks to makeshift scaffolding for accessing rooftops. As anticipated, I saw ponies inhabiting these structures, doing their best to survive in the harsh Wasteland.

My peaceful detour came to an end as my eyes drifted to the ponies who barely resembled raiders on the heightened platforms, aiming their battle saddles in my general direction.

The moment I heard gunfire below, my hoof had never moved this fast to retract my helmet to enclose my head.

“Shit.” I could feel the Med-X slowly starting to take over my system, driving me to maneuver my entire body without whining like a filly. I was tempted to fight back against these settlers, but it wasn’t worth wasting the remaining spark batteries of my energy weapons if I could dodge over in the sky. Plus, they were scarce after the major manufacturing sites for energy weapons and ammunition had crumbled.

I stopped flapping my wings, letting my weight increase its velocity, without having to overexert my wings. I then opened my wings to smoothly glide my way through the settlement’s streets, and for fuck’s sake, I could feel the joints of my wings stretched uncomfortably that even the drugs wouldn’t bother to reach there. My wings began to ache from the strain of holding my weight for so long. I had been relying on the drugs to carry me through, but it seemed that even they were starting to wear off.

Unbothered by the ballistic bullets failing to penetrate my power armor, I started to fly through various obstacles, from alleyways to the shitty shacks that I couldn’t apologize and help but feel a twinge of guilt for causing property damage, including stray bullets that posed potential risks to the residents. The shacks and buildings that I passed were clearly in a state of disrepair, and I knew that every bullet that missed me was potentially causing more damage to the already fragile structures. I gritted my teeth and pushed through the pain, determined to make it out of the settlement and back to safety. The exposed mouthpiece of my armor made it difficult to breathe properly, and I could feel the wind resistance stretching out my jaw uncomfortably. The fucking curse of the exposed mouthpiece of this forsaken armor.

Besides that, I needed to check where the hell I was, as my wings started to ache from either the drugs finally worn off or overworking too much. I let the map pop up and noticed 'Terminus' marked where I was. Huh, goes back to strange names on the surface.

Seeing the alleyways start to look like a maze, I twist and push my wings forward to slow down my velocity while letting my hind legs do the work of pushing down the dirt.

It was a rookie mistake.

I feel my body tumbling down, my vision spinning like I'm inside a skywagon's wheel. Then, a heavy, crashing sound - like landing on concrete. Just great. My armor's interface goes haywire from my graceful crash landing, and I notice the environment is even darker than when those settlers first gunned me down. Time sure flies when you're trying to survive, right?

Meanwhile, I hear multiple hoofsteps right outside the alley I'm hiding in. "...keep looking!" I barely make out one pony saying, but my interface won't stop flickering so loudly—

"We lost that pegasus!" Another pony, with a bit of a snarky tone, chimes in. "If only your aim wasn't crap…" Typical bickering. While they're busy blaming each other, I quickly fiddle with my helmet to fix the flickering issue. "He was too damn fast! How are we supposed to catch up?" Amidst their distant chatter, it dawns on me that my general interface might be the problem, as my head starts pounding from all the adjustments. Plus, my talisman must've taken a beating during that crash – I always forget to let it repair after messing with the Core.

A few moments later, I realize those ponies hunting me have moved on. I push myself up from the pile of concrete mess and retract my helmet. I attempt to pull up a holographic map from my left sleeve, but no luck. "Fuck, can't navigate through this place." To get a better view, I look up towards the buildings, noticing a light source at the end of the alley.

An idea starts forming…

I gaze up at the buildings; the light hasn't reached the rooftops yet. Hoping the Goddesses are on my side, I put my laser pistol away and leap up to the rooftop, wings flapping to help me ascend. Perfect. No guard ponies on the scaffolding within my reach. Terminus turned out to be way bigger than I expected. A decent-sized settlement with scrappy buildings and well-protected by guard ponies.

Priority one: get the heck out of here before I do something reckless and mess up the plan.

Moving north, or at least what I hope is north, I stealthily leap over uneven rooftops. It's a challenge with this bulky power armor, but its jet-black plating blends into the dark surroundings.

A little bit of luck is all I need.

As I silently traverse the rooftops, I try to maintain a low profile, avoiding any unwanted attention. From up here, I can see the whole town, and it's not pretty. Most of the buildings are falling apart, with shattered windows, collapsing roofs, and graffiti everywhere. The few ponies on the streets look worn-out, faces filled with worry and fear. Life's a struggle here, and it's only getting worse.

But I can't stop now.

I hear a faint radio broadcast in the distance, some kind of announcement. I strain my ears to catch the details.

"…reports of a massive radroach infestation in the sewers beneath the town of Terminus. The local militia is urging all citizens to stay indoors and avoid any contact with the creatures. Anypony who sees a radroach is advised to contact the militia immediately…"

Radroaches. Just what I needed. I've dealt with those pests before, and it's fine when you're dealing with one but multiple all at once? Never a pleasant experience. But I can't let it slow me down. I have to find a way out of this town.

Continuing on the rooftops, I head towards the outskirts. As I get closer, I see signs of life - small farms, gardens, and ponies tending to their crops. A stark contrast to the chaos in the town center, and that is something.

I can still hear commotion below, possibly the armed ponies. They're probably not too thrilled to see me in Enclave power armor, given the reputation- FUCK! My right wing cramps up while I'm mid-air, causing me to lose my balance and crash through a fragile rooftop. Metal sheets and debris scatter, making a deafening noise. I just hope no one was inside that building.

And as luck would have it, I hear startled gasps from above. "What the hay?!" A female voice exclaims.

This isn’t good.

I tilt my head up, seeing an older mare and a unicorn stallion aiming a ballistic revolver at my face with his magic. There's a younger mare cowering behind them, probably their daughter, judging by the family resemblance. The dust and pain blur my vision, and I can't make out their colors. I refuse to let fatigue get the best of me at this moment.

I attempt to rise on my hooves, but I see the revolver's hammer pulled back, chambers spinning clockwise, dangerously armed. The stallion steps forward, shielding his family, and they disappear from my view. "Who the hell are ya?!" His voice carries a bit of gravel and accent like the ones from Neighvarro. "Ya must be the pegasus those colts are making a fuss about!" Naturally, he's referring to those armed ponies outside searching for me. I'm not sure if his annoyance stems from their presence or the fact that the pony they're after has found refuge on his family's property. Either way, I'd rather not deal with this in my current condition, but the gun aimed at my face suggests otherwise and that I need to take desperate measures.

"Please," I raise my hooves to show I'm unarmed - a wise move on my part to disarm Pew-Pew earlier, "I don't have any weapons. I mean no harm to you or your family."

The stallion narrows his gaze, but I press on, "I haven't harmed anypony in this settlement, except for some accidental property damage. No lives were at risk." Pausing for a brief moment, that prompted the stallion to huff, "How can we be sure ya're not going to treat us like those armored pegasus jerks out there?"

"W-what armored pegasus?" I stammer, unsure about his reference, as if there were more Enclave officers like me wandering the Wasteland. "What do you mean, like me?"

I can see the magical aura focusing on the trigger. "Don't play dumb with me, miss. How can we be certain ya're not one of them?"

I gulp, feeling like I've exhausted my arguments to convince him, and possibly his family, too. "I've presented myself in a sorry and pathetic state to an armed pony," I glance to the left, seeing the trembling mare, "You wouldn't shoot somepony in front of your daughter, would you?"

Glancing back at the stallion, I begin to detect a hint of hesitation in his solemn expression. The magical aura around his horn weakens as the revolver, which had been perilously close to my face, drops slightly. I'm not entirely sure what this means, but it feels like the start of something that won't end in bloodshed in this desolate place.

"Please," I speak up once more before my body weakens, and my vision dims further. The last thing I hear is a soft-spoken mare saying, "We should help her."

“Sky’s looking pretty,” she mutters.

“Huh?” I glance at her. She rolls her eyes and repeats, “The sky is pretty.”

Slowly, I nod.

“On my favorite time of the day,” her lips curl up, “the color of dusk changes depending on the season.”

“Shut up,” I say, frowning.

She glances at me with her citrine eyes. “Come on.”

I scowl at her. “Come on what?”

“I mean both the sky and the mare beside me.” Her soft feathered wings idly reach out to my hoof. “Why not take the compliment?”

“I’m just not used to it.”

“You’re so timid.” She laughs wickedly. Such a lovely sound. “I’ve never seen you act like this. Did I unlock your secret personality or something?”

I sigh. “It’s my first time having a genuine date, you should’ve understood that, Dancer.”

“I see,” her lovely smile fades, and I feel a pang of guilt. For fuck’s sake. “You’re not into this… dating thing?”

“No, no!” I sit up tensely. “I fucking love this whole picnic-on-the-cloud-meadows date thing. I-I didn’t mean to act like an asshole, I’m sorry.”

I would love to get run over by the sky wagon for making her feel guilty in trying to make us happy.

She studies me with that serious expression she wears, and I feel my anxiety rise. She finally exhales and shakes her head with a sly smile. “You’re such a hardass, Dusk.”

My eyes shift away from her, in shame.

“I’ll be taking mental notes,” she says, “for future purposes.”

I furrow my brows. “Notes of what?”

“Words and phrases to use for teasing.” She replies with a shit-eating grin.

Damn it.

I can’t help but smile back like an idiot. “If that’s what makes you sleep tonight, then go ahead.” I look up to the sky again, feeling her hoof grasp mine.

It feels nice. I want this to last.

Unfortunately, that bliss ends quickly as her hoof pulls away from mine. “Have you prepared for the training tomorrow?”

Please bring your hoof back.

I shrug. “Yeah.”

Please.

“Well, how do you feel?” she blurts out. “Y’know, about your future.”

I snicker. “What are you, my therapist?”

She rolls her eyes. “Come on, Dusk,” she passes me her pocket knife and faces the tree behind us. “Show, not tell.”

I stare at the knife. It is warm and heavy on my wing like silk on dewy grass. I flip out the blade, pressing it to the trunk of the tree.

“Show,” I whisper to myself, trying to recall how I genuinely feel.

A-F-R-A-I-D

“Afraid.” She reads, “That’s unusual from you. Why?”

I shrug, wiping the wood shavings off the knife before handing it back to her with the handle out. “Just got this feeling,” I say. “Must be pre-officer shit, hard to explain.”

“Huh,” she frowned, “Dusk, there’s nothing to be afraid of.”

“Why am I scared, then?”

She gives a small, gentle smile, “Must be your gut feeling. I’m not sure what you’re scared of in training.”

I sigh, “Preparing for the inevitable?”

“You’re so cute.”

Damn it.

Her hoof grasps mine. “Whenever that inevitable happens, I’ll be there by your side,” she squeezes my hoof harder. “Until the end of the line.”

“Yeah…”

I gradually opened my eyes, greeted by the sight of a shoddily assembled, grimy metal ceiling. Attempting to yawn, a harsh pain in my throat halted me, and I moistened my parched lips. Dehydrated didn't even begin to cover it. My hooves explored the soft but far-from-luxurious cushion beneath me, half-expecting to find myself tied up. To my relief, I wasn't. It was just an ordinary bed, albeit worse than the one at the hospital. The absence of agonizing pain in my body made me wonder if I'd been looked after. How long had it been since the pain gradually faded? Feeling the bandages wrapped around my chest and legs confirmed that somepony had tended to me. That answered one of my questions.

Realizing I was in a secured room and not a captive, I glanced at the bedside table, wondering if there was anything to occupy my thoughts. Such thoughts faded as I spotted a platter of grilled, irradiated, oddly-shaped carrots and a bowl of dark, mushroom-laden soup. Without giving a second thought to poison, I attacked the meal as if I hadn't eaten in ages. Who cared about being a picky eater when you were starving?

The food wasn't as freshly cooked as I initially thought, but it was a filling meal nonetheless.

While munching on mushroom chunks, I took the opportunity to survey the room around me. It seemed like the same room I had crashed into earlier… I recognized the wooden table I had collided with, now sporting various makeshift devices, likely crafted by an amateur. Faded pre-war posters featuring technology and television shows I'd never heard of adorned the walls, though one wall, dominated by a long table piled with equipment, reminded me of my mechanic back in Thunderhead. Was it called a workbench?

Considering the single bed I was on and the room's cluttered appearance, I thought of the younger mare. Perhaps she was an inventor or an eccentric collector. A somewhat judgmental thought made me reach for a glass of murky water and gulp it down. The spicy taste made me grimace, but I don't bother to give two shits.

With my meal finished, I decided to get up and explore the room further. Swinging my legs over the bed's edge, I felt the cool wooden floor beneath my hooves. Trying to regain my balance after lying down for what seemed like an uncomfortable eternity, I stumbled a bit. My legs felt a tad numb.

The room was small and dimly lit. I could barely make out the shapes of objects scattered around. As I made my way to the workbench, I noticed various pieces of machinery strewn about. Some appeared hastily assembled from scrap metal and circuit boards, while others were more intricate, complete with blinking lights and humming motors. I couldn't help but wonder what they were for.

Examining the workbench, I noticed a small notebook lying open next to a soldering iron. I picked it up and started reading. The pages were filled with diagrams and technical notes, neatly written in precise script. Though the handwriting was unfamiliar, the diagrams seemed related to some energy source. It was clear that the author was an expert in energy conversion.

Flipping through the notebook, my curiosity grew. Among the pages, I found sketches resembling a robotic wing. The design was intricate, with numerous joints and sensors. I couldn't help but wonder about its purpose and why it was being constructed.

Shaking my head, I closed the notebook and considered bringing the dishes downstairs. Unable to use my wings due to bandages, I had to balance them on my back and carry them down with my own strength.

As I navigated through the doorway and nudged it open, I found myself in a narrow hallway with faded brown wallpaper. There was a closed door to the left and a descending staircase to the right. Stepping in, I noticed a functioning analog wall clock on the hallway wall, showing that it was lunchtime. With dishes on my back and a glass rim between my teeth, I hoped my appearance wouldn't be too unsettling for the family.

I proceeded downstairs, where I encountered an elderly lime-coated stallion, presumably the father, fiddling with the radio dial using his magic. Across from him sat a desaturated yellow-coated mare with a long teal mane streaked with black and gray, indicating she was around the same age as her husband. She was using her wing to set a bowl in the center of the table, a detail I hadn't noticed earlier. Lastly, a young yellow-green mare sat beside her mother, appearing much younger than the other two ponies. As I watched her struggle to eat a carrot, her light brown mane getting in the way, I noticed her abnormally short wings, about the size of a filly's. It wasn't the first time I had seen a full-grown pegasus with such a disability.

Continuing down the steps until I reached the final one, I unintentionally caused the floor to creak loudly, drawing the family's attention. Their expressions ranged from startled to wary. The mother spoke up first, her voice sweet but tired, asking, "Yes?"

I set the glass down so I could talk and glanced at the shared meal on the table before swallowing and saying, "I...wanted to ask if I could have seconds?"

In this fucked-up world, the warm welcome I received from these ponies was the last thing I expected.

"Sorry 'bout sticking a gun in yar face," the stallion muttered, looking away in embarrassment. "Ya weren't lying about not hurting anypony here, even those reckless colts outside." It brought me some relief until he added, finally locking eyes with me, "But ya being weaponless is quite the opposite."

Right, they had looted my gear. Of course, they knew.

"I've never seen so many energy weapons in my life!" the young mare exclaimed enthusiastically. Her mother sighed, "Even after stripping your armor, she couldn't resist rummaging through your stuff." The younger mare grumbled, "I couldn't help it, Ma…" Her words were almost too quiet to catch.

I sipped the glass of murky water, uncertain about how to respond to all of this. Should I be angry that a mare of roughly Glory's age had stripped me of my power armor and everything I carried with me? Well, I could be, but that felt unfair considering I had collapsed uninvited in their home and become a liability. Should I forgive the stallion? I guessed so. We all have days when we want to attack the pony who's threatening us, right? Yeah, just another day on this desolate surface. Yet, the hospitality I had received made me doubt they were the type to scavenge for caps so eagerly that they'd sell my belongings. They could've sold me into slavery as well, but they didn't…

The older mare cleared her throat pointedly at the stallion, prompting him to sit up straight. He introduced himself, "I, um, I'm Lucky." He then nodded toward the older mare, who offered a small smile. "I'm Amber." Lastly, the younger mare next to her waved her hoof, saying, "Meadow."

There was a brief pause, almost as if they were waiting for me to introduce myself. I cleared my throat, trying to wash away the bitter taste of the water. "Dusk."

"It's nice to meet you, Dusk," Amber greeted warmly, nudging a bowl of carrots in my direction. "Feel free to eat as much as you want. You must be starving."

Still unsure of what to say or how to act in this rather stiff atmosphere, I simply hummed in agreement and took a bite of a steaming carrot. The taste was plain and unsatisfying, but it was better than nothing. Lucky broke the silence, "So, what brings ya here, Dusk?"

I swallowed a mouthful of carrots before answering, "Just traveling, trying to survive like everypony else out here."

Amber nodded in understanding. "It's a tough life out here, especially for those traveling alone."

Meadow chimed in, "You should stay with us for a while, Dusk. We can help each other out. We have plenty of food and supplies."

I hesitated to accept their offer. I didn't know these ponies, and trust didn't come easily to me. Our first encounter hadn't been that friendly, after all. But then again, I was low on supplies and weapons, and I couldn't survive out here alone for long, especially in my current condition, with Stable 99 as my destination.

"I appreciate your offer," I said finally, "but I don't want to burden you."

Amber shook her head. "Nonsense. We're happy to help. Besides, it's dangerous out here."

Lucky added, "And who knows, maybe we can even help ya find what ya're looking for."

I raised an eyebrow in surprise. "What makes you think I'm looking for something?"

Lucky shrugged. "Just a hunch. Ya seem like the type of pony who's on a quest for something." If that something was my well-being, then I was more than willing to comply, right?

I pondered their offer for a moment. It was risky, but it also seemed like my best chance at survival. "Alright," I agreed, "I'll stay for a while. But I won't be a burden on you for long. As soon as I can, I'll be on my way."

The family collectively agreed, and the conversation drifted into a comfortable silence. After a while, Meadow spoke up, "So, um, where are you from, Miss Dusk?"

The sudden formality took me by surprise. I was aware that she was much younger than me, but it seemed odd. I gave a straightforward answer, "Thunderhead."

"I've heard stories about that place," Lucky chimed in. "Unlike the other Enclave, Thunderhead is actually willing to help ponies like us. Unfortunately, not everypony there is a saint."

My head began to throb.

"Shush now, Lucky," Amber scolded gently. "No pony is perfect. Even the Steel Rangers don't seem to care about what's happening in the Wasteland, despite living here too."

Lucky sighed. "Would you say the same after those black-armored ponies destroyed our old home?" Right after that question, the ringing in my head returned. I didn't bother searching the room for the source; I knew it was my own refusal to listen. Was he attacking me personally because of my past with the Enclave? You needed to let it go, Dusk. Just focus on your carrot and everything will be fine. My body tensed as I felt a touch on my right hoof, seeing Meadow's yellow-green hoof with faint baby blue spots across her hoof touching mine. She was mouthing "are you okay?" but I couldn't hear her voice.

"Uh… yeah," I stammered, pulling my hoof away. "I'm fine. I'm fine." The second sentence was probably unnecessary, but I needed to convince myself more than anypony else. Surprisingly, it seemed to silence the ringing sound, and I noticed the family looking at me, waiting for me to say something.

Amber regarded me with a worried expression. "Are you sure? Maybe we should get you some medicine."

I shook my head. "No, it's okay. I'll be fine."

The rest of the meal passed in relative silence. Eventually, I asked, "So, um, what's the history of this place? I mean, Terminus?"

The parents exchanged glances, then their daughter followed suit, her eyebrows furrowing. She pointed expectantly at me. Amber spoke first, "We're not sure exactly when Terminus was founded, but it started as a refuge for families who lost their homes due to the Enclave's actions over the years." She closed her eyes. "Unfortunately, we were one of those families."

"This is a refugee site?" It was a dumb question, but no one seemed to mind. Amber shook her head. "It used to be, but now the population has grown so fast that we have to fend for ourselves. I'm not even sure if there's anypony like the Lightbringer or Security out there to keep this place going. But we've managed to make it work."

"By selling and trading scrap," Meadow added, "Major trading hubs love it, and that keeps this place running. We grow edible mushrooms in the basement, which is our main source of caps."

This piqued my curiosity about something else. "What about threats?"

"What about 'em?" Lucky scoffed. "We have armed ponies scouting around outside and standing guard on watchtowers. If anypony crosses here, whether they're Enclave, Steel Rangers, or even a strange cybernetic pony, they're hunted for scrap, no questions asked."

The older mare cleared her throat and said, "Except for Applejack's Rangers, dear. The ones with red accents. The Terminus militia leaves them be."

I clenched my hooves against the edge of the table, leaving marks on the varnish. "You could've sold me out," I pointed out, "but you didn't. Why?"

The question prompted worried glances among the family. After a pause, Lucky cleared his throat and spoke, his voice slightly strained. "We saw that ya're not a threat, Dusk. Ya're not one of them. But we'll still keep an eye on ya."

"Of course," I replied, though I couldn't help but feel that hospitalizing me had been a questionable choice made out of pity. The conversation became more casual, delving into getting to know my background and what I had done for a living before the apparent civil war in Thunderhead. I decided not to bring up the terror I had caused while working in the clouds.

The rest of the talk became a blur, except for what Lucky mentioned. "What matters is that we successfully hid ya from those colts who barged into our home," he said with pride, "Now we know how stupid they are for not noticing the massive hole in the roof upstairs."

After lunch, I volunteered to help Amber with the dishes to stretch my muscles after being bedridden for what felt like an eternity. The yellow pegasus's expression brightened as she handed me the dirty dishes. Lucky and Meadow went off to run errands, with Lucky saying something about checking on the mushrooms for harvest, and Meadow trotting upstairs.

"How are you feeling, Dusk?" Amber's gentle voice snapped me out of my thoughts. I stared at the bowl and the soapy sponge in my hooves, struggling to find the right words to answer such a simple question. "I, uh…" I glanced at Amber, who was patiently waiting for my response, her wings scrubbing a glass cup. Given my earlier behavior, "fine" didn't feel like the right answer. "I've been better," I finally admitted.

Amber smiled sympathetically. "I understand." She placed the rinsed glass on the rack and set the sponge aside. "If you don't mind me saying, it seems like you've been dealing with some form of grief, am I right?" My body stiffened, causing me to halt my movements as I washed the dishes. How did she know, and why did she care?

"It's none of your business," I muttered, turning my attention back to the sink. My words came out harsher than I had intended. From Amber's direction, I heard shifting noises, followed by the return of that irritating ringing sound. When would I learn to listen? To allow ponies to reach out to me because they cared? But my mind urged me not to pay attention and to keep everything suppressed. It's easier that way, it whispered. Just hold it in.

A short while later, the ringing sound ceased. I glanced down and noticed that I had nearly finished my side of the dishes. Amber had made significant progress, but she wore a somber expression. Guilt churned in my gut as I realized what I had just done.

"I'm sorry," I apologized, my voice hesitant. I knew my words wouldn't be enough to make up for my earlier behavior. "I know you're trying to reach out to me, and I appreciate it. But…" I looked at Amber and saw her fully focused on me, waiting for my explanation. "I'm just uncomfortable talking about this stuff."

I expected her to nod and return to her chores, but instead, Amber's gaze softened, and she placed a comforting hoof on my shoulder. "It's okay, Dusk. I understand that... everypony has their own way of coping with grief and pain. Just know that I'm here for you if you ever need somepony to talk to."

I sighed, feeling some of the emotional weight beginning to lift. "Thank you." I hadn't realized how unaware she was until I had told her I wasn't ready to discuss my feelings and why I was acting this way. As long as my thoughts and behavior didn't disrupt this family's daily life when I was awake, I had to try to keep myself in check and prevent my mind from sabotaging things.

All I could manage in response to Amber was a small smile, something I hadn't done for a while.

I finished helping Amber with her chores, and she assures me to help Lucky harvest mushrooms by the basement. I was surprised by how clean and well-maintained the cellar door was. Even as I stepped onto the staircase, there were still dark green marks where moss and mold used to grow. It reminded me that this house existed pre-war. I wasn't sure if surfacers had enough resources and protection to be able to build such a structurally stable home with twigs and scrap.

As I descended further down, I began to notice the familiar wasteland smell. The hardwood stairs creaked with every step I took, and the air grew heavier due to the lack of ventilation. I was used to the weightless feeling back in the clouds, and being below ground level made me feel like I was suffocating.

Dramatics aside, I found myself in a familiar mechanic's workshop. There was a long desk by the wall with various heavy tools, and even the walls were filled with hung-up tools that I couldn't name. Mountains of boxes were stacked in the corner of the room, and even some were under the desk. The lighting in the room was uncomfortably yellow, mainly because the lightbulb used to illuminate it was like piss yellow.

At the end of the room, I saw my power armor latched in place by the armor stand, which looked salvaged with a metal box underneath it, presumably where all my belongings were kept.

"Amber is quite the talker, eh?" Lucky's voice caught me off guard. I saw him standing by the pony-made tunnel that I hadn't noticed before, beside the power armor station.

"I guess you could say that," I muttered, unsure of what to comment regarding his wife's talkative nature. I trotted closer to my power armor, noticing that its metal plating had been slowly repairing itself, but it was nowhere near to being fully repaired. I looked at Lucky and pointed to the station. "You've been taking care of my power armor?"

"Eyup," he nodded and sat down. "And Meadow too. We've been tinkering with the core of this bugger for quite a while. It'll come around."

I slowly nodded along with his dialogue, unsure if I should let him and the filly play around with the high-end military equipment that they had never touched before. They were nowhere near being certified mechanics, and neither was I, having no idea about anything involving machinery and all that stuff. I trotted closer to my armor, gesturing to Lucky to check if he was okay with it, then proceeded as the older stallion nodded in confirmation.

Letting my muscle memory kick in, I fiddled around with my armor and activated the interface on its left forearm. I felt relieved after seeing that the screen and interface were repaired. I went through the maintenance tab and the armor sat down, its chest plating opened, revealing an egg-shaped talisman amidst the tendrils and wires. Last time, my armor was in absolute shit condition due to the talisman possibly being damaged, and it took a few days to repair itself on average. Now, it appears to be in decent condition.

That reminds me…

I turned to Lucky and asked, "How long have I been out?" Feeling stupid that I didn't ask this back at the dining table, he touched his chin thoughtfully, trying hard to remember. "Shucks, I think it's been three days since ya've been knocked out cold."

I looked at Lucky in disbelief. Three days? That was a long time to be out cold, and I couldn't believe that my body had taken that long to recover. "Damn, that's longer than I thought," I said, shaking my head. "What happened after I got knocked out?"

Lucky scratched his head. "Well, after ya got unconscious, we brought ya to Meadow’s bed and treated ya. Meadow did most of the healing while I watched over ya. Amber's been keeping an eye on ya too, making sure ya're comfortable and all."

I nodded, grateful for their help. Huh, not only did I think I was right about the talisman, but it had also been three whole days since I'd been MIA. I couldn't help but worry about my family. Were they also worried sick about me? How were they doing? Did they find a place to stay somewhere in Hoofington? Could father handle himself defending Moon and the twins alone? Did the Steel Ranger Paladin think of protecting my family too?

Suddenly, distant static snapped me out of my overthinking thoughts, and I looked towards the pony-made tunnel where the noise was coming from. Lucky cocked his head to the side. "Ya alright there? If ya're that worried about ya armor, don't fret."

I turned my attention back to my power armor one last time. It appeared to be in decent condition, but there were still some repairs that needed to be done. Right. Lucky and Meadow would be the ones who would take care of the armor. I didn't think it was in peak condition just yet after only three days.

I heard something in the lines with me following the older stallion down to the tunnel for the mushroom harvesting, and I just mindlessly nodded along. I followed him down the narrow passage, enduring the suffocating feeling stuck in my throat. Seeing those dug-out tunnels with wooden supporting beams nudged way into the crooked dirt gave me a false sense of security that these tunnels wouldn't crumble. It wasn't just the claustrophobic feeling of being underground, but also the knowledge that danger could be lurking around any corner. The wasteland was a dangerous place, and being underground didn't make it any less so.

No, I had to drop this petty judgment about this whole 'surfacers don't do shit' schtick while being constantly anxious every moment I lived under the roof of these surfacers.

Lucky seemed to sense my unease and put a comforting hoof on my shoulder. "Don't worry," he said with a reassuring smile, "We've been harvesting mushrooms down here for years, and we've never had any trouble."

I nodded, trying to calm my nerves. I wasn't sure if that changes things to assure me that him and his family had presumably been working underground for a long time and they knew what they were doing. I just needed to trust him.

I sighed, finding myself enjoying the peacefulness of the tunnels. There was something calming about being underground, away from the chaos of the wasteland above.

We continued to trot deeper into the tunnels, and I noticed that the air was getting colder and damper. The walls were slick with moisture, and the ground was covered in a layer of moss and fungus. We passed several large chambers where rows of pale brown mushrooms were growing on shelves made of scrap metal and wood. On the left side, there were rows of pale brown cup mushrooms reaching up to the ceiling. I wasn't sure if those were their true colors since the lighting came from an oil lamp above that emitted an orange-red hue. Above the ground level, there were long, rectangular boxes with plenty of mushrooms growing out from their holes.

The static noise grew audible as we reached the part of the tunnel with more supporting beams against the walls, with horizontal, elongated planks resting against the ceiling. I saw the radio that Lucky had used earlier in the dining table, hanging up with a loose nail by one of the beams, emitting jazz instrumentals with static.

The stallion stood between me and the mushroom farm. "Welp," he proudly gestures out, "Welcome to our small mushroom farm."

I looked at the mushrooms' smooth caps. "Are they…safe to eat?" I asked, still unsure.

Lucky chuckled. "Of course they are. Both in eating them," he trailed off as he trotted to the sack underneath the noisy radio. He fiddled inside of it then pulled out a muddy yellow device with different meters on its small screen using his levitating magic, "And keeping them inside yar pockets."

He pushed the button dead center, and the device started clicking slowly. I remembered geiger counters creating the same noise whenever you pointed them at radioactive material. He trotted back to the mushroom farm and pointed the device there. To my surprise, it didn't click. I know geiger counters always clicked no matter where you were on the surface but this was a special case. I trotted closer and saw the geiger meter's needle was flat down by the left, underneath its first level. "So you're telling me these mushrooms have no radiation?"

"That seems to be the case." Lucky moved the counter away from the mushrooms, and it started to make slow clicks, then he brought it back, making the device quiet, "I'm not sure what's the science or magic behind it. I haven't asked the smarter ponies to check it out."

I rubbed my chin in contemplation, "I do know a couple of ponies who seem to be interested in checking these things out," I glanced back at Lucky, "After we finish harvesting them."

The stallion agreed, and we both got to work. He taught me to carefully pick out the smooth caps with my hooves, which was much harder than watching the unicorn use his magic to pick out the mushrooms with ease. I wished I could use my wings for the delicate work, but I was still bandaged up and unable to do much. Eventually, Lucky gave me the shears and held them in my mouth after spending a few minutes trying not to destroy the mushrooms with my grubby hooves. The shears made the job a bit easier, although I had to endure the taste of earth every time I cut off a mushroom. The pleasant odor of the mushrooms hit my nose, and their small taste of sweetness and saltiness reminded me of the hearty mushroom soup we had back at the lunch table.

It was quiet. Lucky and I didn't talk much while we were harvesting, and the radio playing its tunes was the only sound reverberating through the tunnels. This moment of peace fluttered my chest a bit, wishing for it to last until my last breath. I could hear her voice at the back of my head, making me close my eyes and sigh softly, not dwelling on it further.

Then I hear the voice from the radio, "And that, my dear children, is Velvet Remedy's cover of Mighty Mighty Mare!" Great, it's DJ-PON3 that every surface pony apparently knows and loves. I was aware of him back when I used to patrol across Hoofington for scouting. Surprisingly, he managed to survive after hell broke loose against that fucking brood.

Anyhow, I didn't bother listening through that segment. It was expected to be about current news happening across the Wasteland, and there's gonna be a mysterious pony who'll save the day, knowing that the Lightbringer and Security are no longer around to help the ponies in need. That might teach everypony that all we have to do is help ourselves, or maybe we can be Lightbringer or Security, willing to aid others.

That thought made me huff and continue snipping off the mushroom caps.

"... the pegasi who used to reside in Thunderhead, are currently building their own settlement right by the heart of Hoofington…"

My ear perked up. Huh. I guess residing by the Skyport wasn't an option for them anymore, leaving it behind. "That must've been ya ponies, Dusk." Lucky started beside me, "Ya planning to go there soon? They might need extra hooves to start building up from scratch."

I furrow my brows, "I have other plans."

The stallion lets out a low hum, "What about yar family?"

Feeling the guilt building up in my chest, I clench my teeth and tighten my grip on the shears. No, my family deserves better. They can defend themselves without me… right? I can't go through the guessing game about their survival in the Wasteland. The back of my head throbs, urging me to stick to the plan of going to the Steel Rangers. Perhaps they will comply with my request to help the former Thunderhead residents, especially Crumpets. As for living with my family, I can't see it.

"Like I said," I speak in a soft, solemn voice. It's the same tone I use in Glory's hospital room. "I have other plans."

Since then, Lucky hasn't asked any more questions.

After we finished harvesting the mushrooms and I received a free sample to keep in my inventory, Lucky allowed me to check my armor with Meadow for further maintenance. Although I was never a mechanic, basic maintenance knowledge is a requirement for Enclave personnel who own military-issued power armor. Despite the fact that Meadow was an amateur, I still appreciated the extra help. Meadow then took off the bandages on my wings after I told her that my body had fully healed. I had never felt this free to fly around quickly.

Lucky and Amber left the house to restock their mushroom store stall at Terminus's market hub, leaving me to sit with their daughter and keep her occupied. I wished I could come with the older ponies, but I was a wanted pony in Terminus.

"So..." The yellow-green pony tapped her hooves together. "What's next?"

I opened the interface on the armor's left forearm to run its diagnostics. It notified me that the wing hinges required some fixing. "The wings. Do you have any scrap metal and a blowtorch?" I watched as Meadow dashed across the basement to get a box labeled "scraps," and a thick cylindrical device resembling a blowtorch was tossed into the cardboard. She kicked it low, sliding the box towards me.

I pinged the armor to turn around and extend its wings. The talisman hadn't reached its exoskeleton to fully repair it. There was no way I was knowledgeable in operating more complicated equipment on my armor except for only remembering which materials to use.

That reminded me of the notes I had seen back in the bedroom about the robotic wing. I had to ask, "Say, Meadow." I watched as her attention sharply turned to me. "Is it your bed that I've been sleeping on?"

"Y-Yeah," she stutters a bit, "But don't worry about it! I've been sleeping here in the basement." I see her hoof pointing to a sad-looking, filthy mattress at the side of the room.

"Well, I looked around at your workbench when I first woke up earlier." I see Meadow's expression range from anxiety to anticipation, "Are those your inventions? I hope you don't mind me snooping around there."

"Oh! You've seen them?" The younger mare enthusiastically looked up at me, "Don't worry! I love sharing my inventions with anypony." She goes closer to me, catching our shared gaze on the power armor. I gently nudged the box to her and gave a small nod, "I'm not a damn genius in stuff like this, but I've already diagnosed the problem: repairing the wings' exoskeleton."

I can see Meadow bites her lip nervously before starting the repairs on the wing. Ever since I mentioned her inventions, I have never seen her so proud of teaching me the basics of repairing complicated stuff like my power armor. I let her hooves guide mine to get through the nooks and crannies, thus making my wings useful in that matter. For some reason, the younger mare keeps getting flustered whenever we touch hooves or when she touches my wings. I couldn't help but stifle a laugh when she struggles to explain something complicated while we're so close to each other.

These moments have been a blur, but I genuinely had a nice time with the younger pegasus. She has a shit ton of potential, let alone being a fucking genius to be my personal mechanic… I wonder if she can join my expedition to the Stable? No, she can't be a companion or something. I don't want to head out with anypony at all to the Stable.

Different imagery filters through my mind, different scenarios about what-ifs in failing to protect Meadow. What would her parents think? Risking their daughter's life over the runaway mare who causes nothing but trouble-

"Dusk?" Meadow's gentle voice snapped me from zoning out further. I look down and see her green eyes waiting for me, "Are you alright? You look so… pale."

"I…" My hooves drop and my wings close to my sides, "Sorry. I just zoned out."

She tilts her head to the side, "Have you been thinking about traveling out soon?"

I purse my lips as I feel a sting of guilt like a taste of bile in my mouth, "Yeah… yeah. I just think about a lot of things."

The yellow-green mare slowly nods, "I've also thought about a lot of things after what you said back at the lunch table." Huh? What did I say? "About heading out on your way soon."

"What… makes you say that?" My question makes Meadow take a deep breath before replying with, "I want to come with you, out to the Wasteland. We can help each other out."

My purple eyes widened at that. Not only did the family give me hospitality that I absolutely did not deserve, but their daughter looked up to me like I'm her mentor. "I'm sorry, what?" I asked, bewildered and confused. "I don't… Look, I appreciate what you're going for, Meadow. But I prefer to go out alone." Seeing her expression falter made my heart ache. Open your heart. Her voice echoed out with the same phrase. Open your heart. I could hear her voice begging me to let a younger mare join me on my Wasteland journey. Open your heart. Two different colored hooves tried to reach out to me, telling me to let both me and Meadow grow through these difficult times.

Open. Your. Heart.

"After what I've seen you do with the power armor and all, I think I could be a valuable asset," Meadow explains, her eyes bright with determination.

I felt a wave of panic wash over me. The last thing I wanted was to be responsible for another pony's safety out in the dangerous Wasteland. "I don't know, Meadow. It's not exactly safe out there."

"I know it's dangerous," she responded, undeterred. "But I'm not afraid. And besides, I can take care of myself. Plus, I really want to help you out. You've been so kind to me, and I want to repay the favor."

I could see the sincerity in her eyes, and it made me feel guilty for even considering rejecting her offer. But at the same time, I couldn't shake off the fear and responsibility that comes with taking somepony else with me.

"I’m sorry Meadow. but…" I say, trying to keep my voice gentle. "But it's just not a good idea. The Wasteland is no place for anypony, especially not somepony like you."

It was expected for a hopeful pony like Meadow to be heartbroken, but why did I still feel so terrible? Was it empathy, shame, guilt? Those thoughts were put on hold after hearing the younger mare's look of disappointment, but she nodded in understanding.

I gave her a small smile, grateful for her understanding and close my eyes to ease my mind.

"And of course," she trailed off, and I felt my right hoof being touched. I opened my eyes and saw Meadow gazing deeply into my eyes. "Don't hesitate to ask for help, okay?"

"Okay," I replied, feeling a sense of warmth in my chest. Despite my reservations, I couldn't deny that Meadow's offer was tempting. It would be nice to have somepony to rely on in the Wasteland, somepony who understood the dangers and could help me navigate them. But at the same time, I couldn't bring myself to put her in harm's way.

We continued to work on the power armor in comfortable silence, with occasional conversation about her inventions and my experiences in the Wasteland. As the day wore on, I realized that I was starting to feel more comfortable around her. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to have a companion after all.

But for now, I pushed those thoughts aside and focused in repairing the power armor, in which is no small feat, but with Meadow's help, I felt more confident in my abilities. Who knows? Maybe one day...

Before I brought up a conversation, we suddenly hear hurried, loud hoofsteps from above followed by the muffled voices. Meadow looks away from the armor, "Ma? Pa?" She calls out, then a familiar silhouette of Lucky hurried down the stairs. I see his expression is grim, "They're coming."

Meadow and I shared looks of confusion, and the younger mare spoke my thoughts. "Who, Pa?"

"The damn militia. They demand to search this house for Dusk and her power armor." Lucky used his magic to levitate my power armor by the mouth of the tunnel. It automatically posed into its idle position, ready for me to wear it. "Listen to me, Dusk," Lucky placed both of his hooves on my shoulders. "Get into yar armor and grab yar stuff by the metal box over there." He pointed to the box underneath the armor station. "Then, haul yar ass through the tunnel that leads out to the Terminus sewers. It's locked, but ya can shoot the padlock with one of yer energy weapons."

The sense of urgency made me quickly don my armor. Goddesses, I wasn't sure if I should be relieved or stressed that the familiar heavy feeling was back once again after wearing my armor. After I was secured, I beelined to the box, retrieving all my belongings into my inventory.

Then I realized something.

I turn to Lucky and ask, “What about Meadow?”

Lucky shakes his head. "Don't worry about Meadow. She'll be safe here."

I hesitate for a moment, but I know that I need to trust them. However, I couldn't help but ask Lucky, who was busy whispering to Meadow, looking distressed, "What are you guys going to do?" I demanded. Lucky looks at me painfully and replies, "We'll be left behind to fend off the militia. It'll give ya some time."

"Wait, we?" I ask incredulously. "You, Amber, and Meadow are going to be up there? Against those ponies?!"

Lucky nods his head. "Eyup. It's best for ya to run off where ya need to go without casualties."

I straighten my stance. "How can you be so sure those ponies won't kill you? You'll be in danger if they find out you've been helping me."

"We'll be fine," Lucky reassures me with a small smile. "We've dealt with the militia before. We'll just have to be careful."

"But-" I start to protest, but he cuts me off.

"No buts, Dusk. Ya need to get out of here before they find ya. We'll take care of ourselves. Now go, before it's too late."

I hesitate for a moment longer, but then nod and turn to the tunnel. "Thank you," I say over my shoulder before breaking into a run. The last thing I see is Meadow giving me a contemptuous look.

A gut feeling arises, and hearing the commotion happening above makes me think that Amber is holding off the Terminus militia alone. Knowing that Lucky and Meadow needed to be up there, I heard them trotting off upstairs.

Fuck. Okay, all I have to do is go through the tunnel that leads to the sewers. I then remember the town's announcement about having a radroach infestation. Hearing those loud voices above makes me want to head up there and save the family. The same family who took care of me and my equipment while I was out recovering, the same surfacers who were compassionate enough to take in a former enemy of the Wasteland.

Then I heard gunshots, lots of them. Among the family, only Lucky has a revolver.

Fuck. FUCK.

I abandoned the escape plan and flew back through the cellar door. It had to be a misfire, I thought to myself. It couldn't have been fucking intentional, and hopefully no one was hurt.

As I entered the dining room, my heart sank at the sight of three lifeless bodies covered in fresh bullet wounds. I saw red. Group of armed ponies with grounded fatigues surround three corpses right outside the cellar door. Red. The moment I see the corpses, time has been slowed. Red. My heart throbs against my chest.

Lucky, Amber and Meadow… Red. Their bodies were covered with fresh bullet holes. Red. Their faces flashed through my mind.

Red. It's all fucking red.

I retracted my helmet, then reveal my bladed wings and scorpion tail as I approached the armed ponies in fatigues. Gunshots rang out as they shouted at me, but I paid no attention to their words. They were just red, obstacles in my way. I don't care. I don't care what the fuck they're saying.

Using my barb tail, I punctured the neck of the first red. I could hear another red behind me, so I swiftly turned around and slashed through the chest of the next one with my bladed wings. The red's flesh opened through his chest, and the scent of blood fueled me as I continued to eliminate the rest of the reds.

I heard one of them yell, "...get that fucking Enclave!" and I couldn't help but laugh at the idea that they might kill me too. Good. Keep them coming. Flying towards the next target, I let the weight and velocity of my armor crush her against the countertop. Though I felt a bullet graze my right wing, it was a small wound that only made me chuckle. I turned around to face the two ponies standing beside each other, and with a quick dash, I extended my wings and sliced through their necks.

The last red is standing against the wall, looking frightened as I caught sight of the three corpses in the corner. Red. My teeth gritted as I rammed him against the wall, hearing the crunch below. I raise my hooves and start punching the living shit out of the last red.

I can feel my throat throbbing while hearing the crunching. Have I been screaming? How long have I been screaming this whole time? Doesn't matter. Raising my hooves, I punched him repeatedly until the noise turned mushy and my hooves throbbed.

Suddenly, I heard her voice - Dusk, please... Snap out of it. All at once, my senses returned, and I was left with the overwhelming scent of gore, the feeling of liquid on my wings, and the taste of iron in my mouth.

I take a deep breath and try to calm myself down. I can feel my heart pounding in my chest, my wings twitching with adrenaline. The reality of what just happened sinks in, and I feel sick to my stomach. I look around at the carnage I have caused and the bodies of the ones I considered family.

I stumble backwards and sink to the ground, feeling numb. How could this happen? How could I have let this happen? I should have stayed behind to help the family or help them with the escape plan. I should have protected them. But now they're gone, and it's all my fault.

I look down and see the fucked-up corpse of the Terminus guard underneath me, his face completely disfigured, and I can see his insides. I turn away before I can feel the bile rising up to my throat. I retract my helmet to get a better sight of what happened. The sight of the homely dining and kitchen space turned into a raider base, with blood and gore all over. Fuck, I don't remember much about what I did to cause this fucked-up scene.

I then remember again.

That prompts me to turn my head to the low left, seeing the corpses of the family. Flashbacks of our small moments clip through my mind. Fuck. My body starts to crumble and sway. "No, no, no, no…" I cry out while grasping my messy, short mane. I drop on the warm wooden floor, feeling the tears running down the sides of my face. The familiar feeling of grief and sorrow kicks in, the feeling of not being able to save the ponies I swore should have lived, the feeling where I made the absolute worst choice that costs a life of somepony who deserves more than me, the feeling…

I let out a loud anguished sob. My voice echoes through the room that used to be so lively, and now it's an indoor graveyard.

The ringing noise comes back as my eyes are blurred and swelling from crying. I should have been aware of my surroundings, especially after the damn massacre inside the settlement, but my body begs for me to rest, and my state of mind and heart are nowhere near okay.

I hear a door opening above me, followed by heavy hoofsteps and hollow, robotic voices. I can't make out what they're saying, or who they are. I let out a pathetic laugh, realizing that many powerful unknown ponies found a former Enclave officer in a pathetic state.

My laughter eventually turns into pain as I feel an overwhelming amount of shock across my body, followed by a hard punch on my cheek that causes everything to go black.

I blinked my eyes open, feeling a sharp sting on my right cheek. I looked up at the white metal ceiling, spotted with rust, and felt the hard surface of the table under me. I tried to move my legs, but they were locked in metal cuffs, and I shivered without my armor and gear.

"Fucking great," I muttered under my breath.

I attempted to flap my wings, but something was wrapped around my right one. It looked like they had bandaged it, but I still felt gross.

I heard some noises near my back legs, and a female voice said, “Sir, she’s awake.” The room was surprisingly quiet, despite the metal walls.

The other voice, deep and authoritative, made a low sound. “Lower the table,” he said, and I felt myself tilt as I craned my neck to see more of the room.

The room was dimly lit, with a single white fluorescent beam above me casting an eerie glow. Four silhouettes with bulky, angular bodies were visible, and the tallest one stepped into the light, revealing a purple stallion in power armor with red accents. He had a freshly trimmed buzz-cut mane and piercing gray eyes that held unmistakable disdain for me.

“So, you’re Dusk, huh?” he said, and I wondered how he knew my name until I remembered they must have checked my armor. He went on, “I heard you’re one of the ponies who went through the Core with Security, the only Enclave soldier. But that doesn’t give you the right to kill innocent ponies, you know.”

His accusation caught me off guard. I retorted, "I didn't kill the family. I never would."

The stallion leaned in, his eyes narrowing. “Then what about the other six ponies?” he asked, demanding. “Don’t try to lie, pegasus.”

I clenched my teeth, feeling angry. “Those six ponies,” I said through gritted teeth, “were the ones who murdered a helpless family of three. I did the Wasteland a favor by taking them out.”

The stallion snorted. “And you expect us to believe that, when you’re the only one left alive, in full power armor no less. That sounds pretty fishy, don’t you think?”

“Did you even bother to check their bodies?” I snapped, barely holding back my anger. “The family died from bullet wounds, and I only own energy weapons!”

The Ranger’s face showed annoyance, and I knew they weren’t going to listen to me. But I was telling the truth, and I wished for a damn lawyer, even though that was a joke in this hellhole.

“You know what’s funny, Dusk,” the Ranger pointed a hoof at me, “is that we’ve heard these kinds of stories before, and they always turned out to be bullshit.” His eyes narrowed. “And you know what, your story sounds a lot like bullshit too.”

I wanted to break free from the cuffs and punch the Ranger in the face until he saw reason. But it was useless. They hated me, just because of where I came from. I took a deep breath, trying to calm down. “Look,” I said, “I get that you might have some issues with me, but you can’t just assume that I’m guilty without any proof. That’s not fair.”

The Steel Ranger snorted. “Fair? You think there's something fair in this Wasteland? We do what we have to do to keep the ponies safe, and right now, we think that you’re a danger to that safety.”

"What's going on here?" A familiar, posh voice interrupted us. I felt a surge of relief as I recognized the voice. “Knight Plum, are you interrogating somepony?”

Before the purple stallion could answer, the mare pushed past the others and stepped into the light. She unveiled her freckled, orange coat, covered in a minuscule amount of small scars, and a tan mane in a messy bun.

“Paladin Crumpets,” Plum turned to the shorter mare. “We’re investigating the incident in Terminus, and this Enclave is involved. So, we’re trying to get the truth out of her.”

Crumpets’ yellow eyes met mine, and she looked furious. “Dusk?!” she growled, her anger clear as she walked towards me. I braced myself for her to kick my ass, but instead she went for Plum and knocked him down with a quick kick to the legs, her strong legs easily overpowering the armored stallion.

Plum looked shocked, and his voice was confused. “Paladin! What are you—”

"Don't Paladin me, you wanker!" Crumpets snapped, her hooves tapping on the metal floor. “What the hell are you doing, Plum?” she asked, her voice angry. It was obvious that she wasn’t playing around, and I couldn’t help but admire her strength.

“She’s being questioned about the incident in Terminus,” Plum said stiffly, his voice annoyed. “We have reason to think that she might have killed innocent ponies.”

Crumpets raised an eyebrow skeptically. “And what proof do you have for that?” she asked sharply. “Because I know Dusk, and I know that she would never hurt innocent ponies.”

Plum hesitated, his eyes darting between Crumpets and me. “We have reason to think that she was there when it happened,” he said finally, his voice uncertain.

Crumpets shook her head dismissively. “Being there doesn’t mean she did it,” she said, her tone final. “Eyewitnesses can be wrong, and I won’t believe that Dusk is capable of such a horrible thing without solid evidence.” She looked at me, her eyes intense. “You wouldn’t kill innocent ponies, would you?”

I feel a twinge of guilt as memories of the raider camp flood back years ago, but I push it aside and meet her gaze steadily. “No,” I said firmly. “But I did kill the ones who shot them.”

Crumpets’ eyes widened in surprise as she turned to face me fully, her expression serious. “What do you mean you killed the ones who shot them?” she asked, her voice stern.

My voice was steady as I answered, “I mean just that. I was there when the family was killed, and I found the ponies who did it. I took them out to stop them from hurting anypony else.”

Crumpets’ face softened a bit, but her eyes still had a hint of doubt. “And why didn’t you tell the Applejack’s Rangers?” she asked.

“I didn’t trust them to do what was right,” I said, my voice getting slightly bitter. “They have their own agenda, and it doesn’t always match what’s best for the ponies they’re supposed to protect.”

Crumpets nodded thoughtfully, her expression thoughtful. “I get it,” she said, “but we have to look into any possible leads in this case to make sure justice is done.”

“I get it,” I said resignedly, “but I want you to know that I had nothing to do with the family’s deaths.”

Crumpets’ face softened more, and her voice became gentler. “I believe you.”

"Brahmin shit," Plum spoke up as he tried to get up. “You were laughing on the dam with the bodies around, including the family! The other bodies were mutilated, and the family was shot. The damn Enclave, energy weapons or not, they can use guns too! What we saw in that house wasn’t just a bad dream we all had.”

I took a deep breath, trying to keep my cool. “I’ve told you a million times, I don’t have those damn guns-”

“Enough,” Crumpets raised her hoof. “This is going nowhere if you two just argue. Dusk, as much as I trust you…” She turned her head to one of the Rangers behind the light. “We might need a third-party opinion on this, to see if you’re telling the truth…” She looked at me sadly, “… or not.”

Plum let out an annoyed grunt and shook his head, clearly not happy with the idea of bringing in somepony else. But he knew that Crumpets was right - this was a serious charge, and it needed to be handled carefully.

A black unicorn in a tactical vest covered in pouches, worn over a red sweater and faded brown pants stepped forward, his eyes hesitating to look at anypony at all. “Scribe Ashes, do you still remember the memory recollection spell?” The Paladin asked.

The unicorn nodded shyly, “Y-Yes, ma’am.” Seeing my confused look, he added, “It’s, um, the spell that was first made by the Ministry of Arcane Sciences for the Ministry of Morale’s interrogation purposes. But it was stopped because of the bad effects it had on both the user and the interrogated.”

“Mostly the interrogated is the one who gets more fucked up,” the freckled mare gave me a worried look, “Do you… want to do this, Dusk?”

I frowned in defiance. I’ve already been through a lot of crap that has messed me up physically and mentally. If this magic could help clear this up and prove my innocence by giving an unbiased opinion, then I had to do it.

I nodded, and Crumpets and Plum moved aside, letting Ashes come closer to me. He breathed deeply, and his horn started to glow with a bright light as he moved towards my forehead. I could feel the magic pulsing against my head, but I had to bear it.

As his horn touched my forehead, everything around me became a blur, and the only thing I could see was Ashes without his clothes, holding my hoof. My body felt like it was flying at an incredible speed, but I wasn’t actually moving or flapping my wings. In a flash, I saw myself as a filly trying to fly with two grown ponies, who I guessed were Father and Dawn. It quickly changed to the time when Dancer and I joined the Enclave military, and I felt my heart ache seeing us so young. Then it moved fast to our years of training, which were squeezed into just a few seconds, followed by our graduation ceremony where I looked so messed up. That was also the time when Dawn was… The memory then changed to the time when I heard Glory’s fake confession about betraying the Enclave, and then to that night when I tried to kill her… that fucking Blackjack… I felt sick as the scene became a heavy rainstorm, and Blackjack’s metal arms pierced through my armor… I saw my past self’s violet eyes glance at me from the side—

As my face began to tear apart, Ashes gently squeezed my right hoof. “Stay calm, Dusk,” he said softly. “This is just a memory, and you’re in control.”

I nodded, feeling a surge of control. The memories kept flashing, but I watched them from afar, like a movie.

I saw myself in orange prison clothes, passing by Dancer in the hospital. Then the scene where I held her helmet with my bloody hooves... Morning’s soft voice letting out a promise… the fucking tunnels and the Core…

My head throbbed, and I saw the moment I bonded with Amber, Lucky, and Meadow. My heart dropped as I saw their bodies, and I went berserk on the Terminus ponies. My senses numbed, and I looked aside to see Ashes's expression in pained shock.

Suddenly, I was back in the room where I was being interrogated in an intense blur. My head jerked back, and I felt a liquid running down my nose and tasted the iron in my mouth. I heard rapid hoofsteps and saw Crumpets close by my side, wiping my snout with a napkin.

"Dusk, are you okay?" Crumpets asked, her voice filled with worry.

I took a moment to gather my thoughts before responding. "Yeah," I said, my voice shaky. "I'm okay. That was... intense."

Pounding headaches aside and readjusting my vision, I saw the other power-armored ponies by Ashes's side, who also looked worse for wear. "She…" He swallowed and looked at me, "She did nothing wrong. The family got gunned down by their own people in Terminus…" The black unicorn took rapid deep breaths, trying to recollect his thoughts after performing the strenuous spell, "I saw everything. I felt everything. Her anger, her blinded anger in slaughtering the few Terminus militia in that house…"

My mouth curled up in relief, finally proving my innocence, but the toll on my well-being was evident. Plum's voice rang out, but I couldn't make out what the fuck he was saying before Crumpets' reassuring words saying, "Good. And I'll take care of her."

I chuckled softly. “Shit. So I’m free now?”

“Yes, you are,” Crumpets smiled as another unicorn ranger used her magic to uncuff me. "And you kept your promise, eh?"

The emotions hit me, reminding me of why I came to Stable 99. “I just…” I trailed off, softly. “… have nowhere else to go, Crumpets. I have no one.”

Crumpets looked sad as she understood me. “Fuck, I see…” she said, staring at me. “You know, I was thinking of sponsoring you to stay here with me. What do you say?”

I was surprised that sponsors were a thing here. Crumpets, an Applejack Ranger, said she could vouch for a pony to live here, if they had a purpose to help the Stable. But I didn’t know what I could do, since most of the ponies here were fighters. Crumpets told me not to worry, they could use a pegasus for some stuff, but I wasn’t sure if I wanted that kind of responsibility. Plus, I also didn’t want to join the Applejack Rangers.

I was glad that Crumpets got me, and told me to relax after the Overmare accepted me. We got my gear from the maintenance room and walked through the Stable. I was amazed by how well the dwellers had kept the place for centuries. It showed how tough Stable-Tec’s design was, or maybe how strong the ponies who lived here were.

But the Stable was still a crazy maze of halls and rooms. I would have been lost without Crumpets. Every now and then, I caught ponies staring at me with distrust and fear, their eyes lingering on my jet-black Enclave power armor. But I knew better than to let their prejudice get to me. After all, the Enclave was hated by the surfacers, and I couldn’t change their minds.

As we walked, I couldn't help but notice that some of the residents were pegasi, just like me. I looked at them curiously, and I whispered to Crumpets, asking about their presence in the Stable. "Oh, they're from Stable 96, back in the Shadowbolt Tower," Crumpets explained. "Courtesy of Blackjack."

I blinked speechlessly. There was a fucking Stable in the Shadowbolt Tower? I had never heard of such a thing. I wanted to ask more, but Crumpets didn’t know either. There were more secrets and mysteries here than I thought. But hey, ignorance is bliss. I decided to live in the moment and deal with the rest later.

Finally, we arrived at the overmare's office. The door was heavy and made of metal, with the Stable-Tec logo emblazoned on it. Crumpets knocked on the door, and a voice called out from inside, "Come in."

We entered the office, and I was struck by how different it looked from the rest of the Stable. The walls were covered with elegant tapestries, and the furniture was made of fine wood. The Overmare sat behind a large desk, and she had a commanding presence. She was an older mare, a pale butter-yellow unicorn with a dark brown mane that spilled messily over her shoulders. Her brown eyes were completely clouded over, but she seemed to sense us as she looked in our direction. She spoke after a long pause, "Who is it? I hear two of you."

Crumpets cleared her throat, "It's Crumpets, Farsight."

"And the other one?" The Overmare asked, her gaze lingering on me. I felt a surge of formality, "Dusk."

Her expression turned serious, "Hm. Your voice is unfamiliar, but Crumpets mentioned you a few days ago." She smiled at Crumpets, "Isn't that right, Paladin?"

“Uh…” Crumpets glanced at me nervously before answering, “Yes, ma’am. This is Dusk.”

"I see, and I've been informed of your situation," Farsight said as she stood up from her chair and walked around the desk. "Crumpets already told me about making you stay in the Stable." She stopped in front of the desk, looking at me curiously, “But I want to know more about you.”

I hesitated for a moment. It was hard for me to reveal my true identity to her, considering the conflict with the Enclave a few months ago. I didn't want to put myself in danger, but I knew I had to be honest. "I used to work for the Enclave as a military officer," I admitted.

“Hm." The older mare raised her eyebrows in amusement, "You must be from Thunderhead, then. You don't have that infamous Neighvarro accent." She nodded to herself, "Well, we do have a policy of allowing ponies to stay here if they have a purpose to serve. What skills do you have?"

I didn't know how to answer. I didn't have any skills that would be useful in the Stable. But then I remembered what Crumpets had told me earlier. "I'm a pegasus, obviously," I said. "I could help with tasks that require flight, if that's helpful."

Farsight considered this for a moment before nodding. "Very well. We could use some help with the weather control system in maintenance. It's been acting up lately, and our pegasi have been struggling to keep up with the demand. I’m sure you know a thing or two about the weather, right?” I nodded, and added a hum of affirmation. She continued, “If you think you can handle that, we could use your assistance."

"Yes, ma'am," I said, feeling a slight twitch in the corner of my mouth. "I'll do my best."

The Overmare nodded, her expression softening slightly. "Good," she said. "Welcome to Stable 99."

Okay. That was easier than I expected, seeing Crumpet’s expression of joy and gratitude. After a brief exchange between the three of us, the Overmare asked, “Crumpets, could you leave me alone with Dusk for a moment?”

Crumpets gave a brief nod and left the room, closing the heavy metal door behind her. I heard the sound of the latch clicking into place, locking us inside the office.

“She fancies you, y’know?” Farsight's raspy chuckle filled the room.

My brow furrowed in confusion. "Who?" I asked, second-guessing myself. "Crumpets?"

Farsight chuckled again, her voice low and rough. "Oh, you'll be surprised."

I felt a flutter of apprehension in my stomach. What did she mean by that?

But before I could ask, Farsight's tone turned serious. "Anyway, back to the topic I wanted to talk about... You're not ready."

"Not ready for what?" I asked, my mind racing. Was she going to ask me to do something dangerous? Something I wasn't prepared for?

"I can hear the hesitation in your voice. There must be something that holds you back, hm?" Farsight's clouded eyes bore into mine.

I hesitated, unsure of what to say. But Farsight didn't give me a chance to speak. "Back in the conflict between Thunderhead and Neighvarro... have you ever thought about breaking your sworn vows with the Enclave?"

Okay, what the fuck. My heart skipped a beat. Had she just asked me to betray everything I had ever believed in? I shook my head in disbelief. "What? No, I could never do that."

Farsight leaned in closer. "I've known and met ponies like you, holding on to something that they've believed in growing up no matter how heinous it is. So tell me, Dusk," she said, her voice softening. "Have you ever considered that you might not be as loyal to the Enclave as you think?"

I felt a knot form in my throat. Farsight's words hit too close to home. I had never thought of myself as disloyal, but maybe she was right. Maybe I had been holding back, even from myself. Did I still consider myself as an Enclave officer after it had been officially disbanded? Did I proudly announce that I was a devoted soldier who despised Dashites? Now that I think about it, isolating myself from my family who still believed in the Enclave and being desensitized to the Wasteland…

As I struggled to process my thoughts, Farsight reached out and took my hooves in hers. "I believe in redemption for all ponies, especially the Enclave renegades like you," she said, her cloudy eyes filled with kindness. "If you want to keep the goodwill that you've been given, fight for it. Earn it. Pursue it."

Tears prickled at the corners of my eyes. Farsight's words were exactly what I needed to hear, even if I hadn't known it before.

"But my son took that too literally without the tinge of kindness and ended up hurting and killing everypony," Farsight sighed, her voice heavy with regret. "In this world, it's inevitable..."

I hummed, my heart heavy with the weight of her words. I didn't know what to say, but Farsight seemed to understand. "Well, don't make Crumpets wait outside my office, hm?" she said, giving me a small smile. "Go on, Dusk. And remember what I said."

I hummed again, feeling grateful for Farsight's wisdom. As I made my way out of the office, I knew that her words would stay with me for a long time. I wiped my eyes and stepped out of the office, where Crumpets was waiting patiently outside the door. She looked up at me with a small smile, but her eyes were curious.

I cleared my throat awkwardly, feeling the weight of Farsight's words still lingering in my mind. "Uh, sorry about that. The overmare just had some things to discuss with me."

Crumpets nodded, still studying my expression. "Is everything okay?"

I hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to answer. But then I made a decision. "Actually, no. Farsight brought up something that's been bothering me for a while now."

Crumpets tilted her head in confusion. "What is it?"

I took a deep breath, trying to put my thoughts into words. "Back in Thunderhead, I was a loyal Enclave officer. I believed in… us, even when it meant going against what was right. But now, everything's changed. The Enclave is gone, and I don't know where I belong anymore."

Crumpets reached out a hoof to place it on my shoulder, offering me some comfort. "It's okay to feel lost, Dusk. You don't have to have all the answers right now." She chuckled, "Hell, I used to be a proud Steel Ranger in Trottingham and yet, here I am. An outcast called an Applejack's Ranger."

I smiled weakly at her, grateful for her understanding. Maybe I didn't have to figure everything out right away, just take one step at a time… We kept our silence between us as we made our way back to the area where the Rangers rested in their quarters. Crumpets escorted me into her room, which was simple but cozy. There was a bed, a desk that doubled as a vanity-workshop station with various heavy weapons, and a few shelves with books. Underneath one of the shelves was a battle saddle with enormous ballistic shotguns leaning against the wall, which must have been designed for ponies equipped with power armor. Speaking of that, I saw the power armor station with Crumpet's familiar power armor that looked like it was in pristine condition.

"It ain't much, but…" Crumpets said, gesturing to the bed. "Make yourself at home."

I nodded, prompting me to station my power armor beside Crumpet's so I could take a seat on the bed. As I rested my head on the pillow, my thoughts drifted back to Farsight's words. Was I ready to face my past and make amends? Was I willing to let go of my loyalty to the Enclave and forge a new path for myself?

Crumpets seemed to sense my inner turmoil and sat down next to me. "You don't have to worry about shit today, ease up a bit.."

Easier said than done, but I appreciated her reassurance. "Thank you."

She smiled warmly at me. "Anytime. Don't be afraid to ask for help, alright?" She then heard a small beep from her device attached to her right forehoof, a Pip-Buck, was it? “Well bollocks,” she muttered under her breath and stood up from her bed, “I have some errands to do. The perks of being a bloody Paladin. Get some rest, you've been through a lot today."

I nodded in gratitude as Crumpets trotted out, closing the steel door behind her. I took a deep breath, closing my eyes and sinking into the soft mattress. The room was quiet, with only the distant hum of generators breaking the silence. It was a welcome change from the chaos and danger of the wasteland.

Lying there, I couldn't help but mull over my past. Memories flooded my mind, memories of my family, of Thunderhead, of her, and of the Enclave. It was a part of me I couldn't simply erase, but also a part I needed to let go of.

I woke up, feeling restless and agitated. Just as I was about to try to clear my mind, I heard the sound of gunfire and shouting growing louder outside the room. I jumped up, hurrying to the window to see what was happening. Two pegasi in Enclave power armor were threatening the stable dwellers. But then I saw Crumpets charge towards one of the soldiers, landing a powerful punch that knocked them out. However, she was struck by the scorpion tail on her shoulder, causing her to stumble and scream.

For a moment, I felt the urge to join Crumpets and the other Stable residents in their fight against the Enclave. However, the Enclave's responsibility for this shit made me hesitate. One of the soldiers aimed their gatling laser at Crumpets' head, and memories of a family from Terminus and Farsight's words about earning kindness from others.… No, I don't fucking know if I was ready to fight and possibly kill my own people. The thought of Lucky, Amber, and Meadow… the innocent family killed by those who had promised to protect them.

Suddenly, I heard Dancer's voice in my head, weak and soft but insistent. "Open your heart," she said. And then I saw the horrifying image of Crumpet's lifeless body lying alongside that of the family.

Fuck. Fucking FUCK.

Without warning, I was out of bed and making a beeline for the battle saddle shotguns under the shelf. I quickly donned them, even though they were not designed for pegasi like me, let alone bare-assed as well. But that wouldn't stop me from charging towards the door, biting into the trigger as I aimed the gun at the Enclave's head. His head burst despite still wearing a power armor helmet. Shit, this battle saddle has armor-piercing bullets. The other soldier was caught off guard as I precisely aimed the saddle at him, quickly pulling the trigger, and his body ragdolled back, his neck looking like it had been chewed off by a manticore.

I didn't bother checking on Crumpets as I ran off at full speed to other areas where the Enclave was threatening and potentially killing more innocent ponies.

Adrenaline pumped through me as I spotted more of those jet-black power-armored ponies. This entire mayhem was a damn blur. My mind refused to think, refused to ponder whether those ponies were my actual former co-workers or raiders who had looted the armor for themselves. No, it couldn't be raiders, as their distant dialogue was more comprehensible, proving they were educated Enclave soldiers like myself. No, don't think about it, Dusk. Just blast those fuckers off who will potentially ruin your new place to stay. Your home. Don't think about it…

What felt like an eternity later, the battle saddles started to weigh me down, as if my adrenaline had worn off. I looked down and saw myself covered in blood, unable to tell if it was mine or theirs. No, don't think about it. I looked up and found myself trotting into a large room, possibly the center of the Stable, with a few dead Enclave soldiers scattered around, along with dwellers and rangers in okay condition. I spotted them looking at me, witnessing the horrific scene I didn’t remember. Looking around, everypony’s expressions ranged from disgust to pity. I begged myself not to think about it, not to dwell on the atrocities I had just committed…

Suddenly, ahead of me, I saw a younger version of myself in Enclave uniform fatigues. She was looking straight into my eyes, with a mix of confusion and anger on her face. My breathing grew heavier as I gazed deeper into my younger self's eyes, and then I remembered that night with Glory's pained expression, begging me to spare her and her friends. That same night where I even considered sparing her life after strongly believing she deserved to die. That same night…

My hallucination snapped back, but this time my younger self was now my recent age, wearing power armor, possibly from last year as my face was clear of scar stitches and my mane was way shorter. I saw myself mouthing out, "Why did you do this?"

Everything became clear as I saw Crumpets dashing through my hallucination, "Dusk!" She yelled out my name.

Then I started thinking about it.

I yanked off the battle saddle and bolted away without a second thought, my heart pounding against my chest as I left the horrors of the carnage behind. I didn't know where I was headed; everything was a chaotic blur. The sight of the dead Enclave soldiers littering the hallways made my breathing grow worse with each step. Memories of my time in the Enclave flashed before my eyes - my proudest moments of hard work and unwavering loyalty, greeting my superiors and colleagues without a second thought. But as I replayed the feeling of Dancer's lifeless body beneath my hooves, my heart constricted painfully in my chest.

The ground beneath me changed texture, and I stumbled forward, tripping over something. I found myself outside the Stable, the Wasteland's darkness engulfing me. Shit. I hadn't even realized how far I'd run.

As my eyes traced the constellations above, feeling the tears streamed down my face. I quickly looked down, burying my hooves into the soft earth, hoping it would stop me from sobbing. My throat throbbed with the weight of my heartache. Had I been screaming? It didn’t matter. Nothing mattered anymore. I tried to convince myself that this was all just self-defense - that ponies had to fight to protect their territory. But I knew I had a choice - I could have let the Enclave snuff out the life of the Stable. Yet seeing Crumpets nearly killed by them…it tore me apart.

Suddenly, I felt a pair of legs wrap around me from behind, and I tensed, wondering if it was somepony coming to capture me. But then Crumpets' gentle voice reached my ears. "I'm sorry." Those two words were all it took for me to crumple to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably. The embrace tightened around me, and I let all my emotions pour out. I felt my throat ache with each heaving sob, my eyes stinging with tears.

Finally, when I had no tears left to cry, I asked the question that had been haunting me since the start. "Why me?" My voice was a hoarse whisper, barely audible above the sound of my own breathing.